MR218] Bluebell Railway, East Sussex (MR p6): A member visited the railway on Saturday 14 October for the 'Giants of Steam' gala. It ran for three days Friday to Sunday. The Bluebell members' fare on the day was £20.50 (or £18.50 + £1.95 booking fee in advance) and the railway, being a genuine heritage railway, still offers Edmondson tickets. He considers it slightly sharp practice to start charging for a gala programme and timetables (£2 for 16 illustrated colour A5 sides), which was no more than a list of the locos and timetable pages, although this then becomes optional reducing the ticket price. Saturday was cool but mostly sunny, with cloud increasing into the afternoon and a heavy shower at Sheffield Park around 14.30 but there was nothing to notice at Horsted Keynes when our reporter was there! The highlight for our member was Southern Locomotives Ltd SR 4-6-2 34070 'Manston' in BR green livery, which arrived north on the first train to form the 10.00 from East Grinstead. This was pretty busy and it was taken as far as Horsted Keynes to return north behind the other visiting Bulleid, 21C127 'Taw Valley' (in black) from the Severn Valley Railway. Both Bulleids were facing north. GWR 4-6-0 6989 was passed at Kingscote. Further trips were then taken with 'Manston' (which sounded lovely climbing north out of Horsted Keynes towards the tunnel), 'Taw Valley', BR 4-6-0 73082 and 6989. On a visit to Kingscote, it was noted that souvenir platform tickets are available for 10p from a traditional machine. At Horsted Keynes 32636 (72, 'Fenchurch') was giving brakevan rides with 56290. MR219] Hythe Pier Railway, Hampshire (MR p18) (BLN 1430.MR165): It was announced in early September that Isle of Wight ferry operator Red Funnel had taken over the Southampton to Hythe ferry service from Blue Funnel. Red Funnel said that it had bought the ferry to maintain the service of 'historical significance'. Apparently, the sale does not include the Grade II Listed Hythe Pier or the 700 yard, 2ft gauge railway. Meanwhile Hythe Pier Heritage Association recently started repairing the deck and disused section of track to the original platform at the landward end. It is hoped to restore the first 45m of track by the end of the year, allowing the current temporary platform to be removed and the line restored to its full original length. Following granting of Planning Permission from New Forest District Council, rails that had been in place for many years have been lifted and old sleepers at the shore end station taken up. The original Victorian beams are being painstakingly cleaned by hand, painted with several coats of a high quality protective paint and will remain but will only be decorative (no longer load bearing). The first phase, costing £77,000, is being financed by grants and donations. MR220] Churnet Valley Railway, Staffordshire (MR p8): The railway has completed reinstating the North to East curve at Leekbrook Junction which closed to passengers from 30 September 1935 (so most members will need it!). It is not clear if freight used the curve after but 'Clinker' records that the track was not lifted until January 1945. 'Railway Herald' stated the North Jn was reinstated during the evening of 17 August 2023. Work is well underway on the Leek extension through Birchall Tunnel to a new station south of the town. The well used trackbed path has been diverted onto a fenced gravel path along the foot of the embankment on the Up (east) side and through the double track tunnel next to the fenced running line - it then runs alongside the new curve into the 'V' at the East Jn and there is a gated foot crossing leading down to the lane which is named 'Leekbrook Junction'. Track has been laid from the previous extension and work was underway on the level crossing leading to the sewage works on 2 September. [Does anyone know the names used for the new junctions, please, or the proposed normal passenger service pattern/s when the Leek extension opens?] MR221] Didcot Railway Centre, Oxfordshire (MR p6): A visit was made on a mostly sunny and dry Saturday 28 October, thankfully free of any signs of Halloween! The site is immediately adjacent to the National Rail Didcot station and access is from the north end of the subway via some steps. Therefore, access for the less able and those with push chairs has always been difficult or impossible. This is now being rectified; a large sloped trench is being dug out that will connect with the subway but step free. Work was underway even on a Saturday - rail is being used to bring in and out materials required or extracted. Class 15 0-6-0DH D9516 (Sdn/1964) was at work moving wagons as required. Running on the mainline was GWR 4-6-0 4079 'Pendennis Castle' (Sdn/1924) with GWR coaches 7371 and 536 (slightly overpowered for the load!). On the branch was 0-6-0T 'King George' (HE2409/1942) with GWR Auto coach 190. The site was busy with families and some enthusiasts. Adult admission was £16.50.
BELOW: (Item MR215)Welsh Highland Railway; Beddgelert looking toward
ds Caernarfon, N o 87 is taking water - unusual in this direction (9 Sep 2023).
PREVIOUS: Departing Beddgelert past a red signal. BELOW: Exchanging
a ticket for a staff to Porthmadog at Pont Croesor. (Both 2 Sep 2023.)
BELOW: The Electric Train Staff machines at Beddgelert. (All Graeme Easton, this one 2 Sep 2023.)
BELOW: (Item MR216) Fife Heritage Railway; EMU 313121 in the yard. (Rod Bryant, 29 Oct 2023 & next.) Looking west towards Thornton Jn, the reinstated Leven branch is left, the other side of the fence.
BELOW: The curtailed far end of the running line (looking west to Thornton Jn);
; the relaid and re-doubled NR branch is left. Leven is behind the photographer.
X.107] BELOW: Barrow Hill Roundhouse, the now battery powered converted
d Class 08 during our 8 Nov 2023 trips - 101 members took part. (Jim Sellens.)
BELOW: (Item MR217) Northampton Ironstone Railway; 'Char
rles Wake' stands at the platform. (Peter Scott, 15 Oct 2023.)
BELOW: (Item MR221) Didcot Railway Centre, Class 14 D9516 with wagons for
r the construction of a sloped step-free entrance. (Peter Scott,. 28 Oct 2023.)
(Item MR220) Churnet Valley Railway; ABOVE LEFT: The East Jn towards Ipstones, the reinstated curve is off bottom left to Leek, right is to Leekbrook Jn. RIGHT: Foot crossing on curve. (All Tom Gilby, 2 Sep 2023.) BELOW: The double track Birchall Tunnel looking north towards Leek; the footpath is on the right.
BELOW: (Item MR224) An original Southwold Railway rail by the seaside. (Garry Pullan, 6 Sep 2023.)
MR222] East Hill Cliff Railway, Hastings, East Sussex (MR p34) (BLN 1416.MR15): Having closed from 23 October 2022 for planned winter maintenance, the railway reopened on Monday 23 October 2023 - the first passengers were carried at 11.00 that day. The two chassis returned recently from overhaul at an engineering works in Rotherham and the wooden cars returned on 5 September. The closure was longer than expected because much more work was found to be needed than originally expected. The railway will be open at weekends, 11.00-16.00, throughout the winter period (until 1 March 2024). MR223] Bala Lake Railway, Gwynedd (MR p29) (BLN 1424.MR84): Thankfully, the biggest hurdle in securing planning permission for the extension into Bala town centre has been resolved. When the planning application for the extension to the railway was refused in April 2023, the main concern cited was the possibility of increased visitor numbers to Bala, which would overload Bala Water Treatment Works, resulting in an increase in the phosphates being discharged into the River Dee. In July, Bala Treatment Works was granted a phosphate permit which determined the phosphate limit permitted for the town. Welsh Water/Dŵr Cymru has recently confirmed that the AMP (Asset Management Plan) scheme, due to complete by 2025, will provide the headroom for the additional phosphate loading from the railway's extension and still meet the limit. Julian Birley Chairman of the Bala Railway Trust stated: The significance of the news cannot be underestimated. It really is the breakthrough we have all been striving for. While there were other reasons cited for refusal, we are working on solving these and are confident we can supply the relevant information to satisfy the planning committee. MR224] Southwold Railway, Suffolk: On 6 September, a member photographed the only piece of rail from the original 2ft gauge Southwold Railway, closed 12 April 1929, still in situ. Two wooden posts can be seen behind the section of rail. The further one is the remains of a buffer stop. Should anyone wish to see it the location is opposite the sailing club, which is next to the Harbour Inn in Southwold. Due possibly to the land sinking here, rising sea levels or removal of the seawall, the rail is now covered at high tide. So, it goes without saying that you will need to check the tide tables before you go! MR225] Tweeddale Heritage Railway, Scottish Borders (BLN 1407.MR164): Although the location of the proposed new railway has not so far been revealed*, over 30 track panels destined for the line were delivered in early September to a storage site. The panels are 2ft gauge and formed of 30lb and 25lb rail. There is also a quantity of loose rails, fishplates and metal sleepers. All this has come from peat lines thought to be at Ryflat and Auchencorth, which were operated by Messrs William Sinclair that went into liquidation in 2015. Together with materials which were already to hand, there is now enough track for a 2ft 6in gauge line of over 1,000 yards. Volunteers are welcome to assist; email [email protected] or 07511 733089. [*The base is at Broughton where there was a station on the Symington to Peebles line. Closed to passengers from 5 Jun 1950; Broughton to Peebles West closed completely from 7 Jun 1954 and Symington to Broughton from 4 Apr 1966.] 1436 FIXTURE REPORTS (Paul Stewart) [email protected] 2636] The Sahara Explorer 4-5 Oct 2023: By Paul Griffin. It was eleven at night but sleep was eluding me. So, when my phone pinged,I decided to look at the email. It was from Aimrane,our organiser from Suprateam and it wasn't good news. He had just received an email from ONCF* at Oujda. This read:- Bonjour, pour la sécurité des clients, la mise en circulation du train spécial prévu le 04 Octobre 2023 n'est pas possible vers Hassiblal Jerrada. A cet effet, nous vous proposons soit le circuit d'Oujda vers Guenfouda et retour à travers Naïma vers Oujda ou nous faire une proposition de circuit de votre convenance. Restant à votre entière disposition pour tout complément d'information. Cordialement. For those who struggle with French, broadly: Hello, for the safety of customers, the passage of the special train scheduled for 4 October 2023 is not possible to Hassiblal Jerrada. We offer you either the circuit from Oujda to Guenfouda and return through Naïma to Oujda or make us a proposal for a circuit of your convenience. Remaining at your complete disposal for any further information. Sincerely. So we couldn't do the star section of track on the entire tour. I was plunged into despair. [*ONCF is from the French Office National des Chemins de Fer; Arabic: الحديدية للسكك المكتب الوط ن al-Maktab al-Waṭaniyy lis-Sikak al-Ḥadīdiyyah; that is Moroccan National Railways Office to you.]
It seemed likely that the disturbances and be happy to go most of the way down the branch but not entering Jerada. Surely that would be safe. He agreed with my logic and promised to contact ONCF the following morning (the day before the tour) and see what he could do. The following day was a travelling day for me, from Fes to Oujda. Aimrane had told me that Eduard Kunz (Edi) the former owner of Suprateam and my primary contact for the tour would be waiting to meet me at Oujda and bring me up to date with the situation. Ian Mortimer was also there and we learnt that our appeal had been to no avail. We would have to settle for a shortened itinerary on day one. Now I had to tell everybody and watch their faces fall. Sometimes being a tour manager sucks. It was still dark when I rose and made my way downstairs for breakfast. The new station at Oujda is absolutely massive, architecturally spectacular and very spacious, complete with clock tower. Before the station was built, tracks continued into what is now the square in front of the station and on my 2013 trip we reversed back nearly to the buffer stops. Top track, with the benefit of hindsight! Our train was the only one in the station - three coaches and a loco. DH411 was a passenger loco but I'd pretty much expected that. Soon the stock for the Tanger train (Tangier to the Brits) backed in. 07.15 was the booked departure time but this was contingent upon the arrival of the overnight train from Casablanca at 07.10 as we couldn't access the single track until it had arrived and the paperwork had been completed. All my 32 passengers were present and ready to go but the overnight was late. It would be a close thing if we were to depart before the 07.50 train to Tanger Ville but depart we did. At 07.32 the Sahara Explorer pulled out of Oujda on our Society's first ever railtour in Africa then pottered gently down the main line to Béni Oukil, the first station. We stopped here for photographs and to let the 07.50 from Oujda pass through. The stationmaster, possibly overwhelmed by the activity at his otherwise sleepy station, insisted several times that we keep well away from the platform edge as the Tanger Ville train passed through with the horn sounding continuously. When we set off again we quickly took the curve onto the freight only line to Bouárfa. Passing the previous day it had looked much less well used than the avoiding line which soon trailed in on the right completing the triangle. There was plenty of space to spread out on the train, with the 80 year old B10 coach (ex-SNCB/NMBS* - second class, ten seating bays) and an air conditioned open coach, so we settled down to watch the arid scenery pass by. Ahead of us was the gap in the Atlas Mountain range in which Guenfouda lies, and as we approached this sizeable town there were big piles of mining waste on the right. [*Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges/Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen which is the National Railway Company of Belgium.] The thin fog in which we had set off had completely disappeared by now and it was warming up, though still very pleasant as we alighted at Guenfouda. Here two locals on their donkeys were obviously not going to let the presence of a train disrupt their normal route across the tracks. This is the junction station for the forbidden Jerada branch, so the loco had to run round allowing plenty of time for photographs. The station is on the edge of the town; quite a few locals turned up to observe us, perhaps tipped off by the presence of the security forces. These included a police car with blue lights flashing and several military looking individuals. Those who wandered away from the train were discreetly followed by plain clothes officers. It was clear that no risks were being taken for our safety. Until the Jerada branch was built, anthracite used to arrive by cable car, Guenfouda was then busy with transhipment from cable car to wagons. Today nothing remains of the téléphérique (transhipment facilities)but the old water tower is partly in use if the presence of an air conditioning unit is any guide. After reversing we returned towards Béni Oukil, slowing and then stopping briefly at the junction for the avoiding line before slowly crossing onto it. I was determined to enjoy this - now the only new track for me on the entire tour - and a BLS first as it seems certain that we were the first ever passenger train to travel the 1,100 metre curve which allows mineral trains from Bouárfa and now imported coal from Nador destined for Jerada (where the coal mines are now shut) to avoid reversal at Béni Oukil. As has often been said on our fixtures and railtours: We had come a long way for this. All too soon we joined the main line towards Taourirt and Fes and headed for Naïma to reverse.
PREVIOUS: Morocco; blue dot = main station with regular trains; Oujda is top right, the Jerada branch is below and BouáBELOW: (Item 2636) The new station at Oujda with its clock tower. Before the the station (not a car park, despite the lines). On my 2013 trip we actually rever
green dot = closed to passengers or served by 'irregular' trains. árfa bottom right. (Tachfin CC BY-SA 3.0 4 Jun 2012.) station was built the tracks continued into what is now the square in front of rsed back nearly to the buffer stops; top track, with the benefit of hindsight!
BELOW: At Guenfouda these two locals on their donkeys were obviously not go
oing to let the presence of a train disrupt their normal route across the tracks.
BELOW: Drivers eye view of the Béni Oukil avoiding line diverging to the left. Aback of the train, which is why the points are set for Béni Oukil! This was the
Actually a bit of a cheat, as the picture was taken the following day from the only bit of new track (all of 1,100m) that your reporter needed on the tour!
BELOW: The pleasant little station of Naïma was the first plaAbout 50 metres to the left of the platform was the trackbed of the Fes to O
ace on the main line to Fes where the loco could run round. Oujda narrow gauge line, built for military purposes and long abandoned.
BELOW: DH411 with our train emerges from the Tunnel de Tiouli on the photo
ographic run past. No concerns about leaf fall or sanding the rails on this line!
BELOW: The old water towers and station building at Aïn-Béni-Mathar and n
not a high-vis in sight. (All these photos are by Paul Griffin or Brian Carter.)
BELOW: Berguent Fouchal, waiting in the loop, the one location w(held at the front of the loco on the left) was the best we could mNEXT: This meal was rated by some on the tour as one o
where the train stopped on a curve. A laminated paper headboard manage for the photo. It really does say 'BRANCH LINE SOCIETY'! of their best in Morocco, and was even served at seat!
BELOW: The first floor of this ruined building was obviously the best p
hotographic location at Tendrara and soon everybody was up there.
BELOW: From the back of the train leaving Tendrara; note the disconnected
d loop and sidings. The water tower is hidden behind the far right building.
BELOW: View of the line and typical desert scene
ery along this branch from the back of the train.
BELOW: An ONCF gang travelling on the train clear wbeing photographed by tour participants (right). The m
wind-blown sand covering the rails in a cutting while mountains of Bouárfa are visible in the background.
BELOW: The old station at Bouárfa is several kilometres from the town and the mine but are currently out of use. We were told we were the first charter t
station building still looks to be in use. The tracks continue on to the phosphate to use the line this year, so that may mean we were the first train of 2023.
Naïma proved to be rather larger than maps had suggested, with a broad avenue leading from the station building for a considerable distance into the town. It seemed an unlikely tourist destination, but a young man from the local authority charged with developing tourism in the area clearly had some enthusiasm for the possibilities as he approached me and, in reasonable English, made us all welcome and asked if we would do a group picture by the station name board for the town's Facebook page. We had been informed that a freight was coming through shortly, so his picture had to wait until four coal wagons hauled by two locomotives, came trundling through. The pleasant little station of Naïma was the first place on the main line to Fes where the loco could run round. Fifty metres or so to the left of the platform was the track bed of the former narrow gauge line from Fes to Oujda, built for military purposes and long abandoned. So, it was back down the main line to Béni Oukil and Oujda with the time barely past midday. Since a depot visit had been refused and because it was becoming hot with temperatures in the 30s, most opted for a long lunch and a break before setting off for some railway tourism in the late afternoon. The obvious destination was the original Oujda station in the north of the city on the closed line to Algeria, a leg stretching 1½ mile walk each way. En route to the station I met Petr Pokorny, one of the three Czechs on the tour, and he told me that the old station was on the right of the level crossing - not the left as the map appeared to show. This proved to be correct, and after taking a picture I was collared by a man (I believe he was the caretaker) and given a guided tour in voluble French, of which I understood almost nothing. The original station building whose picture I had included in the tour brochure (on our BLS website archive, search 'Sahara') has been extended on both sides at some time but is now empty and deserted, with the ceilings collapsing in places. Outside a high wall now separates it from the low, crumbling station platforms. Disused tracks remain but the line has been abandoned for many years. Not far away, but on private land, are parts of a loco shed and turntable. Day two and, for most participants, the main event. Again, we were on the train ready for an 07.15 departure. A much longer train today, with two sleepers, one for ONCF staff and one for us (a first for a BLS tour?) as we would return overnight, the two passenger coaches we used on day one and a generator van, half of which was to be used as a food preparation area by the Suprateam (who run/ support all sorts of tours in Morocco not just rail) staff accompanying the tour. At least they had electric sockets for the heating appliances. On my last journey to Bouárfa a giant gas cooker looking horribly dangerous was used. We also had two locos, one for the outward journey and one for the return. Again,DH411 was the lead with DH367 the other, from an older class,some dedicated to freight and some uprated for passenger usage. Despite asking for a freight loco we had a passenger one. In 2013 my train to Bouárfa had been greatly delayed by sand on the tracks, and as a result arrived there in the dark. So, the last thing I wanted today was a late departure, and, of course, that is exactly what happened. Despite the overnight train arriving pretty much on time ONCF insisted on making us wait until the 07.50 to Tanger Ville had departed and passed Béni Oukil. We finally left 54 min late. I had been asked to make sure no one alighted during pathing stops at Béni Oukil or Guenfouda, to make sure we didn't lose more time. It was another day with thin fog quickly dissipating to give a hot sunny day with some cloud cover at times. Leaving Guenfouda I had to watch that 'lost' branch to Jerada diverging on the right but the mood on the train was good, with the prospect of a great railway journey ahead and the previous day's disappointment set aside. Oued-el Heimer was passed through without stopping. A former mining town with a smelter, only the vast ruins of the processing plant and a tall chimney remain of this operation with no sign of the former loading staithes. There is one tunnel on the line. The 370 metre long Tiouli Tunnel is north of the town and a compulsory photographic location. The train set down, then reversed back into the tunnel to emerge, horn sounding, for the benefit of photographers. A lone local watched this from near the top of the tunnel, doubtless bewildered by these strange people disturbing his herd of goats. Our next stop was at the sizeable town of Aïn-Béni-Mathar, with its old water towers. The locals turned out in force to watch us, constrained in their enthusiasm by the presence of police and military.