1398

Number 1398 (Items 830 - 941 & MR 56 - MR 66) (E-BLN 108 PAGES) 2 Apr 2022

BRANCH LINE NEWS

Distribuendi notitia, verbi disseminandi [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 AnlabymPaermk bReorasdhiSpo.suethcr,eHtaurlly,@HUbr4a7nBchUl.ine.0u7k873 354464

British Isles news from members; an international section is available.

Opinions are not necessarilyathvaoislaebolef .the Compilers or the Society.

BLN 1399 is dated Sat 23 Apr :mind the 3-week gap): all contributions by Wed 13 Apr please

830] PLEASE RENEW YOUR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP ONLINE! On 1 Apr membership

renewals opened for 2022-2023 but, if ycoieutyf.iSrsotcijeotiyn.ed the Society since 1 Jan 2022, you do not need
to renew. That leaves over 2,250 members to renew! If possible, and even if you only take paper BLN/
BLNI, please do this via our website (which is secure). There will be a reminder when you log in; most
Credit/Debit Cards can be used. This greatly helps our volunteer Membership Secretary, Lisa, who
works full time and is also now busy at work with the new Financial Year. Please check your address,
email details etc are correct and notify any changes you can't make yourself directly to Lisa, as above.
If you cannot renew via our website, please wait for the printed form with BLN 1399 in three weeks.

Subscriptions have been frozen (or reduced) for six years in a row, despite postage increases.

E-BLN with e-BLNI (24 editions of each) is still only £12 per year - in real terms our lowest ever full
membership subscription rate, particularly considering all the benefits. You can review your category
of membership, add 24 posted editions of BLN printed on quality paper to e-BLN for only £28.50 extra,
or add 24 paper BLNIs for £4.50 more. Everyone who takes paper BLN receives e-BLN/BLNI free! Your
membership also includes: Peter Scott's Minor Railways booklet posted to all full members, access to
the Members' only sections of our website, priority booking, members' only fixtures and discounts on
many fixtures (up to £12 on each); also discounts on TRACKmaps, rail atlases and various other books.
You need to be a member at the time of the tour/fixtures to qualify for the discount or participate if it
is 'members only'. We are always keen to welcome new members if you know of anyone interested.

Date Event and details…... Please book online BLN Lead Status
Sat 2 Apr 10.30-16.00 The Tanat Valley Light Railway 1397 MG OPEN
Sun 3 Apr Oswestry - Weston Wharf opening weekend trip/s 1395 MG CHECK
Sun 3 Apr 14.30 Oswestry Model Engineering Society 1397 MG OPEN
Fri 8 Apr The Tweedmouth Tractors (see BLNs 1395 & 1397) 1396 MG OPEN
Sat 9 Apr The Merchant of Teesside (see BLNs 1395 & 1396) BELOW MG OPEN

Sat 9 Apr *NEW* Saltburn Miniature Railway - PAY ON THE DAY CASH BELOW MG BELOW

Sun 10 Apr The Glengarnock Growler (see BLN 1395 also) BELOW MG OPEN

Fri 22 Apr The Honeybourne Hoover positioning move 1396 MG OPEN

Sat 23 Apr The Ore No More revised railtour (but still Class 50s!) 1397 MG OPEN

Sun 24 Apr *NEW* It's a lot less bovver, with a hover… (& Island Line) BELOW MG OPEN

Sat 14 May *NEW* The Metro Marauder (Class 455 EMU farewell) BELOW MG OPEN

21-26 May BLS Northern Sweden tour (Nässjö based) SEE BELOW BELOW IS Claimed
Fri 3 Jun The Royal Charter Crewe - Windsor RBF charity tour 1395 MG OPEN
24-28 Jun 1396 IS OPEN
BLS Silesian Explorer railtour based on Wrocław

Sat 25 Jun *NEW* Leighton Buzzard Railway - Sandhill Explorer BELOW MG OPEN
Sun 26 Jun Adrian Shooter's Beeches Light Railway 1395 MB OPEN

Sat 16 Jul London - Edinburgh mainline steam (Tornado) TBA TBA Claimed
22-24 Jul IOM minor railways (Fri-Sun) SEE E-BLN 1398 EMAIL 1389 TBA Claimed

Sat 30 Jul *NEW DATE* East Anglia branches loco hauled (was 8 Aug) TBA TBA Claimed

Sun 28 Aug *NEW* Scunthorpe Steelworks No24 Summer Track Steeler BELOW MG OPEN

9-12 Sep Niedersachsen Explorer (North West Germany) 1370 PG Claimed

Fri 11 Nov Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway railtour TBA TBA Claimed
18-20 Nov Proposed AGM weekend (Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway) TBA TBA Claimed

IS = Iain Scotchman; MB = Martyn Brailsford [email protected] MG = Mark Gomm; PG = Paul Griffin.
Bookings: Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Road, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL 07983 541887.

831] Fri 8 - Sun 10 Apr; The Tyne Tees Tractors:: On the Saturday the visit to Hitachi Merchant Park at
Newton Aycliffe includes running into the factory site as well as the Test Track and its new connection.
On Sun 10 Apr the Up/Down Goods Loop at Shettleston is included in the interesting (Up) direction.

X.87] Sat 9 Apr; Saltburn Miniature Railway:: (NOT in paper BLN) Thanks to Tim Wallis, a special, non-
public opening of the historic 15'' gauge; 715yd Saltburn Miniature Railway (MR p22) during our
'Merchant of Teesside' railtour break in Saltburn from around 15.30 to 17.30. Payment in cash only on
the day at £3 per person (per return trip; no reductions) participants make their own way from
Saltburn station to the Miniature Railway - about 15 minutes' walk - directions will be given. We have
requested 'top & tail' operation of shuttles end to end to save time with running round, meeting at the
loco shed in the middle. This visit is also open to members not on our tour, but they must please notify
Tim Wallis in advance at: [email protected] (Saltburn Cliff Railway reopens at Easter.)

X.87] Sun 24 Apr 09.00; It's a lot less bovver with a hover:: (NOT in paper BLN) As many members
will be in the Portsmouth area this morning, the opportunity has been taken to provide an unusual
way to 'ride' to the IOW to experience the 'new' Class 484s EMUs. All proceeds from this unique
experience will be donated to Stroke Association. Meet at Hovertravel's Portsmouth terminal at 09.00
for a very special crossing to Ryde. During the trip, you will be given a unique demonstration of the
capability of the Hovercraft. The event includes a 15-minute Hovercraft flight when you can experience
manœuvres such as 360-degree spins, deflation of the ingenious skirt, the rare opportunity to interact
with one of the talented pilots and many more surprises! Once we reach Ryde, take the 09.47 Island
Line service from Ryde Esplanade to Shanklin and return, arriving back at Esplanade at 10.39. We then
take an additional 10.45 Hovercraft service back to Portsmouth to complete our journey. You may
remain on the island and book a Hovercraft flight to suit your own itinerary, using special discount
code 'BRANCHLINEAPRIL50' to save 50% off a single journey at: https://www.hovertravel.co.uk/

£20 per person no reductions. The Stagecoach Hoverbus (normally £3.80 return) is included in your
fare. It operates a circular route from Southsea Terminal to/from: Portsmouth's The Hard Interchange

for Portsmouth Harbour station,
Gosport Ferry, Gunwharf Quays,
Historic Dockyard and Spinnaker
Tower; Commercial Road - for
Portsmouth & Southsea Station,
Cascades Shopping Centre, The
Guildhall & City Museum. Return
to Southsea Terminal is via bus
stops for the University buildings
and Southsea Shopping Centre.

Island Line railfares are payable
locally by participants (or in
advance from any national ticket
office or online sales outlet).

832] Sat 14 May The Metro Marauder::
We are delighted to be the booking
agent for Southern's charity train as
they say farewell to the Class 455 EMUs
on their final day of operation - the last
day of the present timetable. All profits
go to 'MIND' in Croydon, promoting
good mental health, nominated by GTR
and Southern. The tour features two
Class 455/8s and takes in various
unusual routes for the Class with a few
PSULs as well. Several toilet breaks are
included plus a break of an hour in
Brighton. Our friends from Network
SouthEast Railway Society will have a
sales stand and another one may be added. A VIP with green credentials is expected. The onboard
charity raffle will have some fantastic prizes. Adult £45.58; Under 18 £22.79 (must be adult
accompanied), no non-members surcharge. Please book on our website which is secure or post per
BLN 1397.702. Route and provisional timings:

Victoria P14 (PU 09.02) - Clapham Junction - Streatham Reversible Fast Spur - Mitcham Junction -
Epsom - Horsham P4 - Billingshurst P1 (rev) - trailing crossover - Horsham P4 - Three Bridges P2 (rev)
- Haywards Heath P4 - Preston Park P1 - Down Cliftonville Spur - Hove P1 (rev) - Brighton P2 (rev/60
min break) - Hove P2 (rev) - Up Cliftonville Spur - Preston Park P1 (rev) - Brighton P6 (rev) - Lewes
Signal TLW58 (reverse) - Haywards Heath P3 - Gatwick Airport P4 - Quarry Line - East Croydon P2 -
Norwood Junction - London Bridge P5 - Charing Cross P6 (reverse) - London Bridge P7 - Down Sussex
Reversible - Tulse Hill P4 - Leigham Spur - Balham - Clapham Junction P14 - Factory Jn - Dn Brixton
Spur - Elephant & Castle - London Blackfriars P4 (rev) - Elephant & Castle - Denmark Hill - Bellingham
- Bromley South - Swanley - Sevenoaks P3 (rev) - Orpington - Bromley South - Bellingham - Denmark
Hill - Voltaire Road Jn - Up Chatham Reversible - Battersea Pier Jn - London Victoria P14 (SD 18.49).

833] :21-26 May; BLS Northern Sweden tour:: Operated by Nässjö Järnvägsmuseum, this covers
freight and secondary lines, new or not done by recent tours, in heritage 1st Class coaches with a
restaurant car, plus Y1 DMU for short freight branches. Hiring an ECTS fitted loco or unit hasn't been
possible so we cannot traverse the much required freight branches connecting to the Botniabanan.
The tour starts/ends in Nässjö, southern central Sweden and easily accessible by train from Stockholm,
Göteborg & Malmo. At £625 for six days, it is comparable to UK tours at £104 per day and we hope for
sufficient support for the tour to go ahead. We are asking for expressions of definite intention to book
ASAP by email to: [email protected] (and for all queries) or by post to your Editor who
will pass this on. The proposed route and timings are on our website; those who have never accessed
the website can obtain a printed copy by sending a 'C6' (quarter A4) SAE to your Editor per back page.

834] :Sat 25 Jun; 09.00/10.00-16.00 The Sandhill Explorer:: With thanks to our member Bill Davis, a
comprehensive tour of the 2ft gauge Leighton Buzzard Railway (MR p12). Requested route includes all
available track in Page's Park and Stonehenge Yards, the new Eastern Link Road Tunnel deviation and
Munday's Hill extension end of line. Motive power is expected to be 2x40 HP + 2x20 HP Simplex locos.
Photo stops requested at Vandyke Road (remains of Chamberlain's Barn branch), the new deviation,
Munday's Hill and, if time allows, Leedon Loop. Page's Park shed will be open before departure for
stock inspection. A breakfast roll and hot drink, included in the fare, will be available from 09.00 for
10.00 departure, return by 16.00. Members only Adult £35; U18 (must be adult accompanied) £17.50.
Those on Bill's 12 Apr 2014 similar trip will remember how very enjoyable and comprehensive it was,
BLN 1208 p170 of 3 May 2014 (on website) has a report and BLN 1388.2944 (6 Nov 2021) reports on
our 2 Oct 2021 visit with photos and a map (or see website 'Fixture Reports' page, search 'Leighton').

835] :Sun 28 Aug (Bank Holiday weekend) Scunthorpe Steeler No24, 09.30-18.30:: Now a unique
experience in the UK. Over 100 miles of standard gauge track; a great way to see an operating fully
integrated steel works and 24-hour industrial railway at close quarters set in 200 acres (totally unspoilt
by tourism). Meet at the AFRPS platform for 09.30; due to finish about 18.30. Supporting the AFRPS
volunteers' good work; MEMBERS ONLY £50; Under 18s £25 (must be adult accompanied). The usual
lunch break food and drinks are included. A detailed track map will be provided and some new lines
are expected to be available for the first time. All queries and specific line requests in advance only,
please, to Paul Stewart per back page. We have found that allocating places on the brakevans is very
popular, so will continue this - when booking you will be able to opt to go on the balcony, inside or 'no
preference' (with priority to early bookers). IF FULL, IT IS WELL WORTH GOING ON THE WAITING LIST.
Item 941 is a report of our 8 Jan 2022 Scunthorpe Steelworks railtour and a track plan of the railway is
on our website. We will continue to run these trips twice a year so long as there is sufficient demand.
836] :24-28 Jun; The BLS Silesian Explorer Railtour:: (BLN 1397.706) BELOW: Żmigród Test Track is
included on our five day tour of southwest Poland based on Wrocław (see website for full details).

1398 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
837] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1397.820] In BLN, the Blackpool Balloon II tour should, be 2022 not 2021 -
this was missed by your entire Committee, the proofreaders, author and Editor - sack the lot of them!
838] The Angus McDougall Photo Collection: Dr Angus McDougall was our Chairman from 1969 until
1989. He was also a very keen active member, participating in most fixtures, writing itineraries, an avid
BLN contributor and even organised various 'odd' fixtures himself. During his lifetime Angus amassed
over 30,000 fascinating railway photos which he had taken, dating back to the 1950s; some have been
in BLN. They include just about every signal box in the UK, most stations and much foreign material.
Most are in colour; the older ones are monochrome. The images are all available in digital format.
It was Angus's wish in life, and in his will, that the collection be retained together and with the Branch
Line Society as custodians. We are now very pleased to make the collection available via our website.
The collection is fully searchable and logged in members are able to view the high resolution images
for personal use. Copyright of the images is held by the Branch Line Society and further use, in any
format or for any purpose, is not permitted without authorization by the Society in an official email.
From the Home page, go across the top banner to 'More options…' and down to 'Photo Collection'.

Our Website Officer, Phil Wieland, has done a fantastic job in creating a website structure which
allows highly flexible searching of the images by content, location and date. The results of searches are
shown as thumbnails and clicking on these displays a high resolution image to logged in members.

Fortunately, Angus created a structured filename system for his images. We do not have an overall
index but Phil has been able to create scripts to extract information from the filename structure and,
when possible, used this to populate the following searchable information fields for each image:

 Description - this usually includes location and sometimes rolling stock details
 Country
 Infrastructure type - signal box / signal / station / sign / shed
 Date
To make this valuable resource available to our members as soon as possible, the collection has been
released with metadata largely derived automatically from the filenames. However, a substantial
piece of work is ongoing manually to further improve the descriptions and other data. So far, this has
included reclassification of Northern Irish images from 'Eire' to 'UK' and also correcting some dates.

There are currently over 4,000 duplicate images and these will be progressively removed. Each image
will be examined, the description checked and infrastructure type amended but naturally this will take
some time and only a very small proportion of the collection has been manually checked so far.

It is useful to note that the description field can be searched for any text or characters. As well as
locations, this powerful function can be used to search for rolling stock: eg entering '37' would
produce a list of all images labelled as including a Class 37 - as well as a Class 378 for example or any
locomotive with '37' in its number! Similarly, images showing diesel locomotives include 'DL' in the
description and these can likewise be searched. A list of searchable abbreviations will be created.

Feedback would be most welcome to [email protected] on the format/presentation of
the collection. A big thank you is due to member John Hampson for his considerable work on all this.

839] A Day Out to Norwich: By Chris Lewis. Friends of ours mentioned that they were going on a day
trip from Crewe to Norwich on Wed 16 Mar 2022 and asked if Jennifer and I were interested. We had
a look, decided that we were, and we would share a table for four with them. The train was operated
by INTERCITY, not the British Rail version of old, but a company under the banner of Jeremy Hosking
who has bought many locos (diesel, electric and steam) and coaches for operation on the main lines in
the UK. The INTERCITY train was composed of Mark 3 coaches, all First Class, a driving trailer vehicle
and Class 87, 87002, 'Royal Sovereign'. Amazing to realise 87002 is nearly 50 years old [frightening].

Our train was booked to depart Crewe at 07.00 so we decided to stay the previous night in Stafford
rather than leave home in Cheshire very early and drive to Crewe. We found we could park in the
Tesco car park next to Stafford station at £8 for 36 hours instead of paying Avanti £24 for its car park.

Before we left our Stafford hotel I checked on Realtime Trains that the train had left Crewe and then
we walked to the station. I used Realtime Trains and Open Train Times to monitor our progress during
the day and, with the latter, could see many more signal aspects in front of us than our drivers could!
It arrived exactly on time at Stafford and we found the coaches had been fully refurbished and were
very comfortable. The train proceeded along the West Coast Main Line, certainly doing over 100 mph,
picking up more passengers at Tamworth, Nuneaton, Rugby, Milton Keynes and a handful at Watford
Junction where we changed drivers. It went through Northampton (the direct route through Weedon
requires 110/125mph running at that time of day) and continued on the Up Slow from Hanslope Jn.

The schedule was kept to the minute to Wembley Central despite a stopping train leaving Milton
Keynes a few minutes before us. Then our booked route was interesting. We used the Willesden Up &
Down Relief line to Wembley Yard, continuing on the Up & Down High Level Goods to the Willesden
Railnet Reception & Departure No1 line, before returning to the Up Slow line at Harlesden Jn.
Our train was booked to pause in the Yard but stayed longer than booked so were about five minutes
late through the Camden Jns. I thought that, with the intensity of services to Stratford, our train
would be put behind a stopping train but one was held to let us have a good, but slow, run.

BELOW: (Item 839) The Crewe to Norwich all First Class INTERCITY tra

ain approaches Stratford in the rain. (Stuart Hicks, Wed 16 Mar 2022.)

BELOW: The rear of the train at Stratford he

eading away towards Norwich. (Stuart Hicks.)

[BLN
BELOW: (Item 839) Arrival at Norwich

NEXT: Just before departure

1398]
h. (Both Chris Lewis, Wed 16 Mar 2022.)

back to Crewe from Norwich.





It was very interesting to pass through the Stratford area with no signs of the sidings where I joined a
brakevan trip from there to Feltham Yard in 1968! We passed Channelsea Jn on time but were
stopped before Stratford station. Our train needed to use Platform 10A but it was occupied, so we had
to wait for this train (to Clapham Junction) to depart making us ten minutes late. We caught up with a
train to Colchester Town (St Botolphs when I last went there about 1960, and until 15 Jul 1991) and
then kept up speeds in the 90s approaching Norwich dead on time. We were stopped for six minutes
outside the station but, as six minutes pathing allowance was in our schedule, arrived spot on time.

After having a meal in a Caribbean restaurant (cheaper than going on a cruise!) and a visit to the
market, we returned to Norwich station. Departing on time we had minor delays and approached
Ipswich 2 minutes late where we did the bidirectional single track through centre line. Unfortunately
someone decided to delay us further to let out a stopping train in front so we were 20 minutes late
approaching Stratford but amazingly not held up there, again passing through Platform 10A.
This involved us passing through Maryland bidirectional Down Main P4 in the Up direction which was
interesting. I don't think Stratford wanted us hanging around as we were squeezed into a six minute
gap between Clapham Junction and Richmond trains, slightly delaying the second. I thought that we
would have problems at the Camden Jns but no, clear signals all the way to Willesden. We were
booked to use the Willesden Up & Down Goods Line and as we came off the Down Slow at Harlesden
Jn, I could see that we had clear signals right through Wembley Yard and back onto the Down Slow to
Wembley Central. At 18.00 on a weekday evening, I would have thought this was impossible but it
happened. We left Wembley Central five minutes late but were on time by Nuneaton.

It was an excellent day out for £129 each on an all First Class train. We had previously travelled on the
Blue Pullman, also owned by Jeremy Hosking, and had been disappointed with the train management
finally being left at Crewe two minutes after the last service train to the north had departed.
I wondered why we were booked to travel through Wembley Yard in both directions until we found
out that Kev Adlam, our Fixtures Secretary, was the Train Manager. (Realtime Trains showed it was for
staffing purposes.) Despite being a Society member I had not met him before. He did an excellent job
starting off by greeting each person as they joined the train until thanking them on departure.

I had resisted joining 'The Royal Charter', our upcoming steam trip from Crewe to Windsor with 70000,
Britannia, on 3rd Jun, but since Kev is involved with the train, Jennifer and I are now going, especially as
the aim is to donate £87,002 to a charity, the Railway Benefit Fund. Looking up Kev on the Internet,
I found that he has done tremendous work for charities and should be supported. In addition he told
me he is Train Manager for the 'Deltic Delight' INTERCITY train from Crewe to Carlisle and Newcastle
and back to Crewe via York https://inter-city.co.uk/trips-tours on 16 Aug. Jennifer and I and friends
are on this too. Not as good as a steam locomotive but I have to count a Deltic as a close runner up!

840] Early Railway Memories (76) Derek Woodward, your BLNI Deputy Editor, (Member 1753): I was
born in 1959, so have some memories of the last few years of steam on British Railways. Until the
beginning of 1967 we lived mid-way between Macclesfield and Buxton. Both parents were teachers,
which had the advantage of more holidays. My father was interested in railways but would usually
prefer to watch or film trains rather than ride on them. However, he would take me out to see trains
every few weeks. Therefore, I have memories of watching trains at several places in Cheshire and
Derbyshire, along with family picnics within view of the railway at places such as Monsal Dale and
Shap Wells, then there was fish and chips at the roadside overlooking Gowhole Sidings. Another
favourite was the Settle & Carlisle line. His preferred route for driving to the fells was via Glossop, so
we often stopped for a few minutes at Torside Crossing to watch the trains on the Woodhead line.

A memory from when I was about four was at Monsal Dale, when a tank engine appeared on its own
from the Buxton direction stopping by the signal box. There was then an exchange of water containers
between one of the engine crew and the signalman, then the engine returned towards Buxton.

Trains being used to supply water reminds me of the Cromford & High Peak Railway, where all the
water for Parsley Hay, Longcliffe and Middleton Top was conveyed from Buxton in the tenders of
withdrawn locomotives. I remember being taken to watch the trains on this line on many occasions,

particularly the J94 climbing Hopton Incline, which included 200 yards at a gradient of 1 in 14, said to
be the steepest adhesion worked incline on British Railways and originally rope-worked. This produced
impressive exhausts and sound effects. The J94 from Middleton Top would usually only take its train
as far as Friden, where it would exchange traffic with a train from Buxton generally hauled by an Ivatt
2MT 2-6-0 on the occasions I saw it. I can also remember watching the train crew opening and closing
the level crossing gates where the line crossed the B5012 Newhaven to Cromford road.

The Cromford & High Peak Railway (now a superb trackbed walk) included the rope-worked Sheep
Pasture Incline - three quarters of a mile at 1:8½. Wagons were hauled up and down the incline in
pairs; two loaded wagons descending would be partly balanced by a couple of empty wagons
ascending. There was a catch pit near the bottom (which can still be seen). The points were sprung
towards this pit and a pointsman was positioned in a hut alongside them to hold the point over if the
descending wagons were under control! A short way up the incline from his hut were two treadles,
each rang a bell in the hut. If the interval between the bells was too short, the wagons were runaways
and the point was not held over. The last occasion on which a pair of wagons ran away was in about
1966. The two 'Derbyshire Stone' wagons involved were still in the catch pit over 10 years later.

I was taken for train rides occasionally, including several lines which have been closed for many years.
The most common journeys were from Buxton to Millers Dale and back. This, of course, left from the
ex-Midland Railway station at Buxton. By the early 1960s there was only one booking office, which
was in the former London & North Western Railway station on the other side of the station approach
road. At Millers Dale the train would arrive at P1, then be shunted across to P5 for the return journey
(this was very traditional at the time at many stations). It meant that passengers for stations to Derby
and beyond would not have to change platforms, and passengers from those stations for Buxton
would just have to cross to the opposite side of the same island. The last time I made this journey was
in 1966; my father had been expecting to ride in a 4-wheel railbus but it wasn't working on that day so
we had a normal DMU instead. I also remember when my father took me from Buxton to Derby on
the train, changing at Millers Dale in both directions (passenger services were withdrawn 6 Mar 1967).

In the mid-1960s my mother took me by train to visit my grandmother in Woodley. We caught a bus
into Macclesfield and then a train via Bollington (which line CP 5 Jan 1970). I was surprised that in one
direction the train was direct but in the other we had to change at Romiley. I particularly remember
getting back to Macclesfield after dark to discover that the bus which should have taken us home had
broken down and we had to wait in the cold for almost an hour for them to find a replacement.

Around that time in the late winter or early spring my father took me to Ribblehead for the day, as he
was expecting a crisp, clear day from the weather forecast. When we arrived, we found that the
weather was damp and murky, and hopeless from the photographic point of view, so he decided to
take me into Carlisle on the train. This was my longest train journey so far. It was the 12.08 Hellifield
to Carlisle, hauled by a 'Black 5' locomotive (no, I don't know which one). We returned to Ribblehead
on the 16.37 Carlisle to Bradford hauled by 'Rudyard Kipling', which I now know to be Britannia Class
Pacific No70035. I remembered the name but not the number because at the time I thought that
Rudyard Kipling must be the man who made exceedingly good cakes. [Yes, it was Just-So, Derek.]

An unusual railway related memory concerns visits to our dentist, a Mr Morton in Buxton. One of his
hobbies was railway photography, and 'extracted' framed copies from his 'amalgam' of photos were
'filling' the waiting room walls (was there a plaque?). There was even a photo album to drill down into.

Family holidays in the 1960s involved camping. Several times we went to the Lake District and would
have day trips, usually including at least one afternoon at Shap Wells. I remember being taken for a
ride on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway from Dalegarth to Ravenglass and back when I was about six
(not long after the line had been saved from closure). Another railway related day out was a return
trip from Bowness to Lakeside on a British Rail steamer on Windermere. I cannot remember which
but two of the four were built for the Furness Railway and the other two more recently for the LMS.
[It would be one of the LMS steamers. At that time the older vessels shuttled between Bowness and
Waterhead, only visiting Lake Side (two words in Railway-owned days) where they were based, on the

first trip from there in the morning and the last return sailing in the evening - WJG.] It seemed strange
that they were described as 'steamers' when they were diesel powered. [The older ones, 'Swift' and
'Tern' were originally steam powered, the later 'Swan' and 'Teal' were always diesel powered - WJG.]

Another favourite area for family holidays was North Wales. On two or three occasions we stopped at
a campsite near Beddgelert. There was a nature trail, part of which was described as 'Course of old
railway'. Of 'course', this was the now reopened Welsh Highland Railway. We also visited Beddgelert
station site, the base of the water tower was the only remains visible, and walked along part of the
line in the beautiful Aberglaslyn Pass. I was taken from Porthmadog to Tan-y-Bwlch on the Ffestiniog
Railway and from Porthmadog to Dduallt a couple of years later, when it had been extended that far
from 6 Apr 1968. Another trip was to the top of Snowdon on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. On the
way back down, we walked halfway …… to join the train at ...... Halfway but I can't remember why.

Our 1965 family holiday was to Scotland. For part of it we stayed at a campsite by Benderloch station
between Oban and Ballachulish (the branch CA 28 Mar 1966). My most vivid railway memory is
waiting at the south end of the bridge at Connel Ferry for a train to pass in the opposite direction.
The bridge was used by rail and road vehicles but not at the same time! We next had a family holiday
in Scotland in summer 1968, when we stayed at a campsite between Aberfeldy and Tummel Bridge.
One day involved driving to Rannoch station, and catching a train to Fort William, probably at 12.58.
It was a request stop where trains Stops only when required to set down or take up on notice being
given at entraining station 10 minutes before departure time according to the note in the timetable.

Why 10 minutes was required I do not know, especially as the train would have to slow down to
exchange the token. This was to the original Fort William station (CP 9 Jun 1975), on the shore of Loch
Linnhie about half a mile southwest of the present one. The road between the campsite and Rannoch
took us through a small village called Dunalastair, causing me to wonder why the Caledonian Railway
had named no less than four classes of express passenger locomotive after such an insignificant place.

In Jan 1967 we moved to a village about six miles from Matlock, because my father had a new job in a
nearby village. We were only about five miles from Hopton Incline, so visited the Cromford & High
Peak Railway a couple of times during its final few months. Closure was marked by three special trains
on Sun 30 Apr 1967. My father took me to see the first one climbing Hopton incline, where several
hundred other people were also present, watching and filming it. Six fully laden brakevans proved to
be too heavy for the pair of J94s, so they then set back and pulled the brakevans up three at a time.

After all this effort, the J94s had to stop for water at Longcliffe, so we were able to see them there as
well. After a while, the train continued towards Friden, and we went to Gotham Curve so that my
father could film it there on the way back. This 5mph restricted 80o curve was said to be 2½ch (55yd)
radius and was one reason why the line remained steam worked to the very end. A supply of rail chairs
and other spares was kept there in case a train 'burst the rails'. When a Class 08 shunter was tried out
it had derailed here. After going home for lunch, we returned to see the third train, which only used
four brakevans and was able to climb the incline without being divided.

On 30 Sep 1967 there was a tour over the Settle & Carlisle line with GWR design 7029 'Clun Castle' to
Carlisle and LNER 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' on return. My father wanted to film this, so took me along to
watch. We saw 'Clun Castle' at Ribblehead, in a westerly gale. The locomotive's exhaust trail was being
blown at right angles to, or slightly ahead of, the train. The weather was even worse when we saw
'Sir Nigel Gresley' just to the north of Ais Gill with the return train. I also have a memory of seeing
45562 'Alberta' on a goods train while waiting for 'Sir Nigel' but have not been able to confirm this.

70013 'Oliver Cromwell' worked a tour through Matlock on 9 Jun 1968, believed to be the last steam
hauled train between Matlock and Chinley before the line closed on 1 Jul. We watched this go by from
Matlock station Up platform. In early 1970 or 1971 my father took me to a Dinting Railway Centre
open day. One attraction was 'Austerity' 0-6-0ST WD 150 'Warrington', which gave footplate rides to
and fro over a couple of hundred yards for a small fee. I can't imagine that the Health & Safety people
would allow that now. A few months later we went to an open day at Ashchurch Dowty Railway
Preservation Society and had a cab ride on LMS 6201 'Princess Elizabeth' for a similar distance.

In Sep 1970 I started secondary school, which led to a rather unpleasant railway related memory.
The school cross country running course including running up the entire ¾ mile of Sheep Pasture
Incline, at 1:8½. A teacher would stand part way up it to make sure everyone was running. As a result,
my opinion of games teachers is unprintable. The following Jul the school organised a sponsored walk
along the Tissington Trail (a great walk still) from the car park at the north end of Ashbourne Tunnel
(which you can now walk through) to Hartington station site. Many railway structures remained.

For my 12th birthday in Jan 1971, I was given a copy of Branch Line Album by PB Whitehouse. In the
preface he mentions a gentleman by the name of TR Perkins, a chemist from Henley-in-Arden who
between the 1870s and 1932 rode on every passenger line in Britain and Ireland. It may have taken
him nearly 60 years but there were rather more then. This gave me the idea of trying to emulate him...

1398 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
841] Gainsborough Central: (BLN 1397.716) The single morning and evening services from Sheffield
which turnback here SuX restarted from Sat 26 Feb (and did not run on 27th - a Sunday). However, as
at 29 Mar no passenger services (or ECS) at all are shown between Gainsborough Central, Kirton
Lindsey and Barnetby in the new May base timetable, not even cancelled ones. The last passenger
services (which were Saturdays only) past Gainsborough on this line ran on Sat 1 Jan 2022; there are
no rail replacement buses and not even a once weekly rail or bus token service. In this Covid anything
goes, if it cuts costs era, is there no such a thing as an illegal withdrawal of passenger services now?

Despite appearances in the current Sectional Appendix, at Gainsborough Trent Jn there is no facing
crossover, only a trailing one. The points (TJ 17 points) leading across from the Worksop line to the
Lincoln line are three ended and cannot be used as a crossover - all three ends work together.

842] Barton-on-Humber: Although the service is now provided by East Midlands Railway, Freightliner
Heavy Haul is contracted to provide the drivers and have 11 with the route knowledge. This is initially
for 12 months at least, until Dec 2022. Let us hope it is a sign of 'heavy' passenger use of the branch.

843] The next train at Platform 2 does not stop here: (TRACKmaps 2 p33A 2020) 10am Thur 17 Mar
found your Fixtures and General Secretary with the Editor on Scunthorpe Down P2 (to Doncaster -
well it was ex-Great Central Railway) kitted out in full bright orange regalia. Bright orange hair dye and
boots next perhaps? They had each donated a four figure sum to win a charity auction between them
and their prize was approaching. It was DBC 66149, light engine on 0Z65 from Immingham, despite
the station passenger information screen advising them to stand clear as the next train was not
stopping, it did and they were invited to board the Doncaster-end cab. [Learning point for your Editor,
the two Class 66 cabs are very different, particularly size, this was the smaller end.] Accompanied by a
keen local MOM (volunteering for liaison duty on a day off), two very enthusiastic DBC drivers and a NR
manager, aided and abetted by equally enthusiastic signallers/shunters, rare track came thick and fast.

Almost immediately they took the trailing crossover east of Scunthorpe station, reversed, then ran to
the end of the 'Fish Dock' at the east end of P1 (also referred to by staff as 'East Dock' - either way we
were certainly in the dock). It has a platform edge and faded white line that has seen better days.
Latterly Northern DMUs stabled there (ECS) between turns on the local service to Doncaster although
since 4 Jan these have all been replaced by coaches, reduced from hourly to 2-hourly, currently shown
until 10 Dec. Around 2007, Jarvis used to stable tampers on this line. Next to it, accessed by a secured
hand point, was an adjacent siding. At its end were two hinged metal flaps, inspected closely of course,
that looked as though they may have been once used to end load road vehicles onto rail trucks.

At Frodingham Jn we ran through No2 Reception then, from the east end, back on No1 as far as some
long term stabled wagons (with saplings growing out). Returning west along No2 a further reversal took
66149 along the Up Scunthorpe Goods to reverse on the Up Main. Kev and Tim had visited VolkerRail
Frodingham Depot, the ex-British Rail traction depot, on 7 Jan 2022 (BLN 1396.559). With permission
we ran in, noting that the first siding (left) to the 'b' on TRACKmaps is spiked OOU. We took the line
left of the first set of gates (now extended across all the lines), crossed left past the 'Beaver' tamper to
run to the left of the middle gates up to the internal road crossing just before the third set of gates.
This line once ran through to join the North Lindsey Light Railway - now the branch to Roxby Gullet.

BELOW: 66149 approaching sunny Scunthorpe P2 from Immingham to pic

ck up our three members. (Kev Adlam) All pictures taken Thur 17 Mar 2022.

BELOW: In Scunthorpe east end Up side 'bay' (also kno

own as the Fish Dock or East Dock). (Martin Crompton.)

BELOW: The loco on No2 Reception (Up side) in the background the Roxby br

ranch curves off top left, the junction was once triangular. (Martin Crompton.)

BELOW: Scunthorpe station is to the right; crossing to No1 Receptio

on (the dead end siding ahead) at Frodingham Jn. (Martin Crompton.)

BELOW: Looking towards Scunthorpe, the loco is at the end of No1 Receptio

on Line as an Immingham to Drax biomass train passes. (Martin Crompton.)

BELOW: VolkerRail (the site of British Rail's former depot) with a train passin

ng on the main line, that dead end siding is on TRACKmaps. (Gary Crompton.)

BELOW: The further south dead end siding (used for wagon repairs) at the

e west end of Trent Low Yard, right is Scunthorpe Steelworks. (Kev Adlam.)

BELOW: Humber Road Jn, set for the previously OOU NCB Terminal (W Imming

gham/Killingholme straight on E Immingham/Grimsby right). (Gary Crompton.)

BELOW: Changing locos at Immingham Reception - once all covered in
Grimsby with the Up Grimsby and Down Grimsby lines far right. The coal on

n tracks - our three representatives are on the left. Looking east towards
n the left is from Onllwyn for Immingham Briquetting Works (smokeless fuel).

BELOW: The 'new' loco awaits the participants, with
NEXT: Immingham Reception Sidings Road 1, coal wagon 'combs', Immingha

a better view of that coal from Onllwyn. (Kev Adlam.)
am Reception Sidings box and the two oil refineries ahead. (Gary Crompton.)





BELOW: The east end access to DFDS Seaways Nordic Steel Terminal from

m the Engine Line, even the crane is shown on TRACKmaps. (Gary Crompton.)

BELOW: Looking east, right is the Immingham Loco Servicing Shed (not yet sh
It is west of the Rotary Tippler Servicing Shed (ahead), their motto is: one goo

hown on TRACKmaps) with 60020 in residence (also NEXT with plenty of sand).
od turn deservers another. 60074 is stabled far left in both photos. (Kev Adlam.)



BELOW: Earlier on, the end of line on the siding adjacent to Scunthorpe east end (Up) bay. (Martin Crompton.)

Our loco sneaked across to Down side, via the Frodingham Jn ladder to the limit of 'No1 Reception'
(by MP 23) and we learnt that the link from the Down Scunthorpe Goods was unidirectional - but the
other way! The points and track here had been relaid recently and the large empty expanse was once
occupied by numerous sidings stretching across to 'E' Line. Crossing back to the Up Main allowed us to
do the facing crossover to Trent Jn rejoining the Up Scunthorpe Goods, then the facing crossover past
VolkerRail back to the Up Main again (you can do things like that on a trip like this) to reverse.

Our member Colin Ward would have been useful to 'keep track' of all the reversals. The little-used
ladder was covered across to the Transfer Line and a special delivery of cakes made (by rail) to our
very helpful signaller in the panel box. After the Trent Reception Line, a very friendly local shunter
joined us - he certainly knew his patch. Our tour took us through Anchor Exchange Siding 2, then onto
stabled wagons on Line 1 and back through Road 3. Next a big highlight which our internal steelworks
AFRPS tours cannot (and railtours are unlikely) to do, the direct Anchor to Trent Sidings High Yard link.

Proceeding along No5 Line,Roads 1-4 remain disconnected at the Scunthorpe end following a previous
mishap. Returning through Road 6 we went up to Dawes Lane for a reversal to access the Low Yard
covering Roads 9 & 12 throughout and the longer of the two dead end sidings (used for wagon repairs)
at the Scunthorpe end of the yard, up to a wagon which was 'Not To Be Moved' (we didn't - honest).
A PNB was also fitted in at the DBC accommodation here. Our members were then taken along the
Down Scunthorpe Goods to overlap with their earlier new track in No1 Reception Line - success!

After that intensive morning microgricing session, our loco needed a rest and was required to haul
some empty scrap wagons at Immingham, so it was a 'fast' run along the main line. Actually, it was
surprising how fast it seemed rattling about in a light engine even though we actually never exceeded
60mph and mostly ran at 45mph. At Humber Road Jn (TRACKmaps 2 p31B 2020), we were rather
surprised to find ourselves on the previously OOU former NCB Terminal branch and were advised to
change ends to maximise track. Our hosts clearly had the measure of us. At this point we met the
second driver that end and discovered how much larger this other cab was on a Class 66. The branch
has been reconnected for Thomas Ward export scrap traffic (from Maurice Hill, Burton-on-Trent
mostly and Stanton New Park). We took what TRACKmaps calls the 'NCB Arrival Line' (the left one),
noting the large pile of scrap where there was once coal - it is cut up if necessary, then trucked to the
quayside. The overhead 'coal combs' remain which loaded imported coal wagons used to run under to
prevent overloading and reduce the risk of coal flying off the top when they were on the move.

Here our members abandoned ship (well, 66149) and transferred to 66106, which is fitted with RETB
(Radio Electronic Token Block) equipment - it was required north of Inverness and was going to have
to work its passage there. From the access line to Immingham Reception Sidings, we ran along Road 2
to the Engine Line, as always noting various changes to pass on to Martyn Brailsford for TRACKmaps.

Our loco was required to do some shunting, so we were taken across to join 60074 'Luke' stabled on
the Sorting Siding road next to the Rotary Tippler Serving Shed. Not so long ago these sidings had all
been relaid and remodelled - they were in pristine condition with immaculate clean ballast. 60074 was
started up to give us a tour of the Humber Road Jn end of all the sidings up to various stabled wagons.

60020 'The Willows' then turned up for servicing after working discharged oil tanks from Kingsbury.
The new covered loco servicing shed with open ends is not yet shown on TRACKmaps (it will be). It is
on the same road as the Rotary Tippler Servicing Shed but further northwest with the crossover
repositioned to access it. This is well shown on the Google satellite view. 60020 was fired up and
allowed us to complete the available track here. Never a dull moment this day, we returned to 66106
and shunted some wagons into DFDS Seaways Nordic Steel Terminal, going inside the large building
where they were being loaded with steel coil for Wolverhampton Steel Terminal. 'Work' finished, we
ran light engine, appropriately along the Engine Line (10mph restricted so it seemed to go on forever)
to the Empty Sidings Line which was indeed empty. Next were two highlights of the day, into Humber
Refinery via Immingham Gate (103m 45ch), along Road 3 - the 'Through Line' - and out of Ulceby Gate
(102m 73ch). The complex layout with eight double slips is as on TRACKmaps, an internal loco was at
work (the crew looked slightly puzzled but gave a friendly wave). There were three impressive lengthy

rakes of the dark blue VTG 100 tonne TEA wagons in the sidings. Most days there are two 3,200 tonne
trains to Kingsbury Oil Terminal (sometimes even on Sundays) plus an occasional one to Westerleigh.

Our loco then ran through to Ulceby station to reverse at the platform behind the signal and it was off
to… Humber Refinery again, this time via the facing crossover at Ulceby Gate and the trailing one at
Immingham Gate thrown in. Although we had kindly been allowed access to this terminal, this didn't
extend to doing a different route in the other direction - no complaints though! Reversal was behind
the semaphore at Immingham Reception Sidings Signal Box (owned by Associated British Ports but
Network Rail staffed). Then it was déjà vu again reversing at Ulceby platform, this time on return to
Immingham we took the West Curve into Lindsey Refinery - the formation clearly wide enough for
double track which has never existed. An amazing sight greeted us - sidings as far as the eye could see
in all directions, as per TRACKmaps essentially, it must be the biggest private yard in the country by far.

There were relatively few wagons though (and they looked very lost in the vastness). The Control
Tower is staffed for train movements and the controllers were about to change shifts; we were very
lucky that we didn't have to wait for this to happen. We also did well to see all four internal locos
during our visit. Our loco ran through Arrival Siding South No2, towards the Release Line, reversing at
the points where that goes straight ahead, then it was via the connection to the Departure Sidings
directly to the exit line past the Control Tower, with a friendly wave to the Fat Slim Controller and out
via the single track, rather sharper East Curve. There are more departures here, seven days a week,
than at Humber Refinery, destinations include Kingsbury again (incredibly up to another three daily),
Jarrow, Immingham Storage West Terminal, Westerleigh, Theale, Neville Hill Depot and Cricklewood.
The two refineries occupy a neat rectangle of land and are separated by the main line to Immingham;
the whole area has a rather unnatural distinctive oily/chemical smell (like Grangemouth and Fawley).

After our last reversal (sorry, Colin, we didn't count them all up) by Immingham Reception Box again it
was getting dark. Our driver entered our new reporting number in the GSM-R only to have a York ROC
signaller come on, slightly puzzled, to ask him which train we were exactly and where did we want to
go? Our driver declined his offer to reverse at Ulceby again and answered that we were the 15.48 light
engine to Doncaster Belmont Yard, 163 minutes late, and please could we be routed through the
platform at Scunthorpe (rather than the goods lines) to drop the MOM (Mobile Operations Manager)
off? We were indeed and also did the Down Scunthorpe Goods line to drop the second driver off.
The main light engine runs did appear on Realtime Trains etc but looked rather mundane on paper!

When you have been doing track for 52 years, it can be sometimes difficult to find new lines to do.
It was hard to believe what we managed to achieve at both microgricing and some long sought after
Baker Level track in just eight incredible hours (oil refineries are off limits to tours). We were lucky to
have such a friendly and welcoming group of dedicated railwaymen who were genuinely enthusiastic
about their work and assisting the charities. Nothing was too much trouble and they called in quite a
few favours to make it all happen for us. All three of us felt so grateful and very privileged indeed.
All day sunshine added to the experience. Thanks to DBC for donating the auction prize and remember
next time we have a charity auction it really could be you - where have you always wanted to go?

1398 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
844] Timetables: (BLN 1396.536) Not previously reported, from 3 Jan TfL Rail services ran through to
Heathrow T5 throughout the day. From 14 Mar, Paddington to Hayes & Harlington trains were
extended to Heathrow T2&3, running ECS to T4 to reverse. This leaves bay P5 at Hayes & Harlington
without any booked services again. Southern services remain reduced SSuX, with just two round
trips on the West London Line, a 90 minute interval service between London Bridge and Beckenham
Junction via Crystal Palace, with additional trains at school times, and a 2-hourly inter-peak service to
Uckfield. Southern's fleet of 46 of the 4-car Class 455 EMUs is to be withdrawn from 15 May and
would need to be replaced with other stock for the TOC to reinstate its full pre-pandemic service.

845] Harrow-on-the-Hill: The station is now step free, with four new lifts. A third of the LU network is
now step free (91 stations out of 272). Stations newly converted to step free in 2021 were Amersham,
Debden, Ealing Broadway, Ickenham, Osterley, Sudbury Hill, Whitechapel and Wimbledon Park.

846] Barking Riverside: (BLNs 1387.2720 & 1320.39 - track plan) This new London Overground branch
with the Up and Down Riverside line is due to be commissioned into operational use from Mon 4 Apr.
It will only be available to non-electric traction; the OHLE is not yet commissioned. The Down Riverside
(50mph) line starts at Down Riverside Jn (9m 10ch from Fenchurch Street in the Down Tilbury Line).
It becomes 40mph restricted at 9m 26ch and 25mph at 10m 15ch; Barking Riverside end of line is at
10m 26ch, an island platform; P1 is the Down side (left on arrival) and P2 the Up. Just before the
platform is a 25mph scissors crossover. The Up Riverside is 25mph to 10m 19ch (just after the scissors)
then 40mph and 50mph after 9m 17ch. It takes the formation of the former Up Tilbury Goods line to
join the Up Tilbury (previously the Up Tilbury Main) at Barking Tilbury Line Jn East (7m 60ch).

847] Lewisham: (TRACKmaps 5 p2 2019) There will be a 10 day blockade in Dec to renew the double
junction at the London end of the station - the complex of diamonds at Lewisham Crossover Jns A-D.

848] Now It Can Be Told (63) the sequel: (BLNs 1395.437 & 1397.718) Our Senior Member from
'Eastbourne' actually lived (and still does) just over a mile from the East Sussex County Borough of
Eastbourne's boundary. He has kindly written to confirm that he does indeed recall the journey
mentioned, which was arranged by not just an 'LT worker' but by the stationmaster at London Bridge
(LT), also a Society member, who lived - and still does - in Dulwich. The BLN item referred to Highgate
Depot but the ECS ride our members enjoyed ran from Highgate Wood Sidings which had a southeast
facing exit towards London; the lines from Highgate Depot (no 'Wood') face northwest (East Finchley).

It was still a choice bit of track through Crouch End and Stroud Green stations as the line (which nearly
became part of the Northern Line) had finally CP 5 Jul 1954. Our members stayed on the train through
Finsbury Park thus also gricing the rare original connection between there and Drayton Park. Being
more interested in gricing than spotting, our member (not from Eastbourne) did not record the loco
and stock, but our Quinton member who accompanied him might remember. The line CA 5 Oct 1970.

Around the same time, the aforementioned London Bridge (LT) stationmaster also kindly arranged for
our member to travel in the brakevan of an engineering train from Lillie Bridge P'Way Depot via West
Kensington, Tower Hill and the long closed St Mary's Curve (St Mary's Jn - Whitechapel Jn) onto the
East London Line (then part of the Metropolitan Line) to New Cross Depot. This was, of course, in the
dead of night (but underground so it didn't matter) after LT public trains had finished for the day.
Happily these lines were covered on LT railtours in the 1970s, which your Editor recalls with fondness.

Remembering things were far more relaxed 55 years ago, reminds our non-Eastbourne member of a
Friday evening just turning up at Holborn (Kingsway) LT station with another member and simply
asking the stationmaster if they could ride out on the last train from Aldwych to travel over the branch
connection (which CP Oct 1908) in the ECS. I don't see why not, if the driver will take you, said he, but
you'll have to stay on until Northfields Depot [such hardship] as it won't stop in the platforms at Wood
Green when it reverses. So that is what they did! Between 21 Nov 1988 and 18 Jun 1993 our Society
arranged for 111 members to travel on this working on three occasions before the Aldwych branch
finally CP 3 Oct 1994 and passengers were left 'stranded'. From BLN 706 (29 May 1993):

849] Easter: Euston station is closed over Easter, 15-18 Apr (incl) for engineering work, including HS2
work at Euston and track renewal at Watford North Jn. Avanti and LNwR services terminate at Milton
Keynes. Overground services run between Watford Junction and Kilburn High Road while Caledonian
Sleeper services run from/to King's Cross. Southern services will also be suspended between East
Croydon and Victoria throughout the four days for track and resignalling work at Clapham Junction.
Trains are generally diverted to London Bridge and there will be no service on the West London Line.

850] Crossrail: (BLN 1397.724) The same 24tph (trains per hour) test service across both eastern and
western boundaries as planned for 1 May (BLN 1396.568) is also planned between 10.00 and 21.40 on
24 Jun. It is not clear if this could happen while a passenger service is running on the core section, so
the optimism in the last BLN about a possible May opening may have been misplaced.

851] HS2: (BLN 1397.725) Old Oak Common station on the GWML will be managed by NR. It will have
eight 280m platforms, for 10-car IETs. There will be two platforms in each direction on the Main Lines.
Between the Relief Line platforms will be a platform for terminating Crossrail/Elizabeth Line trains and
one for starting trains, although the track layout allows them to be used as through lines. Trains will
reverse in three turnback sidings west of the station. It will enable up to 22tph on the Main Lines and
24tph on the Relief Lines, with all trains services calling. All line blocks will be required for construction
work every Christmas from 2022 to 2030, with the station ready to open in May 2030. HS2 is expected
to open to here between 2029 and 2032, but hopefully not before the GWML station is ready!

852] Waterloo: (BLN 1394.309) A service to rededicate the Grade II listed Victory Arch was held on
21 Mar, to mark the centenary of its opening in memory of railway staff who lost their lives in WWI.

853] Paddington - Et tu Brute? A sign at the top of the old road ramp down to the station still advises
how many brutes (British Rail Universal Trolley Equipment) can be towed down the ramp. These blue
4-wheel metal trolleys for parcels and mail were once a very common sight at stations and goods
depots. The sign says: Notice to Tractor Drivers. Maximum number of brutes to be towed down ramp:
4 fully laden, 6 half empty, 6 empty. These instructions to be complied with at all times. Area Manager.

854] Romford - Upminster: (BLN 1397.727) On 5 Jun 1993 there was a 'Transport Fayre' event at
Upminster, mostly consisting of stands and buses in the car park. However, there was also an outing
for the preserved 306017 working the branch shuttle from Romford. When the event ended, the
17.26 from Upminster ran through to Liverpool Street as a passenger service train with 306017.
A replacement Class 315 was then shunted on to the branch to form the 17.40 to Upminster.

855] TfL Penalty Fares: TfL is consulting on increasing the penalty fare from £80 to at least £100, in
line with a forthcoming increase on National Rail. It is also strengthening its revenue protection
procedures. ('My London News') (Regional Editor's comment: Not before time. Despite extensive
travel on LU, I have not seen any revenue protection staff since the pandemic started and regularly
see passengers pushing through the double barriers without paying.)

1398 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
856] Sunderland; Hendon Jn - Pallion: ❶: The map is thanks to Dave Cromarty & Rodger Wilkinson;
Sunderland right, (South) Hylton left and the River Wear along the top. The line, OG (for coal traffic)
20 Dec 1852; OP 1 Jun 1853 from Penshaw North Jn to Hendon Jn (Sunderland South Dock), formed
part of the Durham (Newton Hall Jn) - Sunderland (Hendon station) line. The curve from Fawcett St Jn
into the present station OA 4 Aug 1879, with the Ryhope Grange Jn - Monkwearmouth line (which at
last linked the lines north and south of the Wear) and the then new Sunderland station. Durham -
Sunderland CP 4 May 1964 and Penshaw North - Ford Works (Hylton Quarry Siding) CA 21 Aug 1967.

Fawcett St Jn was where the Metro from South Hylton curves sharp left through 90o to Sunderland
station. Its other route was straight on, east, over the coast line (in the tunnel south of Sunderland
station) to South Dock. Curving gently northwards it trailed into the Ryhope Grange line at Hendon Jn.

Fawcett Street Jn - Sunderland South Jn curve was severed on 3 Oct 1965. The signal boxes between
Pallion and Hendon Jn (at Diamond Hall Jn, Millfield and Fawcett Street Jn) closed on 7 May 1966 and
the line was then worked under No Block regulations. Three new ground frames (Diamond Hall,
Millfield No1 and Millfield No2) were provided. Pallion signal box closed in Jan 1970. Regular traffic
west of Pallion, to Ford Works, ceased in Jan 1971. It ROG Apr 1973 but closed again by 20 Nov 1976.

The entire line from Hendon Jn to Pallion and to Deptford Coal Siding (Johnson's Coal Depot - below)
was taken out of use on 27 Nov 1984. Fawcett St Jn - Pallion - South Hylton ROP 31 Mar 2002 as part
of the Metro extension from Sunderland to South Hylton but on a new alignment east of Pallion.

BELOW: A Sunderland (in the distance) to Durham DMU approaching Pallion f
beyond the signal box - the points are set that way and the signal is cleared.