1415

BELOW: (Item 54) A sign on the 'Avenue Branch Line' trackbed walk
(All taken by Phil Logie, Sat 8 Oct 2022, only captioned where necessary.)

BELOW: An underpass where the Avenue Branch crosses Monkseaton

n Drive (A1148) - a road that was built after the railway closed in 1964.









BELOW: Hartley Lane (B1325) bridge (wide enough for double track, although i

it was single) looking northwest towards The Avenue and Hartley station sites.

BELOW: The bridge carrying Holywell Dene Road over the trackbed

d, looking northwest towards The Avenue and Hartley station sites.

BELOW: Looking northwest again towards The Avenue an

nd Hartley station sites from beyond Holywell Dene Road.

BELOW: From the site of The Avenue Level Crossing (its short lived station

n was behind photographer) looking southeast back towards Monkseaton.

54] The Avenue Branch: After exploring what remains of the Collywell Bay branch (BLN 1411.2473), as
it was a warm sunny day our local member investigated the Blyth & Tyne Railway's Avenue Branch.

BELOW: 1953 map, Monkseaton station is bottom right corner and Hartley station top left, the single
track Avenue Branch connects them. The upper arrow is The Avenue station site; the lower arrow is
the site of Dairy House Jn for the branch (not shown) east across to Seaton Sluice (top right), a private
wagonway used by some B&T passenger trains 1851-53 and lifted between the 1881 and 1897 OS
surveys. Track of Old Rly down the right upper/middle side of the map is the ex-Brierdene Jn (by the
'G' in Golf Course) to Collywell Bay terminus (upper right) branch (BLN 1411.2473 photos in e-BLN).

It ran from Monkseaton West box northwest to Hartley and latterly had an hourly service from
Monkseaton (connecting with Newcastle <> Tynemouth via Jesmond third rail electric trains) to
Newbiggin-by-the Sea or Blyth via Newsham alternate hours until it CP/CA 2 Nov 1964. In the peaks
and on Saturdays this was augmented by direct trains to/from Manors via the South Gosforth line.
Other than those, a change of train was required to/from Newcastle (probably the main destination).

The Avenue Branch had passenger services from 1861-65; resuming in 1904 with North Tyneside loop
electrification. The 1963 Beeching Report shows only 5,000-10,000 passengers a week used the trains.
Most stations were poorly sited and people used buses. (Reopening is viable now due to population
growth, faster trains and traffic congestion.) On 23 Feb 1964 Monkseaton West box was abolished, its
functions taken over by Monkseaton East, renamed Monkseaton. The line closed just 9 months later!

The trackbed path starts just off Hartley Avenue (NZ 3461 7218) across the road from Monkseaton
Metro stop where a path leads down alongside the Metro line to join the trackbed of the Avenue
Branch. It is one of 12 former railway routes designated 'Waggonways' by North Tyneside Council.
The trackbed route follows the trackbed to the former Avenue Level Crossing at (NZ 3166 7624) over
'The Avenue*' (actually the A190) near New Hartley. On maps, this is measured as three miles but
signs along the former branch give different mileages! (*The road is so named as it is the straight, tree
lined, avenue to Seaton Delaval Hall). From the level crossing to the junction with the Blyth & Tyne line
at New Hartley, the 800yd trackbed cannot be walked. Part is in agricultural use, part overgrown and
the final section from St Michael's Avenue crossing site to the junction is private property. On the
north side of this road is a much extended crossing keeper's cottage - the original section is evident.

At Hartley station site the former station building, much altered, is in residential use in the 'V' of the
junction between the Avenue Branch and the extant Blyth & Tyne (where the latter turns through a
30mph restricted right angle now). Old maps show a long gone original 'south' to 'west' curve here.

Just past Avenue Level Crossing the only intermediate station OP 1 Apr 1861 as Dairy House; renamed
'The Avenue' in Oct 1861 Bradshaw, it CP 27 Jun 1864 with some subsequent summer Sunday use in
1872 and 1874 at least - bad luck if you missed it. [In Wansbeck Council's timetables in the Morpeth
Herald, it remained as 'Dairy House for Seaton Sluice & Delaval Hall' - a bit of a mouthful - until
closure.] There is speculation in Michael Quick's Guide that it could have been the junction station for
the short lived private branch/wagonway to Seaton Sluice which went off half a mile to the south at
Dairy House Jn (trailing in right if walking northeast). Just beyond 'The Avenue' station site the line
doubled but the second (east side) track was essentially a long loop with access to Hartley Goods Yard.
Hartley had a single bidirectional platform for the Avenue Branch (plus two on the main B&T line).

You can walk from The Avenue Level Crossing into New Hartley along St Michael's Ave, paralleling the
trackbed. The railway path is formed mainly of crushed stone/ballast and follows the trackbed apart
from at Monkseaton Drive, where an underpass has been built. There are two bridges over the route -
the only remaining structures. Bus service X7 runs to New Hartley from Newcastle Haymarket and
Blyth. At present it is half-hourly Monday to Saturday in the day, hourly evenings and Sundays.

55] Chat lines? In 2021 TPE began a 'chatty benches' initiative to promote conversations between
customers and end loneliness; the first was that ultra-long bench at Scarborough (BLN 1383.2173).
Customers and colleagues were recently invited by TPE to sit on a new chatty bench at Huddersfield
station. They were encouraged to open up and tell the stories that changed the course of their lives.

56] T&W Metro: ❶(BLN 1414.2868) Metro services were amended on 12 & 13 Dec when Pelaw
terminators ran ECS over the new layout for driver training. South Shields services resumed 10 days
late on Wed 14 Dec. That day most drivers were accompanied by a member of Metro training staff.
There were a few orange people on the Pelaw platform at Hebburn and a flag-person at the end of
Jarrow platform towards South Shields. Units were flagged down on approach and given a green flag
prior to departure after the route was checked. It is thought this was because the Route Indicator was
not working. Next day it was working and there were fewer training staff on the units. Replacement
buses had been provisionally extended until 16 Dec in case there were any final issues. They still ran
on 14 Dec and, rather strangely, some passengers were using them! They finally ceased from 15 Dec.

❷The Jarrow oil train, which ran during the Metro Flow project, first ran with the Metro operating on
12 Dec (just ECS runs for driver training). It reached Jarrow 06.48 and the return left at 17.40. The first
with normal Metro passenger operation was 08.24 Jarrow Prax to Lindsey Oil Refinery discharged
tanks on 14 Dec, which left 10 min late. It is normally due to arrive at Jarrow 06.19 and depart 15.41,
although was around 30 minutes late departing on 19 Dec. The train is booked SSuX, but doesn't run
every day. In Sep it ran 12/20 days, Oct 14/21 and in Nov 9/22! If you time it right and are lucky, metro
units use some of the new crossovers to run bidirectionally to bypass shunting oil trains. 'Pelaw Jn for
Jarrow' (in the Up Sunderland for the Jarrow Single remains at 0m 09ch, the NR/Nexus T&W Metro
boundary is now 0m 26ch and at Bill Quay Jn (Nexus) - 0m 47ch - the line trails into the In Shields line
(to South Shields) of the double track, this is followed by a trailing crossover for discharged oil trains.

❸(BLN 1414.2868.2) The current date for the first new Metro unit to reach Gosforth depot is 27 Jan.

❹T&W Metro will become 'completely unsustainable' unless the Government is willing to assist with
its electricity bill which will almost triple from an expected £8.4M to £21M. Without an extension to
the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, Nexus could have to make cuts of over £5M in 2023-24, with drastic
service reductions, which could cause a collapse in passenger numbers. Nexus's Managing Director has
held 'positive discussions' with civil servants but no firm commitments of funding support had been
made. Financially, Nexus is 'in a good position' until Apr but then in a 'very challenging position'.

❺The only Boxing Day passenger service in this BLN area was T&W Metro, including to Sunderland
and Park Lane. Due to the reduced power supply (BLN 1413.2730.5), the latter is only every 24 min.

57] Sunderland: This is one of a few NR stations in England classed as 'underground'. (Others include
London Liverpool Street, Birmingham New Street and, on Merseyrail, Liverpool Lime Street, Central,
Moorfields, James Street and Hamilton Square). The law requires at least two people to be present
who are suitably trained in evacuation procedures. Due to Northern staff industrial action, it was
initially planned to close Sunderland for the whole, or part of each day, from 18 until 31 Dec. When a
member from Worthing was there recently a fire watchman was on a non-public part of the platforms
on a 12 hour shift as the fire alarms had been temporarily disconnected for the building work.

After intervention by local Councillors, the closure period was reduced. If the station is closed, trains
have to pass without releasing the doors. This is particularly inconvenient from the south, travelling to
Heworth for the reduced Metro service back to Park Lane. Grand Central ran to/from Hartlepool.

58] An Unfulfilled Bridge: (BLN 1412.2638) It turns out that Rudgate Road bridge, on the dismantled
(Harrogate -) Wetherby - Tadcaster (- Church Fenton) line, was not inspected before an 'emergency
infill' in Mar 2021 at a cost of £133,000. National Highways (NH) had no condition reports from 2019
or 2020, despite being obliged to inspect it annually. The 2018 inspection recorded some typical minor
defects but the only recommendation was to spend £1,000 repairing approach fencing. The bridge, on
a narrow lane with a 3 tonne unladen limit had been assessed as having a capacity of 32 tonnes.
Despite this, NH claimed it presented 'an ongoing and increasing risk to public safety'. Selby District
Council has appointed an enforcement officer to investigate this. Last month NH claimed there was no
requirement for it to seek separate planning consent for the infilling but the council confirmed it had
directed NH to seek planning permission if it wishes to keep the infill. NH has until 27 Jan to respond.

59] Wakefield: An Automatic Power Changeover Balise is to be provided on the Up & Down Westgate
Curve (between Westgate and Kirkgate stations) for Azuma bimodes diverted betwixt Leeds and York.
At Kirkgate a new waiting room has been built in the last 7-8 months on P2/3 (used by Grand Central).
It wasn't open when a member visited and had no branding or promotional material. It is similar to the
Grand Central built one at Eaglescliffe. 'CAFÉ VIE The Station' is a new independent station café that
has opened just inside the station entrance on P1. Our member recommends it enthusiastically.

60] Holbeck Depot: (BLN 1403.1508 track plan) With a Leeds to Holbeck possession over 25-27 Dec,
the new depot connection was to be commissioned on 27 Dec. The new scissors crossing replaces the
previous depot access crossover, with additional signalled routes and greater operational flexibility.
The new Arrival/Departure headshunt (BLN 1406.1888) was to be brought into use. A new ground
position light has been installed on the Arrival/Departure Line, replacing a departure stop board.

ABOVE: (BLN 1414.2876) Hartlepool;
progress on the reinstated Up platform

(Philip Eldridge, 20 Dec 2022.)

LEFT: (Item 56) This signal on the South Shields
end of Jarrow T&W metro stop is the one the
watch. Straight on indication (as shown) means
the next unit is staying on the In Shields line as
there is no oil train to bypass via the facing
crossover (points just visible), the bidirectional
Out Shields line and the trailing crossover just
beyond Jarrow Oil Terminal (see plan e-BLN
1410.X.189.) (Phil Logie, 19 Dec 2022.)

X.1] NEXT: (BLN 1414.2871) Left to right: LNER
Azuma 801225 approaches on the Down Main
with the 11.06 King's Cross to York. An 8-car
CrossCountry Voyager approaches on the Down
Leeds with the 06.27 Plymouth to York service.
Grand Central 180108, working the 11.27 King's
Cross to Hartlepool, stands in Holgate Loop; it
had already called at York and was making a
second reversal before heading north via the
'avoiding line'. (Stuart Marshall, Fri 30 Dec 2022.)





BELOW: 180105 exits Holgate Loop (after reversal) on the 12.17 Sunderland to Ki

ing's Cross, before calling at York to reverse again. (Stuart Marshall, 30 Dec 2022.)

BELOW: (Item 59) The 10.40 Knottingley to Leeds at Wakefield Kirkgate P3;

the new waiting room is ahead, left. (All Stuart Marshall, Wed 21 Dec 2022.)

BELOW: Grand Central 180105 departs Wakefield Kirkgate with the 10.23

Bradford Interchange to King's Cross. The new waiting room is to the left.

BELOW: Freightliner 66505 passes the substantial new waiting room on

n the P2 side (P3 is the other side), with a Hunslet to Crewe light engine.

61] First Railway Pubs: The 'Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway (FoS&DR)', advise that the
Company commissioned three station pubs - at Stockton (1826) and, in 1826-27, at Darlington and
Aycliffe Lane (now Heighington). They were the first railway pubs in the world owned and managed
by a railway. The Queens Arms in Patricroft is wrongly claimed by Historic England to be considered
the first railway pub in the world; it only opened in 1828 and the railway didn't open until 15 Sep 1830.

The Railway Tavern, Bridge Street, Stockton was licensed in Sep 1826 to serve Stockton Coal Depot
(Black Ale presumably?). It closed as a pub around 1861 but the building remains, in the same block as
the so called S&DR booking office (actually the weigh house and goods office). It is Grade II listed by
English Heritage, with no mention in its listing of its origin as an inn (they will consider amendments).

Some cottages near Stockton coal staiths were converted into the Mariners' Tavern and licensed in
Sep 1826. It closed about 1867 and was demolished in the late 19th Century. In Oct 1829 the King's
Arms, Aycliffe Lane, Heighington had a licence to serve passengers and users of the adjacent coal
depot. It was presumably licensed to serve them around 1827. In recent years it was the Locomotion
One pub. Sadly it has been closed a long time, is in poor condition internally and was put up for sale in
2017. Grade II by English Heritage (along with Up P1 and the signal box), the listing states that it dates
from about 1835 (but that is believed to be incorrect). This building was an early S&DR station and
booking office. https://bit.ly/3Gjzjlj has details and two photos. It is of interest as 'Locomotion No1'
first took to the rails here, after arriving in pieces for assembly on horse drawn carts from Newcastle.

The Railway Tavern https://bit.ly/3PUSNjb High Northgate, Darlington, served workers at the nearby
goods depot. It is still a pub but is not listed. There are claims for other pubs of this ilk. The New Inn at
Witton Park (the S&DR western terminus) had certainly opened by May 1826 and may have done so in
1825. Rails passed its door, and wagons from Witton Park Colliery were pulled by horses to the foot of
the S&D's Etherley Incline. However, unlike the five pubs mentioned above, it did not belong to the
Company and - more importantly - would not have served railway staff as there was no depot nearby.

There was another New Inn at Egglescliffe (sic), at the S&DR Yarm depot. The Yarm branch was ready
for use the same day as the S&DR main line but did not open until 17 Oct 1825, when the inn opened.
However, the S&DR didn't own the inn or, it seems, Yarm depot then! They belonged to Thos Meynell
in a private capacity although he was the first chairman of the S&DR and a prominent local landowner.
The Yarm branch and depot were abandoned in 1871 but the pub has remained trading continuously
to this day, now named Cleveland Bay https://bit.ly/3Ggr6OP not an interesting rare platform but a
breed of horse which is claimed to be England's oldest. The pub is not listed. As ever with railway
history, these claims of being 'the oldest in the world' depend on definitions 'FoS&DR' suggested:

●First purpose built railway pub: the New Inn, Egglescliffe.
●First purpose built pub to serve a steam railway: the Railway Tavern, Stockton.
●First conversion to a pub to serve a steam railway: the Mariners' Tavern, Stockton.
●First pub purpose built to serve railway passengers: the King's Arms, Aycliffe Lane.

Your NE Editor thought of Fighting Cocks at Middleton St George, which had an S&DR station named
after it. The station was Middleton & Dinsdale at times in Bradshaw which hardly has the same ring
about it for a pub! Fighting Cocks station closed 1 Jul 1887. The pub must have pre-dated the railway
so presumably doesn't count. Sadly it has fallen prey to property developers and is no longer a pub.
The Save the Fighting Cocks Community Pub Group was unable to prevail at a planning inquiry.

1415 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected] Cumbria/Westmorland,
Cheshire, Buxton & the Hope Valley, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside.

62] Warrington BQ: On 15 Dec a failed freight train on the WCML in the Weaver Jn area caused the
10.40 Glasgow to Euston to be diverted from Warrington BQ to Crewe via Chat Moss. This required a
shunt from P2 to P3 via the Up Helsby to Down Helsby crossovers south of the station. A member
wonders why the train had not been routed to Bank Quay P1, then it could have reversed under a
signalled move without the need for such a manœuvre. Our man also noticed that TRACKmaps shows
a nonexistent fast line trailing crossover at the north end of Bank Quay. It is visible on a late 2005
Google earth image, but is not in the 2006 Sectional Appendix. [Now, where did I put that Tipp-Ex?]

63] Drawing the line: A member writes: Come 1 Apr 2023, Kendal returns to being in Westmorland as
Cumbria is being abolished on that date. (Thank goodness!) The west and north of the county become
the Cumberland Unitary Authority and the South and East the Westmorland & Furness Unitary
Authority. I am particularly pleased as the new arrangements exactly mirror my submission to the
consultation process and disagree with all four submissions by the existing councils, none of whom
suggested bringing back the historic names. No doubt I was not alone in the suggestions but it proves
that someone listens, somewhere. I often wondered if it did make any difference though, when the
councils had decided what they wanted. Perhaps the fact that there were four very distinct proposals
for the actual division of Cumbria meant someone had to look at it all very closely and independently.

64] I Was a Signalman Part 18a, Glazebrook East Junction Signal Box: (BLN 1406.1905) (TRACKmaps 4
p43N D 2022/Quail 4 p46A Oct 1990) by Dave Leeming. My Miles Platting temporary Rest Day Relief
stint had ended. The following Monday morning, I presented myself at the Block Inspector's Office in
the Tower Block at Piccadilly station. Les and Harold leapt up from their desks and greeted me like the
Prodigal Son. 'Welcome back! We're really glad to see you!' My hand was vigorously pumped and a
mug of tea was thrust therein. 'Do you need any refreshers?' 'I'll do an hour or two at Alty* just in case
I've forgotten anything. I should be all right with the rest.' Nods all around. [*Altrincham signal box.]

But the welcome that I had from the Block Inspectors at Piccadilly was only a part of it… 'We've got a
new signal box called Glazebrook. D'you know where it is?' 'I do.' 'Will you go and have a look at it and
let us know what you think of it?' 'OK'. I learnt that Glazebrook station and Glazebrook East Junction
signal box were being transferred from the Liverpool Division to the Manchester Division that very
day. The lines from Cornbrook Jn to Knutsford and to Irlam were already managed from Altrincham
so it was a logical decision to allocate Glazebrook to the Altrincham District. The trouble was that
nobody in the Operating Department at Piccadilly knew anything about the place or even how to get
there - by road, at least! It was a pure coincidence that I just happened to be available that week.

I left the office and made my way to Glazebrook East Junction that same day. I made sure to be there
in time for the shift change so I could meet at least two of the men. The box was (and is) a bit out of
the way, actually in Cadishead (just). Go to the very end of Lord St in Cadishead, continue along a dirt
road curving left, then right to run alongside the actual Glaze Brook (sic) and on towards Irlam Moss.
The stream and the track pass under the railway here. The box is on the far side of the line and only a
few yards from the bridge. It is accessed through a gateway and up a slope. Irlam Moss and most of
the other 'Mosses' around this area had mostly been formed by dumping Manchester's waste back in
the day. There were corresponding mosses around Carrington for the same purpose. In the 1960s, the
effluent seemed to be particularly good for growing carrots. There were extensive narrow gauge
railways laid on the land. I will leave it for others to enlarge on the transport of Manchester's poo!

The signal box had managed to keep a full complement of three regular signalmen and a Rest Day
Relief up to that time. However, one of the regulars was ready to retire. Another signalman there had
already made arrangements to move to another box closer to his home in Warrington and he was only
waiting to be released. I have a vague recollection that he went to Crosfields Crossing.

The Rest Day Relief - who I met later in the week - only had Glazebrook left on his roster. He lived in
the Station House at Glazebrook and, as he didn't have any independent means of transport, he would
have had a major problem travelling to anywhere in the Altrincham District. He was over 60 and told
me that he did not fancy having to learn a raft of boxes at his time of life. If he stayed as a signalman at
Warrington, he would have had the same problems with travel. He was in a bit of a quandary.

The position of Leading Railman at Glazebrook station was vacant then so I suggested that it might suit
him. He would have been able to stay on his rate of pay under the Redundancy Agreement - for a year
at least - and still live in the house. I put in a word for him and he was given the post. He later retired
from there and I don't think that the resulting vacancy was filled. There were a fair number of over
sixty personnel manning small stations in the Altrincham District then and the de-manning of many of
these stations was happening as they retired. [The generally ageing workforce was noticeable when
British Rail was contracting - Ed.] The Unions were unhappy about it but the LDCs (Local Departmental

Committees) and the Sectional Councils found it really difficult to argue against the practice as
manning many of these stations was costing a fair bit more money than they were taking in revenue.

It was now down to us Altrincham Relief Signalmen to familiarise ourselves with the box, so I started
to learn the idiosyncrasies of the place there and then. I went back to the Block Inspector's office next
day to report. They were happy with what I told them. I was asked if I would take over the shift which
was being vacated by the man transferring to Warrington. I did it without being 'passed out'. The man
retiring had but a few weeks to go, so he was left in place. The remaining regular man was more than
happy with his new situation as he found himself joining in with the rest of us Altrincham Signalmen in
regularly working all of our rest days and the extra money that this would bring him.

Then there was the small matter of travelling time which I offered to calculate. Put simply, travelling
time was paid to relief men if they were working more than one mile away from their 'home station'.
They were supposed to sign on in time to travel by train to the 'away station' to take up the duty
rostered and they were also paid for the time spent returning to their 'home station' after the duty.
If there was no train to travel on, the time was calculated on how long it would take to walk from and
to the 'home station' at twenty minutes to the mile. Walking time was also paid if it would be quicker
to walk than to use the train - and assuming that there was a train to travel on. Travelling time was
usually calculated by the bosses and the results were then presented to the LDC for agreement.

Travelling from Altrincham to Glazebrook box by train presented something of a problem because of
its location. Although only about 300 yards from the station northeast along the railway, it was about
three miles by road! Walking along the cess was not advisable, especially in the dark, decidedly risky
and against the Rules. The line went from cutting to embankment. Some of the clearances were tight,
especially under the Glazebrook station overbridge and over the Glaze Brook underbridge. Expresses
did 85mph and the Class 158 DMUs are not the noisiest of trains. Getting killed was not a part of our
job description even before 'Elf & Safety'! At the time (1990), it was not a serious problem for us
Altrincham Reliefs because we all had our own transport. It was agreed that the Altrincham Relief
Signalmen would be paid walking time on all shifts. I had previous experience of calculating travelling
times. I had worked out how long it would take me to reach Chelford, Prestbury and Poynton (Part 10
- BLN 1391.3226) which didn't have agreed figures from Altrincham. My claims were always accepted.

I travelled by what I knew was the most reasonable route to walk from Glazebrook to Altrincham
without cheating and it came out at almost exactly seven miles or two hours and twenty minutes.
Nobody was fully satisfied of course! Piccadilly Office had used a ruler across a map and they had
come up with a distance of around 4 miles. (I knew that they had done this because they told me!)
I pointed out to them that roads are not straight. Furthermore, if we followed their route, we would
need to swim across the Manchester Ship Canal, walk across farmer's fields and through back gardens!

One or two of the relief men came up with their own ideas of how to make the distance as long as
possible. I told them that the Office would not accept any daft or exaggerated calculations and that if
we tried that on, they would impose the four mile distance that they had already come up with. I was
anxious not to make myself look a fool! One suggested that we should travel via Warrington! Common
sense eventually prevailed and my findings were accepted and adopted.

Then there was 'Lodging Allowance'. A relief (of any grade or position - including Relief Station Staff)
would be allocated to a location for more than one shift - maybe for a full week if covering for holiday
or sickness. The relief would be paid to travel out on day one, to lodge during the intervening days and
travel back on the last day. Paying to lodge would often be less costly to the company than travelling
back and out again on a daily basis. The lodging payment was also referred to as 'maximum travel' and
it was paid as a daily fixed amount for the in between shift period. The amount was agreed at National
Union level. It was acknowledged that the amount paid was not enough for Bed, Breakfast and
Evening Meal but then none of us ever actually lodged - we all went home for the night (or day…)!

None of us reliefs actually signed on or off at our Altrincham 'home station' anyway. For one thing it
was locked up at 02.40 or at 03.20 when we would have needed to be there. So we all travelled from
home directly. This was all known by management and it had been 'custom and practice' for decades.

65] BRANCH LINE NEWS (BLN) CONTACT DETAILS JANUARY 2023 1100]

Position Name Please use the generic emails:

●Paper BLN problems Lisa Sheppard [email protected]

(Membership Secretary)  186 Anlaby Park Rd South, HULL, HU4 7BU. 07873 354464

●E-BLN & Mailchimp queries Nick Garnham [email protected]

●Branch Line News Editor Paul Stewart [email protected]

 4 Clarence Close, MALVERN, WR14 3HX. 01684 562862; 077906 52351

●BLN International Editor Pete Skelton [email protected]

 Post via BLN Editor (above) please. +33545 841230; 0545 841230 (within France)

●BLNI Deputy Editor Derek Woodward [email protected]

 68 Church Street, MATLOCK, DE4 3BY.

●East Midlands  to Editor Nick Garnham [email protected]

●Greater London Geoff Brockett [email protected]

 155 Onslow Gardens, South Woodford, LONDON, E18 1NA.

●North East & Yorkshire Geoff Blyth [email protected]

 Geoff Blyth, 26 Trafalgar Way, BILLERICAY, CM12 0UT.

●North West  to Editor John Cameron [email protected]

●South East & East Anglia Julian James [email protected]

 58 Nelson Road, WORTHING, BN12 6EN.

●South West & Channel Isles Robert Green [email protected]

 1 Paganel Way, MINEHEAD TA24 5HA.

●West Midlands Brian Schindler [email protected]

 15 Sudeley, Dosthill, TAMWORTH, B77 1JR. 07976 122711

●Ireland Martin Baumann [email protected]

 42 Northland Road, LONDONDERRY, BT48 7ND. (Normal postal rates from UK)

●Isle of Man Graeme Easton [email protected]

 40 Droghadfayle Park, Port Erin, ISLE OF MAN, IM9 6EP. (Normal postal rates from UK)

●Scotland Greg Beecroft [email protected]

 4 The Shores, SKELMORLIE, PA17 5AZ.

●Wales & The Marches Chris Parker [email protected]

 7 Three Trees, Station Road, Whittington, OSWESTRY, SY11 4DE.

●Minor Railways Peter Scott [email protected]

 93 Josephine Court, Southcote Rd, READING, RG30 2DQ.

●BLN Pictorial submissions Phil Logie [email protected]

●Railway Rights of Way Neil Lewis [email protected]

●Branch Line News Diary Lee Nash [email protected]

●PSUL queries Richard Maund [email protected]

●All other Society queries Tim Wallis [email protected]

66] BRANCH LINE SOCIETY COMMITTEE CONTACT DETAILS JANUARY 2023

Position Name Please use the generic emails:

●Chairman Graeme Jolley [email protected]

 Dolbryn, Penegoes, MACHYNLLETH, SY20 8NN. 07484 646542.

●General Secretary Tim Wallis [email protected]

 10 Sandringham Road, STOKE GIFFORD, BS34 8NP.

●Treasurer Ian Mortimer [email protected]

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64 - continued] I Was a Signalman Part 18a Glazebrook East Junction Signal Box (from earlier):
After Privatisation, there was a move to eliminate travelling time (and RDRs!). Each box - or restricted
group of boxes - should have sufficient manning to be self contained for relief but it has been less than
fully successful. The bigger Power Signal Boxes were always allocated sufficient staffing to make them
self contained but providing relief at the smaller signal boxes was, and still is, a problem. These are
problems that have been diminished with modernisation and centralisation of signalling but they will
not go away completely until all of these smaller locations are eventually re-controlled.

Another 'custom and practice' was signing on and off at a signal box at other than the rostered time!
This was something that once was very strictly enforced as one of the many petty Rules & Regulations
that added nothing to the operation of the railway but which certain elements of Management loved.

It seems to me that this particular enforcement began to be relaxed after Quintinshill in May 1915.
This collision was partly caused by one of the signalmen arriving late for duty by local arrangement
between the men involved. The incoming signalman had then busied himself with entering the
workings in to the Train Register Book from a piece of paper. As a result, neither he nor the signalman
going off duty had been concentrating properly on the actual job itself with disastrous results.

At Altrincham, we changed over at 07.00, 13.30 and 21.30, even though we were paid from and to
06.00, 14.00 and 22.00. It did mean that the night turn did 90 minutes extra but that was regained on
the other two shifts. The early turn had an hour longer in bed. The late turn finished in time to reach
the pub before 'last orders'. This custom had become so entrenched that I can even remember a boss
looking at the Train Register Book and commenting that he was pleased to see we were signing on and
off at the same time that the handwriting changed! What was more important was that the signalman
whose name was 'in the book' was the one who was in charge at any given time. Management or the
Railway Inspectorate would know who to approach if there was some incident to discuss. Next time
we will move on the actual working of Glazebrook East Junction signal box...

67] Carnforth North Jn: (BLN 1414.2877) (TRACKmaps 4 p31B 2022) A member reports that, due to
the defective points here, all trains to Lancaster use Carnforth P1 then proceed right over the facing
crossover at the platform end to traverse No1 Up & Down Goods Loop. From Lancaster to Carnforth,
trains use No1 Up and Down Goods Loop and run straight into P2. The delay is about four minutes.

68] Blackpool Trams: Sub-zero temperatures on 14-16 Dec saw Balloon 717 based at Starr Gate Depot
on ice breaking duties before service. The heritage tram's pantograph scraped ice from the OHLE.

69] Whitehaven: (BLN 1414.2881) Barring further delays from more challenges to the decision, the
new Woodhouse Coal Mine is expected to open in early 2025 with up to four coal trains per day
initially. After three years of operation the mine will reach full production and six trains per day up to
six days a week will be needed. This would require signalling upgrades between Wigton and Maryport
to create an extra hourly path. Freightliner Heavy Haul (FHH) is the preferred freight operator and
there are plans to appease local objection by using quieter Class 70 locos, only running trains within
specified daytime hours and not on Sundays. Most of the output will be taken by rail to Redcar Bulk
Terminal for export with a small proportion going to Scunthorpe Steelworks Coal Handling Plant for
coking. The mine has a projected life of over 50 years, so these could be very profitable flows for FHH.

70] Bootle: The simple, but attractive timber-framed waiting room designed in the spirit of the Arts
and Crafts Movement at Bootle station in Cumbria (Westmorland after 1 Apr!) is one of 26 North West
sites added to the National Heritage List (Grade II) for England by Historic England over the past year.
The fabric of the 1873 main building, designed by the highly regarded architects' practice of Paley &
Austin, remains largely intact. It was nearly destroyed during WWII when a wagon of depth charges in
a freight train caught fire at Bootle on 22 Mar 1945. However, the station and several lives were saved
by the quick actions and bravery of the driver (who died in the subsequent explosion) and fireman,
who was awarded the George Medal. The circa 1871 signal box at Bootle was already Grade II listed.

71] Cheadle: (BLN 1406.1914) Stockport Council Planning Committee has approved plans for the new
£9M station. Funded by the Government's 'Town's Fund', and due to open in 2025, the single platform
will be on the Stockport to Chester line, by Alexandra Hospital and 100m from Cheadle High Street.

72] Edge Hill: The other railway related NW listing was the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Edge Hill
Engine Station (BLN 1411.2404). The Scheduled Monument includes the western end of Wapping
railway cutting, the chambers cut out of rock, the first 20m of three railway tunnels, the archaeological
remains of the engine houses and associated features for the Wapping and Crown Street inclines.

73] Privileged Scholars: Northern has introduced an Under 16 Education Season Ticket with up to 75%
off the normal adult fare for 124 secondary schools and university technical colleges (the equivalent of
rail staff 'Priv' fares). Savings are up to £575 per year. The tickets are valid for unlimited travel between
two stations seven days a week, including holidays not just the 195 days a year that schools are open.

74] Buxton: New 'dementia-friendly' signs have been installed at the station, with supporting symbols.

75] Earlestown South Jn - West Jn: The service over this single track curve was reduced in May 2022
such that it made PSUL. A further reduction from the recent Dec 2022 timetable change sees only the
05.10 SuX Lime Street to Ellesmere Port and 19.06 return. Like Knottingley to Goole, at certain times
of the year trains only run in the dark. Liverpool to Euston services are diverted this way on occasions.

76] Merseyrail: The new Class 777 EMUs did not enter service in 2022 as had been hoped. Merseyrail
say that work remains on track to adapt the network for the new fleet. Spring should see the opening
of Headbolt Lane. Successful battery testing at the test track was completed in Dec, presumably a
battery of tests? No trains ran on Boxing Day 2022 (BLN 1414.2882) due to RMT strikes at NR.

77] Guide Bridge: The first of a new kind of accessible 'pod' toilet has opened here. It is made with
littered disposable bottles collected from the sea to create a strong and robust building material.

78] Penny Lane: This (actually a former bus station) has been in our ears and in our eyes since 1967
but now it is in our TRACKmaps too. Eagle eyed members may have noticed that the road bridge that
takes Penny Lane over the Speke & Edge Hill Line, on the Lime Street side of Mossley Hill, is shown at
190m 26ch on the new TRACKmaps 4 p38A 2022. There is an interesting tale of how this came to be.

A member visited Merseyside for our Wirral Squirrel tour on Sun 3 Oct 2021. The next day he went on
the 'Magical Mystery Tour', a bus tour with a guide to places in Liverpool relevant to The Beatles.
One was, of course, Penny Lane. When the bus went over the main line, our member wondered why
this most famous of roads was not shown on TRACKMaps, when many other roads and motorways
are. He emailed the TRACKmaps Editor; lo and behold Penny Lane has now magically and mysteriously
appeared! Our member recommends the tour even for Beatles non-fans (railway interest is limited):
https://bit.ly/3VE1YWH It is run by locals and the commentary is informative but not intrusive.

79] Bury: (BLN 1399.1001) Greater Manchester Combined Authority has approved £2.6M towards a
new Bury transport interchange. The plans are for the Metrolink platform to be refurbished with extra
capacity, a new shelter and a new southern step free access. A new 'vertical circulation core'
[who ever thinks of these things?] will be provided with a lift, escalator and stairs to integrate the
Metrolink stop with new ground level bus and active travel facilities. A report for the authority puts
the local overall contribution to Mar 2027 at £10.8M. The interchange will cost about £81M in total.

1415 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected]
Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Bucks, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire.

80] Felixstowe: Recalling Rod Bryant's Unusual Transport Systems booklet, Hutchison Ports has
introduced autonomous terminal tractor units (ATs) - a first in Europe - for mixed traffic container
terminal operations. The supplier is a manufacturer specialising in artificial intelligence, Westwell.
The tractors have tyred road (only) wheels and use a digital map loaded onto a fleet navigation system
which works with on board GPS to move around the terminal. The ATs use LiDAR to create a 3D map
of the immediate surroundings using lasers. When combined with 360o cameras an all round image is
produced in real time for safe and accurate movement. The ATs (which never go on strike) will initially
move containers between the Port's Trinity and North sidings. Haulage fans, contain yourselves.

81] Colchester: The two obsolete, life expired lifts (one on P1 & 2 the other P3-6) are being replaced.
A stair lift will be available to P1 & P2 with extra staff to assist and a 24-hour minibus for those unable
to use it. There are funded plans to link the platforms and subway to the main booking hall/car park.

82] A trio of Watford Junctions: (BLN 1414.2819) The St Albans Abbey branch has had three different
connections. Originally trains went from the previous P10 which was an inconvenient short bay at the
country end of the station. It was reached by a long walk along former Down through P11 (now P10)
which branch trains also used (and would have had to if they were through from Euston). There were
actually two through tracks; the other one served the original Up P12 (its trackless remains can still be
seen) opposite and parallel to present P10 (original P11). The branch line beyond present P10 curved
northeast through what is now the station car park; the original short bay P10 track trailed into it, left.

On 24 Nov 1973, to allow expansion of the station car park, the present P11 (now used by St Albans
Abbey branch trains) opened; this new wooden P11 was shorter and lower than now. This P11
connection was via the sidings (ground frame controlled) and is shown on TRACKmaps 4 p8B 2013.
From the same date, old P11 was truncated as a bay (as now) and renumbered P10 releasing land to
expand the car park. Present P11 was rebuilt to modern standards in early 2019 after plans to convert
the branch to some sort of light rail or guided busway were finally abandoned. Not many railtours did
the second connection as it was not a running connection, and the branch had to be clear. The final
one was Spitfire Railtours' R 'n' B 3.14 (Routes & Branches) railtour on the late evening of Sat 22 Oct
2011 (after the branch passenger service had finished) from Waterloo, returning to Ealing Broadway.

The third and present connection was commissioned on 29 Dec 2014 when Watford Junction Power
Box closed, with control transferred to Wembley Mainline Signalling Control Centre. It is signalled to
passenger standards (as those who managed to do the 21.10 SSuX Euston to St Albans through service
before it was withdrawn from 12 Dec 2022 will know). It is simply a connection off the present bay P10
line (TRACKmaps 4 p2B 2018) - the 15ch from the points to P11 has reverted to ECS only. There is good
news for those that did St Albans Abbey from P10 before 24 Nov 1973 (when it was old P11)… You can
complete the connection by catching a Southern terminating train to/from P10 (if it isn't cancelled!)

83] Chiltern cuts: Services were massacred from Tue 13 Dec, expected to be until Tue 10 Jan at least.
This is attributed to strike action and the RMT overtime ban as Chiltern maintains its own trains at its
own depots (unlike some train operators) and is heavily reliant on overtime due to staff shortages.
No Chiltern services ran on Sun 18 Dec. The few trains running are as long as possible. The effect is
pretty devastating. No Chiltern trains run north of Banbury (to Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham or
Kidderminster so Hatton P3 - Hatton West Jn is without service). Oxford Parkway - Oxford is without
service, Marylebone to Oxford Parkway (P2, facing crossover on arrival in service) is down to hourly
and for fewer hours. Aylesbury Vale Parkway hourly services generally only run to Amersham with
NO Chiltern services between Amersham and Marylebone. Aylesbury has additional hourly services
via Princes Risborough (but only for a limited period each day). Banbury has an hourly Marylebone
service but the first one isn't until 09.06. High Wycombe has up to three trains per hour but the first is
08.23. There are no short 'local' workings between High Wycombe and Marylebone or intermediately.

Stations with NO TRAINS from 13 Dec until 10 Jan (at least) are Little Kimble, Monks Risborough
South Ruislip, Northolt Park, Sudbury Hill Harrow and Sudbury & Harrow Road. (Passenger trains
pass through them all non-stop.) Longer distance trains are decelerated due to making extra stops to
cover other stations where they wouldn't normally call. 'Fast' replacement buses are running between
Dorridge and Banbury calling at Warwick Parkway, Warwick and Leamington Spa. There are also
buses between Dorridge and Warwick Parkway to cover for trains at Lapworth and Hatton.

Leamington (etc) to Stratford-upon-Avon passengers are sent via Dorridge (that is on the days when
West Midland services actually run from there to Stratford). Lapworth, Hatton, Warwick Parkway and
Warwick do have one or two (literally) booked West Midlands' services, as do Claverdon and Bearley.
However, there are no replacement buses to Stratford-upon-Avon. There were days over the holiday
season with no trains between Birmingham and Euston; passengers were advised to catch the
(reduced long term post-Covid) CrossCountry service and change at Banbury for the much reduced
service to Marylebone! http://bit.ly/3Glkmz0 has more. For a Malvern to Oxford Parkway journey,
your Editor was advised to change at Oxford, Banbury then Haddenham & Thame Parkway. As well as
taking up to 4½ hours, instead of less than two (changing once at Oxford), the cost was exactly double.

BELOW: (Item 84) Disused tracks in the Port of Lowestoft, North Quay, just so

outh of the railway out (west) of the station. (All Iain Scotchman, 15 Jul 2020.)

BELOW: A grain silo, the quay is far right, the main line is over to the left,

, looking east towards the station. The next two photos are looking west.









BELOW: Looking west again, across Commercial Road and through th

hat gate (right) is the former main line connection to Lowestoft yard.

84] Lowestoft: (BLN 1400.1146 & TRACKmaps 2 p8A 2020) A five year plan by Associated British Ports
(ABP) includes a new aggregates terminal extending from the recently refurbished sidings south of the
station. The proposal is for a virtual quarry for stored material for onward transfer by rail. A revival of
the level crossing adjacent to the current end of the line appears unlikely because of the volume of
road traffic, the key nature of the road route at this position and the complexity of the traffic lights.
So the site for material storage may be limited to around the present sidings with road haul from the
quays. ABP is reported as favouring this as a North Quay Cargo Terminal option. Sizewell is mentioned
as one of several possible destinations but the line south is unable to accommodate additional traffic,
at least during the day. A related project, known as the Gull Wing bridge, is designed to improve
harbour access. Its construction and future flood defence work may bring additional inward rail traffic.

85] Wymondham: (BLN 1383.2201) In preparation for the construction of an improved pedestrian and
cycle subway at the Norwich end of the station, Down P1 (to Norwich) is to be shortened at that end
from 123m to 104m. The new subway is a planning obligation for construction of around 1,500 new
homes to the south of the station, the side remote from the town. The subway will pass beneath the
Up Siding as well as the running lines. The present road underbridge has inadequate footpaths.

86] Cambridge South: (BLN 1412.2626 - trackplan.) The DfT has (remarkably speedily compared with
Portishead) granted a Transport & Works Act Order to NR for the construction of the station. An early
appraisal projected £183.6M for the new station and related infrastructure. An outline business case
suggested this would largely come through NR control period funding; £72.3M from CP6 (2019-24) and
£101.2M from CP7 (2024-29). Included is permission for improvements at Shepreth Branch Jn and a
new connection between existing lines at Hills Road to improve access to the new station (see plan).

NR is also expected to replace two level crossings with a new accommodation bridge and create a new
railway systems compound for a substation, signalling and telecommunications. Included are drainage
works, hard and soft landscaping and the ancillary infrastructure such as fencing, lighting and electrical
connections. The planning inspector and Transport Secretary acknowledged that construction of the
station will have a significant detrimental impact on users of Hobson's Park, a bird reserve, on the west
side of the railway here. It will cause visual harm to the park's character and 20,439m2 will become a
construction compound [there was Hobson's choice over its location]. However, these effects will be
temporary and partially reversible, and these issues would be outweighed by the scheme's benefits.

About ¾ acre of mature trees and 1 acre of broadleaved plantation woodland will be lost as will
significant bird habitat during construction. A condition is a biodiversity net gain of 10% but off site.
Other mitigations will be taken to minimise the disruption of habitats and the planning inspector and
Secretary of State agree that the scheme will not give rise to significant harm to biodiversity overall.

87] Bishops Stortford: (TRACKmaps 2 p11B 2020) On Thur 15 Dec a points failure saw nine services to
Stratford, from 09.13 until 13.15 inclusive, start from P1. All three platforms here are bidirectional.

88] Duxford: On Sat 17 Dec conditions underfoot at Duxford Level Crossing (47m 62ch) were tricky as
the Cambridge area had 4'' inches of snow the previous Mon. The crossing, betwixt Great Chesterford
and Whittlesford Parkway is a 'Mk1' Automatic Half Barrier on Hinxton Road. However, continuing the
theme of level crossings that are fenced off (BLN 1413 2769-72), this is one of them, at least to road
vehicles. About 50m from the crossing on the west (Duxford) side there is a substantial gate, locked
and labelled 'ROAD CLOSED'. Notable at the crossing, on each side are high yellow posts, each with
four cameras on them, they were installed in 2020 to capture vehicle details when triggered.

The crossing barriers and road lights all still work as normal. The crossing is open to pedestrians and
cyclists with cycle tyre marks in the snow. At its last assessment (Sep 2020), it was classed as very high
risk due to sun glare, deliberate misuse or user error and frequent trains (152 per day with a 90mph
line speed). Interestingly Google Street View still thinks that the crossing is open to road traffic and
there doesn't seem to be any online information about Hinxton Road being closed to road vehicles!
It is an interesting road (if there is such a thing), as to the west of the railway there is a gated crossing
on the intact private branch (heavily overgrown and disused since 1992) to Duxford Ciba-Geigy works
(now Hexcel). To the east of the railway, the road passes through a rather deep ford on the River Cam.

89] Burnham Market (Chelsea-by-the-Sea): CP 2 Jun 1952 on the Heacham to Wells-on-Sea (sic) line.
The line CG/A east to Wells after flood damage on the night of 31 Jan/1 Feb 1953 and the rest CG/A
from Heacham on 28 Dec 1964. The goods shed is for sale through Sowerbys of Hunstanton at a mere
£1.995M* (the stamp duty alone is £145,250). The exterior in engineer's blue and red brick is of
completely original appearance, with canopy. The interior has been elegantly converted with five
bedrooms and three reception rooms. The adjacent station, a separate property, is also in good
condition with a stranded carriage as holiday accommodation. (*At this price, the Chelsea-by-the-Sea
sobriquet will not be devalued - Reg Ed.) E-BLN has the estate agent's PDF with photos, floor plans etc.

90] Luton DART: On 6 Dec his Majesty King Charles III travelled on griced the Luton DART (Direct Air
Rail Transit) on an official visit to Bedfordshire. Originally to open in 2021, the date will be announced
in 2023 (late Mar is expected). Operator for at least the first five years will be Doppelmayr Cable Car,
an Austrian company. The single fare will be £4.90, compared with the present £2.40 single or £3.80
return for the frequent bus shuttle that takes 10 minutes. The local press describe the bus as 'time
consuming and often packed' though. English Concessionary travel pass holders travel FREE and there
will be reductions for Luton residents. Initially it had been hoped that through tickets would be
available to London and other destinations. Legal powers have been obtained to charge penalty fares.

The budget of £225M has increased to £300M so the 2.3km link will have cost almost £130,000 per
metre! This falls on Luton Borough Council which owns the airport. The autonomous people carrying
pods run on solar energy and have what is described as Formula-1 style regenerative braking (but not
Formula-1 speeds). The aim is to increase passengers at the airport using public transport from 14%
now to about 45% - similar to Gatwick. With DART this is part of Luton's case to be London's fourth
airport, applying this year to the Government for a £2.5bn expansion from its current capacity of 18M
passengers a year to 32M, closer to London's third airport Stansted, 30 miles east with 28.1M.
Pre-Covid, Luton had 17.9M a year although recorded 12.6M over the past 12 months. [Birmingham
Airport had 12.6M too; when HS2 opens, it will be nearer in time to London than Luton or Stansted.]

91] Stowmarket - Ipswich: (BLN 1411.2502.) There has been some more information on the works at
Barham stone terminal (74m 12ch). There was regular inward aggregate up until 25 Apr 2022 (incl).
The hopper, support beams and rails that form the stone unloading facility were badly worn and have
had to be replaced. DBC 66078 brought the next train, the 10.43 from Mountsorrel, on 15 Dec 2022.

92] Shoeburyness MoD (Pigs Bay): BLN 1163, p195 reported on our 12 May 2012 visit to Upminster
Integrated Electronic Control Centre. The party was told that freight ran then from Ripple Yard to Pigs
Bay taking in munitions such as Sub Harpoon Missiles and Artillery Shells to be destroyed by burning.

Now, the remaining use of the site by the MoD via a couple of its contractors is testing 105mm and
155mm guns and the ammunition they use. Now and again Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters fly
in and out on training but not for a while due to the Army upgrading them from 'D' to 'E' models.
This will restart as more become available. There was a regular MoD Didcot Yard to Shoeburyness
MoD, 6L98, normally a couple of vans, believed to have ceased running in 2012, There are several 6L98
Working Timetable ('Q' - conditional) GBRf paths but none has run, certainly not in the last three years.
Will there be any freight in future to Shoeburyness? Nothing is expected for the next year at least.

(TRACKmaps 2 p3C & E 2020) Access to Pigs Bay is through Shoeburyness Carriage Sidings Road 10.
The last working was Tue 22 Sep 2020, an outward Harsco Rail Grinder track machine (it could have
arrived by road) 00.40 to Leigh-on-Sea. Information on confirmed workings would be appreciated.

93] Slow through Slough: Early on Wed 23 Nov the 23.05 (Tues) Oxford to Paddington reported
hitting something on the Up Main prior to it crossing to the Up Relief at Slough West Jn. A problem
was identified with the OHLE and, while repairs were made over two nights, Single Line Working (SLW)
was in place over the Up Relief from 18m 20ch (east of Slough) to 24m 69ch (west of Maidenhead).
SLW applied to these trains from Paddington: 23.32 to Bristol Temple Meads (also on Thur 24th) and
23.50 to Reading on Wed plus 00.40 Thur to Reading (also on Fri 25th). On both nights, passengers for
23.45 Paddington to Penzance were put on the Bristol train to Reading where the sleeper started.
There were considerable delays totalling 524 minutes just for these five trains at their destinations.

94] Beaulieu Park: (BLN 1405.1803) The contract between Essex County Council and NR was signed in
mid-Dec. Construction planning can start in the new year, with NR to announce a delivery contractor
by end of Jan 2023. The new station and Chelmsford northeast bypass are funded by £218M from the
Housing & Infrastructure Fund, plus £34M from South East Local Enterprise Partnership and developer
Countryside Zest. The station (first proposed 40 years ago) is due to open by the end of 2025.

95] Princes Risborough: From 17 Dec the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway was to install new
semaphore signalling on its lines to the Downside of the station. Some of these signals are visible from
trains passing on the Chiltern Down Main line and drivers and others have been informed of this.

96] Southend Victoria line: On Tue 6 Dec the driver of the 11.55 from Liverpool Street reported a
possible broken rail on the Down Southend between Wickford and Rayleigh. While the broken rail was
being located (nothing untoward was found), the 12.15, 12.33 and 12.55 Liverpool Street to Southend
Victoria services ran over the Up Southend in the Down direction between Wickford London end,
normally facing, crossover (28m 64ch) to Hockley country end, normally trailing, crossover (36m 29ch).

1415 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Surrey, East Sussex and & West Sussex.

97] Gatwick Airport: (BLN 1414.2901) (TRACKmaps 5 P15B 2019) P6, out of use due to redevelopment
works, was returned to operational use from 27 Dec. The alterations to the signalling and track:

P6 Reversible Loop was renamed P6 Line.
P7 Down Platform Loop, was renamed P7 Line.
Access to P6 Line, Down Direction is via a new crossover, from P7 Line.
Access to P6 Line in the Up Direction remains unchanged.
Exit from P6 Line, Down Direction is via a new crossover onto P7 Line and Down Fast.
There is an alternative route directly onto the Down Fast from P6 Line but
…… …there is no signalled route in the Up Direction from P6 Line to the Up Fast.

98] Three Bridges - Haywards Heath: On 16 Dec S&T staff investigating a track circuit failure in
Balcombe Tunnel discovered a broken rail. The Up Main was blocked until P'Way staff had attended
and fitted a clamp. Meanwhile, the 07.24, 07.54, 08.24, 08.54 and 09.24 Brighton to London Bridge
travelled over the Down Main in the Up direction between Copyhold Jn and Balcombe Tunnel Jn.

99] PSUL restored: In the new timetable Sittingbourne Western Jn - Middle Jn (the third side of the
triangle) has a booked passenger service again, 05.05 SSuX Gillingham to Sheerness (previously from
Sittingbourne) for the first time since Fri 13 Nov 2020. Cancelled on 12 Dec, it first ran 13 Dec 2022.

100] Chessington South Cemex: (BLN 1395,432) New paths to/from Willesden DC Rail sidings are in
the timetable from 13 Dec, TThFO 13 Dec 2022 until 19 May 2023: 12.01 Willesden to Chessington
South and 20.03 return. Since 21 Jul 2022, nine freight trains have run to and from Chessington South.
After a slow start, it's been one or two a month of late with only one last month on 2 Dec.

1415 SOUTH WEST Robert Green [email protected]
Avon, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Lundy, Somerset, Wiltshire and the Channel Islands.

101] North Filton (Bristol Arena): (BLN 1412.2649) 'Not enough passengers' would use a rail service
planned for Bristol's new arena to justify running trains every half an hour, says Bristol's Mayor Marvin
Rees. Ironically, not enough people voted to keep Mr Rees in power from May 2024 when his tenure
ends with the abandonment of the City's Mayoral title, He has faced new calls to support increased
frequency of trains on the new Henbury spur line, currently planned for hourly. Concerns have been
raised by opposition that The service frequency on the Henbury spur line will be totally out of kilter to
the phased new town development, adding that …the junctions, signalling and track would be able to
handle 30-minute passenger trains as opposed to hourly services. Mr Rees has been asked to look
again (before May 2024) at the business case on the grounds that, since it was first complied, the
Arena is moving into the area, which wasn't planned at first, also the housing section of development
with 27,000 homes is now a minimum of 37,000 homes and, actually, they're trying for 67,000.