Railway Magazine March 2018 by Mortons Media Group Ltd

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INTERCITY IS BACK! ScotRail revives famous brand for new HST services

Tribute to RHN Hardy 1923 2018 1923-2018

Performance Check: GWR’s Class 800 Bi-Modes

Tyseley: Shaping future of main line steam

New Trains: Orders and cascade plans detailed

◆ PLAN TO BAN DIESEL TRAINS BY 2040 ◆ EUROSTAR REACHES AMSTERDAM

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EDITORIAL

Editor: Chris Milner Deputy editor: Gary Boyd-Hope Senior correspondent: Ben Jones Designer: Tim Pipes Picture desk: Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield Publisher: Tim Hartley Editorial assistant: Jane Skayman Production editor: Sarah Wilkinson Sub-editor: Nigel Devereux Consultant editor: Nick Pigott Classic Traction News: Peter Nicholson Operations News: Ashley Butlin Narrow Gauge News: Cliff Thomas Metro News: Paul Bickerdyke World News: Keith Fender By post: The Railway Magazine, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529589 Fax: 01507 371066 Email: railway@mortons.co.uk © 2018 Mortons Media ISSN 0033-8923

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Accepted photographs and articles will be paid for upon publication. Items we cannot use will be returned if accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope, and recorded delivery must clearly state so and enclose sufficient postage. In common with practice on other rail periodicals, all material is sent or returned at the contributor’s own risk and neither The Railway Magazine, the editor, the staff nor Mortons Media Ltd can be held responsible for loss or damage, howsoever caused. The opinions expressed in The RM are not necessarily those of the editor or staff. This periodical must not, without the written consent of the publishers first being given, be lent, sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated condition or, in any unauthorised cover by way of trade or annexed to or as part of any publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever.

This issue was published on March 7, 2018. The next will be on sale on April 4, 2018.

How hard is it to design a comfortable train seat? TRAIN OF THOUGHT M Editor’s AYBE the question should be how difficult is it, as an increasing number of passengers are finding the seats on the rising numbers of Class 700 and 800 trains entering service very hard. Having experienced seats on these trains – one on a 25-minute journey, the other for 90 minutes – I too am unimpressed. They are much firmer than previous seats and finding a comfortable position can be a chore. Neither it seems are RM readers, nor the wider public, over-enthusiastic about the seats. Commuters in particular have been critical of the Class 700 Thameslink trains (pictured right) with their harsh lighting, sterile interiors and the lack of a table of any kind on which to place a hot drink or a laptop (which has limited use with no on-train wi-fi). The issue of the poor thickness to the seat padding has been picked up by the national media, but responses from Department for Transport and operators claim the reduced padding is necessary to meet new fire regulations and anti-vandal measures. With the lack of tables and wi-fi, it also keeps the unit cost within a specific price band. However, seat covers with improved padding and meeting revised fire regulations would cost roughly £100 more per seat. When you break that figure down over a 30-year life span of a unit, £100 is a minuscule amount, and in hindsight a poor financial decision, which is generating more adverse publicity the railways could do without. The DfT claims there were focus groups to test the various seat designs, which also had to meet crashworthiness standards, but did they listen to the feedback? It would appear not. I simply do not believe a high percentage of opinions favoured such awful seats that are a backward step on what passengers had before. What happens when passengers on the East Coast

Comment

route are faced with the possibility of ‘ironing-board’ seating for journeys of four hours or more that are such a retrograde step to the recently refurbished Mk3 and Mk4 interiors? It is pointless spending billions of pounds on shiny new trains, trumpeting about how the railway is investing and improving, only to skimp on what is one of the key points that passengers will judge the trains on. The seats. So if you have the misfortune to ride one of these trains, please don’t blame the train operator for the uncomfortable seats – Thameslink and GWR didn’t have a say in the decision. Blame the Department for Transport for its Scrooge-like procurement and specification methods.

Celebrating the best in heritage and preservation FEBRUARY is the month when the preservation sector holds its ‘Oscars’ – otherwise known as the Heritage Railway Association awards. Magazine editors always have an input into the nominations, however when the nominees are announced to a wider audience at the annual HRA dinner, it makes you realise the depth, breadth and variety of these projects.

Preservationists are unsung heroes. These restoration or extension projects are undertaken by groups large and small, but also act as a reminder of how far the movement has come since the embryonic days of the 1960s. Let’s also never forget preservationists are the kind of people who do not take ‘no’ for an answer. Long may that continue.

We need your help! HERE at The Railway Magazine we want to learn more about you – our readers – so we can ensure the magazine and any products associated with it are as relevant as they can be. To this end we’ve created an online survey – www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/survey – for you to complete. By way of thanks from us for your completion of the survey, all respondents will be entered into a

FREE PRIZE DRAW with a chance of winning a footplate experience on a leading heritage line. It will only take you a few minutes to complete and I’d be grateful if you could take a little time to visit our website and give us your thoughts. Many thanks, and good luck in the prize draw! CHRIS MILNER, Editor

Contents

March 2018. No. 1,404. Vol 164. A journal of record since 1897.

Headline News

The first of 34 Italian-built Class 802 bi-mode trains for GWR's West of England routes was rolled out to the press and VIPs at Hitachi's Pistoia plant on February 8. BEN JONES

Hitachi rolls out ﬁrst Italian-built Class 802 for GWR, Government aims to ban diesel-only trains from 2040, Network Rail unveils £47bn plan for 2019-24, LNER livery for 'B1', A1 Trust, RPSI, Swanage and Barrow Hill win heritage awards.

On the cover COVER: HST power car Nos. 43033 and 43148 carry the special ScotRail livery plus InterCity branding ready for the launch of a new service connecting seven Scottish cities in May. The pair pass Trowell Jct during a move after overhaul and a repaint from Wabtec Brush . STEVE DONALD INSET 1: A GWR Class 800 IET at Swindon. INSET 2: GWR 4-6-0 No. 5043 at speed. INSET 3: A Class 345 for the new Crossrail service.

Track Record The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest 66 Steam & Heritage End of main line dream for 'King' No. 6023, 'Lizzie' moves to Carnforth ahead of main line return, Rocket to redeveloped NRM? Tornado to tour heritage lines as part of 10th anniversary events

72 Industrial

74 Irish 75 Steam Portfolio 76 Narrow Gauge 78 Freight 80 Railtours 84 Classic Traction 88 Network 91 World 94 Metro 96 Miniature 98 Traction & Stock ScotRail revives InterCity brand for HSTs, windscreen issues delay Class 385 introduction, ﬁrst Class 365s head for storage, Crossrail Class 345 debut at Paddington.

The new face of the NRM? A £50million redevelopment looks set to transform the museum by 2025 and could see George & Robert Stephenson’s Rocket move from the Science Museum in London.

101 Traction Portfolio 102 Stock Update 103 Operations

Regulars 12 Multiple Aspects With Lord Berkeley.

The Railway Magazine’s audited circulation of 36,072 copies per month makes it by far the

UK’S TOPSELLING RAIL TITLE!

12 Railways in Parliament 48 Subscription Oﬀer Subscribe today to receive your monthly copies of The Railway Magazine from only £20.

52 Readers’ Platform 60 Panorama

Climbing the last few hundred metres to Brocken station, 1,125m (3,690 feet) above sea level, Harzer Schmalspurbahnen (HSB) 2-10-2T No. 99.7234 makes the approach in perfect sunlight and sub-zero temperatures on February 6, passing trees frozen with snow and ice that form amazing shapes. GRAHAM NUTTALL

Our regular gallery of the best railway photography.

Almost 25 years ago, but looking more like the 1950s, Stroudley 'Terrier' No. 32658 re-creates a timeless scene at Hexden Bridge on the Kent & East Sussex Railway on December 16, 1993. PETER ZABEK

64 From The RM Archives

110 Heritage Diary

Find out what The RM was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago.

Details of when Britain’s unique collection of heritage railways and railway museums are open.

108 Meetings

122 Crossword & Where Is It?

Subscribe today and save money on every issue. Call 01507 529529 or see page 48 for our latest oﬀers

Features

14 Bi-modes and Western wires

28 Giving the Railway the WOW Factor

or being delivered, Britain's train fleet will change quickly over the next three years. Ben Jones outlines all the new deliveries and how current fleets will be affected.

20 Shaping the Future of Main Line Steam

33 A Lancashire Half Century

Nick Pigott pays tribute to a legendary railwayman, one of the last links with the ‘Big Four’, and a proliﬁc writer, who inspired generations of enthusiasts.

Keith Farr assesses the performance of GWR's new Class 800s and how they compare to the InterCity 125s that have worked the route since 1976. As main line steam undergoes one of its most signiﬁcant overhauls for many years, Gary Boyd-Hope talks to Tyseley chairman Michael Whitehouse about Vintage Trains' bid to become a Train Operating Company.

Steven Knight meets Sam Jessup, a creative designer once with Virgin Trains and now London Northwestern Railway, to ﬁnd out how he uses his talents to create memorable brands. Opened in 1967, the West Lancashire Light Railway is celebrating 50 years of family-friendly narrow gauge operations, as Mark Smithers dicovered when he visited.

54 Railcam

38 Moving In, Moving On, Moving Out

Want to watch live trains from your armchair? Aidan Goldstraw explains how.

WOW FACTOR: Modern livery design – p28

NEW TRAINS GALORE: Full details of Britain’s new train ﬂeets - p38

With more than 5,700 new vehicles now on order

MAIN LINE AMBITION: Tyseley goes big – p20

51 Obituary: RHN Hardy

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 5

HeadlineNews

Passenger groups angered by lack of 12-week booking window RAIL watchdog Transport Focus (TF) has accused Network Rail of badly letting down passengers after it was announced confirmed timetable information, which allows the booking of advance tickets, would not be available for the next six months to the usual rolling 12-week window from the May 20 timetable change. Known as ‘T minus 12’, it means timetables for available routes have been agreed between Network Rail and train operators after consideration

of line closures for engineering work. In some cases, the 12-week margin will shrink to six weeks or even four in some cases, meaning advance tickets will be on sale much later than usual. TF chief executive Anthony Smith said: “Passengers have been badly let down and will be deeply frustrated that they can’t make plans with certainty. “They are also at risk of paying more, so we will monitor the effectiveness of the industry’s no-quibble commitment.”

Open Access operators leading the way in passenger satisfaction

EAST Coast Main Line open access operators Grand Central and Hull Trains topped the rail passenger satisfaction league table in 2017, according to the latest result released by Transport Focus. The two operators scored 96% and 95%, respectively, with Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) the best of the long-distance franchised companies at 92%. Virgin Trains West Coast scored 91%, both well above the average long-distance score of 86%. Of the other inter-city operators, Great Western was the worst performer at 79%, with CrossCountry achieving 83% and East Midlands Trains 85%. Scores for commuter operators in London and the south-east of England continue to lag behind, with South Western Railway suffering the largest year-on-year decline from 83% to 75%. Major disruption during and since last summer’s Waterloo upgrade had a detrimental effect on SWR’s performance. Southern remained behind at 72%, although this was actually an increase of 7% over the previous year. However, just 25% of Southern passengers were satisfied with the way it handled delays and disruption. Traditional commuter issues, such as punctuality, lack of seats

and value for money, dominate scores for these operators, but the poor performance in surveys highlights the need for continued investment in capacity and rolling stock, according to Transport Focus. Southeastern scored 80%, Thameslink 83%, Great Northern 77%, TfL Rail 75% and London Overground was rated at 87%, but the leading commuter operator in and around London was c2c, which secured a 90% overall satisfaction rate with passengers – a significant improvement from its days as the ‘Misery Line’. Chiltern Railways scored an 88% satisfaction rate for its commuter and long-distance operations. Away from the capital, satisfaction with regional operators varies, with Arriva Trains Wales scoring just 79%, Northern and TransPennine Express at 81%, and ScotRail falling from a record high of 90% in spring 2017 to 85%. The best-performing large operator in the country was ScotRail, despite satisfaction with punctuality, overcrowding and value-for-money all dropping. Merseyrail’s rating remained high at 89%. despite recent industrial action and closures for rebuilding work in the Liverpool loop tunnels.

In addition, TF is insisting if passengers buying a more expensive ticket later find a cheaper ticket becomes available, they should get a noquibble refund. TF also want a commitment that train operators will still offer the same number of cheaper advance tickets as usual. The cause of the delay in confirming timetables stems from delays to a number of infrastructure projects, such as the Preston to Manchester electrification, which is well

behind schedule, with the agreement of timetables having a knock-on effect on the timetables of at least six operators. The Rail Delivery Group claimed just 2% of passengers would be affected, but that could mean as many as 20 million travellers. The Office of Rail and Road is conducting an informal enquiry into problems. Chief executive Joanna Whittington said: “We are concerned about the impact of

producing a final timetable six weeks before travel. We have called in Network Rail to explain the arrangements it has put in place and will be monitoring the performance of train companies in keeping passengers informed. “We are investigating how this issue arose, industry’s delivery against its obligations and the on-going response of all parties in minimising the impact on passengers. “We want to ensure any lessons learned from this are properly addressed for the future.”

‘Cromwell’ tribute to RHN Hardy A FLORAL wreath in tribute to former Doncaster Premium Apprentice and BR divisional manager R H N (Dick) Hardy, who died on February 18, is carried by BR‘Standard’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell, which is approaching Stratford on February 22. A hot big end was discovered on the loco at Diss, and it continued to Norwich for repairs at reduced speed. An obituary to Mr Hardy appears on page 51. A two-part feature on the life of Dick Hardy appeared in the April and May 2015 issues. PICTURE: GRAHAM NUTTALL

Kenilworth misses another opening date THE opening of Kenilworth’s £13.6million station has missed another deadline for train services to begin serving the town’s 22,000 population. After the December 11 date was missed, the station was expected to open on February 26, but that date slipped again and means a fourth‘opening’date has passed. March 5 has been pencilled in

on the basis all inspections have been completed, and legal and regulatory approvals received. Provisional train times are listed on RealTimeTrains, the first being at 06.08 to Coventry and 06.45 to Leamington.The last train is the 22.17 from Leamington and 22.43 back from Coventry. There will be no Sunday service. Redoubling the track between

Milverton Junction (Leamington Spa) to Kenilworth was a part of the new station plan in order to avoid a higher risk of delay to other train operators at Leamington Spa and Coventry, but was shelved by Network Rail in CP5. It is hoped it will take place in CP6. When services begin, they will use a Class 153, but change to a Class 172 when one is available.

Lottery cash supports BESTT engineering training programme READ THESE AND HUNDREDS MORE EDITIONS IN THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

classicmagazines.co.uk/ rmarchive

THE Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded the Boiler & Engineering Skills Training Trust (BESTT) a grant of £594,300 for its new mechanical overhaul training programme. The programme is supported by six of the country’s leading heritage railways and will teach 16 engineering hopefuls how to overhaul the

6 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

mechanical components of steam locomotives, ships and steam road vehicles. The trainee placements will last up to 15 months, beginning with a three-month basic training placement to acquire workshop skills, followed by a 9-12 month syllabus-based training placement that will follow a new steam mechanical

overhaul syllabus, as started by BESTT. Candidates must be 18 years of age at the start of training and are paid £11-15,000 per annum, with a £3,000 bonus on successful completion. Applicants should have basic maths and English and be able to demonstrate practical ability. Gordon Newton, chairman of BESTT, said “We are delighted

to have this further grant from the HLF, which will enable us to attract a wider range of people into heritage engineering. “It will also enable us to extend syllabus-based training to a wide range of steam workshops across the UK.” For more details send an email to enquiries@bestt.org.uk together with a CV or personal statement.

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk

Hitachi rolls out first Italian-built ‘802s’ for GWR By Ben Jones

FEBRUARY 8 saw the first two completed Class 802 bi-mode trains unveiled at the Hitachi Rail Europe (HRE) plant in Tuscany. Five-car AT300s Nos. 802003 and 802004 (T4/T5) are the first of 33 trains being built in Pistoia to replace Great Western Railway (GWR) InterCity 125s on the West of England route. A total of 22 five-car ‘802/0s’ and 14 nine-car ‘802/1s’ have been ordered, financed by Eversholt Rail, with modifications to cater for the longer journeys to Devon and Cornwall and greater use on diesel power over hillier routes. Three Japanese-built pre-series trains (T1-T3) have been on test in the UK since 2017. Nos. 802003/004 were set to leave Pistoia in late-February for the six-day journey to the UK. Hitachi expects to deliver one train every 12-14 days, with the last due in January 2019. RailAdventure, the German operator specialising in the delivery of new trains, will haul the new trains through Austria, Germany and France to Calais. GB Railfreight will move the trains through the Channel Tunnel and in the UK. Five-car sets will be delivered in pairs, with the nine-car ‘802/1s’ travelling solo. The tight delivery schedule calls for all 36 trains to be in

traffic by March 2019, with the sets expected to make their passenger debut on GWR’s 07.30 Paddington-Penzance on July 16. An option for a further seven nine-car Class 802/2s was taken up in August 2016 after it became clear more bi-mode trains would be needed to support the Class 800 fleet on fast trains to Oxford and Bedwyn, following the curtailment of Network Rail’s GW main line electrification programme.

Flatpack

In mid-February, bodyshells for trains up to T25 were under assembly at Pistoia. All 22 five-car trains are now being constructed, and work has started on the nine-car sets. In contrast to HRE’s Network Aycliffe plant in the UK, which receives part-finished bodyshells from Japan, the Italian factory assembles the aluminium bodies from flatpack kits produced by Hitachi’s Kasado plant. Each set takes around 40 days to build. After low-speed and static tests in Italy, the first three ‘802s’ will be required to complete 5,000 miles of fault-free running in the UK, reducing to 1,000 miles for later sets. The ‘802’ specification includes MTU diesel power packs rated at their full 940hp – as opposed to 750hp - and 20% larger fuel tanks for West of England duties,

‘Foremarke’ and Faulkner to re-open Broadway LORD Faulkner of Worcester will formally open the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s new Broadway extension and station on Good Friday (March 30), 58 years since the last train stopped there. A commemorative plaque will

be unveiled to mark the occasion, after which the railway’s flagship locomotive – ‘Modified Hall’ No. 7903 Foremarke Hall – will depart at 09.40 with the first official passenger train from the re-created station, bound for Cheltenham Racecourse.

Trawsfynydd heritage plan halted by Network Rail PLANS by the Trawsfynydd Railway Company to reopen eight miles of the Trawsfynydd to Blaenau Ffestiniog line have been dealt a blow after Network Rail revoked the company’s licence agreement. Network Rail said the

community group had committed serious breaches to health and safety legislation following the discovery of a large slab of masonry under a bridge, thought to be caused by a digger too heavy for the bridge.

New Class 802/3 units No. 802003 and 802004 for GWR's West of England services inside the Hitachi factory at Pistoia, Italy on February 9. BEN JONES

but GWR says the ‘800s’ will be modified to match as they will now spend more time running on diesel power than expected. As a result the main difference between the two designs will be the larger roof-mounted braking resistors of the ‘802s’, which are raised slightly to lift them away from seawater pooling in the roof well during high tides along the Dawlish sea wall section. This modification to the design is a response to electronic problems suffered by Voyager DEMUs on this route. Internally, the trains are similar to the Government-sponsored Class 800s, with identical seating and interior layout. GWR says

‘802’ diagrams will include duties to Bristol, South Wales and the Cotswold Line as well as Devon and Cornwall, but ‘800s’ are unlikely to venture west except on the busiest summer weekends. Replacement GWR seating moquette is due to be fitted on the ‘802s’ when they arrive in the UK, although the trains retain the firm seats that have been the cause of much adverse comment since the Class 800s entered traffic last October. Hitachi expects to build at least some of the similar Class 802/2 and ‘802/3’ bi-mode trains – for TransPennine Express and Hull Trains, respectively – in Pistoia, although the details are yet

to be confirmed. The first two of TPE’s 19 five-car trains are under construction in Japan and assembly of the remaining 17 sets, plus the five for Hull Trains, is expected to be split between Pistoia and Newton Aycliffe. Both fleets are due to be introduced in 2019. HRE's Pistoia plant is also engaged in the construction of up to 300 ‘Rock’ double-deck regional trains for Trenitalia, new metro trains for Milan and the overhaul/modification of AnsaldoBreda V250 high-speed trains rejected by Dutch and Belgian railways. The latter have been acquired by Trenitalia to work the Rome to Bari route.

Thameslink preview services begin THE first Thameslink services operated from Peterborough and Cambridge to south of the River Thames using the new Canal Tunnel ran as preview services from February 26. The tunnel connects the East Coast Main Line, north of King’s Cross, to the sub-surface platforms at St Pancras International. Two Peterborough to Horsham services (and return) and a return Brighton to Cambridge working will be formed of 12-car Class 700 EMUs, all calling at London Bridge. The diagrams are: 09.46 9J57 Peterborough to Horsham 13.17 9J63 Peterborough to 11.32 9S24 Brighton to Horsham Cambridge 10.00 9J52 Horsham to 14.24 9S39 Cambridge to Peterborough Brighton 13.30 9J58 Horsham to Further services are expected to Peterborough be introduced later in the year.

Class 700 Thameslink unit No. 700053 passes Polegate on February 18 with a Three Bridges to Eastbourne driver test run. CHRIS LIVINGS

Four companies shortlisted to contest next Midland Main Line franchise STAGECOACH will compete against Deutsche Bahn subsidiary Arriva, Abellio of the Netherlands and a First/ Trenitalia joint venture in its bid to retain the Midland Main Line franchise. The quartet has been shortlisted by the Department for Transport (DfT) for the next franchise, which will assume control of inter-city services between London, the East Midlands and South Yorkshire,

and regional routes across the East Midlands from August 2019. Stagecoach, operating as East Midlands Trains, has run the franchise since 2007. Despite calls for it to be excluded from bidding for new franchises after the recent Virgin Trains East Coast controversy, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said there were “no adequate legal grounds” to do so. The new operator will be announced in April 2019 and is

expected to replace the current High Speed Train fleet and introduce new bi-mode trains from 2022, reduce journey times, and deliver an extra 1,000 seats per hour to and from London St Pancras at peak times – an increase of more than 50%. However, the new MML franchise remains controversial following last year’s cancellation of planned electrification between Kettering and Sheffield.

Government says the benefits of new trains will be better delivered by using bi-mode trains on the route, avoiding several years of disruption to install overhead line equipment and upgrade track and signalling. Stakeholders along the route disagree and fear the economic development of their regions will be damaged by the cancellation. The aspiration to bring journey times between

Sheffield and London under two hours also relies on eliminating station stops south of Kettering. This would free up additional capacity and accelerate long-distance trains, but it would leave Luton, Bedford and Wellingborough without fast trains to/from the north. Stations between London and Kettering will instead be served by 12-car EMUs when electrification from Bedford to Corby is completed in 2019.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 7

HeadlineNews

A1 Trust, Barrow Hill, RPSI and Swanage win major HRA awards

AWARDS to preservation groups, promoting No. 60163 Tornado societies and individuals to to new and wider audiences recognise their achievements through national media and in specific categories were cinema, inspiring people with presented at the annual the first 100mph steam run in dinner of the Heritage Railway half a century, as well as the Association in Birmingham on Settle and Carlisle ‘Plandampf’, February 10. and the Paddington 2 film. Barrow Hill Roundhouse won The A1 Trust’s second the Mortons Media (Heritage achievement of the night Railway) Interpretation was the John Coiley award, Award for the conservation and presented for an outstanding restoration of what was once a engineering project in the common, but now unique, key field of locomotive overhaul, part of British Railway heritage, restoration or preservation, while its project leader Mervyn which the trust won for Allcock won The Railway certifying Tornado for 90mph Magazine award for his vision, running on the main line. drive, determination and Runner-up awards were given passion over a 30-year period, to the North Norfolk Railway, culminating in the realisation of M&GN Railway Society the Barrow Hill Roundhouse. for a major overhaul of ‘WD’ Sister title Rail Express No. 90775, the Great Central presented its award to the East Railway for the restoration of BR Lancashire Railway Diesel Group, ‘5MT’ No. 73156 restoration, and for its superb restoration of the the Merchant Navy Locomotive last surviving complete Class Preservation Society, owners of 105 DMU power car and trailer. No. 35028 Clan Line. The A1 Steam Trust won two The HRA award for Small awards, one was the Steam Groups went to the Glenfinnan Railway Magazine Award, Railway Museum, with given jointly with DB Cargo for runner-up awards to Bahamas

Locomotive Society for its Learning Coach at Ingrow station, the West Lancashire Railway for its 50th anniversary celebrations, Rother Valley for the new connection at Robertsbridge, and the Telford Steam Railway for its ‘Polar Express’ event. In the larger groups category, the award was won by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway for its new museum, with the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway winning a runner-up award for the construction of Hailes Abbey Halt, with the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway also a runner-up for its level crossing protection system. A new award for 2017 was that for outstanding visitor attraction, with the inaugural winner being Beamish in the large museum category and the Perrygrove Railway winning the small museum sector. Runnerup awards were presented to the East Lancashire Railway, Great Orme Tramway and the Lappa Valley Steam Railway.

RM’s Chris Milner hands The Railway Magazine Preservationist of the Year award to Mervyn Allcock.

The Morgan Award for Outstanding Achievement was won by the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway for the new-build loco Lyn and carriages, with the Headhunters Railway Museum (for marking the 60th anniversary of the closure of railways in Fermanagh) and the Gwili Railway (for Abergwili

Extension) the runners-up. The HRA’s Peter Manisty award for excellence is awarded on an occasional basis, and for achievements in 2017 had two winners – the Swanage Railway, for returning passenger services to Wareham and the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland for its Whitehead Museum project (also see p74).

Amtrak trains involved in Just two in bidding for Wales franchise after multiple serious incidents Abellio drops out following Carillion failure Amtrak employees. Initial investigation by the National AMERICAN national passenger Transport Safety Board (NTSB) operator Amtrak has not had a suggests a signalling error good start to 2018. Only weeks made by infrastructure provider after the fatal derailment of CSX caused the Amtrak train to the inaugural run of a Seattle be on the wrong track. to Portland train via the rebuilt On February 6, a potentially Point Defiance Bypass inland disastrous incident occurred route on December 18 when an ‘Acela’ high-speed train, (RM Jan) the operator’s trains operating from Washington have been involved in several DC to New York, split in two at serious accidents this year. 125mph between Baltimore On January 31, an Amtrak and Wilmington when the train chartered by the inter-carriage fixed coupling Republican members of broke. Congress, travelling from Fortunately, nobody was Washington DC to a conference, hurt, but Amtrak immediately collided with a rubbish inspected the rest of the truck on a level crossing at ‘Acela’ fleet to check for similar Crozet, 10 miles north-west of problems. Charlottesville, Virginia, killing Government-owned Amtrak one of the people in the truck. could lose a substantial part Several of the senior of its budget after President politicians on board, who had Trump proposed deep cuts to medical backgrounds, assisted its funding. in the immediate aftermath. The President has made Four days later, on February 4, clear his opposition to funding the southbound ‘Silver Star’ Amtrak’s priority project – a (New York to Miami) collided new rail tunnel from New head-on with a stationary CSX Jersey to Manhattan – despite freight train near Cayce, South his administration having Carolina, while travelling at previously stated infrastructure around 50mph, killing two investment was a priority. By Keith Fender

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! P48SEFEOR DETAILS FROM ONLY £20 8 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

THERE will be just two bidders competing to run the next Wales and Borders franchise after Abellio Rail Cymru said it was withdrawing from the competition, unable to overcome the collapse of its joint venture partner Carillion, which went into liquidation in January.

The decision leaves MTR and KeolisAmey battling to run the franchise that will be awarded by Transport for Wales. Incumbent Arriva withdrew from the bidding last year. It is expected the winner will be announced in May, take over services from October, and will

need to include a commitment to modify or replace the Class 142/143 Pacers. The franchise award will include operation of the South Wales Metro, an integration of heavy rail with a proposed light rail operation, using Cardiff Central as the hub.

Class 345 testing moves to Paddington

Testing of Class 345 EMUs for the Elizabeth Line (Crossrail) have reached London Paddington – under their own power. On February 22, set No. 345020 operated a test run from Maidenhead carriage sidings and is seen under the Brunel roof. The Crossrail testing programme has also seen a Class 345 (under its own power) driven into the tunnel from Abbey Wood station under the Thames, heading for Connaught Tunnel, before returning to Abbey Wood station. Services from Abbey Wood to Paddington are due to begin in December. EIKI SEKINE

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk

DfT aims to eliminate diesel trains by 2040 DIESEL-powered trains could be a thing of the past by 2040 under a new Department of Transport (DfT) initiative to reduce air pollution. The announcement comes just a few months after the Government curtailed a rolling programme of main line electrification in favour of bi-mode trains that are heavier and more expensive to buy and maintain than conventional trains. Hydrogen and battery technology is being promoted as a possible way forward for traction away from electrified

routes, but both are largely untested in everyday service, and currently regarded as unsuitable for heavy freight trains and intensively worked main lines. Transport Minister Jo Johnson announced the aspiration on February 12, saying: “I would like to see us take all diesel-only trains off the track by 2040. “If that seems like an ambitious goal it should be and I make no apology for that. “Rail may be less carbon intensive than road transport. That’s why modal shift’s so important; getting freight and passenger vehicles off the roads

onto greener forms of transport. “That does not absolve the rail industry from cleaning up its own act.” However, the announcement was immediately criticised by various groups, including the Rail Freight Group. RFG executive director Maggie Simpson said: “While battery and hydrogen may show promise for lightweight passenger trains, their application for heavy duty freight is at best unproven, and setting an arbitrary deadline of 2040 could well therefore be counterproductive, damaging

the case for investment in our could result in prohibitively high sector.” Mick Cash, General construction and leasing costs, Secretary of rail union RMT, and possible larger fare rises. added: “If you were serious Another potential area of about phasing out diesel trains confusion is how the policy you wouldn’t be scrapping key might be applied. electrification projects.” A Department for Transport Industry sources also warned spokesman confirmed to The RM the aspiration could have a the announcement was a DfT detrimental effect on aspiration, rather than a wider medium-term plans to replace environmental policy. 1980s ‘Sprinter’-generation However, responsibility for DMUs in the early- to mid-2020s. transport policy is devolved Should new technologies to the Scottish and Northern prove unsuitable, procuring new Ireland governments, and in the DMUs with an expected life of process of being devolved to less than 20 years – as opposed Wales, leaving DfT responsible to the current norm of 30 years – only for policy in England.

CAF unveils Northern Class 331 EMU By Keith Fender

Could the Class 153s be rebuilt and reformed? GWR unit No. 153370 is seen at Barnstaple with No. 153373 before working the 11.43 service to Exmouth on December 20. TIM SQUIRES

Diesel ban could see a reprieve for older DMUs THE Department of Transport’s design. As a result, operators and aspiration to ban the use of ROSCOs are currently examining diesel trains after 2040 could various options to extend the lives inadvertently lead to a revival for of various DMU classes, including older DMUs that were planned the single-car Class 153s that were for withdrawal over the next two expected to disappear by the end years. of 2019. The move comes a few months Possible options include after the cancellation of a rolling reuniting two ‘153s’ to re-create electrification programme that Class 155 sets, one car of which would have seen EMUs cascaded will have an accessible toilet, or around the country to replace inserting ‘153s’ into other DMU many diesel trains, and leaves classes, such as Class 150s and many parts of the country with a 156s, to increase capacity for continuing need for diesel traction. passengers and bicycles. Current However, with hydrogen users of Class 153s are Northern, and battery technology largely GWR, East Midlands Trains and untested and still being developed, Arriva Trains Wales, with ownership rolling stock leasing companies of the 70 vehicles split between (ROSCOs) will be reluctant to Porterbrook and Angel Trains. finance new diesel trains that may The Class 142-144 ‘Pacers’ are only have a life of 15-18 years expected to disappear from compared to the more usual passenger service, but ROSCOs 30-year-plus minimum. report scrapping the trains under Industry sources also report current recycling regulations could that a lack of current DMU designs incur high costs and other options, for the British market mean including export and conversion purchase costs could reach around for other uses, are being examined. £2.5million per vehicle for a new

THE first of 43 Class 331 EMUs being built by CAF for Arriva Trains Northern was unveiled to the media and stakeholders at CAF’s Zaragoza factory, Spain on January 31. Body shells for both the EMUs and the Class 195 DMU fleet on order for Northern are made in Zaragoza, with the production line turning out alternate Class 331 and Class 195 vehicles. Final assembly for the DMUs is undertaken in another CAF factory in Irun, with the bodyshells moved there by road. CAF has previously built the Class 333 trains for West Yorkshire at Zaragoza as well as DMUs for Northern Ireland. Dynamic testing of the Class 331/1 four car train – No. 331101 – will be undertaken later this year, initially at Velim in the Czech Republic, between March

The bodyshell of a Class 331 unit on the CAF production line. KEITH FENDER

and June, with UK testing from August onwards, and an aim of gaining approval for use in service by late 2018. Northern will introduce the 331s on their busiest routes serving Manchester from early 2019, with the units based at Allerton depot. The EMUs are being supplied in three- and

four-car formations: the three-car trains numbered 331001- 031, with 203 seats, and the four-car trains with 283 seats, numbered 331101-112, have one additional unpowered trailer vehicle. CAF says the Class 331 trains could be extended to five cars in the future if required.

A view of the assembly hall at CAF's Zaragoza factory on January 31. KEITH FENDER

First CAF Class 195 units for Northern to be tested in Romania By Keith Fender

CAF is building 55 Class 195DMUs for Northern, the first batch of which will be tested in Romania. These DMUs use essentially the same body shell as the Class 331 (see story above right), and have almost identical interiors with identical seat layouts. The Class 195 fleet comprises 25 two-car trains, with 123 seats

(Nos. 195 001-025) and 30 three-car units, with 203 seats (Nos. 195 101-130). All Class 195 vehicles will be equipped with MTU power packs, incorporating 390kW Daimler engines and hydraulicmechanical transmission, supplied by ZF. Northern say they plan to use the new DMUs between Chester and Leeds from December 2018, as approval for

service is anticipated following dynamic testing in Velim (Czech Republic), Romania and the UK. The Class 195s will be based at Newton Heath depot. Designed for 100mph operation, both the ‘195s’ and 331 EMUs have central driving seats, are equipped with Dellner auto couplers, and both feature pre-installed CAF Signallingmanufactured ERTMS equipment.

However, that is unlikely to be commissioned for use for several years as the routes intended for service may never have ERTMS. The train interiors are common to both fleets, incorporating Fainsa seats and a specially designed seat cushion and fabric and tables or seat back drop-down tables at all seats. Electronic seat reservation indicators as well as power

sockets are provided. Free onboard wi-fi will be offered to all passengers. The £492million order for the combined fleet of 281 vehicles was placed by Eversholt Rail in January 2016, and options exist to order additional vehicles. Both fleets will arrive by sea from northern Spain, and allow the cascade or withdrawal of current units to begin.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 9

HeadlineNews SIDELINES Far North sleeper plan moves forward

HITRANS (the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership Board) has been given support for further studies to be carried out into its proposal to introduce an overnight sleeper train from Edinburgh/Glasgow to Thurso. The study will be carried out by SYSTRA. Dubbed ‘The Midnight Train to Georgemas’, the service would use surplus Mk 3 sleeping cars and provide a connection with ferry services to Orkney from nearby Scrabster.

Boy and grandfather die in crossing crash

GRANDFATHER Barry Hearnshaw (72) and his 15-year-old grandson Will Hallett died when their car was hit by a Southern Class 377 EMU at a level crossing at Barns Green, Sussex on February 17. Both BTP and RAIB are investigating.

Virgin East Coast drops quiet coach

THE First Class quiet coach on Virgin East Coast services will be dropped from May 20. Virgin says that just 9% of passengers said they appreciate the First Class quiet coach. The Standard Class quiet coach remains unchanged.

‘Record price’ for diesel negative

A LARGE format black and white negative of two North British Class 21 diesel locos and a Class 20 on shed in 1960 sold on eBay last month for £506. It is believed to be a record price for a railway negative in the UK.

Police Scotland merger on indefinite hold PLANS to merge the British Transport Police in Scotland with Police Scotland have been put on hold indefinitely. The merger received substantial opposition in both Scotland and England, but was due for completion by April 2019. However, according to Police Scotland’s Deputy Chief Constable Iain Livingstone, ‘unresolved issues’ mean that combining both forces could compromise public safety. The Scottish Government will review the timetable. Scottish Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Liam Kerr said the plan was “an unpopular move that virtually nobody is in favour of”. The official line of both the British Transport Police and Police Scotland is that both forces are working to ensure the proposed merger goes ahead as smoothly as possible.

Virgin West Coast deal extended – but East Coast close to collapse

VIRGIN and Stagecoach have been granted a further extension of their contract to operate the InterCity West Coast (ICWC) franchise, taking their deal through to March 31, 2019. However, the troubled Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) franchise could come to an end even more quickly than feared as its losses mount. The current ICWC franchise expires on March 31, but the Department for Transport (DfT) has extended it for one year, with an option for a further year, to ensure continuity before the start of the new West Coast Partnership franchise. In return for the longer contract, Virgin will spend £7.5million to refit its Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ fleet with improved on-board wi-fi and allow free use for all passengers. Installation begins in May and should be completed by January 2019, at which point free wi-fi will become available to Standard Class passengers as well as First Class. VT has also been tasked with identifying and eliminating

Class 91 No. 91111 For the Fallen, stands at Newark Northgate with the 1D26the 18.03 London King's Cross to Skipton on February 20. STEVE DONALD

locations on its network where there is no mobile communications signal. As part of the new contract, VT will upgrade all station ticket machines to accept contactless payment, provide more staff

at stations during busy times, spend more than £3m to improve station and train environments, provide additional seating at stations, and improve toilets, lighting and carpets on its trains. The invitation to tender for

the new West Coast Partnership is expected to be issued shortly. Virgin Trains is one of the shortlisted bidders for this franchise, in partnership with Stagecoach (50%) and SNCF (30%).

‘Radical’ NR five-year plan targets 15% cut in delays By Ben Jones

NETWORK Rail’s draft strategic business plan for 2019-24 prioritises renewals and upgrades aimed at reducing delays by 15% across the network, plus a greater emphasis on safety and a commitment to recruit 50% more women by 2024. More than £47billion will be invested in completing previously agreed enhancements, maintaining and improving Britain’s railways over the five-year plan, known as Control Period 6 (CP6). However, in comparison to previous control periods, there is a noticeable lack of new major projects, with NR focusing on general improvements and completing current schemes. Outgoing NR chief executive Mark Carne said: “This is a radical plan, an ambitious plan. It is not without challenge and risk. But with great people, great teams, the right quality of leadership, the right incentives and the determination to see it through, it can deliver the better railway that a better Britain needs.” NR has allocated £18.5bn for

operations and maintenance, a 25% increase over CP5, and a similar figure will be spent on the renewal of life-expired equipment. The plan also includes £10bn to complete previously agreed enhancements. New major projects are to be subject to a completely separate funding process, handled directly by the Treasury as business cases are presented to Network Rail, which has allocated £1bn to supporting and developing these schemes in CP6. One major project that does feature is the trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, which is already in progress. ‘Digital Railway’ initiatives such as Traffic Management Systems (TMS) and European Train Control System (ETCS), allied to other capacity improvements, are expected to allow the delivery of an additional 1,000 trains per day from 2021. NR plans to deploy new digital safety technologies to reduce the general risk of accidents to passengers by 10%, aims to reduce the risk of level crossing accidents by 13%, and halve time lost to workforce because of injuries by the end of the plan.

Infrastructure renewals will be better phased, with contracts issued over longer periods to avoid overloading the supply chain. The cost of improvements per passenger kilometre will be reduced by around 10%, building on the 40% total achieved across CP4 and CP5. CP6 will also see NR continue its transformation into a ‘federation’ of devolved regional businesses competing to develop best practice, reduce costs and deliver better performance. Regionally, headline targets include more than £2bn to be spent by the Western Route, supporting an additional 140,000 trains per year from 2019. Efficiency savings of 6% could save more than £100million and close co-operation with operators aims to improve reliability by 11%. Specific schemes will include a £50m signalling upgrade for London Paddington, further extreme weather protection work at Dawlish and Teignmouth, by providing extra sea defences, track upgrades in Devon, and £40m to restore the historic overall roof at Bristol Temple Meads.

In Wales, projects will include the restoration of Barmouth Bridge and Phase 2 of the Port Talbot resignalling scheme, plus a number of smaller projects to deliver better journey times. More than £3.5bn will be spent on Southern routes to help improve reliability on some of the country’s most congested railways. Agreed projects include complete replacement of signalling systems at London Victoria and along the Brighton Main Line to Balham, to Penge East via Brixton and suburban lines to Denmark Hill and Crofton Park, and the introduction of TMS across the whole region, giving signallers and planners the ability to predict delays and implement mitigation plans. More than 750 sets of points at key locations and earthworks at 300 locations will be improved to reduce the risk of landslips. The LNW route has been allocated more than £5bn to maintain its network and ahead of HS2, while another £2bn will be spent on the Anglia route to help Greater Anglia prepare for an entirely new train fleet in 2019/20.

Mark Carne to retire – search begins for new NR chief CHIEF EXECUTIVE of Network Rail Mark Carne has announced he will retire later this year. His decision will allow NR time to headhunt a new CEO ahead of the start of Control Period 6 (CP6), the next five-year regulatory period, which begins in April 2019.

10 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Chairman of Network Rail Sir Peter Hendy CBE said: “Mark has done an outstanding job and I want to applaud him for what he has achieved in his time at Network Rail. His leadership steadied the ship during the challenging transition to a public sector organisation

and he has been the architect behind the huge positive changes in the company, driving transformation, devolution and efficiency, with an emphasis on equality and diversity, too. “Three years ago he set out a strategic vision for a digital

railway transformation, which is now becoming a reality in our plans. “Perhaps his biggest legacy, however, is the change in safety culture that he has very personally led and which has done so much to make the railway and our workforce safer.”

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk

Eurostar launches direct services to Amsterdam By Keith Fender

EUROSTAR launched its new direct service to Amsterdam and Rotterdam on February 20, running an inaugural train in the timings of one of the two planned daily services. When regular services begin on April 4 these will be the first direct trains connecting the UK and the Netherlands. The train, with invited guests and the media on board, was formed of unit Nos. 374031 and

The new destination of Amsterdam on the screen at St Pancras. ALL: KEITH FENDER

374032, which were delivered to Eurostar in 2017. The final seven Class 374 trains ordered (Nos. 374021-034) have been delivered with signalling systems for the Dutch network pre-installed. All but the last train (Nos. 4033/34) are now in service. Two trains will leave St Pancras International at 08.31 and 17.31, arriving in Rotterdam three hours one minute later, and taking another 40 minutes to reach Amsterdam. The Amsterdam trains will be timed for 1hr 48min non-stop between London and Brussels – the fastest timing on that route. Initially, at least, the trains will not serve Antwerp or Amsterdam Schiphol airport. Eurostar is partnering with the international part of Dutch national operator NS to crew the trains north of Brussels. Twenty Dutch drivers have been trained to drive the Eurostar ‘Velaro’ trains in intensive classroom training undertaken at Temple Mills, where the Eurostar simulator is located. The NS drivers also drive the Thalys TGV-derived trains between Amsterdam and Brussels. Eurostar drivers will change in Brussels with Eurostar drivers from the UK, Belgium or France driving from London. There will be no direct trains from Amsterdam to London

Set No. 374032 on arrival with the first train from London at Amsterdam CS – the 08.31 from London St Pancras International on February 20.

until December 2019 because of the need to agree immigration arrangements between the Dutch and British governments, with British immigration staff working in the Netherlands, as they do in France and Belgium for Eurostar services. For trains from London, the French police working at St Pancras will act as immigration authorities for Amsterdam-bound passengers

‘B1’ emerges at Grosmont after LNER repaint

THOMPSON ‘B1’ 4-6-0 No. 1264 emerged from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s Grosmont works on February 25 resplendent in newly applied LNER black. John Furness completed the transformation from the previous BR black into LNER livery with red lining in time for the loco’s appearance at the Severn Valley Railway spring gala on March 16-18. The Thompson ‘B1’ Locomotive Trust locomotive was built by North British months prior to Nationalisation, but never carried this livery under LNER ownership, having been turned out in apple green. MARK O’BRIEN

as the Netherlands is a member These will offer journeys of of the EU ‘Schengen’ travel area. around 4hr 45min between Eurostar is building new Amsterdam and London with a departure lounges, which layover of about 50 minutes for will include security and the change, and security and immigration-screening areas at immigration checks. both Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Until the start of through Until direct trains are available trains, servicing of the from Amsterdam to London a Amsterdam sets will take place series of connecting trains will at Brussels Forest depot, the use Thalys units to Brussels, with return working to the Belgian passengers changing to Eurostar capital being promoted by from Brussels Midi. Eurostar and Thalys.

Join an RM trip to see Union Pacific's ‘Big Boy’ ‘BIG BOY’No. 4014 has been undergoing a mammoth restoration – and you can be one of the first to ride behind the Union Pacific (UP) giant. The Railway Magazine is in discussions with specialist tour operator Darjeeling Tours to take you to see the‘Big Boy’, the UP heritage base at Cheyenne and lots more of railway interest in the Colorado and Wyoming areas, and maybe further afield. In their heyday, 25 4-8-8-4 ‘Big Boys’were produced for the UP between 1941-1944, working heavy freight between Wyoming and Utah, over the Wasatch mountains. Forced out by diesel locomotives, the last revenue train hauled by a‘Big Boy’ran in July 1959, with a number of the class remaining on

standby for several years afterwards. Of the 25 built, eight survive and No. 4014 was re-acquired by UP in 2013, with the aim of returning the loco to steam as part of the company’s Heritage Operations active fleet. No. 4014’s mammoth restoration is expected to come to a conclusion in the spring or summer of 2019. An outline itinerary is still being developed, but you can register your interest now, with no commitment, and will be sent details of the tour as soon as they become available. Email peter@darjeelingtours. co.uk in the first instance or write to Darjeeling Tours Ltd, Lime Tree Lodge, Thorpe Road, Mattersey, Doncaster DN10 5ED.

Global giants planning ‘world class’ test centre for Long Marston HITACHI Rail Europe (HRE) and Bombardier have joined forces in a proposal to build a‘world class’ test centre for new trains at Long Marston in Warwickshire. The two global transport giants are also working with Quinton Rail Technology Centre – home to Vivarail and a large quantity

of stored rail vehicles – and have applied to Stratford-upon-Avon District Council for planning permission to develop the centre. If authorised, the centre would be used for new train approvals, endurance testing, commissioning, acceptance and signal integration testing, and

could create up to 50 new jobs by 2022. Currently, capacity and capability for testing new trains in the UK is limited, with the main facility being Network Rail’s Rail Industry Development Centre (RIDC) near Melton Mowbray – formerly the BR Old Dalby test track. However, no

large test loop allowing continuous running is currently available. The large volume of new train types requiring testing and approval over the next few years means many are being tested abroad – for example in Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic and Romania (see separate story on p9).

HRE and Bombardier have created a joint venture to bid for London Underground’s DeepTube Upgrade contract, potentially delivering up to 250 new trains for the Bakerloo, Piccadilly,Waterloo & City and Central line. Both are also hoping to supply new trains for the next South Eastern franchise.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 11

Multiple Aspects

with Lord Berkeley

Confidential task force will identify ‘annoying’ EU rules and laws to be scrapped in post-Brexit period

REXIT provides an opportunity for ministers to scrap (and take the credit for doing so) many of those irritating European Union (EU) rules and standards that prevent Governments from doing what they’d like to do by allowing the implementation of plans not enforced by EU legislation that would ultimately make the railways better, cost less and help passengers – and freight if they have heard about it! MPs have set up a special and confidential task force to identify which rules and standards they will

abolish immediately we leave the EU – and in the mean time, ignore others, where possible. There has been no debate or consultation about this and, no doubt, the Government intends to make these changes using secondary legislation or other means, known as Henry VIII clauses, named after the monarch who made laws as he went along and beheaded anyone who opposed them. In the UK we have some good pressure groups who look after the interests of different users of the

railway, safety, and public transport generally. However, is it not time Government introduced legislation to make the road users of level crossings responsible for their own failings? At present, whatever an errant motorist does to avoid waiting for a train to pass, it is ‘always Network Rail’s fault’, often causing NR to spend more than £1million per crossing to protect motorists from their own stupidity. The same comments apply to bridge bashing; again it is usually the fault of NR if a truck hits a bridge

because the truck driver does not know the height of their vehicle or has not seen the sign. The Law Commission proposed some sensible changes to such legislation some five years ago, but Government has done nothing. I can see little chance this will be part of Brexit transport changes as they could require all drivers to understand English road signs; instead they are more likely to make it easier to exceed the speed limit, lower fuel duty and change MOT tests. every 10 years.

Dragging feet over border checks on Eurostar Amsterdam service

Forging closer collaboration with the heritage sector

Consultants still rule the roost

way. Is this why costs are so high?

AT A time when our politicians seem keen to cut every link to the Continent, it is good to hear Eurostar is starting a through service from London to Amsterdam in April. This should create competition with popular air services, and also with the lesser-used Harwich/Hook of Holland night ferry, where a solo cabin costs only £60, including the fare for a foot passenger. Sadly, a through return Eurostar service from Amsterdam to London becomes a service with change at Brussels because the four governments involved – after many years of negotiation – are still unable to agree how and where to do the border checks and still refuse to do them on the train. However, our ministers never had to experience the delays and frustrations of immigration checks when on business – they are simply waved through the VIP channel!

I WAS honoured to be invited to speak at the Heritage Railway Association annual dinner in Birmingham on February 10. It was an amazing event, with people from all around the UK and Ireland demonstrating their commitment to service quality, safety, and engineering excellence on their railways, large and small, and showing the power of the voluntary sector in not only giving training and many new skills, but having fun doing it all. It is good ministers are now encouraging this sector’s own businesses by suggesting there is demand for expansion, for reopening old lines, and also for working more collaboratively with Network Rail to allow through running, as has happened on the Swanage line. This is an area where the bureaucracy of NR needs reviewing! The HRA President, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, and chairman, former MP Brian Simpson, do a great job in looking after the interests of the HRA. Keep up the good work!

THE saga of Network Rail’s costs goes on and on. I recently heard there was a plan to relay the two tracks between Totnes and somewhere east of Plymouth next year, and there is interest among the Peninsular Rail Task Force, representing councils and other authorities in the South West, to encourage Network Rail to increase the line speed of this section from 60 to 75mph, in order to save a few minutes on the journey time to Plymouth. It apparently involves increasing the cant on the track without any realignment, but the cost quoted of £300million seems heroic; worse still is the apparent need for £60k of ‘consultants’ study to work out how to do it! So NR is going cap in hand to the Department for Transport for this money since the ORR has decided this is an ‘enhancement’ and not a ‘renewal’, which needs ORR and DfT approval. No doubt the £60k is for consultants to make the business case for going a bit faster; surely any competent track maintenance and renewal company knows how to do this and, of course, check and report on the clearances to structures on the

Diesel fade-out quandary

SO ONE Minister of Transport tells us diesel-powered trains will be phased out by 2040 and another cancels electrification projects at the drop of a hat! Given many trains and locomotives can last 30 to 40 years, what means of propulsion do minsters expect the railways to use after 2040? There is hydrogen, but that still seems in its infancy, and there could be trains with solar panels on their roof, but less useful at night or in tunnels. Battery technology is developing fast, but how much battery power would a freight locomotive need to haul 2,000 tonnes of aggregate, competing with hundreds of trucks still using diesel – albeit getting cleaner all the time! Maybe ministers should not try to micro-manage the railway and, instead, challenge the sector even more vigorously to reduce its costs and improve its efficiency. berkeleyafg@parliament.uk

■ (The independent views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The RM or the Rail Freight Group, of which Tony Berkeley is chairman).

Railways in Parliament

by Jon Longman

Strike mandate ends

LEO Docherty (Aldershot) asked what steps the Department for Transport (DfT) is taking to prevent future strikes on the South Western Railway. Transport Minister Joseph Johnson said: “The RMT’s current mandate for strike action on South Western Railway (SWR) expires in April. During the RMT strikes over Christmas and New Year, SWR operated around 70 per cent of their services, keeping passengers on the move. “In December, the Secretary of State met with Mick Cash to renew his offer of guarantees of employment to people who currently fulfil the role of the second person on the train beyond the length of the franchises. “The Secretary of State and I continue to encourage a dialogue between the parties to resolve the union’s dispute and avoid further unnecessary strikes for passengers.”

Ticking TOCs plans

LAYLA Moran (Oxford West and Abingdon) asked if the DfT will make it policy to include an automatic delay repay scheme in future rail franchise agreements. Mr Johnson replied: “We want train operating companies (TOCs) to make claiming compensation for delays swift and simple. “We have encouraged better promotion and increased awareness of delay repay schemes and we have encouraged TOCs to make the claims process simple and easy to use. We welcome the fact that all TOCs now have a dedicated online claim process. “Passengers are more willing than ever to demand and get fair compensation if their train is late or cancelled, with more than £73 million paid out to successful claimants in

12 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

2016/17 – an increase of 63.8 per cent on the 2015/16 total of £44.9 million. “We are improving passenger compensation by introducing relay repay from 15 minutes, which is being rolled out across the network as franchise contracts come up for renewal.”

Rural expansion

DR David Drew (Stroud) asked what steps the DfT is taking to encourage the reopening of rural railway lines and halts. Mr Johnson said: “The Government is working with local authorities and other partners to identify the best new rail projects that can unlock new housing and economic growth, ease overcrowding, meet future demand, and offer good value for money. “It is also helping them to identify new ways of designing, financing and funding

additional rail capacity. “We will consider proposals on a case by case basis, based on the economic benefits and business case put forward by local partners.”

26-30 Railcard roll-out

ALEX Sobel (Leeds North West) asked when the DfT plans to roll-out the 26-30 Railcard nationwide. Mr Johnson replied: “The Government will work with industry to extend the benefits of discounted rail travel to ensure those aged 16 to 30 can access concessions. “This will include the introduction of a new railcard for ages 26 to 30, which the Government anticipates will increase the number of journeys taken. “Further details will be announced in agreement with industry and will be implemented from spring 2018.”

BIMODES AND

WESTERN W WIRES HM Queen and Duke of Edinburgh journeyed in Queen Victoria’s footsteps on June 13, 2017, marking the 175th anniversary of the first Royal Train. They travelled from Slough and are seen arriving at London Paddington in Class 800 Hitachi IET No. 800003, which is named Queen Elizabeth II at one end and Queen Victoria at the other. JACK BOSKETT

With increasing numbers of the new bi-mode Class 800 trains entering service on the GWR, Keith Farr analyses whether these sleek units can match the performance of the venerable HST125. TABLE 1: DIDCOT-PADDINGTON Train: Power: Total weight: Date: Recorder: Recorder’s position:

09.30 Bristol – Paddington 800009 (5) + 800008 (5) 501/525 tonnes October 16, 2017 K S Farr 7/10

09.30 Bristol – Padd’n 800011 (5) 250½/270 tonnes November 13, 2017. K S Farr 1/5

Distance miles 0.00 4.70 8.39 11.60 14.49 16.35 17.16 4.94 11.71 13.53 15.05 17.54 19.73 21.26 22.74 25.05 26.90 30.29 31.74 34.73 35.83

Sched min 0

Actual ms

Timing point DIDCOT Cholsey Goring Pangbourne Tilehurst High Level Jct READING (10) Twyford Maidenhead Taplow Burnham SLOUGH Langley Iver West Drayton Hayes Southall Ealing Broadway Acton ML W’bourne Park PADDINGTON

6½ [2] 13 14 5 8½ 11½

15½ 16½[1] 18 [1] 25½

Actual ms 0 00 4 28 6 43 8 31 10 04 11 21 13 11 4 47 8 41 9 44 10 32 11 45 12 48 13 32 14 16 15 23 16 16 19 19 20 39 26 59

Speed mph – 91½ 104 110/114 110 57* 94/111 105/102¶ 107 120/125/124 125/126 124 124/118* 120 125 125/12½* sigs. 31 86/97 - * sigs -

* speed reduced by brakes

14 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

4 21 6 34 8 20 9 53 10 56 12 36 4 36 8 31 9 30 10 16 11 29 12 32 13 16 —— 15 08 16 01 17 44 21 30 24 06

Speed mph 0 00 93 106 111/115 114 78* 93 112/107¶ 114 123 125 123 123 122 125 109* 41* -

¶ changeover, diesel to electric

S IN the title, ‘bi-modes’ came first, arriving on the Great Western Railway before wiring was complete. Electrification had fallen behind schedule and exceeded budget; GWR therefore decided to make its fleet of InterCity Electric Trains (IET) totally bi-mode from the start so they would be up and running as soon as possible. Otherwise, the rolling stock cascade programme would have been left in further disarray: GWR would have been unable to release InterCity ‘125’s to ScotRail, which in turn would have delayed the transfer of Class 170 DMUs to increase capacity elsewhere. Great Western’s intention to employ other displaced ‘125’s on semi-fast services in Devon and Cornwall would also have been jeopardised, as would the concomitant release of elderly ‘Sprinters’ and ‘Pacers’. The cascade sequence thus depended on the punctual introduction of IETs, electric or not; so bi-mode it had to be. The down side is that reliance on bi-mode gave the Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling an excuse for halting electrification at Cardiff instead of Swansea and, on the Bristol line, at Thingley Junction, Chippenham. Beyond those points, Mr Grayling seemed to think passengers would not notice their ‘electric’ train had metamorphosed into a diesel, despite lower speeds and subdued grumbling from underfloor engines in the centre vehicles. Time for a comparison: a Class 800/0 five–coach IET weighs 250½ tonnes empty, the drive-end vehicles powering when the train is operating as an electric, and the centre three, each with an MTU1600 R80L diesel engine, normally set at 750 brake horsepower, contributing up to 2,250bhp. Therefore, in

World Record

OfficiallyThe the world’s longest-running railway series, established in 1901

Class 800s are beginning to make their mark on the Cotswold line. Set No. 800023 leaves Moretonin-Marsh on February 2 with the 09.54 GWR service from Great Malvern to London Paddington. FRASER PITHIE

diesel mode, a pair of five-coach 800s in multiple, weighing 501 tonnes, produces 4,500hp – the same as a 2+8 IC125 weighing 408 tonnes. In theory, at least, the power-toweight ratios are 9.0hp/tonne for the diesel bi-mode against 11.1hp/tonne for the ‘125’. Great Western Railway states the diesel generators can now produce 940hp each, in line with the intended Class 802 sets for West of England services and increasing the powerto-weight ratio to 11.3hp: but detailed analysis by members of the Railway Performance Society (RPS) suggests this maximum has not yet been utilised. At low speed, however, a bi-mode’s acceleration is set at 0.75 metre per second per second up to about 20mph, giving a faster immediate ‘get-away’ than that of a ‘125’. The acceleration rate then drops so, by the time the train reaches about 30mph, speed is increasing more slowly than with a ‘125’.

Scrag ends

IETs were designed to use diesel traction only on the scrag ends of routes beyond the wires, where high-level performance at speed is not required. They were never intended to rely on diesel over fast sections such as Didcot to Chippenham or Bristol Parkway, as they will be doing at least until the end of 2018 because of the electrification backlog, and they have difficulty keeping net schedules on such routes. GWR, meanwhile, is examining ways of making better use of the horsepower already available. In a five-coach unit, the 750hp engines in the second and fourth coaches supply hotel power, such as air-conditioning and heating. This output is fixed at maximum level, but could be adjusted to match varying demand, so when less heating (for example) is required spare power is released for traction. The diesel generator in the middle coach does not supply hotel power, but produces no more output for traction than its partners: the allocation of power for on-train services is there, but dormant, and could be utilised at the rail. It was on October 16, 2017 the first Class 800s entered public service on the Great Western Main Line. At this stage, electric power was available only between Paddington and the outskirts of Maidenhead, where the driver would lower the pantograph(s) and switch on the diesel generators in the centre vehicles of

TABLE 2: PADDINGTON-READING Train: Power: Total weight: Date: Recorder: Recorder’s position:

13.45 Paddington – Swansea 800011/80010 (10) 501/525 tonnes December 11, 2017. K S Farr 1/10

Distance miles 0.00 1.10 4.09 5.54 8.93 10.78 13.09 14.56 16.10 18.29 22.30 24.11 30.89 35.10 35.83

Sched min 0

Timing point PADDINGTON Westbourne Park Acton ML Ealing Broadway Southall Hayes West Drayton Iver Langley SLOUGH Taplow Maidenhead Twyford MP 35¼ READING (8)

6½ 8½ 9½

13½ 16½ 19½ [1] 25

Actual ms 0 00 2 11 5 02 5 52 7 34 8 28 9 34 10 17 11 01 12 04 14 00 14 55 18 21 21 29 23 40

# changeover, electric to diesel

Speed mph -/38/31* 38 95 110/124 120 126 125/123 124 124 125 123 118# 117 16* sigs. -

Gradient 1-in Level 1760R 1204R 1204R 1320R Level 1640F Level 1320F Level 1320R 1320R 1320R 1320F/L Level

[1] = 1 min recovery time

GWR IET No. 800004 Isambard Kingdom Brunel is captured at speed along the Great Western Main Line, near Challow, on August 28, 2017. JACK BOSKETT

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 15

PRACTICE & PERFORMANCE each five-car unit. Initially, this process required the train to coast for about one minute but, as they gained experience, drivers were soon carrying out the change in half that time. On that Monday, the 09.30 from Bristol Temple Meads glided into Didcot, its front end epitomising streamlined puissance. Yet recessed windows, electrical equipment in the roof and, with a 10-coach formation, inevitable air turbulence where the two units meet, create doubts over the new trains’ aero-dynamics. Units Nos. 800009/8 started rapidly enough but, as speed rose, the rate of acceleration tailed off, as expected: 91mph through Cholsey was at least 10mph lower than the norm there for a ‘125’. The rate then rose gradually to 114mph after Pangbourne, where the train’s predecessors regularly achieve a full 125, yet the time to Reading would have been acceptable for an HST, thanks to the fast start and a smart finish from the flyover.

Confident

On to Paddington, the pattern was repeated with a rapid start followed by a drop in the acceleration rate as speed crept up to 111mph before Maidenhead and ‘pan up’ time. The diesel engines then went quiet and, after perhaps a minute of coasting, the electrically powered first and last vehicles of the five-coach sets sprang into life. From a minimum of 102mph followed by 107 through Taplow, speed shot up to 120mph at Burnham and 125mph before Slough: 107 to 120 in 48 sec and another 30sec or so to the full speed. Even the conclusion had sparkle, with an acceleration from a severe signal check near Ealing Broadway to 97mph before Old Oak, followed by the mandatory reduction to 50mph over the final couple of miles from Ladbroke Grove. A run on the same train a month later,

Set No. 800025 passes Didcot North Jct on January 25 with the 1P25 09.54 Great Malvern-London Paddington train. On January 2, the electrification was energised from Didcot to Paddington. ANDREW ROYLE

when drivers had presumably become more confident, found a single unit making a time of 12min 36sec from Didcot to Reading and an unchecked 24min 06sec to Paddington, with an acceleration in electric mode from 107mph to 125mph within 2½ minutes (col 2). What of Down trains? Railway Performance Society technical officer Dr David Stannard has calculated after deference to the 50mph ‘ceiling’ to Ladbroke Grove and the 100mph

TABLE 3: READING-BRISTOL PARKWAY Train: Traction: Total weight: Date: Recorder: Recorder’s position:

11.45 Paddington–Swansea. 800005 (5) 250½/265 tonnes November 13, 2017. K S Farr 5/5

Distance miles 0.00 0.80 2.67 5.56 8.77 12.46 17.16 24.37 27.86 30.51 35.48 38.97 41.31 5.80 6.79 12.58 16.96 20.42 22.71 23.79 26.31 29.86 32.71 34.49

Sched min 0 1½

Timing point READING (9) High Level Jct Tilehurst Pangbourne Goring Cholsey DIDCOT Wantage Road Challow (MP 64) Uffington Shrivenham Stratton (O’bridge) SWINDON (4) Wootton B Jct Wootton B West Little Somerford Hullavington Alderton T’l (W) Badminton C Sodbury T’l (E) C Sodbury T’l (W) Westerleigh Jn W’bourne (MP 110) BRISTOL PARKWAY

6 [1½] 13 (½) 17 19 20 [½] (2) 29½ 5½ 12 [½]

19½ 23½

Actual ms 0 00 1 32 3 05 5 05 7 04 9 12 11 48 16 17 18 20½ 19 45 22 32 24 26 26 44 5 24 6 10 9 41 12 09 14 12 15 33 16 09 17 32 19 32 21 10 23 25

[1½] = 1½min recovery time. (2) = 2min pathing time

16 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Speed mph 51 77 92½ 102 106 109/90½* sigs. 101 104 107 109 109 eased 90½/68* 80½ 107/108 105 101 104 108 110/111 102*/109 102 -

Gradient 1-in Level 93R/85F 1320R 1320R Level 1508R 1508R 660R/754R 754R 880R L/834R 834R 660R 660F 300F 300F/400R 300R 300R 300R/L 300F 300F 300F 300F Level

limit on to Acton, an 800 in electric mode can attain 125mph by Hanwell (7.2 miles), while it takes a ‘125’ until West Drayton (13.1 miles) to achieve the same rate. Apparently, the acceleration of an 800 with ‘pan up’ is slightly better than that of a ‘Pendolino’ driven in the usual ‘eco’ style, but marginally inferior to one on full power. The maximum acceleration curve for the 800s is agreed between the DfT, Hitachi (the manufacturer) and GWR, and the software ensures speed does not rise above that limit. Dr Stannard’s calculations are borne out by my experience on the 13.45 PaddingtonSwansea on December 11, with units Nos. 800011 and 800010 accelerating from 95mph at Acton to 124mph at Hanwell, almost as predicted (Table 2). Speed then ranged between 120 and 126mph as far as the point of electric/diesel changeover, where the minimum rate was higher than usual; the restriction over the neutral section here had been 110mph, but may have been lifted to 120 for a short period. So we started diesel operation at 118mph, about the normal (diesel) balancing speed on level track, before sustaining 117mph on the Brunellian rise at 1-in-1,320 to Twyford. Adverse signals at Kennet Bridge notwithstanding, the 13.45 Down was at Reading in just under 24min against the 25 minutes booked.

Recovery

A month earlier, I had sampled IET diesel performance between Reading and Bristol Parkway (Table 3). This time only one five-coach unit was available for the 11.45 Paddington-Swansea, and it was No. 800005 that saw us through Tilehurst in 3min 05sec, about 20sec quicker over the flyover than a typical ‘125’ but, at 77mph, some 10mph lower. We achieved only 109mph through Didcot and, after a slight signal check from a freight entering the loop at Wantage Road, that rate was regained on the ruling 1-in-660/754 up the Vale of the White Horse. With the help

World Record of 4½min recovery allowance, the 800 cut the Reading to Swindon booking by 2¾min, although its net time of about 26 minutes shows a slight excess over the 25min schedule with recovery time deducted. Continuing to Bristol Parkway, No. 800005 made a reasonable start before slacking for the 70mph divergence from the Bristol line at Wootton Bassett. But the descent to the crossing of the River Avon, near Little Somerford, brought nothing more than 108mph, compared with the 115-120 or so normal here with a ‘125’. And the long 1-in-300 into the southern end of the Cotswolds at Badminton saw the rate dribbling away to 101mph at Alderton tunnel, where HST drivers ease, or even brake, for the 110mph curve. Nevertheless, the run from Swindon was unchecked and 23½min to Bristol Parkway is as good as it gets for a bi-mode over this 34½mile section. Only a pedant would complain about losing 30 seconds on the net schedule of 23 minutes, but it does again demonstrate that a bi-mode with all 750hp engines firing has nothing to spare on current bookings. Table 4 compares a Class 800 run from Bristol Parkway to Didcot Parkway with a typical ‘125’ performance. In col 1, Nos. 800009/18 achieved 95mph at Badminton Summit and continued on full power, without needing to slack for Alderton, to touch 125mph below Hullavington. A smart finish into Swindon, with the unusual maximum (for an 800) of 91mph after the Wootton Bassett 70mph restriction, saw the former railway town reached in fractionally under 24min.

OfficiallyThe the world’s longest-running railway series, established in 1901

TABLE 4: BRISTOL PARKWAY-DIDCOT Train: Traction: Total weight: Date: Recorder’s position:

14.28 Swansea-Paddington. 800009 + 800018 (10). 501/525 tonnes January 5, 2018 5/10

14.55 Cardiff-Paddington 2 + 8 125 408/425 tonnes November 10, 2015 1/8

Distance miles 0.00 1.95 4.63 8.18 10.70 11.78 14.07 17.53 22.03 28.69 33.27 34.49 2.36 5.79 10.80 13.29 16.94 20.56 24.15

Sched min 0

Actual ms 0 00 2 44 4 35 6 39 8 02 8 38 9 54 11 04 12 08 17 58 21 19 23 28 3 12 5 16 7 44 8 57 10 42 12 30 16 11

Timing point BRISTOL PARKWAY Winterbourne Westerleigh Jct C Sodbury Tunnel (W) C Sodbury Tunnel (E) Badminton Alderton Tunnel (E) Hullavington L Somerford Wootton B Jct Rushey Platt SWINDON (3) Stratton (o’bri) Shrivenham Uffington Challow Wantage Rd Stock’s Lane DIDCOT

4½

11½ 18 [1] 24½ 8 9 11 16½

Actual ms 0 00 2 19 4 33 6 55 8 31 9 12 10 35 12 30 14 40 18 31 21 58 23 58 2 57 5 14 8 02 9 25 11 09 12 57 15 51

Speed mph 67 84 94 93½ 95 105 118/125 122/123 66½*/91 -* 76 99 114 118 122 124 -

Speed mph 77 96 109 110 108/111 108* 121 121 68*/96 73* 84 121 125 125/124 126 121 - sigs?

Gradient 1-in Level 300R 300R 300R 300R 300R 300F 300F 300F/L 300R L/660R 1320F 834F 834F 880F 754F 754F 754F 1508F

Horsepower

The second column demonstrates a typical ‘125’ start from Bristol Parkway, with the HST 25 seconds behind the bi-mode at Winterbourne despite speed there being 10mph higher. At Westerleigh, they were virtually ‘level pegging’ in terms of time, but with the ‘125’ travelling 12mph faster; and, on leaving Sodbury Tunnel, the ‘125’ was 29 seconds ahead with speed 16½mph above that of the IET. Over Badminton Summit, the older train was eased as usual for the 110mph Alderton restriction and was not pressed beyond. From Bristol Parkway to Swindon the ‘125’ was just 30 seconds quicker than the IETs, but had more in reserve, while the rival was clearly on full power most of the way. Continuing from Swindon to Didcot, the HST was again slower off the mark, although much depends on how cautiously drivers take the turn-out from Swindon’s Up island platform. By Shrivenham, where the bi-modes were making only 99mph, the ‘125’ was already hastening east at 121mph and Wantage Road flashed by at 126. Meanwhile, the 800s did well to reach 124mph at Stock’s Lane, Steventon. However, the HST’s slower approach to Didcot, probably resulting from an adverse signal, caused it to take 20 seconds longer on this short section from Swindon. A characteristic of the new trains in diesel mode is their uniformity of performance. As we have seen, their balancing speed on level track is about 118mph and upgrade (if you can call 1-in-754 a grade!) from Didcot to Swindon they can attain about 112mph. In the opposite direction, they nudge 123-124mph. For ‘oldies’ like this writer, it is intriguing to compare their ‘standard’ performance through the Vale

Great Malvern station retains much of its original GWR Victorian charm as modern day GWR Class 800 No. 800012 arrives with the 06.52 from London Paddington on January 16. STEVE BURDETT

of the White Horse with that of ‘Castles’ in the 1950s. Then, as now, the speed difference between westbound and eastbound trains was 10-15mph: a ‘Castle’ on a 12-coach Down South Wales working would be plugging away at about 55mph, but would make about 70 in the up direction. Today, there is a similar gap between the speeds of Up and Down bi-modes – so those Brunellian gradients have an effect after all, aided by the prevailing westerly wind. Two routes where there is little or no prospect of electrification are Newbury to Penzance and Oxford to Hereford. On the West of England line, the forthcoming Class 802 nine-car sets will be rated at up to 940hp for each of their five diesel-powered vehicles, giving a total of 4,700hp for the complete train and providing a higher powerto-weight ratio than a 2+8 ‘125’. On the North Cotswold route, the current Class 800 five-car units, with a total brake horsepower of 2,250, will continue to do the business for the time

being, but may join the 940hp ‘club’. All told, the GWR fleet will eventually comprise 36 Class 800/0 five-vehicle sets, 21 Class 800/3 nine-coach consists, plus 22 Class 802 five-coach and 14 nine-car formations with 940hp diesel engines and extra fuel capacity for West of England and possibly Cotswold services. Where the IET atones for its lower maximum speeds on the Cotswold line is in station ‘dwell’ time, with plug doors operated by the train manager and the train short enough to be accommodated at almost every stop, while the faster get-away and efficient braking can be used to good effect on the short start-to-stop sprints.

Adverse signals

January 23, 2018 saw me aboard the 09.21 Paddington-Worcester, comprising set No. 800012 making a slow start from Oxford, presumably because of a temporary speed restriction (Table 5). Beyond Wolvercot March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 17

PRACTICE & PERFORMANCE Comparative IET and HST accelerations on Honeybourne bank (data from David Ashley).

TABLE 5: OXFORD-WORCESTER (SHRUB HILL) Train: Traction: Total weight: Recorder: Recorder’s position: Date:

09.21 Paddington–Worcester (F.S.) 800012 (5) 250½/260 tonnes K S Farr 2/5 January 23, 2018.

Distance miles 0.00 1.50 2.88 7.03 0.00 1.06 4.63 5.88 6.31 0.00 3.61 4.90 6.37 7.92 0.00 2.67 7.02 0.00 3.20 5.21 5.83 6.33 9.98 11.96 12.62 14.93 0.00 5.95 10.64 13.83

Sched min 0

Timing Point OXFORD Canal Junction Wolvercot Jct (pts) Hanborough arr Hanborough dep Combe Finstock Charlbury Jct Charlbury arr Charlbury dep Ascott Shipton Bruern crossing Kingham arr Kingham dep Adlestrop Moreton-in-Marr Moreton-in-M dep Blockley Chipping Campden Campden T’l (S) Campden T’l (N) Honeybourne Clayfield crossing Littleton EVESHAM arr EVESHAM dep Pershore Norton Junction WORCESTER (SH)

4 9 10½

6½ 8 4 8 9½ 8 9½

9½ 14½ 16 9½ 11

Actual ms 0 00 2 51 5 16 10 00 11 11 1 38 4 34 5 37 6 31 7 33 3 54 4 57 6 06 8 00 9 10 3 08 7 06 8 56 3 31 5 13 5 45 6 10 9 09 10 51 11 23 13 53 16 09 5 14 9 17 14 23

The familiar sight of a line-up of four HST125 sets in the platforms at London Paddington has already started to be consigned to history. Here, HST power car Nos. 43053, 43176, 43131, and an unidentified unit, plus two Class 332 Heathrow Express EMUs, are pictured on June 30, 2016. CHRIS MILNER

18 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Speed mph - RT 35/31 trs 38/77 59 80/81 58* 77/74 73½ 83½ 75/89 73/69/72 69 69 72/75 75*/62* 68 75 92/93 22*/65/* sigs -

Junction, where the Cotswold line swings away from the Birmingham route, the line is still single as far as Charlbury, but permits 100mph running. It is rare for a Cotswold line ‘125’ to achieve this figure in the Down direction and the 800’s maximum of 81mph after Finstock was well below par, yet it kept the schedules precisely from Hanborough to Charlbury and on to Kingham. The 89mph beyond Adlestrop was up to ‘125’ standard and the booking to the next stop, at Moreton-in-Marsh, was cut by almost one minute. On to the outskirts of Worcester, No. 800012 held its own until adverse signals made us three minutes late into Shrub Hill. The most arduous test facing a Cotswold line 800 is the climb for Up trains from the Vale of Evesham to Chipping Campden, on the Cotswold Edge. Yet even on starting from Honeybourne up this four-mile stretch at 1-in-100, a bi-mode partly compensates for its poorer performance higher up the bank by a faster start.

Advantage

Gradient 1-in 216F/L Level 200R/L L/180R 545R L/303R Level Level 995R/L 388R 472R 750R Level L/355R 151F Level 100F 100F 100F 126F 314F 318R/203F L/198R 269R/388R 347F/320R

Table 6 compares a climb by No. 800012, returning from Worcester as the 12.00 from Foregate Street, with that of a 2+8 formation on July 30, 2014. Typically, after 1.72 miles, the bi-mode was six seconds ahead of the ‘125’, but travelling at lower speed. The older train eventually had the advantage, accelerating to 74mph on the 1-in-100, before easing to avoid exceeding the 75mph limit here. At the same location, the bi-mode was making only 59mph and was still slogging away at 62mph by the summit, where it was 22 seconds behind the HST. It would have ‘overtaken’ its new rival near post 99½, where the respective speeds must have been about 56 and 69mph. Regrettably, it was impossible to obtain times and speeds at every milepost because many of them were missing, but David Stannard has compared a climb recorded by fellow RPS member David Ashley, compared it with a typical ‘125’ ascent and kindly sent The RM the speed curve chart contained in the panel. January 2 saw the overhead lines from Maidenhead to Didcot go ‘live’ – until, that is, it became evident the passage of electrically powered IETs through Sonning Cutting was playing havoc with the axle-counting electronics on parallel tracks. The 800s had to revert to diesel traction between Maidenhead and Didcot while a faulty cable was replaced, and it was a week later 800s started using the overhead equipment. Up trains calling at Didcot now change mode in the station, while most Down trains and all ‘flyers’ do so on a neutral section just to the east. My first journey in an electrically powered bi-mode from Didcot was a revelation: the train was the 15.30 BristolPaddington (Table 7)and the units Nos. 800014/80020, which, under diesel power, had reached 121mph at Steventon. I was in the rear coach, a trailer as far as Didcot, but coming to life during our sojourn at Didcot with a soft ‘hum’ and perhaps a brightening of the lights. By the time my coach passed the platform end, the speed was 40mph, and, by Cholsey, it was 121mph: 4.7 miles in 3½min from a standing start! Surely, no ‘125’ has ever been near that level of performance. A slight braking for the 120mph curve

World Record

OfficiallyThe the world’s longest-running railway series, established in 1901

Class 800 IET Nos. 800005 and 800012 arrive at Swindon with a Swansea to Paddington service on January 25. DARREN FORD

to Goring preceded a brief 124mph at Pangbourne before crossing the flyover and halting in Reading in 11min 03sec for the 17.15 miles, start-to-stop. Table 8 summarises an even more exciting ‘snippet’ in the opposite direction, Note even time by Tilehurst, flyover included, and 10min 37sec start-to-stop from Reading to Didcot, yet with the maximum speed never quite touching the permitted maximum of 125mph. Electrification has come late to ‘the Western’ and has been fraught with difficulty, little if any of it GWR’s fault. Network Rail came out of the Reading transformation with flying colours (The RM June 2013), but not this time. And it was the DfT which metaphorically cut back the wires at Thingley Junction and Cardiff, leaving Bristol itself and Swansea as diesel ‘add-ons’; this is despite £130m already spent on overhead line equipment beyond Chippenham and in South Wales.

Obstacles

Then there are the Steventon protesters, jeopardising westward progress for the sake of a ‘listed’ but quite ordinary brick bridge. The words attributed to former BR Western general manager Stanley Raymond come to mind: “This is a railway; not a museum”. Let us hope all the obstacles are overcome and full electric working from Paddington to Thingley Junction and Cardiff takes place by 2019, as scheduled; and (dare I say it?) ministerial minds are changed and the wires eventually continue to Bristol and Swansea. For main line electrification is the way ahead – and it will provide exciting material for another contribution. ■

TABLE 6: HONEYBOURNE-CHIPPING CAMPDEN Train: Traction: Total weight: Date: Recorder: Recorder’s position

12.00 Worcester (F St) to Paddington 800012 (5) 250½/260 tonnes January 23, 2018 K S Farr 5/5

13.14 Hereford to Paddington 2 + 8 125 408/420 tonnes July 30, 2014 K S Farr 1/8

Distance miles 0.00 1.22 1.72 2.47 2.97 3.47 4.14 4.76

Actual ms 0 00 2 07.3 2 41.5 3 29.8 4 00.4 4 30.4 5 08.5 5 43

Actual ms 0 00 2 17.6 2 48.1 3 26e 3 49.6 4 14.0 4 46 5 19

Timing Point Honeybourne MP 100½ “ 100 “ 99¼ “ 98¾ “ 98¼ Campden T’l (E) C Campden (pass)

Speed mph 50 54 57½ 59 60 62 69

Speed mph 66 72e 74 73 -/69 73

Gradient 1-in 100R 100R 100R 100R 100R 100R 100R Level

e = estimated

TABLE 7: DIDCOT-READING

TABLE 8: READING-DIDCOT

Train: Traction: Total weight: Date: Recorder: Position:

15.30 Bristol – Paddington. 800 014 + 800 20 (10). 501/525 tonnes January 11, 2018 K S Farr 10/10

Train: Traction: Total weight: Recorder: Position: Date:

11.15 Paddington – Cardiff. 800 015 + 800 011 (10). 501/515 tonnes K S Farr 4/10 January 15, 2018.

Distance Timing Point Miles 0.00 DIDCOT 4.70 Cholsey 8 39 Goring 11.60 Pangbourne 14.49 Tilehurst 16.45 High Level Jct 17.16 READING (10)

Sched Actual Speed min m s mph 0 0 00 3 31 121/118* 6½ 5 24 119 [1] 6 58 124 8 23 121 9 28 68* 14 11 03 -

Distance Timing Point Miles 0.00 READING (9) 0.70 High Level Jct 2.67 Tilehurst 5.56 Pangbourne 8.77 Goring 12.46 Cholsey 17.16 DIDCOT

Sched Actual Speed min m s mph 0 0 00 1½ 1 15 68 2 27 101 3 58 122 6 5 32 123 [1] 7 19 124 13 10 37 -

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 19

KEEPING STEAM ON THE NETWORK

Tyseley: Shaping the future of

Main Line Steam?

As the steam railtour market undergoes one of its most significant overhauls in decades, Gary Boyd-Hope talks to Tyseley’s Michael Whitehouse about Vintage Trains’ bid to become an independent train-operating company owned by the general public.

NE year ago The Railway Magazine presented an in-depth look at the strategic vision laid down by Tyseley for its long-term survival – not only in an ever-changing rail industry, but also as part of a multi-cultural and increasingly busy cityscape. The masterplan covers all facets of the Tyseley operation, from the running of regular steam-hauled expresses out of Birmingham and the unique selling point of three ‘Castle’ class 4-6-0s, to the revival of the Metropolitan Railway Carriage & Wagon Company name and the redevelopment of the former 84E shed at Tyseley itself. At the very heart of the plan lies Vintage Trains’ (VT) bid to become an independent, British-owned, fully integrated

Express steam trains working out of Birmingham, hauled by Great Western-designed 4-6-0s such as ‘Castle’ No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, is the unique selling point of the Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society. ROBIN COOMBES

20 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

train-operating company (TOC), the application for which has already been submitted to the Office of Road and Rail. In early December, the new Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society (CBS) launched a £3million share offer to raise the capital required to turn the vision into a reality. Included in this is a minimum sum (£800,000) required to prove to the ORR that VT has the financial wherewithal to run trains independently. In a nutshell it sounds like a worthy and admirable goal, but look a little deeper and you’ll find that there is actually far more to it

than that. For Tyseley’s move towards TOC status is not just about its own survival, but it may also help shape the future of main line steam operation as a whole. To quote Tyseley chairman Michael Whitehouse: “Main line steam has reached a tipping point which is very real, and the railway preservation world needs to wake up, realise the issues and join with us in developing the solutions.” As we fast approach the 50th anniversary of the end of BR steam, main line steam

coming to a critical junction which, unless faced, understood and dealt with, could result in a ‘make or break’ situation for the railtour market. The issues Michael refers to are many and varied, ranging from the simple fact that we have a busier national railway network, to ageing motive power and an equally aging workforce. Together these factors could heavily influence the future direction of the steam railtour industry, which is one of the primary reasons why Vintage Trains and others are striking out on their own.

‘Less space and paths’

“Take the network for example,” says Michael. “We are seeing more and faster trains in the timetables, meaning less space and paths for spot-booked charters. “Add to that the fast disappearing operating skills and knowledge. Very few drivers now remain who really understand steam locomotives, and in particular those who are competent to drive them at 75mph with 11 coaches in all conditions. Furthermore, when away from their home base, steam locomotives have no back up (unless they take a diesel with them), and the national railway staff are not trained to understand them.

“Equally, there are probably only a handful increasingly rely on a smaller and smaller of people around who really understand group of people for their destiny.” steam locomotive engineering and who have Of course, attracting the next generation the requisite facilities to fix locomotives to of engineers, drivers and firemen remains one the required standard. You only have to look of the principal challenges faced by preserved at the number of locomotive failures and railways, and this is particularly relevant for examine the causes so see the evidence of this.” main line operation. How do you lure the An ageing steam locomotive fleet is one of technology-savvy iPad generation away from the key concerns Michael raises. As he points SnapChat and Instagram, and encourage them out, many of the current main line-registered to pick up a firing shovel? And, as Michael locos are rapidly approaching their 100th points out, how many really have the time to anniversaries, and with advanced age comes indulge in spending hours and hours learning wear and big repair bills. the requisite skills to repair and operate a “We are now facing complete renewals steam engine. of major parts which costs in excess of “It’s not all doom and gloom, but it is half a million pounds a throw,” explains necessary to face reality and work out a plan Michael. “Look at the number of appeals and to deal with the real issues,” says Michael. locomotives laid up on the main line list, then “Over the last 20 years we have been doing look at the number of them whose tickets that at Tyseley. We have learned how to repair have or will soon expire. Compare this to the locomotives. We have a train of our own number that are still in ticket and coming back carriages. We have a workshop. We have a on line. main line-connected depot. We have created a “The support network is shrinking, too. tour company. All of those need constant plate Some of these main line engines are owned spinning. What we don’t have is a licence and, by individuals or societies that have no facilities of their own, and which are coping with dwindling memberships. As such they

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 21

KEEPING STEAM ON THE NETWORK

The Whitehouse family has been at the forefront of Tyseley’s preservation activities for more than 50 years, with current chairman Michael Whitehouse having the task of overseeing the bid for full independence. VINTAGE TRAINS

with it, our own operating team. Easy to say, but a hurdle to jump nonetheless.” It is Michael’s view the railway heritage movement as a whole needs to create an organisation capable of delivering express steam trains on a sustainable basis, which at the same time is integrated with passenger, freight and community services. In the vacuum of national leadership, Tyseley has picked up the baton. “Yet it is not all about Tyseley. Yes we are the only charity in the game with all these facilities, knowledge and skills, but we are not seeking to monopolise. We want to preserve our heritage, stay in the game, teach and transfer skills. If anything that is at the core of our Community Benefit Society. “The challenge and opportunity to everyone passionate about the subject is to join in: buy a share and volunteer.”

No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe stands amid the GWR infrastructure at Birmingham’s Moor Street station on December 11, 2010. The station is set to play a larger role in the future of Vintage Trains’ operations thanks to its city-centre location. CLIVE HANLEY

using technology and encouraging tourists. Furthermore, Birmingham has a tremendous but understated railway heritage pedigree: Boulton & Watt developed the steam engine to enable the city to become the ‘Workshop of the World’ and engage in mass manufacture. It developed the first inter-city railway hub at Curzon Street (which will be re-incarnated by the arrival of HS2), with the city being the manufacturing base for carriages delivered worldwide. “We have begun marketing the share offer and CBS concept within Greater Birmingham, and are discussing how it fits with the city’s Midlands Engine strategy for growth,” Michael explains. “Already the mayor has bought a share, the city leader has invited me to discuss the

CBS further, the Lord Lieutenant has adopted the scheme and is promoting it, and we will deeply discuss with our city stakeholders the community benefits, encouraging the next generation, training and apprentice opportunities.” Opportunities for people to develop, particularly a wider and more diverse range of young people, is probably as much a driver for the CBS as the TOC status itself. Thanks to a £90,000 Heritage Lottery Fund-resilient grant, Tyseley is proceeding to establish a volunteer system and is setting up a ‘youth board’, which is intended to shadow the CBS board, thereby allowing its members to learn business skills and participate in the development and steering of the CBS. “We have to prepare now to hand over the

What is a CBS?

The concept of community shares and Community Benefit Societies is not a new one, but the Vintage Trains CBS is pioneering its use in the heritage railway sector. They have been successfully used all over the UK to finance projects that involve and benefit communities, from football clubs and pier restorations, to local transport and the creation of wind farms. One may wonder how the running of steam trains benefits the community, but in fact much of what Tyseley is trying to accomplish has been steered by community input. During the creation of the masterplan, Michael opened a dialogue with all local stakeholders, including Birmingham City Council, the University of Birmingham, Bournville College, Network Rail, the Department for Transport, the ORR, the local community and others, all to find out what Tyseley could, or should, be offering. The feedback has been very encouraging. Steam-hauled expresses fall slap bang within Birmingham’s ‘Midlands Engine’ growth strategy: developing engineering, 22 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

In applying for its own operating licence the Vintage Trains CBS is aiming to ensure the knowledge and experience of steam drivers like Ray Churchill benefits the next generation of enginemen. ROBIN COOMBES

management of our priceless collection and teach skills so it can endure,” added Michael. “As we are a charitable foundation, we are well placed to do this. The founding families have given the collection and workshop equipment to the foundation so the next generation can succeed and learn how to innovate for themselves within a charitable but also business environment. “The next generation will be able to learn about and also help tell the very significant stories about the major contribution Birmingham and its people have made to railways and steam locomotives. “From Boulton & Watt and Metropolitan Railway Carriage & Wagon Company, to the heritage railway pioneers and their families who invented the railway preservation concept in Britain, and who spearheaded the return to steam in 1972. “We intend to add a fourth strand over the next 50 years: our Community Benefit Society. This is particularly important as Birmingham is, and always has been, a migrant city. It is essential, for the wellbeing of the community, that everyone understands their roots and how and why they came to live here. “Clearly this will take longer than the share offer timetable, but you should not overlook the opportunities when we become a national TOC. We are very lucky to be within a major city and one which will see history repeating itself as Curzon Street once again becomes the hub of a new grand trunk route when HS2 arrives.”

‘Home-grown’ TOCs

At a time when newspapers and television news are dominated by Brexit, and the nation tries to make sense of the uncertainties that go with it, one of Tyseley’s big selling points for the CBS is that it will be a British-owned TOC. Privatisation and the franchising of the national railway’s operations have brought with it a tremendous amount of investment, much of which comes from Europe and further afield. A look at the list of current

BE A PART OF HISTORY The Vintage Trains Community Benefit Society share offer closes on May 31. Shares are available at a minimum subscription of £500, or a maximum of £100,000. Amounts must be bought in blocks of 500 shares. Shareholding comes with a range of benefits, including exclusive membership of the Founders Club for the first 2,000 subscribers. Members of this exclusive club will get the opportunity to travel on five shareholder-only railtours behind ‘Castles’ Nos. 7029 Clun Castle and 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe over appropriate Great Western metals. Other benefits include lifelong TOCs includes names such as Abellio (the Netherlands), Arriva (a subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Bahn), Trenitalia (Italy), Mitsui (Japan), Govia (part owned by the French transport operator Keolis), and MTR (China). Stagecoach, Virgin and First Group are ‘home grown’, as are the likes of West Coast Railways and the new Saphos Trains, but none are owned by the British ‘people’ or by a charity, which should provide the enduring factor, rather than being owned and controlled by individuals or foreign corporates. In this regard the Vintage Trains CBS stands alone, and with ex-Chiltern Railways chief Adrian Shooter as the TOC’s chairman, it is already securing its place within the West Midlands rail operation as a whole. Adrian brings a wealth of experience to the table, having helmed Chiltern Railways for 18 years, until 2012. Yet he also understands Tyseley as a whole, its history and aspirations, as he had been a trustee for the last 15 years. The new TOC’s primary purpose will be to operate a range of trains safely and commercially. Of course, this will include the operation of regular steam-hauled express trains serving Birmingham and the

A big part of the Tyseley/Vintage Trains philosophy is training the younger generation to ensure steam’s main line future is secure. ‘Castle’ No. 5080 Defiant will form a part of that future. ROBIN COOMBES

complementary access to Tyseley’s twice-annual open days, a say in the governance of the CBS, the opportunity to stand for election to the board, and the chance to earn interest on shares. For a full share prospectus and share application form visit: www.VintageTrains. co.uk/Shares or write to Vintage Trains, 670 Warwick Road, Tyseley, Birmingham B11 2HL. Gift Aid donations are also welcome, and will be counted within the required £800,000. If you are interested to volunteer your services to help create this future, email office@VintageTrains.co.uk with your CV and area of interest. surrounding area using the locomotives of the Tyseley home fleet, and one or two affiliated ‘guest’ engines. However, as reported in The RM last month, the TOC is also applying for a non-passenger licence, thereby enabling it to provide a broader public service; this underlines its community benefit. The TOC will participate in the market place, not as a franchise company with a limited term, nor as a charter promoter taking second or third place to passenger and freight. The CBS and the TOC will be enduring, publically owned and with charity control and governance.

Intergrated timetable

The intention is to create a stable and long-term environment, within an integrated timetable structure, both for express steam trains to operate and for the next generation to learn and participate within a business environment. The decision to apply for TOC status was the brainchild of the aforementioned Mr Shooter, who also proposed that Vintage Trains narrow its geographic coverage, and instead of running excursions far and wide, focus on fewer destinations, but visit them more frequently. In essence this builds upon the success of VT’s annual ‘Shakespeare Express’ season, which sees steam working two round trips between Birmingham Snow Hill and Stratford-upon-Avon every Sunday from July to September. It will also enable forward bookings to be taken from international tour operators with more certainty and so serve key events such as the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which are to be held in Birmingham. However, as the nation’s second city, Birmingham’s railway system is one of the busiest in the country, and so Tyseley is already well advanced in securing its place at the top table with passenger and freight track access contracts. These will provide it with rights to agree timetabled paths to suit and integrate with the busy suburban passenger network, but also provide a year round capability to meet market opportunities. “We have already met with West Midlands Railway (who use the West Midlands Trains brand) to take forward our memorandum of understanding to ensure heritage express steam trains both fit in with, and are capable of growth, within the timetable,” says Michael. “Remember we are not talking about charter trains as the ‘Shakespeare Express’ has always been a timetabled train. What we are talking March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 23

KEEPING STEAM ON THE NETWORK

Earl of Mount Edgcumbe passes the Severn Valley Railway’s main line connection as it powers through Kidderminster, heading north for Tyseley, after working an excursion to Oxford via Cheltenham on October 4, 2014. The SVR forms a major part of Vintage Trains’ future plans, with Tyseley to Bridgnorth dining trains becoming a regular path. JACK BOSKETT

about is regular every day steam in the working timetable as ‘Q paths’, even for the day-out excursions, with the blessing of Network Rail. This is the integration the DfT was seeking when it included the heritage train component within the West Midlands Trains invitation to negotiate; something I believe is currently unique.” From the perspective of timetable planning, a Vintage Trains express steam train will simply be ‘another train in the timetable’ but, to the market, it will offer regular and fascinating opportunities. In fact VT will be planning at least three Greater Birmingham ‘Q paths’ and several day-out excursion ‘Q paths’ to connect the city with other heritage attractions and international destinations. One of these will be a new regular evening slot for a steam-hauled dining train from Birmingham to Kidderminster and on to the Severn Valley Railway at Bridgnorth. “We will work with the Severn Valley Railway in partnership to develop both main line and branch line heritage,” said Michael. “West Midland Trains has agreed to work with us to ensure paths for both the ‘Shakespeare Express’ and dining train to Bridgnorth are available seven days a week from 2021 when the next train and service upgrade is due. “We will also work on developing a family train market between Moor Street station (right next to the Bullring shopping centre and to be integrated with HS2 at Curzon Street) to our Tyseley depot, providing an ideal one-hour round trip excursion. 24 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

“While there is detailed timetabled work to do of course, the intent is clearly there so that these trains can run any day the market requires. They will be integrated into the timetable with franchise trains. “West Midlands Trains has even repainted the stations on the Shakespeare Line in traditional Great Western colours. Every bit helps,” he added.

The bigger picture

As last March’s feature explained, and as Michael has made clear in this article, the vision for Tyseley encompasses far more than just the running of trains. In Michael’s words: “We want to re-create in the 21st century something similar to what the GWR created in the early 1900s: the capacity for every day timetabled express steam trains running between a 1906 authentic GWR city terminus at Moor Street to Shakespeare’s Stratford, with our locomotives and workshop based at Tyseley – the last remaining depot, which has seen a steam locomotive available for use every day for 110 years. “We will develop our Tyseley depot to become the 21st century workshop for both steam locomotives (as Tyseley Locomotive Works) and carriages (as Metropolitan Railway Carriage & Wagon Co). That way, our collection will have a purpose in still doing what it was designed and built for. “We are fortunate to be in the middle of the country, accessible, and supported by a great city and its regional transport authority. “We are in a region of growing tourism and

No independent TOC could survive without the engineering facilities to overhaul and repair its fleet. Tyseley has a wealth of experience to draw upon, thanks to the father and son team of Bob and Alastair Meanley, enabling locomotives such as flagship No. 7029 Clun Castle to maintain Tyseley’s reputation for quality and reliability. ROBIN COOMBES

well connected to international destinations. Add in Birmingham’s strategy to create tourist destinations and create engineering jobs and skills, and the vision becomes compelling. “We have the chance to achieve it all, but only if we can reach our initial £800,000 target with the public’s support, ownership and participation.” ■

LIVERY DESIGN

The initial repainting plan for the West Coast ‘Pendolino’ fleet, which is currently being undertaken, envisaged an off-white/very light-grey base colour, because of the West Coast franchise being prepared for re-franchising by the Government. However, creative designer Sam Jessup was convinced the base colour needed some relief and was able to demonstrate the livery could be enhanced with the addition of the ‘flowing silk’ relief as had been applied to the East Coast ‘Azuma’, used at the launch event. Here, ‘Pendolino No. 390020 passes Cathiron, near Rugby, on January 7 with 1A25, the 10.47 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston. PAUL A BIGGS

Giving the railway the

‘WOW’ factor While many transport companies look to external agencies and specialists to develop and maintain their brand and image, some undertake the activity in-house. Virgin Trains was one of the companies that until recently had its own design unit. Steven Knight speaks with creative designer Sam Jessup, whose artistic talents were used by Virgin Trains for almost 10 years.

am Jessup has made a name for himself over the last decade as a leading light in railway design. His ability to interpret basic ideas and create something amazing has been put to the test many times. He has the ability to know what will work and what should be avoided. Until a few days before The Railway Magazine met him he had been working for Virgin Trains undertaking assignments for both the West Coast and East Coast franchises as well as for Virgin Rail Group and Virgin/Stagecoach. A change in strategic policy at Virgin, which took place in December 2017, saw the brand and design functions being undertaken again by outside agencies, and as a result Sam left the business. He admits to having a life-long interest in railways, which he says was probably down to his introduction to Thomas the Tank Engine at an early age. However, like many, this passion was kept in check as it was viewed as uncool during his teenage years. 28 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Sam Jessup spent 10 years as designer and latterly as head of design at Virgin Trains. He has just taken on the role as interim brand & design manager for the West Midlands Railway & London Northwestern franchise. STEVEN KNIGHT MEDIA.

Sam Jessup says some of his best creative thoughts can occur at any time and he keeps a notebook handy to record his ideas. One of his creative concepts, which didn’t make it into reality, was a special 20th birthday livery for a ‘Pendolino’ train. SAM JESSUP DESIGN.

A degree in graphic design at Falmouth College of Art was followed by three-and-a-half years working in Miami at a design agency run by British people. However, the recession took its toll and Sam returned to the family home in Coventry, and at this point decided to see if Virgin Trains had any jobs going in the city. “I thought there may be something on the station or in the ticket office,” he said, “but I saw a vacancy for an in-house designer so I applied.” After a thorough interview a then 24-year old Sam Jessup joined Virgin Trains as its sole in-house designer in January 2008, based at Euston station. During his 10 years at Virgin Sam went from being the sole designer to managing a design team of four. He has also worked with outside creative and design agencies, including working with respected transport designer Ray Stenning, of Best Impressions, on the East Coast launch in 2015 (RM June 2016). Sam says one of the challenges in his early days was building relationships with other departments and encouraging two-way working, something that wasn’t on the agenda previously when outside agencies were used. “My ethos”, says Sam, “was to understand the business, look at the end use, solve problems and then see where things could be done better. It was about adding sparkle and moulding the tone of voice to really create impact. “Any brand has to be forward thinking, and for Virgin Trains it also had to embrace the values of the Virgin Group – welcoming, fun and different.” Sam argues the biggest asset a train company has in selling its wares and promoting the brand is its people and trains. “It’s about selling a vision. The train is the hero. It’s the first thing people see when they and the train arrive at

Tone of voice is as important as the visual impact and written message. That is how the humorous messages found inside the ‘Pendolino’ toilets were created by Sam Jessup, which he views as one of his more unusual creative projects. SAM JESSUP DESIGN.

the station. The train has to create the ‘WOW’ moment, which then has to follow through with staff, facilities, service delivery, and the on-board ambience. “Railway branding is a tricky art. It needs to be big, bold and bright, but also needs to be considerate of the market that its serves.” What Sam is saying is there needs to be a different approach for commuter and long-distance markets. He adds: “Take the recent London Midland livery and branding. It has a business-like look, but has been softened at the edges. The use of the colours and how they are applied to the trains can only be done once the target audience has been identified. For the passenger the identity must also reassure.” I ask Sam what he thinks about the image of current railway operations. Here, he believes the railway is starting to lose its personality and doing things that were unique has in many cases been cast aside. I can’t help think Sam is referring to some of the Department for Transport-style schemes which lack any style, opting for drab white bodysides only broken up by passenger doors in contrasting colours. He also feels the industry has lost one of its high-impact liveries with the replacement of the bold swoops of the former Stagecoach-operated South West Trains to the functional, but uninspiring, South Western Railway livery. When pushed for his favourite privatised railway scheme there is no hesitation. He cites the original Midland Main Line teal and green scheme with the deer logo, introduced by National Express. “But it is more than just putting colour on a train,” says Sam. “The design process needs to work with the train architecture and needs to add and enhance the rolling stock style. This

can be a difficult process as train operators are presented with a standard train shape from the manufacturers, and livery and branding has to be adapted to work.” While Ray Stenning worked on the external image for Virgin’s East Coast operation it was alongside Sam, who was involved with the internal image from decor to notices and crockery, ensuring everything worked together, and was complemented by the image of station and on-board staff. “The East Coast image had to be Virgin, but also had to manage expectations. The architecture of the trains used on East Coast being square and angular is far removed from that of the West Coast ‘Pendolino’ fleet, so just copying the ‘Pendolino’ livery would not work.

Liveries Unleashed celebrates the design of railways and public transport using actual livery colours, which are ‘unleashed’ beyond the locomotive/vehicle profile shape to create a modern take on iconic designs. SAM JESSUP DESIGN.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 29

LIVERY DESIGN “What was achieved was giving East Coast its own, strong image, but at the same time maintaining a family feel with the West Coast operation. There was also a strong staff pride on the route which we needed to nurture. We had to create an image that was new and exciting. “The challenge of train livery design is, however, further complicated. It must work close up and fit well within the architecture of stations, but must also have impact and stand out in the landscape”. With those pre-requisites Sam believes the Virgin ‘Pendolino’ and ‘Voyager’ liveries meet the requirements, are both iconic and also still look bold and fresh. Sam also believes the simple addition of black around the windows significantly enhances the appearance of trains. He is also full of praise for the retro-livery recently introduced by First Group’s Great Western Railway, but he does struggle with design looking back rather than a forward-looking livery and brand. That said Sam believes that although the GWR green livery lacks originality, the company has done well, and he admires the bold approach it has taken in giving a nod to its past. Sam also places the previous Great Western livery, First Group’s Dynamic Lines version, high on his list of successful schemes. Also singled out by Sam for praise is the new TransPennine Express scheme, which he describes as having “real potential”. “The designer has done well to create an image that will look fantastic on the new trains, and the preview afforded by the branded Class 68 locomotive allows a glimpse of how it will look in the future. This is a livery designed with the future fleet in mind, which is quite a different way for a train operator to think!” Another livery Sam praises is the new look for Caledonian Sleeper, which he says exudes “beauty”. “It does a great job of both inspiring, and being inspired by, the Highland destinations it serves and will suit the new fleet perfectly when they arrive. The new sleeper interiors look particularly exciting.” Looking back, the Network SouthEast livery is one which Sam says provided impact and consistency, plus he also rates highly the Roundel design-inspired Railfreight sectorisation scheme, which identified the owning business sector. I asked Sam what parts of his work at Virgin Trains did he view as a personal success. Top of his list for West Coast was the

When pushed for his favourite Privatisation livery, Sam Jessup has no hesitation in highlighting the original Midland Main Line scheme introduced by National Express, as seen on a HST as it approaches Wellingborough, under Mill Road bridge, with a Sheffield to St Pancras working in April 1999. CHRIS MILNER

Sam says he rates highly the Trainload freight livery, which was introduced by British Rail in the 1980s when it sectorised its freight business. Class 56 No. 56062 – in ex-works condition for the Bescot 1990 open day – shows the construction sector branding, matched with Redland aggregate wagons. TRACKS NORTH

advertising wrap for the X-Men train which, through the association with Hollywood super heroes, portrayed the message of speed and power. Another success was the information graphic which can now be found in the toilets of West Coast ‘Pendolino’ trains. “Their fleet team identified a need for a message aimed at preventing items being thrown down the toilet and causing blockages. “We could have just had a simple ‘Do not…..” message, but this was for Virgin so tone of voice was important. I saw this as a unique assignment and came up with the humorous message that has been well received by passengers.”

A train livery that works well, says creative designer Sam Jessup, is the First Group Dynamic Lines design. This gives the ‘wow’ at stations, but also has impact in the landscape. Emphasising this livery in sunshine at Carlisle on July 9, 2009, TransPennine Class 185 No. 185143 restarts an Edinburgh to Manchester Airport service. CHRIS MILNER

30 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

However, in a game of Sam Jessup Top Trumps, both these West Coast projects would be overshadowed by his work on the new East Coast ‘Azuma’ trains. Indeed, Sam believes the ‘Azuma’ design project, which saw the creation of the launch identity for the train, was the biggest success of his design career, and although he had a blank canvas he only had a short timespan to achieve it. “When I started on the project the train didn’t even have a name. I was involved in creating a link into its Japanese heritage, while also creating something that fits into the train ‘family’ of Virgin. All Virgin trains have a strategy to their names so I worked with the communications team to agree the name. “Naming the types of train makes them less mechanical and gives them a real personality. “As part of the ‘Azuma’ project I extensively researched the Japanese culture, mixing it with my in-depth knowledge of the Virgin brand, and took inspiration from the history of the East Coast Main Line, to come up with the look the train has now.” Sam admits he is always on the look-out for inspiration and has built up an extensive image library, which is not just of trains and railways. He says he is most inspired when he is in that environment, so when working on stationrelated work he visits stations. While the ‘Azuma’ project started with a blank canvas, another project for which Sam received high acclaim was the creation of the special livery for HST power car No. 43238 National Railway Museum 40 Years 1975-2015. Here, Sam took the base Virgin Trains East Coast livery, which had been devised by Ray Stenning and Best Impressions, and worked

with the team at the National Railway Museum in York to celebrate 40 years and eight iconic locomotives from the National Collection in a unique, bold, graphic way. The resulting livery went down a storm with Virgin Trains, the NRM and rail enthusiasts across the UK. Even Ray Stenning commented it was ‘his favourite’ adaptation of the base livery he created. Sam also has an eye for originality even where the subject matter is from the annals of history. Having bought a copy of the reprinted British Rail Corporate Identity manual he was struck by how celebrated and iconic design of the past had been. He wanted to do his own tribute and produced a piece of artwork which uses abstract colours, but with an outline of an InterCity 125 superimposed. Such was the interest in the artwork, Sam extended the range to cover other iconic British trains. He has also worked on buses and aircraft, and has plans to include US and Canadian locomotives of the 1950s, 60 and 70s. The range, which Sam has called Liveries Unleashed, uses the colours of the livery which are ‘unleashed’ beyond the vehicle profile. ■

One of the first train liveries Sam worked on for Virgin Trains was the ‘Pendolino’-inspired livery for the Mk3 loco-hauled set, which was dubbed the ‘Pretendolino’. It is seen behind Class 90 No. 90019 approaching Rugby with an Euston to Birmingham New Street working on August 7, 2009. CHRIS MILNER

CREATING THE ‘AZUMA’ – THE DESIGN INSPIRATIONS THE name ‘Azuma’ has been chosen to launch against the sharp bold red flowing cloth significance in the Japanese Shinto religion. Red the new Virgin Trains East Coast fleet, and motifs and is inspired by the term kōhaku, is seen as the colour of the dress of gods and present it in its own unique identity and style. which literally translates as ‘red and white’. spirits, whose purpose is to ward off evil spirits The name ‘Azuma’ comes from a historic It mixes the concept of life and vitality (red) and disease. In fact, Shinto priestesses (kito), Japanese term meaning ‘east’ and was often with purity (white). These two colours, when who attend to Japanese temples, wear robes used to refer to the eastern region of Japan. It applied together, are seen to denote happiness, formed of flowing red and white clothes: red to also carries connotations of speed, dynamism celebration and good fortune in the future. symbolise the gods and white to show purity. and modernity, and fits perfectly into the Virgin This can be seen in such examples as The ‘Azuma’ red and white wrap does Trains’ family naming collective, alongside kōhaku maku, a red and white stripe curtain, more than just look good, it celebrates ‘Pendolino’ and ‘Voyager’. which is often hung at celebratory events mixing the boldness of the Virgin brand with The concept of ‘the east’ holds special and on formal occasions across Japan, or the technological prowess and knowledge meaning in Japanese culture. The sun rises in kōhaku manju, a pair of red and white sweet of Hitachi, and commemorates this historic the east and is seen as the giver of light, heat, buns (wagashi), often served at weddings to unveiling of a new fleet of high-speed, and of life itself. According to Japanese tradition, commemorate the occasion and wishing the high-tech trains, which will push the industry the country’s imperial family is descended from couple good luck. into the future. Amaterasu, the sun goddess, hence the nation Red and white also have special (Source: Virgin Trains) is often referred to as the land of the rising sun; in fact the Japanese name for Japan is Nippon, which translates as Sun Origin. The eastern connection also references the special route the new trains will run on – the famous East Coast Main Line. Linking our nation’s biggest and brightest cities, and playing host to British industrial history, the East Coast Main Line is not just a train line, it’s the historic spine of Britain, tying together nations, people and cultures. By paying tribute to a historic Japanese term for east in the name, and referencing the world-famous route the train will operate on, together Virgin Trains and Hitachi are signifying a new dawn, and heralding the rising sun in a new era for rail travel. However, it’s not just the name that is special… the unique combination of white with red cloth motifs for the wrap is also taken from Japanese culture and tradition. The colour red symbolises many things in Japan; it is the colour of blood and fire and in the Japanese mind it represents life and vitality. It is also seen as the colour of the sun: a symbol of energy, radiating its vitalising life force into human beings, hence its addition on the Japanese national flag. Red is also looked upon as a sensual colour, and can be associated with a person’s most One of Sam Jessup’s projects was the ‘flowing silk’ livery which was applied to the Hitachi Class 800 ‘Azuma’ for profound urges and impulses. the train’s official launch in March 2016. STEVEN KNIGHT MEDIA. The white of the train contrasts March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 31

HERITAGE LINE PROFILE

Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0WTT Montalban (6641/1913) passes Willow Tree during the 2013 October steam gala. Note the difference in the angle of the cylinders to that on sister Utrilas – see p36. BRIAN DOBBS. INSET: The railway company’s crest.

A Lancashire half-century

Mark Smithers reports on the West Lancashire Light Railway, a family-friendly operation which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary after starting from humble beginnings in 1967.

N 1878, the standard-gauge West Lancashire Railway was opened from Southport to Hesketh Bank, with a through connection to Preston following in 1882. This line remained in use until 1964, when it fell victim to the Beeching cuts, removing Hesketh Bank from the main line map altogether as a consequence. Six schoolboys from King George V School in Southport, already members of the Narrow Gauge Railway Society, decided at this stage to ensure the survival of a representative collection of 2ft-gauge industrial equipment in the area, on the site of an abandoned clay pit belonging to the Hesketh Bank Brick and Tile Works (also known as ‘Alty’s after its corporate proprietor, Henry Alty Ltd), which had been established following the discovery of clay during the building of the West Lancashire Railway. The new venture began in earnest in September 1967 following the closure of the nearby Burscough Brick and Tile Co Ltd’s narrow gauge railway system and initial efforts on the part of the schoolboys to acquire a Lister petrol locomotive from the site. These proved abortive, but Ruston & Hornsby 13hp four-wheel diesel locomotive Clwyd (264251/1951) was bought soon afterwards from the same source. Fortunately, one of the schoolboys had a family connection with Henry Alty’s Ltd, and Clwyd duly arrived at the Hesketh Bank site on April 6, 1968, by which time 150 yards of track

for the new West Lancashire Light Railway had been laid, and construction work had begun on a new brick-built shed for the locomotive. In 1969, a second Ruston & Hornsby Diesel – Tawd (222074/1943) – was acquired, this time built to the larger 20hp specification. Passenger rolling stock for the embryonic line

was obtained in the form of two ‘Silver Belle’ bogie carriages disposed of as redundant by the Southport Pier Railway. By 1970, the track extended to 370 yards, and the railway’s route was taking shape around two sides of an abandoned clay pit, once used as a source of raw material by Henry Alty’s Ltd.

Simplex diesel loco No.11 is gainfully employed on a demonstration freight at the West Lancashire Light Railway gala on October 6, 2013. BRIAN DOBBS

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 33

HERITAGE LINE PROFILE The first moves to bring steam motive power to the embryonic West Lancashire Light Railway began in 1969. In December of that year, an auction took place of the remaining assets of the Dinorwic Slate Quarries, Llanberis, North Wales. At this stage in the railway’s development, the acquisition of a complete locomotive in working order was a very remote possibility, so the frames, wheelsets, cylinders and outside motion of Hunslet 0-4-0ST Irish Mail (823/1903) were acquired by the group for £165, with a view to restoration, using components acquired from elsewhere. This locomotive had been taken out of use in 1956 and stripped down for an overhaul that never materialised, with the chassis stored outside the quarry workshops. In the grand scheme of narrow gauge Hunslet locomotive design, Irish Mail can be regarded as a member of the ‘Second Generation Chamfered Mainframe’ variety of ‘Mainstream 7 x 10in 0-4-0ST Quarry’ class locomotive, distinguished from other Dinorwic members of this grouping by the provision of an enclosed cab when new (the Pen-yr-Orsedd locomotives, Britomart, Sybil and Una are very similar). Be that as it may, the quest for replacement parts was to have an interesting solution. One of the assets bought by a private buyer at the 1969 auction was Hunslet 0-4-0ST Alice (780/1902), which had been withdrawn from service in 1960 and abandoned some 1,600ft above sea level in the quarry at what was known as Australia level. Recovery of the locomotive from this remote position seemed impossible at the time, so it was stripped for spares, and its frames, boiler and saddle tank left in situ. In 1972, these were bought by the West Lancashire Light Railway (WLLR) group, and the task of lowering the hulk to ground level was undertaken over a six-month period. Once the boiler had been removed for transfer to Irish Mail, the remaining components of Alice were sold to the Bala Lake Railway to finance the rebuilding of Irish Mail, which was eventually ready for hydraulic testing in 1979, after the necessary re-gauging work from 1ft 10¾in to nominal 2ft had been carried out. The engine returned to full working order for use on the WLLR in time for the 1980 season. During the intervening years, it has made several visits to other narrow gauge railways in the UK, including the Ffestiniog Railway’s Hunslet Hundred gala, staged during the May Day weekend of 1993, and it has also visited Belgium. During the ensuing years, further acquisitions on the locomotive front followed, including former Sheffield Corporation Hibberd 20hp petrol unit Bradfield (1777/1931), a rebuild of a 1918-vintage bow-framed ‘Simplex’ locomotive, incorporating straight-profile mainframes. The opportunity for another steam acquisition soon arose, however, and this time the source was to be situated overseas. The design of the locomotive in question originated with a class of 320 0-6-0WTT locomotives constructed during the First World War for use on the 60cm tramways associated with the French artillery units. This class, known as the ‘10 Tonne Decauville’, was a typical Continental narrow gauge design, employing inside frames with integral well tank, outside cylinders and Walschaerts valve gear, short coupled wheelbase (in this instance in conjunction with 34 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

A double-headed train, formed of visiting Hampshire Narrow Gauge Trust-owned Hunslet 0-4-0ST Cloister (542/1891) and Stanhope, stands at Becconshall following a late working from Delph on September 23, 2017. MARK SMITHERS

a flangeless intermediate wheelset), and cast smokebox saddle. Decauville was unable to supply sufficient locomotives of the class to satisfy the needs of the French Government, and so orders were placed with the British manufacturer Kerr, Stuart for the construction of 70 similar locomotives in three batches: (Works Nos. 2402-16 and 242857 of 1915, and 2995-3019 of 1916). During the development stage, and presumably as a consequence of experience gained with the original Decauville specification, certain detail alterations were made to the design of the ‘Joffre’ class, as the Kerr, Stuart locomotives became known, mainly to improve their riding characteristics. These are shown in accompanying illustrations and included giving an additional 672lbs at the leading end through a buffer beam redesign; compensated springing for the trailing and intermediate axles; revised tyre profiling; a redesign of the steam chests in favour of a pattern similar to that found on the maker’s three 0-4-2T locomotives Hampton, Kempton and Sunbury, built for the Metropolitan Water Board; and a spark arresting, rather than stovepipe, chimney. Once the design alterations had been made, the vital statistics of the ‘Joffre’ class were: cylinders: 8½in x 11in (the nearest British equivalent to the Decauville design’s 215mm x 280mm); weight in working order 10.4 tons; water capacity 264 gallons; coal capacity ¼ ton; and tractive effort 3,862lbs. Little appears to be known of the careers of individual members of the ‘Joffre’ class while in military service, but the Stoke company was confident enough of the merits of the design to order a further 20 units to be built to stock (Works Nos. 3027-46), presumably hoping to gain orders from home or overseas customers. In the event, sales did not emerge in the form originally intended, but instead 25 members of an ‘Anglicised’ specification were produced, known as the ‘Haig’ class (without well tanks between the mainframes), and appeared as Works Nos. 3083-9 of 1917-8; 3115-20 of 1918-20; 4165-6 of 1920; and 4176-85 of 1920-9, built to gauges of between 2ft and 3ft 6in. Of the ‘Joffre’ class, some five members were

Ruston & Hornsby 30hp diesel (381705/1959) Dame Vera Duckworth works with some side-tipping hoppers at the 2013 gala. BRIAN DOBBS

The new three-road shed and workshop building was completed in 2014. The turntable was lowered into position by the latter part of 2016, with the rails being added shortly afterwards. MARK SMITHERS

Stanhope is seen setting off with a train from Delph to Becconsall, with Irish Mail forming the backdrop on the nearby road. MARK SMITHERS

sold after the 1918 Armistice to Carrièrs de la Valee Heureuse, Marquise Rinxent, Pas-de-Calais, a limestone quarry, where they are believed to have remained in use until after the Second World War, being noted out of use in 1956. All five, (2405, 2442, 3010, 3014 and 3017) were returned to the UK on October 11, 1974, and of these, No. 2405 was immediately transported to Hesketh Bank, with the others being placed in store at Gloddfa Ganol until moving on to pastures new. Restoration of Kerr, Stuart No. 2405 turned out to be a protracted affair, which was not surprising, given the tasks involved. The work entailed inter alia the replacement of the tubes, inner firebox, smokebox and door, and much of the original spark-arresting chimney, which had been replaced by one of the stovepipe variety. Other items requiring replacement included the badly corroded bunkers, side tanks, the rear portion of the mainframes, much of the cab plate-work (all victims of the loco’s long period of open storage), the badly worn tyres, injectors, slide bars, various pins for the motion, and parts of the compensated spring mechanism. Additionally, modifications were made to the braking system to allow for the fitting of a steam brake (to allow for compliance with modern operating requirements), while the well tank, which had latterly been filled with granite ballast, was restored and pressure tested to resume its original function. After a 15-year effort, which included off-site work on the boiler, the locomotive returned to service at the railway in 2012, being named Joffre at a special re-commissioning ceremony on July 22. On May 10-13, 2013, Joffre returned to France for a gala visit to the Rille system, then during the weekend of September 19-20, 2015, sister locomotive 3014 paid a visit from the Apedale Railway to Hesketh Bank in order to take part in a gala to celebrate Joffre’s centenary, and the subsequent Autumn gala. More recently, Joffre has paid visits to the Apedale Railway, Threlkeld Quarry, and once again across the English Channel to the P’tit train de la Haute Somme. The German school of narrow gauge steam locomotive design made its presence felt

in the WLLR operational fleet in 1984 with the acquisition by society members of two Orenstein and Koppel 0-4-0WTTs from the Minas y Ferrocarril de Utrillas, a 60cm-gauge colliery system near Zaragoza, Spain. Both of these locomotives were in need of extensive restoration work, including the manufacture (locally in Preston) and fitting of new boilers before they could be returned to service. The first of the pair to return to steam was works No. 6641 of 1913, Montalban, the other locomotive being No. 2378 of 1908, Utrillas. Despite both locomotives being constructed to the classic Teutonic specification for narrow gauge locomotives of this type – inside frames and integral well-tank, outside cylinders and valve gear, short fixed wheelbase, high-pitched boiler, and ‘accessible’ pipework – they are not identical. The most immediately apparent difference in their appearance is the fact the steam chest lids on Montalban are located in a plane parallel to the axis of drive of the valve rod, whereas those on Utrillas slope downwards towards the outward limits of the loading gauge. On July 1, 2007, the centenary of Urillas was celebrated with a visit from the mayor of Zaragoza. Currently, Montalban is undergoing an overhaul, which will involve repairs to the boiler barrel, which is now some 30 years old. Irish Mail was not the only ‘Quarry Hunslet’ to be based on the West Lancashire Light Railway, for in October 1986, Hunslet Jonathon (678/1898) arrived from the Bala Lake Railway, where it had previously been on loan from its base at Lytham St Annes. Jonathon, unlike Irish Mail, has a rectangular mainframe profile (effectively a Dinorwic-based counterpart of the sub-class represented by Penrhyn locomotive Nesta and its sisters, and a descendant of the ‘Small Chatham’ variant of 18in-gauge Manning, Wardle 0-4-0ST locomotives), and does not possess a cab, but neither of these facts prevented the locomotive putting in some useful work at Hesketh Bank for nearly two decades prior to its eventual return to Lytham in 2005. One of the locomotives currently in store awaiting restoration is 0-6-0WTT Chrzanow

Kerr, Stuart 0-6-0WTT Joffre simmers at Becconsall, awaiting its initial turn of duty on the first day of the railway’s 50th anniversary gala on September 23, 2017. The engine was one of 70 similar locomotives constructed for the French Government during the First World War to a modified form of a ‘10-tonne’ Decauville design. Apart from the spark-arresting chimney, an important difference between the Kerr, Stuart and Decauville designs lay in the configuration of the steam chests, those of the former class having a lid set at an angle to the axis of drive from the cylinders to the crossheads. MARK SMITHERS

‘Quarry’ Hunslet 0-4-0ST Alice works a light load of two wagons, with a third getting a piggyback through woods that border the north side of the Hesketh Bank site. BRIAN DOBBS

(3606/1957), a representative of Polish narrow gauge practice. In 1998, a group of narrow gauge steam locomotives was shipped from Mozambique to the UK for preservation. These locomotives had been part of the operational fleet of the Sena Sugar Estates Corporation, but had been out of use for some years. Two of these locomotives found their way into the WLLR collection, with both being types that will be familiar to domestic narrow gauge enthusiasts, but they are currently off-site for restoration. Sena No. 6 is a German Army ‘Feldbarn’ 0-8-0T (Henschel 14676/1916), while Sena No. 16 is a classic John Fowler 0-4-2T (15513/1920), originally built for the 50cmgauge Mopea Estate system. This locomotive, which will be restored as a 2ft-gauge unit, well illustrates an important detail of John Fowler locomotive construction,

The restoration of Joffre was a protracted affair, and this was the state of progress on August 12, 2006, effectively a rolling chassis. MARK SMITHERS

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 35

HERITAGE LINE PROFILE namely that outside-framed locomotives built for gauges of less than nominal 2ft normally had their frames spaced sufficiently far apart to accommodate 2ft-gauge wheelsets (this property appears to have been taken from Decauville practice). The one major exception to this rule came in the form of the seven 18in-gauge 0-4-2Ts built for the abortive Suakin-Berber Railway Campaign and Royal Engineers’ Strategic Reserve in 1885, which were restricted to an overall width of around 5ft 4in, grudgingly increased from the 5ft dimension found on the Vulcan Foundry design that preceded them. An operational sister of Sena No. 16, No. 10 Zambezi (13573/1912) can be found on the Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway in Kent. Sena No. 16, once restored, will not be the only John Fowler locomotive at Hesketh Bank, for on March 11, 2013, Fowler 0-6-0 15991 of 1926, originally Karachi Port Trust No. 6 and latterly known as Cheetal, arrived on long-term loan from Armley Mills Industrial Museum in Leeds for restoration to working order. This locomotive, whose design is modelled on the German school of inside-framed narrow gauge well tanks, is currently stored in the two-road shed at Becconsall. Until 2013, the Stafford-based manufacturer Bagnall had not been represented on the WLLR, but matters were to change on August 4 that year with the arrival of the boiler-less ex-Dinorwic Quarry 0-4-0ST Sybil from Cornwall. The only newly built steam locomotive to break the post-1886 Hunslet supply monopoly in the quarries, Sybil was built in 1906 (Works No. 1760) as a 7in x 12in inside-framed locomotive with ‘Bullhead’ boiler and Bagnall-Price valve gear. Sybil spent most of its working life on the Hafod Owen level at Dinorwic prior to migrating to Cornwall, initially for operation on the private Inney Valley Railway, and latterly to the Launceston Steam Railway, where a great deal of mechanical work was carried out by then-owner James Armstrong Evans, although the boiler had to be condemned. A new organisation, the Sybil Locomotive Trust, was formed to take over ownership of Sybil at Hesketh Bank and in 2014, Graham Morris Engineering of Daventry was appointed to undertake the design and obtaining of approvals for a new boiler for the locomotive. By February 2, 2017 the boiler barrel and inner and outer firebox wrappers had been

Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0WTT Utrilas (2378/1908) works a demonstration freight train at Hesketh Bank on October 6, 2013 during the railway’s steam gala. BRIAN DOBBS

completed and these, together with other components, were on display in the two- and three-road sheds during the 50th anniversary gala last September. Shortly before Sybil’s arrival at Hesketh Bank, former WDLR Baldwin 4-6-0PT (45190/1917) was transferred to a private workshop for restoration for eventual use on the railway, having been bought by member Graham Fairhurst from Statfold Barn. This locomotive, which was originally W.D.L.R. No. 1058 (later No. 608) was one of a pair of classmates acquired by Statfold Barn from the Ryam Sugar Mills system in India. Restoration work on the locomotive is well advanced and it will prove a distinctive addition to the operational locomotive fleet, as well as offering interesting opportunities for visits to other railways. The ownership of most of the West Lancashire-based assets is now divided between two organisations: the West Lancashire Locomotive Trust (which owns Joffre, Irish Mail, Clwyd, Tawd and Bradfield), formed as a limited company in 2002, and the West Lancashire Railway Trust, formed in 2006, which holds the buildings, structures, machinery and leasehold interest in the site. Both are now registered charities. Over the years, the railway’s infrastructure has grown on a large scale and most of the system’s key operational facilities are

A powerful 40hp-engined Ruston & Hornsby diesel (339105/1953) hauls a short freight, with Hunslet Alice on the rear, on September 24, 2017. BRIAN DOBBS

36 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

concentrated at the Becconsall end of the line. The first shed, completed for Clwyd in 1968, is now a store, and the first combined shed/workshop building (the ‘two-road shed’) was completed from 1970-74 and is currently the timber carriage shed (now requiring replacement). The diesel, woodwork and restoration shed (the ‘three-road shed’) was largely completed by 2002, although the restoration area was not added until 2015. The two other stopping points are Willow Tree Halt and the woodland terminus Delph, where ‘running round’ normally takes place. The visiting locomotives for last year’s 50th anniversary gala were appropriately former Dinorwic Hunslet 0-4-0STs Cloister (541/1891) from the Hampshire Narrow Gauge Railway Trust, and Alice, now owned by Julian Birley and based at the Bala Lake Railway, together with Stanhope, returning from the Apedale Valley Light Railway. Ex-Penrhyn Railway Kerr, Stuart ‘New Type Tattoo’ class 0-4-2ST (2395/1917) Stanhope played an important part in the history of the WLLR between 1999 to 2010 when it was on loan to the line from its owner, who was waiting for the Moseley Railway Trust to open its permanent railway base. The West Lancashire Light Railway has certainly come a long way during its half-century and it can look forward to an exciting future. The West Lancashire Light Railway Trust, which currently has in excess of 150 members, has recently received a £10,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant to support a business plan and management structure in connection with a larger scheme for expansion of the railway, and its educational and community facilities, relating to the creation of the new River Douglas Linear Park, planned for much of the old brickworks site. The extended line, which would serve the park, is planned to incorporate a narrow gauge heritage centre and learning facilities, which could be used by schools and colleges as a base for some courses, and as a centre for preserving the skills necessary to undertake the conservation of our industrial history. There would also be enhanced visitor facilities for the railway and park. The scheme is certainly an ambitious one, and it is hoped it comes to fruition. ■ ■ The author acknowledges the help of Mike Spall of the WLLR for his assistance with information used in the preparation of this feature.

NEW TRAINS ROU UNDUP

A Class 385, destined for ScotRail, inside the production hall at Hitachi, Newton Aycliffe, on November 20, 2017. CHRIS MILNER

MOVING IN,

MOVING ON,

MOVING OUT

Britain’s train fleet is undergoing its biggest transformation since the 1950s, with around 5,700 new vehicles being delivered or on order. BEN JONES looks at what we’ll be seeing on the rails over the next few years and how it will affect existing trains.

f you keep an eye on the railway press, the large number of orders for new trains in recent years won’t have escaped your attention. The launch of fleets such as Hitachi’s InterCity Express Trains (IETs) will no doubt have alerted you to the dawn of a new generation. More and more passengers are using Britain’s railways, either to commute into our big cities or for leisure travel, and complaints about overcrowding and outdated trains have been on the rise. Couple that with a generation of ex-British Rail trains coming to the end of their working lives and the 38 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

requirement for new and additional trains is clear. By 2021, more than 7,000 new vehicles will have been added to the fleets of train operators across the country. Many will replace older trains such as the Class 142-144 ‘Pacers’ and iconic InterCity 125s, as well as a whole raft of ex-BR Electric Multiple Units (EMUs), while others will add much-needed extra capacity. According to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), the new vehicles “represent an investment of at least £13.8billion by the private sector in rail” and will enable “more than 6,400 extra services each week by 2021, benefiting all

parts of the country”.

InterCity Express

The most high-profile, and largest, of the new train orders is the Government’s £5.7billion InterCity Express Programme (IEP). In summer 2012, the Department for Transport (DfT) agreed a deal with Hitachi Rail Europe for IC125 replacement trains, totalling 122 sets (866 vehicles), to replace current stock with Great Western Railway (57 sets) and Virgin Trains East Coast (65 sets). The GWR fleet is being gradually filtered into passenger service after extensive type

testing, and is a mix of Class 800 bi-mode five-car (36 sets) and 21 nine-car trains with 25kV AC overhead electric equipment and underfloor diesel engines. Virgin Trains East Coast will have 10 five-car and 13 nine-car bi-modes plus 12 five-car and 30 nine-car 25kV AC Class 801 electric-only sets. They will be branded as ‘Azumas’ for East Coast Main Line services from King’s Cross to Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland. Even the ECML electric sets will feature a single diesel engine, allowing them to be shunted ‘off the wires’ or run at low speed to the nearest station if there’s a problem with the electric supply or route. VTEC expects its first ‘Azumas’ to make their passenger debut in November. On top of the IEP fleet, GWR has ordered a further 36 Class 802 bi-mode trains (22 five-car and 14 nine-car) with more powerful engines and larger fuel tanks for West of England routes. Designated AT300 by Hitachi, this design has also been chosen by TransPennine Express as its new 125mph flagship, with 19 sets due to start work in December 2019 and Hull Trains, which is to receive five sets in 2018/19. The first two TPE Class 802/2s are now under construction in Japan and due to arrive in the UK in the summer for testing. The remaining 17 trains will be completed at Newton Aycliffe and in Pistoia, Italy. In total, Hitachi will build 1,285 Class 800-802 vehicles at its plants in Japan, Newton Aycliffe, in County Durham, and Pistoia, between 2015 and 2019, and more could be added if the company wins the contract to build new bi-mode trains for the Midland Main Line.

Outside the Hitachi factory in Newton Aycliffe, on January 23, is a Class 800 IET in GWR green. Carrying the ID of T40 (for train 40), believed to be set No. 800305, it is about to begin initial dynamic testing. GARETH JONES

‘People movers’

Another huge new train fleet now entering service is dedicated to the cross-London Thameslink operation, which is set for a major expansion in May 2018. Again backed by the Government, this order for 1,140 EMU vehicles, formed into 60 eight-car and 55 12-car sets (Class 700/0 and 700/1, respectively), was controversially awarded to Siemens in 2013. The trains are built at the company’s Krefeld plant in Germany before being tested and delivered by rail via the Channel Tunnel to the UK. The ‘700s’ entered service in 2016 and have now completely replaced the previous Class 319 and 377 EMUs used on Thameslink routes. From December 2019, when the £6bn programme is complete, up to 24 trains per hour will operate through the central section tunnels between St Pancras and Blackfriars, linking destinations as diverse as Brighton, Cambridge, Bedford, Littlehampton and Maidstone. The ‘700s’ are designed to move large

Inside the production hall at Newton Aycliffe on May 16, 2017, where around a dozen Class 800 vehicles are being built alongside Class 385s for ScotRail. Bodyshells arrive from Japan and are fitted out in the UK. KEITH FENDER

numbers of people as efficiently as possible and feature wide, fast-acting doors and extensive standing areas to cope with peak time demand. Siemens has also sold 30 similar five-car Class 707 trains to South West Trains (now South Western Railway) for suburban routes in south-west London and 25 six-car Class 717 sets to Great Northern to replace Class 313s on Moorgate inner-suburban services from 2019. The ‘707s’ are gradually entering service

with SWR, but will be displaced when the new operator’s ‘Aventra’ EMUs arrive in 2019/20 (see later in feature). The first of GN’s Class 717s should arrive in late-2018 and will feature a modified design with cab end emergency doors – mandatory for operation in the Moorgate tunnels. The expanded Thameslink operation is designed to provide better north-south connections across London, with the £14.8bn new Crossrail route running east to west, linking Shenfield, Abbey Wood and Canary

Both the new Class 745 Stadler ‘Flirt’ (left) and the Class 720 Bombardier ‘Aventra’ will form the backbone of the new fleet of trains for Greater Anglia.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 39

NEW TRAINS ROUNDUP

New Crossrail (Elizabeth Line) Class 345 No. 345005 sits at Shenfield on June 22, 2017 during TfL’s press launch of the unit on services to London Liverpool Street. Although in seven-car formation, an extra two carriages will be added for Crossrail services. CHRIS MILNER

Wharf with Heathrow Airport and the Thames Valley via central London. New tunnels under the City of London and the West End will be phased into use from December 2018, introducing a high-frequency metro operation using 70 nine-car Class 345 ‘Aventra’ EMUs built by Bombardier in Derby. The trains are entering service as seven-car sets on the Liverpool Street to Shenfield route and will start testing in the new tunnels in the next few months. Internally, the ‘345s’ are arranged much like London Underground’s sub-surface trains with longitudinal seating and lots of standing space. All will be in use by December 2019. Bombardier’s ‘Aventra’ design has proved extremely popular with operators and leasing companies, with Greater Anglia, London Overground, South Western Railway, c2c and London Northwestern/West Midlands Railway all placing large orders in recent months. As part of a complete fleet replacement, GA will receive 665 ‘Aventra’ vehicles formed into 89 five-car and 22 10-car Class 720 EMUs for outer-suburban routes in East Anglia, while London Overground will receive 45 four-car Class 710 EMUs in 2018 to replace Class 315 and 317 EMUs and Class 172 DMUs on inner-suburban routes in north London. The first ‘710’ was unveiled at Derby in November. Nos. 710101-131 are 25kV AC sets for Liverpool Street inner-suburban lines such as Chingford and Enfield Town, plus

Siemens ‘Desiro’ EMUs are manufactured at Krefeld, Germany, where Class 700 for Thameslink and Class 707s for South Western Railway were being produced side-by-side. KEITH FENDER

“Although much of the current investment is focused on London and the south-east of England, new trains are also set to appear on many routes across the north of England and Scotland.”

Romford to Upminster and Gospel Oak to around Birmingham and 45 five-car outerBarking, while Nos. 710256-269 are dualsuburban EMUs for the Euston route – and voltage 25kV AC/750V DC third-rail for the will enter service in 2020/21. They will Euston to Watford Junction ‘DC Lines’ and replace the Class 323 three-car EMUs and the North London Line. Siemens high-density Class 350/2s from A further 750 ‘Aventra’ cars have been 2021, as well as increasing overall capacity by ordered by South Western Railway (which around 25%. ousted South West Trains in August 2017) Six 10-car ‘Aventras’ will boost capacity to replace its Class 455/456/458 750V DC on c2c’s Essex Thameside commuter routes third-rail suburban EMUs from mid-2019. from late-2021. The £100million order will Following the recent trend for longer EMU be delivered three years earlier than originally sets, the SWR Class 701s will be formed into planned, adding 20% more seats. The sets will 30 five-car and 60 10-car sets. Interestingly, have more than 900 seats each, equivalent they will also replace the 30 Siemens Class to a 12-car formation of c2c Class 357 707s, which are still being delivered and only ‘Electrostars’. started carrying passengers in September 2017. An interim deal for extra EMU vehicles is No new home has yet been found for these also being discussed to provide more capacity expensive new trains. between December 2019 and the delivery of The most recent orders for ‘Aventras’ were the new trains. placed by the new London Northwestern/ Northern Powerhouse West Midlands Rail franchise in October and Much of the current investment is focused Trenitalia’s c2c operation in December. The on London and the south-east of England, West Midlands trains consist of two distinct but new trains are also set to appear on many fleets totalling 333 vehicles – 36 three-car routes across the north of England and ‘metro’ sets for short-distance commuter lines Scotland. The most interesting of these from an enthusiast point of view are probably the three new types of train being introduced by TransPennine Express. TPE is aiming to increase comfort to Inter-City standards, accelerate schedules and increase capacity from 2019, and will receive 19 Class 802 bi-mode trains from Hitachi (see page 39) and 12 five-car Class 397 ‘Civity’ 125mph EMUs from Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) in Spain. CAF is also building 13 five-car sets of Mk 5a coaches for TPE, which will run in push-pull formation with Class 68 diesels leased from Direct Rail Services (DRS). The latter will replace Class 185 DMUs on trans-Pennine routes such as Scarborough to Liverpool and Manchester to Middlesbrough With a change of franchisee and the new operator planning to have new trains built, the fleet of 30 Class 707 from late-2018. EMUs which are still being delivered, will be replaced by 2019 – such is the fluidity of the rolling stock market. The CAF Mk 5 design forms the basis A pair of Class 707 EMUs – Nos. 707014 and 707023 on the 2017 09.07 London Waterloo to London Waterloo via Caledonian Sleeper’s new Anglo-Scottish Twickenham and Raynes Park – pass Nine Elms on February 16. JAMIE SQUIBBS overnight trains, due to enter service from

40 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

October. A total of 75 vehicles of five different types will be formed into four 16-coach trains, to be hauled by Class 92 electrics, and Class 73/9 electro-diesels, hired from GB Railfreight. The coaches will replace ex-BR Mk 2/Mk 3 stock on routes from Euston to Glasgow/Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. CAF is one of several European suppliers to challenge the dominance of Bombardier and Siemens in recent years. It has also won orders from Arriva Rail North to build 281 new EMU/DMU cars worth £491m. The vehicles will be formed into 31 three-car and 12 four-car EMUs for use around Greater Manchester and in West Yorkshire, plus 25 two-car Class 195/0 and 30 three-car ‘195/1’ DMUs to allow the widely disliked ‘Pacer’ railbuses, to be withdrawn in 2018/19. The three-car EMUs will also replace Class 323s in Greater Manchester, while the four-car sets will replace Class 321/322s in West Yorkshire. The first sets are due to arrive in the UK in spring 2018 and enter service in December. The most recent success for the Spanish train builder is an order for 80 DMU cars for West Midlands Rail, consisting of 12 two-car and 14 four-car trains to enter service around Birmingham from 2020. A site near Llanwern in South Wales

One of the Class 755 Stadler bi-mode vehicles under construction for Greater Anglia. GA

Above: CAF (Spain) has won orders for new EMU and DMUs for Northern, some of which will replace the ageing ‘Pacers’. The first of the EMU fleet – No. 331101 – sits in the static test shop at CAF’s Zaragoza works on January 31. KEITH FENDER

has been identified for CAF’s new British assembly plant. (RM Feb 2018).

New Suppliers

Swiss company Stadler is another recent entrant into the UK train market, winning three orders in 2015/16. Starting with a relatively small, bespoke contract to build new automatic trains for the Glasgow Subway, in late-2016 it joined the big leagues with major orders from Greater Anglia and Merseyrail. Under construction in Switzerland are the first of 378 ‘FLIRT’ UK vehicles for Greater Anglia (GA) – developed from a family of more than 1,300 ‘FLIRT’ trains now used across Europe and further afield. GA’s £500m fleet will consist of 20 Class 745 12car inter-city EMUs – 10 for the Norwich line and 10 for Stansted Express and 38 Class 755 bi-mode (diesel/electric) trains for regional services. The latter will be split into 14 threecar and 24 four-car sets. They are part of GA’s £1.4bn complete fleet replacement in 2018-20 and will directly replace Class 153, 156 and 170/2 DMUs, Class 379 EMUs and Class 90/Mk 3 push-pull sets.

Below left: The driver’s cab of the Class 331. KEITH FENDER Below right: Interior of a Class 331 EMU. KEITH FENDER

Stadler’s other major UK contract is for a bespoke fleet of 52 articulated metro-style EMUs for Merseyrail. The £460m fleet will replace the ex-BR Class 507/508 EMUs on the Merseyside 750V DC third-rail network from 2020. The first train is scheduled to arrive in Liverpool in summer 2019. The Swiss company also inherited an order for Class 399 tram-trains when it acquired Vossloh Espana in 2015. The fleet of seven three-section 750V/25kV AC light rail vehicles is due to start work for Stagecoach Supertram between Sheffield and Rotherham Parkgate in September 2018. Of the seven, four will be configured for tramtrain work, while the remaining trio will boost capacity on the Supertram network. Although Hitachi Rail Europe captured the headlines with its multi-billion pound IEP deal, it is also supplying new AT200 EMUs to ScotRail. No fewer than 70 threecar and four-car Class 385 trains are being built in Japan and at Newton Aycliffe. Now testing in Scotland, they will make a belated debut on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High route in May. The units will increase capacity on many routes across the March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 41

NEW TRAINS ROUNDUP central belt of Scotland, replace DMUs and introduce electric operation on several routes in 2018/19.

Moving on

While many of the new trains being delivered are designed to increase capacity on key routes, others have been ordered to replace current trains, many of which date back to the BR era. Since the earliest days of railways, trains displaced from front-line service have often been cascaded to less arduous or lower-profile duties – for example moving from London commuter lines to rural lines in northern England, the West Country or Scotland. The huge number of new trains now being produced, coupled with the much more complex ownership arrangements of the privatised railway has resulted in an enormously convoluted programme of cascades, which will see hundreds of trains move to new operators. Rolling Stock Owning Companies (ROSCOs), such as Porterbrook, Eversholt and Angel Trains, are keen to ensure continued use of these valuable assets, many of which have been given (or are scheduled to receive) expensive refurbishment programmes to make them meet new standards for mobility impaired passengers. Despite their age, the InterCity 125s being displaced by IETs have had no problem finding new homes. GWR is retaining 11 modernised sets for regional services in the West Country. Formed into shortened 2+4 sets with modernised Mk 3 trailers, modified with power-operated sliding doors, they will be based in Penzance and are expected to enter service from late-2018. GWR is retaining power cars Nos. 43005/024/040042/092-094/097/098, 43122/153-155/158/170/172/186189/192/194/198. To improve its domestic InterCity services, Abellio ScotRail (ASR) is introducing 27 short-formed HST sets from May this year. Fifty-four overhauled ex-GWR power cars and 121 refurbished Mk 3 trailers with power-operated sliding doors and high-quality interiors will be formed into 17 2+4 and nine 2+5 sets to work between Edinburgh,

NEW TRAIN ORDERS 2016-21 Builder Operator Electric Trains Bombardier Gatwick Express Bombardier GWR Bombardier TfL Bombardier LOROL Bombardier South Western Bombardier c2c Bombardier c2c Bombardier c2c Bombardier Great Northern Bombardier Greater Anglia Bombardier London Northwestern Bombardier London Northwestern CAF Arriva Northern CAF TPE Hitachi ScotRail Siemens Thameslink Siemens South Western Stadler Merseyrail Stadler SY Supertram

Class

No. of Trains

Vehicles

Introduced

Order Value

387/2 387/1 345 710 701 387/3 TBC TBC 717 720 TBC TBC 331 397 385 700 707 TBC 399

27 45 70 45 90 6 17 10 25 111 36 45 43 12 70 115 30 52 7

108 180 630 180 750 24 6 60 150 665 108 225 141 60 234 1,140 150 208 21

2016 2016-18 2017-19 2018-19 2020-21 2016 2019 2019 2018-19 2019-21 2020-21 2020-21 2018-19 2019 2018-19 2016-18 2017-18 2019-2020 2017-18

£145m Unspecified £1bn £260m £895m Unspecified £105m £200m £900m *** *** * **** £400m £1.6bn £210m £460m £60m

Loco-hauled stock CAF Caledonian Sleeper CAF TPE

Mk5 Mk5a

8+spares 13

75 66

2018-19 2018-19

£100m ****

Diesel Trains CAF CAF

195 26

55 80

140

2018-19 2020-21

* ***

800/801 122 802 36 802/3 5 802/2 19 745 20 755 38 88 -

866 208 25 95 240 138 10

2017-19 2018-19 2019 2018-19 2019-20 2018-20 2017

£5.7bn £361m £60m Unspecified ** ** Unspecified

Arriva Northern LNR/West Midlands

Bi-Mode/Electric Hitachi GWR/VTEC Hitachi GWR Hitachi Hull Trains Hitachi TPE Stadler Greater Anglia Stadler Greater Anglia Stadler DRS

*Order valued at £491m **Combined order valued at £500m ***Combined order valued at £680m **** Total order worth £230m

Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. They will replace Class 170s, some of which are being cascaded to Arriva Northern, while others will allow trains to be lengthened on other routes in Scotland. ASR unit Nos. 170453-461/472478 will move south between March and December. Electrification has also allowed ASR to release eight Class 158s (158782/786/789/867-872) to Northern. The HST fleet will be phased into traffic

Class 800 IET No. 800305 on the Hitachi test track in County Durham on January 24. GARETH JONES

42 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

between May and December (look out for a feature on this project in The RM soon). GWR’s new bi-mode trains have also allowed the operator’s remaining Class 180 five-car DMUs to join their sisters at First Hull Trains and Grand Central. The latter replaced its own HSTs with Class 180s in December 2017 and the power cars and Mk 3s have moved to East Midlands Trains to create additional operational flexibility. The longerterm future of the Hull Trains ‘180s’ is uncertain as the open access operator will introduce five Hitachi bi-mode Class 802s to replace them in 2019. Discussions are taking place as to how EMT will replace its HST fleet after December 2019 because the leasing companies have no plans to make its Mk 3 fleet compliant with new accessibility regulations starting on January 1, 2020. Equally uncertain is the future of the East Coast HST and IC225 fleets, which will start to be replaced from December 2018. Electrification in the Thames Valley is allowing GWR to move some of its Class 165/166 ‘Networker’ DMUs west to work around Bristol and Exeter. In turn, they are displacing Class 150s to Northern. Eventually all 50 Class 150/1s will be united in the Northern fleet, including three released by London Northwestern (Nos. 150105/107/109) from the Bedford to Bletchley route and replaced by nine exNorthern Class 153s. The latter could be a short-term move as LNW is expected to order a small batch of two-car Class 230 ‘D-Trains’ from Vivarail. The ‘150’ fleet is steadily being refurbished and fitted with accessible toilets to keep it in traffic for the foreseeable future.

Despite Porterbrook Leasing’s clever rework of a Class 144 ‘Pacer’ to meet forthcoming disability regulations, the modifications applied to No. 144012 under the ‘Evolution’ tag didn’t win over train operators – all of them opting for new-build units. CHRIS MILNER

The Class 317 and Class 321 were introduced from 1981 and 1988, respectively, but both face uncertain futures with new trains on order for Greater Anglia. Unit Nos. 317658 and 321358 sit inside Clacton depot on June 5, 2015. CHRIS MILNER

despite a great deal of time, effort and TransPennine Express (TPE) is transforming its fleet over the next couple of investment having been expended on making years and will release 23 of the 51 Class 185 them suitable for continued use. Plans to cascade them to other routes have been ‘Desiro’ DMUs to further boost capacity at Northern. The ‘185s’ will work alongside new thrown into disarray by the cancellation of CAF DMUs on the new ‘Northern Connect’ electrification schemes. The early-1980s Class 317s used by network. Greater Anglia, Great Northern and London Also on the move are London Overground’s eight Class 172/0 DMUs. Overground are all under threat, as are their successors, the Class 321s built in 1988Once electrification of the Gospel Oak to 90 for Network SouthEast. Despite the Barking route in north London has been commissioned in the spring, Nos. 172001-008 ‘Renatus’ project, which involves the extensive will join their Class 172/1 cousins in the West refurbishment of 30 Class 321/3s with new interiors and seating, the original plan to Midlands. Abellio’s new London Northwestern rebuild the trains with modern AC traction Railway (LNR) franchise will also receive all 10 equipment (No. 321303 was converted as a prototype) was superseded by GA’s decision four-car Class 350/4 EMUs (Nos. 350401to replace its entire fleet with new trains. 410) from TransPennine Express in 2019, boosting its ‘Desiro’ fleet ahead of the Northern’s Class 321s and 322s will also introduction of new Bombardier ‘Aventra’ sets. become surplus after new CAF EMUs are introduced in West Yorkshire. The massive Class 700 EMU order has transformed the Thameslink operation over An uncertain future also faces the earlythe last couple of years, displacing many Class 1990s Hunslet-TPL Class 323 suburban units used in Greater Manchester and the 319s to Northern and allowing newer Class 377/387 ‘Electrostars’ to move to Southern West Midlands. It was originally intended to and Southeastern. Many other Class 319s bring the fleet together in Birmingham, once Northern’s Class 331s were delivered, but are now in secure storage at locations such as Abellio’s order for new metro-style ‘Aventras’ Long Marston in Warwickshire. Porterbrook has commissioned Wabtec/ in late-2017 renders them redundant. When a rolling programme of Brush to modify some of its Class 319s as electrification was expected, it was thought the electro-diesel Class 769 ‘Flex’ trains, able to work away from the wires on routes such younger ex-BR EMUs would move to pastures as Manchester to Windermere and in South new as more routes were wired. However, the curtailment of the GW Main Line programme, Wales. Longer-term, some of Northern’s Class 319s will be replaced by CAF Class 331 EMUs and cancellation of other schemes on the on inter-urban routes in north-west England. Midland Main Line, in South Wales and northern England have created a headache ScotRail has taken seven Class 321s from Greater Anglia and London Midland, reducing for the ROSCOs. The recent trend towards them to three cars to create additional Class massive new train orders, encouraged by low purchase and leasing costs, has also disrupted 320s (Nos. 320411-417) for Strathclyde area the traditional flow of cascades. suburban routes. Five more will follow this year. One surprising, but very welcome, return Great Northern’s 40 Class 365s were is the modernisation and refurbishment of 18 originally destined for the GWML, but 19 are now heading for storage as Class 387s and Class 442 ‘Wessex Electric’ EMUs by South Western Railway (SWR). The revamped trains 700s take over. GN is retaining the 21 evenare fitted with new Vossloh Kiepe traction numbered sets. Even relatively new trains such as Greater Anglia’s Class 360/1s (21 four-car packages to replace their second-hand (ex-‘4sets) and the Heathrow Connect Class 360/2s REP’) English Electric equipment, and will be introduced on the Waterloo to Portsmouth (five five-car sets) will be replaced by newer trains in the next two years. route later this year. The other six ‘442s’ South Western Railway’s Bombardier Class could also return to use, with new open access operator Alliance Rail on the Waterloo to 701s will replace ex-BR Class 455s (many Southampton route. recently fitted with new traction packages), 24 two-car Class 456s, 36 five-car Class 485s and Uncertain future even the 30 nearly-new Siemens Class 707s, It appears inevitable that many ex-BR EMUs which entered passenger service in December will find themselves out of work by 2020 2017.Some of these surplus trains will find

new homes, but others are destined for storage and possibly the scrapyard. Two other modern EMU fleets set to become surplus to requirements are London Northwestern’s Siemens Class 350/2s (Nos. 350231-267), which will be replaced by new Bombardier ‘Aventras’ in 2020/21, and Greater Anglia’s 30 four-car Class 379 ‘Electrostars’ – used on the Liverpool Street to Stansted/Cambridge route. The latter will be ousted by Stadler ‘FLIRT UK’ and ‘Aventra’ EMUs in 2020. No new customers have yet been confirmed by the owners of these expensive and sophisticated modern trains. Looking ahead to the next franchise renewals, bidders for the Southeastern contract are talking to train builders about new EMUs for commuter lines in south-east London and Kent, potentially putting the Class 376 inner-suburban EMUs and Class

DMU/EMUs DISPOSAL OUTLINE Class 142

No. of vehicles 188

143

144 150

56 TBA

153

313

132

314 315 317

48 244 288

321

468

323

129

455

364

456 458

48 180

507

508

Likely action Withdrawn & scrapped (note 1) Awaiting Welsh Government decision (note 1) Withdrawn by 2019 Some to be withdrawn and scrapped. Some will be retained Some may be modified and re-formed Withdrawn & scrapped Withdrawn & scrapped Withdrawn & scrapped Most likely to be withdrawn & scrapped Future currently uncertain Future currently uncertain 91 sets could be scrapped Withdrawn & scrapped Future currently uncertain All to be withdrawn and scrapped All to be withdrawn and scrapped

Notes: 1. Decision awaited over future of 15 Class 142s leased to Arriva Trains Wales

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 43

NEW TRAINS ROUNDUP

After a career of 38 years, the 61-strong Class 315 fleet is being replaced by Class 345s and other trains. Destined for scrap, Nos. 315815 and 315830 in different liveries wait at Shenfield on April 13, 2014. DR IAIN C SCOTCHMAN

465/466 ‘Networkers’ at risk in the early2020s. New and refurbished trains are also on the cards for the next Wales & Borders franchise, expected to be let later this year.

End of the line

The oldest EMUs still in regular use are the 1970s ‘PEP’ generation trains of Classes 313315/507/508. Great Northern’s Class 313s, dating from 1976, will be replaced by new Derby-built Class 717s in 2019, and ScotRail says its 14 Class 314 three-car sets will be retired by the end of this year. By December 2019, Crossrail will be fully operational, releasing TfL Rail’s Class 315s, and their sisters working for London Overground will be replaced by new Class 710s after 40 years of loyal service on Liverpool Street inner-suburban duties. Plans to cascade some of the ‘315s’ to South Wales to work the Cardiff Valleys lines would appear to have been scuppered by the Government’s recent cancellation of various electrification schemes. From 2020, Merseyrail’s Class 507s and 508s will become surplus to requirements as the new Stadler EMUs enter service. That

Also destined for the scrapman’s torch, unless any are sold to overseas railways, are the bus-based ‘Pacer’ units. No. 142084 arrives at Gainsborough Central on June 6, 2015 with the 16.01 Sheffield-Cleethorpes. CHRIS MILNER

will leave a fleet of just 20 ex-GN Class 313s in use on Southern’s ‘Coastway’ routes from Brighton – but for how long? Also on their way out are the Class 142144 ‘Pacers’, employed by Northern, GWR and Arriva Trains Wales. The first Northern Class 142s are set to go off-lease later this year and will gradually disappear from the north of England as new and cascaded DMUs arrive to replace them. Although Porterbrook had hoped to prolong the life of the ‘144s’ with its ‘Evolution’ concept, tested on No. 144012, they also appear to be destined for retirement. Could they follow the '141s' abroad? The future of ATW’s Class 142s and 143s will depend on the winner of the next Wales & Borders franchise, but they are top of the Welsh Government ‘hit list’ for replacement and should be withdrawn by the end of 2019. Likewise, GWR’s Class 143s and five Class 153s will survive until they are replaced by cascaded Class 165/166s around Bristol and Exeter in 2019. Finally, all but eight Eurostar Class 373s will be scrapped (several have already been disposed of) after the international operator introduced 17 new Siemens Class 374s for London-Paris/Brussels/Amsterdam services.

The fleet of 21 Siemens Class 360/1 units may only be 15 years old, but will become surplus and go off lease and placed in store with the next two years. June 5, 2015 finds No. 360109 at Clacton about to depart for London Liverpool Street looking drab in plan livery, a far cry from its glitzy press launch under First Group in September 2003. CHRIS MILNER

44 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

The trains were originally to have been retained to allow for expansion on routes such as London to Geneva, but these plans have been shelved in recent years.

The future

The train builders appear to have plenty to keep them occupied over the coming years, and many of the key orders are now in place, but competition is heating up for several other contracts on the horizon. The expected Midland Main Line bi-mode order, which should be placed in 2019, was originally to have been for electric trains. Beyond that, the biggest order on the horizon is the £2.75bn contract to supply trains for High Speed 2 (HS2). In October, five companies were shortlisted for this lucrative, but challenging, deal – Alstom, Bombardier, Hitachi, Siemens and Talgo – the latter bringing yet another new name to the UK market. HS2 will choose the winner in 2019, with the first trains expected to start testing in the early-2020s and enter service on Phase 1 of the new high-speed railway in 2026. These new trains will see the end of many familiar old ‘faces’, but they should also lead to an improvement in standards, more seats and a better service for passengers over the coming years.

Hydrogen train trial for UK by 2020

Following the recent announcement of the Government’s intention to remove diesel trains from the network by 2040, KEITH FENDER looks at how Alstom has developed a hydrogen-powered train that will lead to a trial in the UK within two years.

n early November, Alstom and the government of the German state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony) announced the first order for 14 of its new ‘iLINT’ hydrogen fuel-cell powered multiple units. The order is worth around €90million (£80m) and includes a 30-year maintenance contract. Niedersachsen is funding €81.3m and the German Federal Government the remainder as part of a wider €250m national programme for hydrogen and fuel-cell technology. Twelve of the new trains will be built at Alstom’s Salzgitter factory (Germany) between 2019 and 2021 to operate alongside the two Class 654.1 prototype units which were showcased at the 2016 Innotrans exhibition in Berlin, and gained approval for test passenger service in late-2017. The prototypes are due to start being used on the Buxtehude-Bremervörde-BremerhavenCuxhaven route west of Hamburg during 2018. Alstom has already signed letters of intent for up to 44 more hydrogen- powered regional trains with three other German states.

Wider use in Europe

Alstom has also confirmed it is looking at opportunities to sell hydrogen-powered trains in the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. The company’s aspirations are driven by the UK’s 3,000 vehicles, which is the second highest number of conventional DMUs in Europe (after Germany with more than 4,000). All of the countries targeted have ambitious climate protection targets in place to reduce diesel emissions and carbon emissions generally. Alstom says it is actively

Alstom’s prototype ‘Coradia’ iLint hydrogen multiple unit No. 654601 on display at Innotrans, Berlin, on September 23, 2016. CHRIS MILNER

talking to UK TOCs, ROSCOs and DfT about bringing in the new technology, and the RSSB announced in February that it is planning a hydrogen-powered train trial in the UK in late-2019 or early-2020.

Cutting emissions, carbon and particulates

One of the side-effects of diesel engines is they emit not only visible exhaust but also largely invisible particulates. Despite major advances in emissions control through the use of particulate filters and other technology, engines are still seen as a major source of carbon emissions and tiny particulates that are harmful to human health, especially in congested cities. The World Bank has estimated transport globally produces around 23% of total CO2 emissions and uses 28% of all energy. Most of this is road transport, with one billion cars worldwide now, currently forecast to grow to two billion by 2050. The French Government ranks air pollution as the third biggest cause of deaths in the country, and recent studies have shown 95% of London residents experience air quality below legal minimum standards. Several major European cities, including London and Paris, have announced their commitment to ensure a major area of their cities are zero emission by 2030. The idea of restricting emissions is not new – the New York City Government banned steam and internal combustion-engined locos on railways in Manhattan on health grounds as long ago as 1903! Looking beyond the rail industry it was reported in January 2018 car manufacturers around the world have announced plans to spend $90bn over the next decade developing electric vehicles – the shift to electrically powered cars and trucks means battery technology will continue to develop while getting cheaper. Use for passenger trains at the very least seems inevitable – the question will be how to power the batteries with on-board power (such as fuel cells) an alternative to plugging trains into the grid to recharge.

Why hydrogen?

In Germany hydrogen fuel cells have been presented as an alternative to overhead electrification of regional lines in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein, where the region’s coalition government is promoting the concept to avoid the cost of overhead electrification, while removing diesel-powered trains is something all parties can support.

Wind-powered trains?

German transport ministers have suggested hydrogen could be 25% cheaper than diesel and be completely emission-free. Whether it is carbon-free depends upon the source of the electricity used to make the hydrogen. Hydrogen is abundant in nature making up part of the chemical composition of water along with oxygen, but separating out the hydrogen requires electrolysis - if the electricity comes from wind or solar power then the hydrogen produced could be genuinely emission free (this is SchleswigHolstein's plan as there are hundreds of wind turbines on land and even more out at sea). If, as in some other parts of Germany, the electricity is generated by burning coal or gas then hydrogen-powered trains are unlikely to be either ‘greener’ or more economic to operate than conventional diesel or electric ones.

How does hydrogen power a train?

As you may recall from school science lessons, hydrogen can be very dangerous as it burns ferociously – the use of hydrogen in airships (to provide lift rather than as a fuel) ended after several disastrous crashes, most famously the Hindenburg at Lakehurst, New Jersey in 1937. So how can it be used safely to power a train (or a bus or truck)? Just as a diesel-electric multiple unit or locomotive uses the diesel engine to generate electricity which powers the power traction motors, the new generation of hydrogenfuelled trains use a hydrogen fuel-cell to generate electricity for the traction motors, with any spare energy generated – and crucially

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 45

NEW TRAINS ROUNDUP that created through regenerative braking – stored in batteries to provide yet more power. Alstom’s ‘iLINT’ has two 200kW fuel-cells mounted on the roof, but 1,300kW of lithiumion battery power storage making it effectively a powerful two-car EMU.

Right: Fuel cells on the roof of the ‘iLINT’, with the hydrogen storage tank in the centre. KEITH FENDER Below: The hydrogen fuelling point on car body end of an ‘iLINT’. KEITH FENDER

The hydrogen fuel cell

The crucial part of a hydrogen-powered system is the fuel cell, which brings together hydrogen and oxygen molecules and converts the chemical potential energy (energy stored in molecular bonds) into electrical energy by (simplistically) mixing the molecules together within the fuel cell to generate an electrical (DC) current. The fuel cells used for transport applications use proton-exchange membrane technology, which has a polymer-electrolyte membrane – in simple terms, a thin plastic film in water – as the electrolyte. Polymer is a chemical compound (similar to Teflon, which will be familiar to most readers as a coating for saucepans). The technology isn’t new – NASA developed hydrogen fuel- cells and used them in the US Space programme from the early1960s, and there have been hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses in London for several years. Also, some UK delivery companies are now using vans powered using fuel cells. Currently, two firms – both Canadian – lead the world in producing hydrogen fuel cells for rail use. Alstom is working with Hydrogenics, while Siemens has separately announced plans to develop a hydrogenpowered version of its new ‘Mireo’ EMU design with Ballard, which has been supplying fuel cells for five years that have been used in early experiments powering locos and trams in China.

Alstom’s ‘iLINT’

The two-car ‘iLINT’ prototype is based on the bodyshell and bogies of the existing ‘Coradia LINT54’ DMU (German Class 622). The interior seating moquette incorporates the chemical symbol for water (H2O) as the train runs on a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, and produces only clean water as a ‘exhaust’ emission. The ‘iLINT’ weighs 107 tonnes without passengers – nine tonnes more than even the most powerful DMU version (which has three diesel power-packs), reflecting the weight of the fuel cells and water plus the batteries to store ‘spare’ energy. The 140km/h ‘iLINT’ Class 654 uses two roof-mounted hydrogen fuel cells and onboard batteries to power two traction motors. The two prototype units have been rigorously tested for a year, both on the Salzgitter factory test track and at Velim in the Czech Republic. They are currently on

test in Germany and have received safety-case approval for test passenger service use.

Re-fuelling

The ‘iLINT’ is designed for regional services and should have a range of 800-1,000km between refuelling stops. Early tests suggest the ‘iLINT’ uses 0.25kg hydrogen per kilometre. Refuelling initially for the test operation in Germany will be from temporary storage facilities brought in by road. The hydrogen gas is compressed and under great pressure (350 bar or more than 5,000psi) so it will take around 15 minutes to refuel the two fuel modules per train. Each fuel module can hold 90kg of compressed hydrogen and each two-coach train has two fuel storage modules and two fuel-cells A hydrogen fuelling point planned for the first German depot to operate ‘iLINTs’ at Bremervörde will cost €10m. It is being built by German industrial gas supplier Linde (which owns BOC in the UK). Initially, the hydrogen will be brought from production sites at chemical works and transported by road. Longer-term alternative greener sources for the hydrogen are envisaged using electrolysis from water using wind energy (e.g. at night or when demand from the grid is low) on-site in the depot.

Safety

Alstom points out hydrogen is very safe if handled correctly, but if not used properly or if the system is damaged accidentally and leaks, there is a risk of fire. Alstom’s designers have thought about this and each vehicle has its own discrete fuel system – there are no intervehicle hydrogen connections. Alstom deliberately put the hydrogen tanks on the roof of the train so in the event of a leak, the gas would vent upwards into the air and eventually dissipate. The logic for roofmounting and venting upwards also means in a disaster scenario, where the fuel tanks caught light, the flames would also go upwards, which would give passengers and crew chance to escape.

New or retro-fit for the UK?

The underfloor traction motor on the iLINT. KEITH FENDER

46 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

The hydrogen fuel cells and fuel tanks are housed in low-profile, roof-mounted units

on the ‘iLINT’. While the UK loading gauge is less generous than in Germany, it seems possible roof-mounted units could be designed because the space required is probably no greater than that used for pantographs on conventional British 25kV AC EMUs. Conversion of current DMUs is an option Alstom claims it would consider, although engineers at Salzgitter have questioned whether this would be economic as the trains would need to be stripped back to bare shells and completely re-wired. Retro-fitting, by putting hydrogen tanks under the floor, appears unlikely as none of the safety benefits mentioned earlier would apply and significant steel protective sheeting would be needed to protect the tanks from flying ballast and other debris.

Pluses and minuses

A hydrogen-fuelled train may offer environmental and possibly even performance benefits compared to a conventional DMU. With powerful batteries it performs more like an EMU, and may also be cheaper to run per mile in the long term. There are some potential downsides, too. The safe use of hydrogen in a rail environment has yet to be demonstrated, and some observers have questioned whether a train with hydrogen tanks on the roof can be safely used in tunnels. Interestingly, the trial routes in Germany to be operated by the new ‘iLINT’ have no tunnels. Experience from the bus industry suggests both hydrogen fuel-cells and on-board batteries may not last as long as expected. In some cases UK bus operators are removing the batteries from hybrid buses and converting them to straight diesel buses as the expensive batteries need replacing sooner than expected. As with any new technology the first hydrogen-powered trains will be relatively expensive as the fuel cells are made to order and new fuelling depots have to be set up. Whether it will make economic sense to replace diesel trains in this way is too early to judge, but if in the long term major cities start banning diesel-powered vehicles – including trains – operators will have to find alternatives. ■

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 47

RAILWAY READS FROM BEST SELLER

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became the first driver to go faster than the speed of sound, and reached a target that no man or car has been able to surpass since. The 20 years that have passed since that day represent the longest time in the history of the fabled record that it’s remained unbroken. After Frenchman Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat became the first driver declared as the fastest on Earth in 1898 with a speed of 39.24mph, Sir M Malcolm Campbell, Sir H Henry Segrave, George EEyston, Donald Campbell, C Craig Breedlove and R Richard Noble were just some of the nowleegendary figures who c continually raised the bar in n the pursuit of speed su upremacy. Fuelled by th he seismic technological advancement and en ngineering excellence th hat dominated the 20th ceentury, this relentless baand of fearless individuals beecame obsessed with go oing faster, faster and fasster still.

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OBITUARY

R H N HARDY R

1923-2018

ICHARD Hardy, who died on February 18, aged 94, was one of the last remaining professional links with the ‘Big Four’ and a railwayman who commanded as much respect in the preservation era as he did during his illustrious career with the LNER and British Railways. Known affectionately in his autumn years as ‘the Grand Old Man of Steam’, and widely regarded as the elder statesman of the heritage movement, he made a meteoric rise through the rail industry’s hierarchy, becoming a shedmaster at the astonishingly young age of 22, running another five major depots before he was 35, and then overseeing the massive changeover from steam to modern traction on the busy Stratford district of the Eastern Region. Unlike many of his fellow managers, Dick was a rail enthusiast at heart and never lost his passion for locomotives and their crews. He considered himself first and foremost a ‘people person’ and estimated he had worked during his career with more than 25,000 men and women, many of whom became close friends and remained so for many years afterwards. Born at Leatherhead, Surrey, on October 8, 1923, Richard Harry Norman Hardy was bitten by the steam bug at an early age, reading his first Railway Magazine at the age of five, and being given a tour of Doncaster loco shed two years later by a family friend, who just happened to be the depot’s chief clerk!

Premium apprentice

In 1934 the family moved to Amersham, Buckinghamshire, and 10-year-old Richard was soon spending most of his spare time at the town’s station, spellbound by former Great Central Railway engines and thrilled whenever their drivers gave him a wave. He received a public school education at Wiltshire’s Marlborough College, but lost his father in 1938 and as a result his mother couldn’t afford for him to go on to university. She did, however, have enough to pay for a four-year training course with the LNER and so, at the height of the Second World War in 1941, he signed on as a premium apprentice at Doncaster Plant. One evening after work, the 17-year-old was offered an unofficial footplate ride and this set a trend

that was to see him travel thousands of miles on his nights off, mastering driving and firing skills with some of the LNER’s greatest enginemen, including Ted Hailstone and Mallard record-breaker Joe Duddington. All went well until he was spotted alighting from an engine at Wakefield by none other than chief mechanical engineer Edward Thompson, who recognised him from his job interview and demanded to know what was going on. Dick thought it best to come clean but, instead of the expected carpeting, he was praised for his devotion and given an official engine pass! That stroke of luck got him noticed ‘upstairs’ and after a suitable period of management training, he was appointed acting shedmaster at South Lynn in June 1946, charged with leading and disciplining men old enough to be his grandfather, let alone his father! Any resentment the crews might have had towards the well-spoken ‘posh toff’ soon evaporated, however, for the new ‘gaffer’ was not the type to sit behind a desk all day. If an engine wouldn’t steam or a driver had a grievance, the young chief would stride out into the yard himself to find out why – and he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty trying to fix the problem either. That willingness to ‘muck in’ and learn from his elders, even though they were nominally subordinate to him, earned him enormous respect among enginemen. “I was worried they wouldn’t accept me, but luckily they realised I was an old head on young shoulders,” said Dick. After a spell as assistant district motive power superintendent at Cambridge, the rising star landed his first full-time command at Woodford Halse shed in 1949. He was still only 26 and in the odd position of being responsible for locos on a route he’d been train-watching on as a lad just a few years earlier. By now, Dick’s supreme man-management skills had become apparent and swift promotion to Ipswich gave him control of 90 engines and 480 men, followed in 1952 by the shedmaster’s job at Stewarts Lane on the Southern Region… 730 men, 126 steam locos, a fleet of EMUs and the demands of hundreds of train services a day, including the prestigious ‘Golden Arrow’. However, even that was small

One of Dick Hardy’s favourite places – on the footplate. Here, he is with Linda at Tan-y-Bwlch on the Ffestiniog Railway. ROBIN STEWARTSMITH

fry compared with Stratford, whose four-figure workforce and 300-plus locos beckoned in 1955. His personal highlight there (although he didn’t enjoy eliminating steam) came when he was given charge of the massive switchover to modern traction, an unexpected reward for his efforts coming when he was chosen to show HM Queen around the depot in 1960.

Liverpool promotion

Three years later, the Beeching axe and other ‘rationalisation’ cuts were in full swing and Dick was by then in charge of Lincoln district, where he found himself in the unenviable position of having to implement the many rural line closures and job losses forced upon that county. Better was to follow when he was put in control of the East Coast Main Line from London to Grantham as head of the newly created King’s Cross Division, but there was yet another promotion to come – head of British Rail’s Liverpool Division, where he took responsibility for 5,690 staff for half a decade. The last years of his BR career were spent relatively quietly, running a small engineer-training department in London, from which he retired in 1982 at the age of 59. Afterwards he took on a host of advisory and honorary roles in the heritage field, the most

high-profile of which was chairmanship of the Steam Locomotive Operators Association. Five years ago, Dick was presented with The Railway Magazine-sponsored Heritage Railway Association Lifetime Achievement Award, to which prize he was still able to add another… his memory! For even well into his 90s, he was blessed with a remarkably strong power of recollection and could remember in vivid detail characters, conversations and experiences from the 1940s and 50s. He was also a gentleman and treated everyone he met with the utmost courtesy. His beloved wife Gwenda had pre-deceased him and Dick himself had moved into a nursing home last year as his powers began to wane. To many loyal members of his staff and modern-day preservationists, he was something of a god. Hopefully, he is now among them. Dick’s funeral will be at 1pm on March 13 at the Chiltern crematorium, Whielden Street, Amersham HP7 0ND. NICK PIGOTT ■ ■ A two-part interview with Dick Hardy appeared in our April and May 2015 issues and a DVD recording of him and fellow LNER premium apprentice Peter Townend was presented with our August 2009 issue.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 51

Readers’ Platform FOLLOWING on from your item on the proposed demolition of Wolverton Works, a notice in Crewe’s local newspaper advises Bombardier and others have applied to demolish the former Machine, Arcade, No. 9 and No. 10 erecting shops, to be replaced with a large housing estate. There will soon be little or no original railway works left in the UK and this does seem a waste of premises following the refurbishment of 9 and 10 shops some years ago. Clive Taylor ex Crewe Works employee

Sad demise of West Highland Class 156s

I READ of the likely demise of the Class 156 units on the West Highland Line (February issue) and feel a tinge of sadness. While accepting the units are 30 years old, can be noisy (even more so with the windows open), there is a certain charm about them, and its good to hear the engines working hard on the climbs. They were the best units of the second-generation DMUs and have certainly stood the test of time. Their large windows have never been bettered and are much more passenger friendly than more recent introductions. The seats actually line up with the windows. They will be missed.

Passenger views of new train seats AS THE editor has previously commented about the seats and their positions on new trains’seats entering service, here is a passenger point of view. Whoever has designed the new Class 800s has never actually travelled on a train, or at least not for some distance. The seats in Standard Class are worse than sitting on a concrete slab. If you are a passenger on a journey for several hours (Reading to Cardiff or Swansea), you need some seating comfort. These seats do not offer any at all. On their Facebook page, GWR is constantly telling us“travel in comfort”, but complaints about these seats are

Shame no WCML link to Heathrow Airport

FEBRUARY’S feature on the Vivarail units was very interesting. One use for them would be by South Western Railway for the local service between Romsey via Southampton to Salisbury. This would release a unit to strengthen one of the frequently overcrowded Class 159 units operating between Salisbury and Exeter. South Western Railway’s obsession with services into Waterloo suggests they neglect the overcrowding on this section of their railway.

HOW and who does one lobby to get new routes considered? For those of us living north-west of London wishing to get to Heathrow Airport by train, the journey is a complete pain. You can get to Euston quickly enough but then need to take two more trains to get to Heathrow, either via the tube (Northern/ Piccadilly Line) or walk to Euston Square for Circle line to Paddington then Heathrow Express/Connect. The journey from Euston takes well over an hour (15 minutes less using the expensive Heathrow Express) and taking luggage on the Tube is not fun – most routes involve stairs. Crossrail will make little difference as a Tube link from Euston will still be required. So why isn’t there a direct service to Heathrow from the WCML? Surely it would be extremely popular, but I have never read of it even being considered. The route actually exists, although a short link section is not electrified, but with hybrid trains that no longer really matters. A limited stop service from Milton Keynes to Heathrow T4 or T5 (perhaps calling at Bletchley, Berkhamsted, Watford Junction, Wembley Central and Ealing Broadway) should make the journey in about 75 minutes or less with a half-hourly service. Could it even be trialled? Also any ideas how to get someone interested?

Carl Earl Chard, Somerset

Chris Read Milton Keynes

Anthony Beard By email

Vivarail for SWR?

READ THESE AND HUNDREDS MORE EDITIONS IN THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVE classicmagazines.co.uk/rmarchive

EDITORS NOTE

Publication of a letter does not imply that the editor or staﬀ of The Railway Magazine necessarily agree with its contents.

NB. Publication of a letter does not imply that the Editor or staﬀ of The Railway Magazine necessarily agree with its contents.

STAR LETTER

TALKING POINTS

Now Crewe Works buildings on hit list

Send your letters to: The Railway Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. email: railway@mortons.co.uk

Mr Read raises a pertinent issue as Heathrow is not the most ideally positioned airport and with limited main line connections. Having made the journey from Euston to Heathrow myself several times with a heavy suitcase and a back pack, I empathise with Mr Read’s views. There is a Watford to Heathrow air link bus that takes 54 minutes, and even with HS2, which is some years away, a change will be required at Old Oak Common for the airport – Ed.

Confusion at the‘new’ Birmingham New Street I SO agree with Mr Hooker (February) about new stations not being designed with passengers in mind. My particular bugbear is the‘new’New Street in Birmingham. Essentially a new shopping centre has been built on top

52 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

rising and some of a serious nature. People have been in such agony at the end of a long journey they have been hardly able to walk. Unfortunately, GWR has not really answered these complaints other than to say they have‘”more legroom and are ergonomically designed”. As for positioning, just because a window seat is booked, don’t expect to definitely get one with a view as some are placed against a blank wall, while others have thick framing to the windows. With reports many of the new trains are equally as bad, are all the trains from various manufacturers fitted with the same seats? of the existing station though little has changed at platform level. However, the way the entrance to the platforms has been‘planned’, has actually made life more difficult for passengers. At the‘old’New Street, steps and escalators from all platforms led to a passageway which allowed direct access to all the other platforms. Now the upstairs area is segregated into ‘lounges’and if your connection is not at another platform in the‘designated area’ in which you arrive from the platform, you have to use your ticket, exit that area, find the platform for your connection and then re-enter a separate area through a second set of barriers. This is both inconvenient and it invariably takes longer to reach your connecting service than it did under the old regime. I cannot see the logic unless it is about revenue protection. The revamped New Street is style over substance and I wonder whether the designers actually ever use trains at all? Tom Ferris Shrewsbury

Yes, the trains are smooth running, mostly, but would I recommend using them? Most definitely not! Simon Fenwick Fleet, Hampshire. This letter is typical of a growing mailbag on the subject. As is explained elsewhere in this issue, the seating in the Class 700 and 80x trains has come about as part of the specification drafted by the DfT, and the thin cushions are to meet new fire regulations. Unfortunately, train operators will face the brunt of passenger complaints for something they had little, if any, input into, when the failure is that of civil servants. Also see Comment, p3 – Ed the gates must be equipped to read these without our having to summon help. Staff at main line stations need to be better briefed and all trains must have plugs for recharging phones, as a dead phone is no use as a travel ticket. Robert Coates Norway A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said: “We thank Mr Coates for bringing this to our attention. BritRail is available to visiting customers who live outside the UK. It is not a widely seen product and with over 1,000 products available, it can sometimes be difficult for staff to be familiar with. We are working to ensure training is up to date and front line staff are familiar with BritRail. “In the case of tickets on a mobile phone the phone must have sufficient battery power to be able to display the ticket. It is great to hear that Mr Coates had some very positive experiences of the rail network.”

Reuse, refill, refuse!

WITH environmental problems of disposable drinks cups having recently been highlighted in the media, my partner and I are committed to‘reduce, reuse and recycle’. So she felt disappointed when travelling IN THE January issue you advise the from Axminster to Waterloo with South Government intends to overhaul the‘archaic’ Western Railway on January 19 that upon ticketing system. asking the trolley operative for a coffee I have just tested out the‘smart’version, in her reusable coffee mug, the operative and travelled around the network for several said:“No, I’m not filling that,” and walked on days, armed with an M-pass issued by regardless. BritRail. (this is a ticket on a mobile phone – At Waterloo station, Starbucks happily Ed). I didn’t find a single reader that could filled the reusable cup and even discounted read the QR code on my mobile. the purchase accordingly. At every gate I had to summon help. The When will the trolley service operator responses at barriers varied from“those are on SWR wake up to the needs of the not valid here”and “is that a screen shot, sir”, environment and support the customer at main line stations in London(!), to a rather who is prepared to do their bit to help? more positive reception at Rochester station, one of the most civilised stations on the Nick Baber network, with piano, good loos and friendly Bridport, Dorset staff, where I was greeted with“welcome back, Mr Norway”on continuing my journey South Western Railway commented: a couple of hours later. “Environmental and sustainability issues are Responses on board were also a top priority for us and we recognise reusable encouraging, such as“Cool!That’s the first cups have become increasingly popular with one of those I’ve had to check!”on the passengers since our catering contract was Wherry lines in Norfolk, and a big smile from agreed. the guard on the Bedford to Bletchley line. “That’s why we will consider how we can However, other on-board staff seemed to better serve passengers with reusable cups know little about these tickets. At Gatwick when awarding the new contract, which is in they seemed convinced anyone with such the process of being put out for tender. a strange ticket must want the‘Express’, “Currently, our on-board caterers Rail and that I was straying from the straight Gourmet advise staff not to fill reusable hot and narrow when I insisted on going to drinks on safety grounds and we would have Blackfriars! hoped this would have been politely explained If passengers are to use their mobiles, to the passenger on board at the time.”

‘Smart’BritRail pass is not so smart after all!

ON LINE FOCUS What could be better than a garden that backs on to one of Britain’s key rail arteries? Virgin ‘Pendolino’ No. 390040 Virgin Radio Star passes Thankerton on an Up working to London Euston. The image was taken from the web cam of RM reader Barry Knock.

Live train watching FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR ARMCHAIR

A fast-growing website is bringing the UK’s lineside into the homes of rail enthusiasts across the world – Aidan Goldstraw logs on to Railcam UK

t began with an unexpected Christmas present. Among the items in Alex Howarth’s stocking that year was a security camera. For a while, he wondered what on earth to do with the gift – but as his home, just south of Preston, backed on to the West Coast Main Line, he had the bright idea of nailing it to his garden fence. After a few weeks of watching trains

whoosh by, Alex wondered whether anyone else would like to enjoy the view. He contacted fellow Prestonite Adrian Bradshaw. Adrian recalls: “I have a website covering Preston station, so this feed sat on there for a month, after which we decided it needed its own home.” Alex has since moved overseas (although he still keeps a fond eye on his ‘baby’), so that

original cam is no longer online. However, thanks to Adrian and a large team of volunteers, Railcam.uk (as it is now known) has gone from strength to strength, with more than 50 cameras covering both mainline and heritage sites across the UK – and a few overseas feeds thrown in for good measure. The cameras are all on private property

Above: Ribblehead station has a web cam which shows Colas Rail Class 37 No. 37116 working north on an infrastructure monitoring train on May 20, 2017. Left: ‘A3’ No. 60103 Flying Scotsman eases out of Crewe Heritage Centre before working with its support coach to Shrewsbury to take over a charter to Cardiff on May 19, 2017.

54 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

overlooking railway lines. Locations are extremely varied, from residential to businesses, as well as those administered by other railway groups. For example, a link-up with the Friends of the Settle & Carlisle Line has added four views of this famous route, including the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct. Camera hosts get free access to the entire Railcam website as a ‘thank you’. However, it isn’t just about the cameras. Railcam also offers comprehensive live diagrams of almost the entire mainline network – clicking on a train’s headcode brings up a vast amount of detail, including operator details, and both booked and ‘real-time’ schedules. This feature combines live information from a Network Rail-sponsored feed with Railcam’s own custom mapping – the latter proving somewhat challenging to assemble, as Adrian explains. “There’s no official source for the diagrams. Class 67 No. 67018 performs ‘Thunderbird’ duties on a Virgin East Coast Mk4 set as the ensemble approaches York It’s a matter of getting hold of maps from on May 22, 2017. where you can. There are some out there, but they’re invariably not complete or current. So we adapt those using Google Earth and Finally, the Railcam shop is another to this day. So, we now know exactly what other information.” fund-raising initiative, selling branded clothing, we have to do to comply with privacy law, The arrival of the diagrams on Railcam mugs, calendars and many other items. including the new General Data Protection marked another step change for the site. The team of volunteers keeping all this Regulation (GDPR) legislation. “Before that, every time we wanted a new ticking over is now extensive. Adrian says: “With every camera, we conduct an camera, we were having to go cap in hand to “There are five of us involved on a daily assessment which goes through what it’s the members, saying: ‘How about putting a basis, as the first tier. We vet all the users and likely to capture, whether or not we will carry bit more money in the pot’? It always seemed welcome them personally, rather than having it sound etc. to be the same few people putting their hands completely automated. “There are various mitigating actions we in their pocket. “Then there are another four people can take – change the view, mask sensitive “This was when the idea of the supporters’ behind the scenes doing technical stuff, as areas. We try to be as accommodating club was born. The diagrams were something and when – and our team of camera installers, as possible.” we could give back as an incentive.” of course.” Such professionalism and attention to So now, although Railcam remains free Away from its hordes of rail fans, others detail is more than a few miles down the track to join, for just £15 a year (or more, if you are also finding the Railcam site useful. Adrian from Railcam’s impromptu beginnings, Adrian feel so inclined), supporters get access to adds: “We have very good relationships with readily admits. both the diagrams and many ‘supporter-only’ British Transport Police, Network Rail and just “It’s ridiculous how it’s grown! What was camera feeds. about every train operating company. They meant to be a little hobby has taken over my Meanwhile, a chat room on the site regularly retweet and comment on the stuff life – and those of a good few of us. provides a space to socialise with other we put up on Twitter.” “We get grumbles when things don’t work Railcam users and alert one another of There has even been a case of Railcam properly and sometimes you wonder why you interesting traffic movements. footage being used in court. A passenger on a do it. But then you get a nice email and think: Other recent additions to the site include train at Crewe activated the emergency alarm, ‘Yeah – that’s why.’ the data section, where users can look up then jumped down from the train – right “For example, we’ve got many older schedules, find diagrams or even discover in front of one of four cameras at Crewe users who are virtually housebound – this is where a particular locomotive has been in Heritage Centre. a window on the world for them and a way recent days. One key issue which the site’s founders of continuing to participate in the hobby A ‘monitor’ page shows when trains are never anticipated at the beginning is that they love. approaching certain camera locations – and of privacy. “Our users get to see the everyday users can also set ‘alarms’, to be warned Adrian recalls: “We were fortunate enough workings of the railway – including a lot when a particular train headcode arrives in a to get some early pro bono advice from a of things the average passenger never even specified signalling berth. friendly lawyer and that relationship continues notices.” ■

This webcam, overlooking the East Coast Main Line, south of Peterborough station, captures four GB Railfreight Class 66s, led by No. 66713 Forest City, taking the line towards March on May 15, 2017.

A camera at Sanquhar station, on the Glasgow & South Western Line, films a pair of Northern Class 153s, led by No. 153346, on a move from Kilmarnock to Neville Hill on May 7, 2017. The webcam is on the former station building, now a holiday home.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 55

ADVERTISER’SANNOUNCEMENT

So you want to build a

NEW STEAM LOCO?

WNERS and operators in the heritage sector embarking on a new build or a substantial rebuild, can call upon Ricardo Certification to provide the professional guidance your project requires and put you on the right route to certification. But professional standards haven’t always been so rigorously applied. Private locomotives (ie: industrial) were always permitted to run on BR lines, subject to registration and the occasional inspection from a BR inspector. This rule applied equally to passenger-hauling steam locomotives from when the steam ban was broken in 1971 to the date of Privatisation. At Privatisation, the successor to the BR inspector was the Vehicle Acceptance Body (VAB), which was appointed by Railtrack, and more recently by the Rail Safety & Standards Board (RSSB). Under BR, the governing standard was MT276, but postPrivatisation, Railway Group Standard (RGS) GM/RT2003 became applicable.

Anyone who had the responsibility for managing steam locomotives which operate on the main line will be familiar with both. The previous system required every non-compliance with any RGS to have its risks alternatively mitigated and be granted a derogation by RSSB, but this only applied where the registration of vehicles was not historically continuous. So, anything which had been kept running since before April 1, 1994, without any changes which required re-certification, could operate without a derogation, a process often known as‘grandfather rights’. From the start of December 2017, GM/RT2003 (for steam locomotives) was abolished and replaced by Rail Industry Standards RIS 2003 RST and RIS 4472 RST. These recognise other vehicles, as well as steam locomotives, can be categorised as heritage. RIS 2003 RST replaces GM/RT2003 directly, but adds all heritage vehicles to its scope, while RIS 4472 RST is

56 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Ricardo can help a new standard covering heritage vehicle engineering and describing how non-compliances may be managed without the need for a lengthy derogation. This change stems from European directive No. 1302 of 2014, which implemented the updated Locomotive & Passenger Technical Specifications for Interoperability, which itself recognises it does not apply to heritage vehicles. So what has changed? The first new-build main line steam loco, No. 60163 Tornado, had to be constructed and authorised in accordance with the Interoperability directives, because prior to 2011 there was no alternative route to acceptance. In addition to a VAB, the services of a Designated Body (DeBo), Notified Body (NoBo) and Assessment Body (AsBo) were required. In reality they can be one and the same organisation, and the roles are simply for the DeBo to ensure compliance with national rules, for the NoBo to ensure compliance with interoperability standards, and for the AsBo to confirm the safety report is satisfactory. The safety report is the equivalent of the former safety case. Rail Industry Standard RIS 2700 RST (which replaced RGS GM/RT2000) abolished the VABs in the summer of 2016, and in addition to DeBos, NoBos and AsBos, introduced the Assessment Party. All vehicles in the heritage category are exempt from interoperability requirements except where they provide compatibility with the network (e.g. signalling systems) so only an Assessment Party (AP) is needed. Perusal of any Rail Industry Standard will reveal it is non-mandatory, but compliance with it pretty well ensures the stakeholders’ responsibilities for Health & Safety in the relevant area have been met. It is possible to meet one’s H&S responsibilities by alternative means, butYes Minister’s Sir Humphrey Appleby’s favourite word‘brave’ springs to mind in this connection, and quite frankly, it can be very hard work. While RISs 2003 & 4472 are therefore non-mandatory, the stakeholders, particularly the Train Operating Companies (TOCs), can choose to adopt and implement RISs wholesale – and most do.

One of the foundations of a TOC operating licence is its Safety Management System (SMS), with one of the fundamental parts of a SMS being the process for the management of change, since any change imports risk. The introduction of new or different vehicles constitutes change. There is therefore a requirement to undertake a full and sufficient risk assessment to cover the engineering and operational features of any such vehicle, and it should be borne in mind by those undertaking a risk assessment that what was acceptably safe in the past may no longer be so. One of the cornerstones of change management is a review by someone who has not been involved in the project. This is where the Assessment Party approach can be adopted. Large players in the industry can manage small changes by having sufficient independence built into their own organisation somewhere, but small players, or the larger ones with insufficient resource internally, can employ an independent party – such as Ricardo. This is where the Assessment Party, referred to earlier, comes in. For minor changes or to fulfil the requirement for low-risk work such as the routine periodic audits required for vehicles in the heritage category, an unaccredited AP is sufficient. However, according to RIS 2003 RST, the stakeholders may feel for higher risk projects such as new construction, resurrection from demic status or an overhaul incorporating more than the standard workload, the services of an AP, accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), may be found to be desirable. This accreditation means the AP concerned has in place an extremely rigorous system of control of the training and competence of its own personnel, internal audits, processes, documented independence and integrity, all backed up with external audits by UKAS. The RSSB standards referred to in this article can all be found on the publicly accessible website of the Rail Safety & Standards Board. An internet search immediately finds the European Technical Standards for Interoperability. ■

COMPETITION

Treasure Hunt

Easter’s fast approaching, and we’ve got some cracking prizes to help beat any lingering winter blues and prepare you for a great summer by the lineside, visiting railways you might not have seen for some years, or returning to familiar and favourite territory. A NUMBER of our advertisers have sent us a question, or provided us with a sentence (with crucial word or words missing) … the answers to which you can find on their websites.

All you have to do is find the correct answer, or fill in the appropriate blanks, and fill them in on our form to stand a chance of winning. Once completed please send the Treasure

Hunt Entry Form to The Railway Magazine, Treasure Hunt Competition, Mortons Media Group Ltd., PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 6JZ.

TREASURE HUNT PRIZESS we’ve The books we ve selected as prizes this time aree:

1st PRIZE

1st Prize: Photographs i The h Railway l h h off Keith h Hudson d Scottish Steam a celebration by Keith Langston Branch Line From Leek to the Mainfold Valley by Vic Mi Mitchell h ll

3rd PRIZE

2nd PRIZE

2 dP 2nd Prize: i TT. E. E Willi Williams Th The LLost C Colour l Collection Volume 2 by Dick Blenkinsop East Sussex Coastal Railways by Paul O’Callaghan

3rd prize: Lost Railways of Durham & Teeside by Robin Jones

■ Entries must be with us by April 13. Photocopies are accepted. Competition terms and conditions are available on our website: www.railwaymagazine.co.uk

TREASURE HUNT ENTRY FORM

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58 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

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COMPETITION TREASURE HUNT CLUES

Visit all of the websites to ﬁnd the answers

1. www.video125.co.uk ......................................................................................... In 2008 Video 125 invested how much upgrading cameras and editing facilities to High Definition? 2. www.jackthestationcat.co.uk.....................................................................................................................................................…….. of 8-11 year old girls said they enjoyed reading compared to …… of boys. 3. www.walkermidgley.co.uk........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... In what year did the company become independent? 4. www.railwayholidays.com ................................................................................................................................. They range upwards ….. ……. days in duration and are based in three/ four star hotels. 5. www.eorailway.co.uk................................................................................................... What is the name of the journal members receive giving the latest news from Epping Ongar Railway? 6. www.ffestiniogtravel.com ...................................................................................................................................................We will travel on one of the highest rail journeys in the world to Huancayo before ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... making our way to ………, home of the ………. 7. www.world-of-railways.co.uk/shows/show/the-london-festival-of-railway-modelling/ .............................. The vast selection of trade stands covers those ‘………’ items .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... to ‘……………’ items in rarer scales and gauges. 8. www.colour-rail.com.....................................................................................................................................................................................What percentage of negatives and slides are estimated to be put in the bin? 9. www.arrowfile.com..................................................................................... The unique flexibility of the ……….. ……… allows you to break away from the ………. of ordinary albums 10. www.freightliner.co.uk .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... When did freightliner run their first train from London to Scotland? 11. www.graffeg.com/retracing-lost-lines-wales-interview-tom-ferris/....................................................................... The steam locomotive is surely up there as one of the …. ……… .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................and visually impressive of humankind’s creations. 12. www.dragon-in-the-firebox.co.uk ................................................................................................................................................................Over how many years was the ‘Black Five on the Jacobite’ DVD filmed? 13. www.b17steamloco.com............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Where can you visit us between May 5th and 7th? 14. www.graffeg.com.................................................................................................Authors include bestselling writers, award winning photographers and illustrators with …………. …......... 15. www.haynes.com/en-gb/general-interest-manuals/rail ...............................................The Class 50 locomotives were …….. …… ……….. ……….. between 1967 and 1968 16. www.mslr.org.uk ................................................... The Middy was effectively bankrupt before it opened in 1904. Was there a time in its history when it was paying its way? 17. www.posthousepublishing.com................................................................................................................................................... Apart from Railways what other area do Posthouse Publishing specialise in? 18. www.MrScan.co.uk ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................In what Year was we established? 19. www.repta.co.uk .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... What is the name of our insurance broker? 20. www.sklr.net ............................................................................................... Members receive unlimited free travel on the railway and regular issues of the railway’s magazine “…. … ……”. 21. www.telfordsteamrailway.co.uk.......................................................................... “Rocket” has recently been overhauled and has come back into public service for our …. season. 22. www.panamint.co.uk ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... How long is our Portraits of Railwaymen DVD? 23. www.brightonbelle.com/news.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................The famous first class coupé in Car ............. 24. www.festrail.co.uk/appeal/snowdonian.html...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................The Snowdonian - Saturday ............. 25. www.adlestroppress.co.uk ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... I tried to run ............. 26. www.centenarylounge.com/recreations.....................................................................................The Recreations products are designed to reflect those used in the halcyon years of the ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................internationally renowned …… ………. ………….. 27. www.gwsr.com ........................................................................................................................Four copies each year of our award-winning house magazine are sent to members. What is it called? 28. www.gnbooks.co.uk.................................................... On the Great Northern Website, you will find details about a recently published beautifully produced hardback book ...........................................................................................................................................................entitled Peppercorn’s Pacifics. How many of Arthur Peppercorn’s A2 locomotives are illustrated in the book? 29. www.railtoursireland.com ............................................................................................................................................... What is the name of the railtours Ireland first class 8 day rail cruise and castle tour? 30. www.secondhand-books.co.uk ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... What is the 15th subject on our area listings? 31. www.valleyviewstocksfield.co.uk .................................................................................... Two ladies spent New Year in front of a roaring fire from Birmingham. What were their names? 32. www.halmergrange.co.uk ............................................................................................................................................. The village is famed as the location of the TV show Heartbeat’s “Aidensfield” village. In fact Halmer Grange is featured in episode 5 of season 16 “…… ………. ………. “. 33. www.nnrailway.co.uk ..........................................................................................................When does Countess of Warwick Class 0-6-0st Wissington return to the NNR from Colne Valley? 34. www.midlandrailway.org.uk ........................................................................ The Midland Railway Society is proud to announce the publication of their new book “……. …………..” ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................by John Earl & Steve Huson. 35. www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk.....................................................................................................................................................................................How much does it cost for a dog to enjoy a trip on our service? 36. www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk ........................................................................................................................................................................................ What is the name of the quarterly magazine members receive? 37. www.lms-patriot.org.uk .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... What is the name of the quarterly member’s magazine? 38. www.wllr.org.uk........................................................................................................................................................................................ The carriages too are special; those in regular use being from …….. ……. ……. with access to the enclosed seating area via an open balcony 39. www.stuartblack.com .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. How many Locomotive Prints are available on our website? 40. www.tramway.co.uk...................................................................................................................................................................................................................... How many Coasters are in the set available from our online shop? 41. www.barrettsteammodels.co.uk .................................................................................................... John Barrett retired after how many years before Steve Barrett took over the business? 42. www.pen-and-sword.co.uk ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... How many categories do we have on our special offers page? 43. www.a1steam.com .......................................................................................................................... In what year did the group get together with the ambition to construct a brand new A1 Pacific? 44. www.p2steam.com.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................How much did we raise through the Founders club? 45. www.facebook.com/tony.cook1830/ ................................................................................................................................................................................................. Who did a review of the book online on 28th April 2017? 46. www.ww2rsg.org.uk........................................................ The Study Group was founded in ….. to address this. The Group offers a ……….. bulletin, and produces pamphlets ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ and books at irregular intervals. 47. www.trianglepublishing.co.uk .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... When was A Lancashire Triangle Part One first printed? 48. www.oakhamtreasures.co.uk...................................................................................................... Do you remember doing the laundry with Rinso, …… ……, Drive, Clozone, Fab or even …..? 49. www.stephensonrailwaymuseum.org.uk ............................................................................................... Robert Stephenson’s iconic steam locomotive Rocket is coming home to Newcastle, ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ for the first time in 156 years between what dates? 50. www.rcts.org.uk................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Britain’s Leading Railway Society–……. ………. after 90 years 51. www.geoffs-trains.com ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................What steam locomotive returns to steam on 05 April 2019? 52. railenthusiastsholidays.com/package/china-the-last-chance/ .................................................... Sadly all of that has gone – but with one exception – ………. ……… at ……., .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. near to Urumqi in the extreme north-west of China. 53. www.discoverytrains.net ................................................................................................................................................................................... How many railtours in Canada are Discovery trains currently proposing? 54. www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com................................................................................................................ What Special event is taking place at the railway on the 8th and 9th September? 55. www.gwili-railway.co.uk............................................................................................................................................................... How many people are pictured with the Easter Bunny on the Easter gala page? 56. www.cockothenorth.co.uk............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ Who did the print that is sent to new members? 57. www.52atours.com .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. How fast will our tour on 16th June pass through Ferryhill? 58. www.e-v-r.com/dieselweekend/.................................................................................................................................... Prepare for the Onslaught! Class …………………. is coming back to Derbyshire. 59. www.freightmasterpublishing.co.uk/zen/...................................................................................................................................................................... How many pages are in our great Wagon Recognition book? 60. www.farrail.com ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Recently we posted a reference from AL. Which tour did he go on? 61. www.petersrailway.com...................................................................................................................................................How many hardback books are currently available in the Peters Railway Collection? 62. www.friendsofaltonstation.org.uk .................................................................................................................................................................................... What year did the Ladies of Alton first petition the LSWR? 1894 63. www.welovecushions.co.uk/cushions-by-artists-designs/.......................................................................How many people are on the beach on the 1923 North Berwick cushion? national-railway-museum-cushions-pillows.html 64. www.ptg.co.uk..................................................................................................................................................... We have 4 terms for our holidays. These are Culture, Adventure, Enthusiast and what tours? 65. www.campaignforbordersrail.org ............................................................................................ How many signatures are did a petition acquire to be presented to the Scottish Parliament ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Public Petitions Committee in 1999? 66. www.dawlishbeach.com......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... How many free cameras are currently available to view? 67. www.llanellirailway.co.uk ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................When did traffic begin at the Carmarthenshire Tramroad? 68. www.spikedirect.co.uk ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ What colour is Flying Scotsman t-shirt 4472 available in? 69. www.sdrt.org.uk ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................What is the quarterly magazine called sent to members? 70. www.railwaymagazinemodelling.co.uk ........................................................................................................................................................................................... Who is the advertising representative on the magazine? 71. www.railwaymagazine.co.uk ................................................................................................................................................................................. What story was uploaded on 13th December 2017 about the Queen?

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 59

Panorama

Creating an illusion of ‘speed’ by using a slow shutter, an East Midlands Trains HST powers away from Doncaster with a service bound for London St Pancras on September 9, 2015. JACK BOSKETT

60 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

A showcase for the best in railway photography

Railway Preservation Society of Ireland volunteer Nicky Cox oils around LMS-NCC ‘WT’ 2-6-4T No. 4 as it is prepared for service inside the RPSI’s depot at Dublin Connolly on December 16. GERRY MOONEY

American-built ‘S160’ 2-8-0 No. 5197 is reflected in the Cauldon Canal as it heads away from Consall during the Churnet Valley Railway gala on February 4. ROBERT FALCONER

BRCW Type 3 No. D6501 stands at the Midland Railway-Butterley’s Swanwick Junction with a freight train during an East Midlands Railway Photographic Society photo charter on October 28 last year. STEVE DONALD

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 61

Panorama Almost 25 years have elapsed since ex-LBSCR ‘A1X’ 0-6-0T No. 32678 re-created this timeless scene at the Kent & East Sussex Railway's Hexden Bridge on December 16, 1993. The ‘Birdcage’ coach carried green on one side only, having been specially repainted for the Geoff Silcock/Sentimental Journeys charter. PETER ZABEK

62 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

A showcase for the best in railway photography

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 63

RM Archive FROM THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVES YEARS AGO

MARCH 1918

LECTRIC light has recently been ELondon, substituted for gas at Lancing, Brighton and South Coast

Railway. The station including platforms, signal box, booking hall and other departments is being illuminated by electricity, supplied from the Carriage Works Power House at Lancing which is fitted with diesel engines. HE PRUSSIAN Railway Department has provided information about the number of engines and wagons built during the war. Of locomotives, 4,900 had been built, an increase of 30 per cent compared with peace times, and of wagons 120,000, also a great increase. Before the end of the current financial year a further 1,700 locomotives, and 29,000 goods wagons were to be delivered. RESIDING at the annual meeting of the Great Eastern Railway, Lord Claud Hamilton, MP said that the employment of women had proved most satisfactory, and a thousand more had been taken on, making the total 3,600. They had opened a women’s police branch.

YEARS AGO

MARCH 1968

RITISH RAILWAYS is considering running its last steam-hauled

Heathrow Junction. The full length of the line, through a four-mile tunnel section into the airport central area, is not due to open until June, but Heathrow Airport, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the British Airports Authority (BAA), decided to launch the interim service at the earliest possible opportunity. HE preservation world is facing a dilemma over the true identity of what has until now been considered to be ‘Hall’ No. 4983 Albert Hall. As the overhaul of the Birmingham Railway Museum locomotive has progressed over the last two years, engineering manager Bob Meanley has become increasingly convinced that the loco is not Albert Hall but No. 4965 Rood Ashton Hall. Completion of the overhaul is expected during late-March or early-April and Rood Ashton Hall will be used on this summer’s BirminghamStratford services. HE cull of major traction maintenance depots witnessed over the last few years continues: first Eastfield, March and Bristol Bath Road… and now Tinsley. The unexpected announcement that the Sheffield headquarters of Railfreight Distribution is to close on March 28 follows the purchase of RfD by EWS in November. It was inevitable that some rationalisation of depots would occur, but the demise of Tinsley was not expected so soon as it is currently home to more than 50 Class 47s. Work is expected to be shared out among other EWS depots.

T 20 YEARS AGO: Three-car Class 411 ‘CEP’ No. 1620 was modified in 1997 by Porterbrook and GEC-Alsthom as a testbed for ‘Juniper’ EMU traction equipment, prior to the introduction of Class 334/458/460 trains in the late-1990s. MIKE BUDD

standard-gauge passenger train in North-West England on a weekend in August. Higher than standard fares would be charged and it has been suggested that special trains would be run from all parts of Britain for the benefit of those wishing to see, or take part in, the last steam run. BR will continue to operate after August the Vale of Rheidol line from Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge. OHN FOWLER & CO. (Leeds) Ltd has made its last railway locomotive, after 100 years, and is now concentrating on the manufacture of crawler tractors. First locomotive built by Fowlers was an 0-6-0 for Great Indian Peninsular Railway, supplied in 1866, followed by a batch of six 0-6-0 goods locomotives for the London, Chatham & Dover Railway, known as Class “J”. The last locomotive was a 31½-ton

0-4-0 diesel-hydraulic shunter for Teesside steel works. ROM JANUARY 29, all passenger services between Alnmouth and Alnwick, Northumberland, were discontinued and Alnwick station closed by the Eastern Region. Services were also withdrawn at Belford and Beal, between Alnmouth and Berwick.

YEARS AGO

MARCH 1998

HE first stage of the £440m ‘Heathrow Tsummer Express’ rail link, which will this connect central London with Heathrow Airport, opened for passenger service on January 19 between Paddington and a temporary station at

Britain’s leading Railway Society – still observing after 90 years

The RCTS: then and now SHED permits were rarely if ever issued to single applicants whereas group visits were usually more successful. Thanks to its management links with British Railways and the six regions, the RCTS made more official visits to works and sheds than most societies, and as a result the Railway Observer (RO) became the most reliable reference for locomotive and train working news. Shed and works visits were invariably organised by the local area groups. In the large cities travel was often by train, or in London and Glasgow by Underground, but because of the location of many sheds local buses were more convenient. Some groups were more adventurous than others organising two- or three-day trips by coach, covering areas such as South Wales, the north-west of England or Scotland. The February 1956 RO for instance reported during January on the London Midland Region the RCTS visited Crewe and Derby Works, while on the Western Regions groups were permitted to go round Swindon, Wolverhampton Stafford Road and Caerphilly works as well as the factories at Old Oak Common and Tyseley. The Southern Region allowed their works at Eastleigh, Ashford and

Brighton to be visited, and on the Eastern Region, Doncaster and Gorton hosted RCTS groups, but interestingly not Stratford. Gateshead, but not Darlington, was visited in the North Eastern Region, and in Scotland trips around Cowlairs and Kilmarnock were reported. Six months later, in June, the pace showed no signs of letting up as the July RO reported visits to Crewe, Derby, Rugby, Oswestry, Wolverhampton Stafford Road, Eastleigh, Brighton, Doncaster, Gorton, Stratford, Darlington, and Kilmarnock. The reporting of these allowed RCTS members to keep abreast of the progress of new builds, what locomotives were being overhauled, and those that were withdrawn. Apart from shed and works visits the RCTS also gained an enviable reputation for traffic reports. The society had among its members both railwaymen and enthusiasts and between them they were able to build up a picture of the comings and goings on the regions. Perhaps the more unusual workings had more than their fair share of reports, but the everyday was never neglected. The changes of timetable, particularly from winter to summer,

64 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

During the course of a Sunday‘permit-only’visit to SwindonWorks the mass of enthusiasts wander through the ‘A’shop on April 23, 1963. COLOURRAIL.COM

always generated extra pages of notes. The constraints of both the printing methods and ways of communication, meant it took six to eight weeks after the events described had happened for them to appear in print, so it was in the February 1956 RO readers learned about the various noteworthy happenings in the 1955 Christmas period. Both the reduction of the number of railway maintenance facilities and

the ever present health and safety requirements has meant the presentday visit programme of the society is much reduced, but members still enjoy access to locations closed to the public such as Crewe DRS depot, Drax power station and Huddersfield signalling centre, which were among a number of places visited in 2017. For information on the society visit: www.rcts.og.uk

TRACK KRECORD The Railway Magazine news digestt

Ashford-built Stanier ‘8F’ 2-8-0 No. 48624 works the Great Central Railway’s ‘Windcutter’ rake of 16-ton mineral wagons beneath Rabbit Bridge during a Timeline Events photo charter on February 12. PETER ZABEK

P66 STEAM P72 INDUSTRIAL P74 IRISH P76 NARROW GAUGE P78 FREIGHT P80 RAILTOURS P84 CLASSIC TRACTION P88 NETWORK P91 WORLD P94 METRO P96 MINIATURE P98 TRACTION & ROLLING STOCK P103 OPERATIONS

Steam & Heritage Track Record COMPILED BY

GARY BOYD-HOPE

Call: 01507 529589 email: gboyd-hope @mortons.co.uk

Severn Valley and Gloucs-Warks for blue ‘King’ as main line plans are suspended

SINGLE-chimney ‘King’ No. 6023 King Edward II will see its operation restricted to heritage Your reports and lines for the foreseeable pictures are most welcome. future after the Great Western Highly competitive rates Society (GWS) put its main line are paid, especially if aspirations for the Collett 4-6-0 exclusive to The RM. on hold. The road to main line certification has not been a smooth one for the Didcot-based ‘King’, and since its return to steam in 2011 No. 6023 has yet to venture onto the main line under its own power. In 2013 the loco was fitted with reduced-height boiler fittings to bring it within Network Rail’s kinematic envelope, and No. 6023 also received a new blastpipe and improved THE Swindon & Cricklade Railway draughting arrangements. (S&CR) is hoping a new multiHowever, it has been the need million pound appeal can enable to test the new draughting it to live up to its name and finally system that has created one restoring the loco from its with our plans to operate extend north into Cricklade. of the biggest hurdles for the scrapyard condition, as well No. 6023 on the main line and It is almost 60 years since the GWS. Gauging restrictions on as the considerable financial that it should be postponed,” last passenger trains ran over the parts of the national network contribution made.” the statement explained. former Midland & South Western have prevented No. 6023 from The GWS cited several reasons “Our preferred option is to Junction Railway route, and the venturing away from its home for the decision, principally: operate the loco on heritage S&CR is marking its own 40th shed, in spite of co-operation • The need to conclude testing railways and thereby gain anniversary by launching from Network Rail, leading the of the revised draughting. valuable income towards a a £2.5million appeal to extend its GWS to undertake a review of • The limited time left on speedy boiler overhaul once her two-mile running line beyond the the situation. No. 6023’s boiler current ticket has expired. current northern railhead at South With around two years left on certificate. “Our aim would be to maintain Meadow Lane. its boiler ticket, the society has • The general turmoil within the her in full main line condition, A two-phased approach is regretfully decided to postpone steam charter train business with all the necessary annual being adopted, with the target its plans for main line operation. at the present time. safety checks etc, so that should date for completion of the A statement from the • Route restrictions and the situation change she could first phase set for this coming GWS said: “This was not limitations. operate, once the necessary September. This would take an easy decision to make • The cost of loaded test runs. certification has been obtained, the railway around half a mile as lots of people have put “It has been decided that at on the main line.” to a point south of Farfield Lane, in many hundreds, if not the present time it would be King Edward II was where a bridge will need to thousands of hours work on unwise to proceed any further subsequently moved by road be installed before Phase 2 can begin. The estimated cost of Phase 1 is £250,000, which will cover the cost of rails, sleepers, ballast, fencing and drainage. The NORTHUMBERLAND’S Aln Valley sleepers have already been Railway will take delivery of acquired from Network Rail for its second operational steam this purpose. locomotive in mid-March when Phase 2 will require a significant Hunslet ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST amount of civil engineering, No. 60 (3686/1948) arrives from beginning with the installation of the nearby works of Ian Storey a new bridge over Farfield Lane in Hepscott, near Morpeth. to replace the original that was The former National Coal destroyed and infilled during Board locomotive is owned military exercises in the 1970s. by Stephen Wood and began The line will then proceed its preservation career at the beyond the bridge to a new Strathspey Railway, where station and run-round facility, Mr Wood served as a director. Almost complete! Ex-Lambton ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST No. 60 stands just shy of the new housing After seeing regular operation outside Ian Storey’s works at Hepscott in February 2018 prior to its developments south of Cricklade. during the 1980s the loco was move to the Aln Valley Railway. AVR Picnic facilities will be provided set aside for overhaul, but sat here, and passengers will be out of use for around 20 years work exclusively on the AVR Durham) area following the able to take the short walk into before being transported to for a period of six months, after nationalisation of the coal the town itself. In total this will Hepscott for major repairs. which it will be made available industry. It went new to the give the railway a running line of Upon reaching the AVR’s for hire, although the AVR will well-known Lambton shed at almost four miles. Lionheart station in Alnwick remain its home base. Later Philadelphia, County Durham, S&CR volunteers began the loco will be given a full in the year it will be joined at in January 1949, later finding clearance work north of South repaint into black livery before Lionheart by another Hunslet employment at Hetton-le-Hole, Meadow Lane last year, but running-in starts over the newly ‘Austerity’ No. 48, also owned Springwell Bank Foot, Sherburn their efforts require public extended line. by Mr Wood, currently based at Hill, Blackhall Colliery, and support if they are to achieve their Its first public running days Strathspey. No. 48 (2864/1943) Dawdon Colliery, where it goal of reaching Farfield Lane this are expected to be the railway’s requires repairs to its firebox ended its NCB career as a summer. ‘Branch End 50’ event over the and other work before it can standby loco in the 1970s. For details on how to donate Bank Holiday weekend of May return to steam, and it is Unusually among preserved send an email to: adge-peanuts@ 5-7, when it will share duties expected the loco will be put on ‘Austerities’ it retains its hotmail.co.uk with Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0T static display in the short term. cut-down ‘Lambton’ cab roof, Richboro, marking half a century No. 60 holds the distinction of profiled to cope with the since the closure of the Alnwick being the first steam locomotive restricted clearances in the Like us facebook.com/ to Alnmouth branch. acquired by the National tunnels on the line to the staiths TheRailwayMagazine Once in traffic, No. 60 will Coal Board’s No. 2 (Mid-East in Sunderland.

Swindon & Cricklade in £2.5million extension appeal

Aln Valley to triple its working steam fleet

66 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Yet to fulfil its true potential, the Great Western Society’s ‘King’ No. 6023 King Edward II emerges from Foley Park Tunnel on February 24 with its first test run from Kidderminster on the Severn Valley Railway. JOHN TITLOW

to the Severn Valley Railway during February for testing of the revised draughting, after which it is expected to take part in the railway’s March 16-18 spring gala. Following its starring role at the SVR, No. 6023 will then move to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway to headline its Cotswold Festival of Steam Gala on May 26-28, subject to agreement. This will be the first time that a ‘King’ has worked a passenger train over the route, although it is thought No. 6000 King George V did travel over the line during a positioning move in the 1970s.

Your chance to drive a ‘King’ at Didcot

DIDCOT Railway Centre has announced details of a limited number of ﬁring/ driving experiences on No. 6023 King Edward II to take place on November 4. Participants will get to enjoy more than two hours on the footplate, including about an hour at the controls of the big 4-6-0, along with time helping to prepare the loco (morning session), or disposing of it at the end of the day (afternoon session). In addition, those booking for the morning session can experience breakfast on the footplate, or tea in the afternoon, with lunch provided, along with a souvenir enamel tea can. The cost of the experience is £500, with bookings made by calling 01235 817200 or via email at info@ didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk

2018 will see Flying Scotsman back on the main line and visiting selected heritage railways, once again working charters for both Steam Dreams and the Railway Touring Company. On July 16 last year the ‘A3’ passes Ais Gill with RTC’s ‘Waverley’ from York to Carlisle and return. JOHN COOPERSMITH

East Lancs and Nene Valley to host ‘Scotsman’ this year WORLD-famous Gresley ‘A3’ No. 60103 Flying Scotsman will be visiting both the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) and Nene Valley Railway (NVR) later this year as the National Railway Museum loco begins a new six-year spell under the custodianship of Ian Riley. The close relationship between Heywood-based Riley & Son (E) and the ELR will naturally reap rewards for the

railway, with Flying Scotsman set to make a series of static and active visits during the course of the year. The first of these was scheduled for March 10-11, with further dates to be announced later. It will mark the start of an exceptionally busy period for the ELR, coming just weeks before the visit of ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado on March 29-April 2. The ‘A3’s’ visit to the NVR in September comes as a direct

result of the assistance the railway gave to Riley & Son after No. 60103 ran a hot ‘box at Peterborough on October 18 last year. After limping to Wansford the ‘A3’ spent much of the next week on jacks while its centre driving wheel set was sent to Heywood for attention. The loco will be appearing at the NVR on September 29-30 and October 1 – advanced tickets now being on sale.

Appearances are also scheduled at the National Railway Museum in York and at Locomotion in Shildon later in the year, York being the destination after the ‘A3’ makes its first booked main line appearance on the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Great Britain XI’ on April 19. This opening leg of the multi-day tour takes ‘Scotsman’ from King’s Cross to Scarborough. It will then work

Flour Mill to overhaul boiler of Collett '56XX' No. 6695 BILL Parker’s Flour Mill workshop has begun the overhaul of Collett ‘56XX’ 0-6-2T No. 6695’s boiler following its move from the West Somerset Railway’s Williton works on January 26. Since the boiler’s arrival in the Forest of Dean Flour Mill engineers have removed the steel stays from the known problem areas of the outer wrapper. The plate work has been cut away, together with all foundation ring rivets. The foundation ring is largely exposed, so the boiler will be turned upside down, and the ring removed for assessment and repair. Additionally, the lower section of the firebox throatplate will

be cut out and replaced, with attention also being given to the lap seams on the copper inner firebox, where rivets and patch screws will be replaced as necessary. Steel side stays and crown stays will be renewed where required. Away from the firebox area, re-riveting of the safety valve mounting pad is required, as is the repair of the internal steam pipes and a full re-tube; the superheater elements are those fitted when still in British Railways service. Volunteers from the 6695 Locomotive Group are working on the locomotive at Williton, with ongoing assistance from West Somerset Restoration Ltd.

The complexities of a relatively straight-forward repair can be appreciated in this view of No. 6695’s firebox, showing the removed plate and the number of stays and foundation ring rivets that have had to be drilled out. FLOUR MILL

the train back to York the following day, where it will be relieved by ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35018 British India Line. During May and early June, No. 60103 will begin a series of regular turns at the head of Steam Dreams’ ‘Cathedrals Express’ before joining the Railway Touring Company’s roster in late-June and the early part of July.

‘A4’ to precede ‘A3’ at Wansford

THE visit of Flying Scotsman to the Nene Valley Railway in September will come hot on the heels of a visit by another Gresley Pacific – No. 60009 Union of South Africa. John Cameron’s ‘Streak’ will be in service on the Peterborough line for five days starting on August 30 with a driver experience day. The next day, No. 60009 will haul the NVR’s popular ‘Jolly Fisherman’ fish and chip train, then take part in a Pacifics weekend on September 1-2 alongside ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34081 92 Squadron in a repeat of last year’s event. Union of South Africa will end its visit with another driver experience day on September 3.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 67

Steam & Heritage Track Record

Will Rocket become NRM’s star exhibit in £50m redevelopment?

Above: The redevelopment of the NRM will see The Works gallery replaced by a new hands-on attraction called Wonderlab, aimed at attracting the next generation of railway engineers. Currently, visitors can view ongoing projects in the museum’s Works workshop, such as the overhaul of ‘A4’ No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, GARY BOYDHOPE

Right: The new face of the National Railway Museum? This is how the frontage of the museum could look upon completion of the redevelopment in 2025, as the centrepiece of the York Central cultural hub. WILKINSON EYRE

GEORGE and Robert Stephenson’s Rainhill Trials-winning 0-2-2 Rocket of 1829 may be destined to become a centrepiece exhibit as part of a £50million redevelopment at the National Railway Museum in York. Proposals presented to industry professionals on January 8 in relation to the York Central cultural quarter development revealed a seven-year plan to redevelop the Leeman Road site in time for the museum’s 50th anniversary in 2025.

As well as the possible transfer of the original Rocket from the Science Museum in London, the plans outline a complete re-display and re-interpretation of the main galleries within the museum, including the replacement of the Works workshop area, with a new £5million hands-on interactive area called Wonderlab.

Unified

The two ‘halves’ of the museum on either side of Leeman

Road could be unified with the re-routing of the road and construction of a new building – the Central Gallery – connecting the Great Hall with Station Hall. The loss of The Works gallery, which allows visitors to view ongoing repairs and restorations on museum and other vehicles in a ‘live’ environment, in favour of Wonderlab, could be seen as backward step. However, the NRM claims the new interactive space “will create a wonder-filled environment where young minds

NRM APPOINTS JUDITH MCNICOL AS DIRECTOR THE National Railway Museum has appointed Judith McNicol as its new director. This is a role she has been performing in an acting capacity since the departure of the previous incumbent, Paul Kirkman, in July 2017. Ms McNicol has been based at the NRM since she joined the Science Museum Group in 2005, during which time she has held several roles, including that of director of people & culture. Her mandate will include the delivery of the redevelopment of the museum, starting with the modernisation of the Great Hall in 2019 (see main article on this page). Ms McNicol said: “It is a very special privilege to become director of the National Railway Museum. “My ambition as director is that the museum will not only inspire future engineers to be part of the rail industry – ensuring that Britain leads

New NRM director Judith McNicol. NRM

the world in railway innovation – but also that we will play a key role in the huge York Central development.”

can discover their own potential through building, testing and learning. This could include the chance to have a go at pulling a locomotive as well as exploring how fast things travel and how they move”. The Wonderlab concept has already been successfully employed at both the London Science Museum and National Science & Media Museum in Bradford, and the NRM hopes this success can be re-created in York.

Outside the museum, a new Museum Square will be created as the heart of York Central; a venue for hosting events and providing new cafe facilities. The redevelopment is set to begin in 2019, starting with a re-imagining of the Great Hall. Here, the museum plans to bring the story of railways to life through multimedia displays, while “stories about how the railways brought us fish and chips and transported the wounded in wartime, will be told through Interactive railway vehicles and thousands Wonderlab would feature of smaller objects from the more than 40 interactive exhibits, museum’s unrivalled collection”. a ‘tinkering’ workshop, live The revamped Great Hall and demonstrations, live shows and Wonderlab are set to open in experiments, and could be the 2021, and will be closed while the museum’s key to doubling its work is carried out. Construction current annual number of visiting of the Central Gallery, which will school children from 80,000. eventually showcase the latest The overhaul of the warehouse innovations from the modern rail open storage area will see in industry work, will start in 2023. excess of 12,000 objects The Government is understood re-displayed and around 1,000 to be putting £22m into the put on public display for the first project, with £10m coming from time. The museum says the new the sale of the NRM’s surplus land, open store will capture “the best a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of aspects of the popular warehouse, up to £10m, and up to £15m in but with better interpretation”. campaign funding. The plans also feature improved More details about the views over the prep bay, where proposals will be announced in visitors will be able to view the coming months. For more visiting locomotives being information visit: www.nrm.org. maintained and fuelled. uk/aboutus/futureplans.

Former ship canal loco Gothenburg sets sail for Ribble’s March gala EAST Lancashire Railway-based Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0T No. 32 Gothenburg (680/1903) will make the short journey from Bury to Preston later this month to take part in the Ribble Steam Railway’s Industrial Steam Gala.

The former Manchester Ship Canal ‘Short Tank’ will be one of four locomotives in steam during the March 24-25 event, joining the resident steam fleet on services between Preston Riverside station and Strand

68 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Road. Of these, Bagnall 0-6-0ST Courageous (2680/1942), ex-British Steel Corporation Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Linda (3931/1938), and Grant Ritchie 0-4-0ST No. 21 (272/1894) are expected to be in service.

A full timetable will feature a combination of double-headed, top-and-tailed and solo working, utilising the line’s Mk1 stock and the Furness Railway Trust’s North London Railway four-wheeler.

Ticket prices are £8 for adults, £5 for children (under 3s free), with a family ticket available for £23. Trains begin at 10.00 and more information can be found at: www.ribblesteam.org.uk

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‘S160’ begins Dartmouth duties

SIDELINES 76077 restoration begins at GWSR

CHRIS Hinton’s BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-0 No. 76077 has taken its first steps on the road to a return to steam at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s Toddington headquarters. The frames have been shot blasted and painted and are due to be sent to Locomotive Maintenance Services at Loughborough for restoration, along with the wheelsets. No. 76077 is the last of the four preserved Riddles ‘4MT’ Moguls to be restored, having been bought from Barry Scrapyard in 1987.

Extension grant from Oswestry group

OSWESTRYBASED Cambrian Heritage Railways (CHR) has been the recipient of a £120,000 grant from the town’s council towards the extension of its running line from Gas Works Bridge to Weston Wharf. The CHR hopes to have the extension open by the end of the year, taking the total length of running line up to 1¾ miles.

GREG Wilson’s Lima Locomotive Company-built ‘S160’ No. 5197 started its 2018 hire spell at the Dartmouth Steam Railway on February 7, working the

railway’s first steam services of the year three days later. The USATC 2-8-0 makes an unusual addition to the line’s traditionally GWR motive

power, covering for absentee 2-8-0Ts Nos. 4277 (at the Churnet Valley Railway) and 5239 (under overhaul at the East Somerset Railway).

No. 5197 passes Waterside Caravan Park with the 14.00 Paignton-Kingswear service on February 11. DAVID HUNT

'Clan' Hengist frames being constructed in Sheffield THE Standard Steam Locomotive Company (SSLC) has broken with tradition and employed a modern, non-railway engineering company to assemble the frames of its new-build BR ‘Clan’ Pacific No. 72010 Hengist. Other new-build schemes have used established heritage rail engineering firms or preserved railway workshops to erect their locos’ frames, but the ‘Clan’s’ frames are being put together by the Sheffield firm of CTL Seal Ltd HOLDEN ‘B12’ 4-6-0 No. 8572 ‘B1’ No. 1264 was nearing the at a cost of around £100,000. arrived at the Severn Valley end of its repaint into LNER lined In order to carry out the work Railway on February 8 ahead of black at the North Yorkshire the company has been vetted by the railway’s Spring Steam Gala on Moors Railway as we went to the Vehicle Acceptance Body to March 16-18. press, while ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado ensure the locomotive, and its At the time of writing the M&GN and the Vintage Carriages Trust’s constituent parts, comply with Society locomotive was the first Bellerophon were due to reach the all current – and foreseeable of the gala guests on site, with railway during March. – industry standards and the Great Western Society’s BR A spotless No. 8572 is pictured legislation. blue ‘King’ No. 6023 King Edward at Bridgnorth on February 17, The choice of CTL Seal II arriving from Didcot by road on whetting the appetite for an was a logical one as the firm February 22. LNER Apple Green/Teak stock has already completed the Of the other guests, Thompson combination at the gala. DAVID DEW manufacture of a number of components for the loco’s chassis, including the smokebox saddle. The SSLC has therefore agreed BLUEBELLS, or at least a Bluebell, the SVR’s steam fleet left by with CTL Seal the assembly of will be seen along the length of the recent departure of Vulcan the frames will be split into five the Spa Valley Railway during Foundry ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST stages to make the financial March – thanks to a visit by No. 72. outlay more manageable. one of the Bluebell Railway’s The ‘Austerity’ left the railway Finance is already in place popular stalwarts. in early February after almost for the first two stages, some Diminutive ex-South Eastern three years in Kent following its £40,000, plus part of the third & Chatham Railway ‘P’ class sale by James Hymas. stage cost, which is expected to 0-6-0T No. 323 Bluebell arrived Bluebell will operate services come in at £30,000. at Tunbridge Wells West on along with one of the SVR’s The total cost of building February 19 and was expected diesels on weekends until the Hengist is expected to be to enter service on the 24th. end of March prior to returning somewhere between £2.5million It temporarily fills a void in to Sheffield Park for Easter. and £3million, £750,000 of which

‘B12’ reaches Bridgnorth

Bluebell ‘P’ to visit Spa Valley

Northiam returns at Kent & East Sussex

THE Kent & East Sussex Railway’s Hunslet ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST No. 25 Northiam (3797/1953) has been undergoing trial running following the completion of its overhaul at Rolvenden in mid-January. The blue-liveried former Longmoor locomotive is expected to enter service during the spring.

‘Owsden’ tender moves to Quainton

The frames of new BR Class 6 Pacific No. 72010 Hengist taking shape at the workshops of CTL Seal in Sheffield. ALLAN JONES/SSLC

will be the boiler and £250,000 for the tender. Aside from the frames the casting of the bogie wheel centres has been completed at the Boro Foundry in Lye; other components for the front bogie are already in store. The construction of the frames marks another significant milestone for the ‘Clan’ project, which historically had been one of the slower-burning new-build schemes, and which all-but collapsed in 2011. Subsequent years have seen the small-but-dedicated SSLC team not only keep the project alive, but make engineering breakthroughs, such as having the exhaust steam manifold for No. 72010 produced by means of a sand-printed mould, as opposed to the traditional wooden-pattern method. For further information on the project and how to support it, visit the SSLC’s website at: www. theclanproject.org or e-mail info@theclanproject.org

THE Collett 4,000-gallon tender belonging to ‘Modified Hall’ No. 6984 Owsden Hall has had its restoration completed at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway. The tender has been completed in BR lined green with early crest, and was expected to leave Hayes Knoll for the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in late February, where it will be temporarily paired with classmate No. 6989 Wightwick Hall.

KWVR ‘WD’ withdrawn after tubes leakage

THE Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s War Department 2-8-0 No. 90733 has been withdrawn for overhaul earlier than expected. It had been hoped the ex-Swedish State Railways loco would be able to bow out at the line’s gala on March 7-9, but leaking tubes resulted in the loco being taken out of traffic in December.

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March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 69

Steam & Heritage Track Record

Heritage line visits mark Tornado’s 10th anniversary

PEPPERCORN ‘A1’ No. 60163 29-April 2 it will appear at the East Tornado is celebrating the 10th Lancashire Railway. anniversary of its completion with April 21-22 sees the Apple Green a string of visits to preserved lines, Pacific in action at the Midland interwoven around its busy main Railway-Butterley, and just over a line – 90mph – schedule. week later it is set to land at the The ‘A1’ was in action for running- Nene Valley Railway (May 1-13). in at the Great Central RailwayHere, No. 60163 will take part in Nottingham on February 10-11 a special ‘Tornado 10’ weekend on following winter maintenance May 5-7 alongside David Buck’s at Loughborough’s Locomotive recently overhauled Thompson ‘B1’ Maintenance Services. 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower. It was back on the main line The event will be the ‘B1’s’ first later in the month, with its next post-overhaul visit to a heritage heritage line engagement being at line, and its first appearance at its the North Yorkshire Moors Railway former NVR home for many years. from March 3-11. The last of the confirmed visits Following that is the Severn takes place on May 25-29 when ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado is carrying a Locomotive Services Limited headboard as it hauls the 125 Group’s Valley Railway Spring Gala on No. 60163 returns to the Bluebell prototype HST coaches at Stanford-upon-Soar with the 12.00 Ruddington-Loughborough service on March 16-18, and on March Railway, a line it last visited in 2014. February 11. PAUL A BIGGS

Carnforth to return ‘Lizzie’ to the main line A1SLT acquires first parts for Gresley ‘V4’ scheme

THE 6201 Society’s Stanier Pacific No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth was back on the network on February 22, albeit diesel hauled when transferred to the West Coast Railway Company’s Carnforth works. Since being withdrawn from the main line in November 2016 with weeping small boiler tubes, Princess Elizabeth has been at the Princess Royal Class

Locomotive Trust’s (PRCLT) West Shed at the Midland Railway-Butterley, awaiting the replacement of its small tubes by PRCLT. However, the premature withdrawal of PRCLT’s flagship LMS Pacific No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland in the autumn, and the subsequent decision to carry out a major repair programme on the loco, has

seen ‘Lizzie’ slip down the queue. “With no prospect of PRCLT being able to carry out any work on No. 6201 until at least July, the loco has been moved to Carnforth to be returned to main line operation,” 6201 Society chairman Clive Mojonnier told The RM. “The board decided this was in the best interests of the locomotive.”

Stanier ‘8P’ No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth is top-and-tailed by WCRC’s Class 37s Nos. 37669 and 37668 through Toton as it makes its way from the Midland Railway-Butterley to Carnforth on February 22. JOHN STORER

THE A1 Steam Locomotive Trust a pair of two-stage, single-spindle (A1SLT) has acquired the first air pumps of Finnish origin. components for its next new-build The tyres were originally built in steam locomotive – a Gresley ‘V4’ the late-1990s for the now-defunct 2-6-2 No. 3403. Gresley V4 Society, and were Plans to follow its current build acquired by Mr Buck last year in of ‘P2’ 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of a job lot of items that Malcolm Wales with a ‘V4’ were announced Barlow, founder of the Gresley at the A1SLT’s Silver Jubilee V4 Society, had salvaged from Convention in October 2015, Doncaster Works on its closure. and last September the Trust Mark Allatt, trustee of the A1SLT, confirmed it had started work said: “We want to be ready to identifying and scanning the start building our new Gresley original drawings for the ‘V4’ at the ‘V4’ as soon as our new class ‘P2’ National Railway Museum. is completed. We anticipate the Now they have gone one project costing around £2.5million step further and bought the and taking around five years, locomotive’s wheel tyres. subject to the pace of fundraising. The complete set of fully certified “Unlike the class ‘P2’, where we tyres for the ‘V4’s’ pony, Cartazzi have had to do a considerable and 5ft 8in driving wheels have amount of development work to been bought from David Buck, complete the job that Sir Nigel owner of Thompson ‘B1’ 4-6-0 Gresley started in 1934, there No. 61306 Mayflower, along with a will be very little redesign work chimney, two BR class 08 shunter needed as there were no known speedometer drive generators and problems with the ‘V4s’.”

Boiler lift for Shillingstone’s ‘Yugo’ tank THE boiler belonging to the Project 62 Group’s Yugoslavianbuilt Class 62 0-6-0T No. 30075 has been lifted from the locomotive’s frames as the next stage of its overhaul begins. The North Dorset Railway Trust’s Shillingstone station was a hive of activity on January 31 as the lift process began. The cab was removed first, after

which the boiler was lifted and placed on a low loader for the short journey to the workshops of Richard Vincent Engineering at Henstridge, Somerset, where the overhaul will be carried out. The whole process was completed within two hours. The boiler will require work to the steel inner firebox, including the replacement of sections of

thinned plate, as well as a full retube before a new 10-year ticket can be issued. While it is away Project 62 volunteers will concentrate on overhauling the loco’s frames and running gear at Shillingstone. The target is to have the loco back in steam in late-2019 or early-2020.

9466 joins West Somerset gala line-up DENNIS Howells’ Hawksworth ‘94XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 9466 has been confirmed as attending the West Somerset Railway’s Great Western Routes & Branches Gala on March 22-25. The presence of the main

line–certified pannier provides a GWR/BR(W) tank engine treble at the event, as it will be joining Severn Valley-based ‘57XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 7714 and ‘14XX’ 0-4-2T No. 1450. No. 9466 will also be the sixth

70 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

locomotive of GWR origin in action during the weekend, the other three being ‘Modified Halls’ No. 6960 Raveningham Hall, No. 6990 Witherslack Hall (from the Great Central Railway) and ‘Manor’ No. 7822 Foxcote Manor.

LNER ‘J27’ arrives at Grosmont THE North Eastern Railway ‘P3’ 0-6-0 No. 2392 (LNER ‘J27) has arrived at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where its overhaul will be completed. The North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group machine made the journey from Darlington to

Newbridge on February 15, from where it was hauled to Grosmont. No time has been wasted in making a start on the work, and by February 21 the loco’s smokebox had been removed. NYMR hope to have the ‘P3’ available for traffic at Easter. ANDREW JEFFERY

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‘B12’ and ‘Crab’ star in GCR season opener

SIDELINES 80136 to North Norfolk Railway

NORTH Yorkshire Moors Railway resident Riddles ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80136 has been confirmed as one of the guests for the North Norfolk Railway Spring Steam Gala on April 20-22. The ‘Standard Four’ will make a fine pairing with resident ‘4MT’ Mogul No. 76084, and is expected to run with the recently outshopped BR Mk1 suburban set.

Butterley hires in GCR ‘Austerity’

THE Midland RailwayButterley has hired in Roger Hibbert’s Hudswell, Clarke ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST No. 68067 from the Great Central Railway to cover the 2018 season. The 1943-built loco returned to steam following restoration last autumn. No. 68067 spent its working life with the National Coal Board at locations including Holly Bank, Littleton and Bold collieries.

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TWO ‘Big Four’ liveries provided a foil for British Railways’ dominance at the Great Central Railway’s Winter Steam Gala on January 26-28.

LNER-liveried ‘B12’ No. 8572 from the North Norfolk Railway joined East Lancashire Railway-based LMS ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 No. 13065 for the successful

three-day event, which also saw several members of the resident steam fleet in action on a variety of passenger, mineral, freight and van trains.

‘Cromwell’ to mark KWVR’s half-century BR ‘BRITANNIA’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell is set to take part in the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s (KWVR) three-day Spring Gala shortly after this issue of The RM goes on sale. The National Railway Museum’s ‘7MT’, which famously brought the curtain down on BR steam 50 years ago, will appear at the March 9-11 event to help the KWVR kick off its own 50th anniversary celebrations. It will also mark the last gala appearance by the ‘Brit’ before the expiry of its current boiler certificate later in the month. The gala ranks as one of the biggest yet for the railway, featuring three guest locomotives in total and no fewer than six in steam from the resident fleet.

West Somerset Railway-based ‘7F’ 2-8-0 No. 53808 will also feature at the event (RM Dec 2017), courtesy of the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust. The third visitor, although perhaps ‘guest’ might be a better term, will be Ian Riley’s ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 No. 44871. The Stanier 4-6-0 arrived at the KWVR last October as part of the agreement with Riley & Son for the overhaul of the railway’s own ‘5MT’ No. 45212. The deal made provision for No. 45212, or one of Mr Riley’s own ‘Black Fives’ (Nos. 45407 and 44871), to be available for KWVR traffic during selected periods. No. 44871 will remain allocated to Haworth until it resumes its own main line duties during the spring. From the home fleet come BR

‘4MT’ 4-6-0 No. 75078, Midland ‘4F’ 0-6-0 No. 43924, USATC ‘S160’ 2-8-0 No. 5820 ‘Big Jim’, Taff Vale 0-6-2T No. 85, and LNWR 0-6-2T ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054. The latter will be appearing courtesy of Bahamas Locomotive Society, which will also have its Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0T No. 1704 Nunlow in steam for the final time before it is withdrawn for overhaul. During the event the railway will be running behind-thescenes tours of the running shed and workshop at Haworth to raise funds to restore the Ivatt 2-6-2T No. 41241. The railway will be asking tour participants and guests to consider making a Gift Aided donation, usually in the region of £5, to the KWVR charity. For more information visit: www.kwvr.co.uk

The two visiting engines are seen arriving at Quorn with a double-headed service from Loughborough on January 28. GRAHAM LIGHTFOOT

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Chatham coach joins KWVR 50th party for one weekend A CARRIAGE which was part of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s reopening train on June 29, 1968 will be returned to the livery in which it performed that historic role – for one weekend only. Southern Railway Corridor Brake Third No. S3554S, built to a South Eastern & Chatham Railway design, was one of three vehicles in that inaugural train, now in the possession of the Ingrow-based Vintage Carriages Trust. At the time it carried a light shade of BR maroon following its arrival at the railway from the defunct Westerham Valley Railway scheme, but today wears BR Carmine & Cream.

However, during the railway’s 50th anniversary gala from June 24 to July 1, the ‘Chatham’ (as it is known) will lose its ‘Plum and Spilt Milk’ look and revert back to that 1968 livery for a very brief appearance before re-entering the Ingrow carriage works for overhaul. It is expected the carriage will form part of a reopening day re-run on June 29 behind Ivatt '2MT' 2-6-2T No. 41241, itself carrying the 1968 red ‘house’ livery as worn during the line’s early years. When it re-emerges the ‘Chatham’ will carry Southern Railway Malachite Green as No. 3554, a livery it has never carried before in preservation.

Sustainable heritage is topic for new three-year doctoral study THE question as to the future sustainability of heritage railways will form the subject of a doctorate by regular RM photographic contributor, Robin Coombes. Since the 1960s the UK’s preserved railways have grown considerably in both size and number, overcoming many challenges, to establish

themselves and become an important part of the UK tourism map. However, they still face numerous challenges, from changing social trends to ageing volunteers and equipment, and the new study is setting out to establish exactly what the essential ingredients are to make them sustainable in the future.

Mr Coombes is undertaking the study at the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Education and Research over the course of the next three years. Initially, the work will focus on questionnaires sent to heritage line managers and directors to identify the key factors that influence the sustainability of the heritage sector, and the current

evaluation of how strong the participants are in each of the areas identified. A follow-up survey will be put to staff and volunteers to seek validation and views from alternative perspectives. “The intention is not only to understand more about how heritage railways are governed, but to develop useful tools to

enable self-assessment of how sustainable they are and to provide a toolkit for future actions,” said Mr Coombes. The study, which is endorsed by the Heritage Railway Association and the Office of Road and Rail, was due to begin during February. For more information on how you can take part, contact Robin Coombes on 07718 809492.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 71

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SIDELINES Bellerophon in summer finale at Foxfield gala

THE Vintage Carriages Trust (VCT) is considering its plans for the overhaul of Haydock Foundry 0-6-0WT Bellerophon after its boiler certificate expires this summer. The 1874-built loco is expected to make a final public appearance at its Foxfield Railway (FR) home during the line’s summer gala on July 21-22, with the VCT in talks with the FR about how and when the overhaul will proceed. Much of the bottom end is in good order, but it is expected the loco will require re-tyring before it can return to service. The 1930s boiler may also require significant repair or even potential renewal, but no decision will be made until after the boiler is dismantled and inspected. The VCT would like to see the loco back in steam in time to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2024.

Middleton Sir Berkeley stripped for overhaul THE overhaul of Manning, Wardle ‘L’ class 0-6-0ST Sir Berkeley is underway at the Middleton Railway, with the loco now dismantled at Moor Road. The loco’s owner, the Vintage Carriages Trust, and Middleton engineers will decide upon a programme of overhaul once the boiler has been de-tubed. It is hoped to have the 1891-built back in service – in green – by 2020.

Dunlop Peckett moves to Lamport line home

THE Northampton & Lamport Railway (N&LR) has secured a steam presence for at least the next two or three seasons after obtaining the services of former Dunlop Rubber Company Peckett ‘W7’ 0-4-0ST Dunlop No. 7. The 1951-built locomotive (W/No. 2130) left its long-time home and restoration base at the Battlefield Line’s Shackerstone headquarters on February 7 in readiness to take up new duties at Pitsford & Brampton station. The Peckett’s boiler was satisfactorily inspected on February 10 and, at the time of writing, the loco was awaiting running in. It is hoped ‘No. 7’ will be available for use on the N&LR’s Easter Egg specials at the end of March. The Northamptonshire move ends more than 45 years’ association between the loco and the Battlefield

Line. After ending its career at Fort Dunlop in late 1971 it was taken to Hinckley, Leicestershire for storage until moving to Shackerstone in 1974. At the time it was reported to be in fine mechanical condition and, after the fitting of vacuum brakes and a re-tube, saw service on the line until 1982. The Brian and Richard Lambert-owned Dunlop No. 7 emerged from a lengthy and extensive restoration in late2016. However, the Battlefield Line has evolved and grown during the Peckett’s absence and the loco is now deemed too small to work the railway’s peak services. Consequently, an alternative source of employment was sought, leading to the move to the N&LR. The railway is no stranger to the products of Peckett’s Atlas Locomotive Works, ‘R4’ 0-4-0ST

Wissington heading to Beamish for three months THE M&GN Joint Railway Society’s Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0ST Wissington is venturing far beyond its East Anglia home this summer for a three-month residency at Beamish open air museum in County Durham. At the time of writing the former British Sugar Corporation (Wissington Light Railway) locomotive (1700/1938) is on hire to the Colne Valley Railway, but the plan is for it to head directly to Beamish once its loan spell comes to an end in June. Once in the North East Wissington will be contracted for around 60 steamings, which the society hopes will help pay for a

new set of wheel tyres. Wissington’s visit will also provide a reunion of sorts with another ex-Wissington Light Railway locomotive – Beamish’s own Manning, Wardle 0-6-0ST Newcastle (1532/1901). The loco worked on the WLR with Wissington from 1952 until the 1970s, and the two have not met since. However, with Wissington expected to work on Beamish’s Rowley station line and the unrestored Newcastle based in the museum’s colliery, it is unlikely the pair will actually meet, the two railway systems having no physical connection with one another.

Peckett 0-4-0ST Dunlop No. 7 arrives at the Northampton & Lamport Railway’s Pitsford & Brampton station following its move from the Battlefield Line on February 7. REECE MATHIESON

No. 2104 having been the mainstay of operations until its withdrawal in January last year. The railway is also home

to ‘B2’ 0-6-0ST Westminster (1378/1914), which is currently undergoing restoration on site by owner Nick Gilbert.

First trains for Sentinel Cynthia BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Railway Centre-based Sentinel 4wVBT No. 11 (9366/1946) made its long-awaited return to public service on February 11. The former Tottenham Gas Works locomotive, which last steamed in 1983, has been the subject of a fast-track overhaul led by Michael Patterson, who co-owns the loco with Keith Lobley. The work has included a full re-tube and the fitting of vacuum brakes, and at one stage it had been hoped to have the Sentinel in traffic by September 2014. Ultimately, No. 11, now carrying the name Cynthia, passed its steam

test in October 2017. No. 11 was built in 1945, but it was the following January before the Sentinel was delivered to Tottenham Gas Works, where it worked regularly until the early-1960s. Dieselisation resulted in it being set aside as ‘spare’, with withdrawal finally taking place in 1968. Two years later, No. 11 was brought to Quainton Road and was back in steam by mid-1971. After more than a decade in service the loco was laid aside awaiting overhaul, which did not begin for another 30 years until the loco changed hands.

DIARY March 11 Tanfield Railway (TR), Mothering Sunday Cake Train 11 Chasewater Railway, Mother’s Day 11 Elsecar Heritage Railway, Mother’s Day 17-18 TR, Great War Weekend 24-25 Ribble Steam Railway (RSR), Industrial Steam Gala 30 TR, Victorian Easter 30-31 RSR, Easter Egg Trains

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Former Tottenham Gas Works Sentinel No. 11 Cynthia sits in the Brill branch platform at Quainton Road with its first post-overhaul passenger train on February 11. ADRIAN AYLWARD

'Coals to Newcastle' event

THE Tanfield Railway’s annual Freight in February month of themed steam Sundays got underway on February 4 with its Coals to Newcastle event. The day’s passenger trains were interwoven with regular demonstration coal trains, recalling a once-familiar sight

72 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

on colliery lines across the North East. Here, Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 0-4-0ST Sir Cecil A Cochrane (7409/1948) catches the last of the evening sun as it passes Boyd’s Crossing with a return working to Marley Hill. HENRY ELLIOTT

May return for Darlington Peckett

THE Darlington Railway Preservation Society’s Peckett ‘W7 Special’ 0-4-0ST Northern Gas Board No. 1 is on target for a return to steam in May as its 10-yearly overhaul nears completion at the society’s Darlington workshops. Ex-Thompson Street Gas Works ‘No. 1’ (2142/1953) last steamed in 2016 at the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway, and has since been

undergoing a fast-track overhaul in Darlington. The boiler work has included significant renewal around the outer firebox wrapper, and has been conducted on site in Darlington by Scarborough’s North Bay Railway Engineering Services. It was expected to be completed at the end of January.

Irish News Track Record COMPILED BY

GARY BOYD-HOPE

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Downpatrick gears up for ‘450’ return

THE Downpatrick & County Down Railway (DCDR) is continuing work on its ex-Northern Ireland Railways Class 450 DEMU set No. 8458 ahead of it entering service on the railway. No. 8458 has been receiving remedial attention to make it fit for a career on a heritage line since arriving at Downpatrick in September 2014. The lengthy approvals process with the DCDR’s regulators was completed in 2017, and attention is now focused on the remaining electrical work required to run buffet equipment. All windows have now been sealed and work has started on replacing rotten foot boards. In NIR service the Class 450s worked as permanent three-car sets featuring a single power car (No. 458 Antrim Castle in the DCDR’s case), an intermediate trailer car and a driving trailer. However, owing to a lack of qualified crews, when No. 8458 enters service it will initially be propelled to Inch Abbey by a diesel using the line’s ex-NIR DBSO No. 8918 as the coupling translator. As crew training progresses and additional drivers are passed out to operate it, the unit will run under its own power. ■ The DCDR recently took delivery of a complete English Electric 4SRKT engine and generator from NIR, which will now be held as a spare for No. 8458.

BOOKING CONTACTS RPSI – Railway Preservation Society of Ireland www.steamtrainsireland.com IRRS – Irish Railway Record Society www.irrs.ie BLS – Branch Line Society www.branchline.uk

Farewell Belfast Central – hello ‘Lanyon Place’

RAIL users in Northern Ireland will soon see a new name added to the timetable after Translink announced Belfast Central station will be renamed Lanyon Place as part of a major refurbishment and modernisation. The station, which last year saw in excess of 2.6million passengers, will receive a new modern frontage to replace the current ‘blast wall’, enhancements to the ticketing area, improved retail and cafe offerings, and the provision of a new Belfast Bike dock. The new name has been

chosen to reflect the growing commercial developments of the surrounding location, the Lanyon Place area being a major hub of activity. Belfast City Council has plans to reopen the nearby Lanyon Tunnels for retail, light industrial, office and leisure use. These eight defunct tunnels, which have been out of use for more than 70 years, run below East Bridge Street and link Belfast Central with St George’s Market, the former Maysfield Leisure Centre site and Lanyon Place. Translink consulted with a

The current, somewhat utilitarian frontage at Belfast Central will give way to the new glazed ‘face’ of the re-branded Lanyon Place. CHRIS PLAYFAIR

An artist’s impression of the new frontage that will greet passengers using Northern Ireland Railways’ Lanyon Place station from September. TRANSLINK

range of local stakeholders and businesses over the name change, with opinion being Lanyon Place provided more clarity on the location of the station within the city. The new name will be phased in during the coming months, with the official name change planned for September when the redevelopment work is due to be finished. “When the work is completed it will enhance the overall passenger experience and also support the rapid regeneration of the surrounding area,” said Translink group chief executive Chris Conway.

Heritage honour for Whitehead museum THE RPSI’s £4million Whitehead Railway Museum received top honours at the annual Heritage Railway Association awards dinner in Birmingham on February 10, scooping the prestigious Manisty Award for Excellence. The ‘Manisty’ is the HRA’s most prestigious award, being presented on an occasional basis for an exceptional and outstanding contribution to railway preservation. For its 2017 awards, the HRA board made the unprecedented decision to present two Manisty Awards – one to the RPSI for Whitehead, and the other to the Swanage Railway in recognition of its achievement in returning passenger trains to Wareham from Swanage. On presenting the award to RPSI chairman Canon John McKegney, the HRA’s president, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, said: “This is recognition of the contribution made by RPSI and Whitehead Railway Museum to railway heritage in Ireland and

Keynote speaker Lord Berkeley (second left) is flanked by the RPSI’s Peter Scott (left), Canon John McKegney (right) and Robin Morton (far right) after they received the Manisty Award for Excellence at the Heritage Railway Association awards dinner on February 10. HRA

a tribute to all those volunteers who have made such a contribution over many years.” Canon McKegney said: “We are thrilled to have received a cherished Manisty Award and look forward to showing it off back at Whitehead. It is always particularly rewarding to receive recognition from a peer group. “Our museum gives us a chance to reflect the social history of railways, tell how Whitehead developed as

a railway town, and most important of all, show off some of our heritage locomotives and carriages, which would otherwise be languishing at the back of one of our sheds.” The museum opened its doors in March 2017 and provides a showcase for the RPSI’s collection of locomotives, rolling stock and artefacts. It features five galleries wrapped around the engineering workshops at Whitehead.

RAILTOURS Date March 18 April 7 May 6 10 11 12 13 14 15

Tour Name

From-To

Motive Power

Promoter

The Midlander Nenagh Branch

Dublin-Maynooth Dublin-Limerick

4 TBC

RPSI IRRS

Branchline Explorer

Dublin-Limerick

IÉ 071

RPSI

Fairview Fáilte (Positioning Move) The Second Strand Cork & Kerry Railtour (Day 1) Cork & Kerry Railtour (Day 2) Cork & Kerry Railtour (Day 3) 131 Renaissance

Dublin-Ballybrophy Whitehead-Dublin Dublin-Rosslare Dublin-Tralee Tralee-Cork-Tralee Tralee-Dublin-Whitehead Whitehead-Antrim-Bangor

IÉ 22000 85 IÉ 071 4 or 85 4 or 85 4 or 85 131

BLS RPSI RPSI RPSI RPSI RPSI RPSI

74 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

“We would also hope to attract some of the 8,000-plus employees from the surrounding offices to use public transport if they are not already doing so. “We will be working closely with our contractor to deliver this important project. The station will be completely accessible throughout the works and every effort will be made to keep disruption to a minimum during this time. “We would ask for the patience and support of our customers as we carry out this improvement work.”

New station enhancements for Portush

PORTRUSH station will benefit from the coastal town’s £17million Portrush Regeneration Programme with a refurbishment to be completed in time for the town hosting the Open golf championship next year. Translink has now received planning approval to create a ‘fit- for-purpose’ station, which will offer fully accessible waiting facilities, improved passenger information, and signage to local amenities and attractions. The station’s frontage on to Eglinton Street will be modernised and enhanced to ‘create a more prominent sense of arrival to the town as a key gateway to the Causeway Coast’. John Glass, Translink’s head of projects, said: “This is an exciting new development for the town, providing modern facilities to cater for growing passenger numbers and supporting local tourism. “We expect to have contractors on site from spring 2018, with the new station being completed ahead of the Open Championship in July 2019.”

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Steam Portfolio Track Record

Pre-season charters were in full swing during February on railways across the country. On February 20, Jon Bowers organised a charter at the Bluebell Railway featuring SECR ‘O1’ 0-6-0 No. 65, seen here with a short goods train. DAVE BOWLES

Currently enjoying an extended stay on the West Somerset Railway, ‘Manor’ 4-6-0 No. 7822 Foxcote Manor works downhill at Sampford Brett with a Steam Recreations charter on February 16. DON BISHOP

Andy Booth’s ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway ‘A’ class 0-6-0 No. 52322 was the star of the 3P20 Parcels Group charter at the East Lancashire Railway on February 12. It is seen heading through the snow at Burrs with a mixed freight. ANDREW BELL

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 75

Narrow Gauge Track Record COMPILED BY

CLIFF THOMAS

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Cash help to return Naklo to service THE South Tynedale Railway’s (STR) Chrzanow 0-6-0WTT Naklo will be overhauled following confirmation of a grant of more than £200,000 from the Power to Change Trust. The boiler was withdrawn early for overhaul after the 2010 season when a steam leak was discovered between the firebox and foundation ring. It was surveyed in early January. A decision on the scope of required work, which could be so extensive it might mean a virtually new boiler, will be made when the results are received. Work on the boiler will be contracted out, while the chassis overhaul will be undertaken in-house at Alston. The aim is to return Naklo to traffic in 2019. The Power to Change community business development programme grant towards overhauling Naklo, which has a footplate capable of accommodating four adults, will enable STR to offer footplate experiences for the first time. STR bogie carriages Nos. 2 and 3 are available for sale. One is a semi-open, the other internally converted into a buffet car; both are the carriages which were leased to Penrhyn Quarry Railway. Following the sudden closure of that line last July they were moved to Ffestiniog Railway’s Minffordd yard. Hunslet 0-4-2T Green Dragon is ready for trials over the STR line. This follows its return to Alston after work was undertaken at Statfold Barn. After running-in, Green Dragon should enter traffic this season, sharing duties with Thomas Green & Company 0-6-2ST Barber over the extended STR line to Slaggyford. STR is now looking to recruit a new general manager following the departure of Heather Palmer in November.

Surprise: Douglas goes blue for centenary

THE Talyllyn Railway (TR) marked the centenary of Andrew Barclay 0-4-0WT No. 6 Douglas (1431/1918) on February 21 by the adoption of the locomotive by the Royal Air Force Association – and unveiling it in a new RAF blue livery. No. 6 carried a TR‘standard’ green livery on arrival at Talyllyn, but for many years has been red, appearing as a Skarloey Railway character during‘Duncan Days’. It worked on the 2ft-gauge RAF railway at Calshot Spit, Southampton, between 1921-1945 (prior to re-gauging to 2ft 3in and being named), and in early 2014 appeared in lined green Airservice Constructional Corps livery for a series of photographic charters, before reverting to red. In 2016, the Talyllyn Company Board agreed in principle to repainting Douglas into a green livery, which many assumed would be for the loco’s 100th anniversary – but unveiling it in a blue livery was a big surprise. It is the only surviving ex-RAF narrow gauge steam locomotive,

Talyllyn Railway’s Barclay 0-4-0WT 1431/1918 No. 6 (a.k.a. Douglas) in its new ‘RAF’ livery crosses Dolgoch Viaduct with the11.40 departure from Wharf on February 23. BARBARA FULLER

but at that time was green with Air Ministry Works and Buildings (its owners) on its sides, never carrying an RAF roundel.

A major Talyllyn gala over June The TR’s No. 7 Tom Rolt has also 1-3 will centre on No. 6’s 100th been repainted, retaining its anniversary, with the loco likely bronze green colour, albeit with to visit other events and locations. modified lining.

Moelwyn winter tunnel works Lease progress for Hampton &

THE Ffestiniog Railway’s winter track programme included removal of track (laid in the 1970s) and 300 tonnes of spent ballast the length of new Moelwyn Tunnel. New ballast and rail was then re-laid through the length of the tunnel.

Hunslet 2-4-0STT Linda was employed to haul the ballast trains for the project. Great Laxey Mine Tramway also re-laid track through its tunnel at Laxey, the work including lowering the trackbed level to increase clearance.

Hunslet ‘gathering’ at Ffestiniog THE Ffestiniog Railway (FR) is celebrating the 125th birthdays of its Hunslet 2-4-0STTs Linda and Blanche with a June 22-24 Hunslet 125 event. This Great Little Gathering aims to produce the biggest assembly of Hunslet locomotives since the manufacturer closed. The centenary of the pair was marked in 1993 with a legendary FR Hunslet 100 event, which saw numerous visiting full-sized Hunslets supplemented by models joining the‘FR Ladies’. Whether 125 Hunslets (including models) can be assembled in June remains to be seen, but nine resident FR Hunslets will be present featuring steam (Linda, Blanche, Lilla,

Britomart and Hugh Napier) and internal combustion. Visiting locos will be announced shortly. Hunslets will run on the Welsh Highland Railway as well as the Ffestiniog line, shunting in Minffordd Yard, offering driving opportunities and historic re-enactments. Over February 10-18, FR showcased two‘Quarry Hunslet’ 0-4-0STs in the ticket hall at London’s King’s Cross station. National Trust-owned (FR-based) ex-Penrhyn Hunslet 0-4-0ST Hugh Napier and James Evans’ Launceston-based, out-of-ticket ex-Dinorwic Hunslet 0-4-0ST Velinheli represented the slate quarrying industry, which inspired construction of the FR.

Hunslet 0-4-0ST Hugh Napier pictured at London’s King’s Cross station with a Ffestiniog Railway four-wheel ‘Bug Box’ coach. Velinheli can just be seen to the right behind the coach. TIM EASTER

76 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Kempton Waterworks plan

HAMPTON & Kempton Waterworks Railway (H&KWR) has agreed a lease for the route of an extended railway with Thames Water. The lease is essential for the railway’s expansion plans – a ceremonial signing is planned for March. Extensive track laying will not follow immediately, but route clearance is likely and a few additional track lengths may be added to the short extension from the Hanworth Loop‘break out’ point (RM June 2017). H&KWR visitor numbers for 2017 were 7,400 compared with 6,700 for 2016. Income was also up, £19,546 in comparison with £17,150 in 2016. Resident steam locomotive Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST 984/1903 Darent will miss most of this

season, although withdrawal for boiler work now looks likely to be in May. The railway has been looking for a guest substitute. Metropolitan Water Board Railway Society (supporting organisation for H&KWR) member Josh Webb has started a personal project to construct a new-build Metropolitan Water Board locomotive No. 4. Sufficient drawings have been secured to begin work on the wheels and frames, with the aim of producing a rolling chassis within five-10 years. Funding is acknowledged to be an issue, the project being self-financed and not a society/railway scheme. The original line was worked by a trio of Kerr, Stuart 0-4-2Ts, named Hampton, Kempton and Sunbury.

IoM Douglas Horse Trams to retain stables through 2018 A REVISED planning application for temporary Douglas Bay Horse Tramway stables on the Summerland site (RM Dec) was approved in mid-January, but construction will not begin imminently. The Summerhill Stables will continue in use through 2018. The tramway will operate from March 29 as there is no necessity to delay opening for 2018. The RM understands Isle of Man Transport remains hopeful the Summerhill Stables may be retained in long-term tramway use. It was offered for sale by Douglas Borough Council in August 2016.

An application by a conservation group for the stables (parts of which date from 1877) to be listed on the island’s register of protected buildings is awaiting a decision by the Isle of Man’s Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture. The structure of the tramway depot at Strathallan Crescent is in a dangerous condition and Isle of Man Transport has applied for a Demolition Order for the building. The intention is to replace it with a new depot representing its pre-1937 configuration, a period before the addition of first floor offices over the tramcar depot.

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Steam trio unite to build Single Fairlie Gowrie A PROJECT to construct a near-replica of Hunslet 0-6-4T Single-Fairlie Gowrie (HE979/1908) will be formally launched at the Mainly Narrow Gauge model railway exhibition, being held at the Museum of Science and industry (MOSI) in Manchester on April 28. Steam man Alan Freebury (whose log of locos driven is about to reach 250) and well-known heritage railway figure Martyn Ashworth started development work more than two years ago aimed at constructing a new Gowrie, including securing a full set of drawings from the Hunslet Archive, held at Statfold Barn. They heard about a separate proposal from Welsh Highland enthusiast Paul Stock and contact was made, with the trio joining forces to move the project forward. A charitable trust is being formed to raise finance, run the project and own the 2ft-gauge loco, which will not be affiliated to any particular heritage railway.

Martyn has formed The Gowrie Locomotive Company Limited, which will undertake construction. The loco will be built by a volunteer team led by Martyn, which has already restored Hunslet 0-4-0ST Edward Sholto and Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0WT No. 1238. It is also in the latter stages of restoring exWDLR Hunslet 4-6-0T No. 303 (1215/1916) at a private site. Construction will be alongside restoration of Martyn’s own Avonside 0-4-0T Ogwen, which will begin when Hunslet 4-6-0T No. 303 is complete and departs the North Derbyshire premises. Graham Morris will prepare the boiler design, with prices for steel to produce the frames being obtained. Construction is expected to take four years. The original Gowrie was built in 1908 for North Wales Narrow Gauge Railway (NWNGR), which later formed part of the route of the Welsh Highland Railway. Its

Brown Bear moves to Cumbria for completion

THE rolling chassis of the Groudle Glen Railway’s (GGR) new-build Bagnall 2-4-0T Brown Bear left the Isle of Man in midJanuary. It went to Old Hall Farm Engineering, Bouth, Cumbria, where final assembly will be undertaken. The cab, water tanks and remaining components followed a few days later. The boiler, constructed by Bennett Boilers, has also been delivered to Old Hall Farm

Engineering. The plan had been to complete Brown Bear at Groudle Glen, but unexpected firebox problems discovered with the GGR’s Bagnall 2-4-0T (1484/1896) Sea Lion, necessitating dismantling and reassembly, will fully occupy GGR volunteers this winter. Moving Brown Bear to Old Hall Farm Engineering will maintain progress and avoid delaying completion of the loco, which is a replica of 1905-built Bagnall 2-4-0T Polar Bear.

name is derived from Gowrie Colquhoun Aitchison, manager and engineer of NWNGR, who became the company’s receiver and manager in January 1912. Gowrie was withdrawn and sold around 1915-1918. The last known record of it is a 1931 photograph, following which it was presumably scrapped. The original loco was the only Single-Fairlie type built by Hunslet. It reputedly did not steam well and was not considered successful. The means of dealing with various issues will be incorporated in the design of the new Gowrie. It will have the overall appearance of the original, but will be slightly larger, enabling use of a bigger firebox and boiler and improved weight distribution to aid traction. A modernised flexible steam joint that has been developed by Ffestiniog Railway for its Fairlie locomotives will be employed.

Volks Electric full line reopening March 30 VOLKS Electric Railway (VER) will reopen over its full line on March 30. The 2ft 8½in-gauge line stopped operating in September 2016 for Heritage Lottery-funded reconstruction at Aquarium and the depot at Halfway, but partially reopened to Halfway station on October 14, 2017 (RM Dec). The March 30 grand reopening is likely to see six cars available for service for the first

time in nearly 20 years, with the addition of car Nos. 4, 6 and 10. The trio have been restored by Alan Keef Ltd under the Heritage Lottery-funded project. No. 4 returned to Brighton last year and electrical equipment has been installed during the winter. No. 6 was due to return by the time this issue was published, and will be similarly fitted with control gear, while No. 10 is expected back at VER in late-March.

No new braking systems for Snaefell line in 2018 REPORTS that Snaefell Mountain Railway (SMR) trams would be fitted with a new fail-safe braking system this winter were incorrect. Isle of Man Transport has

confirmed officials visited manufacturers of braking systems in Switzerland during December. However, this related to an ongoing project (pre-dating the

August 4, 2017 SMR runaway incident at Bungalow) aimed at upgrading braking on all Isle of Man Government-owned rail systems. This project is likely to come to

fruition in around 18 months. SMR will reopen on March 29, utilising its primary and secondary braking systems with an upgraded maintenance and usage regime.

Horse tram at Laxey for 2018 MER 125th celebration ISLE of Man Railways will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Manx Electric Railway (MER) during September 1-8. Highlights include gathering a trio of in-service ‘No. 1s’ – MER No. 1, Snaefell Mountain Railway No. 1 and Douglas Bay Horse Tramway No. 1 – at Laxey station on September 2, with guided tours of Laxey and Snaefell tram sheds. The official launch back into service (following extensive restoration) of 1898-vintage MER ‘Ratchet Car’ No. 14 is scheduled for September 3. Anniversary day of the pioneering electric tramway’s 1893 opening will feature a cavalcade of MER trams running through Laxey station on September 7. Other attractions include 1893 cars Nos. 1 and 2 making a parallel run from Ramsey to Douglas, an illuminated tram and trailer, evening photography, and special workings.

SINGLE LINES ■ TALYLLYN Railway’s Hughes 0-4-2ST No. 3 Sir Haydn is rapidly approaching completion of its contracted overhaul at Vale of Rheidol Railway’s Aberystwyth works. New eccentrics and drain cocks have been made and the wheels are back under the chassis. The water tank and bunker have been repaired, with large components test assembled prior to adding pipework and painting. The boiler has passed an out-offrames steam test and work on the cladding is complete. ■ AMERTON Railway managed to run trains on December 10, but heavy snow on surrounding roads meant only 40% of booked passengers made it to the railway. Of 290 people needing to be re-booked onto other ‘Santa’ services just 20% had to receive refunds. However, Amerton Railway still managed to carry 30% more passengers than in 2016. ■ LYNTON & Barnstaple Railway Trust is completing the purchase of half a mile of trackbed near Lynton. The section runs from above Barbrook to a bridge over Dean Lane, near Dean Steep. ■ CONSTRUCTION of a workshop for Crowle Peatland Railway began in January. When complete, volunteers will start restoration of three ex-peat extraction industry locomotives. The project has been made possible through support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and North Lincolnshire Council.

‘Brigadelok’ for Tracks to Trenches MOSELEY Railway Trust has confirmed the first visiting locomotive to be signed for its July 13-15 Tracks to the Trenches event at Apedale Valley Light Railway is North Gloucestershire Railway’s Henschel ‘Brigadelok’ 0-8-0T No. 1091 (15968/1918). Further guest locomotive announcements for this major gala will follow.

DIARY March 10 NG North, Pudsey Civic Hall 24 Statfold Barn Railway, invitation open day 30-April 2 Isle of Man Railway Rush Hour event

The unprecedented sight of a Douglas Bay Horse Tramway tram at the Manx Electric Railway’s Laxey station. Tram No. 1 and appropriately named horse Douglas visited Laxey on January 29 for tests (with MER overhead switched off) in advance of the planned gathering of three Manx No. 1s on September 2 – a highlight of this year’s Manx Electric Railway 125 celebrations.ANDREW SCARFFE

April 2 Bressingham Steam Museum, everything goes 7 NG South Exhibition, Eastleigh 14 FR/WHR, ‘The Snowdonian’ train

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 77

Freight Track Record COMPILED BY

BEN JONES

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SIDELINES Hamworthy stone traffic to cease?

SOURCES in Dorset report DB Cargo’s occasional stone trains to Hamworthy Quay in Poole are likely to end in April. The contract for the stone, some of which is shipped to the Channel Islands, is about to end and the branch has no other rail traffic. The future of the line is unclear and it is possible this desirable location on Poole Harbour may succumb to housing development.

South London freight diversions

NON-EMU traffic was banned in the Up direction over a bridge at Catford in south-east London in early January, forcing the diversion of freight trains via Redhill or Herne Hill. Severe corrosion in a main girder was repaired during a series of possessions and a total closure of the line on February 11, after which the route was reopened as normal. This route is an important link for freight traffic between the Channel Tunnel, Kent, including international freight bound for Wembley Yard via the West London Line.

Cricklewood freight terminal approved BARNET Council has given its approval for a new railfreight terminal on railway land at Cricklewood, north London. The extensive site, at the south end of the Midland Main Line, close to the North Circular Road, is regarded as one of the few remaining sites in the capital suitable to handle construction traffic for the planned £4.5billion Brent Cross housing regeneration scheme. Around 7,000-8,000 new dwellings are planned for the area, and without this facility it was feared all construction materials would have to be delivered by road – further increasing congestion and pollution levels and posing additional safety risks to residents. Up to three trains each day will serve the terminal, five days a week, carrying around 1,700 tonnes of aggregates, which will be taken onto construction sites by up to 452 lorry movements per day. The facility is jointly promoted by DB Cargo and Barnet Council and has been designed to meet the latest standards for noise reduction, fencing, lighting and screening, with adaptations to the local road network to minimise adverse impacts on its neighbours. Each train into the new terminal will remove up to 85 HGVs from London’s roads, and carry enough materials to build the equivalent of 30 houses. Construction traffic has

Railfreight traffic for the construction industry is currently buoyant, with new terminals opening and additional wagons being introduced. One occasional ‘as-required’ runner is the 02.38 Merehead Quarry-Chichester Yard. Mendip Rail has a five-year contract with DB Cargo to operate a number of its trains to various locations across the south of England. On a sunny February 6, No. 59204 waits patiently at Dudman’s ‘virtual quarry’ while its bogie box wagons are unloaded by grab discharge.

JOHN VAUGHAN

been a major success story for railfreight operators in recent years, with much of the increase in traffic driven by commercial and residential development in London – 50% of the city’s aggregates are now brought in by rail. Philippa Edmunds, freight on rail manager at the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “This

planning consent sets a crucial precedent and demonstrates that local authorities should support local railfreight terminals based on the wider benefits of rail transport.” South of the River Thames, GB Railfreight is now working with Biffa and Norris Waste Management to provide a new

rail hub for non-hazardous waste soil on the Greenwich Peninsula. The facility is due to open shortly and is situated on the Angerstein Wharf branch, near Charlton. It will be the only one of its kind in London. Waste material from the area will be taken away by rail to landfill sites outside the capital.

Freight industry concern at Government diesel ban

Coal traffic for Cumbrian coast?

A SCHEME to develop a new undersea colliery off the Cumbrian coast near St Bees could bring coal traffic back to the area for the first time in many years. If approved, the £200million mine would be the first new deep coal mine in the UK for more than 30 years. The high-value coking coal would be transported by conveyor to a railhead on the Cumbrian Coast Line, for One of the few rail depots still receiving diesel fuel deliveries by distribution by rail. Up to six trains rail is Neville Hill in Leeds. On February 7, DB Cargo No. 60066 a day are planned, transporting heads the 14.05 Neville Hill-Lindsey empty tanks past a line of the coal to Redcar on Teesside for stored Class 70s and various ‘66s’ under repair at Freightliner’s export or to steel-making plants Midland Road depot. NEIL HARVEY at Scunthorpe and Port Talbot. Production is expected to start in 2020 with full production by 2023 – up to 500,000 tonnes a year is predicted over the mine’s 50-year life. Up to 80% of production is FREIGHTLINER Heavy Haul Later in the day, the ‘66’ likely to be exported. removed 36 stored HHA coal worked the 15.13 Thoresby A recent rise in the commodity hoppers from Thoresby Colliery Colliery Junction-Carlisle price of coking coal has sidings in Nottinghamshire on North Yard, continuing the encouraged investors to back February 8, ahead of the planned following day to deposit the scheme, promoted by West lifting of the track by Network Rail. its train at Barassie Yard in Cumbria Mining. No. 66568 took the wagons Ayrshire. It will use tunnels at a disused away in two batches, hauling A large number of redundant drift mine south of Whitehaven, 16 to Woodhouse Junction HHAs are stored around the and is close to the site of the Sidings, east of Sheffield, country, awaiting further use former Haig Colliery, which before returning to collect the or possible conversion for other closed in 1986. remaining 20. traffic.

FEBRUARY’S announcement by the Government it wants to remove all diesel-only trains from the UK network by 2040 poses a serious challenge to the railfreight industry, which relies heavily on diesel traction. In response, Rail Freight Group (RFG) executive director Maggie Simpson said: “Rail freight is acknowledged for its superior environmental performance, and the rail minister is right to challenge the industry on how that can be further improved. “Yet whilst battery and hydrogen may show promise for lightweight passenger trains, their application for heavy duty freight is at best unproven, and setting an arbitrary deadline of 2040 could well therefore be

counterproductive, damaging the case for investment in our sector. “Rail freight operators and customers are developing options to reduce their emissions in the short and longer term, and we would like to see Government support this through its research, investment and support programmes.” The RFG has also called for the remit of the Office for Low Emission vehicles to be extended to cover all freight modes; current grants for retro-fitting buses and other road vehicles with low-emission equipment to be extended to the railways; and continued affordable electrification of the strategic freight network.

Stored coal hoppers on the move

78 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66568 waits for departure time with 4Z41, the 15.14 to Carlisle North Yard on February 8. The HHA coal hoppers stored at Thoresby Colliery sidings have been evicted as Network Rail plans to remove the track in the near future. DEREK WILSON

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Call: 01507 529589 email: railway @mortons.co.uk

Epic GBRf charity tour aims to take electrics to Blackpool, Paddington – and Fort William!

GB RAILFREIGHT’S second four-day ‘mega-tour’ has been unveiled and will see a Class 56 Your reports and making its passenger debut over pictures are most welcome. the West Highland Line, a pair of Class 73s over the Forth Bridge, Highly competitive rates and AC electric locomotives are paid, especially if running to London Paddington exclusive to The RM. and Blackpool North. Living up to its name – ‘GBRf 2018 – Out of the Ordinary’ – the train will start from London Victoria on September 20 behind a Class 66; possibly one of the 10 recently acquired from DB Cargo. It will head for South Wales via Bristol, where a pair of Class 73/9s takes over for a run to the Celsa steelworks in Cardiff. THE Princess Royal Class Resident GBRf Class 08s will Locomotive Trust (PRCLT) is haul the train in the works yard, facing the prospect of a year providing rare traction and track. without operating any of its own The rebuilt ‘73s’ will then work tours with No. 46233 Duchess of to Didcot Chester Lane Junction, GBRf’s 2018 four-day charity railtour in September will feature the first passenger workings with AC Sutherland. where an AC electric locomotive electric locomotives into London Paddington and Blackpool North. One machine that could feature is The trust usually runs a – No. 86101, 86401 or 87002 – the AC Locomotive Group’s No. 87002 Royal Sovereign, seen heading south towards York with a private small number of tours each will take charge for the run to GBRf charter on July 14, 2012. LANGTREE PHOTOGRAPHY year, raising valuable funds for Paddington. the upkeep of its locomotives, Day 2 starts at Euston with The two Class 73/1s will haul and Carmyle will be handled by and manned by a team of GBRf in addition to those where a pair of Class 20s working it back to Preston – having an AC electric to end the day. volunteers and will raise money No. 46233 is hired to other via Bletchley and Bedford to remained on the rear of the September 23 sees the two for McMillan Cancer Support promoters. Wellingborough Yard. A Class train – before the AC electric Class 73/1s head to Paisley Canal and Headway – a charity However, No. 46233 is 66/7 will then head back south continues north via Shap and – the first diesel-hauled charter supporting people with brain currently out of action and to West Hampstead Thameslink, Beattock to Mossend Yard. on the branch since it was injuries. The team hopes to beat undergoing major repair work at where a further reversal will Early on September 22, the electrified in 2012 – top-andthe £125,000 donated from the the Midland Railway-Butterley. allow the Type 1s to take a electric will hand over to a Colas tailing with a GBRf Class 47. proceeds of the ‘GB15’ train in During a ‘fitness-to-run’ circuitous route via Dudding Class 56, which will work in Heading back to Glasgow September 2016. examination, prior to a main line Hill, Dartford, Tonbridge West tandem with one of the ‘73/1s’ Central via Polmadie Down Ticket sales start on March 30 trip scheduled for November Yard and Kensington Olympia to Fort William. The ‘ED’ will have Holding Sidings, the ‘47’ then at www.gbrfcharityrailtours. 18, a crack was discovered in to Acton Lane reception siding, the honour of working the final takes over for a scenic run south co.uk with priority being given one of No. 46233’s flue tubes. where a pair of Class 73/1s takes few hundred metres into the via the GSW to Carlisle. to those on the on the site’s Unfortunately, on further charge for a rare loco-hauled town after the removal of the A pair of Freightliner Class mailing list. Also see GBRf’s investigation, it was found 21 of run to Waterloo’s former Type 5 diesel. 86/6s will handle the next leg Facebook page for updates and the 40 flue tubes were cracked. international platforms. After a short break, the ‘56’ to Crewe, handing over to a pair information. The opportunity is being Stage 3 starts at Waterloo with will haul 12 Mk1 coaches and a of Fifty Fund Class 50s, likely to GBRf staff raised £160,000 for taken to carry out additional as-yet unspecified traction to pair of ‘73s’ over the challenging be Nos. 50007/049, for the run good causes in 2017, not just major work on the boiler to Wembley Yard, handing over to gradients of the WHL back via Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, from charity train tours, but also enable the ‘Duchess’ to obtain an AC electric for an overnight to Glasgow, running via the Bescot, Stechford, Coventry, through half-marathons, bike a new boiler certificate now, run to Blackpool North – the Hamilton Circle, Mossend and Banbury, High Wycombe, rides, netball tournaments, rather than the planned date first electric locomotive-hauled Falkirk Grahamston to Rosyth Neasden Junction, and Acton football games, dress down days, of 2021. passenger train to visit Down Loop. This will put the Wells to Hanwell. cake sales, calendar sales, and The locomotive is being the Lancashire resort. The ‘73/1s’ in position to haul the The final few miles into staff collections on away days. repainted into LMS Crimson northbound run will take in the train south over the Forth Bridge Paddington via Acton’s new The British Heart Foundation, Lake before it returns to the Crewe Independent Lines, the to Edinburgh Waverley. dive-under will be powered by The Ripple Project in Edinburgh main line hauling railtours for Helsby lines at Warrington and The next leg to Glasgow two Class 73/1s. and Woking Homes shared the Steam Dreams and the Railway Preston Down Goods Line. Central via Falkirk, Cumbernauld The train is being organised cash. Touring Company. Work is expected to complete in time for the locomotive to return to action in June/July. UK RAILTOURS is operating a Tour fares include entry to the The PRCLT also reports West special train from London to the open day, avoiding the need to Coast Railway Co’s decision annual Direct Rail Services (DRS) queue at the depot gates. to end the provision of steam open day at Crewe Gresty Bridge Fares start at £79.50 in crews to third parties because Depot on July 21. Standard Class, rising to £179 of a shortage of experienced Heading north from Euston, for First Class Dining. For more staff, limited availability of WCRC the train will be powered by one information go to website: coaching stock, increasing of the new Stadler-built Class 88 www.ukrailtours.co.uk operating costs for main line electro-diesels, arriving at Crewe UKR has also confirmed it will tours, and Network Rail’s late morning for a break of more no longer be using the ‘Northern extensive remodelling of Derby than three hours. Belle’ train for luxury day and station this summer/autumn On the return, a DRS Class 68 landcruise tours. having contributed to the will take a circular route Since the train was sold by enforced hiatus this year. via Chester, Wrexham and Belmond at the end of 2017, Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton, 100mph DRS Class 68s have Like us facebook.com/ Walsall, Sutton Park and been replaced by slower Class TheRailwayMagazine Nuneaton, before rejoining the 57s, which are not able to WCML for the return to London. maintain the required schedules A range of DRS motive power in allotted paths from London Follow us present and past, technical Euston and King’s Cross – where @railwaymagazine demonstrations, trade and the majority of UKR’s trains start. society stands and more will be All planned UKR trips with the Running ‘pan down’, DRS Class 88 No. 88001 Revolution arrives on display at the event. ‘Northern Belle’ for 2018 have at Crewe on February 10 with Pathfinder Tours’ ‘Blue Boys Ribble Follow us Gresty Bridge is a short walk been cancelled. Rouser’ tour to Preston Docks. UK Railtours plan to use an ‘88’ on therailwaymagazine from Crewe station. its trip to the DRS Crewe open day on July 21. BOB CRAGG

Duchess of Sutherland tour dates on hold

Travel UKR to Crewe open day

80 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

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The ‘Very Last British Military Train’ set for 2019 THREE countries, four steam locomotives and a journey of just over 1,000 miles from Manchester to Berlin are all part of a remarkable plan in June 2019 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The train, billed as the‘Very Last British Military Train’, will celebrate the role of the British armed forces in Germany since March 1945, a chapter in European history that will come to an end next year with the final withdrawal of British forces from the country. It will be the second and final re-creation of the famous ‘British Military Train’(the first was in May 2012), which ran from 1945 until 1990, linking Hannover and Braunschweig with West Berlin. Organised by Cold War Express, the seven-night itinerary on June 11-18 will follow the route of the long-lost ‘North Country Continental’from Manchester to Harwich on Day 1 – one of the

classic British boat trains of the conscription era – to connect with the overnight Stena ferry to Hook of Holland. With no main line trains now serving the passenger port on the Dutch side, the journey continues from Rotterdam to Utrecht and Arnhem on June 12 with ex-German Pacific No. 01 1075 or post-war 2-6-2 No. 23 023 – now owned and operated by Stoom Stichting Nederland in Rotterdam. Day 3 continues the march east in the footsteps of Field Marshall Montgomery and the 21st army, deploying more German steam for the run via Wesel, Essen and Hannover to Bergen. After three nights at the Luftwaffe barracks at Fassberg airbase, with optional trips or a day at leisure and a day of flying displays to commemorate the anniversary of the Berlin Airlift on June 15, the journey continues from Bergen to the

In May 2012, the days of the British Military Train to West Berlin were recalled when light Pacific No. 03 1010 worked two return trips from Berlin to Hannover. Temporarily fitted with Royal Engineer nameplates, the ex-Deutsche Reichsbahn locomotive pauses at the former border station of Helmstedt on May 12, 2012. BEN JONES

former German internal border crossing at Helmstedt and on to the traditional‘BMT’destination of Charlottenburg, in West Berlin. For those staying on in the German capital, a further day

of optional ‘apres train’events HQ at Zossen and the Soviet is planned, including a formal Museum in Karlshorst, plus an reception at the restored ‘End of Train’cabaret party. Reichstag building and visit to For more information and a the RAF Gatow museum, or to detailed itinerary see: former Soviet forces East German www.coldwarexpress.co.uk

BLS seeks out rare Scottish and Irish track

‘Cromwell’ embarks on farewell tours The National Collection’s roving ambassador – ‘Britannia’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell – is fast approaching the end of its boiler ticket after a decade back on the main line. On February 14, the ‘Brit’ heads along the sea wall at Shakespeare Cliff, near Dover, with a Steam Dreams’‘Valentine’s Day Special’ from Victoria to Folkestone. JAMIE SQUIBBS

THE Branch Line Society has confirmed the itinerary for its next charity railtour, supporting St John Ambulance, with a visit to freight lines south and west of Glasgow. April 28’s‘Inverclyde First Aider’will be hauled by a West Coast Railway Co Class 37, with a WCRC Class 47 or 57 assisting as required, and providing heating. The train starts from Crewe and will visit Dallam Yard and Dallam Royal Mail terminal in Warrington, Upperby Down goods, Lockerbie Up loop (Down direction), Shieldmuir Royal Mail terminal in Motherwell, Down City Union, Arkleston Down loop, the Newton-on-Ayr to Mauchline branch in the Eastbound direction, and the much sought after Kingmoor Up goods line, in full from Mossband Junction to Caldew Junction.

There will be a buffet car serving hot food, snacks and light refreshments and at-seat service in First Class. A week later, on May 6, the society’s attention switches to Ireland with a tour of some unusual lines in and around Dublin. ‘The Fairview Fáilte’(Irish for‘welcome’) will operate in conjunction with the Railway Children charity and Irish Rail. Highlights include the Nenagh branch connection at Ballybrophy, Fairview DART depot Up carriage sidings, Connolly carriage wash line, Heuston Yard, M3 Parkway headshunt (21-chain extension beyond the station), Newcomen Curve, and a wide range of loops, crossovers and wrong road routing. The train will be formed of a three-car ICR DMU and is

therefore limited to just 190 passengers. There will be an on-train raffle, with proceeds donated to the Railway Children charity, and a trolley service of drinks and light refreshments. A souvenir map, ticket and tour brochure will be provided to all participants. Bookings for both trains are now being taken at: www.branchline.uk Other forthcoming BLS fixtures for the diary include a Chiltern Railways mini-excursion on June 10, a rare track and traction event at Ketton cement works, near Stamford, on July 1, and Scunthorpe Steelworks railtour No. 16 on August 27. June 6’s‘Nosey Peaker’day tour around the north-west of England with DRS Class 37s is sold out.

‘071s’ booked for RPSI April charter In the nowobsolete freight livery, GM No. 074 pauses at Clara on the Portarlington to Athlone line during an RPSI tour from Dublin to Galway on May 16, 2014. BEN JONES

THE Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI) is operating a ‘071’-hauled train from Dublin on April 7. This charter follows the sell-out success of its diesel tours in 2017. ‘The Branchline Wanderer’ starts from Connolly station at 08.30, running via the Phoenix Park link to Kildare and on to Waterford via the Lavistown curve at Kilkenny. After a reversal, the train traverses two lines threatened with closure: Waterford to Limerick Junction and Limerick to Ballybrophy via Nenagh. From Ballybrophy, it heads south to Thurles to run round before a fast run over the Cork main line back to Dublin. Locomotive changes are planned at Waterford and Limerick, offering fans the chance to sample three of these noisy, and hugely popular, General Motors Co-Co diesels. Full details can be found at: www.steamtrainsireland.com The railtour is part of on-going fundraising for the overhaul of GM Bo-Bo No. 134. This project has received tremendous support to date and is proceeding well under the supervision of Iarnród Éireann at Inchicore Works. RPSI sources report No. 134 could be completed and ready to return to the main line by the end of this year if the restoration continues to progress at its current rate.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 81

Railtours Track Record ‘33’ and a ‘TC’ to Swanage gala GB RAILFREIGHT is working with the Swanage Railway to run an unusual main line charter bringing visitors to the heritage line’s popular May diesel gala. On May 10, Swanage’s main line-registered Class 33/0 No. D6515 will haul London Underground ‘4-TC’ No. 428 from Ealing Broadway to the Isle of Purbeck, providing an appropriate BR Southern

Region way to reach the event. After the big weekend, Michael Owen’s Nos. 20007 and 20142 will power the ‘4-TC’ back to Ealing Broadway on May 13. The trip will be No. 20007’s first main line passenger working for 16 years. Tickets are just £39.50 if obtained in advance, or £45 on the day, and are available at: www.swanagerailway.co.uk

‘Scotsman’ 2018 tour dates confirmed THE National Railway Museum has released an extensive programme of operations for No. 60103 Flying Scotsman this year. This follows news the NRM has extended its deal with Riley & Son (E) Ltd to operate and maintain the ‘A3’ for another six years. A weekend on static display at Rawtenstall at the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) on March 10-11 will be the first of several appearances at the ELR in the spring – it will also be on display over the Easter weekend and in operation at the ELR on May 12-13. ELR visitors will also be able to enjoy the ‘A3’ in action on

BOOKING CONTACTS

August 24-27 and September 5-8. Main line dates start with a one-way Railway Touring Company (RTC) trip to Scarborough on April 19, a four-day tour from King’s Cross to Scotland on May 19-22, two London-based, half-day circular tours on May 31 and June 5, and ‘The Lake Express’ on June 18-21 – all the latter trips are with Steam Dreams. RTC has the locomotive booked for ‘The Scarborough Flyer’ from the North Yorkshire resort to Ealing Broadway on June 23 and ‘The Yorkshireman’ back from West London to York a week later. July 8 sees the ‘A3’ work

‘The Waverley’ from York to Carlisle and return for RTC, while on August 4 it will haul the same company’s ‘Cumbrian Mountain Express’ from Crewe to Carlisle and back. As a special thank you for providing valuable assistance with a mechanical problem last year, No. 60103 will return to the Nene Valley Railway in Peterborough on September 29-30 and October 1. Flying Scotsman will also make an appearance later in the year at the NRM in York and at Locomotion in Shildon. The current schedule, including details of how to book tickets through tour operators Steam Dreams and

the Railway Touring Company, is available on the dedicated Flying Scotsman website: www. flyingscotsman.org.uk/events/ scotsman-on-the-tracks/. Further dates will be added to the website throughout the year, once details are confirmed. As well as day-to-day operation and maintenance, the contract with Riley & Son (E) will include a comprehensive overhaul in 2022 and plans to mark the locomotive’s centenary celebrations in 2023. Ian Riley, from Riley & Son (E) Ltd, said: “I am very pleased we have been appointed to maintain and operate Flying Scotsman for the next six years. “It will enable us to develop a

long-term plan for the care and management of this world-renowned engine. “The success is down to the skills, experience and hard work of the whole team, who have spent many hours working on the locomotive from restoration to the present day.” Nigel Dobbing, managing director of The Railway Touring Company, said: “We are delighted to have again secured the services of Flying Scotsman to haul some of our tours this year, including the first leg of our ‘Great Britain XI’ tour. “This iconic steam locomotive is always a very popular addition to our programme of daytrips within the UK.”

MARCH: STEAM RAILTOURS Date

Tour Name

From-To

Motive Power

Promoter

Cathedrals Express

Horsham-Yeovil Junction

Black 5/WCRC diesel

British Pullman

Victoria-Victoria

35028

BEL

Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express

Euston-Carlisle

86259/45690 or 45699

RTC

BEL - Belmond 0845 077 2222

BLS - Branch Line Society www.branchline.org.uk

The Red Dragon

Tyseley-Cardiff

CANCELLED

High Peak Explorer

Carnforth-Buxton

WCRC steam

RTC

NB - Northern Belle 0844 8404525

Cathedrals Express

Euston-Carlisle

86259/WCRC steam

The Midlander

Dublin-Maynooth x2

CIE 461

RPSI

Cathedrals Express

Rainham-Yeovil Junction

Black 5

Sulis & Sarum Express

Tame Bridge-Salisbury

60163

UKR

Cumbrian Coast Express

Euston-Carlisle

86259/45690 or 45699

RTC

PT – Pathﬁnder Tours 01453 835414 RTC – Railway Touring Company 01553 661500 SD – Steam Dreams 01483 209888

Cathedrals Express

Southend-Yeovil Junction

Black 5

British Pullman

Victoria-Victoria

35028

BEL

Shropshire Express

Tyseley-Chester

CANCELLED

Date 9 10 10 11 11 16 16 17 17 17 18 22 23 24-25 24 24 25 28 30

Tour Name Northern Belle Northern Belle Valley of the Witch Northern Belle British Pullman British Pullman Northern Belle Northern Belle Missing Link Portsmouth Pullman Northern Belle British Pullman British Pullman Sussex Salopian Heart of Wales Wanderer Settle & Carlisle Scotsman British Pullman British Pullman Easter Chieftain (Day 1)

UKR – UK Railtours 01438 715050 VT - Vintage Trains 0121 708 4960 0140500121 708 4960 WCRC – West Coast Railways 01524 737751

NOTES ■ Please note that advertised traction, routes, times and even tour dates can, and often do, change from the advertised details. Check with your tour promoter before travelling. The Railway Magazine cannot accept any responsibility for changes to any advertised trains. ■ Note: Tours may start and finish elsewhere.

MARCH: DIESEL & ELECTRIC RAILTOURS

82 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

From-To Birmingham-Birmingham Liverpool-Manchester Paddington-Onllwyn Derby-Sheffield Victoria-Victoria Victoria-Victoria Liverpool-Preston York-Newcastle Euston-Quainton Road Doncaster-Portsmouth Derby-Birmingham Victoria-Canterbury Victoria-Victoria Carnforth-Bognor Eastleigh-Llandrindod Spalding-Edinburgh Victoria-Folkestone Victoria-Bath Cardiff-Inverness

Motive Power DRS 57x2 DRS 57x2 Unspecified DRS 57x2 DBC 67 DBC 67 DRS 57x2 DRS 57x2 Unspecified WCRC diesel DRS 57x2 DBC 67 DBC 67 WCRC diesel DRS 37x2 WCRC diesel DBC 67 DBC 67 DRS 37x2

Promoter NB NB UKR NB BEL BEL NB NB UKR WCRC NB BEL BEL BLS PT WCRC BEL BEL PT

Classic Traction Track Record COMPILED BY

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email: classic.traction @btopenworld.com

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The RM.

SIDELINES More additions for the cab collection

CABS from Class 33 No. 33046 (East Lancashire Railway) and Class 56 No. 56128 and Class 37 No. 37670 (sent for scrap from UK RL, Leicester) are expected to join the CabYard collection at Bridgend, SouthWales in the near future.

West Somerset June gala plans

IT IS hoped up to five visiting locos will arrive by rail for the West Somerset Railway’s June 8-10 diesel gala, including ‘Peak’No. 45041 and Class 50 No. 50035 Ark Royal. A preview day on theThursday is being considered.

SpaValley‘ED’to work EMU push-pull

SPA Valley Railway’s Class 73 No. 73140 will be working at the March 10-11 diesel gala, not having featured in an event since 2015. It will run with 3-CIG EMU set No. 1497.

DIARY March 10-11 Spa Valley Railway, diesel gala 16-18 Mid-Norfolk Railway, diesel gala 17-18 Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, diesel gala 17-18 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, diesel gala 17-18 Nene Valley Railway (NVR), open weekend 23-25 Bluebell Railway, diesel gala 24 Colne Valley Railway, diesel day 24-25 Chasewater Railway, diesel gala April 3-5 Aln Valley Railway, diesel rides 6-8 NVR, diesel gala 7-8 Severn Valley Railway, open house weekend 13-15 East Lancashire Railway, Class 40s at 60 gala 14-15 Avon Valley Railway, diesel gala 14-15 Ribble Steam Railway, diesel shunter gala 21 Gwili Railway, diesel gala 21-22 LT Museum, Acton open days 28-29 Epping Ongar Railway, diesel gala

SECOND-built Brush Type 4 Class 47 No. D1501 (47402) approaches Summerseat with the East Lancashire Railway’s 12.15 HeywoodRawtenstall service on February 4. IAN DIXON

Crewe marks BR’s 70th birthday CREWE Heritage Centre commemorated the 70th anniversary of railway nationalisation (January 1, 1948) with an event on January 13. The event was organised by the Woodhead Railway Heritage Group with all proceeds going to the Woodhead Railway Museum Project. Class 87 AC electric loco No. 87035 Robert Burns was

completed at Crewe Works in 1974 for use on the West Coast Main Line, and has been preserved at Crewe since September 2005. It was repainted back into BR blue last year and is on display in the main exhibition hall, all of which is now available for use by the heritage centre following departure of the engineering workshop. Picture: STUART CHAPMAN

Ground conditions delay departures from museum

German railbus restoration nears completion at EARM

THERE were no departures of stock from the closed Electric Railway Museum, Coventry in January as weather had made the site a quagmire, unsuitable for heavy vehicles. It was hoped conditions would improve to allow further items to be removed in February/March. No EMUs are now going to North Wales and an alternative buyer has been found for 2-HAP No. 4311. This was due to be moved to his site as soon as access conditions at Coventry allowed. The 2-EPB (Class 416/1) unit No. 6307 was also earmarked for North Wales at one time, but this did not appear to be a suitable home. The Suburban Electric Railway Association (SERA) has

RAILBUS No. E79963 is reaching the latter stages of restoration at the East Anglian Railway Museum. It was once based on the North Norfolk Railway, but has not worked regularly for 15 years. No. E79963 has been largely rewired and the engine has been started successfully. Fitting out of the interior will begin soon. No. E79963 was one of five vehicles built in 1958 by the German company Waggon- und

stepped in and has taken back the vehicles it donated to the ERM in 2007. This, and the Liverpool Overhead Railway trailer and the teak-bodied City & South London Railway body, will be stored at Sellindge, Kent, in the care of SERA. Restoration of these vehicles is being planned following completion of the South Tyneside 2-EPB , which will be based on the Battlefield Line. The Class 503 set and 4-SUB unit No. 4732 are not going to Sellindge but to a site to be announced in April. The 4-SUB Association (4SA) has been formed to support the restoration of this unit, now owned by the Heritage Electric Trains Trust. See www.4sub4732.co.uk.

First MNR gala visitors confirmed THE Mid-Norfolk Railway has said there could be up to six visiting locos for its March 16-18 gala. Confirmed is a DRS Class 88 for the Saturday and Sunday only, plus Class 26 No. D5343 (26043) from

84 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. A Class 33 and a 45 are also a possibility. If Class 04 No. D2334 is returned to traffic in time it will see use on various duties over the weekend.

Maschinenbau GmbH (1268 of 1958) to a British Railways’ specification. They ran on rural branch lines including Witham to Maldon and Braintree, and would have passed the museum’s base at Chappel & Wakes Colne on trips back to Cambridge for maintenance. No. E79963’s claim to fame is it worked the last train from Saffron Walden to Audley End on September 7, 1963. Picture: STUART CHAPMAN

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk

Hope for derelict Class 27

CLASS 27 No. D5353 (27007) was collected from the Mid-Hants Railway on January 21, destined for restoration at the Caledonian Railway in Brechin, Scotland. The loco was operational on the MHR following arrival there in 1985. It suffered fire damage the next year, but ran again in 1992 until withdrawn in 2000 for overhaul. However, this was an abortive attempt and it has been deteriorating ever since. Considered as beyond restoration by some, a new owner proposed to re-engine it

with a MAN engine, originally in Class 22 No. D6332 (RM Jan 2017, p75). This idea was met with stiff opposition from enthusiasts and the scheme was abandoned. That project was not connected in any way with the proposal by the Project Class 22 Society to build a new example of Class 22 No. D6358, which is very much on going. This will use NBL/MAN power unit No. 220. For more details and information see website: www.class22newbuild.co.uk.

Former Dutch Railways NS No. 625 is similar to BR’s Class 08 and is a welcome addition to the stock of the newly opened Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway. No. 625 is seen at Cynheidre on February 17, the day being notable for an earthquake that hit the area, about an hour after this photo was taken. PICTURE: PETER NICHOLSON

Dutch ‘Gronk’ finds a home in South Wales FORMER Dutch Railways 0-6-0DE No. 625 (690) (English Electric 2122/Vulcan Foundry D312 of 1956) is on indefinite loan to the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway from RMS Locotec, and so is not regarded as preserved. It arrived at Cynheidre on January 31 and was the last loco

at Boden Rail, Washwood Heath, having been used to shunt the main locos there for departures to various locations. This followed closure of the site to make way for an HS2 depot. The L&MMR’s next open day is Easter Saturday (March 31)

The remains of Class 27 No. D5353 are eased into Station Road, Alresford on January 21 for transport to Moveright’s yard at Wishaw, Sutton Coldfield. This was the first stage of its journey to Brechin, where it arrived at the beginning of February. The fictitious identity – No. 27015 University of Wibblefroth – was carried for the journey. The engine was removed last September for transport as a separate load because the loco was considered to be too fragile to be moved complete. PICTURE: JAMIE SQUIBBS

Diesel day announced for Gwili Railway

CTMS completes Sulzer Class 27 body project CLASS 27 No. D5410 (27059) has received extensive bodywork fabrication work from Cranmore Traincare & Maintenance Services (CTMS) at Cranmore. The work has been carried out on behalf of owners Sandwell

Metropolitan Borough Council, West Midlands. It is seen in the East Somerset Railway’s tanker sidings on February 4, awaiting return to UK Rail Leasing (UK RL), Leicester for electrical repairs. Picture: PETER NICHOLSON

East Lancs reveals another new ‘Teddy Bear’ livery THE surviving Class 14s have to traffic for the ELR’s February carried a wide variety of 17-18 diesel gala in a livery not liveries, several being those carried by either class before once carried experimentally – gloss black. It is seen here at or in service by Class 52 Baron Street on February 15 ‘Westerns’. No. D9537 at the East prior to making its public debut Lancashire Railway, formerly a couple of days later. in ‘desert sand’ livery, returned PICTURE: RORY LUSHMAN

Severn Valley diesel event shaping up THE Severn Valley Railway’s May 17-19 diesel festival and mixed traction day on the 20th features an impressive line-up of visiting locos. Confirmed is Class 37 No. 37688 (D05 Preservation), which arrived from the Mid-Norfolk Railway by rail with Class 50 No. 50026 Indomitable on January 24, behind GBRf Class 66 No. 66779 Evening Star. Also attending are ‘Warship’ No. D832 Onslaught from the East Lancashire Railway, Class 47 No. 47292 and Class 56 No. 56097

from GCR(N) Ruddington, and Class 55 ‘Deltic’ No. 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier (DPS), with others expected. Main line locos due are a Class 66 and a Class 73/1 from GBRf and a Class 88 from DRS. Home fleet locos in operation will be Nos. D9551, 33108, 50031 Hood, 50035 Ark Royal, 50049 Defiance, Class 52s Nos. D1015 Western Champion, and D1062 Western Courier. Kidderminster diesel depot will be open for visits on Saturday and Sunday only.

from 11.00-16.00. Train rides are planned with the Dutch ‘Gronk’ and Mk2 buffet car No. 1206, with on-train refreshments available for the first time. Other running days will be May 28, August 27 and Christmas at Cynheidre on December 8-9.

Two ‘Gronks’ for EOR gala CLASS 08 Nos. 08738 and 08939 are the guests at the Epping Ongar Railway’s April 28-29 diesel gala, courtesy of Rolling Stock Services (RSS). The Class 08s are both ex-Euro Cargo Rail locos and still carry its distinctive grey livery. This is possibly their first passenger train operation. It is hoped a further guest loco will attend. Home fleet locos Nos. 31438, 37029 and 03170 will be in operation together with long-term visitor

Class 20 No. 8001 (20001). Class 45 No. 45132 is not yet operational, but will be on display. Brakevan rides will be provided using Class 03 No. 03170 running into Epping Forest, alternating with ‘driver for a fiver’ duties. These, and loco cab rides, also available for £5, are subject to availability and cannot be pre-booked, so the loco driver should be asked about these services at the station.

THE Gwili Railway has a diesel day on April 21 featuring the first advertised loco-hauled diesel passenger trains in preservation on the southern extension to Abergwili Junction. This event is also one of a series throughout the year celebrating the 40th anniversary of the heritage railway. An hourly, two-train timetable will be in operation, with trains crossing at Bronwydd Arms. Class 03 No. D2178 will haul one set, alternating with the railway’s three-car Class 117 DMU (Nos. W51347, W59508 and W51401). Ruston & Hornsby 88DM 4wDM No. 312433 Abigail is also expected to make a rare public appearance, working brakevan rides. Former LT ‘Routemaster’ bus No. RM 308 will provide a link to Carmarthen station, including departure from the main line station at 11.00, connecting with 1V32, the 10.51 arrival from Crewe. It will return to connect with 1W21, the 17.02 service from Carmarthen to Manchester Piccadilly. ■ Our thanks to contributors: Marcus Betts (Swanage Railway); Richard Beynon (Cab Yard/Class 22 Project); Joshua Brinsford; Ben Bucki; Phil Budd (Gwili Railway); Stuart Chapman; Graeme Gleaves (SERA); Trevor Keirl (CTMS); Dave Kew; Andy Marrison; Jamie Squibbs and Des Thomas (L&MMR)

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 85

Classic Traction Track Record ‘Warship’ for Ecclesbourne diesel gala

KWVR running weekday diesel services

EAST Lancashire Railway-based Class 42 No. D832 Onslaught is returning to Derbyshire for the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway’s March 17-18 diesel gala. This formerWestern Region loco survives today because it was used by the Railway Technical Centre, Derby following withdrawal from traffic in 1972. The‘Warship’replaces ‘Hymek’No. D7076, which became unavailable. Another guest is Class 08 No. 08704, courtesy Riviera Trains. It is believed this is the first time a Class 08 has worked atWirksworth in preservation days. Also running will be Class 31 No. 31206 and Class 33 No. 33103 Swordfish, freshly painted with a new look.

Twin ‘Peaks’ for Bluebell

THE Bluebell Railway’s annual diesel gala on March 23-25 features locos not used on the line’s passenger trains before. The locos are Peak Locomotive Company’s Class 45 No. 45041 Royal Tank Regiment and Class 46 No. D182. Also visiting will be ‘A1A’Locomotives’Class 31 No. 31271 Stratford 1840-2001. Three six-coach sets will run on all days and brakevan rides in‘Queen Mary’No. 56290 will be available at Horsted Keynes each day. A 12-coach set will run Friday and Saturday afternoons.

THE Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is now running a ‘Railcar Wednesday’ service in the ‘low’ season, using a 1960s diesel train.

The first day of operation was February 7 with German railbus No. E79964 (Waggonund Maschinenbau GmbH 1269 of 1958), which is seen running alongside the River

Through trains to run to Swanage gala and beer festival SWANAGE Railway has announced the return of the‘Purbeck Explorer’ main line charters on May 10 and 13 as part of the 13th annual diesel gala and Dorset beer festival. SR-based Class 33 No. D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN is the traction for ‘Purbeck Explorer 1’, hauling the restored London Underground 4-TC unit. It will depart Ealing Broadway at 10.40 and will call at Kensington Olympia, Clapham Junction, Woking and Basingstoke, before a

non-stop run to Swanage. Class 20 No. 20007 makes a welcome return to the main line after an absence of 16 years, partnering No. 20142 on‘Purbeck Explorer 2’, out from the railway on the Sunday afternoon. It will run from Corfe Castle, with a provisional departure time of 15.25, calling at Basingstoke, Woking, Clapham Junction, Kensington Olympia, and Ealing Broadway. The Thursday is a themed preview day with appropriate

diesel and steam services. The main three-day diesel gala sees an intensive, four-train diesel service between the main line station at Wareham through to Norden Park & Ride, Corfe Castle, Harmans Cross and Swanage. The service runs from 08.00 to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and 19.00 on Sunday. The line up, including resident locos, will be (subject to availability): Class 20s Nos. 20007 and 20142, Class 26 No. 26007, Class 33 Nos. D6515 and 33111;

Class 35‘Hymek’No. D7017, Class 50 No. 50049 Defiance, and a Class 66, courtesy of GBRf. A‘Beerex’runs on Friday and Saturday evenings with traction to be confirmed, while the 4-TC in push-pull’mode will be running with No. 33111. Tickets for the‘Purbeck Explorers’ are available in advance for £39:50, or £45 on the day (subject to availability). Bookings can be made through the Swanage Railway website at: www.swanagerailway.co.uk.

TV drama filmed at the Mid-Norfolk Railway

Diesel action at the GCR

THE Great Central Railway (GCR) has a good diesel presence this year with two galas (April 14-15 and September 7-9) and four diesel running Fridays. These dates are in addition to regular turns on service trains, particularly during the busier months, for which Nos. D123, D5185, D6535 and 37714 are rostered. Diesel Fridays provide five round trips, with a different loco on the four days working 80 miles for £17; GCR’s normal rover fare with concessions are available. March 16 is ‘Peak’ No. D123, June 8 is Class 37 No. 37714, July 13 is Class 47 No. 1705, and August 17 is provisionally Class 27 No. D5401, subject to overhaul completion. Trains leave Loughborough Central on Fridays at 12.00, 13.45, 15.15, 17.00 and 18.30.

Worth, near Damems, en route to Keighley. The service runs every Wednesday in February and March and from April 18 to May 16. Picture: BEN BUCKI

THE Mid-Norfolk Railway was recently the setting for some scenes for a dramatic six-part TV thriller The Bodyguard. Filmed over six days, ending on February 9, the scenes involved Class 47 No. 47596 Aldburgh Festival and three carriages with full body vinyl wraps for a fictitious train operating

company, G2L Intercity. The loco was renumbered 47740, a number never previously carried by a member of this class. The BBC also filmed a feature on the 70th anniversary of the beginning of British Railways at Dereham for its Inside Out (East) news programme, which aired on February 12.

OLIVe returns to Middleton following fire-damage repairs BAGULEYDREWRY inspection railbus No. DB 998901 OLIVe returned to the Middleton Railway on January 29 after a superb bodywork restoration was completed by the Vintage Carriages Trust at Ingrow West (KWVR). The work followed an arson attack in February 2016 when the vehicle suffered extensive damage.

86 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

OLIVe is seen being shunted at Ingrow by former Liverpool docks 0-6-0D No. 32 Huskisson (Hunslet 2699 of 1944), in preparation for road transport to Leeds. Owning group the EM2 Locomotive Society will now carry out restoration of the interior, returning it to passenger use. Picture: BEN BUCKI

So-called No. 47740 (47596) is seen on February 11 at Dereham, renamed Marston for the TV series made by World Productions, on behalf of the BBC. Some scenes were shot at 02.30 on February 6 in falling snow. PICTURE: ANDY MARRISON

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Trains return to Blackpool South

NORTHERN services between Preston and Blackpool South restarted on January 29 after an 11-week closure for electrification and upgrade work. Both routes to Blackpool were closed on November 11 to allow work to proceed unhindered. The line from Kirkham & Wesham to Blackpool North will remain closed until March while the remaining overhead equipment, new track, drainage and signalling equipment is installed. Trains to Blackpool South are now controlled from Network Rail’s Rail Operating Centre (ROC) in Manchester, which will eventually be responsible for controlling trains across much of north-west England. More than 11,000 metres of track has been upgraded and new signalling equipment installed, as well as masts and portals to support the new 25kV AC overhead line equipment. An hourly shuttle calling at all intermediate stations is now running between Preston and Blackpool South, while a bus link is in place between Preston and Blackpool North.

Semaphores disappear from Wherry Lines MID-FEBRUARY saw further work to modernise signalling systems and track on the ‘Wherry Lines’ routes from Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. Sixty-six new colour light LED signals, 22 power-operated points and a remote computer-based signalling control system will replace semaphore signals operated by levers. The work is part of a £68million investment in the Norfolk lines. Level crossings at Brundall, Strumpshaw and Cantley Road were closed temporarily before and during the work to bring them up to modern safety standards. The traditional crossings, worked by a crossing keeper, are being replaced by remotely controlled modern barrier types monitored by CCTV cameras. Work on the Norwich to Yarmouth and Lowestoft lines will continue until March 2019.

Britain’s busiest foot crossing eliminated on Brighton line A NEW £1.5million footbridge across the Brighton Main Line, near Salfords in Surrey, has replaced the busiest foot crossing on the Network Rail system. Dean Farm Crossing spanned four tracks and saw more than 760 trains a day, some running at up to 90mph. The new bridge was built over Christmas, craned into place on Boxing Day, and opened to the public in early February.

Simon Morgan, Network Rail’s safety director for the South East, said: “This crossing was an unacceptable risk and I’m really pleased it has closed. “I walked over the new bridge with a group of children from Salfords School on Monday and one of the girls mentioned how scary the old foot crossing used to be. So this is a huge improvement in safety for

her and for everyone in the community.” There have been a number of near misses at the site in recent years, some involving children, and NR had to increase safety patrols until the bridge could be installed. Nationally, Network Rail has closed more than 1,000 level crossings, many on busy routes in the south-east of England, and improved safety features at many more.

Teignmouth footbridge ‘returns home’ TEIGNMOUTH station footbridge returned to the Devon town in early February, writes David Hunt. The footbridge was removed in September 2017 for renovation work. The lattice structure was restored by Taziker Industrial in Horwich, where it was grit blasted, repainted and had new steelwork added. The bridge was returned as a purely steel structure, with work to install the canopy and windows being undertaken in the station car park.

£2.5million makeover for Bognor Regis GRADE II-listed Edwardian station buildings at Bognor Regis have been returned to their early-20th century splendour following a £2.5million refurbishment. Network Rail, in collaboration with Govia Thameslink Railway, the Railway Heritage Trust and Arun District Council, has restored the station forecourt and canopy, installed new windows and concourse floor, repaired brickwork, provided a new ticket office, waiting room, toilets, cafe, taxi office and

88 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

shop, as well as new passenger information systems, signage, better lighting and CCTV. Restored offices are also set to become a digital business hub with a high-speed internet connection. Lucinda Valentine, Network Rail scheme sponsor, said: “The work at Bognor is a shining example of the rail industry working in partnership with other organisations to deliver a better, more modern railway for passengers, while also

protecting railway heritage.” The work was funded by £1.85m from Network Rail’s National Stations Improvement Programme, a £100,000 grant from the RHT, and £700,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government Coastal Communities Fund. Bognor’s first station, opened in June 1864, was blown down in a gale in 1897 and then destroyed by fire two years later. The current station buildings date from 1902.

HS2 LTD is seeking bidders for more than £1.5billion of work for the new high-speed railway. The project includes track and overhead catenary system works, tunnel mechanical, electrical and ventilation systems, and lineside work. The successful bidder will become the main contractor on phases 1 and 2a of the project – between Euston, Birmingham and Crewe – with responsibility for the construction and dynamic testing ahead of the first trial runs in the mid-2020s. There is also provision in the contracts for construction at new stations and tunnels, design integration and coordination of other contractors, and the provision of engineering trains to link each site – the latter likely to provide a major boost to UK railfreight operators during the construction phase. From an initial questionnaire, HS2 Ltd will select a shortlist of preferred bidders for the contracts. Mark Thurston, HS2 Ltd chief executive, said: “We’re looking for the smartest, most cost-effective solutions that the industry has to offer through these contracts, which form part of the overall railway system for HS2. “These two essential contracts are fundamental to HS2 operating safely, reliably and efficiently for the millions of people who will use and come to depend on it.”

Better facilities at Dundee SCOTRAIL Alliance opened new-look facilities for customers at Dundee on January 31, following an investment of more than £1million. The concourse area between platforms 1 and 4 has received new flooring and lighting, plus a new ceiling, modern glazing Wand automatic doors to the platforms. A new ScotRail lounge has been built for all passengers, along with new toilets. As part of the works, a lounge is also under development for Caledonian Sleeper customers. Dundee City Council is constructing a new station building at street level, which will include a ticket office and hotel with new lifts and escalators down to platform level. The project is due to be completed in late spring, ahead of the opening of the city’s V&A Design Museum in September.

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Extended Waverley platform 12 in use THE recently extended platform 12 at Edinburgh Waverley is now in use, providing additional capacity for the longer electric trains being used on routes towards Glasgow. The work was part of a £23million package of improvements being undertaken at Waverley by Carillion to create longer platforms and extra capacity. In recent weeks, ScotRail has been running seven-car Class 380 EMU sets on Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street shuttles alongside the six-car Class 170 sets. ScotRail plans to increase these trains to eight-car formations as standard once further platform work at Queen Street is complete and enough Class 385 EMUs are available.

…and Carshalton

ScotRail EMU No. 334030 stands in the newly extended platform 12 at Edinburgh Waverley on February 1, forming the 14.07 to Milngavie via Bathgate and Glasgow Queen Street (Low Level). BEN JONES

The next stage of the Halton Curve upgrade started on February 10-11 when Network Rail started renewing track, recovering old signals and commissioning new colour-light signals and associated signalling equipment in the Frodsham area. A new signalling panel will be installed at Frodsham signalbox in place of the traditional mechanical levers, which have been used to control the train movements on the Chester to Warrington line and 1.5-mile Halton Curve since the 1900s. The £18.75m upgrade will enable a new hourly service in both directions from December 2018 between Liverpool and North Wales via Chester.

Free drinking water trial

LONDON’S Charing Cross station will be the first to receive a public water fountain as part of a Network Rail scheme to reintroduce free drinking water at all its major stations. The fountain will be installed at the end of March to encourage passengers to ‘top up’ their own water bottles and reduce the amount of plastic waste from single-use bottles.

“I want this study to look clearly at the business case and value the line could provide.” The line has been the subject of several previous studies and a long-standing, vigorous grassroots reopening campaign by SELRAP since it closed in 1970. However, reopening could allow new passenger services between east Lancashire, Skipton and Leeds, connecting towns on the route to new jobs and education opportunities. The study is due to be

SUTTON Council has approved plans for new lifts and an underpass at Carshalton station in Surrey. Network Rail will now develop the scheme in detail with a view to starting work in the autumn. Carshalton is situated on the busy Sutton loop, served by Thameslink and Southern, and serves more than one million passengers each year. Passengers with mobility issues currently need to travel to other nearby accessible stations to join rail services.

£7.25m relaying work on Cambrian Line

London Northwestern ‘Desiro’ No. 350125 stands in the new platform 8 on February 1 with a train for Birmingham New Street as construction work continues on the new platform 7. GEORGE JONES

New feasibility study into Skipton-Colne 'missing link' reopening

TRANSPORT for the North (TfN) and the Department for Transport are jointly sponsoring a new study into the feasibility of reopening the 12-mile missing link between Skipton and Colne. Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling gave his backing during a visit to Colne on February 3. He said: “This line could deliver a vital link across the Pennines to boost business and move goods between the east and west much more quickly.

Better passenger access at Mills Hill…

BETWEEN July and the end of 2018, Mills Hill station in Greater Manchester will be developed as part of a £3.1million upgrade. A new ramp and lift will be installed, with new ticket machines following shortly. Mills Hill in Middleton is used by 330,000 customers a year and is served by Arriva Northern local trains on the Manchester Victoria to Rochdale route. Funding for the improvements has been provided by the Department of Transport’s Access for All scheme.

Improvements underway as part of Merseyside project MORE than £340million is being invested by Network Rail to improve and expand the rail network on Merseyside. The most notable work is the extensive rebuilding works at Liverpool Lime Street and reopening of the Halton Curve, near Runcorn, to allow faster direct trains between North Wales and Liverpool. In early February work was continuing to insert two additional platforms into the former taxi road between the old platforms 7 and 8 at Liverpool Lime Street. The previous platform 7, currently used by Virgin Trains, will become platform 6 when the next phase of improvement works is complete.

SHORTLINES

completed later this year, supporting TfN’s ambition to improve links across the central Pennines corridor. TfN chief executive Barry White said: “We are delighted the Department for Transport has committed to exploring the possibility of reopening the railway line between Skipton and Colne. “We will now work with the department, taking note of previous work undertaken, to produce a cost and economic benefit study for reopening

the line.” He added: “This link could create a new, faster freight route across the Pennines as well as benefiting passengers with new services between Lancashire, Skipton and Leeds.” DfT has said it will explore opportunities to restore capacity lost during the 1960s and 1970s, favouring schemes that will unlock housing and economic development, ease crowded routes, meet future demand, and offer good value for money.

Gisburn tunnel's historic turrets being restored THE Grade II-listed Gisburn Jack Ryder, NR scheme Tunnel, on the Ribble Valley line, project manager, said: is being restored by Network “We’re repairing the tunnel’s Rail to make it fit for many more ornamental ‘turrets’ by decades of use. taking down sections and The tunnel was built in 1876 rebuilding them with the and features ornate castellated existing stone. We’re also portals. Its construction was repointing both portals with reputedly demanded by the local lime mortar. landowner to preserve his view “Our £100,000 upgrade will and prevent horses from being ensure this magnificent railway scared by noise from trains. structure remains safe and

retains its heritage appeal for decades to come.” The tunnel is situated on the Blackburn to Hellifield line and remains part of an important link for construction traffic from the nearby cement plant at Clitheroe. It also provides a route for diverted passenger trains and charters between Lancashire and North Yorkshire.

TRACK renewal work is underway between Newtown and Aberystwyth on the Cambrian Line in mid-Wales. The £7.25million project involves the relaying of around 6,000 metres of track over an eight-week period. Life-expired jointed track is being replaced by new continuous welded rails, resulting in a reduction in noise for those living near the railway, and a better ride for Arriva Trains Wales passengers. The work is part of a longer-term strategy to remove all remaining jointed track along the Cambrian Line.

Redevelopment at Harwich Town

GREATER Anglia is spending £500,000 to provide new LED lighting, resurfaced platforms and a new waiting shelter at Harwich Town. A dilapidated platform canopy, which is reported to be damaging the brick archways on the station building, will be dismantled and removed. It will be replaced with a new wooden shelter, providing better protection from the coastal weather.

Crouch Hill bridge closure until May

WORK to raise the A1201 road bridge over the Gospel Oak to Barking line at Crouch Hill is underway, paving the way for the completion of the much-delayed electrification scheme. The road is closed until May 1 to enable the deck to be raised, creating additional clearance underneath for 25kV AC wires to be safely energised and maintained.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 89

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AS STEAM disappears in China it appears there is more local interest than ever. In February the English language newspaper China Daily published a long feature on the Sandaoling coal mine, well known to many railway photographers as the last place anywhere in the world with significant daily steam freight operation. The China Daily report confirmed the steam locos used at the site will cease within two years as part of the Chinese government’s drive to reduce pollution from burning coal. The original plan was to use diesel locos until the mine closed completely in June 2020. However, in the short term, this gives the remaining steam locos a short reprieve as the mine owners will not bother replacing them with diesels. Two steam locos are due to be overhauled this year to keep them going until 2020. Sandaoling started producing

China’s last bastion of steam to close by 2020

No fewer than three steamhauled freights – all being led by ‘JS’ 2-8-2s – in one picture on December 27, 2017. They are at the Ba’erzhan (‘82 station’), which gives access to the loading area of the Sandaoling opencast mine. On the left, JS6224 is waiting with an empty coal train after having received a fresh load of coal in its tender. In the middle, JS8167 has just arrived from the washery in Xuanmeichang with an empty coal train. On the right, JS8190 is working hard with a loaded coal train towards Xuanmeichang. All three locos were built at Datong during the 1980s. DAVE HABRAKEN

coal in 1970, although excavation of the site began in 1962, with it once being the largest opencast coal mine in north-western China, producing more than three million tonnes of coal annually.

Preservation - Steam Locomotive Festival

Elsewhere in northern China the country’s leading newspaper the Peoples Daily reported the 11th International Steam Locomotive Tourism Festival

had been held in the north-east Chinese city of Tieling, Liaoning Province, on January 19-20. It was organsied

by the Tieling Coal Group, with more than 1,000 domestic steam locomotive enthusiasts and steam locomotive

photographers attending. Our thanks to Roger Croston and Hu Yan for information in this report.

Egyptian railways and Government unveil multi-million pound ‘vision’ EGYPTIAN National Railways (ENR) signed agreements worth $575million with US manufacturer General Electric (GE) for 100 new multi-purpose diesel-electric locos in mid-2017. The first 25 locos, which will be based on GE’s 3,200HP ES30ACi light ‘Evolution’ model, with a 12-cylinder GEVO engine, will be delivered in 2018. ENR already has 80 GE ES40ACi locomotives, which were delivered in 2009. The deal also includes a 15-year maintenance package for the new locos, plus a rehabilitation programme to get the older GE locos back running again as many are currently in Cairo with either accident damage or awaiting spare parts. ENR is still reliant on its large older fleet of 1970/80s-era Henschel-built diesel locos as both the modern GE and EMD

JT42CWRM locos (based on the UK Class 66 and delivered in 2009) suffer from low availability. In December 2017 only 12 of the 40 ENR Class 66s were serviceable for daily passenger work. The GE ES40ACi locos were originally designed for both passenger and freight use with half in blue passenger livery passed for 120kph and the other half in red/ black freight livery. However, operational experience showed the locos were not well suited at speeds above 60kph as their weight caused damage to the track. This led to them being restricted to freight use meaning the Henschel locos they should have replaced to work passenger trains were brought back into service again. The fleet of Adtranz-built locos are based on the German ‘Blue Tiger’ design but use an EMD 16-

The large fleet of Henschel-built locos dating from the 1970/80s remain in charge of many passenger trains because of the non-availability of newer locos. Henschel No. 3215, delivered to ENR in 1985, is seen with train 1902 from Luxor to Aswan on December 21 passing the village of Bayadia.

645E3 engine rather than a GE one (which the German, Pakistan and Malaysian versions have). They were delivered in the mid1990s and are largely only used for short-distance services around Cairo or shunting duties as spares shortages mean many locos are not fit for more taxing long- distance work, although some have been recently overhauled.

High speed plans

EMD Series 66 No. 2154 is seen arriving at Aswan station on December 23, 2017 under the nice array of semaphore signals. The train will continue further south to Aswan High Dam station, the most southern point on the ENR system. ALL IMAGES RICHARD GENNIS

The Egyptian government has unveiled plans for the country, including its railways, in a programme called Vision 2030, which includes new high-speed lines from Luxor to Cairo (700km, forecast to cost €6billion), Alexandria to Cairo (210km, forecast to cost €3bn) plus

The blue-liveried GEs were originally slated for passenger work, but are all now assigned to freight work. Here, No. 2424 is on a mixed freight passing the palm trees at Nagga-el-Khataba on December 21, 2017.

a 400km Luxor to Hurgarda line that would cost around €4 billion. With these high-speed lines, plus urban transport projects such as metro and light rail, the government forecasts 30% of the population would have access to public transport by 2020, and half the population by 2030. Any readers planning a visit

to Egypt to photograph the railways should be aware the current security situation means photography is regarded as a potentially criminal activity. The photographer who sent us these pictures was detained by police on several occasions on his recent visit. Our thanks to Richard Gennis for information in this item.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 91

World Track Record

Major tunnel construction projects for Buenos Aires commuter railways CONSTRUCTION has begun in the Argentine capital for new cross-city railways connecting previously isolated parts of the system. The network is around 900km, making it the biggest commuter rail system in South America, serving many suburban towns as well as the city itself. When complete a cross-shaped network of cross-city tunnels will connect six of the seven terminus stations enabling through operation from one side of the city to another. A central interchange station named Obelisco (Obelisk) – underneath the city’s main ‘9th of July’ square, with its famous monument – will enable connection between the two RER Red de Expresos Regionales lines and four metro (Subte) lines. Initially, a north-south cross-city tunnel for 1,676mm-gauge services is planned, connecting termini from Retiro to Plaza Constitución with an intermediate station at Obelisco.

West-east tunnel

Construction of this will be followed by a west-east tunnel from the Once terminus of the Sarmiento route to the Correo Central (former main post office now a major exhibition and cultural centre). Finally, a second Retiro to Plaza

Constitución tunnel is planned, parallel to the 1,676mm-gauge one, for the metre-gauge services of the former Belgrano Railway. Tendering began in 2017 for both the construction of the first tunnels and a fleet of 169 EMUs (1,500 cars) to expand the fleet to enable three-minute headways at busy times through the central area. Construction of the 16km of tunnels is expected to take around a decade. The new network will connect the routes from Retiro; the third rail-electrified Mitre route branches to Tigre and Suarez; plus the non-electrified San Martín line to Pilar (currently operated with modern Chinese diesel locos, which would be electrified at 25kV AC before the cross-city services can start) with the Roca network from Plaza Constitución, which is now almost entirely electrified following completion of electrification to the coastal city of La Plata on October 18, 2017. Despite having the name of the city the Buenos Aires terminus is one of the smaller stations in the Argentine capital, and since the 1970s has been the terminus of a series of commuter services serving the south-west of the city known as the Belgrano Sur (South) network. The station was built by French metre-gauge operator Compagnie Générale de Chemins

EMD G22CU loco No. 7744 (dating from 1980) in Trenes Argentinos livery, branded for Línea Belgrano Sur (LBS), leaves the soon-toclose Buenos Aires terminus. On the right, some of the tracks have already been lifted. In the background is one of the 27 modern Chinese (CNR Tianjin) DMUs, delivered in 2015 and used by LBS. DARIO SAIDMAN

‘Flirt’ EMUS on new Swiss-Italian line A NEW railway connecting Mendrisio in Switzerland (just north of Chiasso) and Varese in Italy opened on January 7. The railway is on the Ferrovie Nord Milano- (FNM) operated network, north of Milan. The project to connect the two networks has been planned since the 1990s and under construction since 2009. The northernmost section of the line, in Switzerland, was originally opened in June 1926 as part of the short-lived Ferrovia di Valmorea, built by private companies as an alternative route between Castellanza (to the north of Milan) and Switzerland. Italian dictator Mussolini closed the cross-border section in 1928 and it never reopened other than for a short-lived heritage operation from 1993 to 2015. Cross-border operator TILO (jointly owned by Swiss Railways [SBB]) and Italian operator Trenord operates services on the new line using dual-voltage Stadler ‘Flirt’ EMUs.

92 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

Chinese-built (CRRC Qingdao Sifang) EMU at La Plata on November 29, 2017. The overall roof – made in 1905 by Andrew Handyside and Company in Derby – has lost its glass and has not yet been repaired. Only one track is currently equipped with a high platform for the new electric trains. In mid-January the Argentine government ordered another 200 EMU vehicles of the same type to replace older 1983 vintage Toshiba-built EMUs on the Roca 1,676mmgauge network from Plaza Constitución. DARIO SAIDMAN

de Fer dans the Province of Buenos Aires, which operated services as far north as Rosario, and to several towns in the large Buenos Aires province. The station was built from wood – it was ‘temporary’ pending access to the major Plaza Constitución station – and opened on December 7, 1911. Despite being temporary it was never replaced and will close soon because the long-planned link to Plaza Constitución is being built. Construction has begun of an elevated metre-gauge line starting at Sáenz, one station west from the old terminus to Plaza Constitución. This will incorporate a new through station close to the

old Buenos Aires terminus. The future RER plan envisages a metre-gauge, cross-city tunnel to link the two currently isolated metre-gauge, diesel-operated commuter routes. Electrification of both routes will be part of the RER investment. The modern Chinese DMUs used on the Belgrano Sur network were designed for future conversion to EMU operation. In February, the Argentine government announced it will not renew the contract held by private operator Ferrovías for commuter services on the 54 km-long metre-gauge Belgrano Norte line from Retiro Belgrano station to Villa Rosa. Ferrovías had

Ferrovías EMD G22CU loco No. E704 near Munro station with a service to Retiro Belgrano Norte on September 2, 2011. KEITH FENDER

submitted proposals for a contract extension.

Concessions terminated

This decision means all the private passenger concessions awarded in the mid-1990s for services from Buenos Aires have now been terminated, or will soon be. On December 31, 2017 the concession held by private operator Metrovias for the 26km electrified Urquiza Line expired. The Government has rejected proposals from Metrovias for an extension so this line will also be re-concessioned, with Metrovias remaining as operator until July 2019. Ferrovías is owned by Buenos Aires-based Grupo Emepa, whose activities include train manufacturing/repair and railway operation. It has been operating the Belgrano Norte route since March 1994. Passenger numbers grew dramatically during the concession – in 1994, 14.8 million passengers used the route; by 2007 this was 45.7 million. Most Ferrovías services are operated with diesel locos – 20 EMD G22CUs built in the USA and Argentina between 1972-80 for former state operator Ferrocarriles Argentinos.

Iconic Santa Fe parlour cars withdrawn by Amtrak US NATIONAL passenger operator Amtrak withdrew its former Santa Fe Pacific parlour cars from passenger service in early February. The cars were used in the Los Angeles to Seattle ‘Coast Starlight’ train. The last train using them arrived in Los Angeles from Seattle on February 5. The vehicles were some of the oldest still in use with Amtrak, having been built by the Budd Company in 1956 for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) as part of an order for 73 ‘hi-level’ double-deck coaches; six lounge cars were built, with five ending up with Amtrak on its creation in 1971. The AT&SF used the new vehicles for the El Capitan all-seated (no sleepers) service between Chicago and Los Angeles. The Budd/Santa Fe hi-level design was the basis for the Superliner double-deck coaches used by Amtrak today.

The interior of a former Santa Fe parlour car while operating as part of a ‘Coast Starlight’ service on October 19, 2017. ANDREW RAPACZ

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FOCUS ON AUSTRALIA

Trans-Australian Railway celebrates centenary

EXACTLY 100 years after it opened on October 22, 1917, a ceremony was held at Port Augusta (South Australia) to commemorate the opening of the Trans-Australian Railway between Port Augusta and As a permanent reminder of the Trans-Australian Centenary a Kalgoorlie (Western Australia). monument was unveiled on Port Augusta station on October 22. It A week previously, a simpler ceremony had marked the depicts a railway fettler, a camel train and a ‘G’ class 4-6-0 hauling centenary of the physical an early style Trans Australia train. STEVE McNICOL completion of the line at Ooldea, uninhabited Nullabor Plain. junction on the Trans-Australian around 700km from Port The entire route between Railway at Tarcoola, around Augusta, on October 17, 1917, 400km north-west of Port the line opening just a week after Perth (Western Australia) and Augusta. the construction teams from east Adelaide (South Australia) was not converted to standard gauge The Pichi Richi heritage line, and west had met. until 1970 when the ‘Indian which operates a section of the The 1,711km-long line was old 1,067mm- gauge line from built as standard gauge although Pacific’ passenger service from Sydney to Perth was introduced; Port Augusta to Quorn, ran trains the lines it connected to at both between Stirling North and Port ends were then 1,067mm gauge. this still operates once a week. The standard gauge route to Augusta as part of the centenary The line includes the world’s Alice Springs, replacing the old celebrations, which also included longest continuous straight 1,067mm-gauge line from Port a display of historic motive section of railway line – a power in Port Augusta. 478km section across the almost Augusta, opened in 1980 from a

As part of the Trans-Australian Railway centenary celebrations at Port Augusta on October 22 former Commonwealth Railways (CR) 4-8-0 NM25 ran two shuttle trains from Port Augusta to Stirling North. The ‘NM’ class 4-8-0s were based on the Queensland Railways’ ‘C17’ class and were the most powerful CR steam locos used on the former 1,067mm narrow gauge. STEVE McNICOL

‘Spirit of Progress’ 80th anniversary train A SPECIAL train ran in November to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the ‘Spirit of Progress’ train that linked Melbourne and Albury (and eventually Sydney). The streamlined ‘Spirit of Progress’ express train was initially run by Victorian Railways (VR) on the 1,600mm broad gauge between Melbourne and Albury, starting in November 1937, where passengers changed to a standard gauge train – the ‘Melbourne Limited Express’ to Sydney. From 1952 onwards the VR ‘S’ class Pacific steam locos were replaced by EMD-engined diesel locos, initially ‘B’ class 1,500hp Co-Co locos, and from 1957, the single cab, but otherwise similar and more powerful 1,810hp ‘S’ class. When the line in Victoria was re-gauged to standard in 1962,

The September broad-gauge farewell train on the Sea Lake line with two ex-Victorian Railways locos T 413 (EMD G8) and H 5 (EMD G18B) seen in the Main Street of Wycheproof, on the Korong Vale to Sea Lake (formerly Mittyack) branch line, on September 16, 2017. DARREN WOOD

Murray Basin gauge-change project nears completion SINCE 2015, Victoria State rail infrastructure manager V/Line has been leading a programme of gauge conversion for the network of mostly freight lines that serve the Murray Basin region north and west of Melbourne. In total, 1,130km of route will be converted to standard gauge, or in the case of the Maryborough-Ballarat-Geelong route equipped as dual (1,600mm/1,435mm-gauge) track. Almost all of the upgraded track will be designed for 21-tonne axle loads (an increase from the current maximum 19 tonnes). The aim of the project, which is costing A$440 million, is to enhance access to the ports of Geelong and Portland, improving transport times for freight and through use of standard gauge track, enabling freight operators from other parts of Australia to compete for the first time. Four lines north of

Maryborough are being converted; ■ Maryborough - Mildura/Yelta ■ Dunolly - Manangatang ■ Korong Vale - Sea Lake ■ Ouyen - Murrayville The mothballed 87km, 1,435mm-gauge line from Maryborough line to Ararat was rebuilt during 2017 as part of the programme and reopened in January for driver training. There are no plans to introduce standard-gauge passenger services on any of the routes, although regional politicians have discussed this as a future option. Railfans have operated a series of broad-gauge farewell trains on the routes to be converted to standard gauge. Charter company 707 Operations has run three three-day tours with sleeping cars to Murrayville in July 2017, to Sea Lake in midSeptember, and a final trip to Manangatang in mid-December.

EMD loco hauls Australia Day ‘Kiama Picnic Train’ THE popular ‘Kiama Picnic Train’ ran for the first time in 2018 on Australia Day, January 26. Privately preserved New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) 421 class (EMD model AJ16C) locomotive No. 42103 was used to haul the train of seven vehicles. The loco is one of 10 1,800HP Co-Co diesels built by

Clyde Engineering for New South Wales Government Railways in1965/66, with EMD 16-567B engines. Following rail privatisation the majority ended up with freight operators, most recently with Aurizon. All but four locos have now been scrapped, with another two preserved.

Setting sun: The return Ballarat to Seymour ‘Spirit of Progress’ 80th anniversary train is seen on the Albion to Jacana freight line on November 25, 2017 with loco Nos. B 74 and S 303 – both of which worked the original ‘Spirit of Progress’ service. DARREN WOOD

enabling through operation from Melbourne to Sydney for the first time, the locos used bogies with 1435mm-gauge axles. The ‘Spirit of Progress’ train

declined in importance during the 1960s/70s, and ended altogether in 1986, although by this time the XPT train (based on the BR HST) was operating Melbourne to Sydney services.

No. 42103 at Sydney Central station prior to the 10.07 departure with the ‘Kiama Picnic Train’. For most of the year, the service is hauled by steam locos, but in the warmer summer months, diesels substitute. DARREN WOOD

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 93

Metro Track Record COMPILED BY

PAUL BICKERDYKE

Call: 01507 529589 email: railway@ mortons.co.uk

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The RM.

Met Line extension cancelled because of funding shortfall

THE long-running saga over the Metropolitan Line extension to Watford Junction took a new turn in January when the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said there would be no more Government money available

to plug a major funding gap. Initial work on the extension, which would see the Met Line’s Watford branch diverted to connect with the main Network Rail station, was stopped in June 2017 when Transport for London

said another £73million would be responsibility in 2015 – making needed to finish the project on it liable for any subsequent rises top of the original £284m budget. in cost. The extension was originally Cancellation of the project known as the Croxley Rail means the Department for Link, and run by Hertfordshire Transport will need its 2015 grant County Council, but TfL took over of £110m to be repaid.

Stored ‘T69’ fleet sold THE bulk of the former Midland Metro‘T69’tram fleet has been sold for scrap, although two are set for a new life in preservation. A fleet of 16‘T69s’entered service with Midland Metro in 1999, but they were replaced by 21 CAF-built‘Urbos 3’trams from 2013-2015. The operator retained one‘T69’ for engineering duties, but the rest were sent for store at Long Marston, Warwickshire. Now 13 have been sold for £12,000 via an online auction organised by Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority. Tram No. 7, however, has been donated to industry body UK Tram, while No. 11 has been donated to Birmingham Museum. No. 11 was repainted into retro Birmingham Corporation livery in 2013 to mark 60 years since the city’s original tram network closed, and it also carries the name Theresa Stewart. Coun Stewart was Birmingham City Council’s first female leader from 1993-1999, when she played a leading role in obtaining Government approval for the Midland Metro line.

NEW SPONSOR FOR EDINBURGH TRAM: The bulk (17) of the 27-strong Edinburgh Tram fleet carries advertising liveries for Scottish window firm CR Smith, but tram No. 271 now carries vinyls promoting Qatar Airways. The tram debuted on January 28, and is seen arriving at Ingliston Park and Ride on February 7. IAN LOTHIAN

OUTING FOR LU’S TRU: London Underground’s Track Recording Unit (TRU) approaches a red signal at Roding Valley station on a misty January 9, working the T776 Hainault Depot to Ruislip Depot via Woodford, Epping and along the Central Line to Ealing Broadway. Driving cars Nos. L133 and L132 are sandwiching track recording car No. TRC666. The TRU is formed of withdrawn 1960s Tube Stock. SIMON POOLE

Docklands

Fewer services to improve reliability LR in station SHEFFIELD Supertram introduced a new timetable on January 28 that is designed to make the service more reliable. Trams will now run every 12 minutes instead of every 10 minutes during the

METROLINK CAPACITY BOOST: January 28 saw more trams running through the centre of Manchester, with those from Manchester Airport to DeansgateCastlefield now travelling through to Victoria, while services from MediaCityUK

day, although the higher frequency will be retained during peak times. Supertram said it had worked with South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive to create timetables that take

to Piccadilly have been extended to Etihad Campus. Both of these journeys use the original route through the city centre, with the only service currently using the Second City Crossing being that between East

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into account passenger comments and reflect changes in traffic over the last 15 years. Other changes include an earlier start than before, and a more consistent ‘minutespast-the-hour’ timetable.

Didsbury and Rochdale. The airport services terminate at the new turnback platform at Victoria, which has been brought into regular use for the first time. The platform is pictured with tram No. 3073 present on February 23. GREG MAPE

‘adoption’ plan LONDON’S Docklands Light Railway (DLR) has launched an Adopt-a-Station initiative, which is designed to help communities, schools and businesses make the most of their local station. The idea will be trialled at Poplar, and will offer space at the station to publicise events, classes and workshops taking place in the local area, as well as art and activities for many organisations and individuals, including local schools and gardeners. The aim is to improve the station environment and make it a more attractive and pleasant place to travel through. Mark Davis, interim general manager of the DLR, said:“The scheme will enable the local area to create a social and engaging hub at the heart of the community. “I would encourage as many groups, schools and local businesses to take up this opportunity to bring their own personal touch to their local station.” Station adoptees must be a member of a group and join ACoRP, the Association of Community Rail Partnerships.

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Miniature Track Record COMPILED BY

PETER NICHOLSON Call: 01507 529589

email: classic.traction @btopenworld.com

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Two new railways near Newbury

A 10¼in-gauge line has been running for the past two seasons at the 4 Kingdoms Adventure Park in Headley, Hampshire, south of Newbury. The loco is American-style 4-4-0 No. 3 General Shirley (KJ Hemingway 1972), acquired from theThurleigh Farm Railway, Bedford, which closed in 2015. There is an admission fee to the park, but enthusiasts can visit the park without children. For more details see www.4-kingdoms.co.uk. Another new railway being installed near Newbury is a 7¼in-gauge track at Burghclere Sports Club.This project has gained much local support and is expected to encourage more people to become involved with the sports club and its grounds. The goal is to have 250m of track laid and operating for family day on May 28. Funds for the railway are being raised through the Good Exchange website, with 11% of the £23,000 target raised by mid-February. It will be single track, with a token system for running in both directions. Several members own locos, but to involve youngsters in the village a petrol or battery-powered loco kit will be bought for the local secondary school to construct as a project. More details at www. burghcleresportsclub.co.uk.

Moors Valley to mark Tinkerbell’s 50th birthday

IT IS 50 years since Roger Marsh built the original minimum gauge railways Type ‘F’ 0-4-2T Tinkerbell and the 7¼in-gauge Moors Valley Railway in Dorset will be holding a special celebratory event over the weekend of September 22-23. Tinkerbell was a landmark design being a sit-in narrow gauge steam loco for the 7¼in gauge. It was not until November 1975 a batch of five such locos were ordered, and completed in 1978. Gurkha, Sir Robert, Susan Jane and Adam went to private lines while Talos was delivered to the original Echills Wood Railway in Warwickshire in the July. A large number of similar locos have since been completed by many different builders, some similar in

appearance, while others have used the same basic design and layout, but have been modified with some completed as tender locos, and even Fairlies. Tinkerbell was bought by Jim Haylock in April 1978 and is now MVR No. 4, with Talos being MVR No. 3. Most of the extensive MVR fleet, although of greatly differing appearance, has been based on the Tinkerbell design. It is hoped all five original 1978 locos will be present at the September event and joined by at least 15 other visitors, working passenger and freight trains. Other MVR enthusiast events are the railway open weekend on March 17-18; visiting locos weekend May 5-6; and the grand summer gala on June 10-11.

Roger Marsh’s classic Tinkerbell design is being celebrated with a 50th anniversary gala at the Moors Valley Railway on September 22-23. The MVR’s two original ‘Tinkerbells’ are seen at a previous event with Tinkerbell leading Talos, one of the production batch built by Roger Marsh & Co Ltd, Britannia Works, Hinckley in 1978. PETER NICHOLSON

Eastleigh recalls the SB&CR EASTLEIGH Lakeside Steam Railway (ESLR) in Hampshire is holding a special event on June 16-17 to mark the 80th anniversary of the opening of the legendary Surrey Border & Camberley Railway (SB&CR), and the locos built by HCS Bullock. A similar event was staged in June 2013, and again provides the largest collection of locos of this famed 1930s loco builder. The 10¼in-gauge SB&CR ran from Farnborough Green, near Frimley, Hampshire to Camberley, Surrey, and was about two miles in length, including sections of double track. It closed soon after war was declared in 1939. The company passed into receivership with track and stock sold and dispersed.

ESLR’s owner Clive Upton has gathered together five Bullock-built 4-6-2s, including SB&CR locos, some of which are on loan. They will be joined for the event by ex-SB&CR 0-6-0 No. 3007 Firefly, visiting from Kerr’s Miniature Railway in Arbroath, Scotland. John Kerr is also the owner of No. 2005, currently based on the ESLR. Operational resident 4-6-2s are Nos. 1001 Monarch, 1002 The Empress, 2005 Silver Jubilee and 2006 Edward VIII. No. 1003 Western Queen is undergoing restoration; this exSB&CR loco arrived from long-term storage in Cornwall in 2016 and will be on display. Other ESLR events are the

No. 2006 Edward VIII – a 4-6-2 completed in 1936 and believed to have been builder HCS Bullock’s favourite – is now back in its ‘native’ Hampshire after changing hands several times. With five of his other locos, Edward VIII will be starring at the ELSR’s June 16-17 gala, exactly 80 years after delivery to the SB&CR. PETER NICHOLSON

diesel gala on March 24, the summer gala on July 22, the big engines visiting weekend August 11-12, and the little engines visiting weekend

on September 22-23. Those wishing to visit with a loco, including the diesel gala, should email elr@steamtrain. co.uk.

‘Muizenburg Flyer’ loaned to South Shields railway THE 9½in-gauge Lakeshore Railroad (LRR) has a little-known 4-6-2 visiting for this season. The‘Muizenburg Flyer’is being hired by the South Shields Marine Park railway in Tyne & Wear from the private Brightwalton Light Railway (BLR) in Newbury, Berkshire. It was built by Baxter’s of Pietermaritzburg,

South Africa in 1956 for use on a seaside line in Scotborough, Pretoria. The Pacific worked on a couple of other South African railways before being bought for the BLR and brought to the UK. The LRR runs every weekend throughout the year and during school holidays. Picture: NEVILLE WHALER

KNOW YOUR LINES: No. 58 VANSTONE WOODLAND RAILWAY Gauge: 10¼in Location: Vanstone Park Garden Centre, Hitchin Road (B656), Codicote, Hertfordshire SG4 8TH OS ref. TL 213200 Tel. 01438 820 412 (garden centre) Operator: Scenic Railways Ltd (Stuart Madgin) Website: www.vanstonerailway. co.uk Email: stationmaster@ vanstonerailway.co.uk Running days: weekends and bank holidays, 11.00-17.00. Closes at dusk in winter.

THE line opened in spring 1986 and runs through the garden centre’s woodland area for 560 yards. The station is served by a branch off the circuit, with trains propelled from the station onto the loop, then running forward around the loop and back into the station. A frequent service operates, with trains running as required. Motive power comprises a comprehensive collection of ‘Meteor’ class 2-4w-2 petrol and diesel locos built in the late-1960 and 70s for various railways then operated by publisher Ian Allan. The VWR operator also runs the railway at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, with locos sometimes moving from one line to the other.

96 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

A passenger’s view of Meteor V (Shepperton Metal Products,1970) heading around the balloon loop at Vanstone on August 12. This is one of 10 such locos built, and is much-travelled, having worked at several different railways before joining the current collection. It was the only one fitted from new with a petrol engine. PETER NICHOLSON

china the very last chance? Can you remember the early years of the 21st Century, when we would regularly fly to China, and travel – often by overnight train – to the far reaches of Inner Mongolia, to freeze our extremities off waiting for “QJ” 2-10-2’s on the Jingpeng Pass, or at Ba ta , or perhaps Tiefa for the passenger trains – with the most stunning smoke effects from the engines in the still winter air, not to mention the sounds, so effectively captured on video! (Although not yet HD, nor yet 4K, because we didn’t have it then!) But now we do…… Sadly all of that has gone – but with one exception – Sandoling mine at Hami, near to Urumqi in the extreme north-west of China. Here, a fleet of 9 powerful “JS” 2-8-2’s (a change from the formerly common, and much lighter, “SY’s”) pound noisily out of the pit at Sandoling, where operations are expected to last until at least the end of 2018 - the last chance to see final real steam in any numbers, in action anywhere in the world. r itt e i t re ie e i i e isit t t e i xi narrow gauge railway, now more of a (Chinese) tourist attraction than a real working railway, but we will ensure that our special train(s) will use such of the r i st s is i et s r rite i e Mrs. Lou, pictured ri t, and who has worked with us for many years, will ensure, as always, that our primary objectives are fulfilled as far as operational factors, weather, etc. will permit. If you miss this chance, there may never be another, and you will be kicking yourself for a very long time to come.

Sandoling mine and Shibanxi narrow gauge – 9th –18th October, 2018; 10 days incl. return ﬂights from London £2,695. Details and bookings Enthusiast Holidays, 144-146, Forest Hill Road, LONDON SE23 3QR Tel. 020 8699 3654 or 0871 700 7722 info@enthusiasthols.com

or visit http://railenthusiastsholidays.com/package/china-the-last-chance/

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 97

Traction & Stock Track Record COMPILED BY

CHRIS MILNER

Call: 01507 529589 email: cmilner @mortons.co.uk

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly competitive rates are paid, especially if exclusive to The RM.

More cycle space plans for some ScotRail trains

OPTIONS of redesigning the cycle storage area on ScotRail Class 158s that already work to Wick, Thurso and the Kyle of Lochalsh are under consideration. Cycle storage areas are also planned for the West Highland route. The re-think stems from concerns raised by cycling groups that the six spaces per train on the West Highland Line is insufficient, and there is also concern over space when the refurbished HST sets take over on services connecting seven of Scotland’s major cities. Consultants AECOM, working for the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership, are looking at options, one of which could include retaining Class 156s and having a dedicated cycle/luggage vehicle.

SIDELINES Euston sleeper rescued at Tring

FAILURE of hired-in Class 90 No. 90045 on the Euston to Glasgow/Edinburgh sleeper at Tring on February 10 saw No. 87002 brought from Wembley for the rescue. The ‘87’ hauled the train through to Glasgow, arriving at 12.13, 295 minutes late.

Preservation sale for Class 314?

SCOTRAIL’S Class 314 fleet is expected to be withdrawn by the end of 2018, and owner Angel Trains has not ruled out the possibility of one unit being sold for preservation.

Two DRS 37s stored

DRS has stood down Nos. 37606 and 37609 following an increase of Class 68 availability. This leaves just two of the Class 37/5 sub-class in service – 37602 and 37605.

‘Fish bowl’ vision on ScotRail Class 385 delays unit start and cascade

VISIBILITY problems stemming from the curved windscreen in the driver’s cab of the new-build Class 385 EMUs is the latest stumbling block to hit the replacement for the Class 170s DMUs on the flagship Glasgow Queen St to Edinburgh route. An issue of seeing double signals has been found during testing of the trains over the Glasgow to Paisley Gilmour St route at night. As a result, introduction of the units, planned for March, has been deferred until the May timetable change in the hope a solution can be found. The fleet of 24 four-car and 46 three-car sets, built by Hitachi, is costing £370million, and is being introduced by ScotRail on busy electrified routes. However, delays with the electrification of the route, unit construction and delivery, which has impacted driver training, has meant the introduction of the class to service is a around year late. The windscreen issue, raised by rail union Aslef, is the latest setback. Aslef’s organiser in Scotland Kevin Lindsay said: “The windscreen is curved and, at night, is making drivers see two

signals. It’s like looking through a fish bowl all the time.” He added ScotRail is working with Hitachi to find a solution, but the union won’t let the trains enter service. “I have advised the company that if this problem is not resolved to our satisfaction then we will inform our members that the trains are not safe to drive in the dark,” he said. The union has called on Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport in the Scottish Government, to ensure new trains are fit for purpose. It is very likely the delay will have a knock-on effect on complex cascades of other units. ScotRail has now introduced a small number of Class 380s on New Class 385 No. 385104 arrives at Prestonpans on February 16 the Edinburgh to Glasgow route during a crew-training run from Dunbar to Edinburgh Waverley. to replace Class 170s, as the With no tannoy announcements, the pause at the station caused intention was the 385s would some confusion for passengers awaiting the following North replace the 170s. Berwick to Edinburgh service. IAN LOTHIAN Wider introduction of the Class 385s were intended to Fife routes move to the West eight Class 158s and 16 Class replace the Class 380s that Highland line once platform 170s. would replace the 30-year-old clearance issues have been Some peak trains have been Class 314 on Glasgow suburban resolved. running with fewer carriages services, which are due to be ScotRail is expected to release – because of contractual withdrawn by December. 10 Class 156s, 8 Class 158s and agreements to return units to The cascade will also see 16 Class 170s, of which Northern leasing companies – which has Class 158s from Central and is to take on five Class 156s, angered passengers.

Ex-DB 66s in GB colours THREE of the 10 Class 66s that DB Cargo has sold to GB Railfreight have been repainted and renumbered at Eastleigh Works by Arlington Fleet GB Railfreight Class 66 No. 66782 passes through Uttoxeter on January 30 with a Stoke-on-Trent to Derby route-learning duty, as part of driver training for East Midlands trains. SIMON POOLE

Services. No. 66016 has had its identity changed to No. 66781 and No. 66046 to No. 66782, while the latest repaint is to No. 66081, which has become No. 66788. Next in line is No. 66250, the last built for EWS, which will gain the identity of No. 66789. Other changes are: 66008 to 66780, 66058 to 66783, 66081 to 66784, 66132 to 66785, 66141 to 66786, and 66184 to 66787.

Class 92 reaches Croatia By Keith Fender

DB Class 92 No. 92005 recently left Romania, where it had been used for freight traffic, and has arrived in Zagreb, Croatia. It is now numbered as 472 005 and registered to DB Schenker Rail Romania (DBSR). The loco has been leased by DB to freight-forwarding company Transagent špedicija to operate freight traffic from the port of Bakar, near Rijeka.

Croatia and neighbouring countries Hungary and Serbia have 25kV AC overhead power, which the Class 92 also uses. Formerly named Mozart, the loco retains its DB livery, but has been fitted with a snowplough at either end to meet local Croatian standards; the route from Zagreb to Bakar/Rijeka passes over high mountains, where snow and ice are common in winter. Test runs to gain approval for use took place in January.

This Class 92 is now numbered 472 005 (ex-UK No. 92005) and is seen at the main Croatian Railways (HŽ) depot in Zagreb on December 13, fitted with its new snowplough. HŽ electric loco No. 1141 202 (in the new HŽ Cargo livery) can be seen on the right. TOMA BACIC

Vivarail battery train ready for summer passenger tests A TWO-CAR former London Underground‘D’stock unit – No. 230002, converted by Vivarail at Long Marston to run on battery power – will be tested this summer on a passenger route. The batteries fit on a raft that

98 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

replaces the space used by the genset in unit 230001, with four batteries to each train (two per carriage). The batteries produce 106kW and can be given a top-up charge during a layover at its destination,

ideally an eight-minute duration, either using a pantograph, third rail pick-up gear or a static plug-in charger, similar to an electric car. Set No. 230002 has passed the necessary approvals for passenger use and is going

through a series of final tests. Its use is envisaged on the Bedford to Bletchley line, with graphic designer Sam Jessup (see p28) having been commissioned by West Midlands Railway to create a livery for the unit.

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InterCity brand is back on Scottish HST power cars By Ben Jones

ABELLIO has revived the famous InterCity brand to promote its new HST services between Scotland’s seven largest cities. The InterCity brand was introduced by British Rail in the mid-1960s. Permission has been gained from the Department for Transport, which holds the rights to the name, meaning ScotRail Alliance has started to apply ‘Inter7City’ branding to its refurbished high-speed trains ahead of their May introduction between Edinburgh/Glasgow, Inverness and Aberdeen. The first two reliveried power cars – Nos. 43033/148 – were released from Wabtec Brush in Loughborough on February 13, working north to begin crew training from Haymarket depot in Edinburgh. ScotRail is receiving 54 ex-GWR power cars to power 27 short-formation (2+4 or 2+5) HSTs, which are replacing Class 158 and 170 DMUs, and transforming its most important internal inter-city services. Refurbishment and modernisation of the Mk3 trailer cars is running slightly behind schedule at Wabtec’s Doncaster Works, but the first complete sets are due to be introduced on the Edinburgh to Aberdeen route in May. The remaining sets

will be phased in by December. ScotRail Alliance managing director Alex Hynes has called the HSTs “a game changer” and is confident the improved offering will help the operator to win more of Scotland’s lucrative tourist traffic. Internally, the Mk3s are being re-seated to increase seat pitch, reintroduce more tables, and ensure more seats line up with the windows. The coaches will also have power-operated sliding doors and controlled emission toilets.

Above: Crew training on a 2+4 HST formation for ScotRail drivers continues, and No. 43179 is pictured leading 43126 past Cockairnie, between Aberdour and Dalgety Bay, with the 12.24 Dundee-Haymarket working on February 9. IAN LOTHIAN Right: Fresh from overhaul at Wabtec Brush in Loughborough, ScotRail’s first reliveried power cars – Nos. 43033 and 43148 – pause at Dunbar on the last leg of their northbound journey to Craigentinny depot in Edinburgh on February 13. D RIVER

First Class 365s sent for secure storage in East Anglia THE first two Class 365 ‘Networker’ express units have moved to storage in Papworth Sidings, Ely. Another pair were expected to join them by the end of February. On February 15, debranded unit Nos. 365501 and 365505 were hauled by Rail Operations Group from Hornsey to Ely, using DRS Class 57 No. 57301. Class 365s were built in 1995 and were the mainstay of Great Northern suburban operations from London King’s Cross to Peterborough. A number of units still in service have been noted as having lost their branding, and it is understood 21 of the 40 units in service (365526 was written off in the Potters Bar accident) are destined for storage.

DRS Class 57 No. 57301 Goliath, hired in by Rail Operations Group, uses its tightlock coupling facility to haul unit Nos. 365501 and 365505 through Shepreth on February 15 with the Hornsey to Ely stock move. TOBY RADZISZEWSKI

Between 2013 and 2016 the sets were refurbished at Ilford Depot. One outside possibility is use on third rail. As the ‘365s’ are dual-voltage units, but have never carried third rail shoes and a pantograph at the same time, 16 units (365501-516) did work for Network SouthEast on third rail from 1996, and were later taken on by Connex South East and its successor before transfer to the West Anglia Great Northern franchise in 2004.

The 365s are owned by Eversholt Leasing and are being replaced by Class 700 EMUs as part of expanding Thameslink operations, with journeys from

Peterborough to destinations south of London now possible using the new connection through Canal Tunnel Junction to St Pancras International.

Siemens opens bogie centre TRAIN manufacturer Siemens is creating a bogie service centre for its British trains. The development will create 40 skilled jobs by the end of 2019. The company says £8million will be invested at its Lincoln site, with work on the centre already underway. Its creation will aims to provide predictable and high-quality train maintenance, and also reduce the time trains are out of traffic for bogie repairs or overhauls. Bogies from Eurostar ‘Velaro e320’ and a range of ‘Desiro’ trains will be overhauled at the site, which will be operational by June. The first job for the centre will be overhaul of the Eurostar ‘e320’ bogies.

Railtour farewell

‘37’ hauls train after 18-year gap plan for ‘Pacers’

DRS Class 37 No. 37407 is back in passenger service. Here, it rattles the roof rafters as it leaves Norwich on February 22, the 14.55 to Lowestoft. JAMES HAMILTON

DRSOWNED Class 37 has hauled its first passenger train after a gap of 18 years. EE Type 3 No. 37407 has undergone an extensive overhaul at Loram, Derby, that has taken more than two years. The Class 37 was withdrawn by EWS in late-March 2000, with its last passenger working being a Rhymney to Cardiff working on February 5, 2000. It was bought by DRS from the

preservation movement three years ago. During that time, the loco was stored between 2008 and 2015 at the Churnet Valley Railway, Staffordshire. The loco had a test run to Crewe on February 8 with No. 37422, and then ran light engine to Norfolk, where on February 19, No. 37407 worked the 08.36 Norwich-Yarmouth train, its first passenger duty since the Cardiff Valleys working.

By Keith Fender

NORTHERN has given initial indications it is planning a suitable farewell for the ‘Pacers’, with special farewell trains operated probably in late-2019. The entire Northern fleet of Class 142 and 144 ‘Pacer’ units will have been replaced by 2019/20 with either new Class 195 DMUs or Class 15X DMUs, cascaded from other franchises.

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 99

Traction & Stock Track Record

Ex-Grand Central HST named after Nottingham fire heroes

EAST Midlands Trains has named one of six power cars transferred from Grand Central in tribute to the support and response from the emergency services when Nottingham station caught fire on January 5. Power car No. 43467 carries a slightly modified version of the East Midlands Trains

livery and was named Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service and the British Transport Police at a ceremony on February 12. The power car carries one name on each side, thought to be the only power car to do so.

Previously, Class 47 No. 47847 carried different nameplates with Railway World Magazine on one side and Brian Morrison on the other. East Midlands Trains managing director Jake Kelly said the decision was a unanimous one, adding repairs caused by

On its maiden journey after the naming, there’s a wave from the crew as No. 43467, with 43043 at the rear, work the 15.32 Nottingham-St Pancras past Harrowden Junction. All six of the acquired power cars are buffered. They were converted in 1987 to work as surrogate Mk4 DVTs because of late delivery, and have never reverted to their original style. RICHARD GENNIS

WAGON REPORT NACCO UK has taken delivery of a fleet of new IIA bogie covered hoppers. Polish firm Wagony Swidnica, a subsidiary of Greenbrier Europe, has built 41 wagons –IIA-F Nos. 81 70 0659 001-9 to 041-5 – to carry high-purity silica sand from Sibelco’s quarry at Middleton Towers, near King’s Lynn, to glassworks at Goole, on Humberside, and Barnby Dun/ Monk Bretton, in South Yorkshire. Trials have also taken place to a site at Ince & Elton in Cheshire. Maximum payload is about 70 tonnes and gross weight 101.6 tonnes, while overall length is 15.19metres. Axiom Rail LN25 low noise, low track-force bogies are fitted, allowing a top speed of 60mph laden and 75mph empty. A European wagon code of Tanpps is applied, indicating the hoppers are built to the Great Britain structure gauge and suitable for use through the Channel Tunnel. A second new fleet of 50 wagons, also for Nacco UK, has been constructed in Romania by Astra Rail Industries (ARI), JMA bogie box wagons Nos. 81

the fire were progressing. Grand Central also transferred 18 HST trailers to East Midlands Trains. ■ A 33-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of arson at Nottingham station. She has been released under investigation while police enquiries continue.

Coun Brian Grocock, chairman of the Nottinghamshire Fire Authority; Paul Crowther, Chief Constable BTP; and Jake Kelly, managing director of EMT, after the naming of power car No. 43467. JOHN WHITEHOUSE

by S F Lappage 70 5500 454-0 to 503-4. GB Railfreight is leasing and operating both new fleets. Direct Rail Services parent company the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has ordered 24 FNA-D nuclear flask carriers from W H Davis, Langwith Junction, for delivery in 2018/19. They will operate from power stations to Sellafield reprocessing plant, replacing current stock. Already in service are new generation FNA-D wagons built by W H Davis – Nos. 11 70 9229 001-6/ 002-4/003-2/0040/005-7/ 006-5/007-3/0081/009-9/ 010-7/012-3/013-1/ 014-9/015-6 and 016-4. New Loram railgrinder set Nos. DR 79501-507 also carries UIC/ERA identities Nos. 99 70 9427 046-6/ 047-4/048-2/0490/ 050-8/051-6/052-4. Additions to ‘Chunnel’ freight shuttle stock have been HGV carrier wagons Nos. 4001-096, HGV loading wagons Nos. 4801-806/851853. Construction of these vehicles has been carried out in Germany by Waggonbau Niesky. Also noted working

100 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

through the Channel Tunnel are IFA flats, built to the continental structure gauge, therefore limited to operation along HS1 to Ripple Lane. Wagons recorded include Nos. 37 80 4961 009-0/266-6/270-8/ 271-6/279-9/285-6/289-8/ 327-6/333-4/334-2/338-3/ 339-1/343-3/345-8/353-2/ 3565/642-8/690-7/697-2/736-8. Additions to the internal user fleet at the Celsa (UK) steelworks in Cardiff are former YQA ‘Parr’ departmental bogie flats Nos. DC 967512/518/552/554/573/622. PCA cement tank wagon No. BCC 10860 passing though Walsall on February 6. S F LAPPAGE Private owner wagons deleted from rolling stock library Nos. 100010/015/071, OBA 650/693/843/873, FJA records are PGA hoppers ‘Bass’ opens Nos. 110082/124/ ‘Tench’ bogie dropside open Nos. VTG 14346/350/351/ 216/323/376/455/ No. 621913, ZQB ventilated 362/367/372/377, JHA bogie 526/552/635/648/ ferry vans Nos. DB 786933/951, aggregate hoppers Nos. ELC 696/701/751/758, VKA Nos. DB 787011/106/148/340, 17502/504/ 506/508/510, long wheelbase van BWA hooded steel coil carrier Nos. MAR 17701/708/ 711/713/ No. 210566, MHA ‘Coalfish’ No. 910440, YQA ‘Parr’ railflats 729/731, TTA petroleum tanks opens No. 353934, Nos. DC 967526/577, YGB Nos. VTG 37263, Nos. VTG Nos. 394152/154/192, MEA ‘Seacow’ bogie ballast hoppers 53749/750/ 752-755/771/774, box opens Nos. 391154/225/ Nos. DB 980024/051/ 063/07 Nos. VTG 60687/868-873/ 277/358/397/481/513/649/6 9/084/087/090/093/119/130 876/877, PKA twin-set carflats 58/662/665/679, MTA opens /140/156/183/188/195, YGH Nos. RLS 92338/339/342/343. Nos. 395031/128/328/405, RRA ‘Sealion’ ballast hopper No. DB DB Cargo UK disposals runners Nos. 400010/037, SPA 982771, YWA ‘Salmon’ bogie have been: OAA ‘Squid’ opens plate flats Nos. 460072/437/ rail wagon No. DB 996518.

Traction Portfolio Track Record

A pair of unidentified Class 68s in silhouette as they cross the River Mite at Ravenglass on February 1 with the 17.23 Sellafield-Crewe working of three empty nuclear flasks. TOM MCATEE

GB Railfreight Class 73 No. 73965 leads 73962 past Lydd Town on February 9 with a Dollands Moor-DungenessDollands Moor infrastructure test train. CHRIS LIVINGS

Class 47 No. 47501Craftsman passes Wellington (Shropshire) with a Crewe to Bescot working on February 5, with No. 47805 on the rear. The move is part of crew training for Locomotive Services Limited operations, which will include railrours. BRAD JOYCE

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 101

Stock Update Track Record COMPILED BY

ASHLEY BUTLIN

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DEPOT CODES GCTL Grand Central non-operational coaching stock

LOCOMOTIVES Allocations 37227 HQ/MBDL re-registered 37407 XHSS-XHAC 47812 SROG-GROG 60011 TO/WCAT-WQ/WQAA 60040 WQ/WQAA-TO/WCAT 60065 TO/WCAT-WQ/WQAA 60074 TO/WCAT-WQ/WQAA 66002 WBAT-WBAE 66003 WBAT-WBAE 66012 WBAT-WBAE 66027 WBAT-WBAE 66087 WBAT-WBAE 66115 WBAT-WBAE 66954 LD/DFIN-FD/DHLT 67022 WAAC-WAWC 68029 XHVE-XHTP 70002 FD/DHLT-LD/DFGI 70007 LD/DFGI-FD/DHLT 90020 CE/WEDC-WQ/WQAA 90028 WEAC-WEDC 90036 WQ/WQAA-CE/WEDC 98128 reinstated HQ/MBDL Liveries BR green: 20007 Caledonian sleeper: 47727 Colas: 56051 DB Cargo red: 66035, 66165 DRS blue: 68020/22 East Midland Trains: 43467 GBRf: 66781 GBRf + charity vinyls: 66782 ScotRail Intercity: 43033, 43148 + Belmond British Pullman vinyls: 67021/24 + FL recruitment vinyls: 66524 Vinyls removed: 43037, 43126/35/79 Renumbered 66016 – 66781 Named 08451 Longsight TMD 08790 M.A.Smith 37800 Cassiopeia 43467 Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue/British Transport Police Nottingham 66035 Resourceful Names removed 37198 Chief Engineer 43012 Exeter Panel Signal Box 21st Anniversary 2009 43423 Valenta 1972-2010 47727 Rebecca 67004 Cairn Gorm 92020 Milton Sold Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: 37227 For Sale 20304/08/09

Europhoenix Class 37 No. 37601 Perseus hauls ‘Elizabeth Line’ Class 345 No. 345022 from testing at Old Dalby to Crewe carriage sidings for main line testing on February 2. The move is operated by the Rail Operations Group, with the train passing Hargrave, near Burtonupon-Trent. PAUL A BIGGS

Stored/stopped locations Barrow Hill: 47727 Crewe ETD: 90020 Eastleigh Works: 66058, 66238/50 Gresty Bridge: 68020/22/26 Leeds Midland Road: 70007 Leicester: 56312 Loram, Derby: 37198 Nottingham Eastcroft: 37418, 37521, 50017/50, 56049/51/87/90 Toton: 60011/65/74 Weardale Railway: 31601 Exported FL Poland: 66594 Modification Dellnar Couplers fitted: 73968, 92038 Operational 37407, 47812, 60040, 66008/81, 66132/41/84, 70002, 90036 Disposals EMR Kingsbury: Arrival date: January 18: 08913

MULTIPLE UNITS Allocations 150101/23/29 PM/EFHQ-NH/ EDHQ 166207/09/11 RG-PM 321403 HE/ETHQ-IL/EBHQ 345003/24/29 newly delivered ZI/EXHQ 374033/34 newly delivered TI/ GVEL 385014/15/16 newly delivered HQ/HAHQ 385122/23/24 newly delivered HQ/HAHQ 700049/51 newly delivered TB/ ETHQ 707021/22 newly delivered WD/ HYHQ 710258 newly delivered HQ/ EKHQ

102 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

800032/34/35 newly delivered NP/EFHQ Liveries Arriva Trains Wales: 150259 Eurostar revised: 373221/22 Greater Anglia: 170207, 317884 GWR green: 150265, 158952, 165119/21 Northern Rail revised: 150144, 150211, 156479, 158757, 319361/62/63, 319450 ‘Pendolino’ revised: 390011/13 Renatus: 321308 SET blue: 375824/25, 375923, 377523 South Western Railway: 159003, 442419 Vinyls removed: 390040 Named 158854 The Station Volunteer Names removed 156490 Captain James Cook Master Mariner 159003 Templecombe 321312 Southend-on-Sea 321313 Universify of Essex 373001/02 Tread Lightly/Voyage Vert 390011 City of Litchfield 390013 Virgin Spirit 390020 Virgin Cavalier Renumbered 150978 – 150278

Formations 150217: 52217+57217 150278: 52278+57278 Stored/stopped locations Bournemouth: 442406/10 Dollands Moor: 700103/05/07/18 Eastleigh Works: 442419 Temple Mills: 373001/02 Operational 350264 387160 700050/52 700127/29/32/33/34/38/44 707016/17/18/19/20 800026/27/28 Disposals EMR Kingsbury: Arrival date: January 21: 373009/10

HAULED COACHING STOCK Allocations 10212/29 HQ-CP 11017/18/48 HQ-CP 12011/78 HQ-CP 12122/33/38 HQ-CP 15001/02/03 newly delivered HQ/ESHQ 15101/03 newly delivered HQ/ ESHQ

15201/02 newly delivered HQ/ ESHQ 15301/02/03/07/08/09/10/12/ 13/15 newly delivered HQ/ESHQ 44065/89 HT/ECXX-HQ/GCTL 44088 off registration Liveries Blue/grey: 9507 Caledonian Sleeper: 15001/02/03, 15101/03, 15201/02, 15301/02/03/07/08/0 9/10/12/13/15 GWR green: 42008 Formations HA01: 43132+42207+42047+ 44015+40207+43021 HA02: 43126+42035+42033+ 44011+40210+43179 HA03: 43037+42208+42209+ 44066+40204+43135 For sale 6354/55/58/59 Stored/stopped locations Crewe Heritage Centre: 16204 Disposals EMR Kingsbury: Cut no date: 94499 Operational 40204/10, 42033/35, 42208/09, 44011/66 The closure of Washwood Heath depot has seen locos relocated to Eastcroft, near Nottingham station, where Colas Rail Class 56 No. 56302 PECO The Railway Modeller and No. 56105 await their next duties. BARRY DUFFIN

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk COMPILED BY

ASHLEY BUTLIN

DB Cargo No. 67015 accelerates away from Frodsham and past Godscroft Lane with 1D34, the 09.50 Manchester Piccadilly-Holyhead on February 12. TERRY AYRES

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CLASS 91 No. 91102 City of York was observed at Doncaster on January 2 travelling in reverse mode with the Class 91 on the London end. Also noted at 18.50 northbound was Class 91 No. 91131 with a full rake, plus DVT and Class 91 No. 91113 dead on the rear of the train. The ‘Thunderbird’was Royal Train Class 67 No. 67006, with GWR IET No. 800302 heading northbound through platform 1 at 17.40. ON SATURDAY, January 13 the 07.10 Leeds-Aberdeen was operated by hired-in EMT power cars Nos. 43061 and 43075. THE 10.00 King’s Cross-Aberdeen arrived in Edinburgh Waverley 65 minutes late on Wednesday, January 10. The reason is thought to have been a delay on a southbound train carrying crew for the 10.00 hours service, meaning the crew were unable to take over the train to depart on time. The train finally arrived in Aberdeen 69 minutes late. ON JANUARY 9-10 the King Edward Bridge at Newcastle was closed for repairs, resulting in services being diverted via the High Level Bridge. As a consequence, services north of Newcastle ran in reverse formation. However, a further manoeuvre at some point resulted in the 07.52 and 09.52 services from Aberdeen to King’s Cross departing Aberdeen in correct formation (i.e. with First Class coaches leading at the south end of the train on January 10). ‘AZUMA’ Class 800 No. 800101 worked a test run from Doncaster to Edinburgh Waverley on January 30. PASSENGERS using the 05.26 Stirling-King’s Cross on February 5 suffered serious delays and a diversion via Carstairs because of a signalling fault. By Newcastle the train was already 153 minutes late.

SERVICES to/from Liverpool Lime Street were suspended on January 7-8 because of a

problem with a gantry carrying OLE requiring emergency repair work. The gantry was found to be severely corroded, so trains couldn’t run below. Passengers using the station faced severe disruption after the problem was discovered, with many trains having to start and finish their journeys at Liverpool South Parkway. PASSENGERS travelling on the 12.00 Glasgow Central-Euston via Birmingham New Street on Saturday, January 27 suffered delays at Wigan North Western while waiting to depart after the driver fell ill; he required medical assistance. Subsequently, the train was cancelled and passengers were put on the following Euston trains at 15.09 or 15.28, both of which were diverted to the Down line platform 6 because of the stricken ‘Voyager’ set blocking the up-line platform.

15 following tyre turning at Bounds Green. IN A new move, a complete rake of Anglia stock, along with the Class 90 and DVT, are being serviced during the day on Monday-Friday at Bounds Green. On January 15, Class 90 No. 90012 was observed en route from Liverpool Street to Bounds Green in the morning, returning later in the day. A further move observed on January 29 involved Class 90 No. 90003. CLASS 156 No. 156409 moved from Crown Point to Wolverton on January 16. THE latest ‘Renatus’ conversion – No. 321308 – returned from Doncaster Wabtec to Ilford on January 19. In the opposite direction, No. 321310 went north to Doncaster from Ilford on January 26.

CLASS 170 No. 170207 returned to Crown Point from Crewe LNWR on January 19 in Anglia livery. No. 170205 went in the opposite direction on January 22. HARWICH Parkeston Quay yard is used to store several Class 321 EMUs overnight for early morning commuter use into London Liverpool Street. Additionally, Freightliner consists from Hams Hall and Masborough are parked from Saturday night until Monday morning, awaiting transfers to Felixstowe. However, unusually noted on Sunday, January 21 was Class 90 No. 90012 Royal Anglian Regiment with its DVT and accompanying rake of Mk3 coaches. The second weekend storage of a Class 90 Intercity train was noted on February 3 at Harwich Parkeston Quay yard– this time No. 90006 Modern

Railways Magazine/Roger Ford with eight Mk3 coaches and DVT No. 82112.

ON SATURDAY, January 6 the 12.17 Glasgow Central-East Kilbride was unusually operated by Northern Rails Class 156 No. 156443 and ScotRail Class 156 No. 156513. According to Northern Rail the unit was on lease to ScotRail. FURTHER moves of former GWR HST vehicles to Scotland included power cars Nos. 43179 and 43135 leaving Doncaster at 08.31 on January 7, running from Doncaster West Yard to Craigentinny TRS&MD. On January 14, Class 50 No. 50008 moved barrier vehicles from Leicester to Ely and collected coach

THE penultimate Class 387 unit No. 387160 was moved from Bletchley to Reading by Class 37 No. 37800 on January 25. GWR Class 800 Nos. 800003+ 800004 arrived at Glasgow Central on January 27 having worked the 5X71 17.30 Doncaster Carr IEP depotGlasgow Central test working, returning as 5X72, the 23.05 Glasgow Central-Doncaster Carr IEP depot. On January 30 the pair were observed at Doncaster on a test run to Darlington and return.

CLASS 90 No. 90003 was returned to Crown Point by Class 37 No. 37606 on January

GWR Class 165 No. 165132 – still wearing its FGW blue livery – is seen at Bourne End while operating 2B38, the 15.39 Maidenhead-Marlow branch line service on February 2. TIM SQUIRES

March 2018• The Railway Magazine • 103

Operations Track Record DRS Class 68 No. 68007 Valiant – on lease to ScotRail – passes Lathallan, between Polmont and Linlithgow, with the 15.00 Motherwell-Edinburgh Waverley e.c.s. on February 9. Between the morning and evening peak trains, the stock is taken for servicing. IAN LOTHIAN

Nos. 42209+42208+44066, which were then taken back to Leicester, going forward to Craigentinny the following day. That evening the Class 50 returned Nos. 42206+42054+42511+ 41104 from Craigentinny to Carlisle and on to Ely. TRAIN delays because of a variety of weather conditions are not unusual. However, on Monday, January 8 trains were unable to stop at Johnstone because of icicles on the overhead lines. CLASS 170 No. 170405 moved on a 5Z71, the 18.18 Haymarket Depot-Kilmarnock Barclay Sidings on Sunday, January 7 for refurbishment. THE route between Fort William and Mallaig was closed on Monday, January 22 because of a landslip between Lochailort and Glenfinnan. Class 156 No. 156458, on the 06.03 from Mallaig, became derailed when it hit the slip, but remained upright. The unit was rescued by WCR Class 37 No. 37516 on January 26, with the line reopening on January 29. The first vehicle from the unit arrived at Brodies Kilmarnock by road on February 2. A SMALL fire under Class 170 No. 170427 at Cupar, while working 1L56, the 14.34 Dundee-Edinburgh Waverley on February 1, caused delays to services for about two hours. Services were diverted via Perth, where crews’ route knowledge allowed. With stock and crews out of position disruption continued into the evening.

THE first rake of five new Mk5 Caledonian sleeper coaches was hauled north from Dollands Moor to Wembley and on to Polmadie on January 16 by Class 37 No. 37884. Following the delivery of a further 11 coaches at Tees Port by February 9, four more –

Nos. 15202,+15309+15310+ 15312 – were towed from Tees to Polmadie by Class 66 No. 66414.

NORTHBOUND CrossCountry services were terminated at Durham on January 9-10 because of engineering work at Newcastle.

CLASS 144 No. 144007 was observed on December 9, heading the 12.24 SheffieldScunthorpe service over the new crossover, which has been installed at Rotherham Parkgate for the Sheffield to Rotherham Parkgate Shopping Centre tram train. LOCO-HAULED services on the Cumbrian coast attract much attention. For a number of weeks, starting January 8, tests were carried out using Class 68 Nos. 68003 and 68009 top-andtailing two coaches, with a view to the class taking over from the current Class 37s being used. Observed on January 26 the 05.15 Carlisle-Preston service consisted of only three coaches, including DBSO No. 9705 propelled by Class 37 No. 37401.

No. 350240 from Northampton and then return No. 350245. Class 37 No. 37601 was used on February 3 to return No. 350240 to Northampton, having deposited No. 350236 at Long Marston.

TWO vehicles from Class 175 units – Nos. 79751 (175101) and 79759 (175109) –were seen on January 5 next to Chester station. Both were facing the same direction and had their gangway ends boarded up. THE 07.30 from Aberystwyth was held at Welshpool on January 19 after a passenger slipped on the untreated platform and hurt his knee. The train was held until an ambulance arrived. This had not happened by the time the next train arrived and passengers were put on it an hour after their train was stopped. The first driver salted the platform, while the conductor warned of slippery platforms as the train approached Welshpool. CLASS 67 No. 67016 worked an

additional train from Holyhead to Cardiff and back on February 3 for Wales’ Six Nations rugby union international against Scotland.

THE 08.07 Bradford InterchangeLondon King’s Cross departed on time from Halifax on the morning of January 19, but experienced electrical problems, resulting in an unscheduled stop in Peterborough. The train restarted, but spent most of the journey into London on the slow lines, coming to a stand outside Gasworks Tunnels. After several attempts to reboot the software and conversations with the fitting team in Newcastle it was announced the train would go back to Finsbury Park. This seemed to be a case of not being allowed into the station because the train was able to draw forward under its own power into the tunnel and then, after the harassed-looking driver walked through the train, set back towards Finsbury Park, where everyone de-trained 1hr 46min late from the scheduled arrival at King’s Cross. Passengers were updated frequently on the intercom, free tea and coffee was served, and the atmosphere remained good-humoured.

DELIVERIES of new Class 700 units from Dollands Moor to Hornsey saw No. 700051 hauled north by GBRf Class 66 No. 66777 on January 17, followed on January 31 by the same Class 66 moving No. 700049. A NUMBER of Class 700 units are currently being stored at Dollands Moor because of a shortage of siding space. Moves reported include No. 700105 on January 23; No. 700118 on

January 31; and No. 700103 on February 7

Crossrail

THE new Class 345 units obviously attract much attention. One particular set – No. 345019 – has been moved on a regular basis. On January 11, it was hauled from Old Dalby to Wembley by Class 37 No. 37601. It was next reported on January 15 at Market Harborough being returned north as the 09.12 Wembley EFOC-Old Dalby e.c.s. move. Four days later, on January 19, it was returned to Wembley EFOC by Class 37 No. 37608. Three days later, on January 22, 345019 again made the trip north, again hauled by No. 37608 as the 08.52 Wembley EFOC-Old Dalby. TWO further new Class 345 units were moved from Derby to Old Dalby with Class 37 No. 37601 moving No. 345003 on January 30, followed by No. 345029 the next day.

THE 07.46 NottinghamLiverpool Lime Street on January 5 was noted at Manchester Piccadilly formed of a Class 158/156 Nos. 158863 and 156405. A MAJOR fire at Nottingham station closed the station all day on January 12, causing massive disruption to the EMT network. On the London route, many services from the south started and terminated at East Midlands Parkway, with a bus connection into Nottingham. EMT London services suffered from a combination of high winds, a tree on the line, and a trespass incident on January 18, with some services running late. Linked to the former incident were the 09.15 London St Pancras-Nottingham and the return 11.32 NottinghamLondon St Pancras, which terminated and started at Leicester, respectively.

THREE former GWR Class 150 units – Nos. 150101+ 150123+150129 – arrived at Newton Heath from Bristol on February 3.

CLASS 350s continue to go from Northampton to Long Marston for attention. On January 13, Class 37 No. 37884 moved unit No. 350249 from Northampton, returning with No. 350257. The following week, on January 20, Class 37608 was employed to take No. 350245 to Long Marston and then return No. 350249. The next move on January 27 found Class 37 No. 37800 move

104 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

In the new London Northwestern Railway livery, Siemens ‘Desiro’ No. 350373 waits time from Liverpool Lime Street station’s new platform 8 with the 15.04 Liverpool Lime Street-Birmingham New Street on January 19. DOUG BIRMINGHAM

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk Nos. 707021+707022 were moved by Class 47 No. 47812 and 47813. This just leaves Nos. 707024 and 707030 to be delivered. ALL SERVICES from East Grinstead to London Bridge are normally worked with electric Class 377 units. On Wednesday, January 17 an extra morning peak service at 06.25 was added as a one-off, using Class 171 units Nos. 171804+171401. Also unusual was it only called at Oxted, whereas most trains stop at all eight stations. Unfortunately, at East Croydon, passengers were told the train wouldn’t be going to London Bridge, but would terminate at East Croydon.

THE first Class 159 in the new South Western Railway livery – No. 159003 – returned to Salisbury from Brush Loughborough on January 22. THE 20.20 Waterloo-Yeovil service on January 31 ground to a halt at signals before the level crossing, and frustratingly, a few yards before Sherborne station, as the barriers refused to lower. After about 45 minutes they were fixed, but a further delay of 15 minutes occurred before the train eased into the station. Passengers praised the guard for keeping them informed.

Charter Trains SOUTH Western Railway ran all-day additional half-hourly e.c.s. trains between Staines and Weybridge and back on Saturday, January 6. The move was believed to be in order to refresh guards and managers in advance of the RMT strikes on January 8, 10, and 12. The following day they ran all-day additional half-hourly e.c.s. trains between Staines and Ascot and back. NEW Class 707 units Nos. 707019+707020 were delivered from Dollands Moor to Clapham Junction on the evening of January 12. No further deliveries occurred until the evening of February 9 when

DB CARGO red-liveried Class 60 No. 60044 Dowlow was observed on December 9 top-and-tailing the 1Z59 07.52 Finsbury ParkTinsley-Hertfordshire Rail Tours’ charter ‘The Powerhouse’up the incline from Broughton Lane Junction to Shepcote Lane East Junction en route to Tinsley Yard in Sheffield, with Class 59 No. 59201, also in DB Cargo red livery, at the rear. The Class 60 had been attached at Worksop Down Loop. The charter was seen later at Parkgate Junction, Rotherham with No. 59201 now leading the 1Z60 12.35 Tinsley-York leg, as the charter passed the new Rotherham Parkgate tram train terminus, which will become operational in 2018.

Virgin East Coast power car No. 43317 crosses over at Milford Junction to gain the Knottingley route on February 10 with the 07.55 Inverness-King’s Cross ‘Highland Chieftain’. It had been diverted away from the East Coast Main Line, south of York, because of engineering work. LES NIXON

‘DELTIC’ No. 55009 Alycidon was seen on December 30 passing Thornhill LNW Junction, between Dewsbury and Huddersfield, heading the 1Z29 10.36 York-Liverpool Lime Street leg of Pathfinder Tours’ ‘Trans-Pennine Deltic Reprise’ charter, with Class 68 No. 68031 Excelsior at the rear.

Eurostar

A FURTHER Eurostar set – Nos. 373009/10 – has been delivered to EMR Kingsbury for scrapping. They left St Pancras hauled by GBRf Class 66 No. 66769 on the evening of January 19, but were seriously delayed at Biggleswade because of a Network Rail possession of the main line. Later, at 10.00 on the Saturday morning, the rake was seen being taken through Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It had travelled via the King’s Cross main line to beyond Peterborough, then via Melton Mowbray, Leicester and Knighton Junction to Ashby-dela-Zouch, which it passed 231 minutes late.

Delivery of the vehicles to the yard took place on the morning of January 21.

A DAGENHAM Dock ARC to Acton TC was seen on Friday, January 5 at Finchley Road and Frognal, headed by Class 59 No. 59204. CLASS 59 No. 59201 worked a train of Yeoman wagons through Chandler’s Ford station in Hampshire towards Eastleigh on January 5 at 16.54. It was running a few minutes late, having been delayed by the 16.55 to Romsey, which was waiting for the freight to clear the single-line section. SCRAP metal trains reported in recent weeks, all powered by Class 66 locos, included No. 66067 on January 11 working a Liverpool Alexandra Docks to Attercliffe and back. Two moves off Cardiff Tidal followed on the next day,

with No. 66011 running to Rotherham Steel Terminal and back, while No. 66085 worked a return to Swindon. Two further turns on January 15 found No. 66085 on a Cardiff TidalSaltley-Cardiff Tidal diagram and No. 66155 working empties from Newport Docks to Beeston, with No. 66200 returning the loaded wagons to Newport. The next day, No. 66004 worked a further Liverpool Alexandra Docks to Attercliffe and back diagram. January 17 saw No. 66147 on a Cardiff TidalKingsbury-Cardiff Tidal, and No. 66200 power the Newport Docks-Beeston-Newport Docks circuit. Rotherham Steel Terminal was again the destination from Cardiff Tidal for No. 66134 on January 18, while No. 66169 was in charge of the Liverpool Alexandra Docks to Attercliffe and return. No. 66200 was again used to power the Newport DocksBeeston-Newport Docks circuit. A further Cardiff TidalRotherham Steel TerminalCardiff Tidal on January 20 was

GBRf No. 66746 is not on its usual ‘Royal Scotsman’ duties as it approaches Railhill’s 76 steps footbridge with the 07.35 Liverpool biomass terminal-Drax power station on January 26. DOUG BIRMINGHAM

The number of GWR HST services is declining as new Class 800 IETs become more widespread. Here, power car No. 43191 passes St Georges, in the Vale of Glamorgan, with the 07.59 SwanseaLondon Paddington on February 7. PETER SQUIBBS

A case of a Class 37 sandwich? Colas Rail Class 67 No. 67023 leads Network Rail Class 37 No. 97304 John Tiley and 97303, with No. 67027 on the rear, past North Staﬀordshire Junction with a Derby RTC to Crewe Basford Hall movement on February 2. ROBERT FALCONER

March 2018• The Railway Magazine • 105

Operations Track Record Class 86 No. 86627 is paired with No. 86604 to work the 11.46 Garston Freightliner Terminal-Crewe Basford Hall intermodal, seen approaching Halebank, Merseyside on February 2. No. 86627 has recently returned to traﬃc after a year out of traﬃc.

was cancelled because of a train crew rostering error, leading to the rare sight of the train and loco being stabled overnight at Chichester yard.

DOUG BIRMINGHAM

CLASS 66 No. 66563 was observed on December 9 passing Broughton Lane Junction, heading the 6M89 Dewsbury to Hope sidings empty cement tanks along the former Great Central line between Rotherham Central and Woodburn Junction, Sheffield.

Another electric pairing, this time of Class 90s, as Nos. 90042 and 90043 head the Sunday afternoon 4M49 Coatbridge to Daventry intermodal near Pettinain, south of Carstairs, on February 4. STEVEN CROZIER

CLASS 66/9 No. 66957 Stephenson Locomotive Society 1909-2009 was seen in Harwich Parkeston Quay yard on December 22 with a rake of loaded ballast wagons, having arrived from Tye Green via Whitemoor yard the previous day. It was then joined at 14.40 by the arrival of a double-headed rake of loaded ballast wagons, with Class 66/5 Nos. 66504 leading 66418 Patriot – In Memory of Fallen Railway Employees. The contingent were using the yard at Parkeston Quay as an intermediary staging post prior to heading off before midnight to respective engineering work sites at Chadwell Heath and Romford over the Christmas shutdown period. THE 6X37/19.41 Tyne YardLeggafoot HOBC train was top-and-tailed by Class 66 Nos. 66542 and 66566 on Saturday, January 6, returning south as 6X37, the 09.15 Carstairs South Junction-Tyne Yard on Sunday, January 7. THE 19.28 Carlisle New Yard-Carstairs South Junction engineers’ train was powered by Class 66 No. 66525 on Saturday, January 6. This working returned south as the 09.15 AbingtonCarlisle New Yard on Sunday, January 7.

hauled by No. 66175. On the same day, No. 66185 had charge of a Liverpool Alexandra DocksLincoln-Liverpool Alexandra Docks diagram. Two moves on January 22 had No. 66031 on a Cardiff Tidal-Saltley-Cardiff Tidal, and No. 66198 on the regular Newport Docks-BeestonNewport Docks circuit. The following day, No. 66108 was on a further Cardiff Tidal-Rotherham Steel Terminal-Cardiff Tidal diagram. Kingsbury was the destination for No. 66148 from Cardiff Tidal on January 24. The Liverpool Alexandra Docks to Attercliffe and back diagram was in the hands of No. 66194 on January 25. Two moves the next day had No. 66027 on a Cardiff Tidal-Swindon-Cardiff Tidal and No. 66074 on the Newport to Beeston circuit. A further Liverpool Alexandra

Docks-Lincoln-Liverpool Alexandra Docks diagram on January 27 was powered by No. 66154. No. 66077 powered a Liverpool Alexandra Docks to Attercliffe and back diagram on January 30 and again on February 1. On January 31, No. 66118 worked a Cardiff TidalKingsbury-Cardiff Tidal diagram. On February 2, No. 66027 was again in use on a Cardiff TidalKingsbury-Cardiff Tidal diagram, while No. 66089 was on the Newport-Beeston-Newport. No. 66194 was again employed on a Liverpool Alexandra DocksLincoln-Liverpool Alexandra Docks diagram on February 3. Saltley was the destination for No. 66019 from Cardiff Tidal on February 5.

THE Lindsey to Jarrow oil tanks reported include Class 60 No. 60059 on January 17. When observed on January 24 it was hauled by No. 60019. The following week, on January 31, No. 60066 had the honours. A further loco reported was No. 60100 on February 5. No. 60066 was at Lindsey again on February 7 heading a train to Neville Hill.

THE Grangemouth to Sinfin tank train was hauled south by Class

OBSERVED at Chandler’s Ford on January 17, ED Nos. 73961

106 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

66 No. 66138 on January 16, the empty tanks being returned by No. 66155. The next move reported was No. 66198 working the loaded tanks south on January 22. Empty tanks were taken north by No. 66198 on January 24. A further move reported on February 6 employed No. 66126 working both ways.

and 73965 passed through light engine in the direction of Eastleigh. DBC continue to work a number of MoD trains, including a Kineton to Glen Douglas, worked by Class 66 No. 66075 on January 11. This was followed by a Fenny Compton to Glen Douglas train, which passed through Euxton just after 09.00 on Wednesday, January 24 hauled by Class 66 No. 66099. CLASS 59 No. 59205 passed Chandler’s Ford with a train of Yeoman trucks towards Eastleigh around 16.40 on January 26. THE Merehead Quarry to Chichester yard arrived hauled by Class 59 No. 59205 on January 1, but the return empty working to Merehead Quarry

THE 14.03 Coatbridge FLT-Crewe Basford Hall, hauled by Class 90 Nos. 90047 and 90045, appeared to be making heavy weather in falling snow as the train passed Thankerton on January 21. The loops at Abington and Beattock were also unavailable, meaning the train reached Carlisle nearly an hour early. CLASS 66 No. 66558 headed south at Euxton Balshaw Lane on the morning of February 4 with a rake of empty auto-ballaster wagons back to Crewe. The move was in connection with major works on the Preston to Blackpool line.

CLASS 57 No. 57303 moved five ‘Scotsman’ coaches from Crewe to Eastleigh Works on January 11. A VISIT to York on January 15 found Class 66 Nos. 66421,

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk 66423, 66429 and 66434 stabled in the station sidings. OBSERVATIONS at Dungeness EDF Energy stable point produced Class 68 Nos. 68018 Vigilant and 68001 Evolution on January 9. The following week, on January 16, found Nos. 68017 and 68032 in attendance. CLASS 66 No. 66423 was seen near Carstairs on Saturday, January 20 working the 6K02/18.43 Carlisle Yard-Shields Junction engineers’ train, and GBRf Class 66 No. 66716 working the 6K04/19.14 Carlisle Yard-Shields Junction CLASS 88 No. 88003 hauled Class 37 No. 37069 south past Euxton at 16.30 on January 26 on a Carlisle to Crewe move. CLASS 88 No. 88010 worked a 0Z02 10.30 Kingmoor-York Parcel Sidings light locomotive move on Friday, February 2.

CLASS 66 No. 66711 Sense was observed on December 16, heading the 4Z81 Masborough N&W to Parkeston Intermodal service through the remains of the former Midland station at Rotherham Masborough. NEW Year’s Day saw Class 66 No. 66715 passing Thankerton with 6S50, the 11.20 Carlisle New Yard-Millerhill, running some 195 minutes early! MOD traffic reported, all powered by Class 66 No. 66743, included a Longtown-CarlisleBicester on January 11. A further move on January 15 was from Bicester to Marchwood and back. The following day the train ran from Bicester to Longtown and back to Kingmoor. It was next reported on February 1 when the occasional Bicester-MarchwoodBicester came past Bradford Junction four minutes early with a full load of containers. A further move on February 6 saw it again head north from Bicester to Longtown and back. The next day it was reported working from Bicester to Donnington Freight Depot. CLASS 66 No. 66758 worked a rake of empty scrap metal wagons from Liverpool Alexandra Docks to Gloucester on January 13, going forward to EMR Swindon the next day, before taking loaded wagons back to Liverpool Alexandra Docks. On January 19, No. 66731 was observed on a loaded EMR Saltley to Liverpool Alexandra Docks. The same Class 66 was in use again on January 27 taking empties from Liverpool Alexandra Docks to Doncaster Hexthorpe. It was taken forward the following day by No. 66771 to Swindon and then loaded back to Liverpool Alexandra Docks. MOVEMENTS of Tube stock found Class 20 Nos. 20118+20107 and

20132+20096 top-and-tail a rake from Litchurch Lane to West Ruislip on January 16. Further moves followed on January 23 when Nos. 20311+ 20132 and 20107+20118 returned stock from West Ruislip to Derby, then took a further rake back to West Ruislip. A change on January 30 found Class 20 Nos. 20118 and 20107 top-and-tailed with Class 66 No. 66081 moving a rake from Derby to West Ruislip. It was back to the usual pairs of Class 20s on February 1 with Nos. 20314+20096 and 20118+20107 top-and-tailing stock from Litchurch Lane to West Ruislip. GBRf has ‘as-required’ paths from north of London, one originating at Bow Depot and another at Neasden Charrington, taking empty HHA hoppers to Tonbridge West Yard. These run at different times through South Acton, but wait at New Kew Junction before following the South Western Railway Hounslow Loop service, which is off Hounslow at 11.31. Observations included No. 66728 Institution of Railway Operators on Wednesday, January 17, heading train 6O60 from Bow Depot to Tonbridge West Yard. The following day the same locomotive took train 6O71 from Neasden Charrington to Tonbridge West Yard. On Thursday, January 25 Class 66 No. 66723 Chinook headed train 6O71 from Neasden Charrington to Tonbridge West Yard. On Tuesday, January 30 6O71 from Neasden Charrington to Tonbridge West Yard was headed by No. 66729 Derby County. The same locomotive worked 6O60 from Bow Depot to Tonbridge West Yard on Wednesday, January 31, when it was seen at Barnes. COLAS-liveried Class 47 No. 47749 passed through Lancaster light engine at 10.25 on January 22, en route south from Craigentinny to Castleton. This locomotive headed back to Scotland, passing through Lancaster at 14.30, coupled to a single LMS-liveried engineers’saloon.

provide interest in south-west London. This train was seen near Barnes on Wednesday, January 3 headed by Class 70 No. 70813. The train was again hauled by a Class 70 on January 24 when it was noted passing through Egham Station, hauled by No. 70802 instead of the usual Class 66. COLAS has relocated its base to the former Eastcroft depot at Nottingham after the site at Washwood Heath was earmarked for the route of HS2. On January 16, Class 50s Nos. 50017 and 50050 top-andtailed Class 56 No. 56049 and Class 37 Nos. 37521+37418 from Washwood Heath to Eastcroft, where the Class 56 was deposited, the Class 50s and 37s continuing to Barrow Hill. The same Class 50s were employed again on January to move the remaining Class 56s Nos. 56051+56087+56090 to Nottingham.

WCR Class 57 No. 57314 formed a 0Z57 09.48 Southall-Burtonon-Trent light engine move via the Midland Main Line on January 18.

UK Rail Leasing

CLASS 50 No. 50008+Class 56 No. 56104 ran light engine from Leicester to Oakhampton on January 12, returning a rail grinder to Derby the following day.

Derby RTC & Network Rail

A NETWORK Rail test train was seen on Thursday afternoon January 25 at Bromsgrove going north, headed by Green Class 37s No. 37057, with Colas-liveried 37116 at the rear. A COLAS Rail-headed Class 37/0 – No. 37254 Cardiff Canton, the monthly inspection test train – was observed on January 31 at 15.44 at Harwich Town. Classmate No. 37219 Jonty Jarvis 8-12-1998 to 18-3-2005 was at the rear and headed the consist back out at 16.00, bound eventually

DRS Class 66 No. 66301 Kingmoor TMD passes Cathiron on February 7 with 4M48, the 19.04 Mossend-Daventry‘Tesco’train, which is running a staggering 636min late. Normally, this is a Class 88 working, and at the rear of the consist is No. 88006 Juno, which would work the return. PAUL A BIGGS

Europhoenix Class 37 No. 37608 Andromeda hauls Class 442 No. 442410 past St Denys on one of its regular rolling stock movements. It is moving the unit on February 1 from Eastleigh Works to Bournemouth depot for refurbishment. MARK V PIKE

for Cambridge TRSMD. THE first run in 20108 of the NMT along the southern section of the Midland Main Line occured on January 18 when Class 43 HST Nos. 43013+43062 John Armitt worked a 1Q52 1014 Derby RTC-London St Pancras and 1Q53 13.20 return. COLAS Rail Class 67 No. 67023 Stella took generator van No. 6262 south on January 23 as the 10.51 Derby RTC-Woking. ON JANUARY 29, the 1Q71 19.53 Derby RTC-Hither Green test train was top-and-tailed by GBRf Class 73 Nos. 73965+ 73962 Dick Mabbutt.

Our thanks

THE Railway Magazine’s thanks for information go to: David Ashcroft, John Atkinson, Paul Atkinson, Philip Ball, Gordon Casely, Gene Collins, Mike Cooper, Kevin Driscoll, Kevin Duggan, Alan Goodrum, David Gurr, Martin James, Barry Knock, Ken Larkins, David Neale, Martin Osman, John Penny, Martin Peverley, Roger Phillips, Dorian Porter, Anthony Pritchett, Mark Reynolds, R D Richardson, John Roxburgh, Terry Smart, George Stapley, Tim Stentiford, Mike Thompson, Ian Walton, Craig Wellum, Chris West, Neil Wilson, Colin Woof.

CLASS 66 No. 66764 passed through Carnforth on January 23 with a rake of loaded JNA wagons from Ribblehead Virtual Quarry to Shap Harrisons Quarry, having run via Hellifield, Blackburn and Preston.

ON SATURDAY, December 30 Class 56 No. 56105 was observed passing Thankerton while working 6Z56, the 11.30 Mossend-Carlisle ballast working. THE engineers’ trains each Monday to Friday morning from Eastleigh East Yard to Hoo Junction Up Yard continue to

Celebrity GBRf Class 66 No. 66779 Evening Star works past Hargate, near Burton-on-Trent, on February 12 with 6M83, the 10.51 Tinsley Yard-Bardon Hill empty aggregate hoppers. PAUL A BIGGS

March 2018• The Railway Magazine • 107

Meetings MONDAY, MARCH 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Continental Railway Circle - Midlands Area, and Stafford Railway Society. Amasal Sports & Social Club, St Albans Rd Industrial Estate (junction with Common Rd), Stafford, Staffordshire ST16 3DR. 19.30. ‘American-Built Narrow Gauge Engines at Work’: Richard Pelham. Peak Rail Association (Sheffield branch). The Harlequin, 108 Nursery St, Sheffield S3 8GG. 19.30. ‘Ten Years Plus at Platform 5’: Robert Pritchard. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society (RCTS). Christ Church Community Hall, Burney Lane, Ward End, Birmingham. 14.00. ‘Freight Trains Around Britain in the 1990s’: Geoff Brockett. TUESDAY, MARCH 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enfield Transport Circle. First Floor Meeting Room, The Enfield Drill Hall, Old Park Ave, Enfield, Middx EN2 6PJ. 20.00. ‘The 2018 Malcolm Alderman Tribute Presentation’: Kenneth Crane. Gravesend Railway Enthusiasts’ Society. Emmanuel Baptist Church, Windmill St, Gravesend DA12 1BB. 19.30. ‘The Railways in Two World Wars’: Bob Poole. Leicester Railway Society. Cricketers Inn, Grace Rd, Leicester LE2 8AD. 14.00. ‘History of Swindon Loco Works – Part 1’: Brian Arami. RCTS. Beechen Grove Baptist Church, Clarendon Rd, Watford. 19.00. ‘Railways in a Cornish Landscape – Part 2’: Stephen Gay. Southern Electric Group (South Hampshire branch) and Light Rail Transit Association (Southern Area). Eastleigh Railway Institute, Romsey Rd, Eastleigh.19.30. Tram ciné library footage: John Laker. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Huddersfield Railway Circle. Town Hall, Huddersfield. 19.45. Photographic competition. Pennine Railway Society. Club 39, College Rd, Doncaster DN1 3JH. 20.00. ‘The Up South Yorkshireman’: Ken Grainger. Talking of Trains. Surbiton Library Ewell Rd, Surbiton KT6 6AG. 19.15. ‘Rail Days in Ayr and Kilmarnock’: Dick Crane. Warwickshire Railway Society. Lamp Tavern, Barford St, Highgate, Birmingham B5 6AH. 19.30. ‘The way we were (Steam Memories and Nostalgia)’: John Stevenson. THURSDAY, MARCH 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Locomotive Club of Great Britain (St Albans branch). Chiswell Green United Reformed Church Hall, Watford Rd, St Albans AL2 3HG. 19.30. ‘London Bridge Station Redevelopment’: James Elford, Costain project manager. RCTS/SRPS. Quakers’ Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh. 19.30. ‘From the Forth Rail Bridge to the Shinkansen’: Miles Oglethorpe. RCTS. Arts Centre, 67 Westgate Rd, Newcastle. 19.00. ‘If I were going to Dublin I wouldn’t start here - A Study of Irish Railways 1956-2016’: David Stewart-David. RCTS. Woking United Reformed Church, White Rose Lane, Woking. 14.30. ‘The Unknowing Warrior’: John Borrowdale. FRIDAY, MARCH 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society. Altrincham Methodist Church Hall, Barrington Rd, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 1HF. 19.30. ‘Trains of Thought’: Bob Avery. Great Western Society (GWS). Lawn Community Centre, Guildford Ave, off Windsor Rd, Lawn, Swindon SN3 1JE. 19.15. ‘Seven Dams & the Elan Valley Railway’: Ken Mumford. North London Railway Historical Society. Model Railway Club HQ, Keen House, 4 Calshot St, London N1 9DA. 18.45. ‘The Camden Highline’: Adam Richards. Purbeck Railway Circle. Harmans Cross Village Hall, Haycrafts Lane, Harmans Cross, Dorset. BH19 3EB. 19.30. ‘Indian Narrow Gauge Railways’: Peter Jordan.

Shropshire Railway Society. Gateway Education and Arts Centre, Chester St, Shrewsbury, SY1 1NB. 19.30. ‘Onward to Corwen’: George Jones. Slough & Windsor Railway Society. The Manor, Brunel Way, Slough Station, Slough. 19.45. ‘Basingstoke to Southampton’: Paul Joyce. Stephenson Locomotive Society (SLS). Mining Institute Lecture Theatre, Neville Hall, Westgate Rd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 19.00. ‘Home and AbRd: Journeys with my Camera’: Ian Britton.

SATURDAY, MARCH 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bournemouth Railway Club. Winton Methodist Community Centre, Alma Rd / Heron Court Rd, Bournemouth BH9 1DE. 14.30. ‘Early Days’: David Maidment OBE. Ffestiniog Railway Society, Hants & Sussex Area Group. Physic Garden, 16 The High St, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3JJ. 19.00. Annual meeting. RCTS. Conference Room, Great Western Hotel, Exeter St David’s Station. 19.00. ‘Those Black and White Days’: Peter Slater and Dave Gower. SLS. Kidderminster Railway Museum, adjoining SVR station. DY10 1QX. 14.00. ‘The Art of Railway Publishing with a View of China’s Locomotives’: Robin Gibbons. MONDAY, MARCH 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lincoln Railway Society. St Hugh’s Church, Harewood Crescent, North Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 8JG. 19.30. ‘35 Years of Deltic Preservation’: Murray Brown. Friends of the National Railway Museum (South of England Group). St Paul’s Church and Community Centre, 5 Rossmore Rd, London NW1. 18.45. ‘Forty Years of The Friends – a Personal Perspective’: Frank Paterson. MBE. RCTS. Small Hall, East Croydon United Reformed Church, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon. 19.30. Branch annual meeting and photographic competition followed by – ‘When the Big Four were Five (and the RCTS was 0)’: Jeremy Harrison. RCTS. Bourne Vale Club, Ipswich. 19.30. ‘Swindon Works – the Golden Years (1880-1924)’: Revd Canon Brian Arman. RCTS. Sheffield Scout Headquarters, 60-68 Trippett Lane, Sheffield. 19.00. ‘Leicester to Sheffield via Prague’: Jason Cross. Southern Electric Group (Sussex branch). Deall Room, Southwick Community Centre, Southwick BN42 4TE. 19.30. ‘Across Canada by Rail’: Godfrey Gould. SLS. Lauriston Hotel, 15 South Crescent Rd, Ardrossan KA22 8EA. 19.30. ‘Latest Developments on The Leadhills & Wanlockhead Railway’: Paul Brennock. TUESDAY, MARCH 13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Great Western Society (GWS). BAWA. 589 Southmead Rd, Filton, Bristol BS34 7RG. 19.45. ‘The Great Way Round – Paddington to Penzance via Bristol & Plymouth Millbay’: Terry Nicholls. LCGB (North London branch). Wood Green Social Club, 3-5 Stuart Crescent, London N22 5NJ. 14.00. ‘Eastern Europe Heritage Railways’: Stephen Wigg and Gordon Rushton. RCTS. The Swift, Haggis Gap, Fulbourn, Cambridge. 19.30. ‘40/40 Vision’: Stuart Baker. RCTS (Merseyside, Chester and North Wales branch). Observation at Doncaster. Alan Turton 01606 854227 alan.christine@daisytally.fsnet.co.uk. RCTS. Tilehouse St Baptist Church, Upper Tilehouse St, Hitchin. 19.30. Branch annual meeting followed by members’ presentation evening. RCTS. Nottingham Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood St, Nottingham. 19.30. ‘Through Kirton Tunnel – Sheffield to Cleethorpes – Part 2’: Stephen Gay. Wells Railway Fraternity. Wells Town Hall, Wells, Somerset. 19.30. 50th Anniversary meeting – 50 years of WRF followed by ‘Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Extension Plans’: David Edwards.

108 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basingstoke & District Railway Society. Wote St Club, New Rd, Basingstoke RG21 7NG. 19.45. ‘Dispersal from Dunkirk’: Peter Tatlow. Bradford Railway Circle. Sedbergh Community Centre, Huddersfield Rd, Odsal, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD6 1DJ. 19.30. ‘Bradford City Transport in the 1960s’: Ian Dougill. LCGB. Dorking Friends’ Meeting House, Butter Hill, South St, Dorking RH4 2LE. 19.30. ‘Docklands Light Railway’: Mark Davis. Oxfordshire Railway Society. Seacourt Day Centre, Seacourt Rd, Botley, Oxford OX2 9LD. 19.30. ‘Great Central – Part 3, New HollandWrexham’: Chris Youett. RCTS. Old Church Rooms, Park Rd, Radyr, Cardiff. 19.30. ‘Railways in the Cornish Landscape – Part 2’: Stephen Gay. Talking of Trains. Surbiton Library, Ewell Rd, Surbiton KT6 6AG. 19.15. ‘Abandoned London Stations on the Former Southern Region’: Jim Connor. THURSDAY, MARCH 15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Aln Valley Railway. Old Waiting Room, Alnwick Station. 19.15. ‘North Eastern Railway in World War 1’: Rob Langham. Ffestiniog Railway Society (Bristol area group). BAWA Club, Southmead Rd, Bristol BS34 7RF. 19.45. ‘In Search of Steam – Reflections on 40 Years of World Travel’: Keith Strickland. Grantham Railway Society. St John’s Church, Station Rd East, Grantham NG31 6BX. 19.30. ‘So you thought they were clean – Part 7’: Chris Youett. Irish Railway Record Society (London area). Function Room, Calthorpe Arms, 252 Grays Inn Rd, London WC1X 8JR. 19.00. ‘Further Tales of Irish Railway Travel in the Mid-1950s’: Michael Davies. LCGB (North West). The Pied Bull Hotel, High St, Newton-le-Willows. 19.30. ‘The Vintage Narrow Gauge Railways of Northern Spain from1950 Onwards’: John Sloane. Lutterworth Railway Society. United Reformed Church, George St, Lutterworth, LE17 4EF. 19.30. ‘All Change at Grantham’: John Clayson. Norfolk Railway Society. United Reformed Church Hall, Ipswich Rd, Norwich NR4 6QR. 19.30. ‘Mid-Norfolk Railway: Current Developments & Future Projects’: Chris Pearson. RCTS. Darlington Cricket Club, South Terrace, Feethams, Darlington. 19.00. ‘Woodhead – the Lost Railway’: Stephen Gay. RCTS. St Luke’s Church, Mayors Walk, Peterborough. 19.00. ‘Steam in Scotland’: Peter Groom. SLS. St John’s United Reformed Church Hall, Mowbray Rd, New Barnet Herts. EN5 1RH. 19.30. ‘Developments at Earls Court’: Paul Godwin. FRIDAY, MARCH 16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GWS. Village Hall, Stoke St Mary, Taunton TA3 5DE. 19.30. ‘Railways around Sidmouth & Tiverton’: Richard Giles. Slough & Windsor Railway Society. The Manor, Brunel Way, Slough Station, Slough. 19.45. ‘Train Service Policy’: Peter Latham. SATURDAY MARCH 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GWS. Parish Centre, Church End Rd, Kingskerswell, Torbay TQ12 5LD. 18.30. ‘A Trip to Alaska’: Rosemary & Colin Stone. Irwell Vale Railway Photographers. Irwell Vale Methodist Church, Milne St, Irwell Vale BL0 OQP (off the B6257). 19.30. ‘Steam from the Scrapyard’: Tom Heavyside. SLS. Friends’ Meeting House, Mount St, Manchester M2 5NS. 14.00. ‘The Evolution of Rail Tours from an SLS Perspective’: Ian Clark. SUNDAY, MARCH 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . North Eastern Railway Association. Meet on north concourse, Leeds station. 13.00. Walk of about three miles to look at railway remnants. Further details on www.ner.org.uk.

MONDAY, MARCH 19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCTS. The Queens Hotel, City Rd/Station Rd, Chester (opposite station entrance). 19.30. ‘The Robert Whitfield Collection – UK Steam 1948 – 1958’: Peter Berry. (Temporary change of venue) RCTS. Maudslay Hotel, 190 Allesley Old Rd, Coventry. 19.30. ‘The Trent Valley Railway’: Robin Mathams. RCTS. Didcot Civic Hall, Britwell Rd, Didcot. 19.30. ‘Heritage Railway Infrastructure’: John Sreeves. RCTS. Shenfield Parish Hall, 60 Hutton Rd, Shenfield. 19.30. ‘A New Steam Locomotive’: John Borrowdale. Wensleydale Railway (Northallerton branch). Northallerton Cricket Club, Farndale Ave, DL7 8SN. 19.30. ‘Yorkshire Air Ambulance’. TUESDAY, MARCH 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grimsby & Cleethorpes Railway Group. The No.1, Station Approach, Cleethorpes DN35 8AX. 19.30. ‘Branch Lines in East Lincolnshire’: Mike Fowler. Permanent Way Institution. Cosmopolitan Hotel, LS1 4AE. 18.00. ‘Railways in Brazil’: Joel Bates. RCTS. The Victory Club, Burlington House, Lypiatt Rd, Cheltenham. 19.30. ‘South Wales and a little bit more’: Stuart Warr. RCTS. Upstairs, The Highway Public House, Willerby Rd, Hull. 19.30. ‘LNER Rails in Scotland’: Steve Armitage. RCTS. Redhill Methodist Centre, Gloucester Rd, Redhill. 14.00. ‘The Quintinshill Disaster of 1915’: Andrew David. RCTS. Woking United Reformed Church, White Rose Lane, Woking. 19.15. ‘Britain on Film – Railways’: The Independent Cinema Office (in association with the BFI National Film and Television Archive). SLS. Langdon Square Community Centre, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough TS8 0TF. 19.00. ‘The Last Years of the Deltics’: David Thomas. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Huddersfield Railway Circle. Town Hall, Huddersfield. 19.45. ‘Railways of Warwickshire 1963 to Present Day’: Anthony Hicks. Pennine Railway Society. Club 39, College Rd, Doncaster DN1 3JH. 20.00. TBA: Andrew Watts. RCTS/Mid Hants Railway. Eastleigh Railway Institute, Romsey Rd, Eastleigh. 19.30. ‘The Talyllyn Railway’: Eric Nicholass. Talking of Trains. Surbiton Library, Ewell Rd, Surbiton KT6 6AG. 19.15. ‘Night Trains are Changing’: David Simpson. THURSDAY, MARCH 22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gravesend Railway Enthusiasts’ Society. Emmanuel Baptist Church, Windmill St, Gravesend DA12 1BB. 19.30. ‘The Thames and Medway Canal & Railway’: David Rouse. RCTS. The Coop Education Centre, 11 Fore St, Ipswich. 14.15. ‘Black and White Steam South of the Border’: Adrian White and David Kelso. RCTS. Saltaire Methodist Chapel, Saltaire Rd, Shipley. 14.00. ‘All from 1962’: Gavin Morrison. FRIDAY MARCH 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GWS. Pauling Human Sciences Centre, 58 Banbury Rd, Oxford OX2 6QS. 19.30. ‘Saturdays Only’: Richard Crane. Railway Club of the New Forest. McLellan Hall, Lymington Community Centre, Cannon St, Lymington.19.30. ‘Railways in Jordan’: Dave Peel. RCTS. Fulwood Lawn Tennis Club, Highgate Ave, Preston. 19.30. ‘West Country Reminiscences of the 1960s and 1970s’: John Cashen. Shropshire Railway Society. Gateway Education and Arts Centre, Chester St, Shrewsbury SY1 1NB. 19.30. ‘A Mixed Bag’: Jason Cross. Slough & Windsor Railway Society. The Manor, Brunel Way, Slough Station, Slough. 19.45. ‘Central & South American’: Adrian Palmer.

ARE YOU STAGING AN EVENT YOU THINK SHOULD BE ON THIS PAGE? Send brief details, no later than the 10th of the month before the issue you wish the event to appear in, to: Meetings, Railway Magazine, Media Centre, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Alternatively, email to railway@mortons.co.uk

SLS. Mining Institute Lecture Theatre, Neville Hall, Westgate Rd, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 19.00. ‘Das Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) East Germany 1984 To 1990’: Dr Ing Prof F W Hampson.

MONDAY, MARCH 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCTS. Brighton Railway Model Club, London Rd Station, Shaftsbury Place, Brighton. 19.30. ‘India’: John Beckett. RCTS. Cox Green Community Centre, Highfield Lane, Cox Green, Maidenhead. 19.30. ‘London to Velké Kapušany – a 21st Century Odyssey’: David Jackman. RCTS. Methodist Church Hall, Silver St, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes. 19.30. ‘Recent Photography in the Digital Age’: Robin Patrick (joint meeting with Rde). RCTS. Sheffield Scout Headquarters, 60-68 Trippett Lane, Sheffield. 19.00. ‘60 Years of Railway Photography’: Les Nixon. TUESDAY, MARCH 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCTS. Nottingham Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood St, Nottingham. 19.30. ‘Recent Near Misses’: Chris Darrall. RCTS. Methodist Church, junction of Ludwick Way and Colegreen Lane, Welwyn Garden City. 14.00. ‘40 Years’ Service’: Terence Jenner. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basingstoke & District Railway Society. Wote St Club, New Rd, Basingstoke RG21 7NG. 19.45. ‘Mulhouse Meanderings’: Richard Green. Bradford Railway Circle. Sedbergh Community Centre, Huddersfield Rd, Odsal, Bradford WestYorkshire BD6 1DJ. 19.30. ‘Update on the Transformation of the Railways of the North’: Stuart Baker. Ipswich & District HistoricalTransport Society. Salvation Army Citadel, 558 Woodbridge Rd, Ipswich IP4 4PH. 19.30. ‘The Southwold Railway – Past, Present and Future’: John Ridgeway. RCTS. Council Meeting Room 2, County Hall, West St Chichester. 19.30. ‘Art in the AGE of Steam’: Andrew Foster. Talking ofTrains. Surbiton Library, Ewell Rd, Surbiton KT6 6AG. 19.15. ‘Heritage Railways in Focus’: Dick Crane. THURSDAY, MARCH 29 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stevenage Locomotive Society. Community Arts Centre, Roaring Meg Retail Park, Stevenage. 19.30. ‘London to Paris (from Steam to Diesel to Electric)’: Michael Bunn. FRIDAY, MARCH 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Slough &Windsor Railway Society. The Manor, Brunel Way, Slough Station, Slough. 19.45. ‘Good Friday Film Evening’. MONDAY, APRIL 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peak Rail Association (Sheffield Branch). The Harlequin, 108 Nursery St, Sheffield S3 8GG. 19.30. ‘From Monochrome Memories to Medium Format’: Peter Skelton. TUESDAY, APRIL 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gravesend Railway Enthusiasts’Society. Emmanuel Baptist Church, Windmill St, Gravesend DA12 1BB. 19.30. ‘Narrow Gauge Railways’: Dave Hanger. RCTS. Beechen Grove Baptist Church, Clarendon Rd, Watford WD17 1JJ. 19.00. ‘Disused Stations Website’: Alan Young. Southern Electric Group (South Hampshire branch) and Light RailTransit Association (Southern Area). Eastleigh Railway Institute, Romsey Rd, Eastleigh.19.30. ‘Slides from the Derek Pye Collection, Covering Hampshire and the Surrounding Area from the 1950s to the 1970s’: Mark Greening.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Huddersfield Railway Circle. Town Hall, Huddersfield. 19.45. ‘History of Leeds Power Signalbox’: Keith Long. Pennine Railway Society. Club 39, College Rd, Doncaster DN1 3JH. 20.00. ‘Travels in 2017’: Robin Patrick. RCTS. Haig House Social Club, Woolton Rd, Garston, Liverpool L19 5NQ. 14.00. ‘The Railways of St Helens’: Alan Moore. Warwickshire Railway Society. Lamp Tavern, Barford St, Highgate, Birmingham B5 6AH. 19.30. ‘Steam in India – 1970’s’: Dave Gorton. THURSDAY, APRIL 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bath Railway Society. Church Hall, St Mary’s Church Hall, Bathwick, Bath. 19.30. ‘The P2 Project to Re-create a Gresley 2-8-2 Mikado Passenger Locomotive’: Huw Parker. Capital Rail Action Group. Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL. 19.30. Rodger Querns, programme director, Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme(EGIP) will give an illustrated talk on current progress with EGIP and the related capacity improvement works at Edinburgh Waverley. Great Central Railway Society (Sheffield branch). The Harlequin, 108 Nursery St, Sheffield S3 8GG. 19.30. ‘York to Edinburgh and a Bit Further’: Mike Eggenton. Lutterworth Railway Society. United Reformed Church, George St, Lutterworth LE17 4EF. 19.30. ‘Isle of Wight Railways’: Ray Puddy. RCTS. Methodist Church Hall, Silver St, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1BE. 19.30. ‘The Great Railway Time Machine Visits the WCML’: Steve Armitage. Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. Darlington Cricket Club, South Terrace, Feethams, Darlington DL1 5JD. 19.10. Monthly meeting. FRIDAY, APRIL 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RCTS (Furness Lakes & Lune branch). Station Hotel, Carnforth. 19.30. ‘Trains Around Britain – then & now’: David Bousfield. RCTS. St Peter’s Church Hall, Church Rd, Filton, Bristol BS34 7BX. 19.30. ‘Early BR Days in South Wales’: David Maidment. Slough &Windsor Railway Society. The Manor, Brunel Way, Slough Station, Slough. 19.45. ‘16mm Home Movie cCollection by Revd Sandeman’: Neil Watson.

FILMS SATURDAY, APRIL 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Railways Remembered, Kidderminster Railway Museum, SVR Station, Comberton Hill, Kidderminster,Worcs, DY10 1QX. 19.30. British Railways & Nationalised Transport. Rob Foxon. Details: 01562 825316.

EXHIBITIONS SATURDAY, MARCH 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . March & District Model Railway Club. March Braza Club, Elm Rd, March, Cambs PE15 8NZ (next to March station). 10.00-16.30. Adult £4, child £2, family £10 (2+2). Free parking, refreshments. disabled access, 19 layouts in various gauge, 11 trade stands, demonstrations and traction engine rides in the car park.

SATURDAYSUNDAY, MARCH 34 . . . . . . Leamington andWarwick Model Railway Society Exhibition. Warwickshire College, Warwick New Rd, Royal Leamington Spa CV32 5JE. www.lwmrs.co.uk Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday10.00-16.00, disabled access. Adult £7, child £1, family £15. 20 layouts and demonstrations. Rainhill Model Railway Club Exhibition. Rainhill Village Hall, Weaver Ave, Rainhill, Merseyside L35 4LU. www.rainhillmrc.org.uk Saturday 10.00-17.00, Sunday10.00-16.30,

disabled access. Adult £5, child £3, family £13. Free vintage bus service to and from North West Museum of Rd Transport in St Helens. Layouts and demonstrations.

SUNDAY, MARCH 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stowmarket Railway Club’s StowmarketTrain & Model Collectors’Fair. Needham Market Community Centre, School St, Needham Market, Suffolk IP6 8BB. 10.30am-3pm. Adult £1.50, accompanied child free. Disabled access, free parking, refreshments. Buy, sell or swap new and old model railways, die-cast cars, buses & lorries, plus toys, railway and transport books and photographs. Modelling demonstration and working model railway layouts. SATURDAY, MARCH 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norfolk Railway Society Annual Show. Poringland Community Centre, Overtons Way, Poringland, Norwich NR14 7WB. 10.30-16.30. Adult £3, child £1. Layouts and displays. Wombourne Model Railway Exhibition. Wombourne Civic Centre, Gravel Hill, Wombourne WV5 9HA. 10.00-16.00. Adult £5, concession £3, child under 12. Free parking, wheelchair access, children’s competitions and best in show. Featured layouts: Arley, Muckton, A Taste of Alber, Trinity Dock St Bridge, Sutton Edge, Stoke City, Snow Valley, Oberdorf/II, Brynderi, Spires Rd, Arley, Highley, Ken Jones, Brewery Tramway, Brandgeight, Neuburg, Campbells Quarry, Motley Sub Shed, Atherley Narrows, Greenacre Yard, Brian St. Swindon Model Railway Club — Modrail 2018. STEAM Museum of the Great Western, Fire Fly Ave, Swindon SN2 2EY. www.swindonmodelrailwayclub.com 10.00-16.30. Adult £5, child under 16 free when accompanied by an adult, admission to STEAM museum is not included and not required to visit the exhibition. The museum will be offering a combined discounted entry of adult £5.50 and child £4.40 to show visitors. Disabled access, refreshments. Parking is at the designer outlet car park. 14 layouts and demonstrators in Z, N, OO, O and G standard gauge representing British, Continental and American railways, plus British and American narrow gauge. Featured layouts: Portskerra (EM) by Timothy Tincknell, End of the Line by Tim Crockford and Clarkesville G scale by Swindon MRC - American Narrow Gauge. There will also be a Hornby Dublo drive-it-yourself layout for the young or young at heart! Trade support. Narrow Gauge North 2018, Model Railway Exhibition. Pudsey Civic Hall, Dawsons Corner, Pudsey, West Yorkshire LS28 5TA. www.narrowgaugenorth.org.uk 10.30-16.30. Adult £8, accompanied child under 16 £1. Disabled access to all areas except the stage. Hot and cold refreshments. Free parking. Proceeds to Sue Ryder Care - Wheatfields, Leeds. SATURDAYSUNDAY, MARCH 1011. . . . East Anglian Model Railway Exhibition. The Britten Arena, Wood Green Animal Charity Centre, Huntingdon PE29 2NH. www.stneotsmrc.com Saturday 10.00-17.00, Sunday10.00-16.00. Adult £7, child £4, family £20. Free bus service from station. Layouts and live steam. Keighley Model Railway Club Exhibition. University Academy Keighley, Green Head Rd, Utley, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD20 6EB. www.keighley-mrc.org.uk 10.00-16.30. Adult £6, child £3, family £15. Disabled access. 15 layouts in many scales. SATURDAY, MARCH 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abrail 2017. Abingdon and Witney Colllege, Abingdon Campus, Abingdon OX14 1GG. www. admrc.org.uk 10.00-17.00. Adult £8, accompanied child free, disabled access. 20 layouts. Bawdeswell Model Railway Exhibition. Village Hall, Reepham Rd, Bawdeswell, Norfolk NR20 4RU. www.32amrc.co.uk 10.00-16.00. Adult £5, concession £4, child £2, family £10. Selection of layouts in O, OO and N gauges.

SATURDAYSUNDAY, MARCH 1718. . . . East Grinstead Model Railway Club Exhibition. Sackville School, Lewes Rd, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3TY. www.egmrc.org.uk Saturday 10.00-17.00, Sunday 10.00-16.00. Adults £5, concession £4, child (5-16) £4, family £16. 17 layouts and trade support. Nottingham East Midlands Model Railway Exhibition. Harvey Hadden Sports Village, Nottingham NG8 4PB. Saturday 10.00-17.00; Sunday 9.30-16.30. A new feature is the GETTING STARTED section. This will include demonstrations of basic techniques and hands-on exhibits, where beginners, or hobby returnees, can have a go at making scenery, building a simple kit or even operating a layout! 29 layouts of all sizes and prototypes. Of course, we also have the full range of trade stands and specialist societies. Free car parking within the sports centre grounds, available on a first come first served basis, but there is plenty of free parking on the Street outside. A vintage bus shuttle service will run to the venue from the Phoenix Park tram park and ride site, where parking is also free. Large Scale Model Rail and Midlands Garden Rail Show. Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Fosse Way, Leamington Spa CV31 1XN (jct of A425 and B4455). www.largescalemodelrail. co.uk 10.00-16.00. Tickets: By post before March 10 or online – adult £7.50, concession £6.50, child £2 or adult £8.50, concession £7.50, child £3 on the day. Large-scale model rail. Rochdale Model Railway Exhibition. Heywood Model Railway Group, Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale, Lancs OL16 1AB. www.hmrg.co.uk Saturday 10.00-17.00, Sunday 10.00-16.00. Adult £5, concessions £4, child £3, family £13.17 layouts. SATURDAY, MARCH 24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Belper Model Railway Exhibition. Strutts Centre, Derby Rd, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 1UU. http://bmrg.coffeecup.com 10.00-16.30. Adult £3, concession £2.50, child £1.50. 10 layouts and demonstrations. SATURDAYMONDAY, MARCH 31APRIL 2 Gainsborough Model Railway Society. Florence Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincs DN21 IBE. www.gainsboroughmodelrailway.co.uk 13.30-18.00 (opens 10.30 Monday). Adult £4, concession £3, child £3, family £10. SATURDAY, APRIL 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N Gauge Model Railway Exhibition and Open Day for the Berkshire Area Group of the N Gauge Society. Sindlesham Baptist Church, Bearwood Rd, Sindlesham, Wokingham RG41 5BB. www.bagladdies.weebly.com 10.00-16.00. 11 N gauge layouts and modelling demonstrations. Trade and society stalls, including the club second-hand stall and the Berkshire Model Shop. Adult £4, accompanied child under 12 free. SATURDAYSUNDAY, APRIL 78 . . . . . . . Scarborough and District Railway Modellers Club Open Day and Exhibition. Newby and Scalby Community Hall, Scalby Rd, Scalby, Scarborough YO13 0RA. Saturday 10.00-17.00; Sunday 10.00-15.30. Adult £3, accompanied children under 16 free. 10 layouts and demonstrations. Light refreshments, on site parking, full disabled access.

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March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 109

Heritage Diary ABBEY PUMPING STATION

March 25-April 8 Corporation Road, Leicester LE4 5PX (0116 299 51110). www.abbeypumpingstation.org/events.asp Museum open Feb-Oct (13.00-16.30). Events: April 7 Spring Railway Day.

ALN VALLEY RAILWAY

March 31-April 3, 5, 10, 12, 19, 22 Lionheart Station, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 2EZ. www.alnvalleyrailway.co.uk Information line 0300 030 3311. Events: May 5-7 Steam Gala.

AMBERLEY MUSEUM & HERITAGE CENTRE

March 11, April 15 Houghton Bridge, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9LT (01798 831370). Museum open 10.00-17.30. www.amberleynarrowgauge.co.uk Events: April 15 Industrial Trains Day.

AMERTON RAILWAY

March 24, 31-April 2, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 29-30 Stowe-by-Chartley, Weston, Staffs ST18 OLA (01785 850965). www.amertonrailway.co.uk

APEDALE VALLEY LIGHT RAILWAY

Home of the Moseley Railway Trust) March 31-April 2, 7, 14-15, 21, 28 Apedale Country Park, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 7LB (0845 0941953). www.avlr.org.uk AVON VALLEY RAILWAY

March 11, 24-April 5, 8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Bitton station, Bath Road, Bitton BS30 6HD (0117 932 5538/7296). www.avonvalleyrailway.org See website for dining trains.

BALA LAKE RAILWAY

March 3, 25, 27-April 15, 17-19, 21-22, 24-26, 28-29 Llanuwchllyn station, Gwynedd. www.bala-lake-railway.co.uk

BARROW HILL ROUNDHOUSE RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 31-April 1, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 27-28 Campbell Drive, Barrow Hill, Chesterfield S43 2PR (01246 472450). Open: 10.00-16.00. www.barrowhill.org.uk

BATTLEFIELD LINE

See website for running dates Shackerstone station, Shackerstone, Leics CV13 6NW (01827 880754). www.battlefieldline.co.uk. Events: Station open most Sats and Suns (11.45-17.00) and bank holidays.

BLUEBELL RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 23-September 30 Sheffield Park station, East Sussex (01825 720800). www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/ Events: See website for Golden Arrow Pullman Dining, Afternoon Tea Lounge Car and Sunday Carvery Dining Train.

BODMIN & WENFORD RAILWAY

March 11, 14, 17-18, 20-21, 24-April 15, 17-18, 21, 23-25, 28-May 2 Bodmin General station, Cornwall (01208 73666). www.bodminrailway.co.uk

BO’NESS & KINNEIL RAILWAY

March 24-October 28 Bo’ness station, Bo’ness, West Lothian EH51 9AQ (01506 822298). www.bkrailway.co.uk

BOWES RAILWAY

March 3-4 Springwell Village, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, NE9 7QJ (0191 4161847). www.bowesrailway.co.uk Events: Museum is open every Tues, Thurs and Sat (10.00-15.00).

BRECON MOUNTAIN RAILWAY

See website for 2018 running dates Pant station, Merthyr Tydfil CF48 2UP (01685 722988). https://www.bmr.wales/

BREDGAR & WORMSHILL RAILWAY

April 1, May 6, June 3 The Warren, Bredgar, Sittingbourne ME9 8AT (01622 884254). www.bwlr.co.uk/

BRESSINGHAM STEAM & GARDENS

March 27-October 28

Where to go for steam & classic traction in 2018

Bressingham Steam Experience, Diss (01379 686906). www.bressingham.co.uk Open 11.00-16.00 Steam Days Wed-Sun, Bank Holiday Mons and every day in school holidays in the main season from March 27.

Didcot, Oxon OX11 7NJ (01235 817200). www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk Events: May 26-28 Rails on the Western Front

BRISTOL HARBOUR RAILWAY

Daily (10.00-16.30) for static viewing Chappel station, Wakes Colne, Colchester CO6 2DS (01206 242524). www.earm.co.uk Events: March 2-3 Chappel Winter Beer Festival.

March 24-25, 31-April 2, 14-15 M Shed, Princes Wharf, Wapping Road, Bristol BS1 4RN (0117 352 6600). www.mshed.org Museum open Tues-Fri (10.00-17.00), weekends (10.00-18.00).

EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAY MUSEUM

EAST KENT RAILWAY

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE RAILWAY CENTRE

March 24-25, 30-April 2, 8, 15, 22, 29 White Cliffs Colliery Line, Station Road, Shepherdswell, Dover CT15 7PD (01304 832042). www.eastkentrailway.co.uk/ Events: March 24-25 Kent’s Big Weekend.

BURE VALLEY RAILWAY

March 2-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 29-April 2, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29 Bolton Street station, Bury, Lancs BL9 0EY (0161 764 7790). www.east-lancs-rly.co.uk Events: March 2-4 Diesel Galas, 29-April 2 Tornado Visits.

April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Quainton Road, Quainton, Aylesbury, Bucks HP22 4BY (01296 655720). www.bucksrailcentre.org See website for static viewing days. March 10-11, 17-18, 24-August 31 Aylsham station, Norwich Road, Aylsham, Norfolk (01263 733858). www.bvrw.co.uk

CALEDONIAN RAILWAY

March 31-April 1 The Station, Park Road, Brechin DD9 7AF (01356 622992). www.caledonianrailway.com

CAMBRIAN HERITAGE RAILWAYS

See website for running dates Llynclys South Station SY10 8BX and Suite 1, Cambrian Visitor Centre, Oswald Road, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1RE (01691 688763). www.cambrianrailways.com

CHASEWATER RAILWAY

March 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 2, 5,7-8, 10, 12, 14-15, 21-33, 27-28 Chasewater Country Park, Pool Road, Brownhills, Staffs (01543 412121). Events: March 24-25 Diesel Gala. www.chasewaterrailway.co.uk

CHICHESTER & DISTRICT SOCIETY OF MODEL ENGINEERS

April 15 Blackberry Lane, off Bognor Road, East Chichester PO19 7FS. www.cdsme.co.uk

CHINNOR & PRINCES RISBOROUGH RAILWAY

March 11, 17-18, 25, 30-April 2, 8, 14-15, 22, 29 Chinnor station, Oxon OX39 4ER (timetable 01844 353535). www.chinnorrailway.co.uk Events: March 17-18 Diesel Gala.

CHOLSEY & WALLINGFORD RAILWAY

March 31-April 2, May 6-7, 27-28 Wallingford station, Hithercroft Road, Wallingford (01491 835067). www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com

CHURNET VALLEY RAILWAY

March 11, 18, 25, 30-April 2, 4, 7-8, 11, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Station Road, Cheddleton ST13 7EE (01538 750755). www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/ Events: March 25 Volunteer Recruitment Day.

COLNE VALLEY RAILWAY

March 24-25, 30-April 2, 4, 8, 10-11, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Castle Hedingham, Essex CO9 3DZ (01787 461174). www.colnevalleyrailway.co.uk Events: March 24 Diesel Gala.

CORRIS RAILWAY

March 31-April 2 Station Yard, Corris, Machynlleth SY20 9SH. www.corris.co.uk

EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY

EASTLEIGH LAKESIDE STEAM RAILWAY

March 3-4,10-11,17-18, 24-25, 30-April 15, 21-22, 28-29 Lakeside Country Park, Wide Lane, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 5PE (02380 612020). www.steamtrain.co.uk Events: March 24 Diesel Gala.

March 3-4, 6, 10-11, 13, 17-18, 20, 24-25, 27, 29-April 3, 5-8, 10, 12-15, 17, 21-22, 24, 28-29 Wirksworth station, off Coldwell Street, Wirksworth DE4 4FB (01629 823076). www.e-v-r.com

HAYLING RAILWAY

HELSTON RAILWAY

ISLE OF MAN STEAM RAILWAY

EDEN VALLEY RAILWAY

ELSECAR HERITAGE RAILWAY

March 18, 22, 25, 29-April 12, 15, 17-19, 22,24-26, 29 The Station, Haven Street PO33 4DS (01983 882204). www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk Events: May 5-7 Real Ale Festival.

March 31-April 2, 8, 15, 22, 29 Just off A66, Warcop, Cumbria CA16 6PR (017683 42309). www.evr-cumbria.org.uk See website for 2018 running dates Elsecar Heritage Centre, Wath Road, Elsecar, Barnsley S74 8HJ (01226 746746). Open daily for static viewing. www.elsecarrailway.co.uk/

EMBSAY & BOLTON ABBEY STEAM RAILWAY

March 11, 18, 25, 30-April 3, 7-8, 10, 14-§5, 17, 21-22, 24, 28-29 Bolton Abbey station, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 6AF (01756 710614). www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk

EPPING ONGAR RAILWAY

March 30-April 2, 6-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Ongar station, Station Approach, Ongar, Essex CM5 9BN (01277 365200). http://eorailway.co.uk/ Events: See website for details of dining trains.

EVESHAM VALE LIGHT RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 15, 21-22, 28-29 Evesham Country Park, Twyford, Evesham, Worcs WR11 4TP (01386 422282). www.evlr.co.uk

FAIRBOURNE RAILWAY

DERWENT VALLEY LIGHT RAILWAY

110 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

GWILI RAILWAY

See website for 2018 running dates Bronwydd Arms, Carmarthen (01267 238213). www.gwili-railway.co.uk Events: See website for dining trains.

March 9-November 5 Douglas, Isle of Man (01624 697457). www.rail.im Event: See website for dining trains.

March 30-April 2, 8 Caverswall Road station, Blythe Bridge, Stoke-on-Trent ST11 9EA (01782 396210/259667). www.foxfieldrailway.co.uk Events: April 8 Vntage and Classic Car Rally.

DIDCOT RAILWAY CENTRE

GROUDLE GLEN RAILWAY

April 1-2 Onchan, Isle of Man (01624 670453). www.ggr.org.uk

March 18, 22, 25, 29-April 2, 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29 Trevarno Farm, Prospidnick Farm, Helston, Cornwall (07875 481380). www.helstonrailway.co.uk/events

DEAN FOREST RAILWAY

March 3-October 7

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY NOTTINGHAM

March 31-April 2, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Mere Way, Ruddington, Nottingham NG11 6NX (off the A60) (0115 940 5705). http://www.gcrn.co.uk

ECCLESBOURNE VALLEY RAILWAY

March 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 2, 4, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Cranmore station, Cranmore, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 4QP (01749 880417). www.eastsomersetrailway.com

March 3-4, 7-8, 10-11, 14-15, 24-November 4 Harbour station, Porthmadog LL49 9NF (01766 2516073). www.festrail.co.uk/

March 25, April 1-2, 8, 15, 22, 29 Yorkshire Museum of Farming, Murton Park, Murton Lane, Murton, York YO19 5UF (telephone enquiries via Murton Park 01904 489966). www.dvlr.org.uk Events: March 25 Silver Jubileee trains.

GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 16-18, 24-25, 27-April 5, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Great Central Road, Loughborough, Leics (01509 230726). www.gcrailway.co.uk Events: March 24-25 Mountsorrel Running Weekend, 30-April 2 Easter Vintage Festival, 14-15 Diesel Gala. See website for dining trains.

March 3-4, 7, 10-18, 21, 24-25, 28, 30-April 15, 18, 21-22, 25, 28-29 Hayling Island, Hants PO11 0AG (023 9237 2427). www.haylingseasiderailway.com

DARTMOUTH STEAM RAILWAY

March 10-11, 14, 17-18, 21, 24-25, 28, 30-April 2, 4, 7-8, 11, 14-15, 18, 21-22, 25, 28-29 Norchard, Forest Road, Lydney (01594 845840). www.deanforestrailway.co.uk

March10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 5, 7-8. 10-12, 14-15, 17-19, 21-22, 24-26, 28-29 The Railway Station, Toddington (01242 621405). www.gwsr.com

EAST SOMERSET RAILWAY

March 24-April 15, 17-19, 21-22, 24-26, 28-29 Beach Road, Fairbourne, Gwynedd LL38 2EX (01341 250362). www.fairbournerailway.com

March 6-8, 10, 13-15, 17, 20-22, 24-November 3 Queens Park station, Torbay Road, Paignton TQ4 6AF (01803 555872). www.dartmouthrailriver.co.uk

GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARWICKSHIRE RAILWAY

FFESTINIOG RAILWAY

FOXFIELD RAILWAY

GARTELL LIGHT RAILWAY

See website for 2018 events Common Lane, Yenston, Templecombe, Somerset BA8 0NB (01963 370752). newglr.weebley.com

ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM RAILWAY

KEIGHLEY & WORTH VALLEY RAILWAY

March 3-4, 7, 10-11, 14, 17-18, 21, 24-25, 28, 30-April 15, 18, 21-22, 25, 28-29 Haworth station, Keighley BD22 8NJ (01535 645214). www.kwvr.co.uk Events: March 9-11 Spring Gala.

KEMPTON STEAM RALWAY

March 17, April 1, 21-22 Next to Kempton Park Pumping Station, Snakey Lane, Middlesex TW13 6XH (01932 765328). www.hamptonkemptonrailway.org.uk Events: April 21-22 Railway Gala.

KENT & EAST SUSSEX LIGHT RAILWAY

March 10, 30-April 15, 21-22, 28-29 Tenterden TN30 6HE (01580 765155). www.kesr.co.uk

KIRKLEES LIGHT RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-April 15, 21-22, 28-29 Clayton West station, Huddersfield (01484 865727). www.kirkleeslightrailway.com Events: March 3-4 Volunteer Recruitment Weekend, 17-18 Days Out With Thomas.

LAKESIDE & HAVERTHWAITE RAILWAY

March 24-October 28 Haverthwaite station, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 8AL (01539 531594). www.lakesiderailway.co.uk

LAVENDER LINE

March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1,8, 15, 22,29 Isfield station, Uckfield, East Sussex TN22 5XB (01825 750515). www.lavender-line.co.uk

LEIGHTON BUZZARD RAILWAY

March 4, 11, 18, 25, 31-April 2, 4, 8, 11, 22, 29 Page’s Park station, Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard LU7 4TN (01525 373888). www.buzzrail.co.uk Events: March 4 50th Anniversary of First Passenger Train, 18 Volunteers’Day.

LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS RAILWAY

March 11, 25, 30-April 2, 15 Ludborough station, Grimsby DN35 5QS (01507 363881). www.lincolnshirewoldsrailway.co.uk

Continued on page 112

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 111

Heritage Diary LITTLEDOWN RAILWAY

Every Sunday and Wednesday Bournemouth & District Society of Model Engineers, Littledown Centre, off Castle Lane East, Bournemouth. 3 ½in-, 5in- & 7¼in-gauge raised track.11.00-15.00 weather permitting. www.littledownrailway.co.uk.

LLANBERIS LAKE RAILWAY

March 6-8, 13-15, 18, 20-22, 24-April 13, 15-20, 22-27, 29-30 Gilfach Ddu, Llanberis, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 4TY (01286 870549). www.lake-railway.co.uk

LLANGOLLEN RAILWAY

Daily until October 31 The Station, Abbey Road, Llangollen LL20 8SN (01978 860979). www.llangollen-railway.co.uk

LOCOMOTION: THE NRM AT SHILDON

Daily (10.00-16.00) Shildon, Co Durham. Free admission (01388 777999). www.nrm.org.uk

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

Daily (10.00-17.00) Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester M3 4FP (0161 832 2244). www.mosi.org.uk Free admission

NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM

Daily (10.00-18.00) Leeman Road, York (0844 8153 139). www.nrm.org.uk Free admission.

NENE VALLEY RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 14-15, 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 2, 4, 6-8, 11-12, 14-15, 18, 21-22, 25, 28-29 Wansford station, Stibbington, Peterborough (01780 784444). www.nvr.org.uk Events: March 17-18 Open Weekend, April 6-8 Diesel Gala, May 5-7 Tornado visits.

NORTHAMPTON & LAMPORT RAILWAY

March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1-2, 8, 15, 22, 29 Brampton station, Chapel Brampton, Northants NN6 8BA (01604 820327). www.nlr.org.uk

NORTH NORFOLK RAIWAY

Daily Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E 7BB (020 7565 7299 -24-hour recorded information, 020 7379 6344 -switchboard). www.ltmuseum.co.uk

March 3-4, 10-11, 16-18, 23-25, 29-October 28 The Station, Sheringham NR26 8RA (01263 820800). www.nnrailway.co.uk Events: April 20-22 Spring Steam Gala.

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM DEPOT

March 3-4, 6-8, 10-11, 24-November 24 Pickering station, Pickering YO18 7AJ (01751 472508). www.nymr.co.uk Events: March 25-26, 28-30, April 1-2 Royal Scot visit.

March 30-31, April 28-29 2 Museum Way, 118-120 Gunnersbury Lane, London W3. Check the website for more open weekends and guided tours – www.ltmuseum.co.uk Tickets for guided tours (11.00 and 14.00) must be pre-booked – book online or telephone the booking office on 020 7565 7298.

LYNTON & BARNSTAPLE RAILWAY

March 3-4, 6-8, 10-11, 13-15, 17-18, 20-22, 27-April 15, 17-19, 21-22, 24-26, 28-May 3 Woody Bay station, Parracombe, Devon EX31 4RA (01598 763487). www.lynton-rail.co.uk Events: May 12-13 Spring Gala.

MANGAPPS RAILWAY MUSEUM

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 2, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Southminster Road, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex (01621 784898). www.mangapps.co.uk/

MANX ELECTRIC RAILWAY

March 16-November 4 Laxey Station (01624 861226). www.rail.im Check website for details of events.

MAUD RAILWAY MUSEUM

Ring museum for opening times Station Road, Maud, Aberdeenshire AB42 5LY (01771 622906). Open noon to 16.00. Enquiries to bdp@scotmail.net

MIDDLETON RAILWAY

See website for 2018 running dates Middleton Railway Trust Ltd, The Station, Moor Road, Hunslet, Leeds LS10 2JQ (0113 271 0320). www.middletonrailway.org.uk

MIDHANTS RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 15, 21-22, 28-29 The Station, Alresford, Hants SO24 9JG (01962 733810). www.watercressline.co.uk Events: March 30-April 8 Days Out With Thomas, May 20 Watercress Festival.

MIDLAND RAILWAYBUTTERLEY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-29, 30-31, April 1-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Butterley Station, Ripley, Derbyshire (01773 747674). www.midlandrailway-butterley.co.uk

MIDNORFOLK RAILWAY

March 4, 11, 16-18, 25, 29-April 2, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Station Road, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 1DF (01362 690633). www.mnr.org.uk Events: February 24 Dereham Model Railway Exhibition, March 16-18 Spring Diesel Gala.

MIDSUFFOLK LIGHT RAILWAY

April 1-2, May 6-7 Brockford station, Wetheringsett, Stowmarket IP14 5PW (01449 766899). www.mslr.org.uk Events: May 6-7 Middy in the War Years.

NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILWAY

PEAK RAIL

See website for 2018 running dates Matlock station, Derbyshire DE4 3NA (01629 580381). www.peakrail.co.uk

PERRYGROVE RAILWAY

March 3-4, 6, 8, 10-11, 13, 15, 17-18, 20, 22, 24-25, 27, 29-April 15, 17, 19, 21-22, 24, 26, 28-29 Perrygrove Road, Coleford, Gloucestershire GL16 8QB (01594 834991). www.perrygrove.co.uk

POPLAR MINIATURE RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 14, 18-21, 25-28 Poplar Nurseries, Coggeshall Road, Marks Tey, Colchester CO6 1HR (07780 603001). http://poplarminirail.co.uk/

RAVENGLASS & ESKDALE RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-October 31 Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SW (01229 717171). www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk Events: See website for fish & chip and museum specials.

Where to go for steam & classic traction in 2018 001250). Open 12.00-16.30. http://www.shipleyglentramway.co.uk/

Week, 30-April 2 A Victorian Easter.

SITTINGBOURNE & KEMSLEY LIGHT RAILWAY

See website for running dates Henllan station, Henllan, Llandysul SA44 5TD (01559 371077). www.teifivalleyrailway.wales/

SNAEFELL MOUNTAIN RAILWAY

March 3-4,10-11, 17-November 2 Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 1PG (01970 625819). www.rheidolrailway.co.uk

SNOWDON MOUNTAIN RAILWAY

See website for 2018 running dates Stanhope Station, Station Road, Stanhope, Co Durham DL13 2YS (01388 526203). www.weardale-railway.org.uk/ Events: All trains run to Witton-le-Wear.

March 30-April 2, 8, 15, 22, 29 Viaduct station, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 2XD (01795 424899). www.sklr.net March 29-November 4 Laxey Station (01624 861226) www.rail.im Check website for details of events.

March 16-October 31 Llanberis, Gwynedd LL55 4TY (0844 493 8120). www.snowdonrailway.co.uk

SOMERSET & DORSET RAILWAY

Open Sunday (10.00-16.00) for static viewing and Monday (13.00-16.00) Midsomer Norton South station, Silver Street, Midsomer Norton, Avon BA3 2EY (01761 411221). www.somersetanddorsetrailway.co.uk

SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY

March 17-November 4 The Station, Buckfastleigh, Devon (0845 345 1420). www.southdevonrailway.org Events: March 30-April 2 Easter Fair, May 5-7 Days Out With Thomas, 25-28 Spring Beer Festival.

SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (March 30-October 31) The Station, Alston, Cumbria CA9 3JB (01434 381696; Talking timetable 01434 382828). www.south-tynedale-railway.org.uk/

SPA VALLEY RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 30-April 8, 10-12, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 West Station, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5QY (01892 537715). www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/ Events: See website for details of fish & chip, dining and murder mystery trains.

ST ALBANS SOUTH SIGNALBOX

March 11, 24-25, April 8, 22 Ridgmont Road, St Albans AL1 3AJ. www.sigbox.co.uk Opening times: 14.00-17.00 (March 24-25: 10.00-17.00).

STEAMRAILWAY MUSEUM OF THE GWR

RIBBLE STEAM RAILWAY

Daily (10.00-17.00) Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2TA (01793 466646). www.steam-museum.org.uk The library and archive is open Mon-Fri (10.00-16.00) by appointment only (01793 466607).

ROCKS BY RAIL Rutland Railway Museum

April 1-2, 8, 15, 22, 29 Steeplehouse station, Old Porter Lane, Wirksworth, Derbyshire (DE4 4LS for sat navs) (07769 802587). www.steeplegrange.co.uk

March 24-25, 30-April 2, 8, 14-15, 22, 29 Albert Edward Dock, Riversway Docklands, Preston. www.ribblesteam.org.uk Events: March 24-25 Industrial Steam Gala, April 14-15 Diesel Shunters Gala. April 1-2, 15, May 6-7, 20, 27-28 Ashwell Road, Cottesmore, Oakham LE15 7BX (01572 813203 or 01780 764118 after 16.00). www.rocks-by-rail.org/ General opening hours on Tues, Thurs and Suns (10.00-17.00 - last admission 16.00).

ROMNEY, HYTHE & DYMCHURCH RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-October 28 New Romney station, Kent (01797 362353). www.rhdr.org.uk

RUSHDEN TRANSPORT MUSEUM AND RAILWAY

Open Friday (14.00-16.00), Saturday (14.00-16.00), Sunday (10.00-16.00) Rushden Transport Museum, Rushden station, Station Approach, Rushden, Northants NN10 0AW (01933 353111). www.rhts.co.uk

SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 16-18, 24-25, 30-April 15, 21-22, 28-September 30 Bewdley, Worcs DY12 1BG (01299 403816). www.svr.co.uk Events: March 16-18 Spring Steam Gala, April 7-8 Open House Weekend and Model Railway Exhibition.

SHIPLEY GLEN TRAMWAY

March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 Prod Lane, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 5BN (07773

112 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

STEEPLE GRANGE LIGHT RAILWAY

STRATHSPEY RAILWAY

March 24-25, 28-April 2, 4-5, 7-8, 11-12, 14-15, 18-19, 21-22, 25-26, 28-29 Aviemore station, Dalfaber Road, Aviemore, Inverness-shire (01479 810725). www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk/

SWANAGE RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 23-25, 30-October 28 Swanage station, Dorset BH19 1HB (01929 425800). www.swanagerailway.co.uk Events: March 23-25 Steam Gala. See website for dining trains.

SWINDON & CRICKLADE RAILWAY

March 4, 11, 18, 25 30-April 2, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Tadpole Lane, Blunsdon, Swindon SN25 2DA (01793 771615. www.swindon-cricklade-railway.org/ Events: March 11 Mothers’Day, 18 Kids for a Quid.

TALYLLYN RAILWAY

March 17-18, 24-November 3 Wharf station, Tywyn, Gwynedd LL36 9EY (01654 710472). www.talyllyn.co.uk Events: Museum open 10.00-14.00.

TANFIELD RAILWAY

March 4, 8, 11, 17-18, 25, 30-April 2, 8, 14-15, 22, 29 Marley Hill Engine Shed, Old Marley Hill, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear NE16 5ET (for sat navs) (0845 463 4938). www.tanfield-railway.co.uk Events: March 17-18 Great War

TEIFI VALLEY RAILWAY

VALE OF RHEIDOL RAILWAY

WEARDALE RAILWAY

WELLS TO WALSINGHAM LIGHT RAILWAY

March 3-4, 10-11, 18-October 31 Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1QB (01328 711630 - 08.00-17.00). www.wellswalsinghamrailway.co.uk/

WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAY C

March 3-4, 7-8, 10-11, 14-15, 24-November 4 Harbour station, Porthmadog, Gwynedd LL49 9NF (01766 516000). www.festrail.co.uk (Bookings: Porthmadog 01766 516024, Caernarfon 01286 677018).

WELSH HIGHLAND HERITAGE RAILWAY

See website for April running dates The Station, Tremadog Road, Porthmadog, Gwynedd LL49 9DY (01766 513402). www.whr.co.uk/

WELSHPOOL & LLANFAIR LIGHT RAILWAY

March 24-25, 27-April 15, 21-22, 28-29 The Station, Llanfair Caereinion, Welshpool, Powys SY21 0SF (01938 810441). www.wllr.org.uk/

WENSLEYDALE RAILWAY

March 3,10-11,17, 24, 30-31, April 3-4,7, 10-11, 21, 28 Leeming Bar station, Leases Road, Leeming Bar, Northallerton, North Yorkshire DL7 9AR (Ticketline 08454 50 54 74). www.wensleydalerailway.com

WEST LANCASHIRE LIGHT RAILWAY

April 1-2, 8, 15, 22, 29 Station Road, Hesketh Bank, Preston, Lancs PR4 6SP (01772 815881). www.westlancsrailway.org/

WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY

March 10-11, 17-18, 22-April 8, 10-12, 14-15, 17-19, 21-22, 24-26, 28-29 The Railway Station, Minehead, Somerset TA24 5BG (01643 704996). www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk Events: March 22-25 Steam Gala. See website for Dining Trains and Murder Mystery specials.

WHITWELL & REEPHAM STATION

March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, April 2, 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 Whitwell Road, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4GA (01603 871694). www.whitwellstation.com Events: Station and loco yard open every weekend. Steam days are held on the first Sun of each month. Midweek visits by appointment.

YEOVIL RAILWAY CENTRE

March 18, April 1-2, 15 www.yeovilrailway.freeservers.com Events: March 8, 22 Main Line Steam, March 18, April 1-2, 15 Steam Train Days. Static viewing every Sun morning. Shop open every Sun (10.00-12.00).

Your event should be in here. The Railway Magazine is keen to learn all about your rail-related events. Contact Jon Longman, The Railway Magazine, Mortons Media Ltd, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR or email railway@mortons.co.uk Event organisers – please ensure that your entry has contact details and let us have your entries by the deadline (see page 108 for details). It is advisable to contact the event organiser before setting out on your journey as we cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies or changes in event details. Please note that many museums’opening times may be subject to change on public holidays.

EVENTS

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 113

EVENTS

114 • The Railway Magazine • March 2018

EVENTS

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 115

1 5

8 7

points of interest in the UK

11 12

5 16

10 7

13 1 12 9

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Reader Services How to order a subscription Have your RM sent direct to you each month!

Visit www.railwaymagazine.co.uk or turn to p48 in this issue

Full subscription rates (but see p48-49 for oﬀer *): (12 months 12 issues, incl post & packing) – UK £52.80 (one year); £105.60 (two years); £158.40 (three years), Republic of Ireland £59 and overseas £59-£64. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. *Existing subscribers receive a monthly exclusive oﬀer. Send cheques/postal orders and correspondence to: Freepost RTKU-YJBY-HJCR, The Railway Magazine Subscriptions, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Tel: 01507 529529. Fax: 01507 371066. email: subscriptions@mortons.co.uk Overseas subscription enquiries: The Railway Magazine Subscriptions, PO Box 99, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ United Kingdom (please attach correct postage). Tel +44 (0)1507 529529. Fax: +44 (0)1507 371066. Newsstand distribution by Worldwide Media Services Inc,115 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010. USA Postmaster: Send address corrections to The Railway Magazine’s US agent: Mercury International Ltd, 365 Blair Road, Avenel, NJ 07001, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, New Jersey.

Back issues Limited numbers are available at £4.95 incl p&p (£6.40 for Europe, £7.10 for rest of the world). Phone 01507 529529 to check availability.

Binders High-quality binders are just £11.50, including UK postage and packing (add £2.25 for Europe and £4.75 for rest of the world). TO ORDER: Simply write to: The Railway Magazine Binder Oﬀer, Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. Please state quantity required and enclose a cheque for the correct amount, made payable to Mortons Media Group Ltd. Readers overseas please note we can only accept either Sterling Bankers Draft or credit card payments.

Bound volumes £54 per vol incl p&p (12 issues approx) or £44 if collected. For more information see website: www.walternewbury.co.uk; email: info@walternewbury.co.uk; or call 020 8472 0526. Send copies with your name and address plus remittance to: Walter Newbury Ltd, Dagenham Business Centre, Unit 19, 123 Rainham Road North, Dagenham, Essex RM10 7FD

Any queries, phone us on 01507 529529 The

Magazine A good way to ensure you receive every issue of The Railway Magazine is to place an order with your local newsagent. Once set up, your copy of The Railway Magazine will be held for you to collect, saving you the time and frustration of having to search the newsstands. Some newsagents may even oﬀer a home delivery service, making it easier still for you to obtain your copy. So simply complete the form below (you can photocopy it if you wish) and take it to your local newsagent today.

NEWSAGENT ORDER FORM ■ Please reserve/deliver* a copy of The Railway Magazine on a regular basis, starting with the .................................... issue (*delete as appropriate) Initials .............................. Surname ......................................................................................... Address....................................................................................................................................... ................................................................Postcode .................................................................... Daytime Tel No ......................................................................................................................... email ...........................................................................................................................................

How to submit digital photos ■ For publication, take pictures at largest size, resolution and compression. ■ Hi-res JPEGs or TIFFs should be resized to min 7x5in at 300dpi with no layers or sharpening (with TIFFs, select byte order as ‘PC’). ■ Captions plus your name and contact details MUST be embedded in the ‘File Info’ section. A brief contents list must be written on CD sleeves and on the CD itself (but do not stick labels on CDs). ■ Delete the camera’s automatic ﬁle-naming codes and replace with ones incorporating your initials, train/loco number, location, date – e.g: NP_91104Retford070410.jpg ■ If posting CDs, send thumbnails and captions. We cannot return CDs. ■ If e-mailing shots, send only 72dpi initially at max size of 8x6in to rmpix@mortons.co.uk. Your co-operation is appreciated.

Friends of The Railway Magazine A link to The RM is included on the websites of several heritage railways and rail enthusiast organisations. Among the Friends of The Railway Magazine sites are: 1. GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY www.gcrailway.co.uk 2. FFESTINIOG RAILWAY www.festrail.co.uk 3. NORTH NORFOLK RAILWAY www.nnrailway.co.uk 4. SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY www.southdevonrailway.org 5. EMBSAY & BOLTON ABBEY STEAM RAILWAY www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk 6. TALYLLYN RAILWAY www.talyllyn.co.uk 7. MID-NORFOLK RAILWAY www.mnr.org.uk 8. SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY www.south-tynedale-railway.org.uk 9. SCOTTISH RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY www.srps.org.uk 10. SPA VALLEY RAILWAY www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk 11. BODMIN & WENFORD RAILWAY www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk 12. CHOLSEY & WALLINGFORD RAILWAY www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com 13. FAIRBOURNE RAILWAY www.fairbournerailway.com 14. BURE VALLEY RAILWAY www.bvrw.co.uk 15. BRITISH TRAMS ON LINE www.britishtramsonline.co.uk 16. EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAY MUSEUM www.earm.co.uk 17. CHASEWATER RAILWAY www.chasewaterrailway.co.uk 18. BOWES RAILWAY www.bowesrailway.co.uk 19. BARROW HILL ROUNDHOUSE www.barrowhill.org.uk 20. ENGINE SHED SOCIETY www.engineshedsociety.co.uk 21. ABRAIL www.abrail.co.uk

22. MIDDLETON RAILWAY www.middletonrailway.org.uk 23. EAST SOMERSET RAILWAY www.eastsomersetrailway.com 24. DEAN FOREST RAILWAY www.deanforestrailway.co.uk 25. PEAK RAIL www.peakrail.co.uk 26. SCARBOROUGH RAILWAY SOCIETY www.scarboroughrailwaysociety.org.uk 27. LINCOLNSHIRE WOLDS RAILWAY www.lincolnshirewoldsrailway.co.uk 28. ROYAL DEESIDE RAILWAY www.deeside-railway.co.uk 29. GREAT WESTERN (SVR) ASSOCIATION www.gw-svr-a.org.uk 30. UK STEAM www.uksteam.info 31. STEPHENSON LOCOMOTIVE SOCIETY www.stephensonloco.org.uk 32. MARLOW & DISTRICT RAILWAY SOCIETY www.mdrs.org.uk 33. GAINSBOROUGH MODEL RAILWAY SOCIETY www.gainsboroughmodelrailway.co.uk 34. WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk 35. CONTINENTAL RAILWAY CIRCLE www.continentalrailwaycircle.org.uk 36. RAILWAY PERFORMANCE SOCIETY www.railperf.org.uk 37. LNER (SVR) COACH FUND www.lnersvrcoachfund.org.uk 38. KEITH & DUFFTOWN RAILWAY www.keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk 39. ALN VALLEY RAILWAY www.alnvalleyrailway.co.uk 40. SWANAGE RAILWAY www.swanagerailway.co.uk 41. NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY ASSOCIATION www.ner.org.uk 42. RAILWAY CORRESPONDENCE AND TRAVEL SOCIETY www.rcts.org.uk

March 2018 • The Railway Magazine • 121

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