268] :WANTED! A NEW SOCIETY TREASURER:: Having agreed to carry on for one more year, Ian Mortimer has told the committee that he is definitely intending to stand down at our 2024 AGM. He was our Treasurer from the 1987 until the 1993 AGMs and will have completed 11 more years by November. Since the 2023 AGM, steps have been taken to reduce the workload; we now employ a professional accountant to compile the accounts and to check, then submit, our Corporation Tax return. As an interim measure, Lisa Sheppard is kindly assisting with the daily reconciling of card payments, one of the more time consuming tasks. A suitable accountancy software package for our needs (Quickbooks) has been identified and is about to be purchased and tested. All this means that the job will be less time consuming and less onerous than it has been. Ideally, we would like a volunteer to come forward as soon as possible to permit a decent period for the handover. It is a vital key role in your volunteer Society which has involvement in all aspects of our activities - membership, fixtures, BLN and sales etc. The work normally takes only about 10 hours a week, although this can increase to around 15 at busy times and at year end but that should reduce as a result of the above steps as they will allow greater automation combined with our website. Your Committee is also prepared to consider further measures to help. There are advantages to being on the Committee as well as job satisfaction - the Committee camaraderie and mutual support. It can be fitted flexibly around other activities. You would be able to influence future Society direction and activity. Any offers, no obligation, please contact Ian at [email protected] This is clearly a vital post, essential to the daily running of your Society and it is very important to have someone able to fill it. 269] From our Constitution and Standing Orders: The object of the Society shall be to promote and encourage the study of rail-based transport systems not only in the British Isles but also worldwide, with special emphasis on Branch Lines and other Secondary Railways. This object will be implemented by gathering and dissemination of information, arrangement of tours and visits to places of railway interest and facilitating contact between Members with similar interests. 270] :Sat 24 Feb 11.00-14.00; Wickham Wanderer and Diamond Rustons tours:: (BLN 1440.142) An update on our comprehensive tour of Mountsorrel 2ft and standard gauge railways. Their volunteers are going to a great deal of effort for us, with parties assigned to clearing tracks, ironing out any track faults and twists that might limit access! Proving runs and full stock movements will then be made. At least 10 of their volunteers are needed on site on the day so this fixture, covering many of the lines for the first time ever, will probably not be repeated. They have said bring as many people as we can! Number 1441 (Items 268 - 410 & MR 17 - MR 23) (E-BLN 132 PAGES) 3 Feb 2024 BRANCH LINE NEWS Praeteritum, praesens et futurum ferriviaria [ISSN 1354-0947] Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955 branchline.uk https://www.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/ Membership queries Lisa Sheppard [email protected] 186 [email protected] Park Road South, Hull, HU4 7BU. 07873 354464 British Isles news from members; an International section is available Opinions are not necessarily those of the Compilers or of the Society ciety. Society. …BLN 1442 is dated Sat 17 Feb; contributions by Wed 7 Feb please
[BLN 1441] X.14] :Thur 29 Feb Mid-morning; Birmingham New Street Subterranean Guided Tour:: By popular demand, a repeat chance to see a different side of Network Rail's busiest station outside of Greater London! Meeting on the concourse mid-morning this guided tour, organised and led by our local member Adam Turner, will descend below platform level to explore some of the station subways beneath it, the Lamp Tunnel and the last surviving platform ramp. This tour will support 'The Big Issue Foundation' https://www.bigissue.com/frontline/ charity. It does not include the tunnel to the Mailbox but will include visiting up to NR ownership boundary. Although it will be a repeat of the tour on 29 Apr 2023 (report BLN 1424.1314 dated 13 May 2023 with photos in e-BLN) which was fully booked, we hope to see a small additional area this time. The tour will include an optional follow on walk outside the station taking in parts of the former Birmingham Central Goods Station site. The fixture is limited to 18 members. All participants are welcome to join the walking tour. Participants will need to bring a high visibility vest and wear boots. Large luggage cannot be brought on the station tour (there is a left luggage facility on the station for a fee). Members only £33, no junior discounts; please book on our website but don't delay. This item is not in paper BLN 1441. BELOW: The London end of Birmingham New Street station before modernisation began for electrification in the early 1960s. Left is Signal Cabin No 2. (Angus McDougall.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=567IXL0kdP4 (Click 'Browse YouTube' to play) is an interesting 4¼ minute video called 'Memories of Birmingham New Street'.
[BLN 1441] ABOVE: Port of Bristol Authority N o 39 Sentinel and Class 108 DMU at Cranmore - the expected traction on our 22 Mar East Somerset Railway standard gauge railtour (see Item 271). ABOVE: Bodmin Railway;Rolls-Royce Sentinel 0-4-0 N o 10029 'Denise' is due to power our rare track brakevan trips during our forthcoming visit… LEFT: Bodmin Railway Class 121 'Bubble' car 121020 at Boscarne Junction - perfect for our railtour on Sat 23 Mar. See item 272 below.
[BLN 1441] BELOW: Helston Railway where, in truth, we have a private visit on Sun 24 Mar (see Item 273).
Date Book online :LATER DATES ON WEBSITE FIXTURES PAGE: BLN Lead Status Fri 23 Feb Manchester railway architecture tour 1440 MG Waitinglist Sat 24 Feb Mountsorrel Railways 'all available lines' 1440 MG OPEN Fri 29 Feb :*NEW*: New Street repeat (report BLN 1424.1314) Website MG OPEN Thur 7 Mar Thunderbirds are Go! Derby - Linlithgow 1439 MG OPEN Fri 8-10 Mar BWC Two to Fort William, Oban & Mallaig 1440 MG Waitinglist Mon 11 Mar International Rescue 1439 MG OPEN Fri 22 Mar *NEW* The Strawberry Fields, East Somerset Rly Below MG OPEN Sat 23 Mar *NEW* The Bodmin Bubble, Bodmin Railway Below MG OPEN Sun 24 Mar *NEW* The Southern Extremity, Helston Railway Below MG OPEN Sat 6 Apr The Scaccarium Dies, Bluebell Railway 'all lines' 1440 MG Waitinglist Fri 26 Apr *NEW* Manchester Victoria behind the scenes tour Website MG CHECK Fri 3-6 May Cornwall passenger branches loco-hauled TBA TBA Claimed Sun 12 May *NEW* Class 507 Farewell from/to Birkenhead North; TBA TBA Claimed Sat 25 May The Hanson Hanse loco-hauled railtour 1439 MG OPEN Sun 26 May The Millbrook Meander loco-hauled railtour 1439 MG OPEN Mon 27 May 11.00 & 14.00 Moreton Park railtours; ex-BR locos BELOW MG OPEN MG = Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Rd, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL 07983 541887 271] :Fri 22 Mar 10.00-16.00; The Strawberry Fields:: Thanks to Darren Garnon (who has an excellent past 'track record' of fixtures). Join like-minded members on Day 1 of our special 'West Country Weekend' for a private East Somerset Railway visit, on a non-running day, with an 'All Available Lines' tour using the railway's Class 108 DMU and, separately, a Sentinel shunter with brakevan for the more intimate parts of the railway. Our miniature aficionados are well catered for - the 7¼'' railway will run for our benefit with access, as you would expect, to a generous helping of non-passenger lines. It became known as 'The Strawberry Line' because of the volume of locally-grown strawberries that it carried in the season. ♪ ♪ Strawberry Fields is just anywhere you want to go ♫ ♫ (John Lennon). (TRACKmaps 3 p13A 2023) Starting 10.00 at Cranmore on the Class 108 DMU, we explore the main line from the NR limit (5m 48ch) to Mendip Vale, where only some partly scrapped stock will prevent us reaching the buffer stops. We traverse the loops at both ends and access Cranmore Up Cripple Siding. Dividing into two groups, Group 'A' will board a brakevan hauled by a Sentinel PBA39 shunter to access both Tanker Sidings and the Engine Road past the sheds to the buffer stops on the Engine Headshunt. Depending on stock positioning, we traverse the access roads to both the Carriage and Engine Sheds - with perhaps a shed road too if one is available. Meanwhile Group 'B' will visit the recently extended miniature railway and can expect to enjoy a comprehensive exploration of the network - including non-passenger track, such as the new turntable. A red pen will certainly be the order of the day. http://tinyurl.com/44t8basn is Peter Scott's May 2023 updated track plan of both the railways here. Enquiries are also being made of the Sentinel Preservation Group based at Cranmore to run an 0-4-0 shunter for bonus haulage. The Sentinel Shed will also be open for viewing. Refreshments will be on sale at the station café from 09.30 including breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. The Railway's retail shop will also be open throughout our visit. We expect to finish by 16.00, as members may wish to continue their journey west into Cornwall for the weekend's fixtures. The fare for this memorable day in Somerset is £50 but unfortunately there is no reduction for juniors on this visit. Members only. 272] :Sat 23 Mar 09.30-16.00; The Bodmin Bubble:: Also thanks to Darren, our second comprehensive track tour on this first weekend of spring has track not done on previous visits. The Railway's Class 121 'Bubble' car DMU is the perfect branch line traction for our tour. Rolls-Royce Sentinel 0-4-0 N o 10029 'Denise' will power some choice brakevan moves later in the day. Our day starts at Bodmin General.
The station building opens at 09.00 and your breakfast of a bacon roll or pain au chocolat together with a hot drink, included in the fare, will be served from 09.30. Train movements begin at 10.00 and we have a lot to get through. http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/bodminwenford.pdf is the track plan and see TRACKmaps 3 p9D 2023. Our special will cover Bodmin General, including the shunt release crossover and station sidings, before visiting Boscarne Junction to cover all the track with the run round and the end of line. Returning to Bodmin General, we reverse and run to Bodmin Parkway, taking in the remaining accessible 'Walker Sidings' stub (Fitzgerald Lighting) on the way. At Bodmin Parkway, we again cover all available track, including the London end headshunt and run round loop. We expect to do at least one road in the Stock Shed and reach the NR limit (274m 05ch). Returning to Bodmin General, we break for lunch. The railway has a delightful buffet selling a range of steak pasties, cheese and onion pasties and sausage rolls. After lunch the brakevan rides, in smaller groups, visit at least two Loco Shed roads. Members will also be able to visit the workshops to see locos and rolling stock under overhaul. We expect to finish by 16.00. The fare for this special private visit on a nonrunning day is £50, including breakfast (as above) and workshop access. Members only, no reductions. 273] :Sun 24 Mar 09.30; The Southern Extremity:: The last 'all available track' railway of our West Country long weekend has never formally been visited by the Society. The Helston Railway is Great Britain's most southerly railway (TRACKmaps 3 p38G 2023) but was not the most southerly railway in the British Isles! It opened in 1887, was absorbed by the GWR in 1898; CP 1962 and CG 1964. This fairly new Heritage Railway has won various awards including: The Ian Allan Publishing Heritage Railway of the Year 2010, The Heritage Railway Association Publication & Media Award 2012 and The Heritage Railway Association Small Groups Award 2019! Again, this fixture is thanks to Darren Garnon. The railway, only realistically accessible by car (it won't come to you and is well worth the effort!) is near to the rural village of Prospidnick and extends for one mile from Prospidnick Halt southeast to Truthall Halt, with extensive views across the countryside towards the south coast and The Lizard. Our private visit, on a non-running day, starts at 09.30 and includes the normal passenger running line between Prospidnick and Truthall Halts, plus very rare access to the sidings at Trevarno and into the Engine Shed. We expect to finish by lunchtime. Rare track is the emphasis of this trip but haulage is intended to be varied with diesel and steam traction. Members will be able to walk along some newly cleared original trackbed. A cooked breakfast can be offered at £7.95 subject to a minimum take up. Please add comments on your booking form if this option is of interest. Confirmation will be made in the joining instructions. Car share may be available; please note any request/offer in your booking notes. The fare for this unique visit to this friendly railway is just £25. Members only; no reductions. 274] LNER 70 min Flex tickets: Allegedly, part of the Simpler Fares pilot, without consultation, from 5 Feb LNER introduces a Semi-Flexible ticket. Travel is allowed on any LNER train up to 70 min before/ after the originally booked journey. They are only available between London and Newcastle, Berwick or Edinburgh. Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets will no longer be available for these journeys. Tickets can be changed via 'My Account' on the LNER website or the LNER App, IF seats are available on the train you wish to change to. http://tinyurl.com/3349rcrn has details. The number of tickets is limited and there is no law that everyone has to have a Smartphone (yet). At least Lumo will benefit, Roger French says that LNER are taking us for fools and suggests buying an Off-Peak ticket to the next station (eg Haymarket) to retain flexibility with a break of journey, see: http://tinyurl.com/4ma39c37 275] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1439.77] Bracknell station London end trailing (15mph) crossover, in passenger use Sat 10 Feb until Sun 18 Feb by Waterloo services turning back in P2 on departure, has been a signalled move since Basingstoke ROC took the area over from Feltham Area Signalling Centre. ●●135] http://tinyurl.com/25nhfphh (click 'Browse'), the final train (double headed steam) climbs the 1:9 on the 10¼'' gauge Astbury Light Railway on Sun 21 Jan, the last day of operation before closure. ●●BLN 1440.159] The RMT 'suspended' strike action on London Underground rather than 'postponing' it. Looking into the semantics, the former implies it could be reinstated if necessary (still threatened) but the latter implies it will definitely take place at a future date (which may not be the case here).
●●251] On the Jubilee line, the platforms at Stanmore aren't in numerical order; P3 was added to the west side from Sat 25 Jun 2011, leaving P1 in the middle. NR would have made it Platform Zero. ●●MR15] After the Wirral Tramway ceased running for Lockdown in Mar 2020, it ran for one weekend (20 & 21 Nov 2021). Service has been suspended since from Woodside Ferry (incl) to the Police Hut in Shore Road due to track condition. The rest of the line to Old Colonial ROP 26 Feb 2022 then ran intermittently until 9 Apr 2023 (incl). Service was then suspended because of H&S breaches. 276]Keeping Track, passenger service suspensions (contributions welcomed) *=new/amended BLN Start (incl) Reopens Location (stations'exclusive'if bracketed) Bold = closed now 1440.MR15 &1441.275 ǂ21Nov 21 Further Notice *Wirral Tramway Woodside Ferry - Police Hut; state of track ǂ9 Apr 23 *Wirral Tramway Old Colonial-Police Hut;ǂlast ran,H&S breaches 1439.130 25 Dec 23 2 Jan 24 *Llandudno Jn - Blaenau Ffestiniog floods and DMU shortage 1439.130 25 Dec 23 2 Jan 24 *Craven Arms Sth Jn - Morlais Jn as above but see BLN 1439.130 1441.292 21 Jan 24 24 Jan 24 *(Shepherds Bush) - Willesden HL Jn; derailment, ROP at 14.45 1441.353 20 Jan 24 29 Jan 24 *(Bristol TM)-(Nailsea & Backwell) & Worle Jn - Uphill Jn direct 1441.317.2 22 Jan 24 Unknown *(Victoria)-Exchange Square-St Peter's Square; cracked point - 29 Jan 24 3 Feb 24 *Eastleigh West Jn - Fareham East Jn; cutting stabilisation 1440.257 29 Apr 23 12 Feb 24 *Pontypridd North Jn - Treherbert; South Wales Metro works - 3 Feb 24 12 Feb 24 *(Beverley) - Bridlington - Seamer Jn; non-half term track relaying - 10 Feb 24 15 Feb 24 *Piccadilly Line, (Acton Town) - Heathrow, complete branch - 12 Feb 24 17 Feb 24 Eastleigh West Jn / (St Denys)-Fareham-Cosham Jn-Portcreek Jn / Farlington Jn and Portsmouth Harbour - Blackfriars Jn - 10 Feb 24 19 Feb 24 Lostock Jn - Westhoughton - Crow Nest Jn, electrification 1439.77 10 Feb 24 19 Feb 24 (Reading) - (Bracknell) / Aldershot South Jn; Wokingham Jn 1441.284 10 Feb 24 19 Feb 24 Many south London lines (below) for resignalling POSTPONED 1441.286 10 Feb 24 24 Feb 24 *(Reeves Corner) - (Sandilands); Croydon Tram replacing worn rail 1440.175.1 17 Feb 24 26 Feb 24 T&W Metro; (Regent Centre) - Airport; local half term 1440.225 27 Feb 24 11Mar24 (St Austell) - (St Erth) with Truro - Falmouth Docks; resignalling 4 Mar 24 (Liskeard) - (St Erth) plus Falmouth & Newquay branches 1434.2363 25 Sep 23 22Mar24 at least *Ayr/(Ayr) - Girvan and (Kilmarnock) - Barassie Jn 1437.2432 15 Nov 23 *Girvan - Stranraer skeleton train service withdrawn 15 Nov ǂLast ran ǂ5 Nov 23 20 Apr 24 GWSR, (Toddington) - Broadway for Stanway Viaduct repairs 1425.1359 ǂ14 May 23 8 Jun 24 *(Clitheroe)-Hellifield South Jn, weekly Dalesrail trains now SO - 9 Jan 24 Unknown Saltburn Cliff Railway; maintenance then fire damage on 15 Jan Closed 10 until 18 Feb: ●Silwood Jn / South Bermondsey Jn - Old Kent Road Jn - Atlantic Lines - Factory Jn - Longhedge Jn - Ludgate GW Jn; ●(Battersea Park) - Wandsworth Rd Jn; ●(Streatham*) - Peckham Rye Jn; ●Streatham Jn - Streatham South Jn (8m 15ch); ●Streatham South Jn (8m 15ch) - Tooting - (Wimbledon) - St Helier - Sutton West Jn; ●(Streatham Hill) - (Crystal Palace) - Norwood N Up Jn and Norwood N Down Jn / (Beckenham Jn); ●Leigham Spurs; ●(Herne Hill) - Tulse Hill - W Norwood Jn. [*Trains from East Croydon.] 277] 2022-23 station usage figures: Stations which are the most popular destinations from others: London Waterloo (130 stations), Glasgow Central (127), London Bridge (110), Manchester Piccadilly (91), Cardiff Central (90), Leeds (78), London Liverpool Street (76), London Victoria (73), Birmingham New Street (71) and Edinburgh (71). It is interesting to note the large number of places far from London, where London is the most popular origin/destination. These include Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Preston and Sunderland. It has always been said that 70% of rail journeys are to, from or within Greater London. To what extent does this reflect the service on offer, or the demand for travel between English provincial cities and for commuting to them? Unsurprisingly, the most popular destination from Edinburgh is Glasgow Queen Street and vice versa. This might be the greatest flow between two UK cities outside London.
This leads on to what is the longest string of popular journeys you can find, visiting each station only once? Travel from a station to its most popular destination, then to the most popular from that and so on. In most cases, you will find that the most popular journey from your second station is back to your first! It looks like you have to start at a little-used station a reasonable distance from a major city! [A new Mornington Crescent http://tinyurl.com/5d9ky6cu from I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue perhaps?] 278] 2023 Official Rail Statistics: http://tinyurl.com/38bsm3tc (published 25 Jan) has a wealth of information about National Rail in Great Britain for the financial year ending Mar 2023, compared with the 2022-2023, down 6.1% on the previous year but an increase of 64.5% over Mar 2019 to 2020. 279] Railway Memories 120, Alan Fell (Member 512), Episode 4: (BLN 1440.153) …and so to 1964, another memorable year. Firstly, my beloved Preston North End reached the FA Cup Final, quite an achievement for a Second Division team (they were very nearly promoted back to the top division). Of course, this meant booking on one of the 11 special trains from Lancashire. I was aboard one that had Britannia haulage to Crewe, changing to a 'Black 5' for some reason, for our run to Bletchley, then via Claydon LNE Jn, Akeman Street, Wotton, Grendon Underwood Jn, Ashenden Jn and South Ruislip to Wembley Hill. This first trip to Wembley Stadium ended in disappointment, losing 2-3 to West Ham after a thrilling game, and so it was back to Preston Britannia hauled. Apparently one of these specials was a Blue Pullman set which I think overtook us somewhere; these punters were clearly more important (and paying more)! The boxes on the Grendon Underwood Jn to Ashenden Jn line were opened especially for these trains and the through route closed in 1966, so I was lucky to do it. Soon afterwards, I set off in a coach with some school pals, on a two day 17-shed bash round Scotland. That was pure intensity, I arrived home feeling pretty knackered. Included in our haul was none other than the fabulous Highland Railway 4-4-0 'Ben Alder' (54398), stored in Dawsholm Shed. Regrettably and disgracefully, it was scrapped in 1967 after preservation attempts foundered. Hard to believe. Beeching closures were rampant by then; on 6 Sep 1964 I went to Southport behind a 78xxx 2-6-0 and returned behind 2-6-4T 42296 on the very last Southport to Preston train, detonators banging at every station. Quite a new experience for me as a 15 year old. On 26 Sep 1964, I went to Preston on a whim to try to see the last run of a Coronation Pacific with only a vague idea of the time of this special. As it happens when I reached the platform, 46256 'Sir William A Stanier FRS' was there and I just had time to admire it before it set off south. Pure chance and a truly sobering but memorable sight. Finally in Dec, I planned a mid-week Christmas school holiday trip to Bala and Ruabon to get my hands on this route after my earlier lack of initiative before; it was to close from 18 Jan 1965, of course. Someone in a (very) high place had other ideas because on 12 Dec 1964 the line was suddenly shut from Llangollen through Corwen to Bala Junction, due to flood damage which was never repaired. I rearranged my trip completely, although I could have done to Llangollen from the east and Bala to Barmouth with a rail replacement bus between. In the new plan I did lots of steam between Chester and Gobowen, then the line to Oswestry for a loco shed visit but, regrettably, not the works (open then but closed in 1966), before catching a train from Oswestry to Welshpool, returning the same way. Quite why I didn't also do Oswestry to Whitchurch is now a mystery and a big regret. Despite continuing with relentless mass shed bashes throughout 1964 and 1965, the latter year was rather different in that I went abroad on the family holiday for the first time. Before that trip I had a truly nostalgic run in Jun 1965 from Horwich to Chorley in a short push pull train, hauled by BR 2-6-2T 84025. This branch closed to passengers three months later and I never did do the other east (Loco Jn) to south (Horwich Fork Jn) curve at Blackrod, as its then very sparse workmen's trains seemed to run at impossible times. Today I would, to use a now common political phrase, do 'whatever it takes'. Next up was our Jul 1965 holiday in Greece where there was still a good selection of ancient and modern steam on show. In the Peloponnese, where we stayed near the junction at Kalonero, the metre gauge system provided a constant flow of diesel railcars on passenger services. However, my favourites were the local 2-4-0Ts on trips/shunts around the junction and on the branch to Kiparissia, as well as the fleet of Belgian 2-6-0Ts. There were also Belgian 2-8-0s and American 2-8-2s.
In the Athens area, I bunked both Piraeus sheds (standard and metre gauge), distinctly remembering seeing an ex-WD 2-10-0 on a freight. Maybe it was the one that now runs in this country? Returning from Greece, I stayed briefly with an Aunt at her bungalow in the lovely village of Steyning, Sussex, which provided two memorable day trips. The first was to the Isle of Wight lines as they would soon be mostly closing. It was so atmospheric shuffling around the island in the ancient non-corridor stock behind O2 class 0-4-4T locos. I did the Cowes and Ventnor routes, then bunked the shed at Ryde. That trip was sheer bliss, as today's punters would surely agree. The other trip was to Clapham Junction for a day spotting Bulleid Pacifics etc, new sights for me. In the process I covered the whole of the, soon to close, Shoreham to Christs Hospital (to Horsham) line but did not knowingly achieve continuity (overlap) at Steyning. I have, however, since driven through the station site along the village bypass. This sort of registers, doesn't it? How shortsighted was the Beeching Plan, looking back…? Returning to Preston by car, for some inexplicable reason Dad managed to pull up by Guildford shed, which I successfully bunked despite prior warnings as to how difficult it was to do that. I particularly remember the dominance of southern 2-6-0s, another new type for me, as well as various standards and one USA 0-6-0T in this amazingly located roundhouse seemingly 'surrounded' by chalk cliffs. Soon after returning to Preston, I bought my first North West Rover ticket and shot around the various routes within its boundary. This included my only trip ever over the beautiful Penrith to Keswick line in a DMU but, strangely, not beyond to Workington. There were other omissions too such as Plumpton Jn to Lake Side (now Lakeside in preservation), as my gricing career still hadn't developed properly. My final noteworthy branch in 1965 during Dec was the Piccadilly Line Aldwych branch, although only on a shuttle to Holborn, which was nevertheless very pleasing, looking back (and see Item 288). 1966 was memorable in its own right, especially England's World Cup win. For me, the first highlight of the year was a two-day 14-shed Scottish bash in the Apr, quickly followed on 16 Apr by travelling on the last train from (the original) Fleetwood terminus in a DMU. I remember being the last person to buy a ticket (Edmondson no less) from this station under the Stygian gloom of the overall roof, which was dire in its filthy state. I hovered at the booking office to ensure that no one came after me before the ticket clerk shut his hatch for the final time. The guard knew what I was doing and agreed to wait until I boarded to join a very small number of other punters. The next station, one mile on, was Wyre Dock (renamed Fleetwood after this closure). I duly did the last train from there as well in 1970. At school, I enquired about career choices and booked myself on a British Rail sponsored week to be indoctrinated into the benefits of railway employment - as if I needed convincing! The highlight was a trip in the Manchester Divisional Civil Engineer's inspection saloon from Piccadilly to Crewe. In the first week of Jul 1965, I took another NW Rover ticket and journeys included a 'Black 5' hauled train banked up Shap by a Stanier 2-6-4T, a fabulous first for me. Britannias were still common on routes such as Preston to Barrow, so I maximised it all. This week also produced my first and last run from Blackpool South on the direct route to Kirkham & Wesham, the so called 'Marton Line'. Regular traffic had ended in 1965 but it lingered for a little longer with a token service prior to final closure. Also in July 1965, on holiday in Sussex, I ventured from Ashford to New Romney (CP 6 Mar 1967) and back for a few runs on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch (in no particular order) Railway but the 0-4-4T 'Dunrobin' had already left the area for Canada. I do hope to see it one day now it is back in England. Another holiday in Barmouth followed with, naturally, steam haulage to Welshpool and Aberystwyth plus the obligatory trips on the Fairbourne, Ffestiniog, Talyllyn and Welshpool & Llanfair. While there, on 22 Jul a pleasure boat on the River Mawddach collided with the wooden Penmaenpool toll bridge, sadly with the loss of 15 lives of the 42 on board, including several children. This tragedy was massive national news and we were just glad that our holiday ended the next day to be able to leave the area. Aug 1965 produced a great little trip taking in Wigan North Western - Leigh - Tyldesley - Manchester Victoria; Guide Bridge - Fallowfield - Manchester Central and Stalybridge to Stockport Edgeley via the Guide Bridge Avoiding Line. I was clearly now getting into this gricing lark! At the end of Sep, I set off, by train of course, to a new three year era at Birmingham University to study civil engineering, ever so politely of course. I lived in Birmingham for over four years in the end. (To be continued.)
BELOW: (Item 280) Flooding near Lindsey Refinery; Immingham East Jn was in the same boat then (NR).
1441 EAST MIDLANDS (Nick Garnham) [email protected] 280] Grimsby Light Single: On Wed 3 & Thur 4 Jan, there were three rare workings over this line from Marsh West Jn to Immingham East Jn, as the normal route was closed due to severe flooding. On each day, a Leeds Balm Road FHH light engine ran to Immingham Dock Nordic for export and didn't want to miss the boat! The 4 th was probably a drag as,45 min after arrival,a light engine returned to Balm Road. 281] Bedford (Oakley Jn) - Northampton (Hardingstone Jn): This ex-Midland Railway line through Olney, Turvey and Piddington closed to passenger services from 3 Mar 1962 and to all traffic from Oakley Jn to Piddington in Jan 1964. The Railway Observer Vol 35 N o 436, Jun 1965 p188 has (edited): This line was to be severed in Jun 1965 by removing the points at Oakley Jn. A special last brakevan trip ran on 1 May 1965; by then the line was closed completely except the Ministry of Supply sidings at Piddington (Yardley Chase Ordnance Explosives Storage Depot), where a signalman was still employed. These sidings were empty and the only rolling stock seen was stored on the Up line of the double track line near Ravenstone Wood Jn, comprising three coaches damaged for a civil defence exercise, 61 condemned open wagons and two goods brakevans. At Ravenstone Wood Junction, the former Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction line had been lifted but the signal box was in working order. This RCTS trip does not appear on Six Bells Junction or the RCTS railtour list; were any members on it? 282] NET loss: The effects of Covid are still felt at Nottingham Express Transit (NET) where passenger numbers on the trams are only 80% of their pre-Pandemic figures. This is reflected in the latest set of accounts, which report a pre-tax loss of £57.1M, a figure in line with expectations. 14.4M passenger journeys were recorded in the year to 31 Mar 2023 against 9.9M the previous year. Although there was an operating profit, the losses resulted from a reduction in the book values of fixed assets. 283] Linking Lincolnshire: NR has produced a report http://tinyurl.com/mtmezv4w with long term strategic advice for Lincolnshire. It focuses on opportunities to improve passenger and freight rail services for both and considers how the network can support economic growth in the county. The report recognises the significance, particularly for freight, of the Werrington Diveunder north of Peterborough (opened in Dec 2021). The Nuclear Waste Service is carrying out feasibility studies into sites for a Geological Disposal Facility (an old chestnut going on for years); a site under consideration is at the former Theddlethorpe Gas Terminal, which would be rail connected. The report suggests that, if this went ahead, then Louth and Mablethorpe could have a revived passenger service. Its other main recommendations include extension of King's Cross to Lincoln services to Cleethorpes, improvements at Lincoln station, an improved timetable on the Barton-on-Humber branch to fill existing service gaps and an exploration of funding for electrification of Peterborough to Lincoln and Doncaster. Lincoln is an interesting station in that most services terminate there from four directions, rather than running through. NR do not recommend extending London passenger services from Peterborough to Sleaford, as the crossings in Spalding cause great traffic problems in the town centre with the present timetable. 1441 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected] 284] Victoria Resignalling: (BLN 1415.32) Phase 4 is to be commissioned between 10 and 18 Feb inclusive (half term), transferring signal control from Victoria Area Signalling Centre to Three Bridges ROC (TBROC). Tulse Hill interlocking area will be resignalled and recontrolled to TBROC. Peckham Rye interlocking area will be resignalled, having already been recontrolled to TBROC. Crystal Palace interlocking will be recontrolled to TBROC, with selective condition based signalling renewals. Southern trains between London Bridge and Beckenham Junction via Crystal Palace will not run. Trains between London Bridge and East Croydon via Tulse Hill and Norbury run between Streatham and East Croydon only. Trains between Victoria and London Bridge via Streatham Hill and Crystal Palace only run between Victoria and Balham or Streatham Hill. Victoria to West Croydon via Streatham Hill, and Crystal Palace services will not run, except for a peak hour Victoria to Streatham Hill shuttle. Turning back in P2, with the Balham end trailing crossover on departure. Sutton Loop Thameslink services reverse at Herne Hill (crossover out of P1). London Overground services will be suspended between Canada Water and Clapham Junction. Item 276 has closure list. :POSTPONED:
285] Palace Gate - Seven Sisters: A member has sent in some notes on WWII freight over this line (CP 7 Jan 1963; CG 7 Feb 1965), from a book called 'The Railways of Tottenham', published 1945/1946. A link with the former Great Northern (GN) line was put in at Palace Gates by the L&NER in 1929. However, it was only used for stock exchanges and could not be used for through running. From about 1942, to relieve pressure on the main lines, coal trains were worked between New England and Temple Mills yards via Cuffley and Palace Gates, where the trains had to be shunted. Trains were usually split into two parts here due to the use of smaller locos on the branch and the steep gradient from West Green to Seven Sisters. In 1944 a conventional double track junction was laid in the Hertford Loop south of Bowes Park station. From 12 Jul 1944 four through trains in each direction, limited to 50 wagons, were scheduled daily between New England and Temple Mills. The line was also available for emergency diversion of passenger trains to Liverpool Street should King's Cross be unavailable. In Nov 1944 a special fast freight from Scotland used the line, continuing via Hackney Downs to Spitalfields. The book states that in recent years Stratford Works repaired GN section locos and coaches, which ran via Palace Gates and South Tottenham. Occasionally complete trains worked the same way for turning, presumably on one of the triangles in the Copper Mill Jn area. Trains could (and still can be) turned at Stratford of course without needing to reverse at a triangle, by running Temple Mills, Stratford station, Channelsea Jn, High Meads Jn and Temple Mills (or vice versa). LEFT: 1958 map; the line joins Bowes Park top left to Seven Sisters, bottom right (shown as two adjacent stations). The 'London Railway Record' gives 9 Jul 1944 for the opening of the junction south of Bowes Park. Before this it states that the indirect connection had been used almost entirely for stock movements from the Great Eastern section to the carriage washer in Bounds Green Depot; a few excursions used it in the late 1930s. From 1953, summer excursions ran from the Great Northern section to Southend-on-Sea or Clacton. In May 1959 Cambridge to Liverpool Street trains diverted this way due to engineering work at Broxbourne. Our member did the line on a 26 Aug 1961 railtour. He later received a 2s 0d (10p) refund because the section from Millwall Jn onto the Port of London Authority lines to the South Quay area hauled by the two remaining PLA steam locos was deleted at a late stage! He would rather have done the track and had the rare haulage than receive a refund but did see battery shunter BEL1 at Millwall Jn! 286] London Tramlink (Croydon): An extended and extensive half term closure means no trams run between Reeves Corner and Sandilands (both exclusive) for 14 days from Sat 10 until Fri 23 Feb (incl). Sandilands is an ECS shunt; rail replacement buses will run instead while they are replacing rails! As is usual in this situation, Elmers End has a reduced tram service. The branch is used to stable trams with the system severed through East Croydon and running in two parts. There is no service between Arena and Elmers End before 06.20 or after 19.40 SSuX, before 08.20 or after 19.00 SO or on Sundays. 287] Cannon Street: Although a regular user of this station, a member rarely does so without boarding a train already in platform. So, awaiting an arrival recently, he was surprised to notice that P6 (at least) has bullhead rail. He also wonders if Cannon Street is the only station on the network which still has hydraulic buffer stops (as at Manchester Mayfield - BLNs 1299.368 & 1440.264 photos); those in most places are now friction. Glasgow Central has hydraulic buffers that use water (some types use oil). At Waterloo P1-19, new buffers have been installed in front of the hydraulic ones; are there others?
BELOW: (Item 287) London Waterloo P1, friction buffers in front of the older hydraulic ones.
BELOW: More old buffers - Waterloo P4 with belt and braces… (All Geoff Noakes, 24 Jan 2024.)
BELOW: Waterloo P12&13, if the buffers are compressed the water runs through the red escape valve to the ground as still happens at Glasgow Central when they are tested by a light engine periodically.
BELOW: Friction buffers on Waterloo P22 & 23 (we have compressed this section as much as possible).
288] Aldwych Branch: (BLN 1439.21) The branch track circuit fuses had been removed by Summer 2019 and, later that year, the track circuits at Holborn were decommissioned. At this time, 5B junction points had already been secured in the normal position for some time and significant remedial work was required to return them to use, with manual intervention needed to throw them each time. Exit signal PD6 was removed ready for start of traffic on 24 Feb 2023. Work to disconnect the traction current feed for the branch was completed on the night of 3 Oct 2023. After the branch CP 3 Oct 1994, a Piccadilly unit was usually kept at Aldwych for filming; it was removed occasionally for maintenance. Final closure of the branch was effectively after the unit's removal to Ruislip Depot on 24 Nov 2021. 289] Dalston: (BLN 1439.23) The replacement Kingsland Road bridge was due to be lifted into place on 27-28 Jan. As a result, London Overground services were suspended between Dalston Junction and Highbury & Islington as well as between Willesden Junction (Camden Road on 10-11 Feb) and Stratford on that and the following two weekends. However, it will be the summer before pedestrians and cyclists can use it, as NR will still need to repair the abutments, install a deck and road surface and reinstate electrical connections that are currently on a temporary structure. 290] Ghosts on the Elizabeth line: TfL is exploring vinyl coverings and ways of cleaning the walls at tunnel stations, behind bench seats, where 'ghost' outlines are left by passengers leaning against walls. 291] HS2: (BLN 1439.24) ❶ETCS installation between Paddington and Ealing Broadway has been postponed until Old Oak Common station is complete, as this requires substantial changes to the track layout. Track circuits have already been replaced by axle counters outside Paddington station. ❷On 23 Jan Tunnel Boring Machine 'Lydia' broke through into the station box at Old Oak Common after boring the logistics tunnel from the HS2 Atlas Road site. This tunnel will be used to bring in material for, and remove spoil, from the Old Oak Common to Euston tunnels, assuming they are built. 292] Mitre Bridge Jn: At 02.30 on Sun 21 Jan, a train dropping ballast being propelled in an engineers' possession ran through a set of points here. It resulted in the derailment of three wagons, one ending up at an angle leaning against an OHLE gantry. Rerailing and removal of the wagons from the site was difficult; track and OHLE repairs could not start until this had been done. Southern services over the West London Line were already cancelled on that day and remained suspended until about 14.45 on Wed 24th when the line reopened. London Overground services were already cancelled until 12.00, after which a shuttle service ran between Clapham Junction and Shepherds Bush P1. This continued until about 14.45 on 24th , with Stratford to Clapham Junction trains generally diverted to Richmond or Willesden Junction Low Level bay P2. Freight was generally diverted via Barnes and South Acton. 293] Piccadilly line: The line will be closed between Hammersmith and Heathrow during Night Tube hours on the night of Fri 9 Feb and then between Acton Town and Heathrow completely through to Wed 14 Feb (inclusive). This is for renewal of the Eastbound scissors crossover west of Northfields, in an awkward position underneath the road bridge outside the station. ('District Dave' website) 294] TfL Fares: These were planned to increase by 4% from 4 Mar, at the same time as the National Rail increase. The Mayor of London has now announced Greater London Authority funding to freeze Pay As You Go (PAYG) and paper single and return fares for a year. However, the 'Evening Standard' reports that daily and weekly price caps for PAYG journeys will increase. The price of Travelcards and some journeys beyond the Greater London boundary will increase as they are not set by TfL (some Travelcards by 7.9% this time). It is entirely coincidental that there is a mayoral election in May! 295] Voltaire Road Jn: (BLN 1440.165) Amending this, the Victoria to Orpington service started at Blackfriars and called at Elephant & Castle, Herne Hill and then all stations but ran about 10 minutes earlier than normal. The trains referred to were unadvertised reliefs. A local resident observes that they did not call at Beckenham Junction, where a direct service to Lewisham would have been useful for post Christmas shoppers. Up trains invariably did stop in the station without opening the doors, waiting for the signal to the Mid Kent Line! In the opposite direction, they crawled through at 10mph. In his opinion, the trains were poorly used and a complete waste of time! (But did two PSUL routes!)
296] South Ealing extension: (BLN 1436.2548) Work on the stairs to the Eastbound island platform overran, with the platform closure (which began on 13 Dec 2023) extended from 22 Jan until 25 Jan. 1441 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected] 297] Northumberland Line: ❶'Order, counterorder, disorder' is an old saying in the armed forces. On 10 Jan the leader of Northumberland County Council confirmed a delay and that the line is unlikely to open until the end of 2024. This is blamed on 'challenging conditions', particularly at Bedlington and Blyth Bebside. He said the project had ended up costing 'far more than we thought it would'. The road bridge at Newsham has tripled in cost from just over £11M in 2021 to £30.6M in 2023. On 16 Jan the leader announced that Seaton Delaval, Newsham and Ashington will open in late Summer 2024 after all (BLN 1438.2493), with Northumberland Park, Blyth Bebside and Bedlington expected in 2025. ❷(BLN 1439.37.2) The level crossing barriers at Bedlington South signal box were replaced over the New Year and extensively tested, with the crossing closed to road traffic and buses diverted. A further closure was planned later in Jan to smooth the road surface at the crossing. There is no sign yet of the more recent brick station building here (BLN 1430.1865.7) being demolished or of any new platforms. Perhaps work cannot start until the building is demolished and the Up signal (on the site of the former platform) protecting the crossing is removed. The colour light replacement for semaphore junction signals BN63 (towards Morpeth) and BN54 (towards Ashington) is now in place but 'bagged'. ❸Most of the signal boxes made redundant by the resignalling (which starts in March) will be locked securely out of use and the equipment removed. However, Marcheys House and North Seaton boxes will have to be demolished because they are in the way of new CCTV locations. ❹(BLN 1440.166) At Northumberland Park, a 160 tonne, 6.8m wide and with a 37.4m maximum boom height crawler crane, was positioned on Algernon Drive early on 10 Jan. Space constraints meant that the crane had to be built on nearby Rotary Rd. It will hoist piling rigs into place to build a piled wall between the new station platform and residents' gardens, supporting the latter. Access to the bridge footpath to the Metro stop is now restricted, no doubt to the annoyance of residents. 298] Grand Central: (BLN 1438.2506) From Mon 22 Jan, some services call at Peterborough SuX: From King's Cross 08.27 SX / 07.48 SO to Sunderland; 10.57 SX / 19.57 SO to Bradford Interchange. To King's Cross 10.17 SX / 09.55 SO from Sunderland; 14.50 SX / 15.27 SO from Bradford Interchange. 299] New Year's Day: This only became an English Bank Holiday in 1974 (after joining the European Union on 1 Jan 1973). It had been a holiday in Scotland for a very long time! However, 1 Jan was a holiday in the North East before 1974 by local custom with a long tradition of no, or only very limited, public transport this day. In 2024, CrossCountry, LNER and TPE ran on the ECML but there were no Grand Central services (the 20.00 from King's Cross was shown to run but cancelled) and none on the T&W Metro. Northern had none except the special Whitby service (BLN 1440.180). So, there were no passenger trains on the Durham Coast line. A member was surprised that GBRf ran biomass trains from Tyne Coal Terminal to Drax (four out and back) and Lynemouth (three out, two back) power stations. 300] Whitby: (BLN 1440.180) 'Modern Railways' reports that the special 1 Jan service of two return trains carried over 500 passengers; the second trip must have been very busy. It followed many years of campaigning by the Esk Valley Community Rail Partnership. The passengers were well impressed, the DMUs were absolutely immaculate inside and out. There were numerous positive comments (many were first time train travellers) about how clean they were, how comfortable the ride was, the views and they even had carpets!! Other comments were about how busy the alternative congested A171 road is across the moors, with difficulty finding parking in Whitby (1 Jan is a very busy day for visitors). From Middlesbrough the £8.60 Off-Peak Day Return (without Railcard) was considered to be similar to the all-day car parking charge. Some were surprised at the nice big clean toilets on the train! 301] Settle: From Sun 28 Jan, the Up outer home signal (SJ4) between Settle station and Settle Jn was due to be renewed on to a new post 6yd further south. It continues to be a red/green semaphore on a straight post, with a replacement semaphore arm and a new LED signal lamp. It is hereby awarded the accolade of 'Newest semaphore signal on NR'. Question: was it an oil lamp or electric lamp before?
BELOW: (Item 297.4) Is that crane big enough? It is been brought in for contruction of the back of platform retaining wall at the new Northumberland Park station. (Phil Logie, 19 Jan 2023.)
BELOW: The site of the future Northumberland Park platform (Newcas
stle left) certainly very handy for those properties! (Phil Logie, 19 Jan 2024.)
BELOW: (Item 297) Bedlington South Box from Bedlington North LC; Morpe
eth is off right, note bagged signal. (Both Rodger Wilkinson, early Jan 2024.)
BELOW: Bedlington South Level Crossing looking north; the Up signa
al (right) is on the site of the platform with Bedlington North box ahead.
BELOW: (Item 299) 66799 on the 12.19 Tyne Coal Terminal to Drax biomass1 Jan 2024. Right of the rear of the train is the site of Dawdon Colliery andmark the location of the southern exit from the colliery (CG 14 Feb 19
s heads south along the Durham Coast past Hawthorn (south of Seaham) on the bushes etc running diagonally away from the third and fourth wagons 71 and reopened briefly during 1985 for coal stocking). (Brian Carter.)
BELOW: (Item 301) By Mon 31 Jan 2024 the new signal post was in place6K05, the 12.29 Carlisle New Yard to Basford Hall Sorting Sidings isThe other semaphore slightly further away and to the right is for th
e at Settle Jn but not the semaphore arm and the old signal remained in use. s passing. The photos is a bit grainy due to the zoom but still of interest. he Up Branch (from Carnforth) at a much lower level. (John Hampson.)
Settle Junction signal box (like Blea Moor) didn't have a domestic electric supply until the early 1980s and then it was from a 40 Amp distant signal supply nearly ¾ mile away. This was very restricted until it was finally replaced with a new supply from opposite the box. A 2019 report in an online forum was of a lampman seen still attending to oil lit lanterns of semaphore signals at Garsdale 'a year or so ago'. A lamp would burn for at least seven days on each refill. It is thought there are no oil lamp signals on NR now (Working at Heights H&S regulations etc) but can anyone shed any light on the last one/s? 302] Hartlepool South Works: (TRACKmaps 2 p45A 2020) There are three pipe mills at this site, served by a branch from Greatham. The 20'' Mill (the largest diameter steel pipe the mill can manufacture) belongs to Tata Steel, not Liberty Steel (as in our 'Lackenby Looper' fixture report - BLN 1406.1985). The 42'' and 84'' Mills do belong to Liberty Steel. The 20'' mill employs about 300 staff but it is not known yet how this will be affected, if at all, by the closure of Port Talbot blast furnaces. The mill is supplied with coil plate from Port Talbot by 15.51 Margam to Hartlepool BSC 20" Mill (arriving SSuX 06.36), calling at Llanwern Exchange Sidings en route. 'Liverail' shows generally daily arrivals SSuX. It returns as 14.05 Hartlepool BSC 20" Mill to Tees New Yard 14.40 and then continues as 18.52 Tees New Yard to Margam 06.11,not calling at Llanwern.(There are timing variations, as with most freight.) This arrangement is almost certainly for staffing reasons, as the inward train makes a brief stop at Eaglescliffe to pick up a local driver. However, it also provides the opportunity of combining empty wagons back to Scunthorpe. Monster trains, with about 40 bogie steel flats, have been observed. That is impossible northbound, as loaded it would be a 4,000 or more tonne train - too heavy to run. There is no evidence of any rail traffic to the 42'' and 84'' mills. A member with some knowledge of the steel industry thinks that Liberty buys its plate on the open market and it probably arrives by road - this matches what participants discovered on the railtour. Liberty owns a plate mill at Dalzell, ['Dee-el'] south of Motherwell on the West Coast Main Line, Up side. There is an 'as-required' 01.50 (SSuX) Tees New Yard to Dalzell BSC (09.09), with steel slabs cast at Scunthorpe for rolling at Dalzell to produce steel plate. It used to run most days but now averages about once a month. The return path for the wagons is 13.32 (SSuX) from Dalzell (Tees New Yard 21.42). The raw steel obviously 'piggybacks' on the daily train from Scunthorpe to Tees New Yard, which brings steel for the Teesside Beam Mill at Lackenby and (also much less frequently than formerly) the Special Profiles mill at Skinningrove. 303] Shipley: (BLN 1440.171) Shipley P4, which can only take 5-cars but is being extended to six is, of course, a Down platform (to Bradford). May 1965 Railway Observer explained the background to the operationally awkward Shipley calls by trains between Leeds and Keighley/Skipton; edited/annotated: As from 22 Mar 1965 passenger services were withdrawn from eighteen stations in Airedale (Leeds to Skipton via Shipley) and Wharfedale (Leeds to Skipton via Otley and Ilkley). In the case of the latter, the last train ran on Sat 20 Mar but caused little local interest, no doubt due to the fact that a full scale blizzard was in progress. Trains on the Otley and Ilkley Joint line were strengthened to a 4-car DMU and numerous railway enthusiasts were observed paying their last respects. The Arthington - Burley Jn and Ilkley - Skipton sections are now (in 1965) without passenger services. DMUs between Leeds and Skipton now work into Shipley station, reverse at Bradford Jn (now Shipley South Jn) and thus traverse two sides of the triangle, omitting the through lines on the third side which are devoid of platforms. This is different to the practice reported in BLN 171 (in 1972), where the westbound trains simply reversed into the then P1 and then continued their journey to Bingley. Perhaps this method of working was introduced at some date between 1965 and 1972. The only exceptions to the foregoing are loco hauled Morecambe - Leeds and Carlisle - Leeds trains, which did not call at Shipley in 1965. BLN 29 of 24 Mar 1965 reported 'Closures to be Effected' from Mon 22 Mar 1965 as: Local services Leeds City - Bradford Forster Square/Skipton: Apperley Bridge, Armley Canal Road, Calverley & Rodley, Cononley, Frizinghall, Kildwick & Cross Hills, Kirkstall, Manningham, Newlay, Saltaire and Steeton & Silsden stations closed (but no line closures) - quite a few have since reopened. Leeds-Ilkley via Arthington: Otley & Pool-in-Wharfedale CP; CP Arthington-Burley-in-Wharfedale. Ilkley - Skipton: (Addingham, Bolton Abbey and Embsay closed); CP Ilkley - Skipton direct line. The extra calls at Shipley were to help make up for local service cuts and loss of Bradford connections.
304] Doncaster: (BLN 1431.1977) The new Down side Colas Sidings (former 'Plant Dead End') are now fully in use (date anyone please?), with Colas locos stabled there. These works have never featured in the Weekly Operating Notices, presumably because the sidings were officially never removed! 305] Transpennine Route Upgrade, Huddersfield - Westtown (Dewsbury): (See BLN 1440.169) This is your NE Editor's best efforts to deduce dates. Many are given as NR 'periods'; each is a week, without saying if it is the start or end. Some dates have changed, so that there are discrepancies. It is also likely that dates will change as work progresses (or not), so this is a snapshot of the position at late Jan 2024. 12-21 Jul 2025: Bradley Jn remodelling, line speed increases from 15mph to 40mph. Summer 2025: (Date not set yet) Ravensthorpe station temporarily closes. 1 Sep 2025: Mirfield P1&2 island ROP, temporary footbridge removed; P3 remains in use for now. 31 Jan- 6? Feb 2026: Deighton due to reopen this week but the line will still be double track then. 29 Apr- 3? May 2026: A 52-hour Huddersfield blockade, new P4, 5&6 (through platforms north side) come into use. Hillhouse temporary platform decommissioned for passenger use but the line and platform remain for potential freight use. The Fast Lines east of Huddersfield will not yet be in service. 25 Jul-18 Aug 2027: Ravensthorpe and Baker Jn blockade. The flyover over the Calder Valley line will be installed but not in use yet. Only the new Slow Lines between Baker Jn (south of Dewsbury) and Ravensthorpe Jn (seems to be the new name) will be in use on the new Baker Viaduct; the existing line from Thornhill LNW Jn to the north side of the River Calder closes permanently during this period. 306] Going Loco at Swinton: (BLN 1440.178) Our local member thought there might be interest in his belief that our tours will be the first loco hauled trains to call since the station OP14 May 1990.Indeed, there has been - but not in the way he expected! The most recent identified train is Pathfinder Tours' 'The Deltic Borderer' on 9 Apr 2016 with 67015. Green Express Railtours used the station for at least two tours: Spondon to Edinburgh on 7 May 2005 and Sheffield to Perth on 7 Apr 2007. Pathfinder 'The Anglesey Odyssey II' on 9 Oct 1993, from York to Amlwch and Silverdale Colliery, also called at Swinton. This may not even have been the first loco hauled train. The outward leg was hauled by 37422 and the return by 20075+20187, which had replaced faulty 20066+20138 during the tour. 307] Sheffield: (BLN 1440.179) The application for the two return trips to King's Cross includes an extension from/to Meadowhall of one each way. It is thought the first Up and last Down train will be ECS viaMeadowhall, so rights are sought to call. Initially, the service will be a Class 221 or 222 DMU, so it seems probable that it will be serviced and stabled at Crofton Depot. (Note that it is an Arriva Depot for Grand Central and the proposed new passenger service is by First Group.) Neville Hill seems unlikely, with reduced capacity in 2026-27 for the Trans-Pennine Upgrade and it is closed completely for 12 weeks in mid-2027. ABOVE: Provisional timings (May 2024 timetable), although the requested start date is 1 Jun 2026. The fastest timing is 2 hours for 162 miles by the 19.56 from King's Cross, which will need to keep ahead of the 20.00 (to Sunderland now), which is non-stop to York. Detailed Sheffield shunt moves have even been included. The strangest is ECS from the Down Station Siding to Platform 2B … via Chesterfield P3 (reverse); presumably due to the Sheffield steam age layout (BLN 1438.2488) and lack of signalled routes. The 12.48 SSuX ex-King's Cross occupies Sheffield P8 from 14.57 to 16.17 then shunts to P1. It is surprising that a through platform can be occupied for so long. [In the present timetable, P8 is occupied 15.05 to 15.37 by a service from/to St Pancras.] 308] Tees Valley: (BLN 1440.176) The Metro Mayor has unveiled his full £1bn wish list Transport Plan with HS2 Manchester cancellation money. The balance is not as bad for rail as your NE Editor had feared: Rail £336M, Road £354M, Other transport £65M. However, it will be drip fed over 15 years (2025 to 2040) and projects will be subject to a decision at Cabinet later this month (the Tees Valley one, not Whitehall, but the latter will no doubt decide how much money they will allow each year). It remains to be seen how much is actually committed, when and for what. With an election looming, it will no doubt be targeted on popular projects visible to voters rather than on strategic needs. Rail: SuX SuO SuX SuO Sheffield 09.20 09.57 16.54 17.14 King's Cross 11.44 12.08 19.14 19.23 SuX SuO SX SO King's Cross 12.48 12.56 19.56 20.27 Sheffield 14.57 15.07 21.56 22.26
Teesside Park station/transport interchange; work at Thornaby station (£150M). See BLN 1440.176. Infrastructure for direct Darlington to Hartlepool rail services (£40M). Hartlepool already has bay P1, so this presumably refers to Darlington bay P7 which was descoped from the original plans. South Bank station improvements, transport hub and P+R (£40M) serving the huge Teesworks site. This suggests that Redcar British Steel may not be reopened (BLN 1421.863) for this purpose. A local member reports that South Bank station 'is clearly about to fall down in a strong gust of wind'! Middlesbrough P3 'at a faster pace' (£40M), supposedly part of the current redevelopment, there has been no news about it for a long time. It is essential for the long promised2-hourly London service. Northallerton - Eaglescliffe gauge enhancement for freight (£35M) (BLN 1395.453). This should be a priority but probably won't be as it isn't a vote winner. There is no such proposal for Norton - Ferryhill. The overbridge on the Carlton to Thorpe Thewles minor road was renewed about 10 years ago but the intermodal trains between Tees Dock and Mossend/Grangemouth still have to run via Darlington. Teesside Airport station (£20M) - report and comments at BLN 1440.176. No further comment! Develop a rail devolution proposal (£5M) to Government to gain more control and meaningful powers over rail services, perhaps a sort of TfTV (Transport for the Tees Valley or even the North East). Draw up a case (£3M) for Northallerton - Saltburn electrification. When Northallerton - Eaglescliffe was resignalled in Nov 1997 (Picton and Long Lane boxes were closed), it was said that the signalling allowed for an increase in the line speed from 70mph to 90mph but nothing has happened since then. A feasibility study (£1M) into removal of West Dyke Crossing, Redcar. This is the 'sliding barrier' level crossing, with many problems (BLN 1393.199). A bridge is mentioned but there is no room for a road over or underbridge. The best solution would probably be to demolish Redcar box (with recontrol to York ROC, Middlesbrough workstation), which would provide room for conventional crossing barriers. A feasibility study (£1M) for reopening Saltburn (sic) to Boulby to passengers as far as Loftus; there is no population beyond. See BLNs 1348.817 & 1364.3164; the line is very indirect and the 30mph line speed (or less) would need improving significantly for a passenger service to compete with buses. A feasibility study (£1M) for increased Middlesbrough to Nunthorpe services, presumably with the 'Roseberry Parkway' scheme in the Nunthorpe area (BLN 1336.2307). There is significant rush hour congestion on the road through Marton into Middlesbrough. The line could support a half hourly service in theory but would require perfect timekeeping all day. For reliability, a 'dynamic loop' would be needed in the Marton area. Middlesbrough to Guisborough and beyond used to be double track. The line to Guisborough is beyond resurrection. The Metro Mayor talks about trains every 5-7 mins! Improvements at Middlesbrough Bus Station (£15M) are in 'Other transport' schemes, as is: Reopen the Transporter Bridge (£30M), closed to all traffic since Aug 2019 because of safety issues. 15 trackless autonomous electric trams in Tees Valley town centres (£15M), presumably the 'Irizar' tram which many see as just a bus! Go-Ahead London received a batch of 20 in 2023. These should have entered service late last year but this will now not happen until Spring 2024 at the earliest. 1441 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected] 309] Grindleford: (BLN 1440.198) (TRACKmaps 4 p44C 2022) From 20 Jan until further notice all pointwork is out of use. That is the trailing crossover and trailing connection to the Down Siding in the Down Main. They are clipped, scotched and padlocked in the normal position and can only be operated manually during a line blockage or T3 possession for the movement of on track plant. 310] Preston steam shed: (BLN 1439.13) Mentioned in Railway Memories, this shed (opened in 1937) was north of Preston station and west of Fylde Jn.The shed roof burnt down on 28 Jun 1960, damaging a significant number of locos. A member recollects speaking to a former Lostock Hall shed driver about this event. The driver remembers it clearly, as those present at Lostock Hall that day were climbing the coaling stage there to get a better view. He also commented that they were clapping, cheering and very happy at seeing the fate of a Preston steam depot! In later years, when the closing and merging of depots took place, Preston men and Lostock Hall men ended up together at Preston (and possibly elsewhere). They would not acknowledge each other; this continued for well over 10 years.
311] Half price tickets: Until Sun 24 Mar (incl) Northern has a winter offer for Dales Railcard holders (who must live locally). They can have half price Off-Peak Day Returns on the Leeds - Settle - Carlisle and Leeds - Bentham - Lancaster/Morecambe routes and accompanying children can have up to 81% discount. Select 'Dales Railcard Winter CDR' as the railcard option at ticket machines or online. These tickets are also sold at ticket offices and, where there is no ticket office or machine, on trains. 312] Clitheroe - Hellifield: Northern's latest track access application shows that both the summer and winter SuO DalesRail services from Blackpool/Preston via Blackburn, Clitheroe, Hellifield and Settle to Carlisle have been deleted for the rest of 2024. They last ran on 14 May 2023. However, there is a new Saturday service of two return trips between Rochdale and Ribblehead (extending existing Rochdale via Manchester Victoria, Bolton and Darwen to Blackburn workings). They shunt ECS to Blea Moor Up Goods Loop to reverse for the return. This should see the resumption of DalesRail from Sat 8 Jun 2024. The through trains will have a much greater potential catchment population than the previous Sunday service from Blackpool North. As they are on a Saturday, when trains start much earlier, there will be connections from/to a large area (including Blackpool and Preston),also, hopefully, connections to and from Carlisle at Ribblehead. One problem with the previous Sunday service was the complex crewing arrangements which were also dependant on voluntary overtime. Blackpool North Depot staff did not want to relinquish the work but, at the same time, seemed unable to provide staff for the services. Meanwhile, Transport Minister Huw Merriman has met with MPs in Lancashire to discuss the potential reinstatement of daily passenger services to the line, using funds from the cancelled northern legs of HS2 (so it could take a very long time). A Strategic Outline Business Case, funded by the Restoring Your Railway fund, was submitted to the DfT in Apr 2021. The report estimates 80,000 extra passengers a year if Manchester Victoria to Clitheroe trains were extended to Hellifield. Options examined: Extending some or all Clitheroe services (currently hourly) to Hellifield. Extend Blackburn hourly terminating services to Clitheroe (becomes half-hourly) and Hellifield. New Preston to Blackburn to Clitheroe and Hellifield service. Extension of services along the Settle & Carlisle Line to Ribblehead or Garsdale. Campaigners want the line reopened with stations at Chatburn, Rimington, Gisburn and Newsholme. They would also like to see trains from Clitheroe to Hellifield reverse there, then run to Leeds instead of continuing north towards Carlisle. DalesRail restoration is a big step in the right direction; the intermediate stations on the Settle & Carlisle (except Settle and Appleby which, like the Windmill Theatre, never closed) reopened for excursions, which eventually became a 7-day timetabled service. 313] Ardwick: (BLN 1438.2499) TCP from Thur 7 Dec to replace the footbridge, the only access to the platform for the 1-2 passengers a day; reopening was delayed from Sat 13 Jan until Tue 30 Jan 2024. 314] Manchester Transport History: http://tinyurl.com/29z4rzve is Brian Begg-Robertson's website. Intended primarily to give a picture of British Railways around 1960, it includes a set of Rule Books issued to railwaymen, the Sectional Appendix, all running lines and locations in the Manchester area (and much further afield!), along with point to point mileages. Brian is also fascinated by local history and runs a large Facebook Group with 11,745 members, 'Greater Manchester History & Architecture'. 315] Irlam:On the Manchester-Warrington Central line, two passenger lifts are to be installed here to access the subway. The £5.7M project is due to start early Mar for completion by the end of Jan 2025. 316] Blackpool Heritage Trams: (BLN 1439.59) With the illuminations being extended, the 2023 season ran until Sun 7 Jan. There is now a break until Easter which will be used for maintenance; the first tours are on 29 Mar. Rigby Road fitting shop reopened from Mon 8 Jan for limited work on the small fleet of heritage vehicles required to operate the season. However, no volunteers or contractors are allowed on site and the offices in the fitting shop are closed until further notice. The tram shed also remains closed until the results of the survey into its condition are available. In 2024, heritage trams will again operate from Starr Gate Depot. The archives are being moved to a safe and secure location. Applications for funding to restore the tram shed and change it to a 'Tramtown' visitor attraction are continuing through the Heritage Lottery and other funding sources as they arise.
BELOW: (Item 312) A new double track underbridge has recently been instThis is the west side of it. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjpTSyEZsNEXT: Chatburn station (CP 10 Sep 1962) towards Hellifield; this day there wa
alled over the A682 on the Clitheroe to Hellifield line at Newsholme. s_g&t=19s (2 min, click 'Browse'). (All John Hampson Mon 29 Jan 2024.) as one timber and one stone train southbound and nothing northbound.
BELOW: The 7ch long Gisburn Tunnel, (cut and cover to 'hide' the railway in
n Gisburne Park) both portals are Grade II listed; looking towards Hellifield.
BELOW: In the other direction, towards Clitheroe from the same bridge, is the
site of Gisburn station (CP 10 Sep 1962); the platform areas can be discerned.
BELOW: (Item 317.2) This crossing is not all it's cracked up to be! Metrolink Victo
oria, plainlined crossing; Exchange Square off lower right. (J Cameron, 27 Jan 24.)
BELOW: Swinging in the rain (the points that is); south of Exchange Square whe
re trams from East Didsbury were turning back. (Andrew Martin, 20 Jan 2024.)
BELOW: (Item 322) The 08.59 Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe (forming the 09.
.57 return) unusually turns back in Crewe P6. (Mark Fishlock, Sun 14 Jan 2024.)
BELOW: (Item 325) EMU 323225 turns back from Manchester Piccadilly in St
tockport P1 forming the 23.53 back again. (Simon Mortimer, 29 Nov 2023.)
317] Metrolink: ❶Transport for Greater Manchester has extended its contract with KeolisAmey Metrolink Ltd to operate and maintain the tram network from Jul 2024 until Jul 2027. Operational performance is the focus of the new contract plus improvements to the network and committing more frontline staff to tackle fare evasion and antisocial behaviour. Other improvements planned are: Greater emphasis on operational performance. Improvements in revenue protection and security. Further investment to ensure the network benefits from the latest technology developments. Better social impact ambitions to maximise the network's support for local communities. ❷Between Tue 16 and Fri 19 Jan, planned engineering meant that Altrincham to Bury and Victoria to Manchester Airport services unusually ran via Exchange Square, with the Bury to Piccadilly continuing via Shudehill and Market Street. However, a cracked crossing was found at the city end of Victoria in the week. Over the weekend of 20 and 21 Jan there were no trams between Victoria and Exchange Square or Shudehill while the cracked crossing was removed and plainlined. This caused regular use of Victoria middle track by trams turning back there from the Bury and Rochdale lines (double trams every 15 mins on each route) as well as use of Exchange Square crossover by trams turning back from St Peters Square. The Exchange Square points were hand operated by a person on the ground. The cracked crossing is bespoke so it may be a while before a replacement arrives. Trams can run between Shudehill and Victoria but not between Victoria and Exchange Square. The Second City Crossing service was withdrawn until further notice from Mon 22 Jan, with East Didsbury to Shaw and Rochdale services diverted via Market Street. Therefore, Exchange Square stop is without service. 318] Blackpool: Grand Central, an Arriva Company, was about to launch an open access Blackpool to London service in 2020 when the Pandemic struck. The company has now confirmed that it has no plans to run the service in the near future. Avanti West Coast got in first and TfW had the rolling stock! 319] Kents Bank: (BLN 1440.197) On 19 Jan NR Chair, Lord Hendy, unveiled an original British Railways Kents Bank totem and opened the railway library at the station which is on the Carnforth to Barrow line. The totem was bought at auction for £2,000, raised by donations. Professor Paul Salveson is the part time General Manager and Librarian. Guests at the event represented Northern, the Community Rail Network, NR, British Transport Police, Railway Heritage Trust, Westmorland & Furness Council, Friends of Kents Bank Station & Foreshore, Furness Line Action Group (FLAG), Cumbrian Railway Association, National Railway Museum, local residents and many other rail groups (phew!). A monthly talk is planned to take place at the library; the next is 'Railways in the Lake District' by historian Martin Bairstow on Wed 14 Feb at 14.00. The library opens monthly, next on Sat 10 Feb 11.00 until 16.00. 320] Smardale Gill Viaduct: (BLN 1434.2311) To mark the completion of the restoration of the deck and the weatherproofing work, a new interpretation panel is to be installed at Smardale Gill Viaduct on the former Tebay to Kirkby Stephen (East) line. It commemorates the works and thanks funders. 321] Date for your 2025 diary: (BLN 1425.1362) Resignalling of the Crewe Basford Hall area and the … …..Crewe Independent Lines, originally due 28 Aug 2023 is now planned from 2 Jan 2025; changes: The 1897 London & North Western Railway Basford Hall Junction 48-lever box will be abolished, ….with signalling in the area controlled from a new Crewe South Workstation at Manchester ROC. Crewe Sorting Sidings North box (1962 British Railways' box with original 1962 Individual Function ….Switch panel) and Salop Goods Jn box (1901 L&NWR box; 65-lever 1936 frame) will be abolished, ….with signalling controlled from a new Crewe Independent Lines Workstation at Manchester ROC. Signals, points and track section identities will be renumbered. Lines and sidings will be renamed. Train detection in the Basford Hall Jn SB area will be by axle counters instead of track circuits. The Up Independent & Up Chester Independent will be bidirectional Basford Hall Jn - Crewe N Jn. 322] Crewe: On Sun 14 Jan, the station was very busy with CrossCountry and Avanti trains that run via Stoke all diverted through Crewe due to engineering work. ECS in the station added to the challenge faced by the signallers. A member arrived on the 08.59 Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe stopper, which turned back, very unusually, in P6 to form the 09.57 return (normally these trains use P1). Perhaps even more unusually, the Avanti 10.43 Crewe to Liverpool Lime St departed Crewe from P1.