1352

A (Julian James) [email protected]

Woking Up Yard (run round) - Andover - Laverstock Loop - Southampton Central -
hotograph it on his local Boris Walk - seen here on the outward run at Newnham, a
e Down lines. Is that a track sectioning cabinet on the right? NEXT PAGE: On the
y for relaying at St Denys. (Both John Cowburn.)





X.94] BELOW: Witham, the final Greater Anglia Stadler unit (745110) isde

elivered Thur 7 May with 66001. (Iain Scotchman, on a local Boris Walk.)









[BLN 1352]
X.95] Lowestoft; FIRST LANDSCAPE PAGE ABOVE: 14 Sep 2016, 156409 leaves Lowestoft past the
freight sidings (left). All this has now changed; the only access from the Down track (right of the train)
to the Up is further west, beyond the DMU, much closer to Oulton Broad South. Trains for Lowestoft
P3 & 4 now use the Up track bidirectioanlly. [BLN 1349.969 of 4 Apr 2020 has old/new track plans.]

SECOND LANDSCAPE PAGE ABOVE: 18 Jan 2020, from the end of P3 & 4 before resignalling and
removal of redundant points. Apart from one set of points immediately beyond the platforms for the
divergence between the two platform tracks, there is now only a trailing crossover for trains from P2
on the right to reach the Up track, to the right of which Flirt 755329 is seen approaching, working
10.17 Ipswich to Lowestoft. The relaid sidings in the yard are now complete, the stack of sleepers has
been removed and movements are controlled by colour light ground signals, note the disc to the right
of the sleeper stack which appears to have escaped removal during installation of the new tracks.

THIS PAGE ABOVE: 30 Mar 1999, from the staff car park by Lowestoft Signal Box. 56079 is at the head
of 5G31, the 13.52 from March Up Sidings, a portion off the Doncaster to Ely 'Enterprise' working.
5G31 usually only took empty timber wagons to Brandon, the loco then running back to March light
engine before returning the following morning to pick them up after loading. However, if there was
traffic for Lowestoft it called at Brandon then continued on. The traffic 'mud oil' was from Aberdeen -
the wagons were loaded with crates of drilling bits from the oil industry which were to have the oil-
contaminated mud cleaned off. It is believed this 'flow' (every week or two, or perhaps less frequently)
was the last revenue earning freight traffic at Lowestoft. The crates are being unloaded by crane.

The short arm semaphore signals 11 and 10 are on the left, and apply to the second and third track to
their right, for leaving the yard. The two tracks to the right of them and nearest the camera are the
passenger lines. The track just to the right of the signal post, to which these signals do not apply is that
shown as No2 on TRACKmaps 2 p8A Oct 2016 and does not have access to the passenger lines, running
instead to the ground frame operated crossover further west. (All three by our member Brian Carter.)



1451] Yarmouth South Town - Lowestoft: Mon 4 May was the 50th anniversary of closure in 1970.

PREVIOUS PAGE: 1912 Railway Clearing House Junction Diagrams map of the line, note
Oulton Broad South station was named Carlton Colville until 27 Sep 1927.

Built in 1903, the Yarmouth - Lowestoft line ran 12¼ miles from Great Yarmouth Beach (terminal)
station over the River Bure railway bridge and five-span Breydon Viaduct above the River Yare - which
section closed in 1953. There was a connection from Yarmouth South Town (in 'Southtown'), then it
ran south by the coast to Gorleston North (CP 1942), Gorleston-on-Sea, Hopton (-on-Sea added 1932),
Corton, Lowestoft North and Lowestoft (Central from 1903 to 1971). Gorleston Links Halt OP in 1914
for a golf course. Before 1903, direct services between the two towns at first ran via Reedham curve to
Yarmouth Vauxhall and later, after Beccles - Yarmouth South Town opened, via a spur at Haddiscoe.

At opening, the direct Lowestoft to Yarmouth line was operated by a joint committee of the Great
Eastern Railway and the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GNJR). The railways hoped that
the line would lead to the development of holiday resorts and it is believed that Gorleston and Hopton
had 'On Sea' added to their names as part of a railway publicity campaign. [Old OS maps confirm this.]

The line had through trains via the former M&GNJR network to/from the Midlands and North; summer
specials brought thousands of holidaymakers to a host of holiday camps along the coast. It carried a
variety of freight - including fish, coal and sugar beet. During WWI Lowestoft North saw thousands of
troops arrive by train as the Army constructed training camps on the nearby North Denes and Corton
Road playing field. Following the 31 Jan/1 Feb 1953 severe East Coast Floods, services over Breydon
Viaduct ended from 21 Sep 1953 as maintenance of the substantial structure was deemed too costly
and all Lowestoft - Yarmouth services then terminated at South Town. Yarmouth Beach closed along
with most of the former M&GNJR in 1959. After closure of Beccles to South Town, also in 1959,
London - Yarmouth South Town services ran via Lowestoft, where they reversed, and the coast line
was upgraded. However, shortly afterwards, many services to the coast were rerouted via Norwich.

BELOW: Trains that never ran. Despite a local effort to keep it running as a tourist attraction, the line
closed on 4 May 1970, final passenger trains ran on Sat 2 May (as the winter timetable was SuX).

The 10¼ mile line was listed in the 1963 Beeching Report for closure (along with the East Suffolk line)
as Westerfield - Yarmouth South Town, although Lowestoft would have continued to be served from
Norwich (only). Felixstowe Beach was also down to close but not the rest of the Felixstowe branch.

In a familiar story at the time, British Rail ran the line down, rerouting holiday and other long distance
traffic. Stations were de-staffed and the line singled, worked as a 'long siding' (no points), with just a
2-car DMU 'Paytrain' shuttle (where the guard sold tickets) calling at weed choked vandalised stations.
In 1968, the Transport Users Consultative Committee Enquiry into the proposed closure claimed that it
carried between 5,000 and 10,000 passengers per week and lost some £34,000 per year (=£600k now).

The Beeching report had deemed around 20,000 per week the minimum for a railway to be 'viable'.

The Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership, with the Lowestoft Central Project, are now appealing
for memories and images of the line. This is for an online exhibition and permanent displays at the
stations in the two towns later this year. Before the Covid crisis it had been planned to hold an
exhibition in the restored Parcels Office at Lowestoft station for the 50th anniversary of closure.

Community Rail Development Officer, Martin Halliday, said: The line had a relatively short working life
of just 67 years and surprisingly few images of the route in operation remain in the public domain.
We are therefore appealing for memories and images people may have that we can share in an online
article to mark the 50th anniversary of the closure. We also hope to use some of these in two special
railway history panels to be installed at stations in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth later this year.

After leaving Lowestoft (Central) station, the railway curved sharply northeast at Coke Ovens Jn away
from the Lowestoft to Norwich/Ipswich line and past the Eastern Coach Works - now North Quay
Retail Park. It then ran through a deep cutting curving north until it reached Lowestoft North station
opposite the former Lowestoft Grammar School - now Ormiston Denes Academy. The station occupied
a substantial site with sidings, coal yard and, for many years, a camping coach for holidaymakers.

Thereafter it closely followed the east coast. Passing northwards through what is now known as Dip
Farm, the line ran along an embankment towards Corton before entering a short cutting under Corton
Long Lane and reaching Corton station. It then continued north on an embankment through Hopton,
Gorleston Links Halt and into Gorleston station. After Gorleston North a connection (right) dropped
down to join the Beccles - Yarmouth route to Yarmouth South Town. Left, the route ran to Yarmouth
Beach, above the Beccles - Yarmouth line, over Breydon Viaduct and the Bure bridge.

In the 1980s, clearance of the former station site in Hopton, revealed a series of parallel brick arches
built to support the station platforms. Prior to closure, much of the railway land around Yarmouth was
purchased by the Town Council and, today, very little exists to indicate the presence of the town's
former and arguably most prestigious station, South Town. With the expansion of towns and villages
along the route, the line is much missed today. After closure most of the land on which it ran and all
except one of the former stations succumbed to redevelopment. Housing and construction of the
Gorleston bypass also saw much of the former track bed disappear.

However many bridges and landmarks are visible including Corton station, now a private residence,
along with the cutting running through north Lowestoft - now the Great Eastern Linear Park and cycle
route connecting Yarmouth Rd with Barnards Meadow. Some of the embankments running parallel to
the Coast Rd can be seen and trackbed south of Gorleston station site. Pictures of the line featuring
passengers, rolling stock, signal boxes or stations would be appreciated by the research team.

They do not need original photos and contributors will be credited if they so wish. Please email photos
and memories to [email protected] (please copy to your BLN Regional Editor) or post
to: Lowestoft Central Project, Lowestoft Railway Station, Denmark Rd, Lowestoft, NR32 2EG. (Eastern
Daily Press) https://bit.ly/2YAroKY has lots of interesting anecdotes, pictures, tickets and maps of
Yarmouth South Town station but any dates should be checked. The station had four long platforms,
although at the end only P4 had track. Your BLN Editor well remembers his first ever visit to Yarmouth

in Aug 1970. Yarmouth Beach https://bit.ly/2W9D8m1 even though closed nearly 11 years before,
was still a very busy station - a coach station - P2 & 3 (330yd long) with its lengthy canopy and the
station buildings were part of it. South Town was sad and moribund three months after closure.

1452] Southminster: (BLN 1351.1302) Although regular 'traditional' goods traffic was declining on the
branch by the late 1950s, sand and aggregate trains from large gravel pits near Southminster station
were more frequent. At first hauled by Class 15 diesels, these were replaced by Class 37s in 1967.

On Thur 13 Jul 1995 a member travelled on Motor Vessel Lady Essex II from Burnham-on-Crouch to
the head of navigation on the River Crouch at Battlesbridge. They, of course, are the first/last
intermediate branch stations, depending on your point of view. He made for the station but being a
Thursday discovered he was stuck in the two hour gap without a passenger train at Fambridge.
Our member was able to photograph the Class 31 passing at speed with a nuclear flask wagon and
brakevan. Unfortunately the second man (remember them?) was waving both arms out of the cab
window to spoil the picture. Next day he had to be in Inverness for a cruise round the Black Isle etc...

1453] Soham: (BLN 1341.2964) NR is seeking permitted development rights to build the new station
following the announcement in Sep 2019 of a £18.6M funding package from the Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough Combined Authority. Included are: ●A 102m platform for 4-car trains including waiting
shelters, lighting, information screens and a public address system. ●A stepped footbridge across the
railway to connect to an existing public right of way, designed for any future installation of lifts for a
potential second platform if double track is extended towards Ely. ●A drop off point and a car park for
50 vehicles (five for blue badge holders) and lighting masts ●Cycle parking and ticket machines.

Subject to consent, work is currently planned to begin later this year and is expected to be completed
in spring 2022. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Mayor James Palmer said: Cutting through the endless
delay has been a priority for the Combined Authority and it will be until the first passenger boards the
first train….We're funding this project and I will keep pushing for the earliest possible delivery.

1454] Thorpe-le-Soken: NR wishes to close Three Gates user worked crossing (65m 65ch). It is beyond
the junction southeast of Thorpe-le-Soken station before the Walton branch diverges from the
Clacton line, thus crosses three tracks. The location will be retained as an authorised access point by
gate on the Down Clacton side, presumably on the field side of the Walton Single. The level crossing
deck (with two gates!) and telephone will remain. The crossing is considered 'very high' risk due to the
significant skew, long traverse distance, 50mph line speed and frequent train service - in normal times
94 trains a day. It is intended to padlock the crossing out of use in Jun and change signage and fencing.

1455] Great Yarmouth: (BLNs 1348.836 & 1349.968 - new track plan.) As at 2 May the carriage sidings
had been cleared of vegetation and some re-sleepering carried out.

1456] Waterbeach - Ely: NR also proposes to close Kisby user worked crossing (68m 65ch), south of Ely
between West River Bridge crossing and Bedford No124 crossing (69m 08ch) - not on TRACKmaps.
(There are two Bedford crossings, TRACKmaps shows only No125 at 69m 20ch.) Intolerable safety risk

is attributed to a long signal section and frequent high speed trains with sighting obstructed by an

OHLE mast. It is planned to padlock it out of use in June and change signage and fencing in Aug/Sep.

1457] Greater Anglia timetable: SSuX from Mon 18 May, if changes to travel restrictions fit the

currently suggested form, will be closer to a Saturday style rather than the current Sunday one.

1 tph Liverpool Street to Norwich (not stopping at Manningtree)

2 tph Liverpool St to Ipswich stoppers (one connects for Harwich and is via Colchester Town)

1 tph Liverpool Street to Braintree (restoring through London services)

1 tph Liverpool Street to Clacton-on-Sea 2 tph Liverpool Street to Cambridge

1 tph Colchester to Walton via Colchester Town 2 tph Stansted Express

3 tph Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria 2 tph Liverpool Street to Hertford East

40 min Southminster branch service; hourly now 1 tph Stratford to Bishop's Stortford

Branch lines: Generally hourly as usual. The changes restore regular services to the Colchester Town
...to Hythe curve, recently one each way early morning SSuX. (There are no Meridian Water shuttles.)

1458] Bletchley: (BLN 1351.1310) The first section of the viaduct removed was 'Span 17' on Wed 22
Apr which weighed 195 tonnes. It was split into two and removed by crane without the need to close
the railway. 14 of the flyover's 37 spans need to be dismantled and rebuilt to modern standards for
East West Rail Phase 2. Preparatory relocation of lineside equipment and OHLE has been taking place
for a year, with work ramping up at Easter to drill and cut out the existing flyover's spans. Eight spans
above the West Coast Main Line need its closure over 2-3, 8-10 and 23-25 May. Some of the new
wider spans, with new Bletchley P7 & 8 each side, will be on a slightly different alignment. The flyover
work is being carried out under NR's permitted development rights and local planning permission.

1459] Tackley: (BLN 1351.1308) NR has stated that the changes took place on 28 Apr (not 19 Apr) and
follow repeated misuse of the level crossing with 15 incidents reported in the last 18 months. Plans are
being developed for a wheelchair accessible subway, reportedly to be consulted on later in the year.

1460] Steventon: (BLN 1344.273) NR advises that the new 110mph speed restriction means the Grade
II Listed bridge of Brunel origin no longer has to be replaced. The bridge over the Great Western Main
Line was originally to be demolished and replaced with a higher bridge for OHLE and trains at 125mph.

1352 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
1461] Southern OHLE: (BLN 1351.1311) 660 Volt overhead 'trolley' wires, for use by the Southern
Railway's new electric locomotive, CC1, were installed at Norwood Junction, Balcombe and Brighton
in 1943. It is not clear why wires were provided at Balcombe and Brighton, because CC1 normally
worked freight trains between Norwood and Chichester, where the yard was not wired.

Locations wired for use by the Class 71 locos were: Angerstein Wharf branch (item 1404), Bricklayers
Arms (the third rail extended to North Kent West Jn from Surrey Canal Jn and Bricklayers Arms Jn,
with wires beyond), Deal, Dover Town, Faversham (including the Creek branch - you don't want to be
up the Creek without a panto...), Hither Green, Hoo Jn, Maidstone West, the Tovil branch, Plumstead,
Shepherds Well (serving Shepherdswell), Sittingbourne and Snowdown Colliery. Electric working was
possible from Jun 1959, except Deal, Maidstone West and (possibly) Dover Town, which came later.

It is not possible to be precise as to exactly when each section of wiring came into revenue use, as
traffic was phased in. The electric passenger timetable for the Chatham line began on 15 Jun 1959, but
the first revenue electric train ran on 2 Jun. Only half of the first batch of electric locos were in service
by 15 Jun, so not all freight workings could be electrically-worked from the start. To what extent the
wires were used for commercial traffic is not clear, but there would have been no shortage of electric
locos. The 24 built soon proved to be well in excess of what was actually required. The overhead wires
were officially taken out of use about 1975, though quite a lot had been unused for some years.

1462] Guildford: Landslip repairs to a cutting have uncovered a small cave believed to be from the 14th
Century. It is considered by a specialist archaeological contractor to be a later-medieval shrine or
hermitage, thought to have associations with the nearby chapel of St Catherine. The sandstone cave is
made up of several sections ranging from 0.3m to about 0.7m high. It may once have been much
larger, but only this small piece survived the digging of the railway cutting through the hill in the early
1840s. Images show a Gothic niche decorated in dots with a Calvary cross nearby. There are around
seven or eight further niches and experts found considerable evidence of writing and other markings
across the cave ceiling. The cave is partially covered in deposits of black dust, believed to be soot from
lamps. The remains of two suspected fire pits were also uncovered in the cave floor. The hope is that
radiocarbon dating can be used to establish the period when the cave was in use. A NR spokesperson
said that a full and detailed record of the cave has been made and every effort will be made to
preserve elements if possible during the regrading of the delicate and vulnerable sandstone cutting.

X.96] NEXT: Gatwick Airport (BLN 1351.1312) The various stages in the work to widen P5 & 6. (NR.)



1352 SOUTH WEST (Darren Garnon) [email protected]

1463] An interesting railway bank: With effect from 1 Nov 1956 the rate of interest paid on deposits
in the GWR Savings Bank will be raised from 3½% to 4½% per annum. If only that was available now.

1464] Newton Abbot East Jn (0m 14ch) - Heathfield (BLN 1299.333) The temporary OOU status
(saving business rates) of the branch from 0m 55ch - a temporary sleeper stop block - to the end of
line at 4m 07ch from 28 May 2016 is to be further extended until 28 Apr 2022. Access is maintained to
Newton Abbot bay (the former P9, later the Motorail dock). The final train (two return trips) to
Heathfield was our 'First Devon & Exeter Explorer' railtour of 10 Oct 2015, a First Great Western HST.

ABOVE: The 20 Apr 1972 RCTS excellent 'Devon Rambler' https://bit.ly/2ApUKlf railtour at Heathfield
station in the evening, it reached the end of line at the Oil Terminal beyond. (Ian Mortimer.)

1465] Melksham: The station reopened 13 May 1985, and has had mixed fortunes since, but recorded
74,534 passengers in 2018-19. Now it is to be transformed by a new deal secured by TransWilts, the
accredited Wiltshire Community Rail organisation dedicated to improving rail travel and community
connectivity in and around Wiltshire. TransWilts is already working with GWR to improve frequency
and the destination choice of Melksham services. In the normal timetable most trains run between
Swindon and Westbury. However, SSuX there is one from Gloucester to Southampton via Swindon
(reverse) and two run through to Cheltenham via Swindon. SuO there is an 11.00 Weymouth to
Swindon train via Melksham which then returns immediately. Although running all year, it is clearly no
use for a day trip to the seaside! Also SuO the first service to Swindon starts back at Warminster.

SuX there are usually nine services to Swindon roughly 2-hourly (in the week one is to Cheltenham
providing an extra morning peak service) with eight to Westbury; Sundays there are seven each way.
The Emergency service has been seven each way in the week, five on Saturdays but none on Sundays.

TransWilts has now secured a major three year support package from Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems UK,
based in Melksham, to help improve the station. Phase 1, which has received planning permission,
includes new platform signs, destination indicators, extra parking, electric vehicle charging, cycle
storage and a community café. Phase 2 includes layout including a station northern pedestrian access.

1466] Bristol Quiz: Why is the main station in Bristol called Temple Meads? Answer in BLN 1353.

1352 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]

1467] Coventry Tram: (BLN 1307.1322) A new firm has been drafted in to help design the track for the
city's tram project, described as 'revolutionary' [will the tram go round in circles?]. Research and
development of the track for the Very Light Rail project will be by French engineering consultant
Ingérop Conseil et Ingénierie, the winning bidder. They and their English subsidiary (Rendel Ltd) will
work with Coventry City Council and Warwick Manufacturing Group researchers on the project.

West Midlands Combined Authority has provided £1.5M for an affordable, easily removed track to be
designed that will reduce the need for diversion of utilities such as gas, electric and sewage systems,
currently required for traditional tram systems. The project is described as having the potential to
'revolutionise light rail systems' with an affordable track system. The route likely to be taken forward
first is a 7km route linking Coventry station with the main hospital. It is due to be ready in 2024.

1468] Curzon Street: Birmingham's HS2 terminal received planning permission from Birmingham City
Council on 23 Apr. The Council's report concluded that the station design 'is truly world class'. The new
station, with the latest eco-friendly design, will be carbon neutral in operation. It meets the 'BREEAM
excellent' standard (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method). This is an
industry recognised standard for buildings reducing energy usage and materials waste, minimising the
impact on the natural environment. The fully accessible design complements the local setting, with a
focus on the open space and landscaping. The West Midland Metro will run alongside and underneath
the station. The original Grade I Listed Curzon Street station 1838 building (known as boardroom or
entrance building) is retained outside the station footprint but will be linked to the eastern concourse
at New Canal Street. It will actually be near the London end of the new station.

The ground plan and elevation of the enormous station is a download with e-BLN. The frontage on
Moor Street Queensway is a continuation of, and joined up with, the Grade II listed Moor Street
station; it also borders the existing London end of the railway out of New Street. With seven platforms
the station continues eastward over, and extending well beyond, New Canal Street. The seven tracks
join as the station throat crosses above the Digbeth Branch Canal and Lawley Middleway (A4540).
Where HS2 passes over the Vauxhall lines to Aston (which are still on a viaduct after their flyover) on
Curzon Street No2 Viaduct, it is down to two tracks. Of note, in the station area the track is level but
then rises at 0.52% (1 in 19!) to clear the Aston Line - design line speed is shown as 100km/h here.

1469] Four Ashes: (BLN 1208.2006) On 4 May the Government agreed to issue a Development Consent
Order for the West Midlands Interchange. There is now six weeks when the decision can be challenged
in the High Court. First proposed in 2016, it will be built on 615 acres at Four Ashes by the Up Goods
Loop between Wolverhampton and Penkridge, near M6 Junction 12. An intermodal rail freight
terminal (on the Down side), will be able to accommodate 10 x 750m trains per day with container and
HGV facilities. The consent is conditional on this being built when the whole site is at 25% occupation.
There will be about eight million square feet of rail-served warehousing and other service buildings.
New roads (including an A5 to A449 link) and upgrades to existing roads are included, landscaping etc.

The proposed rail layout is a bit like Daventry/DIRFT Phase 1 - long loops allow arrival and departure in
both directions. There would also be parallel electrified reception loops and long headhunts at one
end for portion working and internal shunter movements to position trains alongside loading pads etc.

1470] Tyseley: Due to recent staircase fire damage, P1 & 2 on the Up and Down Bordesley lines cannot
be used by stopping trains from 2 May until 12 Jun during repairs. All trains calling at Tyseley can only
use P3 or 4, on the Up and Down Snow Hill lines. A significant number are booked for P1&2 all day SuX
plus Sundays during the Emergency Table. All trains calling to/from the Dorridge line will have to use
the strategic bidirectional connection at Tyseley South Jn (and, in the Up direction to Dorridge, the
trailing crossover at 125m 50ch). The link normally has no booked passenger service but ECS uses it.

1471] West Midlands Metro: ❶Rail replacement work has been taking place overnight outside
normal operating hours. Over half the planned work has now been completed - recently it has been
between The Crescent and Priestfield stops. Old track is removed, the trackbed renewed, new track is
then laid and welded. The work is described as 're-railing in reserved tram track' so it is not generally
set in roadway or concrete and can be done without a long closure. (Unlike on Sheffield Supertram.)

❷From 21.00 Sat 9 May until 10.00* Sun 10 May, trams from Wolverhampton St George's were to
turnback in Handsworth Booth Street P1 via the Wolverhampton end trailing crossover on departure
in service. There was OHLE work between Jewellery Quarter and St Chads. [*Or when work finished.]

ABOVE: In the Emergency Timetable there has been no passenger service between Great Malvern and
Hereford since Sun 5 Apr (but it is due to restart on Mon 18 May). There has been a little excitement
for our local members in the form of a weekly 'route proving' light engine to test the pointwork,
signals, track circuits and level crossing activation/cancellation etc. On Wed 13 May Colas 56078 was
on the 16.50 Shrewsbury Coleham to Worcester Shrub Hill via Hereford and return. Here it is on the
outward journey passing the site of Malvern Wells station (CP 5 Apr 1965). Malvern Wells Signal Box
is ahead and round the corner the line singles for Colwall Tunnel through the Malvern Hills (seen in
the upper background). One week a NR 'yellow' Class 37 turned up on the working. Meanwhile Great
Malvern has had two GWR IET services a day from/to London, within an hour of each other in the
week then nothing for 23 hours; the signaller here has hardly been overworked! (Rupert Anderton.)

NEXT PAGE: The same working at Malvern Link, looking up the hill towards Great Malvern (David Guy).





BELOW: Douglas Bay Horse Tramway; the new (old looking) Strathalla

an tram shed is nearing completion. (Jenny Williamson, 6 May 2020.)

1472] Wilnecote: NR is working at Cliffe, between Wilnecote and Kingsbury Branch Jn, repairing
damage due to serious flooding. A Temporary Speed Restriction was lifted in early Mar after track
repairs and ballast replacement were completed. Work continues away from the track to pump away
the water. The problem is due to waste water pumped from the adjacent brickworks which collects
either side of the railway and floods the track. Our member reports that the work looks 'expensive'.

1473] Wolverhampton: (BLN 1322.329) From 9 May the work on the new station, which reduced the
Down end curved bay P6 to 58yd usable length and resulted in de-energisation of the OHLE, was
complete. Hoardings affecting access and egress to train doors were removed. Is the OHLE live again?

1474] University: Some CrossCountry Voyagers call at the station in the Emergency Timetable.

1352 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
1475] Ferry interesting news: (BLN 1351.1355) In Jun 2002 the Ferry 'Carrigaloe' was loaned from the
Passage West service to the Greencastle to Magilligan ferry. This was a daily operation when it began
on 13 Jun 2002 but later reduced to seasonal (generally Apr to Sep) and may well not run this year.

1476] Timetables: From Sat 16 May Belfast to Londonderry is due to operate a Saturday service SuX.
Sundays starting 17 May, all NIR services run to the normal Sunday timetable. The Irish government
has provisionally suggested that travel (and therefore IR timetable) restrictions will be lifted Mon 20
Jul. Concern has been expressed about the Nenagh & Waterford - Limerick Junction lines not running.

1352 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]

ABOVE: Horse Tramway, the new sign on Strathallan tram shed. (Jenny Williamson, 6 May 2020.)

1477] Horse Tramway, addition to stock: (BLN 1351.1343) To Ginger and Thor, on 5 May, a filly foal
baby trammer. Both mother and baby are doing well. This is reportedly the first foal produced by a
'working' trammer since 1998 (they are hoping for many more!). Thor is listed as being a 'younger
horse', who does not appear to have pulled a tram yet (but certainly pulled a mare...) On 11 May it was
announced that the single track War Memorial to Sea Terminal section 'has now been deferred'.

1478] IOM Transport Festival: The 10-13 Apr virtual 'Rush Hour on the Railways' event was a great
success. This year's virtual 'IOM Transport Festival' (29 Jul until 2 Aug), will include the Manx Electric
Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway and Isle of Man Steam Railway (IOMSR). Also taking part are the
Groudle Glen Railway, Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, Orchid Line at the Wildlife Park, the private Crogga
Valley Railway (visible from passing IOMSR trains) at Port Soderick and the Great Laxey Mines Railway.

1352 SCOTLAND (Mike McCabe) [email protected]
1479] Wick & Lybster Light Railway: (BLN 1269.3000) When all train services were 'temporarily'
withdrawn from 3 Apr 1944 (but never reinstated), goods facilities were provided by road from Wick,
at the rates applicable to/from the respective stations. There was no added collection/delivery charge
for traffic dispatched on a station to station basis. At Mid Clyth, Occumster, Thrumster and Ulbster
such facilities must have ceased by at least 1957; they were deleted from 'Hand-book of Stations' by
leaflet L.3 of Nov 1957. Lybster appears to have continued to enjoy the facility because it had not been
deleted from 'Hand-book of Stations' by the time of the last amendment ever issued (Nov 1964),
although BLN 119 p5 of 4 Dec 1968 seems to imply that the facility had ceased by then. It reported
that Lybster station yard was still recognisable with a lamppost and shed with some buildings used for
a cheese factory. However https://bit.ly/3bj34zS shows a National Carriers Ltd vehicle parked up at
the former goods shed in 1971. So when did the 'rail replacement' goods facility cease at Lybster?

BELOW: Lybster passenger station building in 2016. (Greg Beecroft.)

NEXT PAGE: Lybster - the end of the line, from the 25" to the mile 1905 map.
The 13½ mile Wick & Lybster Light Railway had a life of less than 41 years.

BELOW: A National Carriers Ltd vehicle at Lybster Goods Shed in 1971.

[BLN 1352]

LEFT: Closure 'handbill' for the Wick &
Lybster branch - see item 1479. Someone
actually heeded the advice at the top.

1480] Winchburgh Jn to Dalmeny Jn: ❶
(BLN 1351.1346) The 17.33 SSuX Glasgow
Queen Street to Markinch via this line and
Kirkcaldy has always been routed via, and
called at, Bishopbriggs and Lenzie (not
Cumbernauld unlike the morning train to
Glasgow). This reminds your Editor of a
special trip from Birmingham to Linlithgow
(Day Return £6.20), one Sunday in the
1970s via Edinburgh as trains were
diverted between Edinburgh and Falkirk
via Dalmeny Jn (reverse) in both directions.

❷When a senior member questioned
Transport Scotland about the legality of the
passenger service withdrawal over the line
the reply implied 'future developments'
(and not just Almond Chord, apparently)
that are under wraps.

X.97] BELOW: 1956 One Inch map; Kintore
has expanded significantly since then. The
line to Aberdeen is off to the southeast, to
Inverurie/Inverness northeast and the
single track Alford branch is off west. The
red arrow shows the site of the new station
between the village and the local industrial
estate (the latter is not shown).

X.97] Kintore: Photos by Nick Jones on Sun 17 Mar 2019 of this former jun
station. BELOW: Right is the main line towards Inverurie & Inverness (Kin
intact trackbed curving off left went to Alford CP 2 Jan 1950 (BLN 1339.273

nction station for the Alford branch in the early stages of work on the new
ntore station site and to Aberdeen is behind the camera). The remarkarby
36). The final section from here to Kemnay, Paradise Siding CA 7 Nov 1966.

BELOW: Boat of Kintore Level Crossing (12m 78ch) looking southeas

st towards Aberdeen; work for redoubling is evident. (17 Mar 2019)

BELOW: The former Kintore station (13m 29ch from Aberdeen) in
the track is at the former Down platform. Three platform faces rem

Mar 2019; it CP 7 Dec 1964, looking southeast towards Aberdeen;
mained then, including a bay for Alford branch trains (to the right).

BELOW: Kintore old station three months later on 29 May 2019, the forme

er Up platform has gone to comply with modern clearances for redoubling.

BELOW: Mar 2019 with a light dusting of snow, the old station platfo
taken from the site of the new station, looking towards A

orms are in the background with the original part of Kintore village;
Aberdeen. The Alford branch trackbed is to the right here.

BELOW: The new station site in Mar 2019, ready for redoubling, looking
Most of the new station will be on the Down (Inverness) side of the l

towards the old station (¼ mile round the left curve towards Aberdeen).
line where the plant is. The Alford branch went off background right

BELOW: Three months later in May 2019, looking towards Aberdeen, redo
new station has obliterated the start of the Alford branch trackbed he

oubling is progressing; Kintore old station is round the corner Work on the
ere now. Foreground right is the national JCB digger bucket collection.

BELOW: No stone was left unturned in redoubling Aberdeen to
Inverurie and Inverness in May 2019 with the new

o Inverurie to modern (expensive) standards. Looking towards
w Kintore station site just behind the photographer.





1481] Dalcross: (BLN 1335.2242) Planning permission - which had expired - for a one platform station
to serve Inverness Airport, has been renewed. An application for a second platform is also to be made.

1482] Fort William: (BLN 1342.4155) (TRACKmaps 1 p22A Nov 2017) Inverlochy Yard which is in the 'V'
between the Glasgow and Mallaig lines is being transferred from DB Cargo to NR. As part of this, it is
proposed to remove four of the nine sidings. The yard is of limited use as there is no road access.

1483] Edinburgh One ticket: A new zonal ticket is now available for bus + rail or for bus only. For rail it
covers a named station to/from Edinburgh (or intermediately) and is available as far out as Dundee,
Perth, Dunbar, Newcraighall (but not the rest of the Borders Railway), Shotts, Airdrie or Falkirk.
The bus + rail version is available in weekly, monthly and annual versions (sorry not one day!).
It includes the bus zone in the Edinburgh area and the 'other' station zone - so a bit like a season ticket
with PlusBus each end of the journey. It is not yet compatible with the Edinburgh Tram ticket system!

1352 WALES & THE MARCHES (Chris Parker) [email protected]
X.98] PREVIOUS PAGE: On the VE Day 75th Anniversary Bank Holiday, Fri 8 May, the TfW Maesteg to
Cheltenham Spa service ran directly between Ebbw Vale and Cheltenham instead due to relaying at
Cardiff. Here the 10.40 from Ebbw Vale Town, a Class 170 DMU, is on the Park Jn to Gaer Jn curve
(currently diversionary passenger use only) approaching Newport. (Lisa Eyles from her house window.)

1484] Cadoxton-Penarth: (BLNs 106 p2 - 29 May 1968; 1259.1249 & 1351.1234) https://bit.ly/2KBDyeh
is a locally produced historical article (accuracy not guaranteed) with a very pleasant computer
generated image cab ride video simulation. The consensus is that the DMU, track layouts and
overbridges are accurately depicted and our member Will Davies gives the endorsement that much of
the journey, especially around Cadoxton, is as he remembers it. The line was fairly featureless north of
Sully with only the cement works and its internal railway on the outskirts of Penarth. Thankfully the
nasty smell from a chemical works (manufacturing PVC he believes) near Cadoxton is not recreated!

However the stations, lavish signalling (particularly splitting Distants) and Barry Railway design signal
boxes on this Taff Vale line are less authentic as is the presence of a 'Black 5' ex-LMS loco (sacrilege!)
waiting on the Dinas Powis direct line at Biglis Jn. More surprisingly the long curved terrace of typical
Victorian railway houses shown beside Cadoxton Yard does not appear on old maps. The article refers
to the diversion of the unofficially titled 'Ports to Ports Express' via the route from Jul 1922 described
in BLN 1310.1703. It was double tracked throughout with a changing service pattern over the years.

In 1922 nearly all services ran to/from Cardiff Queen Street and beyond; in 1947 the great majority
only ran to/from Penarth but by 1956 rather more again ran to/from Cardiff (Clarence Road or Queen
Street and beyond) with some being through workings from/to Bridgend via the Vale of Glamorgan
Line; push-pull auto trains were largely used. This ended when Cogan Jn - Penarth was singled from
12 Feb 1967. Cogan Jn signal box was abolished; amending BLN 1351: Penarth Down (southbound)
platform and track was taken OOU and back-to-back stop blocks erected midway along the Up
platform in the manner of Kirkby and Ormskirk in later years. Single coach 'bubble car' DMUs then
operated an isolated shuttle to/from Cadoxton until CA south of Penarth Cement Works 6 May 1968.

The Cardiff facing stop block was then moved to its current position at the south end of the platform
and the surviving signal boxes (Penarth Town and Penarth Cement Works Siding) closed. One member
was delighted by this as he had travelled to both stop blocks and it later gave him overlap between.
To amend BLNs 106 and 1351, from photo evidence the single middle road through Penarth station
(originally signalled in the Up direction only on the signal box plan) rather than the Down Platform
road was retained as the (by then bidirectional) goods line for the cement traffic until CA 13 Oct 1969.

1485] Seeing blue: (BLN 1351.1362) On 30 Apr, Cardiff Central station façade was lit up in blue as a
gesture of support for key workers during the pandemic. This was to continue each evening 'for the
foreseeable future'. It is not known if that is true for any of other NR locations involved. Glenfinnan

[BLN 1352]
Viaduct was another NR structure so lit up (picture e-BLN 1351.X.87), having received the treatment to
coincide with 'Clap for Carers' on 2 Apr with the southern portal of Ffestiniog Tunnel (still with no rail
traffic) following on 7 May. Beyond NR, the Severn Valley Railway paid a similar tribute with a light
show https://bit.ly/2WFARhD projected on to Kidderminster Town station frontage on 4-7 May.
1486] North Wales Coast Railway: With the dearth of fresh news and ban on non-essential travel, this
website's notice board https://bit.ly/2YpAES3 produced by Charlie Hulme has been featuring twice
weekly postings of high quality archive photos, mainly from the northern half of Wales and its borders.
Click the links in the left hand column for earlier ones. Even more highly recommended than usual!
1487] GWR timetables: (BLN 1349.1024) From 18 May GWR looks to be reverting to virtually a full
service between Cardiff and Bristol/Taunton/Portsmouth plus the SSuX Carmarthen to Paddington
and return but not (yet) reinstating the Paddington trains that start/finish at Cardiff Central

1488] Tondu (again!): (BLN 1351.1351) ABOVE: Plan by Nick Jones, the black dots are all signal boxes.
Our Fort William-exiled local signalling expert suggests convincingly that Ynysawdre Jn was so named
because the branch from it ran to Ynysawdre Colliery, open before 1875 (but closed 1898). That
branch predated the more significant Llanharan line ('Pencoed branch') which OG 2 Oct 1876. This line
never carried a regular passenger service and was steeply graded but was available for diversions and
was a 'dotted red' route permitting all GWR locos except 'Kings' and 'Night Owl' Class 47xx 2-8-0s.
From photo evidence, as at 24 Mar 2012 the route indication for the Garw Main given by Tondu box's
lever 63 was 'G'; that date of change to 'B' is unknown. The indicator was probably installed when the
Ogmore Valley branch closed and the lines became Blaengarw Branch and Garw Siding, then just left
in place when the Garw Branch was truncated and the lines connected together (around 1997).
The reference to the chargeman collecting the staff and having two trains on the branch may be a
misunderstanding by your Regional Ed of the late Rowland Pittard's original contribution. The previous
BLN item suggests this was the case immediately after Brynmenyn box closed. However it is more
probable that the arrangement only began with the circa 1997 changes as above. The likelihood is
that, in addition to the Garw Branch being cut back to a short stub for turnbacks, the remaining stub
was then also downgraded from a staff-worked branch line to a siding. At this point one would have
expected the staff to be withdrawn from use but, but it was retained (picture e-BLN 1348.870).

BELOW: Tondu 24 Mar 2012; 'The Coal Grinder' tour arrives from Bridgend. This time the signal (close
up inset top right) displays a 'G' stencil for the Gawr Loop rather than 'B' - BLN 1350.1171. (Nick Jones.)

The staff confirmed that the lines were in the control of the chargeman, thus allowing two trains to be
on the lines, and secondly provided the key to operate the points (then) at Brynmenyn. When the line
was cut back the attached key unlocked the new Garw Ground Frame at the end of the Garw Loop.

As mentioned in BLN 1348.870, the staff with key is still held in Tondu box and the inscription TONDU -
BLAENGARW (if only!) has never been amended! Tondu box was previously Tondu Middle; it might be
assumed that it lost its suffix with the closure of Tondu North on 12 Nov 1967 but signalling diagrams
for both itself (of Oct 1955 or 1965, year unclear) and neighbouring Cefn Junction (of 30 Sep 1965),
now exhibited in the preserved Cefn Jn box, call it 'Tondu' (BLN 1314.2184). Maybe this was already
the name used by local staff but does anyone know the official date of change please? The box, built in
1884, replaced an earlier one. :TONDU MIDDLE SIGNAL BOX: nameplate was ordered on 12 Jun 1901;
again information as to any other name(s) and dates of changes before then would be appreciated.

Tondu South Box closed from 26 May 1963. It opened in 1901 (nameplate ordered 17 Dec 1900),
seemingly replacing Brogden's Siding Box which may have been a short distance further north if not
on the same site. They controlled the connection with Tondu Ironworks branch. The works closed in
1895/6 but the site continued to provide rail traffic as an engineering centre for the coal industry,
probably until the box finally closed. It is now a prime industrial archaeology location (Parc Tondu).

1489] Mark III stock: (BLN 1351.1352) To clarify, the 13 Apr Norwich to Barry Tourist Railway working
conveyed ex-Anglia loco-hauled Mark IIIs, as had the 20 Feb working to Newport Docks (Sims Metals).

1490] Timetables: (BLNs 1350.1120 & 1351.1353) TfW website inaccuracies continue and lockdown
has brought a particularly glaring one. From 20 Apr TfW stated that Avanti West Coast (AWC) is not
running services between Chester and Holyhead and this was perpetuated into week commencing
4 May. News to AWC no doubt as its online revised timetable and Realtime Trains showed that the
SSuX 05.51 Holyhead to Euston and 16.50 return (BLN 1349.1024) most definitely continued although
AWC weekend service has changed. SO there is now a 07.55 Holyhead to Euston and a variably timed
(16.05/16.54 on 2/9 May respectively) Euston to Llandudno Junction. Sunday service is even more
variable, unsurprisingly; on 10 May it was 10.42 Crewe to Rhyl and 14.57 return with buses to/from
Holyhead; the previous week it was Crewe to Holyhead and return with no through Euston service.

The TfW 'emergency timetable' appears to have stabilised from 20 Apr. However, while the biannual
national timetable change from 17 May is postponed, an increased service is planned from that date.
Of particular note, from 18 May an SSuX 17.16 Cardiff to Rhymney supplements the previous hourly
service and crosses the 18.11 Rhymney to Penarth at Tir-Phil. These are believed to be the first regular
booked crossings of loaded trains since Tir-Phil loop was commissioned in Sep 2013. Unless you know
different, dear reader… It was provided so that Rhymney could have a half-hourly service but this has
not happened due (officially) to rolling stock shortage. [The tracks are unidirectional so both are used.]

Central Wales Line services increase by 100% from 18 May - there are then two trains a day each way!
Liverpool - Runcorn - Chester restarts 2-hourly (requiring one DMU; an hourly service needs two).

1491] The Great Pyramid of ........ Pembroke Dock life extension: (BLN 1350.1177) The expected date
of completion of the platform canopy repairs slipped from 1 May to Fri 14 Jun 2020.

1492] Hawarden: The station footbridge (10m 64ch) was closed for refurbishment on Sat 25 Apr with
reopening expected Sat 4 Jul. A temporary substitute has been installed meanwhile.

1493] Merthyr Tunnel: (BLN 1311.1812) An online survey regarding what are now Merthyr Tydfil and
Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough councils' joint proposals to reopen Merthyr (also known locally as
Abernant) Tunnel to walkers and cyclists has received almost 800 responses. The 2,497yd (3m 37ch to
4m 71ch) tunnel on the former Hirwaun (Gelli Tarw Jn) - Merthyr (Rhydycar Jn) line, CA 31 Dec 1962,
would form part of a 4 mile direct traffic free route linking Merthyr and Aberdare. Merthyr councillor
Geraint Thomas said: The consensus appears to be very much in favour of reopening, but there are
many factors to take into account, including initial and ongoing costs. As soon as we have a clearer
idea of workable plans, we'll be reporting back. http://dailym.ai/35wMI5l has pictures and videos.

1494] And finally….reassuring news from Bodorgan: From 5 May TfW's website was advising (caveat:
see item 1490) that Down trains were running at restricted speed through the most 'organic' station
on NR at restricted speed because of …er… a speed restriction! This was expected to apply until 02.00
on Sat 9 May. So that's all right then; no fear of Holyhead-bound train drivers seeking the opportunity
to join the 'ton-up' club while there's not much traffic about, unlike some of their road counterparts!

BELOW: Guess the location - answer beneath…

ABOVE: The incredible Duffield Bank Railway viaduct, not a brilliant picture and not a model railway,
but 15" gauge. There is an adult standing by one of the supports (red arrow) for scale
and a child's swing hangs beneath the viaduct to the right,

MINOR RAILWAYS (Peter Scott) MR74] Early Public Miniature Railways in Great Britain (1901-1918)
This overview summarises the development of the public passenger carrying miniature railway in
Great Britain, from the first such railways of 1901 up to the end of the First World War in 1918. Only
brief details are given for each railway, many of which were only laid down in connection with various
exhibitions. Details of many of the lines mentioned here are, at best, sketchy and, apart from the
larger well known examples which have been better documented, would benefit from being properly
researched. Readers who have further information, additions or corrections, are welcome to contact
the MR Editor. We start with a quick round-up of the private miniature railway scene prior to 1901.