1224p

Supplement to BLN 1224 10 January 2015

BLN Pictorial

Welcome to the first BLN Pictorial of 2015, featuring locations as diverse as Stanley Junction in the
Highlands, and Bodmin in Cornwall.

The 1961 built Stanley Junction signal box on 22 November 2014, looking north.The former
Caledonian main line to Forfar, Kinnaber Jct. and Aberdeen went straight on to the right; the single track
Highland main line to Dunkeld & Birnam (and Inverness) still continues left. The only 'junction' now is
where double track from Perth becomes a single here, this and Stanley station were to the left of the
photographer. See BLN item 10.

Aviemore Strathspey Railway looking south, (main line to Inverness to the right behind the fence).
Speyside box (right) was from Garve with Wick's frame. The former Strathspey Railway platform ahead
is due to be removed with remodelling of the layout to form a passing loop. The modern building on the
extreme right of the picture is the corner of the Roy Hamilton Carriage Shed - see BLN item 11.

Left: Dunkeld and Birnam on the Highland main line was the
northern terminus of the Perth and Dunkeld Railway until the
opening of the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway on 1 June
1863. The unusually tall up starting signal here is one of the
diminishing number of lattice post semaphores remaining.

Above right: This editions caption competition? "They didn't mention this in the job description!''
Securing the point accessing Walker Lines (formerly Fitzgerald Lighting) No3 line on 29 November
2014, prior to our tour being the first train over it for many years, just before Bodmin General off the line
from Bodmin Parkway (see BLN 1223.1850).

Taken from Reading station footbridge looking west, on 28 December 2014, Westbury Line Junction in
the foreground , Reading Viaduct (or Elevated Railway) behind and to the left, the first part of Reading
High Level Junction. From Sunday 4 January 2015 this became the new permanent Up and Down Main
line on the Didcot route. (BLN item 25).

Another 'Guess the location' perhaps? The photographer asks how a train to Newcastle can depart from
both platforms? The location is the end of the Tyne and Wear Metro branch at Airport station (OP 17
November 1991) on the evening of 21 July 2014.

Never to be seen again ... a train at Bovey Tracey. This was one of the four BR Western Region farewell
trains on 5 July 1970 (BLN item 12).

And finally ... a well known Society member has assured your Sub-Editor that, brimming with Christmas
spirit, he visited a leading British railway web site on 25 December and was delighted to find that the
wheels were still turning in at least one location!