1278

After a London Bridge reversal it was off to Victoria, diving under at Bermondsey and reversing at
East Croydon with a rare (for the Class) Fast-Slow move at Norwood Fork. After the final unit split 2408
ran ECS to Stewarts Lane. 2402 continued as 1Z49, with an interesting reversal at Wandsworth Road
behind signal VS86 then to Stewarts Lane Depot. The Carriage Washing Road was visited before
running to Victoria P7, the end of the day's events. If this is to be the final Class 442 passenger working
under its own power, it certainly was a fitting farewell and raised at least £13k for charity. A day that
will be remembered for a very long time by all those on board. A really big thank you to all concerned.

BELOW: The new order at East Croydon.

Please mention the BLS when booking or enquiring. .1278 CONNECTIONS… .Details must be checked with the organisers.
799] The Regional Railway Society: https://goo.gl/z9gHgb a non profit making organistation aiming
to preserve and promote Regional Railways and ensure that elements from this period of railway
history are saved for our enjoyment today and future generations. This includes collecting articles,
information, artefacts and photos, producing a quarterly magazine and engaging with railway
preservation groups. Subscription (see website) £10 for one year, £18 for two and £26 for three years.
800] REMINDER: Vinter's Railway Gazetteer: (BLN 1277.678) The new much enlarged 2017 edition
described in BLN 1277, is now available to BLS members until 30 June at the reduced price of £15
including P&P (UK addresses only). Quote 'KT8'email [email protected] or 01256 302699.
801] The Bulford Branch Line & Larkhill Military Railway: By Peter A Harding, originally published in
1991 and was out of print. This is the latest in a series of updated railway histories of obscure lines that
will appeal to members. A5 booklet, 36 gloss pages, card cover, 46 interesting B&W photographs with
new, previously unpublished ones. Includes timetables, tickets, track plans of the stations/junctions
and a line plan. Your Editor had not realised that Amesbury Jn (between Salisbury and Grateley) was
grade separated and the branch was double track to Amesbury. An update documenting the remains
includes 2016 photos. Retail £4 or £4.50 including P&P; payee 'Peter A Harding' to 'Mossgiel', Bagshot
Rd, Knaphill, Woking, GU21 2SG. Other titles include: ●The Bisley Camp Branch line. ●The Rye &
Camber Railway. ●The Bordon Light Railway. ●The Lee-on-the Solent Railway. ●The Hellingly Hospital
Railway (BLS railtour 26 Apr 1958!), ●The Ramsgate Tunnel Railway and ●The Hythe Pier Railway etc…

X.50] Mountsorrel Railway, Swithland signalling: To run through passenger carrying trains between
the Great Central Railway and the Moutsorrel branch requires a £75K upgrade to the signalling. The
good news is that £68K has now been raised and a Crowdfunding appeal launched to raise £5,000.
Please see https://goo.gl/ON2WDP for more details and to donate.

802] The Coleorton Railway & Jessop's Tramway, Sun 14 May 14.00: Part of the National Forest
walking festival. A leisurely 5 mile 2½ hour walk 15+ stiles. Meet at Hough Mill, St George's Hill,
Swannington, LE67 80W (parking available). Free but donations welcome. The walk traces the route of
the 1833 Coleorton Horse Drawn Railway, walking on tracks and roads and then returns along the
route of Jessop's 1794 Tramway, mostly on the Ivanhoe Way. The mill will be open for anyone wanting
to see restoration progress. Booking essential [email protected] or 07474 610112.

803] British Railways in the 1960s - Southern Region: A new book
out 30 Apr by Geoff Plumb, our Society photographer. It is the first
in his new series 'The Geoff Plumb Collection'; a photographic
account of the last few years of steam locomotives on BR until their
demise in 1968. Each book covers one of the former 'Big Four', the
Southern, LMS, GWR and LNER; some of the lines were about to
close. Colour pictures of the highest quality possible at the time.
Hardback, 160 pages, RRP £25 introductory offer £20; P&P £4 UK or
free over £30. Pen & Sword Books 47 Church Street Barnsley,
S70 2AS. https://goo.gl/gZLFh9 or 01226 734222.

804] The Lancs & Yorks Builder, Sat 10 Jun: Pathfinder Tours, Gloucester (06.10/23.10) various stations via
Birmingham New Street (07.25/21.55) & Crewe (09.10/20.35) to Horrocksford Castle Cement expecting to
cross West Bradford Rd LC into the Works and Hunslet East branch to end of line; includes Bamber Bridge
Dn Gds Loop, Hellifield Dn Gds loop (rev) Neville Hill: Up Arrivals Sdg (rev) & Up Goods (rev), Turners Lane
Up Gds Loop and Horbury Up Gds loop. From £95 adult https://goo.gl/yXWdkH 01453 835414/834477.

805] Brighton Station Tours, Sat & Sun 6 May to 4 Jun: Generally 11.00 & 14.00; limited numbers.
Thanks to Southern Railway; these amazing two hour long tours only happen during Brighton Fringe.
Learn about the hidden places, local history and wonderful engineering of the grade II* listed station
that handles over 50,000 passengers daily. Meet at the front of the station. Led by Jackie Marsh-Hobbs
see https://goo.gl/Z9Mj2E £9, £8 concessions. To book: www.brightonfringe.org or 01273 917272.

806] GWR Old Oak Common '111' FINAL Open Day, Sat 2 Sep: Diary date. On display will be a
collection of old and new trains and locomotives. Opened 17 Mar 1906, during its 111-year history,
the depot has maintained everything from the Kings & Castles of the steam era, to diesel Westerns
and Warships. In 1976 it became the maintenance hub in the Western region for the then new, but
now soon to be replaced, HSTs. Tickets on sale soon. All profits to the 'Place2Be' charity, providing
mental health support for children in schools (patron is HRH The Duchess of Cambridge). The May
2016 GWR St Philips Marsh open day raised over £20k for charity celebrating 40 years of the HST.

807] North Norfolk Railway: Main line special dining services (probably evening as last year) are
expected to Cromer and Holt via the NR connection at Sheringham (which, although disguised as a
level crossing is actually built as an extremely low bridge over the road services). Watch their website.

X.51] Vintage Trains, 'Moonraker' Sat 8 Apr: https://goo.gl/QmBq1Y Solihull 06.45/20.50, Dorridge,
Warwick parkway & Banbury (08.25/19.22), Oxford centre roads (both directions) Didcot Parkway
09.35/10.35 (visit Didcot Railway Centre) then to Salisbury 12.09/16.16 hauled by No 5043 'Earl of
Mount Edgcumbe'. Some seats available from £99 book online via link above or 0121 708 4960.

Fixtures Secretary: Kev Adlam, 53 Kemble Close, Wistaston, CREWE CW2 6XN. [email protected] Twitter: @BLSGeneralSec
SALES: Mark Gomm, 84 Mornington Road, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL. [email protected] 01782 769960 (daytime).
Editor/Head Lines: Paul Stewart, 4 Clarence Close, MALVERN, WR14 3HX [email protected] 01684562862 07790652351.

X.52] ABOVE: E-BLN 1278 Guest the Location? Although a black and white picture it is certainly not to
be sneezed at. An official BLS fixture with 17 participants - answer in BLN 1279. (Martin Connop-Price).

808] A New Station for
Corris: The Machynlleth
Low Level to Aberllefeni
part of this delightful 2' 3"
gauge railway CA Aug 1948
due to flood damage. Corris
to Maespoeth Junction was
ROP 1 Jun 2002 by the
Corris Railway Society see:

https://goo.gl/73ypNN
which was founded in 1967.
To celebrate the Society's
50th anniversary there is an
appeal to raise £300k to:
Replace all of the track
between the station and
Braich Goch Farm crossing.
Create a new platform
and layout with a run round loop. Construct a new station building in the style of the original. Carry
out preparation work. The Society owns the land needed and has planning permission. See
https://goo.gl/ZrvfUq for more details. Donations can be made by cheque, PayPal (via website) or
BACS and Gift Aided adding 25%. Or write for an A5 (paper BLN) size leaflet with an SAE to Corris
Railway, Station Yard, Corris, Machynlleth, Mid Wales, SY20 9SH. ABOVE: The original Corris station.

CONTACT DETAILS: See previous page and previous BLNs or the editor would be pleased to forward.

Published by the Branch Line Society, 10 Sandringham Road, Stoke Gifford, BS34 8NP. ISSN 1354-0947.