1379

MR104] Cedarbarn Miniature Railway, North Yorkshire (MR p21) (BLN 1262.MR147): A visit to this
7¼" gauge railway on Sunday 23 May found it operating (first day of the season was 17 April). Trains
were formed of 6wPH 'Helen' (R Greatrex 1998) and two sit-astride coaches. This loco once operated
at the National Railway Museum. Back when the railway at Cedarbarn first opened in 2016, trains were
operated by a 'Warship' style loco and three sit-astride Southern liveried coaches. The young driver
had only worked at Cedarbarn for a couple of months, so was unaware of any previous loco(s) etc.
The fare for all was £2 - no tickets were issued and only cash taken - at the ticket office by the station.
Trains ran every half-hour or so as required - advertised to be from 10.00 to 15.00 weekends and
school holidays. The only change to the track layout from a visit in July 2016 is that the passing loop
beyond the tunnel is no longer used and trains are now using the 'straight' section in both directions.
The proposed loco shed has not yet been built. BELOW: Plan from the website; the farm shop, café
and 430 yard 7¼" railway is on the A170 between Pickering (one mile) and Scarborough (17 miles).

MR105] Isle of Wight Steam Railway (MR p6) (BLN 1378.1587.3): Former Island Line unit 483007 now
has a new home at the Steam Railway. It was generously donated by South Western Railway, ensuring
that it will be preserved. 007 made its final journey along the Island Line on the evening of Wednesday
19 May to Sandown, then went by road to the Railway at Havenstreet. The plan to install a connection
to the Railway at Smallbrook Junction from the Island Line (BLNs 1366.3505 & 1368.108) has not been
carried out. Visitors will be able to get on board and learn more about the Island's electric railway era
since 1967 - the unit being stored under cover in the 'Train Story' interactive museum building.
MR106] Paultons Railway, Hampshire (MR p18) (BLN 1326.MR51): This 15" gauge railway reopened,
along with the Park, on Monday 12 April. The Railway had been closed since the end of October 2018
due to the construction of a new area in the Theme Park called Tornado Springs. Opening of this area
was due in 2020, but was delayed due to the pandemic. The Railway appears to have been slightly
realigned to fit around the new 'Storm Chaser' ride in Tornado Springs. From Google Maps it seems to
have been 'pushed out' slightly, over a section of around 250ft, on the northwest side of the circuit -
between the first curve out of station and the first level crossing. Park admission is £45.50 Adult or
£37.50 online but a mere £43 for Seniors (online £35.25) but you do get into Peppa Pig World as well.

BELOW: (Item MR 104) Cedarbarn Miniature Railway; the train returns to t
growing very well this year. Note the long coupling between the tender and

he station, having past the raised strawberry plants. The Solaris Tabulata is
d first coach - presumably for social distancing. (Peter Scott, 23 May 2021.)

BELOW: (Item MR 107) Cefn Mably Railway; the train departs from
NEXT: '2910' and the three coaches pass the lakes on the far retu

m the covered station. A disinterested sheep looks the other way.
urn loop. Note the named coaches. (Both Peter Scott, 5 Jun 2021.)





MR107] Cefn Mably Railway, Newport (BLN 1377.MR86): Although just located in the County of
Newport, the Farm Park in which the railway runs is closer to Cardiff. A visit was made on Saturday 5
June. A pre-booked admission ticket was obtained from the Park's website a few days beforehand - the
only arrival time available by then was 15.30 - but this gave plenty of time for a ride and photos of the
railway. Train tickets (£3 for all) can be booked on the website at the same time as booking admission
tickets, or purchased on site. On this day admission (for all) was £8. On arrival at the entrance desk,
after the online booking was scanned, a till roll train ticket was issued - collected by the driver on
accessing the platform. The 12¼" gauge railway is a dumbbell layout of 640 yards route length, which
covers almost all the area of the Farm Park - the railway running through various animal paddocks.

There are numerous (non-public) level crossings, some cattle grids and one elongated footbridge,
which doubles as a short tunnel. The points at the two return loops have red/green signal indicators to
show correct operation. There is one covered station - 'Farm Parkway', with one full length platform.
This building doubles as a shed for the loco and coaches and has roller doors at each end - although
appears to be open on the platform side. Perhaps uniquely, there are overhead heaters (which
thankfully were not operating on this warm day!) for those queuing for a ride. There are no sidings.

The loco is an attractive steam outline 2-4-2 battery electric, numbered 2910, but unnamed. Rolling
stock is three bogie covered coaches, which are named 'Dasha', 'Alyona' and 'Titiana'. Both loco and
coaches are in a bright red livery. The railway is a high quality installation, with steel rails on a well
ballasted formation. Everything looks very smart and well constructed, including the loco and stock.

There are no public crossings of the line, except by the one footbridge. Borrowing the contemporary
'GWR' style of logo, the railway is branded 'CMR'! The Farm Park is clearly still recovering from being
flooded in 2020 - the main entrance building is currently a large tented erection. It is down some
winding narrow roads and is clearly aimed at locals, as opposed to general tourists, but was busy (not
uncomfortably so) mainly families with young children on this day. There appears to be no problem
with adult only groups visiting. This correspondent was welcomed with well you will not be feeding the
pigs then when he explained he was only visiting to see and ride on the railway! In conclusion, an
excellent railway, expertly constructed and a pleasant experience - bearing in mind the venue.

MR108] Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, Gloucestershire (MR p7): On 6 May volunteers
took occupation of a new welfare building, which is a tasteful extension of the ex-GWR goods shed at
Toddington station. The completed new building - known as 'The Goods Shed' - has doubled the size
of, and is sympathetic to, the original 1903 built building. The approximately £500,000 project offers in
total around almost 4,200ft2 over two floors, including a ground floor yet to be fitted out extension to
the machine shop, which occupies the original building. Funding came from a grant of £371,000 from
the charitable Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust (GWRT) while over £20,000 has been raised
by volunteers (including Gift Aid). The new facility comprises a sign on lobby with notice boards,
ground floor male and female [sic] toilets, changing rooms and showers; while on the first floor are
meeting and training rooms for footplate and mutual improvement sessions, medical and testing
room, office, washing facilities and a spacious mess room. The latter incorporates a kitchen complete
with fridge, microwaves and dishwasher. There is 'clean' and 'dirty' access to the first floor, the former
via an internal stairway and the latter via an external steel flight and the first floor external mezzanine.

Local firms were involved in the construction, the main contractor being Middicott & Rodway while
subcontractors were ABS Heating, Buzz Electrical, AJ Furniture and Steelway Fensecure Ltd for joinery
and steelwork. The architecture was by volunteer Keith Smith while Mark Young, also a locomotive
department volunteer, oversaw the contracts through his own business, Berry & Young. There are
'nice touches' in the construction such as replica external lanterns, while windows and brickwork
match the original. Although largely for the steam and diesel locomotive departments, the facility,
replacing a former BR MK1 coach that has been used since the 1980s, is open to all volunteers and it is
where they sign on and off, if not done via a recently commissioned online system. Completion of the
building is about a year overdue due to the pandemic.

Details must be checked 1379 CONNECTIONS (Paul Stewart) [email protected] .Please mention BLN.

1773] Reopening Minor Railways: (BLN 1378.1656) Sun 4 Apr: ●Alderney Railway (standard gauge)
Easter Mon 5 Apr ●Alderney Miniature Railway (7¼" gauge; 440yds circuit). Mon 12 Apr: ●Paultons
Railway ●Ruislip Lido Railway (MR p17 Britain's longest 12" gauge line - 1¼ miles). Sat 17 Apr:
●Tanfield Railway (East Tanfield - Andrews House) ●Kirklees Light Railway (MR p26) with 'Young
Engineers' days from 12 Apr ●Cedarbarn Miniature Railway (MR p21) ●Amerton Railway (MR p23).
Sun 18 Apr: ●Cuttleslowe Park Miniature Railway (MR p22). Fri 30 Apr: ●Ropley Miniature Railway
(10¼" gauge on the Mid Hants Railway) Sat 22 May: ●Manx Electric Railway (not Thur 27 May).
Sun 23 May: ●East Kent Railway & Knees Woodland Miniature Railway (MR p19) ●Foxfield Railway
& Foxfield Miniature Railway (earlier date) ●West Lancashire Light Railway. ●Stephenson Steam
Railway. Sat 29 May: ●Wensleydale Railway (Bedale to Scruton only) ●Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway.
Sun 30 May: ●Top Field Light Railway (MR p21) at Whitwell & Reepham station. Mon 21 Jun:
●Great Orme Tramway ●Launceston Steam Railway DEFERRED. Sun 26 Jun: ●Aln Valley Railway
with the new Greenrigg Halt extension (non-alighting). Wed 7 Jul: ●Helston Railway. ●Churnet Valley
Railway (Ipstones) deferred from 23 Jun. Fri 16 Jul ●West Somerset Railway extends to Dunster (note
bus connections to/from Minehead). Sun 1 Aug: ●North Ings Farm Museum & Railway (later date).
Mon 30 Aug: ●Scunthorpe Society of Model engineers, Normanby Park (12.30-16.30). E&OE.

1774] Sheffield Supertram: ALL Concessionary Bus Passes issued
anywhere in England are valid for free travel on Supertram from
09.30 until 23.00 SSuX plus all weekend and Bank Holidays.

1775] The Fifield PRIVATE Railway, Sun 8 Aug, 13.00-15.00: (plan
LEFT) 'Deep Meadows', Ledger Rd, Fifield, SL6 2NX, (SU 907 766)
betwixt Windsor and Maidenhead (off B3024 - 4 miles west of the
former). Annual public rides at this steam hauled standard gauge
railway http://goo.gl/MjNal5 as part of the local charity 'fun day'.
Rides are in open wagons with seats and a brakevan, reports and
photos (high resolution if possible please) welcome for BLN.

1776] Sun 15 Aug, Longannet line: Bookings are now open for the
two SRPS tours doing the line, se website or 0131 202 1033.

1777] Sat 2 Oct; The Lickey Incliner III: A private railtour, promoted by the L&CI, organised by our
members Alan Spencer & Stuart Smith for Alan's birthday, with ROG motive power. Derby (pick up
08.00) - Burton-on-Trent (Down Goods) - Elford Loop - Kingsbury Jn - Hams Hall Arrival Line (subject
to on the day traffic requirements) - Sutton Park - Walsall (pick up) - Dudley Turnback Facility (rev) -
Walsall - Sutton Park - Water Orton West Curve - Camp Hill - Bromsgrove (pick up) - Cheltenham Spa
- Gloucester (one hour break, rev) - Cheltenham Spa High Street Loop - Eckington Goods Loop -
Worcester Through Siding - Bromsgrove (set down) - Camp Hill - Water Orton - Nuneaton - Leicester
- East Midlands Parkway (set down) - Trent High Level Goods Lines - Toton Centre - Chesterfield -
Beighton Jn - Woodhouse - Darnall - Sheffield (set down) - Chesterfield (set down) - Derby (20.30).

Motive Power: 37510 (requested) and a ROG Class 57/3 ('top & tail'). The Class 37 leads from Derby
in the morning and from Gloucester on the return. £110 per person (Child £65); all First Class seats.
Cheques payee STUART SMITH, or request BACS details. Email [email protected] for a
Booking Form or by post to Stuart at 3 Onslow Rd, Peverell, PLYMOUTH, PL2 3QG (SAE not needed).

CONTACT DETAILS: See BLN/e-BLN 1379 (summary) or 1350 (18 Apr 2020), website PDF or via your BLN Editor.
●Editor: Paul Stewart [email protected] 4 Clarence Close, MALVERN, WR14 3HX 01684 562862 07790652351.

●Bookings Officer: Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Road, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL.
●BLS Sales: Graeme Jolley [email protected] Dolbryn, Penegoes, MACHYNLLETH, Powys, SY20 8NN. 07484646542.

[email protected] 75/79 Back Cross Lane, NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS, WA12 9YE 01925222449.
https://goo.gl/X6aQBA ●Published by the Branch Line Society, 10 Sandringham Rd, STOKE GIFFORD, BS34 8NP. ISSN 1354-0947.





[BLN 1379]

X.143] LEFT: (Item 1690) Stainmore Signal Box on the
final day of service, 20 Jan 1962. (Roy Lambeth.)

X.144] WANTED! The Railway Benefit Fund would like
images for their 2022 charity calendar 'Names & Trains.'
Please send your images of trains that have famous
names such as The Flying Scotsman, Progress, or even
the RBF Pendolino! When submitting your photo, make
sure to include your name, the date and location of the
photo, and the name of the train in the picture. RBF will
then pick their favourite 12 photos, and those who
submitted them will receive a free copy of the calendar!
Please submit your images to: https://bit.ly/3vWV423
RBF is also looking for images for their Christmas Cards.
If you have a Christmas themed railway photo, please
email it to: [email protected]

X.145] PREVIOUS PAGE: The Royal Deeside Railway at Milton of Crathes is one of the heritage
railways yet to reopen after Lockdown. BELOW: A different view. (Both Neil Berry, 13 Jul 2029.)