BELOW: A first ever for BLN! The former terminus as Delph taken thr
ough the keyhole knothole in the fence. (Mike Martin, 6 Nov 2023.)
BELOW: Delph station with its original platform on 13 Aug 2017 whe
en the access gates were open - very inviting… (Angus McDougall.)
BELOW: The very impressive Micklehurst station building which closed to
passengers in 1907! (Angus McDougall, 110 years later on 13 Aug 2017.)
BELOW: (Item 2499) Ardwick from the footbridge, round to the left is toward
ds Guide Bridge (far left is the TPE Depot); off right is to Stockport/Airport.
BELOW: The footbridge to access Ardwick (average use is 1-2 passengers per d
day) was in a poor state even 4½ years ago. (Both John Cameron, 25 Jun 2019.)
2498] Kirkby query: (BLN 1435.2428) Photos confirm that, before the recent alterations, the third rail ran almost to the former buffer stops of the Merseyrail platform. A member advises that it now ends ⅗ of the way along the now through platform. Class 777/1 units use automatic passive balises in the track - yellow strips usually on a sleeper - at Fazakerley (as described in BLN 1435) - to lift/lower the pick up shoe, so beyond the third rail is semi-rusty. 'Passive' means they don't need an electric supply and are activated by the train passing over. This may help those who record their battery mileage! 2499] Ardwick (not Adwick!): The station which has an island platform only accessible by a stepped footbridge, closed temporarily from Thur 7 Dec (a day earlier than booked due to an ASLEF strike on Northern) and is due to reopen on Sat 13 Jan 2024. No rail replacement transport is provided; the station is just ⅔ mile from Manchester Piccadilly and only recorded 404 passengers in 2021-22, with a recent peak of 1,520 in 2019-20. There are only two trains a day now (one on Saturdays) SuX 06.37 Hadfield to Piccadilly and SSuX 16.54 Piccadilly to New Mills Central. The only place someone could commute to Ardwick from is therefore Ashburys which is all of 52ch (or from Ardwick into Piccadilly, equally as unlikely)! This closure is to enable the replacement of the footbridge. Your Regional Editor found the old one was very rusty and appeared to be in poor condition when he last visited in 2019. 2500] Carlisle: On Thur 30 Nov, an accident when a TPE rail replacement bus crashed at the main entrance to the station closed the ticket office and main entrance. Passengers were diverted to the smaller entrance near P8. British Transport Police, Cumbria Constabulary, the ambulance service and fire crews were called to the station at 18.20. Unfortunately, a man in his 70s had to be taken to hospital with serious injuries. The ticket office reopened but the main entrance remained closed next day. The question is, will the Rail Replacement Investigation Branch be holding a full investigation? 2501] Hope Valley: (BLN 1434.2328) The lift shafts for the new footbridge have now been constructed at Dore & Totley, while a bridge has been extended in Bamford for the new Up loop between Bamford and Hathersage. The next six months includes track installation, an underbridge extension and footbridge installation at Dore & Totley. Track replacement will also take place in Grindleford, along with signalling improvements across large sections of the line. There are weekend and overnight line closures and a major blockade from 23.00 Fri 15 Mar until 05.15 Mon 25 Mar 2024. 2502] Metrolink: On the Rochdale line,the NR/Metrolink connection (3m 05ch), past Dean Lane waste transfer terminal run round loop headshunt, remains intact but obstructed by a large sleeper across the track. Metrolink is still indirectly connected to NR via the East Lancashire Railway before Bury at the former Bury Loco Jn, where the points are padlocked. A direct connection is the facing crossover (points padlocked) between Altrincham and Navigation Road between the Up Main (NR) and the Outbound Metrolink line. Previous connections at Manchester Victoria and Rochdale have gone. 2503] Oldham: At the former Werneth station (CP 4 Oct 2009), a large warehouse/storage facility has been built across the platforms for a logistics company. Rails of the 'temporary' lengthy skew level crossing of the A62 'Oldham Way' remain in situ north of the former Metrolink Oldham Mumps stop (just south of the former station of the same name). This impressive crossing was on a lower vertical alignment than the preceding Oldham Loop railway. It was used by passenger carrying trams only from 16 Dec 2012 until 17 Jan 2014; ten days later Metrolink opened its route through Oldham Central. 2504] Fiddlers Ferry Power Station: (BLN 1436.2576) Four of the eight cooling towers were blown up as planned at 09.30 on Sun 3 Dec. Unusually for these events, it was well publicised in advance but many who turned out didn't see much due to fog. https://bit.ly/3v22XYU is a video with light mist. 2505] Northern recognises the West Somerset Railway: On the day after our recent AGM, before returning to his West Country home, a member took a trip from Chorley to Windermere, which he had not travelled to for many a year.He was wearing a WSR logo fleece.The trip was uneventful but,on the return, he changed at Lancaster into a lightly loaded Northern Barrow to Manchester Airport service (2 x Class 195 DMUs). The train manager approached him and called 'Tickets, please' but before our member could produce one, continued 'Oh, you're from the West Somerset Railway - doesn't matter!' and went on his way. Our member is keen to record that his fleece was not a WSR uniform item, he sought no benefit, and he DID have a valid ticket for his journey! As a volunteer on the WSR, he values
the trust of the Northern staff in his heritage railway! As for the Windermere branch, it was well patronised on a Sunday with good take up at Oxenholme (and through from Manchester), Burneside and Staveley to Windermere and on return from Windermere, Staveley and Burneside to Oxenholme then travelling north and south. Strangely (perhaps) Kendal was the lightest used in both directions. 1438 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected] 2506] Grand Central (GCR): The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has agreed to two GCR services each way calling at Peterborough. From early in the New Year, it will enable Durham Coast (and Teesside) passengers to make better connections to and from East Anglia and vice versa, without having to make an awkward journey via Darlington. Bradford passengers have better options via Leeds but it is not easy from Low Moor, Halifax, Brighouse, Mirfield and Pontefract. Some journeys will be an hour quicker due to the alternative poor connections currently. GCR will call at Peterborough northbound in the morning and southbound in the afternoon, probably less convenient for passengers in the North than those in East Anglia. GCR trains have not called at Peterborough as LNER objected on the grounds of passenger abstraction. The ORR has calcuated that this would only be in the region of £835,000 to £897,000 per annum compared with LNER total fare income of £470M in 2021-22. This is a far lower proportion of income than some other stations where ORR has allowed open access operators to call. GCR argued that allowing these calls would utilise spare pathing time already in the timetable. Some services already stop at Peterborough without allowing passengers to board or alight (!), causing significant passenger dis-benefits and potential safety concerns. The ORR viewed this as particularly relevant to their duties to promote the use of the railway network in Great Britain for the carriage of passengers … to the greatest extent that it considers economically practicable. Bring it on. 2507] Hertford North Loop: (TRACKmaps 2 p24A 2020) Cuffley Ground Frame (controlling the facing and trailing crossovers) has been replaced by a Ground Switch Panel, sometime between Aug 2020 and Mar 2021 when contractors were noted at work. This has not been in the Weekly Operating Notices. 2508] Anglia level crossings: (BLN 1432.2116) Installation of Overlay Miniature Stop Lights (OMSLs) continues in CP6 year 5 (1 Apr 2023 to 31 Mar 2024) and in CP7 years 1&2 (1 Apr 2024 to Mar 2026). Currently at passive footpath crossings the user makes the judgement whether it is safe to cross unless phones are provided. For footpaths with telephones fitted the user calls the signaller to find if it is safe to cross. OMSLs are a warning system at the crossing to notify level crossing users of an approaching train and reduce the need at a passive footpath to make a judgement or, when with telephones, call the signaller. These are referred to as 'red and green light crossings' in the Rule Book. OMSLs reduce signaller workload and crossing misuse, as users have an instant indication of approaching train/s; without them, the signaller may have to tell users to wait for several minutes to cross if the signaller does not know where the train is in a long section. At a passive footpath level crossing, there may also be other factors that prevent the required sighting of approaching trains. The latest batch of crossings: Chappel & Wakes Colne - Bures: Thornfield Wood, 50m 56ch* Golden Square, 51m 27ch* Hythe - Wivenhoe: Wivenhoe Park, 55m 34ch* Wivenhoe - Alresford: Padget, 56m 27ch Alresford - Great Bentley: High Elm, 58m 32ch Manningtree - Ipswich: Falstaff, 63m 43ch* Diss - Norwich: Stiffs, 97m 20ch* (do the gates need oiling?) Hallowing, 102m 02ch* Ipswich - Needham Market: Stacpool, 75m 70ch* Thetford - Harling Road: Drove Rd, 99m 51ch Chippenham Jn - Soham, Block Farm, 5m 58ch* Leonards, 7m 17ch* Salhouse - Hoveton & Wroxham: Bears Grove, 7m 06ch (*Not in Sectional Appendix) 2509] Thames Haven Jn: (BLN 1433.2221) (TRACKmaps 2 p4B 2020) Renewal is now planned between Apr 2024 to Mar 2025 with realignment of the junction and removal of the catch points in the Down Thames Haven. Greatest movement of the toes of points is 20m and no signals need to be relocated. (At Port Jn the Thames Haven Single line remains disconnected, after the 24 Dec 2022 derailment.) 2510] Trimley: (BLN 1435.2448) Hoardings have recently been installed around the station building, opened in 1891 and thought to be the sole surviving 'country' GER building in Suffolk. The building has not been used since the 1960s and Trimley Station Community Trust has been seeking to save it from demolition by sourcing funds. Bids made for Lottery funding were all rejected.
2511] Wisbech: (BLN 1409.2277) The Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough has voiced frustration at the slow progress of this railway project. NR expects its report assessing the options to be finished by the end of Mar 2024 and the financial consideration about a month later. Reopening is led by Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, which previously approved £310k to look at the options. These could include conventional heavy rail, light rail - such as trams - or autonomous vehicles even. There has been considerable public interest in the project over the many years while being considered. Wisbech (Population 26,785) is one of the largest towns in England without a rail link. Timetabled passenger services ended from 9 Sep 1968 but there were later advertised excursions. 2512] Cambridge South: (BLN 1436.2586) The new four platform station (two islands) opens in 2025, it will have entrances off Francis Crickǂ Ave and Hobsons Park, allowing access from the biomedical campus to the east and the growing community of Trumpington to the west. Cycle accommodation on both sides of the station will take a total of 1,000 cycles. A main bridge connecting the two entrances will have lifts but a secondary footbridge at the London end will not. Partial platform canopies are to be provided. The curved ergonomic roof will be made of laminated wooden beams with solar panels and a green biodiverse surface to collect rainwater for reuse. The new station entrances will include gatelines, ticket vending machines, accessible toilets and baby change facilities, with space for possible retail space. NR's visualisation video of the station: https://bit.ly/46Nh2a1 ǂFamous for his work at Cambridge, discovering the structure and molecular properties of DNA with James Watson in the USA. Over an extended Christmas blockade (25 Dec until 1 Jan inclusive) tracks will be realigned to allow the platforms to be built. There will also be work on the OHLE and new signalling - combined with work on the Cambridge area resignalling; new gantries etc will be also installed between Cambridge and Ely. 2513] Ipswich: Baseplates on 200m of concreted track in the 361yd Ipswich Tunnel will be replaced on 25&26 Dec. Your Regional Editor's first employment in the 1960s included designing mesh reinforced concrete for building projects, not unlike for slab track. The mesh was measured in metres lengthways and feet across. Mixed units do not bother him but he can't say if 200m is one/both tracks. 2514] Broxbourne Jn: (BLN 1427.1594) (TRACKmaps 2 P11A 2020) Removal of the trailing crossover at 18m 31ch is proposed for Mar 2025 during renewal of the junction. The facing crossover is to remain. 2515] Ingatestone: On Thu 2 Nov the Down Main line at Ingatestone was flooded. The 10.00 to Norwich, 10.02 to Ipswich and 10.18 to Clacton-on-Sea all from Liverpool Street, departed Shenfield P1, P3 & P3 respectively, then terminated at Colchester. All used the Up Main from the earliest possible opportunity, they all sailed past the flooded section, subsequently regaining the Down Main via the (usually) trailing crossover at 24m 60ch (Church Lane). 2516] Upminster - Pitsea: (TRACKmaps 2 p3B 2020) From 13.00 on 16 Sep 2022, Basildon Down P2 was reduced in length at the country end, following slight movement of the concrete supports down the embankment on which the station is sited. 12-car trains can no longer call in the Down direction but do still in the Up. Platform decking has been removed over the affected length and cross bracing added to the supports of the remaining platform securing the 'Basildon bond' to the embankment. 2517] Beaulieu Park: (BLN 1437.2399) NR puts the realignment from 2 Jan as between MP31½ and MP33. 2518] Amersham: (BLN 1429.1765) The mirror on P1 has been replaced, complete with new mounts and a new supporting post. Off peak at least, Chiltern has again been using P1 northbound normally (instead of P2) and Met trains reverse via the sidings. The mirror was out of use, with station staff assisting dispatch. So, after nine months or so, this hopefully means the station is now back to not needing footbridge dashes when departing and less two-way congestion over the bridge on arrival. 1438 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected] 2519] Wokingham - Farnborough North: As part of the Feltham & Wokingham Resignalling Project, the Ground Frame at Blackwater associated mechanical equipment at 56m 02ch (55m 76ch on p27C of TRACKmaps 5 2019) were abolished from 2 Dec. This trailing crossover is to have point motors fitted, but there is no power connected and detection is not indicated in Wokingham Signal Box. The points remain secured with clip and scotch on both ends of the crossover until commissioning.
2520] Woking - Brookwood: First presenting to P'way on 21 Nov, instability of the slope of the cutting at 25m 50ch and increasing ground movement detected by the previously installed sensors along 100m, led to a temporary closure of the Down Slow. Cracks up to 45m long, 0.5m wide and 1m deep were discovered. Between Wed 6 Dec and Sun 10 Dec (except on Thu 7 Dec when passenger numbers were high following the ASLEF strike on SWR the previous day), NR is installing 101 sheet piles each 10m long driven at the base of the slope. Worksite preparation was over the 2&3 Dec weekend. On Sat 2 Dec a member on 2L51, the 16.42 Waterloo to Basingstoke, had a microgricing extravaganza. It crossed Down Fast to Down Slow to stop at Surbiton P3, then Down Slow to Down Fast at the platform country end. A Class 455 had left P4 just ahead making its way onto the New Guildford Line via Cobham. Almost at once, 2L51 crossed back Down Fast to Down Slow around Hampton Court Jn, assumed to be the second of the two crossovers, then Down Slow to Down Fast west of Woking Jn past the (landslip) possessed area and finally Down Fast to Down Slow for Brookwood and the rest of the trip. Our member has crossed four times on past journeys but not, he thinks five previously. The Down Slow and Down Fast were possessed for the piling all day Wed 6 and Fri 8 until Sun 10 Dec. With a reduced service, all Up trains ran normally on the Up Slow. Down trains, with Pilot working, used the Up Fast from Woking to Brookwood (so could not call there). Here they took the normally trailing crossover (secured with a hand signaller displaying a yellow flag) to cross to the Down Fast. This is expected to happen again; possible dates are 22-24 and/or 28-30 Dec, look for days when there are no Down trains calling at Brookwood but Up trains do and Down trains to Alton run via Guildford. Separately, movement (also on the Down side) of a pedestrian overbridge (26m 09ch) next to St John's Hill Road, the side of the unstable cutting but half a mile away, discovered on Sun 3 Dec, led to an all line closure between Woking and Basingstoke from 12.00 until 16.20. The 11.54 Salisbury to Waterloo turned back at Farnborough Main (ECS shunt via the padlocked centre trailing crossover between the two fast lines), as did some later trains (mostly DMUs) that ran east of Basingstoke. Fortunately, for some, south of Winchester was under possession, so Southampton to Waterloo services were already diverted via Havant and Guildford. An hourly Basingstoke - Winchester shuttle later ran but Alton lost its services and only a few trains ran between Ascot, Aldershot and Guildford. Later a (very) few trains were able to run between Woking and Basingstoke. Overnight, the failed bridge was supported with scaffold poles to allow passenger trains to run beneath it with a 20mph Emergency Speed Restriction. St John's Hill Road footbridge is very well used, footpaths converge on it each side of the line and the alternative is quite circuitous. Closure of the bridge to pedestrians required anti-trespass measures. It has intermediate supports between tracks. These are of steel channel and angle frame construction supported on piers, about 10 visible brick rows above ballast level are topped with concrete capping encapsulating the foot of the steel supports. At least one cess side and the 'ten-foot' brick piers (between the two Fast tracks) have burst upwards, through movement sideways of the bridge deck. Movement noise had been heard by local residents on the night of Sat 2 to Sun 3 Dec at about 01.30. The bridge had failed irrepairably it was removed in sections on the night of Sat 9 to Sun 10 Dec. 2521] Not Guildford Tunnel again: (BLN 1436.2590) A member believes 'Sand Tunnel' is probably more than an unofficial name as he recalls it displayed in the signal box on the CCF (Control Centre of the Future) as St Catherine's (Sand) Tunnel. That is certainly what most drivers seem to know it as. 2522] Woking: At 12.33 on 17 Nov a set of points at Woking Jn were reported as failed. The 13.15 from Alton ran via Guildford and the 12.46 from Portsmouth Harbour, both to Waterloo, crossed Up Guildford to Down Guildford at 25m 00ch, to call at Woking P4, taking the bidirectional Down Fast in the Up direction, then crossed to the Up Fast. Use of Woking P4, and the subsequent crossover to the Up Fast, for Up services from Guildford was noted during the Brookwood landslip works (above). 2523] Three Bridges - Haywards Heath: During Tue 15 Nov a track defect on the Up Main resulted in the track being blocked over the Ouse Valley Viaduct. Five trains travelled over the Down Main in the Up direction from Haywards Heath (P4, 1, 1, 4 & 3 respectively), regaining the Up Main at Balcombe Tunnel Jn. The first was the 10.33 Eastbourne to Victoria and the last the 12.44 Brighton to Cambridge.
X.113] BELOW: Despite the many millions spent on Gatwick Airport station aelements. There are many ticket machines but still a massive queue (no tickmachine? National Rail says: Staff are always available on the station to assist w
a member was surprised to find that the new escalators are exposed to the ket office); people from aboard having their first battle with a British ticket with the ticket vending machines - if only! (Steve Chandler, 8 Dec 2023.)
[BLN 1BELOW: The landslip between Woking and Brookwoothere was a 20mph Emergency Speed Restriction
1438] od on the Down side before remediation work began; in place on the Down Slow here (Network Rail).
BELOW: (Item 2525) Crewkerne Tunnel landslip which accumulated above th
e London end portal; the Orange Army (far right) is poised for action… (NR).
[BLN 1BELOW: (Item 2528) The Bridport/West Bay (bottom left) branch in 1957. Ma
1438] iden Newton is top right (Weymouth is off to the right, Yeovil is off the top).
BELOW: Sat 3 May 1975, the 16.43 from Maiden Newton to BridA 3-car DMU supplemented the normal 'bubble car' because
port calls at Toller, the first intermediate station on the branch. this was the final day of passenger services. (Ian Mortimer.)
ABOVE: 'Maiden Newton for Bridport' the board says, but not for much longer; looking towards Weymouth. The 'Dorset Dawdler' is in the coal yard siding. The main line was by then single track with a loop here. (ABOVE Ian Mortimer, Sat 3 May 1975.) (BELOW Angus McDougall, 18 Aug 2001.) BELOW: The restored 'Bridport West Bay' (as it should have said) looking towards the end of line and the sea.
BELOW: A busy scene at Maiden Newton; the loco hauled train is for Weymouth, the main line DMU was likely to be for Bristol Temple Meads. The Bridport train is in the bay;Ian thinks it was the 18.20 departure which he travelled on (as well as the final trains, the 20.15 and 20.43 back from Bridport.)
1438 SOUTH WEST (Samuel Taunton) [email protected] 2524] Evershot Tunnel: On Tue 5 Dec, the driver of the 09.30 Weymouth to Gloucester hit debris in the 4ft on exiting the northern portal. This tunnel is between Maiden Newton and Chetnole towards Yeovil Pen Mill,where the train arrived 20 min late. Long reach On Track Plant was required to remove a considerable amount of material from above the tunnel and the Up side cutting. A few services were cancelled then trains ran with a 5mph Emergency Speed Restriction at the site and, until monitoring equipment was installed on 8 Dec, a watchman was on duty. Normal line speed was restored next day. 2525] Crewkerne Tunnel: With very heavy rain on Mon 4 Dec, which followed a prolonged wet spell, the embankment crest above the London Portal of the tunnel (132m 39ch), about a mile on the Exeter side of Crewkerne station, started to slip. The site is monitored by alarms which gave 'black' warnings (highest risk) and it was scheduled to receive soil nailing in Jan. The line was closed from 17.30. Matters were made worse by torrential rain and strong wind throughout the South West stretching resources and blocked roads. The line was flooded at Pinhoe. Due to the planned engineering closure, SWR Exeter services were already diverting between Salisbury and Yeovil Jn via Westbury, with buses between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction. The ASLEF overtime ban and strikes aggravated matters; seven Class 159 DMUs were trapped at Exeter (four were later moved to Salisbury, after flooding blocking the line at Taunton had subsided) and seven more were out of service for repairs (particularly wheel flats). 24 DMUs are needed to run the service but only 15 were available at Salisbury, then there was the landslip between Woking and Brookwood! The result: no trains between Salisbury and Exeter except for the GWR 16.31 SSuX Barnstaple to Axminster which still ran. It normally continues ECS via Yeovil Junction to Castle Cary and back the same way. This might seem odd but it route refreshes for GWR Exeter to Castle Cary diversions via Yeovil. With the line closed, it returned to Exeter in service. (BLN 1434.2345) Salisbury to Yeovil Junction reopened, as booked, on Mon 11 Dec after the blockade, when it had been hoped to reopen through to Exeter. However, strong winds in particular delayed clearing the landslip at Crewkerne Tunnel and a route proving ECS DMU early that day identified unrelated possible track defects between Yeovil Junction and Crewkerne. At Axminster, it became a service train; our Pinhoe member was the only passenger joining at that station at 08.12, when there were about five people on it (normally it would be packed). Unfortunately, the planned all day Exeter to Axminster shuttle could not be fully resourced; only the first, last and the two GWR services ran. 2526] Bidi Bimodes: At 11.57 on Sat 25 Nov a broken rail was discovered on the Up Main between Swindon and Didcot in the points at Bourton (72m 30ch). 24 services, all to Paddington, starting with 11.30 from Bristol Temple Meads and ending with 21.05 from Cheltenham Spa (which started from Swindon at 22.08), utilised the bidirectional signalling over the Down Main from South Marston Jn (74m 48ch) to Wantage Road (60m 35ch) in the Up direction. Two other services to Paddington, the 17.50 from Penzance and 21.40 from Taunton (which started at 22.40 from Bristol Temple Meads), called at Swindon P3, crossed to the Down Main at 77m 00ch regaining the Up Main at Wantage Road. On Sun 12 Nov, 6Q58 12.00 Wootton Bassett Jn to Swindon Transfer failed on the Up Main in the Hay Lane area. The simplified bidirectional signalling was in use for Up services on the Down Main from Wootton Bassett Jn to Swindon country end crossover (77m 49ch). Five services benefitted; the first was the 13.26 from Weston-super-Mare and the last 16.30 from Bristol TM, both to Paddington. 2527] Short trains far too long? Transport Focus is asking GWR for assurances about the efforts being made to avoid trains running with fewer carriages than required, allegedly leading to overcrowding. Over the last year, the North Cotswold service, which runs through Gloucestershire, fell short of its declared seat numbers by 155,944. This figure was deduced from the GWR data which shows the company declared there would be 3,799,690 seats provided by the trains on this route over the course of the year but, in reality, a mere 3,643,746 seats were available! The data also shows the number of booked seats by passengers to be 4,373,319, with just 3,910,915 actual seats being taken. [Mind you, a short train is preferable to no train and Mark Hopwood, GWR MD, pointed out that they are having to manage with a smaller fleet due to DfT mandated savings; the alternative is service frequency cuts.]
2528] Bridport: https://bit.ly/47IaYRi (click 'BROWSE YOUTUBE') is a delightful 15 min 1975 colour film, just before closure, of this archetypical 9¼ mile branch operated by 'bubble cars'. It was listed in the 1963 Beeching Report for closure but the first proposal (dated 7 Oct 1965) was refused by the Minister of Transport on 1 Jun 1967 on the grounds of the hardship it would cause. The alternative (particularly for the two intermediate stations) was indirect; minor, poor roads unsuitable for buses. There were 9 trains each way SuX, connecting with services at Maiden Newton where they used a bay. Dorset County Council subsidised the service but in 1971 a further closure proposal showed the branch was losing £54,000 per year (worth £941,000 now) and studies confirmed that a bus service could be provided instead. The last passenger trains ran on Sat 3 May 1975 with closure from Mon 5 May 1975. In 2023 there is now one bus a week Fridays only (excluding public holidays) from Maiden Newton; it takes a circuitous 'S' route meandering from Maiden Newton station mid-morning to Bridport, where there is about two hours for shopping before returning. It has to be booked by 14.30 the previous day (villages are served by request); and costs £6 return - the journey time depends on the route, which varies with demand! In 1969, the train took 18 min with two stops. To be fair, most people in Bridport go to Dorchester, Weymouth or Axminster which have regular all day buses - some limited stop. In the early 1970s, the Bridport branch appeared in 'Railway Magazine' under the headings of 'Dorset survivor' and later 'doomed Dorset branch' - Haltwhistle to Alston and Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh were in the same boat. This prompted your BLN Editor to have his first two week All Line Rover in 1973 (£37 Second Class Adult, no railcards then; worth about £552 in 2023 but now £866 without railcard.) Day 1 (Sat 7 Jul 1973), began rather tamely, 07.25 Erdington to Birmingham New Street, then the 07.55 loco-hauled service to Maiden Newton (a busy Summer Saturday Weymouth holiday train with compartment stock). Running late, there was only a 3 minute connection (11.27-11.30) to the Bridport service across the bridge but it waited, phew! With All Line Rovers, you keep going, so it was 8 minutes in Bridport, returning on the 12.00, continuing to Weymouth, Brighton, Leicester and Birmingham. Your Editor was so taken with the branch that, despite being a poor student, he made a farewell visit on Fri 18 Apr 1975 just before closure. Even with a Student Railcard, the return fare from Birmingham New Street to Bridport was £6.73* (= £70 now) - the sum of three separate legs from the British Rail Selective Pricing Manual. The 08.20 from New Street was caught via Gloucester Eastgate to Bristol Temple Meads (09.57) for the 10.08 to Maiden Newton (12.17), loco hauled, 6 coaches and hardly any
passengers. Having been to Radstock and Writhlington Colliery on a tour in 1973, Frome station was new track and a pleasant surprise with its overall roof but the singled track through it was unexpected. [*Probably miscalculated as BR leaflets showed fares to Yeovil Pen Mill or Weymouth were far lower.] As it would be the final chance ever to do the branch, three return trips were made through pleasant Dorset countryside. The trains from Maiden Newton were the consecutive 12.17, 13.04 & 14.25, returning from Bridport at 12.42, 13.55 & 16.05 respectively. The first had a turnround at Bridport of three minutes, the second 26 minutes (perfect for sandwiches) but the third was there for 1hr 18min while the crew had a break. This gave ample time to walk the trackbed of the two mile extension past Bridport East Street station to West Bay, and back which closed to passengers from 22 Sep 1930 and completely from 3 Dec 1962. The line was used again the following year for a Civil Defence exercise with condemned stock to simulate a major rail disaster, and the track was lifted in summer 1965. West Bay station was remarkably intact in 1975 and lived in; [in 2023 it is now a fine dining restaurant and has expanded into a converted coach on track]. By 1975, some of the trackbed had become part of a new road. Sand dunes and the sea were briefly seen. The Bridport branch itself was then a 'long siding'. Each journey, 500yd before the terminus, the guard opened and shut Bradpole Level Crossing Gates by hand, adding two stops and four minutes to the schedule over 1969 when there was a crossing keeper! Once Bridport had a signal box, three loop platforms, a goods shed and a loco shed. Talking to the guard, he commented that there were far more passengers travelling than normal, with closure just two weeks away, and bemoaned the fact that the line wouldn't be closing if there had been that many every day. Contemporary notes record there were about 20 people on each of the six services used on the branch but they were mostly enthusiasts from far and wide, taking lots of photos. The normal adult fare for each of the two extra trips was 46p return (the Student Railcard couldn't be used, as the minimum fare was 65p) so they could be generating say about £5 for each single trip! There was a good cross platform connection at Maiden Newton (arrive 16.27, depart 16.30) to the Bristol (18.50) train, where the opportunity was taken to visit Severn Beach on the 19.08 departure, a 2-car DMU (the other one on the service was a bubble car). Only single fares were available on these 'Pay Trains' - 26p each way, said to be half the day return. The idea of a Pay Train was that every passenger bought a ticket from the guard for each journey except for season ticket/pass holders. In two respects, the track was 'new' beyond Holesmouth Jn; your Editor's first visit to Severn Beach (19.56 until 20.08) and, surprisingly for 1975, some continuously welded rail had recently been laid. The line then ran over the level crossing past the terminus for 500yd (once a through line to Pilning Jn forming a loop) but this was clearly disused. Bristol TM was reached at 20.47 for the 21.00 Bristol to Glasgow and Edinburgh sleeper train, back to New Street (23.01) for the 23.18 to Erdington (23.32) - single 13p. Rail travel that day was 410 miles on 12 trains with six tickets costing a total of £8.70. After three visits in one day your Editor's next journey to/through Bridport was 47 years later by car in 2022. Sat 3 May 1975 was the final day of the Bridport Branch and the Southern Electric Group ran the 'Dorset Dawdler' railtour. There was a break at Maiden Newton from 14.11 to 17.04 when the tour train stabled ECS in the coal yard (where some managed to join it for the trip out back to the station!). There was time for two trips on the Bridport branch, which was being operated by a 4-car DMU. The tour headboard was temporarily transferred to these service trains. The branch connection was only done ECS which was detached/attached from/to service trains from/to Weymouth each morning/ evening respectively. Most enthusiasts were not bothered about doing branch connections in 1975! Map from Disused Stations with photos etc http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/bridport/ (E&OE). 2529] Jersey: An exceptionally rare 19th century French travel poster, advertising a train and ferry service from France to the Channel Islands, recently went under the hammer for £5,000. Published in Paris in 1889, it was designed to encourage French tourists to take a trip to Guernsey and Jersey in particular, by a new line to Carteret on the west coast of the Cherbourg Peninsula. A map shows train connections between Jersey and Guernsey to/from numerous ports and stations across France via Paris. Also featured are comprehensive timetables and fares for First, Second and Third Class travel.
1438 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected] 2530] Down Stour Goods: (TRACKmaps 4 p21A 2022) On the Birmingham to Wolverhampton line between Dudley Port and Tipton, the facing points at 7m 35ch to access the Down Stour Goods were plain lined on 10 Jul 2022 and have remained so since. The Up Stour Goods (7m 76ch - 7m 43ch) is still available and used occasionally by on track plant (last on 30 Jul 2023) or rarely to recess steel trains. 2531] Tyseley Locomotive Works, Warwick Road Platform - Small Heath South Jn: (BLN 1420.778) This former PSUL route has not been used by main line passenger trains since 29 Nov 2022, when a Vintage Trains steam hauled 'Christmas White Rose' excursion to York departed at 07.56 and arrived back 21.27. It was then the eighth passenger train to use the main line connection in eight months. Since then, the route has only been used by ECS and light engines. Internal shuttles are expected to resume for the 2024 open day/s. Some Vintage Trains excursions now call at the Tyseley main line station instead, when free parking is available for ticket holders at their Warwick Road car park. 2532] Birmingham New Street - Grand Jn: This line and the London end of New Street is closed all day Mon 1 & Sun 7 Jan and some passenger trains will be 'looping the loop'. Services between Birmingham and Derby or Leicester run via University, Lifford Curve, St Andrews Jn and Landor Street Jn. Those from Bristol reverse at New Street and, to puzzle 'Normals', leave via the route they arrived on. Local stations between New Street and Birmingham International as well as between New Street and Tame Bridge Parkway are served by buses - wait for it, to/from Moor Street station! Lichfield line passengers at least have buses to New Street. British Rail would likely have run a train shuttle on the unaffected section of that line with absolute minimal use of buses. It means that Aston and Duddeston have buses from both city centre stations, what fun. Maybe they are worried about bus jams at New Street or the road access will also be awash with the Orange Army, their vehicles etc for the work? LNwR Euston services turn back at Birmingham International P4&5 (facing crossover on arrival). New Street to Euston/Reading services divert via Soho East Jn, Perry Barr West Jn to South Jn and Aston South Jn to Stechford. Avanti and CrossCountry services between Wolverhampton and Coventry thus reverse at New Street. New Years Day is normally quieter for passenger numbers and some services will be thinned out to cope in view of line capacity, reversals at New Street and longer journey times. 2533] New Street P4c: With their reduction from 8 to 4-car, most Liverpool services now turnback in the bay. Class 730 EMUs, which are too long for this platform, are expected to be introduced to the service! The last arrival from Liverpool M-Thu stables in the bay, to form the first morning departure. 2534] Coventry Very Light Rail: (BLN 1436.2598) The demonstration route runs from the Birmingham end of the station on the Up side (Warwick Road) to the former IKEA building, later extending to Pool Meadow bus station. A new cycleway alongside it will also connect Coventry station to the bus station and join some of the new routes into the city centre from Coundon and Foleshill. Preparation of the first section of the VLR begins in the spring with work due to start on the cycleway in Autumn 2024. 2535] Dudley VLR: Original West Midlands Metro (more correctly, Midland Metro then) Ansaldo T69 tram 16 (the last one remaining) was moved from store at International Metals and Cable Recycling, Long Marston, to the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre at Dudley on 24 Nov. For unloading, CAF Urbos3 tram 32, under repair, was shunted outside. Both are now inside the engineering hall. 2536] Rugeley - Colwich Jn: (BLN 1433.2244) From 20-22 Jan the delayed new signalling is planned to be commissioned during a three day closure of the Trent Valley Line and Hednesford (crossover on arrival) to Rugeley Trent Valley. It covers Brereton overhead Neutral Section to Shugborough Tunnel (incl) - approx MP121 to MP130; Rugeley Power Station Jn to Rugeley North Jn (MP14 to 16m 69ch) and Colwich Jn to Aston-by-Stone CCTV Crossing (excl) (approx 38m 63ch to MP33; mileage reversed). 2537] West Midlands Metro: ①Work has started at some tram stops to prepare them for new ticketing systems. ②In early Dec, work started replacing the final bridge on the Dudley extension. Known locally as Hansons Bridge over Birmingham New Road (A4123), the life expired metal double track railway bridge will be removed and replaced next year, no doubt by a featureless concrete one.
BELOW: (Item 2534) The first two Phases of Coventry Very Light Rail; the station is bottom left corner.
BELOW & FOLLOWING: The Coventry VLR prototype vehicle was on static display in the City for three days in the summer during 'Motofest'. (Our local member, Simon Mortimer, investigated; 2 Jun 2023.)
2538] Lichfield TV: (BLN 1431.2022) The Trent Valley Line has no booked services on 25 & 26 Dec when the new 40m long bridge section of high level P3 is to be lifted in by a 650 tonne crane (without NR having to pay any compensation for closing the Trent Valley Line). P3 reopens on Sat 30 Dec with Cross City services extended from Lichfield City again. The service was withdrawn from 14 Jul 2023, when the life expired previous P3 was removed. NR had said that they saved £3M of public money in compensation to operators by not closing the Trent Valley any earlier for 48 hours especially to install the platform. The whole project is costing £5.8M; hopefully passengers will return after 5½ months. 1438 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected] 2539] Derriaghy: (BLN 1433.2247) The Up P1 (to Dublin) extension is virtually complete. Work on the new staggered Down P2 progresses, with the first section built. Completion is expected in Spring 2024. 2540] Adelaide: Only the foundations for extensions to the platforms have been completed so far. 2541] Belfast to 59m 47ch: The UK Government has awarded Translink £3.3M to study the cost, value for money and feasibility of electrifying the Dublin line to the border (in case you wondered about the significance of the mileage). Meanwhile, the new Enterprise units, out to tender, will be battery EMUs. 2542] Strikes: (BLN 1437.2422) Further bus and train strikes are planned for 13, 16 & 22 Dec 2023. 2543] Temporary closures: (BLN 1437.2418) Without giving a reason, Translink has announced that City Hospital and Botanic stations will have no service from 27 Dec until 1 Jan (both inclusive). Trains between Belfast Great Victoria Street and Belfast Lanyon Place will be passing them but not calling. 2544] Downpatrick & County Down Railway: (MR p10) (BLN 1437.2420) The Railway has said that flood damage sustained on 31 Oct will cost at least £500,000 and only half is covered by insurance. 2545] Claremorris - Tuam - Athenry: The Irish Transport Minister has asked Irish Rail to 'clear' this 32¼ mile disused line (never abandoned and track in situ) as soon as possible, so that a cost estimate can be made of the work needed to enable reopening. Presumably this means clearing vegetation, illegal fencing and other encroachment. An application has been made to include it in the Trans-European Transport Network (Ten-T), as part of Ireland's comprehensive network. The European Union defines this as an infrastructure network that encompasses roads, railways, ports, and airports. Projects intended for inclusion are required to be completed by 2050. Revised Ten-T Network maps are due to be agreed soon, with negotiations between the EU institutions in their final stages. This would allow EU funding to possibly be available for this Western Corridor extension but does not guarantee it. Part of the Great Southern & Western Railway, the points were removed from Athenry, Tuam Jn from 13 Nov 2002. Regular freight ended with cessation of the Foynes to Ballina 'liner' trains of imported coal and oil for the Asahi plant near Ballina. Opened in 1977 and closed in Dec 1997, the plant made clothing fibres for M&S etc. There had previously been periods of no traffic when freight could not use the Limerick to Ennis section due to flooding and were therefore diverted via Portarlington (reverse). Of relevance, the Ennis - Athenry section was out of use from early Oct 2001 due to the unreliable condition of level crossings until passenger reopening on 30 Mar 2010 (ceremonial trip 29 Mar 2010). 2546] Waterford - Rosslare Strand: This 45 mile long line is in a similar boat with an application made to include it in the EU Ten-T Network. It closed to passengers from Mon 20 Sep 2010, when there was just one morning train from Rosslare Europort to Waterford, returning late afternoon SuX. It is intact and used by weedspray and inspection trains but the River Barrow Bridge needs significant repairs. 2547] Portarlington (41m 56ch) - Athlone (80m 37ch): The maximum line speed is now 100mph, where possible; previously only sections of the Dublin to Cork line were cleared for 100mph running. 2548] 10 Dec timetable: A new 06.00 SSuX Heuston to Cork arrives 08.32, a pre-09.00 arrival at the city for the first time. A connection from Limerick Junction means Limerick can be reached by 08.00. With recent infrastructure improvements, journey times have been improved on many Heuston to Cork and Limerick services. The 06.15 SSuX nonstop Cork to Dublin (08.29) service, at 2hr 14min for 165¼ miles(start to stop average 74mph), is the fastest ever timetabled service between the two cities. There are new 12.20 SSuX Heuston to Carlow and 15.15 return; 16.20 SuX Westport to Athlone and 21.08 return, with connections from/to Dublin at Athlone and later final Westport/Ballina services.
BELOW: (Item 2551) Castletown; bottom right is track we did through the Goo
ods Shed on our 16 Sep 2013 tour (fortunately a band wasn't in the way then).
BELOW: Rushen (an historic parish in the South West IOM) Silver Band at Cast
tletown; for those on the trumpet attendance was voluntary, of course.
BELOW: Port St Mary Goods Shed looking towards Port Erin. Were some of the NEXT: N o 4 Loch running round the Carol train at Castleto
band blowing their own trumpets? (All three Graeme Easton, 9 Dec 2023.) own, looking towards Douglas. (Jenny Williamson.)
1438 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Easton) [email protected] 2549] What a surprise! (BLN 1437.2423) The number of Horse Trams journeys dropped from 78,000 in 2019 (the last year that they ran to the Sea Terminal) to 45,000 in 2023, with the line ending halfway along the Promenade. Minister for Infrastructure Tim Crookall said in Tynwald: I think it's made a difference not having the tram tracks the whole way since the renovation. But that will be a decision for the future. It could be a tough decision between this and something else that the department can or can't do if it's a capital project. The SYSTRA report, now two months overdue and supposedly needing minor changes a month ago, has still not been published but is understood to say that restoring the tramway to the Sea Terminal would be positive for revenue, especially from cruise ships. 2550] IOM 2024 Transport Festival: A flier has been issued confirming the dates (30 Jul until 4 Aug) with high level festival highlights but no specific details as yet. Watch this space… 2551] Festive Services: On 9 Dec N o 4 'Loch' pulled a Carol Train from Port Erin to Castletown and back stopping at Port St Mary, Colby and Castletown for carols with accompaniment from Rushen Silver Band. Six volunteers on the train (including three in the band!) held current IoM PTS certificates! Three Society members were among the 170 passengers and 25 band members on board. Meanwhile, N o 13 'Kissack' worked three return Polar Express Trains between Douglas and Santon. On the MER, Trams 20 and 21 have been running between Laxey and Dhoon Glen (continuing ECS to Dhoon Quarry to cross over) for the Little Shed's 'Shedanigans' events. Car 5, having been out with the P'Way team on vegetation clearance, ran the first Festive Fyn & Filbey's Line special to Ramsey. All these have been virtually full but, reportedly, the festive dining trains are not selling well, with a 10% discount now available on many. [Prices seem to have risen and the quality dropped with the new caterer - BLN Ed.] 1438 SCOTLAND (Greg Beecroft) [email protected] 2552] Ayr today, gone tomorrow: (BLN 1437.2432) The south end of Ayr Station Hotel is being demolished. Over the weekend of 2 &3 Dec, most of the section up to the first crosswall, was pulled down but demolition of the external wall fronting the railway is a more delicate operation and taking longer. SAVE Britain's Heritage has said it is 'shocked and surprised' by the work but South Ayrshire Council responded saying that 'the condition of the southern section is being continually assessed and safety works will continue until the building is no longer a danger to the public or the surrounding infrastructure'. [SAVE was given the chance to come up with a fully funded workable alternative plan.] On 1 Dec, the pavement on the south side of the road bridge reopened and it is hoped that vehicular traffic can resume soon. A shuttle service of two trains per hour between Ayr and Prestwick Town commenced on Mon 4 Dec seven days a week, although buses continue to operate as well for capacity. The 2-car Class 156 DMUs run empty between Prestwick Town and Barassie Jn, to turn back on the Kilmarnock line. A round trip from Ayr takes 36 mins, so two units are required for the service. Buffer stops in Ayr P4 (the Down through track) leaves space for only 2 x 2-car train to use the north end. Possession marker boards prevent use of all the other platforms and the overhead line is earthed. 2553] Ayr extensions: Ayr-Stranraer and Kilmarnock -Barassie closures now extend until 28 Jan at least. 2554] Barrhead Electrification: A special first passenger carrying electric train ran on 6 Dec, 11.41 Glasgow Central to Barrhead and 12.12 return, with EMU 380114. Invited passengers included Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop and the Managing Director of Scotland's Railway, Alex Hynes. The first public electric trains to and from Barrhead on Mon 11 Dec were the 06.52 from Glasgow Central and 07.26 return. EMU 380107 worked the broadly hourly Barrhead terminators throughout the day. 2555] An attack of the vapours is terminal: (BLN 1437. 2433) Much of the Grangemouth traffic losses were 'vapour recovery' issues; the receiving terminals couldn'trealistically be upgraded to mitigate this. 2556] Edinburgh Trams: A higher scaffolding and timber platform has been erected at Haymarket Yards, more suitable for passenger use if trams need to terminate there. The platform was pressed into use on 28 Nov after a collision between a car and a bus blocked the line at the west end of Princes Street. The service had already been disrupted because Leith Walk was closed after a crane collapsed. There is no indication when trams will resume from Ocean Terminal to Newhaven. The OHLE problem has been identified and repairs will be carried out as soon as the necessary components are received.