1369

ne; 'NT5' is worked from Norton-on-Tees and 'NE23' from Norton East.



199] Norton-on-Tees (Norton) - continued:

[Thanks to the North Eastern Express, journal of the North Eastern Railway Association, for some of the
following information]. The CR OG in Aug 1833 from Simpasture Jn, a short distance east of Shildon, to
Stockton, North Shore. Norton Jn (later Norton West Jn) to Haverton Hill OG 30 Jan 1834. A horse
drawn passenger service between Stockton (CR station) and a point north of Ferryhill (for a coach
connection with Durham) started on 11 Jul 1835. The Stockton & Hartlepool Railway (S&HR, a close
associate of the CR) OG 12 Nov 1840; OP 10 Feb 1841 between Billingham and its Hartlepool station.

The service ran to Stockton, reversing at Norton Jn. The S&HR soon built a direct east curve (OA Feb
1842). Each of the three junctions was equipped with a disc signal, preceded by a 'back' (distant) signal
worked by wire from a lever frame next to the main signal. There were no signal boxes as such, even
as late as 1859. It is not known how conflicting moves were avoided. The North Eastern Railway (NER)
absorbed these railways in 1865 and probably very quickly changed them from the right hand running
on the CR to left hand. The east curve was very tight, 6mph restricted, so the NER built an easier curve,
OA Mar 1870. It built boxes named Norton Jn West, North (renamed East by 1897) and South. Norton
Jn West was replaced by a handsome new box of NER Southern Division design on 6 Sep 1921, located
further west so that it could absorb the functions of the gate cabin at Blakeston Road Level Crossing.

The 1980s closure of the Durham coalfields resulted in a significant fall in traffic over the north curve;
latterly the only regular working was a train from Ferryhill with dolomite to Steetley Magnesite Works
at Cemetery North Jn, Hartlepool. After the works closed in 1997, the curve carried only occasional
inspection trains (and railtours!) and perhaps steel pipes from Hartlepool South Works to Scotland
when an oil or gas pipeline was being built or replaced. The box was fitted with a block switch to
enable it to switch out, the block section becoming Norton South to Norton.

200] Durham Coast: (BLN 1365.3324) Hartlepool workstation at York ROC is due to be commissioned
02.00 on 10 Feb. However, it is not clear if this will happen. Northern's website shows Middlesbrough -
Hartlepool buses on 30 & 31 Jan. RTT has buses: 31 Jan: Middlesbrough - Hartlepool, 7 Feb: Nunthorpe/
Northallerton - Sunderland, 20 Feb: Middlesbrough - Sunderland and 21 Feb: Nunthorpe - Newcastle,
suggesting commissioning over 20 & 21 Feb weekend. Nine* boxes are due to close at midnight on
Fri 5 Feb: Norton-on-Tees South, Norton-on-Tees West (due 30 Jan, below), Ferryhill, Norton-on-Tees
East, Norton-on-Tees, Billingham, Belasis Lane, Greatham, and Ryhope Grange Jn. Ryhope Grange
has both mechanical signalling, controlling the junction, and a Westcad panel controlling the line south
of there to its interface (south of Hartlepool) with Greatham. Installed in Nov 2010 it replaced Hall
Dene, Seaham, Dawdon, Cemetery North Jn, Clarence Road & Stranton boxes. (*10 boxes are said to
be closing; Ryhope Grange Jn panel is classed as a separate box but one signaller works both parts.)

Greatham and Ryhope Grange Jn panels will be recontrolled to York ROC; the other boxes are
mechanical and will be resignalled. Train detection will be a mixture of axle counters and track circuits.
Most level crossings (LC) will be converted to Manually Controlled Barriers with Obstacle Detectors,
controlled from Hartlepool workstation. It is believed Norton West is still planned to close earlier than
the other boxes, on 30 Jan (BLN 1365.3324), as it needs to be demolished to make way for the new
Level Crossing equipment there. Billingham Level Crossing will be converted 10 days later. The CCTV at
Hall Dene Level Crossing will remain but be controlled by the workstation.

Signalling will be a mixture of 2 and 3 aspect, Track Circuit Block, with Axle Counters and Medium
Voltage DC (AC immune) train detection. All new lineside signals, junction indicators, Standard Route
Indicators, Miniature Route Indicators and subsidiary signals will be LEDs. Norton East/South Jns to
Ferryhill South Jn will be mainly 2-aspect; Stockton (interface with Bowesfield workstation) to
Greatham a mixture of 2 and 3-aspect; Greatham to Ryhope Grange Jn (excl) will be recontrolled and
the interlockings renewed; Ryhope Grange Jn to Sunderland South Jn will be 3-aspect. Signal Number
prefixes: GM (Greatham), NF (Norton-on-Tees to Ferryhill) and NS (Northallerton to Sunderland).
Lines will be renamed as follows (some names have been slightly abbreviated):

[BLN 1369]

Route Old Name New Name The Belasis Lane area, on the
Down & Up Stockton residual Seal Sands branch, will
Northallerton to Down & Up be resignalled mainly with Stop
Newcastle East Jn and Down & Up Sunderland Boards, signs and telephones,
Sunderland with No Signaller Token (Remote)
Billingham-on-Tees Down & Up single line working to Phillips
to Belasis Lane Down & Up Branch Belasis Siding Ground Frame (GF).
Belasis Lane to
Down/Up Branch Belasis Single The junction to the long disused
Seal Sands Storage 'Haverton South Branch' (former
Norton-on-Tees West to Down & Up Branch Down & Up Haverton Hill west curve see BLN
Norton Curve 1368.66) and the former ICI East
Norton-on-Tees East Down/Up Grid Sidings will be removed.
Seaton-on-Tees Branch Seaton-On-Tees Branch Seaton-on-
Tees Single
[Hartlepool PS] Hendon Branch Hendon Arrival
Ryhope Grange - Hendon /Departure

[- Port of Sunderland]

The running line beyond Phillips Siding GF (3m24ch) to the End of Line (4m18ch) will be redesignated
as a siding (North Tees Siding). The Hartlepool workstation signaller will release the token at both
Belasis Lane and Phillips Siding GF token machines. One wonders why a machine is required at Phillips
Siding GF; One Train Working without a token would surely be sufficient? The Seaton-on-Tees single
line to Hartlepool Power Station is worked this way and, in contrast, there has been no traffic at all on
the remains of the Seal Sands branch for quite some time. Withdrawal of the token at Belasis Lane will
cause the points to move to the required position for entry to the Belasis Single line. A start of section
points indicator will be provided at the entrance to the single line.

The indications provided are: ●Flashing red aspect: no route set. This is the normal 'ON' aspect, with
no authority to proceed. ●Flashing blue aspect: authority to proceed, with the TPWS de-energised
(TPWS loops inactive so will not stop passage across them). ●Steady blue aspect: authority to proceed
in a degraded mode when the TPWS has failed to suppress (the TPWS loops remain active).

The method of working to/from Hartlepool South Works (classed as a siding) is by telephone request
and acceptance between the workstation signaller and the work's Person In Charge (PIC). A new pull
wire, operated from the cab and similar to a Train Ready To Start, will be provided at the exit signal
from the works Departure Line at Greatham. The Up Main at Hartlepool through the disused P3 (OOU
since about 30 Nov 2017) was brought back into use from Mon 26 Oct 2020 after a weekend line
closure. Southbound non-passenger and freight trains are now shown as running through P3 not P2.

At Ryhope Grange Jn, the One Train Staff system on the Hendon Branch (Sunderland South Dock) will
be replaced with Track Circuit Block to the Stop Sign at Grangetown LC, after which the siding will be
under the control of the operator's PIC. Any arriving train under 350m will be routed directly to the
Stop Sign to await acceptance by the PIC. Longer trains would be held at a suitable holding point until
the signaller confirms the PIC is ready to accept the train, so as to ensure Ryhope Grange Jn is not
obstructed. The connection to the redundant Up/Down Branch (on the west side of Ryhope Grange
Sidings, which once continued south to Murton and Wellfield) will be recovered and the points plain
lined. On TRACKmaps 2 p45B Oct 2016 it is shown as OOU but is not shown on the Sep 2020 edition.

201] Leeds: The east end upgrades are costing £161M; in mid-Jan new P0 had no regular booked use.

NEXT: (Item 200) Ryhope Grange Sidings, looking north towards Sunderland. The facing crossover in
the main line accesses the sidings here and the Hendon Branch off right to the Port of Sunderland.
To the left of that junction and main line is Ryhope Grange Signal Box. The out of use (OOU) former
Murton/Hawthorn Washery branch line that is to be recovered is far left, along with its point (left of
the buffer stops ahead). (Ian Hughes, Fri 15 Jan 2021 during the course of work.)



202] Hunmanby: (BLN 1366.3462) ❶From Sun 13 Dec the hourly pre-Covid timetable was restored
and increased to hourly on Sundays. Most trains are now through to/from Sheffield via Hull. Thanks to
community involvement the station has achieved a substantial increase in patronage - from 13,399 in
2005/6 to 18,976 in 2006/7 (+41%, flagged at the time as suspect by the ORR!) but continued to grow
in subsequent years, from 22,704 in 2018/19 to 32,458 in 2019/20 (+43%). From 18 Jan Covid reduced
timetables were implemented, largely a train every two hours. ❷An anonymous donor has given over
£3,000 for a full size replica North Eastern Railway tile map, to be placed on the station house wall on
the Hull platform. The 6ft x 6ft 4in map will be made by the North Eastern Tile Company of Wrelton,
near Pickering. Each tile is handmade, based on the original tiles made by Craven Dunnill at the
Jackfield Tile Works in Ironbridge. See BLN 1355.1839 for all known NER style and replica tile maps.

203] Armley Jn - Horsforth: Due to a fallen tree damaging a lineside signalling cabinet on 14 Jan there
was Single Line Working on the Up line with a reduced (hourly) Leeds - Harrogate - York service until
Sat 16th. After calling at Horsforth P1 Down trains returned to the Down line via the trailing crossover.

204] Open Access Non-Operators: Following Lockdown 3 in England, Grand Central* and Hull Trains†
suspended all services from Mon 9 Jan for the third time. *Provisionally to 28 Feb; †To further notice.
RAIL reports that Hull Trains had strong booking levels pre-Christmas but only 20% actually travelled.

205] York - Harrogate: (BLN 1367.3631) Skelton Jn to Harrogate, originally double track was, like many
other lines, partially singled as an economy measure: Poppleton - Hammerton on 4 Jun 1972 and
Cattal - Knaresborough on 16 Dec 1973. With typical British Rail thrift, the token instruments were
second hand from Scotland (replaced there by the introduction of tokenless block). However, the
tokenless block instruments recently installed on the line are purpose built to the latest standard.

206] Leeds, Wortley Curve: In
May 2020 West Yorkshire
Combined Authority's Transport
Committee discussed proposals
to reopen the 26ch Wortley
Curve, avoiding Leeds, which
used to link Wortley South Jn
(on the Leeds to Doncaster line)
with Wortley West Jn (Leeds to
Bradford Interchange line). This
would have formed part of a bid
for feasibility funding from the
Restoring Your Railway Fund.
However, NR states that there is
no capacity between Wakefield
and Doncaster due to freight.

ABOVE:1957 map; Wortley Curve is by the '183', the Bradford Exchange/Interchange line is upper left.

The closure of this curve took British Rail (BR) six years, as long as the abortive attempt on the 73 mile
Settle & Carlisle line! Until 14 Jun 1965 Bradford Exchange (200yd past Bradford Interchange) was
served from King's Cross mainly by portions detached from Leeds trains at Wakefield Westgate, then
via the line from Ardsley to Laisterdyke via Morley Top. Thereafter almost all such trains that did not
call at Leeds ran via the Wortley curve. However most Bradford trains called (and reversed) at Leeds
Central or, after its closure from 1 May 1967, at Leeds City (renamed just 'Leeds' from 5 May 1975).

Bradford Exchange CA 14 Jan 1973, replaced by a new, more compact Exchange station 200yds south
(renamed Bradford Interchange 16 May 1983). By this time Wortley Curve was used by a morning
SSuX Bradford Exchange to King's Cross train, an afternoon return and a summer dated SO Castleford
to Blackpool North and return. The afternoon King's Cross train ceased 4 Oct 1982 and the morning

…………………………………………….……………….……....[BLN 1369]….…………..…………………………………………………
one from 14 May 1984. The curve continued in use in 1984 by the summer SO 08.55 Castleford to
Blackpool North and its return working at 13.35. However, the line was taken OOU after the 1984
summer season due to the track condition. Extraordinarily, no alterations were made to the working
timetable and the trains, although booked this way, reversed at Leeds for the next three summers.
Wortley South Jn was severed on 15 Nov 1987 and plain lined. No statutory closure proceedings were
started; when challenged, BR claimed that the service had not been withdrawn but just 'suspended'.

Meanwhile Bradford Metropolitan District Council (BMDC) lobbied hard to retain a service to London
without reversal in Leeds - perhaps an unrealistic hope given the levels of business between the two
cities. BMDC and the Transport Users Consultative Committee (TUCC) for Yorkshire took the British
Railways Board (BRB) to a judicial review. The BRB argued that a line encompassed a service and a
track, and that a line was a link between two or more stations rather than a specific section of track.
So, although trains had been withdrawn from the Wortley curve, the link they provided remained - as
the trains still ran but had been rerouted via Leeds. This was not, therefore, the closure of a line to
which the provisions of Section 56 of the Transport Act 1962 applied. On 6 Apr 1987 the High Court
judge dismissed this fanciful construct and his ruling was upheld by the Appeal Court in December.

Formal closure proceedings were then finally initiated. The line was officially deemed as closed from
16 May 1988 and from Oct 1988 King's Cross - Bradford trains were rerouted to Bradford Forster
Square, reversing in Leeds. The future of the Wortley Curve therefore became effectively irrelevant.
Following Ministerial approval, the closure was 'legally' implemented from 12 Apr 1990, although the
track had meanwhile been lifted! BRB was required to consult with BMDC and the West Yorkshire
passenger Transport Executive before disposing of the land. 30 years later, the site remains derelict.
Bradford did get direct London trains without reversal from 23 May 2010 thanks to Grand Central.

BELOW: (Item 207) Sand Hutton Light Railway, a Dave Cromarty scale map with the stations and halts.

207] Sand Hutton Light Railway: (BLN 1367.3621; scale map on previous pag) This ran to Warthill
station on the York to Market Weighton (to Beverley) line. Regular advertised passenger services on
this latterly 18" gauge 5¼ mile line began 4 Oct 1924 and were withdrawn 3 Mar 1930 with the death
of the owner. The passenger service timetable as at Jul 1925 is in e-BLN. It was designed for Saturday
shopping trips to York for residents of the area and Saturday afternoon visits to the area. An extra
Wednesday run allowed a trip out for York shop workers on their half-day closing. The line closed to
goods on 1 Jul 1932 and due to its short life appeared on few maps

208] North Blyth: (BLN 1366.3461) The recent Battleship Wharf to Margam coal was only from a local
opencast mine (NZ 233 777) at Shotton, just west of Cramlington, Northumberland, not imported.
The site, between the East Coast Main Line, the A1 and A1068, is on the Blagdon estate, owned by
Viscount Ridley, a prominent climate change sceptic. Coal production ceased in Jun and the last train
left Battleship Wharf on 1 Dec 2020 - the end of coal traffic on the Blyth & Tyne. Over 1.5M tonnes of
waste from there was used to build the 'Northumberlandia' sculpture (a naked reclining female figure)
nearby. Well, they had to do something with it! Backfilling the site started about six months ago.

209] Sheffield - Beighton Jn: (TRACKmaps 2 p28 Sep 2020) from 22 Mar the line is due to be resignalled
and recontrolled to York ROC, about six months earlier than originally planned. Woodburn Jn will be
recontrolled to Sheffield workstation. Rotherham workstation will control the Up Worksop line from
immediately east of the junction, the Down Worksop line east of MP 43¾ (so Darnall station will have
one platform on each workstation!) and the Down/Up Tinsley line north of MP¾. Woodburn Jn will be
simplified; the double track junctions with both the Down/Up Stocksbridge and Down/Up Tinsley lines
will be singled. From west to east, the junction will be a ladder from the Down/Up Stocksbridge to the
Down Worksop line and then back to the Down/Up Tinsley line. Woodhouse Jn and Beighton Station
Jn boxes will be recontrolled to Rotherham workstation and their semaphore signals replaced by
colour lights. Woodhouse run-round - ending behind P1 - will be simplified; 'B' siding and the Down
Beighton line connection will be removed. Beighton Station LC will be renamed Rotherham Road LC.

210] Knottingley: Since the depot opened in 1967, there has been a significant reduction in activity
due to the run down and end of coal mining and closure of Ferrybridge 'A', 'B' & 'C' and Eggborough
Power Stations. It continues to support biomass trains to Drax Power Station. However, the attractive
office block built in the 1990s is now grossly underutilised and expensive to run. Sadly, it is now being
demolished, replaced by prefabricated cabins which are cheaper to run and will reduce business rates.

1369 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected]
211] Northern: From Mon 18 Jan the timetable was cut until further notice, due to minimal passenger
numbers during Lockdown. A summary of NW Northern services ('Airport' is Manchester Airport):

Stoke - Piccadilly: 1tph (train per hour) Victoria - Bradford - Leeds: 1tph; 2-hourly to Chester
Barrow - Airport: 2-hourly Piccadilly - Altrincham - Chester: 2-hourly (was 1tph)
Windermere - Airport: 2-hourly Piccadilly - Buxton: 1tph plus peak extras
Blackpool - Hazel Grove: 1tph Piccadilly - New Mills - Sheffield: 1tph
Blackpool North - Airport: peak only Piccadilly - New Mills Cent: 2-hourly & peak extras
Preston - Victoria: 1tph Piccadilly - Hadfield: 2tph
Liverpool - Oxford Road: 2tph Piccadilly - Stockport - Crewe: 1tph
Airport - Crewe: withdrawn Liverpool - Blackpool North: 1 tph; some 2-hour gaps
Southport - Oxford Road: 1tph Liverpool - Warrington Central - Airport: withdrawn
Southport - Alderley Edge: withdrawn Liverpool - Wigan: 1tph
Piccadilly - Rose Hill: 1tph Liverpool - Newton-le-Willows - Airport: 1tph
Clitheroe - Rochdale: 1tph Victoria - Todmorden - Blackburn: 3-hourly (one DMU)

Blackburn - Victoria: high peak only Wigan - Blackburn: 1 tph withdrawn
Wigan - Leeds via Dewsbury: 1tph Victoria - Rochdale: 1tph as extras in the peaks only
Victoria - Kirkby: 1tph Victoria - Stalybridge: 1tph

212] Avanti West Coast: From 18 Jan Euston has 4tph (was six) core service: Glasgow via Trent Valley,
Liverpool, Manchester via Stoke and alternating Wolverhampton or Edinburgh via Wolverhampton.
Wilmslow is not served but, unlike last year, Shrewsbury, Wrexham and Blackpool do have services.

213] Metrolink: Just before Christmas, Tram 3121 (first of the new batch of 27) entered passenger
service, thus (just) fulfilling a promise by the Mayor of Greater Manchester that they would enter
service in 2020. Tram 3122 was delivered to Manchester in Dec 2020 but has yet to enter service.

214] Merseyrail: No trains ran on the morning of Fri 8 Jan, due to ice. It was a rerun of Sun 18 Jan 2015
when our 750V DC Tracker tour was seriously delayed by icing on the third rail. Participants waiting at
Hooton, cold but hopeful, were treated to the spectacle of a passing non-stop 18-car ice busting EMU.
The tour started 151 min late but was 'alright on the night'; on time at Hooton at 19.40 and didn't miss
any track. Back in 2021, no rail replacement buses ran due to the scale of disruption. After ice breaking
trains had run, services were reintroduced line by line with normal service achieved about midday.

215] Over the top? Due to a points failure at Shap Summit on Wed Jan 2021 the 16.11 Edinburgh to
Manchester Airport, 16.40 & 17.30 Glasgow Central to Euston, 16.52 Edinburgh to Euston and 17.07
Glasgow Central to Manchester Airport were all routed through the Shap Summit Up Goods Loop.
This happens occasionally at loops and some might ask: What would have happened instead if the loop
wasn't there? The answer is usually 'nothing', as it is generally the points on or off the loop that fail.

216] Whitehaven: (BLN 1363.2996) Plans for the UK's first deep coal mine in 30 years at the former
Haig Colliery, Woodhouse, can progress after the government decided not to call the plans in for a
public inquiry. Cumbria County Council approved them in Oct. Environment groups are reported to be
taking an interest in the project. Unfortunately the coal will not be suitable for heritage steam engines.

217] Crewe: Eight nameboards donated by Avanti West Coast raised £2k for Railway Children at auction.

218] Castlefield Corridor: Since the Ordsall Chord opened on 10 Dec 2017, and particularly since the
Dec 2018 timetable change, reliability in Manchester and across the North West has been much
poorer, due to congestion along the Castlefield Corridor. In 2019 NR declared the corridor as officially
congested, meaning that the infrastructure was insufficient to run the booked services reliably.

The Ordsall Chord was originally seen as part of a wider scheme including four tracking part of the
Castlefield Corridor and adding two new through platforms to Manchester Piccadilly. However, the
Transport & Works Act Order application has been sitting on the Minister's desk (or more likely hiding
in the bottom drawer) since 2015. The Chord was opened without other improvements being made.

In Jan 2020 a 'Manchester Recovery Task Force' was set up by DfT, NR & TfN. This group has published
a consultation into short term timetable changes to improve reliability until longer term engineering
solutions can be made. Three options are presented, all aim to reduce the number of trains through
the corridor, space the trains out better and reduce conflicting movements at the various junctions.

:Option A:: Has the fewest change from the Dec 2019 timetable of the three options.
Most origins and destinations retained, particularly Newcastle - Piccadilly and Sheffield - Airport.
Some standardisation eg Blackpool trains to Hazel Grove, 4tph all day from Bolton to the south of
Manchester. Cumbria to Manchester Airport trains (currently via Wigan) instead run via Bolton.
The current pattern of TPE Scottish, North route and South route services remain.
Victoria services linked (eg Wigan - Leeds via Bradford) to reduce the number of terminating trains.
TfW North Wales/Chester 1tph is rerouted from Piccadilly and Airport to Stalybridge via Victoria.
Buxton services are reduced to an hourly service outside the peak periods.
Southport - Alderley Edge is split into Southport - Victoria and Piccadilly - Alderley Edge services.
There are some similarities between option 'A' and the new Covid timetable (see item 211 earlier).

:Option B:: Maintains Airport trains to Liverpool & North Wales. Cleethorpes & Nottingham services
via Sheffield to Liverpool are each increased to a standard 1tph. There would be no through Sheffield -
Airport services, a very operationally challenging movement at Piccadilly, or from Warrington Central.
 Liverpool - Manchester CLC stoppers split at Warrington Central, 1tph off-peak, all stations. This is a
better service for most stations (some are served alternate hours now). The two Liverpool - Sheffield
services would call at the busier intermediate stations such as Birchwood, Irlam and Urmston.
Standardisation at Victoria, 2tph Victoria - Bradford - Leeds and Southport - Victoria - Stalybridge.
One TPE Ordsall Chord train (to Airport) is terminated/starts back at Victoria all day.
Some standardisation of services south of Manchester.

:Option C:: Most interventions, closest to 30-minute frequencies on most corridors, including Wigan,
Chorley, Blackburn, Calder Valley, Buxton, Chester via Warrington BQ, Airport (stopping) and Crewe.
As 'B', Cleethorpes & Nottingham via Sheffield to Liverpool becomes 2tph. No direct Liverpool or
Sheffield - Airport trains; Liverpool - Manchester CLC line local services are split at Warrington Central.
1tph peak via Ordsall Chord to Airport; Newcastles terminate at Victoria (but at Airport off-peak).
TfW North Wales/Chester service to Piccadilly via Knutsford, a Mid-Cheshire line semi-fast service.
Scotland and Cumbria trains to call at Bolton and Chorley, running at 30 minute intervals.
2tph Chester to Leeds Victoria at 30 min intervals. Buxton retains two trains per hour.
In the peak periods Wigan maintains a fast hourly service to the south of Manchester.
Crewe local station services at 30 minute intervals, calling at all stations via Airport.

The consultation states that impact studies show that option A would result in an average delay per
train of 2.5 minutes; option B 2.3 minutes; option C 2.1 minutes; and no change 3.0 minutes.

See http://bit.ly/39tMa2w for the full consultation or the PDF 'extra' with e-BLN 1369. Responses to
the consultation can be sent to: [email protected] or  MRTF Consultation,
3rd floor, Department for Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR.

219] Lancaster: The Grade II listed station footbridge is being refurbished. It will undergo structural
repairs, have a new roof and windows installed and be repainted while staying in use throughout.

220] Werneth Incline: (BLN 1253.581) The Middleton Junction & Oldham Branch Railway was opened
between Middleton Jn and Oldham Werneth on 31 Mar 1842 by the Manchester & Leeds Railway,
whose chief engineer was George Stephenson. Use diminished greatly after the line via Hollinwood
opened in 1880 bypassing the 1:27 gradient ¾ mile Werneth Incline 'up' from Middleton Jn, allegedly
the steepest gradient on a BR passenger line (equalling one in the Mersey Railway Tunnel). By the
1950s there were just four passenger trains up and two down it. After May 1958 when the Oldham
line was dieselised there was only one passenger train scheduled up the incline, the 17.43 from
Manchester Victoria which ran fast, first stop Werneth. There were two trains 'down', the 05.50 (SuX)
and 22.50 SO from Rochdale. None stopped at Middleton Junction station. The conversion of the
Werneth platforms at Middleton Junction station to electric lighting was completed the week after
the last train called! They were only ever switched on to test them. The 17.43 from Victoria only lasted
in the 1958 summer timetable, then was diverted to the usual route via Hollinwood. The 22.50 SO was
withdrawn, leaving the only scheduled passenger train as the 05.55 (05.50 at least one timetable) from
Rochdale. Other traffic was a light engine up the incline and the 03.25am Victoria to Bury via Moston,
Oldham Werneth, Mumps, Rochdale and Heywood newspaper train and light engines for Newton
Heath shed. The line would close with effect from Mon 7 Jan 1963 during the terrible winter of 1963.

The Locomotive Club of Great Britain arranged a brakevan trip with seven brakevans up and down the
incline on the morning of Sat 5 Jan with the Middleton Junction pilot engine - newly outshopped from
Horwich Works, '48546'. (Photo E-BLN 1252.X24.) Our member Kevin Driscoll was on board. All went
well until about 400 yards from the summit, the loco hit a snowdrift and started slipping. Sandboxes
were emptied, ballast shovelled under driving wheels, all to no avail. Rear end assistance was called on
which eventually arrived in the shape of a WD 2-8-0 '90656' and the train reached Werneth.
Our member believes that the closure did not go through the TUCC procedure, but just happened.

ABOVE: (Item 220) The final train up the Werneth Incline. (Richard Greenwood, Sat 5 Jan 1963.)

BELOW: June 1975, a rear view of the 13.37 Rochdale to Manchester Victoria service leaving Oldham
Werneth, with the Werneth incline down to Middleton Junction to the right. This was a fairly typical
scene on some suburban railway lines at the time with industrial decay all around. (Ian Mortimer.)

221] Handforth: At present without a car park, a proposed 115-space Park
East Council. Bicycle storage and motorcycle parking is included. A new bu
upgraded. BELOW: The locals drop their Hs at 'andforth; a Class 319 EMU on

k & Ride at the station is expected to gain planning approval from Cheshire
us route will link it to the centre of Handforth and walking routes will be
n a local Manchester to Crewe service. (Ian Mortimer, 20 Oct 2020.)

X.13] BELOW: East West Rail - the new Winslow station site from Buckin
building will be on top of the embankment, to the right. (Phil Mash, 20 De

ngham Road (A413) overbridge looking west towards Oxford, the station
ec 2020.) NEXT: How the new station will look. (NR computer simulation.)





BELOW: (Item 222) Computer simulation of Bletchley 'high level' East W

West Rail Platform 8 access - P7 is on the other side of the viaduct. (NR.)

BELOW: (Item 224) HS2 Navvy Shanty Town main construction site, Calvert No

orth Ground Frame is lower centre; looking north. (Phil Marsh, 20 Dec 2020.)

BELOW: HS2/East West Rail boundary looking north onto Claydon Curve, r

round to the right; the haul road is on the right. (Phil Marsh, 20 Dec 2020.)

NEXT: (Item 226) The 09.29 Newcastle to King's Cross at Tallington crossi
south to Helpston Jn, it will then take the non-electrified Up Stamford so i
blocked and covered over at Werrington Jn to slide the tunnel lining in place

ing from the Up Slow to the Down Slow which is temporarily bidirectional
is on diesel mode. To the south the three East Coast Main line tracks were
e between 16-24 Jan. (Nick Garnham, 18 Jan 2021, on a very local walk.)

BELOW: During the 16-24 Jan closure of the three ECML tracks past Werringt
is being slid into place beneath the line. Conventional construction would hav

ton Jn the slightly curved concrete tunnel lining (cast on site over 9 months)
ve taken a month. It is exposed on the Spalding line approach, lower centre.

BELOW: The tunnel from the other end, Spalding is off top right, Stamford far

left with the ECML between; Peterborough station is off the bottom. (All NR.)





1369 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA
(Julian James) [email protected]

PREVIOUS PAGE: Inside the double track width
concrete tunnel lining which weighs 11,000
tonnes and is all being moved all in one piece.

LEFT: The temporary 'guide' tunnel was bored
with a conventional tunnel boring machine.

222] Bletchley: (BLN 1363.3020) The final part of
the flyover here was removed on Sun 10 Jan.

223] Wolverton: (BLN 1368.98) Another 25 or so
were made redundant at the Works this month.

224] Calvert: On Fri 11 Dec a DBC worked Hanson 06.49 train from Tytherington arrived at 16.05 with
1,650 tonnes of aggregate, the first train to supply HS2's main construction compound. A daily train
now generally runs SSuX. Over the next year more than 180 trains will deliver the equivalent of 12,670
lorry loads. HS2 joins the ex-Great Central Railway alignment just north of Buckinghamshire Railway
Centre but new embankments and cuttings will obliterate the remains of Calvert station. At the peak
of construction, over 650 people will work at Calvert railhead, stockpiling materials and managing the
logistics and construction of the central section of the new railway. Once HS2 is complete, the railhead
will be removed and the site landscaped, leaving only an HS2 infrastructure maintenance depot.

HS2 Aggregate trains are unloading at a platform at 0m 29ch (mileage from the site of Calvert Jn round
the curve), half way between Calvert station and the old Claydon L&NE Jn box site. HS2 will use the
present waste terminal when FCC* Environmental is relocated in Jun to their new site on the Up side
of the line nearer to London. (*Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, based in Spain.) The former
Calvert Jn (Milepost 0) is the boundary between HS2 and East West Rail (with a moveable red 'STOP'
board). Claydon curve will be permanently realigned slightly south for HS2 construction. The relocated
Claydon LNE Box (new) is on the former platform at Waddesdon Manor station (42m 77ch), 1½ miles
south of Quainton Road. North of that box is now a long siding and controlled by the waste terminal
Person in Charge (PIC). All trains going north of the box have to operate through the waste terminal
sidings, under Werner Terrace road bridge, past the stop board to reach HS2 territory.

225] Cambridge: (BLN 1368.94) Installation of double slips expected over Christmas did not take place.

226] Werrington diveunder: (BLN 1366.3486) The partial block for construction work was 16-24 Jan,
LNER also diverting hourly via Cambridge on 9 & 10, 16 & 17 and 23 & 24 Jan as Peterborough to Hitchin
was also closed. Horsham Thameslink services ran to Letchworth instead. Hull Trains & Grand Central
are now suspended anyway. Some LNER services ran past Werrington Jn from 16-24 Jan and King's
Cross to Peterborough services were supplemented by buses between Peterborough and Grantham.

Many trains from the north turned back at Grantham. A temporary extra signal was installed on the
Down Slow line between Helpston Jn and Tallington Crossovers (rare crossovers) to make that section
bidirectional for operation of ECML trains during the work. This allowed a roughly hourly through
service to run in each direction plus an extra one in every two hours in alternate directions.

From 16-24 Jan EMR Norwich to Liverpool services were split at Nottingham with Norwich services
diverted via Oakham and Loughborough, booked non-stop between Peterborough and Nottingham.

Through ECML trains took the electrified Down Stamford/Down Slow line between New England North
and Helpston Jn (the Up Stamford is not electrified) and then the Down Slow line bidirectionally
between Helpston Jn and Tallington Crossovers. Spalding line trains used the bidirectional Up Slow
line between Peterborough and Werrington Jn. The new Marholm Jn (plan BLN 1362.2883) was NOT
installed over Christmas though the turnout panels were in place at the side of the Stamford lines.

The Up and Down Stamford lines were both relaid, slightly realigned and drainage improved, this
makes installation of the junction points easier with no digging out to do when the time comes.

As at 11 Jan (summary): 16 & 17, 23 & 24 Jan: Peterborough - Hitchin TCA (Temporarily Closed All trains).
30 & 31 Jan: No trains to/from King's Cross or to/from St Pancras via Finsbury Park, or Peterborough -
Hitchin. Suns 7 & 14 Feb: Peterborough - Hitchin TCA. Sun 21 Feb: Stevenage - Alexandra Palace TCA.
Fri 26-Sun 28 Feb: No trains to/from King's Cross or St Pancras via Finsbury Park. Mon 1 Mar-Thu 22
Apr: Reduced timetable for King's Cross remodelling. Fri 23-Sun 25 Apr: No trains to/from King's Cross or
(Sat & Sun) St Pancras via Finsbury Park. Mon 26 Apr-Thu 3 Jun: Reduced timetable at King's Cross.
Fri 4 Jun from 12.00 and Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jun: No trains to/from King's Cross or St Pancras via Finsbury Park.

227] Didcot: (BLN 1367/3667) A local member confirms that the entire Didcot 'A' Power Station site
has been cleared including tracks shown on TRACKmaps 3, p4C Jun 2018 - some went to the Swindon
& Cricklade Railway for their extension (BLNs 1313.1952 & 1341.MR225). As the Inlet and Outlet
connections ('B' & 'C' on the TRACKmaps) were severed just after the power station closed (on 31 Mar
2013), the cleared material must have left by road. The last oil train, from Lindsey Oil Refinery, was on
18 Mar and the last coal, Avonmouth Bulk Terminal, on 19 Mar. The final train, fly ash to Calvert, left
on 13 Jun (all 2013). Track is in situ from the severed connections to the site boundary gate, but is
becoming overgrown. The current plans are for the whole site to be developed for residential housing.

228] Didcot - Oxford: In Oct 2016 electrification was 'deferred' (along with various other GWR lines) by
Chris Grayling, then Secretary of State at the DfT but it is interesting to see how far it progressed.
Didcot P1-5 are wired and 'live' for services to/from the west. The Up and Down chords are wired as
far as the line to the DB Cargo refuelling depot. None of the lines in the Didcot Yard are wired and no
OHLE stanchions are in place. On the avoiding line stanchions are in place from Didcot East Jn for a few
chains, with the Down line wired. There is no evidence of electrification work on Didcot West curve.
North of Didcot bypass overbridge towards the Appleford level crossing, OHLE stanchions were
installed some time ago where the ground work had been completed; ground piles continue further.

1369 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
230] Petersfield: On Sun 13 Dec the London end trailing crossover was in passenger use all day due to
work south of the station; trains from London turned back in Down P2. When a member visited, seven
people were waiting for a train to London on the normal P1 despite standing beneath a Passenger
Information Screen clearly stating today all trains to London leave from platform 2 - they would have a
long wait! Perhaps it was a case of ''I don't believe it''? The level crossing barriers had to be lowered
before the route could be set and signalled. A photo of the ground signal 'off' could only be taken as
the door warblers started to sound prior to departure ... and then leap onto the train!

The 11 Oct 'Petersfield Post' (naturally a journal that the BLN Editorial team reviews regularly‽) had a
story about the Grade II listed 1885 London & South Western Railway box here. NR wants to use the
site to modernise and upgrade the level crossing with resignalling of the Portsmouth Direct Line here
so is appealing to residents to find a new home for it. Control is due to transfer to Basingstoke in 2023.

The box would need to be moved (as elsewhere), apart from its site being needed, it is too close to the
running line with no safe public access. The article mentions that in 1948 there were over 10,000 signal
boxes and about 700 are left. Some listed boxes have been moved intact to heritage railways such as
the Mid Hants Line at Alresford, and the Railway Heritage Trust awards grants for their maintenance.
Residents with workable ideas, or heritage groups with serious proposals, can email Network Rail at:
[email protected] first. It does not make clear if in their keenness to see the
back of the structure NR would grant a possession on the very adjacent lines while it is dismantled?

NEXT: Petersfield London end; the trailing crossover is set for use but the ground signal before the
crossing cannot change until the gates are down. The signal box is 'going spare' (see item 230)
only 4/5 careful owners… (All Simon Mortimer, midday Sun 13 Dec 2020 - a gloomy wet day.)













PREVIOUS TWO: A Waterloo train turns back in Petersfield P2. BELOW

W: With the barriers down the ground signal can be cleared for the move.

BELOW: (Item 233) An 8-car Bournemouth to Manchester CrossCountry tr

rain passing Reading Green Park station. (All Stuart Hicks, Sat 2 Jan 2021.)

BELOW: The site for Reading Green Park station building with new flats (

(=passengers) behind, Reading is to the left and Basingstoke to the right.

BELOW: 15883 heading north for Reading - upper right the O

OHLE run off from Southcote Jn is just visible in the distance.





[BLN 1369]
229] Redhill - Gatwick Airport: On 5 Jan the driver of the 19.15 Victoria to Littlehampton reported
track displacement of the Down Fast near Salfords, already restricted to 20mph with bank instability
and being monitored. A check showed no movement over records of the previous two weeks but the
permissible speed was reduced to 5mph. A daylight inspection identified the need for steel sheet piling
over 45m to secure the bank which was installed between Fri night 8 and Mon 11 Jan in an emergency
possession of both Fast Lines with a reduced timetable. Trains ran normally from Tue 12 Jan.

231] Hastings line nailed: NR is about to start work designed to last at least 60 sixty years to prevent
future landslips at the notorious steep cutting at Wadhurst Tunnel southern entrance (40m 40ch) - the
station is half a mile north of the 1,205yd tunnel. Incidents near Wadhurst occurred in 2014, 2016,
2019 & 2020 with many services cancelled during rectification. The work with soil nailing is tried and
tested as it strengthens the slope and allows some vegetation to grow, with the roots adding to the
strengthening effect. Remote sensors, cameras and a temporary catch fence have been in place to
mitigate the risk of further landslips. These have required constant checking to ensure trains are safe
to proceed ever since. Work will move on to other locations later this year.

232] Wrong Turning II: (BLN 1368.67) A member was involved in a similar experience about 1996. He
had arranged a skittles evening at Brockenhurst for Eastleigh Railway Engineering Society and, on the
evening, he and two others travelled early by train from Eastleigh to check out the arrangements.
The expected arrival time of the main party came and went, so he returned to Brockenhurst station to
find out what had happened to their train. Our member was informed that due to an error it was stuck
at Southampton; wait for it … Maritime Container Terminal … and would be so for quite a long time.

What had happened? Apparently on leaving Southampton Central the train had been inadvertently
routed into said terminal (no third rail, of course), presumably a signalling error compounded by the
driver accepting the route. The train was well and truly 'stuck' - even if the rear coaches had still been
in contact with the third rail, it could not have been easily reversed as the train was straddling the
catch points designed to prevent any errant vehicles leaving the Container Terminal. Needless to say
an appeal to South Western Trains for recompense for the pre-ordered, pre-paid food fell on deaf ears.

233] Reading Green Park: (BLN 1364.3203) The precast concrete platforms are at last being installed
with all top slabs on both Up and Down sides in place by 6 Jan. (See earlier pictures.)

234] The earth moved in Wanborough: (BLN 1368.20) The Guildford to Ash line reopened on 6 Jan
after a 40m landslip near the village of Wanborough over Christmas. Heavy rain during Storm Bella
caused an embankment to deteriorate, leaving the track unsupported. NR engineers stabilised the site
near Westwood Lane bridge using 17m long steel piles to prevent any further movement.

235] Slow worms quick to move house at Liphook: A new fully enclosed steel footbridge with a lift to
each platform will provide step free access; completion is due by the end of Aug. The old bridge stays
open during the work; platforms will be widened around the new bridge with new retaining walls
behind. Slow worms have been relocated nearby, reusing excavated earth from the railway cutting.

236] Southampton: The pandemic, plus congestion from new Customs regimes, is changing patterns
of container port use. Solent Stevedores at Western Docks berths 107 and 108 (TRACKmaps 5 p32A
Aug 2019) have increased rail carryings from seven trains a day with 6,500 containers a month before
the first lockdown to nine trains a day, six days a week, with a resulting 140% increase in rail volume.

237] A live report from Beaulieu Road: (BLN 1367.3673) At the end of 1966 a member working for BR
transferred to Eastleigh Outdoor Machinery Depot which, among many duties, maintained station
lighting. This isolated, unstaffed station was the last on the Eastleigh patch not electrically lit for the
very good reason that there was no National Grid supply; the few houses, possibly ex-railway and
hotel had to use their own generators. These need fuelling and maintenance so Head Office came up
with a scheme to tap-in to the forthcoming third rail supply with the Bournemouth line electrification.