1391

hi wedi cael eich rhybuddio/you have been warned! (John Luxton.)

BELOW: Our train enters Llangower loop in the unusual direction. The new sig

gnal box is not yet in use but there is a ground frame beyond it. (John Luxton.)

BELOW: 'Your carriage awaits...' ...in the dock at the east (Ruabon) en

nd of Bala station. The main train shunts into the loop. (Chris Parker.)

BELOW: Bala looking towards Llanuwchllyn; the extension will start about w

where the coach is. The main train is in the run round loop. (Ian Mortimer.)

BELOW: The east (Ruabon) end of line, which closes due to the extension. Le

eft is the short dock siding, right are Bala loop east end points. (Ian Mortimer.)

BELOW: The west (Llanuwchllyn) end of Bala station from the footbridge

with Bala Lake in the background, Bala itself is off top right. (Chris Parker.)



BELOW: Poster about the Bala extension on display at the present Bala station. (Both John Luxton.)

BELOW: Glanllyn Halt (Flag Station prior to 15 Sep 1950); these buildings

s are only used for Santa specials which did not run in 2021. (Chris Parker.)

BELOW: 'Bob Davies' (the engine not a participant) at Glanllyn Halt, looking towards Bala. (Chris Parker.)

Thanks also to our Darren Garnon for the superb arrangements on behalf of the Society. Our £1,500
donation is expected to form part of the funding of the Bala town extension (BLN 1378.1654).
As happened with the Llanberis Lake Railway, the extension is expected to make a big difference to
the railway and town, as well as giving us all ¾ mile of extra track to do. Postscript: TomTom sent two
participants home over the scenic hills and down to Llanygynog, terminus of the 15 mile Tanat Valley
Light Railway - the course of some was readily visible from the car. The light held to Llynclys where
they were able to converse with two volunteers working at the Cambrian Heritage Railway there.

3311] ScotRail Santa Express by Val Enter - Ho Ho Ho! Once again, the Branch Line Society excelled
itself on Sat 4 Dec by partnering with ScotRail and Railway Children to deliver a rather special 5-car
HST charter (set HA10) through to Boat of Garten on the Strathspey Railway. As we walked along the
special red carpet laid along Edinburgh Waverley P2, we could hear pipers from Dollar Academy
School playing 'ScotRail the Brave' - the young musicians fingering the chanter with expertise.
The seasonally decorated special balloon arch marked the entrance to the platform area, as Bill Reeve,
Director of Rail at Transport Scotland (dressed in a festive waistcoat) welcomed the BLS contingent
and many families from the local area. Our Fixtures Secretary arranged a photo call with the Driver,
asking him to hold the bespoke 'ScotRail Santa Express' headboard (made by Procast of Wakefield).

Local BTP officers looked on with interest as Kev Adlam also spoke to the Driver Manager about a
crossover of interest for home time. Once onboard the fully (and very quickly) sold out train, the
attention to detail that had been paid to the train presentation by ScotRail and the Society volunteers,
who had helped arrange the event, was obvious. Seasonal garlands, twinkling lights and special posters
helped create a wonderful Christmas feel. Departing Edinburgh on time at 08.58, Magic Gareth (the
onboard entertainer) performed sleight of hand table magic for all those on board, and later produced
balloon models in the shape of reindeer, but without antlers! Our Committee members helped serve
fresh pastries, while ScotRail volunteers dispensed complimentary hot drinks and light refreshments.
Tim Brawn, a member of our stewarding team, completed the word search in the 'kids' activity pack.

Heading over the Forth Rail Bridge, special seasonal messages appeared on the customer information
screens as Tim Wade from '125 Group' recorded details of the power cars (43175 & 43179) in his well
travelled notepad. We were all delighted to be visited by George Michael from Wham! and Mariah
Carey (who explained what she wanted for Christmas) among many other celebrities, but sadly it was
only in the medium of song via the public address system. Special souvenir tickets (to Lapland!) were
handed out to children and a film crew captured footage for the 'Inside Central Station' series.
Jim Sellens, another member of our stewarding team, explained that we were not inside Central
station, but on the Ladybank Single to Perth. The producer didn't seem to understand his explanation
of the importance of 'directionality' and he went off to film ScotRail staff dressed as elves instead.

After a crew change at
Perth, an extra stop was
made at Pitlochry to pick
up Alex Hynes, Managing
Director of Scotland's
Railway. It was rumoured
that he only needs thirty
odd miles to clear '175'
for 'a thou'. A further
stop, at Kingussie, was for
the Strathspey Railway
route conductors to join.
The big man himself was seen to walk the platform in the snow waving to the little (and not so little)
kids on the train! This was the highlight for many onboard, but the most rewarding part for our
members followed next; the rather special connection on to the Strathspey Railway via 'HA313' signal.

This explained why the tickets were to 'Lapland' - we had gained 'overlap' between NR and Strathspey.





PREVIOUS, BELOW & NEXT: Our ScotRail Sat 4 Dec S

NEXT TWO: On the train, there were a good number o

FINAL TWO: Boat of Garten on the Strathspey Railway;
£36,952 if the four Fife Circle Santa Expresses run on 11

Santa Express at Edinburgh Waverley in the morning.

of our members on board, you may recognise some…

; the total raised for Railway Children would have been
1 & 18 December. (All images are thanks to Kev Adlam.)





















When Aviemore signal box closed (26 Mar 2019) with resignalling and transfer of control to Inverness
Signalling Centre, the connection became a signalled passenger route (a colour light LED onto the
railway and a semaphore off). The former ground frame worked access points were also motorised.

Shortly after, we arrived at Boat of Garten where the Strathspey catering team provided lovely hot
soup and sandwiches served from their dining train set, while families could take photos with Santa
and Cairngorm reindeers visiting in the adjacent station yard. An hour later, we all rejoined the train to
head home at 13.26, knowing we had the run-round loop at Aviemore P3 to enjoy as we 'undertook'
the Strathspey's own seasonal train stabled in that platform, hauled by Ivatt 2MT 46512. Lovely (not
Loveday) presents were distributed to every child by Santa as we climbed to 1,484 ft above sea level
to clear Drumochter Pass Summit. A great sense of joy was shared as it was announced that this train
had raised over £12,500 for Railway Children. Back on 4 Dec, return was via Stirling (crew change).

Over 300 miles later, red pens were deployed by some as the crossover from P20 to P2 at Waverley
was enjoyed; the Fixtures Secretary was seen to smile one more time, as that conversation from eight
hours earlier paid off and we arrived back at the capital on time at 16.46. https://bit.ly/31IjIdL is a
nice ScotRail staff filmed video of the tour (6⅔ min). Merry Christmas everyone!

David Palmer kindly produced route descriptions and historical notes for the Boat of Garten and Fife
Circle Santa Special trips - available as an e-BLN 1391 combined download. After careful consideration,
due to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's 10 Dec announcement, the latter (11 & 18 Dec) were cancelled.

:Details must be checked 1391 CONNECTIONS (Paul Stewart) [email protected] .Please mention BLN.

3312] Hidden London Tours: These excellent in person tours (small groups), reaching parts the public
can't normally reach, are back in Jan with Moorgate, Down Street, Aldwych & Euston stations. All are
thoroughly recommended by your fellow members. There are also more Secrets of Central London
walking tours. They help support London Transport Museum see https://bit.ly/3xogDKV and to book.

3313] Perchance It Waketh: The rebuilding of the Lynton &
Barnstaple Railway, Peter Snashall & Peter Nicholas, Narrow
Gauge Album No7. Published by Mainline & Maritime £19.95.

This great book starts with how a few volunteers met up and
started a small railway at The Milky Way Theme Park near
Clovelly. Called the LynBarn Railway it raised funds to
rebuild the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (L&BR) and in 1995
purchased Chelfham and Woody Bay stations. The L&BR
was reborn in 1996 when planning permission was granted
and work started at Woody Bay. Ten years later the line
reopened to Killington station on 27 May 2006. This short
stretch of line attracts many visitors due to its charm, 100%
Southern Railway authenticity and situation on Exmoor.
The way it is run by volunteers and its growing popularity
has enabled the L&BR to gradually purchase more trackbed and stations along the former route to
Barnstaple. This book explores with photos the rebuilding and planned expansion (the railway has
great potential) including other stations, rebuilt Bridges 54 & 55 and visiting locos from other lines.

3314] Monday 27 Dec, Crowle Peatland Railway: (BLN 1390.MR216 & photos) The Old Peatworks,
Dole Rd, Crowle, DN17 4BL (less than three miles from Crowle station). Map reference: SE757141.
Public running 10.00-15.30 at this new 3 foot gauge railway. Advance booking is not required.

CONTACT DETAILS: See BLN/e-BLN 1390 or 1350 (18 Apr 2020), website PDF or via BLN Editor.

●Editor: Paul Stewart [email protected] 4 Clarence Close, MALVERN, WR14 3HX 01684 562862 07790652351.
●Bookings: Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Road, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL 07983 541887.
●BLS Sales: Graeme Jolley [email protected] Dolbryn, Penegoes, MACHYNLLETH, Powys, SY20 8NN. 07484646542.
●Printed by Willow Printing & Design Ltd [email protected] 75/79 Back Cross Lane, NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS,
WA12 9YE 01925222449. ●Published by the Branch Line Society, 10 Sandringham Rd, STOKE GIFFORD, BS34 8NP.

X.257] ABOVE & BELOW: (Item 3192) Our 10 Jan 1987 Blue Circular Railtour at
Chessington Goods end of line buffer stops. Dave Mellor and Alan Pike are prominent above.

https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/870110bl.htm

The Hastings Unit was rather past its best! (The late John Robinson via Phil Robinson.)