1387

Number 1387 (Items 2696 - 2814 & MR 188 - 196) (E-BLN 130 PAGES) 23 Oct 2021

BRANCH LINE NEWS

Distribuendi notitia, verbi disseminandi

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 AnlabymPaermkbReorasdhiSpo.suetchr,eHtaurlyl,@HbUr4an7cBhUli.ne.0u7k873354464

British Isles news from members; an international section is available.
Opinions are not necessarilyathvaoislaebolef .the Compilers or the Society.

BLN 1388 is dated Sat 6 Nov; all contributions by Wed 27 Oct please.

2696] 2021 Officers' Reports: These are available to logged in members on our website as PDFs and

will be retained in the 'Archive'. They include the draft 2020-2021 accounts for consideration by our

21 Nov 2021 AGM. Previous accounts arceietayv. aSoilcaibetley. back to 2013-14 in the 'Archive'. Those who take
paper BLN will receive their reports and accounts by separate mailing, which saves on postage costs.

.Date Event and details….... Please book online BLN Lead Status
Sat 13 Nov 09.00-15.00 Middleton Railway all available lines 1386 MG Waiting list
Sun 14 Nov Bala Lake Railway, extensive all available lines tour BELOW MG OPEN
18 & 19 Nov AGM Ironbridge Power Station (VLR demonstrator) BELOW MG OPEN

Sat 20 Nov AGM railway trackbed walk in the Ironbridge area BELOW DC OPEN

Sat 20 Nov West Midlands AGM Service Train Tracker 1386 TG OPEN
Sun 21 Nov 12.15 AGM (BLN 1385) 15.00 Coalyard Railway BELOW MG OPEN
Sun 21 Nov 16.00-18.00 Post-AGM presentation and buffet MG OPEN
Sat 8 Jan 22 . Scunthorpe Steelworks No23 cold steel tracker 1386 MG OPEN
1385

Sun 13 Feb 22 Save the date Society mainline fixture (was 12 Dec 21) TBA TBA Claimed
DC = Dave Cromarty; MG = Mark Gomm (per back page); TBA = To be advised; TG = Tom Gilby.

2697] :Sun 14 Nov 09.15 or 10.00; Bala Lake Railway:: (MR p29) (TRACKmaps 3 p36E 2018) With thanks to
Darren Garnon, an 'all available lines' visit to this splendid 1' 11½" gauge, 4½ mile, line next to the stunning
Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake). It is on the trackbed of the former GWR standard gauge Ruabon to Barmouth line,
part of which is due to close at the eastern end with remodelling for the ¾ mile Bala Town extension.
We have the railway to ourselves to maximise track coverage. Hot drinks and breakfast rolls (£5 pay on the
day - please book via the comments box on the booking form) will be available at Llanuwchllyn station,
(SH 880 300), Station Road, LL23 7DD at 09.15. Starting at 10.00, our tour traverses the full length of the
line in covered coaches, including Llangower loop, normally only used during intensive running days.

At Bala we will cover the run round loop, headshunt, and propel into the bay platform not used by any
passenger services. With the proposed extension to Bala town progressing well, this may be your last
chance to cover the layout here before the route is shortened this end for the extension crossing the River
Dee. Back at Llanuwchllyn, we expect to also cover the headshunt beyond the water tower, to the
extreme western end, the adjoining coal wagon siding, run round loop and both sidings off the loop.

Our tour then visits the yard complex to traverse the carriage and loco shed lines. We expect to pause for

lunch while the railway staff undertake shunting to maximise track coverage. Sandwiches can be provided,

at a small additional cost - pay on the day, if there is sufficient demand (please indicate in the comments
box if this is of interest). Expected traction, subject to availability: Diesel locos Baguley Drewry No3776
'Bob Davies' to Bala and, at Llanuwchllyn, the railway's oldest loco, R&H No194771 'Chilmark'. A pump

truck and hand shunting ('people power') will be used as needed to maximise coverage. Party limit 70, so a

repeat is not envisaged. Members & non-members: £35; U18s £17.50 (must be accompanied by an adult).

Postal bookings with cheque payee 'Branch Line Society' not 'BLS' please and an SAE, (two for any queries

or an acknowledgement). All queries (email preferred) to our Bookings Officer, Mark Gomm per back page.

2698] :Thur 18 & Fri Nov; Ironbridge Power Station VLR (five) trips:: Part of our AGM fixtures, with
thanks to Kev Adlam. We are delighted to announce a unique opportunity for our members to be
some of the first people to experience first-hand Eversholt Rail's and Transport Design International's
Revolution vehicle (RVLR). https://revolutionvlr.com/ has more. **See back page for programme**

Visits (for 14) will be available at the former Ironbridge Power Station demonstration site, with a trip
in the vehicle along the former freight line. Lasting about two hours they will start at 09.30, 12.00 &
14.30 on Thursday and 09.30 & 12.00 Friday. We are extremely grateful to Eversholt Rail and Transport
Design International for all their assistance with this exciting opportunity. Members only £22, no junior
discount. All profits will be donated to https://www.backuptrust.org.uk/ (Back Up Trust) Eversholt
Rail's chosen charity, inspiring people affected by spinal cord injury to get the most out of life.

2699] :Sat 20 Nov; AGM railway trackbed walk:: With thanks to our local members, Dave and Helen
Cromarty, starting mid-morning, a guided, fully reconnoitred walk of ex-L&NWR and GWR lines in the
Ironbridge Gorge area, with some tramway and canal interest. Rest and refreshment breaks, toilets
and buses for a shorter version all available. More details in BLN 1388; expressions of interest to Dave
Cromarty [email protected] or by post (with SAE please) to 1 Stokesay Fore, Telford, TF7 4QA.

2700] :Sun 21 Nov 15.00-17.15; Coalyard Miniature Railway:: (MR p26) Thanks to Kev Adlam we are
pleased to advise that this nearly ¼ mile 7¼" railway, alongside the Severn Valley Railway station, is
expected to be running just for our members with rare track. The layout has changed since our last
visit. Its Kidderminster High Level Station is outside our AGM venue. Operation is 15.00-17.15 or after
the AGM if it finishes earlier. Members only £6; no reductions (no requirement to attend the AGM!).

2701] Sat 8 Jan 09.30-16.30; Scunthorpe Cold Steeler:: (BLN 1385.2423) Extra places are available.

1387 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
2702] Early Railway Memories (62) - The Golden Gricing Years 1968-1982 - Phil Robinson (452): My
first article (BLN 1385.1524) covered my railway interests broadly until the end of steam in the UK and
my first railtour - the Stephenson Locomotive Society Farewell to Steam (second train) on 4 Aug 1968.

After that there was a little bit of a hiatus - number grabbing kept me going but there was somewhat
of a hole in my enthusiasm. Then my brother, John, invited me to join him on a 'DMU Railtour' around
Lincolnshire https://bit.ly/3mR5LAE on 4 Oct 1969, the RCTS Lincolnshire Coast Railtour. Before the
tour, I really couldn't understand why a whole day spent on a DMU trundling around the countryside
would be of interest but, by the end of the trip, and after someone showed me a map of the possible
lines I could travel on, I was hooked. This was still one of the best tours for track I've been on, covering
amongst others, Mablethorpe, Louth - Firsby, Firsby - Lincoln (direct via Tumby Woodside) which all
CP 5 Oct 1970 and did some of the overoptimistically named Lancashire, Derbyshire & East Coast line.

Not doing anything by halves, I threw myself into gricing with alacrity in 1970 including six railtours
and my first experiences of brakevan trips. I won't bore readers with a list of tours or track done but
rather I will provide an overview of the mechanisms I used to 'ink in' the map over the next 12 years.

Firstly, obviously one of the main tools in the gricer's kit is the railtour and this was used on many
occasions over the years. For this article I can pick out two memorable events. Firstly, on DMU tours it
was recognised practice that the tour organisers would reserve one end of the train for themselves - in
those glorious days when you could actually see out of the front windows. Therefore there was quite a
competition amongst the 'commoners' to try to guess which end of the train it would be and then
make a mad dash for the other end. A group of us were successful on one particular tour in 'acquiring'
this end - not a Society tour but another organisation's - covering lines in South Wales.

I'm not sure if he thought we were the Committee but a very friendly helpful inspector got talking to
us while we were reversing at Newport station before heading up the eastern valleys. During this a
couple of us suggested that it was a shame that we couldn't do the third side of the triangle at
Maindee (in those days quite rare). Off he went and sure enough 10 minutes later we departed, for …

Severn Tunnel Junction, stopped and then reversed along the Maindee East to North curve - much to
our delight, not least because it meant we were also leading up the next set of branch lines! I always
wonder if the organisers ever found out why this change of route occurred.

My second memory is what will probably go down on the record as the most delayed Society railtour
ever, made even more poignant for me because it was organised by my late brother, John. This was
the Palatine Tour https://bit.ly/3lC6t5t of 25 Apr 1981, one of our early long distance loco hauled
trips. This left, full of expectations, from Euston on time at 08.00. Despite truly heroic efforts from all
the BR staff involved the train kept getting hit by problem after problem, loco failures, heating failures,
snow, OHLE failures etc, resulting in a 300 minute late arrival back at Euston at 03.30 Sunday morning.
[Those of us who alighted at Walsall were fortunate to be a mere 53 minutes late - Ed.] Again the staff
bent over backwards to try to get people home. My car was parked at Watford Junction - a set down
on the way back to Euston so I had no problem and was able to provide a lift to someone in South
West London who otherwise would have been stuck waiting for the (Sunday) service to start.

The next most effective way of inking in the map was railrovers. From 1970 to 1975 I was at school/
university and very fortunate in having a holiday job in an office available to me any time I wanted it.
Consequently I could afford several railrover holidays but unfortunately this didn't extend to anything
like hotels. Instead I had to make use of my large number of relatives scattered around the country.

Some of the weeks included: A Southern Railrover utilising a brother in Salfords (Surrey) each night -
sorry southerners, but it really was tedious! A West of England Railrover, an excellent time, lots of
Westerns and Warships with every other night at another brother's in Romsey. The remainder was on
the cushions using the then fairly common overnight services. I must admit that the shed foreman at
Bristol Bath Road was very surprised to see me knocking on his window at 5am one morning asking to
go round the shed. Even more surprisingly he rustled up a fitter to escort me round! A Welsh Rover
(the big one) seven days on the cushions. I would be interested to know if any other members have
paddled in the sea at 6am in Aberystwyth having just arrived off the legendary York Mail.

By far the most enjoyable way of inking in lines on the map was the brakevan trip. I was very fortunate
in that the early 1970s was probably the best time to use this method before Health & Safety and the
decline in the use of brakevans made these trips very difficult and ultimately virtually impossible.

Then there were several areas where it was possible to organise a whole five (working) days of trips in
one go. Examples here were two or three separate weeks in Cornwall, three weeks in East Anglia
(one of which I organised for the Society) and a week in the North East. I must also mention the whole
assortment of trips in Scotland over the August Bank Holidays. The Monday wasn't a holiday in
Scotland, so freight services operated as normal, allowing us Sassenachs a free go at some rare track.

'Forty Years … 1955-1995', available on our website Archive lists the large number of brakevan trips
arranged by the Society - there were many more semi-official and unofficial (it can now be told).

Official examples include the first trip I organised (sort of) on behalf of the Society which was to
Fraserburgh and Peterhead in 1970 - just in time as Peterhead closed 7 Sep 1970 but Fraserburgh
survived until 6 Oct 1979. I requested this trip fairly late in the day but rather than a straight refusal,
Roy Hamilton (BLN Editor at the time who worked for British Rail Scottish Region) kindly agreed that,
as long as I sorted the details out after, he'd put in a good word at Glasgow HQ. Unfortunately, having
gone up and down our railtour on Sat 29 Oct touting for business, no one fancied the 06.00 start at
Aberdeen station. So, after a night on a bench, courtesy of the Great North of Scotland Railway, it was
just me who turned up at the booking office to buy one ticket to Fraserburgh and Peterhead instead
of the five promised. Still, the crews couldn't have been friendlier. I then discovered two things, firstly
to reach Peterhead from Fraserburgh at that time in the morning I had to hitch a lift on a fish lorry.
This is when I discovered that the most unintelligible accent in Britain isn't broad Glaswegian, it's
broad North East Aberdeenshire. So a very pleasant half hour was spent chatting away with the driver
on the journey to Peterhead and I'm sure neither of us understood a single word the other was saying.

(Item 2702)The Maud - Peterhead branch in 1964; still open for passengers.
BELOW: The branch continues; Maud is to the left and Peterhead terminus

ABOVE: Aberdeen is off bottom left; Fraserburgh top left & Peterhead right.
right. This Kittybrewster (see next page) sign lights up in a member's house!

Very soon after, on Sat 5 Sep, the Great North of Scotland
Railway Association ran the final train to Peterhead, an
afternoon excursion from Aberdeen; 30/- (£1.50) return.
There was a photo stop at each station between Maud
and Peterhead. Although advertised in BLN 161 of Wed 2
Sep, that was only two days notice. Unfortunately, North
Sea oil and gas didn't appear in time to prolong the life of
the branch, but reinstatement was seriously considered
for freight traffic. The two branches totalled 54 miles.

Secondly, as I've read before in BLN, once you have a legitimate reason to be on railway property, the
world opens up to you. Approaching the end of the journey near Aberdeen, the crew insisted that I
alighted at Kittybrewster to ask the driver of the Class 08 shunter there if I could have a ride down the
Aberdeen Waterloo branch. I was sure I was going to get sworn at but absolutely not, I couldn't have
had a more friendly welcome and another 1¾ miles of track was then successfully inked in.

There were many happy memories in East Anglia too, including the sense of achievement in doing
Yarmouth South Quay (CG 1 Jan 1976) and the lengthy Lenwade branch (CG about Dec 1981), both
only ran 'as required' so it was particularly pleasing to be able to fit those in (after two attempts).

Another great trip was to Leiston where, after arriving, we carried on to a certain overhead crane
arrangement and picked up an unusual well-floor Weltrol style wagon and proceeded calmly back
towards Ipswich. So much for Health & Safety, but I do seem to remember one or two little devices
which kept clicking! However, I think my most memorable East Anglian trip was from Norwich to
Fakenham behind Class 31 D5679 - which took forever with all the manual crossing gates to open and
shut. As always with these trips things started off a bit quiet with the crew while they check you out to
make sure you're not doing an inspection job on them. After a little while things relax a little bit, and
then a little bit more. The result was that, by the time we had reached Dereham on the way back, we
were operating the level crossing gates, points and hand signalling shunting manœuvres to the driver.
(As this was 50 years ago, I think I'm OK including this in the 'It can now be told' category.)

Another great trip, behind Western D1019, was Exeter to Meldon Quarry. This was another occasion
where the crew insisted we go to the quarry office and ask for a tour round the plant. As team leader I
was tasked with doing this, with a bit of trepidation I must add, but we couldn't have received a more
friendly (if surprised) welcome. After being carefully fitted with all the PPE (there's a new buzz word)
necessary for such a dangerous tour (a yellow hat) we were given a full conducted tour of the plant
including walking up the side of the conveyor to the top of the crushing plant and, a very close
inspection of the crushing ball (fortunately not operating). It was a very comprehensive and enjoyable
visit to see the whole process, absolutely unimaginable today. There was another thing memorable
about this trip, in that it was the only time that I have seen a guard make use of the bathroom facilities
provided on the brakevan. For those of you wondering, there aren't any but this didn't stop the guard
using the back veranda and trackbed for the purpose. Normally this wouldn't have worried me in the
slightest but it just so happened that we had the wife of a certain illustrious committee member on
board, so I parked myself in front of the door to make sure she didn't accidentally venture outside.

A phenomenon which often occurred on brakevan trips (BVT) was an invitation to the footplate for the
ride. The first time this happened to me was on my second ever BVT, from Ayr Harbour to Waterside
behind Sulzer D5385 (Class 27). The driver had one eye on officialdom, so he told us to go in the back
cab and walk forward once we had gone through Ayr station. This we duly did but by then the loco
had opened right up to get the train (loose fitted coal empties again) up to speed for the gradient up
to Waterside Washery. The noise as we walked through the engine compartment was deafening.

By contrast I well remember one idyllic afternoon on a short branch line in Devon where the local kids
had developed a game of hanging on the level crossing gates near the end of the branch and asking for
a ride on the engine. By the time we had finished I'm sure there were at least 15 people in the cab!!

Clayton Class 17s were the best for BVTs. Not only was the cab enormous, in effect two cabs back to
back, but the all round panoramic views were superb. I managed three BVTs with them, a trip working
around Bathgate, a Motherwell to Gartcosh and Ravenscraig steel coil working and a run to Kingshill
Colliery (CG 15 Jul 1974). Conversely a ride in the cab of a Class 20 was hopeless unless you could nab
the driver or second-man's seat; otherwise it was a stiff neck bending over to see out of the window.

Finally, although not strictly a brakevan trip, there is one other trip I would like to mention. This was
when the Society obtained permission to hitch a lift on the Peterborough to Oundle start of term
Oundle School special train on 10 Sep 1970. It was advertised to members in BLN 160 of 19 Aug 1970,
but didn't make it into our 'Forty Year' book. At this time I was still attending Loughborough Grammar
School and, although I didn't have to sneak off early, I didn't have time to go home and change.
Consequently, there we were on Peterborough North station platform with 20 or 30 suitably attired
gricers, 100 or so kids in their Oundle School uniform and me in my Loughborough Grammar School
uniform. Still, I survived and the track was done - Oundle lost its railway from 6 Nov 1972.

The next way of doing track was PSUL or, often overlapping, engineering diversions, again this was too
common to list here. However, highlights of track I managed to do by these methods include the
Lancashire & Yorkshire Spen Valley line between Mirfield and Low Moor, Wortley Curve and the
Itchen Valley line was scratched to Winchester. The one that got away was Wath Curve, I couldn't
make the one weekend the diversion was on; I kept desperately looking out for it, but it was a one off.

Lastly, one form of doing track which was totally unreliable but actually great fun was the Mystery
Excursion. I had four goes at this from Loughborough, the first being by far the best. It headed south
via Leicester, the Nuneaton Avoiding Line, past Saltley to St Andrews Jn, Worcester, Honeybourne,
ending up in Weston-super-Mare; the only time I did the GWR Honeybourne to Cheltenham line.

The second one ended up in Windsor & Eton Riverside doing what was then some choice track from
Cricklewood across London. The third took me into East Anglia for the first time ending up at
Yarmouth via Syston Curve and Ely West Curve. The fourth was a little disappointing, ending up in a
soggy Whitley Bay on a Sunday afternoon with only the Darlington station avoider to show for it. Still,
it could have been worse, I remember being at Leicester London Road one Sunday when a Mystery
Excursion pulled in followed by station announcements saying that this was their final destination.
It was quite hard not to laugh at the signs of puzzlement and disappointment on the passengers' faces.

I started this article with a tear in my eye on 4 Aug 1968 watching Black 5s '44874' and '45017' backing
off over Stockport Viaduct going (with whistles blowing) to their final resting places, so I would like to
finish describing the next time I had a tear in my eye because of a steam engine. This was in Dec 1982
on the platform at New Delhi station when a Class WP semi-streamlined pacific majestically rolled into
the platform with a real passenger train. I would like to say it was in immaculate condition with the
gleaming coaches of the Taj Express behind it, but it wasn't. It was in pretty grotty condition pulling an
even grottier 15 coach commuter train wedged with passengers but for me it was heaven and the
start of a ten year hunt for real steam engines around the world…

2703] Forty Years & Another Fifteen …. 2006-2020: (BLN 1385.2431) A new PDF by Martyn Brailsford
is now available for logged in members to view and download on our Website. On the 'Archive' page,
enter 'Forty' in the top right search box to bring up all three PDFs which now cover 1955 to 2020.

The new one is 69 pages and has colour pictures by various members. In the format of the previous
two publications, there are railtour route details (as advertised), lists of fixtures operated, Committee
changes, AGM venues, number of members each year and subscription rates. Between 2006 and
2020, we ran 117 fixtures on NR metals, 4 on Northern Ireland Railways or Irish Rail infrastructure plus
11 on metro systems. In addition, there were tours in seven European countries plus the Kingdom of
Jordan and weekend visits to both the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man; information on these is
included in the 'Visits' section. It shows the great progress your Society has made since 1 Apr 2012.

Thanks to Martyn Brailsford for eight years of work on this project and the various proof readers.

X.210] BELOW: Visit to Willow Printing & Design at Newton-le-Willows
Left to right: Tim Wallis (General Secretary), Lisa She
Paul Stewart (BLN Editor with a freshly printed BLNI

s on Sat 2 Oct), see 2021 Officers' Report supplement p9 with e-BLN.
eppard (Membership Secretary), Alan Sheppard,
I) and Barry Kilshaw (Director). (Cheryl Lamble.)

ABOVE: (Item
station - in
are

LEFT: A

m 2709) Half of the panels displayed on the footbridge at Northampton
nterestingly the tickets date back to at least 2015. The 'green' notes

where tickets are not available to/from a particular station.

close up of one area with at least one hard to get ticket evident

(Simon Mortimer, 12 Oct 2021.)

2704] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1384.MR 163] Sadly the 10¼" gauge, 1,200yd Wells Harbour Railway in
Norfolk closed in late Sep but at least we were able to give members plenty of notice. Does anyone
know the last public running day, where the equipment has gone and if the track is lifted, please?

●●BLN 1386.MR 186] With apologies to MR Editor, Peter Scott, Woodhorn Narrow Gauge Railway last
ran on 6 Jul 2019, of course, not 2029. E-BLN 1386 had sad pictures of the recent state of the railway.

2705] E-BLN 1386: An extra PDF on our website 'Archive' is a detailed official Metrolink track plan,
with both depots (the initial version did not have Queens Road depot but the current version does).
Since it was drawn Intu Trafford Centre stop has been renamed The Trafford Centre (although tram
announcements still use the earlier version!). Oldham Mumps stop is on the index page but on Plan
5A is incorrectly shown as the top Oldham King Street (which also appears correctly lower down).

2706] Trivia quiz - did you beat the clock? (BLN 1386.2578)
The Western Region (who always did their own thing) of BR (British
Railways) 'clocked up' the first 24 hour timetable (dated 15 Jun 1964).
Intended to be for 12 months, it was reissued 4 Jan 1965. The rest of
BR followed with 24 hour clock timetables on 14 Jun 1965. This was
also the date 'British Railways' became 'British Rail' in the timetables.

The internationally recognised 'double arrow' red and white symbol
was created by Gerry Barney in 1965 and introduced that year along
with the 'Rail Blue' livery - chosen as it hid dirt well. The double arrow has now been 'redesigned' in
three shades of green for 'Great British Railways' to represent railway's green credentials. However,
the original designer, now 82, described it as 'rubbish' (not his exact words…) with too many colours.
There would also be a very large number of signs around the country to change at significant expense.

1387 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
2707] Hotchley Hill: The last train of inward Gypsum on the line from Loughborough South Jn ran on
22 Sep 2020. They ceased due to the poor condition of Bridge 326 over Nottingham Road (A60) at
Loughborough. (Passenger services have also not run on Nottingham Heritage Railway - known as the
Great Central Railway (Nottingham) until 22 Jul 2021 - as there are problems with other bridges too.)

The Great Central Railway (GCR) (Loughborough Central - Leicester North) is now assisting in the
management of work on these structures and other infrastructure on the northern section requiring
major work. This is so that freight traffic (and the income it brings) can restart as soon as possible,
with passenger services from Ruddington to follow. The GCR has an aspiration to run through services
between Leicester North and Ruddington and is also assisting with updating Nottingham Heritage
Railway's safety management and rule book which is needed and would facilitate through running.
The ORR served an 'Improvement Notice' on that Railway on 23 Oct 2020 (see BLN 1367.3594).

2708] Sharnbrook: A PDF report is available with e-BLN about an accident here on 27 Nov 1971 - any
paper BLN subscriber who would like a copy, please request it from your BLN Editor, enclosing an SAE.

2709] Northampton: (TRACKmaps 4 p4 2018) For three days, Mon 11 to Wed 14 Oct trains (passenger
and ECS) to/from bays P4 & 5 ran via Mill Lane Jn (67m 20ch), the Up & Down Slow and the electrified
bidirectional Reception Line. In the Down direction this included Mill Lane Jn trailing crossover, of
course. This route has been covered by railtours in both directions previously including the link to and
from P1. Some trains ran to/from P3 instead. The diversion was due to overrunning engineering
works, a section of rail was missing from the Up & Down Slow near to Northampton North Jn.

A member made a quick return trip to Northampton to take advantage of the situation. He discovered
'All Aboard to Northampton' [or from? - see later], a remarkable ticket collection on display. The staff
are trying to collect a ticket for every station to or from Northampton! They have done well in the few
months since it started according to barrier staff but one of two examples might elude them (Redcar
British Steel, IBM and Northampton of course)! Perhaps our members might help out‽ As examples,
tickets are required from Quintrell Downs, Rannoch, Redbridge, Rauceby and ('fare enough') Renton.

2710] Nottingham Express Transit: From 27 Sep contactless payment by most Credit and Debit Cards,
Apple Pay & Google Pay were avaialble at first for standard Adult singles and One Day tickets (multiple
journeys are capped). Passengers only have to tap in at the green validators, unusually, if they tap 'out'
at the destination they will be charged again!! Staff will be able to check if cards etc are validated.

2711] Grimsby West Marsh: (BLN 1374.971) By 22 Sep the yard (once 11 tracks across including the
two running lines which remain) had all been lifted; this follows major devegetation (some trees quite
large) of the area in spring. No longer required, the land is owned by DB Cargo and is being 'restored'.

2712] Derby: Off peak car parking charges have been significantly reduced (EMR website has details).

1387 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
2713] Lillie Bridge Depot: TfL has approved plans to vacate the depot site to make way for a housing
development (one way to help balance the books), work starts in 2024. Previous plans envisaged
sidings remaining here, with a development on a concrete raft above. Replacement stabling will be
needed for 12 trains. Six will be on new sidings north of Parsons Green station and six on the one time
freight train route from Acton Lane Jn to Turnham Green. Berthing for engineering vehicle and road to
rail vehicle access will be at the Kensington (Olympia) end of the Lillie Bridge connection. Lillie Bridge
Depot has a long history, having been opened by the Metropolitan District Railway in 1871.

2714] Crossrail: (BLN 1386.2586) At Southall the GWR building on the road overbridge is being
retained and converted to an emergency exit. Hayes & Harlington booking office and main entrance is
now on the road overbridge, slightly north of the previous one, so a little north of the railway rather
than above it. The level entrance to Up Relief P4 and bay P5 has gone and the bay platform line may
now be ready for extension westwards. This is currently one of those now relatively unusual locations
where services terminate at a platform that is shorter than the train.

Abbey Wood station was fully integrated into TfL operations from 1 Oct. Another blockade started on
8 Oct and runs until 26th according to Realtime Trains. During this time, what should be the last major
software update before passenger running starts will take place. Outstanding work in the tunnels will
also be carried out, including an upgrade of the tunnel ventilation system.

2715] Stratford: (BLN 1386.2599) P11 is to be extended by 77m at the country end to accommodate
the new 10-car 'Aventra' Class 720 EMU trains. The extension will span the bridge over HS1.

2716] DB Cargo Barking: Derbyshire based company Ward - once known as Thomas (Thos) W Ward -
has opened a new metal processing facility here. The eventual aim is to run regular 1,000 tonne trains
transporting scrap purchased from other London based merchants to other parts of the country for
recycling and export. 'Freightmaster Interactive' reports that the first flow will start in Nov, with two to
three trains a week to Redcar Bulk Terminal for export. This will eventually rise to five a week.

2717] Enfield Town: At 08.14 on Tue 12 Oct, 710124 leading the 07.45 from Liverpool Street hit and
overrode the buffer stops in P2 at low speed. Two passengers were treated for minor injuries and the
driver suffered from shock. The damaged train was moved to Ilford depot overnight and the branch
remained closed until an arrival at 09.25 on 13th, with trains mostly diverted to Cheshunt. P2, the
normal off peak platform, is back in use but the buffer stops had to be cut away to release the train.
There are temporary buffer stops in the usual place, consisting of four sleepers with a red light.

2718] West London Line: Arriva Rail London has submitted a track access application to operate a
daily shuttle between Shepherd's Bush and Clapham Junction P17 for an 18 month trial from May
2022 to Dec 2023. Originally planned to run from Dec 2020, they were postponed with the Pandemic.
There is a high level of demand on the route due to new housing development, the Olympia exhibition
centre and the Westfield shopping centre at Shepherd's Bush. This summer demand reached 60% of
pre-pandemic levels on weekdays and 65% at weekends, compared with an overall 46% in the London
& South East area as a whole. Demand is expected to rise further to between 85% and 95% by this
autumn. The additional trains are to reduce crowding and platform dwell times on the existing trains.)

X.211] BELOW & NEXT: The new Nine Elms underground station on the op

pening day of the Northern Line Extension. (Stuart Hicks, 20 Sep 2021.)





BELOW & NEXT: Battersea Power Station tube station - also on opening da

ay - top right in each is a familiar structure. (Stuart Hicks, 20 Sep 2021.)





X.212] BELOW: 830003 at King's Cross P10 during a 'Lumo' training run. Serv
this is just as well with the electricity bill to pay. Note the former P10 right

vices start on 25 Oct; they are booking very well - some services are full;
is trackless to extend former P11 (now P10). (James Beal, 18 Oct 2021.)

BELOW & NEXT TWO: King's Cross press launch Thur 21 Oct and - the Azuma

hasn't developed a nasty rash, they are lighting reflections! (Stuart Hicks.)









(Item 2713) Lillie Bridge Depot, 16 Sep 1984 LT tour, BELOW: End of the line - it will be too. (Ian Mortimer.)

2719] Piccadilly Line Microgricing: The latest WTT http://bit.ly/2Y5VTVD No59 is dated 12 Sep 2021

(BLN 1384.2283). The previous guide was BLN 1272.43 (Jan 2017); updated BLN 1282.1156 (Jun 2017).

Since then: 'Night Tube' has been suspended. Arnos Grove regains a startup westbound departure
from P1. King's Cross crossover regains a startup train. Three of the four connections between
Barons Court and Hammersmith with the District Line have been decommissioned. At Acton Town
No75 crossover's daylight uses reduce to one startup train per week.  The eastbound Local Line from

Northfields regains its midsummer-daylight evening working. See important note at the bottom.

Running numbers are shown in [square brackets] where helpful.
 = Known recent use also to turn back in service during planned engineering.
 = Known passenger use during disruption. (Information kindly compiled by Bill Lynch.)

Coverage west of Rayners Lane is in the companion Metropolitan Line guide (BLN 1386.2589).

•Crossovers at Hyde Park Corner, Northfields east, Boston Manor, Hounslow Central, Hatton
..Cross (both), Heathrow T1, 2, 3 (trailing), South Harrow (both) and Rayners Lane: ECS only.

•Oakwood P2 departures via crossover: SSuX 05.38¼; SO 05.37.

•Arnos Grove: (Remember that 'eastbound' here still means towards Cockfosters!)
P1 westbound departures: SSuX 05.25¼.
P2(=P3) eastbound arrivals: SSuX all terminators 07.01-23.28 (plenty), 23.53½ [243], 23.56½ [232];

..SuMX 7 trains 00.14½-01.04 [237, 225, 242, 334, 231, 307, 234]; SO all terminators 08.23¾-23.51

..(plenty); SuO 4 trains 00.40¾-00.58½ [232, 304, 364, 366], all terminators 09.44¾-23.05 (plenty),

..23.18½ [227], 23.22½ [342].
..P2 eastbound departures: SSuX 23.54¼, 23.57¼; SuMX 7 trains 00.15-01.04½;

..SuO 00.41¼, 00.44½, 23.19, 23.23.
P3 westbound arrivals: None booked.
P3 westbound departures: SSuX gap 06.15-07.07¾, last 23.16; SO 05.25¾, 05.35¾, plenty 07.29¾-
..23.05¾; SuO 6 trains 06.55¾-08.13¾, plenty 09.53½-22.13. All must use the further crossover (No22)
..if a westbound train is signalled into P4, but otherwise the nearer (less conflicting) one (No20).
P4 eastbound arrivals: SuO 23.30¼ [326].
•King's Cross P6 westbound departures: SO 06.06.

•Barons Court Siding:-
as westbound loop: Hammersmith arr SuMX 00.24¾ [223]; SuO 00.19¼ [372].
as east-to-west turnback: ECS only.
as long crossovers: No booked use.
•Hammersmith, westbound connection to District: No booked use.

•Acton Town:
P1 westbound arrivals via east crossover: SuX 4 trains until 06.55¾ [233, 300, 302, 343],

..09.01½ [240], 09.31¼ [340], 10.25 [247], 10.37¼ [312], also all Northfield terminators from 08.28

..(plenty until 17.16½ and from 18.57¼) (except 10.22 [351], 20.25½ [360] and 23.44 [247]);

..SO 6 trains until 07.26 [344, 312, 237, 236, 241, 243], 11.16½ [247], also all Northfields

.. terminators (11.25½ - 23.54¾, plenty) and all towards North Ealing 12.03½-13.33¾; SuO 4 trains

..00.07¾-(SO) close [324, 327, 362, 360], 07.47½ [340], 08.36¾ [224], 6 trains from 23.05

.[304, 236, 231, 372, 244, 242], also all Northfields terminators (11.06-19.26, plenty).
P1 departures via Local Line to Northfields west: SSuX 4 trains until 06.55¾, 09.01½, 09.31¼,

..20.31½, also all Northfields terminators from 08.28† (gap 17.16½†-18.57¼†) (except 20.26† &

..23.44†); SuMX 00.08¼†; SO 6 trains until 07.26, also all Northfields terminators 11.25½†-23.54¾†;

..SuO 4 trains ‡ 00.07¾-(SuO) close, 07.47½, 08.36¾, 5 trains ‡ from 23.05½, all Northfields

..terminators 11.06†-19.26†. † = not beyond Northfields. ‡ = not all beyond Northfields.
P2 departures towards Ealing Common: Gap SO 11.56½-13.44½.
P4 arrivals from Fast Line via west (No75) X/O: SSuX 23.16¼ [365]; SO 23.42¼ [303]; SuO 05.36¼ [221].
P4 departures via east X/O: SSuX 20.59¾, 23.16¾, 23.43; SO 23.43¼, 23.52¾; SuO 05.37¼, 22.32½.

•Northfields P4 arr/dep times (Local Line): SSuX ECS/20.54, 23.36/23.37 [340]; SuMX 00.16¾/ECS
..[244], 00.31/ECS [246]; SO 23.46¼/23.47 [364]; SuO 00.16¾/ECS [351], 22.26¾/22.26¾ [351];
•Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3:
P2 westbound arrivals via crossover: SuO 01.20½ [360], 05.03 [221].
P1 eastbound arrivals from Heathrow Terminal 4 (then trailing crossover): None booked.
..Although not indicated in the WTT, trains for Heathrow Terminal 4 continue to run empty
..between Hatton Cross and Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 until the station reopens.

Please note that this timetable will not operate until 4 Jan. Leaf fall TTN 126/21 operates until 23 Dec
(BLN 1386.2596). At the time of writing, it was still not on the TfL website. The Heathrow branch is
then closed over the Christmas and New Year period for points and crossing work at Northfields.
This has caused some controversy, as both routes to Heathrow will be closed on Boxing Day.

2720] Barking Riverside branch: (BLN 1383.2151) From 24 Sep the NR operational boundary on the
Up Riverside line at 8m 60ch was marked by a temporary sleeper buffer stop. Slightly further on, the
sets of points in the Down Tilbury for the Down Riverside line is secured out of use until Apr 2022.

The latest Barking & Dagenham Council Local Plan proposes a large housing development on industrial
land between Ripple Lane Yard and the A13. This would provide funding to enable the earlier
provision of a station at Renwick Road (now referred to as Castle Green). ('London Railway Record'.)

1387 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
2721] Heaton South Jn: (BLN 1386.2611) While the junction was relaid it is confirmed that TPE trains
ran on to the Forth Banks branch to be serviced. Northern staff from Heaton Depot attended to carry
this out. Tanker lorries had to be driven through parking spaces in the LNER car park (which were kept
clear!) due to the weight restrictions applying on the normal access route. Northern's trains were
serviced at the Greensfield Jn access point, with a line blockage while servicing took place. This was
the actual reason for the circular workings over both Newcastle bridges mentioned in BLN 1386.
Apparently, the whole operation worked very well each night on the first two weekends at least.

2722] T&W Metro: Children travel free with an adult until they are 11; young people pay no more
than £1 until they are 18. Now Nexus has introduced 'Pop 19-21', a new card for 19-21 year olds,
giving a 30% discount on Pay As You Go fares. The card https://bit.ly/2XiKQ0A is free itself but a
minimum £10 credit must be purchased to obtain one. It can be used on the Metro, almost all buses in
Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, County Durham and the Tees Valley as well as the Shields Ferry.

2723] Port of Tyne: ❶66713 hauled a GBRf 05.20 Doncaster iPort to Tyne Coal Terminal, its first
intermodal train on 2 Oct. 66732 hauled the return working 08.50 to Doncaster iPort on 4 Oct, which
was well loaded. https://bit.ly/3DNVADR is a video of it passing Darlington. It was arranged at short
notice for cargo which arrived by ship from Rotterdam. The trains ran again a week later and there
was also a 18.10 Birmingham Hams Hall to Tyne Coal Terminal on 9 Oct. A consignor chartered four
trains to carry containers which arrived directly from China, two to Hams Hall and two to iPort.

❷The port saw its first electric loco on 8 Oct… No, the branch hasn't been electrified - no chance of
that happening! Apparently 73968 suffered an electrical failure at an unknown location and was
rescued by a Class 60 and taken to the port. It was then tripped to Doncaster Roberts Road on 11 Oct
by a loco that was due to go there for an inspection. Locos are regularly swapped to and from
Doncaster for attention. Does any member know what on earth a Class 73 was doing in the area?

2724] Queensbury Tunnel: (BLN 1374.992) National Highways (was Highways England) has finished
blocking strengthening the lining to prevent any more 'uncontrolled collapses' in the 1.4-mile disused
tunnel. The Queensbury Tunnel Society claims the :£7.2M: could have been put towards making it into
a cycle route. The DfT said it had considered bringing the tunnel into public use and would publish its
findings 'in due course'. It has paid for a study into potential cycling routes. A reminder that had
Highways England paid :£50: annual ground rent, the tunnel would not have become flooded and the
work (done using emergency permitted powers, of course) might have been avoided in the first place.

Heaton Lodge and Thornhill, June 1985 To Dewsbury (LNW)

No detail shewn for To Low Moor (L&Y)
the Mirfield station
To Manchester (L&Y) 7 and junctions area Down Slow 5 6
Up Slow

1 Down Fast To Healey
84 Up Fast Mills (L&Y)

Down 2 1 Bradley Wood Jn 7 Heaton Lodge East Jn
Up
To Huddersfield (LNW) 2 Bradley Jn 8 Heaton Lodge South Jn+
3 Spen Valley Jn* 9 Mirfield East Jn
Secured out of use and/or removed 4 Heaton Lodge Jn * Formerly Heckmondwike Jn
Retained out of use
5 Thornhill LNW Jn** ** Formerly Dewsbury Jn
Reinstated 6 Thornhill Jn + Formerly Spen Valley Jn

New
Temporary

ABOVE: Diagrams are thanks to John Gough and Dave Cromarty. The junction numbers are consistent
across all eight diagrams in the four part series. '3' only appears in the first diagram (BLN 1385.2451).
'9' is on the two diagrams below and in BLN 1388. Ravensthorpe platforms are not shown for clarity.

2725] Heaton Lodge Jn Part 3: (BLN 1386.2602) Later events at Heaton Lodge have to be seen in the
context of the development of the line between there and Thornhill. Between Jun and Oct 1985 there
was a five month programme of major changes. In mid-June, a mile of the Down Fast (MP 39¼ to MP
40¼, through Thornhill LNW Jn) was taken OOU (out of use). Temporary connections with the Up Fast
were laid in so Down trains could use it under single line working rules during engineering works.

In connection with this change, at Heaton Lodge Jn the Down Slow to Down Fast connection was
temporarily secured OOU. At Heaton Lodge South Jn the facing points were temporarily secured for
access only to the Down Underpass Line, and at Mirfield the fast lines trailing crossover was abolished.

On 28 Jul 1985 the double junction between the Fast lines and the Slow lines at Thornhill LNW Jn and
the trailing crossover between the Fasts were secured out of use pending removal. On 6 Oct the Up
Slow Line between Thornhill Jn (excl) and Thornhill LNW Jn (excl) was temporarily taken OOU. Also on
6 Oct, a new facing connection was laid in from the Up Fast line to the Up Slow, for commissioning the
following weekend as part of the new Mirfield East Jn. (It was to be available for the intervening week
under hand signalling to allow trains needing to call at Mirfield to gain access to the Up Slow.)

Heaton Lodge and Thornhill, Jul-Oct 1985 Down Main

7 Up Main/ 6
Down Fast 5

1 9
84 Up Slow

Down 2
Up

From 13 Oct 1985 the naming of the lines between Heaton Lodge East Jn and Thornhill LNW Jn was
changed: The former Down Slow line became the Down Fast, then the Down Main at Mirfield East Jn.
From Mirfield East Jn to Heaton Lodge the former Up Slow line became the Up Fast and the former
Up Fast became the Up Slow. From Thornhill to Mirfield East Jn the former Up Slow, then reversibly
signalled, became the new Up Main/Down Fast line. Also on 13 Oct, new facing connections forming

the new Mirfield East Jn (controlled from Healey Mills Signal Box) were commissioned between 39¼
and 39½ miles, providing for movements over the previous weekend's new connection from the Up
Fast to the (new) Up Fast and from the (new) Down Fast to the Up Main/Down Fast. Thornhill LNW Jn
itself was remodelled; the junction in the Down line was plainlined and realigned for movements from
Mirfield to Dewsbury, and the points in the Up line (the former Up Slow from Wakefield) were
repositioned to suit the final alignment of the (new) Up Main/Down Fast.

The final stage of these works came at the beginning of Nov 1985 with the recovery of the former
Down Fast line between Heaton Lodge South Jn and Mirfield East Jn (the actual recovery appears to
have been eastwards from Heaton Lodge Jn only). At the same time the Up Fast line was taken OOU
between Healey Mills 'B' Jn and Thornhill LNW Jn. The Up Slow became the Up Fast and was slewed
across into the existing Up Fast at Thornhill LNW Jn. In the other direction, the Down Fast/Down Slow
was taken OOU between Thornhill LNW Jn and the facing connection Down Fast to Down Slow at
Healey Mills 'A' Jn. Thornhill Midland Jn was then abolished. To be concluded in BLN 1388.

Heaton Lodge and Thornhill, Nov 1985

7 5 6
4 9
1
8

2

2726] Hartlepool: STRABAG, one of Europe's largest construction companies, is to build a facility on
the site of the disused oil rig yard to manufacture 36,000 tunnel segments. They are for HS2 from
Old Oak Common in the Northolt Tunnels (London) and is the second such contract for that railway.

Construction starts in the New Year; the factory begins production in Dec 2022 with the first trainload
arriving at Willesden Euroterminal (one word per HS2) logistics hub in Apr 2023. It is thought to be
the first freight traffic on the Hartlepool Docks branch since imported newsprint in vans during 2001
(BLN 1014.287)! Hartlepool once handled imported timber for pit props. Test trains on the branch ran
a few months ago. STRABAG already has a precast concrete factory at Wilton, on the other side of the
Tees. Its output goes to the Woodsmith potash mine, south of Whitby, by road.

2727] Stockton: (Durham) Coastliners Rail User Group want Grand Central (GCR) to serve Stockton.
They say there is ample recovery time, a permanent 30mph restriction through the station, and many
buses call at 'Stockton station' stop with a step free access to the platforms. They point out that GCR
has been willing to add extra stops to its Bradford services. Your NE Editor imagines GCR would not
want too many calls close together. Eaglescliffe is only three miles with potentially better connections
for the Saltburn line and good parking, thanks to recent GCR investment. Pathing for an extra stop
may be feasible, but the plan to reinstate the half hourly Northern Middlesbrough - Newcastle service
could change this. Keeping GCR's paths through the single platform at Hartlepool is no doubt critical.
The addition of the Low Moor stop on the West Riding route was somewhat different; GCR wanted to
serve a station with good parking (which is limited at Halifax and Brighouse) and easy road access.

2728] York - Scarborough: (BLNs 1367.3635) £400k from the New Stations Fund was awarded to
develop proposals to (re)open Haxby station CP 22 Sep 1930. York City Councillors have now approved
£250k to purchase a 6.8 acre site for it but the location cannot be revealed for commercial reasons!
The former station (4m 18ch) was unsurprisingly at Station Road level crossing. The new one may not
be! The project has been added to the city's capital programme for 2021/22. The DfT has indicated its
support for the project and is expected to decide in the first half of 2022 whether to fully fund it.

2729] Darlington: (BLN 1378.1546) A planning application for the £150M station redevelopment was
submitted to the Town Council in Jun. The eastern side of the scheme has now been approved, this is:

Two new London end bays and a through platform on the east side of the present Main Lines
(the avoiding line), so Up ECML services no longer have to cross the Down Main. It also keeps Saltburn
trains clear of the ECML and frequency could be increased, but ends through running to/from Bishop
Auckland. An extra station building on Neasham Road. A footbridge linking the new platforms to
the existing station. The scheme will remove conflicts between trains and greatly increase the capacity
of the station. A decision on the western side of the scheme - upgrading of the Victoria Road entrance,
improving access to the station - is due later this month. Tees Valley Combined Authority has already
committed £25M towards the project but there is no information on the other £125M. Work is
planned to be complete for the Stockton & Darlington Railway 200th anniversary celebrations in 2025.

2730] North Blyth: NR is to extend the Short Term Network Change for two years from 11 Nov 2021
relating to the removal of what is left of the Blyth Staiths Branch and plainlining of 1462 points, which
accessed the former North Blyth (Cambois) motive power depot. The previous Short Term Network
Change expired on 24 Sep. Plainlining actually took place years ago. A new battery factory may result
in new traffic (BLN 1381.1925), in which case the connection could be reinstated at six months' notice.

2731] Leeds: Work continues on the Leeds Capacity Programme. Over the 30/31 Oct weekend, new
OHLE and provision for signalling cables to pass under the track between P3 and P4 will be installed.
This is in preparation for a complete remodelling of the layout between P4 and P6 later this year.

2732] And Then There Were None... (BLN 1382.2047) The other four cooling towers at Eggborough
Power Station were blown up on Sun 10 Oct, at 09.00. https://bbc.in/3BGHLX0 is a 1¼ min video
filmed from just about every possible angle. Cooling towers are now on the endangered species list.

2733] Monk Bretton branch: (BLN 1383.2172) On Mon 4 Oct, 5D81 (20.42 Bradford Interchange to
Crofton Depot via Normanton, Calder Bridge Jn and Crofton West Jn) was replaced by 5Z80 (20.42 to
Royston Jn via Calder Bridge Jn and Oakenshaw South Jn). This was for route knowledge and to turn
180104, which had an unscheduled 'turn' earlier in its diagram - one good turn deserves another.

Of note, at Wortley Jn it crossed to the (bidirectional) Down Bradford line via the facing crossover
(TRACKmaps Vol 2 p36A 2020) and then ran in the Up direction on the Down Whitehall Curve and the
Down Midland Line from Engine Shed Jn, gaining the Up Midland Line at Holbeck Depot Jn. It nearly
ran direct to Crofton Depot due to a bridge strike on the Monk Bretton branch. Fortunately the line
was handed back just before the train reached Oakenshaw Jn. It returned to Crofton Depot as 5Z81,
22.15 from Royston Jn. In early Nov there may be a training run from Crofton Depot to the Hendon
branch at Sunderland and return, with additional workings to Monk Bretton and Hendon later on.

2734] Doncaster: (BLN 1377.1394) The headstone in Hyde Park cemetery, commemorating Joseph
Duddington, was dedicated on 2 Oct. He drove 'Mallard' on its 126 mph run of 3 Jul 1938 on Stoke
Bank. Fireman Tommy Bray also has a new headstone as the resting place of his ashes is unknown.

2735] Sheffield: (BLN 1367.3630) The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has now reported on the
11 Nov 2020 derailment of a cement train from Earles Sidings to Dewsbury at 02.44 on 11 Nov 2020.
The train was coasting on the 'Through Line' at a constant 12 mph when the leading right hand wheel
of the twelfth wagon dropped into the 'four foot' between the running rails, due to gauge widening.
The train stopped when the signaller observed numerous signalling equipment failures on a display
screen and alerted the driver. Track screws securing the rails and baseplates to the wooden sleepers
had broken, allowing the rails to spread apart under the load. The screws had failed several weeks, or
perhaps months, before the derailment but had not been picked up during maintenance inspections.

As a result of the derailment 4062 points where the Through Line joins the P1 line at the north end of
P1b were 'temporarily' plain lined and remain so. Further south the Through Line and connection to P1
between P1a and P1b remains in use for trains to access P1b from the south bypassing a train in P1a.

BELOW: (Item 2723) The failed Class 73 in Caledonian Slee

eper livery at Port of Tyne on 8 Oct 2021. (Ian Hughes.)

X.213] BELOW: The significant Bridlington south remodelling is taking shape

e on 7 Oct, note new pointwork. NEXT: Inside the box the same day. (NR.)





X.214] THIS PAGE: BLN 1385 2459 reminded a member of Easter 1990 when the piers were rebuilt
under Sheffield station revealing the rivers. The surprise was that much of the station was open and
you could even watch the rebuilding work close up and hence take the photo! 37104 (below) was in
attendance with spoil wagons. The flats below have since gone. (Dave Gommersall, Sat 14 Apr 1990.)

1387 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected]
2736] Capenhurst: (BLN 1386.2630) The Chester Merseyrail service was 3tph SuX in the day prior to
27 Sep. As all trains now stop at Capenhurst, instead of alternately pre-Covid (it's an ill wind…), 4tph
now needs an extra EMU compared with pre-Covid but longer Chester layovers improve performance.

2737] I was a signalman - Part 8/It Can Now be Told (48) - Altrincham North: (BLN 1386.2619) Dave
Leeming. This was a somewhat different proposition. Up to now, I'd been used to small 18-24 lever
frames and straightforward through working. This London & North Western Railway (L&NWR) box was
much bigger, housing a 72-Lever L&NWR Frame. It was at what was the A560 Stockport Road crossing
- still operational in 1976 but only for local traffic. A novelty was the standard road traffic lights on it.
Three brown levers Nos70, 71 & 72, were provided for the crossing and two Wicket Gates, Nos68 & 69.

LEFT: 1936 map, 25" scale,
after electrification in 1931.

Top right is the A560 level
crossing with its footbridge.

Altrincham North; originally
Altrincham & Bowdon North
signal box (not labelled) on
the Down side (that is from
Manchester) is at the south
east corner of that crossing.

Altrincham South signal box
(was Altrincham & Bowdon
South) is just south of P4 -
far right of station - the one
for Chester, above the right
hand 'S.P' = signal post.

Any ideas, please, about the
third box marked 'S.B.' just
past the north end of the
platforms? Is it an error?

Off lower right was the half
mile Altrincham Gas Works
Tramway (standard gauge),
which ran along Moss Lane.

Bottom left corner is the
carriage shed, site of the
original 'Bowdon' terminal
station. The line to Hale and
Chester is bottom centre.

The layout wasn't complex.
In effect it was a double line
junction; a pair of lines to
the two bay platforms and
the other pair towards Hale
and Chester. About half the
levers worked, the lowest
was No18. Both facing and
trailing crossovers gave access to both bays. Here crossovers are still in use for Metrolink trams.

Absolute Block Working was the order of the day on the Up and Down Main Lines; L&NWR Combined
Block Instruments worked to Navigation Road and to Hale. The Up and Down goods loops ended here;
(BLN 1386.2619) a Permissive Block Instrument, working to Navigation Road, was provided for them.

The frame was in 18 lever segments with a one lever gap between each segment. It had the 'long'
catch handles on the fronts of the levers in contrast to the 'short' catch handles I had experienced at
Sinderland Crossing. The layout was track circuited (except for the loops) from Navigation Road to the
Down starting signal towards Hale and from 200 yards on the approach side of the Up outer home
signal to Navigation Road Up home signal. There was an illuminated diagram.

Until Sun 14 Jul 1968 there had also been a signal box at Altrincham South, at the far end of P4. When
the Altrincham North box was built in 1908, provision was made to move control of South box to it.
This never took place therefore Levers 1-17 had remained as 'spares'.

The original Altrincham station, OP 20 Jul 1849, was between the level crossing and the present
station. (Then the town was still alternatively known as 'Altringham' and originally just 'Aldringeham'.)
The 'Main' line then continued towards Bowdon terminal station, opened just after, and the Cheshire
Lines Committee (CLC) to Chester was effectively the 'branch'. It opened between Altrincham and
Knutsford (originally the Cheshire Midland Railway) on 12 May 1862. From 4 Apr 1881 Altrincham was
resited to its present position and named 'Altrincham & Bowdon' that day Bowdon station closed to
passengers, becoming a yard. The Manchester South Junction & Altrincham (MSJ&A) was electrified in
1931 and this yard was adapted to become the carriage shed (Motive Power Depot) for the line.

The new station (just 'Altrincham' from 6 May 1974) had four platforms and the Chester line junction
was resited to near the level crossing at Altrincham North. Two platforms (later bays) were designated
for terminating MSJ&A trains and the other two for CLC trains towards Northwich and Chester.

The block working adopted here was a bit unusual. In 1960 the position was that Wrong Direction
Working was authorised between Altrincham North and Altrincham South via what became the Up
Main and between Altrincham South and Altrincham North on the Down Main.

The MSJ&A bays were both operated as 'Down' lines; terminating EMUs were offered to Altrincham
South on the appropriate block instrument, given 'on line' and terminated in section. Trains arriving in
P2 usually went to the carriage shed [occasionally with crafty gricers] and 'out of section' was given.
They then ran to P1 for their next working. If they ran into either platform then left in the Up direction
without running to the car sheds, they would be cancelled off. A train coming off shed into traffic ran
as an authorised 'wrong direction' movement via either platform. P3 - also wired - could also be used
for EMUs but then the train would be signalled conventionally. Most EMU workings left from P1.

However, after the line was converted to AC in 1971, the carriage shed was taken out of use and
buffer stops installed at the ends of what became bays. When Altrincham South box was abolished P1
and P2 became part of Altrincham North station limits. All points and crossings at Altrincham South
were taken away and normal right direction working became the order of the day in P3 and 4.
Bowdon station site became a rather roughly surfaced car park but it is now houses and apartments.

A few days after the conversion to 25kV, before the carriage shed was finally taken out of use, a
special excursion train (not in BLN or on Six Bells Junction website), hauled by a 25kV electric loco, ran
from Altrincham to London to mark the changeover and I travelled on it. It departed from P2 with a
normal length West Coast Main Line rake of Mk2 carriages rostered. The ECS overran P2 by five or six
coach lengths beyond the platform end, into the beginning of the carriage sidings. The ECS had been
hauled into Altrincham by a diesel. Without thinking too much about it, but with the notion of getting
at least some of the carriage sidings (this was prior to me joining the Society!), I decided to travel in
the very rear coach. I found myself with another maxi-gricer. Perhaps he is a Society member and
remembers the occasion? We changed to a diesel at Longsight for our return along the MSJ&A as
Bowdon Sidings OHLE had been disconnected and couldn't have been used for an AC Electric anyway!

I did not need too much training at Altrincham as I was now used to the service and it was mainly the
idiosyncrasies of the box that I needed to master. However, it was with some trepidation that I began
my first day in charge. The work was simple enough. EMUs departed at 5-20-35-50 past the hour
(nearly always P1), the Up Chesters at 31 past and the Down Chesters followed the EMU that arrived
at 10 past. I had a good steady first day and nothing went wrong! So how did it all work….? As follows:
Pull No49, the P1 Starter. Bang out 3-1-2 to Navigation Road. Amble along to the crossing end of the
box and lock the wicket gates - not always easy with the public holding them open for each other.
Sometimes, courtesy can go too far! Watch for the train to start moving. Put '72' halfway back in the
frame against the electric lock. When the traffic lights changed to red, the lever would then go the rest
of the way. Put '71' back to release the gate stops. Go to the wheel and feed the gates into the traffic -
which had no intention of stopping - and eventually close them. Put Lever 70 back and pull '57' and
'58'. Go to the block and send two beats to Navigation Road.

The Down EMU had now been offered and accepted. Put '49' back, reset the road to P1 (replace '20';
pull Nos22, 21 & 23). Nos21 & 22 were the Down to P1 facing crossover and '23' the facing point lock
(FPL) for '23'. Back down the frame and pull '64'. Replace '57'/'58', wait for the Down EMU to pass '64'
and put it back. Let the EMU clear the crossing, unlock the wickets, pull '70', '71'; go and wind the
gates. Pull '72' to put the traffic lights to green. Send 'train out of section' to Navigation Road; receive
'Out of Section' back. The Down EMU will now be clear into P1 so put Nos23, 21 & 22 back and pull '20'.
For P2, it was pull Nos29, 30, 23 & 27 - the P2 Starter. (No23 was also the FPL for '22'. '22' & '29' were
back-to-back.) The procedure was then the same as above. Putting a train into P2 meant having
everything back in the frame except No23 FPL reversed and then Lever 65. If this bay was unoccupied,
there would be an 'approach controlled' yellow aspect. If there was stock already in, the driver would
have 'cats eyes' with a 'c' indication to let him know that he was running into an occupied platform.

For Chester trains towards Hale, it was slightly different. Once the preceding EMU had entered the
station, replace FPL 38 in the Down Main Points 37. Pull '37' & '38' again. Go down the frame and pull
'18' - it worked catch points in the Down Main towards P4. The train is offered, accepted, then passed
straight on to Hale. Close the gates and pull Nos62, 61 & 63. If we have been quick enough the train
may have seen a green at Timperley. Even if it had not, it would still be coming at a reasonable speed.

As the Chester passes, put '63' & '62 back', open the gates and send 'Out of Section to Navigation
Road. When the Chester moves off from P4, send 'on line' to Hale and then put No61 back behind it.

Non-stop trains will be belled 'on line' to Hale as they pass Navigation Road, which gives Hale a
chance to pull the Down distant which was under my Down starter.

Up Chesters will be offered from Hale when they are passing Mobberley. They could be accepted into
P3 because we had the required 'clearing point' beyond the outer home signal and we could still work
the rest of the station. We get 'on line' from Hale after around seven minutes. We had to wait for the
track circuit in advance of the outer home signal 55 (a semaphore) to light up and release the signal
before we could pull it. We did not have to set the road to do this. The train then trundles into P3.

However, to set the Up line Points 36, we first have to reverse Lever 37 to give 'flank protection'.
The procedure is the same as for an EMU except that we are now pulling off from P3, Signal 50. I gave
'on line' to Navigation Road as soon as I see the puff of smoke from the DMU as it starts moving.
DMUs did not stop at Navigation Road so we all attempted to get a full set of green signals for them.

If we had an Up train not stopping at Altrincham and, assuming that we were going to let it go straight
through, it was offered on to Navigation Road on receipt of 'on line' from Hale. When it was accepted
I could pull 'all off' (Levers 50, 57, 58 & 55 in that order) and I did not have to wait for the track circuit.
Regular drivers would know that all the signals have been cleared by the fact that the outer home was
'off' when they sight it and they could then coast through Altrincham station at the line limit.

The Down hoppers had special treatment. As I previously mentioned, we did not want them to come
to a stand anywhere between Deansgate Junction branch home and Hale Down platform.

Deansgate Junction rings me at Altrincham. Hoppers? Run 'em! In seconds, 5 beats from Navigation
Road. Answer and give a 'line clear'. Send 5 beats to Hale. Hale answers and the block needle swings
to 'line clear'. Set the road. Swing the gates. Pull off. 'On line' from Navigation Road. Send 1-2-1 to
Hale (authorised for the Hoppers only). I can see the train coming past Navigation Road and I can hear
the Class 25 roar as it approaches. I send 'on line' to Hale and, satisfyingly, the Hale motored distant
signal raises slowly to off. The driver and guard both wave to me as the engine blasts past. Job done!

There were one or two different workings. One was the Up (from) Chester terminating at Altrincham
about 07.30 and returning towards Chester. It was just one of several movements around this time.
There would be an Up 'Leccy', and then the DMU would be run out ECS on to the Up Main. It would
stop just beyond the crossover road. The Down 'Leccy' would trundle past towards the bays and then
the road would be reset so that the DMU could move into P4. We were not popular with the public!

There was a corresponding evening rush period when we could have four 'leccys', an electric ECS, a
turn-back Chester and sometimes a freight; the gates could be across the road for up to 15 minutes!
One dared not let the public go as it would be impossible to get the gates closed again quickly enough.
It was the most hectic few minutes of the day. It was good to have a thick skin at that time or to
pretend to be deaf! There was always quite a crowd at the gates by the time I got them open again.

One day, I decided that I would do a 'lever count' of my own on a normal day from 13.30 to 21.30.
I wound the Gates 112 times (56 times open and 56 times shut) and moved a lever 1,500 times (as in
one pull and one replace equals two moves). I did not count how many times I pressed the bell keys!

There were not a great number of incidents which happened to me here but one which stands out was
the time when I was trying to swing the gates across the road. A car slowed down, hesitated, and just
as I laid into the wheel, he decided to go after all! Bang! He drove on, parked up, and walked back.
Hey! You hit my car with the gate! I gazed back at him. I think you might find that you hit my gate with
your car. How d'you make that out? What colour were the traffic lights on? He thought that one out
for a moment and then walked away. Lesson learned? Perhaps! I heard nothing more about it.

A member of the public threatened to report me for some minor annoyance that I had caused to him -
probably because I was running a train (!). He demanded my name. I told him 'Signalman on Duty'.

Then they closed the road over the crossing. The main A560 route had already been diverted away
from Altrincham town centre via a new bridge over the railway opened in 1972. I understood that the
emergency services had been reluctant to let the crossing go. The main gates were taken away but the
pedestrian walkway remained. Levers 70, 71 & 72 were taken out of use. The wicket gate levers were
retained and incorporated into the locking (they were 'free' before). This meant that the wickets now
had to be locked before the signals could be cleared. It was much easier too, but the pedestrians were
no more patient than they had ever been. There was a footbridge but I could understand them being
reluctant to climb 40 steps on either side, although some of them did so even when the gates were
not locked. The sloped (ramped) concrete footbridge that replaced the old steel stepped footbridge
began to be built. It is a massive affair and it took quite a long time to be completed. We thought that
the wicket gates might have gone then but they remained in operation. We took to wondering why
the bridge had been built. We were not to know at that time that Metrolink was on the horizon...

In 1991-2 the railway between Altrincham and Deansgate Jn was drastically altered to its present
configuration. That is a story for another episode. Let us move on to the fourth of my Class 2 boxes...

2738] Patricroft: The Queens Arms (formerly Patricroft Tavern), on Green Lane near the station, was
built in 1828 as a refreshment stop for the opening of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway and claims
to be the world's first railway pub (can you think of an earlier one?). It was renamed after Queen
Victoria visited Salford in 1851 and is known locally as the 'Top House'. The railway bridge over Green
Lane at Patricroft is still four track width; quadruple track once extended from Manchester Victoria to
Barton Moss Jn about 70ch west of Patricroft towards Liverpool. De-quadrupling was by Jul 1972 with
the northern pair (Slow lines) lifted to Ordsall Lane No2; a remnant of them is Eccles Up Goods Loop.

THIS PAGE & TO FOLLOW: Altrincham North Signal Box in the late 1970s photos by Dave Leeming.

ABOVE: Altrincham station is behind the photographer; the signal box, crossing, skew footbridge and
new 1972 A560 Stockport Road overbridge. The approaching EMU is from the Manchester direction.

THIS PAGE (BOTH): Note the traffic lights (controlled from the signal box) on the gates.
NEXT PAGE: (Item 2738) The Queens Arms (formerly Patricroft Tavern) near Patricroft station.