Number 1446 (Items 921 - 1053 & MR61 - MR69) (E-BLN 127 PAGES) 13 Apr 2024 BRANCH LINE NEWS Praeteritum, praesens et futurum ferriviaria [ISSN 1354-0947] Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955 branchline.uk https://www.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/ Membership queries Lisa Sheppard [email protected] 186 [email protected] Park Road South, Hull, HU4 7BU. 07873 354464 British Isles news from members; an International section is available Opinions are not necessarily those of the Compilers or of the Society ciety. Society. …BLN 1447 is dated Sat 27 Apr; contributions by Wed 17 Apr please 921]REMINDER: Thank you to the 17% members who have renewed for another year. Subscriptions (reduced or frozen for NINE years now) - due on 1 May - are your Society's main source of income. It is a great help to your Membership Secretary if you can please renew early and use our website, which is secure. For those unable to do this, please wait for the paper form with paper BLN 1447. 922] Minor Railways (MR) Booklet 36th Edition - 2024: Every full member as at Monday 1 Apr 2024 should receive a posted paper copy of Peter Scott's new booklet by the end of April, including all those with electronic subscriptions - that is everyone except 'Basic' Members (Category 'D'). If you do not, please contact Lisa Sheppard, as above. Note that it is posted separately from paper BLN as this is more convenient and saves on postage. The booklet lists all qualifying Minor Railways in the British Isles - Standard and Narrow Gauge, Miniature, Tramways & Cliff Railways. It includes, as applicable: Main line connections, gauge (7¼" and over are included), length of the passenger run, TRACKmaps book and page number, owning company at Grouping, map reference of main station or boarding point and telephone number. For narrow gauge and miniature railways, a layout code and other details are included. There is a list of changes since 2023 and other information. Peter Scott's MR website is http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/ for track maps updates, downloads and further information. Date Book online :Fixtures may not open until e-BLN is out: BLN Lead Status Sat 20 Apr 09.00 & 13.00 Toton Doors Reopened (e-BLN 1443) e-1443 MG Waitinglist Fri 26 Apr Manchester Victoria behind the scenes tour Website MG Waitinglist Sat 27 Apr Glasgow Central guided tour & Kelvinbridge 1443 MG Waitinglist 3 & 4 May Save the dates Plan 'B' mainline heritage traction tours 1445 CHECK WEBSITE Thur 9 May The Jurassic Crompton to Swanage 1444 MG OPEN Sun 12 May The Return of the Jurassic Crompton from Swanage 1444 MG OPEN Mon 13 May *NEW* Save the date for conducted signal box visits TBA TBA Claimed Sat 25 May The Hanson Hanse loco-hauled railtour 1439 MG Waitinglist Sun 26 May The Millbrook Meander loco-hauled railtour 1439 MG OPEN Mon 27 May 11.00 & 14.00 Moreton Park railtours; ex-BR locos 1440 MG Waitinglist Mon 3 Jun *NEW* Liverpool Street & ex-Great Eastern Hotel Below MG OPEN Wed 5 Jun The Bucket & Spade Charter (LSL) for RBF 1444 MG OPEN Thur 6 Jun The Holt Hoover to Sheringham 1444 MG OPEN Sun 9 Jun The Cromer Crompton from Sheringham 1444 MG OPEN Th 4-Su 7 Jul *NEW* Save the dates four day BLS railtour in Poland TBA TBA Claimed Sun 21 Jul Mainline charter - save the date TBA TBA Claimed Mon 26 Aug Summer Scunthorpe railtour 28 (09.30-18.30) TBA TBA Claimed Sat 23 Nov PROVISIONAL 2024 AGM date in Wales TBA TBA Claimed MG = Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Rd, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL 07983 541887.
923] :Mon 3 Jun; Liverpool Street station and former Great Eastern Hotel:: See a different side of Britain's busiest station (80.45M passenger in 2022-23)! With thanks to our member, Adam Turner of NR, this guided tour first explores the Network Rail managed 18-platform station concourse and some platform areas. It then takes in the Great Eastern Railway's 1884 sumptuous luxury hotel, now known as the Andaz Hotel, plus a connection to Bedlam! The tour includes a very opulent room in the hotel, containing no less than 12 types of marble, comprising a Grecian style Masonic temple. We will be joined for the exploration of this room by a senior Freemason to discover and learn about its many splendid features. This tour supports both the Samaritans and Hospitality Action, established in 1837 to offer vital assistance to all who work, or have worked within hospitality in the UK. The tour starts late morning and lasts about two hours. After, participants might want to relax in Rake's Café & Bar in the Andaz or enjoy a drink in the richly Rococo Hamilton Hall (now a Wetherspoon pub). Alternatively, join your guide for a hop on a bus to Hoxton station to see the war memorial relocated from the Broad Street station concourse. Limited capacity, members only, £33 no reductions. Large luggage should not be brought on this tour but there is a left luggage facility on Liverpool Street station. Volunteer/s to write a BLN report welcome, please! 1446 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected] 924] David J Monger (Member 846): With much sorrow, we advise our members of the death of 'Dave' Monger on 8 April at the age of 73. He joined the Committee as BLN Distribution Officer on 10 Nov 1984, then a key role in the Society functioning. He diligently carried out this job until the post was abolished at our 18 Nov 2017 AGM when we switched to commercial distribution. Dave remained an ordinary Committee member until the 16 Nov 2019 AGM; continuous Committee service of 35 years. This is a Society record and is unlikely to be exceeded. Information, anecdotes and offers of help in writing a tribute for BLN 1448 would be welcomed by your BLN Editor. 925] Maurice Dart (1430): With great sadness, we also report the death, on 2 Apr, of well known St Austell member, at the age of 92. Maurice was an expert on Cornwall's railways and wrote many books over the years. He worked as a chemist at English China Clays (Imerys after 1999), based in St Austell, so was able to arrange society visits and trips on their internal railways. He also arranged and led many walks and visits over branch lines in Cornwall, Devon and further afield. His last one (at the age of 81), to industrial locations and old railways in Cornwall, was on 28 Nov 2014 by minibus,with his trademark pub lunch stop for drinks and Cornish Pasties.He also compiled tour itineraries, was a keen contributor to BLN over the years and donated many prizes for our charity raffles. Returning from our West Country weekend, your Editor and General Sec visited Maurice at home as recently as 24 Mar to collect the latest batch. He was in good spirits. 926] Railway Memories 125, Alan Fell (512), Episode 9 - 1970 concluded: (BLN 1445.803) Next, with a pal who had distant relations in the West of Ireland, I embarked on a fortnight's tour of the Republic in the second half of Jul 1970 and what an intense and wholly enjoyable experience it proved to be. Not to squander any time, the day before we left our parents' homes in Preston, we managed a short trip to Walkden near Manchester to witness one of the last steam worked industrial sites in the North West, Walkden Colliery. Austerity 0-6-0 ST 'Stanley' was performing that day, running up to the British Rail (BR) exchange sidings while similar locos 'Respite', 'Repulse' and 'Humphrey' were about but not active. Not to be wasteful, we somehow managed to return back to Preston on a train from Walkden Central via Hindley North and on to De Trafford Jn, Standish Jn and the West Coast Main Line north of Wigan - remarkable luck - or damn good planning. Whoever organised that I wonder? Anyway, we set sail from Liverpool North Carriers' Dock on SS Munster, arriving at Dublin Ferryport for two weeks of B&B and train travel plus, of course, an occasional pint of the black stuff! Although we did not venture north of Howth Jn (I have to this day not visited Northern Ireland), we did travel all CIÉ Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ = Irish Transport System) routes open at the time except the Ballina branch
and Claremorris to Athenry. The latter closed to regular passenger services when the single train a day between Limerick and Ballina was withdrawn from 5 Apr 1976. We missed a few other bits, including an extremely short crossover/connection (nano-grice?) in Dublin just north of Connolly, the 'Direct Curve' from 'Direct Curve East Jn' to 'Direct Curve West Jn' for through trains between Dublin and Limerick avoiding Limerick Junction and also a run through the latter station. After previous examples of this type of failure and troubles organising this trip, it left me feeling continuity irate. We also didn't manage Connolly to Glasnevin Jn via Newcomen Jn - it was not in frequent use at the time, if at all. On the positive side, we did several routes which did not survive: The Loughrea branch (but not the Attymon Junction connection), Mullingar to Athlone (but not the connection at Mullingar to the Sligo line), Athenry to Ennis to Limerick (since reopened), Cork to Youghal (but no continuity through Cork), Waterford to (then) Rosslare Harbour now rather inland as Rosslare Europort used by Dublin trains. It was a fabulous trip on a very friendly railway system and, believe it or not, we did relax, including sampling 'real' Poitín at my pal's relations' rural farm cottage and climbing the legendary pilgrimage mountain Croagh Patrick (764m) five miles west of Westport. Oh yes, and did I mention that we also managed a few pints of Guinness? Home was again via SS Munster, overnight Dublin to Liverpool. My abiding memory of the Republic was one of regret that I could not have gone there in the 1950s to do the amazing narrow gauge lines such as the County Donegal, Londonderry & Lough Swilly and the Tralee & Dingle. There were also many others and the iconic West of Ireland 'standard' gauge 5' 3'' routes to Valencia Harbour and Bantry and other remote places. Time travel - bring it on! No doubt in the 1950s, enthusiasts were bemoaning missing lines that had closed in the 1930s and so it goes on… Back down to earth or at least for a few weeks more still based in London, I continued acquiring new Football League grounds towards the magic '92' - by train every time. I also sought out some new lines from the ever reducing list of those still to do. The highlight was a run to the West Country in early Aug 1970. An overnight Penzance train via Bath saw me emerge from slumber near the end of the line for runs to St Ives (but no continuity from the main line at St Erth) and Falmouth Docks, Then it was a retrace to Bodmin Road (Bodmin Parkway after 5 Nov 1983) for a through train to Newquay (although I am not sure which track we did through Par). [The only route then, as now, for through trains was the facing crossover before Par station and through P3.] The return journey was delayed and arrival back at Par missed the London connection. As it was late at night, local and other passengers may have been stranded, the operations staff arranged for a Class 6 'perishables' train with one passenger coach in the consist to stop and pick us up, dropping us off at Plymouth where another connection towards Paddington could be had. Blimey, that was a welcome surprise! As it happened, I had planned to stay the night in Plymouth then return to London next day, with a lunch break in Dawlish. All this gadding about was quite exhausting although my allocation of free passes certainly kept the overall cost down. Before leaving my London training stint in mid-Oct, I did a few other things including Shoreditch (which previous station only had a peak service then; the northern terminus of the East London Underground line) to New Cross, the Volkswagen (as I called it) Electric Railway in Brighton (Brighton & Hove Albion) and the Felixstowe branch (Ipswich Town FC). In Lancashire, I did Bolton to Castleton (CP 5 Oct 1970), giving me the continuity I had flunked through Bury Knowsley Street station on a much earlier trip. On 19 Oct 1970 I joined the BR London Midland Region Construction Manager's Office in their offices on Manchester Victoria station for the next phase of my civil engineering training. I was destined to stay until May 1976, which was much longer than BR training management intended; they suggested that I should 'move on' by Autumn 1971! I enjoyed my time there so much that I kept asking to stay. On 19 Dec 1970 I took a DMU (sadly no Britannias or Patriots) from Preston to Barrow to Barrow FC's home match v Notts County. This concluded 'the 92' Football League grounds, leaving me with a feeling of utter euphoria, much as on completing a steam class or gricing a rare line. These things are all in the DNA! Another day trip was to Newcastle for the Riverside Loop from Newcastle Central via St Peter's to Tynemouth (the very poor service ended 23 Jul 1973) and Benton East Jn to Benton Quarry Jn (east to south) curve. The latter is still open with a different alignment at the east end and will be part of the Northumberland Line. The route home was via the delightful 13 mile Alston branch (CP 3 May 1976).
X.57] BELOW: (Item 927) The train service isn't the only thing that is suspende
ed on the Blaenau Ffestiniog, this is 8m 40ch near Dolgarrog. (NR, 9 Apr 2024.)
927]Keeping Track, passenger service suspensions + = may well be longer * = new or amended BLN Start (incl) Reopens Location (stations'exclusive'if bracketed) Bold = closed now 1445.895 25 Sep 23 unknown (Kilmarnock) - Barassie Jn; Ayr Station Hotel unsafe after a fire unknown (Ayr) - Girvan; unsafe state of Ayr Station Hotel after a fire 15 Nov 23 unknown (Girvan) - Stranraer skeleton train service withdrawn 15 Nov 23 1445.878 18 Mar 24 Unknown (Limerick) Ennis Line Jn - (Ennis); flooding at Ballycar Lough 1446.1005 2 Apr 24 6 Apr 24 *Aston North Jn - Four Oaks - (Lichfield Trent Valley P3) 1446.971 2 Apr 24 6 Apr 24 *(Southport) - (Hillside, crossover in use) engineering works - 29 Mar 24 8 Apr 24 *(Huddersfield) - Bradley Wood Jn (Brighouse)/Heaton Lodge Jn (Mirfield); extended to Marsden/Lockwood Easter & weekends 1442.487 23 Mar 24 10 Apr 24 *(Wednesbury Great Western Street¶) - Edgbaston Village ¶extended to Wednesbury Parkway 23-25 Mar & 2 Apr - 4 Apr 24 10 Apr 24 *(Bletchley) - (Bedford); ASLEF overtime ban - 4 Apr 24 10 Apr 24 *(Watford Junction) - St Albans Abbey; ASLEF overtime ban - 4 Apr 24 10 Apr 24 *Nuneaton Sth Jn - Coventry Nth Jn; ASLEF overtime ban 1442.227 2 Apr 24 12 Apr 24 (Golders Green) - Edgware; LU Northern line work at Colindale - 9 Apr 24 13 Apr 24 *Llandudno Jn -Blaenau Ffestiniog; washout at 8m 40ch 1446.993 29Mar24 15 Apr 24 *Tonbridge West Jn-(Edenbridge) 15.40 landslip 34m 60-65ch 2 Apr 24 *Redhill South Jn - Edenbridge no staff for Edenbridge GF 1445.826 8 Apr 24 15 Apr 24 (Benton)-Tynemouth-(North Shields)T&W Metro,OHLE work 1446.965 22Mar24 22 Apr 24 *(Barrow) - Carnforth Station Jn; 06.03 derailment at Grange 1444.690 29 Mar 24 25 Apr 24 (Wellesley Road) / (George Street) - Beckenham Junction / New Addington / Elmers End; London (Croydon) Tramlink 1446.960 22 Apr 24 27 Apr 24 *(Carlisle) Petteril Bridge Jn - (Hexham); level crossing works 1437.2410 22 Apr 24 27 Apr 24 (Worcester Shrub Hill) - (Evesham) / Norton Jn - Abbotswood Jn 1441.400 27 Apr 24 1 May 24 (Whitland) - Milford Haven/Fishguard Harbour; gauging work 1446.975 27Apr24 2 May 24 DoreStationJn - (New Mills Central) / HazelGrove East Jn 1444.MR.46 2 Apr 24 3 May 24 (Norchard)- Lydney Junction; renewing level crossing 8m 79ch 1445.824 9 Mar 24 6 May 24 *(Pontefract Monkhill) - Potters Grange Jn (Goole) at 16.40 17 Mar 24 6 May 24 *Castleford West Jn-Pontefract West Jn (Pontefract Monkhill) 1446.979 22 Jan 24 Early May *(Exchange Square) - (Victoria); Metrolink, cracked crossing 1445.831 8 Feb 24 Late Jun Dockfield Jn - Baildon - Esholt Jn; serious landslip at 12.45 1446.970 27 Mar 24 29 Jul 24 *(New Mills Central) - New Mills South Jn; embankment problems. Up Line in passenger on use Sun 31 Mar only 1445.882 11 May 24 ?26 Aug 24 *Belfast Great Victoria Street :CP 10 May 24:- Central Jn/City Jn 928] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1445.877] The stone used to support the tall steep embankment that had slipped near Oakengates was G6 grade (10-20cm) but was piled up loose and compacted, rather than in gabions. It is the type normally used to fill gabions - square or rectangle metal cages of steel wire to contain stone, generally to support earthworks. 16,000 tonnes were required in the end (final answer). 1446 EAST MIDLANDS (Nick Garnham) [email protected] 929] :QUERY CORNER:: A member on the recent UKRT Gateway Galloper passing Toton Down Sidings was reminded of his own vague memories of being on a train (probably a tour and possibly in the late 1970s or early 1980s) that entered the Toton Down Sidings from the High Level Goods Lines over the viaduct to the Down side. He believes the train proceeded north, passing Toton MPD on the west side. The usual searches do not reveal records of such a train; it appears that the remodelling of the Down Sidings with access from the Erewash Valley Down line took place in 1976 but our member cannot find dates when the viaduct was taken out of use. Does anyone know of such a working or railtour, please? A possibility is the 1979 open day shuttle: https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/790609to.htm
930] Nottingham Express Transit (NET): Trams are becoming more popular with the travelling public as shown by a recent survey - 92% of respondents said they would recommend the network. Trams are most popular among 18-34 year olds (what event befalls those in Nottingham on their 35th birthday?), who are also most likely to use them on a weekly basis. (NET is particularly accessible to students at Nottingham's two major universities). 73% of respondents travel to work by tram and, among those who have a weekly ticket, the tram is preferred over bus travel. 931] Nottinghamshire County Council concedes: (BLN 1437.236) The Council has decided not to proceed with their proposed changes. Concessionary passes issued by Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council will continue to allow free travel on NET (from 09.30 until 23.00 during the week and anytime at weekends). Holders of other English Concessionary Passes can have a 30% discount on Day Rovers but only by buying the appropriate paper ticket from a machine and showing their pass when requested. 92% of respondents to the consultation were in favour of not making any changes to the scheme. After 2024-25, responsibility for concessionary travel will pass to the new East Midlands Metro Mayor. All the expected candidates for this rôle also said they would continue funding (probably a good way to garner votes!), so the County Council had little room to manœuvre now. 932] Bulwell derailment: (BLN 1427.1559) The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has published its report https://bit.ly/3J5zkKj into the derailment at the north end of Bulwell NET stop on 12 Jun 2023. The first and second bogies of the southbound tram derailed on a set of spring-loaded facing points which were in an unsafe condition, having not reset correctly after the passage of the previous two northbound trams. The risk of this happening may have been increased by hot humid weather causing the slide plates to become dry or contaminated. A visual indicator alongside the points showed they were not in the correct position but it was not observed by the driver, who believed they would have been told if there were issues. The derailment damaged the tram and overhead line equipment. One passenger and the driver suffered minor injuries. The line reopened following repairs on 23 Jun. 933] Bennerley Viaduct: (BLN 1440.155) Access has been closed from the Nottinghamshire (east) side from 21 Mar for about 10 weeks for a new access ramp to be constructed. Access is still available from the Erewash Canal (west) end, but users will have to turn back. Once the access ramp has been built, work will start on a new visitor centre and car park, which are expected to be complete by the autumn. 934] As one Dore closes, another opens: A member was jealous of some friends travelling to Sheffield on the 19.02 from St Pancras on 19 Mar. They had been told earlier that they would have to change at Derby but no, the train left 14 mins late, reservations not working, consisting of two Class 222 units, and ran through to Sheffield but at Chesterfield it was diverted via Barrow Hill and Beighton Jn. [Yes, every Chesterfield to Sheffield train ran that way from 15 to 24 Mar, due to the work at Dore!] 1446 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected] 935] Bakerloo line Extension: The Mayor of London has proposed ('if he is re-elected') an extension to the Superloop bus network named the 'Bakerloop', to serve the first section of the currently unfunded extension between Elephant & Castle and Lewisham. This would have fewer stops than the current Route 21, which runs to Lewisham via the Old Kent Road. The buses would be fitted out in a brown Bakerloo style colour scheme. It would build traffic for the Bakerloo extension. A member suggests that this is also about serving intermediate places along Old Kent Road. It is three miles from Elephant & Castle to New Cross Gate, with no railway stations in between. That is a long way in London! 936] SWR: An unusual feature of the Sunday timetable is an hourly afternoon and evening service from Waterloo via Hounslow to Twickenham, where it reverses in P4 (P3 on return) and continues to Kingston, terminating in bay P1. These trains are often cancelled because of engineering work but a member travelled on the 14.20 from Waterloo and 15.35 return on 17 Mar, worked by a pair of Class 455 EMUs, now quite rare on the Hounslow Loop. These units maintain the Southern Region tradition of displaying route codes on their 'via' blinds and RTT shows route codes for SWR trains. On its outward journey, the train showed 'via Hounslow 99', (with Flake?); RTT showed Code 32. On the return, the train displayed 'Direct 68', agreeing with RTT but was hardly correct! https://bit.ly/43JJtWy has route codes up to 1981; is an up to date list of SWR codes available? They used to be in the public timetable.
BELOW: (Item 936) EMUs 455720+455731 on 2V35 at Clapham Junction, fro
om Waterloo to Kingston via Hounslow. (John Cowburn, Sun 24 Mar 2024.)
BELOW: 455731+455720 on 15.35 SuO Kingston to Waterloo via Hounslow reve
rses at Twickenham (booked 1 min) hardly direct! (John Cowburn, 17 Mar 2024.)
937] Central line: (BLN 1444.691) The special Epping to Chingford via Loughton bus service ended after operation on 28 Mar, due to low usage. Most of the temporary speed restrictions on the Epping and Hainault branches have now been removed but remain on other parts. 938] Euston station: LEFT: Member Adam Turner is trying to find out what the background colour was on these signs which were installed when the station was rebuilt in the sixties. Is any member able to help from memory or contemporary colour photos please? (Most are monochrome, even those of our late Queen opening the rebuilt £15M (!) station on 14 Oct 1968.) Who remembers the Superloo (so named to justify the high cost of admission perhaps?), the Pennine Bar and Lancastrian Grill at Euston? 939] Piccadilly line Microgricing: (BLN 1427.1570) Working Timetable N o 62, dated 8 Jan, did not appear on http://bit.ly/2Y5VTVD until late Mar (!). It changes the starting and stabling arrangements at Northfields Depot to facilitate rebuilding for the new fleet. The only microgricing changes of note affect the Acton Town to Northfields Local Lines: Acton Town gains extra arrivals at P1 via east crossover at SSuX startup ([225, 233] FX / . ..[152, 232] FO); the 09.01½ is renumbered to [234] on Fridays; the 19.44 FX [371] Heathrow T4 ...replaces the 19.41 FX [304] Northfields; and some of the Uxbridge terminators are renumbered. ...Also, extra on SuO startup are 06.32 [220] and 06.52 [221], both continuing to Heathrow. At Northfields, some TWThFO eastbound P4 terminators are renumbered: .…(00.08¼ [236] and 00.34 [343]) and there's an extra one SuO at 23.22¼ [220]. 940] Harrow-on-the-Hill: For some time, timetable changes have been made during warm weather so that crossovers south of the station on the Northbound Lines and at Harrow North Jn are not used, as they are prone to failure when hot. The changes are now permanent from 8 Apr until 29 Sep. Between 10.30 and 21.30, Northbound trains for Amersham and Chesham run via the Fast Line from Wembley Park and use P3 at Harrow. All other trains use the Local Line and P4. There is no access to the Main Line from P3/4, so evening peak trains booked fast from Harrow to Moor Park use the Local Line. The similar crossovers on the southbound side south of P5 & 6 were replaced further south some years ago to eliminate the unreliable moveable angles, or switch diamonds. 941] HS2: (BLN 1444.695) GWR IET 802101 worked from North Pole Depot to Waterloo (booked from 09.28 until 10.38) and Euston (11.32-12.07 & 12.32-13.47) on Mon 18 Mar. It was a test for diversions when the line to Paddington is closed for construction work on the new Old Oak Common HS2 station. 942] Neasden: (London Railway Atlas Sixth Edition p22 D5 & D6) A planning application has been made to redevelop the former Great Central Railway coal yard site (CG 4 Mar 1968), with seven residential blocks of up to 50 storeys. The site is bounded by Neasden Curve and Neasden Lane, with Neasden station at its north end and the Dudding Hill line to the south. The developers are discussing with TfL how to improve access to the station, which has a cramped ticket hall and fairly narrow stairs down to the island platform. A new entrance, with a footbridge leading from the development site to the station, is a possibility. The development will also include a colonnade linking the LU station with a proposed station on the Dudding Hill line, if the West London Orbital scheme goes ahead.
X.58] BELOW: (BLN 1445.810) A London Overground service at London Bridge P13 (with 'The Shard' in the background), on Easter Sun 31 Mar, when there was a half-hourly West Croydon service. (Don Kennedy.)
BELOW: Don went to Brockley and back to overlap with the normal service;
; here the clock on the display had not yet changed for British Summertime.
BELOW: In London Bridge undercroft Overground staff were not checking tickets etc but handing out mini-Easter Eggs!
943] Industrial Inaction: (BLN 1444.692) ASLEF called strikes on LU on 8 Apr & 4 May in a long running dispute over terms and conditions. Few or no trains were expected to run on these days. POSTPONED. 944] Liverpool Street: A small display on the concourse commemorates the 150th anniversary of the station opening on 2 Feb 1874. Some historic photos are on the NR website at https://bit.ly/43SQXGH 945] Waterloo East: On 12 Mar, an operational incident in Platform 'C',with the 14.22 Charing Cross to Hayes (that terminated at Elmers End), put the platform out of use from 14.24 until 14.54. Three trains from Charing Cross crossed from the Down Fast to the Down Charing Cross Slow at Belvedere Road Jn. 1446 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected] 946] S&C: (BLN 1443.562 & 563) A member visited on 25 Mar. Since his last visit, Settle has acquired a stone waiting shelter on Up P1 (to Leeds), near the footbridge for when the booking office is closed and the other shelter is mostly unavailable. As well as the helpful booking office clerk selling platform tickets (apparently a first for him), the Friends of the Settle & Carlisle Line (FoSCL) shop was open. Preliminary work is under way at Horton for the new footbridge, allowing trains to block the foot crossing line while shunting in the new quarry branch. There is a new temporary foot crossing at the northern end ramps of both platforms, festooned with five different warning notices (probably wisely but there is a risk of overload!). There is a new concrete flight of steps from the car park to the south end of Up P1 and opposite this, from the Down P2, up to the fields. The southern end of the platform is out of use (the fourth car section), with evidence of some preparatory work for the new footbridge. Following BLN 1443.563 asking how many passengers alight/join at Ribblehead on the 19.49 SuX Leeds to Ribblehead and the 21.45 return, another member responded: On 6 Jul 2023, the 19.49 left Gargrave with about 12 passengers on board. This seems typical; he travelled from Gargrave to Ribblehead on the equivalent train from Leeds on 20 Jun 2017. There were 10 passengers, plus one joining and three alighting at Hellifield. One was dropped at Long Preston, six at Settle, with no business at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, leaving our member as the one and only passenger at Ribblehead. The return, then at 21.00, had three passengers, picked up three more at Horton and nine at Settle. On 30 May 2015, there were about 45 passengers on leaving Gargrave, many returning from watching cricket in Leeds. As well as our member, six backpackers alighted at Ribblehead and were collected by a minibus. He was the only passenger for the 21.00, with five joining at Horton and seven at Settle. The 19.49 is a necessary mid-evening last train from Leeds to Hellifield and Settle. On our member's first trip, sensing his interest, the guard said I'm sorry I can't take you to Blea Moor, he hadn't asked! The FoSCL sponsored display exhibition is now inside the station buildings at Ribblehead, including the old booking office interior with its Edmondson ticket dispensing rack. Their tearoom is open daily all summer until 15.15, with volunteers serving tea, coffee and a selection of biscuits and cakes. It is open on Mondays this year for the first time. On 25 Mar our member photographed the 14.35 northbound (4-cars) and 14.53 southbound (3-cars). He was pleased that all the passenger trains he saw were three or (mostly) 4-cars as, he understands, had been promised by Northern. 947] Ferrybridge: The former 'C' Power Station ceased generating on 23 Mar 2016, closing on 31 Mar that year; demolition began in Jul 2019. Its eight 380ft high cooling towers were a familiar landmark to drivers on the nearby A1(M). They were demolished in phases between 2019 and 2022. However, it is now the site of two 'Energy from Waste' incinerators, commissioned in 2015 and 2019 (BLN 1422.992). Each process 725,000 tonnes of post-recycled waste per year. The former Power Station Loop (TRACKmaps 2 p40A 2020) continues to receive imported gypsum from Spain via Hull Coal Terminal, about eight GBRf trains a month. When Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station (the last coal fired one in the country) closes on 30 Sep 2024, Ferrybridge will be the final remaining operational MGR loop left. On 14 Mar Wakefield Council approved proposals to convert the power station site into a business park and granted outline planning permission for warehouse, office, distribution and storage buildings. However, councillors said more should be done to maximise the potential for rail and water transport. [Nice idea but do we think this will happen?] Work on the site is expected to start later this year. The rail loop will be maintained and wharf access on the River Aire would be retained for future use.
BELOW: (Item 946) for fans of temporary foot crossings, Horton-in-Ribblesdale no…INSET: You can never have too many warning signs! (Stuart Hicks, 25 Mar 202
orth end. 24.)
ABOVE: Plan thanks to Martyn Brailsford; in paper BLN grey (red in e-BLN) is new/realigned track; black is existing track. The new pointwork greatly increases flexibility; P3 will be bidirectional, as P2 is now and P1 to the Whitby line. 'Extn.' is the P2 extension, already completed, for Azuma services. 948] Middlesbrough: ①There is now temporary access from the main building to Down P2 via steps and the subway. When a member last visited, access required leaving the station and walking round via Albert Road bridge at the east end. There is not much visible sign of progress with the undercroft. ②(BLN 1441.308) The Full Business Case for P3 was due to be signed off by the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) Transport Committee in spring for work to start in the summer. This year,NR planned 12 weekends of engineering, two batches of six. Five were in Jun and one in Jul for station work and platform enhancements, with two in Oct and four in Nov for 'signalling, trackwork and platform work'. Freight was to run via the (so called!) Fast Lines during this work. On two weekends in Nov, there was to be single line working for freight over the Down Saltburn Slow and at other times a complete block on all traffic east of Thornaby, except potash trains between Boulby and Tees Dock - presumably when the signalling is being updated. A member understands that P3 should have been open for the 15 Dec timetable (possibly the long-promised two hourly London service although not mentioned in recent years). The Saltburn Slow Lines are to be moved one track northwards to make room for the new additional P3 line. The first possessions were to lay a fifth line north of the Down Saltburn Slow (DSS) now vacant formation, possibly connect it up as the new DSS - no interlocking changes would be required - and construct new P3. The second set requires single line working over the new DSS, to convert the former DSS into the new Up Saltburn Slow (USS) and the former USS into the P3 line. However, these works have now disappeared from the plans; a matter for concern over the enhanced LNER service. A member has seen the present single northbound service on various days of the week and times of year and says it always has about 50 passengers on departure from York. This is not as bad as your NE Editor had feared but clearly insufficient to pay its way. The report to the TVCA Cabinet on 15 Mar had the following: Project: Middlesbrough station new P3 and associated infrastructure. A new P3 will address capacity constraints, deliver performance and reliability benefits to existing rail services and enable additional passenger and freight services. Funding allocation: £40M. Progress made: Engagement with NR and LNER to determine the scope of work needed to complete the Full Business Case. Indicative high-level timescale: Complete full business case Q2 2024/2025. Timeframe for delivery to be confirmed - will depend on the outcome of discussions with the DfT around timeframe for release of CRSTS2 (City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements 2) funding. In other words, it is at the mercy of the DfT (who now play for time) and hence it seems highly unlikely that work will be complete in time for the Dec timetable change - or even have started by then. 949] Ilkley: A member initially thought the BLN 1444.710 statement that It had through platforms at a higher level than the terminal platforms was incorrect. However, after perusing his photos, he thinks the difference in height was about two or three feet. There is a noticeable slope down from P3 to P2, so a height difference. Your NE Editor's recollection dates from his last visit there, over 50 years ago!
950] Stamford Bridge: (BLN 1444.705) A local member observes that, in paragraph four of the item, the 'last trains' details given are the wrong way round. The last train from Hull to York via Market Weighton on Saturday 27 Nov 1965 was the 7.30pm, steam hauled by B1 61306, and called at all eight intermediate stations. The last train York to Hull train, the final train on the line between Bootham Jn and Beverley North Jn, was the 9.45pm from York to Hull. This comprised a 6-car DMU, calling at five intermediate stations, omitting Earswick, Londesborough and Kipling Cotes stations per timetable. The occasion was correctly recorded by the 'York Evening Press' of Monday 29 Nov 1965 (edited): Farewell on the 9.45 run. Driver George Lofthouse eased over the control and the 6-car diesel for Hull rumbled out of York station at 9.45pm. And on Platform seven, a handful of people braved the bitter cold to wave it off. For despite all the meetings, the protests, the arguments, the letters to Mr Wilson (Prime Minister) and Mr Fraser (Minister of Transport), the efforts of MPs - this was the last. On board were just a few passengers, rail enthusiasts and Mr E I Withell, a railwayman for 31 years, who has lost his job because of the closure. He was a porter-signalman for 20 years at Everingham and then the signalman at Londesborough. Bang on time, at 10.6pm, the diesel whistled (‽) mournfully into Pocklington - to be greeted with a cheer that might well have carried to the Ministry of Transport. Pupils from Pocklington Grammar School - badly hit by the closure - had come along to give the last train a big send off. There were strains of 'Auld Lang Syne', a Union Jack fluttered, and one small boy knocked hell out of the school bell. Driver Lofthouse, of Hull, was presented with an illuminated scroll tied with a piece of black cloth - rumoured to have come from a master's gown (!). Then it was all over. The last cheers, the last flutter of the flag, the last ring of the bell and the last train left Pocklington. Through Londesborough Park and on to another crowded platform at Market Weighton. After a few minutes stay, it was on again through Kipling Cotes to Beverley and finally Hull. 951] White Rose: (BLN 1436.2555) Building work on the new £26.5M station has stopped. Originally due to open early this year, it has had repeated delays. On 20 Mar a temporary pause was announced before a thorough evaluation of future funding sources to ensure its successful completion. This is nothing new; the West Coast Main Line Euston electrification had a similar problem in the 1960s. 952] Northumberland Line: ❶(BLN 1445.818) Northern is to implement 'single-leg pricing' when passenger services start. [Some of us still call them single tickets!] This allows passengers to combine peak and off-peak tickets (as previously mentioned in BLN), if appropriate, to gain the best value. ❷(BLN 1444.711.1) The former southern station building at Bedlington has finally been demolished. Excavation work for the Up platform has started, although it cannot be completed until the existing signal gantry is removed. No work has started yet on the Down platform, next to the care home. ❸Good progress is being made on Seaton Delaval platform construction. Car park access is also being built, necessitating temporary traffic lights and single line working (rare crossovers?) on the main road. ❹The level crossing at Newsham will be closed periodically overnight, so that the track between Newsham and the northern end of the near ninety degree Hartley Curve can be relaid. ❺Work is in progress on the wall separating the new Northumberland Park station platform from the neighbouring gardens. With piled foundations, it is expected to take about four months to complete. Our London Editor thinks that both stations with this name will be awarded a suffix but only for use in journey planners etc and not on their station name boards. He instances Rainham (Kent) and Rainham (Essex) as an example. Despite the name, the latter is actually in Greater London. Well, it used to be in Essex until Greater London expanded eastwards and swallowed a substantial chunk of Essex! Also: Bentley (South Yorkshire), Bentley (Hampshire), Bramley (West Yorkshire), Bramley (Hampshire), London Charing Cross, Charing Cross (Glasgow), Earlswood (West Midlands), Earlswood (Surrey), Garth (Powys), Garth (Bridgend), Gillingham (Dorset), Gillingham (Kent), Hope (Derbyshire), Hope (Flintshire), Millbrook (Bedfordshire), Millbrook (Hampshire), Moreton (Merseyside), Moreton (Dorset), Newport* (Essex), Newport* (South Wales), Queens Park (Glasgow), Queens Park (London), Reedham (Norfolk), Reedham (Surrey), St Margarets (Hertfordshire), St Margarets (London), Swinton (South Yorkshire), Swinton (Manchester), London Waterloo, Waterloo (Merseyside) and the winner with three: Whitchurch (Cardiff), (Hants) & (Shropshire). *Once also (IOW), (Shropshire) & (Teesside).
BELOW: (Item 949) Ilkley P4 looking towThe signal is off for a departure to Leeds from P1; that ground
ards Guiseley with DMUs stabled in P2. d signal/dolly ahead was used to signal departures from P3.
BELOW: Ilkley, the former 'higher level' through P3 to Bolton Abbey, Embsayfor boarding and alighting. DMUs are stabled in P2 (left) & P4 (right.) Refurb
y and Skipton. This platform slopes down from right to left and the steps are bishment work is taking place which includes electrification of the gas lights.
[AMENDMENT: (E-BLN 1445.818.3) Three members advises that the train in this loaded biomass travelling northbound to Lynemouth, so was not the 18.27 Lvery young the gate box operator would let her press the button to start the crone before the gate box closed - 13.51 Tyne Coal Terminal to Lynemouth. YoBELOW: Ilkley (once through) 'higher leve'l P4 looking towards Skipton - all th
e photo of North Seaton crossing and gate box on the Northumberland Line, Lynemouth to Tyne Coal Terminal. When our member's eldest daughter was rossing sequence. Those were the days! In fact the train was the penultimate our Editor was misled by the automatic time stamp recorded on the photo.] hese excellent photos were by John Harrison on 15 Jul 1979 unless specified.
BELOW & NEXT: Looking towards Skipton from the footbridge as a Leed
ds train departs from P1 (far left and some of it is still the present P1).
BELOW: 18 Apr 1981, showing the slope from P3 (right) dowThe Class 31, 31192, is waiting to shunt the Hertfordshire Railtours 'ShoThis area later became a Kwik Save supermarket and is now a M
wn to P2. Passengers on P1 (left) are for that Leeds train. ulder of Lune': https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/810418hr.htm Marks & Spencer food store, Ilkley has clearly gone up market!
BELOW: (Item 952.2) Bedlington station, the site of the now demolishe
ed south building. Note the signals ahead in the way of platform work.
BELOW: Bedlington looking north; left is the site of the futu
ure Down platform. (Both Rodger Wilkinson, 28 Mar 2024.)
BELOW: (the new l
BLN 1445.818.3) North Seaton, the 'closed' crossing with ifting barriers in place. (Rodger Wilkinson, 28 Mar 2024.)
BELOW: (Item 953) NR computer image of Eaglescliffe with its new accessround the curve left with Middlesbrough/Stockton right. The Advance Pas
sible footbridge, car parks etc. Northallerton is off left, Darlington is ssenger Train has somehow got in on the act - lower extreme right…
953] Eaglescliffe: (BLN 1440.177) Work will finally start soon on redevelopment project at this station: ●A new pedestrian footbridge to improve access from the west and provide a link to Durham Lane Industrial Estate. ●A new car park on the west side. ●Three lifts. ●After discussions with residents and interested groups, the existing footbridge and access ramps will be renewed and retained to maximise access during construction and provide a second emergency exit. In 2015, Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who used the station to commute from London to her job at Northumbria University, described how she struggled to use the 'very steep' and 'uneven' ramp up from the platform. ●The station taxi office will be rebuilt and a new brick waiting shelter with a ticket counter built on the platform. The car park and the cycle route improvements to the station are funded by the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement and Levelling-Up Fund respectively (both Stockton South allocation). The plan to improve the station has been under discussion for years, especially in the light of the Grand Central service to London; Eaglescliffe is their Teesside railhead. It was first announced in 2019 but funding for the £15M project was not secured. In Jan 2020 Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) agreed £8M for the second, accessible footbridge. Work ceased during the pandemic but in Aug 2021 Stockton Council paid £2.6M for 64 acres of land next to the station, part of which will be used for the new car park. In Nov 2021 the TVCA approved £1.6M to start development. NR then confirmed it had submitted a planning application for the upgrade, backed by £8.5M from the TVCA and further funding from Stockton Council and NR. The project is due to be completed by summer 2025. 954] T&W Metro: From 15 to 17 Apr, no trains will run between South Gosforth and Shiremoor after about 21.30 each evening. Shiremoor facing crossover will be in passenger use arriving from St James. 955] Hull Paragon P1: (BLN 1445.823) It seems that this platform has never been formally put out of use but was 'prohibited to all movements until further notice' from 3 Dec 1990 - a subtle distinction. However, the prohibition lasted for over 33 years! A member has established that the first authorised movement was on Thur 22 Feb 2024 by 158794 on a gauge testing run, followed by 170473. Since then it has been used for stabling and ECS for those classes and others from the date they were cleared. Gauge and PTI clearance was complete (why can't they just say Platform Train Interface?) for all relevant Northern classes and the paperwork was issued for passenger use on 12 Mar. (Perhaps it was Post Temporary Interruption or Passengers Temporarily Inconvenienced in fact?) TPE needs to install a CASDO (OK, Coach based Automatic Selective Door Opening to you) beacon before they can do any of these tasks for their Class 185s. Several passenger trains have used P1, particularly in the week before Easter, when apparently P6&7 were under possession in the evenings. Hopefully it will be not too long before the 'official opening' takes place. On Tue 26 Mar the 22.45 to Sheffield (which had gone from P1 the night before) left from P4 as booked. However, our local gricer extraordinaire caught the 23.16 to Beverley, from P1 returning on the 23.37 from Beverley (the 23.06 ex-Bridlington) which just happened to arrive in …. P1; both are booked for P4. As Alan is bidirectional, he was delighted, in his own words: 'Job done both ways in 36 minutes'. There have to be some advantages to living in Hull! As usual, online platform numbers did not change to show this. P1 has no booked use shown (even ECS), including in the new June timetable. This could be a tricky one for the rest of us non-Hullians. 956] Yarm Viaduct: (BLN 1435.2419) Work on the viaduct seems to have started a bit later than last Nov. https://bit.ly/4alzLvT has photos. Masonry repair work takes place in Apr, with installation of jack piles from May onwards, to underpin the piers for excavation. Railway Heritage Trust has awarded a £5,912 grant to NR for the cleaning and restoration of the dedication stone of Yarm Viaduct, which will be undertaken as part of NR's 'substantial works' to the structure. LEFT: The inscription on the dedication stone. 957] Morpeth: (BLN 1445.893) To be clear, Fort William Driver 2 works the southbound alumina train clear of Morpeth North Jn, then hands over on the curve; the train does not stand on the ECML! ENGINEERS: THOMAS GRAINGER & JOHN BOURNE. SUPERINTENDENT: JOSEPH DIXON. CONTRACTORS. TROWSDALE, JACKSON AND GARBUTT. 1849.
958] Transpennine Route Upgrade: ❶Ravensthorpe Road, south of the river Calder in Ravensthorpe, has been closed to all traffic since 8 Apr for 10 weeks and is expected to reopen around 17 Jun. This is thought to be to construct the embankment to the future Fast Lines flyover over the Calder Valley line. Yorkshire Water will finalise connections to a water main beneath the road, allowing a new road layout and bridge to be built. To avoid the need for a further lengthy closure, Northern Power Grid will also complete work involving the connection of high voltage cables for the 25kV feeder station here. ❷(BLN 1443.559) Passing through Huddersfield on 18 Mar, a member saw workers in the tea room apparently gutting it. He noticed some old posters on the side of the building. One was 'Introducing the new Railbus' showing a Class 141 (yes!), going on to say ''Railbuses are being introduced on this route''. They have passenger-operated folding doors. Presumably these posters had been behind newer ones. ❸(BLN 1443.559) Deighton station north to the A62 overbridge, previously the only section not being worked on, is now devegetated too. The Class 802 photo (e-BLN 1443) would look a bit different now. A member thinks that the slight realignment of the Up Huddersfield line (BLN 1445.829) is between Ridings and Red Doles underbridges. He says it cannot be across Ridings underbridge as the existing lines pass over this on what will be the Fast Line span and the new Slow Lines span is still being worked on. The existing lines are on what will become the Slow Lines span of Red Doles underbridge, with the new Fast Lines spans having only recently been put in place (BLN 1443.559). Fieldhouse overbridge was completed a year or so ago, before any other work in the area started, so it is most unlikely it will be for this overbridge. The realignment has taken the (Up) line closer to the edge of the embankment, a little surprising considering all the recent and ongoing embankment slippages, failures and collapses. 959] Newcastle: Apparently, the Low Fell Royal Mail Terminal rail service (to/from Princess Royal Distribution Centre in Willesden) is to end in June. Royal Mail staff at the terminal have been offered relocation or redundancy. It has been suggested that the high cost of lodging train crew is a factor. Apparently, the Class 325 EMU released will work on the West Coast but there are various possibilities: Lengthening Glasgow Shieldmuir to Daventry workings to 12-cars, a Daventry to Dallam (Warrington) working or running it as an extra train. Tyneside mail will leave two hours earlier and go by road to Warrington for onward sorting instead. It is also suggested that this might be related to changes at Royal Mail - a new national Network Logistics plan starting in Jun, aimed at eliminating the use of aircraft but replacing it by road rather than rail haulage! The train has run most nights in the last two months and there are paths in the new timetable, although that doesn't mean anything! 960] Hexham - Carlisle: Buses replace trains from Mon 22 Apr until end of service on Fri 26 Apr for work on in Warden Level Crossing (23m 54ch) and Upper Denton School Level Crossing (43m 23ch). 961] Newton Aycliffe: (BLN 1432.2077) Current Hitachi contracts are set to decline by Oct, with no new work in the short term. The company has been in talks with the government for two years but 'disappointingly' they had not resulted in a 'positive resolution'. Hitachi Rail is reviewing 'all remaining options' after it said no solution was found to plug a gap in train orders. The factory opened in 2015 and employs about 700 people in an area of high unemployment. The Unite union has urged ministers to extend the plant's Avanti contract 'immediately' to safeguard jobs. 962] Dockfield Jn - Baildon - Esholt Jn: (BLN 1444.703) NR has said that, unfortunately, two dwellings next to the line will have to be demolished after being deemed at risk of collapse (e-BLN 1444.703 photos). The Route Director said that every effort had been made to save them but all other solutions had now been ruled out and they needed to use statutory powers to enable repairs to resume. The line was initially expected to be closed for around six weeks after the landslip on 12 Feb but it will now remain shut until about the end of June. 2,500 tonnes of material need to be removed. Work stopped while legal and insurance issues were resolved with third parties but resumed in week of Mon 1 Apr. 963] A Grand Service! Your NW Editor remarked that he hadn't realised that Grand Central run two trains from Bradford Interchange to London within 50 mins of each other on a Sunday at 15.11 and 15.59. (Neither had your NE Editor!) They take a somewhat circuitous route (a bit like a mini-railtour) en route to Doncaster but perform a valuable service in calling at quite significant places previously without a London service for decades: Low Moor, Halifax, Brighouse, Mirfield and Wakefield Kirkgate.
BELOW (Item 958.2) Huddersfield buffet (P4) retro posters and note each pie
ece is labelled for reinstatement. (Stuart Marshall, 18 Mar 2024 from a train.)
BELOW: (Item 963) A Grand service at Bradford Interch
hange - as booked. (John Cameron, Sun 24 Mar 2024.)
BELOW: (Item 964) A sand train from Middleton Towers (King's LynThe steeply graded, single track, bidirectional curve to Oakens
nn) for Monk Bretton approaches Oakenshaw Jn from Doncaster. shaw South Jn is visible through the trees in the background.
BELOW: Its train in Calder Bridge loop, 66788 has run round, come behind this s