797] PLEASE RENEW YOUR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP ONLINE NOW! On 1 st April membership renewals open for 2024-25 but, if you first joined the Society after 1 Jan 2024, you do not need to renew. That leaves over 2,322 members to renew! If possible, even if you only take paper BLN/ BLNI, please renew on our website (which is fully secure). There will be a reminder when you log in; many Credit/Debit Cards can be used. This greatly helps our volunteer Membership Secretary, Lisa, who also works full time and is now busy at work with the end of the Financial Year. Please check your address, email details etc are correct and notify any changes you can't make yourself directly to Lisa, as above. If you cannot renew via our website, please wait for the printed form with BLN 1447 in 4 weeks. Subscriptions are very good value; now frozen (or reduced) for NINE YEARS since 1 Apr 2015, despite postage increases and Bank of England CPI compound inflation of 39% over that time. E-BLN with e-BLNI (24 editions of each) is still only £12 per year - in real terms, our lowest ever full membership subscription rate, particularly considering all the benefits. You can review your category of membership and upgrade to 24 posted editions of BLN printed on quality paper for only £1.19 each extra or add 24 paper BLNIs for 18¾p each. Everyone who takes paper BLN also sees e-BLN/BLNI free! Membership also includes: Members' only fixtures, Peter Scott's Minor Railways booklet posted to all full Members, access to the Members' only sections of our website, priority booking and participation in members only fixture; also discounts on TRACKmaps, rail atlases and various other books. You need to be a member at the time of the tour/fixtures to participate if it is for Members' only, of course. We are always keen to welcome new members if you know of anyone else interested. 798] :Mon 8 Apr; Euston station guided tour & Watford DC line:: With thanks to our member Adam Turner of NR (so it will be very good), this is a chance to see a different side of one of Network Rail's top 10 busiest stations! Meeting on the concourse mid-morning, this guided tour will first descend to explore some of the basement, then ascend up to the parcel deck level and include a walk around outside to see the notable surviving railway architecture. This tour supports 'Help for Heroes' charity and lasts for about 60-90 minutes. The follow-on approx 90 minute, optional service train mini-tour on the Overground Lioness line (the Watford Junction to Euston DC Overground line) explores the history and architecture of Hatch End and Harrow & Wealdstone stations. Participants will need to bring a high visibility vest and wear boots. Large luggage cannot be brought on the tour but there is a left luggage facility on Euston station for a fee. A volunteer/s to write a BLN report would be welcome! Members only, limited to 18 - no reductions £33; please book online on our website. 799] :Fri 3-Mon 6 May 2024; Kernow:: From Kev Adlam, our Fixtures Secretary: Now that the excellent BWC 2 charter is concluded, I am in a position, following an important recent meeting, to give you all an update on our Kernow Martin House Childrens Hospice charity project planned for 3-6 May 2024. The specification is now fully completed to deliver all passenger branches and a number of significant freight branches. It is with regret however that we are left with no alternative but to defer the project until Spring 2025. The support from the supply chain for this project has been exceptional and special mention must be made of the Class 50 Alliance, South Devon Railway, GB Railfreight, DB Cargo, Freightliner, Network Rail, Great Western Railway and Weedfree for all their amazing support. Number 1445 (Items 797 - 920 & MR 54 - MR 60) (E-BLN 142 PAGES) 30 Mar 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 1446 is dated Sat 13 Apr; contributions by Wed 3 Apr please
A critical component, of course, is the supply of rolling stock and, despite every endeavour, we have exhausted all options to ensure the required number of vehicles for the operation could be provided. We are, however, not to be defeated! We know many of you will have the weekend set aside in your diary for Spring days out with friends enjoying heritage traction, unusual lines and some freight locos too - so stand by for an announcement shortly on 'Plan B' on Fri 3 and Sat 4 May. Thank you for your patience while the Martin House team continues working hard to explore options and quickly come up with an alternative for us all to enjoy and continue to support the amazing work of the Hospice. Date Book online :Fixtures may not open until e-BLN is out: BLN Lead Status Fri 5 Apr New Mills area conducted signal box visits 1442 MG Waitinglist Sat 6 Apr The Scaccarium Dies, Bluebell Railway 'all lines' 1441 MG Waitinglist Sun 7 Apr The School Belle - Sussex 10¼'' railways Below MG OPEN Mon 8 Apr Euston tour & Watford DC line mini-tour Above MG OPEN 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 Fri 3-6 May Kernow - Cornwall passenger branches loco-hauled Above Deferred to 2025 3 & 4 May :Save the dates: Plan 'B' mainline heritage traction tours Above TBA Claimed 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 Sun 12 May Class 507 Farewell from/to Birkenhead North Postponed until Summer 24 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 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 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. 1445 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected] 800] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1439.112] Methven Jn to Methven OP 1 Jan 1858; a 1¼ mile branch (off the Perth - Crieff line) and the original end of the line from Perth before its extension west from the Jn. ●●718] No Japanese cars were garaged alongside the former RAF (east) branch of the Handforth Military Railway. The 'Nissan' huts should have been 'Nissen' huts. (They were designed in the First World War by engineer and inventor Major Peter Norman Nissen.) ●●718] 'STANNOX' should have been 'STANOX' - derived from 'Station N o ', although many of the locations are other than stations. ●●736] Stumped by a bad bowl? Regarding the slipping tree in Sonning Cutting, another slip here was that trees have boles, not bowls! The bole of a tree is the main stem, usually covered in bark. ●●786] Your Editor is advised that Bird Port has ships or vessels but not boats. The difference between 'boats' and 'ships' seems to be similar to the difference between miniature and narrow gauge railways (that is an overlap, with grey areas). The general consensus seems to be that a ship can carry a boat (such as a lifeboat) but a boat cannot carry a ship. However, houseboats, canal boats, longboats and fishing boats can be large. 'Vladivostok 2000'is a 748ft long 49,369 ton fishing boat, the world's largest. 801] Sat 6 Jul 10.00-16.00, Carlisle Kingmoor open day:DRS charity event,many locos on display, trade stands, exhibitions etc. £7.13 (U16 free) no pay on the day to book: https://tinyurl.com/29pe2xec
X.44] :Sunday 7 April; The School Belle - Sussex Minor Railways:: (MR p25): The party size has been increased and we can now accommodate non-members as well. Thanks to your General Secretary, Tim Wallis, these follow on from our Bluebell Railway railtour the previous day. Riding visits have been arranged at the South Downs Light Railway, Pulborough, at 09.30 then, less than 10 miles away, to the private Ingfield Light Railway (above) Ingfield Manor School at 13.00. Both are 10¼'' gauge. The 1,100yd South Downs Light Railway is at Pulborough Garden Centre, Stopham Road, Pulborough RH20 1DS, less than a mile west of Pulbrough station along the A823. The visit will include their 'short circuit' used only by their 'South Downs Belle' specials - shown as 'Not in regular use' at http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/southdowns.pdf and one or two shed roads / sidings not available in public operation. The 900yd Ingfield Light Railway, Ingfield Manor School, Ingfield Manor Drive, Five Oaks, Billingshurst, RH14 9AX doesn't run very often for the public and then not over the relatively recent Willow End extension as car parking arrangements block the route. They will offer their full run and extra sections as available but note that passenger travel over their 'double slip' is prohibited. They operate to support Ingfield Manor School, which provides facilities for students aged 3-19 years with neurological motor impairment, such as Cerebral Palsy, associated medical / sensory needs. Light refreshments will be available for donations. Peter Scott's track plan: http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/trackplans/ingfield.pdf (this is for personal use only). Car share may be available; please note any request or offers in your booking notes. £12 (for all, no pay on the day) which includes stock lists and track plans; please book online at our website. X.45] :Sun 26 May; The Millbrook Meander:: Our seaside destination for this charity charter is wonderful Weymouth, with a circa two hour afternoon break to take in some sea air and perhaps have some fish & chips (or three hours in Dorchester)! It is Hanson & Hall operated with Mk1 stock; 50008 leading from Eastleigh 'top & tail' with a Class 66. As you would expect, there is a variety of track interest along the way! Highlights include much sought after access to both Southampton and Millbrook Freightliner Terminals. We are very grateful to Freightliner for their valuable assistance with this charity project. Our Snack Bar will provide a limited range of drinks, snacks and light refreshments. All tour profits, including the charity raffle, will be donated to Martin House Hospice. First Class £189; Standard Class £129; U18 £64.50 reduction. Indicative times/route (TBC): Eastleigh P3 (PU 10.00) - Southampton Airport Parkway P2 (PU 10.06) - Southampton Central P1 (PU 10.16) - :via southampton Maritime Freightliner Terminal: - Redbridge - Romsey - Salisbury P4 (PU 12.20) - Gillingham P2 (photo stop) - Yeovil Junction (rev) - Yeovil Pen Mill (rev) - Dorchester West P2 (SD 14.27) - Weymouth P1 (SD 14.43)/P3 (PU 17.08) - Dorchester South P1 (PU 17.24) - Brockenhurst P1 - Redbridge - :via Millbrook Freightliner Terminal: - Southampton Central P1 (SD 19.35) - Southampton Airport Parkway P1 (SD 19.46) - Eastleigh P3 (SD 19.53).
X.46] British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock 2024: Now taking orders please contact your Sales Officer, Darren Garnon [email protected] (or per back page). This is the definitive guide to all locomotives, coaching stock and multiple units that run on Britain's network. It has complete fleet lists of every item of rolling stock with owner, operator, livery and depot allocation information for every vehicle in service. This essential reference book is fully updated to early 2024 and has details of all new rolling stock on order for delivery in 2024. Includes the following: Locomotives Diesel Multiple Units Electric Multiple Units Loco-Hauled Coaching Stock On-Track Machines Network Rail Service Stock Rolling Stock Awaiting Disposal Multiple Unit & HST Formations Lists of Depots & Workshops Owner and Operator Information Livery Details With 64 pages of colour illustrations, British Railways Locomotives & Coaching Stock 2024 also has a comprehensive overview of Britain's railway network today including details of all passenger train operators and major freight operators, plus a wealth of useful technical data for every class of vehicle. 15.5 x 11.0 x 2.2cm; 432 pages, hardback. Cover Price £29.95 BLS Member Price £26.50 including P&P. Send no money you will receive an electronic link by email to pay by card. Now Back in Stock - Just £23 to our members: The third edition of Britain's most detailed railway atlas, showing the entire national railway network with track level detail. As well as being completely revised and updated TRACKatlas of Mainland Britain 3rd Edition has been further enhanced by the inclusion of nine major light rail and metro systems, and a further seven heritage railways; all major standard gauge heritage lines over 3 miles in length are now included, together with several narrow gauge lines. Other enhancements include new lines (the Borders Railway and Crossrail), new stations (too many to list here), remodelling (Reading and London Bridge) and electrification (the North West and the Great Western Main Line) as well as many other local developments including new depots and traincare facilities. A greater number of locations now benefit from inset maps. 16 pages have been added and the total number of map pages is now 159. The index now extends to over 10,000 locations All passenger and freight routes are shown with their track formations including connections, …crossovers and primary sidings. Complex areas are shown as larger scale insets. All stations are shown with platform detail and with railway mileages denoted in miles and chains. Most signal boxes, junctions and tunnels are shown including their names and railway mileages. Most level crossings are included together with information describing their type. Different colours are used to denote electrification type and voltage. Published October 2017; 192 A4 page, hardback.
802]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 - 16 Mar 24 22 Mar 24 *(Plymouth)-(Totnes); to (Exeter St D) 16th&17th and after 21.40 1445.832 29 Feb 24 18 Mar 24 *Carlisle S Jn - Maryport Derwent Viaduct closed at 19.50 25 Mar 24 *(Maryport) - (Workington) Derwent Viaduct closed at 19.50 - 24 Mar 24 28 Mar 24 *(ǂ Evesham) - (Charlbury) ǂ From Norton Jn on 24 Mar 2024 1445.877 8 Mar 24 at 10.12 landslip 18 Mar 24 *Wolverhampton NJn - (Shifnal); service to/from New Street 21 Mar 24 *(Shifnal) - Telford Central; single line working with pilot ?29Mar24 *(Telford Central) - Severn Bridge Jn (Shrewsbury) 1445.914 17/3/1981 30Mar24 Northampton & Lamport Railway 4m 31ch - Boughton 12.00 1445.864 29 Mar 23 30Mar24 Merehead West Jn-Cranmore; occasional special trains only 1445.845 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Milton Keynes Central# ) - (London Euston)/(Shepherds Bush) LO Watford DC line runs # extends to (Northampton) 30th & 1 st 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Watford Junction) - St Albans Abbey; due to WCML closure 1445.810 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Clapham Junction)/(Battersea Park)-Atlantic Lines-Lewisham Vale Jn/Catford - (Shortlands) & Old Kent Road Jn - Silwood Jn 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Highbury&Islington)-(New Cross Gate)/Queen'sRdPeckham 1445.810 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Paddington) - Eliz line - (Abbey Wood)/Pudding Mill Lane Jn - 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 Whitton Jn/Hounslow Jn - Windsor & Eton/(Virginia Water) 1445.845 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *Aylesbury Vale Parkway - (Aylesbury) - (Amersham) - 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Lewisham) - Blackheath Jn - (Blackheath) / (Sidcup) 1445.858 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Lewes) - Eastbourne - (Pevensey & Westham) - 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Marsden) / (Lockwood) - Huddersfield - Deighton - …Bradley Jn - Bradley Wood Jn / Heaton Lodge Jn 1443.656.2 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 (Caerphilly)/Coryton/(Radyr) - Queen St - Bay/(Cardiff Central) - 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Cambridge North) - (Ely); resignalling work - 29 Mar 24 2 Apr 24 *(Shenfield) Shenfield Jn - (Witham) 1445.824 9 Mar 24 6 Apr 24 *(Pontefract Monkhill) - Potters Grange Jn (Goole) at 16.40 17 Mar 24 6 Apr 24 *Castleford West Jn - Pontefract West Jn (Pontefract Monkhill) - 2 Apr 24 6 Apr 24 *Aston North Jn - Four Oaks - (Lichfield Trent Valley) 1444.764 30 Mar 24 8 Apr 24 (Belfast Lanyon Place) - Great Victoria Street - Lisburn/(Lisburn) *extended to (Portadown) 30 Mar 24 until ROP Wed 3 Apr 24 1445.48 22Mar24 9 Apr 24 *(Barrow) - Carnforth Station Jn; 06.03 derailment at Grange 1442.487 23 Mar 24 10 Apr 24 (Wednesbury Great Western St) -Edgbaston Village WM Metro 1442.227 2 Apr 24 12 Apr 24 (Golders Green) - Edgware; LU Northern line work at Colindale 1445.826 8 Apr 24 15 Apr 24 *(Benton)-Tynemouth-(North Shields)T&W Metro,OHLE work 1444.690 29 Mar 24 25 Apr 24 (Wellesley Road) / (George Street) - Beckenham Junction / New Addington / Elmers End; London (Croydon) Tramlink 1444.MR.46 2 Apr 24 3 May 24 (Norchard)- Lydney Junction; renewing level crossing 8m 79ch - 27 Mar 24 6 May 24 *(New Mills Central) - New Mills South Jn; embankment slip 1442.461 22 Jan 24 Early May *(Exchange Square) - (Victoria); Metrolink, cracked crossing 1445.831 8 Feb 24 late Jun 24 *Dockfield Jn - Baildon - Esholt Jn; serious landslip at 12.45 1445.882 11 May 24 ?26 Aug 24 *Belfast Great Victoria Street [CP 6 May 24]- Central Jn/City Jn
[BLN 1X.47] BELOW: Available in train simulator
1445] complete with headboard. (Kev Adlam.)
803] Railway Memories 124, Alan Fell (512), Episode 8 - the late 1960s/1970 (Part 2): (BLN 1444.682) Next, a Uni pal and I went over to the Isle of Man by ferry with his Mini Traveller car, which doubled as our sleeping accommodation on Mannin. Unfortunately, the steam routes to Ramsey and Peel had closed in 1965 but we did do steam to Port Erin and the non-steam lines of the Manx Electric, Douglas Bay Horse Tramway (as far as Walpole Avenue near to Victoria Pier), Falcon Hotel Cliff Lift in Douglas plus the lengthy Ramsey Queens Pier Tramway. This was a thoroughly good Island tour over a week and a half but, sleeping in a Mini, meant we felt rather weak by the end of it. Another highlight of our visit was watching the contestants in the Round Britain Powerboat Race speed through the Calf Sound from a hillside at the very southwest tip of the IOM - quite spectacular and unforgettable. I accepted a position with British Rail (BR) London Midland Region (LMR) as a graduate civil engineer and, on 8 Sep 1969, I duly presented myself at Derby to begin my 'company' induction. A week later I began a four week 'civil engineering induction' at Stephenson House near Euston. Then, on 13 Oct, I started my first training placement, with the LMR Divisional Civil Engineer at Rail House, Broad Street, Birmingham, where I was to stay until mid-Apr 1970. This was my last spell in Brum. These seven months were momentous for me because I became 'salaried' - starting at £7.50 per week (= £145 now) - and also benefited from a small annual quota of free passes on the network and as much privilege (quarter fare) travel as I liked on both BR and London Underground. Life became one long fantasy of travel and adventure - oh, and there was a career under way! For a bit of fun, I sometimes specified my start and destination stations for my freebies as pairs of distant stations resulting in handwritten Edmondson tickets such as Singer to Bugle, March to Battle, Keith to Barry, Johnston to Johnstone and Lye to Wye via Rye. This was to maximise mileage possibility and routeing flexibility, as well as teasing the ticket issuing section who clearly thought I was a bit mad. […and we thought that everyone had Wick to Penzance.] It was all good fun and worked, although sometimes caused strange looks from ticket inspectors who rarely ventured to admit their ignorance by asking where the destination was - or if they did know, why I was on a particularly obscure route way off the most obvious one! These facilities also allowed me to cover railway routes that were new to me and visit new Football League grounds and, by the end of my time in Birmingham, I had aggregated 59 of 'the 92'. It reached a climax in Mar 1970 when I managed eleven new grounds in that month alone, each one by train. Tue 28 Oct 1969 - Northampton Town FC, then on the Scottish sleeper via Market Harborough to Nottingham and back to Birmingham using the all night bus service to return to my digs. Sat 8 Nov 1969 - Leeds to Castleford, Whitley Bridge and Goole (via the old North West route through Oakhill Jn). Then on to Hull, Boothferry Park Halt for Hull City v my beloved Preston North End. After, it was back to Brum via Hull, York and Normanton to Sheffield (Turners Lane to Calder Bridge chord). Sat 6 Dec 1969 - Stoke City FC then an 'overnighter' so it was off to Manchester Piccadilly for an 01.47 departure via Woodhead to Penistone then Barnsley and on directly to Mexborough and Doncaster. Next was the 04.00 to Hull via Selby, 07.50 to Leeds and then on to Sheffield via the Holbeck/ Farnley Viaduct line to Wakefield Kirkgate, continuing via Cudworth. A convoluted, gruelling but rewarding trip picking up several obscure routes which were slated for closure, mostly from 5 Jan 1970. Sat 13 Dec 1969 - a double 'overnighter' to the West Country starting from Brum on Friday night and returning there on Sunday morning! This brought in Taunton to Minehead and Newton Abbot to Kingswear routes, followed by Torquay United FC and finally Exeter to Okehampton. Ironically, these are all open again now. I think this confirmed that I was indeed 'mad' and was certainly knackered. After New Year 1970,I remember realising that my spell in Brum was coming to an end and that before mid-April I had to make the best use of the time left. On reflection this was silly really, as afterwards the pace did not slacken although the geography did change. Line closures were coming thick and fast, so there was much to do! Feb proved to be strangely quiet, mainly due to inclement weather, but Jan and mad Mar/early Apr were very productive. Four consecutive Saturdays in Jan (10th to 31st) took me to Lincolnshire twice plus Devon and Norfolk, thus piling up the miles and the following route prizes: ●10th - Grimsby to Boston plus the Mablethorpe Branch, although sadly not continuity through Firsby,
that I can prove, as the importance of this requirement had not been factored in to my positioning in the several trains concerned. Oh yes and there was a match at Grimsby Town FC. Sadly, much of the East Lincolnshire network shut down en masse in the 5 Oct 1970 massacre. ●17th - Skegness to Firsby and via Tumby Woodside to Lincoln, then Sheffield United FC. ●24th - Exeter to Ilfracombe, plus Exeter City FC. (Barnstaple Jn to Ilfracombe closed from 5 Oct 1970). ●31st - Lowestoft Central to Yarmouth South Town (CP 4 May 1970), plus Norwich City FC. Unreadable paper bus tickets in use - the absolute nadir of rural 'long siding' branch lines earmarked for the chop. Jumping to Mar and early Apr I managed, entirely by rail, 13 new Football League grounds at the rate of one every six days to creep (or charge) ever nearer to the holy grail of 92. Journeys included an overnighter on 6/7 Mar, after visiting Watford FC and passing the late evening doing Chesham and Watford Met. It involved the overnight Fishguard boat train from Paddington. This permitted bagging of branches in Pembrokeshire and from Bridgend via Maesteg towards Treherbert. Unfortunately, beyond Cymmer Afan the Rhondda Tunnel had closed on 28 Feb 1970 for safety reasons (it never reopened), so I had to endure a replacement bus in the dark over the mountain to Treherbert, a rather scary experience) before returning to Brum via Cardiff. The following weekend I ventured south again and picked up Alton to Winchester and the Swanage branch along with Portsmouth FC. I rounded off my Birmingham days with a run from Trent via Chellaston Jn through Sinfin to Peartree and Derby. So, from mid-Apr until mid-Oct 1970, I was trapped in London (!) doing my next BR civil engineering training module, in the LM Regional Civil Engineer's office (Stephenson House) near Euston. What was to be done? Well, the twin tasks of gricing new territory and Football League grounds (naturally by train) would have to do I suppose! I was sad to leave Brum but looking forward to new adventures. An opener in late Apr saw me pick up High Wycombe to Bourne End, which closed from 14 May 1970 but, due to my (naïve) choice of trains on this journey and the subsequent legs to Maidenhead and Marlow, I didn't with any certainty achieve continuity at Bourne End, which of course I soon regretted. Lesson learned again à la Firsby. [Some good news, Alan, the buffer stops of both platforms are where the through platforms ended in 1970.] Other early ventures into the suburbs covered Broad Street to Finsbury Park, Epping to Ongar, Stratford to North Woolwich and both curves to Tilbury Riverside. In 1970 almost all trains via Tilbury reversed at Tilbury Riverside station and called there. The rare track was the avoiding line then, now used by all trains but then only by two Up morning peak trains and two Down in the evening peak SSuX, of course. Once domestic arrangements were established, the time from the start of the Summer timetables on 4 May 1970 (Southern Region 12 months from 6 Oct 1969) until early Oct focused on three pursuits: 1. Filling in the routes of the Southern Region and suburban London. 2. Maxing out the potential of summer Saturdays and overnight journeys. 3. A tour of Southern Ireland. It was a frantic period with intense planning and meticulous execution to ensure opportunities were not squandered! It sounds like a military campaign and was just as disciplined with a new job to fit in. The four Saturdays 20 Jun until 11 Jul were quite mad, with overnights spent on trains when required, particularly Fri/Sat, to set up the next day to the ultimate degree. So, on 20 Jun I arrived at Norwich from Liverpool Street in the middle of the night and, to avoid falling asleep in the station or on a street bench, I walked around the city until the first train to Yarmouth (it wasn't 'Great' in BR days until the 15 May 1989 timetable). This was nicely in time to catch the Saturday dated train/railtour to Retford (and, for others, also stations beyond) taking in the Norwich avoider, Ely avoider, March to Spalding, Sleaford avoider and the Lincoln avoider. 1970 PSUL shows that this must have been the 11.55 SO Yarmouth to Sheffield as it, and the 07.05 SO Chesterfield to Yarmouth, were the only passenger trains shown to do Pyewipe Jn - Greetwell Jn the then 3m 17ch Lincoln Avoiding Line (which avoided those notorious level crossings in Lincoln city too!) It was closed to through traffic from 14 Nov 1983. My return swept up the normal routes through Lincoln Central, Sleaford and Ely stations and then directly back to Liverpool St for a sleep. The next Saturday I set off from St Pancras via the Midland
Main Line to Chesterfield and then via Barrow Hill and Masborough before taking the Hexthorpe Jn to Bentley Jn, southwest to northeast Doncaster Avoiding Line, towards Goole then the Hull Avoider (Anlaby Road Jn - West Parade North Jn) and on to Scarborough. After three new bits of route the return to London was uneventful! PSUL shows that this was on the 08.37 SO Leicester to Scarborough summer dated service - the only train then booked to do that particular Doncaster Avoiding Line. The following midweek allowed a brief trip in south London to do the future Tramlink sections from New Beckenham via Elmers End to Sanderstead (peak service only, 2-car EMU shuttle) and from Woodside to Addiscombe while they were still BR services. Then it was into another taxing weekend to Leicester on the Friday night (3 Jul) for a dated Weymouth holiday train. By this time I had become well used to such overnight activities so had become 'trained' to stay awake which is a good job or there was a likelihood I would have slept through the route across the Home Counties which led from Mill Hill to Hendon (via the Goods Lines) then Brent N o 2, Neasden Jn, Acton Wells Jn, Kew Old Jn and Chertsey, Addlestone Jn to Byfleet Jn before heading along the SW Main Line to Weymouth. That, however, was not really enough, so my journey back to London also took in the Bridport branch, although sadly not continuity onto the branch (ECS and railtours only) and unfortunately left no time to explore the closed route through to West Bay - and eventually over the Didcot West Chord. The pace was relentless and having caught up on sleep I was off again on the Monday night boat train from Paddington to Fishguard Harbour and return, both ways to cover the Swansea District Line. The Wednesday was a comparative doddle, to Hastings and back incorporating, amongst other lines, Tunbridge Wells Central to Eridge, CP 12 Aug 1985 and partly reopened as the Spa Valley Railway. The fourth of these consecutive gruelling weekend trips took me from Victoria to Dover Priory early on the Saturday to catch the Birmingham seasonal extra - as you do - and, after reversal at Minster and through Ramsgate it went 'around' London by way of Brixton to Factory Jn, Latchmere Jn, Kensington Olympia, Willesden Jn Main Line and the West Coast Main Line. It just had to be done. 804] Liverpool Street: Due to swingeing cuts decreed by the Treasury and the mass transfer of passengers to the Elizabeth line, NR is to rationalise the complex layout at Liverpool Street and simplify the signalling as an economy measure. The proposed new layout is shown (Elizabeth line diverges right). 1445 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected] 805] Southeastern Timetable Changes 2 Jun: Some trains will be retimed to give more even spacing or lengthened or and there will be some additional trains, particularly in the peaks. Other changes: Additional SO morning trains from Tunbridge Wells to Charing Cross, increasing from 3tph to 4tph. Victoria - Dartford service extend to Gravesend SuX so the Bexleyheath line has through trains to ….Greenhithe and Gravesend. Cannon Street to Gravesend is reduced to a few peak services only. Albany Park calls increase from 2tph to 4tph each way. (tph = trains per hour) Evening peak service on the Bromley North branch increases from 2tph to 3tph. 806] Colindale: (BLN 1442.427) During the part closure of the Northern line between Golders Green (exclusive) and Edgware from 2-11 Apr (incl) for Colindale station redevelopment, trains are booked to reverse alternately in P2 and P3 at Golders Green. There is no scheduled use of the Northbound Loop. 807] St Pancras: On 13 Feb, Shrove Tuesday, Southeastern renamed the HS2 terminus as St Pancake and wished its customers a 'flippin (sic) good Pancake Day', as it has done every year for the last five years. 808] London Trams (Croydon): (BLN 1444.690) During the Fri 29 Mar to Wed 24 Apr extensive closure, trams run from Wimbledon to Wellesley Road stop in service and shunt via the crossover on George Street (renewed during the last closure). They restart in service to Wimbledon from George Street stop. The main work is on pointwork at East Croydon and Sandilands Jn. ('British Trams Online')
809] Blackheath Tunnel: The 1m 49ch line between Charlton Jn and Blackheath Jn is to close for repairs to the 1,681yd long Blackheath Tunnel from 1 Jun to 10 Aug inclusive. Trains will be diverted via Greenwich, calling additionally at stations on that route. The tunnel (OP 30 July 1849) has been experiencing increasing amounts of damage to track and electrical equipment from rainwater ingress. During the tunnel closure, NR will replace tens of thousands of bricks and install a new concrete tunnel lining. Drainage systems will be rebuilt and track work carried out, including removing the 'wet bed'. Several filled-in construction shafts will be strengthened and a specialist industrial cleaner will be used to remove the soot that built up during the days of steam haulage. 810] Easter Engineering Work: There are no Victoria to London Bridge via Streatham Hill and Crystal Palace services on Sun 31 Mar for switches and crossings and timbers to be replaced along with further preparations for resignalling between Balham and Beckenham Junction. This is the reason for the London Overground West Croydon half hourly service to London Bridge that day (BLN 1442.429). Between Brixton Jn and Denmark Hill, a new signal gantry will be installed for the resignalling scheme, pointwork refurbishment and vegetation clearance also takes place. Southeastern and Thameslink trains that normally run via the Catford Loop divert via Kent House on all four Easter days. Victoria to Dartford services start from Cannon Street. TfL will also be carrying out work on the core section of the East London line, with no service between Highbury & Islington and New Cross/Clapham Junction. TfL work suspends the Elizabeth line Paddington to Stratford/Abbey Wood and the DLR between Tower Gateway and Shadwell and between Westferry/Canary Wharf and Stratford/ Canning Town. On Sun 31 Mar and Mon 1 Apr, there will be structural repairs at Bethnal Green, OHLE repairs between there and Hackney Downs and engineering work at Enfield Town. Greater Anglia services will be diverted via Stratford and there will be no London Overground services between Liverpool Street and Chingford/Enfield Town/Cheshunt. On all four Easter days, track relaying near Kensal Green Tunnel and renewal of pointwork south of Milton Keynes Central station will result in no service between Milton Keynes Central and Euston. Caledonian Sleeper services will be diverted to/from King's Cross. 811] Richmond: (BLN 1444.697) The 2 Oct 1988 'Battery Rover' railtour only needed a British Rail pilotman, as they were then known, between Richmond and Wimbledon. [Your BLN Editor apologies for any unintended confusion which the BLN 1444 wording may have caused.] NR, SWR and the Railway Heritage Trust have funded a refurbishment of the art deco style station which dates from 1936. Work includes cleaning the Portland stone façade, repairing the timber entrance doors and polishing its bronze work, repairing flagpoles and refurbishing the toilets. If additional funding is available, further work will restore original features that have been lost or covered up over time. 812] Waterloo Masterplan: Lambeth Council, NR and several other organisations have commissioned a consultancy team to develop a plan to transform the station and surrounding area. At the station, the existing concourse would be increased in size by 40%, although it is not clear how this will be achieved. The undercroft would be developed with a new concourse linked to the platforms above by lifts and escalators, an east-west pedestrian route and new retail outlets. There would be 11 new or enhanced entrances, including one at undercroft level to Lower Marsh. The Cab Road at the front of the station would be pedestrianised and there would be a new footbridge link across to Waterloo East station. There would also be a new bus and taxi interchange. Details at https://tinyurl.com/5ykmca6m 1445 EAST MIDLANDS (Nick Garnham) [email protected] 813] Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station: At the final working coal fired power station in the British Isles, no coal trains have run since Mon 5 th Feb. During Jan, there were one or two most days from Humber International Terminal at Immingham. The Power Station is due to close on 30 Sep 2024 but may well cease generating before. On Mon 12 Feb, the latest/last (?) limestone arrived by rail from Tunstead Sidings for the Flue Gas Desulphurisation Plant. https://grid.iamkate.com/ is an interesting website revealing how our electricity is generated or imported with interesting historic data over the last day, year or since 2012. https://www.gridwatch.templar.co.uk/ has instantaneous and historic data (you can see what happens in France too!). Most days, UK coal generation is less than 2% of our electricity.
Once intensively used, wagons for carrying coal can be seen at various locations in storage awaiting further use, or scrapping. Imported coal is still carried from Immingham Bulk Terminal Coal Pad 1 to Scunthorpe Steelworks Coal Handling Plant for the blast furnaces (10 trains 1 until 13 Mar, then 20, 21 & 25 Mar). Our last hope for coal - the final coal trains - will be from Immingham Humber International Terminal to Earles Sidings for Hope Cement Works, roughly weekly of late. Oxwellmains Cement works certainly used to burn coal - does it still? One kiln is reported to have burnt coal, plus liquid wastes from 1994, petcoke (petroleum coke, a solid material derived from oil residue) from 1996; tyres from 1999 and sewage sludge from 2012‽ There are reports of coal being transported by road from Redcar Bulk Terminal. There were a couple of trial trains of coal in MEA wagons, running round at Dunbar; one arrived 05.30 on 14 Jun 2023 with 66013 and the other next day at 05.15 but that was it. 814] Scunthorpe Trent Jn: (TRACKmaps 2 p33A 2020) Due to a broken cast crossing, the Down Main Line at Scunthorpe was closed at 15.00 on 12 Mar, Down passenger services (towards Doncaster) were authorised to travel on the Down Scunthorpe Goods line from North Lincoln Jn (24m 25ch) as far as Frodingham Jn (23m 13ch), east of Scunthorpe station. Trains to/from Roxby Gullet had to go to Barnetby Down Reception to run round in the sidings there - there was one on 13 Mar. The broken component had to be specially made and repairs were complete for start of service on Sun 24 Mar. 815] Northampton Gateway: (BLN 1438.2467) (TRACKmaps 4 p4D 2022) South of the station, from Mon 1 Apr at Courteenhall Jn (61m 32ch), a new facing crossover is to be installed from the Down Northampton line to the Up Northampton line in addition to a new connection trailing into the Up Northampton from Northampton Gateway Terminal. All three sets of points will be secured out of use for later commissioning (they were reported by NR to have been installed over Christmas, and the 24 Feb Sectional Appendix shows them as already in situ but perhaps it is finishing off work??). 1445 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected] 816] West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA): When the northern leg of HS2 was cancelled, it was promised that all the funding would be invested in other transport projects (including roads). One was a long mooted Leeds area tram system but there was no detail. WYCA has now published plans for two tram lines in Leeds and Bradford ahead of the Mayoral election in May (no doubt a coincidence!). The 'Leeds Line' would run from St James' Hospital (northeast of city centre) to White Rose Shopping Centre (on the Dewsbury line) via the city centre and Elland Road. The 'Bradford Line' would share the Leeds Line route to the city centre and then run to Forster Square via the proposed new station south of Bradford city centre. The project, estimated to cost over £2bn, is not an unreasonable proposal. As has been reported before, Leeds is the largest city in Europe without either a metro or tram system, so long overdue. In 2004 Alastair Darling, the Labour Transport Minister, cancelled Leeds Supertram after £40M had been spent on it, because, at £1bn, it was considered to be too expensive at the time. On 14 Mar WYCA approved the submission of the strategic outline case to the DfT. This would then be subject to a full business case and approvals process, including public consultation on the exact routes. A Transport & Works Act Order would then be sought. The WYCA hopes that construction could begin in 2028; second generation trams for Leeds were first mooted in 1991. A £1M fund will support work with Kirklees Council to investigate a potential White Rose to Dewsbury line. Longer term trams could reach other destinations in Wakefield, Kirklees (Huddersfield area) and Calderdale (Halifax area). 817] Darlington: (BLN 1443.570) Hoardings have now been erected along the northern part of P1 to keep passengers away from the works to install a new footbridge to the new platforms on the Up (east) side to the station. The flowerbeds behind the hoardings were cleared, then removed. There is still access to WH Smith from P4 (only). There is a new ticket and information kiosk on P4. It is thought that the existing Travel Centre will close and be removed. The kiosk would be a very poor substitute. South of the station, Smithfield Rd is closed until the bridge over it is rebuilt (BLN 1439.32). Next to it was a loading dock on the Up side, where the fill has been removed, leaving the brick walls. New cable troughing is being installed, so the connection can be laid in from the Eaglescliffe line to new bay P6 on the Up side. More troughing is being installed on the Up side north of the station. Many excavators and other plant are active, although not much of the new track layout is visible yet.
818] Northumberland Line: ❶NR now believes that Condition G10.1.1 has been satisfied and the proposed Network Change Variation (Introduction of Passenger Rail Services on this route) can now be implemented. [That's fortunate.] Network Change Part 'G' concerns the procedures which NR and the operators must go through with certain types of change, for instance acceptance by other train operators. Section G10 refers to Establishment & Implementation of a Network Change by NR. In this case, this would be other operators on the ECML (where there would be very little impact) and freight operators on the line itself. The latter are dealt with by the additional loops added south of Newsham. The passenger service schedules are now showing in Real Time Trains etc as 'Q' (conditional) paths after the 2 Jun timetable change. The service from Ashington will be 2tph SuX 06.00-19.30 then hourly roughly until 22.30 and hourly SuO 08.36-22.36 (from Newcastle 2tph 06.16-20.16 then 21.16 & 22.16; SuO broadly hourly 07.57-21.55). Although only Seaton Delaval, Newsham and Ashington will open this summer (BLN 1441.297), stops are shown at all six stations. No projected opening dates have been given for the other three: Northumberland Park, Blyth Bebside and Bedlington. Northumberland Park may give rise to confusion, seeing as there is one in London, so one wonders how the stations will be differentiated. Open Rail Query merely has two entries, each called just Northumberland Park! Realtime Trains suffixes the Northumberland Line one with a 'Ne' (yes, a lower case 'e'). It would look odd to call it Northumberland Park (Northumberland) - (Newcastle maybe?) would the one 'down south' agree to be renamed to Northumberland Park (London) perhaps? ❷Off-peak fares have now been confirmed by Northern. The maximum off-peak single will be less than £3 and passengers will be able to combine peak and off-peak tickets to achieve the best value. These are incredibly cheap for the distances and services offered but the maximum government subsidised bus fare is mostly £2 and Northern needs to fill the trains. Any ideas about peak fares? At a 19 Mar meeting of the region's Joint Transport Committee, agreement was reached for Metro's Pop 'Pay As You Go' smart cards to be used at Northumberland Line stations and Pop fares extended to those areas. For passengers aged under 22 a single journey anywhere across the expanded network will be £1 and all day travel will be capped at £2.20 (£1.70 U16). For Adults, a single journey (Pop card) will cost between £1.80 and £3.80 depending on distance; the daily cap will be between £2.90 and £6.20 giving a clue about peak fares. It is hoped that, under the new regional mayor, due to be elected in May, such integrated fares will be extended to all Metro, bus, and rail services across the North East. Ticketing will be integrated with the T&W Metro and the Metro system enhanced to support through fares but interchange at Northumberland Park may be quite some way off! A new Metro Zone 'D' will include Ashington and Bedlington. Meanwhile Blyth Bebside, Newsham and Seaton Delaval will be added to the existing Zone 'C' and Northumberland Park will be in Zone 'B', with the Metro station. Validators will be installed at each station, allowing Nexus Pop Cards to be used on the new services. A local member foresees a complication: Metro does not have peak fares at present; he suggests that perhaps peak fares will apply only on rail journeys where no interchange is made. [But wouldn't that just mean that people will use the Metro to/from Northumberland Park to avoid paying peak fares?]. ❸(BLN 1444.711.3) North Seaton gate box closed on Sat 9 Mar after the passage of 6N23, the 18.27 Lynemouth to Tyne Coal Terminal (with 60026 'Helvellyn'), 46 min early, passing Marchey's House box at 18.01. Black Close Bank (the road) was then closed for three weeks to demolish the box and install the new barrier control equipment. The box dated from Mar 1872 and much original timber boarding was in place under the plastic cladding. It is thought to have been built for the Blyth & Tyne Railway by Stevens & Sons of London. With the cooperation of Network Rail (NR), the FARSAP group (Film Archive of Railway Signalling & People) has been documenting local boxes, measuring them and videoing the interior. The results will be supplied to NR, local history groups and the (National) Railway Museum (NRM). FARSAP is a collaboration between the Friends of the NRM and the Signalling Record Society. ❹(BLN 1444.711.2) The 16-18 Mar Marchey's House track renewal was cancelled, reasons unknown. ❺Geoff Marshall recently visited the line. As well as riding on one of the special trains, a visit was arranged to Newsham station site for him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0VY6Q8C4l0&t=78s
[BLN 1BELOW: (Item 818.2) The new Metro Zone 'D' for tthe plan has an interesting non-geographical alignm
1445] he northern section of the Northumberland Line, ment between Northumberland Park and Manors!
BELOW: The last time North Seaton gate box on the Northumberlan(Neil Mackay, Sat 9 Mar
nd Line worked the level crossing here; item 818.3 has the details. r 2024 at about 17.50.)
BELOW: (BLN 1443.570) A long way round; hoarding along Darlington P1 looki
ng north - it's the same in the other direction. (Rodger Wilkinson, 7 Mar 2024.)
[BLN 1BELOW: (Item 820) Showing how the A66 road 'improvemenThe course of the former Penrith - Kirkby Stephen East - S
1445] nts' impinge on the remains of Bowes station. (Bill Wilson.) Stainmore to Barnard Castle - Darlington) Iine is marked.
BELOW: (Item 820) Looking a bit like a ruined castle, the remains of Bowes staThat window frame, right, was on one of the two platforms - it was doub
ation building which CP & CG 22 Jan 1962. (Photos ©Bill Wilson, 8 Mar 2024.) ble track. NEXT: Taken from the other side (the former main entrance).
BELOW: Steps down to the A67; but no sign of the goods shed or second set of
f steps on: http://disused-stations.org.uk/b/bowes/index.shtml (many photos).
❻Chase Meadows foot crossing at 14m 12ch, just south of the future Blyth Bebside station, will close from 4 Apr. It was intended to install a new footbridge to replace it but rising costs mean other options are being considered, including a cheaper type of bridge. As a bridge will not be built before crew training starts in early Apr, the crossing must be closed on safety grounds. Following commissioning of new signalling, these trains will run faster and more frequently than before. The crossing is classed as 'high risk', with 96 pedestrians/cyclists using it a day on average and deliberate misuse or user errors. 819] Leamside Line: The government has provided £350,000 to fund a'Strategic Outline Business Case' for reopening of the southern section of this lifted railway, between Ferryhill and Washington only. 820] Darlington - Kirkby Stephen East: National Highways has published its plans for the new Bowes Bypass section of the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project. Looking through the maps, a member remarks that the remains of Bowes station (CP 22 Jan 1962) 'will be put out of their misery' with these works. He recalls seeing the station 'gradually crumble' on his annual trips up to Scotland since the existing Bowes Bypass was built. Google Street View images are available (zoom in): https://maps.app.goo.gl/TN7qvtM9faP7B7xo7 and https://maps.app.goo.gl/9PCpxHR8BLTVsRwB6 http://disused-stations.org.uk/b/bowes/index1.shtml (E&OE) has photos of the station showing its gradual collapse over the years. Bowes, the first station east of Stainmore Summit, was 6 miles west of Barnard Castle. This section OG 26 Mar 1861 Barnard Castle to Barras (the first station west of the summit), OP 8 Aug 1861 throughout from Barnard Castle to Tebay; onward to Penrith opened later. Through freight traffic was withdrawn from 4 Jul 1960. On 22 Jan 1962 Barnard Castle to Penrith CP; CA Tees Valley Jn (Barnard Castle) - Merrygill (Hartley Quarry) 1½ miles east of Kirkby Stephen East. 821] Middlesbrough - Saltburn: (BLN 1441.308) On 4 Mar, Tees Valley Combined Authority submitted plans to Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council to develop a 'transport hub' at South Bank, linked to the Teesworks site and Freeport. A local member hasn't seen anything on the Council's planning portal. The £40M allocated includes a new station car park, Park & Ride facility, 'widened platform' (singular) and accessible footbridge with lifts. Our member can't see how a wider platform and footbridge with lifts could fit in the existing space. He suggests this will require either moving the Down P2 or slewing the Goods Lines northwards. The platforms are staggered each side of the present footbridge. South Bank is unusual as the greatest passenger use in the last five years was in 2022-23. The most popular destination is Redcar Central (7,218 journeys in 2022-23 21% of the total). 822] Edlingham: (BLN 1426.1470) The old station, seven miles out of Alnwick on the Coldstream line, is failing to attract buyers.Perhaps it is overpriced at £800k,in spite of its very attractive scenic location or there is concern about the trackbed becoming a foot/cyclepath. https://tinyurl.com/yc3mdmks has details, plans and 70 photos. The detached 3-bedroom bungalow in 1½ acres has many original railway features, including the platform, but the 'signal box' (guest accommodation or holiday let) is fake - it was at the other end of the station on the opposite side of the line. [Maybe too 'distant' from 'home'?] 823] Hull Paragon: ①(BLN 1443.558) On 12 Mar, P1 became officially available for passenger use again. When the short platform was closed to passengers it was then used for stabling until failing a gauging exam (loose edging) so was taken out of use. On Wed 20 Mar, a local member arrived by train at 19.21 to find 3-car DMU 170476 in Hull P1. However, it has been confirmed that it only worked ECS. There is to be an official opening. Our locally based Membership Secretary and her well known gricer extraordinaire husband will be invited to cut the ribbon, hopefully. Also on 12 Mar, a member noticed that P1 departure board was working. It made reference to a character by the name of 'Man Piccad', presumably some strange species living with 'Woman Piccad' on the other side of the Pennines. On Mon 25 Mar, another local member spotted that the 22.45 DMU departed in passenger service from P1, platform numbers are not amended at Hull by the box in online systems but he took a photo! ②Waiting for a train this day, our member noticed 185143 in P5 showing Saltburn on the destination box on both ends and on the side panels. This was no doubt a trial run for Northern’s new 'East Coast Express' service - perhaps using skyhooks or magnetic levitation between Scarborough and Boulby! South Bank 2018-19 23,282 2019-20 27,624 2020-21 11,296 2021-22 30,198 2022-23 33,636
BELOW: (Item 823.1) A passenger departure from Hull bay P1 on Mon 25 Mar 2024. (James Beal.)
[BLN 1BELOW: Next day (Tue 26 Mar) the 22.45 to Sheffield went from P4 (as bookeout of P1 returning on the 23.37 from Beverley (the 23.06 ex-Bridlington) whbidirectional he was delighted, job done both ways in 36 minutes. There havedid not change. P1 has no booked use shown (even ECS), including in the new
1445] ed) but our local gricer extraordinaire caught the 23.16 to Beverley, (BELOW) hich just happened to arrive in P1 (NEXT); both are booked for P4. As Alan is e to be some advantages to living in Hull! As usual, online platform numbers w June timetable. Could be a tricky one for the rest of us… (Alan Sheppard.)
BELOW: (Item 824) The Up side embankment slip just east of Pontefract Mon
khill from Water Lane. (Photos by local member John Wrigley, 15 Mar 2024.)
BELOW: Pontefract Monkhill P2 to Leeds via Wakefield DMU on the trailing cro
ossover heading for Wakefield (Castleford off right); note the switch diamond.
BELOW: Round the corner on the Castleford line is the relaid, but not yet com
mmissioned, trailing crossover (56m 65ch) before Prince of Wales signal box.
BELOW: Despite appearances, Prince of Wales box is operational until resig
gnalling; there used to be a colliery of that name here. Castleford is off left.
BELOW: (Item 830) The north end of Crossley Evans Scrapyard, the NR connect
tion was through the gate; looking towards Shipley; the EMU is to Bradford FS.
BELOW: Looking south to Bradford FS (EMU to Leeds); the site is being cleare
d for the new EMU Depot - a Morrisons store was once planned for the site.
BELOW: Further south looking north to Shipley, from the footbridge in the las
st photo. The first two were taken from Valley Rd (A6037) overbridge ahead.
BELOW: From the same bridge looking south to Bradford FS, scrapyard hea
adshunt right; the EMU is for Leeds. (All five Stuart Marshall, 8 Mar 2024.)
BELOW: (TRACKmaps 2 p41 2020 shows the scrapyard layout, now revealedtaken from a northbound EMU. Note the three 'blocked up' arches of the ov