Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2020 i The Railway Magazine

NEWS of the terrible fatal accident at Stonehaven has sent a shockwave through the rail industry: right to its core. In the 13 years since the Grayrigg derailment on February 23, 2007, millions of trains have run safely, with no passenger fatality from an accident - until August 12, 2020. Following the black days between 1997 and 2002, during which the post-Privatisation era was marked by a succession of serious and fatal crashes, the industry has worked immensely hard on improving safety, moves born from the tragedies at Ladbroke Grove, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Southall, and of course, Clapham. Changes in technology have also helped drive safety further upwards. Despite the tragic accident at Stonehaven, rail still remains one of the safest forms of travel. We shouldn't forget that those accidents…

"MY heart goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy, especially the families and friends of the three people who died and those that are injured. "I want to express my thanks to my colleagues at Network Rail, ScotRailthe , British Transport Police and all the emergency services who responded so quickly and professionally and continue to do so. "Questions are inevitably being asked as to how this could happen and I am determined that we understand the circumstances that led to this devastating event. It's too early to draw conclusions but it is critical that we investigate thoroughly and with care, and work closely with rail safety authoritiesto , make sure this can't happen again'.' Mr Haines added: "I will not pre-empt the outcome of the investigation into this…

WALES looks set to be the first beneficiary of the Government's new Acceleration Unit, launched on August 21 to speed up the delivery of transport projects. A £343million programme of investment in the Welsh rail network was announced alongside the new unit, which will be led by Campaign for Better Transport chief executive Darren Shirleyand, will report directly to the Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps. The funding will allow design work to begin for the upgrade of Cardiff Central station. Plans will also be developed for the upgrading and replacement of European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) digital signalling on the 150-mile Cambrian Coast Line from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. Pilot scheme The current system was introduced by Network Rail in 2010 as a pilot schemebut ,…

SNOWDON Mountain Railway (SMR) has taken delivery of its two new hybrid battery-diesel locomotives constructed by Clayton Equipment Ltd. These eight-tonne machines represent a £1.1 million investment and will replace diesel locomotives, becoming the first mountain hybrid locos in the world. Each of the new locos is expected to average 750 journeys a year up the five-mile line, with a reduction of emissions by up to 98% compared to the diesel locomotives. Steam locos will still provide a heritage service into the future. The new locos enter the SMR fleet as No. 14 Glaslyn (after Glaslyn Lake) and No.15Moe/Eilio (a mountain peak near Snowdon). They are expected to have entered service by the time this edition of The RM is published. No. 1 5 is seen at Llanberis.…

A BIG step in plans to re-create lvatt LMS diesel No. 10000 have been taken by the lvatt Diesel Recreation Society (IDRS). The Ruston Paxman 12RK3ACT engine, alternator and exhaust system - using Class 58 No. 58022 as its base chassis - was removed at Peak Rail's Rowsley site on August 15, and has been sold to marine engineers IMPS of Lincoln. Ecclesbourne On August 18, the chassis was moved from Rowsley to the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (EVR), where the group has a new home. The distance between the two sites is only nine miles, however the journey involved a deviation of 51 miles, via Bakewell, Chesterfield, the M1, A38 and Duffield, because of bridge weight limits and other restrictions. The loco will be stripped down to release the chassis,…

FURTHER to the letter from Alan Simpson (RM Aug 2020) regarding the road sign to the closed Takeley railway station, attached is a photograph of a road sign directing the traveller to Sexhow station in North Yorkshirewhich , closed to passengers in 1954 and to goods in 1958. Peter Meadows Clowne, Chesterfield IN RESPONSE to a letter from Alan Simpson (RM Aug 2020) here is a picture taken outside the Clickham Inn (at one time the Station Hotel) to the west of Penrith. The sign still directs you to Blencow station even though it saw its last passenger train on March 4, 1972 and freight ended later that year. The sign is also noteworthy as it is still shown as belonging to Cumberland County Council, an organisation that disappeared with…

Panorama is brought to you in association with porterbrook…

GEORGE Stephenson's historic Gaunless Bridge is being rehomed at Locomotion in Shildon, close to its original location on the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The 1823-built bridge is generally regarded as the world's first iron railway bridge, and was originally constructed in Newcastle-upon-Tyne to span the River Ga unless in West Auckland, County Durham. It was dismantled for preservation in 1901, and later rebuilt for an exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1925. The structure subsequently became an exhibit at the North Eastern Railway's museum in York, and was moved to its current location at the National Railway Museum in 1975. The 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway is fast approaching, and the NRM is teaming up with world-leading bridge builder Cleveland Bridge…

THE Standard Steam Locomotive Company (SSLC) has begun the first phase of a project to construct a boiler for its new-build BR 'Clan' Pacific No. 72010 Hengist. A new Steam Raisers appeal has been launched to raise an initial £60,000, which will be used to finance design work and source a manufacturer for the new Class 6 boiler, the first to be built since 1952. The SSLC estimates this phase of the project will take up to two years to complete, as the design team consider the different options available for the boiler - including welded or riveted. "The start of work on Hengist's boiler marks a major milestone in our project to build the 1,000th BR Standard locomotive;' said SSLC engineering director, Geoff Turner. "We appreciate this is a…

'Green Dragon' steams at Haworth THE boiler of Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway ‘lronclad’ 0-6-0 No. 957 received its first fire since 2013 at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway on July 24. The Barton Wright locomotive, known for its role as the 'Green Dragon' in the 1970 film adaptation of The Railway Children, is the subject of an on-going overhaul. The railway is hopeful the loco might steam before the end of the year to mark the soth anniversary of the film. Bodmin Pannier for Nene Valley BODMIN &Wenford Railway-based '8750' 0-6-0PT No. 4612 has gone out on hire to the Nene Valley Railway. The Cornish heritage line is not running any public services this summer owing to Covid-19 restrictions. Releasing the pannier for hire will help bring in some…

Chasewater steam returns after lockdown THE Chasewater Railway was expected to run its first public passenger trains since the beginning of lockdown over the August Bank Holiday weekend. In anticipation of this resident Bagnall 0-4-0ST No. 2842 was steamed during the weekend of August 8-9 in order for the railway to complete competency checks ahead of the reopening. Sentinel Ann moves to East Lanes line SENTINEL4wVBT Ann (7232/1927left ) the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Railway at the end of July for a new life at the East Lancashire Railway. The former British Tar Products locomotive had been based on the Yorkshire Dales line since 1969but , only spent 1 O of those years in steam between 1997 and 2007. Stripping of the loco for overhaul has…

CONSIDERABLE progress has been made on the restoration of former Holwell Iron Company Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Ho/well No. 14 since it moved from Rocks By Rail to Peak Rail in January 2019. The loco (3188/1915is ) being restored by Andrew Civil at Rowsley, and has had the frames thoroughly cleaned and painted, a new smokebox made and replacement chimney sourced. New steelwork for the cab and bunker has also been put together, and these have now been fitted to the frames. Ho/well No. 14 was delivered new to the Holwell Iron Company's Buckminster Quarries, but transferred to Glendon Quarries in 1928. It received a full rebuild in 1958 at Corby Worksbut , four years later was sent for scrap to Goodman Brothers in New Bradwell, Buckinghamshire. Fortunately, it was not…

COUNTY Donegal Railways 2-6-4T No. 5 Drumboe will return to County Donegal next year thanks to the successful conclusion of a €100,000 appeal launched on Valentine'Day s , 2019, writes Hugh Dougherty. Donegal Local Development CLG has now come up with a grant of €65,000. This funding, along with private donations to the appeal, will now allow work to start on the reassembly and cosmetic restoration of Drumboe at the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s Whitehead base. The cash injection will also allow work to start on rebuilding the exterior space at Donegal Railway Heritage Centre for the erection of a section of platform and a platform canopy, under which the 1907-built, Nasmyth Wilson locomotive, will be put on permanent display. Drumboe headed the last passenger train on the CDR…

THE Ffestiniog Railway's (FR) newly restored England 0-4-0STT Welsh Pony has entered traffic, running simply as No. 5 without nameplates. The railway restarted passenger operations on July 20 between Harbour station and Tany-Bwlch utilising vintage compartment carriages and smaller locomotives to work this shortened service. Three locos are required each day, with a fourth available as cover. Welsh Pony is therefore contributing to earning fare income to help FR weather the coronavirus crisis. Double-Fairlies are being held back until larger trains can be run. Welsh Pony will be officially launched and, given its nameplates, during a Victorian Vintage Weekend on October 9-11. Call: 01507 529589 email: railway@ mortons.co.uk Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The RM.…

THE National Railway Museum has invited expressions of interest from organisations wishing to become custodians of 3ft-gauge Hudswell, Clarke 0-4-0ST Handyman (573/1900). The closing date for applications was August 31. The York-based attraction bought the locomotive in July 2008. It originally worked in the Ironstone industry, but was of a type typically employed by contractors during construction of dams and reservoirs. The intention was for Handyman to represent this aspect of the development of British infrastructure prior to the First World War in a display for the proposed NRM Plus project. When bought Handyman had been stored outside for some 30 years with numerous components missing. It was displayed in as-bought condition in the NRM's Great Hall until mid-2013 when it was moved into The Works for cosmetic restoration. The…

THE 762 Club has ordered four sets of cylinder castings, end covers and valve chest lids from Cerdic Foundry. These will provide sets of cylinders for new-build Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Manning, Wardle 2-6-2Ts Yeo and Exe and two sets of spares. Potential uses for the spares include a future project to construct Taw. The foundry is also casting a new right-hand cylinder for Ffestiniog Railway's Lyd. Two sets of castings will be sent to Boston Lodge for machining along with Lyd's replacement cylinder block. The others will be stored until needed. The next stages towards construction of Yeo and Exe will be forging motion parts, casting wheels and ordering driving wheel tyres from South Africa, steps all likely to entail lengthy delivery times. Components such as frames will be…

SIGNIFICANT changes are being made to the rail network around Tilbury Docks in Essex as the port undergoes a major expansion, writes lain C Scotchman. The new £250million, 152-acre Tilbury2 port opened on May 25, occupying the site of the former Tilbury A and B power stations. As well as a roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry terminal served by ships to and from Zeebrugge in Belgium, the port includes rail-served facilities for the handling of containers, sea-dredged aggregates and imported construction materials. The terminal is linked to the Grays to Pitsea line by a new 1.8-mile freight branch, which is expected to be completed shortly. A mile-long bi-directional line now runs parallel to the Network Rail line, leading to two 700m-long loop sidings, which will serve a Tarmac construction materials terminal…

THE Department for Transport has given further support to light rail systems in England suffering from lost revenue because of the effects of coronavirus on passenger numbers. Five networks in the North and Midlands will together receive up to £37.4million over 12 weeks to the end of October. Demand The money is intended to help operators ramp up services ahead of expected higher demand when schools reopen after the holiday season in September. It will be paid at a rate of up to £3.1 ma week, with a review at the end of the period. The five covered by the announcement are Manchester Metrolink, Sheffield Supertram, Nottingham Express TransitWest , Midlands Metro, and Tyne & Wear Metro. All received funding earlier in the pandemic, with the money going direct to…

A NEW Merseyrail station at Kirkby Headbolt Lane has moved a step closer after the Liverpool City Region approved a £3.3million investment to continue development work. The additional funding allows the project to move to the next stage of Network Rail's design process. As well as the new station, the scheme includes an extension of the Merseyrail electric network beyond its current limit at Kirkby, a SOO-space park-and-ride facility and a bus interchange. Northern trains from Wigan and Manchester would also serve the new station. The development forms part of plans to build a rail link to Skelmersdale via Kirkby. An outline business case is expected to be completed in September and the station could be operational by 2023.…

NETWORK Rail and the Royal Institute ofBritish Architects (RIBA) have launched an international competition to shape the future of more than 2,000 small-to-medium railway stations. Architects, engineers and designers now have the chance to improve the travel experience for millions of passengers, taking into account the changing demands of rail passengers across the country. Entrants are being asked to consider environmental issues and sustainability, modifications to existing stations or new-build projects, and the need to cater for growing demand over the coming decades.…

LOOKING back 20 years to The RM of September 2000 there is a story about a £60billion investment in Britain's railways (see p52 of this edition). Within the story is a list of 30 major projects such as reinstating the Cambridge to Oxford rail link, tram networks for Newcastle, Bristol and Leeds, the Croxley rail link, a new East-West line through Central London, along with the possibility of reopening the Matlock to Buxton route. Arguably, it was an ambitious list for a 10-year timespan; fewer than a third have been fully completed. Some remain aspirations, others are still in progress ( Crossrail, for example), while several were quietly dropped. Given the benefit of hindsight, successive Governments have not worked hard enough to complete these projects, which could have reduced traffic…

CAMPAIGN group Railfuture is calling for a fares freeze following the publishing in July of the annual inflation figure of l.6%. It is this figure which triggers rail fare increases from the following January but , with passenger numbers at an all time low as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, questions are being raised as to whether a rise is justified with all TOCs on emergency agreements until March 2022. The Government is yet to decide on whether to raise fares. Railfuture's Bruce Williamson said:"Many people have discovered they don't need to travel every day any more, so a fares increase is going to result in lower ticket sales. More than ever there needs to be zero per cent increase in January. "It's very important the Government sends a…

HULL Trains restarted operations on August 21 after a break of 137 days. The company is offering discounted fares for couples and families, offering savings of 33% on direct rail travel to London, but only if booking directly. The First Group open-access operator took the tough decision to suspend operations on March 30 and furlough many staff, but during August it began crew familiarisation trips ahead of the restart. The company will operate a revised timetable of two services southbound and northbound on Monday to Saturday and three services in each direction on a Sunday. Managing director Louise Cheeseman said: "We're really excited to be back on track. The standard of cleanliness on our brand-new trains is already second-to-none, and we are exceeding hygiene practices further on every journey. "We…

A £1 MILLION shortfall for the new Portway station on the Bristol to Severn Beach line has been plugged by funding from the Government's new Get Building Fund (GBF). Last year, the cost of building the single-platform station between Avonmouth and Shirehampton had risen to around £3.5m, with drainage, lighting, walkways and waiting shelters cited as reasons for the increase. The extra funds will allow construction work to start later this year and completion next summer. Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk…

AVANTI West Coast was planning to launch the first fully vinyl wrapped Pride train staffed by all LGBTQ+ crew on August 25. Avanti says the Pride train will run all year round, celebrating the diversity of the communities it serves. With every carriage of 11-car 'Pendolino' No. 390119 in a different livery, the set was unveiled at London Euston before working the 09.00 to Manchester Piccadilly and 11.35 return. The train operator says it has adopted the most recent iteration of the Pride flag, which sees the addition of the colours black, brown, light blue, pink and white to bring people of colour, transgender people and those living with or who have been lost to HIV/ Al DS to the forefront, highlighting Avanti West Coast's progressive commitment to diversity and…

SOME of your correspondents have complained of the negative attitude of railway officials, and last month's editorial wondered if passengers were being welcomed back. The way the Emergency Measures Agreement is structured it should come as no surprise thatTOCs show no interest that in increasing passenger numbers as a small increase (all that can be expected at present) would only help the taxpayer. In the meantime the so called 'management fee; estimated to be in the region of £230million and probably all profit, should be sufficient to pay the usual dividend to the TOCs' shareholders (in some cases for the first time in a while). The railways are managed by managers whose wages are borne by the taxpayer, so management fee is a misnomer. The TOCsthrough , the RDGare ,…

100 YEARS AGO SEPTEMBER 1920 Lamps requisitioned DURING the recent gasworkers'strike at Bristol, the Great Western Railway had to requisition oil lamps from rural stations to assist in the lighting ofTemple Meads. As these bore the names of the owning stations, the first impression created in the uninitiated traveller was one of perplexity, if not alarm. Littlehampton incident A PASSENGER train which arrived at Littlehampton on Wednesday afternoon, August 4, was unable to stop at the platform, and after crashing through the buffer-stop, forced its way through a brick wall and across a road-way. There were no cases of injury sufficiently serious to require medical attention. A breakdown gang from Brighton speedily removed the engine from the roadway. 50 YEARS AGO SEPTEMBER 1970 Faster Edinburgh-Glasgow service next year FROM May…

'BATTLE of Britain' No. 35053 Sir Keith Park is moving to a permanent home at the Spa Valley Railway (SVR). The Southern Locomotives Ltd's (SLL) Bullied Pacific is due to spend the winter months at SVR (August RM), and the two organisations have now agreed on the full-time move. The development comes after the Swanage Railway informed SLL it will only require two of the group's locomotives for the foreseeable future as a knock-on effect of the coronavirus. With eight locos on its books, it was clear SLL needed to try and establish a second base, and with so many shareholders in the South East, the Spa Valley Railway (SVRwas ) the obvious choice. After a period of consultation, a new partnership between SLL and the Tunbridge Wells-based railway was…

THE East Lancashire Railway is looking to make up for lost time this autumn with a special steam gala to bring the curtain down on the 2020 season. The October 9-11 Autumn Steam Gala is expected to be one of the only gala events to be held on any heritage line this year in the postcoronavirus climate, and is a real statement of intent for the railway. Reopening delay Its announcement came in early August, during a disappointing time for the railway, which had been forced to delay its August 1 reopening by one week as a result of the reintroduction of lockdown restriction in Great Manchester and parts of Lancashire. The star of the three-day event will be John Cameron's 'A4'No. 60009 Union of South Africa which, having come…

KERR Stuart 'Witch' class 0-4-0ST No. 4388 will be restored to working order at the Foxfield Railway following its acquisition by Jack Dibnah, son of the famous steeplejack, Fred. The one-of-a-kind locomotive has not run since 1999, and has spent much of the past two decades in open storage at the line's main Caverswall Road headquarters. However, in spite of its subsequent deteriorated condition, Mr Dibnah is hopeful he can have the Kerr, Stuart running again by the end of this year. Stripping of the loco has already begun, and Mr Dibnah has started to acquire components he will need to complete the restoration of the unique and, by standard-gauge standards, unusual loco. No. 4388 was built in 1926 for the City of Stoke-on-Trent Gas Department, being employed at the…

THE preserved Cavan & Leitrim Railway (C&LRat ) Dromod is embarking on an ambitious project to not only overhaul its first steam locomotive, but also restore a formerTralee & Dingle Railway carriage for use on the newly relaid 3ft-gauge line. Kerr, Stuart 0-4-2T Dromad left the railway in March last year on the same lorry that delivered Avonside 0-6-0T Nancy, following its restoration by Alan Keef Ltd. Cumbria The 1993-built loco started life as Kerr, Stuart'Brazil'0-4-2ST No. 3024 of 1916, and is currently in store in Cumbria. Howeverthe , C&LR has funding in place to assess the condition of the loco's boiler. Nancy is more than capable of handling the railway's passenger needs, with Dromad holding a special place in the history of the revived C&LR, having returned steam to…

THE renewal of Dublin Pearse's 1880s-built roof has been completed jn a €17million project by larnr6d Eireann-lrish Rail (IE). The main 28-metre wide train shed now presents a completely different picture, thanks to new glazing and replacement steel roof trusses. Gone are the unsightly nets which were previously deemed necessary to protect passengers beneath, with the whole station now appearing lighter and more airy. Here, retro-liveried No. 073 passes beneath the refurbished roof on July 3 with the North Wall to Greystones continuous welded rail train…

LLANBERIS Lake Railway's Hunslet 0-4-0ST Thomas Bach was expected to return to Gilfach Ddu following completion of its overhaul by the time this edition of The RM is published. Thomas Bach was withdrawn in 2012, but with the overhaul work, which included fitting a new boiler, having become protracted it was sent to North Bay Railway Engineering Services in December 2019 for completion. Following the Covid-19 lockdown the railway reopened on August 1 with Hunslet-0-4-0STs Elidir and Dolbadarn available for service. Staff are committed to operating a safe two-train service and it may not be possible to undertake test operations to clear Thomas Bach to enter service immediately.…

CORNISH china clay will continue to be moved by rail for at least another two years after lmerys renewed its contract with DB Cargo. The contract covers the transport of around 2,500 tonnes of clay each week from Goonbarrow to Carne Point, near Fowey, and from Par Docks to Cliffe Vale in Stoke-on-Trent. No. 66094 passes Powderham, between Dawlish and Exeter, on July 20 with the 15. 17 St Blazey-Bescot china clay hoppers Call: 01507 529589 email: railway @mortons.co.uk Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The RM.…

THE Tyne and Wear Metro has released a virtual tour on You Tube after the coronavirus outbreak scuppered plans to stage an open day at its South Gosforth depot to help celebrate the network's 40th anniversary. The 20-minute film aims to provide an in-depth look around the Metro's main depot. A statement by operator Nexus said:"This is the last chance to look around the Metro building, which dates back to 1923, before demolition gets underway to make way for the new £70m depot on the same site, which will be home to our new train fleet:' To view the film search online for Metro 40th: Virtual tour. Call: 01507 529589 email: railway@ mortons.co.uk Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The…

MORE than £100million was invested by Network Rail in maintenance and enhancement projects over the August Bank Holiday weekend. No fewer than 520 projects were expected to take place, ranging from major main line closures to smaller interventions. Direct trains between Birmingham and Euston were suspended to allow major track replacement around Coventry, taking advantage of the quieter holiday weekend. Also on the West Coast Main Line, diversions took place in the north-west of England as signalling control was transferred from Ditton, near Liverpoolto , Manchester Rail Operating Centre (ROC) on August29-31. Buses Diversions allowed Avanti West Coast to maintain a service to and from Liverpool, but replacement buses were required between Warrington and Runcorn and on the Crewe to Liverpool South Parkway route. A £3.4m project to improve overhead…

NEW Government funding for transport improvements in and around Rotherham includes £5.4million for a new tram-train halt at Magna in Templeborough. The halt will be located on the former Great Central Railway Sheffield Victoria to Doncaster route, between Meadowhall and Rotherham Central. It will serve the nearby Magna Science Adventure Centre and provide a new 150-space park-and-ride facility. Frequent links to Sheffield city centre, Rotherham town centre and Parkgate Retail Park will be provided by Stagecoach Supertram tram-trains.…

Extra parking spaces at Broxbourne GREATER Anglia is providing 300 new car parking spaces at the rear of Broxbourne station in Hertfordshire at a cost of £800,000. The station currently has 471 spaces with 24 accessible parking bays, but has leased additional land, which will be excavated, resurfaced and relined to create a new car park. Access for All upgrade at Tring A £5.8million upgrade was completed in late-July. The work included new lifts, ramps and new footbridge, with step-free access to all five platforms at Tring. The scheme was funded by the Department for Transport's Access for All programme, which was launched in 2006 to improve accessibility at railway stations nationwide. Upgrades for Brom borough WORK will take place at Bromborough station on the Wirral over the next six…

FURTHER delays along with additional and substantial cost rises have been confirmed by Crossrail, the project to connect east and west London with a new rail line. Delays in the completion of the construction phase of the Elizabeth Line are as a result of the coronavirus pandemic which, has now pushed the opening of the section under central London to connect Paddington with Shenfield and Abbey Wood back to the first half of 2022. Costs to complete the project could be £1.1 billion above the financing package agreed back in December 2018. Delays related to reduced productivity for the shafts and portals stemming from sites being closed and reopened with fewer workers under social distancing rules. The complexity of station construction under central London has delayed handover to Tfl, and…

THE risk of a passenger catching Covid-19 while travelling by train has been put at 1 in 11,000, or less than 0.01 %, according to the RSSB formerly , the Rail Safety & Standards Board. The RSSB adds that for an individual traveller, per kilometre travelled, a car is 25 times less safe than rail. Cycling is 403 times less safe, walking is 456 times, and travelling by motorcycle is 1,620 times less safe. RSSB says it is concerned the travelling public are assuming the roads offer a less risky alternative during the coronavirus pandemic, when in fact trains are safer and greener. The organisations says passengers’ decision making will have been heavily swayed by Government advice to avoid public transport. RSSB says its figures, which have been verified by…

ALL 17 stations on the historic Shakespeare Line now have dedicated station adopters for the first time in its history. The line runs between Stratford-upon-Avon through north-west Warwickshire, north-east Worcestershire and into Birmingham city centre. Among the groups which have stepped forward along this line are students from Woodrush High School in Wythall, scouts' groups at Spring Road and residents at Henley-in-Arden, who have already transformed platforms with heritage installations and colourful planting displays. Fay Easton, head of community and stakeholder for West Midlands Railway, praised the line's community spirit along with the innovative ideas they've proposed. 'Mission' Fraser Pithie, secretary of the Shakespeare Line Promotion Group and a visionary behind this project, said: "It is part of our mission to make sure as many people as possible enjoy the…

SWITCH on for the electrification from Bedford to Corby was achieved during an overnight possession on August 22-23. The move adds a further 30 miles to the Midland Main Line electrification from the 1981 limit. Extensive testing will follow using the ROG/DATS test train with the Class 91. A number of the Class 360/1 units from Greater Anglia to be cascaded to the Midland have visited Northampton depot for modifications for 110mph running in preparation for the start of Corby to London St Pancras EMU services from next spring. Work will switch to electrifying the Glendon Jct to Market Harborough section. There is anticipation further sections of the MML could be authorised for electrification under the Government's 'acceleration scheme'.…

TRANSPORT consultant Greengauge 21 says the Eastern Arm of HS2 Phase 2b is a critical part of an Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands - but has called for greater clarity over its role and function. A new report from the high-speed rail specialist says that not setting out a clear role for the Birmingham-Toton-Yorkshire route risks creating a new east-west imbalance across the Midlands and North of England. Report co-author Jim Steer said:"With Government now seeking an integrated rail plan for the area, we have to ask if this is the best approach. "With a prospective eastern arm delivery date 20-25 years ahead -the 2040s - it is an approach that risks adding a new east-west imbalance, instead of helping Government's levelling up agenda. 'Economic boost' "It…

ON THE evening of June 12, 1990, a freight train had been derailed at Hemerdon and single-line working was being initiated. As area manager at Exeter, I made my way to St David's. The operating team there was more than capable of handling the incident, but it never hurt to be seen when trouble was afoot. On reaching the duty manager's deserted office I found the telephone ringing incessantly. It needed answering. "Duty manager's office. Area manager speaking." "It's the Penzance driver and guard of the 'Golden Hind' here on platform 4." "Yes ...... ?" It had been there half an hour. The crew would be wanting to get home. "We were wondering how long we were going to be here." From what I had picked up walking onto the…

YOU'VE probably heard the term 'flashover: which is when there is a large dissipation of electrical energy from the positive point to the negative or earth. Flashovers can occur in traction motors of electric and diesel locos, and necessitate the loco being taken out of traffic for repairs. This is what damage from a 'flashover' can look like in a 25Kv AC electric locomotive DC traction motor. The image on the left is taken from inside an undamaged traction motor looking at the brush gear and commutator, and shows the brush ring bus bar from a Class 91 's traction motor and the part of the armature of the motor. The image on the right shows the intensity of heat and subsequent melting that occurs if and when there is…

Send your letters to: The Railway Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Homcastle, Lines LN9 6JR. email: railway@mortons.co.uk NB. Publication of a letter does not imply that tbe Editor or staff of The Railway Magazine necessarily agree with its contents. Push-Pull mystery I VERY much enjoyed Philip Horton's article regarding the last push-pull trains on the London Midland Region of British Railways. What was very noticeable in the numerous excellent illustrations was, with only one exception, the locomotives had their bunkers next to the carriages and the smokebox pointing away from the train. The exception was No. 84004, heading the train about to leave Oswestry station for Gobowen. I clearly remember in the mid-1950s that the push-pull trains between Rock Ferry and Hooton-in-Wirral, which had been worked by ex-Great Western Railway…

BILL Al borough, who was behind the railway holiday companyTEFShas , died. He was 78. Addressed respectfully by his tour guides and interpreters as 'Mr Bill; he organisedran , and led railway tours worldwide, enabling many hundreds of enthusiasts to experience chasing 'real steam'working in remote, exotic and far away countries long before they were accessible to the usual traveller or tourist. Bill claimed he'd visited 100 countries on six continents. His companyTEFS:To Europe For Steam - later renamed as To Everywhere For Steam - enjoyed considerable success from the 1970s through to the early years of the new millennium, including being the first tour group allowed into China in 1976. Tiananmen Square In 1989 he successfully extricated another of his groups safely out of China prior to the Tiananmen…

CONSTRUCTION of new-build Fowler ‘Patriot’ No . 5551 The Unknown Warrior restarted on August 3 at the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust's West Shed, with the wheelsets being the primary focus. The centre driving wheelset, which has had new crankpins fitted at Riley & Son (El in Heywood, will be taken to Tyseley Locomotive Works to have the axle journals polished. Tyseley is one of the few places with a lathe large enough to accommodate No. 5551's 6ft 9in driving wheels. The bogie wheelsets will also be returned to West Shed at the same time to enable the bogie to be re-assembled. Riveting has been completed on the tender frames at Leaky Finders' workshop in Devon. The trailing dragbox is now permanently in place, and the largely complete frames will…

A £120,000 grant from the Severn Valley Railway Charitable Trust (SVRCThas ) benfited on-going repairs to a landslip at Sterns, near Highley, on the Severn Valley Railway. The slippage at Sterns is a result of rainwater running off nearby land and 'lubricating' a slip plane below the railway. If left unchecked, this could result in the closure of the line to passenger trains, which is unthinkable after the enforced closure of lockdown. The SVRCT has agreed to fund a £120,000 project that is already underway, which will stabilise the land by installing drainage to direct run-off water away from the line. Additionally, the SVRCT has awarded a smaller £12,000 grant to the Great Western (Severn Valley Railway) Association to bring forward the introduction to traffic of BR(W) Hawksworth Brake Corridor…

THE West Somerset Railway (WSRhas ) been busy planning a string of events for 2021, having decided not to run trains this summer. The events will include a Spring Steam Gala, which will be held on April 22-25, and is planned to have the same, ‘Western Standards’ theme the railway was planning for this year's cancelled event. Discussions are underway to secure the BR Standard locomotives that were due to appear at this year, including North Norfolk Railway-based BR'4MT' Mogul No. 76084 and '9F' 2-10-0 No. 92134 from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. The Autumn Steam Gala will be held between September 30 and October 3, 2021, and will have the Great Western Region theme that had also been planned for 2020. This will be followed by the Winter Steam…

A JOINT venture between larnród Eireann-lrish Rail (IE) and Railtours Ireland First Class saw one of the humble 22000 Class DMU lnterCity units transformed into an exclusive and upmarket' rail cruiser' during August. The'Emerald Pullman' is a new multi-day railtour initiative aimed at the Irish domestid / home market, combining IE traction with Railtours Ireland's bespoke tour experience. Core to the August operation was a specially chartered three-car 22000 Class unit, featuring tables dressed in white linen and adorned with flowers. No meals were provided on board (lunch stops being made during the day), but passengers were served complimentary drinks and light snacks by white-coated stewards. Exclusivity Just 68 of the DMU's 190 seats were used, which not only kept the service in line with current social distancing and hygiene…

THE Teifi Valley Railway (TVR) reopened to passengers on August 5 following Covid-19 enforced closure. Trains ran through to Pontprenshitw for the first time since the previous management lifted much of the main line in summer 2014. TVR's revised administration reinstated a service between Hen I Ian and Forest Halt in August 2015, and a small track gang has worked since to relay track to Pontprenshitw, where there was originally a run-round loop. For the time being services to this 'halfway' location - first reached byTVR in August 1985 and where the platform can accommodate three carriages - are diesel push-pull operations. Fencing is being repaired on the path down to the waterfall at Pontprenshitw, which offers an attraction for passengers. The newly reinstated railhead now needs to be extended…

HALESWORTH to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway Society (HSNGRS co ) -chairmen James Hewett and Ken Penrose have bought a 3ft-gauge Greenwood and Batley 4WBE, which once worked at lrthlingborough mines, Northamptonshire. It was acquired from a private owner in Buckinghamshire and delivered to the HSNGRS workshop. The locomotive does not have correct traction batteries, but is complete and runs thanks to four 12-volt car batteries connected in series to produce the required 48 volts. It joins ex-Channel Tunnel project 900mm-gauge RFS Engineering Ltd 4wDH L 106 of 1989, bought for the HSNGRS project in October 2018, which forms Halesworth Southwold Railway No. 6 Holton. HSNGRS has also launched its project to build a replica Southwold Railway Sharp, Stewart 2-4-0T No. 2 Halesworth by ordering the name and number plate for…

¦ THE major overhaul of 1 Sin-gauge 0-4-2 tender loco Bonnie Dundee at John Fowler Engineering is expected to be complete in early September. Recent progress has included completing the rebuilt Stephenson's valve gear and fitting out the tender with a new air compressor and brakes. Painting began in early August. Bonnie Dundee is owned by Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and will be returned to steam for service at Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway. ¦ AN APPEAL by 1863 Mountaineer Locomotive Ltd to finance the wheels and axles for replica Ffestiniog Railway George England 0-4-0TT Mountaineer has achieved its target, and the required steel has been ordered. ¦ RAVENGLASS & Eskdale Railway's new 14-seat First Class observation carriage entered service when the line reopened on July 30. It was constructed a…

Welsh coal for Hope cement DB CARGO is now operating trains of coal from Celtic EnergyGwaun 's -cae-Gurwen colliery to Hope Cement Works in Derbyshire. The first train was loaded to 1,850 tonnes in 18 HTA bogie hoppersand , operated in June on behalf of Roy Hatfield Energy Ltd. GBRf's fourth daily intermodal to EMG GB RAILFREIGHT has introduced a new intermodal service between Southampton Docks and the East Midlands Gateway Strategic Railfreight Interchange near , Castle Donington. The train is the fourth to serve the new facility, which opened earlier this year, and runs five days per week. WH Davis upgrade to expand capacity NOTTINGHAMSHIRE wagon builderW H Davis is undertaking a major upgrade and expansion of its Langwith Junction factory. A 1920s workshop building is gaining a higher…

Greening up HS2 route SOUTH West Surrey MP and former Foreign Secretary and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt asked what steps the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is taking to protect the environment and woodlands in the vicinity of the HS2 route. Environment Minister Rebecca Pow replied: "HS2 aims to be one of the most environmentally responsible infrastructure projects ever delivered in the UK. "The Government and HS2 Limited have committed to provide a range of tailored measures to compensate for its impacts, for example, planting more than seven million new trees and shrubs, and creating more than 900 hectares (ha) of new native woodland. "At least 400km of hedgerows will be created or translocatedOn . top of this, the Government has committed £?million in establishing the HS2 Woodland…

'At risk' East Coast Main Line bridge repairs TWO bridges in Grantham that are regularly struck by overheight lorries will be closed to road traffic for long-term repairs. Barrowby Road A52 bridge and Springfield Road bridge, south of the station, will be strengthened in a £2.7million project. Barrowby Road is closed until December 4 and Springfield Road will follow suit between January and March 2021, following a break for the Christmas holidays, during which both roads will be open to traffic. Flood prevention at Manchester Victoria DRAINAGE systems at Manchester Victoria are being overhauled in a £1 million scheme to reduce the risk of flooding. Drainage in the basement of the station will be connected to the River Irk beneath, providing a more efficient way of draining the building. Drains…

Heritage trust 'Teddy Bear' up for sale THE Heritage Shunters Trust at Rowsley, Peak Rail, has put Class 14 No. D9525 up for sale. It is considered too big in comparison with the other locos in the collection, and takes up too much covered accommodation. For details see website: www.heritageshunterstrust. corn Pioneer 'Gronk' moved to new home PRIVATELY owned Class 08 No. D3000 has been moved from Barrow Hill to HNRC's Worksop depot, where restoration is said to be continuing. Class 26 returns home to Llangollen LLANGOLLEN Diesel Group's Class 26 No. 531 O returned to the Llangollen Railway on July 6. No. 5310 has been receiving attention at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railwaybut , never ran there (RM Aug 2019, p92). It operated under its own power for the first…