Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i The Railway Magazine

Class 58s down to 10 WITH the recent scrapping of exported Class 58s in France, (see June issue and Stock Update this month on page 94), the once 50-strong Class 58 fleet is now down to 10 members – and one of those is no more than a frame. At the time of going to press, Nos. 58025/27/41/50 were intact at Albacete in Spain, with No. 58044 at Metz in Spain. Five others are preserved in Britain: Nos. 58012 and 58048 at the Battlefield Line, having the same owner and bought at the same time as No. 58023 at UKRL’s Leicester depot; first-preserved No. 58016 is also at Leicester; while No. 58022 has donated its frames to the Ivatt Diesel Re-creation Society. Appeal for Collett gravestone THE Friends of Swindon…

THE process of finding a contractor to design and supply the automated people mover (APM), which will link HS2’s Interchange station in the West Midlands with Birmingham National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham International station and Birmingham Airport, has been launched. HS2 Ltd envisages the system will carry up to 2100 passengers per hour in each direction on the six-minute journey. Planned for completion in time for the start of HS2 services to Interchange station, north east of Solihull (which will be served by up to five trains per hour in both directions), it will run on a 2.2km (1.4 mile) viaduct crossing the M42, Pendigo Lake and the West Coast Main Line. The contract for the APM includes a 25-year deal covering its operation and maintenance, and is valued at £270…

DARKNESS fell on the face of the earth as an intense thunderstorm enveloped the battling pair of Great Western Railway Collett ‘Castle’ 4-6-0s heading into the eye of the deluge. But the rain was too little too late. Three weeks of hot, dry weather had resulted in the last-minute addition of a ‘fire risk’ two-tone green Class 47 No. 47773 (D1755) to the rear of the train. Whereas diesels acting as insurance against breakdowns usually do as little as possible, fire risk minimisation permits no laxity on the uphill stretches. On the level, approaching Ashchurch, pace suddenly slackened, accompanied by an announcement that Network Rail had instituted a post-Carmont precautionary 40mph temporary speed restriction as far as Stoke Works Junction, some 2.2 miles before reaching the 1-in-37¾ uphill gradient of…

100 YEARS AGO AUGUST 1923 Britain’s fastest train THE 2.30pm express from Cheltenham has been accelerated by 10 minutes and now takes pride of place as having the fastest start-to-stop schedule on any British railway. Hitherto, the honours in this connection have had to be shared by the North Eastern and Great Central sections of the London and North Eastern Railway, the former’s 8.59pm from Darlington to York being booked to cover the 44.1 miles in 43 minutes, and the latter’s 4.30am from Leicester to Arkwright Street, Nottingham, 22.6 miles in 22 minutes, both giving averages of 61.5mph. The new Great Western schedule involves an average speed of 61.8mph and for a considerably greater distance. Upon the inaugural run the train was worked by two-cylinder 4-6-0 locomotive No. 2915…

HOPE Farm, Sellindge, near Hythe, Kent, has adopted the mantle previously held by the Electric Railway Museum, Baginton, Coventry, which closed in 2017. Most vehicles there were relocated but some have fared better than others. A few have since been scrapped while several had to move on again. The private site at Sellindge has for long been an open-air storage and restoration base for steam locos, notably ex-Barry scrapyard Bulleid Pacifics. Just as Coventry evolved into a large collection of otherwise homeless EMUs, this site is now providing a similar, valuable facility. Today, there are more EMU cars on site than steam locos. Previously, the only EMU car was the 4DD double-decker, S13003, which was joined by sister S13004 in May (RM July p73). Vehicles Suburban Electric Railway Association (SERA)…

THE Dawlish sea wall project, instigated to protect the exposed railway line from high tides, has been completed. The official opening of the £80m project was undertaken by the Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, along with guests from the wider rail industry, the local council and pupils from local schools. It was in February 2014 when the sea wall was breached by storms and high tides, undermining the railway and leaving tracks in mid-air. It cut off all of Cornwall and parts of Devon from the rest of the rail network. Temporary repairs using shipping containers provided protection from the waves, allowing the railway to reopen two months later, but a more permanent solution was required. While reopening alternative routes was looked into, it was the rebuilding of…

LOCOMOTIVES Allocations 08799 HQ/WQDA off registration43005 sent for disposal43041 sent for disposal43171 sent for disposal47769 sent for disposal57004 sent for disposal58001 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58004 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58005 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58006 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58007 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58009 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58010 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58011 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58013 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58018 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58021 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58026 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58032 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped 58033 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58034 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58035 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58036 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58038 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58039 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped 58040 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped58042 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58046 EH WQCA-WQDA off registration scrapped58049 EH WQCA-WQDA scrapped60011 WCAT-WQBA60012 WQCA-WQDA60032 WQCA-WQDA60036 WQCA-WQDA 60037 WQCA-WQDA60048 WQCA-WQDA60052 WQCA-WQDA60068 WQCA-WQDA60077 WQCA-WQDA60078 WQCA-WQDA60084 WQCA-WQDA60089 WQCA-WQDA60093 WQCA-WQDA66032 WBAI-WBAE66039 TO/WBAK-WQ/WQAB66073…

IN A spot visit on June 9, an inspector from the Office of Rail and Road discovered breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in relation to management of the slam doors on the Mk.1 rolling stock used on West Coast Railways’ (WCR) ‘Jacobite’ trips in Scotland. Initially, WCR indicated the suspension was due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ and would restart on July 25, but on July 21 its website was updated saying services would not restart until at least July 31. The ORR indicated carriage vestibules were not being managed properly and the inspector said someone could fall from the doors of a train or that a person leaning out of the open droplight of a moving train may be struck as the train passed infrastructure, including…

THERE is still time to book on The Railway Magazine/ Pathfinder Tours ‘Tees-Tyne Commemorative’ charity railtour on September 27. The tour commemorates the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the ‘Tees-Tyne Pullman’ and will run from King’s Cross to Newcastle hauled by ‘Deltic’ No. D9009 (55009) Alycidon with Mk.2 carriages, and some fast 90-100mph running is envisaged. Departure from King’s Cross is at 08.15, picking up at Potters Bar, Stevenage and Peterborough, with arrival in Newcastle at lunchtime, where passengers have around four hours to sample the delights of the city or maybe take a trip on the Metro, where new Swissbuilt trains will start to replace the 40-year-old Metrocars from the autumn. Departure for home from Newcastle will be at around 17.00, arriving back in the capital in the…

A LEGAL challenge could be made by a number of the UK’s elected Mayors about proposals to close ticket offices. The basis for the case is that the period of consultation, which ended on July 26, is insufficient in accordance with industry regulations and that impact assessments have not been made concerning the maintenance of service standards for disabled passengers. What has been published does not do much credit to the Railway Delivery Group as it lacks consistency. The organisation is acting on behalf of the 13 train operating companies in England that have proposed the closure of up to 1,000 ticket offices and cuts of 2,000 jobs. If there is to be a reduction of jobs on this scale, it calls into question the assertion that staff will be…

HeadlineNews Closure consultations WARRINGTON North MP Charlotte Nichols is one of many House of Commons members who want to know what assessment the Department for Transport (DfT) has made of the potential impact of ticket office closures on rail users. Transport Minister Huw Merriman replied: “When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider all equality related needs and make this clear in their consultation. “No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure…

SAN Francisco has an eclectic mix of ways to get around: buses and trolley buses, light rail and metro trains, vintage trams, and even driverless cars. But the city’s distinctive cable cars have – quite literally – climbed above all others to attain iconic status, and this year sees them notch up 150 years of operation. The cable cars are used more by tourists than commuters, becoming an international symbol of the city as all good public transport should – much like London’s Tube and roundels, except Tony Bennett never crooned about the Northern Line. In 1889, Rudyard Kipling sailed in from India through the (yet to be bridged) Golden Gate strait, and one of first observations upon disembarking was: “I proceeded till I found a mighty street… Here a…

THE Beeching period was featured heavily in the Railway Observer, particularly during the 1950s and 1960s when most of the line closures occurred. The route from Guildford to Horsham was no exception. Originally built by the London Brighton and South Coast Railway, it opened on October 2, 1865, linking Guildford and Horsham, a distance of about 20 miles. Stations along the route consisted of Bramley and Wonersh, Cranleigh, Baynards, Rudgwick, Slinford, Christ’s Hospital and Horsham. Although the first railways to Horsham and Guildford were built in response to local demands, the further developments of these towns and villages in the nineteenth century was governed by railway business. By May 2, 1865, engineering works on the line had reached such an advanced stage that opening was likely to be brought forward.…

THE dual 10¼in/7¼in gauge Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway (ELSR) ran the ‘Over to You’ event on June 24/25. Using social media, it enabled visitors to the railway have an input into which locos would be in operation – the timetable and roster being compiled by the railway using this feedback. There are few lines with a sufficient number of active steam locos able to offer such a service. It kicked off with the 09.15 nonstop special hauled by rebuilt ‘Merchant Navy’4-6-2 No. 35004 Cunard White Star (Moody & Eden 2016). This completed two circuits, the second using ‘rare track’ to run through Parkway station – the reverse to the normal direction. It completed the 2.35-mile run in 25 minutes 38 seconds with some lively running interspersed with very slow sections,…

THE redevelopment of over 30 acres of brownfield land at Bow Goods Yard in East London will bring with it scope for what Network Rail (NR) describes as a sustainable transport network, incorporating rail-linked warehouses and an integrated last mile logistics hub serving Greater London. Located next to the A12, it is already one of the capital’s largest railheads, its main uses including supply of large volumes of concrete and aggregate for the construction industry. The wider area of land is the last remaining industrial site in the zone covered by the London Legacy Development Corporation (responsible for the long-term planning and development in the area which hosted the London 2012 Olympic Games). It was the main construction hub for the Olympics and the location for the athletics warm-up track…

A fatality on the West Coast Main Line on Monday, June 26 at Oxenholme around 09.00 meant buses replacing passenger trains between Preston and Carlisle. After the 1M07/06.30 departed from Glasgow Central, worked by Class 390 No. 390039, bound for London Euston, that day’s next direct AWC from Glasgow to London was not until the 1M14/14.01, operated by No. 390128. Northbound on that day after the arrival in Glasgow at 10.38, the next direct arrival from Euston was at 18.21 with service 1S69 worked by No. 390124. Whilst most AWC Anglo-Scottish services are worked by Class 390 units, on Sunday, July 2, the 9S54/11.10 Crewe to Edinburgh and 9M47/15.51 return was worked by Class 221 units Nos. 221110+221115. The Highland Chieftain, 12.00 ex-London King’s Cross, was observed running 20 minutes…

ONE of the USA’s major steam tourist railways reopened in May, nearly 40 years after it was closed by flooding. The 15-mile line from Cass to Durbin in West Virginia once formed part of Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad’s Greenbriar Subdivision. Abandoned in 1979, the section between Cass and Durbin was purchased by the West Virginia State Rail Authority in 1980 but was severely damaged by flooding in 1985 with a bridge destroyed. A steam operated shuttle service was retained at the Durbin end of the line, but until 2023 through journeys were not possible from Durbin to Cass. Thanks to repair work funded by the state government and the railway operator, Durbin and Greenbriar Railroad, which also runs the ‘Cass Scenic’ route from Cass using several steam locos on an…

The crossword winner and two runners-up can choose books worth £50 and £25 respectively from the extensive Nostalgia Collection. Visit us at www.mortonsbooks.co.uk Across 7 Preserved Class 50 No. 50019 (9) 8 Bridge of ___, West Highland Line station (5) 10 and 27 across ‘___ Express’, Paddington-Aberystwyth service introduced in 1927 (8,5) 11 and 23 down ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35016 (6,6) 12 See 9 down 13 ‘Britannia’ No. 70044 (4,4) 15 Island Line station (7) 17 GW Main Line station between Ealing and Southall (7) 20 South Wales town with Town and Parkway stations (4,4) 22 The ___ Guardsman, ‘Royal Scot’ No. 46150 (4) 25 ___ siding, in which a slow train could be held while faster traffic passed (6) 26 Headquarters of the Nene Valley Railway (8) 27 See…

HeadlineNews FOR anyone who regularly uses public transport, it is certain you will have seen many examples of Ray Stenning’s liveries and branding work on rolling stock, at stations, and on printed materials. Born in Horsham, he was educated in Surrey and, after studying at art college in Croydon in South London, he moved to Somerset assisting in running the grocer’s shop owned by his parents. Ray was interested in transport related operations whilst at school. He gained his PSV licence in 1979 and worked as a driver for various coach companies. It was following various stints of driving that Ray decided to put his graphic design training to use, initially in the coach and bus market. Rail privatisation in 1996 signalled new tracks for Ray and his team at…

Euston station budget deemed ‘unrealistic’ A HOUSE of Commons Public Accounts Committee report has said the £2.6 billion budget set for the HS2 station at Euston was “completely unrealistic” for what the Department for Transport wanted to deliver, even before considering the impacts of inflation. In March, when the Euston project was paused by the Government for a period of two years to review rising costs and scope, the revised design was estimated as £2.2 billion over budget. The report says the DfT must use the pause “to finally establish the design and expectations for the station against what it is willing to spend”. It adds that, before construction restarts, the DfT must be clearer with Parliament and the public that the revised budget is realistic. Other recommendations include identification…

THE 4073 ‘Castle’ Class was one of the most powerful and successful types of locomotive for the Great Western Railway. Although the later ‘Kings’ were more powerful, they were also heavier and therefore restricted to a smaller number of routes, and so ‘Castles’ could be found hauling many of the fastest and heaviest express workings across a larger part of the GWR network. The ‘Castles’ were designed by Charles Collett as a development of the previous successful ‘Star’ Class, but with a larger boiler and higher tractive effort for use of fast and heavy express passenger workings. An order for the first 10 was placed with Swindon Works in 1923, with the first of the class No. 4073 Caerphilly Castle entering traffic on August 11 that year, its number following…

Send your letters to: The Railway Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. email: railway@mortons.co.uk NB. Publication of a letter does not imply that the Editor or staff of The Railway Magazine necessarily agree with its contents. PUTTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT (RM JUN-JUL) ■ THE article on the preservation of a Class 313 (July p74) ignores the fact that the dual-voltage units were designed for the Great Northern King’s Cross/Moorgate services, and some operated on those routes for more than 40 years Dave Mobbs, by email ■ ONE small typo in July’s Practice & Performance, on page 23 it is stated that ‘the two miles from Brandon to Claydon are level’. It is in fact Bramford, not Brandon. John Bruford, Brentwood ■ TWO references to‘Barton Underwood’…

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A NEW tour offering from UK Railtours on September 9 has specifically targeted an East Anglian freight branch and a rolling stock storage yard at Ely. The ‘Anglian Angel’ starts at Peterborough (circa 07.30) and runs along the East Coast Main Line picking up at Stevenage, Potters Bar and Finsbury Park before working its way around east London to a final pickup at Liverpool Street station. Taking the West Anglian main line, the excursion heads for the Potter Group storage facility at Ely and will become the first railtour venture into the South yard, where a range of surplus DMUs, EMUs and HST power cars are stored. Access is due to the cooperation of Angel Trains and the Potter Group and is subject to goods line authority approval. There are…

THE Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is working to piece together the sequence of events which led to a Nottingham Express Transit tram with around 30 people on board derailing and striking a support pole for the system’s overhead lines. Alstom Citadis tram No. 232 William Ivory was travelling southbound at around 17.06 on June 12 when it derailed at a set of facing points on the approach to Bulwell tram stop. The tram driver and one other person suffered minor injuries. Significant damage The tram was moving at about 19mph at the time of the incident, which caused significant damage to both the vehicle and the tramway infrastructure. As well as looking at the moments leading up to the crash, the RAIB investigation will consider the actions of those…

ROBEL Bahnbaumaschinen in Germany has supplied eight type 69.70 Mobile Maintenance Systems (MMS) to Network Rail as the infrastructure company strives to improve the safety and working conditions of track maintenance personnel. Delivered in 2015-18, each set consists of a Mobile Maintenance Unit (MMU), Intermediate Car (IC) and Traction Supply Unit (TSU). Nos. are DR 97501-508/601-608/801-808. Alternate EVN identities are: Nos. 99 70 9481 001-4 to 008-9, Nos. 99 70 9559 001-1 to 008-6 and Nos. 99 70 9580 001-4 to 008-9. The MMU is equipped with a variety of track maintenance tools, interior lighting and adjustable sidewalls that can be extended outwards to give an extra 60cm of working space. This is fully enclosed and floorless, offering protection from passing trains and inclement weather. The IC carries materials and…

IARNRÓD Éireann’s (IÉ) annual report for 2022 was published in early July, and showed the company continued to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. It reported a small net surplus of €0.8m with total revenue of €224.1m up from €144.1m in 2021, a recovery of €80.0m reflecting a recovery from the impact of Covid-19. Rail freight revenue increased by €1.2m to €4.8m. Total tonnage in 2022 also saw a significant rise with total tonne kilometres of 81 million up 11 million from 2021. IÉ chief executive Jim Meade said: “The ‘post-Covid-19’ era of all our lives began to unfold in 2022, and for public transport operators like IÉ, this meant the very welcome return of many of our customers – passenger numbers more than doubled compared to 2021.” In 2022 passenger…

QUIET BETWEEN TRAINS Edited by David Gowan AT THE core of this interesting booklet are 64 previously unpublished monochrome pictures by Vernon Parry taken during the final days of steam over the Aberystwyth to Carmarthen line around the Lampeter area and, in particular, the last trains on the branch to Aberayron (as it was at the time, now spelt Abereraeron) which closed on April 2, 1965. The pictures, reflecting the last operations over a rural railway in Cardiganshire (now Ceredigion) and Carmarthenshire are supplemented by text drawn from notes made by the photographer, who clearly knew the locality and its people well – notably the railwaymen themselves, since footplate and brake van rides feature as part of his travels to appropriate locations. There are plans afoot to reinstate the Aberystwyth…