1376

Number 1376 (Items 1200 - 1341 & MR 68 - 79) (E-BLN 133 PAGES) 8 May 2021

BRANCH LINE NEWS

Distribuendi notitia, verbi disseminandi

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

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

Membership queries: Lisa Sheppard [email protected]
186 Anlaby Park Road South, Hull, HU4 7BU. 07873354464

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

BLN 1377 is dated Sat 22 May; all contributions by Wed 12 May please.

PLEASE RENEW YOUR BRANCH LINE SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP (IF YOU
HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SciOety). TSoOcieStyA. VE US HAVING TO CHASE YOU UP!

1200] BLS Sales; Platform 5 Publications: We have recently reached agreement with Platform 5 to
stock some of their books. The first one that we are able to supply to our members will be:

Diesel & Electric Loco Register 2021 (256 pages) by our member Andy Chard - cover price is £24.95
(excluding P&P) but we can offer it to members at the exclusive price of £20.50 including UK P&P.

A comprehensive, well illustrated, list of all diesel & electric locos ever operated by British Railways,
its constituent companies and successors. It includes all locos that have been able to work on the
British main line network, shunters & departmental locos. For each, the information provided is:

●Latest/last number carried for almost 7,000 locos: ●All previous numbers carried ●Year of service
entry ●Year withdrawn (if applicable) ●Current status (scrapped/preserved/converted/current
operator etc). ●*NEW* for this new 5th Edition: all scrapping details include the year and location.

Technical details are provided for each Class. The book includes an explanation of the numbering
schemes over the years, from the first British Railways simple 5-digit number scheme, the 'D' and 'E'
prefixed numbering of the 1950s, to the computerised TOPS (Total Operations Processing System)
numbers now used for nearly 50 years since late 1971. There is much additional useful information.

The Railways of Manchester: (272 pages) A major new A4 hardback Platform 5 publication by Andy
Chard is released on 24 May. Cover price is £40 but we expect to offer it to members for about £30
including UK P&P. It is a thorough examination of the railways, trains, tramways, stations, depots
and railway builders of the region. Two centuries of rail transport, including many world firsts, are
brought together to give a fascinating insight into how they shaped this great industrial city. The
reader is taken on a journey from the earliest trains, continuing through the upheaval and evolution
of the 19th and 20th centuries to the present, with current operators, heritage railways and modern
trams. Industrial and narrow gauge railways are also covered; their largely unseen operations have
been critical to the movement of just about every form of goods imaginable. The information and
history are brought to life with over 350 photos (some by our very own Ian Mortimer), covering 170
years. These illustrate Manchester's great variety of trains and railway locations, plenty of which
have now gone. Photos show scenes from 1850 to the present and many have never been published
before. They show how much change the railways have witnessed and embellish this analysis of
Manchester's railways past and present. Expressions of interest by email, text or letter to Graeme
Jolley, (back page) to gauge demand for the order. Please do not send any money at this stage.

Please email Graeme Jolley, Sales Officer, (per back page); an electronic invoice will be raised or
write with a cheque (payee 'Branch Line Society') to Graeme per back page address.

The current Society stock of other available books is as follows (prices include UK P&P):

From Crécy Publications: From TRACKmaps:

Liverpool & Manchester Atlas £21 Book 1 Scotland & IOM £10
Book 2 Eastern £12
Southern Railway Atlas £19 Book 3 Western & Wales £10
Then & Now Atlas £14 Book 4 Midland & North West £12
Book 5 Southern & TfL £12
European Atlas £20
Baker Atlas (15th Edition) £15
SW & Central Southern England £27

.Date Event and details….... Please book online BLN Lead Status
Thur 13 May **NEW** East Midlands 125 Farewell WEBSITE MG OPEN

Mon 31 May Romsey Horticultural Tramway (at Cambridge!) E-1374 MG Waiting list

10-12 Jun Three Peaks From A Seat, Class 37 all 1st Class 1374 MG Waiting list

Fri 2-Mon 5 Jul The Summer Syphons - four days of railtours 1374 MG Waiting list

To be advised Ashton Packet Boat Yard NG Railway, Guide Bridge 1356 MG Waiting list

Mon 12 Jul 12.30 K&ESR Traction Tour with 08888 E-1374 MG Waiting list

Mon 12 Jul 17.00 The East Kent Rods & Miniature Railway 1375 MG OPEN

19-21 Jul The Great Scott (service train tracker) BELOW TG BELOW

Sat 31 Jul The Thanet Thunderer Class 50s to Margate 1374 MG OPEN

13-17 Aug BLS Silesian Explorer (Poland) **NEW DATE** 1369 IS OPEN

To be advised The Castleton and Woodside Light Railways 1367 MG Waiting list
Mon 30 Aug Scunthorpe Steel Works railtour No22 then: TBA MG Claimed

Mon 30 Aug Normanby Hall Miniature evening running TBA MG Claimed

Sat 20 Nov 21 Provisional AGM weekend, location to be advised 1371 TBA Claimed

MG = Mark Gomm (back page); IS = Iain Scotchman (back page); PG = Paul Griffin; TG = Tom Gilby.

1201] :FIXTURES:: It is well worth going on the waiting list for fixtures in case of cancellations or, as is
possible after 21 Jun in particular, social distancing rules change, creating more capacity on our events.

1202] :Mon 19-Wed 21 Jul; The Great Scott Service Train Tracker:: Details are per BLN 1375.1094 but
the dates are now Mon 19 to Wed 21 Jul inclusive (not Tues 20th to Thur 22nd). A FEW PLACES REMAIN.

1376 HEAD LINES (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
1203] Strawberry Hill Jn - Fulwell Jn: (Amending BLN 1370.295) This PSUL service has continued (not
suspended from 23 Dec 2020) but unidirectional, just the 18.12 SSuX Waterloo to Shepperton.

1204] Dinting West Jn - Dinting (curved) P2 - Dinting South Jn: (Correcting BLN 1370.302) Suspended
SuX from Mon 18 Jan. SuO trains run Dinting - Glossop - Hadfield and vice versa - can anyone explain?

1205] North Blyth branch; Battleship Wharf Ground Frame (2m 52ch) - Port of Blyth, Battleship Wharf:
(BLN 1371.480) Outward coal trains ran on 23 & 25 Feb, 2, 4 & Tue 9 Mar 2021 (13.44 to Tees Yard) to
clear the stockpile. There has been no traffic since, so this really is the end of coal on the Blyth & Tyne.

1206] Nuneaton South Jn - Coventry North Jn, (Bermuda Park, Bedworth & Coventry Arena stations)

plus Kenilworth station: (Updating BLN 1369.164) ROP Mon 26 Apr; Two hourly all day trains SuX plus
buses with an hourly train service on Sundays! Previously suspended Mon 18 Jan (not 11th) Covid cuts.

1207] Lavistown South Jn - Lavistown North Jn: (BLN 1369.160) Service suspended from Mon 22 Mar;
resumed Tue 4 May. From Mon 22 Mar until Mon 3 May the 07.05 SSuX Waterford to Dublin Heuston
PSUL was retimed Waterford dep 07.00 and ran via Kilkenny (reverse) instead of avoiding the station.

1208] Clonsilla: (BLN 1369.163) From 4 May through peak services resumed SSuX between Docklands
and M3 Parkway via the branch connection. (Only used by ECS for branch shuttle since Mon 11 Jan.)

1209] Docklands -Newcomen Jn - Glasnevin Jn: (BLN 1369.162) ROP Tue 4 May; TCP Mon 11 Jan (Covid).

1210] Dublin Connolly P7 - Newcomen Jn: (BLN 1369.162) CP 11 Jan 2021; there is no PSUL this way
now. The 08.02 Connolly to Maynooth, restored 4 May, is now booked non-stop via Drumcondra.
From 4 May route knowledge of the curve is maintained by 06.48 SSuX Connolly to M3 Parkway ECS.

1211] Waterford West Jn - (Limerick Junction) Waterford Line Jn (4 stations): (BLN 1369.160) ROP
Tue 4 May; TCP Mon 11 Jan (Covid) under continuous daytime ('office hours') possession latterly for
relaying and other engineering, work apparently lifted for the passage of specific freight trains.

1212] Ballybrophy P3 - Nenagh - Killonan Jn (Limerick) 5 stations: (BLN 1369.161) ROP Mon :17: May(?)
TCP 11 Jan 2021 (Covid) under continuous daytime ('office hours') possession latterly for relaying.

1213] Clitheroe (excl) - Hellifield South Jn: (BLN 1351.1197) ROP Sun 16 May 2021; SuO 'DalesRail'
services (see Item 1259) resume after the pandemic; previously suspended from Sun 22 Mar 2020.

1214] St Erth (Branch*) Jn - St Ives, 4 stations: TCP Mon 7 Jun; ROP Tue 15 Jun (?) to enable secure
zones to be set up around the G7 summit locations. (*320m 73ch, 'Branch' is part of the junction name
on the Sectional Appendix mainline diagram but not on the branch diagram - both dated 21 Mar 2020.)

1376 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
1215] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1375.1095] The Bluebell Railway public service was extended to Horsted
Keynes (BR station) from Sun 29 Oct 1961 (not 20th, a Friday) - this should have referred to plate 133
of Welch, 'Rails to Sheffield Park', Kingfisher Railway Productions, 1988. ●●1108] The gate box on the
Barton-on-Humber side of New Holland station is named Barrow Road Crossing. ●●1110] All dates
within the box for the Down direction diversion through Cricklewood Depot are, of course, in Jun.

1216] The long and the short of it: What was the longest name on a signal box exterior nameplate/or
board? 'Cheltenham Spa Malvern Road East Signal Box' (or West) is suggested - 37 letters & 6 spaces.

1217] Further Early Railway Memories (52): By Kevin
Driscoll (Member 329) (Part 2 - BLN 1326.790 of 6 Apr
2019 has Part 1). In my youth I had an aunt who lived
nearby, and two cousins. She loved taking them for days
out by train in the summer, and I was invited along
sometimes. I remember going to Morecambe, and I
have an image of leaving the train, straight past the
ticket barrier and out onto the seafront. This makes me
think it could have been Euston Road station (only used
in the summer after 15 Sep 1958; but for seven days a
week, last passenger train Sat 8 Sep 1962). Another trip
was to the shrine of St Winefride at Holywell. I have no
memory of the journey, but there is a good chance we
did most of the 1¾ mile Holywell Town branch, to
St Winefride's Halt (580yd before the terminus), for the
well. The branch from Holywell Junction CP 6 Sep 1954
and was 1:27 in places. (LEFT: 1949 map; the North Wales
Coast main line is upper right by the River Dee estuary.
Holywell Town was as near to the 'well' as the halt was.)

In the 1950s our part of inner Manchester was due for
flattening and comprehensive reshaping, so we moved to the huge Wythenshawe housing estate. 1956
found us settled in Sharston, a short walk from Northenden station (Cheshire Lines Committee) - 'for
Wythenshawe' from 1933 until 1955 in Bradshaw. It was actually in Sharston, but that was a tiny
hamlet when the line was built, and the station was named for the nearest town (Northenden Road
would have been the GWR name, probably!). A local friend asked me to join him spotting there; it was
a very busy freight route including ICI hoppers from Northwich. I was hooked, and many happy hours

were spent there, including the spectacle of the daily pickup goods shunting the station yard, much
loud banging of buffers as wagons were propelled in by means of a vigorous shove from the points.
I was fascinated that a regular loco for this was 43832, the number Tri-ang used for their 'OO' gauge
model of this type. Summer Saturdays brought Eastern Region locos on holiday trains to North Wales.

Once I acquired a bicycle I could extend my range, and Stockport Edgeley was a regular haunt. Prior to
the 1960 electrification Euston expresses were hauled by Royal Scots or Britannias, but the weekly
highlight was the Saturday afternoon arrival of a Coronation Pacific from Euston. This would reappear
tender first within the hour, heading back to Crewe as it was too big for the turntable at Manchester.
Quite why this was regularly rostered remains a mystery. There always seemed to be a Palethorpes
Sausages covered wagon in the carriage siding between the island platforms. Was this perhaps a
decision to pay the demurrage so as to achieve an eye catching advertisement? I also remember Down
expresses restarting for Manchester with much spinning of the driving wheels, and often needing a
short set back before a second attempt. There were rather pronounced flat spots on the rails where
this took place. Another novelty was watching the daily East Lancs portion (from Colne, I think) being
attached to a Euston train by the station pilot tank loco. This was done very quickly in those days.

A longer venture was to Warrington Bank Quay (16 miles away) to view Coronations, but I only did this
a few times as it was too tiring, and there was not a great volume of passing trains. The journey took
me about 90 minutes, but Latchford Swing Bridge opening used to delay me on the way home. I then
saved my pocket money for the odd train trip to Crewe. On the first visit I saw diesels 10000/10001 on
a Down train, and thought it quite a coincidence to see two consecutively numbered locos on the same
train (there was no money for ABCs etc). The other lovely surprise was to find GWR locos appearing
regularly at the south end of the station. We spotters made life hell for the staff at Crewe North shed,
constantly trying to run across the footbridge from the platforms to the shed yard, and being repelled.
This could have been solved by putting a gate on the bridge, with a simple carriage key lock.

I started work in 1961 (£4 a week before deductions) there was a bit more money to spend, with
longer trips out. I joined the Northern Railfans Club (for shed visits) and the Locomotive Club of Great
Britain, then the RCTS in 1963. My interest in railways remained very much centred on locomotives
rather than track for quite a long time, but I did mark up the maps in timetables for routes covered.

Late in 1962 I started to join our esteemed Member No1 on trips by car with a middle-aged gent called
(Mike?) Lewis, and these were truly epic feats of driving by him, before the motorway age.
The first involved five passengers in a Ford Consul, departing Sale station 22.30 on Fri 30 Nov 1962 and
reaching London about 07.00 next day. We spent the day visiting numerous depots, setting off back
about 17.00. I was dropped off near home about 23.15. Our driver was clearly very good at gaining
access to depots. We then expanded to longer trips, including a two day trip to Swindon and points en
route in Feb 1963, and our driver found us clean, affordable accommodation in Swindon.

The next step up was a full week tour of Scotland at Easter 1963, and this was marked by the only time
I remember any problem with where to stay. Finding something decent in central Glasgow at a good
price was proving challenging, and we ended up at the Dunsmore Hotel, in a large room with several
beds. Somebody pulled back the sheets on one, and discovered clear evidence that the hotel's usual
customers had rather different interests than ours. That was one night when we slept fully clothed on
top of the beds. Next day during the shed visits Mike managed to arrange that we would have a full
three course meal at Polmadie Depot crew canteen, for a very favourable price.

On another week long trip late Jul/early Aug 1963, we covered South Wales. Mike used to consult the
shed foremen about where to stay overnight; at Cardiff we were fixed up at the Mission to Seamen,
which was very clean and comfortable. The next day we finished our visits at Aberbeeg, and there was
nothing remotely nearby for us. The foreman took pity on us, and agreed that the four of us could
come home with him when his shift finished. I would love to know what his wife said afterwards. He
was a former Mayor of Newport, so public service clearly ran in his blood.

In Feb/Mar 1963 I spent three weeks as a temporary commuter from Northenden. My employer sent
me to a client in Warrington. I caught the 07.44 each day, a steam train which got barely warm in that
bitterly cold winter. I know it was the same loco each day, but I did not record normal haulage then.
I was convinced in later years that this was 42111, but subsequent research showed that this loco had
been transferred out of the area and condemned in 1962, so memories are not always accurate.

The afternoon return was 17.20, a lovely warm DMU. The services were very well loaded, but that did
not prevent the withdrawal of all passenger trains on the route from 30 Nov 1964. Also in 1963 I did a
few goods track trips, mainly Manchester area farewell specials arranged by LCGB North West branch,
of which I was an active member. These were almost more for the novelty aspect than anything else.

My first proper track outing was in Aug 1964, a West of England Railrover (7 days) with Member No1
and two others. We went by overnight coach to Bristol, then proceeded via Bath Green Park along the
Somerset & Dorset line to Templecombe, then west to Dawlish Warren where we had hired a caravan
for the week. I recall that we managed in this surprisingly well, and went off in different groupings each
day to achieve our various targets. Highlights include the ex-Southern Railway (SR) route through
Plymouth suburbs, which closed a few weeks later. We had a fair bit of steam action on the former SR
routes. This holiday was still only an occasional track venture, rather than the start of full gricing.

My railtours concentrated on works visits and/or interesting haulage and, along with earlier spotting
trips, yielded many pieces of track which had closed before I got into track properly. These include:

●CLC Warrington avoider by adex (advertised excursion) to Liverpool, joined at Northenden, loco
…61265, Easter Mon 1961. I only noticed this as we spotted locos in Dallam shed yard passing above.
●Micklehurst Loop on the way back from Leeds by DMU adex in May 1961 (apologies to Member 13).
●Laisterdyke - Bowling (Bradford) by steam from Leeds Central to Manchester Victoria in Oct 1961.
●From Trent station (great for spotting) to Derby via Chaddesden loop several times.
●Huddersfield to Leeds and back via Spen Valley ('Leeds New Line', map BLN 1371.531) several times.
●Bredbury Jn - Romiley Jn; 00.05 Manchester Central to St Pancras via Stockport Tiviot Dale Oct 1963.
●Didcot -Newbury via the Didcot, Newbury & Southampton line (East Midlander No7 tour, May 1964),
…Swindon Works Yard to Eastleigh Works Yard (locos for the tour 30071, 34038 & 46251).
●Manchester Victoria to Blackpool Central via Marton, Sep 1964 on an illuminations special with a
…friend who was keen to see Blackpool Football Club playing at home (loco 45385 out, 45527 back).
●The 'old' Harecastle Tunnel in Feb 1963, Crewe to Stoke and back (the deviation OP 27 Jun 1966).
●The Midland Railway Gloucester - Mangotsfield - Bristol Temple Meads route several times.
●Sheffield Victoria to Marylebone via the Great Central Railway route several times.

Conversely, there were a few near misses. For example an organised visit to the Fylde coast loco sheds
by rail in Jan 1964 included Blackpool North to Wyre Dock station - which CP 1 Jun 1970 - (and back)
for Fleetwood shed, so missing the last ¾ mile (which CP 18 Oct 1966) to Fleetwood terminal station.

My first brush (and not a Class 47) with the BLS was in Aug 1966 on the Hundred of Wirral tour (report
BLN 1249.143 of 23 Jan 2016) joint with LCGB (NW). As I was there by virtue of LCGB membership, this
made no impact. The magic moment was on 23 Nov 1968, on the RCTS Black Countryman tour.
I overheard people talking about having just done Stratford-on-Avon to Honeybourne, as it was to close
very soon (posted for 6 Jan 1969 but postponed until 5 May 1969). I asked how they knew, and they
told me about the BLS and BLN. As a result I did two things. The first was to ride to Honeybourne and
back as soon as the tour returned to Birmingham, and the second was to send off to join BLS next day.

In 1970 I spent periods in London as part of my work, and used to call in on the odd evening to see the
late George Hebdon in his flat (grandly named Avonmore Mansions). He was combining the roles of
Membership Secretary and Treasurer, and the growing society was giving him an increasing workload.
I offered to volunteer as Treasurer, and the separate role was created at that year's AGM. Thus started
my happy 17 years stint in the role, until increasing work and other pressures led me to stand down
with regret (to be replaced by a certain Mr Ian Mortimer on his first time round) at the 1987 AGM.

Sadly, many of the great friends I met have been lost to us, and I think 2020 must be a record year for
the number of Society former Committee members who have died.

1376 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
1218] DIRFT III: (BLN 1359.2405) The double track new rail bridge (formed of 30 tons of pre-stressed
concrete) over the A5 was installed on the weekend of 17-19 Apr for the Daventry International Rail
Freight Terminal Phase III extension. (Photo e-BLN 1375.X86.) The A5 was closed for two days to allow
this. There is a narrow underbridge on the East Side, towards the M1. There is a Martyn Brailsford
before/after track plan of the extension on our website; on the home page go along the top banner to
'More options' and down to 'Track Diagrams' then 'Midlands & Northwest' and down to 'DIRFT III'.

1219] HSTs: East Midlands Railway is to end timetabled use of HSTs (now two diagrams) from 16 May
timetable change. The company has renumbered historic 43102, reliverying it in BR InterCity Swallow
livery and introduced the first (and only) EMR livery power car (photo e-BLN 1375). They advise that
there is more to come and they will be marking this occasion with opportunities for passengers, fans
and partners to be involved. However they will not be advertising the final HST passenger service.

1220] Loughborough brush off: Wabtec is consulting on closing its manufacturing operations at the
Brush Traction site. Wabtec acquired Brush Traction for 31M US Dollars in Feb 2011. Recent work has
included re-engining GBRf Class 73 locos and converting Class 319 EMUs to electro-diesel Class 769s.

1376 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
1221] King's Cross, boring news: (BLN 1375.1115) The first train to use the reopened eastern bore of
Gasworks Tunnel was the 04.40 from York on 26 Apr, reaching P0 at 07.02. https://bit.ly/3sYnqHp has
a short video and a nice shot of an A4 arriving via the tunnel past York Road platform in the 1930s.

Lines 'A' & 'B' through the reopened Gasworks Tunnel eastern bore serving P0, 1 & 2 are currently used
temporarily by Thameslink and Great Northern suburban services while P7, 8 and Suburban P9-11 are
closed for reconstruction with the slow lines through Gasworks Tunnel western bore to Belle Isle Jn.
Some of them call at Finsbury Park (see Realtime Trains etc) so Oyster/Contactless Cards etc are valid.

1222] King's Cross signalling: (BLN 1375.1115) There was no '1933 panel' in the old King's Cross Box, it
actually had a miniature power (lever) frame supplied by Siemens & General Electric Railway Signal Co
(commissioned 13 Oct 1932, not 1933). Nothing was 'relocated' from that box to the Power Signal Box
(PSB) in 1971. In fact a brand new Individual Function Switch (IFS) panel supplied by BR Eastern Region
York Workshops was provided in the new PSB as a temporary measure to allow the old box to close for
remodelling. This was commissioned 26 Sep 1971. Note that both this panel and the final Entrance Exit
(NX) panel in the PSB operated concurrently for a time as when the latter was commissioned from
4 Jul 1976 it did not initially control the King's Cross station area. The PSB didn't control the station
until the final stage, taking over on 7 Mar 1977 at 03.15 (from notes taken by a member of staff at the
time). The temporary IFS was decommissioned 4 Mar 1977 at the start of the changeover possession.

Of interest, the 1932 lever frame was the beginning of the end of mechanical interlocking on miniature
lever frames in the UK (although Paddington Arrival and Departure boxes were commissioned in 1933
with mechanical interlocking, but were probably already planned and ordered by then). The L&NER
found that the stageworks for the station remodelling were made much more complicated and time
consuming due to the need to alter the extensive mechanical locking for each stage. This was a major
issue and commented on by L&NER at the time. It would have been much easier to do with electrical
interlocking, which was then readily available and in use, and as a result was used exclusively in future.

1223] Bromley Jn (Crystal Palace) - Beckenham Junction P1 and Birkbeck station: (BLN 1371.516)
This Southern Cinderella service ran SO from Sat 16 Jan (2tph). From Mon 22 Feb a 90 min frequency
was provided SSuX as well (one unit required). From Mon 17 May normal service resumes, 2tph SuX.

1224] Barking: (BLN 1325.672) Restoration of the station frontage started in Apr. Glazing and concrete
will be cleaned and retail units adjacent to the front wall removed; part of creating a new ticket hall.

1225] Edgware GNR: (BLN 1373.1114) The Finchley Church End (Finchley Central from 1 Apr 1940) to
Edgware branch service was not withdrawn from 11 Sep 1939 because of the WWII, but to speed up
work on doubling the whole line and electrification. In 'Rails through the Clay', Croome and Jackson
write: In Dec 1937 the L&NER placed a £25,000 contract for doubling the single line between Church
End (Finchley) and Edgware. This work necessitated closing the line on some Sundays and during the
midday normal period on some weekdays. When the line was closed, a replacement bus service was
provided, and this first ran on Sun 10 Apr 1938. To accelerate the widening and electrification work, the
whole line was closed after the last train on 10 Sep 1939, and a substitute bus service began next day.

The bus service called at Mill Hill Broadway station, where (Jackson observes in 'London's Local
Railways') passengers could purchase a L&NER ticket at a LMS station to travel on a London Passenger
Transport Board (LPTB) bus! The booking office at Edgware L&NER station remained open for sale of
tickets until 13 Apr 1940. Thereafter, they were sold at the nearby tube station.

The New Works Programme was reviewed two months after the 1 Sep 1939 outbreak of war, resulting
in a decision to postpone work between Finchley and Edgware. However, it was later decided to
electrify a single track to Mill Hill East, to serve Mill Hill Barracks. Electric passenger services to Mill Hill
East started on 18 May 1941, with through trains from Morden until 7.00pm Mon to Sat and a shuttle
from Finchley Central (as it was then) after 7.00pm and on Sundays. From the same day the rail
replacement bus service was withdrawn, but the existing route 240 (Edgware to Mill Hill Broadway)
was extended to Mill Hill East. Railway tickets could be used on the bus service, a facility that lasted
until 6 Sep 1969, except that season tickets could be used until 1974 by those who had been a season
ticket holder before Sep 1951. (Maybe no qualifying season ticket holders remained in 1974!)

Had the New Works Programme not been interrupted by WWII, Mill Hill East would have been served
by trains between Bushey Heath and Kennington via Charing Cross. It seems quite possible that Mill
Hill East (1.41M passengers recorded in 2019-2020) would not have had trains at all after 1939, but
was saved by the barracks military traffic to the barracks. The L&NER owned the lines to High Barnet
and to Edgware via Mill Hill until railway nationalisation on 1 Jan 1948. They continued to operate
goods traffic, but LPTB ran the passenger trains. As a result, for accounting purposes, the L&NER
owned part of the 1938 tube stock fleet. (Some of the cars used on the IOW were ex-L&NER vehicles,
making them the only ones in franchised service to have been owned by one of the Big Four!)

From 1948 both the London Underground and the main line railways were owned by the British
Transport Commission (BTC), but managed and operated by different executives. It was only when the
BTC was abolished and separate statutory Boards were established for London Transport and British
Railways (plus the canals and docks) that the major task of defining who owned and was responsible
for what got underway - it took decades. So the section beyond Mill Hill East never transferred to LPTB
but was L&NER/BR to the end. Now we know why the Northern line has a single track branch line.

1226] Bakerloo Line: A new WTT will be introduced on 16 May. In what is likely to be an indication of
things to come, off peak services will be reduced, although this is partly to improve service reliability,
which has been an issue in recent timetables. Throughout the week, off peak services will be revised
north of Queen's Park, with 4tph terminating at Stonebridge Park and 4tph at Harrow & Wealdstone.

This will mesh much better with London Overground's (LO) 4tph to Watford Junction than the current
service of 3tph to Stonebridge Park and 6tph to Harrow & Wealdstone. As a result the LO service will
run at even 15 minute intervals, instead of alternate 13 and 17 minutes. To improve service reliability
and recovery SSuX, the inter peak and evening off peak central area frequency will be cut from 19tph
to 16tph between Elephant & Castle and Queen's Park. LU and LO peak services are broadly the same.

Sundays will also see a 16tph service south of Queen's Park for most of the day, an increase of 1tph
from 09.30 to 11.45 and from 20.00 to 22.00, and a reduction of 2tph from 11.45 to 20.00. With the
SO service remaining at 20tph over this section for most of the day, the scheduled train mileage SO will
be higher than on weekdays, possibly the first time this has ever happened on the network!

BELOW: (Item 1221) Kings Cross P0; the 11.12 to Ely. Left is the Up tunnel to th

he Metropolitan Railway City Widened Lines (York Road Curve) (BLN 1374.982).

BELOW: Looking north, from remodelled P0 & 1, the Gas Works Tunnel reopene

ed eastern bore and (right) the closed PSB. (Both Iain Scotchman, 29 Apr 2021.)

X.105] BELOW: South Ealing station (3.52M passenger in 2019) on the Piccadill

ly Line to Heathrow; the building dates from 1983. (Stuart Hicks, 1 May 2021.)

X.106] BELOW & NEXT: Barking Riverside Viaduct, the final steel span was rece

ently installed over Choats Rd (here), Barking. (All Iain Scotchman, 2 May 2021.)









BELOW: Nearby the concrete track base panels (with

rail fixings) are ready to be installed on the new line.

BELOW: What is the collective noun for a group of sleepers - would it be a be
of eight joined sleepers (in the car park of the closed Dagenham Sunday Mark

ed of sleepers? The track panel strategic stockpile; they are pre-cast sections
ket by Riverside station). Is this the first time they have been used in the UK?

BELOW: Electrification masts are being installed on the

e approach to Barking Riverside station (ahead right).

BELOW: (Item 1237) The newly completed £4.2M Biffa Renwick Road Rail H
Dock station. The first GBRf worked train with Biffa liveried 66783 arrived fro
left at 04.20 for Scunthorpe Roxby Gullet (13.40). Right is the Barking Rivers

Hub, Barking Ripple Lane, is temporarily pristine; looking east to Dagenham
om Doncaster Down Decoy Yard at 01.00 on Thur 6 May and, after loading,
side ramp with its viaduct upper right. (Both Iain Scotchman, 2 May 2021.)

BELOW: The far (country) end of the new terminal showing the unusual flat cr

rossing of the Down Tilbury Main Line to the reversing/run round 'H' Sidings.

X.107] BELOW: Chiltern Railways' 168219 approaches West Ruislip with the
train is the HS2 worksite for the tunnel from Old Oak Common which surfac
the compound boundary, but it could be reinstated if required by HS2. On th
the headshunt after delivering ballast to the LU Depot (off left); appropriate

e 12.15 Birmingham Moor Street to Marylebone on Tue 9 Mar. Behind the
ces nearby. Up Siding No2 is seen bottom right foreground, now truncated at

he left the 14.25 Ruislip Depot to Grain empty boxes awaits departure from

ely the motive power is 66721 in Underground map livery. (Geoff Brockett.)

X.108] NEXT TWO: London Broad Street (last train Fri 26

6 Jun 1986) and its signal box. (Greg Tingey, 6 May, 1985.)





1227] Tooting Broadway: 50 years ago, at about 19.45 on 4 May 1971, in a disturbing forerunner of
the appalling Moorgate disaster on 28 Feb 1975 which claimed 43 lives, a 7-car ECS tube train crashed
into the tunnel end wall of the station's 373ft reversing siding. The speed was estimated at almost
27mph and the motorman died on his way to hospital. The leading 3-car unit was wrecked, and the
trailing 4-car unit suffered extensive damage. There were two other reversing sidings in tunnels on the
Northern Line, one at Archway, length 468ft, the other at Kennington 1,428ft. At Tooting Broadway,
the safety measures in place in the reversing siding consisted of eight 3½" diameter amber lights
equally spaced at 50ft intervals alongside the offside tunnel wall and separate stop boards for 4-car
and 7-car trains, the latter 4ft short of a sand drag. There was also a red electric stop light mounted on
a 3ft post in the centre of the track a few feet into the sand drag, with a lit red oil lamp beside it.

On arrival of the terminating train (No137) at the southbound platform, all passengers were detrained.
The next move was to shunt forward into the reversing siding. The guard, after returning to his car,
saw the shunt signal repeater showing 'off', gave the driver the starting bell and the train moved away.
Witnesses confirmed this to be within the maximum permitted 10mph speed. The guard began to walk
through the train and about a third of the way through he was thrown violently down on to his face.
His efforts to move forward to reach the motorman failed. He then returned to the reversing siding
exit signal, and telephoned the station staff. Meanwhile the latter were simultaneously aware that a
serious incident had occurred, after hearing a loud bang.

The accident Inquiry was conducted by Lt Col AG Townsend-Rose. He was able to establish that the
deceased motorman hadn't experienced a blackout, was in good health and that no alcohol or drugs
were found in his blood. There was nothing to suggest from speaking to his colleagues that he wasn't
other than of a perfectly normal disposition prior to the start and during his shift. While the Inspecting
Officer couldn't be absolutely certain as to what caused the motorman to drive as he did, there was a
slight feeling that he might have momentarily lost his bearings, thinking he was in the four times
longer Kennington reversing siding with its uphill gradient, which would have allowed him to
accelerate. There was also the more likely possibility that the motorman had been reading the book
found on the floor next to him, open and folded back. The cab light switch was found to be on after
the accident. To mitigate against the possibility of a similar occurrence in the future, additional
signalling controls in the reversing siding, based on the provision of a track circuit in conjunction with a
train stop halfway along, and two red electric stop lights were requested by the Inspecting Officer.

1228] TfL Rail: (BLN 1375.1117) Deliveries of 9-car full length Class 345s to the eastern section started
on 16 Apr, with 345031 being moved to Gidea Park Carriage Sidings from Old Oak Common Depot.
The unit made some trial runs early on 18 Apr and a further unit was delivered on 19 Apr. Some 9-car
units are expected to enter service from this month's timetable change.

1229] Brent Cross West: (BLN 1375.1110) From 4 May, the Down Slow from about 5m 60ch to 6m 20ch
was to be slewed by 20m. A new trailing connection (OOU) at 5m 71ch was to be installed in the Down
Slow. In the weeks before Hendon Waste Transfer Station (BLN 1375.1111) at Cricklewood closed
from 31 Mar, trains to Calvert (etc) had been few and far between. The plan is to move the facility to
the other (Down) side of the railway, but it is thought that it will not be rail connected. Work is due to
begin in 2022. In the interim a waste transfer station, with a focus on recycling, has been opened in
Wembley just north of Neasden South Jn alongside the line to Northolt Jn, but is not rail connected.

1230] LU Sub-Surface Lines Resignalling: (BLN 1373.816) Stage 4, between Monument and Sloane
Square, was commissioned on 24-25 Apr, with signal control transferring from Earl's Court Signal
Control Centre to Hammersmith Service Control Centre. Until 08.00 on 24th, there were no train
services in the area, after which District and Circle Line trains were scheduled to run empty over the
affected section. However commissioning went so well that passengers were carried from 13.15 on
24th. The next stage, the most complex of the whole scheme, should take place towards the end of this
year. This will cover Sloane Square/Paddington (Praed Street) to Fulham Broadway/Barons Court/
Kensington (Olympia), including Triangle Sidings and Lillie Bridge Depot.

1231] Channelsea Curve: (BLN 1370.355) Realtime Trains now shows a few London Overground
trains using Channelsea South Jn - Stratford Central Jn West to turnback in the main part of
Stratford station instead of P1 & 2 from 16 May: ●SSuX P11: 07.00-07.05, 10.38-10.48, 14.50-15.00;
●SO P10A: 07.03-07.14, 08.23-08.36, 14.49-14.59; ●SuO P10A: 11.03-11.08, 11.18-11.23, 18.03-18.08.

1232] HS2: (BLN 1375.1112) Over the May Day bank holiday weekend, 1-3 May, work in preparation
for HS2 took place at Euston. With work also taking place elsewhere on the WCML, only Caledonian
Sleeper services, running via the ECML and a reversal in Wembley Yard, were able to access the
station on 1st and 2nd. This created the unusual situation that the station's entire service was two
arrivals on 1st and two departures on 2nd! London Overground also served the station on Mon 3 May.

1233] Crossrail: (BLN 1375.1118) Pudding Mill Lane Jn was commissioned from 22.00 on 25 Apr.

1234] South Harrow: The number of sidings is to be increased from six to twelve to provide additional
stabling capacity while Cockfosters and Northfields Depots are rebuilt to accommodate the new rolling
stock. As the first stage, Sidings 31 & 32 (furthest from the running lines) were taken OOU from 6 Apr.

1235] Southern: (BLN 1371.516) A 2tph SSuX service between London Bridge and Beckenham
Junction via Crystal Palace and Birkbeck will be restored from the new timetable on Mon 17 May.

1236] DLR: (BLN 1332.1734) Keolis Amey Docklands, the concession operator, took over maintenance
of the Mudchute to Lewisham line from City Greenwich Lewisham Rail Link on 1 Apr. The assets have
transferred to TfL on expiry of the final Private Finance Initiative scheme for the network. ('Ian Visits'.)

1237] Barking (2): E-BLN 1373 had photos of
Barking Riverside branch under construction,
showing a new freight terminal on the north side
of the Down Tilbury line alongside the ramp up
to the branch. This is '12.37 Road Biffa' (rather
than a stone terminal as previously thought).
It has regular paths in the system for GBRf
workings of domestic and industrial waste to
Scunthorpe Roxby Gullet. Trains will have to run
round using Ripple Lane 'H' Group Sidings in
both directions (TRACKmaps 2 p4A 2020 has
these as 'H7' & 'H8'). GBRf Light engine route
learning trips ran from Peterborough on 28 and
29 Apr. LEFT: The first train, Thur 6 May. (GBRf.)

1376 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
1238] Harrogate: Those who still need the bidirectional station Through Line can be reassured that it
was recently completely relaid (presumably along with the new pointwork, signalling and Azuma Down
Siding last year). It is on concrete sleepers, interestingly with jointed fishplated rails but fully track
circuited, well ballasted and has a new walkway - essentially used to stable units. The gap for the other
former Through Line on the P3 side is evident. P2 is a 'non operational' York end Up bay platform next
to P1 (not labelled on TRACKmaps 2 p18C 2020). Now only used for ECS stabling it has railings along
the edge. P2 has no signage and its surface and edging is distinctly lacking TLC - the access gate from
P1 is locked - but both sides of the modern P3 sign to the footbridge direct passengers to P1 & P2!

Years ago the Leeds - Harrogate - York service was split and the Harrogate - York service ran from this
bay; this was still the case until the early 1990s on summer Sundays (no winter Sunday service then).
Of interest (not on TRACKmaps) P2 track still continues through a door with bright yellow and black
chevrons (no stop blocks but there is a solid block across the track in front of the doors!) into a brick
building, once used for parcels traffic. At one time there were two bays on the Up side of Harrogate
(Leeds end) believed to have been used pre-1960s and now car parking bays, but we won't go there.

[BLN 1377]
In case you were wondering how there can be Up bays at both ends of Harrogate station there is a
direction change in the platforms (the Up York is to York and Up Harrogate is, of course, to… Leeds.)

The significant dynamic loop extension at Cattal (pronounced 'Cattle') can be done with a York to
Leeds 'Northern only' off peak day return at only £12.50 (Railcard £8.20) valid via Harrogate - excellent
value for the extra mileage, journey time and new track. Some of the Knaresborough - Leeds services
are even booked to run to/from the new Leeds bay P0. This £12.50 fare is valid on Northern's regular
local services via Church Fenton also. The 'any TOC' off peak day return is £16.90 (Railcard £11.15).
On a recent Saturday afternoon a good number of passengers used Cattal considering its remoteness.

1239] Hydrogen, it's a breeze: In Sep 2018 the world's first hydrogen train service began with two
Alstom Coradia iLint units on the Cuxhaven - Bremerhaven - Buxtehude line, west of Hamburg in
northwest Germany. Powered by 8 x 30kW hydrogen fuel cells (HFC) per car, they replaced diesel
trains. The UK loading gauge unfortunately, precludes the use of the roof tanks used on the iLints but
Alstom and Eversholt Rail are converting surplus Greater Anglia Class 321 EMUs for hydrogen power.
Called 'Breeze' trains, Alstom and Eversholt have equipped them with 3 phase motors and electrics.

They have the acronym HMU (Hydrogen Multiple Unit) and a new Class 6xx TOPS series reserved for
alternative traction/fuel like hydrogen. Breeze trains are the first, so have been allocated to Class 600.

The units have a 621 miles (1,000 km!) range and 87mph (140kmh) maximum speed. One intermediate
car will be scrapped and the hydrogen fuel cell system installed in the middle car of the 3-car HMU.
Following an order, Breeze trains could be running in three years. However, use of space will be
inefficient as the space between the driver's cabs and the first set of passenger doors will be lost to
hydrogen storage. They will have only two passenger carrying cars and it will not be possible to run
two 3-car units in multiple on lines with short platforms limiting the lines on which they could run.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers advises they should work on rural branches (max 75mph) with
few stops, as only a third of the kinetic energy lost in a stop is recoverable by regenerative braking.

'Breezes' will be trialled on Northern Middlesbrough based services as it is said this area typically has
long platforms so that the loss of usable train length is not as significant as elsewhere on the Northern
network. This is news to your NE Editor as there are only a few stations on the lines radiating from
Middlesbrough where both platforms can hold six cars. Not even Stockton can (TRACKmaps p44C).

The only rural branch line in this area is Whitby, with 16 intermediate stops! A perhaps more plausible
reason is that Teesside produces over half of the country's hydrogen. It seems that Northern Trains
made a planning application about 18 months ago for a maintenance and fuelling facility at Lackenby
for hydrogen trains. It is on the site of the Loco Shop (NZ 5631 2228), on the southern edge of the area.
The screening option decision on the application contains the masterly understatement: The site is not
situated within an area designated for its landscape quality!! It was also probably fairly cheap.

The DfT is desperate to find a low cost means of decarbonising railways, avoiding electrification costs.
However, the rail industry has shown in an open letter to the Transport Secretary that, even with clean
new technologies like battery and hydrogen trains, it will be unable to decarbonise the network to the
extent required without significant electrification. This applies particularly to freight. 35-40 freight
trains pass through Middlesbrough each weekday (with paths for 70 a day) and over 130 passenger
trains - even with the Covid cuts - which surely justifies electrification. The NR Strategic Plan includes
electrification of Northallerton - Hartlepool - Newcastle, Darlington - Saltburn and Norton - Ferryhill.

The Government has committed £3M to start the UK's first ‘Hydrogen Transport Hub' on Teesside.
This will: bring together government, industry and academia to focus research, testing and trials across
all modes of transport. BP is considering developing the country's largest 'blue' hydrogen (splitting
natural gas into H2 & CO2) plant on what appears to be the site of Redcar works ore stocking ground.
A final decision is expected in early 2024, with production starting in 2027. [Is that 'green' - PAS?]

1240] Leeds: (BLN 1368.65 has before and after track plans.) With completion of P0, the next stage of
work to remodel the west end of the station starts on 30 May. It will involve installation of new OHLE
and moving signalling equipment. Some platforms will be closed, with replacement buses. The scheme
will improve access to P4-6 from Lines 'C' & 'D', increasing capacity and operational flexibility.

1241] Blyth & Tyne: (BLN 1374.991) According to a Newcastle Chronicle article of 16 Apr, officials have
been ordered to scale back plans in a drive to cut costs as part the DfT's 'Project Speed' initiative, in
which the government has challenged the rail industry to develop new ways of delivering projects
quicker and cheaper. Apparently this was discussed in a meeting between Treasury officials, Boris
Johnson's transport adviser and Northumberland County Council (NCC). A Labour MP had to submit a
Freedom of Information request to NCC to discover what was discussed at the meeting. Options
considered included cutting the service from half hour to hourly or deleting a station. NCC agreed to
draw up plans to remove Blyth Bebside station. This was not as bad as it might seem. In the original
scheme Bebside and Seaton Delaval would have been in a Phase 2, but they were expedited as it was
cheaper overall to build all six stations together. However, on 23 Apr the Rail Minister stated that
Blyth Bebside would be included from the start. He said that 'partners' had been told they must
reduce costs but that this did not mean there would be any cuts to the proposed service!!

Blyth & Tyne Line - Level Crossing Proposals TABLE LEFT: *Morpeth line; North Blyth branch; ABCL

Crossing Current Proposed Automatic Barrier Locally monitored; AHB Automatic

Palmersville footpath footbridge/ Half-Barriers; MCB Manually Controlled Barriers;
Dairy underpass MCB-CCTV Manually Controlled Barriers that are CCTV

Earsdon footpath stop lights monitored; MCB-OD Manually Controlled Barriers with

Holywell ABCL ABCL MCB-OD Obstacle Detection; UWC User Worked Crossing.

Holywell UWC UWC to close 1242] Castleford: During work on the Trans-Pennine
Seghill North AHB no change Upgrade, three TPE trains per hour between York and
Mares Close UWC stop lights Manchester will be diverted via Castleford when
Hartley AHB no change required. The following works will support this:
Red House Farm closed now closed
Lysdon Farm closed now closed ●Reinstate Castleford P2: 120m long, in line with P1.
Newsham MCB road bridge A new signal towards Leeds will have a route indicator
Plessey Road MCB-CCTV no change showing if the route has been set towards Pontefract.
Chase Meadows footpath footbridge This will increase capacity and benefit performance.
Bebside AHB MCB-OD If TPE services need to stop at Castleford, it is crucial
Bedlington South MCB no change they can do so in both directions. There will be a long
Bedlington North MCB MCB-CCTV term improvement to local transport in the area.

Bedlington Nth* manned gates stop lights ●Wheldon Road Driver Turnback: Terminating services
Bomarsund FP Footpath stop lights arrive at Castleford P1, the driver changes ends and
Bomarsund UWC UWC to close the train then departs towards either Pontefract or
Marcheys House MCB MCB-OD Leeds. This uses up capacity on the Down Normanton
North Seaton MCB MCB-OD line due to the time taken to change ends. A siding
Green Lane AHB MCB-OD next to the existing Ledston Road Freight Depot (LRFD)
Hospital Crossing footpath underpass scheme (BLN 1349.944.1) ('Aggregates Terminal' on
Hirst Lane MCB no change TRACKmaps 2 p35B 2020) will enable a terminating
Freemans MCB MCB-OD service to draw forward ECS into LRFD, for the driver

to change ends and return ECS to the reinstated P2, before departing on the Up Normanton line.

Wheldon Road Sidings never went through the Network Change process to put the infrastructure OOU
formally (item 1250.2). Therefore, no specifications are needed as LRFD is a separate project, and the
upgrade will make use of this infrastructure. However, permitted speed to/from the Wheldon
Arrival/Departure Line will be increased from 15mph to 25mph. A member was surprised at the high
occupancy of Castleford P1 with the pre-Covid 2019 service. He saw ECS shunts of terminating trains
to the west of West Jn - freeing up P1 for another train - then later reversal back into the station.

[BLN 1377]
●Love Lane Crossover: A new facing crossover at Love Lane (which appears to be half way between
Castleford West Jn and Cutsyke Box) will enable moves from the Up Cutsyke line on to the Down
Cutsyke line into Castleford P2. This will allow access to P2 for stopping services from Pontefract while
diverted TPEs are passing Castleford on the Down Normanton line and provide greater flexibility.

●Milford to Castleford Resignalling: The signal sections on this line are at present unevenly spaced,
resulting in a current planning headway of 6 mins for passenger services with 10 mins for freight trains.
To increase capacity for diversions, the signalling will be upgraded to provide a 4 min headway.

1243] Drax: (BLN 1375.1129) Demolition of the Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) plant will not be
immediate because Drax has capacity to generate from coal until Sep 2022, but this is not intended.

1244] It Can Now Be Told (34): On Mon 28 Dec 1981 (a Boxing Day Bank Holiday in lieu of Sat 26 Dec)
a member planned to ride on the 13.10 HST from Harrogate to Wakefield Westgate. He set out from
Wakefield Kirkgate on the 10.34 to Leeds via Normanton, formed of a filthy 2-car DMU. Due to
Christmas no trains had run since Fri 24 Dec - six inches of snow had fallen and frozen solid, only the
driver's windscreen wiped area offered a view forward. It departed almost on time but due to frozen
points was routed onto the Goods Line at Goose Hill Jn where the signaller spoke to the driver and our
member photographed the Down Goods starting signal already set to 'off'. The guard sought out the
couple of passengers who wanted to alight at Normanton and they agreed to travel to Leeds and back
as Up trains were still able to call at the wide island platform. The DMU moved off but stopped again
opposite the station platform where 20 or so passengers were waiting. The guard offered to lower the
emergency ladder for anyone who wanted to board the train. They all did, even some older people!

Dropping off the platform into the snow wasn't too difficult for them but the signal wires between the
Down Passenger Line and Up Goods, hidden in the snow, came as a surprise to some. This meant the
train spent 20 minutes in section and out of view of Altofts Junction Signal Box. Even with this extra
payload, adhesion was poor in the conditions - the DMU almost froze to the rails while stationary.
Our member did ride on the HST although it was delayed 20 minutes waiting for a guard at Leeds.

Oddly he had already done Normanton Goods Lines on a glorious Sat 3 May 1980; '1000' and '4771'
were working 'The Mancunian' steam railtour from Leeds that afternoon. He set out from Bristol to
change at Sheffield for a local DMU. However, the first train was full of Manchester United fans so he
dropped back to a Cardiff to Leeds service which ran 15 minutes late via Cudworth. It was stopped at
Goose Hill Jn and ran via the Goods Lines as Normanton platform was occupied by his previously
intended DMU. A three way fight was taking place on the platform (in those days very large) between
some Police, Leeds United and Manchester United fans. Our member saw the steam train anyway and
was surprised to see 40106 arrive on a football special with a grubby 40020 loco on the steam tour.

1245] ECML SIMBIDS*: On Mon 26 Apr the 19.54 & 21.08 ex-Lime Street and 21.00 & 22.00 ex-King's
Cross, all to Newcastle, used the Up Fast/Up Main in the Down direction from Ferryhill South Jn to
66m 28ch (Durham country end). The next night, all except the 19.54 ex-Lime Street repeated this.

On 28 & 29 Apr the 18.18 Aberdeen to Leeds took the Down Main in the Up direction from Durham
country end, returning to the Up Fast at Tursdale Jn. [*SIMplified BIDirectional Signalling - simples!]

1246] Conisbrough: The 238yd tunnel, between Doncaster and Mexborough, opened to traffic in
1848. However, an uneven load exerted on the tunnel by the land distorted the lining. Two sections
were therefore supported by wrought iron ribs infilled with brick possibly sometime during the 1870s.
This reduced the clearance, resulting in a 50mph speed restriction. Now the line speed is 75mph either
side of the tunnel. Work took place in 2000/01 to remove the 50mph restriction. The secondary lining
was taken out above ballast level and rock anchors (threaded steel bars drilled through unstable rock
into firmer rock) with stainless steel mesh installed during a series of night possessions. However, the
50mph restriction remained in place after the work; it seems it was more difficult than anticipated.

In 2014 work was completed to allow W12 gauge trains to pass through the tunnel, part of a scheme
for W12 gauge clearance from Doncaster to Water Orton (Birmingham). The trackbed was lowered by
removing the old floor strengthening, but only after a thorough survey had been carried out and by
using knowledge gained from the work carried out in 2000. This finally enabled the 50mph restriction
to be removed. Presumably trains to/from Doncaster iPort could be diverted by this route if necessary.
OHLE clearance was mentioned in BLN 1370.372 in connection with South Yorkshire councillors' grand
(unrealistic) ambitions to extend the Supertram to Doncaster. Vertical clearance could be increased by
installing slab track but was rejected in 2014 as being too expensive and disruptive. A Severn Tunnel
style conductor bar is possible. The work in 2000 showed that an 18m length of the original lining was
pushed upwards at the tunnel crown by 750mm. This was rebuilt with heavy duty lattice girders and
fibre reinforced sprayed concrete, which could affect OHLE. [Thanks to Phil Lockwood for research.]
1247] Seaham Colliery: https://bit.ly/3t5kCIP is an 11 min 1963 colour film giving a wonderful picture
of a vanished age. It shows wagons on the self acting incline (loaded wagons going downhill hauled the
empty wagons uphill) between Seaham Colliery and Seaham Harbour. The relaxed Health & Safety at
this time is very noticeable! It was part of the Rainton & Seaham Railway, the property of the Marquis
of Londonderry, which carried its first traffic on 25 Jul 1831. The video shows vintage industrial locos
still working at the harbour. West of Seaham Colliery closed by 1920. The incline closed in Aug 1987,
with the colliery summer holidays, and was severed in 1988 following an accident with a runaway loco.
It is thought it may have been the last self acting incline in the country. The branch to Seaham Colliery
from Dawdon on the main line was done by the 2 Apr 1989 Institution of Mining Engineers' North East
railtour (report & photos BLN 1354.1792), the first of those excellent tours. Due to the severe gradient,
the Area Manager stationed a Class 37 to act as a banker, but the DMU managed the ascent unaided.
BELOW: 6" map (1965), Seaham Colliery is upper left; the incline runs east to Seaham Harbour (right).
The connection to the Durham Coast line is just southeast of where that line crossed over the incline.

NEXT PAGE TOP: (Item 1247) Looking up the NCB incline towards Seaham Colliery (the harbour is
behind) during a Society visit - the first bridge ahead carries the Durham Coast line. BELOW: On the
curve at Seaham Harbour, the bottom of the incline by the crossing. (Ian Mortimer, 15 May 1987.)



1248] West Yorkshire: Following an allocation of £7.4M in the Budget (BLN 1372.661), West Yorkshire
Combined Authority has appointed lead consultants for the consortium to design a mass transit
system. With 2.3M population, it is thought to be the largest European metropolitan area without one.

1249] Newmarket Silkstone Colliery: (BLN 1375.1123) In the mid-1970s (the last years of the colliery) a
member lived in Stanley on the Lofthouse to Methley line and spent much time observing operations.
The colliery system was steam operated until about 1977. The branch from Lofthouse Jn (Methley) was
singled west of Methley South LC (and former box) by the early 1970s as the M62 overbridge east of
Lofthouse (completed in 1974) was single track. The branch continued about 700m west of the triangle
to the headshunt, near the bridge (SE 355 247) over Bottom Boat Rd. It was removed about 1975 and
the abutments landscaped, so the headshunt buffers were just short of a steep drop down to the road.

The method of operation was that empties arrived from Methley and the British Rail (BR) loco (always
a Class 31 then) drew up to the headshunt buffers. An NCB steam loco (usually NoS103, Hudswell
Clarke 1864/52, now on the Dartmoor Railway) ran out from the west curve to collect the wagons.
The BR loco then ran back to the south 'leg' of the triangle and the NCB loco brought a set of loaded
wagons into the headshunt. Our member does not recall seeing much use of the east curve, but it is
thought it was used to hold the brake van out of the way during the shunting. This was a separate
operation with the BR loco and an NCB loco. The BR loco then coupled up to the wagons in the
headshunt and set off back to Methley. Our member never saw a BR loco on either curve, and thinks
they would probably have derailed if they tried. For some fine pictures of the colliery locos google:
'Alamy Newmarket Colliery'. In the penultimate shot of the west curve; the 'main' line is foreground.

Then coal mostly went to Skelton Grange Power Station (Stourton SE Leeds), although some went to
Kirkstall Power Station (NW Leeds) until it closed in 1976. Trains to both had to reverse at Lofthouse
Jn to reach the Midland main line towards Leeds. Our member thinks they might at times have been
propelled to and from Lofthouse Jn to avoid reversal there, but does not recall seeing this. Trains for
Skelton Grange terminated at the exchange sidings adjacent to the main line at Rothwell. The internal
branch, over a mile long, was worked by Central Electricity Generating Board diesels. Some coal went
to Wakefield Power Station. The route would be complex and it is not known how it was achieved.

By 1978, Skelton Grange 'A' Power Station was being run down, and it closed 31 Oct 1983. BR would
no longer carry coal in unfitted 20 ton wagons, so the power stations switched to road transport.
Use of the colliery triangle ceased. Our member does not recall seeing any BR trains at Newmarket
Silkstone after Apr 1980 date quoted in BLN 1375, and internal NCB operations were limited. It closed
on 29 Sep 1983 as its markets had gone; the coal was poor quality and it could not take MGR trains.

The Newmarket Silkstone steam locos also tripped to a nearby tip on the banks of the River Calder.
This was along a branch which went under the Lofthouse - Methley line to the east of the east curve,
shown on the OS map in BLN 1375. The track at the tip was more extensive than on contemporary
maps, and was moved according to where tipping took place. Derailments were common. The usual
loco was a small Peckett 0-4-0 (possibly P1330/14 which was definitely on site). Charlesworth's Signal
Box was named after the original colliery owners, J&J Charlesworth Ltd, who owned various collieries
in the area in pre-nationalisation days. Not many signal boxes had an apostrophe in their official name.

NEXT: (Item 1249) Photos by our member Ian Umpleby on 12 Apr 1980 of the Newmarket Silkstone
Colliery branch the month that rail traffic ceased. BELOW: Looking southeast, at the former Methley
South station (left) CP 7 Mar 1960 (there were once two platforms in the 'V' right and a fourth far
right). The onetime double track line far right, taken OOU 26 Mar 1967, led to a junction with the
current (Leeds -) Methley Jn - Whitwood Jn (- Castleford) line at the former Methley Northeast Jn.

The track straight ahead led to Lofthouse Jn on the Methley Jn - Cutsyke Jn line (taken OOU 23 Feb
1981, with the Newmarket Silkstone Colliery line). This confirms that the branch to Newmarket
Silkstone Colliery (off right) was single at this date becoming double track for the junction ahead.
The trackside white 'STOP' sign reminded the driver to telephone to stop and telephone the signaller.





BELOW: Nearer the colliery on the branch, looking east back towards Met
On the horizon, right, (but left of the M62 bridge over the River Calder) Fer

thley South station with the M62 overbridge ahead (built for single track).
rrybridge 'C' Power Station can just be made out in steam in the distance.

BELOW: View of the colliery, looking northeast, from the headshunt to t
(See map with BLN 1375.1123 which also shows th

the west of it with what look like British Rail Wagons on the west curve.
hose power cables running across the background.)

BELOW: The end! The British Rail branch he