…………………………………BELOW: The Maynooth/Dublin end of the new depot.
BELOW: (Item 764) Lisburn with platform extensions looking
g towards Dublin/Antrim. (Martin Baumann, 17 Feb 2024.)
BELOW: Lisburn, looking towards Belfast on 23 Feb 202
24; P1 right, P2 centre and P3 left. (Martin Baumann.)
764] Lisburn: (Updating BLN 1437.2418) The line to Belfast Lanyon Place, including Great Victoria Street, is closed for engineering work from start of traffic Sat 30 Mar until the end of traffic Sun 7 Apr. Lisburn to Portadown is also closed from start of traffic Sat 30 Mar until the end of traffic Wed 3 Apr. Buses replace trains. Dublin services start and finish at Portadown throughout. They cannot currently terminate at Lisburn as none of the new points south of the station are commissioned, although this is likely to happen during this closure. Passengers travelling from Dublin to Belfast and vice versa will be on buses/coaches to or from Newry as this is a much faster road journey than Portadown to Belfast. The platforms at Lisburn can accommodate 'Enterprise' trains; one calls each way but only on Sundays. 765] More Enterprising news: Following a €12.5M subsidy from the Republic of Ireland Government, the frequency of cross-border services will increase. When Belfast Grand Central opens (provisionally 24 Aug), the plan is for a train every two hours with the intention of providing an hourly service in Nov. 766] Birdhill: (Quail 6 p6C 2004 & BLS 2019 Edition) Kilmastulla Siding at 40m 70ch on the Limerick to Ballybrophy line 2¼ miles northeast of Birdhill was commissioned 29 Aug 1982; the first train ran the month after. It was built for a quarry where shale was extracted and moved by rail to Castlemungret Cement Works (so the connection into the single track faced Limerick). Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock. Clastic rock is fragmented, eroded/broken off other rocks by weather; sedimentary is accumulation by deposition. The last train ran on 18 Dec 2009; the siding was disconnected from the running line on 26 Feb 2012, associated points, signals and track circuits were decommissioned and removed. This has now finally appeared in the weekly notice for the week commencing 4 Mar 2024! 1444 ISLE OF MAN (Graeme Easton) [email protected] 767] Pre-Season preparations: With the MER starting on 12 Mar and the IOMR on 15th , preparations have been underway. On 29 Feb, Simplex 24, 'Betsy', brought F45, F63, F46 and F47 from the carriage shed to platform at Port Erin for cleaning. Next day she repeated the process without F47 to facilitate cleaning the end of F46. Meanwhile on the MER, cars 1, 2, 5, 7, 20 & 22 have been on drying out runs (BLN 1420.781). Mountain Railway cars have also started drying out runs for its opening on 19 Mar. 768] Douglas: For many years, the area in front of the station has been available for rail users to park. Recently, new signs saying 'Permit holders only' have appeared in addition to 'Railway Patrons Parking'. As there is no way for a railway patron to buy a permit, it is not clear if the parking is still available for passengers. Parking is available for rail users in the area alongside the platforms which once contained the long demolished other platform and goods yard. Meanwhile, the yard relay (BLN 1441.379) is said to be running about two weeks late. As at the end of 8 Mar, neither platform was accessible and neither run round was connected. It remains to be seen whether sufficient work is complete to run a service on 15 Mar. It appears that the new formation is almost exactly where the previous one was but new pits have been installed in front of the sheds in both the workshop and running shed roads. 769] MER: (BLN 1443.635) The tracks north of Eskadale have all been laid but only the landward line is currently available; the seaward line is not fully secured or ballasted. There are still roadworks on the adjacent road; kerbing is being installed in between the road and tramway, with improved drainage. 770] Dining: https://tinyurl.com/523kfm5u is the steam railway 2024 dining programme (also a PDF with e-BLN). Unfortunately, most only run to Castletown; the exceptions which go to Port Erin are the four TT evening commuter trains and five Friday evening trains already advertised in the timetable. Fri 30 Aug has an evening train with dining in the timetable but it is not in the Dining Car Brochure! 1444 SCOTLAND (Greg Beecroft) [email protected] 771] East Kilbride: A new footbridge over the railway west of Hairmyres station opened to the public on 1 Mar. This is the first bridge built for electrification to come into use. It is higher and wider than the single track bridge it replaced, for OHLE clearance and to span two tracks. About half the car park at East Kilbride closed on 4 Mar to become a worksite. Thornliebank Road overbridge, just northwest of Thornliebank station, is being rebuilt over a period of 14 months from Apr 2024. It is one of several stone arch bridges on the East Kilbride line with inadequate clearance for electrification. It carries the main road through Thornliebank and requires quite a lengthy diversion via Giffnock for vehicular traffic, including buses. Access across the railway will be maintained for pedestrians and cyclists
ABOVE: St Andrews had an island platform on a single track through line. Here it had been reduced to a long siding branch, the signal box (left) is boarded up. The DMU that has worked the 14.21 from Leuchars Junction is waiting to return at 15.20. BELOW: Leuchars Junction where St Andrews services used the south bay. (All three David Bathurst, 3 Jan 1969, the antepenultimate day of train services.)
772] St Andrews: (BLN 1436.2616/map) The draft St Andrews Transport Study, funded by Transport Scotland, sets out two options for improving public transport to St Andrews, in the form of either a conventional railway or a light rapid transit link to the town. A bus-based option was rejected, because of the potential adverse impact on existing bus services in North East Fife. Unlike a previous 2012 plan, a rail link would not use the alignment of the line that CG 20 Jun 1966 and CP 6 Jan 1969. There would be a new route on the south side of the A91, so as not to encroach onto the golf course or be close to the Old Course Hotel. The branch would terminate west of the town centre, not at the original station site. The junction with the main line would face Edinburgh, so trains would not call at Leuchars. An Edinburgh service might be provided by diverting the hourly stopping trains between Edinburgh and Dundee to St Andrews, while extending Cowdenbeath trains to Dundee. There is the option of a north facing curve, which would allow a service between St Andrews and Leuchars, for connections to and from Dundee. The estimated cost of this option, allowing for optimism bias, is £188M with just a connection towards Edinburgh and an additional £26M if a north curve is provided. The light rapid transit option would follow broadly the same route as the heavy rail one but only from Leuchars. Trams could run to the old St Andrews station or even further into the town. They would be able to operate much more frequently than heavy rail and could connect with every train at Leuchars. To assist interchange, tram-train operating is proposed, allowing cross-platform connections at Leuchars. This is somewhat cheaper than heavy rail, at £131M, because trams can operate on steeper gradients and through tighter curves. No business case has yet been established for either option which is likely to have a material impact on what is finally recommended. 773] Carstairs: NR is to provide a new footbridge from Strawfrank Rd, south of the railway, to Carstairs station. The deck will be at road level, with a lift down to the platform. Was it not possible to do this work while the line was closed for remodelling in 2023? [Perhaps funding has only just been authorised in the new financial year or from a different pot?] Carstairs passenger figures are interesting, in 2018- 2019 there were 62,376 documented plus, surprisingly, 14,255 interchanges - what would these be? With Covid the numbers fell to 4,138 (873 interchanges) in 2020-21 but were 13,506/7,076 in 2022-23; could the interchanges be an algorithm used by the Rail Settlement Plan that no longer applies? 774] Lumo to Glasgow: Lumo is in discussions with Transport Scotland and NR about the possibility of extending some of its trains to/from Glasgow. Given the paucity of services between Glasgow and Eastern England (BLN 1441.382), this would be very welcome. It is now not possible to make a day trip to Glasgow from Newcastle and other ECML stations without changing trains in Edinburgh or Carlisle. 775] Ayr Station Hotel: It was planned that there would be a full train service from Ayr to Glasgow and Ayr to Kilmarnock from Mon 25 Mar. However, this is now in doubt following a statement issued by South Ayrshire Council on 6 Mar: During a recent survey of the tower, badly burnt floor joists and a severely damaged wooden supporting beam were discovered. The damaged beam is one of the main structural supports for the tower, which means that part of this structure may need to be removed. Further investigation is required, however this discovery will have an impact on the completion date of the safety works, which we now expect to be in April. Permanent way, signalling and OHLE work are necessary to bring the infrastructure at Ayr station and Townhead Sidings back into use. That makes it likely that the DMU shuttle from Prestwick Town will have to be withdrawn, with just replacement buses for two weeks prior to full reopening. Temporary buffers are to be installed to cut back the bay platforms and the temporary buffer stops in P4 has to be removed. It was intended that Ayr to Girvan train services would restart on 8 Apr and to Stranraer on 15 Apr but this may be deferred too. In anticipation of reopening, a tamper was moved by road to Stranraer early in Mar. On 10 Mar, one of the two DMUs stranded south of Ayr was seen on a lorry on the M74. They had been stabled at Stranraer and Girvan stations after the skeleton service between them ended from 15 Nov. At the end of Feb little remained of the hotel south wing. The north wall was still standing, with just enough of the east wall to brace it. The tower is at the southwest corner of the north wing, away from the railway, so it is to be hoped this will not delay the line reopening. Two men have appeared in court charged with stealing over a ton of lead from the hotel roof prior to the fire.
X.41] BELOW: A stunning photo; 37403 on our 'BWC Two' tour at Loch Awe on t
the Oban line. (Matthew Earnshaw, 9 Mar 2024 and thanks to Bernie Lovelock.)
BELOW: Loch Awe railway bridge (on the BWC Two Oban to (Callum Walker, 9 Mar 2024 and thanks to Bernie Lovelock.) Rep
Fort William leg) between Loch Awe and Dalmally stations. ports for of this splendid tour have been commissioned for BLN.
776] By road to Stranraer: A member took advantage of a fine day to try out the rail replacement bus from Ayr to Stranraer. Typical journey time is 1hr 32min, the train takes around seven minutes less. The service is managed for ScotRail by Abellio but operated by various contractors. It runs via the A77 main road. A midibus was adequate for the number of passengers. Maybole station building is partly covered in scaffolding, so it seems the opportunity is being taken to carry out maintenance while the line is closed. Running through Turnberry, the bus passed the concrete abutments of the bridge that carried the Maidens & Dunure Light Railway over the A77 road. The line OA 17 May 1906, as did the Turnberry Station Hotel. The railway ran from Alloway Jn, south of Ayr, to Girvan, following the coast. As well as local trains, there was even a restaurant car train from Turnberry to Glasgow St Enoch in the morning and back in the afternoon. From 1928 until 1939 there was even a sleeping car between London Euston and Turnberry via Stranraer in summer. Alloway Jn to Turnberry CP 1 Dec 1930. Extensive sidings were provided for a cordite factory established at Grangeston, north of Girvan, during WWII. Public passenger services ceased between Girvan and Turnberry from 2 Mar 1942; unadvertised trains for RAF Turnberry servicemen continued for a while. Alloway Jn to a new station at Heads of Ayr, serving Butlin's holiday camp, ROP 17 May 1947 but trains only ran on summer Saturdays. There is doubt as to when goods traffic ceased but a notice to staff dated 28 Feb 1955 said that the line between Heads of Ayr and Grangeston Siding was temporarily closed. It never ROG. The cordite factory closed soon after WWII but Ministry of Supply sidings remained at least until 1956. The track from Girvan to Grangeston was lifted around the end of 1964, soon after a distillery was built on the factory site. On 14 Sep 1968, the final trains from Heads of Ayr ran, resulting in closure of the last section of the line. The embankment of the Turnberry line can clearly be seen north of Girvan from both the A77 and the railway via Maybole. The Glasgow & South Western Railway hotel at Turnberry remains open, in the ultimate ownership of Donald Trump! From Turnberry to Ballantrae, the A77 closely follows the coast and is highly scenic, particularly south of Girvan. A feature of interest along the way is the memorial to the Russian naval cruiser Varyag (Варяг) at Lendalfoot. The vessel was launched in 1899 and had an eventful career in the Russian and Japanese navies. During the October Revolution in 1917, when Varyag was back in Russian service, the crew mutinied, hoisted the red flag and refused to sail. The ship was captured by British forces and sold for scrap in 1920. She ran aground off Lendalfoot when under tow to breakers in Germany and was dismantled where she lay. Varyag is remembered in Russia for her service in the Russo-Japanese War in 1904 and her crew's support of the Revolution in 1917. The memorial, completed in 2007, was funded by a Russian charity. Unusually, brown tourist signs give directions to it in Russian and English. The current Varyag in the Russian fleet was previously named 'Red Ukraine'. Barrhill, not on the main road to Stranraer, is served by a minibus from Girvan. The minibus continues to Stranraer, apparently via Newton Stewart but our member was told it only conveys passengers travelling to and from Barrhill. The A77 was closed at Cairnryan for maintenance over the weekend of 2&3 Mar, when the buses between Ayr and Stranraer had to divert via Newton Stewart! 777] Kilmarnock: The 16.08 Carlisle to Glasgow is scheduled SSuX to use the facing crossover south of Kilmarnock station and call at P4 (Up Platform Line) from 17.57 to 17.59. SO it stops at the usual P3. 778] Grand Union Trains: (BLN 1433.2260) The Office of Rail and Road has approved access rights for Grand Union Trains between Euston and Stirling. We had a GUT feeling they would. It is intended that trains will operate from Jun 2025, four daily, calling at Milton Keynes, Nuneaton, Preston, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Whifflet, Greenfaulds and Larbert, plus one each way between London and Preston. The entire route is electrified but Class 221 or 222 DMUs will be used! Access rights will be for five years, rather than the ten requested, due to potential interactions with HS2 traffic (optimistic!). 779] Altnabreac: (BLN 1437.2437) The 'John O'Groat Journal' reports that the residents of Altnabreac station house appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court on 4 Mar, following an incident on 1 Mar. They are charged with offences including trespassing on the railway and behaving in a threatening or abusive manner. The couple entered no plea and were bailed to appear again. The station remains closed (since Sun 12 Nov 2023) due to a dispute concerning rights of access over the private road leading to it.
780] Aberdeen - Laurencekirk: NESTRANS, (North East of Scotland Transport Partnership) the regional transport partnership for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, is developing plans to increase 'sustainable travel' between Aberdeen and Laurencekirk. This includes possible reopening of railway stations at Newtonhill and Cove. Both stations CP 11 June 1956, with that at Cove named Cove Bay at the time. 781] Cambridge for Carrbridge: Underbridge 286 at Moy, on the Highland Main Line, was rebuilt recently. The standard NR'bridge bash'sign says This is UB 290/286 Between Cambridge and Inverness. That is correct, though the bridge is 522 miles north of Cambridge (via Kirkcaldy and March). However, Carrbridge is just 13 miles to the south. They will be reopening the Oxford to Carrbridge line next... ….. 1444 WALES & THE MARCHES (Chris Parker) [email protected] 782] Pontypridd - Treherbert: (BLN 1443.656.3) ROP duly occurred on Mon 26 Feb; with Class 150 DMUs, the first passenger trains since 28 Apr 2023; OHLE wires were lacking through Dinas Rhondda, Llwynypia and Tonypandy. Some stations have received upgrades which have impressed local people, while others still retain Arriva turquoise livery. In particular, Dinas Rhondda (the automatic on train announcements just call it 'Dinas') now has a completely new, very smart, two platform station with modern footbridge and lifts. Some other platforms have been resurfaced and there is new Metro branding and signage. Our Tonypandy member, David Clark, logged his journey on the first train thus: Bore da (good morning), today is D-day. Day 1 of trains from Treherbert to Cardiff. So, let's see how the day unfolds! Excited? Well, I'm beyond excited. I'm like a child in a sweet shop, or a child during pre-Christmas, heading to Hamleys on Regent Street [London that is, not Regent Street Treorchy] or a crank who's just scored his last Deltic for haulage [definitely not at Treorchy!]. David had endured ten months of rail replacement buses on his Cardiff commute but took a 'no gain without pain' approach. 2F00: 05.34 Treherbert to Cardiff Central with 150235: So here we are on the day of the race. I departed my house at 04.45 and was picked up just before 05.00. The car driver (Craig) drove up to Treherbert with the night owls (not even the milky was awake!) and we had a brew/induction before watching 150235 setting off from the sidings. We departed right time and it felt strange going non-stop through Ynyswen. At a few stations, lighting wasn't working or quite dim. The customers enjoyed the complimentary biscuits. However, where did the leftovers go‽ (Yum yum!) The train was well loaded from Porth, which did surprise my colleague who had never seen the Rhondda at 05.40! Quite a few joined at both Pontypridd and Trefforest. The guard (Tom) checked tickets throughout and, if truth be told, he was probably the best for the new era, being the longest serving at Treherbert Depot. At least half a dozen joined at Taffs Well and quite a few at Radyr and Llandaf. Auto and manual announcement on approaching CDQ (Cardiff Queen St) said Due to 2A04 (05.42 Bridgend to Aberdare) being late we're going to be late. Held at signal 2891 for the Bridgend train. All well laid plans! Further announcement apologising for the delay. Arrive CDQ 5 min late, depart 06.39, arrive Central at 06.44. again 5 min late. Auto and manual announcement on arrival. Well, that was an enjoyable journey! So, that was the first day in a new chapter on the Treherbert branch. It was nice to see a lot of people back travelling, using it as a core artery, along the Rhondda Valley to Pontypridd and Cardiff. Another member, visiting on Sat 2 Mar, found the mass de-vegetation that has taken place all along the branch most striking - so you get really great scenic views of all the miscellaneous rubbish that has been tipped alongside much of the railway! Quite a bit of earthworks and drainage work has been done - you can see where the gas main has been moved. Several TfW staff were also on the trains inspecting the line and learning the route. On the 'discontinuous' electrification sections, OHLE exists but is permanently earthed (unlike on other Metro branches where it isn't installed at all; why the difference?). There is a 25kV cable alongside the line connecting the live sections up - with bright yellow warning signs on every 'lid'. At Treherbert the track in new bay P1 was shiny, although Realtime Trains shows everything uses P2 (until 4 tram-trains per hour?) as our member's train did. ECS maybe? Mid/late morning trains from Treherbert were very busy indeed (particularly nearer Pontypridd) - so much so that they had a ticket seller in each of the two coaches plus a guard who did the station duties so, with the driver, there were four members of staff on a 2-car DMU-and the ticket sellers were busy!
Operating the old schedule with extra double track, new track and no fiddling about with token machines on platforms and not stopping at Ynyswen,trains were early at most stations,so acceleration seems likely. It was the first Saturday since reopening and with Queen Street closed (BLN 1442.520.2) some 'normals' were puzzled by leaving Cardiff Central P6 in the wrong direction for Treherbert! At Cardiff Central, trains arriving from all directions had floods of people alighting (some Queen Street refugees). There were even a reasonable number travelling towards Treherbert. Oddly, there was no mention in announcements or on displays of the replacement buses for Ynyswen and, despite making four journeys on the line, our member saw no buses at Treorchy, Ynyswen or Treherbert stations. Half price travel is only available to Rhondda (residents) Railcard holders https://bit.ly/49WxOp7 until 23 May. One end of the journey must be any station Treherbert to Trehafod and the other any station Treherbert to Cardiff Central, inclusive in each case. Sorry, no half price travel to Wick or Penzance. 783] Aberpergwm: (BLN 1442.517) (TRACKmaps 3 p23B 2023) The appeal by climate activists against the decision to allow 40M tonnes of coal to be extracted failed because that licence was granted in 1996. The Welsh Government cannot intervene as this predates the devolution of licensing powers to it in Apr 2018. There was no immediate news of any reaction from the mine operator, Energybuild Mining Ltd, to this announcement on 23 Feb (ironically the same day that Ffos-y-fran finally closed), so it remains to be seen when, or indeed if, work will begin. Certainly, much redevelopment would be required to reactivate the site and it must be uncertain what markets there would be for any output. The eight mile branch from Neath & Brecon Jn - or at least those parts which haven't been stolen - is currently secured out of use (OOU) beyond 41m 11ch by a 'temporary' stop block (BLN 1411.2568). The coal reserves are high quality anthracite and the market is limited to local domestic use and mainly carbon filters, such as water filters. It is difficult to envisage where train loads of coal might run to. 784] Night steam on the Cambrian: (BLN 1428.1688) 'Tornado' has been fitted with European Train Control System (ETCS), a world first for a steam locomotive. ETCS is the core signalling and train control component of ERTMS, the European Rail Traffic Management System. The subject is very complicated! ETCS continuously calculates a safe maximum speed for each train, with cab signalling for the driver and on-board systems that take control if this speed is exceeded. ETCS Level 2 overlay (extra to conventional signalling) is being rolled out on the East Coast Main Line. ETCS Level 2 is a radio based system displaying signalling and movement authorities in the cab and does not require lineside signals. The train continuously sends data to the Radio Block Centre to report its exact position and direction. Eurobalises are used as passive positioning beacons. Trains refine their position with additional sensors such as accelerometers, odometers or radar. For comparison, Level 1 ETCS operates between trains and trackside balises; Level 3 is fully radio based with no trackside equipment, track circuits or axle counter and allows variable (moving) block sections tailored to individual train characteristics. ERTMS has ETCS with GMS-R (Global System for Mobile Communications-Railway) to communicate with the driver and Automatic Train Operation. It follows European Standards to lead to European interoperability [in theory!]. Incidentally the current GMS-R on NR works on the second generation - 2G - network and is due to be switched off by 2033, with quite a few trains to upgrade before then! The task with 'Tornado' has proved challenging and, unsurprisingly, is behind schedule. Commissioning and testing were to have been on the Melton Rail Innovation & Development Centre (Old Dalby) but that is unavailable following a recent landslip. Upgrades to the pioneer Cambrian trial 'ERTMS' (ETCS really) for use by new Class 197 DMUs have brought it into line with the installations now taking place on southern sections of the ECML. NR is therefore making Shrewsbury to Newtown available for most of the dynamic tests in a series of overnight possessions over the coming spring. Presumably, despite recent major surgery (BLN 1425.1419), axle loading on the timber River Carno and River Severn combined, immediately east of Caersws, precludes venturing any further towards Aberystwyth? No son, you didn't hear a steam train passing the house last night it must have been a bad dream…
BELOW/FOLLOWING: Treherbert reopening day. (By Tonypandy member David Clark, Mon 26 Feb 2024.) NEXT: Treherbert looking towards the end of line, the new bay (naturally P1) is far right.
BELOW: It was nice sunny day at Tonypandy, looking
towards Treherbert. NEXT: David at Treherbert.
BELOW: (Item 791) Abergavenny looking north towards Hereford;
Up P1 (left) was extended in 1956. (Andy Overton, 29 Feb 2024.)
784] Cwmbargoed: (BLN 1443.653) Once again, disproving previous reports, the (definitely) final loaded coal train departed at 12.00 on Fri 23 Feb and Ffos-y-fran opencast site (definitely) closed the same day. The 30 minute late departure was not down to any ceremony, as the only commemoration was the slogan 'END OF COAL' in white spray paint on the rear end of the final HTA wagon of the train. 786] Uskmouth/East Usk branch: (BLN 1439.122) In Feb, Natural Resources Wales took emergency access to land on the northeast (Down) side of the branch just beyond Birdport/Bird Port and built a substantial flood barrier. This is at roughly 90 degrees to the line next to the 2½ milepost and matches the height of the railway embankment - about 2m. On 2 Mar, from public areas, a member observed a large pile of aggregates (small black stones - gritstone?) in the compound adjoining the Birdport rail loader (where the last steel train ran on 23 May 2023). A concrete block securely blocks road vehicle access to the undercover terminal over the branch. The port itself is still ticking over but has very little traffic (one or two boats a month). The previous export traffic now goes via Newport Docks. Birdport now exports occasional steel from Celsa Cardiff but it arrives by road. Their hope is that once Port Talbot stops/reduces producing steel, a significant amount of steel will need to be imported to supply Port Talbot and Llanwern, which is likely to come in via Newport Docks. If Newport is used for imports, Birdport hopes to take back most or all of the export market. Interestingly the branch has continuously welded rail to Birdport, which used to receive one or two steel trains a day, even more in the past, mostly from Margam. Beyond to Uskmouth (Fifoots) Power Station is still jointed track. Despite wildlife and flooding concerns with rising sea levels, the Battery Energy Storage System, granted Planning Permission by Newport City Council on 14 Jan, is now under construction on the Uskmouth site. The initial capacity will be 120MW, expanding to 1GW. A considerable amount of aggregate is required from Machen Quarry to raise the ground level and create a solid base. After the 5 & 6 Dec trial trains, the next one was on 12 Feb, following which 43 have been run by FHH. Machen Quarry is much busier busy than a few years ago, averaging 10 loaded departures a week currently. Pathfinder Railtours' Sat 9 Mar 2024 'Cwm & Glo' tour arrived as a train was being unloaded; there was a delay while it was secured within the terminal, then the tour travelled to the NR boundary (3m 07ch). It must have been many years since there were two trains on the branch! Work appears to have started demolishing the former Alpha Steel Works(west side of line,which was connected at 2m23ch). So, after over six months without use, the branch has sprung to life again, often with two aggregate trains daily. During the period of disuse, there was a report of a local scrap dealer discovered using the line unofficially/illegally to transport scrap on a hand propelled cart - so it had rail traffic of sorts! 787] Tŷ Croes: (BLN 1443.650) Boringly (other than for aficionados of that transport mode), rail replacement bus details from 2 Mar were later uploaded to RTT etc but not onto TfW's website. 788] Swansea: On 2 Mar late arrival at Swansea of a TfW train from Cardiff (late from depot) allowed your off piste SE Reg Ed to see from his train to Carmarthen, simultaneous departures from Swansea P1 and P3. The train from P3 ran Up the Down Swansea Main to the 15mph crossover at Landore West Jn. This is only necessary to permit a simultaneous arrival/departure from/to Swansea Loop West Jn. At Carmarthen there were three trains in passenger service in the two platforms at the same time (a good job it has permissive working!), not something he had seen before; GWR IETs have a long dwell. They are broadly 2-hourly to Carmarthen, a good initiative but fraught with diagramming problems when the train from Paddington is 9-cars. In this case passengers on the 5-car from Carmarthen transferred to a 9-car IET at Swansea. Connections at Carmarthen from Swansea direction for further west can be tight, with a long way to walk if you arrive in P1 behind an IET. Crossing to P2 involves walking to the far (north) end of the platform round and behind the buffer stops, then quite a way along P2 - no fun if you are a bit slow with luggage and in the last coach. Talking of buffer stops… Swansea station has four attractive buffer stops (BLN 1442.419) on the platform roads with a total of eight of what most people would describe as wagon buffers, sprung (probably not hydraulic) although buffers can be air, water or oil hydraulic, air being a fluid. Each platform road has friction Rawie buffers about 10m before the old buffers. In these cases, the friction is through increasing drag on a series of 'fishplates' secured at intervals on pairs of short rails in the four foot way in the overrun length.
789] TfW loco powered services: (BLN 1427.1644) A member who has sampled these a few times finds the timekeeping absolutely dreadful. From some discussions he has had with industry insiders, it is clear that the sectional running times along the Marches are utterly unachievable by them and the station dwell times are inadequate for services which need to stop precisely with selective door opening at the many stations where they do not fit on the platforms. This is leading to them frequently terminating short at the northern end (often at Wilmslow) and, in particular, southbound services are commonly 20-30min late by Newport; the timetable is an utter work of fiction. It's a shame to knock TfW, as they are to be applauded for trying to raise standards with quality stock on these long distance services. They have a proper buffet car and even 'eat at your seat' delivery - rather than going for bog standard units ramming people in. They seem to be trying to provide quality rail travel whereas in GWR IET units the initially poorly padded seats seem to have matured in use to something akin to the wooden planks found in 3rd class coaches at the birth of railways! But someone really needs to get to grips with the timings and put in place an achievable schedule as the current situation is doing the service no favours whatsoever. [Your BLN Editor has now made four trips with them all spot on time.] 790] Porthmadog: (BLN 1404.1730) The former Station Inn in the standard gauge station building is in good hands. It reopened on 26 Feb as the Station Café under the tenancy of the town's Purple Moose Brewery, closely associated with the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways. Opening hours are 09.30 to 18.00 seven days a week offering freshly made sandwiches, baguettes, breakfast baps, jacket potatoes and the likes for customers to eat in or grab and go, along with the expected hot & cold refreshments, snacks, cakes and even Purple Moose merchandise though not, it would appear, its beverages! 791] No great leap forward at Abergavenny: (BLN 1425.1418) By 29 Feb (see what we did there?), progress with construction of the new accessible footbridge was limited to provision of an access road on the Down side. Some materials were being delivered by lorry but there were hardly any on site. Safety fencing along the Down line might suggest that existing P2 that side is to be extended to more closely match the Up P1 (current usable lengths 106m and 246m respectively) but no such plan has been announced. They were both of similar length until P1 was extended northwards in 1956; does anyone know why P2 wasn't at the same time? Goods Loops which then ran behind it may have restricted its width but not unduly by the standards of the day. The temporary fencing is more probably just to prevent vehicles and personnel on the access road from straying onto the railway! 792] Tondu: (BLN 1378.1651) On 2 Mar a member noted that the Ogmore Vale Extension is in a very sorry state. It has a 'STOP' board at the Tondu end and is extremely rusty, with buddleia and small saplings growing up through the track and even the pointwork - clearly unusable without significant work/expenditure. There is a 5mph restriction for Maesteg trains over the pointwork at Tondu and the Llynfi Loop doesn't look very healthy - very rusty and little ballast. Other than the 5mph, the rest of the Maesteg branch was taken at a good speed; track is continuous welded rail and the train was a nice Class 158 DMU with plenty of passengers! Resignalling, deferred twice from Jan 2023, is still awaited. 793] Penalty fares: Following 'successful' implementation between Shrewsbury and Birmingham International, TfW is introducing this scheme to its services on the South Wales main line between Severn Tunnel Junction and Carmarthen, excluding branches at this stage. An initial period of grace to 'educate customers' began on 4 Mar. After this, anyone travelling without a valid ticket or permit to travel for their journey will be charged a £20 Penalty Fare or twice the full fare, whichever is greater. Uniformed and badged Revenue Protection Officers will check tickets and issue Penalty Fare Notices to passengers who are without a valid ticket or permit to travel. Unpaid Fare Notices will be issued to those who cannot pay the Penalty Fare on the spot or who have committed a more serious offence, such as using a forged or altered ticket. TfW's estimated annual revenue loss through fare evasion and fraud is £10M and it intends to roll out this scheme to the rest of its network in the coming months. Revenue protection previously is best described as patchy, varying between route and staff members. 1444 MINOR RAILWAYS (Peter Scott) [email protected] http://www.minorrailways.co.uk/links.php?st=a&ed=c links to Minor Railways websites and track plans. MR42] RPSI: https://bit.ly/4a0LxLG has details of events/rides at Whitehead, RPSI special trains etc
MR43] Corris Railway, Gwynedd (MR p29) (BLN 1432.2182): There was some very welcome news at the beginning of February about progress with the building of the embankment south of Maespoeth Junction that will eventually see the railway doubling in length. The works have been awaiting the availability and delivery of suitable material to allow construction to proceed. With the completion of a new road bridge over the River Dyfi/Dovey at Machynlleth, the railway has been able to take delivery of material from the project and it was hoped that the first deliveries would mean that there would be more lorries making their way up the A487 to the unloading point. This turned out to be the case with up to 20 lorry loads a day arriving and discharging in mid-February. Once discharged, the load required spreading and moving to allow work on raising the height of the new embankment. This meant the deployment of suitable plant and machinery with people to operate it and progressing apace to allow more material to be delivered. On receiving the material, the first move is to prepare the ground on which it is to be tipped. This requires the topsoil and sub-soil to be excavated to sound material to form a level bench in the steep sidelong sloping ground. These benches form a series of steps along the hillside, on which is placed drainage stone replicating the steps. Over this foundation and drainage layer geotextile is laid, upon which the general fill being delivered can be tipped, spread and rolled in. In anticipation of an influx of very suitable material such as this, the railway's contractors had cut benches above the level of the general fill then available, over the past year or so, so that the embankment could come up almost a metre before having to cut any further benches. With a few loads to begin with, followed by a week of intensive operations, this pretty much reached the limit of what could be coped with until additional benches were cut. Four loads were stockpiled on site elsewhere as a result. More benching was planned for the third weekend of February ahead of further loads arriving. The material has to be paid for, of course, and there will be other bills to be met from use of the plant and machinery. The railway has accumulated a good sized fund to meet the costs of the Southern Extension but with more work to be done, including crossing over the Nant Goedwig stream, additional money will need to be raised via trading and donations. Donations, which can be Gift Aided, are welcome via https://www.corris.co.uk/#home (scroll down to middle of the page) or by cheque, payee 'Corris Railway', to Corris Railway (SE), Station Yard, Corris, Machynlleth, SY20 9SH. MR44] Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, North Yorkshire (MR p8) (BLN 1441.MR18): On Monday 21 August 2023, services were being worked by the North Eastern Railway 'Autocar'; the 14.15 (at least) from Bolton Abbey ran non-stop through Embsay station to Bow Bridge Loop, before reversing back to Embsay. The stop block at Bow Bridge was a sleeper chained across the track at the end of the short one locomotive-length headshunt. The 15.00 return train ran direct to Bolton Abbey. MR45] Beaulieu Monorail, Hampshire (BLN 876.MR117): The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu has received consent to dismantle a metal framed station, which is situated in a conservation area. The monorail runs through an opening in the main museum building roof, passing above hundreds of exhibits on the floors below, before emerging at the other end a few moments later. The New Forest National Park Authority has approved plans to demolish the station on the line's southern loop. Beaulieu Enterprises aims to dismantle the 'underutilised' building and replace it with a new planting area. Nearby buildings include historic Palace House, opened to the public in 1952. A collection of classic cars displayed in the entrance hall evolved into what is now the National Motor Museum. The ruins of the 13th century Beaulieu Abbey are also nearby. Beaulieu Parish Council supported the proposal, saying it would benefit the appearance of the area. The monorail itself will not be affected. The application to demolish the station states: There is no perceived threat to the heritage assets that lie beyond the immediate application site. As the existing structure is prefabricated, it can easily be dismantled in sections and removed from the site as individual elements via the existing hard paved road network within the museum campus. The south station is within the conservation area, adjacent to the formal gardens and within 100m of various Grade I Listed buildings, including Palace House, the Abbey Church and cloisters. The station has a distinctly utilitarian appearance and does not contribute to the character of the conservation area. It is considered that the removal of this large, dominating feature would enhance the formal gardens and the setting of the listed buildings.
MR46] Dean Forest Railway, Gloucestershire (MR p6): The renewal of Lydney Town level crossing at 8m 79ch is planned for April 2024. The Permanent Way department has spent the past two years preparing for the much needed, vital replacement of the 1987 level crossing installation with modern 'edilon)(sedra Trackelast'® (sic) slab track. A final decision on whether to go ahead with the project in April will be made on 20 March - but, as things currently stand, the key timings are: # Line closed to traffic: 1 April (after end of service). # Preparation and track severing: 2 April - 12 April. # Road Closure / Crossing Renewal: 06.00 13 April - 18.00 15 April. # Track reconnection and demobilisation: 16 April - 2 May. # Line reopened to traffic: 3 May. During the closure, it is planned that a 3-car DMU will run between Norchard and Parkend (WSSuO) MR47] East Lancashire Railway, Greater Manchester (MR p8): The railway held a successful winter diesel day on Sunday 11 February with an hourly service (three trains running full length, passing at Bury Bolton Street and Ramsbottom). There was also a non-stop shuttle service, in between the other trains, between Bury and Ramsbottom, formed of their Pacer unit. The weather was fairly mild but damp, with an occasional glimpse of sunshine - but ETH was provided on all trains, sometimes with another loco added to the rear (but strictly not powering) to provide it. Punctuality started off with some significant (around 20 minute) delays - apparently the locos came off shed in the wrong order. However, the timetable was sensibly not too ambitious and trains ran to time by lunchtime and into the afternoon. They were formed mostly of maroon MK1 stock, with a buffet car, four or five coaches, which was broadly sufficient for the good number of people attending. Locos: D5054 'Phil Southern', 33109 (D6525), 37109 (D6809), 40012 (D212), 45108 (D120), 47765 (D1643) & 50015 (D415) 'Valiant'. MR48] Mid Hants Railway, Hampshire (MR p6): Between 10-18 February (local half term week) the railway advertised 'Brake Van Rides' at Alresford using their Class 08, D3462 (08377). Our reporter went on Tuesday 13 February. Although the brakevan rides were shown to be operating from 11.00, it wasn't until 13.10 that they started, as the 08 had been involved in brake testing a rake of stock in Alresford Sidings. The brakevan ride sampled started on Platform 1, went out on the single line (towards Ropley), stopped behind the signal and back into Platform 1, before going out again on the single line, stopping behind the signal and going into the far end of Platform 2, before returning to Platform 1 the same way - so limit of shunt but no rare track sadly, good fun despite the rain! MR49] Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, West Yorkshire (MR p8): A member made a visit to this railway on Sunday 11 February. Keighley (K&WVR) station was closed from 2 January until 2 March for refurbishment so a replacement bus ran to Ingrow West. On the day of his visit 'KNV 337' was the bus. Trains were 'top & tailed' with 37075 on the Keighley end and 4-6-0 LMSR Black Five 45212 facing Oxenhope. On departing Ingrow West, the train headed towards Keighley but stopped at Great Northern Straight, at the top of Keighley Bank. It then reversed and ran to Oxenhope but this time non-stop through Ingrow West. The trains were very warm with the Black Five providing steam heat! MR50] Isle of Wight Steam Railway (MR p6): The railway has announced an excellent 2023 season; a record 130,000 passengers were carried - with strong visitor numbers throughout the season. The school summer holidays, festive season and major events were particularly popular. The railway was named 'Heritage Railway of the Year' for 2023. In 2024, work has started on an £80,000 project to create a high quality permanent café and bar in the Events Field ahead of Easter. At Wootton it is hoped to complete the initial build of the Goods Shed display. 2024 should see completion of the twocar Ryde Pier Tram and return to service of 'Terrier' 0-6-0T W8 'Freshwater' after extensive overhaul. MR51] Launceston Steam Railway, Cornwall (MR p14) (BLN 1413.MR222): The 2ft gauge railway has relaid 100 yards of track in the damp cutting under the aqueduct to the west of Launceston with 50lb rail, replacing the 35lb rail originally laid 42 years ago. The life expired wooden sleepers have been replaced with a form of recycled sleeper - very different from the usual definition of recycled material. The new sleepers have been formed from cut down lengths of redundant 90 year old rail, which have been welded together each end with Pandrol plates positioned on to which the running rails locate.
BELOW: (Item MR43) Corris Railway extension looking south towards Mach
hynlleth. NEXT: Looking north towards Corris. (Graeme Jolley, 14 Feb 2024.)
BELOW: (Item MR 48) Mid Hants Railway;D3462 (08377) and brakevan arrivi
ing into Alresford P1 to pick up the passengers. (Mark Fishlock, 13 Feb 2024.)
BELOW: One of the brakevan reversing points at Arlesford, looking towards t
the end of line (Alton is behind photographer). (Mark Fishlock, 13 Feb 2024.)
BELOW: (Item MR49) K&WVR; Ingrow West - 37075 arriving from Oxenhope
e (Black Five 45212 is out of sight on the rear). (Mark Fishlock, 11 Feb 2024.)
BELOW: Keighley & Worth Valley Railway; Ingrow West - KNV 337 on th
he rail replacement service to Keighley. (Mark Fishlock, 11 Feb 2024.)
BELOW: (Item MR50) IOW Steam Railway; No 24 'Calbourne' departs Havenstr
reet for Wooton. (Peter Scott, 8 Oct 2015, although it could be the 1950s!)
X.42] BELOW: (Item 676) Wirral Heritage Tramway 'Taylor Street,opposite
the Museum' terminus (but do the Tramway still call it 'Old Colonial'?).
BELOW & NEXT: This is where Liverpool Tram 245 was running
g to, in Pacific Road, on 24 Sep 2022. (All three Neil Berry.)