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Number 1385 (Items 2419 - 2567 & MR 168 - 177) (E-BLN 136 PAGES) 25 Sep 2021

BRANCH LINE NEWS

Distribuendi notitia, verbi disseminandi

Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955.

branchline.uk https://www.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/

Membership queries: Lisa Sheppard [email protected]
186 AnlabymPaermkbReorasdhiSpo.suetchr,eHtaurlyl,@HbUr4an7cBhUli.ne.0u7k873354464

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

BLN 1386 is dated Sat 9 Oct; all contributions by Wed 29 Sep please.

2419] E-BLN no longer creases you up: We are pleased to advise that the Anyflip (booklet) version of
e-BLN now comes without a centre page crease. Many thanks to Mark Haggas for ironing this out.

.Date Event and details…ci.e..t.y.SociPeltey.ase book online BLN Lead Status

Sat 2 Oct 09.30 Leighton Buzzard Railway, The Shifting Sands BELOW MG OPEN

Sun 3 Oct The Wirral Squirrel Class 40 track & traction tour 1384 MG OPEN

Sat 13 Nov East Midlands project with 125 Group TBA TBA Claimed

19 & 20 Nov Possible fixtures for AGM under investigation BELOW TBA Claimed

Sun 21 Nov Annual General Meeting; Presentation and buffet BELOW MG OPEN

Sun 12 Dec Save the date for a Society mainline fixture TBA TBA Claimed

Sat 8 Jan 22 Scunthorpe Steelworks No23 cold steel tracker BELOW MG OPEN

22-25 Apr Niedersachsen Explorer (Germany, four days now) 1370 PG Claimed

21-28 May Northern Sweden tour (BLNs 1337.2400 & 1369.152) 1369 IS Claimed

MG = Mark Gomm (back page); IS = Iain Scotchman; PG = Paul Griffin; TBA = To Be Advised.

2420] :Sat 2 Oct, The Shifting Sands 09.30:: A return to https://bit.ly/3tEpIxq - the former industrial
2ft gauge 2¾ mile Leighton Buzzard Railway (LBR). Extensive works start soon with the deviation on
the main line and the northern extension. This is a final chance for the Society to enjoy it in its current
form. Like most places, Leighton Buzzard is expanding and new housing is surrounding the LBR along
Vandyke Rd. A new road is being constructed from Heath Rd to Stanbridge Rd, which will cross the
railway. A level crossing is not permitted, so this road will cross over the railway on a bridge/tunnel,
with a significant deviation of the line (plans BLN 1377.MR87) away from Vandyke Road - the road can
then be realigned and the new road gain height to cross the railway. The developers are funding this
at no cost to the LBR, with the railway related work subcontracted by them to Alan Keef Ltd.

Track laying should start in mid-Sep. The deviation should be connected up, with the existing track
recovered in early Nov. The developers would like the new road open before Christmas. The last public
trains on the old route are on Sun 31 Oct, with the new route opening at the start of the 2022 season.

Our fixture starts with hot breakfast rolls and tea or coffee, before our private charter departs at 10.00
from Page's Park P1, covering the headshunt, then making our way to Stonehenge Works, where we
will cover the platform and run round loop. On return to Page's Park we will arrive in P2 and revisit
the headshunt, terminating about 12.00. Both sides of Leedon Loop will be covered. Page's Park shed
will be open for viewing after the charter has terminated. A second hot drink will also be available.
Simplex Beaudesert is expected, 'top & tail' with another of the diesel fleet not normally used in
passenger service. Ample free car parking is available (postcode LU7 4TG) or it is just two miles from
Leighton Buzzard station. Thanks to Bill Davis for the arrangements. Adult members £25.00; £12.50
reduction for under 18s (must be adult accompanied). Please book at our website if possible, or ask
someone to do this for you. Postal bookings with cheque payee 'Branch Line Society' (not 'BLS' please),
with an SAE, (two for an acknowledgement/queries) and all queries to Bookings Officer, Mark Gomm.

BELOW: (Item 2423) During our 20 Aug 2020 Scunthorpe railtour nea
Unique in the UK they have over 100 miles of railway provided for them

ar the Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society Loco shed.
m to run on! Our next tour is now open for bookings. (Iain Scotchman.)

2421] :2020 & 2021 AGMs:: (BLN 1384.2260) Notice is hereby given that the Society will hold its 2020
& 2021 Annual General Meetings on Sunday 21 November, 2021, at Kidderminster Railway Museum,
near Kidderminster main line station. A start time of 12.15 is targeted to allow on the day rail access.

Subject to engineering work, there are train connections from/to London, Manchester etc. Hot drinks
will be available from 11.30 and during a suitable interval. Bookings from current members, free of
charge, can now be made, at our website branchline.uk under 'Fixtures' as an 'Expression of Interest'.
Otherwise, please liaise with a member who can book online for you, or postal bookings can be made
to Mark Gomm (per back page) with your name, Membership Number, email address and, for a
written acknowledgment (if required), an SAE please. Under 18s are not allowed to attend the AGM
unaccompanied; all bookings are subject to Society Terms and Conditions available on our website.

The heated room (where we held our 2014 Kidderminster AGM) can seat up to 100 in line with Fire
Regulation safety limits. Members who do not book can only be admitted if there is sufficient seating
and will not be entitled to refreshments, so please express interest no later than Mon 15 Nov.
Members are reminded that apologies for non-attendance are no longer recorded and reported.

The closing date for receipt of items for the AGM agenda, including nominations for all the Officers
listed in the Constitution, plus four Committee Members per Standing Orders and any motions for
debate, each duly proposed and seconded, is Sun 31 Oct 2021. All existing Officers and Committee
Members have indicated their availability for re-election. If you require details on the nomination
process, please contact [email protected] or for queries on the various roles available.

Officers' Reports are due to be circulated with BLN 1387 (of Sat 23 Oct 2021), with the draft 2020/21
Society Accounts, in advance of the AGM. Officers anticipate being present to answer questions during
the relevant agenda items. A Final AGM Notice, with detailed agenda, will be issued with BLN 1388
(6 Nov 2021), which will also set out proposed subscription rates for 2022/2023. Copies of the draft
2019 AGM Minutes were supplied with BLN 1352, and draft (delayed) 2017 Minutes with BLN 1353,
and are on our website Archives section. Select 'AGM' in the left box and put the year in the right box.

There are no Severn Valley Railway services operating. Enquiries are being made to see if a separate
fixture on the 7¼" Coalyard Miniature Railway adjacent to the Museum is possible during the breaks.
Enquiries are also in hand for riding and walking fixtures on Fri 19 Nov and a West Midlands Railway
Service Train Tracker on Sat 20 Nov. These will be separately advertised when details are confirmed.

2422] :AGM Presentation:: After the AGM on Sun 21 Nov, from 16.00-17.15 our Treasurer and BLN
photographer of repute, Ian Mortimer, will present an illustrated talk on Industrial Railways. A hot and
cold buffet follows from 17.15 until 18.00. This is available to members only at £11 (no reductions).
Please book at branchline.uk or ask someone to do this for you; Postal bookings per item 2420 above.

2423] :Scunthorpe Cold Steeler No23, Sat 8 Jan 2022 09.30-16.30:: (See item 2562) With over 100
miles of standard gauge track to choose from; a great way to see an operating integrated steel works
and 24-hour industrial railway at close quarters set in 2,800 acres (totally unspoilt by tourism). Subject
to National Rail engineering works, connects at Scunthorpe with the TPE Manchester arrival at 09.03
and 17.08 return, (connections from/back to Birmingham, London, etc). 09.30 prompt from the AFRPS
platform; due to finish about 16.30. An extensive full day railtour. Max 50, first come, first served;
supporting the AFRPS volunteers' good work. MEMBERS ONLY £50 (only £7.15p an hour!); Under 18s
£25 (must be accompanied by a booked adult). Includes the usual food and hot drink at lunchtime,
and a detailed A3 printed track map. Bookings as above. Queries/specific line requests in advance only
please ASAP to Paul Stewart. There may be a completely new line in the vicinity of the former P'Way
Yard (item 2562). Note: There is no such thing as feeling cold, only inadequate clothing (Kev Adlam).

1385 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]

1524] Early Railway Memories (61) Phil Robinson (452): How I started with railways (1962-1968).
I guess I should start my rambles with a question about what counts as track? Firstly does a line done
in utero count? (For me that's Caernarfon - Llanberis LNWR; last passenger train ran on 7 Sep 1962.)

ABOVE: 1959 map Caernarvon (as then) station is upper left - the L&NWR line to Afon Wen (on the
Cambrian Coast line) is off left. Llanberis terminus and Snowdon Mountain Railway are bottom right.

[On the basis that Editor's decision is final: Yes, Phil, if you are happy to count track done in the dark.]

Then it's track done when you were so young that you have no memory of it (Scarborough - Staithes).
Scarborough - Whitby CP 8 Mar 1965 but Whitby West Cliff - Staithes - Loftus had CP 5 May 1958.
Then there's a third type, which I'll come on to a little later, where you're virtually certain you did it.

Answering the question of how did I start getting interested in railways, it all began in Jun 1962, soon
after my parents, my next older brother and I moved from Leeds to Loughborough. A couple of
months later, we went on holiday to Prestatyn holiday camp. In an age long before Shearings coaches,
this involved a short trip on a Barton's bus from Loughborough to Sandiacre followed by a change
onto a coach to Prestatyn. While waiting for the coach my brother (John Robinson, a former Society
committee member who sadly passed away in Jul 2017) asked if he could go up to the nearby bridge
which crossed over the Midland main line at Toton Yards. He was given permission as long as he took
me (an annoying little 8 year old!). We only had a few minutes there but it made a lasting impression
on me - seeing, two steam engines, 78020 and 42663, and D5 Cross Fell.

The Prestatyn holiday went by uneventfully except I didn't realise the significance of my big brother
being allowed out on his own - he went round Rhyl Motive Power Depot and saw some of the last
Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 0-6-0s! A week after we got back, he offered to give me a belated
birthday present - a trip down to where the Great Central and Midland crosses (and will do so again
one day) near Loughborough Midland station to go trainspotting. I readily agreed and was doomed!

I will skip over 1962 - 1965 as these were all about number collecting and maybe not relevant to a
track bashing organisation, but they included a lot of exciting trips to locations and engine sheds,
mainly in the East Midlands and West Yorkshire in an age when a pre-teenager was given a lot more
freedom than now. I think I was only twice thrown out of a shed - by a policeman at Old Oak Common
who had an Alsatian dog bigger than me and at Willesden by a perfectly charming shed foreman.

1966 was the year it all really blossomed for me, starting at the end of July when I went to visit my
eldest brother near Bournemouth. Yes, this did involve a trip on the York to Bournemouth service
during the last weeks of its operation on the Great Central route. (As a 12 year old I was completely
unaware of this.) This turned out to be the only time (except the return journey) that I travelled on the
GC south of Rugby but my lasting memory of the whole thing was being hauled by air smoothed 34066
'Spitfire' from Banbury to New Milton. The Bournemouth holiday itself was all about loco spotting but
I did manage a short trip (Ryde Esplanade to St John's Road) behind some IOW O2s steam locos
before the steam passenger service was suspended for electrification (it last ran on 31 Dec 1966).

Next was my first trip to Scotland at the end of Aug 1966. Yes - yet again I was completely oblivious to
the fact that this was only two weeks before the A4s were withdrawn on the Glasgow to Aberdeen
expresses. I had a week's Scottish Railrover but was only interested in loco spotting so day one was
spent going from Glasgow to Aberdeen and then on to Inverurie Works rather than Ferryhill! Still, I
saw a lot of withdrawn D61xx locos (Class 21) at Inverurie. My haulage luck ran out that day as I had
D6123 both out and back to Aberdeen, still it did Glasgow Buchanan Street and the Caledonian main
line north of Perth via Forfar. The next four days were spent shed bashing, but by then I'd run out of
places to go to (oh, what I could do now?) so I used up one of my remaining two days going back to
Aberdeen and going round Ferryhill. The result - D6123 again to Aberdeen but then three new A4s on
Ferryhill shed and 60532 'Blue Peter' back to Glasgow. The last day was non-railway, a trip on a paddle
steamer from Glasgow down the Clyde Estuary - I'm not sure if it was 'Waverley' or an alternative.

Anyway, next in this excellent year (1966) was a long weekend around the North East of England with
me venturing north of York for the first time. This definitely included travelling from Leeds via Ripon
(CP 6 Mar 1967) to Northallerton but this also included a piece of 'almost certain' category track.
After Darlington, I definitely then remember passing Bishop Auckland station on the left while we
were on a right hand curve, on our way to Newcastle. It was a Sunday so this strongly suggests that we
were diverted round from Darlington to Bishop Auckland and then on to Relly Mill (CA 5 Aug 1968).

On to 1967 and my next 'almost certain' track. I was travelling from Leeds via Manchester to Liverpool
for a Sunday shed bash (Aintree, Edge Hill, Speke, Birkenhead) and was setting myself up at the
window for collecting numbers as we passed Patricroft shed. Unfortunately the shed went past on the
wrong side (the left) and the only explanation I can think of is that we must have gone round the Leigh
loop (CA 5 May 1969). Much more trainspotting followed in 1967 but one trip with track interest was
carried out in July. Before this trip two things occurred, firstly I'd moved up to secondary school and
was introduced to something very new to me called Maths and secondly my brother told me of this
Shangri-La place called Barry where there were 200 rusting steam engines, nearly all of which I hadn't
seen. Anyway, the Maths link is because some bright marketing manager came up with an idea called
a quarter return (not quarterly) which meant what it said, it was the quarter of the price of an ordinary
return - the catch being that you couldn't use the return half until at least a week after the outward.

Anyway, off I went with my (legal) child quarter return (costing next to nothing) from Loughborough
to Cardiff General as it was until 'Centralised' from 3 May 1973. Here I thought I was catching a DMU
to Barry but after about 15 minutes we came to a halt at a station where everyone was told to get off.
Somewhat puzzled I asked a member of the crew how did I get to Barry? He pointed to another DMU
10 yards in front of ours (I can't remember if there were buffer stops between the two trains) so on I
got, reasonably assured until 15 minutes later this new train came to a halt and everyone was told to
get off again! Completely confused, asking for Barry, I was told to wait on the platform and sure
enough, five minutes later another train arrived with Barry on its destination blind and off I went for a
truly amazing visit round Barry at the height of its storage of locos. It turns out I had just been round
the Penarth Loop, by then with a shuttle (withdrawn 6 May 1968) between Penarth and Cadoxton.

So, you may well ask, what did I do for the week before my return was valid? Simple, I went to Bristol
to collect lots of hydraulic loco numbers then bought a quarter return back to Loughborough from
Bristol, incidentally doing the Midland route north of Bristol via Mangotsfield in the process (it was
taken OOU 08.30 Tue 27 Dec 1969, never to reopen). So this meant the whole trip was half price.
Now, this was the age when nothing went to waste; so, armed with return halves, Loughborough to
Bristol and Cardiff to Loughborough, you've guessed it, a week later I did the whole trip in reverse!
Finally for 1967, my first trip which was really all about track rather than train numbers. This was just
before Christmas which that year had been organised by another of my brothers who lived in High
Wycombe. I was allowed to travel on my own from Loughborough; the trip involved Loughborough
Central to Rugby Central (since 5 Sep 1966 the end of the Great Central line; Nottingham Arkwright
Street - Rugby Central CP 5 May 1969), Rugby to Bletchley; then to Bicester London Road, (CP with
Oxford to Cambridge 1 Jan 1968); Bicester North to High Wycombe. A long day but very interesting.

1968 was all about chasing steam in its final days, but of relevance here that this was the year I went
on my first railtour. This was one of the two SLS steam tours on the 4 Aug - the one hauled by 44874
and 45017. An amazing day out for me and I still remember the final sight of the two steam locos
heading north over Stockport Viaduct whistles blowing, heading back to their depot. It was not really
a track bashing trip but did include the north side of the triangle at Bolton and the Olive Mount Curve.

The next phase of my railway hobby heavily focused on track including my first track bashing railtour
around the Lincolnshire coast in Oct 1969 and, in Aug 1970, my first ever experience of my ideal form
of rail transport - standing on the back veranda of a brake van on a freight train plodding through the
countryside. I must admit the first was at the back of an unfitted empty coal train, so the riding was
pretty rough to say the least, and at the end of the trip our group was asked to gravity shunt the van
100 yards down the gradient whilst the guard did a bit of shunting with the loco…

With regards to steam, from 1968 when British Rail steam ended, everything was just a memory until,
in 1982, in a very smoky pub called the Rising Sun in Gravesend, that same brother who got me into all
this calmly suggested: How do you fancy a trip to India? But that's another story!

2425] E-BLN 1384: With thanks to Mark Haggas, a revised (definitive) version was available by 19.00
on Sun 12 Sep with an amended caption and a couple of minor corrections elsewhere.

2426] John David Harrup: With great sadness we have to report that member 1595, John Harrup
of Southend, died at home of oesophageal cancer on 30 Aug. John joined the Society in 1983 and,
following the death of Brian Philp, took over as BLNI Editor from 28 Feb 2005 (BLN 988). He was
co-opted onto your Committee on 13 Mar 2005 and his last BLNI was 1030 (18 Nov 2006).

John was a war baby, born and growing up in Bath, leading to a lifetime's love of God's Wonderful
Railway. Working in the City he moved out to Southend and became a director of an insurance
brokerage. He joined the UK railtouring crowd in the mid-1980s completing the UK by the end of
the decade. John had ventured into France as a schoolboy, but did not become an active overseas
traveller until the end of the eighties, participating in some of the 'Diana' tours in Holland.

He then attacked Switzerland in the early nineties before concentrating on Belgium. Using our
Overseas Enthusiasts Information Service bumph, John travelled to many German railtours in the
1990s and 2000s. He would fly out early on Friday morning, collect lines all day, join a railtour on
Saturday, collect more lines on Sunday and fly home late that evening. John often travelled on
railtours then went back to those countries again and again to do his own thing. In this way he
completed Ireland, Portugal, France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and Latvia.
He had done much of Spain, Italy (north of Naples), Denmark and varying amounts of Sweden,
Finland, Lithuania, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia. John thought that time not travelling was time
wasted; what a great motto for a Branch line Society member! (With thanks to Roger Bartlett.)

2427] An unusual query: We have been approached by someone who is making a scale diorama of
1994 Manchester, specifically the area around The Hacienda nightclub (Whitworth St/Deansgate area).
It will include trams, train and buses of the time. External photos of the area and nightclub, particularly
at night, taken around 1994 would be very welcome - please contact your BLN Editor (per back page).

2428] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1384.2264] With apologies, those with paper BLN 1384 please cut this
item out with a pair of scissors and insert it after item 2275 (e-BLN 1384 was suitably amended).
●●2289] From 6 Sep the St Albans to Sutton Loop (described by a member as 'The Wall of Death')
Thameslink services were actually increased by 2tph - one is via St Helier and Tooting, the other via
Hackbridge. This resulted in 2tph on each section and 4tph St Albans - London Blackfriars - Sutton.

●●X.184: In the photo of the 22 Oct 1988 RCTS 'Mendip 1988' railtour at Westbury Cement Works,
a member recognised the late Peter Todd. ●●2411] Regarding the Mountain Ash to Aberdare
workmen's trains, in the 1921 timetable the 10.37pm Mill St to Nantmelyn ran SX and all the other
services SuX, as the collieries shut for the weekend from Saturday afternoon until Sunday late evening.

LEFT: (Item 2426) Our late member 1595,
John Harrup, a former BLN International Editor

and Society Committee Member.
1 Sep 1942 - 30 Aug 2021.

Six members attended John's funeral on
Tue 21 Sep at Southend-on-Sea crematorium.

(With thanks to Geoff Blyth.)

ABOVE: (Item 2440) Plan thanks to Martyn Brailsford; there is no direct connection between the
Northern Line City Branch and the new extension. BELOW: First day platform tickets. (Geoff Brockett.)

2428] Continued: ●●MR167] The Mid Cheshire Society of Model Engineers has kindly confirmed that
their first public runs on their Sandiway Miniature Railway southern extension were on 19 Jul 2020.

2429] E-BLN 1384 Extras: These included the IOM Steam, Electric & Mountain Railways new Sep & Oct
timetables and the detailed programme of the IOM 'Winter' Transport Festival (27-31 Oct, marking the
end of the 2021 season). We also had the (unmarked) Society Scunthorpe Steel Works track map -
updated to 29 Aug 2021, Sanquhar station building estate agents details, plans and photos and a fully
comprehensive list of passenger stations and stops in Norway (12 pages!) thanks to Jim Fergusson.
2430] E-BLN 1385 Extras: Available long term on our website 'Archive' section is BLNI Extra No76, the
French Alps & Switzerland, Aug 2021. There is a marked Scunthorpe Steel Works map with the route
of our 29 Aug 2021 tour and TfL out of station interchange data (time and type of payment) updated
to 20 Sep to allow for opening of the Northern Line extension to Battersea Power Station. Last, but by
no means least, is Sep 2021 'Sonderzug' and gen for steam enthusiasts, with thanks to Jonathan Perks.

2431] Branch Line Society 'Forty Years ... 1955-1995': (BLN 1384.2263) Thanks to our member John
Hampson and the inimitable Martyn Brailsford, this long out of print 144 page 1995 Society publication
is now available on our website as a PDF. On the Home page go to 'Archive' and put 'Forty' in the top
right search box, it can be downloaded, printed and is fully searchable. There is much interesting
information about the Society's first 40 years, including railtours and fixtures with some pictures.

1385 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
2432] NET: The Phoenix Park branch is closed on 25 & 26 Sep for trackwork between Cinderhill and
Phoenix Park and tree-lopping between Highbury Vale & Cinderhill. Trams terminate at Bulwell.

2433] Cleethorpes: TPE is looking at running its services from here to Liverpool instead of Manchester
Piccadilly as now (only one a day runs from/to Manchester Airport). From Dec drivers will route and
traction learn Class 68s between Sheffield and Cleethorpes with a view to using them on the service
from May 2022. Members will be able to travel to/from Scunthorpe steelworks for our railtours in
style! The Class 185 DMUs would transfer to the Scarborough route for 6-car working (item 2460).

2434] Barton-on-Humber: The branch has the distinction of being the last line in the country only
operated by trains that do not comply with the Technical Specification for Interoperability - Persons
with Reduced Mobility (PRM TSI). The two EMR Class 153s that run on the line have an exemption, but
a DfT letter (27 May 2021) granting it states that the exemption expires at 23.59 on Sun 26 Sep 2021!

Sadly, since EMR took over the service in May reliability is still abysmal, and is expected to remain so
until the Class 153s are replaced. However, a benefit of the operator change is that New Clee has
become a compulsory stop. Friends of the Barton Line is pressing for the 06.58 Cleethorpes to Barton
and return to be reinstated. However it is no longer in the base timetable (or in the Dec timetable).
This Covid opportunistic cull of what was an important commuter train results in an early morning gap
from Cleethorpes between 06.10 and 08.56 but, worse, from Barton between 07.08 and 09.54.

2435] Melton Mowbray: On the 16 Sep the exit (Leicester) end of the Down Goods Loop was being
renewed. Trains booked to be overtaken have gained the time they were booked to recess instead.

2436] Rectory Jn: (BLN 1362.2822) The sidings appear to be OOU again; our last report (BLN 1371.510)
was that on Fri 19 Feb 2021 a 16.35 Rail Operations Group ECS from Gascoigne Wood arrived at 18.27.

2437] Colwick West Jn: The Gedling Colliery line exit signal (unlit) is still in position, complete with hood.

2438] Netting the fare evaders: From 1 Oct the Nottingham Express Transit penalty fare, for anyone
travelling without a valid ticket, rises from £50 to £70. Data showed that in May 2021 fare evasion was
about 25% but, since reintroduction of Travel Officers, who check tickets, it has fallen back to 5%.

1385 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
2439] On the level: (BLN 1378.1515) Following pressure from the local MP and residents, including a
petition, the foot crossing on the Angerstein Wharf branch is to remain open. An independent review
commissioned by NR concluded that there are sufficient grounds in this case not to apply the national
algorithm that the organisation uses to determine safety risk at individual crossings.

X.193] BELOW: Richmond on Sun 19 Sep when trains from Waterlo
Our photographer feels that the small 'Check Formation' sign (left) might

oo turned back in Down P1 doing the trailing crossover on depature.
be a bit 'short notice' - depending on the train length! (Simon Mortimer.)

X.194] BELOW: Barking Riverside branch (track laying almost complete), from

m a London City Airport to Dusseldorf flight on 13 Sep 2021. (Iain Scotchman.)





2440] Kennington - Battersea Power Station: (BLN 1384.2282) On Fri 17 Sep the Consent to Operate
was authorised by London Underground to commission the Northern Line extension on Sun 19 Sep to
Battersea Power Station using the existing TBTC (Transmission Based Train Control) Signalling.
The extension will be known as Vehicle Control Centre 9 (VCC9) and all 106 Passenger trains in use on
the Northern Line have been upgraded with new software so they are compatible in the new area.

The new Northern Line Working Timetable started on Sun 19 Sep (not Mon 20) with trains running
empty on the extension that day. The new Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms stations opened
their doors just after 05.20 on Mon 20 Sep, the first passenger train from Battersea Power Station
was booked to leave at 05.28 and did so at 05.29. The BBC reported around 100 journalists and rail
enthusiasts on it. The first passenger train on the branch from Kennington left there at 05.42.

Previously in Zone 2, Kennington was permanently moved to Zone 1/2 (a boundary station so in both
zones) on 16 May, as part of the funding deal for the £1.1bn extension - itself all in Zone 1. On 20 Sep
TfL issued a new 'Tube Map' (PREVIOUS: An excerpt) - which includes Shenfield and Reading as before!
The extension is funded through business rates from the local area and about £270M from developers.

Amending BLN 1384 (apologies from your BLN Editor for any confusion). The bidirectional Kennington
Loop is used anticlockwise (previously the 'rare' direction) by early morning and late evening branch
shuttles which terminate in, and reverse in, Kennington P1 from Battersea Power Station then use
the loop ECS, before reversing again in P2 then run back to Battersea in service. The loop is still used
in the clockwise direction for trains from the Waterloo direction to terminate in Kennington P2 and
restart back from P1. Apart from short dwell times, one reason these latter workings are (still) not
checked for stray 'Normals' (and gricers) is that the driver obviously does not need to change ends.

The new branch is served only by Northern Line Charing Cross branch trains; at Kennington there is no
rail connection with the Bank branch. Trains from all three northern termini (High Barnet, Mill Hill
East and Edgware) run to/from Battersea Power Station. Two trains will stable overnight in the
platforms at either Nine Elms or Battersea Power Station to operate the first branch services of the
day, as a shuttle to/from Kennington until trains from the northern end of the line can run through.

On the first day the early morning service used alternate platforms, so the scissors crossover could be
fully covered, but at times only one platform (right on arrival) was in use (and is all that was needed).
Our Regional Editor visited on Day 1 and bought a platform ticket (£1 each) at both new stations.
The terminus one is 'Battersea LU'; he would have expected 'Battersea PS' as the abbreviated name.

2441] Brent Cross West/Cricklewood: (BLN 1384.2284) Removal of the diamond crossing in the depot
marked the end of the track remodelling. Also over the Aug bank holiday weekend, the station bridge
framework was completed. Further crane lifts for the main steelwork of the station concourse will
take place at Christmas. Piling work for the Fast Lines island platform is almost complete and work has
started on the station building at the eastern entrance. Barnet Council is to contract GTR to fit out the
station with items such as ticket machines and ticket gates. The council has dropped plans to pay to
rename Brent Cross LU station Brent Cross East after TfL quoted up to £1.4M to make the change!

2442] Crossrail: (BLN 1384.2285) ●On recent Sundays the test service has been extended off the core
section. On the morning of 5 Sep, some trains from Abbey Wood ran to Acton Main Line, reversing in
West Ealing Loop. On 12th, part of the service from Paddington was extended to Chadwell Heath and
Gidea Park turnback sidings. ●Hayes & Harlington station upgrade was completed on 14 Sep.
A redeveloped entrance accesses a new ticket hall leading to a new footbridge; step-free access to all
five platforms is via three lifts. There are new toilets, a waiting room and longer platform canopies.

2443] Denmark Hill: (BLN 1361.2693) The new entrance on Windsor Walk officially opened on 2 Sep.
There are also improved waiting facilities, additional canopies, better LED lighting, a new cycle hub
and new art installations. The new roof is claimed to be the first at a European station to be fitted with
Flextron solar panels. They are thinner than traditional panels with a higher energy yield. As a result,
the building is an overall net energy supplier to the National Grid!

2444] District Line Microgricing: (BLN 1384.2283) Working Timetable 152 http://bit.ly/2Y5VTVD
dated 12 Sep has much the same pattern as before (BLN 1305.1043, Jun 2018, updated BLN 1368.46
in Jan 2021) but with plenty of detail changes, so here is the fully updated guide. It includes the Circle
Line in the Kensington area and the Hammersmith & City Line east of Aldgate East. Disappointingly,
the only daylight use of Plaistow bay disappears. Running numbers of trains otherwise difficult to
identify on the day are shown in [square brackets]. (With thanks, as usual, to our member Bill Lynch.)

 = Known recent use also to turnback in service during planned engineering blockades.

•Upminster P4: SuO gap dep 18.53½-20.03½.
•Upminster P5: SuO 'gappy' before 11.32 and after 20.13½.
•Dagenham East bay P3: Turnrounds arr SSuX 07.10-09.09½, 17.03½-18.24; SuO 23.07½ (leaves ECS).
•Dagenham East crossover: Westbound departures from P2 and P3.
•Barking bay P3: District Line trains turning east to west do so in P3, but Hammersmith & City Line
..trains (train running numbers [2XX]) shunt ECS P2 to P6. Exceptions arrive P3 SSuX 06.33½ [270],
..07.22½ [275], 21.35 [271]; but P2 SSuX 23.28 [121], SuO 00.03 [014]. There are P3 gaps SSuX 19.20-
..22.08, SO start-07.41, 20.30-22.08, 23.27½-close, SuO start-08.28, 23.02½-close.
•Plaistow bay P3: Turnrounds arriving SuX 23.57½; SuO 23.07½, 23.27½, 23.44.
•Plaistow crossover: Westbound departures from P2 and P3.
•East Ham crossover: ECS only.

•West Ham Siding (east end 'pocket'):-
•as westbound loop: West Ham arrive SSuX 05.43 [206]; SO 05.42½ [206]; SuO 07.06 [271].
•as eastbound loop: West Ham depart MX 00.48½ [277]; MO 00.11½ [202].
•as long facing crossover: ECS only.
•as long trailing crossover: No booked use.

•Whitechapel P2 eastbound departures: SuO 06.29, 06.43½.
•Whitechapel west crossovers and Embankment: No booked use.
•Tower Hill centre P2: East-to-west turnrounds daily throughout.
..(Connections at the east end have yet to be commissioned.)
•Crossover at South Kensington: ECS only.
•Gloucester Road P3 departure to Outer Rail: SuX 05.23.

•High Street Kensington:-
•Circle Line crossover: No booked use.
•Bay P3: Turnrounds not listed under P4. These run SSuX until 07.35 and 19.27½-21.06½; SuMX
..00.04-(SSuX) close; SSuO throughout.
•Bay P4: Turnrounds (of which those in italics stable or leave ECS): arriving SSuX several 05.18-
06.23½ ..[072, 014, 063, 007, 046, 022], 17.24½‡ [120], 20.07½ [125]; SuMX several 00.09-01.13 [074,
054, ..110, 070, 036]; SO several 05.18-06.57 [072, 055, 041, 043, 062, 051, 063, 114], 16.02½‡ [121],
..16.22½‡ [122]; SuO several 00.10-01.16 [074, 075, 001, 002, 115], 06.56†, 06.58½ [001], 07.12½
..[047], 23.35½ [060], 23.55½ [073]; MO 00.03½ [031], 00.15 [113].
..† = departure time from ECS arrival or from previous night's stable.
..‡ = may run (from Acton Town) to provide football spare.
•Crossovers at Triangle Sidings, Earl's Court east and West Kensington: ECS only.

•Earl's Court:-
•P1 Arrivals from West Brompton direction: SuMX 00.29½ [110].
•P2 Arrivals from West Kensington & Olympia directions: SSuX several 05.52-06.41½.
..[051r, 077k, 061e, 035a, 066a, 053a, 001k]; SuMX 00.25 [001r], 00.39 [103r]; SO several 05.35½-
..06.51½ [041a, 101r, 024e, 045k, 051e, 046k, 065a, 040e, 014r, 113k, 061a], 07.30 [046e]; SuO
..several 06.29-08.08½ [066a, 073a, 062e, 022e, 037a, 045e, 114k], 23.28½ [046e]; MO 00.13 [033r].
..(From a = Acton Town, e = Ealing Broadway, k = Kensington (Olympia), r = Richmond.)
•P3 Departures towards West Brompton: SSuX 06.45½, 07.40½, 07.44½, 18.19; SuMX 00.21, 00.41½;
..SuO 00.40½, 07.06½, 07.21½, 23.30; MO 00.02.

•P4 Arrivals from Gloucester Road direction: Trains towards
..West Brompton not shown above at P3, plus a very few others.
•P4 Departures for West Kensington & Kensington (Olympia): SSuX 7 trains 05.34½-07.42½, 5 trains
..19.43½-20.54; SuMX five 00.19½-00.56; SO ~3tph 05.34½-00.56SuO; SuO ~3tph 06.59½-00.04 MO.
•Kensington (Olympia):-
•Arrivals SSuX 19.47 [124], 20.29 [125]; SO ~3tph 07.03-23.43½; SuO ~3tph 07.59-23.44½.
•Departures SSuX 7 trains 05.50½-07.15, 19.58½, 20.38½; SO ~3tph 05.47-23.19, 23.49½;
..SuO ~3tph 07.35-23.49½.
•Barons Court - Hammersmith connections to and from Piccadilly Line: All decommissioned summer
..2021 except westbound Piccadilly to District: No booked use.
•Crossovers at Wimbledon Park and Gunnersbury: No booked use by LU.
•Wimbledon: The WTT does not give platform numbers, but it is believed the usual practice is to bring
..trains into the most northerly free platform - any better information welcome!
•Richmond: Platform numbers here are shown on Realtime Trains.
•Ealing Broadway P9: Turnrounds (of which those in italics leave ECS): Arriving SSuX 05.50 [124],
..06.02¼ [014], several 09.18¾-10.56 [041, 121, 045, 124, 026], 12.17¼ [036], 15.40¼* [751],
..a few 20.03¾-20.59 [031, 061, 047, 062]; SuMX a few 00.09¼-01.06½ [055, 010, 052, 003, 200];
..SO 04.42½ [051], 19.17¼ [040], 23.57¼ [030]; SuO 00.20¼ [064], 00.40¾ [004], 00.58¾ [006], 01.11¼
..[007], 06.48 [021], 13.47¼ [047], a few 23.17¼-00.34MO [102, 031, 062, 075, 056, 066, 073, 014].
..*= nominally stock transfer path, but may sometimes run as passenger.

2445] East London Line: On 1 Apr 2020 the line from Highbury & Islington to New Cross/New Cross
Gate/Old Kent Road Jn was transferred from NR Anglia Route to NR Sussex Route. TfL owns most of
the route via its subsidiary Rail for London, but NR has contractual responsibility for route control,
signalling, operations response and electrical control. Possession management remains with the Anglia
Route, but will transfer to the Sussex Route, with the Sectional Appendix updated from Mar 2022 and
new route codes issued. Existing asset data needs updating as it contains obsolete and inaccurate
information, with a number of references to Broad Street, which CP 30 Jun 1986! The Anglia Route
will remain responsible for Dalston West Curve to Highbury & Islington, which is NR infrastructure.

2446] Underground Journey Numbers: With more people returning to work, journey numbers up to
09.00 on Mon 6 Sep were up 19% on the same period the previous Tue (after the Bank Holiday). On
several days in Aug, ridership was at 50% of pre-pandemic levels and journeys reached the 2M mark
for the first time on 2 Sep. The quietest day of all was Easter Sunday 2020. ('Evening Standard')

2447] And Finally... An African Grey parrot, missing from his home in Tadworth, Surrey, was found
perched on a rough sleeper (that's a person, not a rail support) at Waterloo station on 15 Aug.
Safely returned, he is now making train noises and various station announcements! ('Rail User Express')

1385 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
2448] Dec 2021 Timetable: TPE is extending most Scarborough trains to Manchester Victoria but
some turnback at Stalybridge, presumably due to lack of capacity at Victoria. Northern's Lincoln to
Sheffield trains will run to Leeds again and Leeds to Knaresborough services are extended to York, the
promised half-hourly service east of Knaresborough. However, the half-hourly Middlesbrough to
Newcastle service, in lieu of the direct 'Northern Connect' service via Ferryhill, is not reinstated.

2449] Redirection: On Tue 31 Aug the 06.25 North Blyth Alcan to Fort William train failed between
Pegswood and Butterwell Jn. The 06.10 Doncaster to Edinburgh, 04.49 Doncaster Decoy to Millerhill,
06.03 New Street to Edinburgh, 07.00 King's Cross to Edinburgh & 07.24 Liverpool to Edinburgh ran
'down' the Up Main from Morpeth facing X/O (16m 50ch) to Butterwell Jn trailing X/O (20m 63ch).

2450] Blyth & Tyne: (BLN 1383.2164) On 7 Sep Northumberland County Council granted planning
permission for Ashington station, the first of the six on the line. It will have a single 100m platform, up
to 270 parking spaces with 18 electric vehicle charging bays; facilities have been described as 'Spartan'.
On 13 Sep Northumberland Park station also received planning permission from the County Council.

2451] Heaton Lodge Jn Part 1: The railway between Heaton Lodge Jn and the Thornhill Jns is one
of the relatively few sections where the layout changed quite dramatically with rationalisation in
the latter half of the 20th century. Think not just of a number of major terminals, but of places like
Selhurst/Windmill Bridge, the area around Ordsall Lane, Manchester, the Reading and Rugby
works, a number of flyovers and perhaps this area of Yorkshire. In these cases, new earthworks
have hardly been required but the current layout is quite different from the much more extensive
one British Railways inherited. This reflected changes in traffic levels on the various routes, and
the desire to simplify layouts to save on costs in the 1980s - with simplifications quite often carried
to what, from today's perspective, we would view as excessive. Your NE Editor is grateful to our
member, and former 'Modern Railways' correspondent, Dr John Gough for this series of articles.

H&M = Huddersfield & Manchester Railway & Canal Company
L&NW = London & North Western Railway
LMS = London, Midland & Scottish Railway
L&Y = Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway
LD&M = Leeds Dewsbury & Manchester Railway
M&L = Manchester & Leeds Railway

There might never have been a junction at Heaton Lodge. The M&L was the first line here, the section
between Hebden Bridge and Normanton opened on 5 Oct 1840. A station to serve Huddersfield more
conveniently than that at Brighouse was already planned by the time traffic began and opened at
Cooper Bridge, where the railway crossed the Leeds to Huddersfield road, by the end of the year.
Various early schemes for Huddersfield to have its own rail connection and to shorten the distance
between Manchester and Leeds eventually resulted in an 1845 Act for the LD&M. As originally
planned, it was to run independently of and broadly parallel to the M&LR between Ravensthorpe and
Heaton Lodge. Before Parliament at the same time was the H&M Bill for a railway from the M&L at
Heaton Lodge through Huddersfield to an end-on junction with the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne &
Manchester Company's line at Stalybridge. Between Heaton Lodge and Huddersfield this scheme
proposed effectively the same alignment as that planned by the LD&M. In a rare outbreak of common
sense, the committee scrutinising the Bills recommended that the LD&M should make arrangements
to use the M&L line between Ravensthorpe and Heaton Lodge and that between Heaton Lodge and
Huddersfield one of the two companies proposing lines should build a line which both should use.
The outcome was an Act for the LD&M for a line from Leeds to Ravensthorpe ('Dewsbury Jn', later
'Thornhill L&NW Jn') and to the H&M for a line from Heaton Lodge to Stalybridge.

On 2 Aug 1847 Heaton Lodge Jn came into existence with the opening of the first section of the H&M,
from the junction with the L&Y (which the M&L had become the previous month) to Huddersfield.
At first there was a station here only on the Huddersfield line; it lasted until 1864. A triangular layout
was completed by opening of the curve between Bradley Jn and Bradley Wood Jn on 26 Nov 1850, at
first for goods traffic only. The LD&M line was opened to its junction with the L&Y on 18 Sep 1848.

The LD&M and H&M passed into L&NW ownership, creating that company's main line to Leeds. Traffic
grew, and from the 1870s the L&Y and the L&NW began to expand their facilities. The Heaton Lodge
area figured early. A L&Y Act of 24 Jul 1876 authorised quadrupling the line between Heaton Lodge Jn
and Thornhill Jn (except for the section over the Calder Viaduct and through Mirfield station) and an
L&NW Act two years later (17 Jun 1878) provided for quadrupling between Hillhouse and Heaton
Lodge Jn, as well as authorising construction of the viaduct line into Leeds. First to be opened were
the two additional lines, at first for goods traffic only, between Heaton Lodge and Mirfield Viaduct, on
3 Feb 1884. (A company minute of 23 Dec that year records that the widening between the east end
of Mirfield station and Thornhill Jn had been passed for use by the Board of Trade Inspector.)
The L&NW widening between Hillhouse and Heaton Lodge (Stockport) came into use on 18 Aug 1884.

The substantial nature of the works is suggested by the fact that the simultaneously authorised
Viaduct Line into Leeds came into use for all passenger trains into Leeds New Station over two years

earlier, on 1 Mar 1882. Widening of the approach to Heaton Lodge from the west, from Bradley Wood
Jn, was authorised by an L&Y act of 1897, and the two new tracks on the south side of the formation
were approved for use by the Board of Trade on 12 Jan 1904. Meanwhile, the L&NW Leeds New Line
(map BLN 1371.531), diverging from the old route at Heckmondwike Jn (later Spen Valley Jn), passing
under the L&Y line, and then passing by Heaton Lodge Jn on the north side, it OG 8 Sep 1899 and
OP 1 Oct 1900, effectively completing quadrupling of the L&NW route from Heaton Norris Jn to Leeds.

After this there was a gap of 28 years until works were undertaken that gave the railway between
Heaton Lodge Jn and Thornhill Jn the form that many of us will still remember, with the four tracks
running through on the Calder Valley line between Brighouse and Wakefield as well as from
Huddersfield to Heaton Lodge Jn. The final works took place in Jul 1932 and involved closing the gap
at Mirfield by the provision of a second river crossing and the introduction between Heaton Lodge and
Thornhill of the LMS's unique installation of colour light speed signalling. Such was the railway on
which some of us will remember the (BR) Trans-Pennine Express service being introduced in Jun 1960.

Heaton Lodge Jn - Thornhill Jn 1950s No detail shewn for Down Slow To Dewsbury
the Mirfield stations Up Slow To Low Moor
To Leeds via Gomersal and junctions area
To Manchester (Leeds New Line) 56
via Hebden Bridge

1 34 Down Fast To Healey
2 Up Fast Mills
Down Fast
Down Slow Up Fast 1 Bradley Wood Jn 5 Thornhill LNW Jn**
Up Slow 2 Bradley Jn 6 Thornhill Jn
To Huddersfield 3 Spen Valley Jn* * Formerly Heckmondwike Jn

4 Heaton Lodge Jn ** Formerly Dewsbury Jn

ABOVE: Plan thanks to our members John Gough and Dave Cromarty. 'Shewn' is an old form (archaic
say some dictionaries!) of 'shown', popular with the original GWR as in 'All tickets must be shewn'.

2N149e57w20c]aVsteleryCerenltireavlewdeGsteeonrddibeayGePn1t2lewmaesnr:arFeol+87yllouFHHwoseeeriaamndttg.ooeInnrttlhLLyaooepSddppggreeeeenadESrVusoaacsutltthltiehoJeynnrJeJnni+wn atsrathinusselersvsicpeeseiinngtohne 1960s,
P12, as

the roo1ms along the platform, incl5uding the gents, ceased to be used by the public, with: other

restroom [an American import we could do without!] facilities throughout the station made available

for customers at the time according to 'Rail Business Daily'. With the increase in passenger numbers in

recent years, the htao6rildettso have n4ow been restored in partnership with the Railway Heritage Trust.
The team worked ensure the original glazed brick walls and flooring were brought back to life

and their form2 er glory. The reopening of the P12 gents has enabled LNER to double the capacity of the
ladies, making it even more convenient (ho ho) for customers to use the facilities at Newcastle.

Newcastle bay P12 is only booked for regular use by the 07.41 SSuX from Dumfries (arr 09.55), which
then forms the 17.23 to Carlisle. SO a 06.30 from Birmingham New Street arrives at 09.46 to form the
11908.355 return. SuO there is a 09.50 & 11.38 from Metro Centre returning 10.35 & 12.35 respectively.

2453] T&W Metro: (BLNs 1358.2289, 1349.938.1), Nexus has ordered the four additional Stadler units
for the Metro Flow project (total 46 five-car sets). The first will be delivered in 2022 to enter service
mid-2023 after testing and commissioning. Metro Flow construction is due to start on site in Sep 2022.

2454] Darlington: (BLN 1346.525) From 6 Sep the trailing crossover and former facing connection at
Maidendale Jn 1m 72ch, east of Darlington, (TRACKmaps 2 p44C 2020) was removed and plain lined.
The branch once served the Cleveland Bridge (& Engineering Co) works. Interestingly, it is included on
the new Tyneside ROC installation (BLN 1383.2166)! On 22 Jul the business went into administration -
a sad end for a company which built such structures as the current Wembley Stadium, Victoria Falls
Bridge over the Zambezi, Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge and the Severn and Humber road bridges.

BELOW: (Item 2455) 180101 in Newcastle Provincial Siding on Tue 14 Sep, lower far right the Grade II
Listed North Eastern Railway water tower can just be seen south of the station. (All Jonathan Kirby.)

BELOW: The siding in the opposite direction; the North Ea

astern Railway Grade II Listed water tower is on the left.

2455] Grand Central: ❶Compulsory reservation requirement ended from 12 Sep with reinstatement
of normal (pre-Covid) capacity on the Bradford route. ❷On Sun 5 Sep a Class 180 made a trial run to
Seaham Engineering Siding, formerly Dawdon Polka Siding (TRACKmaps 2 p45B 2020) as staff needed
the track to assess its suitability for stabling if required. 180107 ran as 09.00 Heaton to Dawdon Polka
Siding (reversing at Dawdon Jn), with ample time for the safety critical task of assessing the suitability
of the local chippy. It then ran as 13.40½ to Sunderland to form the 14.12 to King's Cross, diverted via
Park Lane Jn - King Edward Bridge South Jn, due to a possession south of Stockton.

❸Heaton Depot is short of movement staff SuX until further notice and trains cannot arrive or depart
between 13.00 and 21.00. From Tue 14 Sep, the 16.43 from Sunderland ECS was diverted to
Newcastle Provincial Siding (the southernmost road at Central, an electrified dead end, accessed from
the east) arr 17.08. It continues to Heaton at 21.00. Provincial Siding used to stable the LNER
'Thunderbird' loco, so has seen very little use since Mk4 stock ceased running north of York.

2456] Bridlington: (BLN 1378.1540). Scarborough - Driffield closes Sat 23 Oct to Sun 31 Oct inclusive
during local half term for Bridlington remodelling, resignalling and platform renumbering. Now is your
last chance to do the present interesting routes into bay P6 - but only on arrivals into this platform.

2457] Middlesbrough: On Tue 16 Nov, Middlesbrough Workstation is due to be commissioned at
York ROC, resulting in the closure of Middlesbrough (formerly Middlesbrough West) and Whitehouse
boxes. At the same time, the functions of Bowesfield Workstation will be absorbed by Hartlepool
Workstation, releasing the actual workstation to control Middlesbrough. The blockade will cover
Eaglescliffe, Stockton and Middlesbrough, lasting from Sat 13 until Mon 15 Nov (three days) inclusive.

2458] Worsborough* Branch: (BLN 1383.2177) In the Wentworth Jn accident item, contrary to the
Signalling Record Society website at the time, the names and sequencing within the list of 10 boxes
should have read (east to west) …Glasshouse Crossing, Worsborough Bridge Crossing, Kendall Green
Crossing, Strafford Crossing… Strafford Crossing closed on 27 Feb 1966, giving nine boxes at the time
of the accident in 1971. Worsborough Dale Crossing and Wentworth Junction boxes closed in 1979,
leaving seven boxes in use at the end of through working from 20 Jul 1981. Worsborough Dale
Crossing closed 30 Sep 1979 but the actual date of closure of Wentworth Junction is not clear;
it appears likely to have been in Apr 1979 and certainly by 5 May 1979. (Rail traffic had ceased on the
branch from Wentworth Jn to Wentworth Silkstone Colliery from 4 Apr 1977.) Despite the inclusion
of the word 'Crossing' in many of the box names, all ten were block posts at the commencement of
electric working via Woodhead in 1954 and remained as such until their respective closures.
[*During the 20th Century, the place name seems to have evolved from Worsborough to Worsbrough,
but the railway continued with the original, often shortened to Worsboro', with/without apostrophe.]

A member found two fascinating cab ride videos from Wath Yard to Barnsley Jn, Penistone probably
in the last week of operation; it CA 20 Jul 1981. They show the rarely railtoured line from Wombwell
Main Jn to West Silkstone Jn via the 1:40 Worsborough incline - the 'Up' direction was down the
incline! (map BLN 1383.2177). https://bit.ly/3zPePLH (9½ mins) is from Wath Yard to Worsborough
Bridge and https://bit.ly/2X25H8f (10⅓ mins), on to Barnsley Jn - note the recent new track. The
latter has an interlude at about 5min 20sec, showing a train in steam days. Even with four locos, they
could average only about 8mph with a loaded coal train uphill. Just two DC electric locos were able to
speed an equal load along at a dizzy 15mph! As our member remarks, Sit back and enjoy a different
age... Watching the videos does not entitle members to ink in the line on their Pre-Grouping Atlas!

2459] She(a)ffield: (BLN 1357.2160) The River Sheaf runs under the whole length of P5. At the south
end, by P2C, there is a wooden access cover in the platform. This is directly over the confluence of the
Sheaf and the Porter Brook, which joins from the west. You can even hear running water at this spot.
Your NW Editor recently did one of the occasional walking wading tours https://bit.ly/3tNAce3 run by
the Sheaf & Porter Rivers Trust, which he describes as 'excellent'. It covers both rivers, including under
the station, where station announcements and trains can be clearly heard, to the 'Megatron', a vast
chamber covering the river as it spreads out before joining the river Don. Waders are provided!

2460] Scarborough: (BLN 1381.1916) From 16 Aug TPE ceased overnight servicing of Nova 3 push-pull
sets (due to the noise nuisance they were creating for nearby residential properties); the work is now
carried out at Manchester Longsight instead. Scarborough depot will be used between 23.00 & 07.00
'only in exceptional circumstances'. TPE denies abandoning the depot and says they have responded
and changed the method of operation as it's the right thing to do. As a short term measure, overnight
servicing and cleaning is being carried out at Scarborough station. At present, only four daily Nova 3
diagrams are worked - most shuttling between Scarborough and York, connecting there with other
TPE services. Deployment is expected to change soon to have the full fleet of 13 sets in service,
probably moving them to the Redcar service; they have made test runs to Saltburn (BLN 1379.1689).
Class 185s, probably double units, would then see more use on Scarborough services, especially on
early morning and late night trains, as they create much less noise when starting up in the early hours.

2461] Calder Valley Line: (BLN 1383.2168) As expected, NR is planning a static loop at Hebden Bridge
to allow Leeds to Wigan local (westbound Up only) services to be overtaken. It will facilitate diversion
of three York to Manchester fast trains per hour via the Calder Valley during the Transpennine
upgrade. Hebden Bridge Siding, which trails into the Up Lancashire & Yorkshire Line, would be
shortened from 342m to 152m, (usable length 117m). The new loop will be east of this siding, 198m
long and able to accommodate a train up to 163m long. The loop turnouts would be 25mph restricted.

The diverted expresses would 'step back' into the following TPE path after they have been diverted.
It is critical that trains are sequenced correctly; if services enter the route in the correct order, they
will follow each other with few issues. Four specific timetable constraints could affect performance:

Crossing moves at Manchester Victoria. Flighting of services at Heaton Lodge Jn. Westbound
departure from Leeds two minutes ahead of a Leeds to Huddersfield stopping service. Crossing
moves and sequencing at Todmorden. Possible calls at Elland or Brighouse by TPE services would
probably adversely affect performance but this has yet to be determined.

2462] Sheffield Supertram: (BLN 1382.2057) Public consultation on the new Magna stop concluded on
2 Sep. It will only be served by Class 399 tram trains with two 30m low platforms for level access.

2463] Thorpe Marsh: (BLN 1384.2306) A local member thinks the proposed siding reinstatement may
be connected with the removal of 4M tonnes of 'burgy' (a waste product of silica sand, soda-lime glass
and iron oxides) from the Ardagh Glass (formerly Pilkington) factory at Kirk Sandall. It has been
dumped for years on the opposite, northwest, side of the River Don but a use has now been found,
making environmentally friendly building blocks. The original application https://bbc.in/3AgPFFV
generated many objections as there would be 40 HGVs a day for about 15 years on unsuitable roads
en route to the A1. Transporting it to Thorpe Marsh would only need to cross one public road.

2464] Sheffield, Tinsley Freight Terminal: (BLN 1381.1911) The new pad (noted on the recent UKRT
'Tinsley Tugger' railtour) is now complete. It is for unloading spoil - from HS2 and other projects.
The first train (Wed 1 Sep) was 66142 with a new working, 02.05 from Ripple Lane (Barking Eurohub)
with inert spoil. Due to the train length, it needs to be split to unload. The spoil is then transported by
road to the site of Silverwood Colliery, 11 miles away by main roads. Now we know what they really
mean by 'levelling up the north'! Of course, Silverwood Colliery had its own branch until 1996.

2465] A Whitehall Farce? On 15 Sep the 21.05 Leeds to Nottingham came to a stand outside Holbeck
Depot due to the 18.20 Rylstone to Hull Dairycoates reporting a male sitting on the parapet of a bridge
ahead. The passenger train driver changed ends and the train was diverted via the Whitehall Curve,
Whitehall Spur and Copley Hill Chord (TRACKmaps 2 p36A 2020) and then via Wakefield Westgate to
Kirkgate. It arrived there 37mins late at 21.58 and reversed again; Nottingham was reached 55 min
late. A Northern Trains staff member says it is the first time that he has ever seen a passenger train of
any kind over the Whitehall Spur. Our chronic railtour addicts will know it has been done by our tours.

2466] Queensbury: The Queensbury Tunnel Society has installed two rows of sleepers, donated by the
Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, each side of the path. Each is dedicated to one of the ten men
known to have died during construction of the 7,503ft tunnel. It will be formally inaugurated in Oct.

BELOW: (Item 2459) Instantly recognisable, of cou
NEXT: The hatch in Sheffield P5 accessing the River Sheaf running ben

urse, is The Megatron beneath Sheffield station.
neath the platform. (Three pictures by John Cameron, 24 Aug 2021.)





BELOW: The River Sheaf running under the length of Sheffield P5. NEXT PH
west with Sheffield International Railfreight Terminal (no railfreight ever) in

HOTO: (Item 2464) Tinsley Yard, the completed spoil unloading pad looking
n the background. (Paul Duncan, Freightmaster Forum, with permission.)





X.195] BELOW: A new bridge section trundles through Warrington for the Aug
https://bit.ly/39DNKPP has a very interesting time lapse 1½ minute vid

gust Bank Holiday weekend bridge replacement work at Bank Quay station.
deo of this movement and the subsequent bridge replacement. (NR.)

2467] Bradford Interchange: (TRACKmaps 2 p41 2020) A member asks about regular use of Ripley Jn
trailing crossover (39m 66ch), commissioned 23 Oct 2018. The hourly Huddersfield shuttle is the best
bet, for example on Fri 10 Sep the 15.36 Bradford Interchange P1 all stations to Huddersfield did it.

1385 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected]
2468] Preston - Southport: The land on the Preston side of Hesketh Bank station has been raised to
the height of the adjacent minor 'C' road overbridge once spanning the railway. The land has been
developed into a housing estate. Visitors to the West Lancashire Light Railway will notice a difference.

2469] A missed connection at Ormskirk: (BLN 1384.2332.2) Correction: Although regular timetabled
passenger services through Ormskirk ended 4 May 1970, an emergency (padlocked) connection was
retained from 28 Jun 1970 (not until 26 Oct 1971). Local services through Ormskirk ended 6 Oct 1969.
On 4 May 1970 Scottish expresses from Liverpool Exchange via Ormskirk transferred to Lime Street.

From Sun 28 Jun 1970 Midge Hall to Ormskirk was singled, using the Up line except through Croston
station. It was worked under Electric Token Block regulations with an intermediate passing loop at
Rufford station. This was the date when the passenger line was severed at Ormskirk with back to back
buffer stops installed for same platform passenger connections between EMUs and DMUs (as now).
Previously EMUs turned back in a south end bay platform at Ormskirk. The 'emergency connection'
between the two lines was the line through the other (then disused) former platform for Preston;
it was normally clipped and padlocked. Ormskirk signal box closed Sun 25 Oct 1970 not 26 Oct 1971,

On 3 Apr 1971 the Western Region planned an excursion from Bridgwater to Aintree (Sefton Arms)
for the Grand National, continuing to Southport as an alternative (could be interesting!) - in the event
it was not actually sold to Southport and only ran to Aintree. However, the tickets had been printed
with 'Southport' also on them so were honoured on service trains for those not at the Grand National.

BLN 210 reported that on 1 & 2 Oct 1972 for Stage 3 commissioning of Warrington Power Box, Scottish
services were to run from Liverpool Exchange (instead of Lime Street) via the Ormskirk connection.

BLN 234 had a note that due to M62 construction bridge works the railway was blocked between Edge
Hill and Huyton on Sun 2 Dec 1973. The WCML was also closed south of Euxton Jn. This resulted in
some very interesting passenger diversions. Liverpool to Preston trains ran from Lime Street via the
Bootle and the North Mersey Branches, the connection at Aintree Station Jn and the 'emergency'
connection at Ormskirk. Incidentally, Manchester to Liverpool services ran via Ditton Jn, Clock Face,
St Helens Shaw Street, Bamfurlong Curve (as it was then) and Golborne Jn to Parkside Jn. A Preston
to Liverpool DMU (fortunately!) even ran via Lostock Jn (rev), Wigan NW (rev), Earlestown, St Helens
Junction, Sutton Oak Jn (rev), and Clock Face. 'Normals' would have been really puzzled by all that.
This 2 Dec 1973 date seems to have been the last use of the Ormskirk connection for passenger trains.

BLN 355 and back references document that, in 1978 (possibly from 17 Jun), the connection at Aintree
Station Jn (just south of the platforms) between the North Mersey Branch and the Ormskirk line was
clipped and padlocked OOU, but was available for Engineer's use. With Liverpool Exchange terminal
station closed from 30 Apr 1977, this made further passenger diversions via Ormskirk very unlikely.

Our 21 Oct 1982 BLN 452 mentioned that Electric Token working between Rufford and Ormskirk had
ceased with removal of the key token instrument from Ormskirk booking office (date unknown).
It formerly allowed trains to run between Preston and Liverpool via the 'Engineer's Siding' (emergency
connection) - date of previous use unknown. Rufford - Ormskirk then became 'One Train Working',
using one of the former key tokens as the train staff. A follow up in the next BLN suggested that last
use by Engineer's trains (from Preston to Maghull and back) was 'about two years ago' - autumn 1980.
It was reported that usually these trains accessed that line via Aintree Engineer's connection (above).

BLN 588 had a report dated 7 Jun 1988 that the Ormskirk connection had been taken OOU (out of use)
due to the condition of the track - subsequently it was reported in BLN as lifted by Nov 1991.

2470] Lancaster - Morecambe - Heysham Port: (BLN 1384.2316 & 2317) Normal train services resumed
from Mon 5 Sep, including the Hest Bank Jn - Bare Lane Jn PSUL, and Heysham regained its daily train.

2471] Shap, Hardendale (BLN 1384.2324) Regarding whether electric traction worked here, a member
can recall seeing limestone trains in iron ore type tipplers heading from Hardendale to Ravenscraig in
the early 1980s behind pairs of Class 86s or 87s at Carstairs. While he did not actually see them leaving
Hardendale, he feels it likely that electric traction would have been employed throughout.

2472] I was a signalman - Part 6/It Can Now be Told (46) - Deansgate Junction: By Dave Leeming.
(BLN 1384.2331) Signal boxes were graded according to the amount of equipment provided (levers,
block instruments, gates etc) that the signalman was required to work with, the number of times the
items were used, plus the number of train movements that had to be dealt with in a 24 hour period.
Each of the Big Four railway companies previously used their own systems but a unified method
became desirable. There had been a system whereby the quieter the box, the higher the grade
number, starting at Grade 6. When the bigger and busier boxes had reached Grade 1, the even bigger
and busier places were allocated various special classes and the system became unwieldy. Then along
came the PSB (Power Signal Box) and what was to be done to grade them even higher‽ The system
was turned on its head and the quietest boxes became Class A through to Class E and later Class F.

Relief Signalmen were graded according to the boxes that they were rostered to relieve. In general,
Class 1 covered Class A boxes, Class 2 did Class B, and Class 3 Class C & D. The money was higher too
to reflect that a Relief Signalman had to know several boxes while a Regular Signalman in a Class A box
only had to know one for example. The Class 3 men received the same money as a Class D but they
were paid a daily rate above Class D when actually in a Class D box. Class E and higher had the same
money as the box in which they relieved but they were usually also confined to that box.

There were two kinds of Relief Signalman. General Purpose Reliefs (GPR) who would go to wherever
and whatever was required to cover holidays and sickness as well as covering for accidents and
emergencies, in fact anything else that cropped up that would require a signalman. Then there was
the Rest Day Relief Signalman (RDR). These had been introduced to provide a rest day each fortnight
for the regular signalmen and themselves when the 44 hour week was introduced. When it went to 40
hours, a Rest Day then had to be provided for each week. The GPR men also had a rest day rostered
but they would generally work it, at time and a half, and that was a perk of the job!

In the mid-1970s it felt good to have landed a RDR Class 2 job at Altrincham; a bigger proposition than
the Class 1 job, of course. I looked forward to getting to grips with what was going to be involved in
learning and then doing it. My 'district' comprised Deansgate Junction, Navigation Road, Altrincham
North and Trafford Park Sidings boxes. The fact that I now had a different set of boxes on my roster
made little difference as everybody working their rest days continued. I retained the other boxes in my
portfolio and I continued to be able to be given work at any of them, but not for rest day cover.
This would make me even more useful to the Roster Clerk (and the Time Office for out of hours cover).

I will start this part of my adventures at Deansgate Junction (DJ). This was a 1957 replacement of the
original box which had been on the Up side. The new box had been placed on the Down side and it still
stands on the Manchester side of Deansgate Lane. It is of the standard modular design of its time.
With a brick base, flat roof and steel window frames, it was reasonably easy to keep warm, although
the nearly floor to ceiling windows could become quite cold to the touch. No double glazing then!

Inside this 'modern' box then was a standard British Rail 20-Lever Frame of the updated Midland/LMS
pattern. It was almost identical to the LMS Frame in Navigation Road which we will come to later.
The frame was in the back of the box and not bad to work. But the height of the levers made the block
shelf very high too. Fortunately for me, the block instruments were both at the Altrincham end of the
block shelf by the train register book, which made them easier to reach. There was a wooden board in
front of the frame which gave me a couple of inches. One could stand on the frame in older boxes...

DJ was - a junction! My first proper junction!! Straight on was the 25kV electrified Manchester, South
Junction & Altrincham Railway (MSJ&A) line to Manchester. Off right was the non-electrified CLC
(Cheshire Lines Committee) line to Skelton Jn, Northenden Jn, Stockport etc (then freight only).
The box regulated traffic from the two routes and it was up to DJ not to delay passenger trains.

It was Absolute Block working to Navigation Road and Skelton Junction. There was a special 'clearing
point' from Skelton Jn on the Down Branch (Regulation 4: The line to be clear to the first stop signal
and 440yds beyond) - more later. DJ branch distant was mounted under Skelton branch home on the
gantry, the Northenden side of Moss Lane Bridge. It was a 'fixed' signal, not really at the full braking
distance from DJ branch home, but the Skelton to DJ line was severely restricted to 20mph (it still is!).

It was also less than 440yds from Skelton Junction's Up Branch home signal (from DJ) to the 'fouling
point' so Regulation 5 (Line clear to the home signal only) was authorised between the two boxes.
This meant that Skelton could accept a train from DJ even when the Junction was obstructed by other
trains or shunting movements. Under Regulation 5 the train should be brought nearly to a stand at the
home signal which could then be cleared. A green hand signal must be displayed to the driver and he
must acknowledge it by giving a short blast on his whistle (or horn) and then the starting signal can be
cleared. If the driver did not 'toot the flute', the train was to be brought to a stand at the starting
signal which was then cleared. If there is no starting signal, and no signalpost telephone, the train must
be stopped at the signal box and the driver verbally informed that he is accepted under Regulation 5.

There was no starting signal towards Skelton and also no telephone at DJ Up home signal, so it meant
stopping the train at the box. This would inevitably cause delay to at least one MSJ&A train, probably
more than one. So when Knutsford (or Mobberley) did 'wire' a freight forward to Skelton via the
omnibus ('bus') telephone line, and if Skelton was going to be unable to accept it under Regulation 4,
Altrincham would be asked to put it into the Up (Goods) Loop until the circumstances allowed.

This Regulation caused an interesting incident when I had an enthusiasts' steam hauled train coming
and Skelton had accepted it under Regulation 5. We could not have 'looped' it at Altrincham because
it was a passenger train [not the BLS then!] so I stopped it at the home signal. The footplate inspector
climbed down and I told him he was accepted under Regulation 5. He gave an impatient gesture and
stalked back to the engine. I pulled off and held my green flag out of the window; the Jubilee hauled
train 'woofed' past. Someone may have an image of this incident as there was a reasonable crowd of
people taking photos at the time. I had done the job 'by the book' and heard nothing more about it!

Towards Manchester, it was Track Circuit Block. No block instruments. No offering of trains required.
They were simply sent and advised to London Road via a train describer. The line towards Manchester
had been modernised (in two bites) and was then controlled between Timperley station and London
Road Power Box and with automatic signalling. Semi-automatic signals protected the ground frames
at Brooklands and Warwick Road crossovers. I will go into the workings of these in a later episode.

Track Circuit Block (TCB). I took to it easily, but it never occurred to me to study the Regulations as
much as I should have. Most of the Regulations I was already used to still applied but there were
differences. When I had decided that I was ready, I went to see the 'Big White Chief' (BWC) at
Manchester to be 'Passed Out'. The first question he asked of me was what did I know about TCB?
Eek! I held my hands up and confessed. He knew all about me, of course. He said he had had very
good reports about me, he knew I was a good man and with the admonishment to 'gen up' on TCB, he
uncharacteristically passed me out. I promised to do the 'genning', and I did!

There were dark mutterings in high places about my omission because one of our more senior Block
Inspectors visited me. He asked me why didn't I 'blag' it? He told me he'd had a bol***ing - a telling off
- for not checking on me before I went to see the 'BWC'. I said how could I blag it? And wouldn't I have
looked silly trying to pull the wool over his eyes? H'mmm. H'mmm. H'mmm. The point was conceded!

DJ box was easy enough. A double line junction and a trailing crossover road; each point was worked
with a black lever. There were three brown levers, one for the level crossing gate stops and two for
the wicket gates. The wooden level crossing gates were worked with a wheel and the gate lock lever
stood 'out'. There was a blue facing point lock lever for the Up junction points. The far end of the
double ended Down side junction points was a worked trap point in the Down Branch (from Skelton
Junction) and this also had a blue facing point lock (FPL) lever. Both FPL levers stood 'out' with the
usual risk to one's ribs! The trap point was to (hopefully) stop anything from the branch running away

on to the main line (!). It was not very far around the corner. The trap points allowed Regulation 4
acceptance for anything coming off the branch as long as the short track circuit ahead of the signal
concerned was unoccupied. However, any train which overran those points would have had a good go
at demolishing the overbridge on the L&NWR line via Lymm to Warrington Bank Quay 'Low Level'...

The Up and Down Main signals were four aspect colour lights (one each way). The Up Main signal was
just before the crossover and had a Position 4 feather for the branch. It could show a green towards
Manchester but only a single yellow towards the branch, even if Skelton had 'pulled off'. This signal
was also 'approach controlled' towards Skelton. The Down Main signal (at the Altrincham end of
Timperley platform) could show a single yellow, double yellow or green depending on if Navigation
Road and Altrincham had 'pulled off' (towards Hale). Stopping EMUs always had a single yellow at
Timperley as Navigation Road would not start to pull off until after the train had left Timperley.

The Down Branch home signal was a semaphore with a two aspect colour light distant for Navigation
Road underneath it which was unlit when the main signal was at danger and it would show a yellow
unless Navigation Road had pulled off, when it would show a green. The main signal had an electric
lamp fitted instead of an oil lamp. The crossover road was unsignalled and very rarely used (see later).

There were a pair of 'detonator placer' levers, painted with black and white chevrons pointing up for
the Up line and down for the Down line. These levers were 'free' they could be pulled at any time.

The TCB Section towards Manchester had the train describer mentioned above. This was new to me
and simple to use. All I had to do was to enter the train number and press 'send'. A slight complication
was getting the numbers right, and it was important! Altrincham to Crewe via Stockport 2K62.
To Crewe via Styal 2K61. To Alderley Edge via Stockport 2H54 and via Styal 2H53. Chester to Oxford
Road 2H59. (This was in 1976 when reporting numbers were, for local trains, effectively routeing
codes.) The same numbers were used on the Down except that Chester services ran as 2D59 and the
Crewe trains which ran as 2H61/2H62. Deansgate signal box initiated the bell signals on the Down.

I was introduced to two new bell signals. 3-1-2 & 2-2-1-2; extensions to the normal 3-1 and 2-2-1 bell
signals used for EMUs but not to be used for non-EMU trains. There was a similar extension for Class 1
EMUs - normally 4 beats on the bell but extended to 4-2 for EMUs only, but they were very rare on the
MSJ&A. Loco-hauled railtours, excursions and steam engines were much more common!

As TOPS (British Rail's computerised Total Operations Processing System) became more developed,
each working was allocated a unique reporting number. Any train within certain geographical limits
could be traced via TOPS wherever it was. Numbers for local trains could be used more than once in a
day but not at the same time as each other. They could also be used at the same time in other parts of
the country. This made getting the train descriptions correct a little more involved and we took the
time and trouble to prepare a 'simplifier' from the working timetables to help us to get the reporting
numbers right. This usually consisted of a piece of paper stuck to the wall above the train register desk.

Deansgate Lane was a relatively quiet residential road and traffic was mostly local; working the gates
was not too difficult. Navigation Road Up platform was visible from the box so, for an Up stopper, I
would watch for it to come into sight, swing the gates then pull off. On the Down, I would watch for
Timperley platform track circuit to light up, send 3-1-2, swing and pull off. The Chesters did not stop at
Navigation Road in those days so we had the 1-2-1 (train approaching) bell signal from Navigation
Road for the Up ones as they were leaving Altrincham. The Down Chesters would appear on the
illuminated diagram as they were leaving Sale - where they called - at around the time that an EMU
would be leaving Navigation Road. Thus it was time to offer on when I had train out of section and
pull off. If everyone was quick, the Chesters might get a green at Timperley and Navigation Road.

There was some freight, all to/from Skelton Jn. The Wallerscote to Glazebrook soda ash was regular
daily traffic, carried in open (but sheeted) short wheelbase British Rail 16-ton steel mineral wagons,
some tank traffic, and more soda ash in 'COVHOPS'. The Wallerscote was Class 9 unfitted, 25mph
restricted and timed. They always seemed to run in the afternoon. There were probably two (or more)
sets of wagons as the return workings came back through Altrincham too quickly for them to have

been unloaded into ships at Partington Basin in the time it took for them to return. The COVHOPS ran
Class 8 (train with a fitted head). Both were usually Class 40 hauled and had a brakevan; Wallerscote
trains had one at each end to facilitate the reversal in Skelton Loop. The soda ash could cause
problems because, if an appreciable amount leaked out of the wagons on to the rail and became wet,
it would act as a lubricant in a similar way to 'leaves on the line' and cause potential braking issues.

The biggest train of them all was the ICI hoppers, as previously described. A special arrangement for
them was included in the box's special instructions. When the hoppers were accepted from Skelton,
we would ring Altrincham to see if they were in a position to offer on to Hale. 'Hoppers?' 'Run 'em!'
When Skelton sent 'On Line', offer to Navigation Road and everyone pulled off and Let 'em Go!
Northwich drivers always appreciated a green at DJ7 signal and the Class 25 would be on full power.

Adventures were few at DJ. The worst that could happen was forgetting to send a train description to
London Road. The problem was self inflicted as we were all so busy chatting to each other on the 'bus'
telephone. Contriteness and a thick skin were necessary - and an understanding of basic Anglo-Saxon!

However, working at DJ was reasonably entertaining. The (Warrington Bank Quay) 'Low Level' line
mentioned above passed over Deansgate Lane about a hundred yards away. There was a 1 in 75 uphill
gradient on the Down Low Level so that the line could climb to cross over the Bridgewater Canal and
the main A56 road further on and locomotives would be working hard as they got away from Skelton
towards Sinderland Crossing. Class 40s, Class 25s, Class 47s on MGR, even occasional Class 56s. It all
went very quiet, of course, when the 'Low Level' closed, although a few surviving trains came our way.

Occasional adventures did happen though. One involved putting an air brake only locomotive on to a
vacuum brake only train. By the time that this happened, Northwich Loco Depot had closed and the
hoppers were mostly being hauled by Toton allocated Class 20s in pairs. Class 45s & 46s also appeared
frequently. I had hoppers (Class 45 hauled) coming and I duly pulled off. But the train stopped and the
driver told me he was losing power and he wasn't confident about getting up to Hale. Ok. Let's see
what we can do. Ring me in five minutes. I ring Skelton. Anything about? I've got an engine coming up.
Ask him if he's able to take the hoppers to Northwich. The engine was approaching on the Low Level.
A Class 56! M'mmm. Tell him the hoppers are vac (vacuumed braked only).

The hopper driver came on the phone. It's a 56. That's ok. The engine's working and we can work the
brakes. The Class 56 Driver was willing. Now we had to get the engine on to the front of the train.
Knowledge of the Signalling Regulations came into play although I had to explain it all to the lad at
Navigation Road. Wrong Direction Working. Blocking back inside the home signal. Shunt into forward
section. Shunt withdrawn. Cancelling the block back. Do not forget about the level crossing! I had
never done anything like this before, but it was all there in my head...

Skelton sent the engine 'Down the Up' to me and I used the rare crossover to get the engine on to the
front of the hoppers. We're ready! I got the road and pulled off. The train was doing 30mph passing
me and he was going well at Hale!!! We listened over the phone. Whoosh! D-D-D-D, D-D-D-D as fast as
you can say it! Certainly more than 12mph. The engine was back from Northwich in less than an hour!

Then, modernisation began to happen! The level crossing gates were replaced with lifting barriers.
I was not involved in that job here but the barriers did make it much easier. But there is more to come
with the advent of Metrolink and that will be covered in another, later episode.

Let us now navigate our way Down the line to Navigation Road...

PS: This was such an interesting railway location in this era that, when both working in the area, John
and Jenny Williamson bought a house nearby with (not coincidentally) rear views of freight trains on
the Skelton Jn to Deansgate Jn curve and the Skelton Jn to Glazebrook Jn line. From the front of the
house the Altrincham to Oxford Road line was visible through the gap between the houses opposite.

2473] Carlisle Shuffle: On Sat 11 Sep due to a fault on signal CE336, the 16.40 and 17.37 Glasgow
Central to Euston and the 16.52 Edinburgh to Euston via Birmingham very unusually crossed from the
Up Main to the Down Main at Caldew Jn and back at Carlisle North Jn to call at Carlisle P4 as booked.

ABOVE & TO FOLLOW: Photos at Deansgate Junction post-1976. (All Dave Leeming.)

ABOVE: A freight from the Altrincham direction is about to take the curve round to
Skelton Jn - note the trailing crossover. BELOW: The same view with the gates closed.



BELOW: Ahead was to Manchester; the first overbridge was for the Warrin

ngton low level line, the second was for the Partington/Glazebrook line.





BELOW: The 10 Jun 1970 drawing of the 'new' set-up for the illuminated di
South Junction & Altrincham line was altered to Track Circuit Block betw
when I first knew it, and how it stayed until the major rebuilding of

X.196] NEXT: Back in 2021, a new poster at Navigation Road (thought

iagram installed in Deansgate Junction signal box when the Manchester,
ween Old Trafford and Timperley. It shows the layout as it was in 1976,

the Railway in 1992 in anticipation of Metrolink. (Dave Leeming.)

to be on the East Lancs Railway). (Andrew McFarlane, 21 Sep 2021.)