Great Western Star Issue No 2

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 VOLUME 1 NO 2

Barmouth Bridge

Barmouth Bridge Major Refurbishment

Major Refurbishment

The Abermule Disaster 100 years ago!

Sleuths of the GWR Hidden secrets revealed

The Clergy & the Railway Well-known names revealed

History of the GWR Brunel Talks to Parliament

Working on the Railway Railwaymen tell their stories

January/February 2021 OUTSIDE FRONT COVER Maintaining our policy of having a Head-On picture of a loco on the front cover, this month we have a picture of GWR No 153. This 0-62T was built by Kitson’s in 1908 for the Cardiff Railway as Class L No 33 but was one of three (CR 33,34,35 GWR 153/4/5) fitted with a higher pitched boiler with raised round-top casing.

Except for the larger tanks and bunkers, they were virtually identical with the Taff Vale O4 Class. No 33/153 was placed on the sales list in December 1930 and was cut up in February 1934 Swindon Works Yard Feb 1933(Sankey Collection)

Editor’s Thoughts News from Around the Great Western Region

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Morgan Sindall Team Completes 11,000-tonne Rail Tunnel Push GWR Looks to Tri-Mode Long-Distance Trains Wellington (Shropshire) Railway Station receives £45,000 for improvements TfW Invests in Abergavenny Railway StationRail Services from Machynlleth to Pwllheli Resume GWR’s UK Intercity to Go Tri-mode Unipart Rail Awarded Sword of Honour by British Safety Council New Health and Safety Passport for HS2 Workers World’s Fastest Freight Train NRM Expands at Locomotion Network Rail workers Provide an Injection of Life at Westpoint, near Exeter Cat-astrophe averted!

Making Tracks for Oxford MP’s Push to Reopen Rail Stations in South Devon Marsh Barton (Devon) to Have a New Station No Money for Great Western Mainline Network Rail’s Enhancement Budget for CP6 Cut Trains in Cornwall ‘More Reliable’ Okehampton to Exeter link to be re-instated Solar-Powered Train Launched Western Rail Link to Heathrow Airport Delayed Tfl Rail Begins Operating Services Between Paddington And Reading Refurbishment Planned for Landmark Railway Building Hidden Rail Tracks found during Resurfacing road work on Weymouth Harbourside Barmouth Bridge (Pont Abermaw) Undergoes a Major Restoration The Barmouth Bridge - a scale model in O Gauge Barmouth and Barmouth Junction on Camera

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Rail 919: Welsh report shows that building roads is not the only or best option – Christian Woolmar

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Transport for Wales and Alun Griffiths host virtual ‘Bridge to Schools’ events across South Wales

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Railway Art Gallery – Paul Lloyd 31 Inside What Was the World’s Longest Railway Tunnel - Alex Watkins & Max Jones

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EDITOR’S THOUGHTS

A History of The Great Western Railway Being the Story of The Broad Gauge - George Augustus Sekon

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Taking the GWR Act to Parliament

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Great Western Railway Power and Weight Classification

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A New Bow Street Runner!

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Sleuths of the GWR Works

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Preserving Another of Brunel’s Success Stories

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The Clergy and The Railway - Revd Roger Farnworth 63 Network Rail workers Provide an Injection of Life at Exeter

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Tales from the Four Foot Eight and a Half!

My Life on the Railways in The Valleys – Percy Hanniford 70 A Locoman’s Tale – Bob Barnett 73 The King and I – Leo Brown 74 Tales from Wales – Andrew Dyke 77 Getting a Bigger “Byte” into Devon!

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The Abermule Disaster – January 26th 1921

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Railway News from Around the Preservation Scene Heritage Railways Association News Spotlight on Vintage Trains A Night Owl Emerges from the Dark – Part 2 - Paul Perton Heart of Hagley Hall Locomotive Comes Home to SVR The Churchward 4-4-0 Counties – The First Modern British 4-4-0 - David Bradshaw

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Worcestershire Parkway Station

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Railway Societies in Profile – No.1 The Branch Line Society

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The World of GWR Modelling Alice Susan Neale Scratch Builder Extraordinaire

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Sanspareil Integrated Casting Services 111 News from the World of GWR Modelling 112 Win a Year’s Free Subscription to Great Western Star!

116 From My Bookshelf

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Welcome to the second issue of Great Western Star.

Since our launch in October 2020, we have received a great many comments supporting our view that we are now offering a different type of rail magazine. One of the most pleasing aspects of Great Western Star is the willingness of former railway employees on predominantly Great Western lines but on railways in general to talk about their experiences over many years of serving the public while providing an excellent rail service.

Of particular interest in this issue is the story of Percy Hanniford who came to Wales as part of the Windrush generation and who found a very happy life working on the railway in and around Cardiff. Now in his nineties, Percy tells an interesting story and one that is different to many who write as footplatemen. This section - which we have pinched from A A Milne - we call “Tales from the Four Foot Eight and a Half” has generated a lot of interest and we now have ladies who worked - and who continue to work - on the railway who want to tell their side of the story.

We have now completely updated our website and offer a much more interesting, exciting and up-to-date news service, not just on things GWR but also on railway topics of a much wider range of interests. We have also included on the website a new and intresting video from Morgan Sindall showing how they moved a 11,000 tonne concrete tunel under the East Coast main Line!

In contrast, we go back to the very beginning of the GWR and tell the story of the lead up to the Company and how Isambard Kingdom Brunel persuaded the members of the Houses of Parliament to back this scheme. While I have read many books about this period of the Company’s history, this is the first time that I have read a transcript of what he said, written soon after he had made his case.

We have an interesting article outlining the close links between the clergy and railways - both full scale and in model form, we take a look at how the railways are having to change to meet increasingly tight environmental restrictions, we have a look at what is being done to keep steam alive on the main line and also look at new technologies such as hydrogen power and battery power (bi-mode and even tri-mode).

We continue our story on the construction of No 4709 and look at the work on the 4-4-0 County Class and look at what was happening in Oxford at the start of the 20th century.

We hope you enjoy your read and looking forward to receiving your comments. Please feel free to send in any stories or articles - we are always happy to receive them.

Rodney Pitt, Editor January/February 2021

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RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GREAT WESTERN REGION Morgan Sindall Team Completes 11,000-tonne Rail Tunnel Push

Over nine days between 16th and 24th January 2021 this huge concrete box was pushed under the East Coast Main Line railway.

The prefabricated structure forms a new rail underpass at Werrington, north of Peterborough, to enable slower moving freight trains to dive underneath the

passenger route and to use an adjacent line northwards.

Time-lapse video footage (on our website) shows the 155-metre curved concrete box tunnel being pushed into place at just 1500 mm per hour using four hydraulic jacks.

This is the first time that a curved concrete box has been installed in

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this way in the UK and, although the big push took nine days, the method avoided hundreds of hours of passenger disruption and meant that services could continue running throughout. [They were not to know, when planning this project, that Covid-19 would have substantially reduced passenger numbers anyway.]

Main contactor Morgan Sindall and its team removed three of the tracks, lifted the overhead wires and dug out spoil from the site. Once the tunnel was eventually underneath, they then put everything back in place ready for regular services to resume.

Paul Rutter, route director for Network Rail’s East Coast Route, said: “Our teams have completed this challenging piece of engineering in a creative way, which also allowed a reduced train service to continue for those who still had to travel.

“I’m so proud that this project has shown itself to be one which is industry leading and that our teams have had the opportunity to use this new technique for the first time in the UK on one of the country’s most famous railway lines.”

The next stage of the project at Werrington involves work to install two new tracks inside the new tunnel and the associated signalling system, ready for it to come into use at the end of 2021.

The project is part of the £1.2bn East Coast Upgrade, for faster, more

reliable journeys between London, the north of England and Scotland.

Readers are referred to the video on our website - go to www.greatwesternstar.com and go to the section marked “videos” - Ed.

GWR Looks to Tri-Mode Long-Distance Trains Long-distance trains are set to run on battery power for the first time in the UK. Manufacturer Hitachi Rail has announced plans to test the trains on a 300-mile route from London Paddington to Penzance in Cornwall in 2022. It is teaming up with Great Western Railway to operate services using a combination of electricity, diesel and batteries. The line is currently only partially electrified, with most of it requiring diesel power.

Thirty-six express trains on the route are ‘bi-modes’, which switch between electric and diesel power. Tri-mode trains will be developed with batteries.

Britain has previously had successful trials of battery trains on shorter routes. Hitachi said using battery power will help reduce fuel consumption on the route by more than 20%, improve air quality and cut noise levels. It hopes to develop a fully battery-powered intercity train by the late 2040s.

Rail minister Chris HeatonHarris said: ‘Battery-powered trains will support us in our battle against climate change.’

Jim Brewin, who leads the firm in the UK and Ireland, said: ‘This partnership is an exciting opportunity to unlock new greener trains for passengers, reduce running costs for operators and cut carbon.

‘At Hitachi Rail, we share the UK’s ambition for a net-zero emission future. Britain is in a unique position to become a global leader in battery trains. We want support the UK’s green economic recovery and levelling-up.’

Eversholt Rail chief executive Mary Kenny said: ‘We are delighted to continue working in partnership with Hitachi to investigate the conversion of our Class 802 fleet to tri-mode by introducing battery technology. Eversholt Rail is committed to ensuring our fleets meet the UK railway’s decarbonisation commitments.’

Only around 38% of Britain’s railway is electrified, according to latest Office of Rail and Road data. Electrification work - which generally involves putting up electric wires - has been limited due to the cost. Projects in South Wales, the Midlands and the Lake District were axed or downgraded in July 2017 by then-transport secretary Chris Grayling. The decision came amid cost overruns on electrification schemes such as the Great Western route, where the original budget was exceeded by around £2billion.

MP’s Renew Push to Reopen Two Rail Stations in South Devon

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Two MPs are renewing their joint push for the reopening of two railway stations in south Devon.

Totnes MP Anthony Mangnall and Kevin Foster in Torbay are seeking support for a bid to investigate restoring public use of stations at Goodrington and Churston, between Paignton and Brixham.

Both are now stations on a heritage line which took over the route after the line beyond Paignton was closed by British Rail in the 1970s.

The MPs are planning a new bid to the Government’s Restoring Your 5

Railway Fund of up to £50,000 towards the cost of transport and economic studies to help create a business case. The scheme is designed to support investigations into the feasibility of reopening closed stations.

Mr Mangnall is also backing a campaign to reopen Brent Station, on the main line between Plymouth and Exeter, serving the village of South Brent, which closed in 1964.

A new campaign has also been launched to reopen the station at Plympton, near Plymouth.

The MP issued a statement saying they were seeking help from the community to create a local campaign of support to reopen the stations at Goodrington and Churston in Torbay. Mr Mangnall said: “Reopening these two stations will stimulate the local economy, remove cars from the road, reduce air pollution, help commuters and tourism and improve transport links. In order to submit a strong proposal, it is vital that we gain community support and gauge the views of residents on these proposals. If there is a positive response, then we will put together a working group and submit a proposal to Government in early March. I hope that as many people as possible will take the opportunity register their views on this matter.’’

The two stations are on the former Great Western Railway branch line from Paignton to Kingswear through Goodrington and Churston, which was officially closed by British Rail in 1972. The line was sold to the Dart Valley Railway and the seven-mile line is now run by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company.

The service is popular with tourists and provides a link from Paignton to a ferry crossing from Kingswear over the River Dart to Dartmouth.

Goodrington Station is near Goodrington Sands and Quay West water park, close to a large car park.

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see if it would be feasible to create a parkway-style station at Goodrington as an alternative to the station in Paignton town centre. He said it would allow commuters and leisure users easier access to the Riviera Line rail link to Torquay, Newton Abbot and Exeter, and would also take passengers straight to the beach and leisure facilities at Goodrington, which would be an economic boost for the area. Restoring network

services to Churston would mean the restoration of a public rail link near Brixham after the closure of the branch line.

A survey to gather views about the potential reopening of the stations to the public was launched on Mr Mangnall’s website www. anthonymangnall.co.uk will run until Thursday, February 18. For those unable to complete the online survey, a postal version is available by calling 0207 219 5579.

Wellington (Shropshire) Railway Station receives £45,000 for improvements

Wellington Railway Station has been given a major boost with a £45,000 grant for improvements.

The fund for the station was applied for by Telford & Wrekin Council’s investment and business support team in 2020 on behalf of the Friends of Wellington Station.

Delivered through West Midlands Railway customer and communities' investment fund, it will see significant improvements being made to the station as part of a project named by the Friends group, Wellington Ways.

The initiative is a practical and visionary project which includes some much-needed improvements to the station, including new signage, improvements to the steps linking the rail and bus stations, a secret garden and refillable water points installed on both platforms.

The garden will be created along an area of unused platform – creating a haven for January/February 2021

wildlife and biodiversity and a quiet space for passengers and town centre visitors to enjoy.

Telford & Wrekin Council will continue to support the Friends group by managing the scheme on its behalf and Sally Themans of Love Wellington will also continue to support the group.

Councillor David Wright, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for economy, housing, transport and infrastructure, said, “This is wonderful news for Wellington station and a fantastic investment for the town.

For all your latest news and videos, go to www. greatwesternstar.com.

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RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GREAT WESTERN REGION

TfW Invests in Abergavenny Railway Station Abergavenny’s 160-year-old railway station is set to play host to an exciting new community development thanks to investment

by Transport for Wales. The station, which has served the town and wider community since the mid-Victorian era, will see some of its empty spaces converted to become an art gallery. Contractors are now on site with Peak Cymru expected to move in later in the year.

The investment is part of TfW’s wider multi-million-pound Station Improvement Vision with a brand-new CCTV and Customer Information System also set to be installed later in the year, the latter part of which is funded by Network Rail. Financial support has also been given by the Railway Heritage Trust and TfW is very grateful to the charity for its support.

Hugh Evans, TfW’s Head of Community Rail, said: “Abergavenny is a beautiful station that has served the area since 1860, so it was fitting we were able to develop these community spaces there. The project will allow local artists a platform to showcase their work. Investing in bringing disused spaces at stations back to community or commercial

use is a key part of our strategy because we know stations are more than just somewhere you get on a train, they are community hubs. The new facilities will compliment the thriving family-run café in the main station building and a physiotherapist who also runs a business from the station.”

Peak Cymru is an arts-based organisation based in the Black Mountains, working creatively with professional artists and communities. Using the station space to house artist studios and galleries, Peak Cymru’s over-arching goal is to increase opportunities for children and young people to engage with the various strands of their artistic programme.

Melissa Appleton from Peak Cymru said: “Peak are excited to be working in partnership with Transport for Wales to develop spaces to present art and artists at Abergavenny railway station. We will be activating areas either side of the platform 2 waiting room, as well as creating artist’s studios in the main station building. Over Summer 2021, Platform 2 will host artworks by international and regional artists, viewable 24/7. Later in the year, we plan to transform it into a young January/February 2021

people’s project space as part of Culture is Ordinary – a centenary programme responding to the work of Pandy-born novelist, critic and theorist Raymond Williams, whose father worked in a signal box on the same train line.”

The Railway Heritage Trust assists operational railway companies in the preservation and upkeep of listed buildings and structures through support, advice and grant funding.

Meanwhile, Network Rail is continuing to develop plans to provide step-free access to and between platforms. This scheme is funded through the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme – match funded by the Welsh Government through Transport for Wales.

Bill Kelly, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “Abergavenny has an incredibly rich railway heritage. Local people are rightly very proud of their station and Transport for Wales’ exciting plans will further reinforce its role as a hub for the community.

This community development scheme is the perfect complement to the wider investment planned at Abergavenny to make the station accessible for all.”

Rail Services from Machynlleth to Pwllheli Resume

Rail services from Machynlleth to North Wales have resumed following flooding and subsequent damage caused by Storm Christoph. Transport for Wales Rail announced on Tuesday, January 26 that the Machynlleth to Pwllheli line had reopened after being shut for almost a week.

Flooding had caused chaos in Powys, closing the railway through the county, with Transport for Wales highlighting issues between Machynlleth and Dovey Junction in particular.

Road flooding meant there was no replacement bus service.

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GWR’s UK Intercity to Go Tri-mode Train builder and maintainer Hitachi and rolling stock company Eversholt Rail, will develop a plan to install batteries on a modern Intercity Express Train on the South West route in the UK. Adding a battery creates an electric-diesel-battery hybrid train (tri-mode). It is the first time a UK intercity train in passenger service will use alternative fuel.

Hitachi Rail and Eversholt Rail have signed an agreement aimed at bringing battery power to the Great Western Railway Intercity Express Trains that carry passengers between Penzance and London. These 36 GWR trains were introduced in August 2018. The partnership aims to demonstrate that the innovation meets passenger service and safety standards.

The line between the South West of the UK and London is only partially electrified, the majority of the 300mile journey requires diesel power. The partnership is looking at batteries replacing a diesel engine as a power source on an existing five-carriage train built

by Hitachi, currently known as a bi-mode for its ability to switch between electric and diesel power.

Great Western Railway (GWR)

is already upgrading its fleet to tri-mode trains, and now continues with its intercity trains.

In 2020, at the end of August, the railway operator added the first tri-mode train of Class 769 Flex type to its fleet for an extensive programme of staff training and testing. The operator ordered 19 tri-mode four-carriage trains.

“We are committed to reviewing emerging technologies such as battery power and assessing feasibility for services and rolling stock on the GWR network, says Matthew Golton, Interim Managing Director of GWR. “This is a really exciting development, and we look forward to working closely with both Hitachi Rail and Eversholt Rail on this trial.”

On non-electrified sections of the route, the batteries will supplement the power of the engines to reduce fuel usage and carbon emissions by more than 20%, according to Hitachi. When driving in and out of stations and surrounding urban areas, the train would rely on battery power only.

This has the benefit of improving air quality and reducing noise levels.

GWR’s Intercity Express Train fleet currently encounters 15 nonelectrified stations on its journey

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between Penzance and London, which could benefit from trains being able to run on battery power only. The ambition is to create a fully electric-battery intercity train that can travel the full journey between London and Penzance before 2040, in line with the UK’s 2050 net zero emissions target.

Unipart Rail Awarded Sword of Honour by British Safety Council

Unipart Rail, the leading specialist provider of technology and supply chain solutions to the rail industry, has been awarded a prestigious Sword of Honour by the British Safety Council. With eight sites across the UK, Unipart Rail was one of 61 organisations worldwide that achieved a Sword of Honour, which is awarded to companies that have demonstrated excellence in the management of health and safety risks at work.

To compete for the Sword of Honour, Unipart Rail first had to achieve the maximum five stars in the British Safety Council’s health and safety management audit scheme in the period August 2019 – November 2020 (due to the

RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GREAT WESTERN REGION Covid pandemic, the timeframe was extended this year to show flexibility in working with British Safety Council clients globally during these unprecedented times). The company also had to demonstrate to an independent panel of experts it has achieved excellence in health and safety throughout the business – from the shop floor to the boardroom.

Lawrence Waterman, chairman of the British Safety Council, said: “On behalf of the board of trustees and staff of the British Safety Council, I would like to congratulate Unipart Rail on achieving the topmost standards of health, safety and environmental management. Accomplishing such distinction takes real commitment and professionalism. We are delighted to have supported you in your achievements in what has been an unprecedented year given the Covid pandemic.”

Liz Hancock, Unipart Rail head of safety, health and environment, said “This is a great end to a year in which we achieved the British Safety Council Five Star certification for our Health and Safety achievements, and we are thrilled to have achieved this Sword to accompany our previous Sword awards. It reflects the hard work we do every day to keep our colleagues safe at work.”

Unipart Logistics also won a Sword of Honour, taking Unipart Group’s combined total ‘Swords’ to nearly 60 since 2011, more than any other organisation in its sectors.

New Health and Safety Passport for HS2 Workers

HS2 is working with Midlandbased Biosite to develop a new initiative that will boost health and safety and competency insight across the supply chain.

The company building England’s new high-speed rail network

and its contractors have taken a major step in improving health and safety assurance across sites between London and the West Midlands by introducing a new health and safety passport system.

The new digital ‘Health and Safety Passport System’ (HSPS) will be used initially by all of HS2’s Main Works Civils Contractors to share vital health and safety information across contractors.

The contract to develop and deliver the new system has been awarded to Solihull based company, Biosite Systems Ltd – the UK market leader in workforce management systems for construction.

Although contractors and their staff may be working across multiple sites and multiple contracts on the new high speed rail route, the new digital passport system will establish a central database of critical workforce information across the HS2 supply chain. The collection and synchronisation of data from local level to project wide will help to ensure consistency of standards and performance.

As well as ensuring only operatives with the correct credentials and skills are permitted access to site, this approach will allow HS2 to track workforce data around areas such as competency mapping, health and safety assessments and fatigue management across the whole project.

Where supplier companies and operatives are working across multiple locations, the January/February 2021

new system will flag fatigue risks across the project. The software will also de-duplicate worker profiles to establish a single record for each operative, including as they potentially move between contractors working on the project.

The introduction of the HSPS is part of HS2’s commitment to become the UK’s safest ever major project, putting safety at the heart of everything on the project. This includes ensuring the safety and welfare of everyone working on the project, right through to protecting the health and safety of the communities where HS2 is being constructed and will operate.

The workforce management software solution developed by Biosite will link biometric data directly to operative information, site access for real-time visibility and traceability. Operatives will be required to complete a central online pre-induction before undertaking a local site induction and provide biometric information to generate their global identification or digital ‘passport’.

It will be the first time that workforce data will be available to view across a major project via a consolidated platform.

The data collated can also be anonymised and provide a learning legacy for future major projects.

Emma Head, HS2’s Safety and Assurance Director said: “Health and Safety is at the heart of everything we do as we build Britain’s new high-speed railway.

We aim to lead by innovation at HS2 and the new Health and Safety Passport System is a pioneering way for us to further our best practice approach to workforce health and safety management. We are pleased to be working with Biosite to deliver the initiative, bringing workforce management for complex projects such as HS2 to the next level.

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World’s Fastest Freight Train A new record has been claimed for the fastest freight train in the world. The Chinese train manufacturer CRRC Tangshan presented its new bullet train, designed to carry cargo at a speed of 350kilometers per hour. The new type rolled off the production line in Tangshan, in north China’s Hebei Province, on 23 December.

The model resembles that of a passenger train but has an 85% utility rate for cargo. It is made in such a way that it greatly reduces running resistance. High-speed train manufacturing is traditionally focussed on passenger traffic. Until now, the fastest freight train ran at a speed of 180kilometres per hour, operated by Mercitalia in Italy.

The freight trains will be able to travel on some of the more than 16,000kilometres of highspeed rail lines across China, transporting higher-value cargo such as e-commerce deliveries rather than bulk commodities such as coal, the sources said.

Most freight trains follow rail lines designed only for low-speed travel.

China’s fastest freight trains, which were put into service starting late 2014, can run up to 160kph.

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of a high-speed freight train, the CRC employee said. CRC trains hauled about 2.5 billion tonnes of goods in the first nine months of the year, down 11.4% from the same period in 2014, but nonbulk cargo tonnage rose 12.2%. To meet this demand, last year the CRC deployed six express cargo trains running on four routes to carry non-bulk cargo. These trains can run at speeds of up to 120 kph, Chinese business news service Caixin reports.

The CRRC train consists of eight wagons, with 2.9m-wide loading doors to ensure speedy loading and unloading. According to media sources, it is not only the fastest freight train in the world, but it can also be used at extreme temperatures: between -25°C and 40°C. The train could cover 1,500 kilometers within five hours.

Considering the large territory of China, this means a great boost to the domestic supply chain of goods. By the end of 2035, the nationwide rail network is to be expanded to a total of 200,000 kilometers, including around 70,000 kilometers of high-speed lines.

In May 2019, CRRC Qingdao January/February 2021

Sifang unveiled a prototype of a new maglev high-speed train.

The vehicle is able to speed up to 600 kilometres per hour. The manufacturer plans to start mass production of the train this year.

NRM Expands at Locomotion

Head of Locomotion, Dr Sarah Price Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Architects have now been appointed to start work on a £4.5m project to deliver a new collection building at the Locomotion Museum in County Durham.

Once complete, the facility will house up to 50 rail vehicles, bringing the total at Locomotion, in Shildon, to 120 and creating the UK’s largest rail vehicle display, spread across the museum's two buildings.

The building is part of Locomotion’s £6m improvement programme to regenerate the museum’s historic site,

RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GREAT WESTERN REGION with Durham County Council contributing £2.25m to support the delivery of the new building.

The final design will feature a lightweight, steel frame construction that will be open to the public and will house railway vehicles in a stable environment.

Construction is due to start in April 2022 subject to planning permission being granted for the development, with work scheduled to be complete by early 2023.

AOC Architecture has been appointed after a competitive design tender which ran earlier in the year.

The building will increase the number of rail vehicles on display from the Science Museum Group Collection to about 120 – creating the largest rail vehicle display in the country.

Sarah Price, head of Locomotion said: “This is the most significant change to Locomotion since opening and it will create a more inviting presence that emphasises Locomotion’s pivotal role as a cultural cornerstone for the community.

“Access to Locomotion and the site’s historically significant collection will remain free for all visitors, helping us to create a lasting and meaningful legacy that celebrates the region’s globally important role as the birthplace of the railways.”

Network Rail workers Provide an Injection of Life at Westpoint, near Exeter.

The workers spent five days giving their time to unloading around 100 pallets of equipment from articulated lorries, and setting it up inside the main Westpoint building, at Clyst St Mary. Network Rail workers last year volunteered to help transform a former Exeter DIY store, at Sowton,

into a new Nightingale Hospital.

Nick Millington, Network Rail’s director of safety taskforce, who coordinated the volunteers, said: “We are so proud to have played a part in helping set up this hugely important vaccination centre in Exeter. Throughout the pandemic, colleagues right across Network Rail have worked tirelessly to help keep our trains and stations running safely for the benefit of our passengers, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to continue contributing towards overcoming Covid-19 away from the tracks. It was immensely rewarding to have helped build the Nightingale Hospital in Exeter last year and to see so many colleagues pull together again in a similar fashion speaks volumes of

the selfless individuals who have contributed their time to get this vaccination facility up and running.”

Darryn Allcorn, Devon’s lead chief nurse, said: “We’re very grateful to all the people from Network Rail who volunteered to help set up the vaccination centre at Westpoint. It was a fantastic effort by all, and our new centres mean we are on track to further increase the scale and pace of the vaccination programme in Devon.”

Volunteers worked to complete a range of tasks, including assembling furniture, laying out signage and constructing the vaccination pods to help ensure the facility, just off the M5 motorway in Exeter, was ready to open on Tuesday January 26.

Cat-astrophe averted!

A cat missing since Christmas Day has been reunited with her owner after a journey through one of Britain’s busiest railway stations.

While fewer people might be travelling by rail right now, Storm the cat became an unlikely passenger needing additional assistance at Purr-mingham New Street.

The 8-month-old cat had travelled from Erdington on Tuesday 12 January with a passenger intending to take the missing moggy to a rehoming centre in Stafford.

Unfortunately for Storm, the passenger had to leave the January/February 2021

station unexpectedly, starting a sequence of events which would set the lost feline on her journey homeward bound.

Left at station reception, Storm met shift station manager and cat lover, Lucy Martin, who worked out what to do next. Lucy, who has cats of her own at home, took Storm to her local vet for a check-up and to see if she was microchipped, but the search came up short.

Storm’s owner, back in Erdington, had posted a desperate plea to find her much-loved pet just after Christmas on a local lost and found Facebook page.

Storm's owner, Chantelle, said: "I let Storm out as usual on Christmas Day, and when I went to call her back a couple of hours later, there was no sign of her.

"Seeing no sign of her for almost three weeks, I was coming to terms with the fact that she was gone. I was absolutely over the moon when Lucy got in touch to say that she had found a cat that matched the description on my post!

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Making Tracks for Oxford A £760m fund will be spent to break ground on a new railway link between Oxford and Cambridge.

The cash, from the Department of Transport (DfT), will be used to lay track along a disused railway line between Bicester and Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, with services beginning in 2025. The whole project, known as East-West Rail, could be completed by the end of the decade according to a government minister overseeing it.

Chris Heaton Harris, the rail minister at DfT, said that it may also mean that the Oxford to Cambridge Expressway, a ‘paused’ project for a major road between the two university cities, remains ‘paused for a very long time’ if people ‘vote with their feet’ and choose to use trains to travel instead of private cars.

The funding, announced on Saturday, January 23, will provide better transport links across a region the Government calls the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, which it hopes will become an economic boom area due to the high number of science and technology jobs here. The railway works will also shorten journey times between routes outside of London. Travellers from Oxford for example, will no longer have take a train into the capital and back out again to reach Milton Keynes, 12

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but could travel there via Bicester.

The Government said work between Bicester and Bletchley are expected to create 1,500 jobs. Work will include the construction of a new station at Winslow, as well as enhancements to existing stations along the route, including Bletchley. By 2025, two trains per hour will run between Oxford and Milton

Keynes via Bletchley it is claimed.

Mr Heaton Harris acknowledged the project was on an ‘ambitious timetable’. He said, “A second section of track could be laid between Bletchley and Bedford by 2028, and the final stretch be completed by ‘the end of the decade.’

When the East-West Rail project is complete, it will be the first time since 1968 that Bicester and Bletchley will be connected by rail.

The Government has also opened an ‘Ideas Fund’ which will run until March 5, and will give grants of £50,000 to applicants who make a case for reopening branch lines or railway stations mothballed in the past.

Mr Heaton Harris said the Witney to Oxford line, long promoted as a potential commuter branch line, would be ideal for this fund. That is exactly the sort of thing we are looking at, areas where we can make a difference with not too big sums of money.”

MP’s Push to Reopen Rail Stations in South Devon

Two MPs are renewing their joint push for the reopening of two railway stations in south Devon.

Totnes MP Anthony Mangnall and Kevin Foster in Torbay are seeking support for a bid to investigate restoring public use of stations at Goodrington and Churston, between Paignton and Brixham.

Both are now stops on a heritage line which took over the route after the line beyond Paignton was closed by British Rail in the 1970s.

The MPs are planning a new bid to the Government’s Restoring Your Railway Fund of up to £50,000 towards the cost of transport and economic studies to January/February 2021

help create a business case. The scheme is designed to support investigations into the feasibility of reopening closed stations.

Mr Mangnall is also backing a campaign to reopen Brent Station, on the main line between Plymouth and Exeter, serving the village of South Brent, which closed in 1964.

A new campaign has also been launched to reopen the station at Plympton, near Plymouth.

The MP issued a statement saying they were seeking help from the community to create a local campaign of support to reopen the stations at Goodrington and Churston in Torbay. Mr Mangnall said: “Reopening these two stations will stimulate the local economy, remove cars from the road, reduce air pollution, help commuters and tourism and improve transport links. In order to submit a strong proposal, it

RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GREAT WESTERN REGION is vital that we gain community support and gauge the views of residents on these proposals. If there is a positive response, then we will put together a working group and submit a proposal to Government in early March.

I hope that as many people as possible will take the opportunity register their views on this matter.’’

The two stations are on the former Great Western Railway branch line from Paignton to Kingswear through Goodrington and Churston, which was officially closed by British Rail in 1972. The line was sold to the Dart Valley Railway and the seven-mile line is now run by the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company.

The service is popular with tourists and provides a link from Paignton to a ferry crossing from Kingswear over the River Dart to Dartmouth.

Goodrington Station is near Goodrington Sands and Quay West water park, close to a large car park.

Mr Foster has said he wants to see if it would be feasible to create a parkway-style station at Goodrington as an alternative to the station in Paignton town centre.

He said it would allow commuters and leisure users easier access to the Riviera Line rail link to Torquay, Newton Abbot and Exeter, and would also take passengers straight to the beach and leisure facilities at Goodrington, which would be an economic boost for the area.

Restoring network services to Churston would mean the restoration of a public rail link near Brixham after the closure of the branch line.

A survey to gather views about the potential reopening of the stations to the public was launched on Mr Mangnall’s website www. anthonymangnall.co.uk will run until Thursday, February 18. For those unable to complete the online survey, a postal version is available by calling 0207 219 5579.

Marsh Barton (Devon) to Have a New Station

Artist’s impression of the new Marsh Barton railway station

Plans for a new train station at Marsh Barton have finally been approved – four years after trains should have been running. The planning application for the construction of a new two platform railway station to serve the Marsh Barton Industrial Estate has finally been approved by Devon County Council planners under delegated powers.

As well as the station, the scheme for Clapperbrook Lane East has a new cycleway, embankment, and footbridge, to link the station and to provide a dedicated pedestrian and cycle way. Funding has been secured to cover the current project estimate cost, excluding contingency, and Devon County Council’s cabinet will now meet early in 2021 to discuss, finalise and sign-off on committing the cash towards the build of the station.

No details yet have been revealed as to when the work will begin and the station will see trains stop but, when the application was submitted in July, it was hoped that the station will be open by the end of 2021.

A Devon County Council spokesman said: “Cabinet will meet early next year to discuss the revised scheme and, subject to approval, we will be able to confirm potential start dates.” Approving the scheme under delegated powers, planning officers said: “The proposal looks to provide a piece of infrastructure fundamental to the delivery of the transport strategy for Exeter. It facilitates sustainable travel, achieving a modal shift from private car to public transport in one of Exeter’s main employment areas, all of which is supported by planning policy.

“There are concerns that the proposal does not go far enough and include offsite improvements for cyclists are noted, however, this is not considered to outweigh the benefits associated with the delivery of the station. The proposals also provide significant improvement to the existing situation for pedestrians and cyclists using Clapperbrook Lane.

While the loss of the trees and the impacts upon the local landscape are regrettable, this harm, along with any temporary disruption during construction, is considered to be outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal and therefore planning permission is granted.”

The delivery of the station has been a long-term aspiration for Devon County Council and forms part of the Devon Metro project, which encompasses a range of rail infrastructure improvements in the Exeter area, with the scheme for Marsh Barton station aimed to provide sustainable access to employment, retail and leisure opportunities.

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RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GREAT WESTERN REGION The proposed station will have two platforms, with the eastern and western platforms served by trains to Newton Abbot and Exeter, respectively. Each platform will be 124 m long, sufficient to accommodate trains formed of up to 5 cars and will be 4m wide.

Each platform will have a waiting shelter, 10m wide by 1.5m deep, containing 12 stainless steel seats with arm rests, and a perch rail for four passengers, as well as one ticket vending

machine on each platform, located inside the waiting shelters.

Two help points will be provided on each platform, one adjacent to the waiting shelter, and one in the emergency refuge area while, in addition to the help points, there will also be ‘next train indicators’ on each platform, providing audio and visual information regarding services.

Vehicular access to the station will be from Clapperbrook Lane East, with a new access road

meeting the existing road at a junction on the eastern edge of the side, with access to the station for pedestrians and cyclists will be via paths which connect to the new footway/cycleway.

No parking spaces will be provided for general use, as it is expected the station will primarily serve as a destination, and it is intended to encourage use of sustainable modes of transport.

No Money for Great Western Mainline According to a report in the Swindon Advertiser, an application for £50,000 funding for Great Western Railway main line has been rejected. The project to restore services to the Great Western main line would have been used to help build new stations at Corsham, Royal Wootton Bassett and East Swindon.

Corsham Town Council said it is disappointed the Wiltshire Council submission to the Department

for Transport’s Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund was not picked up. It’s believed it would have helped fund 75% of the project.

Chairman of Corsham Town Council Steve Abbott said: “Further feedback from the DfT suggests that the bid would be better directed to the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline process.

The argument for Corsham having a railway station is still strong.

Our town team working group

will continue to press the case.”

In total, there were 51 applications put forward in an attempt to win the £50,000 and it’s not known how many were successful.

Network Rail’s Enhancement Budget for CP6 Cut Rail Minister Chris HeatonHarris has confirmed, in a written answer to a question from Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Jim McMahon, that Network Rail’s enhancements budget for the current control period (CP6) has been cut from £10.4 billion to £9.4 billion. In a written question to Secretary of State Grant Shapps, Jim McMahon asked: “With reference to the Spending Review 2020, what revised estimate he has for the (a) total £10.4 billion rail enhancements budget and (b) total £30.9billion operations, maintenance and renewals budget within Network Rail’s Control Period 6.”

Answering on the Transport Secretary’s behalf, Chris HeatonGREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE

Harris said: “Network Rail’s operations, maintenance and renewals budgets have not been changed as a result of Spending Review 2020 and workbanks will continue to be based on the fiveyear regulatory funding settlement for 2019-2024. The Spending Review settlement means that the comparable figure for the enhancements budget over the same period would now be £9.4bn.”

He then went on to talk about budgets for rail services, which hadn’t formed part of Jim McMahon’s question, and didn’t answer the second part of the question at all.

Darren Caplan, chief executive of the Railway Industry Association, was concerned January/February 2021

about the Rail Minister’s reply: “Recent confirmation, following the Spending Review, that rail enhancements investment will reduce by more than £1 billion over the current five year funding period, is very disappointing.

Rail enhancements are essential in ensuring our rail network is fit for the future, improving reliability, connectivity, customer experience and helping to reduce carbon emissions. Taking our foot off the pedal now on rail investment will not help for when passengers return following the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The rail industry still doesn’t have sight of what rail enhancement projects are coming up – we were told earlier this

year that there are more than 80 projects in the Government’s Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, yet with the news today that there is over £1 billion less in the funding pot, it is unclear what schemes will be going ahead and what will not be. In line with RIA’s Speed Up Rail Enhancements, SURE, campaign, we strongly urge the

Government to publish this list of rail enhancement projects as soon as possible, to help rail businesses plan and invest, at what is such a critical time for the UK economy.”

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The funds available for CP6 enhancements have been reduced. Whether we’d have been able to bring projects with

strong business cases forward to be able to use those funds is obviously uncertain at this point in the control period. We’re working through the detail of this news with our regional stakeholders and the DfT to reassess our portfolio of projects an prioritise. This will take a number of months.”

Trains in Cornwall 'More Reliable' Network Rail has completed its work to upgrade the railway in west Cornwall, which will offer passengers more reliable journeys.

A team of engineers, with the help of six Network Rail engineering trains, removed old track and ballast between Penzance and Truro, and on the St Ives Bay line.

They went on to replace it with new ballast, railway track and sleepers.

Since starting the work more than one kilometre of new track, sleepers and ballast were installed, around 1.4km of rail and sleepers were repaired and 15 signalling and communications cabinets were replaced.

Okehampton to Exeter link to be re-instated A regular passenger rail service between Okehampton and Exeter is returning, the Government has confirmed. The reopening of the line between Okehampton and Exeter has been included in the Government Comprehensive Spending Review and the National Infrastructure Strategy.

It included the government's commitment to the restoring the service for the first time since regular Okehampton to Exeter passenger services were withdrawn on June 5, 1972, although since 1997 a limited service has run between Okehampton and Exeter on Sundays during the summer.

A spokesman for OkeRail said: 15

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Work taking place on the rail tracks in Cornwall. (Network Rail)

“After weeks of not being able to say anything, the confirmation that the government are restoring the passenger service was in the spending review.

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The Beeching Axe: The lost railways of Devon and Cornwall, “On page 41, Restoring your Railway, it states that the government will also deliver on GREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE

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RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GREAT WESTERN REGION its manifesto commitment to spend £500 million to restore transport services previously lost in the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, including reopening the AshingtonBlyth line in Northumberland to passenger services, and restoring rail links to Okehampton in Devon.

The government has also launched a New Ideas Fund to pay for feasibility work on proposals for new lines and stations. Now while this IS only one sentence, do not underestimate the significance. It is the government's commitment to the service. More information about when the service will start, will follow in the coming weeks while work is being carried out now on the line by Network Rail to prepare the infrastructure.”

Cllr Andrea Davis, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for infrastructure, said: “This is fantastic news and extremely

Okehampton Railway Station (John Spivey)

welcome as we look to support the recovery of the county’s economy. We have had a longstanding commitment to reintroduce regular rail services to Okehampton, and behind the scenes we’ve been lobbying and closely working with Network Rail, GWR and local partners to give this project the best chance of becoming a reality. It has been a great example of collaborative working from all involved.

Solar-Powered Train Launched

Kerala CM P VijayanThiruvananthapuram

India's first solar-powered miniature train has been launched at Veli Tourist Village in Kerala, India. The train, which would be an attraction for children especially, was part of a string of projects totally worth Rs 60 crore taken up to elevate the facilities at the panoramic destination to international standards.

The miniature railway has all the features of a fullyequipped rail system, including a tunnel, station and a ticket 16

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office. The train has three bogies that can accommodate around 45 people at a time.

"The eco-friendly solarpowered 2.5 km miniature railway will enable visitors to enjoy the beauty of nature. The Rs ten crore project is the first of its kind in the country," the Chief Minister said in his online address.

Artificial steam spouted by the engine of the train, modeled after the vintage steam locomotive, will stir nostalgic feelings. The station was also designed in a traditional style. The surplus energy generated by the system will be routed to the Kerala State Electricity Board's grid, Vijayan said.

Find a wide variety of railway news on our website www. greatwesternstar.com January/February 2021

Politicians back daily Okehampton train service news - and call to start looking at reintroducing trains to Torridge.

“I’m pleased to see that the Department for Transport has backed our collective view that this line deserves support. The County Council has invested a huge amount of time and money into keeping the line alive with the Summer service and also carrying out the study which provides the groundwork for developing plans for this project.

I’m sure the local community will be delighted this scheme is getting Government backing.” Cllr Kevin Ball, who represents the Okehampton ward, added that the line would benefit everyone in West Devon, not just those in around the Okehampton area, and that after many false hopes it was confirmation that it would happen.

Western Rail Link to Heathrow Airport Delayed

The Western Rail Link to Heathrow (WRLTH) aims to create a direct link to Heathrow for rail passegers coming in from the western side. At the moment, they have to head into Paddington then back out again. Apart from making journey times much faster for people using rail links from the west, it would reduce congestion on the trains out of Paddington.

The rail link would have left the mainline at Langley near Slough, then run through a new tunnel to the existing station at Terminal 5, where two pre-built

platforms are ready to be used.

Although the rail link is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, funding for it is dependent on contributions from Heathrow Airport and the aviation industry in general.

With air travel in the doldrums at the moment, they are not in a position to stump up the money.

The DfT has now asked Network Rail to change the planned Development Consent Order (DCO) submission of the application from winter 2021 to a potential winter 2022 submission, subject to a funding agreement.

The DCO is just the first stage of several that need to be cleared before construction can start.

Originally to be completed by 2021, the £900 million railway link is now not expected to start construction until 2024, if it gets permission to be built.

Tfl Rail Begins Operating Services Between Paddington And Reading New services are the next step in the delivery of the Elizabeth line Stopping services between London Paddington and Reading are now operated by TfL Rail, delivering immediate benefits to

customers. This is the next step in the delivery of the Elizabeth line.

Under TfL Rail, customers will benefit from improvements to their stations including improved customer information and new lifts within the next year. On the TfL Rail service, Freedom Pass holders will enjoy free travel all the way to Reading, with families also benefiting from free travel for children under the age of 11 when they travel with a paying adult.

Customers at Iver and Taplow will now enjoy a train service on a Sunday, with two trains running per hour to the capital.

All TfL Rail stations are staffed from first to last train, providing a turn-up-and-go service for disabled customers and a point of contact for anyone needing assistance. Stations along the route are being improved to make them more comfortable and accessible. New benches and shelters in waiting areas are being fitted alongside improved electronic signage providing real-time travel information for customers. Several stations will also benefit from improved CCTV and lighting, creating a safer environment in and around the stations. Several ticket offices are also being refurbished, with many stations including Iver and Hayes & Harlington due to have completely new tickets halls and offices.

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Burnham recently had a lift installed, with lifts at Taplow to follow on Monday, making them step-free from street to platform. The following stations were step-free in 2020: Hanwell Iver Langley Acton Main Line Ealing Broadway West Ealing Southall Hayes & Harlington West Drayton TfL is continually improving accessibility across the network, however between London Paddington and Reading, due to the different types of trains that already run along the western stations, including freight trains, it is not feasible to provide level boarding at all stations. At TfL Rail stations, staff are always on hand to deploy a manual boarding ramp between the platform and train for customers in need of assistance.

Howard Smith, Operations Director for TfL Rail, said: "I'm excited to welcome customers on the London Paddington to Reading line to TfL Rail. This is an important step towards opening the Elizabeth line. Customers will notice continual improvements along their route including a new Sunday service at Iver and Taplow and improved accessibility at several stations with lifts being installed to provide step-free access from street to platform."

While Nigel Horton-Baker, Executive Director, Reading UK, said: "Excellent connectivity has always been at the heart of Reading's economic success. With the introduction of TfL Rail trains and contactless ticketing as a precursor to the full opening of the Elizabeth line, Reading and its businesses are now literally on the London transport network map, helping further the business relationships between London and the capital of the Thames Valley."

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RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE GREAT WESTERN REGION Cllr Tony Page, Reading Borough Council's Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport and Deputy Leader, said: "Reading has long been a major hub on the rail network and is unique in that more people travel into Reading to work every day than commute from Reading into London. The introduction of TfL trains, alongside contactless ticketing and free travel for Freedom Pass holders, is most welcome and will further cement Reading's position as the de facto capital of the Thames Valley and a major economic player in the south east."

The new services will be operated by MTR Elizabeth line, on behalf of TfL, with new Elizabeth line trains running between London Paddington and Reading.

These will provide customers with walk-through carriages, dedicated wheelchair spaces and additional multi-use spaces for buggies and luggage. The trains will initially run with seven carriages as software updates continue to be implemented and tested before being increased to full-length nine-carriage trains.

During peak times, Monday to Friday between 06:30 - 09:30

and between 16:00 - 19:00, services to and from Reading will run every 15 minutes and two trains an hour will run during off-peak times. Some train and departure times have changed.

From 2nd January 2020, customers will be able to use contactless pay as you go for the first time between London Paddington and Reading. A single peak adult pay as you go journey between London Paddington and Reading will be £24.40 (with the off-peak fare of £10.60).

Daily and weekly capping will be introduced in spring 2020.

Refurbishment Planned for Landmark Railway Building A landmark railway building in Birmingham city centre is to be refurbished as part of HS2 station work. The city council has agreed for the grade I-listed Old Curzon Street Station to be leased to HS2 and refurbished as part of the work on the new Curzon Street Station. The station will initially link Birmingham with London before later phases connect the city with the north. The building was designed by Philip Hardwick and opened in 1838 and was initially intended to be a boardroom for the London and Birmingham Railway.

The Curzon Street Masterplan outlines proposals for 141 hectares of regeneration. It covers the area that will house the HS2 Curzon Street station in Birmingham city centre, along with £724m million in investment into the surrounding area. It envisages the creation of 36,000 new jobs,4,000 new homes and 600,000m2 of commercial development.

Curzon Street station will be the first brand new intercity terminus station built in Britain since the since the 19th century. Eventually, there will be nine trains per hour direct in each direction from the station.

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The station design will maximise the benefit of natural resources such as sunlight and water and have new public spaces surrounding it. It will use the latest eco-friendly design and sustainable technologies including capturing rainwater and sustainable power generation.

The station will be built to achieve a ‘BREEAM excellent’ standard and zero carbon emissions from day-to-day energy consumption.

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The designs will also incorporate the existing historic Old Curzon Street building and link it to the new station’s eastern concourse at New Canal Street. It also aims to improve access to different modes of transport, with the Midland Metro running alongside and underneath the station, pedestrian routes to local bus services, Sprint rapid transit bus services and other train services and space for more than 250 bicycles.

Birmingham City Council’s Curzon Street Investment Plan will see £900 million spent on regenerating the area around the new station. The scheme

will take place over 30 years, leading to the creation of several new neighbourhoods across almost 150 hectares, including 4,000 homes and 36,000 jobs.

Curzon Street station will be the first brand new intercity terminus station built in Britain since the since the 19th century.

Hidden Rail Tracks found during Resurfacing road work on Weymouth Harbourside A set of hidden rail tracks was unearthed during work to remove the disused lines on Commercial Road along Weymouth harbourside. The discovery comes amid Dorset Council's project to remove the disused rails along the harbourside in a bid to improve road safety.

Council workers started resurfacing work on Commercial Road this week after track removal was completed on Custom House Quay last Friday However, a completely separate set of track rails were hidden under Commercial Road, which were not connected to the visible surface rails.

A spokesman from the council said: "We believe this is the route of the Weymouth Branch Line, which ‘The Loop’ section replaced.

The team will move along to the next section of track removal, between St Nicholas Street and St Mary Street, on February 8.

"The rails are being kept on site prior to collection by our recycling contractor, who will store the materials while we finalise paperwork with Network Rail. While we expect most will be recycled, some sections of rail may be used for a possible heritage feature along the route once the works are complete."

Following these phases of work, the highways team will be staying in the Weymouth harbour area to remove a section of track on the peninsula near the old Condor building and sections of track in the overgrown area near B&Q in preparation for a potential future project.

There will also be final drainage, kerbing and surfacing works along the harbourside between Lower St Alban Street and St Mary Street.

Further finishing works will be carried out in the areas where January/February 2021

sections of the old rails are being left in place, this includes improving the cul-de-sac area of Commercial Road, near King Street, by installing drainage and kerbing, resurfacing the area and marking out formal parking bays and paving repairs in ‘The Loop’ near Cosens Quay Car Park.

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Barmouth Bridge (Pont Abermaw) Undergoes a Major Restoration This well-known structure is now a Grade II* listed structure. It provides a single track on a wooden railway viaduct across the estuary of the Afon Mawddach near Barmouth in north Wales. At 900 yards long, it is the longest timber viaduct in Wales and one of the longest in regular use in Britain and carries the Cambrian line over the river.

Barmouth Bridge was designed by and constructed for the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway on its line between Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. Work was authorised in 1861 and commenced in 1864. On 10 October 1867, the completed bridge was officially opened.

Following the discovery of severe corrosion on underwater sections of ironwork, an intensive restoration programme was performed between December 1899 and late 1902. By 1980, the viaduct was under attack by marine woodworm, which led to concerns that it would have to be closed and demolished. Because of its value to tourism, it was repaired between

By OLU, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia. org/w/index.php?curid=13127458 20

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1985 and 1986, a closure of six months; a weight restriction and ban on locomotivehauled trains were also introduced. These restrictions have been relaxed since 2005.

The viaduct, between Morfa Mawddach and Barmouth stations in Gwynedd, is used by rail, cyclists and pedestrians and is part of National Cycle Route 8. Tolls were collected for foot and cycle traffic up to 2013 but this has been voluntary since 2017. To allow the passage of tall ships, the bridge incorporated a drawbridge, which was replaced between 1899 and 1902 by a swing bridge, which is no longer operational due to a lack of use. There is no provision for road traffic.

The Cambrian Coast Line was operated

by Arriva Trains Wales until 2018, and is now operated by Transport for Wales, which provides connecting services north to Pwllheli and east to Machynlleth, Shrewsbury and Birmingham International.

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A steam-hauled train crossing Barmouth Bridge in 1921

Construction of the Bridge

View of the bridge from the northwest in 2014 The bridge in 2020 showing the severe deterioration

The timber section of the bridge is 764 yd long and is made up of 113 wooden trestles, each about 6.0 yd span, supported by cast iron piers. Most of the bridge is built on top of a gravel bed, covered by shifting sand. The northern end of the viaduct, where the swing bridge is located, is next to Figle Fawr, a rock at the base of the Rhinogydd mountains.

Water passing through the channel flows at up to 9 knots (10 mph). The first two spans at this end are built on the rock on cast iron cylindrical piers. The steel swing bridge section,

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which replaced the original drawbridge, was last opened (for testing) in April 1987. The installation of continuous rail across the movable section now prevents its movement and the passage of tall ships in and out of the estuary. All mechanisms associated with the swing bridge, however, are left in situ, in accordance with the Grade II* listing of the structure.

Barmouth Bridge was designed by the civil engineers Benjamin Piercy and Henry Conybeare in 1864. Conybeare decided on the use of a timber viaduct because it was about four times cheaper to import wood from the Baltic by sea than to construct an iron bridge. The decision was influenced by the incorrect belief that the estuary was free from marine borers (a mollusc or crustacean that lives usually in warm seas and destroys wood by boring into and eating it. The gribble and shipworm are the best known since they penetrate any wood in favourable water), which attack and weaken the timber over time. During this era, timber pile viaducts were commonplace on British coastal railways, although the bridge at Barmouth would be longer than most.

Construction began in 1864; the contractor was Thomas Savin, and the ironwork was produced by John Cochrane & Sons. Early on, progress was hindered by strong tidal currents which caused multiple failed attempts to sink the bridge's piers from barges. Between March and June 1866, staging was built from the northern abutment for the bridge, and the piers were dropped into the water, bedded into the rock, and filled with concrete.

Wooden trestles were built on screw piles 10-14 inches wide with screw discs 36 inches in diameter in groups of three piles per pier.

Timber trellis girders, 40 feet long and 4 feet deep, supported the deck, with driven piles as fenders. The water around the trestles had a maximum depth of 54 feet at spring tides but the river bed was raised by tipping stones to protect the piles.

The viaduct had a 47 feet wooden drawbridge near its northern end, allowing tall ships to pass upstream. The drawbridge span, which was carried on top of wrought iron piles, opened by tilting and rolling back over the track on four 4 feet wheels, spaced 50 feet apart, and nine steel rollers. When opened, there was a 36 feet gap between the fenders. The drawbridge was never used on a regular basis as the opening of the railway effectively eliminated the need for traditional boat traffic.

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From 3 June 1867, the viaduct was opened for horse-drawn carriages to cross, and then, on 10 October, the bridge was officially opened, and steam-hauled services started using the track.

In August 1899, Alfred Jones Collin, the chief engineer of Cambrian Railways (which had absorbed the A&WCR in 1865), ordered underwater inspections to check the integrity of the drawbridge span’s ironwork. They discovered that the supports were severely corroded, undermining its structural integrity and requiring the replacement of all the ironwork except for two piers. Repairs started that December and were completed by the end of 1902. The drawbridge was replaced with a swing bridge with a 136 ft long single steel swing span, which rotated around a central pivot, close to a 118 ft long fixed span. The spans are hogback-shaped lattice trusses, supported by pairs of cylindrical iron piers, and the turntable rests on a cluster of four piers.

20th century

In 1946, the bridge was nearly destroyed after a live naval mine was washed ashore close to it during stormy weather. According to reports, the mine had swept past one of the pillars, but did not detonate and the bridge escaped unscathed.

Following the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, passenger train services through Barmouth declined following the closure of the Ruabon to Barmouth line via Llangollen and Dolgellau in 1965, causing all traffic to take the longer and slower route from Shrewsbury via Machynlleth and Dovey Junction. The old trackbed from Morfa Mawddach railway station to Dolgellau now forms the Mawddach Trail, a walking and cycle trail.

By 1980, the bridge's 500 timber trestle piles were under attack from marine woodworm at river bed level and the resulting damage was serious enough to threaten its closure. British Rail divers discovered that the woodworm had eaten into 69 of the supporting pillars and estimated that it would cost around £2.5 million to repair. On 13th October 1980, the viaduct was temporarily closed to rail traffic, following which locomotive-hauled trains were banned, which resulted in the loss of traffic from Tywyn, including explosives traffic to and from the factory at Penrhyndeudraeth which was re-routed via Maentwrog Road railway station and the Conwy Valley Line.

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Work in progress in 2020

Gwynedd County Council opposed permanently closing the bridge as 40% of all tourism in the area was rail related. The government applied for a £2.5 million grant from the European Economic Community (EEC) to finance repairs, and £4.6 million was spent on signalling improvements upon the line. In 1985–1986, the bridge was closed to traffic again for a seven month period during the repair works, which entailed replacing 48 of the piles with greenheart hardwood. Others were encased and strengthened with grout and

glass-reinforced concrete shrouds. Within the trestles, wailing timbers and diagonals were replaced with Douglas fir timber. Rail services resumed when the viaduct reopened in April 1986. On 13 April 1986, a British Rail Class 37 diesel locomotive number 37427 was named Bont Y Bermo (Welsh for Barmouth Bridge) to celebrate the reintroduction of locomotivehauled trains following repairs. Locomotivehauled trains were again forbidden shortly afterwards as weight restrictions were imposed upon all bridge traffic.

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An old picture of the bridge with the span rotated to allow a boat to pass through

21st century

After major repairs in 2005, the weight restriction was finally relaxed, and locomotivehauled trains once more allowed to cross. In March 2013, the Barmouth Viaduct Access Group (B-VAG), was established to investigate an alternative route from the town centre to the bridge, as the walkway is steep, narrow, and unsuitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs.

In June, the bridge toll was removed after the collectors left and were not replaced. The council was undecided as to how to pay for maintenance costs, which were £39,405 for the year. This is problematic as revenue from tolls is insufficient to cover the council's share of costs, and there is no budget to employ staff to collect payments.

Gwynedd Council proposed closing the bridge to pedestrians and cyclists for cost reasons, as it needed to find £9 million of savings by April 2016. Closing the bridge is one of over 100 cost saving options totalling £13 million that were put to a public consultation in Autumn 2015. The council pays Network Rail £30,800 per year towards maintenance costs. A petition calling on the council to "cease considerations of closing this much-loved walking and cycling route" attracted 20,000 GREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE

signatures in a week. In February 2016, it was reported that the bridge would not close.

On 4 October 2016, Barmouth Bridge was closed to traffic for a week following a fire on the structure. The following day, Liz Saville Roberts MP called for its speedy renovation as a matter of urgency.

In October 2017, the viaduct celebrated its 150th anniversary with a fireworks display and special charter trains were run. The same month, Bill Kelly, the chief operating officer of Network Rail Wales, spoke of unapproved ambitions to spend around £20 million to secure the long-term future of Barmouth Bridge between 2019 and 2024. In late 2017, an "honesty toll" of £1 for adults and 50p for children was introduced with a troll mascot, and the old toll house rebranded as a "troll house".

In December 2018, it was reported that the future of the bridge was once again in doubt, but a £25 million 3-year restoration project was announced by Network Rail in May 2020.

Network Rail had considered building a new bridge, involving significant groundwork and piling, but chose refurbishment because timber is lighter, and the 1867 structure is considered iconic.

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An aerial view of the bay, showing the bridge across the river to Barmouth.

In the bottom left hand corner is the loop of the Fairbourn Railway

2020 onwards

The restoration will replace on a like-forlike basis a large number of timber elements of the viaduct, the metallic spans of the viaduct, as well as the entire 2,690 ft length of track across it. The swinging elements of the bridge are not to be restored, but all key mechanisms associated with the swing bridge will be retained in situ in accordance with the 1988 Grade II* listing of the structure. The work will not speed up journeys along the line; the viaduct's long lateral structure gives it limited stability, meaning that maximum speeds of 20 mph for passenger trains and 10 mph for freight will remain. FSC-certified greenheart hardwood was sourced by Network Rail from Guyana for its long track record of use in challenging applications, and preservative treatment is unnessary as it is resistant to attack by shipworm and wood rotting fungi.

The first phase of the project was completed in November 2020. The next two of the three planned closures are scheduled for September to December 2021 and October to December 2022. The original iron rolling centre section was replaced by a steel lattice swing bridge in 1899. The later structure has two hogback trusses on cylindrical piers, one of which is a swing span of 136 feet and the other is a fixed span. The wooden bridge was replaced by 113 openings of 18 feet span on timber pile trestles which are now encased in glass-fibre

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Network Rail’s Commitment

A spokesman said, “We know how much the iconic Barmouth Viaduct means to the community and the local economy. Our £25m restoration is the biggest upgrade in the viaduct’s history. This will help protect our industrial heritage and safeguard this vital transport link so it can continue to serve local people and attract visitors to the area for generations to come. At over 150 years old, the viaduct is currently in poor condition. Many of the timber elements of the viaduct have decayed significantly over time and a large proportion of the metallic elements have corroded. Our programme will see us completely restoring the viaduct in a way that does not threaten its industrial heritage and its Grade II* listed status. This means that we will replace its components on a ‘like-for-like’ basis so that it retains its magnificent appearance. We’ve been working closely with Cadw, Gwynedd County Council and other stakeholders over several years to develop and agree our plans.”

“To reduce the impact on the local community and tourism in Barmouth, we’ve carefully planned our work to take place over three years - with three shorter full closures of the viaduct, rather than one longer full closure.

We began setting up site in June 2020 and have been carrying out preparation work since then.

The following information provides an overview of our current planned timescales. We’ll start

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by replacing the timber elements of the viaduct and associated track, which will take us the first two years. Our principal contractor for this phase of work is Alun Griffiths Ltd. During 2022, we’ll replace the metallic spans of the viaduct and the associated track. We’ll also be upgrading the track at the north and south end of the viaduct in 2022.”

“For operational and safety reasons, the bridge will not swing after the work but all key mechanisms associated with the swing bridge will be retained in situ in accordance with the Grade II* listing of the structure. This approach has been agreed with Cadw and Gwynedd Council.” “ To access the viaduct easily throughout our work, we set up our site compounds over the summer months. There are two site

compounds relatively close to the viaduct: one on the northern side and one on the southern side. Another will be OFFICIAL situated in the town of Barmouth, near Marine Parade, with additional parking for our contractors in Barmouth town centre. We will do our best to keep any disruption to a minimum. At times, the machinery we’re using and the activities we’re delivering will inevitably generate some noise – and we’re sorry for any disturbance.”

“Working closely with Transport for Wales, we will provide a bus replacement service between Pwllheli and Machynlleth stations, and all stations in between. There will also be an additional bus service for local school pupils to take them to and from school. Our advice for passengers is to plan ahead and allow additional time for travelling.”

The Barmouth Bridge - a scale model in O Gauge

Barmouth Bridge is the last of three large exhibition layouts that I have built and exhibited over the last 33 years, the first two being 3.5mm scale Swiss metre-gauge protypes. I have always loved the Barmouth area and when deciding on a new exhibition layout, I chose the bridge as “something different” from the usual, small station prototypes. It was also something of a challenge in 7mm scale with a large amount of soldering brass required.

A start was made in 2005 and the end result was exhibited for the first time at the Peterborough show in October 2009, although without the superb back-drop which was added the following year: the work of Graham Bradbury MSc., an art teacher in Shrewsbury. After a few years of exhibitions it was retired to a purpose-built shed at my home, where a continuous track was laid with the bridge down one side and a truncated version of Barmouth Station down the other. A start was made on the scenery, but old age and decrepitude meant that this work was ceased by about 2014.

In 2007 I was asked by Barmouth Council if they could borrow the model as a centrepiece for their exhibition celebrating 150 years of Barmouth Bridge. Happily it was possible to extract the bridge portion without too much damage and I spent a happy weekend at the celebrations. On return home, the layout was stored on shelves until I thought it would be nice for it to be exhibited in the Barmouth area on a permanent basis. My first call was to the Fairbourne Railway – the rest is history!

The centre section swings thanks to a heavy-duty bearing housed inside the centre cassion. The rail and chairs are a C&L product laid on longitudinal timbers like the real thing. The chairs for the guard-rails had been specially cast from my own patterns; nothing else looked right. The cassions are made from the K.S. brass sheet rolled length-wise, the width of the sheet dictated the height at which the bridge is carried and the state of the tide modelled!

The layout is not specifically dated. For example, the south end timbers are modelled as they were pre-1985 but the Toll House is as it was in about 2005. Many of the things modelled have now gone from the real thing: the wooden bridge by the tunnel, the Life-Boat Station and the G.W.R. spear fencing to name but three. How quickly things become history!!

I hope the layout is a successful attraction in the Museum for many years to come.

Barrie Kelsall This layout is now on permanent display at the Fairbourn Railway and for the insertion of a 20p piece the train a GWR 14XX tank engine and autocoach - will run across the viaduct and back, raising funds for the Fairbourn Railway - Ed 26

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Barmouth and Barmouth Junction on Camera

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A 14XX rank in Barmouth

Cambrian Railways ex-Metropolitan Railways 4-4-0T No 2 (GWR 1129) built 1864 Withdrawn September 1922

Mixed Passenger Class No 7 Llanerchydol at Barmouth built by Sharp Stewart in December 1860 and withdrawn 1890

(below) GWR Manor Class 7819 Hinton Manor passes over the Lifeboat Launching pad at Barmouth (Max Faulkner

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Rail 919: Welsh report shows that building roads is not the only or best option Christian Woolmar* Ever since the creation of a ministry of transport, just over a century ago, there has been a presumption of favouring motor transport over other modes. As I set out in my short book Are Trams Socialist? The default position of virtually every transport minister has been to respond to increased demand for travel by arguing the case for more roadbuilding.

The current government is no exception.

While much publicity is given to fatuous ‘reversing Beeching’ ideas, the reality is that the real investment is focussed on expanding the road network, mainly through improving existing routes as totally new roads have become politically too controversial. Yes of course there is HS2 which will absorb a lot of money but the thrust of the government’s policy is its focus on roads with its £27bn programme.

As I stressed in my little book, the underlying problem with transport policy is that there is no coherent strategy. Ministers have tended to encourage greater use of motor vehicles through both transport and, particularly, planning policies, while simultaneously warning of the terrible consequences of unfettered growth of road use.

One of the consistent failings of transport policy has been the compartmentalisation of both thinking around the issue and policy implementation. Very rarely has any policy been based on a clear examination of the alternatives to, say, building a road.

Now I have seen what should be the future method of developing transport policy. I have been given exclusive advance sight of a radical report, ‘Final Report of the South East Wales *This Blog by Christian Woolmar is republished with his permission. Readers are referred to our Bookshelf section where there is a review of Christian’s latest book - Cathedrals of Steam 28

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Transport Commission’ produced for the Welsh government that points the way to a more rational future.

Let’s recap. The M4 around Newport in south Wales is a notorious bottleneck with long distance traffic using the Severn Tunnel mixing in with large numbers of commuters between Newport, which houses several major office developments, and the Welsh capital and largest conurbation, Cardiff. A widening of the M4 had long been mooted and the Welsh government had even earmarked most of the required £1.6bn funding for a new 14 mile long six lane section around Newport.

Then, in the face of opposition from environmentalists and a realisation that similar road schemes across the world tend merely to encourage greater car use and therefore soon prove ineffective in solving the original problem – there are countless example in the US of new lanes on highways filling up within a few years to resurrect the same traffic jams that had existed prior to the widening.

Therefore in June 2019, Mark Drakeford, the first minister – who was then largely unknown but thanks to Covid has now become a familiar figure on our TV screens, took the radical step of scrapping the plan. It was a brave decision given that the scheme had been promised by the ruling Welsh Labour party in its manifesto and had been approved by a planning inspector who had said that ‘there was a compelling case for the scheme to be implemented’. While questioning whether the scheme was affordable, Drakeford, however stressed it was not money that led him to scrap the plan but the environmental damage to the local Gwent Levels, a unique coastal plain, it would have caused.

Even more radically, Drakeford did not leave it there but instead set up a commission to examine alternatives to widening the road headed by Lord (Terry) Burns, a former permanent secretary at the Treasury and now a Conservative member of the House of Lords.

This demonstrated serious intent and the result is a report that should be a blueprint for subsequent assessments when road schemes are being put forward.

The Commission has come up with a complete programme of how to improve transport in a congested vital corridor. At the core of the plan is to improve the existing railway between the mouth of the Severn Tunnel and Cardiff, and various places beyond on branch lines. This is already four

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track but there are very few local services and commuting is limited by the fact that there are only three stations on that section. The plan, therefore, is to build six new stations, mostly using existing available sites, and to rearrange the tracks so that those on the north side can be used for stopping services and the other two for express trains. Lord Burns told me that since there had been preparatory work on work on some of the stations such as Cardiff Parkway, Magor and Llanwern because they had long been suggested as possible additions, it was the work of moving the tracks around that was likely to be the most difficult aspect of the scheme.

The whole idea is to provide transport capacity as an alternative to people jumping in their cars. With those six new stations, over 90 per cent of people living in Cardiff and Newport would live within one mile of a rail station or a rapid bus corridor, the creation of which was another part of the report’s recommendation.

This would run on parts of the region not served by railways but with many connections to the stations..

Tellingly, the report said that implementing the concept would require a degree of cooperation between bus and railway companies that currently is banned by the Competition and Markets Authority. The report says: ‘In general, a corridor need not be served by both rapid bus and train, as this may undermine the business case for investing in either infrastructure’. This unnecessary competition occurs elsewhere, notably Tyneside where despite years of effort by the local transport organisation which have ended up with failures in court, buses still operate on routes well served by the local metro system.

That is the key. Remember the words ‘integrated transport’ which are little heard about today? Usually this was little more than a commitment to ensure a few buses ran from the local train station but this report shows what it really means. Cycling has not been forgotten with a commitment to create a series of safe routes and crucially there is an emphasis on having a ticketing system that will work across modes.

For this plan to succeed, a different approach to transport is needed, where it is seen as a social good rather than a business.

This, of course, has long been at the heart of conflicts over transport issues in the UK but in fact in many European countries the need for good public transport is recognised by parties

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of both Left and Right. The answer to the title of my book is that ‘no, trams are not socialist’ – they are common sense.

And oddly, the consequences of Covid-19 offers an opportunity here. Bus transport, like the railways, has become wholly uneconomic and the companies need to be bailed out by the government. That gives ministers in the Welsh government the opportunity to require companies, who are in receipt of subsidy, to act in a coordinated way to provide the best service without unnecessary expensive competition.

After all, the motor car is always going to be the main form of competition.

Ah, I can hear the objectors say, all this is pie in the sky and too expensive. In fact, according to Lord Burns, ‘this is all perfectly feasible at a reasonable cost’. Much of the money that had been earmarked to the road is available and the costing in the report suggests the need for modest sums given that the road was going to cost £1.6bn – the capital cost is estimated at between £590m abnd £840m, while the revenue implications are between £15m and £35m, depending on take up.

The time frame, too, is achievable. The cycling and bus initiatives can be introduced within five years while the rest is achievable in a decade. That is, of course, provided Transport for Wales have both the powers and the finance to push through the plan.

In a way the Commissioners were fortunate.

The existing railway is already four tracked and rather underused, and while separating out the two separate fast and slower tracks will be complicated, it is by no means impossible or even that expensive. The mainline in south Wales is an underused asset and while not every other route around the country will have such an obvious way of improving communication, there are lots of other places where the railway could, with the right investment, be put to far more intensive use. The key is to approach transport investment in a holistic and strategic way. Wales has clearly done that, and it is up to other areas to follow this excellent example.

In praise of…..Andrew Haines The idea for a new organisation that will act as the ‘guiding mind’ for the railway is gaining ground. With signs that things will start to return to normal in the New Year and that within a few months lockdowns, masks, social distancing and test & trace will be distant January/February 2021

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memories. (Old Mystic Wolmar seems to have been wrong in his pessimism about a vaccine though nothing is certain yet).

There is little doubt that this organisation will be built around Network Rail, although the precise details of how this will be done remain unclear. While we all know that Network Rail has been anything but a perfect organisation, with a tendency towards unfathomable bureaucracy, gold plating projects, hostility towards outsiders and schemes ‘not invented here’ and a lack of accountability, it has been on an upward path ever since Andrew Haines took over as head of the organisation from Mark Carne two years ago.

That suggests there is only one person qualified to take on the role of heading this new organisation (let’s call it British Railways for mischief’s sake, though realistically Rail UK is probably a more likely candidate) – the aforementioned Haines. There is a good reason

Transport for Wales and Alun Griffiths host virtual ‘Bridge to Schools’ events across South Wales An exciting partnership between Transport for Wales and Alun Griffiths will engage Welsh school pupils on activities in engineering, transport and construction. Hosted by TfW, the pilot ‘Bridge to Schools’ events will take place “virtually” throughout March 2021.

Delivering in the South Wales Metro area first, the sessions will be available to pupils in years 6 to 8, engaging young people with the different construction and engineering skills required to build a bridge.

During the event, Alun Griffiths will use the Institution of Civil Engineers’ Bridge to Schools to give young people the opportunity to build a miniature version of the Second Severn Crossing. Using a 12m model cable-stayed bridge, children experience bridge building at first-hand, while wearing hard hats, high-vis vests, gloves and goggles. After the bridge has been built, each child gets the chance to walk across to test their engineering skills.

The bridge-building session is presented by an Alun Griffiths Engineers, supported by a Public Liaison Officer and the Community Engagement team from Transport for Wales.

While during the pandemic it won’t be possible to visit schools and run the session in its usual format with the pupils, TfW has made 30

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for this. For my latest book I have been talking to a lot of the BR old timers who morphed successfully into the privatised railway a quarter of a century ago. Almost to a man (and they are all men….) they went through BR’s management trainee scheme which involved working in various parts of the network – one day you could be in a small parcel office, the next day at division HQ and a couple of months after that organising passenger on a large chunk of the network.

There are few of these graduates from the trainee scheme left in the industry but Haines is one of them, and even after privatisation he did a variety of jobs. His knowledge of the whole network is therefore unequalled – add to that the fact he is personable, competent and articulate, and you have the only person up to doing the job. That won’t, however, as he knows, stop me disagreeing with him when I think he is wrong! adaptations to the delivery which will enable pupils to participate virtually. TfW is also keen to hear from schools in other areas which are interested in taking part in future events.

Lois Park, Head of Community and Stakeholder Engagement at TfW, said: “We’re delighted to be working with our Infrastructure Delivery Partners, Alun Griffiths to deliver an alternative to their already successful ‘Institution of Civil Engineers’ Bridge to Schools’. These online but participatory events will be available to pupils across South Wales and we hope large numbers are able to join us.

Transport for Wales is growing rapidly as we prepare to deliver a number of transformative transport projects throughout Wales.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do in order to deliver a high quality, safe, integrated, affordable and accessible transport network the people of Wales are proud of, so while we’re building the team that will be part of this now, we also want to fire up the next generation to get excited about the opportunities in transport or engineering.

“We also want to take the opportunity to get input from young people on what they want to hear about next. Our education outreach programme is currently in development and this new partnership gives us the chance to ask how Transport for Wales should engage, inspire and improve for future generations.”

You can register your interest for future sessions by contacting engagement@tfw.wales. Due to current COVID restrictions, this year’s events will be held online only.

January/February 2021

Railway Art Gallery In this special section, we look at the work of a ex-Pat railway enthusiast who lives in Australia but just loves painting pictures of railway scenes. It is hoped that in future editions we may be able to highlight the work of other lesser-known artistswho revel in portraying the beauty and majesty of railways. If you are an artist who would like to be featured or who knows someone who should be featured with their portrayal of the railways that we all love, then please let us know - Ed

Paul Lloyd

I’ve been a long-time rail enthusiast, modeller (when space permits which it doesn’t at present) and artist, with a particular affinity for all things Western. I’ve never worked on the railways, but somehow they, and the Great Western in particular, were a large part of my life in the UK and have continued to be despite spending a long time in Australia. You will also find four of my paintings featured in the October issue of Great Western Star.

“Ready for the Off” Two Ex-GWR Castle Class locomotives leaving Paddington circa 1959, inspired by Peter Gricerman’s photograph.

My latest project just finished, West Australian Govt Railways Class A loco, as built by Beyer Peacock of Manchester in the 1880s

Win a Year’s Free subscription to Great Western Star!

In the Great Western picture above, there is a hidden epynonimous character lurking about somewhere.

The first correct answer and location, win’s a year’s free subscription. Take a good look now!

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Inside What Was the World’s Longest Railway Tunnel Alex Watkins & Max Jones It may look like nothing more than a black hole but when it was built this curved stone arch was a major feat of engineering because it was the longest rail tunnel in the world. The Haie is one of many railway tunnels running through the hillsides of the Forest of Dean which was once a hive of industrial activity. It was built so that horse-drawn wagons could haul the coal, iron and stone hewed from the ground to the docks on the side of the River Severn.

Once considered ahead of their time, the mouths of these tunnels now are often fenced off, bricked up or hidden in the undergrowth waiting for an ever-growing band of enthusiasts to discover them. People like Alex Watkins, 23, from Whitecroft and his friend Max Jones, 20, from Lydney who decided to spend lockdown seeking out the abandoned tunnels which were once at the cutting edge of the industrial revolution. Their list included the 1,083yard Haie tunnel, which was built in 1810 for the horsedrawn Bullo Pill tramway that went from the hamlet at the side of the Severn to Soudley. It was later enlarged for broad gauge

by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and is said to be the oldest tunnel ever to be used by passenger carrying trains.

These days it’s not that easy for anybody who is not in the know to find the tunnel that eventually closed in the 1960s and which was said to have been a shortcut for Bullo Pill children to reach their school at Soudley.

According to local legend the children had to carefully time their walks to avoid the trains that hurtled through the tunnel near Newnham which is on a steep gradient.

But, during lockdown, Alex found some old railway maps and worked out by the gaps where the tunnels from the three main railways in the Dean would be so that he and Max could go exploring. Their first outing was fruitless because the tunnel entrance near the Rising Sun pub at Moseley Green near Parkend was completely bricked up and impossible to get inside. But they were luckier with the Haie tunnel which comes out near Soudley and were thrilled to be able to climb in and walk the tracks that once would have once transported stone, iron and coal to the tidal inlet at Bullo Pill.

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Alex Watkins in a tunnel in the Forest of Dean

“It’s quite hard to get into and you can only do it from one side,” said Alex who was a maintenance engineer at Tenco in Cinderford until the pandemic when he was made redundant. “From the inside it looks just like any other tunnel but, when you see how deep it goes under the hillside, you realise the ridiculous amount of work that would have gone into making it back in the day. I don't get frightened of the dark and I’d worry more about being out in Gloucester on a Friday night than being in a railway tunnel, but you can imagine how creepy it must have been if the kids really did walk through it to get school.”

Haie, also known as the Bullo Pill tunnel, held the longest tunnel record for six years until it was taken by the Pwll Du Tunnel near Blaenavon which was an astonishing 1,875 metres long. These days the record is held by the Gotthard Base Tunnel in Switzerland which is over 35 miles long.

But the records do not bother Alex and Max who say they have no fear of the 18th century structures collapsing or running out of air despite being hundreds of years old. “For us it’s the thrill of finding them rather than what is inside,” he said. “Sometimes it’s hard to find the entrances in the woods and they are partially or completely bricked up. Then you have to find a way of getting inside. I'm not sure if that's for health and safety reasons but I am not worried because they are manmade rather than natural structures. Once you are inside there’s not much to see but a few drips of water, mineral deposits and lots of spiders.

A bat flew past me once but that’s about as exciting as it gets.”

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A small band of enthusiasts come from across the country to find the abandoned tunnels which were created long before Stephenson's Rocket transformed the railways.

They include the Rev Roger Farnworth, The Dean of Thameside in Manchester who is clearly enamoured by the brickwork and other features which he has described in detail on his website. He says the Haie tunnel was enlarged for broad gauge by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and was so long and steep it could take a train of empty wagons five minutes to pass through.

He writes in detail about his visit to the tunnel on his website and say: “The Eastern portal, closest to Bullo Pill, stood at the end of a stonewalled cutting which is overgrown and obscured by vegetation. The portal has been partly bricked up, an opening has been left at the top to allow bats to enter and roost and a low-level access hatch has been provided to allow human access. Inside, the bore is tidy and mostly dry. The masonry lining features an arched roof with vertical side walls into which generous refuges are provided at regular intervals, some with exposed rock at their rear.

Signalling pulleys and cable hangers remain in situ on the south wall. Near its centre, a rare milepost remains.”

And although Haie attracts the attention, Alex says it’s the tunnel at Tidenham Chase that is the most interesting because it is pitch black apart from a shaft of light from above which acts like a spotlight. “That’s the scariest one because it’s so dark you cannot see your hand in front of your face,” he said. It has a bend in the middle and there is a shaft to let the air in which goes all the way to the top and lets the sunlight in. There’s a small circle of

(left) Alex Watkins at a tunnel in the Forest of Dean (above) Another of the tunnels

light but the minute you take a step back it disappears, and you are in the dark. There’s no transition, you just go from light to dark.”

It could be brought back to use in the 21st century. A new walking and cycling, 2.11mile long track from the National Dive Centre to existing Forestry Commission paths will include the 144-year-old, 1km long Tidenham tunnel. The tunnel was once part of the old Wye Valley Railway which used to transport people between Monmouth and Chepstow until the 1960s.

These days the railways have largely disappeared and apart from the Dean Forest Railway, a heritage line, the only passenger services run between Wales and Gloucester along the River Severn. It passes close to the start of the Bullo Pill Railway Company line which was the second tram road in the Forest and ran from Churchway Engine via Broadmoor, Coal Pitt Green, Cinderford Tump, Ruspidge Meend, Sewdley Coppice, Sleepers Hill and Bradley to Bullo Pill.

According to the Foresters' Forest project the first tram road was the one created by the Severn & Wye Railway & Canal Company between the River Wye at Lydbrook and the River Severn at Lydney. The third was built by the Monmouth Railway Company to link Coleford and the Forest with Monmouth and opened in 1812. Now all that remains are the disused tunnels and tracks cutting swathes through parts of the Forest.

This article was originally published by GloucestershireLive and they are asking – “Did you ever walk the Haie tunnel as a child?” If so, share your memories with GloucestershireLive - Ed. January/February 2021

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Inside What Was the World’s Longest Railway Tunnel Alex Watkins & Max Jones The first railway station in Oxford was a terminus, opened by the Great Western from Didcot on 12th June 1844. The station stood on the south bank of the river Thames, approximately 100 yards to the west of Folly Bridge. The ‘Western Road’ which is first on the right after crossing Folly Bridge, going south, was the road to the station.

The Oxford station in use today is situated on the site of the Great Western Railway station which opened for business on September 2nd1850. This was a rudimentary facility while the Great Western was engaged in the construction of a railway to Birmingham and in legal battles with standard gauge railway companies, the L&NWR and Midland Railways, who were doing their best to prevent the GWR extending north of Oxford.

On 2nd September 1850, the GWR brought into use a broad-gauge single-track line to Banbury from Millstream Junction at the 62nd mile post from Paddington and ¾ mile from the 1844 Oxford terminus.

(Fig.1) The single track ran northwards, level, for about a mile and then rose on an embankment to bridge the Thames at the 63rd mile post. (Figs 2 and 3) Half a mile further on it made a level crossing with the then main road westwards out of Oxford. (Figs 4 and 5) Fifty yards north of the level crossing, a cutting was made through the embankment which the railway crossed on a bridge. The track was then just high enough to clear the Sheepwash canal at the north end of a rudimentary, temporary station.

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The railways of Oxford (Adrian Vaughan)

track was operated on the ‘One Engine in Steam’ principle, which considerably reduced the train service.

On 1st October 1852, the route from Millstream Junction to Birmingham was opened. It was a mixed gauge double track line from the 63rd milepost. (Fig 7) The broad-gauge track continued south to Millstream junction and onwards. The 1844 station became a goods station and was closed in 1872. The site was sold for building land. Marlborough Road occupies the station site and some of the track bed.

The Oxford station of 1852 had four tracks between two platforms under a Brunellian timber roof. (Fig 8) I have no photograph of it in original condition but taking Leamington station - for which I do have a photograph - as an example, it is very likely that the Oxford station roof was a very wide span supported by square section cast iron columns and cast iron girders spanning between the columns supporting the rafters of the roof. The two middle tracks, originally, might

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The Oxford Terminus 1844-1852 (Adrian Vaughan Collection)

Fig 1 Taken to show where the 1844 route eased to the right, the start of an embankment is visible. The 1850 tracks eased to the left. Looking north from the Up Homes bracket signal for Hinksey South signal box.

(Adrian Vaughan)

Fig 3 The 63rd Milepost (Adrian Vaughan)

Fig 4 (above) Coal Yard Entrance (Adrian Vaughan) Fig 5 (below) Barlow Rails (Adrian Vaughan)

Fig 2 Known on GWR plans as the ‘Isis’ bridge, because at Oxford the River Thames was known by that name. The double track main line bridge is out of sight to the left. This is a separate bridge carrying a single track. It rests on cast iron cylinders certainly dating from 1850. The goods line it carries was always known to the shunters of the South End Yard as the ‘Old Main’.Adrian Vaughan.

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Fig 6 (above) The locomotive water tank above the dive-under road. (Adrian Vaughan) Fig 7 (right) Mixed gauge at Swindon 1878.

Adrian Vaughan Collection.

Fig 8 (below) This is Frome roof in 1974. It covers only 2 tracks but it gives an idea of what a Brunel timber roof looked like (Adrian Vaughan)

Fig 9 (below) Oxford’s venerable locomotive shed. The signal’s main arm routes onto the various main lines.

The right-hand arm routes to Binsey Bay Great Western Trust.

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have been through running lines but I feel it more likely that, initially at least, they were through sidings for storing carriages, horse boxes and carriage trucks. At the south end of each platform, there were wagon turntables to enable the transfer of wagons to and from any other line. A timber engine shed was built on the Downside of the line, immediately north of the Sheepwash canal bridge. (Figs 9 & 10) Oxford locomotive depôt remained practically unchanged from 1850-52 until 1945. The worst aspect of it was the coaling stage which had, of course, been designed with the sizes of 1850-52 locomotives and wagons in mind. It was described to me in 1968 by Jim Honey and Albert King, retired drivers who, as boys in 1910, had worked on it, also Driver Charles Turner, who had worked on it in 1936-7.

Fig 10 The coaling stage lasted from 1852 to 1945.

(Great Western Trust)

There was a wooden platform on which the coalers worked, unloading coal from the wagon to the trolleys which were then wheeled to the tender or bunker of the engine. Unfortunately, the raised track up which the loaded coal wagons were shunted to be alongside the working platform was not quite high enough.

When the down-falling flap door of some coal wagons was dropped, the flap came up against the platform edge so that a shovel could not be thrust along the floor of the wagon, under the coal: coal had to be thrown into the trolley by hand.

The open space on the other side of the coaling plant, where the trolley’s contents were tipped on to the tender or bunker of the engine was not high enough to clear the top of a modern tender. All engines allocated to Oxford were fitted with 3,500gallon tenders but there were plenty of ‘foreign’ engines coming on to Oxford shed each day whose tenders were that bit too tall. Coaling engines for twelve hours a day was such hard labour that Jim and Albert thought joining the Army and going to France would be preferable - and they did just that.

From 1900, the Great Western was investing in building new railways to South Wales from Wootton Bassett, from Patney & Chirton to Westbury and from Castle Cary to Cogload near Taunton, as well as a shortened route from Paddington to Birmingham and another from Birmingham to Cheltenham connecting with existing routes to South Wales and Bristol. For a short time, it was the Company’s intention to double the single line from Princes Risborough to Kennington Junction as the short route to Birmingham. This idea only got as far as building a new, larger, signal box at Kennington, together with a 500-yard-long Down goods loop: the existing 61 wagons length

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Fig 11 A visiting locomotive from the LMS (Adrian Vaughan)

Fig 12 Kennington Junction Down Loop with the goods out of the way of the fast.

W.L Kenning/Adrian Vaughan Collection.

Up Refuge siding was extended to connect with the branch line. ( Fig 12) The front of the signal box (Fig 13) faced what was going to be the new main line.

Between 1900 and 1908, the track layout in Fig 13 Kennington Junction Signal Box

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Fig 14 An un-named ‘Bulldog’ No 3436, out of the Up Refuge at Kennington. Imagine the time it took for that train to creep up to and past the signal box and then to reverse carefully, knowing that it was almost the same length as the siding. Clumsy things, refuge sidings. The engine is carrying ‘A’ headlamps which isn’t quite correct. (Adrian Vaughan)

the Oxford station area was slightly improved and larger signal boxes were built to cope with the increased trackwork.

In 1910 the signal boxes from Didcot North Junction 53m. 74 ch. (80 chains [ch] make one mile) through Oxford to Wolvercote Junction were: Appleford Crossing. 55m.17ch.

Culham station. 56m. 17ch.

Radley station. 58m. 36ch Kennington Junction. 61m. 12ch.

Oxford South. 63m. 01ch. (Replaced by

Hinksey North 1942) Oxford Goods Shed. 63m. 49ch. (Re-named

Oxford Station South 1942) Oxford Engine shed. 63m. 41ch (Re-named

Oxford Station North 1942) Oxford North. 63m. 74ch. (Replaced by

Oxford North Junction 1940) Wolvercote Siding. 65m. 42 ch.* Wolvercote Junction. 66m.32 ch. * Switched out from 9.30 p.m. to 7.30 a.m. each weekday. Saturday switched out 9.30 p.m. to 7.30 a.m Monday.

At Wolvercote Junction, the main line from Wolverhampton and Worcester merged with the Birkenhead, Chester, Wolverhampton, and Birmingham route. In June 1900, a much needed Up Goods Loop was brought into use from the Junction to Oxford Engine Shed box. Wagon bearings were examined, and regreased and footplate crews relieved by fresh men on this loop at the south end. One wonders 38

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what delays were caused by these essential jobs before the loop was provided. To continue their southwards journey, goods trains had to occupy one or other of the two main line tracks through the station to regain the goods line at Oxford Goods Shed box to Oxford South where they had to be ‘turned out main line’.

At Kennington Junction, there was the Refuge Siding into which goods trains could slowly and laboriously reverse to make way for a faster train but, once away from Kennington, there were no refuge sidings or goods loops for 7 miles until Didcot North Junction. That loop extended alongside the Up Avoiding Line. The block sections - the distance between signal boxes were relatively short: Kennington to Radley 2 m. 54ch. Radley to Culham, 2 miles.

Culham to Appleford Crossing, 1 mile. Didcot North Junction 1m.23 ch. From there, Up goods trains could enter the goods loop which ran alongside the Didcot Avoiding line or they could go through Didcot or curve westward for Foxhall Junction and onwards.

In the Down direction there was no goods loop on the Avoiding line in 1910. The first goods loop was the recently installed 69 wagons length at Kennington Junction. (Fig 14) Then the goods train had to go out on the Down Main, through the station and, if necessary, enter the 71wagon length Loop from Engine Shed box to North box. The timetable was designed – and restricted - to take account of the ‘bottle neck’ between Oxford and Didcot: a ‘C’ headcode ‘express goods’ train needed 18 to 22 minutes to clear the bottle neck.

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GREAT W

The late evenings, night times and early mornings at Oxford were almost entirely given over to goods trains. Several of these were express freight - ‘C’ headcode - carrying perishable goods. The headlamp code was one lamp top of smokebox, one over the righthand buffer. The 8.50 p.m. Bristol – Oxley (Birmingham) C headcode crept around the sharp ‘West Curve’ at Didcot and passed the North Junction at 1.7 a.m and passed Oxford, 9½ miles further north, at 1.27: 28.5 mph average speed. That was followed by the 12.17 a.m Paddington – Birkenhead ‘A” headcode express, passing Didcot North off the Avoiding line curve at the regulation 40 mph at 1.42 a.m and stopping at Oxford, 1.54. 47.5 mph average speed. Next on the Down road was the 12.10 Paddington – Worcester, ‘C’ headcode, 2.2 a.m passing Didcot East Junction onto the 1½ miles of the Avoiding line at 40 mph and passing Oxford 18 minutes later. 36.6 mph.

The 12.50 Basingstoke – Oxley ‘C’ followed.

Passing Didcot station at 2.48 and Oxford At 3.5 a.m.

On the Up line – south-bound – the Liverpool to Bristol train of meat, running as a low category ‘E’ headcode, passed Kidlington at 2.20, 2.30 through Oxford and 2.48 at Didcot North Jcn to the West curve towards Swindon. Despite of carrying ‘E’ headlamps,

Fig 15 The Great Central’s ‘Jersey Lily’ Atlantic’ stationed at Oxford and about to make a journey home.

it only achieved 31.5 mph. The headlamp code for an ‘A’ headcode passenger train was in 1910 as it was at the end of steam but the GWR codes were different. ‘C’ was indicated by a lamp in front of the chimney and one over the righthand buffer; an ‘E’ was one in front of the chimney one over the left-hand buffer. Not far behind was the Great Central train, 12.50 Leicester – Bristol ‘A’ headcode. That stopped at Oxford station from 2.42 to 2.50, maybe changing engines but some of these ‘foreign’ locos went through to Swindon. (Fig 15) The Great Central Railway kept one of their 4-4-2 ‘Jersey Lily’ ‘Atlantics’ based at Oxford shed; the GCR engine driver, fireman and guard lodged in Oxford.

Fig 16 ‘Badminton’ class 4-4-0 No.3304 ‘Oxford’ at Oxford with a cross country train of London & South Western coaches: probably Birkenhead to Bournemouth. An L&SWR loco will take over at Oxford. c.1910.

Adrian Vaughan Collection

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Passenger trains at Oxford from 8.30 a.m to and around 1.30 p.m.

Extracted from the 1910 Working Timetable.

‘Compo’ is GWR for a composite class coach ‘Van third’ is GWR for a 3rd class coach part brake van. coach. The sequence lists coach position from the engine Down trains.

06.30 a.m Paddington – Birkenhead via Didcot.

8.36 – 8.42 Semi-fast. Five coaches: three for Wolverhampton 2 for Birkenhead.

06.55 a.m Paddington. to Oxford via Princes Risborough. Terminate Oxford 9.01 07. 30 Paddington – Shrewsbury. 8.44 – 8.49 Oxford.

09.5 Oxford – ‘GCR passenger’ (sic) 09.15 Oxford – Fairford. All stations.

09.20 ThO. Steam rail car to Kidlington

terminates.

09.57 arr. Oxford from Southampton via Newbury. Terminates.

09.50 Didcot. 10.5 – 10.20 Oxford. ’Southampton to York passenger’ 08.10 Paddington via Princes Risborough.

Oxford 10.15 Terminates.

08.48 Paddington – Oxford. Oxford 10.18 via Didcot Avoiding line.33 minutes schedule Reading – Oxford 27.5 miles.

10.32 Didcot calls Culham and Radley. 10.55 Oxford terminates.

10.35 Oxford – Banbury all stations. ThO. 11.12 Didcot arrives Oxford 11.33. Terminates.

09.50 Paddington ‘Northern and West Midland Passenger’. Arr. Oxford 11.15 – 11.20 Formed with Van 3rd; restaurant car; 70ft1st/3rd; slip for Banbury. Lavatory 5 Compo; Van; Brake compo. detached at Oxford for Worcester and Wolverhampton.

11.25 Oxford – Worcester - Wolverhampton 11.27 Steam rail car from Wheatley arrives.

11.30 Oxford to Fairford.

10.20 Paddington – Wolverhampton. 11.42-50 5 Oxford. Ran non-stop from Paddington.

Relief Line from Maidenhead to Didcot.

11.58 Oxford – Worcester all stations train.

12.05 Oxford to Heyford. Steam rail car.

12.12- 12.38 (sic) Oxford. 11.10 Swindon – Wolverhampton.

11.25 Paddington – Birkenhead. Pass Oxford 12.33. Slip coach for Leamington. 68 minutes for 63 1/2 miles.56 mph.

12.40 Oxford – Witney Th & Sat. Only.

11.45 Paddington. via Princes Risborough 1.48 Oxford. Terminate.

01.37 Oxford – Kidlington. Steam rail motor.

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Up trains.

12.50 a.m Leicester – Bristol. 02.42 – 02.50 Oxford 06.40 Oxford – Paddington via Princes

Risborough and Maidenhead 07.10 Oxford – Didcot terminate.

Stops Radley and Culham.

07.45 Oxford – Paddington via Princes

Risborough 08.00 Oxford – Reading all stations.

07.08 Fairford Oxford 8.19. terminate.

07.08. Fairford 08.19 Oxford. Terminate.

06.40 Leamington – Didcot.

Oxford 08.25 – 08.45 08.23 Oxford – Paddington via Princes Risborough, Beaconsfield.

06.25 Worcester – Paddington.

08.33 – 08.38 Oxford - Paddington non- stop. Brake compo; Compo; Third; Van; Slip. Returning to Paddington as ordinary coach. Slipped at Moreton-in-Marsh previous day.

06.53 Wolverhampton – Paddington.

Oxford 09.7 - 09.12. Van 3rd; Dining car; Compo; Van 3rd; Compo; Van 3rd. six-wheel Brake van.

Non-stop to Paddington 10.25.

09.35 Oxford – Didcot, All stations.

08.55 Banbury. ThO. 09.46 Oxford. Terminate.

09.37 Kidlington. 09.52 Oxford. ThX.

Terminate.

09.41 Kidlington. 09.56 Oxford ThO. Steam Rail car. Terminate.

07.15 Wolverhampton via Worcester –

Paddington. 10.01 – 10.03 Oxford. Van 3rd; Compo; Van 3rd; Brake Compo; At Oxford, a 3rd class and a Compo coach were addedaccording to the schedule in 2 minutes. The train scheduled at Paddington 11.10. 56.86 mph average.

10.25 Oxford – Wheatley. Steam rail car.

09.30 Fairford. 10.37 Oxford terminate.

09.10 Worcester. 10.50 – 11.3 Oxford.

12.15 p.m. Paddington. In section 14 but terminating Oxford in Section 1.

06.15 Birkenhead – Paddington. 10.57 - 11.1 Oxford Van 3rd; First; Third; Van 3rd; Compo; Van 3rd. Runs Up Relief Didcot East to Twyford East, thence Up Main.

Paddington. 12.15

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Up trains (continued) 11.15 Oxford – Swindon. All stations.

11.22 Oxford - Paddington via Princes Risborough 11.35 Oxford - Reading. All stations.

10.10 Leamington – Oxford.

11.47 Terminate.

08.55 Wellington - Paddington. 12.02 – 12.09 Oxford. Van 3rd and Compo attached Oxford.

Brake Compo Weymouth: 3rd class detached Oxford; Van 3rd; Van 3rd;

Third. Slip Banbury to Reading. Van 3rd attached Oxford for Reading.

12.17 Oxford – Southampton. All stations.

L&SWR D15 class Nos. 419 and 470 at Oxford taking on a Newcastle - Bournemouth express. 1921. Credit W.L Kenning/Adrian Vaughan Collection.

12.29 – 12.36 Oxford. Woodford Halse – Swindon.

08.26 Wolverhampton – Oxford. 12.33 via Worcester. Terminate 07.00 Birkenhead – Paddington. 12.52 – 58 Oxford. Non-stop to Paddington. Arrive 02.08 54.4 mph average 11.50 Fairford. 01.00 Oxford. Terminate 01.11 Oxford – Reading.

11.35 Worcester - Paddington 01.17 – 01.23 Oxford. non-stop 2.35 arrive.12.56 Kingham . 01.34 Oxford. Terminate.

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A HISTORY OF THE GREAT WESTERN

RAILWAY

BEING THE STORY OF THE BROAD GAUGE George Augustus Sekon This book was written by George Sekon in the 1890s and published in 1895. It provides a detailed account of the development, history, and demise of Brunel’s Broad Gauge. He was the author of several other railway books, including “The Evolution of our Railways” and “A History of the South Eastern Railway”.

I have used the first chapter as a scene setter for the contemporary report of Brunel’s speech to Government promoting the Great Western Railway.

This was no standalone publication for, in order to assure the reader of its accuracy, he mentions that he had “sent proofs to F G Saunders, Esq., the Chairman of Directors of the Great Western Railway, for the honour he has done me in revising the proofs of this work and also to G K Mills, the Secretary of the Railway, both for information supplied and for help he has accorded me in supplying correct dates, statistics etc.”

I intend to return to this book at a later date for more information on the Broad Gauge as it developed. (The sub-heads are mine to break up a solid block of text! - Ed)

CHAPTER I. THE INCEPTION OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. THE merchants of Bristol, ever in the van of improvement , and always ready to adopt any new measure that would enlarge their commerce, were among the earliest of those who clearly saw the great advantages to be derived from railway communication with other parts of the country, and especially with London; the usual method of transit for goods between the two places at that time being the Avon and Thames at either end, and the round-about system of canals connecting at Bath with the Avon, and at Reading with the Thames. This water communication provided only a very costly and very tedious mode of transit, liable to be stopped by the drought of summer and the frost of winter, so that for want of a quicker and cheaper connection between Bristol and London, the manufacturers and merchants of the former place found themselves shut out of many of the most important markets for their merchandise.

As early as 1825, the merchants of Bristol had tried to form a company to construct a railway to London, but at that time the general public knew nothing of steam in connection with railways, so that no support could be obtained, and the proposal was dropped; but in the autumn of 1832 a committee was formed which determined to proceed with the matter, and an engineer was advertised for.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel was advised to apply for the appointment, and told he was likely to obtain it, as he was known and popular at Bristol in connection with his attempt to 42

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construct a suspension bridge over the Avon at Clifton, but which had been temporarily abandoned for lack of funds. He was also told that the committee would appoint as engineer, the person who guaranteed to construct the line for the least amount of money.

His answer to this was, “You are holding out a premium' to the man who will make you the most flattering promise, and it is quite obvious that the man who has either the least reputation at stake, or who has most to gain by temporary success, and least to lose by the consequences of disappointment, must be the winner in such a race.”

Despite this fearless expression of his views, he was appointed Engineer March 7th, 1833, and at once commenced the survey of the country between London and Bristol. After going over the several districts through which the line might have been constructed, he chose the course now occupied by the Great Western Railway, and having finished his surveys in June , no time was lost by the Committee, for on July 30th, 1833. the Mayor of Bristol called a public meeting of the inhabitants, and it was then resolved to form a company to construct a railway from Bristol to London.

A local Board of Directors was formed, the Corporation, Dock Company and Society of Merchant Venturers ·each having official representatives on the Board in addition to the several general merchants and gentlemen elected Directors at the meeting. A somewhat similar Board of Directors was chosen in London, and preparations were at once made to prepare a Bill for the next session of Parliament.

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The First Reading to Parliament

The prospectus first issued asked for a capital of £3,000,000 to be subscribed, this was to build the sections of the railway from London to Reading, and from Bath to Bristol.

The Company was duly constituted a month after the issue of the prospectus. Mr. Brunel was exceedingly busy during all this time till late in the year preparing the necessary plans to deposit in Parliament. The Bill ' to construct a railway from London to Reading, and from Bath to Bristol, as a means of facilitating the ultimate establishment of a railway between London and Bristol,' was introduced in the House of Commons on 10th March 1834.

At first the line was proposed to the viaduct crossing Piccadil1y.

The Second Reading

The second reading was carried by 184 votes to 90, and on April 10th, the Bill went before the Committee, of which Lord Granville Somerset was chair­man.

On the 13th day of the sitting of the Committee, the Railway Company abandoned the idea of a terminus at Vauxhall, and instead p'roposed to locate it at South Kensington near the '”Hoop and Toy” Public House. This gave up that part of the line that passed through Chelsea, and by this concession the Directors would have saved £80,141 in construction, and also hoped to prevent the opposition of the noblemen who owned the property between Brompton and Vauxhall, but without effect, for the counsel who appeared for the Brompton property owners, objected to the nuisance caused by a railway being allowed at Brompton, which he described as “the most famous of any place in the neighbourhood of London for the salubrity of its air, and calculated for retired residences.”

It was proved in evidence that three days at the very least, and under the most favourable circumstances, were required to convey goods from Reading to London (80 miles) by river, and one day under the best auspices, from Bristol to Bath.

The times the railway undertook to perform the journey from London to h. m. Distance Slough was 0.45 18½ miles Reading was 1.25 36 miles Oxford was 2.30 63½ miles Swindon was 3 0 77¼ miles Bath was 4. 10 108 miles Bristol was 4.35 118½ miles

On the London and Birmingham, the trains took, to ' Watford 17½ miles 59 minutes; Leighton, 40¾ miles 2 hours 17min Blisworth, 62¾ miles, 3 hours 32min Crick, 75¼ miles, 4 hours 11min Hampton 100½ miles, 5 hours 35min Birmingham 112¼ miles, 6 hours 14 min .

The London and Birmingham Railway only obtained their Act of Incorporation on 6th May 1833, so that, when less than 12 months after, another railway proposed to travel 6 miles more in 1 hour 39 minutes less time, it appeared to the public, whose idea of express travelling was limited to a mail coach at 10 miles an hour, that such a speed was utterly impossible of accomplishment, and when Mr. Brunel, in giving his evidence, stated that he hoped to go by steam at the rate of 100 miles an hour, the incredulous laughter and the shouts of derision were appalling.

Mr Brunel’s Examination

Mr. Brunel was examined for eleven days, and the landowners and others who were interested in the success or non-success of the measure during this time crowded the committee-room day by day. A person who was present thus describes Mr. Brunel's manner during this searching inquiry. “His knowledge of the country surveyed by him was marvellously great, and the explanations he gave of his plans, and the answers he returned to questions suggested by Dr Lardner showed a practical acquaintance with the principles of mechanics. He was rapid in thought, clear in language, and never said too much, or lost his presence of mind. I do not remember having enjoyed so great an intellectual treat as that of listening to Brunel's examination, and I was told at the time that George Stephenson and many others were much struck by the ability and knowledge shown by him.”

In 1834 a certain wiseacre - Cort by name-­ possessed sufficient conceit to publish a work, which he called Railway Imposition Detected, in which occurs the following specimen of his far-seeing wisdom, or, candidly speaking, of his utter foolishness. “The Great Western, though probably it may reach as far as Bath from Bristol, after having, like a mole, explored its way through tunnels long and deep, the shareholders who travel by it will be so heartily sick, what with foul air, smoke and sulphur, that the very mention of a railway will be worse

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than ipecacuanha, especially when the only prospect they can find the least cheering in the midst of all this derangement of their stomachs will be a granite tramway actually in operation alongside of their own dose of ipecacuanha, ready to follow up the black draft, so as to get rid of every particle of obstruction with which the bottoms of their pockets may otherwise be afflicted.”

All is Not Lost!

All the principal engineers of the time, including George Stephenson, were called in support of the scheme, the engineering evidence being forty-two days before the Committee. The principal points relied upon for the opposition were, the impossibility of constructing the Box Tunnel, and the fragmentary nature of the proposal before Parliament – it was described as neither “Great” nor “Western” nor even a “railway,” “but a head and a tail of a concern, 72 miles apart, which would never be joinedby a body.” The authorities of Eton College and the University of Oxford were among the most vehement of the opposition , indeed, after the Bill was thrown out, the Marquis of Chandos presided over a public meeting at Salt Hill, Slough, to commemorate the defeat of the measure. On the fifty-fourth day Mr. Harrison, K.C., commenced his speech in reply for the promoters, and on the fifty-seventh day the Committee passed the Bill. It was then introduced into the House of Lords, and the second reading was moved by Lord Wharncliffe, when 30 contents and 47 non-contents voted, and consequently the Bill was lost, £30,000 having been spent upon the parliamentary proceedings. In this Bill, the gauge was to be 4 feet 8½· inches.

If at First..

The Directors were not daunted by their non-success, and they at once commenced to prepare a new scheme for the next parliamentary session. The South Kensington Terminus was abandoned, and in its place, it was proposed to join the London and Birmingham line at Kensal Green, and use the 4 miles of that line thence to Euston, which was to be a joint station. The capital was reduced to two and a half millions, with borrowing powers to the extent of £833,333, and as the last Bill, in consequence of only part of the line being proposed to be constructed, as described as “no railway at all, but 'a gross deception, a trick and a fraud upon the public, in name, in title, and in substance,” upon this

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occasion the promoters undertook to construct the whole of the line. The second reading took place on March 9th, 1835 (the earliest allowable date, according to the standing orders). One hundred and sixty members voted in favour of the second reading, and only the tellers on the other side.

A Last Effort to Stop Progress!

Mr. C. Russell was appointed the Chairman of Committee, and a resolution was passed that no evidence was required as to the public advantage of the railway, so that the only evidence the opponents of the measure were able to bring forward was as to the bad course adopted for the railway. The Box Tunnel bogie was trotted out again and made the most of, and another route, from Basingstoke to Bath, was described as the best one possible for the railway, as such a line would avoid “the monstrous and extraordinary, most dangerous and impracticable tunnel at Box” but without avail, for the Bill passed the Com­mons again, and on May 27th was read the first time in the House of Lords. The second reading was on June 10th, the voting being 46 contents and 34 noncontents. The Bill then came before the Lords' Committee, who heard the evidence in favour of it for eighteen days. Sergeant Mereweather, who was leading counsel for the opposition, made a speech which lasted for four days in opening the opponents' case, but despite this , the Bill passed safely through the Committee stage, was read a third time on August 27th, and received the Royal Assent August 31st, 1835. The official title of the Act being 5 and 6 Wm. IV. cap. 107. The preamble of which commences:- “Whereas the making of a railway from Bristol to join the London and Birmingham Railway near London, and also branches to Trowbridge and Bradford in the county of Wilts, would ·be of great public advantage, not only by opening an additional, certain and expeditious communication between the cities and towns aforesaid, but also by improving the existing communication between the Metropolis and the western districts of England, the South of Ireland and Wales, and whence” etc.

No mention of the gauge was made in the Bill, Mr. Brunel purposely having omitted that item. The Provost and Fellows of Eton College obtained the insertion of a clause forbidding the erection of a station at Slough, and also requiring the Railway Company to provide policemen to patrol the line for a certain distance each side of Slough to prevent the Eton boys from straying

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on the line, and so possibly being run over by the trains, but the Great Western Railway was not deterred by this clause. Railway directors are as well able (and generally much better able) to drive the proverbial coach and four through an act of parliament as ordinary mortals).

The Act said they were not to build a station at Slough. Very well, then, they did not do so, but the Act did not enact that the trains were not to stop at Slough, so, for offices, two rooms were hired in a public house adjoining the railway at Slough. And from the very first opening of the line the trains stopped there and put down and took up passengers, who were doubtless a little inconvenienced by having no platform to alight on, or depart from, but they were able to go to and from Slough nevertheless.

This quick-wittedness of the Great Western Railway made the Eton College officials furious, and, on the 2nd June 1838, they applied for an injunction in Chancery against the railway for breaking their Act of Incorporation in stopping

at Slough, but the legal arguments of the railway counsel soon made it clear to the judge, that the Act had been observed and duly abided by, and the application of the College was refused.

The authorities of the Oxford University also obtained the insertion in the Bill of a clause by which the station at Oxford was to be erected at a spot as distant as possible from the Colleges.

Thus, was the inauguration of the most colossal railway of our empire established by the law makers of nearly sixty years ago, adding a profitless burden of £89,436, 13s. 3d. to the capital of the Company* But every magnum opus must be established lex terra.

The original capital did not suffice to construct the line, so in 1839 an Act was obtained for raising £1,250,000 stock, and £416,000 by way of loan, in addition to the amount already authorised. * The amount of money expended in obtaining the Act of Incorporation.

Disused railway signal box is sold at auction for well over the asking price A disused Victorian railway signal on a Devon station platform sold at auction for more than £11k above its asking price. The imposing Grade II listed, three floor, rectangular brick and glass fronted signal box, is on Platform 2 at the busy Great Western Railways Torre Station in Torquay.

Inside, all of the original equipment remains in place, including the signalman's armchair.

There was frenzied bidding by rail enthusiasts anxious to get their hands on the iconic structure from the golden age of rail. More than five people drove up the price with 41 bids. It was listed with a guide price of £54,000 and was sold by Paul Fosh Auctions for £65,750.

The top floor of the property is still equipped with all its rows of signal levers and a signalman's armchair. The equipment remains in situ but is no longer in operation. The signal room has a cast iron, pot-bellied, coal fed stove dating from the age of steam, wood panelling and high ceilings and is flooded with light from the panoramic windows.

The box dates back to when the railway station opened in 1848. The station is still in use. Planning permission for conversion of the signal box into a holiday home has previously been obtained for the property but this has now lapsed.

The accommodation comprises three floors.

Previous plans envisaged creating a snug ground floor living area, first floor bedroom with en-suite and the third floor, having an open plan dining room and kitchen. Initial work has already started converting the building.

Torre railway station, which has two platforms in use, is a suburban station on the Riviera Line in Torquay, Devon. The railway station is 219 miles from London Paddington.

The station is managed by Great Western Railway but is not staffed. The railway station with its ornate main buildings and intricate designed passenger footbridge was designated a world heritage site in January 1975.

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Taking the GWR Act to Parliament* In 1839, John Williams, Library of Science and Art, 106, Great Russell Street, London published a book written by S C Brees, C.E &c entitled:

APPENDIX TO

RAILWAY PRACTICE, CONTAINING

A COPIOUS ABSTRACT OF THE WHOLE OF THE

EVIDENCE GIVEN UPON THE

LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM, AND GREAT WESTERN

RAILWAY BILLS,

WHEN BEFORE PARLIAMENT, PROPERLY DIGESTED AND ARRANGED WITH MARGINAL NOTES. AMONG THE SEVERAL WITNESSES EXAMINED WILL BE FOUND THE FOLLOWING EMINENT CIVIL ENGINEERS: GEORGE STEPHENSON ESQ, CHARLES VIGNOLES, ESQ, GEORGE LEATHER ESQ, ROBERT STEPHENSON ESQ, HENRY R PALMER ESQ, WILLIAM C MYLNE ESQ, I K BRUNEL, ESQ, GEORGE W BUCK ESQ, FRANCIS GILES ESQ, J U RASTRICK ESQ, HENRY H PRICE ESQ, COL G HENDERSON, JOSEPH LOCKE, ESQ, DR DIONYSIUS LARDNER, THOMAS CABREY ESQ, &C &C

________________________ TO WHICH IS ADDED

A GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS, USED IN CIVIL ENGINEERING, EXPLAINING AND ILLUSTRATING EVERY WORD IN ORDINARY USE, AND

THE DETAILS OF HAWTHORNE’S CELEBRATED LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE FOR THE PARIS AND VERSAILLES RAILWAY.

I was fortunate to acquire a copy of this book which in 1952 had been in the possession of Harry Withers, Leading Porter, Tewkesbury, ex L.M.R - ed.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY Abstract of Evidence given before a Committee of the House of Lords, June 1835 The Bill was entitled, “An Act for making a Railway from Bristol to join the London and Birmingham Railway near London, to be called the Great Western Railway; with Branches therefrom to the towns of Bradford and Trowbridge in the County of Wilts” The Bill was passed.

Please note, the spelling, capitalisation, punctuation are those of the original publisher - Ed 46

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Examined Isambard Kingdom Brunel Esq. C.E I was applied to about February 1833 by the Provisional Committee, on the practicability of making a Railroad from Bristol to London, The connection between myself and the Provisional Committee was sought for by them entirely: my Instructions were no further than asking my terms, stating the object was to Survey the country from Bristol to London, with a view to the Best Line of Communication, without reference to any other district.

Shortly after commencing the Survey, I pointed out to the Committee two or three different Lines I had examined, one passed to the South of Marlborough Downs, and the

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other to the North. I stated the North line would embrace all the communication on the South and Gloster. The North line was by way of Reading and the Wiltshire Hills, and was very similar to the Basing line as far as Newbury; I then followed the valley to Newbury, and Newbury to London.

When I had taken sufficient levels, I found the Southern line was inferior to the Northern on account of the general Levels, and comparative Population and importance of districts. A Survey having been made for a Turnpike Road, one of those took the North and the other the South of Marlborough Downs; these I got access to, and the levels of the Canals. The level of the Kennet and Avon Canal, which takes the Southern Line, is about 130 feet higher than the Wiltshire and Berkshire Canal, which takes the Northern line; the former Canal passes that summit by a deep Cutting, while the latter is carried over it without any, so that the Summit Level on the one side is considerably greater than the height of the other.

I first examined the Southern line and, finding its difficulties, I tried the Northern; and the Directors likewise agreed with me, embracing Gloucestershire and South Wales was important. When the prospectuses were issued, I made a Survey in a more regular and formal manner and the Levels were taken to enable me to prepare the Estimates.

The general course of the Line is governed to a certain degree by the position of the principal Towns. There is a great superiority in the Western line over the Basing in point of Population, which I have taken in various ways – here is one statement where the tabular Population is taken of all towns lying within 10 miles of each Line, and no place unless it has 1,500 inhabitants, nor is there any Parish included that has not some central Town (Table 1 - See pages 48-49)

Description of Line I will commence with the Terminus at Bristol for which Plans were submitted by several parties: Temple Meads presented itself as the only eligible spot for a Depôt; the Harbour of Bristol is made by damming up part of the River and is in length about 2½miles.

Between Bristol and Bath the country is hilly and very difficult; the River which winds very much, being the only valley. The levels are very favourable being but 6 feet 10 inches per mile,

which is nearly equal to a level; the quantity of Cutting and Excavation is not great. The Line is carried across several ridges of old red Sandstone, around which the river winds; at these points I proposed making short Tunnels but they might be made open cuttings.

The first tunnel is about 1¼miles from Bristol (under Langdon Court farm) and through soft sandstone rock; it is about 435 yards long, 25feet wide and 30ft high (all the tunnels are of similar dimensions) having a fall of 6½feet which is at the rate of 1foot 2inches per mile; this tunnel was made at the desire of the proprietor, the estate being considerable, and having some good houses on it.

The next Tunnel is 132yards long; the ground being higher a tunnel is more advisable. The next is 1,012 yards long, with an inclination of 1foot 2inches per mile; it is through hard Sandstone called Pennant stone, which will be serviceable in the works. The Line then skirts the River and again enters Rock Cuttings, the extreme point being 76feet deep; it then comes out near Keynsham, passing close to the village; it then passes under Saltisford in a Tunnel of 528 yards, through the Lias lime stone rock; it again skirts the river, crossing Keynsham meads, passing through the village of Tiverton.

(Last year the line crossed the river twice to avoid Tiverton, but we have since obtained the assent of one of the principal proprietors, also of the Commissioners of Turnpike Roads, as we divert the latter; the line then proceeds straight to the old Bridge at Bath, crosses the River obliquely and goes into Ham gardens, where the depot is situated, occupying about 8 or 10 acres of ground.

This depot was settled by the Mayor and Corporation of Bath, after mature consideration; it will be close to the principal thoroughfares, and within 2 or 3 feet of the level of the streets. The Oblique Bridge, by which we cross the River is on the Bristol side of the depot; it is estimated at £12,500.

The Termination of the Basing Line is on the South side of the river (80feet above the level of the same) and upon the side of a very steep hill. (Our line is about 34feet above the level of the river) I therefore consider the proposed Basing Line Depôt objectionable on account of its situation, and it will be necessary to make a zig zag approach to it, in order for the Bath fly’s or carriages to get up; The Soil is formed of Clay and the Débris of Beechen Cliff, which has sunk down: Springs run in all directions; the Water Works of Bath are supplied from

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Table 1 Population Comparative Table of Population of the different towns lying within Ten Miles of the Great Western Railway and the Basing and Bath Railway Parishes which are spread over a considerable Surface, and have no central Towns are not included.

N.B. No Town is taken into this Calculation lying nearer to London than Fifteen Miles or containing fewer than 1,500 inhabitants

Great Western Line Uxbridge and Hillingdon 6,885 Highworth 3,127 Windsor and Eton 10,335 Swindon 1,742 Maidenhead 6,817 Wootton Bassett 1,896 Marlow 4,237 Calne 4,876 Henley 3,618 Cricklade 1,642 Reading 15,595 Malmesbury 2,169 Wallingford 2,563 Chippenham 4,333 Abingdon 5,259 Corsham 2,952 Oxford 20,649 Laycock 1,640 Faringdon 3,033 Box 1,550 Wantage 3,282

Carried Forward 108,200 Proposed Branch to Gloucester Cirencester 5,420 Tetbury 2,939 Stroud 8,607 Minchinhampton 7,255 Kingston Parish 7,257 Painswick 4,099 Avening 2,396 Horsley 3,690 Kingstanley 2,438 Stonhouse 2,469 Uley 2,641 *Gloucester and Cheltenham both contain Bisley 5,896 a greater Population than is here stated Dursley 3,226 in consequence of the new buildings Carn 2,071 Suburbs of Gloucester 8,494 Gloucester* 11,933 Suburbs of Cheltenham 3,632 Cheltenham* 22,942 Making a total of 12,126

88,022

196,222 Brought Forward 25,881 Basing and Bath Line Southampton Line from London to Oakingham 3,139 Basingstoke Newbury 5,959 Ewell and Epsom 5,082 Speenhamland 3,044 Chertsey 4,795 Hungerford 2,715 Guildford 3,924 Burbage 1,448 Odiham 2,647 Marlborough 3,426 Basingstoke 3,581 Puzey 1,588 Farnham 8,228 Devizes 4562 Kingston 3,151

Carried Forward 25,881 Windlesham 1,912 Woking 1,975 35,295 61,176

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Towns Common to both Lines

Trowbridge 10,863

Bradford 10,102

Warminster 6,115

Westbury 7,324 Froom 12,240

Melksham 5,866

52,510 Great Western Line 108,200 Basing and Bath, including the Branch to Gloucester 88,022 Southampton to Basing Line 61,176 196,222 Suburbs of Gloucester And Cheltenham 12,126 Towns common to Both lines 52,510 Towns common to Both lines 52,510

Without Suburbs of Gloucester and Cheltenham Great Western Line 248,732 Basing Line Springs in the direction of this Dépot; the ground is very bad, and you may see on the upper ground at Beechen cliff the cracks and slips made from the slipping of the Débris under it; the ground would not be accessible for carriages without the zig zag approach, in addition to which a Portion of this Hill will have to be excavated for the Dépot; (from which the water is collected in conduits, and led into Reservoirs for the supply of Bath water works but still the slipping of the ground is most to be feared).

Mr Brunton prepared a Plan for a Railway from Bath to Bristol, which I have seen; it was totally different to this, (he has made four) and proposes to come from Beechen Cliff straight to Bristol, being on a much higher Level; and terminating above the level of Somerset Square, which is the very top of Redcliffe Hill; he avoids Tunnels by very deep Cuttings. In proceeding from Bristol, his Line follows the valley at the back of the Hills, through which my Line goes. (I avoided the valley on account of the Residences and Gardens being valuable, besides the Levels are inferior to the ground through which my Line passes).

At Keynsham the two Lines very nearly join, except that his is at a much greater elevation than mine. From Keynsham to Tiverton they are much the same, except at Newton St Looe part of passes very near to Mr Gore Langton’s park; the Line originally proposed crossed the river near to Kelston, through Bath in Cutting 230yards long, and we have made an arrangement with the Proprietor to cover the same part with wooden roof and skylights in an ornamental manner. At one part it is Level

113,686

with the gardens, at another it is 3feet below it. This covered way will be 16feet from the Level of the Railway which is 2feet mor than usual. I laid down to lines in the direction of the Tunnel; one has an inclination of about 16 feet per mile, and is about 9miles in length, the other immediately quits the ridge near Bath, takes a lower Level until at the portion of cutting near the Tunnel and has an inclination of 9feet per mile.

My reason for laying down two lines on the section in the direction of the tunnel was as follows: In laying down a line of Railway for the whole distance, I found, with the exception of that 9miles, I could reduce the Levels so that none should exceed 11feet per mile, which would be an advantage, as the lower the maximum can be kept upon a Railway the better, because the power of Engines is governed by the inclinations over which they have to take the load, except it is very short indeed; if there is an extension of inclination of 16feet per mile, or 1 in 330, it affects the power of the Engine, consequently they must have an Assistant Engine or be calculated to ascend it without one.

The nature of the country along the Line is very favourable, and could be kept at 11feet per maximum, except for those 9miiles, which would be 16feet per mile; and to pass this inclination of 9miles either the Engines must be of sufficient power to overcome it or the loads must be reduced. To have Assistant Engines upon the whole Line able to get over 26feet per mile, would be a serious los; it therefore became important to have Assistant power of some kind, and it is best to have the line steep January/February 2021

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at that part, in order to have the full assistance of such power, which will leave the rest as nearly level as possible; There is nothing new in this theory: the same principle is applied on the Liverpool and Manchester, as, in the middle of it, they have to get over a sharp ridge a mile and a half each way, one inclination is 1 in 96, the other 1 in 90, where they have an Assistant engine. I preferred laying down two lines in order that we might afterwards adopt either.

I consulted Mr Stephenson Sen. And Mr Palmer upon it, both of whom confirmed my opinion that the one containing a short and steep inclination was best. The length of the Inclined Plane is 2½miles, including the Tunnel, which is nearly 1¾miles and the whole is straight; the last Inclination at the foot of the Tunnel is 9feet a mile; which is our steepest. We then go up the inclined plane at an inclination of 1 in 107, which is less steep than that on the Liverpool and Manchester.

A considerable length of the Tunnel would be in Bath stone. (In the hill are some of the best Bath stone quarries in the neighbourhood.)

It would then be in Cornbrash, then again in Bath stone and the end next Bath in Clay. The descent of 1 in 107 is considerably less than from the houses at the corner of Parliament Street to the Parliament Houses and about half as steep as Burlington Arcade and exactly as steep as the Lowther Arcade, therefore no effect could be produced on the passengers arising from a feeling that they were descending something precipitous; the longest time occupied in passing through the tunnel would be about six minutes.

There will four Working Shafts and we shall probably make more for air; these will be left open to give light; should there be a desire on the part of the public, we could easily light it with gas. The deepest shaft is about 220feet; another would be 90feet; the principal objects of these shafts is for ventilation. The Bath stone continues down to about 120feet and easily cut through (until some time exposed to the air) and we should be very glad of it, as it would be useful. There is an establishment in the neighbourhood to cut it into blocks and slabs; it would be harder than clay to work, but it would pay for the cutting. It would in a great degree make its own lining; in some parts we should blast it.

In passing through the tunnels I do not apprehend any danger from the effluvia from the engine. There is a tunnel already formed 50

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upwards of a mile long on the Birmingham line. The inclination of our tunnel makes no difference; the smoke would certainly be greater with two engines than with one. Whether I should take the goods up by a moveable Assistant Engine or by a Stationary Engine, I have not yet determined; but we should use that which answered best.

There is a Tunnel at Leicester nearly a mile long, 12 feet high; they burn coal, which causes much smoke, yet persons pass through it. If an Assistant Engine is used to carry the train up at full velocity, you have two engines at the same time, one of them behind the train. In passing down the inclined plane, the engines will not work, the steam must be shut off, and the damper put down; then instead of smoke there is an escape of heated air; the sound and effect of which is very different to smoke; if they are the same engines that are used upon the level line, the fire must be kept up.

Upon the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway a passenger train starts every hour and a train for goods also starts every hour.

I have been down the Canterbury Plane twice without rope in a single carriage, and when at its full velocity, it was stopped by the break within a distance of 60 yards; there were five persons in the carriage; (therefore should the rope snap in descending the inclined planes there could be no danger as it is not absolutely required.) The Break is a piece of wood that drops on the wheel, causing a slight friction; the resistance required to detain a carriage is very trifling, any thing applied to the wheel gradually stops it.

On the Manchester and Liverpool Railway the engines and carriage run down the incline (which is steeper than ours) every day, (and the darkness cannot increase the danger, ours being in a tunnel.) Upon the same Railway, with all their experience, they are making a tunnel upwards of a mile and a quarter long, (with a steeper incline than ours); this tunnel is intended for passengers to go into Liverpool, and they cannot have many shafts, as it goes under the town. The inclination is 1 in 100.

If coke is burnt, heated air issues from the engines instead of smoke. I believe the shafts would draw off the heated air, each engine being in the tunnel about 4 or 5 minutes; I do not anticipate any inconvenience from it. There is a tunnel a mile and a half long upon the Birmingham line, and about 25 feet high, with no more than four shafts. Should the ventilation be imperfect, it could easily be

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remedied by making a fire in one of the shafts, as they do in mines, or otherwise.

Between Bath and Bristol, the assents are equal to 9miles and 26 chains, the neuters 50½chains, half-special 17½chains; total 10miles and 14 chains. The first Curve is about a quarter of a mile from the end of the plane, and is entirely in deep cutting, with a radius of three-quarters of a mile, which has been found perfectly safe for locomotives engines to work on; it produces but the slightest inconvenience possible in the distance, but no difficulty.

From the tunnel, the line proceeds in deep cutting for 2½miles, until it gets to the open ground near Chippenham and Wootton Bassett; passes close to the town, runs northwards, and crosses the Avon near Christian Malford: it then goes upon an embankment varying from 20 to 37feet, through Grittenham great wood to Wootton Bassett.

Proceeding from Bath, the landowners almost entirely assent for a distance from near Corsham Parish; and through Chippenham and the immediate neighbourhood they all assent; through Langley Bural, still assenting, until we come to the parish of Draycot, where we have not received an answer from Mr Wellesley; we then enter on the Marquis of Lansdowne’s property who assents and then upon Lord Caernarvon’s property at Christian Malford, which is an embankment, varying from 25 or 26feet to nothing; it is wet land; the Railway will improve it as we shall make drains on each side of the embankment; we shall also make whatever bridges and culverts may be required, both now and at any future time. The flooding of the land is owing to the stagnation of the water, but it does not reach us.

I consider that several culverts would be thoroughly sufficient, even in cases of great falls of snow and sudden thaws as they will be much larger than the surrounding ditches; after Lord Caernarvon’s there is a small portion of Lord Peterborough’s; the next I am acquainted with is Lord Holland’s, it is a large wood which we go partly through. The next property of any extent is Lord Clarendon’s, which is very extensive, between 3 and 4 miles in one piece; I believe he assents. The next is the Charterhouse property which is in the parish of Lydiard Tregoz, they assent.

There is no extensive property until we come to Stratton St Margaret’s; but they are generally consenting parties. We then go through part of Lord Bolingbrooke’s; then they all assent until we come to another farm of Lord Caernarvon’s

in the parish of Highworth; the line then passes through a farm, which is a small estate for sale; the line runs parallel with the turnpike road; we sever small portions of the fields which we should purchase; we then come to Lord Barrington’s property, he assents; we then come to Lord Craven’s, he assents; we are now in the parish of Baulking, we go through a considerable extent of property belonging to Mr Bastard and his family.

The greatest cutting would be on the hill near Grittenham Wood; at one part it may be 70feet, but by moving on one side, I could make it less and by moving it a little on the other, take it under by a tunnel. We then pass through some extensive property, belonging to one or two Colleges at Oxford. We pass through much property all assenting, until we pass to Coombe Lodge, at a distance of ½ or ¾ a mile from the house and we have agreed to plant the Railway within a mile of direct distance from same, either way to keep it out of sight.

The line is still in cutting, and passes through a farm belonging to Sir Francis Sykes, who assents; we pass through several estates who assent, until we come to Mr Willder’s Purely House; he assents; it is a large house, having a considerable park. We have carried a Tunnel through Chalk Hill at the back of the house, to avoid it; this tunnel is 1914yards long I should work it by shafts; it is a very fine chalk, and could be easily made and ventilates. The line then goes into deep cutting and comes out in embankment: it soon gets into the property of Mr Knowles; we make this tunnel to avoid going through the house; the expence of the house and grounds would be worth incurring to avoid it. We pass through several estates, on embankment, who assent; we then come to Crown Property, where we cross the River Kennet, (which is the Kennet and Avon Navigation) close below Reading, on an embankment 20 feet high. We pass the meadows, (which are low but well drained) sufficiently for the road to pass under.

We pass through several estates until we come to Mr Palmer’s, who strongly objects; we pass within ¾ of a mile of his house (at the back) which is in a par. The tunnel we now propose is about 5/8 of a mile long; last year it was 1 mile long. The alteration has not been made with a view of annoying Mr Palmer in any way; if it would satisfy him, we should be happy to return to the longer tunnel, although we object to it on account of the extra expense.

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per yard; the soil removed it would go to the embankment over the Loddon, and in front of Reading. We then cross the valley of Loddon, on a 25feet embankment. There will be two or three Bridges on the Loddon, the arches of which will be in 2½ bricks, and the estimated cost £4462. We then come to (where we cross the Colne there will be twelve arches, of 20 feet each, the estimated cost of which is £3965.) the property of Mr Leveson Gower, at Twyford, who assents; we continue on embankment 15feet high until we go into a deep cutting in chalk through a small portion of Lord Baybroke’s, who dissents, and a considerable length of Mr Vansittart’s, who assents and proposes making a depot at one of his lodges.

After passing through some estates that assent, we come to the valley of Maidenhead, where we cross the Thames, about a ¼ mile below the present bridge. Ours will consist of three arches, of 80feet span each, over the river and 30feet above high water mark, and two each side on the land, of 40 feet; the peers will be 12 feet wide, the width of the bridge is 31feet from out to out and the estimated cost is £21,000.

We then get into Taplow parish, and cut through two or three fields of Lord Orkney’s near Clifton; after passing through several estates, we cross the road at Slough, entirely in cutting, we approach within 1/8 of a mile of Bayley’s School and pass ¼ of a mile the other side of the turnpike road, which is 1½mile from Eton College, to which a branch was proposed, but at the request of the college, we gave it up; they likewise had an objection to the Railway on account of the facilities which it would offer to the scholars; we are willing to remedy the same, by building a fence, or wall for 1½ or 2 miles either side of the College, thereby excluding them. I think it should be 8 or 9 feet high and 4 miles long, would cost £8,000 or £,9,000, and it is intended to be on both sides of the railway; but where it is on an embankment (which it is but for a short distance) it would be easy to line it with other materials.

We pass on until we come to the parish of Hillingdon, passing through the property of Mr Charles Towas, who assents: I met an Engineer on the subject, who apprehended danger from the floods, but we have arranged as to the arches. We pass on to Hanwell, and then to Ealing, passing through the property of Messrs Wood, with whom we had some difficulty, on account of our cutting up their 52

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farms, to which they attach great value; we have however fixed a price and agreed with them as to going across the fields with a belt of trees &c. (there will be a covered way under the road at Mr Wood’s) this brings us upon the Birmingham line, close to the Canal.

The total amounts of assents upon the whole line is equal to 66miles, 6¾chains; neuters 17 miles 26 chains; special answers 8miles 39½chains; making a total of 91 miles 72¼ chains; and the dissents 23miles 36¼chains; Total upon the whole line 115 miles 28½chains.

By special answers I mean such as “Declines to give an answer” and “abroad”. If a Party says “I will give no answer” we class it as Neuter;* We generally consider Neuters equivalent to assents, if they do not Dissent before the Bill passes, they are Assents.* The Proprietors and Occupiers are returned separately. It is customary to pay for the Land at a Valuation and give a sum over and above for the injury or imagined injury done.

The Great Western Railway will leave the London and Birmingham Railway 4 miles from the depot, just beyond the New Cemetery; thence pass through Southall, close to the market within 2½ miles of Uxbridge, just north of Slough and north of the Great Western Turnpike, touching Maidenhead, through Reading, within 3 miles of Wallingford, within 4 of Abingdon, through which the communication with Oxford would be effected, which is within 10 miles of Oxford, close to Wantage, within 6 miles of Cricklade, within 4 miles of Cirencester, 19½miles of Stroud, close to Wootton Bassett, within 6 of Malmsbury, within 11 of Tedbury, within 6 of Calne, through Chippenham, between which place and Bath there is a Branch, included in the Bill, and another Branch to Melksham, Bradford, and Trowbridge, within 7 miles of Devizes. (to be continued) * There appears to be some little ambiguity here as “Declines to give an answer” is classed Special Answer and “I will give no answer” is classed Neuter (Original Editor, S C Brees)

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Make sure that you keep up to date with all the latest news about railways across the UK. All you need to do is to go to the Great Western Star website (www.greatwesternstar.com and go to the The Railway Terminus.

This news section is regularly updated so you need never feel left out.

Great Western Railway Power and Weight Classification

A surviving GWR 2884 steam locomotive with a power rating of a black “E” on the blue weight classification disc above the number plate. A white "X" can be seen between the disc and the number plate, which affects how the power class is interpreted. (West Somerset Railway)

Since 1920, the cabins of Great Western Railway (GWR) steam locomotives have been labelled on a coloured disc, allowing staff to quickly assess the capabilities of locomotives without having to check datasheets. The letter designated the power rating, and the coloured disc indicated the weight limit. This system continued even after the GWR became the Western Region of British Railways.

from mid-1919 it began to appear on the locomotives themselves.

The weight limit was shown as a coloured disc, and the power class by a capital letter on the disc. At first it was painted high on the side of the cockpit but, during the Second World War in darkened measures to ensure that personnel had to be careful with the use of light at night, the disc and letter were moved down to a position just above the engine cabside number plate to make them more visible.

When locomotives were loaned to the GWR by other railways during World War II, they were also given a GWR power and weight classification so that GWR locomotive design personnel could select the most suitable engine for the task without having to learn an unfamiliar system.

History

Two diesel-hydraulic locomotives of the Western region; D7072 (left) is class 35 with a red route restriction disc; D6343 (right) is Class 22 and has a yellow disc. Both discs are numbered on the sides.

(Max Battens)

A surviving GWR 4500 class steam locomotive with a "C" power rating on a yellow route restriction disc on the upper side of the cab. (Philip Halling)

On July 1, 1905, the Great Western Railway (GWR) introduced a designation system for both transport capabilities and weight restrictions that applied to different classes of locomotives.

Initially, this was only used in logbooks, but

The GWR was nationalized in 1948, becoming the Western Region of British Railways and in 1949, BR decided to adopt the London, Midland and Scottish Railways (LMS) capacity classification system for all locomotives. Despite this, the use of a letter to denote power classification continued to be used on former GWR steam locomotives, as did a coloured disc for weight classification; both continued until the end of steam traction on the Western Region in 1965. Certain ex-LMS and BR Standard steam locomotives dedicated to the Western Region were provided with GWR type route classification discs, usually without

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Table 1 Power classification

The letter represents the power of the locomotive and is approximately proportional to the starting tractive effort, thus: Power class Pulling force Examples of classes

GWR/BR of locomotives

Special Over 38,000 lbf (169.0 kN) 6000 (King)

E 33,001-38,000 lb (146.8-169.0 kN) 2884, 7200

D 25,001-33,000 lb (111.2-146.8 kN) 4073 (Lock), 4300, 5600

C 20,501-25,000 lb (91.2-111.2 kN) 4500, 5700

B 18,501-20,500 lb (82.3-91.2 kN) 1101, 2251

A 16,500-18,500 lb (73.4-82.3 kN) 1600, 2301 Ungrouped Less than 16,500 lb (73.4 kN) 1361, 1400 The "Special" classification was not shown in the "King" class, but in the case where it was not, e.g. 111 Great Bear, "Special" was marked with an X (+) on the red route restriction disc.

a power class letter. Some of them were of the power class BR, shown on the disk in the form of a picture, e.g. class 5 4-6-0had the number "5" on the red disc. A coloured disc was also applied to some diesel locomotives delivered to the Western Region. (see Table 1 above) Locomotives leased during World War II were assigned GWR power class letters to avoid confusion with the various systems used by the credit railways. For example, the Southern Railway (SR) also used letters, but with the letter A representing the highest degree; so when SR lent GWR a few S15s of 4-6-0 class that were power class A on SR, GWR placed them in power class D; likewise, London, Midland and Scottish Railways leased 2-80 locomotives in their 8F power class, which were assigned GWR E power class.

the workbooks. for their power classification.

These engines were distinguished by a white "X" painted above the license plate.

Weight limit

The GWR system was divided into “red”, “blue”, “yellow” and “unpainted” routes according to the maximum axle load allowed by the civil engineer: for example, engines with an axle load of more than 16 tons were not allowed on "yellow" or "unpainted" routes.

Between them were "red dots" and "blue dots", which allowed the use of overweight engines subject to speed limits. In addition, there were “shaded red” routes where any locomotive was allowed: class 6000 (King) was prohibited for all but the “shaded red” routes. In August 1938, a summary of GWR routes by colour was published (See Table 2 opposite)

Preserved steam locomotive Class GWR 6000 (King) with double red disk, painted on the cab side, indicating the most severe weight classification; power class (Special) not specified (Chris McKenna)

6833 Calcot Grange. The locomotive class ex-GWR 6800 (Grange) with a white «X» under the red disk limitation route, indicating that the normal load may be exceeded for its power class (D).

It was also decided during World War II that certain classes of two-cylinder engines (including classes 1000 (County), 4900 (Hall) and 6800 (Grange )) would be allowed to carry loads heavier than those indicated in 54

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Table 2 Colour-coded routes

Colour Geographic Percent Notes miles Hatched red 522 14% All engines are allowed Red 1280 34% All engines allowed except King class Dotted red 285 8% Red engines (see below) are permitted at speeds no more than 20 mph (32 km / h).

Blue 320 9% Dotted blue 150 4% Blue engines are permitted at speeds no more than 25 mph (40 km / h) Yellow 695 18% Unpainted 495 13% The shaded reds routes included Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads, via both Bath and Badminton; Reading to Devonport via Newbury; Bristol Temple Meads to Taunton; and Paddington to Wolverhampton Low Level via Bicester. Further routes were raised into this category after nationalization: from Wolverhampton to Chester via Shrewsbury; and Bristol to Shrewsbury via Abergavenny.

Up to two coloured discs were painted on the cab of GWR steam locomotives and some classes of Western Region diesel locomotives to show that the maximum axle load of the engine must not exceed a certain value, the absence of such circles means that the restrictions on the locomotive were as shown in Table 3.

As with the power classifications, the locomotives provided for the GWR during World War II were given GWR weight limit

colours. For example, Class J25 LNER engines that had route 3 availability on this line were placed in the Yellow GWR route constraint.

Corrections were made from time to time based on operating experience; for example, the 5700 class (which had an axle load of 17t) had a weak hammer blow, so it did less track damage than other engines with their axle load; accordingly, in 1950 they were reclassified from “blue” to “yellow”.

Table 3 Locomotive colour coding Colour Symbol Axle Load

Double red OO 22.9 t Red O Up to 20.3 t Blue O Up to 17.9 t) Yellow O Up to 16 .3 t) Unpainted Up to 14.2 t)

Examples of classes of locomotives 6000 (King) 4700, 4900 (Hall), 9400, Class 42 2884, 6100 2251, 4500, class 22 1366, 2301

A New Bow Street Runner!

Transport for Wales is delighted to announce the opening of the new Bow Street station.

The first train stopped at the station in Ceredigion, mid Wales, at 9.12am on Sunday 14 February, providing a link to the national rail network for the community of Bow Street for the first time since the former station was closed in 1965.

It is the first station to open in Wales since Pye Corner in December 2014 and Transport for Wales’ first since taking over the Wales and Borders network franchise in 2018.

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Sleuths of the Great Western Railway Works Strange Occupations of Swindon Men. The Research Dept Founded by The Late Mr. H. J. Edmonds.

This article was found on a cutting from the Swindon Evening Advertiser Newspaper. Unfortunately, there is no date on the cutting.

At the Great Western Railway Works at Swindon are men who spend their days counting the number of bristles in a broom.

When they are not engaged in that rather depressing occupation, they are separating wool from cotton in French carpet and totting up the number of cotton threads, or determining how many violent shocks will shatter an inverted gas mantle.

These men, about twenty in all, who work in brown coats at their benches, are the special investigators of the Great Western Railway. Officially they have the prosaic title of "Inspector" but, actually, they are sleuths, who combine the powers of observation of a Sherlock Holmes with the deductive skill of Father Brown. Their task is to examine and test all supplies used by the company. It is work that involves a multitude of detail and a thousand scientific experiments.

“This department, which has been in existence for about thirty years," said Mr. Sidney F. Adams, the chief, who conducted an Evening Advertiser representative around the building; has meant the saving of thousands of pounds to the railway company. “We have, ensured that the company gets what it pays for.

Everything is subjected to the most exhaustive tests, from which are evolved standard specifications. - Below those a contractor may not go. If his goods do not reach the standard required, back they go.”

“Of course, it means many arguments with contracting companies, but usually they are glad to accept our standards. Indeed, many manufacturers have visited us and taken advantage of our tests.” Here Mr. Adams opened a long drawer which contained thousands printed forms, all neatly filled in. “AlI our tests are recorded and tabulated," he explained.

"Any one can be referred to in a minute or two.

Carriage Upholstery.

“Here is an instance of the work we do.

French rep is wanted for the upholstery of

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carriages. The consignment is measured and then a test piece is cut off. The dimensions of the piece are analysed, the weights of the wool and of the cotton are taken, and the number of cotton threads counted. Finally, the tensile strength is determined. From these tests, a standard is arrived at. Any carpet below it is rejected” “Our experiments with rubber have revolutionised its method of production, and we have secured new standards in paints by means of experiments involving the mixing of colours with a tintometer, and the testing of the effect of different atmospheres upon them.”

"Then there are shunting poles. Each is separately examined, and if it passes the initial test for grain and weight, a hook is attached.

Then a weight of ten stone is applied forcibly and if it passes that it goes out into service.

When its life as a shunting pole is over, it comes back to the stores, and is converted into a handle for a hammer.”

“Similarly, we have reached such a standard with files that we are able to convert those of a certain length when their life is over into a smaller size. Thus, we no longer have to buy any of the latter type. Even rat traps and rat poison are investigated with care.”

Towel Dyes and Lamps.

“Some years ago," said Mr. Adams, we found that the dye in the pattern of towels which are used in trains ran upon being washed. It caused a good deal of trouble, but we were able to tell the contractor what was wrong with the dye and get it changed.”

“We started work upon lamps and found that in almost every case their reflectors did not reflect at all. Investigations showed us how to make them reflect, and the information was passed on to the manufacturers. I invented a machine which will subject the inverted gas mantle used to illuminate railway carriages to two thousand shocks. Our standard is one thousand shocks, but our tests carry the investigations much further."

This remarkable department of research was built up by one man, Mr. H. J, Edmonds, who invented the system, His work has been carried on by Mr. Adams,

January/February 2021

Preserving Another of Brunel’s Success Stories The construction of the sea wall at Dawlish was a very brave move by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Also known as the South Devon sea wall, it was designed by Brunel and built by the South Devon Railway Company. The line takes a route from Exeter, following the River Exe to Dawlish Warren, runs beneath the sea cliffs to Teignmouth before following the River Teign to Newton Abbott. It follows tidal waters for about 13 miles of which four are open to the sea. A footpath runs alongside the railway between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish, while another forms a continuation of the sea front promenade at Teignmouth, together forming part of the South West Coast Path.

This section was opened by the South Devon Railway Company, running from Exeter St Davids railway station to Teignmouth railway station on 30 May 1846 and extended to Newton Abbot railway station on 31 December 1846. It was a broad gauge railway of 7 feet ¼ inch gauge and intended to be worked as an atmospheric railway, although atmospheric trains only ran from 13 September 1847 until 9 September 1848.

A section of the track hangs over the sea after the collapse of the sea wall (AP)

Damage to this route has been caused on many occasions but probably the most wellknown was that of the night of 4th February 2014 when, amid high winds and extremely rough seas, part of the sea wall at Dawlish was breached, washing away around 130 feet of the wall as well as the ballast under the track on the railway line behind it. The line remained closed until 4th April 2014 after extensive rebuilding work by Network Rail.

In 2010 it was stated in Parliament that "in recent years" around £9 million had been invested on keeping the sea wall safe and the cliff faces stable, and that the ongoing

maintenance of the sea walls and the adjoining estuaries was costing Network Rail around £500,000 annually. The Under-Secretary of State for Transport reiterated the importance of the line to the economy of South Devon and Cornwall and confirmed that even if there were to be plans for the building of an alternative inland route in the future, "in our view, it would not be a substitute in any shape or form for the main line along the coast". This is despite the acknowledgement of an inevitable increase in maintenance costs due to rising sea levels.

New Approaches

In 2018, Network Rail put forward a proposal to extend the sea wall further into the English Channel at Teignmouth, with the wall's new edge passing through Sprey Point. The proposal would involve re-aligning the railway, moving the line further from the cliff and creating a space between the railway and the cliff to prevent the railway's being affected by cliff subsidence or collapse. Other elements of the proposal include the improvement of the sea wall between Kennaway Tunnel and Dawlish and the installation of an avalanche shelterstyle structure at Horse Cove. Government funding of £80 million to raise the sea wall south of Dawlish station by 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) was approved in February 2019.

Once complete the 1,250 feet section of new sea wall will be higher than the existing wall; it will have a curved edge to send waves back towards the sea; a high-level, wider and safer promenade; pedestrian access to the beach and an accessible station footbridge with lifts.

As part of Network Rail’s commitment to spending money locally, the scheme will also deliver an important boost to the south Devon economy with as much as £10 million expected to be spent with local businesses during the second phase of work. This follows the £5 million already spent on local labour, materials and accommodation during the first section of the new sea wall

Work in 2020, 2021 and 2022

The work, which will cost £80 million, was split into two programmes, the first programme of which was outlined in the October issue of Great Western Star and which was completed in the Autumn of 2020. It was officially opened

by Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris on the

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25 September. Work started on the second phase on Tuesday 10th November 2020 and it is anticipated that this will take two years to complete. It comes after years of detailed studies, designs and joint working between world-leading marine, coastal and railway engineering experts.

Arup was commissioned by Network Rail to prepare a GRIP 3 Option Selection Report for proposed new sea defences for Dawlish station and adjacent sections of railway as well as an accessible footbridge within the Dawlish station area. Dawlish station is located on the London Paddington to Plymouth line and is served by trains running between Exeter and Newton Abbot.

The section of track considered in this project is MLN1 205m 75ch to 206m 10.5ch which runs parallel to the beach at Dawlish from the Colonnade breakwater to the Coastguard’s breakwater (C2C). This section of railway is included in the South West Rail Resilience Programme by Network Rail. The aim of the scheme is to protect the railway for the next 100 years by improving the existing sea defences, following the emergency repairs that took place in 2014. The C2C project aims to provide protection to the railway and platforms, while still maintaining access to the coastal path and beach front. Included within the works, is an accessible footbridge within the platform area which will replace the existing barrow crossing at the southwestern end of the station. This work was carried out with an emphasis on the buildability of the design as well as considering aspirations for wider a platform 1.

Artist’s impression of accessible footbridge

From the outset of the project the frontage of beach between the two breakwaters was split into several sections to make the design process easier. Each section has its own 58

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unique interface with the beach front and the track behind, requiring different designs for the separate sections.

At the South-Western end of the section is the Marine Parade interface. This is a small section of the Marine Parade section that was specifically designed so that it could act as a connection for this new section of works.

Section A is arguably the most complicated section. This area contains the Dawlish Water basin, where the river runs out into the sea, as well as the town gateway area. It provides access from the town via the Colonnade underbridge, a structure carrying the railway over Dawlish Water.

Section B is a small section of low-level promenade between the town gateway area and the listed station building. At the rear of the promenade are listed colonnades that support the station platform. This area also connects to beach level via a ramp and is the main access to the beach.

Section C is the area around the listed station building. The complication with this section is the building façade that faces the beach as it needs to be displayed as much as feasibly possible. This is the original frontage for the station that has stood since the 1800s and so any work in front of this section is sensitive.

Section D forms the bulk of the section and spans from the end of the station building all the way until the coastguard’s footbridge at the North-eastern end of the section. The half closest to the station building has a low-level promenade and a platform overhang supported by wooden colonnades. The northern half consists of the low-level promenade with a narrow platform. A set of stairs leading to the beach is present at the midpoint.

Section E is a wider section that houses the Boathouse building and access to the Coastguards footbridge.

Section F is as wide as section E as it contains the Coastguards boat ramp as well as a link to the next section of promenade beyond the breakwater. This section will need to be similar to the Marine Parade interface, providing access to the beach and the existing promenade as well as offering an opportunity to be extended in the future to potential upgrades of the section beyond.

A key decision during the option selection process was the division of the works into two main parts; ABC & DEF. This meant the bulk of the work involving section D could be

January/February 2021

Cross section view of sea wall from Dawlish beach

accelerated whilst the more intricate details surrounding the town gateway area could be investigated separately.

Based on scientific modelling and laboratory testing of various options by world experts, we propose to protect the railway and station by constructing the following measures to increase resilience to extreme weather and tides, and provide enhanced amenities for local people and passengers: • The construction of a new, taller sea wall between the two breakwaters.

• A wider, taller, public walkway incorporated into the wall with views onto the beach.

• Reconstruction of the timber Dawlish station seaward platform.

• A new, accessible station footbridge with lifts.

• New pedestrian ramped access to the beach from the promenade.

• Improved passenger experience through better protection from the sea.

New sea wall and promenade

The new, taller sea wall, with a high-level promenade, will be built in concrete precast panels. It will run from the new ramps/ access that are being built at the west end of Dawlish station, all the way to the Coastguards breakwater. The new wall will add 4.2m to the height of the current 3.8m promenade, and its toe will extend, on average, 2.8m further out towards the sea. The wall includes a recurve at the top, as at Marine Parade, to help deflect waves and reduce ‘overtopping’ of water onto the track.

The new high-level promenade, which will be at approximately the same height as the current platforms, will provide a more spacious,

The new sea wall and promenade

safer, level surface for users. It will be wider than the current promenade (varying from 3m to 4m) and users will be protected by a curved parapet wall on the seaward side which is approximately waist height (1.1m). This forms part of the wall's overall height. There will be a number of raised points with benches along the promenade. This will allow more people to enjoy the views as the parapet will be reduced to 0.8m with a small railing on top.

Artist’s impression view of new promenade towards Dawlish station with train

The section from Dawlish station to the Coastguard breakwater east of the station is expected to be completed in late 2021, while the section between the station and the Colonnade breakwater, which will link up with the new wall at Marine Parade, will start to be built shortly after.

Dawlish Water Basin and Colonnade Breakwater

Colonnade Breakwater is at the high chainage end of the site and is approximately 375feet long. To the land end of the breakwater is the main pedestrian access to the beach at Marine Parade. Adjoining the breakwater is a drainage basin where Dawlish Water

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Dawlish Water Basin and Colonnade discharges into the sea. The basin consists of concrete walls which form a retained area reducing sediment flow from Dawlish Water into the sea.

To improve resilience, the existing ‘stilling basin’ boundary wall will be reconstructed on its existing footprint with a much stronger structure. This will take energy out of the waves and extend the life of the basin. The reduction in energy will reduce some of the beach material being deposited under the viaduct and protect the new link bridge and existing structure.

Depending on rising sea levels, it is possible that further work to the basin will be required in 30 to 40 years. We are carrying out modelling to assess this.

Station Building

The original station was built in 1846, with the current station structure resulting from major rebuilding in 1875 after a fire destroyed the original station. The station consists of two separate buildings, one on each platform. The Italianate frontage added in the rebuilding is of significant architectural and historical note and is one of the major reasons for the station being grade II listed.

The station itself was not able to perform to the required resilience criteria. As a result, options were developed to protect this section while reducing any impact on the building, in particular the façade. This meant that ramps in front of the building were not preferred due to the changing level across the façade. Due to its listed status, listed building consent is required in order to carry out any work around the station and platforms which would affect the nature of the station.

Platforms at the station have a modern asphalt surface with concrete coping stones and the customary yellow line. There are no tactile pavers. The platforms have been extended over

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Existing timber platform

Artist’s impression of the new sea wall, platform and promenade

time, most notably the up platform to the south (which was rebuilt in the 1940’s using available materials of the time and so is supported by repurposed cast-iron gas lamp pillars), and north over the promenade below, which took place in the early 19th century. This section of the platform has been rebuilt most recently after, and as a result of, the storms of 2014, with it potentially having been rebuilt a number of times prior to this too. Towards the lower chainage end the up platform was extended in 1934 and narrows to a point where it is no longer suitable for access by passengers, as enforced by signage. Canopies are provided over the areas of platforms adjacent to the station buildings, these were installed in 1961, replacing earlier steelwork roofs. Additionally, the traditional GWR sign is present on the southern end of the up platform.

Promenade

The existing promenade sits between the beach and the station platforms, at around +3.8mOD. Narrow concrete sets of steps between the promenade level and beach level are provided near to the Coastguards boathouse and roughly halfway along the

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down platform. Behind the basin at the outfall of Dawlish Water the promenade drops to +3.2m as it passes below the viaduct, with a headroom of 2.4m to the soffit. Situated to the rear of the promenade is the existing sea wall, which has been split into two sections (D1 & D2) for clarity.

Sea Wall (Section D1)

The existing sea wall that extends from the down platform station building to the end of the wider portion of platform 1 sits to the rear of the promenade and is topped with the overhanging platform structure. The overhanging timber structure is supported by evenly spaced timber columns, and the soffit of the structure is formed of timber planks, containing the platform structure.

Drainage ducts run through the wall from both the above and below track areas. It has been noted from site visits that some of these ducts are occupied by nesting pigeons.

Beyond the narrowing of platform 1, the sea wall takes on a modified typical section, this time with the platform cantilevering from the top of the sea wall without additional propping support from the promenade. The overhang of the platform varies, starting at around 700mm reducing towards the north to a point where the railing is affixed directly to the top of the wall and there is no overhanging extension.

This area of the platform atop section D2 is not generally accessible to passengers (enforced by signage) and is only used for the disembarkation of passengers wishing to alight from the rearward coaches of 9 car and 5+5 car IET trains.

Coastguard’s Footbridge

The Coastguard’s footbridge is a post tension concrete deck dating back to the early 1950’s

and is situated towards the north eastern end of the site.

This is not a listed structure but does form part of the Brunel heritage railway, and the granite structure of the stairs (along with the adjacent Coastguard’s Boathouse) form the surviving elements from the early years of the line. The stairs are not a modern structure and are not compliant with modern standards.

It appears that the bridge deck has been replaced with a precast concrete deck which is newer than the stairs. The bridge appears to be in a reasonably good condition, particularly considering the aggressive environment in which it is located.

Coastguards Boathouse

The Coastguards Boathouse is also part of the Brunel heritage of the area but is also not listed; however, as previously mentioned is some of the oldest structures related to the railway in the area.

It was owned by a 3rd party at the start of the scheme and is located just beyond the footbridge at the north eastern end of the site.

Network Rail has now purchased the building.

The arched doorway in the southern elevation has been infilled, with the large doors on the north elevation retained.

Sections of Bullhead rail have been set in the concrete ramp leading to the large door, presumably once holding some sort of separating structure which has been destroyed by previous storms. The remaining steel sections are significantly corroded, with the web of the rail completely corroded away in some examples.

The roof is in very poor condition and, in December 2019 Network Rail arranged the removal of the tiles of the roof to prevent them being blown onto the track. To achieve the level of resilience required by providing a much higher sea wall, the Coastguards boathouse, owned by Network Rail, will be demolished to enable the height of the promenade/sea defence to be increased.

A footprint will be left to show where the building stood, and it is planned to reuse the stone in constructing new public benches within the project. The bottom section of the existing footbridge steps at this location will also be adjusted.

The Coastguard’s Boathouse January/February 2021

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Coastguards Breakwater

At the low chainage end of the site is Coastguards Breakwater, which is approximately 165 feet long. At the land end of the breakwater the promenade ramps up to the level of the breakwater, and splits into a pair of ramps, one adjacent to the track connecting to the higher promenade to the north; between this and the breakwater is a second ramp which connects down to the beach level to the north of the breakwater.

Innovative Engineering Following in Brunel’s Footsteps

A major aspect of this work involves the use of an innovative eight-legged, selfcontained walking jack-up barge, known as a ‘Wavewalker’. It is the only one of its kind in Europe and it will be the first time this type of

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barge has been used to maintain the UK rail network.

This innovative piece of equipment is being used by contractors BAM Nuttall to safely access the sea face of the railway embankment along Marine Parade and to help deliver the piling at the sea wall. The ‘Wavewalker’ benefits from being able to operate across the high tidal ranges that particularly impact the south Devon coastline and which would otherwise restrict the number of hours it is possible to safely work on the sea wall.

On Sunday 8 November the WaveWalker Jack-up barge arrived into Dawlish. Over approximately three months, it is installing around 280 piles between Dawlish station and the Coastguard breakwater, which will form the foundation of the new sea wall.

January/February 2021

The Clergy and The Railway Revd Roger Farnworth

Team Rector, Parish of the Good Shepherd Ashton-under-Lyne, Borough Dean of Tameside

I was asked to give a talk in 2020 to a clergy discussion group on the subject ‘Clergy and Trains’. This group had decided to have its annual outing on The East Lancs Railway, and I was to be the after dinner ‘entertainment’! It did not work out, for obvious reasons in 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic altered everyone’s plans!

However, as a result of the request, I began to study what was available online and in the press on this subject and the place it takes in the wide range of interests available to the clergy. … Whether my research counts as original research, I very much doubt. However, you might find what follows of interest!

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that the clergy love trains.” So started an article by Ed Beavan in the Church Times on 15th June 2011, entitled ‘All Steamed Up About Trains’1 On the centenary of the birth of the Revd W. V. Awdry, creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, Ed Beavan asked, in his article, why are so many clergy railway buffs?

The statement, ‘so many clergy are railway buffs’, seems to me to be the kind of statement which becomes more and more true as time goes by. Once we begin to believe that it is true, we then begin to validate our own understanding and our own take on reality.

I know of no independently accredited study of clergy interests which proves that there is a greater preponderance of railway interest among the clergy when compared with other professions, although there will probably be someone out there to correct me. Nor I think is there a similar study which compares the range of different interests held by the clergy and determines the most prevalent.

Model railways (and even railways themselves) are a relative latecomer in the various fields open to clergy to pursue. There are several good examples of clergy in earlier generations who had interests beyond their own parish, church, or flock.

Clergy with interests in Science

In Palaeontology, most early fossil workers were gentleman scientists and members of the clergy, who self-funded their studies in

this new and exciting field.2 Wikipedia lists Catholic Clergy who have made significant contributions to Science3 and there are many from other denominations too. Examples from across the spectrum of Clergy allegiance to denominations, include: Roger Bacon, Nicolaus Copernicus, Gregor Mendel, Georges Lemaître and John Michell.

The extensive Wikipedia list is merely a snapshot of a longer list which extends down to the present day. There have been many people who have combined their scientific eminence with a role as a member of the clergy. There is also today, a society for priest-scientists. The Society of Ordained Scientists is a society within the Anglican Communion. The organisation was founded at the University of Oxford by Arthur Peacocke following the establishment of several other similar societies in the 1970s, to advance the field of religion and science.

Other interests are also shared by clergy and the religious. One particularly engaging study of clergy interests and proclivities was produced recently by Revd Fergus ButlerGallie, “A Field Guide to the English Clergy: A Compendium of Diverse Eccentrics, Pirates, Prelates and Adventurers; All Anglican, Some Even Practising.”4 Waterstones comment: “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” This timeless wisdom has guided the Anglican Church for hundreds of years, fostering a certain tolerance of eccentricity among its members. Good thing, too!”5 Given my interests in blogging, railways, and model railways, I have no alternative but to echo the sentiment. … “Yes, it is a good thing too!”

My current curate, while definitely not being an eccentric, has been an avid player of computer games, he plays regularly in a variety of different local bands, and he has taken up rollerblading. One Franciscan friar, Brother Gabriel, spends his spare time at a Bloomington, Indiana, Skate Park several times a week after participating in evening Mass and prayers.6 This article is, in no way, a formal survey of clergy interests, and all these examples are, of course, very obviously anecdotal. So, are there any grounds for believing that an interest in January/February 2021

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railways is more typical of the clergy than these other things? I suspect not, nevertheless, there do seem to be a respectable number of clergy who are interested in both full-scale and model railways.

Clergy with an interest in Railways

Font to Footplate – Teddy Boston’s autobiography completed while he was in hospital just before he died at the age of 617

Butler-Gallie directs our attention to one Revd. Teddy Boston,4 [p19-22] who was for 26 years Rector of Cadeby and Vicar of Sutton Cheney, in Leicestershire, (1960 – 1986). He built a light railway in the grounds of the Rectory at Cadeby. It was U-shaped, with a total length of 110 yards. He opened the line to passengers in 1963[7] and named the line, “Cadeby Light Railway.”

Wikipedia tells us that Boston, “was a close friend of the Rev. W. V. Awdry OBE, creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, a kindred spirit with whom he shared many railway holidays. In Small Railway Engines (1967), Awdry relates the story of a trip the two made together to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, and they appear in the book as ‘the Fat Clergyman’ (Boston) and ‘the Thin Clergyman’ (Awdry).[8]

The Rev Wilbert Awdry “controlling” Thomas on the Ffarquhar Branch in Railway Modeller, December 1959

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‘Thomas’ franchise is still immensely popular in the 2020s and, Covid-permitting, brings in significant revenue for Heritage Railway organisations each year. Awdry himself wrote 26 books in “the Railway Series”. His son Christopher went on to publish a further 16 books between 1983 and 2011. The series has also spawned several related books and a considerable number of TV/Video/DVD programmes in English,10 and in many other languages11 Another star in this firmament was Revd.

Peter Denny who for many years was a regular feature in the model railway press12 He was known alongside others for being at the forefront of the development of the hobby after the Second World War, for modelling which exceeded the expectation of the times for realism. He innovated in the management of his model railway and the timetabling of train movements. His layout “Buckingham” went through several incarnations as it developed in size. There are a variety of books written about his modelling achievements13 and he is still feted online as well14 His layout is described

by Tony Wright as, “one of the most important layouts in the hobby’s history since WW2.” 15 Rt. Revd Eric Treacy MBE was an English railway photographer and Anglican bishop. He was Suffragan Bishop of Pontefract and then Bishop of Wakefield (1968-1976). His passion outside of office was railway photography. The Treacy Collection of 12,000 photographs forms part of the National Railway Museum’s archive of over 1.4 million images. His published works were almost entirely railway photograph albums16 After a major, 11-year, £600,000 overhaul by volunteers on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, which was completed in 2010, you would have found 70 clergy in the carriages behind the newly named locomotive, ‘Eric Treacy’ on its inaugural run. The then Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt. Revd. Stephen Platten, held a re-dedication service for the train at Pickering Station on 27th August 2010. He was joined by Rt. Revd. Dr David Hope, former Archbishop of York, and Stephen Sorby, of the National Railway Chaplaincy17 Revd Richard Patten, in the late 1960s, bought his own full-size steam locomotive, 73050, and so began the restoration of the Nene Valley Railway near Peterborough18 An interest in railways is something that a number of clergy own up to when talking about themselves. For example:

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The Revd. Timothy L’Estrange, MA, DipMin, FRSA, Vicar of North Acton and Surrogate: Spent his spare time as a first aider with the St John Ambulance Brigade, and pursuing a life-long interest in railways, especially the narrow gauge. His parish Reader also expresses an interest in dabbling ‘in the ancient art of railway modelling’19 The Restless Rector, who is not keen to divulge his identity, wrote in his blog of his love of trains. In 2009, he said: “My own theory is that railways are all about order and communication. For some clergy, the stress of parish life, and the number of awkward people that one sometimes has to deal with, can be forgotten about in the ordered environment of a model railway. Here you are in complete control, with no-one to answer back or contradict. Yes, trains sometimes get derailed, but no-one gets hurt. Some model railway enthusiasts run their trains to a strict timetable – another layer of order and control. But running a railway can be a very social activity. In real life trains are passed from the control of one signal box to another with great care. Nowadays this is all computerised, but it used to be by a series of bell codes and telephones.20 He goes on to ask: “Is there anything theological or biblical in all of this? I’m not sure, but maybe building and running a model railway reflects something of the creativeness of God, and his fatherly care.”20 … In addition, he suggests that because railways are about communication – travel to a destination, the news and the post – then interest in railways may be found more often in the evangelical wing of the church where, “a high priority is put on taking the good news to new places.”20 His final comment is perhaps quite Anglican. Talking of his interest in railways, he says: “it’s just something I’ve grown up with and embraced for myself – rather like my faith I suppose.”20 In my own experience, interest in railways is evenly spread between clergy colleagues and a particular churchpersonship does not seem to increase the likelihood of that interest.

The ecumenical nature of railway interests is illustrated by two clerics involved with the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. …

Fr. Eddie Creamer, a part-time prison chaplain, aged 77, talked in 2017, when he had already been a member of the RPSI for nearly 40 years, of his fascination with trains from his childhood. He goes on to explain that, “When [he] was working in the Philippines [he]

(above)Fr. (RPSI) 26

Eddie

Creamer

(right) Revd. Canon John McKegney (RPSI) 21

joined the RPSI just to get their magazine sent to [him], but when [he] returned to Ireland [he] came to Whitehead to take a few photographs of the trains. I asked if they needed anyone to help them and they haven’t let me go. And now I’m here once a week. I find it very relaxing.” 21 In 2017, the Chair of the RPSI was Revd.

Canon John McKegney, a retired Church of Ireland rector. In 2017, he had been involved with the RPSI for over half-a-century21

Railways and Religion

The interaction between the church and the railways goes right back to the very early days of what was then a new mode of transport. Revd. Michael Ainsworth points out that “the coming of the railways in the 19th century excited deep passions among churchmen, as many novels of the time illustrate. … For some the speed, the smoke, the ‘blot on the landscape’, were unnatural and diabolical – particularly when Sunday trains broke the sabbath commandment. The vast church of St Bartholomew, Brighton was built on a commanding site, and allegedly on the dimensions of Noah’s Ark, as a witness to those travelling down for ‘dirty weekends” [21] He goes on to say: “Clergy joined with landowners in resisting encroachment. (They had limited success – note, for example, how the line curves round Sacred Trinity Church in Salford.) … But others hailed railways as a godsend and a sign of divinely blessed progress (despite blighting the urban landscape). …

By the latter part of the century, they had certainly revolutionised episcopal ministry.

The late 19th-century renewal of enthusiasm for confirmation would not have been possible without the railways. For example, of James Fraser, Bishop of Manchester 1870-85, it was written he spent the week travelling through his diocese, so that there were few days in which he was not somewhere on the railways.”21

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So, why are a number of clergy interested in railways?

Revd. Michael Ainsworth again: “It has often been said that the reason why some clergy – probably male rather than female – and others, including church musicians, are keen on railways is because they are reassuringly ‘closed systems’, and Awdry’s setting of his railways on the Isle of Sodor confirms this. Lines and boundaries are set, detailed timetables can be pored over, structures are clear: a joy for those who run model railways in their attics for their own pleasure, or larger versions in their gardens to raise funds. … This joy is less pronounced now that the real railways have been franchised and fragmented. Responsibility for trains, track, signalling, stations and all else is dispersed among many bodies – providing more benefit to lawyers than to passengers … ‘customers’.”21 The Rt Revd Michael Bourke comments about 19th Century Clergy in the Church Times Letters page in July 2011, that, “Many feared the pace of change, and some religious conservatives denounced the new world, including trains, as the work of the devil. In that context, clerical railway fever (across churchmanship divides) signified an affirmation of modernity. Both railwaymen and churchmen (mostly men in both cases) were re-engineering the nation with their networks of new lines and junctions, new parishes, church schools, and forms of spirituality.”22 He goes on to say: “For broad churchmen, the railways spelled enlightened progress; for Evangelicals, the new emphasis on punctuality embodied the Protestant work ethic; and for Catholics, the shared wisdom and co-operation of engineers, locomotive crews, and signalmen represented the mystery of a dedicated priesthood. No wonder the great stations were compared with cathedrals! … Clergy’s instinctive sympathy with this world led to support for the people who ran it, in what amounted to early forms of industrial mission.”22 He continues, in his letter, to draw parallels with “a similar clerical enthusiasm for the brave new world of computers.”22 66

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It seems that, in the early days of the railways, at least, a clergyperson’s attitude to the new-fangled railways said something significant and supplied one uniting factor in the midst of clerical division. However, this is not enough to justify a modern clergy interest in the railways.

Rev Clifford Owen was longing eagerly for his retirement at the age of 70. He was delighted to be surprised by his retirement gift from his last parish in Brugge and Oostende in Belgium: a 5-year membership of the Nene Valley Railway. He describes his joy at the gift and goes on to describe some of the pleasures of being involved with the life of that heritage line near Peterborough and particularly the connection he discovered with his grandfather through undertaking a job that his grandfather would have undertaken 70 years previously23

Revd Preb Mike Kneen.

Revd. Alan Newman24

Revd. Preb. Mike Kneen who retired as Rector of Leominster in September 2020 has had a lifelong interest in steam locomotives.

His farewell statement on the Leominster Priory Website says nothing of this interest but it is accompanied by a picture of him as an Engine Driver on the Severn Valley Railway – a pastime which he enjoyed throughout his ministry.

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The former vicar of Christchurch, Bradford on Avon, Revd. Alan Newman was another significant railway photographer who became part of the photographic triumvirate of himself, Ivo Peters and Norman Lockett, and he was friendly with two other notable railway clerics that we have already encountered above: the Rev. W Awdry and the Rev Teddy Boston.

His story is told by Colin Maggs in a book published by Amberley Press25 Newman was born and brought up in Bath, near to the Great Western Railway, which sparked a lifelong interest in steam trains in particular. He took extensive trips throughout the country, hoping to see a train of every class in Britain, recording his finds as detailed notes supported by photographs24 David Self in the Church Times in January 2008 asked the same question as this article: ‘What draws clerics to railways?’18 It is worth quoting parts of that piece here. Self says: “In the 1950s, most enthusiasts were merely trainspotters. Folklore suggests that a few clerics could always then be found on the ends of platforms at Crewe, York, and (for some mysterious reason) Worcester Shrub Hill.”18 He continues: “There was nothing comic in the ’50s about being interested in trains.

Boys wanted to become engine-drivers. In the 1952 Ealing comedy The Titfield Thunderbolt, it was perfectly natural that the leading light in the village’s attempts to preserve its branch line should be the parson, the Revd Samuel Weech. Over the next ten years, however, the railway enthusiast became a figure of fun: a gormless, spotty loner, obsessed by numbers and timetables, and always clutching Biro and notebook.” 18 In research reported in ‘Trends in Cognitive Sciences’ in June 2002,[26] there was an attempt to define trainspotters as people with a form of Asperger syndrome, as they had a strong desire to order the world. In 2001, the National Autistic Society conducted research among children with autism to explore their frequent attraction to Thomas the Tank Engine.

“Among the survey’s findings was the way that many children with autism regard Thomas much as others cherish a comfort blanket. They seem to appreciate the clear plot lines of the stories, the predictability of the characterisation, and the fact that, if something goes wrong, it will be put right by the conclusion. They also seem[ed] fascinated by the engines’ faces.” 18 David Self says that, “this is not to draw cheap parallels or to make bad jokes about

clerics and those with autism or Asperger syndrome. Even so, it is possible to see both ecclesiastical and psychological reasons why watching trains should appeal especially to those in ministry.” [35] To the cognoscenti … railways are predictable. For every delay, there is a cause. It is a world of facts and realities, a world where (with luck) it is possible to see all — even if it is only every locomotive of a given type. It is the perfect antidote to the often more nebulous realm of theology.” 18 “Similarly, for the clerical railway modeller, the layout in the loft presents an opportunity to create a parallel world, where everything runs to order, and at times and in ways you dictate — unlike normal parish life.” 18 It was David Self’s article that pointed me to an American website (www.steamingpriest. com) that reveals something of the breadth of interest among Roman Catholic priests, Protestant ministers, and Rabbis in ‘playing trains’ 18 On that website, as well as seeing something of the scope of his hobby, we are introduced by Fr. Fanelli to his interest in live steam modelling. His interest in railway modelling developed throughout his ministry from first, N scale, through to large scale, live steam models.18 David Self reminds us that the former Chancellor Dennis Healey once stressed the importance of a politician’s hinterland — an interest in areas other than politics. Winston Churchill had his painting, Ted Heath had his sailing and music, and John Major his cricket, and Gordon Brown, an interest in soccer. Lord Healey enjoyed photography and literature.

Self says that, “Such interests are not just a means of escape or relaxation, important as these may be. They are evidence of a rounded personality.” 18 That idea of a ‘hinterland’ to describe interests outside of ‘work’ is useful when thinking of clergy interests. David Self suggests that a ‘hinterland’ of interests outside of the theological and ecclesiastical is essential for clergy, “not just for their own sanity, but to help them relate more easily to the world outside the Church. It can also contribute to developing an inner calm. For some, their hinterland will be their family. For others, it will be cricket — a world where, for a few hours, you are isolated on the pitch and unable to be got at. Many have found a similar escape at the end of a station platform.”18 There is more to an interest in railways than trainspotting, but I think that Self’s conclusion January/February 2021

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to his article is apposite to all interest in railways: “Why mock such happiness? Trainspotting must be one of the most harmless and inexpensive hobbies. It can be pursued alone or with friends and is surprisingly democratic. Your profession (or lack of one) is irrelevant: it is the trains that matter.” 18

Although Nicholas Whittaker‘s book, “Platform Souls” is purportedly about trainspotting, it acknowledges a wider interest in the realm of railways and, unsurprisingly, within its pages we also encounter the clergy.

He describes an open day at a railway depot.

“Hauling myself up into the cab of E3003 . . . I bump into my first clergyman. He is semidisguised in trainers and jeans, but his tweedy jacket and dog collar are a dead giveaway.

Perched in the driver’s seat, he . . . whistles high-speed fantasies through his teeth.”28: p221222]

Whittaker manages to capture some of the factors that seem inexorably to draw some individuals to the railway. “Trainspotting: here was a real boy’s hobby with its own gaberdine camaraderie. It was dirty and mechanical, proudly masculine and solid, yet at the same time … romantic and educational.”28: p19 He talks of a time when as a young boy he first managed to slip unnoticed through a small door in the side of one of Burton-on-Trent MPD’s two roundhouses: “In that moment, you slipped from a fresh-smelling open-air into a strange sepulchral atmosphere, silent but for the hiss of escaping steam. This was the first time I’d been so close to a railway engine and, without a station platform to bring me level, I stood feeling small and awed by the scale of it.”28: p23 One ‘interesting’ footnote is the range of society stars that could be seen while standing at the end of a station platform but of even greater significance to a young Nicholas Whittaker, was the possibility that you might 68

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encounter one of the dignitaries of the railway interest establishment such as Cecil J. Allen or C. Hamilton-Ellis. In the light of the purpose of this article, it is worth recording that Whittaker goes on to say: “The one we all wanted to meet was… Eric Treacy, Bishop of Wakefield. We knew that, for some reason, railways attracted the clergy, but a bishop was something special!”28: p43 My own interest in railways and railway modelling stems, I believe, from a childhood fascination with trains and from a preordination career in civil engineering. My interest in railways is eclectic, but I accept that for many people it will be perceived as a niche interest.

If you were to read my blog you would find that I have a particular interest in Secondary French railways and tramways, many of which fell into disuse soon after the Second World War but whose routes can still be followed through the French countryside by car and bicycle. Jo and I have done just that in a variety of contexts in Southern France on regular Autumn visits.29,30 You will find that I have developed a childhood interest in the 3ft Gauge railways of Ireland into a series of narratives following the routes of those old lines which disappeared in the early second-half of the 20th Century32 You will see that one seminal moment for me was travelling on the ‘Lunatic Express’ in East Africa, and you can, if you wish, follow a full journey along the line from Mombasa to Kampala and beyond32 You will, I hope, be delighted to follow, in a forthcoming issue of Great Western Star, the story of the building of an N-Gauge model railway in the vicarage loft33 At times these interests have been all-consuming, they certainly have allowed me to escape from times when ministry has been particularly stressful.

Conclusion

It seems that whether a cleric’s interest in railways comes from a past outside the church, or is borne in the midst of theological formation, it has some significant things going for it. Like many other interests, it forms an alternative world to the world of work. I’m not sure that, ultimately, any further justification is needed.

References

1 - Ed Bevan; All Steamed Up About Trains; Church Times, 15th June 2011; https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/ articles/2011/17-june/features/all-steamed-up-about-

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trains, accessed on 9th February 2020.

2 - Russell J. Garwood, Imran A. Rahman, Mark D. Sutton; From Clergy to Computers; Geology Today, Volume 26, Issue 3, 2010; p96-100; https://onlinelibrary. wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2451.2010.00753.x 3 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Catholic_clergy_ scientists 4 - Revd Fergus Butler-Gallie; A Field Guide to the English Clergy: A Compendium of Diverse Eccentrics, Pirates, Prelates and Adventurers; All Anglican, Some Even Practising; Oneworld Publications, London, 2018.

5 - https://www.waterstones.com/book/a-fieldguide-to-the-english-clergy/the-revd-fergus-butlergallie/9781786074416 6 – https://www.osvnews.com/2019/04/07/what-clergyand-religious-do-in-their-spare-time 7 – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Boston 8 - http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/awdryobit.htm 10 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_in_The_ Railway_Series#Thomas_the_Tank_Engine 11 - https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/Other_Languages 12 - For example: Peter Denny; The Railway Modeller Magazine July and August 1958.

13 - For example: Peter Denny; Peter Denny’s Buckingham Branch Lines: 1945-1967 Pt. 1; Peter Denny’s Buckingham Branch Lines: 1967-1993 Pt. 2; Wild Swan, Oxfordshire; 1993, 1994 14 - For example: https://highlandmiscellany.com/tag/ peter-denny 15 - Tony Wright – https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/ model-railways/famous-model-train-layouts-and-theircreators–part-1 16 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Treacy 17 - Clergy carrying train tribute to former railway fan vicar; The Northern Echo, 2010; https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/ northyorkshire/8358957.clergy-carrying-train-tributeformer-railway-fan-vicar 18 - David Self; What draws clerics to railways?; Church Times , 30th January 2008; https://www.churchtimes. co.uk/articles/2008/1-february/comment/what-drawsclerics-to-railways

19 - https://sites.google.com/site/stgabrielacton/ourpriests 20 – http://coulsdonrectory.blogspot.com/2009/06/clergyand-trains.html Revd. Michael Ainsworth; Thoughts on railways, clergy, religion and the law; in Law & Religion UK, 17 April 2015; https://lawandreligionuk.com/2016/04/18/thoughts-onrailways-clergy-religion-and-the-law 21 – https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/features/ love-of-railways-sent-clerics-off-on-a-totally-newtrack-36257796.html 22 - Rt. Revd. Michael Bourke; https://www.churchtimes. co.uk/articles/2011/8-july/comment/letters-to-the-editor/ clergy-who-fall-in-love-with-railways-article-was-on-theright-track 23 - Rev Clifford Owen; Retired Clergy Don’t Run Out Of Steam; Diocese of Europe; https://europe.anglican.org/ main/latest-news/post/994-retired-clergy-donat-run-outof-steam 24 - https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/5072513.withgod-and-gwr 25 - https://www.amberley-books.com/discover-books/ transport-industry/railways/the-life-of-a-steam-railwayphotographer.html 26 - Simon Baron-Cohen; The extreme male brain theory of autism; in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Volume 6, Issue 6, 1st June 2002, p248-254.

27 - https://www.steamingpriest.com https://www.steamingpriest.com/about/fathers-rr-story 28 - Nicholas Whittaker; Platform Souls; Orion, London, 1995 (Revised Edition, 2015). https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-blog/ireland.

29 - https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-blog/ railways-and-tramways-around-nice.

30 - https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-blog/ railways-and-tramways-of-south-western-france.

32 - https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-blog/ uganda-and-kenya-railways.

33 - https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-blog/ model-railway.

Revd. E. R. Boston & P.D. Nicholson; Font to Footplate; Line One Publications, 1986.

Network Rail workers Provide an Injection of Life at Exeter

continue contributing towards overcoming Covid-19 away from the tracks. It was immensely rewarding to have helped build the Nightingale Hospital in Exeter last year and to see so many colleagues pull together again in a similar fashion speaks volumes of the selfless individuals who have contributed their time to get this vaccination facility up and running.”

Darryn Allcorn, Devon’s lead chief nurse, said: “We’re very grateful to all the people from Network Rail who volunteered to help set up the vaccination centre at Westpoint. It was a fantastic effort by all, and our new centres mean we are on track to further increase the scale and pace of the vaccination programme.”

Volunteers worked to complete a range of tasks, including assembling furniture, laying out signage and constructing the vaccination pods to help ensure the facility was ready to open on Tuesday January 26.

The workers spent five days giving their time to unloading around 100 pallets of equipment from articulated lorries, and setting it up inside the main Westpoint building, at Clyst St Mary.

Network Rail workers last year volunteered to help transform a former Exeter DIY store, at Sowton, into a new Nightingale Hospital.

Nick Millington, Network Rail’s director of safety taskforce, who coordinated the volunteers, said: “We are so proud to have played a part in helping set up this hugely important vaccination centre in Exeter.

Throughout the pandemic, colleagues right across Network Rail have worked tirelessly to help keep our trains and stations running safely for the benefit of our passengers, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to

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Tales from the Four Foot Eight and a Half!

I have chosen this title (with due deference to A A Milne) as a way of recording the stories of men and women who have worked on Britian’s railways and, in particular those whoese time was spent on former Great Western lines. I would

like to express my gratitude to them all for telling their stories My Life on the Railways in The Valleys

The life story of Percival Hanniford who Swapped the Sunshine of Jamaica for a Life in the Valleys of South Wales In November, Gareth Derry, Transport for Wales Safety Operations Team was given the privilege to interview Percival Hanniford, following an initial talk that he had with about moving from the Caribbean to the Valleys of South Wales and gaining employment on the railways. This was done as part of Black History Month. For Mr Hanniford, who is now 91 years old, coming to Britain was a brave step to take and here he tells about how it happened, how his life and that of his family changed, he recalls many stories about his life on the railways and the friends that he made..

Gareth Derry: Thank you for talking to me today. Coming to Britain in the late 1950s was a very bold step to take. How did it happen?

Percival Hanniford: In 1958/59, there was a programme on our local radio in Jamaica every Sunday afternoon, saying, “If you want to come to Britain, listen each week to this programme and we will tell you all about the country.”

They did just this, telling us not only the good things but also the bad things but highlighting the fact that there were lots of jobs available in Britain as it recovered from the War. My wife and I used to listen every week and, at that time I had a job but shortly afterwards, the Company went out of business. I was looking for alternative employment when I turned to my wife and said, “That sounds like a good opportunity”, but she did not think we could afford it.

GD: What happened next?

PH: My wife had two brothers living in England, so I asked her to write to them asking for their view on the situation. She did this and they 70

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Mr Percy Hanniford

wrote back and said, “Come if you want to but it’s not a bed of roses!” So, having discussed it over and over, I took up the offer and we came to Britain in 1961/62, eventually settling in Cardiff. We could not afford to bring our four children with us, so we left them with our parents. I did not find work at once but my brother in law said to take the local paper – The Echo – for three pence and look through the jobs. Eventually, by the end of 1962 I saw an advertisement for a job with British Rail as a Guard – I thought that this must be as a soldier guard! It was my sister in law who explained that this meant a job on the railway!

GD: How did you find things when you first arrived?

PH: As I said, it was in 1961/62 when we arrived and 1962 was that extremely hard winter. I did not like the weather – it was so cold and such a change from the hot climate in the Caribbean!

Remember that it was 1962, the year of the very cold weather and heavy snow. The River Taff froze so solid that you could walk across it. British Rail shut down and engines were abandoned where they stopped, is some cases for up to two days! Despite it not being as easy to get a job as we had been led to believe, never then or at any time in my career on the railway did I ever encounter any racism. At that time there were people from many different nations who had moved to Britain after the War to get employment. It was a rough time.

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GD: Was it easy to get into British Rail?

PH: When we arrived in Britain, I was told that I would have a great opportunity if I joined British Rail. The main thing was not to get into trouble and to keep my head down. For the whole of my career with British Rail, that is exactly what I did. I had a long and happy career and gradually, in stages we were able to bring our four children over - at first one, then a second and finally the last two - and to become a family once more, now living in Cardiff. One of my brothers in law was living in Cardiff and that is why we settled there.

GD: What happened then?

PH: I had never worked with trains in Jamaica and so this was something new for me. I was invited along for an interview with a gentleman – I do not remember his name – and after we had been though his questions, he said to me,: “You’re quite intelligent, you can write and everything about you is what we are looking for, so I will Pass You and you will be sent to our depot in Newtown.”

So, there I was. For the first two weeks, I was put through a tough training programme in the Newtown training school, learning routes, signals, and railway regulations before being sent out by British Rail to towns and cities all over the country. At the end of the two weeks, we went down to the Newtown depot for on the job training. At the end of this time, I was passed out as a Guard and given my pack, which contained my Railway Appendix, red and green flags, a lamp and, finally, several detonators in case of any blockages on the line!

In our training group, there was another man from the West Indies and two from Pakistan and, to this day, we still regularly correspond – when we made friends, we made friends for life!

GD: How did that work out?

PH: I had now been passed out to be a Guard but, I really did not enjoy the work and then an opportunity arose for a Shunter. To my surprise, I really loved it. I started as an UnderShunter and gradually worked up to become Head Shunter. I found that then, I was totally responsible for everything – I had to prepare trains for one end of the country to the other and, in fact not just across England but also for the Continent. It was my responsibility to check where every wagon was going and to make sure that it was in the right place at the right time. These wagons carried a wide variety

of goods ranging from livestock and meat to coal and steel.

When we were not actually working, we would go back to the cabin and we all grew together as a big family. There was no bickering and, as I said, there was never a hint of racialism, we all got on just fine. We worked on shifts – 2pm to 10pm, 10pm until 6am and 6am until 2pm. We would all get to work ahead of time so that we could talk to the previous shift to see if there was anything we should know before we started work. Then, at the start of each shift we were given a big sheet with all our duties laid out on it. I loved the time when there were steam engines because they were warm – absolutely wonderful in 1962! - and the driver would call out, “Come up, Boyo! I will get you warm.” Then, we could get in with the driver and enjoy the heat from the fire. Diesels were not the same, they did not have that same glow and had only a little heater which was down by the side of the driver and, sometimes, the driver would say, “You are not coming in here!”

We loved our time with the steam engines.

GD: Can you tell me a bit more about the work that you did?

PH: In the later days, when we were working with diesel engines, I would be in charge of the train, with the driver. It was my responsibility to keep him out of danger until his shift was over. During the time that I was working there, we saw a lot of changes. At Newtown we had a couple of collieries that sent coal to Newtown but, once they closed, we no longer had these trains and so we were moved to Tremorfa where there were less sidings and hence a smaller workload. Here it was steel and coal; the steel was made next to us and so everything was made there. We had to make up the trains and then send them further afield By this time, I had been made up to Head Shunter. As such, everything was my responsibility and, so, if anything happened, it was down to me. I was also responsible for the engines and the drivers.

GD: Were you enjoying your job?

PH: It was great fun. I still see my railway family, many of them are still around and, as I said, I was in charge of a body of men – drivers, shunters, and me! I was in charge of many of them as a Shunter. Then I was promoted again, this time to Chargeman. I found this much more difficult as I was now working indoors – I preferred to be out with the men and the January/February 2021

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trains! Now, everyone had to come to me – I didn’t allocate the work, but I was distributing the work.

GD: Over the years, you must have had some interesting experiences. Can you tell us about some of them?

PH: I remember once, when we were shunting at Newtown and we were on morning turn, we were sitting in the cabin when the Inspector suddenly said, “Something is not right!”

All four of us rushed outside and asked, “What has happened?”

He said, “There is a train coming up from Margam and I have been told to look out for it when it comes to Cardiff.”

When the train passed through Cardiff Central, there appeared to be nothing wrong.

However, when it got to Newtown, we could hear “Let me out, let me out!” and a banging on the wagon side.

One of the Shunters, named Jack, said, “There is someone in there, but it is supposed to be just a goods train.”

We stopped the train, the shouting and banging continued and so we opened the wagon door, and, to our astonishment, he said, “There’s a woman in here!”

“What are you doing in there? Where are you coming from?”

“I want to go to London! Is this London?”

We said, “You are not going any further than here! Come on, get out!

We got him out and said, “We can’t let you go.”

Across a few sidings was the station but the Inspector said, “We can’t let you go.” Someone came and collected him and that was the last we saw of him.

GD: Transport for Wales’ current head of drivers, Julian Thomas has told us that he always remembers you as easy to get on with as a Shunter, really fair and, that at that time, that was not always the case – some Shunters were quite hard to get on with. How does it feel to be so fondly remembered?

PH: I think, personally speaking, that everybody liked me. When I became a Supervisor, myself and my wife were going on the train and one of my old colleagues was coming out, a Guard, and he stopped and said, “Percy, Percy, where are you going?”

He said to my wife, “He may be your husband, but you do not know him. If it hadn’t 72

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had been for this man, I would not have been where I am.

When we got to the station, there was a bloke who said, “Percy, Percy, is that really you? Do you know that just last week I was talking about you and I thought you were dead! How old are you now?”

I said, “I am 91” They have already sent me a letter to say that this year’s dinner is cancelled. Since I left British Rail, I am still with them and they are still with me. One year, I was going on the train, the Guard, who knew me, came up to me and looked at my wife. “Tickets please” I just sat there and didn’t move “Tickets please” this time much louder and everyone in the carriage looked to see what was going on.

I said, “I haven’t got a ticket.”

“Well you are not riding on this train.”

We used to have fun along the line.

GD: There are a lot of new people coming into the railways these days. What advice would you give them?

PH: The most important thing is to make sure that you do the job correctly – if you don’t do it correctly, you haven’t got a job. It’s not a job you can play about with – it’s dangerous and its lives that are involved. That applies every time you cross that threshold. Make sure you do it to the best of your ability and happiness will come along. I started right at the bottom and I managed to work my way up, with good friends, advice, everything, and it gave me a long and happy life. Its been a long life and I am grateful to my wife for being there for me. Sometimes I would go off at 6 o’clock in the morning and not return until the same time the next day so she had to be in charge. Without her I could do nothing.

The railway is everything – it widens out to be not just your immediate family, not just your work colleagues but everyone involved. We all depend upon each other. Some people come into a job and leave after a short time because they do not like it. I have tried throughout my working life to do everything to the best of my ability and to be interested in everything that I did. If I had to make the same choice all over again, I would do the same again and come out triumphant!

GD: Thank you very much indeed for talking to us.

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A Locoman’s Tale Former fireman Bob Barnett tells a story from Bradley Hill Tunnel* Lydney loco shed in the Forest of Dean closed on Saturday 29th February 1964, after which date the locomotive power was supplied each day from the mother shed at Horton Road, Gloucester. This latter shed was not so much in the habit of providing us with our usual 57xx Pannier tank but, more likely, any loco that happened to be available and which complied with BR route availability. It was to this end that, on Friday 28th August 1964, I found myself in the company of my regular driver Jim Beard on 2-6-2 Prairie side tank 4564.

With Gloucester not bearing in mind the importance of clean fires, flue tubes and dry working sand on the Forest inclines, to say that 4564 was shy on steam was an understatement as we started to struggle with a full load of eight bitumen tanks and brake van, heading for the Berry Wiggins Depot just beyond Bilson Junction on the Bullo branch.

Entering the eastern portal of Haie Hill Tunnel.

(Photo: Bob Barnett)

The weather was scorching hot as we made our way up towards the first 1,064-yard long Haie Hill Tunnel and I could see that we were going to have problems. The tunnel was straight from end to end with a passage time of approximately five minutes and caused no problems to footplate men. On the day in question, before clearing this tunnel, the boiler water was dropping and the steam clock was following, while the loco was moving abnormally slowly and the exhaust was barking into the roof of the tunnel before entering the cab.

The perspiration was pouring down my face from the super-heated air in the cab and the

atmosphere was foul with poisonous gases as we crashed on up the bank.

Leaving this tunnel and with only 200 yards to go before the next one, I banged another charge of coal around the fire box as Jim dropped the reversing lever a few notches and put the regulator right across to keep us going.

This state of affairs would cause our loco to be working under the most undesirable conditions and our aim now was to get to Soudley Halt where we could stop for a ‘blow-up’ and have a chance of getting our train of tanks away again from a dead start.

(left) The western entrance to the 299-yard Bradley Hill Tunnel...(Photo: Ruth Fletcher)...and (right) the same end today.

The middle, 299-yard long, Bradley Hill Tunnel, which we had now just entered, was the worst of the three on this line, with a lefthand bend that affected ventilation. (The 109yard Blue Rock Tunnel was the final one and, like Haie Hill, gave few problems.) With no ventilation shafts and an east wind, this caused the hot gases to move along these tunnels with the loco. The method now was to dip a patch of cotton waste into a bucket of water, wring out the excess, then cover this concocted air filter with one’s handkerchief and place it over mouth and nose.

Halfway through Bradley Hill Tunnel, I was on my knees, struggling to breathe. I could feel the hot gases burning the centre of my chest and my clothes were sticking to my body. Our loco was now blasting the tunnel roof with hot steam and gases as we moved barely at walking pace. My heart was pounding as the hot yellow fog drifted over the side and into the cab.

“I’m getting off!” I announced to Jim as I reached for the cab door. The next thing I remember in that black hell hole was Jim grabbing hold of me and pulling me back to the floor of the footplate. “Stay there!” he shouted.

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A Pannier tank enters the south end of the 109yard Blue Rock Tunnel, encountering its right-hand curvature. (Photo: Bob Barnett)

cut in half under the wheels of our loco. Stay down!”

It occurred to me that I did not have much choice in the matter as Jim leaned across to hold me to the footplate. I had not enough air

in my lungs to fight him and wondered where he had found enough to come across the cab and grab me. I now resigned myself to my fate.

I was going to die on the footplate of this loco.

After what seemed to be an eternity, we emerged from the tunnel and the eerie yellow fog slid back over the side of the cab from where it had come. I felt as if I had just been woken from a nightmare.

Sticking my head over the side of the cab, I noticed that the silver metal of the handbrake had gone the characteristic yellow from the sulphur. As I looked back the smoke was swirling up off the wagons behind our loco as, one by one, they came into view. For the rest of the day and for the first time, I went without a cigarette.

Having travelled through these tunnels from the age of ten with my driver father, I had never experienced anything so bad before or since.

This article was written by Bob Barnett and is reproduced courtesy of Forgotten Relics

The King and I Leo Brown Before my father died, we had a session together and put this piece together for publication in "The King's Messenger" - published by the 6024 Society. It provides an account of a first trip from Plymouth to London as a 20-year old fireman on a King.

It was many years ago, yes, way back in 1944, before the GWR was nationalised. I was a young fireman in the junior links at Laira depot, in Plymouth. With little experience of main line passenger work, I was finding everything a challenge, but not as big as the challenge on that summer's day in 1944. I was only 20 at the time, only just out of my teens and Britain was at war. I had hankered after the RAF and Spitfires, but a finger injury and the essential war effort contribution of the railways had prevented me leaving to join up.

That particular week, I had already done two trips Plymouth to Truro on local passenger trains. These trips had been firing to a top link driver by the name of Charlie Cuthbert long since departed to that great roundhouse in the sky. On our second trip, he mentioned that he was booked to London the following day - no less a train than 'The Cornish Riviera Limited', though always fondly known as "The Limited" - Limited referring to the limited 74

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stops and timescale to complete the journey.

It was the flagship Express of the GWR's west country arm! Charlie had asked me as his regular fireman was on leave. This in itself was an unusual request, as the roster clerk always booked the top-link spare-man to these turns. Nevertheless, with perhaps a bit of apprehension on both my part and the roster clerk's part, I was booked onto that turn of duty. Needless to say, there was a fair amount of trepidation on my part!

We booked on at 10:45am the following day. First task was to prepare the loco, which was 6020, 'King Henry IV', resplendent in her green livery and GWR crests, a real tribute to the cleaners at Laira. Wartime or no, the loco to haul 'The Limited' was at least going to look her best. Whether she was to perform at her best was going to be down ultimately to the two of us. We had a couple of extra tubs of coal piled high on the tender as it was to be Plymouth to Paddington (almost) non-stop.

6020 was still carrying her single chimney then, modifications to the double blastpipe being still some 12 years away. We rode tender first into Plymouth to pick up the three coaches making up the Plymouth portion. The Cornish portion duly arrived behind a Castle,

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6020 King Henry IV on Saunderton Bank (now with double-chimney)

though I paid only scant attention to it, being preoccupied with getting a good fire set in for the start of our journey. The amalgamated train was some 365 tons, so we had an assist engine on the front of us, one of the old 34XX Bulldog type locos. Somehow now, the look of the can of tea, a couple of bottles of water and some sandwiches in my box didn't look enough to get me through to London.

With heart throbbing waiting for the right of way, a good clean fire, a full boiler and blowing off, we waited the “Right Away” from the guard.

Then there was a minor explosion as the gauge glass had broken. This was not the first time I had experienced this happening but, as we left Plymouth on the stroke of 12:30pm, I had to set to and replace the offending glass - no problem except I do remember everything being always so hot to handle. The GWR motto that "nothing stops the Limited" had to be maintained!

Leaving the fire to attend to the glass was absolutely necessary, but I do remember thinking I was already neglecting the fire and would we pay for it when we tackled Hemerdon bank in a few miles. Confidence returned as we mounted the summit of Hemerdon, though we had disturbed the wildlife in the woods towards the summit in doing so!

With previous knowledge of the route as far as Taunton, I had no problems apart from the sheer hard work of it all. The assist driver was in too much of a hurry going down the bank from Dainton to Newton Abbot and the King gave rather a heavy lurch around the curve at Stonecombe, where Charlie fell off the seat The Limited with it’s Bulldog Assist Engine

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on to the footplate, none too pleased with the rock and roll. The assist engines crew had all the responsibility for braking - we were just left with delivering the power!

We came to a stop at Newton Abbot West, outside the station, where the Bulldog was uncoupled and moved off into the station. We went through the station on the up through road, now long since disappeared under a car park! After the banks of South Devon, the line to Exeter was relatively easy going with several speed restrictions along the coast owing to the severe curves. It was a chance to build the fire up with a steady rhythm - one to the left, one to the right, just inside the firebox doors. No point in wasting energy in throwing it down the box the vibration of the King would do that for me.

Even so, the sound of a shovelful hitting the tube plate in a fit of exertion is still a satisfying sound, occasionally!

Being a summer day, and warm as well, there was a fair bit of coal dust to keep at bay. South Wales steam coal was a good quality coal to have but was liable to being dusty under those conditions. After passing through Exeter the going got harder with the climb to the summit into Whiteball Tunnel. Through the tunnel, I left my beloved Devon behind, and burst out into the sunlight in Somerset. The toils of Whiteball had taken their inevitable toll on the boiler.

Maybe this was due to my inexperience, but I hasten to add that Charlie was not renowned as one of the lightest of drivers. Maybe that had something to do with why nobody wanted to get me off this turn in the first place?

We had already picked up water at Powderham Troughs which I knew quite well, but I now headed into unfamiliar territory. At Creech Troughs and a speed of 70 mph, I needed a fair amount of strength to operate the water scoop. Time lost in taking water on meant extra effort to maintain a very demanding fire now.

Firing rate had to be constant and consistent if I were to keep on top of the job.

Being in unfamiliar territory, I had to rely on Charlie to tell me what the road was in front of us. A further 40-minute climb followed to take us to the top of Brewham. The subsequent descent to Westbury gave some respite and allowed the opportunity to regain the boiler.

Water taken on at Taunton earlier was lasting well but, once again, it was a wrestle with the scoop at Fairwood troughs. A chance to see a lineside post told me that we had completed half of the journey. The thought of another half to go, though, started raising doubts in my mind as to whether I was going to last out. The 76

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comment from Charlie that we had another 40 minutes "against the collar" could have been the end of it all, but it seemed to be just the spur I needed at that time.

6020 was steaming well - as most Kings did. The credit must be due in part to the Collet's design of the King, for an inexperienced fireman certainly would be unable to take all the credit. The best accolade came sometime later when, on reaching the top of Savernake, Charlie looked across and said, "Well done! Very seldom do you get to the top of Savernake with water up the top of the gauge!" It was many years after that when I was a regular at this type of turn that I realised why you don't have a boiler full at this point as the gradient all the way to Reading is more or less falling and you could keep the loco quiet and not waste steam.

I do remember grabbing the sandwiches at that point and eating them with hands that were as black as the coal I was shovelling. The tea and water had long since disappeared! Continuous hard work on the shovel left no time to see much of what else was happening. Though our booked speeds were around the 80mph mark, I had little idea of actual speeds, the speedometer being tucked away over the reverser screw.

A last water pickup at Aldermaston Troughs and we were well on the way to the through road at Reading and then the last 36 miles due east to Paddington. I remember that it was still punishing along this stretch, even though the road is again, more or less, level. I was showing signs of exhaustion, not only from the physical work, but from the stress of maintaining the King at full steam, though we had not had to resort to using the blower. Indeed, we were not to use the blower for the whole trip.

After Slough, things became a little easier, as the fire had to be worked down to go into Paddington. This would allow the boiler to be kept quiet while standing in Paddington as passengers were detraining and passing us on their way to the exit. Nevertheless, the long poker had to be used to level the fire over the firebox. The last call for that bit of extra effort and the fire was levelled. The feeling of such satisfaction at being nearly there gave me that little bit of required extra strength. Watching the passengers detrain at Paddington, I felt somewhat sad that none of them really realised what had been going on at the footplate. In later trips, there was sometimes a comment from a passenger, but this time there was to be none.

We had arrived at number 8 Platform in Paddington, alas not on time, but 4 minutes late at 4:46pm. Speed restrictions and a couple

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of signal checks were the real cause, not that young inexperienced fireman. The feeling of satisfaction felt then was not to be experienced again too frequently in later life. I had felt at the onset that if nothing was ventured, nothing would be gained - and I had truly gained a lot of knowledge and confidence in myself, something from which I was deriving immense satisfaction.

Trailing back to Old Oak Common was the first time I remember looking at the state of the tender. It was still some third full, though I felt as though I had emptied it some two or three times over! Our prudence in taking the extra couple of tubs at Laira had been unnecessary.

By the time we were putting 6020 over the fire pit to be serviced, the only thing I recall was that all I wanted was a cool drink and a shower.

After disposing of 6020, we went to the canteen at the back of the paint shops and I couldn't get to the drinks counter quickly enough. The Cockney lady assistant knew we were the "Up Limited Men" from Charlie's appearance.

Turning to me, she said, "Have you fired the train from Plymouth to Paddington, as you certainly don't look big enough?" 10 stone, 4 pounds, including boots and overall!

A good wash and a meal were the only excitement for the rest of the evening, though I did remember to send the promised telegram to my Mum and Dad. Dad was especially proud as he was a railwayman himself. This trip was

always a mileage turn, meaning extra payment, 14 hours pay via the Berks and Hants, an extra hour if it was via Bristol. The basic wage of £4/10/0 (£4.50p) was for a week’s work - how times have changed. There were to be many subsequent trips, some of which must have surely been with 6024, 'King Edward I' but it will always be that first trip that I remember so vividly. One summer Saturday some twenty years later I was to fire a Castle, 5070 'Sir Daniel Gooch', over the same London to Plymouth route. That was to be the last steam engine I fired on a 'London'. Charlie Mapstone was the driver then, a driver from whom I learnt many, many skills and who was destined to become a very good friend.

My last ever trip over part of that route (Cogload Junction to Plymouth, just before my 65th Birthday and retirement) was at the sharp end of an HST set, but by then, the physical demands had been largely replaced by the mental demands. It was also a journey done alone, and more quickly! If ever I needed a reminder of that first daunting trip to London, then it is forever with me in the form of an original oil painting of 6020, 'King Henry IV' which adorns the wall of one of our rooms at home to this day.

Returning though to 1944, after that journey, I spent that night alone with just the thoughts of returning on the 1:30pm the following day but that's another story...............

Tales from Wales Andrew Dyke The milk creamery at Pont Llanio was sited next to the railway yard. In the early years, liquid milk was loaded into 13,620 litres (3,000 gallons) glass-lined rail tank wagons which were collected by up passenger trains and taken to Carmarthen for attachment to trains for London. Empty wagons were left on the short siding on the north of the building and moved into position below the output tank by means of fixed capstan winches. The Milk Marketing Board (MMB) leased the south siding for the import of coal but also for facilitating the marshalling of empty and full milk wagons.

When the Felinfach milk factory was opened, rail tanker traffic from the two factories was combined at Lampeter. During the gradual decline of services and closure of the railways

north of Pont Llanio and west of Felinfach, both were served by up to three dedicated trains a day, involving complex workings by steam locomotives from Carmarthen and later class 35 and 37 diesel motive power from as far away as Landore, Swansea.

Pont Llanio was in the true sense a country wayside station. Situated down a windy narrow lane a quarter mile or so from the A485, it served a very small settlement of a couple of railway cottages, a post office and a public house aptly named the Derry Arms and, all within a stone throw of the station.

Although the settlement of Pont Llanio was small and seeming idyllic situated next to the Afon Teifi with all the amenities immediately to hand, however, all is not what it seems and one

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Pont Llanio station

only has to scratch the surface to find that even the smallest of settlements didn't go without its problems centred specifically in this case around the pub.

The Derry Arms can trace its origins from before 1875 - Worrall’s Directory states the licensee as William Evans (1875) and although the house only had a relatively short licence 1875 to 1938 a number of misdemeanours are recorded.

In 1887 "David Davies, Derry Arms, Pontilanio, admitted a charge of having sold intoxicating drink on Sunday the 13th February and was fined 15s. and ordered to pay costs and Wm. Jones, factory man, Voylallt Factory, and John Evans, farmer's son, Rhydgog, Llanddewi-brief, were each fined 5s. for having been on the premises on the day in question.

All the charges were admitted." Cambrian News 25 Feb 1887.

It then reported on the 11 September 1896 TREGARON. ALLEGED, CUTTING AND WOUNDING.-On Tuesday morning before the Rev T. A. Phillips (in the chair), Dr Morgan, and D. W. E. Rowlands, Esqrs., D, Davies, Derry Arms, Pont Llanio, was charged with having maliciously cut and wounded D. W. Roberts, a caravan stroller.-Superintendent Phillips conducted the prosecution and Mr A. J. Hughes defended. Defendant, it was alleged, had struck Roberts with a poker. A good many witnesses gave evidence on both sides and the case was eventually dismissed.

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Lastly the Carmarthen Weekly Reporter on the 30th May 1913 Defence in Writing. DEAF AND DUMB ANGLER'S VISIT TO THE TEIFY. An unexpected difficulty arose at Tregaron Petty Sessions when it was found that Albert G. Lee, South Marine Terrace, Aberystwyth, charged with having fished for trout in the River Teifi without a license, was deaf and dumb. It was eventually arranged to explain the offence to the defendant in writing, and to allow him to make his defence in the same way. Defendant handed in a written statement, in which he said that he asked the proprietress of the Deva Anns, Pont Llamio, for a permit to fish in the River Teifi, and after some hesitation, she gave him the name of a place where he could fish. He then thought he was safe, and went on fishing.

When the bailiff gave him to understand that a license was necessary he went the same day to Tregaron and got one. It having been explained that Lee was a visitor to the district, the case was dismissed on payment of costs.

Notes: Although this refers to the Deva Arms, Pont Llanio, it is almost certainly the Derry Arms, Pont Llanio. The place is too small for more than one pub!

Neyland allocated 51xx Class 2-6-2T No 8103, reverberates around the suburbs of Aberystwyth as she climbs out of the town near Trefechan with an Aberystwyth to Carmarthen service. AD collection

A little distance behind the photographer the train will reach the summit of this short, but fearsome, climb to enter a deep cutting before heading out near Tanybwlch beach and on to Llanrhysted Road.

Recently I visited this location to get a better understanding of the route taken by engine crews when departing and arriving into Aberystwyth from Carmarthen. To give a better understanding of what the railway was like in the days of steam. The line for Carmarthen took a westerly direction when leaving Aberystwyth station, on a long sweeping curve passing

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en route the old Manchester and Milford engineering works on the left before passing over the Vale of Rheidol railway line and then the River Rheidol on two separate bridges. the engine's then got stuck into steep climb passing over Penparcau road before plunging into a deep high-sided cutting before emerging into open fields near Tanybwlch beach. Today the casual observer in denial of a railway running through this location, might be forgiven, to be honest, I found it quite hard to comprehend myself, the only remnants of the line between the railway crossing the River Rheidol and Tanybwlch beach is a short embankment all, other distinguishing features have been simply swept away or as, in the case of the deep cutting, filled in!

Image of railway workers lifting a smashed footbridge off the mainline between Oswestry and Welshpool in Buttington Station. Image published and appeared in Oswestry & Border Counties Advertiser, 13 March 1957 and Montgomeryshire Express and Radnor Times, 16 March 1957. Photograph Geoff Charles Distributed under the creative commons licence National Library of Wales.

Gwynant Williams of Machynlleth died under a bridge girder at Pool Quay on Sunday at noon. The rail bridge over the Severn tilted out of position. Williams was one of four men placing bed stones for a new bridge when the girder moved 18 inches pinning Williams between a cross timber and an abutment. The three others received slight injury only. The 12ton crane (Caersws crane) was stationary on the bridge but was not dislodged even though the track was twisted. The men sawed through the cross timber but they knew that poor Gwynant was dead.

The breakdown crane with 30-ton lift was sent from Shrewsbury and worked through the day and afterwards in floodlight to clear the debris. The crane worked back to Buttington Junction so that the Caersws crane could be

moved off the bridge. The jib of the Shrewsbury crane struck the footbridge causing a partial collapse. It was decided to dismantle the bridge, and about midnight, a steel part of the lattice struck crane foreman Jack Roberts. He was rushed to hospital but sadly died the next day.

This 'Black Sunday' as it became known closed the line for 30 hours. The inquest concluded that the Pool Quay accident occurred because of main girder failure and not due to the extensions girders, the woodblocks and jacks underneath the preparation. The Buttington station footbridge incident may have been a crew mistake or pure accident ..death by misadventure was recorded for foreman Jack Roberts sadly a third fatality followed within the month at a bridge at Llanymynech. Although the Gobowen to Oswestry branch was two and a half miles in length, it contained much interest. The line passed through pleasant rolling countryside with a gradual climb up to Oswestry the ruling gradient being a short stretch of 1 in 100.

Leaving the bay platform at Gobowen the Oswestry branch ran south-eastwards alongside the mainline for a short distance before turning in a Southwesterly direction on a sharp right-hand curve. Gobowen South Signalbox lay directly opposite the junction.

Once on the branch proper a number of sidings were situated on the downside of the main running line which was used for storage of wagons awaiting removal to Oswestry. Once passed the sidings the line passed over a wooden trestle bridge which carried the railway over the River Perry. Continuing a steadily climb trains on the single-track branch ran through shallow cuttings and with the A483 road converging Photographed at Park Hall Halt in September 1964 shows ‘Ivatt’ 2MT class 2-6-0 No 46516 approaching the halt with an Oswestry to Gobowen service.

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from the right, approached Park Hall Halt the only stopping place on the branch Park Hall Halt was opened by the GWR in July 1926 to facilitate the nearby Hospital, though this rather obscure stopping place also served an extensive military establishment in later years.

In the long term, the halt brought extra traffic to the branch with most passenger trains calling although this did bring about a slightly increased journey time over the branch from seven to eight minutes for the two and a halfmile run. Originally the overbridge at Park Hall consisted of a single timber span supported by stone abutments and photographic evidence reveals that this structure was still in use during the 1920s it was rebuilt thereafter with a substantial metal girder span.

In its later years, the halt was staffed and tickets for local stations between Oswestry and Chester were issued form a Bell Punch Machine, worked by a halt keeper. when the halt was unstaffed passengers joining trains would have been booked by the guard who

would have supplied any would-be passengers with the necessary Bell Punch Ticket.

The hospital at Park Hall provided a source of extra traffic for the railway during the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s but the Halt really came into its own during the Second World War, when the nearby army camp was reopened for military purposes.

During the war years, the branch carried increasing numbers of soldiers to and from Park Hall, traffic which continued unabated into peacetime when the camp became a training centre for Royal Artillery National Service personnel and ATS recruits, later the camp became a base for the Junior Leaders Regiment.

A wooden wicket gate gave access to the halt by way of a gently-sloping cinder path, which connected the halt to the adjacent road Continuing our train journey to Oswestry and immediately upon leaving the halt a fixed distance signal for Gobowen was passed, while a short distance beyond the railway ran close to the A483 and outer fringes of Park Hall Camp.

Getting a Bigger “Byte” into Devon!

One of the South West’s oldest landmarks has become of the fastest places in the UK for broadband speeds. The historic Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway has been connected to Full Fibre broadband by Openreach. The Victorian railway is the UK’s only fully waterpowered railway and one of just three examples left in the world. It welcomes 400,000 visitors every year. Now, the installation of 21st century digital infrastructure means it can connect digitally with the whole world, providing ultrafast, ultra-reliable connectivity.

The upgrade forms part of Openreach’s investment to build Full Fibre broadband technology to thousands of homes and businesses in 33 “harder-to-reach” cities, towns and villages across the South West - part of a wider commitment to reach 3.2 million premises in the UK’s hardest to serve ‘final third’. When Openreach engineers surveyed Lynton and Lynmouth to plan new network, they realised that, with a bit of collaboration and some engineering know-how, the Cliff Railway could be an added bonus in their connection plans. It means the railway can run more efficiently and can now start to use the latest technology like cashless payments.

Adrian Chamberlain, Clerk of Works for Openreach’s Chief Engineer’s team said:

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Ashley Clarke, General Manager of the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway joins Openreach engineers as they install full fibre broadband infrastructure to the Victorian landmark

“ Because of their geography, Lynton and Lynmouth have without doubt been the most challenging locations I’ve surveyed in thirty years of being an engineer. Some days I’ve walked 33,000 steps, planning how we’ll bring Full Fibre broadband to the homes and businesses here.

“But it’s places like this that need our infrastructure more than ever. Ashley Clarke, General Manager of the Railway and I discussed how it might be possible to connect the Tourist Information Centre and Railway building at the bottom of the cliff, but the café building at the top was proving problematic. He suggested running the cable between the railway tracks from top to bottom and that’s what we’re doing.

It means that, by the time the 2021 tourist season starts, the railway, it’s office and café buildings and the TIC will all be connected to gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure.

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The Abermule Disaster – January 26th 1921 This was the second disaster to take place at Abermule on the Cambrian Railways and turned out to be one of the worst in UK railway history. That tragic day saw 17 passengers killed and a further 36 injured in what is the worst single-track accident on Britain’s railways.

The Cambrian Railways, which traversed Wales from Whitchurch in Shropshire to Aberystwyth and Barmouth, via Dovey Junction, contained a number of single line sections. The small station of Abermule was a crossing station between two such sections.

To the east was Montgomery, to the west was Newtown.

The line was controlled using Tyer’s Electric Tablets, with a linked tablet instrument at each end of each single track section. To allow a train to proceed into the section, a call button would be pressed on one instrument, alerting the operator at the other end of the section. If the other operator was in a position to accept the train, he would then press a release button on his instrument, which allowed a tablet (a metal plate inscribed with the name of the section) to be withdrawn from the caller's instrument.

The tablet would then be placed inside a pouch fitted with a metal loop (which allowed it to be easily picked up or handed over by a train crew while in motion) and given to the driver of the train as proof of his authority to occupy the section. Until the tablet was replaced in one of the instruments, another tablet could not be withdrawn from either of them. Tablets of adjacent sections had differently-shaped and -positioned holes and notches in them to prevent a tablet being inserted into wrong instrument.

Normally, the Tyer’s units were located in the signal box at each end of the section but, at Abermule, the electric tablet machines and the other block telegraph instruments were kept in the main station buildings, while the signals were worked from a separate signal box at the east end of the station, and some of the points from a ground frame at the other end of the station. Regulations specified that only the stationmaster or signalman were to work the tablet machines, but it was common for both to be occupied with duties away from the station buildings, and it became accepted practice for any member of the station staff to work them.

The section of the Cambrian Railways adjacent to Abermule Station, where the accident occurred

The Day of the Accident

Shortly before midday on 26 January 1921, a west-bound stopping train from Whitchurch and an east-bound express from Aberystwyth were approaching Abermule from opposite directions and were due to cross there. The regular Abermule Stationmaster, Parry, was on leave, and Relief Stationmaster Lewis, who was deputising for him, had gone for his lunch.

The other three station staff at Abermule were Signalman Jones, Porter Rogers, who was seventeen, and a trainee booking clerk named Thompson, who was only fifteen years old.

The staff at Montgomery station requested clearance for the stopping train to run to Abermule, and Signalman Jones pressed the release on the tablet instrument for the Montgomery-Abermule section, allowing the train to proceed. He then checked that the express was running to time, and was informed that it had just passed Moat Lane Junction on the far side of Newtown, as scheduled. Jones went to the signal box to open the level crossing gates and clear the signals for the stopping train. Meanwhile, Relief Stationmaster Lewis returned from his lunch. A permanent way sub-inspector attracted his attention with an urgent enquiry, and the stationmaster immediately went with the sub-inspector to the goods yard, without entering the instrument room or inquiring as to the position of any trains approaching Abermule.

Newtown station then requested permission for the express to proceed to Abermule. Porter Rogers pressed the release on the tablet machine for the Newtown-Abermule section which allowed it to do so. He then went to the ground frame at the west end of the station to set January/February 2021

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The aftermath of the disaster

the points for the express, but found the frame Lewis gave the "Right away" signal by hand. locked against him because Jones had already Jones, who was also on the down platform, "set the road" for the stopping train to arrive on assumed that the express had been delayed the down road. While Rogers was occupied at or held at Newtown for some reason. Rogers, the ground frame, Newtown signalled that the who was still at the ground frame, assumed the express was entering the Newtown-Abermule same, because of Lewis's actions and because section. However, there was no-one in the the frame was locked, and so he lowered the Abermule station buildings to note the signal. down advance starting signal. Lewis, Jones Before Porter Rogers could call to Signalman and Rogers did not realise the truth until the Jones to release the ground frame lock, the stopping train had already departed. stopping train arrived. The youth, Thompson, "The driver of the down train was oiling collected the tablet for the Montgomery- his engine at the moment when the tablet Abermule section from the driver of the stopping holder was handed to his fireman by relieftrain, and was heading back to the station stationmaster Lewis. It is clear that neither he buildings to put it in the tablet instrument nor the fireman could have examined the tablet when he met Lewis returning from the goods before the train started from Abermule. It is also yard. clear that neither Lewis, Jones, nor Thompson He gave the tablet to Lewis, saying that he could have looked at the tablet instrument for had to go and collect the tickets (although only the Abermule-Newtown section, otherwise they one passenger had alighted from the train). He would have seen the indicator showed that a did not mention that he had yet to exchange tablet had been withdrawn for an up train. the tablet for one for the Abermule-Newtown After the down train had started (about 12.3 section (which he could not have done, because p.m.), presumably when he returned to the the Abermule-Newtown tablet machine was still booking office to send the "entering section" locked). Thompson also mistakenly told Lewis bell signal for the down train to Newtown, and that the express was still "about Moat Lane", the "out of section" bell signal to Montgomery, presumably from having overheard some of the terrible mistake that had been made was Jones's earlier telephone conversation. discovered by Thompson, and Lewis realised Lewis assumed that because the express that he had given the Montgomery - Abermule had apparently not reached Newtown, the two tablet to the down train. Lewis telephoned to trains would cross at Newtown rather than Newtown to ask if the express had left and was Abermule, and he did not look at the tablet informed by Brock that it had left at 11.59 when closely enough to see that it was the one for the he had sent the "entering section" bell signal. A Montgomery-Abermule section that had just vain attempt was made to attract the attention been handed over by the driver of the stopping of the enginemen of the down train, by lowering train. He crossed back to the down platform and raising the up distant signal, but probably and, because the driver was oiling around the by the time this was attempted, the train had engine, handed the tablet back to the stopping passed the signal post, about 660 yards from train's fireman, who did not notice the error the loop points.

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When [fireman] Owen recovered, he found himself on the ground just behind the second vehicle (No. 310) of his train, which was lying across the railway on top of the first. He saw driver Jones on the opposite side just behind and underneath the third vehicle, which was leaning over towards the slope of the cutting. He got across the framing, and found Jones more seriously injured than himself, and anxiously enquiring whether they had the right tablet.

He assured him on the point, but a little later, as his driver was still anxious, he went to look for the tablet and crept under the frame of Coach No. 7730 for the purpose. After a little search he found both tablet holders lying on the ground to the left (north) of the track alongside the wreckage of the two engines.

He picked them up and found that one of the tablets for the Montgomery-Abermule section had evidently been carried by the down train.

He then returned and showed them to his driver to relieve his anxiety.

He subsequently handed the tablet holders to traffic controller Morgan, who travelled in the down train. Morgan eventually passed them for custody to chief traffic inspector George.

The latter, immediately after the accident, returned on foot to Abermule, where he arrived at 12.18 p.m. and arranged by telephone for the dispatch of medical and nursing assistance from Newtown."

The express was travelling at about 50 mph, and the crew were about to begin slowing for the arrival at Abermule, when they saw the stopping train heading for them on the same track. Although they immediately braked, they could not stop in time. The crew of the stopping train did not appear to have seen them, because they continued to put on steam. The crew of the express were just able to jump clear in time, although they were both severely injured.

Fifteen passengers, including a director of the railway, Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest, and the driver and fireman of the stopping train, were killed in the collision.

After the crash, Driver Pritchard Jones of the express train was desperately concerned that he had made an error, until his fireman, Owen, retrieved both their own correct tablet for the section, and the tablet for the MontgomeryAbermule section, from the wreckage. The tablets were handed to the Traffic Controller for the Cambrian Railways, who had been travelling on the stopping train, and the Chief Traffic Inspector, who had been a passenger on the express. The Inspector (George) took the Montgomery-Abermule tablet on foot to

Abermule station and replaced it in the correct machine in the presence of witnesses, to allow a breakdown train from Oswestry to reach the scene of the crash and assist with freeing the injured.

The two engines involved were Cambrian Railway 4-4-0 passenger locomotives – Class 61 No 82 (believed to have been on the stopping train) and Large Belpaire Passenger Class No 95, again believed to have been on the express).

Both were reduced to wreckage and written off.

There was severe telescoping of the passenger carriages, especially in the express train, which caused most of the casualties. This was apparently the result of the collision occurring on a slight curve, causing the buffers to be slightly misaligned, and allowing the fourth carriage of the express to override the buffers of the third.

Causes and lessons

The obvious cause of the Abermule collision was the unauthorised working of the tablet machines by anyone who happened to be around, and the failure of the staff at Abermule to notify each other of their actions. The slack working practices had been allowed to develop over several years by Stationmaster Parry and Signalman Jones.

A contributory cause was the failure of anyone to examine the tablet they received by removing it from its pouch and checking that it was the correct one. Although inspection of the tablet was required in the working rules, it was clearly taken for granted that the tablet was correct, since the system had worked faultlessly for years. Indeed, for anyone to ostentatiously examine a tablet may have been a breach of etiquette, as it would imply that the person handing it over might not be competent or trustworthy. Driver Pritchard Jones and Fireman Owen of the express train were conscientious in inspecting every tablet they received; the crew of the stopping train were not.

Finally, the awkward layout of tablet instruments, signals and points levers at Abermule meant that it was possible for conflicting movements to be made. The inquiry recommended that tablet machines be placed in the signal box under the sole control of the signalman, and also that starting signals (which gave trains authority to leave the station) be interlocked with the tablet instruments, so that they could not be cleared until the correct tablet had been released. However, this would involve the rebuilding of the station buildings

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and signal boxes at Abermule and several other small stations, and it was suggested that alternate single-line sections use the electric tablet system and the older electric staff system; there would be no possibility of mistaking a staff for a tablet. The signalling method continued in use on the line until 1988, when it was replaced by the radio-controlled electronic token block system.

The obvious, though costly, solution to the problems of working single lines would be to double the tracks. As finances allowed, the Cambrian Railways (and the GWR, which took over the Cambrian after the grouping of 1923) had been slowly carrying out the necessary work. Ironically, British Rail actually removed much of the doubled track and some of the crossing stations as part of the Beeching Axe.

Tuesday 26 Jan 2021

A memorial plaque to remember the 17 people who died in the Abermule train collision, which happened 100 years ago has been unveiled.

To mark the centenary, wreaths have been laid in the village on behalf of Network Rail, Abermule with Llandyssil Community Council, Powys County Council and Machynlleth Town Council.

A commemorative plaque, sponsored by Network Rail, Transport for Wales & Abermule with Llandyssil Community Council, has also been donated to the community, remembering those who lost their lives.

The plaque, made by local stonemason M.E & A Hughes Monumental Masons, is the first permanent and physical reminder of the collision in the town.

A memorial gathering had been planned by the community council and events were due to be held at the local school, however, due to the coronavirus pandemic, this could not go ahead and will be rearranged for a later date.

Instead, representatives from Network Rail and Abermule Community Council attended the site, near to the old Abermule Station to lay the wreaths, in compliance with social distancing measures and government guidance.

Railway Mission’s Chaplain for Wales, Andy Hall, also recorded a ceremonial reading in memory of the victims.

Bill Kelly, route director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said: “It’s so important we pause and reflect on those events at Abermule a century ago - when 17 people lost their lives.

Learning from past accidents is fundamental to the way we operate the railway today and it’s vital we remind ourselves of what happened in

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the past - how far we’ve come - and areas where we could still improve. This new, permanent memorial in the community of Abermule will serve as a reminder to future generations of those who tragically lost their lives.”

James Price, Transport for Wales CEO, said: “The events of 26 January 1921 are a reminder of the fragility of life and the vital importance of safety on the railway. Our thoughts remain with the people of Abermule and the relatives of those involved 100 years on from this tragic event.”

Councillor Gareth Pugh, on behalf of Powys County Council, said: “As part of the Abermule community, I would like to express both my personal condolences and the deepest condolences of the local authority, Powys County Council, to both the victims and families of the railway disaster. It is part of our history and entirely appropriate that 100 years on we mark that tragic event in which 17 people lost their lives.”

Jane Rees Chair of Abermule with Llandyssil Community Council, said: “The Community Council welcomes the joint venture with Network Rail and Transport for Wales to create a lasting memorial to the 17 passengers and railway workers, who lost their lives in the train crash near Maeshafren on 26th January, 1921. Our thoughts are with their surviving relatives, many of whom were local to Montgomeryshire. It is a shame that we could not have a memorial event due to the coronavirus pandemic. The memorial plaque will be sited in the village at a later date, when we can arrange an event with the opportunity to view the project work by the local school children.”

Wales Chaplain Special Reading Wrapped up in that fateful moment Lives ended, lives changed; In the blink of an eye.

Through grief, loss and mourning: Scarred memories transcend The how, where, and why.

Etched for all time, On landscape and mind, The tragic event Unfolds and unwinds, As we seek to remember a long century on the 36 injured And 17 gone.

Note: The plaque, donated by Network Rail, TfW and the community council, will be stored in a safe place in the village before it is installed in a permanent location (TBA).

January/February 2021

RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE PRESERVATION SCENE Heritage Railways Association News

Coal The following two articles were published in the December 2020 edition of HRA News. They are reproduced with grateful acknowledgements to the HRA - Ed Refusal of coal mine plans means British steam railways may look to Russia to stay in business. Newcastle City Council has refused planning permission for a new surface coal mine at Dewley Hill. The decision means an end to UK-based coal production, and has dashed the hopes of Britain’s heritage railways, who need affordable coal to continue operating.

Steve Oates, Chief Executive of the Heritage Railway Association said “The decision is a huge disappointment. We spoke at the planning committee meeting and we had argued a strong case. UKproduced coal generates a fraction of the CO2 emissions created by extracting and then shipping coal half-way round the world to the UK. And it costs less in money terms, too. Keeping Britain’s heritage railways running with affordable locally produced coal would secure the future of a sector which sits at the heart of the country’s industrial and cultural heritage and generates millions for the leisure and travel sector.”

Steam railway operators across the UK made representations to Newcastle’s planners. So, too, did the National Traction Engines Trust, the Heritage Fuels Alliance, The Heritage Alliance and the Association of British Transport and Engineering Museums. Strong support was provided by Sir Peter Hendy, Chairman of Network Rail, who said, “Steam on the main line attracts tens of thousands of spectators, warming the market for our railway in general, and the two

Science Museum Group museums in the North East, Locomotion at Shildon and the National Railway Museum at York attracts 750,000 visitors per year lured by the romance and operation of steam locomotives.

With the remaining stocks of English coal, this should supply UK steam locomotives until early 2021.

The financial burden loco operators and heritage railways would face in adapting their steam locomotive fleet to burn alternative fuels would be impossible to overcome.

Approval of the Dewley Hill mine scheme would bring a reprieve to the nation’s heritage steam locomotive operators, currently dependent on the dwindling availability of home-produced coal.”

Without domestically produced coal, the heritage steam sector will have to find ways to import, store, handle and distribute the coal it needs. “Maintaining consistent and reliable supplies of coal is difficult and expensive”, said Oates. “That burden will now fall on our members, whose finances have already been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The inevitable increase in the cost of coal may well be too much for some of our members to bear.”

Existing stocks of English steam coal will last into early 2021, while coal supplies from Wales are currently expected to end in 2022. Looking to the future, Steve Oates said, “Naturally we will watch carefully whether the applicants choose to lodge an appeal. We’re also awaiting the outcome of the Welsh Government’s consultation on their draft coal policy. Meanwhile we now have no alternative but to press ahead with our work on developing a coal importing operation, while also supporting US research and development work on biocoal.”

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Support for UK Coal

The HRA has welcomed the support of many other groups in fighting for the retention of coal production in the UK. Sir Peter Hendy - Chair of Network Rail included the following words in his letter in support of Dewey Hill. “But I am also concerned with the history and broader appeal of the UK’s railways, the operation of steam locomotives on our man line network, and with heritage railways. In all those areas I’m concerned refusing the planning application for Dewley Hill could seriously impact access to coal and harm the attractiveness of our railways, and the viability of steam loco operation on the mail line and of heritage railways in the UK.” “With many of the last English, Welsh and Scottish mines now closed, the Dewley Hill mine may be our last opportunity for UK coal.

Unless the application is approved, mining in the UK will end. With forthcoming celebrations in 2025 being planned centring on the North East of England as the birthplace of the world’s first public railway, the Stockton and Darlington, it would be deeply ironic if none of the locomotives to be on show and hopefully in steam in 2025 could do so on UK coal. Conversely, it would be wonderful if they were all fuelled by coal from the same area of North East England.”

“Whilst diesel traction is available, it doesn’t have the same appeal as steam, and sole use of diesels would lead to a big reduction in revenue.

Quite simply, both the main line and heritage railways need steam if they are to generate the same economic benefit. Heritage lines across the UK are also reeling from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst the situation was unavoidable, heritage lines have lost millions of pounds because of the lockdown and the subsequent GREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE

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RAILWAY NEWS FROM AROUND THE PRESERVATION SCENE drop in visitors. They’ve also had to invest heavily in making their operations Covid safe. The impact of losing access to domestic coal is already proving too much at this fragile time and the Dewey Hill mine could help keep heritage rail in steam.’ ‘The poorer quality of imported coal, most of which I understand comes from Russia, means more has to be burned for the same heat output. This makes little sense since these sources from overseas will greatly increase emissions of greenhouse gases, more than accessing an indigenous supply of coal.”

Situations Vacant Research Help! Time on your hands? … Enjoy research and keeping up to speed with current issues? … Want to do something of real value to help all HRA members? … The HRA is looking for volunteer help to alert the HRA’s Chief Executive and our Legal and Parliamentary Advisory Committee (LPAC) to any proposed and new primary legislation (Bills), secondary legislation (Statutory Instruments), consultations and parliamentary sessions which may affect heritage railways and tramways in the United Kingdom, and to monitor its progress.

The task, which is ongoing, entails learning your way around on-line Government sources, including the www.parliament.uk website, the gov.uk site and the respective websites of the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland,; identifying proposed and new legislation and any associated consultations; and feeding back to the CEO and LPAC. The HRA is interested in a number of areas of legislation including transport, culture and heritage, tourism, health and safety, state aid, employment and volunteering, environment and 86

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rural affairs, town and country planning, heritage conservation, charities and governance, and data protection and information management. We also keep a close watch on current issues such as guidance and legislation relating to C-19 and Brexit, and we monitor the output of organisations dealing with funding, tourism and heritage.

Timewise it would be helpful if you are able to offer a few hours per week but, if we receive interest from a small number of people, we may be able to form a team to share the tasks. The outputs from your research will need to be fed back regularly to the CEO and on a monthly or quarterly basis to LPAC. The work is entirely voluntary, and it is not remunerated. Interested? … In the first instance please drop me an email at steve.oates@hra. uk.com The Rail Car Association A new initiative, designed to assist the introduction of ‘Pacer’ trains to UK heritage railways has been launched by The Railcar Association (TRA), which is a member of the Heritage Railways Association.

The TRA has brought together representatives of all the railways and groups which have ‘Pacers’ with the aim of collaborating on the production of standardised operating instructions and maintenance regimes.

To achieve this an IO Group has been founded which is being used for exchange of information, and which also has a searchable files section, that can be used to access documentation as required.

Driver’s and Conductor’s training manuals have already been written and made available, along with some technical information, such as wiring diagrams. A ‘Model’ Vehicle Maintenance Scheme is being produced, which is specially tailored to the January/February 2021

requirements of heritage railways, and takes account of non-mainline circumstances such as vehicles which have long periods out of use, and the lower mileages covered by preserved units. This is currently out to consultation with several of the more experienced, or qualified, members of the scheme and was due to be released before Christmas.

The scheme’s co-ordinator, Evan Green-Hughes, said;” Pacers are a fairly recent entrant to the heritage railway scene and to operate them safely written schemes were required. By collaborating in this way operators are able to share best practice, and also to save themselves a great deal of time and effort, as the work required is being shared out. The TRA is pleased that all ‘Pacer’ owners are on board, and we now have almost 50 individuals signed up within the scheme.’ The scheme, which is called ‘2nd’Gen, follows the TRA’s established ‘1st-Gen’ Model Maintenance Scheme for older-style DMUs and which has been successfully used by heritage railways for almost 20 years. To participate in the scheme, join the group https://groups.io/g/2nd-gen.

As with all TRA activities there are no charges or fees to participate or to download information.

Spotlight on Vintage Trains As we move into 2021, it is perhaps a good time to look at what is happening with Vintage Trains, one of the key players in keeping steam and vintage diesel hauled trains back in the public domain. We are pleased to take this opportunity to look at what is happening with the locomotive fleet and perhaps what we might be able to look forward to once the country is out of the COVID-19 nightmare. We begin, however, with news of the retirement of one of Vintage Trains key members of staff and one whose face will be well-known to travellers on the Vintage Train’s special offerings.

Vintage Trains Driver Ray Churchill, Main Line Steam Locomotive Legend, Retires After 60 Years as a Railwayman

From junior train spotter to Vintage Trains steam locomotive driver and footplate legend, Driver Ray Churchill has decided to hang up his signature red scarf and grease top, curtailing his long and illustrious railway career with retirement from the main line.

Ray was born in October 1941 in Wednesbury, in the Black Country. He recalls a happy childhood travelling to holiday destinations in his father’s motorcycle and sidecar and his first close encounter with steam, waving to passing GWR Dukedogs at Barmouth. His first ride brought him to tears – first of fright, being so close to the engine, then delight as he didn’t want to get off! From then he was hooked.

Joining the Railways His passion for railways and football continued, funding these led to a Saturday job in a local butcher’s shop which became his fulltime job on leaving school at 15, but not for long. Railways continued to beckon and a visit to Bescot freight depot landed him a job as a cleaner for the princely sum of 72 shillings and

6 pence (£3.65p) a week in 1957. He got on well and firing school followed, eventually passing out as a passed fireman in 1966, having experienced several turns on the west coast mainline. Steam had by then disappeared from Bescot but he was delighted when loco 48195 (8F) was borrowed from Saltley Shed in order that he could pass out on a steamer. Further training took him to driver status in 1972.

Ray continued to work at Bescot through the BR days, driving for various freight companies until he eventually retired from EWS late in 2001. He was a first aider and regularly took part in competitions. He was awarded a certificate of special merit after going to the assistance of a person electrocuted on the 25,000volt overhead line system.

Joining the Heritage Fleet Apart from a few forays into heritage steam driving while he was at Bescot, it returned to his veins big time in 2002 when he was approached

by West Coast Railways to drive steam specials across the UK network. Ray describes these years as the ‘icing on the cake’. With WCR he ‘learned the road’ into Cornwall, his favourite piece of railway, retiring from WCR in 2016.

In 2018 he was approached by the reborn Vintage Trains, now a Train Operating Company, with plans to grow its business in the heritage railtour sector. He was reluctant at first, as he was happy with his hobbies of DIY and living the good life with his new wife within the sound of the Severn Valley Railway at Highley. B But visiting Tyseley and seeing the newly restored Clun Castle, he twisted his own arm and climbed back on to the footplate. Equipped with his new driving licence, Ray was firmly back at the regulator of Clun and Bahamas for the 2019 season. A major highlight for Ray was The Polar Express season where he recalls the huge pleasure and emotional experience he felt from seeing the faces of hundreds of delighted children (and parents).

The End of the Line With Covid-19 curtailing all VT steam operations in 2020, now in his late ‘70s Ray realised that by the time he could take the regulator again he would be effectively starting from scratch with route and rule refreshing plus medicals ahead. So, after 60 years on January/February 2021

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the railway, the grease top and prominent red scarf retire along with one of the UK’s legends of the heritage steam era.

A Tribute from the Boss Michael Whitehouse, Chairman of Vintage Trains said: “Only recently did I learn that Ray and I first met on the footplate of the very last Harborne Express in 1963, little did we know then that our paths would cross again in the new millennium. His willingness to step out of retirement in 2018 and drive on VT tours was an enormous help in establishing our own operations as a TOC. Vintage Trains is a strong, integrated team and the Churchills have been a core part of our operation, Ray delivering some spectacular performances on the main line with his usual finesse and care for his steed, while his wife Nickey is busy onboard selling souvenirs to our passengers.

We wish them both a long and healthy retirement and look forward to seeing them both regularly at Tyseley. I’m sure that Ray will need no persuasion to take the regulator again on our open days!”

Ray Churchill anecdotes It’s fascinating to listen to Ray’s reminiscences. On one occasion Ray was firing a Britannia from Birmingham to Crewe on a Warwickshire Loco Society Special to Carlisle and it would not steam, Ray carefully coaxing the loco along the West Coast mainline. He was relieved at Crewe and relayed his problems to the new fireman; subsequently the loco was taken off at Carnforth with leaking superheater tubes.

In another incident, he was the driver of a diesel hauled empty fuel tank train which experienced a serious derailment. As a result of the way he dealt with the situation, the rule book was changed, and he was awarded a commendation from Network Rail.

Another time he was running across the Berks & Hants on an A4 when they ran out of water 5 miles before the water stop at Theale. Each time the locomotive leaned into a curve Ray instructed the fireman to open the corresponding injector and when it leaned into the opposite curve, to swap injectors. They just made it as the water was disappearing out of the bottom of the glass!

A Quick Look at the VT Fleet Earl of Mount Edgcumbe 5043 is our second member of the Castle class but built in 1936 and so an authentic GWR locomotive, named after one of the Directors of the GWR. She was also fitted with the same modifications as 7029 and ran some of the Western Region's top expresses including The Bristolian, being shedded at London's Old Oak Common depot. When withdrawn, she was consigned to Barry scrapyard but found too good to destroy. Tyseley Locomotive Works rebuilt 5043 to exacting standards and she has run far and wide for Vintage Trains,

including unfamiliar territory such as Stirling and Edinburgh in Scotland. 5043 has recorded some remarkable performances in preservation, including several non-stop runs, recreating The Bristolian, The Cheltenham Spa Express and The Inter City. More recently, she ran on the Plymouth to Bristol route and shaved a few minutes off 7029's own record. So now we have two record breakers in the collection. 5043 will be back in action in the second half of 2021 after a 10-year boiler overhaul.

Vintage Trains – Pacers and 4555 Our new Pacer sets have arrived at Tyseley in two trains – 144014 and 019 together, followed by 023.

By coincidence, GWR prairie tank 4555 from the Dartmouth Steam Railway but originally preserved on the Dart Valley Railway was steamed for the first time today following boiler work at Tyseley Locomotive Works. 4555 was the first loco bought directly out of BR service 88

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by the Vintage Trains forefathers. We have also received stock directly out of main line service following that tradition.

Thanks to the generosity of Porterbrook Leasing, three 3-car sets have arrived at Tyseley to join the existing steam fleet in a sponsorship arrangement ensuring that the Pacer continues to run on the main line for the benefit of enthusiasts and the general public alike.

Only ten three car sets were produced out of a fleet total of twenty-three (the rest were two-car sets), all were built at BREL (Derby) using Walter Alexander bodies on a BREL underframe.

The Pacer is an important part not only of railway innovation and heritage but also the social history of the UK. Their last operator was Northern where they saw service across West Yorkshire, the 144s offering a unique insight into the lives of workers across the North East over a period of 30 years. Loathed by some and loved by many (the ‘Marmite’ trains), they are worthy of preservation in their own right.

Pacers offer a versatile and easy to maintain platform and will help expand the scope of VT operations.

These three sets come in very good condition, forced out of service with Northern Trains early as a result of Covid-19. They were built in 1987 with two driving cars and one trailer, all three cars in the set being powered. All 144s were refurbished in a programme commencing in 2002.

Michael Whitehouse, Chairman of Vintage Trains, said: ‘Vintage Trains’ core operation is currently a mix of long-distance charters and The Shakespeare Express summer programme, the majority pulled by express steam locomotives and all offering fine dining options, but the market is evolving. Enthusiasts will undoubtedly crave a ride on the mainline in a Pacer, particularly on new routes for the class,

but our sets will primarily be used to expand Vintage Trains into the ‘experience’ sector, targeting new audiences and building on the success of The Polar Express’.

He added: ‘Individuals and families, particularly those with young children, are looking for a ‘day out with a difference’ experiences – entertainment on a train. The success of The Polar Express on the mainline over the last two years has shown that a theatrical performance on a train is much in demand with other productions already in the planning stage for the future. The Pacer is ideally suited to such activity at an affordable price’.

There is no doubt that enthusiasts will delight in a mainline Pacer ride on unfamiliar routes for the class including the ever popular ‘branch line’ specials. The West Midlands is unfamiliar territory for Class 144, so initial route clearance is being requested for the Worcester/Birmingham Snow Hill/Stratford upon Avon corridor.

Further details on the future operation of the Pacers and a potential programme of events will be announced in due course.

Castle Class: 7029 Clun Castle The locomotive which started it all for Vintage Trains, Clun Castle is a relative newcomer having been built in 1950 by British Railways to the famous Great Western Railway Castle class design. Modified towards the end of her career with a four-row superheater and double chimney, this enabled her to compete with new diesels being introduced on fast trains. And compete she did, taking the record for the shortest timed point to point journey from Plymouth to Bristol in 1964 from the previous record holder, City of Truro. This epic run by the last of her class in every day service ensured 7029's preservation and she came to Tyseley to begin a distinguished second January/February 2021

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career in preservation. She powered the last express steam train on the GWR's northern route to Birkenhead, the last steam train out of both Birmingham Snow Hill and Moor Street stations, so making a trilogy of lasts as she was also the last steam locomotive to run out of Paddington, hauling the last steam train on the Western Region. Not content with that, 7029 hauled the first 'Return to Steam' celebration, run ending the infamous BR steam ban, and was the first steam locomotive to return to Cornwall, a highlight of the 150th anniversary of the GWR. In 1988 she was driven part way to Tyseley by HRH The Prince of Wales in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the London & Birmingham Railway and also ran the very first Shakespeare Express under the Vintage Trains banner.

2021 is special because Vintage Trains is back on the main line but it's also a special year for steam heritage. 70 years ago, a group of

Birmingham business men led the way for the preservation of the Talyllyn Railway, the first to be preserved as a heritage railway by volunteers.

They went on to establish the forerunner of Vintage Trains, purchasing from BR and privately operating steam locomotives out of Tyseley on the UK rail network, including 7029 Clun Castle. At the same time, the Stephenson Locomotive Society started its special rail tours to Swindon Works from Birmingham, regularly featuring the last of a famous Great Western Railway locomotive class.

We celebrate both of these milestones in our plans for 2021 with special trains and an anniversary open weekend at Tyseley.

Our 2021 programme offers new routes and old favourites, anniversary celebrations and visiting locomotives. The tour programme will appeal to railway diners, Covid-19 weary travellers yearning for a traditional day out and rail enthusiasts alike.

Vintage Trains Returns to the Main Line with Packed Programme for Spring and Summer 2021 FIRST SLS special train to Swindon for decades…

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* FIRST 7029 to Scarborough * FIRST Heart of Wales Line tour * NEW Double headed Class 20s * NEW Online booking on new website - launched on December 23rd. * NEW Free secure parking at Tyseley * NEW High quality Pullman dining with varied menus on most trains * PLUS 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe returns on The Shakespeare Express

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2021 TRAIN REGISTER - This list was provided before the latest UK Government Lockdown - watch for further details on Vintage Trains Ltd on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vintagetrains

Railway Roundabout - Saturday 20th March

Clun Castle

Birmingham, Coleshill Parkway, Leicester and return The Red Dragon - Saturday 20th April

Clun Castle

Birmingham-Cardiff and return Welsh Marches Express - Saturdays 24th April/12th June/July 3rd

Clun Castle/Bahamas/Duchess of Sutherland respectively Birmingham-Hereford-Shrewsbury-Birmingham North Wales Coast Express - Saturday 1st May

Clun Castle

Birmingham-Llandudno and return SLS 70 - Stephenson Locomotive Society 70th Anniversary Special - Saturday 15th May

Clun Castle - last of her class in BR passenger service

Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of SLS special trains to Swindon Works Birmingham-Worcester-Swindon-Birmingham The White Rose - Saturday 22nd May

47773 The Queen Mother and Bahamas

Birmingham-York and return Scarborough Spa Express - Saturday 5th June

Clun Castle

Birmingham-Scarborough and return The Midland Bristolian - Saturday 19th June

Duchess of Sutherland

Derby-Bristol and return via the Lickey Incline The Jolly Fisherman - Saturday 10th July

2 x Class 20s

Birmingham-Skegness and return The Buxton Jubilee - Saturday 24th July Bahamas

Birmingham-Buxton and return The Welshman - Saturday 7th August Bahamas

Birmingham-Holyhead and return Heart of Wales Explorer - Saturday 14th August

2 x Class 20s

Birmingham-Swansea-Llandrindod Wells-Shrewsbury-Birmingham The Shakespeare Express - Sundays 18th July to 12th September

Steam from a pool of: Clun Castle, Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and Bahamas

Birmingham-Stratford upon Avon-Birmingham

Birmingham trains start from Tyseley Locomotive Works where free parking is available and must

be booked with tickets. Many trains are steam-hauled only with no diesel assistance - details are

shown in the tour programme on the website.

PLUS: Tyseley Locomotive Works annual open weekend and volunteer 70th anniversary party

- 26th and 27th July

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of railway volunteering Watch the website for further information.

Travel in Pullman with full restaurant car service; Club; Tourist or take a Private Compartment for up to 6.

Full details of pricing, and catering choices will be available on the website from December 23rd.

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A Night Owl Emerges from the Dark – Part 2 Paul Perton, Marketer, Writer, Photographer

Beginning the move to Devon

The empty space where the 4709 frames had been at Llangollen

The Peaky Finders team! (l-r) Leaky Finders’ George Balsdon, Paul Carpenter, 4709’s Richard Croucher and Leaky Finders’ Rory Edwards,

its long, slow journey south. Out in the open, suspended from the crane, there was just a hint of the finished size of this giant 2–8–0. It will weigh around 83 tonnes when complete, with the tender accounting for another 46 tonnes.

Now firmly in the care of Leaky Finders’ Rory Edwards and George Balsdon at Hele near Exeter, work on 4709 began to ramp up quickly to make up for time lost to the COVID lockdown. Waiting at Leaky Finders was a long list of jobs that Rory and George could check, measure, do and get underway. First up on the list was a thorough check of everything about 4709’s chassis, including the overall dimensions, correct alignment of the running board brackets, measuring all the holes and the accuracy of the horn ties. This was done to confirm that all holes had been drilled as per the GWR drawing and any discrepancies noted for rectification. The horn ties were corrected at Llangollen but were finally checked again.

The running boards were then mounted, with The CAD drawing for the new running boards

On the road at last – Leaving Llangollen for Devon

After weeks of COVID-caused delays, the chassis of 4709 inched its way out of the Llangollen workshops and into the daylight for the first time early in August, en-route to a new home in Devon. Limited headroom meant that the 10+ tonne chassis had to be moved out of the shed, to be craned on to the low loader for 92

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an allowance being made where necessary to accommodate the fitting of the cylinders, once delivered from the foundry.

Joining 4709 from Tyseley were the pony wheelset, axle boxes and pony truck, which will require a stretcher to be fabricated. So, yet more preparations were necessary, and a quotation provided before work could begin.

Hard on the heels of the pony stretcher was the vacuum pump bracket, which, similarly had to be estimated and approved before construction can begin.

Moving on from new manufacture, the Leaky Finders team could then move on to the overhaul of the motion parts currently in our store and the refurbishment of the other donor parts, so vital to this (re)build.

Meanwhile, the GWS is compiling a set of all existing 47xx drawings, which were copied and issued to all engineering members of the 4709 team. The GWS is also considering how best to develop an efficient system such that key players will have electronic copies of all essential documentation for main line running.

Three Donor Locomotives (l-r), 4115, 5227 and 2861, in the snow at Barry

Various components awaiting installation

A very sad and forlorn donor engine 5227 at Didcot

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Donor parts and re-metalling

Donors. Every preservation project needs them, but the donors it’s all too easy to overlook are those that had no say in their giving; mostly the Barry Ten, the last of the steam locos that have been outside in the Woodham Brothers’ scrapyard, unmoving and largely unloved since the early–mid sixties.

Donor parts

• With a completely wrecked LH cylinder casting, 5227 now stands at GWS Didcot, having volunteered eight axle boxes, horns, and various other components.

• 4115 has given us its six driving and coupled wheels, extension frames, pony truck and some motion parts.

• 2861 has given us its complete cylinder block, which has been used in 4709’s frames as a template but is to be replaced once The Night Owl’s own cylinders are available. The loco’s boiler has also served time with the 4709 project but is unlikely to be a permanent solution as other options are considered and costed.

The driving wheelsets for 4709 wait at Tyseley, having had their tyres re-profiled and where the crankpin collars and lead balance weights will be fitted. 5227’s axleboxes and horn guides have been fitted on to 4709’s frames at Llangollen.

Driving wheelsets at Tyseley

(Above left) 4709’s axle boxes (above right) 4709’s pony truck at Tyseley, kindly donated by 4115

Cylinder work – A Major Technological Breakthrough for Restoration

(above) 4709’s tender to be (after rebuild) (left) 5227’s destroyed cylinder casting 94

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Held up. Delayed. Postponed. Rescheduled.

Suspended. Whatever your word for it is, the casting of 4709’s cylinders has been a source of frustration for Chief Engineer Paul Carpenter and his team. The work was due to start more than nine months ago, but a slight engineering delay let Bradley Manor’s cylinders nip in front of ours in the queue and suddenly COVID–19 arrived, and everything stopped.

The foundry used by previous projects then went into receivership so the project have had to find another foundry willing to undertake this complex work and progress round a steep learning curve.

Not only is that a hassle because we’re building a giant freight 2–8–0, but so much depends on the final castings, including the critical measurements and dimensioning of the cylinders, horn guides and eventually, 4709’s motion. In our case, there’s another

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and approved, the CAD data is downloaded to a 3D routing machine, which sculpts the pattern from a solid block of polystyrene.

Casting the Cylinders

2861 cylinders installed in 4709’s frames, as a template for measurement, while still at Llangollen

consideration; the casting process will be the first for the GWS that uses sacrificial polystyrene patterns to create the sand moulds, rather than the historical wooden types, which were used for the cylinders on the Saint and Steam Rail Motor.

Polystrene patterns demand a new set of knowledge, skills and persistence !

Paul Carpenter explains; “Traditionally, patterns for metal casting have always been made from wood and represent the history of a complete industry. Patternmaking requires skill, knowledge and demands massive experience on the part of the patternmaker, invariably built atop a rigidly controlled apprenticeship.”

In more recent times, and with the everwidening application of CAD–based design, several locomotive groups have experimented with the use of sacrificial polystyrene patterns.

This offers superb accuracy, a radical speeding– up of the pattern making process as well as a significant cost saving. Once the design and 3D-modelling of the component is complete

In the case of 4709’s cylinders, the complexity of the completed casting is such that it is impossible to produce the pattern as a single component. The solution has been to produce the final pattern as a number of sections, which then have been glued together to produce a perfect replica of the required cylinder block, together with all the vital casting and machining tolerances in place.

From an engineering perspective, the technique has several clear advantages: • All the internal ports and passages can be cast as an integral part of the finished job • Core boxes are no longer required Once assembled and complete, the polystyrene pattern is utilised in a similar fashion to the traditional wooden pattern and encased in casting sand, ready for casting. The essential difference is that where the wooden pattern would have been removed from the rammed sand prior to pouring metal, the polystyrene pattern is left in place. The molten cast iron is then poured into the mould in

(below) The pattern ready to go to the foundry (Right) above) the casting before machining and (below) after machining

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the conventional way but, in this case, the polystyrene melts, then burns as it is replaced with the molten metal. Clearly, care must be taken in the casting process to allow the gases from the burning plastic to escape, or the finished casting could be defective, with pockets of trapped gas leading to any number of flaws.

To prevent such occurrences, a consumable volume is added to the pattern to allow these gases to be released. The polystyrene pattern will be lost because of the cast but being an almost virtual pattern, any number of identical patterns can be fabricated using this technology, all at a very low cost.

In the case of 4709, the cylinder blocks for 4709 have taken a little longer to reach the casting stage because the original GWR cylinder block design has had to be modified in three areas: • Reduced saddle height to accommodate the current Network Rail loading gauge for mainline running • Reduced width over the cylinders to increase route availability • Slightly reduced cylinder bore to ensure sufficient strength despite the reduced width The castings were now due to be poured late in August. Meanwhile, thanks to Bob Meanley, who produced the redesign and Elliot Powick who provided the 3D CAD drawings.

The Boiler

The Barry Ten will continue to give until little is left but some rust flakes and the memories of their past, but there is still one thing none of our donors can give us and that’s a boiler. 4700 did carry a No 1 boiler for two years but, once the specially designed No 7 boiler became available in 1921, it was swapped. We could follow the same path with 4709 and use the boiler from 2861. Potentially, this would be a cheaper solution, by as much as £500,000 however, Laser Surfacing the Rockshafts

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Laser Surfacing the Rockshaft Brackets

The rockshaft caps

during 2019 we decided to build a new no.7 boiler, as the risks and costs associated with using the older and marginally less powerful boiler from 2861 were felt to be unrealistic. So, we remain committed to 100% authenticity – a new No.7 boiler, fabricated in the UK.

The Rockshafts and Rockshaft Brackets

Parts removed from the donor engines for use on 4709 also include the rockshafts and rockshaft brackets. These transfer the movement of valve gear located between the engine frames to the piston valves on the outside of the frames.

In service, the rockshaft sits in a bronze bearing within the rockshaft bracket.

Unfortunately, the valuable bronze bearings were removed from the donor engines in the early days at Woodham Brothers scrapyard, leaving the exposed surfaces of the shaft and bracket to corrode for decades in the marine air of Barry docks.

Grit blasting the damaged surfaces of the rockshafts and rockshaft brackets revealed the metal loss was severe. Remaking these parts

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would be extremely costly because new foundry patterns or forging dies would be needed. If the original parts were to be salvaged, more metal needed to be added. The problem was how can new metal, which is at least as strong and ductile as the original material be permanently bonded to the damaged parts? One solution could be to weld on to the surfaces of the components using a conventional electric arc welding process, but the weld metal is unlikely to have properties as good as a forged rockshaft. In addition, the high level of heat input from a conventional welding process would cause thermal stresses, which could easily distort the part or result in premature failure of the component in service.

An alternative but much less common, heat source for welding is a high-power laser, which offers intense but very localised heating. The relatively small heat input minimises distortion and produces a stronger and more ductile weld metal. The metal to be applied, which is specially formulated to give optimum weld metal properties, is fed into the laser beam as

a powder. The laser head, together with the metal powder feed, is on a robot arm driven by a computer, which is programmed with the complete welding sequence. The accuracy of the process is such that features in the original part, like threaded holes, can be left completely undamaged. Potentially, this is a ground–breaking process for steam locomotive component repair. At the time of writing, the laser welding of rockshaft brackets and rockshafts has been completed successfully.

Machining of the rockshaft brackets is currently underway with the rockshafts to follow

Pony Truck

This is a significant sub assembly for 4709 and is therefore the main part of the engine currently being restored in Exeter. The re-use of donor parts has many advantages, but it is essential that thorough condition inspections are undertaken to ensure that ageing components are fit for re-use on the mainline.

(To be Continued)

Wolverhampton’s new railway station is set to open fully to the public in the spring, as work on the exterior of the building nears completion Contractors Galliford Try have installed the steelwork, clad the building and lifted in the floor and roof slabs to make it watertight. It is part of the second phase of works to the station, which will see more retail units, a customer waiting room and help point introduced.

Councillor Stephen Simkins, Wolverhampton’s economy chief, said: “The railway station is a beacon of the multi-billionpound regeneration that is taking place across our city. It is an extraordinary project, and I am delighted all the hard work is getting the recognition it deserves. This will help lever in more investment into the city and benefit future employment, helping to relight our city and encourage families to work, live and enjoy Wolverhampton with their children. A lot of hard work has been done by the council, Ion Developments and partners to make the transformational scheme a reality. The completed Interchange will connect train, tram and bus in one place and, alongside a thriving commercial district will ultimately provide a gateway to our city that we can all enjoy using - and be proud of.”

The new station is part of the city’s £150 million Interchange scheme which has been named the West Midlands Property Awards 2020 Regeneration Project of the Year.

A computergenerated image of the completed railway station.

Credit: Infinite 3D Ltd.

Magnificent The project – which aims to improve bus, tram and train connectivity – scooped the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) West Midlands Planning Excellence honour in November. Work has started on the station’s canopy cladding, ceramic tiling and mechanical and electrical installations and roof finishes, ahead of final phase work prior to opening.

Phase one of the new railway station opened to the public at the end of May and was handed over to West Midlands Railway (WMR), with the project split into two to ensure it didn’t impact on train services from Wolverhampton.

Once complete, the station will link up with both the Midland Metro extension along Pipers Row and the city centre’s bus station, meaning residents in Wolverhampton will be able to travel seamlessly across the West Midlands – and beyond when HS2 is up and running.

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Heart of Hagley Hall Locomotive Comes Home to SVR The Severn Valley Railway has welcomed back the overhauled boiler of its flagship locomotive 4930 Hagley Hall following 18 months of hard work. The return of the boiler was made possible by Northern Steam Engineering, who previously built a brand-new tender tank for Hagley Hall at their premises in Stockton. The boiler is now in its new temporary home at Bridgnorth, on a wagon that will allow volunteers access as the restoration continues.

4930 Hagley Hall at kidderminster Town station on the 30th July 2014 celebrating the 30th anniversary of the opening of the station

The 4930 boiler (Lesley Carr)

Work carried out on the boiler has been substantial, including new side sheets, throat plate and doorplate sections on the firebox, the insertion of a patch in the boiler barrel and a complete re-tube. Prior to the boiler’s return to the SVR, a steam test was carried out, where the safety valves lifted for the first time since the locomotive last dropped its fire in October 1986.

The 4930 boiler arriving at Bridgnorth Works in December. (Bob Sweet of Friends of Locomotive 4930 Hagley Hall)

Danny Dymott, of Northern Steam Engineering, said: "This has been a major overhaul with the inner firebox being removed from the boiler and stripped to component

4930 “Hagley Hall” was built at the Great Western Railway’s Swindon Works under Lot 254, and entered traffic in May 1929, at a cost of £5,107.

4930 was new to Wolverhampton Stafford Road Depot, and during its career served at the following depots in succession; Wolverhampton Oxley, Chester, Bristol St Phillips Marsh, Wolverhampton Oxley, Wolverhampton Stafford Road, Oxley, Weymouth, Oxley, Chester, Oxley, Tyseley, Leamington, Tyseley, St Phillips Marsh, Weymouth, Bristol Bath Road, St Phillips Marsh, Westbury, Taunton, Exeter, Taunton, Exeter, Old Oak Common & Swindon.

Hagley Hall was withdrawn from service in December 1963, having run 1,295,236 miles and was sold to Woodham's scrapyard in Barry, arriving there in April 1964. The large number of redundant wagons arriving for scrap ensured that most of the locomotives in the yard remained untouched by the cutter’s torch, and 4930 “Hagley Hall” numbered amongst these survivors.

4930 was purchased by the SVR Holdings Company in June 1972 and was moved “dead” by rail to Bewdley on 6th January 1973.

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parts. It’s included a 75% new outer firebox, a new front tubeplate, produced by ourselves at Northern Steam Engineering using traditional methods, and fitting of all-new fire box stays produced at Bridgnorth by the Severn Valley Railway’s engineering team. The Covid-19 pandemic caused slight delays to the project but we are very pleased to announce that the boiler is now complete, bringing to an end a successful project that has been delivered on target and to budget. We look forward to seeing the progress at Bridgnorth with the locomotive’s overhaul, and its return to traffic as soon as possible.”

Martin White, the SVR’s head of engineering, added: “The return of Hagley Hall's boiler is the conclusion of 32 months of collaboration between the SVR and Northern Steam Engineering. An excellent working relationship has been developed between our two organisations, and although the work has been carried out at NSE premises, there are many components in the boiler which were produced

by SVR personnel at Bridgnorth and shipped to NSE at Stockton. In the overall Hagley Hall project, delivery of the boiler is just one task that is now ticked off, albeit a fairly large and substantial one.”

Thirty-five years after Hagley Hall’s last steaming on the Seven Valley Railway, project leader David Fulcher-Insull is confident that the return of this key component brings the locomotive’s return to service a significant step closer. He said: “It’s always been a bit of a concern whether it would be ready. The delivery of the boiler now means we’ve got everything to move on to complete the project. We’re on target.”

Once the flagship locomotive of the Severn Valley Railway, Hagley Hall was built in 1929 by the Great Western Railway and clocked 1,295,236 miles in its 34 years of service.

Withdrawn in 1963, it was rescued from Dai Woodham’s yard in Barry by the SVR Holdings Company in June 1972. Restored to running condition in 1978, Hagley Hall soon became one of the stars of the Severn Valley Railway, hauling the reopening train for Kidderminster Town Station in 1984.

Hagley Hall also represented the Railway further afield in mainline appearances, such as the 1985 GWR150 celebrations. In a memorable run, it stormed over the South Devon banks in a double headed run with 7819 Hinton Manor, having stepped in at the last minute to deputise for the failure of King class locomotive, King George V.

Withdrawn from SVR service in 1986, the locomotive was initially in storage, followed by a period as a museum exhibit until October 2013 when the long-awaited overhaul and restoration process began.

The 4930 has now been under Severn Valley ownership for longer than it ran on Great Western Metals and when Hagley Hall finally steams again it will be the culmination of the efforts of many, in particular the Friends of Locomotive 4930 Hagley Hall who have raised well in excess of £100,000 since their formation.

The return of Hagley Hall to steam service will be the crowning moment of decades of tireless fundraising and work by the group.

Chairman Paul Hobson said: “The Friends of Locomotive 4930 Hagley Hall group are delighted that a significant milestone in the restoration of the locomotive has been achieved with the completion and return of the boiler to Bridgnorth, for which we extend our thanks to our friends at Northern Steam Engineering.

The fundraising initiative, begun by the Friends group in 1999 and since admirably supported by our faithful donor Friends over many years, now has the finishing line in sight.

Together, with the generous support of the SVR Charitable Trust and the £95,000 contribution from our grant-aid partner, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we should see the reassembly and completion of the overhaul of 4930 by the engineering team at Bridgnorth Works over the next 12 months. We can all now look forward to being able to see, hear and smell our flagship locomotive Hagley Hall in steam for the first time in 35 years, which will be a moment to savour indeed.”

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The Churchward 4-4-0 Counties – The First Modern British 4-4-0 David Bradshaw With the 41st Churchward County 4-4-0 now under construction - 3840 County of Montgomery - it is perhaps a good time to take a closer look at this often maligned class and clear up some of the historical misapprehensions together with an outline what has been achieved so far and what is planned for the future

The Original Counties

The first Great Western County class, the Churchward 4-4-0’s, did not have the glamour of their larger cousins, the Saint Class 4-6-0’s and, by comparison with many GW engines, had a shorter operational life. Nevertheless, as a class of 40 engines, they made a significant contribution to the efficient operation of the Great Western Railway over 30 years.

Notably they were the first really modern 4-4-0’s produced in Britain. Built as part of Churchward’s grand standardisation plan, the ‘Counties’ were in stark contrast to the Dean/ Churchward double frame 4-4-0’s which were being built and developed by Churchward at the same time. O.S Nock commented that ‘history had written off the 4-4-0 Counties as one of Churchward’s failures’ but he believed that this was not accurate and there is strong evidence that they were excellent locomotives on the road, despite being on the rough side, something which was attributed to their short wheelbase and long stroke outside cylinders.

The Counties, possibly because of their relatively early demise, were always something of an enigma. It has even been suggested that they were built simply because of the availability of standard parts. Nothing could be further from the truth and they clearly filled an important niche in the general pattern of GW motive power for nearly thirty years.

The Counties were Churchward’s Edwardian engineering solution to the requirement for a passenger locomotive of medium power and provided a radically different approach to that of his predecessor William Dean, who was responsible for the classic Victorian lines (though not the boilers) of the double-framed 4-4-0’s.

The County was directly comparable to the Dean/Churchward City Class because both

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One of the original batch - No 3476 County of Devon at Plymouth Laira

carried Churchward’s excellent no 4 domeless tapered boiler along with the standard 6feet 8½” driving wheels.

The design of the Counties followed exactly the pattern of Churchward’s other standard classes, save that a prototype was not considered necessary. By the time they were built, Churchward had established his arrangement of Stephenson link motion, which gave GW locos their renowned hill climbing ability, and other standard features, so they went straight into volume production.

They were fitted with the standard No 4 boiler, which was also fitted to the 3150 2-62T’s, the Aberdare 2-6-0’s, the Cities, the 42XX 2-8-0T’s, the 72XX class 2-8-2T’s and the 4300 class moguls, all of which proved to be very successful designs. Given that the County shared its major components with these designs, it is inconceivable that their performance would have been in any way inferior.

The class was constructed in the same manner as the other standard engines, using plate frames which ended forward of the front coupled wheelset to which were attached forged extension frames. The cylinder block, formed of two back-to-back castings, was then attached to this to form a very strong front-end assembly.

The driving wheels, bogie and cylinder block were identical to those of the Saint.

The first batch, Nos 3473 to 3482 subsequently renumbered 3800 and 3831 to 3839, appeared between May and October 1904 and were named after English and Welsh

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Summary of County Locomotives (Courtesy of RCTS) Old No 3473 3474 3475 3476 3477 3478 3479 3480 3481 3482

New No Name 3800 County of Middlesex 3831 County of Berks 3832 County of Wilts 3833 County of Dorset 3834 County of Somerset 3835 County of Devon 3836 County of Warwick 3837 County of Stafford 3838 County of Glamorgan 3839 County of Pembroke

Built 5/1904 6/1904 6/1904 8/1904 8/1904 8/1904 10/1904 10/1904 10/1904 10/1904

Superheated 9/1911 5/1910** 11/1910 2/1911 1/1912 10/1909 2/1913 7/1911 2/1912 4/1910

No 3801 3802 3803 3804 3805 3806 3807 3808 3809 3810 3811 3812 3813 3814 3815 3816 3817 3818 3819 3820 3821 3822 3823 3824 3825 3826 3827 3828 3829 3830

Built 10/1906** 10/1906** 10/1906** 10/1906** 10/1906**# 11/1906 11/1906 11/1906 11/1906 11/1906 11/1906 11/1906 11/1906 11/1906## 11/1906 12/1906** 12/1906 12/1906 12/1906 12/1906 12/1911 12/1911 12/1911 12/1911 12/1911 1/1912 1/1912 1/1912 1/1912 2/1912

Superheated Withdrawn 5/1912 4/1931 4/1910 5/1931 10/1910 1/1932 11/1909 3/1931 8/1912 5/1932 9/1913 2/1931 2/1910 12/1930 10/10 10/1931 2/1910 9/1931 7/1910 3/1931 4/1912 1/1931 5/1911 7/1932 4/1911 11/1931 2/1911 6/1933 7/1910 1/1932 10/1910 9/1931 10/1910 1/1931 10/1910 8/1931 6/1912 5/1931 10/1911 5/1931 Built 9/1931 Built 4/1933 Built 4/1931 Built 3/1931 Built 3/1931 Built 8/1931 Built 12/1931 Built 3/1933 Built 2/1932 Built 2/1931

Name County Carlow County Clare County Cork County Dublin County Kerry County Kildare County Kilkenny County Limerick County Wexford County Wicklow County of Bucks County of Cardigan County of Carmarthen County of Chester County of Hants County of Leicester County of Monmouth County of Radnor County of Salop County of Worcester County of Bedford County of Brecon County of Carnarvon County of Cornwall County of Denbigh County of Flint County of Gloucester County of Hereford County of Merioneth County of Oxford

Withdrawn 3/1931 11/1930 5/1930 2/1930 11/1933 1/1931 11/1931 3/1931 8/1930 3/1930

# Carried Standard No.2 Boiler 11/1907-5/1909 ** These dates are a month different in “Engine Data”: - 3801-3805 11/1906; 3816 11/1906 3831 5/1904 ## Named County of Cheshire until 5/1907

Counties, with the first, No 3473, carrying the name County of Middlesex. They were an immediate success and a further twenty locomotives Nos 3801-3820 appeared between October and December 1906, utilising further English and Welsh names plus some Irish Counties.

The Great Western had close ties with South West Ireland which was still part of the UK at this time. By the end of 1906, the thirty Counties constituted the greatest number of any of the

standard classes then constructed. Following the completion of the second batch there was a pause in production while Churchward took the decision to re-boiler nine Atbaras with the standard No 4 boiler, making them virtually indistinguishable from the ten Cities, bringing the class total to 20.

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No 3818 County of Radnor

feed. They carried names of a further selection of English and Welsh Counties. This batch had the previously standard 2½” offset eliminated, and the cylinder centre line became coincident with the axle centres as in the Court series of Saints. Two other more obvious changes were the introduction of the ‘Holcroft curve’ to the running plate, front and rear, which alleviated the angular look which had been much criticised and the introduction of screw reverse to replace the previously standard lever arrangement. The Churchward standard bogie was also fitted. The bogie brakes were removed in 1924 but, this apart, the class was merely updated by the fitting of superheated boilers and top feed. No other significant alterations were made during their working lives.

Differences between the batches were: The first two batches, Lot 149 (3473 to 3482 later 3800 & 3831-3839)) and Lot 165 (3801 – 3820) had straight footplating and lever reverse, the cylinder centre line was set 2½” above the driving wheel centre line and the third batch,

Lot No 184 (3821 – 3830), were built late 1911/12. They were visually different from the earlier batches being vacuum braked and carrying the large copper-capped chimneys with their footplating curved downwards at each end in the familiar ‘Holcroft’ style. They had screw reverser and the reversing reach rod was on the R.H. side sloping forwards and down and passing behind the nameplate. Decorative brass beading was fitted to the wheel splasher edges, while the earlier batches had simple plate steel strengthening strips riveted on. The righthand nameplate was set inwards a few inches from the edge of the splasher; these engines (3821-3830) carried superheated boilers right from the start while the earlier engines were brought into line by 1912.

The Churchward 3500-gallon tender was standard for this batch and they were fitted with Court series cylinders, which had their centre lines coincident with those of the driving wheels unlike the earlier engines. This last batch was constructed with the more modern De Glenn type suspension.

The first batch of engines was re-numbered in 1912; No. 3473 changing to 3800 while Nos 3474 to 3482 became 3831 to 3839 in order.

All the rest retained their original numbers.

Basic dimensions were: Cylinders (O) 18” x 30”, 10” piston valves, standard No 4 boiler pressed to 200 lbs, Grate: 20.56 sq. ft. Wheels: bogie 3' 2”, driving 6’8 ½” Tractive effort: 20,500lbs. Tenders: Dean 3000 / 4000 gallon and Churchward 3500 gallon varieties were variously fitted.

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passages and long travel valves, the Counties were strong and powerful engines. In their early pre-superheated days, they were the most numerous of the Churchward standard designs and were found all over the GW system.

Were they successful? All the evidence suggests that they were. The highest speed recorded was 86 mph. There were few modifications, a sure sign of the basic soundness of the design; they were used for most of their lives on express turns, quite often in their later days as substitutes for larger more powerful engines which had failed.

Their withdrawal came as a direct result of the introduction of significant numbers of Hall class engines and the unwillingness of the authorities to relegate them to secondary duties, something that was common practice on other railways. Withdrawals began in 1930 with the last of the class no 3834 County of Somerset - one of the first series - being the last to be withdrawn in November 1933. The County class was the first class of truly modern 4-4-0’s to be built in Britain and the first to be withdrawn.

No 3836 County of Warwick, from the first batch, ran up the highest mileage having covered 1,044,235 miles by withdrawal. A further three broke the one million miles barrier and twenty ran over 900,000 miles. The only significant modification,, and a short lived one at that, was the fitting of a No 2 boiler to No 3805 County Kerry between November 1907 and May 1909.

This was achieved by the fitting of a distance piece on the existing saddle to accommodate the smaller diameter smokebox. It was evidently not a success. The remaining design changes concentrated on thermal efficiency and, by 1913, all 30 Counties not originally built with a superheater had received one and the same 30 received a top feed by 1913. In 1930, when the LMS was at last prepared to accept 4-6-0 engines over the Standish to Yate line, withdrawals of the Counties began. Five of the first six were from the first batch of 1904 while, in 1931 no fewer than 25 went, with four going in 1932 and the last five in 1933.

Withdrawals of all the large wheeled 4-4-0’s of both inside and outside cylinder varieties took place between 1927 and 1933 due, primarily, to redundancy and not because of any fundamental design shortcomings. The Counties, being the most modern, were the last to be withdrawn. The GW approach of constantly updating its fleet was the undoing of the Counties and the other large wheel 4-4-0’s.

No 3840 County of Montgomery

The idea of building a Churchward County came as a result of negotiations with the Vale of Glamorgan Council, owners of the Barry Ten, the last survivors of over two hundred locomotives acquired by Woodhams Scrapyard in South Wales, the majority of which were not cut up. As part of the deal to acquire the parts to build a Hawksworth County 4-6-0, the Great Western Society was persuaded to build a Churchward 4-4-0 and a 4700 class 2-8-0.

With the other two projects under way and resistance from members of the GWS to starting another before the others were completed, a separate charitable trust was formed to construct No 3840 County of Montgomery. The formal launch took place in 2017.

The frame plates were manufactured soon afterwards, and the acquisition of suitable parts began immediately. Donor items for this locomotive came from several members of the Barry Ten: • the no 4 boiler and one bogie wheelset from Churchward 2-8-0 Tank no 5227; • one bogie wheelset from Churchward 2-8-0 no 2861, which also provided the axleboxes; • The hornguides are from Collett 2-6-2 tank No 4115 and 2861 and the spring hangers from 4115.

• One crosshead originally from No 5224 has also been acquired.

• Other items are being acquired as they come to light – slidebars, tie bars, tee links and driving underkeeps.

The boiler of No. 5212 was built in 1923 as stock and has been fitted to 5229 in 1924, 5230, 5360, 7314, 5310 and lastly to 5227 during 1955. A suitable 3500 gallon tender chassis has been acquired (No. 2143) which was built for stock on 1st Dec 1920 and first paired with Mogul No. 6315, later running behind Nos. 6314, 6315 (again), 2857, 2840, 5364, 6385, 6339, 6361, 2861, 2837, 2890, 5360, 6330, 6818, 6344, 6373, 6394, 6317, 6368, 5396, 2824, 2884, 3851, 3846, 3843, and 3822, which it was still behind at Barry.

New items required are the plate frames which were cut by Tata Steel in 2018, extension frames machined from solid have already been

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The CAD drawing of the cab, boiler and tender The polystyrene patterns for the cylinders

Painting the frames at Tyseley

made for 6880 Betton Grange and 3850 and the two billets for this task have been obtained, a bogie, two 6’ 8½” driving wheelsets for which the pattern used for 2999 Lady of Legend will be used, most of the motion, cylinder block and most of the smaller components. Other items are mainly standard; injectors, ejector a full range of backhead fittings, connecting rods and safety valves. The only non-standard items are the 8’ 6” coupling rods. A drawing for the Lot 184 inside steampipe cylinder block has survived and polystyrene patterns have been made by Premier Patterns of Smethwick and the castings ordered from Russell Ductile in Scunthorpe. An attractive quotation has been received which will result in the wheels being cast in 2021. The nameplates were recently completed and joined the cast brass number plates which were cast some time ago. To our knowledge no parts have survived from a Churchward County though a suitable chimney has been rescued and refurbished.

Overall excellent progress has been made although there is currently nothing to be seen to demonstrate this, something which will be changing in the new year when the plate frames will be erected. Completion – really all depends on fundraising but certainly no earlier than 2024.

The three key donor locomotives - (above) No 5227, (below left) No 2861 and (right) No 4115 at Barry in 2010

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Worcestershire Parkway Station Winner of Prestigious Awards Worcestershire Parkway Station has won the West Midlands' top civil engineering project award for 2020. The project, which saw the first new station constructed in Worcestershire in over 100 years, was also awarded the Geotechnical award and the Large Project of the Year award as well as the Best Overall Project Award, at the West Midlands Institute of Civil Engineering (ICE) Awards. The annual awards ceremony celebrates the best civil engineering projects, as well as highlighting those people who have contributed to promoting civil engineering across the region.

The new station, which opened in February 2020, is a key part of Worcestershire County Council’s commitment to improve rail connectivity, enabling easier travel into and out of the county, boosting the regional economy and supporting growing communities. The station drew praise from ICE judges for overcoming technical challenges through a collaborative approach, engineering expertise, tenacity and determination.

Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, Councillor Ken Pollock, said: “Worcestershire Parkway is a culmination of years of hard work and I’m delighted that this fantastic project has been recognised at the ICE West Midlands awards. It’s an excellent example of improving

connectivity to benefit the community, of which we can be proud.”

Ian Walters, Managing Director of SLC Rail, said: “Winning this award is a testament to the hard work and passion that our people and industry partners put in to delivering this station. “I’m extremely proud of our part in delivering Worcestershire Parkway and the lasting legacy it brings to the region.”

Worcestershire Parkway forms part of the wider £50million rail investment programme in Worcestershire and is a key part of the longerterm Worcestershire Rail Investment Strategy.

The brand-new station follows improvements already made at Foregate Street in Worcester, Malvern Link and the redeveloped Kidderminster station which also opened earlier this year.

Worcestershire Parkway - Overall winner Client: Worcestershire County Council Partners: SLC Rail, Mott MacDonald and Buckingham Group Contracting It is not just the construction of the Worcestershire Parkway station that was impressive, but also the positive impact it will have for the local community and area. Linking two major railway lines, the facility should encourage more people to use public transport. Providing 25 electric charging points in the car park certainly showcases the sustainability emphasis of this project.

The design of the station carefully considered the environmental constraints of this rural location and was sensitive to the presence of existing wildlife and wetlands. The judges noted that the design, engineering and impact of the project for the whole of Worcestershire was exceptional, making this a worthy winner in the ICE West Midlands Large Project Award category.

Worcestershire Parkway - Large Project Winner Client: Worcestershire County Council Partners: SLC Rail, Mott MacDonald and Buckingham Group Contracting The judges noted that the design, engineering and impact of the project for the whole of Worcestershire was exceptional, making this a worthy winner in the ICE West Midlands Large Project Award category.

Worcestershire Parkway - Geotechnical Award winner Client: Worcestershire County Council Partners: Mott MacDonald and Buckingham Group Contracting The quality of this submission, with its combination of both technical and lay information for what was a highly detailed geotechnical project. The project team impressed the judges with how they embraced the technology available to deliver this project through Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) and the resulting close working relationship between designer, contractor and specialist geotechnical subcontractors.

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Railway Societies in Profile – No.1 The Branch Line Society The Branch Line Society (BLS) is a national UK-based, entirely voluntary, association for railway enthusiasts with a membership of almost 2,000 - some scattered throughout the World. It was established in 1955 and is widely recognised as Britain's leading amateur group for the study of past, present and proposed railway infrastructure and the history of networks (nowadays, despite its title, not just minor lines). The Society pursues its aims by providing a regular news service, by organising mainline, heritage and private railtours as well as visits, and the production and distribution of publications. There are occasional indoor meetings and fixtures include guided trackbed walks, signal box visits and we once even visited a girls' boarding school … (with railway connections, of course!).

The Society works regularly with its operating partners, including Network Rail and the Train Operating Companies, to promote the good causes that they support. Most years, our joint operations have raised over £150,000 for charities and other deserving groups. The Society is currently hard at work to redesign these events to meet current Social Distancing requirements.

Our emphasis is on the physical infrastructure and operating arrangements, rather than motive power and rolling stock.

The BLS records matters of railway history accurately for archive purposes as historical records, available online to members.

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The Birmingham Balti Bash arriving at Shrewsbury P4 from the Birmingham Line; Severn Bridge Junction signal box is the largest in the world still with operating semaphore signals

Communication and Publications

Members receive 24 electronic or paper newsletters (Branch Line News or BLN) per year - British Isles and International versions are also available. They also receive priority information, booking preference on Society events, lower fares, some sales discounts, and two invaluable annual printed publications: • "Minor Railways" by Peter Scott – listing all operating public railways in the UK of 7¼" gauge and above by area, showing location, track layout and length of the railway, limited contact details and known operating dates where not regularly open to the public.

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The Devonian Crompton at Yeovil Pen Mill. © Richard Putley 2020

• "Passenger Train Services Over Unusual Lines" by Richard Maund (also available online, regularly updated) – details of sections of railway with services not easily identified in timetables.

Membership Services

Most services are available (including card payments) through http://www.branchline. uk - the Society's website. This includes membership, fixtures and online searchable access to all 65 years of BLNs, with indexes and other archived documents; an invaluable resource for railway research. Membership costs as little as £12 per year, recovered by joining just one of our mainline rail tours that offer a discounted price to members! Some fixtures are 'members only', such as our brakevan trips round Scunthorpe Steelworks to sections not normally seen on public tours.

Railtours

Our railtours and other fixtures visit every part of the UK and Ireland as well as European and Middle Eastern countries. The legacy of the GWR is not neglected.

2019 saw 'The Looe Brush' tour from Bristol Temple Meads to the Moorswater and Looe branches. The connection from the mainline at Liskeard on to the Looe branch has been something of a holy grail for track enthusiasts for decades. The passenger services between Liskeard and Looe always start and finish at Liskeard platform 3, quite separate from the rest of the station (in fact at right angles to it).

However, meticulous planning and the forging of excellent working relationships with rail industry partners by BLS Fixtures Secretary Kev Adlam, led to success at last for our special train. As well as running to the end of the line at Looe, our train also traversed the freight only Moorswater Branch from Coombe Junction into its Cement terminal (due to close shortly) before returning to the mainline at Liskeard, with a second run over that coveted connection. Other highlights were a visit into Laira depot (on the train) in Plymouth and via the mainline connection to the South Devon Railway and from Totnes to Buckfastleigh. This tour also raised over £10,000 for charity.

The most recent example of a BLS railtour venturing onto GWR metals was 'The Devonian Crompton' in March 2020. This was the second of three consecutive days of railtours raising money for the Help for Heroes and Tommy's charities. Starting at London Victoria and ending at Waterloo the train, hauled by a pair

The ‘Looe Brush’ finally brushes up against Looe platform.© Geoff Plumb 2019

of ex-BR Class 33 diesels, ran to Crediton on the Barnstaple branch, out via the Southern route via Salisbury, Yeovil and Axminster and back on the Great Western via Taunton, Bristol Temple Meads, Bath, Westbury, Warminster and Salisbury.

Late 2019 saw 'The Birmingham Balti Bash' railtour with Class 20s over a convoluted route, including freight only track and loops, around the West Midlands from Solihull to Warwick, Tyseley through siding, Bordesley, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Oxley, Telford Railfreight terminal (Donnington), Shrewsbury, Stourbridge, Snow Hill, Moor Street and Small Heath Goods, amongst many others.

Participants enjoyed a complimentary curry!

Other fixtures of interest to students of the Great Western Railway in 2019 included signal box visits in the Shrewsbury and South Wales areas and a Devon service train tracker, an organised group on service trains to travel over all the main lines and branches in that county.

There were well over 50 tours etc in 2019.

Looking Forward

Although 2020 ended with fewer tours, 2021 promises to be one of the Society's best years yet, with a number of exciting projects already in the planning stages, subject of course to the on-going COVID-19 situation, which thankfully does appear to be improving.

Branch Line News has regional sections with numerous interesting items from the latest news on the railway network to items of historic research and shared recollections from the past. The emphasis is on things you don't see in other publications - the paper version typically has 36 pages, some 140 items, and the electronic version runs to around 100 pages, with many colour photos. All in all, joining the Branch Line Society could be the best £12 you spend. Go to http://www.branchline.uk NOW

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The World of GWR Modelling In this section of the magazine, we will look at what is happening in the world of railway modelling analogue and digital - and in a range of gauges from Z-Gauge up to about 7¼ inch gauge. We will look at the people who are building model railway layouts and we will also take a look at people and companies who are servicing the needs of the model railway enthusiast. If you would like to feature your own layout, your own locomotive, carriage or wagon that you would like to show, then please get in touch.

Equally, if you know of a layout, locomotive, carriage or wagon that has impressed you, again, please get in touch.

Alice Susan Neale - Scratch Builder Extraordinaire

(Above left) Wagons loaded with coal in the late 1920s at Radstock colliery Somerset. S.&.D.J.R Brake vans (No 197) Circa 1889 , and ( No 1) 10 ton Engineers Ballast Brake Circa 1904 being prepared for their next duties. Scratch built in OO (Above right) Somewhere on the Somerset / Dorset border

(Above) G.W.R BARFISH TADPOLE A GUARDS VAN

(Left) The guard on the AA7 Guards van will lower his hand when clear of the siding. Featuring an 1898 AA7, 1871,1873, 1889 AA 8 A Pontynewydd and a 1885 AA16 G.W.R. Toads. All scratch built in OO. ( Toad of Toad Haul) perhaps 108

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It is not a replica just a supposition assumptive look alike for my layout and enjoyment, it is based on a G.W.R. 1871 type Toad , mine being a 1873 variant, one of 50 built 9 ton 9'-00 WB types built to Lot No osL100 with an open veranda and wooden brake shoes, my model represents how it looked after coming out of the wagon works in 1884 with the roof extended over the veranda and being equipped with iron brakes. No 17656 worked for 36 years before being condemned in 1909 anomalies apply. Some of you suggested during the build it was an AA16 , photo of my scratch built 1882 type with an iron chassis Circa 1885 AA16 together too see the difference. Also 1873 and 1871 open veranda together. All are scratch built in OO. The lamps are removable with a pair of tweezers

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Health and safety turned up equipped with respirators overalls and gloves , and the sheets were carefully removed to the adjacent hut , which has been sealed shut with the respirators protective clothing and gloves left inside. The appropriate authority has been informed for disposal, and the local bobby stands by to make sure no one enters till disposal arrive (A person has been arrested and charged under the illegal disposal of hazardous materials act) GREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE 109

All models scratchbuilt and captioned by Alice Susan Neale Covid precautions, at station road ALICETON. On watery sunny autumns day with leaves scattered everywhere , a lady coming out of the greengrocers, signals to the women in blue, pushing a pram, it's OK to go in now , while the girl in the ally patiently waits her turn, the postman pauses by his bright red shiny post office van, and admires the Velocette motor bike, on his way to collect the days post, the gent leaving the butchers shop, reminds the little boy on his way to buy some sausages for his mum, to keep his distance, while the local bobby in the doorway ,makes sure all keep to their two metres.

(Left) Remember when you scrubbed the front door step to welcome friends to use your mangle, and engine men smoked all the way home, to be greeted by a clean door step and a tin bath in front of the hearth.( Ah! Luxury) those were the good old steam days.

(Left) At Station Road ALICETON. Somebody’s lovely pooch has done a whoopsie outside Sally’s front door ,so her good neighbours have rallied round to help her wash it all away, while the lady in the red shoes, calls out as she points down, ooh!! I have trod in some.

ALICETON G.W.R. GOODS YARD

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Sansapreil Integrated Casting Services Iain Young set up Sanspareil ICS over 20 years ago to provide quality lost wax brass and nickel silver castings for model railway kit manufacturers. Not content with this, he has expanded into production of his own kits.

Continued Expansion

Today, these kits include a 7mm model of Rocket and a GWR Ransome and Rapier 36ton crane, complete with match and 4-wheeled wagons. There are also Mess and Tool Vans in 7mm scale to complement these and to enable the modeller to make a realistic train. Le Petit Train de France kits came his way following the passing of Bob Davis and then, a number of years ago, he purchased the CSP Models range of 4mm locomotive kits from the late Roger Savage. Recently, he has purchased the Zero Zephyr Steam locomotive range of kits as well.

For those wanting parts to detail their models, individual castings can be found in the Lost and Foundry section. A recent incursion into Resin casting has seen a 7mm ready-to-run Maryport & Carlisle Railway Chauldron wagon.

This is branded in the SteamAle range as it has been produced in collaboration with members of the Cumbrian Railways Association.

Consolidation of the various ranges and full details of items currently available can be found on the cspmodels.com web page.

The reintroduction of the former Zero Zephyr models will see them incorporated into the CSP 7mm kit range. It is hoped that the LNWR 0-4-0 Deeley Tank and MR Johnson 1500 0-40 ‘Burton’ Tanks will be the first to be made available followed by the Peckett and Barclay Fireless models.

the end of January. At the same time, work has progressed on both a 4mm and 7mm version of the GWR River class locomotive. These were originally Peter Dawson kits, but they have had upgrades and extra brass castings included to make the building of them easier than in the past. Test builds have been undertaken to ensure that everything does work and that it is ‘buildable’! Also in the 4mm CSP range are several GWR locomotive kits including an Avonside 0-6-0ST, GWR 1361 class 0-6-0ST as well as others, so you will be spoilt for choice!

Always Available for New Ideas

Iain is always open to new challenges and for those who require specialist casting work to the highest quality can’t go wrong and should contact him to discuss their requirements.

Those of you who have built kits before may well have used some of his castings without realising it. If you thought that the ones in the kit were really good quality then, they are probably his. He is usually available most mornings between 9 and 1, providing he is not casting as the machines can’t be left unattended at critical times. Call him on 01228-810767 or email cspmodels@outlook.com

Future Developments

Under development has been an LSWR C14 0-4-0 locomotive and this should be available by

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News from the World of GWR Modelling

Rail Replacement Service

Readers of the October issue of Great Western Star will remember the excellent layout “Truro (South Western) from Trevor Tremethick. At the end of the article, Trevor outlined some of the forthcoming developments and some of these have now been made possible by the COVID-19 Lockdown. As a result, the railway company has had to organise a “Rail Replacement” bus service!

PECO Recognised for Its Resilience in Face of Pandemic

Seaton’s iconic model railway business PECO has been acknowledged for its resilience in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

Insurance brokers Gallagher have launched a UK-wide initiative called “Tackling Tomorrow.

Together” – aimed at supporting seven pioneering UK organisations that have shown tenacity and pioneering spirit during the Covid-19 crisis.

PECO was selected to participate in the programme in recognition of their efforts and resilience during the pandemic.

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business also had to deal with a cyber attack.

Despite these challenges, PECO has been up and running since last April. With Gallagher’s help, they have managed to fully recover, with demand currently outstripping their ability to manufacture some of the products.

The family company, which started trading in 1946 and is now in its third generation, has been paired with top flight rugby clubs Bristol and Gloucester, who play in the Gallagher-sponsored Premiership.

PECO, along with the other participating organisations, will be given opportunities to promote their business within their local communities with the aim of getting in front of new audiences January/February 2021

and potential customers. This includes in-stadia advertising such as big screen promotions and match programme adverts, regionspecific digital marketing and tickets to host a networking event when spectators are allowed to attend Premiership games again.

PECO managing director Ben Arnold said: “PECO are delighted to be part of Gallagher’s “Tackling Tomorrow. Together” campaign.

This past year has certainly brought many challenges but thanks to Gallagher’s help, particularly after being hit by the cyber-attack during the first Lockdown, we have been able to recover, and are proud to be keeping households engaged in their railway modelling interests and hobbies”

OO Gauge 78xx Manor Locomotive Functioning Prototype

Dapol have unveiled a fully functioning engineering prototype of its OO Gauge Manor Class 4-6-0 locomotive. The model is motorised and has all of its electronics installed. When the Design Engineer and Technical Manager have finished their evaluation of the model it will be shipped to their Sound Engineer to help tweak the sound profile to the aesthetics of this specific model.

of the Manor Class. The model incorporates many of the features and benefits first showcased in Dapol’s very popular OO Gauge Mogul. The model will feature Dapol’s award winning slide out PCB and the tried and tested easy connect, wire free, tender to locomotive electrical draw bar.

The inclusion these two features makes converting a model to DCC or DCC and sound very easy indeed.

Joined Up Thinking The tooling package for the Mogul from its very inception was designed to allow the production

Continual Improvement In line with Dapol’s philosophy of continual improvement and in conjunction with listening to

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customer feedback, potential areas of improvement were identified with the Mogul. Dapol has addressed these opportunities in the new OO Gauge Manor tooling and they will also be incorporated into future production runs of the Mogul 2-6-0 and in the soon to be released Prairie 2-6-2. Some of the improvements we are making are listed below: Dapol has adjusted the gearing being in the Manor and the Prairie to a 30-1 ratio, this will provide excellent slow speed running as well as an accurate top speed.

• The crosshead has an enhanced level of detail, along with the accurately portrayed die-cast motion bracket and slide-bars. A working representation of the vacuum pump is fitted as standard to the Manor Class model.

• There have also been improvements made to the firebox glow to better showcase this feature of the model. This modification will

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also appear in future releases of the Mogul and also in the new Prairie.

General Specification Many original GA drawings were used in the development of these accurate and authentic models.

The locomotives will have : • die-cast compensated chassis • Detailed cab interior with screw reverse • Full profile cylinder – no cut away • The front Bogie is also sprung and operates on a cam so the model will negotiate R2 curves with ease.

• Brass plated safety valve casing • Original (with capucheon) and redrafted chimneys fitted as appropriate.

• Exquisite detailing on the buffer beam and footplate with prototypical overhang h t t p s : / / w w w. d a p o l . c o . u k / shop/preorder/OO-GaugePreorder/78xx-4-6-0-Manor

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4 NEW products from Legacy Models & DCCconcepts Pull Up a Chair and Work on Your track LM-TK14 Frets of 22, totalling 88 4mm scale sleepers, 1.6mm thick.

High quality MIL spec fibreglass so they will never curl.

Pre-etched so no cutting of copper to isolate rails. Pre-tinned for easy soldering and Suitable for use with both Bullhead rail with chairs and Flat bottom rail in Code 75 or Code 100. Easy and quick to remove from the fret. The tabs are cut so that any “dags” will only be at the bottom & invisible once ballast is added, so if you prefer, you can just leave them there rather than trim them off. For “end of track use” at baseboard ends, you can use many glues, but we recommend that you use epoxy to secure them permanently in place.

LM-TK222x 4mm scale sleepers, 1.6mm thick and 40 finely cast rail chairs. The Sleepers are high quality MIL spec fibreglass so they will never curl and pre-etched so no cutting of copper to isolate

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rails. Sleepers are pre-tinned for easy soldering. The Brass chairs are scaled from original drawings, finely cast and beautifully detailed.

There is NO flash on these chairs which are created using fine jewellery techniques and no clean up is required. The LM-TK2 is an ideal pack to experiment with as it contains a little of everything!

LM-TK14 Frets of 22, totalling 88 4mm scale sleepers, 1.6mm thick.

High quality MIL spec fibreglass so they will never curl.

Pre-etched so no cutting of copper to isolate rails. Pre-tinned for easy soldering and Suitable for use with both Bullhead rail with chairs and Flat bottom rail in Code 75 or Code 100. Easy and quick to remove from the fret. The tabs are cut so that any “dags” will only be at the bottom & invisible once ballast is added, so if you prefer, you can just leave them there rather than trim them off. For “end of track use”

at baseboard ends, you can use many glues, but we recommend that you use epoxy to secure them permanently in place.

LM-TK222x 4mm scale sleepers, 1.6mm thick and 40 finely cast rail chairs. The Brass chairs are scaled from original drawings, finely cast and beautifully detailed. There is NO flash on these chairs which are created using fine jewellery techniques and no clean up is required. The LM-TK2 is an ideal pack to experiment with as it contains a little of everything!

Legacy Power PointBaseboard Dowels (4 Pack)

Four pairs of precision baseboard alignment dowels.

These are the BEST alignment dowels ever offered – now with POWER BUS CONNECTIVITY! Easier to install accurately than any other… All that is needed is a pilot drill and a 13mm and 19mm spade bit. Hard alloy, heavily passivated for zero corrosion means very long life, and the tolerances are so fine there is NO movement possible once they are installed.

Four pairs is enough to make two joints (joins three baseboards together). Electrical connections are GOLD to guarantee fault-free performance every time!

Legacy Models PowerPoint Baseboard Dowels (4-pack) Price: £34.95 Inc

O Gauge Snowplough

Flangeway and Dapol announce O Gauge Independent Snowplough – designed and produced in the UK! Flangeway are pleased to announce in partnership with Dapol their latest new product which sees them expand into O Scale with their first ready to run model.

The OO Gauge Independent Snowplough has been widely received since its launch many years ago and its subsequent

reruns. With the rise of O Scale ready to run in recent years, it is the natural progression for Flangeway to take and so they are pleased to make the next step in their range development.

Dapol are also pleased to announce that this will become a UK manufactured product and are extremely proud of the fact that the production will be moved to the UK once the initial release has been delivered.

Richard Barnett from Flangeway said: “We are extremely proud that we are able to bring this product to market. It has been much requested for a while now and with the encouragement from our friends at Dapol, the opportunity arose to develop this new product.

We are particularly proud that we are helping to develop UK skills and assist in re-growing the UK manufacturing industry.”

Joel Bright, Dapol MD said: “We are very excited about this development, not only because Flangeway have put their trust in Dapol to bring this model to fruition for which we are exceptionally grateful, but it also marks a milestone in that this project is the first ever we have ever fully designed and drawn up from our base in Chirk. We hope this signifies the first of many.”

All CAD work is now complete on the model which will now enter the tooling stage with a view to bringing the Snowplough to market during 2021. Flangeway’s sister business, Footplate, has now opened expressions of interest

January/February 2021

which can be registered via the website.

Built in the 1960’s on modified tender frames from LNER steam locomotives, British Rail created around 40 of these large drift snowploughs, some of which continue in service today with Network Rail.

RRP is expected to be around the £95 mark with the initial variants to feature popular liveries including; Scottish, Network Rail and 1965 versions.

Bachmann Europe’s exclusive range of Thomas & Friends™ OO Gauge model railways arrived during January and the full range is available from Bachmann stockists now! Certified for use from age 3 upwards, young enthusiasts can find all of the characters they need to start building their own Island of Sodor!

Our Train Set featuring Thomas with Annie & Clarabel is the perfect starting point, with easy-to-lay snap-fit track suitable for use on all surfaces and an easy-to-use controller with plug in connections, you’ll be playing trains in no time.

There are plenty of options when it comes to expanding the Train Set too; the E-Z Track® Layout Expander Pack includes a selection of different track sections allowing you to create a variety of configurations.

All of these locomotives have moving eyes and we’ve also incorporated Next18 DCC Decoder sockets for those wishing to give Digital Control a try.

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(Left) the new slate walling from Wills (Above) Peco N-Gauge wagon Gellyceidrim Colliery (Below) Peco N-Gauge wagon Small & Son

OO Gauge Slate Walling

Peco have announced the first of a series of new additions to the Wills material pack range. SSMP 232 slate walling is now available and we are sure it will be popular with scratch builders in OO, especially those in OO-9 where slate walling will be a fitting addition to the layout as many narrow gauge railways in north Wales sole purpose was the transporting of slate from quarries.

This release marks the first of four new material packs available soon, with the planned tactile platform paviours, gabion cage walling and French lozenge tiling all progressing nicely and due for release in 2021 adding to an already appealing variety of materials.

Something for scratch builders to look forward to!

Available from you local PECO retailer now!

Win a Year’s Free Subscription to Great Western Star!

The first five correct answers to the following questions will each qualify for a FREE year’s subscription to Great Western Star - saving £15.00.

Email your answers to: The Editor, Great Western Star, giving your name and contact details 116

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Gellyceidrim Colliery Wagon

Gellyceidrim Colliery was located at Garnant on the Great Western branch from Glanamman to Brynamman which served numerous anthracite producers, at this time 25 wagons were hired from Gloucester RC&WCo. The colliery was working from the late 19th century and employed just over 500 people. In 1923 the colliery lost its independence and was taken over by Cleeves Western Valley which then saw the Gellyceidrim Colliery wagons be repainted into their new owners livery by 1930.

The wagon is dark grey with bold white lettering shaded black. The attractive logo, white circle with red cross and 'G' in yellow, sits proudly on the centre of the wagon and is a very eye-catching feature.

The wagon also features the added detail of printed owner plates on the sole bar and come with a full load of coal!

An initial run of 250 wagons has been produced.

Small & Son Wagon

Small & Son were a merchant supplying coal, coke, brick, stone, corn, fertiliser and agricultural feed. The business was based in Taunton and had depots at various stations around Somerset and East Devon.

Small & Son built up a large fleet of over forty private owner wagons through regular purchases from the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Co. between 1892 and 1911.

The wagon features a dark grey body and black ironwork.

The text is bold white lettering shaded black which proudly displays the company name as well as their locations and product offerings. The model also includes the extra detail of printed owner plates on the sole bar.

1. The LNWR ran its mail trains to Holyhead, the GWR from Paddington to ...?

2. The Westerns were all withdrawn by....?

3. Why did up trains pass in opposite directions at Exeter St David’s...?

4. Who was responsible for installing Britain’s first Stationary Testing Plant in Swindon...?

5. Which General Manager left the GWR in 1929 to become Chairman of AEI...?

6. Churchward, Gresley, Walschaerts and Stephenson. Which is the odd one out and why...?

Closing Date for Entries20th March 2021 (Editor’s decision is final!)

January/February 2021

From My Bookshelf In this column, I intend to feature not only the latest and most interesting non-fiction books but I will aso be looking at some of the well-known and perhaps not so well-knon fiction boooks that are on my own bookshelf. After all some of our greatest writers - Charles Dickens and Agatha Christie, for example - have chosen railway settings on which to base their stories. Perhaps you might find something that might appeal to you

Cathedrals of Steam - Christian Wolmar;

Atlantic Books, £25.00 Christian Wolmar is one our most respected and popular authors of railway books.

His latest one, published at the end of 2020, look at the stories behind London’s twelve major railway stations - more than any other country in the World.

Over the years, these stations have developed, declined and have undergone a reincarnation - some say this reflects the state of the capital, others say that it was this cycle that was reflected in the state of teh railways. One way to find out is to read this thoroughly interesting book

by Christian Wolmar and enjoy the fresh look at their history and the anecdotes tied to them.

The text will hold your interest throughout and its quality is reflected in the illustrations within the book The author talks in the beginning of the book about Sir John Betjeman and draws upon him throughout the book. Truly a quality and fascinating read. - Ed

Faceless - Lockdown Poems - Adam Waugh

£10.00 plus £1.50p&p.

All proceeds to Alzheimers Research UK. The book consists of poems written by me and one by my daughter, the illustrations are done by my wife and daughter.

A lot of my poems were thoughts developed whilst driving my train or travelling into work on main line Thameslink from Peterborough.

Adam is a Tube train driver on the Picadilly LIne, a job that he has done and enjoyed for 16years. As a family they lost a wonderful Mother Grandmother Sister etc to this horrible disease and he felt that he would like to do something about it. He

Right Away!

Steve Davies

The Choir Press £8.99 2019 This is the story of a man who spent 48 yearsof his working life on the railway - initially at Newport, Monmouthshire, then a short spell at King’s Cross before transferring bacl to South Wales to the Ebbw Junction Diesel Depot. He was finally made redundant and completed the remainder of his career at Westbury, Wiltshire.

His story follows the traditional path from Messenger Boy to Clerk, Assistant train Driver, Driver, Instrutor Driver and trade union representative.

It is an instructive and yet entertaining story of a man’s life on teh railway, of passenger and freight trains both beforee and after privatisation.

He brings to life some bizarre incidents sucah as a traindriving gorilla, of being compared to ET through to less pleasnat events such as runaway trains and fatalities. A very intersting read and one you ill not want to put down - Ed January/February 2021

initially self-published 100 copies but sold out, literally, overnight.

The poems are intesting and, at times, thought provoking. I urge you to buy a copy, even if you do not like the book - and I cannot imagine how you could not, you will be helping Adam in his personal fight against this terrible disease - Ed

Upalong and Down!

The story of the Redruth & Chasewater Railway Eric Rabjohns The Trevithic Society £10

In the 9150s, Eric lived close to the crossing point of the GWR Tresavean branchline and the Redruth & Chasewater Railway at Lanner Hill. His father was a railwayman who explained to him about the remains of the R&C, Many years later Eric and his wife moved to Carharrack, next to an embankment of that former line.

Ove many years, Eric has traced every last inch of teh R&C and probably knows more about it than anyone else. Consequently has has given many talks, taken groups around and now finally brings it all together in a fascinating book. It is another fascinating chapter in the very complex history of railways in this country - Ed GREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE

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