Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2020 i The Railway Magazine

THE downturn in passengers stemming from the need for essential travel during the coronavirus pandemic has seen the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway used to store Class 144 ‘Pacer’ units. The heritage line is housing 18 of the 23-strong fleet for Northern, and in the process providing a vital income stream when it cannot run passenger services. The only ‘Pacers’ not at the railway are Nos. 144008, 144015, 144018, 144021 and 144023, which are in warm storage at Heaton depot. Two Class 170s were temporarily stored at the line in mid-April. Pictured at Keighley, No. 144017 heads a line of units, with a second line just visible. More units are being stored on the station run round loop. Set No. 144011 has been donated to the railway by Porterbrook and…

THE Government has confirmed it will provide support for England’s light rail systems to‘allow essential services to continue’. The announcement on April 24 came three days after the metropolitan mayors of Liverpool and Greater Manchester held a press briefing highlighting the fact heavy rail and buses were being given financial supports, but light rail and some other systems had been ignored. In the briefing, held remotely, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham warned that the region’s Metrolink system could be shut down unless funding was provided swiftly by the Government, indicating that support was needed within‘days rather than weeks’ following a fall in monthly income from around £6million to‘well below £1million’ because of the coronavirus ‘lockdown’. Liverpool City mayor Steve Rotheram added that while the Merseyrail system is funded differently, passenger…

John Farrow THE founder of Hertfordshire Rail Tours (HRT) and more recently its successor, UK Railtours, died in hospital on April 19. John Farrow had been in hospital for cancer treatment, but with a weakened immune system, he contracted Covid-19 and was unable to fight the virus. John’s daughter Liz said no family could be with him because of the virus regulations. Only a nurse was able to be at his side. John’s involvement with railtours began when he was working for British Rail, running occasional tours for the Lea  Valley Railway Club (LVRC) to raise funds for its clubhouse. Hertfordshire Railtours (HRT) was formed in 1979 while John was still running tours for the LVRC. His first tour was with ‘The Pines Express’on March 17, 1979, from Paddington to…

A MAN British Transport Police described as a serial fraudster has been jailed for two years after defrauding train operators out of around £40,000 over a five-year period. Thomas Ingram, 34, from Blackpool, carried out a sophisticated and pre-meditated fraud, initially using the chargeback scheme, before moving to the Delay Repay compensation system to claim back cash for journeys he had never made. He produced and printed hundreds of fake tickets from his home address, for which he claimed compensation from nine different train operators. BTP say the claims totalled £130,000, with Ingram submitting hundreds of claims over a prolonged period, using more than 40 aliases and false addresses. BTP financial investigators managed to trace the fraudulent pay outs made through a series of personal and alias PayPal accounts back…

TRANSLINK, the parent company behind Northern Ireland Railways, has given two of its 3000 Class DMUs – Nos. 3006 and 3021 – special vinyl makeovers in support of the #ChaseTheRainbow movement during the Covid-19 pandemic. Similar graphics have been applied to Translink buses and bus shelters, billboards and across its social media platforms, promoting important safety advice to stay home and save lives. Additionally, all health and social care trust workers within Northern Ireland have been granted free travel on Translink rail and bus services within Northern Ireland until the end of June.…

“THE policeman parked his moped against the fence and leaned over the bridge parapet. ‘What are you doing down there?’ he shouted. ‘What do you think I’m doing?’, I called back, rather put out by his strident tone. ‘Come up here at once!’ he demanded. Knowing that the 4.10pm from Paddington was due shortly and that it was being hauled by a ‘King’, I stood my ground. ‘Right, I’m coming down to you then!’. “And with that, the constable began to slip, slide and stumble down the steep-sided cutting. When he eventually got to the bottom he crossed the main line to get to me and just as he was about to take me to task, I quietly showed him my official Western Region lineside permit. “He read it, glared…

Porterbrook – delivering a sustainable and reliable railway www.porterbrook.co.uk…

100 YEARS AGO MAY 1920 First aid equipment on trains PROVISION of first-aid equipment on trains is recommended by Colonel Pringle in his report to the Ministry of Transport on the collision between a passenger train and goods train near Godley, on the Great Central Railway, on January 31. Col Pringle said: “The addition of a small box of dressings to the emergency equipment carried on passenger trains, where not now so provided, is therefore desirable.” Margate miniature line A MINIATURE railway (15-in. gauge) is being laid down in the amusement ground at Hall-by-the-Sea, Margate. The railway has several interesting features, including a five-span Warren truss viaduct, 85ft line as well as several other bridges over and under the line. 50 YEARS AGO MAY 1970 Southampton container traffic WITH the…

THE following is a list of online appeal pages set up by preserved railways to help see them through the coronavirus pandemic: ■ Amberley Museum: https://tinyurl.com/to78tef ■ Amerton Railway: https://tinyurl.com/uy9gjg3 ■ Avon Valley Railway: https://tinyurl.com/v9opqrg ■ Bala Lake Railway: https://tinyurl.com/vo56z73 ■ Battlefield Line: https://tinyurl.com/wnrs394 ■ Beamish Museum: https://tinyurl.com/vc5hazy ■ Bluebell Railway: https://tinyurl.com/uguowsu ■ Bodmin & Wenford Railway: https://tinyurl.com/snls4mw ■ Bressingham Steam Museum: https://tinyurl.com/s6bqjs8 ■ Buckinghamshire Railway Centre: https://tinyurl.com/t6cmbew ■ Cambrian Heritage Railways: https://tinyurl.com/r6he4dd ■ Cavan & Leitrim Railway: https://tinyurl.com/y8jvlebl ■ Chasewater Railway: https://tinyurl.com/tjjt74j ■ Colne Valley Railway: https://tinyurl.com/u8wo7g9 ■ Dean Forest Railway: https://tinyurl.com/ray3x3z ■ Didcot Railway Centre: https://tinyurl.com/s2t3lay ■ East Kent Railway: https://tinyurl.com/vso2hk4 ■ East Lancashire Railway: https://tinyurl.com/ua79aza ■ East Somerset Railway: https://tinyurl.com/wdxhuzg ■ Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: https://tinyurl.com/ut2a5e4 ■ Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway: https://tinyurl.com/rqtrmcf ■ Fairbourne Railway: https://tinyurl.com/uwqqwmm ■…

OUR heritage railways may be facing their greatest challenges since the birth of the preservation movement 70 years ago, but that has not stopped the West Somerset Railway (WSR) aiding the communities they serve during the Covid-19 lockdown. Food from the WSR’s temporarily closed Turntable Cafe at Minehead, which would have otherwise gone to waste, has been donated to local food banks via the West Somerset Food Cupboard. Rubber gloves Furthermore, 800 pairs of protective rubber gloves from the railway’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies were delivered to Minehead Community Hospital to support the NHS during the crisis. “I’m very pleased that we have also been able to give something back to the local community with our donations of food to the local Food Cupboard and some rubber gloves for…

THE project to re-create a GWR Churchward‘47XX’2-8-0 is leaving its long-term home at the Llangollen Railway after the contract to complete the rolling chassis of No. 4709 was awarded to Leaky Finders, at Hele, near Exeter. The frames of the Great Western Society locomotive had been due to leave Llangollen at the end of March, but the move had to be postponed as part of the wider coronavirus protection measures. “We’re moving to get the next stage of the project started,” said project treasurer Richard Croucher. “The wheelsets, pony truck and many other components are currently at a very busy Tyseley Locomotive Works and will follow the chassis to its new home shortly. “We have always had a good working relationship with the Llangollen Railway and will be only too…

THE Churnet Valley Railway (CVR) has continued planning for its eventual reopening to Leek, adding three additional BR Mk1 coaches to its stock list. The CVR has taken delivery of TSO No. S4046 – the third Mk1 to arrive this year. This followed the news it had been awarded an 80% grant towards the cost of the Leek extension from the European Agriculture Rural Development Fund (RM April). The unrestored coach joins TSO No. E3809 and SO No. M4366, which have all been bought for restoration in order to give the CVR a serviceable fleet of 10 coaches for running into Leek, plus an additional four coaches for the hugely popular dining train. However, the railway is now asking for support in funding the purchase and transport of the three…

THE North Tyneside Steam Railway (NTSR) announced the postponement of its May 8-10 Victor & Vulcan Reunion gala on the day after the April issue of The RM went to press. The gala was set to bring together the two surviving Steel Company of Wales (SCOW) Bagnall‘New Standard 18’0-6-0STs Nos. 401 and 403 (better known as Vulcan and the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway’s Victor) for the first time since the mid-1980s. It will now be held during 2021. The closure of the Stephenson Railway Museum in March has resulted in work on the repaint of No. 401 (2994/1951) into SCOW maroon livery coming to a halt. The work will resume once the museum reopens, and No. 401 will re-enter service in its new livery soon afterwards.…

THE cross-border ‘Enterprise’ service linking Belfast with Dublin and operated jointly by Irish Rail and Northern Ireland Railways has had its daily train total cut by six services each day, Sundays excepted. The 06.45, 16.05 and 20.05 departures from Belfast Lanyon Place to Dublin Connolly (Monday to Saturday) were cancelled from March 23, while the 09.30, 13.20 and 20.50 services in the opposite direction have also been temporarily withdrawn. The Sunday timetable has seen the 11.05 Belfast-Dublin and the 14.00 Dublin-Belfast trains dropped until further notice.…

THE structure of the timber-built engine shed at the Southwold Railway Trust’s Steamworks site has been completed by contractors. Volunteers will finish the building by fitting the main doors and wall vent. The building incorporates what will become a metal-working shop. Restoration of ex-Manx Northern Railway Cleminson six-wheel coach N. 42 is progressing at Steamworks, with the distinctive diagonal-boarded floor refurbished and glazing of the vehicle, including leather drop window straps and fittings, completed. The trust hopes two of the compartments will be completed sufficiently to be displayed to visitors this year.…

HALESWORTH to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway Society started work at the end of February to conserve the ‘coal shed’ at Blythburgh, the sole-surviving original Southwold Railway building. It is known as the ‘coal shed’ but its actual use is unclear, there being no evidence it was actually used to store coal. Since Southwold Railway closed in 1929 the building has become derelict with extensive ivy growth over the walls and roof threatening to collapse the structure. The society secured sponsorship for 70 sleepers to relay track at Bird’s Folly, Halesworth, and is now seeking sponsors to finance laying a point and a short length of track at Bird’s Quarry Junction.…

Improvements in West Cornwall MID-FEBRUARY saw Network Rail undertake engineering work at several locations in West Cornwall. Viaduct waterproofing and track work took place between Redruth and Hayle on February 15-23 and bridge refurbishment work was also carried out on the St Ives line between between February 15 and 20. Brighter and cleaner subway for Barrow BARROW-IN-FURNESS station has a new £2.4million passenger subway, providing a cleaner and brighter route between platforms for passengers. The station was closed between February 28 and March 2 and overnight on March 7-8 to allow engineers to replace the old subway. Level crossing upgrades in Midlands FOUR level crossings in the Midlands have been improved by Network Rail to ensure continued safe operation. Crossings on the Derby to Crewe route at Tutbury in Derbyshire…

HITRANS, the regional transport partnership for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, is recommending that a task force be set up to press for much-needed investment on the Perth to Inverness main line. Electrification is seen as key to improving journey times, delivering greater reliability and resilience while contributing to the Scottish Government’s objective to reduce transport carbon emissions to zero. However, a report by consultants Systra acknowledges full electrification of the route would be a major challenge, both in terms of cost and engineering. Instead it suggests a discontinuous electrification programme, including the use of battery or hydrogen trains, should be considered as an interim solution. While the parallel A9 road is in line for a £3billion package of upgrades, the 118-mile Highland Main Line has seen only limited…

THE latest tranche of Government Access for All funding will see £20million invested to improve accessibility at 124 stations across Britain, including a number on the Greater Anglia (GA) network. At Colchester, the money will help to fund a new passenger lift linking the platforms and subway to the main booking hall and car park, completing step-free access throughout the station. GA was also successful in gaining funding for accessibility improvements at Bury St Edmunds and Needham Market stations in Suffolk. Needham Market will receive a long-awaited upgrade to improve access to the Ipswich-bound platform 2 at the station, while at Bury St Edmunds, a new accessible entrance will be built on the north side of the station, linking the new car park with the station concourse.…

SWISS metre-gauge operator Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) has ordered 12 three-car 11 kV 16·7 Hz AC EMUs from Stadler in an order worth CHF 149million (£124m). The new trains, equipped to work on the line’s Abt rack system, will replace loco-hauled stock operating regional trains on routes from Disentis/ Mustér to Zermatt and Andermatt to Göschenen. As a result, some of the current MGB loco fleet will be withdrawn in 2022/2023. An option for 15 more units has been agreed, with these not likely to be ordered before 2028. Five two-car Abt rack EMUs – each 34.6m-long, using the unique 725V 50 Hz AC two-wire traction current – have also been ordered from Stadler, costing CHF45 million (£38m) for use on the 9·4km Gornergrat mountain railway, operated by MGB partner…

TRAMFORWARD, the campaigning arm of the Light Rail Transit Association, says it is disappointed with a Department for Transport study into decarbonising transport as it glosses over the important role played by tram and metro systems. Trams have very low carbon emissions, while the low rolling resistance of steel wheels on steel rails uses less energy than rubber tyres on roads. Trams are also reported to have a better track record of encouraging modal shift from private to public transport than buses, which is one of the DfT’s main aims in reducing emissions. TramForward says it would not suggest trams can replace buses everywhere, but their use on the most heavily used urban routes would go a long way to reducing roadside pollution. Like us facebook.com/TheRailwayMagazine Follow us @railwaymagazine…

REMOVAL of rolling stock at the private Coulsdon & Old Vehicle Engineering Society site at Finmere, Oxfordshire (the former Great Central station site), has continued. This follows the recent departure of Network SouthEast Railway Society’s 4-CIG EMU No. 1753 to Nemesis Rail, Burton-upon-Trent (RM March). Items known to have gone into store at Ministry of Defence, Bicester, include Class 73 No. 73130 and Ruston & Hornsby 4wDMs No. 46 Heather (242868 of 1946) and 458961 of 1946. Also moved to Bicester are EMUs Class 501 Nos. 61183 and 75186, and four two-EPB DMBS cars. Former 4-SUB car No. S10400S (977364) from set No. 4349, which was in poor condition, has been broken up, having failed to find a buyer. Not yet accounted for are five LT tube stock cars, Nord…

METEOR Power Limited has created a ‘First in Class’ hybrid Class 08 shunter in an innovation competition to convert a diesel shunting locomotive to a modern hybrid electric system. The competition was run by the Department for Transport (DfT). When the company was awarded the contract, it took six weeks to find a suitable Class 08 loco as the most suitable test bed – a task assisted by the NRM associate curator Bob Gwynne, who claimed Wolverton Works had several of the class. After Gemini Rail Services took over operations at Wolverton Works in November 2018, they inherited two Class 08 shunters – Nos. 08629 and 08649 – which were surplus to requirements. Both locomotives had tripped the Royal Train between the Works and Wolverton Centre Sidings for more than…

HULL Trains says ‘unprecedented circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic’ forced it to temporarily suspend all train services from March 30. Despite running a revised timetable, the number of people travelling had dropped significantly since national guidance was issued to stay at home and stop all non-essential travel. However, as an open access operator with no subsidy, revenues from ticket sales are its main income, and by suspending services and furloughing staff reduces its fixed costs. As one of three open access operators, it has not been offered additional financial support from the Government, unlike franchised rail operators. Managing director Louise Cheeseman said it “was a difficult decision but would help to safeguard the future of the business, and they planned to return as soon as possible”. It is a similar…

CROSSRAIL faces further delays after completion work was stopped at all sites across London until further notice. Transport for London (TfL) halted Crossrail work on March 24, the day after the Prime Minister outlined more stringent lockdown measures. Only essential maintenance necessary to ensure the safety of the project will continue. The beleaguered project is one of several major rail schemes suspended as a result of measures introduced by the Government to slow the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. HS2 Phase 1 preparations and several of Network Rail’s major projects have been scaled back to comply with social distancing rules. Crossrail’s core section under central London was initially due to open in December 2018 with a full service planned from December 2019. However, delays, technical issues and cost overruns have…

THE Department for Transport has made direct awards to both GWR and Southeastern to continue running their franchises. Govia has secured an extension to run Southeastern until October 16, 2021, but with the on-going uncertainty with franchising long term, there is an option to extend the franchise until March 31, 2022. First Group will carry on running services for GWR until March 31, 2023, with an option for a further year’s extension. The new deals will run concurrently with the Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA), in which DfT takes the franchisee’s revenue and cost risk for at least a six-month period, but will pay train operators a fixed management fee. ■ The 30 five-car Class 707 EMUs currently in use with South Western Railway will transfer to Southeastern. A company spokesman…

BODYSHELLS that will be used to build the first Class 803 unit for First Group’s open access operation between Edinburgh and London have arrived at the Hitachi factory, Newton Aycliffe. First has ordered five five-car AT300 EMUs for the operation, which will be fitted out at the County Durham site. The aim is to start the new service in May 2021, which will have Standard Class accommodation only. These trains are electric only, but will be fitted with batteries for on-train services in the event of an external power failure.…

NETWORK Rail has spent £300,000 to repair and reopen an essential connection into Drax power station. One of two lines linking the facility to the national network had to be closed and closely monitored after being overwhelmed by floods in February, with drones, diving teams and helicopters deployed to assess the damage, and engineers working around the clock to monitor the route. Cross industry co-operation and rescheduling of trains meant around 90 trains each week were still able to deliver coal and biomass to Drax, with engineers able to keep one track open during the work to repair earthworks and replace ballast washed away by floodwater from the River Aire. The Yorkshire power station generates 5% of the UK’s electricity.…

Two new directors for Heritage Railway Association board THE Heritage Railway Association has made two new appointments to its board of directors. Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway driver and mechanical inspector Steve Clews joins the Talyllyn Railway’s general manager Stuart Williams on the board, while long-serving director Geoffrey Claydon has retired following 17 years of service. Coronavirus closes Indian railways THE massive 67,000km Indian railway network closed for the first time in 167 years as part of a 21-day national lockdown imposed by the country’s government from March 25. Indian Railways is the country’s largest employer. It runs 125 hospitals and has started converting carriages into isolation wards in a bid to combat coronavirus. BTP enforcing ‘stay home’ rules THERE has been a visible British Transport Police presence at many…

Call to suspend HS2 LORD Willoughby asked the Government what plans it has to suspend the construction of HS2, and use any money saved as a result to support communities and businesses affected by Covid-19. Baroness Vere said:“The Government will do whatever is necessary to deal with Covid-19 now and will also continue to invest in the country’s future infrastructure.” Open access support LORD Berkeley asked the Government what steps they are taking to ensure the continued operation of open-access passenger operators following the reduction in the number of rail passengers as a result of Covid-19; whether such steps include financial support to such operators; and if so, how much funding they intend to provide. Transport Minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton replied:“The Government fully understands that open-access passenger operators are…

GREEN ‘Jubilees’ were the staple diet of trans-Pennine passenger trains between the Second World War and the January 1961 dieselisation of the route’s expresses. For the remainder of the 1960s they were to be found on summer Saturday seaside trains, reliefs and parcel duties. Towards the end of steam a Farnley Jct example could be seen, from the top deck of my school bus, making its Huddersfield station call with the late-afternoon ‘Wavertree Parcels’. Often glimpsed and then, it seemed, gone forever. Not so. Here, in 2020, No. 45562 Alberta glides into Lancaster station at 08.00 on a blustery February morning, with the rhythmic ‘swoosh’ from its cylinder drain cocks adding a sense of determination to the task ahead. Its 10-coach train weighs in at 370 tons tare, edging towards…

Northampton has other connection options to MML OF THE three disused railway lines connecting Northampton with the Midland Main Line (Bedford featured in the April issue), add in Market Harborough plus a connection at Wellingborough, and surely the latter has the greatest potential at the lowest cost? Not only is it the shortest (13 miles), it would also give Northampton a direct link to Corby and onwards to Manton Junction, where a new chord could connect onto the Peterborough line. Journeys from Northampton to Midland Main Line destinations would be possible by one simple change at Wellingborough. Funding constraints mean only one line from Northampton is likely to be reopened. The Wellingborough route offers the best connectivity over the shortest distance, and deserves to be selected. Tim Stevens By email…

THE Cholsey & Wallingford Railway (C&WR) has completed the acquisition of land next to Wallingford station to provide space for a run round loop and the erection of the former Maidenhead station canopy, removed as part of the Crossrail project. Re-aligning of the fence was nearing completion when the call for closure and social-distancing was announced in March. Green Oak Carpentry, of Liss, has been appointed to erect the structure and was due to be on site from May 4, with completion anticipated in July. Whether this date slips amid the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown remains to be seen. The erection of the Victorian canopy is being funded by the Railway Heritage Trust, and is part of a wider redevelopment of the Wallingford station site. The canopy components have now been…

Steve Davies is new A1SLT chairman… THE A1 Steam Locomotive Trust has announced that former National Railway Museum director Steve Davies MBE has been appointed as its new chairman. In a statement the trust said: “Steve is an internationally recognised and respected leader in the world of heritage railways, whose vast knowledge and experience will help us to continue to transform our organisation as we move towards the completion and operation of our second new main line steam locomotive.” … as ‘P2’ tender tank is delivered THE tender tank for the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s new Gresley ‘P2’ 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales was delivered to the trust’s Darlington Locomotive Works on March 23. The tank was built by North View Engineering Solutions – a short distance away in…

Barclay ‘Pug’ arrives in Fife as… FORMER British Aluminium Company (BAC) Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 3 (2046/1937) arrived at its new home at the Fife Heritage Railway on February 21. It is the subject of a 10-year loan between the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway and the Kingdom of Fife Railway Preservation Society, which will cosmetically restore No. 3 at its Kirkland Yard base. The loco spent its working life at BAC’s Burntisland bauxite reduction works. … another prepares to steam at Embsay EMBSAY-BASED Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST No. 22 (2320/1952) is expected to return to steam later this year after more than two decades out of use. It is expected to be outshopped with the number 54 – the identity it carried during the first 11 years it worked at East…

THE Railway Preservation Society of Ireland cancelled or postponed all of its booked railtours during March, April and May as the nation took preventative action against the spread of the coronavirus. The two ‘Midlander’ tours on March 15, scheduled to feature GNR(I) ‘V’ 4-4-0 No. 85 Merlin on out-and-back runs from Dublin Connolly to Maynooth, were postponed, as was April 4’s ‘East-West’ diesel railtour from Dublin to Galway. The multi-day ‘Lough Foyle Railtour’on May 9-11, together with the associated ‘Ormond’ diesel tour on May 8, also fell victim to the measures; as with the other charters the RPSI has described the tour as postponed rather than cancelled. Unfortunately, the popular Dublin to Wicklow Easter trains had to be cancelled. Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are…

THE last of 83 tubes was expanded into position in the newly constructed boiler for replica Ffestiniog Railway George England 0-4-0TT replica Mountaineer at North Bay Railway Engineering Services (NBRES) on March 23. The following day NBRES management shut down following newly introduced Government guidelines relating to Covid-19. The decision was based on the business not being an essential service and being conducted in an environment of large, potentially dangerous machinery, where it was unwise to risk any serious injury which could add pressure on stretched NHS resources. With the boiler complete, 1863 Mountaineer Locomotive Ltd, which is having Mountaineer constructed, is working on costing the next two phases of the build. These comprise parts such as the front frames, wheelsets and axleboxes to achieve a rolling chassis, followed by…

■ WELSH Highland Railway Heritage Group (WHRHG) has decided the Covid-19 situation means it is unlikely to be able to progress its Glan-yr-Afon weighbridge project, or any Welsh Highland projects, so is donating £2,500 to the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway Covid-19 appeal to help the company make up for lost revenue during the national ‘lockdown’. WHRHG is also supporting Welsh Highland Heritage Railway’s Resilience Fund Appeal. ■ THE Talyllyn Railway and Corris Railway will jointly celebrate the centenary of Kerr, Stuart 0-4-2ST 4047/1921 next year. The loco was originally Corris No. 4, and following its sale in 1951 became Tallyllyn No. 4 Edward Thomas. Details are still being finalised, but options include exchanges of stock, implying No. 4 may visit Corris, with Corris No. 7 – a near-replica of…

NO FEWER than nine civil engineering projects were delivered on one of the main routes between London and the West of England during a two-week line closure in late-March. The route between Taunton and Castle Cary in Somerset reopened as planned on March 30 after work to replace seven bridges, improve drainage in Somerton Tunnel, and reinforce embankments. All nine projects were scheduled together to avoid months of shorter closures, reducing the impact on passengers. Many Great Western Railway long-distance trains continued to be diverted via Yeovil and Honiton until April 4, although a limited service was reintroduced between Taunton and Castle Cary on March 30.…

NETWORK Rail staff repairing landslip damage near Guildford in early-April uncovered a small man-made cave, thought to date from the 14th century. Archaeologists believe the sandstone cave may once have been part of a much larger network, possibly a medieval shrine or hermitage associated with the early 14th century chapel of St Catherine, the ruins of which are situated on a hill nearby. It may even have earlier origins as a site of cult activity, because of its pre-14th century name of Drakehill – ‘Hill of the Dragon’. However, the rest of the cave is likely to have been lost when the railway cutting was excavated in the 1840s. Experts have also found evidence of writing and other markings across the cave ceiling as well as deposits of black dust,…

THE New Zealand government has committed to a $NZ 1.1billion (£535million) rail investment plan, most of which will benefit the country’s biggest cities, Auckland and Wellington. Construction of a cross-city tunnel under Auckland has begun, but was paused because of the coronavirus epidemic. The new 3.4km line will connect the Britomart terminus with Mount Eden, south of the city; two new underground stations will be built in the city centre. A tunnel-boring machine made by German specialist Herrenknecht in its Chinese factory will dig the main running tunnels. The electrified line is likely to open in 2024.…

THE Indian government is restructuring Indian Railways, and is planning to offer concessions of up to 35 years to private operators on major inter-city routes, such as Delhi to Mumbai and Kolkota. The new private operators will be allowed to set fares and service levels, but will rely on Indian Railways for motive power Indian Railways subsidiary Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) started running the first ‘private’ trains on the network on October 4, 2019, when it introduced a Tejas Express limited-stop day train service between Lucknow and New Delhi. The service, which is operated on a commercial basis, is aimed at tourists and business travellers. A second route from Ahmedabad to Mumbai began on January 17.…

TRAMWAYS and metro systems are seeing reduced service levels in line with the drop in demand for public transport during the coronavirus crisis. In Glasgow, the Subway is now running a one-way system only, as opposed to its normal two-track circular route around the city. From March 28 only clockwise ‘Outer Circle’ trains were in use, with trains running at an eight-minute frequency from 06.30-21.00 on Mondays-Saturdays and 10.00-18.00 on Sundays. Call: 01507 529589 email: railway@mortons.co.uk…

THE slump in Tube, bus and other rail services provided by Transport for London has led to it furloughing 7,000 staff. TfL says this represents 25% of its workforce, with the furlough being for an initial period of three weeks. London’s Transport Commissioner Mike Brown MVO said:“We have significantly cut our costs over recent years, but nevertheless the success of encouraging the vast majority of people to stay at home has seen fares, our main revenue, reduce by 90%.” TfL says the move will save it £15.8million every four weeks. Follow us @railwaymagazine Like us facebook.com/TheRailwayMagazine…

BOMBARDIER announced it was returning to train manufacturing at its Derby site from April 14 after agreeing revised working practices with trades union representatives. Work at the site had been paused since March 25. Greater space between workers, split shifts and more washing facilities are included in the plan. Bombardier is in the middle of producing ‘Aventra’EMUs for Greater Anglia and South Western Railway. Staff at the Hitachi factory in Newton Aycliffe and at the CAF site in Newport, South Wales, are also back at work after a phased return, but at reduced levels.…

GB Railfreight runs parcel trial with Class 319 GB RAILFREIGHT has successfully trialled a Class 319 for the express delivery of parcels following a service run into Euston station during April. The trial, the first of its kind using a converted commuter train, showed the sets successfully loaded and offloaded with standard roll cages at most stations. When seats are removed the carriages can carry significant volumes of parcels. GBRf is in discussion with the Government about how the service could play a role in helping with the logistical challenge of delivering supplies to UK hospitals. In the future, using trains for parcel delivery services to mainline stations would provide online retailers with more sustainable and reliable options. ELR reschedules Flying Scotsman THE planned visit by ‘A3’ No.…

CIVIL engineering contracts for Phase 1 of High Speed 2 (HS2) worth around £12billion were given‘notice to proceed’by the Department for Transport and HS2 Ltd on April 15. The approval marks the official ‘green light’for construction to begin on Phase 1, costed at £35bn-£45bn. So far, only preparatory work such as site clearance and archaeological studies have been carried out. However, following the publication of the Oakervee Review and the Government’s decision to approve construction of the entire scheme in February, the four main civil engineering joint venture (JV) contractors can now start detailed design work and construction. Tunnels The contracts cover major civil engineering works between London and the West Midlands, with SCS Railways (Skanska, Costain and STRABAG) responsible for the £3.3bn Euston and Northolt tunnels and Euston approaches;…

THE Rail Delivery Group (RDG) says there will be no refunds or extensions for National Railcard holders despite the current Covid-19 travel restrictions. The RDG – which administers the scheme on behalf of train operators – has not disclosed how many railcards are currently in use but says they are non-refundable and no extensions to expiry dates will be given. Train companies are operating reduced timetables meaning millions of people have been forced to abandon their rail travel plans. Refunds have been offered for tickets already bought under a deal agreed between the Government and the industry, but there is no such scheme to offer compensation to railcard holders. The RDG says the savings on just one journey can cover the cost of a railcard, but it fails to acknowledge…

BRITAIN’S preserved railways have taken measures to try and offset the loss of revenue caused by the coronavirus lockdown by launching‘resilience appeals’to bring in much-needed income. Revenue from ticket sales and associated visitor spending provides the lifeblood for almost all lines, but the closure of the railways has resulted in the simple equation – no trains = no money. However, the overheads remain, bills still need paying and, for those lines that employ staff, wages need paying. This latter issue is particularly true of the larger railways which are significant employers, as they have found their business insurance does not cover them for this type of business interruption. The Government has put measures in place to help businesses, including a scheme to underwrite 80% of salary costs for employees that…

THE Churchward County Trust (CCT) is on the cusp of placing an order for two new cylinders for its re-creation of GWR ‘County’4-4-0 No. 3840 County of Montgomery. Design work for the inside steam pipe’s 18in x 30in cylinder blocks was completed by Stafford Road Design in early April, and quotes have been received for the two polystyrene patterns and for the casting of the two cylinders. However, the ongoing lockdown has meant the order cannot currently be placed, but the CCT hopes to complete this as soon as something like normal service resumes. The CCT has launched a Cylinders Club (RM March) to help raise the required £45,000 through 45 supporters, each donating £1,000. This can be made as a one-off donation or through a monthly standing order of…

THE Ribble Steam Railway’s (RSR) is pushing ahead with plans for an Autumn Steam Gala later in the year despite the current coronavirus lockdown. This positive news comes after the RSR’s March 28-29 Spring Steam Gala and the visit by ex-Kiveton Park Colliery Hudswell, Clarke 0-4-0ST Waleswood (750/1906) from the Chasewater Railway was scuppered because of the Covid-19 outbreak. The September 26-27 event will feature up to four locomotives in action, including Preston Docks lookalike Bagnall 0-6-0ST Courageous (2680/1942), ex-British Steel Corporation Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Linda (3931/1938), and former Kinglassie Colliery Grant, Ritchie 0-4-0ST No. 21 (272/1894). Timetable The gala timetable will see the locos working individually, double-headed, or top-and-tailed on passenger services between Preston Riverside and Strand Road. An early morning goods train is also expected to run each…

LUAS Red Line tram No. 3001 was derailed and suffered significant front-end damage after colliding with a lorry in north Dublin on March 30. The incident occurred at about 08.45 at the junction of Queen Street and Benburb Street in Smithfield. Firefighters and paramedics attended the scene, with the driver of the tram taken to the Mater Hospital in Phibsborough with non-life threatening injuries. None of the three passengers on board were injured. As a result traffic had to be diverted via Blackhall Place, and Red Line services were suspended between Blackhorse and The Point. This section of the line was closed completely from 16.30 to facilitate the tram’s removal. As a result, LUAS tickets were being accepted by Dublin Bus during the disruption.…

THE Great Little Trains of Wales (GLToW) has organised a scheme for pre-ordering of gold and discount cards, with income to be shared between all the Welsh member railways. This follows the closure of all narrow-gauge railways in Wales because of Covid-19. The objective is to generate income to support staff, volunteers and the future of the railways, in advance of welcoming visitors back when the coronavirus crisis subsides. A discount card costing £15 offers a 20% reduction in the price normally paid at each individual railway. A gold card costing £150 provides a pre-paid return journey on 10 of the railways, the Snowdon Mountain Railway not being included in this element of the scheme. Both cards become valid from their first use, so when visitors return to Wales and…

THE Ffestiniog Railway (FR) anticipated debuting England 0-4-0ST Welsh Pony back in steam during a June 20-21 Welsh Pony launch event. In early March the cab and saddle tank were back in position, and fittings, including an original displacement lubricator from Prince, were being added to the rebuilt loco, which last steamed in 1940. The Welsh Pony launch event replaced the previously publicised June 19-21 Fairlie Eventful event, which has been postponed for a year, the new dates being June 18-20, 2021. The June 2020 dates were to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1870 locomotive trials, which demonstrated the capability of the first FR Double-Fairlie, Little Wonder. Significantly, the then-new Double Fairlie was matched against Welsh Pony in those trials. With the FR closed and all work at Boston Lodge…

WORK on a new £14.5million regional transport hub at Motherwell station is set to begin this summer. The project will see the redevelopment of the station building, concourse and forecourt area, improving links between bus and train services as well as reducing congestion. Other improvements will include better ticket and  catering facilities, refurbished toilets and waiting facilities, better pedestrian and cycling access and new facilities for taxis, car drop-offs and disabled parking. The project will be delivered in two phases, with work on the station redevelopment due to start this summer, and the transport integration works following in 2021.…

LEEDS City Region has secured £14million in funding to help remodel the area around York’s station forecourt. The scheme is part of the wider £650m York Central redevelopment of the area around the station, and will see the demolition of the Queen Street Bridge, better provision for bus services and the relocation of a short-stay car park and taxi rank to provide a more fitting gateway to the city. Arches in the city walls opposite the station, originally knocked through to provide access to York’s first railway station, which later became a parcels depot, will also be opened up creating new routes for pedestrians and cyclists. City of York Council secured £77.1m in Government funding in the budget to unlock the scheme and begin work, which will include the redevelopment…

THE Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is investigating a runaway wagon incident at the Hanson cement plant in Clitheroe on March 9. A tank wagon loaded with cement powder ran away from a siding within the cement works in Clitheroe, leaving the works area and descending towards Horrocksford Junction, where the cement works branch joins the Blackburn to Hellifield line. The wagon broke through the gates at the exit of the cement works, ran over an open level crossing on a public road, causing two cars to stop and passed over an open crossing on a private road. Neither level crossing had its manual warning equipment activated before the wagon passed through. After around three-quarters of a mile, the wagon derailed on trap points at Horrocksford Junction, which worked as…

THE West Somerset Railway TV YouTube channel features short videos showing all aspects of the WSR, with the number of videos available growing daily. It was initiated by the West Somerset Railway Association to coincide with the start of the national lockdown and closure of the railway to volunteers and visitors. The Diesel & Electric Preservation Group (DEPG) has pledged its support, and in the first instance is producing video compilations featuring the group’s heritage loco fleet at work on the WSR. These are to be followed by more detailed studies of the individual locos and their histories, starting with the ‘Hymeks’. To date, videos of interest to diesel enthusiasts include the near 50-year story of the DEPG – June 16, 1990 – the first through train to the WSR,…