X.17] BELOW: Strand Park Miniature Railway; (MR p19) (BLN 1216.MR146) G
Gillingham; the River Medway is in the background. (Peter Scott, 7 May 2012.)
BELOW: (Item MR23) The Chilcompton (southwest) end of the Midsome
r Norton South station. 5459/S7109/D2128. (Peter Scott, 23 Apr 2022.)
X.18] BELOW and FOLLOWING: Our visit to the 2ft gauge heritage Asho(report BLN 1435.1430) on Sun 19 Mar 2023. 'Spondon' draws the first trip
over Light Railway https://bit.ly/42qew99 (track plan) at Rowsley South past the shed platform steps towards the headshunt. (All Simon Mortimer.)
[BLN 1BELOW: 'Linby' propels the coach, with our members, in a haze of exhaust tow
1441] wards the headshunt (a section not normally used by passenger carrying trains).
BELOW: 'Linby' on our special at the other end of the running line wNEXT: 'Spondon' is now on the head of our train for the return; the stand
where it is intended to lay a triangle. The River Derwent is behind. dard gauge Peak Rail line is in the background to the right of the coach.
PREVIOUS: The ever-helpful Martha Haggas sweeps an ex-MoD wagon tThis was a combination of 'People Power' and, where possible, 'Spondon'. (
to allow our members (in two groups) to cover all available track here. Final photo Duncan Finch.) Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin…
MR22 Cont] In Nov 2023 work was underway at Foley Park; 4 years ago, a set of points was installed in the running line (136m 10ch) for future use, to be controlled by a ground frame, which was previously installed at Kidderminster. By December 2023, a turnout, siding and headshunt had been added to make a new yard. TRACKmaps 4 p 23A 2022 has the proposed layout. The first occupier should be the Harsco Stoneblower, which will make Foley Park its base. It is hoped to further expand the sidings in 2024 when time, money and resources are available. S&T volunteers are now connecting the ground frame so the yard will soon be accessible using the Bewdley to Kidderminster possession key. For now, it will be restricted to when the signal boxes are closed. In the future, once S&T has completed cabling work,the yardwill be able to be used when the signal boxes are open,with a release from Kidderminster box. There will also be some underpinning of Bewdley South signal box by Walsh Construction. This has involved complex negotiations with the adjacent landowner to gain permission to gain access to the rear of the box from their land. This work has been mostly funded by a grant from the Arley-based Turner Trust via the SVR Charitable Trust's fundraising efforts. Due to financial constraints, the number of projects in 2024 is much reduced. ('SVR Branch Lines' December 2023) MR23] Somerset & Dorset (S&D) Railway Heritage Trust, Somerset (MR p6): The Trust has purchased an important section of the former S&D Railway trackbed. In so doing the Trust has ensured that this land, which is vital to achieve its long term expansion plans, will remain available for railway use. The change of ownership was confirmed on 10 October 2023. It is from just south of Chilcompton Tunnels to Redan Bridge (ST 649515 at 13m 51ch), a length of some 750yd, together with several acres of adjacent former agricultural land, which had to form part of the purchase. The Trust will benefit greatly from the ownership of this additional land. It has now opened an appeal to attract donations towards covering the costs of fencing between the trackbed and adjacent fields, which it must install as part of the purchase agreement, along with other clearance and land management work for which it will engage the services of a specialist contractor. Presently, the operational railway runs for just under a mile from Midsomer Norton South station (12m 00ch) to 12m 74ch - where infill blocks the cutting on the approach to the twin bore single track 64yd Chilcompton Tunnels (13m 12ch to 13m 15ch). TRACKmaps 3 p13E Sep 2023 has current southern operational limit of the Railway as 12m 58ch. 1441 FIXTURE REPORTS (Paul Stewart) [email protected] 402] High Peak Signal Box Visits, Fri 14 Jan 2024: By James Taylor. ❶Chapel-en-le-Frith: A full party of nine members met for our first box of the day on the Buxton branch, often just referred to as 'Chapel'. It is notable mainly for the absence of the original box due to an incident on 9 Feb 1957. The brakes on an 8F failed and it ran away towards the former London & North Western Railway (L&NWR) box, colliding with the rear of another freight train, destroying the box in the process. The driver of the 8F was posthumously awarded the George Cross for his bravery, staying in the cab trying to prevent the accident, and there is a plaque on the former station building wall in his honour. The current 1957 box is a British Railways (BR) London Midland Region Type 15 design with a 20-lever frame. With no pointwork, just five working levers remain; the Up line complement is only a single home signal and a mechanical semaphore distant, which we were assured was quite a pull! The Down line has a more conventional setup, with a short section of station limits and a colour light distant. The box works Absolute Block to both Furness Vale and to Buxton. It is somewhat of a rarity south of the Scottish border on a passenger line because it regularly switches out overnight, creating a longer 10¼ mile Absolute Block section between Furness Vale and Buxton. The signal box diagram is also very traditional (and small!), with track circuit indications displayed on the block shelf. The town of Chapel-en-le-Frith lies on the former Midland Railway (MR) from Manchester to Derby and London St Pancras, perhaps most famous for being the route that the striking Midland (Blue) Pullman plied in the 1960s. The Midland station was suffixed 'Central' in 1924 (it was central too) but closed to passengers in 1967. The L&NWR station was suffixed 'South' in 1924 and de-suffixed in 1968 ('Well South' would have been more appropriate). An hourly off-peak Manchester to Buxton service (half-hourly peak) is the current passenger offering. Due to the heavy quarrying in the area (a theme throughout the day!), the ex-MR line is retained as a freight only line between Buxton, Blackwell Mill
and Chinley North Jn/Chinley East Jn, a triangular junction where it joins the Hope Valley Line. Chinley East Jn - Chinley South Jn CA 21 Sep 1964 and removed but was relaid and reopened 21 Dec 1980. ❷Peak Forest South: Situated on the aforementioned MR freight line between Buxton and Chinley, this box has recently been externally refurbished. It works Absolute Block in both directions to Chinley and Great Rocks Junction, including access to some DBC owned quarry sidings. There are also storage sidings, where we saw a DB Class 60 arrive from Tunstead Sidings (by our next location), reverse and stable in the Up Sidings. Peak Forest South also marks the end of the 1m 56ch long Dove Holes Tunnel running almost all of the distance between Chapel and Peak Forest. There were two boxes controlling the area (hence 'South') but Peak Forest North closed and the layout was simplified after passenger closure in 1967 with the end of the line through Millers Dale and Bakewell to Matlock (for Derby etc). The box is almost entirely mechanical with just the Up distant semaphore signal that is motor worked. Peak Forest South controls the Down Sidings Ground Frame (163m 27ch), at the end of the Buxton end of the Down Sidings (TRACKmaps 4 p43E 2022). Trains are worked by telephone agreement between Peak Forest and Great Rocks signal boxes. The diagram is not illuminated and, as at Chapel, track circuit indications are shown on the block shelf. Slightly strange is a retro-reflective fixed distant board on a through 'main line' track, as these are normally reserved for branch lines and termini. Another point of interest is N o 18 points, which have to be reversed for a train to traverse the Up Main. This is to add an element of protection against anything running away down the gradient from Chinley. The array of mechanical point rodding and signal wire, despite being limited in comparison to the likes of Severn Bridge Junction, was nevertheless impressive, spreading out from the box. This box can also be switched out (Christmas Day for example). Peak Forest* station building (CP 6 Mar 1967) is a train crew depot for DB Cargo (other FOCs are available). [*Peak Forest for Peak Dale until 14 Jun 1965.] ❸Great Rocks Junction: One can't help feeling that Great Rocks should have an exclamation mark after it! Our next location, just 55ch 'down' (literally) the line, is sandwiched between the road bridge, railway and Tarmac facility. This signal box, opened in 1923, became flat roofed accidently when the stove chimney (still present) set fire to the previous roof and a new flat one was installed instead. The box, which was refurbished in 2004, is also entirely mechanical except for N o 26 Signal, now motor operated but, unusually, retains its long lever (they are normally cut down for motorised signals and points). The method of working is Absolute Block to Peak Forest South and Electric Token Block to Buxton over the single line section. The box also works into the busy Tunstead Sidings with a strange colour light 'Signal C', beyond the NR boundary (163m 76ch) but slotted with Great Rocks Signal 26. Again, Great Rocks lacks an illuminated diagram but has a fine array of signal repeaters and track circuits on the block shelf, mainly because the bridge obscures most of the view towards Peak Forest. A rather interesting local Rule between Great Rocks and Buxton is of restricted acceptance. While this is still in the Rule Book for engineering possessions, it is not usually allowed during normal working. However, our group experienced it in Buxton; a train was accepted under 'restricted acceptance' by Great Rocks. This means that Great Rocks can foul its clearing point, even though a train has been accepted under Electric Token Block regulations. The driver must be told that the line is only clear to the home signal (GR13). There was a former quarry in the Electric Token Block Section at Topley Pike (161m 64ch) but, since its closure, the line is just a simple section between Great Rocks and Buxton. ❹Buxton: This was our final box of the day (cleverly arranged to start and end at passenger stations), an 1894 L&NWR design. Once Buxton N o 1 (of three boxes here, N o 2 was at the end of line), it had its lever frame replaced when the other two closed. The box is entirely mechanical and has a pleasantly limited number of white (spare) levers, just four of the 48 lever frame. However, it used to have 60 levers (as the below floor lever frame confirms) and, above floor, Levers 1-4 are missing. The signaller thinks that the four were for future expansion, with a set of points coming from the Up & Down Great Rocks line through the Up Main to the Down Main being mooted at one time but this seems to have fizzled out. This may have been short sighted anyway, as the gradient to the north of the box towards Chapel is noticeably uphill and perhaps not suitable for a fully laden aggregate train!
BELOW: (Item 402.1) Chapel-en-le-Frith box (station off right) looks rather isol
ated here; Buxton is off left, Stockport right. (Angus McDougall, 5 Sep 2009.)
PREVIOUS: Chapel-en-le-Frith signal box. THIS PAGE & NEXT: Peak forest South box (All photos James Taylor on Fri 14 Jan 2024 unless specified.)
ABOVE: From Peak Forest South box towards the former station (left of the track ahead) and Chinley BELOW: In the other direction, looking south towards Great Rocks Jn and Buxton.
ABOVE: Peak Forest South with Great Rocks Jn and Buxton off right. (Angus McDougall, 28 Nov 1998.) BELOW: The same day, the former Peak Forest station building is right, looking south towards Buxton.
[BLN 1441] PREVIOUS: Peak Forest station building with a remaining section of Down platform looking south (22 Mar 2009). ABOVE: Looking north towards Chinley, date unknown. (Previous and this page Angus McDougall.) BELOW: In the other direction, from the overbridge in the distance on the previous photo (22 Mar 2009).
ABOVE: Peak Forest South Locking Room below the frame - it is indeed normally locked. BELOW: Great Rocks Jcn (sic) with its flat roof following a fire, the uPVC cladding dates from 2004.
PREVIOUS: A token of my esteem signalman! (Thanks to our member Adrian Nicholls, 22 Mar 2018.) Looking south, 60015 eases up to Great Rocks Junction signal box as Peak Forest driver Mick Erwin gets ready to drop the token off for the single line from Buxton. The train is 6H52 the 13.02 Dowlow Quarry to Ashburys Stone Terminal in Manchester. The empty southbound trains stop to pick up a token here but the northbound workings like this one slow to walking pace. The train weights on the 1:90 gradient means a standing start here could be time consuming or worse a stall situation given poor track conditions. This section of line was once part of the Midland Railway main Manchester Central to St Pancras line which continued through the beautiful Monsall Dale, Bakewell and Matlock. Great Rocks Junction signal box dates from 1923 but over the past 100 years has seen a fair bit of change. It has a 34-lever Midland Railway frame and its hipped roof was replaced with a flat one after fire damage. UPVc cladding was added in 2004 over the timber boards as well as double glazing. Externally it's pretty well just the four wooden corner posts that are original. MP 163 is upper left. BELOW: Group photo of our members on these visits at Peak Forest South signal box, looking north.
BELOW: Buxton N o 1 from P2 of the station. The abutments were for a flyover f
from Hindlow/Ashbourne towards Stockport. (Angus McDougall, 5 Aug 2004.)
Buxton works Absolute Block to Chapel, Electric Token Block to Great Rocks Jn and No Signaller Token Block to Briggs Ground Frame (and the recently reinstated intermediate Hillhead Ground Frame). Strangely, there are 'fixed' home signals approaching the box from the Hindlow and Great Rocks lines. They do not seem to have much purpose and have no corresponding lever in the frame - shunting discs control the movements from these locations. (Sighting difficulty for these discs may be the reason.) Buxton box has become significantly busier in recent years due to an upsurge in aggregate traffic from the quarries on the Hindlow branch. The number of trains is not high but dealing with each one can take over an hour due to the restrictive layout. Anything to/from the Hindlow branch must run round via either the extended Single Line Access Road or Engine Run Round Road (previously 'XYZ Sidings', even though there were only two latterly!). At busy times, a train can be running round while two more are held at BN37 and BN27 signals. There can be long delays as trains at Briggs Ground Frame have to retain the token to split their wagons into the two Hindlow Sidings, locking the whole line. Fortunately, Buxton passenger services use the separate Up and Down Mains! However, recently Northern has started doing a large amount of (seemingly unnecessary) ECS shunting between the two platforms, with a move completed after each off-peak arrival. The former Buxton diesel depot line, prominently displayed on the diagram, is nothing more than weeds and rust. This leads to the amusing situation when the S&T technicians test Track Circuit T10, which is still on their maintenance roster! Thanks to Rebecca Longden (LOM) for facilitating the visits and the signallers for answering our many questions about these locations. We raised £400 for the Samaritans, a fantastic charity closely linked with the railway. [Thanks to member James Taylor for the arrangements to 'peek' inside these boxes.] 403] Scunthorpe Railtour 27, Sat 6 Jan 2024: By Paul Stewart. A full party of 54 members was booked in three brakevans on our traditional first fixture of the year. There isn't usually much else happening this weekend and the steelworks is quieter than normal after Christmas. We were pleased to see that renovation of the high capacity 'Shark' brakevan was nearing completion - an impressive job with almost total replacement of the woodwork so we expect four brakevans for our Mon 26 Aug tour. Of note, there were a large number of first timers (referred to as 'Scunthorpe Virgins'), particularly younger members, which was good to see. For the chronic hardliner 'Scunthorpe Addicts' this tour was off to an excellent start at the Heavy Repair Bay. The brakevans were propelled along Road 7 which, following removal of a set of buffer stops, now joins into the end of Road 6 again. The doors were reached, also on Road 5, and up to an obstruction on Road 4. Most unusually Roads 1&2 were clear to the doors (normally an immovable large road vehicle sits on the concrete apron blocking the end - not today!). This shows that if you keep coming back, eventually you will find a line you want to do is clear. At the Rail Service Centre (updated Jan 2024 track plan on our website 'Archive' - just put 'Scunthorpe' in the top right box and click 'Search'), we went up to a stabled Di8 locomotive on 5 Bay Road and to the doors on 4 Bay and 3 Bay Roads. Most of the rest of the morning was taken up with reaching the much requested 'Muck Bank' buffer stops. It has to be said that the Muck Bank line was clipped out of use for quite a few years and we even wondered if it would ever be available again. The first task was to temporarily relocate some wagons stabled in the Muck Bank Loop (between Points 443 and 444). This proved to be considerably easier than on our last tour in Aug 2023 as they were of a lighter type and all moved in one go; no mucking about. There were some extremely heavy duty wagons with rusty wheels on the Muck Bank line itself which would have been very difficult (maybe Impossible) to move. Then the hard work started for the few with authority to alight. Shovels and garden implements were used to dig out the deeply buried track on a level crossing. It wasn't just a case of digging the rails out, there needed to be clearance for the brakevan foot boards too. A long section was involved as the branch runs along the haul road, a bit like a tramway, and the 'muck' was well consolidated. Our Route Director and Appleby Frodingham Railway member, Alan Sheppard, went Dutch with his hoe (ho ho!). There was much 'toing and froing' of our train, with by necessity the loco leading, gaining a few feet each time by taking a run at it. (This could be a problem for those who count and time every reversal - excluding them, there were 78 reversals all day but no setbacks.) The final bit involved hacking out and
squashing saplings growing out of the track but we eventually arrived at the stop blocks of the Muck Bank. Although this took a while and was hard work for some (thanks to all involved), it was quality very rare track. One of our new younger contingent was heard to say that you wouldn't be able to do this sort of thing in Bosnia even. It was probably the first train to the end since our previous one! In recent years, the lunch break has evolved into a full buffet with a good selection of food, not just a wide variety of sandwiches but nibbles, crisps, cakes and a hot (or cold) drink or two. Fortunately it was dry and not as cold as it could have been. The stoves were lit,so those inside the brakevans were nice and warm - one stove glowed so hot it was like a mini-blast furnace (well done Archie and Neil!). The afternoon was a treat for the first timers covering considerable ground on this still very extensive railway over a vast site (marked up plan on our website). Highlights included the end of Road 1 inside the Torpedo Repair Bay, the Fuel Road end of line and loop and likewise at Frodingham Platform. We made some interesting discoveries. The active blast furnace (of the four) has been Queen Victoria - the southernmost - which dates from 1954 (unlike the real thing) but it is being run down and will finish production. The adjacent Queen Anne blast furnace - also a 1954 vintage - is being started up (there was evidence of this) instead to replace it. Our tour visited Queen Victoria's bottom and found that the left hand tracks are all permanently out of use now with the power turned off to the point motors. That is from Points 210 to 133 and its end of line, along with the connections to/from that line at Points 142, 130 & 131. The only line available towards Queen Victoria now is the single track we did (Points 140 - 129 - 130 - 131 - 128). Also, the former through line along the west side of the four blast furnaces (Points 101, partly dismantled, by the Torpedo Repair Bay to Points 111 at least) is defunct. This is only the start; opinion among AFR-S people in the know is that most of the west side of the railway will go with the closure of the four Blast Furnaces and BOS (Basic Oxygen Steelmaking) plant. British Steel proposals (with e-BLN) are to replace them with a 130 tonne electric arc furnace, two 130 tonne ladle furnaces, a 130 tonne degasser and two continuous casters. In addition, there would be a new, much larger, Scrap Yard. Plans show a 'potential', relatively small, 4½ acre rectangular site for the electric arc furnace over part of the south end of the Former Soakers, extending over 'The Subway' north to the south end of the Former Bloom & Billet Mill then across, over 'Concast Road', to the Slab Yard. Very ominously, improvements to local roads are mentioned under 'transport improvements'. During our railtour, the inner (Up) track of the double track between Points 452 and 448 was out of use for engineering work and a gang was installing a new point (486) in it facing Anchor Sidings. This is for a new Coke Handling Line round the ever increasing coke stockpile in that area, joining the existing railway at 'The Angle' - facing Brick Shed Jn. It will then be possible to circle round the coke stockpile. The new line is top right (dashed) on our updated plan. Recently, each time we visit, there has been more and more coke stockpiled at different places on site; perhaps this new development means the blast furnace/s will stay operational until the electric arc furnace is commissioned (unlike the plan at Port Talbot)? Pleasingly, our tour raised £2,844.98 to support the work of the volunteers at Appleby Frodingham Railway-Scunthorpe. Thanks to everyone involved in arranging yet another interesting and enjoyable tour here including (in alphabetical order), Martyn Brailsford (mapping), Martha Haggas (brakevan allocations), Neil Lewis (who provided an A3 colour printed map for each participant), Alan Sheppard, of course, and AFR-S. https://www.afrps.co.uk/ has details of some of their 2024 events. :Details must be checkedd 1441 CONNECTIONS (Paul Stewart) [email protected] .Please mention BLN . 404] Severn Valley Railway 12-month Unlimited Pass: Adult £150; Two Adults £270; Small Family (1A+2C) £210; Large Family (2A+4C) £300; Person with Disability & Carer £180. Unlimited travel on normal timetabled services - excellent value. 10% off at refreshment rooms and gift shops, discounted special events and two dogs travel free! Most 2024 fares are held at 2023 rates. Bring a canoe for £5! 405] 8-9 Jun; 'The Frontier Brush': A Brush Type 4 Fund circular tour with ex-BR (now Komplex Rail) 47375 around eastern Hungary with rare track. See 'The Frontier Brush' topic on WNXX Interactive or join this group for details and how to book: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3475349389420529/ 406] Fares increase: Ticket offices can sell ordinary tickets at present prices for up to a year ahead.
BELOW: (Item 403) A mini-blast furnace? No it was a glowing hot brakevan stove on our Scunthorpe tour.
BELOW: Heavy Repair Bay (the building ahead) propelling along Road 7 to joi
n Road 6 to Door 6 at the end, right is Road 8 which goes to … Door 7!! (AS)
BELOW: The Battle of Scunthorpe Muck Bank 2024, the railway is buried in the