1381

e open and actually well out of use if the truth be known…

BELOW: Leaving Carrington Power Station over the level crossing to run

n down the branch to Partington Jn (Shell Chemical Works is ahead, left).

BELOW: Nearer Partington Jn (behind camera) the branch had been singl

led, Shell Chemicals is right and one power station chimney is upper left.

ABOVE: A DMU on the Manchester to Liverpool CLC route taken from a Power Station loco cab.
BELOW: The Manchester (right) - Warrington (left) - Liverpool CLC line is on the distant embankment.

1931] Water Street Jn - Castlefield Jn: On Tues 6 Jul 150225 on the 17.15 Southport to Alderley Edge
stopped, with a suspected fuel leak, on the Up Bolton here which resulted in three services using the
bidirectional signalling. The 17.28 Blackpool North to Hazel Grove crossed from the Up Bolton to the
Down Bolton (at 190m 66ch); shown as unidirectional on TRACKmaps 4 p43N Dec 2018, this crossover
is bidirectionally signalled. The 17.53 ex-Chester and from Barrow via Wigan NW, both to Manchester
Airport, crossed from the Up Chat Moss to the Down Chat Moss at Ordsall Lane Jn and then took the
Down Bolton. All three trains used Oxford Road West Jn to access Manchester Oxford Road P4.

1932] Warrington: On Sun 23 May, due to a points problem, all Down Avanti services called at Bank
Quay P4 then were routed to the Down Fast. P3 saw use by some TfW services. Other than railtours,
our member has only ever done this move to the Down Fast with ECS during the early hours when P3
was under possession for extending the north end of the platform to accommodate 11 car Pendolinos.

1933] Warrington Arpley - Ditton Jn: On this now little used freight line, NR has received planning
permission to sympathetically refurbish the Grade II listed Monks Sidings Signal Box, Warrington
(11m 70ch west of the former Timperley Jn). The LNWR 20-lever Type 3 design box was built in 1875.

1934] Climate reaches Preston: On 12 Jul Intense rainfall made its way into one subway at the station.
All four lift shafts were flooded. The water was pumped out and debris cleared so that lift mechanisms
could be repaired urgently. Step free access was available via ramps to the station's other subway.

1935] Lime Street: Free unlimited WiFi, fast enough to support video calls and streaming, is now
available. Multiple devices can be connected without having to create an account to log in. It is
'Friendly WiFi', complying with the Government's safe filtering public standards and is child friendly.

1936] Metrolink: Many drivers self isolating because of the NHS Covid App has caused cancellations
(as on NR). On 15 Jul the Rochdale line had severe delays due to staff shortages; tickets and passes
were accepted on bus services instead. MediaCityUK - Etihad Campus services have not run at times.

1937] Merseyrail: Daylight testing of the new Class 777 EMUs began on 1 Jul. Over 17,000 hours of
test operation were previously completed in overnight possessions. Seven trains based at Kirkdale
Depot will undertake dynamic testing on the Northern Line. The contract with Stadler requires the first
four units to run trouble free for 1,500 miles before acceptance, the next four will be required to
complete 1,000 miles and the rest of the 53 strong fleet will have to operate trouble free for 500 miles.

Seven Class 777s have been fitted with batteries to run on non-electrified track, initially to Headbolt
Lane (Kirkby). Liverpool City Region aims to eventually use this capability to extend Merseyrail services
to the Baltic Triangle, Woodchurch in Wirral, and Carr Mill in St Helens. (Wot no Skelmersdale?)

Mayor Steve Rotheram said that he planned to use the dual power units to extend the network to
Wrexham and Preston (British Rail wanted to extend the third rail to Wigan Wallgate). However, tests
during 4 weeks of trials showed battery powered trains only had a range of up to 20 miles on a charge!

1938] Preston Trams (the ones that actually ran): (BLN 1332.1763 with map) Preston's 200 year old
former tram bridge is rapidly deteriorating. Rotten timber beams have reportedly fallen off recently
into the River Ribble below; this has resulted in the footpath beneath closing. The bridge was shut in
Feb 2019 when a detailed inspection revealed its condition had greatly deteriorated since its last such
examination in 2012. A further inspection found over 200 faults with the bridge between Preston and
South Ribble. 50 of the 81 pre-stressed beams had extensive horizontal surface cracking, so could fail
without warning. Connections between reinforced concrete beams also appear to have failed, so no
longer support each other. They could fail suddenly or roll off their supports. Many bridge beams are
not seated correctly on supporting piers, with some areas of the piers actually breaking off.

Large cracks have even appeared in some piers. The County Council said that it is now working with
the owners, Preston City Council, to find a solution including external funding for a new bridge. The
Friends of the Old Tramroad Bridge group is campaigning to save the Old Tram Bridge from demolition.

X.153] BELOW: Victoria Metrolink, Mon 14 Jul. Unidirectional Inbound Platfor
from 'A' (via Balloon St scissors crossover rare connection to Exchange Squar

rm 'A' (right) was back in use; middle 'B' was OOU with all inbound departures
re). Airport arrivals terminated in 'C' then shunted ECS to 'A'. (Ian Mortimer.)

X.154] BELOW: Rail Charter Service's Staycation Express heading from Skip

pton to Carlisle on Ribblehead Viaduct at 11.55. (Stuart Hicks, 19 Jul 2021.)

BELOW: Approaching Gargrave heading south at 10.50. (Stuart Hicks, 19 Jul 2021.)

1381 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected]
1939] March in July: (BLN 1355.1869) The station entrance closed from 12 Jul for construction work to
remodel the entire station; a new temporary ticket office opened on the far side. There will be an
open plan ticket hall and waiting area, accessible toilets, retail outlets and an upgraded, extended car
park. It is part of Fenland District Council's Railway Station Masterplans regeneration project, with
£9.5M from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority plus Section 106 contributions.
The project aims to improve passenger facilities at Whittlesea, Manea & March. Work is expected to
be completed by the end of 2021. New platform waiting shelters have been installed at Whittlesea
and Manea along with an improved passenger footpath and lighting and a new ticket machine at
Whittlesea with car park upgrades. Manea is due to benefit from a new car park.

1940] Salhouse: (BLN 1361.2731) (9,896 passengers in 2019-20, off peak service 2-hourly) GA has
submitted plans costing £200k to improve this quiet station on the Sheringham line. The Up P2 (to
Norwich) single story building, not used for about 50 years and in a poor state, would be demolished
and a new waiting shelter installed with seating and lighting. The canopy would be removed and the
cast iron columns retained for future use or handed to a local historic railway group. A new waiting
shelter would also be installed on the opposite Down P1. GA wishes to use Accoya Natural Shelters,
produced with minimal environmental impact. If approved, work will start in the autumn.

1941] East Anglia, Know your Rangers! A member on a short break in East Suffolk recently decided on
a trip on the East Suffolk Line travelling Darsham - Woodbridge - Lowestoft - Darsham. Senior day
return fares are Darsham to Woodbridge £6.90 and Darsham to Lowestoft £7.65, totalling £14.55, so
he settled for a Senior East Suffolk Day Ranger (ESDR) for £13.20. No joy for this ticket at the Darsham
machine so he boarded expecting to purchase from the Train Manager who didn't show up before
Woodbridge. No joy at the Woodbridge machine either so he contacted Customer Assistance
explaining that he was trying to purchase an ESDR. Two other prospective passengers were amused as
our member conversed with the machine. Oh you mean the Anglia Plus Day Ranger (BLN 1380.1877).

No I don't, I mean the ESDR. I've not heard of that, Sir, is that its proper title? Yes. Just a moment, I'll
have a look! Good. Oh, yes here it is - at £13.20 - is that the one? Yes. Well, we can't sell that via the
machine, Sir, your best bet is to purchase from the Train Manager… If I can find one, thank you!
Laughter from the two prospective passengers. Our member boarded the Lowestoft train. Tickets,
please! I want to purchase an ESDR, please, which I understand from Customer Assistance is not
available from platform machines. Oh that'll be the Anglia Plus Day Ranger, Sir. No it won't, it'll be the
ESDR at £13.20. Never heard of it, Sir, and certainly never sold one. Are you sure? Yes, it'll be on your

machine. Really .. oh yes, here it is
£13.20, is that right? Yes I wonder if it will
print … it does, thank you Sir, £13.20
please. Our member returned from
Lowestoft on a different unit but with the
same crew. Tickets please! Have you seen
one of those before? Funnily enough, I
sold one on the previous trip - you learn
something every day! Incidentally, the
Senior version of this Ranger is available
without a Senior Railcard. Our member
was slightly miffed to be recognised as
senior without producing any evidence!

Greater Anglia website certainly knows about these tickets! There is also a Wherry Line Ranger (Adult
£11.50, Over 60 £7.60, Family £27; after 08.45, all day SSuO and & Bank Holidays Norwich - Yarmouth
(both routes) and Lowestoft and a Bittern Ranger Norwich - Sheringham for the same prices. By way
of comparison, Norwich to Sheringham, Yarmouth or Lowestoft Adult Off peak day return is £9.50.

1942] Cambridge: (11.6M passengers in 2019-20) GA has almost completed construction of a new
heated and air conditioned waiting room and coffee shop on island P7 & 8, additional to the waiting
shelters provided when it opened in 2011. The coffee shop will open once a tenant has been found.
Pre-pandemic the station was very well provided with refreshment outlets, with at least six although
on your Regional Editor's visits all but one were closed, as well as the M&S Food store.

1943] Wymondham: (BLN 1377.1418) The Mid-Norfolk Railway has been reconnected to the network
after Wymondham South Jn points were repaired. On Thur 15 Jul 47580 'County of Essex' returned
light engine from the Mid Hants Railway; leaving Alton at 10.20 it ran via Woking, Staines, Old Kew Jn
(there was no queue), Harringay Curve, Peterborough P5 (rev), Wymondham 16.37 to Dereham 18.10.

1944] Sizewell: (E-BLN 1380.X.146) On Bank Holiday Mon 31 May 37421 & 37219 'Top & Tailed' a NR
Test Train, 1Q08, 05.26 Ipswich Locomotive Holding Sidings to Derby Railway Technical Centre via
Sizewell and Sheringham. It reversed at Sizewell Level Crossing (95m 79ch) - the branch NR boundary.

1945] Werrington: (BLN 1380.1834 photos in e-BLN) The first track was laid for the new diveunder line
overnight on 26-27 Jun. The track laying train began by laying the Down line from Glinton Jn to just
short of the diveunder entrance followed by a similar length of the Up line. Ballasting of these lines
was carried out on 3-4 Jul; the rest of the track laying to Marholm Jn was expected to be carried out
on 10-11 Jul with pointwork concluded on 17-18th. The track diagram is at BLN 1362.2883 (3 Oct 2020).

1946] Oxford (1): (BLN 1379.1718) The Down side waiting room and toilets have reopened after a long
closure since the first Lockdown. The adjacent café (was/is a Pumpkin) reopened some weeks ago.

1947] Oxford (2): (BLN 1379.1718) The Oxfordshire Rail Corridor Study (ORCS) has been published.
It looks in detail at the county's predicted growth in jobs and housing over the next two decades and
how the rail network can best support it. Commissioned and funded jointly by the DfT and Oxfordshire
Growth Board, the study has been produced by NR with oversight from the Growth Board and in
collaboration with industry partners and the County and City Councils. It recommends projects already
reported in BLN; increasing capacity through Oxford station, reopening the Cowley branch line to
passengers, additional services to Hanborough, additional infrastructure to provide greater capacity in
and around Didcot, including the proposal for a new station at Wantage/Grove. It identifies parts of
Oxfordshire's rail network where demand for train services is expected to increase in the medium
(2028) and long term (2033), giving recommendations for how this additional demand could be met.

This includes improving connections between Oxfordshire's seven growth hubs and improving the
city's connections with Birmingham, Reading and Bristol. Pre-pandemic the study predicted 70%
increase in services across Oxfordshire. The recommendations have now been drawn together to form
'Oxfordshire Connect', to decide future investment priorities and help seek future funding through the
Government's Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline and third parties. See https://bit.ly/3wChwO4

1948] Tackley: (BLN 1379.1718) By 9 Jul the foot crossing had been closed and a temporary scaffold
footbridge erected at the north end of the platforms to enable transfer between the platforms.

1949] St Albans Abbey branch: (BLN 1380.1836) LNwR proposes to bring back to use the building at
Bricket Wood after decades of disuse in a scheme run by the local Heritage Trust with a £250k grant
from the rail operator. It will become a community hub for passengers and people living near the
route. The project has been approved by LNwR as part of its inaugural DfT funded Customer and
Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF). As part of CCIF, LNwR and West Midlands Railway will invest a
total of £1.7M in dozens of community projects across the network over the next 12 months.

1381 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
1950] Micheldever: On 3 Jul a member travelling from Woking on a Portsmouth via Eastleigh service
was delayed by an earlier damaged conductor rail incident. Unusually, after Basingstoke his train ran
on the Down Slow then, after a signal stand beyond Litchfield Tunnel, took the Micheldever London
end facing crossover (57m 63ch) to Up P1. Jjust north of Winchester the train returned to the Down
Main via the trailing crossover (66m 18ch). Both Up and Down mains are bidirectional on this section.

1951] Dungeness: (BLN 1379.1731) The technical information concerning the reasons for cessation of
generation is correct. It is the 'B' station which has now closed (installed capacity of 2 x 660 MW).
The capacity figures given in BLN were for Dungeness 'A' station which operated between 1965 and
2006 and has been fully defuelled. As indicated there will now be a finite period for defuelling the 'B'
station and hence the requirement for the Dungeness branch, perhaps for at least another 6 or 7 years.
The risk of overtopping existing sea defences is very small but still too great to support a nuclear safety
case for future stations on the site. Recent review in the media of nationwide flood risk has centred on
altitude mapping and ignored defences already provided with knowledge of risk areas.

1952] Epsom Downs: Sutton Council has submitted a bid to the government's Levelling Up Fund for
£32M to redouble the line between Ventnor Road Jn, (15m 50ch) Sutton and Belmont (16m 01ch)
station, increasing current services from 2tph two trains to 4-6tph. The Levelling Up Fund, announced
earlier this year, sets aside £4.8bn to support town centre and high street regeneration, local transport
projects, and cultural and heritage assets. Sutton to Epsom Downs opened in 1865 with double track,
as it was then the closest station to Epsom Downs Racecourse, so was extremely busy on race days.
The station once had NINE platforms (see Joe Brown's London Railway Atlas 2018 p71) - three were
never electrified. The much more convenient Tattenham Corner station OP 4 Jun 1901 and rail traffic
declined. From 1 May 1972 just two platforms (4 & 5) of the original Epsom Downs station were in use.

From the evening of Mon 13 Feb 1989 (delayed by signalling problems) the branch was shortened by
300yds and a new single platform station opened to allow redevelopment of the original station area.
3m 10ch of the country end was singled, but it is still possible to run a half-hourly service. Belmont
(180,000 passengers in 2019-20; Epsom Downs had 112,090) is likely to have far more use in future if
the line can be upgraded; it is a short walk from the London Cancer Hub, a major expansion of the
existing Royal Marsden hospital. The Council highlights that Sutton, in their view, is one of the worst
served London boroughs for public transport and has received the lowest transport investment of all
of London's boroughs since 2016, which was £16M or £73 per Sutton resident over the past five years.

1953] Andover: (BLN 1363.3026 with plans) The proposed track layout changes for Andover Sidings
north of the station (66m 246yd) locally referred to as the Up Yard remain as described. The Up Yard is
linked to the London end of the Ludgershall branch which mainly has occasional Ministry of Defence
(MoD) freight traffic including transporting armoured vehicles handled by GBRf and DBC. At Andover
the Ludgershall branch platform facing the sidings is no longer operational and was the Midland &
South Western Junction Railway (M&SWJR) Andover Junction ('Andover' after 7 Sep 1964) P4.

The M&SWJR CP 11 Sep 1961 and most subsequently CG. P4 became disused and is designated OOU
but falls within the station lease to South Western Railway who manage it. There are aspirations for a
heritage passenger service on the Ludgershall branch but no known established plans are being
progressed at present. The sidings currently enable freight trains to come off the main line in either
direction, undertake marshalling and run round moves as necessary then run along the branch.

Historically the sidings operated under lease to freight operators. However, more recently the sidings
were taken back under NR control. They have since fallen into disrepair with several now clipped OOU.
Works taking place will provide ease of access for MoD, increase flexibility for freight train use, release
land for residential property development and provide an on track plant (OTP) berthing siding:

A new longer runround facility (66m 32ch to 66m 54ch) to include the historic headshunt with
…installation of a new crossover at 66m 54ch.
An OTP berthing siding (66m 17ch to 66m 25ch), removing the need for NR Supply Chain Operations
…to berth OTP in P1 as at present.
Straightening Sidings 1 and 2 at the London End (66m 17ch).
Provide rail infrastructure for a potential future freight railhead with prospects for new traffic.
Release land for property development (by NR Property) of the Switch International Depot at the
…country end of the Yard site. This separate project includes relocating the NR Delivery Unit building.

1954] Kempton Park: (BLN 1380.1842) In fact Up trains do not call SSuX before the 09.18 departure to
Waterloo (Down trains to Shepperton do however call). In the evening the peak PSUL services from
Waterloo to Shepperton via Richmond do not call but the regular service via Kingston does.

1955] Ryde - Newport (ride to Newport?): Actually Sandown to Newport, the former IOW Central
Railway, CP/CA 6 Feb 1956. A business case which considers reopening has been submitted to the DfT
by the IOW Council. The authority, supported by Island MP Bob Seely, is seeking government support
from the 'Restoring Your Railway' programme to further develop the case for reinstating some of the
Island's rail lines. The project aims to reinstate the railway between the Island Line at Sandown and
Newport, not via the IoW Steam Railway but via Blackwater. Promoted to provide a frequent, fast and
reliable railway service from Ryde Pier Head to the Island's county town, this is definitely a circuitous
routing but would connect with Sandown and Shanklin. In May 2020, the council received up to £50k
from the Restoring Your Railways programme to prepare a feasibility study for restoring former rail
links between Newport and Ryde via Havenstreet (one word) and between Ventnor and Shanklin.

In Dec the council appointed a consortium of organisations, led by the Centre for Economics & Business
Research, to prepare a Strategic Outline Business Case and supporting work. Extending the existing
Island Line to Newport via Blackwater was identified as the most viable element of the project to be
progressed as an initial phase, at an estimated cost of £67M. The alternative route from Smallbrook Jn
via Havenstreet to Newport does not serve any significant population. See: https://bit.ly/3B9MZLc -
it's not as daft as it might first appear and most of the trackbed is intact 65 years after closure.

However, there were at least eight level crossings including two over the busy Sandown to Newport
A3056 road and a few houses have been built on the trackbed at Sandown. A local member considers
that demand would never be sufficient to justify the expense; the parallel No8 bus only runs hourly.

1956] Reading Green Park: (BLN 1378.1582) In a further delay the station is now expected to open
between Apr and Jun 2022. Pre-pandemic, it had originally been scheduled to open in late 2020.

1957] Northfleet: The former Lafarge Cement UK branch was recommissioned on 21 Jan 2012 and a
one off Crossrail spoil test train ran from Ferme Park on 27 Apr before regular traffic began from
Paddington New Yard on 11 May 2012 (nine years ago now!). However, unrecorded in BLN, ianVisits
website has a Thur 21 Jun 2012 posting of a report of a passenger train visiting Northfleet cement
terminal branch that day. It took invited guests from Victoria to the inauguration of the site to be used
to dispose of the clay removed from under London by Crossrail. The former Lafarge/Blue Circle cement
works was founded in 1846 and at its height was reputed to be the largest cement factory in Europe,
it closed in 2008. More details of the special passenger train https://bit.ly/3kiuVIC and photos

1958] Canterbury East: NR plans to close and remove the disused barrow crossing west of the platforms.

1959] Strood - Maidstone West: In Jun the sidings trailing into the Down Main (to Maidstone) north of
Halling station, once serving the Rugby Cement works, were noted to have been devegetated.

1381 SOUTH WEST (Darren Garnon) [email protected]

1960] St Philip's Marsh: (BLN 1380.1847) Off peak middle of the day Weston-super-Mare to Bristol
Parkway services are now in RTT as diverted this way again Tue 31 Aug until Fri 3 Sep (both inclusive).

1961] Sustainable Sleepers: Trains in Wiltshire are running on top of old bottles, food packaging and
other unwanted plastics. Made from recycled plastic, these composite sleepers, the first on a NR main
line, were recently installed on the weight restricted Sherrington Viaduct, between Salisbury and
Warminster. Previously wooden sleepers would have been used, as concrete would be too heavy for
the structure. From 31 Jul creosote (substitute) treated softwood sleepers will be banned and the
alternative is hardwood, typically imported from Brazil and not sustainable. The composite sleepers,
with an expected life of at least 50 years and reduced maintenance requirements, are manufactured
by Sicut Enterprises Ltd in the UK from a blend of locally sourced plastic waste. Unlike wooden
sleepers, they do not split, rot or degrade over time and can resist water, oil, chemicals and fungi.

1962] It Can Now Be Told (37): By Maurice Dart. George Hemmett was Signalman's Boy at Laira
Junction Box (always called 'Laira Box'). On 27 Jun 1952, at the age of 20, I visited George at his home
in Higher St Budeaux and unfortunately he was in bed sick, but due to work the night shift at the box.
I used to meet George at Laira when he had finished the 'late turn' and, after a few weeks of this, was
invited into the box by Signalman Edgar Whitear. Like most people in 1952 the Hemmetts did not have
a telephone and neither did we. I wondered how Edgar would know that George was sick. So I went
home, made some egg sandwiches and a flask of tea, then cycled to Laira box in torrential rain.

I entered the box and Edgar called out: What sort of time do you call this? (It was 11.35pm.) I did not
reply and he said: Lost your tongue? Then turned round to see me. I explained that George was sick
and said: I've brought my supper and can pull some levers for you. So I spent the night shift in the box.
Two unusual pannier tanks appeared (4652 & 4686) from Aberbeeg shed ex-Newton Abbot Works.
As the numbers were akin to Laira's 4653 & 3686 I closely checked them by leaning out of a window.

On 25 Mar 1953 - a boiling hot night - George was sick again so I repeated the process. The signal wires
stretched with the heat and Edgar was unable to pull several off despite using the tensioning handles.
The Signalling Inspector, wearing a Duckpond hat turned up and said: Hello Edgar, new Boy? Edgar
laughed, told him to go down below to the Locking Room, shout up what he wanted pulled and I
would do it. So, after almost two hours everything was working again. The Inspector reappeared and
said: The new Boy's alright, Edgar. I laughed. One unusual loco appeared, 6415 from Ebbw Junction.

1963] Dartmoor Line: (BLN 1378.1597 & correcting BLN 858.628 of 18 Sep 1999) On 1 Jul NR acquired
the whole line between 183m 79ch (site of the former Coleford Jn) and the end of line at 199m 39ch
from Aggregate Industries. They and their predecessors (including Camas Aggregates, dissolved 21 Feb
2012) had owned the line for 27 years after acquiring it from British Rail in 1994. Aggregate Industries
had supported train operations with a long term lease to the Dartmoor Railway (singular) Ltd - formed
on 5 Aug 1998. renamed to Dartmoor Railway CIC (Community Interest Company) 22 Sep 2006 and
dissolved 17 May 2021 - as well as supporting the Dartmoor Railway Association (DRA) in passenger
reopening. Dartmoor Railway then Dartmoor CIC leased the line from Aggregate Industries and was
responsible for running train services (freight, until they ceased, and passenger). It was originally
formed by the then owner of Railway Management Services Ltd and Locotec Ltd of Dewsbury, and was
later sold to Ealing Community Transport and ultimately to Iowa Pacific, of course.

Devon County Council (DCC) has also transferred ownership of the northern part of Okehampton
station to NR for a peppercorn fee of £1 so the section of the station and P3 that will be used by GWR
Exeter services has become part of the national network. DRA continues to rent the P1 & 2 Downside
building from DCC, and uses the accommodation as a shop, museum, shop, stores and mess facilities
for volunteers. As a 'Station Friend', it will also continue its gardening activities on P3. Okehampton
Parkway station (BLN 1377.1439) near the A30 at Stockley Hamlet is expected to open within two
years to serve the several hundred new houses being built on the eastern side of the town.

With no trains running yet, NR is expediting some works previously planned for 2022. This will enable
improved line speeds from the start of passenger services in autumn 2021. The branch will be gauge
cleared to Route Availability 6a (includes Classes 20, 33, 47, 60, 66 & 73). If Aggregate Industries take
up their option to run traffic from Meldon Quarry, NR will provide additional infrastructure between
Okehampton and Meldon to support the service frequency and the load limits for the route between
Coleford and Meldon. Line speeds after the upgrade, in Down direction and, except where shown, Up:

 40mph from Crediton to 184m 07ch (184m 12ch in Up Direction). (Previously line speed was
 75mph from 184m 07ch (184m 12ch in Up direction) to 191m 52ch. 25mph; 40mph for DMUs.)
 55mph from 191m 52ch to 192m 76ch.
 65mph from 192m 76ch to 195m 00ch.
 45mph from 195m 00ch to 197m 23ch (Okehampton P3).
 25mph from 197m 23ch (Okehampton P3) to stopboard (197m 30ch).

BELOW: Plastic sleepers on Sherrington Viaduct, between Salisbury and Wa

arminster before final ballasting and installing the (metal) check rails. (NR.)

1964] Temple Meads: A 3 Jun Saphos tour with 40013 departed from P15, thought to be the first
excursion train to use it. Meanwhile, temporary buffer stops (friction type) were installed on 10 Jul
about 9m from the London end of P7 line starting signal. Expected to remain until 7 Aug, during this
time P7 will be a dead end line for trains arriving from the west (country) end of the station.

1965] Portbury: ETEX plasterboard is expanding operations at Marsh Lane to create a covered storage
area on the former coal stock yard. One of its two 'giant' yard cranes was dismantled earlier this year.

1966] The run Down Up Dainton Bank: Mon 14-Thur 17, Mon 21-Thur 24 and Mon 28 Jun-Thur 1 Jul
(all inclusive) the 21.04 & 22.02 to Plymouth and 23.45 to Penzance, all from London Paddington, were
booked to travel over the Up Main between Newton Abbot West Jn and Totnes East. In the event all
the services actually also ran via Newton Abbot P3 after using Newton Abbot East facing crossover.
The only variations were on Tue 15, the 21.04 terminated in Newton Abbot P2 and the 22.02 used P1.
On Wed 23, Thurs 24 Jun & Thur 1 Jul the 23.45 ran as normal because the possession had been lifted.

1967] Exmouth: There are insufficient DMUs to provide the promised 3 or 4-car trains on the branch,
but 2-car trains have recently been crush loaded, particularly at weekends, sunny Bank Holidays and
half term week; even 3/4-car trains have had standing passengers. GWR has been shuffling trains
between Exeter and Bristol to provide as many seats as possible. A 4-car Castle Class HST may run.
A gauge clearance test run was made in the early hours of 12 Jun (a tight fit on some platforms) and to
prove it could maintain the timetable of the more nimble DMUs. [Come back Pacers all is forgiven?]

1968] Barnstaple: In contrast 5-car DMUs are running on this branch. At Eggesford, where the station
building is Grade II listed and trains cross on the hourly service, both platforms have been lengthened
by 25m and 30m recently and accessibility improved. At Penstone (the Barnstaple side of the former
Coleford Jn), an underbridge has been demolished and replaced by a new 25m steel deck. A steel deck
underbridge has been replaced at nearby Battesford. The new one has precast ballast retention units.

1969] 'Station Halt'†: (Brampford Speke)
The station building on the Exe Valley line
between Exeter (five miles) and Tiverton
(ten miles away) is on the market with
Stags Estate Agency for offers over £550k.
Be advised, though, that the 3-bed home
with many original features and platform in
6.2 acres of land is accessible only on foot,
following a 300 yard long walk, or via a
private River Exe ford in summer months.
The brochure with interesting plans and
photos is available with e-BLN [one day a
member will actually buy a former station.]
†This name is actually very appropriate;
Brampford Speke OP 1 May 1885 as a station; CP 1 Jan 1917; ROP 1 Jan 1919; became an unstaffed
Halt 1 Oct 1923 and CP 7 Oct 1963. The property includes the detached railway station, converted to a
dwelling soon after closure, an old railway carriage and a wooden chalet. Nearby is the former
Stationmaster's house. ABOVE: 1958 map showing the isolated 'Halt', cut off from its village (left) by
the River Exe. Taunton is off top right, Tiverton and Morebath top left and Exeter bottom centre.

1970] Lockleaze: (Not in Scotland) For some time Friends of the Severn Beach Railway (FoSBR) has
campaigned for a new station here. They cite congestion as a problem that will be accentuated by
plans to build a further 1,200 homes. To support their campaign, they have invited local MPs and
Councillors to an event to show that residents really do support a new station. This is on Sat 31 Jul at
15.00; interested people are asked to meet at Constable Rd rail bridge BS7 9RU (ST 6047 7686). It is on
the re-quadrupled line south of Filton Abbey Wood where one new/reopened station is planned.

1971] Resignalling: Siemens is expected to deliver GRIP Stages 4-8 of the West of England 'low digital'
resignalling scheme for late 2023 completion. It will be similar to that used on the North Wales Coast
with closure of the remaining signal boxes, removal of associated semaphore signalling and transfer of
control to Exeter (for Devon) and Plymouth (Cornwall) Signalling Centres. One level crossing will be
converted to CCTV operation and another to manually controlled barriers with obstacle detection.

1381 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]
1972] Malvern Wells: (BLN 1381.1853) There is no goods traffic now but if a HST turns up in the Down
Goods Loop and is brought to a stand for more than five minutes the rear (Worcester end) engine must
be shut down. GWR short 'Castle' HSTs first ran to Great Malvern (ECS to/from from Malvern Wells)
on Mon 12 Jul. With the Bristol East work there were through trains between Malvern and Cardiff
Central (via Bristol Parkway), instead of each service running to Temple Meads; a few were HSTs.
However, on Wed 14th the driver of a HST refused to go past Worcester (the service terminated at
Foregate Street) as there is no walking route to change ends at Malvern Wells. This can't be done
through the train with HSTs. Unfortunately the walking route was removed recently with relaying and
not replaced! This could affect West Midland services terminating here such as 2 x Class 170 DMUs or
the ex-Chiltern Class 172/1s recently all transferred to West Midlands - neither has doors between
sets. Lack of crew traction knowledge was also a major problem although HSTs do run to Worcester on
Sundays. By Thur 15 Jul the diagrams were rescheduled with the end of short HSTs at Great Malvern.

Due to limited clearance at signal 'MW38' loaded passenger trains with Mk1, 2 or 3 stock must not use
Malvern Wells loop (tour organisers please note) - have any passenger trains ever used the loop?

1973] Kenilworth to Berkswell: The four mile Kenilworth Greenway is the modern name for the
trackbed from Kenilworth Jn to Berkswell (the double track railway opened in 1884). Perhaps the
antipathy of the residents of the intermediate village, Burton Greens, for HS2 can be traced back to
this era when construction cut their water supply and sparked a typhoid outbreak‽ It CP 18 Jan 1965
then CA Fri 17 Jan 1969 suddenly after track damage the previous day by the final train. There were no
intermediate stations. During its 84 railway years at most it hosted 6-8 local trains and had moments
of perhaps muted fame for providing a diversionary route away from the blitz in Coventry and during
WCML electrification. The latter day residual siding at Berkswell was used to stable the Royal Train.

The trackbed then morphed into the linear country park with an impressive new bridge over the A429,
only now to rise, at least in part, like the proverbial Coventry phoenix as part of HS2 requiring a
diversion of the Greenway from just west of Burton Green to Berkswell. This is a remarkably well
engineered new path with pedestrian crossings, galvanised gates and stiles everywhere, even with
horse gates. If they had tarmacked the surface, it would be a decent minor road between the villages!
This does explain the devegetation of the route seen at Berkswell (BLN 1373.895) on 12 Mar this year.
HS2 will cross over the Coventry to Birmingham line here on its way to Birmingham Interchange.

1974] West Midlands Metro: In preparation for the opening of the Edgbaston extension later this
year, and while the new delta junction on Lower Bull St is constructed for the Digbeth extension, track
replacement works will also take place in Corporation Street opportunistically at the same time.

The website shows trams from Wolverhampton turning back at St Chads (Snow Hill pre-1 Jan 2017)
after 21.30 on Sat 24 & 19.00 on Sun 25 Jul. This may use the trailing (Black) Country end crossover on
departure in service (which was not commissioned at first). A member advises that he was on a
previous service terminating at St Chad's but with single line working between St Paul's and St Chad's
using St Paul's crossover. However, a driver told him that he had used St Chad's crossover a couple of
years ago. Could anyone visiting on Saturday please post details on our Forum and 'Gensheet'?

From Mon 26 Jul until Oct 2021, trams operate between Wolverhampton St George's and Bull Street
(turning back in P1 crossover on departure) only, with no services between Bull Street and Library.

The Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street has confirmed that trams will run to Wolverhampton
station by Christmas (assumed 2021) following the completion of Phase 2 of the station upgrade.

BELOW: A short HST that did make it to Malvern Wells, reversing there

e on Tue 13 Jul 2021 at 20.59 - looking towards Hereford. (David Guy.)

X.156] BELOW: 46100+45231 on 1Z44 Bristol TM to Bangor at Bredicot - be

etween Abbotswood Jn and Stoke Works Jn. (Dave Gommersall, 1 Jul 2021.)

BELOW: (Item 1973) 1959 map, Coventry is off top right, Berkswell station (
Spa off bottom centre. Showing the former Kenilworth to Berkswell line av

(and to Birmingham) is top left with Kenilworth and the line to Leamington
voiding Coventry; HS2 will be on the northwest section but at a higher level.





BELOW: View NW along the former Greenway (future HS2) towards Berkswell
NEXT: In the other direction, HS2 looking SE towards Kenilworth, the two bridg

from the B4101 overbridge (the most northwest 'yellow' road on the OS map).
ges are at Burton Green. Two accommodation bridges have been demolished.





BELOW: The same view, a close up distant shot of the then recently demo

olished two accommodation overbridges just northwest of Burton Green.

BELOW: Another view from the B4101 overbridge towards Kenilworth

h. (All pictures in this item by Simon Mortimer, these on 2 May 2021.)

BELOW: The Burton Green Greenway diversion with traffic lights, horse gates,

mounting block etc, no expense spared and all funded by HS2 - no comment!

BELOW: At Berkswell on 22 May 2021, looking northwe
The electrified line to Coventry, Rugby and London can

est towards the former junction ahead and Birmingham.
n be seen going off to the right; HS2 will cross above it.

BELOW: From the same spot, at Berkswell, looking b

back towards Kenilworth - HS2 will be elevated here.

X.157] BELOW: Work continues on improvements at Coventry station; lo

ooking west towards Birmingham the second footbridge is taking shape.

BELOW: The new multi-storey car park with the seco

ond station entrance. (Both Stuart Hicks, 9 Jul 2021.)

1975] Four Ashes: A £1bn investment is planned for the West Midlands Interchange here between
Wolverhampton and Penkridge. The 734 acre site has been acquired from the shareholders of Four
Ashes Ltd; Oxford Properties Group and Logistics Capital Partners have formed a joint venture to
develop what is described as the UK's largest logistics site. It will be an 8Mft2 logistics hub with a new
strategic rail freight interchange next to the M6 and close to the A5 and A449. Planning consent has
already been secured and infrastructure works are expected to start in the first half of 2022.

1976] Worcester Foregate Street: The Travel Centre, the last in the West Midlands, has been closed
since the first Lockdown and is now used as a storage area. It does not give a good impression to
passengers. Most Snow Hill trains (2tph again) turnback here with very few now serving Shrub Hill.
In the week there are now no West Midland services at Shrub Hill between 09.06 and 17.32. Off peak,
Foregate Street P2 has an hourly New Street - Hereford train each way plus 2tph turning back from
Snow Hill; none run through to Malvern now (pre-pandemic they were two hourly off peak only).

1977] Birch Coppice: Maritime Transport Ltd has introduced a new container service between their
Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal (BIFT) here and DP World London Gateway. The trains,
operated by GBRf, run SSuX with capacity for 87 x 20ft containers (= over four million road miles per
year). Two new container straddle carriers have more than doubled container throughput at the site.

1381 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
1978] Londonderry: The use of P2 by all services on Sundays has been suspended until further notice.

1979] Waterford: (BLN 1666.3527) The resited station is likely to be delayed. The developer for the
commercial element of Waterford City and County Councils' North Quays plan has not met its financial
commitments within the specified time and is now believed to have withdrawn from the project.

1381 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
1980] Horse Tramway: (BLN 1376.1307) The corridor for relaying the final southern section, alongside
Bottleneck car park, on Loch Promenade is being 'landscaped' with meadow seed. Paving is being laid
to help pedestrians cross to the highway from the car park. Block paved paths will be installed on the
observed pedestrian preferred routes. The paving is from the Department of Infrastructure stock, laid
on a sand bed with sand joints so that it can be easily lifted when/if tramway relaying work resumes.

1981] Ramsey Pier: (BLN 1371.598) On Mon 19 Jul, the pier Planet locomotive and its coach were
moved from Jurby Transport Museum and placed on the pier, believed to be for the first time since
9 Sep 1981. This was for the official reopening of Phase 1 of the pier (150yds of track) on Thur 22 Jul at
11.00. The 3ft gauge loco and coach are expected to return to Jurby over the weekend of 24 & 25 Jul.

1982] Electric Railway: (BLN 1377.1466) By 1 Jul work had resumed on the seaside track between
Eskadale and Baldromma. Track had been lifted and the foundation dug out between Poles 153 and
158 with single line working then on the landside track from Groudle to Ballameanagh. Ballameanagh
(per Manx Electric Railway tram stop sign) is situated at 'Ballamenagh' where there is Ballamenagh Rd.

Relaxation of border restrictions means that UK coach companies can bring tourists to the IOM again.
On 1 Jul the first two northbound trams from Derby Castle conveyed coach parties changing at Laxey
for the Snaefell Mountain Railway. All four MER motors in service had trailers; the MER felt busy again!
On the evening of Fri 16 Jul Tram 16 derailed at Lewaigue ending up in a hedge at an angle of 30o.
Passengers were taken across a field to complete their journeys by minibus. Tram 16 was dragged back
to Laxey arriving 02.30 Saturday; Laxey to Ramsey was closed for track repairs until the 13.10 tram.
It resulted in the unusual sight of three trams at Laxey at the same time each with trailers (six vehicles).

1983] Mini Heritage Festival: A few events are taking place from 30 Jul to 1 Aug (details documented
in e-BLN). A hoped for double headed 'Pie & Mash' diner attached to the lunchtime steam train from
Douglas on the Saturday is not now possible as all three working locos are needed for service trains.

1984] Mountain Railway: On Tue 13 Jul a lorry carrying a skip severed the OHLE and brought it down
on the A18 Mountain Road level crossing at Bungalow stop, temporarily halting services on the Railway.



(Item 1981) BELOW: The entrance to Ramsey Queen's Pier on 20 Jul 20