1399

1012] Royston: A new £3.5M footbridge with lifts will replace the original bridge closed in 2020 after
NR found serious problems with the structure. Work should start soon for completion by early 2023.
1013] Now It Can Be Told (69); Hymek D7000 - The Conveyancer's Conveyance: Martin Connop Price.
In summer 1973 I was involved in a sizeable commercial transaction in Oxfordshire and completion
was due to take place in the early afternoon with a firm of solicitors in Abingdon. Late morning on the
appointed day a young man, in a pin stripe suit clutching a briefcase and a black rolled umbrella, took
a train from Paddington to Oxford and then a taxi to Abingdon. There were one or two issues around
the deal to be discussed but within an hour the draft had been handed over and the young solicitor
had a briefcase containing the appropriate deeds and documents. By then it was hardly possible to
return to the London office before 5.30pm and instead I had an excellent opportunity to make a quiet
inspection of Abingdon's branch line terminus (CP 9 Sep 1963), barely 200 yards away.

ABOVE: 1956 map; the Didcot to Oxford line runs bottom to top far right, Abingdon is bottom left.
The branch junction was north of Radley station just before the overbridge shown top right.

When I reached the well situated station it was apparent that the main building had been demolished
[in Oct 1970]. This structure, of distinct design, was erected after the more modest original building
had been badly damaged by an accident in Apr 1908, when a goods train crashed through the buffer
stops. The 1970 removal of the building created a large open space occupied only by the longish single
former passenger platform and numerous sidings, one of which appeared to be connected to the local
gasworks. There were a couple of coal wagons in view but most of the wagons were 'carflats' for
motor vehicles. The main business at Abingdon was then movement of 'MG' (Morris Garages) cars
from the nearby factory to distribution points in Britain and abroad. Walking along the platform I
noticed a diesel-hydraulic Class 35 'Hymek' shunting in the yard and a couple of railwaymen nearby.
One was standing some distance from the locomotive, enjoying a cigarette. He didn't seem thrilled to
see me. His colleague, clutching a shunting pole, was wearing a standard British Rail shunter's light
brown dustcoat of the type favoured by Ronnie Barker in 'Open All Hours' and was equally silent.
Plainly my pinstripe suit wasn't an aid to conversation! Ten minutes of talking eventually convinced
them that I wasn't the latest whizz-kid from head office and I was actually interested in the 1½ mile
long branch, in them and their work. After that they turned to their task of marshalling a short train of
empty 'carflats' to be taken to Oxford, Hinksey Yard (or beyond) for some necessary maintenance.

ABOVE: 25'' map (1910) of Abingdon terminus track layout with the single platform and gas works.

The Hymek turned out to be the class pioneer, D7000, one of only about a dozen still in regular use in
1973. After about 20 minutes of conversation and photography I was invited into the cab. After
sharing some fruit pastilles with the loco crew as a sweetener, friendship was established. I explained
that I had been in Abingdon on business but had to return to London. The two looked at each other
and at me: We'll be off to Hinksey Yard in a few minutes. If you like you can ride with us to Radley.
Any further than that and we might meet an inspector! Some offers are just too good to refuse and, of
course, this was one of them. As the men completed their work in the sidings, I learned that the driver
began his career on steam, at Oxford shed. In the 1950s he did a stint on the Fairford branch (which
had CP 16 Jun 1962) and had also worked Abingdon auto-trains before their withdrawal in 1963.

Plainly proud of this experience, he produced in evidence a steam engineman's grease top cap and
placed it near the locomotive controls. Before long the train of empty 'carflats' had been assembled
and the points were set for the running line. We trundled out of the sidings and onto the single track
branch. The driver kept the speed down to little more than 25mph as we rode past fields and flooded
gravel pits towards the main line. For a loco close to retirement (later in 1973), D7000 ran sweetly and
seemed in remarkably good order. As the distance to Radley station was just 2½ miles (the final mile
on a third independent bidirectional track running alongside the Up main line from Didcot to Oxford),
we soon approached the station. The driver, now wearing his engineman's cap, brought the diesel-
hydraulic to a halt at the branch platform to allow me to alight. As I did so, I turned to thank him.
He appeared with his peaked cap at the cab window and gave me a salute. I waved back in thanks.

There was a solitary workman in the Down side waiting shelter at the station. His stare indicated his
fascination with my means of arrival. For a moment it looked as though he was struggling to speak.
Eventually he came out with: You must be important! …. Why do you say that? I replied. The city suit,
he said, … and a chauffeur-driven diesel. Why spoil a good illusion? Laughing, I said something about
there being no harm in travelling in style and walked over the footbridge to the Up platform. A few
minutes later a rather unkempt DMU arrived on a stopping service and I was off back to London in a
style completely inappropriate to my alleged eminence. The branch became a favourite for railtours
but closed in 1984 (the last train was a 30 Sep 1984 passenger special). Then Abingdon people once
again had reason to rue the error of their Victorian ancestors when the main line bypassed the town.

1014] Stanford-le-Hope: (BLN 1373.861) Construction of the new station starts on site this summer.

ABOVE: The fine station building at Abingdon. (All Angus McDougall, date unknown, unless specified.)
BELOW: 0-4-2T No1442 is on the autotrain passenger service and will propel to Radley (the end of line is left).

ABOVE: A push pull Great Western Railway 'autocar' coach at Abingdon on Sat 27 Sep 1958.
BELOW: An Oxford University Railway Society visit to the branch in 1959 with 0-4-2T No1447.

ABOVE: Photo stop on the Oxford University Railway Society visit adjacent the Down Main Didcot to
Oxford line - left - but it was 1959! Left is 'Brian C' and right is 'Richard G' (any ideas who they are?).

BELOW: An Abingdon branch train in the loop (third) platform at Radley, looking north towards Oxford.

BELOW: That 1959 OURS trip again that photo stop, looking towards Oxford, the main line is on the right.

BELOW: A wet day at Abingdon towards the end of passenger

r services in the early 1960s, with a 'bubble car'. (Lamberhurst.)

ABOVE: A Down express approaches Radley from the south. Ahead right is the separate line to Abingdon.

BELOW: Abingdon on Saturday 11 July 1981, DMUs fouled the new car loading platform (right). Dave
Cromarty's 'Morris Man' http://bit.ly/2ZfEH08 Society tour from Paddington, the first to do Didcot
Power Station. (Your Editor went to great trouble to do it on an MGR train from Bagworth Colliery
just before he heard about the tour!) INSET: The passenger platform is right, looking to the end of line.

1015] Chelmsford: A stunning array of art, recreating Chappel Viaduct on the Sudbury branch, is on
show as prints along the Down platform railings. Between 2019 and 2021 a local artist, Wladyslaw
Mirecki, painted separate watercolours for each of the 32 arches of the Viaduct's eastern façade.
The Community Rail Partnership hopes the display will encourage people to explore the area by train.
The 320m Chappel Viaduct is an important part of the area's history. Built in the late 1800s by Peter
Bruff to span the River Colne, it is considered one of the largest brick built structures in Great Britain.
7M bricks, made from clay excavated from the nearby village of Bures, were used in its construction.

1016] One does not carry cash: From 28 Mar contactless ticketing was extended to GWR services on
the Windsor & Eton Central and Henley-on-Thames branches (just Paddington to Reading before).
Touch in/out yellow readers at gatelines accept bank cards, Android Pay and Apple Pay (but not Oyster
cards or Freedom Passes). Four additional stations are involved but not yet the Marlow branch.

1017] March - Peterborough: (BLN 1397.768) Just seven days after the Funthams Lane Level Crossing
accident, the Railway Inspectorate was called upon to hold a formal inquiry into a collision between a
Down (to Peterborough) DMU and a parcels train 2m 36ch to the east at Whittlesea on the same line
at 21.17 on Wed 15 Mar 1972. The DMU driver, three passengers and a guard travelling as a passenger
suffered from shock and minor injuries. The driver was kept in hospital overnight and one passenger
wasn't released until four days later. The rear vehicle of the parcels train was severely damaged and
displaced from its bogies, while the DMU driving cab was significantly crushed, and its leading bogie
derailed. The Up (to March) line was cleared and single line working introduced between Whittlesea
and Three Horse Shoes at 23.47. The Down line reopened to traffic at 04.40 the following morning.

Lt Colonel IKA McNaughton was tasked with establishing what went wrong. Problems began at 20.05
when the experienced relief signalman at Whittlesea (94m 55ch) discovered a complete block and
communications failure between his box and Three Horse Shoes (91m 05ch). He at once drew the
attention of a signal technician, who was working nearby, to the failure. Assuming that someone had
interfered with the wires, the technician set off walking the line to investigate. He eventually came
across two spans of rolled up wires near the Three Horse Shoes Up Distant signal. There was no sign of
the miscreants whose thieving had clearly been interrupted.

Meanwhile, having received 'Train Entering Section' from March West signal box (86m 16ch) for 3S38,
a Liverpool Street to Edinburgh parcels train, the 24 year old signalman at Three Horse Shoes, who
had been at that location for six years, his only signal box, found he couldn't obtain 'Line Clear' from
Whittlesea. He then received a phone call from Whitemoor Telegraph Office confirming there was a
total block failure between his box and Whittlesea and that he should introduce Time Interval
Working. Having brought 3S38 to a stand at his starting signal, instead of alongside his box as he
should have done by displaying a red light, he went to speak to the driver to inform him of the
situation and that he should pass the Down starting and intermediate block home signals at danger
and proceed cautiously to Whittlesea. He didn't mention that 'Time Interval' was in operation. 3S38
departed at 20.30 and passed Whittlesea safely at 20.36.

After an Up express (1E82) had gone through the section without incident, the next Down train at
Three Horse Shoes was 3M21 Yarmouth to Curzon Street parcels, twelve bogie vans and Class 37
locomotive D6726. He brought it to a stand at the signal box and the secondman came up to the box
at 20.44 to sign the Train Register to comply with Rule 55. [This once required the fireman of any train
detained more than a short time at a signal box to walk to the box and remain there until the train
could leave. His responsibilities included ensuring the signalman protected his train with a collar on
the lever to prevent it being pulled and to sign the Train Register Book.] The signalman decided to
adopt a time interval of 16 minutes for following trains into the section to Whittlesea, 10 minutes
more than the normal running time for passenger and parcels trains. The secondman was informed
there was a block failure with no communication but not that 'Time Interval' was in force. 3M21 left at
20.46 and the signalman shouted to the guard as he passed there was total block failure. (The train
should not have departed until the guard had been told properly.) He noticed that the tail light was
displayed satisfactorily. 3M21 arrived at Whittlesea outer home signal, which was at danger, at 21.03.

Back at Three Horse Shoes, the next Down train was 1B38 the 18.38 Colchester to Peterborough 2-car
DMU, which came to a stand alongside the signal box at 20.57. When the Peterborough based guard
came up to the signal box to sign the Train Register (Rule 55), he was informed by the signalman there
was a total block failure to Whittlesea but was not told there was no communication or that 'Time
Interval' was in force, although he did instruct the guard to tell his driver to proceed into the section at
caution, which he did. 1B38 departed at 21.02. Unfortunately, the guard assumed that it was a normal
block failure and didn't appreciate, or convey to the March based driver, the potential seriousness of
the situation. This, however, didn't absolve the driver from not proceeding into the section cautiously
which he conspicuously failed to do, accelerating up to 40mph before braking down to 25mph when
he spotted the Whittlesea Down distant signal at caution. He then became aware of a red light ahead,
not in the correct position of the outer home signal. This in fact was the tail lamp of the rear vehicle of
3M21, the driver of whom had just seen the signal clear and was beginning to move his train forward
to Whittlesea signal box. Too late; despite the DMU driver making a full brake application, and
releasing the Drivers' Safety Device, a collision was inevitable.

Lt Colonel McNaughton concluded that the chief cause was the DMU driver's failure to observe
Rule 127 (xxiii), which required him to proceed through the section cautiously. Instead he ran at a
speed in excess of what was sensible on a very dark night and approached Whittlesea outer home
signal too fast and thus was unable to stop when he realised there was an obstruction ahead. For his
lack of judgement, he was mainly responsible for the accident. However, the Three Horse Shoes
signalman's failure to properly communicate with the driver via the guard, and failure to tell him that
'Time Interval' was in force, was criticised, as was the guard for not questioning what the signalman
had told him. A degree of responsibility was also placed on British Railways. This was because the 1950
Rule Book, Rule 56 specifically, mentioned in its opening section instructions when the 'Time Interval'
system was in force, yet clause (d) of the same Rule failed to do so. There was also no mention of it in
Regulation 25 of the 'Regulations for Train Signalling on double lines by the Absolute Block System'.

The Inspecting Officer was pleased to learn that the new October 1972 Rule Book rectified the former
anomaly but was concerned nothing had as yet changed in the latter publication - that is no specific
reference to 'Time Interval', and his Report, issued surprisingly as late as the 30 May 1973, strongly
recommended that an appropriate amendment should be issued.

Absolute Block still applies between Three Horse Shoes (once junction for the 4m 41ch Benwick goods
branch CG 13 Jul 1964) and Whittlesea, although there is no longer a crossover at the former.

Another signal box named Three Horse Shoes existed between South Pelaw and Tyne Dock between
West Boldon Goods and Washington Chemical Works, closing with the line on 21 Nov 1966.

1018] Broxbourne - Hertford East: (BLN 1390.3128) Services were suspended 11-18 Apr with buses
provided in a short notice possession for the Ware and Hertford East platform works. It will not have
completed the project so further service suspension is expected as commissioning is 'by the autumn'.

1019] Chelmsford, Beaulieu Park: (BLN 1394.354) Chelmsford City Council has consulted on proposals
concerning 'Reserved Matters' for the new station. On 4 Mar 2022 NR submitted an application to the
Council seeking to discharge these and conditions of the 29 May 2013 outline planning permission.
The 'Reserved Matters' include the public realm, station operational buildings, passenger facilities and
concourse, size and commercial space distribution, Arboriculture Impact Assessment, Ecological
Management Plan and archaeological evaluation. The station is part of a £252M regeneration
programme for road and rail infrastructure to support 14,000 new homes along the Chelmsford to
Braintree corridor. NR framework contractor J Murphy & Sons Ltd is completing the design of the new
station. Subject to a positive determination, construction could begin later this year for 2026 opening.

1020] Cheddington: (BLN 1398.891) Up Slow P4 TCP Fri 21 Jan for rebuilding due to failing (rotting)
wood in the timbers supporting it on the embankment which itself was also failing. Access for the
work was by installation of a temporary road surface through the adjacent field. A few trains called at
P4 on 26 Mar and early on 29 Mar. It ROP Mon 11 Apr although there were then no passenger trains in
either direction from 15-18 Apr due to the Easter line closure for works south of Milton Keynes.

1021] Lowestoft: (BLN 1397.769) The 12.12 train on 9 Mar 2022 of spent ballast for recycling at the
Longport Pinnox appears to have been a 'one train' wonder, with the second cancelled and no further
activity in the next six weeks. Rumours posted elsewhere suggest the initial trial was not a success.
Does the pile of ballast remain on the pad in Lowestoft yard or has it been moved, maybe by road?

1022] HS2 Chiltern Tunnel: HS2 has completed the first stage of tunnelling from the south portal just
inside the M25 between Junction 16 and 17 to the ventilation shaft at Chalfont St Peter. Over 3.6
miles total has been dug by the two 2,000 tonne tunnelling machines. The 78m deep shaft at Chalfont
St Peter is the first of five providing emergency access and ventilation to the twin tunnels. Once built
the shaft will be covered by a headhouse designed to resemble local farm buildings.

The two machines are expected to break out at the north portal in about two and a half years. A team
of 17 work on each machine to keep them running, supported by over 100 people on the surface.
Each of the northbound and southbound tunnels requires 56,000 precision engineered, fibre
reinforced concrete wall segments. These are all being manufactured in purpose built factories on site
at the south portal just inside the M25, most easily visible from the anti-clockwise carriageway. HS2
has also issued the designs for the north portal of the Chiltern Tunnel, designed to reduce noise from
trains entering and exiting the project's longest tunnel at up to 320km/h. Two perforated concrete
hoods will cover the track, extending the 10 mile long tunnel into the open air. These 'porous portals'
will avoid sudden changes in air pressure and resulting noise caused by trains entering and exiting the
tunnels. Set low into the landscape between Great Missenden and South Heath in Buckinghamshire,
the portals will only be visible from a footbridge over the railway to the north. To allow for different
levels of air pressure, the portal for trains entering the tunnel will be 220m long, and 135m for those
exiting. Both will have smooth concrete on top and textured concrete to a low level, to reduce staining
and maintenance. Alongside the portals, there will also be a single storey ancillary building to house
mechanical and electrical equipment. HS2 is currently seeking views from the community about the
final design, with options including a green roof, split louvered or an anodised aluminium façade.

1023] Watford North Jn: (BLN 1376.1272) Two new trailing crossovers (replacing those removed in
2014) were to be installed over Easter, one between the Up Fast and Down Fast, and the other
between the Up Slow and Down Slow, both secured OOU until commissioning, expected in Apr 2023.

The two facing crossovers (not on TRACKmaps 4 p2B 2018) installed and secured OOU in a previous
long possession are between the Up Fast and Down Slow. The two additional trailing crossovers will,
when all four are commissioned, permit parallel moves from/to the Slow Lines on the London side of
the Watford Junction (P8 & P9 side) from and to the Fast Lines on the country side of the junction.

1399 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
1024] Thames Gateway Tramlink: 5 Apr New Civil Engineer featured this Tramlink project between
Grays and a location described as 'London Resort'. A key merit is stated to be relieving the QEII
Dartford River Crossing but it is in fact located significantly downstream, using the innovative
engineering solution of a submersed tube for the line to cross the Thames. Underwater parts of the
Nordstream2 gas pipeline use this technology. The section described as 'in detailed planning' runs
from Purfleet and Chafford Lakeside on the Essex side to Ebbsfleet International and Gravesend on
the Kent side. There are potential extra branches on each side of the River. https://kenextransit.co.uk
has more information. Headline cost of £800M would seem to be an April fool but the scheme is
seriously promoted. The immersed tube tunnel is only 1.2km in length, so the cost estimate is of the
right order (on the basis that the outturn costs of all these major projects are historically at least 2.5 x
the authorised cost at outset. HS2 for example was authorised at £40bn for the full works - including
the now deleted northern section - and is currently estimated to cost around £100bn).

1025] Sheerness: During a road closure from 11th until 14 Mar the track on the oblique open crossing
(TQ 9112 7476) of Brielle Way (A429) was removed. It was where the branch off the ex-passenger
branch to Sheerness Dockyard station (BLN 1392.95) from Sheerness Dockyard Jn entered the dock
area known as Blue Town. (TRACKmaps 5 p6B 2019 'former Line to Sheerness Dock and Steelworks'.)

BELOW: (Item 1021) Lowestoft Yard, the residual piles of spent ballast afte

er the 9 Mar trian remains unchanged as at 19 Apr 2022. (Pete/Anglia-Gen.)

1026] Egham - Wokingham; Ascot - Ash Vale and Virginia Water - Addlestone: (See BLN 1370.415)
The new signalling was to be commissioned on Tue 19 Apr in the area bounded by Rusham AHBC level
crossing (21m 61ch, ¾ mile south of Egham), Bracknell station inclusive, Chertsey station inclusive and
between Camberley and Frimley (more precise signalling boundaries are shown on TRACKmaps).

Signal control transferred from Feltham to Basingstoke Rail Operating Centre, Ascot Workstation,
with axle counter train detection. The Up and Down Main Lines between Rusham Level Crossing and
Bracknell were renamed the Up and Down Twickenham Lines. At Virginia Water the trailing crossover
at the country end on the Chertsey Lines at 24m 46ch becomes a new signalled turn back facility,
allowing passenger trains from Chertsey to turn back in P3. From 2 May Bracknell London end trailing
crossover at 32m 20ch (now disconnected, clipped and padlocked OOU) is due to be commissioned to
allow passenger turnbacks from London in P2. Both crossovers will be signalled for ECS shunts in the
opposite direction to that described. New or altered signals numbers will have a 'BEF' prefix.

1027] Brighton line: On 24 Aug 2021, at the third attempt, a member photographed the site of Tinsley
Green station (27m 37ch), denoted by the 'Tinsley Green' sign on the Up side of the Brighton main line
70ch south of Gatwick Airport station, and inaccessible to the public. It's only possible to photograph
it in the morning, with the sun in the east and no freight trains in the way! OP 30 Sep 1935 as 'Tinsley
Green for Gatwick Airport', renamed Gatwick Airport 1 Jun 1936 it CP 28 May 1958 when the present
station OP. At Haywards Heath he had a short taxi tour to Ardingly (CP 28 Oct 1963) where the main,
street level station buildings exist and appear to be used by Hanson Aggregates as offices for their rail
freight operations there. The tracks end (TQ 3396 2766) slightly north of the original passenger
alignment and platforms before College Road. The taxi driver was interested in what our member was
doing, and for just £2 more took him to a roadside footpath access to enable ground level
photographs of the magnificent 482yd Ouse Valley Viaduct, an excellent bonus to the day.
This completed photographing all open and closed stations/sites, for him, on the London, Brighton &
South Coast Railway (LB&SC) main Brighton Line and east thereof, as well as in Greater London.

Continuing by train from Haywards Heath via Three Bridges to Amberley, the Chalk Pits Museum had
a sign up: 'fully booked today'. It was just as well he wasn't going there, but he hadn't photographed
Amberley station on any of his previous museum visits. There are original LB&SC red brick buildings on
the Down side, with a lattice footbridge to the Up, which hosts a timber, barrel roofed waiting shelter.
Rails in the ground at the museum entrance are remains of the Pepper & Son Ltd chalk pits tramway.

Christ's Hospital station has undergone much surgery but has avoided a Sectional Appendicectomy.
All the canopies have gone, replaced with a glass and aluminium shelter on the Up side, with a
butchered flat roofed building on the Down side. The gate leading onto the former Guildford line
platform was padlocked, requiring a very circuitous ½ mile walk via the station driveway and under the
line to reach the Downs Way, a long distance foot and cycle path on the Guildford line trackbed.
The platforms are in situ this side of the station, with a Southern Railway style Christ's Hospital green
running in board. It is worth seeing and contrasts with the modern nameboards erected by Southern
TOC and Christ's Hospital Public School. A row of good quality railway housing completes the picture.

Onward via Horsham and onto the Thameslink service that now serves Littlehaven and Ifield - both
originally LB&SCR halts. Littlehaven OP 1 Jun 1907 as Rusper Road Crossing, not very catchy or apt
they soon renamed it Littlehaven Crossing the following month. CP 1 Jan 1917, it ROP 3 May 1920 and
hung onto its 'Halt' suffix until 5 May 1969. The station still has its LB&SCR ticket hut; these halts were
originally served by an LB&SCR auto train consisting of an A1X 0-6-0T coupled with a Marsh 'Balloon'
autocoach a century ago. Since then, passenger numbers have clearly 'ballooned'; the platforms at
Littlehaven have recently been lengthened to accommodate 12-car Class 700/1 EMUs.

To be frank, Ifield also OP 1 Jun 1907 as Lyons Crossing Halt (at Lions Crossing Farm!), that name was
not a roaring success as it became Ifield Halt from 6 Jul 1907 then CP 1 Jan 1917. ROP 3 May 1920, the
'Halt' was dropped from 6 Jul 1930. Its buildings look like a 1930s Southern Railway 'economy job' - it
serves the western suburb of Crawley new town (new in 1947!). Ifield was also our member's last ex-
LB&SCR 'open' station to snap up, leaving some closed stations west of the Brighton Main Line to do.

1028] Lest people resort to public transport: (BLN 1376.1278) The developer behind plans for the
£3.5bn London Resort theme parks has withdrawn its planning application, 15 months after the plans
were first lodged. In a letter to the Planning Inspectorate, London Resort Company Holdings (LRCH)
chief executive Pierre-Yves Gerbeau revealed that the Development Consent Order application would
be withdrawn with immediate effect so that a revised transport strategy could be drawn up.

The letter adds: There are changes we would like to make to revise the transport strategy, principally
as a result of the classification of Tilbury as a Freeport and consequent implications. This issue,
combined with the decision by Natural England to designate a brownfield contaminated site as a SSSI
has undermined the project in its current form. LRCH will carry out additional transport modelling
exercises after TfL, NR and local authorities said that transport facilities could be overwhelmed if the
theme park proceeds. In particular, concerned parties warned that the Elizabeth line, HS1 and key
roads such as the Dartford Crossing could be severely impacted. There were also concerns about the
proposed development which was earmarked to use land safeguarded for the potential Crossrail
Ebbsfleet extension. London Resort comprises two theme parks on 1,157 acres in Swanscombe, Kent.

:1399 SOUTH WEST PLEASE USE:: [email protected] :POST TO BLN EDITOR PLEASE.
(A silent locum is covering this section - so thank you to all our SW contributors.)

1029] Cullompton and Wellington to boot: NR is to develop detailed designs and a full business case
for the new stations, after receipt of £5M from the Restoring Your Railway programme. NR will work
with local authority partners, the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership and GWR. It is
anticipated that this will be submitted to DfT by end of Dec 2023 and, if approved with receipt of the
necessary funding, construction could start in 2024 for opening in 2025. Both stations CP 5 Oct 1964
and are at the largest non-rail served settlements between (at least) Exeter and Taunton.

1030]: Truro - Penzance: Further proposed line closures in Nov 2022 include the Newquay branch w/c
16 Nov (to commission new signalling) and for Road Rail Vehicle access at Lostwithiel Level Crossing.
In Sep 2021 the project identified that there are insufficient track access opportunities within 'Rules of
The Route' - those agreed with train operators under which speed restrictions or temporary line
closures can be imposed for maintenance purposes - and that, due to the railway geography, there are
only a limited number of access sites without disruptive access. The resignalling is a high priority
project due to the poor state of some track circuits, particularly near Laira Depot in Plymouth.

Over 5-6 Nov weekend, GWR services terminate at/start from St Austell, requiring 15 min between
arrival and departure for a Pilotman and a Ground Frame Operator to allow services to reverse over
the crossover. CrossCountry turnback at Par. Falmouth branch services are replaced by road transport.

1031] Castle Cary: This year's Glastonbury Music Festival is the first since 2019 and its camping site
near Pilton is open from Wed 22 to 27 Jun. GWR is to run 51 trains to Castle Cary for participants, of
which 18 are additional. This means reductions in services elsewhere to provide rolling stock, including
(as usual) Paddington to Cardiff services. Pop pickers, while encouraged to wear appropriate footwear
(it can be rather muddy…) are warned not to bring any sack barrows or trolleys. This is due to lack of
luggage space on IETs - there is actually a barrow crossing at Castle Cary London end.

1032] Severn Estuary freight nailed and it's curtains for landslips: (BLN 1397.782) Almost 50 freight
trains a week will continue to run through Lydney and Chepstow while it is TCP from Mon 18 Jul until
08.00 Sun 14 Aug. The line urgently needs work to stabilise steep cuttings and protect it from floods.
Freight will run overnight conveying domestic intermodal traffic, bulk liquids, refined oil products and
finished steel from manufacturing plants in South Wales. Due to climate change, the route has
suffered five major landslips in the last two years alone, which closed the line for lengthy periods.

Of particular concern is a cliff face section, about 5km long, in a narrow corridor where works will
include extensive soil nailing and steel curtaining. Around 30,000 tonnes of material will be removed
during the project. The £25M programme extends well into 2023. The original railway promoters
typically bought as little land as possible, putting railways in narrow corridors, often resulting in steep
earthworks and cuttings. Many such early Victorian works are no longer fit for purpose.

BELOW: A route refreshing ECS through Pinhoe which becomes a regular s

service train in the new timetable (Item 1034). (Mark Fishlock, 12 Apr 2022.)

1033] Newton Abbot East Jn (0m 14ch) - Heathfield: (BLN 1352.1464) The temporary OOU status
(saving business rates) of the branch beyond 0m 55ch (a temporary sleeper stop block) to the end of
line at 4m 07ch is to be extended for a further two years until 28 Apr 2024. Access is maintained to
Newton Abbot bay (former P9, later the Motorail dock). The last train (two return trips) to Heathfield,
a First Great Western HST, was our 'First Devon & Exeter Explorer' railtour of Sat 10 Oct 2015.

1034] Axminster: From 16 May, GWR runs a SSuX 16.31 Barnstaple to Axminster DMU, returning ECS
as 18.47 Axminster to Exeter TMD (22.25) via Yeovil Junction and Castle Cary, for route knowledge.

1035] Over 50 years ago; Western Region Timetable 5 May 1969-3 May 1970 (Part 2): (BLN 1397.787)

●West of England trains at even hours from Paddington, 08.30 to 16.30, ran to Penzance; often fast
Reading to Taunton or Exeter, (fastest 3½ hours to Plymouth and 5hr 35 min to Penzance). The 17.30
& 18.30 ran to Plymouth. Odd hours 09.30 to 15.30 were to Paignton, serving Westbury and Dawlish
onwards. Apart from 'The Cornishman' (behind 'The Cornish Riviera') and the 16.38 & 21.25 Plymouth
to Truro stoppers, the 17.10 slow to Penzance and the sleeper, that was about it in Cornwall! Pewsey
only saw three trains each way, two long distance plus a Reading to Weymouth stopping service.

●Waterloo - Exeter was 2-hourly, most had restaurant cars SSuX, but on Sundays only 3 (winter) and
4 (summer) ran between Exeter (the first left at 12.00!) and Waterloo plus 07.40 ex-Yeovil Junction.

●West Wales had an erratic service, roughly 2-hourly ex-Swansea to Milford Haven/Pembroke Dock,
alternating with connections at Whitland to the other, plus day and night trains to Fishguard Harbour.

●Bristol to Cardiff was roughly hourly. ●Gloucester to Cardiff locals 2-hourly, plus four long distance
trains to and from the north, all with buffet cars, running non-stop between Gloucester and Newport.

●North Cotswold Line: Seven Paddington to Worcester services (three SuO!), most with restaurant
cars, three to Hereford. A handful of local services ran either side of Moreton-in-Marsh in addition.

●Banbury: Six 2-hourly Paddington to Birmingham New Street via Bicester (North) semi-fast services
with buffet cars were supplemented by five from Reading to New Street, one to York and Leeds, one
started from Southampton and two Poole. There were seven local services from Didcot or Oxford via
Kings Sutton, only four a day (SuX) each way stopped at Tackley and Heyford; Kings Sutton had more.
Summer Saturdays had five extra long distance services: Poole to Halifax (Sheffield to Bournemouth
going south), Poole to Liverpool, Bournemouth to Manchester, Portsmouth to Wolverhampton and
also to Walsall trains each way supplementing the three daily services. Note: none at all on Sundays.

●Hereford to Worcester and Birmingham via Kidderminster was a basic 2-hourly interval service with
extra trains from Hereford and Great Malvern to New Street in the morning peak. Southbound it was
more erratic, with changes often required at Worcester with poor connections. Some long distance
trains did run via Shrub Hill. Sundays Great Malvern was served by three trains each way between
16.47 and 21.03 only one was to/from Paddington and two ran to/from Birmingham New Street.

●Shrewsbury - Newport had six through trains a day SuX, four to Cardiff (generally Shrewsbury to
Hereford nonstop) most from Manchester Piccadilly (one Lime Street). SuX five local trains served
intermediate stations. SuO there were three northbound trains all day and two going south in total.

●Portsmouth saw three through Bristol trains a day; another five went as far as Salisbury (one started
from Westbury connecting from a Bristol to Weymouth train). ●Westbury to Weymouth had seven
trains; all but two started at Westbury with good Temple Meads connections. All but the last had a
Bridport connection, two other branch services ran to connect with northbound trains. One Westbury
to Weymouth service each way was through to and from Reading, as mentioned earlier.

●The NE/SW corridor was better served; roughly XX.30 from Birmingham, most from Derby, Sheffield
or beyond (nothing past Newcastle) for Cheltenham and beyond. Roughly every third hour they ran to
Cardiff (one Swansea) with some terminated at Temple Meads but several ran to the West Country.
One ran to Taunton, two Paignton, three Plymouth and two Penzance. There were no trains from the
North West via Cheltenham as these all ran via Hereford then as described above. Summer Saturdays
saw numerous additional services to Paignton, Penzance and (late afternoons) Plymouth. But in 2022:

1036] CrossCountry not crossing the country: There are no summer Saturday dated CrossCountry
trains at all to Newquay in the new timetable and only the regular all-year ones each way are shown
to Paignton. SO the latter are just two from Bristol, one back and one to Birmingham; on weekdays
one is from Bristol and the other Birmingham where both return. SuO Paignton has one train to/from
Birmingham and one to Bristol. Now the bad news! Allegedly due to Covid (but also the ASLEF ban on
rest day working), only Sunday services have been running recently and this could continue in May.

GWR has two summer dated IETs to Newquay (one from Paddington, the other Bristol Parkway) but
bans surfboards. Bored Surfers and their boards are advised to use local services instead (hmmm… an
all stations DMU from Paddington perhaps?). They do run all year 7-day services between Paddington
and Paignton (three each way SSuX) with extras on summer Saturdays. Treading on Chris Parker's toes,
there are no summer Saturday GWR IETs to Tenby and Pembroke Dock this year; they last ran in 2019.

1399 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]
1037] Donnington (three 'ns'): Telford International Railfreight Park is accessed by a single line at the
west end of Wellington station from Donnington Jn. The points in the complex are hand operated and
any movement is subject to an onsite Person In Charge (PIC) who liaises directly with West Midlands
Signalling Centre (WMSC). Prior to an arrival, the Telford Work station signaller must obtain the PIC's
permission to accept a train before signalling the movement into 'Donnington Siding' ensuring the
terminal gates are opened and all trains must arrive with the loco leading. On departure the train is
marshalled within the Terminal Sidings and contact made with WMSC to obtain permission for the
train to draw in to Donnington Siding. The WMSC will then clear the scheduled departure onto the Up
Wellington. Only one train can occupy Donnington Siding at a time. The branch is 2m 68ch long with
the NR boundary at 0m 44ch - a selection of brand new WM Class 196 DMUs are in secure storage.

1038] Stoke-on-Trent: Developer, Capital & Centric has received planning permission to build a £60M
urban quarter between the station and the Trent & Mersey Canal known as the 'Goods Yard'.
It includes housing, works spaces, shops, bars, cafés and a new public square at the Swift House site.
The 'Signal Box' is a proposed café-bar in what is said to be a derelict NR signal box. The picture matches
the 3-storey, boarded up, substantial, blue brick building alongside Glebe St (A52) on the Down side
just before that road passes beneath the line south of Stoke station. It is set back from the railway and
looks like the former Goods Yards Offices not a signal box - any thoughts, thinking outside the box?

1039] West Midlands Metro: ❶The Mayor and Transport for West Midlands held a meeting with
tram manufacturer CAF at the Wednesbury depot. CAF accepted that the cracks in the door frames,
causing the metro service to be suspended for a third time, are due to a 'design fault'. Engineers from
Spain and other countries where they have experience of fixing similar issues are now training staff
here to speed up the repair programme. Work involves replacing the broken panels with strengthened
new ones. Engineers are only able to work on one frame on either side of a tram at a time to avoid
further damage to the vehicle. The problems only affect the original 21 Urbos3 trams with no repairs
(currently) required on the eight newer Urbos100 trams. A service will not resume until at least 12-15
trams are available. Latest predictions (which have had a poor track record in the past on WM Metro)
are for the end of May. From 4 Apr passengers had to make their own transport arrangements with
the end of ticket acceptance on rail and bus services but they could have a refund on season tickets.

❷Overnight on Mon 4 Apr Urbos100 No45 became the first tram to reach Edgbaston Village on
Phase 2 of Birmingham Westside extension. This was the first slow speed run with a team of engineers
watching it closely from Library, along Broad Street via Five Ways underpass to the new terminus at
Edgbaston Village. It is still hoped that passenger services will start in June (‽) but this video of the
test run https://bit.ly/3KRRnml (50 seconds) maybe the nearest we get to doing the line for a while.

❸The DfT has confirmed a £1.05bn grant to improve transport in the West Midlands. With local
funding, £1.3bn is expected to be invested over the next five years. The first schemes approved
include the £43M enlargement of Wednesbury tram depot (BLN 1371.583). The original 22 year old
power supply system on the Birmingham to Wolverhampton line will also be upgraded (£17M).





X.97] PREVIOUS: (BLN 1398.913) The new Coventry station extension o
This is the interchange subway entrance with the multi-storey car park toweri

on Sun 20 Mar, the day it quietly opened at 12.00. (All Simon Mortimer.)
ing above Warwick Road, despite appearances it has not been built skew whiff.

BELOW: The new Warwick Road Upper

r Level looking away from Warwick Road.

BELOW: The Upper Warwick Road level look

king towards the new Warwick Road entrance.

[BLN
BELOW: Entrance to the new Birm

N 1399]
mingham end footbridge at Coventry.

X.98] BELOW: WM Metro Brierley Hill extension work; Great Bridge looki

ing towards the site of Horseley Fields Jn. (Peter Humphries, 5 Apr 2022.)



1040] Stourbridge branch: Neither Class 139 Parry People Movers has moved any people since 23.30
on 29 Mar when the service was replaced by buses. Dates for the completion of repairs (reportedly
cracking) and the service restarting have kept moving forward though, and have reached Sat 23 Apr.

1041] New Street: From Sun 13 Mar until Sun 3 Apr all 13 platforms were available for the first time in
a good while, then P6 and No1 (through) Siding closed for resignalling work until 14.00 Sun 8 May.

… 1399 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
1042] East - West Tour: The Sat 2 Apr RPSI tour ran as advertised except Skerries Loop was done in
the Up direction rather than Down. Bonus track was Heuston P10 and Kildare crossovers as the train
was routed via the centre road Up Main in the Down direction to allow a service train to overtake.

1043]♫♪♭♪: (BLN 1397.801) Heuston has had its piano retu(r)ned but other stations have not yet.

1044] Eggsasperating: (BLN 1398.920) The Easter Sun 17 Apr steam trains from Lanyon Place to
Whitehead were cancelled due to lack of bookings but the well supported Saturday trains ran.

1045] Bangor: The BBC reports (and not on 1 Apr) that a zero carbon emission 'commuter ferry', with
electric propulsion, is being developed to run between Bangor Marina and Belfast Titanic Quarter by
2024. It will be operated by Condor Ferries and take about 30 min each way. However, the Marina is
on the periphery of Bangor with very little parking and at Belfast further transport will be needed to
the city centre. The train to Great Victoria Street (city centre) takes 32 min with faster peak trains.

1046] It's cheaper by Irish Rail: In line with other tickets Annual and Monthly seasons were reduced
by around 20% to encourage rail travel from 1 Apr. Those who had already purchased annual tickets at
the higher rate will automatically have three months additional travel added at no extra cost. The
Taxsaver Scheme saves up to 52% of the cost for higher rate taxpayers. The employer buys an annual
ticket for their employee up front and, with agreement, deducts the cost monthly throughout the year
from the employee's gross salary. This saves both parties on Pay Related Social Insurance and reduces
the employee's PAYE and Universal Social Charge. A Drogheda to Pearse or Kildare to Heuston annual
rail ticket is €2,100 but only €1,512 to lower rate tax payers or €1,092 for those on the higher rate.

1399 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
1047] From the horse's mouth: (BLN 1396.664) Actually the 'Manx Independent', which reported on
14 Apr that there is a 'strong possibility' of no horse trams running this year. The points still have to be
fitted to allow trams from Derby Castle to turnback at Broadway, then the road surface finished off
and the inspector has to sign off all the new track. The horses will need to be retrained on the new
route; horses have good memories but they don't stretch back to Sun 21 Sep 2018 - the last day the
whole tramway operated on its previous route. Then there are the operating staff to train as well.

Unfortunately it is not possible to do the track on alternative vehicles such as a Wickham railcar.
Our Laxey duet were refused one for the Society's 23 Sep 2016 Derby Castle horse tram all lines
(it was!) depot railtour as the wheel profile and the rail profile were incompatible. Secondly, a reading
of the original Horse Tramway Act reveals that use of motive power other than equine requires formal
approval by what is now the IOM Council of Ministers (we did use 'people power' on 23 Sep 2016).

'Official' opening of the horse tramway was on 7 Aug 1876; Douglas Corporation took it over from
2 Jan 1900 - winter services ending 30 Sep 1927. It closed 'for the duration' of WWII on 28 Sep 1939,
ROP 1 May 1946 (the longest closure to date… but they are working on it). After losing £263k in 2015,
Douglas Corporation announced in Jan 2016 that the Tramway would close but it was saved by a public
campaign and taken over by the IOM Heritage Railways division of the Department of Infrastructure.

1048] Snaefell Mountain Railway: On 2 Apr snow and ice caused service suspension but later Car No4
reached Bungalow where passengers alighted. On 11th April the SMR was again suspended, this time
due to high winds. At Bungalow the IOM A18 'Mountain Road' level crossing used to have amber
warning lights, with road traffic required to give way to crossing trams. During a recent major road
closure, it was upgraded and conventional traffic lights were installed with warning on the approach to
each side. Red lights stop road traffic for trams to cross but there is no speed limit here on the road!!

BELOW: (Item 1049) 'Rush Hour' (or 20 minutes) at Laxey, 10.13 Tue 5 Apr, look

king towards Ramsey, the Snaefell Mountain Railway is left. (Jenny Williamson.)

BELOW: 'Rush Hour' again with three SMR Cars 1, 4 & 5. Just beyond, to the
which brought a full load of passengers (probably two coach loads) and was

e left of SMR 1, is the unadvertised 09.25 ex-Douglas, MER 21 with Trailer 42,
s just about to head out to turn round. (Jenny Williamson, 09.45, Tue 19 Apr.)

X.99] BELOW: No11 Maitland on an Isle of Man Steam Railway Advanced
(You have a wagon as well as the coach and have to shunt at both ends o

d Ultimate Driving Experience at Port Erin. (Graeme Easton, 19 Apr 2022.)
of the trip so the wagon runs next to the loco as it is piped but not braked).

BELOW: Maitland passing Crogga (just southwest of Port Soderick) on the

e 09.50 ex-Douglas. (Graeme Easton, Sat 9 Apr 2022 - the day it later failed.)

X.100] Guess the Location: BELOW: (BLN 1398.X.94) A well known member is
up. Wrexham Central, by then a single platform looking west towards Wrexh
Ellesmere line (behind photographer) one left with a bay to its left and two ba

s waiting to catch a train (but not a passenger train) on 22 Jun 1978 - it did turn
ham Exchange/General. There used to be FIVE platforms - two through on the
ays on the right side. So which freight train was your now Editor waiting for?

1049] Laxey: Rush hour is just after 10am. An unadvertised tram and trailers leave Douglas at 09.25,
run for coach party bookings to Laxey to connect with the first Snaefell car. It turns back at Laxey,
forming the 10.25 (advertised) to Douglas. The ECS for the first passenger working (10.15) up Snaefell
arrives before 10.00. The second tram for Snaefell works up the mountain before this, to check the
line, taking staff and supplies for the café, then returns with rubbish from the previous day. It sits in
Laxey until its 10.45 departure. The first advertised tram from Douglas (09.40) with a trailer is due to
leave Laxey at 10.10 for Ramsey. So Laxey at around 10.05/10.15 is impressively busy each day!

1050] Steam Railway: ❶(BLN 1398.924) On 7 Apr No11 Maitland ran its first service (as opposed to
dining) train since overhaul. However, on Sat 9th it failed at Port Soderick on a Murder Mystery Diner.
Initially participants thought it was just part of the plot! The crew got the loco running enough to run
round and gingerly return to Douglas. The issue was with the eccentric crank* [No comment.] With no
spare loco, the 11.50 ex-Douglas and 14.00 ex-Port Erin were cancelled on Sun 10th to run a Sunday
Lunch train. 'Maitland' was to have been the star of the Easter Rush Hour event but this had to be
amended. By 16 Apr 'Maitland' had been repaired with parts from 'Hutchinson' and made a successful
test run to Castletown. It hauled the dinning trains on Sun 17 Apr to avoid affecting the timetable.

*An eccentric crank: On a steam loco, the eccentric crank is connected 'off centre' to the main
driving rod (the one from the cylinders) of the driving wheel and converts rotary motion into linear
reciprocating motion to drive a sliding valve or pump ram. (What exactly were you expecting?)

❷Dining car: (E-BLN 1398.924) The dining train photo caption notes that the smaller vehicle to the
rear with a low roof and tiny windows is the kitchen car. It was built new in 2013 for the Dining Train
(which makes it over 100 years younger than the carriages which date from 1905). The first trial run
with the general public was in Sep that year by our members on John & Jenny Williamson's excellent
very long weekend of IOM fixtures. Guinea pig was not on the menu but the food was first class.

Externally, it is based on an Empress Van. These two vehicles (F27 & F28) were supplied in 1897 and
named 'Empress' as it was Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee year. They were built to carry passengers'
luggage on the boat trains from Douglas to Port Erin. They were later used as ambulance vehicles for
the TT races. Before helicopters, the section of the course from Kirk Michael towards Ramsey was
inaccessible when the roads were closed but the Manx Northern Railway was close by. Injured riders
were placed on stretchers in the Empress Vans and taken by rail to Douglas for transfer to hospital.

However, the ride was very uncomfortable (they weren't built for passengers) and there was a joke
that if the crash didn't kill you the train journey would. [This reminds your BLN Editor of a story from
years ago. A Guard was checking tickets on a boat train from Peel to Douglas and asked a passenger,
who he knew, where he was sailing to. You won't ever see me again, came the reply, I'm emigrating to
Australia. Gosh, that's a long journey, said the guard. It sure is, replied the passenger, but when we
reach Douglas at least the worst bit of it will be over…]

The last use made of the Empress Vans was during IOM cycle weeks when they carried bikes from
Douglas to Port Erin. No27 was scrapped in 2012, although its frames remain. No28 is unserviceable,
stored in Douglas. The 2013-built new kitchen car also carries No27. It would have been easier for the
catering crew to have a slightly taller vehicle and that would have looked right behind the saloons.
However, the decision was made to replicate the Empress Vans as closely as possible. The low vehicle
would not be a problem for anyone who had previously worked at the Little Chef, of course.

1399 SCOTLAND :NOW: Greg Beecroft [email protected]

New postal address: 4 The Shores, Skelmorlie, PA17 5AZ.

1051] :IMPORTANT - Your new Regional Editor:: Please note that Mike McCabe has stood down as
our Scotland BLN Regional Editor for personal and family reasons. Thanks to Mike for all his time,
hard work and humour, twenty four times a year, for over six years (146 BLNs) since he took over in
Mar 2016 with BLN 1352. We are pleased to advise that our well known member, Greg Beecroft,
(contact as above), a resident of Scotland, has kindly agreed to take over the post from this BLN.

1052] ScotRail: ScotRail Trains Ltd (SRT) took over operation of ScotRail services from Abellio ScotRail
Ltd on 1 Apr. SRT is a subsidiary of Scottish Rail Holdings Ltd (SRH), which is a public body that reports
to the Scottish Parliament, independently of ministers. It employs only a small group of people who
provide strategic direction and guidance to SRT. As a result of this, Transport Scotland's role is limited
to setting policy and providing funding; contract management is delegated to SRH.

1053] Not so Great British Railways: Transport Scotland has confirmed that it is not intending to use
the Great British Railways brand in Scotland. [Is anyone surprised - BLN Ed? Any thoughts from Wales?]

1054] Ravenstruther: Cloburn Quarry, between Lanark and Thankerton, is not next to a railway, but
has started dispatching stone via the former Ravenstruther Open Cast Disposal Point coal terminal,
five miles away by road. The last coal train was thought to have left on 19 Apr 2013. After the trial
stone train on 3 Dec 2021 to Carlisle New Yard (BLN 1391.3295), the next train is believed to have
been 20.15 Ravenstruther to Millerhill on Mon 4 Apr 2022; 66554 hauling 31 MHA wagons conveying
ballast for use on the Levenmouth branch. During the week commencing 11 Apr there was a daily
SSuX Thornton Yard to Ravenstruther to Millerhill Yard then on to Thornton Yard ballast working.
Of note the outward working ran via Longannet and Millerhill to Thornton was over the Forth Bridge.

1055] Ayr: Reportedly South Ayrshire Council has commissioned a report on 'permanent safety works'
at Ayr Station Hotel. The building continues to be surrounded by scaffolding costing the Council £60k a
month, with little prospect of recovering this from the hotel's Malaysian owner. Complete or partial
demolition are understood to be options under consideration. Meantime, SAVE Britain's Heritage has
published a report saying that the building has a viable future, but at a cost approaching £20M.
The report suggests that the National Lottery Heritage Fund could meet about a quarter of the cost.

1056] Strathbungo: (BLN 1383.2238) Work has started raising Nithsdale Road bridge for the Barrhead
electrification project. It is closed to road traffic from 2 May 2022 until 10 Jan 2023. Strathbungo
station building, CP 28 May 1962 then used as a shop, is to be demolished between 6 and 8 Aug. The
listed station footbridge, linking Moray Place and Darnley Road, is to be replaced by a new one in 2023.

1057] Glasgow Metro: The Scottish Government's Strategic Transport Projects Review proposes a
Glasgow metro system, but where it would run and the technology to be used has to be determined.
The system would target deprived areas and places where existing connections are poor, up to 15km
from the city centre. It could divert some services away from the rail network, relieving congestion.
Conceptual maps suggest that the Cathcart Circle group of lines could be converted to light rail,
together with the Paisley Canal line and some of the North Electrics network. Priorities for completely
new routes are likely to be the north east suburbs, which rely largely on buses, and Glasgow Airport.

1058] Hunterston: (BLN 1396.665) Answering the query riased, although Hunterston 'B' power station
closed in Jan, there is still regular traffic to Sellafield. It is understood that decommissioning has now
started. DRS has been running driver training trips between Motherwell and Hunterston since Jan.

1059] Strathkelvin Railway Path: This runs from Strathblane to Moodiesburn via Kirkintilloch.
The northern section utilises the trackbed of the former Blane Valley railway line from Strathblane to
Blane Valley Jn then the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway's branch from Lennoxtown to Woodley Jn
(near Lenzie). The final section follows the northern end of the historic Monkland & Kirkintilloch
(M&K) line, opened in 1826, to Moodiesburn. Local volunteers are refurbishing the existing path and
plan to extend it south to Glenboig. This will use the M&K trackbed as far as possible, but a diversion
will be needed to pass under the M73 via an existing road bridge. The scheme would be funded
through the Scottish Government's 'Places for Everyone' programme and administered by Sustrans.

An extension south from Glenboig along the M&K will not be possible, for 55ch of the line, between
the former Garnqueen South Jn and Gartsherrie LNE Jn, forms part of the main line betwixt Greenhill
and Motherwell! There could hardly be a greater contrast between the 4ft 6in gauge, single track line,
with horses pulling wagons, and the double track, electrified railway that it has become. A similarity is
that initially the M&K did not operate trains; they provided the track and made it available for others
to use on payment of a toll. Another short section of the M&K (Sunnyside Jn to Whifflet) is still in use.

1060] Grangemouth branch: Use of Class 90 locos from Grangemouth Jn to the limit of electrification
at Fouldubs (2 miles 1,125 yards) was authorised from 06.00 on 2 Feb. However, that was anticipated
by operators, because 90020+90019 hauled the 19.08 Grangemouth to Daventry the previous day!

1061] Edinburgh Trams: (TRACKmaps 1 p25A 2021) On Thur 31 Mar, due to OHLE damage, trams did
not run east of Haymarket Yards from 11.11 until 14.33. Haymarket Yards is a basic platform that can
be used in emergencies on the north side of the loop west of Haymarket station and adjacent to the
road named Haymarket Yards. The platform, at the west end of the loop, was used again from 15.21
to 16.56 on 5 Apr, due to a 'technical issue' in the city centre. 'British Trams Online' thought 31 Mar
was the first public use of the platform. BLN 1205.472 has a detailed report of the 13 Mar 2014 trial
running (before the line OP 31 May 2014) with 700 volunteers, our Society was well represented!
Some groups used the platform, ran through the loop, doing various crossovers and had a free trip, of
course. Is anyone aware of any other public use of this 'emergency platform' by public services?

1062] Forth Bridge: (BLN 1383.2229) NR has not received any acceptable bids for a design and build
contract for the visitor centre and walkway. It seems likely that there will be a negotiated contract
with Balfour Beatty for the walkway and another attempt to find a contractor for the visitor centre.

1063] Levenmouth: Work is under way to renovate five underbridges on the branch, as part of the
project to reopen the railway. Old paint is being blasted off and steelwork repairs carried out before
the bridges are repainted. NR said that the specialist paint system will last for 25 years. The first mile
of new track (singular, the branch is due to be double track) has been laid at Thornton North Jn.
It is now planned that the first passenger trains will be diesel, before conversion to electric operation
'at the earliest opportunity'. This appears to be due to the timescale for electrifying existing lines.

1064] Perth: (TRACKmaps 1 p17 A 2021) NR is consulting on realigning the railway to allow the speed
restriction to be eased through Barnhill Jn. It is at the Dundee end of the 55ch single track section just
east of Perth station, built as double track it was cut back to single over the Tay Viaduct by 1900 and
later to Perth station. There is a 20mph restriction through the junction and for 15ch towards Dundee,
due to a severe curve. It is proposed to realign the curve and move the junction to a straight section of
track 17ch further east. The single track section would become longer but trains will be able to pass
through at 50mph. As well as reducing the journey time between Perth and Dundee, this increases
line capacity. The 30mph over the viaduct (20 mph for loco hauled trains towards Perth) will remain.

1065] Aviemore: The Sat 19 Mar Scottish Railway Preservation Society tour from Edinburgh ran via the
Edinburgh Suburban Line as well as doing the Strathspey Railway mainline connection. After three trips
to Broomhill and back during the Diesel Gala it returned with an extra coach that had been on loan.

1399 WALES & THE MARCHES (Chris Parker) [email protected]
1066] Abercynon - Aberdare: The branch has been badly affected by intermittent signalling problems
first reported by the Abercynon signaller at 18.47 on 9 Mar. These included SPAD (signal passed at
danger) indications and track circuits showing as occupied when there was no train present, also
irregular signal sequences. As is the nature of such things, various 'fixes' were applied with apparent
success for a short time until the faults recurred. For most of the period the service was cut from 2tph
to 1tph with a pilotman. Most of the underground signal cabling had to be replaced, so now we know
what the recent South Wales Metro upgrade work on the line didn't include. One section of cable had
completely failed and was described as 'extremely olde'; the Victoria & Albert Museum would like some.

According to Realtime Trains, the worst day was 28 Mar when only two services operated, both in the
morning peak. On 29 Mar no trains ran after mid-afternoon but the full service resumed on Wed 30
with evening engineering possessions. The branch is to be closed Sun 17 Apr - Fri 13 May inclusive for
OHLE foundations installation, demolition and reconstruction - presumably with increased headroom -
of the Cwm Cynon Business Park footbridge (approx 20m 30ch) northwest of Penrhiwceiber also
platform works, signalling maintenance and testing, line speed improvements, and devegetation.

1067] Pontypridd Jn - Treherbert: Incredibly this branch is due to be closed for over 6 months
from 20.30 Sun 27 Nov 2022 until 05.15 Fri 2 Jun 2023 for South Wales Metro enhancement work.

1068] Taffs Well: (BLN 1385.2559; TRACKmaps 3 p26B, 20 18) In 'connection' with the triangular
access to the new tram train depot, three crossovers were to be installed by 19 Apr between Taffs
Well station and the existing facing crossover, clipped and padlocked OOU in the 'normal' position for
commissioning: ●7m 19ch, points 822 & 823; ●7m 20ch, points 821B & 820B; ●7m 22ch, points 820A
& 821A. In each case facing or trailing is unspecified but the Down (Cardiff end) point number appears
first. This TfW Infrastructure numbering may seem illogical but is as stated in the Operating Notice!

1069] Radyr: ①In what has become an all too common occurrence, the panel box was closed from
19.47 Sun 27 Mar until around 05.45 next morning as the signaller was taken ill and no cover was
available. Cardiff Queen Street - Treherbert / Aberdare / Merthyr Tydfil services were all suspended.
Rail tickets were accepted on scheduled local buses. ②Pontypridd - Radyr Sun to Thu evening
closures for South Wales Metro OHLE piling and foundation engineering work were extended to
Cardiff Central via Queen Street from 28 Mar and via Ninian Park from 4 Apr.

1070] Elan Valley Railway: (BLN 1376.1332 - photos) The foot/cycle path through the Devil's Gulch
rock cutting (original trackbed) is to be permanently closed and a diversion built around the side.
It was blocked by a major rock fall on 4 Nov 2018, there have been more since and the cutting is
unstable. Work is due to start in Sep for completion in Apr 2023, subject to environmental surveys etc.
An 'unofficial' rough track exists but requires careful negotiation on foot and is unsuitable for cycles.

1071] Shrewsbury (Sutton Bridge Jn) - Newtown/Machynlleth: (BLN 1398.933) The blockade was
extended to Machynlleth (excl) from 28 Mar with replacement buses services throughout. ROP was on
Sat 2 Apr. Two Class 158 units ran ECS Shrewsbury to Machynlleth on a proving run, held at Newtown
for an hour to cross the first service, 11.30 Aberystwyth to Birmingham International. A possession
will be needed for rock armour to be installed at Welshpool; planning and design is now in progress.

1072] North Wales Coast: (BLN 1397.817 & 818) Despite the previous report, slate waste stockpiling
has begun at Llandudno Junction/Glan Conwy and Welsh Slate, the consignee, has erected a sign at
the entrance. Meanwhile new security gates with CCTV cameras and keypad access control have been
installed at the road entrance to Rhyl engineers' sidings. Limestone brought by road from Llanddulas is
to be transhipped for conveyance by DC Rail to the 'English Midlands' thought to be Brandon in fact.

1073] Penmaenmawr: (BLN 1398.934) The 'as required' GBRf aggregate workings to Tuebrook Sidings,
Liverpool, have in practice been MTFO so far. Recent operating dates were 28 & 29 Mar, 8 & 11 Apr.

1074] Dovey Jn - Aberystwyth: This is to be possessed from 22.00 Sun 11 Sep until 05.45 Fri 16 Sep for
renewals at Cottage Pie (80m 19ch) and Leri (85m 31ch) Viaducts as well as track improvements.
Three weekend possessions previously planned for Apr and May have been exorcised withdrawn.

1075] Cardiff Parkway: (BLN 1370.464) On 4 Apr (nearly 15 months after submission) Cardiff City
Council approved plans for this privately funded station and the associated business park which will
help pay for it. The station development is popular locally but the business park less so as it includes
office buildings of up to 15 storeys in a very flat area where existing structures are low rise. There are
ecological concerns as the site is on the edge of the Gwent Levels, but mitigation work is (of course)
proposed. The station was due to open in 2024 but no construction date has yet been announced!

1399 MINOR RAILWAYS (Peter Scott) [email protected]

MR page number references refer to the new 34th (2022) edition of the 'Minor Railways' booklet.

MR67] Spa Valley Railway, Kent (MR p6): On Saturday 2 April, as part of the Scottish Gala, the railway
ran a Fish & Chips train with a Real Ale coach which was also available to Day Rover holders without
extra charge. The train left Tunbridge Wells with Bulleid 34053 leading eight coaches with Caledonian
Railway locos 828 and 419 on the rear. Approaching Eridge, staff advised that the front three coaches
would be beyond the platform. It stopped with the Bulleid close to the buffers and the A26 bridge.
A volunteer at the line, who was positioned at furthest point, said in the five years he had worked
there he had never seen the public taken beyond the platform. After a suitable pause the train headed
for Tunbridge Wells with the Caledonian pair hauling eight coaches and the Bulleid. A second run was
scheduled, but due to very late running our reporter and most other passengers had to abandon that.

MR68] Westonzoyland Light Railway, Somerset (MR p23) (BLN 1388.MR205): This 2ft gauge 150 yard
railway operates in the grounds of Westonzoyland Pumping Station on the Somerset Levels and runs
during open days at the Pumping Station - the first open day of the 2022 season being Sunday 3 April.

The original building dates from 1831 and was the first one to be built on the Levels, following
developments and plans by landowners to control the flooding and draining of the low lying fields.
Built of brick, it still stands today, the only one surviving (in the area) with its pumping engine still
intact and functional. It is a humble design, but English Heritage has listed it Grade II*. It originally
had a beam engine driving a huge scoop wheel to lift water into the River Parrett. This caused the
whole area of the moors around the station to sink due to the removal of excess water!

After 30 years a more powerful and efficient Easton & Amos Drainage Machine was installed in 1861,
with a centrifugal pump, the impeller of which is of a design perfected by John George Appold.
An impeller is the rotating part of a centrifugal pump, compressor, or other machine designed to move
a fluid by rotation. It will lift 100 tons of water per minute to a height of between six and ten feet
depending on the level of the tide. These installations were so successful that other similar pumping
stations were erected along the Parrett. The steam pump was superseded in 1951 by a modern diesel
unit, which is housed in a building alongside its predecessor, although unsubstantiated stories tell of
the pump running as late as 1960, driven by Clifford Thyer, the last attendant of the pumping station.

Most of the other steam pumps have been dismantled and scrapped in favour of diesel or electric
units leaving the Easton & Amos Drainage Machine at Westonzoyland as the only steam pump still in
working order in its original position. Two other unique pumps, those from Stanmoor and Southlake,
have been saved at the Museum and it is the intention to restore and install these as working exhibits
at some time in the future. The railway was running all day - not to any timetable - but whenever
anyone wanted a ride. The trains were worked by a Simplex locomotive 4wDM numbered 024 and
named 'Wzlet' (MR40S310/1968) - hauling two open coaches. The track in passenger use is 150 yards
in an 'S' shape past the café and around the side of the car park. The loco does not run round but
propels the train back to the station. The new loco shed was open and visitors could look at the locos
under restoration, the volunteers are friendly. There is also an impressive collection of wagons.

MR69] Llangollen Railway, Denbighshire (MR p9): The railway has stated the extension to Corwen will
hopefully open during the 'second half' of 2022. Deeside Halt is closed for the 'foreseeable' future.
It was the terminus from 13 Apr 1990 until the end of the 1992 season. The sleeper platform edge
(filled with ash) has been removed as the timbers were rotten. The worn western end point of
Deeside loop has been plain lined, but the siding is retained. The signal box is to be mothballed

MR70] Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Oxfordshire (MR p6): The railway has acquired four
more BR Mark 1 vehicles from the closed Elsecar Heritage Railway near Barnsley (which last ran on
1 Mar 2020) - who apparently wanted to sell them quickly. The coaches are stabled in their sidings
south of Princes Risborough station, these being 25562, 35305 (modified with a window in the end)
and 3958. Another TSO (4903) is already being dealt with in Chinnor workshops. This new stock gives
the railway two 4-coach rakes - the length that they normally run, with a vehicle spare. A member
visited for the Friday 1 April Diesel Gala - things got off to a bad start with loco troubles and for most
of the day the timetable was running in excess of an hour behind schedule. The loco roster had to be
rewritten as a result of the failures. Two rakes of stock were in use, one set of MK1s and a 4-CEP.

The locomotives, which ran were 31163 (in the guise of 97205), 37227, 43066 (from Data Acquisition
& Testing Solutions - the other HST power car 43054 failed) and 50008 (later in the day, having failed
in the morning). It was a cold and blustery day with showers of snow pellets later. Of probably more
interest to our members were the brakevan trips being run at Princes Risborough with 08825.
These picked up in the platform then ran south along Down Siding No1 (the one nearer the Chiltern
Down Main) covered on our previous railtour with Chiltern - stopping short of the vehicles stabled
against the buffer stops there. Reversal then took participants back through the station to near the
signal box, then reverse again to proceed through the station along the same siding to the same point.
Then a final reversal back into the station to detrain. Around 0.9 miles was travelled in total.