Number 1334 (Items 1985 - 2130 & MR 150 - MR 163) (E-BLN 84 PAGES) 24 Aug 2019
BRANCH LINE NEWS
Respice in praeteritum, praesens et futurum
Published 24 times a year by the Branch Line Society; founded 1955.
branchline.uk https://m.facebook.com/BranchLineSociety/
Membership Enquiries: Alan Welsh [email protected]
22 Treemount Court, Grove Avenue, Epsom, KT17 4DU. 01372 728677
British Isles news from member7s2; 8a6n7i7nternational section is available.
Opinions are not necessarily athvaoislaebolef .the Compilers or the Society.
BLN 1335 is dated Sat 7 Sep; :e-BLN 1335 is out FRIDAY 6 Sep;: contributions by Wed 28 Aug
Date Event and details = Please Book Online BLN Lead Status
Mon 26 Aug 09.30-18.30 ScunthorpecieSttye.eSloecrieNtyo1. 9 - FULLY BOOKED 1328 MG APPLY
Fri 6 Sep Abergavenny to Wales ROC (Cardiff) signal box visits Below BC OPEN
Sat 14 Sep The Bow Bells tour; First Class full, SEE MAPS ITEM 2066 1333 MG OPEN
Sat 21 Sep *NEW* Corris Railway for the day Track & Traction event Below GJ OPEN
Sat 21 Sep The Brickies Lament, South Hampshire Minor Railways (1) 1332 MG OPEN
Sat 21 Sep Marwell Wildlife Railway (15" gauge; 900yd long) BELOW Below BD Notify
Sun 22 Sep The Hayling Taxi, South Hampshire Minor Railways (2) 1332 MG OPEN
Sun 22 Sep Birmingham Balti Bash Class 20 tour with Vintage Trains 1333 MG OPEN
Sat 5 Oct Save the date: Provisional Hovertravel re-fly (Portsmouth) TBA TBA Claimed
Sun 6 Oct Ffarwelio â Phacer Cymoedd Caerdydd (Pacer track tour) 1333 MG OPEN
Sat 12 Oct Save the date - main line tour in South East England TBA TBA Claimed
Sat 26 Oct 10.00: Lavender Line Track & Traction Event 1333 MG OPEN
Sat 26 Oct 15.30: Eastbourne Miniature Magical Mystery (tour) 1333 MG OPEN
Sat 2 Nov The BLS Madrid Circumnavigator - map in e-BLN 1333 1333 IS Claimed
15 - 17 Nov Provisional, Barrow Hill AGM with fixtures, talk & Sun tour TBA TBA Claimed
Sun 17 Nov Save the date for our main line AGM weekend railtour TBA TBA Claimed
Sat 4 Jan 20 2020 Scunthorpe 20th Cold Steel Tracker - save the date TBA TBA Claimed
7-10 May Save the dates for 2020 Island of Ireland V long weekend 1329 TBA Claimed
Sat 9 May All day 'stand alone' Dublin based Irish Rail tour - save date 1329 TBA Claimed
BC = Barney Clark; BD = Bill Davis; GJ = Graeme Jolley; IS = Iain Scotchman; MG = Mark Gomm.
1985] : Severn & Gwent area Signal Box Visits; Fri 6 Sep:: Short notice visits to Abergavenny, Little Mill
Junction, Bishton Manual Crossing Gate, Park Junction boxes & Wales Rail Operating Centre (ROC) just
west of Cardiff Central - a Society first. BLS members only; limited numbers. An on the day cash charity
donation applies including by those who fail to turn up or cancel late. A Hi-Viz orange jacket is required.
Bookings/queries to Barnaby Clark: [email protected] (note underscore). Please advise if you
are arriving by car (and how many lifts you can give) or by train, as we will need to minimise car usage.
1986] Marwell Wildlife Railway (Marwell Zoo); Sat 21 Sep:: As part of our South Hampshire Minor
Railways weekend, Bill Davis has negotiated a group booking (minimum 12) reduced rate admission to do
the 900yd long, 3ft gauge railway during a break in the fixtures. This is a normal run with no extra track.
Adult admission £16.80 (normally £21); over 60s £14.80 (normally £18.50), plus £2.50 train fare. Payment
is individually to the zoo/railway on the day providing the party arrive together as a group (we will set
a meeting time and place). Bookings/queries to Bill Davis (back page) close on Fri 13 Sep; anyone booking
and cancelling will still have to pay if this takes the number below the group booking minimum (12).
1987] :Corris Railway; Sat 21 Sep:: Full details of the railway experience day were in BLN 1331.1687
of 6 July. From about 10.00 (rail connections from Birmingham New Street etc) until 17.00. Drive
steam loco No7, Orenstein & Koppel, diesel No11, Ruston diesel No6, Motor Rail Simplex No5 'Alan
Meaden' and Clayton battery electric No9. With rare track plus the carriage shed/engine shed lines.
Experience the unique and exhilarating 'gravity train' ride on the railway, see the work of a guard.
Enjoy a conducted tour of the original loco shed, the extensive new carriage shed and the trackbed
of the next section to be reopened south of Maespoeth Junction. Includes membership of the
Corris Railway for 12 months with quarterly newsletters, an occasional journal and four free trips.
Hot drinks & water available; there is a lunch break in Corris (the nearby Village Café does snacks).
Maximum 6 people £75 per head (or £60 without the steam loco). Bookings and queries are being
handled directly by Graeme Jolley our Sales Officer/East Midlands & IOM Editor, also Corris Railway
Hon Secretary, Business Manager and Health & Safety Officer: [email protected]
or 07484 646542. The event is subject to six bookings (or less if people are prepared to make up
the cost, 5 people would be £90 steam/£72 diesel etc), please book as soon as possible to confirm
viability and state if you would like the steam loco included but don't send any money at this stage.
1334 HEAD LINES (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
1988] Keeping Track, (extra to Head Lines) significant passenger service suspensions: *= New/altered
BLN Start (incl) Reopens Location (stations exclusive when bracketed) bold = closed now
1332.1711 27 Jul 19 24 Aug 19 (Moira SSuX) - (Portadown)
1333.1885 17 Aug 19 31 Aug 19 Hillsborough - Malin Bridge/Middlewood; from 24th - (Cathedral)
1333.1888 29 Aug 19 14 Sep 19 *Manchester Metrolink; Shudehill tram stop
1331.1539 Mid Hants Railway; Alton P3 - (Medstead & Four Marks)
1333.1889 2 Jan 19 Sep 19? West Kirby - (Hoylake)
1330.1399 21 Sep 19 30 Sep 19 Llangollen Railway, (Carrog) - site of former Corwen East
1329.1254 †4 Nov 18 Havant Jn - (Chichester) [†Line above: Date of last public service]
1328.1196 26 Oct 19 1 Oct 19 Cowley Bridge Jn - (Taunton); Cogload Jn - Worle Jn/Weston-S-M
1333.1883 9 Nov 19 4 Nov 19 *Dolgarrog station (see also BLN 1333.1972)
1325.655 16 Feb 19 16 Nov 19 Reedham Jn - Berney Arms request stop - (Great Yarmouth)
1332.1699 20 Oct 18 Unknown CairnGorm Mountain Railway, 'Base Station' - Ptarmigan
28 Sep 18 Feb 2020
2020?
1989] ABBREVIATIONS: TC = Temporary Closed; RO = Reopened; P = Passengers; A = All; G = Goods.
1990] Barry Tourist Railway: (MR p9) (TRACKmaps 3 p28B Jun 2018) ❶Docks Branch Jn - Waterfront
(incl): TCP since last passenger train ran on Sat 3 Nov 2018 - on the incline down to the former Barry
Docks Low Level Line. The railway has lost the use of Hood Road Goods Shed by Waterfront station.
The track in the goods shed has been lifted and the rest of the siding (from 0m 24ch) to it will be lifted.
The site is being developed into a café and flats so trains cannot resume on the branch until this work
is completed. The stop block at the end of the branch (0m 39ch) and 15yd of track have been removed
to allow vehicular access The top of this incline is being used to store ex-Ford IVA Vans (item 2119).
Use of the different lines has been variable - on 28 Aug 2017 this branch was heavily rusted and OOU;
then there were stored wagons at Woodham Halt platform with passenger trains using the loop.
❷Woodham Halt (7m 73ch) (excl) - Gladstone Bridge (7m 40ch) (incl) at Morrisons: TCP since the
last passenger train ran on 22 Dec 2018. The line currently used to store HXA wagons and ex-Ford IVAs.
❸Barry Island P4 (8m 70ch) - Plymouth Road (9m 1ch): This section beyond Barry Island station has
not been used by public passenger trains for 'some time' (date anyone please?). It was covered by our
all line railtour of 20 May 2012 and a UK Railtour on 22 Aug 2015, a through train from Paddington!
As BLN 1289.MR174 reported (a 28 Aug 2017 visit), it was latterly used for public footplate rides.
The line is now used to store HXA wagons recently removed from Waterfront. Plymouth Road shed is
to be a museum; there are items of rolling stock in it and its yard but they are not yet on public display.
1991] Hazel Grove (excl) - Buxton (incl) & 7 stations: (BLN 1333.1886) TCP/A 14.53 Thur 1 Aug due to
the flood risk from Toddbrook Reservoir; ROP Wed 7 Aug (just about) with the 23.11 Manchester
Piccadilly to Hazel Grove DMU; instead of returning to Piccadilly at 23.32 (replaced by a bus), it ran to
Buxton in service arriving 00.04. Earlier on Wed 7 Aug a Freightliner Heavy Haul 'route proving' engine
ran at 14.40 from Buxton to Hazel Grove (15.13) and return; it came via the scenic route from Earles
Sidings (Hope) via Peak Forest and Buxton Reversing sidings, then back to Guide Bridge via Peak Forest.
1992] Hazel Grove E Jn - Hazel Grove High Level Jn - New Mills S Jn - Dore W Jn - Dore Station Jn and
Marple (excl) - New Mills South Jn; 8 stations: (BLN 1333.1887) TCP 22.00 Thur 1 Aug (previous item).
Northenden Jn - Hazel Grove High Level Jn/ Marple - New Mills South Jn - Chinley East Jn/ South Jn:
TCA 22.00 Thur 1 Aug. The TCG routes ROG 22.00 Tue 6 Aug; TCP lines ROP for service on Wed 7 Aug.
1993] Sharnbrook Jn - Wymington Deviation - Wellingborough station (south): The bidirectional Up &
Down Slow Line TCA 22.00 Fri 2 Aug until Mon 2 Sep 2019 for redoubling work; freight and the PSUL
services are using the Fast Lines. From 10.00 Fri 23 Aug the Up & Down Slow was slewed into its final
position between 58m 30ch (Sharnbrook Jn) and 62m 07ch. There is no change to the line speeds.
1994] Crianlarich Jn - Oban (incl) and 6 stations: TCP/A from 20.00 Sun 4 Aug due to severe flooding
with infrastructure damage near Upper Tyndrum. Replacement buses ran between Oban, Crianlarich
(for rail connections to/from Fort William and Mallaig) and Arrochar & Tarbet. ROP Mon 12 Aug 2019.
1995] Craigendoran Jn - Crianlarich (excl): Sat 3 Aug: normal service including an Alumina train. Sun 4:
planned engineering closure. Mon 5: Ardlui - Crianlarich TCP/A due to flood damage in three places
(pictures e-BLN 1333.X.97). There was actually one departure from Ardlui plus two arrivals at Arrochar
& Tarbet. Passenger trains ran north of Crianlarich and the return Alumina empties were terminated
at Tulloch. From 6 Aug until 15.10 on Fri 9th trains ran between Glasgow Queen Street and Ardlui with
buses to Oban via Crianlarich (for trains north). Then Ardlui - Craigendoran Jn TCP/A after further
flood damage between Ardlui and Arrochar & Tarbet with bus replacement services Glasgow Queen
Street - Crianlarich (for trains north/to Oban). ROP Mon 19 Aug 2019 three days earlier than expected.
BELOW: Repair work completed on the West Highland line between Ardlui and Crianlarich. (NR.)
[BLN 1334]
1996] Dalton Jn - Park South Jn: (BLN 1331.1543) The double track 76ch 'Dalton Loop' which avoids
Barrow-in-Furness station ROA Tue 6 Aug (3 days later than expected) after TCA from 22.25 Sat 15 Jun
2019. The Down side steep embankment has been substantially rebuilt and the track stabilised. The Up
and Down DRS flask trains between Crewe and Sellafield ran via the loop again on 6 Aug, as did a
Network Rail Track Recording train 'top & tailed' by 37218 and 37259 running from Derby to Carlisle.
1997] Aberthaw Power Station: On Fri 9 Aug 2019 66504 worked a Freightliner Heavy Haul 15.29 East
Usk Yard to Aberthaw with 15 loaded HHA wagons of imported coal from Portbury plus 6 empty.
This was expected to be the final coal train to the power station, and arrived on time at 16.56. It was
unloaded after 18.00 (370011 first and 370053 last just before 19.00). The coal is required for blending
to allow the remaining power station stock to be burnt this winter before it closes on 31 Mar 2020.
1998] Aberdeen (excl) - Dyce (incl): (BLN 1328.1332/3) TCP Sat 10 to Mon 19 Aug (incl) for resignalling
and remodelling at Dyce extending the Dyce - Inverurie closure (which began Sat 4 May) to Aberdeen.
This had been extended to Huntly (excl) from Sat 16 Jun for remodelling and resignalling at Inverurie.
1999] Aberdeen - Inverurie: From Sat 17 Aug 2019 after redoubling, remodelling, resignalling and
commissioning, the Dyce and Inverurie areas were recontrolled to Inverness Signalling Centre
(Highland Workstation). This section then reopened for driver training ECS specials (which included the
new Inverurie turnback siding). The first train was the 07.21 Aberdeen to Inverurie and return. There
is a 'before' and 'after' track plan on the centrefold of paper BLN and in landscape format with e-BLN.
2000] Aberdeen - Inverness: Tue 20 Aug normal services resumed (for the first time since Fri 3 May).
2001] Watford High Street: TCP Sun 11 until Sat 17 Aug 2019 (both incl) due to station staircase
replacement work. Rail replacement buses were provided and local bus routes were also available.
2002] Douglas Bay Horse Tramway; Switzerland Road - The Palace Hotel: ROP Tue 13 Aug 2019;
extending the Derby Castle - Switzerland Rd section which ROP 24 May (BLN 1329.1356). Test runs
were made beforehand by a yellow Simplex (removed Wed 14 Aug by lorry) and MER loco No34. Fares
are now £2 per journey (was £1) and there is single line working with no specific timetable as before.
2003] Tygwyn: TCA from Mon 19 Aug; ROP Mon 9 Sep* 2019 according to the station information
system. However, similar to Dolgarrog recently, there was no explanation or advice on alternative
arrangements. Online systems merely showed 'no available trains' initially. Tygwyn, a request stop,
is the first station (2½ miles) north of Harlech and was the 2,481st busiest on the national system in
2017-18 with 1,802 recorded passengers. British Rail tried to close it (and others on the Cambrian
Coast line) in the 1990s but now nearly all trains stop if requested … except as above. At Shrewsbury
on 17 Aug passengers were advised to use Harlech instead. The work seems to be platform repairs.
*The main regular use is by 2 or 3 school children but they are back at school on 2 Sep rather than 9th!
2004] Croydon Tramlink; East Croydon (excl) - Sandilands - New Adlington/Beckenham Junction &
Arena - Elmers End P1; (a total of 19 stops): TCP from Fri 23 Aug expected to Sun 1 Sep for works at
many sites. A reduced tram service runs between Wimbledon and East Croydon (centre road) only.
Work includes new rail on Chepstow Road and between Lower Addiscombe Road and Woodside tram
stop, waterproofing Addiscombe Road Bridge, Sandilands Tunnel lighting maintenance, demolition
work at Blackhorse Lane Bridge and electrical upgrade works at the substation along Oaks Road.
2005] Barmouth (excl) - Pwllheli (incl) and 16 stations: TCP Sat 26 Oct until Sun 3 Nov 2019, a half-
term engineering closure (the line still carries considerable school traffic). Enjoy a 95 min replacement
express bus or 115 min all stations which trains do in 85 min. Does anyone know what the work is?
NEXT PAGE TOP: The Derby Castle horse tramway terminus with appropriately 'Douglas' providing the
motive power. (All Jenny Williamson and well beyond the call of duty in that heavy rain; 14 Aug 2019.)
NEXT PAGE LOWER: The yellow Simplex is loaded onto a lorry for removal after testing the new track.
ABOVE: At the new temporary Palace Hotel (background right) terminus. As can be seen
single line working is in operation, with one horse in steam, on the seaward track.
2006] Keymer Jn - Lewes (incl) - Polegate (excl); Falmer (excl) - Lewes Jn & Southerham Jn - Seaford
(incl); 10 stations in total: TCP/A expected Thur 28 Nov until Sun 1 Dec 2019 for resignalling (delayed
from 11 Mar) with control transferring to Three Bridges ROC. Trains are replaced by buses on all routes
from Lewes with no trains running: Wivelsfield and Falmer to Polegate and Seaford. The signal boxes
at Lewes, Newhaven Town and Newhaven Harbour are due to close. This project also allows more
diversions per hour (with reversals east of Lewes) when the Keymer Jn to Brighton line is closed.
1334 BLN GENERAL (Paul Stewart) [email protected]
2007] Ꙭ :E-BLN 1335: Please note this will be out on FRI 6 SEP evening rather not Thur 5 Sep. Ꙭ
2008] Quiz Part 1: Which station has two trains an hour to the same London terminus both leaving at
exactly the same time each hour 7 days a week? Part 2: How many passengers catch the wrong one?
2009] Shunting Puzzle or Pitlochry again? (BLN 1333.1891) A long passenger train is heading east on a
single line and a loco with 3 goods wagons is heading west. They meet in the vicinity of a very short
siding which has a capacity of 2 items of rolling stock with facing entry for the passenger train. How
can they pass? Ignore all normal constraints of signalling/line occupancy, etc. Answer...
●Passenger train stops well short.
●Goods train passes the points and reverses two wagons into the siding.
●Goods loco and its one remaining wagon come out and reverse well clear.
●All of the passenger train approaches the siding and draws out the two wagons, reverses well clear.
●Goods loco and its one remaining wagon come forward and reverse into the siding.
●Passenger train with its two wagons proceed east, well past the siding.
●Goods loco and its one wagon leave the siding and proceed west some distance.
●Passenger train (with two wagons) runs west clear of the points, then puts the wagons in the siding.
●Passenger train reverses out, reverses again, and proceeds east on its way.
●Goods loco and wagon reverse into the siding, collect the two wagons, reverse and proceed west.
Supplementary Question: How is the Delay Attribution allocated in this situation...?
2010] Baker's Rail Atlas: Our Sales Officer has been in touch with the publishers and the latest news is
that the fully revised and updated 15th edition is now expected in November - more news as and when.
2011] Volunteers Wanted - this means
YOU: With all the many tours our esteemed
Fixtures Secretary is organising, we are
looking for people to assist with compiling,
proof reading and checking the
geographical and historical tour notes.
These printed booklets (also available to all
members via e-BLN and our website) are
much valued by tour participants, other
Society members, rail staff and the
companies we work with. The present small
team would appreciate any assistance to
share the workload. It is a great way of
researching, learning about and actually
remembering interesting information about
the various lines concerned. If anyone
would like to discuss helping in specific
areas or otherwise please contact (under no
obligation) [email protected]
- thank you. A big 'thank you' also to David
and all his team who already assist him
regularly in producing our tour itineraries.
2012] E-BLN 1334 Extras: These are available to logged in members on our website in the BLN section
(when BLN 1335 comes out they are moved to the 'Archive'). As well as the regular 'print your own'
paper versions of BLN and BLNI (A4 or Booklet A5), we have Martyn Brailsford's Aug 2019 Scunthorpe
Steel Works track plan - including the recently opened new through line. It is best viewed magnified
and prints well at A3. There is also Peter Scott's Minor Railways (2019) Supplement No2 and a well
illustrated 2013/14 review of Scottish Signal boxes (12 pages) by Historic Scotland and NR, produced to
consider those worthy of listing.
2013] Beaten by Beighton? (BLN 1333.1892) Bradshaw's 1938 confusion of Brighouse and Brighton
reminded a member of a problem British Rail Southern Region had scrapping the 4COR EMUs in the
early 1970s. Many went to a scrap merchant at Beighton, near Sheffield. After several errors in Special
Traffic Notices, the Croydon typists had to be advised that there really was a place called Beighton.
2014] Points & Slips: BLN 1332.1704] Cambrian Heritage Railways' Oswestry line was reconnected
over the Travis Perkins accommodation crossing on Thur 8 Aug. Unusually, just north of here can be
found concrete, metal and wooden sleepers in close proximity as well as the slab concrete track under
Bridge 49 (B4579, Shrewsbury Rd); see e-BLN 1333.X.100! The public run is to be extended significantly
south to 74½ch at the end of Sep to Bridge 51 (SJ 2966 2848), a small 'Cattle Creep' under the line.
There will be no creepy cattle though as there is a big industrial estate east of the line. The bridge
girders have been replaced and the track relaid north. The railway has new enthusiastic motivating
management, critical mass and is going places - they hope to reach Weston Wharf (SJ 2986 2758) in
2020 (BLN 1323.MR27). Here a station with a run-round loop is under construction. This was only ever
a goods depot previously but will be a 'destination' (Stonehouse Brewery and the private 2ft gauge
Weston Wharf Railway - BLN 1264.1710 - which is to remain for now at least). On the standard gauge,
mixed branch line type trains run with a single coach, a freight van and brakevan with, some days, a
small steam engine (brakevan riding available at the south end, a good way to see the line), propelling
back up a notable grade. The Llynclys site now has loco-hauled trains too (instead of just the DMU).
●●BLN 1333.X89] Regarding the 22 Jun District Line heritage trains, we have been advised that the
damaged shoe gear occurred leaving Ruislip depot, not Acton. The latest 'Underground News' reports
that a damaged negative shoe had broken the shoebeam. As the Sarah Siddons LUL locomotive has
two negative shoes, the broken parts were removed and the rest made safe for it to run on just one.
●●1972] On Sat 3 Aug when The Conwy Quest trip arrived in Blaenau Ffestiniog, six engines were in
steam at once at the station - two on the standard gauge, two double-heading the Festiniog Railway
service train and two giving footplate rides along P2. This must be some kind of a record there?
●●1978] We are delighted to report that £18,247 was raised for Martin House Children's Hospice near
Wetherby by our Sat 20 Jul 'Luca Pezzulo Express'. Kev Adlam attended the cheque presentation at the
(National) Railway Museum in York on 13 Aug on behalf of the Society (BELOW).
Regarding our BLN 1333 tour report, your Editor wishes to apologise to Andrew Rawlins for misspelling
his name (he will do 100 lines - preferably rare - as a penance). For those not aware, our Real Ale Team
(Andrew Rawlins and Neil Bentley) dispensed Luca's Aid (4.3% ABV) on the tour - hand pumped now
using our Society's own equipment. All the real ale profits went to Martin House Children's Hospice.
●●1925] The RCTS Mancunian Railtour http://bit.ly/2z4XEYG was on 30 Aug 1986 rather than 1996;
the Fallowfield Loop CA 15 Oct 1988. ●●1926] Bradford Siding at Southport was (and still is) the one
without a platform adjacent to (the site of) Excursion Platform No1 track rather than the platform
track itself. ●●1951] Please add 'us.' to the last word in this item; it was chopped off in formatting.
●●1984] The river at Fort William is the Nevis (Glen Nevis through which it flows southeast of the
town is particularly attractive); the River Ness is, of course, some 65 miles northeast at Inverness.
Well, here's another nice ness you've gotten me into.
2015] Borderline Stations (3): (BLN 1333.1893) Belcoo & Blacklion station was in County Fermanagh,
Northern Ireland, but Blacklion village was across the border in County Cavan (Republic of Ireland).
2016] My First Railway Memories (11): By Paul Waller. My first railway memory is a visit to Greaves
Sidings Signal Box (at Harbury Cement Works) with my late father in about 1948 when I was three.
He was a building contractor, a plumber by trade, and around this time did a fair amount of work on
behalf of Warwick Rural District Council connecting a number of Warwickshire villages to the mains
water supply, including Harborough and Bishop's Itchington. Included in this scheme were Greaves
Sidings and Fosse Road Signal Boxes. Presumably the villages used pumps or wells and the boxes had
water delivered in milk churns via the daily pick up freight prior to this. I remember very little about
the box itself, I do not even recall seeing a train passing while we were there. What I do remember is
the bright yellow 'Blue Circle' cement lorries in the cement works yard on the far side of the line.
BELOW: Harbury cement works in 1952, Leamington is off the top and Banbury bottom right.
ABOVE: Harbury Blue Circle; a riding visit on 30 Mar 1989 arranged by our Member No1. BELOW: In
the other direction (straight into the sun!) from the loco cab; the main line and Greaves Sidings Signal
Box (Item 2016) is behind the fence. Leamington Spa is to the left and Banbury right. (Ian Mortimer.)
2017] Bank some rare track: The East Coast Main Line is closed south of Retford 24-26 Aug to relay
Newark flat crossing; a reduced service from the north turns back in Retford P2. On Mon 26 Aug some
ECML services run between Doncaster and Newark Northgate via (Lincoln) Pyewipe Jn - Boultham Jn
in both directions, calling at both stations. All three days there are diverted LNER long distance services
Sleaford North Jn - Sleaford South Jn (to/from Peterborough 24 & 25, and, including Grand Central
and Hull Trains, King's Cross on Mon 26th). Grand Central are not running any trains on 24th & 25th, but
these days Hull Trains run via Doncaster to St Pancras via Barrow Hill and the Midland Main Line.
Down departures from Doncaster P1: Sat 24 Aug: 08.14 Leeds and 08.35, 10.30 & 12.30 to Edinburgh;
Sun 25 Aug: 14.30 Edinburgh & 20.00 Newcastle. Mon 26 Aug 06.15, 09.11 & 14.24 to Edinburgh.
25 & 26 Aug trains from Stratford turnback in Camden Road P2 (facing crossover in service on arrival).
With thanks to our very diligent member Stephen Ebbs and 'Gensheet'.
On Mon 26 Aug Edinburgh Trams will only operate between the Airport and West End Princes Street
(with trailing crossover there in passenger use on departure) from 19.30 to close of service due to a
concert with fireworks. The last tram of the day from the Airport to York Place is 18.35 (19.18 return).
1334 EAST MIDLANDS (Graeme Jolley) [email protected]
2018] Market Harborough: On Tue 28 Oct 1969 a member took the one remaining northbound
passenger service from Northampton through Market Harborough towards Leicester and beyond.
According to the PSUL archive this would have been the 21.00 Euston to Glasgow Central sleeping cars
via Leeds and Carlisle. In PSUL the line is described as to Market Harborough No3 (Signal Box) where
the Northampton line joined the Midland Main Line. Firstly, please can any members advise which
stations this train was booked to call at after Northampton? Secondly was the junction between the
LNWR and the Midland called Market Harborough North Jn (83m 20ch north of St Pancras)? A related,
third question for members is at what mileage does the newly slewed (2019) northbound track fully
merge into the ex-LNWR formation, before then swinging back to the ex-MR formation please?
2019] Derby: Before last year's remodelling, the P4 canopy continued south alongside the short
Birmingham end bay P5. This was to shelter passengers waiting to board trains in the bay, but was no
use as in recent years trains in the bay always opened their doors on the P6 side to minimise stepping
distance due to the track curvature. Remodelling abolished the bay and realigned the south end of P4.
The relevant platform canopy was removed, leaving a partly dismantled section at the join with the
main canopy spanning the full width of the island platform (P4 & 5). Work has now begun to extend
the full width platform canopy south so that P4 & 5 will have a canopy of similar length and style to P7.
PREVIOUS PAGE: Looking north from Derby P4 with new canopy supports erected along the
P5 side of P5/6 island, and more supports lying on the platform awaiting erection. (Ian Mitchell.)
2020] Nottingham: (BLN 1298.227) A drug addict with 108 previous offences has pleaded guilty to her
first count of arson in the ladies toilets at the station and has been sentenced to 25 months in prison.
On 18 Jan 2018 she was smoking heroin and accidentally set fire to a sanitary bin starting a huge blaze
which ripped through the building causing £5.6M worth of damage. However, it emerged in court that
builders cut corners by packing the wall supporting the toilet block with a foot of highly flammable
polystyrene as the ceiling was uneven. The judge said that those responsible for refurbishing the
station should realise their mistakes in not fitting smoke alarms or sprinklers in the toilets, as well as
the roof defects: an open void allowed the fire to spread rapidly and in using combustible materials.
2021] NET: Land is being protected for a potential tram extension beyond Clifton to the Fairham
Pastures development as required by the Planning Consent but there is no funding for this at present.
2022] Corby: The Midland Main Line works with electrification (54m 20ch to 72m 00ch) include:
●Bedford - Kettering: Redoubling the slow lines between Sharnbrook Jn and Kettering South Jn with
...remodelling and resignalling allows six passenger and three freight trains to run per hour each way.
●Kettering Electric Stabling Sidings: A new facility with a main line connection.
●Sharnbrook Jn, Wellingborough South Jn, Harrowden Jn & Kettering South Jn: New crossovers, a
...new crossover south of Kettering (Kettering Station South Jn) and a turnout to the stabling sidings.
●Wellingborough North Jn: Upgraded to a 50mph ladder.
●Route Availability (RA) 10 (axle load up to 25.4 tonnes) at 60mph and RA8 (22.8 tonnes) at line speed.
●Sharnbrook Jn - Kettering South Jn: W6a/7 gauge clearance on the new reinstated slow line.
●Wellingborough and Sharnbrook: New CBI (Computer Based Interlocking) signalling.
●Sharnbrook - Kettering station: Frauscher Axle Counters installed on all lines.
1334 GREATER LONDON (Geoff Brockett)
[email protected]
2023] Harringay: (E-BLN 1333.X94) LEFT:
Martin Messias. Another example of the
new TOMTIS Ticket Office Machine Ticket
Issuing System ticket. At least it's a proper
card ticket rather than a loo roll type and
includes the station name. Given the low
ticket number it may be that the ticket
issuing system had very recently been
installed. The ticket clerk took a couple of
minutes working out how to issue it.
2024] Cricklewood: (E-BLN 1334.X.90 pictures) On Wed 31 Jul there was an unusual 4,500hp powered
HST working. 'Locomotive' formed 43467 & 43468 ran from Derby to Cricklewood to collect an HST set
for Leeds Neville Hill as '5Z03' consisting of 43076/NL14/43047. This ran 'triple headed' to Leeds.
2025] Barking - Gospel Oak: (BLN 1331.1573) Bombardier is funding a month's free travel on the line
in recognition of the long delay in introducing the Class 710 EMUs and the disruption this caused.
Because the line will be closed for engineering work on 28/29 Sep, the offer runs from 31 Aug to 1 Oct.
A valid ticket will still be required, but Oyster and bank cards will be credited with the single fare for
the section travelled over and holders of paper tickets can apply for a refund.
2026] Cannon Street: (BLN 1333.1899) The SEG's 'Live Rail' reports that, on the night of Sun/Mon
14/15 Jul, a Class 700 EMU ran from and to Three Bridges depot over various routes between there
and Cricklewood to test transitioning between automatic and manual working. Among the lines it
traversed was Metropolitan Jn to Stoney Street Jn in that direction only, which would mark the first
train over the route for some considerable time. OTT signalling maps show 'RUST' on the route, which
presumably indicates to the signaller that a train may not necessarily work the track circuits. It was at
Cannon Street between 00.37 and 00.43, and is the first known visit of a Class 700 EMU to the station.
2027] Greenford: Rear Clear Marker Boards and level walkways have been installed at Greenford East
Jn and Greenford West Jn to facilitate turning moves for IETs. Prior to the closure of the line through
Park Royal, such moves presumably ran round the Greenford Loop, as was always the case with HSTs.
2028] Queenstown Road: The bridge that carries the South Western Main Line over Thessaly Road
northeast of the station has been given a makeover by NR and Wandsworth Council. The walls either
side of the road are clad with vitreous enamel panels and the road is illuminated at night. The sides of
the bridge facing the road have been repainted in dramatic bright colours and carry the bridge's name.
2029] Warren Street: Due to escalator refurbishment, northbound Victoria Line trains will not stop
between 08.00 and 09.45 SSuX from 19 Aug to 11 Oct inclusive.
2030] Wimbledon West Jn: (BLN 1321.163) By 30 Jul normal working had resumed over the Down St
Helier Line. Since about 3 Oct 2018 all trains had used the Up line bidirectionally. ('Gensheet')
1334 NORTHERN GENERAL (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
2031] They can't give them away: From Mon 19 Aug Northern had more than 80,000 Advance Tickets
available on its website and mobile phone application at 10p adult/5p child for travel in September.
2032] HS3: Boris Johnson has pledged that his government will provide funding for a new Manchester
to Leeds railway, the first section of Northern Powerhouse Rail (HS3). He said it would be up to
northern leaders to decide how the money should be spent and that a funding package would be
announced as part of the autumn spending review. He recently said: I want to be the Prime Minister
who does with Northern Powerhouse Rail what we did for Crossrail in London. And today I am going to
deliver on my commitment to that vision with a pledge to fund the Leeds to Manchester route.
HS3 was promoted by former Chancellor George Osborne in Jun 2014. Theresa May's government
supported it, but so far only development funding had been allocated, allowing Transport for the
North (TfN) to draw up plans but stopping short of the project going ahead. The vision for Northern
Powerhouse Rail is for a flagship east west route connecting Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Hull.
Part of the planned HS2 Manchester branch could be used and would connect with a new, fast rail
alignment to Leeds, reducing journey times to 25 minutes. TfN's Chief Executive said: Just days into his
premiership, Boris Johnson is here in the north promising to invest in our creaking infrastructure.
Not just the Manchester to Leeds line, but a whole network from Liverpool to Hull, and from Sheffield
up to Newcastle .... It is not clear that the PM has committed to the whole network but time will tell.
'TransportXtra' (14 Sep 2018) reported that the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has
called on the Government to 'seriously explore' the construction of a new cross-Pennine rail line. LCCI
said: It was in the best interests of the whole UK that new strategic transport infrastructure is not
concentrated mainly in the South East. Sam McKee, policy director of LCCI, said: London is heading
towards megacity status with 10M people by 2030 and while we seek the right infrastructure here, it is
important that the rest of the country continues to grow as well. At present travelling between the
northern cities is a tortuous, time consuming experience. That is not good for Britain plc. These cities
have a collective population of 9M, similar to London's current total. McKee also suggested that
expertise gained constructing Crossrail 1 (particularly tunnelling) could be harnessed for the cross-
Pennine rail project. We are clear we want Crossrail 2, he said, ...but for the sake of the UK as a whole
we need a Crossrail for the north. Both (projects) could be given the green light to proceed together.
2033] TPE Dec Timetable: (BLN 1333.1904) A member advises that 'Realtime Trains' does not process
'changes en route' recorded in the timetable database, so the booked power shown for the Liverpool -
Edinburgh trains is incorrect. At the moment the plan is (in both directions): diesel Liverpool - York,
electric York - Newcastle, diesel Newcastle - Prestonpans and electric Prestonpans - Edinburgh.
He warns that this is somewhat irrelevant as it merely indicates what the timetable planners have
chosen to use. When it comes to it, the trains may actually operate entirely differently.
2034] An open and shut case: (BLN 1333.1937) 'Tracklink III' Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Tags, also known as Coach-based Automatic Selective Door Opening, CASDO or ASDO beacons, have
been installed in the '4ft' at a large number of locations for TPE services. As in East Anglia, these are
passive - the energy comes from the on train reader - so do not interfere with signalling or other types
of trains. Readers are fitted to each coach of TPE's current Class 185 fleet to facilitate automatic
selective door opening. The beacons are being commissioned in phases beginning on 22 Aug.
1334 NORTH EAST & YORKSHIRE (Geoff Blyth) [email protected]
2035] An Unmagical Mystery Tour: A member took an unintended mystery tour from Doncaster, on
the 11.48 King's Cross to Hull recently. Running on a revised schedule, due to the temporary speed
restrictions from the heat, it left Doncaster five mins late with power car 43023 leading and 43027
trailing. This was a GWR 2+5 HST set on hire to Hull Trains. At Temple Hirst Jn a points failure
prevented access to Selby. As it was expected to be an hour before P'Way staff could arrive, the train
was authorised to cross via the facing crossover to the Up Main (an unsignalled move), reverse, and
returned to Doncaster. Now 53 min late, it set off for Hull again via Goole (non-stop). Our member
wonders when a non-charter passenger train last ran through Goole without calling. When the
'Hull Executive' went that way it called at Goole, as do all the local services of course. At Saltmarshe
the new LED signalling to Gilberdyke had failed. So the train proceeded one section at a time, talked
past each signal at danger, reaching Hull 81 min late on the revised schedule. The return working of
the set, 15.12 to King's Cross, then left 70 min late, with our intrepid observer on board. Although
announced as going via Goole it took the booked route via Selby(!), but then terminated at Doncaster
84 min late, after waiting for a platform to become available, due to OHLE damage in the
Peterborough area. Well at least our member achieved his intended objective of achieving 1,000 miles
behind 43023 - presumably free of charge once Delay Repay had kicked in with added micogricing?
X.102] South Shields Interchange: Opening day, Sun 4 Aug 2019, from our local member Phil Logie.
2036] Goathland: (BLN 1333.1906) It appears that the North Eastern Railway did not know how it
wished to spell its station name at the settlement of Beck Hole, shown as such on maps from 1849
onwards. The original station, CP 1 Jul 1865 on the opening of the deviation line, is given in Clinker's
Register as Beck Holes. However, the 1895 Railway Clearing House Hand-Book of Stations showed
Beckholes Siding at or near this location and an autocar service (from 1908 to 1914) ran to Beckhole!
As per first paragraph of BLN 1333, this was only in the summer (1 Jul - 30 Sep, SuX). This service was
withdrawn earlier than planned (by special notice) from Mon 21 Sep 1914 (last train Sat 19 Sep 1914).
ABOVE: The Summer 1914 timetable (Sundays excepted) 'Y' = Steam Autocar. (Richard Maund.)
Beckholes Siding had disappeared between issue of the 1900 'Appendix to the Railway Clearing House
Hand-Book' and the publication of the 1904 Hand-Book itself. A siding to the west of the station site is
visible on the 1892 OS map but is deleted on the 1910 map, which must make it a strong candidate.
What traffic, if any, ran to Beckhole after this period is unknown but there was probably mineral traffic
on at least part of the line. A very short branch is visible on both the aforementioned maps just north
of the bridge over the Murk Esk river (NZ 818 035), about a mile north of Beck Hole. This is due east of
the farm named Dowson Garth, which lies higher up, at the top of the west side of the dale; it surely
gave its name to Dowson Garth Siding, which is listed in the 1925 Hand-Book. By the 1950s, the track
continued only about ¼ mile further south than the hamlet of Esk Valley to a location with a couple of
houses, named Whinstone Cottages (NZ 821 040), ¼ mile north of Dowson Garth Siding. Dowson
Garth Siding - Beckhole thus presumably fell out of use from 21 Sep 1914 and Esk Valley (Whinstone
Cottages) - Dowson Garth Siding CA at an unknown date after 1925 and was lifted by 1950. If it hadn't
been lifted already, it probably was in WWII (perhaps in 1941 at the same time as the line south of
Incline Top) to provide scrap metal for the war effort.
In earlier days, the change from horse (later loco) haulage to the incline was at Incline Bottom, (map
above) where a substantial cottage, now called Incline Cottage, remains. It would doubtless have
served as a 'station', as at Incline Top. It is located about 300yd south of what became Beckhole
platform in 1908. The original (horse worked) Goathland station was at Incline Top in fact (not south
thereof on the road west of the present station). Indeed a building there carries a modern name on a
gate leading on to the trackbed footpath such as 'Booking /Ticket Office' (our member didn't jot the
exact name down at the time of his visit). This would have been the logical place to have whatever
passed for a station in 1836. One can see from old OS maps that Goathland village then was centred
around the incline top and not on the level crossing further south. More recently Goathland was the
fictional village of Aidensfield in the ITV series 'Heartbeat', and the station became Hogsmeade station
in the Harry Potter films. So the village is beset with coach tours and tourists...!
ABOVE 1:25,000 map (1948). The Grosmont to Pickering line 1865 deviation (now the North Yorkshire
Moors Railway) then double track, is right with left, the single track branch to Beckhole (bottom left)
which was 1m 69ch from Grosmont, Deviation Jn (the light green spot top centre). It is surprising how
close together the two lines were at Hollin Garth. When cut back to Dowson Garth Siding (red spot
with the farm of the same name slightly to its left) south of Esk Valley (the hamlet at the top of the
map), it was clearly shorter than the 1m 69ch given in BLN 1333.1609. The blue spot is the site of
Whinstone Cottages a later terminus of the branch when it was freight only (see next page). 'FP' very
bottom centre is a footpath on the trackbed. Goathland is just off the map, bottom right.
ABOVE: 1892 survey 25" to the mile, Grosmont is off the top and Pickering the bottom. Whinstone
Cottages are shown bottom left on the Beckhole branch with the hamlet of Esk Valley top centre and
some siding trackwork - the interesting quarry tramway under the Whitby/Grosmont to Pickering/
Malton line must have been standard gauge judging by the wagon turntable on the left.
PREVIOUS PAGE BOTTOM: One-inch map (1950); the top left black dot is the end of the Beckhole
branch on the original horse drawn/rope worked 1836 incline route. The next spot on the trackbed is
Incline Bottom and the third northwest of Goathland station is at Incline Top. The trackbed continues
south under the middle 'n' of 'Inn'. In 1950 the 1865 deviation (now the NYMR) was still double track.
BELOW: Incline Bottom (top left!) and Incline Top (bottom right!) are both 'spotted' and specifically
named on this 1930 six-inch to the mile OS map (major revisions only to 1950). Beckhole is top left.
2037] Middleton-in-Teesdale: (BLN 1333.1908) Opinion is that 1" inch (New Popular) 6th Series, Sheet
84 (1920) published with corrections in 1947, with Romaldkirk and Cotherstone open to passengers
(red spots) but Mickleton & Middleton-in-Teesdale closed (white spots) was an error; but a good spot.
Both were shown open to passengers in (for example) the June 1945 & June 1947 Bradshaw's Guide.
2038] Goole: (BLN 1328.1169) East Riding of Yorkshire Council has approved Siemens Mobility's
outline planning application to develop its facility here to manufacture the new trains for the Piccadilly
Line. Their Chief Executive indicated that they would now develop detailed plans to be submitted to
the Council later this year and, pending approval, construction would begin in spring next year.
2039] Barnsley - Penistone - Huddersfield: NR proposes to lengthen platforms at Berry Brow,
Brockholes & Honley, and refurbish parts of the currently redundant platforms at Lockwood, Shepley
and Denby Dale to accommodate longer trains to be operated by Arriva Rail North ('Northern').
2040] Standedge Tunnels: Most members know that Standedge Tunnel lies at the summit of the main
Manchester - Huddersfield - Leeds line (ex-London & North Western Railway - LNWR), but fewer will
probably know that there are in fact four Standedge tunnels. The first was that of the Huddersfield
Narrow Canal (5,451yd long) opened 1811 after many difficulties, work having started in 1795! It was
closed to traffic (officially) in 1943 but reopened in May 2001. The first railway tunnel was started by
the Huddersfield & Manchester Railway & Canal Co, which was acquired in 1847 by the LNWR before
completion of the tunnel in 1848. The railway company had bought the canal company to provide
access for construction of the tunnel; boats transferred excavated spoil and moved construction
material. However, it was only single track and soon became a bottleneck; so, even before completion,
plans were being made for a second tunnel alongside it. This tunnel, also single-track, opened in 1871.
The LNWR opened a third, double track western most tunnel in 1894. All 4 tunnels are linked by cross-
tunnels or adits at strategic intervals which, remarkably for the length, allowed the railway tunnels to
be built without any construction shafts, and waste material to be removed by boat. The 1849 tunnel
closed in 1966 and the 1871 tunnel was disused by 1970. Does anyone have actual closure dates? The
1849 tunnel is now a designated escape route, with a roadway suitable for emergency vehicle access.
Both single-track bores have ventilation shafts at Cote, Flint and Pule Hill and the double-track tunnel
is ventilated by three shafts at Brunn Clough, Redbrook and Flint.
On 25 July, the UK's hottest day ever (in Cambridge), a member took a walk over the high moorland
above the tunnels, in the knowledge that the temperature up there would then be pleasantly warm
rather than its usual state of absolutely freezing! He did the walk from east to west, using the canal
towpath to cover the sections between Marsden and Greenfield stations that are either side of the
tunnel. He says: At least e-BLN readers can now see the scenery they are missing in the tunnel on a
train. A selection of our member's pictures, going east to west, is in e-BLN with his best efforts to
identify the various structures he saw above the tunnel.
http://bit.ly/2OZK6Ze has interesting pictures and much information about the ventilation shafts. Our
member was unable to find a couple, although not all are near public footpaths. http://bit.ly/2P36MI5
is an interesting video (6½ mins); however, this presenter clearly didn't wait for a hot summer day!
BELOW: Looking down on Standedge; a TPE train heading for Huddersfield and Leeds has just
emerged from the eastern tunnel portal (double track formerly for the fast lines). The Huddersfield &
Manchester Canal can be seen by the start of Marsden Up Passenger Loop, the far right of the three
tracks. The track bed from the former Down Slow and Up Slow single bore tunnels is bottom right
corner. The photos were all taken by member Tim Whelan on 25 Jul 2019 and run from east to west.
ABOVE: Pule ventilation shaft. BELOW: Flint Pit (new) ventilation shaft.
ABOVE: Flint Pit (old) ventilation shaft and the remains of one of the winding mills used in
the tunnel construction. BELOW: Another winding mill, which is in rather better condition.
ABOVE: The Lancashire side of the Pennines, with Cote Pit ventilation shaft (apparently capped)
bottom right. The railway towards Manchester is left of centre. BELOW: Diggle, a TPE train towards
Leeds enters the western tunnel portal; the two slow line single bore tunnels are hidden on the right.
2041] Resignalling: NR is proposing to resignal the Durham Coast and Stillington lines with re-control
to York Rail Operating Centre. This appears to be the next step following the consultation described in
BLN 1312.1858. It abolishes all the remaining mechanical boxes between Bowesfield Jn (already
controlled by York ROC) and the interfaces with Tyneside Integrated Electronic Control Centre at
Sunderland and Ferryhill. Commissioning is anticipated in Oct 2020. Nine signal boxes would close:
Norton-on-Tees South, Norton-on-Tees West, Norton-on-Tees East, Norton-on-Tees, Billingham-on-
Tees, Greatham, Ryhope Grange Junction, Belasis Lane and Ferryhill**. The main justification is to
replace life expired assets and reduce operating costs by closing staffed locations. Norton-on-Tees is
the last place in the country with four adjacent mechanical signal boxes to its name (a previous such
location was Sleaford with North, South, East & West boxes). The village is simply 'Norton' and isn't
even on the Tees! [What a tease.] Why the North Eastern Railway renamed the station Norton-on-Tees
on 1 Oct 1901, your Regional Ed has no idea but there are other 'Nortons' elsewhere, of course.
**Ferryhill, the former No2 signal box, is interesting. British Rail wanted to close it and the freight only
Stillington line with the East Coast resignalling but it was reprieved at a late stage. The Stillington line
and its junction were thus not included in the 9 May 1991 resignalling. For 28 years this relatively large
box has controlled one two aspect signal on the Up Stillington and two on the Down Stillington lines!
2042] Castleford: Previously the signaller was required to speak to the driver before signalling a train
into an occupied platform, calling the driver on the GSMR (Global System for Mobile Communications -
Railway). [Once it would have been a wait for the driver to ring in on the signal post telephone.]
The signaller advised the driver that he would be signalled into an occupied platform and then cleared
the signal. From Sat 17 Aug full permissive working was allowed so the requirement no longer applied.
2043] Sheffield: Sheffield City Region (SCR) and local authority partners have launched an Integrated
Rail Plan. This is supported by Transport for the North (TfN) and has been submitted to the DfT. Many
of its schemes are included in the SCR Transforming Cities Fund bid. Other schemes are programmed
into work either already planned by NR, or form part of TfN's investment plans. Key is a proposed new
Barnsley Dearne Valley station (near Goldthorpe, north of Bolton-upon-Dearne) on the Northern
Powerhouse Rail network. This is preferred to a South Yorkshire HS2 Parkway. However, support is
dependent on the surrounding road access infrastructure being upgraded.
A new Midland Main Line station is proposed in Rotherham - reopening Masborough? For the tram
train, the aim is to make Rotherham Parkgate terminus a permanent feature, with a Park & Ride there
by 2021 and a new stop at Magna Science Adventure Centre in 2022. A longer term aim is to extend
the tram train service to Doncaster. Other plans include: ●A new spur to connect Doncaster Sheffield
(formerly Robin Hood) Airport, at Finningley on the Doncaster - Lincoln line, to the East Coast Main
Line. ●Hope Valley line upgrade. ●Significant upgrades for HS2 at Sheffield and Chesterfield stations.
2044] Drax: (TRACKmaps 2 p40B Oct 2016) Oil Siding 'E' has been out of use for some time - formerly
supplied by rail from Lindsey Oil Refinery, traffic now comes in by road. The heavy lighting up fuel oil
had to be kept at an elevated temperature in the tanks to prevent solidification. Close examination of
large scale maps and Google Earth confirms that the first part of the power station loop is immediately
alongside, and parallel to, the North Eastern Railway Goole - Selby line, but it is not on the trackbed.
2045] Ferrybridge 'C': On Sun 28 Jul in the first stage of demolition, the 114m tall 'Cooling Tower Six'
was blown up at the coal fired power station (closed 31 Mar 2016). Four more are to be blown up in
Oct; demolition is expected to take two years. The station is a prominent landmark from the adjacent
A1 road and railways. The merry-go-round loop remains operational for inward gypsum traffic by rail.
2046] Redcar British Steel: (BLN 1322.281) A keen member showed his dedication to the cause in early
July by catching an early morning coach to Middlesbrough to achieve a morning round trip:
Middlesbrough 07.09; Saltburn 07.36/07.41; Redcar British Steel 07.57/08.25; Redcar Central
08.29/08.57; Middlesbrough 09.10. He was surprised to be the only passenger for much of the way to
Saltburn. At Redcar British Steel he was the only person to alight and nobody joined - how amazing!
ABOVE (TOP): The 08.25 to Saltburn approaches
British Steel Redcar station under a heavy sky.
Interestingly, when other people have visited, a security
van has been in attendance, whereas he had the run of
the station. A van did appear two minutes before
departure of the train back to Saltburn. Our member
also saw a parked van when he had passed through
earlier to Saltburn, so perhaps they met the wrong train.
The station has changed very little and indeed seemed
somewhat cared for; the display boards had been
cleaned and the platform was in good condition (unlike
the fellow local candidate for the wooden spoon award, Teesside Airport). Our member can
exclusively reveal to fellow members that there has been an upgrade to the facilities; the station has
been enhanced by the addition of one plastic chair in the waiting shelter on the Down platform!
[First Class lounge next?] ABOVE LEFT: Northern Powerhouse Rail investment - needless to say it is not
an electric chair. BELOW: Up P1 looking west towards Middlesbrough. (All Robert Sharpe, 6 Jul 2019.)
ABOVE: British Steel Redcar looking east towards Redcar Central and Saltburn from Up P1.
1334 NORTH WEST (John Cameron) [email protected]
2047] Metrolink: From Mon 12 Aug an undefined 'track fault' at Victoria has resulted in Manchester
Airport and East Didsbury to Rochdale services swapping their routes through central Manchester.
Platform 'A' (usually for trams to East Didsbury, Piccadilly & Altrincham) was closed leading to centre
platform 'B' being used instead for through trams to the city. 'B' is usually used by terminating Airport
trams which wait time and then return to the Airport. Instead Airport trams had to run empty to
Millgate Siding the other side of Victoria then return to the stop to form a service back to the Airport.
Unfortunately this wasn't the end of the issue as the track problem has since led to a service change.
Airport services now run via the Second City Crossing (2CC) and East Didsbury to Rochdale trams use
the First City Crossing (1CC). When your Regional Editor investigated on 15 Aug, Airport trams were
turning back in Platform 'B' as usual then ran via Exchange Square and 2CC. Platform 'A' was in use,
but all trams from it ran via 1CC, including to East Didsbury which usually run via 2CC. This all suggests
that the track problem is with Balloon Street fixed diamond crossover (TRACKmaps 4 p48N).
2048] Keep in touch with Metrolink: Over 170,000 contactless payments were made in the first four
weeks since the system began on 15 Jul. However, some forget to touch out and were charged £4.60
for an 'incomplete journey'. These do NOT count towards the daily cap (with peak period travel) of £7.
2049] Morecambe: A Sunday train service (as opposed to a rail replacement bus because of staff
shortages) was able to operate on Sun 11 Aug, for the first time since 14 July. 142038 did the honours
2050] Manchester Piccadilly: (BLN 1333.1920) From 5 Aug the car stop boards on island P13 & P14
were relocated further east on P13 and west on P14. The 4-Car stop boards were replaced with one for
4-11 car trains. It is believed that this allows trains to run closer together so reducing delays.
2051] Merseyrail (1): More stations close in Sep and Oct for work prior to the introduction of the new
fleet of trains on order. This involves altering the height of the station platforms and realigning track to
ensure the sliding step of the new trains meets the platform edge. The stations are: Rice Lane, West
Kirby, Green Lane, Hamilton Square & Chester. Service changes last between one and 13 days.
Merseyrail said it has attempted to minimise disruption to passengers and neighbours with some work
taking place at night or on individual platforms while stations remain open.
Some stations will need to close completely - with rail replacement buses provided. Additional planned
works take place later this year and into 2020 to ensure that all stations and signalling infrastructure
are adjusted to accommodate the new longer trains. There will also be work to install equipment for a
new communications system including high quality WiFi. Forthcoming alterations:
Rice Lane - Kirkby: TCP 7 to 15 Sep Hamilton Square - Hooton: TCP until 14.00 on 8 Sep.
Green Lane: TCP from 8 Sep to 20 Oct Aintree - Walton: TCP until 13.00 on 15 Sep
West Kirby: P1 TCP 16-20 Sep New Brighton/West Kirby - Hamilton Square: TCP 21-22 Sep
West Kirby - Hoylake: TCP 23-29 Sep Southport - Formby: TCP until 13.00 on 29 Sep
Bache - Chester: TCP 14-19 Oct Birkenhead Cent - Chester/Ellesmere Port: TCP 13 & 20 Oct
2052] Merseyrail (2): Introduction of the new £460M train fleet could be delayed or costly signalling
upgrades required to meet their scheduled rollout. Some of the current fleet, over 40 years old, may
have to be retained. The new trains will be four cars off-peak with eight for peak services. The current
fleet uses three and six car services. The new trains, in eight car formation, overlap the signalling
sections at some stations. This means that points behind the trains cannot be set to allow ECS shunts
and turnbacks at stations including Liverpool Central, Southport and Hunts Cross.
This could result in retention of some Class 507/508 EMUs for peak services until the signalling can be
upgraded and/or bringing forward scheduled signalling upgrades (due in 2022) by over two years.
If some old units are kept running for another two years, Merseyrail would need a small depot to
maintain them, possibly at Southport. Of course there is still the question of what the guards will be
doing on the new trains with more strikes notified for 24 Aug, 3, 5 & 30 Sep and 2 & 4 Oct over this.
2053] Liverpool Central - Hunts Cross; cold comfort: (BLN 1333.1922) After the 18-21 Jul closure which
required a mile of new 11kV cable, Merseyrail handed out free ice creams at the stations on 26 Jul.
2054] Acton Grange: (BLN 1332.1771) The West Coast Main Line and Helsby - Warrington line fully
reopened on Mon 5 Aug after the 16 day complete renewal of the junction south of Warrington.
The £27M project was completed as planned despite extreme weather. All four railway lines, overhead
electrification, signalling equipment and unique 'double diamond' crossing system [works wonders]
were replaced to modern standards. Nearly 500 people worked on the project each day; totalling
69,120 hours. 3,200 tonnes of ballast was replaced and 22 engineering trains ran. Future disruption in
the area was minimised by bringing forward other work to coincide with the closure. 4km of track and
2km of drainage were renewed through nearby Sutton Tunnel, saving a further 13 day line closure and
the trailing crossover was removed near Runcorn East station (BLN 1333.1927). 260 trains use Acton
Grange Jn daily. NR says that the West Coast Main Line is Europe's busiest mixed-use railway line.
2055] Crewe: A second siding has been reported at Crewe Carriage Sidings, parallel to the Stoke line.
At Crewe North Jn the replacement for the defective wing rail of the fixed diamond which put it out of
use at 13.24 on Tue 6 Jun (plain lined on 30 Jun) is expected to arrive this month (BLN 1331.1610).
2056] Deansgate: (BLN. 1332.1768) A local member has pointed out that there are three underbridges
carrying the railway west of Deansgate station. The first is across Deansgate itself, the second over the
A56, also called Bridgewater Viaduct at this point (but confusingly Deansgate a little to the north), and
the third is over Castle Street. These are also close to the adjacent Metrolink bridge over Deansgate.
2057] Warrington West: (BLN 1318.2614) In an all too familiar story, NR has postponed the opening
date from the summer to the 15 Dec timetable change. It has also been reported that the costs have
increased by £1.5M. In 2015, Warrington Borough Council, which is contributing £7.38M, stated that
the station would cost around £12.66M. However, this has now increased to £20.5M. About £6.53M is
from the Local Growth Fund via the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, £4.23M
from the New Stations Fund and £1.85M from developers via Section 106 and other agreements.
There is a 250 space car park (it will cost £1 a day to park) and secure parking for 50 bicycles.
ABOVE: The bridge at Deansgate station (once Knott Mill & Deansgate).
BELOW: Two other attractive railway bridges nearby. (Both John Cameron, 15 Aug 2019.)
2058] Liverpool: West Coast Rail, a joint venture of FirstGroup and Trenitalia, who take on the West
Coast Partnership franchise from 8 Dec, intend to run two trains an hour between Lime Street and
Euston (there may be three if Virgin Trains becomes an open access operator on the route). One would
serve Liverpool South Parkway, providing an ''hourly direct service'' to the capital. Presumably they
don't count London Northwestern's two trains per hour via Birmingham and Northampton as 'direct'?
2059] Pacers going back to their maker? Northern withdrew its first Pacer, 142005, on 12 Aug 2019,
after making its final journey between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge. The DMU entered service
on 20 Feb 1987 and had clocked up over 3M miles. More Class 195 DMUs went into service on 12 Aug;
all Manchester Airport - Liverpool via Warrington Central services are now booked for the new trains.
1334 SOUTH EAST - SOUTH (Julian James) [email protected]
X.103] BELOW: The now totally derelict Ridham Dock Branch, looking back at the second loop towards
Ridham Jn on the Sheerness branch just south of Swale. This was taken from the Saxon Shore Way
footpath level crossing. The track is now fenced off with barbed wire on either side of the path.
(On TRACKmap 5 p8B Nov 2008 this is the level crossing 'LC' by the 'EWS loco limit'). Interestingly, it is
the exact point reached by the Southern electric Group 'Thanet Explorer' railtour of 27 Aug 1990.
In the distance through the gap in the hedgerow is the approach to the Sheppey Crossing (A249 Road)
with Sheerness and the Isle of Sheppey to the right and Sittingbourne left. (Peter Scott, 8 Aug 2019.)
NEXT PAGE: 1954-60 survey one inch survey of Ridham Dock, the 'HALT' is Swale with the Isle of
Sheppey top right. Shown as a single track here, the branch was doubled from the junction as far as
Swale for electrification (which was from 15 Jun 1959). In 1960 the bridge over the Swale estuary was
rebuilt requiring a slight deviation of the Sheerness branch and a new platform at Swale Halt the other
side of the unclassified road shown. The now station recorded 4,740 passengers in 2017-18.
2060] Farnborough: NR is consulting on renewal of pointwork to be carried out from 28 to 30 Sep with
new operating equipment (motors and drives) not previously used on this line. The crossovers involved
are the facing crossover from Up Slow to Up Fast east of the station and the trailing crossover between
Up Fast and Down Fast west of the station. Some points will move up to 10m.
2061] Whitstable: (BLN 1327.1030) The BLN 1327 description of the present station prompted a
member to look more closely at its origins, leading him to realise that for years he had driven into
Whitstable, under the London Chatham & Dover Railway (LC&DR) bridge at the start of the main
street, without appreciating the significance of the site as the location of the earlier LC&DR stations.
The first station OP 1 Aug 1860, with the Faversham to Whitstable line, was a temporary one on the
Faversham/London side of where the railway crosses over the town's main Oxford St (see later map).
On 13 Jul 1861 it was replaced by a permanent station on the Margate side of Oxford St at the junction
of what is now Belmont Rd (formerly Gorrell Rd and subsequently Church Rd). This (1861) second
station CP from 1 Jan 1915 - the last train called the previous day - when the current station opened,
some 32ch northeast and nearer to Margate (SECR signalling notice 49/PW/1914).
The 1861 passenger station had a large physical footprint, but strangely it is very hard to find much
information about it or photographs. Even the Middleton Press ('Branch lines Around Canterbury') has
to make do with a map and has no historical photographs. Local sources indicate that the original
station and the road bridge (shown in 1904 as South Eastern & Chatham Railway Bridge No770 of
District No14) were constructed mainly of wood and that the wooden platforms extended over the
bridge in the Up direction. The base of the station proper consisted of the still existing brick viaduct
construction that contains door and window openings to what would have been the station booking
office and other facilities. The double door main station entrance is a prominent feature to this day
and opens from the centre of the Down bridge abutment straight onto Oxford Street.
ABOVE: 1872 survey 6" map; the second (1861) station on the Margate (east) side of Oxford St bridge
with the goods station further east - top right. The temporary 1860 station was west of the bridge.
ABOVE: 1932 revision (6"), the 1860 & 1861 stations were bottom left with Oxford St far left - Gorrell
Rd had become Church Rd (and is now Belmont Rd). The Goods Yard is clearly shown and the present
(1915) station is upper right. Far right is the Canterbury & Whitstable line crossing over the LC&DR.
The width of the viaduct is little or no more than that of the formation, suggesting that the platforms
and presumably access staircases were probably cantilevered from the viaduct sides. Below track level
is now occupied by the 'Alimo' restaurant (which appears to use the original main entrance) and a car
tyre dealer. The latter business has access from Belmont Rd and is situated in an arch beneath the
viaduct at the Down end. On the northwest (Down) side of the viaduct a brick building parallel to the
track projects from ground level out from the viaduct, presumably additional station facilities
The LC&DR Whitstable (one and only!) goods yard was on the Up (south) side of the line. A long
approach slope leads up from Belmont Rd to what was the goods yard on top of a wide embankment
that continues the formation towards Margate. This yard continued in use after the current station
opened in 1915 and it closed 18 Apr 1964. The single siding was shown on a BR engineer's plan of 1976
as still in situ, with two trailing crossovers but all points were then clipped and padlocked out of use.
This elevated long area is now occupied by a caravan dealer and other mainly motor industry related
businesses. Coal remains from the coal yard facilities were very evident when the caravan folk arrived
in the 1980s, but a visit revealed no other current obvious signs of its former use as a goods yard.
The present (1915) eastern most (third) station http://bit.ly/2NcxhZ9 is further from Whitstable town
centre than its predecessor, due to pressure from developers building eastwards towards Tankerton
wanting easier rail access for their new residents. The building referred to in BLN 1327 (Down end of
the Down platform) was likely used for parcels, rather than goods, as it had road access but no sidings.
In Jul 1879 Whitstable became Whitstable-on-Sea (Clinker identified this as its first appearance in the
timetable; certainly in spring 1879 the town's Improvement Committee was pressing for this renaming;
this version appears in, for example, Bradshaw's Guide Aug 1887, so could be right!). From 1 Jun 1899
it became Whitstable Town (Railway Clearing House document, but that gave the previous name as
just 'Whitstable' rather than Whitstable-on-Sea; an example of what a minefield renamings can be).
The 1915 relocation resulted in no name change so it continued in timetables as Whitstable Town
until 1 Feb 1936 when it was changed to Whitstable & Tankerton ('Whitstable Times and Herne Bay
Herald', 8 Feb 1936). British Rail changed this to 'Whitstable' as now, from the 14 May 1979 timetable.
In Whitstable local history publications, our member came across only two poor quality photos. One is
of a staff group with oysters taken in front of what looks like a wooden platform shelter. [The shellfish;
not an early version of an Oyster card.] The other, a street celebration in Oxford St, indicates that the
bridge was indeed made of wood. The current steel bridge was installed after the station closed.
BELOW: Entrance to the Whitstable 1861 (first permanent) station and offices (Up side). Oxford St is
left under the bridge and ends at the traffic lights. The modern Belmont Rd is in the foreground. On
the railway Faversham and London are to the left and Margate right. (All pictures Richard Weller.)
THIS PAGE BOTH: The former station main entrance under the Margate side of Oxford St bridge.
ABOVE: The current steel bridge over Oxford St, looking northwest from Canterbury Rd. On the left
hand abutment is an interpretation board. BELOW: The original 1861 Down side station buildings.
ABOVE: Close up of the text on the bridge abutment interpretation board (accuracy not guaranteed!)
2062] No more crossing at Stone Crossing: (BLN 1306.1201) NR is making a retrospective Network
Change to remove the level crossing at the country end of Stone Crossing station, previously with four
road gates and a public footpath crossing with wicket gates. It was temporarily closed to road traffic
''some years ago'' as later was the footpath crossing in Feb 2018 when a new ramped footbridge was
installed. NR now wants to remove the crossing infrastructure. There is a road element to it so NR
plans to use Section 116a of the Highways Act, requiring a magistrate's court application scheduled for
12 Sep. It will be officially decommissioned after receipt of the legal notice for permanent closure.
2063] Gatwick Airport: (BLN 1332.1789) P6 widening (Down Loop, now itself looped by the new P7) is
scheduled at the Three Bridges end to provide room for escalators and improved circulating space:
Stage 1: From Sun 17 May 2020 until Sun 3 Jan 2021; P7 out of use to allow construction of piling
...caps, lift and escalator pits as well as supporting structures for a new concourse slab above.
Stage 2: From Sun 3 Jan 2021 (incl) until Sun 15 May 2022; P5 and P6 out of use to allow widening of
....P6 by 2.9m for two new lifts and four escalators. Note that P6 track will be realigned.
Non-stop trains will be able to pass P5 and P7 at 30mph at certain times. Fit out of the new area will
then follow with P5, 6 & 7 operating normally. There will be four new lifts and eight new escalators.
The crossover joining P6 road to the Down Main was installed at the time of provision of P7 and leads
to a long non-electrified overrun, which has no signalled access. The realignment of track through P6
requires the crossover to be moved 120m towards Three Bridges, reducing the (never used) overrun.
2064] Ely: A member reported live from a Cambridge to Norwich DMU on Sun 18 Aug. He had just
seen 43002 'Sir Kenneth Grange' and two rakes of GWR HST stock in the Potter Group sidings at Ely.
2065] Aberdeen - Inverurie: Next pages top thanks to our resident cartographer, Martyn Brailsford,
track plans before/after recent redoubling, remodelling and resignalling (commissioned Sat 17 Aug).
2066] The Bow Bells Tour: (BLN 1333.1876)
Plans with some of the track on our 14 Sep
tour. UPDATE: Following track inspections,
on 21 August NR apologised that Harlow
Mill Reception, Broxbourne Up Goods Loop
and Bow Midland are not considered
suitable for passenger trains. We have
requested Broxbourne Up Passenger Loop
and Bow Olympic as substitutes instead.
PREVIOUS PAGE BOTTOM: Far left Norwich
Trowse; the left 'spot' is Carriage Siding '9'
and the right is Riverside Freight Depot
Cemex Pad. Centre is the Johnston Logistics branch at Eccles Road. Far right is Stratford Bow Depot,
Bow Olympic is right of the River Lea; the Bow Midland Plasmor branch crosses over the river to its
west bank. THIS PAGE ABOVE LEFT: Thameslink Carriage Sidings at Cambridge - we are booked to run
through No4 Reception Siding which only opened on 12 May - this plan is thanks to Martyn Brailsford.
ABOVE RIGHT: Broxbourne Up Goods Loop is the through line well east of the main running lines.
1334 SOUTH EAST - NORTH & EAST ANGLIA (Julian James) [email protected]
2067] Disappearing Didcot: Closed 23 Mar 2013, as widely reported, the remaining three 114m tall
cooling towers at Didcot 'A' Power Station were blown up at 07.00 on Sun 18 Aug, five years after the
other three. Unfortunately some debris protection material came loose, hitting a 33kV overhead line
causing significant damage, a fire and power cut affecting 40,000 homes locally until 08.20. A member
with a rail replacement bus and coach fetish (therapy is available on the NHS) reports that signalling
works in the Radley area, due to conclude by 11.00, overran as they were using mains power.
Unfortunately the rail replacement buses finished on time and were all released. So Didcot - Oxford
remained closed with no buses; 17 rail replacement taxis were ordered. Then the line reopened about
12.30 (15.00 had been expected), just before the taxis started arriving at Didcot. The Rail Replacement
Coordinator was pleased with his unexpected overtime to direct the taxis to a holding area just in case.
Hopefully there will be no problems when the power station chimneys come down in the autumn.
ABOVE: Our Sat 11 Jul 1981 'Morris Man Tour' http://bit.ly/2ZfEH08 included Didcot Power Station.
An MGR train had just discharged, covering the rails in the hopper house with coal. The DMU made an
interesting 'crunching' sound as it went over it at some speed. Your BLN Editor had then recently spent
10 hours on an MGR coal train from Bagworth Colliery to do exactly the same line! (Ian Mortimer.)
X.104] Sheringham: ABOVE: The £1M extended platform for longer train is not all in use yet, looking
towards Cromer. BELOW: Part of the connection to the North Norfolk railway is a car park - shades of
the Weymouth Quay branch if a dining train or special turns up in the day? (Stuart Hicks.)
2068] Thorney Mill: (BLN 1332.1700) Now named Link Park Heathrow (after the owners), freight has
returned to Thorney Mill, Bardon Aggregates Stone Terminal (TRACKmaps 3 p3C Jun 2018), the first of
the three freight locations from West Drayton on the former Staines West branch. At 11.30 on 21 Jun,
GB Railfreight 66775 'HMS Argyll' entered the reinstated railhead, the first trial train since services
ceased and the railhead disappeared in 2013/14. In Aug 2018 Link Park Heathrow began to explore the
feasibility of reinstating the sidings to create a new facility for handling bulk materials.
By then all trace of the former sidings had gone. The new layout maximises the length of train which
can be stabled within the railhead site boundary. KGJ Price carried out the trackwork during Jan and
Feb 2019. The former sidings were retrieved from beneath a layer of compacted fill, the trackwork
lifted and relaid to the new layout, with replacement sleepers and rails as required. Then, one of Link
Park Heathrow's occupiers, Ashville Aggregates, began discussions with the rail freight industry about
the importation of aggregates by rail. This led to GB Railfreight offering to carry out this test run.
2069] Lowestoft: The privilege of the first revenue passenger operation of Greater Anglia's new
bimode Class 745 on 29 Jul fell to Lowestoft where unit 410 formed the 07.47 to Norwich, recently the
preserve of hauled Mk2 stock. Having run from Crown Point ECS, it arrived and departed from P3.
A Greater Anglia spokeswoman said it would be the early months of next year before the new trains
were operating on all the company's rural and regional routes. Meantime it is due to start handing
back existing Turbostar units to the leasing company so they can be reallocated to Wales and the East
Midlands during the autumn. [Hopefully new train acceptance and crew training can be managed
without many months of cancellations and short trains as happened with GWR IET introduction - PAS.]
Over the last few weeks there has been growing criticism of single car Class 153 DMUs being used on
medium distance services like Ipswich to Lowestoft and Ipswich to Peterborough. This has led to
crowded trains with standing room only for much of the journey. The new trains were still only able to
operate on two routes out of Norwich, but their range will be increased during the autumn.
1334 SOUTH WEST (Darren Garnon) [email protected]
2070] Exeter St Davids: Use of the north end Down bay P2 has increased since CrossCountry extended
some services from Bristol TM. Booked are: SSuX 05.48 to Barnstaple, 10.05 ex-Manchester Piccadilly
arr 14.13 (returns 15.55), 15.05 ex-Manchester arr 19.18, forming the 19.52 to New Street) and 21.49
(GWR) to Bristol TM. SO there is just a special for insomniacs, the 00.05 from Barnstaple arr 01.00.
SuO until 8 Sep: 15.52 ex-Okehampton (16.36) returning 17.05 & 18.30 (GWR) ex-Bristol TM at 20.14.
On Sun 1 Sep 1974 your Editor boarded a brakevan trip (his first) in P2 taking milk tanks to Hemyock.
2071] Portbury: (BLN 1317.2509) After the troubled delivery of Mk5 sleeper stock, allegedly damaged
by branches overhanging the branch (good job it's not a trunk route), Class 397 TPE EMUS are now
arriving. On 5 Jul 397005 (Class 66 hauled) took 90 minutes longer than booked on the line due to the
activities of two staff on the train with hard hats and face visors on hand to de-vegetate 'as required'.
2072] St Blazey: (TRACKmaps 3 p10B Jun 2018) Cardiff & Avonside Railway Society reports that the
turntable here was taken out of use on 11 July due to its (non-)operating condition. This has resulted
in at least one steam tour being diesel-hauled past Plymouth due to the lack of any turning facilities.
2073] Marsh Barton: (BLN 1293.2334) Devon County Council intends to submit a fresh application for
a new station early next year; previous plans were approved in Mar 2014. The Council confirmed that
it will continue to progress the station despite delays and an increase in costs. However, councillors
warned that opening depends on the speed of NR's response during the complex approvals process.
Part of the scheme has been redesigned after changes to design standards, increasing costs and a bid
to the DfT'S New Stations Fund was unsuccessful - there is a funding shortfall. The council says that
new access ramps will strengthen a failing embankment, deliver improved access into the city's cycle
network and minimise delay risk during construction as work can continue away from the live railway.
NEXT PAGE: Exeter, Marsh Barton branch when it was rather longer than now and, as can be seen,
very rare track at the end. Our South Devon tour https://goo.gl/JReo6z (Ian Mortimer, 10 May 1980.)
2074] Taunton: Bay P6 is signalled for passenger departures only, arrivals are ECS. Current departures:
SSuX 14.56 Cardiff Central (4-car HST booked); SO 05.35 Westbury (via Bristol); SuO 13.34 Bristol TM.
2075] Yeovil Junction: South Western Railway is to establish DMU berthing and train crew facilities
here as part of its franchise undertaking to improve West of England services. An authorised walking
route will be set up from Yeovil Railway Centre (P3) to the two Down Sidings where 3-car Class 159
units will stable. This will reduce Salisbury to Yeovil Junction ECS movements (39 miles each way) but
interestingly requires the use of the heritage railway P3 track and connection to make the ECS shunts.
2076] Sharpness: Local media reports that NR is to build a run round loop at Berkeley Nuclear Waste
Transfer Station (2m 08ch) before handing over the tracks from there to Sharpness Docks (3m 69ch) to
the Vale of Berkeley Railway. It would be expensive to install a run-round loop, but would shorten the
branch significantly - trains currently have to run up to Sharpness Docks (NR boundary) to run round at
the moment. But if correct (can anyone confirm the report?) it is a good prognostic sign for the branch.
A DRS Sellafield container train runs most Thursdays carrying hospital low level radioactive waste.
1334 WEST MIDLANDS (Brian Schindler) [email protected]
2077] Droitwich Spa: 28/29 Sep & 5/6 Oct weekends Worcester Foregate Street P2 (excl)/Shrub Hill
Jn - Droitwich Spa (excl) - Stoke Works Jn are closed with buses between Bromsgrove, Droitwich
and the two Worcester stations. The really interesting thing is that Kidderminster line services are
booked to turn around in Droitwich P1 with use of the exceedingly rare trailing crossover north of
the station on departure in service. The minimum journey required is Droitwich to Hartlebury
(Saturdays) or Kidderminster (Sundays - which it is even possible after our Cardiff Central railtour).
2078] Rowley Rustis: The Down Rowley Regis Goods Loop (towards Stourbridge) is out of use so,
unfortunately, we will be unable to do it on our Birmingham Balti Bash Class 20 tour on Sun 22 Sep.
Rowley Regis Up Goods Loop is not available either at present (indeed both were quite rusty recently).
BELOW: Taunton north end bay P6 with the 14.56 to Cardiff Central. (Mark Wallis, 13 Aug 2019.)
X.105] ABOVE: One of the two Vintage Steam Trains Ironbridge t
This long branch has no regular traffic and is included in our Sun 22
trips on Coalbrookdale Viaduct, Sun 9 Jun 2019, with Clun Castle.
2 Sep 'Birmingham Balti Bash' with two Class 20s. (Dave Cromarty.)
2079] Wellington: (BLN 1332.1812) Sun 9 Jun was Cosford Air Show. There were three extra West
Midlands public services (Air Show ticket or attendance not compulsory!) from Cosford at 14.46, 16.12
& 17.20 to Wellington bay P3 calling at Telford Central - normal tickets valid. However, there were no
services from Wellington P3, only ECS (the same DMU going back and forwards). Anyone on the two
fully booked Wellington - Ironbridge steam trips could fit this in before or afterwards. The Ironbridge
route proving and driver familiarisation trips (BLN 1330.1486) were originally booked for Thur 30 May
but had to be cancelled due to Vintage Trains Class 47 47773 failing (their charter to Oxford was also
cancelled for the same reason). This is why they ran just two days before the steam trips on Fri 7 Jun.
2080] Bescot: (BLN 1329.876) Following local consultations, NR has submitted a planning application
for the new sleeper facility. Sandwell Council planning committee's decision is expected by Nov.
2081] Birmingham Interchange: HS2 has released plans to build an automated 2.3km people mover
carrying up to 2,100 passengers an hour in each direction between the new station and Birmingham
Airport. End to end journey time, with stops at Birmingham International and the NEC, would only be
six minutes. The alignment of the people mover has been refined as part of the redevelopment of
Birmingham International to a new, multi-modal transport interchange. A decision on the technology
to use has yet to be taken but the vehicles are expected to be about 20m long. Services would depart
every three minutes on a viaduct for the whole route, up to 12m tall at its highest point. The vehicles
would be maintained at a facility east of the M42 crossing. HS2 is working to finalise the design before
submitting a planning permission application this autumn to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
2082] Bromford Forge: (BLN 1328.1201) The last meeting at Bromford Bridge racecourse was actually
on Monday evening, 21 Jun 1965, as reported in the Birmingham Post of that and the following day.
Closure of the course was put down to lack of local support. The paper reported that the course
opened in 1895 and had been sold to Birmingham Corporation, for housing, for £1¼M. Excursions by
train were certainly advertised for the Easter meeting on 19 and 20 Apr 1965 (Long Eaton Advertiser
16 Apr 1965) but it is not clear whether or not they were for the final meeting on 21 Jun.
2083] Tamworth: On 12 Aug 1839 the Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway opened the station. 180
years later London Northwestern Railway staff arranged a 'low key' anniversary event on 12 Aug 2019.
2084] Ian Allan: The interesting Birmingham Book and Model Shop in Ethel St, B2 4BG near to New
Street station (SSuX 09.00-17.30; SO 09.00-17.00; SuBHX) closes down at the end of Aug. This will just
leave the London one at 45/46 Lower Marsh, near Waterloo station, SE1 7RG - same opening hours.
2085] A highly charged subject: On 18 Aug Car Parking fees were introduced to nine West Midlands
and London Northwestern Railways stations. They are Albrighton, Coleshill Parkway, Droitwich Spa,
Hagley, Henley-in-Arden, Ledbury, Park Street, Shenstone and Shifnal. [Yes we know Park Street is
not in the West Midlands, thanks...] Prices start at effectively £1.12 per day with an annual car park
season ticket. The TOC claims that significant car park investment means that it is fair that those who
use them pay towards their upkeep, as already at most stations. They also say that they have listened
to feedback and reduced the daily rate to £3 from the £4.50 initially proposed - a clever tactic.
The charges are expected to reduce the impact of 'rail heading', where drivers travel many miles to
avoid parking fees at their nearest station, squeezing out local residents. [This is certainly an issue at
Wilnecote to avoid the increased charges at Tamworth.] At the moment quite a few large car parks
such as Stourbridge Junction (797 spaces), Rowley Regis (750) and at other Network West Midlands
managed stations remain free. Interestingly at Malvern Link when London Midland tried car parking
charges there was a mass boycott (with plenty of free road side parking round the station) and charges
were reduced to 50p a day - later £1 - which some were happy to pay. When Coleshill Parkway
(200 spaces) opened there were few passengers until London Midland made parking free; in 2017-18
the station recorded 300,000 passengers and, reportedly, the car park is full by 10.00 were so watch
this (car parking) space to see what happens.... Finally, attempts to bring in charges at Great Malvern
seem to have failed again - it is not clear that the land is in railway ownership or if covenants apply.
[BLN 1334]
2086] Chase Line: There have been repeated cancellations and delays since completion of the £200M
six year electrification project. A task force has been set up by rail management to rectify the issues on
the Walsall to Rugeley line following the launch of the new timetable in May. This may result in trains
no longer running through to/from Euston which has made matters worse. Bloxwich footbridge is still
incomplete; the bottom portion of the Down side stairs has two sets of stairs but no ramp! OHLE
damage at Rugeley TV (also affecting the Trent Valley line) on Fri 16 Aug required trains to terminate
at Hednesford via the facing crossover on arrival, with bus replacements serving Rugeley Town & TV.
2087] Rugeley 'B' Power Station: A 'controlled collapse demolition' (yes, explosives were involved) on
Thur 4 Jul brought down the coal sampling tower, associated conveyors and the Unit 6 Precipitators
along with some ducting. There was indeed quite a chunk missing when our 'Type 3 to the Sea' railtour
passed on 10 Aug. The other main structures, including the Boiler House, Chimney and Cooling Towers
are due for 'controlled collapse' during the rest of 2019 and 2020 with the completion of demolition
expected in 2021. It is understood that the still connected power station sidings were considered for a
HS2 construction base but other more suitable location/s have been found. Alternative rail use is still
possible. However, one thing not yet demolished is Rugeley Power Station Society of Model Engineers'
extensive 7¼" elevated railway. It closed with effect from 1 Apr 2017 but is now 'mothballed' with the
possibility of future reopening as part of a community hub for the extensive housing development
proposed for the site. On the evening of 20 Jul 2016 the Society had a very enjoyable visit there.
2088] Kidsgrove: (BLN 1318.2579) The station revamp is delayed due to 'unforeseen problems' with
old mine shafts. Work on the £5M project involving three new lifts, a new footbridge and an expanded
car park began late last year. The delays caused loss of funding for the car park expansion requiring a
new application. NR is in charge of the work and says that a survey is needed before work can resume.
2089] Water Orton: Following re-branding by West Midlands Railways, for the first time a ticket
machine has been installed on the platform at the foot of the access staircase from the road bridge.
2090] Camp Hill: (BLN 1324.605) The DfT has agreed to provide £15M of funding to help construct
the new stations at Moseley, Kings Heath and Hazelwell (CP 1941) as part of plans to restore local
passenger services on the line. Planning applications are to be submitted for the Kings Heath and
Hazelwell stations after a positive public consultation and design period. The Moseley application
will follow later in the year after further design work. It is hoped that construction w ill start in
2020, with the three stations open in time for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
2091] Willenhall: The DfT has allocated £10M towards the new Willenhall and Darlaston passenger
stations. Further costs will be met from the region's HS2 connectivity fund. Planning applications are
due to be submitted later this year and it is hoped to start work next year for opening in Dec 2021.
2092] Lichfield TV HL: A member on the 10.30 (SuO) Bristol TM to Newcastle doing the Alrewas
diversion recently was delayed before the station due to the 12.31 to Redditch leaving late. Then 5V32
Central Rivers to Birmingham New Street ECS passed, formed by three Voyagers. RTT suggests they
formed the 13.30 to Glasgow, 13.31 to Manchester and 13.34 to Reading, which must have been
interesting getting everyone on the right train at New Street as it is understood that the CIS can't
show three trains on one platform. (They are shown as departing from P8A, P8B & P8M respectively.)
2093] Solihull: The Council has appointed architects to draw up plans to upgrade the station. Working
with Balfour Beatty and other partners, they are tasked with developing a design and business case for
the integrated transport hub and producing a master plan for the station area, identifying public
transport improvements. Separately the architects are looking at improvements to town centre
walking and cycle routes, one of which is next to the station so both the teams will be collaborating.
The Council has said that the station is already operating at capacity so the project is about ensuring
that it can cope with future growth. Solihull's population is forecast to grow by around 10% by 2033.
Engaging with rail users who will be using the service is seen as a really important first step.
2094] Wedgwood: Some work has been carried out on the station (the last train called in May 2004).
The Down platform north end now has a new surface with trespass guards erected where it ends.
1334 IRELAND (Martin Baumann) [email protected]
X.106] BELOW: (BLN 1329.1344) The 16.17 from Bangor P1 to Moira (with the closure through Lurgan)
on 16 Aug 2019. A handy train for Bangor P1 and then to Moira for the crossover. (Martin Baumann.)
2095] Portrush: (BLN 1333.1959) From Wed 14 Aug all services now use P1 instead of P2 (used since
9 Oct 2018 during the £5.6M station rebuild). The signal box is signed back into use but is still switched
out with one train working from Coleraine. Very few signallers are passed to staff it. P1 buffers have
been moved 10m further from Coleraine, the same amount as P2 (not 8m as in BLN 1316.2382).
According to Translink the new station building is staffed 09.30 to 18.00 (SSuX) but the member of
staff catches the 14.00 train to Coleraine to do their 'pay in', returning on the 14.45. However, when
your Ireland Editor arrived on the 17.48 from Coleraine on 8 Aug, the new building was locked with no
visible indication as to when it was open. Portrush station has acquired new 'STOP' indicators which
include the station name - is this unique in the UK‽
2096] Tanderagee: (Amending BLN 1333.1964) The station closed with effect from Mon 4 Jan 1965
rather than Tue 5th. However, it had no booked Sunday service after Sun 6 Sep 1964 (Ulster Transport
Authority Time Table, 1 Jun 1964 until further notice); so the last regularly advertised call (apart from
the 1980 Cultra excursion) must have been Sat 2 Jan 1965. The Irish Railway Record Society recorded
further special trains stopping there in spring 1982 and 1983 without a specific date or further details.
2097] Templepatrick: The loop was used on 8 Aug by the delayed 19.10 Great Victoria Street (GVS) to
Londonderry to cross the 18.30 ex-Portrush. The delayed 18.38 Londonderry to GVS also crossed the
20.10 GVS to Londonderry. On 12 Aug the delayed 09.38 Londonderry to GVS crossed the 11.10 GVS
to Londonderry at Templepatrick but on this occasion it is unclear which train actually used the loop.
2098] Killagan: (BLN 1330.1497) A member who takes the 09.38 ex-Londonderry almost weekly was
on it when it did the loop on Fri 16 Aug. It was the first time all summer that the 09.38 had reached the
loop before the 09.50 from the 'other' Belfast station to Londonderry. Ironically, after not looping
here since Oct 2016, he did it on the 18.30 Portrush to Great Victoria Street just eight days earlier.
2099] Waterford: Multi Purpose Vehicle '790' ran from Rosslare Strand to Waterford on 21 Aug for
weed spraying. At the end of July a planning application was made for a new Waterford station.
It would be in the North Quay area about 800m east of the existing single bay station and would be
linked to the city centre by a new footbridge. No completion date is given but it would see around half
a mile of the Rosslare Strand line (used by intermodal trains) restored to passenger service.
2100] Limerick Junction: (BLN 1332.1824) The new 240m Down Through P4 opens from Sun 25 Aug
with the connecting footbridge and its high capacity lifts. This is 'the end' for one of the great 'single
sided' station layouts in the British Isles. P4 was previously the number of the 'Waterford Bay' here
(as still shown on 'Quail' 6 p4A Feb 2004), at the south end of the Up side, south of the former road
crossing. There are minor timetable changes to give better connections to/from the Limerick line.
The new platform accommodates a loco and 9 coaches or up to a 10 vehicle DMU depending on type.
The weekly notice only shows Dublin to Cork services using the new P4 on Sundays (is that correct?).
It mentions: 08.30, 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, 15.00, 16.00, 18.00, 19.05 & 21.00 ex-Heuston; the full service.
1334 SCOTLAND (Mike McCabe) [email protected]
2101] The Cromarty & Dingwall Light Railway: This Light Railway had a short, but sad history. The line
was promoted by local interests and, after years of delay, construction started in Feb 1914. It was to
run from a junction with the Highland Railway at Conon Bridge, but delays in acquiring land there
resulted in the railway being built from the Cromarty end instead.
Following the outbreak of war, many of the men building the line were redirected to work for the War
Office and in 1917 all of the rails, both laid and in stock, were requisitioned for military use in France.
Inflation, and particularly wage increases, meant that the cost of completing the railway after the war
was much greater than had originally been the case. Eventually, the company had to abandon the
project, because there was no prospect of raising sufficient funds to finish it. By the time that work
ceased, the trackbed was complete on about 12 miles of the 17 mile branch towards Conon Bridge.
4¾ miles of standard gauge track had been laid from Cromarty and a works train was in operation.
[BLN 1334]
The line would almost certainly have been completed had it not taken so long to raise the money for
construction and to acquire land. A Provisional Order authorising the light railway was obtained in
1902, with extensions of time granted in 1907 and 1910. Half of the estimated £96,000 construction
cost was to be paid for by a Government grant and loan. Ross & Cromarty County Council agreed to
lend £10,000 and Cromarty Burgh and Dingwall Burgh each loaned £5,000. That left £28,000 to be
raised through shares and debentures.
The branch was to have been operated by the Highland Railway. Figures were produced to show that it
could run at a profit, but (as commonly the case at this time) these look over optimistic. Country
branch lines mostly made their money from goods traffic, but Cromarty Harbour already provided a
freight facility. The railway company expected most of its income to come from passenger fares.
The line would have served a population of about 6,500, but annual fares income of £6,800 was
forecast, at a time when £1 was worth about £120 at current prices. Even allowing for visitors, this
seems an unrealistic sum to expect from a rural population, mostly engaged in fishing and farming.
Following WWI the estimated cost of completing the line was £214,306, but the company's funds,
including agreed loans, came only to £78,100. Designs were changed to cut costs, including no longer
having houses at stations and level crossings. The planned station at Alcaig, near Conon Bridge, was
abandoned. Other intermediate stations were to have been at Culbokie, Drumcudden and Newhall;
none was built. Consideration was given to a Government scheme allowing unemployed men to be
used for the work at a favourable rate. The contractor rejected that, because he would have had to
engage anyone sent from the labour exchange, irrespective of their ability or willingness to work.
The Government was prepared to sell second hand rails to the company for the same price it bought
the originals, which was a considerable discount. After protected negotiation, the Government also
agreed to provide additional finance, subject to further funds being raised locally. (Matched funding!)
Only a modest sum was forthcoming from local people, insufficient to trigger the Government loan,
and then came the final blow. Ross & Cromarty County Council had prudently undertaken to provide
its loan of £10,000 when the railway was complete. In 1924 the Council decided that it was no longer
prepared to make a loan, because: if the traffic of the district required improved facilities, improved
roads and motor conveyances must be looked (at) to furnish them. A motor bus service had been
introduced between Dingwall and Cromarty in 1912 and road transport was greatly improved by
technical advances during WWI and the flood of surplus military vehicles available when peace came.
With the railway not built, the company was obliged to repay the £20,000 it had already borrowed
from the Government. The civil servants said that they had no powers to write off the sum, but an
appeal by the local Member of Parliament to the recently appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer
brought success. As a result of the Government debt being waived, the company was able to refund all
shareholders and debenture holders and repay other lenders. The sum of £2,613 15s 5d was left over,
which was distributed to the shareholders as a dividend in 1926 before the company was liquidated.
The Chancellor, who ensured that the locals did not lose their investment, even if they did not have a
railway, was Winston Churchill. He had been the First Lord of the Admiralty in 1914, when workmen
were diverted to build naval defences, and he was Minister of Munitions in 1917, when the rails were
requisitioned. Maybe he had a twinge of conscience?
With the railway built as cheaply as possible, very little trackbed remains. It mainly passed through
farmland but the first few miles from Cromarty followed an uncultivated strip of land near the shore of
Cromarty Bay. Most of the trackbed through farmland has been returned to agriculture. The rest is
eroded and heavily overgrown. The concrete and steel bridges are the main reminders of the line.