Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2019 i The Railway Magazine

APPROVAL has been given to repaint two power cars and a seven-car trailer set in the original British Rail blue and yellow livery as part of the HST farewell on LNER routes. One of the power cars is No. 43302, the current speed record holder of 148.5mph for the class (as 43102), which has had a designation placed on it by the Railway Heritage Designation Advisory Board, and will transfer to the NRM, York. LNER is planning a charity railtour over four days as a farewell, starting on December 18, with an initial working from Edinburgh to Aberdeen, then the following day will be a working from Aberdeen to Newcastle via Inverness. On December 20 the set will run from Newcastle via York to Leeds, with a final trip from…

CELEBRATIONS to mark 25 years of Eurostar have heralded the move to eliminate single-use plastics from its trains. The first‘plastic free’service, on November 14, saw a number of changes, including water provided from recyclable cans rather than plastic bottles, use of wooden rather than plastic stirrers, plus a tie-up with sandwich chain Benugo, which is providing sandwiches and wraps in a recyclable non-plastic packaging. In 12 months, Eurostar has managed to remove three million pieces of single-use plastic from its trains, and to further its green credentials, will plant a tree for every departure from London, Paris and Brussels. Eurostar has been building on its Tread Lightly campaign from 2007 and claims its CO2 emissions are 90% less than competing short-haul air routes because customers are conscious of their own…

STANIER‘Black Five’No. 45305 Alderman A E Draper is back on the main line having been hired by Vintage Trains (VT) to work its festive‘Polar Express’specials between Birmingham Moors Street and Tyseley throughout December. The Great Central Railway-based 4-6-0 arrived at Tyseley Locomotive Works in late November following its starring role at the GCR’s Last Hurrah of the Season gala on November 16-17. The loco subsequently undertook a successful run to the Hatton triangle and back on November 21, before taking the first of the‘Polar Expresses’the following day. No. 45305 has been hired as Vintage Trains needed a second steam locomotive to work alongside No. 7029 Clun Castle, because two of the‘Polar Expresses’ clash with Vintage Trains’Christmas market railtours. VT spokesman Denis Chick said the‘Black Five’would“work most ‘Polar Expresses’”, but where…

WEST Somerset Railway plc has published its accounts for the 15 months leading up to March 31, which show just how close the railway came to insolvency prior to the turnaround of the past year. In his chairman’s report, Jonathan Jones-Pratt described the key points as making “unacceptable reading”, highlighting an overall loss of £807,909 for the period. In addition the company suffered a cash deterioration of £270,093, a gross margin of 2.3%, and a capital expenditure of £233,540. The scale of the problems the railway faced at the time has been well covered in The RM, but these figures clearly illustrate how the situation had spiralled out of control and why the‘drastic’action of 2018/19 was needed to keep the railway trading. This included reducing the overall wage bill from…

Memorabilia wanted for Channel 4 show POPULAR Channel 4 restoration show Find It, Fix It, Flog It is looking for vintage and unusual items gathering dust in peoples’ sheds, to restore and sell at a profit for their owners. The series follows motorbike-obsessive Henry Cole and upcycling expert Simon O’Brien searching for items. Filming will begin in March 2020. Contact info@hcaentertain ment.com in total confidence for more information. Greater Anglia introduces event team GREATER Anglia has introduced a dedicated team to help people travel safely during large-scale events on its West Anglia route. The team of six staff helps manage crowds at Northumberland Park, Meridian Water and Tottenham Hale, which are close to the new 62,000-capacity Tottenham Hotspur FC stadium. As well as football, the area also hosts other sports and…

FIFE Council and the Scottish Government have committed a further £10million towards the reopening of the Levenmouth line, boosting plans for the economic regeneration of the area. The additional £10m will be used not only to stimulate growth and economic prosperity, but also look at ways to improve road and infrastructure and public transport. The council’s financial commitment will run from now until 2026, with the Fife authority proposing to use the £1.9m already earmarked in its current budget. A strategic body and outline blueprint for the scheme is now being developed. An initial report is expected to be published in spring 2020.…

A NEW report commissioned by High Speed Rail Industry Leaders (HSRIL) claims High Speed 2 is essential if the UK is to meet its ambition to meet‘net zero’carbon emissions targets by 2050. According to HSRIL, only HS2 can deliver the capacity and journey time savings to shift many more people away from road and air transport. HS2 - towards a zero carbon future examines the carbon case for HS2, considering its impacts from construction, operation and modal shift. The independent review was produced by Ralph Smyth, who formerly led the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s (CPRE) engagement on HS2. Mr Smyth concludes the high-capacity electric railway is essential in meeting the UK’s ambition for net zero emissions, and should be viewed as intrinsic to the forthcoming Transport Decarbonisation Strategy. Any…

INCREDIBLE though it might seem after more than a century of technical progress, there appears to be a disturbing parallel between the overrun of a Class 92 at Edinburgh Waverley in August this year and the fatal derailment of a Great Northern Railway Atlantic at Grantham in September 1906. In the Scottish incident, No. 92020 overshot its arrival point, passed through the station and ended up more than a third of a mile away near Calton Tunnel while hauling the Edinburgh portion of the‘Lowland Sleeper’from Euston with 120 passengers. The loco had been attached to the eight recently built Mk5 coaches at Carstairs. A preliminary investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch indicates the driver had no control over the coach brakes because a brakepipe isolating valve was in the…

I’M SADDENED by the closure of the Ian Allan Bookshop in Birmingham. Located a stone’s throw from New Street station, it was an ideal location for railfans across the Midlands. Following abandonment of the IA stores in Manchester and Cardiff, it means the company now has only the specialist train, bus and military shop near London’s Waterloo station. “The family of the great man simply isn’t as interested in railways as he was and when leases expire, they aren’t renewed,” I was told during my final visit. The irony is that the Birmingham store was the most successful! The problem with such closures, of course, isn’t limited to reduced facilities for customers, for specialist book publishers are also inconvenienced by the loss of valuable outlets for their products, so everyone…

ON OCTOBER 10, 1926, Edgware Road signal cabin was first opened for use. Fitted with a Westinghouse ‘K’-style miniature lever frame, the cabin covered the station area and Praed St Junction, managing one of the busiest flat crossings in London. After 25 years of service the cabin was converted to meet the needs of the increasing traffic. The original frame was retained however, with some alteration to increase provision. The updated frame and cabin equipment were given a 30-year life span, with the expectation it would be upgraded in the 1980s, but a combination of factors meant that while the railway from Baker St to Aldgate was moved onto a new computer system in this decade, Edgware Road was passed over. Therefore, the last surviving ‘K’-style miniature lever frame outside…

HERE at The Railway Magazine we have a proud, long-standing tradition of highlighting work from many of the country's best railway photographers. Now The RM is seeking to highlight the best from the next generation. The prestigious Rail Camera Club (RCC) is organising a new photographic competition to give an opportunity for budding and established railway photographers aged 25 and under to showcase their work. The competition, launched in November, is supported by Network Rail, the National Railway Museum, Jessops Europe Limited, Railway Magazine publisher Mortons Media Ltd, TimeLine Events, the Bahamas Locomotive Society, Bauer Media and Silver Link Publishing. Entries are invited to illustrate ‘The Railway Seen’ using images with a railway connection that have been taken since January 1, 2019. Pictures should illustrate the diversity of the current…

100 YEARS AGO DECEMBER 1919 FOR some time, there has been under consideration and provisionally sanctioned a scheme for the electrification of the North Eastern Railway between York and Newcastle (80 miles). The scheme also provides for the electrification of the loop line (31 miles in length) from Northallerton to Ferryhill via Stockton. Nearly a quarter of a million people use Charing Cross Underground station daily. The number of passengers entering and alighting is made up of 190,000 ordinary and workmen ticket holders and 32,000 season ticket holders. The Metropolitan, District, Bakerloo and Hampstead Railways serve this station and a total of no less than 2,920 trains pass through daily. North British Railway 0-6-0 engines, 25 in number, which were on service in France during the war, have been returned.…

THE West Somerset Railway’s (WSR) big Spring Steam Gala returns next year after a two-year absence, with the first announced guest locomotive almost guaranteed to be a popular one. Recently restored BR ‘9F’ No. 92134 will be making the trip from its North Yorkshire Moors Railway base for the April 23-26 event: this is the first visit the locomotive will have made away from the NYMR since its return to steam this year. The now unique 2-10-0 is the only surviving member of the class to still carry a single chimney, which should provide an audible treat when working on the WSR’s climb from Bishops Lydeard to Crowcombe. Great Western The railway’s gala planning team is currently working to secure other guest locos to work alongside the ‘9F’and home fleet…

First moves for L&Y No. 752 FORMER Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Class 23 0-6-0ST No. 752 has moved for the first time under its own steam at the East Lancashire Railway. The loco was put through its paces on October 24, and again over the next two days, its first independent moves since being withdrawn from traffic in 1982. NYMR ‘S15’ approved for Whitby working THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s Southern ‘S15’ 4-6-0 No. 825 has been cleared to work over Network Rail metals between Grosmont and Whitby. The locomotive, which returned to service in August, passed its main-line trial on October 23. It will now become one of the regular Esk Valley locomotives, working NYMR services to Whitby and occasional runs to Battersby Junction. Goliath ready for…

A SUCCESSION of successful hydraulic and steam tests during the autumn months have edged a number of under-overhaul and new-build locomotives closer to entering traffic. On October 29 the Brighton Atlantic Project completed the hydraulic test of the boiler belonging to its re-created London, Brighton & South Coast Railway‘H2’ 4-4-2 No. 32424 Beachy Head. The boiler, which came from a Great Northern Railway Ivatt Atlantic, was taken up to 235psi (working pressure being 170psi) using a pneumatic accumulator pump and left to see if pressure dropped over a period of time. Other than minor weeps the test was a success, putting the project on course for an in-steam debut in 2021. Two days later the Standard No. 12 boiler of‘King’No. 6024 King Edward I passed its hydraulic test with flying…

NEW-BUILD Churchward ‘County’4-4-0 No. 3840 County of Montgomery will eventually carry a copper-capped chimney formerly carried by a Collett ‘Hall’after the Churchward County Trust (CCT) acquired the one that previously adorned No. 4953 Pitchford Hall. The chimney isn’t a genuine‘County’example, but is a close match to those originally carried by the class. The chimney was replaced on Pitchford Hall during its recent overhaul after a small piece broke off the base during removal. The CCT has had it taken to Cast Iron Welding Services in Coalville for repair, where it was delivered on November 20.…

WORK on the 10-yearly overhaul of Chris Beet’s Peckett ‘R2’ 0-4-0ST No. 1370 was expected to be completed by the time this issue of The RM went to press, with the loco due to return to the Beamish Museum. The 1915-built loco has been on hire to Beamish since 2016, but left in September for overhaul at Alex Sharphouse’s John Fowler Engineering Works at Bouth, near Haverthwaite. Tested The boiler was lifted from the frames in early October, and by mid-November had been repaired, re-tubed, hydraulically tested, steam tested and returned to the frames. The boiler insulation and cladding had also been completed, with the tank expected to go back on the loco during the week beginning November 18. The various cab fittings and pipework have been going back on,…

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A FEASIBILITY study to establish what will be required to reopen Aberdeenshire’s Alford Valley Railway and cost of such a project is expected to be completed around January/February 2020. JQR Consulting and Alan Keef Ltd have been contracted to undertake the study by a steering group working on behalf of Donside Community Council. The steering group, which aims to establish how the railway can be run successfully, held a community information session at Alford on October 27. It is also running an on-line survey to gather the community’s views on what the railway could deliver locally and whether reinstatement would benefit the area. Alford Valley Railway was closed in early 2018 because of the track condition.…

EX-TONGAAT Sugar Co Bagnall 4-4-0T Charles Wytock (2819/1946) has been bought by a Lynton & Barnstaple Railway (L&BR) syndicate headed by L&B company director Anne Belsey. Charles Wytock was bought, with a hydraulic test certificate, by L&BR volunteer John Heys in April 2014 following restoration by Graeme Walton-Binns. It appeared in light steam for L&BR’s September 2014 gala, and hauled its first passenger trains in May 2015. However, its December 2016 annual boiler inspection raised concerns about boiler plates thickness, which were confirmed by a full boiler survey. The problems were all repairable, but a new boiler was a better option. John Heys put the loco up for sale after no long-term L&BR steaming agreement was put in place to justify the expenditure (RM Jan 2018). The new syndicate intends…

FREE travel for all visitors was just one of the ways the Manchester Transport Museum Society (MTMS) said thank you to its friends and supporters when it reopened the Heaton Park Tramway on a wet October 26 following an enforced closure. On September 24, the MTMS announced the tramway would have to close indefinitely after volunteers discovered a 40-metre section of overhead wire had been stolen. The devastating theft severed power to Lakeside depot, rendering the tramway inoperable until repairs could be made. A GoFundMe online appeal was immediately launched to try and raise £3,000 to help pay for the repair and replacement of any damaged span wires and then buy new overhead wire. Such was the strength of public outrage the appeal was rapidly spread widely across social media…

WEST Midlands Metro tram No. 20 became the first to work through to Centenary Square in Birmingham on October 23, as testing continued along the new Westside extension from Grand Central (New Street). This city centre extension is the first stage of a much larger expansion of the network around Birmingham, with the Westside line due to reach Edgbaston via Five Ways in 2021, followed by Curzon Street (then on to Birmingham Airport) and Dudley by 2023. ‘Alternative’ Overnight trials continued into November, with the route to Centenary Square expected to open to passengers before Christmas. The new section will serve the International Convention Centre, the headquarters of HSBC Bank and the Library of Birmingham. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said the aim was to make the tram “a genuinely…

JUST a few days after this issue of The RM is published, the Virgin Trains name will disappear from rail franchising. Whatever your views on Virgin as an operator, owner Sir Richard Branson, and the idea of rail franchising, what Virgin has achieved in 22 years has been a revelation – and dare I say it could have been better had there been less franchise micro-management? Trying to remain impartial, even as a frequent Virgin Trains passenger, when they took over the franchise there were 17 trains an hour to Manchester; now it’s 46. The extra services have actively encouraged increased rail use, and with other enhancements such as the entertainment system Beam and greater use of mobile ticketing, travel has been made easier. It’s been a privilege to work…

FREIGHTLINER joined forces with Samaritans and Greater Anglia at Ipswich station on November 21 to name No. 66416 You Are Never Alone. Neil McNicholas, Freightliner managing director of UK Rail, said: “We wanted to partner with Samaritans for this loco-naming ceremony to pay tribute to, and raise awareness of, the invaluable work they undertake to prevent suicides. He added:“The latest figures show that suicide rose nearly 11% in 2018 and it is the biggest killer of men under 50. “Across the rail industry, we recognise that suicides on the UK rail network are a far too common occurrence. “We want to raise awareness that you are not alone, and Samaritans are always there to listen. “It is also fitting that we are holding this naming ceremony in November, which is…

THE RMT union has said drivers and guards working on South Western Railway will strike for 27 days starting from December 2. The development is part of the on-going battle between rail unions and train operators over the role of guards. The union says the escalation of industrial action comes as it feels ‘let down’ by SWR, which refuses to give assurances on the future operational role of the guards. In late November, two days of talks at the arbitration service Acas failed to bring a resolution. RMT general secretary Mick Cash accused SWR of not being interested in reaching a settlement. The union has also called for SWR to be stripped of its franchise. SWR managing director Andy Mellors said there will always be a guard on our trains.…

PROGRESS on the restoration of the 5-Bel Brighton Belle Pullman project has reached the stage where the project is getting close to static testing. The two trailer vehicles – First Class car No. 82 Doris and kitchen saloon car No. 85 Gravetye Manor – have moved to Locomotive Services Ltd at Crewe, to be completed. The two motor driving cars – No. 88 Mabel and No. 91 Beryl – will eventually move from Shirebrook, allowing the train to be formed and the static testing process of all the train’s electrical and management systems will begin. By working with licensed train operator LSL, the process to commission the train for main line testing on the third rail can be carried out, and this is currently pencilled in for spring time on…

MORTONS Media Group, publisher of The Railway Magazine and its sister publications Heritage Railway and Rail Express, will be one of ELR50’s major supporters. It is particularly significant the magazines are based in Horncastle, which was one of the Lincolnshire towns that lost its railway in October 1970, although passenger services were axed in 1954. Publisher Tim Hartley said: “As an independent Lincolnshire-based business, we are delighted to be playing our part by supporting a magnificent festival, which will do so much to celebrate the county’s railways, past and present. “Mortons and local railways have always been intertwined, as members of the families of our employees would have worked for the Great Northern from its earliest days. “We have been in business locally for more than 140 years, and naturally…

DAVID Bradshaw, the founder of the LMS-Patriot Project and chairman since its launch in 2008, has stepped down amid a major board restructuring. Mr Bradshaw’s resignation was submitted to the LMS-Patriot Company’s secretary after the organisation’s AGM on November 9, followed a few days later by that of engineering director Steve Blackburn. The resignations follow a period of uncertainty over the last 18 months, going back to the project’s departure from the Llangollen Railway (RM Nov 2018) and the subsequent issues with engineering quality. A statement released by the project said: “In recent weeks, members of both the charity board and the trading company board have agreed that significant changes are necessary in order to improve the management of our engineering processes and that additional support for our CME, Kevin…

READERS of The Railway Magazine may not realise how close Great Britain came in the early 1970s to losing almost half of the network we have today. Two people worked together and managed to put a stop to plans for mass closures hatched by civil servants in conditions of total secrecy, and without the involvement or knowledge of the British Railways Board, after the plans found their way into the public domain via a brilliantly orchestrated leak to The Sunday Times. The Rail Policy Review – later known as the Blue Paper – proposed a reduction in the rail network from 11,600 to 6,700 miles. The two men who performed this great public service were Reg Dawson, an assistant secretary at the environment department, and Richard Hope, then editor of…

Bristol amber light FILTON and Bradley Stoke MP Jack Lopresti asked what steps the Department for Transport is taking to help bring forward the Bristol East Junction project. Transport Minister Chris Heaton-Harris said:“Earlier this year, Her Majesty’s Treasury approved funding for advanced works at Bristol East Junction, which significantly de-risk the project’s commissioning phase. “My officials have worked closely with Network Rail to develop the business case for the project, which is close to being finalised, and I expect this to be presented to the Treasury in the coming months. “The Government’s continued support for the West of England region is demonstrated by the £5billion investment in the electrification and upgrade of the Great Western Main Line, stimulating economic growth in the region. “Additionally, the West of England Combined Authority…

OLIVER Bulleid’s reputation is one of a restless genius, the flair of his designs sometimes exceeding their functionality, never content with simply refining tried and tested methods. His career features a series of innovative, arguably eccentric, experiments such as the air-smoothed casing of his wartime ‘mixed traffic’ (and subsequently ‘8P’ classification) ‘Merchant Navy’ Pacifics, their challenging chain-driven and oil bath valve gear components, attempts to breach new ground for steam traction with his ‘Leader’ locomotives, or the turf (peat) burners of his subsequent Irish peregrination. ‘Predictability’ was not a word with which he has ever been associated. While Spitfires were winning vicious dog-fights above Southern Railway metals, Bulleid was competing for scarce manufacturing resources to build his new steam locomotives. A novel electric locomotive was also being developed at Ashford…

But this year, The RM is presenting a special edition of the popular pictorial quiz with the added bonus of £100 worth of Video 125 DVDs to the winner. In addition, there will also be two runners-up prizes of Video 125 DVDs to the value of £50. To enter, identify the locations of the eight pictures and list them on your entry in numerical order. You can email your entry to RMcomp@mortons.co.uk or post them to The Railway Magazine, Where Is It? Competition, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JZ. ■ Closing date is January 3, 2020. ■ Winners will be drawn at random and notified by post. ■ Answers and winners will be printed in the February 2020 issue. ■ UK entrants only. ■ Full Terms & Conditions at:…

Locomotives & Recollections – No. 45596 Bahamas By John Hillier WITHOUT doubt, one of the most popular main line steam locomotives is ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596 Bahamas, and this inexpensive book covers all of its preservation history as well as a snippet of its LMS and BR history. Bought by the Bahamas Locomotive Society in 1967, the loco was repaired and repainted by Hunslet the same year before being approved by BR for main line use. Covering the society’s time at Dinting, the fascinating history of Bahamas is supported by letters, records cards and lots of history. The informative text is backed by some memorable photographs of the loco’s exploits on the main line and in preservation between 1989 and 1997. In 2010 society members agreed to support the…

I THOROUGHLY agree with last month’s editorial (RM Nov) about lame excuses, such as‘staff shortages’, made for not providing the advertised services by some train companies. I was in a service industry (vehicle rental) for 38 years and we knew when peaks and troughs of demand came and PLANNED accordingly. Is it too much to expect the rail industry to do likewise, especially as their senior managers appear to be well paid and ought to be able to run a business? “Staff shortages” ought to be exceptional NOT the catch-all excuse for not providing the service for which they are contracted. Being unable to provide a booked rental vehicle when the customer was expecting it was NOT an option in any of the companies I worked for. As a former…

CODES: Their use seems to be a way of life – even a necessity in today’s computerised world. Most spotters used a book crammed full of codes, although they did not always realise it. ‘M7’ – now that is a code. For those of a certain age mention ‘M7’ and immediately they will have a vision of a particular Southern tank type, far better than having to say a Drummond 0-4-4 tank in the number series 30XXX. Just as much a code are the TOPS class designations, and depending on one’s age, the numbers 37 or 800 would have a significance. However, a book filled from end to end with a list of codes was the Ian Allan Locoshed book, listing the allocation of every locomotive by the use of…

WEST Somerset Railway (WSR) chairman Jonathan Jones-Pratt is evaluating what the future has in store for his BR(W) ‘Castle’ No. 7027 Thornbury Castle, including whether the unrestored 4-6-0 remains part of the JJP Holdings fleet long-term. Currently, the loco is not actually on the market, but Mr Jones-Pratt is giving careful consideration to what may be in the best interests of the ‘Castle’. Seeing No. 7027 return to steam remains his ultimate goal, but Mr Jones-Pratt is under no illusions about the size of undertaking. However, with No. 4936 Kinlet Hall and ‘94XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 9466 also to look after and maintain, not to mention his WSR, business and family commitments, he admits the ‘Castle’ may not get the attention it deserves. In the meantime it remains ‘business as usual’,…

STAFFORDSHIRE’S Churnet Valley Railway (CVR) is ready for the ‘Santa Special’ season, slightly more than a month since flood waters washed part of the railway away. The railway was forced to abandon its Super Power Saturday event featuring three ‘S160’ 2-8-0s on October 26 after the Caldon Canal breached south of Consall as a result of persistent heavy rain. The flood waters washed away ballast and a section of supporting embankment, leaving track hanging in mid-air. The railway had no choice but to suspend all services until repairs had been completed. Yet thanks to offers of support and assistance from the rail industry and the local community, repairs to the affected section of line have now been completed, enabling the railway to reopen during the weekend of November 23-24.…

NOVEMBER 15 was a red letter date for Tyseley Locomotive Works’ rejuvenated project to build a replica London & North Western Railway (LNWR) ‘Bloomer’2-2-2, seeing the large single driving wheelset fitted to the locomotive. Tyseley launched its Pioneer Inter City Train project in June, which will see the James McConnell-designed Single (No. 670) completed, together with a short matching train. Work on the ‘Bloomer’ originally began in 1986 and reached an advanced stage of construction, but the project was put on the back burner owing to TLW’s other commitments and priorities. The wheelset was positioned using the Tyseley wheeldrop; this is possibly the first time in living memory that a ‘Single’ has been wheeled in a British locomotive works. It was done to get the locomotive ready for display at…

THE LMS-Patriot Company has launched an appeal to raise £100,000 to complete the all-new Fowler-designed boiler, which is nearing completion at Heritage Boiler Steam Services (HBSS) at Huyton, Merseyside. The additional funds are required to cover unforeseen costs that have come to light since the boiler appeal was first launched back in 2010. In the subsequent decade the design specifications and costings have changed, and additional items not previously costed into the original estimate are now required. For example, the material specification for the 1,800 boiler stays has changed from steel to copper. Steel stays were originally going to be used on advice from boiler insurers Royal Sun Alliance, which said steel stays would be sufficient for a 200psi boiler. However, it has now been decided to use copper stays…

SPECIALIST contractors and Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail (IÉ) workers have completed essential coastal defence repairs on the scenic stretch of the former Dublin & South Eastern Railway line between Greystones and Bray. The work at Bray Head saw the line temporarily closed between Bray and Greystones over the Bank Holiday weekend (October 26-28), and again on November 9-10. DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) passengers were conveyed by a rail replacement bus service between the two County Wicklow towns, with buses also linking Dublin Connolly with Rosslare. The repairs have primarily focused on the sea defences at Bray Head, which are formed from tiered, stone-filled gabion baskets over a mass concrete wall, with a lower level masonry wall. Erosion has resulted in the structure deforming, leading to a depression appearing in the…

THE Republic of Ireland’s government minister for transport, tourism and sport Shane Ross TD has approved the proposed purchase of 41 additional carriages by Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail (IÉ). IÉ announced the approval of the €150million order on October 30, which will strengthen its 22000 Class railcar sets serving the Great Dublin Area (GDA). The intention is for the extra vehicles to enter service by 2021, providing 34% increased capacity at peak times The new stock will be used with the InterCity 22000 Class fleet to create longer train sets, which can be used across the GDA commuter network, as well as providing additional services on the Kildare, Maynooth and Northern lines. However, it was unclear at the time of writing whether the new stock will be built by Hyundai Rotem…

ISLE of Man’s Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer has dismissed a proposal to reduce the Manx Electric Railway (MER) to single track as a 'non-starter'. The idea was raised by fellow House of Keys member Bill Shimmins, who proposed utilising part of the trackbed of the double-track line as a cycleway and footpath. The Minister addressed and rejected the suggestion on both financial and safety grounds in House of Keys (Manx Parliament) on October 29. He said converting the MER to a single line would reduce the service to 33% of its current timetable, cutting income, while creating a cycle path would have immense capital costs reaching into“many millions of pounds”. In respect of disused trackbeds, plans have been unveiled in the House of Keys to upgrade the footpath on the…

HAMPTON & Kempton Waterworks Railway (H&KWR) hopes resident steam might be available in time for‘Santa’trains. The new boiler for Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Darent has been fitted in the frames at London Museum of Water & Steam (Kew), with Darent to be returned to the railway as soon as the brake system is reinstated. H&KWR, without steam through 2019, has been pleasantly surprised to find this has not affected passenger numbers, which are up compared to 2018.…

THE overhaul of 15in-gauge 0-4-2 tender loco Bonnie Dundee is approaching the latter stages. The boiler has been tested, a new smokebox put in place and the tender features a new extended footwell and new brake gear. New Stephenson valve gear, similar to that originally supplied when the loco was 2ft-gauge Kerr, Stuart 0-4-0WT 720/1901, is also being fitted. Bonnie Dundee is owned by Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and is being returned to steam by John Fowler Engineering for Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway.…

Overhaul of LT No. 1622 begins LONDON Transport‘E/1’ car No. 1622 is currently undergoing overhaul at Crich, with good progress made by early November. Refurbishment of the traction motors and wheelsets has been completed by Dorlec Ltd in Clay Cross, and satisfactorily tested on its rolling road. They were subsequently dispatched to Crich, where they were reassembled into the truck frames. Blackpool ‘Centenary’ car returns to service ‘CENTENARY’car No. 642 returned to service in Blackpool on October 23 after spending most of the year side-lined for repair. No. 642 had been awaiting spare parts from sister car No. 643 (sold intact for use as a classroom in Rugby) after suffering an inverter fault during the Winter Gold event in January. Repairs were completed during the summer, but further technical issues…

THE torrential rain and subsequent flooding that hit South Yorkshire in early-November led to a nine-day closure of the Sheffield to Rotherham tram-train service. Heavy flooding at the Rotherham Parkgate retail park, the line’s northern terminus, saw the service suspended on November 7, and did not resume until November 16. Other tram and heavy-rail services in the area were also affected, but Parkgate was hit worse than others. The tram-train route at Rotherham Central station was also badly affected, and at times the space between the platforms resembled a canal rather than a railway. There was more bad news for the tram-trains on November 19 when damage to power lines meant the service was temporarily suspended again, with passengers directed to local buses and Northern Rail services via Meadowhall. ■…

EDITORIAL Editor: Chris Milner Deputy editor: Gary Boyd-Hope Consultant editor: Nick Pigott Senior correspondent: Ben Jones Designer: Tim Pipes Picture desk: Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield Publisher: Tim Hartley Production editor: Sarah Wilkinson Sub-editor: Nigel Devereux Editorial assistant: Jane Skayman Classic Traction News: Peter Nicholson Operations News: Ashley Butlin Narrow Gauge News: Cliff Thomas Metro News: Paul Bickerdyke World News: Keith Fender ADVERTISING Group advertising manager: Sue Keily Advertising: Craig Amess PUBLISHING Subscription manager: Paul Deacon Circulation manager: Steve O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Publishing director: Dan Savage Commercial director: Nigel Hole Published by: Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR PRINT AND DISTRIBUTIONS Printed by: William Gibbons & Son, Wolverhampton…

‘A4’PACIFIC No. 60009 Union of South Africa and‘K4’No. 61994 The Great Marquess still face an uncertain future even though owner John Cameron has finally won planning permission for a visitor centre on his Scottish farm. Fife Council approved the project in November, but continues to insist the development be for agricultural purposes only – a decision that rules out plans for an exhibition hall housing the two legendary Scottish locomotives. The authority’s reason for a previous refusal was that“prime agricultural land would be built upon”rather than farmed, so the former ScotRail chairman selected a slightly different site and re-submitted the proposal without the hall or the locomotives. This revised plan gained approval on November 13, as did a separate application for a large storage building nearby – but the council…

RE-CREATED Collett‘Grange’ No. 6880 Betton Grange is on course to enter service during the summer as the 6880 Betton Grange Society reaches the final stages of the 10-year project. No. 6880’s overhauled Standard No. 1 boiler received its first warming fire at Tyseley Locomotive Works (TLW) on November 16 (see p74), having only passed its hydraulic test the previous evening. The TLW team, led by Alastair Meanley, subsequently planned to keep a warming fire going for up to 10 days to check for leaks or other problems. Subject to receiving a clean bill of health, the smokebox is expected to be attached to the boiler in early December and the finished unit dropped into the completed rolling chassis. A full steam test will follow once the boiler has been piped…

DEUTSCHE Bahn’s (DB) supervisory board shelved the planned sale of Arriva in mid-November. Uncertainty caused by Brexit, pension liabilities at its UK subsidary Arriva reportedly up to £1billion, and the status of the Northern rail franchise has depressed the price bidders were willing to pay. Reports suggest the best bid was €2.5bn, considerably less than the €4bn valuation of Arriva on DB’s balance sheet. Days after the decision to suspend the sale process DB’s chief financial officer Alexander Doll left the company. DB announced plans to offload Arriva back in March in response to a recommendation by the German Federal Court of Auditors, with the aim of reducing DB’s substantial debt. Reports indicated none of the potential bidders wanted to acquire the Northern Rail franchise, and many had only offered…

BRITAIN’S rail staff don’t get thanked as often as they should. They do, however, deserve praise for attempting to keep as many trains as possible running through the recent floods crisis in which some areas received a month’s rain in just 24 hours. As an example, a journey I made on the Midland Main Line to Sheffield in November was clobbered first by closure of the route at Long Eaton and then by a fallen tree across the line at Duffield. The first problem was overcome by a diversion along the freight-only Sheet Stores Jct to Stenson Jct line (itself down to 5mph in places because of water over the rails) and the second by removal of the offending tree while our diversion was taking place. At one point, with…

A REMARKABLE tale has reached me as a result of my water troughs feature in last year’s May issue. of The RM. It concerns North Eastern Railway driver Sanderson, who in 1911 was working a heavy goods train along the East Coast Main Line from York to Shildon. As his engine – 0-8-0 No. 2118 – had been low on water at Northallerton, he wished to pick some up on Wiske Moor troughs, but realised his train was going too slow. So he brought it to a stand on the main line, uncoupled the engine from the wagons… and took a run at the troughs! After going as fast as he could for more than a third of a mile to get enough water into the tender, he then reversed…

While not the largest cabin on the LUL network, Edgware Road was certainly the busiest, still running a manually operated mechanical frame. The December 1951 rebuild replaced the wooden panelling with metal, in line with the standards for the era. The signals controlled from the cabin were also standardised to the latest practice and rewired. The frame had 40 lever spaces with 38 levers. Eleven of them operate points, 22 signals, with two emergency release levers and three spares. The most recent modification to the Edgware Road cabin was in 2011 when the ‘S’ stock trains arrived and variable speed signage (VSS) was introduced, allowing the signaller to vary the speed limit, depending on circumstances. ■ At the start of August, the staffed cabins still open were: Amersham, Barking, Edgware…

READERS of my page in the August issue of The Railway Magazine may remember I made an appeal for information about the whereabouts of a number of missing important and valuable artefacts designated and protected under the Railway Heritage Act 1996. My colleagues in the Railway Heritage Designation Advisory Board (RHDAB) and I are grateful for the response we received and are following up a number of leads. At our October meeting we decided to set up an informal working group to pursue these, and I shall report progress in future articles. One reader wrote directly to RM editor Chris Milner, and this set off a remarkable chain of events that involved eBay, a scrap metal dealer in the East Midlands, the chairman of Network Rail, the chief constable of…

Bahamas Locomotive Society THE very popular vintage steam calendar for 2020 from the Bahamas Locomotive Society contains 13 quality black & white images. The cover image of Caledonian 4-2-2 No. 123 leaving Princes Street station, Edinburgh, is just a taster of what is inside, with all images taken by the late Eric Oldham and BLS member Martin Welch, and providing a great reminder of bygone steam days. There's a month to a view and space for appointments, too. The calendar is ring-backed with a month to a view and space for notes. It is sized 8¼in x 11½in, priced at £5 (£6.75 with P&P). It is available online at: ingrow locomuseum.com or at the society’s shop at Ingrow West on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. Western Locomotive Association THE…

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BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Railway Centre (BRC) is the official home to a pair of Hawksworth‘Modified Hall’4-6-0s after adding semi-restored No. 6984 Owsden Hall to its list of resident locos. The surprise news that owner Trevor Westbury was transferring No. 6984 from the Swindon & Cricklade Railway (S&CR) to Quainton was announced in mid-November, with the loco moving to its new home later in the month on November 25. The 4-6-0 had been resident at Hayes Knoll since 2013 and had seen its restoration make great strides during the past five years under the S&CR engineering team led by Chris Denton. Much of the bottom-end reassembly had been completed, including the motion, many cab fittings sourced or made and fitted, while the loco’s 4,000-gallon tender had also been finished. This tender is currently…

SEVERN Valley Railway-based LMS 2-6-0 No. 13268 is back on its wheels at Bridgnorth as the final push begins to return the loco to traffic next year. Re-wheeling of the unique Stanier Mogul took place on October 29, and since then the spring hangers and coupling rods have all been refitted, along with the brake gear. Much work is focused on alignment, owing to a sizeable section of frames having been replaced on the fireman’s side. Other work in recent weeks has seen the valve liners fitted, the tender brake mechanism overhauled, and the boiler cladding sheets receive their gloss black paintwork. The Bridgnorth boiler shop has been equally busy on the loco’s taper boiler. The firebox outer doorplate has had the lower two thirds replaced, and the inner firebox…

IVATT‘2MT’2-6-0 No. 46464 is returning to the railway it once called home after its owning group, the Carmyllie Pilot Company, signed an agreement with the Strathspey Railway on November 20 that will see the loco relocated to Aviemore for completion of its long-term overhaul. The locomotive had been based on the railway during the 1970s when under the ownership of the late Ian Fraser. It hauled the line’s first scheduled passenger train on July 22, 1978, and was a regular performer on the line for several more years until suffering accidental firebox damage. It was subsequently moved to the Caledonian Railway at Brechin in November 1989, but moved to a nearby private site in 2002 after being acquired by the current owners. Since then a small group of volunteers has…

‘K1’ to visit Great Central in January THE North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group’s Peppercorn ‘K1’ 2-6-0 No. 62005 will make a winter visit to the Great Central Railway early in 2020. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway-based Mogul is expected to arrive in early January. Last day for Mid-Hants Railway BR ‘9F’ JEREMY Hosking’s BR ‘9F’ 2-10-0 No. 92214 is booked to work the last trains of its current boiler certificate at the Mid-Hants Railway on December 28. Its ‘ticket’ expires on January 1, after which it will be withdrawn for overhaul. WD identity for Bo’ness ‘8F’ THE Scottish Railway Preservation Society’s ex-Turkish ‘8F’ No. 45170 will have its original War Department identity restored when it eventually returns to steam. The locomotive is currently the subject of a £350,000 restoration appeal,…

DAVID Buck, the owner of railtour operator Steam Dreams and Thompson ‘B1’ No. 61306 Mayflower, has bought semi-restored Hunslet 0-4-0ST Vigilant (287/1883) and has pledged to return it to full working order. The locomotive is the oldest surviving standard-gauge Hunslet in the UK, and has been undergoing restoration at Rocks By Rail (RBR) in Cottesmore since moving there from the Northamptonshire Ironstone Railway Trust (NIRT) in 2010. The project was started by the loco’s previous owner, the late Simon Layfield, but has been steadily continued by his father Peter and RBR volunteers since his death in 2014. Much of the work had concentrated on the bottom end, including replacement of the seasoned oak bufferbeams, wheel and axlebox repairs and some boiler plate renewal. However, the loco has been for sale…

THE overhaul of another former Yates, Duxbury & Sons Peckett – ‘R1’ 0-4-0ST Annie (1159/1908) – is also making good progress at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. Since moving to Quainton from the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway in the spring of last year, owner Dave Horsley has completed the boiler overhaul and put it through a successful hydraulic test. The boiler is now back in the frames and the ashpan and grate installed ahead of a steam test. Other recent work has focused on the smokebox, which was almost finished at the time of writing, while the rear of the cab has been grit blasted and painted ready for re-fitting. ■ The third surviving Yates, Duxbury loco – Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Annie (945/1904) – is the subject of an on-going…

Slieve Gullion stripped at Whitehead… THE RPSI’s Whitehead engineering team has completed stripping down the society’s flagship GNR(I) S Class 4-4-0 No. 171 Slieve Gullion to the main frames in its renewed bid to return the loco to steam. The wheelsets will go on the wheel lathe for tyre turning, and the already de-tubed boiler prepared for re-tubing. For details on how you can help the project visit: www. steamtrainsireland.com/appeals …as R H Smyth goes back on display FORMER Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners Avonside 0-6-0ST R H Smyth (2021/1928) has been put on display at the Whitehead Railway Museum following the completion of a cosmetic restoration. The locomotive, which the RPSI famously bought for £1 from Rev L H Campbell in 1972, now…

HAMPSHIRE Narrow Gauge Railway Trust (HNGRT) operated public trains for the final time at Bursledon Brickworks museum, near Southampton, on October 27. After being actively involved in preservation for 58 years the organisation is now being wound up and its assets distributed to other narrow gauge lines (RM Nov). Operations featured Simplex 8694/1942 Ashby and F C Hibberd & Co Ltd Type 39 ‘Planet 2’ 3787/1956. The Simplex was built for Sir Alfred McAlpine & Son and subsequently worked at the York Brick and Tile Company. It has a Perkins three-cylinder diesel engine rather than the original Dorman engine. It was donated to what is now Bursledon Brickworks museum in the 1990s, and will remain at the site, not being part of the HNGRT collection. In addition to the previously…

TRACK donated to the Sierra Leone National Railway Museum by London Museum of Water & Steam earlier this year has been laid in the country’s capital Freetown to create a pump-trolley demonstration line. The track originated from the Metropolitan Water Board’s closed Hampton to Kempton light railway (part of which is now being revived by Hampton & Kempton Waterworks Railway). It was donated to the museum at Kew by Thames Water many years ago when the museum was laying its demonstration line.…

THE Talyllyn Railway (TR) is developing plans for a new workshop facility at Pendre, Tywyn, following the purchase earlier this year of‘The Orchard’land. Phase one of the project is construction of a new facility at Wharf station to house the railway’s historic carriages and wagons, allowing them to be displayed to the public when not in use. The purchase of the house ‘Trefri’, next to Tywyn Wharf station (RM Oct), has been completed. Pending a final decision on its future use and preparation of plans and financing arrangements the five-bedroom mock-Tudor house, dating from around 1908, is likely to be rented out on a short-term basis.…

■ THE Amerton Railway was unable to run trains on October 26 because of extensive flooding of the fields in which the railway runs. A morning track inspection the next day established the railway was undamaged, and services resumed. Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum Trust had to cancel its Statfold At War event because of severe flooding of the site over the weekend of October 5-6. ■ BILL Parker’s Manning, Wardle 0-6-2T Chevallier undertook a test run over Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway (W&LLR) on November 4 following modifications by its owner’s staff. Chevallier has been stored at Llanfair for several years, its last test over the line being in November 2018. ■ THE Ffestiniog Railway’s Hunslet 0-4-0ST Lilla returned to steam following overhaul on October 25. It re-entered traffic on…