1397

798] Wolverhampton: The P4 buildings are currently under renovation but the First Class lounge has
been permanently abolished. Opened by Virgin Trains, who managed the station from 9 Mar 1997, it
was downgraded when West Midlands Railway took over on 1 Apr 2018. Avanti has First Class Lounges
at Euston, Birmingham International, New Street, Crewe, Lime Street, Piccadilly and Glasgow Central.
Coventry station (where locals don't lounge) is still managed by Avanti. Wolverhampton P4 opened
for the Dec 2004 timetable. Old bay P4 became P6 (partly explaining why platform numbering is 'odd').
Hopefully the very tired, '1960s', basic original footbridge and P2 & 3 facilities will be refurbished too.

… 1397 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
 42 Northland Road, LONDONDERRY, BT48 7ND. (Normal postal rates from the UK)

799] Fares: Translink bus and rail fares are frozen ''until further notice''. Online planners show this
applies to 'Enterprise' cross-border fares. (Irish Rail fares are reduced by 20% from 1 Apr until 31 Dec.)

800] Now It Can Be Told (65): By Maurice Dart. In Aug 1967 I was in Connemara with an English Folk
Dance team and on 28th we attended a Civic Reception followed by a Guinness Reception (much more
interesting) in Galway. Both involved dancing and drinking. As our transport was locked up, we had to
remain in our Morris Dancing kit as we adjourned to the Great Southern Hotel for a bar lunch.
Afterwards a friend and I went to Galway station. I walked along the main departure platform, found a
small maintenance shed, descended the steps and entered. There were two locos inside and I tried to
take an exposure reading on my light meter but was too sozzled so guessed it correctly. Walking out of
the shed another loco was shunting in the yard so I crossed the tracks to photograph it, in my Morris
kit complete with bells and baldricks. [The latter was nothing to do with Black Adder but is a belt worn
over the shoulder, passing obliquely down to the side, typically made of leather, often ornamented
with precious stones, metals or both.] The crew waved to me. Later the zip broke on my only pair of
trousers so I had to travel home in my breeches and white stockings (but minus the bells). During that
trip, I was on the Down end of the platforms at Bristol Temple Meads photographing locos on Bath
Road Depot quite oblivious to my apparel. [Congratulations to Morris Maurice on celebrating his
90th birthday recently - his celebrations included participating in a couple of Morris Dances and a jig…]

801] Irish Rail now restores pianos: On 11 Mar IR said that they have put back the pianos they took
away in 2020. The only confirmed location so far is Bray. Does anyone have any piano music 'tracks'?

802] Londonderry: The ticket office has been permanently closed. Ticket sales are now made by the
(normally lone) staff member* on duty at the barrier. Card payments are accepted and existing iLink
cards can be topped up but new ones can no longer be bought here. There is a £1 charge in addition
to the day/week/month fare when an iLink card is first purchased at a railway or bus station but online
there is no charge and it will be sent First Class post free within 48 hours. To buy online, go to the
journey planner and enter starting and finish points. When the times appear, click on the train symbol
and, on the right, the 'buy online' option appears (Simples! as Aleksandr Orlov the meerkat says.)

*Officially 'Customer Service Assistant' but everyone on NIR uses the old title of 'Porter' for the job
they 'carry out'. At 14.00 Sat 12 Mar the station had no Customer Service Assistant Porter present.
A private security guard allowed passengers onto the platform telling them to buy tickets on the train.

803] Whitehead: The pedestrian crossing (14m 56ch) closed from 13 Mar for conversion to manually
controlled barriers with CCTV during a possession that day. After testing, reopening is on Mon 21 Mar.

1397 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
 Dolbryn, Penegoes, MACHYNLLETH, SY20 8NN. 07484 646542

804] Ronaldsway Halt, halt, halted: This Steam Railway request stop TCP due to Covid after Sun 27
Jun 2021. It ROP Fri 4 Mar 2022 at the start of the season. On Sun 6 Mar the 11.50 ex-Douglas called
for a genuine passenger (a friend of a member returning to Derby by plane to Birmingham). It was
thought to be the first call of the season and the first passenger actually flying in a while (three
quarters of our IOM membership and one spouse - four in total - just changed trains on the previous
day of operation). Also on 6 Mar, four alighted from the 13.50 ex-Douglas. Also on the Steam Railway,
No11 'Maitland' reached Santon on a test run on 9th March. Its nameplates have yet to be fitted.





PREVIOUS & BELOW: IOM Steam Railway, Castletown on th

he first day of the season. (Graeme Easton, Fri 4 Mar 2022.)

BELOW: (Item 807) MER Car 21 on a pre-season ECS run from Derby Castle

e at Groudle stop. (Mon 7 Mar 2022; all Jenny Williamson unless specified.)

BELOW: Halfway - well, near enough - (Baldromma) 3m 46ch from Derby Cast

tle. Electric Tram 21 passing Citaro hybrid electric bus 269! (Mon 7 Mar 2022.)

BELOW: MER Car No7 and our Chairman, John Williamson, at Laxey looking

g towards Douglas on the first day of the 2022 season. (Tue 15 Mar 2022.)

BELOW: Also on the first day of the season, Car 7 at Ramsey, about to

depart for Douglas from the Arrival Road (where it had indeed arrived).

BELOW: MER Tram 5 with John Williamson (again!) at Lax

xey on a short working from Douglas. (Thur 17 Mar 2022.)

BELOW: (Item 806) The tent over the Horse Tram just south o

of Strathallan Crescent. (Jenny Williamson, Thur 3 Mar 2022.)

BELOW: A close up of the area beyond the tent with probes (?) in the crack

ked sections of concrete - a new James Bond gadget to burst tyres perhaps?

BELOW: (BLN 1393.246) Drumry P1 which is currently c

closed and being rebuilt. (John Cameron, 13 Mar 2022.)

805] Situations Vacant: In the rail sector these include a Workshop Manager, Assistant Rolling Stock
Manager, Electrical/Mechanical Rolling Stock Fitter (all permanent posts) and Seasonal Retail Advisor.
See: https://www.jobtrain.co.uk/iomgovjobs/vacancies.aspx (filter by Department of Infrastructure).

806] Horse Tram: By 3 Mar a tent* had been erected over the new tracks just south of Strathallan
Crescent, where a section of tramway was coned off. Three rows of metal rods had been inserted into
some of the cracks in the pink concrete. This is presumably part of the testing work. *Our Chairman
wondered if this was the site of a murder scene! [Yes, the murder of the Sea Terminal tram extension.]

807] Electric Railway: On Mon 7 Mar Car 21 was heading for Laxey. It seemed to be the first working
north of Douglas this year, judging by the amount of sparks flying up from the rusty track. Drying out
(an IOM technical term) began on 7 Mar, with Car 21 then Car 6. MER services began on Tue 15 Mar.

1397 SCOTLAND (Mike McCabe) [email protected]
 Lawrenceholme Barn, Oulton, WIGTON, CA7 0PH.

808] Kilmarnock line: On Sun 13 Mar a bidirectional member on the 08.03 Glasgow to Kilmarnock
reports that at Barrhead it crossed from the Up Main to the Down Main at 6m 62ch (trailing crossover
used by services terminating in Down bay P3). It seems to be used by other services on other days to
call at P2 - both through platforms at Barrhead are bidirectional. OHLE stanchions and portals, but not
wiring, had reached Kennishead on the electrification 'march' into the Glasgow suburbs.

At Dunlop a poster advised that: From the 18 Jan 2016 the 05.22 (SuX) Kilmarnock to Glasgow Central
will call at P1 not P2 - both tracks of the double line from 13m 12ch (Lugton) to 19m 14ch (Lochridge
Jn) are bidirectional and but presumably Lugton signal box is switched out that early in the morning.

From 28 Sep 2009 this line was redoubled from 13m 54ch (the Carlisle end of Lugton passing loop,
south through Dunlop and Stewarton, to 19m 14ch (Lochridge Jn), so the Glasgow to Kilmarnock
service could be increased from hourly to half hourly. Years ago, the whole line to Carlisle was double
track. Our member took the return working, the 08.55 from Kilmarnock, which also used the Up
Kilmarnock at Lochridge Jn (the purpose of his journey). At Barrhead he saw the 09.03 Glasgow
Central to Kilmarnock service at P1 as he had expected the 08.03 to do but was glad that it didn't!

809] Leuchars: (BLN 1396.678) During the work the Down Sidings were lifted and the points plainlined.

810] Balloch: Emergency repairs to a collapsed culvert at 20m 27ch (106 yards before Balloch station)
caused service suspension on the branch after service Thur 10 Mar. The half hourly Airdrie service was
turned back in Dumbarton Central P3 (Down Passenger Loop). Normal service resumed Tue 15 Mar.

….. 1397 WALES & THE MARCHES (Chris Parker) [email protected]
 7 Three Trees, Station Road, Whittington, OSWESTRY, SY11 4DE.

811] Cwmbargoed: (BLN 1395.545) Production at Ffos-y-fran opencast mine continues but of crushed
/pulverised coal only. Production of lump coal as burned by steam locos etc finished at the end of Jan
(explaining the previous report) when the grading and washing facilities failed and were deemed
uneconomic to repair due to the site's short remaining life. However, processing some of the output at
the main distributor Hargreaves' own facility near Cardiff is being considered to maintain supplies to
heritage railways etc; some are already rationing supplies (Steam Railway). Meanwhile a daily trip
from/to Margam runs generally SuX, plus a FO train from/to Earles Sidings for Hope Cement Works.

812] Metro Plus: (BLN 1343.176) First proposed 10 years ago, on 28 Feb work began on the Park &
Ride project at Pontypool & New Inn. Electric road vehicle charging points, a footbridge and lift either
to replace or supplement the present subway and stairs plus other general station improvements are
included. The £7.1M cost is funded by Torfaen Council, Cardiff City Region and Welsh Government.

813] Barry: (BLN 1366.3553) A 28 Feb Vale of Glamorgan Council cabinet meeting agreed the sale of
the railway depot and 'nearby railway land', which it owned, to TfW as a base for new Class 756
Stadler trimode units. The 'nearby land' includes Barry Island station and the Tourist Railway; TfW
stated: Cambrian Transport Ltd will have the opportunity to continue operating services from Barry
Island to the Waterfront (meaning it might happen). Sale completion is expected by the end of Mar.

814] Central Wales line: (BLN 1396.688) ❶Prior to ROP, on 22 Feb the southern section had been
covered by a 07.14 Carmarthen to Llanwrtyd ECS proving run (arriving 132min late, taking 2hr 15min
from Pantyffynon) and 11.44 return (only losing a further 11min). ❷The line was closed south of
Llandrindod from Sat 5 until Wed 9 Mar for engineering work. ❸A Knighton to Llandrindod blockade
is planned from 21.25 Sat 19 Nov until 05.30 Fri 25 Nov for renewal of sleepers and timbers between
Dolau and Llandrindod (26m 10ch to 31m 10ch) and tamping throughout (12m 40ch to 31m 50ch).

815] Pontrilas and Hereford: (BLN 1396.684) A member started working over the Marches line in
1998. A regular sight when returning north from Cardiff mid-morning would be the log train (7 wagons
per e-BLN 1395 photos, not 8 - should have gone to Specsavers) in Panteg loop or at Pontrilas itself.
This was a trip working from Newport Alexandra Dock (AD) Jn which conveyed traffic, as required, for
Avesta Steelworks at Panteg. It continued for quite some time though his last recorded sighting at
Panteg was 4 Dec 1999. Avesta works closed on 31 Mar 2004 and the Pontrilas traffic ceased later, at
about the time the long standing 'Pontrilas Timber' signage changed to 'Pontrilas Sawmills'.

His recollection is that traffic started earlier than others suggest. Around 1988, when he first had
involvement with it, a Speedlink train ran (possibly 6S74) from St Blazey mid-afternoon to Mossend.
It conveyed some interesting traffic, including the short lived rail movement of products from
Fitzgerald Lighting, Bodmin, much Taunton Cider from Norton Fitzwarren mostly to Scotland (!) and,
not least, the timber for Pontrilas. He is unsure now whether this was actually detached at Pontrilas
or at AD Jn for onward movement the following morning, but the latter seems more likely. As far as he
recalls, this service survived the demise of Speedlink and takeover by Railfreight Distribution in 1991.

A short lived interesting experiment then was Bulmer's Cider traffic from Hereford in Multi-Purpose
Vehicles loaded with containers. It ran in the evening from Bulmers Sidings to Park Royal, restoring
regular use of the line from Bulmers Sidings to Brecon Curve Jn. However, only about six containers
could be conveyed at best, so it was probably uneconomic and didn't last long. Back in 2022, on 3 Mar
surfacing work to Pontrilas siding access road was in progress; as timber transhipment there is now
believed unviable, this was more probably connected with civil engineers' use but watch this space!

816] Abergavenny: (BLN 1394.402) There was very short term use of the Up Sidings years ago to
stable On Track Plant but NIMBYs in the adjacent new houses kicked up a fuss and killed it. This did
result in the stub of the Monmouth branch at Little Mill Jn being returned to use as a stabling point
for these vehicles (BLN 1325.760) but it could be an issue if the timber traffic becomes more regular.

817] Glan Conwy/Llandudno Jn Sidings: (BLN 1394.396) Your BLN Editor has found further evidence
that the start of slate waste traffic is still some way away. A formal planning application is currently
still out for consultation and, even if approved, new discharge facilities will need to be constructed.

818] Penmaenmawr: (BLN 1392.145) The long expected second GBRf working from Tuebrook Sidings
finally reached the quarry sidings at 09.45 on 4 Mar. Realtime Trains etc show the return departure as
14.37, 19mins early, but it didn't pass Llandudno Jn until 15.40 and continued to run about 30 min late
throughout to Tuebrook. Trains will run as required and the wagons are not dedicated to this traffic.

819] Welshpool - Newtown: (BLN 1396.688) Closed since mid-afternoon Sun 20 Feb from Shrewsbury
Sutton Bridge Jn to Newtown (excl), washout repair work is now extended until Fri 1 Apr (note new
revised date since paper BLN was printed). The affected section is 34m 40ch to 35m 50ch (50ch south
of Welshpool to Glanhafren user worked crossing) to which high street environment conditions
currently apply. Ironically much is some distance from the River Severn but alongside the A483 trunk
road, unlike a normal High Street, stopping on the road to view is NOT recommended!

1397 MINOR RAILWAYS (Peter Scott) [email protected]
 93 Josephine Court, Southcote Rd, READING, RG30 2DQ.

MR47] Dean Forest Railway, Gloucestershire (MR p6): The DMU runs on the following dates: 20 & 27
April; 4 May; 2 June (Thursday); 6, 13, 20 & 27 July; 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 August. There is also a 30th
Anniversary DMU gala https://bit.ly/3Mx7aIJ on 23 & 24 April. The first Steam and DMU services
depart from Norchard Low Level platform, a PSUL (brakevan trips depart from the High Level).

At close of service, services terminate at High Level then are ECS to the Low Level. It is expected that
the new Parkend signal box will be operational from the start of the new season (Saturday 19 March).

MR48] North Bay Railway, North Yorkshire (MR p22) (BLN 1374.MR49): Safety concerns have been
raised over plans to demolish a footbridge and redirect pedestrians to a level crossing over the
railway. Scarborough Borough Council is behind the plans for the footbridge, which has been closed
since 2020 and described as 'severely defective'. The Council wants to upgrade an existing level
crossing as part of its plans, but residents and Councillors have raised concerns that more people using
the crossing will increase the risk of accidents with oncoming trains. There are also concerns over
access for disabled people who have to navigate a spring loaded gate.

Resident John Sissens said demolishing the bridge would be a backward step for safety and inclusion.
He told a Council meeting: Young families with pushchairs, children and especially wheelchair users
struggle today to navigate the spring loaded swing gates. The footbridge has provided a safe crossing
for more than 50 years. It was practicable 50 years ago, why not now? Councillor Bill Chatt, who
represents the Woodlands ward, also said that the footbridge has been well used and should be
repaired or replaced. He said: When families go down to the crossing, children tend to run because
they are keen and excited to get down to the beach. At the moment it's very safe because going across
a bridge you are isolated from the trains, but if you go onto the tracks there could be all sorts of
incidents. The miniature railway has a really good safety record. I think there has only been one
accident since the time it has been there. But all of a sudden we are going to be putting more people
onto the tracks. To do this to save money is inappropriate. People's safety must come first. [Mr Chatt is
incorrect, as there have actually been two serious head-on collisions on the line - MR Editor.]

Councillors voted to defer a decision on the plans at their 20 January meeting. They asked for more
information on the plans to upgrade the level crossing, which currently include a widening of the
crossing area, an anti-slip surface and improved signage. Councillors also suggested a traffic light
and/or automated gate locking system could be installed to alert pedestrians to oncoming trains.
It is presumed that the footbridge in question is that over the line at the closed Beach station.

MR49] Seaton Tramway, Devon (MR p32) (BLN 1386.MR185): 2022 should see two new stops opened
with the winter period having seen significant progress being made on the all new Wetlands Halt,
despite the challenges of a soggy and wet winter when much of the construction work has been taking
place. During December and January work has seen a new bridge constructed over a stream next to
the tramway with an attached walkway also being built alongside the line on the way to Swan's Nest
loop where the actual stop will be provided. This walkway is now halfway to the loop and the new
bridge will also need connecting to the already built walkway from the Discovery Hut. The other new
stop at Riverside Halt is also largely complete with the timetables for the 2022 season already written
to include both new halts as stopping points for services between Seaton and Colyton. Services began
on Saturday 5 March with a note that 'Wetlands Halt and Riverside Halt are not currently open'.

MR50] Bluebell Railway, East Sussex (MR p6): The railway has decided to launch a project to build a
miniature railway in the picnic area at Sheffield Park following a successful planning application.

MR51] Beamish Tramway, Durham (MR p32) (BLN 1392.MR3): The complete tramway circuit came
back into use on Sunday 13 February. When services resumed in September 2021 trams were unable
to run all the way around the circuit with the section passing the Events Field between Foulbridge and
The Town closed requiring maintenance works. This section has needed extensive work, which has
included re-sleepering (one in four sleepers have been replaced by recycled plastic versions), new
check rail spacers and realignment to the correct cant on the curves. Sunderland 16 was the first tram
to be used for testing and after further tests the line was cleared for use. It was originally hoped that it
would be reopened in time for the February Half Term - starting on 19 February - but that date was
beaten. Sunday 13 February not only saw the full circuit available for use but also an early season
usage of two trams at once, with Sheffield 264 and Oporto 196 in service. The latter, a single decker, is
expected to be withdrawn this year to wait for works attention. ('British Trams Online')

MR52] North Yorkshire Moors Railway, North Yorkshire (MR p9): As part of a larger £10M project,
called 'Yorkshire's Magnificent Journey', which aims to secure the long term future of the railway, in
February two 50-foot steel bridge spans were winched into place near Goathland as a £1.26M bridge
repair project neared completion. After being delivered by road from Sheffield, the two large
structures, each weighing 40 tonnes, were lowered into place for Bridges 24 and 25, which carry the
railway over Eller Beck. The railway's in house permanent way team will be relaying the ballast and
track, ready for the reopening for the 2022 season on 4 April. Removed in January, the original bridges
were 150 years old, and life expired. (It explains why the railway did not run over February half term.)

MR53] Strathspey Railway, Highland (MR p10): Plans for the railway's Grantown-on-Spey extension
have been further delayed, with claims of a blunder by Transport Scotland officials. The biggest
remaining hurdle for the extension is the line crossing the A95 trunk road at Gaich just outside
Grantown. This will require the road to be realigned to accommodate an Armco tunnel for the railway.
However, Highland Councillors were told at their latest area committee meeting that the 'Rails to
Grantown' project had been hit by further complications caused by Transport Scotland.

The Strathspey Railway Charitable Trust (SRCT) was established to extend the line from its present
northeastern terminus at Broomhill to the town some three miles away. Chairwoman Linda Coe told
the meeting: By and large the railway part of the (TAWS) [Transport & Works (Scotland) Order]
application is complete but unfortunately Transport Scotland is nowhere near ready as rather late in
the day they identified that the entry being built to The Cairn Distillery fundamentally affected the A95
realignment and underbridge plans which had been submitted with pre-application consultation.

Despite various discussions with Transport Scotland and the TAWS Unit at the Scottish Government, we
have no choice but to wait for Transport Scotland to redo their plans and surveys before we can submit
the application. This potentially exposes us to having to redo the environmental surveys, and as these
are seasonal, for example for protected species such as hibernating bats, this equals potentially much
more delay. A TAWS Order avoids the need for private bills for transport related developments, but
requires approval from Scottish ministers. Ms Coe said: Not only are we the first heritage railway to
apply for a TAWS Order, but we are also only the second application that Scottish ministers have had -
the first being the refurbishment of Queen Street station in Glasgow. It is made more complicated by
being the first road and rail application, so we are applying in conjunction with Transport Scotland.

A pre-application was undertaken with statutory consultees in 2019 with the Cairngorms National Park
Authority, Highland Council and many others and the trust had been addressing raised issues when
Covid struck. Ms Coe added: The main requirement from that consultation was that we updated our
environmental surveys, which again is challenging during a pandemic, but we completed these in early
2021. Now we are in the process of getting ready for the full application which requires some 14 key
documents comprising over 1,500 pages. In addition to these, we have to demonstrate we have
secured all the necessary land to construct the railway and the station terminus. Transport Scotland is
seeking compulsory purchase powers for the areas of land it needs for its road realignment, but we in
the railway are purchasing and leasing, and in the process of finalising expensive missives for two
leases and one purchase. Then Ms Coe highlighted the hold up due to Transport Scotland's oversight.

The SRCT remains hopeful it can make the TAWS Order application this summer, but that depends on
how quickly Transport Scotland finalises its revised A95 realignment plans. A Transport Scotland
spokesperson said: The recent changes implemented on the A95 associated with the distillery
development have meant that the previous design of the Gaich to Craggan scheme requires significant
alteration. Our design consultants have been working to develop an amended design taking account of
engineering and safety standards, environmental issues, and potential effects on nearby landowners,
and will require to complete further detailed engineering, environmental, traffic and economic
assessments in the coming months. We understand the trust is keen to progress their TAWS Order
application, and we continue to meet with them regularly to discuss the scheme. The ongoing work is
necessary to appropriately inform the trust's application and enable their proposals to progress, and
we will continue to work closely with them as we progress this vital design and assessment work.

BELOW: (Item MR47) Dean Forest Railway; GWR 2-6-2T 5541 departs Ly

ydney Junction for Parkend. Left is DMU 'Iris'. (Peter Scott, 28 Sep 2016.)

BELOW: (Item MR48) North Bay Railway, Scarborough, 'Neptune' passes Beach

h station (closed) and the presumed defective bridge. (Peter Scott, 9 Jun 2015.)

BELOW: From the bridge looking the opposite way; the automatic train protecti

ion system ramp is in front of the loco ('Robin Hood'). (Peter Scott, 9 Jun 2015.)

X.84] BELOW & TO FOLLOW: (E-BLN 1395.MR34 with plans and photos) Rece

ent progress at the 10¼'' Poole Park Railway. (All Julian James, 18 Mar 2022.)





















X.85] BELOW: Swindon & Cricklade Railway on a diesel day (see timetable), '

'Sir Herbert Walker' is back in action. (Stuart Hicks, Sun 6 Mar 2022 & NEXT.)





X.86] BELOW: A busy lunchtime at Paignton south end, Thur 10 Mar 2022; lef
Paddington (ECS to Goodrington Carriage Sidings). On the Dartmouth Steam
takes on coal and water to haul the 13.30 Paignton Queens Park to Kingswea

ft to right: DMU 166214 in P2 (12.55 to Exmouth), 802113 in P1 on 09.37 from
Railway 37275 is stabled outside the shed; steam 5239 'Goliath' (background)
r and D3014 performs the 'lunchtime carriage wash shunt'. (Mark Fishlock.)

MR54] Mountsorrel Railway, Leicestershire (MR p7): The Mountsorrel & Rothley Community Heritage
Centre's March newsletter contained this interesting statement over ownership of the Mountsorrel
branch. You might wonder why the Mountsorrel Railway is not operated more often to generate extra
funds? The branch line is owned and operated by the Great Central Railway who receive all the income
from train tickets they sell, but the Heritage Centre does not receive any income from the operation of
trains on the Mountsorrel Railway branch. The newsletter also says that they are making the necessary
provisions to carry passengers on their 2ft gauge railway, including: track alterations to the layout to
reduce the severity of the curves and to create a platform at the rear of the Peace Garden to allow
passengers to board and leave the trains, creation of two purpose built open coaches to carry
passengers and administrative and safety case paperwork to be able to move passengers.

MR55] North Norfolk Model Engineering Club, Norfolk: This group previously had an elevated line at
Holt station on the North Norfolk Railway. They have now moved to County School station, between
North Elmham and Fakenham - on the Mid Norfolk Railway north of Dereham. Following the granting
of planning permission for the line from Breckland District Council, passenger trains should be
operating in the very near future. The line is a 3½/5" gauge elevated track. On selected days, trains will
give visitors a chance to enjoy rail travel at the station, albeit on a lot smaller scale than the standard
gauge trains that are steadily extending from Dereham towards County School. The line's layout has
been carefully planned to integrate with the site's future operation as the northern terminus of the
Mid-Norfolk Railway, and to fit in with the history of this former junction station site. Once the already
approved restoration of the standard gauge line from North Elmham is complete, MNR trains won't be
operating beyond a point north of the station, respecting an agreement it has with Breckland District
Council. This allows the miniature line (legally, not a railway) to cross the formation at this point and
create a return loop. This layout will be employed until the line to Great Ryburgh (north of County
School) or beyond is being actively restored, at which point modifications would be planned and
implemented. [The Norfolk Orbital Railway plans to join the MNR to the NNR at Holt (BLN 1292.MR4).]

1397 FIXTURE REPORT (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
820] The Blackpool Balloon II, Sun 30 Jan 2022: By Don Kennedy. Since the delivery of the Flexity2
trams in 2011/12 - with their new depot at Starr Gate - I'd visited their home town only once, so this
new opportunity, using rather older vehicles and with all its route complexities, wasn't to be missed.

My Sun 1 Apr 1990 Society charter, in an open 'Boat' single-decker, followed a more basic route; just
Rigby Road Depot branch, Little Bispham and Starr Gate turning circles, then back into the depot.

(Pleasure Beach circle had to be omitted at short notice, due to sand blocking the points.) However,
we did combine this with a riding visit to the MoD Proof & Experimental Establishment (don't ask, we
are not allowed to say) Eskmeals and a minibus tour of British Nuclear Fuels Sellafield (Friday) then
rides (two locos simultaneously) at Heysham Nuclear Power Station (Saturday, before Blackpool)!

As well as our latest tram tour (following those in Nov 2016 and Jan 2019) a particular 'must visit' for
me in the North West was an exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, due to end in late Feb.
So these two events came together neatly, with a two-night stop in Blackpool (to avoid any panics on

the Sunday evening about returning to my
west London home satisfactorily). On the
day before our tour, Euston to Liverpool
Lime Street, a decent amount of time at the
gallery and Lime Street to Blackpool North
were all accomplished as planned. The latter
journey - as well as the novelty of a through
working - was, in fact, my first Blackpool
visit by electric train (what a fast, smooth
ride!), complementing my Nov 2017 visit to
photograph the semaphores and boxes that
were about to be closed with resignalling.