Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 563 i Steam Railway

Welcome It was a fairly typical early autumn day on a heritage railway. For the most part, the holidays were over, so it was a smattering of passengers soaking up the steam atmosphere and waiting to enjoy a cream tea while on the move. There was also a party of excited schoolchildren, all dressed as evacuees, complete with period clothing, luggage and tags, and harassed looking teachers. So far, so good. The whistle was blown, the guard’s green flag was waved and the train set off on its journey with its mixed complement. Then – five minutes into the journey – it came to a grinding, sudden halt. People exchanged glances, speculated and wondered at the reason for the delay. I was on that train, and the reason was a…

LONG SECTIONS of the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) have been tamped as part of a VolkerRail training exercise, as the railway prepares to resume running to Rushcliffe Halt and beyond. With the line reconnected to the Midland Main Line at Loughborough, and following the repairs to Bridge 302A, situated approximately halfway between Ruddington and Rushcliffe Halt, the VolkerRail tamper was able to travel the entire route of the GCR(N). Railway spokesman Andy Fillingham said: “VolkerRail needed a location to train some tamper operators, and we had a line which needed some fettling. It was a win-win situation, and we’d like to thank the team who spent three days in September, working over several long stretches of the main line towards Loughborough. It’s a real boost as we prepare to run…

Beleaguered ex-Barry ‘Castle’ No. 7027 Thornbury Castle is now fully in the ownership of the 4709 Group, with the final tranche of the purchase price having been paid to the previous owners in early September. It comes just over two years after the group – a subsidiary of the Great Western Society – announced that the four-cylinder 4-6-0, which had previously been under restoration at the Great Central Railway, had been acquired so its boiler could be used to expedite the completion of the group’s new-build Churchward ‘47XX’ 2-8-0 No. 4709. Thornbury Castle’s remains have been at Tyseley Locomotive Works, where No. 4709 is under construction, since August 2023, awaiting completion of payment to enable work to commence. The group said: “An inspection of the boiler will be undertaken shortly,…

TWO IVATT ‘2MT’ 2-6-2Ts were united at Didcot Railway Centre on September 20-22 for the former GWR shed’s ‘Take 2!’ autumn steam gala. Visiting for the event were ‘Mickey Mouse’ tanks Nos. 41312 from the Mid-Hants Railway and Keighley & Worth Valley Railway-based No. 41241, fresh from its recent appearance at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway’s steam gala (see separate story). The trip to Didcot was only the 1949-built 2-6-2T’s third visit away from its KWVR home since the completion of its most recent overhaul in June 2018. Although classmates, Nos. 41241 and 41312 never worked together during their working lives, with No. 41241 being allocated to Somerset sheds (including Bath Green Park for most of the 1950s) before spending its final years in North Wales, while No. 41312 spent…

REBUILT ‘BATTLE of Britain’ No. 34053 Sir Keith Park has been temporarily renamed as ‘303 Squadron’ in tribute to the Polish and Czech pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain. The original 303 Squadron was almost entirely composed of exiled Polish pilots and was one of Fighter Command’s most successful squadrons during the Battle of Britain, being credited with downing 203 enemy aircraft and suffering only 29 losses. However, as it was not a British squadron, it was not one of those honoured by the original 43 ‘Battle of Britain’ class locomotives. After a suggestion from SLL volunteer Mike Frackiewicz, SLL director Peter Spowage developed a plan to rename No. 34053 as ‘303 Squadron’ for 12 months, with Sir Keith Park being chosen as 303 Squadron came under the…

TWO LOCOMOTIVES from the Lappa Valley Steam Railway made a rare visit away from their Cornish home to attend Whistlestop Valley’s Steam & Diesel Gala on September 7/8. 1967-built 0-6-0 Muffin No. 2 and 1974-built 0-6-4T Zebedee – both designed by David Curwen – were two of the guest locomotives at the 15in gauge Yorkshire line’s ‘Back to the Drawing Board’-themed gala, alongside 0-4-2 ‘Bonnie Dundee’ from the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway. The latter was originally built by Kerr, Stuart & Co. (Works No. 720) in 1901 as a 2ft gauge 0-4-0WT for Dundee Gasworks. Preserved by the late Ian Fraser – who also purchased recently overhauled Ivatt ‘2MT’ No. 46464 from BR – it was subsequently transferred to the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway, fitted with side tanks and converted…

THE REPLACEMENT of Bridge 27 near Haworth – the “largest civil engineering project ever undertaken” by the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway – was completed in mid-September. Work to replace the 1889-built structure, which carries the main running line of the Keighley-Oxenhope branch over Bridgehouse Beck, began in May this year when the railway temporarily removed the track around the bridge to allow contractors Keller to install 12 reinforced concrete piles. The track was then replaced to enable the KWVR’s summer services to run, before the railway was temporarily closed for three weeks in September for the removal of the old bridge and the installation of the new bridge deck. Fabricated by Beaver Bridges in Wigan, the new 50-ton steel bridge deck was lowered into place using a 450-ton Ainscough…

WHITEHEAD RAILWAY Museum hosted royalty on September 13 when the Duke of Gloucester visited the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. The duke was there to both mark the 60th anniversary of the RPSI and launch GNR(I) ‘S’ class 4‑4‑0 No. 171 Slieve Gullion back into traffic for the first time in 22 years. The duke, himself a passionate railway enthusiast and patron of the Severn Valley Railway, was welcomed by the Lord Lieutenant, David McCorkell, and the mayor of Mid & East Antrim, Alderman Beth Adger, along with representatives of the RPSI. RPSI president Dr Joan Smyth and general manager Yvonne McIlree gave the duke a conducted tour of Whitehead Railway Museum and introduced him to various volunteers. The duke then stepped aboard No. 171 and drove the 1913‑built steam locomotive…

A £111,800 grant is enabling the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway to convert two BR Mk 1 carriages to accommodate passengers with accessibility needs. The grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, distributed by North Yorkshire Council, is funding work to fit wider doorways and adapt seating areas to the carriages, which had previously lain out of use. Expected to be completed in approximately 12 months, the accessible carriages will mean that visitors with access needs can fully enjoy their journey without compromising the experience offered. The railway already has one accessible Mk 1 carriage, but the grant will increase accessible spaces five-fold. E&BASR director Rob Shaw said: “The railway wants to be better at welcoming visitors with access needs and this project is going to transform our offer…

OCTOBER 11-13 BO’NESS & KINNEIL RAILWAY: Steam, Steel, Road & Rail Gala. 11-13 BLUEBELL RAILWAY: Giants of Steam Gala. 11-13 EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY: Autumn Steam Gala. 12 APEDALE VALLEY LIGHT RAILWAY: War Office Locomotive Running Day. 12/13 ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM RAILWAY: Beer & Steam. 17-20 KEIGHLEY & WORTH VALLEY RAILWAY: Beer & Music Festival. 17-20 SPA VALLEY RAILWAY: Real Ale & Cider Festival. 19/20 SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY: O Gauge Get together. 20 AMBERLEY MUSEUM: Discworld & Industrial Trains. 20 BREDGAR & WORMSHILL LIGHT RAILWAY: Classic Car Breakfast Meeting. 26 LINCOLNSHIRE COAST LIGHT RAILWAY: Steam Day. 26 KEIGHLEY & WORTH VALLEY RAILWAY: Gin Train. 26/27 AVON VALLEY RAILWAY: It’s a Hoot. Steam Trains & Birds of Prey. 26/27 EAST ANGLIAN RAILWAY MUSEUM: Days Out With Thomas. 26/27 GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARWICKSHIRE RAILWAY:…

About 26,000 people may be actively involved in railway preservation, but it often feels like quite a small world. If you’re involved, you seem to know everybody within very few degrees of separation. For the most part, the sector promotes from inside and there are many tales of apprentice-turned-manager in heritage rail. Every once in a while, though, someone comes along who just changes your perspective and moves things on, either with a fresh approach or some specific insight. It looks like Rebecca Dalley could be one of those people. Given that she’s only been at the ‘Watercress Line’ for 18 months, you’d be forgiven if you haven’t even heard her name yet. But Rebecca has flown into the sector and impressed many with how quickly she’s become one of…

THE RAIL Accident Investigation Branch has published its report into the collision between ‘A3’ No. 60103 Flying Scotsman and the ‘Royal Scotsman’ carriage stock at the Strathspey Railway during September 2023. The report into the incident involving the National Railway Museum ‘Pacific’ at Aviemore station dates back to the period when No. 60103 was touring the country as part of its centenary celebrations, under the custodianship of Riley & Son (E) Ltd. The RAIB investigation found that the cause of the incident was that “the driver of Flying Scotsman did not know that the locomotive was in close proximity to the ‘Royal Scotsman’ coaches and did not control its speed accordingly.” The report reveals that the locomotive was travelling tender-first at 7mph at the time of the collision and that…

NORTHERN HERITAGE Engineering Ltd of Darlington is set to build a replica South Eastern Railway Crampton 4‑2‑0, with construction of the locomotive’s boiler, firebox and smokebox to begin early next year. The company, previously known as North Bay Railway Engineering Services, has been awarded the contract by the Crampton Locomotive Trust to build the replica of SER No. 81 – one of three 4‑2‑0s built in 1847 by Tulk & Ley of Whitehaven, Cumbria, to the designs of Thomas Crampton. Private donations have enabled the trust to employ renowned locomotive engineers David Potter and Graham Morris to create a set of drawings for the replica locomotive – as the originals are believed to have been destroyed in a fire at the Lowca Works in 1912 – with construction of Phase…

BOTH OF Britain’s operational Caledonian Railway locomotives were reunited at the Spa Valley Railway at the end of August. Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway-based McIntosh ‘439’ class 0-4-4T No. 55189 travelled down from Scotland to join up with ‘812’ class 0-6-0 No. 828 for the SVR’s ‘Scottish Steam-Up’ on August 30/31, held to celebrate No. 828’s 125th anniversary – having been outshopped from the CR’s St Rollox works in August 1899. Nominally based at the Strathspey Railway, No. 828 has been resident at the SVR on long-term loan from the CR828 Trust since 2022. It is not the first time the pair have been reunited at the Tunbridge Wells-Eridge line – the McIntosh-designed locomotives previously ran together at the SVR during its ‘Scottish Steam-Up’ and subsequent ‘Caledonian Weekend’ in April 2022,…

PLANNING PERMISSION for the Bala Lake Railway’s £4.5 million ¾-mile extension into Bala itself has finally been granted – over a year after it was initially rejected. On September 4, the Snowdonia National Park planning authority gave the green light for the railway to extend from its current Pen-y-Bont terminus to a new station just off the high street. The news comes 17 months after the authority initially rejected the BLR Trust’s planning application in April 2023, citing concerns that the expected increase in visitors would overwhelm Bala’s waste water treatment works, increasing phosphates discharged into the River Dee, as well as the impact the extension and associated works would have on the local environment and roads. In response to being granted planning permission, the BLRT said: “After over ten…

TWO EX-BRITISH Railways 2-6-2Ts starred at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway’s steam gala on September 13-15: Nos. 5552 and 41241. Both locomotives – visiting from the Bodmin and Keighley & Worth Valley railways respectively – were making their debuts in South Wales during the gala, with No. 5552 being based exclusively in the West Country during steam days, and No. 41241 being primarily allocated to Somerset sheds during its BR career, albeit with brief spells in North Wales (at Bangor, Croes Newydd and Llandudno Junction sheds) in 1964/5. The gala was also only the second time the KWVR red-liveried Ivatt ‘Prairie’ tank had visited another railway during its current boiler ‘ticket’; the first being its appearance at the North Norfolk Railway’s Spring Steam Gala in April 2022. The visiting pair…

ANYONE FOLLOWING heritage railways will be aware of the discussion away about how managers and leaders are treated by staff, volunteers and members. It is right that this discussion should take place. There has been quite a lot of change in leadership circles as the previous generation of leaders moves on and the movement tries to find the right people to take on the not inconsiderable challenges of the coming years. Getting the right leaders is also important in the volunteering arena. Competition for volunteer input is growing both within heritage rail and also from other organisations tempting volunteers to try something different. As railways try and deal with financial challenges, those volunteer hours are more important than ever. Times really do change and if I think back to the…

A thriving coffee business, a railway that encompasses two routes of the ‘Big Four’, a priceless NRM exhibit, and some of the sharpest curves and gradients on any British heritage line… this is the Bodmin Railway, situated in one of the leafiest and loveliest parts of Cornwall. The line – as with so many others in that part of the world – has a rich history, coming into being on May 27 1887, when the Great Western Railway opened its branch line between the main line-connected Bodmin Road station and Bodmin General, situated much closer to the town itself – and now the base of the heritage line. In September the following year, the branch was extended into the Bodmin & Wadebridge Railway’s (B&WR) territory at Boscarne Junction. The B&WR…

There are some places in the world that are synonymous with steam. Germany’s spectacular Harz Mountain system, China’s ‘QJ’ 2‑10‑2s hauling enormous freight trains for hundreds of miles, or the iconic ‘Big Boy’ locomotives battling over steep hills across America’s western states. One country that probably isn’t near the top of people’s lists is Iceland. But for just 15 years in the first half of the 20th Century, this volcanic island was home to a 900mm‑gauge railway. It wasn’t vast; the whole network reached around 12km (7½ miles) in total, but it played a key role in helping the country and its capital connect with the world. Constructed in 1913 and running on and off until 1928, the Reykjavik Harbour Railway was used to help construct parts of the capital’s…

9CSHEDCODEspecial Macclesfield shed came about in March 1864 when the North Staffordshire Railway (NSR) suggested to the London & North Western Railway (LNWR) that if it paid 50% of the cost of a new 40ft turntable it could use the facilities for its engines. History does not show whether the Crewe giant acquiesced, but it is telling that LNWR engines used Macclesfield depot for years afterwards. Of relatively simple design, the three-road, through building was fed directly by the turntable with the rear of the shed seeing two tracks lead onto a goods shed approach road. As built, a wooden coal shelter – which, incredibly, lasted until closure – lay outside the shed entrance, and so things stayed for 30 or so years until ‘improvements’ totalling a grand £20 were…

IT WAS a trio of LMS locomotives that stole the show at the Severn Valley Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on September 19-22. Top of the bill was a pair of Stanierdesigned 4-6-0s: double-chimney ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596 Bahamas and Carnforth-based ‘Black Five’ No. 44932, the latter making both its first ever appearance at the SVR, and its first visit to a heritage line in many years. However, the star of the show was arguably ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway class ‘23’ 0-6-0ST No. 11546, which had been repainted into LMS black livery – having hitherto carried BR unlined black as No. 51456 since the completion of its latest overhaul in January 2020 – for the first time since the 1940s in the weeks leading up to the gala. The East Lancashire Railway-based…

TWO RAKES of air-conditioned BR Mk 2 carriages that have been playing a growing role in steam operations have been bought by West Coast Railway Company. Riviera Trains has sold all 60 of its Mk 2 carriage fleet to the Carnforth-based railtour operator. Those 60 vehicles include both of Riviera’s operational British Rail-style blue-and-grey liveried sets with central door locking. The carriages have been a common sight on hire to West Coast for main line tours since the company lost its exemption to operate non-central door locking-fitted stock from the Office of Rail and Road after a judicial review earlier this year. The Carnforth firm’s extensive Mk 1 carriage fleet remains essentially grounded as a result, with compliant Mk 2s largely taking their place in the interim. The sale was…

ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE rediscovered Leeds’ first railway station. Opened in September 1834, Marsh Lane station was the Leeds terminus and main works for the Leeds & Selby Railway from 1834 to 1844, falling victim to the machinations of George Hudson’s North Midland Railway when he diverted all trains to Leeds into ‘his’ Hunslet Lane station (now lost). Archaeologists from CFA, led by Daniel Waterfall, opened two main trenches – one to look for the station building, and the second for the workshops where Richard Peacock of Beyer, Peacock & Co., had his first job as Locomotive Superintendent. Although an enormous grain warehouse built in 1871 had severely damaged the archaeology, the foundations for the booking office and superintendent’s office were revealed, confirming the known ground-plan of the building. Despite being demolished…

THE CHINNOR & Princes Risborough Railway’s first ever all-steam gala was a success, despite operational issues which prevented certain aspects from going to plan. The September 13-15 event, celebrating 30 years since part of the former Watlington branch reopened as a heritage line, featured three locomotives in steam – visiting ‘Manor’ No. 7820 Dinmore Manor and ex-Caledonian Railway 0-4-4T No. 55189 (from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire and Bo’ness & Kinneil railways respectively), as well as ‘Small Prairie’ 2-6-2T No. 4555, on loan from the Dartmouth Steam Railway for 2024. Although Day One unfolded without incident, on Day Two, the driver of Dinmore Manor on the first train of the day from Chinnor noticed one of the Collett 4-6-0’s wheels lifting as it travelled over a set of points on the Network…

REBUILT ‘WEST Country’ No. 34028 Eddystone will become the latest Bulleid ‘Light Pacific’ to venture onto the national network, following a decision by its Southern Locomotives Ltd owning group to equip it for the main line. Following approaches from two railtour promoters, the Swanage Railway-based group will certify Eddystone for main line operation over the winter, fitting the 4-6-2 with air-braking, TPWS, GSM-R and OTMR to enable it to run on the national network, which is expected to cost in the region of £50,000. Work to prepare No. 34028 for main line running will commence following its return from appearing at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s annual steam gala. Once complete, Eddystone will be the first SLL locomotive to operate on the main line since air-smoothed ‘Battle of Britain’ No.…

Narrow Gauge EX-SOUTH AFRICAN Railways ‘NG/G16’ Garratts no longer hold a monopoly on Welsh Highland Railway, following the restoration of ‘NG15’ 2-8-2 No. 134. The 1952-built Société Anglo-Franco-Belge locomotive moved under its own power for the first time in over 30 years at Dinas on Wednesday, September 11, marking the culmination of a 25-year project to return the 2ft gauge ‘Mikado’ to steam. Adrian Strachan, the volunteer restoration project leader, described the milestone as “a momentous day”, adding: “All the volunteers and staff involved in the rebuild can be very proud that the locomotive looks so good and performed very well during the first test moves. We are looking forward to showing off the fruits of our efforts at the Superpower weekend before further trials and running-in take place on…

A ‘BLACK Five’ was seen in the vicinity of Bartlow, Essex – where ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ veteran No. 44781 met its untimely end – on September 4 as No. 45163 moved from the Colne Valley Railway to Ian Riley’s works. The ex-Barry scrapyard Stanier 4-6-0 passed within approximately a mile of the spot where classmate No. 44781 was tragically cut up for scrap in late 1968. Following its starring role on BR’s last steam-hauled standard gauge train on August 11 that year, No. 44781 was sold to Columbia Pictures for use as a prop in the film The Virgin Soldiers. A subsequent preservation attempt failed – although parts of it, discovered at Bartlow in 2019, are now at the CVR (SR498/499). As reported in SR561, No. 45163 is set to…

The HRA view IT’S OCTOBER already, and 2025 is only a few months away… meaning that one of the most significant railway – and social – milestones is literally just around the corner: Railway 200. To most people, Railway 200 is all about marking the birth of the railways. While you and I may know that’s not strictly accurate, the precise niceties don’t really matter, as 2025 is a huge opportunity for us all to big up the sector we’re part of and to highlight what railways have driven, both socially and economically. What made Tuesday, September 27 1825 special was that it ignited the imagination of the world as a whole. When some 450 people rode into the history books, journeying from Shildon to Stockton on the River Tees,…

GWR & CONSTITUENTS 3803 After the overhaul of the ‘2884’ heavy freight 2‑8‑0 commenced at the Dartmouth Steam Railway earlier this year, an examination of the lifted boiler has revealed the front tubeplate to be showing wastage around the lower flange where the ash and moisture sits, as well as on the outside of the steel wrapper sheets around the lower part of the firebox. These will have to be renewed, as well as the corners of the backhead, which display signs of grooving and cracking. The copper firebox, crown stays, side stays and barrel sections are in good condition however. The smokebox has also been cut off, as this needed renewing, along with the front tubeplate. At the rear of the boiler, the foundation ring rivets have been burnt…

NUMBER 47 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 1 MPD 52C to see the Races nearby! (7)5 Big fire in 83E MPD (5)8 Get some food in ‘Jubilee’ engine 45677 (3)9 ER ‘A3’ 60100 flavour of the month? (9)10 Gresley ‘Pacific’ No. 60084 won The Derby and the St Leger (5)11 & 22: Sixties’ ‘weapon’ that decimated steam train services (8,3)14 Gresley ‘A4’ 60021 with link to Hans Christian Andersen story (4,4)19 Another name for the evil one of Gresley ‘A3’ No. 60110 (5)21 Princess [46224], but of…

The bell rang out at about 3.30 in the afternoon. All of a sudden the group of sullen youths became animated and sprang into life. It was the end of the school day, but this was no ordinary school day – it was their last one. No more detentions, no more homework, no more school dinners – they were free, or so they thought, to do just what they wanted and when they wanted. The reality of working life and the fact that in the 1960s paid holiday time off often amounted to just two weeks, and had to be earned before you could enjoy it, had yet to be discovered. There would be no more six‑week summer holidays. If they were lucky, a job had already been secured. If…