1412

Number 1412. (Items 2576 - 2701 & MR 213 - MR 219) (E-BLN 87 PAGES) 19 Nov 2022

BRANCH LINE NEWS

Distribuendi notitia, verbi disseminandi [ISSN 1354-0947]

Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955.

branchline.uk https://www.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/

Membership queries: Lisa Sheppard [email protected]
186 AnlabymPaermk bReorasdhiSpo.suethcr,eHtaurlly,@HUbr4a7nBchUl.ine.0u7k873 354464

British Isles news from members; an International section is available.
Opinions are not necessarilyathvaoislaebolef .the Compilers or the Society.

BLN 1413 is dated Sat 3 Dec; contributions by Wed 23 Nov please. ......
2576] BLN 1413: For those unable to attend our 12.00 AGM at Bo'ness on Sat 19 Nov, there will be a
summary in BLN 1413 with our Fixtures Secretary's 2023 announced plans ahead of the formal draft
minutes. A fixture is only added to the BciLeNty.FSixotcuiertey.grid when it is likely to take place. With the AGM
changes of Committee personnel, it is also intended, before too long, to update the Committee and
BLN contacts list last issued with BLN 1350 (dated 18 Apr 2020) or see our Website 'Contacts' page.

Date Event and details…... Please book online BLN Lead Status

Sat 12 Nov For the record: Chasewater Railway, Gronk Hunter (08738) advertised by email etc

Fri 18 Nov Early afternoon Doon Valley Railway 'all lines' 1409 MG OPEN

Sat 19 Nov 09.45 Bo'ness Access All Areas conducted tours 1411 MG OPEN

Sat 19 Nov 12.00 Our 2022 AGM at Bo'ness station café 1408 MG OPEN

Sat 19 Nov 15.30-19.15 Bo'ness unusual lines railtour e-1411 MG OPEN

Sat 19 Nov 19.15-21.45 Bo'ness; evening films and meal 1411 MG OPEN

Sun 20 Nov 10.00-12.00 Shed 47 and Fife Munitions Railway 1410 MG OPEN

Sun 20 Nov 13.30-15.30 Fife Heritage Railway;Kirkland Yard 1411 MG OPEN

Sat 26 Nov 09.07 & 14.07 Class 315 Commemorative Day 1411 MG OPEN

:*ASLEF strike does NOT affect the trips - London Underground & Elizabeth line are running*::

Sat 17 Dec The Holly & The Hoover mainline railtour BELOW MG OPEN

Sat 7 Jan Scunthorpe Cold Steel Tracker 25; 09.30-16.30 BELOW MG OPEN

Sun 8 Jan Provisional - minor railway/s in Lincolnshire TBA TBA Claimed

Sat 11 Feb Save the date for a mainline railtour TBA TBA Claimed

Bookings: MG = Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Rd, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL 07983 541887.

2577] :Sat 17 Dec; The Holly & The Hoover:: A seasonal loco hauled exploration of the Chilterns and
unusual lines. Operated by RailAdventure, 50008 'Thunderer' will 'Top & Tail' :now with 37418,:
visiting Marylebone and Paddington stations. Our Buffet Car will serve a range of hot and cold drinks,
snacks etc. Hand-pulled real ales and ciders will be available. Bookings as below (see item 2579).

Burton P2 (PU 05.10) - Tamworth P4 (PU 05.25) - New Street P8 (PU/rev 06.10) - Coleshill Parkway
P2 (PU 06.25) - Dn Arley Goods Loop - Up Nuneaton Chord - Nuneaton P2 (PU 07.00) - Leamington
Up Mn - Dn Banbury Goods Loop - Banbury P1 (PU 08.10) - :Aynho Loop: -Up Oxford - Hinksey Yard
(rev) - Oxford Dn Oxford - Bicester Village (PS) - Princes Risborough Up Main - Gerrards Cross Down
P1 - West Ruislip P4 (PS) - Marylebone P3 (PU 11.30/rev) - Princes Risborough P3 - Leamington Dn
Main - Warwick (SD 13.25) - Stratford-upon-Avon P1 (break/rev) - Warwick (PU 16.30) - Leamington
Up Main - Banbury P3 - West Ruislip Up Main - Greenford S Jn - Paddington P9 (SD 18.50/reverse) -
Carriage Line - Old Oak Common East Jn - Greenford West Jn - Bicester North Up P2 (and photo stop)
- Banbury P2 (SD 21.20) - Leamington Dn Main - Tyseley P2 (SD 22.15) - Dn Bordesley Goods Loop -
Bordesley Jn - St Andrews Jn - Landor St Jn - Up Washwood Heath Goods - Coleshill Parkway P2 (SD
22.50) - Whitacre West Jn - Kingsbury Jn - Tamworth P3 (SD 23.10) - Burton-on-Trent P1 (SD 23.30).

The charity raffle is for the Epilepsy Society. An afternoon break can be taken in Stratford-upon-Avon
or Warwick; photos stops (PS) are included. First Class guaranteed table for two £199; First Class £174;
Standard £119; U18 discount £59.50 (must be adult accompanied); no non-members surcharge.

2578] :Sat 26 Nov; The Class 315 Commemorative Events:: (BLN 1411.2451) Thanks to Greg Beecroft,
a detailed route description is now available as a PDF with e-BLN. Places are still available to book.

2579] :Sat 7 Jan 09.30-16.30; Scunthorpe Cold Steeler No25:: ''There is no such thing as cold, only
inadequate clothing'' - Kev Adlam. (However, the brakevans do have stoves.) With over 100 miles of
standard gauge track to choose from, a great way to start 2023 and see an operating integrated steel
works and 24-hour industrial railway close up, in 2,800 acres (totally unspoilt by tourism). Note: Tata
Steel and Jingle Group, which own British Steel, are now in discussions with the Government over two
of Scunthorpe's four blast furnaces. Jingle says that they are not viable without government support.

Our brakevan railtour starts at 09.30 prompt from Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society's
platform and is due to finish about 16.30. An extensive full day railtour; maximum 54, first come, first
served, supporting the AFRPS volunteers' good work. The fare includes food and hot drinks during the
lunchtime break at the AFRPS depot. All track queries/specific line requests, in advance only please,
ASAP to Paul Stewart per back page. Our Aug tour covered all the extensive recently commissioned
new layout at the former P'Way Depot area for the first time (Aug 2022 track plan on our website) and
it is hoped to cover it all again. Members only, Adults £55, U18 £27.50 (must be adult accompanied).

Please book on our website, ask a member to do this, or cheques payee 'Branch Line Society' with SAE
(two for acknowledgement/queries), email preferred - to Mark Gomm (above), who deals with queries.

1412 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
2580] Early Railway Memories (89), By Keith Flinders (Member 306) Part 2 (BLN 1329.1262) I was one
of the first to contribute to this feature in BLN 1329, well over three years ago now, taking the title
seriously, so only pre-school memories were recorded. As the feature has developed into almost
autobiographies, perhaps it is time for Part 2 - school days. [Keep them coming please everybody... Ed.]

Incidentally (BLN 1329.1262), that train circa 1950 that Keith was taken as an infant to wave at every
lunchtime (12.32 at Weekday Cross, Nottingham) was 'The South Yorkshireman' (10am from Bradford
Exchange to London Marylebone) as he originally wrote, not 'The Master Cutler' (as a BLN proofreader
had thought). The latter, 7.40am Sheffield Victoria to Marylebone, passed much earlier in the day.

Just before I started school at age 4, we moved to an estate on the edge of Nottingham, high on the
interfluve [the area between adjacent streams flowing in the same direction, although in this case
adjacent bidirectional railways (!)] between two lines - interferrovia(?). From the back bedroom, I fell
asleep to the sound of the ex-Great Northern Railway Derbyshire Extension O4s struggling up the 1:100
to Watnall Tunnel with iron ore to Stanton Ironworks. When I was given the front bedroom, it was the
ex-Midland Railway Radford Jn to Trowell Jn, 1:103 out of the Leen Valley. When the Jubilee on the
St Pancras to Edinburgh sleeper (we called it 'The Night Waverley') had gone, it was time for sleep.

At 11, I started at Bilborough Grammar School and it was possible to see this line from the higher up
classrooms. After school, a quick bike ride to the bridge over the line by Wollaton Colliery Sidings was
worth it if the friendly signalman had chalked up his blackboard for us with all the day's numbers.
Alternatively we pedalled to Trowell after school to enjoy the 'Thames Clyde Express' and endless coal
trains. Coming south on the Up Slow with permissive block, they queued for as far as the eye could see
to enter Toton Yard. We had competitions to see who could get the largest, thinnest ha'penny.

My father was an S&T man. Occasionally he would be called out to a signal box to rectify a fault (done
by telegram as we didn't have a phone) and I would go along on the back of his motorbike with him.
I particularly remember Nuthall Sidings, a very long walk along the track, to a box different from the
rest. Apparently the track was lifted from time to time to counter coal mining subsidence but the box
could not be. When the locking was too far underground, some time in the 1930s, the original box was
removed and replaced with a second hand Metropolitan & Great Central Joint Line box from Quainton

Road. A steep line (1:40) descended to join the Great Northern here from a private colliery system
that ran over Watnall Tunnel. (An overbridge on this system is visible on the west side of the M1 two
miles north of Jn 26.) The origin of that 1:40 incline was frustration. When the tough limestone of
Watnall Tunnel was delaying the opening of the line in 1875, the GNR directors had a temporary track
laid over the top of the tunnel so that they could start earning some money! A bit over the top‽

In my teenage years, interest in engine numbers waned as the desire to travel on every line grew.
The advantage of being a railway family was the Free Passes. Other railway families seemed to think
you could only ask for them from your home station. They were handwritten Edmondson Card tickets;
my brother and I chose the most obscure places (that ticket inspectors wouldn't have heard of) so a
plethora of different routes in between were valid. [The classic was a Penzance to Wick, or vice versa,
return. Your BLN Editor was on a train with a group of young railway employees travelling east west,
the very exasperated ticket inspectors said ''Are you going to Wick or Penzance then?'' … ''We are!''
Another favourite, especially with the late Roy Hamilton, was Beasdale to Sandplace as very few ticket
inspectors outside the immediate area knew where either of these stations actually were.]

With Priv tickets (¼ normal fare) for the branches, we
ventured far and wide. In Scotland, for example, the
branches to Peterhead, Fraserburgh were done, plus
the amazing 5-mile Light Railway to St Combs, where
the route was unfenced. Banff was memorable; firstly,
it was a mixed train (two coaches and three wagons of
whisky) but, secondly, as we rode back to Tillynaught
on 78045's footplate. LEFT: ECS of the 10.15am ex-
Tillynaught is propelled out of the platform at Banff
so that 78045 could shunt the three whisky wagons.

Then Lossiemouth, where I think we were the only passengers and up the Speyside Line to Aviemore.
This was booked for a 4-wheel railbus but it had failed so we had one coach and Class 25, D5114.

As the train started at Elgin, and the usual reversal
past the platform at Craigellachie also had to be
a run round in the platform, the resulting delay
was recouped by some exciting fast running,
reminiscent of a Blackpool Pleasure Beach ride,
up the twisting Speyside line (CP 6 May 1968) to
Aviemore, twice reaching 67mph RIGHT: This is
Craigellachie with the 2.45pm Elgin to Aviemore.
Class 25, D5114 is running round its single coach
after propelling it into the Speyside line platform.

Every adventure had to be done on the cheap. Why pay
for real food; Lyon's Fruit Pies were much cheaper?
Why pay for luxury accommodation when the money
could fund another branch line ticket? Although I did
invest in Youth Hostel Association Life Membership, in
the mid-1960s Glasgow did not have one. We stayed at
a Salvation Army hostel, 4 shillings and 6 pence a night
instead and took the advice to put a leg of the bed in
each shoe to stop them 'walking'. An alarm clock was
not needed; Glasgow's final tram route ran outside with
a very noisy set of points to welcome the day at 05.00.

ABOVE: Fraserburgh station on 2 Jan 1965, the midday train from St Combs reversing as it ran through
to Aberdeen. The Dyce - Fraserburgh line CP 4 Oct 1965; CG/A 6 Oct 1979. (All photos: Keith Flinders.)

RIGHT: St Combs terminus 2 Jan 1965; CP/A 3 May
that year. With such a sparse population, how did it
survive so long? Like Kev's little surprises on our
tours, my rarest track was totally unexpected.
On a bike ride in North Leicestershire one Saturday,
we could see smoke rising in the distance. It was
the demolition train for the ironstone network.
The locomotive had come out from Colwick Depot.
We got talking to the crew and were invited onto
the footplate to drag the next track panel down to
Scalford Goods Yard where it would be cut up. For
a little bit of track, I really was on the very last train. So schooldays ended and, with more money in my
pocket railtouring really began - but that's perhaps for Part 3.

2581] The Oldest Railway Bridges: (BLN 1411.2550) A member points out that on the Stockton &
Darlington Railway, Skerne Bridge has been in use as a railway bridge longer than Blackhall Bridge,
Paisley (opened 1811) even though the S&D bridge is not as old, only dating from 1825. However, both
fall well short of the age of the oldest operational railway structures. The world's oldest railway still in
use is considered to be the 4' 33/16'' gauge Hohensalzburg Reißzug, in Salzburg, Austria. This is used to
convey goods between the city centre and Salzburg Castle and is quite separate from the passenger
funicular that opened in 1892. Archaeological findings suggest that the Reißzug was built by 1460,
though the earliest, reliable description of it dates from 1515. It appears that initially timber sledges
were hauled up a ramp, but timber rails were soon provided. None of the original structures that
supported the railway survive; steel bridges were installed in the 1880s. However, overbridges and
tunnels remain in use where the railway passes through five walls that protect the castle. The wagon
was hauled up and down on a rope, winched by animals or convicts until 1910, since when an electric
motor has been used. The railway continues in use and was modernised in 2017. It is still used for its
original purpose, mostly conveying food and drink and building materials up to the castle and rubbish
back down (but not gricers?). The line is 190 metres long and rises 80 metres. (Photos later on...)

2582] Keeping Track, passenger service suspensions: *= new or altered

Note: Lines with previous entries, which are not repeated, closed and reopened on booked dates.

BLN Start (incl) Reopens Location (stations 'exclusive' if bracketed) bold = closed now

1411.2560 ֍10 Oct 22 04 Nov 22 *Abercynon Jn not Pontypridd North Jn - Merthyr Tydfil ֍20.30

1412.2689 07 Nov 22 12 Nov 22 *Pontypridd North Jn - Treherbert South Wales Metro work

1402.1422 26 Sep 22 *21 Nov 22 *Ballybrophy P3 - Nenagh - Killonan Jn final phase of relaying

1412.2589 ?Mon *(Leicester) Syston South - (Melton Mowbray); (Peterborough)

05 Nov 22 21 Nov 22 *Helpston Jn - Manton Jn CrossCountry services only (EMR still
(Down line) running Corby - Melton Mowbray and Syston NE Jn PSULs)

1412.2689 21 Nov 22 26 Nov 22 *Pontypridd North Jn - Treherbert South Wales Metro work

1411.2485 19 Oct 22 Early *(Appleby)/(Wetheral) - (Carlisle) derailment 20.00

1411.2485 23 Oct 22 December *Wetheral - (Haltwhistle) see previous entry, extended closure

1411.2491. 26 Oct 22 30 Nov 22 *Metrolink; The Delta South Jn - The Delta West Jn effectively
*(Piccadilly Gardens) - (St Peter's Square) faulty pointwork

1411.2491 22 Nov 22 30 Nov 22 *Metrolink; (Piccadilly) - The Delta South Jn - The Delta Nth Jn
*additional closure replacing faulty points at The Delta Sth Jn

1402.1354 12 Sep 22 04 Dec 22 *(Pelaw) - South Shields for T&W Metro Flow project

- 05 Dec 22 09 Dec 22 *(Truro) - Penzance and St Erth - St Ives
1407.2095 13 Nov 22 10 Dec 22 *Dovey Jn - (Harlech); Harlech - Pwllheli may ROP 16 Nov 20.00

1412.2696 03 Dec 22 10 Dec 22 *(Carmarthen)/Carmarthen Bridge Jn-Llanwrtyd/Swansea Loop
..East Jn/Landore Jn/Briton Ferry West Jn/Briton Ferry East Jn

1411.2527 10 Dec 22 19 Dec 22 *Wilton Jn at Salisbury - Yeovil Jn Gillingham Tunnel work etc

BELOW/NEXT: (Item 2581) The World's oldest railway, the 4' 33/16'' gauge Hohensalzburg Reißzug, in Saltzburg.

BELOW: The 'riding'
vehicle - has anyone

ever ridden in it?

(Pictures from
Wikipedia.)

1412.2651 25 Dec 22 01 Jan 23 *Gloucester Barnwood Jn - Gloucester Yard Jn; Standish Jn/
*Wooton Bassett Jn - Bristol Parkway - (Patchway)/Filton No1 Jn
1412.2604 25 Dec 22 02 Jan 23 *(York) - Skelton Jn with diversions via the 'York Avoiding line'
*Charlton Jn/Barnehurst/Courthill Loop Jn South/Ladywell Jn -
1411.2459 24 Dec 22 03 Jan 23 *Lewisham - St Johns Jn/Nunhead Jn relaying Lewisham X/O Jns
*(Par) - Newquay
- 27 Jan 23 31 Jan 23 *(Clogwyn) - Summit (Snowdon Mountain) ‡date last ran
1394.MR29 ‡27 Oct 19 Mar 2023
*(Theale)/(Newbury Racecourse) - Heywood Rd Jn - Fairwood Jn
- 01.00 on 03 Mar 23 ../Westbury N Jn/Hawkeridge Jn plus local Melksham trains
18 Feb 23 *(Ryde Esplanade) - Ryde Pier Head for repairs to the pier
1402.1399 02 Apr 23 *(Ryde St Johns Road) to Ryde Pier Head extended closure 
- 30 Oct 22 *02 Apr 23 *(Gainsborough Cent) - Wrawby Jn (SO) last ran Sat 1 Jan 22
11 Dec 22 17 Dec 22 *Sittingbourne Western Jn - Middle Jn last ran Fri 13 Nov 20
1392.21 08 Jan 22 INDEFINITE *Leigham Jn - Tulse Hill Jn (see PSUL for diversionary use)
1351.1199 16 Nov 20 INDEFINITE *Ashford 'E' Jn - Ashford East Jn (Channel Tunnel Rail Link)
1352.1386 30 Mar 20 INDEFINITE
1361.2662 19 Mar 20 INDEFINITE *Loughborough South Jn - Fifty Steps Jn - Ruddington Fields
1367.3594 ‡23 Feb 20 INDEFINITE *Cairngorm Mountain Railway; Base Station - Ptarmigan
1402.MR110 20 Sep 18

2583] Hydrogen: The German region of Baden-Württemberg has released the results of studies into
alternatives to diesel powered units. 16 lines were examined, with the options of hydrogen hybrid,
battery hybrid or conventional electric trains. Each option has its specific infrastructure requirements:
●complete electrification ● partial electrification ●production and filling sites for 'green' hydrogen.

The study considered the costs, route specific synergy effects, vehicle production and maintenance
costs, the energy requirements of vehicles and CO2 emissions. The economic aspects were decisive in
the evaluation but also additional strategic aspects such as closing the gap between existing electrified
routes and possibilities for freight traffic and diversions. It is not clear if this last was for engineering
purposes or separation of different types of traffic. For various reasons, hydrogen hybrid trains were
rejected as an option for every line. This may not be entirely relevant for the UK, with a much smaller
percentage of the network electrified. However, it may suggest that hydrogen is not a 'magic bullet'.
Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical substance in the universe, about 75% of all normal matter.

2584] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1411.2550] Amending paper BLN, the temporary Bellahouston Park Halt
was provided from 2 May 1938 until 31 Dec 1938 rather than 1939 (dates inclusive) at Dumbreck Road
overbridge, for visitors to the 1938 Empire Exhibition in Bellahouston Park. ●●MR211] Saltburn Cliff
Railway is described as Saltburn (Cliff) Tramway on the website and Facebook. This agrees with the
e-BLN 1411 photos of the signage and even the name in the stained glass windows of both cars!

1412 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected].
2585] Northampton: Demolition of a 168 year old engine shed at Cotton End NR Depot, Far Cotton
was due to start during week commencing 13 Nov. The shed was badly damaged by fire on 28 Jun and
none of it can be saved. Demolition will take about 4-6 weeks due to the presence of asbestos.

2586] Barrow Haven: (BLN 1401.1228) This obscure branch line request station between New Holland
and Barton-on-Humber closed Sun 8 May (no branch service that day) for rebuilding and was due to
reopen on Mon 8 Aug. A replacement 60m single Down side (north of the line) £1.326M platform with
enhancements finally reopened on Thur 10 Nov. It has yellow tactile paving, an access ramp, metal
railings along the rear, a new waiting shelter, cycle rack, station signage and a solar powered help
point. It replaces a narrow wooden faced platform. 184 passengers were recorded in 2020-21 but
2020-21 was a record year with 2,310 passengers. The line was listed to close in the Beeching Report

2587] Electrification: (BLN 1405.1751) OHLE mast foundations are now being drilled north of Market
Harborough on the next phase to (almost) Wigston South Jn, ready for hollow piles up to 7m deep to
be installed. Most of the work is being done at night, with freight diverted via Corby. This continues
until Aug 2023 with OHLE itself due to be installed next year for commissioning by the Dec timetable.

2588] Swinderby: The semaphores and wooden gates/wickets at this Grade II listed box (24m 68ch)
have been on borrowed time since 2020 but another 19 months have now been borrowed if anyone
wants to see them in action. It is a 1901 vintage Midland Railway box with its original 16-lever frame.
The box was restored to its 'original' condition in 2004 with timber framed windows (rather than the
more usual UPVC). However, the frames are much thicker than the originals due to double glazing.
It interfaces with Doncaster Power Signal Box to the west at 22m 15ch and Lincoln Signalling Centre
to the east, about three miles before Hykeham station. The trailing crossover is out of use.

New signalling along the line is now due to be commissioned on 30 Jun 2024 with closure of the box;
the level crossing will become Manually Controlled Barriers with Obstacle Detection. The box is very
close to the crossing (and live railway), so it seems likely it will be moved, perhaps to a heritage line.
However, it cannot be demolished due to the Grade II listing. The western end of the Swinderby
empire will be recontrolled to Doncaster and the eastern end to Lincoln. There will be alterations and
new equipment/signage over a more extensive area, for example, east as far as Boultham Crossing
(31m 17ch). For DMUs, the current 70mph restrictions will be eased to 75mph after resignalling.

2589] Yet another strike: Fosters Bridge (PMJ structure 58), at 5m 204yd from Manton Jn towards
Ketton, carries the Leicester to Peterborough railway over the A6121 Stamford Road by Luffenham
Heath Golf Club. On Sat 5 Nov at 07.45, it was badly damaged when an overheight lorry with a
container struck it with force. The railway was closed while the lorry driver was rescued from the
wreckage; subsequently the Down Main (to Leicester) side of the bridge had to be removed. Perhaps
fortunately, no passenger trains were booked on 5 Nov as the other type of strike had been expected
and was only cancelled the day before. The Up line reopened 07.26 on Wed 9 Nov at line speed.

CrossCountry is running 'fast' hourly rail replacement buses between Leicester and Peterborough -
they are too, just 70 min (the AA shows only 5 min less for cars) the A47 has been much 'improved' in
recent years. Trains take 56 min including stops. There are also Leicester to Stamford (1hr 35min) and
Peterborough to Melton Mowbray (70 min) hourly all stations buses, so quite an operation really.

Tickets acceptance is in place via London over a variety of routes and on LUL but noticeably not LNER.
Generally the meagre EMR services between Corby, Oakham and Melton Mowbray continue to run.
The EMR 04.56 & 06.07 SSuX (05.00 & 06.08 SO) Nottingham to Norwich via Syston North Jn - Syston
East Jn PSULs ran from 9th (good for them) and called at the stations - they use the Up line at the
stricken bridge and there are no Down equivalents. However, National Rail website continues to say
that they are replaced by buses! Unfortunately, there has been no train service between Leicester and
Oakham, where a crossover is available at Langham Jn, or even just to Melton Mowbray, although
these have been possible for past engineering work. Single line working (SLW) over the Up line is now
available for freight trains. The ground frame controlled trailing crossover at Manton Jn shown on
TRACKmaps 4 p10B 2018 at 0m 14ch was removed in May 2020, so SLW now involves four signal boxes
Ketton, Manton Junction, Oakham and Langham Junction and is considered 'too difficult' for any more
passenger trains. There has been a lull in cement traffic since 4 Nov; inward discharged tanks arrive
from Churchyard Castle Cement (just outside St Pancras on the Down side) via Leicester to propel into
the exchange sidings at Ketton. The loaded can run via Peterborough, run round, then via Leicester or
take the ECML, Canonbury West Jn, Temple Mills East Jn, South Tottenham to Carlton Road Jn etc.
At the time of writing, the Down line is expected to reopen for start of service on Mon 21 Nov.

1412 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
2590] A very moving report from Bank: (BLN 1411.2462) The new link between the Northern and
Central Lines opened on 28 Oct. Two new moving walkways lead from the Northern Line circulating
area and connect with a 'bank' of three escalators that emerge between the Central Line platforms.

2591] LU Sub Surface Lines Resignalling: (BLN 1405.1761) The points connecting the east end of bay
P2 at Tower Hill were commissioned on 23 Oct. P2 can now be used bidirectionally by through trains
and for reversing moves in both directions. Additionally, new reversing berths have been created on
the Westbound Line west of the station and on the Eastbound Line east of the station. Trains can be
reversed into P2 from both these berths. There is not yet any booked use of the new connections.

2592] Walthamstow Central LU: (TRACKmaps 5 p47
C 2019) On the Victoria Line, 21 Siding beyond P1
was taken out of use from 31 Oct until Aug 2023 to
facilitate track replacement works in the area.

2593] Stratford (not upon Avon) LEFT: An unusual
sign in the passenger subway (Structure 61) at the
station. The 4 M 0000 YDS is from Liverpool Street.

2594] Lewisham Jn: Use of the impressive crossovers
here is very much reduced in the new Dec timetable.
Probably coincidentally, they are due to be relaid between 24 Dec and 2 Jan (see BLN 1411.2459).

2595] Angerstein Wharf: (London Railway Atlas, Joe Brown, p41 2018) The branch and wharf were
constructed by local resident John Angerstein on his own land and the only Parliamentary approval
needed was to cross Woolwich Road, which was obtained in 1851. The line opened on 30 Oct 1852
and was at once leased to the South Eastern Railway (SER). http://bit.ly/3O8JknF is about the abortive
schemes to build additional lines and docks on the Greenwich Peninsular. The SER bought the line in
1898. From 1875, maps show a network of six lines reaching the riverside, along with some buildings.

It expanded year by year to a whole network of lines serving local industries. These included a United
Glass Works factory and London County Council's Central Tram Repair Works. In 1912 the wharf was
licensed to store petroleum and it has been used by Anglo-American Oil and others. In the 1970s it
handled large stone boulders from Caldon Low for use in building the Thames Barrier.

The wharf is still in use by the aggregates industry; 2.5M tonnes of marine aggregates for construction
and road use are imported here annually. Specially designed ships dredge seabed areas around Britain
licensed for sand and gravel extraction. Then, at the dock, a series of scoops and conveyor belts
extract the produce onshore, where it is graded. Since 1993 it has been used by Day Aggregates -
originally Day & Sons Ltd a coal delivery company set up during the WWII and later, based in Brentford
with depots all over the UK. It is also used by Aggregate Industries, based at Bardon Hill in
Leicestershire and at Bardon Quarry. Their products are brought to Angerstein Wharf by rail, so there
is inwards and outwards traffic. On arrival the granite is mixed with tar to make road surfacing.

Nearby Murphy Aggregates have sourced sea dredged aggregates since the early 1950s using the
company owned dredger and wharf facility at Charlton. On Murphy's wharf is Tarmac, said to be the
largest marine aggregate terminals in Europe. It is a major building materials company and provides
storage for aggregates for road coating materials. Angerstein is now the only railhead left on this part
of the river and many of its users are hoping to expand. ('Southwark News')

A branch led to the large East Greenwich gas works on the Greenwich Peninsular. Because the junction
faces east, trains to and from the branch must run via Slade Green. DBC 04.58 to Churchyard Sidings
outside St Pancras must be one of the most circuitous trains in the country. It runs via Crayford and
Lee Spurs, then lays over in Hither Green Down Reception from 06.16 to 09.32. On departure, it runs
via Nunhead, Clapham Junction, South Acton and Dudding Hill Jn, arriving in Churchyard Sidings at
11.16. As the crow flies, the two terminals are only about six miles apart!

2596] Kensal Green: On Tue 1 Nov the 15.49 Garston to Dagenham empty car carriers worked by DRS
became divided at 21.30 on the Up Slow north of Kensal Green Tunnel. The front portion was on the
move to its destination at 23.30. A draw hook between semi-permanently coupled wagons had broken
and it then became apparent that the wagons left behind were in two portions, two at the London end
and four at the country end. Fitters had to come from Crewe; neither DRS nor other Freight Operators
were able to source a driver to move the wagons. Eventually the Rugby Class 57 'Thunderbird' arrived
to move them, once a driver had booked on. The rear wagons were moved to Brent Sidings at 09.06
and the front to Kilburn Up & Down Goods Loop at 09.56 next day. The incident was disruptive as the
rear wagons were across Willesden West London Jn. All LNwR passenger trains plus Avanti and London
Overground ECS had to use the Fast Lines. The same train split at Acton Bridge three days later.

BELOW: (Item 2597) The final evening of Class 315 operation at Shenfield (Esse

ex, we know!); the 17.20 to Liverpool Street. (Iain Scotchman, Fri 4 Nov 2022.)

2597] Crossrail/Elizabeth line*: (BLN 1411.2464) 4 Nov was the last day of Class 315 operation to
Shenfield. Their only booked use now is two morning peak trains from Gidea Park to Liverpool Street
and two in the opposite direction during the evening peak, the balancing moves running as ECS. The
new timetable from 11 Dec is on the TfL website and still incorporates long waits for eastbound trains
at Westbourne Park. Hopefully, these will at least be reduced in the fully integrated timetable in May.

Paddington Crossrail (excl) - Westbourne Park Jn westbound & Portobello Jn - Paddington Crossrail
eastbound OP Sun 6 Nov 2022. At the eastern end Stepney Green Jn - Pudding Mill Lane Jn also OP.

Despite the aborted RMT strike the day before, through Crossrail services began as booked. However,
some trains have had to be diverted to Liverpool Street and Paddington main line stations because
they were unable to engage with the CBTC signalling in the core section. [*'line' is not capitalised.]

2598] HS2: (BLN 1411.2458) The second tunnel boring machine, 'Caroline' after Caroline Herschel the
first professional female astronomer, was launched from West Ruislip towards Greenford on 27 Oct.
The spoil is to be used for embankments and other local projects, so there may not be any rail traffic.

2599] 11 Dec Timetable: (BLN 1411.2509) London Northwestern: SuX Euston to Milton Keynes
trains call at Harrow & Wealdstone, doubling the service there to 4tph. There will be more peak calls
at Bushey but LNwR will no longer serve Wembley Central. Thameslink: Littlehampton - Bedford
morning peak and evening peak return trains are withdrawn. They reappear between Littlehampton
and London Bridge only from 3 Jan. Services at East Grinstead are increased from one to three in each
peak. SuX Bedford to Three Bridges trains call at South Croydon. SWR: Changes to services on the
Portsmouth Direct Line, with Farncombe having 2tph instead of one SuX.

Southeastern: The few SSuX trains from Blackfriars are cut back to Beckenham Junction, presumably
with regular use of bay P4 at the latter. Crayford 'A' Jn - Crayford 'B' Jn curve will be a peak hour only
PSUL as the off peak and SO Cannon Street to Cannon Street via Abbey Wood and Sidcup trains are
withdrawn. A new hourly SuX service between Maidstone East and Charing Cross gives regular use of
Maidstone East bay P3 and between St Mary Cray Jn and Chislehurst Jn.

1412 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
2600] Drax: (BLN 1408.2115) The first coal train for several years arrived on 27 Sep 2022; by 14 Nov
38 trains had run from Humber International Terminal as stocks are built up for the winter. GBRf is
the operator (as for the many coal trains to Ratcliffe) and they run via Scunthorpe, Thorpe Marsh Jn,
Doncaster North Chord, Askern and Knottingley South Jn - Knottingley East Jn to Drax.

2601] ECML: Pre-pandemic, Apr to Aug 2019, rail had 35% of the London to Edinburgh rail/air market.
With the Apr 2022 introduction of the full Lumo timetable (broadly five trains each way daily), 57% of
journeys between the two capitals from Apr to Aug 2022 were by rail, making it the market leader for
the first time in decades. In Aug, rail's share was 66%. This led to claims that an open access operator
with the right commercial freedoms and incentives can increase revenues and achieve a significant
modal shift. The managing director says that 'other' operators have increased their market share too.

Lumo's average loading is 86%, (we never realised that so many needed York Down Slow, avoiding the
station, for electric traction); the UK built Hitachi Class 803 electric fleet is four times more reliable
than the UK industry average (but is technically and mechanically simpler than a bimode). However,
Lumo has only five trains so can't increase services further. Intermediately it is only permitted to serve
Stevenage, Newcastle & Morpeth and does not run if diversions over non-wired lines are in place.

2602] Collywell Bay: (BLN 1409.2240) 14 May 1852 was not the last day of operation of the passenger
service from Dairy House Jn. It was just the date of the last issue of the 'North & South Shields Gazette'
to carry a note of this service in their 'Railway Time Table' column. The service continued to appear
until 29 May in the Blyth & Tyne's 'Summer Running' timetable advertisement in the 'Newcastle
Guardian'. It disappeared from the B&T timetable dated from 1 Jun (in the 5 Jun 'Newcastle Guardian'),
so was presumably withdrawn from 1 Jun 1852 after running on Sat 29 May. The 'Newcastle Guardian'
continued to carry the B&T timetable in most issues but never again showed a Seaton Sluice service.

2603] Malton - Grosmont: 8 Mar 1965 was a black day for Whitby, passenger services from Malton to
Grosmont and from Scarborough to Whitby were withdrawn. On the former line, New Bridge (76ch
northeast of Pickering, where the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) loco depot is now) to
Grosmont CA, as did Scarborough, Gallows Close Goods (BLN 1297.167) - Prospect Hill Jn* at Whitby
(where it joined the former line between Whitby, Loftus and Saltburn West Jn. *Scarborough - Whitby
trains reversed in each direction). The Prospect Hill Jn - Bog Hall Jn connection to Whitby also CA.

Marishes Road, Mill Lane, Bridge Street, High Mill, New Bridge, Levisham & Goathland signal boxes
closed on the Malton line. Prospect Hill, Robin Hood's Bay, Ravenscar, Stainton Dale, and Cloughton
boxes closed on the Scarborough line. Both lines were exceptionally scenic in different ways in places.

From the south, the line to New Bridge at Pickering became a freight branch to serve a quarry and an
'Altered Method of Working' was issued: The line between Rillington [the junction east of Malton] and
Pickering (New Bridge) will be worked under special arrangements under the supervision of a District
Inspector until Monday, 15th March [1965], when working in accordance with the Regulations for
Working Single lines by 'One Engine in Steam' will be introduced. Attendance will be withdrawn from
the level crossings at Low Marishes, Marishes Road, Upper Carr, Black Bull and Haygate Lane, and
special arrangements will be made for operating the gates for each train. The level crossings at Mill
Lane, Bridge Street, High Mill and New Bridge signal boxes and at Hungate gate-box will be operated
by local staff. All these latter crossings apart from New Bridge were in Pickering, so it can be seen that
the railway sliced through the centre of the town. That is why there will never be any chance of
reconnecting the NYMR to Malton, an idea occasionally floated in enthusiast circles (then sunk).

The next week a new 'Altered Method of Working' was issued: The line between Rillington and
Pickering (New Bridge) is now worked in accordance with the Regulations for Working Single Lines by
One Engine in Steam over the former Down line between Rillington and Pickering Mill Lane. The Down
line from Pickering Mill Lane to New Bridge is worked as a siding with run round facilities at High Mill.
Attendance has been withdrawn from the level crossings at Low Marishes, Marishes Road, Upper Carr.
Black Bull and Haygate Lane and the gates operated by Trainmen. Our local member Charles Allenby
recalls that a signalman was retained at Mill Lane box, presumably with telephone communication
with Rillington box. When the Malton to Pickering freight (the 'pickup') arrived at Mill Lane, his duties
were then to work the crossings and points etc, at Mill Lane, Hungate, Bridge Street, High Mill and
New Bridge, as the Notices imply. What he did after the 'pickup' had left for to Malton is not known!

An unusual condition was attached to the passenger closure consent, that British Rail should run a
passenger train to Goathland if the weather prevented operation of the school bus to or from Whitby.
It is believed this concession applied for only two years following closure. Such a special did run on
Mon 29 Nov 1965 when heavy snow fell on the North York Moors, preventing the school bus (bringing
children home) from reaching Goathland. The bus and children had to return to Whitby. BR was
prevailed upon to run an emergency train to Goathland, a 2-car DMU. [Imagine that in 2022?] The
next day, Tuesday, the DMU ran again, this time from Goathland to Whitby, returning in the evening,
with the associated ECS. Fortunately, the line had been maintained sufficiently for such a situation.

The specials used the Down (to Whitby) line between Grosmont and Goathland to call at Goathland
Down platform on the village side, to avoid the children having to cross the tracks in the ice and snow.
Thus they ran 'wrong line' to Goathland. Grosmont trailing crossover had to be clipped, scotched and
padlocked for the required double reversal - childhood microgicing and bidirectionality! They would
have been accompanied by an Inspector under Control authority arrangements. There were no points
to operate at Goathland as it was double track from Grosmont, with the siding connections south of
where the DMU stopped. These special passenger trains were the only ones run for this purpose.

There was one final passenger train working at the southern end of the line following the withdrawal
of passenger services. On the night of Wed 2 Jun 1965, the Royal Train, conveying HRH the Duke of
Edinburgh to visit Fylingdales Early Warning Station* the next day, was stabled at Marishes Road. After
the Duke's departure, the ECS ran to Pickering to run round before leaving the branch at Rillington Jn.

The loco was V2 60886. [Thanks to Charles Allenby for his research on this and acknowledgement to
'An Illustrated History of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway' by Philip Benham published OPC 2008.]

*This well known Early Warning Station was built on Fylingdales Moor, south of Goathland, in 1962 to
detect incoming ballistic missiles. It is one of three stations in the United States network, the others
are at Thule in Greenland and Cape Clear in Alaska. There were three 40m diameter geodesic domes,
nicknamed 'golf balls' by the locals, which became a tourist attraction. The contrast (particularly their
function) with passing Heritage steam trains always seemed rather incongruous. Between 1989 and
1992 the domes were replaced by the current rather bland tetrahedron ('pyramid') structure.

Rillington Jn - Pickering (New Bridge) CA 4 Jul 1966; the last revenue earning train with D2066 (03066)
ran on Fri 1 Jul. https://bit.ly/3fTD06J is a delightful film (7½ min) of it showing, inter alia, one wagon
of limestone being collected from the Quarry at New Bridge. The track south of Pickering was lifted
around 1969-1970. Charles moved to York (near the Scarborough line) in 1969 and recalls hearing late
evening engineers' trains with the lifted track. Does anyone know when Rillington Jn was severed?

2604] York Diversions: Buses replace trains between York and Darlington from Tue 27 Dec until Sun
1 Jan when an hourly LNER train service between King's Cross and Scotland 'diverts around York', so
York Holgate Jn - York Yard South - York Yard North - Skelton Jn PSUL is available in both directions.
Grand Central and Lumo services are also using the diversion (good for them) but sadly
CrossCountry is turfing passengers out of trains (along with all their extra Christmas luggage) at
Darlington and York. Unfortunately TPE is doing the same at Northallerton and York.

2605] Blyth & Tyne: (BLN 1408.2144) Work to build the six stations is underway with the line expected
to open in 2023. Surveys and ground investigation works are due to begin in Nov at Northumberland
Park. The site is a 'former mining works' [was anywhere in this area not?] and the investigation will
establish if grouting is needed to fill in the works. Your NE Editor hasn't identified a former colliery
here but Backworth Colliery Waggonway once crossed over the formation here. Surveys are being
carried out at Seaton Delaval as well and work has begun on the new station platform. Arden House,
in Newsham, was demolished at the end of the summer to make way for the new station and car park.
Site cabins have now been installed and work continues to prepare the site for the construction of the
station. At Blyth Bebside land has been cleared of vegetation before construction of the station starts
in 2023. The former Boots building at Bedlington was demolished over two weekends in Oct to allow
for work linked to the new station, presumably the public access to the new Down platform.
There was never a platform on the Down line, the Up line was worked bidirectionally, as at several
other North Eastern Railway stations. Wansbeck Square car park in Ashington has been reconfigured
ahead of work starting on construction of the station there and a temporary footpath established.
During construction, the car park will be set out differently but public parking will still be available.

2606] Stocksbridge: (BLN 1411.2484) A member living near the branch hears trains when it is quiet.
[There were two round trips on 2 Nov and one on 3rd & 4th]. He has received a letter warning him of
vegetation work on the 'Wadley Bridge‡' (sic) line overnight on 22/23 Nov. They assure him that, as it
is the bird nesting season, they will check the area for nesting birds. In late November‽ [Standard
letter number 53 perhaps?] Well, we know that Yorkshiremen are a doughty breed…. They apologise
for working at night but 'this is the safest time due to the low numbers of trains that run at this time'.
On this line there are quite a number of days when no trains are running. (Two ran on Fri 11 Nov.)

‡Wadsley Bridge (with an 'S') on this line OP 14 Jul 1845; CP 15 Jun 1959 regular timetabled services.
Advertised summer Saturday and Sunday trains ran for anglers until 31 Oct 1965. There were later ad
hoc passenger services in severe weather and by football excursions (Sheffield Wednesday) the last on
8 Jan 1994. From 2 Mar 1997 no part of the privatised railway had rights to use the station (Quick).

2607] Castleford: (BLN 1409.2245) Over three days when no trains ran (Fri 28-Sun 30 Oct), the new
footbridge was lifted into place and new signalling commissioned on schedule per back reference.

2608] Thirsk & Northallerton: (BLN 1411.2480 & 2481) Proposals to abandon and plain line hand
points at these locations have now been abandoned. Presumably there have been objections.

ABOVE: (Item 2603) Anyone 'fore' Golf? RAF Fylingdales - the 'old' and new early warning stations side by side.
BELOW: (Item 2610) Hartlepool the new (very curved!) Up P3 under construction (Philip Eldridge).





BELOW: (Item 2613) Middlesbrough station forecourt recently. NEXT: Zetlan

nd Street. (Previous and these two from our local member Lucus Ainsworth.)





BELOW: The temporary revised walking route to Mid

ddlesbrough station. (Stuart Marshall, 4 Nov 2022.)

X.208] BELOW: Giggleswick box closed in 1984, the equipment below (in Rhyl) n

needs a new home as the owner is ill, email: [email protected]

2609] North Blyth branch: (BLN 1411.2471) On 1 Nov It was learnt that 'Britishvolt' had averted
collapse by securing additional funding from an existing investor and the 300 employees have agreed
to a 30% pay cut in Nov. Its future was in doubt over fears it could run out of money after the
government rejected a request for a £30M advance in funding the previous day (as this did not meet
the pre-agreed conditions). It seems unlikely to secure a contract to supply electric vehicle batteries to
Nissan in nearby Washington, as that will have its own battery plant. However, as other vehicle
manufacturers are based some distance from Blyth, there is a good chance that batteries destined for
them would be transported by rail as the average electric car battery is heavy, weighing about 450kg.
2610] Hartlepool: (BLN 1411.2479) By 30 Oct, installation of new platform nosings for P3 had started.
2611] Sheffield Nunnery curve: (BLN 1407.2015) Our railway historian & chronologist, Richard Maund,
has researched this subject further and resolved some errors and uncertainties. Contemporary maps
prove that the line was built but with no junction at the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway
(MS&L) end. However, the curve was never 'ready for inspection in Jul 1870' because the Midland
Railway (MR) never submitted the line to the Board of Trade (BoT) for inspection for passenger use.
National Archives files confirm that there was no BoT inspection, so no approval was given. However,
on 27 Jul 1870 the MS&LR board gave their approval to the MR's proposed junction for the intended
Huddersfield service. It seems possible that one or both of the authors of the standard works on the
railways in this area may have confused the two 'Boards'. However, nothing came of the MR scheme.
The name Sheffield New Junction was not a Railway Clearing House (RCH) 'own thing' as it was given
by the MR itself when it amended its data for the Jan 1871 edition of the Railway Clearing House (RCH)
Distance Tables. These tables showed distances between stations on a given railway's system and all
the junction or interchange points with other railways, for calculating the division of receipts for
through traffic movements between railways. It was a commercial document and sat alongside the
RCH Junction Diagrams and Official Railway Maps. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Junction
Diagrams followed the Distance Tables in nomenclature. The name given by the MR in 1870 was
'SHEFFIELD, New junction with MS&L' to distinguish it from the 'Old' existing junction near Wicker
(BLNs 1396.582 & 1401.1251). No RCH Circular was issued to state that the junction was opened and,
somewhat belatedly, Circular No129 appeared in 1874 (on 9, not 7, Sep) to confirm that, indeed, it 'has
not yet been opened for traffic':

This 'ghost' junction finally disappeared in the next reissue of the MR Distance Tables in Jun 1879. The
fact that no equivalent entry was ever made in the MS&LR tables proves that the junction was never
'consummated' for revenue traffic - neither as a running junction nor 'via sidings' as suggested in BLN.
However, the mythical 'MS&L East Jn' continued to appear on the MR Distance Diagrams, even after
the line was amended on the 1887 map to extend to Nunnery Colliery! Eventually, in 1898 the map
was amended to (more correctly) show both the MS&LR and MR approaching Nunnery Colliery and
the only way of passing from one railway to the other was through the colliery's private siding layout.
https://bit.ly/3NPxEG7 has the Diagrams. https://bit.ly/3UirAbS is a 25'' OS map revised 1903. The
'ghost' junction disappeared with Distance Diagram 10E of 1898, which may have led to the 'closure'
being given as around (or by) 1898 in some sources.

2612] Saltburn: From 16 May 2022 TPE extended a few services to Saltburn: SuX 05.54 to Manchester
Airport; 20.08 & SSuX 23.10 to York plus SuX 16.40 & SSuX 19.38 Manchester Airport to Saltburn.

A seven day hourly service is booked from the 11 Dec timetable change - faites vos jeux. In early Nov a
cabin had been installed south of the station, for TPE crews during the layovers. Our visiting member
was amused by the high level of security: a padlock, a coded lock (64 turns to the left, 17 to the
right…) and a key lock have to be negotiated to gain access, as well as a coded bolt on the gate leading
to the walking route! Access is from a public road south of the station and not from railway property.
A Northern employee once explained to your NE Editor that secure storage is required because the
conductor carries cash in their bag. Presumably there is nowhere suitable in the station building.

2613] Middlesbrough: ❶(BLN 1411.2476) The main station entrance in Zetland Road (south side) is
closed, so the north (Bridge Street West) exit is now temporarily the main entrance. Access to the
town centre from here involves turning left and then through an underpass at the west end of the
station. The steps from the ticket office concourse at the east end down to Albert Road are still open.

❷(TRACKmaps 2 p47A 2020) AV Dawson at Middlesbrough Goods Yard on the Old Town Branch has
acquired the adjacent Cobra business, a dry bulk handling terminal. Its main business is distribution of
salt from Boulby Mine. Some is used in animal feeds but most is used for road gritting throughout the
country. It also distributes polyhalite from Boulby, which is used as a fertiliser in the UK and overseas.

2614] Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Formerly Robin Hood Airport - but you won't see any red arrows -
Wizz Air and Tui, the only airlines which used the airport, now have no scheduled departures. The final
arrival was on 4 Nov. The airport now faces closure as Peel Ports, the owners, declined the offer of a
13 month subsidy from the South Yorkshire mayor 'to keep the airport open while a buyer is found'.
The 'Gateway East' scheme (BLN 1399.989), a 4½ mile ECML loop line via the airport, was rejected by
the government (BLN 1364.3169). However, as recently as Aug this year, the DfT agreed the business
case could proceed for ''a rail link to the Lincoln to Sheffield line'' - including a new Airport station.

2615] Darlington: (BLN 1411.2479) The footbridge over the north end of the Main Lines (that avoid
the station to the east), which is the east exit to the main car park and Neasham Road, is now the only
access to the car park other than by road. Other walking routes are fenced off. The railway related
offices in the car park are also closed and fenced off, so it seems that they will be next to be
demolished. At the Victoria Road (west) entrance, the buildings closest to the station entrance are
boarded up and look ready for demolition, including what was once Hogans bar. The hoarding around
one of the buildings has an artist's impression of the new entrance. The buildings shown already exist,
so it seems that Victoria Rd will be moved further away from the station to turn right where Pensbury
Street currently joins, with the current buildings occupying what will become a pedestrianised area.

2616] T&W Metro: ❶(BLN 1411.2475.1) The Metro Flow project is the biggest line closure Nexus has
ever undertaken. Halfway through the project, work is on schedule to be completed by 4 Dec. 3km of
new track has been installed so far, with 4,000 new sleepers, 16,000 tonnes of ballast, and five pairs of
points. 4.6 km of track will be laid, including three sections of redoubled track totalling 3km between
Pelaw and Bede stops. The current Sectional Appendix shows the temporary situation between 12 Sep
and 4 Dec, most unusually including what is now just T&W Metro/Nexus infrastructure. A video about
the work with a view of the junction for Jarrow Oil Terminal https://bit.ly/3E8Rrx4 (click 'browse').

PREVIOUS PAGE: A representation of the unusual Sectional Appendix (the original is ©NR)
12 Sep 2022 revision, thanks to Dave Cromarty. The shaded area is the Metro Flow project worksite.

On Mon 7 Nov there were two Freightliner operated engineering trains on site for relaying of the
Inbound (to Pelaw) Metro line at Jarrow stop. At Jarrow the former NR line had been disconnected;
the link to the oil terminal is now via the Metro track. The NR line at Hebburn was still in use then.

❷Transport North East has published the first stage of the business case for a new Metro route from

Pelaw to South Hylton, via Washington, with stops in Follingsby, Washington North and Washington
South. It is part of the project to reopen the Leamside Line. The cost is estimated at £745M, including

extra Metro units. This is under 1% of the Integrated Rail Plan total budget. It is claimed that the new
Metro line will: Generate over £90M per year in economic benefits to the region. Create almost

8M additional journeys a year, replacing nearly 1.7M car journeys, and reduce carbon emissions by
almost 87,000 tonnes. Give Washington (population over 70,000, the fourth largest town in the
country without a rail service) new connections to Newcastle, Sunderland and Newcastle Airport.

1412 NORTHERN Train Operating Company (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
2617]: Dec Timetable: The lines below in the North East, East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside
(North West is in its section) had service cuts at the start of 2022. Some or all of these are reinstated,
with the new service summarised below. tph = trains per hour; TPD = trains per day. This is generally,
but not exclusively SSuX; the service is the same in both directions and there are also some retimings.

Route Dec 22 Route Dec 22
Carlisle - Skipton - Leeds 8 TPD Leeds - Micklefield - York local 1 tph
Morecambe/Lancaster - Skipton 8 TPD Hull - Leeds - Halifax 1 tph
Ilkley to Leeds/Bradford FS 2 tph Hull - Selby - York 1 tph
Skipton to Leeds/Bradford FS 2 tph Hull - Doncaster 1 tph
Leeds - Bradford FS 2 tph Sheffield - Doncaster/Adwick 1 tph
York - Harrogate - Leeds (plus Leeds - Huddersfield - Wakefield - Featherstone
Harrogate/Knaresborough peak extras) 2 tph 6 TPD
Scarborough - Hull - Sheffield - Castleford (3 each peak each way)
Hull - Bridlington (extra to Scarborough) 1 tph Newcastle - Morpeth (Chathill 2TPD) 1 tph
Doncaster - Scunthorpe local 1 tph Carlisle - Hexham - Newcastle 2 tph
Leeds - Sheffield - Nottingham 9 TPD Hexham - Newcastle 1 tph
Leeds - Sheffield - Lincoln 1 tph Chester-le-Street & Durham 1 Up & 3 Dn 1/3 TPD
Sheffield - Barnsley - Leeds 1 tph Middlesbrough - Whitby 6 TPD
Sheffield - Worksop - Gainsborough 1 tph Middlesbrough - Nunthorpe 1 tph
Central (also 3TPD to Cleethorpes SO) 4 TPD = Bishop Auckland - Darlington -
Bradford Interchange - Huddersfield 2 per peak Middlesbrough - Saltburn 1 tph
Leeds - Knottingley (both routes) 1 tph Darlington - Middlesbrough - Saltburn
Leeds - Doncaster 1 tph Newcastle - Hartlepool - Middlesbrough 1 tph
Leeds - Sheffield via Dearne Valley 1 tph Blackpool - Leeds - York 1 tph
1 tph Leeds - Bradford - Manchester Victoria 1 tph
Sheffield - Barnsley - Huddersfield 1 tph
Sheffield - Pontefract Baghill - York 1 tph Leeds - Bradford - Man Victoria - Chester 1 tph
3 TPD Leeds - Dewsbury - Man Victoria - Wigan 1 tph

1412 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected]
2618] Liverpool Central (low level): At 13.15 Fri 28 Oct an ECS unit (EMU 508141) activated a SPAD
(Signal Passed at Danger) alarm and subsequently derailed on Liverpool Central Reversing Siding trap
points. Services were suspended between Sandhills and Hunts Cross, with some replacement buses
running. Initially trains from the north turned back at Sandhills. At 17.30 Kirkby and Ormskirk services
resumed running to Liverpool Central. Normal service resumed next day after re-railing overnight.

2619] Manchester Piccadilly: Work has begun on an £800k inclusive and accessible Assisted Travel
Lounge. By the New Year a disused room near P1 will become a quiet and welcoming waiting space for
people with additional mobility and sensory needs, with a dedicated team of staff to help them.

2620] Northern Dec Timetable: There is an overall increase in services with some changes to service

patterns, mainly designed to help ease the perennial problem of congestion in the Castlefield Corridor.
Barrow - Lancaster hourly, most extended to Manchester Airport
Windermere - Oxenholme hourly, some extended to Manchester Airport
Barrow-in-Furness - Carlisle broadly hourly [Millom - Whitehaven much improved over the years]
Blackpool North - Manchester Airport 2tph - trains per hour - at present 1 tph goes to Hazel Grove
Liverpool - Manchester Oxford Road 1tph
Liverpool - Warrington Central 1tph
Warrington Central - Manchester Oxford Road 1tph in peak only
Preston - Colne 1tph
Preston - Blackpool South 1tph
Liverpool - Manchester Airport 1tph (at present through to Crewe)
Southport - Manchester Oxford Road 1tph (at present through to Alderley Edge)
Piccadilly - Alderley Edge 3tph with 2tph through to Crewe (one via Stockport, one via Airport)
Southport - Stalybridge 1tph
Piccadilly -Stoke 1tph + evening peak extra (morning peak extras are only Macclesfield to Piccadilly)
Clitheroe - Bolton - Victoria - Rochdale 1tph also…
 Blackburn - Victoria or Rochdale 1tph
Wigan Wallgate - Atherton - Victoria - Rochdale - Dewsbury - Leeds 1tph
Chester - Warrington BQ - Manchester Victoria - Rochdale - Bradford Exchange - Leeds 1tph
Manchester Victoria - Bradford Exchange - Leeds 1tph
Piccadilly - Stockport - Northwich - Chester still only 1tph plus Stockport - Chester peak extras
Manchester Piccadilly - Buxton 1tph off-peak; 2tph in peaks
Piccadilly - New Mills Central - Sheffield 1tph
Piccadilly - New Mills Central 1tph plus peak extras
Piccadilly - Hadfield 2tph
Piccadilly - Hyde Central - Rose Hill 1-2tph
Liverpool - St Helens - Wigan NW 2tph with 1tph through to Blackpool North
Kirkby - Wigan Wallgate - Victoria - Todmorden - Blackburn 1tph (only 2hr 18min end to end)
Blackpool North - Leeds - York 1tph
Preston - Ormskirk 1tph
Lancaster - Morecambe 1tph

2621] Newton-le-Willows: The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has published a report about

a turbine powered model aircraft, which suffered a loss of control on 16 Sep 2021 during its maiden

test flight and crashed into the railway east of Newton-le-Willows. The plane, launched from Kenyon

Hall Farm Airfield, was then run over by a passing train. There were no injuries or damage to property,

other than the model aircraft, which was destroyed. Nonetheless, safety actions as a result include

publication of enhanced guidance for members by the British Model Flying Association (BMFA).

NR publishes guidance on its website for operating unmanned aircraft (including model aircraft) in the

vicinity of railway tracks. This indicates that unmanned aircraft cannot be flown within 50m of a NR

track without prior permission from its Air Operations team. For recreational or commercial drones

and unmanned aerial vehicle flights, permissions can be applied for via NR flight management system.

NR advised the AAIB that an object the size and weight of this model aircraft on a railway would be

unlikely to cause damage to, or derailment of, a moving train. However, collision with a train (the

driver's window in particular) could cause a substantial threat, particularly given the carriage of jet fuel

in this particular case. It could also be a risk to track workers or users of the pedestrian crossing.

Collaboration between the BMFA and NR's Air Operations team has led to the provision of guidance

for unmanned and model aircraft operators in BMFA's members' handbook. It includes a 24-hour

emergency phone number to report railway safety threats, including the presence of people or objects

on or near tracks. BMFA has also updated its incident/accident reporting portal to specifically guide

members to telephone NR immediately if an aircraft comes down on NR property.

X.221] BELOW: (BLN 1411.2485) Petteril Bridge Jn the 'dented' cement wagon

n was fished out of the River Petteril looking towards Carlisle station. (NR)

2622] Liverpool: Carpenter Investments wants to build 257 apartments (and not all out of wood) in an
11-16 storey building on the site of Wapping Goods. OG 1830 by the Liverpool & Manchester Railway,
it is said to be the 'first station in the world dedicated to handling goods'. CG/A 15 May 1972 it is
opposite to King's Dock. The site is now a car park with a range of businesses including Beers Timber
and Building Supplies. The developer has submitted a planning application to Liverpool City Council.
2623] Blackpool Trams: (Liverpool & Manchester Railway Atlas 2021 p9, Joe Brown) 28 Oct was the
60th anniversary of last day of the Marton tram route in 1962. It was the final tramway in Britain only
running on roads, the surviving Blackpool and others are at least partially on private rights of way.
Opened in 1901, the semicircular route ran to the east from Talbot Square in the north, down to the
Palladium/Royal Oak in the south, passing Marton Depot midway. The depot closed with the route
but was kept until spring 1963 storing redundant trams. 12 English Electric bogie cars were introduced
to the route in 1939 known as 'Sun Saloons', later 'Marton VAMBACs' (Variable Automatic Multinotch
Braking and Acceleration Control). They were withdrawn with the route closing; nine were scrapped at
Marton depot. No11 was preserved and has been at the Carlton Colville since 1960 (Item 2698).
2624] Harrington: (BLN 1411.2492) The new bridge is only temporary while the original is removed in
a £450k renovation. The Victorian stairs and overbridge will be strengthened, the steel grit blasted and
repainted in heritage colours by contractor Taziker at their St Helens factory, talking about 12 weeks.
2625] East Lancashire Railway (ELR), Not In My (station) Back Yard: (BLN 1411.2488) The Railway has
made their feelings clear about the proposed commuter line being explored by Rossendale County
Council. The ELR understands the desire for a rail link between Rossendale and Manchester but
consider that a commuter service on heritage rail infrastructure is not sustainable economically or
operationally. At best they fear that it would threaten the efficient and effective operations of the ELR
and at worst force complete closure. They point out that the ELR is a leading tourist attraction in the
region, hosts important educational visits, creates jobs, and contributes £8M annually into local
economies. The award winning railway, rescued from dereliction by volunteers, is a unique 'living
history' experience that hundreds of thousands of visitors attend every year and if remodelled in the
modern form, those important heritage features will be lost forever. [An interesting contrast to the
early days when preserved railways were often keen to provide 'commuter services' - none ever has.]

1412 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected]

2626] Cambridge South: (TRACKmaps 2 p11C 2020) ABOVE: Thanks again to Martyn Brailsford for a
plan to explain the proposed layout described at BLN 1408.2159 for the new four platform station.
It includes new bidirectional signalling to Shepreth Branch Jn and improved flexibility at Cambridge.
2627] 2023 engineering line closures: Reading - Blackwater: Mon 13 to Fri 17 Feb Southampton
Central - Romsey: Sat 25 Mar to Thu 6 Apr Reading - Westbury/Basingstoke: Fri 7 to Mon 10 Apr.
2628] Lost & Found: A few years ago Greater Anglia reminded passengers to ensure they have all their
belongings with them when leaving trains (sounds vaguely familiar). They went on to reveal that items
left on its trains had included a front door, musical instruments, a skeleton, a stethoscope, iPads (left
or right iPads?), a half skeleton, bikes, car keys and a valuable original painting - - - cuddly toy?

2629] Quainton Railhead Terminal: The first train with 1,600 tonnes of aggregate from Tytherington
for HS2 arrived 06.30 Mon 7 Nov 2022 (amending paper BLN). The previous train (lifted track) through
Quainton Road was to, Hinksey Yard on 24 Nov 2021 - this left all track lifted northwest of the station.

From HS2 plans and other evidence, Quainton Railhead Terminal appears to be about 600yd beyond
Quainton Road station, just before Fiddlersfield (the name of the road) minor overbridge (SP 733 192)
so the track must have been relaid. Photos show a well ballasted single track with wooden sleepers -
there is no run round facility so aggregate trains are 'top & tailed'. The line used to be double track;
the vacant trackbed is on the west side where the unloading pad appears to be. The location is entirely
logical as it is where the line north of Aylesbury comes alongside HS2 (which cuts over it here). Photos
show a fleet of large off-road dumper trucks to convey the aggregate. Traffic has built up to a regular
two trains a day, six days a week (SuX) and some days three have run. There is no connection with the
firm next door, Buckinghamshire Railway Centre make no mention of HS2 or the freight trains passing
through the middle of their site on Facebook, maybe being conscious of the local HS2 NIMBYism.

Interestingly, to run these trains two NR staff are in attendance at the resited Claydon L&NE Jn signal
box now at 43m 05ch (Waddesdon), despite the method of working being changed to No Signaller
Token Block remotely controlled from Marylebone Area Signalling Centre from 21 Aug 2022 so that no
staff are needed!! [Perhaps Mick Lynch insisted, but it's OK - HS2 is paying‽] A member observed
activities. At the signal box, trains encounter 'enhanced possession protection' the permanent 'STOP'
sign is supplemented by a sleeper across the track with a track mounted 'STOP' sign. These remain in
place until the train stops and presumably the single track token from Aylesbury North given up.
The sleeper and stop sign are then removed and the train continues entering the 'HS2 Worksite'.
Once it had passed, the sleeper is replaced across the track along with the 'STOP' sign. Interestingly
the Sectional Appendix dated 21 Aug 2022 shows this 'enhanced possession protection' further north
at 44m 45ch - just past Quainton Road station so presumably there has been a change of plan.

Finally, it is interesting to reflect on the fortunes of the Tytherington branch which has been prone to
prolonged periods of hibernation over the years - and was even completely lifted during one of them.
The latest lengthy lull in traffic ended on 29 Nov 2018 and now there are 16-20 departures a week.

2630] Reading - Paddington: Kennet Bridge Jn (35m 15ch) & Stockley Bridge Jn (12m 13ch) crossovers are
due to be traversed by all fast Up trains to/from the Up Relief line respectively Sun 11 Dec. ('Gensheet').

2631] Beaulieu Park: (BLN 1405.1803, photos e-BLN 1410.X.191) Beaulieu bridge is the largest piece of
curved British steel infrastructure in the UK at 1,500 tonnes. It WILL access this new station and
Chelmsford's NE Bypass. A GBRf objection to the station has been withdrawn so there are now none.

2632] The swinging 2020s: (BLN 1410.2382) After a day on an Anglia Plus ticket in Norfolk and Suffolk,

a member was thinking about railway swing bridges and how many are in use. He believes it is eight:

╬Reedham (Norwich - Lowestoft line) ╬Goole (Hull - Doncaster)

╬Somerleyton (Norwich - Lowestoft) ╬Selby (Hull - Leeds)

╬Oulton Broad South (Ipswich - Lowestoft) ╬Banavie (Fort William - Mallaig)

╬Trowse (At Norwich, line to London/Ely) ╬Clachnaharry (Inverness - Dingwall)

Our member Googled 'Railway Swing bridges UK' and was a bit surprised at the amount of information
available including details of a few closed or demolished ones. The opening of Somerleyton and
Reedham bridges at the same time for boats, or probably when work is being carried out on them
leaves Haddiscoe station isolated from all other stations. Is there another station in another country
with this distinction? (On the line from Nîmes, Le Grau-du-Roi is a strong candidate - Regional Editor.)

Finally, if anyone is interested, you can do the four East Anglian ones on a journey from Oulton Broad
South to Lowestoft to Norwich then Diss in about 1¾ hours, with a near 30 min wait at Norwich. Our
member just caught the earlier Norwich departure, so did the journey in about an hour and a quarter.

2633] Hatfield Peverel: Roof canopies have been repaired and restored in a £100k project. The works
included removing the existing roof coverings and removing and replacing damaged timbers, before
reroofing and redecorating two canopies, one north of the booking hall, and one on the south side.

X.209] BELOW: (BLN 1411.2497) Between Peterborough and Wh
The interesting thing is that the red lights are permanently flashing, presu

hittlesea Kings Dyke Level Crossing is permanently closed now.
umably as the barriers are down. (Iain Scotchman, 14 Nov 2022 in fog!)

BELOW: (Item 2692) The future Quainton HS2 Railhead Terminal site (righ
Looking southeast towards Aylesbury; Quainton Road station is just the oth

ht) from Fiddlersfield minor road overbridge before the track was relaid.
herside of the next overbridge (These three Iain Scotchman, 27 Oct 2022.)

BELOW: The end of line at Quainton Road station - both platforms are visib

ble - looking towards Aylesbury on 27 Oct with the trackbed to Calvert left.

BELOW: In the other direction, from the same bridge looking northwest the

HS2 worksite, a view towards Calvert - the next overbridge is ahead, right.

BELOW: Amazingly this is Quainton Railhead Terminal just two weeks later with
Quainton Road station is beyond the rear of the train and Fiddlersfield bridg

h the first train from Tytherington on Mon 7 Nov 2022 - is the cement still wet?
ge is to the left, the track is clearly newly laid (yes, very!). A HS2 press release.

BELOW: The off-road ADTs (Articulated Dump Trucks) on the concrete interna
Left is towards Calvert while Quainton Road is just off right. That first drive

al road between the terminal and HS2, its route is behind the photographer.
er is thinking: I wish he'd hurry up with that photo so we can get on with it.

2634] Watford North Jn: (BLN 1411.2496) ABOVE: Final layout track plan, thanks to Martyn Brailsford.
This is due to be operative from Tue 11 Apr 2023 (Easter Day is Sun 9 Apr), previously removed from
use under the Watford Resignalling Project in 2014. A new feature is a facing crossover from the Up
Fast to the Down Fast signalled for unidirectional movements from the Up Fast to P6 at a diverging
speed of 50mph. The signalling allows turnbacks from the north in P6 but also through running from
the Up Fast to the DC lines. Note that P6 has DC third rail from the junction (17m 20ch) with the DC
lines north to 17m 31ch. As shown, Watford North Jn will be a mirror image of Watford South Jn.

The crossovers, also with diverging speeds of 50mph, permit movements from Up Fast to Up Slow and
Down Slow to Down Fast and two are signalled bidirectionally. Approaching from King's Langley on
the Up Fast, the controlling signal permits moves to all four main line platforms P9, 8, 7 & 6. In the case
of entry to Down Slow P8, the Up move from Up Fast is via either of the two crossovers with the
aspect displayed the same, as the diverging speed over each crossover is the same so there is no need
to inform the driver of the route set. An unusual but not unique situation. The only signalled shunt
moves are reversing north of the junction from Down Fast to P8, 7 & 6 and Down Slow to P9 & 8.

Down starting signals on the Up Fast P7 and Up Slow P9 read only to the Down Fast and Down Slow
but, interestingly, do so by a Position 1 route indicator (45o degrees left) in each case. Past signalling
practice would have called only for a proceed aspect. Watford North Jn is bounded by the divergences
signed at 17m 1,446yd (Down Slow) and 18m 74yd (Up Fast). The Fast Lines line speed is 110mph and
Slow Lines 90mph, although there are 75mph permanent restrictions nearby.

2635] Watford Junction: (BLN 1401.1273) The infamous 21.10 SSuX Euston to St Albans Abbey
through passenger train is withdrawn in the new timetable, its final booked day is on Fri 9 Dec 2022.
From 12 Dec the EMU changes are all ECS again and the branch connection loses its passenger train.

2636] Diss - Norwich: A group of hunting hounds was killed by a Norwich to Liverpool Street train
near Great Moulton, 8 miles north of Diss, at 08.45 on 31 Oct. It is believed at least 20 could have died.
Passengers and the train driver reported up to 100 dogs next to the railway and on the line but the
British Hound Sports Association (which represents hunts) stated only six strayed from less than 100.

2637] Bury St Edmunds: (BLN 1411.2495) It is understood that the last user of the Up sidings (Up is to
Cambridge/Ely), Tarmac or successor, surrendered their lease on 31 Jan 2020. The last aggregate train
from Tunstead was on 15 Jan 2019. Current use of the Up Loop, 'RR' (run round) on TRACKmaps, is by
the Rail Head Treatment Train as shown in Realtime Trains. The Down Siding has been OOU for far
longer than stated, local knowledge recording no use for 20 years and an unknown time before, with a
stop board and sleepers chained to the track short of the road crossing over the siding. The only use it
had was occasional day time stabling of a tamper there on the stub end during weeks of overnight
possessions which did not last long as the crew could not access one side of it for daytime servicing
due to the too close adjacent wall. A few years ago a switch rail on the access points was removed,
although this was not noticeable from passing trains. This made the Down Siding totally inaccessible.

2638] Unfulfilled Bridges: (BLN 1394.343) Following abandonment of plans for bridge infilling by
National Highways (NH) at Itchen Abbas (BLN 1411.2513) a further four past instances are now being
challenged by the HRE Group. The Heritage Railway Estate group is an alliance of sustainable transport
advocates, engineers and greenway developers. The group claims the infillings are of questionable
legal status and is urging the local authorities involved to assess whether National Highways should be
ordered to reverse the work. Enforcement orders for infill removal would involve high costs for NH.

The four bridges: ֍Benton Road Redbridge (Ilford - Newbury Park line) ֍Congham Road Bridge
(Grimston Road - Hillington; South Lynn to Melton Constable line) ֍Rudgate Road Bridge (northwest
of Tadcaster; Church Fenton - Wetherby) ֍Wellinditch Bridge (South Woodham Ferrers - Maldon).

These bridges were infilled using the same emergency powers used to infill the Great Musgrave bridge
intended for temporary construction work without planning permission, to prevent harm to the public
or death in cases of emergency. Under the terms of The Town & Country Planning (General Permitted
Development) Act, the land must be 'restored to its condition before the development took place'
after 12 months, unless it has been otherwise agreed in writing between the local planning authority
and the developer. The Historical Railways Estate managed by National Highways comprises 3,100
bridges, tunnels and viaducts of which 77 are listed.

The trackbed under Congham Road Bridge was one of several identified in Norfolk County Council's
Walking and Cycling Strategy as having the potential for reuse as part of a network of active travel
paths but National Highways blocked the route by infilling the structure during Mar and Apr 2021 at a
cost of £127k, claiming that it presented 'an ongoing and increasing risk to public safety'.

A cycle path has been laid along part of the Wetherby to Tadcaster trackbed and an ambition to
complete a link between the two towns is being pursued. However, £133k was spent infilling Rudgate
Road Bridge, close to the current end of the path, in the spring of 2021. Jacobs, acting as National
Highways' consultants, told Selby District Council that the structure was 'suitable only for 32 tonnes'
and infill was needed 'to prevent an emergency arising' but no specific defects were mentioned.

In the case of Benton Road Bridge and Wellinditch Bridge, National Highways used powers to infill the
two bridges in 2018 & 2019 and 2020 at a total cost of £312k.

2639] Kelvedon: The footbridge has been refurbished in a £170k project to repair the concrete and
add steel reinforcement. The height of the bridge parapet has also been raised.

1412 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
2640] Haywards Heath: North of the station, Copyhold Jn was the site of a second serious incident,
18 months after the derailment on 28 Jun 1971 (BLN 1378.1579). At 22.00 on Sat 16 Dec 1972, there
was a collision between two passenger trains. The driver of an 8-car EMU had allowed his mind to
wander, resulting in a failure to recognise the caution aspect of a colour light signal. He then passed
the associated colour light stop signal at Danger and was held solely responsible by Lieutenant Colonel
IKA McNaughton (for the Railway Inspectorate) in his Report of 30 May 1974 into the collision.

The points and colour light signals at Copyhold Jn were controlled by Haywards Heath signal box,
1¼ miles south, by means of a 60-lever frame under the Track Circuit Block Regulations. Approaching
Haywards Heath from the south, the double line expanded into four tracks, Up Local, Up Through,
Down Through, Down Local as far as Copyhold Jn where they merged into two for the double track
section across the Ouse Viaduct and through Balcombe Tunnel to Balcombe Tunnel Jn, as nowadays.

On the evening in question, the 21.28 Brighton to Victoria 8-car EMU 'stopping' passenger train arrived
at Haywards Heath Up Local P4 three minutes late. As a result, the Haywards Heath signalman acted
on a special instruction that allowed for the 21.45 Brighton to Victoria 12-car EMU 'express' passenger
train to precede the 21.28 at Copyhold Jn on to the Up line. Unfortunately, the driver of the 21.28
'stopper' didn't react to the single yellow indication on 3-aspect Up Local platform starting signal CH8.
The driver also failed to reduce speed as his unit approached 3-aspect signal CH13, at red, protecting
the converging junction with the Up Through line. He passed it at Danger at an estimated 50mph and
colliding with the side of the 21.45 'express' legitimately running at 70mph under clear signals.

While inevitably the impact was severe, it was fortunate that both trains were very lightly loaded, and
there were no fatalities, although eleven passengers were treated for shock and minor injuries. Two
were detained in hospital for one and two nights respectively. The leading four coaches of the 'stopper'
remained on the track but the rear four became uncoupled, were derailed and badly damaged. The
first 10 coaches of the 'express' derailed with three seriously damaged. Due to the difficult site access
the line was not reopened for three days, with the connections between both Up and Down Local and
Through lines temporarily plain lined. New high-speed turnouts had to be specially fabricated and the
Down side connections were not restored until 14 Jan 1973 and the Up side connections a week later.

Investigations showed that the fifty year old driver of the 21.28 'stopper' had not performed his duties
in a satisfactory manner prior to the accident. After arriving at Brighton on a semi-fast from Victoria,
having taken over driving from Redhill, his next task was to work the 21 28 'stopper' to Victoria.

Although he had a 50 minute gap, his train left Brighton two minutes late. At Burgess Hill, where he
was booked to stop, the train overshot the platform, so much so that a railwayman ready to board the
train thought it wasn't going to stop. The driver failed to give a convincing explanation for the overrun
except to say he had misjudged the braking. He recalled that on departure from Haywards Heath on
the Up Local the platform starting signal was at yellow but he then claimed he saw a green aspect on
the next signal approaching Copyhold Jn, which he took as applying to his train, and thus began to
accelerate but the signal applied to the 21.45 'express'. The driver, who was not in the best of health,
and, after a recent divorce, admitted that he found it difficult to concentrate fully on his job.

The Inspecting Officer was satisfied that there were no signal sighting issues. Full mechanical and
electrical tests found that everything was in proper order. He commented adversely on the lack of the
Automatic Warning System (AWS) which, had it been installed, might l have prevented the accident.
He had to accept, however, that its commissioning on this line would have to wait until the planned
resignalling of the area had taken place. A suggestion that the provision of a trap point and sand drag
at the end of the Up Local line at Copyhold Jn would have seriously lessened the outcome, was
discounted by the Inspecting Officer, who pointed out that the 'stopper' train would have hit the solid
brick abutment of Copyhold Lane Bridge at 50mph with catastrophic results. Finally, he praised the
driver of the 21.45 'express' who, realising there was going to be a collision, made an emergency brake
application. He then, clambered out of his cab with difficulty (as the coach had rolled over on to its
right side) and, suffering from shock, ran one and a half miles in the dark to reach a telephone.

Your Reg Ed comments that the predominant stock on these services were 4CIG and 4BIG units with
headcode boxes displaying two digits. Even numbers were accorded to services to or from Victoria
and odd to or from London Bridge. The second digit represented the number of intermediate stops
by a verbal description such as 'not more than two stops' or 'stopping'. These were very popular
with passengers. At Copyhold Jn the exit from the Ardingly branch is protected by trap points.
Unlike the brick abutment on the Up side, there is a steep drop on the Down side and a diesel loco
that failed to stop years later did spend many months down the bank until it could be recovered.

2641] Reading: On Sun 20 Nov CrossCountry services to/from Southampton and Bournemouth are
running via Guildford and Havant all day. Realtime Trains shows Reading to Guildford booked via
Reading Low Level Line and Guildford to Reading via the Down Reading Spur - both are PSULs.
Note the Guildford stops are all advertised passenger pick up and set downs which may be helpful.
Thames Valley Signallers industrial action on 19 & 21 Nov is now allowed for in journey planners.

2642] Gatwick Airport: (BLN 1400.1151) The booking office closed from Mon 5 Sep, replaced by a line
of varying vending machines capable of selling railcards, advance tickets and platform tickets as well as
the usual selection of walk on tickets. Due to a long queue, our member did not wait to sample those
facilities. The rebuilt ticket office, part of the station redevelopment, is due to open in Mar 2023.

2643] Reading Green Park: (BLN 1411.2508) Reading Council advises that with the new station due to
be complete by the end of this year, a safety process is then to be observed prior to station opening.
When the ORR has authorised the station, early next year, a formal opening date will be announced.

2644] Tonbridge - Paddock Wood: At about 03.30 on Tues 1 Nov, various traction trippings occurred
on the line. It was discovered that a metal greenhouse frame (blown out of position by strong winds)
had damaged the conductor and running rails on the Up Main and caused slight damage to the Down
Main. The latter was repaired first. While the Up Main was being repaired the 05.29 Ashford
International to Charing Cross called at Paddock Wood Up Loop P1 then sampled the Simplified
Bidirectional Signalling, crossing to the Down Main on departure. It continued along the Down Fast
and subsequently crossed west of the 30 mile post to the Up Fast to call at Tonbridge Up Slow P2
after, it is believed, utilising the crossover at the platform end (and not the one east of East Jn).

2645] SWR 'G' up: SWR is providing 5G high speed internet access on its trains after a pilot on the
Isle of Wight (!!). The first poles have been installed between Earlsfield and Basingstoke; the first
main line in Great Britain to deploy rail-5G technology. The pilot successfully delivered 1 gigabit per
second and 100 SWR units on the main network are already fitted with the necessary equipment.

1412 SOUTH WEST Robert Green [email protected]
2646] Milk by Rail Part 2: (BLN1409.2287) By Mike Roach. Part 1 outlined the origins of Lostwithiel
milk concentration depot, opened 1 Oct 1932, allied to the introduction of bulk rail tanks to minimise
manhandling of churns and improve long distance transport. The first dedicated rail milk tank wagons,
introduced in 1927, had 2-axles but gave trouble with milk surging along the tank, causing derailments.
In 1931 a much improved design was introduced; it had a 3-axle chassis with the tank having internal
baffle plates to minimise surging. This successful design lasted until the end of rail transport of milk.

Before bulk rail tanks, milk travelled in conical milk churns from the farm to the dairy or bottling plant,
with rail transport used for the longer journeys. The originating points were hundreds of small stations
all over Great Britain, concentrated on the western side in areas which receive greater amounts of
rain. This is why the GWR ran the most milk trains and the LNER the least. Most ran to London. In the
1870s the GWR introduced enclosed dedicated wooden bodied milk churn wagons. They were called
Siphons and had ventilation slats to minimise the build up of heat on hot days. They continued to be
built into British Railways days, when they were used to carry other perishable food including fruit.

Many ran in parcel trains such as the 4.40pm Plymouth Millbay to Kensington Olympia, via Bristol,
which always loaded to a dozen or more; mostly bogie, parcel vans and syphons. After 1969 it is
thought that it continued to run for a few more years starting from Plymouth (North Road) instead.
There was also a 'perishable train' [an interesting concept, better than a perishing train‽] at 2.10pm
from Penzance to Crewe, curiously carrying passengers from Liskeard to Plymouth unadvertised.

In 1923 an average of over 64,000 milk churns were carried by rail daily, every day of the year, which
totalled 282 million gallons per year! The manhandling of churns required an army of workers to do it.
1926 was the year of the General Strike from 4 to 12 May; many railwaymen withdrew their labour.
The GWR responded by asking for volunteers to join the railway on a temporary basis to keep some
essential trains running. Photographers were out recording the volunteers keeping the trains running.
A wonderful photo at Paddington (item 2701) gave an indication of the vast number of churns needing
to be moved then, reinforced by a graph which also appeared in the Great Western Railway Magazine.

1926 was a great year for information in the GWR Magazine, which was very good at recording what
was happening in Britain, even when that activity was peripheral to the main Company activities. In
Apr It reported the introduction of 'certified' milk, guaranteeing the whole process from the cowhouse
to the filling of the milk bottle at the dairy. The GWR indicated that it would only use certified milk in
its restaurant cars, all from a 2,000 acre farm high up on the Berkshire Downs around the 600ft
contour, where it was bottled and taken to the nearest station. There is no mention of which station.

The May Magazine incidentally advised that the Company's distant signals would be fitted with yellow
lights and arms, instead of red. This was to comply with the latest Ministry of Transport regulations
and was gradually introduced throughout the GWR. In Dec there was a report on the need for farmers
to seal churns to protect themselves against liability if the milk was found to be deficient in fat content
on reaching its destination. (Some rogue farmers had been diluting their milk with water!)