Rail Express May 2014 by Mortons Media Group Ltd

DRS Class 68s in detail with exCluSive scale drawings in our 40-page modelling section

Essential reading for today’s rail enthusiast

GREAT Our pick from around the country to get you inspired

RAIL EXPRESS No. 216 MAY 2014 £4.25

Doncaster TMD:

We take a last look

Locos to be refurbished by DBS

Final Army train runs

0 to 60! We have a new fastest time

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CONTENTS

Issue No. 216 May 2014

SU PA BS G E CR 4 8 IBE

KISSING THE BUFFERS: Almost worthy of a ‘where is it?’ competition, DBS ‘Shed’ No. 66106 appeases the track bashers by going to the very end of the head shunt at Bow Goods while working Pathfinder’s ’Gateway Freighter’ tour on March 29. Classmate No. 66007 was at the rear. Strange to think this leafy spot is inner London, with the 2012 Olympic stadium just around the corner. See page 38 for more railtour news. Iain Scotchman

8 NEWS

End of the line for DMUs as we know them?; Dawlish sea wall reopens; Class 68s for Chiltern; new Rail Delivery Authority planned; Hull electriﬁcation; ﬁnal army train; last OTA wagons.

18 DONCASTER TMD: A LAST LOOK

The famous depot will close at the end of April to make way for an IEP ‘super depot’.

20 25 GREAT PHOTO LOCATIONS

With summer fast approaching, we pick some great spots to help get you inspired.

34 0 TO 60: CLASS 357

Our ﬁrst run under electric power provides a new fastest time and highest ‘RE Factor’.

35 TIME TRAVELLER

Looking back over the past 50 years.

36 REVIEWS

DMU and EMU Recognition Guide; British Rail Main Line Locomotives Speciﬁcation Guide.

36 CAMERA PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY

Our photo of the month taken on a mobile device.

37 EXPRESS MAILBAG

Transfer south of TPE Class 170s is not the Government’s fault; Hampshire electriﬁcation.

38 RAILTOURS

First passenger train to Tower for 10 years; rare ‘Crompton’ outing; full tour listing for May.

We take an in-depth look at the new Class 68s, including an exclusive set of scale drawings. Plus there’s a proﬁle of REA/RLA match wagons, and all the latest news and reviews.

Colas Rail acquires 20 Class 60s.

50 POWERSCENE

Key locomotive workings this month.

59 UNITARY AUTHORITY

Class 456 EMUs enter service with SWT.

61 SHUNTER SPOT

HNRC buys further MoD Class 01/5 shunters.

62 COACH COMPARTMENT

Mk.1 Brake Gangways disposed of from Crewe.

63 WAGONS ROLL

45 LU WORLD

64 IRISH ANGLE

TfL publishes working timetables on line.

46 POWER BY THE HOUR

41 PRESERVATION

Didcot acquires ‘Teddy Bear’; Bluebell success.

M18

MODELLING

GBRf starts six week car carrier trial.

Historic Londonderry terminus to reopen.

13 MAIN COVER IMAGE: Time to get out your camera for a summer of linesiding (see page 20). DBS Class 60 No. 60001 heads a Dee Marsh to Llanwern empty steel working along the Welsh Marches Line at Wistanstow, Shropshire, on February 22. Colas has also now acquired 20 Class 60s (page 46). Paul Sykes

Editor’s comment PRINT & DISTRIBUTION Newstrade & distribution COMAG, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE. 01895 433600

Paul Bickerdyke

Printed by William Gibbons and Sons, Wolverhampton Published Third Thursday of every month

Rail Express Editor

This issue April 17, 2014 Next issue May 15, 2014 Advertising deadline May 1, 2014

Welcome...

ITH the days getting longer and summer on the way, more of us will be out with our cameras recording the everchanging railway scene – and for that reason, we are running a special feature this month on some of the great photo spots to be found around the country. We are blessed with many great lineside locations, ranging from the scenic to the industrial, and we’ve chosen 25 of the best to showcase here. Some are old, some are new, and some a new twist on a classic. But I hope they will provide some inspiration, because – as I know all too well myself – there are often times when you look at a photo and think ‘just where did they take that?’ Speaking of great locations, it was fantastic to see the line through Dawlish reopen. After the devastation caused by storms back in February – when the tracks of the Great Western Main Line were left hanging in the air – it is a credit to everyone involved that the line was up and running again in time for Easter and the start of the tourist season. The Dawlish seawall is truly one of the best stretches of railway in the country, sandwiched between cliff and sea, and there’s nothing like rounding the curve at Langstone Rock on a westbound loco-hauled train and listening to the

engine open up for the run along the coast to Teignmouth. Whatever the outcome of proposals for alternative routes west of Exeter, it is to be hoped this one will never be closed.

Even more locos

There is seemingly an insatiable appetite for locomotives at the moment, which – from an enthusiast’s point of view – is excellent news. Hot on the heels of the Class 68s for DRS, it now seems likely that Chiltern Railways is to acquire some of the locos too. These will be for its loco-hauled trains between Marylebone and Birmingham, and if things go as expected they could be in traffic by the end of the year. Elsewhere, the Colas fleet is to expand again by taking 20 Class 60s put up for sale by DB Schenker. These powerful machines will be overhauled and put to work on infrastructure trains, and should make a fine sight wearing the company’s yellow and black livery. And GBRf is looking to help solve its traction shortage by pairing up a Class 20 and 47. These two types were never meant to work together in multiple in BR days, but by getting pairs to do so now provides enough power to match a Class 66. Innovative thinking that. Paul Bickerdyke

by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Rail Express is pleased to consider contributions for publication Please do not send images that have already been sent to other publications. Prints & slides are sent at the owner’s risk and must be accompanied by a SAE for return. Digital images can be sent by email, but please bear in mind we may not be able to reply to each one, as we receive hundreds of images each week. Although care will be taken with submissions, Rail Express assumes no responsibility for loss/damage, however caused. Submitted material may also be used in connection with other Mortons Media Group projects or as content on the Internet. Payment for material used will be made promptly. Please send digital submissions to RailExpressEditor@mortons.co.uk or via CD or DVD to the editorial address. IMPORTANT: Images should be ‘ex-camera’ with no ‘Photoshop’ manipulation.

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EDITORIAL

Simon Bendall Editor Rail Express Modeller Power by the Hour Shunter Spot Name Game Spectrum

Editor Paul Bickerdyke

David Rapson Powerscene

Christopher Westcott LU World (with Piers Connor)

RailExpressEditor@mortons.co.uk

Tel: 01507 529540 Editorial address Rail Express Magazine, Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ Member of the Professional Publishers Association

David Russell Preservation Railtours Unitary Authority Coach Compartment

Gareth Bayer Wagons Roll

William Watson Irish Angle (with Alan McFerran)

Independent publisher since 1885

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine? Why not just ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month

INFRASTRUCTURE

Doncaster TMD: A last look D

ONCASTER Traction Maintenance Depot is to close at the end of April, as the site is needed for a ‘super depot’ for the Intercity Express Programme (IEP) trains that will work the East Coast Main Line from 2018. The TMD (TOPS code DR) has long been a familiar sight next to the ECML just south of Doncaster station, although in recent years has been partially hidden from view behind lineside vegetation. The depot was built in the mid1960s on the site of a former steam shed, with some of the buildings being reused and others replaced with more ‘diesel-friendly’ facilities. This means over the last 50 years it has seen the BR-green era, corporate-blue era, sectorisation and privatisation. Latterly it has been run by EWS then

Above: A fantastic line-up of BR green-liveried locos at the south end of the depot in September 1969, just over three years since the shed had become all-diesel. Visible are a number of unidentified Class 31 and 47 locos. David J Smith Right: Two visitors to the north end of the TMD on July 26, 1981, were ‘Deltic’ No. 55015 Tulyar and ‘Hoover’ No. 50025 Invincible. ‘Deltics’ would race by the depot many times a day on East Coast expresses until the end of 1981, but were never allocated there and only visited for light servicing or refuelling. The ‘50’ on this day had worked a railtour from Plymouth for a visit to Doncaster Works. Also visible are shunter No. 08031 and a Class 31 and 47. 53A Models of Hull Collection (the late David R. Vickers)

18 RAIL EXPRESS May 2014

DB Schenker, which could therefore be described as the ‘red era’. Doncaster was mostly home to allocations of freight locomotives over the years, the station never having many loco-hauled passenger trains that started or finished there, or required a loco change. Typical locos to be found on shed during its history include classes 03, 08, 20, 31, 37, 40, 47 and 56 – with ‘60s’ and ‘66s’ in more recent years. The proximity of Doncaster Works also meant there would be a range of visiting locos at the depot on their way to and from the works. The crew-signing-on point closed on February 23, and DB Schenker is moving operations to a new but smaller servicing and fuelling point at Carr Hill, near Belmont Yard, on the opposite side of the main line.

The location of Doncaster TMD, just south of the city to the east of the East Coast Main Line.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The end is nigh on February 16, with Class 66 Nos. 66174, 66086 and 66095 alongside the office buildings at the north end. Note the stop boards preventing locos entering the shed. Tom O’Donnell

A similar angle to the 1969 shot (left), taken at the south end on December 19, 2013. The shed buildings have been cut back, and there are more wagons than locomotives. Phil Marsh

Inside on ‘D’ Road on February 16 were Nos. 08703 and 08802, the former being operational but the latter suffering from shifted cranks. Both were moved by road to Toton soon after. Tom O’Donnell

Inside the wagon stores and maintenance area on December 19, 2013. Phil Marsh

May 2014 RAIL EXPRESS 19

PHOTOGRAPHY

25 Great Photo Locations

The clocks have changed and the days are getting longer, which means there’s a great summer of linesiding and photography ahead. To help get you inspired, we’ve chosen 25 of the best locations around the country – some of them classics, some of them a new angle on a familiar location, and some of them rarely seen before. Left: Our 25 Great Photo Locations. 1. The wild beauty of the West Highland Line is clear as DRS Type 3s Nos. 37409 and 37607 leave Rannoch for Fort William with the ‘Easter Highlander’ charter from Exeter St Davids on March 30, 2013. Mike Byrne 2. The Far North Line sees little non-passenger traffic these days, but there is an occasional flask train to Georgemas Junction as the rail head for the former Dounreay nuclear test site, which is being decommissioned. On August 16, 2012, DRS Nos. 37602 and 37423 top-and-tail the 6S99 working from Carlisle to Georgemas Junction in the remote hinterland between Kildonan and Kinbrace. Stefan Smolen 3.There’s no mistaking the location here of the Forth Bridge, north of Edinburgh. The bridge opened in 1890 and currently is being considered for ranking as a World Heritage Site, with a proposed viewing platform at the top where the scaffolding is. In this shot on May 27, 2012, an East Coast HST heads north with the 14.00 King’s Cross-Aberdeen. Ian Lothian

20 RAIL EXPRESS May 2014

PHOTOGRAPHY

May 2014 RAIL EXPRESS 21

PERFORMANCE

Just how nimble are today’s locos and units, and what’s the quickest off the mark? With our first timed run using electric power, Neville Hill goes under the wires to try out the capable c2c ‘Electrostars’ in East London.

WET day in the east end of London on the former ‘Misery Line’ is scarcely the expected backdrop to a sparkling performance, but the c2c Class 357 ‘Electrostar’ fleet has played a huge part in transforming travel on the London, Tilbury and Southend (LT&S) network. Contrary to its perceived image, the LT&S is by no means a flat estuarial run, the 1-in-110 climb to Laindon having been a legendary test of heavily laden suburban steam tank engines in the past. The current c2c timetable is based on the line’s 75mph maximum speed, but short distances between stations mean the 2011 horsepower of a four-car Class 357 is certainly not wasted. The most level eastbound start is from Barking towards Upminster, but the section used here from West Ham is little different. True, there is the briefest downhill 1-in-100

to give the unit a start but then a longer uphill 1-in 650 counteracts the advantage. This is a four-car railway in the off peak, but the featured 10.00 Fenchurch Street-Shoeburyness was a double Class 357/0 coming out of the morning commuter peak. These units are not light, weighing over 157 tonnes, with the ‘357/2s’ being just a shade heavier again. Making a punctual start from West Ham, the twin-set fairly sizzled up to 60mph in a mere 50 seconds, and a down single Class 357/2 managed just 0.5 seconds longer starting from Barking later that morning. The log shown in the accompanying table also achieved a Railway Performance Society fastest known time between West Ham and Barking – unless you know of something better?

TIMES AND SCORES SUMMARY Rank No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

0 to 60 time (seconds) 357017+357033 50 180110 83 220007 94 43285, 43321 96 166205 102 67006 179

RE Factor** 15673 8514 7610 9050 11391 8030

Location

Issue

Notes

East from West Ham North from Grantham East from Taunton South from Burton West from Tilehurst North from Tamworth

May. 2014 Jan. 2014 Apr. 2014 Jan. 2014 Mar. 2014 Feb. 2014

A sizzling LT&S record Working on four or five engines? Disappointing derated acceleration HST workhorse Showing the effects of low gearing A majestic effort

Below: c2c ‘Electrostar’ No. 357017 calls at the Network Rail platform at West Ham on February 22 with a Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness working (the island platform on the right is used by London Underground’s District Line). Paired up with classmate No. 357033 for a similar run at the end of January, this unit hit 60mph in just 50 seconds. Matt Buck

34 RAIL EXPRESS May 2014

West Ham to Barking Unit Nos. Load* Train Date Recorder Miles 0.00 0.01 0.04 0.08 0.15 0.28 0.46 0.50 1.30 2.13 3.43

357017+357033 8/315/320 10.00 Fenchurch Street-Shoeburyness January 30, 2014 Neville Hill

Timing Point WEST HAM d.

Sch. 0

Plaistow LUL Upton Park LUL East Ham LUL BARKING a. 5

M. S. 0 00 0 07 0 13 0 19 0 26 0 36 0 48 0 50 1 33 2 20 4 39

M.P.H. 1L 10 20 30 40 50 58 60/69½ 66 57

Notes: *Vehicles/tare/gross tonnes; timed to 1/100th of a second and rounded to nearest full second.

0-60 time RE FACTOR** COMMENT

50sec 15673 How will the Class 357s’ Southern relatives compare on third-rail electric supply?

Note: **The RE (Rail Express) Factor is calculated using a formula based on time, load and rated horsepower. A higher score is better.

TIME TRAVELLER YEARS AGO... MAY 1964

■ BLUE PULLMANS OVERHAULED: After intensive service since their introduction in September 1960, the three Western Region ‘Blue Pullman’ units were scheduled for their first complete overhauls. The ‘Bristol Pullman’ was the first to be treated after completing 370,000 miles with its twice daily trip between Bristol and Paddington. The overhaul of each train took about six weeks at Swindon Works, during which time a traditional set of Pullman coaches hauled by a diesel loco maintained the schedules. The ‘Birmingham Pullman’ was next in line followed by the ‘South Wales Pullman’. ■ CLASS 14 LAUNCH: The first of an order of 56 Type 1 diesel-hydraulic locos (later Class 14) for the Western Region was completed at Swindon Works. Rated at 650hp and numbered in the D9500 series, the 0-6-0 locos had a single cab almost in the centre, with the drive to the wheels through jackshaft cranks and coupling rods. The locos were intended for shunting duties and trip working with a maximum The preserved Class 14 No. D9526 in 2009. Geof Sheppard speed of 40mph. ■ OLD OAK COMMON DEPOT: The last in a network of six big diesel maintenance centres at strategic points throughout the Western Region was under construction north of the main line at Old Oak Common, London. The main servicing building had three tracks and was capable of holding six main line diesels. The depot was built on the site of the old steam sheds, with full opening planned for 1965. ■ WHITBY WHITSUN: Monday, May 18, was the Whitsun bank holiday, and closurethreatened Whitby saw 28 trains bring more than 4300 rail passengers into the town. Of these trains, 16 were additional specials, mostly worked by DMUs.

YEARS AGO... MAY 1974

■ GREYHOUND LEASHED: In connection with the Southern Region’s open day at Eastleigh on May 5, it had been hoped to run a charter train from Paddington via Westbury powered by privately-owned Class 42 ’Warship’ No. 821 Greyhound. However, the British Railways Board said official policy did not permit the use of privately-owned diesels over its tracks, and so the use of the loco could not be sanctioned. ■ WIRES TO GLASGOW: Electric services over the West Coast Main Line reached Glasgow Central on May 6, when the first all-electric trains ran between there and Euston. This was the culmination of four years of resignalling and wiring up of the WCML. Advance publicity included a full size model of a Class 87, constructed from wood at Glasgow Works, being floated on the River Clyde. Following the introduction of electric services, special fares were offered at £5 day return to London, £4 to Birmingham, and £3 to Manchester and Liverpool.

■ NEW STATIONS AND SERVICES: The May timetable change saw a number of other ‘firsts’, including the opening of Sandwell & Dudley station, between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton, and at Lostock Hall between Preston and Blackburn. Locomotive-hauled services were also introduced on the Manchester Piccadilly to Humberside via Sheffield line using Class 31s, and the ‘Torbay Express’ from Paddington to Paignton reverted to locomotive haulage using Class 50s.

YEARS AGO... MAY 1994

■ RIBBLE VALLEY RENAISSANCE: Passenger services were

resumed along the Ribble Valley Line from Blackburn to Clitheroe on May 30 after an absence of 32 years. The service was relaunched with a special demonstration train for invited guests formed of DMU No. 150149 carrying a ‘Centre of the Kingdom Flyer’ headboard. Three intermediate new stations also opened at Whalley, Langho and Ramsgreave & Wilpshire. Although the line closed to passengers in 1962, it was retained as a through freight route from Blackburn to Hellifield and the Settle & Carlisle. ■ PEAK MOVES: Preserved Class 46 No. 46010 arrived at the Llangollen Railway by road from Doncaster on May 6, thus becoming the most recent ‘Peak’ to travel across the Pennines, albeit on the M62! Its engine was removed before it left Doncaster, allowing restoration work to begin immediately after arrival. Meanwhile classmate No. 46045 entered service at the Midland Railway – Butterley on May 1 following a rapid restoration by the Peak Locomotive Company, which also owns Class 44 No. D4 Great Gable. ■ DRIVER SALARIES: The more than 17,000 train drivers working for the various newly privatised train operating companies accepted a 2.5% pay rise. This took the average pay to £216 per week or just over £11,000 per year – equating to just £19,000 in 2014 values. BR’s Board said this rise was the most available in the economic climate at the time. ■ MAN VIC MILESTONE: May 30 marked a double celebration for Manchester Victoria, with the station reaching its 150th anniversary combined with the commissioning of the modernised station’s four new through platforms under the 16,500 seat indoor arena above it. ■ ROYAL SHEFFIELD: The Princess Royal visited Sheffield on May 23 to formally open the South Yorkshire Supertram project. Only Phase 1 of the network had then been completed, which linked the city centre to the Meadowhall shopping centre. ■ NORTH WALES TPO ENDS: The final Crewe to Holyhead TPO ran with the timetable change at the end of May, bringing to an end North Wales TPO services that began back in 1848.

YEARS AGO... MAY 2004

■ FAREWELL TO WCML HSTS: May 22 was the final day of HST workings for Virgin Trains on the West Coast route. The last two trains were the 13.25 Holyhead to Euston and 19.40 Euston to Manchester. The previous day, the service had been given an official send off when the 08.40 Euston to Holyhead and 13.41 return was formed of power cars Nos. 43065 and 43080 carrying an ‘Irish Mail’ headboard. HSTs on the Holyhead route were temporarily replaced by Mk.3 stock and locos until enough new ‘Voyagers’ and ‘Pendolinos’ became available.

YEARS AGO... MAY 1984

■ TRAIN TO PLANE: The dedicated Gatwick Express service was introduced from May 15, running every 15 minutes between 05.00 and 23.00 using the Southern Region’s first fully airconditioned trains. Journey time for the 26.75 mile trip was 30 minutes, with speeds up to 90mph. Each train was formed of one first class and seven second class refurbished Mk.2f coaches, providing 392 second class and 41 first class seats. Seats in second class were more widely spaced than standard Mk.2s, with 56 seats against 65, plus additional luggage spaces between seat backs and at the ends of carriages. Trains were electrically hauled by dedicated Class 73 locos, usually at the country end. The other end featured a Gatwick Luggage Van (GLV), converted from a 2-HAP outer-suburban unit with seats and traction equipment removed but collector shoes and driving cab retained. No. 73123 was named Gatwick Express on the first day of services, having been repainted in Intercity livery with large BR logo. ■ BROAD STREET TO CLOSE: The British Railways Board gave advance notice that it intended to close the line between Dalston Western Junction and Broad Street, and to close the two stations at these locations. The 10 acre site at Broad Street, next to Liverpool Street, was earmarked for lucrative office development. Much of the route reopened in 2010 as part of London Overground’s extended East London Line.

A Virgin West Coast HST leaves Llandudno Junction with a working from Holyhead to Euston in May 2003. Power Car No. 43092 is leading. NRC ■ ‘THUMPER’ PRESERVED: DEMU No. 205025 became the first of Porterbrook’s

‘Thumpers’ to enter preservation when it was handed over to the Mid Hants Railway on May 18. The Connex yellow-liveried unit ran under its own power from Selhurst depot (South London) to Alton, where it was formally accepted by MHR chairman Jim Russell. Porterbrook had pledged that rather than scrap its remaining DEMUs, it would make them all available to the heritage movement for nominal sums.

May 2014 RAIL EXPRESS 35

Bachmann’s long-awaited Metalair pCa cement wagon arrives in 4mm su pp no lem .1 en 21 t

DIESEL AND ELECTRIC ERA MODELLING

TOAST OF THE TOWN

recreating towcester as a 1970s could have been proﬁling the London Underground stock air-braked barriers and brakevans

Direct rail services’ brand new Vossloh Class 68 – in detail and scale drawings

Issue No. 121 May 2014 Inside Rail Express Issue 216

WITH Bachmann set to announce its programme for the next 18 months during July, modellers have begun to speculate as to what new models this will bring. Having scored consistently highly in the ‘wishlist’ polls for some years and the choice of new diesel subjects down to a mere handful, will the 2014-15 catalogue finally deliver the much needed Class 20/3 sub-class? With two examples now operated by HNRC in addition to those that remain in service with Direct Rail Services, the time is surely right for Bachmann to tool up the revised body. After all, the sub-class has now carried three main liveries, which is more than some other loco types in Bachmann’s range. On March 11, No. 20312 was stopped at Crewe Gresty Bridge awaiting transfer to Carlisle Kingmoor to undergo a D-exam. In the foreground are pallets loaded with brake blocks and sets of miniature snowploughs. Simon Bendall

Editor’s comment

Simon Bendall 8

Newsdesk: Latest developments

Heljan announces the expansion of its embryonic ‘O’ gauge wagon range with the addition of a Cargowaggon ferry van and ﬂat wagon. There are also new etched wagon underframes from Rumney Models.

Reviews: Hornby

There are also new wagons from Hornby this month as the BR brakevan and ‘Trout’ ballast hopper return in new liveries. Also back is the Class 395 with ‘Javelin’ branding while the BR Blue book series gets a new addition.

Layout: Towcester

John Norton and George Woodcock describe their new ‘OO’ gauge layout, this depicting the real life station of Towcester but reimagined to show what it could have looked like if it had survived into the 1970s.

Rail Express Modeller Editor

Reviews: C&M Models

Now available from Carlisle-based retailer C&M Models is a limited edition set of ‘N’ gauge Dapol Mk.3 coaches in ScotRail colours, these being reviewed here. Also new from WWS is ready-to-use ballast glue.

THE arrival of a new locomotive class is always a major event and the appearance of the first Class 68 for Direct Rail Services has proved to be no different. While No. 68002 has yet to make its main line debut under its own power, its unpowered forays have already brought out many enthusiasts to observe it. Modellers will have to wait until 2015 though to get their hands on a 2mm or 4mm ready-to-run recreation from Dapol. Announced in a low-key manner last autumn following the award of an exclusive licence by DRS, the company’s new catalogue has confirmed the model is going ahead. In the meantime, turn to page 18 for a photographic survey and scale drawings of the new class. EXPRESS RATING A breakdown of our new Express rating system

D&E Files: Class 68

The oﬃcial launch of DRS’ new Vossloh-built Class 68 provided the opportunity to do a photographic survey of No. 68002 from a modeller’s viewpoint. Exclusive scale drawings of the striking new machines are also included.

Serial: Elcot Road #40

Attention moves back to the station for the latest instalment of our ‘P4’ project layout as the forecourt area is completed and further details are added to the platform, this including the once common BRUTE trollies.

Exhibition diary

excellent

outstanding

Editor: Simon Bendall REMeditor@mortons.co.uk

Advertising: Fiona Leak Tel: 01507 529573, ﬂeak@mortons.co.uk Customer services, back issues and subscriptions: Telephone: 01507 529529 (24hr answerphone) Fax: 01507 525263 Email: railexpress@mortons.co.uk

Reviews: Bachmann/Farish

The highlight of the latest rolling stock releases from Bachmann is the much-anticipated Blue Circle Cement Metalair-design PCA Presﬂo wagon. Also new are the Mk.1 Sleeper in ‘N’ gauge and 4mm LNER ﬁsh van.

good

Contributing writer & modelmaker: Alex Carpenter Publisher: Tim Hartley Designer: Rosie Ward

One of the busiest months on the exhibition calendar is almost here again with May seeing plenty of shows with a high level of D&E content. Two of the most notable are Expo EM at Bracknell and the Derby exhibition.

✓✓✓✓✓ ✓✓✓✓✓ poor ✓✓✓✓✓ average

✓✓✓ ✓✓✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓✓✓ ✓✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓✓

D&E Files: LU match wagons

With Hornby having released its CAR brakevan in London Underground colours, David Ratcliﬀe provides a timely proﬁle of the REA/RLA match vehicles that were used to move tube stock over the BR network.

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LAYOUT

Towcester

Newly appeared on the exhibition circuit is a ‘might have been’ recreation of Towcester in Northamptonshire, visualising the station as it could have appeared in the late 1970s had it remained open. John Norton and George Woodcock describe their ‘OO’ gauge model. Layout photography by Dennis Taylor with trackplan by Gareth Bayer. TOWCESTER is situated in the south of Northamptonshire, about 10 miles south of Northampton itself. Historically, it dates from Roman times when it was known as Lactodorum; but in railway terms it dates back to 1866 when the station was opened on the line from Blisworth to Banbury. A little later, a line from Olney to Stratford-upon-Avon opened, which eventually became known as the Left: Bound for Eastleigh, the recently introduced Speedlink service rumbles past the signalbox in the hands of No. 47186. Conveying a range of commodities, including steel and confectionary, the formation is led by a china clay Polybulk working its way back to Cornwall.

M10 RAIL EXPRESS Modeller May 2014

Stratford and Midland Joint Railway (SMJ). Towcester, as well as being the junction for these lines, was the largest station in the Northamptonshire section, it having three platform faces and a large collection of sidings. Like so many of these rural networks, it never really developed as hoped and eventually the SMJ was absorbed by the LMS in 1926. As well as general freight and passenger services, the two main sources of revenue were the conveyance of iron ore from local quarries and the carrying of race-goers to Towcester racecourse. By the 1950s, the lines began to close to passenger services, first from Towcester to Banbury in 1951 and then from Blisworth to Stratford in 1952. The line to Olney had closed to passengers

Supplement No.121

LAYOUT

The driver of the yard forklift is done for the day as Nos. 20184 and 20052 arrive from the stub of the Olney branch with freshly cut logs loaded in OBA open wagons. The locos would run-round before heading to Northampton where the traﬃc would continue on to Bescot Yard. In the background, the short bay platform now used by the Class 128 parcels unit can be glimpsed.

Despite their Southern Region pedigree, it was not unusual to ﬁnd the ‘Cromptons’ straying some distance from home turf with inter-regional freight trains. Such is the case here as No. 33017 powers through Towcester station with a block train of Esso tankers bound for Northampton.

much earlier but it stayed open for freight until 1958. The section from Blisworth to Woodford Junction, which had also been retained for freight services, finally closed in 1964 when the remaining tracks at Towcester were lifted and the station demolished. However, the goods shed survived until the mid-1990s as part of the factory that was built on the site by Groom and Tattersall, a local engineering company. When it ceased trading in 1996, the whole site was cleared and part of it is now occupied by a Tesco store. The only structure surviving from the railway era today is the road bridge to the north of the station which carried the Old Tiffield road over the Olney line. This is a very brief account of the history of Towcester and the SMJ line;

Supplement No. 121

The scratchbuilt signalbox on Towcester has attracted much comment at shows already, almost all of it related to the box’s colour! While some observers would have it as more of a red shade, the colour is based on the limited number of photographs available.

anyone who is interested and would like to know more about this network should visit the website of the SMJ Society (www.smj.me) where there is a huge amount of photos and information.

Reality to fantasy

That then is the reality; we now enter the fantasy land of the railway modeller. My friend John Norton, who lives in Towcester, had been saying to me that he wanted to build a model of the station for quite some time, so eventually I suggested that we should do it together. Our main problem was how to do it as we are both D&E modellers. With Towcester having closed during the steam era, it meant that we would have to rewrite history

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The unusual rationalised track layout of Towcester is shown to advantage as No. 47186 restarts its Speedlink service away from what remains of the island platform. It had been delayed awaiting the arrival of the pair of Class 20s off the single line from Banbury, the Type 1s having a short rake of ‘Mermaid’ ballast side-tippers in tow along with a ‘Catfish’ and ‘Dogfish’; the formation being destined for the engineers’ yard at Northampton.

May 2014 RAIL EXPRESS Modeller M11