1351

Number 1351 (Items 1187- 1370 & MR 67 - MR 73) (E-BLN 105 PAGES) 2 May 2020

BRANCH LINE NEWS

………... A societas est iens ut loca

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 necessarily athvaoislaebolef .the Compilers or the Society.

BLN 1352 is dated 16 May. E-BLN is out :Fri: 15 May; contributions by Wed 6 May please.

.>>>>> HAVE YOU RENEWED YOUR MEMBERSHIP YET? <<<<<.

1187] :What can you have for £ci4et0y..5So0c?ie:tyA. bout a third of a railtour (sometimes) OR... 24

printed & posted copies of Branch Line News plus a printed copy of PSUL and Minor Railways, with
24 copies of e-BLN also 24 copies of e-BLNI both with extra items, plus access to the Members' only
section of our website. You also receive discounts on many of our tours and book sales (TRACKmaps
for example and the new Baker when it appears). For only another £4.50 you can have 24 paper copies
of Branch Line News International or for just £12 all of the above except printed BLN, BLNI and PSUL.

Subscriptions were due on 1 May. If you have not renewed, please do so as soon as possible to
continue to receive your BLN/e-BLN and membership benefits. The easiest, quickest and cheapest
way to renew is on our website. REMINDER: All members taking paper BLN can have e-BLN free too.

1188] :Paper BLN REMINDER:: For an experimental period this is now being posted out Second Class
instead of First Class but a day earlier. BLN 1350.1043 explains the reasons for this and background.

1189] :Minor Railways 2020:: All full (that is except basic) members should now have received their
2020 free copy of Peter Scott's publication by post, including those who just subscribe to e-BLN. Some
spare copies of recent paper BLNs were sent randomly to electronic members so they can see what
they look like - we do not pay for these print 'overs' and the alternative is to recycle them. Anyone
who has not yet received their 2020 Minor Railways booklet, please notify Lisa Sheppard as above.

1190] :BLS Sales:: Our Sales Officer, Graeme Jolley, has these latest editions of TRACKmaps in stock:

Book 1: Scotland & Isle of Man - 6th Edition - £10 (RRP £12.95) }

Book 2: Eastern - 4th Edition - £13 (RRP £15.95) } Ask about postage

Book 3: Western & Wales - 6th Edition - £10 (RRP £12.95) } deals if ordering
more than three.
Book 4: Midland & North West - 4th Edition - £13 (RRP £15.95) }

Book 5: Southern & Transport for London - 4th Edition -£13 (RRP £15.95) }

Passenger Train Services Over Unusual Lines (PSUL) 2020 and Minor Railways 2020 at £3 each are

also available. Our prices include post & packing. Please email [email protected] for a

special online payment link if possible or post a CPA/cheque payee 'Branch Line Society' to: Dolbryn,

Penegoes, MACHYNLLETH, SY20 8NN. Queries by email or  07484 646542. Posting is in batches.

1191] :Donations to Heritage Railways:: (BLN 1350.1045) Thank you to all members who responded
to this consultation. There was overwhelming support for the proposal amongst the many responders
a good number of relevant points were made which are being collated and considered before your
Committee comes to a decision. It is important to emphasise that no subscription money is involved,
the total is under 9% of our plentiful reserves and is exclusively derived from surpluses on fixtures.

Anyone who didn't nominate a specific Heritage Railway or other suitable railway charity (as suggested
by some) and would like to do so, please email or write to your Editor by 10th May. Thank you.

1192] :Railway Rights of Way:: Thanks to the compiler (our Casnewydd member Rhys Ab Elis) and the
ever helpful Dave Cromarty, the database has recently been updated to Dec 2019. It is available to all
logged in members on our website; from the 'Home Page' go across the banner to 'More Options...'
and down to 'Railway Rights of Way'. It is probably the world's most comprehensive compilation of
information about disused railways (covering all of the British Isles) which, after abandonment and
track lifting, are available for the general public to access (within the current Covid-19 restrictions, of
course). They are public footpaths, bridleways, cycleways and roads. 'About' has more details. If you
have not looked at this before you will be amazed by the number available and how long some are.

The entries are geographical and, if possible, include the type of Right of Way (footpath, cyclepath,
bridleway, road or open space) and any name (eg 'Monsal Trail'), OS map references for the start and
finish, the distance available (to the nearest quarter of a mile) and the former Pre-Grouping railway for
the line. Please submit updates to [email protected] or 14 Rhes-Y-Twnnel, Casnewydd, NP20 4BT.

1193] :BLS & BLN Contact Details:: As well as the centre pages of paper BLN 1350, p2 &3 of e-BLN and
the e-BLN PDF Download, all email contact details are on the 'contacts' page of our website (which has
a link to the BLN Regional Editor contacts etc). [email protected] is the new contact
email for ex-officio Society Equality Officer Trevor Cockram (or by post via your Editor per BLN 1350).

. Date Event and details BLN Lead Status
Claimed.
Sun 30 Aug Silver Leaf Poplar PRIVATE Railway, Boston (2ft gauge) TBA TBA Claimed.
Claimed.
Mon 31 Aug. Bank Holiday Scunthorpe summer steel spectacular (No21) TBA TBA

12-15 Nov Thur-Sun; PROVISIONAL DATES 65th Anniversary 2020 AGM. TBA TBA

1351 HEAD LINES (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
Unless specified service suspensions are due to the Emergency Timetables and until further notice.

Updated PSUL is on our website. If you spot anything in your area/not included please advise us.

1194] Cobh Jn - Cobh, total 4 stations: TCP 10.00 Mon 9 Mar; ROP 16.00 Sun 15 Mar 2020 (track work).
1195] Hest Bank Jn - Bare Lane Jn: Unidirectional PSUL service suspended Fri 20 Mar (last ran 19th).

1196] Guide Bridge Station Jn - Denton Jn - Heaton Norris Jn: Suspended from Sat 21 Mar 2020;
(Saturdays only 10.13 Stalybridge to Stockport and 10.43 return train, last ran on Sat 14 Mar).

1197] Clitheroe (excl) - Hellifield South Jn: Suspended Sun 22 Mar (SuO service, last ran Sun 15 Mar).

1198] Northolt Jn - Greenford West Jn - Greenford LUL Bay Jn (8m 65ch): Suspended Mon 23 Mar
Chiltern Railways SSuX 10.55 South Ruislip to West Ealing and 11.47 West Ealing to High Wycombe.
1199] Sittingbourne Western Jn - Middle Jn: Suspended Mon 23 Mar; last ran Fri 20th (SSuX trains).
1200] Minster West Jn - Minster South Jn: Suspended Mon 23 Mar; last ran Fri 20th (SSuX trains).
1201] Dr Days Jn - Feeder Bridge Jn: Suspended Mon 23 Mar; last ran Fri 20th (SSuX one Down train).

1202] DLR; Island Gardens stop: (Amending BLN 1350.1052) TCP from start of service Mon 23 Mar
(not 16th); as it is below ground it has to be staffed (most on the DLR are not) ROP Wed 1 Apr 2020.
1203] LUL, Goldhawk Road: (BLN 1350.1055) TCP from Mon 23 Mar not 25th; ROP Mon 13 Apr 2020.

1204] (Barnehurst) Perry St Fork Jn - Erith Loop - Slade Green Jn (29ch): Since Mon 23 Mar reduced to
SO all day twice hourly service in both directions plus on Sun 19 Apr but not on Sat 25 Apr 2020.

1205] Crayford Spur 'A' Jn - Crayford Spur 'B' Jn: The seven day a week regular twice hourly services
(Cannon Street to Cannon Street) in both directions were suspended from Mon 23 Mar 2020.

1206] St Mary Cray Up Jn - Up Chatham Loop - Hawkwood Jn - Chislehurst Jn: Suspended 23 Mar.

1207] Bickley Jn - Petts Wood Fast Jn (via fast Tonbridge Loop): Suspended from Mon 23 Mar 2020.

1208] Strawberry Hill Jn - Fulwell Jn: Suspended from Mon 23 Mar; last passenger use Fri 20 Mar.

1209] Factory Jn 'C' - Stewarts Lane Jn - Grosvenor Bridge Jn (SE side): Suspended from Mon 23 Mar.

1210] Streatham South Jn - Streatham North Jn (via reversible Fast Spur): Suspended Mon 23 Mar.

1211] Aston South Jn - Stechford South/North Jn: Suspended Mon 23 Mar, (PSUL use).

1212] Perry Barr South Jn - West Jn: Suspended Mon 23 Mar, (SSuX 22.02 Reading to New Street).

1213] Leigham Jn - Tulse Hill Jn: Suspended from :Mon 30 Mar (PSUL last ran :Fri 27: Mar 2020).

1214] Manchester Metrolink; Broadway - Harbour City (direct curve): Suspended Mon 23 Mar2020;
thereafter all Eccles line tram services were booked to reverse in MediaCityUK in both directions.
1215] Lowton Jn - Newton le Willows Jn (36ch): Suspended from Tue 24 Mar 2020; last ran Mon 23rd.

1216] Point Pleasant Jn - East Putney & Wimbledon North Jn - Wimbledon P5&7: Suspended Tue 24;
the last PSUL trains used this Connection of Strategic Importance in the early hours of 23rd.

1217] Preston, Farrington Curve Jn (East Lancs) - Ormskirk P2 with Croston, Rufford & Burscough
Junction stations: Suspended from Tue 24 Mar 2020 (last ran Mon 23 Mar). A bus is provided every
two hours taking 57 mins between Ormskirk and Preston (15¼ miles); the train takes 31 mins.

1218] Bletchley (P5/6) - Bedford P1; 10 intermediate stations: (BLN 1350.1063) The train service was
suspended from Wed 25 Mar 2020. The LNwR website says that this is because signallers are required
to work on the main lines instead, although freight trains have run through from time to time since.
No replacement bus service is now provided; Key Workers requiring transport have to contact LNwR.

1218] Woodgrange Park Jn - Forest Gate Jn: Suspended Sat 28 Mar 2020, SSuO half-hourly Liverpool
Street - Shoeburyness; last ran Sat 8 Feb - then diverted to Fenchurch Street due to Crossrail work.
1219] Bushbury Jn - Portobello Jn: Suspended Sat 28 Mar, last use 21st 06.04 Northampton to Crewe.

1220] Darlaston Jn - Pleck Jn: Suspended Sat 28 Mar (05.42 SO Wolverhampton to Rugeley TV PSUL).

1221] Blackpool Trams, Starr Gate - Fleetwood Ferry: (updating BLN 1350.1060) Services suspended
Sun 29 Mar 2020 (not 20th) last ran Sat 28 Mar. The trams were only carrying about 500 passengers a
day and there is a parallel bus. The Heritage Trams last ran Sun 15 Mar (suspended from Sat 21 Mar).

1222] Ely North Jn - Ely West Jn (via west curve): Suspended from Sun 29 Mar (SuO 15.54 Norwich to
Manchester Piccadilly; last ran that way Sun 22 Mar - subsequently diverted to reverse in Ely station).
1223] Heald Green West Jn - Heald Green South Jn (38ch): Suspended Mon 30 Mar (last use on 29th).

1224] Hare Park Jn - Crofton West Jn: Suspended from Sat 4 Apr (last ran Fri 3 Apr - Grand Central).

1225] Aln Valley Railway; Cawledge Viaduct - Greenrigg Halt: (BLN 1346.644) (MR p9) This standard
gauge heritage line extension (CP 29 Jan 1968) due to ROP Sat 4 Apr 2020 was deferred sine die.

1226] Hythe Pier Railway (and Hythe Pier - Southampton Town Quay Ferry): (MR p18) Suspended
from 18.00 Sat 18 Apr 2020 as it had become financially unviable with so few passengers travelling.
This 2ft gauge 700yd line is recognised as the world's oldest continually operating electric pier railway.

1227] Dinting West Jn - Dinting :South: Jn (13ch): Service withdrawn Mon 27 Apr (last ran Sun 28 Apr).
At Dinting all trains from Manchester to/from Glossop now run via Hadfield (reverse), adding about
10 mins to Glossop journeys compared with taking the direct curve. Dinting P2 on it has a very sharp
curvature so the guard has to control the doors from the middle of the train for visibility. Dinting P1 is
straight (the ex-Manchester - Sheffield Woodhead main line) so the guard can remain in the rear cab.

1228] Irish Rail, Ennis (excl) - Sixmilebridge - Limerick, Ennis Line Jn: (BLN 1347.643) ROP Tue 28 Apr
(start of service) after TCP for over eight weeks since 29 Feb 2020 due to recurrent flooding at Ballycar.

1229] Sheffield Supertram; Birley Moor Road (excl) - Halfway [total 7 stops]: TCP from Mon 4 May
until about Fri 5 Jun for tram rail replacement at Hackenthorpe and Donetsk Way - Area 1 of the third
and final year of this three year project. Birley Lane crossover will be in passenger service use by trams
returning to the City. The oldest rail has been in use for 26 years (mainline rail lasts 40 years) but very
tortuous curves can grind down quicker. Replacement is reportedly with a higher specification rail.

BELOW: (Item 1225) Aln Valley Railway, Greenrigg Halt (work in progress

s), 'bay' and end of line towards Alnmouth. (Ian Mortimer 22 Feb 2020.)

BELOW: (Item 1217) Rufford station and passing loop when trains still ran;

; the Ormskirk - Preston line is straight here. (Ian Mortimer, 22 Aug 2019.)

BELOW: In May 1977, Dinting had double track and two main line platfo

orms and the Woodhead route was still open for freight. (Ian Mortimer.)

BELOW: (Item 1227) A Class 37 on an engineer's train passing Dinting in Ma

ay 1977, these were often formed of very decrepit wagons. (Ian Mortimer.)

1230] Keeping Track, (extra to Head Lines) significant passenger service suspensions: *= new/altered
BLN Start (incl) Reopens Location (stations 'exclusive' if bracketed) bold = closed now

1351.1361 9 Feb 20 15 Jun 20? *Llandudno Jn - Blaenau Ffestiniog [with Dolgarrog station]
1349.889 26 Feb 20 Unknown (Knottingley) - Potters Grange Jn (Goole) [16 miles]
1350.1051 12 Mar 20 Jun/Jul 20? (Whitehaven) - (Workington) closed after 14.48 on 12 Mar 20
1350.1057 19 Mar 20 Unknown *Wigan Wallgate Jn - Kirkby P2 [11½ miles]
1349.893 20 Mar 20 Unknown Carnforth Station Jn - Settle Jn [24½ miles]
1350.1056 20 Mar 20 Unknown *LUL; Waterloo & City Line, Waterloo P25 & 26 - Bank P7 & 8
1349.894 20 Mar 20 Unknown Morecambe South Jn - Morecambe - Heysham Port [6¼ miles]
1350.1058 21 Mar 20 Unknown *Helsby Jn - Ellesmere Port P2 [5¼ miles]
1349.895 21 Mar 20 Unknown Moorthorpe Jn - Milford Jn [Pontefract Baghill line 13 miles]
1349.896 21 Mar 20 Unknown *Gainsborough Trent East Jn - Wrawby Jn [ :20⅔::miles]
1349.997 23 Mar 20 Unknown Yeovil Pen Mill Jn - Yeovil Jn [1½ miles]
1349.898 23 Mar 20 Unknown Bordesley Jn - Small Heath South Jn [CrossCountry via Solihull]
1349.899 23 Mar 20 Unknown Hounslow Jn - Whitton Jn used for weekend diversions
1349.900 23 Mar 20 Unknown Blackheath Jn - Charlton Jn
1349.901 23 Mar 20 Unknown Canal Jn - New Cross
1349.902 24 Mar 20 Unknown Hambleton North - East Jn
1349.903 24 Mar 20 Unknown Habrough Jn - Barton-on-Humber [11 miles]
1350.1063 25 Mar 20 Unknown *(Bletchley) - Bedford P1 [16⅔ miles]
1350.1964 27 Mar 20 Unknown *Watford Junction P10 - St Albans Abbey [6⅓ miles]
1349.908 30 Mar 20 Unknown (Crystal Palace) Bromley Jn - Beckenham Junction P1 [3½ miles]
1349.909 30 Mar 20 Unknown Halton Jn - Frodsham Jn [1½ miles]
1350.1065 30 Mar 20 Unknown *Ballybrophy bay P3 - Nenagh - Killonan Jn [52½ miles]
1350.1066 30 Mar 20 Unknown *Waterford West SB - Waterford Line Jn (Limerick Jn) [55 miles]
1350.1070 4 Apr 20 Unknown *Stockton Cut Jn (57m 00ch) - Hartburn Jn [2¼ miles]
1350.1071 6 Apr 20 Unknown *Hatton West Jn - North Jn [Birmingham - Solihull - Stratford]
1350.1153 6 Apr 20 Unknown *(Great Malvern) - Colwall - Ledbury - Shelwick Jn [19 miles]

1231] Hanslope South Jn (56m 29ch) - Weedon - Hillmorton Jn (81m 28ch): TCP/A is booked from
22.10 Sat 2 May until 06.00 Mon 18 May 2020. This is a very short notice blockade taking advantage of
the much reduced train service and so few passenger travelling (Avanti West Coast Trains is averaging
about 40 passengers per service). Major draining work is taking place in the 1m 656yd Kilsby Tunnel.

1351 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
1232] Well 'up' to BLN standard: Why has the government banned publication of photos of trains
coming down Snowdon and the Lickey Incline?...............................Because they are in descent images.

1233] The Lowdown: E-BLN downloads include 'The Branch Line Society Travellers' Guide to the Low
Countries 1981-82', with 1982-83 amendments (total 22 pages); with thanks to coauthor Nigel Eacock

1234] My First Railway Memories (27): (BLN 1350.1075) My name is Will Davies (Member 2844) or
W G R Davies to be more formal. There are no prizes for readers who work out my favourite railway
with those initials, especially when the clue is "I was born in Cardiff in 1950".

I have little memory of my first railway journey, but do have a picture of me taken on the promenade
of Barry Island when I was about 4 years old. We would have travelled from Cardiff Queen Street to
Barry Island, probably hauled by a tank engine late of the many local railways including the Taff Vale,
Rhymney or Great Western Railways. A few years later I realised that some trains went via Penarth
and the coast line (formally the Cardiff, Penarth & Barry Junction Railway) through Sully to rejoin the
direct line via Dinas Powys to Barry at Cadoxton. Naturally, for unusual track (for me), I always tried to
persuade my parents or aunt and uncle who took me to catch the trains that went via Penarth.
The present branch from Cogan Jn to Penarth was singled in Feb 1967 when the service ran hourly.

ABOVE: 1961 map, Penarth is the 'principal station' (rectangle). Alberta Place Platform (OP 1904) was
the 'Halt' to the south, followed by Lower Penarth (Halt from 1935); it CP 1954, hence is a white circle.
Next is the Penarth 'Cement & Lime Works' then Lavernock station, Swanbridge Halt and Sully before
Biglis Jn. Cadoxton station is bottom left with the Barry Railway line via Wenvoe along the far left of
the map. At Cogan Jn (top right) the Penarth line station was called Penarth Dock which CP 1 Jan 1962.

Penarth - Biglis Jn (Cadoxton) CP 6 May 1968; but before this Cardiff services terminated at Penarth
(originally with three through tracks) at a stop block half way along the Up platform (the present one).
Through Sully line passengers (and onwards to Barry etc) had to sully forth to a single car DMU on the
other part of the platform (similar to Ormskirk etc on Merseyrail). A loop through the former Penarth
Down platform was used by freight trains to Blue Circle Penarth Cement (and Snowcem) Works, which
had an extensive internal and quarry railway. Past here the line to Biglis Jn (Cadoxton) CA 6 May 1968.
Penarth station to Penarth Cement Works CA 13 Oct 1969 and was taken out of use from 9 Nov 1969.
https://bit.ly/2XZnTxo is an 11 min driver's eye view simulation of the Cadoxton - Penarth line, and is
really rather good (try full screen) and certainly the closest we will now get to actually doing the line.

I walked, initially with my mother, to infants and junior school twice a day from 1955-61. This involved
crossing a road bridge over the busy Taff Vale Railway Roath Branch (OG: April 1888, CG: 6 May 1968).
It ran from south of Radyr to Cardiff Docks and was a freight (coal) only line serving Cardiff Power
Station and a means of reaching the new Roath Dock at Cardiff Docks avoiding the passenger lines in
the centre of the city (map next page). A Down home lower quadrant signal just by the bridge meant
that, if I was lucky, I would see a stationary train waiting for the line. I only ever saw one passenger

train but whether ECS or diverted service I know not. Of course, I would have reported it to the BLN
Editor (no Regional Editors in those days) if I'd been a member but that did not occur until May 2012.

BELOW: Cardiff in 1961. The Taff Vale Railway Roath Branch is the one shown as 'mineral line sidings
and tramway' - a thin line with cross hatchings from Roath Branch Jn (top left corner) sweeping south
east to the bottom right hand corner. The line was closed, lifted and partially filled in, then built on;
part of the trackbed is now Cardiff's Eastern Avenue dual carriageway. Roath Dock itself is bottom
right just marked as 'Dock'. The branch into the coal fired Cardiff Corporation Electric Power Station
(demolished 1972) is upper right above the 'th' of 'Roath' near the A48; the two circular buildings
marked were the cooling towers. Spot the long standing mistake on the One-inch maps of Cardiff -
something missing - clue: How do trains run between Queen Street and General/Central - oops?

My first encounter with the Great Western main line was at Cardiff General (Cardiff Central from
7 May 1973) when I was allowed to see my father depart for London on the 'Red Dragon' at 8am,
returning from Paddington at 6pm. It was usually hauled by a Castle class loco. In about 1960, the
family went to London and we travelled, I recall, on the 10am train to Paddington; the highlight was
lunch in the restaurant car. It was a four-course meal. I remember Oxtail Soup and a fish course, a new
experience for me, Turbot; I had never heard of it, but enjoyed it. This was superior railwaying!

[The restaurant cars were 1st Class but 2nd Class passengers could use them if there was room and they
bought a meal. Your Editor recalls a very nice lunch for £6 in 1974, including trout, which he, the only
taker, managed to make last all the way from Nottingham to London with a 2nd Class All Line Rover.]

My father's brother and family lived in Poole, Dorset, and sometimes we house-sat for them when
they went on holiday. This involved train travel from Cardiff, through the 4 mile 624 yards Severn
Tunnel with its 1:90/1:100 gradients and on to Bristol, then somehow we joined the Somerset &
Dorset Joint line to Poole. That resort boasted Sandbanks beach, open top buses, and, of course, Poole
Park Railway (CP 15 May 2018 and may reopen later this year, depending on Covid-19) where many
happy hours were spent, along with 6d (= 2½p) per ride extracted from adult members of the family...

In 1958, the family holiday was spent at Rock, opposite Padstow. It was a through train from Cardiff to
Bodmin Road (Bodmin Parkway from Sat 5 Nov 1983). I remember a long stop and maybe some
shunting at Bristol Temple Meads where my uncle obtained four china cups of tea from the buffet
although I was scared that we would leave him behind and my aunt didn't have much confidence
either. Then we continued to Newton Abbot where the train divided, one portion departed on the
branch to Torquay and Paignton/Kingswear while we continued towards Penzance. By now, we were
about three hours late! There followed a slow crossing of Brunel's wondrous Saltash Bridge before we
reached Bodmin Road where my father, who had driven down some days earlier, picked us all up.

Rock was tiny then. We stayed in a wooden bungalow right next to the beach. From it we could see
(but sadly didn't travel on) the trains on the ex-Southern Railway line from Wadebridge coming down
the opposite bank of the Camel estuary. These included the quite long Padstow portion of the Atlantic
Coast Express (11am weekdays from Waterloo), hauled by Oliver Bulleid's Merchant Navy, Battle of
Britain or West Country class steam engines. Nine destinations were served by portions over the years.
The trains looked slightly lost in the relatively tiny Padstow station (CP 30 Jan 1967). Padstow was
reached by an open boat passenger ferry, another exciting ride, especially in strong tides or winds.

BELOW: Sutton Coldfield Goods Yard from the end of the Motorail line (mid-1960s) looking southwest
towards Birmingham. The car in the foreground with 'B' at the end of its registration would have been
registered between Jan and Dec 1964. The through platforms are the other side of the brick wall (left).

The 1960s meant I could travel alone, but also meant Dr Richard Beeching and his report. Going on
holiday by train was replaced by car, but we twice put it on a Motorail train at Sutton Coldfield and
travelled to Stirling. They went from the original 1862 station - later part of the Goods Yard and the
branch terminus from Aston - until extension via the present platforms and tunnel to Lichfield in 1864.

Local train trips included the old Llantwit Major station (CP 15 Jun 1964, except for HM The Queen on
25 Jun 1965), and more recently the new station (OP 12 Jun 2005), and Cardiff Rugby Football Club
away matches at Newport, Bridgend and Neath. My outstanding memory of that decade is the
growing graveyard of steam engines awaiting the cutting torch at Woodham's scrapyard, Barry.
Fortunately for many, this never came. But neither did my plans to travel on the Heads of the Valleys
Lines nor the Brecon and Merthyr line over Torpantau top and through Pontsticill. In October 1968,
I caught another train, this time diesel powered, from Cardiff General to Bristol Temple Meads; to
start my studies at Bristol University. It was the end of an era, both for me and the railway as I knew it.

1235] Our Website Officer's other website is a Porche: http://www.charlwoodhouse.co.uk/ run by
Phil Wieland, retains rail data for 400 days with much other information. It picks up more Very Short
Term Planning (VSTP) schedules and late changes (checking the relevant sources more often). Your
Editor finds it very good at picking up 'off route' reports when trains divert from their booked path.

1236] HS2: On 15 Apr the DfT issued a formal 'Notice to Proceed' to HS2 Ltd finally authorising them to
start construction. This was partly to stimulate the construction sector in the Covid Crisis. HS2 must
have been ready for this as they immediately signed four major contracts (possibly with significant
cancellation penalty clauses). Previously only preparatory works had been undertaken on the project

1237] Observe/spot trains from home! Railcam
is a name you may have heard mentioned. But
what is it? https://railcam.uk/ is a website
originating over 10 years ago when a camera was
erected at Euxton overlooking the West Coast Main Line and was streamed live on the internet for
anyone to watch. A chat room was also added so viewers could discuss what was seen passing. Over
the next few years as more enthusiasts found out about Railcam, they offered to host cameras when
they lived lineside. Expansion was relatively slow over the first few years but as knowledge of the site
spread more locations to view were added and now over 100 cameras are available. Around 70% are
in the UK and the rest in USA, Canada, Czech Republic, Norway and Switzerland. Viewers are all around
the world. Preserved and national railways are now available to view.

Signalling diagrams were added using public feeds and these have been expanded to cover most of the
UK system, now including many areas not covered by similar tracking sites. A tremendous amount of
further information is available by clicking on trains and stations etc. Recently added has been the
ability of members to add details of the locos or units working trains and this facility is proving very
popular. Railcam Data includes schedule search, Open Rail and history.

The success of the hard work by volunteers over the years is proven by the use of the site by serving
and retired rail staff, along with some Train and Freight Operating Companies. NR is very supportive of
Railcam https://bit.ly/2RViOSZ allowing cameras to be installed on York Rail Operating Centre.

With the current Covid-19 outbreak and many people unable to leave home, Railcam has come to the
rescue with enthusiasts and many others being able to still watch trains from the comfort of their
armchair at home, under the banner of #spottingfromhome https://bit.ly/2xLiKhx which has been
much supported by the wider railway community. At the time of writing there are now over 32,000
registered members of the site with many following Railcam on other 'platforms', over 15,000 on
Facebook, more than 12,000 on Twitter and over 20,000 on YouTube. Access to the basic site is free
permitting viewing of many cameras but a small donation from as little as £3 for a month to £20 for a
year gives access to all the features and pays for the cameras and streaming costs.

[BLN 1351]
Overall Railcam is probably a virtual platform end or the closest experience you can have to be able to
run the railway and see operations over most of the country. Additionally you can see trains, and
weather of many types, at any time of the day or night so is perfect for insomniacs! There is more
about the 'Spotting from Home' campaign at https://bit.ly/3eQo8kh with interesting pictures.

TO FOLLOW: With thanks to our member Geoff Noakes (who is heavily invo
available via the website - they are all ©Railcam but generally low resolutio

remote locations. Since the Covid crisis many new people have signed

 PLEASE SET YOUR DEVICE TO FULL SCREEN

olved in Railcam), a series of images to demonstrate the sort of thing that is
on because they often have to be transmitted over low capacity lines from
up. The pictures generally have locations, date, time and etc on them.

N WIDTH TO MAINTAIN THE PICTURE SIZES 

ABOVE: Approaching Peterborough from March on the River Nene bridge.



























X.79] Chris Ziemer: ABOVE: next to 50026 at
Eastleigh Works Open Day on 23 May2009.

LEFT: At High Wycombe station 22 Feb 2020.
(Both Steve Maishman.)

One of our 'familiar faces', BLS Member 2778
Chris Ziemer sadly passed away at the age of 50
on 14 April following a long brave fight against
serious illness. Your may know the face from
railtours and fixtures, or the name from his BLN
fixture reports and photos, but not put the two
together. Chris, who had travelled over 400,000
miles on the network, became our official
'Scunthorpe Steelworks Railtour Photographer'
and was delighted when the organiser managed
to arrange for him to spend the day in the cab
on the Aug 2019 trip. He was a man who has
always had a huge passion for railways and he
will be sorely missed by his wife Sarah and all
his good friends.

1238] 16 May National Timetable Change: Due to Covid-19 this is now delayed until further notice.

1239] UK Preserved Railway Stock List: (BLN 1350.1181) The Excel spreadsheet with e-BLN 1350 is a
list of all items of rolling stock etc for which a picture is needed, please, by http://www.ukprsl.uk/ the
aim is to have a photo of every one!. Please email photos to Mick Cottam [email protected]
with details; full credit will be given on the website. Thanks to those who have already responded.

1240] Light rail needs heavy support: On 24 Apr the government confirmed it will support England's
light rail systems so that essential services can continue; the DfT is calculating the amount involved.
Manchester Metrolink, Sheffield Supertram, West Midlands Metro, Nottingham NET and T&W Metro
were mentioned. The temporarily closed Blackpool system is deemed not to transport key workers
(a parallel bus service operates). The government said that London light rail is a devolved issue for TfL.

1241] BLN Quiz 7: By member Robert Green, stations and features may be open closed or abandoned.
❶Which viaduct features in the opening sequence of 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'?
❷As passenger stations, what is/was a feature common to these?

Paignton, Comrie, Mablethorpe, Southwell, Keswick, Hawes, Caernarvon.
❸Which two stations, sounding as if in the Home Counties, are named after 'traitors'?
❹Which train caused 'a jug in a bedroom' to 'gently shake'?
❺What is notable about these tunnels? Sharnbrook, Patchway New, Saunderton.
❻Which station (SSux) normally has 16 arrivals and 16 departures but only has 8 trains a day?
❼At which station were buses/coaches used to take passengers from the concourse to one platform?
❽Which film opens, after the credits, with a Gresley A4 having its wheels tapped?

At which station does the later action take place - film name and real name?
❾Add a 'Y' to a station in Dorset for a station with a renowned buffet?

Add an 'S' to a station in Devon for a station in Northants?
❿Which GWR Castle Class (steam engines not HSTs) name was the one not on the British mainland?
.....(Persons and Memorials are excluded from this!)

1242] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1350.1077] As indicated in e-BLN we have one member in the Channel
Islands (as has been the case for 55 years). ●●1082 (re: 1038)] There are no signal boxes anywhere in
Ireland, of course, Cork 'A' was a Signal Cabin in fact. ●●1089] The presence or not of trap points is
generally dependent on the overlap length beyond the signal protecting the junction. For example,
there is a trap point at Digswell on the ECML Down Slow but not at Woolmer Green on the Up Slow.

●●1096] Members needn't get excited about reopening of the connecting line between the Hertford
East and North routes which closed in the 1960s. On 6 Apr the services from Stratford that were
diverted via South Tottenham Jn - Seven Sisters Jn ran to/from Hertford East not Hertford North!

●●1103] A member was reminded that Romford - Upminster and Emerson Park Halt (as it was then -
0.35M passengers in 2018-19) were for closure in the 1963 Beeching Report. ●●1175] According to the
Signalling Record Society's Signal Box Register, Laleston box, west of Bridgend, closed on 13 Dec 1953.

●●X.70] The Mon 13 Apr 2020, picture of the 11.04 ECS from Norwich to Barry Tourist Railway was
actually taken by Richard Moreton (apologies for mixing up the Richards). ●●X.75] Congratulations to
the one member who spotted that Elbow End Jn should have been Elbowend Jn.

1243] BLN 1999 & 2000: Thanks to John Hampson these are now on our website - only 8 years to go!

1244] Mid Norfolk Railway: Does anyone have a commissioning or first use date for Kimberley Park
sidings please (storing new Greater Anglia FLIRT Bimodes) and the second track south of Hardingham
(private) station to just north of these sidings please? Is there a location name where it singles again?

TO FOLLOW: The Mid Norfolk Railway, two pictures of millions of pounds worth of new
Greater Anglia FLIRTs in Kimberley Park Sidings. (Both Iain Scotchman, 12 Feb 2020.)









1351 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]

1245] East Midlands Gateway:
(BLN 1350.1088) Castle Donington
Jn is 123m 73ch, Gateway West Jn
122m 73ch then 4ch further east is
the NR boundary with Gateway
Private Sidings (sic), 122m 53ch by
the start of the first double track
section of the new 2¼ mile branch.

These mileages are all from London
St Pancras via Leicester.

X.80] LEFT: The 09.58 Barrow Hill
to Toton working on Thur 30 Apr -
the one and only Class 89, 89001
(preserved), is going for a repaint.
Here it is approaching Langley Mill
station (seen background right).

1246] Beeston: Funding has been awarded for access improvement; due to the distance from the
booking office to the Up (London) platform it is thought that lifts will be provided to the road bridge.

1247] Derby North Jn - Derby South Jn: (BLN 1350.1075 & map) From 1 Nov 1959 to 17 Apr 1966 the
Manchester Piccadilly - Euston service was thinned for electrification work. Additional fast services ran
Manchester Central - St Pancras from 10 Sep 1962; some used Derby North Jn - Derby South Jn curve
(22ch). On 5 Sep 1963 a member travelled from Central to Leicester via the curve on the 18.25. After
Cheadle Heath (pick up only) 'Peak' D13 plus 10 coaches ran the 80½ miles on to Leicester non-stop.

Amending BLN 1350, in summer 1963 the Midland Pullman was 07.45 Central to St Pancras and 18.10
return. The 09.25 from St Pancras was an ordinary service. The Pullman only called at Cheadle Heath
(CP 2 Jan 1967) between Manchester and St Pancras, to pick up to, and set down from, London.
However, the 17.25 SuX Manchester Central to St Pancras (not a Pullman) was booked non-stop
Manchester to Leicester, claimed to be the first train to do so since Midland Railway days and ran
Derby North - South Jn. It appears in contemporary PSULs but the 18.25 SSux from Central, which also
did the curve, didn't (but does now!!). Both had a restaurant car. Between the two the longstanding
18.00 Central to St Pancras served the usual stops and was overtaken by the 18.25 at Derby station.
The 17.25 & 18.25 only used Derby North - South curve between Mon 10 Sep 1962 and Sat 7 Sep 1963
- our member was just in time on 5 Sep 1963! In later timetables the equivalent trains called at Derby.

At inauguration on 4 Jul 1960 the Midland Pullman completed the journey via Millers Dale and the
Midland Main Line in 3hrs 15mins; just before that the best Manchester to London time had been
3hrs 50mins. From 18 Apr 1966 timetable it was replaced by an electric hauled Manchester Pullman
taking 2 hours 30 mins between Piccadilly and Euston via the newly electrified West Coast Main Line.
This Manchester Pullman survived in different iterations until Virgin Trains took over in 1997.

1248] Stoke - St Pancras: From 2 Nov 1959 (start of winter timetable deferred from 14 Sep due to a
printers strike!), the 12.10 Manchester London Road (Piccadilly after 12 Sep 1960) to St Pancras and
12.10 St Pancras to Manchester London Road/Piccadilly ran between Stoke-on-Trent and St Pancras
via Castle Donington. This route was pioneered on Sunday evenings from 21 Jun 1959 by the 17.15
Manchester London Road to St Pancras, becoming the 16.53 from Manchester Victoria from 19 Jun
until 13 Sep 1960, then the 17.20 from Manchester Piccadilly until 9 Sep 1962! Various other such
services also used this route (see PSUL) but all reverted to the normal Euston route from 10 Sep 1962.

ABOVE: (Item 1251) A 19 Mar 1993 short notice Society trip at Kirton Lindsey Blue Circle railway on
the Brigg line, the epitome of a rundown industrial location! It was the first time the loco had had run
since rail traffic was lost to road in Dec 1992; it left the site soon after. (Ian Mortimer 19 Mar 1993.)

1249] A token service at Ambergate: On 21 Apr Ambergate - Matlock services ran with a pilotman
(a staff member?) while Ambergate and Matlock token machines were replaced with newer models.

1250] Matlock, You've Been Framed: North of the station at 145m 25ch (2ch on the NR side of the
Peak Rail boundary), Matlock North Ground Frame was commissioned 23 Apr for the points in the
Matlock Single. They lead south to the 'Siding' on the east and the Run Round Siding (Peak Rail's line to
Matlock P2) on the west. It has two levers; one for the facing point lock, the other for the points.

1251] Gainsborough Trent East Jn - Brigg - Wrawby Jn: (BLN 1349.896) After closure to all traffic from
23 Mar the life expired level crossing gates at Brigg were replaced by lifting barriers, still controlled
from the box there. The line will be opened when needed for overnight freight diversions due to work
taking place on the Doncaster to Barnetby route. The first such train, 21.17 Eastleigh to Scunthorpe
ran through Brigg at 04.03 on Wed 8 Apr. There were four freight trains on the night of 9/10 Apr.

Possession of the line was then retaken at 06.04 on10 April (expected to be until 11 May). Northorpe
gates are due to be replaced next and an engineering train is booked to attend there in early May.

1252] North Lincoln Council Concessionary Pass: (BLN 1350.1087) All age related local passes are
issued with a 'one train' symbol - half fare returns and a third off singles on local Scunthorpe - Grimsby
/Cleethorpes & Barnetby - Lincoln/Gainsborough Central trains, when running, or between. Journeys
must start or end in North Lincolnshire. A two train pass is at the Council's discretion for certain
disabilities; travel is free on these local trains. The '+C' pass allows a companion a third off singles and
half off returns, with one or two train symbols. All these rail concessions are in Standard Class only.

NEXT PAGE TOP: (Item 1251) A report from BLN 703 which was dated 10 Apr 1973.

1351 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
1253] Barking Riverside: (BLN 1347.667) Work has stopped and opening is expected to be delayed.

1254] Covid-19: LUL: The Central Line West Ruislip branch is now usually served by a shuttle from
North Acton, but there are also some through trains SSuX, according to Train Operator availability.

A local member with an essential job noted Loughton to Northolt trains reversing in the westbound
platform there and returning east via the crossover. This is almost certainly to avoid having to carry
out detrainments before shunting to the reversing siding. The new timetables have been postponed
until 10 or 11 May. However, from 26 Apr Train Operators were to start working longer duties based
on these timetables, enabling an increase in the service operated under the emergency timetables.

Media reports say that TfL is close to running out of money and could soon be unable to pay staff.
Underground usage is down by 95% and 85% on buses until 'closure' of the front doors removed the
ability for passengers to pay (so travel is free). ASLEF say that the government has insisted on the new
timetables in return for financial assistance for TfL. However, the union is not happy with social
distancing issues for Train Operators associated with the new timetables and is threatening to ballot
for industrial action. Unsurprisingly the RMT has also declared itself in dispute over social distancing.

1255] 25% furloughed: With fares (its main source of income) down 90%, from 27 Apr TfL put about
7,000 staff (a quarter of the workforce) on the Government furlough scheme for three weeks. The only
LU operating staff affected are thought to be those on long-term sick leave, a clever move. The Mayor
of London indicated that TfL was the only transport authority of any major city in Western Europe that
does not receive a grant for day to day operations. [Metrolink isn't subsidised in normal times either.]

1256] Chiltern Railways: From 13 Apr all Aylesbury Vale Parkway services ran to Marylebone again
but they are every 90 mins SSuX between 10.17 and 16.17 (otherwise hourly, as all day at weekends).

1257] GWR: An alteration previously overlooked was the reduction to 1tph of the Greenford service
from 23 Mar. Trains now layover for over 30 minutes at West Ealing.

1258] HS2: (BLN 1347.660) ●Work on most HS2 sites, except some in the West Midlands, had been
paused during the Coronavirus outbreak, but HS2 Ltd has announced that some of its contractors have
now decided to restart at a limited number of sites elsewhere. After a thorough risk assessment, NR
was planning to restart work at the Euston site from 20 Apr. The west ramp and the canopy over
P17/18 were reported to be early candidates for demolition. The line is expected to start operating

sometime between 2029-2033, with 6tph Birmingham - Old Oak Common and extension to Euston
around 2031-2036. ●A train of cement ran from Tunstead to Willesden Euroterminal overnight on
9/10 Mar for HS2 construction with a second on 13/14 Apr. (Freightmaster interactive) ●West Ruislip
Up Siding No1, the one nearer the main lines, has been recovered. Up Siding No2 remains but OOU.

1259] London Trams (Croydon): (BLN 1340.2788) A 'Future Trams' programme will explore options for
replacing the 23 Bombardier-built vehicles (a 24th was involved in the Nov 2016 Sandilands accident).
TfL's latest Business Plan sets aside £100M for the project over its five years. A key part will be learning
lessons from the Sandilands incident, in terms of both the exterior and interior design of any new
vehicles. The 12 Stadler Variobahn vehicles delivered later will be retained. ('Modern Railways')

1260] Paddington: (BLN 1347.664) Structural supports were installed at the closed end of P11 &12
over Easter shoring up London St bridge above. They look very robust and unlikely to win any awards.

1261] St Mary Cray Down Jn - Chislehurst Jn: (BLN 1350.1049) With the Reversible Chatham Loop
closed due to points damage, Up trains booked this way were diverted via Beckenham Spur&Ladywell
from 2-20 Mar, also an unusual route. The trains were withdrawn from 23 Mar emergency timetable.

1262] Southeastern: As part of its DfT Direct Award Contract, the TOC is to take on the 30 Class 707
EMUs when they are not required by South Western Railway which is replacing them with brand new
Aventra Class 701s. It has not yet been said how they will be used to increase capacity.

1263] South Tottenham Jn - Seven Sisters Jn: (BLN 1350.1096) The 05.30 Liverpool Street to Cheshunt
took this route until Fri 17 Apr. On 18 Apr it was booked that way, but diverted via Stoke Newington
and from 20 Apr was booked via Stoke Newington. [No trains to Hertford North this time!]

1264] Cue the West London Orbital Railway: (BLN 1350.1101) Latest proposals for Phase 1 between
West Hampstead and Hounslow show a new station called Lionel Road - the road on the overbridge -
above the west curve at Kew. Joe Brown's London Railway Atlas 5th Edition (Sep 2018) p37 suggests
platforms each side of the two tracks at roughly the site (inset p19) of 'Kew' station OP 1 Aug 1853;
it CP 1 Feb 1862. However, one or two trains a week still continued to call between Windsor and
Caledonian Road for the Metropolitan Cattle Market until Nov 1866 (Quick 2019). TRACKmaps 5 p22
Aug 2019 incorrectly shows these lines as the Up and Down LMB (London Midland Branch before you
ask). However, they have been the Up and Down Kew Branch since at least 7 Apr 2014.

Phase 2 of the scheme was intended to originally terminate in the platforms (plural) on the Kew east
curve (BLN 1350.1101). However, the building of Brentford Football Club's new ground (queue to get
in?) within the triangle, has left no room for a platform on the inside of the curve to serve the Up Spur.
Services will have to turnback in the remaining Down Spur platform on the outside. Both platforms
(CP 12 Sep 1940 - Quick 2019) were once part of Kew Bridge station so adjacent for interchange. The
existing two platforms of Kew Bridge station are now served by Hounslow loop trains, of course and
the west end of its platforms are only 75yd from where the new Lionel Road station would be (above).

1265] What's in a name? (BLN 1350.1080) A member, who had previously worked for two stints in
Great Northern House, was part of the Marylebone management team during the Chiltern Line Total
Route Modernisation in the late 1980s. One of the projects was to refurbish some of the offices there
for the Area Manager's organisation. During the work the staff occupied a temporary building on the
old cab road (now occupied by Marylebone P2 & 3). Prior to moving back into the main building, our
member agreed with his boss, the Area Manager, that the offices would be called Great Central House.

This was done in complete secrecy, with only the two of them and the sign maker knowing, so that no
one could try to overrule them until it was too late. The sign appeared the day the staff moved back in.
A couple of weeks later, there was a meeting in the new conference room to discuss the replacement
of Melton House adjacent to the station. The developers turned up with their plans, all labelled Great
Central House! They changed it to something else. The site is now occupied by BNP Paribas (a bank).

1266] This Way to the Sea in 1955: (BLN 1350.1102, handbill in e-BLN) The Sun 17 Jul 1955 excursion,
picking up between Shenfield and Stratford, then running to Eastbourne did indeed run via Liverpool
Street (reverse), then through the previous Shoreditch station (possible until 18 Apr 1966) and the
East London Line. This was confirmed by a Traffic Notice. Special trains from Buckhurst Hill on the
Central Line to the Southern Region also reversed at Liverpool Street. A correspondent who spent
40 years at Stratford heard anecdotal evidence of the traffic from train crews of the time. The 'Disused
Stations' website mentions occasional passenger traffic through Shoreditch. A correspondent has seen
a photo in a book of a 'J69' with express headlamps at the head of an excursion from Liverpool Street
for the East London Line and the south coast. This traffic was actually fairly regular; he has handbills
from the time referring to excursions mostly to Eastbourne but also Brighton and Hastings and one for
a hop pickers excursion from Stratford to Canterbury which no doubt would have also used the route.

During the late 1950s a dozen or more excursions would leave the Liverpool Street area each day for
destinations ranging from Eastbourne round to Skegness. King's Cross was only rarely used for
excursions, mostly to Cleethorpes, but there is no reason why these could not have left from Liverpool
Street as there was direct access via Ely, Spalding, Boston, Louth along the East Lincolnshire line.

A member has seen references to British Railways excursions to the Southern Region via Liverpool
Street (main line) from Central Line stations after it was taken over by London Transport in 1949.

1267] Bowes Park: Although much of the scheduled Easter engineering work was cancelled, NR
renewed track in and around the station area. Buses replaced Hertford Loop trains 11-13 Apr.

1268] And (almost) Finally… For our members who collect stamps.) An Orpington Platform Manager
was sacked by Southeastern after 'testing' the safety boots of a Train Dispatcher by stamping on them.
The manager admitted he had been 'silly' but lost an appeal against his dismissal for gross misconduct.

1269] Ruffling Feathers: (BLN 1346.522) Our correspondent has travelled past Bickley Jn (12m 07ch to
12m 15ch) many times and it rarely appears to have had any use. On the 22 Feb 2020 he noticed that
the Up Chatham Slow to Up Chatham Fast was well used. He believes that was due to Up traffic from
the Rochester direction then recently routed via the Catford Loop avoiding the Up Chatham Slow from
Bickley to Shortlands (closed from 9-12 Feb). Trains could cross over at Swanley Jn, St Mary Cray Up
Jn or Bickley Jn. The Down Chatham Fast to Down Chatham Slow only seemed lightly used as usual.

1351 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]

1270] On the level: British Railways (BR) North Eastern Region seemed to have had a penchant for
unusual methods of protecting level crossings against road traffic. As well as the motor worked boom
gates, now gone (BLN 1349.944), it equipped some crossings with wheel-operated lifting barriers.

The NE Region was bequeathed many ageing wheel-operated gate crossings, with complex mechanical
arrangements of rodding and gate-stops to move and secure the gates in their appropriate positions.
They required significant maintenance. For example, the mechanism in the road should be cleaned out
about every six weeks and there can be much corrosion from road salt. Gates were also awkward to
operate, especially a set of four, in high winds or heavy traffic. They are not easy to convert to operate
electrically, so various experiments were carried out with differing types of replacements.

A prototype wheel-operated barrier crossing (the first ever UK barrier crossing) was commissioned in
1952 at Warthill station on the former York - Market Weighton (- Beverley - Hull) line. It was easy to
repurpose the gate machine (which incorporated the gate-wheel) and rodding runs to operate the
boom pedestal mechanisms, so the conversion costs were relatively small and, importantly, needed no
locking alterations. All of the complex gate-stop raising mechanisms, which were the cause of many
problems, were dispensed with. For those conversions with only two barriers, where it was possible to
locate their pedestals on the same side of the road as the signal or gate box, the need for rodding and
mechanisms under the road surface was removed completely. Booms are light, generally easy to

operate and are less affected by high winds. Many sets of wheel-operated lifting barriers were
installed where the electrical supply to the box was limited. Until the 1980s, many signal boxes did not
actually have mains electricity; the signalling power was provided from batteries, not just as a backup!

Wheel-operated lifting barriers are disappearing. Those at Oxmardyke and Cave went with the 2018
Saltmarshe - Ferriby resignalling (Selby - Hull line). This left only four on the national network as far as
is known: Barton Hill (York - Scarborough), Driffield, Nunthorpe & Norton-on-Tees. [Norton-on-Tees
is due to be replaced in the Durham Coast resignalling, scheduled for Oct 2020.] However, the STR
(South Tynedale Railway) crossing, leading to Alston car park, is the final such installation with original
wooden barriers, rather than the modern tubular replacements at the remaining main line examples.

The Alston barriers are from How Mill crossing (Newcastle - Carlisle line), where the signal box closed
on 23 Aug 1989. The level crossing equipment came into use when Alston box was commissioned in
1991. One of the barrier pedestal mechanisms was from Low Gates box at Northallerton and the other
from a crossing in the Battersby area; the gate wheel and associated equipment came from Ainderby,
on the Wensleydale line. A right chimera! However, the wooden barriers are now life expired. The
railway was looking to acquire a set of tubular barriers (BLN 1346.624), with the modification to fit the
gear mechanism, as this would have required less maintenance effort. The existing barriers have been
'made good' for one last season and the STR is now looking for a set of BR NE Region wooden barriers
that will fit the standard mechanical gear. Any member who knows of a set lying in an engineers' yard,
or indeed has a set of drawings for any of the wheel-operated barriers, is asked to please get in touch.

The development of unusual level crossing types in this part of the country has continued, even after
the demise of the NE Region. This includes introduction of the heavy duty and rubber tyre fitted hand-
worked metal gates used at most of the crossings on the Knaresborough to York line and, more
recently, the well documented installation of sliding gates at Redcar Central, West Dyke Road crossing.

1271] Supertram: Tram Train & Herdings Park - Cathedral were reduced to hourly services from 1 Apr

BELOW: (Item 1272) Flat crossings between tram and train lines are common in Europe An ADL (Along
Different Lines, just so you know) tour crossing in front of a Coastal Tram on the Zeebrugge Fish Dock
branch, on 3 Sep 1988. The Coastal Tram runs from De Panne (near the French border) to Knokke
(by the Dutch border) and, at 80km, is said to be the longest light rail line in the world. (Ian Mortimer.)

NEXT PAGE: Alston gates and signal box from the station, looking north. (Peter Scott, 5 Jul 2018.)





To Scarborough To Hornsea

11 12 N
13
10 14 To Withernsea
E To King George
1 V Dock
2 9 Cannon St F 15
To A Paragon
Barnsley D 16 19
17
3 8
7

C 18 Rail/tram crossings:

A Newington D Botanic Gardens
B Hessle Road E Stepney
B 6 C Anlaby Road F Southcoates

4 Hull & Barnsley lines
LNER lines
To 5 HULL North Eastern lines
Selby Principal tram routes

Numbered railway 5 Hessle Jn
locations: 10 Stepney 15 Southcoates

1 Cottingham Jn 6 Riverside Quay 11 Beverley Road Jn 16 Drypool Goods
2 Walton Street Jn 7 Anlaby Road Jn 12 Sculcoates Goods H&B 17 Victoria Dock
3 Springbank Jns W,N,S 8 Victoria Dock Branch Jn 13 Sculcoates Goods NE 18 Foreign Cattle Depot
4 Hessle Road Jn 9 Botanic Gardens 14 Wilmington 19 Alexandra Dock CSD

ABOVE: Map by Dave Cromarty, railway locations are numbered and rail/tram flat crossings lettered.

1272] Hull: The City was almost encircled by the River Humber, the present access to Paragon station
from the west (OP 8 May 1848) and the York & North Midland Railway's Victoria Dock branch (17).
When that branch OG 16 May 1853, it was outside the city boundary and it may never have occurred
to anybody that it being at ground level would become a problem. As the city grew traffic of all types
increased. This included trams, whose main routes radiating from the centre ran mostly at right angles
to railways, the first route OP 1875. Eventually there were six flat tram/railway crossings (map A to F).

At least three of the signal boxes at these crossings controlled trap points in the tramways (but none in
the railway!) and semaphore signals for the trams, which was quite uncommon. The tram system was
gradually electrified from 1899; it is fortunate that the railway was never electrified which would have
complicated matters! In 1925 it was proposed to build bridges to eliminate the level crossings, at a
cost of £1.25M (=£34M now), but no work was done. From 1936 trams were gradually replaced by
trolleybuses. The final tram ran on 30 Jun 1945, and around 50,000 people turned out to say farewell.

The many level crossings was probably a factor in the withdrawal of passenger services to Hornsea and
Withernsea on 19 Oct 1964 - and certainly in the total closure of most of the North Eastern Railway
line round Hull on 28 Oct 1968 in favour of the parallel Hull & Barnsley Railway line, still in use today.

How many other rail/tram flat crossings were there in the British Isles? Your NE Editor would like to
hear of any. There was a 'flat crossing' of OHLE at Laygate Lane, South Shields between a trolleybus
route and the Harton Electric Railway (HR) branch to Hilda Hole Exchange Sidings. The HR, owned by
the Harton Coal Company, was probably the largest private electrified freight railway network built in
this country. The two systems were at different voltages: the HR was 550V DC and the trolleybus
system probably the common 600V DC. The crossing was equipped with 'triple section insulators'.

ABOVE: The Hull Locomotive Preservation
Group 'City of Hull Tour' at Hull Manor
House Goods on 23 Sep 1978; not shown
on the map (PREVIOUS PAGE) but it was
the end of the Hull & Barnsley branch by
location '6'. With so little traffic then, the
buffer stops were reached. Many of our
members were on this wonderful tour
https://bit.ly/2KHwDAk to places it was
thought would never be possible to do.
Some alighted here (two hours before the
end of the tour) to catch earlier trains
home from Paragon! (Ian Mortimer.)

LEFT: Our Society Dutch Double Docker
tour on 28 May 1995 crossing tram tracks
(Rotterdam Marconiplein). Ian Mortimer.

1273] Skinningrove: (BLN 1350.1112)
Further trains arrived from Tees New Yard
(not so new these days) on 3, 9 & 24 Apr
with production at the British Steel Special
Profiles plant resuming Mon 27 Apr.

THIS PAGE: Howdon Depot 13 Apr 2020, looking west towards Newcastle. (Ian Hughes on a Boris Walk.)