Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i The Railway Magazine

Will anyone speak up for the rail industry? DURING the Christmas and new year period, railways were very much in the news: not all of it was good. News of the decision by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to terminate the East Coast franchise early gained a fresh set of legs, helped in part by some vociferous tweeting by opposition MPs, including one who actually claimed the industry “has lower safety standards” despite there being no passenger deaths in an accident or derailment for more than 10 years. The rail industry’s reputation was further sullied when national media journalists jumped on the bandwagon and added the January fare rise into the mix. Former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis demanded Grayling be sacked, and claimed the ‘bailout’ decision would cost taxpayers £2billion. Again,…

DB CARGO has extended its contract with Malcolm Logistics until 2020 in a deal worth £21million. An initial three-year deal was secured with the logistics giant in 2014, and the partnership will now continue until August 2020. DB Cargo transports around 30,000 containers every year for Malcolm Logistics from Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT), near Northampton, to Scotland. Trains to Mossend run five days a week and to Grangemouth, near Falkirk, seven days a week. The containers include cargo for high-profile retailers and manufacturers and transport toys, food, beverages and electronics. It is estimated these trains save more than 13 million road miles per year, reducing the environmental impact of heavy lorries.…

SCOTRAIL Class 156 DMU No. 156458 was derailed as a result of a landside above Loch Eilt on the West Highland line extension on January 22. The unit was working the 06.03 Mallaig-Glasgow Queen St when it came to grief, but remained upright as the slurry from the landslide lifted it off its wheels. There were no injuries to crew or the five passengers, who were rescued by special road-rail Land Rovers. The incident followed days of snow, ice and rain that caused many problems to road and rail. More than 1,000 tons of soil and debris was in the slip. Network Rail used a drone to assess the slope above the line for further instability. It plans to install additional drainage at the site as well as undertake extra…

A‘REVOLUTIONARY vision’to transform transport across the north of England has been unveiled by Transport for the North (TfN). The draft strategic plan calls for a massive programme of new and improved roads, railways and airports over the next 30 years, intended to tackle long-term underinvestment in the region’s transport infrastructure, drive growth, and close the economic gap between the North and the rest of England. Up to 850,000 new jobs and around £92billion in extra economic benefits are forecast by 2050 if the plans come to fruition. The plan identifies seven broad corridors for development, providing faster links between the region’s major cities – especially east-west links – and allowing people better access to jobs and services. A long-term rail investment plan published alongside includes a clearer idea of how…

GREATER Anglia has released the first pictures of its new trains being built by Stadler. The bodyshells are manufactured by Stadler in Hungary before being transported to its Bussnang factory in Switzerland, where they are fitted out. In addition to the large picture windows, the air-conditioned carriages will include wi-fi, and both plug and USB sockets. When other carriages are completed they will gradually be grouped together to form entire trains together with the bogies. Stadler is building a total of 58 trains for GA, which will be used on the following operations: • Class 745/0 EMU for Intercity services – 10 units, 12 carriages • Class 745/1 EMU for Stansted Express services – 10 units, 12 carriages • Class 755/3 bi-mode for regional services, 14 units, three carriages •…

GLASGOW’S Lord Provost Eva Bolander unveiled a plaque at the site of the former BREL St Rollox works in the city in memory of railway security guard James Kennedy, who died trying to stop armed robbers stealing the works payroll on December 21, 1973. Despite being badly beaten, Mr Kennedy was trying to prevent the thieves escape when he was shot, later dying of his injuries. He was posthumously awarded the Glasgow Corporation Bravery Medal in 1974 and the following year HM The Queen presented his widow and three children with the George Cross. Class 86 No. 86242 (E3138) carried the name James Kennedy GC between 1981 and 2002. The plaque and ceremony were planned by the Railway Heritage Trust.…

‘Saint’gets its boiler THE overhauled Standard No. 1 boiler (ex- No. 4942 Maindy Hall) belonging to the Great Western Society’s re-created ‘Saint’No. 2999 Lady of Legend was installed in the locomotive’s frames at Didcot Railway centre on January 23. Assembly of the Churchward 4-6-0 can now continue apace as the GWS aims for a completion in early 2018. Farewell to‘15 Guinea’ fireman‘Robbo’ STEPHEN Roberts, the fireman on the last leg of the ’15 Guinea Special’on August 11, 1968, passed away on December 27, aged 80. ‘Robbo’, as he was known, fired‘Black Five’No. 45110 back to Liverpool Lime Street on steam’s last day, working with driver Fred Smith. ‘Robbo’joined the railway in 1952 and went on to give 50 years’service to the industry.…

East West Railway - a missed opportunity? ON PAGE 6 of the January issue is a report of the recent launch of the East West Railway Company by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling. It states the company is tasked with reconstruction of the direct rail link between Oxford and Cambridge through the UK’s own ‘Silicon Valley’. The interchange at Bletchley with West Coast services is mentioned, but a possible key interchange with HS2 where it crosses the East West line has evidently been rejected, or (more probably) has been overlooked altogether. An interchange station at this point, (similar to Tamworth), would not only provide Oxford and Cambridge with ready access to the North and vice versa, but might assuage anti-HS2 sentiment in Buckinghamshire and the Chilterns generally by providing the benefit…

100 YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 1918 SEVERAL Hull & Barnsley 0-6-0 type engines are at present working on the South Eastern and Chatham Railway. A Railway Magazine reader passing Ashford recently saw as many as six of these engines in the yards there. The engines were of the latest type with large domeless boilers. ROSYTH (Halt) on the North British Railway was opened for passenger traffic on January 1st. It is situated between Inverkeithing and Dunfermline (Lower) on the Edinburgh-Perth main line, and a service of about a dozen trains in each direction is provided, also one or two on Sundays. ON Saturday, January 19th, the 8.40am train from St. Pancras to Glasgow ran into a landslide at a spot called Long Meg, between Little Salkeld and Lazonby, about fifteen miles…

NEARLY 60 years ago, onMarch 16, 1958, the last train ran over the railway between Lewes and East Grinstead, the line officially closing – again – the following day. It marked the end of a controversial period for BR, which had actually closed the route in May 1955, only to be forced to reopen it the following year, operating what was known as a‘Sulky Service’to meet the minimum obligation. The subsequent court battle between rail users and the transport authorities went down in the railway history books, and ultimately led to the route being saved as the Bluebell Railway. Six decades later, the Bluebell Railway will be commemorating the diamond anniversary of the closure of the route during a special weekend on March 17-18. Last train On the Friday before…

STANIER ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596 Bahamas is on course for a 2018 main line return after its boiler passed a steam test on December 21. The successful out-of-frames steaming took place at Tyseley Locomotive Works, where the double-chimney 4-6-0 is entering the latter stages of a Heritage Lottery- funded overhaul. The boiler rebuild has included the manufacture of a new firebox doorplate and throatplate, plus a new front boiler ring and smokebox tubeplate. The side and crown stays have also been renewed. The boiler is pictured shortly after being lit up on December 21, and (inset) as the safety valves lift at the working pressure of 225psi.…

DUCHESS of Sutherland is unlikely to return to the main line before the middle of this year as the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust (PRCLT) completes major repair work in order to gain the Stanier Pacific a new boiler certificate. No. 46233 was side-lined back in the autumn after a cracked flue tube was discovered during a routine fitness-to-run examination ahead of its booked appearance on Steam Dreams’ ‘Cathedrals Express’from London to Holyhead on November 18. Carnforth-based‘Jubliee’ No. 45699 Galatea subsequently hauled the train, and the‘Duchess’ was returned to the PRCLT’s West Shed for remedial work to be carried out. However, further investigation revealed 21 of the 40 flue tubes were actually cracked, which requires a significant amount of work to replace. With the Pacific’s current boiler ticket up for…

5199 returns to its old home at Tyseley LARGE Prairie No. 5199 became the first of its type to steam at Tyseley in more than 50 years when the Llangollen-based 2-6-2T was tested as part of its winter maintenance programme at Tyseley Locomotive Works on January 19. The loco is no stranger to the former 84E shed, having been allocated there from 1934 to 1949. Another GWR 2-6-2T – No. 4588 – also returned to Tyseley in January. The loco, bought by Mike Thompson from the Dartmouth Steam Railway in 2015, had previously been based at Peak Rail in Derbyshire, and arrived at 84E on January 25. ‘S160’ to Ongar CHURNET Valley Railway-based ‘S160’2-8-0 No. 5197 will visit the Epping Ongar Railway to take part in the line’s June 8-10…

COUNTY Donegal Railway Restoration Limited has appointed Donna Maskery as its new museum manager at Donegal Railway Heritage Centre in Donegal Town. Donna replaces Ann Temple, who has retired from the centre after 15 years in charge. After graduating from Harper Adams University in Shropshire, Mrs Maskery worked in local government in the north of England before returning to Donegal, where she has worked in several enterprise and community development roles, including being parliamentary assistant to Joe McHugh TD. Mrs Maskery said: “I am delighted to have been appointed to this key role in the further development of Donegal Railway Heritage Centre, to make it more sustainable, better integrated with the local community, and to establish it as a ‘must-see’ tourist attraction. “I have connections with the County Donegal Railway…

A STATEMENT from last July concerning the sudden closure of Penrhyn Quarry Railway (PQR) appeared on social media platform Facebook on December 24. The specific nature is not spelled out, but increasing difficulties in running the railway are alluded to. A dispute concerning transaction of a sale of an item of rolling stock is mentioned, with a break-in at PQR’s Felin Fawr premises a week later when items, including paperwork and a security recorder, were stolen, apparently confirming the decision to close the PQR operation following which, as previously reported, stock was moved off the site. The statement says:“The railway itself has no money issues, the engineering company does have some debt, but a payment plan has been worked out with most of the creditors and will be paid off…

HEAVY overnight snowfall on December 10 hit some lines during the‘Santa Special’season, while others were virtually unaffected. The Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway operated‘Santa’trains on December 9 amid light snow, but following police travel advice it used social media to recommend people should not attempt to travel to Llanfair the next day. Snow-related problems included fallen power cables closing the main road between Shrewsbury and Welshpool. A reduced train of two carriages, top-and-tailed by Beyer, Peacock 0-6-0T No. 1 The Earl and ex-Taiwan Sugar Corporation Diema diesel No. 17, ran on December 10, carrying people who made it to Llanfair. Additional seats were added to December 16-18 trains to accommodate passengers re-booked from December 10, with refunds offered to those who could not make those dates. The Corris Railway’s second…

DUDLEY, Stourbridge & District single-deck‘Tividale’car No. 5 returned to operational service at the Black Country Living Museum (BCLM) on December 18 following a £120,000 renovation at the Llangollen Railway. The 1919-built car left Dudley for Wales in 2012, the refurbishment being funded through public donations and support from businesses, trusts and foundations, including both the Friends of Black Country Living Museum and the Black Country Living Museum Transport Group. The project has entailed rebuilding sections of the bodywork and structure, while specialist teams have worked on its traction motors, brake rigging and paintwork. No. 5 actually returned to the BCLM during the middle of last year, where the final reassembly and finishing touches were completed ahead of its December relaunch. Tim Shields, curator of Industry & Transport at the BCLM,…

TRAMLINK Nottingham lost £48million in the year to March 2017, according to its annual report. This equates to almost £1million a week, or £3 per trip – which is more than the price of a single ticket – and followed both rising passenger numbers and higher income. The 2016/17 financial year was the first to fully include the Phase 2 extensions to Toton Lane and Clifton South. Passenger numbers rose from 11.5million to 15million and turnover from £44.5million to £60million. Impairment charge The tram operator said the loss was due to an impairment charge, which is when a company pays more for assets than they are actually worth. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)warns there is now a potential risk of the agreed ratio between debt and cashflow “being breached in the foreseeable future…

WORK has begun to prepare Ashford International’s High Speed 1 platforms for the wider and taller Eurostar e320 trains, safeguarding the future of overseas services from Ashford. French KVB cab signalling equipment, as used on HS1, is already being installed to allow the e320s to access the station from April, and NR is now modifying the international platforms to accommodate European UIC-B profile trains, as well the UK loading gauge Class 373s, used since 1994. The Siemens-built Class 374s are not fitted with British Automatic Warning System (AWS), preventing them from calling at Ashford. The work is part of a £10m project backed by Kent County Council and Ashford Borough Council, with funding from the South East Local Enterprise Partnership. Network Rail’s senior commercial scheme sponsor Mark Ellerby said: “When…

CAMPAIGNERS and local MPs pushing for the reopening of the Sandbach to Northwich line to passengers received a boost from Chris Grayling, the Secretary of State for Transport, in December. Mr Grayling is said to be “sympathetic”to the plan to reopen the line and has asked the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership and Transport for the North (TfN) to investigate proposals for the route. The 8.5-mile line in mid-Cheshire has been freight-only since 1960, and is retained to serve local industry and provide a diversionary route between Crewe and Chester. The Mid-Cheshire Rail Link Campaign estimates upgrading the line to passenger standards could cost around £5million. Two new stations could also be provided at Middlewich and Gadbrook Park. Like us facebook.com/TheRailwayMagazine Follow us @railwaymagazine…

MAY 12 sees 565 Railtours run its second charity railtour, taking a pair of Class 37s from the North West to Ipswich and Norwich. The tour is being operated in association with the Branch Line Society. Two Colas ‘37s’ are booked to haul the charter from Crewe via Lichfield Trent Valley chord, Castle Donington, Syston Curve, Peterborough and Bury St Edmunds to Ipswich and Norwich. The train will return via Ely avoiding line, Leicester, Nuneaton and Canal Farm Junction to retrace its outbound route. More details are available on the 565 Railtours Facebook page. Like us facebook.com/TheRailwayMagazine Follow us @railwaymagazine Follow us therailwaymagazine…

STEAM Dreams is taking ‘A3’ No. 60103 Flying Scotsman back to Scotland again with a four-day ‘Cathedrals Express’ tour planned for May 19-22. The train will be diesel-hauled from King’s Cross to York on Day 1, where the Gresley Pacific will take over for a run past the famous bridges, castles and coastlines of the East Coast on its way to Edinburgh Waverley. May 20 and 21 will see the ‘A3’ haul two circular tours of Fife, taking in the Forth Rail Bridge. These are optional extras for participants of the main Anglo-Scottish trip. The return leg will run via Carstairs and Beattock to Carlisle for a journey over the Settle to Carlisle Line to Leeds, with No. 60103 handing back to modern traction at Doncaster for the final 155…

THE Strathspey Railway had the snow it hoped for, covering the Cairngorms winter landscape for its steam-hauled ‘Santa’ specials. On occasions, conditions were -13°C, with nearly a foot of snowfall at Aviemore. Class 27 No. D5394 is seen early morning on December 9 outside Aviemore shed where it was kept on standby. The railway’s next workings are ‘panoramic’ diesel railcar services on selected days in February and March, departing Aviemore at 11.00 and 14.00, starting February 14. Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The RM. Call: 01507 529589 email: classic.traction@btopenworld.com…

THE future of the proposed Greater Anglia (GA) maintenance depot on a site at Brantham, near Manningtree, could be resolved over the next few months. The plans were announced more than a year ago and the depot was due to open in December. However, GA has admitted there are issues with the landowner over the sale of the land, the mainline connection and operational matters. GA is working on an alternative site proposal that would be able to stable trains and include a wheel lathe, with a decision on Brantham being made during the next few months. Brantham had been planned as the depot to maintain the new Class 745 and 755 trains being built by Stadler.…

AN EXTRAORDINARY new railway opened in central Switzerland on December 17, combining daring engineering with cutting-edge technology. The Stoosbahn, near Schwyz, climbs at a maximum gradient of 110% from its valley station to the car-free mountain ski village of Stoos, providing an essential link for residents, tourists and freight. Remarkably, the two bespoke vehicles, built by CWA in Olten, are designed to provide level access and accommodation at all times, housing passengers in four panoramic barrels that rotate to compensate for the gradient of the track between the two level stations. The railway is claimed to be the steepest funicular in the world – in comparison, the world’s steepest rack railway, the nearby Pilatusbahn, has a maximum gradient of 48%. The Stoosbahn climbs 744m from the valley station to the…

DfT should shoulder more blame – not TOCs THE ongoing debates about train reliability, delays and franchise payments tend to hide the facts; that in the case of the East Coast Main Line franchise, the infrastructure upgrades set out in the invitation to tender, and on which the Virgin/Stagecoach bid was prepared and submitted, have not happened. So, no upgrades and therefore fewer trains, and less income to pass on to the DfT as premium payments. Since all this was in control of the DfT, there is no point in blaming anyone else. The surprising thing is, apparently, the timetables prepared by Network Rail and given to DfT, both on the ECML and Southern franchises, were ignored by DfT, which allowed more trains onto the tracks than NR said were…

THE Churchward ‘County’ 4-4-0s were conceived as part of Churchward’s grand plan, which involved constructing a whole range of standardised locomotive classes that would equip the GWR for many years to come. The first of these standard locomotives – the ‘Saints’, ‘28XX’ 2-8-0s and the ‘31XX’ 2-6-2 tanks – were all preceded by prototypes, but the ‘County’ 4-4-0s (or ‘38XXs’) went into volume production straight away, with no prototype deemed necessary. The first was No. 3473 County of Middlesex , which emerged in May 1904, with the remaining nine (Lot 149) – all named after English and Welsh counties – following over the next five months. The locomotives owed much to American design practices, and were in effect a shortened ‘Saint’, sharing the same cylinders, bogie and 6ft 8½in…

AS the silver bullet hurtled its way towards Shanghai’s Pudong Airport my GPS registered 435kph (270.4mph). Despite being on a viaduct, the ground below blurred, even as the train decelerated to 350kph (218mph). With a bang reminiscent of Concorde’s sonic boom, another train in the opposite direction was here, no gone… in less than a flash. Our guide said she had only once seen anyone capture the micro-moment on camera. This was my most vivid railway experience of 2017, etched in my memory at 09h 49m 35s on June 18. Sceptics would say it was not really a train and, for that matter, it was not really a railway….that a pair of curtains is more of a train than a Maglev because at least it runs on rails. The Shanghai…

AT THE end of the first part of January’s comment, the editor asks the question: “Why are we so poor at getting things right first time, to schedule and on budget?” He could well have asked a question at the end of the second part to the effect: “Why can’t communication with customers, especially in view of today’s technology, be so much better?” The answer to both questions is the same old two-word one, as it has been time after time after time within successive organisations: Bad management.…

THE RCTS was formed in September 1927 by a group of enthusiasts in Cheltenham Spa as the Cheltenham Spa Railway Society. By the end of the following January the current name had been adopted. From the outset a regular news-sheet was circulated among members, which evolved into the Railway Observer , and has been recording railway developments across the length and breath of the country ever since. Throughout its existence the RCTS has never neglected the minor railways, colliery systems, narrow gauge, quarry and miniature lines that once proliferated. The third RCTS rail tour organised in June 1950 visited the Corringham Light Railway and the fourth, a month later, took in the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. In August 1938 a comprehensive account of the Talyllyn Railway appeared after…

Bellerophon fit for SV March gala after passing inspection CONCERNS over whether an historic wheel repair of Haydock Foundry 0-6-0WT Bellerophon would pass the Severn Valley Railway’s (SVR) strict safety management system, ruling it out of the forthcoming March 16-18 gala, have been alleviated. An engineering team from the SVR visited the Foxfield Railway in early January to inspect the 1874-built veteran and put it through its paces. The SVR contingent was satisfied with the result and has confirmed Bellerophon will be present at the March event. It is expected the loco will work shuttles from Kidderminster to Bewdley. ‘Jinty’ for Midsomer Norton return GREAT Central Railway-based ‘3F’ 0-6-0T No. 47406 will make a return visit to the Somerset & Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton from March 5-26. The ‘Jinty’…

PROGRESS on the Llangollen Railway’s Corwen Central station is continuing during the railway’s winter closure period, in spite of the weather’s best efforts to halt the project. Work is now completed on the subway staircase and the signalbox base and attention has turned to the eastern end of the platform site, where the water tower is to be situated. The design for the base of the water tower has been approved, and preparations are underway to excavate the trench that will house the massive concrete block that will support the weight of the 2,000-gallon water tank. Work has been going on within the area of the island platform to provide drainage, sewer and fresh water connections and cabling. The supports for the canopy stanchions, lighting columns and running-in boards will…

UNIQUE BR ‘8P’ No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester was expected to lose its driving wheels by the time this issue of The RM closed for press, as work towards the rolling chassis stage continues at Tyseley Locomotive Works. The Pacific’s were to be taken to the Tyseley wheel drop for the three driving wheelsets to be removed. These are then having the tyres re-profiled and the roller bearings checked, while the frames are inspected and cleaned. Volunteers from the BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust have already completed the overhaul of the bogie and trailing truck, which have both been reinstalled under the loco, and the aim was to be at the rolling chassis by the end of January. Re-metalling and machining of all coupling rod bushes was due to…

MORE than £10,000 was pledged in seven days to the Severn Valley Railway (SVR) at the start of the year to rectify damage caused by vandals over Christmas. Volunteers arrived at Kidderminster on Boxing Day morning to discover that 1922-built GNR Gresley Corridor Composite No. 2701 and 1938-built GWR Collett Corridor Third No. 1146 had received the unwanted attention of vandals armed with spray paint during the Christmas day shutdown. Large sections of both vehicles had been daubed with graffiti, the paint on No. 1146 covering areas of the windows. Volunteers immediately rallied to put the damage right, and No. 2701 – owned by SVR Charitable Trust (SVRCT) – was taken into the Carriage & Wagon paint shop for work to begin. To help cover the cost of the remedial…

THE RPSI’s next fundraising diesel tour is scheduled for April 7. It will take passengers on a run from Dublin to Limerick and return by way of the Tipperary and Nenagh branch lines. The‘Branchline Explorer’features Class 071 haulage throughout, and includes a series of locomotive changes. It will start from Dublin Connolly at 08.00 and head south towards Waterford, where the first loco exchange is expected. From Waterford the train will traverse the former Waterford & Limerick Railway branch to Tipperary via Clonmel, then on through Limerick Junction to Limerick itself. After a short layover and another change of locomotives, the tour retraces its steps for a short distance before branching north-east over the Great Southern & Western Railway route to Nenagh, Roscrea and Ballybrophy. After running round in Ballybrophy,…

MAJOR components of the boiler for Ffestiniog Railway’s new Double-Fairlie James Spooner (RM May 2016) are being welded together by a contractor. The boiler is a new Double-Fairlie design, with construction financially supported by Ffestiniog Railway Society (FRS). The design of the superstructure of the locomotive – employing 3D computer modelling – is being finalised. FRS has launched an appeal aimed at financing new components for James Spooner to avoid removal of parts from 1979-built Double-Fairlie Earl of Merioneth, which would otherwise have been used in building the new James Spooner. Keeping Earl of Merioneth substantially intact enhances the possibility of restoring it to operation if finances and resources become available in the future. The new loco will employ the 1986-built power bogies latterly used under Earl of Merioneth, with…

SNAEFELL Mountain Railway (SMR) trams are to be fitted with a new fail-safe braking system this winter. Details of the new system are unconfirmed, but it is understood SMR will reopen on March 29. Fitting of the new system – reportedly meeting modern standards by applying braking in the event of a power failure or excessive speed – follows a December fact-finding trip by three IoM public transport officials to mountain railways in Switzerland and Austria, and manufacturers and designers of modern metre-gauge trams. The visit was aimed at drawing up plans for fitting equipment which would secure the future operation of SMR. SMR services were suspended on September 25, 2017 amid safety concerns which arose after SMR tram No. 2 ran through Bungalow on August 4 following an apparent…

THE East Anglia Transport Museum has submitted a planning application to East Suffolk County Council for the creation of a new tram depot and an extension to the site’s tramway. The plans centre on two hectares of land at the western end of the current museum site, where a large new bus depot will be erected together with a smaller trolleybus shed on its southern side, and a two-road tram shed on the northern side. A junction at the point where the current tramway swings south through the woods will see a new line head westwards toward the new tram depot. However, the new tram line will also continue past the new shed’s outer wall to a triangular junction, with spurs running both north and south to two new termini.…

SUMMERLEE Museum of Scottish Industrial Life’s restoration of Glasgow Corporation No. 1245 ended on a high note in 2017 when the‘Coronation’car was reunited with its running gear. The overhauled bogies were positioned beneath the jacked-up body on December 22, although there is still some work to do on the braking system before they can be permanently fitted. The bogies are seen in situ beneath the bodywork shortly after being rolled into place.…

PRESTON Trampower Ltd has appointed Eric Wright Civil Engineering to build a tramway in the city, starting with a short pilot line on the former railway line in Deepdale. This would return trams to Preston after a break of more than 80 years. The £25million Guild Line aims to link the city centre with employment sites on the outer edge. The pilot line was approved in 2016, and it is hoped the service could be open by 2019, initially for staff training and demonstration rides. The first station, platform and tram shed will be built on a site in Deepdale Street. The plan is then to add 12 stops at locations such as Deepdale Shopping Park, Deepdale Stadium and the University of Central Lancashire.…

NETWORK Rail undertook its biggest programme of Christmas and new year engineering works between December 23 and January 5, delivering £160million worth of infrastructure renewals and improvements at 260 sites across the country. More than 32,000 staff worked throughout the holidays, with much of the work scheduled for December 25-26 in an effort to reduce disruption for passengers. Major projects included the completion and opening of the new concourse and rebuilt platforms at London Bridge (see Headline News); preparatory works for Crossrail, including the continuing upgrades of the Great Eastern Main Line between Liverpool Street and Shenfield; and the Great Western Main Line between Paddington and Reading. No trains ran between Blackfriars and St Pancras International in central London between December 23 and January 1 as engineers prepared the sub-surface…

NETWORK Rail engineers installed a new accessible footbridge at West Calder in December. The work is part of the £49million project to electrify the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts line, Nine sections of the bridge, weighing more than 21 tonnes, were lifted in to position by a 300-tonne mobile crane and connected to lift towers, which had been positioned earlier to complete the main frame of the structure. The new structure is being constructed next to the footbridge and will provide both stair and step-free access via lifts when it opens this month. It will replace the old bridge, which will be removed after the new structure has been opened. Matthew Spence, Network Rail route delivery director, said: “Being able to build the new bridge sections beside the railway and…

THE Branch Line Society said farewell to Grand Central's Inter-City 125s on December 17 with a tour of unusual routes (for HSTs) across northern England, including the Calder Valley and Hope Valley trans-Pennine routes, Doncaster Roberts Road depot, and various freight lines, sidings and loops. No. 43480 leads the set through Woodhouse, on the eastern outskirts of Sheffield, heading for Barrow Hill. Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The RM. Call: 01507 529589 email: railway@mortons.co.uk…

Second‘Deltic’ moved to Crewe CLASS 55 No. 55022 Royal Scots Grey left the North Yorkshire Moors Railway by rail on December 12 to join No. D9016 at Crewe Diesel Depot following acquisition by Locomotive Services Ltd (RM Jan, p86). ELR ‘Warship' for Ecclesbourne gala EAST Lancashire Railway’s ‘Hymek’Class 42 No. D832 Onslaught is the guest loco at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway’s March 17-18 diesel gala. GCR(N)‘Chopper’ back in action CLASS 20 No. D8154 (20154) has returned to the Great Central Railway (Nottingham), having been away for restoration and repainting in BR blue. It re-entered traffic on November 25, working subsequent‘Santa’specials. P&BR diesel running days THE Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway timetable shows diesel traction in use on April 21-22, 28-29, June 2-3, July 7 and September 8-9, 22-23 and 29-30. It…

A HIGH-TECH hydraulic pump developed in Scotland could save more than 9,000 litres of diesel per engine each year, according to its manufacturer. Artemis Intelligent Power has installed a new type of digital hydraulic pump on one car of a ScotRail Class 170 DMU for testing across the operator’s network. The Edinburgh tech firm estimates its equipment will save more than 9,000 litres of diesel per carriage each year, helping train operators to cut their carbon emissions. The project is being part-funded by the Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB). The devices use computer-controlled valves to switch off the hydraulic pump supplying auxiliary power for air-conditioning fans and lights when it is not needed. Non-traction equipment typically consumes around 10-15% of the fuel on a modern DMU. If adopted across the…

THE collapse of Carillion, one of the UK’s largest construction and infrastructure management firms, has caused major difficulties for Network Rail and a number of other rail-related projects. The compulsory liquidation of the group in January put thousands of jobs at risk and raised fears major rail projects such as High Speed 2 (HS2) Phase 1 and electrification schemes could be delayed while replacement contractors are found. Carillion employed around 19,500 in the UK, many of whom are engaged on Network Rail contracts. It was also a partner in the CEK joint venture with Keir and Eiffage, which secured £1.34billion of contracts to build sections C2 and C3 (North Portal Chiltern Tunnels to Brackley and Brackley to South Portal Long Itchington Wood Green Tunnel) of HS2 Phase 1 last year.…

David Shepherd memorial service at Southwark Cathedral A MEMORIAL service to celebrate the life of wildlife and railway artist and locomotive owner David Shepherd will be held at Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge at 2pm on March 2. All are welcome to attend. c2c tops NR table for punctuality TRENITALIA-OWNED operator c2c has been named the UK’s top train operator for 2017 in the latest punctuality statistics published by Network Rail. On c2c’s Essex Thameside network, 95.8% of trains arrived on time – compared with the national average of 84.3%. In the last four weeks of the year, that figure increased to 97.6%. Bodycams for ScotRail staff SCOTRAIL Alliance has invested £300,000 to equip more than 300 frontline staff with body-worn CCTV cameras. The devices can be clipped on to uniforms,…

HERITAGE diesel locomotives, based at Tyseley Locomotive Works, could soon be found working in the freight sector as Vintage Trains (VT) looks to acquire a freight-operating licence as part of its bid for independent TOC status. The Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society £3million share offer was officially launched on December 6 (RM Jan) with the specific goal of establishing the first wholly independent, community-owned British Train Operating Company. Its primary purpose will be the operation of regular steam-hauled express trains serving Birmingham and the surrounding area, thereby helping to safeguard the long-term future of the locomotives and rolling stock based at Tyseley. However, while steam will be at the core of the operation, Tyseley is aiming for a fully integrated TOC licence that includes the ability to work freight, and…

Solar power support LORD Greaves asked Her Majesty’s Government in the House of Lords, what consideration they are giving to, and what discussions they propose to hold with, the authors of the study Riding Sunbeams: Powering our railways with solar PV, published on December 6. Transport Minister Baroness Sugg replied: “The Government is keen to support research into alternative and low emission power sources for the UK railway and welcomes this report. “In 2012, the Government asked the Rail Technical Leadership Group (TLG) to develop and deliver a 30-year technical strategy for the railway. “One of TLG’s objectives is to reduce carbon emissions, and the Government expects it to take account of this new research as part of its ongoing work.” Skipton-Colne concerns JULIE Cooper (Burnley) asked in the House…

Europe by Rail: The Definitive Guide – 15th Edition By Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries ON LONG dark winter evenings, any book that can ‘lift you out of your armchair’ with dreams of foreign adventures is worth its weight in gold. Europe by Rail is exactly that sort of book; designed to inspire exploration of mainland Europe by train via a series of 50 carefully considered routes. This fully revised and updated 15th edition continues the tried-and-trusted guidebook format, combining accurate, helpful advice and information that will be useful to novice and experienced travellers alike, but as well as the practical elements, it’s also a great read, compiled by two knowledgeable authors who travel extensively across the continent and have a real passion for railways. As well as publishing their…

I FEEL new stations have been designed for the operators’ benefit rather than passengers – sorry, customers. Impressive as the complete London Bridge is, the long escalators or stairs make changing trains more time-consuming, plus northbound Thameslink and Charing Cross services will not serve the same platforms as before. Also, facilities such as toilets and refreshments are outside the gate line. It’s the same at Reading, where tight connections are no longer possible and there is an extra distance to walk during the transfer between services. Abbey Wood has no facilities on the draughty island platforms, fortunately it has a frequent service. Take Bromsgrove, where the construction of two side and one island platforms would have allowed access from street level. Additional platforms at Swindon and Cambridge have also complicated…

THOMPSON‘B1’4-6-0 No. 61264 has had its hire period at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway extended after the Thompson B1 Locomotive Trust signed an agreement to commit the loco to a further five years’use. The news came just two weeks after the North British-built loco celebrated its 70th anniversary on December 5, and at the end of a year that has seen the loco rack up a record annual mileage since it returned to steam in 1997. During 2017, No. 61264 amassed an impressive 14,512 miles in service on the NYMR, a figure that was only exceeded by the railway’s own BR‘4MT’2-6-0 No. 76079. Transformation No. 61264 subsequently entered the works in early January to begin its transformation from BR lined black livery to LNER black, lined in red, as No.…

THE ongoing overhaul of Beamish Museum’s Sharp, Stewart 0-4-4T No. 4085 Dunrobin at the Severn Valley Railway has hit a major setback after significant cracking was discovered in the loco’s 4ft 6in driving wheels. Early examination of the coupled wheels had revealed some cracking was evident, but once the paint was stripped back for a detailed inspection last summer, it was discovered the cracking was far more extensive than first thought. Unfortunately, after considering the options available, it has been decided the only feasible course of action is to replace all four drivers. “The procurement of the new driving wheels is now under way and approval for the expenditure has been given,” Beamish’s assistant director of transport and industry Paul Jarman told The RM. “We will also need a new…

THE North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group (NELPG) has agreed to send its North Eastern Railway‘J27’0-6-0 No. 65894 to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for the completion of its overhaul. The 1906-built locomotive (‘P3’No. 2392) has been undergoing overhaul by NELPG volunteers at Hopetown Carriage Works in Darlington for the last 10 years, just a stone’s throw from where it was built. However, labour constraints and technical issues involving the smokebox, main steam pipe and ashpan, have seen progress drop-off, with the loco at risk of missing its steaming target early this year; NELPG was looking at a summer steaming at the earliest. The‘J27’is an ideal loco for the NYMR’s shorter trains, and subsequently a dialogue opened between Grosmont and NELPG to see what the railway could do to help finish…

EMBSAY-BASED Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0ST Mitchell/Illingworth(1208/1916) will spend much of June in deepest East Anglia for an extended visit to the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway. The former Nidd Valley Railway locomotive (not Elan Valley as erroneously captioned in the January RM) is currently nearing the end of a repaint at Embsay following the completion of its restoration by owner Stephen Middleton last year. It will be taking part in the Mid-Suffolk’s new Special Engine Month, which replaces the traditional gala format by extending the time audiences have to see the locomotive on the railway. No. 1208 is booked for five steaming dates during June: the 9 th  , 10th , 16th , 17th and 24th . Having Mitchell/Illingworth in residence at the‘Middy’will provide volunteers with an opportunity to compare the loco with the railway’s own…

IARNRÓD Éireann-Irish Rail (IE) chief executive David Franks is leaving the company after four years in the top job to take up a senior post within the Australian transport sector. Mr Franks joined IÉ in February 2013 at a time when the company was entering one of its most challenging financial periods. Under his leadership IÉ has seen a steady level of passenger growth, an improved safety record and the 2015 pre-tax deficit of €5.16million reduced to €646,000 in 2016. Tenure However, he has not been universally liked by staff, being branded as “anti-union”and“anti-driver” by staff representatives in early January. Some may also question the timing of his departure, which comes after IÉ drivers overwhelmingly rejected a 1.15% pay increase to compensate for past productivity, and a Labour Court recommendation…

THE Leighton Buzzard Railway (LBR) can progress its extension project (RM, Aug 2017) following two pieces of positive news. Agreement has been reached for anew 250-year lease on the whole LBR line, including an extension towards Double Arches, with Arnold White Estates (AWE), and confirmation has been received for LEADER funding. AWE is the owner of the nearby sand quarries and much of the land on which the railway operates. Securing the new long-term lease unlocks a £47,000 LEADER (an EU funding programme) grant. The grant includes £34,000 to help extend towards the historic starting point of the ‘main line’, a new coach, and improvements to facilities at Stonehenge Works. LBR’s £150,000 extension appeal launched in summer 2017 has already raised £57,000, easily exceeding the LEADER bid’s £24,000 of matched…

THE Corris Railway is adopting a phased approach to extending southwards from Maespoeth. The aspiration still remains to reconstruct the line through Esgairgeiliog to Tan-y-Coed – described in a major feature published in The RM (Aug 2017) – but the task will be tackled in stages. The initial target is construction of the planned embankment to allow the line to deviate from the original route at Goedwig – necessitated by realignment of the A487 road onto the original trackbed many years ago – to extend passenger services to a run-round loop at what will be known as Goedwig South. This location is on land owned by Corris Railway, near where the line would re-join the original route. Goedwig South will not be a station; passengers will remain aboard the train…

REMODELLING of the track at the Fairbourne Railway’s Barmouth Ferry station was completed in December, enabling the first train to run into the platform since 1985. The platform was originally constructed for 15in-gauge trains arriving via the inland route. When the line was re-gauged to 12¼in the seaward side route was built, employing a wider radius curve, and did not run into the platform. The railway has reverted to using the landward route, replacing all track and ballast at the terminus in the process. The Fairbourne Railway’s July 28-29 gala will feature visits by Exmoor Steam Railway 0-6-2TT Naomi from Exbury Gardens (to run on the 12¼in-gauge main line) and two guest locos to operate on the 15in-dual-gauged section: Exmoor Steam Railway-built 0-4-0TT No. 312 St. Egwin, from Evesham Vale…

RAVENGLASS & Eskdale Railway Preservation Society’s 15in-gauge 1929-built Krauss 4-6-2 Whillan Beck was moved to Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in mid-December and started test running. The move followed completion of work at Old Hall Engineering in Bouth, South Lakeland, and application of its Caledonian Railway blue livery (RM Jan). An official launch over May Bank Holiday is anticipated, likely to involve sufficient Ravenglass & Eskdale resident locos to form a gala event. The cancelled 2017 Oktoberfest event concept, with visiting locos from the Continent, is likely to be revived in 2019 (possibly 2020) to mark the society’s diamond jubilee.…

Conservation work for Blackpool 147 THE repaint of Blackpool ‘Standard’car No. 147 Michael Airey has restarted. It was put on hold while the Rigby Road team focused on the return of Brush car No. 621 for the‘Brush Car 80’event. The work has included much conservation to restore some of the damages or missing features, including replacing the ruby quarter-light glasses in the upper and lower saloons, and fitting‘period’-style lower saloon grab handles, specially manufactured by the Ffestiniog Railway. The intention is for No. 147 to re-enter Blackpool Heritage Tram Tours service early in the new season.…

Cambridge station restoration wins heritage award PAINSTAKING work to restore 32 decorative college roundels on Cambridge station’s façade has led to a national heritage award for Greater Anglia. The operator received the MTR-Crossrail Award for Urban Heritage at the National Railway Heritage Awards for its £250,000 restoration (part of a £4million upgrade of the station), meticulously repairing and repainting the ornate roundels, cleaning and repairing damaged brickwork, and tidying up cabling and surface pipes. The 32 roundels represent the coats of arms of Cambridge University’s colleges, and local dignitaries from the station’s opening in 1845. c2c makes it easier to find a seat NEW information screens at c2c stations are providing advance information to passengers on how full each individual carriage is likely to be. The displays allow passengers to…

LONDON Overground’s Gospel Oak to Barking line reopened on January 15 following the latest blockade to complete the installation of new 25kV AC overhead electric lines. The completion of the OHL work, which should have been finished last summer, will now be followed by testing and commissioning of the equipment that should enable London Overground to introduce electric trains on the route, linking north and east London, in the spring. New Class 710‘Aventra’EMUs will replace the current Class 172 DMUs, increasing capacity and offering more security and comfort with walk-through carriages, air conditioning, live network information screens, and improved reliability. Diesel operation will continue until early-April, at which point the line will close over the weekend of April 7-8 to allow NR to complete improvements to Crouch Hill Bridge. Testing…

52A RAILTOURS is promising a return to the classic days of East Coast Main Line traction with a‘Deltic’-hauled train from Linlithgow to London King’s Cross on June 16. The Deltic Preservation Society’s No. D9009 Alycidon will power the train from Newcastle to London and back, with a DB Cargo Class 67 providing traction for the remainder of the day. The‘Albert Gilmour Memorial Charter’will pick up/set down at Edinburgh, Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, York and Doncaster, and will utilise the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) rake of 100mph-passed Mk1s. A break of around three hours is planned in London while the train is serviced and cleaned. The‘front coach’option in both directions is already sold out, but tickets are available in First and Second Class, priced at £94/£124, respectively. For more information and…

SAPHOS Trains, the railtour operations arm of Jeremy Hosking’s Locomotive Services Ltd (LSL), has announced its debut programme of steam-hauled trains. Bookings are now being taken for 12 main line tours, with an introductory offer of up to 50% discount on fares, promising a main line steam day out for less than £50 in some cases. There are also large discounts on First Class and Premier Dining fares across the 12 trains, which will cover routes radiating from LSL’s base in Crewe and the Bristol to Exeter route. Traction will be drawn from a pool of three locomotives: rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ No. 46100 Royal Scot, rebuilt ‘West Country’ No. 34046 Braunton and BR Standard 7MT No. 70000 Britannia. No. 46100 is likely to be in charge of the early trains…