1279

[BLN 1279]
ABOVE TOP: From the cab of 43300 on Craigentinny Depot Bypass Line at 14.27. 08472 is on the
Washer Line ready to couple to 43082 at the rear of the train on the No2 Reception/Departure Road.

ABOVE LOWER: An unusual view from an HST cab! 08472 coupled to rear power car 43082 on No2
Reception/Departure line then hauled the train along the Bypass Line towards the East Depot Line.

915] King's Cross P1 - No1 Fast - Belle Isle Jn - Dn Slow (DS) - Holloway Jn - Dn Goods - Finsbury Park P8 -Finsbury Park
(N) Jn - DS No1 - Wood Green S Jn (4m 68ch) - Dn Hertford - Bowes Park Jn - Bowes Park Rev Sdg (rev) - Up Hertford -
Bowes Park - Bounds Green Maintenance Shed Road 9 (rev) - Dn Hertford - Molewood Jn - Up Hertford - Bragbury Jn -
Dn Hertford - Langley Jn - DS - Stevenage - DS - Hitchin - DS - Huntingdon - DS - Connington N - Dn Main (DM) - Fletton
Jn - Dn Fast (DF) - Peterborough P4 - DF - Stoke Jn - Grantham P2 - DM - Claypole DPL - DM - Newark Northgate P1 -
Carlton DPL - DM - Retford P2 - DS - Retford N - DM - Ranskill DPL - DM - Loversall Carr Jn - Dn W Slow - Decoy S Jn - Dn
Flyover - Dn W Slow No2 - Bridge Jn - Dn W Slow No2 - Doncaster P8 - 2nd X/O - Marshgate Jn DF - DM - Arksey DPL - DM
- Temple Hirst Jn - DM - Colton Jn - Colton N Jn - Dn Leeds - Dringhouses N Jn - Dn Holgate Loop - Holgate Jn - DS -
Skelton Jn - DS - Skelton Bridge Jn - DS - Tollerton - DF - Northallerton - DM - Darlington S Jn - X/O - Up Main (UM) - X/O
- Up/Dn Station Loop (43m 70ch) - 1st X/O (44m 25ch) - DM (Darlington N Jn) - Ferryhill S Jn - DF - Tursdale Jn - DM -
Durham DF - Chester-le-Street - Birtley Jn - DM - KE Bridge S Jn - DF - Newcastle P2 - Newcastle E Jn - Up/Dn Slow -
Heaton S Jn - UM - Benton Jn - Dn Blyth & Tyne - Bedlington N Jn - Hepscott Jn - Morpeth N Jn - DM - Alnmouth - Crag
Mill DPL - DM - Berwick-upon-Tweed - Dn Berwick - Dunbar - Dn Berwick - Drem - Monktonhall Jn - Dn Goods - Millerhill
E Jn - Millerhill W Jn - Sdg F4 - Millerhill Yd Jn - DM - Newcraighall - Niddrie S Jn - Brunstane - Portobello Jn -
Craigentinny E Depot Line - Bypass line - Rec Road 2 (rev) - Bypass line - Repair Shed Sdg (rev) - Bypass line - Rec Road 2
- Craigentinny Jn - Dn Berwick - Abbeyhill Jn - N Line - N Loop (P1) - X/O to Edinburgh (P19) - Princes St Gardens - Dn
North - Haymarket - Dn North - Haymarket Cen Jn - Gorgie Jn - Craiglockhart Jn - Up Sub - Niddrie W Jn - Niddrie S Jn -
UM - Millerhill Yd Jn - Sdg F4 - Millerhill W Jn - Millerhill E Jn - Up Gds - Monktonhall Jn - Up Berwick - Prestonpans UPL -
Up Berwick - Drem UPL - Up Berwick - Grantshouse UPL - Up Berwick - Berwick UGL - UM - Alnmouth - UM - Morpeth -
UM - Newcastle E Jn - X/O - Newcastle P4 (rev) - X/O - UM - Newcastle E Jn - Up Sunderland - HL Bridge Central Jn - Dn
Sunderland - HL Bridge Jn - Greensfield Jn - KE Bridge East Jn - KE Bridge S Jn - UM - Durham Up Fast (UF) - UM -
Tursdale Jn - UF - Ferryhill S Jn - UM - Darlington N Jn - Up Gds Loop (YES!) - Darlington S Jn - UM - Northallerton - UF -
Skelton Jn - UF - York P3 - UM - Colton Jn - UM - Temple Hirst Jn - UM - Doncaster N Jn (156m 09ch) - X/Os to Doncaster
P1 - Up Pass Loop - Up E Slow - Loversall Carr Jn - Retford UM - UM - Newark P2 - UM - Claypole UPL - UM - Grantham
P1 - UF - Stoke Jn - Up Slow (US) - Spittal Jn - UF - Peterborough P3 - UF - Connington Up Loop - UF - Huntingdon - UF -
Hitchin - UF - Stevenage - UF/Main - Welwyn Garden City - UF - Finsbury Park (N) Jn X/O (2m 65ch) - Finsbury Park P3 -
US 1 - 1m 70ch X/O - UF - X/O Holloway (S) Jn 1m 44ch - US - Belle Isle Jn - No2 Slow - via double slips - King's Cross P8.

PS: From the 125 Group https://goo.gl/wFIhy4 pictures/report. Class 08s at Bounds Green by Rich
Farish https://goo.gl/2FNrjC (a series of 12 pictures at the depot). The mileages below, souvenir
tickets (and very distinctive dining menus!) are all thanks to our very own Jim Sellens.

King's Cross P1 Bowes Park Reversing Siding 43300 + 43082 5m 68ch
08670 + 08441 0m 55ch
Bowes Park Reversing Siding Bounds Green Maintenance Rd 9 43300 + 43082 391m 06ch
Craigentinny Reception line No2 0m 65ch
Bounds Green Maintenance Rd 9 Portobello No1/Repair Shed Sdg 08472 133m 00ch
Craigentinny Reception line No2 43300 + 43082 268m 75ch
Portobello No1/Repair Shed Sdg Newcastle P4 43082 + 43300

Newcastle P4 King's Cross P 8 (TOTAL 900m 29ch)

916] From David Horne, Virgin Trains East Coast Managing Director: (dated 24 Mar) A massive thank
you to everyone who helped with last Saturday's charity special train 'Bound for Craigy', operated by
us on behalf of the Branch Line Society in support of the Railway Children charity. A stunning £50k was
raised for charity - Dave Ellis from Railway Children has sent his thanks, saying: The commitment,
enthusiasm and skill of everyone involved in making this happen in the lead up to the event, was
completely mirrored by all of the incredible volunteers involved on board and it was so humbling and
inspiring to see in equal measure. When you consider that it costs us £37k to set up a Child Friendly
Station in India that helps us keep children from harm and get them to safety before an abuser can get
to them, the total amount raised really will literally change thousands of lives.

The special train took several months to plan and arrange, not least because of the special route it
took from King's Cross to Edinburgh via both Bounds Green and Craigentinny depots, as well as the
Blyth & Tyne line and Millerhill. A big thank you to everyone who gave up their time on the day to
make it happen and to those who worked on the preparations before the big day…. A massive thank
you to the entire team - you can be really proud of what you have achieved for the children who will
now benefit from Railway Children's work.

'Today we've been Bound for Craigy
Seventeen hours on a train: are we crazy?
But BLS and VTEC
Made the trip tip-top spec
And raised money for RC. Amazing!'
And raised money for RC. Amazing!'

TOP OF PAGE: 43300 at Edinburgh's Waverley station accompanied by many of those involved in the
running of the train. The presentation cheque for £43,300 to the Railway Children charity was not the
full amount raised on the day, the final total being over £50,000. An amazing achievement!

917] Class 442 Farewell, 12 Mar: (BLN 1278.796-798) From a press release: Eastbourne charity,
'Embrace' has been presented with a donation of £6,668 by Southern Train Services Manager, 'Ant'
Yandell at Eastbourne station (BELOW:) Most of the donation was raised from ticket sales for the Class
442 train farewell tour supplemented by an on-board raffle and auction. The £6,668 was presented to
Annette Ackland of the charity Embrace by Ant at Eastbourne station on 6 April. Annette Ackland,
Embrace Trustee, said: Thank you so much. This will make such a difference to us. This can help us run
our Saturday club for the next year. We've recently seen our numbers of children on the rise and need
more staff. This will help so much. We can't thank you enough!

ABOVE: Eastbourne P1 on 6 April, Annette Ackland of Embrace (far left) receives the donation from
Left to Right: Kev Adlam (representing the Society), Ant Yandell and Su Rogers (Southern). BELOW: The
'442 Farewell' approaching Beckenham Junction P1 alongside the single Tramlink line (Rod Miebs) .

Su Rogers, Station Sales Clerk at Moulsecoomb station, who
nominated Embrace to become one of Southern's corporate
charities added: For such a small charity, run by volunteers, this
means so much. It is wonderful - we really couldn't believe the
amount raised. Thank you to everyone so much.

Ant Yandell, the driving force behind the trip said: It was a really intense four weeks to organise this
and the whole thing seemed to take over my life, but I'm really pleased with how the day went and that
we have so much money to pass onto the charity. Everyone was happy to donate to support Embrace.

Kev Adlam from the Branch Line Society, which sold the tickets on behalf of Southern added: We had a
really good time out on the trip with nearly 300 people riding with us. The money came from the trip
itself plus auctions and raffles we held on board - everyone was so generous. It was nice to see
everyone having a good time while doing something really positive.
[The other half of the £13,336 total raised by our first tour with Southern went to Keech Hospice - Ed.]

Please mention the BLS when booking or enquiring. .1279 CONNECTIONS… .Details must be checked with the organisers.
918] Crossrail Exhibition: Until 3 Sep 2017, Museum of London Docklands, No1 Warehouse, West India
Quay, Canary Wharf, E14 4AL (admission free, nine galleries). Open 10.00 to 18.00 daily. Also two hour
guided archeological walks, £25 advance booking: Docklands 22 Apr (FULL). Stepney Green
22 May (FULL). Liverpool Street https://goo.gl/ANiIWa 10 Jun. Farringdon https://goo.gl/aoofYM
8 Jul. Tottenham Court Road, 22 Jul. Bond Street, 5 Aug and Paddington https://goo.gl/3zdqeQ
22 Aug. Custom House (no date). Others not open yet Google 'Discover Crossrail' with walk name.

919] Churwell Woodland Railway: (MR p25) (BLN 1267.2100) Clark Spring Wood, Community Field
Centre, Westwood Side, Morley, LS27 7UQ. (SE 2654 2934). About a mile walk to Cottingley station.
Public running at this new 150yd long 7¼" gauge railway starts Sat 13 May, then 2nd/4th Saturday each
month until Oct (14.00-16.00) plus special events (see website). A new ballast siding is being built.

920] SEG, Hornsey Driving Simulator: Our member Stuart Hicks is kindly arranging a visit expected to
be a late May weekday afternoon. A charity collection applies. Please supply your BLS membership No:
[email protected] or 2 Queen Anne's Gate, Caversham, Reading, RG4 5DU with an SAE.

922] Broadway GWR Station Open Evening Fri 26 May 18.30-20.30: Station Rd (B4632), WR12 7DH,
(SP089383). Blue Badge parking here only. View progress on the station, signal box, signalling & etc;
speak to volunteers. BBQ, Raffle and bar. Come on foot if possible or park free after 18.00 at Milestone
Ground Car Park, Childswickham Rd, WR12 7HA (SP090377) - shuttle bus to station or walk 1,000yd.

923] Didcot Railway Centre, Sat 3 Jun: 'A day with the Great Western Society' https://goo.gl/krczfm
an RCTS visit which BLS members are welcome to attend. £27 includes refreshments (with a two
course lunch - needs to be chosen) various behind the scenes visits, in depth talks & presentations.
Registration starts at 09.30; welcome with tea/coffee at 10.10 concluding about 17.00. Queries to
Andrew Jenkins [email protected] 01793 783749. NB: Please book quickly if interested.

925] Mersey Road Tunnel Tour, Thur 15 Jun, 17.00: https://goo.gl/ke8pIo The perfect sequel to our
'Cat & Dock' railtour which finishes at Liverpool Lime Street. Meet George's Dock Building 16.45, close
to the Pier Head; £6 per person (min age 10), pay on the day advance booking only. Available all year
TWThO 17.00 & SO 10.00 also groups of 12 or more at other times by arrangement. 0151 330 4504
or email [email protected] note that there are many steps. See the Grade II listed Art Deco
George's Dock Building - the former Mersey Tunnels head office. Go behind the scenes of the 1934
original 'Queensway' road tunnel ('Kingsway' opened in 1971), how it was constructed, the ventilation
stations (with the giant fans demonstrated) and the original control room. See the road tunnel itself
(on which there is, unusually, a 10mph minimum speed limit) on the 'walkway' then beneath it to a
deeper tunnel built for a tramway that was blocked by the railway companies and is the emergency
escape route. The tunnels are owned and operated by Merseytravel and have their own police force.

921] The Downs Light Railway, Reopening Railway Exhibition & Steam Gala, Sun 30 Apr/Mon 1 May:
10.00-16.00 (BLN 1275.472) Hoyland Down, Brockhill Rd, Colwall (950yd walk from station) WR13 6EY,
(SO759433). 'The world's oldest private miniature railway' and very unusually 9½" gauge. £5 adult,
Child £2.50 (includes two rides each) family ticket available. Pay on the day only in cash (child not
required!). Downs Light Railway exhibition; various locos and model railways. Monday is a school open
day and 90th Anniversary Ceremony; the railway may not run 11.45-14.00 for the ceremony (12.00)
and VIP lunch. Free parking. The map is by John Milner and thanks to the Downs Light Railway Trust.

The reopened route follows the solid black line (detail may vary). ①: Original 'Tubbytown' terminus.
②: Original route of the 'Zambezi' stream - later piped. ③: Site of the abandoned 'Brock Hill Halt'.
④: Temporary terminus - never completed, part of the route can be traced. ⑤: Railway abandoned
about 1928. ⑥: Brock Hill Jn (and former ballast siding). ⑦: Planned southward extension, no work
carried out. ⑧: Brock Hill Meadow and 'The Deviation'. ⑨: Air raid shelter (for WWII) later tunnel.

924] Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, 3 & 4 Jun, 10.00-15.00, FREE Community Weekend: For
those then experiencing Chiltern first generation heritage Bubble car DMU 'withdrawal symptoms'
rides are available from Chinnor (where the signal box can be visited). Also of note is Wickham Trolley
rides west of the station towards Watlington. See https://goo.gl/JmPTSL and below. Just turn up!

926] Difflin Lake Railway: (MR p27) (BLN 1267.2022) Oakfield Park, Raphoe, ROI (C274033). The 2-mile 15"
gauge line runs daily in Jul & Aug; SSuX: 14.00 15.00 & 16.00; SSu & ROI Bank Holidays hourly 12.00-18.00.
927] North Norfolk Railway NR connection: (BLN 1278.807) 11.50 on 5 Jul, 3, 9 & 23 Aug and 27 Sep,
'Mainline Dining Excursions'. Sheringham - Cromer - Holt - Sheringham with a drink on arrival and a
three course lunch - early booking essential. £56 per head: https://goo.gl/pFjPs0 or 01263 820900.
928] Manx Heritage Transport Festival, 26 - 30 Jul: https://goo.gl/devOTt a seven page leaflet about this
incredible five day annual event featuring unusual opportunities and traction or 01624 662525 for one.

Intensive services; extra operation of Groudle Glen & Laxey Mine railways. Double decker horse tram.
MER Groudle shuttles, Car 16 & Van 4. MER Edwardian evening. St Johns to Kirk Michael trackbed
walk. Foxdale to Peel trackbed walk. Stable tours open evening. Snaefell Sunset Dinner. Marquess
of Ailsa commemorative train. Port Erin model display. IOMSR Pie & Mash Diner with descriptive and
historical commentary. Museum events. Bulgham Bay guided tour. MER Derby Castle workshop/
yard guided tours. Drive a tram! Philatelic events and travelling post office. All day closed line
Vintage bus tour. Crossbench evening with illustrated talk on Ramsey Queen's Pier. Douglas (steam)
worksop, shed and signal box tours. Peel station tour. 50th anniversary of Douglas station reopening.
Jurby Transport Museum. Port Erin slide show social evening by vintage bus. MER museum and….

Thu 27 Jul: MER 'The Nationalised Navigator': Following in our tracks (13 to 19 Sep 2013, for which
we thank John & Jenny Williamson) a 'Mystery Tour'; Car 32 to various sidings and X/Os (including the
new Ballamenagh X/O) with photo stops, £10. Derby Castle 10.20-17.00 www.rail.im 01624662525.

[BLN 1279]
929] Rail Value (1): A series to highlight and encourage good value rail travel (contributions welcome).
Inverness - Wick: anytime return £27.10 (£17.90 railcard) 377 miles (with two free trips to Thurso!).
Bristol TM - Severn Beach: Anytime return £3 (£2 with railcard); branch fares are good value.
Cherwell Valley Day Rangers: All weekends and Bank Holidays, unlimited travel GWR trains only:
Banbury - Oxford: Adult (A) £3.25, Railcard (R) £2.10, Child (C) £1.60.
Banbury - Didcot Parkway: A £5.50, R £3.60, C £2.75.
Banbury - Reading: (50¼ miles!) A £7.65, R £5.00, C £3.80; how many miles can you do in one day?
Hereford & Worcester Evening Return: A £3.70, R £2.45, C £1.85 a defined return journey any day
after 18.00 for any stations between Moreton-in-Marsh, Hereford, Bromsgrove & Stourbridge Town.
Derby - Cleethorpes off-peak return: A £28.60, R £18.90, C £14.30 included due to route availability:
●Derby - Sheffield - Doncaster (or SO via Brigg). ●Derby - Nottingham - Lincoln. ●Derby - Newark
Castle, walk to Newark Northgate - Lincoln. ●Derby - Nottingham - Alfreton - Sheffield - Doncaster (or
SO via Brigg). Interestingly the Derby - Barnetby off-peak day return A £27.90, R £18.40, C13.95 is also
valid: ●Derby - East Midlands Parkway - Lincoln (but not via East Midlands Parkway to Sheffield).

X.58] BLN 1278 Guess the Location: (BLN 1278.X.52) BELOW: Right is the 1,500Vdc electrified former
Great Central Railway Sheffield Victoria (behind loco) looking north to Penistone then Manchester via
Woodhead. It is now the single track non-electrified freight Stocksbridge branch. The signal box right
is 'Oughty Bridge' (the station CP 1959) and the steep descending branch L is to the former British
Tissues (SK 303941), at 'Oughtibridge' which made the 'Dixcel' brand of tissues (remember them?).
This was a Society trip on Sat 13 Jun 1981 with 17 participants prior to an afternoon trip on the
Middleton Railway (other members had a trip on the railway at Elland Power Station instead). (All
Martin Connop-Price). BELOW UPPER: Looking south at the exchange sidings (right), and the former
Oughty Bridge station towards Sheffield. BELOW LOWER: 1954 OS 125,000 map of the branch. THIRD
PAGE (full page picture): The other end of the branch at the factory, BLS members converse (or
something like that) next to the internal locomotive. Far right member No13, Terry Velvick and left
beneath the road sign warning of trains is Angus McDougall who was our Society Chairman at the time.





ABOVE: Another view of the British Tissue exchange sidings at 'Oughty Bridge' the main line left was
still open for through freight (but only for another month) via Woodhead to Hadfield and Manchester.
The Sheffield to Huddersfield DMU service still ran this way to Penistone less frequently than now
(it was diverted via Barnsley from 16 May 1983 when Stocksbridge (Deepcar) to Penistone CP/CA).

930] Middlesbrough Goods (Old Town Branch): AV Dawson Ltd, a truly multimodal logistics provider
offering freight logistics services by road, rail, land and sea is delighted to announce its rail enthusiast
diesel gala on Sun 25 Jun is now open for bookings. A rare opportunity for members to visit the
Middleborough business' 100-acre terminal, get up close to the company's Class 08 locos and enjoy
a journey around the site's rail connected elements. The highlight will be 08600 and 08774 hauling a
mess van (from the Wenselydale Railway) for passenger rides. The charter is expected to visit the
purpose built Automotive Steel terminal, Ayrton Dry Bulk Terminal, North Sea Supply Base Wharf,
Tees Riverside Intermodal Park and the NR boundary (Metz Bridge). Visitors will enjoy a short
presentation about the fascinating company, with the chance to purchase light refreshments before an
important safety briefing. Advance booking only, £55 per person, all profits to good causes nominated
by AV Dawson. Cheques payee 'Branch Line Society'. Trips lasting 90 mins are expected to operate, at
09.30, 11.00, 12.30, 14.00 & 15.30. Bookings: Jill Everitt, Fixtures Team, BLS, 4 Barnside Way,
Moulton, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 8PT. Clearly state the full name of all on your booking, an email
address and phone number. Please give your FIRST and SECOND choice of departure. If no email,
please provide an SAE (two for confirmation). Queries (no requests to 'save a place' will be accepted)
to [email protected] bookings will be processed strictly in postal receipt order.

Fixtures Secretary: Kev Adlam, 53 Kemble Close, Wistaston, CREWE CW2 6XN. [email protected] Twitter: @BLSGeneralSec
SALES: Mark Gomm, 84 Mornington Road, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST1 6EL. [email protected] 01782 769960 (daytime).
Editor/Head Lines: Paul Stewart, 4 Clarence Close, MALVERN, WR14 3HX [email protected] 01684562862 07790652351.

Printed by Willow Printing & Design Ltd, 75/79 Back Cross Lane, Newton-le-Willows,WA12 9YE. [email protected]
01925222449 https://goo.gl/X6aQBA Published by the Branch Line Society, 10 Sandringham Road, Stoke Gifford, BS34 8NP. ISSN 1354-0947.