1419

racked up to be - for transcription see item 561. (John Cameron, 13 Feb 2023.)

BELOW: (Item 561) the fine (but disused and empty) CLC building on P1

1 - to Liverpool - at Sankey for Penketh. (John Cameron, 13 Feb 2023.)

BELOW: (item 595) The Oldham side abutment of the former Park Bridge Via

aduct (sic - nice one!) over the River Medlock. (John Cameron, 30 Apr 2020.)

X.21] BELOW: The Up side wires were down at Cheadle Hulme North Jn - looki

ing towards Stockport and Manchester. (Ian Mortimer, 14.22 on 21 Feb 2023.)

591] Signs of the times: Since Warrington West OP 15 Dec 2019, Sankey for Penketh 43ch to the west, OP 1 May 1874 by Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC), is only served SuX by one train each way morning and evening. Signs have been erected at the station entrances directing pedestrians to Warrington West. There are two rather older cast iron signs on Station Road bridge over the railway: NOTICE. Pursuant to the provisions of the Act of Parliament 24 and 25 Vic Cap 70 The Cheshire Lines Committee being liable for the repair of this bridge hereby give notice that the same is insufficient to carry weights beyond the ordinary traffic of the district and particularly that it is insufficient for the carriage of traction or other locomotive engines drawing propelling or carrying an excessive weight within the meaning of the Highways and Locomotives Amendment Act 1879 as amended by the Locomotives Act 1898. By Order. The CLC station building is on P1 (to Liverpool) but appears disused. Although officially Sankey for Penketh (Michael Quick agrees), some station signs and on board announcements on Northern trains that call there refer to just Sankey (also per current Sectional Appendix). However, the Northern timetable PDF has 'Sankey for Penketh' in the timetable banks and route diagram, so that's what it is! 592] Carnforth: (BLN 1415.67) (TRACKmaps 4 p31B 2022) As at Mon 27 Feb, between Lancaster and Carnforth all trains still used N o 1 Up & Down Goods Loop both ways as described in BLN 1415.67. 593] Wennington: (BLN 1418.455) On P2 (to Lancaster), closed since 13 Jan, repairs to the footbridge staircase finally began on 18 Feb. Replacement buses were shown until, and including, Sun 9 Mar with a single to Lancaster on National Rail website £26.80 before Railcard (a Lancashire Day Ranger). In fact, it is £7.40 before the increase! Travel has also been possible by train doubling back at Bentham from Wennington (to Carnforth etc) or at Carnforth from the Skipton direction back to Wennington. Replacement buses (which are doing very nicely out of this, thank you) ran Bentham - Wennington - Lancaster - Carnforth then ECS to Bentham. Wennington to Lancaster, where most people go, 26 min by train, took 30 min by bus but Carnforth was 55 min by bus compared with the normal 16 by train! 594] Headbolt Lane: (BLN 1418.466) The situation changed after this went out. Buses did run between Rainford and Kirkby from Mon 13 until Fri 17 Feb (inclusive) only. However, buses are still also shown in the new timetable SuX (service is SuX) from 22 May until 22 Jul. From Mon 24 Jul DMUs from the Wigan Wallgate direction are shown turning back at Headbolt Lane, suggesting that is the planned date of opening of its DMU served P3. (TRACKmaps 4 p40A 2022 has the full layout.) A further closure of Kirkby - Rainford is shown from Good Friday 7 Apr until Fri 28 Apr. Of note on Fri 28 & Sat 29 Apr, EMUs are also replaced by buses between Moorfields and Kirkby, so there are no trains at Kirkby on 28th and (subject to further changes) just DMUs on Sat 29th. Any member who has not done the line through the site of the new Headbolt Lane station had better get their skates on before it is severed! 595] Oldham: The Council has approved plans for a £5M foot and cycle bridge over the River Medlock at the location of the former 9 arch, 200yd long, Park Bridge Viaduct (sic), which carried the Oldham, Ashton & Guide Bridge Junction Railway line (1861-1968, RIP). The viaduct was demolished in 1971. The new 420ft long, 16ft wide bridge with room for separate cycle and walking lanes, will be 100ft above the ground at its maximum. Linking both sides of the former trackbed, it will be built from steel girders which weather over the years to give an 'industrial look' in line with the borough's heritage. Park Bridge was the site of an extensive rail-served iron works and there is a visitor centre to explain the industrial heritage. Now the snag; it is unfunded. Oldham Council will apply for money for the bridge from the Greater Manchester Mayor's Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund. The proposals will be considered by Tameside Council, as one side of the valley is in Oldham and the other is in Tameside. 596] NIMBYs will clutch at any straws: Campaigners against the opening of the new rail served deep coal mine at Woodhouse, near Whitehaven, have said that the water in Whitehaven Harbour turning bright orange is evidence that permission for the mine should be overturned! Orange coloured water is entering the Harbour from a culvert in Queens Dock. It is thought that it may come from old mine workings disturbed by onshore and offshore boreholes to assess coal samples. The Coal Authority say that initial chemistry of the water suggests it is not coming from the local historic coal mines and that there are other potential sources of iron rich, orange water in the area [such as old iron ore mines].

597] Merseyrail Class 777 EMUs: A review by member Tim Hall-Smith. On Mon 23 Jan the new fleet finally entered service with 777049 on the 10.50 Liverpool Central to Kirkby. I avoided the first day. On Tue 31 Jan I had to go to Liverpool so, on the way home, took the chance to try out the new trains. At Liverpool Central I assumed that I would have to wait a good while for a '777' to show up as the day before the Kirkby service had been reduced, until further notice, from four to three trains an hour. (The fourth path is used for crew training, until the evening half-hourly service starts after 19.00.) However, I was in luck as the next Kirkby service at 12.50, which I had expected to be a '507' or '508', was 777049 which glided out of the dark tunnel into P1. They are very quiet and you hardly hear them coming. It was not my first encounter with these new trains; I looked round the inside of 777010 when it was on static display at Southport station on 23 Oct 2021. This time I was going to ride on one… My first initial impression of the 12.50 to Kirkby was good, loads of space down the open gangways and nice that you can see through the whole train from end to end. They are very light and airy; I sat in a bay of four and legroom between seats was very good, way better than on a 507/508. A nice feature for our members is that you have a good view out of the windows. I found it hard to get comfortable in the seats, particularly the base, which I found to be really hard. I wouldn't like to do Southport to Hunts Cross on one! Maybe just it's me or they need time to bed in but by Kirkby, 19 minutes later, I was glad to alight - even if it was only for about 3-4 mins while the driver changed ends. I find the Northern Class 195 seats hard and these, to me, were similar although the backrest was adequate and a big improvement on the previous trains. [Try an IET or Class 387 seat; Tim, the 195s are luxurious!] The doors are on timers so close automatically after a certain interval like the Northern Class 195s. Missing is the air tank pumping up as on a '508' and all the other nostalgic clicks and odd noises that the old units make. Departure was very smooth and very quiet; from the inside you hardly feel as if you are moving, acceleration is very good and noticeable and the climb out of Moorfields up to Sandhills was with ease as if it was flat. A nice feature was the moving map, strategically placed for wide visibility; it shows where the train is. Approaching a station, the screens above the doors show which side the doors open and on the other side of the train it says door opens on the opposite side. In platforms multicolour displays above the doors indicate which station it is and the facilities there; although I am colour blind (like 8% of men and 0.5% of women), so it didn't help me but a nice touch. A slide out section allows gapless level access to/from platforms. The Wi-Fi was easy to access once we were out in the open. Overall ride quality was very good and smooth, no noise - but where the track was a bit rough (just outside Kirkby on the return), the train only had a very slight pitch and roll to it. Until training is complete on the line, Kirkby will be served by old and new trains and Class 777s were not used on Sundays at first. All Class 777s have small batteries for shunting in non-electrified sidings. Class 777/1s have larger batteries for passenger service on non-electrified lines (eg to Headbolt Lane). 598] Liverpool Central: Work to accommodate the new Class 777 EMUs, delayed from Dec due to industrial action, has taken place. It increased the usable platform lengths and includes new crew walkways each end of the island platform, signal relocation (including the Up side Reversing Siding at the Hunts Cross end) and a new 'OFF' indicator at the centre of P2. In the Reversing Siding, the starting signal was moved and raised,a new buffer stop fitted and trap points removed,with Train Stop Sensors and Train Protection & Warning System installed. Liverpool Central P1 & 2 (not 3) were closed 22.00 Sun 26 Feb until end of service Wed 1 Mar. Southport and Ormskirk services ran to Moorfields with Leeds Street Jn trailing crossover in use on departure and the bidirectional Up line from Moorfields in the Down direction. Kirkby services ran to Sandhills with buses between Moorfields and Hunts Cross. 599] Hope Valley: (BLN 1416.215) The first 340m of track for the new Bamford loop has been laid. From 13 Feb new facing points were installed but not commissioned in the Up Main (162m 35ch) near Bamford station. Detection will be provided to the signaller at Earles Sidings box. Over 700m of track has been laid at Dore & Totley this year where a bridge has also been extended for redoubling. 600] Rochdale: The local Council has submitted a planning application (to itself?) to improve the area around the station. A new public square, 1,000 new homes and a new green space are included. The disused platforms are a new 'pocket park'. If planning is approved, work should start later in 2023.

PREVIOUS/TO FOLLOW: (Item 597) A trip on a new Merseyrail Class 777 EMU -

- see text for derails. (All Tim Hall-Smith https://bit.ly/3SLQ1OK 31 Jan 2023.)

601] 'E' for excluded? E-scooters were banned from all Merseyrail trains and stations from 30 Jan. They already are on TfL, LNER, Northern, Avanti, TPE and others. This is due to fears over the 'volatile' nature of their batteries after several serious incidents elsewhere. It does not affect mobility scooters, electric mobility aids, or E-bikes, which are regulated, so are not considered to be a fire risk. 602] Metrolink: (BLN 1418.465) During the 18-19 Feb weekend closure from Crumpsall (exclusive) to Bury, a temporary beam support was installed in Whitefield Tunnel, which has required much work. 603] It's quicker by train! Northern is advertising the time that commuters can save by taking the train to work instead of driving [and they can fiddle with their devices on the journey, read or sleep]. Northern has calculated that it is 71 min per day quicker to commute from Bolton to Manchester by rail. The next biggest time saving in the North West is Rochdale to Manchester, at 59 min. However, the biggest differential of all is found on the other side of the Pennines, where it is 96 min per day quicker to commute from Keighley to Leeds by rail, 59 from Ilkley to Leeds and 49 from York to Leeds. 604] Collyhurst Street: The once regular GBRf flow of inert waste, ultimately for Roxby Gullet, has petered out. It ran just once in Nov and Dec, then the latest working was 19 Jan departing 23.07. 605] Hattersley: (You don't have to be mad to use this station.) Recent improvements include a new waiting area with workspaces and seating, a fully accessible toilet with baby changing*, grab rails and an audio description for the visually impaired. Hattersley recorded 110,000 passengers in 2019-20. *Anyone who is fed up with their excessively noisy baby and wants a quiet one - now is your chance. 606] HS0: 'The Times' reports yet another HS2 review amid mounting political pressure to reduce costs by cutting or delaying phases. Options include delaying the project and/or scrapping branches to East Midlands Parkway and Crewe to Manchester and/or delaying the section from Old Oak Common to Euston. The newspaper states that the present Prime Minister is believed to want to reduce public subsidies to the railways, having voiced concern about trains 'carrying fresh air around the country'. 1419 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected] PLEASE USE GENERIC EMAIL ADDRESS (ABOVE) DUE TO CURRENT HOLIDAYS 607] Cambridge: The non-platform bidirectional Through Line was available over the weekend of 18&19 Feb. West Coast Railways ran 47813 'Top & Tail' with 47815 on 10 Mk2 coaches with First Class between Liverpool Street and Peterborough. Chartered by NR, they compensated for the closure of the ECML south of St Neots and the WCML Wigan NW - Lancaster. Quite how passengers were expected to know of them, as they were not publicly advertised and Liverpool Street normally never has direct services to Peterborough and the ECML, is unclear. Sources indicated that they were to be operated on the same basis as the WCML extra trains for the Queen's funeral (tickets not checked). However, barriers were in operation each end. On the Fri morning, these trains were not in the LNER Journey Planner. A member received a call from an old friend who he hadn't seen for years, asking if he would like to join him on a round trip. On Saturday morning, the trains were in the journey planner so he bought a ticket (£26 day return with railcard) and selected the 12.36 from Peterborough. Hey presto! The ticket - although an open ticket - actually showed the journey to Liverpool Street! Sat 18th :●09.52 Liverpool St (LS) to Peterborough (PB) was booked to use Cambridge Through Line throughout but ran through P1&4 instead due to a conflicting Up departure from P8 (booked P3). ●12.35 PB to LS did Cambridge Through Line and also Up Fast (UF) to Up Main (UM) at Bethnal Green. ●15.22 LS to PB tool the Down Main to Down Fast at Bethnal Green, then oddly, the Down Fast to Down Suburban at Hackney Downs South Jn and the Through Line at Cambridge. Sun 19th : ●13.30 PB to LS had a crew change at Cambridge P7 and did UF to UM at Bethnal Green. ●16.30 LS to PB: Bethnal Green DM to DF, Broxbourne Dn Passenger Loop & Cambridge Through Line. All the services used the rare March Independent Line to/from P4 at Peterborough. They were quite well loaded, especially into London, but less so northbound. By all accounts tickets were not easy to source and most ticket offices were telling passengers to use the buses, unaware of these trains. On platform monitors, they were shown as 'charters' (sort of correct - 'Z' headcodes) and announced as such - at Liverpool Street on Saturday morning 'for special ticket holders'. Only later did word seem to filter through to platform staff what was going on so they could start directing people to them!

608] Wixams: (BLN 1408.2158) LEFT: Concept plan of the new station, thanks to Martyn Brailsford. The Down Slow platform will be between that track and the Up Slow but not close enough to serve it (and fenced on the side next to the Up Slow). The authority is due to put £26M towards the £39M cost of the station. No questions or comments on the plans were put forward at the meeting but councillors made recommendations to address bus use and car parking. Opening in Dec 2024 is suggested! 609] Harlow Mill: The Down Goods Loop is OOU with part of the south end inlet points plain lined. 610] East West Rail (EWR): (BLN 1418.472) ❶No operator has been selected for the new service between Oxford, Bletchley and Milton Keynes and this may delay introduction beyond the late 2024 or early 2025 dates EWR has given for completion of works. Chiltern is the likely candidate using six 2-car Class 196 DMU from West Midlands Trains. An urgent DfT decision is required to avoid delay. ❷The Aylesbury link is actually included in the EWR Transport & Works Act Order but it does not pass the DfT's affordability criteria currently. NR is working on trying to descope the project to make it affordable but, if work on the ground does not start at the beginning of 2025 the legal powers to construct it will expire. Note that HS2 (via NR) is already committed to reinstating the 7¼ mile line from Quainton Road to the replacement terminal for the former Calvert waste transfer station. Its site on the west of the line was required for HS2 construction. The proposed layout for the new terminal (on the east side of the line) is shown on TRACKmaps 4 p15C 2022 (as Greatmoor Goods). Access would be via the new Greatmoor South Jn (159m 50ch) at the Aylesbury end and Greatmoor North Jn at 158m 76ch at the north end. Between them, on the opposite side of the line, is the site of Grendon Underwood Jn at 159m 10ch. Allowing for a north headhunt, barely two miles of additional track would need to be reinstated to Claydon Jn, plus the actual junction itself, to allow passenger trains to run between Aylesbury and Milton Keynes. No doubt more expensive signalling will be needed and possibly alterations to Aylesbury Vale Parkway to make it into a through station. If provision is not made in EWR signalling at Claydon Jn then the scheme will be dead. NR's Joint Sponsor Lead, Peter Hume, said the company is 'not giving up' on the link between Aylesbury and the main part of EWR. ❸A member enjoyed a pleasant cycle ride on Tue 7 Feb of about 10 miles each way eastwards from Bicester to see progress. From Launton Road Bridge (SP 603 230) on the east side of Bicester (just off the A4421), it is possible to see the A4421 overbridge just to the west with double track laid in both directions. Work appears to be essentially completed. At Launton station site (617 235), the crossing has been replaced, by a new overbridge and double track is in situ. At 627 238 the underbridge has also been replaced although it is still height restricted. The footbridge at 661 250 on a bridleway has been replaced by a new green structure. Next road overbridge at 674 254, north of Charndon, was more interesting with work still underway and the formation nearly ready for track laying. This bridge was still in use, with baffles erected each side to discourage photography! A little further east (681 256) is HS2, much more complicated! EWR is being raised in the vicinity (and the road lowered) to cross HS2 just to the east. The parapets of both bridges are in situ but much work is needed to both, the new roadway and the rest of the earthworks in the vicinity before either track can be laid. Leaving the course of EWR, our keen cyclist continued along the road through Calvert (688 247) where HS2 heads northwest and the site is a massive muddy mess, then finally towards Steeple Claydon on the section east of HS2 towards Bletchley. A substantial new overbridge (695 259) is being built, with probably room for four tracks. The former railway course towards Winslow was not at all clear here. Returning to the A4421 overbridge on the east of Bicester, Launton Road bridge can be seen along with the footbridge (598 228) just west, surprisingly well used, with four people passing in the brief time he was there. From it, the lit red colour light signal protecting Gavray Jn (Bicester) could be seen.

611] Bedford to Bletchley - it gets worse: (BLN 1418.472) West Midlands Trains, the parent company of the line's operator London Northwestern Railway, recently said that the Class 230 DEMUs will not be used again. Apart from the fact that they were leased from, and maintained by, Vivarail (unlike the TfW and SWR versions which are TOC owned and maintained), they were unreliable. On average three engines needed changing every week. Also, the operator doesn't have access to the required technical information to take over maintenance. Another problem is the short platforms on this line along with the level crossing and signal positions, which mean the maximum train length that can operate is 40m. The existing West Midlands DMUs (Class 170, 172&196) are all longer. The only stock deemed suitable is a 2-car Class 150 DMU (three required with one spare), as worked the line before the Class 230s were introduced in 2019. As a result, buses are expected to replace trains until the autumn at least. Trains were withdrawn abruptly at 16.38 on 1 Dec 2022 when Vivarail went into administration. 612] Whittlesford Parkway: Starting 6 Mar, in a £500k project, the canopy will be stripped back to its timbers and refurbished and the station building improved. A temporary ticket office will be provided. 613] Now it Can be Told (70) the sequel: (BLN 1417.345) A member who found this item fascinating and humorous has provided some additional insight into the signalling. Intermediate Block Home and associated Distant signals were provided between the following boxes: (1) Shippea Hill - Lakenheath, one set on the Down. (2) Lakenheath - Brandon, one set on the Down, one set on the Up. (3) Brandon - Thetford, one set on the Up. (4) Thetford - Harling Road, one set on the Down. The extra signals were commissioned (exact date unknown) at about the time of the closure of the majority of the ex-Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway system (2 Mar 1959), for Summer Saturday extra holiday trains rerouted to and from Yarmouth Vauxhall instead of Yarmouth Beach (which had closed). Mention of Chivers Automatic Half Barrier level crossing (78m 54ch) is a reminder of when it was just an Occupation Level Crossing on a rough road track leading to and from a farm, its associated buildings and a few cottages. It was notorious for frequent misuse by drivers of road vehicles who, having found the gates open, simply went across without bothering to close the gates behind them. In Apr 1957 a woman and her two sons were tragically killed when she drove straight over the open crossing into the path of a steam hauled passenger train. In Dec 1970 a DMU struck a lorry on the crossing in thick fog and sadly the driver of the train was killed. As a result, British Railways Board authorised installation of telephones connected to Shippea Hill signal box (77m 17ch) to enable all drivers of vehicles traversing the crossing to seek permission from the signalman before doing so. Appropriate very clear signs instructing users as to what action they should take were provided either side of the crossing. However, the standard of obedience did not improve; in fact it worsened. It was only a matter of time before another serious accident occurred, which duly took place at about 16.33 on 3 Dec 1976. A lorry, loaded with crates of washed carrots, in fog and approaching darkness, drove on to the crossing without ascertaining from the signalman if it was safe to cross, and was hit by the 15.35 Norwich to Birmingham 3-car DMU travelling at about 50mph. The lorry driver escaped injury but the entirely innocent DMU driver was killed instantly, and eight of the 94 passengers were injured, one seriously. The lorry driver was tried on charges of manslaughter and, while his plea of not guilty was accepted, he was nevertheless given a six months suspended prison sentence and fined £100. Major PM Olver's Report on the accident, for the Railway Inspectorate, was dated 16 Mar 1978. It included details of the immediate action that was taken to prevent further accidents at the crossing. Although the BR Board had no statutory obligations to do so, it was accepted on safety grounds that the most appropriate protection for an open crossing was steady amber and twin red flashing traffic light road traffic signals. Passenger trains also then reduced speed on each approach to 35mph and freight trains to 20mph. It is thought that a temporary maximum speed of 20mph for all trains was imposed until the road traffic signals were installed - the date of which is not known. In 2023 this private crossing has automatic half barriers with road traffic light signals and audible alarms; line speed is 75mph. On average 65 trains per day, 82 road vehicles plus three pedestrians or cyclists use the crossing. There have been no accidents, near misses or misuse in the last eight years. However, it is 'Category 6' (Moderate) risk because of the many HGVs and sun glare in The Fens.

614] Luton DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit): (BLN 1415.90) First public running is Fri 10 Mar, initially for four hours a day. Some holders of tickets for the bus shuttle will be invited to try the new service at no extra change. It is expected to be in full 24-hour commercial service at the end of Mar and replace the buses. The single fare (no returns) for 1⅓ miles will be £4.90 for a 4 min journey, compared with £2.50 for the bus which takes 8 min. At £3.70 a mile, this makes it more expensive than Heathrow Express (only £1.50 a mile). This is justified on the basis that, with a cheap Advance Ticket on EMR, London will be reached for £10 in 32 min! English Concessionary Pass holders travel free (is this after 09.30?). On Wed 15 Feb a member was among volunteers attending a testing session. They were given scripts to follow, according to their designated passenger profile. He was, at first, a stressed traveller (has he just discovered the cost?), then a passenger with the wrong ticket and lastly, a curious passenger. In the briefing they were told that Oscar-winning performances were not necessary. Just as well, as he has never enjoyed rôle playing. On his final outbound journey, the shuttle was halted en route to simulate a failure. They were assured over the PA that technicians were busy solving the problem as the other shuttle continued to ply back and forth on the other track. After a while they moved slowly forward to the Central Terminal stop, where the unit was put out of service. Before our member had a chance to board the other shuttle back to Luton Airport Parkway, there was an announcement that the terminal was being evacuated. So ended his fun on the DART as the volunteers were bussed back. 615] Oxford - Hanborough: On the evening of Fri 10 Feb, a superficial part of the Up side, Oxford end, wing wall of the B4449 Yarnton Road overbridge at 67m 63ch collapsed onto the North Cotswold Line which is single track here. There was some embankment slippage. In the dark, the 17.34 Paddington to Hereford hit the rubble and was disabled, a rescue train eventually took the passengers onwards. From early afternoon Sat 11th, once the stricken train had received first aid and moved to Worcester at 35mph, train services from Worcester ran as far as Moreton-in-Marsh. After clearing the line and installing concrete Jersey Barriers (those low portable self supporting modules) at the site, trains passed from about 16.00 Sun with a watchman on site. Further slippage occurred, closing the line again and exposing a gas main. From Tue 14 Feb services from Worcester ran to Charlbury where rail replacement coaches cannot access the station due to a restricted bridge. Passenger to/from Oxford and beyond were advised to change at Kingham. A few Hereford/Worcester services were diverted via Stroud to/from Paddington, as normally happens if the North Cotswold like is closed. If it is ad hoc, they have been known to run non-stop between Worcester Shrub Hill and Reading even. For preplanned diversions they sometimes serve a few intermediate stations such as Cheltenham, Stroud and /or Swindon. As well as providing a few through trains, this allows servicing and refuelling of the IETs. A member was on the 08.13 Shrub Hill to Paddington, first stop Swindon (for a crew change). Despite repeated announcements from the train manager that it was NOT going via Evesham, four passengers still expected to travel to Pershore, two of whom were hiding in the lavatory without tickets! Very widespread ticket acceptance was in place with West Midlands Railway and Avanti via New Street to Euston or Chiltern and Snow Hill/Moor Street to Marylebone; travel was allowed via CrossCountry and other GWR routes. By Thur 16 Feb trains were extended to Hanborough, following which a generally good and full service was provided. The bus from there to Oxford took 30 mins compared with 10 min on the train. NR and Balfour Beatty designed and (from 17th) installed sheet piling to support the embankment and road making it safe to undertake long term repairs. Self retaining soil nails were also installed into the embankment. After the 11 day closure, normal service resumed from the start of Wed 22 Feb, with a 20mph Emergency Speed Restriction past the site. 616] Princes Risborough - Aylesbury: (BLN 1418.473) After repairs to the culvert before Aylesbury, HS2 aggregate traffic actually resumed on 7 Feb. There was a light engine to Quainton HS2 Railhead Terminal on 6 Feb which brought out a set of empty wagons that had been trapped since the line first closed on 26 Jan. All freight is now being loaded to RA8 (Route Availability 8 = 22.8 tonnes or less axle loading) so wagons are probably only about ¾ full. Previously the JNA box wagons were loaded to 75 tonnes (RA10 = 25.2 tonnes or less axle loading); the wagon tare weight is 24.2 tonnes so RA10 gross weight is 99.2 tonnes. The maximum gross weight of these wagons loaded is 101.5 tonnes.

BELOW: A photo from Keith (well, Greg Beecroft actually) - a telegraph run n

near Keith on 27 Feb 2019 is it still there or is there any other along this line?

X.22] BELOW: Amersham, near the station, a half sized model on rare track at O

Oakfield Corner, HP6 5BU. When is the tour, Kev? (Bruce Glenister, 24 Feb 2023.)

617] Fewer lines at Reedham Jn: Not recorded in BLN, the Feb 2020 Wherry Lines resignalling from Norwich to Yarmouth and Lowestoft saw the end of the once ubiquitous lineside telegraph poles and copper wire runs there. Latterly they were still at Reedham Junction at least. In 2017 BLN reported that the 66 mile run from Inverurie to Forres was being replaced by a new ground level cable. It was the last run of any great length but incomplete. North of Insch had as many as 12 wires and most poles had four crossbars each with two rows of insulators. Has it all gone or was that just on the resignalled section then? There was some near Keith in 2019. The longest section of traditional pole run in the country now is probably Tenterden Town to Bodiam (10¾ miles) on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. 1419 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected] PLEASE USE GENERIC EMAIL ADDRESS (ABOVE) DUE TO CURRENT HOLIDAYS 618] Winchfield - Hook: (BLN 1418.468) Four track running resumed with reopening of the Fast Lines from 06.00 Wed 23 Feb after 'hook up' of the original alignments. De-slewing was completed in overnight possessions without a significant line closure and the full timetable resumed Fri 24 Feb. 619] Don't touch the tickets! The Transport Secretary has announced an extension of contactless payments in South East England. The use of contactless bank cards for travel has soared since its launch in London in 2014 and to about 60,000,000 journeys a month now on TfL Underground, buses and trains. Many single fares will be almost halved as a result, according to the DfT. Publicly owned operator LNER has trialled single leg pricing on some routes since 2020. The DfT says it will consider rolling out the system across the network depending on the result of the extended pilot scheme. 620] West Worthing: (BLN 1411.2512) At 20.33 on Tue 1 Feb 2022, a passenger train travelling at approximately 33 mph, struck a train driver who had previously exited the cab of a train, which was stationary in West Worthing Middle Siding. The driver suffered injuries that were immediately fatal. It was dark at the time of the accident and the crew in the moving train were initially unaware that they had struck a person. When the stationary train in the middle siding did not leave at its scheduled departure time, the signaller attempted to contact the driver. The signaller could not get a response, so instructed the next train on an adjacent line to stop alongside the stationary train and to contact the driver. The driver of this third train found the driver who had been struck. RAIB determined that, before leaving the stationary train in the middle siding, the driver did not tell his guard or the signaller that he intended to do so. He also did not request that trains on the adjacent lines be stopped. RAIB was unable to establish why the driver left his train cab. However, in considering only factors relating to railway safety, RAIB concluded that the driver was unlikely to have accidentally fallen out of the cab or left it intentionally for a work related reason and that he most probably exited the train for a personal reason. This may have been to urinate or to smoke a cigarette, possibly in the belief that it was safe for him to be outside of his train. The driver then entered the path of the approaching train. He may have done this inadvertently after a loss of balance or while trying to regain his feet following a fall from the cab access steps or a loss of footing on ballast. He may also have slipped or tripped on a wooden conductor rail protection board that had been left detached on the track for many years. 621] Plumstead Yard: (TRACKmaps 5 p3 2019) The non-electrified sidings immediately east of the station (north of the three third rail carriage sidings) have reportedly been secured by Cappagh for use as an aggregate terminal. Once a goods yard, latterly they were an Elizabeth line construction base.Cappagh is a construction,highways and utilities group which also owns DCRail (one word). 622] Its cheaper by train … on Mondays and Fridays: Southern is trialling discounted peak tickets for London bound commuters, to try to increase passenger numbers at the start and end of the working week back to midweek levels. About 40,000 fewer people catch trains operated by Southern and its sister companies Thameslink and Great Northern on Monday mornings than Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On Fridays there are about 90,000 fewer morning rush hour journeys than midweek. Govia Thameslink Railway said morning peak commuter figures were about 70% of pre-pandemic levels overall. Southern is offering 15% off some Advance peak tickets from stations Chichester to Eastbourne and north as far as Three Bridges for journeys to/from East Croydon, Clapham Junction and Victoria. It is also setting up a loyalty card scheme; benefits include free coffee and cinema tickets.

623] Ryde - Shanklin: (BLN 1417.361) ❶IOW Radio has reported delays to the Pier work due to bad weather in Dec and Jan [hardly unusual!], which caused safety concerns and delayed the installation of scaffolding, so work had to temporarily be paused. SWR is to begin platform improvements along with track maintenance at Ryde Esplanade, as part of the joint project. Ryde Esplanade - St Johns Road is due to close for this work from Mon 13 Mar and reopen by Sat 1 Apr. Despite the revised timescales, SWR says that it will still operate two trains per hour all day between Ryde Esplanade and Shanklin from Sun 2 Apr, a long term franchise commitment. A minibus on the pier will continue to connect with trains. When Ryde Pier reopens, now expected on 22 May (per National Rail website), running two trains will require one each hour to turn back at Esplanade to Shanklin. The loop (Brading) is in the wrong place and Class 484s are unable to do the 8m 29ch run in 30 min with all the station stops - unlike the 80 year old units they replaced! 484005 failed on 23 Nov 2022 and has not moved since. ❷(BLN 1417.361) The Ryde Pier shuttle may have ceased regular operation on 12 Jan 1991 but it did continue on and off for long after. The following, abridged from 'Wight Report', autumn 1997, (No 114) clarifies the situation to some degree. Our member has kindly spoken to Richard Newman who compiled the report in question and has also been in touch with an Island Line employee. Ryde Pier N o 2 Road reopened, Saturdays only, from 5 Jul 1997 until 30 Aug that year for the pier shuttle service. Unit 004 ran on 5 Jul 1997; the service had been due to restart on 28 Jun but sickness of a train conductor made this impossible. Later the shuttle did not run on 19 Jul or 16 Aug, due to driver shortage. A test train ran along the No 2 track on Fri 20 Jun because two years had elapsed since its last use (1995). The three trains per hour pier shuttle ran from 09.00 until 15.00 and could be extended to Shanklin if a boat missed the normal connection but this only happened occasionally. The second pier track permitted operation of a train on cruise boat days if required. Our member recalls this happened when P S Waverley called. An Island Line conductor is quite positive that the very final shuttles ran in Jun 2005 in connection with the Isle of Wight Festival. 624] Thanet Parkway: (BLN 1409.2280) Construction is almost complete but the station is out of use (except for emergency access/egress) until later this year. 'Do not alight' boards have been erected. 625] Guildford - Havant: (BLN 1411.2511) As part of the Portsmouth Direct Line Upgrade, Guildford to Petersfield was closed Sat 11 until Sun 19 Feb, extending from Guildford to Gomshall on 19 Feb. Switches and crossings were renewed at Haslemere, with 500m of plain line and 1,750m of conductor rail. Resignalling continued between Farncombe and Petersfield. Silo Road footbridge was demolished northeast of Farncombe station; constructed in the 1930s, it was replaced with a new steel footbridge using a rail mounted crane. The concrete used in the old footbridge contained a high level of salts and the new steel bridge will be more durable, with a life expectancy of 120 years. Track maintenance was carried out at Witley station and near Milford, Liphook and Liss. New drainage was installed in the Witley area and Gomshall rock cutting was stabilised. Work continued on upgrading three level crossings at Farncombe, Milford and Liss. Graffiti was also removed and litter cleared. 626] Feltham: Feltham Resignalling Project Phase 4 required line closures over half term for nine days between Feltham and Wokingham. From 11-19 Feb buses replaced trains from Staines to Windsor & Eton Riverside and, on the second weekend, from Hounslow to Virginia Water. From Mon 13 until Fri 17 Feb (inclusive) closure from Reading to Bracknell and Reading to Guildford also took place. Ashford station (Surrey!) footbridge was also renewed. In addition, vegetation and litter was cleared along the line. This is part of a £375M project, which started in 2021, to resignal 80 miles of railway with 500 items of new equipment. Follow up continues in Phase 5, due to be completed in early 2024. 627] Flooding isn't new, it goes back to the D(ark) Ages: A member is reading A N Wilson's biography of Hilaire Belloc, a Franco-English writer and historian of the early 20th Century (Penguin 1986). Well, it certainly makes a change from BLN! p59 quotes a letter of 17 Nov 1894 written from 'the flooded Kirtlington Park, near Oxford'. It states Also it floods. The rains have come over the Thames valley in a way that rains have never come before and Oxford is almost an island. The line from London is washed away. The country is all water like a big lake and it was all I could do to get out here today - the train was anyway late and I saw water away and away on both sides of the rails. [No ford in Oxford then…]

628] Newhaven Harbour: The SSuX 12.07 Brighton to Newhaven Harbour reverses ECS in Newhaven Marine platform. Most of the half hourly Seaford services no longer call at Newhaven Harbour so passengers for Bishopstone and Seaford who do not heed the advice to change at Newhaven Town have to return on the Up working or walk ¼ mile back along the road. When visited on 13 Feb this applied to two passengers, another two seeking a walk along the beach. The short working leaves a gap in the half hourly Brighton to Seaford service, supposedly for the the rail treatment train or suchlike. During our member's visit, a freight left Brett Aggregates sidings before the 12.17 arrived and another entered just after its departure. Class 313 EMUs usually provide the Seaford branch service, so if you need to use a toilet on the 12.17 wait until the Class 313s are withdrawn from Sun 21 May. 1419 SOUTH WEST Robert Green [email protected] 629] Where was I (8)? I am now under a housing estate. My original Railway ran west-east and my Junction Railway ran south to a shorter form of my name but at first its trains weren't allowed to stop. Highlight in earlier days was the passage of a 'fortified wines express' with various liveried coaches. Answer: Andoversford Junction. (Map, top left) OP on 1 Jun 1881 as Andoversford by The Banbury & Cheltenham Direct Railway (GWR operated and merged 1896/1897), between Kingham/Stow (off top right) and Cheltenham (off top left). The Midland & South Western Junction Railway connected (off bottom) from Andover via Cirencester on 16 Mar 1891 but its trains were not allowed to stop until Oct 1904. Shown as double track, it was singled by the GWR after they took it on with 1923 Grouping. The M&SWJR opened its own station on its own line on 1 Aug 1891 (as Dowdeswell, it was renamed Andoversford & Dowdeswell from 1 Oct 1892 as shown) then CP 1 Apr 1927; CG Oct 1962. The first Andoversford was suffixed 'Junction' from 1926 but Bradshaw dropped it in 1960. The cross country 'Ports to Ports Express' trundled through here on its tortuous route between Newcastle (etc) and Barry (etc) formed of GWR or GCR/NER stock. No history intended as you can look it up after dinner but always go from east to west (passing to the left)! Andoversford CP/CA 15 Oct 1962. Map is 1914. 630] 10 Cars to Cornwall: On 18 Feb quite a few 10-car IETs ran west of Plymouth; has GWR stopped splitting and joining them at Plymouth now? There have been technical problems with this before. 631] Portishead: NR has appointed VolkerFitzpatrick as the primary contractor for the next stage of reopening, with stations at Pill and Portishead. The £6.14M contract is funded by the Restoring Your Railways Fund, DfT (also underwriting the project against inflation), West of England Combined Authority & North Somerset Council. West of England Mayor, Dan Norris, punn-ishingly declared it an important milestone oiling the wheels of reopening the line and keeping the MetroWest Programme on the right track. As long as no sleepers are involved or too many people in chairs, it should be the key to a successful project! The rumour that a tablet exchanger will be installed at Pill is untrue. 632] Long-er Rock: (TRACKmaps 3 p11B 2028) In a £6.5M project, three new stabling and preparation sidings are being built west of Penzance Long Rock Depot on the site of Ponsandane Sidings for GWR to service 9-car IETs. After 10 months, sleepers are laid for the sidings but no access pointwork yet. 633] 'Otter News for Bideford: North Devon MP Selaine Saxby (Con) raised the case through a Restore Your Railway Fund debate to restore the rail link to Bideford [2023 railway mania] and upgrade the existing Tarka Line to Barnstaple. Bideford CP 4 Oct 1965 (regular services) but occasional specials called and freight passed until Aug 1982, the last train was a British Rail tour on 6 Nov 1982. The Rail Minister responded that he wanted to talk with her to find out what more we can do. [Not to be taken out of context!] GWR MD Mark Hopwood drew attention to the Victorian signalling and crew operated Eggesford Level Crossing contributing to the unacceptably long journey times to Barnstaple.

634] Exmouth branch: The Avocet Line Rail Users Group (ALRUG) has become twitchy about the St Davids to Central corridor which, they say is very busy and easily disrupted [it is 1:37 and sharply curved with a tunnel]. If everything is on time, the timetables work well but late running services, train failures and issues with faulty track/signals occur too often. At St Davids, late Barnstaple, southbound CrossCountry, Okehampton and SWR services often block Paignton to Exmouth trains from P1, where they reverse. A GWR spokesperson told ALRUG that GWR was trying to grow in the South West and claimed it had 'better services than ever'. Marsh Barton station is due to open soon, Edginswell and Cullompton stations are being worked on with development funding in place, and Okehampton usage is surpassing expectations. The case for reopening Tavistock to Bere Alston is being progressed, as is that for a new and an extended loop to enable a half hourly Exeter to Honiton service to run. 635] Exeter St Davids: (BLN 1416.243) Demolition is complete to extend bay P2 back to its old length. 636] Mid-Cornwall Metro: (BLN 1417.367) The plan is for hourly through services between Falmouth and Newquay via Par (reverse), instead of having to change at Truro and Par as now. Subject to match funding from the private sector to boost the £50M from the Levelling Up Fund, it is hoped the new services could start by Jun 2024, with all works completed by Mar 2025. Summer dated through Paddington services, with an additional daily round trip, will run concurrently on the Newquay branch. The project increases services between Par, St Austell and Truro, with various new through journeys possible. A member noted that the key to the new £56.8M service includes a second platform at Newquay; a new passing loop on the branch at Tregoss Moor (about 292m 32ch); upgraded level crossings; new signalling at Goonbarrow Jn and longer platforms at both Falmouth stations. Other new infrastructure is needed at Newquay, Roche, Bugle, Penryn and Falmouth stations. A new footbridge with lifts is planned at Par. Rail tickets will be digital; they had better pull their finger out. 637] St Erth: A new 'Access for All' funded footbridge with lifts is to be installed. The existing one is destined for Cranmore station on the heritage East Somerset Railway. Having visited very recently, a member hopes that the appearance of 'this lovely station' will not be spoiled but isn't very hopeful. 638] Bristol area: (TRACKmaps 3 p6B 2018) The former In/Out Stabling road alongside and east of P15 track at Temple Meads has been completely lifted and its points plain lined. Although TRACKmaps is diagrammatic and not to scale, at Bristol West Jn the headshunt on the West Carriage Washing Sidings (plural although there is actually only one) at 118m 56ch is rather longer than the plan suggests. 639] St Ives: Much of the branch is now continuously welded rail but there is still a significant section of jointed track on the middle section. The line limit is 30mph for DMUs and 10mph for other traffic. Surprisingly, at 13.00 on Sat 18 Feb many cars were parked at Lelant Saltings - the former P&R. Only one train calls each way SuX (07.52 to St Erth and 09.12 to St Ives) but oddly there are three in total SuO (09.20 & 12.20 to St Ives & 19.58 to Penzance). The cars belonged to the crowd lined up along the platform, binoculars and cameras with extremely long lenses all 'trained' on the passing 2-car Class 150 DMU. However, it was actually a flock of twitchers - a rare ornithological phenomenon was suspected. … and some say we have a strange hobby! Lelant (28,788 passenger 2020-21) now has a much better service than when Lelant Saltings (568 passengers) had a half-hourly service but still has 2-hour gaps. 1419 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected] PLEASE USE GENERIC EMAIL ADDRESS (ABOVE) DUE TO FORTHCOMING HOLIDAYS 640] Wolverhampton: (TRACKmaps 4 p21A 2022) The hourly LNwR New Street to Crewe via Stoke service now runs via Tame Bridge Parkway to serve Darlaston (10m 10ch) and Willenhall (11m 55ch) stations when they open. This results in through trains to Wolverhampton from Tame Bridge Parkway departing in both directions! It has also resulted in regular passenger use of the facing crossover from the Down Heath Town to the Up Heath Town at 1m 43ch before Crane Street Jn as most (but not all) of these trains call at Wolverhampton P2. Note P2 can be reached without using the crossover but this conflicts with arrivals into Wolverhampton P1 from the busy Stour Valley line. SuO the 09.52 New Street to Crewe via Tame Bridge Parkway is booked through bidirectional P4 in the rare direction but is often switched to P1. Wolverhampton through P3 is also bidirectional but P1&2 are Down only. 641] Monument Lane: In early Feb the trap points had yet to be removed to convert it to a true loop.

642] Birmingham New Street: The station will be the new home of the Commonwealth Games' Raging Bull [presumably no one else wanted it]. It was due to be scrapped after a period on public display in Centenary Square (by Library tram stop) but was reprieved by public demand and after an online petition - clearly someone took the bull by the horns over that. Previously a dynamic piece, in the it will become a static (non-raging) sculpture on the concourse beneath the station atrium. 643] Nuneaton: (BLN 1416.250) Work began on 25 Feb to extend Cemetery Siding and provide a second one for On Track Plant. They are accessed from the Up Hinckley line (trailing points, 0m 40ch). 644] Metro (1): A McDonald's that closed in 2021 at Kings Parade in Dale End is being demolished to make way for the Eastside extension. Works on Digbeth High St at the far end of the line and on Lower Bull St at the city centre end will be completed later this year. Unfortunately, work on the final central section is unlikely to start until 2026 due to delays to HS2 Curzon Street station. The possibility of a temporary stop next to the Clayton Hotel to serve Moor Street station and Birmingham City University campus is being investigated by Transport for The West Midlands and the Midland Metro Alliance. (2): (BLN 1407.2072) In fact, repairs with rail welding at Dudley Street and Dartmouth Street stops have allowed the 5km/hr restricted lengths (painfully slow) to be restored to their normal line speed. 645] Wilnecote: CCTV is being installed; masts and electric supplies for them are complete. Coverage is quite comprehensive with masts by the ticket machine and at road level (top of the staircase to P1) plus both platforms. It hopefully will deter the previously frequent episodes of vandalism. 646] Cotswold Cuts: From Mon 22 May the 04.49 SSuX Hereford to Paddington is pruned to start from Oxford at its departure time now of 06.48. In addition, the 06.40 SSuX Hereford to Paddington starts from Great Malvern at its current booked time of 07.13. This will leave just four SSuX Hereford to London through trains at 05.23, 13.18, 15.18 and 22.00 (the latter reaches London at 01.16!) and no train from Hereford to Worcester between 05.23 and the First West Midlands departure at 07.11. The present 04.49 is interesting as, despite being a 'peak' train, [sadly not with a Class 44, 45 or 46 loco] advance tickets are available for £20.40 (£13.45 with a valid Railcard) for almost 150 miles and three hours on the train! SO the 06.18 Hereford to Paddington is withdrawn completely and the 07.13 starts from Great Malvern at 07.43, leaving just three Hereford to London trains at 13.18, 15.13 and 20.20. SuO services (three) are unchanged with Hereford departures at 14.30, 15.30 & 17.30. SSuX the 18.57 (18.52 SO) from Paddington is curtailed at Great Malvern, leaving departures for Hereford SSux 09.52, 11.52, 17.34 & 1953; SO 09.50, 11.50 & 16.52. SuO is unchanged (from London at 09.47, 11.44, 13.44 & 18.51). The 22.51 SSuX Paddington to Worcestershire Parkway (01.06) continues; it is then ECS to Worcester Hereford Siding (Shrub Hill is shut after midnight). The cuts west of Malvern are partly due to the considerable ECS mileage needed to provide these services. They are also an unintended consequence of the much improved Malvern to Paddington service, approaching hourly; passengers now drive from the west to Great Malvern, where there is plenty of free parking (despite West Midlands best efforts to try and introduce car parking fees there). 1419 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Easton) [email protected] 647] Driver John Elkin: John passed away on 9 Feb after a short illness. He was ever present on the footplate during the final years of the old Isle of Man Railway Company, through the Lord Ailsa tenure and into Government ownership. John was part of the work crew that made the last ever journeys along the Foxdale line on 22 & 26 Jan 1960 to pick up point work from the new siding. In 1963 he was on standby as fireman of loco N o 10 'G H Wood' for the 1963 Royal Visit of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. In 1969 he took the very final steam trains over the closed Peel and Ramsey routes. The last Peel was N o 4 with half a dozen 'M' wagons to collect bog ore from Peel Gasworks. The last Ramsey run picked up the oil wagons and anything useful from the stations, including an 'M' wagon from Kirk Michael. John also drove loco N o 13 'Kissack' for the Queen Elizabeth II Royal Train in 1972. 648] Electric Railway: On Wed 8 Feb, new wire was being hung on the seaside line from Dreemskerry to Lewaigue with the wire Car (No 52). Surveying of the landside track was also taking place to replace that wire. Other than a short length before Ramsey, it is reported to be the last OHLE to be hung with a 'figure of eight' wire section. Next day the road vehicle cherry pickers were used to tighten the wires.

ABOVE: (Item 647) Former Steam Driver, John Elkin, with N o 13 'Kissack', the headboard celebrating his years of service (Barry Edwards, 29 Oct 2021.) BELOW: (Item 648) Bungalow webcam looking down towards Laxey.

X.23] BELOW: Electric Railway - replacing a missing section of wire between Poles 869 and 871 on the landside line over the A2 road by Ballure Viaduct. (George Hobbs, 23 Feb 2023.)

649] Diesel locos: The Industrial Railway Society reports that Irish Bord na Móna loco LM 396 is to have a full overhaul and repaint then go to the IOM Steam Railway later this year. It is unclear if this is for contractor use or as a substitute for long out of use N o 21. LM 399 will be the donor loco for parts. 650] Mountain Railway: From the Bungalow webcam: In late Feb, much new rail was being delivered by road (is this a rail replacement road service?). It suggests a major relay of the upper section. 651] Dining Train: (BLN 1415.130) A freedom of information request has elicited that ahead of the accident on 31 Dec 2022, two lamps had failed on the engine and lighting was temporarily provided by an LED torch strip. There was only minor damage to the engine (a scratch and a bent steam pipe). Some windows of the front carriages were broken; beading and some door handles were damaged. As a result, dining services won't restart until 6 Apr and then with only three of the four saloons. 652] You can't let off steam: Due to operational constraints, there will be no Steam Railway Driver Experiences this year, but they should return for 2024. Motorman experiences continue on the MER. 653] Port Erin: (BLN 1417.378) On 9 Feb, due to ongoing work in the museum, Isle of Man Railway Royal Coach F36 and Manx Northern Cleminson Coach N o 6 shunted together and Two Plank Wagon M78 and MNR closed van N o 15 were placed as if there was a return of goods traffic to the railway. 1419 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected] 654] Londonderry: ❶From Sun 26 Feb ALL departures now leave via the main line. The only train using the loop is the last arrival each day, 21.10 SuX (19.10 SuO) from Belfast Great Victoria Street. ❷The longest serving driver at Londonderry, Samuel Ross, retired on 15 Feb. He had been with NIR since 1979, driving since 1983. His last train was 16.43 Coleraine to Londonderry. Some off duty staff and enthusiasts [is there such a thing as an off duty enthusiast?], including your Ireland Editor, went to Coleraine to travel on it and a large number of current and former staff greeted him at Londonderry. 655] Claremorris - Collooney: There are proposals http://bit.ly/3mbzdEw for a rail bike operation 6km each side of Kiltimagh station, 9m 39ch north of Claremorris. This was the first station on this line, known as 'The Burma Road' which CP 17 Jun 1963. The last passenger train on 17 Aug 1975 was a Sligo to Claremorris Knock pilgrimage special and the line CG 3 Nov 1975 (last revenue freight 30 Oct 1975). The final train ran on 24 Sep 1988; Loco 052 took two coaches from Claremorris to Kiltimagh for the station museum there and returned light engine. Most of the nearly 46 mile line is in situ (surprising and unusual over 34 years after the last train) but is heavily overgrown and disconnected each end. 656] Bord na Móna: On 20 Feb the Industrial Railway Society provided an update. At Portlaoise, lifting of the Coolnamona system (Baker Atlas 15th Edition p70 B2) began that day using HE DH LM 387 and will take about two months. Ballivor (p75 C2) east of Mullingar is completely lifted; the last two locos are waiting transport to Derrygreenagh. Derryfadda (p69 A2) north of Ballinasloe has ended; track lifting is in full swing, another six weeks will see it gone. Almhain North (p71 A1) north of Newbridge was to end operations by Fri 24 Feb. See Quail 6 (Feb 2004) & TRACKmaps 6, BLS Edition, (May 2019). Bellair (p70 A1) which passes beneath the Clara to Athlone main line has until the end of Jun with the final Ruston loco LM 163 in use to shunt the tippler. South of Athlone, the massive Boora Blackwater system (p69 A2 & p70 A1) is running six days a week. The new ¾ mile Clon Lyon Glebe branch has just started operations but all the peat on that isolated bog will have been removed by early Jun; the rest of the Blackwater system,will be finished by the end of Aug this year when peat collection is complete. Between Portarlington and Mullingar on the Derrygreenagh/Edenderry Power Ltd system (p70 A2) Edenderry Power Station has to end peat burning from 23 Dec but twice daily ash trains will run until Jun 2026. Only the Daingean(p70 A2) area, northeast of Tullamore, has peat to draw (until about Sep). The stockpile on this system at Croghan Tippler (p70 A2), supplied by road from Mountdillon (p75 C1) southwest of Longford and Coolnagun (p75 C2 northeast of Mullingar), is expected to keep going until early Dec. Coolnagun will end by about the end of Aug. Mountdillon has vast tonnages to move, more than Edenderry Power Station can use and so it might just survive until the end of the winter 2023-24. Only three HE DH locos remain in use, 387, 384 & 276; there are now only three Wagonmasters in action, 318, 319 and 330. LM 288 had been in use but has expired requiring heavy repairs.

BELOW: (Item 569) Scotland Street Tunnel, the north portal with its Na NEXT: City Plan of Edinburgh (original 5ft to the mile) dated 30 Sep 1853 Canal Street terminal station is below, at right angles to what is now part of Ed

ational Transport Trust red wheel plaque. (Greg Beecroft, 16 Feb 2023.) 3 (!) the 'Tunnel' at the top is the south portal of Scotland Street Tunnel, inburgh Waverley, note connecting curve, Princess Street Gardens are top left.

BELOW: Rodney Street Tunnel (also known as Heriothill

Tunnel) - the south portal. (Greg Beecroft, 16 Feb 2023.)

BELOW: (Item 661) The recently renovated Newmilns bridge. The ste

eel span used to be supported on the abutments in front of this arch.

BELOW: Newmilns Viaduct; eight of the 26 arches. Some t NEXT: This span over the River Irvine is wider th

towards the east end are occupied by commercial tenants an the others. (All Greg Beecroft, 15 Feb 2022.)

THIS PAGE: Loudounhill Viaduct at unknown dates, despite strong local protests it was demolished in the mid-1980s when it started cracking and became unsafe. Even the embankments have gone now. (Both photos thanks to the Ayshire History Group.)