Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 557 i Steam Railway

Taking the high road This job has a habit of throwing up some interesting situations – not least of which is the requirement to travel the length and breadth of the country in search of articles and features. Quite possibly the furthest north I’ve been, however, is Brechin while on a recent visit to the Caledonian Railway. It’s a line that’s been on my bucket list for some time now, and one that I knew surprisingly little about. Despite the fickle Scottish weather, it was a worthy trip – you can read about it inside this issue – and one that has made a very positive impression. We’ve read a lot of doom and gloom recently, so it’s exhilarating to be able to report on a railway that’s going from…

PRIME MINISTER, the Rt Hon Rishi Sunak, and Peter Gibson, MP for Darlington, visited Darlington Locomotive Works – home of ‘A1’ Tornado – on April 2. Both politicians received updates on both the Peppercorn ‘Pacific’ and the trust’s under construction ‘P2’ No. 2007 Prince of Wales, and saw the work currently ongoing to connect the new workshop with the national network. Trust chairman Steve Davies also briefed the pair on future plans to install a turntable on the site next to Darlington North Road railway station, as well as the vision for the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway.…

UNIQUE SOUTH Eastern & Chatham Railway ‘O1’ No. 65 ventured into London & South Western Railway territory on March 22‑24, when it attended the Swanage Railway’s Victorian Weekend. The 1896‑built 0‑6‑0 made a rare visit away from its Bluebell Railway home for the event, with the ‘Purbeck Line’ being only the third heritage railway the locomotive has visited since its return to steam in 1999, following spells at the Kent & East Sussex Railway in April 2009, and the Spa Valley Railway in June 2023. Enhancing the Victorian theme at the event was the Swanage Railway’s resident 1893‑built LSWR ‘T3’ No. 563, with the steam line‑up being completed by the decidedly un‑Victorian Maunsell ‘U’ class 2‑6‑0 No. 31806 (originally built as a ‘K’ class 2‑6‑4T in 1926 but rebuilt into…

PUBLIC TRAINS ran to the Northampton & Lamport Railway’s new terminus at Boughton for the first time on March 30, as the line finally opened its half-mile southern extension. Work to extend the line beyond its current 1½-mile length south from Pitsford Sidings to Boughton began in 2007. In addition to re-laying the track – which was taken up after the former LNWR route between Northampton and Market Harborough closed altogether on August 16 1981 – NLR volunteers have restored an eight-arch brick-built low viaduct, built a new station and bay platform, re-erected the LNWR signal box from Betley Road, near Crewe, and installed semaphore signalling and telegraph equipment. Boughton station – whose LNWR-style running-in board has been made by students from Northampton College – was officially opened by Chris…

THE AVON Valley Railway celebrated 50 years as a preserved line with a special anniversary gala on April 4-7. Two locomotives were in steam throughout the weekend – Avonside 0-6-0ST Works No. 1919 Cranford, visiting from the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway, and Hunslet ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST Works No. 3839 Wimblebury, on long-term loan throughout 2024 from the Foxfield Railway. Both locomotives helped recreate the formative years of the AVR, with Cranford standing in for Bitton-based Avonside 0-6-0ST Works No. 1798 ‘Edwin Hulse’, which was the AVR Trust’s first locomotive and named after the chairman of what was then the Bristol Suburban Railway Society. The 1918-built locomotive also hauled some of the AVR’s first public services, and is currently undergoing a major overhaul. Cranford also hauled a re-creation of the AVR’s opening…

Diesels on the front line? I’M GOING to have to start this instalment of Down Main with a bit of a health warning – this edition may contain diesels. That’s not because Steam Railway is softening its stance; it’s purely because it’s going to be impossible to cover the latest twists and turns that impact main line steam without a small deviation into ‘modern’ traction this month. On March 20, West Coast Railways officially announced that it would suspend the operation of its signature ‘Jacobite’ steam service from Fort William to Mallaig – just five days before the first moves to allow the planned season to begin. While saying that the suspension was to take place while the Office of Rail and Road assessed its latest application for exemption from…

THE CALEDONIAN RAILWAY There’s no denying that the Caledonian Railway is a line with ideas. To the uninitiated, it’s a beautiful – albeit windswept – route stretching across four miles of open Scottish countryside between Bridge of Dun near Montrose and Brechin. Built by the Aberdeen Railway in 1848 and later to fall under the auspices of the Scottish North Eastern Railway and Caledonian Railway, its latter days of steam under British Railways would see its metals graced by ‘A4s’, ‘V2s’ and a host of indigenous Scottish designs. Now, it is mainly known for its impressive diesel fleet, although it has a modest and successful steam contingent, of more later. It also has well-founded plans for an extension to essentially double its length, a healthy volunteer workforce with no paid…

What do you do with an 18‑mile railway?” ponders Great Central Railway General Manager Malcolm Holmes. It’s a simple question, but the answer is far from straightforward. Nonetheless, getting the answer right is fundamental to the future success of the Reunification project – an ambitious scheme to link the Great Central Railway with its northern neighbour, the Great Central Railway (Nottingham). Right now, behind the doors of the room where the project’s steering board meet, key decisions are being taken. While much has been achieved since physical construction began back in February 2016 – not least the installation of a single‑track bridge over the Midland Main Line (autumn 2017) the refurbishment of the original bridge over the Leicester line of the Grand Union Canal in Loughborough (autumn 2020), and the…

September 12 1964 brought the curtain down on Class 8 ‘Pacific’ power on the West Coast Main Line when the last survivors of Sir William Stanier’s ‘Princess Coronations’, ‘Duchesses’ or ‘Semis’ (as they were variously known) were withdrawn, with all but one of the final fleet soon passing into oblivion at the hands of scrap dealers. That one, No. 46256 – nominally a Stanier design, but actually designed by Ivatt – lived another three weeks to work a final farewell railtour and at the time it was thought that such machines would never again grace West Coast metals. The origins of the class were, of course, rooted in the Stanier design for the ‘Princess Royal’ 4-6-2s, the first of which were new in 1933 when Nos. 6200/1 entered service, with…

BETTON GRANGE Had history played out slightly differently, No. 6880 Betton Grange might never have existed. In 1965, during Western Region steam’s final months, the Great Western Society explored buying a ‘Hall’, a ‘Grange’, and a ‘Manor’ from British Rail. While a ‘Hall’ and ‘Manor’ were quoted at just over £1,800 each (nearly £30,000 in today’s money) a ‘Grange’ came out at just over £2,000. Thus, with a ‘Grange’ considered too expensive, ‘Modified Hall’ No. 6998 Burton Agnes Hall and ‘Manor’ No. 7808 Cookham Manor were preserved, thanks to the combined efforts of the GWS and society member John Mynors, while the last ‘Grange’ – No. 6872 Crawley Grange – was withdrawn from Worcester shed in December that year and subsequently scrapped. Considering that Tyseley shed was one of the…

ONE NEW-BUILD Great Western 4-6-0 stood in for another at the East Somerset Railway’s 50th anniversary steam gala on March 16/17. The star guest had been intended to be the 81st Collett ‘Grange’, No. 6880 Betton Grange, with the gala touted as its long-awaited public debut in steam, after its original planned premiere at the Battlefield Line’s gala in February was postponed owing to ongoing work to complete the two-cylinder 4-6-0. However, with Betton Grange still not ready, its place was taken by 2019-built ‘Saint’ No. 2999 Lady of Legend, courtesy of Didcot Railway Centre. The replica Churchward 4-6-0 worked alongside ESR residents ‘Large Prairie’ No. 4110 and Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0 No. 46447, while Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Works No. 1719 ‘Lady Nan’ did ‘Driver for a Tenner’ duties at…

OVER 4,000 people attended the East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Legends of Steam’ gala on March 15-17, making it one of the line’s most successful enthusiast events ever. Headlining the event were ‘A4’ No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley and BR ‘7MT’ No. 70000 Britannia, visiting courtesy of the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust and Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust respectively. The Riddles Class 7 ‘Pacific’ was hauling its first revenue-earning trains since its crosshead failed while hauling a Steam Dreams railtour near Chilworth on August 22 last year. Completing the ‘Legends of Steam’ line-up was ‘Jubilee’ No. 45690 Leander, already on short-term loan to the ELR for some of the final months of its current boiler ‘ticket’, while resident Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Class 23 0-6-0ST No. 51456 – still masquerading…

A RECORD six Bulleid ‘Pacifics’ will gather at the Swanage Railway for its ‘Strictly Bulleid II’ gala on June 7‑9. The core of the line‑up will be a trio of Southern Locomotives Ltd’s ‘Light Pacifics’: Swanage resident rebuilt ‘West Country’ No. 34028 Eddystone, and air‑smoothed ‘Battle of Britain’ Nos. 34070 Manston (currently on loan from Swanage to the Mid-Hants Railway), and 34072 257 Squadron, with the latter temporarily returning to its nominal ‘home’ railway for the gala from the Spa Valley Railway, where it has been resident since late 2022. Completing the roster are two more air‑smoothed Bulleids – ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34081 92 Squadron (from the Nene Valley Railway) and ‘West Country’ No. 34092 City of Wells (from the East Lancashire Railway), plus ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35006 Peninsular…

ROMNEY, HYTHE & Dymchurch Railway 4-6-2 No. 9 Winston Churchill returned to steam on March 17 with a bold new look. Withdrawn in November 2022 for an intermediate overhaul, the 1931-built Canadian-style ‘Pacific’ has returned to traffic sporting red wheels and a ‘9’ smokebox door number, with its first duties being hauling a special train for the RHDR Supporters Association. Although generally considered to be in good condition, Winston Churchill has had its cylinders re-bored, with new pistons and valve heads, and all its tyres have been re-profiled. It has also had a new set of boiler tubes and attention to its brake cylinders, as well as other sundry jobs. Winston Churchill is expected to form part of the line-up for the RHDR’s Steam & Diesel Gala on May 11/12,…

THE DARJEELING Tank Locomotive Trust – owners of ex‑Darjeeling Himalayan Railway ‘B’ 0‑4‑0STT No. 19B – has launched an appeal to raise £80,000 to build a new boiler for the 1889‑built locomotive. Last steamed at the Statfold Barn Railway in 2023, the overhaul of the ‘bottom end’ of the Sharp, Stewart & Co. locomotive is “all but complete, thanks to Statfold’s incredibly generous gift of £50k in labour towards the work,” said DTLT chairman Jeremy Davey. However, “the boiler is a much less happy story.” Although the initial inspection was promising, once the corroded plating was removed, “serious grooving” was discovered. “Ultrasonics and Nondestructive Testing found serious cracking in the inner firebox and further wasting in the throatplate, wrapper and backhead. This led to removal of the firebox with the…

A FEW YEARS ago now, I had the pleasure of driving a newly outshopped locomotive on its maiden voyage. While waiting to take the trip, one of the sponsors on the train popped up and asked us what we were going to do next. Cheekily, I answered that I would simply be enjoying driving the train to the next station. Of course, it was a perfectly reasonable question to ask, and the nature of our hobby is such that, for most people, it is the excitement of what could be next that keeps the interest. For those doing the leg work of fundraising, project management and building things, each locomotive, carriage or building launched to the world represents a mountain climbed. This magazine, of course, fans the flames of ‘what’s…

The railway over the Stainmore Pass, England’s highest main line, will forever be associated with the dramatic sight and sound of multiple north-eastern steam locomotives working the heavy mineral traffic for which the railway was originally built between the North East and Furness, Cumberland and Lancashire. Despite this, one of the most fascinating aspects of Thomas Bouch’s superbly engineered trans-Pennine railway, from the very first days of the Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR) through to the last years of BR operations, was the express passenger services the railway supported. Early years The railway opened in the summer of 1861, and from the very beginning, the S&DR saw the potential in the only Pennine crossing in the 70 miles between the Tyne Valley and the River Aire in Yorkshire, to link…

GET IN TOUCH Got an event you want to be included? email steam.railway@bauermedia.co.uk MAY 3-6 WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY: Spring Steam Spectacular. Locos: 1054, 7828, 61306, 2807, 6695, 9351, 9466. 4/5 MOORS VALLEY RAILWAY: Visiting Loco Weekend. 4-6 BALA LAKE RAILWAY: Steam on Road and Rail. 4-6 EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY: Days Out With Thomas. 4-6 EPPING ONGAR RAILWAY: Festival of Steam 4-6 ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM RAILWAY: Real Ale Festival. 4-6 MIDLAND RAILWAY BUTTERLEY: Victorian Trains Weekend. 4-6 SPA VALLEY RAILWAY: Days Out With Thomas. 5 LINCOLNSHIRE COAST LIGHT RAILWAY: Steam Day. 5 WHITWELL & REEPHAM STATION: Steam Sunday. 6 AMBERLEY MUSEUM: Motorcycle Day. 10-12 BLUEBELL RAILWAY: Branch Line Gala Weekend. 11 CALEDONIAN RAILWAY: Gin Trains. 11/12 CHOLSEY & WALLINGFORD RAILWAY: Military Vehicles Weekend. 11/12 EPPING ONGAR RAILWAY: Festival of Steam.…

BRITAIN GAINED a working Collett ‘Grange’ for the first time since 1965 on April 11, when the 81st example – No. 6880 Betton Grange – steamed at Tyseley Locomotive Works. Betton Grange’s first steaming at the former 81E locomotive depot marked the long-delayed completion of the new-build two-cylinder ‘68XX’, the construction of which first started in 2003, initially at the Llangollen Railway. Betton Grange combines the Standard No. 1 boiler and bogie wheels from ex-Barry ‘Modified Hall’ No. 7927 Willington Hall, the spare driving wheels from Collett ‘43XX’ No. 7325, and bogie from ‘Hall’ No. 5952 Cogan Hall, with bespoke frames and cylinders. No. 6880 is also temporarily running with the tender from ‘Manor’ No. 7822 Foxcote Manor, while its own is under construction. Although it steamed before its planned…

A PAIR OF visiting Great Western Railway-designed 4-6-0s formed part of the line-up at what was arguably the biggest steam gala of the year so far, at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. The March 21-24 event was headlined by ‘Castle’ No. 4079 Pendennis Castle and ‘Modified Hall’ No. 6990 Witherslack Hall, visiting from Didcot Railway Centre and the Great Central Railway respectively. The Oxenhope branch was the fifth heritage line Pendennis Castle has graced since its return to steam in April 2022, following spells at the Epping Ongar, Gloucestershire Warwickshire, Mid-Hants and Severn Valley railways during 2023, and already has a sixth under its belt with its current spell on hire to the East Lancashire Railway. The Swindon-built pair were two of the nine locomotives in action at the…

PEPPERCORN ‘A2’ No. 60532 Blue Peter has returned to steam for the first time in 22 years. Last steamed at the end of 2002 at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where it had been based following the expiry of its main line ‘ticket’ the previous year, the 1948-built ‘Pacific’ moved under its own power for the first time in over two decades at Locomotive Services Group’s base at Crewe on March 14. For the first time in its history, Blue Peter has been outshopped in BR express passenger blue livery, a colour scheme that was never applied to the original ‘A2s’ as the 4-6-2s were classed as mixed traffic locomotives by BR and lined blue was only reserved for express passenger types. The colour scheme matches that applied to LSG’s…

TWO LOCOMOTIVES owned by the Beet family – ‘Jubilee’ No. 45690 Leander and Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2‑6‑0 No. 46441 – were united for the first time at the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway in March. Following its appearance at the East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Legends of Steam’ gala (see separate story), the Stanier three‑cylinder 4‑6‑0 moved to the Cumbrian line on March 19, and teamed up with LHR resident No. 46441 on March 21, for a private train organised to allow the Beet family to enjoy the two locomotives working together. Leander then starred in a photographic charter organised by Peter van Campenhout the following day; No. 46441 did not participate as it was being cleaned ahead of the start of the LHR’s regular public services commencing that weekend. The two locomotives then…

SOUTH EASTERN & Chatham Railway ‘O1’ No. 65 will return to its former stamping ground when it attends the Kent & East Sussex Railway’s 50th anniversary gala on June 1/2. The 1896-built 0-6-0 was a regular sight on the former Colonel Stephens light railway during the 1950s, and hauled trains during the final day of public services on the Headcorn-Robertsbridge route on January 2 1954. The ‘O1’ will be making only its second return visit to the KESR in preservation, having last operated over the Tenterden-Bodiam line in April 2009. The second visiting locomotive for the KESR’s Golden Anniversary gala does not share No. 65’s historic links with the line – BR ‘4MT’ No. 76017. The ‘Standard 4’ 2-6-0 hasn’t been seen in public since its attendance at the Bluebell…

THE TALYLLYN Railway has launched an appeal to raise a minimum of £500,000 over the next five years to support its major redevelopment project at Pendre Works and Tywyn Wharf. Named ‘Preserving our past, building our future’, the main focus of the redevelopment project will be upgrading the facilities at Pendre Works, while protecting and conserving the works’ historic fabric. Three options for Pendre are being considered, with the final layout of the site being determined by how much the railway is able to raise, but the proposals include a new engineering facility to replace the North Carriage Shed, a new carriage shed built on the old orchard site adjacent to the works, a new paint shop, and improved visitor facilities. The project also includes remodelling Wharf station building to…

Narrow Gauge FFESTINIOG RAILWAY-BASED ‘Quarry Hunslet’ 0-4-0STs Britomart and Hugh Napier attended Beamish’s ‘Wheels of Industry’ gala on April 6/7. The locomotives, Works Nos. 707 and 855 respectively, were making a return visit to Beamish, with Britomart having previously run at the County Durham open-air museum in 2014, and Hugh Napier in 2015. The event reunited Hugh Napier with one of its former quarry colleagues, Beamish resident Andrew Barclay 0-4-0WT Works No. 1994 Glyder. Completing the roster was 0-4-0WTG Samson. Britomart and Hugh Napier weren’t the only visitors. Running on the standard gauge line was Manning, Wardle 0-6-0ST Works No. 1210 Sir Berkeley, visiting from the Middleton Railway. It worked alongside 1871-built Head Wrightson 0-4-0VBT No. 1 on the line during the weekend.…

THE GREAT Central Railway has launched a £500,000 appeal to fund the next stage of its ambitious Reunification project. In a recent change of plan, the railway intends to build a new viaduct to link the restored bridge over the Grand Union Canal with the new bridge over the Midland Main Line. This will replace the previous plan to reinstate the former embankment between the canal bridge and Railway Terrace road, which would have been bridged – along with the adjacent Precis Spark factory car park – by the ‘Factory Flyover’, using two bridge decks salvaged from the remodelling of Reading station. These will now no longer form part of the Reunification project. GCR general manager Malcolm Holmes explained: “The urban viaduct is expected to be simpler, faster and cheaper…

The HRA view IT’S OFTEN really hard to find a balance between the positive and the negative. And it’s probably even harder right now when positive news in the wider world is scarce. The concept that tomorrow can be better than today seems genuinely controversial like never before. In the heritage rail world, that battle is real. In many ways, we face storm clouds like never before; but it’d be dangerous if those clouds were allowed to obscure the positive things that are still happening throughout our sector. The peak of the Covid pandemic might seem like a long time ago, but we’re absolutely still in the midst of recovery from it. Take a look at anyone who works in the wider visitor economy or heritage sector and they’ll tell…

GWR & CONSTITUENTS 1638 An appeal has been launched to return the ‘16XX’ class 0-6-0PT to the rails by the Kent and East Sussex Railway. No. 1638 arrived on the line in 1992 but hasn’t been in use since 2022. Appropriately, given the engine’s number, the amount being sought is £163,800.00, based on initial work estimates plus a contingency. The initial step will be to complete work on the chassis and motion (begun in 2022) after which the boiler can be checked ahead of a ten-year overhaul. It is hoped that 250 supporters can be attracted, who will be able to pledge £16.38 per month for the next three years. 3802 After two years under overhaul, the Collett ‘2884’ 2-8-0 heavy freight locomotive re-entered service on the Llangollen Railway in…

NUMBER 41 Crossword aficionado and railway enthusiast Alan Frost has come up with the perfect way to spend ten minutes (if you are quick) or a couple of hours (if research is required). The Steam Railway crossword is back – just for fun. No need to send in your answers – just test yourself and find the answers here next issue. ACROSS 1Station on and HQ of the Mid-Norfolk Railway (7)5 Regular practice or apparel worn by 8 Across (5) 8 Veiled lady opening minor MPD with 2B code (3)9 Railway in Leeds now with heritage line going back to 1750s (9)10 Part of name that might be a, e, i, o, or u (5)11 Island in the antipodean region named on Stanier 45569 (8)14 Terminus from Bishop Auckland of…

8D SHEDCODE Special It was May 1874 when the LNWR opened its shed at Widnes, although initially it held just a modest total of six engines over three roads. As traffic in the area rapidly expanded, it kept pace, and by 1880 it was servicing 26 engines daily. One aspect about the depot from the start was the cramped layout caused by a road at the rear and running lines to the north and south – something that was never fully alleviated, despite efforts to do so throughout its life. The first of these was in 1881 when it was expanded to house 24 engines over six roads. By now it followed the typical Webb northlight-roofed pattern familiar to regular readers of this column. The LNWR had provided some amenities,…