1362

Number 1362 (Items 2800 - 2946 & MR 153 - 159) E-BLN 114 PAGES) 3 Oct 2020

BRANCH LINE NEWS

A societas est iens ut loca

Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955.

branchline.uk https://m.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/

Membership queries: Lisa Sheppard [email protected]
186 Anlaby Park Road South, Hull, HU4 7BU. 07873354464

British Isles news from members; an international section is available.
Opinions are not necessarily athvaoislaebolef .the Compilers or the Society.

…… BLN 1363 is dated 17 Oct. E-BLN is out Fri 16 Oct; contributions by Wed 7 Oct please.

.Date …....…Event and details…....… = Please book online.......... BLN Lead Status

Sun 23 Aug Ashton Packet Boat YarcdieRtyly. SPoOciSeTtyP.ONED WAITING LIST 1356 MG Waiting List
Fri 9 Oct Kerr's Miniature Railway Farewell all available line visits Below MG *OPEN*

16 Jan 2021 Scunthorpe Steel Works all day railtour No22 TBA MG Claimed

MG = Mark Gomm [email protected] 84 Mornington Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 6EL.

2800] :Fri 9 Oct 12.30; Kerr's Miniature Railway Farewell:: (TRACKmaps 1 p16E Nov 2017) West Links
Park, Arbroath, DD11 1QD, ¾ mile walk from Arbroath station (trains from/to the south). Sadly the
final day of operation of this historic, 10¼" gauge, 350yd, traditional seaside miniature railway which
runs alongside the main line is Sun 11 Oct 2020. It has been operated by the Kerr family for 85 years -
see BLN 1360.MR140. Special Society running, led by Kev Adlam, at lunchtime Fri 9 Oct (connections
Northampton, Birmingham, Leeds etc). Subject to availability, includes all three West Links platforms,
the loop and main line at Hospitalfield Halt (on a previous visit the end of line turntable was even
done), plus any safely available sidings and shed roads. Adult £11; U18s (must be adult accompanied)
£5.50. Face coverings & social distancing mandatory. Max 16 participants. Advance booking only via
our website or by post to Mark Gomm as above with an email address (preferred) or First Class SAE.

1362 HEAD LINES (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
2801] Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway: Suspended Sat 4 Apr (intended first day of 2020 full line
running); ROP Sat 1 Aug (Llanfair Caereinon - Castle Caereinon which had trains for Feb half term);
extended to Welshpool Wed 9 Sep (initially WSO). Trains may only be joined at Llanfair Caereinon.

2802] North Yorkshire Moors Railway; Levisham (excl) - Grosmont (excl) (last ran Tue 31 Dec 2019) &
Grosmont - Grosmont Ground Frame (main line connection, last ran Sun 3 Nov 2019): (BLN 1356.1953)
ROP Mon 17 Aug 2020 Pickering - Whitby services restarted; two each way daily at least to 1 Nov.

2803] Crianlarich Jn - Upper Tyndrum - Bridge of Orchy (excl): TCP Sun 13 Sep; ROP Sat 18 Sep; due to
flooding with a landslip (300 tonnes on the track), and ballast washed out south of Bridge of Orchy.

2804] Nunthorpe (excl) - Whitby (excl) twelve stations: TCP 21.00 Fri 18 Sep; ROP 07.00 Mon 28 Sep;
North Yorkshire Moors Railway services (item 2850) weren't affected but do not serve stations between
Grosmont and Whitby. Between Lealholm and Danby, 3.5km of 1940s track was relaid, allowing raising
of the line speed line. Glaisdale railway bridge was strengthened and refurbished. Middlesbrough to
Whitby by train (all stations) takes 90 mins; a non-stop bus 65 mins and an all stations bus 140 mins.

2805] Gainsborough Trent East Jn - Wrawby Jn with Gainsborough Central, Kirton Lindsey & Brigg:
(BLN 1349.896) ROP Sat 19 Sep (SO Sheffield - Cleethorpes, three trains each way, last ran Sat 14 Mar)
TCP Sat 21 Mar 2020. Gainsborough Central - Sheffield last ran Wed 18 Mar and remains withdrawn.

2806] Linlithgow (excl) - Polmont (incl) - Polmont Junction - Falkirk Grahamston (excl) and Polmont
Jn - Falkirk High (incl) - Greenhill Jn: (BLN 1361.2666) ROP Mon 21 Sep; TCP Wed 12 Aug due to storm
and flood damage to OHLE and embankments. The Highland Sleeper has reverted to its normal route.

2807] Taunton (excl) - Tiverton Parkway - Cowley Bridge Jn: TCP Mon 28 Sep; ROP Sat 3 Oct; relaying to
lift an Emergency Speed Restriction. Paddington - Plymouth services ran via Bruton, Yeovil & Axminster.

X.185] The unstaffed Kintore station with two 160m (quote) long platforms between 13m 1,081yds
and 13m 1256 yds (=13m 53ch!) is due to open Thur 15 Oct 2020. P1 is for Inverness, P2 for Aberdeen.

2808] Settle Jn - Kirkby Stephen (excl); 5 stations: TCP Sat 24 Oct; ROP Thu 29 Oct; costing £2M, north
of Settle at Stainforth, two bridges are to be demolished and replaced by modern craned in structures.

2809] Saxmundham - Oulton Broad North Jn; 5 stations: TCP Sat 24 Oct; ROP Tue 2 Nov (item 2879).

1362 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]

2810] Roy B Turner 'Tubby': It is with great sadness that we report Roy's recent sudden death at
home in Walsall at the age of 67. Member 1551, he was dedicated to the cause, our Sales Officer
from Nov 1985 until Nov 1997 and arranged a 4 Nov 1995 AGM tour of the Chasewater Railway.
Our sympathy goes to his family and friends. If any member can assist with a future BLN tribute or
has photos, anecdotes or information to share, please contact the Editor as soon as possible.

2811] Points & Slips: ●●BLN 1361.2670] Reddish South ROP Sat 19 Sep rather than Reddish North -
the latter had not been closed. ●●2672] The Vale of Neath Railway goods line over the Dare and
Gamlyn Brunel timber viaducts (the final ones) near Aberdare CG/A 1 Sep 1939. https://bit.ly/30e2GjA
(13 mins) is a unique film of them being dismantled. They were not replaced. ●●2720] The Signal Box
Log Book as was in the Manchester area is, of course, more widely known as the Train Register Book.

●●2797] A member was amused to see the 7-language sign at Scunthorpe Steel Works in e-BLN 1361.
In Englash 'Apply truck and trailer parking barkes' but in German it actually read: 'Submit your
application for truck and trailer parking brakes' and in French 'apply ... brakes to ...'

2812] My Early Railway Memories (37): (BLN 1361.2675) By David Stewart-David (Member No3344).
I spent the first eight years of my life in a London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) house that was
part of the company village of Higher Heysham (109ft above sea level). From the fence at the end of
the road I could see a 3F tank engine shunting traffic that had come on the boats from Ulster. Trains of
cattle would be hauled by Black 5s and 4Fs, while tank wagons to and from the oil refinery would
usually be hauled by 8Fs. During the day there were a few local trains that were usually Midland
Railway electric sets, but sometimes produced a Stanier 0-4-4 tank. As a treat my grandfather - the
stationmaster and my legal guardian would take me to Lancaster on the train.

The LMS produced a book listing all its locos with space to record when and where an engine had been
seen. Thanks to grandad's copperplate entries I know that I saw 6229, still streamlined, and 'City of
Stoke-on-Trent', memorably clean in lined black. In 1948 I travelled to London on the 'Ulster Express'
and saw an interesting selection of ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway engines as we passed Preston
and Wigan. At Crewe I was invited into the cab of 'South Wales Borderer', an unrebuilt Royal Scot.

I moved to London in 1949, and soon after started at Emanuel School then, as now, wonderfully
situated in the peninsula between the Brighton and the South Western main lines as they diverged
south of Clapham Junction. The Southern electric I took for granted, but the diversity of Southern
steam was a delight. Bullied Pacifics and 'W' Class freight tanks were everyday offerings, but less
routine delights were Marsh Atlantics on boat trains to Newhaven, and Drummond D15s on
Lymington summer trains. Like Henry (HC) Casserley and Simon Bradley, the presence of trains running
past Emanuel had an impact on my life. The diversity and volume of traffic through Clapham Junction
cured me of train spotting, because I became interested in working timetables and train regulation.

In my school days I would spend the summer holidays at Peterborough, exploring the Eastern Region
using various Runabout tickets (with some obscure lines to do). Family railway connections took me
into signal boxes and made me realise what a complex problem it was to move trains without delay

through the labyrinth that was the old Peterborough North (the name of the present station from
1923 until 1970). My summers in Peterborough were captured with a primitive Brownie 127, which
was used to picture the Raven 'B16' as it reversed a train from York into New England Yard.

On my way to becoming a lecturer in logistics I had worked as a porter at Peterborough North and an
enquiries clerk at King's Cross. This was in 1962/63 in the very last days of steam at that station.
Listening to passenger enquiries to the background of three 'Deltics' at the buffer stops was a trial.

Subsequently I had a life of Sociology and level crossings during my studies at Hull University. Trip
workings to and from the docks would halt crowds of cyclists who would try to make a Grand Prix get
away as the gates started to swing. Life as a graduate on British Railways' London Midland Region did
much to dispel my sentimental attachment to labour-intensive steam trains, and enabled me to
recognise the convenience of NX signal panels and multiple unit trains. I also developed the habit of
trying to cost and time everything I saw. The railway was in the throes of revolution, and like many
revolutions, events were chaotic and often misguided. What the old railway was like you can see from
heritage lines like the Bluebell, except that the heritage lines don't show the dirt, the shortages of
labour, and the kind of confusion that was caused when vehicles might be air braked, vacuum braked
or loose coupled, and where Crewe was a place where trains changed the nature of their traction.

As a place to work and move traffic productively the railways were often lost in confusion. I read book
titles that talk of 'The Golden Age of Steam' and have pictures of dirty Black 5s with burnt smokebox
doors. Things were certainly not better when I was a lad, unless you happened to be a train spotter…

2813] EGTRE: There is a new link to The Enthusiast's Guide to Travelling the Railways of Europe on
the 'More Options' section of our Website (after PSUL and also available to non-members), making
access easier. The large EGTRE website is maintained by a dedicated group, mostly our members; a
visit is highly recommended! It is full of good advice for those just starting out on foreign travel.

2814] More off the rails constituencies: (BLN 1361.2677) Firstly, Congleton is in Cheshire East not the
Staffordshire Moorlands constituency and the local MP, Fiona Bruce, is very vocal about railways.
In fact she recently raised the question of CrossCountry refusing to stop at Congleton (perhaps they
would prefer to claim their 1.5% performance bonus and could it be a reason they have deleted or
reduced other station calls?). She has also raised the similar problem of EMR cutting out Alsager stops.
⁜Constituencies with no railways at all (except, possibly, miniature ones): Banff & Buchan, Coventry
North West, Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Gosport, Houghton & Sunderland South, Leeds North East,
Mid Ulster, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney & Shetland, South Down, Strangford & West Tyrone.
(Gosport is, of course, conveniently served by rail via the ferry across to Portsmouth Harbour.)

⁜Constituencies with railways, but no National Rail/NIR station, and no light rail alternative: Aberdeen
South, Aldridge Brownhills, Bristol East, Derby North, Dudley North, Dudley South, Edinburgh South,
Kingston-upon-Hull North, Kingswood, Leicester East, Leicester West, Leigh, Louth & Horncastle,
Newcastle-under-Lyme, North Cornwall, North Swindon, NW Cambridgeshire, NW Durham, NW
Leicestershire, North Wiltshire, Northampton North, Norwich North, Nottingham East & Oxford East.
⁜Constituencies without National Rail stations, but served by light rail or metro: Bury North, Bury
South, Epping Forest, Harrow East, Jarrow, Newcastle-upon-Tyne North, North Tyneside, Oldham
West & Royton, Sheffield Heeley, South Shields, Tynemouth, Washington & Sunderland West,
Westminster North and Wolverhampton South West. ORR lists Kensington Olympia as being in
Hammersmith constituency, leaving Kensington served only by London Underground. However, the
eastern entrance to the station and possibly the southbound platform are in Kensington constituency!

⁜No National Rail or NIR station, but at least one heritage station: Aldridge Brownhills (Chasewater
Railway), Bury North and Bury South (East Lancashire), Kingswood (Avon Valley), Leicester West
(Great Central), Louth & Horncastle (Lincolnshire Wolds), North Cornwall (Launceston Steam and
Bodmin & Wenford Railways), North Swindon (Swindon & Cricklade), North West Cambridgeshire
(Nene Valley), North West Durham (Weardale) and South Down (Downpatrick & County Down).

[BLN 1362]
⁜The constituency with the greatest number of stations of all kinds is Dwyfor Meirionnydd, with 57.
These include all on the Cambrian Coast line from Penhelig to Pwllheli, plus all of the Corris, Talyllyn,
Fairbourne, Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland Heritage and Bala Lake Railway stations, plus those at the south
end of the Welsh Highland Railway. The constituency with the greatest number of National Rail
stations is, perhaps surprisingly, Ross, Skye & Lochaber - but it is very large - with 31 (Beauly to Kyle of
Lochalsh and Corrour to Mallaig). No English constituency has more than 14 National Rail stations.

2815] Annual Reports: Like many similar organisations our 2020 AGM has been deferred due to the
pandemic. This was explained in detail, with the reasons, in BLN 1357 of 25 July 2020. At that time
up to 30 people could meet indoors but currently the rule is six (indoors or outdoors) and then not
in some areas of the country with even tighter local restrictions. With this paper BLN and with e-BLN
electronically are the 2020 Officers' reports compiled by our General Secretary, Tim Wallis. They
include the draft 2019-2020 Society Accounts, your Accounts Examiner's Report and Treasurer's
Subscription recommendation for the 2021-2022 financial year. These accounts and financial
reports have been approved by the Committee. This is the fifth consecutive year that Society
Subscriptions have been frozen (or reduced). Due to inflation the electronic subscription is now our
best ever value for full membership in the 65 years since the Society was founded in 1955. This is
also true of our paper BLN subscription considering what is nowadays provided for the amount paid.

2816] BLN Quiz 9 Answers: (BLN 1361.2678) Cryptic Clues to non-station route Junctions, in Britain.

❶ Worn out street shoes found under the bed: (5,6) Sheet Stores (anagram of street shoes).

❷ We hear of an alternative to the spicy meal: (5,5) Curry Rivel.

❸ Brian and Ken get excited at the winning post of the races! (8): Kinnaber - anagram (agag) of Brian
Ken - Kinnaber Jn was effectively the winning post of the London to Aberdeen 'Race to the North'*.

❹ Test the barrels here - but not for real ale! (5,5): Proof House (Birmingham gun barrel proof house).

❺ Is one of them heather covered by some watercress? (9): Allington - Al ling ton; 'Ling' is a word for
the common heather. Alton is from the Mid Hants Railway (the Watercress Line).

❻ Fiddling ground Nero down having to choose the Roman road or Metroland! (7,9): Grendon
Underwood; anag of ground Nero down. The Jn for Akeman Street or Amersham etc = Metroland -
apologies for being short of a 'd' and an 'e' - a member suggests an alternative clue for this answer:
Don, nude, and a mixed up wrongdoer, had to choose the roman road or Metroland (7,9)

❼ Afternoon call for meal for cattle? (8): Fodderty - fodder tea!

❽ The Report reveals that the crash - end on - resulted from too much speed (8): Ashendon … the
crASH END ON resulted... (junction name at the end of the phrase).

❾ Journalist's option for the stop press? (8) Copyhold. [Quiz thanks to or blame (!) Robert Green.]

❿ Walled town for sale? At Burnham or Wickham perhaps! (7,6): Borough Market; the original
definition of Borough is a walled town! Burnham Market & Wickham Market were on the GER.

*In the late 19th Century there was considerable competition between the companies on the West
Coast route and those on the East Coast to provide the fastest overnight journey from London (Euston
and King's Cross respectively) to Aberdeen. In 1894, the trains both left at 20.00, the earlier scheduled
arrival time was 08.50, becoming 05.40 in 1895. The 'Race to the North', run over the two rival routes,
peaked in Aug 1895. The first train to reach Kinnaber Junction Signalbox, 38 miles south of Aberdeen,
won as the routes joined there with no scope for overtaking. Kinnaber Junction signaller was warned
of the approach of trains by a telegraphic bell signal from the next box south. He could only accept one
train at a time, and so if a train then approached on the other route, it would find that the signals were
against it. Both reached here at similar times, sometimes in sight of each other across the Montrose
Basin. It was a final battle to reach the junction first. There is still a sign where the box used to be.

1362 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
2817] Skegness: (BLN 1361.2682) (TRACKmaps 2 p26D Oct 2016) The points at the station end of
Carriage Siding No3 (furthest from the running lines) have been removed. Sidings 1 & 2 are in good
condition, well ballasted and clear of vegetation. In the past, when trains were busy, P4 has been the
preferred platform so that excess luggage is placed by the right hand (on departure) doors once the
luggage racks etc are full. This prevents it falling out at station stops as the left hand doors are opened!

2818] Boston: (TRACKmaps 2 p25C Oct 2016) The 'long' trailing crossover is clipped OOU. In the past it
has been used in service by trains from Sleaford turning back in P1 on departure (now an ECS shunt).

2819] Barnetby: The operational length of P2 (to Cleethorpes) is to be extended from 103.5m to 115m.

ABOVE: The 'Good Old Days' at Skegness, or at least Sun 13 Aug 1978. Our photographer arrived on
the far right train (P7!), a British Rail organised loco-hauled excursion from King's Cross. It ran via the
Joint Line and the Lincoln avoiding line as it was from Greetwell Jn, to the then ultra-rare curve
(Boultham Jn - West Holmes Jn) which he needed. Since May 1985 it has been used by all passenger
trains from/to Newark (!). It took the train through Lincoln Central and back south to Sleaford. The
other trains were thought to be merrymaker excursions P1-3 are out of sight far left. (Ian Mortimer.)

2820] Barton-on-Humber: North Lincolnshire Council with North Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire
Community Rail Partnership has bid to the 'Restoring Your Railways' fund for £50k for a feasibility
study into extending the Sheffield to Gainsborough Central service (currently not running) through to
Barton-on-Humber via Brigg two hourly. With the two hourly Cleethorpes trains this would restore
the hourly service on the Barton branch. By May 2021, East Midlands Railway may finally have taken
over operation of the line. The service is unlikely to change, but Class 153 units are expected to be
replaced by Class 171 DMUs compliant with Persons of Reduced Mobility regulations. To continue in
service beyond 1 Jan this year, the current trains required a dispensation from the Secretary of State.

2821] Immingham: On 23 Sep 68005 & 68027 'top & tailed' a Nuclear flask train from Hartlepool
Nuclear Power Station to the Nordic Steel Terminal, Immingham. It is some time since this last ran.

NEXT: The train on the curve between Godnow Bridge and Medge Hall. (Martin Crompton, 23 Sep.)

SECOND PICTURE: Same date and location, two Class 70s en route to Doncaster. (Martin Crompton.)













X.186] PREVIOUS: GBRf 66736 with imported 'foreign' 66793 & 66794 as 0D66 12.33 Immingham
Mineral Quay to Doncaster Roberts Road (13.52) heading west through Crowle - Mon 21 Sep 2020 at
12.23. The photographer comments that the 20mph restriction here has its uses! (Martin Crompton.)

2822] Rectory Jn: (BLN 1361.2661) (TRACKmaps 4 p13B Dec 2018) From passing trains it is the Up
Siding that is back in use, there are stop boards on the former oil depot tracks. Originally oil trains
from Lindsey Refinery ran via Lincoln then the direct Newark (South Jn) to Bottesford freight line.
This single track line had an intermediate signal box at Lowfield (fringing with Doncaster panel) which
closed Sat lunchtime for the weekend. It had a passing loop and a Great Northern Railway 'somersault'
fixed distant signal, although its somersaulting days were over there were still working examples in the
1970s (Thorpe Culvert). The last train ran on Fri 17 Apr 1987 and the line was taken OOU 6 Jun 1988; a
¼ mile headshunt was retained at Newark to access the Down Yard. ( https://bit.ly/3j8nssb and BLN.)

In more recent years the oil trains went via Nottingham to run round at Beeston then back through
Nottingham to Rectory Jn propelling the wagons into Colwick Total Oil Depot. The wagons were split
between the two discharge lines. After reforming, the discharged wagons went via Grantham to run
round in the Down/Up Goods Loop. Lindsey was reached via the ECML, Newark North Gate & Lincoln.

1362 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett) [email protected]
2823] Harrow-on-the-Hill: On 12/13 Sep Met services were suspended south of here with engineering
work between Preston Road and Willesden Green. Various members were able to take advantage of
the half-hourly service from Amersham, which used the Southbound Main Line from Moor Park and
reversed in P2, returning at XX.26/56 via the trailing crossover to the Northbound Main. First stop was
Moor Park from where a return journey back down the Southbound Main was possible within 6 mins.

Reportedly it was an enjoyable and not in the slightest bit a harrowing experience. On the return
journey another Society member (who luckily had been circling the M25) alerted to the opportunity,
was met on the southbound Metropolitan Line after being dropped off by his wife at Rickmansworth.
He had been called by another Gensheeter who, after seeing the Gensheet posting, was en route to
Amersham from Northamptonshire to do it! This service pattern, due to an engineering block, has
happened before but is difficult (impossible?) to confirm by the usual modern means such as Realtime
Trains or Railcam. As LUL services they showed up on neither, so the good old fashioned Mk1 eyeball
was required! Incidentally TRACKmaps 5 p43B Aug 2019, south of Harrow North Jn, 'JB' in a green disc
with a black circumference and the name North Subsidiary is an example of the many unmanned
signalling Interlocking Machine Room codes - see the local key on p40 between maps 'C' and 'D'.

2824] Ian Allan, Waterloo: (BLN 1361.2691) Notices confirm the shop 45-46 Lower Marsh, SE1 7RG
closes on Sat 31 Oct (presumably unless all the stock is sold off beforehand).There is currently a 33%
discount on items that attract VAT (DVDs. Models etc) and, from Sat 10 Oct, a 50% discount on books.

2825] Kensington (Olympia): (BLN 1361.2697) The weekend District Line shuttle normally runs to High
Street Kensington. It ran to Edgware Road on 5 & 6 Sep to partly replace the Edgware Road to
Wimbledon service as the Wimbledon branch was closed for engineering work all that weekend.
That may partly explain the confused announcement heard by our member and reported in BLN 1361.

2826] Colindale: (BLN 1338.2544) Morgan Sindall has been awarded the contract for detailed design of
the £22M station redevelopment. The ticket hall will double in size with 9 ticket gates instead of 5.

2827] HS2: (BLN 1361.2689) From 20 Sep the HS2 Works Siding Neck and a mid-section of the OOU
HS2 Works Siding 2 at Euston were recovered. NR is consulting on the removal of two crossovers that
formerly connected Line 'E' with Backing Out Road 2. The land previously occupied by the Backing Out
Roads is to be transferred to HS2. HS2 Ltd has issued a proposed timeline for construction work:
Autumn 2020: Piling 50m deep by 1.8m across and ground anchors for Euston station approach.
These strengthen the surrounding ground and support the railway and future development above it.
Dec 2020: Commence cavern constructions in north London, exact location not specified.
Construction of Euston and Old Oak Common stations starts.

Late 2020: Trestles for the Colne Valley Viaduct laid, with construction of the foundations and piers
starting in 2021. This will be 3.2km long, crossing reservoirs, the Grand Union Canal and the A412.
Jun 2022-2024: Northolt Tunnel boring work; not so dull, this will run for 13.4km from West Ruislip
to Old Oak Common. Four tunnel boring machines will be used to create twin tunnels from each end.
Jul 2022-2024: Construct Colne Valley Viaduct deck. Dec 2023: Start boring the tunnel from Old
Oak Common for 7.2km to the tunnel mouth on the site of the old Down Side Carriage Shed outside
Euston. Two Tunnel Boring Machines will create the twin tunnels from the Old Oak Common end.

2828] LUL: (BLN 1361.2695) Things are slowly returning to normal, with all stations now open except
Heathrow T4. This is due to the closure of the airport terminal, of course, and there seems no prospect
of it reopening any time soon. From 13 Sep, Hampstead also opened at weekends from 07.00 to 19.00.
St James's Park reopened fully from 14 Sep, followed by Swiss Cottage on 21st. By 18 Sep Covent
Garden was open throughout the day, but still exit only, then open for entry as well from 20th.

The usual leaf fall arrangements apply on the Met and Piccadilly Lines from 5 Oct until 23 Dec. On the
Met there is an additional 3½ mins running time between Amersham/Chesham and Rickmansworth
for 'double block' signalling, in reality a misnomer. Piccadilly Line end to end running times are
increased due to temporary 30mph speed restrictions over some open sections. Two fewer trains are
available for service, with one split to form two 3-car Sandite trains and another to cover additional
fleet maintenance. This all results in service reductions. The full timetables: https://bit.ly/2YWBTbf

2829] Milk flowing by rail: https://bit.ly/3hYgZ1O (11 mins) charts the development of milk supplies
to London by rail. Until the 1860s, London's milk was produced predominately in urban dairies or came
from suburban farms. In 1845 rail-borne milk came from places less than 25 miles from the centre of
London, such as Romford. Rail was carrying 28% of this by 1861, but a big increase came in 1865/66
when urban farms were hit by Cattle Plague, halving the total number of cows in use. Milk transported
to London by the LNWR increased from 86,000 gallons in 1864 to 1.21M in 1866. In 1865 about 3.4M
gallons went by rail, rising to 88.1M by 1913; in 1910 only 2% came from urban and suburban dairies.

The population of London was increasing and more milk was being drunk per head. Cooling technology
introduced in the 1870s also accelerated the trend. The GWR became the largest supplier to London
and in 1899 was responsible for 23.5M gallons, just over half the total, including milk churns from
Titley Junction (but not Bristol). In cooler months, it would come from as far afield as Cornwall.
Express Dairies became a major contractor using express trains to supply milk to the capital. Founded
in 1864, it negotiated special rates with the GW and Midland Railways. The company introduced
galvanised metal milk churns from America, conveying milk to a central depot and then on to shops.

2830] West London Orbital Railway: (BLN 1351.1264) This scheme should serve a platform on the
Hendon Lines at the new Brent Cross West station. Although space is reserved for it, funding doesn't
exist to include it in the current station construction. Design changes approved by Barnet Council could
allow passive provision for an additional island platform and connections to the footbridge to be
added. However, putting in place the preliminary works, including enhanced foundation designs,
would cost around £1.4M. Cash-strapped TfL supports the plans, but cannot pay for them and has
been unable to identify funding within the required timescale. The lack of passive provision is expected
to push up the cost of the new works by around £5-£10M if carried out later on. ('Ian Visits' website)

2831] Camden Highline: (BLN 1354.1699) The competition to design this 1.2km linear green walking
and cycling route on the viaducts and bridges formerly carrying the northern pair of tracks between
Camden Road West and East Jns past the station was launched on 7 Sep. It will be 8m off the ground.

2832] Crossrail: (BLN 1360.2559) From 14 Sep the three TfL Rail Heathrow T5 diagrams became 9-car
Class 345 EMU worked. To keep the previous Class 360s operational, they now have an evening ECS
working from Old Oak Common to Heathrow T4 and back. It is not the only train there, other Class 345
ECS trips run. The operating company has changed its name from MTR Crossrail to MTR Elizabeth Line.

BELOW: (Item 2823) Harrow-on-the-Hill platform use Sun 13 Sep (well it does the job, and very niceley too).
Imagine the amount of information that TWO white boards could impart. (All Simon Morimer.)

BELOW: Harrow-on-the-Hill P2 looking northbound. It is a reflection of Simon's skill as a photographer
that he managed to include the destination indicator on the front of the train in the picture.





PREVIOUS: A train from Amersham becomes a t
BELOW: Through the window departing north from P2; the front of the tra

train to Amersham in P2 at Harrow-on-the-Hill.
ain is seen on the crossover - the fun is over at the front of the first coach!

X.187] BELOW: (BLN 1361.2686) (TRACKmaps 5 p44A Aug 2019) The ne

ew double junction onto the City Widened Lines (right) on 13 Jul 2020.

BELOW: Barbican looking towards Moorgate, with original bullhead rail an
NEXT: Barbican looking towards Farringdon and very nicely showing that t

nd non-electrified track (or at least some of it) from DMU/loco-hauled days.
the lines on the left are indeed 'widened'. (All Iain Scotchman, 13 Jul 2020.)





BELOW: Moorgate P5 & 6 (visited by Hidden London tours here) with the ho

oardings recently removed, there might be a very long wait to see a train…

2833] London Overground: (BLN 1361.2694) A full daily East London Line service was restored from
7 Sep with reinstatement of the Dalston Junction - New Cross shuttles (BLN 1360.2543). Full weekend
services were restored on the North London Line from 12 Sep, with some weekday cancellations.

2834] GN Inner Suburban Services: (BLN 1356.1975) The local Railfuture branch has issued an open
letter https://bit.ly/3cqsXQC with concerns over the proposed transfer of services to TfL. It thinks
there is considerable risk that improvements due to local supervision and control are significantly
outweighed by the adverse impacts on the 'total railway' operations. Concerns include the railway
operating in a less integrated way, the TfL model reducing ticket office facilities and fares increases,
passenger assistance becoming more complex and loss of rolling stock maintenance efficiencies

2835] Twickenham Area: (BLN 1345.394) From 21 Sep a new crossover (secured OOU) was installed
between the Down and Up Main Lines at St Margarets. At the London end of Twickenham station, the
facing crossover was to be partly removed from 28 Sep, with the Up Line point plain-lined.

1362 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
2836] Morpeth: The Tudor-style station building OP 1847, designed for the York, Newcastle & Berwick
Railway by architect Benjamin Green. Grade II listed, it was mostly empty and had suffered years of
leaking roofs and pigeons gaining access. Damp and rot had taken a severe toll on the external and
internal building fabric. It recently underwent an 18 month restoration - the damage was carefully
removed, replaced or repaired wherever possible - to maintain the original design style including as
many of the original timber window frames as possible. The elegant front portico is now open again.

The 15 tall chimneys, which give the station its distinctive appearance, were considerably reduced in
height years ago for safety reasons but have now been reinstated to their full height using local
Northumberland stone. A café and modern ticket office have been created. The National Lottery
Heritage Fund provided £790k and Northumberland County Council, the North East Rural Growth
Network, NR and Arriva North the balance of the £2.3M cost. There were 475,000 passengers 2018-19.

2837] Pacing around Newcastle: ①A member observed a 'gaggle' of empty Pacers passing through
Newcastle Central on Sat 12 Sep around midday. Realtime trains showed it was a GBRf operated 11.56
Heaton Depot to Doncaster Down Decoy ECS working. Members may like to suggest other collective
nouns to describe Pacers. Candidates so far include 'run', 'ruin', 'nod' and 'bounce'.

②On 3 Sep, the penultimate day of planned Class 91 operation North of York (more ran later), the
08.00 King's Cross to Edinburgh ran on the bidirectional Up Main from Newcastle East Jn and used the
trailing Benton crossover. It was 10 mins late and thereby overtook the 10.57 Newcastle to Morpeth
stopper. Our member wonders when Benton trailing crossover will next be used by a loco-hauled
passenger service; the facing crossover has occasional use with charters via the Blyth and Tyne line.

2838] T&W Metro: (BLN 1355.1842.3) Nexus has invited bids for a £60M infrastructure, services,
testing and commissioning contract for the Pelaw to Bede double track Metro Flow project. Work is
scheduled to start in Sep 2021 for Feb 2023 completion. There will be a Metro line closure of around
12 weeks but the regular Lindsey Oil refinery to Jarrow Oil Terminal trains will continue to run.

Nexus and the DfT have discussed funding when the £350M All Change Programme of major upgrades
ends in Mar 2021. New capital spending to 2025 is due to be confirmed in the 2020 spending review.

2839] Chester-le-Street: NR is to extend both platforms at the north end from 104.5m to 110m.

2840] A piece of railway history? Yours for only £1M: https://bit.ly/34gtfGb A six bedroom house
with a view, livestock and some fields thrown in. Greenfield Farm (Green Field on map, upper far left
below second spot down), west of Bishop Auckland, is for sale. Within its eastern boundary is the
trackbed of the western end of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, near Etherley Engine House (site).

The Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway are encouraging local authorities to take back the
trackbed (join the dots on the map below) into public ownership. There is no threat to the footpath,
but much more could be done to open it up and explain its history ahead of the bicentenary in 2025.

Some time between 07.00-08.00 on 27 Sep 1825, twelve wagons of coal were led from Phoenix Pit*
(top left spot on the 1958 map above), presumably by a horse. This was the first commercial traffic
carried by the S&DR. They were then drawn up the 1,100 yd North Bank of the Etherley Incline by the
stationary engine at the top, at Etherley Engine House (second spot down), 576ft above sea level. The
wagons then descended the self-acting South Bank incline to the turnpike road at St Helen Auckland.

The gradients of the inclines were 1:30¾ and 1:33 but your NE Editor has not been able to discern
which was which. These were severe gradients at the time - well beyond the power of any locomotive.

Spectators had been on the move since 05.30 and a 'vast throng' witnessed the wagons being drawn
by horses to the foot of Brusselton West Bank. The spectators then joined the 'triumphal procession'
to the incline foot. En route, they passed over the River Gaunless bridge (third spot down). Dating from
1823 and with four 12ft 6in spans, it is the oldest iron railway bridge in the world. It is/was preserved
at the National Railway Museum but is in the process of being moved to 'Locomotion' Shildon.

Thousands of spectators were waiting on the slopes to see the wagons drawn up the 1,850yd incline at
the heady speed of 8mph by the 60hp stationary engine in Brusselton Engine House (bottom right, left
most spot) about 500ft above sea level. The wagons were then let down the 825yd eastern side.

The gradients of the inclines were 1:30½ and 1:33½, but again which was which? At a location
described as 'Shildon Lane' (bottom right corner spot) stood Locomotion No1, in a bright coat of fresh
paint, getting up steam, 21 wagons equipped with seats and the new passenger carriage 'Experiment'.

This lane seems to have carried various names subsequently, judging by OS maps: Stock Lane (1857),
New Shildon Road (1895) and Byerley Road (today). The location is best known as Mason's Arms Level
Crossing, although 'Locomotion' was almost certainly further west, so that the back of its train was at
the incline foot sidings. And the rest of the day is history, as the saying goes and gricing was born.

[*Confusingly, the opening notice in the local papers referred to Witton Park Colliery. Old OS maps
show a Witton Park Old Colliery north of Phoenix Pit but 'Tomlinson's North Eastern Railway' calls the
starting point Phoenix Pit. To continue to Witton Park Old Colliery, the line would have had to make a
fairly sharp kink at Phoenix Pit, but there was nothing similar elsewhere on the S&DR. Perhaps Witton
Park Colliery was a generic term for the area pits.] Phoenix Pit to St Helen Auckland was probably
abandoned in 1843 and had been lifted by 1857 (sadly you have missed it, but it's a very nice walk).

[BLN 1362]
2841] Temporary Closures? It has been suggested that some thinly used lines in North Yorkshire
(amongst other counties) might be closed temporarily to save money due to Treasury pressure (or if
there are staff shortages with a second wave). Whitby has been listed in the past as one of the most
unprofitable lines in the country but rail replacement road services are difficult to provide (see 2850).

Across the North, it seems that the trains that would normally have been lightly used have recovered
patronage more than heavily used services. People seem to be more willing to make a local journey to
the next town than travel to a large city; Leeds is apparently still very empty, partly due to the collapse
of commuting, but Saltburn and Redcar have been very busy, although only having an hourly service.

Rather than closing entire routes, the service frequency has been reduced. Northern is running about
80% of its services The Leeds - Harrogate 'expresses', Huddersfield - Castleford and Hull - Bridlington
short workings generally only run during peak times. The Gainsborough Central stopping services have
stopped as have half of the Darlington - Saltburn services. There are also some gaps such as one of the
3tph between Newcastle and Hexham not running in some hours. Northern is at present short of
available train crew because Covid-19 has severely affected training and route learning. Sufficient new
drivers and conductors have been recruited but they are waiting to start training.

2842] Teesport (1): Tesco is spending £5M on 500 containers and two stacking machines to transfer
40 road journeys a day from Daventry to rail. This will presumably require an additional train to run.
(2): PD Ports (The PD derives from Powell Duffryn) has refurbished the former Steel Export Terminal,
on the west side of Tees Dock, to create a rail served bulk products terminal. (3): The former Tees Dock
Link, connecting the dock to the internal rail system at Lackenby, opened in about 1975 but was
removed in 1990/91. It was traversed by our society's comprehensive 3 Jun 1990 internal railtour.
Then it was officially reopened on 20 Jul 2006 but traffic ceased in Sept 2015 when Redcar blast
furnace was shut down, 'owing' to the bankruptcy of SSI (Sahaviriya Steel Industries PLC), the owners.

2843] ECML Power Supply: The Power Supply Upgrade Project, part of the wider £1.21bn East Coast
Upgrade programme, has awarded a £216.2M contract to the Rail Electrification Alliance. Funded by
the DfT in conjunction with the Intercity Express Programme, this second phase will upgrade the
power supply between Doncaster and Edinburgh. South of Doncaster the power supply has already
been upgraded. A new feed at Hambleton (west of Selby) will provide power for the extra services
planned following the King's Cross remodelling and the Werrington Jn upgrade. The new feeds north
of Newcastle will allow the TPE Class 802 bimodes to run on electric mode through to Edinburgh.

2844] Hellifield: The Yorkshire Sleeper https://bit.ly/3j4DUK0 is a 2-bedroom (double & twin, a travel
cot can be provided), first-floor apartment holiday let in the Grade II station building. It has extensive
facilities and is perfect for gricers. Great views, countryside walks, Shed24H Tea Rooms are below with
railway memorabilia and, of course, there are trains to Leeds, Carlisle, Carnforth etc. 07475 878209.

2845] Castleford: An item reviewed in the Leeds Area Strategic Study (which covers up to 2043) is
providing sufficient platform and track capacity on the 'Five Towns Corridor' to support two Leeds -
Sheffield trains per hour via Castleford. This would include reinstating Castleford P2. It is also being
considered as part of the work to provide diversionary routes for the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade.
However, use of P2 also requires an additional crossover on the Cutsyke line, which is classed as
'medium cost'. The platform would be required for the 2026 Indicative Train Service Specifications.

2846] Bensham Curve: This 749yd Tyneside curve linked the Low Fell Jn - Norwood Jn line with the
King Edward Bridge South Jn - Blaydon - Carlisle line. It formed the third side of a triangle (Low Fell
Sidings Jn - Bensham Curve Jn) and provided an alternative route between Tyne Yard and Gateshead
which usefully went beneath the ECML through Bensham Tunnel rather than crossing the ECML on the
flat. It was used by passenger diversions when the relevant section of the ECML was possessed.

However, its dates of opening and closing had been a mystery, now solved thanks to original research
by a member and two non-members, all knowledgeable about North Eastern Railway (NER) signalling.

[BLN 1362]
It is not on Cook & Hoole's North Eastern Railway Historical Maps, or OS maps around 1921, so it was
not opened by the NER. However, the NER board appears to have authorised (on 11 Nov 1920)
construction to start and (on 30 Mar 1922) a tender for a bridge over Lobley Hill Rd. So the curve was
certainly originally a NER project, though completed by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER).

The line is in the 1947 LNER Sectional Appendix and Bragg & Scarlett's North Eastern Lines & Stations
states that it was 'post grouping'. A report in the 21 Feb 1923 Newcastle Daily Chronicle describes it as
'under construction'. It seems probable that it opened some time in the spring of 1923. The line
diagram is dated July 1923. The LNER Record of Levers for 1925 gives a 1923 frame date for Bensham
Curve Signal Box, which had 20 levers with 15 working and 5 spare according to the inspection report.
However, it is strange that it does not feature in the LNER List of Lines with the Acts of Parliament
authorising them, and the Dates of Opening, dated 1926.

LEFT: 1949 map 1:25,000, far middle left is
Norwood Jn (now the passenger line to
Carlisle), bottom right corner on the ECML
is Low Fell Jn and Low Fell Yard. On the
direct curve between them is Low Fell
Sidings Jn (the SE corner of the triangle)
for Bensham Curve. The top of that
triangle was Bensham Curve Jn. Upper
centre Bensham station CP 5 Apr 1954.
Above it was not a junction; it is where the
present Carlisle line dives under the ECML
- both heading towards Newcastle.

(BLN 630.27a) The curve was used by
passenger diversions on 10 & 11 Feb 1990
but was secured out of use on 8 Jul 1990 -
BR(ER) NN Weekly Operating Notice for
Week 15, 7-13 July 1990 - and the
associated signals abolished. By 20 July
(BLN 640.17) the Down line had been lifted
and the Up line was heavily rusted.
However, it is included in NR's plans for
upgrading Church Fenton to Newcastle.
As well as a non-conflicting route between
Tyne Yard and Gateshead, northbound
passenger trains could access the little
used Newcastle P1 (east end bay; there
were seven and a dock) without conflicting
with southbound trains. The curve is
required in all scenarios tested by NR,
except full reopening of the Leamside line
(Ferryhill - Pelaw). As a standalone scheme the curve would allow up to 7tph (passenger services) each
way, plus freight. However, running to and from the east end of Newcastle Central via the High Level
Bridge would be significantly slower than directly via the King Edward Bridge.

2847] Meadowhall - Barnsley: Previously, and in recent years uniquely, DRS Class 20 locos were used
on the Railhead Treatment Trains on this line during leaf fall season due to a restriction in the 1,498yd
Tankersley tunnel between Chapeltown and Meadowhall. The restriction has now been rectified so
that Class 37s are route cleared and it is thought that DRS no longer have any active Class 20s anyway

2848] Doncaster: (TRACKmaps 2 p34A Oct 2016) Southwest of St Catherine's Jn, iPort Rail intermodal
terminal was recently named as Rail Freight Group Business of the Year 2020; it has been a big success.

2849] Queensbury Tunnel: (BLN 1351.1278) The DfT has awarded £1M to develop a business case for
an active travel route through the 2,501yd tunnel. West Yorkshire Combined Authority will spend
£0.5M on option development and Highways England, the tunnel's owner, will use the rest to explore
engineering requirements and how to make the tunnel safe for construction. A Bradford to Halifax
cycle route via the tunnel has been costed at £23.4M. Unfortunately rail reopening is not an option!

2850] Whitby: Passenger numbers are recovering well after lockdown; the line was busy in August,
such that Northern even planned to strengthen some services. However, due to the way that the
Nunthorpe and Newcastle services interwork at Middlesbrough, the extra DMU could not be attached
to the same diagram all day. It would have to be left at Whitby during the day but this was impossible
because of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) timetable. (Come back Carriage Sidings (OOU),
all is forgiven!) From 17 Aug until 1 Nov the NYMR is running two daily full line trains, 'The Optimist',
between Pickering and Whitby. These are the only trains running on the NYMR at the moment.

09.20 Pickering - Whitby 11.10 P2 LEFT: Current Whitby station weekday platform occupancy.

10.20 Middlesbrough - Whitby 11.51 P1 The station has two peculiarities that may be unique.

11.58 Whitby - Hexham 11.58 P1 Between 13.45 and 14.00 two full length NYMR trains are

12.00 Pickering - Whitby 13.45 P1 there at the same time. Has this happened here before?

14.00 Whitby - Pickering 14.00 P2 Secondly, in spite of being a seasonal operator, the NYMR

NYMR train shunts to P2 carries many more passengers to Whitby than Northern.

11.56 Hexham - Whitby 15.36 P1 The NYMR website says that they (normally) have over

16.00 Whitby - Hexham 16.00 P1 350,000 passengers a year and it is thought that most
16.30 Whitby - Pickering 16.30 P2 make the full Pickering to Whitby return trip. Northern

recorded 131,000 passengers at Whitby in 2018/19. This is probably unique. Although not the same,

the Jacobite carried 315,000 passengers to Mallaig in 2018 but ScotRail recorded 97,530 in 2018-19.

It would not make financial sense to temporarily close the Whitby branch now the schools have
returned; like the Cambrian Coast Line there is significant school traffic. The line follows the river Esk
through Eskdale but there is no continuous parallel road. The main Middlesbrough to Whitby road
(although faster for through journeys) runs along the moors north of the dale; minor roads drop -
steeply in some cases - into the dale. Some are too steep and narrow for full size buses and all are
prone to being blocked by snow in the winter. These factors led to the line's reprieve in 1965, when
Whitby to Malton (via Pickering) and the coast line to Scarborough closed. Road replacement for the
school needs about eight buses, so there probably would be no great cost saving in implementing it.

2851] Sleights: NR has installed notices and sent letters to local residents to remind walkers not to
trespass on Thistle Grove Bridge over the River Esk southwest of the station after 23 incidents had
been caught on camera since May. It must be very tempting as there is a space where the second track
used to be and the route is a significant short cut. The two nearby private level crossings between
Thistle Grove Farm and the footpath to Eskdaleside are not available to the public either. Most private
crossings have a restricted limited list of authorised (and trained) users who generally have a key.

1362 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected]
2852] Skipton - Colne: (BLN 1353.1586) The Skipton-East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership has been
told that Government ministers have been briefed on the findings of feasibility work commissioned by
former Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling. As a result, they have now asked for costed
proposals to be prepared for further work to take the project to reopen the Skipton- Colne line to the
'decision to develop' stage. Interestingly reports are that double track is to be investigated.

2853] Rose Hill: (BLN 1361.2715) The current sparse service is provided at the expense of others - the
08.52 from Rose Hill replaces the cancelled 08.54 from Marple. The 14.19 from Piccadilly to Rose Hill
and 15.14 return is a cancelled New Mills service. This is why some run via Bredbury not Hyde Central.

2854] Todmorden Curve: This is another Northern service that has suffered. Previously there was an
all day hourly service seven days a week. Since Tue 24 Mar there have been, and until 13 Dec still are,
just SIX trains each way between Blackburn, Todmorden and Manchester Victoria every three hours -
the best service possible using one DMU. The hourly Sunday service has not run since Sun 22 Mar.

2856] Irlam - the sequel sequel: (BLN 1361.2722) It turns out that the current main station building at
Irlam is not the original 1873 one. The 1873 building was at a significantly lower level than the present
one. A new building was provided in 1893 for the new station and this is the one which survives today.
https://bit.ly/30a6iTA has a photo of both next to each other (bottom left) and other information.

This begs other questions for research about how the CLC managed to get the MSC to pay for a very
substantial building in the style of 20 years ago at Irlam, as compared with the CLC at Cadishead, which
was basic in comparison and the LNWR at Latchford, which was primeval compared with the original!

BELOW: Information and historic photos from a board at Irlam station (the Hamilton Davies Trust).

BELOW: 1904 six-inch map; the Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) had been ope
top. Note the extremely tortuous 'River Mersey Old Course' - the future Irla
including the oxbow lakes even. There were two MSC coal tipplers each side

ened for 10 years; it widens for Partington Coal Basin. Irlam station is very
am Steel Works site. The Lancashire/Cheshire boundary faithfully follows it,
e then, classed as in Partington. Note the 'Engine Shed' at the very bottom.

[BLN 1362]
2855] Partington/Cadishead: (BLN 1361.2722) The Manchester Ship Canal (MSC) referred to the area
around Cadishead as Partington, despite Partington actually being on the opposite side of the canal.
The MSC opened in 1894 and between Irlam and Woolston the River Mersey was diverted to flow
along the Canal and the original River Mersey bed was then available for land reclamation.
Before the Canal was constructed, the Lancashire/Cheshire boundary was the River Mersey, which,
between Partington and Cadishead was north of the course adopted for the Canal. The original survey
for the Canal before construction would therefore have shown the coal berths northwest and
southeast of the Canal as in Partington (see map). Logic later dictated that the local boundaries should
be reorganised to reflect the fact that the Mersey was flowing along the Canal, but the name on the
Cadishead side of the Canal remained as originally surveyed prior to construction of the MSC. [QED.]
(BLN 1361.2722) To follow: Four photos from Ian Mortimer from two visits made to Irlam British Steel
Corporation (BSC) in Feb and then again in Aug 1979. On the second trip the participants were able to
complete the rest of the system here that was not covered on the first visit.

ABOVE: MSC loco 'D7' approaches No5 Tippler, looking across the MSC to Partington chemical works
etc. Loaded wagons were pushed along the higher level, then, after they were tippled into the boats,
returned via the low level (where the loco is). There were three tipplers, Nos3, 5 & 7. Presumably the
even numbered ones used to be on the southeast opposite side of the Manchester Ship Canal.

NEXT PAGE: 1961 map 1:25,000 scale with three tipplers each side of Partington Coal Basin, the
'Works' is Irlam BSC. Cadishead station is lower left of centre and Glazebrook is to the upper left.

BELOW: Faded, but full of interest - there are people like that too. Feb 1979 showing the, by then,
disused line along the Irlam BSC side (northwest bank) of the MSC under No3 Tippler (number left in

white) - looking southwest towards Warrington and Liverpool. The Partington (left) to Cadishead and

Glazebrook (right) main line bridge (last train 29 Jul 1982) is behind. Irlam Steel Works was off to the
right at the higher level. NEXT: No7 Tippler viewed from the southeast (Partington) side of the canal.

BELOW: Aug 1979; on this second visit participants rode on this curious looking vehicle (probably a
road/rail crane as it has a vehicle registration number). At the time they were in the process of lifting
the Manchester Ship Canal Railway canal side line (which is why the vehicle was there). It took the
group along the connection down to that line (the track was in very poor condition as it hadn't been
used for a while so they weren't prepared to risk a heavier loco). This shows the desolation at the end
of then intact track, with a recently lifted track panel ahead (the one that got away…). The bridge at
Irlam is in the background, Manchester to the right, Irlam station and Liverpool are to the left. Also to
the left was the site of the closed BCS Irlam steel works which, by then, was being demolished too.

2857] Ellesmere Port: (BLN 1358.2305) In the Northern timetable from 6 Jul to 13 Sep, Ellesmere Port
- Helsby had just one return trip a day. This was 05.10 SSuX Liverpool Lime Street - Earlestown -
Ellesmere Port (rev) - Manchester Victoria - Bradford Interchange - Leeds departing Ellesmere Port at
06.17 before the arrival of the first train from the Hooton direction at 06.38. In the 14 Sep-12 Dec
timetable it is replaced by a single evening (SSuX) Leeds - Bradford Interchange - Manchester Victoria
- Ellesmere Port (rev) - Earlestown - Liverpool Lime Street diagram. 'Normals' thus remain unable to
make sensible day return trips to/from intermediate stations; at least it maintains route knowledge.

2858] Whitchurch - Tattenhall Jn: (CA 23 Mar 1964) On 25 Aug a member visited station sites on this
L&NWR line, always double tracked, an unsuccessful attempt to compete with the GWR's Shrewsbury
to Chester route. Nothing survives at Broxton (the site is now a large car park) or at Grindley Brook
Halt (an LMS addition) but Malpas station (two miles from Malpas, at Hampton Heath!) has been
sympathetically converted into commercial offices, easily viewed from the road outside. Tattenhall has
been rather less sympathetically converted into a private residence, much modified and extended.

2859] Manchester to Hadfield: On Sun 27 Sep the line was closed for work at Ashburys on points,
ballast replacement and OHLE maintenance as well as improvements to drainage at Hattersley station.

2860] Stories that can now be told (16): In Aug 1975 a certain highly-placed BR employee kindly
arranged a day out in the Potteries, taking two other members. The culmination was a light engine due
to go from Cockshute Sidings to Crewe Basford Hall Yard via the North Staffs Curve from North
Stafford Jn that avoided Crewe station. A tight diveunder on this curve would not accommodate
passenger stock so it was not done on railtours and was very choice. Crewe men were notoriously
unfriendly when it came to riding along, and Mr X was involved in long discussions over the matter.
What was said our member will never know, but they had the ride and did the curve in stony silence.
On arrival at Basford Hall North Sidings, the trio opted for a quick retreat, only to hear the second
man asking the driver 'who the hell were those blokes?', and the driver replied 'I don't properly know'.

North Stafford Jn, now where the single track ends (7m 52ch from Kidsgrove Jn) to Crewe Sorting
Sidings South (8m 67ch) via the diveunder line, was severed from 1 Oct 1984 (BR LMR WON WE2/40).

BELOW: Crewe south end 1952; Stoke is off middle right; the 'North Staffs Curve' curves round south.

2861] Crewe: Just east of North Stafford Jn (Crewe) on the Kidsgrove line at 7m 43ch the single track
Up & Down Potteries line passes above David Whitby Way (A5020), which was opened on 21 Dec
2015. David Whitby was a local train driver who was one of the victims of the 8 Aug 1963 train robbery
(there was nothing great about it) and died of a heart attack at the age of 34. The underbridge is built
of unpainted weathering steel - designed to go (and look) rusty but not corrode. The interesting thing
is that although there is only one track, it is wide enough for two for redoubling. West of Crewe station
is Jack Mills Way (B5071), the other train driver who was unable to work again after his head injury.

2862] Alsager: (BLN 1360.2710) A member on an East Midlands Railway service from Derby found
himself arriving at Crewe six minutes early recently. Looking at other such services on Realtime Trains,
most were similarly early or slightly less so. The conductor joked with the driver that he would have to
drive a bit slower next time - but he wasn't speeding; it was because most of these services have
stopped stopping at Alsager and rocket through non-stop instead. Officially this is because the level
crossing plays up when it sees an EMR train (but not, seemingly, LNwR services which still call). EMR
admits the stops were stopped to improved punctuality (presumably so they can claim their 1.5%
performance bonus, down from 2% under the new Emergency Recovery Measures Agreements).
However, on the positive side EMR has restarted on train ticket checks and sales by conductors.

Crewe was actually remarkably busy with passengers (for modern times) on Mon 21 Sep at 10.00.
Our member was pleased to arrive early as there was time to buy a coffee, which he had not expected
would be possible. However, not advertising accurate arrival times to passengers or putting them in
the journey planner means that connections which could easily be made won't show up on websites.

2863] Manchester: On Wed 16 Sep a major signalling fault at Manchester South Control Centre
stopped all traffic between Crewe and Manchester and between Macclesfield and Manchester.
Initially the fault was with fibre optic cabling at Cheadle Hulme and was thought to have been rectified
twice on the evening of the 16th only to fail again each time, followed by a secondary failure at Crewe,
Sydney Bridge Jn. Then all signalling in the Manchester South signalling area was completely lost.

At 02.25 the next morning two Emergency Special Working instructions routes were set up, one train
per section with all points clipped. They were Macclesfield Tunnel to Stockport, Adswood Road Jn (for
passenger trains) and Crewe, Salop Goods Jn to Styal (for freight). This extremely limited capacity
meant that only hourly Avanti Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston via Macclesfield (which were
overcrowded) and two hourly Northern Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke stopping services could run.
Over 50 point clips were required. Avanti also ran between Crewe and Manchester via Earlestown.

Specialist teams from NR and the signalling system manufacturer (travelling over from Italy specially)
worked over the weekend to fix the fault, which is believed to have been an unprecedented computer
software issue. Planned engineering work on the Macclesfield line on Saturday 19 Sep was cancelled.

The faults were all rectified on Sun 20 Sep and normal
service resumed on Mon 21 Sep.

2864] Pacers are not stuck up: Some Newton Heath
Pacers 'enjoying' (which may not be a word used by all
the passengers to describe their journey) an
unexpected extended lease of life to assist social
distancing in the Manchester area have recently
received unofficial depot stickers. The yellow stickers
display the 'NH' depot code and an image of a witch on
a broomstick (LEFT: Robert Sharpe). Northern staff said
they are recreations of those applied to units in British
Rail days and that the witch is a reference to the
Pendle witches, who were based in nearby Lancashire
(but in pre railway days, hence the broom sticks).

2865] Stockport: The Council has drawn up a 12-year £550M strategy for the station. Phase 1 includes
a £120M bus interchange improving connections with the station. Phase 2 is an overbridge to improve
platform access, extra commercial space, extended station facilities, reconfiguration of the platform
layout and the planned Metrolink extension from East Didsbury at the bus interchange. Phase 3 is a
direct train service from Stockport to Manchester Airport, a station car park and further commercial
development. Phase 4 envisages the creation of a station square over the railway and even more
commercial development west of the station where the carriage sidings are currently located.

2866] A facet of Facit: A standard gauge
inclined railway carried wagons of stone from
extensive quarries to the west down to the
Facit Goods Yard on the Lancashire & Yorkshire
Railway (later LMS) Rochdale to Bacup line.
Gravity worked, loaded wagons were
connected to the empties by a wire rope and
their weight pulled the empties up. There was
a passing loop half way up [good plan]. On at
least one occasion the wire broke and the
loaded wagons caused considerable damage
when they arrived at the bottom rather faster
than normal. 'Lymm', a small four coupled
saddletank, was the steam loco in the quarry
sidings and branches at the top of the incline.
Before arriving at Facit it had worked on
constructing the Manchester Ship Canal. The
quarry stone, famous for its hard wearing
properties, was used for paving stones in
Trafalgar Square and many other places. For
over 100 years the incline and its route was a notable feature. However, many trees have been
planted making it very difficult to see now. ABOVE LEFT: 1947 map.

2867] Metrolink (BLN 1361.2726) ❶The notice advising Tram Drivers that they were entering a
Signalled Section at Whitefield had been changed to one that says 'Line of Sight'. On 16 Sep Hagside
crossing barriers were still in place but not in use. The 'Orange Army' was busy erecting another brick
building (the third one there) at the Bury side of the crossing, Outbound side, (left side towards Bury).
The pause that the trams are currently making is, in railway parlance, 'Stop and Proceed'.

❷Metrolink overhead supports have three different distance parameters. The Altrincham Line still
uses the old British Rail London Midland Region 1971 era maroon plates in miles and structure number
(prefix MA - Manchester to Altrincham). The Bury line is numbered from Bury (prefix BV - Bury to
Victoria) in km and structure number. The rest of the system is in kilometres and metres.

❸The area supervised by Deansgate Junction signal box begins after the facing points to Timperley
reversing siding rather than at Brooklands. The next signal is a controlled one and guards the single
line entrance towards Navigation Road. A tram appears on Deansgate Junction train describer - if it is
not terminating at Timperley - and then comes on to the diagram after it has left Timperley station.
The last inbound Deansgate Junction signal directs a tram from the single line to Metrolink's Inbound
track. The Reversing Siding is controlled by Metrolink (Deansgate Junction has no control of it).

❹Some Airport trams are now doubles (pre-Covid all were singles) achieving further coverage there.

2868] Mills Hill: (BLN 1358.2397) A new ramp and lift are under construction. From Mon 21 Sep,
access to both station platforms moved to the Rochdale-bound side where a new staircase has been
built. Work has taken longer than expected due to 'unforeseen engineering issues' and the pandemic.

BELOW: You won't see many of these at the moment - a train to Rose
above the platform side front lights. Perhaps they might magic up s

e Hill that is. It is at Manchester Piccadilly P2. The witch sticker is just
some flying broomstick replacement rail services‽ (Robert Sharpe.)

BELOW: (Item 2867.4) Double trams have been working on the Metrolink Ai

irport line; an outbound working between Peel Hall and Shadowmoss.

BELOW: A double tram to Victoria bound tr

ram leaving Peel Hall. (both Ian Mortimer.)

2869] Ashton-under-Lyne: A new public transport interchange opened on Sun 30 Aug, making it easier
to change between different modes of travel with minimal walking - including Metrolink trams, rail,
buses, walking and cycling. It includes a covered concourse and waiting area, electronic bus, Metrolink
and rail information, accessible toilets, baby changing, retail units, CCTV plus secure cycle parking.

2870] Newton-le-Willows station & Lea Green station: To eliminate selective door operation on TPE
trains, both platforms at each will be lengthened from 107m to 113m. At Lea Green at the Liverpool
end and, at Newton le Willows, the Manchester end (the Liverpool end here is a viaduct). The stopping
location thus only changes in one direction at each. Works will be completed over autumn and winter.

2871] Wigan NW: (BLN 1361.2723) Bay P3 is OOU from Sun 27 Sep to Sun 6 Dec for extension works.

2872] WCML Pacemaker: On Wed 9 Sep 142094/070/018 formed a 14.46 Newcastle Heaton Depot
ECS to Carlisle. After a 1hr 39min break there to recover, they left at 17.55 and of interest to members
who do track by Pacers (NHS therapy is available), took the WCML to Preston in a creditable 90 mins
without needing to be looped. Then it was via Bolton and Manchester Victoria to Ashburys where the
trail went cold. This was to provide extra stock in the area for the 14 Sep Northern timetable change.

2873] Preston: NR has spent £600k restoring the glazed frontage of the north side of the station,
known as the 'gable end', with a specially designed window frame system. Last renovated in the 1960s,
the wooden frames on the Grade II listed building were badly rotten, making the glass panes vulnerable
to falling out in bad weather; what a pain. The wood has been replaced with an identical looking
modern aluminium frame and polycarbonate windowpanes installed, needing much less maintenance.

2874] Carlisle: By 14 Sep Automatic Power Change Over balises (transponders) and temporary lineside
signage had been installed at many locations in the area for LNER Azumas diverted from the ECML via
Hexham and Carlisle. They interact with train equipment to automatically lower or raise pantographs
dynamically at up to permissible line speed, or statically. Only Azumas (IETs) will be able to read them.
Scheduled diversions dates: Sat 19 & Sun 27 Sep; Sat 3, Sun 4, Sat 10, Sun 11, Sat 17 & Sat 24 Oct 2020.

1362 NORTHERN GENERAL (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
2875] Trans-Pennine (TP) Upgrade: (BLN 1358.2291) The DfT has explained its current thinking. In July
it announced £589M for design and enabling works for Dewsbury - Huddersfield, the first stage of the
upgrade. Ministers have endorsed the outline business case, which sets a coherent investment
programme for the … route in Control Period (CP) 6 (2019 - 2024) and CP 7 (2024 - 2029). They have
identified a core subset of projects (known as 'Group 1') which are now being expedited. This
approach provides flexibility to different end-states (such as decisions on Northern Powerhouse Rail
and facilitating freight) but allows delivery of core scope that is mature to progress now without delay.

Group 1 covers Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge, Guide Bridge to Stalybridge, Huddersfield to
Ravensthorpe, and on to Leeds. These sections will be electrified. A final decision on the rest of the
route will be taken next year, including whether to adopt full route electrification, digital signalling,
more multi-tracking and improved freight capacity. The decision on the final configuration will be
informed by the Government's integrated rail plan for the North and Midlands.

There is as yet no full electrification from Manchester to Leeds. The 'mountain' section between
Stalybridge and Huddersfield is missing and there is at present no information on what is intended
regarding any quadrupling on this section. It is impossible at present to increase the local service, or
the severe 45mph speed restriction at the east end of Standedge Tunnel. It seems that electrification
from Guide Bridge to Stalybridge has been reinstated but completion has now been pushed back to
CP7 (2029). The DfT says: There is ambition to develop proposals for full electrification of the entire
Manchester - York … route in the next phase, and we have challenged NR to deliver this at a cost which
is affordable. The results of this work will inform our updated business case next year.

This suggests that costs will need to be kept down and highly desirable enhancements not made.
There are issues with the line east of Leeds. There are goods loops in the Neville Hill area, but no

opportunity to loop passenger trains. There was once 3½ miles of quadruple track from Marsh Lane Jn
to Cross Gates. However, there are already eight trains per hour each way (6 fast and 2 slow) through
Micklefield. This would no doubt increase as a result of an improved TP service and also if the new
Thorpe Park 'Park & Ride', east of Cross Gates, is built. Quadruple track would be essential over some
of the line and preferably to Garforth. The main line needs slueing to the south at Neville Hill, back to
its original alignment, to ease the 55mph speed restriction in this area.

The latest outline business case recommends more development work on freight capacity than
originally proposed. NR is now examining options and also the case for loading gauge enhancements
for intermodal trains. This work is examining the Calder Valley and Copy Pit lines as well.
There is no mention of electrification to Selby and Hull. The new Hambleton electric feed (Item 2843)
would provide power east of Leeds (Neville Hill - Micklefield - Hambleton South Jn). The OHLE could
then be extended to Selby relatively cheaply. Selby - Hull has been largely resignalled and has very few
overbridges, so could be cheaper to electrify than other routes, but has only 1 TPE train per hour.

1362 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected]
2876] Ely: (BLN 1360.2593) NR's first round of public consultation for the EACE (Ely Area Capacity
Enhancement) proposals began on 21 Sep for six weeks. Documents are available online until, and
including 1 Nov. Feedback can be submitted to NR via the online survey or the prepaid postal form in
the consultation booklet (hardcopy on request). The public can webchat with project representatives
at specific times or by phone. Hardcopies of the consultation materials can be requested by contacting
03457 114141 or see www.networkrail.co.uk/ely for details and to make YOUR views known.

2877] Saxmundham: (BLN 1346.557) The fire damaged Up side P1 buildings remain boarded off on the
platform side throughout their length. There is a newly cast concrete base for a future shelter adjacent
at the north end and the car park behind has been recently surfaced and marked out.

BELOW: Sizewell rail terminal, from our 9 May 1992 Yare & Stour Rambler DMU tour near the end of line.
Strangely it isn't on Six Bells Junction and Our 40 Years book shows it only going to Leiston. (Ian Mortimer.)

2883] Werrington Jn: ABOVE: Thanks to Martyn Brailsford track plans, not to scale, of the previous
(top), current intermediate temporary phase (centre) and the final layout. From the new Marholm Jn
(78m 63ch from King's Cross = 19m 64ch from Manton Jn) at the (south) end, the new tunnel under
the ECML runs from the Peterborough portal (0m 66ch) to the Spalding portal at 0m 76ch. The Up
Werrington line is 1m 52ch long and the Down 1m 64ch. Glinton Jn is 80½ miles from King's Cross.