1394

Number 1394 (Items 277 - 411 & MR 22 - MR 29) (E-BLN 115 PAGES) 5 Feb 2022

BRANCH LINE NEWS

Distribuendi notitia, verbi disseminandi [ISSN 1354-0947]

Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955.

branchline.uk https://www.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/

Membership queries: Lisa Sheppard [email protected]

[email protected]
186 Anlaby Park Road South, Hull, HU4 7BU. 07873354464

British Isles news from members; an international section is available.
Opinions are not necessarilyathvaoislaebolef .the Compilers or the Society.

BLN 1395 is dated Sat 19 Feb; all contributions by Wed 9 Feb please

277] Postal Delays: Our excellent BLN printers and distributors at Newton-le-Willows, Willow Printing
& Design, are very efficient and in normal circumstances most paper subscribers receive their BLN on a
Thursday. They are all posted at the samceietiym. Seocbieutty,.due to Covid affecting postal workers, some areas
of the country are experiencing severe postal delays. Details are on Royal Mail's website. Electronic A4
and A5 versions of paper BLN and BLNI are available on our website normally from the Friday evening,
as well as the enhanced e-BLN and e-BLNI with pictures. A reminder that new fixtures mentioned in
paper BLN do not open for booking on our website until the Friday e-BLN/BLNI release email goes out.

278] Fixtures: If you need help travelling between events, please make arrangements directly with
others you know to be travelling. As a last resort, the organiser may be able to put you in contact with
members who could help. As a common courtesy, please be willing to acknowledge additional time it
may take for the driver and it is appropriate to offer a contribution towards car running costs. Please
also mention, when booking, if you have any special needs, such as mobility problems (so you could be
allocated near a door and toilet on a tour and downstairs on a tram rather than upstairs as examples).

Date Event and details…... Please book online BLN Lead Status
Sat 12 Feb Merseyside Mini-Mayhem; ❶Whitfield Light Railway BELOW NL OPEN
Sat 12 Feb Merseyside Mini-Mayhem; ❷Royden Park Railway BELOW NL OPEN
Sun 20 Feb BELOW MG OPEN
Sun 6 Mar  *NEW* The Springwell Shunter traction trips BELOW MG Waiting list
Sun 20 Mar Batteries Not Included - Merseyrail tour
Sun 27 Mar TBA TBA Claimed
Sun 27 Mar (Was Sat 19th) Industrial railway location with 'Molly' e-1393 MG Waiting list
Apedale Valley Light Railway comprehensive railtours
Amerton Railway (2ft gauge; 1,400yd) am & pm tours See website for details

1-3 Apr Tanat Valley/Welshpool/Oswestry area minor railways TBA TBA Claimed

8-10 Apr *NEW* Tees/Tyne tours, main line loco hauled weekend BELOW TBA Claimed
Fri 22 Apr The Honeybourne Hoover positioning move BELOW MG OPEN
Sat 23 Apr 1394 MG OPEN
Fri 3 June Eastleigh - Newhaven Marine - South Coast etc BELOW MG OPEN
Sat 16 Jul The Royal charter Crewe - Windsor RBF charity tour TBA Claimed
(Was 18th) London - Edinburgh mainline steam (Tornado) TBA

22-24 Jul Save the date for IOM minor railways (Fri-Sun) 1389 TBA Claimed
Sun 28 Aug Scunthorpe Steelworks No24 Summer Track Steeler TBA TBA Claimed

9-12 Sep Niedersachsen Explorer - redated from 22-25 Apr 2022 1370 PG Claimed

MG = Mark Gomm (per back page); NL = Neil Lewis; PG = Paul Griffin; TBA = To be advised;

279] :Sat 12 Feb; Merseyside Mini-Mayhem:: Thanks to member Neil Lewis and his young assistants,
two Minor Railway fixtures are open for booking. The day starts at the Whitfield Light Railway,
located in the attractive and rural grounds of a popular local farm shop and café, near Widnes.

[BLN 1394]
This 10¼ inch gauge railway (MR p20; see BLN 1382.MR133 with photos) only opened in Jul 2020 and
was extended in 2021. Our members only visit includes a 250 yard single track, alongside a farmer's
field, with a two-road carriage siding and shed. 10.30 start (approximate) to cover all available track.
Refreshments will be available from the farm shop and café. We then travel over to the Wirral for a
lunch time start at Royden Park Miniature Railway (MR p20; BLN 1282.MR94) at Frankby, south of
Greasby. This 800 yard ground level 7¼" gauge railway runs in the picturesque Royden Park.

It includes double running track, an extensive station area, various sidings and steaming bays - we aim
to cover as much available track as possible (subject to the usual caveats) during our private visit,
expected to end about 15.30. Tea and coffee will be kindly provided by our hosts, Wirral Model
Engineering Society. Members only. One fare for both fixtures £15, U18s (must be adult accompanied)
£7.50. Book per item 1393.158; any enquires to our member Neil Lewis at: [email protected]

X.24] Sun 20 Feb, The Springwell Shunter 15.30, 16.00 & 16.30:: Thanks to Barrow Hill Roundhouse
https://barrowhill.org we are delighted to announce an opportunity to cover the Springwell branch,
hauled by 08956 'Top & Tail' with 03066. Each trip is a simple return run along the quarter mile branch
line. Barrow Hill café is expected be open for the sale of teas, coffees and light refreshments. Society
members only Adult £20 per trip; Under 18s £10 (must be adult accompanied). Please book on our
website Fixtures Page. This event was finalised too late for paper BLN if you know anyone interested.

X.25] Fri 8 - Sun 10 Apr UPDATE:: Your Society, working with members of York ROC, is delighted to
support Martin House Hospice once again by running a three day charity charter. Working with West
Coast Railways and the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (a Mk1 set) we are taking two Class 37s
back to one of their heartlands, industrial Teesside including some locations never before visited by
passenger trains. The charter travels from Scotland to Doncaster via some North East installations on
the Friday, returning North with a similar remit on the Sunday. Saturday 9th sees an out and back tour
from Doncaster which again takes in some unusual lines in Teesside. With feedback taken onboard
from our previous charters this one is more straightforward and we have factored in some off train leg
stretch breaks, especially the Saturday. On behalf of the charity and the team behind these trains we
look forward to your valued support. The tours will open for booking soon, watch our website/emails.

280] Fri 22 Apr, The Honeybourne Hoover:: Two Class 50 locos (per BLN 1393.158) 'Top & Tail' with
Mk1 stock; the positioning move run by SLC Operations for our Sat 23 Apr 'The Ore & More' railtour.
This is a single journey (the ECS returns on Monday) Standard Class only, limited to 128 passengers; a
buffet car is NOT expected to operate. Please book on our website (where more details are available),
ask someone to do this for you, or post to Mark Gomm - also the contact for queries - (per back page)
with a cheque, supplying an email address or SAE. Tickets should be sent out five days before the tour.
Adult £50; U18 (must be accompanied) £25. The route and provisional timings as bid to Network Rail:

Burton-on-Trent (PU 10.00) - Elford DGL - Tamworth HL (PU 10.20) - Kingsbury Jn - Water Orton - St
Andrews Jn - Camp Hill Line - Kings Norton - Longbridge Down - Gloucester Goods - Barnt Green -
Worcester Shrub Hill - Honeybourne - Oxford (Up Oxford) - Didcot Parkway P5 (SD 14.30) - Reading
West Curve - Basingstoke - Wallers Ash Down Passenger Loop - Shawford - Eastleigh (SD 16.00).

X.26] Fri 3 Jun, The Royal Charter:: A classic steam experience featuring the iconic Standard Class 7,
70000 'Britannia'. This luxury charter, hauled by the 1952 Crewe built loco, is to Royal Windsor for to
celebrate Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Using the luxurious Mk 1 Saphos carriages. With
huge thanks to Locomotive Services Limited, all funds raised from the charter will help the Railway
Benefit Fund (RBF) continue to support railway workers, as it has been since 1858. The charity was
granted Royal Charter in 1949 and has a long history of helping railway families who are going through
tough times and need a helping hand. At Windsor and there will be about 5 hours to explore the wide
range of cafés and bars or take the short walk to the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world.





here is more information about Windsor. Pullman Dining includes a traditional full English breakfast
on the outward journey, followed by canapés and a sumptuous four course dinner (with a main of
Royal Windsor estate beef) on the return, all created by the Executive Chef and fit for a King or Queen!
All tables are dressed with crisp white linen, the finest glassware and crockery. A glass of champagne,
half a bottle of wine per person and mineral water is included. here is the wonderful menu. When
booking, please advise special dietary requirements, such as vegetarian or gluten free meals.

In First Class your steward will bring you tea, coffee and biscuits, and you can also visit the buffet for
light snacks, additional hot and cold drinks plus a fine selection of wine, beer and spirits. There will be
a fantastic charity raffle, with all proceeds donated to our good cause. Times and routing are indicative
until confirmed by NR. Final routing and timings are usually confirmed by NR five days before travel
and will be with your e-ticket. The Society is delighted to be supporting this charity charter as booking
agent. here is more about the Railway Benefit Fund. 'W' is a water stop in the route (next page).

Crewe (PU 08.25) - Stafford (PU 08.55) - Atherstone (W) - Nuneaton (PU 09.55) - Northampton -
Tring (W) - Willesden Relief Lines - Acton Wells Jn - Kew East Jn - Windsor & Eton Riverside (break) -
- Kew East Jn - Acton Wells Jn - Willesden area (W) - Willesden Relief Lines - Northampton - Rugby
Up & Down Through Siding (W) - Nuneaton (SD 20.45) - Stafford (SD 21.25) - Crewe (SD 21.55)

Pullman Dining £365 (£400 at a table for two); First Class £195 (£230 at a table for two) Under 18s (no
discounts) must be adult accompanied. Please book on our website. This fixture was not in paper BLN.

X.27] Mon 2 May: (BLN 1391.3179) Due to resources our TPE Class 68 tour to Saltburn is postponed.

1394 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
281] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1393.209] At the future Watford North Jn the two parallel crossovers in
situ (of the eight that will make up the junction) are 'facing' and 'trailing' between the two middle lines
Up Fast and the Down Slow. ●●195] Robert Stephenson & Co of Forth Street, Newcastle, was the first
company in the world founded to build railway locos in 1823 not 1832, including 'Locomotion' in 1825.

282] Tesco less CO2: DRS, a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, has signed a 3-year
contract with Tesco to run: Daventry to Mossend, to Tilbury (two each way), to Wentloog and to
Teesport via Doncaster iPort. Tilbury to Coatbridge. Mossend to Teesport and to Inverness.

283] Early Railway Memories (71) Nigel Ogilvie, (Member 2873): Cutting edge technology (nearly) at
London and Woolwich in 1951. BLN 1393.175 mentioned the Woolwich Ferry. I travelled on it in 1951
as part of a family visit to the Festival of Britain when I was five years old. (We saw the Far Tottering &
Oyster Creek Railway at Battersea Park as well (BLN 1392.11) but I don't remember much about it.)

In 1951 the ferry was called the Woolwich Free Ferry, directly operated by the London County Council
(reorganised in 1965 into the Greater London Council). To a five year old, the coal fired boats were

things of wonder. There was a
viewing gallery in the engine room to
look down at the reciprocating steam
engines, all polished steel and brass
with the smell of hot oil in the engine
room and coal smoke on deck. There
was another strangely sweet smell,
particularly noticeable on deck when
the engines were operating. The
boats were side paddle steamers, and
the churning of the water by the
paddles stirred up the less pleasant
aspect of Thames water - there was a
lot of sewage in the river then!

BELOW & NEXT: (Item 283) The Woolwich free ferries on 16 Jun 2015, b

both are from the Woolwich side of the river Thames. (Tim Hall-Smith.)





But the sound effects were good;
as well as the chuff-chuff of the
engines, the paddle blades made a
continuous clatter sound as they
clawed for traction on the water.
Manœuvrability was important for
a short distance ferry service; the
two engines operated the paddles
independently, so the boat could
turn in its own length. In the
saloon was a glass section to see
out through the spokes of the
paddles. Word of the day is
'sponson' (the projection out from
the sides of the boat to contain
and protect the paddle wheels).

ABOVE: From Woolwich, with both the ferries. The mass of cranes in the distance are at London's
Royal Docks, King George V Dock and behind, Royal Albert Dock. The circular building, foreground right,
is the access to the Woolwich Foot Tunnel, opened in 1912. The northern access is just visible in the
centre of the image. When we went through the tunnel in 1951, the walls were all white glazed tiles.

In 1951 the river was very busy with tugs hauling lighters - unpowered barges - up and downstream.
Much of the cargo was coal and other bulk materials. At Imperial Wharf was a massive gasworks, on
the north bank where the West London Line crosses the Thames. It had a huge demand for coal,
mostly brought in by river. Imperial Wharf now has a TfL station on the West London Line, and the site
has been 'developed'. One of the complexes advertises apartments for sale from £750,000 upwards.

Pre-containerisation, a lot of manufactured products went from East End factories to the Port of
London (not passing Woolwich) and Tilbury Docks. The East End was still a metal bashing factory area.

The Festival of Britain visit gave me the chance to drive a tram, sort of. There was a mock up of a
London County Council tram driver's cab with a traffic light ahead; it cycled through red, red & amber,
green and amber. The traction motor had a drag load, and the 'driver' had the traction control and a
brake. So the traffic light went to green, you opened up the power and there was a very satisfying gear
wheel noise as the traction drive accelerated; then the light changed and you applied the brake. I must
have spent about 45 minutes 'driving' this tram. The Festival of Britain was a celebration of Britain's
technological future but London trams were already on the way out, ending in July 1952.

We stayed with an uncle who lived in a prefabricated house in Plumstead, near Woolwich. The family
had been bombed out in the war; 'prefabs' were quick assembly 'temporary' houses with most parts
made offsite in a factory. New residents often admitted that, even though these were tiny, they were
better than the previous slum houses. The prefabs were designed as a ten year stopgap but a few are
still lived in. There I met my great grandfather, who had lived in Edinburgh, and I was told he had
driven the 'Flying Scotsman' from there. Ancestry research I carried out in recent years disclosed that
the truth was more modest. He had been a fireman (stoker) for a stationary boiler at an Edinburgh
factory and had migrated south to work in Woolwich Royal Arsenal, still stoking stationary boilers.

Visiting Plumstead led to another technical marvel of the tramway world. The City of London refused
to allow overhead power cables on tramways, and in time London tramways all used the conduit
system of power supply; this was a tube set below street level between the rails. The tube contained
the power conductors, and there was a slot to allow the tram to make contact. (This all looks strangely
like Brunel's atmospheric system.) Outside the London area, the trams ran through into Kent, where
they used an overhead power supply. So, at Woolwich (and other places), the trams changed system.
As a tram approached from Kent, an operator stood ready with a 'plough' in a conduit that converged
with the main line. The tram passed slowly, and the operator used a push stick to propel the plough to

engage in guides under the tram body, between the bogies. There was a very satisfying loud 'click' as it
engaged and the (human) conductor pulled the trolley pole (for the OHLE) down, hooking it on to
location hooks in a lowered position, out of the way. The driver then drove off on conduit power.

ABOVE: (Tooting 1950) A tram running left (OHLE) to right (conduit system) the plough operator has
just engaged it. The runoff for ploughs from a moving tram from right to left can be seen crossing the
far running rail of the nearer track in the photo. This leads to a central dead end 'siding' ('headshunt')
between both tracks. After reversal there the plough follows the connection (off photo right) back to
rejoin the track with the tram on it in the photo. https://bit.ly/3fShlbr has more and photos.
The operator had to engage the plough at exactly the right moment, and the whole thing seemed hair
raising. In the other direction, the plough automatically diverted to a run-off 'siding' conduit, and the
conductor had already manipulated the trolley pole onto the overhead wire, so the process was
seamless. Watching this process was heaven, and I think we only stayed there for an hour and a half.
284] :BLN 2021 Index:; Many thanks to our member Greg Beecroft for his very considerable time
and effort compiling this again. The 76 pages cover 3,314 items in the British Isles plus 227 Minor
Railway items and 257 extra ('X') e-BLN items. It is available in A4 and A5 (booklet) formats which
can be downloaded and printed. The booklet is on 19 sheets of A4 paper (A5 pages, like paper BLN).
The index is available to logged in members on our website document archive; set the top left box
to 'BLN Index' and top right to '2021'. Downloaded, it can be searched electronically with the search
box on the viewing page (Adobe etc). The index is very clear, comprehensive and well structured
with cross referencing. Those taking paper BLN who cannot print their own can have a copy printed
to order, unfolded on A4 paper, in A5 booklet format with Calibri 11.0 font (BLN is 12.5 font size).
Please send an A4 SAE (no smaller please) with a 'LARGE LETTER' STAMP to our member Andrew
Murray, Flat 7, The Hawthorns, Meadow Road, Hadleigh, SS7 2DP. 'Full index' in the right search
box gives a 951 page 201MB cumulative index covering every BLN from Oct 1955 up to Dec 2021.

285] BLN edition list: Thanks to the always busy Martyn Brailsford, we have an Excel spreadsheet on
our website 'Archive' page which can be downloaded and searched. It has all the BLN numbers (First
and Second Series), dates, page number (when used) or number of pages, item numbers, MR numbers
and e-BLN 'X' numbers for 'extra' items with similar information for BLNI, from Oct 1955 to Dec 2021.
Log in and go to the 'Archive' page, set top left box to 'BLN index' and click 'search' - it is the top item.

286] E-BLN 1393 Supplements: As well as our 2020 & 2021 Draft AGM Minutes, a Scunthorpe Steel
Works Jan 2022 track plan is available showing lines not available to our tours, lines not covered by
one of our tours in recent years and new lines not yet open. Jan 2022 Sonderzug (steam engine news
and events of all gauges) and a great BLNI extra, 'A 1998 Visit to Cuba' (mostly steam and sugar cane
railways) are also available. These will all remain on our website 'Archive' page for future reference.

1394 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
287] Nottingham: Almost 4,000 people have signed a petition calling for the disused ex-Great Central
Railway double track tunnels beneath the city to be opened for public tours. Nottingham City Council,
the owner, claims that the tunnels are 'simply not safe'. In 2018 the Council allowed a local historian
access to run three tours of the quarter mile long Thurland Street Tunnel from Nottingham Victoria
to the former Weekday Cross Jn each for 30 people. However, the council refused to allow further
tours. https://bit.ly/3r76dxN is the petition and https://bbc.in/3IMht96 has pictures and more details.

288] West Burton 'A' Power Station: (BLN 1384.2276) EDF has confirmed closure of the power station
in Sep 2022. There have been up to four merry-go-round coal trains daily to Radcliffe-on-Soar Power
Station and one to West Burton 'A' - although the coal stockpile at the latter is very unimpressive.

289] Toton Toyoton: (BLN 1382.2037) Wed 19 Jan saw the first train of the new DBC service with
Toyota Cars for export: 06.58 'Toton North Yard/Down Sidings Low Level' to Dollands Moor (16.53).
In a very efficient operation, the train is back loaded with imported Toyota cars from Europe.

290] Immingham: Stena Line and Associated British Ports (ABP) have announced a new terminal,
opening in 2025. It relocates Stena's Immingham freight operation to a nearby site for faster sailings
and larger vessels to operate. The Swedish ferry company, with four daily freight services from the
Humber to The Netherlands, relocated its Rotterdam freight service to Immingham, the largest port in
the UK by tonnage. However, Stena is not noted for using rail services. A member reports that all of
Immingham Mineral Quay has been shut off and dug up for the last four months or so and wonders if
this is related? Stena is the biggest ferry company in Europe and is one of the largest in the world.

291] Worksop: Harry Needle Railroad Company has expanded its secure stock storage activities
(previously based in the Down yard) to the Up Yard as well, as noticed by 'passing' Society Members.

292] TPE noise abatement: The first trial Class 68 (ECS) to Cleethorpes ran on Mon 24 Jan, for signal
siting and verification work, preparing for regular services from May. It was 06.48 5Z68 Malton to
Cleethorpes (09.19) then 09.30 to Stockport (11.51), a TPE passenger service path currently not
running from Cleethorpes, and 12.02 Stockport to Malton (15.27). It did not show on Realtime Trains
(which had a previous, slightly different, path as not used). The run was captured by Open Rail Data as
a Very Short Term Plan but as a DMU with CrossCountry as the TOC code and Rail Operations Group as
operator!! We have photo evidence that it was a TPE Class 68 and coaches, again showing that online
systems are not always 100%. The plan is for Rail Operations Group to take a set/loco each day from
Doncaster Belmont Up Yard to Cleethorpes by about 06.00 for driver training and then return it after
for fuelling. For passenger service, the sets will now be stabled and serviced at Freightliners RailPort
(opposite Belmont Up Yard), rather than at Scunthorpe (BLN 1390.3081) or Immingham.

293] Derbyshire Wayfarers: (BLN 1393171) [email protected] is the correct email
address (with an 'r' in Derbyshire) to contact about replacing Wayfarer Scratchcards that expired in
2021 and were not used. The County Council website categorically states: Derbyshire Wayfarer tickets
cannot be purchased on-board trains, at unstaffed stations, or from station ticket machines. However,
a member bought one on her local train from Belper to Derby a couple of weeks ago! Presumably it's
part of the drive to encourage passengers to purchase tickets before boarding trains.

BELOW: (Item 292) On 28 Jan a trial TPE Class 68 with MkV coaches ECS from Cleethorpes stops at Crowle P2
(to Doncaster); it visited every station. Crowle now only has one train a week, the 05.05 SO TPE Cleethorpes
to Manchester Piccadilly calls 05.58; Northern services are replaced by buses. The only access to P2 is shown.
The brick building is for an emergency local signal panel, visited by the Society on 4 Oct 2014. (Martin Crompton.)

BELOW: The inaugural run alongside the St
Scunthorpe is to off the right and Doncaste

tainforth & Keadby Canal near Medge Hall;
er left. (Gary Crompton, Mon 24 Jan 2022.)

BELOW: The 28 Jan 2022 run to Cleethorpes,
Crowle station is off right; the ground frame for t

this time with the loco at the rear, at Crowle.
the crossover is bottom right. (Martin Crompton.)

X.28] (BLN 1387.2711) The site of Grimsby West Marsh Sidings (ahead/righ

ht) after recent lifting. (Gary Crompton during normal work access, 23 Jan 2022.)

BELOW: A desolate disused semaphore stands bleakly against the sky. It is ha
Signal Box has no sidings now, just the running lines and junction for Grims

ard to believe that there were once 11 tracks here, Great Coates Sidings No1
sby Docks. Looking towards West Marsh Jn. (Gary Crompton, 23 Jan 2022.)

294] Matlock: The branch lost direct rail services to Nottingham with the May 2021 timetable; this
was supposed to be 'temporary'. Now Matlock services arrive in Derby just as services to Crewe and
Newcastle are leaving, with an hour to wait for the next ones. Connections are good to London trains
and not too bad for Birmingham or Nottingham. For an early train to Crewe, a Belper member now
drives to Tutbury & Hatton (free parking), about 25 min by car with an extra half hour in bed thrown
in! A regular Belper commuter has set up a Facebook page 'Save the Matlock - Nottingham Rail Link'.

295] Leicester: Our Belper member was at Leicester at 17.20 on Tue 11 Jan and was amazed to see a
Cross Country Voyager to Newcastle pass through the station. It turned out to be the 09.25 Penzance
to Newcastle; after leaving New Street on time, it had been held for 95 mins at Water Orton West Jn.
This was due to the Kingsbury Branch Jn points failure at 15.30 (BLN 1393. 239). Fortunately, the crew
signed the route via Nuneaton and Leicester to Derby (reached 140 mins late) - imagine catching it at
Birmingham (on time) for a 40 min journey to Derby to find that you arrived over 2¼ hours late!

296] Retford: Government funded 'Access for All' programme work has made the low level platforms
fully accessible. Previously only P4 (to Lincoln/Cleethorpes) was accessible; P3 (to Sheffield) had steps
to the platform and a barrow crossing. A new lift, opened 15 Dec, connects low level P3 with mainline
Down P1 and there is now a covered walkway between P1 and the two low level platforms.

297] Mansfield: Our railway hotel expert has discovered a 'new' one - The Midland Hotel adjacent to
Mansfield station. Grade II listed, it is a 24-bed 3-storey hotel with 'Brunel's Bar' (You cannot be
serious!) which was auctioned online on 15 Apr 2020 (guide price £450k). It is still open and bookable
online but recent reviews are very poor (polite summary) and a planning application is pending to turn
it into a hostel for the homeless. Built as a lunatic asylum in 1805 (some might have been in two minds
about staying), in 1862 the Midland Railway purchased the building and converted it into a hotel.

1394 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
298] Beam Park: (BLN 1386.2585) Local MPs are pressing the DfT to approve the station here, many
residents are not beaming because they bought homes on the understanding that the station would
be built. Havering Council is considering seeking a judicial review into the matter. ('Ian Visits' website.)

However, the new Rail Minister, Wendy Morton has made it clear that that DfT never given its support
to the new station. Furthermore, the Greater London Authority's offer of £10M maximum 'indemnity'
against financial losses for 10 years was unacceptable as the DfT wishes to be immune from all
financial risks associated with the new station - including revenue abstraction from adjacent stations.

299] Crossrail: (BLN 1393.184) ●TfL announced on 18 Jan that services between Abbey Wood and
Paddington would commence in the first half of this year, with the full timetable in place no later than
May 2023. Over Christmas the latest Siemens signalling software was commissioned and Alstom train
software was updated. The control communications and tunnel ventilation systems were upgraded as
well. Canary Wharf station was handed over to TfL on 21 Jan. This just leaves Bond Street, which is
not expected to open with the rest of the line. Evacuation and high volume passenger carrying
exercises take place between 13 Feb and 13 Mar. ●The core section carried its first passenger on Mon
29 Nov, when someone accessed the platforms at Abbey Wood and rode on a train to Paddington.
Security arrangements at Abbey Wood have now been increased! ●Legitimate passengers were
carried on 24 Jan https://bbc.in/3r1BnH0 when the media were given a preview of the stations and a
ride on the trains (your BLN team was not invited). Paddington to Liverpool Street takes 12 minutes.

300] Barking up the wrong tree line? (BLN 1392.182) On Sat 8 Jan a member visited the remodelled
Whitechapel station and was impressed by the new entrance off the main road compared to the
previous cramped zigzag entrance. As reported, District Line trains from Upminster and Barking were
turning back in P2 and services from Hammersmith turned back in P1 - both doing trailing crossovers
on departure and departing from the opposite platform to usual. Temporary paper signs over the
permanent ones explained this but the ones by the Overground entrance failed to cover over the
normal 'Westbound P2' and 'Eastbound P1' wording (unlike on the actual platforms) - perhaps they
were put up by midgets? Needless to say, this confused some 'normals'; our member assisted some.

BELOW: (Item 312) Not strictly true! After the super-grice on 12 Oct 2021, it is the buffers stops that
need repairing not the platform! Presumably the notice is to assist any platform gricer who turns up.
It's hard to believe that any normal would even notice or care less. (All Simon Mortimer, 5 Dec 2021.)

BELOW: Enfield Town P2 minus its buffer stops, the ground frame bottom

m right is for a crossover that allows running round (behind photographer).





PREVIOUS: P1, complete with buffer stops (of sorts), seen through the en

BELOW: Gricing can be very educational. Here we learn that John Keats
went to school on this very spot before he moved to the Lake District to

suggests the father of Benjamin Disraeli (Isaac) was born here as well,
moving away (Keats made it to Rome before succumbing to TB) well b

The station acquired its 'Town' suffix on 1 Apr 1886 to differe

NEXT: Previously unusual P1 looking towards the buffer stops, P3 is

nd of platform window with a train about to depart for Liverpool Street.

(minor) woz here! (A plaque at the station.) The latterly Romantic poet
o get the creative juices flowing... in fact a small online investigation also

perhaps another plaque‽ Neither ever enjoyed the run up to London
before the branch opened on 1 Mar 1849; then it was simply Enfield.
entiate it from Enfield Chase that had opened on 1 Apr 1871.

s far right (you probably gathered P2 used to be the preferred one.)





X.29] BELOW: (BLN 1392.22) Motspur Park crossing; 60029 with 18 loaded w
on Fri 4 Feb. The aggregate originated at Parson Street South Liberty Siding

wagons for Chessington Goods at 12.52 on Tue 1 Feb. There was another train
(Bristol) again and was staged at Willesden DC Rail Sidings. (Geoff Noakes.)

X.30] BELOW: (BLN 1393.1280) Balham a terminating service turns back in
to the Down Crystal Palace line ahead left. Note the new signalling and (co

n P2, as some have, instead of running to Victoria, prior to 'slipping across'
overed over) previous signalling here. (All Simon Mortimer, 31 Dec 2021.)

BELOW: The platform ramp end lit ground position signal indicates th
Straight ahead is Streatham Hill Depot then Streatham Hill station and t

hat the route is set via the single slip to the Down Crystal Palace line.
the portal for the 443yd Leigham Court Tunnel. NEXT: a telephoto view.





301] Heathrow T5 Transit: (BLNs 1291.2121 - track plan & 1348.799) The transit system linking T5 to
the car park is thought to have closed in Mar 2020 with the Pandemic. The car park reopened mid-
2021 with a bus link to T5. The pods started running on 22 Oct, but ceased again at 00.30 on 22 Nov.

302] Hendon Chord: (BLN 1389.2974) At the time our member did the chord it was bidirectional, as
explained in BLN 1372.656. It became unidirectional when the Hendon station area was resignalled.

303] LUL Passenger Numbers: (BLN 1390.1388) Following withdrawal of the government's work from
home advice the day before, passenger numbers in the morning peak on Thur 20 Jan were up 8% on
the previous Thursday. Reflecting suggestions that many will work in their offices TWThO, numbers in
the morning peak on Wed 26 were 6% up on the previous Monday, but 14% up on the Monday before
that. Central London businesses have lost the equivalent of 47 weeks of sales during the Pandemic.

304] Northern Line: (BLN 1393.183) During the closure for remodelling at Bank, work is also taking
place at London Bridge, Borough and Elephant & Castle. This includes work on lifts and escalators,
refurbishment work at Borough and enabling works for the future Elephant & Castle station upgrade.

305] Pulling the cord (sort of): In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a member commuted to Vauxhall on
the Victoria Line. One evening on the Northbound platform, he noticed a person on the track by the
tunnel mouth making no effort to enter the safety 'suicide' pit. Fortunately, the platform was then
relatively empty and our member quickly located an Emergency Stop Button on the platform wall.
He depressed it just as the next train could be heard approaching; the result was as rapid as switching
off a light, the train stopped just short of a nasty incident. Staff and police soon arrived; our member
was asked to remain as he 'pulled the cord' and as a witness, with the young man removed from the
track in severe distress and exceedingly agitated. He heard nothing further. [The stop buttons with the
original Victoria Line signalling cut off the command codes to the trains - known as 'stop in a heap'.]

306] South Acton: An unlikely location for such an incident but, at 17.32 on 24 Jan, the driver of the
16.41 Stratford to Richmond reported an injured swan in front of his train in the four foot. The swan
then moved into the six foot, causing a train in the other direction to come to a halt at 17.52, with
neither driver prepared to move their train. It was eventually taken away by a wildlife charity after
being removed from the track at 18.30 (the delay was in finding one prepared to look after the swan).

307] Timetables: (BLN 1393.180) Southern restored more services to Victoria from 17 Jan, with peak

services to Crystal Palace/Birkbeck plus Bognor Regis/Portsmouth Harbour/Southampton Central
services between 07.00 and 20.00. Southeastern reinstated some withdrawn services from 17 Jan and
aimed to reinstate the remainder by 31st. With a return to office working, government ministers, MPs,
the Mayor of London and TravelWatch have called on TOCs to reinstate cancelled services. SWR seems

to have made the most cuts, although some peak services have been reinstated.

308] Tottenham Hale: (BLN 1336.2295) The much delayed new station building opened on 14 Dec.

309] Waterloo: (BLN 1361.2690) BrewDog has announced a 26,500ft2 development over two floors
beneath the former International platforms, described as its biggest site in the world. There will be a
bar, in-house brewery, pop-up food shop, cocktail bar, coffee shop, workspaces and a bowling alley.
A special feature will be a slide to move between floors (so it even defies gravity‽). ('London Drinker')

310] W&C: (BLN 1392.24) The line resumed all day SSuX operation on 31 Jan. Bank microgricing guide:

P7 arr/dep [train running number] P8 arr/dep [train running number]
MTThO: start - 10.30¼/10.32¾ [204] WFO: start - 06.43¼/06.52¼ [204]
WFO: 06.50/06.48¼ [201] - 10.30¼/10.32¾ [204] SSuX: 10.34½/10.37¼ [201] - 16.04½/16.07¼ [201]
SSuX: alternate 17.24¾/17.26 [201]
SSuX: 16.09¼/16.11 [202] - 17.21¾/17.23 [204] - 19.41¼/19.42½ [203]

SSuX: alternate 17.28¼/17.29½ [202] TThO: 21.31¾/21.34½ [203] - 23.20/23.22 [203]
- 19.38¼/19.39½ [202]
SSuX: 19.44¾/19.46¼ [204] - 21.28½/21.30½ [202] MWFO: 21.31¾/21.34½ [203] - close
TThO: 23.26¾/23.28½ [204] - close

311] Romford P1 - Upminster P6: This 3m 30ch London, Tilbury & Southend Railway (LT&SR) single
track line from Upminster OP 7 Jun 1893 to the Great Eastern Railway (GER) at Romford, where the
LT&SR had a small goods yard (Victoria Road Goods, OG Jul 1896, CG 5 May 1970). There was also a
direct connection to the GER. The LT&SR had a separate station on the Up side in a 3-storey building
by the east end of the GER station. A cast iron footbridge built over South Street was available to use
when a LT&SR train was due. The LT&SR is said to have built the Romford - Upminster - Grays route as
a 'blocking line' to prevent the GER constructing one to Tilbury Docks. With 1923 Grouping, the L&NER
took over all of Romford station and in Apr 1934 the LT&SR building ceased to be used as a station;
the ground floor was rented out as a shop. The building was demolished by 1993 after fire damage.

The intermediate Emerson Park Halt OP 1 Oct 1909 - of interest, the 1915 revision OS 25" map (and
others pre-1961) shows it as 'Emerson Park & Great Nelmes Halt' but Borley's London Chronology
says that the double name only appeared on one platform nameboard (but not tickets or timetables).
The 'Halt' was dropped (sounds painful) from 9 Sep 1968. On 14 Oct 1909 a runround loop opened -
shown on Joe Brown's London Railway Atlas 5th Edition and 25" maps - complete with a signal box at
its midpoint on the Down (to Upminster) side. It was 525yd past the Romford end of the Halt, so extra
trains could run between Upminster and Emerson Park (previously they propelled from Upminster).
Push-pull working began in 1934 and the loop was no longer needed, it was removed circa 1936.

Steam finished from 17 Sep 1956 when a Stratford based DMU took over and, from 20 May 1957, a
newly constructed bay P6 opened at Upminster. Also from that date, Upminster West Jn was severed
when London Transport Executive and British Railways were 'segregated' at Upminster. Then there
was 'no connection with the firm next door' and the line became just a branch from the Romford end.

Romford - Upminster was listed for closure in the 1963 Beeching Report, which showed it as having
5,000 to 10,000 journeys per week. (Beeching considered 20,000 the minimum number needed for a
line to cover its costs.) However, BLN 20 of 11 Nov 1964 reported that London Transport was unable
to provide even a 'normal' bus service due to staff shortages and the 3-car DMU on the branch was full
in the peaks. The Minister of Transport refused permission to close the line in 1965, but this didn't
stop British Rail again proposing closure from 5 May 1969. In Jun 1976 Emerson Park had a booking
clerk; it was partially gas lit until 1978 and was famously the final British Rail station to use Edmondson
card tickets in 1989. BR mounted one of their 'Use it, Don't Lose it!' campaigns and advertised the line
as 'the quickest way to travel between Romford and Upminster'. Despite continuously welded rail and
electrification now, the line is still 20mph restricted from Romford P1 buffers to 0m 13ch and 25mph
to 0m 35ch. It is then 30mph for almost three miles to 3m 25ch and finally 15mph into Upminster P6.

Electric train services began on 17 Apr 1986; there is a neutral section at 0m 42ch from Romford - this
was a clever British Rail economy (they were famous for these) as Heath Park Road overbridge there
has insufficient clearance for live OHLE. To promote the service, free travel was allowed on Sat 17 and
24 May 1986 - did anyone do all the services? P1 at Romford was rebuilt in 1989. Trains are allowed
nine minutes for the 3⅜ miles but do it in eight, an average of just over 25mph. AA Route Planner
shows the quickest road route (4.2 miles) is 17 min; the fastest bus is 22 min but most take 37-43 mins.

On 31 May 2015 the branch became an isolated London Overground line (trains then ran two hours
later in the evenings and from 11 Dec 2015 Sunday services began). In 2016 the final length of track
before the buffer stops at Upminster P6 east end was still bullhead rail but has since been relaid.
The line has been operated by Class 710 EMUs since 5 Oct 2020 - very generous for the traffic, but
understandable for standardisation. A half-hourly service now operates all day 06.12-21.55 SuX; 08.41-
19.55 SuO and since Oct 1990 the line has been in Zone 6 so is fully covered by Zone 1-6 Travelcards.

Emerson Park peaked at 0.35M journeys in 2018-19 but only documented 93,500 in 2020-21. 638,000
of the 9.2M passengers at Romford were attributed to the Upminster line in 2019. The figure was
596,000 at Upminster; adding the 350,000 at Emerson Park gives a total of 1.584M passengers who
actually paid - almost 30,000 a week and a big improvement on 1963! Interestingly NR classifies it as a
'rural line' - but, until quite recently, there were so many lineside trees that it was a 'green tunnel'.

RIGHT: Coming off the Upminster branch, our Blackwater & Thames Ramble
Railtour https://bit.ly/3L4Dl1i is on the connection at Romford; bay (P1) is l
Upminster services. Looking towards Liverpool Street. (Ian Mortimer, 14 Jun

BELOW: 1960 map of the line, Romford is top left and Upminster bottom r

er DMU
left for
n 1992.)

right.

BELOW: Upminster country end P5 showing trackwork for the aborted
still acts as a trap point from the depot ahead (the train is on Depot Lin

Upper left is Upminster LUL signal box which was visited by

d connection (as now depicted on TRACKmaps 2 p3B 2020) although it
ne 51). Left is P6 for Romford, note the bullhead track, since replaced.
our Society on 10 May 2016. (Iain Scotchman, 18 Jul 2015.)

Mid-morning on Saturday 22 Jan 2022 there were a good number of passengers in both directions.
Our member noticed that most congregated at the Romford end of the 4-car EMU, being convenient
for the station exits of the three stations. Due to the train length, it reaches both ends of line so all we
need is a tour with the Romford mainline connection, used twice daily by ECS and Railhead Treatment
Trains when running. It was done by Pathfinder with their overnight 'Buffer Puffer 14.0' tour before the
first passenger train on Sat 29 Jul 2017 but we had some excellent fixtures in Scotland that weekend.
Despite continuously welded rail (much laid in 2006), the journey is strangely not particularly smooth
which may account for the 30mph line speed. There is much evidence of recent devegetation work.
Of note in Greater London, are three foot crossings between Emerson Park and Upminster, Osborne
Road (1m 19ch), Butts Lane (2m 03ch) and Woodhall Crescent (2m 32ch) - perhaps another reason for
the 30mph? The last two are on NR's list of crossings being considered for modification or closure.
Beyond the buffer stops on Upminster P6 can be seen pointwork installed in early 2005 to connect it
to Upminster LUL Depot line 51. This is shown in different ways on TRACKmaps 5 p44C 2019 and Book
2 p3B 2020. Non-electrified, the connection was to have been used for diesel locos to haul LUL D78
(latterly just 'D') stock via Romford for refurbishment at Ilford Depot (rather than via the West Ruislip
connection) and engineering trains. BLN in 2006 reported that progress was slow and there were
signalling interface problems. Jul 2007 'Underground News' said that the project had been cancelled in
favour of a new connection at Barking. Commissioned on 14 Sep 2008, it is from Barking 'bay platform
line' (for P1) to the Eastbound LUL line - a good number of engineering trains promptly used it. The
Upminster connection pointwork laid has been in suspended animation since.
The D78 stock went by road to Wakefield for refurbishment instead! There is only one signal on the
branch, before Romford Jn where the mainline connection diverges right away from the line to
Romford bay P1 line. Once it was ground frame controlled with a semaphore signal, which was
normally kept 'off' for passenger moves to P1. Adjacent Romford P1 track was a short spur, explaining
the curve shown on TRACKmaps 2 p5B, a single wagon often stood on it. BELOW is from BLN 598 of
24 Nov 1988 but a later 1999 report in BLN said that the last train of the day was then booked to P2.

Our Regional Editor had a similar experience. He recalls that the last train was often empty. If this was
the case the driver would contact the signaller in advance (by radio?) and ask to be routed directly to
the Up Main platform. Otherwise it was supposed to terminate in the bay and then do an ECS shunt,
but it was known that some drivers would ask for this move even if there were passengers on board,
so they could return to the depot quicker. Geoff duly arrived at Upminster P6 one evening, where it
looked like he was going to be the only passenger, and asked the driver if we could be routed into Up
P2. Unfortunately he was a very unfriendly character and flatly refused. So Geoff turned up again on
another day, and just sat on the train, saying nothing to the driver, and we went into the Up platform!

Your GS travelled on the last service of the day from Upminster around then in the hope of this but it
arrived in bay P1. Never one to give up, he asked the crew if there was any chance of staying on to do
the connection. 'You'll have to come to Stratford', he was told, and replied 'that’s where I'm headed',
being rewarded with a cab ride. [Back in 2022 it has arrived in P1 every night since Dec 2019 at least!]

312] Enfield Town: (BLN 1393.173) On Sat 22 Jan it was noted that P2 was still OOU with the track
very rusty including its connecting lines. The buffer stops disintegrated in the overrun accident so
presumably 'grandfather rights' are lost and a 2022 nuclear deterrent buffer stop is now required?
That day, stock was stabled in P1, so all trains were using the formerly rare P3 trains were very busy
(and on the Chingford line) the next day they all used P1. SSuX trains tend to use P1 & 3 alternately.

1394 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
313] Now it Can be Told (61) - on tenterhooks: A member made his first Society brake van trip on
Fri 9 Aug 1968. It was not mentioned in BLN, the Annual Report or our Forty Year Book. These trips
were often advertised separately by the Regional Secretaries and the original details haven't survived.

The trip, the 09.00 Shildon Yard to Eastgate Cement Works, had only three participants so they were
invited into the cab of the Class 37. The load consisted of empty cement wagons for Eastgate and
domestic coal for Bishop Auckland Tenters Street. Our member wasn't sure where Tenters St was;
it turned out to be a quite long backshunt from Bishop Auckland North on a branch parallel to the
eastern curve of the station. Later research shows that it was the original line from Durham before
the line and part of the station were rebuilt to the west in Dec 1867. Bishop Auckland was a triangular
station. The present platform, running east to west, is on the original 1842 Stockton & Darlington
Railway. The east and west curves were part of the line to Durham OG 1856, OP 1857 and moved
further west in 1867. Tenters St was an unexpected bonus but an even bigger bonus was that it meant
the train continued to Eastgate via the very rare Bishop Auckland North Jn - Bishop Auckland West Jn
curve. (The only tour he is aware of that did this curve was the 10 Apr 1965 RCTS 'North Eastern No2'.)

The branch had some level crossings operated by the crew. At the first, the driver alighted to open the
gates, drove the train through and then waited whilst the guard closed them. At the next crossing, not
far away, as his head disappeared out of sight, the somewhat unwelcome words: Right, you've seen
how it works. You take her through floated up to our member. Unfortunately, he perhaps hadn't been
paying as much attention as he should and his Class 37 traction knowledge was therefore a trifle
lacking! He eased off the brake and then gently pushed the throttle lever so as not to jerk the train.

Unfortunately, the lever was much stiffer than expected so it didn't move - unlike the train, which
rolled back. Not wishing to smash up the gates of the previous crossing, he put on the brake and had
another go - this time successfully. Don't you know how to do a hill start? asked the invisible head just
before its owner appeared in the doorway. Our member explained about the stiff throttle and was
allowed to continue driving, except approaching Stanhope - in case the station master was on the
platform. To his great relief, he was not expected to do the shunting at Eastgate Cement Works!!

314] Sunderland: (BLN 1391.3215) The last retail unit was vacated before Christmas for work to begin.

315] Whittle Colliery: (BLN 1392.191) A 1980/81 National Coal Board (NCB) leaflet indicates that the
shaft was then used for ventilation only. The original surface drift, established in 1917/18, had been
replaced by a 1:3 drift, 455m long with a cable belt conveyor and the narrow gauge manriding train.
608 men produced 185,000 tonnes of coal from the Shilbottle seam (joined underground to Whittle
Colliery in Feb 1978), even so by far the smallest pit in the NCB Northumberland and Durham Area.

The last loco driver at both collieries (presumably moving to Whittle when Shilbottle closed) was Ken
Middlemist, an ex-British Rail driver from Alnmouth shed, a sub-shed of 52D Tweedmouth. Alnmouth
shed's last day of operation was 18 Jun 1966, presumably when he moved to the NCB. He also drove
the very first works train on the Aln Valley Railway and is still driving there! Alnwick was the last
branch in the North East with a steam-hauled passenger service (some were DMUs), the last working
(on 18 Jun 1966) was hauled by BR 9F No92099. Would members like to nominate the last steam
hauled [dead end] branches in other regions? The Editor's decision about what is a 'branch' is final!

BELOW: (Item 313) Bishop Auckland 1:10,560 (approx 6" to the mile) i
itself over the line to Durham (the 'Goods Sta' is marked as such). Off lef
Barnard Castle via West Auckland then, next right, the existing Darlington

in 1964 when still a significant railway centre. Top left is Tenters Street
ft is to Eastgate (and once Tow Law and Wearhead). Bottom centre is to
n line. The single track (dashed) line is the 'Ferryhill Branch' bottom right.

316] Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR), 2025 Bicentenary Celebrations: (BLN 1362.2840) The
highlight is planned to be a recreation of the inaugural journey from Witton Park via Shildon and
Darlington to Stockton, using the replica Locomotion No1 and may be broadcast globally in realtime.
Sadly the actual journey will of course be considerably shorter than this! The line from West Auckland
to Phoenix Pit, Witton Park was abandoned probably in 1843 and there is no track beyond Shildon on
the original S&DR formation now. We suspect that one shouldn't take the word 'recreate' too literally,
the train will probably start from 'Locomotion' at Shildon and run to Darlington.

The issues of running to Stockton would be formidable. Quite apart from the question of the loco
having the capacity to run the 21 miles reliably, there would be main line certification. 'Locomotion'
would have to be fitted with Train Protection & Warning System and a high intensity headlight, which
would rather spoil the effect! It might also require Global System for Mobile Communications-Railway.
There is also the question of whether it would operate track circuits reliably. The alternative would be
to put the line under an absolute possession and the most likely scenario is a possession of the line
between Shildon and Darlington P4 inclusive. The station expansion is due to be complete by then, so
this would not affect other trains. Establishing a possession to Stockton would block the ECML for an
hour or more and the line to Stockton for several hours, bringing all rail traffic on Teesside to a
complete halt. One wonders if there will be a gathering of VIPs for the 'inaugural journey'. Will Prince
Charles follow the example set by his grandfather in 1925 and attend the event? He certainly should!

The 150th anniversary commemoration in 1975 (BLN 1293.2314) involved a cavalcade of 33 preserved
locomotives, with prototype HST 252001 bringing up the rear, from Shildon to Heighington. Some
continued to Darlington but the smaller ones returned to Shildon. It was the largest gathering of
steam locos since the end of steam on British Rail in Aug 1968 and attended by some 300,000 people.
A PDF of the elaborate operating instructions for the 1975 cavalcade is on our website 'Archive'; set
the top left box to 'Nostalgia' type 'cavalcade' in the top right box and click the 'search' icon.

It would be impossible to organise an event on this scale in 2025. Since the closure of Shildon wagon
works, there is nowhere to stable or service so many locos. Most of the locos would have to come by
road and Health & Safety requirements are now much more rigorous. However, over 30 early locos,
including from the National Railway Museum or built by Robert Stephenson & Co (BLN 1393.195), will
be brought together as linked static exhibits across several sites, with the 'potential' for a temporary
'engine shed' to be built in Stockton to display some in addition to those at Shildon and Darlington.

Plans involve steam specials, exhibitions, parades and arts and theatre events. The celebrations form
part of County Durham's bid to be UK City of Culture 2025. The Tees Valley Combined Authority has
provided a £21M for the £30M Darlington Rail Heritage Quarter (BLN 1389.2981) and the National
Lottery Heritage Fund £2.8M. There are also plans for a new £5.9M building at Shildon to house up to
45 exhibits additional to the 87 already on display, creating one of the world's largest collections of rail
vehicles. Due to open in 2023, proposals https://bit.ly/3403qh8 were out for consultation until 31 Jan.

A steam hauled shuttle passenger service between Stockton and Shildon may be possible. However,
some scheduled timetabled trains are planned to be steam hauled. This is a scheme introduced in
Germany in the late 1980s, termed 'Plandampf' ('scheduled steam'); they often used rolling stock of
the same era. Presumably preserved lines and licensed main line operators will provide the stock in
this case and we shall not see Tornado hauling an Azuma or Flying Scotsman with a Class 156 DMU!

As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations in 1975 your BLN Editor recalls that British Rail ran an
interesting weekly DMU railtour over local freight lines that summer - we will report on this.

317] York - Newcastle: Over 3km of track is being relaid over 29-30 Jan, 5-6 & 12-13 Feb. LNER is
running an hourly service, not calling at Northallerton (so via Boroughbridge Road low level lines but
TPE and Grand Central are able to call at Northallerton!), then via Yarm and the Durham Coast - a
chance to do the Up line (southbound) through Hartlepool station. Unfortunately Northern, TPE,
CrossCountry and (understandably with all electric trains) Lumo have thrown in the towel, are happy
to take the compensation and run buses for Durham and Chester-le-Street and no through trains.