1385

2474] Metrolink: ❶(BLN 1384.2314.4) Recently both platforms were in use at MediaCityUK as trams
to and from Eccles crossed there - the branch is single track, of course. (A member had to run between
the two in pouring rain when the shown platform was changed as the tram approached.) This may end
when MediaCityUK off peak short workings to/from Etihad Campus restart, as staffing allows.

❷Exchange Square stop (both directions) and inbound Platform 'A' at Victoria were closed from Mon
13 until Sun 19 Sep while the inbound curve leading from Platform 'A' was replaced. There was no
access from Victoria to the Second City Crossing. Trams between East Didsbury, Shaw & Crompton/
Rochdale Town Centre ran via Shudehill. Normal services resumed Mon 20 Sep. Manchester Airport
to Victoria trams could not stable in Victoria centre platform so ran to Crumpsall to turnback but ECS.

Crumpsall bay† and Manchester end facing crossover, were commissioned 21 Oct 2019. A member
saw test trams run the day before. It is thought never to have seen regular service and is to be the
turnback for Trafford Centre trams (via Exchange Square) but the extra trams were required first.
Also Covid has reduced staffing and passenger levels, so Trafford Park line services have run only to
Cornbrook. (†Very rusty on Sun 15 Aug when a member transferred from bus to tram at the stop.)

❸On Thur 9 Sep a member was at Victoria and saw a tram advertised to Crumpsall on the passenger
indicators. It left Victoria at 16.43 and terminated in Crumpsall bay in service. There the driver
explained that it should have been a Piccadilly to Bury working, but the booked driver had been taken
ill. By terminating short, the tram could take up its later workings on schedule. The driver also said
that trams had used the bay in passenger service previously ad hoc, but only very rarely.

❹(BLN 1384.2314.5) 97% of the 300+ tram drivers have voted to strike over pay. At present strikes
are scheduled for Sat 25 & Sun 26 Sep suspended (The Great Manchester Run and a Manchester
United home fixture) plus Sun 10 (Manchester Marathon) & Sun 24 Oct (Manchester United at home).

2475] Manchester Piccadilly, rare move! The P13 & 14 lifts will be renewed between 3 Jan & 18 Apr.
Between these dates step free access will be available via a new stair lift fitted to the P14 staircase.

2476] Liverpool Docks: (BLN 1374.1007 old/new track plans) From 4 Sep the Down L&NW Goods Line
and the Up L&NW Goods Line, between Alexandra Dock Tunnel and Liverpool Docks, were both
extended from where they previously joined to form the bidirectional Up & Down Goods single line at
5m 52ch, almost to Strand Road Level Crossing (5m 73ch). The new extended double track line follows
a different alignment to the Up & Down Goods single line, which they replaced. The former train
operated points at 5m 50ch (also the NR/ Mersey Docks & Harbour Company Ltd boundary), which
formed the connection between the single line and the two LNW Goods lines, will be recovered.
In summary double track, on a different alignment to the previous single line, now extends almost to
Strand Road Crossing where new pointwork also allows a departure from Seaforth Container Terminal
with a simultaneous arrival at Liverpool Bulk Handling Terminal. Another railtour is now needed!

2477] Stalybridge - Leigh: (BLN 1384.2310) A member kindly advises that Leigh (Kent) is pronounced
'Lye' (your Editor understands, he used to live at L eigh Sinton in Worcestershire, which had a station
on the Bromyard branch and was also pronounced 'Lye' but only usually by the locals). Someone
'Up North' working for Northern Trains would not be expected to know, of course, particularly as Leigh
in Lancashire is 'Lee'. However, the power of BLN is again demonstrated as on Northern's Stalybridge
website page Leigh (Kent) has since transmogrified to 'Leeds' and not 'Lyeds' even, with tickets from
£18 single (£18.40 off-peak day return) before Railcards. Average journey is 51 Mins, fastest 41 mins -
direct; interestingly frequency is 'about every 29 mins' - it must have been a computer! A member
contrasts Milton Keynes with Horsted Keynes, Chichester (Sussex) with Chichester (Tyneside) and
Gillingham (Kent) with Gillingham (Dorset) - at least there is only one Milngavie and one Dalzell.

2478] Runcorn East: (BLN 1322.296 & photo) Norton Signal Box, between Frodsham Jn and Acton
Grange Jn, was abolished from Mon 20 Sep, with signalling control transferred to Frodsham Junction
signal box. Track Circuit Block signalling applies on both the Up and Down Main lines between
Frodsham Jn and Acton Grange Jn. New train detection will be via 'conventional' track circuits, which
are a mixture of double rail jointless EBI 400 circuits and single rail medium voltage DC circuits!

BELOW: (Item 2479A) A new Class 777 EMU; the driver's cab and seat. (All John Luxton, 9 Sep 2021.)
NEXT: The train interior (the train is in Birkenhead North P1 - following two photos).









BELOW: (Item 2484) New signs at Bolton, left on P3 towards Manchester and right on P5. (Andrew Martin.)

2479] Carlisle: NR is carrying out major work to protect the WCML River Eden Viaducts. Specialist
divers are pouring 900 tonnes of underwater setting concrete to protect the foundations, at risk from
fast flowing water eroding parts of the riverbed. Water visibility in the River Eden is very poor, with a
lot of the work done by touch alone. Over 2,200 tonnes of rock has also been placed in the river to
calm the waters and divert its flow so the divers can work under the surface. Trains have been running
at 20mph over the Victorian and 1940s-built structures. Once this first phase of work is complete in
the next few weeks, trains will be able to run at speeds of 100mph over the viaducts. Further viaduct
strengthening takes place in summer 2022; probably not coincidentally in a new financial year!

2479A] Class 777: Transport Focus Passenger Research Group helped to design the interiors. They
have the same number of seats but can carry 50% more passengers, due to extra standing room. They
feature: Automatic slide out ramps when the doors open, so wheelchairs and prams can board
without the need for manual ramps. Wheelchair spaces with emergency call bell, window and
Passenger Information Screens. Space for up to six bikes. Power and USB points. WiFi. Air con.

2480] Crewe - Chester: (BLN 1382.2068) The Middlewich Avanti passenger diversions have been every
weekend in Sep (including 25 & 26) for £250k of flash flood alleviation work near Beeston Castle.

2481] Wigan NW - Lostock Jn: (BLN 1384.2309) The £78M electrification involves the installation of
450 new overhead line equipment stanchions with modifications to 17 bridges and two level crossings.

2482] Merseyrail: The first of 53 Class 777 EMUs (there is an option to order another 59) was officially
handed over from Stadler to Merseyrail and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority at a press
event at Birkenhead North on Tue 7 Sep - only another 52 to go. Driver training can start now.
However, Merseyrail said that it has no expected date for them entering service.

2483] Lancaster: The £1.3M restoration of the Grade II listed footbridge is complete. The 121 year old
structure has been strengthened, had a new roof and windows installed, and has all been repainted.
The work was staged over eight months so that the footbridge could remain open throughout.

2484] Were they bolted on? New changeover signs have been installed on P3 & 5 at Bolton for the
recent introduction of Class 769 bimodes (diesel traction towards Wigan and electric eastwards).

2485] Holmes Chapel: On Tue 7 Sep a lorry driver crashed into the railway bridge (165m 01ch) over
the M6 southwest of Holmes Chapel and tragically died. Crewe to Holmes Chapel was closed and
from 09.00-14.30 Northern stopping trains from Manchester reversed in Holmes Chapel P2, unusually
via Goostrey trailing crossover. Several members, alerted via 'Gensheet', managed to do it. There is
Simplified Bidirectional Signalling on both lines between Sandbach South Jn and Wilmslow South Jn.

The same crossover was used briefly Fri 27 Aug by trains towards Manchester to bypass a failed
freight train; they crossed back to the Down Wilmslow at Chelford North Jn (south of the station!).

1385 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected]
2486] March - Peterborough: (BLN 1368.93) Replacement of 29 longitudinal timber frames supporting
the rails and baseplates over four underbridges near Manea takes place from 11 Sep to 24 Oct. Apart
from Sat 11 Sep, Sat 23 & Sun 24 Oct, work is on all intermediate Sundays. Softwood frames usually
have a life expectancy of 20-25 years. Though not concealed in ballast, they are subject to internal rot.

2487] Grand Central: There is a SSuX 'as required' ECS path (13 Sep to 10 Dec) King's Cross 11.36 to
Bounds Green Depot (12.55) for stabling. It is via Hertford North (twice) and reverses at Langley
South Jn to run via the Hertford Loop both ways for route refreshing. An alternative un-refreshing
path is available direct to Bounds Green arriving 12.14. The same applies to the return afternoon ECS
run. On the first day (Mon 13 Sep), the direct paths to the Depot were used, with the train stabled on
the 'Coal Road' alongside the link to the old Palace Gates station there.

2488] Chelmsford: The platform departure posters recently had 'Saturday Dydd Sadwrn' (the latter
Welsh for Saturday) as the heading for departures to Great Yarmouth and Weeley, but for other
stations just 'Saturday'. Perhaps someone can come up with an explanation as to why Great Yarmouth
and Weeley are regarded as Welsh, but only on a Saturday? However, 'Ceg Yar gwych' did not feature.





THIS PAGE & PREVIOUS

(Item 2490) The restored
Wheathampstead platform
with (LEFT) a sculpture of
George Bernard Shaw who
regularly used the station

(Andrew Demosthenous
3 Sep 2021.)

X.197] BELOW: On Sun 19 Sep trains from Victoria turned back in Shepherds Well Down P2 (here with
a green signal for departure). The crossover is quarter of a mile away. Right is the non-electrified Long
Siding, once connecting to the Tilmanstone Colliery branch (East Kent Railway now). The disused
Shepherds Well box, ahead left, survived closure as it is Grade II listed. (Simon Mortimer & next.)





2489] Bletchley: (BLN 1384.2341) (TRACKmaps 4 p3B 2018) Vale Sidings adjacent to the Down Vale
Line (Bletchley - Bedford line) between Bletchley East Jn and Fenny Stratford Jn were taken OOU
from 11 Sep until further notice. The hand points at the west end of the sidings were clipped, scotched
and padlocked with the route set towards Bletchley TMD. Points near Savon Street overbridge to the
east of the sidings were clipped, scotched and padlocked in the normal position. A baulk of timbers
was chained and padlocked across the sidings at 0m 800yds at the west end of the sidings. A further
timber baulk was chained and padlocked across the sidings at 0m 1002yds (east end of the sidings).

2490] Hatfield - Dunstable: The platform has been restored at Wheathampstead (CP 25 Apr 1965) on
its substantial engineering blue brick face, with replica slab surfacing and concrete post and rail back
wall, running-in board and planters. Since this work was commissioned for the 1 Sep 2010 anniversary
of 150 years of the station, a small new wood shelter in green and cream has been provided with bench
seating and a full size sculpture of playwright George Bernard Shaw, a regular user of the station.

2491] Stadler Flirt Trains: These are apparently known as Basils as they were Fawlty (faulty) on delivery.

2492] Taplow: (BLN 1379.1725) On 10 Sep the new booking office (Up Relief P4) was open; the station
building appeared complete and quite smart. The entrance has been widened for a gate line with a
wide gate and two normal gates to be fitted, when the Down side (with a 2+1 gate line) is finished.
There are gents and ladies toilets plus a small waiting room. The country gate was firmly locked shut.

2493] Reading: (BLN 1384.2346) The circular social distancing signs along the platforms and the keep
left directional signs on the transfer deck have been removed by NR staff recently. The former looked
easy to take up but the latter seemed to involve a lot of effort.

1385 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
2494] Thanet Parkway: (BLN 1377.1433) The platforms of this new station are under construction, as
well as other ground works. Work is understood to have begun in May 2021 after completion of
archaeological excavations and will finish in Jun 2022, with the station opening in or after Dec 2022.

2495] Southampton - Bournemouth: The line closes for five days from Mon 1 to Fri 5 Nov (the week
after half term!) for track, signals and drainage work between Totton and Bournemouth. It includes:
●Improving drainage in the Sway area, often a location of service suspension following heavy rain.
●Track relaying at Totton, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst, Sway, Christchurch and Hinton Admiral.
●Replacing rails between Hinton Admiral and Christchurch. ●Bridge maintenance at Christchurch.

2496] Oxted: (BLN 1368.104) Strengthening work continues on Oxted Viaduct (20m 40ch - 20m 46ch).
Due to the nature of the next stage of structural repairs, from 13 to 26 Sep, all traffic except multiple
units is prohibited from crossing the viaduct on either line, except in some prearranged instances.

2497] Gatwick Airport: (BLN 1371.569) From 18 Sep a second tower crane was to be erected to the
rear of Down P7 at the London end of the station concourse. This will be used for construction works
and steelwork installation at the station and will remain in place until 30 Sep 2022.

2498] Liphook: (BLN 1369.235) The new footbridge opened from Sun 12 Sep and the existing
footbridge at 46m 66ch was to be removed. The new lifts will not be operational until a later date.

2499] Andover: (BLNs 1363.3026 (plans) & 1381.1953) In Stage 1 of Andover Sidings Project, works
were to take place from Fri 24 Sep: Hand points No9 plain lined (facing/trailing connection to/from
Sidings 2 & 3). Hand points No5 (trailing/facing connection to/from Siding 3) and single lead line to
the concrete crossing and depot area plain lined. Siding 3 removed and abolished. Hand points
No2 and associated track infrastructure beyond towards concrete crossing and depot area removed.

The future on track machine siding (approx 100m long) was to be installed OOU until commissioned.

2500] Ryde: (BLN 1383.2209) Unit 484003 was taken along Ryde Pier on 9 Sep for gauging, but was
having problems. The IOW County Press reported that software problems with the EMUs are still not
solved. When Ryde to Shanklin was converted from steam to third rail electrification, the 8½ mile line
was only closed from 1 Jan until 19 Mar 1967 - there were no software problems in those days!

2501] Fawley: A Colas operated 'top & tailed' track recording run (Plain Line Pattern Recognition) from
Woking on Wed 8 Sep included the branch. However, Realtime Trains shows it passing Marchwood
38 mins late at 14.27 and again, just 13 mins later, at 14.40 (then only 17 mins late) on the return run.
Although shown as booked to reverse at Fawley Esso, the booked running time from/to Marchwood
was 12 minutes each way. Thus it seems likely it only traversed the operational section of the branch.

On Fri 2 Sep the GBRf 2021 charity railtour reached the end of the middle line on the 'Falklands Jetty'
at Marchwood Military Port (any further and the loco would have got wet), 'top & tailed' exclusively
by MoD Class 01 locos. There are minor changes to the internal layout compared to TRACKmaps.

1385 SOUTH WEST (Darren Garnon) [email protected]
2502] South Marston Euro Terminal: (TRACKmaps 3 p5A 2028) This 63-acre £64M 'freight village' -
industrial, warehouse and distribution estate with rail facilities - was first proposed in 1994. Despite
NIMBY opposition, outline planning permission was granted in 1995 and by Sep 1998 the cutting had
been excavated for the new branch. On 21 Jan 2000 Transport Minster Lord Whitty formally opened
what a local newspaper described as: little more than a sea of clay. On 12 Mar 2001 permission was
finally granted for warehouses, distribution and associated works - including the rail sidings.

Weekly notices show that the branch, trailing into the Up main (74m 51ch) and the associated facing
crossover (South Marston Jn at 74m 48ch) east of Swindon, was to be commissioned on Mon 7 & 14
Feb 2000. Due to 'construction difficulties', the work did not take place; pointwork was in situ but OOU.

From 11 Jun 2000 the automatic signals in each direction for the new pointwork became 'controlled'.

Railtrack re-planned commissioning, again in two stages from Mon 11 & 18 Feb 2002. However a later
notice deferred these until Mon 18 Feb and 4 Mar 2002 respectively, with routes through the new
crossover available 4 Mar. The new branch was to be commissioned at a later date (to be advised).

Anecdotal evidence from various Swindon Power Box signallers at the time confirms that the
connections were officially in use (even if not used) by at least 2004. At some time, after very little
use, the South Marston connections were taken out of use again (or maybe fell out of use?) until the
branch was, once again, finally brought into use, by a Weekly Operating Notice of 24 Mar 2007.

BLN has never recorded any train using the branch, indeed it has been reported as 'very rusty' several
times. Former Swindon signallers advise that the Euro Terminal (two words per Sectional Appendix)
never achieved the volume of rail traffic originally envisaged. They say there has never been regular
traffic and it could be many months or years between trains using the connection. However photo
evidence has recently been provided on Thur 22 Apr 2010 of 66193 shunting a freight train on the
branch. The caption indicates that a train ran from the Honda Plant at South Marston 'every Thursday'
loaded with cars for Dollands Moor and the Channel Tunnel. BLN 1167.965 noted that new rail traffic
of Honda cars for export via Southampton Docks was 'expected' in Sep 2012 but does not seem to
have materialised. As previously recorded the Honda car factory closed down on 31 Jul 2021.

The single track branch rises with a 1:250 gradient on a curve initially northwest from the junction in a
cutting wide enough to take two tracks - the overbridge certainly is. At 425yd (SU 1861 8694) the NR
boundary is the terminal gate, then the branch reaches ground level and follows the western site
boundary to the buffer stops. Heading north, passing the first large warehouse on the right, the single
line fans out into three loop sidings with a dead end cripple siding off the far left one - as TRACKmaps
shows. Reaching the second large warehouse boundary, also on the right, the three tracks become set
in concrete and curve slightly northeast to the end of line which is 1,100yd from the junction points.
The sidings and loops that are set in concrete are usually fully occupied … but sadly by around 60
miscellaneous lengthy road trailers parked close to each other across them at an angle.

2503] Timetable: Recent track access amendments imply that parts of CrossCountry's Covid timetable
are to be permanent. On GWR Weston-super-Mare is to be served via Bath rather than the fast via
Parkway. WsM to Parkway trains are replaced by WsM to Severn Beach, extra Bristol to Gloucester
services do not appear and Temple Meads to Parkway shuttles still terminate at Filton Abbey Wood.

2504] Only Freight Track, BLS Members & Horses: Many of our members were on this UK Railtours'
Sat 11 Sep tour arranged by Ian 'Selby' Loveday. (*To end of line in each case; names in bold are all per
Sectional Appendix.) It included Theale Goods Loop (GL) Down direction, Down Towney Loop,
Woodborough DGL & Westbury Recycling Road 1* - NOT via the short loop but directly off 'back
road'. Not shown here on TRACKmaps 2018 is an extra road between Recycling Road 2 and (set in
concrete with a line of locos stabled on it) the Recycling Maintenance Road. Further out from the
running lines two lengthy new sidings - surrounded by temporary site security fencing - were being
laid, old large scale maps suggest they are a reinstatement of ones removed years ago.

Westbury Cement Works was done via Siding 1 to the Coal Discharge Line* (sleeper and fence across
end of line), Hawkeridge Curve (both tracks recently relaid), Down Bath GL, (Bristol) East Depot GL,
Bristol East Depot Unloading Siding 3 (furthest from main line)*, Bristol Temple Meads Down and
also Up Through Lines. At Parson Street Jn: South Liberty Siding was covered via Road 3 (not shown
on TRACKmaps or the Sectional Appendix) to one loco length of the headshunt - the operational limit.
Also included was (Bristol Parkway) UPL, Up Charfield Loop, (Haresfield) UGL, (Haresfield) DGL, Down
Charfield Loop, Westerleigh Road 2 (almost to M4 bridge), Gloucester New Yard U&DGL, Alstone
Carriage Sidings (but there is only one)* and Lansdown DGL. The route after Kemble: Rodbourne Jn -
Down Kemble - Swindon P3 - Up Swindon Reception - Highworth Jn (rev; vegetation prevented
further progress) - Up Swindon Reception - Cocklebury Through Siding - Hawksworth Steel Terminal
gate (Swindon Stores on RTT) (rev) - Highworth Jn. Then Up Swindon GL, Didcot GL & Up Reading PL.

A good selection of recently installed crossovers at Bristol East were done on the various passes, but it
will take a while for most to get their head around the new layout and what is common or rare.

2505] West Loop North Jn - Bristol West Depot Jn: Opened in 1906, when this double track third side
of the Portishead branch triangle (Portishead West Loop) CA 6 Dec 1971, a headshunt was left at the
Bristol West Depot Jn end (where it once joined the Bristol to Taunton line). On the 11 Sep 2021 tour
(previous item), a set of points and one rail length was noted still in situ (OOU) from the curve trailing
into South Liberty Siding headshunt. This headshunt is lengthy and could stable a complete
intermodal train. However, the useable section is now just one loco length past the run round points
with a few crippled wagons stabled ahead. The site is now an aggregate terminal. South Liberty Siding
once served South Liberty Colliery (closed 1925), the waste area next to the main line on the Bristol
side of the 'Brick Works' (BELOW). Portishead was off the top of this 1:25,000 scale 1951 map, Bristol
Temple Meads was off to the right and Taunton off bottom left. The third side of the triangle is seen.

2506] It Can Now Be Told (47): (BLN 1384.2358) By Maurice Dart. Through a contact my landlady's
husband had in a local choir, on 8 Jul 1962 I caught the regular Sunday excursion from Plymouth to
Newquay at St Budeaux Ferry Road. It departed at 10.04 headed by D869 Warship 'Zest' (Class 42)
and at Par the crew changed with St Blazey driver Len Hooper taking over. I left the front coach, went
up to the loco and was invited on board. I sat on a seat at the back of the right hand side of the cab
watching Len intently. When we called at St Columb Road he moved across to the right hand seat,
took out his food box and started eating. Departure time came and went then Len said: What are you
sitting there for? Take it away. You've been watching me. So I took the driver's seat and started us off,
getting the feel of the eight coach train behind us. We gradually climbed, passed through the short
44yd Coswarth Tunnel and carried on non-stop through Quintrell Downs. As we approached Tolcarn
Jn (for the Chacewater line), Len took over again into Newquay. After shunting the train into a siding,
as we ate our food in the cab, seagulls perched on the roof and tapped their beaks asking for nibbles.
I rode in the cab back to Par and in the train to St Budeaux, ending the day by visiting Laira Shed.

2507] Harry Potter at Westbury? (TRACKmaps 3 p12C 2018 top left) Not to be outdone by King's
Cross P9¾, Westbury Up Sidings (DBC) has a Road 7½ - but it is all there - between Roads 7 & 8!

2508] Okehampton: (BLN 1284.2363) The finishing 'line' is in sight here. Five GSM-R (Global System
for Mobile Communications - Railway) masts are being installed along the branch (the Sampford
Courtney one is a 25m tall lattice design). West of North Tawton station site, Greenslade underbridge
(B3125) has had four longitudinal timbers replaced - each weighed 1¾ tonnes. Passenger services are
shown on the excellent Dartmoor Line website as restarting 'by the end of 2021'. From Mon 20 Sep
until Sat 2 Oct GWR has regular ECS test/route learning specials booked SuX. They are 08.27 SSuX
Exeter Depot to Okehampton, then two return runs to Yeoford. The DMU then leaves Okehampton
at 11.24 for Exeter St Davids P2 (arr 12.08 - 44 mins). The afternoon run leaves there at 13.57; two
return trips are then booked to Yeoford before it forms a 16.39 to Exeter Depot. Some timings vary by
a few minutes on Saturdays. Additionally on Mon 27 Sep a Colas loco worked test train is booked to
visit, 00.30 Exeter Riverside New Yard to Okehampton and return - three times (!!!), finishing at
Exeter Riverside at 08.09½ before returning to Derby Railway Technical Centre that morning.

An interesting 'coincidence' is that the last (current) booked day of the GWR ECS workings, Sat 2 Oct,
coincides with a weekend of events to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the opening of the line to
Okehampton. The actual anniversary is Sun 3 Oct when: there will be a broad recreation of the events
of 1871. This will start outside the Town Hall in Fore Street at 2pm and then move to the station where
there will be a ceremony and the presentation of a Golden token/key to the 'Stationmaster'. It will be
interesting to see if anything appears on RTT that day at the station as it is such a major anniversary!

What has appeared on RTT is the full seven day timetable from Sun 12 Dec (the timetable change
date). SSuX there are eight return services, broadly trains every two hours from Exeter St Davids 06.30
to 14.35 then 17.08 to 21.15 (five are from/to Exeter Central). Timings vary slightly on Saturdays with
variations on which services run through to Central. On Sundays there are seven trains each way,
similar to the weekday timetable without the first working with four from and two through to Central.
The plan is to have an hourly Okehampton service from 15 May 2022 most to/from Exeter Central.

1385 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]
2509] New Street: The former postal tunnel connecting the sorting office (now the Mailbox leisure
complex) and the 'A' end of the station platform ramps is still extant. During Birmingham Heritage
Week, on 10 Sep NR gave a tour to 30 people, selected by ballot from very many applications.

2510] Wolverhampton: (BLN 1380.1856) A member points out that it is a very long walk between P4
via the footbridge to bay P5 and passengers would have to be fleet footed to make the connections
shown in National Rail's journey planner. The 12.41 Manchester arrival on P4 is advertised to connect
with the 12.48 all stations to Walsall from P5 for example. Station redevelopment has revealed the
unused stretch of line beyond the buffer stops on P5 into the former parcels area. However P5 can
accommodate a 4-car Class 350 EMU which operate the services so lengthening looks like a long shot.

2511] Shrewsbury - Kidderminster: In Sep 1963 the last train left Bridgnorth during the BR era. Had it
not been for the commitment and enthusiasm of a group of volunteers, Sun Sep 8 1963 would have
marked just another closure of another line. The last passenger train left Bridgnorth station at 6.58pm,
a regular Sunday fisherman's special, stopping at all stations to Birmingham Snow Hill. To mark the
special occasion, British Railways replaced the usual diesel loco with two Collett steam locomotives.

The evening before (Saturday) saw the final passenger train to run from Bridgnorth to Shrewsbury,
leaving at 5.27pm. The normal two coach train was lengthened to four, and the platforms were
crowded with people on a line which had opened to the public on 1 Feb 1862. On the last train were
about a dozen normal travellers and 150 enthusiasts. At the sharp end was 2-6-2 tank loco 41207; the
crew was driver Hugh Bell, fireman Michael Dorricott, and guard Jack Made, all from Shrewsbury. One
passenger was a journalist and steam enthusiast, the late Russell Mulford; he bought the final single
ticket issued (5s 9d). In his write up published in the 'Express & Star' of Mon 9 Sep 1963, he reported:

7.39pm Linley Halt: Five adults and three children greeted us. One youngster was in her dressing
gown - no doubt allowed to stay up a little later to watch the last of the passenger trains go by.

7.45pm Coalport: A dozen people here, as we made the briefest of stops, waves and smiles all round.

7.48pm Jackfield: We had moved slowly over the famous 'landslip' area near the River Severn bank,
allowing some good natured exchanges between the travellers and the groups at the railside.

7.53pm Ironbridge: We were greeted by the biggest crowd of the trip. There were at least 60 people
on the platform. A press photographer was taking pictures. He walked to the end of the train and
brought the guard up to the front to pose with the engine crew and station staff. The train was held up
for several minutes, but who cared? It was the last one anyway. Eventually we were off - past cheerful
'sunshine' posters inviting us to go to Littlehampton and other resorts by rail (but no longer possible)!

8.03pm Buildwas: Here the bangs of more detonators greeted our arrival and departure. They were
answered by some of the longest and most musical notes I have ever heard from an engine whistle.

8.10pm Cressage: A dozen or so villagers were on the platform and here, more than anywhere on the
trip, I had the feeling that they and the station staff felt deeply about the passing of passenger traffic.
There were long exchanges and longer handshakes.

8.16pm Cound Halt: No one got on or off the train that I could see, nor was anyone on the platform.
They don't care here, obviously, growled a Mancunian on my left. [A very sparsely populated area.]

8.22pm Berrington: Here it seemed that all the youngsters of the village had been organised to give us
a 'royal' cheer. Then came the bangs from a dozen detonators - sounding louder as darkness fell.

At journey's end in Shrewsbury the crew, wrote Russell, were besieged by autograph hunters. Well
that's it then, said 35-year-old Mr Bell, wiping his hands on a piece of cotton waste with the air of a
man responsible for a job well done. That wasn't it by a long chalk. While the line north of Bridgnorth
was nearly all dismantled, rail enthusiast Keith Beddoes started the process which ended in triumph
with the revival of the Severn Valley Railway. [Bridgnorth - Hampton Loade ROP 23 May 1970.]

Keith was working at a factory in Stourport Road, Kidderminster, in 1965 and fumed at the railway
closures. In Sussex enthusiasts had successfully reopened the Bluebell Line, and Keith wondered if it
might be possible to do something similar locally. On 6 Jul 1965, about 50 people attended a public
meeting at The Coopers Arms, Kidderminster, and the Severn Valley Railway Society was founded…

2512] Small Heath: Re-modelling of the DBC aggregate terminal layout behind Caledonia Yard is
taking place but it remains in use. The area is surrounded by temporary fencing. Any ideas please?

2513] Curzon Street: Over the next year, an expert team will carry out an intricate restoration of the
Grade I listed original station building, designed by the notable architect Philip Hardwick. It opened in
1838, the Birmingham terminus of the London & Birmingham Railway from Euston. The contractors
are KN Circet (who have offices in Solihull), working for HS2. The building has been integrated into the
HS2 Curzon Street station site, as has the Grade II listed Woodman pub opposite. The public space at
the station will feature historic track alignments of the former goods yard that used to lie to its east.

The gardens and new eastern concourse façade have been designed to complement the architecture
of the 1838 building. Work includes a new steel structural frame to strengthen the building, a new lift
accessing all four levels, new glass balustrade for the historic staircase, internal fit out, roof repairs,
structural repairs to the external façade, and a full clean of the external building masonry.

2514] Gravelly Hill: On Thur 9 Sep a serious OHLE fault here on the Down Sutton resulted in the 05.25
Soho Depot to Four Oaks ECS working, a 6-car EMU, being brought to a stand at Gravelly Hill station
after the OHLE tripped out. The front pantograph had broken off and there was considerable damage
to a lengthy section of OHLE. The rescue loco and subsequent ECS test trains used the rare Gravelly
Hill trailing crossover (0m 35ch). Normal service was eventually restored by 07.00 on Fri 10 Sep.

2515] Shrewsbury - Wolverhampton: From Sun 19 Sep a few TfW long distance services called at all
local stations (even Bilbrook!) - these supplement West Midlands Railway local services rather than
replace them - but in some cases they only run 15 mins or so apart. This continues throughout the rest
of the current timetable and through the next one. The TfW trains concerned SSuX: 23.34 (23.35 SO)
New Street to Shrewsbury and SuO: 08.10, 09.07 & 22.11 Shrewsbury to Birmingham International,
19.25 Chester to Birmingham International & 21.27 Chester to Wolverhampton. 09.51 Birmingham
International to Aberystwyth and 10.48 Birmingham International to Chester.

2516] Kidderminster: The long mooted plans by NR to replace the 33.5m span footbridge over their
main line and the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) station throat (once Kidderminster Goods Yard) have
been given financial approval. The project has been discussed for several years but work is due to start
in Dec. It continues during the SVR 'closed period' for Mar 2022 completion. The design is a single span
constructed in 'weathering steel' (= rusty!) with new abutments each end. All traces of the existing run
down bridge will go, including the central brick pier, aiding sighting of the main line colour light signal.
The bridge carries a well used footpath to Kidderminster Harriers' football ground and residential
areas; it has been a popular vantage point over the years for train spotters and railway photographers.

Many members may not realise how close the Severn Valley Railway Kidderminster station here
(OP 30 Jul 1984) on the old goods yard came to being the site of a Morrisons supermarket instead - in
which case the SVR would have terminated at Foley Park near the former British Sugar Factory!

2517] Wolverhampton - Stafford, no slips: £5M of landslip prevention work, begun in Nov 2020, has
been completed. South of Penkridge 1.3km of cuttings have been re-profiled to reduce the gradient,
over 11,000 tonnes of earth removed and 10,000 tonnes of stabilisation stone laid. Due to the steep
slopes, special 'spider' excavators were used. Rabbit netting was installed to prevent them burrowing.

2518] Washwood Heath: A very large £52M steel girder bridge, 92m long, is under construction here
on the site of the former incline to the old Alstom works alongside the Stechford to Aston line. It will
carry that line over the Derby Lines and the new HS2 lines replacing the existing bridge which has eight
masonry arches and a central steelwork span. The new bridge is due to be completed by Sep 2022.

2519] Worcester - Bromyard - Leominster (WBL): Bromyard - Leominster CA 15 Sep 1952, but, after
being used for wagon storage, was famously traversed by a WA Camwell tour on 26 Apr 1958 before
lifting. Leominster Jn (near the former Bransford Road station, between Worcester and Malvern) to
Bromyard CA 7 Sep 1964. Now a group called 'WBL Greenway' is attempting to resurrect the 24½ mile
trackbed as a walking, cycling and horse riding route. Working with Sustrans, they are now trying to
raise funds for a feasibility study, and are calling for public help to raise awareness. An online survey
with over 1,300 responses was 95% positive (presumably the 5% were NIMBYs). Herefordshire Council
recognises the potential value of the project as part of their transport strategy and agreed to support
further detailed investigation of the project but a commitment is needed from Worcestershire.

https://wblgreenway.org.uk/ has more information. The trackbed includes the private 2ft gauge one
mile Bromyard & Linton Light Railway, as well as private standard gauge lines at the former Rowden
Mill and Fencote stations. Much/most of the trackbed has been sold off and some bridges removed -
the approach to Leominster alongside the Hereford line is now part of the A49 Leominster bypass.

BELOW: (Item 1516) Proposed new steel fo
and the main line at the Worcester en

ootbridge over the Severn Valley Railway
nd of Kidderminster stations. (SVR)

2520] Nuneaton (1): £4M of work has been completed improving the station footbridge and
repointing the 1915 built station clock tower brickwork. The bridge work included repainting and
refurbishing the interior walkway, a new roof, new windows and lift maintenance. (2): From Mon 27
Sep SSuX, the 2-hourly local train service on the Nuneaton to Coventry and Leamington 'Cinderella
Line' increases to hourly until 17.08 (14.09 SO) then remains 2-hourly. Perhaps ominously, duplicate
buses (which are reported to run mostly empty) remain in the timetable shadowing the extra services.
Sundays the service remains hourly from about 10.00-23.00 with one trip replaced by buses (plural)!

1385 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
2521] Rosslare - Waterford; an open and shut case: (BLN 1384.2376) On 9 Sep, after paper BLN 1384
had been printed, but updated in e-BLN 1394, Irish Rail abandoned its plan to leave Barrow Bridge
permanently open to river traffic, only closing and opening it every six weeks. Instead the bridge will
be staffed 24 hours a day, as at present, to be opened as needed (currently this averages twice a day
over the year). (Poole in Dorset, has two bridges with elaborate modern bridge open/bridge closed
signs on the approach roads and no indication whether that means open to road traffic or boats!)

2522] Rosslare - Waterford; an open and shut case: (BLN 1384.2376) Irish Rail has abandoned its plan
to leave Barrow Bridge permanently open, closing and opening it every six weeks. Very awkwardly for
us this was revealed on 9 Sep, after paper BLN had been printed. Instead the bridge will be staffed
24 hours a day, as at present, to be opened as needed (currently averaging twice a day over the year).
2523] Pelletstown: (BLN 1347.735) Irish Rail's newest and 145th station between Ashtown and
Broombridge opens on Sun 26 Sep. The first departures are 08.37 to Dublin Connolly and 08.57 to
Maynooth. It is at 2m 28ch (from the former Dublin Broadstone station) on the Dublin to Maynooth/
M3 Parkway line. The €10M station has two platforms, a footbridge and accessible ramp access
between platforms and to the railway, as well as a second footbridge and accessible ramp over the
Royal Canal - this is to access the Canal Greenway (and dwellings that side) without having to cross the
railway on the level. The opening date coincides with Irish Rail's new Connolly Working Timetable.

2524] SLW: On Sat 25 Sep this was on the Down; Limerick Junction facing X/O to Thurles trailing X/O.
On Sat 2 Oct it is also on the Down from Thurles facing crossover to Lisduff trailing crossover. Maybe
Irish Rail would do well selling a Saturday only annual Gricing Season ticket between Dublin and Cork‽

1385 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
2525] Laxey: Our local members had an eventful day on Wed 25 Aug. Initially they went to Ramsey
returning to Laxey for lunch at the station café (the pork baps are well recommended, with or without
apple sauce). Car 6 with Trailer 41 arrived from Douglas, heading north and the friends they were with
noticed something underneath Trailer 41 that did not look right. This was drawn to the attention of
the crew, who got on their hands and knees to examine it. It was decided that there was a problem
with the brake, and it would be wise not to proceed any further, so the service was terminated. Car 6
and Trailer 41 then went north out of the station to turn, when Car 6 suffered a compressor failure.

The return south over the main road was done carefully, with a red flag on the road to control traffic,
and the tram crew keeping their hands on the ratchet brakes. The tram was then reversed into the
siding, where the engineers' van had already arrived, and work was started straight away. 6 and 41
have been seen out together since then, so all is now well again with them.

2526] Electric Railway: On Thur 26 Aug (with no trams scheduled to operate) contractors took
possession of both tracks between Derby Castle and Derby Castle Depot Jn to work on the level
crossing to the temporary 'Park and Walk' car park. In late Aug Groudle to Ballameanagh was back to
Single Line Working using the landward track until Fri 27 Aug while contractors from 'across the water'
fettled the new welds on the seaside track. Double track operation resumed from Sat 28 Aug.

On Wed 8 Sep a visiting member on the 16.40 Ramsey to Douglas reports that the tram stopped with
no power at the Ballaskeig section gap as the previous service had damaged the OHLE. After 75 mins
his tram reversed using power from the centre feed cable gravitating 300m to Ballaskeig crossover.
It then ran wrong line to Glen Mona to cross back. Douglas was reached 70 mins late at 19.05.

2527] Steam Railway: ❶The Fri 3 Sep 07.45 commuter/breakfast train from Port Erin was fully
booked with diners, so coach F18 was added to the rear to provide seats for non-diners. The seven
coach rake fouled the foot crossing at Port Erin even before the loco was added.

❷That day a tour of Douglas Workshop and Carriage Shed revealed that nothing has happened to
Loco No21 (Diesel 'Cabbage'). It needs lifting again to replace one of the traction motors and some
work on two of the others; the railway can't lift it without an external crane. No12 'Hutchinson' is
almost stripped down but it will be a while before it is ready to run. It is interesting that evidence of
earlier green, blue and previous (darker) Indian Red paint is visible. Rebuilt van G1 is in the workshop
looking good. The bogies on the Foxdale coach need significant work before in can run again. 'Viking' is
now at the back of the carriage shed with Empress Van F28. A replacement engine for No18 'Ailsa' has
arrived and should be fitted in Nov. While our member was there, a move which he hadn't observed
before or thought of occurred. The dining set was drawn from the station to alongside the workshops
so that the toilet tank in the kitchen car could be emptied into a lorry in the bus yard. The set was then
pulled to the Carriage Shed to fill the water tank before being returned to the station to allow the
catering team to clear it and then prepare it for this evening's return commuter/dining service.

❸On Sat 4 Sep a dining train was run during the 'S' Timetable - which itself needs all three operable
locos. In theory this requires a 15 min turnaround at Douglas which experience says takes a minimum
of 25 mins including taking on coal and water if it is the same loco. Amazingly, the timetable was never
more than 20 mins adrift and finished the day on time! It led to 'Kissack' and 'Loch' swapping line ends.

❹The IOMSR currently has 11 operable coaches plus the dining set of 4 saloons, kitchen car and the
bar car. Two are under repair in the workshops and the Foxdale coach needs work on its bogies. 'F63'
is currently being restored at Stanegate Restorations. The 11 coaches are normally rostered as six in
the Douglas rake and five in the Port Erin one. On Mon 6 Sep, anticipated traffic levels led to 'F9' being
removed from the Port Erin rake after arrival of the 11.50 ex-Douglas. The 14.00 to Douglas was then
a well filled 4-coach train. 'F9' was added to the 16.00 to Douglas, a very well loaded 7-coach train.

2528] Ronaldsway Halt: (BLN 1384.2379) On 10 Sep our local members were treated to a tour of
Douglas steam railway workshops, where the Ronaldsway Halt platform sign was noted, previously
rather the worse for wear, but now looking pristine after recent repainting. It is intended to reinstate
it for the 2022 season (not a good idea to do so now while the Halt is temporarily closed). Buses do
now serve the airport (it had been intended for them not to from 28 Jun due to concerns over arriving
passengers Covid quarantining). They were considered less of a risk and also transport staff to/ from
the airport. With the Halt closed, a local member flying recently had to catch the train to Ballasalla
and walk. During the visit to Douglas workshops several other signs were noted receiving attention.

2529] Trains delayed by a Portillo on the line - great! On Mon 13 Sep filming was taking place on the
island with Michael Portillo. He is reported to have visited Groudle Glen Railway that morning, caught
a tram to Derby Castle and then travelled on the steam railway. This delayed departure from Douglas
for Port Erin by 20 mins; with two steam trains and a dining experience running it was not possible to
catch up time. On Tue 14 Sep Michael Portillo and his entourage were in Laxey and went up Snaefell.

2530] A sign of the times: (BLN 1364.3241) Between King Edward Road and Imperial Terrace, Onchan,
on the cliffs above the MER sheds, is closed 20 Sep 06.00 until 5 Nov 18.00. This is to install a new LED
sign (promised for the 2021 season!), a prominent feature of Onchan Head, wording to be advised…

2531] Ramsey, Queen's Pier Tramway: (Not 'Railway') (BLN 1382.2120) The Planet Loco and coach on
display on the Pier for the school holidays since 19 Jul returned to Jurby Transport Museum on 7 Sep.

2532] Orchid Line: (MR p12) (BLN 1355.1906) This 1,000yd mixed 5/7¼" gauge complex ground level
railway is run by the Manx Steam & Model Engineering Club at Curraghs Wildlife Park, Ballaugh. Our
Society visited on Sun 15 Sep 2013, during John & Jenny Williamson's five day IOM spectacular tour.
Now the Railway has been given a £1,370 Community Award grant by the Manx Lottery Trust, which
will enable it to replace its 20 year old ticket office. As well as for selling tickets, it houses the station
control panel. The railway donates a proportion of its ticket income to local charities each year.





PREVIOUS: (Item 2525) Examining the undercarriage at Laxey. BELOW: Aren't

t the tram conductors young these days…‽ (Jenny Williamson, 25 Aug 2021.)

BELOW: (Item 2528) A train calls at Ronaldsway Halt at the request o

of one of our members, note the sign. (Graeme Easton, 5 Jun 2019.)

BELOW: The newly painted sign at Douglas Workshops on 10 Sep 2021 (Jenny Williamson.)

BELOW: (Item 2529) The impressive Port St Mary station was well Portilloed, looking towards Douglas.

BELOW: It's the last one of these - - - - honest - - - - well, OK, just one more to

o go after this then; poser posing at Port Erin. (Graeme Easton, 14 Sep 2021.)

BELOW: Matching colours. There hadn't been so much excitement at Castleton since our 2013 tour ran
through the goods shed - right. (A non-IOM Member who happened to be on the same train, 14 Sep 2021.)

BELOW: An unusual chair at Dreemskerry MER stop, and why not? (Graeme Easton, 30 Aug 2021.)

BELOW: (Item 2531) Ramsey Queen's Pier on Bank Holiday Mon 30 Aug, a

a week before the loco and coach returned to Jurby Transport Museum.

BELOW: To be continued … from the refurbished section of the pier, the silh

houette of Cumbria is on the horizon. (Both Graeme Easton, 30 Aug 2021.)

BELOW: (Item 2527.1) The 07.45 extra-long breakfast/commuter train ov
was extra-long, not the breakfast or the commuters). NEXT: Why it's calle

ver the foot crossing at Port Erin on Fri 3 Sep 2021, (it was the train that
ed a breakfast train… (Both Graeme Easton, a breakfasting commuter.)









PREVIOUS: The Sat 4 Sep train graph. BELOW: Crowds at Castletown on Mo

on 6 Sep as a Douglas to Port Erin train approaches. (Both Graeme Easton.)

BELOW: An Ultimate Driving Experience (£500 plus £50 per passenger in