1371

Number 1371 (Items 473 - 619 & MR 23, 26 & 28 - 33) (E-BLN 117 PAGES) 27 Feb 2021

BRANCH LINE NEWS

Distribuendi notitia, verbi disseminandi

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

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

Membership queries: Lisa Sheppard [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 1372 is dated Sat 13 Mar; all contributions by Wed 3 Mar please.

473] 2021 Society AGM: With all the available information at the present time, 20/21 Nov 2021 has
been pencilled in as a convenient potential weekend for our next Annual General Meeting, subject,
of course, to circumstances nearer the tciimetey..STohceietloy.cation and venue have yet to be determined.

474] Fixtures Grid: This was in BLN 1370 and will appear intermittently in BLN as appropriate. The
dates are always available on our website. Bookings usually open when the relevant e-BLN is released.

475] BLN Track Diagrams: Mostly by Martyn Brailsford, cumulative updates are available on our
website to logged in members. On the Home page go across to 'More options…' and down to 'Track
Diagrams'. They are then by TRACKmaps book area, plus 'Light Rail'. Once included in a new edition of
TRACKmaps they are (generally) removed from our website. As an example, 'Midlands & North West'
has: Ashton Packet Boat Company (marked up), Bedford - Kettering, Leicester, Daventry International
Rail Freight Terminal III, Buxton Up Relief Sidings, Snibston, Stanton New Park & Threlkeld Mining
Museum. Each track plan has a 'print' button with instructions. They are © and for personal use only.

476] Minor Railways 2021: Peter Scott's 33rd annual booklet is due to be posted at the end of April
to all our full members. If you have changed your address and not notified Membership Secretary,
Lisa Sheppard - above, please do so (this includes those who have just an electronic subscription).

1371 HEAD LINES (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
477] Seaton & District Electric Tramway; Colyton stop: (BLN 1370.286) A Jun 1984 photo shows work
on the short extension in progress with a new point set in concrete at the north end of the platforms,
the trackbed prepared, OHLE poles in place and a little track laid. This is when the first trolley pole
reverser was fitted. The Mar 1996 date was after block paving was installed at Colyton stop.

478] Hythe Pier Railway (& Hythe Pier - Southampton Town Quay Ferry) (BLN 1360.2534) (MR p18)
Suspended after Thur 24 Dec 2020. It was believed to have been one of the last Minor Railways still
operating at the time. (Southend Pier was open and its railway ran until Sun 13 Dec 2020 inclusive.)

479] Barton-on-Humber (incl) - Habrough Jn (11 stations including Stallingborough, Healing, Great
Coates, Grimsby Docks & New Clee): Suspended Mon 25 Jan; last ran Sat 23 Jan after resuming on 4th.
Seven round train trips, plus a late evening bus, were replaced by buses from Barton (SuX) at 05.28,
06.28, 07.28, 15.28, 16.28 & 17.28 and 05.49, 06.49, 07.49, 15.49, 16.49 & 17.49 ex-Cleethorpes taking
1hr 40 mins and not serving Thornton Abbey, Grimsby Docks or New Clee (train 50 mins all stations).

480] North Blyth branch; Battleship Wharf: (BLN 1369.156) There has been further coal on the Blyth &
Tyne; trains of local opencast coal ran to Port Talbot on 2, 4, 9, 11, 16 & 18 Feb! However, Bank's
Shotton opencast site ceased mining last June, Bradley site (between Dipton and Leadgate) ended
extraction in August and their Brenkley Lane site is no longer producing coal but is now being restored.

481] Chislehurst Jn - reversible Chatham loop - St Mary Cray Jn and St Mary Cray Jn - Up Chatham loop
- Hawkwood Jn -Chislehurst Jn (both PSULs): (BLN 1370.310) ROP Tue 9 Feb after TCP Mon 25 Jan.

482] Gloucester (excl) - Lydney - Chepstow (excl): (BLN 1370.311) ROP/A Thur 11 Feb after TCA Fri 5
Feb 21.00 due to the second significant landslip at the Little Hagloe site (131m 46ch) north of Lydney.

483] Hanslope South Jn (56m 29ch) - Weedon - Hillmorton Jn (81m 48ch): (BLN 1370.314) The Down
Main ROP/A Sat 13 Feb and LNwR Trent Valley services resumed (Atherstone & Polesworth ROP) after
repairs to the embankment (81m 08ch) at the facing points (line TCA 09.50 27 Jan). Up trains resumed
as normal - the Inverness Sleeper had been the only regular Up passenger train during the repair work.

484] Tunbridge Wells (incl) - Robertsbridge (excl) (5 stations): TCP Sun 14 Feb; ROP Sat 20 Feb. Short
notice work at Wadhurst while passenger numbers are low and the line was closed further north.

485] Tonbridge (excl) Tunbridge Wells: (BLN 1370.316) ROA Sat 20 Feb; TCP/A 14.00 Mon 1 Feb. The
High Brooms landslips (three sites) were detected by remote sensors in place following two smaller
slips. The permanent solution along 150m of the 160 year old steep cutting included reducing the
cutting steepness, soil nailing and wire netting over the top. Over 5,000 tonnes of spoil were removed.

486] Holm Jn - Largs (3 stations): (602) TCP 17.00 Fri 5 Feb; Holm Jn - West Kilbride ROP Mon 22 Feb.
487] Southampton Central - Brockenhurst/Romsey (all excl) (5 stations): TCA Sat 13 Feb, ROP Sat 20th.
Southampton Freight Train Lengthening Project. GWR services ran via Chandlers Ford and Botley.

488] Dorchester West (excl) - Dorchester Jn: (BLN 1370.323) ROP Mon 22 Feb (weekend engineering
work to Weymouth) after TCP Mon 15 Feb. Dorchester West (incl) - Castle Cary (excl) ROP Sat 20 Feb.

489] Court Sart Jn (Down)/Briton Ferry Up Flying Loop Jn - Grovesend Colliery Loop - Hendy Jn/
Morlais Jn - Genwen Jn - Llandeilo Jn (Swansea District Line): (BLN 1360.2537) ROA is expected at
23.30 Fri 5 Mar 2021 (TCA since 23.13, Wed 26 Aug 2020 following derailment of the 21.42 Robeston
to Theale oil train at Morlais Jn and fire). Subject to route refreshing, Central Wales Line passenger
services will be able to resume south of Llanwrtyd and freight on the Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen branch.
490] Blackpool Tramway; Harrow Place - Uncle Tom's Cabin# (both incl; 15 stops): (BLN 1370.321)
ROP Mon 22 Feb (a day late) after TCP Sun 14 Feb for relaying work. #Full stop name per tramway.

491] Montrose - Stonehaven (both excl) & Laurencekirk: (BLN 1369.165) ROA Mon 22 Feb after TCA
10.00 Thur 14 Jan for repairs to 24m of underbridge 228 Up side parapet (2m tall) at 222m 5ch.

492] Staines East Jn - Windsor & Eton Riverside (4 stations): TCP Sat 6 Mar; ROP Fri 12 Mar, to install
foundations for 21 new signals (live in 2023), track & bridge maintenance also litter & graffiti removal.

493] Keeping Track, (extra to Head Lines) significant passenger service suspensions: *= new/altered
BLN Start (incl) Reopens Location (stations 'exclusive' if bracketed) bold = closed now

1370.321 14 Feb 21 28 Feb 21 *(Harrow Place) - Starr Gate and (Cabin) - Fleetwood Ferry
1370.324 15 Feb 21 1 Mar 21 *(Heworth) - South Gosforth - (Regent Centre/Four Lane Ends)
Item 489 26 Aug 20 5 Mar 21 (Llanwrtyd) - Morlais Jn - Llandeilo Jn & Swansea District line
1370.396 20 Feb 21 15 Mar 21 Thorpe-le-Soken Jn - Clacton-on-Sea and see item 555
1364.3095 4 Jan 21 ?mid May Ryde Pier Head - Shanklin [now delayed about 6 weeks]
1364.3097 14 Mar 21 8 May 21 Rutherglen Central Jn - Finnieston East & West Jns cancelled??
1370.298 27 Dec 20 unknown *Bushbury Jn - Portobello Jn
1370.292 27 Dec 20 unknown *Aston South Jn - Stechford South/North Jn
1370.300 9 Jan 21 unknown *Shaftholme Jn - Knottingley West Jn
1369.161 11 Jan 21 unknown *Ballybrophy P3 - Nenagh - Killonan Jn [NOT Ennis Line Jn!]
1370.303 18 Jan 21 unknown *Moorthorpe Jn - Ferrybridge North Jn - Milford Jn [Runs SuO]
1370.306 20 Jan 21 unknown *Llandudno Jn - Blaenau Ffestiniog [19th south of N Llanrwst]
1370.309 23 Jan 21 unknown *Darlaston Jn - Pleck Jn :BLN 1370.287 has 12 more entries:
1370.312 25 Jan 21 unknown *(Bristol) Dr Day's Jn - Feeder Bridge Jn
1370.313 25 Jan 21 unknown *Cardiff Bay - Newtown Jn (Queen St) occasional use SSuO

494] Threatened disused railway structures: (BLN 1370.326) https://bit.ly/3s61oCN is a short video
for the campaign against the Highways Agency proposals. Locations featured include the flooded
Queensbury Tunnel and Pont Llanio overbridge with (ironically empty) water tank (BLN 1306.1240).

600

530 1371 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart)
[email protected]
500 494 475

495] Society Age Profile: With last

400 year's membership renewals, we
asked members to supply their date of

birth and many did. LEFT: Members

300 might be interested in the age profile

of the Society. We are always pleased

200 172 to welcome new members of any age.

If you know of anyone who might be
128 interested, please do put a good word

100 70 79 in and encourage them to join. If you
21 did not notify Lisa, our Membership
Secretary, of your DOB, please do so
0 via the contact details at the top of

0-20 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80+ the first page.

496] Summer only stations: Additional to BLN 1367.3637 (but not always throughout their existence):
●Dunrobin (Castle): OP 1 Nov 1870, became a private station for the Duke of Sutherland 19 Jun 1871
(privately owned by Sutherland Estates). In the 1938 Railway Clearing House Station Hand-book it was
Dunrobin Halt, private. Use was often seasonal and the public was allowed to use it in later years.
It has been a request stop at times. CP 29 Nov 1965; later the Royal Scotsman land cruise train called
MO. ROP for locally advertised summer excursions in Jul 1984 with 'Castle' added. Formal ROP summer
only 30 Jun 1985 (BLN 516), excursions WO and regular service SuO. In the 17 May 1993 timetable, it
was in the public timetable from 21 Jun 1993, all days, summers only (except for 2020 - Covid).

●Falls of Cruachan: OP 20 Jun 1988; there was an earlier Caledonian Railway halt with this name.
●Craigendoran Pier: A curved platform attached to Craigendoran station. Listed separately in the
working timetable, but not so in the public timetable after 1922/23. Last used 10 Sep 1972.
●Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier: Former Caledonian Railway station, on the north side of the harbour.
At an unknown date, after 16 Jun 1947, it was served summer only. Last train 25 Sep 1967. Used for
sailings to and from Belfast. The former Glasgow & South Western Winton Pier (CP 3 Aug 1986) was
on the south side of the harbour about 300yd beyond the present Ardrossan Harbour station.
●Morecambe Euston Road: L&NWR station summer only after 15 Sep 1958; 1959-61 daily, then SO.
Last train ran on 8 Sep 1962. Shown in the summer timetables for 1963 and 1964 but without trains.
●Llanberis: (L&NWR) 9 mile branch from Caernarvon*; after 22 Sep 1930 used by summer excursions;
usually SSuX latterly, only advertised locally and not in the regional timetable - last ran Fri 7 Sep 1962.

Your NE Editor remembers his frustration at being unable to fit Ardrossan Montgomerie Pier into his
travels without losing a greater length of other threatened track. He also passed through Caernarvon*
(*as it was then) in summer 1961, armed with a WR timetable but blissfully unaware of the Llanberis
service, and was none too happy to discover its existence a few years later - too late! That's gricing…

Our Chairman had a family holiday in Llandudno in 1961. On Fri 24 Aug (a wet and misty day) the
family embarked on a circular tour, DMU Llandudno to Llanrwst, a Crosville service bus to Bangor (an
old banger?) to see the Snowdonian scenery, but no chance in that weather, and train to Llandudno
from Bangor. The Bangor to Llandudno DMU was, ostensibly, a through train from Caernarvon, and it
was not until years later that he found out they had actually joined the return working from Llanberis!

497] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1370.MR24] On Sun 17 Jul 1977 a member travelled on the original 7¼"

gauge Hilton Railway (10 miles from Wolverhampton on the Bridgnorth Rd; 5 miles before Bridgnorth).

Public running began at 14.00; a trip from Hilton to Stratford Brook and back took 12 mins - adult fare
15p (= £1 now). Motive power was No9 'Michael Charles Lloyd MBE', named after the owner-operator.

Can anyone update on Ben Evan's recent Hilton Valley Railway recreation, on the same site, please?

●●BLN 1370.286] The Lea Valley Railway Club 'Devon Belle' tour was Sun 23 Sep 1979, not Saturday.
Indeed it was a very memorable tour, in addition to the trailblazing at Seaton Tramway. To avoid
overwhelming the destinations (Seaton, Beer Pecorama and Bicton Park Gardens), reached in turn on
chartered Western National buses, half the participants were due to detrain at Axminster, the other
half at Honiton and do the visits in the opposite order. Unfortunately the outward train did not stop at
Axminster, taking everyone on to Honiton; very rapid rearrangement of the buses resulted!

●●330] Two members advise that the King's Cross visit described must have been earlier than 1964.
South of Peterborough steam working was banned from 17 Jun 1963 (start of the summer timetable),
and King's Cross shed closed (occasional steam locos appeared on freight workings to Ferme Park).
Pacifics 60008, 60022 and & 60113 were withdrawn in Jul 1963, Apr 1963 and Nov 1962 respectively.

●●370] Saltmarshe is between Goole and Hull, not Selby and Hull. ●●396] Colchester box is a PSB.
●●434] Members can be reassured that the new flashing signals at Dorridge are yellow not amber.
●●453] The rail skate from Millerhill was expected at Lockerbie 02.00 Wed 3 Feb (not Thur 3rd).

●●MR22] On the Northallerton - Redmire - Garsdale line, no evidence has been found for a private
station or halt near Castle Bolton which was derelict and not lived in. The Bolton family actually lived
at Bolton Hall, much further east (south of the line) with a private driveway to nearby Wensley station.
At Wensley station a private waiting room was provided for their exclusive use.

498] Photos wanted: For the HRE Group campaign to save potentially useful structures of closed lines:
Penrith - Keswick: (CKP/94) Gillsrow minor road overbridge (NY 3745 2655), just west of Troutbeck
station. (CPK/87) Hill Cottage road overbridge (NY 3497 2588), adjacent to a private house & garden.
Highways England wants to infill both of these bridges, even though the line is proposed for reopening.
Appleby East - Kirkby Stephen East: (EDE/25) Great Musgrave B6259 underbridge (NY 76465 13615)
1½ miles south of Warcop; infilling would block the Eden Valley Railway joining the Stainmore Railway.
Didcot - Newbury: (NDL/23) Hackney Bottom 'C' road overbridge (SU 5294 7732), proposed for
infilling, north of Hampstead Norreys village (also known as Hampstead Norris, as was the station).

499] Early Railway Memories (47): By Ralph Barker (2228) Part 1. I was born in Todmorden in 1946, a
few yards from the Copy Pit Line to Rose Grove. The family worked in cotton and coal, except gran
and grandad who had 'hired out' with the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway (L&YR). Did they meet at
work or did one get the other a job? Too late to ask. Trains were important from day one; father
bought a Jamieson 0-6-0 kit to celebrate my birth. My first memory of real trains was age three, so I
missed anything pre-nationalisation. From 1950 we had regular walks to grandad's signal box
(Walsden, the next station south to Rochdale), a couple of hours watching trains and signals, 'lunch'
and then the train back. I remember coal trains crawling into the Up loop and the wheel opening the
crossing gates to let road vehicles across, then closed after. I watched our train back home coming
out of Winterbutlee Tunnel; the first vision was of round spectacle plates. Was that a false memory?

Were engines with round spectacle plates still pulling Calder Valley locals in 1950? I heard grandad's
comments over my head to father that nationalisation had given better conditions of employment
and also on turning up for an early shift at Todmorden East Box to find a '4F' down the bank and an
agitated night shift signalman running off saying it was not his fault. Gran's contribution in her former
job as station clerk was of the frequency of 'A' types (Aspinall) dropping the fire grate 'In t'tunnel'
(Summit Tunnel, 1m 57ch). Railway work seemed quite harsh; I resolved to find easier employment!

Holidays were all by train, so even the end of a holiday was something to look forward to. Initially they
were with aunties. Auntie Doris's house was next to Kettering Shed. I remember the Beyer Garratts,
some old Kirtleys, Kettering Furnaces pugs, the Wicksteed Park Railway and a trip to London behind a
Compound. Above all I remember the late evening beer trains coming through the station in the dark,
'4Fs', short wheelbase vans. Full on at an apparent 60mph, I marvelled at how they stayed on the
tracks; the noise was deafening. Aunt Ann was a nurse in Guernsey, so I experienced the prowess of
the GWR 4-6-0s, the Weymouth Quay line and the 'St Helier' in a stormy sea crossing.

Return was via Southampton in Pullmans. No engine numbers at this early age! We started out on the
Sleeper from Manchester and I seem to remember a 4-berth compartment with me and my brother
young enough to be with my mother in a Ladies Compartment (with other ladies) and father
elsewhere. We spent time in The Great Hall at Euston, I could not believe how high the ceiling was.

Later holidays were to various 'Butlins'. At Pwllheli I remember the fantastic 'Dukedogs' and smart
'Manors' on the Cambrian Coast Line. Walking along the beach I could see, at a distance in the sidings
at the terminus, a well turned out 0-6-0, definitely not a Collett. Could it have been a Dean or even a
Jones? Return was by bus so I never found out. Travel was by special train from East Lancashire via the
North Wales Coast line, Caernarvon (as it was then) and Afon Wen (reverse) to the holiday camp
station at Penychain (pronounced 'Penukhyne'). The return home was on a hot day and we were held
in the centre roads at Rhyl. Passengers threw money across to cafeteria girls on the Down platform in
exchange for thrown cartons of Kia Ora. Butlins at Heads of Ayr was reached via the Settle & Carlisle
Line from Manchester Victoria and Glasgow & South Western, on one occasion pulled by 72001 'Clan
Cameron'. Butlins Ayr had its own station and branch; the Ayr line was generally served by LMS 4-4-0s.

In normal times there was train watching by most boys and some girls. The Calder Valley lines had a
procession of coal trains pulled by WDs (War Department Austerity 2-8-0s) banked over Copy Pit (1:68
at one point). Even high on the moors we could still hear the WDs slogging up to Copy Pit. Burnley
branch passenger trains were turned on Todmorden triangle and, although I watched this hundreds of
times, I cannot remember the exact way it was done or even how the bankers were returned to their
sidings over a trailing crossover. The squeals of the Fairburn tanks on the triangle could be heard all
over the town as could the 'Crow' whistles between banker and train engine, followed by the clashing
of wagon buffers and slipping of driving wheels. The coal trains were constant from very early Monday
mornings to midday Saturday. Loose brake handles clanking in the middle of the night could be
annoying but I wish I could hear them again. I also wondered why small or tank engines were used as
bankers over much of the network but for Copy Pit either WDs or Crabs were necessary. Once in the
1950s, walking through Burnley, I saw a green saddle tank pulling coal trucks cross Burnley Viaduct.
Did the National Coal Board's Bank Hall Colliery have running powers over British Railways lines?

While the Calder Valley lines were very busy there was a lack of glamour locos. One Jubilee (Liverpool
to Newcastle) and one named 'B1' (York to Manchester) a day seemed to be it. Summer excursions
brought a few more named locos mainly from Industrial Yorkshire to Blackpool. The most unusual
appearance was a 'B12' which was duly recorded in 'Trains Illustrated'. The mystery train I heard every
midnight but never had the chance to see closely, was the newspaper train from Manchester.
It whistled and clattered at speed over the viaduct high above Todmorden. Were newspapers thrown
out on the platform? Imagine the reaction to that procedure now in these modern soft days.

Mother or father took a few boys and the 'odd' girl trainspotting to the likes of York, Doncaster and
Crewe which were magnificent days out. The return out of York usually involved a race between a
'Black 5' to Manchester and an ex-North Eastern Railway 'B16' to Leeds. The 'B16s' could accelerate!
Mother's specialities were Warrington and Liverpool where the earliest visits included the seven mile
long Liverpool Overhead Railway (CP/A 30 Dec 1956) with its view of then extensive docks including a
Canadian Pacific liner. I thought my mother very clever the way she found her way about the network.

Father managed a few routes for us now lost such as Menai Bridge to Afon Wen, Barmouth to Bala
then Denbigh and Rhyl, Perth to Aberdeen via Forfar with its two Pickersgill 4-4-0 pilot engines, the
Ingleton line and Rochdale - Bury - Bolton and also the lost stations of Manchester Exchange and
Central. Manchester Victoria was 'our' station, still haunted by L&YR 0-6-0s. The station canopy at the
west end had been destroyed by the Luftwaffe and one of my usual questions was: Will they rebuild it?
to which my father answered 'No'. He was not always right but what a disgraceful small minded mess
they made of the eventual rebuild of Victoria. Father came home from work one day with a stupid
question of: There is a book with all the engine numbers in it, would it be worth buying it?

That was the 1953 Ian Allan ABC. I had had a tatty old booklet with pages missing of engine numbers
but there were hundreds of engines in the 77XXX series so I thought it unreliable.

This happy families could not last forever and when father got a company car holidays became just a
long distance car drive. I was so sulky that they took to dropping me off for the day with sandwiches at
such locations as Cowley Bridge or Severn Tunnel Junction or being bought a child day return from
Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh (82¼ miles each way) with a 'see you tonight', bliss! It was obvious
parents were no longer needed, so a few of us would continue the days out at Crewe and Doncaster.

Our parents seemed to trust us alone much more than today's parents although any bad behaviour
would have been severely punished and, in truth, I saw very little vandalism then. The number of
spotters grew so large at Doncaster that we were not allowed to stay on the station but seemed to be
found an area of spare ground just south of Doncaster Works where I think there were some old
Sherman tanks. One hot summer day there were about 200 boys trainspotting and one girl in a
summer dress. Absolutely innocent but were there other things in life?

Well, there were, because our other pastime was exploring the old mines which surrounded our town,
many of which still had the abandoned surface and underground railways, some with angle rails,
including both surface and underground self acting inclined planes. I also organised some youth
hostelling and rode the Penrith to Keswick line before it closed. An incredible teacher, Bill Cross, ran
the school Railway Club which gave us a visit round Vulcan Works as it built its last steam engines.

Even when courting got more serious we were still hauled by steam for nights out in Manchester and
days at Blackpool. After a hot day in Blackpool with a girl far too good for me, we returned in a very
crowded non-corridor train. As it trundled through East Lancashire and the Padiham Loop I thought of
what could have been if it had not been a crowded compartment, only to find at Burnley that most of
the other compartments had emptied at the intermediate stations!

There was a malaise across the land… Stations and goods yards were closing and important lines lost
which should never have been lost. Steam was no longer forever. I had a certain satisfaction in that the
hurried dieselisation had not saved the railway. Railway workers seemed miserable and always picking
on us teenagers for nothing. While working at the mill I was given a good Wakes Week job 'In charge'
of unloading a consignment of new looms sent by rail from Ypres to Todmorden Goods Yard on long
wheel base continental wagons, the last traffic to that Yard other than domestic coal. The mill
engineer showed me some old dockets for coal sent for the mill engine, by rail, from Copy Pit Colliery
hardly five miles away. The mill still sent some products out in railway containers.

In all those years I had never given much thought to the men who built the railways and how they built
them. That was ancient history but became a part of my future. I have to say that in all those station
canteens I patronised, I never once saw a curled up sandwich and neither can I remember a broken
down train in steam days. Even in early 1968 steam remained supreme on the Copy Pit line. Me and
my baby daughter would drive up the valley following the banked coal trains, now with Stanier 8Fs.

She says she can remember them but must have a better early year's memory than I. In July and
August 1968 I had to work in the far north of Scotland and when I returned steam was gone.
Local people insisted that on the Monday after the 3 Aug 1968* last day of steam, Rose Grove shed
had nothing to bank with and kept an 8F in light steam which was sent for the first coal train up the
bank. There were reprimands all round and it was all over for working steam but was that story of the
last steam roster true? [*Last timetabled steam hauled passenger train: 9.25pm Preston to Liverpool,
although the famous 15 Guinea Special - worth nearly £290 now - farewell railtour ran on 11 Aug.]

1371 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
500] This should be item 999! On Thur 28 Jan, due to broken rail south of Retford, SLW was in place
from 12.51 to 14.05 on the Up Main betwixt Tuxford Emergency Crossovers (131m 50ch) and Retford
South Jn. From King's Cross it was used by the 10.30, 11.00 & 11.30 to Waverley; 11.03 to Leeds and
12.00 to Inverness. To attract a Microgricer's attention, the magic words are 'Emergency Crossovers'.

X.31] ABOVE: Class 60s have rarely been seen on the Immingham to Scunthorpe Foreign Ore Branch
iron ore trains in recent years but 60074 has been working of late. (Gary Crompton 12 Feb 2021.)

501] A dog's dinner: (BLN 1370.334) We are sure readers know that Pedigree Petfoods is part of the
Mars Group. There are stories aplenty from British Rail (BR) days of efforts to move their canned
products out of Melton Mowbray by rail (including Speedlink to 1990, then the short lived 'Charterail'
bimodal operation). Less well known was the movement by rail to Melton of what might be termed
'raw material'. A former member of BR's international freight team advises that the last regular freight
flow using the white Interfrigo ferry vans to/from Britain was offal from Denmark to Melton, via the
Zeebrugge to Harwich train ferry. (Frozen pigs' lungs from Kolding (!) in Denmark.) This traffic lasted
until at least the mid-1980s, when it was the only regular traffic at Melton sidings. (The Harwich train
ferry last ran on 31 Jan 1987; it is not known if the Interfrigo vans then went via the Dunkerque to
Dover train ferry.) A detailed article on the subject by David Ratcliffe was in Dec 2019 'Rail Express'.

PS: Do not read this on a full stomach! Our member was lucky enough to work as a consultant in
Uruguay in 1985/86 and happened to witness the loading there of several horses onto ancient wooden
bodied rail wagons (side loading or end loading, according to the loading point and/or wagon type);
not an activity he had experienced during his BR career which began in 1968. Idly wondering why the
beasts' owner would pay the railway to move horses across Uruguay (a gaucho festival, perhaps?), he
asked his Uruguayan counterpart; his succinct reply was 'mortadela'... (a kind of sausage).

502] Spalding: (BLN 1355.1826) The Calcium Carbonate traffic (first train 18 May 2020) has ended.
The final load left Aberdeen Waterloo at 16.31 on Mon 23 Nov 2020, reaching Spalding Up Sidings
03.43 next morning. The final seven unloaded tanks left there 11.32 on Wed 20 Jan 2021 for Carlisle
New Yard. Palm Paper at King's Lynn is now supplied from the Netherlands instead. After the Carmont
derailment, when the line was closed from 12 Aug to 3 Nov 2020, the train ran via Inverness.

X.32] ABOVE: At Stoke Summit on the ECML in 1961. (An original photo by our member Greg Tingey.)

503] Brigg line: (BLN 1367.3601) The proposals for the revised opening hours following the decimation
of freight traffic in recent years have been modified. Between Gainsborough Central and Wrawby Jn
(both excl), boxes would be open 06.22-14.22 & 22.22-00.00 (Mon-Fri) and 00.00-06.22 (Tue-Fri) plus
00.00-22.22 SO when the three passenger trains normally run each way (currently suspended). As now
the line would normally be shut SuO. The main change is opening Mon mornings; under the previous
proposal there would have been a 48 hour line closure from Sat evening until Mon evening. As before
Gainsborough Central box would be staffed 24 hours SuX to allow an enhanced passenger service.

504] Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal III: Royal Mail is building a 840,000ft2 parcels hub for
2023 opening - its largest hub and rail served, unlike the new Burtonwood hub opening in 2022.

505] Class 156s: (BLN 1370.340) A DMU in lieu of a Meridian on this diagram is not uncommon. It starts
as 05.09 SSuX Etches Park to Corby ECS via Kettering. It is then a morning Corby - Kettering commuter
shuttle, three each way, (for which a DMU is better suited) and then forms the 09.26 Corby to Derby
via Melton Mowbray. After reversal in Chaddesden Sidings, it runs ECS as 11.21 Derby to Nottingham
becoming the 12.12 Nottingham to St Pancras. The swop to a Meridian is covered by the arrival of the
10.23 Nottingham to Etches Park ECS, booked to reach Derby 11.12 but arrives early if the swap is to
occur. Why doesn't it just stay at Nottingham‽ Presumably it is platform space and/or crewing rotas.

Despite receiving all the Norwich Class 156s and five Class 170s from Haymarket, EMR seem to be
constantly short of power. (The 2-car Class 170s from West Midlands are delayed by the new Class 196
DMUs not entering service yet.) On 10 Feb 170417 worked on Derby to Crewe all day. The Meridian/
DMU switch also works the other way; 222014 was on Derby - Crewe all day on Thur 26 Nov 2020.

Class 156s are cleared all the way to St Pancras. In very early Thameslink days, for a while, a Regional
Railways (RR) Class 156 DMU service arrived at Bedford from somewhere in the Midlands at an early
hour, probably 05.XX, returning to Manchester Piccadilly. Following the start of Thameslink in 1988
(the same year Class 156s were introduced), St Pancras was added to the very short list of stations
only served by InterCity trains. The others were Diss and Lockerbie plus (other than when the RR train
ran) Wellingborough, Kettering and Market Harborough. Our member can't recall why Berwick-upon-
Tweed was not on the list. Dunbar was not, as it had one ScotRail turnround in the early afternoon.



PREVIOUS PAGE: (Item 506) Removal of the old aluminium gates at Barrow Road Level Crossing,
adacent to New Holland station on Sun 21 Feb - it used to be double track here but now the line
singles south of Oxmarsh Level crossing (south of the station which only has one platform). (Dave T.)

506] New Holland: 106m 57ch from Manchester Piccadilly via Woodhead and Retford, Barrow Road
Crossing is at the Barton-on-Humber end of New Holland station. On Sat 20 Feb work taking 4 weeks
began to replace the manual aluminium crossing gates (for sale by tender) with four barriers. The old
aluminium gates and posts were removed on Sun 21 Feb; no passenger trains have run since 23 Jan.
The slotted semaphores will remain but there are plans for colour light signals at Goxhill and Oxmarsh.

507] Kelmarsh Tunnels: On the Market Harborough to Northampton line (CA 18 Aug 1981) the twin
single track 322yd tunnels recently became a local tourist attraction due to the fantastic array of icicles
that formed during the cold snap. The Up tunnel is part of the 15½ mile Brampton Way trackbed walk.

508] Barton-on-Humber: From Mon 1 until Fri 5 Mar a daily East Midland DMU is booked 07.08 ECS
from Lincoln via Market Rasen, Brocklesby Jn, Barton-on-Humber, Ulceby (rev), Barton (again, well it
is a nice branch) to Cleethorpes (11.22). After half an hour it returns to Lincoln (16.12) by the exact
reverse route. The suggestion is that the 20 visits to Barton are for crew training with EMR Lincoln
staff taking over the Barton service from May. Currently it is a Northern service operated by TPE staff!

509] HSTs: Inter City 'swallow' liveried HST Power car 43102 will be donated to York (National) Railway
Museum by Porterbrook. East Midlands Railway currently is down to two HST diagrams per day.

510] Rectory Jn: On Fri 19 Feb a 16.35 Rail Operations Group ECS from Gascoigne Wood arrived at 18.27.

1371 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
511] Bakerloo Line Extension: (BLN 1367.3604) Plans to build a new Northern Line entrance and ticket
hall at Elephant & Castle, as part of the redevelopment of the shopping centre will be amended if
proposals by the developer go ahead. The current scheme provides increased capacity and step free
access from street level to the Northern Line platforms. The new plans include provision for three
escalators to the proposed platforms on the Bakerloo Line Extension, safeguarding access if the
extension is built in the future. The changed layout also removes an intermediate level between the
ticket hall and the Northern Line. The developer will build the new extended ticket hall and LU will
construct three new passenger tunnels to connect the new station box to the Northern Line platforms
and fit out the new infrastructure. http://bit.ly/37n9ejm has diagrams and artist's impression.

512] Paddington New Yard: (BLN 1363.2957) On the Up side between Portobello Jn and 1m 12ch, the
terminal has received sea dredged aggregate by rail regularly from Angerstein Wharf since 8 Oct 2020.
On Wed 13 Jan Tue at 09.30 the first train of a new FHH aggregate flow arrived from Tunstead.

513] Kempton Park: (BLN 1370.343) From map and other evidence, the shorter first branch near the
station opened in 1897 and the second longer one, slightly closer to Waterloo, opened about 20 years
later. Both were open simultaneously for a while but the older pumping station went out of use and
the branch was lifted between 1947 and 1950 maps (several editions). The newer London end branch
would have been the one that closed in Jul 1964. On the London Railway Atlas 5th Edition p49 B3,
between Sunbury and Kempton Park stations on the Up side, 'works' was the Lincrusta wall covering
factory. It opened in 1877, moved to Darwen in 1918 and is currently manufactured in Morecambe.

514] Staff Sickness: On Sun 21 Feb there was no service on any of the Metropolitan, Hammersmith &
City, Circle or High Street Kensington to Edgware Road (District) Lines due to Control staff sickness.
The H&C was suspended anyway for Crossrail work at Whitechapel. Chiltern Aylesbury services ran via
High Wycombe before 09.00 but then via the Met, so one Controller must have been on duty. It is
surprising that no services ran from Baker Street to Rayners Lane, Amersham, Chesham or Watford.

515] Camden Highline: (BLN 1362.2831) Design agency, James Corner Field Operations, which led New
York's Highline development, turning an old railway line into a public park, won the competition to
design the Camden Road development along with Kentish Town-based vPPR Architects. (Ian Visits.)

516] Southern: (BLN 1370.347) Although part of overall cuts, some improvements were made SSuX
from 22 Feb. Tattenham Corner and Caterham services revert to 2tph to London Bridge all day.
London Bridge to Beckenham Junction via Crystal Palace runs, but every 90 mins SSuX (30 mins SO).

BELOW: (Item 519) The 11.26 Old Oak Common to Bicester MoD on Mon 15 Feb 2021
taking 360202 for secure storage. (Stuart Hicks, on a local bike ride.)

BELOW: (Item 517) 25" map 1959 of Harrow North Junction (or is it 'arrow
the right; the Coal Yard is north of the line. The red arrow indicates the n
joining it just prior to West Harrow station (platform lower left corner). The

w North Jn below?). Harrow-on-the-Hill station and Baker Street are off to
now 'missing link' former direct link line to the Northbound Uxbridge Line,

link closed 19 Feb 1967 and the embankment has been partly removed.

517] Harrow-on-the-Hill: (BLN 1370.344) In 1966 another member started commuting from Ickenham
to Farringdon, using the fast Metropolitan Line trains morning and evening. Initially his return journey
was more interesting, as the train used the connection from the Northbound Fast via P1 (normally
used by Down British Rail trains) and then the direct link line to the Northbound Uxbridge Line at
Harrow North Jn, joining it just prior to West Harrow station. This link (London Rail Atlas 5th Edition
p11 AB6) closed 19 Feb 1967; part of the embankment on which it ran on was subsequently cut back.

518] HS2: (BLN 1370.346) In line with the Oakervee Review recommendations, the DfT has ordered a
scaling back of the plans at Euston. It involves reducing the number of platforms from 11 to ten, which
should be able to handle the service, but with less resilience to disruptions. The DfT also wants more
oversite development and the station to be built in one go instead of in two phases to reduce costs.

519] Heathrow Express: All the Class 332 EMUs which date from 1997/98 have gone for scrap, except
332001 which went to the Siemens factory at Goole, reportedly for use as classrooms. The Class 360/2
EMUs, formerly used by Heathrow Connect (then TfL Rail), have been moved to Bicester MOD depot
for secure storage, then future use as parcels units by the Rail Operations Group. This finally leaves the
way clear to demolish the depot at Old Oak Common to make way for construction of the new station.

Old Oak Common Heathrow Express Traincare Depot (3m 01ch - 3m 29ch) was decommissioned from
08.00 on Sun 21 Feb 2021 with the access points clipped and scotched. It became a construction site,
no longer part of the operational network. On TRACKmaps 3 p2 Jun 2018 it is all the electrified depot
area west of 3m 01ch on the Up side (line HEX 'C' and its headshunt was already out of use). The Depot
was last used on a daily basis on 28 Dec 2020 and the final rolling stock left on Wed 17 Feb 2021.

520] King's Cross: (BLN 1370.354) The dates on which the station is closed are now 26-28 Feb, 23-25
Apr and 4-6 Jun. On all dates except 23 Apr, the Canal Tunnel route to St Pancras International is also
closed. On that day LNER services will run as far south as Stevenage, allowing passengers to transfer to
Thameslink services or Great Northern services to Moorgate. On other dates LNER runs to St Neots (!)
for a coach connection taking 40 minutes to/from Bedford station for trains to/from London.

521] TfL Fares: After a four year freeze, fares rise an average of 2.6% from 1 Mar as for National Rail.

522] Victoria Area Resignalling: Work is underway and will continue until the end of 2022. It covers:
Recontrol of Victoria (South East) station area and Victoria (Central) to Clapham Junction (excl) with
renewal of life expired equipment. Resignalling & recontrol of Clapham Junction to Streatham Hill &
Balham. West London Line recontrol and relocking, Clapham Junction to north of Shepherd's Bush.
Recontrol is from Victoria Area Signalling Centre located at Clapham Junction to Three Bridges ROC.
Track upgrades at key junctions. Improved track layout between Clapham Junction and Victoria
with increased line speeds and greater capacity. New turnback facilities at Clapham Junction and
Balham. Closures between Victoria and East Croydon so far confirmed are on all weekends and Bank
Holidays 1 May until 6 Jun. There will also be nine day closures from Christmas Day 2021 and 2022.
The next two phases (from 2022 until 2025) cover the Crystal Palace area to Queens Road Peckham
and then the Battersea area to Elephant & Castle, Penge East (excl) and Ravensbourne (excl).

523] Westminster Abbey: (BLN 1370.356) A member thinks this line also had two little used branches
serving the North and South Transepts. (Someone will be reporting an underground line next - PAS.)

1371 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
524] Durham Coast: (e-BLN 1370.360) An eagle eyed member spotted that staff engaged in the closure
of Belasis Lane box arrived by Tardis. It did close on 24 Jan 2021 (not 2001 as the train register claims)!
The 'blocked instrument' was at Billingham box, not Belasis Lane, and the photo was by Adrian Craig.

525] Gone to the dogs: (BLN 1367.3623) Those alighting at Widdrington from the 17.55 ex-Newcastle
are warned that, although the 'Widdy Chippy' is supposed to be open 16.30 to 20.00, this cannot be
relied upon. A local member says it deserves its accolade and there is always a queue when it is open.
The former branch to Widdrington Opencast Disposal Point is now an established 'dog walking route'.

To Newcastle To Pelaw

Penshaw 526] Leamside Line: The MP for Houghton and Sunderland South
To Sunderland has written to the Rail Minister, concerned that official backing
for the reopening may be only for the lower cost 'Leamside
Fencehouses South' option, excluding a station at Fence Houses. (Post 1862:
Fencehouses; CP 4 May 1964; CA 1 Jun 1964). Reopening the
Open whole line (Ferryhill - Pelaw, closed as a through line 20 May
New 1991) is classed as 'very high cost' in the ECML Route Study and
Reopened only needed to provide capacity for nine passenger trains per
Closed hour each way by separating fast and slow traffic. This is unlikely
to be required for a long time but dominates service planning.
Newton Leamside
Hall Jn Auckland (LEFT: Plan by Dave Cromarty, many former lines are omitted for
Jn clarity.) The 'Leamside South' scheme involves a new curve from
the ECML at Newton Hall, north of Durham, following the former
DURHAM line towards Auckland Jn, Leamside, curving south to join the
DURHAM AREA Leamside line south to Ferryhill. This would be the opposite way
enhanced capacity round (NW - SE) to the SW - NE alignment of the former Durham
(Newton Hall Jn) - Leamside - Sunderland line, in effect a Durham
proposal bypass. There would be a Park & Ride at Belmont, near the east
curve and the A1(M)/A690 road junction. Presumably the new
N route is for local services and freight, otherwise there would be
conflicting moves at Ferryhill. This option is opposed by the
North East Joint Transport Committee (but representing only
part of the region) as it does not allow expansion of local ECML
rail services, prevented at present by ECML traffic density.

Tursdale Jn 527] Leeds: (BLN 1369.201) The £161M upgrades are, of course,
CSD To Ferryhill at the west end of the station, not east. New P0 now has regular
use for most of the day, seven days a week, less so on Sundays.

528] Via Doncaster (or not): (BLN 1367.3626) Just before the Cudworth line closed (summer 1965, for
example) there were no weekday trains between Sheffield and York via Doncaster and the service via
the Swinton & Knottingley (S&K) line via Pontefract Baghill certainly wasn't hourly! On weekdays,
there were only three northbound and two southbound nonstop trains. These might have gone via
either Cudworth or the S&K but it was not possible to tell from public timetables. Certainly they would
have gone via the S&K after 7 Oct 1968, when Wath Road Jn to Normanton (Goose Hill Jn) was CP.

The 12 Mar 1990 reopening of Swinton Curve (BLN 631) had nothing to do with Doncaster routeing, as
that route via the Aldwarke Jn connection OP 5 Apr 1965. The Selby deviation (Temple Hirst Jn -
Colton Jn) OP fully on 2 Oct 1983 (first train 1 Oct; BLN 1315.2256). With the reduced journey time
between Doncaster and York (due to 125 mph running and bypassing the 40mph restricted Selby
swing bridge), InterCity trains could serve the important connectional node of Doncaster rather than
the relative traffic desert on the S&K. HSTs and loco-hauled trains operated on the route at the time.
So, with effect from 14 May 1984, some 17 years before the introduction of Classes 220/1 in 2001, the
principal NE/SW InterCity services were diverted via the Aldwarke Jn connection to serve Doncaster.

In the previous timetable only the 17.05 weekdays Plymouth to York HST ran this way, with a couple
of summer weekend trains. There were no regular Cross Country services via Doncaster in the 1982-83
timetable. In summer 1992 the daily pattern from Sheffield to York on SSuX was: ●One stopping train
via the S&K ●Nine InterCity via Doncaster ●One semi-fast via the S&K ●Six InterCity via Leeds ●Three
semi-stopping trains via the S&K, which did not serve the intermediate stations between Swinton and
Moorthorpe. So by then, InterCity was running via Doncaster or Leeds but not via the S&K.

529] Goole: (BLN 1357.2164) A £40M contract has been awarded for the new Siemens Mobility Ltd
facility, which will build the new Piccadilly Line stock. It includes 4.5 km of track and a NR connection.

530] Doncaster: Built here in 1902, Ivatt Atlantic 4-4-2 No251, has been lent to the new Danum Gallery,
Library & Museum by the National Railway Museum, Shildon. Retired in 1947, it returned to steam
once in 1953, to celebrate the centenary of 'The Plant', as Doncaster Works was known. The Museum
will also exhibit rail memorabilia from Doncaster Grammar School Railway Collection (BLN 1367.3636).

531] A new station will rise: In early Feb West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) authorised
construction of the new White Rose station (BLN 1366.3465), next to White Rose office park, north of
Morley on the Huddersfield line. The £24.2M cost (up £2.2M since 2020) includes £17M from WYCA,
£5M from Leeds Public Transport Investment Programme and the rest from the Transforming Cities
Fund. Work is expected to start in the summer. It is likely to result in the closure of Cottingley station,
only 700m to the north. Public consultations on this will be held later this year. In 2002/03 Cottingley
recorded 9,467 passengers but this had risen to 101,830 by 2019/20, partly due to nearby new housing
development. With growth elsewhere on the line, this caused overcrowding in the morning peak, prior
to the pandemic. The platforms have been extended twice in recent years and now take 6-six cars. If
the station remained open it would lead to problems with TPE services. The Transpennine upgrade
envisages six fast trains an hour over this section, with no way of overtaking stopping services in the
10½ miles between Thornhill LNW Jn and Leeds as Dewsbury Down Passenger Loop will be removed.

LNWR 9 Leeds 1 Bradley Wood Jn
Leeds New Line 8 2 Bradley Jn
3 Heckmondwike Jn/
Farnley 7
Spen Valley Jn/
N Heaton Lodge South Jn
4 Heaton Lodge Jn

5 Heaton Lodge East Jn
6 BR connection
7 Farnley Jn

8 Viaduct Line
9 BR connection
Dewsbury
16 LNWR open lines

2 L&Y Calder Valley line
Other open lines
34 Mirfield LNWR closed lines
5 LNWR Leeds New Line
Huddersfield CSD Other closed lines

This was not a problem in past decades, thanks to the London & North Western Railway 'Leeds New
Line', OA 1 Oct 1900 between Heckmondwike Jn (later Spen Valley Jn, now Heaton Lodge South Jn
half a mile north of Bradley Jn) and Farnley Jn (north of the current Cottingley) via Heckmondwike
Spen. (ABOVE: Map by Dave Cromarty.) However, the line speed was only 50mph in the 1960s. Local
services went in the 1950s, leaving the line clear for nonstop Huddersfield to Leeds trains, most of
which went this way. However, these were diverted via Dewsbury from 7 Sep 1964, with the exception
of the 15.00 Liverpool Lime Street to Newcastle, PSUL. No trains were booked this way in the summer
timetable commencing 14 Jun 1965. Complete closure in sections started a few months later.

Over the 25 & 26 Apr 1970 weekend the southern extremity was reopened as part of the underpass
between Heaton Lodge South Jn (the former Spen Valley Jn renamed) and a new connection to the
Calder Valley main line at Heaton Lodge East Jn. This provided trains between Huddersfield and Leeds
with a route that did not conflict with traffic (mainly freight in those days) on the Calder Valley line.

532] Thorpe Park: The WYCA has also committed £13.9M towards this new Park & Ride station, east of
Cross Gates near the East Leeds Orbital Road, with space for 500 cars. £31.6M is the estimated cost
and a bid for £7M has been made to the DfT New Stations Fund third phase. It has the same capacity
issues as White Rose (BLN 1366.3465), but requadrupling 3½ miles from Marsh Lane Jn to Cross Gates
might be possible - preferably to Garforth, for the new station to be on the slow lines. It is thought
that provision was made for further quadrupling, by widening some bridges. Any ideas please anyone?

533] Warthill: (BLN 1367.3621.3) In 1952 the historically significant prototype mechanical barrier level
crossing was installed here. Feb 1953 Railway Magazine (RM) has more detail, but the terminology
used leaves questions as to how the crossing worked and what, if any, of the original equipment from
the previous gate level crossing was reused. The descriptions of some features of the controls imply
differences to the later production mechanical barrier crossings; the first at Oxmardyke in 1961.

A member has reviewed some other reference material on the crossing, and found similar terminology
repeated in some of the other contemporary and later references, suggesting that each was probably
based on the same source. In contrast, 'Level Crossing Protection' by PA Langley (IRSE Booklet No25,
1961) has some different but generic information and drawings covering mechanical barrier operation,
which would seem likely to refer to the Warthill installation given its date. Our member would be keen
to know if any fellow member has access to original documents about the original gate or replacement
barrier crossing and/or internal photos of the operating floor of the signal box, please, to help answer:

(1): Did the original 4-gate wheel operated crossing have a standard McKenzie & Holland gate wheel
(correctly known as a gate machine) as was typical for North Eastern Railway crossings? Was it
used in conjunction with separate gate stop and gate lock levers in the frame or a single combined
lever? If it was a single combined lever, was it Number 28 as per a diagram in Langley's booklet?

(2): Was the 'rack & pinion mechanism' used to operate the crossing simply the former gate machine
repurposed, as was the case in the subsequent production examples?

(3): Similarly, was the 'special catch' used to lock the barriers actually the 'locking pawl' on the existing
gate machine being locked by the barrier release lever, as in the later production examples?

(4): RM refers to a 'Stop Board Lever' to rotate the 'STOP' signs and operate the road lights. Langley
refers only to a 'miniature lever' fitted to the gate machine used to lock the wheel with the barriers
raised. There is no mention of stop boards which were not fitted to the production installations.
It is speculated that these two levers are one and the same. Was the miniature lever originally part
of the gate machine or a later addition for the conversion to barrier operation?

(5): Why were the barrier pedestals at the 'wrong corners' of the crossing, on the right hand side facing
the traffic, and was this a conscious decision, perhaps due to the skew angle of the crossing? With
road traffic levels likely low, driver behaviour may not have been considered at Warthill crossing.

Photos https://bit.ly/3dpc1wl suggest that the crossing survived in the prototype format until closure,
retaining the road lights but with the loss of the rotating 'STOP' signs at some point. Further photos
would be of great interest. Finally, a copy of a box diagram or a list of levers in the frame would go
some way to indicating what releases were present before and after installation of the crossing.

534] ECML SIMBIDS: On Thur 28 Jan 70817 hauling the 05.13 Doncaster Up Decoy to Millerhill failed
on Aycliffe Viaduct. Down trains called at Darlington P4, took the Up Main at 44m 47ch, returning to
the Down Main at Aycliffe Crossovers (49m 36ch). The beneficiaries were, from Lime Street: 05.52 to
Newcastle & 07.24 to Edinburgh; New Street: 06.03 to Edinburgh & 07.03 to Newcastle and from
King's Cross: 06.15, 07.30 & 08.00 to Edinburgh. On Tue 2 Feb, as booked, the 21.08 Lime Street &
21.00 King's Cross, both to Newcastle, crossed to the Up Fast at Ferryhill South Jn, called at Durham
P1, returning to the Down Fast via Durham trailing crossover. On Sat Feb due to flooding, the following
services from Edinburgh took the Down Main in the Up direction from Innerwick (34m 28ch) as far as
Grantshouse (40m 47ch): 12.00, 13.00, 14.00, 16.00 & 17.00 to King's Cross; 13.09 to Plymouth; 15.08
to Bristol TM, 16.06 & 17.08 to New Street; 18.07 to Derby; 19.00 to Doncaster & 20.00 to Newcastle.

535] Not taking the tablets: (BLN 1369.275) A member working as the clerk at Gilling, on the Pilmoor
to Malton line, in the early 1960s recorded six occasions when the Tyer's No6 tablet instruments failed.

14 Mar 1962: Gilling - Coxwold block section failed; repaired same day, no delay to the pick up goods.

30 Jun 1962: The first 'holiday' passenger train, 10.25am Scarborough Central to Glasgow Queen St,
passed through Gilling without incident. The Gilling porter-signalman then failed to get a response on
the bell from his colleague at Coxwold when he sought 'acceptance' for the 10.50am Scarborough
Central to Newcastle. Pilotman working was introduced, with the Coxwold porter-signalman travelling
by car to Gilling to take up that role, leaving his Stationmaster (SM) to man both the signal box and the
crossing box at the west end of the station! Meanwhile, it fell to our member to try contacting the
lineman, confusingly Ken Malton, thought to be in the Malton area. (A Mr Moulton was Stationmaster
of ex-M&GNR Moulton station in the 1950s!) Unsuccessful, his next task was to walk down the
platform alongside the stranded train to tell passengers the reason for the delay, which eventually
reached 30 mins, at a station most of them would probably have never heard of. The incredulous looks
he witnessed confirmed this. Pilotman working continued for the three remaining Down passenger
trains, including the last one, the 9.20am Glasgow Queen Street to Scarborough Central, which was an
hour late coming on to the branch at Pilmoor. Even then, the two porter-signalmen could not close the
boxes as the lineman had now arrived. It wasn't until 6.50pm, some three hours later than usual, that
repairs were completed, the instruments tested and the closing bell signals (7-5-5) sent. The Gilling
porter-signalman was particularly frustrated as he was going on holiday early the next morning.

3 Jul 1963: At 08.30am the Hovingham Spa porter-signalman was unable to contact Gilling on the
tablet instrument when he tried to open the box. Gilling Stationmaster was visiting one of the other
stations he supervised, so our member, still at Gilling, had to be the pilotman. The rail distance
between the two stations, 3m 52ch, was shorter than by road, and he was riding his 49cc motor cycle.
The exasperated Stationmaster therefore arrived at Hovingham Spa before him and demanded to
know why he had taken so long. The SM may possibly have been the recipient of adverse comments
from the crew of the waiting pick up freight, as it was a bonus turn. The motor cycle was duly placed in
the guard's van and the 204hp loco set off with its load, with the clerk enjoying an unexpected
footplate ride. Unfortunately for him there was no return journey later, as repairs were carried out
and the pilotman forms withdrawn before the pick up arrived back at Gilling from Kirbymoorside.

4 Sep 1963: Block failures occurred on the Gilling - Hovingham Spa and Gilling - Coxwold sections.

18 Nov 1963: Block failure Gilling - Helmsley when trying to open the boxes at 8.30am. The Goods
Agent at Helmsley (surprisingly not titled as Stationmaster, unlike at Kirbymoorside) travelled by car
to Gilling to act as pilotman. When the pick up was in the Nunnington area it was noticed that tree
felling was in progress near the lineside. Needless to say, one branch had severed the telephone wires.

5 Oct 1964: The line west of Amotherby was shut by this date. The afternoon Malton to Amotherby
pick up freight (for Brandsby Agricultural Trading Association traffic) arrived at Amotherby and the
ground frame was operated with the tablet. Amotherby porter-signalman tried to give 'Train out of
Section' followed by 'Is Line Clear?' on the tablet instrument to Scarborough Road, but it was quickly
established that there was a block failure. The Malton SM went to Amotherby as pilotman for the
return. The failure hadn't been repaired next day so the lineman had to extract a tablet from the
Scarborough Road machine to operate Amotherby ground frame, with Malton SM still the pilotman.

536] Middlesbrough: (BLN 1365.3316) (TRACKmaps 2 p47B Oct 2016/p50B Sep 2006) The BSC (British
Steel Corporation) South Bank Coke Works line was disconnected on 18 Oct 2020; a sleeper was
chained across the stub of the connection from the Goods Lines (15m 65ch) west of Whitehouse Level
Crossing. It was closed to road traffic from 23.00 on 13 Feb until 05.00 on 28 Feb to lift the redundant
BSC Coke Works line across Cargo Fleet Rd and excavate the road. This was required for an 'under road
crossing' (presumably a duct for cables etc) between the two barriers on the north side of the line.
Middlesbrough had two home games during the closure, which would have caused gridlock in normal
times. The OOU Shunt Neck and Stockton Haulage private sidings access line will also be recovered.

537] Sheffield Supertram: (BLN 1370.372) Parkgate tram trains are dual voltage 750V dc and 25kV ac.
(Only those with the correct wheel profile can run on the NR track which also excludes all conventional
trams.) The NR OHLE is designed for easy conversion to 25kV, hence its mainline appearance. This was
not part of the original plan and accounts for the some of the dramatic cost overrun (BLN 1368.68).
In Jul 2012, the DfT announced that it was considering electrifying Sheffield to Doncaster with Midland
Main Line electrification. This would include Holmes Jn to Aldwarke Jn via Rotherham Central as a
diversionary route. Thus dual voltage tram trains were ordered and NR had to redesign the OHLE from
the 750Vdc it had planned. The potential (!) increase in voltage required greater clearances. The track
had to be lowered where it passes under the Rotherham to Chesterfield line and under Greasbrough
Road in Rotherham. Bridge Street overbridge adjacent to Rotherham Central also had to be rebuilt.

538] Gilsland: A bid has been made to the third (and final) round of the 'Restoring Your Railway Fund'
to reopen this station (CP 2 Jan 1967) on the Newcastle to Carlisle line, 5¼ miles west of Haltwhistle
and claims to have the backing of the Rail Minister. Gilsland is not large (population about 400), but it
is larger than Low Row and Greenhead combined! Gilsland is unusually split between three civil
parishes, two counties and two BLN regions. The western end is in Cumbria but most of the village,
including the station site, is in Northumberland. This is due to 19th century parish amalgamations.

539] No hassle at Hezzle*: (BLN 1347.670) The Hessle Foreshore footpath, between Hessle and North
Ferriby on the north bank of the Humber, reopened in Mar 2019 after a temporary flood defence was
installed by NR. It was closed again in Mar 2020 to install an £8M permanent coastal defence wall
138m long and 20m high to protect the railway embankment from coastal erosion, reopening in Feb
2021. An interesting discovery is that the Humber Road Bridge is Grade I listed. [*The local twang.]

1371 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected]
540] More on Middlewood: (BLN 1370.376 map) The two Middlewood stations OP Mon 2 Jun 1879,
essentially for interchange, where the Macclesfield, Bollington and (Rose Hill) Marple line went over
the L&NWR Stockport to Buxton line. To improve connections between Macclesfield and Buxton, a
connecting double track curve was suggested in 1876 but didn't open until 1885. An ambitious flyover
was built for the Down line from Macclesfield towards Buxton to avoid conflicts with the Down Buxton
line (to Stockport) - the only grade separated junction in south Manchester. It is thought that the first
trains were probably excursions on Whit Mon 25 May 1885. Regular services between Macclesfield
and Buxton started the following day, with a through train from Stoke-on-Trent later in the year.

Passenger numbers were poor and services were reduced to the summer. Trains ran in Jul and Aug,
and sometimes May, Jun or Sep, usually SO plus some Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The North
Staffordshire Railway tried to persuade the L&NWR to run a through London to Buxton service via the
curve to compete with the Midland, but there was no interest. Passenger services ended in 1927.

Through goods trains used the curve regularly; three exchange sidings were laid (map BLN 1370), and
later a siding to an adjacent clay pit - subsequently a brick works. There was a daily early morning
goods from Macclesfield to Buxton known as the 'Knotty'. It ran until after WWII but, when it ceased,
the curve was mainly used for storing old coaches. The curve was severed at Middlewood Low Level
Jn from 20 Feb 1955 and became a siding accessed from Middlewood High Level Jn until at least 1962.

541] HS2: The HS2 Phase 2a, High Speed Rail (West Midlands to Crewe) Bill has passed into law a year
after government gave HS2 the green light. HS2 Ltd can start further development and environmental
works along the route with construction due to begin by 2024. The 57km railway is estimated to cost
£14bn. It includes 19,000,0003 of embankments, 20,000,000m3 of cuttings (note the symmetry†), 7km
of viaducts, 2.5km of bored tunnel, 42 structures and a combined Infrastructure maintenance depot.

HS2 Ltd must consult with local stakeholders along the route about proposals to reopen abandoned
railways which could connect with the line. Phase 2 will eventually extend to Manchester. (†A normal
criterion of formation design is to balance cut and fill; tunnels and soil type obviously are relevant too.)

542] Carlisle curtailment: North Up bay P7 has been reduced from 153yd to 143yd due to a track defect.

ABOVE: Actually not the last 'Pilling Pig' at
all but the final train at Garstang Town on
Fri 13 Aug 1965. Left to right on the loco
running plate: Wally Gandy, Brian Tupman,
Nick Holding, Bert Holland, Phillip Chew,
Charles Firminger, Ray Hardman (organiser
and now our 'esteamed' Member No1), Jim
Slater & AN Other. All these members were
regular supporters of the LCGB fixtures and
formed the back bone of many brake van
trips during 1965-67. Bert Holland wrote
some notes, issued to all the participants,
(with e-BLN). Charles Firminger was then
the Branch Organisation Officer for the LCGB Management Committee and is the current (national)
LCGB President. ABOVE: 45039 is at Garstang Town with the two brakevans attaching the final coal
wagons to be cleared from the sidings. The late Alan Castle was the photographer.

543] Last train to Garstang Town: (BLN 1370.373 with maps) After election as Fixtures and Railtours
Officer for the North West Branch of the Locomotive Club of Great Britain in Oct 1964, Ray Hardman
(our Member No1) started his first year in office organising numerous brakevan trips in North West
England. Freight branch lines were closing at an ever increasing rate and learning which closures were
intended by British Rail (BR) was extremely difficult. His first trip, on the 2 Jan 1965, was the last train
to St Helens Central (OP 3 Jan 1900; CP 3 Mar 1952), terminus of the Great Central Railway branch
from Lowton St Marys (west of Ashton-in-Makerfield CG 4 Jan 1965; ROG 12 Aug 1968 to Haydock Oil
Terminal; CG Feb 1987). This was quickly followed by a series of brakevan trips during early 1965.

A branch closure which came to the notice of Member No1 was the last section of the Garstang &
Knot-End Railway (the original company had a hyphen and only one 't'), the two miles from Garstang
& Catterall to Garstang Town. The final freight working was to be Fri 13 Aug 1965 and fortunately the

news came in time to arrange a brakevan trip from Preston North Union Yard to Garstang Town. The
arrangements were concluded with the Preston Division of BR relatively quickly, which gave more than
adequate notice for the trip to be advertised in the 'LCGB Bulletin'. The popularity of these fixtures
steadily increased during this period and a regular list of participants were always quick to book their
places. The final number on the day was 18, so a second brakevan was arranged with Preston Division.

On the day the party met at Preston station booking hall and the first surprise was when the authority
to travel was picked up at the booking office. The late George Hebdon, (later on a BLS Membership
Secretary, Production Officer and tour organiser) was on duty, he collected the party fare and issued
the documentation. Unfortunately George was unable to join the party. As planned they were directed
to the train made up of just two brakevans and 'Black Five' No45039, in rather grimy external condition.
An uneventful journey from Preston ensued to Garstang & Catterall station on the main line, where
participants had the opportunity to take photos before going round the bend to Garstang Town.

The branch was retained as a possible railhead for the M6 motorway extension construction traffic and
would have otherwise closed with the line on to Pilling in 1963. However, that traffic was actually
handled further north on the WCML itself at Bay Horse station (CP 1960) goods yard, where a cement
silo was erected. At the end, domestic coal was the only source of traffic to Garstang Town. Passenger
traffic over the Knott End branch ceased from 31 Mar 1930 - west of Pilling had only OP 3 Aug 1908.
Goods services ran until the line was cut back to Pilling from 13 Nov 1950. Garstang Town to Pilling
CG from 1 Aug 1963; 'Black Five' No45390 worked the final train over this section on Fri 31 Jul 1963.

On Sat 1 May 1954 locomotive No42316 worked the joint Stephenson Locomotive Society/Manchester
Locomotive Society 'North Lancashire Railtour' http://bit.ly/3rPJqEr from Preston, which included
Pilling (and some other very exotic branches). Reportedly it was the first passenger carrying train to
use the line since 1939. After 1930 closure to regular service, a few passenger excursions ran until 1939
from Knott End. Thus not that many enthusiasts at the time would have done any of this branch.

Previous page is 31 Jul 1965 photo of the final train at Garstang Town, run to clear the last three empty
wagons, with some of the participants posing on the loco running plate. The loco was suitably (?)
adorned. LCGB member Bert Holland wrote a leaflet for the trip, issued to participants, an interesting
account of the railway. A copy (E&OE) is a PDF with e-BLN 1371. The other photo is 45039 at Garstang
Town with the two brakevans, attaching the final three coal wagons from the extremity of the siding.

Nothing remains at the site of Garstang & Catterall (CP 3 Feb 1969) on the WCML; half a mile north
Taylor's Bridge over the branch can be seen from trains where the line diverged west to Knott End.

544] Whitehaven: (BLN 1363.2996) After a deluge of adverse publicity and environmental concerns,
Cumbria County Council has decided to reconsider the planning application for the new Woodhouse
deep mine on the site of the Haig Colliery. In Oct the Council granted planning permission for the rail
served mine, supplying coking coal for the steel industry in the UK and abroad. However, in Dec the
government's Climate Change Committee recommended that the use of coking coal should be curbed
by 2035. The council had granted permission until 2049 and is concerned about a Judicial Review.

545] Hidden platforms: By the end of March, NR is to extend the operational length of Hyde North
(53,358 passengers in 2019-20) and Central (116,178) platforms. They are long enough in the Sectional
Appendix, but the actual platforms are shorter! At Hyde North Down P1 will be extended from 67m to
85m at the Manchester end by refurbishing a disused section. At Hyde Central (on a viaduct), Up P2
will be extended from 77m to 85m at the Rose Hill end by concrete block risers with a tarmac surface.

546] Blackpool Trams: The Flexity2 trams are being refurbished (like for like) with no major changes.

547] A new station at Timperley: At a cost of £1.3M NR is installing 300m of new track drainage here
and a new pumping station to help alleviate flooding on the line. The Mid-Cheshire line is closed on
four Sundays when signalling equipment between Cuddington and Northwich will be upgraded too.

BELOW: (Item 548) Weaste Cement Terminal from a cruise on the Manches

ster Ship Canal, the branch from Eccles is left. (Ian Mortimer, 18 Aug 2019.)

BELOW: Weaste cement terminal, Manchester, looking east on 6 Dec 2016
Cement Works on 29 Nov 2016 leaving Mon 12 Dec. The Manchester Ship C

6. An extra working to those mentioned in the item, arrived from Tunstead
Canal is to the right; behind, left of centre, is MediaCityUK. (Ian Mortimer.)

BELOW: Eccles (station behind photographer), on the second Manchester S
no idea that it would get this far so he was as surprised as anyone. The tou

Ship Canal Railway tour in Sep 1978. Even the organiser, Ian Mortimer, had
ur is on the Weaste branch, right is the line to Manchester. (Ian Mortimer.)

548] Weaste: (TRACKmaps 4 p43N Dec 2018) There has been rare freight traffic on this branch. On Sun
14 Feb Colas 70801 worked a 20.50 from Oxwellmains with 10 JPA bogie tanks of cement, arriving
08.31 on Mon 15th. The discharged wagons later left at 15.45. Both trains reversed in Eccles Up Goods
Loop and ran through Victoria. The terminal is normally supplied by ship from the Irish Republic.
The last rail traffic is believed to have been between 1 and 22 Jul 2016 (incl), four inward cement trains
from Northfleet, when the Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) was blocked until 25 Jul 2016 due to the
collapse of the new Barton lifting bridge, then under construction. The one mile long Weaste branch
runs from Eccles Up Goods Loop, Eccles Station Jn (north of the Up Chat Moss line at 27m 51ch),
heading eastward and descending, then turns sharp right underneath the main line (at 28m 19ch).
It then turns left along the north bank of the MSC to the NR/MSC Railway boundary at 0m 54ch before
splitting into two tracks in the cement terminal with a crossover at the far end for running round.
Does anyone know why traffic has resumed please? Prior to 2016, the last train was our 12 Jun 2010
'Wrexham & Lancashire' tour and the last freight cement out on 14 May 2010 to clear the storage silos.
549] The long and the short of it: Northern is lengthening trains on the Clitheroe - Blackburn - Bolton -
Manchester Victoria - Rochdale route from 3 to 4 cars. Due to short platforms on the Clitheroe branch,
the conductor has to manually lock out or release the rear two carriage doors at Blackburn, with
potential 'knock on' delays. Therefore, NR is lengthening both platforms at Ramsgreave & Wilpshire
station by the end of May from 97m to 98m so doors can be locked out and released there instead.

X.33] ABOVE: Paradise Jn, with new lighting, right is the tunnel from Moorfields to Liverpool Central
(low level), left is the line towards Moorfields and far left is the Stock Interchange/Holding Line to
James Square P1 and Mann Island Jn. All three lines are bidirectional. (Merseyrail via Kev Adlam.)
550] Breaking the ice: NR used a special train to remove hundreds of large icicles, up to 1.5m long,
from Blea Moor Tunnel on the Settle & Carlisle line during the prolonged freeze in early February.
DRS locos 66427 & 66433 (steam locos might have helped?) ran between two snow ploughs. Some
icicles were also removed manually. Well, the Great Central Railway used to run Windcutter trains.

1371 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected]
551] Stonea: (BLN 1365.3341) Stonea Road reopened after underbridge repair work was completed at
the beginning of Feb with a clearance of 2m, 10cm lower than before, due to a new protection beam.
In Oct 2019 the bridge sustained its 13th hit that year; significant damage closed the road underneath.
Stonea bridge was the second most hit bridge in the country in 2018 and slipped to ninth place last
year while the road was closed for a while. On average, nationally there are five bridge strikes a day
and most of the vehicles that hit railway bridges are HGVs and buses, costing about £13,000 per strike.

552] Cambridge: NR is to resignal 125 miles of track, between Meldreth and Elsenham to the south,
through Cambridge, up to Ely to the north and Thurston to the east, as well as upgrade Croxton Level
Crossing beyond Thetford on the Norwich line. There is six weeks of public consultation from 1 Mar
due to level crossing alterations. Most of the signalling was installed in the 1980s and is near the end
of its expected operational life. The project includes transfer of control from Bury St Edmunds,
Dullingham and Chippenham boxes to Cambridge Power Signal Box. Seven level crossings will be
converted to full barriers with obstacle detection or CCTV. They are Meldreth Road, Milton Fen, Six
Mile Bottom, Waterbeach, Dimmocks Cote, Dullingham and Croxton. A Transport and Works Act Order
is needed and NR is to apply later in 2021. The work is expected to begin by early 2022 and is currently
planned for completion by 2025. The project is expected to replace almost 700 signalling assets.

553] Waterbeach: (BLN 1317.2497) South Cambridgeshire District Council has approved plans for the
4,500 home Waterbeach New Town East with relocation of Waterbeach station (platforms recently
extended!). In the area the Waterbeach Barracks scheme also has consent for 6,500 new homes.

554] Wickford: On Sun 31 Jan 1971 at 04.45, carelessness by the driver of a Newspaper train, in failing
to apply the loco brakes properly when his train came to a stand, resulted in it rolling backwards down
a 1:100 gradient and colliding with a passenger train at Wickford. Fortunately no one was injured.

Single line working was in force on the Down Main, due to engineering work on the Up Main, for 4¼
miles between Billericay and Wickford. It was established that the 03.20 Liverpool Street to Southend
Victoria Newspaper train, hauled by dual (air and vacuum) braked Class 31 loco 5502 with 8 vehicles,
was running 15 mins late and booked to stop in Wickford Down platform to unload newspapers.
To prevent delay to the 9-car EMU 04.04 Southend Victoria to Liverpool Street passenger train, which
had to cross from the Up Main to Down Main (using the trailing crossover between Wickford Up line
and the branch) at the start of its Single Line Working, it was decided to run the Newspaper train on to
the Southminster branch. After the passenger train had left, the newspaper train would then set back
into the Down Bay. The pilotman at Billericay was given this information and passed it on verbally to
the driver of the Newspaper train before departure and again during the journey to Wickford.

Unfortunately, in doing so he told the driver to run on to the Branch 'clear of the dod' (ground signal*)
when he really meant to say 'clear of the colour light main aspect signal', which subsequently confused
the driver. All Main and Branch line signals at Wickford were colour lights except the section signal on
the Southminster branch - a semaphore; the ground signals were mostly mechanical discs. [*A Great
Eastern line colloquialism; Tommy Dodd was a round faced performer of extremely short stature.]

The passenger train arrived first at Wickford Up platform, soon followed by the Newspaper train which
made its way slowly through the Down platform, setting down the pilotman, and then onto the
Southminster branch. Here the driver stopped using the train vacuum brake, returning this to the
release position even though he had failed to apply the loco's air brake knowing his train was standing
on a 1:100 rising gradient. He had assumed that his reverse movement would begin very quickly.

The signalman then set the route for the passenger train to reverse from the Up Main to Down Main,
clearing the appropriate disc signal. The driver of the Newspaper train had never before made a move
from the Southminster branch to Wickford Down Bay. Even though he knew the colour light signal
protecting the junction would have to clear, he became confused, more so when his secondman told
him, erroneously, that the disc signal was 'off'. The Driver left his controls to look out of the window on

the second man's side, noting the right hand of the two ground signals showing a green light; he could
also see the disc of this signal in the off position. The other ground signal on the left hand side was
showing a red light. Crucially, neither of these ground signals applied to movements off the branch.
At this stage he had no impression that his own train was then moving, it still being dark outside. As he
crossed back to his own side of the cab, he thus did not know his train was rolling back to the Down
Main, let alone the Down Bay, until he felt a shock and heard a grinding noise with the collision. The
guard, travelling in the rear cab of the loco from London, had seen the colour light signal at danger, so
he tried to make an emergency brake application but before he could do so the collision occurred.
(Had the guard been travelling in the proper brake compartment in the train, he may have been able
then to activate the emergency brake in time when he noted the train rolling back. His excuse for
riding on the loco was that he found that area too cold, although steam heating was available.)
The HMRI Official Report into the accident, published 28 Oct 1971, was conducted by Major CF Rose.
Undoubtedly the main responsibility for the accident was the omission by the driver of the Newspaper
train to apply his loco brakes in the proper manner when it came to a stand on the Southminster
branch line, which the driver admitted. It was also unfortunate that he lacked a detailed knowledge of
the track and signalling at Wickford. In part mitigation, perhaps, the pilotman's mistaken description
of a ground, instead of a main, signal, might have planted doubts in the driver's mind.

555] Clacton: (BLN 1370.396) (ABOVE: Before and after track plans with thanks to Martyn Brailsford.)
https://wi.st/36Jtj3g by NR and Atkins is a remarkably realistic, comprehensive 6¼ min video using
computer graphics (not perfect!) of a stage by stage account of the resignalling and remodelling.
Its value is to refine the work programme, reduce risk of unforeseen events and to brief participants.
Clacton had the last remaining solenoid operated discs and 'searchlight' colour-light signals on NR
(installed in 1958 for the 1959 electrification at 25kV) and the last working full size semaphore on an
overhead electrified line. P1, 2 & 3 starting signals were all searchlights (P4 had a very elderly three
aspect colour light) along with the Up Main starting signal. The first Down Main home (lever 26) was

[BLN 1371]
also a searchlight, but the box diagram did not differentiate between searchlight and other colour light
signals. All were in regular use. The full size semaphore signal used allowed direct access from the
carriage sidings to the Up Main, used for two (SSuX) early morning ECS services, the 05.05 to Walton-
on- the-Naze and 05.47 to Thorpe-le-Soken. Its lack of regular use apparently meant that it gave
intermittent problems. Most subsidiary signals were mechanical discs and (unusually at a terminus)
there was a yellow distant lever for the first Down Main home, part of the final Colchester PSB signal.

The e-BLN 1370 photo caption asked why seaside excursions ran in winter. They were a series of highly
successful holiday preview 'adexes'. The idea was for participants to look at the resort, hotels and
facilities. This would help in deciding on a summer holiday. It was clever marketing by BR, using their
assets at minimal marginal cost, and without extracting revenue from normal services (as might have
happened with cheap trips to London and the like). A wide choice of destinations was covered; one of
them was from Manchester to Eastbourne on 13 Feb 1971. It was used by several of our Committee at
the time as a reasonably priced way to reach a meeting at a committee member's home in Pevensey.

556] For tyred bikes to rest? 200 extra cycle spaces are now available at Marks Tey, an increase of
over 300% (BLN 1366.3491). The secure facilities can only be accessed using a Greater Anglia smart
card. 290 (total) extra spaces have been installed at Dullingham, Bishop's Stortford and Whittlesford
Parkway. Audley End, Elsenham, Manningtree, March, Newmarket, Braintree, Rochford, Southend
Victoria and Diss are progressing, with further locations planned - a total of almost 1,000 new spaces.

557] Tilbury: (BLNs 1367.3662 & 1357.2173, plan) Forth Ports has announced expansion of aggregates
traffic through the Port with two agreements, the first for five years with FM Conway to double the
weekly traffic to Theale and the second, over 20 years, with S Walsh to create a logistics terminal with
aggregates processing plant and a rail linked freight facility at the port. Both are in the main port area,
not the construction materials and aggregates (CMAT) facility in the new Tilbury2 satellite port, the
opening of which appears to have slipped to later in 2021, with construction paused since late 2020.

The FM Conway contract for sea dredged aggregates landed at Tilbury, to their Theale asphalt plant,
was transferred from DB Cargo to Freightliner, who ran their first train from Tilbury on 6 Oct 2020.
The inward empty wagons ran as 12.21 TO from Hayes & Harlington. At Tilbury the train is loaded by
mechanical shovel at the aggregates bunkers built on the site of the former Rail Container Terminal.
It leaves for Acton Lane 21.45 TO staging overnight, forming the 13.48 WO to Theale Foster Yeoman.

Apparently the new traffic is imported crushed rock by ship to Tilbury from Norway, for use in road
surfacing; these trains will now run twice weekly from Tilbury, TFO. The deal with Walsh to create two
new freight facilities within the port is due to begin in Mar 2021, starting with the installation of a new
multimillion pound processing plant at Berth 34 at the extreme east end of the Tilbury site, to wash
and grade aggregate for customers in London and the South East. The bulk of this material, 400,000
tonnes per annum of 'Cornish Granite', an aggregate by product from the extraction of china clay by
Imerys, will be shipped by coastal freighter to Tilbury from the port of Fowey in Cornwall.

The second project, a rail linked freight facility, is planned to distribute these new aggregates traffics
by rail. Although likely not directly connected, the choice of Tilbury Port for the development of these
new facilities can only have been aided by the rejection by the planning authorities, in 2018, for
proposed aggregate processing and concrete/tarmac plants at the strategic rail freight location of Bow
East, situated on the edge of the Olympic Park in East London by these companies.

FIRST PHOTO: Clacton P1 (P2 is left) with two of the searchlight signals and the scissors crossover
ahead that is also being removed, the complex now redundant pointwork at the end of Carriage
Sidings 1 & 2 (to the right) will also go. Note the more robust new modern style OHLE supports. Eight
pictures by Iain Scotchman on permitted work trips - the first seven were taken on Tue 16 Feb 2021.

SECOND PHOTO: An ECS shunt into P2 passes the then soon to be decommissioned Clacton Signal Box.









BELOW: A long train to Liverpool Street leaves P2 (the preferred platform w

which, like P4, takes 12-cars), taken from P3/4 - note the searchlight signal.

BELOW: Looking towards the end of line; P4 is the furt

thest right - 321341 is in the adjacent Run Round line.









BELOW: At 14.58 on Tue 23 Feb; Volker Rail Kirow crane DRK81601 'Nigel C
the Country End of the 13th panel for P4). The Run Round - the future 'Up

Chester' lowers a new track panel at Clacton P4. (On it 'P4-13 C/E' indicates
Siding 3' - on the left has already been relaid and the crossover removed.



(Item 559) Epping ABOVE LEFT: End of LUL Eastbound Siding. RIGHT: Arrestors on Westbound Line.
BELOW LEFT: From Epping Ongar Railway boundary towards LUL station. RIGHT: EOR towards Ongar.

558] Bedford: (BLN 1363.3020) East West Rail (EWR) Company now considers that the relatively
straightforward upgrade of the Bletchley to Bedford line requiring minimal work to allow trains to
continue to Bedford is insufficient to run a reliable two train per hour service. The company, the
government's delivery body for the project, says works previously consented as part of what is now
called the Connection Stage 1 route development are insufficient, let alone for extension of service to
Cambridge. According to the organisation, to deliver the full Oxford to Cambridge service is going to
require significantly more investment than envisaged by NR for the Western Section - including the
remodelling of Bedford station. EWR says it is looking at the best way to deliver the upgrade required
and will put forward proposals as part of a consultation in early 2021. The consultation will also cover
the Stage 3 route from Bedford to Cambridge. The delivery agency intends to submit a funding bid to
government for the construction of both the Stage 2 and Stage 3 sections of EWR for the 2021
Spending Review, expected in the autumn. Before Stage 3 can be built EWR Company will need to
apply for, and have approved, a Development Consent Order. It could take quite a while yet!

559] Epping: On 13 & 14 Feb the OOU country end facing crossover and the trap points to the siding
extension of the Eastbound track were plain lined. The Eastbound track was shortened by 125m with
the sand drag and fixed arrestor (buffer stop) arrangement replaced by a new fixed arrestor. Two new
fixed arrestors were installed back to back at the LUL Westbound track boundary. That for EOR trains is
immediately on the LU side of the wire mesh boundary fence and that for LU tube stock is 10m nearer
Epping. Conductor rail and insulators on both tracks from Epping P1 & P2 up to the LU boundary were
removed. The OOU country end trailing crossover nearer the station had been removed previously; it
was clear of the station platforms not, as on TRACKmaps 5, p42A Aug 2019, partially in the platforms.
The new East and Westbound arrestors are respectively 140m and 273m past the top of the platform
ramps towards Ongar. LU fixed red lights are post mounted about 5m in front of the two arrestors.

PREVIOUS PAGE: Epping photos by Jamie Smith. All were taken by an appropriately certificated person
with a full line protection and are reproduced with permission. Thanks also to Julian James.

560] Witham: The Up Siding ('Yard Road' on TRACKmaps 2 p5C Sep 2020) is to be relaid at a reduced
length of 100m during point renewal at the Kelvedon end of the station. It stables on track plant on a
monthly basis. The available siding length is currently reduced to 50m by a sleeper across the rails.

561] Luton - Bedford: Embankment inspection following severe weather on 6 and 7 Feb identified the
need for emergency work north of Harlington, comprising installation of steel piles from 9 Feb to
prevent ground movement. An amended train service had only two trains per hour at Harlington and
Flitwick stations, instead of the regular four, with trains running at reduced speed until Sun 14 Feb.

562] Contract Bridge: (BLN 1364.3174) The overbridge at Eccles Heath, between Harling Road and
Eccles Road, damaged beyond repair in a 2017 road traffic incident, has been replaced taking four
months. The road has reopened after three years of closure. Between Norwich and Brundall, Oaks
Lane underbridge, Postwick, has also been replaced; the main deck was craned into place over Xmas.

X.34] Corrigendum: In e-BLN 1370.X.20 the light engine at Barrington was 60055 not 66055.

1371 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
563] Gosport: Queen Victoria had her own station here, part of the route to her IOW Osborne House
estate for the Queen and her guests. Renovation of the house was completed in 1846; remembering
her previous trip to Gosport the Queen, the first Royal Gricer, requested that the ramparts be opened
(the Commanding Officer of the Garrison readily agreed) and a 600yd railway extension be laid beyond
Gosport passenger station into Royal Clarence Victualling Yard where the new Royal station was built
(SU 618 004). It had a single curved platform flanked on one side by a long wall. There was a waiting
room for Royal travellers but apparently Queen Victoria never used it herself. When she used the
station, a carpet was laid between the train and the Royal Yacht. It is said that the station played a vital
role following Queen Victoria's death. She died on the IOW in Jan 1901 and her body was transported
back from Osborne House to the royal station, before continuing its last journey back to London.

Only some small sections of the former site still stand and the station is abandoned. However, parts of
the line itself are still clearly visible off Weevil Lane in the town, and can be seen leading back towards
a tunnel. There is a pedestrian crossing on part of where the railway line was, as it entered the yard
area. NEXT PAGE: 1931 OS 25" map shows the line past Gosport station (bottom left corner) as (then)
'His Majesty's Railway' (George V) and the location of the station (left of the 'B' in 'Boat House') leading
to 'His Majesty's Landing Place' (top right corner). https://bit.ly/3qsRUAS has a photo of the station.

564] The race to vaccinate: 17 Bedwyn services call at Newbury Racecourse from 8 Feb. The stops are
to improve access to the vaccination centre there and are extra to the normal hourly timetabled
services between Reading and Newbury. GWR readily and quickly agreed to this suggestion.

565] Bedwyn: (BLN 1370.423) The opening of a parkway station to serve Devizes is one of several
proposals on lines with no suitable passing service which could call. Bedwyn Trains Passenger Group
and Pewsey Vale Rail User Groups have campaigned for years for improved westward connections.
Consideration is now being given to extending services terminating at Bedwyn through to Westbury
which would include calls at Devizes Parkway. www.devizes.org.uk has more information.

566] Southampton: ❶(BLN 1368.107) From 15 Feb, for the Southampton Freight Train Lengthening
Project, the mechanical lever operated ground frame ('B' on TRACKmaps) and associated equipment
at Redbridge was replaced and converted to power operated ground switch panel (GSP) working.
The two crossovers involved have been converted to power operation worked off this new GSP.

❷(BLN 1369.236) As well as the increasing numbers of containers, the port has increased automotive
traffic with Associated British Ports (ABP) investing £300,000 in a new rail service, the first automotive
service to operate in the Western Docks. Working with DB Cargo and Southampton Cargo Handling
who discharge the vehicles, ABP will now move around 600 to 800 new BMW Minis each week by rail -
'finished vehicle rail movements'. ABP already offers a rail service at the Eastern Docks. Southampton
is the UK's number one port for automotive traffic, handling around 900,000 vehicles a year.

567] Broadstairs - Swanley: (BLN 1370.404) Rainham station, a Network SouthEast rebuild completed
in 1990, is a definite improvement on the previous 'CLASP' (Consortium of Local Authorities Special
Programme) prefabricated structure. The transparent arched roof over the booking hall is a notable
feature as is the roof overhead railway, with a mobile gantry for those cleaning/maintaining the arch.

At Gillingham the brick station building was built by the Southern Railway in 1932. A fairly plain design,
a glazed extension was built onto the front 10 years ago. The P1 & 2 canopy dates from 1913, when the
Up loop was added. The attractive Chatham station building is a single storey in polychrome brickwork,
built in 1886 and typical of the London, Chatham & Dover Railway, refurbished and modernised
internally. Swanley station was indeed resited for the 1939 electrification. The previous station was in
the fork of the junction, so unsuitable for dividing and combining Maidstone and Gillingham portions
of EMUs. The Kent Coast Electrification was fully commissioned on 15 Jun 1959 rather than 1958.

568] Ryde - Shanklin: (BLN 1368.108) On 12 Feb South Western Railway announced reopening after
the upgrade is delayed six weeks until mid-May. Vivarail at Long Marston has also been badly affected
by the pandemic with the number of engineers able to work on the 'new' trains at any stage reduced
and the supplier of the Traction system unable to work at full capacity. While some elements of the
£26M project have been hit hard by lockdown restrictions, others make good progress. The extra six
weeks will be used to complete further track works and bring forward elements of the project that had
been planned for later in the year, including repainting stations and other minor refurbishments.

569] Gatwick Airport: (BLN 1365.3351) Pile caps have been installed on P3 & 4 for a new escalator and
stairs to the new second concourse above, connecting the station to the South Terminal. Installation of
piles is in progress to widen P5 & 6 and for new escalators and stairs. Construction of concrete slab pile
caps has started on P7 for a new escalator and lift shafts. Foundations have also been laid for the new
'Back of House' building, which will be for all Gatwick station personnel once works are complete.