411] A new Society record: Welcome to all of our many recently joined members. We now have more members (2,430) than any time in the 68 year history of the Society. New members are always welcome and help to keep our subscriptions low for all, since fixed costs, such as Peter Scott's Minor Railways booklet and the AGM, then cost less per head. Our members are our eyes and ears for what is happening throughout the network, Minor Railways and tramways etc. They help make BLN the unique publication it is. Our next recruit may be a future Chairman, Editor etc. A larger base of members adds to our financial strength and allows us to run and fill more complex fixtures/railtours, particularly those with higher capacity. We also need to replace members who do not renew. Date Book online :For dates after 21 Jul see website: BLN Lead Status Fri 23 Feb Manchester railway architecture tour 1440 MG Waitinglist Sat 24 Feb Mountsorrel Railways 'all available lines' 1440 MG Waitinglist Thur 29 Feb *NEW* New Street repeat (report BLN 1424.1314) Below MG LIMITED Thur 7 Mar Thunderbirds are Go! Derby to Linlithgow 1439 MG OPEN Fri 8-10 Mar BWC Two to Fort William, Oban & Mallaig 1440 MG Waitinglist Mon 11 Mar International Rescue Linlithgow to Derby 1439 MG OPEN Fri 22 Mar The Strawberry Fields, East Somerset Rly 1441 MG OPEN Sat 23 Mar The Bodmin Bubble, Bodmin Railway 1441 MG OPEN Sun 24 Mar The Southern Extremity, Helston Railway (morning) 1441 MG OPEN Sun 24 Mar *NEW*Moseley Heritage Museum (afternoon) Below MG OPEN Fri 5 Apr *NEW* New Mills area conducted signal box visits Below MG OPEN Sat 6 Apr The Scaccarium Dies, Bluebell Railway 'all lines' 1441 MG Waitinglist Sun 7 Apr SAVE THE DAY! MINIATURE RAILWAYS IN SUSSEX SEE BELOW Claimed Fri 26 Apr Manchester Victoria behind the scenes tour Website MG Waitinglist Sat 27 Apr *NEW* Glasgow Central guided tour & Kelvinbridge Below MG OPEN Fri 3-6 May Kernow - Cornwall passenger branches loco-hauled TBA TBA Claimed Sun 12 May Class 507 Farewell from/to Birkenhead North; TBA TBA Claimed Sat 25 May The Hanson Hanse loco-hauled railtour 1439 MG OPEN Sun 26 May The Millbrook Meander loco-hauled railtour 1439 MG OPEN Mon 27 May 11.00 & 14.00 Moreton Park railtours; ex-BR locos 1440 MG OPEN Wed 5 Jun *NEW* Charity charter for Railway Benefit Fund TBA TBA Claimed Thur 6 Jun *NEW* Mainline railtour - save the date TBA TBA Claimed Sun 9 Jun *NEW* Mainline railtour - save the date TBA TBA Claimed Sun 21 Jul *NEW* Mainline charter - save the date TBA TBA Claimed MG = Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Rd, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL 07983 541887. Number 1442 (Items 411 - 531 & MR 24 - MR 32) (E-BLN 122 PAGES) 17 Feb 2024 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 of the Compilers or of the Society ciety. Society. …BLN 1443 is dated Sat 2 Mar; contributions by Wed 21 Feb please
Moseley Heritage Museum, Redruth, narrow gauge (ABOVE) and miniature railways (BELOW) - see item 413.
THIS PAGE: Moseley Heritage Museum (Redruth), narrow gauge, which we visit on Sun 24 Mar (item 423).
412] :Thur 29 Feb Mid-morning; Birmingham New Street Subterranean Guided Tour:: By popular demand, a repeat chance to see a different side of NR's busiest station outside of Greater London! Meeting mid-morning, this guided tour, organised and led by local member Adam Turner (so it will be good!) will descend below platform level to explore some of the station subways beneath it, the Lamp Tunnel and the last surviving platform ramp. This tour will support 'The Big Issue Foundation' https://www.bigissue.com/frontline/ charity. It does not include the tunnel to the Mailbox but will go up to NR boundary. Although it is a repeat of our fully booked 29 Apr 2023 tour (report in BLN 1424.1314 dated 13 May 2023; photos in e-BLN), we hope to see a small additional area this time. There is an optional follow on guided walk to parts of the Birmingham Central Goods Station site. Participants need a hi-vis vest and boots. Large luggage cannot be brought on the station tour (there is a left luggage facility on the station for a fee). Members only £33, no junior discounts. Limit 18. 413] :Sun 24 Mar; Moseley Heritage Museum:: (MR p14) (BLN 1410.MR190) Thanks to Tim Wallis, following our morning Helston Railway trip (BLN 1441.273), an afternoon visit (book separately and can be booked on its own) has been arranged to the nearby railways at Tumblydown Farm, Tolgus Mount, Redruth, TR15 3TA. It is just 12 miles (23 min) from Helston Railway by car. The site has an extensive 2ft gauge railway and a 7¼'' railway https://bit.ly/3HVzsv6 (plan). All available lines have been requested, including sections not normally used for passenger services; the location is known for its friendly attitude to enthusiasts. No specific traction has been requested. There are numerous vintage model train layouts, over 400 Meccano models, galleries in the coal mine and countless curio exhibits. Car share may be available; please note any request or offers in your booking notes. £11 (Members only; no reductions) which includes a stock list and track plan; please book online. 414] :Fri 5 Apr; New Mills area Signal Box Visits:: There are no April fools this year for our signalling enthusiasts, as, thanks to our member James Taylor, we are pleased to announce the next in the series of conducted signal box visits. It will cover (subject to any on the day circumstances) Furness Vale and Norbury Hollows (Gate Box) on the Stockport to Buxton line branch,along with New Mills Central and New Mills South Junction. Meet New Mills Central 10.20 (connects 09.48 ex-Manchester Piccadilly). As there is no car park, if arriving by car, park at New Mills Newtown a short (hilly) walk away. Sturdy footwear and HV orange upper body wear are required. Members only, max nine; £50, no reductions. We aim to use as few cars as possible for parking and finish in New Mills; more details on our website. 415] Points & Slips: BLN 1441●●388] There is another situation where a train driver can pass a semaphore signal at danger without specific authorisation. However, it is not exactly the same as passing those semaphores of Anderson's Piano, which are known to be permanently at danger, due to failure in the Pass of Brander on the Oban branch. If a signal box is switched out, then the signals for the main running routes will be left 'off' so that trains can run through. If the wire breaks on a home semaphore signal, it will fail safe and return to danger by gravity and balance weights. A driver is permitted to pass that signal at danger after having confirmed (nowadays by GSMR to adjacent signal boxes) that the box controlling the signal is indeed closed. The driver has to stop at the signal. After obtaining confirmation that the box is switched out (not necessary in the Pass of Brander, of course) the driver must proceed at caution and at a speed which allows the train to stop short of any obstruction (standard practice if passing any signal at danger). Any points would also need to be checked to ensure that were in the correct position for the train. This did happen relatively recently when a train on the Robin Hood Line found a signal at Elmton & Creswell box at danger (this box is permanently switched out). The driver contacted Worksop box and confirmed that the box was switched out (important as it could be switched in for engineering work or some other reason). He then asked the Worksop Signaller if he was OK to pass the signal at danger. The Worksop Signaller correctly replied 'I can confirm that Elmton & Creswell box is closed'. Again, the driver asked for permission to pass the signal at danger; in reply the Worksop Signaller repeated his previous message. The driver then understood that the Worksop signaller didn't have authority to authorise the signal to be passed at danger and wasn't going to give it - it's all yours, mate, crack on!
X.19] :Sun 7 Apr; Sussex Miniature Railways (MR p25):: Thanks to your General Secretary, Tim Wallis, these follow on from our Bluebell Railway railtour the previous day. Visits have been agreed to the South Downs Light Railway, Pulborough, at 09.30 and, less than 10 miles away, to the private Ingfield Light Railway, Ingfield Manor School at 13.00. Both are 10¼'' gauge. Details are being finalised and we hope to open them for bookings soon, watch out for the email (if you have signed up to these). The 1,100yd South Downs Light Railway is at Pulborough Garden Centre, Stopham Road, Pulborough RH20 1DS less than a mile west of Pulbrough station along the A823. The visit will include their 'short circuit' (used only by their 'South Downs Belle' specials - the section shown as 'Not in regular use') and one or two shed roads / sidings; see: http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/southdowns.pdf The 900yd Ingfield Light Railway, Ingfield Manor School, Ingfield Manor Drive, Five Oaks, Billingshurst, RH14 9AX (ABOVE) doesn't run very often for the public and then not over the relatively recent Willow End extension due to car parking arrangements blocking the route. They will offer their full run and extra sections as available, noting that lines accessible over their 'double slip' are prohibited. Peter Scott's track plan: http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/ingfield.pdf (for personal use only). X.20] :Sat 27 Apr; 09.30 Glasgow Central guided tour & Kelvingbridge micro-tour:: Thanks again to our member Adam Turner, this is a great chance to go on a 'BLS version' of the fascinating Glasgow Central station tour reaching parts that other tours don't reach. As well as everywhere on NR's established Glasgow Central tour - which your BLN Editor has done twice and can fully recommend - there are some extras, including the football tunnels! Meeting 09.30 on the concourse, this guided tour will descend below platform level to explore some of the rabbit-warren-like undercroft, the station museum and disused low level platform (closed to passengers from 5 Oct 1964). We then take Glasgow Subway to Kelvinbridge to see the remains of the Glasgow Central Railway station and railway formation. Optionally, the day will conclude at Glasgow Riverside Museum. Members only; party limit 20. Participants will need to wear sturdy, sensible footwear (no open toed shoes or any heels). During the Glasgow Central tour there will be a facility to leave a limited amount of small baggage and a jacket in a safe location subject to a visual security inspection. There is a left luggage facility for large luggage on the station for a fee. Volunteer/s to write a BLN report welcome! Guided tour £33; no reductions. Booking queries should be directed to the Bookings Officer (front page). Part of your ticket cost will support the Scottish Railway Preservation Society.
415] Points & Slips cont: ●●BLN 1440.251] Chesham has one platform numbered P2, this is because a bay was added when the branch was electrified in 1960 but it wasn't needed and closed in Nov 1970. ●●BLN 1441.288] With apologies from your BLN Editor, on the Aldwych branch, it was a unit of 1972 Mk1 Tube Stock that was used for filming, not a Piccadilly line unit. In passenger days (the branch closed from 3 Oct 1994), it was treated as part of the Piccadilly line, of course. ●●332] On the Thames Haven branch, the length of plain line track relaid to restore the line was in fact 800m. This track was removed to quickly repair the damage following the 23 Dec 2021 derailment of an intermodal train further west. The photo in e-BLN turned out to be taken on maximum zoom with massive shortening of distance, to give the appearance of about 50m. Of note, Thames Haven Yard itself (TRACKmaps2 p4B 2020) is under DBC control beyondjust before N o 43 Gate Level Crossing. 416] 2023 Official Rail Statistics: http://tinyurl.com/38bsm3tc (published 25 Jan) has a wealth of information about National Rail in Great Britain for the financial year ending Mar 2023, compared with the 2021-2022. For example, total Government support for the year at £21.1bn was 6.1% less than the previous year but 64.5% higher than Mar 2019-20. (BLN 1441.278 repeated, with missing line added.) 417]Keeping Track, passenger service suspensions (contributions welcomed) *=new/amended BLN Start (incl) Reopens Location (stations'exclusive'if bracketed) Bold = closed now 1442.476 29 Jan 24 3 Feb 24 *Eastleigh West Jn - Fareham East Jn; cutting stabilisation - 27 Jan 24 7 Feb 24 *(Bletchley) - (Bedford); ASLEF overtime ban - buses only ran - 29 Jan 24 7 Feb 24 *(Watford Jn) - St Albans Abbey; ASLEF overtime ban, buses SSuX - 29 Jan 24 7 Feb 24 *(Nuneaton) - (Coventry); ASLEF overtime ban, buses ran SSuX - 13 Feb 24 16 Feb 24 *Settle Jn - Bentham - Carnforth Station Jn; engineering work - 12 Feb 24 16 Feb 24 *Wick/Thurso - (Lairg); storm damage to sea wall near Brora again - 10 Feb 24 19 Feb 24 *(Wigan Wallgate Jn) - (Southport); engineering work Southport 1441.317.2 22 Jan 24 12 Feb 24 *(St Peters Square)-Exchange Square; cracked crossing at Victoria 1442.461 Unknown *(Exchange Square) - (Victoria); Metrolink, cracked crossing 1442.480 12 Feb 24 17 Feb 24 Eastleigh West Jn/(St Denys)-Fareham-Cosham Jn-Portcreek Jn / Farlington Jn and Portsmouth Harbour - Blackfriars Jn - 10 Feb 24 19 Feb 24 Lostock Jn - Westhoughton - Crow Nest Jn, electrification 1439.77 10 Feb 24 19 Feb 24 (Reading) - (Bracknell) / Aldershot South Jn; Wokingham Jn 1442.435 10 Feb 24 19 Feb 24 *Half term; many south London lines; resignalling POSTPONED 1441.286 10 Feb 24 24 Feb 24 (Reeves Corner) -(Sandilands); Croydon Trams replacing worn rail 1440.175.1 17 Feb 24 24 Feb 24 T&W Metro; (Regent Centre) - Airport; local half term - 19 Feb 24 24 Feb 24 *Thornhill LNW Jn - Copley Hill East Jn (Leeds) Trans-Pen Upgrade 1442.423 17 Feb 24 26 Feb 24 *Thorne Jn - (Scunthorpe); work at Keadby sliding canal bridge 1442.520.1 29 Apr 23 ?29 Feb 24 *Pontypridd North Jn - Treherbert; South Wales Metro work 1439.MR9 21 Dec 22 ?2 Mar 24 *Castle Hill Cliff Railway, Bridgnorth, wall failure etc at 12.00 - 26 Feb 24 2 Mar 24 *(Llanwrtyd) - Hendy Jn - Morlais Jn; some buses to Llandrindod - 1 Mar 24 5 Mar 24 *(Heath HL)/Coryton/(Radyr)-Queen St-Cardiff Bay/(Cardiff Cent) 1440.225 27 Feb 24 11Mar24 (St Austell) - (St Erth) with Truro - Falmouth Docks; resignalling 4 Mar 24 (Liskeard) - (St Erth) plus Falmouth & Newquay branches 1442.442 8 Feb 24 ?12 Mar 24 *Dockfield Jn - Baildon - Esholt Jn; serious landslip at 12.45 1434.2363 25 Sep 23 22Mar24 at least Ayr/(Ayr) - Girvan and (Kilmarnock) - Barassie Jn 1437.2432 15 Nov 23 Girvan - Stranraer skeleton train service withdrawn 15 Nov 1441.323 15Mar24 25 Mar 24 *Dore Station Jn - (New Mills Central)/Hazel Grove East Jn 23.00 1442.508 16 Mar 24 25 Mar 24 *(Crianlarich) - Mallaig; Rannoch Viaduct work Ft Wm resignalling 1442.487 23 Mar 24 10 Apr 24 *(Wednesbury Great Western Street¶) - Edgbaston Village; ¶extends to Wednesbury Parkway 23 & 24 Mar; WM Metro
418] Sounds of Steam for Sale: A superb collection of vintage vinyl records of steam locos at work has been bequeathed to the Society for charity benefit. A few feature early diesels,Deltics,Westerns and one has Aeroplanes at War; two are non-UK steam. All are originals, many from the 1960s and are in superb near-mint condition, with sleeves etc, in two sturdy, secure carrying cases. There are 51 large 12" (about 1 hour each, 33⅓ RPM, mostly 'argo'/'Transacord' Stereo) and 29 smaller 7" (45 RPM Extended Play, mostly 'argo' Mono) records. A full list is available on request but includes 'THE 11.15 FOR TORPANTAU' (a journey on the Brecon & Merthyr Line), 'TRAINS FROM TYNE DOCK' and 'MIDLAND AND NORTH WESTERN'. A Regional Editor reports that 'The 11.15 for Torpantau' includes background bleats of sheep on the hills, also in near-mint condition (Think about it!). That record is worth it in his view, for the sleeve photo alone. They are available 'first come, first served' as one lot for a total of just £400, to benefit a charity supported by the Society (RBF, Martin House Hospice or Railway Children etc) - the buyer can select which. Due to weight and potential fragility, they are not suited for posting and the buyer would need to collect or make other arrangements (eg reimbursing the cost of split train tickets with Railcard if personally delivered from Bristol Parkway - senior bus pass available). If interested, please email Tim Wallis [email protected] or write to 10 Sandringham Road, Stoke Gifford, South Gloucestershire, BS34 8NP. 419] Hydraulic Buffers: (BLN 1441.287) Several members have pointed out that, from all the photos in e-BLN, the buffers at London Waterloo P20-P24 clearly are the friction type. However, the 'buffers in front of the hydraulic buffers' on the other platforms look like extensions to the latter, designed to engage with the centre coupler of an EMU - similar to those at Glasgow Central. The photo of P1 buffers, in particular, appears to show the extension resting on rollers, so not much fiction there and the flanges just keep the extension aligned with the rails. Compare with the photo of P23 and P24 buffers, which extend over a greater length of rail and have gripping devices on their lower edges. A chain attaches these extensions to the wall which the hydraulic buffers are mounted on; presumably it restrains them from shooting back at speed along the line if the hydraulic ones decompress. This would not be required if they were friction buffers and restrained by their mountings on the railhead. The reason for these additions at Waterloo is that most modern trains don't have buffers. So where will the end of line buffers contact if there is an overrun? It appears that the hydraulic buffers and the force behind them could do enormous damage to rolling stock with even low speed contact, akin to a mediaeval knight's jousting lance! Notice that the 'friction buffers' on P23 & P24 do not have any significant projections. So, these extensions are probably designed to spread the force from the two hydraulic buffer stops over the wider area which would be in contact with the cab/coupler of the unit?
Bradford Interchange has hydraulic buffers as does Crewe Down side bay P7, 8, 9 & 10 but Up bays P2, 3&4 do not. Lancaster bay P1 & 2 also has them (trains must be stabled so as not to compress them), with a common reservoir tank between. At Paddington, the impressive P11 & 12 'Ransom and Rapier' hydraulic buffers from 1910 were superseded by frictions ones in 2017. Can anyone say what the criteria was/is for hydraulic buffers to be fitted; modern ones all seem to be friction/energy absorbing? 420] Railway Memories 121, Alan Fell (Member 512), Episode 5, more Disley delightful distant days: (BLN 1441.279) Family holidays in the 1950s were usually to the seaside, most often North Wales, such as Abersoch (6½ miles southwest of Pwllheli), Benllech Bay (Anglesey) and Llanfairfechan (between Llandudno Junction and Bangor). However, I have been unable to establish if train journeys were involved despite us not owning a car. I do remember Summer 1960. We all travelled from Manchester Exchange P3 (the one connected through to Victoria P11, forming the longest continuous platform in Europe at 745yd) to Warrington Bank Quay and the North Wales Coast, then via Bangor to Afon Wen (reverse). We went to Penychain station for a holiday at Butlins Pwllheli. At Afon Wen I recall our BR 2-6-4T 80xxx running past our carriage window to change ends for the last mile of our journey. ABOVE: 1961 map with the intriguing interchange station at Afon Wen (CP 7 Dec 1964). Our member's train arrived from the Bangor/Caernarvon direction (off top) and ran round at Afon Wen. Then, west to Penychain (bottom left) was double track, before becoming single towards Pwllheli (off left). Butlins Holiday Camp narrow gauge line is at the bottom with return loops. Criccieth/Barmouth are off right. Our return trip took in Warrington Arpley via Lymm to Stockport Edgeley instead of over Chat Moss, according to my Dad, and that is good enough for me! Afon Wen to Caernarvon CP 7 Dec 1964, then Caernarvon became a branch with passenger trains from Bangor until 5 Jan 1970. The Lymm route CP 10 Sep 1962 with Warrington Arpley to Skelton Jn surviving for freight traffic until 8 Jul 1985. There was a narrow gauge railway at Butlins (3½ miles east of Pwllheli in fact) which closed in 1996 and was soon lifted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rKGVc6KGVg (2½ min) is a video - click
'Browse YouTube'. At Butlins, my favourite bit of fun was the small rowing boats on the camp lake as I could see the railway through the camp boundary fence. I remembered and noted down various GWR 'Small Prairies', 0-6-0s, 2-6-0s and whatever hauled the daily Pwllheli portion of the Cambrian Coast Express on its journey south, including 'Manors' I think. Frustratingly, I didn't seem to do any travelling on the coast although, either on this or another trip, I do distinctly remember negotiating brambles and other rampant growth in the jungle that was Boston Lodge Yard on the newly reawakened Ffestiniog Railway. Locos, including 'Welsh Pony', carriages and wagons, including the legendary hearse wagon, were absolutely 'buried' and mostly gently rotting away. How very different today! My interest in narrow gauge railways had been sparked a few years earlier by tales of reopening of the Talyllyn and the Ffestiniog lines and the purchase of a small book about all the narrow gauge lines of the UK that had carried passengers. I never looked back, visiting North Wales on many more occasions. It was pre-Preston and I was still living at Disley then; our usual spotting vantage point was the long lattice footbridge over the Midland Main Line just east of Disley Tunnel (termed the 'middle line' or 'bottom line'). This route was sandwiched in the Goyt Valley between the 'top line' - as in higher up - the former London & North Western Railway (LNWR) Stockport to Buxton route and the 'far line' (or Great Central & Midland Joint route from New Mills Central to Romiley). We were treated to a constant flow of London Midland & Scotland (LMS), British Railways and occasional London & North Eastern steam types. My favourites were Jubilee, rebuilt Patriot and Scot classes; we eagerly awaited the top express of the day, 'The Palatine' from St Pancras to Manchester Central. One memorable day we waited 'hours' after 'The Palatine' was due, thinking it would still appear - yes, we were keen - only for the signalman nearby to shout over to us that it wasn't running that day as it was a Bank Holiday! ABOVE: 1949 map, the LNWR Stockport to Buxton runs through Disley along the bottom, top right is the GCR/MR Joint Line from New Mills Central (far right) to Romiley/Manchester, between them is the Disley Tunnel route. It was then part of the Manchester Central to St Pancras Midland Main Line. Down the left side is the Rose Hill (off top) to Macclesfield (off bottom) line. Middlewood Lower (still open now) and Higher (CP 7 Nov 1960 - an isolated station closure over nine years before the whole line closed)stations are adjacent(bottom left), where the south to east curve connects the two routes. In complete contrast, the sight of a WD 2-8-0 slogging up the grade from the tunnel, invariably wheezing heavily and clanking loudly with a long freight, was impressive and will always stay with me. There were also regular LMS '8F' runs with limestone hoppers from Peak Forest to Northwich, using dedicated sets of bespoke large hoppers, until these trains eventually succumbed to diesel haulage.
ABOVE: Ffestiniog Railway, Porthmadog Harbour, Aug 1958; the building remains and the track is now clearer! The first public passenger trains from Porthmadog to Boston Lodge ran on 23 Jul 1955, they were extended to Minffordd 19 May 1956, Penrhyn 5 Jun 1957 and Tan-y-Bwlch (7 miles) on 5 Apr 1958. (Jenny Williamson.) BELOW: …and on 6 Jun 2011; that original building is right of the green diesel loco. (Angus McDougall.)
In 1959 we started to see Sulzer Type 2 and Peak Class Type 4 diesels on weekly test runs straight out of Derby erecting shop, sometimes not even in final paint.This was clearly a sign of things to come and, although we knew that dieselisation was sweeping across some parts of southern and eastern England, we never expected to witness steam's demise less than a decade later. Traffic on the other two routes was always of interest but our real love was the 'middle line'. On 3 Aug 1959, however, we spied in the distance from our favourite lattice footbridge an 'apparition' on the 'far line', LMS-built compound 4-4-0 N o 41101 heading north in a gaudy yellow and red livery. We later found out that it was off to Manchester to take a Daily Mirror 'Andy Capp Special' from there to Blackpool! What a sight. I recall one day going to Disley Tunnel east portal to see an LMS '8F' in the northbound loop line, with its front end up in the air on top of the buffer stop at the end of the loop. Apparently, it was unable to stop before running out of loop, although I haven't been able to trace the date. Before moving to Preston, I saw the regular use of pairs of Metrovick Co-Bo diesels on the daily London to Glasgow 'Condor' fast freight service and also on Nottingham to Manchester passenger turns. (These ugly ducklings followed me to Lancashire after their 1961 rebuilds and ran on Barrow to Preston trains.) One particularly memorable trip from Disley was to Doncaster on 20 April 1960, where we saw the arrival of GWR 4-4-0 'City of Truro' and 4-4-0 Midland Compound 1000 double heading a special from King's Cross - special indeed! Our trips to 'Donny' were mostly via Woodhead behind a 27xxx electric (although sometimes from New Mills Central and along the Hope Valley). At Sheffield we changed trains and used both Midland and Great Central routes on to Doncaster, often seeing several industrial steam locos fussing about in the many steelworks and other industrial premises on these routes. Our group of Disley lads included, believe it or not, one 'Ian Brown' who became a very high ranking railwayman of BR and Transport for London fame (among many other significant roles) and deservedly was awarded a CBE. [In a career spanning over 40 years, Ian Brown made an outstanding contribution to public transport and the rail industry. His achievements include transformation of the Docklands Light Railway, establishment of London Overground, the major extension of the East London Line, the integration of Croydon Tramlink into TfL and the expansion of Oyster pay as you go to all National Rail stations in Greater London. He is a Vice President of Railfuture.] In those Disley days, Ian was very clearly on a higher plane than us mere schoolboys, certainly a little older and we learned a lot from his vastly superior knowledge of railway operation. He was always very modest towards us, essentially 'just one of the gang'. We had a lot of laughs along the way! Although I moved to Preston in the 1960 school summer holidays, I regularly went back for visits to see my pals and this continued until 1969, so there are plenty of memories from my 'Disley' life until then. One such was on 25 Aug 1962, when we travelled firstly from Disley to Buxton by DMU and then in a single LMS coach, hauled (actually pushed!) by an LMS '4F' 0-6-0 to Millers Dale, which was attached to the rear of the main train that had come from Manchester Central for our onward journey to Derby. We returned by the same route. Purpose of this trip? Derby Works open day of course. In Aug 1965 I visited Disley again and couldn't resist a trip behind Jubilee 45705 'Seahorse' on the early evening commuter train from Manchester Central via Disley Tunnel, Chinley and Peak Forest to Buxton Midland. This route into Buxton closed to passengers 6 Mar 1967 but what a fabulous, spirited run it was, with the distinctive 3-cylinder beat roaring away as we sped uphill towards the spa town for the final time before this train was withdrawn. Two days later it was a 'Black 5' on a Manchester Central to Stockport Tiviot Dale (CP 2 Jan 1967) to Sheffield Midland train and a different 'Black 5' back from Sheffield to New Mills Central. On another couple of occasions, my return home from a Disley visit was timed to include a Britannia hauled run from Manchester Victoria to Preston. It was, I believe, the remnant of the 'Windermere Club Train' leaving around 5pm and using the route via Atherton and Dobb's Brow Spur to access the main Preston route just before Horwich Fork Jn. The train was hauled by 70024 'Vulcan' on 31 Aug 1965 and 70054 'Dornoch Firth' on 6 Jan 1966. These runs were a challenge for steam drivers, especially after Pendleton and then on the tricky gradients along Dobb's Brow Spur. I recall both runs being quite exhilarating as drivers clearly took it all as something of a challenge. There is certainly considerable skill in driving/firing steam engines.
The Manchester Club train network with lots of First Class provision was started by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway and LNWR, continuing through LMS days. By the 1960s, it was a shadow of that in its heyday, a mere apology with ordinary corridor stock. Finally, while in Disley during Sep 1966, I did the 3 mile New Mills Central to Hayfield branch on a DMU; it closed 5 Jan 1970. [Macclesfield to Rose Hill Marple closed then too; annoyingly for your Editor, just a few weeks before his first visit to the area.] ABOVE: 1961 map of the Hayfield branch; New Mills Newtown bottom left, New Mills Central above. The 1960s coincided pretty much exactly with my teenage years and I am ever grateful for that! What a fantastic decade, dominated in my case by railways, football and pop music. There wasn't really time for much else, although other pleasures appeared later in the decade, especially pubs and girls but they are not for this epistle. In the years to 1968, the pursuit of steam was primary. After that, football took over along with gricing. Throughout, though, pop music seemed to provide the backdrop. 1442 EAST MIDLANDS (Nick Garnham) [email protected] 421] Alfreton: (290,000 passengers 2022-23) Work has started on a multi-million pound, year-long project to add lifts to the station footbridge, which is 50 years old. It will be refurbished, with the stairs replaced as part of the project. Improvements will be made to the platforms and lighting; a new ramp and stairs will be installed from the car park to the station entrance. Alfreton station was opened by the Midland Railway on 1 May 1862; it became Alfreton & South Normanton from 7 Nov 1891 and was closed from 2 Jan 1967. Alfreton & Mansfield Parkway was reopened on the same site by British Rail on 7 May 1973 and became just Alfreton from 29 May 1994. ('Mansfield' opened 20 Nov 1995). 422] New Stanton Park, with incredibly long locos! (TRACKmaps Book 4, p14C 2022) (BLN 1409.2221) This logistics and warehousing site with industrial units is advertising that it will have an 8.62 acre rail hub connected to the Midland Mainline. The proposal is capable of accommodating the largest of goods locomotive with a 935m long siding… (from the prospectus). It is believed that the existing track beyond Lows Lane Level Crossing (124m 30ch) has been lifted; most of it was done on our 2 Jul 2021 'Sinfin Syphon' railtour. It appears from the site plan that new warehouse buildings will be built there, with new sidings between the NR boundary (124m 4ch) and the level crossing (= 26ch = 523m!!). 423] Keadby: Between Doncaster and Scunthorpe,NR is carrying out extensive work at Keadby Sliding Canal Bridge at 18m 18ch. There is a 9-day blockade from Sat 17 until early morning Mon 26 Feb to strengthen the north wall of the Stainforth & Keadby Canal which needs repair. During the work, new rail will be installed on the bridge and other equipment renewed. This involves draining a section of the Canal before demolishing part of its wall to replace it with a new, prefabricated concrete slab.
The original Keadby Sliding Bridge dates from the late 1800s but was replaced by the present, similar structure in 2004 and is the only rail bridge of its kind in the UK. During the current work, there are replacement buses between Doncaster and Scunthorpe. The Brigg line with its single track sections, normally very sleepy and quiet now, will be busy with diverted Scunthorpe and Immingham freight traffic. For example, 70 trains in total are pathed on Wed 21 Feb (not all will run, of course); this compares with 13 booked on Wed 7 Feb, of which five actually ran. However, two of these were the one SSuX passenger train each way and two were light engines (one each way); the single freight was an Immingham to Drax Biomass that now runs via Brigg most weekdays (and, normally, the returning wagons). The bridge and associated Gate Box were visited by the Society on 4 Oct 2014. 424] Peartree: (BLN 1441.354) A member unwittingly chose a day when Birmingham City were playing at home to do Bordesley station so had no reason to suspect that his exit might otherwise have been blocked by locked gates. However, he did come close to such an experience at Peartree in Sep 2011. Its service was also very sparse, (in the 2024 timetable, SSuX 8 trains call, 4 SO and none on Sundays; a big improvement on 2011!). He alighted as planned from the one evening southbound train - the only person to do so - to be faced with a high, robust and apparently locked gate at the bottom of the exit ramp with no legitimate, or even reasonably practical, alternative. Panic was short-lived, however, as there was a button to press to speak to presumably the signaller, who didn't seem to know where he was or what he wanted, but who quickly remotely released the catch when he said something like 'Exit from Peartree southbound platform please'. Bordesley has padlocked chained gates instead. 1442 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected] 425] Bruce Grove: On the Enfield Town/Cheshunt lines, Arriva Rail London has renovated disused rooms on Up P1 as a community space, waiting room, staff mess room and maintenance storage facility. The waiting room and community space pay homage to the station's history with Victorian inspired features, including handcrafted reproduction benches. Photos at: https://bit.ly/4bwB9N5 426] Central line: Since Nov 2023 there have been numerous cancellations resulting from many traction motor failures. The 'current' dc motors are being replaced by ac ones under the Central line Improvement Programme, but this is slow, as the trains are being heavily rebuilt. The line has a fleet of 85 trains, with the Working Timetable requiring 77 in the peaks (73 SO, 65 SuO). The peak requirement was temporarily reduced to 71 trains last year but, sometimes, as many as 28 trains have been cancelled. LU is to introduce a temporary timetable (from 4 Mar according to the 'District Dave' website), to give a more even service with the trains available. In the meantime, bus services between Hainault and Ilford and between Debden and Walthamstow Central have been enhanced and a special service between Epping and Chingford via Loughton was scheduled to start from 7 Feb. 427] Colindale: (BLN 1439.26) The station is to close from 7 Jun until mid-Dec for rebuilding as part of step free access. During this time, the existing canopy and staircases will be removed and new staircases built. The rest of the work will take place while the station is open, with the new entrance opening in Autumn 2025. The Golders Green to Edgware line closure from Tue 2 until Thu 11 Apr (inclusive), and on three weekends in Jun, is to install new foundations and structural columns. 428] Industrial Action: (BLN 1440.159) RMT members employed by Arriva Rail London on London Overground are planning to strike on Mon 19-Tue 20 Feb and Mon 4-Tue 5 Mar in a dispute over pay. 429] London Overground: Will operate 2tph (two trains per hour) between West Croydon and London Bridge on Easter Sun, 31 Mar. The Southern Victoria to London Bridge service will not serve the Sydenham corridor that day because of engineering work and the East London Line will be closed north of New Cross Gate. An ECS test from and to Crystal Palace is scheduled for 25 Feb. 430] Surbiton: Solum, the property partnership between Keir Property and NR, proposes to redevelop the station car park. 243 homes would be built in blocks up to 17 storeys high. The car park would be replaced by a multistorey structure with a cylindrical front. This could prove controversial as it is next to the southern entrance to the Grade II listed station. Here the ticket hall is currently only used as a store and could be restored for commercial use.
X.21] PREVIOUS: A new style tube map which looks like a great deal of work'Circle to search' feature on their Galaxy S24 phone. Mpas were only on displaX.22] BELOW: (BLN 1441.293) Late afternoon at Northfields during the rece
k, (it is clear enough to zoom in). It was actually an advert for Samsung's new ay at a few major stations for a couple of weeks. (Alan Sheppard, 10 Feb 2024.) ent Piccadilly line closure. NEXT: Looking west. (Don Kennedy, 12 Feb 2024.)
X.23] BELOW: Hull Trains, that well known paragon of virtue, blue in a sea of pRIGHT: The EMR colour/branded sign is not just a temporary arrangement but
purple. Sat 10 Feb 2024 - 08.05 Hull to St Pancras in P2. t matches the EMR ones. (Alan Sheppard from … Hull.)
431] London Trams (Croydon): (BLN 1430.1856) TfL has gone to tender for 24 trams to replace the Bombardier CR4000 trams, which date from 2000. The tender has an option to order up to 12 further trams with no break in production, or between eight and 16 trams with a break in production. This could be for eventual replacement of the later Stadler trams, or potentially for an increase in capacity. 432] Richmond: (TRACKmaps 5 p44A 2019) The junction between the line from Kew Gardens and the London & South Western Railway line through Richmond was taken out of use (OOU) on 28 Dec 1972. It was done in both directions by an LCGB railtour on 8 Nov 1970 and an Eastern Region Staff Railway Society 'Farewell to The Southern BILs' railtour on 25 Sep 1971. More recently, and probably the final passenger train, was the LCGB/SEG 'The First & Final 501' on 11 May 1985, which used the reinstated (below) connection from Richmond P3 to take a pair of 501s to Bromley North, Horsham and London Holborn Viaduct terminus (before returning via Richmond to its starting point, London Broad Street.) Not previously recorded in BLN, is that the third and fourth rail electrification in Up bay P3 was decommissioned on 15 Sep 1974. From 24 Apr 1985, it was electrified for third rail operation only and connected to the Up Richmond Line for stock transfers between the North London Line and Selhurst Depot when 2EPB units took over NLL services. This connection was taken OOU on 7 Dec 2015. 433] Voltaire Road Jn: (BLN 1441.295) To further update this report, it seems that both services between Blackfriars and Orpington were advertised when the junction was relaid round Christmas. 434] TfL Fares: (BLN 1441.294) The Mayor has asked TfL to trial the withdrawal of peak fares on Fridays for three months starting in Mar. However, agreement must be reached with the National Rail TOCs to support the scheme. Freedom Passes and 60+ Oyster cards will also be available for free travel anytime on Fridays. This is part of a drive to encourage office workers back into central London on Fridays to support the wider economy. Weekend London Underground passenger numbers have returned to pre-Pandemic levels, with midweek numbers at 85%, but Fridays at only about 73%. 435] Victoria Resignalling Scheme: (BLN 1441.284) The planned 9-day half term closure was reduced to just 10-11 Feb for preparatory work. Following internal reviews, the line closures for commissioning have been postponed until later in the year. A knowledgeable member understands that Alstom is having severe difficulties resourcing their jobs, particularly anything connected with workstation resignalling. Their new system 'Infinity', to be used here (and at Goole - also delayed), is yet to be type approved by NR! Their existing system, 'MCS' (Modular Control System), is facing obsolescence issues. 436] Waterloo East: On 23 Jan there was an intermittent track circuit fault through Platform 'B' due to loose padding at an insulated block joint. 11 services to Charing Cross booked on the Up Slow called at Up Fast platform 'D' and crossed Up Fast to the Up Slow at Belvedere Road Jn. The first was the 07.49 from Gravesend and the last the 10.06 from Sevenoaks. On 27 Jan a points problem at Metropolitan Jn resulted in 106 trains from Charing Cross being routed from the Down Fast to the Down Slow at Belvedere Road Jn. The first was the 05.35 to Hayes and the last one the 00.15 to Tunbridge Wells. 437] And Finally… Vinyl stickers have been installed on interior panels at the front of 10 DLR units, for youthful passengers to pretend they are driving. They have buttons in a control panel style, gauges, switches and a speedometer. If the vinyls are well received, they could be rolled out to further trains. 1442 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected] 438] £24M for Nothing - actually for Zero! (BLN 1439.44) On a visit on 30 Jan, the Rail Minister confirmed funding of £24M for the new P0 at Bradford Forster Square. It is hoped that this capacity increase will result in five additional LNER services a day. LNER said that, while timetable plans still need DfT approval and will be announced later, they expected 'a big increase' in the number of trains to/from London. At present, there are two each way to/from King's Cross six days a week and one each way Sundays; all call at Shipley. The single Skipton LNER service (just a Down train SuO) only calls at Shipley in the Up direction but stops at Keighley both ways! LNER do Advance and ordinary tickets Leeds to/from Shipley, Bradford, Keighley, Skipton or Harrogate including First Class (!) but from Horsforth just Standard Class. LNER calls at Horsforth, Shipley and Keighley to pick up only towards Leeds and set down only on journeys from Leeds. All these services involve significant ECS mileage.
439] Horton-in-Ribblesdale: On 3 Oct 1981, your BLN Editor organised a Society trip on the internal railway at Settle Limestone, Horton Quarry. Riding in the cab of the internal loco, 2-3 at a time, ten members participated in the four trips. These ran to the British Rail exchange sidings via a headshunt to reverse, climbing to reach to the foot of the disused quarry incline, including the loco shed and lime kiln branches. It was more extensive than expected but only sent out a few wagonloads a week - most traffic went by road. It closed soon after, was disconnected and lifted. ABOVE: 1950 map; the railway was more extensive then; Horton-in-Ribblesdale station is at the top (to Carlisle), with Settle off the bottom. (The top left corner is included so that our Scotland Regional Editor won't be disappointed.) Fortunately, the operation of railway sidings and loading equipment is already permitted under existing planning permission (BLN 1337.2442). All that is needed is construction and operation of the line in accordance with the details already approved by the National Park Authority in 2019. Several design changes are required but these have presumably been approved as, on 31 Jan, ground clearance work was observed at Horton. LEFT: (Plan by Martyn Brailsford) There will be a single connection trailing into the Down line just south of the station, serving two internal sidings and a short cripple siding, at right angles to the main line. The layout will enable a train of up to 26 wagons to be loaded clear of the main line, split into two sections. Empty trains from the south will reverse into the sidings. Loaded trains will go to Blea Moor to run round in the Up Goods Loop, before departing southwards. This may increase traffic on the Hellifield to Clitheroe line, depending on the destination of the aggregate traffic. 440] Alnmouth: (BLN 1440.174) Sixteen services used the Down Main in the Up direction from Little Mill to Wooden Gates; the first was 07.00 Edinburgh to King's Cross and the last 13.05 Edinburgh to Plymouth. The 12.00 Edinburgh to King's Cross used the Down Main from Chathill to Chevington. Once repairs were completed, all Up services were initially routed via Alnmouth Up Passenger Loop.
BELOW: (Item 439) Looking west at Pen-y-ghent (2,277ft) from Horton-in-
Ribblesdale station; Horton Quarry is well off to the left, towards Settle.
BELOW: (Item 441) Bus with a route 'M' destination blind; it doesn't say 'Trainspo
otter'! (Photoshopped by Garry Luck, 1 Apr 2007, reproduced with permission.)
BELOW: (Item 441) Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge from the north (Port CThis file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution
Clarence) side up stream; AV Dawson is just visible on the other side far right. 2.0 Generic license. Jon Oakley from Eaglescliffe, England.
BELOW: The south (Middlesbrough) side; note the many steps (only on this side o
of the river) up to the walkway. (All Andy Overton, 30 Jun 2019 unless specified.)
BELOW: The southern approach and entrance, the steps are right. NEXT TWO: Looking north along the bridge, the walkway is central; the pipe, right, is for British Oxygen Co.
BELOW: View upstream from the bridge, AV Dawson on the Middlesbrough Old Town branch is left.
BELOW: Looking upstream, the south bank (Middlesbrough side) of the T
Tees with AV Dawson is left; right is the north bank (Port Clarence side).
BELOW: The view downstream towards the North Sea, Port Clarance left, Mid
ddlesbrough right. That boat being scrapped was SS Dover (later Earl Siward).
BELOW & NEXT: Looking north, Port Clarence side, with the Belasis (for
rmer Greatham Creek) branch curving away (TRACKmaps 2 p45A 2020).
ABOVE: The bridge partially demolished ready for export to the USA from 'Auf Wiedersehen Pet'. BELOW: The World Heritage Site Puente Colgante (hanging bridge), Bilbao, Northern Spain (7 Aug 2007).
441] Transporter Bridges: A structural assessment has revealed that the Grade II* listed Transporter Bridge at Middlesbrough has deteriorated to such an extent that it is now categorised as being at risk of 'catastrophic collapse', posing an immediate and unacceptable safety risk to the public. Signs of 'significant' stress were revealed in numerous parts of its structure. The report suggested that an area around the bridge should be cordoned off when winds are expected to exceed 'acceptable limits', in case of a catastrophic collapse. When it becomes at significant risk of collapse, an exclusion zone will need to be applied around the structure, including the shipping lanes beneath the bridge. This would have the serious effect of closing the wharf belonging to AV Dawson Ltd, who generate most of the traffic on the Old Town branch. The bridge itself has been closed since Aug 2019 due to safety issues. Concerns that the structure was in a dangerous state were raised by a whistleblower, with reports that wheels, ropes and anchor points were 'substantially out of date'. In 2018, there was a near miss; a support fell from the structure, landing beside a staff member. However, the £30M in the 'Transport Plan' - not available until after 2027 (BLN 1441.308) - is well short of the £67M it has been suggested may be needed. A leg is sinking, which affects the whole structure, so it could be in grave danger. The transporter bridge concept was first thought of in 1873 by Charles Smith, manager of an engine works in Hartlepool. He called it a 'bridge ferry' and presented his idea to Middlesbrough Council as a solution to the unsatisfactory ferry across the Tees. The river was broad, shallow and busy with ships but its low banks meant that any bridge high enough not to impede navigation would need substantial approach ramps. He was unsuccessful but his idea was taken up by foreigners. In 1887, after studying Smith's plans, Spanish engineer Alberto Palacio (a protégée of Gustave Eiffel, famous for a rather better known structure) and French bridge builder Ferdinand Arnodin patented the 'transbordeur'. They built the first transporter bridge across the River Nervion between Las Arenas and Portugalete, downstream from Bilbao in Northern Spain, in 1893. Known locally as the 'Puente Colgante', or hanging bridge, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is well worth a visit. Only a few operate now. Abroad, there are five - one in France, two in Germany and two in Argentina. There were several in France but some were blown up in 1940 as German troops advanced and two were dismantled after WWII. There were originally five in the UK: ●WidnestoRuncorn opened in 1905, the first one here and the largest ever built; it was demolished in 1961 and replaced by a permanent road bridge ●Newport (Wales) opened in 1905 and recently reopened after repairs ●Warrington (two bridges): One opened in 1905 across the Manchester Ship Canal, linking two parts of a factory but now demolished, the other opened in 1916 across the River Mersey, now out of use and considered 'at risk'. ●Middlesbrough opened in 1911 and is now the longest such bridge in the world (260m) but Newport has a longer cross-river span (180m compared with 170m). Newport is Grade I Listed by Cadw, so one would think the Middlesbrough one should also merit a Grade I Listing. Your Middlesbrough born and bred NE Editor also thinks Middlesbrough is the more elegant of the two; he's not biased, of course! A member and his wife went on the guided tour of the bridge in 2019, which included the walkway above the river on top of the bridge. He suggested that, as the gondola is suspended from trolleys which run across the bridge on rails, it could validly be considered 'required track' and hence a Minor Railway! However, our Minor Railways Editor ruled that out as it didn't run mainly for pleasure. The Middlesbrough bridge has featured in films and TV programmes. 'Auf Wiedersehen Pet' (third series) saw the bridge dismantled and taken to Arizona, as indeed happened to the previous London Bridge (not Tower Bridge which they thought they had bought), presumably the inspiration for this storyline. Following that episode, Middlesbrough Council received many calls from local people worried that their bridge was really going to be demolished! A BBC spokeswoman said: The quality of the graphics is superb and it's quite flattering that people really think the bridge is going to America. A disclaimer added to the end of the final episode, reassured viewers that the bridge was still there! Middlesbrough buses had route letters rather than numbers. The bridge was served by Route 'M'; the destination blind read simply :TRANSPORTER M: - not very meaningful to outsiders. But everybody knew what the Transporter was, didn't they? Did anywhere else in the UK just use bus route letters?
442] Bradford - Ilkley: (TRACKmaps 2 p41 2020) On the single track between Dockfield Jn (Shipley) and Esholt Jn (Guiseley), a significant landslip, threatening a dwelling, occurred on the afternoon of Mon 5 Feb. It involved the steep and very deep cutting slope down to the Down (to Ilkley) side of the line between Baildon station (2m 29ch) and Baildon N o 1 Tunnel (2m 14ch). A 20 mph restriction was imposed and staff monitored the situation. On 7 Feb the restriction became 5 mph and the line closed after 12.45 on Thur 8 Feb. The slope has continued to slip and three properties have had to be evacuated, with residents moved to a hotel. After a period of assessment and planning, rectification work began on Mon 12 Feb and it could provisionally be 4-5 weeks before the line reopens. A few through trains continue to run SSuX between Bradford Forster Square and Ilkley for school traffic (but not during the half term holiday 12-16 Feb), reversing in the Shipley end of Kirkstall Up Passenger Loop, then covering the trailing crossover at 198m 00ch. Before half term these were: 07.45 & 14.46 Bradford to Ilkley and 07.48, 08.24 & 15.21 return (check online for future dates). All Leeds to Ilkley services have been calling at Kirkstall Forge (so it has been enjoying its best ever service!), where passengers can change to/from Leeds to Shipley/Bradford services. Ticket restrictions have been lifted. A replacement bus service is running between Shipley, Baildon and Guiseley. 443] 'Settling' a burning question: (BLN 1441.301) A member is pretty sure that NR replaced the last paraffin signal lamps quite some years ago. (The Times had an article at the end of 2010 that the final remaining oil signal lamps were being decommissioned.) This fits with the final Settle & Carlisle line lampman retiring in Nov 2010, when all lamps on the line were converted to electric. They actually burnt paraffin (kerosene in fact) and normally only needed refilling and trimming once a week. Installation of NR's newest semaphore at Settle Jn was delayed by a week (that makes it newer still). 444] Teesside Airport: Partial demolition has started; the footbridge and Down P2 had gone by 25 Jan. Tees Valley Combined Authority minutes say that this is to ensure the safety of passing trains. 445] T&W Metro: ❶The £70M project to rebuild Gosforth Depot is now complete. All the stored old units are visible in this 3⅓ min video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koMdEDpnhXE (click Browse YouTube) showing the OHLE completion, as is the new fence between the Avoiding Line and Depot. ❷The new units won't be entering service just yet; further testing 'in very specific conditions' is required. Apparently, tests need to be conducted on their traction ability when the rail conditions are unexpectedly poor. Nexus is now hoping merely to have the first unit in use by the end of 2024. ❸To improve the reliability of the current fleet, Nexus obtained heaters adapted from the airline industry to protect the units during the winter. This has helped to improve fleet availability, the main cause of delay, since Christmas. Performance has improved significantly; 81% of services arrived less than three minutes late in the period 10 Dec to 6 Jan, as opposed to 61% in the previous period. ❹Man overboard! (BLN 1418.447.4) Ex-Cayman Islands TV weatherman turned Metro Customer Service Advisor, American Joe Avary, has 'jumped ship' to work on the Shields Ferry. He 'sailed through' his Boat Master's Licence and is fully qualified to captain the 'Ferry Cross the Mersey Tyne'. 446] Wortley Curve: (BLN 1440.167) Previously belonging to Railway Paths Ltd, the land was bought at auction by NR for £47,000 - three times the guide price! NR said that plans for the future usage of the site continue to be discussed internally and with stakeholders, which is not terribly informative! West Yorkshire Combined Authority is in discussions with NR to explore the opportunity. For several reasons, among which that the council is not at present promoting a project to restore the curve, it would be inappropriate to use Compulsory Purchase powers. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out… 447] Northumberland Line: (BLN 1441.297) ①At Newsham station, the new footbridge span was in place at the start of Feb and the two lift towers were under construction but there was little progress with the platforms. The new £30.6M road overbridge, which will replace the level crossing, was in place and the embankments for the road approaches were largely formed. Only limited progress has been made with redoubling the line south of here, although there is evidence of some new signalling. ②(BLN 1441.297.2) Dismantling of the southern building at Bedlington station, due to take place over the weekend of 3-5 Feb, was postponed; there were unforeseen issues over pre-demolition consents.
[BLN 1BELOW: (Item 442) The massive landslip at Baildon, the line to Guiseley andShipley and Bradford Forster Square are off the bottom. Note how muchNEXT: Looking down into the cutting showing the cracks in the gardens, Ilkle
1442] d Ilkley goes off through Baildon No1 Tunnel, top right. (NR, 10 Feb 2024.) the garden lawn has sunk, top left and part of the house is propped up. ey is off left and Bradford right. 2,500 tonnes of material is being removed.
(Item 444) Teesside Airport is now minus its footbridge and Down P2. ABOVE: D