1411

ke Level Crossing nine days before permanent closure
orth to Birch Coppice. (John Cowburn, 10 Oct 2022.)

1411 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]

2504] Micheldever: (BLN 1410.2384) (TRACKmaps 5 p30C 2019) The reason for removal of the five
wagon 'blue worm' car carrier set is now apparent. Once they had been removed and placed off track,
upright east of the sidings, the orange army re-fettled the three sidings (3, 4 & 5) nearest the running
lines, but truncated them to a common buffer stop line. The old track panels, formerly under the car
carrier set, were taken up and stacked by the east boundary fence. They have been replaced and the
remaining siding has been heavily re-ballasted. Cutting back the sidings to a common buffer stop line
has isolated the car carriers north of the relocated stop on the westernmost siding.

On 23 Oct the Speno Rail Grinding train was parked at the northernmost end of the residual part of
the middle siding. South of it, on the same siding, was a NR three vehicle Multipurpose Vehicle consist,
which could have been for railhead treatment. The Speno Rail Grinding train - stabled ticking over to
maintain the electrics - is now parked further away from the eastern boundary and local houses.
Coincidentally (?) the five demounted car carrier wagons now form a 'wall' (a sound barrier perhaps?)
on the eastern boundary of these three re-fettled sidings. It is not clear yet if former Oil Siding 6,
shown on TRACKmaps and going further northeast, has been isolated or lifted as part of this work.

2505] Basingstoke is on TikTok: It's that time of year when the clocks go back again. The 'second hand'
clock above the station entrance at the top of the front/west façade of Basingstoke station has gone
back again, renovated after a lengthy absence and is working. It is self-illuminating (glows in the dark).

2506] Horsmonden: The station CP/CA 12 Jun 1961 along with the delightful 11½ mile Paddock Wood
to Hawkhurst branch. Chris Cooper of the Horsmonden History Research Group has started a project
to include local connections to the history of the station and the Hawkhurst branch on the village
website. The group is trying to stimulate memories via the Nostalgia Facebook Group which has been
successful but there is more out there … somewhere! If you have anything of interest, such as a photo,
please contact [email protected] or via your BLN Editor. A photo of Churn Lane Sidings
Interlock Diagram issued from the Signal Engineer's Drawing Office, Wimbledon on 14 Mar 1955 was
recently received (see e-BLN). Any information regarding its history would be gratefully received.

2507] Reading West: (BLN 1396.623) The ramped entrance to Tilehurst Road from Down P2 will be
closed shortly for resurfacing and probably work prior to, or the actual installation of, the ticket gates.

2508] Reading Green Park: (BLN 1404.1478) Now due to open in early 2023, long Southern Region
style running in boards have been installed at the south end of both platforms and more rectangular
two line signs further north. Down P1 and Up P2 each has a small shelter towards the country end.
Reading Green Park station is now on the extensive next train display at Basingstoke, saying 'please
enquire', so our member did, although the guy had little idea of when it might open!

2509] Southeastern Timetable cuts: First Class is abolished from 11 Dec; there are now seven season
ticket holders on Southeastern compared to around 700 pre-Covid. Of course, there has never been
First Class on Javelin services. Tunbridge Wells stoppers are cut out off peak, so Orpington loses half
of its fast services and Hildenborough half its trains. There are fewer fast trains per hour to Bromley
South, three effectively, a fourth follows another Down and runs via Catford. Going Up, the fourth just
precedes another which overtakes it. Hayes loses its Cannon St services they will run to Charing Cross.

Gravesend line via Woolwich and Bexleyheath line Charing Cross services both run to Cannon Street.
Unfortunately, Greenwich and Woolwich line and the Orpington line services are poorly spaced at
10 and 20 minute intervals. Sidcup line trains are now 5 and 25 min apart! There has been opposition
from residents and local politicians about the loss of Charing Cross trains from the Bexleyheath line
but on Sundays the service doubles with extra Cannon Street trains. See: https://bit.ly/3VYy9Bw

2510] Tunbridge Wells - Hastings: The 22-30 Oct half term engineering work was to install new track
in Wadhurst and Mountfield Tunnels and for further bank stabilisation. It followed a similar week of
work in 2021 for bank stabilisation at Wadhurst; further work is also needed from 9-16 Apr 2023.
There were major landslips in Feb 2014 and at Christmas 2020. NR has now installed earth movement
sensors. Mountfield Tunnel slab track needs repairing and investigations are taking place to plan this.

2511] Haslemere - Havant: (BLN 1398.901) The line closed over the 22-23 & 29-30 Oct weekends with
a half term Haslemere to Havant closure from 24 until 28 Oct. This was to install new signals between
Farncombe and Petersfield. Work continued on three level crossings between Petersfield and Liss.
Track maintenance also took place in the Milford and Liphook areas and in Buriton Tunnel, between
Petersfield and Rowlands Castle, along with drainage renewal in the Haslemere area. At Petersfield
the trailing crossover north of the station was relaid; the replacement with current components is
5.27m longer (Microgricers note). Rowlands Castle Down P2 waiting shelter was also refurbished.

2512] West Worthing: During the evening of 12 Oct a 12-car Class 700 (Thameslink) EMU ran ECS
from Three Bridges to reverse Down to Up in West Worthing Middle Siding. Twice a day SSuX 12-car
Class 700s run between Bedford and Littlehampton. Travel against the flow is usually a short working
to Haywards Heath, then presumably ECS to Three Bridges. This working to West Worthing middle
siding (well used to 12-car Electrostar trains) was presumably to test for problems rather than crew
training. It was a long way to go for 500m of 'new' track if future use requires all drivers to be trained.

Late running of scheduled trains can be recouped by Down to Up reversal via the siding, instead of the
run to Littlehampton, but lateness is only of consequence to the crew as return workings see very few
passengers. Planned short working with an instructor over time may permit sufficient driver training.

2513] Itchen Abbas: (BLN 1388.2891) On the former Winchester to Alton line (CP/CA 3 Sep 1973),
west of Alresford on the Mid Hants Line, National Highways has abandoned its plans to infill Stoke
Road bridge. This was to have been under permitted development rights allowing temporary works to
be carried out without planning permission in emergency situations presenting a serious threat of
death or injury. The original decision was met by strong opposition with the chief executive of the
South Downs National Park Authority describing the plans as vandalism. The work was put on hold by
the DfT after the infilling of the Great Musgrave bridge in Cumbria caused a nationwide backlash.

Now, National Highways has revealed (what we suspected all along) that there is 'no need to conduct
major works on the bridge', following a capacity assessment by Hampshire County Council. Stoke Road
bridge is earmarked for reuse as part of a walking and cycling route. National Highways has also
committed to supporting the active travel plans and is open to transferring the ownership of the
structure if 'appropriate'. Graeme Bickerdike, a member of The Historical Railways Estate Group of
engineers, sustainable transport advocates and greenway developers, said: 'We obviously welcome
the news that Stoke Road bridge has now been reprieved, but why did National Highways [originally]
decide to infill it - causing concern within the community and among those hoping to construct a cycle
path below it - before carrying out a capacity assessment and determining whether any work was
actually necessary? Although the company has taken positive steps in a better direction of late, there
is much it needs to do better if it is to rebuild its reputation and trust with stakeholders'.

Jacobs is the 'sole provider' (designer) for the Historical Railways Estate. Six contractors support Jacobs
in carrying out any work, including Dyer & Butler and Balfour Beatty. The Great Musgrave fallout
prompted National Highways to devise a new way of assessing disused rail bridges and tunnels within
its control. Decisions on major works planned for the Historical Railways Estate are now reviewed in
collaboration with experts from the heritage, environmental and active travel sector selected to form
a stakeholder advisory forum. The forum includes the DfT, Sustrans, Railway Paths Ltd, Railway
Heritage Trust, The HRE Group, Heritage Railway Association, Natural England, Historic England (also
representing Cadw, the historic environment service of the Welsh Government), Historic Scotland and
ADEPT, the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport.

2514] Brading: (E-BLN 1410.X.194 photo of new barrow crossing.) The footbridge was to have been
removed in Jul 2021 for renovation but this didn't happen, apparently because its return to Brading
requires improved foundations as the original infill of the supporting platforms is not adequate.
The station is Grade II listed, so any proposed alterations involving new pad foundations need to be
approved as a change to the fabric of the station! The temporary footbridge (originally due to be
removed within 12 months) remains in use and NR says that it needs a 12 month extension on this.
It is very high with AC electrification clearance - is there something we have not been told about?

2515] Shanklin: The Grade II listed station is this year's winner at the National Rail Awards in the small
stations category, 'Station of the Year - Small', for which Buxton, Hatch End and others (but not
Smallbrook Junction or Small Heath) were competitors. Judges considered entries against criteria for
operations, including safety, infrastructure and customer friendly presentation. Particular emphasis
for the category was placed on initiative and innovation. Your Regional Editor stresses that the station
is far more inviting from the road side than the platform so, if taking a ride to see the trains and the
work carried out on the track and signalling, consider alighting (some trains do pause for long enough).

2516] Staines - Reading: Opening of the central portion of the Elizabeth line and through running has
seen a fall in outer commuting; more people travel via Reading or drive to Maidenhead and suchlike.

1411 SOUTH WEST Robert Green [email protected]
2517] Where am I? (4): I am not really a junction, as my lines joined nearly ¼ mile from my platforms
but passengers from two cities could change here for two branch destinations. My branch platform
was a separate station a long time ago and my master's house survives but very little else is left of me!

(BLN 1411.2391) Answer: Stonehouse Bristol
Road; CP 4 Jan 1965 (withdrawal of Bristol
to Gloucester local services); CG 3 Jan 1966.
OP as 'Stonehouse' in 1844 by the Bristol &
Gloucester Railway (later part of the Midland
Railway and the London, Midland & Scottish
Railway) British Railways suffixed it 'Bristol
Road' on 17 Sep 1951 to distinguish this
station from Stonehouse Burdett Road
(GWR), still open on the Swindon line.

The Nailsworth branch junction was 17ch
north of the main platforms. OP 4 Feb 1867;
OG three days earlier; the branch 'station'
(sometime known as Stonehouse Eastington
Road) platform was 'separated' from the
main line platforms by a covered walkway
(map). This branch then had its own branch
to Stroud (sometimes Stroud Cheapside) OP
1 Jul 1886. Closure came early for both these
branches; passenger services ended from
16 Jun 1947 in post-war economy and formal
CP 8 Jun 1949. They CG/CA from 1 Jun 1966.
The former stationmaster's house survives and plans to reopen the main line platforms are mooted
but are yet to reach formality. ABOVE: 1953 map showing the three Stonehouse stations. Bristol is off
bottom left, the Nailsworth branch bottom, Stroud and Swindon bottom right and Gloucester top.

2518] Milk by Rail: (BLN 1409.2287) A member found this article interesting with mention of the Milk
Marketing Board (MMB). He has a photo of one; the only time he ever saw a MMB 4-wheeled milk
tanker rail wagon. It was on 1 Jun 1985, part of the line up at GWR 150 Celebration year when Reading
Depot held an open day. The wagon had a TTF code and he could not find out very much about these
wagons except that they were solely owned by the MMB. There was also a 6-wheeled version.

2519] Horse Play on Tour: (E-BLN 1410.X.195) Your South West Ed would like it known that he is not
responsible for the captions of this series of photos and, despite his age, does not recall the obsolete
spelling of this North Devon town. He was not on that RCTS tour but reached Torrington on service
trains and Meeth on other tours. Barnstaple (from stapol, a type of pillar) appears in Domesday Book
and has been so spelt ever since, claiming to be the oldest borough (chartered in 930) in England.
Not even the GWR or L&SWR were tempted to change it. The town is twinned, inter alia, with a place
called Barnstable in Massachusetts USA. [It was a test to see if anyone noticed; no one reported it.]

BELOW: (Item 2518) A Milk Marketing Board 4-wheel tanker at Reading. (Tim Hall-Smith, 1 Jun 1985.)
ABOVE: (Item 2529) The 'Sand Rover' railhead treatment vehicle on the Barnstaple branch. (20 Oct 2022.)

BELOW: (Item 2517) Stonehouse Southern Fuels Coal Concentration Depot - a Society riding visit on
Fri 24 Sep 1982 arranged by Tim Wallis. The Gloucester - Bristol line is off photo left. (All Ian Mortimer.)

ABOVE: Looking south towards Bristol, main line right, with the surviving former stationmaster's
house in the background. Participants rode on the loco. The late Doug Eacock, a former
Society Membership Secretary is facing with glasses on in the group of members left.

BELOW: On the Golden Valley/South Cotswold Line, the ex-GWR Stonehouse (suffixed Burdett Road
from 17 Sep 1951 until 6 May 1968) in the early 1970s when it was proposed for closure. It has
survived (unlike these buildings) but is much changed. Looking towards Stroud and Swindon.

X.204] BELOW: Proving that freight traffic did run on the South Ma
On Thur 22 Apr 2010 66193 is at the Honda Car Plant ready to h
See BLN 1385.2502. (Special thanks to Steve King for allowing

arston Euroterminal branch at Swindon (TRACKmaps 3 p5A 2018).
haul 6O79 South Marston to Dollands Moor, loaded car train.
us to use this in BLN and to Iain Scotchman for arranging it.)

BELOW: The terminal gates from the (stationary) 29 Oct 2022 Pathfinder 'Cots

swold Caper' railtour with many of our members on board. (Iain Scotchman.)

BELOW: Close up of the gates. These photos by an authorised person on beh

half of Iain Scotchman - thanks to Iain for supplying them, Sat 29 Oct 2022.

BELOW: The internal sidings from the gate, far left is the Cripple Siding (buffer s

stop); then the South Marston Jn end of three loops which curve round right.

BELOW: View of the railtour from South Marston Eurotermina

al gates looking towards the main line with 37676 on this end.

2520] Barnstaple branch: In an exciting announcement, NR plans to introduce a permanent line speed
change between Umberleigh and Chapelton. With replacement of jointed track by continuously
welded rail, this would ease the speed restriction between 205m 49ch and 207m 60ch from 60mph to
75mph for DMUs. The risk at level crossings limits the length of the branch which can be so upgraded.
This change allows a small journey time improvement and consistent driving speed to provide extra
timetable resilience. There is no acceleration of timetabled services in terms of reduced running times
(increasing the chance of the performance bonus!). Implementation is intended at the start of Dec.

2521] Merehead Quarry: NR is supporting a proposal by Aggregate Industries (AI) to open a rail served
concrete track slab factory to supply HS2. It would reduce NR maintenance liability by 90m (!), support
one of NR's two biggest freight customers and increase freight traffic. The land for the rail connection
to the new factory will be leased to AI to enable them to start construction. The legalities are
inevitably complex - the existing NR boundary to Merehead Quarry on Merehead East Curve is parallel
with 3m 67ch on the East Somerset Branch (17ch past Merehead Quarry Jn). It is proposed to move
the NR boundary about 90m (leased to AI) east to 3m 62ch. Inspection and maintenance liability all
transfers to the tenant. None of the East Somerset Branch itself is involved, just 90m of Merehead
East Curve which only serves Merehead Quarry and the Quarry Torr Works, both already owned by AI.

2522] Dartmoor wins more awards: The 20 Nov 2021 reopening of the Okehampton branch has won
two National Rail Awards categories: Outstanding Teamwork and Outstanding Contribution to Society.

It was the first (and, so far, the only) line to reopen under the Government's Restoring Your Railway
programme, at a cost of £40M. Under 'Project Speed' it was restored in just nine months and £10M
under budget. The huge programme of work including relaying 11 miles of track, installing 24,000
concrete sleepers and 29,000 tonnes of ballast in a record-breaking 20-day period. Passenger numbers
have exceeded expectation, more than 130,000 journeys (over double the forecast) since opening at
Okehampton, which now has an hourly seven day service, and 50,000 extra journeys at Crediton.

The volunteer run Okehampton Bulleid Buffet station café opened on 24 Sep along with a Dartmoor
National Park information centre, Dartmoor Railway Association shop and museum. Toilets are also
now open when the café is open - from 1 Nov winter hours are SuX 08.00-16.30; SuO 10.00-16.00.

The heritage waiting room, booking office and booking hall are the final components to open soon.
The National Park information centre welcomes visitors and day trippers arriving by train, encourages
them to explore Okehampton and the National Park on foot, cycle or by using public transport. It has a
large topographical map of the National Park. The unstaffed centre was funded by grants from GWR's
Community Rail Major Project Fund and the Community Rail Development Fund, a Community Rail
Network and DfT joint initiative. The grants were organised by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

The main station building dates from the early 1930s and these rooms were originally the WH Smith
bookstall. Roller shutters over the door and a window on to the platform, once a serving counter, have
been restored with funding from GWR and the Railway Heritage Trust. Parquet flooring in the buffet
and elsewhere has also been restored, thanks to the same funding. Okehampton is unstaffed.

From 30 Oct direct buses now run from Okehampton station to Bude, Holsworthy and Launceston,
connecting with trains. The Launceston service is financially supported by Cornwall Council and Devon
County Council. The service to Tavistock that follows the Southern Railway route continues to run.

2523] Bath Green Park: Cardiff & Avonside Railway Society (CARS) reports that attention to the overall
roof at Bath's former Midland Railway/LMSR Green Park terminal station has started following
deterioration with general repairs and reglazing. The car parking area, mainly used by customers of
Sainsbury Supermarket (opened Dec 1982), has been cleared and fenced off while work is under way
requiring scaffolding towers. The station was unofficially, but widely, known as Bath Queen Square for
most of its life, until suffixed Green Park by British Railways on 18 Jun 1951. (The ex-GWR other station
is Bath Spa.) Green Park CG 23 Jan 1966; CP 7 Mar 1966 then the line was a freight branch from Yate
South Jn through the sites of Mangotsfield North and South Jns to Bath Midland Road Bridge (serving
Bath Gas Works) until 31 May 1971, well over half a mile short of the end of line at Green Park station.

2524] Lydbrook: Stowfield Viaduct (also known as Black Bridge and, when the railway was open,
Lydbrook Viaduct) near Lydbrook, connects Lower Lydbrook/Stowfield (England) with Welsh Bicknor
(Wales) and is used by 20,000 walkers a year. Gloucestershire County Council has pledged to register
the Viaduct/Bridge as a public right of way by Apr 2023. The railway structure (SO 587 177) on the
former Ross & Monmouth Branch just north of Lydbrook Junction station forms part of the 136 mile
Wye Valley Way but Gloucestershire County Council failed to register it on a definitive map when the
footpath was established in 1981. The Council's Traffic Manager told a committee: We aim to get the
route formally recorded on the Definitive Map of Public Rights of Way this financial year.

The line CP 5 Jan 1959 (a Stephenson Locomotive Society Special ran the next day) along with other
Wye Valley services from Monmouth Troy to Chepstow. Lydbrook Junction to Monmouth May Hill
(both exclusive) CA (closed to all traffic) that day but, until 2 Nov 1964, intermittent public goods lasted
between Ross-on-Wye and Lydbrook Junction and to a private siding at Lydbrook (CA 1 Nov 1965).

2525] Charfield: (BLN 1407.2063) South Gloucestershire Council and NR have submitted a planning
application for a new station, naturally off Station Road in the centre of the village. The proposal
includes north and southbound platforms with seating and shelters, a connecting pedestrian
footbridge with stairs and lifts, ticket machines, realtime information for passengers, covered cycle
parking, bus stop, car parking (with disabled bays, electric vehicle charging points, taxi and waiting
area), local highway improvements and additional pedestrian crossings. The application is supported
by statements from South Gloucestershire Council, NR and GWR (who presumably will add Charfield
to the timetables for their Bristol to Gloucester services and beyond). See: https://bit.ly/3U4qfVx

2526] Taunton: A member is at a loss to understand the existence of a fully signed P1 (Down country
end bay). He observes that the line cannot be used by passenger trains either for incoming or outgoing
movements, as it is not signalled to passenger standards and has a set of hand points on the approach.

With 1986 resignalling, as part of the Exeter Power Signal Box scheme, this line was designated as a
'Down Siding', so was certainly not regarded as a passenger platform from then. Was it re-designated
later? Despite its non-passenger status (also on the Sectional Appendix), it has a sign showing it as P1
(per Appendix!) and is shown thus on National Rail website. Recently a pristine new yellow line and
tactile paving were provided! [They reduce the risk of someone falling over the edge, the alternative is
a fence.] TRACKmaps 3 p7D 2018 shows it as a line 'in situ but out of use, partly dismantled, buried or
overgrown'. Shame it's the wrong side of the line for a service to Minehead! Any thoughts, please?

2527] Salisbury - Exeter: (BLN 1409.2292) After rain had rehydrated the clay sub-base, NR was able to
stabilise the trackbed at Axminster and between Tisbury and Gillingham. 'Permanent' is something
that permanent way certainly is not! From Mon 14 Nov speed restrictions are to be lifted; the 5 Sep
emergency timetable then reverts to normal. There's a 'but'. In Dec for 9 days (Sat 10 to Sun 18),
37 miles of the line from Wilton Jn (Salisbury) to Yeovil Jn is closed for track renewal in the 742yd long
Gillingham Tunnel (107m 44ch - 107m 78ch). Further work will also be carried out at Gillingham and
Sherborne stations and drainage improved in the Sherborne, Templecombe and Gillingham areas.
Track maintenance is planned near Gillingham and Sherborne with graffiti removal and litter clearing
at Salisbury. SWR trains divert the Great Way Round via Westbury, with buses serving Tisbury,
Gillingham, Templecombe and Sherborne. Further closures are planned in Nov/Dec 2023, and during
Mar 2024, for improvements in the Axminster, Crewkerne, Templecombe and Gillingham areas.

2528] Devon Day Ranger: Now includes Okehampton as well as Barnstaple, Tiverton Parkway,
Axminster, Exmouth, Paignton, St Budeaux Ferry Road and, crossing into East Cornwall, Gunnislake.

2529] Another Devon Rover! The versatile Land Rover has seen another adaption into a road-rail
vehicle punnishly known as the Sand Rover. With specially mounted wire brushes, the Sand Rover,
designed by Aquarius Railroad Technologies Ltd, cleans slippery leaf mulch off the rails and applies a
citrus based treatment, helping to break down leaves (like squeezing lemon-juice on your salad!).
It also coats the railhead with dry sand. In autumn 2020 NR trialled it on the Barnstaple branch and in
2021 extended this to the Dartmoor line, working at night on each alternately. Both branches have a
major leaf fall problem and apparently are not accessible by traditional rail head treatment trains.

2530] Bristol East Jn: The remodelling won Major Project of the Year at the National Rail Awards.
NR began work on this £132M DfT-funded project in Jul 2021 with completion in just eight weeks.
(Well almost, they haven't been able to commission the trailing crossover between the Down Filton
Relief and Up Filton Relief on the Temple Meads side of Dr Day's Jn due to interlocking problems.)

1411 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]

2531] Hatton: The 16.21 SSuX London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street Chiltern service is
currently booked to be looped and call at Hatton P3 from 18.33 until 18.39 so that the 17.14 from
Marylebone to Kidderminster can overtake it non-stop via Hatton P2. This means the stopper then
does the rare link from Hatton P3 to the Down Dorridge on departure. It is booked to do so for the
last time on Fri 9 Dec and no train is booked to make this move in the new timetable from 11 Dec.

2532] Birmingham International: Doncaster based freight operator Varamis Rail, recently granted an
operating licence, has leased its first Class 321 Swift Express Freight EMU from Eversholt Rail. It is
operating a logistics service between Mossend Yard and Birmingham International, where there is
road access for lorries next to P1, for DHL and FedEx. Initially, this runs five nights a week arriving
International 23.10 and departing back to Mossend at 00.54. Maintenance and stabling of the unit will
be at Shields Depot. First revenue service appears to have been 18.30 from Mossend on Thur 20 Oct.
[A most encouraging initiative, improving the images of two parcels companies through cooperation.]

2533] Birmingham New Street through siding no longer terminal: (BLN 1394.380) By 21 Oct the
defects in points NS603A (plain lined 18 Nov 2021) at the London of No1 Through Siding betwixt P5 & 6
had been corrected. No1 Through Sidings is 'through' again, rather than only accessed from the far end.

2534] Birch Coppice: (TRACKmaps 4 p25A 2018) A 19 Oct walk by your Regional Editor found that the
track to the former Volkswagen Depot is still all in situ but very rusty. At the far end, a crash barrier for
an internal road blocks the track immediately before the convergence of the two lines just prior to the
headshunt. The Unimog road rail shunter was present, straddling the right hand siding (looking to the
end of line). The two container flats previously on the line before the public footpath crossing have
gone. The connection to the Maritime Terminal headshunt from the branch is still in good order.

2535] Kidderminster: (BLN 1402.1416) The new replacement lengthy single span footbridge over both
the SVR and NR lines was installed overnight Sat 15/Sun 16 Oct without affecting passenger services.
It had been delayed by police escort paperwork issues preventing the delivery and lifting operation.
The weathering corten steel metal span in a fetching rust shade will never need painting. It remains to
be seen if it will be still possible to take photos from the new bridge (with its inevitable higher sides).

2536] Class 196: The first official passenger use of a new West Midlands Railway Class 196 DMU was
on 17 Oct, the 06.51 Shrewsbury to Birmingham New Street. The unit (196101) was named 'Charles
Darwin' by the High Sheriff of Shropshire; Darwin was born in Shrewsbury. The fleet is to operate on
the Shrewsbury to Birmingham line, initially on a few services. Next year they will be 'rolled out' on the
New Street to Bromsgrove and Hereford line service. Avid BLN readers know that a reliable member
witnessed a Class 196 on the 15.41 Shrewsbury to Birmingham on Tue 12 Jul (BLN 1405.1826).

2537] West Midlands Metro: ❶For the first four strike days, a 15 min frequency service ran between
Wolverhampton and Bull Street from 08.30-17.00 on Sat 15 & 22 Oct and 07.30-18.00 Tue 18 & Thur
20 Oct. Trams were operated by supervisors, trainers and some control staff. Although there were
reports that they were to operate without conductors, one used by a member on a strike day did have
a conductor who was scanning passes and collecting fares. ❷Even on non-strike days, the Metro only
has 10 trams available (roughly a 16 minute frequency) at present apparently! Conductors and drivers
tend to work interchangeably and, as they are staffed for more trams than run, most trams will have a
conductor. If one does run without a conductor, it seems to be a late shift service, as many passengers
have already bought a day ticket or have a pass. A member who predominantly travels by tram on
weekday mornings advised that he sometimes travels on one without a conductor or there is no
conductor until it reaches Wednesbury Great Western Street where the depot is. ❸Christmas Day
has been announced as a strike day, as it is intended to run a service this year from 07.30 until 18.00.

2538] Nuneaton: (BLN 1410.2400) During the Trent Valley closure in half term (week ending 30 Oct)
some crossovers were renewed at Nuneaton North Jn (UF to US, DS to P5, DF to UF and DS to Up
Chord). There is no change to line speeds but all the points are slightly closer to the station.

2539] Smethwick Galton Bridge: The signalled turnback facility was used on 15 Oct when, at around
20.00, a train struck a person who had jumped off Tipton platform. The line was blocked until 00.40.

…1411 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
2540] Mallow - Tralee: At Millstreet station (18m 78ch), the non-platformed Up side bidirectional loop
returned to use from start of traffic 24 Oct 2022. It is fairly new (in 2004 there was just an Up siding
facing Tralee) and had been out of use since 19 Feb 2018 due to a signalling issue. It was last used by
the 'Emerald Isle Explorer' run by Railtours Ireland on Wed 1 Oct 2014 in the Down direction with 084
+ GSV + 4 Cravens coaches (as a 10.00 Cobh to Killarney), crossing the 11.05 Tralee to Mallow service.

2541] SLW: This has become repetitious (on 5 Nov again over the Up line from Thurles to Limerick Jn).

2542] Wagons roll or not? Irish Rail has begun a tendering process to acquire 'up to 400 freight wagons'
(that could be none) including replacing the existing Tara Mines fleet, all but two of which were built
in 1977. Given Irish Rail's management and Irish politicians' previous indifference over many years, if
not outright opposition to rail freight, it remains to be seen what, if anything, is actually ordered.

2543] Longing for more coaches: (BLN 1346.591) Ordered 11 Dec 2019 for delivery from Sep 2021 to
enter service in 2022, Irish Rail has finally taken delivery of the first nine of 41 new intermediate cars.
The extended 22000 Class Rotem DMU InterCity Railcar units will now start to enter service in 2023.

2544] Another via-bridge? In Belfast the hardly ever used bidirectional Donegall Quay Loop (NOT
Donegal!) 114m 15ch to 114m 31ch (miles from Dublin Connolly) was signed out of use from 15 Oct
until further notice for use by engineers to store plant and materials. The loop is on the 1m 03ch
Dargan Viaduct over the River Lagan, in Quail 6 p18 2004 and 2019 TRACKmaps (BLS special edition)
as the 'longest viaduct in Ireland'. However, part of the single track section, from the bidirectional
double track at Queens Quay Jn to the Belfast end of the loop, is labelled as 'Dargan Bridge' (8ch long
with a portion of viaduct either side - the major part is to the north). Shades of Barmouth Via-bridge?

2545] Belfast Grand Central: (BLN 1396.697) The new station under construction, with a name stolen
from another, will have three running lines. The first diverges from existing infrastructure at 112m 04ch
and the other two at Westlink Jn (112m17ch). Buffer stops of all eight platforms will be at 112m 39ch
(and stop boards probably a chain before). Will it be twinned with a West Midlands Metro tram stop?

2546] The long and short of it: (BLN 1319.2788) Translink has completed its DMU extensions (units
4014-20 from 3-car to 6-car with 21 powered intermediates). The last, 4016, entered service on 5 Oct.

2547] Portlaoise new signalling unleashed: (BLN 1409.2302) At 10.30 on Mon 31 Oct 2022, the
Resignalling Project was finally commissioned. Portlaoise Interlocking was integrated into the Laois
Train Care Depot Interlocking Area, which now extends to north of Portlaoise station. Signals with a
'CY' prefix were changed to a 'PL' prefix and the Portlaoise Local Override was decommissioned.

1411 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
2548] St John's - Ramsey: Prior to demolition, Ballaleece Bridge carried the trackbed of the ex-Manx
Northern Railway between St John's and Peel Road stations over the Douglas to Peel main A1 road.
There are now works at the site of the bridge to install a Pelican Crossing. It may be assumed that the
plan to build a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge at the old track level has gone onto the back burner.

2549] Charity begins at the IOM? Tynwald Chief Minister Alf Cannan has said that the IOM heritage
railways could be run by a charitable trust. That is a model that is operating across the United Kingdom
very successfully in many areas, where counties or groups or individuals are operating these types of
facilities. Our local members have not heard anyone from the IOM heritage railways (charitable or
not) saying it would be a good idea. A local report was titled: 'Thomas and the Arms-Length Railway'
(maybe the Chief Minister will be told to Sodor off?). Another report was that it was only one option
being considered to restructure the Department of Infrastructure with an update due in Mar 2023.

BELOW: (Item 2546) Recently extended from 3 to 6-car, 4016 is at Belfast Great

t Victoria Street on the 16.10 to Londonderry. (Martin Baumann, 14 Oct 2022.)

BELOW: (Item 2550 - the Paisley Canal line), Blackhall Bridge (possibly the wo

NEXT: The former Crookston station building (north side of the line), badly dam
Note 'THE WAITING ROOM' in the glass above the nearest door, the next one

orld's oldest railway bridge that is still in active use) at Paisley (22 Sep 2019).

maged by fire after the line closed in 1983, has been rebuilt as three houses.
e has 'TICKETS' (19 Oct 2022). All photos in this section are by Greg Beecroft.





BELOW: (TRACKmaps 1 p5 2021) Hawkhead Oil Sidings looking towards Glasgo
NEXT: The 11.07 to Glasgow Central calls at Hawkhead (typical of the modern

ow. The passenger line is far left, Hawkhead station is behind the photographer.
n stations on the line); looking towards Paisley Canal. (Both Tue 11 Oct 2022.)





ABOVE: 1955. BELOW: 1971 when the line (lower one) was a double track throu

ugh route; Elderslie No1 Jn is lower far left; Glasgow Central is far right labelled.

BELOW: The resited 1990 Paisley Canal statio

on, looking towards Glasgow on 11 Oct 2022.

BELOW: Just to the west is the original Paisley Canal station building on the no

orth - to Glasgow - side; note the red transport heritage plaque (11 Oct 2022).

BELOW: Paisley Canal (original station) - the prepared site f

for the central station building that never was (2 Jul 1982).

BELOW: One of the hourly (SuX) Kilmacolm to Glasgow Centr

ral DMUs at Paisley Canal. (Angus McDougall, 28 Aug 1980.)

ABOVE: Paisley Canal station just before closure, looking towards Glasgow (2 Jul 1982).
BELOW: The modern commemorative plaque near the old station (11 Oct 2022).

1411 SCOTLAND (Greg Beecroft) [email protected]
2550] Paisley Canal: This branch might seem like a suburban trundle through modern basic halts but it
has an interesting history. As the name suggests, the railway is built along the course of a canal.
The Glasgow, Paisley & Ardrossan Canal Co was founded in 1806 to build a canal between those places,
principally for the export of coal from Ardrossan. The canal opened between Johnstone and Paisley in
1810 and was extended to Port Eglinton, Glasgow in 1811. This was a level (contour) canal but locks
would have been needed further south and the company had run out of funds. The canal never went
any further and the company never paid a dividend. The canal was purchased by the Glasgow & South
Western Railway (G&SWR) in 1869 and the City of Glasgow Union Railway (GCUR) was built on its
eastern end. Most of the rest was used for construction of the Paisley Canal line, from Port Eglinton
Jn (on the GCUR west of Eglinton Street, at the site of the canal basin) to Elderslie, which OG (opened
to goods) Mar 1885 and OP (opened to passengers) 1 Jul 1885, but a few specials had run prior to that.
Initially there were passenger stations at Shields, Bellahouston, Crookston & Paisley Canal. Hawkhead
OP 1 May 1894 and Paisley West OP 1 June 1897. Shields, Bellahouston, Crookston and Hawkhead
CP 1 Jan 1917 (a very familiar date), although railwaymen continued to use Bellahouston, where there
was a carriage shed. Crookston and Hawkhead ROP 10 Feb 1919 but Bellahouston was not advertised
to the public until Aug 1920. Shields had a very limited service from 1919 and CP 1 Nov 1924.
A station at Corkerhill OP in 1923 [the exact date is uncertain - it was first in Bradshaw in Dec 1923 but
Clinker (no provenance) has 1 May], serving a railway village that the G&SWR had established in the
1890s for the benefit of staff based at the engine shed. There were 136 houses with a general store, a
wash house and the Railway Institute, which included a meeting hall and a library. There had been a
staff halt at the engine shed from 1896; it remained in use at least until 1957. A halt at Mosspark West
OP 1 Mar 1934 (renamed Mosspark 3 May 1976) to serve a Glasgow Corporation housing scheme.
The line between Port Eglinton Jn and Bellahouston CA 27 Jun 1966, due to the closure of Glasgow St
Enoch station. Paisley Canal trains were diverted via a new connection between Bellahouston and
Shields Jn to reach Glasgow Central. Shields TMD is partly built on the formation of the old line.

ABOVE: 1955 map Bellahouston station and the Paisley Canal line are bottom left; there was then no
running connection between them and the parallel main line from Paisley Gilmour Street (off left) and
Glasgow Central (top right). Shields and the adjacent Shields Road stations, on the lines from Glasgow
St Enoch and Glasgow Central respectively, are centre lower half. The canal basin and, later, Port
Eglinton Jn were west of where the line from Glasgow St Enoch bridges over the WCML from Glasgow
Central. Immediately right, the next station was Cumberland Street (Eglington Street pre-1924); the
one closed to passengers at the junction was Gorbals. Glasgow St Enoch terminus is labelled top right.

ABOVE: In 1971, Glasgow Central and (bottom right of centre) Pollokshields East are the only stations
open. The Paisley Canal line new connection can be seen, the old route is dashed. A new connection
(not shown) between the Paisley Gilmour St line and the St Enoch line was further east. General
Terminus (latterly importing iron ore and coal) is on the south bank of the Clyde beneath 'Ferries'.

The Canal line (originally a through route of course) was used by trains to most G&SWR destinations,
including Kilmarnock (via Dalry), Greenock Princes Pier, Ardrossan Winton Pier, Largs and Ayr.
However, services dwindled, so by the time the line CP 10 Jan 1983 (last trains on Saturday 8th) there
were just a few Largs peak workings and the hourly trains to Kilmacolm, which branch CA that day.

Elderslie No1 Jn east through Paisley Canal to Hawkhead, where there is an oil depot, CA 1 Oct 1984.
From the same date electric working commenced between Shields Jn and Corkerhill Depot, preceding
electrification to Ayr and Largs. Shields Jn to Paisley Canal ROP 28 Jul 1990, with a special service and
reduced fares for the first two days. The line is single track from Corkerhill Depot Jn but with a half
mile loop between Mosspark and Crookston, though not actually through either station. The line was
electrified to Paisley Canal in 2012, with reduced clearances for economy reasons. The OHLE is at a
minimum height of only 4.03m above rail level, rather than the standard minimum of 4.165m, so has
to be isolated if any train other than an EMU, Multipurpose Vehicle or track maintenance machine
runs beyond Corkerhill Depot. Some trains were electrically worked from 19 Nov 2012, with the full
electric service starting from 10 Dec 2012. Until then, a few Class 156 units with their national radio
network aerials removed were specially authorised to run under the energised wires.

Bellahouston station CP 20 Sep 1954. It was west of Gower Street overbridge, where nothing remains
of the platforms. A much altered building, with a modern façade, remains at street level. The carriage
shed and sidings on the north side of the line closed about 1975, being replaced by new facilities at
Polmadie. Part of the site is now occupied by the M77 motorway. Dumbreck station, on the north side
of Nithsdale Road, was entirely new when the line ROP in 1990. It is the only two platform station on
the line. A temporary Bellahouston Park Halt was provided from 2 May 1938 until 31 Dec 1938 (dates
inclusive) at Dumbreck Road overbridge, for visitors to the Empire Exhibition in Bellahouston Park.

The railway housing estate, south of the line at Corkerhill, was demolished in 1971 and the site sold to
Glasgow Corporation, who built high density flats. Mosspark station is on the site of the original; there
never was a goods station there. The former Crookston station building (north side of the line), badly
damaged by fire after the line closed in 1983, has been rebuilt as three houses. A nearby detached

house 'Station Master's Cottage' in similar style is modern and not a railway building. Blocks of flats
have since been built on the former goods yard site and carriage sidings south of the line.

The canal had some quite tight bends in the Crookston area and the railway was built with easier
curves. Traces of the canal alignment can be found adjacent to Scotts Road on the south side of the
line and on Ralston Golf Course to the north. The original Hawkhead station, CP 14 Feb 1966, was east
of Hawkhead Road and the new one is to the west. That did not OP until 12 Apr 1991. The Certas oil
sidings (TRACKmaps 1 p5A 2021) remain on the south side of the line. The oil depot is still operational
but there has been no rail traffic since 1994 and the sidings on the NR side of the gate are heavily
overgrown. The original station site is occupied by the HQ of 102 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers.

Blackhall Bridge takes the railway over the White Cart Water. This 88' 6'' span stone arch was built in
1808-1810 as an aqueduct to carry the canal and was adapted for the railway. It is described by the
Institution of Civil Engineers as 'one of the world's earliest bridges carrying a public railway'. Wikipedia
claims it to be 'the world's oldest railway bridge that is still in active use'.

Sidings east of Paisley Canal served the Saucel Distillery, now demolished and replaced by houses.
The canal tunnelled under Causeyside St and the buildings either side. Construction of the railway
involved demolishing the buildings, opening out the tunnel and building a new road bridge.
The present station is east of Causeyside St. The original one was to the west - its building now used as
a restaurant. The goods yard was further west and is now occupied by a housing estate. Causeyside St
overbridge was rebuilt in 1981-82, including a site for a small station building at street level, complete
with connections to utilities, but closure of the line made that unnecessary. A plaque near the former
station commemorates the 85 people who drowned when a passenger boat capsized on 10 Nov 1810,
just four days after the canal had opened. This is believed to be the worst canal disaster in Britain.

2551] Barrhead: With effect from 04.00 on Monday 31 Oct, the 1894 signal box at Barrhead (with a
25 lever frame dating from 1973) was abolished and control transferred to Cathcart Work Station at
West of Scotland Signalling Centre. It is understood that the box is to be demolished to allow for
electrification clearances. At the same time the line between Barrhead and Lugton was converted
from Scottish Tokenless Block to Track Circuit Block working, utilising axle counters and existing track
circuits. Lugton signal box is now open continuously, meaning the 05.22 SSuX Kilmarnock to Glasgow
Central no longer runs in the Down direction on the bidirectional Up line from Lochridge Jn to call at
Stewarton and Dunlop P1 instead of P2 (BLN 1397.808). The Up Main, Down Main and Up/Down Main
lines are now the Up Barrhead, Down Barrhead and Barrhead Single lines respectively. Barrhead box is
to Caledonian Railway design, with a modern extension (carbuncle?) accommodating a lavatory at the
south end. The possession at Barrhead for this work was from 00.10 on Sat 29 Oct, so the last
passenger train signalled from the box was the 23.13 Glasgow Central to Kilmarnock on Fri 28 Oct.

2552] Stirling work: (BLN 1391.3296) Work to renovate the Forth Viaducts has recently been
completed. The two parallel viaducts, both with three steel truss spans on masonry piers, carry the
Alloa and Perth lines over the river north of the station. Work included stripping off the old paint,
steelwork repairs, replacing 300 rivets, repainting and installing access walkways per back reference.

2553] Inverness Airport: (BLN 1410.2417) Prior to the line between Inverness and Nairn reopening at
04.45 on Wed 26 Oct, ECS test trains called at Inverness Airport station, pausing for 10-12 min each
time. There were five round trips between Inverness and Nairn on Mon 24 Oct; the first two worked
by DMU 158716 and the remaining three by a five-coach HST with power cars 43012 and 43147.
Another five trips were scheduled on 25 Oct; but only the first one, worked by 158722, operated.

The station (said to require 'finishing touches') is not expected to open until the Sun 11 Dec timetable
change. A late notice indicated that 'Dalcross Loop' from 136m 277yd (13ch) to 136m 1,589yd (72ch)
at Inverness Airport station is actually out of use until further notice from when the line reopened.

Both platforms have a useable length of 160m and are bidirectional. The 60mph restricted (for non-
stop trains!) Up P1 side of the loop (to Aberdeen) on the north side can accommodate a 730m long
train and is preferred. The 50mph Down P2, to Inverness, side can accommodate trains of up to 715m.

THIS PAGE: (Item 2556) The preferred option for the new building at Troon sta

ation (a local speciality is see-through men, upper picture left of the building).

[BLN 1411]

LEFT: The recently decommissioned Barrhead signal box
as it was on 27 Aug 1988. However 20 years later…

BELOW: By 15 Aug 2008 this monstrous
carbuncle/extension had been added

(Both Angus McDougall.)

2554] Levenmouth: NR has applied for planning permission for Cameron Bridge and Levenmouth
stations. Cameron Bridge will have two platforms linked by a footbridge with lifts but there will be an
island platform at Levenmouth. Cameron Bridge is to have a 125 space car park, with provision for
this to be increased to 300 spaces. The old platform at Cameron Bridge was demolished recently.
On the branch, work on constructing piled foundations for electrification masts started on 24 Oct.

2555] Strikes: A 29 Oct ScotRail RMT strike saw a similar very limited service to 10 Oct (BLN 1410.2413).

2556] Troon: (BLN 1408.2190) Following public consultation, NR intends to rebuild the Up side to the
traditional design favoured by the community with a reconfigured interior (no dummy chimney stacks).

1411 WALES & THE MARCHES (Chris Parker) [email protected]
2557] Penmaenmawr shunting puzzle: (BLN 1399.1073) (TRACKmaps 3 p34C & p34D 2018) On 6 Oct a
member saw the freight working for the first time. The empty wagons arrive on the Through Road
('c' on TRACKmaps). Due to the 'pinch point' between the two halves of the run round loop, the train is
split into two portions stabled on each side of the loading point while the loco runs round the whole
train. With the loco at the east end, the two are then pushed back together and propelled along the
Through Road towards the buffers, until what is then the front (easternmost) wagon is under the
loader ('HH' = hopper house). That vehicle is then loaded and the train draws forward until all wagons
are loaded. There is a stop board around 350yd before the exit signal 'PR19'. When the loaded train is
ready to depart, the driver phones the NR signaller for permission to pass the stop board (adjacent to
the east end of Penmaenmawr platforms) and then waits at PR19 until booked time or it clears.

For intrepid members wishing to view the quarry workings, a footpath leads up from the top of
Cwmlws Lane at the west end of the village but is not for the faint hearted - gruellingly steep on the
way up; terrifyingly steep on the way down! The path here clearly has little use and is very overgrown
- to the point of near invisibility in places. Stone from the modern day workings centred at SH 701 755
is carried to the rail loader by over 2km of conveyor belts (descending 400m) and these can be viewed
at various points along the path. In addition, many traces remain of the very extensive network of
former tramways and inclines which served Penmaen-mawr (sic) and Graig-lwyd (sic) Quarries in the
past and carried their production to both the rail loader and shipping jetties. In summary, it's literally a
'Lost World' for industrial railway archaeologists to explore! Being a Pterodactyl might be useful here.

2558] Shotton: This split level station achieves overlap, appearing in TRACKmaps Books 3 and 4 (both
2018). However, the entries differ; Book 4 is correct but Book 3 (which has a different, non-BLS editor,
don't you know) numbers the low level (North Wales Coast line) platforms 1 & 2 as well as those on the
high level (Wrexham - Bidston line) (pages 34A and 35E respectively). The latter should in fact be P3
(northbound) and P4 (southbound). To be consistent with other volumes and less misleading, the High
Level and Low Level suffixes should also be in brackets as at Tamworth, Lichfield TV and Smethwick
Galton Bridge for example. They are not part of the station names, do not appear on platform signs or
usually on tickets, timetables or journey planners as each is considered to be one station, not two!
Rest assured that Martyn has made the necessary amendments for the eagerly awaited next Book 3.

2559] Trecwn: (BLNs 1317.2537 & 1401.1313) At last there are firm proposals to reuse part of this
former Royal Navy Armaments Depot site near Fishguard. Statkraft, Europe's largest generator of
renewable energy, is developing the Trecwn Green Energy Hub for the manufacture of 'green'
hydrogen (and you thought it was colourless), extracting it from water instead of the traditional fossil
fuels; the required electricity will be generated by wind and solar power. This facility will be built on
the site of a 'disused rail transfer shed'. Site investigations have begun and public drop in information
sessions at local community venues were scheduled for the last week of Oct. However, while uses of
the hydrogen could eventually include powering trains running west of Swansea, there is no mention
of the project making use of the site's existing 'strategic' (and still maintained) rail connection!

2560] Pontypridd Jn - Merthyr: (BLN 1403.587) Stormstown Up & Down Loop (15m 40ch - 16m 00ch)
is OOU from 31 Oct until 08.00 on 14 Nov to replace rail. A set of points numbered 9398 was to be
installed at 18m 07ch (Quakers Yard North) overnight on 3-4 Nov and secured normal, pending
commissioning as the north end of a new dynamic loop to be provided for the South Wales Metro.