Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2019 i The Railway Magazine

CONSTRUCTION work is almost complete on the new Worcestershire Parkway station, with testing and commissioning expected to be complete ready for opening on December 15. The split-level station will be operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) on behalf of Worcestershire County Council, with CrossCountry Cardiff to Nottingham trains serving the lower platforms on the Birmingham to Cheltenham direct line. GWR’s Cotswold Line trains will provide direct links to London Paddington, Oxford, Worcester and Hereford on the upper level. The station will have 500 car parking spaces, 25 charging points for electric cars, a wildlife corridor and nature reserve, with part of the station building having a living roof to encourage wildlife.…

A LOCOMOTIVE that has spent more than 20 years out of the public eye will steam again after being acquired by James Bunch. Wigan Coal & Iron Co Ltd 0-6-0ST Lindsay is the sole-surviving locomotive built by the company, and was once a familiar sight at Steamtown, Carnforth, during the 1980s and 1990s. It last steamed in around 1997 and, following the closure of Steamtown, the attractive saddle tank has remained in store at Carnforth ever since. Lindsay was transferred to its new, yet undisclosed home on October 23, where Mr Bunch will begin returning the 1887-built loco to working order. Some initial work has already begun, with various non-ferrous fittings being removed for safe keeping, such as the large brass dome, chimney and whistle, in readiness for the removal…

HS2 LTD has started preliminary construction work at Great Missenden despite requests from Buckinghamshire County Council for work to stop pending the outcome of the Oakervee Review. Local politicians and the Chilterns Conservation Board also asked the Government to pause the work, but Transport Secretary Grant Shapps informed the council that the preparatory activities, including 17 weeks of roadworks and tree felling, were to start on October 15.…

Siemens surge probe LORD Bradshaw asked what action the Government plans to take following the power surge on Thameslink Class 700 trains, which caused delays to the Govia Thameslink service; whether, during procurement of those trains, the question of power surges was mentioned in the specification of these trains; and if so, whether such problems were anticipated. Transport Minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton replied: “Following the loss of power on August 9, which affected the operation of Class 700 Thameslink and Class 717 Moorgate trains, ministers and officials have held discussions with Siemens, the manufacturer of the trains, and Govia Thameslink, the train operator. “Investigations are being undertaken by both Siemens and Govia Thameslink to understand why some trains did not restart and what needs to be done to ensure…

VIVARAIL is moving its main manufacturing base from Quinton Rail Technology Centre (QRTC) in Long Marston to Southam, near Leamington Spa. The company converts surplus former London Underground‘D’stock into new trains. Vivarail CEO Adrian Shooter says the need has come to consolidate its operations under one roof, and the new facility at Southam will avoid being spread over several buildings. The move will permit a seamless method of working, with stores, design, engineering and production all in one building, refining build and delivery processes. In addition, Vivarail will have a new test track at Barry, South Wales, following agreement with Cambrian Transport to use the 1½-mile rail-connected track for testing and mileage accumulation. John Buxton, managing director of Cambrian Transport, said:“We are excited Vivarail has chosen to use our railway…

THERE was a time in the 1970s and ’80s when train enthusiasts employed by British Rail tended to keep quiet about their interest for fear it might affect their promotion prospects even though their knowledge could only have been of benefit to the company. Happily, more enlightened views now prevail – so much so that a lifelong rail enthusiast now sits at the top of Network Rail. NR chairman Sir Peter Hendy is a no-nonsense, straight-talking businessman, holding down one of the toughest jobs in British industry, yet he’s so proud of his roots that a framed certificate and souvenir ticket for his journey on BR’s last main line steam run – the famous ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ of August 1968 – hangs in pride of place on the wall of…

T E Williams - The Lost Colour Collection - Volume 3 IF YOU are looking for something unique as a gift or treating yourself this Christmas then Volume 3 of The Lost Colour Collection will not disappoint. This further book adds to Volumes 1 and 2, published by Irwell Press, and provides a unique and fascinating window on late-1950s and early-1960s British Railways – and all in colour! T E (Tom) Williams was somewhat of a pioneer when it came to the use of colour film. His interest was railways, but he also had an excellent eye for composition and getting that‘different’picture. The images have been compiled by the late Tom’s sons, Phil and Owen, with the former spending hours painstakingly restoring each plate used. There are plenty of ex-GWR…

A question of liveries I COULDN’T disagree more with David Jane’s comments on the new East Midlands Railway livery. The two-tone burgundy is extremely stylish and a great improvement on the children’s ‘paint box’ of colours carried before. By far the worst was the Virgin ‘toothpaste’ colour scheme, and the ‘Azuma’ livery isn’t much better, especially when all that white becomes dirty with use. On the other hand, three cheers for the classy GWR branding and, of course, Grand Central. Richard Keys Cambridge Scruffy units WE ARE now beginning to see trains appearing in the new Transport for Wales livery. At Bangor station, I recently saw one of the old two-car DMUs to Holyhead, which had the new livery applied. This had been achieved by applying a vinyl wrap on…

NOVEMBER 2-18 War-Time Trains Famous Trains Model Railway, Markeaton Park, Derby. Nearest postcode for satnav users is DE22 3BG. www.famoustrains.org.uk. 11.00-16.00. Adult £2.50, child £1, family £5. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 Burton Model Railex 2019 National Brewery Centre, Horninglow Street, Burton-upon-Trent DE14 1NG. Opening times: 10.00-16.00. Adult £5. SATURDAY-SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9-10. Tolworth Showtrain Model Railway Show Tolworth Recreation Centre, Fullers Way North, Tolworth, Surrey KT6 7LQ. 10.00-17.00. Hull Miniature Railway Society Show Walton Street Leisure Centre, Goathland Close, off Walton St, Hull HU3 6JB. Saturday 10.00-17.00, Sunday 10.00-16.00. Adult £4, child (5-15) £1, children (0-5) free. West Sussex N Gauge Model Railway Club Shoreham Baptist Church, Western Rd, Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 5WD. Opening times tba. Adult £3, child (3-17) £1. Great British Model Railway Show British Motor Museum, Banbury Rd,…

PRIOR TO 1939 the Railway Observer (RO) used the term ‘Light Railways’ in conjunction with reports about the railway empire of Colonel Stephens. By the late 20th and early 21st centuries the description encompasses modern urban rapid transit and tram systems rather than the traditional ‘heavy’ railways. The decline in street trams began before the Second World War, and apart from those in Blackpool had disappeared with the closure of the Leeds City (1959), Sheffield (1960) and Glasgow systems (1962). On the closure of the Swansea and Mumbles Railway on January 5, 1960, the RO marked the occasion with two just black and white photographs, while the July 1961 closure of the Grimsby & Immingham received a rather more comprehensive coverage. After that the RO went quiet on the subject…

THE A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (A1SLT) has announced it has received pledges for more than two-thirds of the £5million required to complete its new-build Gresley ‘P2’ 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales. Since its launch in late-September 2013 around 930 supporters have signed up to the ‘P2 for the price of a pint of beer per week’ (£2.50 each week) covenant scheme, which nets more than £205,000 per annum. Over the duration of the project this is estimated to be worth more than £1.5million. Additionally, individual component ‘clubs’ have secured considerable financial support for the project. ■ The Boiler Club, which aims to fund the construction of the boiler through 300 supporters each donating £2,000, has reached 180 members, with around £450,000 donated ■ The Motion Club (target – 175…

SOLE-SURVIVING Taff Vale Railway ‘O1’ 0-6-2T No. 28 will be restored to working order after a three-year overhaul agreement was signed by the locomotive’s owner – the National Railway Museum (NRM) – and its custodians the Gwili Railway-based Welsh Railways Trust. Cardiff-built No. 28 is the last surviving Welsh-built standard-gauge locomotive, and is currently based at the Gwili Railway, near Carmarthen. The agreement will see the 122-year-old loco overhauled on site by the railway’s engineering team, more than three decades after it last ran in 1990. The total cost of the overhaul has been estimated at £160,000, for which an appeal will be set up. However, the project has already received a significant boost after being awarded an £18,000 grant from the association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA). This money will…

SENTINEL‘Y1’4wVBT No. 68153 made a first post-overhaul move under its own steam at the Middleton Railway’s Moor Road headquarters on October 20 – 22 years after it was last in service. The comprehensive overhaul has involved the manufacture of a new boiler, replacement cylinders, plus a new blastpipe and blower, along with the usual restoration of existing parts. A number of small tasks remain to be completed before the restoration is finished, but it is intended to have the Sentinel ready for service in BR black livery by the start of the 2020 season.…

60007’s boiler passes steam test OVERHAUL of‘A4’No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley’s boiler has been completed at the Llangollen Railway. The Pacific’s boiler passed its out-of-frames steam test on October 11 and will be transferred to the National Railway Museum’s workshop in York, where the bottom end overhaul is taking place. A return to traffic is expected in 2020. Hagley Hall boiler close to testing THE Swindon No. 1 boiler belonging to the Severn Valley Railway’s (SVR) flagship‘Hall’ No. 4930 Hagley Hall is expected to steam before the end of the year at Northern Steam Engineering. It will be the first time the boiler has made steam since October 1996, and will herald an eagerly anticipated return to traffic for the loco at the SVR during next year. Third…

Firebox repairs for Invincible THE boiler of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s Hawthorn Leslie 0-4-0ST Invincible (3135/1915) has undergone ultrasonic testing as part of its ongoing overhaul. The test revealed thinning of the firebox throatplate around the foundation ring, while sections of the outer wrapper have been removed front and back, as has the foundation ring. Tubeplate out for Bodmin’s Judy EX-PORT of Par Bagnall 0-4-0ST Judy (2572/1937) will require repairs to its front tubeplate, or possibly a complete replacement, before it can re-enter traffic at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. Work is underway to remove the tubeplate, which has become unacceptably thin in a critical area. A decision on whether it can be repaired, or require replacement, will be made once it has been…

AN IARNRÓD Éireann-Irish Rail (IÉ) team led by Paul Cassoni and Robbie Whelan has restarted restoration work on the bodywork of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s GM 121 Class No. 134 at Inchicore. This development follows a short hiatus with little visible progress. Work has transferred from the ‘Ramps’facility to the Lifting (FCR) Shop owing to the former being taken over for the IÉ service fleet while the main running shed is refurbished. This has resulted in little visible progress on the loco for a few months, although fabrication and sourcing of parts and material has been on-going behind the scenes. Work is now concentrating on the bodywork and upper structure, and as expected there are a number of areas that have suffered from years of service and the…

LYNTON & Barnstaple Railway’s (L&BR) carriage workshop volunteers are rebuilding bogie van No. 23. This follows the completion and delivery to Woody Bay (RM Sept) of new 1st /3rd composite carriage No. 5. The van was initially restored some years ago, but deteriorated while displayed at Woody Bay, and subsequently moved to the workshop site in Essex. Having been dismantled for repair and restoration a new steel underframe with bar-frame bogies will be constructed, with the frame sides dressed with oak to replicate the appearance of its original wood underframe. The next (sixth) L&BR carriage to be constructed will be saloon brake observation composite saloon No. 1.…

TRACKLAYING on the Leighton Buzzard Railway’s (LBR) half-mile extension to Munday’s Hill started on September 30. This followed the contractor completing the first 100metres of trackbed, permitting reinstatement of the crossover, trap points and associated plain line to reconnect the line to Stonehenge Works yard on September 16, just in time for LBR’s autumn steam gala. The extended line should be ready for testing by spring, with all work targeted for completion in mid-2020. Regular passenger operation will start in 2021. Funding has received a boost through a £20,000 donation by a local charitable trust and a private £10,000 donation, but LBR still needs to raise further cash for its completion.…

A PROJECT to construct a replica of Ffestiniog Railway’s George England 0-4-0T+T Mountaineer in as-built form will be launched on November 24 at the Warley Model Railway Exhibition by 1863 Mountaineer Locomotive Ltd. Of the original four Ffestiniog England 0-4-0Ts, Prince, Princess and Palmerston all survive but in significantly modified form, most noticeably having become saddle tanks. Mountaineer retained its original appearance, the worn-out loco being dismantled in 1879. The replica will re-create the ‘lost’ original design of the England 0-4-0s, with side tanks, open footplate, large brass dome cover, marine-style connecting rods, and rounded buffer beams. The new Mountaineer is projected to take three years to build and cost about £250,000. The project has received support from Ffestiniog Railway, which has allowed access to original drawings, casting patterns and…

LEIGHTON Buzzard Railway’s (LBR) 100th anniversary gala on October 5-6 featured two visiting Hudswell, Clarke locomotives: Moseley Railway Trust’s‘Ganges’ class 0-6-0WT No. 104 (1238/1916) and Statfold Barn Railway’s 0-6-0WT GP39 (1643/1930). These are the closest surviving locos available to represent the pair of Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0WTs that worked on the original Leighton Buzzard Light Railway when it opened on November 17, 1919, and they presented the sight of two Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0WTs running together at Leighton Buzzard for the first time since 1921. Also visiting the gala were Bagnall 0-4-0ST Kidbrooke (Yaxham Light Railway), Patrick Keef’s Bagnall 0-4-0ST Woto, and Nick Williams’ Andrew Barclay 0-4-0T Jack. LBR-based locos in steam were Baldwin 4-6-0T WDLR No. 778, Avonside 0-4-0T Sezela No. 4, O&K 0-6-0WT Pedemoura, Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T Doll, and De Winton…

THE West Midlands Combined Authority has chosen CAF to supply 21 catenary-free ‘Urbos’ trams for West Midlands Metro (WMM), with an option for a further 29. The first of the new vehicles is due for delivery in late 2021, with the £80million contract including technical support and the supply of spares for 30 years. CAF supplied the current fleet of 21 ‘Urbos’ trams for WMM in 2012, which were fitted with lithium-ion batteries in 2018 to allow catenary-free running. A similar system will be used on the new trams, which eliminates the need for expensive overhead electrification equipment and helps protect architecturally sensitive areas around the city centre. Battery-powered trams will begin running on the WMM extension in Birmingham city centre from Grand Central to Centenary Square in early 2020.…

TOUAX Rail UK has ordered 55 new JNA open box wagons and 40 HOA hoppers for Mendip Rail aggregates traffic. The hoppers will be built in Swidnica, Poland, and the box wagons in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania, by Greenbrier. Both fleets will have maximum gross laden weight (GLW) of 101.6 tonnes and will be fitted with‘track friendly’bogies. The JNAs will arrive in the first quarter of 2020, followed by the hoppers in the second quarter. They will be used in addition to the current fleet of 636 wagons to help deliver the increased volumes following record growth in Mendip construction traffic in 2018, and expected growth in 2020 and beyond. This is the first UK order for Touax Rail and forms part of its ongoing plan to increase the fleet of…

A FIVE per cent increase in construction traffic took the sector to its highest quarterly volume in the first three months of 2019/20, according to new figures from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The movement of construction materials, fuelled by high levels of property development in London and the south-east of England, reached 1.21billion tonne-kilometres, although domestic intermodal traffic remains the biggest sector at 1.71bn tonne/km (up by 1% from 2018/19). Overall, UK freight traffic was relatively stable for Q1 2019/20 at 4.27bn tonne/km, decreasing by  1% over the previous year as coal traffic continues to decline sharply. Once the undisputed king of freight traffic, coal dropped by 53% between Q1 2018/19 and the same period in 2019/20 to just 0.12bn tonne/km. Other traditional freight sectors serving heavy…

ScotRail now on WhatsApp SCOTRAIL has launched a new information service for passengers using the WhatsApp messaging service. It is one of the first operators in the UK to use the world’s most popular messaging platform to provide customers with the opportunity to communicate directly. The service can be used by visiting the website or messaging direct on 07555 012345. The introduction is part of ScotRail’s £4million remedial plan to improve customer service. More parking spaces at Bury St Edmunds GREATER Anglia (GA) is planning to triple the number of car parking spaces at Bury St Edmunds station in Suffolk. The current car park has just 23 spaces plus two disabled bays. GA plans to increase that to 74, along with improvement work to the transport hub, which will provide…

DIRECT trains between London Euston and the Walsall to Rugeley ‘Chase Line’ will disappear from May 2020 under West Midlands Railway proposals to make the service more punctual and reliable. (RM August). Through trains to London via Birmingham New Street were introduced when electric operation started in May, but serious delays and regular cancellations north of Birmingham have forced a rethink. One of the two hourly services to Rugeley Trent Valley via Birmingham will be withdrawn in December, and the second is expected to follow next May, when the entire service is recast and replaced by Rugeley to Birmingham New Street to Birmingham International trains, providing connections with London trains at both these stations.…

RAILWAY historians in Leeds have uncovered evidence proving the existence of a locomotive depot as early as 1815. A contractor’s estimate, giving dimensions and costings of a ‘Patent Steam Carriage House’, has recently surfaced in the city. Dated October 25, 1815, it is believed to relate to the Blenkinsop rack-and-pinion locomotives acquired at that time for colliery work on the Middleton Railway. A quote of £24 13s 3d is given for construction of the building, including £2 10s 8d for ‘chimney pipes’. Ian Smith, of the present-day preserved Middleton Railway, says the contractor was almost certainly William Hardwick. He said: “It’s not clear if he was employed by the colliery on a permanent basis or whether he was in business in his own right as a builder, but he always…

TYPHOON Hagibis, which struck the main Japanese island of Honshu on October 12-13, caused widespread damage and flooding leading to the deaths of at least 56 people. Millions of people were evacuated prior to the typhoon, and many rail services, including all Shinkansen high-speed lines serving Tokyo closed down. The typhoon was the most powerful to hit central Japan in decades, and left some regional railway lines severely damaged. It also struck one of Japan’s newest Shinkansen lines. The flooding caused rivers to burst their banks in Nagano, 200km northwest of Tokyo, resulting in a third of the E7 Shinkansen fleet – used for the Hokuriku Shinkansen – being damaged in the depot where the units had been stabled. Operator JR East is understood to be considering scrapping the 10…

SUPPORTERS of the High Speed 2 (HS2) project have been on the defensive in recent weeks as fears grow the eastern leg serving the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the costly Old Oak Common to Euston section could be scrapped to reduce costs. Politicians, business leaders and regional transport organisations have stepped up their efforts to promote the wider benefits of the new railway, now costed at up to £88billion, as the Oakervee Review (RM Oct) prepares to deliver its findings to the Government this month. Media reports suggest the review may recommend the abandonment or scaling back of Phase 2b, which extends the high-speed railway north from Crewe to Manchester and from Birmingham to Leeds via Toton. Other sources speculate the eastern leg could be replaced by a single…

TRANSPORT for London Rail is preparing to start services from London Paddington to Reading from the new timetable on December 15. TfL is preparing drivers and staff for a four trains per hour operation at peak times, reducing to two trains per hour off peak, all using nine-car Class 345 EMUs. The service pattern will be the same as GWR services at present, however, GWR will continue to operate fast services from Reading, Twyford, Maidenhead and Slough to Paddington. It will not be possible for passengers to use Oyster cards beyond West Drayton, but from January 2, 2020, passengers will be able to use contactless payments for pay-as-you-go travel between Reading and Paddington. Until then, current arrangements will apply. Freedom Pass holders will be able to travel to Reading for…

FUTURE electrification schemes in Britain could involve the wiring of short sections rather than the whole route, Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy has revealed. In an interview with The RM, the NR chief says:“For high-frequency suburban services, electrification makes absolute sense… but quite clearly with dual-mode trains, it’s no longer the only answer. “For example, why would you electrify 170 miles all the way from Newbury to Plymouth when you could just electrify the Devon Banks alone? “With bi-mode trains you might knock 20 minutes off the Plymouth service for the cost of just 25 miles of catenary. That would be clever.” His comments will come as a blow to those hoping for completion of catenary along the Midland Main Line to Leicester, Derby and Sheffield, but they could…

THE Campaign for Borders Rail says support for completing the main line from Tweedbank to Carlisle remains‘absolutely rock solid’. The message was reinforced at the group’s first AGM in Edinburgh for more than 10 years. Re-elected chariman Simon Walton has urged supporters to“raise their game”as the campaign seeks to ensure the promise of £10million for a feasibility study remains top of the agenda, and delivers a positive recommendation. Mr Walton said:“Getting commitment to build the remainder has to be our next goal, and we’re moving closer to that every day. The political climate has moved significantly in favour of environmentally sustainable economic development. Railway projects like the completion of the Borders Railway make even more sense as a means of rejuvenating communities at the same time as greening the environment.”…

IT WAS supposed to be a day of celebration, seeing three USATC ‘S160’ 2-8-0’s working together in the UK for the first time since 1944. However, the Churnet Valley Railway’s (CVR) Super Power Saturday on October 26 ended in disaster after persistent rain flooded part of the lines and washed away another. The gala day never really got started as the CVR made the decision to abandon services early in the morning before the first train had run. This followed a line inspection based upon advice from the Canal & Rivers Trust, that had warned the Cauldon Canal at Consall was in danger of breaching owing to the amount of rainfall, with the potential to flood the railway. As a consequence, the trio of 2-8-0s – resident duo Nos. 5197…

The mid-day Ilfracombe to Waterloo train drew into Yeovil Junction behind No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co. On the turntable a ‘West Country’ Pacific blew off impatiently. Then something strange arrived from the east, eliciting comments of surprise from passengers already bored by the long trek from North Devon. “It’s a diesel,” commented one. “No, it’s a gas-turbine,” declared another, who thought he knew better. Actually, it was No. 10000, Britain’s first successful main line diesel-electric loco, trying out its paces with the 1.00pm Waterloo-West of England back in June, 1954. Although diesel shunters were already proving reliable and economical on their relatively mundane tasks, little progress had been made in the UK with diesel traction for main line work. Probably the first was Armstrong Whitworth’s 800 horsepower 2-6-2…

The LMS-Patriot Project 2020 Calendar THE LMS-Patriot Project’s calendar for 2020 once again makes use of wonderful paintings from some of railway art’s best-known names to present a picture of LMS/Midland Region steam in its heyday. Each month has its own painting from artists including Rob Rowland, Philip Hawkins, David Halliwell and Roger Markland, with the various scenes  depicting a different aspect of ‘Midland’life. Naturally, there are several paintings of ‘Patriots’included, but also other popular classes such as a ‘4F’at Gloucester (January), Royal Scot storming through Tamworth (August), and a ‘7F’at Midsomer Norton. There are also some quite remarkable paintings, too: March’s photo-realistic black & white view of Fowler 2-6-2T No. 42395 at Birmingham New Street, and Philip Hawkins’1950s view of Coventry shed being notable examples. The calendar is laid…

THE feature by Fraser Pithie on the Morpeth Curve (RM Sept) was a fascinating read, which allowed me to re-live my involvement in the 1984 crash. We lived at 45 Low Stobhill at the time of the 1984 crash. I loved the fact there were trains at the bottom of my garden, and my son and I enjoyed watching them go by. My wife and I were late home on the evening of June 24, 1984. Not long home, I was aware of a‘WHOOOSH’sound, and the wardrobe gave a rapid jerk. I certainly did not hear noises one may have associated with a crash. However, I ran to the bathroom at the back of the house and looked down towards the railway. There was enough ambient light for me to…

Porterbrook – at the heart of UK Rail for 25 years www.porterbrook.co.uk…

“OVERWHELMED”and“speechless” were just two of the words used by Battlefield Line director Adrian Lock to describe the success of the Leicestershire line’s 50th anniversary gala on October 18-20. The Shackerstone Railway Society had wanted to mark its five decades of operations at Shackerstone with something special, and this it achieved by securing‘Modified Hall’ No. 6989 Wightwick Hall as the star guest loco. It was the first time the Hawksworth 4-6-0 had worked on any heritage line since the completion of its 40-year restoration at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre (BRC) last year. As a consequence there was an air of expectation around the railway that the 1948-built loco might attract a few extra visitors to the event, and the presence of a second BR(W) 4-6-0 – No. 7820 Dinmore Manor from the…

HUDSWELL, Clarke 0-6-0ST Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons No. 31 made its first preservation-era visit to another heritage railway in late October when it joined ‘Swindonised’ Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0ST No. 813 at Didcot Railway Centre. No. 31 can usually be found on the late Sir William McAlpine’s private railway at Fawley Hill (now in the care of his widow, Lady Judy McAlpine), but moved to Didcot  during mid-October, where it ran alongside visiting No. 813 on October 30, and again on November 1-2. No. 31 was posed with ‘Castle’ 4-6-0 No. 4079 Pendennis Castle while at Didcot, which was part-owned by Sir William McAlpine in the 1960s and 1970s until sold to the Hammersley Iron Company in Australia. The two locomotives have never previously met despite sharing the same owner.…

TYSELEY Locomotive Works (TLW) has confirmed to the BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust it is on target to complete the overhaul of BR ‘8P’ Pacific No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester by September 2020. The countdown is now on to a much-anticipated return to the main line for the unique locomotive, although a check list of outstanding tasks must be completed before the ‘Duke’ steams again. The immediate work will focus on the bearings, with eight new coupled wheel bearings and 12 for the tender expected to be available during mid-November 2019. Modifications to the cylinder lubrication system are also expected to be complete by the end of the month. By the time of the next TLW open weekend in June the works hopes to have the centre and rear…

THE Llangollen Railway was within 30ft of connecting its running line with the new Corwen East terminus as this issue of The RM went to press At the end of September work started on laying the final lengths of Corwen East’s track work, including laying of the points at the eastern end of the site, with the sleepers and rail laid out for the right-hand point on the main line leading into platform 2 on the Down side. A second point leading into the Up platform for the siding is currently being assembled, although the alignment with the curve from platform 1 is proving challenging. Once the point work is complete, top ballasting of the loop through the platform to the Green Lane stop block will follow. The 30ft gap…

STEAM gave way to internal combustion power at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway (DCDR) on October 12 as the Irish Traction Group (ITG) celebrated three decades of diesel locomotive preservation. Visitors travelled from both sides of the border, and from across the Irish Sea, to join in the celebrations, which saw ITG stock in action on an intensive timetable between Downpatrick and Inch Abbey, and also to the Loop Platform, hauling DCDR rolling stock, including recently restored Park Royal carriage No. 1944. A trio of ITG-owned locomotives was the main attraction for the day, namely Metro-Vicks A Class Co-Co No. A39R in black with orange stripe livery, C Class Bo-Bo No. C231 in original green livery, along with stalwart General Motors 141 Class No. 146 in Irish Rail livery.…

STATFOLD Barn Railway (SBR) will return to the original concept of holding open days aimed specifically at enthusiasts in 2020. Following formation of Statfold Narrow Gauge Trust and development of SBR as a public attraction, the old-style Enthusiasts’ Days became part of public event weekends. The ‘back-to-basics’ move will see Enthusiast Open Days for people aged over 10 years only on March 21 and June 13, 2020, with the third date being part of the September 12-13 Road, Rail & Ale event, as in 2019. March 21 attractions will include the grand opening of new workshops based in the museum building and opening of the normally inaccessible storage area.…

THE Gowrie Locomotive Trust has received a major boost towards its project to construct a near-replica of 2ft-gauge Hunslet 0-6-4T Single-Fairlie Gowrie ( RM March). A patron has agreed to pay for the creation of the entire rear bogie for the loco, while another  supporter has indicated they will assist with the purchase of the new frame plates. A collection of small components is being produced and machined ready for fitting at the private workshop site where it will be constructed.…

THE number of places on the annual Tyne & Wear Metro driver training programme has been doubled this year, according to the public body-owner Nexus. This is in response to a driver shortage caused by trained drivers leaving to work on higher-paid national rail services. The Metro’s annual intake is now set at 48 trainees, said to be the biggest expansion in its 40 year history. It follows a doubling of the driver training courses from three to six per year, with Nexus revealing more than 2,300 applied to be part of this year’s intake. Metro services director Chris Carson said:“I know that passengers get frustrated when they see trains taken out of service due to resource issues. “The clear way ahead was to increase the number of drivers that…

AUTOMATIC braking systems are being installed on London Trams, three years after the fatal derailment at Sandilands in Croydon. This was one of the 15 recommendations made by the Rail Accidents Investigation Branch in its report into the November 2016 crash, when tram No. 2551 overturned while rounding a sharp bend at more than three times the speed limit. The move makes London Trams the first in the UK to have automatic brakes. Trackside balises will monitor speeds and apply a passing tram’s brakes if it exceeds the local speed limit. Transport for London says it has taken three years to install the system as it wanted to get it right. Retro-fitting trams that are up to 20 years old had the potential to interfere with other on-board systems. The…

TWO miles of worn-out track have been replaced between Drigg and Bootle on the Cumbrian Coast Line. The work took place over seven Sundays from October 19. Ballast and 300m of drainage will also be improved as part of a £2.8million programme of upgrades that will benefit both passenger and freight operators, including nuclear industry traffic to Sellafield. Cumbria County Council, the Cumbrian Local Enterprise Partnership, the DfT and Network Rail have been investigating how the area’s economy could benefit from more freight and passenger trains.…

SCOTTISH Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has approved a £15million preliminary project to prepare for the construction of a new chord to the Dalmeny to Winchburgh Junction line, west of Edinburgh. The scheme will enable Transport Scotland and Network Rail to develop three options for the Edinburgh Waverley Western Approaches (EWWA) project, which is designed to relieve the congested Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High route. The scheme is costed at between £150million and £250m, and will involve a new south-to-west connection between Saughton (Almond Junction), on the Edinburgh to Dalmeny line and the Dalmeny to Winchburgh Junction line. The three options involve flat junctions at both ends, a grade-separated Almond Junction and flat junction at Winchburgh, and grade-separated junction at both ends of the upgraded line. Detailed modelling of the…

NETWORK Rail is spending an additional £2.2million to keep trains across its Wessex route moving this autumn. Nine Multi-Purpose Vehicles (MPVs) will be used on railhead treatment duties between October and December, with the funding also being used to clear lineside vegetation and manage trees around the railway. The work will reduce the number of leaves that fall on to the rails, allowing vegetation to grow back and leaving a clearer area around the railway for years ahead. South Western Railway drivers are also taking part in autumn training, while an amended timetable is in operation on certain from October 6 to December 14. The amendments allow for extended running times on four routes into London Waterloo, where defensive driving is expected to be required – from Dorking/Chessington, Guildford via…

RAIL Riders, the club for rail travellers and enthusiasts founded and operated by British Rail between 1981 and 1991, is being relaunched in February. Almost 30 years after the iconic fan club closed, it is being revived by well-known railway accessory and clothing supplier Bufferbeam. Unlike the original club, which was aimed at children aged 5-15, the new Rail Riders will be open to enthusiasts of all ages. At its peak, Rail Riders had around 80,000 members, including the mastermind of the revival, Simon Buxton. He said:“The ambition is to make Rail Riders a general interest railway club available to everyone, promoting the hobby, and by doing so help preserved railways increase ridership and generate extra volunteers. “We hope to get as many railways and railway-themed businesses involved in our…

TORRENTIAL rain and flash flooding washed away part of the Welsh Marches route from Hereford to Newport, near Pontrilas, on October 26, leaving the track suspended in mid-air. Initial inspections suggest repairs will take several days to complete, and replacement road transport was envisaged until at least November 4. Elsewhere, flooding at Kirk Sandall blocked the line between Doncaster and Scunthorpe/Goole, also between Shrewsbury and Welshpool, as well as around the Stoke-on-Trent area. Follow us @railwaymagazine…

FORMER BA chairman Keith Williams has given a few clues as to the content of his forthcoming rail review. Speaking to the Transport Select Committee, Mr Williams indicated he is in favour of the Transport for London concession model, which would permit bonus payments for innovation. Having concessions rather than franchises would eliminate the profit motive from operating contracts by using a fixed fee. He recognises there is no one-size-fits-all franchise contract because of the wide variation of each franchise, but he advocates changes in revenue risk. A new national railway body will be another of his recommendations, as will simpler ticketing, which is supported by the Rail Delivery Group. The way the industry has become fragmented has increased costs, acknowledges Williams, which“can be simplified”. With talk of a possible…

THE first quarter of 2019/20 saw a 2.4% (10.4m) increase in passenger journeys on the UK rail network compared to the previous year. The total was 439 million journeys for Q1, contributing to a total of 1.77 billion for the 12 months to the end of June 2019. The increase was driven by a 3% rise in London and the South East, up to 303m for the period in question as Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) recovered from the disruption caused by the timetable chaos in May 2018. GTR journeys increased by 6.3m in Q1 2019-20 (7.7%), with the operator now accounting for 20% of the overall UK total. Southeastern also saw an increase of 3.7%, but South Western Railway (SWR) and London Overground journeys dropped, with industrial action a factor…

HANSON Cement has awarded a seven-year contract for rail freight haulage to GB Railfreight (GBRf ). The deal covers an average of nine trains per week conveying bulk cement from Ketton in Rutland and Ribblesdale cement works, near Clitheroe, Lancashire, to terminals at London King’s Cross; Mossend, near Glasgow; and Avonmouth in Bristol. The trains will support major construction projects in London as well as the development of Hinkley Point C nuclear power station in Gloucestershire.…

Steam Dreams 20th anniversary appeal STEAM Dreams is marking its 20th anniversary with a tour from London to Salisbury Christmas Market and a carol service in Sherborne Abbey on December 17. The company is appealing to readers with photos of the first trip, or passengers who travelled on the inaugural train, to contact them via email at info@ steamdreams.co.uk Chairman David Buck says there will be a number of anniversary treats. Lifetime achievement award for GBRf founder GB Railfreight founder and chief executive John Smith has been given a lifetime achievement award by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Technology for his dedication and service to the rail industry over the past 42 years. The award was presented by HRH Princess Anne. Extra daily Grand Central service OPEN access operator…

100 YEARS AGO NOVEMBER 1919 WE regret to record the death of Mr William Kirtley, who was formerly Locomotive Superintendent of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, from which position he retired on the amalgamation with the South Eastern Railway in 1898. The deceased commenced his professional career with the Midland Railway at Derby in April 1854, resigning his position as Foreman at Derby on May 31, 1874. THE Cambrian Railways Company have remodeled their winter train service, and the journey from London, the Midlands and North also from South Wales to Aberystwyth and the Cardigan Bay Coast has been considerably accelerated. Through trains from Paddington, Birmingham, Liverpool (Lime Street), Manchester (London Road) and Cardiff will be due to arrive 65 minutes earlier than last winter. On the return…

Severn Valley appoints new general manager… THE Severn Valley Railway has appointed Helen Smith as its new general manager. She takes over from Nick Ralls, who is leaving to join the Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust as chief executive. Ms Smith is currently deputy director at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, and has previously held roles as general manager at the Fusilier Museum in Bury and operations director at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham. … as does the Isle of Wight Steam Railway THE Isle of Wight Steam Railway has also signed up a new general manager to succeed Peter Vail, who retired at the end of June. Steve Backhouse comes to Havenstreet from the art gallery world in the Lake District, although he grew up just across…

A SHORT-notice agreement to bring the Middleton Railway’s roving Hunslet Brookes No. 1 (2387/1941) to the Ribble Steam Railway (RSR) for its Autumn Steam Gala helped ensure a good turnout for the end-of-season event. The former Brookes Chemicals Ltd 14in-cylindered 0-6-0ST had recently come to the end of a period of hire at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway (P&BR) after starring in the South Wales line’s own gala, and arrangements were made for the loco to divert via Preston on its way home from Blaenavon to Leeds. Brookes No. 1 has proven to be a popular locomotive with both volunteers and visitors during its visits to the Foxfield Railway and P&BR this year, and it proved to be a hit in Preston, too. It stayed on the railway until October…

Green light for Pelletstown station THE Dublin suburb of Pelletstown, between Ashtown and Broombridge, is finally getting its own station – 20 years after the idea was first proposed. Irish Rail will begin construction of the €10million station next to the Royal Canal on the Maynooth line later this year, with a completion target set for the third quarter of 2021. Copper theft halts Heuston trains METAL thieves brought services from Dublin Heuston to a halt on October 9 and caused €4,000 worth of damage in a failed attempt to steal copper wire. A number of men were caught attempting to remove signalling wire on the line between Newbridge and Kildare, resulting in 350 metres of cabling having to be replaced.…

THE Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trust’s (HNGRT) locomotive collection is being transferred into the ownership of Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum Trust. Bagnall 0-4-0ST Wendy (2091/1919) and Hunslet 0-4-0ST Cloister (542/1891) go to Statfold in November when current hire agreements with Amberley Museum and Bressingham expire. Motor Rail Simplex petrol locos Brambridge Hall (5226/1936) and Agwi Pet (4736/1939), together with  ex-Ramsgate Electric Railway Coach (dating from circa 1936), will also move from HNGRT’s base at Bursledon Brickworks museum, near Southampton, to Statfold. Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Society (later it become a charitable trust) was formed in 1961, initially to preserve Wendy. The collection subsequently grew, and for periods the society operated at the now-closed private Durley Light Railway and Kew Bridge Steam Museum. Development of 2ft-gauge lines at Bursledon Brickworks began…

FFESTINIOG Railway will apply for a National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) grant towards enhancement of Boston Lodge Works (RM Sept). The project is valued at £3million, with the scheme aiming to restore and conserve pre-1870 buildings and undertake some new building. In addition, there will be investment in interpretation across the whole railway. The original master plan envisaged development in more than 30 phases, of which seven have been completed and an eighth (the new carriage shed) is in progress. The NLHF application will cover a further 14 phases, including re-creation of lost buildings in the Top Yard. Other developments include conversion of the rear of the old locomotive shed to enable works tours, along with interpretive displays, construction of a new small loco shed, and replacement of the present…

MOSELEY Railway Trust (MRT) harked back to its roots during its September 21-22 50th anniversary celebration at Apedale Valley Light Railway by operating passenger rides on its ‘Field Railway’. These basic rides, recalling the spirit of operations half a century ago, were undertaken using skip wagon underframes fitted with back-to-back seats and safety chains. This was the first, and probably only time passengers had been carried on this otherwise demonstration line. Trains were worked top-and-tail by pairs of internal combustion locos, six locos being involved at various times during the event. Operations on the primary Apedale Valley LR were handled by Hudswell, Clarke ‘Ganges’ 0-6-0WT No. 104 (1238/1916), Kerr, Stuart 0-6-0T+WT ‘Joffre’ 3014/1916, ex-WDLR Hunslet 4-6-0T No. 303 (HE1215/1916), John Sutton’s new-build three-ton Decauville 0-4-0T Edgar (making its debut hauling passenger…

■ BUILDING of new-build Manning, Wardle 2-6-2T Yeo for Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (RM Oct 2018) is expected to begin in January 2020. Construction will be undertaken by the team currently restoring Avonside 0-4-0T Ogwen and which is also constructing the new-build Hunslet 0-6-4T Single-Fairlie Gowrie project. ■ THE restored chassis of Eddie Draper’s 50hp O&K 0-4-0WT (7529/1914) is effectively complete at Golden Valley Light Railway. Delivery of the boiler, following repairs at North Norfolk Railway’s Weybourne works, was anticipated as The RM went to press. ■ UNIQUE 1872-built Isle of Man Railway goods van No. G.1 left the railway by road in late September for full restoration to begin. The project (RM June 2018) is being managed and funded by Isle of Man Steam Railway Supporters’Association. ■ PRIVATELY owned…

■ HUNSLET Newton diesel and Motor Rail Simplex Sandy returned to the Lancashire Mining Museum on October 1, having been fitted with air braking by Statfold Engineering to enable use hauling passenger trains at Astley Green colliery. When volunteers complete fitting brakes to man-riders at the colliery the way will be clear to introduce passenger operations at Astley Green. ■ NORTH Bay Engineering Services Ltd has constructed the basic frame for replica 3ft-gauge Southwold Railway Sharp, Stewart 2-4-0T No. 3 Blyth. The first fabricated cylinder for the loco, being built for Southwold Railway Trust, has also been completed, and the horn guides are being machined. The boiler was completed earlier this year (RM July). ■ RAVENGLASS & Eskdale Railway’s new standard carriage prototype, constructed at Ffestiniog Railway’s Boston Lodge works,…

WORK is due to begin in November on Edinburgh Trams’£207million extension to Newhaven. Construction will begin on Constitution Street, in Leith, followed by a rolling programme along the route to York Place in the city centre. A logistics hub will be set up on nearby Mitchell Street to receive and dispatch deliveries for residents and businesses along Constitution Street. Enabling works are also due to get under way on Leith Walk in November in preparation for the main construction work there in spring 2020. The full scheme has been broken down into numerous phases to minimise disruption to residents and businesses. Passenger services are due to begin in spring 2023.…

THE Rail Freight Group (RFG) has published its ambitious plan to encourage growth in the railfreight sector, reduce congestion, increase employment, and improve safety and air quality. The report is based on wide-ranging research and makes a number of recommendations and proposals, including investing in a strategic rail freight network, increased capacity, and further gauge enhancements to release suppressed demand. Where appropriate, the public and private sector should invest in connecting freight sites, such as distribution parks, to the rail network. National planning policy should be amended to actively support railfreight, for example by requiring freight generators such as warehouses to be located at rail-connected sites. Greener Electrification is seen as key to delivering cleaner, greener freight transport. RFG proposes a sustained programme of infill electrification over 10 years to…