Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i The Railway Magazine

MORE than 12,000 people passed through the gates of Iarnród Éireann’s Inchicore Works in Dublin on May 7, to mark its 175th anniversary. On display was a range of rolling stock, including Northern Ireland Railway’s CAF railcar No. 3005, GM 111 Class No. 8112 Northern Counties, the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland VS Class 4-4-0 No. 85 Merlin and 141 Class diesel No. B141. IE’s 071 Class No. 071, carrying the original CIE livery, was named Great Southern & Western Railway by the company’s chief executive officer Jim Meade. The highlight of the celebration was the unveiling of the RPSI-owned 121 Class No. B134, restored to its as-built and as-delivered 1961 condition in original grey and yellow livery, by American Ambassador Claire Cronin. Ambassador Cronin also named the loco Inchicore…

A NINE-month project which received almost £400,000 of First of a Kind competition funding from the Department for Transport last year has successfully shown that an existing Class 66 locomotive engine can be run on a ‘dual fuel’ mix of diesel and gas. During load bank testing of Class 66 No. 66599 at Freightliner’s Leeds Midland Road depot, a precision injection system developed by Clean Air Power was used to substitute 30% of the EMD 12-710 power unit’s diesel intake with hydrogen. A diesel and biomethane mix can also be used. “What we demonstrated is that a Class 66 can run on 30% hydrogen which, before our project, had never been done,” Clean Air Power managing director Dan Skelton told The RM. Major modifications to accommodate permanent on board ‘dual…

Rail freight developing CUTTING CO2 emissions is a top priority for the Government, but Rachel Maskell, the opposition MP for York Central, wanted to know the proportion of freight that will be transferred from road to rail over the next five years. Transport Minister Wendy Morton replied: “We continue to encourage and incentivise modal shift from road to rail through the Mode Shift Revenue Support Scheme, that financially supports the carriage of freight by rail and water on routes where road haulage has a financial advantage. The £20 million scheme delivers high value for money and in 2020/21 removed around 900,000 HGV lorries off our congested road network, saving 58,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. “Furthermore, in both the William-Shapps Plan for Rail and the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, the Government committed…

THREE locomotives were directly used in the film: USATC ‘S160’ Class 2-8-0 No. 5820 ‘Big Jim’, Midland Railway 3835 Class (LMS 4F) 0-6-0 No. 3924, and LMS ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 No. 5596 Bahamas. Others were also used for behind the scenes stock moves, such as 0-6-0 diesel shunter No. D0226 Vulcan and Type 3 No. 37075, while Waggon und Maschinenbau Railbus No. 79964 was used to shuttle the cast between the filming base at Oxenhope and shooting locations along the line. “The budget of the film meant there was no possibility of repainting any locos,” said Noel Hartley, business and operations manager at the KWVR. “But Jemma [Rodgers, the producer] was aiming to get the right feel, and the locos and rolling stock we used give the right impression.” All locos…

“The loading gauge for the nearly 14 miles from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog is dictated by the confines of this tunnel” WE are on the Ffestiniog Railway, which was constructed for delivering slate from quarry to ships by gravity and the return of empties hauled by horses. After converting to steam power in the 1860s, the company went on to demonstrate a penchant for literature, naming its locomotives after figures such as the Welsh manifestation of Arthurian Merlin, Merddin Emrys, and the sixth century poet Taliesin. ‘With a great blustering din’, as the Welsh Bard is said (in translation) to have written about battle, Merddin Emrys bursts from the short Garnedd tunnel in a cloud of steam which has been freed from the constriction of the narrow tunnel. Driver Richard…

YES, the colour does not suit the loco one bit; but folk need to ask why the decision was made to paint it in the first place. Historically, railway companies have sought to make the most out of national celebrations and other events: the classic example has to be the LNER painting a whole train silver to honour the Silver Jubilee of the late King George V, and I am sure just as many heads were turned then as now. I contend that the very fact that the painting has generated such a furore proves that it has achieved its objective, namely that of bringing the Severn Valley Railway much publicity. My local paper had a picture of Taw Valley on its front page and that alone is worth many…

Porterbrook – delivering a safe, reliable and sustainable railway www.porterbrook.co.uk Panorama is brought to you in association with…

TWO key players in the heritage railway sector have reported favourable results with their steam galas in April and early May. The enthusiast community responded positively to events organised by the Severn Valley (SVR) and West Somerset (WSR) railways, with both lines bringing in visiting locomotives. Describing the SVR’s April 21-24 Spring Steam Gala as a “great start to our 2022 season,” Helen Smith, managing director said: “The event surpassed all our expectations, and the sheer number of visitors was extremely gratifying, not to mention the hundreds of very positive comments we received. “Over the four days we attracted around 7500 visitors, which represents higher numbers than ever before. Just to set this in context, pre-pandemic our visitor numbers peaked at around 4500 for what was usually a three-day spring…

WR 0-6-0PT No. 9681 could be back in action by the autumn, the Dean Forest Loco Group (DFLG) has told The RM. A steaming up trial was carried out on May 6, the boiler reaching full pressure without any issues – and it went on to pass its steam test on May 12. The boiler was due to be craned back into frames in mid-May with final reassembly planned to begin in earnest. “Successfully getting the boiler up to steam pressure was a landmark moment,” said DFLG spokesman Josh Watkins. “This is testament to the hard work carried out by contractor Western Steam Engineering at Norchard, ably assisted by our small team of engineering volunteers who have worked to bring No. 9681 back.” The 1949-built Pannier last ran in October…

THE sole surviving GWR Coral A wagon is to receive new frames at Didcot Railway Centre. No. 41723, a four-wheeled well wagon, was built at Swindon in 1908 to carry glass in crates and has been part of the GWR 813 Preservation Fund’s collection since 1981. The Fund believes this is the first time that a standard gauge wagon has had new frames manufactured in railway preservation. Two new frames are to be cut at Steelways in the West Midlands. Delivery to Didcot is expected in June. The wagon will be dismantled and rebuilt under contract at Didcot.…

UNIQUE Peckett ‘Yorktown’ 0-4-0ST Teddy (2012/1941) is to return to the Leicestershire railway it once called home after an agreement was reached that will see it once again based at the Battlefield Line. The pocket-sized former Royal Ordnance Factory locomotive first took up residence at Shackerstone in 1972, following its acquisition by the Rev E R ‘Teddy’ Boston, whose famous Cadeby Light Railway was just a short distance away. It was here that the loco was returned to steam for the first time in the preservation era by members of the Lutterworth Railway Society, after which it acquired the name Herbert. Yet by 1982 there was little work for such a small machine, and it was removed to the Cadeby Light Railway that year, where it remained on static display…

HAVING been steamed for the first time on March 7 by its builders, North Bay Railway Engineering Services, (picture, RM April), Southwold Railway Trust’s (SRT) replica 3ft gauge Southwold Railway Sharp, Stewart 2-4-0T No. 3 Blyth was relocated to SRT’s Steamworks site in Southwold where it ran on the short 3ft gauge demonstration line for the first time on April 10. Aside from the miniature railway at Steamworks, this was hailed as the first time a loco had moved under its own steam in the Southwold area since 1929. The SRT is now working on the systems and approvals necessary for Blyth to haul a passenger vehicle train.…

HISTORY was made at Crich Tramway Village on April 22 as London County Council tram No. 1 moved under its own power for the first time since 1957. Nicknamed ‘Bluebird’, because of the distinctive blue and ivory livery that it originally carried, it has been repainted into the colours as part of its restoration, which began in 2014. Good progress is being made with the project as a result of hard work by staff and volunteers, supported by funding from the London County Council Tramways Trust. Preservation Having entered service in the capital in 1932, No. 1 was sold to Leeds City Transport in 1951 and operated there until 1957. Donation to the British Transport Commission saw its preservation initially at the Commission’s museum in Clapham. In 1972, it was…

THE Swanage Railway (SR) in Dorset has staged an annual diesel gala every year since 2006, apart from 2020 and 2021, and it has grown to be a popular and highly regarded event. This year’s gala was held on May 6-8 with a mixed-traction preview day on May 5. An intensive, three-train service was run, while a well-attended beer festival was held in the station yard at Corfe Castle. Services were tracked by Realtime Trains with live information on the trains and locos appearing on screens at Swanage, Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden stations. Operations The main centre of operations was Corfe Castle with trains from Swanage terminating there, in addition to an hourly service running through to Norden and beyond to bridge No. 4 at River Frome. This…

A LOCO destined for the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway has gone to the Statfold Barn collection, Staffordshire instead. Cadbury No. 14 (Hudswell Clarke D1012 of 1956) was on static display at Cadbury World, Bournville, for many years. The 0-4-0DM was gifted to the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Museum (GRCWM) based on the L&MMR (RM May 2021, p90), but the group was unable to raise the finance to transport the loco from Birmingham. The GRCWM charity has closed but the stock owned has a secure future and railwayana on loan is being returned to its owners.…

A DIRECT rail link with the potential for extension could be a key selling point as land is released for possible industrial or logistics use at the Port of Cardiff. Associated British Ports (ABP) is advertising two sites on Longships Road, within the ABP Business Park, which it says could accommodate around 200,000 square feet of development – available as a whole or in part. ABP says the existing line could be extended into the business park, enabling the movement of goods via rail, sea and road. Helen Thomas, ABP’s head of property for Wales said: “We believe the development of these sites can be a further catalyst for investment and creating new jobs.” As reported in The RM last month, ABP, which has launched a national initiative aimed at…

Low carbon concrete for Gatwick rebuild THE upgrade and expansion of Gatwick Airport station is being constructed with low carbon concrete. Aggregates company Hanson has, to date, supplied 3000 cubic metres to contractor Costain. Limited access to Dawlish beach WORK on the next phase of the Dawlish sea wall upgrade will lead to the closure of the Town Gateway/Colonnade underpass for 12 weeks from June 13. Engineers will install the foundations for a new bridge to connect the two sections of new accessible public promenade as well as the box culvert through which Dawlish Water will flow into the sea. Arygle line works completed A £32m upgrade of the route between Rutherglen and Exhibition Centre, Glasgow, was completed on time on May 9. Engineers removed 500 tonnes of concrete encasement…

WORK to replace points and crossovers at Tyseley, Birmingham, will lead to a four-day closure of the line between Birmingham Snow Hill and Solihull. The posession will be in force between June 20 and 23 and affect West Midlands Railway, CrossCountry and Chiltern Railways services. The task is being carried out ahead of the Commonwealth Games which are taking place in Birmingham. The work will also affect access to Tyseley maintenance depot. During the closure, rail replacement bus services will operate. In addition to the trackwork, Network Rail will take the opportunity to undertake a deep clean of Snow Hill station and remove graffiti and overgrown vegetation.…

THE MD of Thames Gateway Tramlink says the company’s vision of a tram route including a 1.2km tunnel under the Thames, linking Kent and Essex, could give people affordable access to employment without having to rely on the road network. Gordon Pratt said it would make opportunities in Essex, including those expected to be created at the Thames Freeport, more viable for people living in Kent. Known as KenEx, it would run initially from Purfleet to Grays, Ebbsfleet, Northfleet and Gravesend, connecting with bus, high-speed and local rail services.…

FOLLOWING weeks of speculation, GB Railfreight has confirmed an order, financed by Beacon Rail, for 30 bi-mode locomotives from Stadler, which will be designated as Class 99s. Able to use the 25kV AC overhead supply or a diesel power unit for traction, the six-axle Co-Co machines will be a UK adaptation (taking into account British railway specifications and loading gauge) of Stadler’s ‘Eurodual’. Expected to enter service from 2025, they are intended as a replacement for Class 66 diesel locos. Capability As a freight locomotive, the Class 99 will have a modest maximum speed of 75mph, but high hauling capability and performance, delivering maximum tractive effort of 500 kilonewtons (compared to a maximum of 409kN for a Class 66). Running on power from overhead lines it will have ‘at wheel’…

THE first phase of East Midlands Railway’s £2million modernisation programme at Eastcroft depot in Nottingham has been completed. Improvements have been made to train cleaning facilities and stabling capacity as EMR prepares to augment its fleet of Class 170 DMUs with two-car sets from West Midlands Railway and two and three-car trains from Transport for Wales. As well as the installation of extra fuel pumps, phase two of the work will also now include a £360,000 lighting system. EMR says this will improve safety across the site, which is located around 350 yards east of Nottingham station. The lighting upgrade is being funded jointly by EMR and Network Rail, which is contributing £190,000.…

Pendolino No. 390129 City of Stoke-on-Trent now carries the name ‘Brett’ on both of its cab ends. This is to honour the memory of Brett Hobson, a much loved and sadly missed member of the railway family, who lost his brave battle with cancer earlier this year, aged only 41 years old. The remaining Class 91s are attracting much attention from our correspondents. A visit to King’s Cross on Saturday, April 16 found No. 91110 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at platform 0, forming the 14.35 to Leeds. No. 91130 Lord Mayor of Newcastle was at platform 2, with the 15.03 departure to Leeds. Before either of these trains could leave, they were joined by the 12.02 from York, which terminated by platform 1 led by DVT No. 82214, with…

THE Department for Transport has indicated it expects to give details “in the coming weeks” of the next schemes to progress as part of its ‘Restoring Your Railway’ (RYR) programme. As no new bids have been invited since the closure of round three of the competition (for which winners were announced last October), the upcoming announcement will relate to applications that have already been submitted. In November 2021, just eight months after the Government announced £40.5 million of investment in the project, the restoration of services between Exeter and Okehampton became the first scheme supported by RYR to reach fruition. Track relaying and upgrading work allowed the route to reopen to regular non-seasonal passenger traffic after a gap of almost 50 years. For successful RYR applicants awaiting feedback to develop…

‘Fact Check’ and ‘Quick Buy’ rolled out NORTHERN has armed its conductors and revenue protection staff with a new app enabling them to check the status of over 600 self-service ticket machines on the network. The technology, designed in partnership with Flowbird and RADD Solutions, will help defend the train operator against one of the most common excuses given by fare-evaders for travelling without a ticket, that ‘The ticket machine wasn’t working’. Northern has also introduced a ‘Quick Buy’ feature on its ticket vending machines that has halved the number of steps required to purchase a ticket. The feature also shows passengers the next train due, which helps them determine if they have time to catch the train from when they buy the ticket. Hex ‘names’ fleet after international cities…

A TRIANGULAR sign featuring a side-on view of a steam locomotive is likely to be replaced by one showing a front-on modern trainset with a gate to the side of the track. It is among the changes included in a Department for Transport (DfT) consultation called ‘Improving signage at private level crossings’. Acknowledging that “signage at private crossings works well in most cases,” the DfT says two incidents over the last decade – at Frampton Mansell and Frognal Farm – have highlighted the need to update signage. The Private Crossings (Signs and Barriers) Regulations 1996 prescribe a range of signs for use at private crossings, but those regulations and signs need to be updated. It adds that there is now a wider range of people who may need to use…

PROPERTY company Bruntwood has agreed the sale of its Square One site on Travis Street in Manchester as preparations are made for the construction of the city’s new HS2 rail hub, alongside the current Piccadilly station. The Square One building, which was formerly a Parcelforce depot standing to the east of the current station, has been leased by Network Rail as its North West office centre since 2010. It is the second major property acquisition by HS2 (on behalf of the Department for Transport) related to the project in just over a year, following the purchase of land at Store Street. Forecast to open between 2035 and 2040, the new station will include six platforms at surface level for HS2 and future Northern Powerhouse Rail services. Beneath the HS2 station,…

“REPAINTED in bright green, with the initials of a fictitious Great Northern & Southern Railway on its tender, former Lancashire & Yorkshire 0-6-0 No. 957 was in use on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway on May 20, with a special train for filming sequences of The Railway Children at Haworth, Mytholmes Tunnel, and Oakworth. “Then on May 21, 0-6-0 pannier tank LT No. 89/GWR No. 5775, in a mid-brown livery specified by the film company, was hauled back onto Worth Valley tracks at Keighley by diesel shunter No. D0226 after being turned by British Rail on the Shipley triangle [about seven miles away]. “Also used was ex-Manchester Ship Canal tank engine No. 67, which had been turned on a low-loader at Ingrow several days earlier.”…

ROBERT Fairlie sold his patent locomotives all over the world and they were particularly popular in countries as diverse as Mexico and New Zealand. He took over his father-in-law George England’s failing loco construction business and co-operated fully with the Ffestiniog, which he saw as a showcase for his products. Portraits show Fairlie’s especially woolly, mutton-chop sideburns, and a style of moustache to be made famous many years later by Poirot, all framing an arguably vulnerable gaze. He died early, aged 55 (many sources say 54), following a long illness stemming from a sales visit to Venezuela where he had contracted a fever. One of the criticisms of his work is that he had few repeat orders, but those more kindly disposed to his efforts suggest this is because of…

■ THE answer to 32 across in the May edition crossword is wrong. The longest tunnel wholly in Wales is not the abandoned Rhondda tunnel (at 3148m) but the very much alive and working Blaenau Ffestiniog tunnel on the Conwy Valley line. The length varies according to what source is accessed but 2 miles 333 yards (3725m) seems the most authoritative. Bob Jones, by email Thanks also to Martin Elson and David Lloyd-Roberts for spotting this – Ed. ■ WITH reference to the news about the GWSR gala (May issue) you say No. 34028 was the first Light Pacific Bulleid to be rebuilt, in 1958. But this was in fact No. 34005 Barnstaple, rebuilt June 1957, which may be the reason it was chosen to be the Hornby Dublo model.…

100 YEARS AGO JUNE 1922 Novel Underground ticketing option LONDON Underground is experimenting with a new mechanical device which will save the travelling public time and trouble at less busy traffic points. At Aldwych station, which is a quiet traffic centre, a novel electrically-operated machine has been installed inside the lift, enabling the lift man to issue tickets and at the same time control the working of his lift. The booking of tickets and the admission to the lift being thus concentrated at one time and point and accomplished practically in one movement. There will be a considerable saving of delay and trouble to the passenger. Another notable feature of this new arrangement is the telephone fitted to the machine which enables the operator to communicate with any of the…

Mid-Hants Railway appoints CEO WATERCRESS Line Heritage Railway Trust has appointed Amanda Squires as its new chief executive officer. Due to start in her new role on August 1, Ms Squires has been chief operating officer at Brooklands Museum for the last four years. At the Mid-Hants Railway, she will be responsible for developing and implementing a strategic plan for the Watercress Line and for leading its delivery, feeding into the company’s goal of securing future growth of the railway through strong commercial and financial performance. ‘Middy’ visitor JOHN Allman’s Beyer Peacock (1827/1879) is visiting the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway until the end of June. On May 20-22, the Foxfield Railway based 0-4-0ST ran on specially-laid standard gauge track at the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway’s Beyer 120 event at Raven…

THE return of resident steam traction to the Midland Railway-Butterley (MRB) continues to edge closer thanks to the work of volunteers from the Midland Railway Trust, which operates the Derbyshire heritage railway. Efforts are being directed at a pair of LMS ‘Jinties’ – plus two saddle tank locos. Maintaining an active resident steam fleet is viewed as important by the trustees for the future of the organisation – including ‘3F’ 0-6-0Ts Nos. 16440 (47357), 47445 (16576) and 47327 (16410), plus BR ‘5MT’ 4-6-0 No. 73129. Of the ‘Jinties’, No. 16440 (47357) is currently under overhaul at the MRB, while the ‘bottom end’ overhaul of No. 47445 is taking place at contractor Riley & Son (E) Ltd in Heywood. No. 47327 resides in the MRB’s workshop awaiting its turn for overhaul.…

DIDCOT Railway Centre took delivery of 1887-built GWR Broad Gauge Convertible carriage No. 820 on May 7. To meet an immediate need for more broad gauge stock, while ensuring that the coach bodies could be reused when the broad gauge was finally abolished in 1892, the body was designed to fit within the standard loading gauge and to be mounted on a standard gauge underframe, but originally entered service on a broad gauge underframe. Originally built as a ‘Tricomposite’ vehicle having first, second and third class compartments, the second class compartment was downgraded to third in about 1907. Withdrawn from passenger service in the 1930s to become a Camp Coach, it entered departmental service around 1952 with the number W9962W. The interior retains the Camp Coach layout, with each of…

TWO of preservation’s best-known industrial steam locomotives, which had worked together for 35 years before being separated in 1986 for a further 36 years, finally met once more at the North Tyneside Steam Railway’s (NTSR) at the end of April. As the name of the event strongly suggests, the ‘Victor & Vulcan Reunion Gala’ between April 30 and May 2 brought together Bagnall ‘New Standard 18’ 0-6-0STs Nos. 403 Victor (2996/1951) and 401 (formerly Vulcan – 2994/1951) for the first time since they last worked together at the West Somerset Railway in the mid-1980s. It was a reunion that many had longed to see, and the dream was finally realised on April 27 when Victor arrived at the NTSR from its base at the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. The weeks…

THE Bank Holiday weekend April 30-May 2 was not billed as a Ffestiniog Railway (FR) special event, but it became so. The FR Society annual general meeting took place during the weekend and a special treat for members were visiting appearances by Jeremy Martin’s Hunslet 0-4-0ST Sybil (acquired from Brecon Mountain Railway last year) and Hunslet 0-4-0ST Elin, which returned to steam at the beginning of April (RM, May). This was Elin’s first public appearance in steam following completion of its extensive overhaul at Jeremy Martin’s private Richmond Light Railway in Kent. Elin had last worked in 1997 at the Yaxham Light Railway and this was the first time it had been in Wales since leaving Penrhyn’s Coed-y-Parc in July 1962. Operation Elin and Sybil worked, in varying combinations, with…

DOUBT has now arisen as to whether Douglas Bay Horse Tramway will open at all this season. In late April Isle of Man’s Infrastructure Minister, Tim Crookall, told Tynwald (Manx Parliament) it seemed highly unlikely the tramway would be ready for the summer and he was, “not hopeful” trams would run on Douglas Promenade in 2022. Concern over whether the tramway would be reinstated over its full original route to the Sea Terminal arose again earlier this year, when it became known reopening for the new season was envisaged only between Derby Castle and a terminus some way short of the War Memorial on Central Promenade (RM, March), with no opening date confirmed. The problem now seems to relate to the availability of finance for track components. The Minister is…

WITH planning permission in place, the Bluebell Railway (BR) is to construct a 7¼in gauge passenger-carrying miniature railway by the picnic site at Sheffield Park station. Among the many reasons for this project is that the construction of the railway will become a focal point for new and existing young Bluebell Railway volunteers. There will be close ties with the BR’s 9F Club, which channels the enthusiasm of young people into steam loco preservation. The 7¼in gauge line will be self-funding on an operational basis. There will be a project office and a ‘go-to centre’ for updates, recruitment and educational visits. An outdoor activity centre based around Chris Vine’s ‘Peter’s Railway’ adventures will be established. Operation There will be close integration with the BR’s operational teams such as engineering, S&T…

Regular hours at EATM FOLLOWING disruption at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, East Anglia Transport Museum has returned to a regular pattern of opening for the 2022 season. The museum, at Carlton Colville near Lowestoft, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Events and bank holidays aside, it will be open on Thursdays and weekends from June to August (also Tuesdays in school summer holidays), then Thursdays and Sundays, with the season ending on October 29. Usual opening hours are 12.00-16.30. Busier times return SPRING brought some of the busiest periods since before the Covid-19 pandemic for a number of heritage tram attractions. Operating for three consecutive days (April 16-18) during the Easter holidays, Manchester’s Heaton Park Tramway carried around 800 passengers. Heading into the last week of April,…

KWVR announces diesel gala line-up THE Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s June 10-12 diesel gala is expecting four visiting locos: Class 33s No. D6515 (33012) Lt Jenny Lewis RN from the Swanage Railway and No. 33202 Dennis G. Robinson, Class 50 No. 50026 Indomitable and a main line Class 68 from DRS. These will be in operation along with a large proportion of the KWVR’s home diesel fleet including Class 144 ‘Pacer’ No. 144011. ELR gala offers an impressive loco roster THE East Lancashire Railway’s June 30–July 2 diesel gala features 11 diesels from the home fleet as well as LSL’s two operational Class 20s, Nos. 20096 and 20107 visiting. Class 28 Co-Bo No. D5705, undergoing long-term restoration, will be on static display. MRB Class 142 ‘Pacer’ reprieved and repainted…

THE number of railtours operated, the type of rolling stock used and the cost of tickets could change over the next 12 months due to a variety of factors. One of the key changes will be the use of Mk.1 carriages on the main line. The staple for many enthusiast and charter tours, Mk.1s are currently running under an exemption from the Office of Rail and Road, sparing them from the requirement of Central Door Locking (CDL) and also toilet retention tanks. This exemption is due to expire on March 31, 2023. It is well known that Mk.1s have poor crashworthiness and if in an accident are likely to suffer far more damage. There is potential for passenger injury inside these vehicles, the Mk.1 having a robust chassis but a…

THE return to the main line of ‘Deltic’ No. 55022 Royal Scots Grey has taken another step forward after its second overhauled power unit was craned in at the Locomotive Services Limited depot at Crewe in mid-May. Work will continue on refitting the remaining engine room equipment ahead of a mainline test run in the summer. The loco has three railtours booked for this year, all under the LSL’s InterCity brand: The ‘Deltic Delight’ on August 26 from Wolverhampton, Crewe and Warrington Bank Quay to Newcastle via Carlisle; the ‘Severn Valley Deltic’ on October 12, starting at Newcastle and running via the cross-country route to Chesterfield, then the Erewash Valley and Sutton Park lines to Kidderminster, before arriving at Bridgnorth and the final trip this year is on October 29…

THE high level platform at Lichfield Trent Valley station, platform 3, has been closed until further notice on safety grounds. The single platform is on a bridge spanning the West Coast Main Line, where a recent inspection has revealed corrosion in metal support brackets which are above the 25kV overhead lines for the WCML. A further problem has been found in degradation of concrete panels which form the construction of the platform. Platform 3 forms part of the passenger access route between platforms 1 and 2. There are lifts but that involves using the part of platform 3 affected by the structural issues. As a result, Cross City Line trains are terminating at Lichfield City and a bus connection has been set up to transfer passengers. A bus is also…

A JOINT British Transport Police and Network Rail operation has been running in South Yorkshire aimed at disrupting criminals who steal signalling cables and other equipment. Since April there has been a rise in the number of offences during a time when world copper prices have risen too. The cables are being stolen along the Sheffield-Rotherham-Aldwarke corridor and Network Rail says it has cost them more than £280,000 – the figure attributable to replacement cables and compensation payments for delayed journeys. To combat the thefts, NR and BTP teams are increasing proactive patrols and using new real time surveillance techniques to monitor hotspot areas.…

FOLLOWING a programme of testing, upgraded ticket validating machines on platforms at Edinburgh tram stops went into service on April 28. The machines can be used by passengers to touch-on Ridacards, smart cards and concession passes. In Nottingham, a contactless ‘Tap & Go’ system now covers tram travel with Nottingham Express Transit, buses operated by Nottingham City Transport and CT4N Linkbuses. Previously only available for individual operators, it allows passengers to make multiple journeys with a £5.60 daily capped fare.…

First refurbished ‘Pendolinos’ back in service AVANTI West Coast Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ No. 390125, the first of the 56-strong fleet to be refurbished, re-entered revenue-earning traffic on April 25 (see feature p20). Its first working was the 05.05 Manchester Piccadilly-London Euston service. Later on the same day, it was the focus of an event for invited guests at Euston. The second set to be refurbished, No. 390123, has also returned to service. DCRail assesses ex-DB Class 60s FOLLOWING its purchase of the 14 redundant Class 60s at Toton which were put up for sale last year by DB Cargo, DCRail is moving them to three secure storage locations. The company is planning a detailed assessment of each of the machines. It has told The RM that its main priority is…

ON May 10 the Irish Government approved plans to draw down €74 million from the EU’s recovery and resilience fund in the last quarter of 2022 for the Cork Area Commuter Rail (CACR). This confirmation ensures the €164m upgrade of rail in the Cork area, as envisaged under the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy, can be delivered. Welcoming the announcement, Iarnród Éireann (IÉ) said funding will enable it to build on the existing successful commuter service in the Cork area and allow the rail network to meet future demand. This will also enable future works to ensure electrification of commuter lines in Cork, crucial to decarbonisation of transport. The works supported will deliver higher frequencies on all three commuter lines from Midleton, Cobh and Mallow by: – Developing a new…

THE Mayday bank holiday saw the commissioning of ETCS (European Train Control System) on the Northern city line between Finsbury Park and Moorgate. Use of the digital signalling system is a first step which will see large sections of the East Coast Main Line operated under ETCS in future years. ■ Meanwhile work to retro-fit ETCS to the current fleet has begun using Grand Central DMU No. 180108 William Shakespeare, which has been undergoing extensive testing at Network Rail’s Rail Innovation & Development Centre at Old Dalby, where ETCS trackside equipment has been installed.…

THE Bala Lake Railway (BLR) marked its 50th anniversary on the April 30-May 2 Spring Bank Holiday weekend with a ‘Bala at 50’ gala. With the weekend corresponding with the one in 1972 when the initial BLR rails were laid, festivities kicked off with a works train top-and-tailed by Ruston & Hornsby diesels Lady Madcap and Chilmark. Commemorating the contribution made by Kerr Stuart ‘Wren’ 0-4-0ST ‘Dryw Bach’ – now based at Vale of Rheidol but out of service, which ran on the BLR during its early years, Jennie, a new-build of the same class, visited from the Amerton Railway for the gala. Over the weekend, Jennie double-headed with resident Quarry Hunslet 0-4-0STs George B, Maid Marian and Winifred. A new book, Bala Lake Railway – The First 50 Years…

TRANSPORT Secretary Grant Shapps has dismissed suggestions that an underground option for the HS2 station at Manchester Piccadilly could still be considered, saying it “doesn’t work out” on cost grounds. Great Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Manchester City Council claim a surface station will squander development land and hamper scope for further connections in the future. Answering House of Commons Transport Committee questions on April 27, Mr Shapps said of the underground option: “What it would do is take a lot of money out of other parts of the network, so in the end it’s been concluded that’s not the way.” ■ Earlier in the session, the Transport Secretary acknowledged that “radical transformation” would be required in order to create an HS2 link into Leeds station. The Government’s Integrated Rail…

FEW who watch the classic British film The Railway Children will fail to be moved by the enchanting scene at Oakworth Station in which hero Bobbie utters the classic line “Daddy, my daddy” as the steam loco pulls away, the smoke clears, and her much missed and long absent father comes into view standing alone on the platform. It would be a brave move to try to recreate the nostalgia and sentimentality that director Lionel Jefferies brought to that 1970 screen adaptation of Edith Nesbit’s much-loved novel, but this year will see the release of The Railway Children Return, a brand-new story and direct sequel to the original set in war-torn 1940s Britain. The new film, which is the vision of producer Jemma Rodgers, sees Jenny Agutter reprising her role…

“THE miniature line that runs between Portmadoc [as it was then spelled] and the Festiniog [sic] slate district of North Wales, though it has long since lost its exclusive prominence as an example, and is no longer the Mecca it was, still enjoys the distinction of being one the narrowest of narrow gauges. “The mere fact of its being the first parent, as it were, of some thousands of miles of narrow gauges in other parts of the world, adds to its interest in the eyes of the visitor, who may promise himself much entertainment in seeing what this first parent is actually like. “Rather less than 14 miles in length, nominally 2ft wide but really 1ft 11½in, the Festiniog Railway was the war cry – and the basis, in…

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 Bradford Railway Circle. Bradford Mechanics’ Institute Library, 76 Kirkgate, Bradford BD1 1SZ. 19.30. ‘The Railway Slides of Peter Fox: Part 2’: Andrew Barclay. Pennine Railway Society. Doncaster Town Fields Sports Club, Bennethorpe, Doncaster DN2 6AA. 19.30. ‘Frodingham Shed: The Story’: Brian Longbone. www.penninerailwaysociety.com THURSDAY, JUNE 2 Great Central Railway Society (Sheffield branch). Farm Road Sports & Social Club, Farm Road, Sheffield S2 2TP. 19.30. ‘Tinsley and the Modernisation of Sheffield’s Railways’: Chris Booths. Lutterworth Railway Society. Lutterworth Bowls Club, Coventry Road, Lutterworth LE17 4RB. 19.30. ‘Thurnby, Scraptoft and the GNR Belgrave Road branch’: Bryan Holland. FRIDAY, JUNE 3 Slough & Windsor Railway Society (SWRS). The Manor, Slough station. 19.30. ‘The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Barbecue. Contact info@swrs.co.uk. MONDAY, JUNE 6 Peak Rail Association (Sheffield branch). Farm Road Sports…

IN THE spring of 1963, in common with every other railway periodical, the pages of the Railway Observer carried plenty of news and speculation about the Beeching Report. Reshaping British Railways was published on March 27 that year, and public attention focused on lines proposed for closure and the likely effect of these measures on rural and less populated areas of the country. The former GWR branches in the Thames Valley between Paddington and Reading serve sizeable populations, but did not entirely escape the ‘Beeching Axe’ as the popular press put it. The nearest GWR branch to London is West Ealing to Greenford, the so-called Greenford Loop. For many years this line offered the unique opportunity of leaving a major London terminus in a single-car diesel unit ‘Bubble Car’, but…

THE Quainton Railway Society, which operates the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre (BRC) is appealing for £70,000 to get its flagship loco, Metropolitan Railway 0-4-4-T No. 1 back in steam for its 125th anniversary in 2023. Withdrawn in 2019, 18 months short of its 10-year ticket due to the condition of the crown stays, the cab, fittings and the boiler were all removed for assessment at Quainton Road just prior to the national Covid-19 lockdown, which prevented further works taking place. Remaining assessments have now taken place – including nondestructive testing of the boiler, which has flagged up that firebox repairs are required. It is hoped that ‘Met 1’ will enter the BRC workshops later this year or early 2023. Tube removal and other less weather-sensitive elements are continuing when resources permit.…

JUNE June 2 Stephenson Steam Railway: The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee June 2/3 Keighley & Worth Valley Railway: Keighley Transport Festival June 2-5 Didcot Railway Centre: Jubilee Bank Holiday Steam Days June 2-5 Epping Ongar Railway: 10th Anniversary Gala Weekend June 2-5 Great Central Railway: Platinum Jubilee Celebration June 2-5 Mangapps Farm Museum: Jubilee services July 2-5 Severn Valley Railway: The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee June 3-5 Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway: Cotswold Festival of Steam June 3-5 East Lancashire Railway: Jubilee Weekend June 4/5 East Anglian Railway Museum: Jubilee Weekend Trains June 4/5 Lincolnshire Wolds Railway: The Queen’s Jubilee Steam June 5 Mid-Suffolk Railway: Jubilee Celebration Steam Up June 5 Yeovil Railway Centre: Steam Day June 10-12 Avon Valley Railway: Bitton Beer Bash June 10-12 North Norfolk Railway: Mixed Traction Gala June…

THE overhaul of Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0ST No. 1539 Derek Crouch at the Nene Valley Railway continues to progress at the line’s Wansford workshop. A new cylinder block has been cast by South Lincs Foundry in Spalding. The castings and wheelsets have been sent to contractor Riley & Son (E) Ltd for machining and tyre turning. Once the wheels are back, the journals can be measured and the boxes white metalled and machined to fit allow the chassis to be rewheeled. The project has also been boosted by a £10,000 grant from the Garfield Weston Foundation. Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/derekcrouchoverhaulappeal…

■ OLD Kiln Light Railway will celebrate its 40th anniversary of running at the Rural Life Living Museum in Tilford, Surrey, with a September 10/11 gala. The line’s O&K 0-6-0T Elouise, in its 100th anniversary year, should be back in action following overhaul and will be joined by Jim Haylock’s 0-4-0T Emmet and an additional visiting steam locomotive, which has not been identified but seems likely to be an Orenstein & Koppel. ■ AFTER several years undergoing extensive rebuilding, Groudle Glen Railway’s (GGR) Hudson-Hunslet 4wDM Dolphin (4394/1952) was test run on April 21 in advance of being relaunched into service on its 70th birthday at the line’s May 8 Diesel and Electric Day. An overhaul of sister loco Walrus (4395/1952) will now commence. Both locos were originally purchased when the…

THE project to construct Nipper, a replica of a John Ramsbottomdesigned 18in gauge 0-4-0ST built by LNWR for internal use at Crewe works (RM, April 2018) which was being undertaken at Bury Transport Museum, has been relocated to Statfold Barn Railway. The Nipper project, along with a number of other transport exhibits including traction engines, was given four weeks’ notice to leave the museum in order to create space to display John Cameron’s LNER ‘A4’ Pacific No. 60007 Union of South Africa (RM, page 56 May). An urgent appeal by The National Traction Engine Trust seeking help finding accommodation for the displaced items was answered by Statfold Barn which offered to house the entire collection.…

AHEAD of returning to North Devon, Ruston 22/28hp RH179880/1936 arrived at Yaxham Light Railway (YLR) on April 25 for running in trials. Bought by a group linked to Exmoor Associates, the loco was taken to a Norfolk workshop for rebuilding in July 2021 (RM, October 2021). Its condition had deteriorated during years of outside storage at the old Lynton station and restoration has included fitting a replacement JP3 engine and building a new cab and body panels. The lorry which delivered the Ruston left with YLR’s Hudson Hunslet 25 hp 2666/1942 No. 19 Penlee. It requires work on its engine after a big end failure.…

THE 5in gauge Strawberry Line Miniature Railway at Avon Valley Adventure Park near Keynsham, Bristol, dates back to 1999. This has undergone a major transformation over the past couple of years. Following the retirement of Mike Bass, the original operator, it was taken over by the park. The outer circuit has been relaid to 7¼in gauge so there is now a 400m circuit of each gauge. A volunteers’ club is to be formed. Visit www.avonvalley.co.uk for details. Follow us @railwaymagazine…

THE Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway (L&MMR) and the Vale of Berkeley Railway (VoBR) have formed a partnership. The first fruit of this agreement was the moving of VoBR’s Class 143 ‘Pacer’ No. 143612 to the L&MMR on April 12 for a year-long loan. It is due to enter regular service at Cynheidre. This enables the unit to be in operation in ready-to-run condition for when the VoBR project is able to open. The L&MMR is assisted by being able to undertake work on serviceable units Nos. 142006 and 143607, while retaining the present operational capacity. No. 143612 will be in the care of the South Wales Railcar Group while at the L&MMR. Knowledge, expertise and spares will be shared where possible, together with providing training and assessment for each…

FOLLOWING its overhaul and period of running-in at the Severn Valley Railway, ‘A4’ No. 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley made light and loaded main line test runs on May 16/17, ahead of working a railtour over the Settle & Carlisle line for members of the Sir Nigel Gresley Trust on May 21. The 4-6-2 began its £1m restoration at the National Railway Museum in 2015, but the trust was offered space at the Locomotive Services workshops at Crewe last summer where the restoration was completed, the facilities were offered in exchange for the loco being used on LSL’s Saphos Tours brand tours. The agreement is between the trust and the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust and is for 10 years. The deal does permit the use of No. 4498 by…

FOLLOWING a successful initial trial service between Aberystwyth and wood panelling manufacturer Kronospan’s works in Chirk, Colas Rail Freight has told The RM that the ultimate intention is for timber trains to operate between the two locations on a weekly basis. The first trial train, worked by Colas-operated Network Rail Class 97/3 locomotives Nos. 97304 John Tiley and 97303 Dave Berry, ran on the evening of April 29, departing at 19.46, 10 minutes earlier than scheduled and arrived at the Kronospan sidings at 01.42 the following morning. If it all goes to plan, it will lead to the first regular commercial freight traffic to be seen on the Cambrian lines for over 25 years. Experiment In 2005, a five-week experiment utilising two powered Network Rail MPVs (Multi-Purpose Vehicles) to ‘top…

EAST Anglia’s three swing bridges are to get mechanical and electrical upgrades which will improve reliability and reduce delays and disruption for boat users. Located at Oulton Broad, Somerleyton and Reedham, the structures are understood to date from around 1905. The internal components have not been replaced in over 100 years and need frequent and costly maintenance. Beginning in the autumn, Network Rail’s engineers will be upgrading the internal components for each bridge which includes replacing the winch systems, lighting and hydraulic jacks and pipework – plus installing new power systems. This work will make the bridges less prone to faults, reducing the need for maintenance and will be able to operate more reliably. The upgrades will bring more reliability, as there have been occasions where the bridges have stuck…

THE Northern Line’s Bank branch, between Kennington and Moorgate, reopened on schedule on May 16, following a 17-week closure. Passengers were thanked for their patience during the shutdown, which allowed the completion of work, including connection of the new southbound tunnel to the route and creation of a new, wider southbound platform for Northern Line services, as well as a concourse, which is situated in the area previously occupied by the old southbound platform. Testing The reopening follows extensive testing, which began over the Easter weekend. Multiple journeys were made through the new tunnel and southbound platform using two trains. Checks were carried out on railway and station systems and signalling software and hardware was also tested. The changes form part of the latest phase of the £700 million programme…

LOCOMOTIVES Allocations 37603 KM/XSDP-BH/HNRL 37604 KM/XSDP-BH/HNRL 37609 KM/XSDP-BH/HNRL 57004 KM/XSDP-CD/LSLO 66028 WBAI-WBAT 67020 WAAC-WAWC 67022 WQ/WQAA-CE/WAWC 67029 WQ/WQAA-CE/WAWC Liveries DB Cargo red: 66069, 66125/97 Green: 69005 Lenz Labs white and black: 19001 West Coast Railway: 47813 Named 43160 Castle-an-Dinas 66792 Collaboration 69005 Eastleigh 92033 Railway Heritage Trust Names removed 57301 Goliath Stored/stopped locations Gresty Bridge: 57003 Operational 67022/29 Disposals C F Booth, Rotherham: Cut date: May 19: 91108 Steamtown, Carnforth: Cut date: May 19: 37165 MULTIPLE UNITS Allocations 197012/13 newly delivered HQ/ HLHQ 231005/06 newly delivered HQ/ HLHQ 321406/34 IL/EBHQ-HQ/SAXU 317348 sent for disposal 317513 sent for disposal 377163/64 RM/HUHQ-SU/ HWHQ 398001 newly delivered HQ/ HLHQ 455740 sent for disposal 455809/10/16/25/27/31/35/38/39/41/55 sent for disposal 701046 newly delivered HQ/ HYHQ 730008/09 newly delivered HQ/ EJHQ Off registration – scrapped 153364, 317708/09/10/19…

THE Cavan and Leitrim Railway (C&L) based at Dromod took delivery of 30-tonnes of redundant 60lb (heavy) rail in 45 ft lengths from Bord na Mona (BnM) on April 26. The rail, which is thought to have been bought by BnM when the Clogher Valley Railway closed in January 1942, will be used for spot repairs on the existing running line and for the installation of run round loops at both Dromod and at Clooncolry the current end of the line. Appeal The C&L has launched a track appeal for funds to be in place to allow for more pointwork (a minimum of four sets are needed) to be bid for and secured when redundant material from BnM sites are disposed of by auctions. The railway is also open to…