1411

e descending car at the top station (no wonder he doesn't sell tickets as well).









MR207] (SVR) Continued: As usual multiday tickets/family tickets were available with small discounts
for advance booking (but these incur a booking fee). The timetable saw through Kidderminster to
Bridgnorth trains every 65 mins, with shorter distance shuttles (two rakes of coaches) following each
train from Kidderminster to Highley, (shunt to loop siding and re-engine). Shuttles between alternate
trains (one, two vehicle rake only) used D9551 (although branded as 50). Four full length rakes were
required, one teak, one GWR and two BR. Locos running were: D182, 20048, 31466, 40106, 50033,
50035, 50049 (not 50007 as advertised), D1015, D1062 running as D1040 'Western Queen' currently,
55009, D9551, our member managed some runs behind all of them! Almost all trains ran close to time
until mid-afternoon, but there were some sheep on the line south of Bridgnorth in the afternoon.

However, D182 (after a storming acceleration away from a speed restriction approaching Bridgnorth)
was clearly winded and wouldn't start for about 20 minutes approaching the station signals on the
15.45 arrival, leading to the shuttle leaving at 16.10 and the return train to Kidderminster somewhat
behind it. Despite leaving Hampton Loade about 15 down and passing other delayed trains, it made
Kidderminster on time at 17.40! Relatively unusually, our reporter alighted at all open stations and
managed to obtain platform tickets at Hampton Loade for a donation and Highley from a machine
(10p). Arley wasn't open when he called, he rang the bell, but no one came. At Kidderminster tours of
the diesel depot were available and the station concourse was full of trade stands. Overall, a good day.

MR208] Strawberry Line Miniature Railway, Somerset (2022 Supp 2) (BLN 1404.MR135): Between
2009 and 2015 on a June evening Mike Bass, then owner of the (then) 5" gauge railway, would invite
RCTS Bristol and Bath Railway Society members to ride and drive trains on the railway. On arrival brief
driving instructions were given, the most important one being to obey all the colour light signals, as at
the bottom of the figure of eight layout was a flat crossing. On the last visit a hump shunting yard was
under construction, which would probably make it the only miniature railway anywhere with a hump
shunting yard. It is not known if the yard was completed and operational before the owner retired.

MR209] Statfold Barn Railway, Staffordshire (MR p24) (BLN 1360.MR136): Two members visited the
railway over the weekend of 10 -11 September and noted a number of developments. Coogan Halt on
the main 2ft gauge track has been upgraded. The platform now has a paved edge and a significantly
widened hard surface. Work is ongoing inside the balloon loop with several small huts on stilts having
been constructed, which will [our reporter was told] be part of a new children's play area. No further
work has yet taken place on the proposed 2ft track extension running from the balloon loop directly to
the main running line near the tram shed, although a hardcore track bed has in place for some time.

MR210] Mease Valley Light Railway, Staffordshire: This is a brand new 12¼" gauge railway now under
construction at the Statfold Barn Railway site (previous item). A five road shed with the name 'Mease
Valley Light Railway' on its side has been built, with a turntable outside. From the shed the track
continues along the side of the event field crossing the main access road to that area and overnight
parking site. Beyond the road there are signs of a further extension. The current track is set in
concrete and runs for about 200m, an extension could easily double that. Already here is an Alan Keef
diesel loco and some coaches said to be from the Liverpool Garden Festival Railway. Work is not yet
complete and one of the Statfold staff said that they have currently 'run out of track', but the plan is to
extend it significantly into the field to the west of the bridleway.

MR211] Saltburn Cliff Railway, North Yorkshire (MR p34) (BLN 1332.MR131): This 4'2½" gauge twin
track cliff railway reopened on Thursday 2 June 2022 (after being closed since the Pandemic) - just in
time for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. However, due to maintenance it did not run on 14
July or 22 August - check Facebook pages before travelling! However, it certainly ran on Saturday 22
October when our excellent 'Saltburn Alternative' tour was in town. Only single fares are charged,
(cash only £1.50 Adult, Child 4-16 £1, Dogs free & family 2A & 3C or 1A & 4C £4.50) up or down, with
all payments made at the bottom. There was a long queue to ascend but no queue at all to descend.

This reduced the number who could ascend per trip as the railway (also described as a funicular or lift
in publicity) is water balanced. Thus, if there is no one descending only around seven passengers can
ascend of combined weight just less than the weight of the other car with its tank full of water.

If say seven people descend then 14 could ascend - a variable amount of water is added to balance.
Perhaps the answer is to sell return fares only like most cliff railways do‽ Filling the tank at the top is a
highly skilled task which was demonstrated to two of our members by the operator. The railway was
fully refurbished during the prolonged Covid closure; remarkably the cars have stained glass windows.

MR212] Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway, Lincolnshire (MR p20) (BLN 1400.1205): A member visited
this 15" gauge railway on 5 August - his first visit for many years. The Lakeside to Humberston North
Sea Lane extension (which crosses the Greenwich Meridian Line and opened on 26 May 2007) had
been out of use for some time with rusty rails. It closed after service on Saturday 1 June 2019 due to a
level crossing defect. There seems to be an ongoing dispute as to who is responsible for the required
repairs - the Council or the Railway. It is the Automatic Open Crossing Locally Monitored over
Meridian Road where the line takes a sharp curve to run parallel with the foreshore. The signal box at
Humberston North Sea Lane is a dummy which hides a generator on its lower floor. Our reporter had
time to walk the extension both ways (2 x 15 minutes) during his hour at Lakeside.

1411 FIXTURE REPORTS (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
2570] The BLS Silesian Explorer 24-28 Jun 2022 Part 4: (BLN 1410.243) E-BLN 1407 has the marked up
maps; for itinerary search 'Silesian' in top right box on our website 'Archive'. By Simon Mortimer et al.

Day 5 - The Finale - Tue 28 Jun: As predicted it was a much cooler morning. After a couple of hours on
local tram routes, thanks to a very leisurely 08.48 departure, our congregating on Wrocław Główny P6
(inevitably) was becoming like a familiar gathering of passengers who always 'go up to town' on the
same commuter train each morning. For some reason, after being stoically ignored by the station's PIS
for four days, this morning we popped up as the 08.48 to Nysa (train CK66217). However, nothing was
simple for our CTL (from Chem Trans Logic) Logistics grey liveried SM42 2189 as it tried to run round
with a local DMU SA139013 in the way, although the permissive working was amply demonstrated.

Finally, at 08.52, we roared out of the station on our final orbit around Silesia heading for Line 285,
diving under the main Wrocław avoiding ring and onto a passenger line - but only since 12 Jun 2022…
just 16 days previously! As we bowled along the clearly relaid and beautifully smooth track some of
the identical stations were still being finished off; at one two men were laying paving on an access
path (passengers just stepped around them). Can you imagine in UK, this would be declared a building
site, the public totally excluded and the station unopened; just occasionally, common sense is handy!

The local cart passed us and looked quite well frequented, so perhaps this reopening will be justified.
After another photo stop at Sobótka, on approaching Świdnica we had requested the direct curve
avoiding Świdnica Miasto (Miasto = Town) and the need to go to Jaworzyna Śląska for reversal and
back. However the requested avoiding curve was not yet fully signalled and operational (it will form
part of the reconstructed line onwards to Jedlina Zdrój due to open in 2023), so it was onto Jaworzyna
Śląska where we reversed. Our tour returned via Świdnica Miasto for a photo stop at Ząbkowice
Śląskie where we passed another local DMU SA132002. Then we took the long rural route which has
varied between no services, summer weekend all stations (which your reporter had partaken) and
now daily Inter City trains. Traversed or not, and in what, we pressed on towards Nysa after more
photos at Paczków where our driver made a point of posing in the sun, leaning out of his cab window.

Loitering (with intent to grice) at Nysa, your member noted that the station was decrepit but part of it
had a gym with a full sized boxing ring installed; how many stations in the world have a full sized
boxing ring? [Knockholt‽] The station was having a full makeover, in typical Polish fashion, so then had
fewer facilities than before, but McDonalds had opened just a stone's throw away. Despite having had
the fifth iteration of chicken and potatoes earlier (blissfully unaware of the McD option approaching),
this still offered a chance for a flurry of McFlurries. In the yard a familiar sight was Freightliner Class 66
66003 [not DBC's UK 66003 moonlighting]. It was new to Poland so has never set a wheel in the UK
and looked quite small against its wagons, highlighting the disparity between the UK and Berne gauges.
This still bedevils many aspects of UK railway operations - the price for providing the prototype for the
rest of the world. On reflection, perhaps the original GWR broad gauge wasn't such a bad idea?

BELOW: Wrocław Główny P6, the final day, at last our tour is recog
NEXT: Nysa Yard, Freightliner Poland 66003 is built to UK loading gauge b

gnised by the Passenger Information System (as the 08.48 to Nysa).
but has never been over here and contrasts with its Berne Gauge wagons.





BELOW: Re-boarding on the junction for the Krapowice branch after the train h

had propelled back from Prudnik station. (All Simon Mortimer unless specified.)

BELOW: Prudnik, (previous boarding point ahead in the distance) from the

rear of train going around the back of the yard heading off to Krapkowice.

BELOW: SM42-2189 with the railtour train at Krapkowice. (All ph

hotos were taken Tue 28 Jun 2022, this one by Iain Scotchman.)

[BLN 1
BELOW: Krapkowice station as SM42 2189 begins to run round stock th

NEXT PAGE: After running round and propelling back level

1411]
hen afterwards propelled it past this spot beyond station (see report).
l with the station building - well, it was some extra track.





BELOW: Back to Day 2, from Żagań Railway Museum, WWI Russian prisoner

rs apparently working at the railway roundhouse in Sagan (German name).

BELOW: Talking of Żagań, a collection for the crew on Day 5 raised 1,202.34 Po

olish Zloty which they donated to the Railway Museum there. (Iain Scotchman.)

We departed at 14.10 and headed towards the Czech Republic… just not quite close enough for your
correspondent who, having reversed at Głuchołazy a long time ago from CD land, still needs the few
kilometres from the junction at Nowy Świętów to there as we swept through and onto Prudnik.
We ran into the station and initially anticipated veering left onto the branch but there were no tracks!

Then it was realised that the branch is accessed via the adjacent yard and we had passed the points.
Prudnik has a very large but apparently abandoned station although it's possible to seek shelter in the
cavernous booking hall, even though the doors towards the forecourt seemed to be permanently
locked. So, while many of us were out taking photos (including the organiser!), the train started to
propel back, then drew forward across the points to the yard road accessing the branch! This was
slightly disconcerting at first but, as the train halted, it was realised that we would do the same track
on the return (phew!), so we just clambered aboard and headed off, destination Krapkowice (really).

When it had a through passenger service (to Opole), trains terminated on the line with a footbridge
across to the station building but all traces of that and any platform had long gone. The route became
a 35km branch overnight in 1997 when the line beyond Krapkowice over the River Odra was taken out
by massive floods, affecting a great swathe of this and several nearby countries. Your reporter
remembers being in the Czech Republic then, not staying overnight anywhere and having no mobile in
those days, being perplexed by the sudden absence of overnight trains for some kippage to Slovakia -
it was cut off by the floods! So, this line went from a through route to a branch, with all traffic ending.

Then the Polish Army came to the rescue, as they apparently have a central ammunition depot in the
vicinity (exact location on a 'need to know' basis only). It's a bit like that top secret, OS map deleted
signposted off the M40 to Kineton Central Ammunition depot back in the UK! So, in 2017 the line was
reopened for goods to Krapkowice at the expense of the Polish military who relaid it to an immaculate
standard. The countryside here had settled down again to rolling hills and, as we bowled along, our
presence on the line clearly caught the attention of some locals. I saw a couple come out at the sound
of our passing and stare as we went by. Several closed stations were passed, some being extremely
basic halts but then we hardly saw anything bigger than a hamlet. As we approached Krapkowice
(German Krappitz), an elaborate town hall tower or such like could be seen before we pulled into the
still extant station, much to the surprise of its resident! The woman who lives there was, I think,
further surprised when 50 'odd' people [you said it, Simon,] bailed off and crushed down the
undergrowth to finally reach her lawn on the old platform for photos. She even had an Alsatian dog
that looked as though it might be set on the descending crowd but, in reality, the animal seemed to
want to make friends with more people than possibly it had ever seen in its life!

The line clearly continues on from the old station site and there is also a line trailing in before the
station probably from that central ammunition depot (but don't tell anyone). The station is engulfed in
grass and trees making circling round for photos actually quite a challenge. However, once the SM42
had run round, the organiser managed to persuade them to propel back (for a better photo of course -
ahem). So, from just having reached the platform before we ended up well beyond the station
buildings, there was probably still a platform somewhere. On investigation the impressive tower we
could see from the distance is on the Krappitz Ring (market square), once a centre for leather and
paper making but now diminished. The town is famous for the manufacture of a famous brand of
durable and fragrance free Polish toilet paper 'Mola' - really! (You couldn't make all this up!)

We set off back towards Prudnik, this time people were waiting for us with cameras and phones in
hand, children waved. Clearly our passage along the line had alerted the locals to our inevitable return
and it was something of a special event. As we paralleled a long open stretch of road, one driver in a
4x4 notably slowed with our approach (in his wing mirror) filming us with his phone running, alongside
us, creating a queue of vehicles behind him. Watching this display of driving by knees, the local place
name signs were actually noted to be bilingual, Polish and German. Patryk, our head Turkol* man (and
also in the buffet car), explained that in the Polish local assembly at Opole an MP (Ryszard Galla) was
elected and had established by census that the local German (or half German) minority made up over
40% in a certain area and invoked a law which then says signs need to be bilingual.

There is another minority in Pomerania (Kartuzy way) the Kashubians who similarly have bilingual
signs but these often only vary by one letter. [*Turkol (Turystyka Kolejowa) https://turkol.pl/ is a
small but very active organisation that operate trains for enthusiasts and 'normals' all over Poland.]

We duly gained our vital overlap at Prudnik but unexpectedly reversed back towards the station again
before departing towards Nysa. Allegedly a direct move on and off the branch is not permitted by the
signalling. From Nysa it was via passenger Line 246 to the main line at Brzeg; where there was an
essentially short gathering on the platform (or else we would miss our path) to thank our member Iain
Scotchman for his extensive and unrelenting efforts in the arrangement of this tour and our tour
locomotive driver. By extension we duly acknowledge Iain's aides such as Ian Hutton for considerable
support in itinerary development, on the tour itself and the extensive tour itinerary notes; these
things don't just appear! There was then nothing more than the thrash back up the main to Wrocław
including the obligatory rounding of Brochów Yard on Lines 349 & 763 to our regular P6. THE END!

Except to say well done to and more power to the elbow of the organisers for this; hopefully some
more of the like in the future - heat wave optional! It is worth mentioning that for many, this was the
centrepiece of longer trips taking in more of the fascinating Polish rail network and indeed further
afield. These types of tour are both highly worthwhile in themselves as well as offering the individual a
chance to expand their horizons even more. [Simon Mortimer 29 Jul 2022 with thanks for essential
editorial contributions to Iain Scotchman - including for e-BLN photos - Ian Hutton and Peter Green.]

Postscript (by Ian Hutton): The submitted plan included all connections on/off the western freight ring
but, as explained in the itinerary, many were refused as they were not considered up to passenger
standards. It is appreciated that our BLS type of tour takes considerable time and effort to timetable
and this was an exceedingly complicated request. Each PKP (Polskie Koleje Państwowe - Polish State
Railways) response could delete (or even re-include parts of the route previously deleted) with no
detailed explanation. It was very frustrating trying to understand the reasoning behind some of the
changes, or what happened on the day. For example, the duplication around Wrocław adding in a
reversal where an omitted freight curve was direct, Wrocław Kuzniki, Kędzierzyn-Koźle goods lines,
the Sunday evening double visit to Siechnice, W-Świebodzki, Prudnik etc. However, train crew hours
are relevant as they had extra tasks to perform, before and after our tour day, so all things considered
not much more than what was done could have been squeezed in to the quite long days anyway,
especially in the Wrocław area which would have required some extra run rounds and reversals.

Hopefully lessons have been learned on all sides, especially on information flow, as I think participants
all knew our Organiser tried to tweak the 'final' schedule back towards the original request. Opole P1a
was the outstanding success but it was almost impossible to vary from the official PKP published plan.
What we did differed significantly from an earlier version when Siechnice was said to be inaccessible
due to engineering work - a major reversing point challenge. The odd Sunday night shuffling did get us
to Zórowina to do freight Line 765, a requested route that had disappeared from an earlier response!

Finally, and perfectly illustrating our organiser's frustration, guess what happened during our visit as
advised by a participant who only travelled on part of the Monday tour? Due to a heat related track
problem at Wrocław Muchabor, all services to/from Głogów via Wrocław Kuźniki for at least that
afternoon and evening were diverted through Wrocław Gądów Yard. They also did the grade
separated splits of Line 349 to/from podg Wrocław Grabiszyn according to PKP's Journey Planner map
view - two of the connections refused for the tour. Additionally the westbound variant has one train a
day booked to use it until 3 Sep IC3805, 17.19 from Wrocław Główny to Szczecin … aargh …!

2571] The Busy Bee, Manchester Metrolink tour Sun 26 Sep 2022: By Rob Moorcroft (Member 1997)
Among many notable firsts the Society has achieved over the years, this tram tour did not disappoint.
First the tour name; the Manchester worker bee is one of the best known symbols of Manchester and
has been an emblem for the City for 180 years. The bee denotes Mancunians' hard work ethic and that
the City is a hive of activity. It has also come to represent the sense of unity in our great City. In 1842,
the bee was first officially incorporated into the Manchester coat of arms and bee symbols will be
found extensively - and the real thing, bees help to counteract air pollution, so there are many hives.

Since its inception back in 1992, enthusiast tours on Manchester Metrolink have been virtually
nonexistent and even our Society hadn't been able to negotiate a tour over the unusual parts of the
network. I have covered all the Metrolink branches and looked longingly at the crossovers, loops and
tracks in the depots. This tour originated from when our Fixtures Secretary and BLN Editor won a
charity auction prize of a visit to Old Trafford Metrolink Depot. Although at significant expense to
themselves, it was a most enjoyable and informative afternoon. More importantly they met the right
people, made the right contacts and Kev kept in touch with them. Less than two weeks before the tour,
he received a phone call out of the blue from Metrolink's Managing Director about a tram available on
26 Sep The well oiled BLS machine sprang into action and we were able to fill the 70 places; everyone
who applied was accommodated - perhaps we should have given Nectar Points on this occasion?

So, the 'Busy Bee' fixture popped up on our website at relatively short notice, with a special email
message going out to those who had signed up for these. The advertised route had to be read more
than once to be believed. A booking was made and an immediate email confirmation received.

On the day, Manchester Piccadilly was a 'hive' of activity, with people 'swarming' all over the place.
Familiar faces appeared on the concourse and congregated around the main characters (Kev and the
Stewards - sounds like a rock band). We were 'buzzing' as we made our way down to the Metrolink
Outbound Platform (that is away from 'The Delta' - the system datum point for distances - towards
Ashton-under-Lyne) and waited. At 10.00 prompt, as booked, Tram 3145 arrived (one of the latest
batch to enter service; it was so new that it didn't have any Metrolink information vinyls, or adverts,
inside!). The doors opened and rapid loading took place. Seating wasn't allocated, participants just
entered in an orderly fashion, populating the two carriages. The stewards stood for the tour to enable
more of our members to participate but I think they found empty seats for the occasional sit down.

[An updated marked up Metrolink track plan (which is thanks to Martyn Brailsford) is included with
this BLN. There have been quite a few changes since TRACKmaps 4 p48 2018, including some names.
It is a paper BLN centrefold with the route in thick darker grey and on an adjacent landscape page with
e-BLN, red penned. Before anyone asks again at the AGM, to give this sort of flexibility, BLN pages are
not numbered, although all items are.] We were soon on our way out of the gloom and stopped to
wait for Tram 3031 to exit Sheffield Street Pocket (AKA Piccadilly Reversing Siding); once the way was
clear, we scored the first piece of rare track of the day. Our tram was almost on the flexi-plastic stops.
Our driver walked through and we were soon on our way again, passing through Piccadilly Inbound
Platform. Bemused members of the public 'normals' stared wondering why they couldn't board?

Threading our way through the urban city landscape we crossed another transport route, the Rochdale
Canal; now only leisure craft disturb the waterway. We turned left at 'The Delta' and weaved through
Deansgate-Castlefield centre road, then alongside the ex-Cheshire Lines Committee Railway viaduct.
It is now a National Trust 'green space' with free entry although a booking is needed (BLN 1406.1916).

Our tour went through Airport Jn to West Didsbury. The very knowledgeable and enthusiastic driver
gave a commentary on rare moves that we were about to cover. Another of our on board Metrolink
team exited the tram and manually reset the points for a turn back move - we reversed and scored the
trailing crossover. Heading north we veered left after Firswood tram stop, to run onto the line towards
Old Trafford Depot Gate 3. We stopped short of the depot as it was our reversal point; then, taking
the crossover there, we made our way towards Manchester Airport.

Our tram ran near another transport corridor, the M60, then climbed up and over it to make for the
non-preferred non-used Airport platform (left on arrival) to the end of line. We believe that this was
its first ever use by a passenger carrying tram - ECS tram tests and driver training runs do use it from
time to time. Kev had arranged with Metrolink to run to the end of line at every terminal line visited
(and we did) - not possible normally with a single tram due to the way the tram detection system
works. Here there was a comfort break of 30 min; most of the party went in search of food/drink, or to
use the facilities. Some of our stewards in their high-viz vests were approached by 'normals' asking
about services, ticketing and in one case even where the ladies toilets were - being well 'trained' over
the years, they were willing and able to assist.

FROM TO km
0.37
Piccadilly Outbound (OB) platform (plat) Sheffield Street Pocket end of line (EOL) 10.44

Sheffield Street Pocket EOL West Didsbury crossover OB Line 5.36

via Piccadilly IB platform, Delta Jn, Deansgate-Castlefield middle plat & Cornbrook mainline 17.15
7.15
West Didsbury crossover OB Line Old Trafford Depot north circle 3.88
8.54
via Old Trafford Depot Gate 3 4.75

Old Trafford Depot north circle Manchester Airport OB plat (non-preferred) EOL 18.74

Manchester Airport OB plat EOL Martinscroft crossover Inbound (IB) Line 10.85

Martinscroft crossover IB Line Robinswood Road crossover OB Line 7.89

Robinswood Road crossover OB Line Sale Water Park crossover IB Line 0.20
0.20
Sale Water Park crossover IB Line Martinscroft crossover OB Line 4.85
1.46
Martinscroft crossover OB Line Timperley Reversing Siding EOL 4.94

via Depot Gate 3, Line 2, Washer, south circle, Line 10, north circle, Line 1 and Gate 1 0.56
1.43
Timperley Reversing Siding EOL Deansgate Viaduct crossover (X/O) IB Line 1.67

via Depot Gate 1, Line 1, Gate 2, Cornbrook Pocket and Deansgate-Castlefield IB platform 5.87

Deansgate Viaduct X/O IB Line The Trafford Centre IB plat (right hand arrival) EOL 3.05

via Deansgate-Castlefield OB plat and Cornbrook mainline 0.37
0.41
The Trafford Centre IB plat EOL IB Line, clear of The Trafford Centre XOs 3.58
4.79
IB Line, clear of The Trafford Centre XOs The Trafford Centre OB plat (left hand arrival) EOL

The Trafford Centre OB plat EOL Wharfside crossover IB Line

Wharfside crossover IB Line OB Line, clear of Imperial War Museum Turnback

OB Line, Imperial War Museum Turnback St Peter's Square, Plat 'C' (IB towards Delta Jn)

via Imperial War Museum Turnback, Cornbrook mainline & Deansgate-Castlefield middle plat

St Peter's Square, Plat 'C' (IB to Delta Jn) Deansgate-Castlefield middle platform

Deansgate-Castlefield middle platform Exchange Square Victoria-bound platform

Exchange Square Victoria-bound plat Cornbrook Pocket, City end

via Deansgate-Castlefield OB platform

Cornbrook Pocket, City end Velopark OB platform

via Deansgate-Castlefield IB platform, Delta Jn and Piccadilly OB platform

Velopark OB platform Piccadilly OB platform

via Velopark Turnback (a through siding) and Piccadilly facing crossover

Piccadilly OB plat Sheffield Street Pocket EOL

Piccadilly IB plat

Sheffield Street Pocket EOL Cornbrook OB plat

Trafford Bar OB plat

via Piccadilly IB plat, Delta Jn, Deansgate-Castlefield middle platform and Cornbrook Pocket

With everyone back on, we awaited the arrival of Tram 3107; it crossed over to the 'normal' passenger
platform. This allowed us to use the rare crossover to take the Inbound Line as far as Roundthorn.
One of the crew manually set the points and we reversed over the crossover to head for Robinswood
Road. Another switch of the points allowed us to crossover to the Inbound Line to just short of Sale
Water Park. The crew sprung into action again to operate the points; we took the crossover and went
to Martinscroft. After a short wait we reversed again to do that crossover - this one was done in both
directions (yippee!) - completing all the rare crossovers on the Airport branch in one very efficient visit.
That leaves just the Airport preferred platform extremity (where double trams are not seen) to cover.

Returning towards the City, we turned left via Old Trafford Depot Gate 3. An instruction was shouted
out to 'shut the windows' as we ran through the tram washing plant. High pressure jets tested the
seals of the doors and windows but did not force any water in to the tram so we all stayed dry.
We then cautiously made our way around the South Loop to run through Road 10 (all of the other
roads had stabled trams); we then used the North Loop to exit the depot complex through Gate 1.





BELOW: Sheffield Street Pocket (Piccadilly) looking towards Ashton - looks li

ike someone once went too far! (Rob Moorcroft, taken through dirty glass.)

BELOW: Reversal at Wharfside looking towards The Trafford Centre. The

e cattle pens accommodation for football fans is left. (Iain Scotchman.)

BELOW: The Trafford Centre a solitary Kev Adlam videoing our tram changing p

platforms (everyone else was on board doing the crossovers). (Iain Scotchman.)

BELOW: End of line at The Trafford Centre, with plent

ty of BLS members buzzing around. (Iain Scotchman.)

BELOW: The Trafford Centre with the unusual sight of two single
Furthest left on the platform ramp is our member Dr John Hampson wh

trams in the same platform at the same time. (Iain Scotchman.)
ho is standing for a Committee post at our forthcoming Bo'ness AGM.

BELOW: Imperial War Museum Turnback - a through line - from the (then) re

ear of the tram looking back towards The Trafford Centre. (Iain Scotchman.)

BELOW: The tour is about to depart from Exchange Square ove

er the crossover towards St Peter's Square. (Iain Scotchman.)

BELOW: Running into Cornbrook Pocket from Deansgate-Castlefield for

r the second time, normally a little used connection. (Iain Scotchman.)

BELOW: Cornbrook Pocket - the route is set for the final connection to complete

e the set of four, ahead left to Cornbrook outbound platform. (Iain Scotchman.)

ABOVE: Our Metrolink drivers
(far left & right) and on board
team at Manchester Airport
non-preferred non-used P5.
Metrolink P6 is right; P3 & 4

buffer stops are far left,

(Kev Adlam).

LEFT: Closing in on Timperley
Siding. Ahead is the former
Deansgate Jn - Partington -
Glazebrook Jn line bridge (the
second one in view) and then
beyond, the raised barriers
for Deansgate Lane Crossing.
On the left Alan Sheppard
looks on keenly (as always).

(Rob Moorcroft.)

[More photos of this tour to
follow and in a future BLN/s.]