elc Number 1424 (Items 1203 - 1317 & MR 81 - MR 88) (E-BLN 126 PAGES) 13 May 2023 BRANCH LINE NEWS Praeteritum, praesens et futurum ferriviaria [ISSN 1354-0947] Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955. branchline.uk https://www.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/ Membership queries: Lisa Sheppard [email protected] 186 [email protected] Park Road South, Hull, HU4 7BU. 07873 354464 British Isles news from members; an International section is available. Opinions are not necessarily those available. of the Compilers or of the Society. ciety. Society. BLN 1425 is dated Sat 27 May; contributions by Wed 17 May please 1203] Have you renewed your membership yet? 2023-2024 subscriptions were due on 1 May, they are your Society's main source of income and your Committee tries to keep them as low as possible and good value. Thanks to our 1,818 members who had renewed as at 9 May but this still left 567 to do so. Please renew via our website if possible(or the form with paper BLN1423) to save our Membership Secretary, Lisa Sheppard, the unenviable task of chasing up a large number of people one at a time! You can also upgrade by adding paper BLN, BLNI and/or a family member. 1204] IMPORTANT: Your General Secretary, Tim Wallis has recently changed his personal email address, so please send any emails to [email protected] (the old personal address no longer works). Members are advised to use generic BLS email addresses for all Society matters including BLN submissions, rather than personal ones, to allow for changes like this and automatic forwarding during holidays etc when someone else may be covering (particularly BLN sections). Date Book online :new fixtures open when e-BLN is out: BLN Lead Status 12-15 May Katowice & Kraków Wanderer 4-day Poland tour 1423 IS OPEN Sat 20 May Signal box visits in Cornwall for charity 1421 NG WAITING LIST 3-4 Jun The Tyne Tees Maid track & traction tours Below MG OPEN Sun 11 Jun *NEW* The Sevington Shoeboxes GBRf loco hauled Below MG OPEN Sat 24 Jun The Jolly Vacman Derby to Skegness tour Below MG OPEN Sun 25 Jun Eyre Valley Explorer to K&WVR diesel gala Below MG OPEN Mon 26 Jun 14.00 Fifield standard gauge railway (MR 2022 p7) TBA TBA Claimed Sun 9 Jul The Great Braxted Bake Off (2ft gauge) 1423 MG OPEN Sat 22 Jul :SEE BELOW: Isle of Man: Manx Electric Railway Crossover Explorer :An alternative IOM fixture is under investigation: Tour postponed; Transport Festival is on as advertised Sat 26 Aug Silverleaf Poplar NG Railway, Boston 1421 MG WAITING LIST Sun 27 Aug Scunthorpe Summer Track Steeler26 (09.30-18.30) 1425 MG OPEN 18&19 Nov 2023 AGM weekend NW England (provisional) TBA TBA Claimed Bookings: MG = Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Rd, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL 07983 541887 1205] :Sat 3-Sun 4 Jun; The Tyne Tees Maid:: A weekend loco-hauled exploration of the North East, raising funds for Martin House Children's Hospice. It visits freight installations and other interesting locations that rarely see a loco hauled passenger train. Some have not previously been visited by public passenger trains. Saturday includes Lynemouth Power Station, Tyne Yard, Battleship Wharf and Tyne Dock Intermodal branches. Sunday includes Tees Yard, the branches from Shell Jn to Wilton Energy from Waste facility and Heck Plasmor Terminal. DBC operated with Mk 2 coaches, the tour features Class 60 and Class 66 traction, 'top & tail'. As with previous Martin House charters, there is potential for a guest appearance (or two!) from across the freight industry. Thanks to Plasmor Ltd, moves at Heck will be powered by their Rolls Royce industrial shunter, works number 10280 of 1968.
It is well known for previously working at EDF Energy, Hartlepool. Our Buffet Car will serve hot and cold drinks, hot food, snacks and light refreshments. Hand-pulled real ales and ciders will be on sale. A late afternoon break/photo stop will be at Newcastle on Saturday and at Durham on Sunday. Times and route for all tours are indicative until confirmed. There will be a charity raffle each day, with 100% of the proceeds going to Martin House Hospice. We hope to have some fantastic auction items! Saturday OR Sunday: First Class £189; Standard £119; U18 (adult accompanied only) £59.50 discount. BOTH tours with discount: First Class £340; Standard £215; U18 (adult accompanied only) £107.50 off. Tables for two are fully booked. At the time of writing both tours are for Members only and filling fast. Please book on our website, ask someone to do this for you or by post to Mark Gomm (above), with a cheque payee 'Branch Line Society' and an SAE (two for acknowledgment or queries - email preferred). :Sat; Tabs on the Tyne:: Doncaster P4 (PU 07.26) - York P9 (PU 08.00) - Thirsk (rev) - :Thirsk:Sidings: (rev)- Darlington DPL (Croft Jn) - Darlington P4 (PU 09.39)- Durham Dn Fast - :Tyne Yard Up Staging: - Lamesley Crossover (rev)- :Tyne Yard Depot Line: (rev) - Low Fell Jn - Newcastle P7 (PU/SD 11.07) - Dn Sunderland - Park Lane Jn - :Tyne Dock Intermodal Terminal: (rev) - Dn Pelaw Goods Loop - King Edward Bridge E Jn - :Newcastle Down Up Slow: (bypasses P7&8) - Heaton Dn Goods Loop - Benton North Jn - Bedlington Jn - :Battleship Wharf: (rev)- :Winning Jn - Marcheys House Jn: - :Lynemouth: :Power Station: (rev) - Benton North Jn - Newcastle P3 (16.31-18.23; SD & Break) - Up Sunderland - Up East Boldon Up Loop - Hartlepool Up Main (new P3) - :Up Cliff House Loop: - Stockton Cut Jn - Dinsdale - Darlington P3 Bay (rev; SD 20.06) - York P9 (SD 21.12) - Doncaster P4 (SD 21.56). :Sun; The Steely Spires:: Doncaster P4 (PU 09.53) - York P5 (PU 10.27) - Skelton Bridge Down Slow - Dn Fast - Dn Longlands Loop - Eaglescliffe P2 (PU 11.19) - Thornaby East Jn - :Down Staging Sidings: - Middlesbrough Down Saltburn Slow - :Shell Jn - Wilton Energy From Waste: (rev) - South Bank Jn - Middlesbrough Up Saltburn Fast - :Up Goods N o 2 - Transfer Line - Tees Yard: - Norton S Jn - Ferryhill - Durham (SD 15.31 P2; Break PU 18.22 P1) - Darlington P1 (SD 18.47) - York P5 (SD 19.28) - Hambleton N-E Jn - :Selby Canal Curve: - Heck GF (rev) - :Heck Plasmor: (rev) - Doncaster P4 ( 21.11) 1206] :Sun 11 Jun; The Sevington Shoeboxes:: An all 1 st Class, loco-hauled excursion, raising funds for Alzheimer's Society, with GBRf. Two Class 73s are expected to lead from Sevington Loop to Wembley, then a GBRf Class 66 or 69 on to Nottingham. Ex-Gatwick Express 73202 & 73212 have been requested (if available). A Buffet Car will serve a wide range of hot and cold drinks, snacks and light refreshments. The raffle is for Alzheimer's Society. Open to all: Adult £65; at Table for Two £90; U18 £32.50 discount. Tonbridge P1 (PU 10.45) - Paddock Wood P2 - :Cranmore DGL: - Ashford - :Sevington UGL: (rev) - Ashford P1 (PU 11.45) - :Maidstone East (centre) Through Line: - :Otford Up Loop: - Swanley - Bickley - Kent House P1 - Brixton Jn - Factory Jn - Clapham Junction P6 (PU 13.30) - New Kew Jn - Kew East Jn - Acton Canal Wharf - Willesden N o 7 Jn - :Wembley European Freight Operating Centre: (rev/loco change) - Kensal Green Jn - Gospel Oak - :Harringay Curve: - Stevenage - Fletton Jn Down Slow - Peterborough P5 (SD 17.00) - Helpston Jn - Grantham - Nottingham P6 (SD 18.30). 1207] :Sat 24 Jun; The Jolly Vacman:: Skegness is famous for Saturday holiday trains, often with pairs of Class 20s. The Jolly Fisherman is a poster by artist John Hassall in 1908, commissioned by the Great Northern Railway. It is one of the most famous holiday adverts ever and is believed to have influenced the success of Skegness as a holiday destination. Hassall was paid 12 Guineas (£12.60p) for his work and the original painting hangs in Skegness Town Hall. We have a choice of a short evening photo stop at Skegness or a long break from mid-morning. This charter features 50008 on the First Class end, expected to lead from Derby, 'top & tail' with 37418 and comfortable, air-conditioned Mk3 coaches. First Class £158; First Class at table for two £184; Standard £109; U18 £55 off; non-members welcome. Proceeds from our charity raffle go to Railway Children. Please book as above. Provisional route/times:
Derby P6 (PU 07.52) - Long Eaton P1 (PU 08.04) - Beeston Down Slow - Nottingham P1 (PU 08.26) - Sleaford P3 - :Skegness:P4: (SD 10.29/10.50 rev) - Sleaford (photo stop) - Lincoln P5 - East Holmes (rev)- Lincoln Up Through - Sleaford North to South Jn - :Werrington Diveunder: - Peterborough P4 - Peterborough East Jn (rev) - :Peterborough Dn Gds Loop: - Helpston Jn - :Grantham Dn/Up Goods: - Allington North Jn - Sleaford P1 - Boston - :Skegness:P5: (SD 16.24/16.41) - Sleaford - Lincoln Down Through - :Newark Northgate Down & Up Goods: - :Claypole Loop:-Grantham P4 (SD 20.06/ rev) - Allington West Jn - Nottingham P7 (SD 20.54) - Long Eaton P2 (SD 21.25) - Derby P5 (SD 21.39). 1208] :Sun 25 Jun; Eyre Valley Explorer:: A charter to the heart of Brontë country for the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (K&WVR) Diesel Gala https://bit.ly/3GOHrtQ . Our charter features 37418 and 50008 'top & tail' with Mk3 stock and includes the K&WVR main line connection both ways. The Class 37 should lead from Sheffield on the outward run. The raffle is for Railway Children. Our friends from K&WVR will sell Gala Rover tickets onboard. Bookings as above please. Provisional times and route: Derby P6 (PU 07.17) - Long Eaton P1 (PU 07.31) - Alfreton (PU 07.56) - Chesterfield P3 (PU 08.12) - Beighton Jn - Sheffield P5 (PU 08.47/rev) - Thrybergh Jn - Doncaster P8 (PU 09.17) - Hare Park Jn - Wakefield Westgate - Whitehall Jn - Leeds P6 (rev/PU 10.19) - Bradford FS P2 (PU 11.00) - Keighley Station Jn (rev) - Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (11.37 to 18.23 for Diesel Gala) - Keighley Station Jn (rev) - Shipley P1 (SD 18.48) - Whitehall Curve - Methley Jn - Calder Bridge Jn - Turners Lane Jn - Crofton East Jn - Pontefract Monkhill - Doncaster P4 (SD 20.33) - Thrybergh Jn - Beighton Junction - Chesterfield P3 (SD 21.23) - Alfreton (SD 21.40) - Long Eaton P2 (SD 22.16) - Derby P6 (SD 22.30). 1 st Class £75; 1 st Class at table for two £100; Standard £50; U18 £25 reduction; non-members welcome. 1209] :Sat 22 Jul; Isle of Man:: Unfortunately, our special crossover tour of the Manx Electric Railway has been postponed but another fixture is under investigation, on a line that last ran 42 years ago. 1424 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected] 1210] Query Corner Answer: (BLN 1424.1191) Thanks to our member who advised that on Sat 11 May 1985, 37189 worked the 09.35 Euston to Inverness ('The Clansman') into Birmingham New Street. It ran via South West Sidings and Banbury as a derailment had blocked all the lines north of Watford Junction. However, our member is not sure if that loco had worked right through from Euston though. 1211] The Great Britain XV Sat 15 Apr - Sun 12 Apr 2023: The route and interesting track covered on this annual steam tour - for pathing, watering the locos or gauge clearance (thanks to Geoff Brockett). Sat 15 Apr Paddington - Plymouth - Bristol Temple Meads: ●Woodborough Down Goods Loop ●Tiverton Down Passenger Loop. Sun 16 Apr Bristol TM - Holyhead - Llandudno Junction: ●Maindee East Curve ●Hereford up Relief Line ●Rhyl through line ●Bangor Down Main Line and Up Main Line. Tue 18 Apr Llandudno - Edinburgh: ●Chester Up & Down Goods ●Carnforth N o 1 Up & Down Goods ●Grayrigg Down Passenger Loop ●Penrith P3 (Down Slow) ●Lockerbie Down Passenger Loop (Grayrigg was not scheduled and Beattock Summit Down Passenger Loop was booked to be used but not done). Wed 19 Apr Edinburgh - Aberdeen - Edinburgh: ●Dundee Down Through Line in both directions. Thu 20 Apr Edinburgh - Blackpool North: ●Lockerbie Up Passenger Loop ●Hellifield Up Goods Loop ●Hellifield - Clitheroe ●Preston Down Goods Line. Fri 21 Apr Blackpool North - Scarborough: ●Blackburn Up & Down Goods ●Castleford - Milford Jn Sat 22 Apr Scarborough - King's Lynn: ●Black Carr Jn - Bessacarr Jn ●Lincoln Up through line ●Werrington diveunder ●Ely West Curve Sun 23 Apr King's Lynn - Liverpool Street: ●Bacon Factory Chord in both directions ●Trimley Loop ●Reverse in Claydon Down Goods Loop (from the London end) ●Marks Tey Up Passenger Loop. 1212] Points & Slips: From 'The Times' 2 Apr TV Listings: 9.00pm Channel 5 The Big Steam Adventure, The trio start the next leg of their journey at Peterborough station, which is home to the Nene Valley Railway, and Paul is thrilled to board a steam train designed by famous designer Oliver Bullet. Adds new meaning to the term Bullet Train. ●●BLN 1423.1096] Please delete or redact 'train' from the 14th line (6th line of the third paragraph), with sincere apologies from your BLN Editor for any distress caused. For those severely affected, a 24-hour helpline and emergency counselling is available.
X.45] Don't believe everything you see or read. Member Ian Hutton sent these in to go add to the quirky displays in BLN recently (BLN quirky Whatever next!). ABOVE: Sat 29 Apr 2023 on the Elizabeth line and yes, train 2 to Shenfield did indeed leapfrog and arrived first... BELOW: Sun 23 Apr 2023, on Ian's 50 min late Prague to Berlin train; that is a hell of a lot of people for that long. It's a bit blurred but says: 'This train is about 24 minutes delayed due to the increased frequency of passengers'.
1213] Railway Memories (102) - An introduction to your new BLS Chairman: By Graeme Jolley, (Member 2660) I was born within the sound of Bow Bells so I can claim 'Cockney' rights by birth, although not long afterwards Mum and Dad moved the growing family to rural (at that time!) Billericay in Essex. We lived not far from the station, the first on the Southend Victoria line, which still had a pick up goods and I can just remember Class 15 diesels shunting the yard with coal wagons as I walked to school. Of course, by that time (very early 1960s) the line had been electrified* and so the staple diet was Class 30x slam door electric units. Occasionally, and especially in the rush hour, three Class 306 units coupled together would be used on a slower service. These were great fun as they were pretty nippy and once up to speed and running nonstop between Shenfield and Stratford, trying to maintain a dignified position on the bulbous moquette seats was nigh on impossible. It was not unusual for passengers to be hanging on grimly, especially around the reverse curves at Gidea Park. [* The Shenfield to Southend Victoria line was electrified using 1.5kV DC overhead on 31 Dec 1956. This was changed to 6.25kV AC over 4-7 Nov 1960 and to the now standard 25kV AC on 25 Jan 1979.] My father worked for Esso who supplied Stratford Diesel Depot with diesel fuel, so he was often in meetings with the depot staff about products and services. Of course, as a mad keen enthusiast, school holidays always meant Dad needed my company when he was going to go to Stratford. As a result, I was fortunate enough to have various cab rides in the resident Class 08s around the depot! Teenage years led me into membership of the fledgling Great Eastern Railway Society and East Anglian Railway Museum. My first volunteer rôle with them was assisting to remove a private siding alongside the Down Main between Ingatestone and Chelmsford so that it could be relaid at Chappel & Wakes Colne. Next was lifting the track at Beckton Gasworks which was slowly being demolished. We had track from ground level and off the elevated sections. The changes between the 1970s with the old gasworks/industrial premises and now, with housing and the DLR, makes the area unrecognisable. While at college, having quick access to Tilbury Riverside and the ferry to Kent meant that quite often I would head over the Thames in the afternoon and evening for a bash around the suburban lines of South London. The unusual delights of some of those Southern Region branches were something I am glad that I did not miss. Every one of them at the time was still firmly entrenched in a bygone era with, quite often, buildings and infrastructure remaining that had not been used for years. Of course, slam door stock was usual and still with some oddities running - Bulleid double deckers (until 1971). Quite a number of our family holidays were taken in Suffolk and, having recently started work in London, I would use a summer dated train to join the family at Saxmundham. There was a 16.50 loco hauled train (invariably a Class 37), with Mk1 stock through to Lowestoft via the East Suffolk Line. Why it ran I wasn't entirely sure as it was never full (unlike the 3 or 4 minute headway Down fast 12-car EMUs it ran between, which were always full and standing). It was a real treat to have the front compartment to oneself, the windows wide open and the loco at maximum power as it tried to keep up with, and ahead of, the electric services, literally two minutes ahead and behind. Storming up Brentwood bank with the sound of the locomotive working hard was something never forgotten. During those teenage years I caught the bug for lines that were due to close or were mysteriously freight only and this led me into tours operated at that time not only by the Branch Line Society but also Hertfordshire Railtours, the RCTS and Monmouthshire Railway Society among others. Merrymaker excursions were also a good way of covering obscure lines. Somehow, I managed to cover most of the once numerous South Wales colliery branches open at the time before the big cull of the 1980s. Like most enthusiasts, after I married and had a family, days out were curtailed for financial and family reasons but I still managed, in the 1980s, to get out and about a little. Towards the end of the decade, financial constraints eased enough for more regular forays into the far reaches of the UK rail system. A move to Dorset saw me join the Swanage Railway signalling department (at first just a three-lever ground frame at Swanage!) and the operations department as a guard. Over the next few years, the signalling expanded, first by the opening of Harmans Cross box (a 22 lever frame). I was passed out to work this box at the very opening of the passing loop and many happy hours were spent here - I was privileged to be the signalman on duty when the first main line train came through - a Virgin Voyager.
This was Sun 8 Sep 2002, the first passenger train for 30 years between Wareham and Swanage, full of invited guests including Chris Green, Chief Executive of Virgin Trains. The railway was lined with people and cheering crowds were out at Swanage, where the then new train was named 'Dorset Voyager'. I accepted a Standard 4 tank (80104) and four Mk1 coaches into the Up platform and set the road for this Down train. Then, standing on the platform at Harmans Cross, I handed the token for the section to Swanage to the driver of the Voyager. A real moment to savour and, although just a 'normal' move, a historic moment. The opening of the 44 lever frame box at Swanage was another red letter day and again I was privileged to be part of the daily operations of that box for a number of years. A work move then meant relocating to Laxey, on the Isle of Man. The family and I had never been to the Island before and had no real knowledge of what to expect. We intended only to go for a couple of years and ended up staying for nearly 20 years! During this period, I became more and more involved with our Society, ending up on the Committee in 2010. Now the longest continuously serving current Committee member, I have held various posts - including Fixtures Secretary (I had the great honour of organising the last train into the Museum of Science & Industry, the former Liverpool Road passenger station in Manchester, on 6 Nov 2013 before the line was closed for construction of Ordsall Curve) and more recently I was Sales Officer. I was an 'original' BLN Subeditor from BLN 1114 (5 Jun 2010) when the Regional Editor system started, until BLN 1413 of 3 Dec 2022. This included the North West, North East, Humberside, East Midlands and IOM sections at times, exactly 300 BLNs over 12½ years. A change of employment on the IOM saw me being taken on by the Department of Transport on the Island as a station master, firstly at Douglas Manx Electric Railway terminus and then on the Steam Railway at both Douglas and Castletown. These were great days and very interesting. I can honestly say it was a pleasure going to work. Castletown on a sunny day with steam trains and I was being paid! During this time on the IOM, my brother and I became more and more involved with the lovely Corris Railway in Mid-Wales. Both of us were elected as Directors, which positions we still hold today. I am also the Railway Safety Officer and regularly work as either a (thin) controller, guard or diesel driver. Family commitments meant we needed to move away from the Isle of Man about five years ago and the obvious place to move to was near Corris. We now live near Machynlleth in Mid-Wales. I was very honoured to be elected Chairman by the members at our Nov 2022 AGM, your Committee and I will continue to work hard for the Society as I have tried to do for approaching 13 years now. 1424 EAST MIDLANDS (Nick Garnham) [email protected] 1214] Awash with ideas: A longstanding scheme to connect Lincolnshire (just south of Skegness) with Hunstanton, Norfolk, by a manmade causeway/barrage across The Wash has been recently updated. Your Regional Editor can remember such a plan being talked of in his youth! Now known as Centre Port UK, the scheme includes the World's first offshore deep sea container terminal with road and rail connections. It would produce both tidal energy and 'green' hydrogen [and we thought it was a colourless gas]. As well as being a flood defence barrage, a dual carriageway on it would reduce the journey time between South Lincolnshire and North Norfolk to 20 minutes rather than 2½ hours via the A17 and A16 roads. Centre Port UK terminal would be able to handle 23,000 TEU (Twenty foot Equivalent Unit) container ships very rapidly and be rail connected to, wait for it … the Skegness line!! The terminal would also provide RoRo (Roll on Roll off) access for lorries. A sea lock would enable local marine traffic, including shipping to Wisbech and King's Lynn. The scheme's promoters point to rising sea levels, suggesting the barrage will mitigate against flooding of the low level Fens, Cambridge and Peterborough. However if the £2bn (this seems a rather low figure) plan progresses it is likely to face strong opposition with legal challenges, in particular from environmental and wildlife groups. The Wash is a very important habitat for birdlife and marine mammals. See: https://bit.ly/42biSA6 1215] Derby (excl) - Clay Cross North Jn/Matlock: This section of the Derby to Chesterfield main line and the Matlock branch are closed for 16 days from Sat 27 May until Sun 11 Jun inclusive. This is for work in the 855yd Milford Tunnel (133m 67ch to 134m 25ch) and the 1m 24yd long Clay Cross Tunnel (146m 21ch to 147m 22ch). The 183 year old tunnels were designed by George Stephenson.
It includes the drainage, track relaying and ballasting. Special coated rails will be installed beneath the ten Clay Cross Tunnel ventilation shafts to make them more resilient during poor weather conditions. The original North Midland Railway built more ornate portals at the northern ends of all its tunnels [why?], the southern ends were relatively plain. Milford Tunnel northern portal is a Saxon inspired arch with seven huge concentric semicircular rings of stone. The southern portal is the standard North Midland design. Both are Grade II listed, part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Clay Cross Tunnel portals are also Grade II Listed; the northern is a magnificent Moorish (Islamic) design. Between both schemes, 52 engineering trains will run and 16,107 tonnes of ballast is needed - spent ballast is recycled at NR's March Whitemoor facility, which generates a profit of around £30M a year. London to Sheffield services run hourly, diverted via the Erewash Valley Line, as are CrossCountry Birmingham to Sheffield trains (reversing at Derby), Derby has a separate hourly London service. Spondon retains its new 2-hourly train service which runs between Nottingham and Derby only. 1216] Spondon: (BLN 1415.41) (20,908 passengers in 2019-20 and 8,400 in 2021-22) Currently this station has SuX morning and evening peak trains plus a couple late evening (with fewer on Saturdays). National Rail, Realtime Trains and EMR now no longer show any rail replacement buses to/from Derby previously provided to fill the gaps. With reintroduction, finally, of SuX all day hourly Nottingham to Matlock services from Mon 22 May Spondon regains all day trains in both directions. There is housing development in the area and it is hoped to grow passenger numbers. Trains call at Attenborough or Spondon alternate hours (try travelling between them!) and at both (so it can be done) in the peaks. 1217] May Timetable: Leicester to Lincoln services, reduced in May 2021, become hourly again SuX. From 27 May the hourly Nottingham to Worksop Robin Hood Line is enhanced on Saturdays by an hourly Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse (bay P3) service. Pre-Covid this ran SuX and is another sign that Saturdays are now the busiest day of the week on the railways. P3 is otherwise only used on Sundays (it is as far north as the Sunday service permeates) and by a few weekday peak trains. At Gainsborough Central final use of the Worksop end trailing crossover (74m 33ch), by a regular passenger train turning back in P2, is on Sat 20 May. Despite representations, the three SO round Sheffield - Brigg - Cleethorpes trains are withdrawn from 27 May, leaving no Saturday services at all at Gainsborough Central in the new timetable (SO there are currently six arrivals and seven departures). This is a bit ironic for a line that ONLY had Saturday passenger services from Oct 1993 for many years. The route will only be served by the SSuX 09.54 Sheffield to Cleethorpes and 13.20 return, useless for day trips in either direction but convenient for Northern and the DfT. How long do we think that will last until the next stage of reducing it to just one day a week? Over the 22-23 and 29-30 Apr weekends freight actually used the line when engineering work in the Scunthorpe area closed that route. 1424 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected] 1218] St Pancras International: A member has seen a post on a railway forum saying that the OHLE between Kentish Town and St Pancras was removed in the 1990s [it was actually in 2001, see below] and reinstated when the station was rebuilt. Can anyone say if this was correct and, if so, give more precise dates? BLN 727.31 reports that the 'last' electric train at St Pancras was the 01.06 to Bedford on Sun 29 May 1994 - there were three each week in total then, all at unsocial hours. However, BLN 804.506 (21 Jun 1997) states that SSuX the 01.25 Bedford to St Pancras EMU and 02.45 return were using the station. BLN 900 (30 Jun 2001) mentions that Kentish Town Slow Line platforms were being reinstated, so that Thameslink trains from Bedford could turn back there while the crossLondon line was shut. BLN 902.434 reported that on and from Mon 2 Jul 2001 St Pancras station became unavailable to electric traction. The OHLE was removed over the weekend of 29-30 Sep 2001 (BLN 903.470) to allow rebuilding of the station for Eurostar traffic. The London Railway Atlas 5 th Edition and BLN 969 p98 (8 May 2004) give Good Friday, 9 Apr 2004, for the last Midland Main Line train using the main St Pancras train shed, with temporary platforms to the northeast in use from Easter Mon 12 Apr 2004. The Atlas doesn't give a date for the opening of the present Midland Main Line platforms but BLN 1024.697 advises it was Mon 17 Jul 2006; the first train was the 06.10 to Derby. This does not confirm when they were available to electric traction again (presumably 17 Jul 2006??).
BELOW: (Item 1227) Looking north, that 20mph sign (6m 55ch) for the crossover m
making the Down Hendon bidirectional south of here. (Robin Morel, 15 Mar 2023.)
1219] King's Cross Aggregate Terminal: (TRACKmaps 4 p8A 2022) Kings Cross Aggregates (rail) Depot Hanson (no apostrophe), is actually located alongside the Down (west) side of the Down Fast out of St Pancras on the Midland Main Line (MML) where the aggregate is unloaded. It is then 'conveyed' over the MML to a storage and distribution depot on the east (Up) King's Cross side. Originally the rail terminal was at King's Cross Goods but relocated to redevelop that site. This also applies to the now adjacent Hanson Cement terminal, supplied from Ketton Cement Works. At the St Pancras end of the layout, both ends of this terminal's Run Round Road were noted to be clipped out of use on 15 Apr. 1220] Belvedere Road Jn: At 06.57 on Thu 30 Mar a points failure at Ewer Street Jn meant all trains to Charing Cross had to be routed to the Up Fast. During the fault finding and rectification process, 43 services called at Waterloo East Platform 'D' and then used the rare Up Fast to Up Slow connection at Belvedere Road Jn to terminate in Charing Cross P1-3. Normal working resumed at 14.09 that day. 1221] Docklands Light Railway: Further service improvements to be introduced from Mon 15 May: ֍Morning and evening peaks continue for an extra 30 min to 10.00 and 19.30 respectively (all routes). ֍Through Stratford to Lewisham services run in the evening peak; previously morning peak only. ֍SuX the Canning Town to Beckton shuttles also run during the evenings. ֍SO evening service between Stratford and Canary Wharf is doubled to 12tph (trains per hour). 1222] Easter Engineering: During the Easter closure of the Sussex route into Victoria, a 700 tonne, 80m road crane, described by NR as one of the largest in Europe, was used to replace the staircase to P13&14 at Clapham Junction with a wider one. The Slow Line pointwork at Streatham North Jn was also renewed, the last of nine major junction rebuilds for the Victoria resignalling programme. 1223] Heathrow Express: (BLN 1419.556) Results filed by Heathrow Express reveal a failure to recover to pre-pandemic levels, despite passenger volumes at the airport itself returning to near normal. Revenues in the first three months of the year were £22M, 50% more than in the same period last year, but almost a third down on the £31M of revenues in the first quarter of 2019. TfL is reporting that the Elizabeth line (frequency increases 21 May) takes 30% of the market. Heathrow Express also considers that fewer business travellers and more leisure passengers has changed the profile of flyers. 1224] Jubilee line: Due to a shortage of serviceable trains, from fatigue fractures in the underframes, a temporary timetable is to be introduced from 22 May. Five trains will be removed from the weekday service; two of which operate only in the peaks and three all day. This reduces the number of trains in the peak service from 57 to 52. Times of other trains will be adjusted to even out the service intervals. 1225] HS2 - Boring News: (BLN 1422.980) A tunnel boring machine has been launched for a logistics tunnel from Atlas Road works site to Old Oak Common station site. When complete it will contain a conveyor belt to remove spoil from the Old Oak Common to Euston tunnels. This will connect into the existing 1.7 mile overhead conveyor for the spoil to be taken to Willesden Euro Terminal for onwards rail movement. The tunnel will also be used to deliver tunnel segments constructed in Hartlepool (item 1240). The press release says that these will never be transported by public road, so they may also travel on the conveyor. However, it will be a while before the tunnel is used, as the 'Evening Standard' reports that the start of boring has been deferred with Euston HS2 construction delayed. On 19 Apr the Transport Secretary old the Parliamentary Transport Committee that no money would be saved by deferring the opening of Euston HS2 station and said that it would open at the same time as the HS2 extension to Manchester, expected by 2041 (Advance Tickets not on sale just yet). 1226] Peckham Rye: (BLN 1401.1234) An exhibition by American artist Sarah Sze will be held in the impressive, restored waiting room from 19 May until 17 Sep. It is described as a complex arrangement of cascading lines from ceiling to floor, illuminated by projections to turn it into a giant magic lantern! Although the exhibition is free, a travel ticket or Oyster card will be needed to access the station. 1227] Hendon: (TRACKmaps 4 p9A 2022) The final non reflectorised speed sign between London and Bedford is for the 20mph restriction for wrong direction moves (Down to Up) over the facing crossover in the Hendon Lines (6m 58ch). The crossover, previously used to reach the Hendon Chord in the Down direction is only available now in Up direction. The Chord is also only available in the Up direction now.
1228] Kentish Town: (8.12M passengers in 2019) From 26 Jun the ticket hall and two Northern Line platforms will close for up to a year to replace the two escalators, described as the most unreliable on the system. The existing escalators were installed in 1997 and the manufacturer no longer operates in the UK, making it difficult to source parts for maintenance and repairs. The replacements will be the same model as those used on the Elizabeth line and throughout the LU network, making sourcing parts much easier. At the same time other work to be carried out will include removing the redundant ticket office and realigning the ticket barriers to provide extra space and additional gates. The station will also be painted and deep cleaned, with new floor and wall tiling and improved signage installed. The four Thameslink main line platforms will remain open, with access via the out of hours entrance. 1229] LU in one Day: BLN 1326.815 reported that in 2019, before the Battersea Power Station branch extension, riding the entire LU network was possible in a day. Is it still possible in a day even after the Battersea Power Station extension? In our member Bill Lynch's own words: There's only one man daft enough then, and now, to demonstrate that the answer is yes! Here is his log of how he managed it on Mon 3 Apr. A PDF of a comprehensive account of his travels is on our BLS website 'Archive' section under 'LU in One Day 2023'. Any member wanting a hard copy should send an SAE marked 'LU Bash', big enough for three A4 sheets to Mr W R Lynch, 14 Helston Close, Kesgrave, Ipswich, IP5 1JT. Times are in hh.mm.ss format by his wristwatch, which he is confident was within 2s of British Summer Time throughout. Arrival/departure platform numbers or bus stop letters are after the station names. TRN = train running number. Apologies to any employee/s whose unpunctuality he may be exposing! Station & platform/bus stop Arr Dep Line TRN Remarks Hounslow Central 1 04.54.41 P 221 Via T4 (choice of five starting points …,.Osterley to Hatton Cross inclusive) Heathrow T2&3 2, 1 05.08.30 05.10.07 P 222 Heathrow Terminal 5 5, 6 05.13.19 05.23.10 P 222 Hammersmith 3, F 05.56.58 06.00.58 9 - Bus Kensington Olympia temp, 1 06.04.09 06.10.31 D 064 Earl’s Court 2, 1 06.13.50 06.16.15 D 027 Scheduled platforms swapped Gloucester Road 3, 2 06.17.56 06.22.57 O 206 Edgware Road 3, 2 06.33.58 06.34.57 D 071 Wimbledon 2, D 07.06.28 07.10.22 57 - Bus South Wimbledon SZ, 2 07.14.25 07.17.37 N 012 Morden 5, 3 07.20.02 07.20.21 N 112 Kennington 3, 2 07.40.41 07.43.52 N 124 Battersea Power Station 1, 2 07.48.33 07.48.55 N 202 Via Charing Cross Finchley Central 2, 1 08.24.05 08.28.11 N 100 Mill Hill East 1, 1 08.30.03 08.37.53 N 100 Finchley Central 3, 2 08.40.43 08.43.35 N 125 High Barnet 3, R 08.53.44 09.02.16 307 - Bus Oakwood 1 09.16.51 09.21.07 P 307 Train 5½ min late! Cockfosters 3, 4 09.23.24 09.24.24 P 250 Departure nearly 1 min late Hammersmith 2, 2 10.24.14 10.31.12 O 205 Arrival 6 min late Tower Hill 1, 3 11.08.21 11.15.37 D 046 11.09¼ departure left early Aldgate East 2, 1 11.17.15 11.19.39 H 262 262 running 13 min late! Liverpool Street 2, 5 11.21.44 11.26.23 C 065 Ealing Broadway 5, 6 12.01.50 12.02.41 C 055 3¾ min late departing allowed negative …,.connection, saving 10 min! North Acton 3, 1 12.07.40 12.09.59 C 017 West Ruislip 2, S 12.27.00 12.29.48 278 - Arrival punctual to the second bus Ickenham C, 1 12.31.54 12.35.30 M 436 Uxbridge 4, 3 12.40.34 12.43.09 M 435 Harrow-on-the-Hill 5, 3 13.00.08 13.04.45 M 427 Watford 2, 2 13.27.45 13.38.05 M 427 5¼ min late arrival Moor Park 4, 3 13.44.42 13.53.41 M 413 Chesham 2, A 14.16.37 14.36.09 1 - Carousel Buses Ltd
Amersham 1 (half-time circa Northwood) 14.44.06 14.53.13 15.10.12 M 401 Alighted one stop too soon. Unusual …,.departure platform at Amersham Northwick Park 2 15.26.43 - No rush; walked 0.6 km Kenton 2 15.40.41 B 242 Harrow & Wealdstone 1, 2 15.42.56 15.46.56 LO Arr 3 min late, dep ½ min early Queen's Park 1, 2 16.09.53 16.12.08 B 226 Elephant & Castle 3, 3 16.39.03 16.43.21 B 226 Cross-platform dash thwarted by 1 min ….late arrival, became 4¾ late departure Waterloo 3, 25 16.47.10 16.50.38 W 203 Bank 7, 6 16.54.54 16.58.47 C 140 Epping 1, 1 17.37.?? 17.44.24 C 140 No sign of 17.39¼ dep from P2 Woodford 2, 3 17.59.43 18.16.21 C 172 Hainault 1, 3 18.25.07 18.33.01 C 106 2½ min late arrival, missed connection. Stratford 3A, 14 18.55.57 18.58.40 J 320 Short working but might be North …..Greenwich starter behind West Hampstead 1, 1 19.33.40 19.36.42 J 344 No, there wasn't, but no loss! Stanmore 3, 3 19.58.27 20.05.44 J 344 Step-up thwarted by crowd Canons Park 2, A 20.07.25 20.11.42 340 - Bus Edgware 2 20.18.39 20.24.41 N 141 Via Bank Stockwell 3, 4 21.10.57 21.12.23 V 271 Brixton 2, 1 21.14.36 21.15.04 V 242 Successful quick dash Walthamstow Central 1, 1 21.45.?? 21.48.20 V 242 No cross-platform opportunity …..Departure punctual to the second! King's Cross St Pancras 4, 1 22.03.22 22.07.59 M 436 Rayners Lane 1, 2 22.41.25 22.45.55 P 300 Ealing Common 2, 1 23.05.32 23.13.50 D 055 Ealing Broadway 7, 8 23.17.06 23.18.52 D 054 Turnham Green 4, 1 23.29.12 23.32.45 D 021 Richmond 7, 7 23.43.35 23.52.04 D 021 Upminster 3 01.25.43 Bill's Reflections: Travel was on 49 LU trains, one Overground and seven buses including an Abbs Cross Academy bus! There were many stairs but only five escalators. A ticket was needed at 20 gates but Upminster's gates were open and the W&C at Waterloo is ungated. The total was 511.93km by LU and 12.42km by LO = 524.35 km on the Travelcard; impressively 5.187p per km, even ignoring the buses. Careful construction and tailoring of running sheets paid off. Intelligent bag and pocket management, familiarity with walking routes, knowing which door to alight from at each interchange and knowing where enough loos were, all contributed to success on the day. There was also an army of people driving, rostering, controlling, dispatching and keeping complex infrastructure and trains working all day long to an enormously impressive standard; although, let's face it, they weren't doing it just for me! But still it has to be accepted that it doesn't take much disruption for success to be snatched away, so patience and a philosophical attitude are called for with something like this. I'm not interested in providing any proof beyond the evidence above. I recruited no witnesses and took no photos. It's enough for me to have demonstrated that the all-lines bash is still possible, despite occasional claims to the contrary. I'm content therefore for you to be sceptical of my claim if you wish. I'm also happy for you to attempt the same daft exploit to whatever standard of proof you like, or whatever variant of it you fancy. If you are fitter than me, you could gain a bit of time by sprinting where I could only intermittently jog. Access to real-time information through modern technology might give you another slight edge, although I managed well enough without. Good luck! 1230] West London Orbital Railway: (BLN 1374.987) Mott MacDonald has now been appointed to design this scheme, funded by the West London Alliance, a collaboration between seven west London Councils. TfL has been working with the West London Alliance and NR to develop the business case for the scheme further, exploring the engineering and timetable feasibility as well as funding. The initial feasibility work, to identify a recommended route and service frequency, will be finished this year.
The work will also provide a robust cost estimate and assessment of the scheme benefits. This will help make recommendations for developing the design and securing approvals needed for implementation. A NR timetable assessment found that the service is expected to be achievable. All proposals will be subject to public consultation before any major decisions are made. If funding can be found and necessary approvals received, the service could start in the early 2030s. 1231] North Woolwich: (Last service train 9 Dec 2006.) Charity Populo Living has applied for planning permission to build five tower blocks containing 348 homes on the site of the old goods yard, currently used mainly as a temporary car park. The old station building (Grade II listed) is now a church. 1232] TfL Ticketing: (BLN 1423.1096) A recent TfL presentation stated: 2023 - withdraw platform tickets and explore options for Travelcards. 2024 - remove remaining niche magnetic ticket products [presumably this includes cross-London through tickets that include LU between London stations?] Currently only about 6% of journeys are made using paper tickets and TfL wish to phase these out. 1233] Waterloo: During the early hours of 13 Apr, power was lost to one of the panels in Wimbledon Area Signalling Centre, preventing access to Waterloo P1-14. All trains in and out the station had to use the Windsor Lines, so main line services were substantially reduced. It took until 11.00 to locate a cable fault and make a temporary repair, with services remaining disrupted for the rest of the day. 1234] Wimbledon Chase: (BLN 1343.395) A revised planning application has been submitted by developers Wimbledon Square Developments to demolish the existing station entrance and incorporate a new entrance within a nine storey block of flats. A previous scheme with a seven storey block was rejected because it did not include step free access. ('London Railway Record') 1424 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected] 1235] Sheffield Victoria: The 8 Apr UK Railtours' 8 Apr Last Chance? tour passed the remains of the station. A member noticed that standard gauge track had been laid in a small enclosure on the old platform. There were two parallel tracks connected by points from the right hand track to just meet the left hand one. The left hand rail of the left hand track was cut into very short sections. He suggests it might be a training site for track workers and says: 'Over to you for the Minor Railways railtour, Kev!' 1236] Darlington: (BLN 1357.2161) NR has outlined proposals for a new through Up platform and a bay, east of the ECML, a new station concourse accessing the new platforms and a bridge between the existing station building and the new platforms. The scheme objectives (as remitted by the DfT) are: Improved capacity and reliability for long distance high speed ECML services through Darlington. Future-proofing for the Integrated Rail Plan.Passive provision of capacity at Darlington for new local services that the Tees Valley Combined Authority aspires to introduce subject to affordability: One additional train per hour to Bishop Auckland, one to Saltburn (making 3 trains per hour) and two to Sunderland (the first ever regular through service on this route). The project will deliver: A new through P5 on the Up Goods Loop and bay P6 on the east (Up) side of the ECML at Darlington. A new station concourse accessing the new platforms with a bridge between the existing station buildings and the new platforms. These will 're-balance' the station layout. New through P5 on the east side of the ECML removes the need for southbound ECML services to cross the Down Main to call at Darlington, reducing conflicting moves. New bay P6 will remove the need for local terminating services from Teesside to cross the ECML at Darlington South Jn. The new bay also provides the capability for the existing through services from Bishop Auckland to Saltburn to be split at Darlington. However, the decision on whether to implement this change will be led by Northern and DfT Passenger Services. It has, in effect, been taken already. This is unpopular locally, as some people travel from the branch through to Middlesbrough, but running additional ECML services is top of the DfT's priorities. Passive provision will also be retained for an additional bay platform (in the original plans) to the east of the proposed P6. It may be required to facilitate future growth in local services from Darlington serving Teesside and the Durham Coast. An alternative reason for an additional bay would be in the event that the proposed bay P6 is converted into a second east side through platform as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail plans, requiring a new bay P7 for existing local services.
The Benefits are listed as: Capacity for a 7 th hourly ECML passenger path. Acting as a 'stepping stone' towards Integrated Rail Plan aspirations for 8 or 9 ECML passenger paths, by providing a track layout which can be easily altered to provide the necessary additional capacity in future. Reliability improvements for ECML and local services. Future proofing (passive provision of P7) for future Tees Valley local services. Network Rail is remitted to commission the following works to support the new infrastructure in Sept 2025 (in time for the important Stockton & Darlington Railway bicentenary): Civil engineering: ●New P5 & 6, ●New footbridge between the station building and new platforms, ●New eastern concourse and ●Widen Smithfield Road underbridge at the south end of the station. Track: ●Convert the, already electrified, Up Goods Loop into a bidirectional P5 loop off the Up Main, ●A new non-electrified track connecting the Saltburn Lines to bay P6. ●A replacement 570m long electrified freight loop adjacent to the Up Sidings. ●S&C upgrades to provide the required speeds. ●Associated OHLE changes. ●Realign the Up Sidings to create a replacement freight loop further north. 5 6 Existing lines to remain unchanged New and altered lines proposed Up sidings to be altered to accommodate new Up Goods Loop New platforms & buildings Underbridges (UB) Overbridges Not to scale Not all lines shown 1 3 2 4 Down Main to Eaglescliffe Smithfield Road UB 098 New MSCP and station building to London to Newcastle Down Main to Bishop Auckland Yarm Road UB 100 Existing footbridge 099 New Link Bridge Former Up Goods Loop Up Main New Up Goods Loop Up Main DARLINGTON CSD N ABOVE: Proposed track plan(with thanks to Dave Cromarty). The main changes to the previous scheme are deletion of P7 and reducing the number of Up Sidings from four to three. MSCP = multistorey car park; the three figure numbers are structure numbers, existing platforms are in black. 1237] Darlington 2: Demolition of buildings to the east of the station continues. The long stay car park (accessed from the station by the footbridge over the ECML), closed at 23.59 on 26 Apr, although cars could be collected until 23.59 on 1 May. The replacement car park is on the west side of the station. 1238] T&W Metro: ❶Nexus has been plagued by problems in recent months, with cancellations due to an array of issues including a fire, flooding, cable theft, industrial action, anti-social behaviour, staff sickness, storm damage at Whitley Bay stop (BLN 1419.571.3) and OHLE collapse (BLN 1422.987.1). Latest figures show that almost 30% of trains were late. In Feb the managing director wrote to Stadler, demanding improved train availability and reliability. In early Apr he served a formal remedial notice. Stadler stated that work was already under way to address availability problems, including recruitment of extra staff. Class 555 units were originally due to start arriving in late 2021 but the first one did not arrive until 28 Feb this year (BLN 1420.725.2). They will not enter service until the end of this year. ❷New unit 555003 has made some short test runs within South Gosforth depot (but no doubt very interesting track) ahead of its first run along the main line in a few weeks' time. ❸On 26 Apr a member viewed South Shields Metro Training Centre from outside of the perimeter fence. Cars 4041 and 4047 were on driver training, moving out of the shed into the yard and back into the shed again. 4055 & 4062 have been moved in the last few weeks to Howdon where they are being stripped of reusable parts, then will go for scrap. Cars 4002, 4076, 4060, 4046& 4020 are stored on the South Gosforth depot Avoiding Line but sadly have all been graffitied. 4010 has been stripped of any reusable parts and is destined for scrap. Units for scrap are expected to leave Howdon depot by road.
1239] 21 May Timetable Changes: SuX the 04.56 Middlesbrough to Whitby and 06.30 return are withdrawn, replaced by an 07.07 Middlesbrough to Nunthorpe and 07.44 return. The four daytime return trips to Whitby each become 4-car and the late evening return trip remains in the timetable. Bradford - Ilkley/Skipton off-peak service reduced from half-hourly to hourly (BLN 1421.868). Calder Valley Sunday services increase from hourly to half-hourly Leeds - Bradford - Manchester Victoria (as SuX) with a new Sunday hourly Leeds - Bradford - Manchester Victoria - Chester service. The three direct SSuX Huddersfield to Castleford trains are buses again (as before 12 Dec 2022). This 'service' transfers from Northern to TPE, who will not be ready to run it until Dec (out of the frying pan into the fire?). They are the only services at Castleford which could use the new turnback siding. SuO Sheffield - Pontefract Baghill - York is now one late afternoon bus (Moorthorpe to York return) plus an evening Sheffield to York and return train but the train is withdrawn from 21 May. SuX there are three trains; 07.24 (07.25 SO), 11.41 & 15.40 (14.42 SO) ex-Sheffield & 09.15, 13.15 & 17.15 back. (BLN 1420.721) New SuX 2-hourly Middlesbrough to Newcastle limited stop service planned from 3 Jul, between 08.00 and 19.00 from each end but see item 1244 about delays to Hartlepool new P3. 1240] Hartlepool Docks: On 26 Apr the first commercial freight train for over 20 years ran: 04.30 Hunslet Yard (FHH) to Hartlepool Dock Area 07.09 (load 600 tonnes). 66602 hauled a long rake of empty container flats. This was a test train for the flow of HS2 tunnel concrete segments to Willesden. It is thought to be the first freight traffic on the Hartlepool Docks branch since imported newsprint in vans during 2001 (BLNs 1014.278 & 1387.2726). The return 19.32 to Hunslet Yard (FLHH) (load 1,475 tonnes - it wasn't) was cancelled and replaced at short notice by 15.00 Hartlepool Dock Area to York Yard North 16.50, with empty container flats. The loco then returned light to Leeds as 20.55 York Yard North to Leeds Balm Road Loco. The container flats were still at York on the evening of 29 Apr. There are paths in the system between Hartlepool Dock Area and Willesden Euroterminal that have not been used; they continue in the new timetable becoming seven days a week (one direction SSuO). 1241] Thornhill LNW Jn - Copley Hill East Jn: This line closed over the 6-7 and 13-14 May weekends, to renew drainage around Morley station, complete signal testing and install the new footbridge at the doomed Lady Anne Level Crossing (BLN 1421.862). This follows work in Feb and prepares for the next stage (due 17-25 Jun), when the line closes to slew the track at the existing Morley station, to increase the line speed from the present 45/55mph to 70mph (BLN 1400.1104). The new Morley station is due to open during 'summer 2023' (presumably 26 Jun) and it is thought it will indeed be ready in time. 1242] BIea Moor: (BLN 1422.988) Thanks to two members who commented on reasons why British Rail closed Ribblehead box in 1969, rather than Blea Moor. In those days, there was still a reasonable passenger service and quite a lot of loose coupled freight was sent via the Settle & Carlisle line to keep it off the WCML. Blea Moor was retained, rather than Ribblehead, to keep the loops to refuge freight. Motor points and colour lights were quite expensive then, so avoided unless essential. It made sense to keep a box which could work the points mechanically. This also avoided having to track circuit the entire layout and installing an expensive electricity supply, especially from Ribblehead to Blea Moor. Even in the large power signalling box (PSB) schemes of that era, mechanical boxes were retained within the PSB area as shunt frames to work local points mechanically, with ground frames for siding connections. Boxes were still being installed with points worked mechanically by the frame but signals worked from switches on a panel, to save the expense of point motors. Blea Moor had very lengthy goods loops and a refuge siding but Ribblehead only had basic goods sidings (more readily converted to a ground frame for the quarry) and a shorter down refuge siding. Blea Moor also gave better spacing between adjacent boxes: Selside - (3m 51ch) - (Blea Moor) - 4m 66ch - Dent Station Selside - (2m 29ch) - (Ribblehead) - 6m 08ch - Dent Station (Dent Head box closed in 1965.) In 1969 Ais Gill to Kirkby Stephen (6m 63ch), was the longest section on the S&C but several others were over 6 miles. Actual running times are not necessarily exactly proportional to physical distance of course, on account of speed restrictions, curvature and gradients.
BELOW: (Item 1235) Victorian track - on one of the former platforms a a window of the UKRT 'Last chance? ' railtour. INSET BOTTOM LEFT: S
t Sheffield Victoria station on the Stocksbridge branch, taken through Someone has been practicing cutting rails… (Alan Portess, 8 Apr 2023.)
X.46] BELOW: BLN 1400.1102 of 7 May 2022 reported that Colas was installin These have been laid but there a gap before the NR connection as for some t
g sidings at Doncaster 'Plant South End' for stabling and refuelling their locos. time now. Looking north, station to the right. (©Andy Overton, 22 Apr 2023.)
BELOW: (Item 1236) Demolition at Darlington for the station extension; the r
remains of the East End Club (BLN 1422.993). (Lucus Ainsworth, 21 Apr 2023.)
1243] Haverton Total: (BLN 1423.1113) Colas-operated bitumen trains ran to Ribble Rail at Preston Dock on 25 & 27 Apr and 4/5 & 9 May. As Short Term Plans (not yet in the Working timetable), they replaced the, generally also TThO, workings from Lindsey Oil Refinery which last ran on 12 April. The light engine runs from/to Barnetby - a Colas stabling facility (they do have one at Doncaster too). 1244] Hartlepool: The station works are behind schedule; P3 will now not be ready until Sep. The new limited stop Middlesbrough to Newcastle service will not be able to start until P3 is commissioned. This delay limits any extra trains for the Tall Ships race (6-9 Jul 2023), attracting thousands of visitors. 1245] A final 'note'; 'Handel'ing anti-social behaviour: According to their website, Northern is using classical music to 'Handel' (their wording!) anti-social behaviour at stations. A pilot scheme (shouldn't this be 'driver' or 'conductor'?) at nine stations (Billingham, Shildon, Heighington, North Road, Orrell, Keighley, Hyde North, Ilkley and Newton Aycliffe) in the past 12 months saw a significant reduction in the number of loitering, graffiti and vandalism related incidents. Classical music inspired by (sic) Handel, Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky is played at only certain times of the day, which varies from station to station to have the best impact. The music is to be extended to 23 stations: Beverley, Birchwood, Brinnington, Bryn (perhaps opera from Sir Terfel?), Cottingham, Cross Gates, Fitzwilliam, Flimby, Halewood, Haltwhistle, Hattersley, Levenshulme, Lostock Gralam, Maryport, Mill Hill, Newton for Hyde, Penistone, Rainhill, Sowerby Bridge, Sunderland, Ulverston, Wetheral & Whiston. 1424 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected] 1246] Should this be in BLN International? Merseyrail, which is not affected by the impending strikes, ran extra late night trains for the Eurovision semi-finals on 9 & 11 May and the Sat 13 May grand final. 1247] May Timetable: SuO all year 'DalesRail' services, from Blackpool North to Hellifield (and on to Carlisle in the summer), will not operate although work is underway on proposals to run it in 2024. The final day is Sun 14 May 2023, then Clitheroe to Hellifield will be without any service (illegally??). Entwistle becomes a mandatory station call (requests will be taken until Sat 20 May inclusive). Stanlow and Thornton: (Officially 0 passengers in 2021-21 and 44 in 2021-22) Station remains closed 'temporarily' [permanently in fact?] since 19.00 on 2 Feb 2022, due to the condition of the footbridge. Headbolt Lane: Northern DMUs turn back at Rainford until construction works are completed. 1248] Friction at Kirkby: From Wed 3 May the fixed P2 (Northern DMUs) buffer stop was replaced with a friction sliding type 20m nearer Headbolt Lane/Wigan with buffer stop red lighting, above the buffer stop face. This seems a bit academic as Northern DMUs are replaced by buses between Kirkby and Rainford from Fri 7 Apr until Sat 22 Jul (incl) and are then shown running to Headbolt Lane from Mon 24 Jul. The final time that passenger trains ran through the future Headbolt Lane station was on Thur 6 Apr 2023. The reason for the moving the buffer stop is to allow reconnection of the two single tracks either side of Kirkby station, ready to extend Merseyrail services through to Headbolt Lane. 1249] Lostock Jn/Windsor Bridge North Jn - Crow Nest Jn - Wigan Wallgate (excl): The Bolton to Wigan line was without train services from Sat 6 until Fri 12 May inclusive for electrification works. This is specifically at Ladies Lane overbridge, Hindley, closed to road traffic from 13 Mar until 15 Jul. A temporary walkway is provided for pedestrian and cyclist access over the railway. Sadly, buses ran from Bolton and Manchester Victoria to Wigan Wallgate for six days. Is this more financially beneficial to Northern than running trains between Manchester and Walkden (even nearer to Wigan with SLW), or was any other work actually carried out between Windsor Bridge North Jn and Crow Nest? 1250] Hope Valley: On Sat 29 Apr a report by the driver of the 15.51 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich of hearing a crack on entering Totley Tunnel led to the discovery by the P'Way of a broken cess side rail. As the break was too close to a weld, the Up line was blocked and Single Line Working started at 22.30 over the Down line from Grindleford to Dore West Jn. A double shunt was made at Grindleford trailing crossover. The move was made by the 16.51, 17.51, 18.51 and 19.51 Liverpool to, amended on the day in all cases, Nottingham, where they were booked to arrive 19.28 (actual 00.13), 20.29 (00.37), 21.28 (01.16) & 22.32 (01.45) respectively. The online Sectional Appendix dated 23 Jan 2023 shows the Manchester/Grindleford side of Totley Tunnel as the Up Main and the Down Main becoming the Up Manchester and Down Manchester on the Dore/Sheffield side but not where the names change.
1251] Hope Valley (2): By 17 Apr sleepers had been laid out for redoubling at Dore. The new facing crossover at Dore West was in place, as were both connections for the new Up loop after Bamford. An underbridge to the west end of the loop appeared to be awaiting an extra span beneath the loop. 1252] HS2 assaulted? MPs scrutinising Phase 2b between Crewe and Manchester have been warned that the route passes over unstable salt deposits, as many as 200 caverns, each up to 150,000m3 in size. A Professor of Geology and Chartered Geologist warned that the line could face costly works to repair subsidence problems in the future due to the difficult ground conditions in the parish (singular) of Lach Dennis & Lostock Green. [Was the Professor chartered by the parish local NIMBYs?] The well known salt deposits were considered a risk when the M6 motorway was built, so it was diverted to avoid them. The proposed HS2 route passes over land 'peppered' with about 200 historic brine wells used for salt extraction for decades, if not hundreds, of years. In these 'Holford Brinefields' around 30,000,000 m 3 of water are pumped into the ground annually to extract about 2,500,000 tonnes of salt solution. Caverns typically range from 100m to 150m in diameter are 100m to 200m high, with cavern crown (top) depths of some 200m to 350m below ground level around the village of Lostock Gralam. Similar activities in Droitwich Spa until the 1970s resulted in significant subsidence of local buildings. An HS2 spokesperson, the salt of the earth, said: HS2 is fully aware of the ground conditions posed by the salt deposits in the Cheshire basin. The proposed route for the railway was in fact realigned in 2016 to avoid significant areas of salt. The Crewe to Sandbach line used to be affected by subsidence from brine pumping (requiring a 60mph - or worse - speed restriction and regular adjustments to the OHLE as the stanchions sunk - note their built up concrete foundations). With the end of brine pumping and upgrading, it is now a 100mph line. The Middlewich line is 20mph restricted due to brine pumping. 1253] Carlisle: On Tues 11 Apr high winds damaged part of the roof above P1. The last passenger train to call (on time at 22.18) was the 20.04 Manchester Airport (starting Manchester Piccadilly at 20.22) to Edinburgh. Repairs were made overnight on Sat 15-Sun 16 Apr and P1 ROP Sun 15 Apr by 11.30. 1254] Manchester Liverpool Road: The station master's house, probably the earliest one ever, is to be turned into a holiday let, as part of a multimillion pound restoration. The Grade I listed Station Agent's House on Liverpool Road in Manchester became part of the city's first station OP 17 Sep 1830, as the eastern terminus of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. The station CP 4 May 1844, when services were diverted to Manchester Victoria but remained as a goods depot until CA 8 Sep 1975. The station building and some associated warehouses became Manchester Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI), now The Science & Industry Museum in Manchester (SIMM); other parts became Granada Studios. Latterly used as offices by SIMM, they, and restoration charity The Landmark Trust, are bringing it back into residential use for the first time in over 100 years. The house was built on the corner of Liverpool Road and Water Street in 1808 for John Rothwell, a partner of a nearby dyeworks. It pre-dates the station but became part of it when the station was built in the late 1820s. The last resident is recorded in the 1920s, as a Mr Fitzpatrick, who was the goods station's chief inspector at the time. As well as its historic railway importance,it is one of the oldest surviving Georgian houses in Manchester. The plan is to sensitively repair the property and make it available to all through self-catering stays and free public open days. The Landmark Trust is hoping to raise a final £118,000 to pay for the remainder of the work needed before it can welcome guests in 2024. See https://bit.ly/413IYUb for details and to assist. 1255] Trafford Park: On 27 Apr the street side former ticket office building, thought to date from the station's opening by the Cheshire Lines Committee in 1904, was screened off and partially dismantled (no contractors were onsite at 16.00). It is thought that it is being refurbished. Latterly a taxi company office, in Mar 2021 the building was offered for use by charities, enterprise groups or community organisations. The photos with the document https://bit.ly/44vmU7L show that it was in need of TLC. 1256] Chelford South Jn - Sandbach South Jn: On Tue 28 Mar at 11.44, it was confirmed that the OHLE had become detached on the Up Wilmslow 20yd north of Holmes Chapel. At Chelford South Jn fifteen trains crossed to the Down Wilmslow and returned back to the Up Wilmslow at Sandbach South Jn. The first was 14.06 and the last 21.06 from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe. All ran via Sandbach P2 except the 17.06 which used P3. At 22.00 the day's services ended early with a possession for repairs.
X.47] BELOW: (BLN 1422.1927) Brandon, the sarcophagus looking towards N
Norwich with a freight train in the sidings ahead. (©Andy Overton, 9 May 2023.)
BELOW AND TO FOLLOW: (Item 1257) Felixstowe Beach after closure in t There are two brakevans in the bay platform. Off left is a coal depot (once rail
he 1970s; looking towards Felixstowe Town - the beach is off to the right. served), they used to be a common sight around the network. (Julian James.)
[BLN BELOW: From the level crossing looking towards Felixstowe Town, at that tim
1424] me the only rail access to the docks, coal depot to the left, beach to the right.
BELOW: (Item 1261) The Greater Anglia '321 Farewell' Railtour at Londo
n Liverpool Street in the morning. (All Iain Scotchman, Sat 29 Apr 2023.)
BELOW: At Colchester To
own from the end of line.
BELOW: Walton-on-the-Naze towards the
e end of line. NEXT: From the buffer stop.
BELOW: Thorpe-Le-Soken island platform looking towards
s Colchester with the disused Down platform on the right.
BELOW: Colchester P1 looking towards Ipswich (even the 'Normals' we
re taking pictures; mind you they will photograph anything these days).
BELOW: Clacton-on-Sea the tour (left) is in P1; participants could pay homag
ge to another pair of Class 321s stabled on Up Siding 3 (new name) far right.
BELOW: Harwich Town looking towards the end of line; far left of the gr
ey fence were the sidings and access line for the former train ferry here.