1396

619] Watford Junction: (BLN 1395.493) The post-24 Nov 1973 (pre-29 Dec 2014) St Albans Abbey line
connection was covered by our 22 Jan 1983 London Junctions tour and its repeat on 12 Feb 1983.
The pre-1973 connection ran closer to the main line and still exists in the form of P10, now accessible
only from the south but before 1973 handled all the St Albans turnarounds and presumably occasional
through workings [were there any?]. So those, like your Regional Editor, who travelled the branch
pre-1973 by walking to/from P10 can still close the gap on a train to/from P10 in the London direction.

620] Wisbech: (BLN 1374.1018) The 'Fenland Citizen' suggests that public consultation on passenger
reopening could take place in 2022 and light rail may be an option. Local Councillors have been told
that the main problem is the large number of crossings. Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined
Authority head of transport told a recent meeting of Fenland's overview and scrutiny committee that
reopening these raised (unintended pun) 'many technical issues'. However, he said the Authority is
ready to go to the next stage which, if given the go ahead and if land was available would see a 'heavy
rail' scheme with full barrier crossings, running (sic) alongside some form of 'light rail' scheme with
automatic half barrier crossings, segregated cycle and pedestrian paths. He said: … reopening a rail
scheme that is classed as 'out of use', as opposed to 'disused' creates greater challenges unfortunately.
The application to Restoring Your Railway Fund failed. There is no capacity at Ely North Jn for two
trains per hour from Wisbech to Cambridge but that should be resolved by the end of this year.

621] Ingatestone: (BLN 1390.3131) Work started on 11 Feb setting up a fenced off work area, in the
adjacent Down side car park for the renovation of the level crossing gatehouse (long out of use) and
conversion to a museum. The level crossing is the first one on the main line from Liverpool Street.

622] Slough and Maidenhead: From onsite discussions it appears that TfL is expecting Crossrail to
generate increased passenger numbers as it is funding significant changes at both stations. At Slough
the former Down side café between the booking office and bay P1 is closed and will be replaced by six
ticket gates. On the island, there will be a new shelter at the bottom of the new stairway. Platform
lamps etc will be rewired. The Up P5 café has been closed for some time, a kiosk taking much of the
business. At Maidenhead there will be new gate lines east of the booking office area on the Up side
and it is hoped to improve passageways between that entrance and platforms. These improvements
were based on pre-pandemic projected increases in passenger numbers but seem to be going ahead.

623] Reading West: ❶(BLN 1383.2203) The pavement widening work outside the station appears to
have been abandoned. When asked what was happening, the council replied: The site at Reading West
Bridge has adopted a Joint Utility Dig strategy, which involves the installation of up to eight utilities in
a single area including Water, Gas, Electricity and Telecommunications. The works at this location have
been devised through collaboration between the different utility companies; each utility has been
given a designated time spot. This will hopefully reduce work duration on the public highway, which
will hopefully minimise disruption to surrounding businesses and the public. The initiative has the
added environmental benefit of avoiding the requirement of repeat excavations/reinstatement of the
same footways. So, still on track, but the triumph of hope as an ineffective management tool is clear.

❷The country end trailing crossover is to be relaid with permissible speed increase from 15mph to
25mph, meeting operators' requests for reduced train clearance times. Permissible speeds on the Up
and Down Westbury lines will remain 60mph. The work will require a 72 hour possession in Apr 2023.

1396 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]

624] Thanet Parkway: (BLN 1385.2494) When seen on Tue 15 Feb, both platforms had completed
surfacing including nosings. Construction is on steel frame supports. Back walls and buildings are being
put in place. Both platforms take 12-cars but appear extremely narrow at the 12-car ends.

625] Gatwick Airport: (BLN 1391.3248) The station upgrade has reached another milestone now that
the last three of eight new escalators have been installed. The eight new escalators, five new lifts, four
new stairways and the doubling of the concourse space will increase accessibility for all station users.
Installation of steelwork on the new superstructure that will support a larger second concourse has
started. The project remains on target for opening by 2023.





626] South Coast stations: The variation of architectural style from station to station along the south
coast is described in 'Sussex Railway Architecture' by John Hoare, Harvester Press 1979, (Hassocks).
There are brief character notes on Cooden Beach (simple but functional), Bishopstone (BLN 1394.363)
(a roof-lit booking hall most impressive externally) and Durrington-on-Sea (a new station for a growing
population with a thick clock tower above the entrance). By the 1930s, the Southern Railway architects
had developed a distinct house style but one wonders if they had anything to do with the new station
building at Barnham, dating from 1936. It is a complete one off in the style of a contemporary house.
Was it an economical job by a local builder? The residential house style is reinforced by its detachment
from the railway, at a slightly lower level, connected to the below track subway by a curved path, now
enclosed by a wooden roofed structure. It is possible that the platform buildings are original but the
BLN 1395.500 report may mislead as to the main building. Hoare includes an 1864 photo of a track
level house close to the Up platform and an overall roof for the Bognor branch platform and track.
A 25" map (1910) shows this the original main building next to the Up platform, the marked 'Railway
Hotel' being opposite, on the northeast side of the road. The 1938 revision, after the rebuild, shows
the extended goods yard, a new building fronting the main road and a subway to all platforms.

ABOVE: 1910 map. Havant is left and Ford/Brighton right; the Bognor Regis branch (bottom left) was
single track with room (off map) for a second one. The third platform track for the Bognor branch at
the bottom has an overall roof. BELOW: 1938 map - the Bognor branch has now been doubled.

Chichester station was rebuilt between 1957 and 1958 (Hoare's dates), so over 60 years ago.
Our member supposes it is a matter of personal perception whether that still means it is 'modern'.
The Up side main building is a period piece, with 1950s decor and fittings largely unchanged in the
booking hall, which has a high ceiling approaching 20m above the floor. Havant (PREVIOUS PHOTO -
Greg Beecroft on 22 Aug 2009) dates from 1938; the Southern Railway adopted a brick finish, rather
than concrete or stucco, making it rather more attractive than some others from the same period.

627] Bishopstone (2): (BLN 1394.363) Friends of Bishopstone Station has launched a crowdfunding
appeal for a long term plan to restore the 1930's Grade II listed station building back to its Art Deco
glory and create a community hub. The present Bishopstone station OP 16 Sep 1938 to serve a new
housing estate, which was shelved due to the onset of the WWII. The building was then used for
military purposes and gun emplacements were built. It is the only railway station building with gun
turrets in the UK! In later years the building has deteriorated and a group of residents formed Friends
of Bishopstone Station adopting the station through the Sussex Community Rail partnership scheme.

The group has planning approval and listed building consent; Phase 1 is to raise funds to renovate the
rundown former general store, which was once the old parcels office, as a much needed community
hub for local people. The money will pay for a new kitchen area, plumbing, electrics and appliances,
a hot water facility, broadband and USB ports, new foyer doorway with access for the disabled and
those with mobility issues as well as a new unisex toilet. See: https://bit.ly/3vfj2sq for details.

628] Brighton not going west: A reliable source indicates that GWR's Brighton service is due to end
with the new May timetable and their trains will then only run to Portsmouth. It's in the new GWR
Emergency Measures Agreement with the DFT to save money. The loss of 158763 in the Salisbury
Tunnel Collision has made things worse; the one allocated to Brighton services will be redeployed.
A local member advises that a Class 165 Turbo DMU often runs on the service.

629] IOW: (BLN 1392.103) The final Class 484 train crossed the Solent early afternoon on Wed 16 Feb,
delivered to Sandown 24 hours before the last Class 483 left for London Traction Transport Group.

GWR services: SSuX 07.09 Portsmouth Harbour to Brighton 08.35/08.59 to Worcester Foregate Street
(14.17) and 10.41 Great Malvern to Brighton 16.15/17.02 to Bristol Parkway (20.56). RTT shows no
services after Fri 13 May. Before anyone asks, your Editor has done the Great Malvern through train
to Brighton. Six months after services end east of Cosham Jn, GWR crews will lose route knowledge.

630] Fawley (Waterside) branch: This line has some features similar to Okehampton which could
make it a 'quick win' relatively low cost passenger reopening. Rail User Express (Railfuture) suggests
that the Southampton - Havant corridor be rebalanced to favour public transport. In the short term,
semi-fast Waterloo trains could call at Totton, the existing railhead for the Waterside. Diverting the
Romsey - Eastleigh - Salisbury service to the Waterside, with a separate Salisbury - Southampton
local service is the most straightforward option. Alternatively, could Waterloo - Southampton services
terminate at Eastleigh off-peak, and at Portsmouth (via Hedge End) in the peaks?

A Waterside - Eastleigh (or Chandlers Ford, with extra signalling) on the opposite side of the hour
from the Waterside - Romsey service could reduce the 40min gaps (almost hourly on Sun and Mon-Fri
in the morning peak) in the Southampton - Eastleigh service. This has long been a busy passenger flow
not reflected in the current service level. The Government's thinking is unclear and the branch is in use
as to Marchwood. The Campaign for Better Transport identified Fawley services as a top priority for
restoration, staunchly supported by Hampshire County Councillor David Harrison and intermittently by
the County Council generally. The Government presents the proposed Solent Freeport as the Nation's
Global Gateway, with initiatives providing job opportunities to help 'level up' coastal communities
including New Forest Waterside, so the railway could be a useful adjunct to its development.

631] Last Steam: (BLN 1394.315) For a last steam hauled dead end branch later than the final service
to Alnwick on 18 Jun 1966, a member advises that the final Brockenhurst - Lymington Pier workings
were on 2 Apr 1967. Ivatt 2-6-2T 41320 operated that day with a special headboard incorporating a
L&SWR crest. The vintage L&SWR M7 0-4-4Ts were the mainstay of the branch until 1964 when the
2-6-2Ts (and more often a British Rail 2-6-4T Class 4s) took over. For some months previously the
branch trains carried a rectangular headboard proclaiming 'THE LAST STEAM BRANCH'. As an interim
measure, Hampshire DEMUs took over the working from 3 Apr 1967. This enabled track rationalisation
to take place at both Lymington stations, including the abolition of loco release facilities at the Pier.
The branch switched to third rail operation from 2 Jun 1967 before electrification to Bournemouth;
the traditionally loco-hauled summer Saturday through train from Waterloo became two 4-VEP units.

BELOW: (Item 628) 5Z51, the 09.42 Portsmouth Harbour to Brighton (12.0

05) ECS for route knowledge in Lockdown (John Vaughan, Mon 8 Jun 2020.)

X.72] BELOW: Three Bridges? - No, it's Wokingham London end with the refur

rbished, listed, level crossing footbridge. (Stuart Hicks, 28 Feb 2022.)

632] Newhaven: Week beginning 7 Feb saw the inauguration of a new regular bulk flow operated by
GBRf for Brett Aggregates. This independent building materials supplier plans to service the southeast
of England construction industry with marine aggregates derived locally from dredging in the English
Channel. The first test train of 17 wagons, with approximately 1,350 tonnes of aggregate, ran on
19 Jan to Thorney Mill, West Drayton. It is two years since work began on transforming the moribund
terminal into a bulk cargo handling facility. The Newhaven collection terminal can receive 10,000
tonne cargo vessels and Brett Aggregates has allocated two dredgers to operations.

633] Winchester: (BLN 1383.2208) Construction of an extra flight of steps was to start on 14 Feb for
April completion to serve the Up platform and come down on the northern pavement of Stockbridge
Rd next to Cranworth Rd. They will improve safety as the public will no longer need to cross the busy
Stockbridge Rd. This includes hundreds of Peter Symonds College students commuting. Construction is
budgeted to cost £650k. (Winchester City Council is contributing £50k, Hampshire County Council
£150k and the SWR Customer & Communities Improvement Fund £450k.) On 24 Feb contractors cut
through the mains cable to Up P1 so it was without electricity and lighting; trains stopped calling after
17.35 when it was dark, alighting passengers from the south had to travel to Basingstoke and double
back. Joining passengers going north travelled to Eastleigh then went non-stop through P1.

634] Eastleigh - Fareham: (BLN 1340.2834) NR has announced there are 'no current plans' for a new
transport hub in the Welborne area but civic leaders have vowed to work with developers to ensure a
new station is built to serve the 6,000 home development. A NR spokesperson said: These proposals
usually need to be promoted and funded by a third party such as a local authority or a developer.
We believe the popular Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service between Gosport and Fareham could be
extended into the Welborne development to provide a fast, dedicated bus route that connects to
Fareham station. It would be a better option for passengers in terms of connectivity to the wider area
and beyond than a new station on the Botley line. However, we recognise the aspirations of the local
authority and the developers. In 2017 NR was commissioned by Fareham Borough Council to carry out
an engineering feasibility study that looked at the most likely location for a station in the Knowle area.
Council bosses say that a station would be a 'huge asset' to people living at Welborne Garden Village.

:1396 SOUTH WEST PLEASE USE:: [email protected] :POST TO BLN EDITOR PLEASE.
(Thank you to all our SW contributors. A silent locum is quietly covering this section.)

635] Bristol: Rail User Express (Railfuture) suggests that a new Pay As You Go (PAYG) scheme is being
introduced in the Bristol 'travel to work' area. A smart card is tapped on a reader at the start and
finish stations and the system works out the cheapest fare for the journey made. A simplified fares
structure (as there is now on the Severn Beach line) makes it easy for the passenger to understand
and for the computer system to manage. Fares are similar to those they replace, so it isn't a fare rise.

636] South West: There is a proposal for a similar Pay As You Go scheme across Devon and Cornwall.
The transfer of more Turbo units to Bristol/Exeter depends on the overdue introduction of Class 769
trimodes on services around Reading, even without the driver training needed. This leaves GWR with
too few units for its working Devon and Cornwall 'diagrams', not helped by the loss of a Class 158 after
the recent Salisbury Tunnel accident. The Exmouth - Paignton Devon Metro weekday plan is for three
Turbo diagrams and four with pairs of Class 150s but this is very rarely achieved. Most services do run
as planned but are often 2-cars or a Class 150/158 combination. Greater availability of Turbos in the
South West may reduce use of Castle HSTs in view of their high running and maintenance costs.

637] This one will sleigh you… Is there anything railway related too wacky even for our most eccentric
member? The University of Bath has https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqhoEP7SimE (1 minute), a
very railway like, Isaac Newton powered, bob sleigh run used since 2002 by those hoping to qualify for
the Winter Olympics. Snow is in short supply in Bath nowadays, so the training starts with 140m of
narrow gauge tracks (2ft?) designed to replicate bob sleighing. Given the purpose of the run, it is
obviously not relaxing or easy but maybe a fit young member would wish to visit? The video shows
they have a one-person trolley! All we need is to get it into Baker, TRACKmaps and Minor Railways.

638] St Austell Ups & Downs: From 00.30 Sat 5 Mar until 05.05 Mon 7 Mar, Down passenger trains
turnback in P1 due to engineering to the west. They are authorised to start from P1 with Ground
Position Light Signal SA6 after confirming the route with the Signaller/Ground Frame Operator.
639] Still More is now being told: (BLN 1395.508) A member recalls about 15 years ago visiting a
friend who lived on the North Cornwall Coast at Pendoggett, nearest stations Delabole and St Kew
Highway. However, as the former L&SWR Padstow line had annoyingly closed in 1966, the trip meant
a taxi from Bodmin Parkway. But wait, was there a better way? It was a Sunday and the heritage
Bodmin & Wenford Railway (B&WR) was running steam trains that day. But horror (!) the only
practicable journey from home in Cambridgeshire would miss the heritage steam train connection by
one minute. A phone call to the B&WR produced surprising agreement to hold the connection at
Bodmin Parkway, allowing a train trip to Bodmin General and a slightly shorter taxi from there to the
friend's house. In fact the B&WR train was slightly delayed due to a technical difficulty, so instead of
seeing the guard wait anxiously for the member to cross the footbridge, the train was easily made.
Returning home, a single to Bodmin Parkway was requested. Single tickets were very rarely issued, as
most use was round trips by families for the pleasure of a ride. Passengers actually making a necessary
journey were rarer. In conversation with the guard, it was foolishly mentioned that our member's
previous journey on the line had been on a British Rail Padstow service (CP 30 Jan 1967). The young
guard's eyes glazed over, no doubt having negative thoughts about the member's current antiquity.
That previous journey was in 1964, when Bodmin Parkway was still 'Bodmin Road'. This was shortly
after the end of through services from Bodmin North (ex-L&SWR) to Wadebridge or Padstow, which
duplicated the ex-GWR services from Bodmin General. The two routes heading west to Wadebridge
converged at Boscarne Jn. Because of local protests, the Bodmin North line continued in operation.

ABOVE: 1961 map; Bodmin Road (Parkway) is off bottom right, with Bodmin General bottom right;
the other terminal station is Bodmin North. At the junction between the two 'HALTs' was Boscarne
Exchange Platforms (plural), Wadebridge and Padstow are off left and Wenford Bridge off the top.
Boscarne Exchange Platforms (OP 15 Jun 1964; CP 18 Apr 1966; ROP 2 May 1966; CP 30 Jan 1967)
with a wooden platform on each line inside the 'V' of the junction linked by a walkway. A 4-wheel
railbus ran a shuttle from there to/from Bodmin North (so didn't do the 'overlap' on/off the branch at
the junction) and the ex-GWR route steam trains stopped at their platform to connect.

ABOVE: (Item 639) Summer 1963 timetable when Padstow and Wadebridge had through trains from
Bodmin Road via Bodmin General (ex-GWR route) and Bodmin North (ex-L&SWR route - the onetime
Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway OP 1834). Grogley Halt is perhaps where some end up after a night on

the tiles. At this time Padstow also still
had passenger services from Exeter via
Okehampton, Halwill Junction and
Launceston (even to/from Waterloo)
via the North Cornwall Line.

LEFT: The very spacious Bodmin North
station looking towards Wadebridge in
Sep 1964; the 4-wheel railbus is on the
Boscarne Exchange Platforms shuttle.
It is quite possible that there are more
railway staff about than passengers.

© Copyright Alan Murray-Rust and licensed for reuse
under this Creative Commons Licence.

The Bodmin North branch platform was at railhead level and tiny - just big enough for the steps to
reach down from the railbus. That on the GWR line was a normal height wooden platform just one
coach long. There was no shelter at all, officially no public access, no tickets - unless any member
knows otherwise - and initially no lighting. Later the introduction of DMUs enabled a different, if
equally futile arrangement. Two trains a day on the Bodmin General line reversed at the Boscarne Jn
and travelled the 1m 66ch to Bodmin North then back again before continuing to Wadebridge.

At least gricers could connect up the Bodmin North branch and through journeys could be made
between that station and Bodmin General, probably for the first time ever! These two stations were
exactly 1,000yd apart as the crow flies but 4m 32ch miles by rail reversing at Boscarne Junction.

If you didn't do Bodmin North to Wadebridge and Padstow by train, it is now a lovely 12½ mile scenic
cycle/foot/bridle trackbed path suitable for prams, pushchairs and wheelchairs. Part of the Camel Trail
it passes the B&WR Boscarne Junction station and joins the 6½ mile trackbed walk to Wenford Bridge.

640] Lost at Lostwithiel: A signalling aficionado member asks what is meant by: At Lostwithiel, new
signalling will allow freight trains to run round in the Down Goods Loop reducing potential conflict with
passenger trains and improving performance? Empties from Fowey to the dries already use the DGL.

If it were desired to use it (efficiently) for trains to Fowey, would this need a facing crossover west of
the loop? Recent resignalling proposals do not show any such plans. A big disadvantage of the Up Loop
is that, since the cattle pen roads were taken OOU, a loco using the Up Main to run round a freight
train in the UGL has to use the main line crossover and level crossing twice and reverse in Down P2,
just to get behind a signal. The plans don't suggest additional signalling at the west end of the UGL to
solve that (perhaps there might be a new bidirectional route through Down P1 - removing the need to
cross over but still awkward)? The other possibility is to make the DGL more useful for trains reversing
from the east, but presumably that is rare since the last cement train to Moorswater on 7 May 2013.
Is any infrastructure proposed to aid this use? Can any member assist with these queries, please?

641] Corscombe User Worked Crossing (UWC): (BLN 1395.507) At 194m 66ch between the site of
Coleford Jn and Okehampton, this UWC was due to be upgraded from Thu 24 Feb with red/green
lights to advise users when it is safe to cross. This was with the Overlay Miniature Stop Light (MSL)
operating system with telephones provided. This system is being introduced to the area at UWCs with
limited sighting. The lights are activated by train wheel sensors in a similar way to axle counters.

When they detect a train, they set the lights to red; after the train hits the strike out sensor, the lights
go to green. Staff are warned that, like axle counters, using metal tools or simply passing by within a
metre wearing safety boots can activate these sensors, so should be avoided. Should the sensors fail,
the lights go into dark mode, being reactivated by another train passing or through a manual reset.

642] Maps: GWR still produces quality paper publicity, including a Nov 2021 map, recently available at
Pangbourne. One side shows the GWR network, with enlargements of London, Bristol and Plymouth.
It has the recently reopened Okehampton line, stations under construction like Green Park (Reading),
Portway (Bristol) and Marsh Barton (Exeter) plus proposed stations/routes (in green) like Charfield,
Cirencester, Henbury and Tavistock. Non-GWR managed stations are identified. In light grey are other
operators' routes, eg SWR and TfW. Buses with through ticketing appear (red) and connecting ferries
are shown, as are heritage railways (dotted grey), including the Cholsey & Wallingford and B&WR.

The other side shows the full national network, again with integrated bus connections, ferry routes
and adjacent heritage railways. Newport to Ebbw Vale appears to be missing, but a note warns that
not all routes and stations are shown and interchange in some towns may involve changing stations.

643] A long Sprint: on Sun 20 Feb, after Storm Eunice, a 09.33 Very Short Term Passenger Plan (VSTP)
working from Exeter St Davids to Westbury arrived there 37 minutes late at 11.16½. It returned to
Exeter to form a 14.33 to Reading (reached 41 min late at 17.32) via Taunton, Westbury, Melksham
(not calling) and Swindon. Returning from Reading at 19.02 by the same route, the train was 37 mins
late at St Davids. Allegedly pathed for 75mph maximum, but with timings more akin to the normal
125mph IETs (hence the late running), it was a 3 x 2-car Class 150 DMU (150248, 265 & 246).

The line was closed west of Exeter so the DMUs were available, as were IET drivers who signed them!

644] May Timetable: The Bristol to Gloucester services that GWR had applied to run to Worcester are
in RTT but still terminating at Gloucester. It may be an interim position. CrossCountry has reinstated
services above the current basic hourly pattern but still only hourly north from Bristol until midday.

1396 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]
645] Leamington Spa: The SSuX 19.32 and SuO 10.40, 13.40, 15.40, 17.40 & 19.40 (that is all Sunday
departures) Chiltern services to Stratford-upon-Avon are shown to depart from the previous rare
Down bay P1. Due to signalling constraints, passenger services cannot arrive in P1 only ECS shunts.

646] Kidderminster: (BLN 1385.1616 - with a plan of the new bridge) Overnight on the weekend of
12-13 Feb, the famous footbridge that extended across the throat of the Severn Valley Railway station
(previously Kidderminster Goods Yard) and over the main line to Worcester (Bridge 104 at 135m 22ch)
was removed ready to install its replacement. The new bridge will be all in one span constructed in
'weathering steel' (= rusty!) with new abutments each end. The footpath is well used and the bridge
has been a popular vantage point over the years for train spotters and railway photographers.

647] Nuneaton - Leamington: (BLN 1395.520) From Sun 27 Feb all services were trains (buses on 26th).

648] Long Marston: For some time a blanket Temporary Speed Restriction of 10mph has replaced the
20mph line speed on the branch due to non-compliant sighting for the users at two user worked
crossings. They are Broad Marston (2m 11ch) and Bridge Farm No1 (2m 31ch). A 10mph Permanent
Speed Restriction at the crossings will allow 20mph running on the rest of the branch again.

649] Nuneaton: (TRACKmaps 4 p5B Dec 2018) In preparation for HS2, sidings at Washwood Heath
that stabled On Track Machinery were removed. NR now proposes to provide replacement stabling at
Nuneaton Cemetery Sidings, (0m 40ch on the Leicester line) instead. They were chosen due to the
proximity of the WCML and Leicester to Birmingham lines. The existing siding has a fully signalled
connection but is little used. A set of hand points and two sidings will be provided, each able to take a
160m rail grinder. Construction is due to start in Sep 2022 for planned commissioning in Feb 2023.

650] Perry Barr - They shall not pass: TCP 10 May 2021 for rebuilding, ROP is expected on Sun 15 May
with the new timetable in time for the Commonwealth Games in Jul at the nearby Alexander Stadium.
The operational length of both platforms is to be reduced at the Birmingham end, where there is an
unused substandard narrower platform section beneath the road overbridge. Platform fencing will be
installed by the existing 'passengers must not pass' signs (they do not say 'customers'), as well as at
the Walsall end at the top of the ramps. Other anti-trespass measures include installing 'witches hats'
(official name, a learning point) betwixt the new platform end fences and the platform edge. Pedantic
Precise members might wonder if non-passengers can pass the 'passengers must not pass' signs?

651] Dudley VLR Innovation Centre: (BLN 1391.3263) Motive Zero locomotives 08649 & 37207 were
recently moved by road to Wolverton Works. This was unexpected; does anyone know the reason?

652] Soho: On 18 Feb during Storm Eunice, the line was blocked between Soho North Jn and South Jn
for a short while. 2W35 had no report at Soho North Jn in Realtime Trains - but other diverted trains
did with 'USC' (Up Soho Curve) in the line column - so, presumably it took the direct connection.

653] Walsall Pleck Jn: In Dec ten volunteers from Colas Rail and NR worked together to remove scrap
metal and level the track to reopen the sidings at the NR Training Centre Compound, to stable
On Track Plant and store serviceable materials. Maintenance is planned to keep them operational.

654] Norton Bridge East Chord: (TRACKmaps 4 p6B 2018) NR has corrected the mileage at Norton
Bridge Jn from 4m 14ch to 4m 15ch and the Yarnfield Jn mileage from 2m 50ch to 2m 51ch (tut tut).

655] West Midlands Metro: On the Brierley Hill extension, 300m of tramway has been installed on
Castle Hill in Dudley. A new bridge for the extension has been installed on the ex-South Staffordshire
Line (Walsall to Stourbridge) over the 'old mainline' Birmingham to Wolverhampton Canal near
Coneygre, east of Tipton. The previous abutments support it. Several other bridges are to be replaced.

The

… 1396 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
656] Táilte Tours: This is a new voluntary group of people experienced in heritage and tourist train
operation and management. It aims to assist Ireland's voluntarily run heritage railways and museums
raise extra funds (and awareness) to further their projects. This will be by holding railway themed
fundraising and awareness events. Their name comes from the third member of the Great Southern
Railways 800 Class 4-6-0 locos, No802 'Táilte'. All three of these locos, the largest steam engines to run
in Ireland, were named after Celtic goddesses. The Sat 20 Aug 'Premier Rose' https://bit.ly/3BWbTi2
is their first tour, Dublin Connolly to Tralee and return - a rare chance to travel over the scenic Kerry
branch in a loco worked MKIV set. Tickets start at €55. Any profits will be donated to heritage rail
groups including the Cavan & Leitrim and Downpatrick & County Down Railways. Then, on Sun 21 Aug,
there is a day trip from Dublin by service train with heritage railway action - watch the website.

657] Belfast Transport Hub: (BLN 1370.443) Adjacent to Great Victoria Street, after site clearance last
year, excavating and pile driving is now in progress. The present station is due to close in summer
2024 (if you need any of it). The new station with eight platforms is due to open later that year.

658] Dublin - Drogheda: (BLN 1392.125) Public consultation on this DART+ line has opened, plans
include new battery trains. DART+ aims to more than double the commuter capacity and treble the
electrification of the Greater Dublin Area network. On the costal north route 24 trains are planned
from Drogheda to Dublin in the morning three hour peak instead of 11 now, increasing capacity from
12,500 to 26,000. Malahide would increase from 20 to 30 (23,300 to 33,800), Clongriffin 20 to 36
(23,300 to 41,000) and Howth would have 18 trains instead of 9 (capacity 21,600, now 10,800). IR says
that 36 trains would arrive at Dublin in the three hours (now 29 - Irish mathematics is fascinating).

Plans are under development and public input is requested but they include: ●Malahide to Drogheda
electrification and resignalling. ●Stabling and infrastructure improvements at Drogheda, Malahide,
Clongriffin and Howth Junction & Donaghmede. ●However, the Howth Branch is reduced to a shuttle
- the sting in the tail that explains the Irish mathematics and is sure to be unpopular with passengers.
[Will there be public services over the main line junction connection forming a new Microgicing PSUL?]

DART+ West extends to Maynooth/M3 Parkway, DART+ South-West to Hazelhatch and DART+ Coastal
North to Drogheda. DART+ Coastal South includes works as far as Greystones for more trains to
operate. The Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, Jim Meade, said he hopes to see the increased service
on the Drogheda commuter route in around 2½ years. (Our Regional Editor suggests adding a year.)

659] Nenagh line: Ballybrophy to Limerick passenger services were again suspended (with all trains
replaced by buses) from Sat 29 Jan until Sun 13 Feb inclusive to relay two miles of the single track
between MP 16½ and MP 18½. In 2021 a total of 7½ miles of 40mph restricted old jointed track was
replaced with continuously welded rail on concrete sleepers and ballasted to a very high standard.
Only eight miles of jointed track now remain which it is hoped to relay in 2022 (with further closures).

1396 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
660] Welcome to the IOM! The IOM Government has voiced an intention to relax its Covid rules
significantly https://bit.ly/3vvj6oh (particularly Border control rules) from 31 Mar. A travel declaration
will still be required by all those travelling to the Island which will be retained for a short time in case
they need to be contacted. However, there will be no isolation, testing or vaccination requirements.

661] Rush Hour on the Railways Fri 15 - Mon 18 Apr: The full brochure for this Easter event is on our
website with a mix of shed tours, photo opportunities and an intensive MER service on the Sunday.

662] Electric Railway: The work north of Eskadale has ended, and the adjacent roadway is no longer
obstructed. As at 24 Feb the work at Howstrake was still ongoing. The track had been relaid and a
tamping machine had been in use. The trackbed height has been raised (a new vertical alignment for
Microgricers) and new kerbstones are being fitted alongside the road. Tram 5 and Trailer 56 were
relocated within Derby Castle on Wed 23 Feb. The recent storms helped identify some trees that were
clearly vulnerable and a team has been out doing much trimming and removal work along the MER.

X.73] BELOW: (BLN 1393.235) A CrossCountry DMU turnsback ECS at the Birm
between there and Grand Jn. Trains ran there from Nottingham via Derby an

mingham end of Coleshill Parkway during the recent 9-day passenger closure
nd Kingsbury - Whitacre and the Leicester line. (Don Kennedy, 23 Feb 2022.)





PREVIOUS: (Item 662) A tamper at Howstrake (MER). Are the road signs used f
BELOW: (Tram 5 and Trailer 56 'shunting' out onto the runn

NEXT: Groudle tram stop, just one small area on the MER where trees hav

for target practice by the local shooting club? (Jenny Williamson, 22 Feb 2022.)
ning line at Derby Castle. (Jenny Williamson, 23 Feb 2022.)
ve been removed so improving the light. (Jenny Williamson, 1 Mar 2022.)





BELOW: Activity at Derby Castle depot of the Manx Electric Railway o

on Fri 4 Mar 2022 and not a Chairman in sight…. (Jenny Williamson.)

X.74] BELOW & NEXT: On Tue 15 Feb 'Ailsa' had pulled an unlined 'Maitlan
As can be seen on the close up (next) a start had been made on pain

nd' and a freshly painted but unnumbered F47 coach out of the workshop.
nting the 'No 11'. (Graeme Easton, in the right place at the right time.)





X.75] BELOW: 'Kissack' (No13) on the first departure of the season from Dou

uglas, 09.50 Fri 4 Mar 2022, but where is our Chairman? (Jenny Williamson.)

X.76] BELOW: 'Loch' (No4) on the front of the first departure of the season

n from Port Erin, 10.00 Fri 4 Mar 2022. (Graeme Easton from the crossing.)

663] Steam Railway: The Mar to Oct 2022 Dining Train PDF was with e-BLN 1395. Impressively there
are 121 running with all sorts of cuisines and special events. Of note bus fares apply to the Commuter
Club train (07.45 Port Erin/17.45 Douglas); normally the first Friday of the month, it runs daily 6-9 Jun
in the TT. Other prices - which include the train fare - are reasonable, from £25 for up to £70 for the
Platinum Jubilee Express on 2 Jul, with most at the lower end of that scale. Lunch trains are 12.10 from
Douglas and evening ones 19.00. Themed trains include Elton John [we trust not 'This Train Don't Stop
There Anymore], ABBA [Waterloo?], Pirates of the Caribbean, Carnaby Street & Queen [Breakthru'?].

664] Horse Tram: (BLN 1395.533) (New layout TRACKmaps 1 p26C Dec 2021) From Hansard's 8 Feb
House of Keys report: The Derby Castle to Broadway (present) section is intended to be operating in
2022 but there is doubt that it will be ready for the IOM TT Races (29 May - 10 Jun). The infrastructure
Minister was unable to confirm when it will be run even to Broadway where it now ends. He said: I am
not in a position to confirm when the section [further on] to the War Memorial will be completed.
All in all, we have £1.2M, we will need probably about another £1½M to take it to the Sea Terminal.

Regarding the start date for the trams, I have no idea at this time. As I said, things are being put back
two weeks and I have said in answering previous questions there is some training of the horses to be
done and all sorts of things. But we are now talking about end of June, probably beginning of July, and
there will be a complete inspection with regard to people … alighting and getting back onto the trams
in the Broadway area to make sure it is safe and if the inspector is not happy, it will not happen.

Seemingly on the basis that there has been disruption on the promenade for three years now he said
that he was not prepared to request extra funds from the House for a year or probably two years.

A Member of the House of Keys said: It just seems like there has been a series of repeated sabotage
against the horse trams that stems from some lack of knowledge or advisers or quantity surveyors or
construction with the contractors in completing the horse trams. Does his Department want to
complete the horse trams or are they trying to sabotage them so that they never get reinstated?

Update: Between Broadway and the War Memorial is all tarmacked over, so tracklaying beyond
Broadway is extremely unlikely in the current year and maybe well beyond. There is no sign of any
work resuming that is needed to complete the incomplete section between Castle Mona Avenue and
Broadway, for which pointwork was initially expected to be delivered from the UK several weeks ago.

On 11 Feb, Harry (one of the horses) had his first sledge of the year. This is a large wooden sledge
hauled by a horse across a grassy field, part of training so that horses are used to pulling something.

1396 SCOTLAND (Mike McCabe) [email protected]
665] Hunterston: (BLN 1393.243) This suggested that it might be two years before decommissioning
starts at Hunterston 'B' Power Station and the return of nuclear waste trains to the branch. However,
between 11 Jan and 4 Feb there were driver training runs with different Class 66 locomotives from
Motherwell. The first two weeks the journeys were TThO Motherwell to Hunterston Low Level and
the second two weeks they were Motherwell to Carlisle via Paisley, Newton-on-Ayr and Mauchline.
The last of the regular Hunterston trains were operated with Class 68 and 88 locomotives thought to
be Carlisle based. If that is the case, is the work going to be switched to Motherwell and why train
drivers now if nothing is going to happen for two years? [The answer could be that they will run the
occasional light engine/empty train from Motherwell to Hunterston to maintain the right to use the
paths, crew knowledge and check the branch is useable - this happens at Sizewell with no traffic.]

666] Good Crieff! Perth & Kinross Council Community Greenspace team has applied for permission to
carry out improvements to a route which is largely on an adopted core path and former railway line
across private land. If approved, work to multi-use standard, would include new bridges, surfacing,
fencing and landscaping. About 5km of trackbed is passable but the missing bridges and overgrown
sections make it difficult to negotiate. Easily accessible core paths exist partway to Comrie, from Crieff
to Trowan but the plans seek to improve the rest of the off-road route to the Shaky Village, making it
suitable for all non-motorised user groups, including cyclists and horse riders.

667] It's surprising what has changed! Scotland and IOM Book 1,
TRACKmaps, 7th Edition (Dec 2021) is now available from your Sales
Officer, Graeme Jolley, only £12 to our members including UK P&P
(cover price without P&P £14.95). Compiled by our very own Martyn
Brailsford to his usual high standard and clarity it has 48 pages (two
extra map pages). New features include OHLE Neutral Sections, line
Electric Control Centres and disused signal boxes. Some of the
changes in four years: ●Robroyston & Kintore stations. ●Reston,
East Linton and (also with a new loop) Inverness Airport stations
under construction. ●Craiginches South Junction. ●Kittybrewster.
●Aberdeen to Inverurie redoubling. ●Edinburgh Waverley changes.
●Aviemore and Pitlochry remodelling and resignalling. ●Dalwhinnie
●Electrification: Grangemouth (also remodelling), Dunblane, Alloa
& Shotts lines. ●Blackford. ●Edinburgh Trams extension. ●Millerhill
EMU Depot. ●Millerhill East Junction. ●Glasgow Subway Test track.
●Cadder HST Depot. ●Shed 47 is now shown. ●Douglas Bay Horse Tramway. ●Snaefell Mountain
Railway pole numbers (some!), Lhergy crossover & Sheep Pen crossing. ●Ramsey Pier Railway (new).

668] Deanside: (TRACKmaps 1 p5A Dec 2021) Cardonald Jn has two sections of rail removed (as on the
new TRACKmaps); no trains have been booked since 21 Mar 2010 and wagonload traffic ended earlier
that year. In 2006 there was regular traffic and two internal Class 08s stabled. The last railtour is
believed to have been on Mon 25 Aug 2008, the Pathfinder 'Alloa Alloer', which reached 1m 56ch.

669] Edinburgh Trams: (BLN 1395.524) Although shown on TRACKmaps 1 p25A 2021 and our LRT/
Tram System Diagrams as 'St Andrews Square', the tram stop is in fact 'St Andrew Square'. As far as
Edinburgh Trams is concerned, the tramstop at Shandwick Place (the name originally considered) is
still called West End-Princes Street. The name has never changed. However, in 2018 they received
feedback from customers that they found it confusing and believed they were at Princes Street when
they alighted at West End. Therefore, it was decided to drop 'Princes Street' from the public timetable
information (the gold standard for chronologists) materials and refer it as West End with effect from 1
Jun 2018. There is photo evidence that the names at the stop were not changed until 24 Aug 2019.

There is controversy over funding and the extension. Not unreasonably the budget was based on pre-
pandemic income from fares but passenger numbers are well down. The Scottish Government grant to
support buses does not include trams. The City of Edinburgh Council is to provide over £9M to cover
lost revenue. A new report says that the Council needs to budget £7M to cover lost revenue in 2023-
24 then £9.25M each year from 2024-25. The Council is also funding free travel for under 22s on trams
(if they didn't, they might only use the free buses) as it is not part of the government settlement for
that policy which only covers buses. This is £1M in year one and £1.5M annually after that. Due to
Covid, the Council is not receiving the anticipated dividends from the buses to help fund the extension.

670] Glenfinnan: NR has applied to Highland Council to survey the Grade 'A' listed viaduct, which
includes coring - drilling to collect samples to examine the concrete used in construction. The work will
help guide a future refurbishment. University of Dundee concrete specialists had tested concrete
mixes to come up with a colour that matched that of the 121 year old viaduct for use in the work.

671] Lochailort: (BLN 1356.1939) On the Mallaig line, a £1.8M project is underway where flash floods
washed away 80m of railway on 25 Jun 2020 causing a derailment. Next to Allt na Criche bridge, a new
concrete culvert will be lifted into place with a 25 tonne crane between Fri 18th and Tue 22 Mar. A new
embankment 145m long and between 1m and 2.5m high will be built to protect the railway by June.

672] Borders Railway: From May the service it was due to continue to operate hourly off-peak and
half-hourly in the peaks. Now (for an unspecified experimental period) it will be half-hourly all day
(as it was from reopening on 9 Sep 2015 until Covid struck), with 6-car DMUs in the peaks. No trains
will run through to/from Fife then, as some do in the peaks now, as there is very little through travel.

X.77] BELOW & TO FOLLOW: Wed 7 Jun 1978, a steam hauled trip in open N
train ran on 6 Jul 1978) to Waterside and return. Fortunately they were not r
(so missed BLN) but was advertised via the 'Grapevine' - the 1978 Internet. Eig
the trip. Left to right: Paul Stewart (with his red covered OS map, which he stil

National Coal Board internal coal wagons from Pennyvenie Colliery (the last
rotary tipplers! Organised by your current BLN Editor, it was very short notice
ght members were able to make it; there was no party limit and no charge for
ll has - to mark up the route), Dave Wilkinson and Jenny Williamson.