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3rd October 2020

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Published by membersonly, 2020-10-01 16:10:52

1362

3rd October 2020

king towards Newcastle - the ex-NER Signal Box is background far right.

BELOW: Haltwistle NX panel, on which Carlisle is to the right and Ne
and former open cast coal disposal point (left end). Through the le

ewcastle left; the trailing crossover and Engineer's Siding can be seen
eftmost window can be seen the Carlisle platform at Haltwhistle.





BELOW: A 'token' selection of our members 'staff' our Soci
Organiser and party leader, Nick Jones, is 'in the frame', far right. I

iety's 14 Feb 2020 signal box visits in Haltwhistle NER box.
It was less than six weeks later that social distancing was invented.









BELOW: From the box, a Newcastle to Carlisle train approaches. The Alston
NEXT PAGE: Looking towards Newcastle from the footbridge, the NER box

n branch ran on a third track to the right, curving sharp right in the distance.
x is right. Again the Alston branch ran along the right side on its own track.





BELOW: You've Been Framed… a view we have not had in BL

LN before; looking down on the frame detail in the NER box.





PREVIOUS: View towards Carlisle from inside the box, the platform for Alston was left (no ramp then).
BELOW: A distant view towards Carlisle; the current box, Engineer's Sidings & crossover are ahead.

:Details must be checked 1362 CONNECTIONS (Paul Stewart) [email protected] .Please mention BLN.
2942] Frodsham: The station now has a coffee shop (also selling gifts, lifestyle and home accessories).
'Me & Mr Jones' was recently started by two Thomas Cook air stewards who were made redundant.
It is in the fine Grade II listed 1840 station building and open daily 10.30-17.00 except Wednesdays.

2943] Veterans Railcard: On sale electronically or as a hard copy by post from Oct and available to use
from early Nov. Details are being finalised but it will allow the usual 34% off most rail fares; a
companion will also benefit and up to four children can travel with 60% discount on the Child fare.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 31 Mar 2021 it is only £21 for one year or £61 for three years, then £30 and £70
respectively. Eligibility: At least one day's service in Her Majesty's Armed Forces (regular or reserve) or
Merchant Mariners with duty on legally defined military operations. See: https://bit.ly/3j3vtP4

2944] PROPERTY SECTION: Carnforth Station Café: (BLN 1360.2588) The 1940s vintage heritage style
refeshment room complement the Brief Encounter Heritage Centre and attracts many visitors from all
over the world. It is extremely spacious with a dining area that seats 68, a separate bar, bakery & snug
areas. See https://bit.ly/3kHkkUG with 11 pictures; £99,950 plus stock at vaulation. 01943 609451.
The very profitable business would suit an enthusiast. The Heritage Centre has 50,000 visitors a year.

2945] SITUATION VACANT: The present Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway General Manager retires
on 31 Mar 2021 after six years. Anyone suitable who is interested might want to contact the railway.

BELOW: Mike Dean at Banff on a very wet day in Aug 1962. The passenger services on this six mile
branch from Tillynaught were steam worked to the end; CP 6 Jul 1964; CG 6 May 1968. (Ray Pettit.)

2946] Dr Michael Dean: Mike, former Member 196, joined in 1966 and was soon arranging Society
brakevan trips on British Rail goods trains to obscure branches. These included such delights as
Gosport, Norwich Victoria, Drayton (Norwich City branch), Yarmouth Quay, Lowestoft South Side,
Sproxton, Stainby, Hemyock and in particular locations in the North West and North East. Some
were at very short notice just before the lines closed. At our 1970 Leeds AGM Mike became our first
ever Fixtures Secretary (previously there had been a series of Regional Secretaries), a post which he
held with distinction until the 1979 AGM when he was succeeded by our current Chairman, John
Williamson. As a result there were plenty of brakevan trips and tours around the country - Mike
rightly didn't arrange all these himself, but encouraged and coordinated suitable members to do so.

Your Editor well remembers receiving friendly encouragement to arrange many Society fixtures in
the late 1970s. One of Mike's favourite expressions was that you needed 'Fire in your belly' - he was
always happy to speak on the phone, give advice, sort out dates and coordinate with other fixtures.

Another favourite expression was describing what he considered to be insignificant lines as being
'Shorter than a gnat's dick'. Having done all the longer than a gnat's dick branches, he eventually
resigned his membership in Apr 1996, but rejoined for 12 months in 2012 to go on a members' only
tour. It was the last time some of us saw and spoke to him. However, in addition to branch line
exploration, Mike had wide-ranging railway interests which embraced railway 'print', books,
preservation and new-build steam. Mike was a leading light in the Railway Print Society until it
ceased to exist recently and he possessed a large collection of railway documents such as tickets,
handbills, jigsaws, rule books etc. He had many other interests, including Ordnance Survey maps,
family history and old books. A very competent 'handyman' no job was ever beyond his capability.

Growing up in the town of West Bridgford, adjacent to the city of Nottingham, Mike acquired an
interest in railways at an early age and was a keen member of 2nd West Bridgford Scouts.
He attended West Bridgford Grammar School then Birmingham University, where he gained a First
in Maths-Physics and in 1965 the University of Manchester awarded him a doctorate in Nuclear
Fusion. His early career was spent with both ICI and Ferranti working on real-time systems and he
soon became a private consultant advising on the operational control of oil and gas systems.

Mike died suddenly at the age of 79 after having a massive heart attack and stroke on 9 Sep at his
'retirement' home in Kirkby Stephen (where he enjoyed walking). He married Barbara in the early
1970s and also leaves behind daughters Catherine & Jennifer, and granddaughters Natalie & Alesha.

Addendum: A favourite story of Mike's. In the old days, trains between King's Cross and Bradford
would often detach/attach short portions at Wakefield Westgate (could be tricky with Azumas).
The Bradford train ran non-stop via the Leeds, Bradford & Halifax Junction Railway through Morley
Top, Adwalton Jn and Dudley Hill. The intermediate stations on this once main line had closed.
Suddenly the remaining through services were drastically reduced, possibly to only one train booked
that way as part of the run down prior to closure proceedings. However, the routing was very
unreliable, as all the intermediate signal boxes had to be staffed and the train frequently ran via the
uninteresting (!) Wortley Curve instead, although the steam motive power was quite choice.
Mike had to make so many journeys (possibly seven) before he 'struck gold' that he became quite
obsessed by it - but this shows his dedication to the cause. If anybody has any recollections on this,
or knows who might have, Geoff Blyth (North East & Yorkshire Editor) would be very interested.

CONTACT DETAILS: See BLN 1350 centre pages, e-BLN 1350 2nd & 3rd pages, website PDF or via the Editor.

●Editor: Paul Stewart, 4 Clarence Close, MALVERN, WR14 3HX. 01684562862 07790652351. [email protected]
●Fixtures Secretary: Kev Adlam [email protected] @BLSGeneralSec (Any post via BLN Editor above please.)

●BLS Sales: Graeme Jolley [email protected] Dolbryn, Penegoes, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 8NN. 07484646542.
●MAPS: By permission of the National Library of Scotland http://maps.nls.uk/index.html

●Published by the Branch Line Society, 10 Sandringham Rd, Stoke Gifford, BS34 8NP. ISSN 1354-0947.


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