Much to the interest of our members, access was kindly granted to view the Locking Room under the operating floor, the electric locks for Levers 14 & 15 (lever disconnected), and 50 & 51, all facing point locks, were conspicuous by being set forward some substantial distance from the locking tray. https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/archivevideo.php has a FARSAP (Film Archive of Railway Signalling & People) online video covering Lostwithiel box, filmed in Sep 2016 and Jul & Sep 2018. In the westbound Down direction, Lostwithiel works absolute block with Par, the next box to be visited by our group this day. Details must be checked 1443 CONNECTIONS (Paul Stewart) [email protected] .Please mention BLN . 662] Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Railway ❶: Toddington to Broadway (last ran 5 Nov 2023) reopens for passenger services on Good Friday, 29 Mar; the full length of the line will be open again. The £1.5M, Phase 1 repairs to Stanway Viaduct went better than expected, enabling earlier reopening. 663] Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Railway ❷; Sun 2 Jun, 09.30: Our member Rob Davidson, Senior Station Master at Toddington and a Trustee Director of the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust, has arranged a rather special day out on the railway. Our members are invited to go. It is the Sunday after the Steam Gala, so normally a visitor or two can be seen or ridden behind. Meet 09.30 Toddington P1 to pay Rob for the discounted price tickets [£23.40 All Day Rover + £5 for Shed Tours]. Bacon rolls can be bought on the train or at the new food outlet at Toddington called 'THE COTSWOLD HALT'. 09.50: Tour of Toddington Steam & Diesel Sheds, then 11.00 steam train to Broadway (20 minutes to view station/loco run round and/or purchase refreshments). 11.35 leave for Winchcombe (12.05) to visit the Carriage & Wagon Works and signal box (two rotating groups). 13.28 diesel service to Cheltenham Racecourse (13.51) to visit the signal box, again in two groups. 14.30 train to Gotherington, where, by kind permission of owners Bryan & Savita Nicholls, view the various railway artefacts and have a pump trolley ride/s over their standard gauge line (on site of the Goods Yard). Catch the steam train to Cheltenham and back or, on its return, to Toddington or Broadway. New-build 'Bretton Grange' will be visiting plus 3 or 4 other locos. Pay on the day, cash, queries and notifications to Rob Davidson: [email protected] or call/text 07803 941531. 664] Joint Railways, Scotland & Northern England: By our member, Patrick Bennett, Amberley Books, 23.4cm x 16.5cm paperback, £15.99 RRP (£12.29 Amazon; Kindle available). This is the first of three books on UK Joint Railways by this author. With 25 joint lines covered in only 96 pages, including six colour maps (RCH) and just under 180 photos (some monochrome), the historical detail on each railway is necessarily brief. The photos are a mix of old and modern, to show limited aspects of the routes covered. Mostly they are two or three to a side (on pages slightly larger than the A5 of paper BLN), reflecting the inevitable limited quality of older photos. This is not a book for those wishing full histories of the joint railways covered but gives basic detail to allow further research. It provides an indication of rivalries between Pre-Grouping railway companies and how joint railways became a solution to provide required access without having to build separate routes (unlike the Settle & Carlisle line for example). Your reviewer was disappointed to see that the caption for an HST at Moorthorpe Jn is described as a Voyager (especially as also the cover photo) and a typo 'Coalfied' on Page 6. (TW) 665] Northwest Rail & Transport Collectors Fair - Crewe, 22nd Jun: 25 traders and societies. New transport publishers with their latest releases, two second hand book specialists covering all aspects of Rail, Bus and Tram history and thousands of tickets from long closed stations. It is a chance to learn what various groups and societies offer. Focusing on the North West/North Wales, there will be coverage of the rest of the UK and Europe. The ground floor venue (Crewe Alexandra Football Club next to the station) has free parking for 250 vehicles and a café area will be open. This is the third and biggest year of this not-for-profit event supporting Railway Children. www.transportpasttimes.co.uk has more. Admission: Adults £2; U16 free.
666] Statfold Barn Railway, Spectacle of Steam, 16 & 17 Mar Enthusiasts Weekend: (MR p24) You can see more working steam locomotives in one hour than anywhere else in the UK. One of the largest collections of rare, unique and historic locos from around the world. The 2ft gauge mainline will run as many locos as possible swapping at Statfold Junction and, for the first time, at Oak Tree Halt. The 12¼'' Mease Valley Light Railway extension opens with lakeside running and fierce gradients! Subject to the weather, the dual gauge (3ft/4'8½'') tramway (MR p32) will run with the final Burton & Ashby Tramcar N o 14 (now a battery electric). Statfold workshops and the Roundhouse Museum will be open and the unique 'Goose' railcar is also giving rides. Adults £12; Senior/Child £10; Family (2A & 2C). Free heritage bus from/to Tamworth station. Details: http://tinyurl.com/2wm6f4kt nearer the dates. Track plans: http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/statfoldbarn.pdf (Statfold Barn Railway) and http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/measevalley.pdf (Mease Valley Light Railway). 667] Great Central :Railways: 125th Anniversary Weekend 16 & 17 Mar: Many events, including miniature rides NORTH from Loughborough Central Loco Shed and at on the extensive mixed gauge at Ruddington, trains running to Mountsorrel. https://tickets.gcrailway.co.uk/events/66145#new_tab ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 668] Circulating round the Heart of Wales: Realtime Trains and member reports show that reliability has improved considerably recently. With the enhanced timetable of FIVE through trains over the full line (two SuO), plus short workings Swansea - Llandovery and Shrewsbury - Llandrindod, it is a good time to have a Heart of Wales Circular Day Ranger. One or two day versions are now available for nearly 340 miles of travel: Shrewsbury - Llandrindod - Swansea - Cardiff - Newport - Hereford - Shrewsbury. Travel can start at any station (named on the ticket) on the route, even Sugar Loaf, and be in either direction, with unlimited breaks of journey (but no doubling back). TfW services only (not GWR) includes Swansea District Line and Swansea Avoiding Line PSULs. Great value - One Day: Adult £43; Railcard £28.35; Child £21.50; Two Day: Adult £62; Railcard £40.90; Child £31 (all may change with fares increase). Available from any booking office or the conductor for unstaffed stations; they are difficult to find but the short code is 'HWE', which will find them immediately. Also available from [email protected] or 08448 560 688. The restriction code is 'A1' = No restrictions! ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞ 669] Sunday 7 April; The School Belle - Sussex Minor Railways: (MR p25): Thanks to your General Secretary, Tim Wallis, these follow on from our Bluebell Railway railtour the previous day. Riding visits have been arranged at the South Downs Light Railway, Pulborough, at 09.30 then, less than 10 miles away, to the private Ingfield Light Railway, Ingfield Manor School at 13.00. Both are 10¼'' gauge. The 1,100yd South Downs Light Railway is at Pulborough Garden Centre, Stopham Road, Pulborough RH20 1DS, less than a mile west of Pulbrough station along the A823. The visit will include their 'short circuit' used only by their 'South Downs Belle' specials - shown as 'Not in regular use' at http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/southdowns.pdf and one or two shed roads / sidings not available in public operation. The 900yd Ingfield Light Railway, Ingfield Manor School, Ingfield Manor Drive, Five Oaks, Billingshurst, RH14 9AX doesn't run very often for the public and then not over the relatively recent Willow End extension as car parking arrangements block the route. They will offer their full run and extra sections as available but note that passenger travel over their 'double slip' is prohibited. They operate to support Ingfield Manor School, which provides facilities for students aged 3-19 years with neurological motor impairment, such as Cerebral Palsy, associated medical / sensory needs. Light refreshments will be available for donations. Peter Scott's track plan: http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/ingfield.pdf (this is for personal use only). Car share may be available; please note any request or offers in your booking notes. £12 (Members only; no reductions) which includes stock lists and track plans; please book online at our website. CONTACT DETAILS: On website Contacts page and an updated BLN & Committee Directory was with BLN 1437 ●Editor: Paul Stewart [email protected] 4 Clarence Close, MALVERN, WR14 3HX 01684 562862 07790 652351. ●Sales: Darren Garnon [email protected] 3 Reader Drive, Marden, Tonbridge, Kent, TN12 9FD. ●Printed by Willow Printing & Design Ltd [email protected] 75/79 Back Cross Lane, NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS, WA12 9YE 01925 222449. ●Published by the Branch Line Society, 10 Sandringham Rd, STOKE GIFFORD, BS34 8NP.