Heritage Railway 227 2017-04

FREE! END OF SOUTHERN STEAM 50TH ANNIVERSARY GUIDE

ISSUE 227

April 7, 2017 – May 4, 2017

FLYING SCOTSMAN

in unique quadruple East Coast run

Green light for Kent & East Sussex

ROBERTSBRIDGE LINK

GREAT CENTRAL building the bridge has begun ■ PORTILLO UNVEILS £30M MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL STEAM PLAN ■ CLAN LINE BACK ‘WITHIN WEEKS’ ■ ROYAL SCOT WOWS MOORS

OPINION

LMS Royal Scot 4-6-0 No. 46115 Scots Guardsman crosses Eskmeals viaduct with the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Cumbrian Coast Express’ on March 25. BRIAN SHARPE EDITORIAL

Editor Robin Jones 01507 529305 [email protected] Deputy editor Brian Sharpe [email protected] Senior contributing writers Geoff Courtney, Cedric Johns Contributors Fred Kerr, Roger Melton Designer Tim Pipes Reprographics Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Production editor Sarah Wilkinson Publisher Tim Hartley Editorial address Heritage Railway magazine, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ Website www.heritagerailway.co.uk

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Published Every four weeks on a Friday. Advert deadline April 20, 2017 Next issue on sale May 5, 2017

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The blockbusters are here!

“I

T will never happen in my lifetime.” Now where have I heard that sentence before, in the lifetime of this magazine?The rebuilding of the Welsh Highland Railway... the completion of A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado... the repatriation of two A4s from North America…. British railway preservation, however, has proved itself time and time again to have mastered the art of the possible, and now we have two Mission Impossible sequels underway. After decades of postulation, the physical building of the missing bridge over the Midland Main Line to connect the two heritage-era Great Central railways has started. Coupled with the new national-standard railway museum to be built at Leicester North and the lines’ position near the centre of the motorway network, the bridge will be the key ingredient into making the unique inter-city heritage railway not only a major visitor destination but potentially a hub for the whole sector. In this issue, there is an even more astonishing news item: not only have two other heritage lines which also once formed part of the same route – the Kent & East Sussex and the Rother Valley railways – been given the green light by planners to reinstate the missing link between the two – yes, including that level crossing over the A21 Robertsbridge bypass – but we are told that there is the necessary funding in place to make it happen. I eagerly await the day when I can board a train at Peterborough and travel all the way by train to Tenterden, just as I don’t have to take the car to reach the Bluebell Railway. By all accounts, this project will now happen sooner rather than later, and undoubtedly, as with the reconnected Great Central Railway, bring a major boost for the local tourist economy, if only for the potential for incoming charters to places such as the atmospheric 14th century Bodiam Castle. It is a beautiful part of the world, and best seen

from the elevated heights of a carriage window. If Colonel Stephens is looking down on us, he would be delighted beyond measure. Who, when the Swanage Railway operated over a few hundred feet of track back in 1979, would ever have dreamed that once day public trains would again run from the resort to Wareham, with the restoration of the entire branch? However, enough people did dream, and in June, their vision will become reality, when DMU services will offer‘real’as opposed to tourist or enthusiast services between the towns, with the potential for steam to follow on later. I recall the sceptics who often said that Tornado would never run anywhere, let alone on the main line... and yet now 90mph tests are planned for the near future. Not only that, but its builders are making steady progress with the construction of a new Gresley P2 2-8-2, No. 2007 Prince of Wales, a type which nobody ever expected to see again. Now a bold and ambitious plan for a new standard gauge heritage line crossing the Manchester Ship Canal, drawn up by an enterpreneur who has a track record of making things happen, has been unveiled by none other than Michael Portillo. Spring is here, the heritage railway movement is in full blossom again, and not only am I longing to taste the first fruits of summer, but what is now happening – yes, in my lifetime – makes me feel truly proud to be part of it all. However, it's not just the preservation sector that has excelled against the odds. Network Rail must be congraultated for the pioneering work on rebuilding the section of the Settle and Carlisle line that was hit by a landslip, the opening of which on March 31saw no less than Flying Scotsman rostered, helping to elevate this magnificent feat of enginering to the attention of the world’s media. Robin Jones Editor Heritagerailway.co.uk 3

CONTENTS ISSUE 227

April 7, 2017 – May 4, 2017

News

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Headline News

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Flying Scotsman to appear in unique quadruple running event on East Coast Main Line; Kent & East Sussex and Rother Valley railways given green light to link up; building of Great Central’s new Loughborough bridge now under way and £30 million plans for new heritage railway over Manchester Ship Canal unveiled.

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News

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Royal Scot takes North Yorkshire Moors by storm; Severn Valley to hold 30th anniversary diesel ‘mega gala’; Swanage remembers last BR steam train; Cambrian Heritage Railways gets Transport and Work Act Order for Oswestry line; Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway £1.25 million share issue target nearly there; gala action from Severn Valley, Llangollen and Worth Valley; Tyseley ‘Bloomer’ “may go main line”; Lincolnshire Coast founder dies at 91; Britain’s longest serving railwayman retires and two new heritage lines in London taking shape with a third on the way.

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Regulars

Features

Railwayana

52

Geoff Courtney’s regular column.

Centre

54

Scots Guardsman on the Cumbrian Coast by Alan Weaver

Main Line News

56

Clan Line may be back by the end of April; Tyseley Locomotive Works announces multi-million-pound plans for new tourist attraction; two Class 50s to run to Glasgow and latest on ‘Great Britain X’ railtour locomotive roster.

Main Line Itinerary

68

Steam and heritage diesel railtours.

Platform

A meeting of minds

The renaming of Flying Scotsman twice; the re-creation of a complete early 1950s KESR mixed train and the clearing and operation of the ‘Last Severn & Wye byway’ back to Parkend. In his 100th article written over three decades, Geoff Silcock charts the early years of the photo charter operations that he christened ‘Sentimental Journeys’.

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84

Where your views matter most.

Up & Running

94

Guide to railways running in the

With Full Regulator

Don Benn reports on Tornado’s St David’s Day trip.

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coming months.

The Month Ahead

106 Find us on www.facebook.com/heritagerailway

CONTENTS: BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75014 Braveheart crosses the viaduct at Hookhills with a photo charter on the Dartmouth Steam Railway on March 13. It was officially relaunched into traffic on March 22. ROBERT FALCONER COVER: LMS 4-6-0 No. 46100 Royal Scot climbs away from Goathland on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on March 26. MICHAEL ANDERSON

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On to Coalbrookdale: Plans

to extend to the birthplace of the industrial revolution The Telford Steam Railway has taken a long time to get to where it has, but after opening one extension, it is developing much more ambitious plans. Allan George outlines the railway’s aims to extend to Coalbrookdale, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and hopefully beyond.

Czech and Slovakian winter steam

In some European countries, main line steam trains can occasionally be operated for the benefit of photographers as opposed to passengers. David Rodgers witnessed one such operation in one-time communist territory.

Wight heritage projects

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway stands out among standard gauge heritage railways for the use of historic locomotives and rolling stock in their original setting. IOWSR trustee Simon Futcher tells the story of how two current projects are set to continue this tradition.

Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

Heritagerailway.co.uk 5

HEADLINE NEWS

Scotsman for quadruple parallel running on East Coast Main Line

More than 30,000 people visited the National Railway Museum during the February half-term week when Flying Scotsman steamed on the demonstration line . NRM By Robin Jones FLYING Scotsman is to take part in a world first – when four trains will be run in parallel along the East Coast Main Line. The unique showpiece event on the morning of Sunday, April 23, has been organised byVirginTrains to mark the launch of its new Class 800 Azuma electric trains. The four trains will be lined up at Tollerton Junction, six miles north ofYork. One of them will be headed by Flying Scotsman, whichVirgin Group founder Richard Branson helped buy for the National Railway Museum for £2.31 million in 2004. The A3 will be towed to the starting point by a Class 55 Deltic, further reinforcing the heritage of the ECML. The other trains, representing stateof-the-art East Coast transport over four generations, will include aVirgin trio – a Class 125 High SpeedTrain, an Intercity 225 set and aVirgin Azuma, representing the class being built by Hitachi in the North East, and will come into service in 2018. In a once-in-a-lifetime event, the four trains will set off together, each on their own track, and run in parallel in a staggered formation toYork at speeds between 20-25mph, highlighting the

6 Heritagerailway.co.uk

past, present and future of rail travel. The rail spectacular comes days before the cycling‘Tour deYorkshire’begins.The feat has been organised byVirginTrains, Welcome toYorkshire, Network Rail and the National Railway Museum.

Speed and style

NRM director Paul Kirkman said:“The ECML has long been famed for speed and style. In the 19th century elegant locomotives were designed to haul trains on this route cementing its reputation as a railway racing stretch operated by thoroughbred engines.The four-train line-up epitomises the evolution of the later generation of fast, elegant and stylish trains – all with a shared bloodline – that epitomise the history of the route from the 1850s to today. “The NRM is proud that Flying Scotsman, a symbol of engineering excellence, the first steam locomotive to achieve an authenticated speed of 100mph and the first to undertake a non-stop run between London King’s Cross and EdinburghWaverley, is taking its place alongside such worthy successors to its speed and style mantle.” David Horne, managing director for VirginTrains on the east coast, said: “Just one year on from unveiling our brand newVirgin Azuma trains, we’re

delighted to present this unique event that showcases the past, present and future of rail travel in the UK, with Azuma travelling alongside Flying Scotsman and trains from our current fleet. “With our Azuma trains entering service next year, this is an opportunity to celebrate the icons of the railways and look forward to 2018 when we’ll usher in a new era for travel on the East Coast route.” Rob McIntosh, managing director for Network Rail on the London North Eastern and East Midlands route, said: “I am delighted we have been able to create such a prestigious and unique event for the people ofYorkshire.The area has a very proud rail heritage and by working closely with our industry partners we’ve been able to turn what has been a logistically challenging vision – to create an iconic railway moment on the ECML without impacting on regular passengers - into what will be a truly special occasion.” Timings for the event, being billed as the‘FourTrains’, will be released nearer the date. No passengers or media will be allowed on the trains but specific designated media viewing locations will available with details also to be confirmed. Karen Boswell, managing director for Hitachi Rail Europe, said:“We believe our

new British built Azuma trains will inspire the next generation of rail enthusiasts and show how investment in new trains will transform passenger experiences on this iconic route.” Mindful of the problems caused by lineside trespass when Flying Scotsman returned to the tracks last year, the public are being urged to stay safe behind boundary fences and keep off the tracks and private land.

Trespassers would be ‘risk’

A spokesman for the organisers said: “Trespassers will cause the trains to stop and put at risk the completion of both this event and any future plans to showcase the route and its iconic locos.” The first Azuma set was unveiled by Richard Branson at King’s Cross on March 18, 2016 They can accelerate from 0-125mph a minute quicker than their InterCity predecessors, and yet have lower emissions. Also, they hold out the prospect of running 140mph along the ECML, a possibility being investigated by an industry working party. With 65 Azuma sets providing an extra 12,200 seats for a new and expanded timetable once they are introduced next year, the fleet will increase capacity into King’s Cross by 28% during peak time.

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A halt to proceedings: A petrol railmotor of the type that operated on the Kent & East Sussex Railway alongside steam locomotives from 1923 to 1937, calls at the railway’s Junction Road Halt in 1930. This site is currently the western extremity of the restored KESR, but plans are well advanced for extending beyond to the Rother Valley Railway at Robertsbridge. HARDING COLLECTION/COLONEL STEPHENS RAILWAY MUSEUM

Old and new: A restored former Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway water crane dominates the Robertsbridge Junction station development on March 25, while in the background the new station’s toilet block, to which a booking hall will be attached, is taking shape. The work is being carried out as part of a major project to link the Rother Valley Railway with the Kent & East Sussex Railway. PETER BROWN

By Geoff Courtney

While expressing his delight that the planning application to build the twomile link had been approved, Gardner said the RVR was aware that, despite overwhelming support for the plan, there were local people who had concerns about the level crossings and parking in Robertsbridge itself.“Their fears will be addressed as the scheme progresses,” he pledged, adding:“It is to be hoped the economic benefits will become apparent.”

Go-ahead given for RVR and KESR link-up

REVIVALISTS planning to restore a link between two heritage lines are celebrating a major step forward in their project, following a local council decision to grant approval for the £4½ million scheme and the decision of Highways England to agree in principle to the installation of a level crossing over a major A-road. The privately-funded project will see the RotherValley Railway link up with the Kent & East Sussex Railway, resulting in a 14 mile heritage steam line over former trackbed between the RVR’s Robertsbridge base and the KESR at Tenterden. The RVR’s half-mile line currently ends at Northbridge Street and the KESR’s 11½-mile line at Junction Road, leaving a gap of two miles between them.The decision of Rother District Council’s planning committee to unanimously approve the application on March 16 means that gap will be plugged, possibly by as early as 2020. RVR chairman Gardner Crawley told Heritage Railway that the project was being funded by the railway through private benefactors without the use of public funds, and would benefit the local economy by more than £2 million per year. The decision by Rother District Council to give permission to the project followed the railway meeting three key criteria – that the scheme did not compromise the integrity of the floodplain and flood protection measures at Robertsbridge, that

the impact on the HighWeald area of outstanding natural beauty was acceptable, and that it incorporated appropriate arrangements for crossing the A21 Robertsbridge bypass, two other minor roads, and the River Rother. Many locals and opponents of the project doubted whether the railway would gain approval for a level crossing on the A21, but Highways England – formerly the Highways Agency – told the council’s planning committee that while it would have preferred consideration of other options such as a bridge, it appreciated a heritage railway level crossing would have less of an impact than one for a main line. It did impose a set of conditions, including no trains using the crossing between 7am-9am and 5pm-7pm, and traffic queue monitoring. The new line would also require two other crossings, in Northbridge Street close to the RVR’s eastern end, and on the B2244 beside the KESR’s current western extremity at Junction Road, both of which have been agreed in principle by East Sussex County Council, the relevant highways authority for such roads, and by the Office of Rail Regulation.

Engage with landowners

Further concerns, he said, had been expressed by owners of land between Northbridge Street and Junction Road.“We fully appreciate that a railway crossing their farms represents some disruption.We have met three landowners and will continue to engage with them with a view to acquiring the original trackbed by agreement. It will be protracted, but we believe it will be successful.” Of the timescale, Gardner said that preparing for aTransport &Works Order, which would provide the statutory powers to build and operate the railway, could take up to two years, indicating a completion of the link by 2020.“We

Cross here: The location of the planned level crossing on the A21 Robertsbridge bypass that will be used by steam trains when the link between the RVR and KESR is completed, possibly by 2020. GEOFF COURTNEY

look forward to Rother District Council’s continuing support to complete the project.” Although the two-mile link is being paid for by the RVR through private benefactors, once it is completed the 14 mile line will be operated by the KESR, using its staff, rolling stock, and procedures. Part of the project is the transformation of the RVR’s Robertsbridge base, on which work is already well advanced.This development includes the construction of a station, to be called Robertsbridge Junction, a five-coach platform, a carriage shed, two-road locomotive depot, and a former Shropshire & Montgomeryshire Railway water crane relocated from the KESR’s Rolvenden site. Another major part of this development is a connection to the Charing Cross-Hastings main line that serves the adjacent Robertsbridge station, thus giving the KESR the huge boost of a link with the national rail network when the current two-mile gap is bridged.This connection, which was installed in conjunction with Network Rail, was completed two years ago. The line from Robertsbridge to within 1½ miles ofTenterden opened in 1900 under the name RotherValley Railway, was extended intoTenterden itself in 1903, renamed the Kent & East Sussex Railway a year later, and in 1905 was further extended to Headcorn. A part of the Colonel Stephens light railway empire for much of its life, it was closed by BR to passengers in 1954 and to freight in 1961, and the revived KESR was opened by preservationists in 1974.

Camping coaches still on line Severn Valley the best in county

DAWLISH Warren’s railway carriage holiday park will open again this season under new ownership. As reported in issue 222, the Brunel Railway Camping Park in Beach Road, which was set up by the GWR in 1935 and which comprises eight converted railway carriages, sold at auction in November for £261,000.

It was widely expected that the park would close after the Great Western Railway Staff Association, which ran it as a not-for-profit operation, offered it for sale. However, the park and its coaches will open again for this season, but a major refurbishment is planned for the winter months.

THE Severn Valley Railway has been crowned Best Visitor Attraction in Worcestershire in the What’s On Readers Awards 2017. Out of 45,000 votes cast, the railway beat the West Midland Safari Park which came second.

Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

It is believed that last September Pacific Power event staring Flying Scotsman and Tornado played a significant part in the voting. Other finalists included Avoncroft Museum, Elgar’s Birthplace and Hanbury Hall & Gardens. Heritagerailway.co.uk 7

HEADLINE NEWS Government refuses to save Wolverton Works

THE Government has refused to step in and stop the demolition ofWolvertonWorks, the world’s oldest, longest continually open, standard gauge railway workshops. In a letter, Dave Jones, a senior planning manager at the Department for Communities and Local Government, said:“The Government remains committed to giving more power to councils and communities to make their own decisions on planning issues, and believe that planning decisions should be made at the local level wherever possible. “The Secretary of State has decided, having had regard to this policy, not to call in this application. He is satisfied that the application should be determined at a local level. “It is, however, now for the council to determine this application.” As reported in issue 223, on November 17, Milton Keynes Council’s development control committee approved the property developer and owners of the works St Modwen’s outline planning application for the demolition of structures and development of up to 375 dwellings, a food store and employment floorspace. Historic England objected to the application but decided not to list the remainingWolverton buildings saying that the Conservation area status would afford enough protection. The RoyalTrain has been constructed and based at Wolverton since 1869 and is now likely to be relocating, or retired in its 150th anniversary year, 2019. The existing RoyalTrain Shed, which is under 30 years old, will also be demolished to make way for housing overlooking the canal.

Builders start work bridging that gap!

By Robin Jones

AFTER decades of speculation, wishful thinking and hard fundraising, what is widely considered to be the biggest obstacle in the heritage railway sector is now being removed. In March, building work began on the bridge which will link the two heritage era Great Central railways at Loughborough. Contractors have been preparing the ground for the footings of the new bridge over the Midland Main Line at Loughborough. The work will then move off site as metal is cut and prefabricated sections of concrete are prepared. The 100ft bridge itself will be craned into place in late summer, with the installation of the structure completed by early autumn. Eventually track will be laid across it to join the Great Central Railway and its northern counterpart the Great Central Railway (Nottingham), creating a unique 18-mile inter-city heritage trunk railway. Great Central Railway chief executive Andy Munro said:“Our supporters have waited a long time to see the Victorian link between the two lines restored. “Rebuilding this bridge is a bold statement of intent which secures a vision for the future, where heritage trains can run between Leicester and the south of Nottingham.To see our supportive contractors MPB in action on site is very exciting and we look forward to‘bridging the gap’. “I would like to thank everyone who has supported our appeal or worked hard behind the scenes so this project can proceed.That includes Network Rail, Charnwood Borough Council, Leicestershire and Leicester City Councils and our immediate neighbours next to the bridge Preci Spark. “Much midnight oil has been burnt and there is doubtless more to come. Seeing the physical work begin is a

With a BBC radio van in the foreground, this clear view from the top of the northern embankment extends all the way to the Loughborough Central locomotive shed, as work gets underway on building the bridge. ANDY MUNRO

Plant and machinery on site in late March at the start of building work on the bridge. GCR

rewarding moment and the whole community can be proud.” A £1 million public appeal to help fund the Bridge the Gap project exceeded its total when the local community and enthusiasts from across the country rallied to support the scheme. The final cost of building the bridge will be close to £3 million, with contributions from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership and the purchase of GCR shares by Leicestershire County Council. The bridge will at a stroke transform the GCR. Via the GCR(N), it will have a main line connection for the first

time. Loughborough Central will again become a through station. It will be possible for charter trains to visit the new Heritage Lottery Fundbacked railway museum to be built next to the southern terminus of Leicester North. Once the bridge is in place, the next stage of the reunification project will be rebuilding the missing embankment between it and Loughborough Central. ➜ Missed our last issue 226, and the free cover-mounted Great Central Railway DVD Mainline to Marylebone? Worry not – telephone 01507 529529 and order a back copy!

Coach from last train returns to the Somerset & Dorset By Roger Melton THE NorthYorkshire Moors Railway has placed BR Mk.1 BSO No. 9267 on loan to the Somerset & Dorset Railway HeritageTrust at Midsomer Norton, the significance of this vehicle being that it was formed in the train that ran the last service over the S&D. The vehicle is approaching the point where it needs a major overhaul and with the NYMR’s carriage and wagon department having recently

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outshopped two BSOs in quick succession it was likely to have been placed in store to await overhaul. It was felt better to place the coach on loan where it will be looked after rather than left uncared for. It is the second Mk.1 to be loaned out by the NYMR, following on from TSO E3805, which has been at the DerwentValley Railway for several years. The NYMR’s unrestored 1960-built Metro-Cammell Pullman Parlour

First Garnet been delivered to the Llangollen Railway’s workshops, where it is to be restored under contract to its as-built condition with 1+1 seating in traditional Pullman armchairs. It will become the only such example of its type, the other running examples retaining the later rebuilt layout with 2+1 seating, as do the NYMR’s in-traffic examples Parlour First Opal and Kitchen First Robin. The 1+1 layout is expected to be popular

with couples and the £150,000 rebuild is being partly paid for by a DoT Grant awarded in 2016. The remaining funding is being raised by public appeal and the NYMR is inviting donations to 12 Park Street, Pickering,YO18 7AJ.The NYMR is also still on the lookout to hire a Pullman car as a temporary replacement for its Brake 3rd/Parlour Car No. 79, which is expected to be out of traffic for a protracted period whilst its steel roof is renewed.

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IN BRIEF

Caledonian Railway 0-6-0 No. 828 has returned to service on the Strathspey Railway and is seen passing Aviemore Speyside signalbox on March 25. JONATHON GOURLAY

Portillo launches new Manchester Ship Canal steam line scheme By Robin Jones

GREAT Railway Journeys presenter and former cabinet minister Michael Portillo has launched a £30 million project to set up a new heritage line over the Manchester Ship Canal. Businessman and philanthropist Neil McArthur wants to reopen six miles of disused track between Irlam in Salford andTimperley inTrafford, while adding 8½ miles to the National Cycle Network. The plans were unveiled by the pair at a press event at Irlam station on March 28, two years after the completion of the restoration of the station house in a scheme funded by Neil’s Hamilton Davies Trust.The trust gave £2 million for the derelict building to be turned into a cafe, heritage centre and community centre. In total, the charity has already contributed more than £7 million to community facilities and activities in Irlam and Cadishead. Neil’s plan for the railway is based on a report he has submitted to two local councils,Transport for Greater Manchester, Network Rail, and cycle network group Sustrans. It calls for political support from the statutory bodies to reconnect communities along the line which lost the passenger service in 1964. Freight ended in 1984 with the closure of CadisheadViaduct over the Manchester Ship Canal. The scheme is based around six miles of the former Cheshire Lines railway from Irlam toTimperley, near Altrincham and also involves the reopening of the mile-long branch line from Irlam station to Glazebrook East Junction, and the rebuilding of stations at Cadishead, Partington, andWestTimperley. It would also involve the reopening of the viaduct along the route, which is closed off by shipping containers and known locally as an eyesore‘BerlinWall’

Michael Portillo and Neil McArthur with a computer-generated image of Cadishead Viaduct over the Manchester Ship Canal. HDT which cuts off the communities of Irlam and Partington. Neil believes that the line would become a tourist attraction along the lines of the East Lancashire Railway, and would also improve links by rail, foot and cycle between the communities of Partington and Carrington inTrafford, and Irlam and Cadishead in Salford. He estimated the total cost at between £25 million and £30 million. His charity wants to establish a new body, the Cheshire Lines RailwayTrust, to deliver the project. In the meantime, the Hamilton DaviesTrust will continue to fund the feasibility study and is prepared to start the project if a funding partnership can be assembled working with the statutory bodies. While the original line was double track, the viaduct and half of the route was created to carry four tracks, so it could accommodate both a railway and cycleway/footpath. The report said that once the line, owned throughout by Network Rail, is revived as a heritage railway, it could pave the way for a modern‘heavy rail’ passenger service route, or even a future Metrolink extension from Altrincham.

Neil said:“We’re building on the success of what we’ve done here at Irlam station, which enjoyed a 17% rise in passenger figures in 2015, one of the highest in Greater Manchester,” said Neil McArthur. “The economic, social and environmental benefits would be huge. The East Lancashire Railway shows the demand with 200,000 passengers a year, so there is a local example to learn from. “There are many steam train owners who don’t have anywhere to run them. In fact there are more steam train owners than there are heritage railways to run them on.We will offer them the chance to do that.” Former transport minister Mr Portillo said:“The building of Britain’s railways during the 19th century required vision, determination and entrepreneurial flair. Today, the reopening of closed tracks requires the same qualities. “I’m impressed by the zeal shown by the Hamilton DaviesTrust. Heritage lines run all over Britain thanks to that kind of enthusiasm, and they bring pleasure to many thousands, and greatly boost the economic health of the neighbouring communities.”

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➜ UP to six trams at Crich Tramway Village have sustained damage caused by winter mould. It was reported that the damage was caused by insulation problems at their depot, which needs a further £200,000 for improvements. Officials believed the mould had affected the trams because there had been a warm and damp winter and moisture had got into the 1960s depot. ➜ THE Talyllyn Railway experienced a record February half-term week, carrying nearly 33% more passengers than the same period last year, despite Storm Doris. Under the branding ‘Love It Local’ the railway encouraged residents in the area to take a ride on the train and see the line for themselves. More trains were run in anticipation of the greater demand. ➜ THE Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded £463,900 for the restoration of the Grade II listed Market Rasen station building, which was opened in 1848 by the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway. The specially-formed Market Rasen Station Community Project Ltd can now transform the derelict building for the benefit of the local community, with interpretive works for visitors telling the story of the station and its importance to the town. ➜ THE Barry Tourist Railway has secured a full Red Arrows display for Sunday, August 6, centred on Whitmore Bay in conjunction with the ‘Barry at War’museum open day and the toy and train fair at nearby Barry Island station. Re-enactors will give the station a 1940s atmosphere and there will be steam-hauled brakevan rides. ➜ THE Epping Ongar Railway has gained an operational DMU with the release of Class 117 DMS No. 51384 which has been coupled to the Colne Valley Railway Class 121 railcar DTS No. 56287. The DTS has been hired as cover for the EOR’s resident Class 117 DMBS No. 51342 which is still under overhaul. ➜ CHICHESTER and District Society of Model Engineers will be holding their next Steam on Sunday open afternoon between 2-5pm on May 21, at its site in Blackberry Lane, off Bognor Road, in Chichester. ➜ THE steam-orientated Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway provided a rare sight during the February half-term holiday when it operated its two-car Class 110 set on all services during the nineday holiday period. ➜ GWR 0-6-2T No. 5619, recently repainted into BR black livery, will be based at the Midland RailwayButterley during 2017. Heritagerailway.co.uk 9

NEWS

Royal Scot wows the Moors By Roger Melton and Robin Jones

THE eagerly-anticipated high-profile visit of LMS 4-6-0 No. 46100 Royal Scot to the NorthYorkshire Moors Railway saw near sell-out services as crowds thronged the lineside. Royal Scot featured in a press launch for the visit on Friday, March 24, before hauling timetabled trains over the following weekend, and the following Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Glorious early-spring sunshine welcomed the‘Scot’and visitors alike. Witnesses said that at times it appeared that there were more people in attendance on the lineside and at stations than for last year’s visit of A3 No. 60103 Flying Scotsman. The visit was one of the many events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the formation of the NYMR Preservation Society, the forerunner of the current charitable trust. Its general manager, Chris Price, said: “It was great to see passengers back at the railway and travelling behind the iconic engine. “Ticket sales have been very positive and based on the opening weekend we know it’s going to be a week to

remember and is the perfect way to start spring.” After the first few days of Royal Scot’s visit, it was clear that the railway has had another major success on its hands with the majority of seats pre-sold and tour operators, that have purchased a high proportion of them already, inquiring about next year’s event. When all the bills are in, the NYMR expects to make a profit approaching a six figure sum, in contrast to the 2016 spring gala, which made a loss of about £15,000.

The norm in future

It seems likely that this type of event will be the norm for the NYMR in the early part of the season in future years, being both far cheaper to stage and much easier on the crewing roster and locomotive availability, even though the NYMR has started the new season with twice as many steam locomotives available than in 2016, and against a less intensive timetable that requires only two steam engines for the off-peak timetable. Meanwhile, the NYMR’s 2017 fleet has been bolstered for the early part of the season by the arrival of Ian Riley’s‘Black Fives’Nos. 45212 and 45407, although

these are expected to depart for Fort William when the service there extends to two trains per day. While at the NYMR there has been a mini-reunion of Lostock Hall engines with Nos. 44806, 45407 and 45212, all ex-inhabitants of the famous shed.Their departure for Scotland will leave the NYMR short of Whitby capable engines, with just Nos. 61264 and 76079 of the currently operable fleet available to work there and No. 44806 and No. 80136 available to work between Grosmont and Pickering.The return to traffic of Schools class 926 Repton will be eagerly awaited for the summer season. It is also hoped that‘Black Five’ No. 45428 Eric Treacy and Q60-8-0 No. 63395 will return by the end of the summer. No. 45428 is to revert to the 1930s LMS lined livery that it carried when it first arrived at the line from Tyseley in the mid-1970s, carrying its LMS number, 5428. It will be part of a mini-resurgence of pre-BR liveries on the NYMR, following the outshopping of Repton in 1930s SR green. No. 5428 will be the only operational ‘Black Five’in LMS livery, all the others currently carrying BR mixed traffic black. Indeed, the only other‘Black Five’likely to carry LMS livery in service in the near

future is the Strathspey Railway’s No. 5025, which is still under overhaul and some way from completion. Also at Grosmont, work is expected to resume before too long on the rebuild of BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80135’s boiler and new firebox, following the announcement that a dispute between the railway and the contractor forming the new copper platework of the firebox had been resolved.

Relatively quickly

With the chassis all but finished and painted ready to receive the boiler it is hoped that the locomotive will be completed relatively quickly once the boiler is available to fit. On the diesel front, the NYMR’s Class 04 204hp 0-6-0 Drewry diesel shunter D2207 is to be returned to service on the line. A protracted overhaul had been abandoned when it was discovered that the locomotive’s engine was badly damaged, with a bent crankshaft. However, a benefactor has provided the funds to purchase a replacement engine, which will be fitted and the overhaul completed as a project for apprentices and volunteers once their current project of resurrecting recently arrived Class 08 No. 08495 is completed.

LMS 4-6-0 No. 46100 Royal Scot rounds the curve at Darnholm with its first passenger train on the NYMR on March 25. CHRIS AUSTIN

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Martello and Gwynedd back for big Bressingham gala TWO of Bressingham Steam Museum’s oldest locomotives are to return to steam in public during the Norfolk venue’s April 29-May 1 gala. LBSCR A1X‘Terrier’0-6-0 A1X No. B662 Martello of 1875 and Penrhyn Port class Quarry Hunslet 0-4-0ST No. 316 Gwynedd of 1883 will be unveiled at the start of the May Day bank holiday weekend event. Martello has undergone a major overhaul and will be displayed in original Southern Railway livery for the first time since 1948. As well as marking the return of standard gauge steam to Bressingham for the first time in four years, a new feature will be the use of a restored ex-LMS brakevan to provide public rides on the short standard gauge demonstration line. Gwynedd has undergone major repairs to its firebox and is in Penrhyn Quarry livery for the first time in preservation. Both locomotives will be in steam for the whole weekend, alongside two visitors, large Quarry Hunslets Hugh

Napierand Maid Marian. Hugh Napier was the engine that Bressingham founder and horticulturalist Alan Bloom wanted to buy but which had already been reserved for the NationalTrust, so he bought GeorgeSholto instead. Hugh Napier is currently based at the Ffestiniog Railway, but is still owned by the NT. MaidMarian is owned by the Maid Marian Locomotive Fund, and is based at the Bala Lake Railway. It spent several years at Bressingham in the late Sixties and early Seventies and this year it celebrates its 50th year of ownership by the MMLF. There will be an intensive steam service on the 2ft gauge railway, including a mixture of passenger and demonstration freight trains. The four will steam alongside six visiting traction engines and steam rollers. As well as providing a traction engine rally in the museum grounds, the majority of them will take part in a road run on at least one evening.

Visiting trio to appear at Didcot 50th THREE visiting locomotives have been booked to star in celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Didcot Railway Centre. Port Talbot Railway/GWR 0-6-0ST No. 813 from the Severn Valley Railway, GWR 2-8-0 No. 2807 from the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway and Barclay 0-4-0ST No.1047 of 1905 No. 11 Storefield will run alongside the home fleet of GWR steam railmotor No. 93, prairie No. 4144 and blue-liveried GWR 4-6-0 No. 6023 King Edward II during the April 14-May 1 event. Didcot shed closed in June 1965 with the replacement of steam with diesel traction, but two years later it

was occupied by the Great Western Society, which has since held it on a long-term lease. The event will include a display of 50 O gauge locomotives and some O gauge model railways. Over the Easter weekend on May 14-17 there will be extra 1967-themed family activities. Steam days will also be held on April 19, 22-23 and 29-May 1. For the May Day bank holiday weekend, it is hoped to have a miniature railway in operation. The Saturday will see a reunion of Didcot volunteers and on the Sunday, weather permitting, there will be a Spitfire and Hurricane flypast.

LNER B1 4-6-0 No. 61264 returned to full-scale main line railtour service on March 18, topping and tailing with BR Standard 4MT 2-6-0 No. 76084 on RTC’s Whitby Flyer’ from York to Whitby via Darlington. The B1 passes Northallerton on the ECML. The B1 has returned to the NYMR, while the 4MT has moved on to the North Norfolk Railway. TOM NOBLE

Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on tour VINTAGETrains is back on track with a series of tours that, in the temporary absence of GWR 4-6-0 No. 4965 Rood Ashton Hall, places No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe in the driving seat. First up comes a repeat visit to Salisbury on Saturday, April 8, when the Castle takes‘The Moonraker’ to the city of New Sarum via Oxford, Didcot, ReadingWest and Basingstoke. Starting from Solihull, the train calls at Dorridge,Warwick Parkway and Banbury. An hour’s pathing stop at Didcot provides passengers with a quick look around the GreatWestern Society’s steam centre. On Saturday, April 29, the 4-6-0 heads the‘LlandudnoVictorian Extravaganza’, which coincides with the town’sVictorian transport festival and all the fun of the fair. DepartingWarwick Road, passenger stops are booked for Walsall,Wolverhampton and Stafford. Unusually though, the train is to be diesel-hauled outwards from Chester. An exception to the Castle’s rule

Customers first on Great Little Trains ELEVEN Welsh narrow gauge railways have shown a commitment to excellence in customer service by launching a training programme for their staff and volunteers. Grant funding from the UK Government Department forTransport’s Heritage and Community RailTourism Innovation Competition has enabled the Great LittleTrains ofWales to develop the Service with Spirit programme. It was designed by the railways in collaboration and led by professional customer service training coach Amy Kirkland, of Kirkland Training.The course has been specifically tailored to meet the needs of the heritage railway industry. Representatives from GLToW attended a one-day workshop, which covered

a wide range of aspects, including championing passengers, providing good first impressions and making a lasting impression on visitors. After the training, representatives each received a toolkit to enable them to deliver the same type of training to fellow staff and volunteers within their own individual railway. Vale of Rheidol Railway spokesman Will Smith said:“We believe this is the first time that a group of railways has worked together on a project like this.We know thatWales attracts visitors from all over the world to experience the Great LittleTrains and it is important to ensure that they receive a warm and friendly welcome from the staff and volunteers.” Stephen Greig, customer service

manager for the Ffestiniog &Welsh Highland Railways, said:“Collaborating in this way is going to help each railway share ideas on how to deliver these levels of excellent service and sustain them for people to visit and enjoy in the future.” Welsh Government Economy Secretary Ken Skates said:“Frontline staff are the first impression that visitors get of an attraction and the welcome and service they receive leaves a lasting impression of Wales as a destination. Great LittleTrains are to be congratulated for this initiative.” Rail Minister Paul Maynard said:“It doesn’t matter whether a railway service is a heritage line popular with tourists, or a mainline route used by commuters, the Government expects customer service to be a high priority.”

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occurs on Saturday, May 13 when the‘East Midlands Rambler’sets off out ofWarwick Road with two 0-6-0PTs in charge. Said to be the smallest main line engines that work out on the network, panniers No. 9600 and No. 9466 pick up at Coleshill and Nuneaton before running to Burton-on-Trent via Coalville. Departing Burton, the‘Rambler’ makes for a second stop, at Leicester and then heads back toTyseley. In dining the tables for two have already sold out, as have all the seats in enthusiasts’class. On Saturday, May 27, theWelsh Dragon & Ffestiniog Railway, for not so obvious‘operational reasons’, is to be hauled out backwards from Warwick Road byTyseley’s Class 47 No. 47773 The Queen Mother to Nuneaton where the whole ensemble reverses, leaving the Earl to trot up theWest Coast Main Line to Crewe and onwards to Llandudno. There operational reasons are revealed; the 47 will be in the right position to work the‘Dragon’to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

IN BRIEF ➜ THE Grade 2-listed former Longport station building in the Potteries is to become a Hindu temple. The Tamil Welfare Organisation has won planning permission for a change of use for the Victorian building to a place of worship with community rooms. Trains still stop at Longport, but the building has been out of use. ➜ POLICE were trying to trace the owner of a Vauxhall Astra van that ploughed into level crossing gates at the Kent & East Sussex Railway’s Rolvenden station just after 3pm on March 26, bringing the Mother’s Day special to a halt. The van did not stop. Staff repaired the damaged gates and services resumed 25 minutes later. Heritagerailway.co.uk 11

NEWS

Tyseley’s Bloomer may steam in 2019 – and go main line! By Robin Jones TYSELEY LocomotiveWorks is aiming to complete its long-running new-build LNWR‘Bloomer’2-2-2 replica in two years’time. Not only that, but officials hope to have it haul special trains over the national network. The project has been boosted by a substantial gift of money which, hopefully, will enable the single driving wheel to be ready in time for this year’s September 16-17 open day. Tyseley is planning to launch an appeal for around £150,000 to complete the ‘Bloomer’in 2019 – the bicentenary of JamesWatt’s death, when the city of Birmingham will be promoting the whole year as itsYear of Innovation.

Sustainable future

Completion of the‘Bloomer’is now included inTyseley’s vision for the future, in which, in parallel with the arrival of HS2 at the city’s Curzon Street station in 2026, it aims to create a main line heritage railway company which will preserve the skills of the steam age to enable its collection of express steam locomotive to have a sustainable future and a real purpose working in everyday service as a tourist business (see separate story, Main Line News, pages 56-61). It is planned to developTyseley’s GWR depot to tell the story about steam locomotion, particularly its pivotal role in the development of Birmingham as the ‘Workshop of theWorld’. Tyseley chairman MichaelWhitehouse said:“Once it is working, then we can

(with the University of Birmingham’s help) work towards building it an appropriate home atTyseley and a train of carriages to go with it and getting it in a condition whereby it can run on the national network on special occasions.” One such occasion could be the opening of HS2 into Curzon Street, he said. Tyseley’s scheme to build a new ‘Bloomer’was drawn up in the late 1980s. This powerful express type was designed in 1851 by Southern Division locomotive superintendent James McConnell and built at the LNWR’s WolvertonWorks. Around 160 locomotives are believed to have been built at the works, the last in 1863, after which new construction was transferred to Crewe. Developed from a design of McConnell’s predecessor Edward Bury, the‘Bloomers’ were considered to be ahead of their time, with high boiler pressure, hopper grates and experimental fireboxes. The nickname came about because American Amelia Jenks, who married a lawyer, Dexter C Bloomer, and published a pioneering fortnightly magazine for over two years, shocked Victorian society by wanting to reform contemporary female clothing so that underwear could be glimpsed. When a handful of young women appeared on the streets of London in loose knee-length frocks and lightweight pants down to the ankles, as she recommended, as opposed to tight-laced corsets with yards of flannel petticoats and crinolines, it caused a sensation. At first the girls who were wearing ‘Bloomers’ran the gauntlet of ridicule,

Main line train derails after sleepers stolen NEARLY 500 people on a South African excursion were left stranded after a steam train derailed because railway sleepers had been stolen. Class 15F 4-8-2 No. 3052 Avril, which is owned by international wildlife artist and East Somerset Railway founder David Shepherd and named after his wife, derailed about three miles from Cullinan on the line from Pretoria on March 21. The engine driver, Steve Smith, fell out of the cab of the 1945, North British-built locomotive when the train derailed. Nobody was injured, and buses were organised to taker the passengers on to Cullinan. Nathan Berelowitz, the chairman of the Friends of the Rail who started the‘Diamond Express’trips between Pretoria and Cullinan, said:“The railways employ people who patrol sections of the rails, but it’s obvious these criminals know what they want – a small section of scrap metal that could actually lead to the death of numerous people.” The locomotive was presented to David by Spoornet in 1991.

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but the fashion quickly caught on in the year of the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace, and the word passed into common usage. London theatres staged Bloomer farces, while a brewery clad all its barmaids in Bloomer costume. Anything novel and striking was likely to be labelled Bloomer, and when an example of McConnell’s new 2-2-2 – also highly unusual in appearance as it unashamedly showed all of its wheels – arrived at Camden shed, the choice of nickname was a no-brainer as far as the footplate crews were concerned. The nickname caught on so fast that it was soon used in LNWR official correspondence.The last‘Bloomer’was withdrawn in 1888, but despite their success, none were preserved.

Brake gear complete

Tyseley’s new-build project kicked off when two McConnell tender underframes completely authentic to the‘Bloomers’were discovered at the closed BR motive power depot at Northwich. A third, which still had the brake gear complete with wooden blocks, was found at Machynlleth. With the 150th anniversary of the opening of the London & Birmingham Railway approaching in 1988, a £40,000 grant to begin work was obtained from Birmingham City Council. An all-welded steel boiler was completed in 1987 for £25,000, while the six steel wheels were cast by Goodwin Foundries of Stoke-on-Trent. The driving wheels were 7ft 4in in diameter and weighed around 1.6 tons. The cylinders were manufactured by Precision Machinery Ltd of Lye in the

The new ‘Bloomer’, No. 670, under construction inside Tyseley Locomotive Works, with progress taking place as time and money permit. ROBIN JONES Black Country, while a neighbouring firm built the smokebox, and a new tender tank was constructed at Tyseley. When one of the tender frames from Northwich was stripped down for renovation following acquisition of the pair, it was found to have the number 603 stamped on the steps, pairing it with‘Small Bloomer’No. 3, which was built at Wolverton in 1859 and scrapped in 1884 after being based locally at Nuneaton. However, the‘Bloomer’project became sidelined because of the increasing volume of work undertaken by Tyseley not only to maintain its own fleet but also to service and overhaul steam locomotives from elsewhere,. The London & Birmingham Railway’s classical Curzon Street terminus building which opened in 1852 will sit alongside the new HS2 station.

Romney Sands‘bespoke’crossing now on line THE Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway is marking its 90th anniversary with the completion of a new system to improve safety at a level crossing. Romney Sands crossing was last on the list to receive barriers as it was at the bottom of the risk register, although it is the most complex crossing along the 13½ mile line, with a passing loop, narrow footpaths and other physical constraints In 2003 the RHDR began looking at ways of improving safety at all of the line’s 13 level crossings. The first five crossings received control systems based on the Network Rail relay-based crossing systems.

In 2011 the railway made the decision to design its own control system to reduce costs and improve the build times and reduce the maintenance burden. The first part of the design stage was to involve official bodies and independent testers to provide their professional opinion. The first RHDR designed crossing was then installed in 2014 at Eastbridge Road and after some refinement the line was later able to install six crossings in one year. The Romney Sands Crossing project began last year, and it quickly became clear that the crossing and the existing automated Approach Control Signalling System would need to

work together. It was decided to build a new signalling system so that the crossing and signalling systems could be tested side by side in the workshop. This led to the title Romney Sands Integrated Control System. The crossing, which opened at the end of March, has improved the infrastructure of the station by widening the road and making both it and the station platform easily accessible by wheelchair. A RHDR spokesman said: ”This new and very cost effective crossing design has led to interest from other railways which could generate income for the RHDR and improve the safety of other railways.”

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LNER B1 4-6-0 No. 61264 passes Damems signalbox on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway with a photo charter goods train on March 9. KARL HEATH

Replica ‘Bloomer’ displayed again after decade inside Wolverton works by Phil Marsh THE 1991-built static replica LNWR 2-2-2‘Bloomer’has been placed back on public display after a decade languishing inside Wolverton Works. The engine was built in 1991 and made by works apprentices as engineering training exercise. It was originally displayed outside Milton Keynes station to celebrate the town’s railway heritage. The non-working replica‘Bloomer’, numbered 1009 and named‘The Wolvertonian’, had been commissioned by Milton Keynes Development Corporation for display in the new town’s Station Square. Its official unveiling was performed by actor Jon Pertwee, the third Dr Who, who performed a classic bloomer by referring to“Wolverhampton’s” illustrious railway history. It was allocated number 1009 and named Wolverton, but while on display, its appearance suffered from the elements and attention from local‘artists’, so it was taken back into Wolverton Works in 2006 for a cosmetic overhaul. It was repainted and kept mainly under cover by Railcare, but since Knorr-Bremse took over just before the 175th anniversary of the works

in September 2013, it has been kept outside the Incident Repair Shop. At this time, strenuous efforts were made to rescue the engine from the works and display it at the nearby Milton Keynes Museum but at the last minute after a display site had been prepared at the Wolverton based museum, the deal fell through. The replica engine was not owned by Knorr-Bremse but by various Milton Keynes’arts and local society groups.

On March 3, the replica LNWR express locomotive moved half a mile from the works to its new site outside the museum overlooking McConnell Drive, named after the Bloomer’s designer who was in charge of Wolverton Works. The engine has been placed in full view of the public and adjacent to and above the works’reception line, the former London to Birmingham main line, which was once the racing ground for the‘Bloomers.’

The static replica LNWR ‘Bloomer’ in its new home at the entrance to Milton Keynes Museum after a decade inside Wolverton Works. PHIL MARSH

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IN BRIEF ➜ THE AC Locomotive Group passed a milestone in the preservation of its unique Class 89 No. 89001 following the energisation of the armature converters to test their operation. The success of testing without either a 25kV power supply or traction motors but connecting the converters to the Harry Needle Railroad Company load bank took months of preparation with the help of Bralesford Engineering Services. ➜ THE Railcar Association has announced that its annual Railcar of the Year award has been won by the Class 101/111 trainset Nos. 50321/59575/51427 based on the Great Central Railway. Of the 369 votes cast, the trainset received 169 votes while the second placed trainset received more than 100 votes fewer. ➜ SNOWDON Mountain Railway locomotive No. 5 Moel Siabod is back in service this season after 17 years awaiting an overhaul. General manager Alan Kendall said: “Our engineers assure me it will be the best presented locomotive on our railway and the benchmark for future locomotive rebuilds.” ➜ BLUEBELL Railway-based BR Standard 5MT 4-6-0 No. 73082 Camelot has been booked as a guest locomotive for the West Somerset Railway’s October 5-8 steam gala. Heritagerailway.co.uk 13

NEWS

Visiting Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34081 92 Squadron approaches Oldbury viaduct with a photo charter organised by the engine’s owning group on March 20. PHIL JONES

Southern flavour boosts Severn Valley gala success By Robin Jones THE SevernValley Railway’s March 17-19 spring steam gala turned out to be a stunning success. A total of 4537 passengers travelled – exactly 1000 more than last year’s spring gala and ahead of estimates for 2017, so it got the new season off to a bumper start. The railway also enjoyed 100% availability of advertised locomotives,

including four with a Southern pedigree – particularly apt in the year that several heritage lines are marking 50 years since the last steam on the Southern Region. From the NeneValley Railway came recently-overhauled Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific No. 3408192Squadron, making its first visit to the line and running alongside Bridgnorth-based sister No. 34053 SirKeith Park again, as it did on its home line the previous month.

Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T No. 41312 and 4MT 2-6-0 No. 43106 arrive at Bewdley from Bridgnorth on March 18. DON BENN

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Home-basedWest Country light Pacific No. 34027 TawValley made a Bulleid trio, while Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41312 from the Mid Hants Railway, although being a London Midland design, spent its entire 15-year working life on BR in the Sunny South. A third visitor was BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 No. 92214 from the Great Central Railway, which incidentally has booked Sir Keith Park for its October 5-8 autumn steam gala and is looking for another Bulleid. From the home fleet were Kerr Stuartbuilt GWR 0-6-0PT No. 7714 which made its gala debut after returning to traffic in December, PortTalbot Railway/GWR 0-6-0ST No. 813, Mike Little’s Collett 0-4-2T No. 1450 and matching autotrailer, GWR 4-6-0 No. 7802BradleyManorand Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0 No. 43106. All went well, apart from an incident on the Sunday, when it was reported that an official SevernValley Railway lineside photographer had fallen on to the track south of Bewdley station sustaining a head injury. The railway did not name the photographer, but issued a statement which read:“The emergency services and SVR duty officer were informed and the line was closed for approximately 30 minutes before services resumed. “First aid was provided by a trained first aider (SVR staff member) at the scene. “The casualty was airlifted toWorcester Royal Hospital for further treatment.” The incident was reported to the Office of Rail & Road. Find us on www.facebook.com/heritagerailway

Visiting BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 No. 92214 approaches Bewdley with a train of LNER stock on March 19. ALAN WEAVER

92 Squadron rounds the curve on the approach to Foley Park tunnel. JOHN TITLOW Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

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NEWS

No. 75069 pilots the then SVR flagship; LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 5690 Leander past Standish Junction on June 28 1986. BRIAN SHARPE

Standard 4 the focus for SVR By Paul Appleton

THE Severn Valley’s own 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75069 has now become the firm focus of attention at Bridgnorth... and is set to return to action towards the end of the present operating season. It will further strengthen the ranks of operational former BR Standard types on Britain’s heritage railways, following the debut of 2MT 2-6-0 No. 78018 and the imminent return of 5MT 4-6-0 No. 73156 at the Great Central Railway. Built in 1955 at Swindon, No. 75069 is one of the final batch of 4MTs that was allocated to the Southern Region, being sent to Dover from new. It was paired with a larger-capacity BR1B tender, which gave it 4240 gallons of water and seven tons of coal, giving it the same route restrictions as a larger 5MT. After just 11 years of service, the locomotive eventually arrived at the SVR, via Barry scrapyard, in March 1973, when it was restored in time for the line’s 1984 autumn steam gala. During the ensuing 10 years, the Riddles 4-6-0 had the distinction of appearing on the main line, including a full season of‘Cardigan Bay Express’ trains, alongside SVR-based GWR 4-6-0 No. 7819 Hinton Manor in 1987, but was failed due to a crack in the firebox, with Ivatt 2MT No. 46443 having to deputise for the remainder of the programme. Following repairs it returned to traffic and, after a further series of Cambrian trains and other main line sorties, had one final fling when it operated a oneway‘Exmoor Explorer’excursion from Kidderminster to Minehead in April 1994, staying on the West Somerset Railway for the remainder of that season,

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during which time it was failed with boiler problems and withdrawn. It was not until 2009 that serious thought was given to overhauling No. 75069, but an assessment showed that significant boiler work would be required that would exceed the timescale and funding available, so Hawksworth 0-6-0PT No. 1501 was fast tracked instead, the BR Standard shunted back into a siding and back down the overhaul queue.

New boiler barrel

The 75069 Fund-owned locomotive was finally stripped for overhaul in 2013, and since then a completely new boiler barrel has been made, with as much material from the original firebox retained as possible. The bottom end has been completely overhauled including a new dragbox made and replacement rear cylinder cover fabricated. Recently, the frames have been thoroughly aligned using optical equipment and new manganese liners have been fitted to the hornblocks which are now ready to receive the refurbished axleboxes, ready for rewheeling, which should take place this spring. The engineering team is focused on returning the locomotive to steam during the latter part of this season with a dedicated team working on the assembly of the boiler in the boiler shop at Bridgnorth.The tender has already been completed and sports a shiny coat of BR black, lined out in mixed traffic red/grey and carrying the early 1950s‘cycling lion’emblem. During its 1980s/90s’ticket it ran in lined BR green. Although GWR 4-6-0 No. 7812

Erlestoke Manor has been granted an extension to its boiler certificate that should see it through to the end of the 2017 operating season, the Standard 4 is needed as a direct replacement in order to keep the working fleet at the required level. Following behind No. 75069 in the Bridgnorth overhaul programme is Stanier mogul No. 42968, which has had its chassis completely stripped by the owning group, with parts now undergoing refurbishment and a new dragbox being fitted.The boiler is in the boilershop with work already underway, with drilling out of old rivets and stays completed so that wasted areas can be cut out ready for new material to be welded in. When the unique survivor returns, hopefully in 2018, it will be in LMS black livery as No. 13268. Meanwhile, a detailed plan for the overhaul of SVR flagship No. 4930 Hagley Hall has been agreed with SVR Engineering.The cylinder block has been split into its two main components and two new cylinders are being designed using 3D computer aided design, the old components being life expired. As soon as the wheels are removed from the main frames they are to be dispatched to the South Devon Railway for new tyres.Work will start in earnest on the boiler by the end of June. The target is to have the locomotive back in service for the 2020 season. Since the withdrawal of GWR large prairie No. 5164 in early 2014 and small prairie’No. 4566 reaching the end of its ‘ticket’in January this year, the SVR is now without a useful mid-range Class 4 tank locomotive. With this in mind, agreement has been reached to move

ex-Barry scrapyard large prairie No. 4150 from its restoration base at Bewdley to Bridgnorth this spring, with a slot in the boiler shop booked for the last quarter of 2017.The newly fabricated tanks, bunker and cab roof will be temporarily fitted to the chassis for the trip down the line, with restoration work to continue at Bridgnorth with a view to getting the locomotive completed as quickly as possible, subject to funding.

Rolling chassis

Another large 2-6-2T that should strengthen the ranks of mid-range power on the railway in the next few years is BR Standard 3MT No. 82045. The new-build locomotive is due to be wheeled this summer to create a rolling chassis, while the new side tanks should be completed at Boston Lodge works on the Ffestiniog Railway.The boiler is also making good progress in the boilershop, while the new smokebox door is almost complete. One locomotive set to see a concerted push in 2017 is Beamish Museumowned 0-4-4T Dunrobin, which should see the boiler move into the final phase of completion, while the engineering team continues to tackle the chassis, including removal of the driving wheels and completion of the new cylinder block. On the maintenance front, No. 1501 is currently being retubed and having its cylinders rebored and new pistons made to match. Churchward 2-8-0 No. 2857 has received a repaint and has had its cylinders measured ready for a planned rebore later in the year, which is all part of having it ready for its 100th anniversary in 2018.

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Bid to restore Railway King Hudson’s grave By Robin Jones VILLAGERS have launched a bid to restore both the grave and reputation of ‘Railway King’George Hudson’s grave. The three-time Lord Major ofYork and MP for Sunderland built up an empire of railways which by 1844 had grown to more than 1000 miles, including part of the future East Coast Main Line. However, he also ran up debts, and questions about his business practices cost him his reputation, and also his freedom when he was briefly jailed. Hudson’s name is associated with financial wrongdoing, although others were at least partially guilty of similar practices. He never named any of his co-conspirators, although many of them turned their backs on him when his empire collapsed He sold off his assets in a bid to pay his debts and died from a heart attack in London in December 1871, at the age of 71. His body was returned by rail from Euston toYork where the hearse drove through the streets and despite his shattered reputation, many locals turned out to pay their last respects and shop owners lowered their window blinds as a mark of respect. FromYork, his coffin was taken by horse drawn carriage to the village church at Scrayingham near Stamford Bridge where he was buried on December 21, 1871. A community group the Friends of Scrayingham and Leppington now hopes to restore his grave. It was last restored in 1935. Group member MatthewWells said: “The current state of his grave is not befitting of a man who once earned the epithet ofThe Railway King.The grave of their most famous resident should be restored to its former glory, with the grey granite tombstone cleaned, the

The marble bust of ‘Railway King’ George Hudson in the National Railway Museum at York. ROBIN JONES surround rebuilt and repaired, and a low cast iron railing installed, similar to the one that adorned the grave when it was first constructed.” The Railway HeritageTrust has already pledged £1000 towards the project, which may cost up to £8000. On Sunday, April 23, St George’s Day, the group will be staging a 4.5 mile walk along the route of the River Derwent to Howsham, where Hudson was brought up, and back to Scrayingham, as a fundraising exercise. On the evening of Friday, June 23, there will be a concert entitled George Hudson And AllThat Brass at the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Scrayingham. It will feature theYork Railway Institute Band, directed by David Lancaster, and will be introduced by actor and storyteller Chris Cade, playing the part of Hudson.Tickets costing £12.50 including a supper can be obtained by emailing [email protected]

Pullman Lydia visits West Somerset PRIVATELY-owned Kitchen First Pullman car Lydia, which in 1965 formed part of Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral train, has arrived on the West Somerset Railway for renovation work. Along with Fellow Pullman car Isle of Thanet, it found itself marooned

in the US after Flying Scotsman’s 1969 tour of North America went bust, and was subsequently repatriated for eventual use on the Swanage Railway. Discussions are underway to see whether Lydia can be used in traffic during its visit.

New goal for Monkwearmouth station A SUNDERLAND FC fan wants to lease Grade II* listed Monkwearmouth Station Museum to display his collection of football memorabilia. Michael Ganley’s Fans Museum collection has been seen by more than 100,000 visitors at different venues and events across the north-east of

England over the last three years. The museum has been hit by council budget cuts and falling visitor numbers. John Kelly, the council’s portfolio holder for public health, wellness and culture, said:“We’re delighted to be talking to Michael about the potential for it becoming a football museum.”

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Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway founder dies at 91 ByRobinJones THE LincolnshireCoastLight Railwayhas been inmourningforitsfounderand preservationpioneerBillWoolhouse,who diedattheageof91. Bill,the2ftgaugeline’s company secretaryanddirector,passedawayon March16,intheDiana,PrincessofWales HospitalinGrimsby. Nearlysevendecadesago,he becamememberNo.13oftheTalyllyn RailwayPreservationSocietyand playedafoundingandactiverolein theestablishmentoftheworld’s first preservedrailway.Billalsoplayedcrucial rolesinsavingtheFfestiniogRailwayand theWelshpool&LlanfairLightRailway. When,with other like-mindedlocal railwayenthusiasts,hebuilt theLCLRto linkthebusterminusatHumberstonwith thenearbybeach andholidaycamp in 1960, itmade historybybecomingthefirst heritageline tobelaidonagreenfieldsite

asopposedtoanexistingformation. Thelinebroughtinequipmentmainly fromFirstWorldWartrenchlines thatwere laterused totransportpotatoesacrossthe LincolnshireFensbytheNoctonEstates Railway.At itspeak,theLCLRcarried 60,000passengers ayear,untilchanging holidaypatternscauseditsclosurein1985. Undeterred,therolling stockandtrack wentintostorageandBilleventually located anewsiteandhelpedrebuildthe lineintheSkegnessWaterLeisurePark, takingpartinitsreopeningin2009.

Detailed memory

Billwasdeeplyinterestedineverything todowithLincolnshireanditshistory andheritage,especiallythatofLouthand theLincolnshireWolds.Hehadadetailed memoryofthetown’s oldshops,trades, businessesandcharacters,andofcourse, Louth’s long-closedrailwaysandthe peoplewhoworkedonthem. Hisinterestinrailwayshadbegunwhen

hismothertookhimfromFotherbyHalt toLouthonthe“Louth motortrain”–a steamrailmotorwherehewasallowedto standnexttothedriver.Whenhewasold enough toattendStJames’ChoirSchoolin Grimsby,heagaintravelledonthesteam fromFotherbyeachday. Hisfirstventureintooperatingarailway began withhisfriendJohnBurdett,with whomhetookamodelsteamtrainto fetesandgarden parties,togiveridesto children.Laterhebuilt a5ingauge railway inthegroundsofhishome. LCLR’s spokesmanJohnChappellsaid: “Wehave lostatrulyunique person withBill’s passing.Hewasdevotedto therailwayhehadhelpedtocreateand operate.Hewasinvolvedinre-laying thetrack andpreparingeverythingfor reopening.Hewasadirectorfornearly60 years,companysecretaryformostofthe pasthalf-centuryandgeneralmanagerat Humberston,activelyinvolvedtotheend ofhislife.

“Hewasalegend intheworldof preservedrailways. “Bill’s involvementfromtheearliest daysinWales,whentheideaofamateurs runninghistoricrailwayswasentirely newandregardedwith considerable scepticism,showedwhatcouldbe achieved.Everypreservedrailwayinthe worldcanberegardedaspartofBill’s legacy.”

Excursion trains

He organised many excursion trains and was one of the few people to have enjoyed a drink in a railway buffet car in a train passing through the long-closed WithcallTunnel on the Louth to Bardney line in 1954, during a railtour that took in the branch lines to Horncastle, home of HeritageRailway publisher Mortons, and Spilsby. He helped organise longdistance excursions from Alford, Louth, Grimsby and the surrounding villages under the banner of‘North Lincolnshire

Fifty years since the first Severn Valley engine arrived at Bridgnorth EARLY volunteers at the SevernValley Railway have been remembering the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first locomotive on the line. March 25 was exactly 50 years since GWR 0-6-0 No. 3205 steamed into Bridgnorth’s Platform 2, the first train at the station since the line was closed by Dr Richard Beeching four years earlier in 1963. The engine’s long journey from Buckfastleigh on the nascent Dart Valley Railway to Stourbridge began in February 1967 when it was dieselhauled to Stourbridge and prepared to travel 30 miles, under its own steam, into Bridgnorth the following month. Driven by CyrilWilliams from Stourbridge and John Hill ofTyseley and fired by Gerry Carter, the gleaming engine steamed tender first into the platform just after midday where the train crew was met by the Mayor of Bridgnorth. The event drew crowds of thousands over a three-day celebration with the engine and two coaches making trips from Bridgnorth to OldburyViaduct. The arrival of No. 3205 came less than two years after the inauguration of the SevernValley Railway Society and its arrival helped the Society meet its fundraising target of £25,000, funds needed to buy and restore the 6½-mile track between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade. John Hill, one of the drivers on the day and still a volunteer on the SVR, recalled:“The day was a real reward for

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Having run round its train after arrival, Collett 0-6-0 No. 3205 stands at Bridgnorth station on March 25, 1967, the day it became the first steam locomotive to arrive on the embryonic Severn Valley Railway. SVR all the hard work that had happened to prepare the station and track. “When the engine rolled in, it really lifted everyone’s spirits and we started to believe we were going to get the railway back up and running.” DavidWilliams, a founder member

and volunteer at the SVR, said: “Those who were there will never forget the excitement of that first great weekend and my own fondest memory was a footplate ride with driver John Hill and fireman John Denson to Hampton Loade on No. 3205.

“The arrival of our first locomotive – and a main line GreatWestern one at that! – was not only exciting but also a turning point in the fortunes of SVR which was just a small society at the time. As well as bringing us thousands of visitors, the arrival of No. 3205 gave

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Bill Woolhouse empties a wheelbarrow of ballast ready for the sleepers and rails to be laid at the relocated Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway at South Loop, in the Skegness Water Leisure Park in 2002. Also pictured are (right) fellow director Astling Evison and two volunteers who have been involved with the LCLR since 1961, Chris Bates (left) and Jim Smith. DAVID ENEFER Railtours’to destinations in Scotland, NorthWales and the Lake District -- on one occasion, hiring A4 Pacific No. 60022 Mallard to pull a train. Billhadworkedasayoungmanat GrimsbyLabourExchangeandlaterinthe treasurer’s departmentofLouthBorough Council,eventuallyleavingtoconcentrate onprivateinterests.Heshunned manyof thecomfortsofthemodernworld–living withoutatelephoneortelevision.Hewas anonlychildandnevermarried. Hisinterestsincludedcyclingandinhis latefiftieshepedalledaroundsomeof Ireland’s mostmountainousandremote

areas,followingtheroutesoftheold CountyDonegalandotherlong-vanished railways,whichhehadphotographed beforetheirclosureinthe1950s. Heproducedmuchofhisownfood, includinghoney,builthisownswimming poolandaged89,publishedhisfirstbook, RecollectionsofaLincolnshireRailway Enthusiast,containingrareandpreviously unseenphotographsoflong-vanished branches suchasLouthtoBardneyand Mablethorpe. HisfuneralwasheldatFotherbyParish ChurchfollowedbyintermentinLouth Cemetery.

One of the Severn Valley Railway’s earlier locomotives, which has been out of action for 40 years, is now on the long road back to service. On March 22, the new left-hand cylinder for Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST No. 2047 of 1926 Warwickshire was cast at Timsons Engineering in Kettering. The right-hand cylinder was cast on March 10. After shot-blasting the castings will be fully machined at Timsons before delivery to Bridgnorth. The Warwickshire Industrial Locomotive Preservation Group was formed in 1967 to save the last Manning Wardle locomotive built in Leeds prior to the Company being wound up in 1927. It was moved from Rugby Cement Company to Bridgnorth by road in October 1967 and during the next 14 months was partly dismantled and restored to working order, being steamed for the first time in early December 1968. It was withdrawn at the end of 1977 with a defective fusible plug and when in 1988 it was dismantled for overhaul (in 1988) it was found that the boiler was beyond ‘economic repair’. Owner the Warwickshire Industrial Locomotive Trust needs more funds to complete the task of full restoration, and hopes to have it running again in time to celebrate its centenary in 2006. NIGEL CRIPPS/WILT people in theWest Midlands reason to believe in us and really boosted membership and financial support – support which we continue to need to this day as we work to preserve precious memories of steam for future generations.”

Having celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2015, the line welcomes more than 250,000 passengers per year, making it the second-biggest heritage line in terms of patronage, and is among Britain’s most popular historical attractions.

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LMS ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 No. 13065 departs from Oakworth. FRED KERR

Mixed traffic engines on the Worth Valley By Brian Sharpe THE annual spring gala on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway was a little later than usual this year but with the resident fleet bolstered by three popular mixed traffic visitors, the valley resounded to the usual procession of steam-hauled trains battling the 1-in-58 grades through Bronte country.

The three-day event over the weekend of March 3-5, saw LNER B1 4-6-0 No. 61264 in action having arrived under its own steam from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Also arriving in steam, but from the opposite direction, had been LMS‘Black Five’4-6-0 No. 45212 after completion of its main line test run on the Carnforth-Hellifield-Blackburn circuit on

the Friday. The third visitor was the East Lancashire Railway’s crimson lake LMS ‘Crab’2-6-0 No. 13065 which had initially been preserved on the KWVR in April 1978 before moving away for restoration in 1990. The weather was a little unkind, especially on the Friday, but improved at times over the weekend.

Lined up in Haworth yard are Taff Vale 0-6-2T No. 85, LNER B1 4-6-0 No. 61264, LMS ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 No. 13065 and BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75078. ANDREW DENNISON

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Following its main line test run the previous day, LMS ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 No. 45212 climbs away from Damems loop towards Oakworth on March 4. ALAN WEAVER

LNWR Coal Tank 0-6-2T No. 1054 and Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T Nunlow approach Haworth on March 4. ALAN WEAVER

Visiting LNER B1 4-6-0 No. 61264 works the 2.20pm KeighleyIngrow shuttle on Saturday, March 4. DAVE RODGERS Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

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Boost for two major London heritage railway projects By Geoff Courtney IN a boost for two major London heritage railway projects, the revival of a line in the west of the capital that closed more than 70 years ago has taken a significant step forward, while another a few miles away near King’s Cross station is set to reopen within months. At the core of the west London scheme is a former 2ft gauge line that ran from 1916 until 1946 from a wharf on the Thames at Hampton to Kempton Park, transporting coal to power pumping engines at two large waterworks at either end of the line. Opened by the MetropolitanWater Board, the 3½-mile railway’s motive power was three identical 0-4-2Ts designed by the company’s engineering department, built by Kerr Stuart of Stoke-on-Trent at a total cost of £2187, and named Hampton, Kempton and Sunbury.The pumping engines consumed nearly 150 tons of coal a day, which prior to the arrival of the railway was delivered by horse and cart. By the end of the SecondWorld War the amount of coal required had been substantially reduced due to modernisation, and the railway, whose rolling stock included 140 tipper wagons, was closed, its trio of locomotives scrapped, and the track lifted. The two waterworks at Hampton and Kempton Park are still in use today, albeit not in the original buildings, and ThamesWater now owns the railway’s

trackbed, which is protected in the local development plan. In 2003 revivalists founded the MetropolitanWater Board Railway Society with the long-term aim of obtaining a lease for the trackbed and restoring as much of the old line as possible, and in 2013 Martin Baggs, then chief executive ofThamesWater, formally opened a loop built by MWBRS volunteers close to the Kempton Park works. This 300-yard loop, which includes a platform and is used for public steam train rides on Sundays throughout spring and summer under the banner of the Hampton & KemptonWaterworks Railway, was built over three years at a cost of £50,000. It is not on the original trackbed, but society members regard it as a first step in their restoration dream and hope to connect it to the restored railway.

Towards the dream

And now a second, and potentially even more important, step has been taken towards the realisation of that dream, in the humble form of a point inserted into the loop and the start of earthworks and trackbed preparation. Spokesman Jim Hewett told Heritage Railway that the point would allow an extension onto the original trackbed to break out of the loop, and its installation follows ongoing negotiations with ThamesWater over a lease for land which would enable the line to be extended for

All mapped out: This map shows the Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway current running line (Hanworth Loop, top left), and a planned extension which, subject to agreement with Thames Water, would run on mostly an original trackbed to Hyde’s Field station via Bunny Lane Halt. Another possible extension is also shown (left) to Kempton Park station. COLIN CLODE about 1½ miles and include two stations, Bunny Lane Halt and Hyde’s Field. “Bunny Lane will be our first aim, and if there are no major problems and we can raise the funds, I think it could take 10 years to get to Hyde’s Field. Between Bunny Lane and Hyde’s Field the line would have to go under the Shepperton branch, and unfortunately the headroom was reduced a few years ago, but it may be possible to lower the track.” The lease has not yet been agreed, but

Ready for duty: Immaculate Kerr Stuart 0-4-2T Sunbury is ready for duty with driver Riley on the footplate outside Hampton waterworks on July 8, 1924. The 1916-built engine was one of three that worked on the Metropolitan Water Board’s 3½-mile Hampton-Kempton Park railway throughout the line’s 30-year existence, delivering coal for pumping engines at both ends of the line until closure in 1946. Behind Sunbury is Morelands engine house, which still stands as a Grade II listed building and is currently being converted for commercial use. MWBRS COLLECTION

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if and when it is signed, the society would seek permission from the local authorities for the work to proceed. He added that the earthwork and trackbed preparation would continue during summer as it did not affect the running of public trains on the Hanworth Loop. Trains in the early part of the season, which started in mid-March, were diesel-hauled, but it anticipated that the railway’s resident steam locomotive, 1903-built Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Darent, will soon return to duties after the replacement of parts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in Clerkenwell, near King’s Cross, the innovative Mail Rail project is close to fruition, with opening expected mid-summer.This is centred on the Royal Mail’s Mount Pleasant site, and will comprise the reopening of a stretch of the former Post Office Underground Railway that transported millions of letters and parcels each day on a 2ft gauge 6½-mile line beneath the streets of the capital from Paddington across London to Liverpool Street and Whitechapel Road. Its driverless electric trains operated from 1927 to 2003 and the railway was never open to the public, but nearly a mile of the mothballed tunnels 70ft beneath the surface are being adapted for use by newly-built passenger trains, providing visitors and tourists with a unique railway experience. The scheme is part of a £26 million project on the site that will include the transformation of the railway’s former maintenance and repair depot into an exhibition centre and the access point for the rides, as well as the construction of a major postal museum.

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Pointing the way: The recentlyinstalled breakout point for the planned extension of the Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway, which subject to agreement for a lease with Thames Water would run beside the fence on the left, under the flyover, and emerge beyond on the right. In the background is Kempton Steam Museum, home to the world’s largest operational triple-expansion steam pumping engine which weighs 1000 tons and is 62ft high. This was one of the pumping engines that was powered by coal transported to the site by the Metropolitan Water Board’s Hampton-Kempton Park line that opened in 1916 and closed in 1946. JIM HEWETT

Bridgnorth station share offer passes ‘magic million’

…and a third new narrow gauge line for the capital is also on the way! By Robin Jones

PLANS to create a heritage railway at London’s Crossness Pumping Station have been given the green light. The idea of a light railway being built near AbbeyWood has been lurking around since 2011, when the Royal Gunpowder Mills atWaltham Abbey loaned Avonside oil-fired 0-4-0T No. 1748 of 1916 Woolwichto the Crossness EnginesTrust under an agreement to restore it. Bexley Council has now approved the trust’s plans for an 18in line to take visitors over the half-mile from the entrance to the pumping station, subject to a survey on managing road traffic from visitors to the site. The group’s base is located inside one of the world’s largest sewage treatment works. Crossness SewageTreatment Works purifies almost all of South London’s liquid effluent at the rate of 14 tons per second. It has not been possible to allow general public access and so the opportunities for open days have been

limited. For several yearsThames Water and the trust have been looking at ways of allowing paying visitors into the preserved pumping station, considered to be a marvel of Victorian engineering, on a more frequent basis. The Crossness Pumping Station was designed by the Metropolitan Board of Works’chief engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette and architect Charles Henry Driver for the eastern end of the Southern Outfall Sewer in the London Borough of Bexley. Constructed between 1859 and 1865, as part of Bazalgette’s redevelopment of the London sewage system, it features spectacular ornamental cast ironwork, that architectural scholar and art historian Nikolaus Pevsner described as“a masterpiece of engineering – a Victorian cathedral of ironwork”. The first parts of the sewage works were built between 1860 and 1865 and to gain access over marshland, contractors Lucas & Aird, laid a 2½-mile standard gauge line from Plumstead.

Avonside 0-4-0T Woolwich, now under overhaul at Crossness, where it may work on a new heritage railway. ROBIN JONES

The course of the railway remains largely intact today. A surfaced footpath is now complete and has been designed to allow construction of a narrow gauge railway alongside. The intention is that people would arrive at the edge of the estate, then head to the Victorian pumping station on a steam train. At present, visitors have to take the bus or make a long walk from Abbey Wood station to get to the site, so most tend to arrive by car. In the longer term, the railway could be extended from the Crossness car park along the ridgeway towards Plumstead, providing a very convenient link to the main line station. An open day is being held from 11am to 4pm on Sunday, April 30, visitors will be able to view progress being made on Woolwich, the last remaining locomotive of its class from the original Royal Arsenal Railway at Woolwich next door. Plans for the future of the site will also be displayed.

Elaborate decorative ironwork in the Octagon inside the preserved Crossness Pumping Station, which is set to be accessed by a new 18in gauge steam railway. CHRISTINE MATTHEWS/CREATIVE COMMONS

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THE SevernValley Railway’s share offer, launched late last year to fund its conservation and redevelopment programme for Bridgnorth station, has passed the £1 million mark. On March 6, applications to purchase shares at a price of £1 each passed the magic million mark, a landmark on the way to reaching the target of £2.5 million by the end of October. The share offer proceeds will be used to provide much-improved visitor facilities at the station, as well as preserving the fabric of the existing station, which dates from 1862. Early-stage investments have already funded initial ground works and brickwork for the new refreshment room will commence in coming weeks. The development will also provide better road access with enhanced car parking to accommodate significantly higher visitor numbers at the northern end of the line.

Ambitious project

The scheme has been described as the most ambitious restoration and development project in the railway’s 52-year history. Railway chairman Nick Paul said:“Achieving the seven-figure mark just ahead of the start of the steam season is reassuring but we are not yet half-way and the clock is really ticking as the share offer must close at the end of October. For that reason, I’d urge anyone considering investing to get in touch to make their investment sooner rather than later.” Full share offer information can be found at www.svr.co.uk/ shareoffer or by calling 01562 757900. Alternatively, those wishing to donate to the Bridgnorth Development Fund without purchasing shares can do so via the SevernValley Railway CharitableTrust, which may be able to apply for a further 25% Gift Aid on donations from taxpayers.Visit www.svrtrust. org.uk to download a Bridgnorth donation form.

Get in touch

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NEWS Entries invited for national awards ENTRANTS for the 2017 National Railway Heritage Awards are now being invited. The competition is designed to encourage the restoration and reuse of the range of historic railway buildings and structures that can be found throughout the British Isles. The closing date for entries is May 14, and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on December 6. Entry forms, which need to be completed online, can be obtained from www.nrha.org.uk

Strathspey buys Class 31 CLASS 31 diesel No. 31327 will be staying on the Strathspey Railway. A proposed move away did not go ahead, and the locomotive was subsequently purchased by the heritage line. It will be engaged on the‘Royal Scotsman’luxury tour train contract. Its next public runs on the heritage line will be the mixed traffic gala over the weekend of July 15/16.

IN BRIEF ➜ THE Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters Group has refurbished the gatekeeper’s hunt at Mill Lane crossing, which is believed to date from 1874. The small wooden structure complete with corrugated iron roof had fallen into a very bad state of repair. Half of the original timber has survived in the rebuild. ➜ THE Class 47 Preservation Project’s Class 47 No. 47771 has moved from the Colne Valley railway to Arlington Fleet Services, based in the old Eastleigh Works site, where it will be restored to full working order then move to a new home on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway. Anyone wishing to support the group and its projects or become a shareholder is asked to seek further details by contacting it at [email protected]. ➜ THE Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway has undertaken remedial work on its Class 121 railcar No. 55023, including treatment and painting of corroded body panels, replacement of the alternator and installation of new batteries, in order to keep it in traffic until the restoration of sister No. 55024 is complete. Once No. 55024 becomes available for traffic it is intended that No. 55023 will be withdrawn for heavy overhaul. ➜ THE ownership of rare AC Cars railbus No. W79978 has been transferred from private ownership to a new trust in the name of the Colne Valley Railway Preservation Society.

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Barclay 0-4-0ST Bon Accord is seen at Beamish museum on March 16 . The former Aberdeen gasworks engine was running on tramway tracks in a cobbled surface for the first time in 50 years. MARTIN CREESE

Cambrian takes over statutory powers on Oswestry line By Robin Jones

CAMBRIAN Heritage Railways has been granted aTransport andWork Act Order giving it statutory powers over the Gobowen to Oswestry and Llanyblodwel line that members have been busy reviving. The route is the surviving section of what in pre-Grouping and later GWR days was a busy railway hub. Passenger services toWelshpool and Whitchurch ended on January 18, 1965, and Oswestry locomotive shed closed. A DMU shuttle service to Gobowen continued until November 7, 1966, when Oswestry station closed to passengers. Goods services continued to run until 1971, but a single line from Gobowen through the station to Blodwel quarry was used by freight trains until 1988. Since closure, the line was mothballed and the track remained in place.The line was sold to Shropshire County Council in 2009. CHR took up a long term lease on the line and since then has been working on its restoration, with a double aim: a community/sustainable transport link between Oswestry and the main line station at Gobowen, and establishment of a heritage railway running south from Oswestry along part of the Cambrian Railways main line to link up with its operating site at Llynclys South.

Line clearance underway south of Oswestry during a working weekend in February. CHR Chairman RobertWilliams said:“So much has been done over the recent years – it is amazing how far we have come.The line has been cleared, vegetation managed, and the Up platform at Oswestry removed in the 1980s has been reinstated to its full 12-coach length. “Passenger services over ¼mile at Oswestry have been reinstated meaning we now operate at two sites.We purchased the main line connection and former coal yard at Gobowen in early 2016, extended the Oswestry running line to two thirds of a mile in late 2016 and have an increasing number of steam dates in the timetable.

“Perhaps the most significant thing is our intention during 2018 to have extended the running line at Oswestry all the way toWestonWharf, serving Stonehouse Brewery and visitor centre. “EventuallyWeston will be the passing point for trains running to Llynclys, but for now CHR’s active aim is developing a 1¾ mile railway to the brewery.” Although theTWAO was not needed for the Oswestry toWeston extension currently in progress, it is essential if the long-term aspirations of the CHR are to be realised. ➜ Anyone interested in supporting CHR’s projects is invited to visit www.cambrianrailway.com

Old Oak Common open day will mark GWR anniversary GREAT Western Railway is to hold an open day at Old Oak Common depot on Saturday, September 2 – exactly 111 years to the day that it was opened by the original GWR.

Titled Legends of the GreatWestern, it is set to include steam locomotives displayed alongside the company’s new Hitachi trains... but a full line-up of locomotives has yet to be announced.

All profits will go to the depot’s chosen charity Place2Be, which provides mental health support for children in schools and whose patron is the Duchess of Cambridge.

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NEWS

Three Seaburn Pullman cars to return to the south coast By Robin Jones THREE Pullman coaches which formed part of a Sunderland hotel have been moved for restoration and a new life on the south coast. The three former‘Orient Express’ Pullmans – Rosalind and Padua with six-wheel bogies and Sapphire with fourwheel bogies – are survivors of later use as holiday homes and mobile offices. As highlighted in HR issue 224, they formed part of the Pullman Lodge Hotel at Seaburn , the site of which was acquired by Sunderland City Council for redevelopment as new housing and leisure estate on the seafront. Demolition work on the hotel, which housed the Pullmans for 30 years, is now underway.

Will be restored

Once the three were extracted from their plinths over March 11-12, Andrew Goodman’s Moveright International transported them by low loader to Barrow Hill, where they will be restored. Afterwards, their buyer will move them to a new base at Folkestone. The three were once part of the original world-famous‘Orient Express’train which ran between London and Dover. In 1919, the SECR ordered 12 dedicated

Pullman coaches – six Parlour Firsts and six Kitchen Firsts – to be constructed. Six of these (Padua, Portia, Calais, Milan, Palmyra and Rosalind) were constructed by the Birmingham Carriage andWagon Company at its Smethwick works while the remaining six (Cadiz, Sunbeam, Sylvia, Malaga, Neptune and Monaco) were constructed by the Pullman Car Company at its LonghedgeWorks in south London. Kitchen First Rosalind, No. 102, entered service in January 1921 and was used as a NAAFI mobile catering car between 1942-45 before being returned to more regular service as part of the‘Bournemouth Belle’shortly afterwards.Withdrawn from service in October 1960, it was sold to BR for conversion to a camping coach, ending up on the Southern Region. It later saw Departmental service and was condemned in December 1972. It was soon afterwards bought by Flying Scotsman Enterprises and spent a year based on the Highdyke branch (BR E Region) before being moved to Carnforth. In 1977, along with three other Pullmans, it was taken toYork for parts in the filming of the movie Agatha.When on December 3, 1977 it was hauled back

One of the Seaburn Pullmans being extracted on March 11. PAUL FULLER to Carnforth by Flying Scotsman, the move was the last working to date of a 12-wheeled Pullman car on the national network. It was bought byVSOE in 1982.

Royal train

Parlour First No. 99 Padua entered service in October 1920 and was regularly used in the London to Dover ‘boat trains’. In May 1923 it was used in the RoyalTrain conveying King George V and Queen Mary from London Victoria to Dover Marine. It too later became a camping coach and reached Carnforth via Highdyke,

being bought byVSOE in 1980. However, due to the stringent safety and fire standards for operation on British Rail, restoration did not commence. Parlour First Sapphire was built in 1910 and after withdrawal in 1960, became a camping coach at Ashford and then Isfield. All three were moved to Seaburn in kit form in 1988 and rebuilt as part of what was originally known as the Puffin’Billy Hotel & Restaurant when it opened in July 1989, becoming, in May 1992, the Pullman Lodge Hotel & Restaurant . It closed in in 2016.

Two Wrens booked for Apedale Valley Kerr Stuart gala THE Moseley RailwayTrust has booked twoWrens – one old and one new – for its Kerr Stuart-themed gala at the Apedale Valley Light Railway on May 13-14. Kerr StuartWren 0-4-0ST No. 3128, was built in 1918 for a factory in Avonmouth which supplied mustard gas to British forces fighting in the FirstWorldWar. In its career, it crossed the Atlantic four times. After the end of hostilities, the factory became the National Smelting

Company producing zinc products. In 1959, the locomotive was exported for preservation to Canada. It was returned to the UK in 2013 and was restored at the Statfold Barn Railway to full operating condition. It was then returned to its owner in Canada, but as previously reported in Heritage Railway, problems in Canada prevented its operation, and it returned to Statfold in 2016. The visit to Apedale will be the first

time that this locomotive has operated away from its Statfold base. The secondWren was built at the modern successor to the old Kerr Stuart company, the Hunslet Engine Company, based at Statfold Barn. Owned by the Gully family, No. 3905 of 2005 is named Jennie and is now based at the Amerton Railway. Trust chairman Phil Robinson said: “Having twoWren class locomotives on site at Apedale will be really exciting.This

is the design of locomotive which most people associate with Kerr Stuart. “It will be fascinating to compare two locos which are very similar in design, yet are 87 years apart in age.This must surely be another record – the longest production run of a product design!” “We think that having five Kerr Stuart designed locomotives in operation is a record in preservation.“ The event will be open from 11am to 5pm on both days.

A total of 87 years divide these two Kerr Stuart Wren 0-4-0STs, No. 3128 and Jennie, which will both appear at the Apedale Valley Light Railway’s May 13-14 gala celebrating the Stoke-on-Trent locomotive builder MRT.

26 Heritagerailway.co.uk

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NEWS

Second retirement celebration for UK’s longest-serving railwayman By Phil Marsh WEST Coast Railways’steam inspector John Daniel has retired for the second time in his railway career after becoming what is thought to be the UK’s longest serving member of railway staff. His first career lasted‘just’51 years and after a break he joinedWest Coast Railways and completed another 11½ years. WCR operations manager AndyTaylor presented John, who is now in his late 70s, with his second retirement certificate in front of around 60 members of traincrew at the Rugby Railway Club. Although nobody counted, it was reckoned that over 2000 years of operational railway experience was at the gathering on March 14. John Daniel’s first career ended after running theVirginWest Coast’s driving school – a far cry from starting out at Bedford engine shed on August 23, 1954 as a cleaner earning 42 shillings a week. But this fabulous career nearly ended on the same day as he walked to the shed, possibly in short trousers he said, to ask for a job to be told there were no vacancies and to come back in a couple of years. Mr Daniel then told the shed foreman that his three uncles, all steam locomotive drivers, would be disappointed that he did not get a job.When the foreman realised the young John Daniel had three relatives working there, he immediately opened a drawer and gave him an application form and the railway career commenced. This spanned 63 years over seven decades, travelling millions of miles on the footplate and driving anything from pickup goods trains between Bedford and

Towcester to 125mph High SpeedTrains to local all stations services on the Midland Main Line. Shortly after being the lad cleaner, he was promoted to a shed labourer’s post paying a massive £5-18s a week, a massive pay rise and a small fortune in those days... and also equalling his father’s post office pay at that time. One of his jobs was to make sure the firebox was fit for use as the engines returned to shed and this entailed getting inside the firebox while it was still hot without wearing any safety equipment as we know it today. Among his duties as a‘bar boy’were to clean the firebox and check for faults using a fare lamp, and he was once shut inside it with a smouldering oily rag for company as a prank from his workmates. After he retired for the first time, he was recruited byWCR and resumed his steam locomotive work and has driven or fired on a wide range of traction over a large geographical area. He passed his steam driving exam on LMS 4-6-0 No. 46100 RoyalScot in 1960 and was reunited with the engine last year. He was the‘Hogwarts Express’driver at King’s Cross on the finalWarner Brothers filming session and said that working with the stars, one in particular who complained about the smoke, was just one aspect of being paid for his hobby for the last 63 years. Many of the lines he drove on have been long closed and classes of locomotive long extinct, while the railway knowledge that he so willingly passed on to colleagues will be hugely missed. He received the very rare ASLEF 50 years of

John Daniel (left) with his retirement certificate, and Andy Taylor and Peter Walker. PHIL MARSH service badge a few months ago – better late than never! At a retirement event, certificates were also presented to Gordon Hodgson who started his railway career at Carlisle Canal shed on December 18, 1956. He was transferred to Carlisle Kingmoor shed on June 23, 1963 after Canal shed closed and carried on firing over the Borders Line until it closed. Over half a century later, he drove LNER Pacific A3 No. 60103 FlyingScotsman on the reopened line. As with John Daniel, Gordon became an instructor driver at Carlisle from 1986 but‘only’managed a career of 60 years! The‘junior’of the three steam drivers to retire managing a career of just half a century, was Alan Rich who started at Leeds Holbeck shed on November 15, 1965 working with steam for just under

two years there. He was transferred to York on May 5, 1975 when Geoff Bird was the shedmaster and when made redundant there on August 16, 1977 (the day Elvis Presley died). He returned to Holbeck. Alan then went for a change of scene by moving to Margate Depot on February 13, 1978 and was later based at Selhurst. He also drove for EWS at Crewe and for GBRF before joiningWest Coast. These three railwaymen represent around 175 years of collective railway experience and they all received a huge vote of thanks from their operations managers and traincrew colleagues.They all said that they had been paid for their hobby for their respective careers and had been fortunate with such luck. West Coast’s Southall diesel fleet manager Allan Brown also retired.

June date set for new Ravenglass & Eskdale museum opening THE Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway’s new museum will open in June following a two-year, Heritage Lottery Fund-backed redevelopment. Built at Ravenglass station, the new trainshed extension will double the previous museum’s footprint. The museum owns more than 6000 objects ranging from 15in gauge locomotives and rolling stock through to uniforms, photographs and historic engineering.The new development will see these artefacts come to life with interactive exhibitions. Exhibits will include a collection of locomotives and rolling stock spanning the line’s opening in 1875 to the present day, including an interactive steam engine exhibit

that visitors can operate themselves.The museum’s project and activities manager David Rounce said:“We’re excited for the public to see everything that we’ve been working on.The museum relies entirely on volunteers and over the last year they have worked extensively to restore the stock, much of which is over 100 years old, to make sure it is in working order and in exhibition condition.’ “As well as attracting tourists from‘La’al Ratty’(as the line is known locally) to the museum, we hope it will become something of a community focal point through a programme of changing, community-led, exhibitions, and a range of curriculum-linked resources for schools are being developed to educate local children.”

Built by miniature railway pioneer Sir Arthur Heywood in 1896 for the Duke of Westminster’s Eaton Hall Railway, 0-4-0T Katie ran on the RER in 1916-19 and has just been restored to working order ready for use and display in the expanded museum. The remains of the locomotive returned to the railway in 1982 after spells at Llewellyn’s Miniature Railway in Southport and the Fairbourne Railway. In 1992, the RER Heritage Group formed with the aim of restoring the locomotive to its original condition. RER

28 Heritagerailway.co.uk

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Volunteers reveal crash damage

Bowes Railway No. 22 (Barclay No. 2274 of 1949) was steamed on March 21 to ensure that it was in good serviceable order having been laid up over winter. The steaming was successful and the engine will be engaged in Springwell yard shunting duties during open weekends for the rest of the summer period. It is hoped that the line will reopen to Wrekenton later in the year offering brakevan rides. Volunteers have been continuing with the restoration of some of the wooden hopper wagon fleet, and recent completed projects include ‘loco coal’ wagon No. 1424, Bowes ‘ordinary’ hoppers Nos. 364 and 511 and Watts-Hardy-built wagon No. 1611. NEVILLE WHALER

Dartmoor Railway slippage leaves HST charter to Paddington with wheelflats By Robin Jones A PIONEERING Class 125 charter from the Dartmoor Railway to London came to grief after slipping on the heritage line’s wet rails and being left with wheel flats. The‘Royal Oke’was advertised as the first direct train from Okehampton to Paddington in 50 years and had been organised by a group of volunteers in the OkeRAIL forum and Okerail CIC. The train arrived empty from Laira depot with the formation comprising Nos. 43194, 41146, 40715, 42579, 42351, 42299, 42301, 44040 and 43188, one of the two modern-day GreatWestern Railway sets completed in the green livery. A total of 500 people had travelled from across theWest Country to join the sell-out special. Just before 8am on Saturday,

March 18, the‘Royal Oke’pulled out of Okehampton bound for Crediton, Exeter and the capital, but within a few minutes, near Bow, the carriage wheels developed track adhesion problems due, it was reported, to the lack of use of the track. It was quickly decided that it could not continue.

Running empty

Areplacementwasfoundintheform oftheHSTsetwhichwasrunning emptyfromLairatoPaigntonandit wassentdirecttoExeterStDavid’s from NewtonAbbot.The9.18amPaignton toPaddingtonservicewasaccordingly, cancelledasaresult. However,thespecialhadbeenadvertised andbookedforkitchenservice whichcouldnotbeprovidedbythe replacementset. During the day, GWR arranged for its other green-liveried set with power cars

Nos. 43041 and 43005 with Laira-based set No. LA16 to work the return service with the full kitchen facilities. Under Secretary of State Paul Maynard welcomed the train which was only half an hour late in arriving at Paddington. He met a delegation of OkeRail members supported by Mel Stride, the MP for Central Devon, who travelled on the train, who are campaigning for more regular services between Okehampton and Exeter. Mr Maynard indicated that he found the argument for the line reopening“compelling”. Mel Stride, who was also on the train, described the accident as a“little blip on a very long road”. Campaigners have also called for the Southern railway main line from Plymouth to Exeter viaTavistock, Okehampton and Crediton to be rebuilt as an alternative to the floodprone Dawlish sea wall.

The Class 125 charter with power car No. 43188 leading and No. 43194 on the rear waits to leave Okehampton on a wet and windy March 18 morning, conditions which proved its downfall. DAVID HUNT

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CHINNOR & Princes Risborough Railway volunteers working on the new platform and installing the line’s new run-round loop at Princes Risborough may have stumbled on evidence of a longforgotten crash. The volunteers have been moving more than 70 tons of detritus accumulated in the 60 years since trains last used the platform on a regular basis.Two sets of points have been delivered and much material recovered for reuse on site such as bricks and coping stones. Repointed brickwork was revealed on the former Watlington branch bay platform. Investigations showed that the repairs, which had been covered up for decades, were directly under that platform’s gentlemen’s toilets. The project team having looked at other evidence have concluded there must have been some sort of incident, possibly a bufferstop collision which necessitated the platform edge repairs. They also found broken bits of toilet fittings including damaged ironwork.They also wondered if anyone was using the facility at the time of the crash…

Catesby Tunnel could become testbed for cars SPEED kings could soon have a Great Central Railway tunnel all to themselves. The disused 2997 yard twin-track CatesbyTunnel between Charwelton and Upper Catesby is set to be transformed into a vehicle testing facility. Daventry District Council is to approve a planning application to use the old tunnel for aero-acoustic tests. If given the go-ahead, an associated technology park will be built on the site of the former Charwelton station. The tunnel will be sealed and could be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for testing vehicles. It is intended to make the facility available to the motor or motor racing industries to rent on a commercial basis. However, because of the visual impact of the technology park, the Charwelton Neighbourhood Forum, local residents, the NorthamptonshireWildlifeTrust and the Northamptonshire Bat Group have registered their objections. The station opened with the rest of the GCR’s London Extension on March 15, 1899. It closed on March 4, 1963, before the line itself on September 5, 1966. Heritagerailway.co.uk 29

NEWS

Racing ahead during festival THE GloucestershireWarwickshire Railway carried around 2800 racegoers during the four days of this year’s Cheltenham Festival. In 1912 the GreatWestern Railway opened a special station to serve the then newly laid-out racecourse at Cheltenham’s Prestbury Park and it ran trains from London and elsewhere for race meetings. That continued until 1976 when the platforms, which were only ever used for race trains, were closed, adding to the traffic chaos in the town The G/WR ran two consecutive steam trains fromToddington, where there is spacious car parking, to Racecourse station, its southern terminus, during the March 14-17 event, dubbed the ‘Olympics’of national hunt racing. In addition to the passengers carried, the railway sold more than 600 bottles of champagne, 1800 pints of Guinness and 500 gin and tonics – significantly more on all counts than the line normally expects to sell over the whole of the year. The trains were run in co-operation with Classic Hospitality which organises sales of train and race day tickets.

Two historic Manx Electric buildings knocked down THE Isle of Man government has defended its action in demolishing two historic Manx Electric Railway buildings to the anger of enthusiasts. The Manx Electric Railway Society said that the demolition of the old tram depot and goods shed next to the line’s terminus in Ramsey was“vandalism.” A group spokesman said:“This ruthless action has destroyed the last significant original MER building in Ramsey and has been done without any public debate.” The 1903-built goods shed was previously the MER museum and was said to have an assured future as a youth centre. A Department of Infrastructure statement said the buildings were “beyond economic repair”and at the“end of their operational lives”, as well as being on unstable ground. Meanwhile, three lineside structures on the Isle of Man Railway have been listed because of architectural and historical significance.The crossing gatehouse and stone-built water tower at Ballasalla station, and gatekeeper’s hut at Four Roads, Port St Mary have been added to the protected buildings register following submission by the IoM Steam Railway Supporters’Association.

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Broadway share issue: less than £34K to go! By Robin Jones

THE Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s £1.25 million share offer to fund its extension to the tourist honeypot of Broadway now needs less than £34,000 to reach its target. As we closed for press, the subscriptions to the share offer, launched last year by Pete Waterman stood at £1,216,000. Under the terms of the structure of the offer, it has to close on April 30 – meaning there’s less than a month to reach the target. However, there is still significant expense that lies within the last quarter mile before Broadway station is reached, as the short but high embankment between Childswickham Road and Station Road in Broadway, is in an

unstable condition. The amount of slag ash that has, in the past, been used to repair it suggests that it has been moving for some time, similar to the previous landslips at Gotherington and Winchcombe which closed parts of the heritage line. The embankment will need an estimated £400,000 spending on it to remove inappropriate materials and use modern geo-technical solutions to stabilise the structure including‘soil nails’-treaded devices that‘screw’into the land beneath the embankment and hold and stabilise the structure. Work on this project-within-a-project will begin in April, using contractors. Meanwhile the elevations of the new Broadway station building are nearing completion and will soon be ready for the roof steelwork, which is being

manufactured by the line’s locomotive department using Victorian technology including a pressure riveter built to a mid-19th century patent. The finished roof will be as close as possible in design and appearance to the original. On the extension itself, track already laid and welded will be stressed over coming weeks and it is hoped that it will be ready and passed to allow trains to reach Little Buckland for the first time: the present operational extent is Laverton. Sleeper and rail laying has reached Bridge 4 at Peasebrook Farm and will continue towards Childswickham where, thanks to the embankment issue, it will stop for the time being. ➜To buy shares, visit www.gwsr. com/supporting_the_railway/shares/ broadway

Learn more about railway photography at Chinnor THE Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway has launched a series of oneday photographic training courses. The sessions will take at Chinnor station, signalbox and yard, and inside the largest GWR signalbox, the listed 100 lever Princes Risborough North signalbox. The courses are divided into three themes: railways and wildlife, railways and steam, and Flying Scotsman at Princes Risborough. The Chinnor-based courses comprise of two theory sessions explaining camera features and photographic techniques with a practical session in between. Depending on the course selected, participants will have access to GWR 0-6-0PT No. 6412 on hire from the South Devon Railway for 2017 or on the wildlife themed days, have a onehour ride in a Class 121‘bubblecar’ along the line with a qualified guide seeking out wildlife and stopping as required along the line. Red Kites are common while deer and badgers can be seen on some occasions alongside the line. Both types of sessions include lunch and a photographic walk around the normally out-of-bounds areas at Chinnor.This includes walking as far as the buffer stops at theWatlington end of the line and a visit to the new Railway Educational Centre which is now being fitted out. The railways and steam sessions take place on April 22 and May 6 while on May 27, the railway and wildlife photographic day takes place. Only eight places are available each day which cost £95 each.

Participants on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway’s photographic course on February 25. PHIL MARSH The third version of the photography course is a half-day session inside the Princes Risborough North signalbox. These will coincide with, and provide a grandstand view of LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 FlyingScotsman heading north through Princes Risborough on four Steam Dreams’charters. There are just five places per session which take place between10.30am and 2pm and 5pm to 8.30pm on June 6 and June 9 at a cost £49.95 which includes light refreshments.These will also offer a grandstand view of the Chiltern main line’s locomotive-hauled services, freights and the Aylesbury branch. Each participant will have their own window to shoot from with unimpeded views. The FlyingScotsman sessions will start with an hour of technical tips on how to take photographs of trains passing at speed followed by an hour

practising from the signalbox with the intention of being able to grab that fantastic one-off shot of No. 60103 as it heads north.This signalbox is a unique railway location not normally open to visitors.. The courses are being led by Heritage Railway and Railway Magazine correspondent Phil Marsh on behalf of the CPRR who has over half a century of railway photographic experiences and over a decade of railway journalism to draw on, and all sessions will include an insight as to how to improve your chances of seeing your images in print. All profits from these courses will help fund the Princes Risborough platform restoration and extension project on the preserved railway. Full details are on www.chinnorrailway. co.uk and www.ukrailpix.co.uk or by email at: [email protected]

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Bulleid Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental SN Co. draws empty stock through the new platform at Cheltenham Racecourse while returning it to Toddington for servicing. JACK BOSKETT

Four guests for big Cotswold festival MORE guest locomotives for the GloucestershireWarwickshire Railway’s big Cotswold Festival of Steam have been announced. The May 27-29 event will have Workhorses of Steam as it theme. As reported last issue, representing perhaps the best known and most successful of the mixed-traffic types will be Stanier‘Black Five’No. 45305 from the Great Central Railway. It will be joined by GregWilson’s USATC S160 2-8-0 No. 6046 from the Churnet Valley Railway, representing a type that worked over the Stratford-upon-Avon to Cheltenham line during the Second WorldWar. The S160s were an austerity design constructed in their thousands by US locomotive builders designed for heavy freight work in Europe during the war. One example, No. 2403, was involved in a tragedy at Honeybourne, when the firebox collapsed as it was heading a freight working from Banbury to Margam, due to a lack of water in the boiler despite the gauge glass reading half full.The fireman was severely scalded but managed to get to Honeybourne East signalbox to protect his train, before being transferred to hospital where he died. The G/WR has been previously visited by another S160, No. 3278 Franklin D Roosevelt, back in the Nineties. Mike Little will be bringing his GWR 0-4-2T No. 1450 with auto trailer No.W238, which featured in the recent

Away from the high-profile Broadway extension, and other G/WR project is now taking shape, in the form of a new visitor centre at Winchcombe, funded by a bequest from a GWSR volunteer as well as money from the Aviva Community Awards. IAN CROWDER SevernValley Railway spring steam gala, representing the archetypal Great Western branch line‘workhorse’and a class that ran local train services between Cheltenham and Honeybourne until 1960. It will be a happy homecoming for No.W238, which ran on the line in the steam era, as pictured in Heritage Railway issue 225, page 32. The auto train will make a single round trip of the entire line each day. No. 1450, which in the heritage era was for many years based on the G/WR, will be working a shuttle service with its auto-trailer fromToddington, over the viaduct towards Broadway, at least as far as Laverton and maybe to Little Buckland on the new northern extension.

A fourth visitor was to be confirmed as we closed for press. They will run alongside the home fleet of GWR 2-8-0 No. 2807, GWR 2-8-0T No. 4270, Bulleid Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental SN Co., WR 4-6-0 No. 7903 Foremarke Hall and WR 4-6-0 No. 7820 Dinmore Manor. After the gala, the auto train will be staying on to take part in the official reopening of Hayles Abbey Halt, which has been pencilled in for June. Hayles Abbey was opened in 1928 to coincide with the opening of the nearby Cistercian Abbey to the public. The platform closed in 1960 along with other stations between Honeybourne and Cheltenham.

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IN BRIEF ➜ THE Hull & Barnsley Railway Stock Fund’s Ashbury brake third coach No.1 was lifted into a new site at Elsecar Heritage Railway to continue its restoration. The 1885-built coach, which later saw Neath & Brecon Railway service, had sat at the back of the Elsecar yard and most visitors did not realise its importance, but it now has a more prominent new home next to the Elsecar platform. ➜ AC Cars railbus No. W79978 has been transferred from private ownership to a new trust in the name of the Colne Valley Railway Preservation Society as part of a larger transfer of railway assets to charitable ownership. The new owners hope that the railbus to remain on the railway and are looking to create a restoration plan that will see it return to service in due course. ➜ THE Midland Railway-Butterley has changed the displays in its Swanwick Junction museum so that the previously stored BR Standard 5MT No. 73129 and Somerset & Dorset Joint Railwayliveried LMS‘Jinty’3F No. 47327 can be displayed. Also, vintage carriages in the museum have been moved around to give a different view of them. ➜ THE NYMR-based BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80136 to be the star guest at the Great Central Railway’s Goods Galore gala on May 6-7. Heritagerailway.co.uk 31

NEWS

Above: LMS 8F 2-8-0 No. 48624 departs from Berwyn station and approaches the tunnel during a snow shower on March 5. RICHARD WARREN Right: LMS 8F 2-8-0 No. 48624 passes Garthydwr in a rare flash of sunshine on March 4. KEVIN WHITEHURST Left: LMS Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0 No. 43106 stands at Llangollen station with the beer train to Glyndyfrdwy on the evening of March 4. RICHARD WARREN

Llangollen remembers last through trains to Birkenhead By Robin Jones MIXED weather greeted the Llangollen Railway’s‘Along Birkenhead Lines’gala held over March 3-5. A last gasp of winter saw a combination of sunshine, showers, rain and even snow being experienced in almost equal measure. However, the three visiting locomotives, LMS Stanier 8F 2-8-0 No. 48624, GWR No. 6960 Raveningham Hall and LMS 4MT 2-6-0 No. 43106 performed faultlessly, alongside the home fleet of GWR 2-6-2T No. 5199, BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80072, LMS ‘Black Five’No. 45337 and WR 4-6-0 No. 7822 Foxcote Manor. The weekend marked the 50th anniversaries of both the last steamhauled‘Cambrian Coast Express’ and the last through working from

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Paddington to Birkenhead (Woodside). Engineer Graham Elwood and his team worked tirelessly to return under-overhaul‘Black Five’4-6-0 No. 45337 back to traffic during the event. Despite them working late into the night for the week preceding the event, No. 45337 was not able to take up its allocated duties on the Friday, for which resident GWR large prairie No.5199 was substituted, but it did undertake light engine moves between Llangollen yard and Pentrefelin on the Friday afternoon. Masquerading as scrapped classmates No. 45292 and then No. 44680, the‘Black Five’was in operation for the Saturday and Sunday of the gala as planned. The guided tours operated around the new Corwen station site proved

to be extremely popular. An illustrated talk by John Hobbs on the Saturday evening raised over £200 towards the restoration of the Llangollen Railway Trust’s GWR pannier No. 7754. Berwyn Station volunteer Peter Dickinson, who was part of the gala organising team, said:“It is fair to say that the weather was not kind to us. In spite of this, the gala achieved our stated ambition to re-create the essence of the Woodside to Paddington route, which transpired to be in pretty much all the seasons too! “The authenticity of the re-creations was also commented upon as was the display of posters and artefacts in the Henry Robertson suite. We were able to put some artefacts of the original Birkenhead Woodside station back

on public display for the first time in over 50 years, including the BR(M) enamel running-in board from the signalbox and some of the surviving BR Departures posters from the 1960s. “We strive for accuracy and passion in all that we do and this was reflected throughout the‘Along Birkenhead Lines’event, from the reproduction Edmondson railtour tickets, the cameos, artefacts on display, right the way through to the locomotives and rolling stock used.” Despite the poor weather at times, around 2500 passengers rode on the trains. Despite the extensive timetable, staff achieved 85-90% of the schedule. Severn Valley Railway-based No. 43106 was the last BR steam locomotive to travel between Chester and Shrewsbury, on August 1, 1968.

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GWR 4-6-0 No. 6960 Raveningham Hall approaches Corwen with the re-creation of the Ian Allen ‘Zulu’ Paddington-Birkenhead railtour exactly 50 years to the day since the original tour ran. RICHARD WARREN Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

Heritagerailway.co.uk 33

NEWS

Railway museum rescue mission remains in doubt EXCLUSIVE

By Geoff Courtney THE future of one of the world’s top railway museums that dramatically ceased operating nearly five months ago remains shrouded in doubt, despite the determination of enthusiasts to prevent its permanent closure and to resume operations. Based in the Australian capital Canberra, the museum, whose flagship locomotive is a giant Garratt built by Beyer Peacock in Manchester in 1953, was run by a division of the Australian Railway Historical Society (ARHS ACT) in tandem with the Canberra Railway MuseumTrust. Following the museum’s shock closure in November, the ARHS ACT was placed

in provisional liquidation and the trust into receivership, and Ezio Senatore of accountancy firm Deloitte was appointed by order of the Australian CapitalTerritory Supreme Court to oversee affairs. Stunned railway enthusiasts soon rallied to the cause, and a number of society members formed the Friends of the Canberra Railway Museum in a bid to ensure the museum and its assets were not sold off or dispersed.

Friends’ submissions

In early February the friends group said that representatives had held meetings with the Australian CapitalTerritory government and Deloitte, and had subsequently made several submissions. It also revealed that the government was considering plans to relocate

Canberra station, a project which would have implications for the museum as it is located on the station site. Within days of the update, Deloitte’s Ezio Senatore sent out a message of his own to members of the society and trust in which he made it clear that the future of these two organisations rested in his hands and his alone. He wrote:“I am aware of various meetings and workshops being conducted by certain groups of the membership. “While I encourage members to remain active and interested, I would like members to understand that I have not convened these meetings nor do they have any impact on the future of the group (the society and the trust). The future of the group is a decision I

will make based on available financial information and whether the group can operate in a financially viable way.” Mr Senatore said he had received a number of views and submissions on how the society and trust should be structured and operate, but added: “Ultimately the decision will be mine.” In March, Samuel Pearson of Deloitte – one of the world’s biggest accountancy firms that employs nearly 250,000 people and in 2016 reported revenues of £30 billion – provided an update on two locomotives formerly based at the museum, Nos. 6029 and 3016. These two engines, ARHS ACT assets, were removed from the museum shortly after its closure in November, and are now 150 miles away atTrainworks Railway Museum inThirlmere, south-west of Sydney. No. 6029 is a 1953-built BeyerGarratt 4-8-4+4-8-4, the world’s largest operational steam locomotive, while 4-6-0 No. 3016 is also a Beyer Peacock product, having been built in Manchester in 1903. Mr Pearson told society and trust members an agreement had been reached withTransport Heritage New SouthWales, a division of the state government which runsTrainworks, for the continued operation and maintenance of the pair, a deal which an Australian preservation source told Heritage Railway may ring alarm bells among some enthusiasts as the two are assets of the society.

Incredibly proud

Level crossing: UK-built Garratt No. 6029 crosses Cooks River in south-west Sydney with the ‘Thirlmere Flyer’ as part of the Thirlmere Festival of Steam on March 5, 2016. The 254-ton 4-8-4+4-8-4, the world’s largest operational steam locomotive, was at the time based at Canberra Railway Museum, but following the museum’s shock closure in November, it is now based at Thirlmere, home to Trainworks Railway Museum. MICHAEL KEMP

“Members feel very proprietorial about the Garratt in particular, of which they are understandably incredibly proud, especially since its return in 2015 from major restoration,” he said.“The thought that it may be operated byTransport Heritage NSW is something many may not feel comfortable about.” Indeed, Mr Pearson may have been aware that some may feel this way, as he ended his update by saying the agreement withTransport Heritage NSW in no way changed or prevented any future efforts to reinstate Canberra Railway Museum and its operations.

First railway line through the Great Glen to be recreated – in OO scale! MODEL railway enthusiasts, volunteers and engineers are being invited to take part in an ambitious plan to lay a OO gauge track along 74 miles of Scotland’s Great Glen from Fort William to Inverness, for a Channel 4 TV show. Love Productions, the programme makers, hopes the“slightly bonkers”

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undertaking will be as popular as its Great British Bake Off and have given it the working title of The Biggest Little Railway in the World. Construction is planned to take place over two weeks over the summer. Project producer Charlotte Armstrong said the new show would celebrate British enthusiasm

for model railways and would also celebrate a Victorian era idea to build a full-scale, working railway through the Great Glen. She said: “It’s massively ambitious.” The idea is not new. On August 24, 2009, and OO scale Bulleid West Country light Pacific chugged its way from Barnstaple to Bideford with a rake of three Pullman cars

forming a modern-day‘Atlantic Coast Express’– cheered on by thousands of well-wishers. The engine in question was No 34045 Ottery St Mary, and the 10 miles of track were provided by Hornby. The stunt was organised by former Top Gear presenter James May for his BBC2 Toy Stories series.

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First open days for Invergarry station on NBR Fort Augustus branch announced By Hugh Dougherty THE Invergarry Station Project, the volunteer body behind the restoration of Invergarry station on the North British Railway’s Invergarry & Fort Augustus Railway, is to open the partially-restored site to visitors on the first Sunday of each month from May to September. On operating days, the trust will operate its 1947-built Ruston 0-4-0 diesel shunter, which ran for the first time on site on December 28, last year. Trackwork progress has, however, been held back after a supplier failed to deliver materials for a turnout which were ordered last July 2016. After many approaches by the society secretary, the track supply company, which is not being named at this stage by the trust as legal action is ongoing, finally delivered some timbers and sleepers only in November. “The problem is that we missed out on match funding to buy a second turnout,” said Christopher Ellice, chairman of the board of trustees.“We were also out of pocket to the tune of £14,000, although our secretary has now been able to recoup £7800 of that and action is ongoing.” Despite this setback, the trust is shortly

Invergarry station, one of the heritage sector’s furthest-flung outposts. HUGH DOUGHERTY to apply for planning permission to erect a 140ft long carriage shed with a siding and road approach which will allow rolling stock to be delivered to the railway, while two Caledonian Railway pig iron wagons have arrived on site, one for restoration to working order, and the other for display. The foundations for the signal cabin will be poured during the spring which will allow a girder to be fitted to take a restored lever frame which came fromTyndrum.The trust is also holding an exhibition of documents and

photographs recalling the visit of King Edward VII to Invergarry station in 1903. Christopher said:“We are very keen to extend a warm welcome to enthusiasts and visitors and we aim to make the most of our location right beside the Great Glen Way and amid outstanding scenery. We are certain that anyone calling will be impressed by all we have achieved to bring this long-abandoned station site and its railway heritage back to life.” Full details of operating days will be posted at www.invergarrystation.og.uk

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Gwili looks at new northern push EVEN before its southern extension is completed, the Gwilii Railway has launched a £1 million appeal to fund a northern push. The money is needed for rebuilding the bridges and clearing the trackbed from the current terminus of Danycoed Halt to Llanpumsaint, the next village, adding another five miles to the journey. At present, the line, which is based at Bronwydd Arms, is just 2½ miles long, but the southern extension will extend that to four miles. A spokesman said:“The Gwili Railway has the potential to be the number one tourist attraction in Carmarthenshire. The vision for the future is to provide entertainment for its customers combining this with a ride on a heritage steam train.” The cost of overhauling seven derelict bridges over the line has so far been a prohibitive factor in any northern extension. The railway has been laid on part of the Aberystwyth-Carmarthen cross-country route, which lost its passengers in 1965. Llanpumsaint station was demolished following closure of the line by BR, but the trackbed remains intact. ➜ A crowdfunding page to fund the appeal has been set up at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ gwili-railway

Heritagerailway.co.uk 35

NEWS

Swanage marks 50 years since last BR steam train By Robin Jones

IN A year in which the heritage sector is commemorating 50 years since the end of steam on the Southern Region,

the Swanage Railway has its own half centenary to mark. While steam on the Southern ended on July 9, 1967, as highlighted in our free booklet with this issue – the final steam

working to the Purbeck resort ran on Sunday, June 18, that year. The train was a 12-coach Railway Correspondence &Travel Society special from London to Swanage, hauled by

rebuilt Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34089 602 Squadron, which in September 1966 was featured on BBC News as the last steam locomotive to be overhauled at EastleighWorks, with BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80146 on the rear for the run down the branch. With 602 Squadron standing at Swanage station’s stopblocks opposite the Railway Hotel, the train – run in aid of the Southern Railwaymen’s Home for Children atWoking – was so long that No. 80146 was well off the platform and under the Northbrook Road bridge. Altogether, six steam locomotives

Above: A ticket for the RCTS Waterloo to Swanage and back ‘Farewell to Southern Steam’ railtour on June 18, 1967. FRANK PRICE COLLECTION Left: Spot the difference? BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80146 at Swanage on Sunday, June 18, 1967. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

Severn Valley to hold 30th anniversary diesel mega gala By Paul Appleton

THE SevernValley Railway is marking the occasion of the 30th anniversary since it ran its first diesel gala with a spectacular three-day event fromThursday, May 18 to Saturday, May 20, featuring up to 15 visiting locomotives alongside members of the railway’s extensive resident fleet. The event will have two other themes, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the last Class 52s to operate on British Railways, and the 25th anniversary since the first Class 50s worked on the SVR. Headlining this year’s list of guest locomotives are Deltic No. 55022 Royal ScotsGrey, courtesy of MartinWalker, two Class 47s, No. 47192 owned by the Crewe HeritageTrust, and No. 47828 from the Dartmoor Railway, two Class 45 ‘Peaks’, No. 45041 RoyalTankRegiment owned by Peak Locomotive Co. Ltd, and No. 45060 SherwoodForester owned by the Diesel Pioneer Group, two Class 33‘Cromptons’, No. 33035 from the Pioneer Diesel Group, and No. 33108 courtesy of the Class33/1 Preservation Company, Class 31 No. 31271 from A1A Locomotives Ltd, the DieselTraction Group’s unique surviving Clayton‘centre cab’Class 17 D8568, and two Class 20s,

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both owned by Michael Owen, Nos. 20189 & 20205. As well as a trio of resident class 50s in operation – Nos. 50031 Hood, No. 50035 ArkRoyal and No. 50049 Defiance, all owned by the Class 50 Alliance – there will be an additional 50 in the guise of Garcia Hanson’s No. 50008 Thunderer.To support theWestern Class 52 anniversary theme, D1015 WesternChampion and D1062 WesternCourierwill be in action, the latter sporting BR blue livery for the first time in preservation, having been repainted into maroon livery at Swindon before hauling its first preservation era trains at what was then known as the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway, in 1977. GBRf is also sending one of its modern class 66 diesel electrics to the event, along with one of its refurbished class 73 electro-diesels, and DB Cargo UK has agreed to send along one of its locomotives, but which one has yet to be decided. Other members of the home fleet will include Class 14 0-6-0DH No. 9551, which will be making its gala debut following overhaul at Bridgnorth by its owning group, the SVR Class 14 Company Ltd. It is set to appear in a striking ochre livery, similar to that

carried by some Westerns, although no Class 14 ever carried it. Finally, any of D2961, D3586, D4100 and No. 12099 are scheduled to make appearances during the three-day event. The planned appearance of the National Railway Museum’s class 37 D6700 has had to be cancelled due to ongoing maintenance work, while resident class 20s D8059 and D8188 will be away from the SVR during the gala. Kidderminster’s award-winning new diesel depot will be open for public visits during the gala and at Highley there will be brake van rides available behind Ruston 0-4-0DM D2961, normally the Bridgnorth boiler shop shunter. One highlight will be the appearance of the two‘Peak’class locomotives together in preservation for the very first time.The railway has also hired in a set of BR Mk.2 air-conditioned coaches to run with the air brake-only locomotives. In the week up to and after the gala, there will be the chance to take part in driver experience sessions using D8568, No. 33035, No. 45060 and No. 55022 Royal Scots Grey, each with a full rake of coaches. Available on May 8, 10, 11, 15, 16, 22, 23 and 24, places must be booked in advance

and cost £350 per place, with up to six guests travelling free of charge on the cushions. A 30Years of Diesels on the SVR commemorative DVD is also being made available for the gala weekend, and costs just £5. Sunday, May 21 is billed as a mixed traction day and will feature steam, as well as diesel haulage, with the diesel depot also open and diesel taster footplate experiences on offer using Class 50 and 52 locomotives. For more information visit www.svr.co.uk In November 2016 the SVR’s diesel groups and the SevernValley Railway CharitableTrust Ltd launched a fundraising campaign to improve facilities, ring fenced for diesel projects only.These include a purpose-built workshop for restoring and maintaining component parts, and an amenity block for overnight accommodation, toilet and washing facilities. Fundraising for the project will continue during the gala. The next big SVR event will be the annual Step Back to the 1940s weekends, on June 24-25 and July 1-2, with period actors, including representations of Sir Winston Churchill and King GeorgeVI and battle re-enactments at the Engine HouseVisitor Centre at Highley.

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Above: The guide for the ‘Farewell to Southern Steam’ railtour 50 years ago. FRANK PRICE COLLECTION Right: BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80104 as No. 80146 in the same spot by Northbrook Road bridge at Swanage on Sunday, March 12, 2017. ANDREW PM WRIGHT were used on the 12 hour railtour from Waterloo via Clapham Junction, East Putney, Surbiton, Effingham Junction, Guildford, , Havant, Fareham, Netley, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst, Bournemouth andWareham. On board that train was Swanage Railway member Frank Price of Lymington in Hampshire who, in June, 1967, was a 19-year-old student studying physics at Newcastle University. The retired civil servant, who earlier had travelling behind a Deltic from Newcastle to London to catch the historic special, said:“I have fond memories of the tour as, apart from being the last steam working to Swanage, it was the last society rail tour on the Southern Region – six different locomotives and 350 miles of steam.

A grand day out while visiting the Swanage branch was a bonus. “It was a glorious summer day and I do remember the crowds swarming over the tracks at Swanage to take photographs. I travelled in the middle of the train in a blue-and-grey Mk.1 coach.” Steam had been withdrawn from Swanage branch trains in September, 1966, to be replaced by a Hampshire DEMU set. The special train leftWareham at 2.05pm, passing through Corfe Castle at 2.17pm and arriving in Swanage at 2.26pm.Swanage’s Victorian signalbox had closed almost two weeks before after a working life of 82 years, with the five-mile line from Corfe Castle to Swanage operated as a‘long siding’ After a 15 minute stop, the train

steamed out of Swanage at 2.41pm, running through Corfe Castle at 2.50pm and rejoining the main line atWorgret Junction just before 3pm. Returning toWareham, the special continued toWeymouth before returning to London via Bournemouth Central, Eastleigh, Romsey, Salisbury and Basingstoke. The train left lineside fires on embankments at Herston and Corfe Castle – believed to be the last lineside fires to be started by BR steam locomotives in the south. For the duration of the 2017 season, Swanage-based BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80104 has been renumber 80146 in honour of its scrapped sister which worked on that special. After we closed for press, from March

31 – April 2, the Purbeck line marked the 50th anniversary of the end of Southern Region steam with a three-day‘Strictly Bulleid’steam gala for which four visitors were booked. Rostered were Severn Valley Railwaybased Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No. 34053 Sir Keith Park, returning to Swanage for the first time since the summer of 1964 when it hauled a train to Waterloo, sister No. 34081 92 Squadron, West Country light Pacifics No. 34046 Braunton (as No. 34052 Lord Dowding) and No. 34092 City of Wells and home-based Battle of Britain No. 34070 Manston, with underrestoration Nos.34010 Sidmouth and 34072 257 Squadron on display. ➜ Pictures of the gala can be seen on our market-leading www.facebook/ heritagerailway page.

IN BRIEF

The latest addition to the Royal Victoria Railway fleet. DON BENN

Peter the Private makes public debut ON Saturday, March 4, the culmination of over 10 years of work resulted in the steaming of the Royal Victoria Railway’s new 2-6-0 No. 5 Peter the Private for the first time. Based on No. 4 Isambard Kingdom Brunel, this 10¼in gauge coal-fired locomotive has been built in the railway’s workshop by long-standing volunteer Peter Bowers. No. 4 was built by the late David Curwen, hence the

worksplate reads Curwen Bowers. David gave the project his blessing while he was still alive. The boiler came fromTom Rose of Christies and was originally intended for aThames riverboat. The mile-long Royal Victoria Railway runs every weekend and every day in school holidays through Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley, Hampshire with views of Southampton Water.

➜ AN exhibition about the history of Osaka’s train companies and the central role they played in building Japan’s global gateway city and creating the country’s world class rail system is running at the Locomotion museum in Shildon until April 27. Following the introduction of Robert Stephenson and Co’s Newcastle-built locomotive No. 2 to the Osaka-Kobe railway in 1874, Osaka saw a flowering of home-grown pioneering urban railway companies. ➜ THE gradual reduction in the rolling stock located at the cramped Colne Valley Railway site has continued with the removal of Class 47 No. 47771, owned by the Class 47 Restoration Trust, which has left the railway for a new home in Hampshire. ➜ SIXTEEN Middleton Railway volunteers were awarded long service lapel badges at a recent volunteers forum. These badges carry a new insignia depicting Salamanca, the first steam locomotive to work on the railway in 1812. ➜ WRITERS from all over Britain will

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gather at Fimber Halt on Sunday, April 30, for the climax of the Yorkshire Wolds Railway and Fantastic Books Publishing Short Story Competition and the launch of a unique anthology: Dreaming of Steam. The final competition judge, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, president of the Heritage Railway Association, and the mayor of Driffield, Coun Mark Blakes, will present the key prizes. One story will win the Julia Bradbury Spirit of the Wolds prize. ➜ A MINIATURE railway in the heart of a busy Burnley park is set to expand thanks to a £1000 grant. The Thompson Park Railway will see a third station built and its track extended, thanks to supermarket giant Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme, which sees funds from the 5p plastic bag levy used to fund community projects. ➜ THE Deltic Preservation Society’s No. 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier and the Somerset & Dorset Locomotive Company’s Class 20 D8188 are to visit the Spa Valley Railway. A Deltic running weekend will take place over August 19-20. Heritagerailway.co.uk 37

NEWS

A fleeting moment of sun catches No. 46512 powering away from Boat of Garten station between rain showers on March 5, during a photo charter which perfectly recreated scenes from the 1950s.

Ivatt in the Highlands

By Karl Heath

OVER the two days of March 4/5, an In Search of Steam photo charter was organised by Jonathon Gourlay and Andrew N Fowler on the Strathspey

Railway, with resident LMS Ivatt 2MT mogul No. 46512 hauling a train of three carmine and cream Mk.1 coaches. The weather co-operated on the second day resulting in some classic early spring Highland scenes being recorded

by the lucky band of photographers who had made the long journey to Aviemore. Every effort was made to make the event one to remember and the organiser even hand-made the station signs for the night shoot.

The mogul canters through Croftnahaven bound for Broomhill on March 5.

38 Heritagerailway.co.uk

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With storm clouds approaching, No. 46512 glints on the approach to Fisherman’s crossing with the photo charter on March 5.

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Heritagerailway.co.uk 39

NEWS IN BRIEF ➜ THE North Norfolk Railway successfully operated its Class 101 two-car DMU DMBS No. 51192/DT No. 56062 during the February half-term holiday week, DT No. 56062 seeing use for the first time in several years following exterior repairs and internal re-upholstering. Work has since been completed on the bodywork attention to, and repaint of DT No. 6362, hence it will be recoupled to DMBS No. 51192 to reform the National Railway Museum’s two-car set as a prelude to its use during the NNR’s 2017 operating season. ➜ THE Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway opened its new season on April 1 by charging just 70p (14 shillings old money) for a return trip, to mark the 54th season of the line’s operation by volunteers – one more than it was run commercially by the line’s three previous owners the Cambrian Railway, GWR and British Railways. It was calculated that today’s usual return fare of £13.50 would have been equivalent to 14 shillings in 1963, the year that the line reopened as a heritage railway. ➜ THE Bluebell Railway’s carriage shop has donated £1500 to the line’s Sheffield Park museum to fund the acquisition of an original cast-iron 1865 LBSCR which is now on display. It would have been attached to a bridge or some other structure during the building of part of the railway. ➜ THE future of the Rail Operation Group’s Class 47/8 No. 47847 is uncertain following a bogie exchange undertaken at Loram where it donated its bogies to sister No. 47848. The exchange took place in early March and the duo were returned to ROG’s Leicester base on March 14. ➜ THE East Kent Railway has been able to release its Class 108 DMU set (Nos. 51562/51922), loaned from the National Railway Museum, and it is being returned to York where it will be on display.

Lottery backs Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland trainees with £464K By Robin Jones

THE Ffestiniog &Welsh Highland Railways has scooped a £464,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant for its HeritageTrainees project. Twenty people will be offered year-long traineeships to develop their heritage skills, while maintaining the line and its rolling stock, gain a greater understanding of the broader heritage scene and act as messengers for heritage within communities not normally associated with strong heritage links. The programme is expected to begin in the spring of 2018 and the first 10 trainees to be in post by the autumn. The lottery is investing £10.1 million in 18 projects across the UK to help train a new and more diverse generation of heritage craftspeople, digital specialists and entrepreneurs. FR&WHR director and general manager Paul Lewin said:“Our railway thrives because of the tremendous range of skills that our team has built up over many decades.We are very pleased that we have the opportunity to share those skills with others for the benefit of the wider heritage sector inWales.“ HLF chairman Sir Peter Luff said: “The heritage sector has been slow in widening the profile of its workforce and as a consequence is on a long-term learning curve. “The Skills for the Future programme can drive successful and lasting change. It’s simple yet highly effective: trainees paired with experts gain access to knowledge plus practical, paid, on-thejob experience. “It will address specific skills shortages to ensure our buildings, landscapes, species, industrial heritage and museum and archive collections are sustained for the future, as well as developing

Baldwin Lyn set for May firing-up AS REPORTED in Heritage Railway 226, the debut of replica Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Baldwin 2-4-2T Lyn has been delayed. The 762 Club, the group formed to create a new build of the original 1898 locomotive for the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, said that a fire will be lit in its boiler for the first time in May. It has previously been hoped that it would have attended the L&B’s May 13-14 spring gala, but technical issues have caused delays. Once tests have been successfully concluded, then there will be a

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members’day to celebrate the completion of Lyn, which will then be partially stripped and painted with its distinctive lining and lettering added. The new Lyn will be taken by low loader to Woody Bay in late summer for running in trials and its public launch at the L&B’s autumn gala from September 30-October 1. Additional funds are still needed. If you are willing to help, yopu can email Peter Best at peterbest@ spslimited.co.uk or telephone 07703 200442.

Heritage trainees working on visiting quarry Hunslet 0-4-0ST Hugh Napier. FR&WHR important public engagement skills. Heritage MinisterTracey Crouch said: “Investing in new heritage talent will ensure we build a more sustainable sector, protect our treasured history and continue to attract visitors from across the globe.”

Must-see destinations

“I’m delighted to see money raised by National Lottery players being used to train and develop people’s skills and deliver on our promise in the Culture White Paper.” Furthermore, theWelsh Highland Railway is set to benefit from EU funds totalling £2.5 million which have been agreed for the CaernarfonTown and Waterfront Regeneration initiative. The development is part of theWelsh Government’s wider EU-funded‘tourism attractor destination’programme, led by VisitWales, which aims to create 11 mustsee destinations across the country. As part of the Gwynedd County

Council-led project, theWelsh Highland Railway’s terminus in the town is to be transformed. Work will also be undertaken to ensure links between three sites within the town, allowing visitors to travel“with ease”to and from the castle, railway terminus and island site next to the castle. Paul Lewin said:“TheWelsh Highland Railway development has brought significant benefits and a sustained increase in visitor numbers to Caernarfon over the last 15 years. “We are very pleased indeed that we can finally create a station facility in the town that matches the quality of our trains and landscape through which we they travel.” Welsh Government Economy Secretary Ken Skates said:“I’m delighted to announce that this funding has been made available to enable Caernarfon to become the iconic destination it deserves to be while drawing on its rich heritage and cultural assets.”

Manchester museum’s call for more volunteer guards THE Museum of Science & Industry has appealed for volunteers to become train guards. Located on the historic site of the world’s oldest surviving passenger railway station, the eastern terminus of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, the museum runs the‘1830 Express’ over its standard gauge demonstration line on selected weekends and weekdays during school holidays. Duties undertaken by volunteer guards on the line include attending the museum for shifts at the specified

times agreed on the roster, assisting the driver in ensuring that the train is operated in a safe and proper manner at all times, undertaking fitness-torun checks on rolling stock, track and infrastructure, and clamping points prior to commencement of public operations, checking passenger receipts and exchanging for souvenir tickets plus ensuring passengers do not lean out of carriages or behave in an unsafe manner. Any would-be volunteers are invited to telephone 0161 606 0108.

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BR Standard 4MT 2-6-0 No. 76084 climbs towards Heywood past Heap Bridge on the East Lancashire Railway on March 12. PHIL JONES

P2 will be wheeled in 2017 despite axles setback – trust By Robin Jones

THE £5 million project to build the seventh Gresley P2 2-8-2 continues to make rapid progress at Darlington LocomotiveWorks, despite a setback with the axles. On extracting the plain coupled axles from the packing crates in which they were transported from South Africa, they were inspected by Unilathe at Stoke-onTrent, and found to have the keyways machined incorrectly. As a result they are being returned to the supplier which is providing replacement axles, but this will delay the eagerly-awaited wheeling of the locomotive for at least three months.

Crank axle assembly

Meanwhile, the assembly of the crank axle has started at South Devon Railway Engineering, and the finished pony truck and Cartazzi axles were on their way to Darlington. Unilathe has also finished most of the crank pins. Elsewhere, further work has been undertaken to permanently attach the running plates. The footplating under the cab has been removed to allow its underside, the dragbox and the inside of the frames to be finish painted in black.The footplate is

now permanently bolted down. Steel profiles and bar have been procured and manufacture is under way for the Cartazzi spring safety brackets, designed to hold the spring together if it breaks. The A1 Steam LocomotiveTrust volunteers continue to machine the brake hanger brackets, and the Cartazzi spring hanger brackets are being machined from flame-cut profiles. The superheater header has been cast by South Lincs Foundry at Spalding and is ready for delivery to Darlington. The fourth and final batch of steel castings has been ordered fromWilliam Cook Cast Products at Sheffield.This order totals 61 castings comprising three piston crossheads, the remainder being for the tender including horn blocks, spring safety brackets, tender axleboxes, spring hook brackets and buffer casings. With regards to the brake gear, Ian Howitt, which undertook extensive and diverse work on A1 Tornado, has been contracted to start making brake parts, starting with the brake hangers. While the two rear hangars are straightforward, the front six hangers are of an unusual shape and were probably originally forged.The reason for the complex shape is the close spacing of

Machining started on the forward brake hanger profile on March 11. IAN HOWITT/A1SLT the coupled wheels to keep the overall coupled wheelbase to a minimum. As a result the normal position for the brake hanger brackets between the tyres is not possible, so they are on the bottom of the frame plates and are inboard to clear the backs of the tyres.The hangers are of a forked design to overcome this problem, and these are being machining these thick flame-cut profiles.

Awkward shape

The main recent design activity has been the leading sandboxes whose position between the smoke lifting plates and the smokebox making them a particularly awkward shape.The design has had to be developed from their outline on the general arrangement drawing as the

The leading sandbox location on the P2. A1SLT builders do not have detailed drawings of the sandboxes. The project has already received pledges of over 45% (including Gift Aid) of the £5m needed to complete the new locomotive by 2021. P2 project director Mark Allatt said:“In spite of the supplier-related setbacks, we are confident that we will have completed the rolling chassis for No. 2007 PrinceofWalesin 2017. However, to maintain this rate of progress we need to continue to raise in excess of £700,000 per year, which given the nature of the regular donation scheme becomes more challenging as each year passes.” ➜ For details of how to help visit www.p2steam.com, email enquiries@ p2steam.com or call 01325 460163.

Another‘Jinty’overhaul gets underway at Midland Railway - Butterley THE Midland Railway-Butterley is to press ahead with the restoration of LMS 3F‘Jinty’0-6-0T No. 47357. Built in 1926 by North British in Glasgow, it was withdrawn in 1966 and sent toWoodham Bros scrapyard at Barry. It was rescued by the venue then

known as the Midland Railway Centre and restored to steam, becoming the first main line steam locomotive to operate trains from Butterley station as LMS No. 16440 back in 1981. Needing a major overhaul, the boiler has gone to the North Norfolk Railway, the axleboxes are being

restored at the Great Central Railway while the chassis is being restored by volunteers at Swanwick Junction. It is hoped that No. 47357 will return to steam in early 2018. Midland RailwayTrust development officer Alan Calladine said:“This is the first part of a scheme to bring several

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locomotives back into service with its sister 47445 making steady progress back to steam for the first time in preservation and then we will have a chance to look at others including Derby-built Standard 5MT 4-6-0 No. 73129 which needs extensive boiler repairs.” Heritagerailway.co.uk 41

NEWS

Restoration plea as work starts on veteran tank with strong UK link By Geoff Courtney A LEADING European preservationist has turned to HeritageRailway for information about a veteran steam locomotive which has a strong British connection and is part of a growing collection at a new railway museum that opened last year. The locomotive is a vertical-boilered 0-4-0T built by Cockerill, an iron, steel and manufacturing company founded by British industrialist William Cockerill in Belgium. William, a blacksmith and mechanical engineer, had moved to the country in 1799 to set up a textile machinery factory inVerviers, and in 1807 he moved to Seraing, six miles from Liege, to set up another factory, at which point his family joined him from Lancashire. William retired in 1813 and his son John took over the business, which became John Cockerill & Co in 1825, manufacturing steam engines, railway locomotives, traction engines and steampowered blowers for blast furnaces, with other interests including coal mining. Such was its success that it became Europe’s leading steel company, based in part on its involvement in the construction of Belgium’s railways, and in 1835 it built Belgium’s first steam locomotive, Le Belge.There were dark clouds on the horizon, however, in the form of a Belgian banking crisis, and in 1839 the company became bankrupt. In 1840 John travelled to Russia in an attempt to raise funds for the company, but on the journey home he died from typhus inWarsaw, aged 49, leaving no heirs.The impending demise of a company that employed 30,000 people alarmed the Belgian government,

resulting in it becoming state-owned and in 1842 being renamed Société anonyme John Cockerill. Under state control there was considerable success, and by 1865 the plant at Seraing covered 192 acres and had expanded into the manufacture of transatlantic ships, bridges, and tunnelling machines, and indeed, despite a number of mergers, the Cockerill name lived on throughout the 20th century. Steam locomotive manufacture was an important element of the company in the latter part of the 19th century, and works numbers of Cockerill locomotives that survive in preservation in Britain and mainland Europe indicate that in the years leading up to the FirstWorld War, from 1890 to 1913, more than 1200 engines of various gauges were built at Seraing, an average of 50 a year. It is one of these locomotives that has led Sergei Dorozhkov, one of Russia’s top narrow gauge experts and director of a major railway museum near Moscow, to appeal to Heritage Railway readers for information.The engine concerned is a typical Cockerill 0-4-0 well tank incorporating a vertically-mounted boiler enclosed within the cab with the firebox underneath, making it an 0-4-0VBT (vertical boiler tank). The little engine, which is reminiscent of theWisbech & UpwellTramway locos, is in the first stages of a major restoration at a narrow gauge museum in Ekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city set in the Ural Mountains – and Sergei is anxious to fill in some missing gaps in its history. He said it was believed the 800mm (2ft 7½in) narrow gauge 0-4-0 was one of fiveType 1 engines built by Cockerill around the turn of the 19th century for

History mystery: It may resemble a shed on wheels, but this is a vertical-boilered 0-4-0 steam locomotive built in Belgium more than a century ago by a company founded in the early 19th century by British engineer William Cockerill. The locomotive is currently being restored at a railway museum in the Russian city of Ekaterinburg, but its build history and specification details are scant and a leading Russian preservationist has appealed for information to assist the overhaul. The locomotive, photographed at Volgograd prior to its move to Ekaterinburg for restoration, carries an inventory and boiler inspection plate (inset) dating from the Soviet era which reads: “Locomotive No. 1. Insp (ection) No. 259. Date of test.” SERGEI DOROZHKOV the Ural-Volga Metallurgical Co works in Tsaritsyn (nowVolgograd), these being works nos. 2042-44 built in 1898, 2516 of 1905, and 2836 of 1912. “We do not know which of these the loco is,” said Sergei.“It is a variation of theType 1 for narrow gauge, adapted for restricted side clearance with inside frames contrary to the common Cockerill practice.” Research has shown that the loco was in service at the works for more than 50 years, following which it was mounted on a plinth near a workmen’s club, whose building was handed over to the military in the 1990s. “After repeated attempts over more

than 10 years the engine was formally preserved in 2015 and relocated to Ekaterinburg, and in January this year dismantling for its restoration was started,” said Sergei.“Unfortunately, exact technical details and other original information is extremely scarce, so anything, including drawings, technical data, or photographs of similar machines, would be greatly appreciated. “When we moved it fromVolgograd to Ekaterinburg we launched a survey on a French forum, but did not receive any information, so we are hoping UK preservationists or historians may be able to help, via HeritageRailway.”

First World War Baldwin goes to Vale of Rheidol at Aberystwyth for overhaul THEVale of Rheidol Railway is to complete the restoration of FirstWorld War Baldwin 10-12-D 4-6-0T No. 794 on behalf of theWelsh Highland Heritage Railway and ImperialWar Museum. The engine is to be restored as No. 590, the number of the class member which ran on the original Welsh Highland Railway. Once completed, it will run on the WHR between Gelert’s Farm and Pen-y-Mount, bringing back a class of engine not seen inWales for 75 years. Built in January 1917 at the Baldwin

42 Heritagerailway.co.uk

LocomotiveWorks in Philadelphia as works number 44699, it was shipped to Europe for use with the Railway Operating Division for use on the Western Front. In total 495 locomotives in this class were ordered from Baldwin and delivered to Europe, of which nine engines were lost in transhipment. After service during 1917-18. No. 794 was one of a group of 50 similar locomotives sent to India by the government for service in the NorthWest Frontier area, in modernday Pakistan. It ran on the Daurala

Light Railway, 50 miles north-west of Delhi, and on the nearby Khatauli Sugar Plantation, where it became No. 1 and was named Tiger. Repatriated to the UK in the mid1980s, the locomotive is owned by the ImperialWar Museum and arrived on loan to theWHHR in June 2004. The original No. 590 was built in March 1917 in Philadelphia and after being damaged during service on the Western Front, it was sent to Bagnall’s Stafford works in January 1919 for rebuilding. Light railway magnate Colonel Holman F Stephens bought it

for use on theWelsh Highland Railway and it arrived at Dinas Junction on July 4, 1923. The railway closed in 1936, and it was stored at Dinas until August 1942, when it was found impossible to steam it because of leaks and it was scrapped. VoR general manager and chief engineer Llyr Ap Iolo said:“I am very pleased that theVoR has been awarded this prestigious contract and our engineering team are looking forward to restoring this historic engine.”

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Ringing the changes: Hunslet 0-6-0ST Ring Haw, seen here in full flight on the North Norfolk Railway, which has been its home for nearly half a century, will make a trip south of the Thames this summer to boost the Tunbridge Wells-based Spa Valley Railway fleet of steam locos. FRANK RICHARDS

Saddletank rings the changes at Spa Valley By Geoff Courtney

FORMER quarry company 0-6-0ST Ring Haw is to boost the Spa Valley Railway steam fleet during the summer after its arrival at theTunbridgeWells-based line on May 22, when it will join resident steam locomotives Nos. 62 and 72. The saddletank is a wartime product, having been built by Hunslet Engine Co of Leeds in 1940 for the then newlyopened Nassington ironstone quarry in Northamptonshire, which had its own railway system linked to the nearby LMS Rugby Midland to Peterborough East line.

With the closure of the quarry in 1970 it moved to the North Norfolk Railway, where it has been resident ever since. Its first main event on the SpaValley line in tandem with Nos. 62 and 72 – both also 0-6-0STs – will be the railway’s summer steam festival on July 1-2. No. 62 carries the name Ugly and was built by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in 1950, while No. 72, a former MOD and NCB locomotive, is a Vulcan Foundry product built in 1945. SpaValley general manager Jonnie Wesson said:“Ring Haw and Nos. 62 and 72 will provide a contrast between different types of industrial locomotives,

which are often unseen in favour of glamorous engines. It is these very industrials which contribute to keeping steam alive on heritage railways.” The impending arrival of Ring Haw, which has never before visited the south-east of England, was also welcomed by Matt Dives, the railway’s steam engineering assistant, who said:“Its visit will assist our locomotive department throughout summer as we meet the demands of our commercial department to provide steam services.” The 0-6-0ST is scheduled to remain on the five-mile line until the end of October.

The July 1-2 steam festival will be based mainly at the line’s Eridge station, where the car park will become temporary home to traction engines, steam rollers, vintage motor cars, and miniature railways. It is being billed as west Kent’s biggest gathering of such vehicles in 2017. The railway has also announced the launch of monthly Saturday evening dining trains, starting on April 29, with departure fromTunbridgeWellsWest at 7pm and return at 10.15pm.Tickets for travel and dinner for two are £99.95, and other dates are May 20, June 17, July 29, August 12, September 2 and October 14.

Work starts to restore Class 311 Glasgow ‘Blue Train’ By Hugh dougherty WORK has started on the restoration of ex-BR Class 311 103 at Summerlee Industrial Museum as part of the site’s 30th birthday celebrations which fall in March next year. Originally a three-car unit built by Cravens in 1967 as one of the second batch of the famous Glasgow‘Blue Trains’, two cars, the centre motor coach and one trailer car have survived longterm outdoor storage at Summerlee, with the second trailer, No. 76414, scrapped after vandalism and deterioration at the industrial museum. Curator Clare Weir said:“We have carried out an asbestos survey of the surviving two vehicles and plan to restore them to their original condition. “They are particularly significant as they still have their original interiors, despite the fact that the unit was withdrawn from service in 1990 and had worked after passenger use as a

Sandite unit. The‘Blue Trains’are very much part of the railway heritage of Coatbridge and the Glasgow area, and we are situated within sight and sound of the line that this train used to run on. “When completed, we hope to move the train nearer to the entrance to the museum as its current location, where it has lain for some decades, makes it seem almost hidden away. “One other intact three-car‘BlueTrain’ has survived at the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway, and we’re keen that our unit is displayed appropriately as well after many years of lack of attention as other museum priorities were developed.” The Class 311 Group has already been formed of volunteers who are working with museum staff on the project and organiser, Darrel Hendrie, would like to hear from anyone who would like to help on this project. Darrel can be contacted at [email protected] Summerlee has also upped its railway

Summerlee’s Class 311 awaits its restoration as a latergeneration train, running on the tracks once covered by the unit, passes behind in the distance. HUGH DOUGHERTY

heritage promotion with an exhibition on local railways using exhibits normally kept in its store. Items on display include a replica signalbox with block instruments rescued from Gartcosh and Gartsherrie

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South signalbox in 1968. Clare Weir said that she is keen to ensure that railway heritage continues to be given a new platform and higher profile as the museum plans its 30th anniversary celebrations. Heritagerailway.co.uk 43

PRESERVATION NOSTALGIA

A MEETING OF

MINDS The renaming of Flying Scotsman twice, the recreation of a complete early 1950s KESR mixed train and the clearing and operation of the ‘Last Severn & Wye byway’ back to Parkend, amongst others. In his 100th article written over three decades, Geoff Silcock charts the early years of the photo charter operations that he christened ‘Sentimental Journeys’. 44 Heritagerailway.co.uk

T

he telephone call that really kick-started the first series of Sentimental Journeys photo charters occurred in the early 1990s and was the result of my being involved in the preparation of the exterior of the then recently-repatriated Drummond Locomotive Society LSWR M7 0-4-4T at the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne in Essex. The M7 had taken over the area in the restoration shed that had been vacated by the resident GER L77 (LNER N7) 0-6-2T No. 69621. I would eventually fund the repainting of both of the locomotives into lined BR black livery, in line with my overriding interest of recreating their 1950s condition. Indeed, I’d even managed to photograph that actual N7 ‘Six-Nine-Sixer', and ridden behind it on the Palace Gates to North Woolwich line several months before its withdrawal from service from Stratford shed in September 1962. In late 1992, a phone call came from Roger Sinar, then the CME of the Swanage Railway, who I had met several times while working with

the M7. He told me that the Swanage Railway had the chance of a short-term loan of a second Bulleid light Pacific from the Mid-Hants Railway, which appropriately enough was named Swanage, and that he was now looking at ways to sponsor the intended move costing a four-figure sum. After agreeing to think seriously about it, and to phone him back an hour later, and after some financial doodling, I phoned him back after 20 minutes, outlining to him how ‘SJ1’ had operated on the Dean Forest Railway in the autumn of 1992 with its pannier tank No. 9681 and a few wagons. Monies were then pledged to the ‘Swanage to Swanage’ project, provided I could run a photo charter at around that time at the Swanage Railway. “Yes, the charter could go ahead,” was Roger’s immediate reply, so which one of the BR-liveried Bulleid air-smoothed Pacifics would I like to use? “Both together!” was the answer, and after a short silence it was agreed. Roger then asked how many coaches would be needed to go with them, and I asked how many operational green

Bulleid Pacific No. 34072 257 Squadron leads visiting West Country No. 34105 Swanage as they burst out from alongside Leeson Wood at New Barn, bound for Harman’s Cross.

Swanage shed on the early morning of March 19, 1993 with a Battle of Britain No. 34072 257 Squadron, awaiting the participants of Sentimental Journey No. 2 ‘The Double-Whammy-Spammy’, along with LSWR M7 0-4-4T No 30053 acting as carriage pilot.

coaches could the Swanage Railway field at that time? “Seven or eight,” was the answer, plus there was also a long-wheelbase BR Southern green CCT to go with them as well. “Yes please, and on the front of the coaches,” was my reply. That became the genesis of the game-changing Sentimental Journey No. 2, with the name and sentiments of ‘SJs’ coined from the 1940s Doris Day song still fresh in my mind.

‘Drake’s Drum’ and the Sunny Southern Swanage Steam Soirees...

It was an audacious scheme for the time, and I would have had to make up any shortfall myself, as there was never any financial safety net of any kind. So it needed to have a title to match that mood, and ‘SJ2’ became known as ‘The DoubleWhammy-Spammy’. Once the loan arrangement for the Mid-Hants Railway’s ‘Spamcan’ had been concluded with the Swanage Railway, SJ2 was arranged for March 19, 1993, and the invitations were sent out in conjunction with Southern

An almost 1930s scene in southern England, as the National Railway Museum’s LSWR T9 ‘Greyhound’ 4-4-0 No. 120 heads south at New Barn with Sentimental Journey No. 4 on May 7, 1993.

Region aficionados Mike Esau and Roger Cruse, via a hastily-conceived mailing list at our end. It would soon became apparent that there was no worry about filling ‘The Double-WhammySpammy’, as in two weeks the postal bookings had more than broken even. What to do with the excess monies being raised was no problem. With the train of eight coaches confirmed, plus the CCT, and with the Bulleid West Country and Battle of Britain light Pacifics up front, there would be no room to run round at Swanage station, where we would return throughout the day to run round and water, so SJ additionally hired ‘our’ M7 No. 30053 to be carriage pilot, resplendent in the BR lined black mixed traffic livery as bestowed on it at the EARM. Arriving at Swanage in the mid-afternoon on the day before SJ2, I found that the then Swanage operations manager Martyn Ashworth, CME Roger Sinar and Norman Burrows, with other Swanage Railway volunteers, had already been busy rounding up the green coaches from near and far, and bringing them back to Swanage, along with what was to become our ‘lucky’ CCT.

The only blight on the next day’s activities, was that after all the planning involved over the previous few months, and with the photographers for this fairly newly-conceived genre coming from all over the UK and even beyond, the advance weather forecast for the whole of the south coast indicated heavy cloud and rain, and there seemed no escape from what seemed the inevitable day that would ensue. Two hours before daybreak, as I couldn’t sleep in anticipation of what had been set in motion, I was taking in the collective aura of the three locomotives with the two Pacifics and the M7, and the awesome combined tractive effort at ‘SJ’s’ disposal that day, from the locoshed bothy by the Swanage turntable, and cradling the ever-friendly mug of sugar-silted tea. Then, in an uplifting conversation with one of the shed staff, I was told not to worry about my obvious forebodings about the weather, as I had ‘Drake’s Drum’, which would keep the Channel and most of the Purbeck peninsula clear of cloud that day, though sometimes it had been known for the opposite effect, hence the name

Heritagerailway.co.uk 45

bestowed on it. At that moment, to say I was sceptical was an understatement. But it was not so long afterwards, that I began to realise that the heavy cloud formation that had rolled in the previous day with more than a hint of rain was being pulled northwards from Swanage, and soon myriads of stars were twinkling high over the whole of the Purbeck peninsula, and when the sun came up, there was hardly a cloud to be seen anywhere in the vicinity. Beyond Harman’s Cross and towards Corfe Castle though, the forecast wall-to-wall of thick overcast cloud still loomed menacingly at a depth of what seemed several hundred feet, and like a vast wall-to-wall mountain range. It stayed there brooding all day, at one point sneaking to within a few hundred yards of us, and then beat a retreat again. With our mighty ‘Double-WhammySpammy’ under way out of Swanage, the first port of call was the southern approach to the then terminus of the line at Harman’s Cross, where we de-trained. The first run-past was muted to say the least, and at least 39 pairs of eyes from those present followed my movement down the embankment to converse with Roger at the helm of the visiting engine Swanage, with the other crew members in close proximity. I remember that the words “volcano” and “setting back half a mile” were suggested at that trackside meeting, to which, tongue-incheek, the measured response from Roger was... “Well, why didn’t you say that in the first place?”... and ‘The Double-Whammy-Spammy’ then shuffled back off out of sight towards Swanage.

The ground shook at our vantage point...

“You do know that they’re well over half a mile away now... have they gone back to Swanage?” the words stung from one of the assembled throng, and it was to be a long few minutes later that the slight wind picked up the hard sand-papery sound of the two ‘Spamcans’ still accelerating their train from the distance, and closing fast towards the hillside where we were situated. And when they burst on us in wonderful sight and sound at 1/250th of a second, the ground shook at our vantage point as they roared past, and braked for the

station, as there was little track in place north of Harman’s Cross at that time. Before retracing their steps back downgrade, the two locomotives stopped by the same spot as previously, and four grease-topped heads appeared grinning from ear to ear from the two cabs. Roger’s broad Yorkshire accent boomed out, just so everyone assembled would also hear him ask: “Same again?” Later on, when we reappeared at Swanage, our M7 carriage pilot for the day and its willing crew were ready to hook on and release the train from the two Pacifics, which were soon watered, and we were back in action. However, it was a concerned Roger that approached me in mid-afternoon, before we were about to set off back to Swanage once more after more swashbuckling run-pasts in the sunshine thanks to ‘Drake’s Drum’, with the news that the crew “had enjoyed themselves so much” on 257 Squadron, that they were down to the last dregs of coal in the tender, and No. 34072 would need to be removed from the fray. So back at Swanage, after No. 34072 was detached, and after another meeting of minds, I got our carriage pilot and its happy crew promoted to ‘Top Link’ duties piloting No. 34105 Swanage for the last of the golden embers of daylight. It was a great end to the ground-breaking, as well as, in part, earth-shaking day... And at dusk, after most of the new faithful had departed, the storm clouds came back, the lightning crackled purple, and a thunderstorm swept in with a ferocity which would have sunk another Spanish fleet... The next of the Swanage SJs on May 6 involved the National Railway Museum T9 4-4-0 No. 120 with two green coaches, plus the lucky CCT again, which ran after the track had been laid within sight of Corfe Castle, and again in sunshine. By our special request the ‘Greyhound’ 4-4-0 faced south, resulting in a different perspective for photography. After being assured it would “just fit” the ex-London Transport Neasden turntable at Swanage, apparently it didn’t. However, it still appeared facing south on the day, and I certainly learnt then, if I didn’t know before, that it was sometimes best not to ask the whys and the wherefores from true railwaymen, whose maxim is to get the job done right...

The third of the Swanage SJ photo charter trilogy was now being marketed as ‘Silcock and Esau’s Sunny Southern Swanage Soirees’, and when the track-laying was continued north through Corfe Castle into the autumn of 1993, a stock train in the guise of a former SR auto-set and our M7 was organised as SJ4 on October 22. Not only was the M7 renumbered as the former Bournemouth (71B) No. 30108 ‘Rosie’ of 1950s railtour fame, but for good measure the ex-Chipman’s auto-set end was renumbered No. 619, which was one of the regular push-pull sets on the Swanage branch before its closure. And, of course, the sun shone again throughout the day...

The Tearne’s 10in numbers on the under and topcoated Fablon material, plus the correct Doncasterstyle building plate for No 1794 of 1934, No. 60039 Sandwich, fixed in place on Flying Scotsman.

The brass nameplate of No. 60039 Sandwich, made especially for SJ 6&7, and affixed over the original Flying Scotsman nameplate with two small two-inch clamps screwed in place from the back.

46 Heritagerailway.co.uk

By any other name... In connection with SJs 9&10, newly returned to BR green livery, No. 60103 Flying Scotsman was changed into two other A3 Pacifics. It is seen on Wansford turntable on the morning of May 6, 1994 as No. 60039 Sandwich, a fellow King’s Cross (34A) ‘Top Shed’ Pacific that was fitted with a Gresley A4 boiler, but as was only fitted to Flying Scotsman since preservation.

The classic KESR mixed train created for the autumn Sentimental Journeys photo-charters in 1993, with the assistance of several of the regular SJ photographers, and the result is seen rooting past Landsdown Wood and the former crayfish beds bound for Rolvenden in the early afternoon, with LBSCR A1X ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0T No. 10 Sutton newly-repainted as No. 32650, but masquerading as No. 32678 with SJ6 ‘The KESR Time-Terrier’ on November 12.

‘The KESR Time-Terrier’...

Another heritage line with a magic castle then came into prominence into 1993, when another meeting of minds was achieved, this time with Mark Toynbee, then the general manager of the Kent & East Sussex Railway, for me to provide the BR crests together with the number and shedplate to enable its on-loan LBSCR ‘Terrier’ No. 10 Sutton to return to its BR lined black identity as No. 32650. At the time I was also shown the SECR ‘Birdcage’ brake coach, which was to vacate the carriage & wagon centre of excellence at Tenterden to be stored outside, after acting as the internal wood store for many years. But I would have to pay for the materials to repaint it temporarily and supply the labour to rub it down; that was if SJ wanted to use it with the ‘Terrier’ on the now projected photo charters on the line. It is fair to say that Mark showed me the best side by far of the brake coach that day, as on my next visit, the other side butted up against an outside wall, was found to be devoid of much of its beading, and didn’t sport much in the way of paint either. However, over a few weeks, with several SJ devotees giving a weekend or more to the project, we got it back into some sort of semblance of how the coach would have looked, at least externally before the line from Robertsbridge to Headcorn closed to regular passenger trains in 1954. Not content with just the ‘Terrier’ and ‘Birdcage’ coach for the train, my mentor and KESR liaison man Gerry Siviour arranged that the two of us could root around the storage sidings at Tenterden Town and Wittersham Road pw yard and, as a result, further permission was granted for us to additionally re-livery a typical Southern Railway eight-plank open wagon, an LMS boxvan, and the exLongmoor Military Railway SR-style brakevan on the line. This was finally sign-written for me with the prefix “To work between Headcorn and Robertsbridge only”; and if only it could have done then for us, as the

latter-day KESR line from Tenterden Town only ran as far as Northiam in those days. The date chosen for SJ6 ‘The KESR Time Traveller’ was November 12, 1993 and, of course, another sunny autumn day ensued. A small problem had ensued a month or two into the project with the SJ stalwarts, as to which colour the Birdcage coach sides would be painted. As their views were split nearly 50/50, it made some sort of sense to me to paint one side in early BR red, and the other in Dulux Cumberland green. In all, nine SJ stalwarts and myself gave 35 days collectively to work on the coach, wagons and brakevan over five consecutive weekends, with great assistance and encouragement from the latter-day K&ESR pioneers at Tenterden and Rolvenden sheds. Before the first KESR photo charter ensued, it turned out that historically No. 32650 had never actually been recorded in service on the former KESR line in our timescale of the early 1950s, so I renumbered it as 1880-built No. 32678, which had been associated with the line on and off from 1940. The original No. 78 Knowle had also survived into preservation, and was repatriated to the KESR, where it resides today, and it was to become one of three ‘Terriers’ that SJs, through its photographer friends, would fund into BR black as No. 32678 for the 50th anniversary of the last BR train in 2011 and, of course, use it on photo charters into the millennium after the line had been opened through to Bodiam and beyond. Following the success of SJ6 ‘The KESR Time Traveller’, the follow-up, SJ7 was then arranged for December 16 and, of course, it ran in sunshine again, being the fifth of the ‘Silcock and Esau’s Sunny Southern Soirees’ in succession to do so. Sad to relate Mike Esau had also arranged a separate photo charter with the same mixed train around this time, though it ran in a damp wintry fog for the whole day. Into 1994, and after several cordial evenings at the local Goodmayes BR Staff Association with several of the local Flying Scotsman support

group, who I had come to know when No. 4472’s cab roof was painted white for its royal duty from Stratford to North Woolwich 10 years previously, I then received a phone call one evening from its CME Roland Kennington. He told me that in a still under wraps decision, Flying Scotsman was about to revert to its later BR green livery as No. 60103, but they were unable to locate a double chimney for it, and could I assist them in finding one? I contacted the one person I believed might know of such an artefact, Pro-cast’s Stephen Cliffe, and just 40 minutes later I was pleased (and relieved) to report back to Roland that the A3 double chimney previously carried by No. 60041 Salmon Trout had not only been located in a garden in Basingstoke, but that the present owner had already agreed to loan it to the business end of Flying Scotsman, where it still resides today. I was told later that the original single chimney was found not to be fit for further use, as while it was being removed for the changeover, it had fractured into several pieces...

Flying Scotsman and two extra named A3 Pacifics...

This one turn of events opened many doors for me, as when the livery change was made public, it was arranged for Flying Scotsman, now as No. 60103, to visit the Nene Valley Railway, which was close to the East Coast Main Line, where I had spent my formative years close to Harringay West station. Having developed a taste for renumbering several other BR locomotive classes, it seemed reasonable to assume that as well as arranging two photo-charters at the NVR with No. 60103, that I could bring back another ‘Top Shed’ A3 from the past. No. 60039 Sandwich was envisaged, which had been fitted with an A4 boiler, although Flying Scotsman hadn’t had one fitted until its second life in preservation. Several members of the NNR, including a youthful pre-HR Brian Sharpe, were also keen

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on including the Peterborough New England (34E)-allocated A3 No. 60106 Flying Fox, so this was added to the overall meeting of minds, with the first charter being set for May 6. The only way that I could expect to get a 100% colour match for the cabside overlays with the 10in numbers, would be to coat the Vaselined Fablon material with the correct BR undercoat and top coat that was used on the repaint of Flying Scotsman itself. This entailed a trip to the Southall steam depot in West London to pick up a quantity of both and there, to my surprise, I found that the colour used on its recent Brunswick green paint job had been achieved with an LNER apple green undercoat, a quantity of which was still remaining from the previous LNER repaint. After Stephen Cliffe had made such an outstanding job of the brass building and nameplates of No. 60039, on a visit to observe Flying Scotsman after its arrival on the NVR, I learnt that the (original?) nameplates of Flying Scotsman were welded on, and were immovable. A plan B was needed to fix the new nameplates, and this came in the form of four specially made up two-inch heavy metal surclips, with a thumbscrew added at the back out of sight to tighten the newer nameplate against the original one. With the different A3s being portrayed, there were several detail differences to trap the unwary East Coast man, for many A3 and other LNER engines had retained the early ‘curly 6s’ on the front numberplates, and even the engraved brass oval building plate from the earlier-built A3 No. 60106 Flying Fox had a slightly different wording and layout from the one on No. 60039.

I finally only received approval to remove the Australian commemorative brass ‘trinkets’ from the centre splasher etc the evening before, this being achieved through an unspecified amount of subtle verbal pressure on Roland from his support group, before the A3’s first SJ charter went ahead the next day. And when removing the splasher plates that late evening, I found that the lined LNER apple green top coat was still in place underneath, so an undercoat and two coats of BR green top coat were applied through the night, in between crashing out in a sleeping bag on site, and then the single orange lining applied at daybreak, which was still tacky when our real ‘Top-Shed’ No. 60039 Sandwich moved off shed. SJs 9&10, ‘The Scotch Goods’ ran on May 6 and 20, and featured both No. 60039 and No. 60106 on each day. Nick Pigott, the editor of The Railway Magazine, who was a train observer around Grantham in his early days, recorded in his regular column of RM, that it was just as if he had descended from HG Wells’ time machine into the late 1950s that early morning at Wansford, when he saw No. 60039 Sandwich standing there in the sunshine and ready for action again, and it was a sentiment in print that I still treasure 23 years later.

Byways and Thunderbolts in the Dean Forest...

Back at the Dean Forest Railway, where the original photo charter had run nearly two years previously on the southern part of the line, the moribund byway from Norchard and Tufts Junction to Parkend beckoned, but the river bridge at Tufts had a 13½ ton axle loading imposed on it, which was considerably less than

the 0-6-0PT and 2-6-2T then extant at the DFR. However, a change came in early 1994, when I introduced Mike Pearce, the genial Dean Forest CME, to the Midland Railway 1F ‘half-cab’ 0-6-0T No. 41708 group based in nearby Bristol, with the intention of their ‘Iffy’ being the visiting engine at the DFR centenary celebrations of the amalgamation of the Severn & Wye Railway by the Great Western and Midland railways in 1894. When the loan agreement was approved, the DFR powers-that-be were then asked to reconsider their previous judgement, as the weight of the No. 41708 was 39 tons 11 cwt, and this now came to within the prescribed approximate weight limit on the Tufts bridge, and so that a charter or two (or three as it turned out) could now pay for the engine’s protracted visit. In the spirit of the 100th Severn and Wye celebrations, the previous judgement was indeed rescinded, though there was a ‘sting in the tail’, in that the line to Parkend from Tufts Junction, which still had the basic track formation in place from the 1980 closure by BR, and where only the very occasional works train with a small diesel shunter had run some time before, was now so overgrown in places that large bushes and even saplings had appeared beside and in-between the tracks, and all of those would have to be cut back for our undertaking to proceed. And so it was, that with great personal commitment and enthusiasm in equal measure, that Mike Pearce and I, along with several of the emergent youngsters of the latter-day DFR, over several weekends, and armed with only machetes, bowsaws and other basic implements, cut back the undergrowth on the last Severn &

On the East Coast Main Line, after steam was banned from King’s Cross at the start of the summer timetable in 1963, No. 60106 Flying Fox was one of several A3 Pacifics reallocated to Peterborough New England (34E) to eke out their time until withdrawal, and it became a celebrity, achieving a reported 96mph on a Gresley Society special from King’s Cross in 1964. No. 60039 Sandwich was recreated at the NVR in May 1994 for SJ 6&7, and is seen running wrong line through Wansford station on May 20 with ‘The Scotch Goods’.

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Wye byway towards the outskirts of Parkend. A ‘dry run’ was made on Saturday of the previous weekend before the three consecutive July dates of ‘The Severn & Wye Explorer’. This was essentially to load up several wooden coal wagons for the DFR loco fleet, as its regular delivery had been diverted to the coal road siding spur at Parkend, and also so that Mike could personally test the tired track beneath the ‘Half-Cab’ for the forthcoming three days. On the test day, one story can be told now, is that in a semblance of true almost knockabout ‘Titfield Thunderbolt’ comedy, the B4234 level crossing at Whitecroft became ungated in one fell swoop, as on this test run, the working crossing gate there fell into several pieces while it was being opened for us to proceed north after so many years of disuse... As it was thought to be the first steam-hauled train north of Norchard since the end of December 1965, I asked Mike Pearce on the 0-6-0T to lean on the whistle as we approached the sleepy idyll of Parkend that early Saturday afternoon. Many of the locals whose houses backed on to the line came out to see us in the summer sunshine, and we shook hands with several that remembered the closure of the line several years before, as well as many visitors from The Fountain pub opposite. It was indeed a sobering thought that the then grass-grown abandoned platforms of Parkend hadn’t actually seen a regular railway passenger service since its suspension as long ago as 1929, and this would finally be put right in the new millennium with a regular summer timetable by the latter-day Dean Forest Railway. Of the three days of the successive SJs up to Parkend, there was hardly a cloud in the sky for two of them, and pre-arranged in the mid-July heat each day, the publican of the nearby Fountain hostelry supplied a tray of iced lemonade for the loco crew and guard when we arrived. Soon afterwards, the load restriction on the Tufts river bridge was completely rescinded. This came just after a Class 08 diesel shunter, of approximately the same weight distribution as a pannier tank, had been observed running up to the northern end of the line with a works train, and so on November 4/5 the DFR’s 0-6-0PT No. 9681, as a Lydney sub-shedded No. 3775 (85B) also ran up to Parkend with SJ byway freights. It would be in the summer of 1995, and mainly in the sunshine again, that one of the operational Collett 1400 0-4-2Ts; – No 1466 from Didcot – was then arranged to visit the Severn & Wye line to Parkend, and as No 1401, from its fabled existence in the Ealing Bros. epic The Titfield Thunderbolt film, became SJ 26 ‘The Parkend Thunderbolt’. While at Parkend, it was challenged on the coal road siding that ran across the B4234, by Bill Parker and his brother’s Aveling Porter traction engine, aptly named Intolerance.

Above: With several local colliery names on the wagons from many of the previous coal mines in the Forest of Dean, an historic scene now in its own right on the ‘coal road’ at Parkend, when visiting MR 1F 0-6-0T No. 41708 brought wooden coal wagons to be filled with coal for the shed at Norchard on July 5, which also served as the proving run for the three Sentimental Journeys on July 22-24, 1994. Left: SJ12 ‘The Severn & Wye Explorer’ on July 23 waits for its Sentimental Journeys clientele, after just having crossed the now gate-less B4234 at the hamlet of Whitecroft, en route for Parkend.

Black Jubilees galore...

A one-off SJ at the East Lancashire Railway in September 1994 had its genesis at the Great Central Railway some time earlier, when the London Area of the Main Line Steam Trust was formally asked by the general manager, Graham Oliver, to assist in aiding the Tyseley-based LMS Stanier LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 5593 Kolhapur to become a representation of No. 5552 Silver Jubilee with its admittedly garish black and simulated chrome livery. It was while this Jubilee was still the much-embellished No. 5552 that it visited the ELR in 1994, and in conjunction with an

Where to now? Senior driver Dougie Phelps mops his brow and sets off to find the SJ supremo with his motley crew on the other side of the road, after arriving at Parkend with the Sentimental Journeys freight on November 4, 1994. The track north of the level crossing was removed in 1969 after freight services ceased to Coleford in August 1967. Although the Lydney to Parkend freight-only line duly closed in 1980, the pannier tank as No. 3775 had run up from Norchard that day on the original BR track, which had remained in place for nearly 20 years, and was finally re-laid for the new DFR passenger service into the new millennium, with several changed track alignments en route. The larger survival to the right is the still extant Severn & Wye Railway goods shed, along with the original brick-built gentlemen's urinal, which survived to be incorporated into the replica Severn & wye railway station at Parkend in the new millenium. Heritagerailway.co.uk 49

Had Geoff, with the visiting Sentimental Journey ‘The Parkend Thunderbolt’, met his match on June 5, 1995? Bill Parker’s brother’s traction engine Intolerance advances towards visiting Collett 0-4-2T No. 1466 in the guise of No. 1401, the one-time star of the classic Ealing comedy The Titfield Thunderbolt, on the coal road at Parkend. Right: A difficult scene to replicate nowadays, as Manchester Newton Heath (26A) Jubilee No. 45700 Britannia lifts its six-coach train over Summerseat viaduct during SJ 14 at the East Lancashire Railway on September 22, 1994.

Liverpool Bank Hall (27A) Jubilee No. 45700 Britannia is seen forging up the bank away from Bury Bolton Street with SJ 14 on September 22, 1994.

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inspired Ian Riley and engineers at the Bury works and shed, and in association with like-minded enthusiasts from both the Manchester and Liverpool areas, that another meeting of minds resulted in it being put into the early BR black livery. It was also paired with the Fowler tender from the Hughes/Fowler ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 and, complete with several carmine and cream Mk.1 coaches at the head of the train, two former representatives of Jubilee 4-6-0s in the north-west, from Liverpool Bank Hall (27A) and Manchester Newton Heath (26A), appeared again, as No. 45698 Mars and No. 45700 Britannia with SJ 14 on September 22, 1994. SJ 15 ran a few weeks later and featured the Gresley Society’s N2 0-6-2T No. 69523 at the Great Central Railway in several ‘Six-NineFiver’ guises; this being the first locomotive livery change that I had been responsible for in 1987, and which could now repeat itself 40 years on, being nearly 55 years on from its original withdrawal from service from King’s Cross ‘Top Shed’. In conclusion, over 20 photo charters were eventually arranged to run in the first three years of ‘Sentimental Journeys’, and these became the forerunners of over 300 more such events that followed over 22 years overall, latterly in association with Russ Hillier. Over that time, a considerable amount of turnover was introduced

into the heritage movement at mainly off-peak times, and this certainly contributed to the movement of motive power to many far-flung destinations. Our SJ stalwart photographers, combined with Russ’s photo charter group members, also aided countless funds for engine and rolling stock livery changes undertaken in association with the many heritage railways concerned, and which several of our committed associates continue to this day. It is a fact that no one person discovered photo charters as such, for much in their make-up had come from ‘last day’ and other activities from times long past, and they have now evolved in preservation with the heritage lines they portray. In the main they have flourished, and as our world of heritage railways continues to expand apace, and rightly so as we invented the steam locomotive itself, and while it is in our life blood, we will surely lead the world in our enthusiasm for them. I must conclude by stating, that since those early days of photographic charters, I and my colleagues have worked with so many great railway characters – many no longer with us now – true-hearted railwaymen on lines both large and small, and it is their dedication that is reflected through the images on these pages, and we owe them our sincere thanks, and for such great memories with us when we held our ‘Sentimental Journeys’...

Both LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 5593 Kolhapur as No. 5552 Silver Jubilee and LNER A4 Pacific Bittern as No. 2509 Silver Link appeared at the Great Central Railway at about the same time, and both are seen being groomed at Loughborough shed in 1994. Heritagerailway.co.uk 51

RAILWAYANA

BY GEOFF COURTNEY

Military fends off opposition in close-run battle WITH no Premier League heavyweight in the mix, the nameplate category at Great Central’s March 4 auction at Stoneleigh looked on paper to be a close call for top honours. And so it proved, with the leading three being less than £3000 apart, followed by another batch of three snapping at their heels. Pride of place went to Iron Duke from Britannia No. 70014, which came in at £15,500. The Standard Pacific, named after the 1st Duke of Wellington, one of Britain’s leading 19th century military figures, was built at Crewe in June 1951 and became a regular on the Southern Region’s‘Golden Arrow’express. Behind came GWR p pair Earl of Ducie,,

➜ AN O-gauge three-rail electric model of Crosti-boilered Class 9F 2-10-0 No. 92029, made in the late-1950s for a customer of former top London model shopWalker & Holtzapffel, went under the hammer for £1200 at aVectis railway books and model train sale atThornaby on February 24. Following at £600 was a Marklin HO-gauge modelofaSwiss‘Crocodile’ articulated electric locomotive, and at £580 an AceTrains O-gauge SR Battle of Britain No. 34109 SirTraffordLeighMallory.The prices exclude buyer’s premium of 20% (+VAT).

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which was initially carried by Dukedog No. 3211 and subsequently by Castle class No. 5054 (£13,600), and Lady of Lyons (Saint 4-6-0 No. 2903), a previously unknown survivor that sold for £12,600. Three more five-figure realisations were The Prince of Wales’s Volunteers South Lancashire and Swiftsure from LMS duo Royal Scot No. 46137 and Jubilee No. 45716 (£11,200 and £10,500 respectively), and The Bedale from LNER D49 No. 62740 (£10,200). Nameplate Airborne from LNER A2 No. 60511 failed to sell under the hammer but had gone by close of play for £11,000. The sole SR representative, King Leodegrance (King Arthur No. 30739) found a new home for £8600 and

Condover Hall (GWR No. 4915) for £7200, and finally three plates fetched £7000 apiece – Jamaica (GWR Bulldog No. 3402), Umberslade Hall (GWR No. 4975), and Trigo (LNER A3 No. 60084). Taking on the nameplates, a worksplate from LNER A2 No. 60506 Wolf of Badenoch that started life as a Gresley P2 class 2-8-2 but was converted by Edward Thompson into a Pacific, sold for £8200.This Doncaster plate was dated 1936 but also carried a‘rebuilt 1944’plate to record its controversial conversion. The category also included two Doncaster worksplates from another Gresley design, the streamlined A4, these being from Nos. 60004 William e aw ((£5200)) and 60001 Sir Ronald Whitelaw

Matthews (£5100). A London & South Western Railway platform ticket machine made its mark by going under Mike Soden’s hammer for £6100, and so too chime whistles from LNER A4 No. 60017 Silver Fox (£4900) and from an unidentified Britannia Pacific (£4700). Top totem was Bassenthwaite Lake (£4400), a Barry Freeman painting of LMS No. 46229 Duch hess of Hamilton on‘TThe Caledonian’ mad de £3400, and the smokebox s num mberplate from SR Lord d Nelson class No. 30863 3 Lord Rodn ney, £3200. An nother top categ gory realisation was a cabside num mberplate from GWR R ROD 2-8-0 No. 3028 3 (£2700), and also worthy of men ntion are a GWR large e wooden and brasss bottle cooler – and I mean large, aas in more than 2ft across – that sold for £270 £ 00, a headboard from‘The Mid-Day SScott’express (£2300), and an LBSCR Harp H per’s semaphore block instrument ((£2200). Prices exclude buyer’s premium of 15 o 5% (+ VAT). Off the day, Mike Soden said:“The GWR nam n meplates sold exceptionally well, aand indeed it was brilliant that we sold everry nameplate, as beforehand there e aappe eared to be little interest in some of tthem m. Overall the auction was good and we’re w e very happy.”

Midland Railway heads bumper crop at Bloxham GREAT Central’s most successfulever Bloxham sale on February 18 resulted in a Midland Railway copper platform lamp case beating just over 1000 other items of general railwayana, with a realisation of £520. It originated from Ketton & Collyweston station in Rutland, opened by the Midland Railway in 1848 on the Syston-Peterborough East line and closed in 1966. Following this at £420 was a regulator handle from GWR No. 7829 Ramsbury Manor, the last member

of the class to be built, at Swindon in December 1950, and with No. 7822 Foxcote Manor the last to be withdrawn, from Gloucester Horton Road (85B) in December 1965. London Underground items then made their presence felt, with three target sign frames selling as a single lot for £300 and, on the same theme, 10 lots of signs from stations on the western end of the Metropolitan Line and four bullseyes from these stations going under the hammer for a total of £1730. Shortly after, 14

LU cab destination plates in five lots fetched a total of £1000. The auction realised a total of just over £70,000, the highest achieved in the 10 Bloxham sales to date, while Great Central’s Dave Jones reported that attendance was a record, with viewing on the evening before also attracting best-ever numbers.The Bloxham modus operandi is no frills, no commission or telephone bids, no reserves, and rapid-fire bidding. Prices exclude buyer's premium of 15% (+VAT).

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BY GEOFF COURTNEY

RAILWAYANA

GWR, LMS and LNER in Crewe spotlight

THREE of the Big Four will be vying for attention at David Lewis’s Crewe auction on April 22, when nameplates from a 4-4-0 and a pair of 4-6-0s will go under the hammer.They are Peacock from GWR Bulldog No. 3450, Queensland from LMS No. 45566, and City of Manchester from LNER No. 1491. The Bulldog was built at Swindon in December 1909 and survived nearly two years in BR ownership, being withdrawn from Stourbridge Junction (84F) on its 40th birthday in December 1949, while No. 45566 was one of 50 Jubilees built by North British of Glasgow, emerging to traffic in August 1934. It was withdrawn from Leeds Holbeck (55A) in November 1962. No. 1491 was built at the Great Central Railway’s Gorton works in February 1913 as Class 1 No. 425, one of a class of just six designed by GCR chief mechanical

engineer John Robinson. It became LNER Class B2 No. 5425 in 1923, was renumbered 1491 in 1946, by which time it had been reclassified as a B19, and withdrawn from Immingham in July 1947, the year in which the final members of the class met their end. The smokebox numberplate selection embraces the old and – in steam locomotive terms – the new, from 52350 to 80098.The former was an 0-6-0 built by the Lancashire &Yorkshire Railway at Horwich in 1897 and withdrawn from Bolton (26C) in December 1958, and the latter a Standard 2-6-4T built at Brighton in 1954 and withdrawn from Machynlleth (6F) in July 1965.

Britannia rules as Duchesses fail at nameplate pattern sale A BRITANNIA nameplate that was never carried by No. 70000 but was cast from the original wooden pattern at the same time as those fitted to the Standard Pacific, sold for £1100 at a one-off railwayana sale held by Hansons auctioneers of Etwall, near Derby, on February 22. The same locomotive featured further down the scale, when its wooden nameplate pattern went for £750, while similar examples from three more Brits – Coeur-deLion (No. 70007), Western Star (No. 70025) and Clive of India (No. 70040), with Clan Stewart (No. 72009) thrown in – sold as a single lot for £410. And still the Brits weren’t finished. Four more patterns also coupled together as a single lot, nameplates John Bunyan (No. 70003), Robert Burns (No. 70006), Lord Roberts (No. 70042), and Solway Firth (No. 70049), went under the hammer for £350, and other patterns from the same class as well as Clans variously sold for between £200-£300. A selection of similar patterns from LMS Princess Coronations, Princess Royals, Royal Scots, Jubilees and Patriots also featured

in the auction, and a number of these went for between £180 and £270. Non-sellers, however, included all the Princess Royals and the Princess Coronation Duchess nameplate patterns, to the surprise of some collectors in the room, although some of the latter class’s City patterns fared better. The auction also included general railwayana, and this category was headed by industrial engine nameplate Liverpool, which, coupled with a Hudswell Clarke 1914 worksplate and a Railway Executive Committee locomotive registration plate, went for £950, while a selection of correspondence relating to Royal Scot class naming, including letters signed by Sir William Stanier, fetched £480. Prices exclude buyer’s premium of 17½% (+ VAT). Much of the sale, including all the nameplate patterns and the Stanier correspondence, came from the collection of John Wood, a retired BR engineer at Derby and Crewe. Many of the items, including the patterns, had been saved from a bonfire, while correspondence and manuscripts that went under the hammer were rescued from a skip.

➜ TOP price in a railwayana and model trains sale held by David Duggleby of Scarborough on February 11, was £1200 for an enamel BR North Eastern Region station sign from Filey, on theYorkshire Coast Line between Scarborough and Bridlington.The price excludes buyer’s premium of 17½% (+ VAT).

Other highlights include a signalbox nameboard from Carlisle Kingmoor, the location of the giant steam depot that proved to be a treasure trove of‘cops’to those southern trainspotters who were fortunate enough to visit it. There is also a carriage board from the London P PaddingtonP Penzance e express‘The R Royal Duchy,’ w which will revive for many memories of sunny holidays in the west country. I recorded this train on a number of occasions at Reading General, including on August 29, 1958, with No. 4089 Donnington Castle on the Down train, and on the following day with none other than 2-8-0 No. 4708 on the same working.

The following year the Warships were beginning to show their hand, and on June 8, I logged D801 Vanguard on the Down train, but steam honour was restored just over four hours later when No. 6026 King John made its glorious presence felt on the Up working. Further items in the auction include a Cheshire Lines Committee ex-Chester Northgate signalbox pulling board dating from 1889, a large collection of Beyer Peacock steam and diesel worksplates, and a Liverpool & Manchester Railway pocket watch engraved‘Edge Hill No. 3.’ The auction, at Crewe Heritage Centre, will be accompanied by its usual features, including main line locomotives on display, brake van rides, three open signalboxes, and a free Routemaster bus service from the railway station. It starts at 10.30am.

Beck dominates as first editions are first on the list TWO first editions of the groundbreaking Harry Beck London ere Underground diagrammatic map we the dominant force in aTransport on Auctions of London sale in Croydon o February 25. Dating from 1933, they were both pocket maps and sold for £1600 and £1200. In third place at £550, came a 1914 London Underground wall calendar not seen at auction before that featured reproductions of posters byy German-American illustratorTony Sarg (1880-1942) in the‘Humours of London’series issued in 1912/13. Two of the ever-popular Underground station platform enamel signs were next up in the railway category, with a roundel from Bermondsey making £410 and a bullseye from Paddington £380. Prices exclude buyer’s premium of 15%. TAL director Michael Wickham said:“More than 100 collectors were following the auction online, which coupled with the attendance on the day made it our best auction yet by some way. Now all I’ve got to do is follow that!” ➜ An LGB/Aster gauge one model off a South African Railways’narrow gauge Garratt sold for £2000 at a Lacy Scott & Knight railwayana and models sale in Bury St Edmunds on February 18.The limited edition model was based on 2ft gauge Class NG G13 2-6-2+2-6-2 No. 60, which was built in Germany in 1927 and survives in preservation in Switzerland. Other four-figure realisations were

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£1150 for Aster/Fulgurex Pennsylvania Railroad Class K4s Pacific No. 5475 and £1050 for another Aster/Fulgurex model, of a Class 86 of Germany 2-8-2T – both in gauge one – and £1000 for a prewar Marklin OO-gauge layout including coaches, wagons, track and other accessories. Prices exclude buyer’s premium of 17½% (+ VAT). Heritagerailway.co.uk 53

LMS Royal Scot 4-6-0 No. 46115 Scots Guardsman passes Parton with the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Cumbrian Coast Express’ on March 25. ALAN WEAVER

MAIN LINE NEWS

Clan Line’s eagerly awaited comeback could be April By Cedric Johns

AIDED by additional funds generated by a supplementary appeal made last year, Bulleid Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35028 Clan Line is set for an official main line return in the coming weeks Having passed its pressure test at Crewe, the boiler was waiting to be lowered onto the 4-6-2’s frames as Heritage Railway closed for press. The reboilering of the Southern Railway icon will complete a major step forward towards a proving run which will be operated by DB Cargo in the coming weeks. Having recently agreed a new agreement with Belmond Hotels, providing there are no last-minute problems Clan Line will shortly be resuming its‘British Pullman’duties with a possible‘Surrey Hills’trip on April 28 – Braunton has been named as standby engine – or more likely, a London

‘Lizzie’: legal advice taken over web boiler claim 6201 Princess Elizabeth Locomotive Society chairman Clive Mojonnier has revealed that legal advice had been taken following a rogue Facebook message which wrongly claimed that No. 6201’s boiler had been condemned. “This and other inaccurate reporting is damaging,”he said. “We shall take similar action if more speculative comments are detected. “The facts are these. OnWednesday, March 22 a meeting was held atWest Shed, Butterley, between our insurance company inspector, British Engine, chief mechanical engineer Simon Scott and myself. “As a result the insurance inspector requested that the boiler be lifted in order that it can be inspected in detail. “What we have to bear in mind is that in 2014 our then boiler inspector stated that there was no requirement for a boiler lift.” He said that the cost of stripping the boiler plus crane hire and further inspection leaves the society with an estimated cost of £12,000. Having spent a considerable amount on the 4-6-2’s overhaul atTyseley LocomotiveWorks, the society has launched an appeal for funds to assist work in progress on the big red 8P engine which has been privately owned by its members longer than it saw service with LMS and BR. “In addition to money, we need more junior and adult volunteers, new supporting members and donations from enthusiasts keen to see the 4-6-2 back on the main line. “As part of our drive to increase awareness we shall have a new website up and running very shortly.” ➜ For membership details visit www.6201.co.uk

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Victoria-Bath-Victoria outing on May 17. No. 35028 is booked to haul UK Railtours’‘Atlantic Coast Express’from Waterloo to Exeter out bound via Salisbury (water stop),Yeovil Junction, Axminster and Honiton on May 27. On the return the‘ACE’runs back via the Somerset Levels,Taunton, Castle Cary and the Hants & Berks Line, setting down at Reading before arriving at London Victoria by way of Staines.

Southern landmarks

Following that, Clan Line features in two important Southern landmark occasions recalling the months when steam was fast disappearing across the region. First, UKRT has planned to rerun the all-Pullman‘Bournemouth Belle’to mark the day which, in 1967, ended steam haulage of this well-loved train booked to run daily from Waterloo and Southampton (stop) to Bournemouth Central and West stations.

On Wednesday July 5, the 4-6-2 complete with a rake of Pullman carriages will reopen memories of the past as the‘Belle’heads down the South West Main Line with a Merchant Navy in charge. UKRT’s John Farrow predicted that all seats on the‘Belle’will quickly be sold at £450 a head. The very last‘Bournemouth Belle’ran on Sunday, July 9, 1967 withType 4 diesel D1924, borrowed by Eastleigh from Cardiff Canton, working the train. A third train featuring the Bulleid 4-6-2, the‘Waterloo Sunset,’ marks the exact last day of Southern steam and runs on Sunday, July 9. Departing Waterloo at 10am and stopping only at Woking, it it set to take the old Southern West Country route via Basingstoke, Salisbury (water stop) to Sherborne or alternatively, theYeovil Steam Centre where the 4-6-2 is turned on one of the

few remaining turntables in the country. Following a suitable break, the‘Sunset’ returns to Salisbury, then turns off at Laverstoke Junction to run via Romsey, Eastleigh and Havant, joining the Portsmouth Direct Line to Guildford, joining the main line to Waterloo at Woking.

Arrow interest

In September, No. 35028 has been booked to work UKRT’s‘Golden Arrow’ possibly from Victoria to Canterbury and along the Kent coast on the 13th. Such has been the interest in the‘Bournemouth Belle’that this additional train is already receiving seat reservations. Looking ahead, when West Coast Railways allows David Smith’s newlyrebuilt Merchant Navy, No. 35018 British India Line to venture south following its proving runs, Southern fans will be spoiled for choice.

Royal support for Duke of Gloucester overhaul AS PART of the BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust’s ongoing efforts to raise funds to pay for the heavy overhaul of its unique BR three-cylinder 4-6-2 No. 71000, the human Duke of Gloucester has signed several prints taken from a new painting by Nick Trudgian. Commissioned by trust secretary Ron Mitchell, the painting depicts the 4-6-2 working a‘Midday Scot’ across open country. Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the youngest grandchild of King George V and a long-time patron of the engine, agreed to sign copies which will be sold exclusively to trust members. Unsigned copies are available on a first-come, first-served basis at www.theduke.uk.com Meanwhile, a report issued by trust chairman Trevor Tuckley has detailed top-level changes made to the management structure because engineering principal Ken Grubb has relinquished his role due to increased pressure of the work involved and demands being made on time with his family. As a result of this a meeting was called by 25 members of the support crew to discuss the way forward. An open discussion highlighted how well the Duke is in respect of talent and it was agreed that Phil Sanderson, supported by David East, would take charge of managing a working relationship between Tyseley Locomotive

The Duke of Gloucester signs prints of artist Nick Trudgian’s new painting of his namesake locomotive. BC8SLT Works and the trust. These new roles will arrange and oversee the work required by the bi-monthly Duke’s working parties and closely liaise with Tyseley to ensure that work is aligned with the developing needs of the overhaul. The structure has been strengthened by the addition of Dave Oliver as team leader and

now consists of four leaders – Richard Holt, Julian Mander, Dace Oliver and Jim Burrows – with Julian also taking on responsibility to review and draw up electrical needs as the overhaul progresses. Trevor said that a target set for increasing membership during 2016 was so successful that numbers had risen and passed the hoped-for number by Christmas.

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LMS 4-6-0 No. 46100 Royal Scot and ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 No. 45407 pass Joan Croft Junction north of Doncaster, en route from Southall to Grosmont on March 21. BRIAN SHARPE

‘Black Fives’ ready for new main line season NOW operational with three‘Black Five’ 4-6-0s, Ian Riley and his travelling band of support crew have much to look forward to this year as demand for their combined services continues to grow apace. Three‘Black Fives’?The third 4-6-0 is of course No. 45212, a Keighley engine which has been restored to main line running under a 10-year lease by Riley & Son Engineering. Given an extensive series of light and loaded proving runs on March 3, the 4-6-0 ran light from Castleton Junction

to Carnforth before proceeding to Blackburn and return with a train. Finally it returned to Keighley, all on the same day. The subject of an extensive winter maintenance overhaul. No. 45407 was ‘outshopped’and was sent to Southall on March 16 in readiness to working the RailwayTouring Company’s‘Bath & Bristol Express’fromThree Bridges. On March 21, the engine, accompanied by 4-6-0 No. 46100 Royal Scot, moved north toYork as a pair where B1 No. 61264 was coupled on to form a

threesome bound for Grosmont. With Easter approaching the two‘Black Fives’, No. 45407 and No. 45212 will have moved to Fort William to work West Coast Railways’‘Easter Jacobite’trains to Mallaig commencing April 14. No. 44871? Ian confirmed that the 4-6-0 will be sent to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway“for a season” on the understanding that it is in effect a standby engine for the‘Jacobite’ operation. K1 No. 62005? At Carnforth, its winter maintenance nearing completion, the

2-6-0 is booked to participate in‘Great Britain X’but is assumed to move to Fort William for the two-train‘Jacobite’ summer season afterwards. In addition to a full calendar managing Flying Scotsman’s movements around the country Ian’s works are committed to completing a lengthy bottom end overhaul of A4 No. 60009 Union of South Africa which has included the realignment of the 4-6-2’s axles. “I’ve promised John Cameron that he will have his engine back by Easter,” Ian said.

Northern emphasis for Railway Touring Company’s spring activities HAVING already completed a busy early spring tour programme, from April onwards the RailwayTouring Company has laid an emphasis on most of its activities north ofWatford. That said,‘The RoyalWessex’ slipped under the net on April 8 when Bulleid 4-6-2 No. 34046 Braunton (aka Lord Dowding) stood in for newly certificated‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 No. 45212, working the train fromThree Bridges toWeymouth routed by way of Haywards Heath, Hove,Worthing, Southampton and Bournemouth. On April 22, RTC’s mainstream ‘Cumbrian Mountain Express’

programme swings into action following its classical itinerary, a Class 86 electric from Euston to Carnforth where steam (on the day’s availability) takes over for the climb to Shap and onwards to Carlisle. Returning southwards the‘Express’ runs the length of the Settle and Carlisle line taking water at Settle before proceeding via Hellifield, rejoining theWest Coast Main Line at Farington Junction where the class 86 replaces steam haulage for the run back to Euston. Pick up stations for these trains are Watford Junction – service train to Milton Keynes, Northampton – service

train to Rugby-Nuneaton, Crewe and Preston. Departure dates are April 22, May 13/20, July 15 and October 14. Turning to May, another RTC classic, ‘The Hadrian’, leaves Norwich for Carlisle on Saturday the 27th. Diesel hauled and calling at Wymondham, Attleborough,Thetford. Brandon, March and Peterborough toYork, steam in the shape of BR Britannia 7P 4-6-2 No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell couples on for the reminder of the trip via Skipton and Hellifield then over the Settle and Carlisle. Another RTC favourite,‘The Peak Forester’, is booked to depart King’s Cross for Matlock and Rowsley on

June 4 but not with B1 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower at its leading edge. As reported on pages 60-61, the B1’s overhaul will still have weeks to run before its“late summer”completion. That week attention turns to the south when, on June 8, the‘Swanage Belle’brings steam back to the Dorset coast route but again not with the B1. Due to depart LondonVictoria, the ‘Belle’picks up at Staines,Woking and Basingstoke then heads on down thoughWinchester, Eastleigh and Southampton then by the Bournemouth-Weymouth line as far asWareham junction for Corfe Castle and Swanage.

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MAIN LINE NEWS

Will Union of South Africa be ready for ‘Great Britain X’? By Cedric Johns WITH the departure of the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Great Britain X’ nine-day tour on April 29 fast approaching, concern was growing that first-day key engine, A4 Pacific No. 60009 UnionofSouth Africa might not be available to take over from A3 4-6-2 No. 60103Flying Scotsman for the Scottish leg. As it is, the A3 is standing in for LMS 4-6-2 No. 6201 PrincessElizabethbut only for the King’s Cross toYork leg, where the A4 is booked to take the tour over the border to Edinburgh and the first night stop. Talking to John Cameron it became evident that he and RTC’s Nigel Dobbing were anxiously waiting to learn whether No. 60009, which has spent several months with Riley Engineering for a bottom end overhaul, including the realignment of the A4’s axles, would be ready in time to meet its commitment. Ian Riley, who has been busy with

winter maintenance and work on‘Black Five’No. 45407 and the management of Flying Scotsman’s current programme, revealed he was confident that‘No. 9’ would be available just before Easter, a week before‘GBX’departs King’s Cross. Day two, April 30, originally booked for BR 7P 4-6-2 No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell to head the tour over both the Forth and Tay bridges to Inverness via Dundee and Perth, will see Union ofSouth Africa paired with newcomer, NELPG’s K1 2-6-0 No. 62005, working the tour north east by way of Ladybank and the Cairngorms.

Double-header

Monday, May 1 introduces‘Black Five’ No. 44871, accompanied by the K1 for a return trip from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh.The following day, No. 60009 – not No. 70013 – takes a double-header with the K1 to Perth tackling the Slochd and Drumochter summits. At Perth there will be a motive power change, the A4 continuing alone with the tour to Glasgow.

Two Class 50s to go main line By Cedric Johns PATHFINDERTours has announced a new main line tour to be worked by a pair of Severn-Valley Railway based Class 50 diesels, recalling Fifties Anglo-Scottish express diagrams from Crewe to Glasgow. That said, the Pathfinder trip is planned to run south from Burton-on-Trent to Paignton and Kingswear for Dartmouth. It will all happen on Saturday, July 8 when the‘Hoovers’depart Burton with the‘Torbay & Dart Explorer’, which is booked to pick up atTamworth High Level, Birmingham New Street, Bromsgrove,Worcester Shrub Hill and Bristol Parkway. From Bristol, the‘Explorer’takes the fast route viaTaunton, Exeter and Newton Abbot before turning left forTorbay. It is hinted that speeds of around 100mph might be reached over some sections.

Exactly which 50s are working the train have yet to be decided, but the favourites at this time are No. 50035 ArkRoyal and No.50049 Defiance. A second train,‘The Caledonian’, is set to run later in the year when it departs Euston on Saturday, October 7. This trip is a joint effort involving PathfinderTours, RivieraTrains, GB Railfreight and our sister publication The RailwayMagazine. The train is set to be hauled by Class 86/87 electric traction as far as Crewe, where the two 50s will then replicate BR days by heading‘The Caledonian’north to Glasgow. Out of Euston, the train will call at Watford Junction and then Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Nuneaton, Stafford and Crewe. The visit to Glasgow is thought to be the first by Class 50s this century.

Chiltern Railways withdraws bubblecars CHILTERN Railways looks set to withdraw its Class 121‘Bubblecars’ Nos. 121020/034 (55020/034) with May 19 mooted as their last day in service. These are the last first generation DMU

vehicles to remain in main line service, dedicated to the Aylesbury-Princes Risborough peak-hour services, but as we closed for press, there appeared to be no celebration of this historic event.

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Wednesday, May 3 offers travellers an optional excursion from Glasgow along theWest Highland Line to Oban with ‘Black Five’No. 44871 standing in for sister No. 45407 in harness with No. 62005.The return journey is to be diesel-hauled. Day six, May 4, marks the tour’s departure from Scotland. It also sees the entry of LMS Princess Coronation 4-6-2 Duchess of Sutherland into the tour’s motive power line up. From Glasgow, the 8P joins theWest Coast Main Line to head south by way of Beattock to Carlisle, then via Shap to Oxenholme station and a passenger night stop at nearbyWindermere. Following a transfer from hotel to Grange-over-Sands, the tour heads for Bristol by way of theWelsh Marches. LMS 4-6-0 No. 46115 ScotsGuardsman was expected to handle this leg but the latest is that Carnforth’s LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45699 Galatea will work the train travelling through Chester, Shrewsbury, Hereford and the SevernTunnel.

On Saturday, May 6, the tour departs BritainTemple Meads with another change in the locomotive line up.

Another double-header

Instead of the hoped-for combination of GWR 4-6-0s No. 5029 Nunney Castle and No. 6023 King Edward II, the double-header is to be worked by No. 46100 Royal Scot and West Country light Pacific No. 34046 Braunton. Running through the AvonValley, Trowbridge,Westbury andTaunton,‘GBX’ heads on toTruro via Plymouth for the night stop. Day nine, Sunday, May 7 the tour departs Penzance with the‘Scot’and the Bulleid leading the way to its journey’s end, Paddington. Routed viaWestbury and the Berks & Hants Line and Reading the tour runs its last miles into the GWR terminus. Details of locomotives were correct at the time of going to press. Further changes may be made depending on the availability of locomotives on the day.

Assisting diesels: the facts As our railways evolve into nothing more than a mass transportation system devoid of the many small pleasures attached to rail travel, a growing resentment amongst enthusiasts is focusing on tighter restrictions gradually being placed on railtour passengers. These are central door-locking, no standing in the carriage end vestibules, no more open windows and window hanging or black berets and goggles, a smaller choice of timing positions and less freedom of movement. However, one of the biggest complaints is centred on the use of assisting diesels positioned at the rear of a large number of steam-hauled tours. According to a vocal minority of enthusiasts, including lineside photographers, the presence of a diesel detracts from the aesthetic image and values of steam haulage. Little attention is given to the fact that Network Rail laid down criteria relating to steam haulage a year ago that specified the conditions to be considered when planning railtours. These are based on the proposed route, the mileage and gradients involved, the number of carriages, the train’s overall up weight and the type and power of the locomotive chosen to head such a train. Surprisingly perhaps, even

weather conditions are part of the mix when a railtour proposal is being considered. If the factors involved produce a hint of a risk of a train failure out on the network, the use of a supporting diesel is built into the final route plan. It is not that the diesel is included to provide additional power, although there are occasions when this is desirable, especially if the train locomotive develops a steaming or mechanical problem, but a diesel is specified to ensure that help is at hand if the train becomes a total failure and blocks the planned route, causing disruption and delays to public services. According to informed sources, railtour promoters have little say in the matter. If theTrain Operating Company and Network Rail’s planning team decide that a diesel is necessary to ensure that an excursion is viable, then so be it. However, tour promoters, including Nigel Dobbing of the RailwayTouring Company and Marcus Robertson of Steam Dreams, are now using websites and social media to advertise the fact that there will be no assisting diesel where this has been agreed, in an effort to encourage enthusiasts to travel on the trains.

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Yeovil ready for steam increase ALTHOUGH 2016 proved to be a lean year for main line steam at Yeovil Junction due to a number of factors, resignalling the Salisbury-Exeter route and an increase in the use of diesel traction, Yeovil Railway Centre is optimistically anticipating an increase in steam activity. Locomotives expected to visit the junction and the centre’s yard and turntable include newly outshopped Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35028 Clan Line, Bulleid 4-6-2 No. 34046 Braunton, A4 4-6-2 No. 60009 Union of South Africa and‘Black Five’4-6-0 No. 45305 Alderman AE Draper. It is possible that additional motive power will make an appearance towards the end of the year. Yeovil Railway Centre’s chairman Paul Gould said that it is not just locomotive servicing services that the centre provides for visiting trains.

50th anniversary

“Our volunteers are adept at dealing with clearing bags of rubbish accumulated during the first part of a railtour journey and, if required, top up water levels in the coaching stock. “We also offer a‘splash and dash’ opportunity for support crews to top up locomotive tender levels en route, say, to Exeter.” Special attractions are to be laid on over the weekend of July 8/9 when Steam Dreams and UK Railtours will run trains into Yeovil Junction to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of steam on the Southern Region. Appropriately, these trains are booked for Bullied haulage, 4-6-2 Braunton arriving on July 8, Merchant Navy 4-6-2 Clan Line on the 9th. The restrictions on the size of locomotives working back to Salisbury and London are expected to be lifted shortly after Network Rail engineers have completed clearance work on the A30 underbridge at Oborne approaching Sherborne.

Farewell to Class 442 EMUs THE Branch Line Society/Southern Trains ran their‘Farewell to Class 442 Trainsets’on March 12 when a pair of 5WES trainsets, Nos. 442402/08, were operated with Class 73/2 No. 73202 over routes on the Southern’s Victoria – Brighton line. The tour included a run from Victoria to Beckenham Junction, linking with the CroydonTram network, and a run between Brighton and Lovers Walk/ Preston Park powered by No. 73202. The 5-WES trainsets are 30 years old and are now being placed in warm storage at both Eastleigh and Ely, while a possible future operator is sought for these high-speed units.

GWR 4-6-0 No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe passes Droitwich with Vintage Trains’ ‘Welsh Marches’ from Tyseley to Hereford on March 25. MARTIN CREESE

Multi-million-pound Tyseley Locomotive Works project launched in March By Cedric Johns WHAT was described as a vision for the future was launched byTyseley LocomotiveWorks chairman Michael Whitehouse on Saturday, March 18 when he officially unveiled plans for a multi-million project to redevelopVintage Trains’existing facilities as a major Midland tourist centre. The pre-publicised launch, held at nearbyTyseleyWorking Men’s Club, is a follow up to the tour promoter’s recent application forTrain Operating Company status, Over the past 50 yearsTyseley has been involved in preserving important express, mixed traffic and industrial locomotives, Pullman cars, carriages, GreatWestern wagons workshop equipment, drawings and spares. Emphasis was placed on the

preservation GWR 4-6-0 No. 7029 ClunCastle, the last to operate regular services on theWestern Region, plus the rebuilding of 4-6-0 No. 4965 RoodAshton Hall and GWR 0-6-0PT No. 7752.

Sustainable future

Turning to the future, Michael said:“Our mission is to create a main line heritage railway company for everyone, preserving the skills of the steam age in order to enable our collection of express steam trains to have a sustainable future and a real purpose working every day services as a tourist business. “First steps include the development of our historic GWR locomotive depot at Tyseley as our base for train operations. This will secure engineering, operating and business skills for our children and future generations.” He said thatTyseley would engage

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with regional, industry and heritage stakeholders to create a globally important heritage tourist operation built on its past successes and to harness the iconic historical aspects of Birmingham’s contribution to international railway development. He said:“We will work with the city and HS2 to deliver a heritage gateway to the city, incorporating both Grade 1 listed Curzon Street station and the nearby 1906 restored City terminus at Moor Street. “We can do this because we have spent the past 50 years collecting, restoring and operating our collection on the national railway network. “We have gained an enviable reputation for our engineering and operational skills and we promote express steam dining trains for national and international tourists to destinations of interest.” Heritagerailway.co.uk 59

MAIN LINE NEWS

Steam Dreams rings the changes By Cedric Johns WITH LMS 4-6-2 No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth and B1 No. 61306 Mayflower out of the frame for several months, Steam Dreams’operations director, Steve Newell has been busy replanning motive power changes. Steam Dreams’2017 programme began with a cancellation when its St David’s Day trip from Euston to Holyhead never left London when its booked Class 86 No. 86259 Les Ross failed to reach the starting line. When 4-6-0 No. 46100 Royal Scot was declared unavailable Bulleid 4-6-2 No. 34046 Braunton (in its current guise as Lord Dowding) filled in, heading a trip from Ely to Bath and Bristol on March 7 and later, from Southend – steam on at Hanwell on both occasions – on March 11. On a brighter note Carnforth’s LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45699 Galetea proved to be a useful replacement for a‘Black

Five’on March 21 working a‘Cathedrals Express’from London to Gloucester via Bath and was booked again for a trip from Kettering via Bedford to the Roman City – steam coming on at Hanwell – on April 1.

A newcomer

With May and June taken up with the appearance of Steam Dreams’Flying Scotsman programme, a newcomer in the shape of the 5305 Locomotive Association’s 4-6-0 No. 45305 Alderman A E Draper has been announced to commence June’s new luncheon and dining trains. On June 29, the 4-6-0 will head a luncheon train around the Surrey Hills route and in the evening, a‘White Cliffs’ diner timed to catch a sunset. No. 45305 is also booked to work an ‘Express’from Victoria to Canterbury, Whitstable and Faversham on July 27. This will then be followed by a trip, possibly its first, toYeovil Junction from

London to Salisbury and Sherborne, on September 5. A4 No. 60009 Union of South Africa makes a welcome return south to head an additional several trains in July beginning with maybe another‘first’, taking the Hampshire Hills route on July 13. On July 18, the A4 will work Steam Dreams’ ‘White Horses’luncheon train on a circular tour of Hampshire and Wiltshire via Westbury and later that evening, a London-Windsor excursion. A big moment comes on July 18 when No. 60009 heads down the Great Western route from Paddington to Weymouth viaYeovil Pen Mill, the train calling at Slough and Reading. It remains to be seen if the A4 takes the Berks & Hants Line direct to Castle Cary or instead travels via Swindon, Chippenham,Trowbridge andWestbury. Another heavyweight visitor in the shape of LMS Princess Coronation 4-6-2 No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland

is booked to commence duties with a Sunday special to Shrewsbury calling at Gerrards Cross, Prince Risborough and Banbury on August 13.

Golden Valley

Four days later the 4-6-2 works out of London Victoria to Cheltenham and Worcester stopping at Egham, Ascot and Reading thence Oxford, the Cotswold Line and Evesham. On the return journey, the Duchess threads the Golden Valley before tackling Sapperton. Meanwhile Carnforth provides the motive power for a trip from King’s Cross toYork and Scarborough on August 27, steam coming on atYork. Les Ross heads a‘Cathedrals Express’ out of Euston on September 9, destined for the Settle and Carlisle line on September 9. Calling at Milton Keynes, Rugby, Nuneaton, Lichfield and Crewe steam takes over at Carnforth.

SR Bulleid Pacific No, 34052 Lord Dowding crosses Hungerford Common with an Ely – Bristol 'Cathedrals Express' on March 7. TONY BARTLETT

‘Late summer’ for return of Mayflower to main line THE latest bulletin on the recovery programme set for B1 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower is that a date of “late summer”is the target for the engine’s return to the main line. “Things are progressing very quickly,” reported the B1’s owner, David Buck. Based on his report, it seems that all the extra work put in on the boiler is

60 Heritagerailway.co.uk

nearing fruition. It will be delivered to Carnforth hydraulically and steam tested ready for lifting back onto the 4-6-0’s frames. While work on the boiler continues, the B1 is being fitted with a new front tubeplate, throatplate and equipped with a self-cleaning smokebox. With time in hand, the engine’s frames

are being fettled to the highest degree with a view to long term operations on the network. In keeping with that principle, the B1’s tender wheelset is being renewed. When the work is finally completed, the 4-6-0 is to be recertified with a proving run around the West Coast Railways testing circuit before returning

to traffic over an anticipated 10-year period. Not forgotten is David Buck’s personal commitment to heading a charity train visiting Harwich Docks sometime next year. The train has already been postponed on two occasions but will definitely, he says, go ahead.

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Sir Nigel Gresley’s ‘007 Gang’

WITH the ongoing overhaul of A4 4-6-2 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley reported to be on schedule atYork and Llangollen (boiler), it is likely that the 4-6-2’s return to the main line will coincide with the planned and permanent withdrawal of sister locomotive No. 60009 Union of South Africa. Then the national A4 line-up will be reduced to No. 60007 with No. 4464 Bittern coming up on the rails from its Crewe stable. As reported, work atYork and Llangollen is on schedule and it is being supported by a group of youngsters keen to get their hands on a steam locomotive. Organised by Sir Nigel Gresley coordinator, Bryan Orange, the group known as the‘007 Gang’will have completed a year’s on-the-job training in May. Supported by adult A4 volunteers and Gresley’s full time engineer Darrin Crone,

The junior volunteers watch a signalling demonstration at the National Railway Museum. DAVE PENNOCK the group of youngsters will continue to build on their experiences throughout No. 60007’s period of overhaul and carry their new-found skills into adult volunteer days. The training is already enhancing their confidence and teamwork and will provide additional depth to individual boys’CVs applying for future college or university places. One‘Gang’member,Tom Houseman, said:“I have worked in the National

Railway Museum on multiple occasions. I have learned many skills which have been useful to me both on and off the railway.” Henry Pritchard, 14, said:“I love working on the A4 at the NRM, It’s great fun and there is never a dull moment providing we stick to safety procedures.” In contrast to Gresley, Darrin Crone took the group onto the footplate of Mallard and explained the differences in today’s main line operations.

SEE CLASSIC TRACTION ON THE NATIONAL NETWORK By Fred Kerr DESPITE the plethora of new locomotives due to arrive in the UK during 2017, there is still much action to be seen of heritage traction (i.e. older than 20 years) still finding work on main line duties with Colas Railfreight, one of the“newest” companies, being in the forefront of such activity. Its latest“purchase”of Class 67 Nos. 67023/27 (youngsters at only 17 years old) from DB-Schenker for use on Network Rail test trains became active in early March when successful test runs saw them in service for their new owner on March 8 when they powered a Derby-Peterborough via Chesterfield and Doncaster service. These operations are in addition to the increasing number of test trains that are handled by the Colas Class 37 fleet, supported by NR’s Class 97/3 locomotives and operating in either top-and-tail mode or with a Driving VanTrailer, on scheduled services throughout the country. Colas Railfreight also operates 10 Class 60 locomotives on some of its heavier trains, mainly cement and oil flows, and has recently added a further two flows (OxwellmainsHunslet and Aberthaw Power StationLindsey) to its portfolio of services that see Class 60 haulage. Class 60 traction and Class 37 traction has also been reported on engineering services based at Doncaster during mid-March as the company takes on more Network Rail

work in theYorkshire area. The influx of veteran traction to Network services has raised the prospect of the hire of Class 37 No. 37025 coming to an end and a query of how much longer Class 31 No. 31233, first introduced to traffic in 1960 as D5660, will remain in use. During March it has been noted on route-learning duties in the Colchester area followed shortly after by a tour of the Manchester/ Liverpool area where it substituted for an unavailable Class 73 with an inspection train.

Yet to be decided

The fate of traction hired by Network Rail from both Direct Rail Services and Europhoenix is also still yet to be decided although DRS has already begun divesting itself of both Class 37 and 47 traction. Recent sales have seen DRS sell further Class 37 locomotives; No. 37601 to Europhoenix, No. 37607/12 to the Harry Needle Railroad Company, No. 37610/667 to Locomotive Services, No. 37688 to D05 Preservation and Class 47 No. 47813 to Rail Operations Group. Despite the sale of Class 37 locomotives, DRS has also released further Class 37/4s to traffic with No. 37424, recovered from the ChurnetValley Railway, touring the country with Network Rail’s saloon No. ADB 975025 Caroline on network inspection services.The appearance of this latest example of Class 37/4 traction, however, comes as sister

locomotive No. 37422 has been under investigation at Barrow Hill to solve the long-standing internal mechanical problems. Another‘new’company is the Rail Operations Group (ROG) which has assembled a mixed fleet of Class 37 and 47 traction to move stock forTrain Operating Companies; the company owns the Class 47 locomotives, following purchase of the Riviera Trains fleet of five locomotives, but hires its Class 37 locomotives from Europhoenix. Its services operate at the request of the individualTOC but current regular moves include the transfer of Class 442 units to both Ely and Eastleigh for warm (i.e. short term) storage and the transfer of Class 319 units to Long MarstonforwarmstorageandAllerton for north-west of England services. The programme of modifications currently being applied to GB Railfreight’s Class 73/9 and 92 fleets are currently coming to an end with haulage of the Serco-operated Caledonian Sleeper service slowly returning to Class 92 operation on the trunk hauls and Class 73/9s on the internal Scottish services. Despite this progress, however, there is still a contract in vogue for the hire of two Freightliner Class 90s as standby whilst a DB Schenker Class 67 is being hired as replacement for the damaged Class 73/9 No. 73969 to power the Inverness portion for the foreseeable future with Colas Rail class 47/7 No. 47739 on hire as standby.

Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

Heritagerailway.co.uk 61

Heritagerailway.co.uk 63

MAIN LINE NEWS

WITH FULL REGULATOR LOCOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE THEN AND NOW

By Don Benn I MAKE no apology for covering the work of Tornado again in this issue and in fact the theme is LNER locos on the GWR, which the Swindon fraternity might indeed feel requires an apology! It isn’t just that No. 60163 is a fine engine but trips out behind it are virtually certain to be diesel-free as DBC has no need for one except in the most unusual circumstances. I have also included a run behind No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley back in 2008 when most Steam Dreams trains ran diesel-free and on a day when Ray Churchill turned

TABLE ONE: PADDINGTON TO CARDIFF Date Train Loco Load Driver Fireman Inspector Weather Recorder Reading Tilehurst Pangbourne Goring Moulsford Viaduct Cholsey Moreton Cutting Didcot Foxhall Jct Steventon MP59 Wantage Road Challow Uffington Knighton Shrivenham Bourton MP 74 Swindon Rushey Platt Hay Lane MP82 Wootton Bassett Jct MP86 Dauntsey Christian Malford Avon Viaduct MP 92 Chippenham Thingley Jct MP97 Corsham Box Tunnel Entrance Box Tunnel Exit Box MP103 Bathampton Jct Bath Twerton Long Tunnel Keynsham St Anne’s Park Tunnel Bristol East DGL

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 0930 Paddington to Cardiff A1 4-6-2 No. 60163 Tornado 11 coaches, 400 tons tare 430 tons gross Wayne Thompson Jim Clarke Geoff Ewans Cloudy, SW wind DB in 10th coach of 11 miles 0.00 2.67 5.56 8.77 11.37 12.46 15.17 17.16 17.77 20.50 23.02 24.37 27.86 30.63 33.02 35.48 36.40 38.02 41.31 0.00 1.22 2.71 4.71 5.82 8.71 10.46 12.66 13.66 14.71 16.66 18.81 19.71 21.06 21.86 23.69 24.67 25.71 27.29 29.60 31.72 36.41 38.44 39.91

sched 0.00 11.00 16.00

24.00

31.00 40.00 43.00

55.00 0.00

8.00

18.00 21.00

31.00 34.30

48.00

mins 00 05 08 10 13 14 16 17 18 20 22 23 30 33 35 38 39 40 44 00 03 05 07 08 10 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 30 34 38 40 45

secs 00 09 02 54 08 02 24 49 18 29 50 54 24 31 54 01 06 14 18 00 52 37 30 27 46 08 55 41 33 06 53 37 42 21 44 32 26 41 13 24 58 41 01

* brakes or speed restriction net time Reading to Swindon: 39 minutes net time Swindon to Bristol East DGL; 42 minutes

64 Heritagerailway.co.uk

speed 51½ 64 69½ 72 72½ 74 75 75½ 74 70 48*/23* 41½ 55½ 67½ 72/73 72½ 73

in another of his virtuoso performances.The two make for interesting comparisons with both running fast down the GWR main line to Bristol. On March 1, UK Railtours ran‘The Saint David’from Paddington to Cardiff behind Tornado and this ran via Bath and Bristol East returning via Chepstow and Sapperton. I opted to join the train at Slough and before I arrived there I got the news from Alan Rawlings that the London departure was going to be delayed due to a freight train failure blocking the empty stock move. No. 60163 appeared eventually with 11 coaches for 430 tons full on a cloudy and windy day running 40 minutes late. WayneThompson was in the driving seat ably assisted by Jim Clarke on the shovel withTI Geoff Ewans overseeing and the A1Trust’s Graeme Bunker also on the footplate.

Hope of even time

A gentle run to Reading saw us leave there just over 38 late with every chance of time recovery and the hope of maybe an even time run to the Swindon stop.Table One shows the details as far as Bristol. We left on the relief line but crossed to the main line atTilehurst East Junction as booked. Up the gentle climb of theThames valley we were doing 70mph by just after Goring and a full 75mph by Didcot, reaching even time before Steventon, 20.50 miles. Would the signallers let us run rather than put us into the Challow loop where we were booked to take a five minute break especially as we were still running 32 minutes late? No such luck as the brakes came on to take us off the main line and into the long loop, where we meandered along waiting for the 10.45am Paddington to Swansea to pass us, which it did without the need for us to stop, so we regained the main line at Challow and ran up to 73mph before the Swindon stop reached just under 27 minutes late.The net time for

the 41.31 miles from Reading would have been about 39 minutes. I think we all expected our stop to be brief as the 11am Paddington to Bristol was 10 late from Reading and No. 60163 would surely have our train tucked away in the Bristol East down goods loop well before it caught us. But no, we just sat there as the minutes ticked by, cursing the signallers, as it turned out mistakenly as the cause of the delay was a misunderstanding about whether or not the engine crew would be changed at Swindon rather than at Bristol, due to the late running. I was also getting concerned about how Tornado was doing for water, though my worries were unfounded as I discovered later. Eventually, and with Wayne still driving, we left 53 minutes late and in front of the 11.30am Paddington to Bristol. By Wootton Bassett speed was up to 73mph and peaked at 79 near Dauntsey before Wayne had no option but to brake to bring speed down.This is just the situation (late running with a service train tight up behind us) that common sense demands a 90mph limit, the case for which was so succinctly put forward by John Forman in the last issue. Now of course the engine would need to be worked harder than it would have otherwise needed to have been up the long 1-in-660 climb to Box tunnel. Exactly the point John Forman made in his article. It was a good climb with speed sustained at 73-74mph and tending to rise before the gradient change just prior to the tunnel saw us into the eastern portal at 75½mph. WayneThompson told me that Tornado very quickly gained speed in the tunnel and a slight brake application had little effect so he had to brake harder. Result: wasted energy and wear and tear on the brake blocks all due to the 75mph limit. There is a severe speed restriction for steam through

45 58 65½ 73 74/79 73* 75½ 77½ 75½ 73½ 73 73½ 74 75½/79 73* 74 70½/73 70* 7* tsr 47 71/72½ 66*

LNER A4 Pacific No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley after arrival at Bristol on December 3, 2008. DON BENN Find us on www.facebook.com/heritagerailway

LNER A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado enters Slough with the 9.30 Paddington to Cardiff ‘Saint David’ on March 1. DON BENN

Bath but we recovered well from this reaching 72½ after Keynsham before drawing slowly into the Bristol East goods loop comfortably ahead of 1C12 which passed us three minutes after we had stopped. We had gained three minutes on the tight 45 minute booking for 39.91 miles from Swindon. Graeme Bunker told me later that there were 1,600 gallons of water left and reminded me that this was Tornado and not a water guzzling Bulleid Pacific! Our debate about the merits of the latter compared to his protégé continues and he knows well enough where my allegiances lie, but is also aware of my high regard for No. 60163.

Better performance

By way of comparison,TableTwo shows details of the Challow to Bristol section of a storming run with No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley on a Victoria to Bristol ‘Cathedrals Express’on December 3, 2008.The now-

retired Ray Churchill was in charge with his fireman Les Perry and with 13 for 470 tons produced a better performance than Tornado almost throughout on a cold but dry day. Some of the acceleration from stops was quite phenomenal. For instance from the Challow start, 12 minutes late, the first 11.16 miles were covered in just 12 minutes 1 second with 76mph reached in just over nine minutes.Then came the first of two very fast stops caused by the aws automatically applying the brakes. Ray told me that the warning signal was very soft on No. 7 as it was the old type which worked on the vacuum at that time but it was still annoying to have such rapid progress interrupted. Nothing daunted off we went again with a wonderful loud A4 roar, recovering rapidly past Swindon and were soon back to cruising in the mid to upper 70s, once again having to brake at Dauntsey to keep speed down.The minimum of 73½ after Corsham was a

TABLE TWO: WATERLOO TO BRISTOL Date Train Loco Load Driver Fireman Weather Recorder

Wednesday, December 3, 2008 1000 Waterloo to Bristol A4 class 4-6-2 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley 13 coaches, 432 tons tare 470 tons gross Ray Churchill Les Perry Cloudy and cold DB 3rd coach of 13

Challow Uffington MP68 MP70 Shrivenham MP73 MP75

miles 0.00 2.77 4.16 6.16 7.62 9.16 11.16

76.08 miles

12.24

Swindon Rushey Platt Hay Lane MP82 Wootton Bassett Jct MP86 Dauntsey Christian Malford MP92 Chippenham Thingley Jct Corsham Box Tunnel Entrance Box Tunnel Exit Bathampton Jct

13.45 14.67 16.16 18.16 19.27 22.16 23.91 26.11 28.16 30.11 32.28 34.51 35.31 37.14 40.74

106.40 miles

42.56

Bath

43.15 0.00 1.02 2.01 4.45 5.51 6.85 8.01 10.80 11.49

Oldfield Park MP109 Saltford MP112½ Keynsham MP115 N.Somerset Jct Bristol TM

No. 60007 at Bristol on December 3, 2008. DON BENN Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

sched 0.00 5.00

19.00

26.00

37.00 40.00

49.00

52.00 0.00

16.00

mins secs 00 00 04 54 06 20 08 02 09 15 10 25 12 01 aws stop 13 23 14 38 17 57 19 18 20 39 22 17 22 59 25 27 26 50 28 35 30 11 31 43 33 27 35 18 35 53 37 18 40 00 aws stop 42 15 43 02 45 08 00 00 03 10 04 45 06 55 07 48 08 47 09 48 12 37 15 40

speed 60 66½ 73 76 75 75½ 0* 47 62½ 70 76 77½ 79 76* 73 75½ 77½ 75 73½ 75/79 73* 75 0*

45 54 68½ 73 76½ 70* 30*

* brakes or speed restriction net time Challow to Bath 39 minutes 30.32 miles between the two aws stops at 65.87 mph start to stop

Heritagerailway.co.uk 65

prelude to another dash through Box tunnel with the brakes on only to be stopped again by the aws just short of Bath. We had covered the 30.32 miles from the previous stop at an average of 65.87mph and what’s more had run the 42.56 miles from Challow to the stop inside even time; so two even time runs on the same section which is somewhat unusual. We were just over five minutes late arriving in Bath but overtime made us eight late away and even though we ran up to 76½mph at Keynsham we only just kept the tight 16 minutes booking

TABLE THREE: CARDIFF TO PADDINGTON Date Train Loco Load Driver Fireman Inspector Weather Recorder

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 1631 Cardiff to Paddington A1 Class 4-6-2 No. 60163 Tornado 11 coaches, 400 tons tare 430 tons gross Vince Henderson to Gloucester then Graham Ward Matt Hunt Gareth Jones Cloudy then rain from Chepstow DB 2nd coach of 11

Newport East Usk Jct Llanwern West Jct Llanwern Magor Severn Tunnel Jct Caldicot LC Overbridge Three Gates O/A Chepstow Overbridge Woolaston Lydney Nass LC Awre LC Bullo Pill Newnham Tunnel Westbury LC Ley LC Summit Gloucester Horton Road Tuffley Jct Brookthorpe Standish Jct Stonehouse Ebley Cashes Green Downfield Stroud Bowbridge Ham Hill Brimscombe Bridge St Mary’s LC Chalford Overbridge Strawberry Cutting Frampton Viaduct Frampton O/A Sapperton Tunnel Tunnel Out Short Tunnel In Short Tunnel Out Coates Kemble Oaksey Minety LC Minety Purton LC Collins Lane LC Swindon

miles 0.00 1.58 2.31 3.75 7.43 9.86 11.56 14.11 15.18 17.16 19.51 22.46 25.14 26.16 30.34 32.61 33.38 36.48 38.35 41.36 44.51 44.91 46.60 48.85 51.68 53.71 54.97 55.33 55.71 56.42 57.15 57.84 58.68 59.80 60.54 61.11 61.56 61.92 62.18 62.67 63.72 63.77 63.97 66.63 67.84 70.13 71.70 73.15 76.78 77.47 81.31

sched 0.00 3.30 10.00

18.00 27.00 32.00

49.00

59.00

68.00

79.00

98.00

OA: open access crossing LC: Level Crossing

66 Heritagerailway.co.uk

mins 00 02 03 05 08 10 12 14 15 18 21 23 25 27 31 33 34 37 38 41 47 48 50 52 57 60 61 62 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 76 76 76 79 80 82 83 85 88 89 95

secs 00 38 41 28 50 55 17 23 15 04 21 49 19 24 40 47 30 08 43 19 00 06 31 45 48 24 54 22 47 33 26 09 09 29 36 40 46 24 04 14 24 34 58 39 37 43 59 19 21 02 35

speed 34½* 43½ 40 55½ 69½ 72 73 74½ 70 27½* 66 71½ 57* 56/62½ 59½ 61 66 75 72½ 66½/70 20* 38 46½ 58½/25* sigs 36 51½ 52 51 50 52/54½ 53 52½ 48½/53½ 47 34* tsr 26½/27½ 25½ 27½ 26 21 18 19 32 70½ 69 73 70/69 70½/69 74½ 65½

* brakes or speed restriction net time 95 minutes

on to Bristol, producing a 55.5mph time over just 11.49 miles and that with 470 tons. Altogether an exhilarating performance. Back with Tornado on March 1, we now had Vince Henderson driving and Matt Hunt on the shovel and they got the train away, after taking water, 45 minutes late to tackle the Rhubarb curve and the 1-in-75 climb of Filton bank. It was now raining but No. 60163 coped well with no discernible slipping and after reaching 34½mph speed fell to a good 27 minimum. After 65½ below Patchway tunnel and a tsr to 32 at Pilning we entered the 4 mile 624 yard long SevernTunnel at 63mph. Word from up front was that speed peaked at 77mph at the foot of the 1-in-100 and the with full regulator and 45% cut off we made the 1-in-90 climb to exit at 45mph. We were gaining time nicely and 37 late at SevernTunnel Junction after which we ran well to reach 73mph before the slacks before, through and after Newport passed 27 minutes late. A final burst of speed in the 70s saw us into Cardiff just 17 late, a gain of no less than 27 minutes on the easy schedule from Bristol, helped I suspect with some lucky pathing. If it hadn’t been for the fiasco at Swindon I have no doubt that we would have been on time.

Eagerly anticipating

For the return run it was rumoured that departure had been put back to 5pm but there were no clues from the TDI or platform staff but in the event we actually left at 5.15pm, 44 minutes late. Once again we had Vince Henderson and Matt Hunt in charge and I was eagerly anticipating how Tornado would cope with Sapperton bank on a damp night with its 430 ton load. Table Three shows the run from passing Newport to Swindon and it has to be said that bearing in mind we were well out of our path we led a charmed life which was largely to do with the 5.12pm Cardiff to Cheltenham train which we passed at Severn Tunnel Junction and so we ran in its path with a clear road along the Severn Valley to Gloucester. This was excellent train regulation and we passed the unit at 72mph to peak at 74½ before speed fell to 70 on the 1-in-195 before braking for the restriction through Chepstow. It was now nearly dark and quite wet so correctly identifying timing points became more difficult with reliance on level crossings in the main. Progress continued to be good along the undulating section past Lydney and Awre with speed dropping

to 59½ at the top of the 1-in-316 to Bullo Pill before Newnham tunnel and topped 75mph down to Westbury. Graham Bunker told me later that Tornado kept slipping slightly at speed due to the poor rail conditions and this was to play its part later on the climb up the Golden Valley. As Vince didn’t know the road from Gloucester, Graham Ward took over there (he had been on the footplate from Cardiff) and Vince shared the firing with Matt Hunt. From Gloucester we joined the North East to South West main line as far as Standish Junction and started on what for me was the main attraction of the day. The gradients although all adverse are not too unkind as far as St Mary’s and we ran steadily with speed in the low 50s passing St Mary’s at 47mph but then having to ease to 34mph for a tsr at Chalford right on the 1-in-70. This brought speed back to 25½ at the bridge near milepost 97 in Strawberry cutting before a recovery to 27½ over Frampton Viaduct. Graham was working the engine quite hard and with 210lb of steam the worry was rail conditions which were very bad on the final curved 1-in-60 to Sapperton long tunnel entrance and No. 60163 started slipping just before the tunnel entrance where speed was down to 21mph. Inevitably I Iost the GPS signal in the tunnel but evidence from the footplate and from the 19.9mph average speed through the first tunnel suggests that speed fell to a minimum of 18mph. We had made it though and now ran well down past Kemble to the Swindon stop reached over two minutes inside schedule from Newport but still 40 minutes late. DBC and NR had made the right decision in allowing No. 60163 to take a theoretically overloaded train over Sapperton unaided and Graham Ward had judged things perfectly to cope in the prevailing conditions. The running on to Reading lacked interest as it was dark and we ran relief line with a pathing and water stop at Wantage Road. I alighted at Reading and took what was in theory my best route home via Cross Country trains and Southern, but should have waited an extra hour and used GWR and SWT and still been home earlier as awful Southern were at their worst cancelling one train and the next being 15 late so I spent nearly an hour contemplating the platform scene at Southampton. Next time I plan to cover steam on the Bournemouth line past and present as my first offering in this 50th anniversary year of the end of Southern steam.

No. 60163 on arrival at Cardiff on March 1. DON BENN Find us on www.facebook.com/heritagerailway

MAIN LINE ITINERARY

April SAT 8: ‘Moonraker’ Solihull, Basingstoke, Salisbury and return. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. VT SAT 8: ‘Royal Wessex’ Haywards Heath, Weymouth and return. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 34046 Braunton. RTC THUR 20: ‘Cathedrals Express’ Victoria, Minehead and return. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 46100 Royal Scot. SD SAT 22: ‘Cathedrals Express’ Paddington, Stratford-upon-Avon and return. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 34046 Braunton. SD SAT 22: ‘Cumbrian Mountain Express’ Euston, Shap, Carlisle and return via Settle. Steam hauled: Carnforth, Carlisle, Preston. Loco: No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland. RTC WED 26: ‘Cathedrals Express’ Horsham, Bristol and return. Steam hauled: Hanwell, Bristol and return. Loco: No. 46100 Royal Scot. SD

68 Heritagerailway.co.uk

FRI 28: ‘Surrey Hills Luncheon’ Victoria, Guildford, Redhill, Victoria. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 34046 Braunton. BEL SAT 29: ‘Great Britain X’ (day one) King's Cross, York, Edinburgh. Steam hauled throughout. Locos: No. 60103 Flying Scotsman (to York) and No. 60009 Union of South Africa (from York). RTC SAT 29: ‘North, Briton’ Leicester, Settle, Carlisle and return via York. Steam hauled: Doncaster, Carlisle and return. Loco: No. 60163 Tornado. UKRT SAT 29: ‘Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza’ Tyseley, Llandudno and return. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. VT SUN 30: ‘Great Britain X’ (day two) Edinburgh, Dundee, Perth, Inverness. Steam hauled throughout. Locos: No. 60009 Union of South Africa and No. 62005 (from Perth). RTC

May MON 1: ‘The Midlothian’ Peterborough, Edinburgh and return. Steam hauled: Newcastle, Edinburgh, York. Loco: No. 60163 Tornado. UKRT

MON 1: ‘Great Britain X’ (day three) Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 44871 or No. 62005. RTC TUES 2: ‘Great Britain X’ (day four) Inverness, Perth, Glasgow. Steam hauled throughout. Locos: No. 60009 Union of South Africa and No. 62005 (to Perth). RTC WED 3: ‘Great Britain X’ (day five) Glasgow, Oban and return. Steam hauled: Glasgow, Oban. Locos: No. 44871 and No. 62005. RTC THUR 4: ‘Great Britain X’ (day six) Glasgow, Beattock, Oxenholme. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland. RTC FRI 5: ‘Great Britain X’ (day seven) Grange-over-Sands, Wrexham, Hereford, Bristol. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 45690 Leander. RTC

Regular steam

Back on the main line for the first time since August 3,1968, when it hauled BR’s penultimate timetabled steam passenger train, LMS ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 No. 45212 emerges from Gisburn tunnel, running with its support coach from Keighley to its base at Castleton Junction on March 6. BEN COLLIER

Tour Promoters BEL

Belmond Pullman 0845 077 2222

RTC

Railway Touring Company 01553 661500

SD

Steam Dreams 01483 209888

UKRT UK Railtours 01438 715050. VT

Vintage Trains 0121 708 4960

WCR

West Coast Railways 01524 737751.

APR 14-21, 24-28, MAY 1-5: ‘The Jacobite’ Fort William, Mallaig and return. Steam hauled throughout. Loco: No. 44871, 45212, 45407 or 62005. WCR

The information in this list was correct at the time of going to press. We strongly advise that you confirm details of a particular trip with the promoter concerned.

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70 Heritagerailway.co.uk

NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL

ON TO COALBROOKDALE! Plans to extend to birthplace of Industrial Revolution The Telford Steam Railway is developing plans to extend its line to Coalbrookdale, which can be regarded as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Allan George outlines the railway’s ambitions.

T

he Telford Steam Railway, based at Horsehay in Shropshire, operates over part of the former Wellington to Craven Arms Railway, that is currently running for about one mile between Spring Village, Lawley Village and Horsehay and Dawley stations. Originally part of the Wellington and Severn Junction Railway (W&SJR), dating from 1861, it was subject to takeovers and amalgamations, and passed through several identities during its life, like many other railways in the C19th. Eventually it was amalgamated with the Much Wenlock and Severn Junction Railway, and with the Wenlock, Craven Arms and Lightmore Extension Railway to form the Wellington to Craven Arms Railway. This, in turn, was taken over by the GWR in 1892.

Industrial Revolution

Today’s Horsehay base can trace its antecedents further back. A blast furnace at the site was set up in 1755 by the Coalbrookdale Company and, by 1769, the first cast iron plate-way, which replaced earlier wooden wagon-ways, was introduced to serve the complex of Coalbrookdale works and mines, which formed the then largest iron works in the world. Coalbrookdale is where iron ore was first smelted by Abraham Darby using coking coal mined nearby. As it contained fewer impurities than normal coal, it made better quality iron. This discovery was a catalyst in stimulating the Industrial Revolution. Iron continued to be smelted at the site until the late 19th century when it was taken over by the Horsehay Company

Peckett 0-4-0ST Rocket approaches Lawley Village. At this point the original branch was on a 1-in-40 downgrade but that has all been opencasted and backfilled. This new section of line is at a much higher level than the original. ALISTAIR GRIEVE Heritagerailway.co.uk 71

Left: The track from Doseley towards Horsehay and Dawley looks rather rough and ready because that’s what it is. It was laid as a temporary measure to enable the spoil to be removed from the Lawley Village site and dumped out of the way. This will all be relaid with new sleepers etc – primarily funded by the proceeds from the 2016 Polar Express trains. ALISTAIR GRIEVE Right: Holly Road in Doseley. The Doseley station site is just the other side of the hedge and it will be a station on the new extension. However, due to the gradient on the line, a temporary halt will be built to the right of the line and on the level, until the railway is ready to cross the road and head down to Ironbridge, at which point it will be replaced by a stop on the main line. ALISTAIR GRIEVE

Class 60 No. 60079 crosses Coalbrookdale viaduct with one of the last railtours to Ironbridge. The TSR hopes one day to run trains over this now-closed section. BRIAN SHARPE

Map of the railway system of the Telford area.

The railway’s GWR 0-6-2T No. 5619 during a visit in 2009. Although it is the line’s flagship, it is normally on hire to other railways, as it is too big for the line at present. ALISTAIR GRIEVE

which fabricated bridges. However, business declined with the depression in the 1920s and Thirties and traffic on the branch diminished. There was something of a revival with the outbreak of the Second World War, when the line was used by numerous munitions trains and others, but traffic fell off again with the postwar growth of road transport. Finally, like countless other lines in the UK, it fell victim to the Beeching axe, initially with the withdrawal of passenger service and then most freight services stopped in 1964. However, the branch from Madeley Junction to Lightmoor Junction remained open for coal traffic to Ironbridge power station until it closed in 2015.

Dawn of Telford Steam Railway

The origins of the current heritage railway can be traced back to 1972, when the Telford Development Corporation, the body charged with developing Telford new town, conceived the idea of restoring a steam engine for

1

4

display at the former Horsehay transhipment shed, as part of its landscaping proposals for Spring Village. That aspiration led to the founding of the Telford Horsehay Steam Trust, which is the parent charity under which the Telford Steam Railway operates. It was much more ambitious than the development corporation and had aspirations to reopen part of the line and run a heritage steam service. One of the first tasks was to restore the locomotive the development corporation had intended to display. It was a former GWR 0-6-2T, No. 5619, built at Swindon in 1924 and rescued from Dai Woodham’s scrapyard in Barry Docks. Based at Horsehay shed, the trust got No. 5619 back into steam in 1982, but there was no track for it to run on. Nevertheless, this achievement was probably a catalyst to further steps to re-establish at least part of the line. At about that time British Railways closed the nearby line to a local factory, creating the

opportunity for the trust to obtain the half a mile of line between Horsehay to Heath Hill. By 1984 it had amassed some rolling stock and was able to open to the public and run trains along this track. Before long the trust adopted the operating name Telford Steam Railway. Further development followed with the acquisition of more rolling stock, numerous improvements to the line and a narrow gauge tramway.

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3

Current operations

The preserved railway operates between three stations of the former W&SJR: Horsehay & Dawley, Spring Village and Lawley Village. Horsehay & Dawley and Lawley Village sit on the old north-south through line, and Spring Village is at the end of a short spur off this line. Beyond Spring Village is the former goods transhipment shed, dating from 1860, originally used to transfer goods from the W&SJR to the Coalbrookdale Company’s narrow gauge plate-way system.

1. The original narrow gauge interchange shed for the Horsehay ironworks, now the railway’s main workshops and engine shed. The two large bricked-in alcoves either side of the main door are where the narrow gauge lines ran. ALISTAIR GRIEVE 2. The Spring Village site, showing the railway’s DMU stock. BRIAN SHARPE 3. Lightmoor Junction signalbox on the Ironbridge branch. This is owned by the TSR and it was here that the branch to Horsehay and Dawley left the Ironbridge line, and should hopefully do so again one day. ALISTAIR GRIEVE 4. The newly-built Lawley Village station. ALISTAIR GRIEVE Heritagerailway.co.uk 73

The opening ceremony of the new station at Lawley Village. TSR

It is now the railway’s engine shed. Current passenger operations follow a pattern that sees a departure from Spring Village north to Lawley Village, and then back along the line to stop at Horsehay & Dawley. The train then repeats this journey in reverse, for a round trip taking 50 minutes. In addition to the standard gauge running line, the railway also operates a short 2ft narrow gauge line at Horsehay, and the local Phoenix Model Engineering Society operates a 5in model railway on the Spring Village site.

The future

The railway has an aspiration to extend one mile southwards from Horsehay & Dawley station to Doseley Halt, and eventually continue southwards, building a new bridge over the A4169 to Ironbridge Gorge, passing through Coalbrookdale and on to the former Ironbridge power station site at Buildwas. Network Rail has donated a fabricated bridge to enable the railway to pass over the A4169 road, as the original bridge was removed in the 1980s. South of Doseley Halt, only half a mile of track, two level crossings and the bridge are

Rocket on the section from the tunnel to Spring Village and Horsehay & Dawley. ALISTAIR GRIEVE

missing before reaching Lightmoor Junction. The line leading to Ironbridge power station is still in existence, despite the closure of the power station. In June 2014 Telford & Wrekin Council gave its permission for trains to operate south to Doseley. It is planned to start work on the section south from Horsehay & Dawley station to Doseley Halt this year, with the completion of that phase anticipated by the end of 2018. In October 2006, Network Rail decided to use only one of the two tracks on the line from the power station, but it kept the other one in place. So the railway has to obtain permission to run on the redundant half of the former double track from Lightmoor to Buildwas and the power station. It also hopes to reinstate Coalbrookdale station to serve the Ironbridge Gorge Trust’s Museum of Iron, and has already agreed with Network Rail to lease Lightmoor Junction signalbox, with the aim of restoring it to working condition. Furthermore, it has the long-term aspiration to develop an engineering works at the power station site. Funding the extension will be a major task.

Rocket at Horsehay & Dawley, showing the new station building based on those on the Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors Light Railway. ALISTAIR GRIEVE

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Phil Neal, the railway’s marketing manager commented: “We are looking at developing each section and raising the resources as we go along, but obviously it is going to cost a lot of money and take years to complete. We do have a number of initiatives, like our Polar Express trains in the Christmas period, which generate cash, but it is a step-by-step process.”

Locomotives and rolling stock Steam locomotives

The railway has four steam locomotives: ■ GWR 5600 class 0-6-2T No. 5619 was built in 1925. It is the largest and only ex-main line steam locomotive on the line, and was originally purchased by the Telford Development Corporation from Dai Woodham’s scrapyard in Barry. It has been restored to working condition, and has operated on the line, as well as being lent to the Avon Valley Railway, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway and the North Norfolk Railway. Currently, this engine is on loan to Midland Railway – Butterley, in Derbyshire. ■ Peckett 0-4-0ST Rocket was built in 1926 and operated by the Courtaulds Company at Coventry for many years. After its retirement it was restored to steam in 2003, and in 2012 it was sent to Tyseley Locomotive Works for an overhaul, returning in time for the 2014 summer season. ■ Peckett 0-4-0ST No. 1990 Ironbridge No. 3 was built in 1940 for the West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority’s power station at Ironbridge. It remained there until retired in 1980, when it was sold to the Steamport Museum at Southport. Purchased by the TSR in 1984, it was restored to working order at Horsehay, but it now requires a new firebox and boiler overhaul. ■ Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST No. 3240 Beatty was built in 1917. It is partially dismantled for restoration. ■ In addition to these, the railway has Andrew Barclay fireless 0-4-0 No. 1944, which was built in 1927 for Coleman’s Mustard, before being transferred to Croda Synthetic Chemical Works Ltd, Four Ashes, Staffordshire. This type of locomotive was employed where there was a high fire or explosion risk, as they did not emit any flame, ash or sparks. In place of a conventional boiler, there is a high-pressure tank that would be periodically charged with high-pressure steam from the main factory boilers. This engine is on static display at Horsehay.

The DMU leaving the tunnel on the Lawley Village extension. ALISTAIR GRIEVE

Diesel engines

The railway has five diesel engines: ■ Ruston 0-4-0DM Class 165DS No. 313394, built in 1952, which is used for both passenger and engineering trains. ■ North British 0-4-0 Tom dating from 1954 as a demonstrator for the Paxman V6 turbo engine. It worked for GKN Sankey in Hadley, Telford. It is planned for this locomotive to go into service during the 2017 season. ■ Ruston and Hornsby Class 88DS 0-4-0, Hector dates from 1955. ■ Ruston and Hornsby 0-4-0 LSSH class No. 525947, built in 1968, is regularly used for passenger and engineering trains. ■ Ruston and Hornsby 0-4-0 44DS class No 183062 Folly was built in 1937 and is believed to be the oldest production locomotive built by the company, which

has been preserved, although it is currently undergoing long-term restoration.

Diesel multiple units and rolling stock

■ British Rail Class 108 Nos. 51950 and 52062 ■ British Rail Class 104 Nos. 50479 and 50531 ■ BR Mk 1 coach No. Sc14901 is currently undergoing restoration The railway has several other carriages that require attention, including a 1907 GWR autotrailer. It also possesses a number of wagons, including several former GWR, LNER and LMS examples.

Narrow gauge

The railway also operates a short circular 2ft gauge railway at Horsehay, using a vertical boiler steam tram and trailing coach.

The bracket signal came from Wellington. ALISTAIR GRIEVE

The narrow gauge steam tram, once in Telford Park and now at Spring Village. ALISTAIR GRIEVE

A Ruston 0-4-0 diesel at Horsehay & Dawley. BRIAN SHARPE Heritagerailway.co.uk 75

OVERSEAS STEAM

Czech and Slovakian

WINTER STEAM

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In some European countries, main line steam trains can occasionally be operated for the benefit of photographers as opposed to passengers. David Rodgers witnessed one such operation in one-time communist territory.

A

lthough Britain is at the forefront of main line steam action, almost the entire steam programme is devoted to travelling passengers and the needs of photographers are increasingly being marginalised, although most UK preserved railways are willing to operate an extensive programme of passenger and freight charter trains for photographers. However, in a small number of countries, including several EU states, it is still possible to charter trains on the main line networks specifically for photographers. Increasing in popularity are charters

where all participants follow the trains by car with the aid of detailed timings, a list of recommended photo locations and detailed maps. However, the choice of photo location selected is entirely up to the photographer. One such programme of charter trains aimed specifically at photographers was an excellent four-day event in Slovakia and the Czech Republic from February 16-19 organised by Austrian enthusiast group ÖGEG (Austrian Railway Historical Society, based in Ampflwang, Austria) co-ordinated by Alex Loidl and ably assisted by local Czech and Slovak enthusiasts.

After threading through the spiral tunnel the charter crosses the impressive concrete-arched bridge above Telgárt Penziónhalt. To enable participants to vary locations the train reversed and had three separate runs on this section of line over the viaducts on February 17. Heritagerailway.co.uk 79

The Nové Mesto nad Váhom-Veselí nad Moravou line was only built in the late 1920s. The powerful 2-10-0 makes an impressive exit from a short tunnel near Čachtice on February 18, 2017.

Alex has operated a number of similar events in Austria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic in recent years with trains operating to a pre-determined timetable and stopping regularly, often between stations. Unlike photo run-pasts for on-train participants, this approach has the advantage of requiring far less time – there is no need for passengers to de-train and for the train to reverse before steaming past the photo line – and moreover the train operates and can be photographed while steaming in a more natural manner.

Cross-border line

For the first two half days, blue-liveried stoker-fired three-cylinder 4-8-4T No. 477.013 hauled trains of bogie passenger stock, while over the weekend of February 18/19, stoker-fired 2-10-0 No. 556.036 hauled freight trains from Nové Mesto nad Váhom (Slovakia) on the steeply-graded cross-border line to Veselí nad Moravou (Czech Republic). It continued along one of the few remaining double track non-electrified main lines to Slavkov u Brna (Czech Republic and the site of the historic Battle of Austerlitz between France and Austria in 1805 which featured,

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in a star role, one Napoleon Bonaparte) and return journey. The programme started somewhat surprisingly with a run on the closed 9km branch line from Spišské Podhradie to Spišské Vlachy (on the electrified Poprad-Kosice main line). The branch closed to passenger traffic in 2012 and is disused, although an occasional nostalgic passenger train reaches the line. The track was rusty and overgrown in places but fortunately the run-round loop at the terminus survives under the weeds! The aim was to use as a backdrop for photos the impressive ruins of the 12th century Spiš Castle but the completely still conditions resulted in the smoke hanging in the atmosphere and so the outcome was somewhat less than successful. Nevertheless, several excellent photos were obtained on this short branch line. On arrival at Spišské Vlachy, the locomotive and train were towed bunker-first by a support train hauled by one of the preserved Bo-Bo diesel-electrics to Dobšinská L’adová Jaskyňa and, after some night photography here and at Telgárt, continued through the Low Tatra mountains to Polomka in readiness for the following day. Sixty impressive Class 477.0 4-8-4Ts were

built by CKD in 1951-1955 primarily for heavy suburban traffic. Standing no less than 14ft 9in tall (4500mm), weighing in at 130.7 tons and with Kylchap double blastpipes, they are the only tank locomotives in the world to have mechanical stokers. With their striking blue, red and white livery they were known to railwaymen as ‘Papousek’ (Parrots). Three have been preserved, of which two are in working order – No. 477.013 (CKD 3012/1951) owned by Bratislava Railway Museum but out-based at Poprad and No. 477.043 at Luzná u Rakovnika, while non-operational No. 477.060 is owned by the National Technical Museum in Prague but currently stored in Chomoutov. For reasons never fully explained, the crew failed to fit the requested Soviet-era red star on the smokebox door.

Forecast was mixed

The weather in Slovakia during the previous few days had been glorious, but the forecast for Friday was rather mixed and worse was forecast for the freight charter at the weekend! After being diesel-hauled from Spišské Vlachy during the afternoon/evening, the Class 477.0 and its train had overnighted at Polomka, 11km east of the city of Brezno.

Class 477 4-8-4T No. 477.013 is seen shortly after leaving Spišské Podhradie on the closed 9km branch line to Spišské Vlachy.

No. 477.013 makes a fine sight in the early morning sun as it storms along near Hel’pa on February 17.

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The charter train approaches Telgárt Penzión halt and will shortly enter the spiral tunnel on February 17.

Czechoslovakia only became an independent republic at the end of the First World War; prior to this time the country was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Of the newly independent country of Czechoslovakia, the eastern part, Slovakia, was the more sparsely populated and the railway network far less developed. To assist

in improving transport links in the country several new lines were constructed with the line to be used on the second day being one example. Construction works commenced from Brezno through Telgárt to Margecany, a steeply-graded route through the Low Tatra mountains that did not open until 1931 and which was to be used on the following day.

On our second day, Friday, February 17, our charter commenced in Polomka at 7.20am with the train continuing through Červená Skala to Telgárt reaching a summit of 957m/3139ft before descending to Mlynky. The section around Telgárt is fascinating for an eastbound/uphill train. Immediately on leaving Telgárt Penzión station, the train enters a spiral tunnel on a 1-in-60 grade and emerges onto a single-span concrete-arched viaduct. Some 500m ahead the line crosses a more traditional curved nine-arch stone viaduct (Chramoŝský viaduct). The train did three photo runs on this section before further climbing to the summit tunnel, where another two run-pasts were held.

Short of coal

For a short period on Sunday, February 19 the skies cleared giving hope that the late afternoon return journey from Veselí nad Moravou to Nové Mesto nad Váhom would be blessed with good weather. Sadly, the clearance was short-lived but during this brief interlude the train made a fine sight crossing Lipov viaduct.

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By this time the organisers had announced that the afternoon programme would be cancelled as the engine was running short of coal! But as the weather, which had been far better than forecast for the morning run, was by now fast deteriorating, few were unduly concerned. It was a 3½hour drive to the night’s accommodation in advance of the freight charter, so the early termination after the morning run at 12.45pm was a blessing in disguise! Having driven from the Low Tatras to Nové Mesto nad Váhom (some 90km north-east of the Slovakian capital of Bratislava) through rain and snow flurries it seemed that we were in for a difficult couple of days weather-wise for our freight charter. Nevertheless, despite the generally dull weather it was an enjoyable time with plenty of photo opportunities and

2-10-0 No. 556.036 makes an impressive false departure from Kyjov for photographers on the evening of February 18.

the sun even appeared (although generally when the train wasn’t around!). Our freight charter was hauled by a superb Class 556 2-10-0; no less than 510 were built by Škoda in 1951-1958. These locomotives are stoker-fired and have double Kylchap blastpipes and chimneys. In common with the three-cylinder Class 498.1 4-8-2s they have 10-wheel tenders – a four-wheel bogie and three fixed axles in a rigid frame. Most of the class were fitted with German wing-style smoke deflectors but the first 80, including No. 556.036 (Škoda 2803/1952) based at Vrútky depot, were fitted with large, full height deflectors. The route was west from Nové Mesto nad Váhom on a hilly single track route opened in 1927 featuring several large steel viaducts and a climb to a summit tunnel near Vrbovce before crossing the border into the Czech Republic and descending to Veselí nad Moravou. Here the locomotive was serviced before continuing on the double-track non-electrified main line towards Brno. Three stations on this section still retain some semaphore signalling and at the largest intermediate station, Kyjov, the train was posed for night photography (with even a night departure for high-ISO cameras!). On the final day, Sunday, February 19, the train retraced the same route back through Veselí nad Moravou to Slovakia. The earlier brightness after lunch proved short-lived and in deteriorating weather conditions the charter freight crossed back across the border from the Czech Republic and onto Slovakian metals. By this stage most of the participants

On the double-track Brno-Veselí nad Moravou main line, Kyjov, the largest intermediate station still retains a fair number of semaphore signals. On the evening of February18, photographers take the opportunity to record 2-10-0 No. 556.036 as it waits for the road.

were departing and as we were more than happy with the results of four days of main line steam activity we left and drove to Budapest (Hungary) for some culture for my wife! And so ended an enjoyable few days with thanks to ÖGEG, Alex Loidl and his Slovak and Czech colleagues. Alex plans to hold another programme of

photographic charter trains from October 26-29 to maximise on the autumn colours centred on the remaining semaphore signals in Southern Moravia and in the scenic Sázava valley south-east of Prague (as last year). For further information you can contact Alex Loidl (in English) on: [email protected]

Heritagerailway.co.uk 83

PLATFORM

READERS’ LETTERS AT THE HEART OF THE HERITAGE RAILWAY SCENE

STAR LETTER

90mph running for steam: the real challenges

THE article by John Forman in issue 226 takes an unfortunate and dismissive tone, and contains a number of factual inaccuracies that could leave your readers with an incorrect impression of how main line steam operates.The following will, I hope, provide some clarification on some of those points. The first area where the author has not done his research is around the fact that Network Rail limits speeds to 75mph, and is also responsible for other things he views negatively, such as the public performance measure (PPM).This is to totally misunderstand the modern industry.The limit is in a Railway Standard (RIS3440), adopted by operators and infrastructure owner alike.The PPM is a Government requirement. So portraying Network Rail as a big bad block on higher speeds and responsible for other matters the author disagrees with is factually wrong. If you want to run faster, you need the whole industry to agree, regulators and other operators included.This is further reinforced by the fact that Network Rail was critical to the success of the 2013 runs with No. 4464 Bittern and will, in due course, be critical in the operation of Tornado above 75mph. The author, somewhat surprisingly, dismisses the issue of hammer blow and track forces. British Rail stopped designing bridges for high

speed steam in the 1960s, so it is unreasonable to assume that Network Rail can just agree to higher speeds on these bridges without doing proper assessments. Similarly, should Network Rail and the industry not give proper consideration to signal sighting and other operational factors? Network Rail doesn’t always get it right, but it does so more than it gets it wrong, and beating it up and making it the‘whipping boy’is hardly the way to engender a better approach to steam, as it needs goodwill more than any other traction type. Such goodwill is being demonstrated in its support of testing Tornado at 90mph, something that the article doesn’t acknowledge in the same way it doesn’t recognise the significant work done by Network Rail ahead of the 2013 runs. Similarly, locomotives are suggested as in‘far better condition’than they were historically. Overall, that point has merit, but the author does not mention that the majority of the big locos are now approaching their 80th birthday, as are most of their reciprocating parts. To run above the limits in place today there are several bodies and regulators who would need to give consent from an engineering perspective. Many tens of thousands of pounds have to be expended, and then there are higher maintenance costs going forward. It just might be that someone

doesn’t want to run their valuable locomotive at more than 75mph, and they should never be forced to. My impression is that there is not a long queue of engine owners waiting to run at 90mph, if only they weren’t thwarted in their aspiration. In addition, I am not aware of the two steam operators being thwarted in their desire to run all the big engines above 75mph, nor do they‘effectively have two firemen’on locomotives and I can say that if they tried that on Tornado we would object due to the problems over-firing can cause. The financial benefits of 90mph operation are marginal, and certainly not sufficient to justify the speed on its own.The number of people who wish to travel on a 90mph train primarily for the speed is unlikely to be sustainably high; sales in 2013 proved that.The benefit is in shortening the day, so that those who are just looking for a lovely day out don’t have a day that is a marathon and that the business grows, justifying the expenditure.This point appears to be missing from the article. The article also makes an error in the understanding of current train planning. Most steam tours are now timed initially by the train operating company, be that DB Cargo or the West Coast Railway Company. Network Rail then validates their work, and sometimes they make changes, but not always. Again, it is more than

one company involved here and the operator is often more cautious so as to ensure punctual operations. The article is also silent on intermediate pick-ups, which are commercially vital, and also water stops.The example of running from just King’s Cross on the East Coast Main Line would not be sustainable for a regular itinerary, an M25 pick up is essential. There is a case for some running at 90mph, which is why we are working with the industry to raise the speed of Tornado to 90mph on limited stretches of route, but it is a lot more challenging than just asking someone to stop constraining current operations unreasonably because it was all right in the 1960s and before. It is also as challenging to make 90mph not turn into longer in loops or at junctions waiting for the next path forward, something the author gets right when stating steam is better with a level sustained output, and that could be made worse. Steam gains more from working together with the industry than it ever does from criticising from a narrow angle without considering all the issues. Recent activities in Scotland and on the Settle and Carlisle demonstrate that. Graeme Bunker, operations director, The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

LNER A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado passes Copmanthorpe with the ‘Silver Jubilee Talisman’, which ran from King’s Cross to Newcastle on September 26, 2015. Builder and owner The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust has said it aims to carry out test running at 90mph in the spring. AISLT

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Why historic locomotives must stay within their operating limits MR JOHN Forman’s supporting arguments for increasing the maximum speed limits of today’s preserved steam locomotives (issue 226) from 75mph to 90mph would be convincing if his statements were correct and in perspective. Misleadingly, they are not. Firstly it is incorrect to claim today’s preserved locomotives are in better condition than in BR service days. If this was the case why is the miles per casualty of today’s locomotives so low and why have the serious safety incidents in relation to their low mileage been so high? For example Tangmere dropping a connecting rod at Winchfield due to the gudgeon pin not being properly fitted, Green Arrow dropping an inside connecting rod at Malton, Princess Elizabeth dropping a set of inside slide bars descending Shap, Flying Scotsman pulling out a brake rod turn buckle near Salisbury and arriving back at Southall with only two leaves in a coupled wheel spring, Canadian Pacific bursting a boiler tube scalding a person on the footplate and I could quote many more. If these incidents had happened at 90mph, the results could have been catastrophic and they could have finished steam on the main line permanently. The original 60mph maximum speed limit was imposed because of the age of the metal. This was later increased to 75mph providing the locomotive was fitted with AWS and, by then, ultrasonic and other modern methods were available to test the integrity of the metal components. Nevertheless a lower limit was applied to locomotives with driving wheels of 6ft or less diameter and I believe this still applies. These limits were decided by highly experienced steam locomotive engineers who understood the risks. They were not “an arbitrary and emotive limitation devoid of engineering integrity”as Mr Forman suggests. It is easy for Mr Forman to criticise because he does not have the responsibility and will not be the person prosecuted if something goes wrong. The consequences of the Shoreham air accident are a good example of what happens if the risks are not properly assessed and realistic conditions applied. The BR manager to whom Mr Forman refers regarding the Deltics was Gerard Fiennes, perhaps the greatest railway operator of the 20th century. He pushed the steam locomotive performance to its ultimate on the East Coast Main Line in the 1950s but he knew its limitations in producing a timetable that could compete with car and air. Hence his pronouncement“we need nothing less than 3000HP under the bonnet”, which applied just as much

to Type 4 diesel locomotives as it did to steam. It is also incorrect to state steam schedules in BR days were slow because of the large number of slow running freight trains blocking their path. The paths for express passenger trains were the first to be plotted on the timetable graph and they were given absolute precedence. In operation signalmen and controllers were held to a strict discipline, which ensured freight trains and other slow-moving trains had an adequate margin to reach the next point, where they could be shunted clear of an express passenger train without delaying it. This discipline was quite unforgiving and a stationmaster could expect a“please explain”note, even if an express train only received a minor delay from a distant signal being at caution because a signalmen under his control had not regulated a slow train with an adequate margin. I can remember a stationmaster complaining to his district operating superintendent he was getting too many train delay notes to explain. He was told curtly stop your signalmen delaying trains and you will not get train delay notes to answer. A signalman could expect after the third offence to be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure leading eventually to him being taken out of his job. Point-to-point timings for steam locomotives in BR days were carefully calculated using the practical experience of footplate inspectors who knew their footplate crews, their routes and the capability of the locomotives. No allowance was made for run-down locomotives because the main inhibitor to keeping time was an engine not steaming and this could happen to a low mileage as well as a high mileage engine. Where engines were allocated to nominated crews that crew would work through the link on their rostered trains with their own engine and only take a spare locomotive whilst theirs was under repair or in main works for overhaul. Locomotives for express passenger work therefore had to be kept up to good condition. The highest standards were quite exceptional, e.g. A4 No. 60012 Commonwealth of Australia in the Summer of 1957 ran over 73 single journeys hauling the non-stop ‘Elizabethan’and its weekend equivalent between Edinburgh and King’s Cross and 65 of these runs were consecutive, which proves the extremely high standard of maintenance, particularly of the inside big end, the oil consumption of which was critical for a 400-mile journey.

Mr Forman is correct in claiming the best performance from a steam locomotive is obtained by continuous fast running at a relatively even speed. However, today’s steam train is the equivalent of yesterday’s slow freight train, because the frequent high-speed passenger timetable services leave very little pathing space for steam to perform at its best. An ECML 125mph express, of which there are five per hour plus two Great Northern services now being allocated 110mph EMUs, will soon run down the steam service requiring it to be diverted to the slow line so the opportunity for fast running is negligible. This situation will get worse when the more frequent and faster IEP timetable is introduced next year. Now a word about the cost of high performance. Mr Forman quotes Tornado producing 2500 IHP for 18 minutes with a maximum of 3000 IHP climbing Stoke Bank with 500 tons with a speed of 73mph at the summit. Has he considered the effect on the boiler of producing 40,000lb of steam per hour and then the immediate temperature drop when it stops at Grantham for 30 minutes to take water? This type of working undoubtedly contributed to the expensive firebox problems on this engine. Bill Harvey, when commenting on the increasing cost of maintaining the Norwich Britannia Pacifics as they got older, said“it’s the pace that kills”. Braking performance is also a serious consideration in deciding maximum speeds. The RAIB report on the Wootton Bassett incident two years ago recommended that the braking performance of charter trains needed investigation because the Tangmere-hauled train would not have had sufficient braking power to avoid a SPAD even if the TPWS had been working and the brakes had been applied correctly by the driver and this was at a speed below 60mph. Finally, I suggest this subject needs to be considered realistically. Maximum exceptional performance is not a realistic measure for timetabling or regulating. It never has been for the steam locomotive. The timings of the prewar LNER streamlined trains, probably the nearest locomotives, were scheduled to their maximum realistic performance but they were worked on double block signalling regulations, with high quality coal, highly experienced footplate crews and locomotives that were new and in excellent condition. Loads were limited to under 320 tons in summer and 285 tons in winter. I have no doubt today’s Class 8 locomotives

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could repeat this performance with a clear run from King’s Cross to Peterborough if permitted to run up to a maximum speed of 90mph, but such an opportunity does not exist because stops are usually required at Potters Bar and Stevenage for passenger pick-up purposes and a stop at Holme for water and with five 125mph ECML trains per hour requiring the fast line, the opportunities of achieving 90mph are unlikely because of diversion to and running on the slow line and it requires eight miles averaging 90mph compared with 75mph to save one minute, so where is the advantage from increasing the maximum permitted speed to 90mph? More innovative and less risky solutions are needed for reducing steam train journey times. Water stops between King’s Cross and York cost approximately an hour’s delay in each direction when the passenger is confined to the train with usually an unattractive outlook. Alan Pegler showed nearly 50 years ago how this irritation could be avoided with a second tender modestly modified to increase its capacity to 6000 gallons. More recently Roland Kennington rebuilt the tank of this tender to accommodate 9000 gallons giving a total of 14,000 gallons with the locomotive tender and a range of 270 miles without taking water and a saving of up to four hours on a round trip to Newcastle and about £2000 in road tanker costs. A measure of this kind produces far more benefit to passengers than increasing maximum speed and it reduces risk rather than increasing it. The argument against using a second tender appears to be extra weight, but this is unlikely to be significant with a Class 8 locomotive and the weight reduces as the water is consumed. Steam locomotive enthusiasts need to remember the operation of these preserved locomotives on the main line is not permitted as a game to try and outsmart previous performance. The design of these locomotives is over 70 years old and the physical age of some is over 90 years old. For safety reasons, to maintain their longevity and avoid excessive maintenance costs, they need to be operated well within their maximum performance capability. It must also be remembered that the quality of coal, operating, footplate and technical experience on steam locomotives is declining and caution is necessary if a ban is to be avoided. David Ward, former manager, BR Special Trains. Heritagerailway.co.uk 85

NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL

Historic Wight projects The Isle of Wight Steam Railway stands out among standard gauge heritage railways for the use of historic locomotives and rolling stock in their original setting. IOWSR trustee Simon Futcher tells the story of how two current projects are set to continue this tradition.

I

t is, perhaps, a sign of a heritage railway’s maturity when it no longer has to focus entirely on keeping the trains running and can turn its attention to ‘nice-to-have’ projects that aren’t strictly

necessary for its survival, but add something to the story it is trying to tell. The Isle of Wight Steam Railway currently has two such schemes now making great progress.

RYDE PIER TRAM THE first of these is the restoration of the Ryde Pier tram. This was one of a pair built in 1927 by the Drewry Car Company of Burton-on-Trent on behalf of the Southern Railway. Together with two trailer cars built a few years later by the SR at Eastleigh, these were to provide the motive power until closure. They originally had petrol engines, but these were replaced with Perkins diesels for their last few years. By the time the tramway closed in 1969, railway preservation was just beginning on the island and a small group of enthusiasts bought tramcar No. 2. Unfortunately, it proved necessary to demolish the body to remove it from the pier, but the chassis was taken to Newport station, where the Wight Locomotive Society (the forerunner of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway) was then based. In early 1971, the WLS moved all its rolling stock to the new base at Havenstreet. The chassis of the tram made numerous trips leading up to and on the actual day of the move, carrying much of the smaller equipment to Havenstreet. Although it was used briefly during the early days of the

steam railway, it quickly fell into disrepair and its remains were finally left abandoned under a hedge. Some body components, including droplights, doors and a few decayed side panels, were recovered and stored. Many believed there was no prospect of the tram ever being restored, as there always seemed more important and urgent jobs to be done around the railway. However, there were always those who cherished the idea that one day it might be returned to service. In 2012 a small group, including Bob Huxtable (recently appointed as the railway’s engineering manager) and Terry Hastings (both of whom had been involved with the original purchase) together with former railway trustee Viv Orchard, approached the board with a proposal to restore the tram and build a replica trailer car and a well-wisher offered £10,000 to start the appeal. Although some concern was expressed that such a project, which was seen as desirable but non-essential, might divert resources from more essential tasks around the railway, board approval was given and an appeal for £60,000

was launched. This was given a most welcome boost in 2013 with a grant of £15,000 from the Association of Industrial Archaeology. As plans for the restoration progressed, it became clear that there was insufficient covered workshop space for the project at Havenstreet. Initially, consideration was given to providing a temporary building in which to carry out the restoration. However, it soon became clear that the finance and effort to provide such a workshop was disproportionate to the overall cost, so members of the team looked elsewhere and found benefactors who were willing to assist the funding of the restoration by external contract over and above the initial £60,000. The pier trams were somewhat quirky vehicles. Because they ran on their own tracks, there was never any need or attempt to make them compatible with conventional rolling stock. As the journey only lasted a few minutes, capacity was always considered more important than comfort. They had wooden slatted seats along each side with hanging straps for standing passengers.

A tram on Ryde Pier in the 1960s. FRANK ABRAHAM

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Works photograph of the tram, showing how it should look when fully restored. IWSR COLLECTION

Each tram set had a nominal capacity of around 90, including standees, but this was regularly exceeded. The driving arrangements would certainly have raised a few eyebrows among today’s health and safety fraternity, as the trams could only be driven from one end and were reversed up the pier with the aid of a unique countdown marker device in the cab approaching the pier head, but otherwise nothing more sophisticated than a rear-view mirror! As may be imagined, collisions with the stop blocks were not unknown. It was obvious from the start of the project that important decisions had to be taken as to how the tram would be restored. For reasons mentioned above it was clear that, given current regulations, an exact historical restoration would mean that it would no longer be able to carry the general public. It would probably also have struggled with the quite severe gradients on the steam railway. It was therefore decided to incorporate the modifications necessary to allow the tram to run at line speed on the railway and to carry fare-paying passengers. These include a more powerful engine, a driving position in the trailer car and a slight increase in floor height

The tram before restoration. IWSR COLLECTION

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to meet current platform levels. At the same time every effort would be made to keep the appearance as close to the original as possible. Work continued behind the scenes with research and the production of working drawings, but the project was not without its problems. Firstly, Viv Orchard sadly passed away, putting more work onto the rest of the team. Following the decision to restore the tram away from the railway, a contractor was appointed in the north-east to complete the entire job. All appeared to be going well but just before the contract was placed the firm went into receivership. No other single contractor could be found, so it was decided to put the work out to different companies. This caused considerable delays, but the first contract, for a new chassis, was finally placed in mid-2016. A further contract has since been placed with Alan Keef, of Ross-on-Wye, which will assemble the running chassis over the next few months. The usable parts of the original tram were delivered to Alan Keef’s in July 2016. This was followed by the chassis, together with a new engine, which has very generously been donated by Perkins.

After four years’ hard work, there is finally some visible progress. Exact details as to how the body is to be reconstructed have yet to be finalised and once this has been done, a suitable builder will be appointed. Unfortunately, costs have risen considerably since the launch of the project, so a decision has been taken to complete the rebuilding of Car No 2 before commencing work on the reproduction trailer car that, unlike the original, will incorporate a driving console and disabled access. So how will the tram be used? No final decisions will be taken until the railway has had an opportunity to test it on its return but several suggestions have been made. These include demonstration runs on the longest siding at Havenstreet, using it for early or late services on the full line or using it as a second service when there aren’t enough passengers to justify two steam trains, much as other heritage railways use DMUs. In any event, after all the delays, it won’t be long before our visitors will be able to sample this unique mode of transport as, so far as we are aware, the Ryde Pier tram is the only surviving self-propelled light railcar of the inter-war years.

The tram under restoration at Alan Keef’s in February 2017. ALAN KEEF

As it was – LSWR O2 0-4-4T No. 17 Seaview arrives at Sandown with a coal train in 1962. K L COOK

1930s COAL TRAIN PROJECT THE second project is the recreation of a typical island coal train of the 1930s. Coal was always the most significant freight product carried on the island railways. Indeed, towards the end of steam, it was virtually the only freight product. After the Grouping in 1923, the Southern Railway transferred several hundred ex-LBSCR open wagons to the island to cope with this traffic. The steam railway managed to acquire several and, more recently, managed to restore two of them. There were insufficient resources to restore the other examples, however, and, rather like the tram, they gradually decayed and almost disappeared into the undergrowth. In 2012 Gary Walker, then C&W Supervisor, asked former trustee Roger Macdonald to sort out the remaining rusty metalwork from the wagons to see what was worth keeping should the prospect of restoring them ever occur. The Stroudley E1 0-6-0T had just arrived at the railway and given the fact that the E1s originally came to the island principally to haul coal trains, Roger had the idea of recreating a coal train. He then put his money where his mouth was and laid down the challenge to the railway by paying for the oak for the underframes. While this was an excellent start, some £25,000 had to be found if the idea was to succeed. Because this was not an essential project, there was no prospect of the railway funding it from income. An application was therefore made to the Arts Council Prism fund for a grant. Fortunately, this was successful

The first two restored coal wagons headed by LBSCR A1X 0-6-0T No. 11. JOHN FAULKNER

and the matching funding was made up by donations from well-wishers and a generous grant from the Peall Railway Trust. The work on the two wagons started in mid-2015 in the workshop at Havenstreet. The team was led by the railway’s expert wagon restorer, John James. Progress was swift and the project was more or less complete by the summer of 2016. Everyone who has seen the wagons is impressed by the quality of the work, which proved to be John’s last project before retirement. The first run of the coal train is planned for Sunday, April 9. Please check the railway’s website for details. Perhaps the only disappointing element is the fact that it will be some years before it can be hauled by the E1.

Before restoration – the remains of one of the coal wagons. GARY WALKER

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is almost unique among standard gauge heritage railways in that it runs original rolling stock in the place where it used to run. These two projects carry on this tradition – well, almost! While there is no prospect of the Ryde Pier tram ever running along the pier on its original track, it will be less than a mile away if the railway should extend to Ryde St John’s in the future. The line’s Strategic Vision contains the sentence: Wherever possible, individual projects, properly managed, planned and resourced, will be facilitated and encouraged and both of these schemes are proving what can be done by a few determined individuals with a vision.

In the workshops – restoration is well under way. JOHN FAULKNER Heritagerailway.co.uk 89

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OFF THE SHELF Isle of Man Railway Journey: Steam days in colour ByTom Heavyside (hardback, Middleton Press, 96pp, ISBN 978 1 910356 02 9). THIS is a delightful volume covering the island’s 3ft gauge steam lines before they were pruned back to the Douglas to Port Erin operation we have today, writes Robin Jones. As a follow-up to MP’s volumes covering each of the routes in the publisher’s standard format, this volume is in colour throughout, crammed with quality pictures of those famous Beyer Peacock 2-4-0Ts and the sole Dubs 0-6-0T No. 15 Caledonia, not to mention those County Donegal railcars in action, and every station and principal location is featured. It is remarkable that in 1960, only four of the locomotives which ran on the network had been scrapped.This volume brings out the richness of the liveries that we carried in pre-preservation days. While we must be grateful for what survives today, here is an unsurpassed window on a time half a century ago when these little trains still formed the backbone of a public transport network, and it is a sheer pleasure to look through. NARROW GAUGE CLASSIC

The Railway Experience By Paul Atterbury (hardback, Bloomsbury Publishing, 112pp, £9.99, ISBN 9781784421236) COMPILED by Paul Atterbury, he of Antiques Roadshow fame, the book provides page-by-page snapshots reminding us of everyday railway operations we once took for granted, writes Cedric Johns. For the older reader the book will arouse half-forgotten memories like a wheeltapper checking a goods wagon – for the younger generation, the contents reflect the various services which our railways offered to the public. Holiday camping coaches, hotels built for the benefit of long distance travellers, cruise trains such as the pre war‘Northern Belle’, luggage or household contents sent in advance and delivered… by 1939 nearly 450 camping coaches were dotted around the country. Hotels? An impressive black and white picture of the Euston Arch (1847) typifies the grandiose ambitions of the Birmingham & London Railway – later LMS – on its arrival in the capital in 1846. This contrasts nicely with a delightful picture of a Metro tank standing in the platform at Marlborough High Level

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Tales of the Rails

By John Fletcher (softback,The Nostalgia Collection, 320pp, £25 (+10% P&P), ISBN 978 1 85794 507 2 ) THE author readily admits to not having had a lifelong love of railways and was at least 18 months old before getting hooked! writes Brian Sharpe. Influenced by his uncle who drove steam locomotives for a living, he became an avid trainspotter and from then on his life’s ambition was to follow in his footsteps and work on the footplate. In February 1962 he began his railway career at Lostock Hall,asan engine cleaner,wheresteam stillruledsupreme and he wasgoingtobepart of it! Part of the last generationof BR steam footplatemen, he accumulated over 1,500 footplateturns and graduated to become oneof the senior firemen. But when electrification of theWest Coast Main Line was completed in 1974 with the‘chicken mesh’obliterating

station in 1929 when theWiltshire town boasted two stations served by two separate companies. Illustrated by 50 photographs, many unpublished, the book reveals the people who ran and maintained our railways, people for whom railways were a way of life. GOOD BEDTIME READ

2750: Legend of a Locomotive by H CWebster (hardback Nelson & Son 1953, this edition 2016, 210pp, £25, ISBN 9780950701417.) AN intriguing railway book which, unlike the majority of others, comes across as a technically based novel concentrating on the exploits of one man, an individual driver, and the introduction of Gresley’s A3 4-6-2s, writes Cedric Johns. The story begins with the arrival of record-breaking No. 2750 Papyrus at Top Shed. A brand-new A3 fresh from Doncaster, allocated to driver Eldridge in those days when top link LNER locomotives were still handed to selected top-link drivers. Written with obvious first-hand knowledge of locomotive operations by H CWebster and illustrated by R BWay, the story gives an intimate account of the adventures of both the A3 and its driver including a record of 108mph, beating

those beautifulWestmorland fells, he decided that his time on the railways was finally up, but that was before discovering the world of preserved railways in the early 1980s, firstly at theWest Somerset Railway followed by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, becoming a driver there in 1985. This was followed in 1998 by a return to operating steam on the main line, spending 15 years as a fireman with bothWest Coast Railways and Merlin Rail, during which time he fired almost every main line registered steam locomotive over the length and breadth of the country, probably having eventually fired over 60 different classes of steam locomotive. It makes fascinating reading and no follower of steam, either in the old

Flying Scotsman’s ton when No. 2750 was selected for a special test, examining the possibilities of the LNER running high-speed lightweight passenger trains between King’s Cross and Leeds. On the technical side it details the problems of severely-reduced cabforward visibility when running a hotbox at speed. Braked to a stand with a doubleheader – two A3s – in a tunnel is worth more than glance! AN EDUCATION IN ITS OWN RIGHT!

Looking Back At Class 40 Locomotives By Kevin Derrick (softback, Amberley Publishing, 96pp, £14.99, ISBN 978 1 4456 6656 3). THE English Electric Type 4 was an iconic diesel in its day, and we are fortunate to have seven of the original 200 still with us. This full-colour album is crammed with images of 40s in both BR green and blue liveries in a multitude of locations right across the national network. There are many excellent pictures inside, such as No. 40017Carinthia heading a freight working across a snowbound Settle and Carlisle route, and a pair double heading a blue-and-grey liveried passenger train over Arnside viaduct. No doubt there are many who will eagerly snap up this volume. CELEBRATION OF A MASTER CLASS

EDITOR’S CHOICE days or the heritage era, can fail to be captivated by the stories recounted. A natural storyteller, he vividly conveys the hard work, challenges and sheer exhilaration of being‘out on the shovel’ when men and machine are working in harmony. The author has had an almost unique insight into steam operations in two vastly differing eras and we are fortunate that he has been able to put his lifetime’s work on the railways into print AS IT REALLYWAS!

England’s Historic Churches byTrain

By Murray Naylor (hardback, Pen & Sword, 216pp, £25, ISBN 1473871425). DON’T let the ‘Cathedrals Express’have it all its own way! As a follow-up to his volume England’s Cathedrals by Train, the author has produced an account as to how to travel to 32 of the country’s finest churches by rail, writes Robin Jones. Leaning more to an ecclesiastical guide than the usual railway book, it nonetheless weaves a unique voyage of heritage discovery using the national network as the single unifying thread. Divided into eight separate regions, places as diverse as Selby Abbey in North Yorkshire, Holy Cross church in Credition, Devon, St Botolph’s church – the Boston Stump – in Lincolnshire – and Cartmel Priory in Cumbria are covered. Each chapter opens with a potted account of the country’s rail history with a few personal observations thrown in for good measure, before describing each of the churches/abbeys/priories in detail. The volume is well illustrated with colour photographs throughout. A fascinating read, and brings to mind how so many churchmen were also railway buffs – Bishop EricTreacy and the ReverendTeddy Boston immediately come to mind. ECCLESIASTICALVOYAGE ON RAILS

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Visiting from Llangollen, Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T Jennifer departs from Darley Dale on Peak Rail on March 4. MICHAEL ANDERSON

BRIAN SHARPE’S FULL LISTING OF OPERATIONAL LINES AND MUSEUM VENUES SOUTH EAST Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre

Narrow gauge, ¼ mile. Arundel, West Sussex. Tel: 01798 831370. Running: Daily except Apr 24, 25, May 2.

Bluebell Railway

Standard gauge, 11 miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Sheffield Park, East Sussex TN22 2QL. Tel: 01825 720800. Engines: 263, 178, 323, 592, 847, 30541, 60103, 73082. Running: Daily.

East Kent Railway

Standard gauge, two miles, Shepherdswell, Dover. Tel: 01304 832042. Running: Suns + B/H.

Eastleigh Lakeside Railway Narrow gauge, 1¼ miles, footplate experience. Running: W/Es + sch hols.

Hastings Miniature Railway

Narrow gauge, 600 yards, Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings, East Sussex. Running: W/Es + sch hols.

Hayling Seaside Railway Narrow gauge, one mile. Hayling Island, Hants. Running: W/Es, Weds + sch hols.

Isle of Wight Steam Railway

Standard gauge, five miles. Havenstreet, Isle of Wight. Tel: 01983 882204. Engines: 8, 11, 24, 41298. Running: Daily except Apr 24, 28, May 5, 6.

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Kempton Steam Railway

Narrow gauge, ½ mile, Hanworth. Tel: 01932 765328. Running: Suns.

Kent & East Sussex Railway

Standard gauge, 10½ miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Tenterden, Kent. Tel: 01580 765155. Engines: 32670, 30065, 1638, 7822. Running: W/Es + Apr 10-17, May 1-4.

Lavender Line

Standard gauge, one mile, footplate experience, wine and dine. Isfield, East Sussex. Tel: 01825 750515. Running: Suns.

Mid Hants Railway

Standard gauge, 10 miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Alresford, Hants SO24 9JG. Tel: 01962 733810. Engines: 45379, 92212, 41312, 76017. Running: Apr 8-23, 29 - May 7.

Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway

Narrow gauge, 13½ miles, footplate experience. New Romney, Kent. Tel: 01797 362353. Running: Daily.

Royal Victoria Railway Narrow gauge, one mile. Netley, Southampton. Tel: 02380 456246. Running: W/Es + sch hols.

Sittingbourne & Kemsley Railway

Narrow gauge, 1¾ miles. Sittingbourne, Kent. Tel: 01795 424899. Running: Suns + B/H.

Spa Valley Railway

Standard gauge, five miles, footplate experience. Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Tel: 01892 537715. Running: W/Es + Apr 11-17, 27, May 1.

SOUTH WEST Avon Valley Railway

Standard gauge, three miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Bitton, Bristol. Tel: 0117 932 7296. Running: W/Es, Weds + Apr 11-14, 17-20, May 1.

Bodmin & Wenford Railway

Standard gauge, 6½ miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Bodmin, Cornwall. Tel: 01208 73666. Engines: 4612, 30587. Running: Suns + Apr 8-19, 25, 26, 29, May 1-3.

Dartmoor Railway

Engine: 46447. Running: W/Es + B/H.

Helston Railway

Standard gauge. Helston, Cornwall. Tel: 07875 481380. Running: Thur, Sun + B/H Mon from Easter.

Lynton & Barnstaple Railway

Narrow gauge, one mile. Woody Bay, north Devon. Tel: 01598 763487. Running: Daily except Apr 21, 24, 25, 28, May 5.

Moors Valley Railway Narrow gauge, one mile. Ringwood, Hants. Tel: 01425 471415. Running: W/Es + sch hols.

Plym Valley Railway Standard gauge, 1½ miles. Marsh Mills, Plymouth. Running: Suns.

Seaton Tramway

Standard gauge, seven miles. Okehampton, Devon. Tel: 01837 55164. Running: TBA.

Narrow gauge, three miles. Harbour Road, Seaton, Devon. Tel: 01297 20375. Running: Daily.

Standard gauge, seven miles, wine and dine. Paignton, Devon. Tel: 01803 555872. Engines: 7827, 4277, 75014. Running: Daily.

Standard gauge, half mile, Midsomer Norton station, Silver Street BA3 2EY. Tel: 01761 411221 (Sun, Mon). Open Sun, Mon. Running: Apr 16, 17.

Dartmouth Steam Railway

Devon Railway Centre

Narrow gauge, ½ mile. Bickleigh, Devon. Tel: 01884 855671. Running: W/Es + Apr 3-21, May 1, 3-5.

East Somerset Railway

Standard gauge, two miles. Cranmore, Somerset. Tel: 01749 880417.

Somerset & Dorset Railway

South Devon Railway

Standard gauge, seven miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Buckfastleigh, Devon. Tel: 01364 644370. Engines: 3205, 1369, 5542. Running: Daily.

The information in this list was correct at the time of going to press. We strongly advise that you confirm details with the railway concerned.

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UP & RUNNING Swanage Railway

Standard gauge, six miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Swanage, Dorset. Tel: 01929 425800. Engines: 31806, 34070. Running: Daily.

Swindon & Cricklade Railway Standard gauge, three miles, footplate experience. Blunsdon, Wiltshire. Tel: 01793 771615. Running: W/Es + B/H.

West Somerset Railway

Standard gauge, 20 miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Minehead, Somerset TA24 5BG. Tel: 01643 704996. Engines: 44422, 53808, 53809, 6960, 1501, 5199, 78018, 43924. Running: Daily except Apr 24, May 5.

EAST ANGLIA Bressingham Steam Museum Narrow gauge, one mile. Diss, Norfolk. Tel: 01379 686900. Engine: 662 Running: Daily.

Bure Valley Railway Narrow gauge, nine miles, footplate experience. Aylsham, Norfolk. Tel: 01263 733858. Running: Daily.

Colne Valley Railway

Standard gauge, one mile, footplate experience, wine and dine. Castle Hedingham, Essex. Tel: 01787 461174. Running: Apr Suns + 12, 14, 15, 17, 22, 29, May 1.

East Anglian Railway Museum Standard gauge, ¼ mile. Wakes Colne, Essex. Tel: 01206 242524. Running: Apr 14-17, 30, May 1.

Mangapps Railway Standard gauge, one mile.

near Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex. Tel: 01621 784898. Running: W/Es + B/H.

Mid-Norfolk Railway

Standard gauge, 11½ miles, footplate experience. Dereham, Norfolk. Tel: 01362 690633. Engine: 9466. Running: W/Es, Weds + B/H.

Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Standard gauge, ½ mile. Brockford, Suffolk. Running: Apr 16, 17, 30, May 1.

Nene Valley Railway

Standard gauge, 7½ miles, footplate experience. Wansford, Peterborough, Cambs. Tel: 01780 784444. Engines: 34081, 60163. Running: W/Es + Apr 14-20, May 1.

North Norfolk Railway

Standard gauge, 5½ miles, footplate experience. Sheringham, Norfolk NR26 8RA. Tel: 01263 820800. Engines: 564, 8572, 92203, 76084, 1744, 48624. Running: Daily.

Wells & Walsingham Railway Narrow gauge, four miles. Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk. Tel: 01328 711630 Running: Daily.

Whitwell & Reepham Railway Standard gauge, ¼ mile. Reepham, Norfolk. Tel: 01603 871694. Running: W/Es, steam first Sun.

HOME COUNTIES Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

Standard gauge, ¼ mile, footplate experience. Quainton Road, Bucks. Tel: 01296 655720. Engine: 30585, Met 1, 30120. Open: Tues - Thurs. Running: Suns, B/H Mons + Apr 5, 12, 14.

Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway Standard gauge, 3½ miles. Chinnor, Oxon. Tel: 01844 353535. Running: Apr, 9, 14-17, 23, 29 - May 1.

Cholsey & Wallingford Railway

Standard gauge, 2½ miles. Wallingford, Oxon. Tel: 01491 835067. Running: Apr 16, 17, 23, 30, May 1.

Didcot Railway Centre

Standard gauge, footplate experience. Didcot, Oxon. Tel: 01235 817200. Engines: 93, 6023, 813, 2807, 4144. Open: W/Es + Apr 10-21. Running: W/Es + B/H + Apr19.

Epping Ongar Railway

Standard gauge, five miles. Ongar, Essex. Tel: 01277 365200. Running: W/Es + B/H + Apr 5, 12.

Leighton Buzzard Railway Narrow gauge, 2¾ miles. Leighton Buzzard, Beds. Tel: 01525 373888. Running: Suns + + B/H + Apr 5, 12.

Battlefield Line Railway

Standard gauge, five miles. Shackerstone, Leics. Tel: 01827 880754. Engine: 30120. Running: W/Es + Apr 14-20, May 1.

Chasewater Railway

Standard gauge, two miles. Walsall, West Midlands. Tel: 01543 452623. Running: Suns + Apr 14, 15, 17, 20, 22, 29, May 1.

Churnet Valley Railway

Standard gauge, 5¼ miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Cheddleton, Staffs. Tel: 01538 750755. Engines: 6046, 5197. Running: W/Es + Apr 14, 17, May 1.

Dean Forest Railway

Standard gauge, 4¼ miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Norchard, Lydney, Glos. Tel: 01594 845840. Engine: 5541. Running: W/Es, Weds + Apr 10, 14, 17, 21, May 1.

Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

Standard gauge, eight miles. Wirksworth, Derbyshire. Tel: 01629 823076. Running: W/Es, Tues + Apr 13, 14, 17, 20, 21, May 1.

Evesham Vale Railway

MIDLANDS Amerton Railway Narrow gauge, one mile. Stowe-by-Chartley, Staffs. Tel: 01785 850965. Running: W/Es + B/H + Apr 10-21.

Apedale Valley Railway

Narrow gauge, ½ mile. Apedale, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs. Tel: 0845 094 1953. Running: Sats + Apr 9, 16, 17, 30, May 1.

Barrow Hill Roundhouse

Standard gauge, ¼ mile. Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Tel: 01246 472450. Open: September.

Narrow gauge, 1¼ mile. A46 north of Evesham, Worcs. Tel: 01386 422282. Running: W/Es + Apr 10-21, May 1.

Foxfield Railway

Standard gauge, 5½ miles. Blythe Bridge, Staffs. Running: W/Es, B/H + Apr 19.

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway

Standard gauge, 12 miles, footplate experience. Toddington, Glos. Tel: 01242 621405. Engines: 2807, 4270, 35006, 7903. Running: W/Es, B/H + Tues-Thurs.

Great Central Railway

Standard gauge, eight miles. Loughborough, Leics LE11 1RW. Tel: 01509 632323. Engines: 48624, 47406, 46521, 92214, 45305, 777, 6990, 78018, 70013. Running: W/Es, B/H + Apr 11-20.

Great Central Railway Nottingham

Standard gauge, four miles. Ruddington, Notts. Tel: 0115 940 570. Engine: 8274 Running: W/Es + Apr 17, May 1.

Midland Railway – Butterley

Standard gauge, 3½ miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Ripley, Derbyshire. Tel: 01773 570140. Engine: 5619 Running: W/Es + Apr 10-19, May 1.

Northampton & Lamport Railway

Standard gauge, two miles. Pitsford, Northants. Tel: 01604 820327. Running: Suns + Apr 15, 17, 29, May 1.

Peak Rail

Standard gauge, four miles. Matlock, Derbyshire. Tel: 01629 580381. Running: W/Es, Tues, Weds + Apr 17-19, May 1.

Perrygrove Railway

RSS No. 08480 and No. 08694 top and tail with D3690 & No. 08907 past Woodthorpe during the Great Central Railway spring diesel gala on March 19. STEVE DONALD

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Narrow gauge. B4228, Coleford, Glos. Tel: 01594 834991. Running: W/Es + B/H.

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Chasewater’s Vanguard diesel returned to operation on March 12 and did two round trips with the coal train at the gala weekend. ALISTAIR GRIEVE

Rocks by Rail

Standard gauge, ¼ mile. Cottesmore, Rutland. Open: Tues, Thur, Sun. Running: Apr 16, 17, 30, May 1.

Rudyard Lake Railway

Narrow gauge, 1½ miles. Leek, Staffs. Tel: 01995 672280. Running:Apr 29 - May 1.

Rushden Transport Museum Standard gauge, ¼ mile. Open: W/Es, Running Apr 16, 17, 29, May 1.

Severn Valley Railway

Heaton Park Tramway

Standard gauge, ½ mile. Manchester. Running: Suns pm.

Isle of Man Steam Railway

Narrow gauge, 15½ miles. Douglas, Isle of Man. Tel: 01624 662525. Running: Daily except Apr 26, 27, May 4.

Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway

Standard gauge, 3½ miles. near Ulverston, Cumbria. Tel: 01539 531594. Engines: 42073, 42085. Running: Daily.

Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway

Standard gauge, 16 miles, footplate experience. Kidderminster, Worcs DY10 1QR. Tel: 01562 757900. Engines: 1501, 7812, 2857, 43106, 1450, 34027, 34053, 7802, 813, 7714. Running: W/Es + Apr 10-21. Daily from Apr 29.

Narrow gauge, seven miles. Ravenglass, Cumbria. Tel: 01229 717171. Running: Daily.

Narrow gauge, ½ mile, footplate experience. Wirksworth, Derbyshire. Running: Suns + B/H from Easter.

Stainmore Railway

Steeple Grange Light Railway

Telford Steam Railway

Standard gauge, one mile, footplate experience. Telford, Shropshire. Email: [email protected] Tel: 01952 503880. Running: Apr 15-17, 23, 30, May 1.

NORTH WEST East Lancashire Railway

Standard gauge, 12 miles, footplate experience. Bury, Lancs. Tel: 01617 647790. Engines: 13065, 52322,34092. Running: Wed - Sun + B/H.

Eden Valley Railway

Standard gauge, two miles. Warcop, off A66, Cumbria CA16 6PR 01768 342309. www.evr-cumbria.org.uk Running: Suns.

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Ribble Steam Railway

Standard gauge, one mile. Preston, Lancs. Tel: 01772 728800. Running: Apr 14-17, 29 - May 1. Standard gauge, ½ mile. Kirkby Stephen East Station, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4LA. Open: W/Es. Running: Apr 15, 16.

West Lancashire Light Railway

Narrow gauge. Hesketh Bank, Lancs. Tel: 01772 815881. Running: Suns + B/H.

NORTH EAST Aln Valley Railway

Standard gauge, ½ mile. Lionheart station, Alnwick, Northumberland. Running: Apr 15-17, 23, 29 - May 1.

Appleby Frodingham Railway Preservation Society Standard gauge, 15 miles. British Steel Steelworks, Scunthorpe. Tel: 01652 657053. Running: May 20.

Bowes Railway

Engine: 1310. Running: W/Es + B/H Mon.

Standard gauge, one mile. Springwell, Tyne & Wear. Tel: 01914 161847. Open: May 6, 7.

North Tyneside Railway

Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway

Narrow gauge, two miles. Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire. Tel: 01472 604657. Running: Daily.

Derwent Valley Railway

Standard gauge, ½ mile. Murton Park, Layerthorpe, York. Tel: 01904 489966. Running: Apr 16, 17, 23, 30, May 1.

Elsecar Railway

Standard gauge, one mile. Footplate experience. Elsecar, South Yorks. Tel: 01226 746746. Open: Daily. Running: Apr 9, 15, 16, 23.

Standard gauge, two miles. North Shields. Tel: 0191 200 7106 Running: W/Es + B/H Mon.

North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Standard gauge, 18 miles, wine and dine. Grosmont, North Yorks. Tel: 01751 472508. Engines: 45428, 76079, 80136, 44806, 61264. Running: Daily.

South Tynedale Railway

Narrow gauge, 3½ miles. Alston, Cumbria. Tel: 01434 382828/381696. Running: Daily except Apr 21, 24, 28, May 3, 5.

Tanfield Railway

Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway

Standard gauge, three miles. near Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. Tel: 01913 887545. Running: Suns + B/H.

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

Standard gauge, five miles. Stanhope, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham. Tel: 01388 526203. Running: W/Es + Apr 12, 14, 17, 19, May 1.

Standard gauge, five miles. Embsay, North Yorks. Engine: 5643. Running: W/Es, Tues + Apr 12-18, May 1.

Standard gauge, five miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Keighley, West Yorks BD22 8NJ. Tel: 01535 645214. Engines: 43924, 1054, 5820, 75078, 85. Running: Daily.

Weardale Railway

Wensleydale Railway

Kirklees Light Railway

Standard gauge, 22 miles. Leeming Bar, North Yorkshire. Tel: 0845 450 5474. Engine: 69023. Running: W/Es, Tues, Weds + Apr 14-17, May 1-3.

Lincolnshire Wolds Railway

Bala Lake Railway

Narrow gauge, four miles. Huddersfield, West Yorks. Tel: 01484 865727. Running: W/Es + Apr 10-21, May 1.

WALES

Standard gauge, 1½ miles. Ludborough, Lincolnshire. Tel: 01507 363881. Running: Apr 15-17, 30, May 1.

Narrow gauge, 4½ miles. Llanuwchllyn, Gwynedd. Tel: 01678 540666. Running: Apr 8-23, 25-27, 29 - May 4.

Standard gauge, 1½ miles. Hunslet, Leeds. Tel: 0113 271 0320.

Standard gauge, two miles. Barry Island, Glamorgan. Tel: 01446 748816. Running: Apr 14-17.

Middleton Railway

Barry Tourist Railway

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EVENTS

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UP & RUNNING Railway Museums Beamish

County Durham. The Living Museum of the North. Open: Daily.

Col Stephens Railway Museum Tenterden Station, Kent. Open: W/Es. Tel: 01580 765155.

Conwy Valley Railway Museum Betws-y-Coed, Conwy. Open: Daily. Tel: 01690 710568.

Crewe Heritage Centre

Vernon Way, Crewe. Open: W/Es + B/H. Tel: 01270 212130.

Head of Steam

North Road Station, Darlington. Open: Tues-Sun. Tel: 01325 460532.

Museum Of Scottish Railways

Bo’ness. Open: Daily. Tel: 01506 825855.

Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum

Near Wellingborough, Northants. Open: Suns. Tel: 01604 675368.

Kidderminster Railway Museum

LMS 8F 2-8-0 No. 48624 heads a 3P20 Parcels Group photo charter goods train past Burrs on the East Lancashire Railway on March 13. BRIAN DOBBS

Locomotion: The National Railway Museum, Shildon

Narrow gauge, 3½ miles. Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan. Tel: 01685 722988. Running: W/Es, Tues-Thurs + B/H.

Kidderminster, Worcs. Open: SVR operating days. Tel: 01562 825316.

Co Durham. Open: Daily. Tel: 01388 777999.

London Transport Museum

Covent Garden Piazza. Open: Daily. Tel: 0207 379 6344.

Manchester Museum of Science & Industry

Castlefield, Manchester. Open: Daily. Tel: 0161 832 2244.

Monkwearmouth Station Museum Sunderland, County Durham. Open: Daily. Tel: 01915 677075.

National Railway Museum

Leeman Road, York. Open: Daily. Tel: 01904 621261.

Penrhyn Castle Industrial Railway Museum Bangor, Gwynedd. Open: Daily.

Rail Story

Ingrow, West Yorks. Open: Daily. Tel: 01535 680425.

Shillingstone Station

Shillingstone, Dorset. Open: Sat, Sun and Wed. Tel: 01258 860696.

Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust

Washford, Somerset. Open: Weekends. Tel: 01984 640869.

STEAM – Museum of the GWR

Swindon, Wilts. Open: Daily. Tel: 01793 466646.

St Albans South Signalbox & Museum

St Albans City station. Tel: 01727 863131.

Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

Cultra, Co Down. Open: Tues-Sun.

West Cumberland Railway Museum

St Bees, Cumbria. Open: Monthly, dates as per Facebook entry or email [email protected]

Yeovil Railway Centre Yeovil Junction, Somerset.

100 Heritagerailway.co.uk

Brecon Mountain Railway

Cambrian Heritage Railways

Standard gauge, ¾ mile. Llynclys station & Oswestry station (museum open TuesSun). Tel: 01691 728131. Running: TBA.

Corris Railway

Narrow gauge, ¾ mile. Corris, Machynlleth. Tel: 01654 761303. Running: Apr 14-17, 29 - May 1.

Fairbourne Railway

Narrow gauge, two miles. Fairbourne, Gwynedd. Tel: 01341 250362. Running: Daily except Apr 24, 28, May 5.

Ffestiniog Railway

Narrow gauge, 15 miles, Porthmadog, Gwynedd. Tel: 01766 516000. Running: Daily.

Gwili Railway

Standard gauge, 2.5 miles. Bronwydd Arms, Carmarthenshire. Tel: 01267 238213. Running: Apr 8-23, 25-27, 29 - May 1, 3, 4.

Llanberis Lake Railway

Narrow gauge, three miles. Llanberis, Gwynedd. Tel: 01286 870549. Running: Daily except Apr 29.

Llangollen Railway

Standard gauge, 10 miles, footplate experience, wine and dine. Llangollen, Denbighshire. Tel: 01978 860979. Engines: 5199, 80072, 7822, 45337. Running: Daily.

Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway

Standard gauge, two miles. Blaenavon, Torfaen. Tel: 01495 792263. Running: W/Es + B/H.

Rhyl Miniature Railway

Narrow gauge. Rhyl, North Wales. Running: W/Es + B/H from Apr 14.

Snowdon Mountain Railway

Narrow gauge, 4½ miles. Llanberis, Gwynedd. Tel: 01286 870223. Running: Daily.

Talyllyn Railway

Narrow gauge, 7½ miles, footplate experience. Tywyn, Gwynedd. Tel: 01654 710472. Running: Daily.

Vale of Rheidol Railway

Narrow gauge, 11¾ miles. Aberystwyth, Ceredigion. Tel: 01970 625819. Engines, 8, 9. Running: Daily.

Welsh Highland Heritage Railway Narrow gauge, one mile. Porthmadog, Gwynedd. Tel: 01766 513402. Running: W/Es + Apr 10-21, May 1.

Welsh Highland Railway Narrow gauge, 26 miles. Caernarfon, Gwynedd. Tel: 01766 516000. Running: Daily except Apr 28.

Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway

Narrow gauge, eight miles. Llanfair Caereinion, Mid-Wales. Tel: 01938 810441. Engines: 822, 823. Running: W/Es + Apr 10-21, May 1.

SCOTLAND Almond Valley Railway

Narrow gauge, ¼ mile. Livingston, West Lothian. Tel: 01506 414957. Running: W/Es, B/H + sch hols.

Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway

Standard gauge, five miles. Bo’ness, West Lothian. Tel: 01506 822298. Running: W/Es, Tues, B/H + Apr 12, 13.

Caledonian Railway

Standard gauge, four miles. Brechin, Angus. Tel: 01356 622992. Running: Apr 16.

Keith & Dufftown Railway

Standard gauge, 11 miles. Dufftown, Banffshire. Running: W/Es from Easter + Apr 14, 17, 27, 28.

Leadhills & Wanlockhead Railway

Narrow gauge, one mile. Leadhills, South Lanarkshire. Tel: 0141 556 1061. Running: W/Es from Easter + Apr 14, 17.

Royal Deeside Railway

Standard gauge, one mile. Milton of Crathes, Kincardineshire. Running: W/Es + Apr 12.

Ayrshire Railway Centre

Standard gauge, 1⁄3 mile. Dunaskin, Dalmellington Road (A713), Waterside, Ayrshire. Running: Apr 30.

Strathspey Railway

Standard gauge, 10 miles. Aviemore, Inverness-shire. Tel: 01479 810725. Engines: 828, 46512. Running: W/Es, Wed, Thur + B/H.

IRELAND Cavan & Leitrim Railway

Narrow gauge, ½ mile. Dromod, County Leitrim. Tel: 00353 71 9638599. Running: TBA.

Downpatrick & County Down Railway

Standard gauge, four miles. Downpatrick, County Down. Running: Apr 15-17, May 1.

Giant’s Causeway & Bushmills Railway

Narrow gauge, two miles. Bushmills, County Antrim. Tel: 0282 073 2844. Running: W/Es + B/H.

Waterford & Suir Valley Railway

Narrow gauge, two miles. Kilmeadan, County Waterford. Running: Daily.

West Clare Railway

Narrow gauge. Moyasta Junction, Co Clare. Open: Daily.

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EVENTS

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STAY A WHILE

WHY not come and stay at Railway Retreats in our converted Mk.1 railway carriage located on the beautiful Kent and East Sussex border in Northiam. Not only will you be staying in a charming railway carriage but the village of Northiam provides a wonderful base for you to explore the local countryside and coast, with attractions and activities to suit everyone. The carriage is situated within Northiam Station, a working station on the Kent and East

Sussex Railway. You don’t even need to leave the carriage to get the full railway experience as the steam trains will pull up at the station just 20 ft away! The carriage sleeps up to six people with two double bedrooms, the master with an en-suite, a bunk room, a family bathroom with over the bath shower, an open plan lounge/ dining area and a kitchen with everything you need. The carriage also offers you the best view of the station, surrounding countryside and golden sunsets from the elevated glass balcony.

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NORTH NORFOLK

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STAY A WHILE NORTHUMBERLAND

WEST SOMERSET

WORTH VALLEY

WEB WATCH

CLASSIFIED

EXPRESS GOODS

Contact Sue Needham on 01507 529310 • [email protected]

ACCOMMODATION

BOOKS

ENGINEERING BOOKS

DAYS OUT FOR SALE

DVD

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MODELS

RAILWAYANA

ADVERT BOOKING DEADLINE THURSDAY 20 APRIL WANTED

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Heritagerailway.co.uk 105

THE MONTH AHEAD

SR Q class 0-6-0 No. 30541 passes Hazelden woods on the Bluebell Railway with a crew familiarisation train on March 21, in readiness for Flying Scotsman’s forthcoming visit to the line. NICK GILLIAM

Busy times on many lines

THE gala season continues with an intensive programme scheduled by many railways, large and small including two of the well-established events which are being held rather later than usual, towards

SPECIAL EVENTS April

6-9: Beamish Museum: Great Northern Steam Fair 7-9: NeneValley Railway: Diesel Gala ■ 8/9: AvonValley Railway: Diesel Gala ■ 9: Amberley Museum: IndustrialTrains Day 13-19: Bluebell Railway: Flying Scotsman ■ The ever-popular LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 FlyingScotsman will be working trains on the line throughout this period with all trains hauled by the locomotive already sold out.

14-17: Didcot Railway Centre: 50th Anniversary Steam Gala. ■

The GreatWestern Society will be celebrating 50 years of preservation at Didcot; the event also running on April 19, 22, 23 and 29-May 1.

14-17: East Anglian Railway Museum: Easter Day Out withThomas ■ 14-17: Great Central Railway: Easter Vintage Festival 14-17: Isle of Man Steam Railway: Rush Hour on the Railways 14-17: South Devon Railway: Easter Heritage Gala 14-23: Mid Hants Railway: Day outWith Thomas ■ 15: Elsecar Heritage Railway:Welcome Back Mardy Monster 16/17: CrichTramway Museum: 1940s Weekend 21-23: Llangollen Railway: Days Out withThomas ■ 21-23: North Norfolk Railway: Spring Steam Gala ■

Visiting for this annual event, being held somewhat later in the season than usual will be LMS 8F 2-8-0 No. 48624 and GNR N2 0-6-2T No. 1744, alongside home fleet engines Nos. 564, 8572, 76084 and Hunslet RingHaw.

22: Bala Lake Railway: Launch of GeorgeB

Issue 228 is out on May 5, 2017. Catch up with the latest news, views and great features every four weeks. 106 Heritagerailway.co.uk

attend and the Great Western Society at Didcot will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Heritage Railway will be covering all these and other events over the coming month.

the end of April, on the North Norfolk and West Somerset railways. Flying Scotsman will be the star attraction for a week on the Bluebell Railway with large crowds expected to

27-30:West Somerset Railway: Spring Steam Gala ■

Again being held later in the spring gala season, this event will see two LMS 4F 0-6-0s, Nos, 43924 and 44422, and two S&D 7F 2-8-0s Nos. 53808 and 53809, along with visiting BR Standard 2-6-0 No. 78018 and GWR 0-6-0PT No. 1501 and 2-6-2T No. 5199.The other resident engine will be GWR 4-6-0 No. 6960 RaveninghamHall.

28- May 1: Ffestiniog Railway: Quirks & Curiosities ■ 29: Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: Blue Electric Day ■ 29/30: Bressingham Steam Museum: Heritage Steam Gala 29/30: East Somerset Railway: Spring into Steam Gala 29/30: MoorsValley Railway:Visiting LocomotivesWeekend 29/30: Peak Rail: Steam Gala 29-May 1: Devon Railway Centre: Steam Gala 29-May 1: Didcot Railway Centre: 50th Anniversary Steam Gala. ■

29-May 1: Mid-Norfolk Railway: Spring Diesel Gala ■ 29-May 1: Midland Railway – Butterley: VintageTrain Event 29-May 1: NeneValley Railway:TPO Weekend 29-May 1: North Norfolk Railway: Days Out withThomas ■ 29-May 1: Ribble Steam Railway: Friendly Engines ■ 29-May 1: Rushden Station: Cavalcade of HistoricalTransport 29-May 1: South Devon Railway: Days OutWithThomas ■ 30/May 1: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre: Steam Gala 30/May 1: Leighton Buzzard Railway: Anything Goes Spring Gala 30/May 1: Mid-Suffolk Light Railway: Middy in theWarYears 30/May 1: Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway: MixedTractionWeekend

May

22/23 ColneValley Railway:Vintage Vehicle Rally

The last weekend of the GreatWestern Society’s celebration of 50 years of preservation at Didcot.

22/23: Epping Ongar Railway: Spring Diesel Gala ■

29-May 1: East Lancashire Railway: Days Out withThomas ■

April

22/23: GloucestershireWarwickshire Railway:Wartime in the Cotswolds

29-May 1: EcclesbourneValley Railway: EVR150

22: David Lewis, Crewe Heritage Centre

KEY ■ Major or featured galas

■ Diesel and/or electric galas

■ Thomas and family event

4-7: Swanage Railway: Diesel Gala ■

RAILWAYANA 8: Great Northern Railwayana, Poynton

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Southern Steam 50 YEARS SINCE THE END

FREE WITH

By Robin Jones & Brian Sharpe

Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35022 Holland-America Line arrives at Bournemouth Central with the Up ‘Bournemouth Belle’. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

Editor Robin Jones Deputy editor Brian Sharpe Designer Tim Pipes Reprographics Jonathan Schofield Production editor Sarah Wilkinson Publisher Tim Hartley Editorial address Heritage Railway magazine, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ Editorial Telephone 01507 529305 Website www.heritagerailway.co.uk Advertising representative 01507 529310 Sue Needham [email protected] General Queries, Subscriptions & Back Issues 01507 529529 Printing William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton © Mortons Media Group Ltd. This periodical is presented free with issues of Heritage Railway. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

COVER IMAGE: SR Battle of Britain Pacific

Welcome

MOST people think back to July 9, 1967 as the start of the fabled Summer of Love. However, enthusiasts who lived in the south of England remember the date with a mixture of sadness and resignation. For half a century ago, it was the day that Southern Region steam died. While British Rail relaxed its post-1968 steam ban in 1971, the Southern Region was by and large a steam desert apart from a handful of excursions, and it would not be until 1992, a quarter of century later, that the powers that be relaxed the ban on running steam specials on the third-rail electrified lines. Thanks to tour operators such as Steam Dreams and the Railway Touring Company, we can once again enjoy travelling behind steam over the Sunny South, and in 2017, there are several first-class events, both on the main line and on the major heritage lines, which commemorate that landmark day when all seemed lost – only for the heritage sector to prove them wrong.

No. 34067 Tangmere on arrival at Swanage with ‘The Royal Wessex’. ROBIN JONES

Robin Jones & Brian Sharpe SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

3

S

unday, July 9, 1967 is one of the seminal dates in modern British railway history. It was then that the last steam-hauled passenger trains on the Southern Region ran. The date was preceded by 13 months the last British Railways’ standard gauge steam-hauled passenger train; the fabled 1T57 ’15 Guinea Special’ between Liverpool Lime Street, Manchester and Carlisle on August 11, 1968. However, the end of steam in the Sunny South had a similar high profile, as the Southern Railway, and its direct successor the Southern Region, were very much a self-contained entity tyy in geographical terms, much of it relating to the south of London and the Home Counties. It could also be regarded as the end of regular steam-hauled express trains in Britain, apart from a decreasing number of scheduled expresses in the North-West, which were rostered for haulage by BR Standard Pacifics up to the end of 1967 and

Bournemouth shed (71B). ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

a handful of trains that continued with LMS ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 haulage into 1968. The demise of Southern steam might be said to have its roots in the pre-Grouping days of the London & South Western Railway, which installed its 660V DC third-rail electric system before the First World War from Waterloo to suburban destinations. After the Grouping of 1923 it adopted the LSWR system instead of the London, Brighton & Couth Coast Railway’s overhead electrics, and the South Eastern Main Line was electrified at 600V, later upgraded to 750V. Electrification was rampant during the Thirties, and but for the Second World War the end of Southern steam may well have been much earlier. After the war ended, electrification was soon resumed. British Rail’s 1955 Modernisation Plan called for steam to be replaced by diesels and electrics over the entire UK network. The brief included the two-stage Kent Coast electrification, which was

completed by 1960. June 1961 saw the end of main line steam working on the South Eastern Division (the former Eastern Section) with the arrival on Sunday, June 11, at London Victoria station, of the final steam-hauled Up ‘Golden Arrow’ behind rebuilt Bulleid Pacific No. 34100 Appledore. Attention then switched to the neglected former LSWR area (then the South Western Division). The South Western Main Line to Southampton Central and Bournemouth was electrified in 1967 and eventually to Weymouth in 1988. The promise in the Modernisation Plan to use main line diesels on the Waterloo-Bournemouth/ Weymouth and Waterloo-Salisbury-Exeter routes appears to have been forgotten soon after its publication, because attention switched in 1955 to the electrification of the Waterloo-Bournemouth line. Meanwhile Bulleid Pacifics, BR Standard types tyy and examples of some Southern Railway classes ousted by the electrification and dieselisation of the South Eastern and Central Divisions were

transferred to the South Western Division sheds to supersede the remaining pre-Grouping engines. In autumn 1962, the British Railways Board ordered that the future of many routes and stations be examined as a matter of urgency, pre-empting the Beeching report: The Reshaping of British Railways in March the following year, and that rolling stock fleets must be thinned out. Accordingly, a large number of Southern Railway steam engines were withdrawn from traffic before the end of 1962. The clearance of the remaining steam locomotives was hastened by the transfer of the Salisbury-Exeter line west of Wilton to the Western Region, which replaced them on the routes with its diesel-hydraulics. Some of the Maunsell locomotive types tyy lingered on until near the end of steam. The N 2-6-0s migrated westwards with the completion of the two stages of the Kent coast electrification and the arrival of the new diesel-electrics. Examples of both the N and U moguls survived into 1966. Maunsell

S15 mixed-traffic 4-6-0 No. 30837 lasted in service until January 1966 when it worked an enthusiast railtour from Waterloo to Eastleigh via the Mid Hants line. In the 1960s, BR Standard types and Ivatt 2-62Ts were transferred to the Southern Region from elsewhere and gave sterling service. BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4Ts, for example, worked stopping services on the legendary Somerset & Dorset trans-Mendip route from Bournemouth to Bath. The closure of the Hayling Island branch in autumn 1963 marked the end of LBSCR types in Southern Region services with the withdrawal of the last A1X ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0Ts. Withdrawals of the unrebuilt Bulleid light Pacifics began in June 1963 and the first two Merchant Navies were withdrawn in February 1964. Next for the scrapman were the first of the rebuilt Bulleid

6

SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

liight Pacifics. The final Bulleid Pacifics to undergo heavy repairs emerged from Eastleigh Works in early 1964. Early in 1964, consideration was given to bringing some of Stanier’s LMS Princess Coronation Pacifics south, but the idea came to nothing because of clearance problems at some locations. On New Year’s Day 1967, there were 10 Merchant Navies still running plus around 35-40 light Pacifics, seven of which were ‘spam cans’ in original condition. By the end of Southern steam, this number had shrunk to six Merchant Navies and 18 light Pacifics with only two originals left, No. 34023 Blackmore Vale and No. 34102 Lapford. Dowdy and drab was the atmosphere in which Southern steam worked in its sunset months. By then, many locomotives were visibly in poor condition, unwashed, unloved and with

West Country Pacific No. 34102 Lapford passes Bournemouth shed on April 9, 1966. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35018 British India Line on shed at Bournemouth in the 1950s. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

Merchant Navy No. 35007 Aberdeen Commonwealth (left) and West Country No. 34037 Clovelly await departure from Waterloo on August 3, 1966. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

nameplates missing. The region marked the end of steam by running two special trains from Waterloo on July 2, one to Weymouth behind No. 35028 Clan Line and a second to Bournemouth behind No 35008 Orient Line. The return working of the second train was double-headed, with No. 35007 Aberdeen Commonwealth piloting from Weymouth to Bournemouth. On July 9, 1967, the last day of steam traction on the region, the final express working was the 2.07pm Weymouth-Waterloo hauled by Merchant Navy No. 35030, the former Elder Dempster Lines, which had taken the place of a diesel. Its run happened only because of a diesel failure in Dorset as the locomotive had been destined for storing at Weymouth before scrapping. While No. 35030 stood at Weymouth taking

West Country No. 34030 Watersmeet at Bournemouth in 1964. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

West Country No. 34004 Yeovil and 3H DEMU No. 1101 at Millbrook, Southampton. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

7

Above: Bulleid Pacific 34057 RAF Biggin Hill waits to depart from Waterloo on September 19, 1966. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION Right: Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35030 Elder Dempster Lines after arrival at Waterloo with the 2.07pm from Weymouth on July 9, 1967, the last BR steam arrival at the London terminus. STEAM DREAMS

on water there for the last time, messages commiserating the demise of steam were chalked on its smokebox. ‘The End’ being the most telling of them all. There had been rumours that a few Bulleid Pacifics and BR Standard locomotives that had survived to the last day would be retained for boat trains, but in the event No. 35030’s unexpected foray to the capital really was the last. Meanwhile, steam was used from Weymouth

to Westbury for three inter-regional freight workings. The last steam-hauled local services were in the Bournemouth area, and the final revenueearning Southern Region steam train of all was a Bournemouth-Weymouth van train hauled by BR Standard 3MT 2-6-0 No. 77014. Throughout British Rail’s corporate structure, steam was the enemy, and any opportunity to destroy the possibility of running steam in the future was at that time taken on the Southern just as it

Bulleid unrebuilt West Country Pacific No. 34023 Blackmoor Vale at Corfe Castle on May 7 1966. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

8

SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

Merchant Navy No. 35013 Blue Funnel and BR Standard 3MT 2-6-2T No. 82026 just outside Waterloo in the summer of 1966. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION

had been on the Western Region, and across the rest of the BR network as the last rites spread like Dutch elm disease across the Midlands, the North and Scotland. The sole incursion of steam on the Southern

Region main line after July 9, 1967 was the light engine moves of two of artist David Shepherd’s former BR locomotives from Cricklewood to Longmoor Military Railway in April 1968, but they were done without any fanfare or publicity.

Bulleid Pacific 34028 Eddystone is already languishing in Barry scrapyard in August 1966. ANDREW PM WRIGHT COLLECTION SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

9

Not quite the end...

Although the official date for the end of Southern steam is given as July 9, 1967, two tw w S100 ‘USA’ class 0-6-0T dock tanks remained in use as Ashford works pilots until that September. Designed by Col Howard G Hill in 1942 and built for the United States Army Transportation for use in the Second World War, a total of 382 were turned out by a series of manufacturers stateside. They arrived in the UK in 1943 in anticipation of D-Day, after which most were shipped to the continent. A few remained in store at Newbury racecourse having seen little use. Like other Big Four companies, the Southern Railway found itself short of locomotives after years of wartime austerity and sought to replace the E1, B4 and D1 tanks used in Southampton Docks. The locomotives needed to have a short wheelbase to negotiate the tight curves found in the dockyard, but be able to haul heavy freight trains as well as fulllength passenger trains in the harbour area SR Chief Mechanical Engineer Oliver Bulleid ran the rule over the S100s, and recommended that 14 were bought, plus another one for spares.

10

SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

Other S100s went to the National Coal Board, the Longmoor Military Railway and Austin Motors. Of the 15 acquired by the Southern Railway, 13 were built at the Vulcan Iron Works in Wilkes-Barre, Peennssylvaaniaa in 19942, witth thee otheer two wo comingg from HK Porter of Pittsburgh. Once in Southern hands, they were fitted with steam heating, vacuum ejectors, sliding cab windows, additional lamp irons and new cylinder drain cocks. Further modifications became necessary once the locomotives started to enter traffic, including large roof-top ventilators, British-style regulators (as built they had US-style pull-out ones), three rectangular cab-front lookout windows, extended coal bunkers, separate steam and vacuum brake controls and wooden tip-up seats. It took until November 1947 for the entire new class – which became known as ‘Yankee tanks’ – to be ready for work. After 1948 they were renumbered 30061-30074 by BR. Six examples were transferred to Departmental use in 1962-63 and renumbered DS233-DS238. They were used in Southampton Docks for 15 years and were powerful, economical to operate and

Jugoslavian ‘lookalike’ SR USA 0-6-0T No. 30075 departs from Corfe Castle in July 2007. BRIAN SHARPE

In the charts the day Southern Steam died initially relatively easy to maintain. However, because they were basic machines turned out as cheaply as possible during the years of wartime austerity ty, y their steel fireboxes rusted and fatigued quickl kly, l and had to be reeplaced as earlyy as 19951. Att thee docks, they were replaced by British Rail Class 07 diesel-electric shunters, in 1962, when the first member of the class was withdrawn. The six departmental locomotives went to Redbridge Sleeper Depot, Meldon Quarry, Ashford wagon works (two locomotives) and Lancing Carriage Works (two locomotives). Other survivors were used for informal departmental purposes such as steam heating at Southampton or shunting at Eastleigh shed before withdrawal. Nine examples remained in March 1967 and five of these survived until the end of Southern Steam. The Ashford Works pair, Nos 30065/DS237 and 30070/DS238, developed hot boxes while being towed to Cashmore’s scrapyard in South Wales, and were dumped at Tonbridge. Moving them by road for scrapping was considered too costly, and luckily the Kent & East Sussex Railway revivalists stepped in to buy them.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

A WHITER SHADE OF PALE Procol Harum ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE The Beatles ALTERNATE TITLE The Monkees THERE GOES MY EVERYTHING Englebert Humperdinck SHE’D RATHER BE WITH ME The Turtles IT MUST BE HIM Vikki Carr CARRIE-ANNE The Hollies SEE EMILY PLAY Pink Floyd IF I WERE A RICH MAN Topol RESPECT Aretha Franklin GROOVIN’ The Young Rascals SWEET SOUL MUSIC Arthur Conley SAN FRANCISCO (Be Sure To Wear Scott McKenzie Some Flowers In your Hair) HERE COME THE NICE Small Faces PAPER SUN Traffic THE HAPPENING The Supremes STRANGE BREW Cream SEVEN ROOMS OF GLOOM The Four Tops OKA KAY! A Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky ky,y Mick and Tich DON’T SLEEP IN THE SUBWAY Petula Clark

Battle of Britain Pacifics No. 34081 and No. 34053 Sir Keith Park double-head into Orton Mere station on the Nene Valley Railway on February 26, 2017. JOHN HENNIS

SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

13

Above: Visiting SR Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34053 Sir Keith Park accelerates away from Peterborough Nene Valley station during the Bulleid 50 gala on February 26. JOHN HENNIS Below: No. 34081 emerges from Wansford tunnel and approaches Yarwell Junction. PETER FOSTER

14

SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

Bulleids back in action and raring to go

However, it is the Bulleid Pacifics that became the iconic image of the end of Southern Steam, and it is these magnificent locomotives that are taking centre stage in the year of the eagerly awaited 50th anniversary. The year began with not one but two Bulleids returning to service, cocking a snoop at their withdrawal half a century ago! First up was Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No. 34081 92 Squadron. When it entered traffic in September 1948, it was the 101st Bulleid Pacific to be completed. Although completed after Nationalisation, it was outshopped in malachite green, the livery it carries today, and repainted into BR Brunswick green in April 1950 when its nameplates were fitted for the first time. Withdrawn in 1964, with a final mileage of 741,511, like so many sister Bulleids it ended up at Dai Woodham’s scrapyard at Barry. Bought by the newly formed Battle of Britain Locomotive Preservation Society in September 1973 and it left Barry three years later, No. 34081 moved under its own power for the first time in 34 years on March 9, 1998 and entered NVR traffic two months later. It spent several years on the North Norfolk Railway where it failed a boiler inspection on May 21, 2008, but returned to Wansford for its 10-year overhaul. The locomotive starred in the railway’s Bulleid 50 event on February 25-26, alongside visiting sister

Above: No. 34053 opens up after crossing the river bridge at Castor. ANDREW SOUTHWELL Below: Nos. 34081 and 34053 during a night photography session at Wansford. DAVE BOWLES

No. 34053 Sir Keith Park, which was restored by Southern Locomotives Ltd and is currently on loan to the Severn Valley Railway, where its restoration was completed. The Bulleid 50 gala on the Nene Valley Railway saw the two Pacifics sharing duties between Wansford, Yarwell and Peterborough, with a couple

of trains being double-headed. Brakevan specials were also operated from Wansford through the tunnel to Yarwell Junction, with Bulleid Pacific haulage. The event was extremely well patronised and clearly attracted Southern Steam enthusiasts to an area some way from traditional Bulleid Pacific territory. SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

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The black Merchant

The second locomotive to make a comeback in the 50th anniversary year is one that had never run in the preservation era. Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35018 British India Line, owned by West Coast Railways chairman, David Smith, which steamed for the first time in the heritage era at the firm’s Carnforth base on November 29, 2016, has been outshopped in gleaming black livery. As the latest locomotive to enter the main line registered pool, clearly it will be in demand, not only by charter operators but by organisers of special events on heritage lines. No rebuilt Merchant Navy appeared in black

No. 35018 British India Line at Carnforth. ROBIN JONES

livery. However, British India Line may be repainted once its tests, proving runs and certification are completed. Built as No. 21C18 at Eastleigh and outshopped in May 1945, No. 35018 British India Line was one of the first batch of 20 Merchant Navies to be built. It was allocated to 9E Nine Elms shed on January 1 that year, and spent its entire working life there, apart from two months at 71B Bournemouth beginning on November 24, 1960. In 1956, it became the first rebuilt Merchant Navy vyy to be outshopped from Eastleigh. Sold for preservation in November 1979 and the following March was moved to the Mid Hants Railway – an appropriate location because it

had often run over the route from Basingstoke to Winchester when engineering works were taking place on the primary route In 2012, it was moved to West Coast’s extensive Carnforth workshops where it has been rebuilt to main line standard. On November 29, 2016, in the depot yard, British India Line undertook its first movements since its rebuild.

No. 35018 British India Line inside the paint shop at Carnforth. ROBIN JONES

A rear view of the black-liveried No. 35018 at Carnforth.

Making news the month Southern Steam died JULY 1: First British colour TV broadcast on BBC2, from the Wimbledon tennis championships The EEC joins with the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Atomic Community, to form the European Communities (from the 1980s usually known as European Community or EC The Beatles’ LP Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band goes to No. 1 for 15 weeks JULY 3: News At 10 premieres on ITV JULY 3: Military rebellion led by Belgian mercenary Jean Schramme begins in the Congo. JULY 4: UK Parliament decriminalises homosexuality. JULY 6: Biafran War breaks out as Nigerian forces invade starting civil war Level crossing collision between a train loaded with children and a tanker-truck near Magdeburg, East Germany kills 94 JULY 10: Bobbie Gentry records Ode to Billie Joe, a single that goes on to win four Grammy awards JULY 12: Race riot in Newark, New Jersey, leaves 26 dead JULY 14: Surveyor 4 launched to the moon but explodes just before landing JULY 16: Prison riot in Jay, Florida leaves 37 dead. JULY 18: The UK announces the closing of its military bases in Malaysia and Singapore JULY 23: Pirate radio Swinging Scotland closes down for financial reasons The fifirrst successful liver transplant, on a 19-month-old girl at the University of Colorado, is carried out JULY 24: The Beatles sign a petition to legalise marijuana Norw rway w requests European Common Market membership JULY 30: The 1967 Milwaukee race riots begin, leading to a 10-day city shutdown

ROBIN JONES SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

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Severn Valley goes Southern!

Like the Nene Valley Railway, no Bulleids ever ran on the Severn Valley Railway in GWR days. However, that did not stop 92 Squadron from being swiftly reunited with Sir Keith Park for the latter line’s March 17-19 gala. The visitors line up with West Country No. 34027 Taw Valley, and six other home-based engines. Also visiting was Mid Hants Railway-based Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41312, which spent its entire 15-year BR career on the Southern Region. In April 1967, it worked the last steam-hauled service on the Lymington branch. It arrived at Barry scrapyard in January 1968, and its preservation history began at Caerphilly in August 1974. The visiting engines helped swell the gala attendance to 4537, more than 100 up on the previous year. Right: No. 34027 Taw Valley approaches Bewdley. FRED KERR Below: Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34053 Sir Keith Park crosses Oldbury viaduct near Bridgnorth. BRIAN SHARPE

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SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

SR Battle of Britain Pacific 34081 92 Squadron descends Eardington bank with the 10.30am Bridgnorth-Kidderminster service on March 17 during the Severn Valley Railway’s spring steam gala. GRAHAM NUTTALL SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

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Swanage Bulleid steam supreme event

Next up in the anniversary celebrations is what has been billed as a five-Bulleid steam extravaganza. The Swanage Railway, which has been restored as a microcosm of the Southern Railway/Region, has its own reason to celebrate this year, as scheduled for June are the first public services (albeit comprising DMUs) to run the entire length of the LSWR branch from Swanage to Wareham since January 1972. In the meantime, however, it has promised to stage the largest gathering of classic 1940s Bulleid express steam locomotives since the summer of 1967. Five examples have been rostered to haul trains through the Isle of Purbeck during the three-day ‘Strictly Bulleid’ event from Friday, March 31, to

Sunday, April 2. For one of the visiting Bulleid Pacifics, No. 34053 Sir Keith Park, it will be a happy homecoming, for it will be the first time that it has been seen at Swanage since the summer of 1964 when it hauled a train to Waterloo. It will be joined by visiting West Country light Pacifics No. 34046 Braunton and No. 34092 City of Wells as well as Battle of Britains No. 34053 Sir Keith Park and No. 34081 92 Squadron. Special trains will be running along the entire 9½mile length of the heritage line including the newly completed four-mile extension between Norden and the River Frome, within sight of Wareham. So another piece of Southern territory is being reclaimed by Bulleids.

Right: SR Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34081 92 Squadron departs from Corfe Castle during the 40th anniversary of the end of SR steam gala in July 2007. BRIAN SHARPE Below: Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34067 Tangmere arrives at Corfe Castle with the ‘Royal Wessex’ from Victoria, passing resident Battle of Britain No. 34070 Manston. ROBIN JONES

Monday, July 10, 1967, saw electric trains brought in between London and Bournemouth with diesel trains operating between Bournemouth and Weymouth, including the Swanage branch. Says Swanage Railway general manager, Matt Green: “The last British Rail B Pacific ran down to Corfe Castle and Swanage on Sunday, June 18, 1967, at the head of an excursion train for railway enthusiasts marking the impending end of steam trains in southern England after more than a century.” The huge frames of yet-to-be-restored Barry hulk West Country Pacific No. 34010 Sidmouth were placed display at Corfe Castle station during the ‘Strictly Bulleid’ event, while the Swanage Railway’s Herston engineering works – on the outskirts of Swanage – will be open on the Saturday and the Sunday so the public can admire Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34072 257 Squadron, a firm favourite on the heritage line in the past, in the final stages of its restoration. The fifth Bulleid Pacific rostered for the ‘Strictly Bulleid’ commemorative event is home-based Battle of Britain No. 34070 Manston which sports its original 1940s air-smoothed casing over the boiler. Multi-millionaire enthusiast Jeremy Hosking’s No. 34046 Braunton appeared in the guise of longscrapped fellow rebuilt Bulleid Pacific No. 34052 Lord Dowding. It had been using that identity for much of 2016. SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

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Four Bulleids on the Watercress Line

The gala event that coincides with the actual anniversary will be the one held by the Mid Hants Railway over two weekends, July 1-2 and 7-9. It will feature three of the Bulleids that guested at the Swanage gala, Sir Keith Park, 92 Squadron and Braunton aka Lord Dowding. A fourth Bulleid visitor will be making its first visit to Southern Railway territory since its restoration. Built at Eastleigh in 1941, Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. will be making the trek south from its Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway base. Having spent its entire working life at Salisbury shed, No. 35006 was withdrawn in August 1964, with a final mileage of 1,134,319 and sent to Barry scrapyard. Stripped of parts by other restoration groups, its remains were purchased for preservation in 1983 with the extremely ambitious intention of returning it to steam. On August 10, 2015, No. 35006 moved under its own power for the first time in half a century. Its first public runs came during the G/WR’s Cotswold Festival of steam gala at the end of May 2016. The restoration earned the railway and owning group, the 35006 Locomotive Company Ltd, the Heritage Railway Association’s John Coiley Award for Locomotives 2016. The citation said that the Unrebuilt Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34007 Wadebridge climbs Medstead bank during the 40th anniversary of the end of SR steam gala in July 2007. BRIAN SHARPE

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SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

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award was for “the provision by the G/WR of facilities that have enabled the owning group to restore this Merchant Navy class locomotive to an exceptionally high standard for future use on the railway.” Also in steam will be LMS ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0

Above: LMS Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T No. 41312 at Medstead & Four Marks during the 40th anniversary of the end of SR steam gala in July 2007. BRIAN SHARPE

Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35005 Canadian Pacific running as No. 35008 at Ropley at the same event. BRIAN SHARPE

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SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

No. 45379, BR Standard 9F No. 92212, BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No, 76017 and Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41312. The Watercress Line will naturally run an intensive timetable during both weekends, including freight trains, with special station activities for all the family and a real-ale bar.

Bluebell marks the anniversary weekend

The Bluebell Railway was on the Central Section when steam ended some time before 1967. Nevertheless, the railway will be staging a major gala over the anniversary weekend to commemorate the end d of Southeern Steeam.. Resident engines in steam are expected to be BR Standard 5MT 4-6-0 No. 73082 Camelot , SR S15 4-6-0 No. 847, Q class 0-6-0 No. 30541, SECR H class 0-4-4T No. 263 and 01 0-6-0 No. 65 fresh from overhaul. The service will include a goods train to add to the photo opportunities. Neither of the railway’s resident Bulleid Pacifics are currently serviceable but a star visitor has been secured in the shape of SR unrebuilt Bulleid West Country Pacific No. 34092 City tyy Of Wells, making a rare visit away from its East Lancashire Railway base. City tyy of Wells was the first of several unrebuilt light Pacifics to be rescued from Barry scrapyard.

It was purchased by Rochdale solicitor, Richard Greenwood, and arrived on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway on October 1971, returning to steam just eight years later. After proving itself on the gradients of this West Yorkshire branch line, it was pgraadeed foor maain linee ru unningg and heaaded itts first up railtour on November 28, 1981 over the Settle & Carlisle line, the first unrebuilt Bulleid Pacific on the main line for 14 years. The engine made a dramatic return to the Southern Region, working a series of BR-sponsored ‘Blackmoor Vale Expresses’ in July 1988, during which it allegedly touched 96mph. Its boiler certificate expired later that year and it was withdrawn from service for what became a very long-running overhaul. Although it made a few runs on the KWV KW WVR V on completion of the work in 2014, it quickly moved to the East Lancashire Railway at Bury where it is able to be used more frequently.

West Country Pacific No. 34092 City of Wells at Irwell Vale on the East Lancashire Railway in 2015. PHIL JONES

SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

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Loughborough remembers too!

The final 50th anniversary-flavoured event will be the Great Central Railway’s Thursday, October 5th to Sunday the 8th autumn steam gala. A very strong end of Southern theme will feature two visiting Bulleid Pacifics supported by homebased King Arthur 4-6-0 No. 30777 Sir Lamiel with early BR numbering/ lettering and malachite green livery. The event will feature the heritage-era debut of newly restored Barry wreck BR Standard 5MT 4-6-0 No. 73156. While that locomotive itself never visited Southern territory, it will represent the BR Standards that were moved down south as they became redundant on other parts of the BR network. Like the Nene Valley and Severn Valley railways, landlocked Leicestershire is far from the Sunny South, but in the steam era, through trains could occasionally be seen on the London Extension.

Southern steam on the main line

The 50th anniversary of the end of Southern Region steam will be marked by an ambitious programme of main line railtours promoted by three of the leading railtour promoters and will see a number of steam arrivals and departures at Waterloo, which has seen little steam action by comparison with

Victoria in recent years. Bulleid Pacific power will rightly predominate with the expected stars being West Country light Pacific No. 34046 Braunton and Merchant Navy No. 35028 Clan Line.

July 5: UK Railtours ‘Bournemouth Belle’

UK Railtours will be running a number of special excursions in the summer of 2017. By far the most significant of these will be the ‘Bournemouth Belle’, featuring the newly overhauled Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35028 Clan Line exactly where it belongs, at the head of the fabulous Belmond British Pullman on the London & South Western Railway’s main line. The actual date is significant for two reasons. Firstly, July 5, 1967 was the very last day that Clan Line hauled a train in BR ownership. Secondly this was the very last day that the ‘Bournemouth Belle’ ran steam-hauled. It is a happy coincidence that the present-day British Pullman includes vehicles that actually were a part of the’ Belle’ in the 1950s and 1960s. Passengers will be welcomed aboard the lovingly restored Pullman carriages at London Waterloo and a glass of Bellini will precede the serving of brunch. The outward journey is as would be expected,

98. West Country light Pacific No. 34046 Braunton passes St Cross with a 'Cathedrals Express'. DON BENN.

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SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

Merchant Navy No. 35028 Clan Line passes Wimbledon with a Belmond Pullman train bound for Southampton on January 17, 2009. KEN WOOLLEY.

tracing the original ‘Bournemouth Belle’ route through Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton and the New Forest, drawing to a stand in Bournemouth Central station. During a break of four hours in this famous seaside resort, transport between the station and the sea front will be provided. Passengers will be able to take a walk along the pier or the promenade, enjoying Bournemouth’s seven miles of golden sand. Guests will be welcomed back on to the Pullman with a glass of Champagne. The chefs will have created a four-course dinner which will be served on the rather longer homeward journey along with a choice of wine. There being no turntable or triangle on the Dorset Coast, the ‘Bournemouth Belle’ will be hauled back to Southampton with No. 35028 at the rear. Here the train reverses and, with the Merchant Navy again in charge, will continue via Romsey, Dean and the Laverstock loop, which didn’t exist in 1967, to join the West of England main line east of Salisbury, to head for Waterloo.

July 8: Railway Touring Company ‘End of Southern Steam’, This train will be hauled by Southern Railway

West Country Pacific No. 34046 Braunton from Waterloo to Yeovil Junction. From here it continues to Weymouth diesel-hauled before Braunton takes over again to haul the train back to London via Bournemouth. Departure from Waterloo will be at around 9am, passing through Clapham Junction, and continuing along the South Western main line with fast running expected between stops for further passengers at Woking and Basingstoke. The train leaves the SWML at Worting Junction to take the West of England main line to Andover and Salisbury before crossing the edge of Salisbury Plain. After crossing Gillingham viaduct, it will pass through Buckhorn Weston Tunnel before Templecombe, where once the iconic Somerset & Dorset Railway passed beneath the LSWR line. On arrival at Yeovil Junction, the steam locomotive will be serviced at Yeovil Railway Centre. On arrival at Weymouth, there will be a break to visit the town, with its many attractions and restaurants, before returning to Waterloo steam hauled via Bournemouth, Southampton and Eastleigh, setting down passengers at Basingstoke and Woking. SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

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July 9: UK Railtours ‘Waterloo Sunset’

July 9, 1967 was a date that will never be forgotten – the very last day of steam on the Southern Region. To mark the 50th anniversary of the actual date, UKRT will be running a tour of the South Western Division again featuring Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35028 Clan Line throughout. Leaving Waterloo, the train takes the main line to Salisbury where Clan Line will take water before continuing west through the Blackmore Vale to Sherborne where passengers may alight for a break of more than three hours or remain on board until arrival at Yeovil Junction. Clan Line will be turned at the Yeovil Railway Centre on one of Britain’s few full-size turntables and prepared for the next leg of the journey. Leaving Yeovil Junction and Sherborne, the train retraces its steps as far as Salisbury Tunnel Junction where it will veer right, heading through Dean, Romsey and Eastleigh, reaching the South Coast before a left turn at Havant, which takes the train on to the meandering Portsmouth Direct Line through Haslemere and Guildford, to rejoin the outward route at Woking to return to Waterloo.

July 23: Steam Dreams’ ‘Cathedrals Express’

In recent years, Guildford-based tour operator Steam Dreams has made a tradition of running trips to mark the anniversary of the end of Southern steam. Having ditched plans for a four-day tour to the West Country, around the actual anniversary, because of a shortage of appropriate locomotives, a special ‘Cathedrals Express’ will run on Sunday, July 23. The train will depart from Paddington with A4 Pacific No. 60009 Union of South Africa at the head of the train, picking up at Slough (9.30am) and Reading (10am) on its way to Weymouth – that fabled last departure point 50 years ago – for the day. The train will arrive in Weymouth at 2pm, where passengers will have more than two hours to explore before returning to Reading (8.30pm), Slough (9pm) and Paddington at 9.30pm.

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SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

September 5: Steam Dreams ‘Cathedrals Express’

On Tuesday, September 5, Steam Dreams’ ‘Cathedrals Express’ will mark the anniversary of the final ‘Atlantic Coast Express’ with a special trip from London Victoria to Sherborne and Yeovil Junction, hauled by LMS ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 No. 45305 Alderman A E Draper. This train will be departing at 8.45am with pickup points at Woking (10.05am) and Basingstoke (10.50am), giving passengers more than three hours to explore either Sherborne or Yeovil before heading home.

Merchant Navy No. 35028 Clan Line departs from Yeovil Junction with a 'Blackmoor Vale Express' for Salisbury on October 11, 1986. BRIAN SHARPE.

The origins of the legendary ‘ACE’ lie in the introduction of the ‘North Cornwall Express’ by the LSWR in 1900, following the opening of lines to Bude in 1898 and Padstow the year afterwards. Southern Railway’s John Elliot proposed to the board in December 1924 that the next batch of express passenger locomotives be named after characters from Arthurian legends, and that a named train be introduced. The name was chosen as the result of a competition run in the staff magazine and the winning entry was submitted by Mr F Rowland, a guard from Woking who won a prize of three

guineas for suggesting ‘Atlantic Coast Express.’ Sadly, he was killed in a shunting accident in Torrington in 1930. Under the ‘ACE’ banner, the train ran for the first time on July 19, 1926. The ‘ACE’ was a victim of the mass switch by holidaymakers from rail to road in the late Fifties and early Sixties, leading to the closure of many of the branches of the LSWR ‘Withered Arm’ by the Western Region, to which control had been passed in 1963. From June 1963, the train’s Bude, Torrington and Plymouth through carriages were withdrawn SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end

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except on summer Saturdays. The remaining services survived through the following summer until, on September 5, 1964 West Country light Pacific No. 34023 Blackmoor Vale hauled the last ‘ACE’ out of Padstow, and the last coaches of the ‘Atlantic Coast Express’ o. arrived there from Waterloo behind N 2-6-0 No 31845. Steam Dreams chairman said: “As Steam Dreams regulars will know, our origins were based around Southern express trains on the old Southern Region of British Railways. We are therefore delighted to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of Southern steam,, as well as the anniversary of the last-ever ‘Atlantic Coast Express’. “Whether you’re a steam enthusiast keen to celebrate this milestone or simply want to enjoy views of the Dorset countryside, these special trips promise to be superb summer days out.” All passengers will receive a commemorative souvenir booklet with details of their trip, the locomotive and a brief history of the end of Southern steam and the phasing in of new motive power. ■

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SOUTHERN STEAM: 50 years since the end