1369

Of course, this was 750V DC, obviously not suitable for lighting, but as our electrically knowledgeable
(enlightened) members will know, transformers only work on AC current. So, how to obtain 250V AC
was the question? Incidentally one or two stations were gas lit then, for example Alresford - still on
the national rail network then - but they had to be staffed as gas lights were not reliably self-lighting.

The answer was provided by a motor generator set, a 750V DC motor driving a 250V AC generator or
rather more correctly an alternator. This somewhat heavy chunk of machinery, which may well have
been second hand, was duly delivered to the Depot. At once it was realised that it would need to be
split into three main parts as access to the little machine room on the end of the Up platform was from
road level down a flight of steps. A few days later, three or four staff moved it into its place of
residence, carrying in turn the motor and alternator using a ladder like a stretcher. No H&S personnel
about in that isolated spot! It was soon reassembled and left for the electricians to do their bit.

Now it is a known fact that a train taking power from the third rail will make quite a difference to the
nominal 750V locally, so a control unit was installed to alleviate this. In due course came 'switch on'
day and at long last Beaulieu Road was in the 20th Century with automatically time controlled electric
lighting. A passing train proved the necessity of the control unit as the motor slowed considerably for
several minutes before and after the passing of said train. Apart from the occasional failure of the
alternator requiring its removal for repair at a local specialist, it worked quite well. However with vast
strides made in solid state electronics towards the late 1980s, it was decided to replace it without the
moving parts. This was done, but even then it required a large (4ft by 4ft) cabinet to house the gizmos!

Within a few years even this was replaced because, at long last, the hamlet and station saw the light
and were connected to the National Grid! The Depot staff always thought that the cost of the project
would never be recovered from local fares, and seeing the passenger figures in BLN, this was surely the
most expensive station in the country! [But the 12,040 in 2019-20 is a record in recent times.] If the
lights failed, the station was closed on safety grounds. Your Regional Editor recalls that when his work
in the 1980s took him to Blake Hall station, where electricity was supplied from the conductor rails,
the departure of a train from either Epping or Ongar led to a distinct dimming of the lights.

1369 SOUTH WEST (Darren Garnon) [email protected]
ABOVE: (Item 238) Building 'B' (note letter on outside of first floor) at Weymouth Quay station that is

being demolished in 2012. Which leaves the question: Where is/was Building 'A'? (Press Release.)

238] Weymouth Quay: (BLN 1367.3684) Work to demolish the former ferry terminal at the harbour
(known as 'Building B') was to start on 13 Jan. The dilapidated structure (which most would agree had
no architectural merit) has been derelict since 2015 when Condor Ferries switched its service to Poole
as Weymouth was deemed unsuitable and the £10M for the necessary alterations could not be found.

239] Bristol TM: (BLN 1360.2609) P2 (ECS only) to P6 were all OOU from Christmas until Sun 10 Jan for
the Bristol East Jn remodelling work and installation of foundations to support scaffold towers.
A massive amount of scaffolding and ancillary protection will be erected on Saturday evenings/nights
throughout 2021. This is for rewiring the station and renovation of the Grade I listed train shed roof.
The £24M project continues until 2023 and involves extensive metal and woodwork repairs with
complete reglazing of the roof and canopies. Interestingly bay P1 was only OOU on Sun 27 Dec. GWR
blame the work for not running Sunday morning trains until after 10.30; they used to start at 07.45.

240] Marsh Barton: (BLN 1367.3682) Construction of the £16M station is due to begin in Feb following
a unanimous decision by Devon County Council to proceed with the project. This follows the granting
of planning consent in Dec. The station is considered a 'destination station' - so will not have a car park
- serving the adjacent industrial estate. Patronage is expected to be mainly workers who now drive to
the estate, or those accessing nearby leisure opportunities on the Exe estuary. Part of the Devon
Metro, through trains on the Exmouth - Exeter St Davids -Paignton route will call every 30 mins.

241] Portbury: (BLN 1366.3430) On Wed 13 Jan 2021 a GBRf 09.57 light engine Cardiff Tidal Sidings to
Portbury Biomass (11.32) route refreshing special ran with 66741. It left on time (12.30) returning to
Tidal Sidings at 16.11 (104 mins late). Could this be linked with Uskmouth B Power Station now being
converted (by late 2021) to burn a combination of non-recyclable plastic waste pellets and biomass?

242] PROPERTY SECTION: (BLN 1208.1442) The Grade II listed GWR 1921 disused Torre signal box
(once with 42 levers) on the Newton Abbot end of the Up platform is for sale again by online auction
2-4 Feb. It has permission for conversion into three floor holiday accommodation (a family holiday
and/or to let). http://bit.ly/3inRc4L has 16 pictures, including the plans and details. Work has started
(maintaining permission) with installation of polycarbonate window protection; building regulations
have been passed by the local authority but no other work has been done. 01633 966069 (Paul Fosh
Auctions, Newport). In 2017 the guide price was £85-£115K but this time the reserve is just £54k.

243] Okehampton: (BLN 1366.3510) Although the line from the site of Coleford Jn to Meldon Quarry
is OOU until 26 Mar 2021, it briefly reopened on 12 & 13 Jan to Okehampton with a speed restriction
of 20mph in force. On 13th an 02.10 Colas operated track recording train made two return runs from
Exeter Riverside to Okehampton station and back before returning to Derby Railway Technical Centre.

The fact that it did not run to Meldon Quarry suggests that the work being carried out is more likely to
be for the resuscitation of passenger services than any outward aggregate traffic. Later on 13 Jan a
Civil Engineer's train operated by Colas left Westbury Down Yard at 20.30, reaching Crediton 23.05.
This was just before the last train from Barnstaple so it could have worked overnight on that line
under possession (so with no times on RTT). The Okehampton branch is also a possibility as it didn't
leave Crediton for Westbury until 15.47 on 14 Jan. Of note, RTT has North Tawton (a former station
site) and Sampford Courtenay as timing points in addition to Yeoford and Okehampton (stations).

1369 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]
244] A 40-car DMU? The new CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) Class 196 DMUs for the
West Midland Birmingham to Shrewsbury and Birmingham to Hereford services are being delivered.
The first seven are from Spain and the other 19 are being assembled at Llanwern, Newport. There will
be 14 x 4-car and 12 x 2-car units, all with inter-connectable end doors.

[BLN 1369]
Trains of up to 8-cars length can run in passenger service but up to 10 trains can be coupled together
for ECS working. However, this is with degraded operation on some systems such as Passenger
Information. This means that, in theory, a 40-car DMU would be possible - presumably a record. Like
most modern trains, they have automatic passenger counting to identify high loading stations for
timetable planning. So, if you want your service to improve, jump on and off each train a few times
with some mates at your station. Plans show a few tables (unlike the Class 172 DMUs which have
none) but fewer than the Class 170s they replace. Six 3-car Class 170 centre cars go to strengthen
CrossCountry's Class 170 fleet.

245] WM Timetable: Amendments from 18 Jan were relatively minor compared with some areas as
most services were already halved. On the Snow Hill lines, three pairs of afternoon school trains are
withdrawn with schools closed. The Stourbridge branch retains 6tph (4tph SuO) but they finish earlier
- by 20.00 SuX and 18.00 SuO. Finally Nuneaton - Coventry - Leamington (WM) services are all buses.

246] Wolverhampton: On 11 Jan work began on the new £250k P1 lift with completion due on 20 Apr.
During the work there is no step-free access to P2, 3 & 4 during the closure. Passengers requiring this
are advised to travel to on to Birmingham New Street or Smethwick Galton Bridge for road transport
back, although local train services would return them to Wolverhampton bay P5 (London end).

247] Curzon Street: HS2 has received approval from the City Council to begin the transformative
refurbishment of the original station building (OP as 'Birmingham' 24 Jun 1838 terminus of the London
& Birmingham Railway). This is the next phase of work at the new HS2 terminus. The agreement with
the Council (who own the Grade I listed building) is for a long lease by HS2. Along with the Grade II
listed Woodman pub, it will be integrated into the new station, reflecting the history of the old station.

The public space surrounding the station will include historic track alignments of the former goods
yard to the east; the gardens and new eastern concourse façade have been designed to complement
the building's architecture. HS2 enabling works contractors LMJV are ready to start the work, over
12 months, in early 2021, overseen by a conservation specialist. The building, designed by architect of
note Philip Hardwick, is one of the world's oldest surviving pieces of monumental railway architecture.

It was intended to be the boardroom and general offices of the London & Birmingham Railway but was
extended to incorporate a hotel by 1841. It was turned into a goods station between 1854 and 1860
and closed from 31 Dec 1965. Having suffered extensive damage during the Blitz, and survived two
applications for its demolition in the 1970s, it is on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register.

The plan is to use it as an HS2 visitor centre, with flexible facilities space for offices, exhibitions and
catering. The refurbishment is by infrastructure specialists KN Circet who have carried out heritage
restoration projects across the UK railway network, predominantly in London and the South East.
It includes a new steel structural frame to strengthen the building, a lift to all 4 levels, new glass
balustrade for the historic staircase, internal fit-out, roof repairs and repairs to the external masonry.

248] West Midlands Metro: ①Services were suspended from 07.50 until 11.15 on Sat 2 Jan after a
taxi became stuck on the reserved track between St Chads (was Snow Hill at one stage) and St Paul's
stops. The taxi had driven along the grassed track alongside Snow Hill offices. During that time some
passengers might have got cross-over it (the trailing one at St Paul's). ②The Hagley Road extension
will be the next tram line in the UK to open later in 2021 (exact date to be determined).

….1369 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
249] It can now be told (24) - one that got away: By Phil Mason. Tales that can now be told have
mostly featured stories of success. By contrast this is the opposite. After various visits between 1977
and 1985 I had effectively travelled over every passenger and then still open freight line in Ireland.
Only one had eluded me - Waterford to New Ross. This 13½ mile freight line was still open but traffic
was very rare, bagged fertiliser allegedly only four trains a year and bagged cement, possibly monthly?

Thus without serious insider knowledge the chances of turning up in Waterford on the right day were
utterly negligible. Even CIÉ staff didn't know that a train was to run until the previous day and I had
never managed it. A railtour I booked on was cancelled before it was due to run too. [CIÉ = Córas
Iompair Éireann - its subsidiary Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) was not established until 2 Feb 1987.]

The other freight branch from Waterford then, in the diagonally opposite direction for about 28 miles,
was once part of the Waterford to Mallow direct line via Dungarvan and Fermoy along which Rosslare
to Cork boat trains once plied. It closed in 1967 but the eastern end was not lifted pending possible
freight traffic. In 1970 CIÉ built a spur to the new Ballinacourty Quigley magnesite factory near
Dungarvan; the branch to it from Waterford Grace Dieu Jn ROG 3 Apr 1970 and freight resumed.

This was occasional magnesite and oil plus a couple of trains a day of dolomite (limestone with high
magnesium content) from a quarry at Bennettsbridge near Thomastown on the Waterford to Kilkenny
line. However in July 1982 the magnesite factory closed suddenly, very suddenly (although the owners
Pfizer had announced in April that year that it would be closing due to losses from high energy costs).
Demand for magnesite was dropping in the steel industry and the product here was of low quality.

A story I heard was of a CIÉ crew taking a freight train unsuspectingly to Thomastown as usual and by
the time they had returned to Waterford the factory had closed; sadly they were then out of a job!
140 jobs went at the factory (mothballed but never reopened), 17 at the quarry and up to 40 on CIÉ.
II can modestly lay claim to be the person who first enlightened our much missed member, the late
Peter Todd who died in Dec 2003, as to the joys and eccentricities of Irish rail travel, not least the
possibilities of cab rides over delightful freight only lines. Once he had sampled it, Peter took to Ireland
with great alacrity and dedication and eventually became more knowledgeable about it than I was.
He had managed to do New Ross, I believe somehow sweet talking CIÉ into running an unofficial light
engine down the branch for himself and a couple of friends, but still needed Ballinacourty.

I needed New Ross but had done Ballinacourty, on a hastily arranged farewell tour on Sat 24 Jul 1982
behind loco 041 (the branch CG from 28 Jul 1982). Having told Peter of my previous success in riding
on the weed killer spray train over the North Kerry Line, Peter hatched a plan for the two of us to
attempt to achieve our needs when it paid its annual visit to Waterford in 1986. The mothballed
Ballinacourty line was still being sprayed then. Peter had made a contact in Waterford operating
department and kept pumping him for the crucial information about the date the branches would be
sprayed, but the train kept breaking down and being delayed. Finally the call came, the spray train was
to run from Dublin to Waterford and spray both branches on Thur 19 Jun 1986.

Sadly for Peter, who had done all the groundwork, he had something very important on at work that
he simply could not wriggle out of so I travelled alone. I took the overnight Fishguard to Rosslare ferry
and connecting train for what I thought would be a quick day trip. On arrival at Waterford station I
went to the office and introduced myself to Peter's contact who confirmed that the train was on its
way from Dublin. Having a couple of hours to kill I decided to catch a passenger train to Kilkenny to
intercept the spray train early, knowing it was guaranteed to stop there to reverse in the terminal
station. The avoiding line hadn't yet been built; it opened on 10 Sep 1995, nine years away then.

At Kilkenny I went to the signal cabin to check the expected arrival time. The signalman made a phone
call and informed me that the spray train had not yet left Dublin! All I could do was walk around the
tourist sites of Kilkenny for several hours and eventually had to give up and catch a train back to
Waterford, find a B&B for the night, then hang around the yard until the spray train eventually turned
up after 19.00. I introduced myself to the crew and discovered the arrangements for the next day.

So on Fri 20 Jun 1986 we set off (on loco 177) to do Ballinacourty (where of course I had already been)
first, with New Ross planned for the afternoon. It had rained heavily overnight and the line was wet
and of course very rusty, but nobody had thought to bring a bucket of sand. Consequently reaching a
steep gradient not many miles from Waterford we skidded to a stand and had to set back for a run at
it. Four attempts failed; the crew were about to give up and propel back but decided on one last go.

The fifth attempt finally got us over the summit at walking pace and we continued, pinging through
barbed wire farmers had illegally strung across the track to guide cattle and demolishing a hose pipe
hanging in mid-air that someone had laid from one side of a cutting to the other. We did get to
Ballinacourty sidings, ran round and, after a lunch break returned. http://bit.ly/3qxocdV has pictures
of the train there etc. However, it had all taken much too long and they declared there was insufficient
time to go to New Ross so they would have to do it 'next' day but that was a Saturday and they did not
work weekends! Thinking it would be a quick one day visit I had travelled very light with no change of
clothes and minimal money so there was no way I could hang around until Monday. I had to give up
and catch the night boat home. After all that I didn't reach New Ross. I never tried again and it remains
'the one that got away'. (The last freight was 30 Jan 1995 - BLN 1343.157) …and Peter did not get to
Ballinacourty. I do not know if he tried again (the line was sprayed for two more years, 1987 & 1988).
I would like to think that he did. Final moves on the branch were in May 1990, when 141 Class loco,
No146, ran light to Ballinacourty on 9 May 1990 for clearance trials, followed by inspection car, EM50.

PS: having done everything achievable I turned my attention to other countries and stayed away from
Ireland for years. However, in 2007 I took my car over specifically to visit the narrow and miniature
gauge lines that had sprung up in the intervening 20 years starting with the 7¼" JF Kennedy Arboretum
Miniature Railway at… New Ross … then the Waterford & Suir Valley Railway partly, of course, on the
Ballinacourty trackbed. I had to drive through New Ross, over the crossing and alongside the line for a
bit which was very overgrown. I thought I could at least visit the station site and take photos but it was
occupied by a large 'traveller' caravan encampment so I thought better of it. Thwarted to the last!

250] Travel Restrictions: The Republic is back to Tier 5 Covid restrictions with essential travel only
(which is very tightly defined). The timetable was reduced from 11 Jan to generally a Saturday service
with cancellations (and service suspensions - see Head Lines) http://bit.ly/3qljW0G has details.
Trains are loaded to 25% capacity; from 11 Jan all Intercity travel must have a reservation. No loco
hauled trains now run between Dublin & Cork or (from 18 Jan) Dublin & Belfast on 'Enterprise' services.
In addition SuX the 06.50 and 20.05 Belfast to Dublin and 07.35 & 20.50 from Dublin are suspended.

251] LUAS: A normal timetable is in place on the tram system, despite travel largely being illegal. 22 of
the 26 Class 5000 trams have been extended and only one new build (5041) remains to be delivered.

252] NIR engineering work: Provisional closures: 5 & 6 Mar Carrickfergus - Larne Harbour; 13 & 14 Mar;
Lisburn - Portadown, 27 & 28 Mar Antrim - Coleraine and 10 & 11 Apr Antrim - Coleraine; more TBA.

253] Portrush: University and Dhu Varren platforms are due to be lengthened in June for 6-cars sets.

1369 SCOTLAND (Mike McCabe) [email protected] (underscore after 'mike')

254] Shorter trains and fewer of them? Recent passenger figures have averaged 10% of normal for
the time of year in Scotland; ScotRail is considering further cuts and also running shorter trains.

255] Glasgow Central: On P8 a mural has been painted over four nights to raise awareness of mental
health support services across Scotland. NR, the Samaritans and Breathing Space commissioned local
contemporary street artist 'Smug' (Sam Bates) to design and spray paint the major new work, which is
over 10m long. It depicts a hand reaching out across a divide where a second group of hands reaches
back, symbolising that 'helping hands' of support are available for those in need.

256] Light Rail Fares: The Scottish Government is to provide a further £8M of emergency funding for
Glasgow Subway and Edinburgh Trams until the end of Mar; support for both now totals £21M.

257] Heavy Rail Fares: The Emergency Measures Agreements for ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper has
been extended to 31 Mar, at an estimated cost about £108M. Off-peak fares increase by 0.6% and
peak fares increase by 1.6% on 1 Mar. This is a lower average increase than elsewhere (England!).

258] Bridge of Wester: An application has been submitted to extend temporary planning permission
for the Subsea 7 pipeline launch facility, at the Bridge of Wester Yard, Keiss, 8 miles north of Wick by
road. It includes a 5 mile dead straight metre gauge double track railway from inland (ND 2667 6080)

to the east coast (ND 3387 5838). http://bit.ly/2XOPlfP has photos and a map illustrating the purpose
of this railway which has been operational since 1980 and extended since. It mentions, regarding a
road overbridge built in 1994: a strange-looking diesel locomotive could pass underneath. So far as I
can make out, this beast has funnels like a ship, presumably allowing it to enter the water, hauling the
long pipeline behind it, without getting drowned. http://bit.ly/2LXuZ1u has photos, a video and much
information. The planning extension is from 2021-2040, so plenty of time for Kev to arrange a tour.

[Is one in the pipeline or is it all a pipe dream? - images come to mind of our members straddled on
pipes on the slow 5 mile transit that takes 12 to 36 hours but a 7.7km long pipe would be ideal for
social distancing and a bonus water splash at the end!] Planning application reference: 20/04616/S42.

X.14] PREVIOUS PAGE TOP: 20 members participated in our railtour of the Duchal Moor Grouse
Shooting Railway (2ft gauge) on Bank Holiday Mon 27 Aug 1979. Luckily it was dry. No grouse were
shot but plenty of film was. There is track there - honestly. Far right, Jenny Williamson is in the middle
with, on her left, our present Chairman, John Williamson and, to her right, former Chairman William
Graveson (a Committee member). The suspicious looking character far left is your present BLN Editor
who organised it all (cost £4.40 per head). PREVIOUS LOWER: The organiser with Brian Ratheram.

ABOVE: The end of one of the branches (or at least as far as we could go). The toast rack coaches could
take six rows of three people so Brian Ratheram selflessly volunteered to ride on a loco, along with the
organiser (useful for directing operations). Far left is Dave Monger; Malcolm Rose is bending over
conversing with the driver and standing facing the camera with glasses is the late George Hebdon.

BELOW: "Somehow I don't think we will be doing this bit, chaps" David Clark (Derby) is far right,
Dave Monger is to the left and David Mellor is far left. (Photos: Nigel and the late Douglas Eacock.)





PREVIOUS PAGE: The tour map, drawn by Brian Ratheram, with the marked up route - in 1979 it
wasn't in the gricing rule book to mark up in red. The tour did explore a significant section thought to
be out of use. No grouse were seen but many calls of 'Grice!' were heard. ABOVE: Out on the moors.

BELOW: The third side of the triangle had to be done by people power as the locos
derailed on it, incredibly the man in the distinctive red hat is the late Angus McDougall.

259] Levenmouth: (BLN 1355.1910) ScotlandsRailway.com/projects is a NR website about the project
to restore train services to Edinburgh. Although focussed on the sites of the new stations, views are
invited on any aspect of the project. [Cue our members to make contact requesting extra rare track…]

260] Dalcross: (BLN 1352.1481) Planning permission was renewed in 2020 for a one platform station.
NR has now submitted a planning application to Highland Council for a two 6-car platform station (on a
new double track section - they don't do things by halves in Scotland), including a footbridge with lifts
and parking for 64 cars. As well as Inverness Airport, it will serve the growing new town of Tornagrain
and the expanding Inverness Airport Business Park. It could also be a future Park & Ride for Inverness.

261] Burntisland*: Commemorating the first roll-on/roll-off seagoing train ferry in the world, the
National Transport Trust has awarded a prestigious Red Wheel (BELOW). On 16 Dec the Vice-president
of the Trust, Sir John Cameron CBE, a sheep farmer from Baldouthie, unveiled the award at the
invitation of Ian Archibald from Burntisland Heritage Trust. The Red Wheel was erected on the wall of
the town's first station, built in 1847. It marks the train ferry that linked Fife with Granton on the
Edinburgh shore of the Forth for 40 years until the Forth Bridge (rail) opened in 1890. (Not the
Manchester nurse, and North Western Regional Editor we all know and love, but the ex-Chairman of
ScotRail, owner/operator of the former Lochty Private Railway and A4 60009 'Union of South Africa'.)

This comes as a Firth of Forth Rail Tunnel is proposed by the Scottish Green Party, effectively copying
the ferry, part of a new direct route, via a new underground Leith station, from Edinburgh to Fife and
beyond. Their ambitious £22bn 'rail revolution' would also reopen the City Union Line in Glasgow to
passengers with a new overground terminal station at St Enoch's (Argyle Street) in Glasgow and ROP
Dunfermline to Alloa, all intercity routes would be electrified and, as far as realistically possible, new
stations built so that every town over 5,000 population is connected to the rail network. Tram trains
would cross cities eg in Aberdeen between Ellon and Banchory. The Balloch and Milngavie branches
would be redoubled. Press Releases state this is fully costed, but are silent on the funding source!

[BLN 1369]
Until 2019 there were no Red Wheels in Scotland; Burntisland* joins a select list of Scottish stations
including Paisley Canal, Glenfinnan, Ballater, Broughty Ferry, Corrour & Dunrobin Castle to achieve
the award. A Red Wheel is planned for the other end of the train ferry route in Granton, Edinburgh.
Sir John Cameron paid tribute to the train ferry in reducing the Edinburgh to Dundee freight transit
from 3 days to 4 hours and carrying 29,000 wagons in the first six months of operation. The so-called
'Floating Railway' between Granton and Burntisland* had three main elements - an inclined pier at the
dockside, a flying bridge to the vessel and a flat deck on-board lined with rails. A moveable framework
rolled up and down the pier to suit the state of the tide. What is particularly remarkable is the 'hero of
the hour' who had designed the Burntisland train ferry service in 1850, Sir Thomas Bouch, went on to
become 'the shame of Victorian Britain' when his Tay Bridge fell in 1879 - considered by many as 'the
worst railway disaster of the Victorian age', killing all aboard. John Cameron suggested that he should
have stuck to ferries and left bridges alone! [*Simply pronounced 'Burnt' 'Island' - origin obscure.]

262] Edinburgh Park: On 5 & 6 Dec, due to flooding at Edinburgh Airport and Edinburgh Gateway,
trams from York Place turned back here using the Edinburgh end trailing crossover on departure.
The driver barred the points over before leaving but the crossover was not barred to passenger travel.

263] Ravenscraig: (BLN 1365.3400) Inevitably NIMBY families living in the Ravenscraig estate are
unhappy about the proposed development. The Russell Group says it would be the company's UK HQ
and include a training academy and be a 'test bed' for innovation in the transport industry. They also
say it would create 200 jobs once fully operational. The residents were expecting just houses, retail
and a park, with very little industrial development. It could be worse - a new steelworks for example.

264] Stirling: ①Cornton Automatic Half Barrier Crossing (120m 10ch) was commissioned in the early
1980s, but has a high incidence of misuse and is life expired. Closure is not feasible due to the cost,
issues obtaining land and extensive local opposition. [Is that reverse NIMBYism perhaps? - If a new
crossing was proposed, there would be objections to the noise etc no doubt.] It is being upgraded to a
Manually Controlled Barrier with Obstacle Detection controlled from Stirling North Signal Box.

②Several signals are to be fitted with LED replacement heads. A new signalled route will be available
from the Inverness direction, Up Main to P6. Electrical detection will be provided on the two centre
sidings (north bays P4 & 5), but before you get too excited, they have hand points and were used to
stable and clean stock overnight (is that still the case with EMUs operating on local services now?).

265] Reston: (BLN 1365.3389) NR has applied to Scottish Borders Council for permission to build a two
6-car platform station. Initially with 70 car parking spaces (but enough land has been purchased for a
further 40 spaces). It includes a new access road and a footbridge between the platforms with lifts.

266] East Linton: (BLN 1312.1904) NR has also submitted an application to East Lothian Council for a
two 6-car platform station, with a footbridge provided with lifts and also parking for 126 cars.

267] Roxburgh Viaduct: (Five pictures in e-BLN 1355) Often referred to as the Teviot Viaduct after the
river; the suspended low level 177ft long three span footbridge on the north side is to be refurbished
by Highways England (!). Once quite common, there are few of these footbridges left now. The North
British Railway built this distinctively curving 13-arch viaduct (and it is thought the footbridge) in 1850;
the last train ran in 1968. Category 'B' listed, like its footbridge, the viaduct is one of 3,000+ ex-railway
structures maintained by Highways England Historical Railways Estate on behalf of owners, the DfT.

Refurbishment of the footbridge involves removing its wrought iron lenticular (double convex - shaped
like a convex lens) truss spans to a specialist workshop. New timber decking will be installed and the
bridge reinstalled from the deck of the viaduct. Work started on 29 Oct requiring the footbridge to
close until Spring. Interestingly, cyclists are cautioned not to speed over the footbridge to avoid sea
sickness due to its wave like form. [Your General Secretary enjoys stomping across the Inverness Greig
Street suspension bridge, over the River Ness, which is particularly prone to similar oscillations.]

[BLN 1369]
268] Largs: Residents in the southern part of the town have regularly noticed an unexplained noise,
described as an annoying hum, for many years. The latest theory is that it is caused by electrification of
the railway. A local historian has created a timeline of the town. Electrification in 1987 and the hum
being first heard, coincide. He believes it comes from the railway OHLE and echoes back from the hills
which amplify it to a sound which humans can hear. Just as long as residents don't get a bee in their
bonnet over this - it will be interesting to see hear what happens during an engineering OHLE isolation.

269] Milngavie: (BLN 1355.1909) About 362 tons (sic) of material was removed and 160m3 of concrete
was used to extend both platforms by 25m, as well as reopen 39m disused sections, lengthening them
from 141m to 205m. The project started in Jul and finished on schedule for the Dec timetable change
with over 20,600 man-hours worked. Ironically the current timetable does not require the extensions.

270] Royal BLS Members? On 7 Dec Wills and Kate were seen on Traksy to be enjoying their muesli
and fruit on No4 Down Reception at Mossend before traversing the Mossend North Jn to East Jn PSUL
curve and then via Shotts to Edinburgh. They continued via the east coast, recessing in Drem Up Loop.

271] Grangemouth: A £3M investment will extend two 200m double track sidings at the freight depot
to 775m. When operational early this year, it will allow the longest permitted freight trains to run.

… 1369 WALES & THE MARCHES (Chris Parker) [email protected]

272] Bi-Dai? Late Mon 4/early Tues 5 Jan the 19.48, 20.48 & 21.48 Paddington to Swansea, 18.31 from
Manchester Piccadilly & 23.15 from Cardiff Central, both to Carmarthen, travelled as planned in the
Down direction on the bidirectional Up Main between Bridgend Llynfi Jn (190m 68ch) and Margam
Moors Jn (198m 64ch). The possession finished before the 22.48 Paddington to Swansea reached it.

273] South Wales main line: A points failure at Westerleigh Jn on the morning of Mon 4 Jan had
interesting knock-on effects. The 09.48 Paddington to Swansea IET left Bristol Parkway 76 mins late
and TfW's 09.31 Manchester Piccadilly to Carmarthen, running to time at that point, was put inside
the Down Miskin Loop to allow it to pass. A commendable 10 min turnaround saw the IET return from
Swansea at 14.00 on its booked working but still 37 min late. It therefore ran non-stop to Bristol
Parkway and was routed through Line 'C', the former Up Main, at Cardiff Central (and, less unusually,
P4 at Newport according to Realtime Trains). As a result, Paddington arrival was a mere 23 min late!

274] Loco hauled stock: (BLN 1367.3716) Class 67 + Mk 4 test runs were scheduled for 12-15 Jan (incl):
❶10.55 Canton to Wrexham General (Up Bay 1) & 15.10 return (ran 12th & 13th) ❷11.13 Holyhead
Carriage Sidings to Crewe (P9) & 14.35 return (ran 12th only). Latest estimate for public service debut
is May/Jun. With Grand's Central Blackpool to London services cancelled, TfW is said to be considering
having two extra Mk 4 sets or more if CrossCountry drops proposals to replace some Birmingham to
ManchesterVoyager services with Mk 4s and Class 90 locos. (North Wales Coast Railway website.)

FIRST PICTURE: (Item 267) A cycle/footpath replacement railway trackbed. During closure of the
Roxburgh (Teviot) Viaduct low level footbridge for refurbishment pedestrians and cyclists are diverted
towards Roxburgh station site (upper middle far left on plan). They then joined the Kelso line trackbed
on the viaduct at a much higher level to cross the river. The 'Dismantled Railway Track'; bottom left is
the branch trackbed path to Jedburgh (off bottom left following the river). The two trackbeds join at
Roxburgh station to continue to St Boswells on the Waverley Route. The river is behind the fence.

SECOND AND THIRD PICTURES: Detail of where the low level footbridge was attached to the
north side of the viaduct. (Pictures by John Cameron, but not the sheep farmer from Baldouthie...)

FOURTH PICTURE: (Item 270) The Royal train at Curriehill on the Shotts line,
taking Kate and Wills to Edinburgh. (Donald Stirling, 7 Dec 2020.)

















ABOVE: An Abermule to Newtown later day single key line token and pouch (Charles Allenby).

275] Abermule: This BLN coincides with the centenary of one of the most notorious British railway
accidents. At 12.06, Wed 26 Jan 1921 on the Cambrian Railways main line, the 10.05 all stations
Whitchurch to Aberystwyth passenger train collided head on with the 10.25 express passenger train
from Aberystwyth to Manchester at a closing speed of around 60mph near Cilgwrgan LC (45m 22ch),
about 1½ miles southwest of Abermule. This was on the 3m 71ch single line section to Newtown,
signalled by Electric Token Block Regulations with Tyer's No6 tablet instruments. 11 passengers were
killed instantly, a further three dying subsequently, including Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest, a Cambrian
Railways director, and eleven were injured. Three railwaymen were also killed and three injured.

It was said that such an accident could never possibly happen, given the foolproof system in place
which was successfully designed so that only one tablet at any given time could be withdrawn from
one of the two instruments in the signal boxes at the opposite ends of the section of line. (In the case
of Abermule the token instrument was in the office, not the signal box, a contributory cause in itself).
Until that fateful day nothing had occurred on the whole railway system that in any way had shaken
the belief of invincibility, with one exception - see below.

Unfortunately, a catalogue of unbelievable errors and utter carelessness by each of the four members
of staff on duty at Abermule, comprising the relief station master, the signalman, a 17 year old porter
and a 15 year old booking clerk, culminated in the crew of the 'stopping' train from Whitchurch being
handed the wrong Montgomery to Abermule tablet which they had handed in on arrival a few
minutes before. The driver then compounded the mistakes that had gone before by failing to notice
the wrong inscription on the tablet; he paid for that with his life. With the express already in section
from Newtown carrying the correct Abermule to Newtown tablet, the resultant crash was inevitable.

Literature that has been produced over the intervening years, notably Chapter 6 of 'Red for Danger' by
LTC Rolt and The Deadly Tablet' by David Burkhill-Howarth, goes into great detail about the accident,
its causes and consequences. To this day this tragic event continues to serve as a reminder to all
railway operating staff that, even though it occurred long ago and wholesale signalling modernisation
has taken place since, vigilance and concentration remains just as important now as it was then. In
later years key token instruments were installed in Abermule signal box and used until 9 Oct 1966
when it was downgraded to a gate box, but a surviving token still has a particular poignancy.

The supposed invincibility of single line tablet working had already been disproved by a similar
accident three years earlier, also on the Cambrian main line. In some ways it was, or should have been,
of even greater concern in that it was never properly explained, yet it remains relatively little known.

A fireman was killed when two freight trains collided head on east of Oswestry at Park Hall, on a
curved section at, or very near, the site of the later Tinker's Green Halt (not to be confused with Park
Hall Halt on the Gobowen to Oswestry line), about 1.55am in the early hours of 22 Jan 1918 following
a snowfall. Both were correctly carrying 'long section' Ellesmere Jn to Oswestry North tablets as the
intermediate Whittington signal box was switched out overnight. In his report to the Board of Trade
dated 23 Apr 1918 https://bit.ly/2JEiK8T the Inspecting Officer, Colonel JW Pringle, admitted that
there is no evidence sufficient to prove what actually happened. He was unable to properly fathom
how the signalmen at both ends of the 7m 27ch section were each able to withdraw a tablet from their
respective Tyer's No6 machines which the interlocking should have prevented. Both signalmen gave
conflicting statements, and the Report suggested that one or both of them had something to conceal.

No definite fault was found with the tablet instruments or electrical circuits but there was a slight
possibility that heavy snow on the communication wires might have caused instrument malfunction.
It was WWI, and didn't involve any passengers, so the authorities weren't exactly keen to publicise it.

There had been a previous head on collision between freight trains on a single line controlled by Tyer's
No6 tablets but the cause was not in doubt. On 3 Feb 1916 between Torpantau and Pontsticill (now
part of the Brecon Mountain Railway) on the Brecon & Merthyr Railway, a freight train left Torpantau
for Pontsticill without the tablet and passed the section signal at danger. Both driver and fireman were
killed and the innocent driver of the other freight legitimately occupying the section was injured.

276] Bow Street: (BLN 1368.142) On 11 Jan, TfW's regional Stakeholder Manager advised a member
that opening of the P&R between Aberystwyth and Borth is intended for Sun 14 Feb 'all being well'.
However, Realtime Trains showed that as the last day of unadvertised calls with public ones starting on
15th. Meanwhile National Rail Enquiries and TfW's website had apparently never heard of Bow Street…

277] Service cuts: Due to Lockdown, TfW's timetable from 25 Jan runs 60% of normal services overall,
described as similar to the Apr 2020 timetable. There will be variations to take account of local key
worker and medical requirements (Gobowen will serve a vaccination centre at the nearby orthopaedic
hospital). Four more timetable reviews are planned before the end of 2021 instead of the normal two.

278] Aberthaw not quite frozen yet: (BLN 1368.11 & 1271.3127) The 21 Dec working in fact returned
three full PCA tank wagons on the Inlet Road at Aberthaw Lafarge Cement Works for unloading. As of
14 Jan a loco was still awaited to shunt them for this to take place and the wagons then to leave.

1369 MINOR RAILWAYS (Peter Scott) [email protected]

: SPECIAL NOTE: In view of Lockdown contributions are especially welcome for this section of BLN please..

MR11] Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, West Yorkshire (MR p8) (BLN 1358.MR121): Hoping for a
better operating season in 2021, the Railway has optimistically unveiled a number of its events,
including an Easter weekend themed around Alice in Wonderland, delayed celebrations for the 50th
anniversary of the Railway Children film and Jurassic fun in summer time. It remains to be seen how
many of these will be able to go ahead. This comes following a year in which the Railway managed to
raise over £300,000 in donations for its 'Worth Saving' appeal - in addition to various grants received -
to keep afloat after being in grave trouble because of the pandemic. Chairman Dr Matthew Stroh said:

2020 has indeed been a challenging year, starting with a deluge of flood water before the impact of the
global pandemic become apparent. We have had fantastic financial support from many people and
organisations, including very generous and welcome grants from the National Heritage Lottery Fund as
well as both central and local government. However, the people I would like to thank most directly are
the Railway's members and supporters who kindly put their hands in the pockets and helped us raise
nearly £300,000 in donations. Without their support, we would have really struggled to cope with the
financial impact of the pandemic and to them, as well as to the grant giving bodies, my sincerest
thanks on behalf of the Railway. Together they have helped us ensure that we are in a good place to
continue to enjoy steam in the Worth Valley for another 50 years.

BELOW: (MR11) Keighley & Worth Valley Railway; 75078 stands at Oxen

nhope with the 14.05 departure from Keighley. (Peter Scott, 4 Jul 2016.)

BELOW: Gwili Steam Railway; W51347/59508/51401 arrive at Bronwydd

d Arms with the stock of a train to Danycoed. (Peter Scott, 19 Aug 2017.)

BELOW: (MR16) Helston Railway; the first train of the day waiting to dep
it TCP 21 Oct 2012 when the gardens closed to the public but ROP 29 M

part from Trevarno. OP 17 Dec 2011 with the start of passenger services;
Mar 2013 as an intermediate request stop. (Peter Scott, 16 Aug 2012.)

X.15] BELOW & FOLLOWING 3: Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust

t, Midsommer Norton (MR p6) on 1 Jan 2021. (Thanks to Richard Putley.)













MR12] Gwili Steam Railway, Carmarthenshire (MR p9): The railway would like to thank Mekatek Ltd
for their extremely generous donation of bullhead track and points from their Rhymney site. It is from
the disconnected track at 'Impress Metal Packaging' (TRACKmaps 3 p26B Jun 2018) recently lifted
there. Concrete sleepers etc have also been received from Network Rail recycling at Westbury.

The track and points will be used to progress an improved track layout at Abergwili Junction station
for the DanDo project, track renewals and ready for the Conwil extension. The DanDo project is to
build a carriage shed providing covered storage for most of the historic carriages and wagons. This is
wonderful support from a local company based in Carmarthen, along with assistance with transport by
another long standing supporter of the railway - Barrett's Railway Contractors. Williams Medical Group
at Rhymney also kindly assisted by permitting access to their part of the site.

The lifted track from Rhymney began to arrive at Bronwydd Arms during week ending 10 December
2020. Barrett's specialist lorries delivered 60ft rails all week, with the three sets of points and assorted
bolts, fishplates and switch chairs following. The railway ran at 2020 February half term (when
passenger numbers were said to be very good), 1 March (St David's Day) and up to Sunday 15 March
inclusive, (per official Facebook posting). All trains were then cancelled and nothing has run since.

MR13] Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway, Falkirk (MR p10) (BLN 1359.2532): As of 17 December 2020, there is
a fully functioning railway between Bo'ness and Manuel for the first time since the August floods.
There are no planned rail movements yet, but they can now happen any time with little warning.
The railway is really looking forward to (hopefully) welcoming the public back from the end of March.

MR14] Royal Deeside Railway, Aberdeenshire (MR p10) (BLNs 1357.MR110 & 1364.MR175): Sadly,
the railway did not operate any passenger trains during 2020. However, construction work continues
at the Bridge o'Bennie and Riverside Halt. On Sunday 13 December, as part of the work being
undertaken at the Riverside Halt, a test train ran into the platform. The confidence check verified that
the platform height and distance from the carriage was correct. Track laying then continued.

MR15] Mountsorrel Railway, Leicestershire (MR p7) (BLNs 1328.MR74 & 1358.MR115): The Railway
has acquired its first operational steam loco. Shunting demonstrations at the Heritage Centre, with the
restored railway wagons, are very popular with visitors. The Centre is striving to show an historical
recreation with wagons dating from the 1920s, but the current diesel loco, dating from the 1970s,
although functional, does not fit with the period. A steam loco from the same era would really add to
the recreation and increase the fun and interest. In September 2020 the opportunity arose to secure
0-4-0ST 'Colin McAndrew' (AB1223/1911). Its size is perfect for the Heritage Centre, being a small
industrial loco; it has a good water tank, firebox and boiler, which can be very expensive to replace,
and it has just had a 10 year overhaul. Thanks to very generous donations from several supporters, the
railway was able to act quickly to secure the loco and it arrived at the Heritage Centre in late October
from its previous home, the Chasewater Railway. It will be in action when the Centre can reopen.

MR16] Helston Railway, Cornwall (MR p6) (BLN 1353.MR78): In October the Railway was awarded a
grant totalling £76.1k by the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage for which the Railway Directors had
spent many hours completing and submitting the application. It involved answering lengthy questions
covering the history of the Railway, including accounts with previous turnover figures, and details of
aims, policies, projects in hand, training opportunities etc. It is important to note that the grant is
intended to stabilise and protect what is already there and is NOT for new projects. Grant aided
projects have to be authorised, proper logs and progress reports are required as proof along with final
completion notification. The main projects covered (and amounts) are Class 127 DMU (£10k), 0-4-0ST
'William Murdoch' (P2100/1949) (£5k), plant and equipment repairs (£5k), permanent way ballast for
maintenance (£6k), fuel & oils, including coal and diesel (£6k), transport of offsite stock such as the
other Class 127 DMU car, box vans from Southall and the return of 0-4-0ST 'Kilmersdon' (P1788/1929)
(£11.5k) with further amounts payable towards rent, phone, rates, insurance, training, cleaning etc.
Permission to lay track over and under the Railway's three road bridges has finally been obtained.

Responsibility for the road bridges on the Helston Railway was inherited from British Railways Board
(Residuary) - by Highways England in 2013. After lengthy negotiations, Highways England has given the
Railway permission to lay track and run works trains over (or under) the bridges at Truthall, Trannack
(both south of the present line) and Prospidnick (north of the present line). This came after Cormac
Civil Engineering inspected the bridges and declared them to be in 'as new' condition. As Highways
England's policy is not to give permission for running passenger traffic over/under the bridges without
a Transport and Works Act order, Cornwall Council has agreed to take them over, which it is hoped will
eventually enable passenger trains to run over/under them. The Railway has lost no time in extending
the track north from the existing railhead at the temporary station, over Prospidnick road bridge
towards the new station site next to the car park - about 370 yards of new track.

MR17] Bowes Railway, Tyne & Wear: Hopefully, passenger trains which last ran 3 Mar 2013 will return
in the near future. The Railway's operations crew, with help from the Rail Academy in Gateshead, have
almost brought the railway up to passenger train standard. The three locos to be used for passenger
trains are having vacuum brake equipment fitted; Rustons: 88DS 4wDM 'Redheugh' (RH476140/1963),
165 0-4-0DEs 'Pinky' (RH416210/1957) and 'Perky' (RH395294/1956).

MR18] Weardale Railway, County Durham (MR p9) (BLN 1363.MR160): The Railway has a busy
schedule of work over the next few months. This includes making repairs to a number of bridges and
structures, along with permanent way maintenance. In order to undertake this work by Easter 2021, a
number of works trains and vehicles will be running on the line. Therefore, the Railway has issued a
safety warning to any would be trespassers that rail movements could take place at any time.

MR19] Northampton & Lamport Railway, Northamptonshire (MR p7): (BLNs 1343.MR5, 1346.MR39 &
1357.MR111) The Railway has leased a strategic parcel of land at the yet to be opened Boughton
station on its southern extension. The land is leased from the adjacent Windhover pub, owned by
Mitchell & Butlers, and will allow the construction of a bay platform to accommodate a temporary
booking office and shop in a coach. Eventually, it is hoped to build a permanent station building.
Volunteers have already started digging the foundations for the bay, clearing the vegetation and
making preparations for laying the track for the platform and headshunt. Otherwise on the extension,
Bridge 11 has had its delaminated brickwork successfully grouted, in readiness for the task of inserting
stitching rods. The structure will then be complete and ready for passenger trains.

MR20] Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, Devon (MR p15) (BLN 1364.MR172): Passenger numbers for
2020 stood at 23,710 as at mid November - 60% of the 2019 figure. This is not too bad considering that
the railway was closed for four months in the spring. The spend per passenger was slightly down from
previous years, hardly surprising as the catering side was working under restricted circumstances.

The shop and online sales did well. As for extending the Railway - steady progress is being made to
discharge key preconstruction conditions - before any work can be undertaken. It involves the
preparation of technical documents and undertaking site investigations and reports for approval by
the planning authorities. As of November, approval had been obtained for four Surface Water
Drainage Management Plans that cover the track in Exmoor National Park (ENP) and in North Devon
Council's domain, the engine shed site and the ENP visitors centre. The Railway has also received
approval for their ground investigation proposals for the entire development to investigate potential
contamination at infilled cuttings and to establish soil strength parameters for foundation designs.

Details are now being finalised with contractors to dig trial pits and drill bore holes to collect samples
for laboratory testing. Other work in progress includes archaeological investigation plans and habitat
management plans. Design work is about to commence on the production of specifications and
drawings for Bridges 65, 64 and 62. Bridge 65 (15m 8½ch) will carry Killington Lane over the Railway
when the cutting is re-excavated to enable the line to continue towards Parracombe. It will be subject
to a Technical Approval process by Devon County Council prior to adoption as a highway bridge.
Bridges 64 (14m 77½ch) and 62 (14m 41ch) will both carry the line over cattle creeps and they will be
similar in form to Bridges 54 and 55, but with less headroom and shorter spans.

TO FOLLOW: (See item 279 - after the pictures.) Milton Gate

e Box - all taken during our 14 Feb 2020 visit. (All Nick Jones.)















TO FOLLOW: Pictures at Brampton Fell Signal Box also on 14 Feb 2020. (All Nick Jones.)