Number 1419 (Items 539 - 690 & MR 35 - MR 41) (E-BLN 114 PAGES) 4 Mar 2023 BRANCH LINE NEWS Distribuendi notitia, verbi disseminandi [ISSN 1354-0947] Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955. branchline.uk https://www.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/ Membership queries: Lisa Sheppard [email protected] 186 [email protected] Park Road South, Hull, HU4 7BU. 07873 354464 British Isles news from members; an International section is available. Opinions are not necessarily those available. of the Compilers or of the Society. ciety. Society. BLN 1420 is dated Sat 18 Mar; contributions by Wed 8 Mar please 539] John Francis Ling (1927-2023): It is with great sadness that we advise members of the death on 13 February of John Ling, who founded our Society in 1955. John's funeral took place at Loughborough Crematorium on 2 March. Any member who can assist with a tribute, contribute information or anecdotes is asked to contact your Editor ASAP please. 540] Trevor John Cockram: It is also very sad to have to inform members of the death, on 23 February, of our Equalities Officer. Trevor was Society Publications Officer from 1987 until 1993, arranged industrial/minor railway visits and stewarded. Any member who can assist with a tribute, contribute information or anecdotes,please contact your Editor ASAP. Please email Jane Scott, Trevor's sister, for the funeral details: [email protected] Date Event and details…... Please book online BLN Lead Status Sat 18 Mar The Second Bite, Derby - Whitby main line tour 1418 MG OPEN Sun 19 Mar Minor Railway visits in Derbyshire 1417 MG WAITING LIST Wed 22 Mar North Lincolnshire Charity signal box visits 1418 NG WAITING LIST Mon 1 May Calan Mai loco-hauled railtour Derby to Holyhead 1418 MG OPEN 12-15 May *NEW* Poland; The Katowice & Kraków Wanderer BELOW IS NOW OPEN Sat 20 May *NEW* Save the date: 'To Hull & Vac', mainline tour TBA TBA Claimed Sat 22 Jul Isle of Man: Manx Electric Railway Crossover Explorer TBA TBA Claimed Sun 27 Aug Scunthorpe Summer Track Steeler26 (09.30-18.30) TBA TBA Claimed 18&19 Nov 2023 AGM weekend/ fixtures NW England (provisional) TBA TBA Claimed Bookings: MG = Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Rd, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL 07983 541887. 541] :*UPDATE* Sat 18 Mar; The Second Bite:: (BLN 1418.419) Regarding industrial action on this day, we expect 'The Second Bite' charter to run as advertised. The action announced for 18 Mar relates to 14 Train Operating Companies that are in dispute. If you are travelling by rail to the tour, please check your travel plans and allow more time. Due to reduced passenger services, we now have a later start and earlier finish: Derby P5 (PU 05.35) - Nottingham P6 (PU 06.13/rev) - :Meadow Lane Jn - Dn Toton Goods: - Alfreton P1 (PU 06.54) - Chesterfield P3 (PU 07.18) - Sheffield P5 (PU 07.40) - :Brightside Up and Down East Slow: - Barnsley - Wakefield Kirkgate - Church Fenton P2 - York P10 (PU 09.26) - Yarm - Thornaby East Jn Down Goods - :Battersby Loop: (rev) - Grosmont (SD 12.40) - Whitby (break/rev) - :both Bog Hall Sidings: (rev) - Whitby (PU 14.30/rev) - Grosmont (PU 14.53) - Battersby (photo stop/rev) - Hartburn Jn - Norton-onTees West Jn - Ferryhill Up Gds Loop (rev) - Darlington Up Main - York P3 (SD 18.26) - Doncaster Up Fast - :Ranskill UPL: - Retford P2 (SD 19.25/rev) - Whisker Hill Curve - Sheffield P6 (SD 20.26) - Chesterfield P2 (SD 21.02) - Alfreton P2 (SD 21.17) - Radford Jn - Nottingham P3 (SD 21.46/rev) - Derby P3 (SD 22.23) Please book on our website, or ask someone to do this for you. No non-member surcharge. 1 st Class £170 (at a guaranteed table for two £195); Standard £115; U18 £57.50 discount (must be adult accompanied).
ABOVE LEFT: EP05-23 with Turkol 'Zima' Railtour at Bytom on 14 Jan 2023. ABOVE RIGHT: SM42-2189 with our 2022 BLS tour at Nowy Swietow. 542] :*NOW OPEN* Fri 12 to Mon 15 May; BLS Poland #2 Tour - The Katowice & Krakow Wanderer:: (E-BLN 1417.X.12) Following on from last year's very successful 'Silesian Explorer' tour around the Wrocław area, we are pleased to offer a second tour in conjunction with Polish tourist train operator Turystyka Kolejowa TurKol.pl. Each day of last year's tour was reported in BLNs 1407-1411 respectively, with many pictures in e-BLN to give you an idea of what to expect and how enjoyable it will be. There will be many familiar faces to guide and advise our 'first timers' who are very welcome. This year, the tour is a long weekend (four day) itinerary to explore the many freight lines largely serving the now declining coal mining industry around Katowice, in southwest Poland, combined with an excursion to cover the freight and non-passenger lines around the nearby city of Kraków. The tour starts and finishes in Wrocław, where our train (as last year) is based, two ex-PKP First Class compartment coaches (with opening windows) and the now familiar WARS bar/buffet car in between. For most of the tour (Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights) we are based in Katowice, where there are several hotels a few minute walk from the station. Haulage will be by preserved PKP electric loco EP05- 023 for the first two days, with an ex-PKP SM/SU42 diesel loco for the last two days and, perhaps with sufficient support, the preserved SU45 diesel for the first day around Wrocław For comfort we only book four persons per compartment, restricting the of seats available for the two-coach train to 68. At Turkol's behest, we submitted a detailed request of 'required track' covering some 'unavailable' connections in our 2022 tour to the Wrocław southern 'freight ring' and stub to Wrocław Swiebodzski, before moving to the Katowice area where the many privately owned routes and branches connecting the collieries to the PKP system were requested. At Kraków the various connections to the freight 'ring' northeast of the city serving the Nowa Huta Steel Works were requested, along with non-passenger lines and connecting curves in the city area. Unfortunately, after much deliberation, the colliery rejected our request to travel their lines on legal grounds, ostensibly due to their lack of any safety case for a passenger train! Also, PKP have said that Wrocław Swiebodzski is not available due to the poor condition of the track, even though permission was granted for last year's tour. The outline from Turkol is below. We have requested revised routes to enhance the tour and 'flesh-out' the outline below and negotiations continue to maximise freight line content, subject to PKP approvals. ●Outline: The currently available route and timings or each day, subject to revision and confirmation, from PKP, are in grey with our comments below, followed by our requested route enhancements: ●Fri 12 May (EP05): Wrocław Gł. 08.00, Pracze, p.Stadion, Brochów, Żórawina, Brochów, p.Stadion, Gądów, Żerniki, Wrocław Gł. 13.00, Opole Groszowice, Gliwice, Knurów, Ruda Kochłowice, Katowice Muchowiec, Sosnowiec Dańdówka, Sosnowiec Gł., Katowice 18.30, Chorzów Batory, Hajduki, Katowice Ligota, Katowice 20.00. The organisers are attempting to cover routes, and some of the grade separated junctions around Wrocław omitted last year, as well as enhancements to the rare freight line content around Katowice:
●12 May (SU45/EP05): Wrocław Gł. 08.00, Line 753, Wrocław Gądów, Wrocław Żerniki, 758, p. Stadion, Brochów Freight Yard (rev), 765, Żórawina (rev), 765, Brochów Freight Yard (rev), p.Stadion, 349, Wrocław Gądów, 349, Pracze (rev), 349 diveunder, Wrocław Gądów - 349 - p.Stadion - Brochów Freight Yard - 349 via Święta Katarzyna Peron 2 Loop - Opole Zachodnie - 280 - Opole Groszowice, 132 - Gliwice Labedy 168 - 200 - Gliwice - GLC - 200 - GLB - GLA - 200 - GSB - Gl. Sosnica Tow. (rev) - GSB - 676 - Zabrze Makoszowy Koplania - 172 - Gieraltowice (rev) - Zabrze Makoszowy - 141 - Ruda Kochłowice, - p. Panewnik - 171 - Katowice Muchowiec, - 171 - Sosnowiec Dańdówka (rev), Sosnowiec Gł. (rev), Katowice 18:30, Katowice Załẹże - Goods line 713 - p. Gottwald - 713 - Chorzów Batory (rev) - 164 - Hajduki - 651 - p. Radoszowy - 141 - Katowice Ligota (rev), Katowice 20.00. ●Sat 13 May (EP05): Katowice 08.00, Łazy, Dąbrowa Górnicza Towarowa, Dąbrowa Górnicza Wschodnia, Dąbrowa Górnicza Ząbkowice 11.00, Jaworzno Szczakowa JSE, Trzebinia, Trzebinia Siersza, Trzebinia 13.30, Kraków Batowice, Kraków Nowa Huta, Kraków Płaszów 16.30, Kraków Olsza, Kraków Mydlniki, Kraków Przedmieście, Kraków Nowa Huta (ring), Sosnowiec Jęzor, Mysłowice Brzezinka, Katowice 20.00. The requested revised routing below includes more freight lines in the Katowice area, a full circuit of the big freight loop at Kraków via Nowa Huta, returning via the freight yards at Kraków Plaszow, the diversionary route via Kraków Olsza in full, including the Kraków Łęg branch before returning Nowa Huta via the very rare Kraków Gl. Avoiding Line to traverse the freight ring/loop line before heading back towards Katowice. ●13 May (EP05): Katowice 08.00, Sosnowiec Polodniowy - Sosnowiec Porabka - Sosnowiec Kazimierz SK2 - 663 - SK1 - 163 - Sosnowiec Maczi - 666 - Jaworzno Szczakowa JSE - JSC - 714 - p.Pieczyska, Trzebinia (rev), - 114 - Trzebinia Siersza (rev), Trzebinia 13:30, Kraków Mydlniki - 95 - Kraków Batowice - Kraków Nowa Huta NHA - Line 940 - 942 - p. Koscielniki - p.Podgrabie - 608 - p. Rudzice - p. Gaj - Line 100 - Kraków Prokocim Tow. - 100 - Kraków Płaszów KPA - Kraków Olsza - 100 - Kraków Mydlniki (rev) - 95 - Kraków Bronowice - 118 - Kraków Tow. KT - 601 - Kraków Przedmieście, - Kraków Batowice - Kraków Nowa Huta Post 11 - 943 (ring/loop) - 940 - Kraków Nowa Huta NHA - Kraków Batowice - Kraków Przedmieście - Kraków Olsza - Kraków Łęg (rev) - Kraków Olsza - 100 - Kraków Mydlniki - p.Pieczyska - Jaworzno Szczakowa JSC - JSE - 668 - Sosnowiec Jęzor, Mysłowice Brzezinka, Katowice 20:00. If line to Kraków Łęg not available, requested to replace by: podg. Dlubnia - 607 - podg. Raciborowice - Zastow (rev) - Kraków Batowice - 95 - Kraków Mydlniki ●Sun 14 May (SU/SM42) Katowice 08.00, Hajduki, Katowice Ligota, Kostuchna, Tychy, Bieruń St, Tychy, Ruda Kochłowice, Zabrze Północ, Tarnowskie Góry 11.30, Tworóg, Tarnowskie Góry, Piekary Śl. Szarlej, Tarnowskie Góry, Chorzów Stary, Mysłowice, Katowice 17.00, Ruda Chebzie, Zabrze Biskupice, Gliwice, Katowice 20.00. The alternative routing below is being investigated (Bieruń St, -179 - Ledziny - Myslowice Koszlowy is not available). If Gliwice Port is not available, reversal at Gliwice Łabędy via goods lines requested. ●14 May (SU/SM42): Katowice 08.00, Hajduki, Katowice Ligota, Kostuchna*, Tychy, Bieruń St (rev) - Tychy - Kostuchna - Staszic - 652 - Katowice Muchowiec - 171 - Katowice Janow - 655 - Myslowice (rev) - 655 - p. Stawiska SK2 - 658 - SK1 - Chorzów Stary - Zabrze Północ - p. Maciejow Polnocny - 711 - GL2 - 200 - GLC - 200 - (Gliwice) - 168 - Szobisowice - 167 via diveunder - Gliwice Port (rev) OR 168 - Gliwice Łabędy (rev) - 168 - Szobisowice - Gliwice - 141 - GSA - Zabrze Makoszowy - Ruda Kochłowice - 164 - Hajduki - Chorzów Batory - Ruda Chebzie, Zabrze Biskupice, - p. Maciejow Polnocny - 672 - Zabrze Makoszowy - Ruda Kochłowice - Hajduki, Katowice 20.00. Kostuchna* … The routing K.Ligota - Kostuchna - Tychy either on 14 or 15 May but not for both days unless necessary routing. ●Mon 15 May (SU/SM42) Katowice 08.00, Kostuchna, Pszczyna, Chybie, Pawłowice Śl., Żory, Rybnik Towarowy, Rydułtowy, Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Nysa, Brzeg Wrocław Gł. 20.00.
Alternative routings from Pszczyna to Brzeg including Pawłowice Śl., Żory avoiding curve and Rybnik Towarowy are being explored, as below. Also, Line 144 beyond Tworóg maybe not be available. If so, we have requested: Tworóg (rev) - Tarnowskie Góry TGm6 - TGB12 - TGm14 - TGB - via Freight Yards to Miasteczko Śląskie (rev) Gliwice - Strzelce Opolskie - 175 - Rozmierka (rev) - Strzelce Opolskie - Opole Groswice Freight Yard - 280 - Opole Zachodnie - Wrocław Gł. Piekary Śl. Szarlej, - (rev) - Tarnowskie Góry may also be removed if the timings for the day prove to be too long. ●15 May (SU/SM42): Katowice 08.00, Katowice Ligota - Kostuchna*, Pszczyna, Zabrzeg - Line 693 Zabrzeg Czarnolesie Yard - ZCB - p. Bronow - 150 - Chybie, 157 - Pawłowice Śl. (rev) - 159 - Cieplownia - 874 - Kleszczow - Suszec (rev) - Żory,- Rybnik RDB - 957 - Rybnik Towarowy RTA - 957 - RTD - 959 - RTE, Rydułtowy (rev) - Rybnik Towarowy - RTF51 - 501 - RTB - RTA1 - 688 - Sumina (rev) - Rybnik - Leszczyny - Knurow - Zabrze Makoszowy Koplania - Zabrze Północ - Tarnowskie Góry, Piekary Śl. Szarlej, - (rev) - Tarnowskie Góry - Tworóg* - Fosowskie - Opole - Wrocław Gł. 20.00. ●Prices & Booking: Membership of the Society is NOT required for this fixture. All four days £630.00. Also, with our overseas tours, should bookings substantially exceed our cost basis, a rebate may be possible as on some past tours. Please book on our website completing all sections carefully. PLEASE BOOK ASAP SO THAT WE CAN CONFIRM VIABILITY AND RUNNING BY THE END OF MARCH All tour participants confirm by completing an Overseas Tours Information form that they have: Full travel insurance in place including cover for Covid. Are in possession of a valid European Health Insurance Card/Global Health Insurance Card. Have more than 3 months validity remaining on their passport at the time of the tour. Take full responsibility for meeting any entry conditions for Poland at the time of the tour. Standard Branch Line Society Terms and Conditions (except where overridden below) apply to all railtour participants, however the places are booked. These are available to download on our website or by post with an SAE. Please note that tickets are NOT transferable. It should be noted that full cancellation will be accepted up to two weeks prior to the tour date, after which date refunds will only be possible in the event that the Society itself cancels the trip, in which case the amount refunded will be limited to the charter train fare, or if the train provider cancels: in this case the percentage refunded will reflect the proportion of the charter charge repaid by the provider. Finally, the Society will not accept any liability arising from changes imposed by any third parties, either before or on the day, or any consequences of any late running that may occur. By making a booking, participants accept these terms and conditions. Any questions about the tour (but not connecting travel or accommodation) should be sent to main organiser Iain Scotchman at [email protected] ●Getting There and Back: Direct flights are available from the UK to Wrocław, also Katowice, Warsaw, Poznan, Szczecin and Krakow, with train connections to Wrocław. For those that do not wish not fly, travel from London to Wrocław by train is possible. ●Overnight Stays: It is anticipated that most, if not all, participants will stay in Wrocław on the nights preceding and following the tour, and in Katowice for the intermediate nights. Hotel bookings can be made on many websites, such as Hotels.com, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, HRS.de to name but a few, as well as those of individual hotel chains. It is strongly advised that hotels should be booked ASAP, on a fully cancellable basis. Keep an eye on our website for any route updates etc. LEFT: Katowice station. (All photos Iain Scotchman).
(Paper BLN 1419 text) Thanks to Iain Scotchman, a detailed 4-page prospectus for this tour was issued with e-BLN 1418. On our website, go along the top banner to 'Archive', put 'Poland' in the top right box and click 'Search'. Members who have never once accessed our website, and who do not know someone who can do this for them, can request a printed prospectus from your BLN Editor; please enclose an A5 SAE. An email will be sent out to all who have signed up for them when bookings open. 543] Poland Eurosprinter Rail Atlas: (BLN 1414.2831) This atlas https://bit.ly/3lUkYE6 has been updated for the first time in many years and now comes as a convenient (lightweight) paperback. All 45 copies initially acquired have been sold and consideration is being given to a further order. It is ideal for our Poland tour in May (Item above) or for a future visit to the country. Our price will be about £16.50 including 2 nd Class UK P&P. If you are interested in purchasing this excellent atlas, please advise your new Sales Officer, Darren Garnon, ASAP at [email protected] 544] Platform 5 British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock 2023: The definitive 'pocket book' combined guide to all locos, coaching stock and multiple units that run on Britain's main line railways. It contains complete fleet lists of every item of rolling stock with owner, operator, livery and depot allocation information for each vehicle in service. This essential reference book is fully updated to early 2023 and includes details of all new rolling stock on order for delivery in 2023. ●Locomotives, ●DMUs, ●EMUs, ●Loco-Hauled Coaches, ●On-Track Plant, ●NR Service Stock ●Rolling Stock Awaiting Disposal ●Multiple Unit and HST Formations ●Lists of Depots and Workshops ●Owner and Operator Information ●Livery Details. The book also has a comprehensive overview of Britain's railway network today, all passenger train operators and major freight operators, plus a wealth of useful technical data for every class of vehicle. 432 pages, 64 pages of colour photos, hardback; 15.5x11.0x3.0cm. RRP £29.95 excluding P&P; just £26.50 including UK P&P or just £25 at seat service on our 18 Mar tour to Whitby. For either option order via your Sales Officer at: [email protected] 1419 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected] 545] Railway Memories (97); Brecon Shed visit in Sep 1962: By Michael L Roach (member 4428): In Sep 1962 I spent a week travelling and photographing the four railway lines out of Brecon, the last of which CP from 31 Dec 1962. I only had one shed visit in the whole week and that was to Brecon Shed, which is believed to have been built at the same time as the first section of the Brecon & Merthyr Railway (B&MR) in the early 1860s. Just to the west of the shed was a short platform and offices which was the original B&MR (Brecon Watton) station, in passenger use for less than ten years from 1863 to 1871. In the last few years before closure of the four lines, and therefore the shed, three classes of steam loco worked all the passenger and freight trains. There were the Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 tender locos supplied by Oswestry Shed; and 0-6-0 pannier tanks and 0-6-0 Collett* goods tender engines supplied by Ebbw Junction Shed. The panniers worked the lines from Brecon to Newport, Hereford and Neath, while the Collett Goods normally only worked between Brecon and Newport. The Ivatt 2MTs worked the vast majority of Mid Wales Line trains to Moat Lane Junction and sometimes to Hereford. I visited Brecon Shed on Fri 7 Sep 1962 just after breakfast at my guest house in 'The Watton', before setting out on a day's photography, with a late afternoon trip from Brecon to Hereford and return. The shed visit lasted just 15 minutes, including going to the goods yard to photograph the original temporary B&MR station. There were six engines on shed that morning, as follows: 2218, 3201, 3714, 46510, 46514 and 46522 (photos in e-BLN 1419). Pannier tank 3714 was just sticking out of the east end of the shed. 3201, 46510 & 46514 were at the primitive coaling stage. 3201 was in steam to work the 2.05pm Brecon to Newport passenger train and 7.07pm return. 3764 was shunting wagons in the goods yard south of the shed and 2218 was on the south side of the shed. Of note, there was only one pannier tank (3714); the locomen preferred them to the Collett Goods in winter because of their enclosed cabs. When I passed the shed that evening behind pannier 3706 on the 7.35pm from Hereford, four engines were visible. 3706 would go on shed for the night and later 3201 would arrive with the 7.07pm off Newport. (*Charles Collett 10 Sep 1871 to 5 Apr 1952.)
BELOW: (Item 545) Pannier tank 3714 peeps out of the east end of Bre
econ Shed on 7 Sep 1962. The shed closed less than four months later.
BELOW: Brecon; 3201, 46510 and 46514 at the primitive coaling stage
, looking west. (All photos by our member Mike Roach on 7 Sep 1962.)
(In the previous picture 3201 was in steam to work the 2.05pm Brecon to New south of the shed. Although the last passenger services ended from 31 Dec 1
port service.) BELOW: 3764 shunts wagons in Brecon Watton Goods Yard 1962, goods traffic continued by rail until withdrawal from 4 May 1964.
BELOW: Looking west through the shed, which probably did
n't need much of an effort to demolish it after closure.
BELOW: A most interesting picture of the former Brecon & Merthyr Railway Watton Goods station. Brecon (Free Street/Joint) passenger station was at the
Brecon Watton station with the low platform which CP 1 Mar 1871, latterly e higher level off left, right was to Newport/Hereford and Moat Lane Junction.
BELOW: 2218 south of Brecon shed, looking west. 86A was Ebbw Junction shed (Newport) in 1962.
546] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1418.517] The third Class 153 DMU driver training path from Fort William was at 14.45 SSuX, rather than 13.45 but never actually ran. ●●MR28] A member advises that the 'Thumper' acquired by the Bluebell Railway in mid-Jan is now a 2D unit (although it once was a 3D) - hopefully it does have three dimensions. This actually means it originally had 3 cars and now has two. 1419 EAST MIDLANDS (Nick Garnham) [email protected] 547] Hall Lane Jn - Foxlow Jn: (TRACKmaps 2, p30A 2006) NR wish to remove the Foxlow Goods Curve (which no longer exists) from the network and sell off the land for an access road to a new industrial development. Once double track, latterly it was a unidirectional (Down) single track from Hall Lane Jn (on the line from Elmton & Creswell Jn via Oxcroft Jn) to Foxlow Jn. The latter, with its remaining trailing crossover, is still shown on the Barrow Hill line ('Old Road') - TRACKmaps 2 p27E 2020. The curve was taken OOU in Jun 1980 for resignalling and recommissioned 15 Nov 1981. It CG Mon 6 Mar 2006 (official date) with Barrow Hill North Jn to Oxcroft Disposal Point. The last outward coal train was 24 Jan 2004 and the final train of all, our Peterborough Re-Re-Avoider tour, was 4 Mar 2006, doing the curve in both directions. There was subsequent outward stockpiled coal from Oxcroft to Cottam Power Station from Tue 20 Nov (first train) until Thur 6 Dec 2007 (last train) but it had to go via Barrow Hill North Jn. Vandalism had badly damaged track circuits and points at Foxlow Jn, so they were permanently secured for main line running. Although these lines were all 'mothballed' in case of future need, this was not to be and the track was removed by NR in Aug 2015 (in a race to beat scrap metal thieves in the area then). There were no other assets to recover as by 2008 every relay box had been smashed, all parts stolen, all cabling and trunking had gone and Seymour Signal Box was completely smashed, torn apart and stripped of everything except the levers. (All dates from BLN.) In 2023 NR say that future provision of rail connection to the M1 corridor could still be provided by reinstating Barrow Hill North Jn to Hall Lane Jn, although that curve was also lifted in 2015. 548] Boston: £2.8M is available from the Connected Coast Town Deal (who thinks of these names?) plus funding from EMR and the Railway Heritage Trust to improve the station as at Skegness (BLN 1418.430). A new café, a bookable community space, improved toilet and waiting facilities are planned. (TRACKmaps 2 p25C 2020) NR plans show that the Down Main south of the station is bidirectional but this is not shown on the Sectional Appendix or TRACKmaps. It is the only access to Boston Docks from the Sleaford direction (freight trains reverse in Boston Down P2). The 4ch lengthy trailing crossover south of the station at West Street Jn from 107m 19ch to 107m 15ch has not been used for many years. It is a residual part of a once complicated layout from when there were centre through roads and sidings on the Down side. The components require considerable maintenance, are nonstandard, in poor condition and life expired. NR intends to plain line the crossover and simplify the historic layout at Sleaford Sidings Ground Frame (106m 73ch), where the double track singles. The fixed diamond, the only access to Boston Docks, will be removed here. A new set of points will be provided where the double track singles and a second set of new points (facing in the Up direction) in the Up & Down Main single track will access the docks slightly south of the present connection. Note that, on the ground, the line to Sleaford Sidings (and the start of the Boston Docks branch) is 'straight on' south where the former direct main line to Spalding and Peterborough once ran (CA 5 Oct 1970 this end). At what was Sleaford Jn, the 45mph (DMU) Sleaford line curves through 90o west. (TRACKmaps is diagrammatic.) If an Up departure is required from Boston Down P2, the West Street Junction signaller will be able to authorise a train to pass ground signal WS10 (fixed at danger) protecting West Street Level Crossing. 549] DIRFT III: (BLN 1401.1223) DBC has made a track access application to the ORR for an increase to 50 paths per week between the new Royal Mail Midlands Automated Parcel Hub at the Midlands Rail Terminal, Daventry and the Royal Mail Shieldmuir Terminal between Motherwell and Wishaw. Royal Mail wants to increase the volume of mail moved by rail, to improve First Class delivery times and supplement their existing rail services between London Princess Royal Distribution Centre at Stonebridge Park, Warrington Dallam and Low Fell (Newcastle). If granted, trial running is expected from Apr, with the full service beginning in Sep after Carstairs remodelling (BLN 1417.390). If not granted, they will have spent a great deal of money on their private siding at DIRFT III for nothing!
550] West Burton 'A': (BLN 1417.2902) Internal signalling at the Power Station was restored on 2 Feb after the catastrophic failure of 9 Jan. Since then, FHH has run seven coal trains of imported coal in total from Immingham on 13, 14 (two), 15 (two), 16 and finally 17 Feb. Interestingly the two standby coal-fired units here, the two at Drax and the (non-commercial) one at Ratcliffe-on-Soar have not been required to date. There has also been little commercial coal fired generation from the other three Ratcliffe units of late. This leaves a large amount of coal stockpiled at the three power stations! 551] Robin Hood Line: Due to engineering work the 22.39 Worksop to Nottingham ran via the Pye Bridge PSUL route, 20-23 Feb inclusive, to Toton Centre, Meadow Lane Jn and Beeston, omitting Newstead and Hucknall (served by replacement bus). A member invested £6.30 in a Nottingham to Kirkby-in-Ashfield day return to travel on the train. At Beeston South Jn it also crossed from the Down Nottingham to the Up Nottingham, then the Up Nottingham Slow. Joining 'D' Line at Mansfield Jn, the train then used the entire ladder at Nottingham West Jn to terminate in P1 (TRACKmaps 4, p13A)! 552] Scunthorpe: The Chinese-owned British Steel has announced they are planning to close the coke making ovens at Scunthorpe. If implemented, it will result in the loss of about 260 jobs and British Steel would import coke instead. Coke is a relatively lightweight product so could go by road and coal traffic by rail to the British Steel Coal Handling Plant at Scunthorpe would cease. The coke ovens, old and in need of investment, are thought to be one of the few remaining sections of the original Appleby plant still operating. They are believed to have had some modifications to reduce emissions. The only other remaining coke ovens in the UK are at Port Talbot steelworks. Participants on our Sat 7 Jan 'Scunthorpe Cold Steel Tracker' brakevan tour noticed unusually large stockpiles of coke, suggesting production was exceeding the requirements for steel making at that time, possibly deliberately. Jingye, the Chinese owners, say that they are committed to British Steel in the long term but the business is now facing significant challenges following the economic slowdown and high energy costs, making UK steelmaking uncompetitive internationally. A £300M Government support package is still being discussed (BLN 1417.302) but is thought to be too small an amount to assist significantly with the £2bn cost of introducing energy efficient electric arc furnaces and comes with many conditions. To see the coke ovens working close up while you still can, go to https://www.afrps.co.uk/ and book. 1419 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected] 553] Chingford: (2M passengers 2019-20) The non-electrified engine release trailing crossover at the terminal ends of P2 to P3 (where it is facing) and the controlling Station Ground Frame are to be removed. It has been OOU for some years. New buffer stops will be installed. The former refreshment room and station master's house have been taken over by community group 'Love North Chingford'. The group is now seeking donations to turn the basement into a mini arts centre and gallery. [South Chingford residents need not apply?] The station is now also home to a heritage centre run by the Chingford Historical Society. At Highams Park the former parcels office has been handed over to the 'Highams Park Planning Group' and is now available to rent for local events. ('Ian Visits website') 554] Elizabeth line: (BLN 1418.435) The first Auto Reverse trial between Paddington and Westbourne Park Sidings was on 8 Feb. It was hoped to achieve full implementation on 20 Feb. ('District Dave') 555] Greenford Branch: (BLN 1413.2709) GWR has purchased some of the assets of Vivarail, which went into administration on 1 Dec. They include intellectual property, rolling stock and equipment relating to the development of high performance battery and Fast Charge technology. The deal does not include 200 redundant ex-District line vehicles stored at Long Marston! It secures the future of trials between West Ealing and Greenford. The company has also employed nine ex-Vivarail staff for the trials (which are supported by NR) and project development. Fast Charge equipment will be installed at West Ealing and tested with Vivarail's battery only Class 230 train, first showcased at Glasgow COP26 last year. The train has a range of up to 62 miles per charge, recharging in only ten minutes using the Fast Charge system in off-network tests. When the train arrives at a station it connects automatically to the Fast Charge and the batteries receive charge while the train is prepared for its next journey. £2.15M of funding is from the DfT Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline. Development of the Fast Charge technology also received funding from Innovate UK.
556] Heathrow Express (HEX): http://bit.ly/3IMmLUQ is a 'London Reconnections' article, 'The Slow Death of Heathrow Express', speculating about the future of the service with the expansion of the Elizabeth line. GWR supplies both the drivers and Class 387 EMUs, which explains why services are suspended during ASLEF strikes. HEX would have been the obvious operator for the proposed western link from the airport branch towards Reading but this project has gone quiet. Through trains from the Elizabeth line core have made its service an attractive option for many and they are cheaper*. This will be more so from May, with semi fast trains to T5, until then the preserve of HEX. A feasibility study is looking at the possibility of adding another 2tph to the Elizabeth line airport service from mid-2025. HEX has a track access contract for Paddington until 2028, the same year that its contract with GWR to provide rolling stock expires. If HEX service finishes, TfL might have difficulties procuring a small fleet of Class 345s EMUs or similar at a reasonable price to replace it. [*HEX fares are based on taxi fares.] 557] Woolwich Ferry: This free ferry is closed from 18 Feb until 06.00 on 9 Mar for engineering work. 558] Industrial Action: (BLN 1418.438) ASLEF members employed by LU are striking on 15 Mar over LU's failure to accept that changes to working arrangements and pensions should be by agreement only.The result of the Government's review into the TfL Pension Fund was to be announced on 28 Feb. 559] Longhedge Jn: On 15 Feb the points accessing the Down Battersea Line to Pouparts Jn were plain lined due to a defect. The route should be available again on 19 Mar after a new part has been made. 560] Footbridges: The already OOU footbridge at 8m 21ch between Mount Street and Woolwich Dockyard tunnels was demolished on 19 Feb. It will be replaced later. On the same date,the footbridge at the country end of Slade Green station was removed for restoration. It will be reinstated in May. 561] Stockley Bridge Jn: Due to a points defect, since Tue 14 Feb it has not been possible to route trains from the Down Main to the Down Relief. It is planned to restore the route from Mon 3 Apr. 562] Stratford: On Sat 19 Feb the only Greater Anglia (GA) trains serving the station were those towards Tottenham Hale. Elizabeth line (EL) services from Paddington reversed alternately in P6& 8, using the London end crossovers. Four c2c trains per hour ran to/from Fenchurch Street via Gas Factory Jn. They would normally have used P6&8 but, because of the reversals, were using Main Line P9 & 10. The Jubilee line was suspended all weekend between Green Park (ECS to Charing Cross to reverse) and Stratford to grind rail head corrugations. This reduces the high level of noise they cause in trains, particularly in Jubilee line tunnels. On Sun 20 Feb there were no London Overground, GA, or EL trains here, which meant that the station was only served by the Central Line and the DLR. 563] Surbiton: (BLN 1389.2977) The new Down side exit is complete and is open in the evening peak. 564] Tower Hill: The District and Circle lines were to be part suspended on 25-26 Feb for engineering work between Notting Hill Gate and Wimbledon. A Circle line service ran between Hammersmith and Tower Hill via King's Cross, reversing Westbound to Eastbound at Tower Hill in centre P2. This has happened before during service disruptions but it was the first scheduled use since the new connections were commissioned. A District line service stil ran between Upminster and South Kensington, using the trailing crossover at the latter on departure. Richmond and Ealing Broadway trains terminated at Hammersmith, running empty to West Kensington to reverse. 565] Dagenham Dock to Garston Car Trains: GBRf has taken over these trains, starting with the 21 Feb southbound empty wagons. Class 66s were used but RTT showed Class 92s from 27 Feb. 566] Watford DC Line: (BLN 1413.2726) In the second shutdown, from 11-19 Feb, work carried out included: 4,000 wooden sleepers replaced by concrete ones. 28km of signal cable was replaced. Track renewal at Willesden Junction. Power supply upgrade. Roof repairs, canopy renovations, gutter clearing, platform resurfacing and installation of tactile paving at Carpenders Park, Headstone Lane, Kenton, North Wembley and South Kenton. Signalling improvements at Watford Junction. 1419 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected] 567] Sunderland: (BLN 1418.453) 180 tonnes of structural steelwork for the £26M station building has been erected. The 'entrance shell' was due to be complete by the end of the month, once the roof and walling have been installed. The southern entrance is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2023
X.19] ABOVE: With its number covered over the first Class 555 to be delivered, 555003, passes through Kensington Olympia. BELOW: Seen later on the ECML; unfortunately, at Wembley Yard this had happened…
X.20] Beyond the call of duty! Our local member Phil Logie turned out at 00.30 on Tue 28 Feb to see Class 555 555003, the first new T&W Metro unit, arrive. We will have a detailed report in BLN 1420. ABOVE: The unit has passed the junction with the Sunderland line and the delivery train is waiting on the NR Connection. (You will have to take our word for it!) BELOW: The delivery train has come to a stand with the rear of the new Metro car just under the Jarrow side of the A185 bridge over the Metro line near Bill Quay. Sadly, the graffiti was 'applied' at Wembley. The boarded up windows are intentional, not vandalism, these windows will be fitted at South Gosforth T&W Depot.
ABOVE: The delivery train at the same location after the barrier vehicles to the rear has been uncoupled and the train moved slightly forward. BELOW: The delivery train (powered by a pair of HST cars) at the same location after it had reversed to reconnected the rear barrier wagons. Phil wishes to make it clear that he is not turning out to see each of the next 45 Class 555 units arrive!
568] LNER: The Transport Secretary has announced a trial scheme under which fares on LNER will fluctuate based on demand. Tickets will be more or less expensive depending on how many seats have already been filled. The DfT said it is an attempt to better manage capacity, while also raising revenue. He also confirmed plans to expand single leg pricing, where two singles cost as much as a return ticket [Yes but which return exactly?]. For instance, at present an off-peak Durham to London single costs only £1 less than a return ticket, so off peak singles appear likely to be substantially reduced in price. 569] Alnwick: Voluntary group Alnwick Greenway Community Interest Company has agreed a 25 year lease with the Northumberland Estates to create a circular walking route, wheelchair accessible, on part of the former Alnwick to Coldstream line. It ran via a circuitous dog-leg route to avoid the Duke of Northumberland's Estate, initially southeast from Alnwick station alongside the branch from Alnmouth. It then curved southwest towards Edlingham station, before heading northwest to Wooler and Coldstream. The 35¾ mile long line CP 22 Sep 1930 and CA at this end (to Ilderton) 2 Mar 1953. 570] Blyth & Tyne: (Now branded the Northumberland Line; it does miss most of Blyth): A member visited the site of Northumberland Park station recently which replaced Backworth (CP 13 Jun 1977) nearby. It will have an additional single platform on the reopened line (plan BLN 1418.449). Ground investigations are being carried out to determine if grouting is needed. That is prudent as some recently built houses on a nearby estate in Bayfield had to be demolished due to mining subsidence. 571] T&W Metro: ❶(BLN 1417.321.8) Eight experienced drivers, the elite Metro Futures Traincrew Specialist Team, were the first to drive the new Class 555 units and also grice Velim Test Track in the Czech Republic guided by Stadler engineers. They had already trained on the South Shields simulator. 177 drivers will need to be trained. 20 drivers have become learning and development specialists, who will train their fellow drivers on both the simulator and the actual trains when they are delivered. ❷(BLN 1418.447.2) Cancellation of the SSuX peak Pelaw - Monkseaton services is now until 31 Mar. ❸High winds from Storm Otto on Fri 17 Feb caused a glass roof panel at Whitley Bay to fall onto the platform. There were no injuries but the stop was closed for structural engineers to conduct a detailed inspection. Over the weekend, services ran through non-stop. The inspection revealed that the Grade II Listed canopy was damaged above the tracks. Services were suspended between Monkseaton and North Shields on Mon 20 Feb, with buses covering the gap. North Shields facing crossover was in use for units terminating from St James. Two steel roof beams were replaced above the tracks, then the line reopened about 18.20 Wed 22 Feb with Whitley Bay stop closed; services passed non-stop. Nexus is appointing a contractor to completely renew the canopy later this year, costing up to £4.5M. ❹(BLN 1418.447.4) Ex-Cayman Islands TV weatherman turned T&W Customer Service Advisor, Joe Avary, presented the weather for BBC North East and Cumbria. He invited Look North weatherman, Paul Mooney, to do a shift checking tickets, running the gatelines and making PA announcements in return. If ever he ever gets bored doing the weather he can feel free to give us a call! said Joe. ❺Gateshead seems to be a bit behind the times, 31 years in fact, judging by current information on the Metro platform signs there! Perhaps someone should tell them that the Metro was extended from Bank Foot (where it is shown as terminating) to Airport on 17 Nov 1991! 572] Sheffield: A Citylink tram, which has the wheel profile for traditional tramway operation, broke down on West Street around 08.30 on 6 Feb, causing damage to the track and severe disruption to services. No trams ran between Cathedral and Shalesmoor for the rest of the day. The Blue and Yellow routes ran north of the blockage between Shalesmoor and Malin Bridge or Middlewood and south of the blockage between Cathedral and Halfway or Meadowhall. On 7 Feb a limited shuttle ran between University and Middlewood at roughly 20 minute intervals from 05.30-23.30. All services at University used the city bound platform, arriving and departing. Some of the damaged track had to be relaid, so the blockage continued on 8 & 9 Feb. Normal service resumed at start of service Fri 10 Feb. 573] Transport for London Rail extends to Sheffield? The City's Clean Air Zone started on 27 Feb, charging polluting commercial vehicles entering it. The boundary is shown on a map which helpfully includes Supertram routes and stops. Interestingly a blue version of the TfL Rail Elizabeth line type roundel is used to show each tram stop. Perhaps someone confused Sheffield with Shenfield?
BELOW: (Item 570) Northeast of Northumberland Park the re-ballasted B&
&T goes off left to Bedlington and right is the T&W Metro via Whitley Bay.
BELOW: From slightly further west, Backworth station (CP 13 Jun 1977) http://
/bit.ly/3KTRAII was here, two outer platforms when the layout was different.
BELOW: Northumberland Park T&W Metro stop looking west towards S
South Gosforth; the B&T platform will be on the right beyond the bridge.
BELOW: The T&W stop is left and the new 'heavyrail' platform will be on the rig
ght where the cutting embankment is. (All four Rodger Wilkinson, 9 Feb 2023.)
ABOVE: (Item 571.5) Current signs at Gateshead T&W Metro stop, Wot, No Airport? (Rodger Wilkinson, 9 Feb 2023.) BELOW: (Item 573) The Elizabeth line has reached Sheffield?
574] Tees Yard: (TRACKmaps 2 p46C 2020) ABOVE: Plan thanks to Martyn Brailsford. As Stage 1 of 3 of of the 'Tees Yard Abandonment Project', work was carried out in time for start of service Mon 20 Feb: The Down Engine Line (Down Loco Line on TRACKmaps) was recovered from 12m 66ch to 12m 70ch ….and both the Down and Up Engine/Loco Lines were recovered between 12m 74ch and 13m 5ch. Points 514 (middle * of top three) & 516 (left *) were plain lined and their point machines removed. ….In Stage 2, anticipated for the start of service on Mon 27 Feb the following work was carried out: Points 513A/B (the crossover between the Down and Up Engine Lines) were plain lined. At points ….513B (on the Down Engine Line - top right *), the point ends and point machine were removed; Points 512A/B (the crossover between the Up Engine Line and Up Goods N o 1) were plain lined. At ….At points 512B (on the Up Engine Line lowest *), the point ends and point machine were removed. 575] Ferriby: (BLN 1346.523) Northern is seeking a tenant to run 'The Old Ticket Office' café and shop here which had closed by Feb 2020. The Railway Heritage Trust would support restoration as the building is in a conservation area. Northern will fund refurbishment of the premises. Any takers? 576] A Middlesbrough fabrication: (BLN 1416.196) Work has started on the new ticket hall. The Tees Valley mayor claimed that British steel is being used for the £34M station upgrade 'made in Teesside' (questionable). The steel was indeed supplied by British Steel in Scunthorpe, now a Chinese-owned company. Fabrication of the beams and columns is by a local company but that is a thin justification. However, there is a picture of a stack of beams which must have been rolled in the Lackenby Beam Mill, as nowhere else in the country can do this now - but there is no mention of this in the press release! 80 years ago, almost everything would have been produced locally, including the iron ore. Only coal and limestone would have been brought in, from Durham and East Yorkshire respectively. The beams and columns will form part of the ticket hall, new staircase, wall structures and undercroft. The project is due to be completed in 2024 but it is just the rebuilding of the station building. There seems to be silence on the third phase of the project, the extra platform, required before a regular King's Cross service can be introduced; the present service is one train a day each way SSuX. 577] Bishop Auckland: Performance issues on this branch result in delays affecting the tight turnround time at Bishop Auckland compounding any delays. Modest track works and level crossing improvements will enable speeds to be raised on some sections per table. *Lower limit for freight in the Up direction. There are some minor differences between Up and Down directions. It reduces Up journey time by 30 sec, to 22 min, and by 1 min in the Down direction, to 21 min. The speeds will be implemented in Sep 2023 and take effect in the May 2024 timetable. From To Now Proposed 1m 02ch 1m 12ch 20 mph 35/45 mph 1m 12ch 4m 64ch 45 mph 40*/55 mph 8m 56ch 10m 67ch 45 mph 55 mph
BELOW: (Item 578) Progress at the new White Rose station, now under construction; the 11.49 Wigan Wallgate to Leeds passes. (Stuart Marshall, 23 Feb 2023.) It is taken from the west of the new station looking towards Leeds. The bases of the platforms are in place adjacent to each running line. The long 'tin shed' to the right is also part of the station - an access corridor (a very long walk to the other side of the line. INSET RIGHT: Impression of the station - they must expect mining subsidence to affect that block of flats
BELOW: (Item 578) On 19 Jan 2023 a Manchester Piccadilly to Newcastle TPE C
Class 802 heads away from Batley. (All Stuart Marshall.) NEXT: On 13 Feb 2023.
BELOW: Batley new station (curved platforms!) on 2 Feb; a train to Manchester.
NEXT: On 11 Feb, after the line closure, with a Leeds to Wigan Wallgate service.
578] Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU): ①On Sun 9 Apr (Easter) trains between Leeds and York divert via Castleford due to OHLE installation at Neville Hill. ②(BLN 1414.2866, photos e-BLN 1416 X.7) Thornhill LNW Jn to Copley Hill East Jn at Leeds was closed for nine days from Sat 4 until Sun 12 Feb inclusive for construction of the new Morley station and track remodelling to ease the 45/55 mph restriction (BLN 1402.1361) to 75 mph. There would have been work on White Rose station too. White Rose: By 2 Feb some supporting girders had been installed. On 14 Feb work was progressing on the platform structures, some decking had been installed, but not the final platform surfaces. Morley: By 2 Feb construction of the Up (westbound) platform had started, with platform nosings and some of the upper structure (platform rear walls) in place. Foundations for (presumably) the footbridge and lifts were in place. Work had yet to start on the Down (eastbound) platform. On 14 Feb the front walls of the new platforms and some of the rear walls had been installed. Batley: On 2 Feb the facing crossover for the future Batley East Jn (BLNs 1400.1104) at 35m 33ch was complete and lying beside the running lines, about a quarter to a third of a mile on the Leeds (north) side of Batley station. Surrounded by about 15-20 large lifting jacks, it was installed during the recent blockade (above) for future commissioning. It is on a straight section of track, so a standard design. If the crossover was on the curved section between Batley and Dewsbury, it would have been a bespoke design, with all the issues related to cost, maintenance and eventual renewal. The TRU website shows a blockade for installation of Batley East Jn (and presumably commissioning?) in June. Work was in progress on the footpath from the area east of Lady Anne Crossing to the new footbridge. Huddersfield: North of the station, work has started on a road underbridge to add a replacement deck for what will become the Fast Lines. Our member thinks this is the bridge over Red Doles Road. 579] Wakefield: On Thur 9 Feb the 11.17 Nottingham to Leeds departed 24 min late. At Meadowhall it was diverted from its booked Barnsley route via Moorthorpe and South Kirkby, presumably to make up time. The train ran via the middle road (Down Doncaster line) at Wakefield Westgate, overtaking the 12.15 Sheffield to Leeds which was in P2. All services are normally booked to call at Wakefield, being a large City and railhead for south of Leeds, so this is rare. It was only nine minutes late at Leeds. 580] Hull: On Mon 13 Feb West Coast Railways ran a 06.00 Carnforth Steamtown to Hull Paragon special. It arrived at 11.47 with 'Black 5' 44932 (branded 'Southern Railway' on the tender) hauling three Bulleid coaches (S2526S/S1482S/S1464S) and a BR Mk1 buffet car in Southern green livery from the Bluebell Railway (S1818S, previously M1818), with five maroon coaches and 47804 at the rear. It left as a 12.36 to Spring Bank North Jn (reverse) and Hessle East Jn Sidings (reverse again, turning the train), arriving back at Paragon at 13.33. The train was used for filming a London blitz drama set in 1942 with Paragon P2 & 3 masquerading as London Waterloo. One imagines that not many Black 5s visited Waterloo! Your NE Editor wondered if there were any available 'Bulleid' locomotives certified to run on NR. (With apologies to Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid CBE, CME of the Southern Railway 1937- 1948 and of CIÉ 1950-1958.) It is thought that three have main line certificates: Merchant Navy 35028 'Clan Line', although all of this class were rebuilt in the 1950s; West Country 34046 'Braunton' (rebuilt) and Battle of Britain 34067 'Tangmere' (not rebuilt). 35028 usually works some 'Surrey Hills' trips from Victoria but is at present laid up at Stewarts Lane. 34067 is normally based at Carnforth but has been substituting for 35028 on the Belmond tours so was unavailable. Thanks to Kevin Driscoll and Stuart Hicks for this loco information; it is not your NE Editor’s field! The train returned to Carnforth on Thur 16 Feb; https://bit.ly/3ILwxGQ has photos at Cross Gates. Paragon has featured in Series 3 (1991) Episode 4 of 'Poirot', 'The Plymouth Express'. Then P2 was Paddington P1 and (it is thought) also 'Bristol' (no suffix). The Station Hotel also made an appearance. 581] Hartlepool: ①(BLN 1416.201) A path for a train of tunnel segments, for HS2's Northolt Tunnels, was loaded into the system for 20 Feb: 4X51 19.32 Hartlepool Dock Area to Willesden Euroterminal 05.19; trailing load of 1,475 tonnes, 75mph max. It had quite an interesting route via Church Fenton, Gascoigne Wood, Hambleton South Curve, Lincoln, Finsbury Park, Copenhagen Jn, Camden Jn and Primrose Hill. The train didn't run and is just a provision for future test runs, ahead of traffic actually starting in April. ②The lift shafts for the access to the new P3 were installed overnight on 18-19 Feb
[BLN 1419]………. ABOVE: (Item 582) Commondale on the Whitby branch, the old bridge (with space for another track or two). Further on are the abutments of the branch to Commondale Brick & Pipe Company. LEFT: The new bridge in the other direction from the abutments of that industrial branch. (Both NR.) …….
582] Whitby branch: Over the 18-19 Feb weekend, NR replaced a 'centuries old' (sic) metal overbridge - well, 143 years! - just west of Commondale station. The press release photos show the abutments of another railway overbridge over the same road just to the north. It was the Commondale Brick & Pipe Co's Siding, listed in the 1956 Hand-Book of Stations. The 6'' map (1950) http://bit.ly/3Spmvym shows it and even a signal box at Commondale station (which a 'Quick' check shows was never a 'Halt'). The 6'' OS (1927) http://bit.ly/3xI4eTd shows a separate tramway (probably narrow gauge) north of the works with two branches, one to some clay pits and the other up an incline to a quarry on the moor. 583] Pelaw: (BLN 1372.660) The points for the line to Wardley (the remnant of the Leamside Line to Ferryhill) have been clamped out of use since the last train on the branch in Dec 2001. The signalled routes were later disconnected due to extensive vandalism. The line has been officially temporarily out of use since 9 May 2011. The most recent 'variation', of 8 Mar 2021, lapses on 20 Apr 2023. It is now proposed to extend this for a further two years, expiring on 20 Apr 2025. NR, NEXUS and Transport for the North East are reviewing the feasibility of reinstating the route to improve public transport to the Washington area. However, it is not near the present day centre of Washington; when the new town was planned in the 1960s, the railway was ignored. Extending T&W Metro to Washington and beyond (linking up to South Hylton) has been a long term ambition. There have also been ambitions to reopen the Leamside Line to relieve the ECML. This has come to nothing and would be extremely expensive. 584] Avenue Branch: On 29 Oct 1954 the late Queen Elizabeth red penned (or was it gold penned?) the line; the Royal Train hauled by 67689 & 67653 (LNER/BR V3 Class 2-6-2s) spent the night there. 585] Kirbymoorside: (BLN 1418.451) ❶Your NE Editor has failed his test to become a Station Master. He realises that he omitted to include the Kirbymoorside hand-signalmen in his total of staff on duty. The notice referred to 'hand-signalmen' (plural) there but surely only one person was needed to clip the facing points for the arriving train and exhibit a green flag to the driver? They could also have clipped the points at the other end of the loop as a precaution, as the train should not have run over them. This brings the number of staff to 29, each receiving 14 hours' pay for staffing a 24m 73ch route from Malton East signal box to Kirbymoorside - over one person per mile, excluding the train crew. ❷This excursion wasn't the last passenger train to Helmsley but it was the last excursion and was the final passenger train to/from Kirbymoorside. The final passenger train to Helmsley was the return of the Sunday School excursion to Scarborough on 27 Jul 1964, arriving back at 7.12pm (BLN 1285.1528). 586] Darlington: (BLN 1397.736.3) The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded £3,211,632 towards redevelopment of the Rail Heritage Quarter, the cluster of heritage buildings around the Head of Steam Museum and a community engagement programme to celebrate the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The funding will enable: ●A new experience in the restored Goods Shed, Museum, Carriage Works (!). ●A bespoke play facility designed to link with the heritage of the site. ●Animation of the whole site through digital means, including virtual and augmented reality. ●Restoration of the Grade II listed Lime Cells. ●Refurbishment of the Carriage Works building to create an exhibition space, open store and archive facility. The Head of Steam Museum, formerly the North Road station building, was handed over to the contractors a month late on 31 Jan for 18 months, for redevelopment to start. 587] Rossington: (TRACKmaps 2 p17C 2020) There has been no rail traffic from Rossington Eco-Power Environmental Ltd since Thur 15 Dec 2022. Previously there were regular outward trains of inert waste to Roxby Gullet on the 4¼ mile branch running north from Trent Jn at Scunthorpe. The last train into Rossington Colliery Jn run round loop was UK Railtours' Fri 30 Dec 2022 'Awkward Week Adventurer', which reached the end of the headshunt - an unadvertised on the day surprise. It is understood that services are currently suspended due to operational issues and should restart in the next few months. 1419 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected] 588] Oxford Road: A one way passenger system has been instigated. Those exiting continue to use the ticket gate line and main station entrance, while passengers entering the station are directed to the normally locked gate at the side of the station building onto P4. A gazebo has been erected at the gate to provide shelter for two members of staff who check tickets. If you want to do the gate, it is believed to be temporary due to problems with the ticket gates but staff don't know how long this will be for.
589] Sough Tunnel: (BLN 1403.1485) By John Harrison (member 868). Sources of information: Verbal reports by my mother at the time, Lancashire Telegraph, Blackburn Fire History, railcar.co.uk website, Blackburn's Railways in the 1950s and 60s by Stuart Taylor, published by Foxline, and Ministry of Transport report of an accident at Sandridge on 12 Jun 1968 involving a Class 112 DMU fire. The 2,015yd long Sough Tunnel (18m 73ch to 17m 61ch - miles from Manchester Victoria) on the Blackburn to Bolton line is on the northern approach to the summit at Waltons Sidings (17m 50ch; 737ft above sea level). The gradient from Blackburn starts at 1:100, increasing to 1:75 around the former Hoddlesden Jn (21m 17ch). Except through Darwen station, the gradient continues through the tunnel to the summit. You could see through the tunnel from the seats behind the driver on a first generation DMU but it is not straight and has a kink. Light from the distant portal veers from side to side somewhere north of halfway; I was told that it was due to a surveying error during construction! In 1967 my mother commuted daily from our home in Nelson to Manchester Victoria, where she was a student at a teacher training college. On 4 Oct 1967 she was travelling in the front car of the 08.30 Blackburn to Manchester Victoria DMU which caught fire shortly after entering Sough Tunnel. It was still double track then. My mother's recollection was that the fire started in the rear car; passengers in the rear car escaped into the front car and all escaped at the south (Waltons Sidings) end of the tunnel. She and other passengers spent some time in Waltons Sidings signal box and were eventually rescued by another DMU, which arrived from the Bolton direction and took them on to Manchester. 'Blackburn Fire History' and the 'Lancashire Telegraph' report passengers escaping at the north (Spring Vale) end of the tunnel and being taken by bus back to Blackburn. Eight people, four of whom were railway staff, were taken to hospital suffering from the effects of fumes. Firemen had to lay three quarters of a mile of hose from the water supply to the burning DMU. They worked in waist deep mud to quench the flames and wore breathing apparatus because of the heat and flames. Blackburn's Railways in the 1950s and 60 reports that the railcar slipped and slithered all the way up the bank, struggled on into Sough Tunnel, then disaster struck…. the cardan shaft came adrift and ruptured the fuel tank. The train was formed of 2-car Class 112 mechanical Cravens M51705/24. The fire was so intense that the sole bars in the middle on the units melted, causing the unit to sag; they were cut up at nearby Spring Vale by Apr 1968 (railcar.co.uk.) Although a MoT accident investigation was not carried out, Sough Tunnel and another fire at Bay Horse south of Lancaster on 19 Jan 1967, were reported in the 1967 annual report. They were also referred to in a MoT accident report into a further fire at Sandridge near St Albans on 12 Jun 1968 in which two passengers died and a further ten were injured. This report describes the transmission system of the Class 112: Each car has a single Rolls Royce 238hp engine driving the inner axle of the bogie at the end remote from the driving cab through a transmission system including a fluid flywheel, free wheel mechanism, air-operated 4-speed epicyclic gearbox and an axle mounted final drive unit. The drive is carried from the gearbox, which is secured to the underframe by a three point suspension, to the final drive by means of a cardan shaft passing through what is, in effect, a tunnel formed in the main fuel tank, which is of saddle formation with legs descending on each side of the shaft. Whatever the circumstances, a failure of a part of the mechanical transmission of a DMU powercar should not lead, as in this case, to a serious fire involving fatalities. That it did so on this occasion must be ascribed to the bad design of the vehicle. The report concludes, on this particular design of powercar, fitted with only one engine and transmission, there seems no justification for this location of the main fuel tank, requiring as it does a complicated design of tank, when there was enough space at the other end of the underframe, between the engine and the non-driven bogie, for a simple rectangular tank of adequate capacity. The British Railways Board accepted the need for these fuel tanks to be relocated in a less vulnerable position. By Aug 1969 this modification had been completed on all except one of the power cars of this type to be retained in service. 590] Widnes: OP 1 Aug 1874 by the CLC as Farnworth for Widnes. It became Farnworth for Appleton in 1914/15, Farnworth Widnes in 1938/39, Widnes North in 1959 and finally Widnes in 1968! (Quick) An old Farnworth Widnes station sign is behind the station building on Liverpool bound Down P1.
BELOW: (Item 590) A former station sign on Widnes P1 (to Liverpoo
ol) lurking behind the station building. (John Cameron, 13 Feb 2023.)
BELOW: This sign on Station Road bridge at Sankey for Penketh is not all it's cr