NRS NL 57-2 Mar-April 2012

Volume 57 No. 2 March / April 2012

_________TRACK REPORT

news from railways in and around Norfolk

National Network

East Suffolk Line Improvements From the Archives

A Network Rail Press Release dated 30th March stated that
work has started to build a passing loop which will enable
future hourly services to run between Ipswich & Lowestoft
(instead of the present 2 hourly). The bottleneck occurs
between Halesworth & Oulton Broad where there is a 16
mile single track at the moment and so trains cannot pass.

A disused platform will be brought back into use at Beccles
and various track and signalling works will be carried out in
October as part of a £21M package to resignal the East
Suffolk Line to improve reliability and performance.

It is to be hoped that the hourly service will start from
December 2012.

Readers with a sense of history may recall the closure of Class J17 0-6-0 no. 65567 has arrived at Thetford with the RCTS
many of the signalboxes in 1984 and the introduction of railtour on 31 March 1962. On the down line, Britannia no. 70003
radio signalling and, even earlier, its possible closure in the John Bunyan is ready to take the train forward to Liverpool
late 1960s. Reference to "I tried to run a railway" by the
late G.F.Fiennes reminds us of the line's retention, even if
the map on the book's cover is a trip back into the past - the
Dereham/King's Lynn/Hunstanton lines were still open !

Throat problems Street. This special was run to mark the end of steam workings
in northern East Anglia, and no. 65567 was the last steam loco at
Norwich shed. > Richard Adderson

On 15th March the 1500 from Liverpool St to Norwich was
noted at a stand at 1648 (its scheduled arrival time) with
DVT 82132 in line with the end of the wall on the non-platform side of Platform 1. The DVT + 7 coaches were platformed but the
two First Class vehicles & 90004 were off the end fouling the entry/exit to Platforms 1 & 2, trapping the 1700 to Liverpool St. As

the central door locking could not be released passengers were detrained through the DVT Conductor's door with some difficulty

given the bulky luggage being carried by some. The fault was soon repaired enabling the 1500 to draw up into Platform 1 at 1714

IN THIS ISSUE allowing the 1700 to leave 17 minutes late. (Peter Adds)

Track Report New Loops at Ely

National Network 1 Further funds are to be spent on a main freight artery in the region.
The Felixstowe to Nuneaton route is to get two 775 metre-long
Heritage, Narrow Gauge & Miniature 2 loops east of Ely station and should be complete by summer 2013.
This should enable better regulation of trains around the area.
Away from the Tracks 4
Pick-up Goods 5

NRS News 9 The loops form part of further improvements being carried out,
10 including a new chord at Ipswich, which are due for completion in
Features early 2014.
Liverpool St Traffic Manager’s Office Part 3

Northern Ireland July 2011 Part 3 11 Class 90 Moves
The World Was My Oyster 13

Working Timetable 14 The first of 15 Greater Anglia Class 90s to move to Crewe
International Electric Maintenance Depot for a G-Exam arrived on 6

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February. 90015 Colchester Castle was hauled by DRS Double Your Money
47501 Craftsman.
The Community Rail partnership running the Bittern Line will
Greater Anglia has 15 Class 90s leased from Porterbrook see its cash contribution from Great Anglia double for the
and 13 are currently serviceable (90002 -14) - 90001 is out duration of the franchise and hope thereby to show their
of traffic and has not worked since November 2011. GA commitment to the future success of the route. The
needs 11 locomotives for its weekday diagrams. company has pledged to invest £10,000 a year to help
promote the service and support the partnership’s work.
Punctuality Falls Since it took over the service the partnership has seen
passenger numbers increase by 200%.

Rail punctuality improved last month with all companies Heritage, Narrow-gauge and
exceeding 90% of all trains arriving on time. However in our Miniature
region the figure of 91.8% was down slightly on NXEA’s
performance in the same period last year. For those making Judge on the Line to County School
the journey to and from London timely arrivals were at their
highest level for two years. As NRS members heard at its meeting on 15 March (see
page 6) there is much work taking place on the Mid Norfolk
News Items 20 March – Peter Adds reports: Railway in an effort to extend the line to County School.
Clearing the disused northern section is time consuming with
1. 156402 working one of the Norwich - Cambridge some 20 years neglect to contend with.
diagrams, including 0940 ex Norwich, rather than normal
170.20X. Help however has been provided from an unlikely source.
The Community Payback Scheme run by Norfolk and Suffolk
2. 0957 Norwich - Liverpool Lime St formed of 158 unit did Probation Trust has engaged with the MNR to provide
not call at Ely but routed via Ely Curve to avoid reversal at offenders, ordered by the courts to undertake unpaid work, to
Ely (technical fault) assist with the clearance work.

3. The former level crossing cottage (circa 1850??) beside Norfolk’s Senior Judge, Peter Jacobs, visited the railway
the Stoke Road bridge over the Ely line at Lakenham noted during February and said he was very impressed with the
being adorned with at least 4 solar panels......... attitude and contribution of the people he saw and talked to.
“They’re giving something back to the community and giving
Norfolk Railway Society themselves the benefit of working”, he said.
(Founded 1955)

President: Arnold Hoskins, Esq.
Vice-President: Ken Mills, Esq.

Committee and officers 2011-2012 Telephone

Chairman Peter Davies 01603 929283

Vice Chairman Peter Adds 01508 492070

Secretary Ian Woodruff 01603 700856

Treasurer and

Website Editor Andrew Wright 01508 492010

Fixtures Arranged by sub-committee

Membership Sec. Mike Handscomb 01953 605068

Newsletter Editor Edward Mann 01603 456372

Publicity Mike Fordham 01508 493437

Archivists Peter Allison & 01508 499723

Raymond Meek 01263 860662

Committee Member Graham Kenworthy 01603 714479

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Norfolk Railway Society Newsletter

Editor Edward Mann

16 Chestnut Hill, Eaton, Norwich, NR4 6NL

Tel: 01603 - 456372 (not between 5 - 5.30 pm Thursdays)

email: [email protected]

Distribution Graham Smith

7 Caistor Lane, Poringland, Norwich, NR14 7QT

Tel: 01508 - 492096

Please contact Graham if the next edition does not arrive by

the end of the month of publication

Opinions expressed in any articles are the author's and Looking north from Dereham Station. How long before
should trains will again depart for County School?
not be taken to represent those of the Society. > Andy Wright

Next issue published mid-June 2012 2

_________TRACK REPORT Doncaster didn’t do it this way !

Eaton Park, Norwich

In recent months there have been developments by the
Norwich and District Society of Model Engineers of their
miniature railways.

An improvement has been the replacement of the 5" and 7¼"
gauge ground level track. This was originally laid using
wooden sleepers and rails of bar steel. Although the
sleepers were of treated timber, they began to deteriorate
sooner than was hoped, and the steel rails, because of their
relatively sharp corners, were thought to be the cause of
undue wear of passenger vehicle wheels.
So it was decided to lay new track, with baseplates and
sleepers of hard plastic and rails of Vignoles Section.
Assurance has been given that the plastic is resistant to
burning by hot cinders which may be dropped by steam
locos. All locos should perform better on the Vignoles
Section rail.

The second development has been the overhaul of the
Society's 7¼" gauge model of LNER A3 4.6.2 loco 4480
"Enterprise". This engine was acquired some some years
ago, and despite some modifications then its performance
was disappointing. In recent months the loco has been
extensively overhauled, many new fittings have been
fabricated and the piston valves and valve gear have
received attention. The engine has 2 to 1 motion like the
prototype, so re-setting the valves was quite a challenge, but
was successfully accomplished. Perhaps the shadow of Bill
Harvey was watching ! Steam trials have recently taken
place and the loco's full running potential revealed. It was a
joy to see and hear it running, and it should prove a great
asset when haulage of public passenger trains takes place
on Sunday afternoons this summer. (Words: Arnold
Hoskins. Photographs: Mike Fordham)

Are you watching, Network Rail ? There will be a replacement bus service !

Getting Around

The occasional minor or preserved railway brochure comes my way, and if you're in the area you might like to bear these lines in
mind. The half-sized Gartell Light Railway is at Yenston, Templecombe, Somerset BA8 0NB and the majority of its Open Days
seem to be on Bank Holidays or at the end of other months (see www.glr-online.co.uk).

The West Somerset Railway runs most days between March and the end of October, and the run from Bishop's Lydeard to
Minehead lasts over 1¼ hours (see www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk).

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On 11 March 2012, B12 8572 4-6-0 (above) with the 09.23 train from Sher- North Norfolk Railway Spring Gala

ingham heads towards Bridge 303 with the Quad Art Set.. While below The NNR’s Spring Steam Gala took place from
Friday 9 - Sunday 11 March. It followed the
M&GN Society’s Members Day (NRS NL 57/1
p.2) when the B12 No. 61572 was re-launched
following its lengthy overhaul.

The Gala featured the B12, the J15 re-numbered
7564, GWR No. 4936 Kinlet Hall, 5619 0-6-0T
‘Taff Tank’, Class 5 45337 4-6-0 and 9F 92203
2-10-0 Black Prince.

Sadly on the Sunday the J15 failed with injector
problems but on previous days it was seen
double heading with the B12.

However it was a very successful weekend for
the railway with the NNR saying that all gala
records were broken with 3500 visitors over the
three days producing revenue more akin to its
traditionally more successful autumn events.

right J15 7564 0-4-0 is seen at the same location with the 09.46 from Sher-

ingham. . > Andy Wright

Away from the Tracks

Uncovering "the Joint"

The Friends of Norwich City Station (FONCS)
had a stand at our Show back in January and the
Norwich Evening News dated 20th March carried
an almost full-page feature on their activities. The
FONCS have uncovered an old platform, parts of
the old engine shed and coaling stage, and are
hoping to be allowed to excavate some more of
the old platform.

Mike Fordham has arranged a visit to the site -
which is adjacent to the Barn Road roundabout -
on Thursday 10th May @ 7pm, and anyone
interested is invited to come along.

House for Sale !

5 Bedroom Detached, Old Railway Yard, Burnham
Market, King's Lynn, PE31 8UP

Spotted by Mike Handscomb at the beginning of April
on the Abbotts website and in your Editor’s view
overpriced at £1.75m which was the original asking
price. A bargain at the reduced price of only £1.6m a
fortnight later?

Abbotts’ website shows that the nearest railway
stations are at King’s Lynn 18.9 miles and Harbour
Junction 19.8 miles. We have not located an extant
station at Harbour Junction but no doubt Abbotts know
better than we do !

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A miscellany of news and members’ contributions

Recently at the URC Hall John is a member of Norwich and District Photographic
Society - there appears to be little railway interest among
Emmental Cheese and Marmots their members but they do know about producing
photographs acceptable to photographers. John largely
We tend to think of the Channel Tunnel or Crossrail as big achieved this - sometimes the train was secondary to the
deals in terms of rail tunnelling, but both are easily out- landscape and there were some excellent views of people
classed by the 57km-long Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT) and railway structures. He likes foreground in front of the
which engineers have been boring under the Swiss Alps - train and enjoys photographing trains in the countryside. He
through rock, not simple clay! - since 1995. is a supporter of photographic charters - no idiots spoiling the
pictures - and I particularly liked his night shots (often on the
This massive piece of engineering was the subject of Chris G.C.) although he said that a tripod was required. Food for
Mitchell's illustrated talk on February 2. He called it Em- thought, as they say.
mental Cheese and Marmots. Why? Well, the cheese's man-
ufacturing process is designed to produced the familiar holes John probably broke new ground in the second half of his
- or tunnels - and marmots are renowned for living in bur- presentation, when we saw part of a German-language DVD
rows, often within rockpiles, and hibernating there through on Meiningen Locomotive Works, a little to the north-east of
the winter. (They also use whistles to communicate, as do, Frankfurt. It's probably well-known that Tornado's boiler was
apparently, the rail tunnellers.) manufactured here, but the DVD was something of a step
back into a bygone age as the repair facilities seemed to
The GBT is expected to open in 2016 and is the world's long- have comparatively little modern equipment. The works
est rail tunnel. Its purpose is to increase transport capacity seemed about the same size as (say) Derby or Eastleigh,
across the Alps, especially for freight between Germany and and much smaller than Crewe or Swindon. The former
Italy, and to shift freight from road to rail to reduce environ- Prussian State Railways works was opened in 1914, and
mental damage. It will also cut the journey time for passen- probably the largest number of employees worked there
ger trains from Zürich to Milan by about an hour and from shortly after WW2. We saw locos being dismantled for repair,
Zürich to Lugano to 1 hour 40 minutes. badly scaled tubes being removed, and a the strength of a
boiler being determined by a metallurgist. Wheels were
Chris is professionally involved with Crossrail and was privi- likewise removed and re-profiled, cylinders re-bored, and
leged to visit the GBT with an Institution of Civil Engineers gradually the engine was re-assembled prior to its test runs.
party last year. He showed pictures from a journey over the Health & Safety tended to be in the background ! It was hard
'old' route - spectacular mountain scenery and spiral tunnels to date the DVD - it was obviously post-reunification and
- as well as a video of the TBM's breakthrough last July. probably just after the merger of the Deutsche Bundesbahn
and Deutsche Reichsbahn in 1994. Nowadays, the works
For the meeting's second half Chris took us on a journey undertakes steam locomotive repair from all over Europe,
south over the Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon (BLS) railway, the and is responsible for the safety inspections of all operational
second-largest Swiss standard-gauge network. From a blend German steam locomotives. (EM)
of Chris's own and borrowed slides, we saw the wide variety
of motive power from several countries which can be found History of the Port of Felixstowe.
on this three-voltage route. They include the tilting Cisalpino
units as well as many locos liberally covered with advertising 1st March 2012
vinyls.
This was a joint presentation by Ian Heeley, who had worked
A fascinating evening ended with two short DVDs, one of rail at the Port for 23 years, and Brian Hall who was a
activity around the north end of the existing St Gotthard tun- construction worker.
nel at Göschenen, the other a journey over the BLS through
Spiez and the Lötschberg Tunnel to Brig. Ian gave a brief overview of the history of the port from its
planning by Colonel George Tomline through the opening of
Thanks are also due to Chris for introducing a novel but ap- the railway from Westerfield to Felixstowe in 1877. This was
followed by work on the dock commencing in 1882, with the
propriate accompaniment - slices of Emmental - to our half- first ship using the dock in 1886. This year also saw the
acquisition of the railway by the Great Eastern Company.
time refreshments. (Mike Handscomb)
Colonel Tomline died in 1889 and the Dock passed to his
The first half of John Hanchet's presentation on 16th heir, Captain Ernest Pretyman.
February was intriguingly entitled "A Blurb on Preservation".
"Blurb", we were to learn, was effectively an on-line Development in the following sixty or so years was modest,
publishing system - available on download - by which you traffic consisting mainly of grain inwards to the mill on the
could be your own author / publisher. It is probably best north side of the dock and outward grain, malt and flour. The
suited to the coffee-table type of photographic album, with major changes in the immediate vicinity were in connection
relatively little text, and the 80 page book John had produced with the establishment of naval and air stations, which were
cost him around £27. Its advantages lie in its versatility - no particularly active during periods of requisition in World Wars
piles of prints to pass round; no digital displays either. Mind I and II.
you, "Blurb" publications are not for the faint-hearted, and as
with any photographic album considerable photographic In 1951 Mr. H.Gordon Parker bought the Felixstowe Dock &
talent is essential, clearly apparent as John took us through Railway Company after it had been released by the
the entire book. government, and, with assistance from Ian Trelawney as
General Manager, set about reviving the port.

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The last sixty years have been a period of continuous the line was doubled between Wymondham and Dereham in
development and expansion, not least since the advent of 1882.
container shipping in the late 1960s. This has led to it
achieving the position of the busiest container port in the In addition to passenger traffic and freight during peacetime
country and high in the top ten in Europe. heavy use was made by the Air Ministry of the sidings at
Dereham as a reception centre for materials to construct
Members were duly amazed by photographs taken by Brian local airfields.
of vessels arriving from the Far East with cranes for
container handling already assembled and our speakers After the war the branch became part of the Eastern Region
described the delicate methods required to off-load them to of British Railways and John told us about the introduction of
the dock side. the earliest railcars to the line. However the 1960’s heralded
the era of Dr. Beeching and from 1963 contraction began
Mention was made of the various facilities operated by the with the line from Dereham to Wells closing to passengers
port itself, including the fire brigade, police force and from 5th October 1964. By the end of the decade only
hospital. The good labour relations enjoyed were also freight traffic remained with the further expansion of road
covered, reflected in the very low number of industrial transport reducing the demand for this service.
disputes which had occurred over the years.
So what of the preservation movement? John told us about
A final sequence of images of the port area taken from very the development of the Wymondham, Dereham and
high viewpoints left a lasting impression on the audience as Fakenham Railway Action committee in the mid 1970’s and
did the very distinctive delivery from our speakers. its efforts to restore passenger traffic to the line. However
the complete closure of the line came in 1989 after which
Graham Kenworthy various groups with an interest in the line sought to work
together. In 1995 the Mid Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust

was set up and gained charitable status.
Within three years the Trust had acquired
the route from Wymondham to Dereham.

John went on to show a collection of slides
depicting the railway during the 1970’s and
80’s and explained the efforts to extend the
line from Dereham to County School. As a
railway he alluded to the different character
the Mid Norfolk has compared to the North
Norfolk Railway. John sees them as
complimentary rather than competing
railways.

Class 37 003 waits at Thuxton with a short freight train for Wymondham on 19 A key aim for the MNR is to reach County
February 2012 during the Mid Norfolk Railway’s Mixed Traffic Weekend School within striking distance of the tourist
> Andy Wright trade in the North Norfolk area. At the other
end of the line the hope is to establish a
station within a short walk of Wymondham
mainline station. Much depends on Network
Rail in this regard. Other developments
include the acquisition of an ex Virgin Mark
3 Restaurant Car, which saw use in the
recent February Gala, and raises the
prospect of a dining service with the
opportunity to generate additional income
and interest in the railway.

Mid Norfolk Railway Developments The inevitable questions were asked about steam on the
MNR and we were advised to keep our ears open for news
On the 15 March 2012 we were pleased to welcome John of visiting steam locomotives. After April we shall just have
Hull, Vice-Chairman of the Mid Norfolk Railway. He also to see what may flower as spring turns to summer. All in all
holds the somewhat mystifying title of ‘Infrastructure John delivered an entertaining and informative talk.
Permanent Way Liaison’. (Andy Wright)

But it was with the history of the line that he began, taking us High Hopes for Low Moor
back to 1845 when the line from Wymondham to Dereham
was planned. It opened to freight in November the following Some members will recall visiting Low Moor depot, just south
year and to passengers in 1847. More than 10,000 tons of of Bradford, when it was open to steam. No doubt this
coal was carried in the first year. By the end of that decade became more difficult after the adjacent station closed from
the line extended to Fakenham and reached Wells in 1857. 14th June 1965, but plans are well advanced for a new
After becoming part of the Great Eastern Railway in 1862, station, which local residents have been campaigning for for
many years. No plans exist for another steam depot (sadly) !

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Have You Signed the Book ?

This is the often-heard cry at our own meetings, but
Lincoln station staff have taken matters a stage
further. On a recent visit when Mike Fordham &
Philip Moore asked if they could pass through the
gates on to the platform they were asked to sign in &
out in the log book on the wall.

What a good idea and such helpful staff ! Has
anyone else been asked to sign in at another
station?

Mike's photos of Lincoln show that traffic hold-ups
continue to occur, though not so badly as in past
years.

Lincoln Central station is off to the right of the picture. Crossing the
bridge is a Class 144 ‘Pacer’ no 55835 > Mike Fordham

156406 holds up the traffic as it arrives at Lincoln Central Looking West towards Lincoln Central
from Nottingham. > Mike Fordham > Mike Fordham

Another Look at the Railways of Banffshire & Morayshire, Timetable Fog and an Exchange
Platform in the Middle of Nowhere !

John Hutchinson recently made an excellent presentation to the Great Eastern Railway Society about the area's railways. As I
have the benefit of a Summer 1956 Scottish Region Timetable I thought it would be appropriate to consider the actual services on
the Aberdeen - Inverness line, and more particularly those radiating from Elgin.

The timetable did not differentiate between Elgin's stations, making it difficult to be sure which trains went to which station.
However, I think it is a safe bet that direct services from Aberdeen to Inverness (and a few others) used the old Highland
Railway's West station whilst coastal, Dufftown and Lossiemouth services used the Great North of Scotland Railway's East
station. This can be borne out from a study of a detailed map of the area and the physical connections.

The Aberdeen - Inverness services that split at Cairnie Junction represented (to modern minds) a very expensive means of
working fairly short trains, but perhaps this had persisted for many years and - economic considerations apart - gave residents a
decent through service, albeit an infrequent one. The Scottish Sabbath was still well-entrenched and no services at all ran on
Sundays. Unsurprisingly, the final curtain came down from 6th May 1968 when the coast and Dufftown lines closed to
passengers (the Lossiemouth line having gone from 6th April 1964). Of course, freight had underpinned the lines. The coastal
line had its fish traffic whereas the Dufftown line was in the heart of whisky country (barley in and barrels of whisky out).

By a strange twist of fate, the timetable map for 1956 shows the coastal and Dufftown routes with thick red lines, yet the surviving
Elgin West - Keith Junction route was considered less important and had a thin red line.

Two diagrams accompany this article - careful study of the area map will show that, from Elgin East, the coastal and Lossiemouth

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lines divided at Lossie Junction, but the inland line through Dufftown climbed over the Highland main line which ran approximately
east - west. The Elgin signal box diagram will show that there was a connection from Platform 1 to the nearby Elgin West station.
If we begin at Aberdeen there was an 0445 through service to Inverness arr 0839. I have seen it described as a Mail train but it
could well have carried newspapers from Glasgow as there was a 2300 from Buchanan St via Stirling, Perth & Forfar arriving in
the Granite City at 0319, thus making an easy connection. This was followed by another through service at 0745, advertised as
RC (Refreshment Car) and TC (Through Carriages) to Inverness arr 1106. But you had to be in the right part of the train. It
divided first at Cairnie Junction; the first part (with the RC & TC) continued via Keith Junc and Elgin West to Inverness. However,
at Keith Junc it sub-divided with the rear portion going via Dufftown to terminate at Elgin (East). The last part went from Cairnie

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Junc and round the coast via Buckie, then Elgin (East) to arrive at Inverness 45 minutes after the "fast" portion. The 1415 from
Aberdeen followed the same pattern: division at Cairnie Junc, first part TC to Inverness arr 1759; sub-division at Keith Junc for
the Dufftown route to Elgin East arr 1652; remainder Cairnie Junc then coast line via Buckie arr Elgin East 1708 (TC from
Aberdeen). As the day drew to a close, the 1847 from Aberdeen performed the same separation at Cairnie Junc, but the
Dufftown route only had TC on Saturdays; for the rest of the week, after sub-division at Keith Junc the train terminated at Keith
Town. The first part reached Inverness at 2215, The TC from Aberdeen to Elgin East was the last part to leave Cairnie Junc and
reached Elgin at 2133.

Going east the service provision was, if anything, less.There was an 0740 through service from Inverness to Aberdeen arr 1112.
The 1245 RC service to Aberdeen must have used the through platform at Elgin East; the first part got away at 1410, travelled
via Dufftown and Cairnie Junc to arr Aberdeen 1641. The rear portion left Elgin East at 1420, went round the coast via Buckie to
Cairnie Junc and ran as a separate train to Aberdeen arr 1700. The last Aberdeen service of the day (!) left Inverness at 1800
and arrived Elgin East at 1905. It looks as if a separate train left Elgin East at 1912 and reached Aberdeen at 2150 as there's no
TC.

It will be apparent that Cairnie Junction played a supporting role, as a place for the separation of portions. Until 14th June 1965 it
was merely an exchange platform (not a "ticketed" destination as it had no road access). Yet Clinker's Register shows that it was
advertised as a regular station after 14th June 1965 !!! No sign of the station exists today. We are left to wonder what prompted
the 1965 change.

It is pleasing to end by saying that - although long closed to passengers - Elgin East remains in existence, converted into offices.

60 Years Ago Shedcode puzzle solved ?

Where would our Newsletter be without Rod Lock's In NRS NL 56/4 (page 7) I queried why Old Oak Common
reminiscences of his railway career ? In the next issue he will had become 81A when other regions began at 30A, 50A,
be taking us back to his early days at Swaffham and, 60A & 70A. Well, it all seems to boil down to bureaucratic
coincidentally, it's interesting to read what the April 1952 expediency. In GWR days Old Oak was Division 1 and it
issue of the Railway Observer had to say about the area. simply became 81A under BR. The remaining parent depots
in the Division followed a generally westward or northward
The Dereham - King's Lynn line suffered from poorly geographical order although there were exceptions, and the
patronised trains, largely due to a parallel bus service. Bristol Division (2 or, later, 82) is a case in point as 82B was
Members were advised to travel over the line before it was St Philip's Marsh, 82C Swindon, 82D Westbury, 82E Yeovil
too late, though the introduction of d.m.u's postponed closure and 82F Weymouth.
until 9th September 1968. On 19th March 1952 the 1505 ex-
Norwich consisted of five very lightly-filled coaches and two Corrections Corner:
vans. Motive power was usually an E4 2.4.0 with motor-fitted
C12s working between Dereham and King's Lynn (67386 on Ken Mills has pointed out that there was an error in
19th March 1952). NRS/NL 57/1 p.5. The final sentence of my report of Ken's
slide show during the Members' Informal Evening gave
The Swaffham - Thetford trains were usually the preserve of the impression that I didn't know my 4.4.0s from my
E4's 67288/93 helped out by the occasional J15. The most 0.6.0s. What should be explained is that no. 171 "Slieve
interesting part of the day was the passage of the two Gullion" is an "S" class 4.4.0 whilst nos.184/186 are the
school trains which were worked by D16 4.4.0s ("Clauds") Irish equivalent of our J15s !
from King's Lynn. This arrangement gave an amazing SX
working on the 1345 from Swaffham - Thetford - a "Claud"
running chimney first piloting a tender-first E4 !

_________NRS NEWS

Membership Matters Unsung Heroes

Another new member gets us a little closer to that elusive Several of our members spend time at a heritage, narrow
"ton" - Chris Wake, 13 Collingwood Close, Poringland, gauge or miniature railway be it in the signalbox, operating
Norwich, NR14 7WN - tel: 01508 494204 or email the level-crossings, helping in shops or being generally
[email protected] useful with a paintbrush. The next issue will begin to highlight
the essential but financially unrewarding work they carry out
but I do need some photographs please. Simply email them.
Thank you. (EM)

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Liverpool Street Traffic Manager's Office 1960 - 1965 - Part 3
Rod Lock

After 2½ years I moved to the commercial side of the office, dealing with tenancies, mainly coal stacking ground, and private
sidings. Instances arose where decisions had to be made whether to renew a private siding connection when main line renewals
were required. Two sidings where renewals were not justified commercially were Fyffe's siding at Takeley, on the Dunmow
branch, and Clarnico's at Stratford. On the other hand there were several sidings which produced significant traffic, including train
loads. These were the Eastern Gas Board at Angel Road and Ponders End; the CEA at Brimsdown and Broxbourne, British
Sugar Corporation at Felsted, and Key Glassworks at Harlow Mill. Other stations had significant private siding layouts: Colchester
Hythe had eleven sidings; Braintree six, plus four third party users of these; and Silvertown had three - Silcock (animal feed), T.
W. Ward (scrap metal) and British Oil and Cake Mills.

Significant tonnages of coal were received at two
private sidings: domestic coal at Enfield Lock for
the Enfield Highway Co-Op and industrial coal at
Manningtree for BX Plastics, which was tripped
daily from Manningtree goods yard.

Two new private sidings opened for traffic,
although neither was in the Beeching mould of
trainload traffics. One was at Picketts Lock,
connected to the Goods lines, between Angel
Road and Ponders End, which received canned
goods from Blackwall for Libby McNeil Libby; the
other was at Easton Lodge, on the Dunmow
branch, between Takeley and Dunmow, serving a
banana ripening store owned by Geest.

From the Up side of the Goods Yard at the Colchester end of Hythe The Liverpool St District was extensive. Its
station looking towards Clacton. > NRS Archive extremities were North Hall's Intermediate colour
light signals between Elsenham and Newport, and
Keeble's siding between Manningtree and Bentley,

and everything in between, including coastal branches. During my time it expanded significantly. In 1963 it took over the Line
Traffic Manager's LT & S empire, the North London line eastwards from Dalston Junction (exclusive) to Bow, Old Ford and
Poplar, and a strange one - Hertford Old station on the connecting line between Hertford East and North stations, where during
WW2 some of the District Goods and Passenger Manager's clerical staff had been out-based.

Uncluttered by overhead wiring, a J15 0.6.0 shunts in Hythe The same view after electrification with a J15 and a Class
Yard, looking towards Colchester. > NRS Archive 105 DMU. The unit suggests a late 1958 or early 1959 date.
> NRS Archive

In February 1965 I moved to the King's Cross Traffic Manager's Office as Deputy Head of the Works & Planning Section, and two
months later I was promoted to Head of Section. I was lucky; in six years I received five promotions ! I remained at King's Cross
for five years before moving a short distance along Euston Road to the General Manager's Planning Section,London Midland
Region.

10

_________FEATURES

Down Memory Lane

The quartet of Hythe photographs reminds us that the
Colchester / Clacton / Walton electrification was
officially opened on 13th April 1959, and that this was
the first 25 KV a.c .regular passenger operation in
Britain. In fact, the new multiple units had been
operational since 16th March 1959. It took a few more
years before through electric services began between
Liverpool St and Clacton / Walton, and the
Brightlingsea - Wivenhoe diesel services lingered on
until 15th June 1964.

It was rumoured (!) that some of Stratford's N.B.L. 800 From the Up side of the Goods Yard at the Colchester end of Hythe
h.p diesels.(D8400 series / Class 16) might be tried on station looking towards Hythe Junction & Signalbox - the Class 24 is
Clacton extras during the summer; a trial was on a down passenger. > NRS Archive
scheduled for a 9 coach train on "B1" timings for 12th
May. It would be interesting to know what happened
given the poor reputation of these diesels.

Of course, the electric units were, in a sense, "on
loan" as they were ultimately destined for the LT & SR
when electrified.

Northern Ireland - July 2011 - (Concluding Part)
Ken Mills

Sunday 24th July

Destination: Whitehead (for RPSI) - £4 return - 17 miles each way. 28 trains on weekdays; 18 on Saturdays; 10 on Sundays.

Board a Larne service at Great Victoria Street and alight at Whitehead (45 minutes). The line is double-track to Carrickfergus
(12 miles), then single to Larne. A 10 minute stroll will get you to the depot, which is the HQ of the Railway Preservation Society
of Ireland (RPSI) and is situated on the sea-side of the line at the Larne end of the station. Here is the "Working Museum" for
steam and diesel in Ireland. The site appears to be well-provided for shed buildings and they can properly maintain all their rolling
stock under cover and, because the Society runs regular trips around the Belfast area, there is also coaching stock to be
maintained and serviced. Because of our meeting with the two RPSI members at Downpatrick the previous day we were well
received and were shown over the complex by a young engineer, James Friel, from whom we learnt much about railway
happenings in Ireland.

Maps of Belfast’s Railways - (a) Historic, left and (b) Modern, right

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_________FEATURES

There were 10 steam locomotives in and around the depot and these are listed below:

1. No. 461 - 2.6.0 - Built by Beyer Peacock 6112/1922. Inside cylinder loco, class M2. Formerly worked on the Dublin & South
Eastern Railway. It was standing outside in the yard and had been in steam a few days earlier.

2. No. 4 - 2.6.4T. - Built Derby 1947 - Class WT. Locally known as "Jeeps". I have heard two explanations as to why the 18
engines of this handsome class acquired the name. First, in the drawing office they were classified as "General Purpose"
locomotives (GP). Secondly, they were "go-anywhere" engines just like the WW2 U.S. Army Jeeps. They worked chiefly on the
former LMS (Northern Counties Committee) lines. No. 4 is a working engine, but its boiler certificate has just expired.

3. No. 186 - 0.6.0 - Built by Sharp Stewart 2838/1879 - class J15. Later rebuilt at Inchicore Works, Dublin, by the Great Southern
& Western Railway. A working engine.

4. No. 184 - 0.6.0 - Built Inchicore Works, Dublin, in 1880 - class J15 - unrebuilt. Worked for the GS&WR. In store pending
restoration.

5. No. 27 - 0.6.4T - Built by Beyer Peacock 7242/1949. Named "Lough Erne". Ordered by the Sligo Leitrim & Northern Counties
Railway, along with a sister engine, no. 26, but the company couldn't pay for them. After much talk of renting/leasing, the bill was
finally paid by the Ulster Transport Authority and the pair was used for shunting on the Belfast Docks. In store pending
restoration.

6. No. 1 - 0.4.0T - Built by Orenstein & Koppel 12475/1934. Worked at Thurles Sugar Beet Factory, Co. Tipperary. Sister loco to
the working engine at Downpatrick, to where she will be returned after overhaul. When no. 1 is back at Downpatrick this will
release the Avonside 0.6.0ST to revert to Whitehead.

7. No. 171 - 4.4.0 - Built by Beyer Peacock 5629/1913. Named "Slieve Gullion". A classic Edwardian locomotive. Inside
cylinders, 6'7" driving wheels, made to run fast. Formerly worked on the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) and is still in that
company's light blue livery, lined in black and white, lettered "G.N." on the tender. Predicted to be in steam by 2015.

8. No. 85 - 4.4.0 - Built by Beyer Peacock 6733/1932. Named "Merlin" - class V. This engine is a rare 3-cylinder compound,
based on the Midland Railway 4.4.0 compounds. Ex-GNR(I) and in the same livery as no. 171 above. Next loco to be on the
tracks again in 2013.

9. No. 5 - 2.6.4T - Built by Nasmyth Wilson 829/1907. Named "Drumboe". Ex-County Donegal Railways Joint Committee 3'
gauge loco, sister to the two at the Londonderry Museum and "Blanche" at Cultra. Special narrow gauge tracks were laid in the
workshops for this loco which is a contract restoration for the County Donegal Railway Preservation Society.

10. No. 3 - 0.4.0ST - Built by Hudswell Clarke 1152/1919. Ex-Guinness Brewery, Dublin. Immaculate condition, works regularly in
the yard at weekends for fans and visitors.

Editor's Note:

The various constituent companies shown on the historic map deserve a little explanation as Irish railway history is, well,
"difficult".

Partition between Ulster (Northern Ireland) & Eire (the Irish Republic) occurred in 1921 but one of the big companies - The Great
Northern Railway (Ireland) - operated north and south of the border but managed to get through until a worsening financial
position and the growth of private motoring after WW2 forced a form of shared nationalisation underwritten by the respective
governments and administered by a joint board. In Northern Ireland, far more line closures took place and cross-border lines were
badly affected. In the Republic many lines soldiered on for a few more years in a fascinating sort of way. The joint board was
disbanded in 1958 and the assets vested in the Ulster Transport Authority (U.T.A.) and the Coras Iompair Eireann.

The Midland Railway (Northern Counties Committee) came into being in 1903 and eventually passed to the L.M.S. After
nationalisation of the L.M.S. the N.C.C. came under U.T.A. control.

The Belfast & County Down Railway was absorbed by the U.T.A. in 1948 and a savage programme of closures followed - the
Newcastle line going in 1950. The Bangor line is still open.

Finally, it will be apparent from the historic map that there was once a rather difficult north - south link, but with the opening of the
Yorkgate - Belfast Central Cross - Harbour link there is now normal north - south running.

Some general points: all lines are 5'3" gauge; all Dublin trains run to/from Central station using the southern curve of the triangle;
they by-pass Great Victoria St; there appears to be no freight traffic.

Many thanks to Ken Mills for taking the time and trouble to shed a little light on a railway system well within short flying time.

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_________FEATURES

The World Was My Oyster
Richard Joby recalls a smart career move

The jobs market in teaching was wide in the 1950s. Rhodesia looked promising but New Zealand offered paid training and a
passage by liner via South Africa & Australia - what an opportunity to see railways in other continents ! The Northern Star - a new

cruise liner built at Swan Hunter's Yard on
Tyneside - was to take me to the Southern
Hemisphere, but it was an unlucky ship and went
to the breaker's yard in 1975 after a very short 13
years' service. The launch resulted in the stern
crashing into the opposite side though passengers
were assured the liner was O.K. for its voyage
around the world.

We left Southampton to the sound of a brass

band, and streamers, around Calshot Spit where

another forlorn lost hope of British technology - the

Princess flying boat - lay mothballed. First port of

call was Las Palmas - sunshine, ancient buses &

Spain before mass tourism. Goodbye Europe.

Next morning, up on deck, we were hardly moving,

the flying fish whirring alongside the ship were

overtaking us - the propellor shaft was in trouble

and the stewards said that a spare was being

Class 25NC 4-8-4 - Non-condensing No. 3426 [Henschel 28745/1953] - at flown to Cape Town and we would proceed at
Beaconsfield Loco Depot (Kimberley) 10 May 1967 reduced speed down the Angola coast. A friendly
albatross emphasised the point by gliding figures

of eight over us effortlessly and a fortnight later the

tugs nosed us into our berth. Apartheid was in full flow - the Sharpeville massacre had happened shortly before. We had booked

a ticket to Johannesburg & Pretoria on the Trans Karroo sleeper express . The docks were served by 0.8.0 shunters with

American style tenders, sloped for visibility. The electric-hauled train left at dusk; we dined in the restaurant car where the

Afrikaaner crew had been heavy-handed with the salt; our Cape Coloured attendant prepared our berths as the train travelled

across the mountains and gorges; by dawn we pulled into Beaufort West where an old 4.6.0 was pushing coal trucks up to the

coaling plant where huge 4.8.4s waited below, one of which backed down on our train, the enormous louvred tender of the

condensing type whooshed; the fans in the smokebox sounded like a vacuum cleaner. The Karroo is a waterless desert and

water has to be conserved. The single track 3'6" gauge line bore the main traffic for 1,000 miles; long sun-baked waits in sidings

for westbound trains to pass; speed was limited by the narrow gauge to around 30 m.p.h. At the longish break at De Aar (the

major junction and engine shed on the route) we changed engines for a conventional 4.8.2 with non-condensing tender, and on to

Kimberley, the dusty diamond town. [Editor's note: Cape Town is in the S.W. corner of South Africa, and this journey has been

steadily N.E.]

Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, is only a few miles north of Johannesburg by electric train. After a bus ride round the lush
suburbs of gorgeous houses cared for by a bevy of black servants the train whizzed past the black townships; brick boxes with tin
roofs. As obvious Brits we were harangued by an Afrikaaner about how generous the State was to the ungrateful blacks. One
noticeable feature was that the driving cab was a barred cage. The next stage was the overnight Trans Natal express from
Pretoria to Durban [approx S.E. - Durban is a major port - Ed]. While waiting on the platform a unit pulled into the platform
opposite and unloaded an impi of Zulu warriors, complete with shields and spears, who proceeded to practise a war dance in
preparation for an inter-mine competition that the mining companies put on - quite a show. The club car on the express was
comfortable and rode well. Dawn saw the train edging along a mountainside overlooking the Valley of 1,000 Hills in Zululand, the
rondavel houses and small fields picture perfect. Durban was buzzing, a major holiday resort and centre of Indian population, the
result of labourers brought in to work the sugar-cane fields in the 19th century, now adding a splash of colour with their silk saris.
The Northern Star had made its way from the Cape and was loading up in port with white South Africans migrating to Australia &
New Zealand. The local papers were full of scare stories about black takeovers and massacres to come, so we were glad to
leave for Perth. The reason for police activity became evident later when we heard that Nelson Mandela had been arrested. In
Durban, the other big contingent on board were Rhodesians. However our new table companion on board was from Mauritius,
moving out because of the incipient Indian takeover on the island. He moved to New Zealand, founded the Sofrana shipping line,
and became French consul - the world was changing fast.

Fremantle, the port of Perth, was a welcome relief from the cold and chilly Southern Ocean. Huge wool warehouses dominated
the port area, and little 19th century 2.6.0s scuttled about the dock lines as trains arrived from the country lines. The suburban
service was run by smart diesel units whose doors were kept open in the warm spring weather - such a contrast to the chilly veld
in South Africa. The place I decided to visit was the West Australian Railway works at Midland Junction; a visit to the gatehouse
gained permission for a guided tour which revealed a wide variety of steam locos - the most impressive the V class 2.8.2s and a
scrapyard filled with desert locos with additional water tanks. The main passenger station in Perth had a daily sleeper departure
for Kalgoorlie where it connected with the Commonwealth Railway train across the Nullarbor Plain to Port Augusta & Adelaide
though most people went by air. The voyage continued to Port Melbourne where a suburban "Red Rattler" unit took us to Flinders
Street station, a terminal as large as London's Waterloo !

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_________FEATURES

We decided to take The Overland Express to Adelaide - equipped with Budd stainless steel carriages it was a foretaste of the
U.S.A. Dawn found the Alco diesel hammering up the Adelaide Hills before its descent into the impressive Adelaide station.

Steam was still evident as a streamlined Pacific arrived from Kapunda
with a train of incredibly ancient clerestory coaches. We had a guided
tour of the main South Australian works at Islington where the
streamlined 500 class 4.8.4s were being repaired. Next stop was
Broken Hill - an overnight coach ride, price 7/6 (37p) - Australia was
cheap, friendly and warm; this was heaven.

Class C32 no. 3265 at Hunter Valley Steamfest 2010 We wanted to see the surface workings at the silver mine; the
Preserved AB 778 hauling the Kingston Flyer gatekeeper [a friendly bunch - Ed.] said: "Take my car and see you
later at the engine shed" ! The semi-streamlined Beyer Peacock
4.6.2s were lined up and the doors were opened up for photography.
An invitation to spend the weekend on a sheep farm was gratefully
accepted, followed by a hitch hike on a wool truck to Cobar - a copper
mining town on a branch line where we had a bath, a nice warm bed
and a steak and onions breakfast before catching the daily train to
Sydney behind a wheezing C32 class 4.6.0 dating from 1898 in a
carriage decorated with pre-war sepia photos. [A long-lived class; four
survive in preservation - Ed.]

A stormy crossing of the Tasman Sea brought us to Wellington - a city
still served by little Victorian trams. We cleared our red wine through
Customs and started the long journey to Rotorua in central North
Island. A night in a motel alongside the North Island Main Trunk
revealed a busy main line with steam trains alternating with powerful
diesels. The passenger train was steam hauled to keep the carriages
heated on the mountain section through National Park. Rotorua was
then a city of 20,000 people, famed for its hot springs & geysers.
After training we got a job 20 miles south of the city in Reporoa
(which means "Long Marsh" in Maori), a farming settlement for
returned servicemen started in 1946 and one of the centres for
Anchor butter-production. The railway to Reporoa should have been
built in the 1930s - the earthworks were made but abandoned in the
Depression so to travel to Auckland we had to travel to Rotorua to
catch the 2-car diesel set which ran daily plus Friday and Sunday
evenings for weekend travellers. Timber traffic was busy and kept a
class Ab Pacific busy shunting in the yard. Japan and China took all
New Zealand could produce and a new rail tunnel was built to the
port of Tauranga to expedite traffic.

_________WORKING TIMETABLE
a selective look ahead at local railway events

NORFOLK RAILWAY SOCIETY, GER Society (Norwich Branch) and Norfolk Transport Group meetings take place (unless
otherwise stated) at: United Reformed Church Hall, Ipswich Road, Norwich, NR4 6QR
Events are listed in good faith, but visitors should check with the organisation concerned before travelling.

APRIL
26th Thu 19.30 GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY SOCIETY - Norwich Branch

“A Year in the Life of One” - Peter Gifford
MAY
3rd Thu 19.30 NORFOLK RAILWAY SOCIETY

"150 Years since the formation of the Great Eastern Railway" - Graham Kenworthy

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_________WORKING TIMETABLE

5th Sat NENTA Traintours - North Wales Extravaganza.
Excursion from Norwich, Diss, Ipswich etc to Chester / Llandudno / Bangor / Holyhead.
Details: tel: 01692 - 406152 or www.nentatraintours.co.uk

5th to 7th MID NORFOLK RAILWAY - the Stratford Depot Weekend.
(Sat-Mon) A reunion of former Stratford depot workers supported by visiting Stratford Celebrity locomotives
and the MNR’s former Stratford based 31s, 37s and 47s.

6th Sun ASHMANHAUGH LIGHT RAILWAY
Open Day - steam, electric and petrol powered locos running from 2pm - 5pm.

10th Thu 19.00 NRS, GER and NTG
Visit to the Friends of Norwich City Station dig at the City Station site for guided tour.
Meet 7.00pm next to the Barn Road roundabout on the inner link road at the site of City Station.

17th Thu 19.30 NORFOLK RAILWAY SOCIETY
A Double Header: Peter Davies "Bangalore to Calcutta - 28 hours by rail" & Andrew Wright "A Line
in the Land"

19th - 20th MID NORFOLK RAILWAY - Southern Gala Weekend.
Class 50 ‘Ramillies’ will be in traffic along with the 73 and 3-CIG as well as perhaps a special visitor.

20th Sun BARTON HOUSE RAILWAY - Wroxham
Running Day 2.30 - 5.30

24th Thu NRS, GER and NTG
Visit to the Hemsby Miniature Railway, Refreshments and BBQ 3.00-8.00pm.
Location - Blue Riband Holidays, Parklands, North Rd, Hemsby, NR29 4HA. Family and friends welcome.

31st Thu 19.00 Visit to the ASHMANHAUGH LIGHT RAILWAY. All Welcome. Please see separate sheet.

JUNE ASHMANHAUGH LIGHT RAILWAY
3rd Sun Open Day - steam, electric and petrol powered locos running from 2pm - 5pm.
7th Thu
16th Sat Visit to be arranged
17th Sun
17th Sun Visit to be arranged

23rd Sat BARTON HOUSE RAILWAY - Wroxham
Running Day 2.30 - 5.30. Father's Day Model Railway Show
23rd Sat to
24th Sun 'THE EASTERLING' hauled by 70013 'OLIVER CROMWELL'
A Railway Touring Company trip from London Liverpool St. to Norwich and Lowestoft and return via the
East Suffolk line. More details: http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/easterling

THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT hauled by 34067 'TANGMERE'
A Railway Touring Company trip from London King's Cross to Holt via Cambridge. The Black 5 44767
'George Stephenson joins the train at Norwich.
More details: http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/titfield-thunderbolt

MID NORFOLK RAILWAY - 1960S WEEKEND
See website for more details: www.mnr.org.uk

15

The Blast
Your Editor apologises for having come up short this month. It had been hoped to illustrate the
Banffshire / Morayshire article with 1960s photographs but these turned out to be unacceptable for
Newsletter reproduction (they were a mass of dots) and with no immediate reserve of ready-to-use
articles (necessarily illustrated) a decision had to be made - delay the Newsletter or release it "as is".
I would hope that members take the hint and think carefully about the Newsletter. Articles do not grow
on trees. They need to be crafted and are another demand on members' time. Apart from a long Rod
Lock feature on Swaffham (starting next issue) the onus is on you to get on the keyboard (or get your
pen out) and fill those empty pages - like fuel tanks they do not fill themselves ! (EM)

Did anyone else go?

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