1387

X.215] BELOW: Liverpool; the west end of the 1m 351yd Wapping Tunnel from E

Edge Hill; site of Park Lane Goods near Wapping Dock. (Neil Berry, 15 Sep 2021.)

NEXT THREE: (Item 2739) The disused part of Manchester Castlefield Viaduc

ct taken from a tram on the section in use. (John Cameron, 12 Oct 2021.)









BELOW: (Item 2746) Newton-le-Willows station, the old London &

& North Western Railway Buildings. (John Cameron, 4 Oct 2021.)

BELOW: A '0¾' milepost on Newton-le-Willows Up P1 which should actua

ally be '15¾' (from Liverpool Lime Street) - perhaps it was a spare one?















2739] Castlefield: (BLN 1380.1816) The National Trust has lodged detailed plans for a 20 month pilot
scheme to transform part of the disused half of the 330m Castlefield Viaduct into a public park that
could open next summer. They feature: A welcome kiosk, three cycle loops, a modular events space, a
secret garden with modular planters and timber platforms, interpretation boards informing visitors
about the viaduct's history and two compost toilets. Most of the Grade II listed viaduct would remain
as now, demonstrating how an urban structure can be reclaimed by nature. Vegetation that has
flourished on the viaduct since it closed includes buddleia (surprise, surprise) and wild strawberries.
The viaduct was built in 1892 by Heenan & Froude, the engineers who constructed Blackpool Tower.

2740] Castlefield Corridor: The DfT has agreed a new Manchester area timetable from Dec 2022,
following public consultation launched in Jan 2021. It is designed to reduce service delays, mainly
associated with the Castlefield Corridor, by 25%. As a point of interest, this might be a good point to
mention that the much vaunted Ordsall Chord, which cost £85M, is now used by only one train an
hour in each direction (no extras) daily. Most are TPE Redcar Central to Airport services - perhaps it
should have been painted in a fetching shade of white elephant? The Dec 2022 'local' timetable*:

Through Manchester Airport services maintained to Liverpool, Chester and North Wales.
1tph (train per hour) Southport & Wigan Wallgate to Victoria and Stalybridge all day (as now).
1tph Southport & Wigan Wallgate to Oxford Road (currently runs to Alderley Edge via Piccadilly).
Manchester to Liverpool stopping services omit 'some stations' to improve reliability.
Cleethorpes to Manchester services cross Piccadilly station throat and are extended to Lime Street.
One local Northern train per hour from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe via Stockport.
One local Northern train per hour from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe via Airport and Styal.
Less than hourly trains via Ordsall Chord, as some TPE services to Airport will terminate at Victoria.
Buxton 2tph 'when justified by demand' [service frequency/infrequency affects demand, of course].

*Presumably long distance services continue such as Liverpool to Nottingham/Norwich, Manchester
to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Barrow and the few to Windermere; they are not mentioned!! It was revealed
that no extra calls will be made by Huddersfield to Manchester trains above the Dec 2019 timetable.

2741] Metrolink: ❶(BLN 1386.2629) After being 'on' then 'off' quite a few times, strike action by
drivers is now 'off' completely, after members of the Unite union voted to accept a further improved
pay offer of 3% now, backdated to Jan 2021, and a further 3% (or cost of living if higher) in Jan 2022.

❷Deansgate-Castlefield stop access was restricted 2-7 Oct due to the Conservative Party Conference
at the adjacent Manchester Central Conference Centre - the former terminal station. Access was via
Whitworth St and not the ramp to Lower Mosley St. This was enforced by numerous armed police -
much in evidence. The stop was closed completely 12.00-18.00 on Sun 3 Oct for the same reason.

❸There was emergency engineering works at Deansgate-Castlefield on Sat 9 Oct (but not Sun 10th
due to the Manchester Marathon), affecting services on almost every route. Both crossovers have
recently been clipped OOU as was the loop platform - all very rusty - with a section of loop pointwork
removed at its City end. The layout has been two through plain lines. On 12 Oct the outer platform
loop was still out of use, with a flashing light clamped to the rail. The platform passenger information
system showed trams as stopping there, but they actually called at the middle platform as before.

2742] Carlisle: On 30 Sep a member visited the London Road North Eastern Railway Goods Depot site.
There are two distinct buildings. The larger, set back from London Road, is a conventional large goods
shed, in red brick, once with apertures for three sidings at the east end and fronted at the west end by
two-storey railway offices. In front of it is a smaller building, fronting directly onto London Rd. It looks
as if it was originally a train shed, slightly curved, in red brick, with a 'Dutch' gable type façade. Today
it's the premises of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. It is sited exactly opposite the (long closed, utterly derelict)
Railway Hotel. Enterprise staff thought their building was part of the NER goods depot, and a single
rail runs alongside. Our member thinks the building is almost certainly the original Newcastle &
Carlisle Railway terminus, open to passengers 1836 -1863 (and part of the goods depot thereafter).

2743] Situation Vacant: Rochdale Borough & Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Councils are setting
up https://bit.ly/3AIggeh a Calder Valley Line Community Rail Partnership. They are advertising for
a Community Rail Partnership Officer. See https://bit.ly/3vjY1e0 for details etc - closing date 31 Oct.

2744] Manchester Victoria: ①An east turnback facility (OK, siding to you) is planned with a west
facing connection from the Down Rochdale line between Miles Platting Jn and Brewery Jn. The ladder
at the former would give access from/to all platforms at Victoria. It is intended to mitigate disruption
and turnback diverted services from the Chat Moss, Atherton and Bolton Lines when the Castlefield
Corridor is closed for proposed resignalling and during the Oxford Road remodelling. The electrified
siding will accommodate 6 x 26m vehicles (with passive provision for a total of up to 8 x 24m vehicles).

②Work over various weekends this month includes strengthening Williamson Street Viaduct, relaying
at Miles Platting, OHLE support foundations, new signalling and cabling. There is also separate work
between Piccadilly and Stalybridge. An advantage of the two main stations in Manchester is that long
distance services in particular can be diverted to the 'other' one when there is engineering work.

2745] Stalybridge: Tameside Council has £100k from Transport for Greater Manchester to explore
options for a bus rail interchange, with provision for a Metrolink extension from Ashton (2½ miles
away). The plan is to build a new bus station by the railway station, the present one is 300m away.

2746] Newton-le-Willows, The 39 48 Steps: An £18.9M extensive refurbishment of the station was
completed in 2019. There are now lifts and stairs to both platforms (passengers are warned that there
are 48 steps) as well as a large new street level ticket hall on the Down (to Liverpool) side and waiting
rooms on both platforms. The underpass between the platforms is decorated with laser cut brushed
brass. A sequence of circles and squares generates images of stations or stopping points on the line at
the opening of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway on 15 Sep 1830. The underpass and the panels are
lit by coloured lighting which constantly changes. There is a replica of the Huskisson memorial that
commemorates the tragic death of Rt Hon William Huskisson, MP for Liverpool, killed by a train on the
opening day. The original memorial still stands next to the Down line between Newton-le-Willows Jn
and Parkside Jn, east of the station. The London & North Western Railway station building on the Up
side is extant. On the Up platform there is a three quarter mile post (15¾ miles from Lime Street).

2747] Irlam: On Fri 1 Oct an event was held at the station to consider forming a new Community Rail
Partnership for the Manchester to Liverpool lines via Warrington Central and via Newton-le-Willows.

2748] Port of Liverpool: Shipping operator DKT Allseas has begun a new five days a week rail link to
Birmingham Lawley Street Intermodal Terminal. In Feb, they began what was to be a temporary sea
link between China and the Port of Liverpool, to avoid congestion at southern English ports. However,
by May the China Xpress service was so popular the number of sailings increased. Each train will have
26 x 60ft wagons enabling DKT Allseas to move up to 76 x 20ft or 26 x 40ft & 26 x 20ft containers.

2749] Harrington: Ropery Bridge (not a 'hump' back bridge) takes the railway over a public footpath
near the station and now a bit ropy. On Sat 30 & Sun 31 Oct it is to be demolished and replaced.

2750] Grange-over-Sands: This station was NR's Best Small Station 2021 at the National Rail Awards.
The newsagents and very well stocked general stationers accessed off the booking hall was open in
Sep, despite the Northern booking office being closed due to staff sickness. Hot drinks and sandwiches
were available. The second hand bookshop on the Down platform was closed, probably permanently.

1387 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected]
2751] Aylesbury - Claydon: (BLN 1386.2643) Fri 1 Oct was a busy day with four freights to Calvert
arriving 07.17 (Acton Yard), 08.14 (Willesden Sidings) plus 13.10 - by which time there were three
trains there - and 16.10 (both Tytherington). Return working from Calvert were 13.24 (Tytherington),
16.16 (Willesden), 17.34 (Westbury Down Yard) and 19.22 (Wembley). On the last day, Sat 2 Oct,
trains arrived from Tytherington and Acton at 06.02 and 07.21 respectively. The final workings were
12.26 to Westbury Down Yard and 14.14 to Acton with closure north of 44m 26ch from 17.30.

Proposed Beaulieu (Essex) new station Bridges Boreham Noakes
Station SME crossing crossing To Ipswich
To Chelmsford Down Main 25
3 50
50 12 50
50

A130 Up Main Station Loop A12/A131 Footpath crossings
link road (closure application made)
Maximum length for freight trains
when held in station area: Proposed layout
519 m Former Down Main
Down Main
Station Loop (Down trains) 539 m Speed restrictions (mph) 25
Station Loop (Up trains) 544 m Platforms Schematic diagram,
Up Main 713 m Bridges : road foot cable/pipe not to scale CSD

2752] Chelmsford: (BLN 1335.2196.) The proposed Beaulieu Park station, now described as a station
and transport hub under the name Beaulieu new station and interchange (capitalisation varies!) is
three miles northeast of Chelmsford at 32m 30ch. The word 'Park' doesn't appear, but ticket booking
confusion is likely to occur with Beaulieu Road station in Hampshire. It is part of plans to create a new
neighbourhood in north east Chelmsford over the next decade, with 14,000 new homes, new primary
and secondary schools, a neighbourhood centre, parks, commercial space, recreational facilities, and a
business park. Locals consider the road network already unable to cope with home building underway
nearer Witham. The track layout is confirmed and advanced to a detailed signalling scheme plan which
includes the planned middle track accessible from/to both ends at 50mph. Island P1 & P2 is bounded
by the Up Main and Station Loop, P3 is a Down side platform, all three would be 252m long. An extra
25mph trailing crossover at the London end of P2 and P3 will permit Down to Up reversals in P3
(so turnbacks from either direction). Available freight standage: Down Main 519m, Station Loop 539m
Down direction, 544m Up direction & Up Main 713m. Our schematic plan is thanks to Dave Cromarty:

Timetable modelling shows that 4tph (trains per hour) can call in peak hours and 2tph off peak, with
minimal impact on other services. This was based on amending the May 2020 timetable and is a proof
of concept that could be considered a worst case scenario. Stops at Beaulieu will be built into the
recast timetable base. This will allow better passenger train utilisation of the platform on the central
loop and therefore provide additional opportunities for freight trains to pass on the mainline, a
significant operational benefit in your Regional Editor's mind. The limits of track realignment are the
overbridge just beyond the 31¾ mile post and the 33 mile post. Brick House crossovers (33m 24ch) will
no longer be required. Boreham bridleway and Noakes footpath level crossings will be stopped up.
The station will have bus interchange, taxi rank, 700 car parking spaces and storage for 500 bicycles.

2753] Biggleswade: NR proposes closure of Lindsell's bridleway miniature warning light/miniature
stop light crossing at 42m 10ch north of the station (in TRACKmaps index 'No42 LC Lindsells'), replacing

it with a bridleway bridge (42m 30ch). Land has been acquired and an outline design prepared; planned

completion is by Jun 2023. Housing developments nearby will lead to increased use of the crossing.

2754] Soham: (BLN 1386.2635) The new station is due to open Sun 12 Dec with the new timetable,
not Sat 11th. All Greater Anglia bimodes on the Peterborough - Ely - Ipswich - Colchester route are

booked to call, every two hours. That is eight in each direction SuX and five SuO. To Peterborough
they start at 06.49, (10.43 SuO), but the last one is 20.48 (18.44 SuO). However the first one to Ipswich

is not until 08.38 SuX (12.36 SuO) although the last departure is at 22.34 (SuO 20.35) because the units
are all based at the eastern end of the route. Pre-Covid, Greater Anglia had aspirations to increase the

service (which also calls at Manea and Whittlesea, much improving their previous service) to hourly.

2755] Hitchin: (TRACKmaps 2 p15B 2020) NR plan to reduce the length of Hitchin Down Yard sidings,
which are not electrified, to 146.4m operational length. It is part of the redevelopment of Hitchin
Maintenance Delivery Unit (MDU). The reduction is required to accommodate a new access road.
The existing buffer stops will be relocated 146.5m from the nearest points, with a further 20m of track
from the buffer stop face to the physical end of the siding. There are no associated signalling changes.

X.216] BELOW: (BLN 1386.2641) With London Gateway in the background,
Sidings worked by DC Rail with 60055. They are for an Immingham to Don

the 22 IXA wagons stored at Tilbury2 leave for Immingham via Willesden 'F'
ncaster iPort shuttle starting Fri 29 Oct. (Iain Scotchman, Mon 18 Oct 2021.)

ABOVE: Next day the train arrives at Immingham West Reception at 16.10. (Gary Crompton, 19 Oct.)
BELOW: Class 20s from Derby RTC en route to Immingham to haul the wagons. (Gary Crompton, 20 Oct.)

2756] The End of an era! (E-BLN 1386.X205 photos and item 2637) Which train ran from a double
hyphenated station, via a double hyphenated reversal, to a triple hyphenated destination‽ From Mon
13 Sep the new 5-car Class 720 'Aventra' EMUs began service on the Walton-on-the-Naze and Harwich
branches. This resulted in withdrawal of the 06.25 (SuX) Clacton-on-Sea to Walton-on-the-Naze via
Thorpe-le-Soken (reverse) - the train in question. From Mon 13 Sep the train runs to Colchester with a
connection to Walton from Thorpe-le-Soken instead. This means, at the latter, the country end facing
crossover now has no regular passenger use again (except possibly the annual Clacton Air Show days).

2757] Ely: (BLN 1377.1419) Further consultation by NR, as 'engagement with the community', on the
proposals for increasing capacity through Ely North Jn under the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement
programme is from 18 Oct until 28 Nov. The previous consultation concerned Ely South. Proposals and
options will include level crossings at Queen Adelaide, Stonea, Burgess Grove (Waterbeach) and Well
Engine foot crossing (30ch east of Ely Dock Jn) with the upgrade of 15 other crossings. NR will submit
the preferred options to further consultation in Summer 2022. A Transport & Works Act Order is due
to be submitted in late 2022 or early 2023. See https://bit.ly/30sxIar with your chance to respond.

2758] Hertford East: NR plans to extend both platforms by 84m to permit use of the new 'Aventra'
Class 720 EMUs in 10-car formation. The work at the London end also involves replacing the two
crossovers - which are some distance apart. The trailing crossover nearer the station, used by P1
departures will be moved 40m towards London and platform starter signals 99m towards London.

The Down signal before the crossovers will not be moved and permissible speed over the crossovers in
both directions will be 15mph as now. On Up P2 the Grade II listed signal box closed in May 2003 was
to be demolished in accordance with a listed building consent and associated planning permissions.
However the Railway Heritage Trust has now awarded Wensleydale Rail a grant of £80,000 towards
re-erecting the signal box at Leyburn to control a new passing loop. Built by the Great Eastern Railway
in 1888, the signal box is a typical example of their standard design introduced in the 1880s, with an
external timber framed staircase and balcony, a Welsh slated roof and a brick chimney. Enabling work
at Hertford East was due to begin in October for work commissioning 'by May 2022'.

2759] Ware: Similarly, NR is to extend the single platform (P1!) at the London end by 81m including
beneath the A1170 overbridge. 260m of track will be replaced including the London end points for the
convergence of double track to single, 15mph restricted as now. The permissible speed through the
station will remain 20mph (all but the last train of the day THSSuO ex-Hertford East call). The country
end crossing is not affected. Enabling work was due to begin in Oct for commissioning 'by May 2022'.

2760] Bletchley: (BLN 1385.2489) From 10 Oct the 'out of use' Up Bletchley (1m 19ch - 1m 61ch) and
the Down Bletchley (1m 15ch - 1m 44ch) became an East West Rail worksite. A baulk of timbers with
lamp was provided on the Up Bletchley about 1m 19ch and another on the Down Bletchley (1m 15ch).

2761] Bicester: (BLN 1384.2338) An innovative, near maintenance free, footbridge has been installed
for pedestrians and cyclists replacing Jarvis Lane footpath user worked level crossing (18m 39ch from
Bletchley) which has closed. It is made from fibre reinforced polymer, never used by NR for footbridge
construction before, and is the first new footbridge to be opened on East West Rail. The bridge also has
steel channels at the side of the staircases so bicycles can be walked up and down instead of carried.

1387 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
2762] Andover: (BLN 1385.2499) When seen on 6 Oct site clearance work had started in the goods
yard and a large stack of new concrete sleepers had been delivered. (Five photos e-BLN 1386.X.206.)

2763] Godalming: (1.386M passengers in 2019-20.) The station now has ticket gates, within a small
glass building just north of the station building on the Up side and in the booking office on the Down
side. National Rail advises that the booking office is only open during 'normal morning hours' now.

2764] Eurotunnel: Le Shuttle is being promoted for tax free shopping. British residents can claim a
VAT refund if spending over Є100.01. A tax refund form has to be validated before return to the UK.

BELOW: (Item X.216 above) All 22 wagons IXA wagons were on the 10.20 t
just to Barnetby and return on Fri 22 Oct 2021 with the pair of Class 20s
(The United Steamship Company), a Danish shipping and logistics fir

test/demonstration/press run from Immingham DFDS* Terminal Victa
s. The containers were all empty. *Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab
rm - the busiest of its type in Northern Europe. (Gary Crompton.)

BELOW: (Item 2759) From the east end of Ware platform looking towards
NEXT: The London end of the platform looking east - the former larg

London, four tracks once ran under the bridge with many sidings here.
ge goods shed is to the left. (Both Iain Scotchman, 23 Apr 2021.)









The old order at Ware. PREVIOUS: A Class 317 EMU approaches for Liverpool Street.
BELOW: A train leaving Ware for Hertford East. (Both Iain Scotchman, 23 Apr 2021.)

2765] Ryde Esplanade: (BLN 1364.3197) Revised plans (fiercely opposed by some) for the £10M Ryde
Interchange were to go before the Council cabinet on 14 Oct but the meeting was postponed when a
member tested positive for Covid. Over 20 changes had been proposed after public consultation in the
summer. The project aims to increase connectivity at the gateway to Ryde, while making the area
around the interchange, pier and Esplanade a better and safer place for people to visit and enjoy as a
destination in itself, the Council said. Key elements are being delivered by Wightlink, transforming the
disused tramway into a pedestrian and cycling boardwalk on the pier, and South Western Railway,
refurbishing the terminal building with through access to the reinstated pier, fully accessible toilets
and expanded concessions. Subject to approval, work taking about a year is due to start in early 2022.

2766] Ryde - Shanklin: (BLN 1386.2646) The possibility of a ride to Shanklin by train from 1 Nov is
looking more promising. Buses are now shown as running until Sun 31 Oct, inclusive, with a regular
almost half-hourly seven day train service starting the next day (designated from 1 Nov to 11 Dec).

First train from Pier Head SuX is 05.45 and half hourly until 19.15 then 19.49 (as its connecting ferry
arrives from Portsmouth five minutes later), 20.19, 20.49 & 21.49. Sunday service starts 06.45, 07.45,
08.45 and half hourly then as other days. Services from Shanklin are SuX 06.47 and half hourly until
21.17, then 22.42 - the 20.47 terminates at St Johns Road (SuO 07.17, 08.17, 09.17, then half hourly
and as other days until 21.17, then 22.17). There are also 05.35 & 06.05 (SuX), 06.35 & 09.05 (SuO)
St Johns Road to Pier Head and 23.15 Pier Head to St Johns Road, thus no ECS workings. Two trains
are required to run and cross during the half hourly service at the new Brading loop. The five Class 484
units can run as pairs and it is possible to provide a 20 minute frequency using Sandown loop as well.

In another encouraging development, on 12 Oct the first 4-car train (484001 with 484004) successfully
ran, including to the Pier Head at line speed https://bit.ly/3BU6UOb (one minute) is a video.

2767] Barking: (BLN 1380.1837) Transfesa Logistics begins a new express rail service with refrigerated
containers to the UK this month for Tesco, an increase from the current five trains a week. The service
brings fruit and vegetable products from Spain to the UK with, as a first stage, the transport of fifteen
loads weekly from the Almussafes Rail Terminal (Valencia) to Barking terminal (operated by DB Cargo,
who own Transfesa Logistics). Wagons pass through the Transfesa axle changing facility at Cerbère.
The operation will be reviewed weekly and monthly, and volumes may expand. In its first years of
existence, in the 1970s and 1980s, the company transported 750,000 tons of produce in conventional
wagons a year. Tesco attributes its well stocked shelves to extensive use of rail transport logistics.

2768] Lewes - East Grinstead: The first overbridge on the trackbed north of Culver Jn at Barcombe
is threatened with infilling under the much contested resumed programme of work by National
Highways (previously Highways England) for the DfT. Designed by civil engineer Frederick Banister,
the bridge on Church Road, Barcombe (TQ 4233 1494) carries an unclassified road and was built in the
early 1880s. The Bluebell Railway which operates further north believes that the remaining trackbed is
a potentially valuable transport corridor which should be safeguarded. The structure carries a narrow
minor road and is assessed as having a capacity of 24 tonnes. A weight restriction prohibits vehicles
over 20 tonnes from using it, helping to keep unsuitable traffic out of Barcombe. The brick parapets
and wingwalls have been subject to movement for many years, with cracks recorded as long ago as
1994. National Highways intends to infill the bridge with an estimated 1,000 tonnes of aggregate and
concrete. The design has already been completed and a start date for the work is awaited.

The scheme is being progressed under Permitted Development (emergency) powers (what a surprise!)
leaving objectors without a voice, as usual, circumventing democratic scrutiny of the environmental,
historical and ecological impacts. The bridge comprises four riveted hog-backed wrought iron girders
at about 7' 2" centres, spanning between the abutments. There are transverse brick jack arches with
four 3½" by ¾" tie straps bolted to the girder bottom flanges. In 2004 the brick gravity type (ie free
standing) abutments and wingwalls were extensively repaired and hooked tie straps were fitted
between the top flanges of edge girders and the internal girders to promote fixity of the top flange of
the edge girders and hence increase their capacity. The girders are built into the abutment brickwork.

BELOW & NEXT THREE: (Item 2768) The bridge threatened by National Hig

ghways on Church Road, Barcombe. (Historical Railway Estate Group.)













UPDATE: Following representations the local MP has intervened. The HRE Group said: Confusion now
surrounds the scheme after local MP Maria Caulfield said on social media that she discussed the issue
with National Highways yesterday (11 Oct) and infilling has been suspended as the Transport Minister
is now looking into why this was agreed. The MP made clear that I will do all I can to get this stopped
and intends to meet campaigners. Meanwhile National Highways claimed in a media statement that
there's no planned work at the bridge, while one of its directors said infilling was only paused!!!
The Leader of Lewes District Council, Councillor Zoe Nicholson, has written to Grant Shapps, Secretary
of State for Transport, demanding the full and unequivocal cessation of the infill policy that threatens
historic railway bridges, most notably for Lewes district, the bridge in Church Road, Barcombe.
She said: The government claimed to have put a stop on this deeply unpopular policy, yet in Barcombe
there is clear evidence that Highways England is riding roughshod over any apparent pause in the
programme and stealthily pushing ahead using their all-encompassing emergency powers, causing
unnecessary destruction to nature and the countryside.
National Highways has recently made contradictory claims (a smokescreen?) about their plans for the
bridge, but their actions on site - including the recent installation of bat exclusion measures - indicates
that their actual intention is to go ahead with their preferred infill scheme as soon as they are able.

1387 SOUTH WEST (Darren Garnon) [email protected]
2769] Westbury Up side: BELOW: 11 Sep 2021; P3 at the bottom. This makes sense of BLN 1386.2651,
also correcting and updating TRACKmaps 3 p12C 2018, with thanks to our very own Martyn Brailsford.

2770] Yeovil Pen Mill - Dorchester Jn: The line is closed for 16 days, Thur 18 Nov until Fri 3 Dec (incl).
Almost five miles in total of the 'Heart of Wessex' line (singled in 1968) is being relaid in the Yetminster,
Chetnole (postponed from the late May Bank Holiday weekend) and Maiden Newton areas. Then:
2771] Weymouth: On Mon 22 Nov (only, weirdly!) the line to Wool is closed all day, Waterloo trains
turnback in P2 (trailing crossover on departure.) Weymouth to Dorchester South is closed all week,
reopening Sat 26 Nov (Yeovil Pen Mill services are not running - above). Maybe this is the new normal,
Monday to Friday line closures, now weekends are the new 'peaks'. Weymouth and Upwey stations
will be cleaned, repainted and have litter and weeds removed, with new platform paving installed.
There is also relaying, work on points and drainage to remove a speed restriction and work in
Bincombe Tunnel, betwixt Weymouth and Upwey. Damer's Road bridge (Dorchester) will be repaired.
2772] Stonehouse Pool Branch: (BLN 1386.2655) A member suggests traffic continued as late as 1966
- it could have been the Engineer's tip traffic referred to. On 18 Jun 1966 the Plymouth Railway Circle
ran https://bit.ly/3pi2nS3 a Plymouth Brakevan Tour (6 or 7 vans) visiting Stonehouse Pool Quay.

2773] Gloucester: ❶Hitachi Rail & Linbrooke have won a 12 month contract working with NR, to
design new digital signalling to replace the 1968 built Gloucester Power Signal Box. Controlled from
Thames Valley Signalling Centre, Didcot, it would have remote fault finding. The BBC ran this story on
their website and illustrated it with an IET at Lostwithiel station!! The contract is part of Hitachi Rail's
Wales & Western Region Major Signalling Renewals Framework contract which is 2,700 track miles.

❷Gloucester Yard Jn 721 points are OOU due to a broken rail, a bespoke replacement is being made
and installation us expected 6/7 Nov. As a result, Up passenger services (to Birmingham) that don't
call at Gloucester are using the bidirectional Down Charfield and Down Avoiding Line between Tuffley
Jn and Gloucester Barnwood Jn. Trains from Gloucester towards Bristol and Swindon are using the
bidirectional Down Curve from Horton Road Jn to Gloucester Yard Jn, then crossing to the Down
Charfield at Tuffley Jn. Sales of tickets in the area have increased with the influx of Society members.

2774] Okehampton: (BLN 1386.2654) Crediton (excl) - Okehampton station P3 (inclusive) reopens for
regular daily passenger services from Mon 20 Nov 2021; they last operated (SuX) on Sat 3 Jun 1972.
Tickets went on sale on Tue 12 Oct. Online systems now show all day Anytime Singles to/from Exeter
stations for £4, or Anytime Return at £8 (Railcard £2.60/£5.25 - save 5p by buying singles!); good value
for almost 26 miles each way. Interestingly from St James Park to/from Okehampton is £4.90 single,
£8.80 Anytime Day Return and £7.90 Off-Peak (before railcards); new railway line, new fare anomalies.

The line is 40mph restricted from 178m 69ch (Newton St Cyres) to 184m 13ch, the original NR section
paralleling the Barnstaple line that has not been relaid, then rises to 75mph for 7½ miles. It is 55mph
for 1¼ miles from 191m 52ch to 192m 76ch then 65mph for the next 5 miles, dropping to 45mph at
197m 79ch on the approach to Okehampton (197m 25ch). 'Meldon Quarry' is 198m 72ch - Meldon
East Ground Frame. The reopening work on the ground took 9 months, a remarkable achievement.

2775] Plymouth Marsh Mills: (TRACKmaps 3 p9A 2018) A new collaboration, between aggregates
specialists GRS (originally Galliford Road Stone) and mining operators Tungsten West, could provide
decades of work for rail freight operators. It could also greatly increase freight traffic in Devon and add
to the case for rail development in the region. GRS has secured an exclusive deal to sell millions of
tonnes of high quality granite, otherwise discarded as waste, and plans to transport it by rail and sea
nationwide. It is a by product of tungsten mining, and can be used as a construction aggregate.

Tungsten West runs the recently reopened tungsten and tin mine, at Hemerdon (as in Hemerdon
Bank and Hemerdon Up Goods Loop) near Plympton. Tungsten is the hardest elemental metal with
the highest melting point, extensively used in electronics and manufacturing. Hemerdon mine is the
world's fourth largest tungsten reserve and the only one in Europe; mining results in tonnes of granite
'waste'. It has been reported that rail traffic could be from Marsh Mills on the ¾ mile branch from
Tavistock Junction Yard. The last train ran on 13 May 2008 from the now 'mothballed' Imerys Marsh
Mills China Clay Works. The branch is still in situ but there is a notoriously sharp curve at the main line.

1387 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]
2776] Alcester: Works are being planned to remove an old railway road overbridge unearthed as part
of a housing development by Bloor Homes. It was found in July, just south of 'The Roebuck' pub on
Birmingham Road. The bridge has been deemed unsafe by Warwickshire County Council and Bloor
Homes. Following meetings, a decision has been made to remove it. At SP 0835 5826, it was the first
bridge over the long closed ex-GWR line from Alcester Jn to Great Alne, Aston Cantlow Halt and
Bearley North Jn (on the North Warwick/shire line to Stratford-upon-Avon). Those who have used the
Birmingham Road here and think they have been put at risk by an unsafe structure can be reassured...

Photos and 25" maps show that, sometime after the track was removed in Nov 1960, the railway
cutting immediately east of the bridge was partly filled and the road diverted and levelled to run on
the eastern side of the bridge. The bridge parapets were taken down, the bridge infilled and buried, in
what became a cutting embankment on the east side of the road deviation. The road deviation also
straightened it. No concrete or aggregates were used as Highways England/National Highways was not
involved. The bridge was forgotten about until the developers began developing and dug it up in July.

X.217] BELOW: (BLN 1385.2504) UK Railtours' 11 Sep 2021 'Only Freig

ght Track & Horses' arrives at the site of Westbury Cement Works.

BELOW: The tour heads along Siding 1 towards the end of line (ahead); le