Heritage Railway Issue 223 preview

LOTTERY £1.75M SAVES COLNE VALLEY

ISSUE 223

December 15, 2016– January 12, 2017

TOP 10 EVENTS OF 2017

WEST SOMERSETTAUNTON LINK FOR 2018

DUCHESS AND EDGCUMBE HIT BY GAUGING PROBLEMS

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‘LIZZIE’ WITHDRAWN AFTER16TRIPS

STEAM TRAIN DIVIDES IN NORTH LONDON

■ MANX HORSE TRAMWAY TO BE HALVED ■ SEVERN VALLEY SHARE ISSUE HITS £500K

CONTENTS ISSUE 223

December 15, 2016 – January 11, 2017

News

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Headline News

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West Somerset to trial new Taunton link in 2018; Lottery saves Colne Valley with £1.75 grant; steam charter train divides in London; 10 awards for South Devon, Flying Scotsman takes top Yorkshire tourism accolade, Severn Valley pannier back and Swanage to bring in Train Operating Company for Wareham services.

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News

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Severn Valley share issue reaches £500,000; Wolverton Works to be demolished; Isle of Man government plans to cut Douglas horse tramway in half; coaches for new Mail Rail trains trialled; big Australian museum closes doors; report into Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway crash; Southwold Railway revivalists get their first steam engine; action from the Great Central Railway’s Last Hurrah gala; London Transport Museum’s new series of tours of hidden railway sites; Bala Lake opts for tramway crossing to reach town centre and plans for Newent station to be rebuilt to serve a restored canal.

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Regulars Railwayana

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Centre

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Main Line Itinerary

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Off the Shelf

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Platform

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Up & Running

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Geoff Courtney’s regular column.

City of Wells on an East Lancashire Railway Santa special by Tom Noble.

Main Line News

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Hosking and Vintage Trains to set up TOCs; ‘Lizzie’ withdrawn after 16 trips; progress on KEI overhaul; Tornado, RTC and SD spring tour programmes; Gauging problem for Earl of Mount Edgcumbe; Last Western run to be repeated after 40 years.

With Full Regulator

Don Benn reports on the recent performances of Bulleid Pacific Braunton.

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Steam and heritage diesel railtours.

Latest book and DVD releases.

Where your views matter most.

Features The top 10 ‘must see’ events of 2017

With several keynote events already planned and others still in the melting pot, Robin Jones and Brian Sharpe look at the big happenings awaiting us in 2017.

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Guide to railways running in the autumn.

The Month Ahead

106 Find us on www.facebook.com/heritagerailway

CONTENTS: SR Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34052 Lord Dowding departs from Guildford with Steam Dreams’ ‘Cathedrals Express’ from West Brompton to Salisbury on November 29. KEN WOOLLEY COVER: LMS Ivatt 2-6-0 No. 43106 approaches Northwood with a Severn Valley Railway Santa special on December 4. JOHN TITLOW

LNER Pacifics contrasted: 1922-2016

The London & North Eastern Railway led the way for the 4-6-2 to become the preferred wheel arrangement for British express steam power. Brian Sharpe delves into the contrasting way the various types evolved.

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Railways at War: The Longmoor Military Railway

Few people are fully aware to what extent the railways, and certain sections of the army, were able to play such a large part in assisting the war effort during the two world wars. Brian Bell, who served at Longmoor in the 1950s, outlines how both the Allies and the Germans realised just how strategic the railways were as something to attack and something to defend.

The 21st Century Railway Children

68: A Herefordshire gem

One name is synonymous with narrow gauge restoration and new-build projects. Mark Smithers reports on progress to be seen at an open day at Alan Keef Ltd.

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The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is world famous as the setting for EMI’s immortal big-screen version of Edith Nesbit’s novel The Railway Children. However, the heritage line is now leading the way with a groundbreaking new visitor attraction, Rail Story, based around a coach that has been converted into a classroom to teach new generations of youngsters about Britain’s rich railway heritage, writes Robin Jones.

Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

H Heritagerailway.co.uk i il k5

HEADLINE NEWS Steam charter train empty stock divides in West London THEWest London line was blocked for two hours after empty coaching stock being taken to King’s Cross to form the Railway Touring Company’s‘Lindum Fayre’ trip on Saturday, December 3 split in half.

The 12-coach rake of Mk.1 stock was en route from the West Coast Railways’Southall depot, topped and tailed by LMS Princess Coronation Pacific No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland and a West Coast Class 47 diesel, when a buckeye coupling broke on the buffet car in the middle of the train at 6.30am, leaving six coaches divided from the other six at Mitre Bridge Junction.

Train operatorWest Coast immediately notified the statutory authorities and began an investigation of its own into the failure of the coupling.

Reports said that 52 trains on the line were delayed.The leading coaches were taken back to Southall by No. 46233.

The failure led to the immediate cancellation of the 8am trip to the Lincoln Christmas market, which was to have run behind the Duchess, affecting 350 passengers.

A RTC spokesman said that all passengers had been offered full refunds but declined to comment further.

Two steam trains were set to operate to Lincoln on December 3 for the Christmas market. but both ended up being cancelled.

TheVintageTrains excursion fromTyseley fell foul of gauging restrictions on GWR 4-6-0 No. 5043 EarlofMountEdgcumbe at Nottingham days before the train was due to run (see separate story, Main Line News, page 60).

British India Line almost there REBUILTBulleidMerchantNavy PacificNo.35018BritishIndiaLine underwentaseriesoftestsat WestCoastRailway’s Carnforth baseinlateNovember,running upanddowntheyardunderits ownpower.Mainlinetestruns couldtakeplaceinFebruary,with No.35018makingitsheritage-era debutintheyearmarkingthe50th anniversaryoftheendofSouthern steam.ItwasboughtfromBarry scrapyard43yearsago.

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Colne Valley saved with £1.75m lottery grant

By Robin Jones CHRISTMAS came early for the Colne Valley Railway in the form of a £1,757,200 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), which means its future is secured.

The bulk of the money was needed to buy the freehold of the site from its Australian landowner, businessman ChristopherYoung, who had earlier shocked the railway by giving it notice to quit at the end of 2015 so it could be sold for redevelopment.

The decision sparked a hunt for an alternative site for the railway, which was founded in 1974, with around 30 other sites being considered.

However, as reported in issue 205, Mr Young made a U-turn and agreed to sell the section of the original ColneValley & Halstead Railway trackbed that he owns to the CVR Preservation Society, a registered charity. Included in this sale is his rolling stock, the buildings, track and all other materials from the present site.

The lottery grant also covers the All Aboard: Developing the ColneValley Railway (CVR) project, which includes development of the Cubitt Skills Centre, a three-road workshop which will become a centre of excellence for the overhaul and restoration of carriages,

wagons and possibly locomotives, taking on staff and apprentices, and the Brewster Interpretation Centre, which will tell the story of the railway and the local community using the latest developments in museum displays .

Better facilities

Society chairman Paul Lemon said:“We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us their full support.This allows the railway to secure its future and to develop the site with some first class facilities for the local community, our visitors and the railway preservation world alike.We would also like to thank Braintree District Council for their support with this project.”

Robyn Llewellyn, head of HLF East of England, said:“Thanks to National Lottery players we’re delighted to support this project. Owning the land, trains and buildings will enable CVR to invest in a positive future for this heritage railway while new premises, digital access and training opportunities for apprentices will transform access to the railway’s many wonderful stories.”

CounTom Cunningham, the district council’s cabinet member for economic development, said:“We’re proud to have been able to support ColneValley

Railway Preservation Society via our Business Growth Loan Fund which helped them secure a HLF of £1.75 million and will be directly invested in the north of the district.The ColneValley Railway is one of our major rural tourism and heritage destinations – a wonderful day out for families and school children and a great example of one of our local attractions.”

The loan fund is a £500,000 scheme offering a commercial rate to innovative and growing local businesses.

The project also includes a new entrance from a junction off the A1017, nearer to Castle Hedingham, and an entrance building, which includes visitor facilities including a shop and toilet.

A new car park for 125 vehicles and an overflow car park will be constructed, following the additional purchase of a nearby field.Visitors will exit from the rear of the building straight onto pathways leading to the main site and a relocated miniature railway station.

Railway officials said that the scheme will lead to a smaller, more manageable 13-acre site with shorter walking distances for visitors, the removal of a previous unsightly long entrance road and better maintained rolling stock through the skills centre.

Flying Scotsman wins White Rose award

THE long-awaited and overdue return of Gresley A3 Pacific No. 60103 Flying Scotsman following its £4.5 million overhaul has won a majorYorkshire tourist award.

The NorthYorkshire Moors Railway’s (NYRM)‘Flying Scotsman Returns’event, in collaboration with the National Railway Museum, has carried off the 2016White Rose AwardsTourism Event of theYear award.

The NYMR was the first heritage line to be selected to host the A3 following its official comeback run from King’s Cross to York on February 25, and drew bumper crowds when it ran there during the special March 12-20 event.

Judges hailed the return of Flying Scotsman as“a dynamic and unique visitor experience, leaving a legacy for years to come.The event offered old and new generations a rare opportunity to see and ride behind the world’s most famous engine, bringing this national treasure back to Britain’s tracks and back home toYorkshire”.

The awards ceremony took place on November 21 at theYorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate, and celebrated the best ofYorkshire tourism.

Welcome toYorkshire’s White Rose Awards are the largest celebration of tourism excellence in the UK and reward the best of the industry across the county.

NYMR general manager Chris Price said:“The Flying Scotsman event was a huge success due to the hard work of the NRM bringing the iconic engine back to life, with the NYMR being the first location for visitors to ride behind the world famous locomotive.”

The joint programme was a one-off event and has left a lasting legacy, not only for the two not-for-profit organisations involved, but for heritage railway tourism across the UK. Both charities successfully reestablished the importance of Flying Scotsman’s history and proudYorkshire engineering heritage to millions worldwide.

Autocar for 2017?

Rapidly approaching the final stages of completion at the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is the historicallypriceless 1903 North Eastern Railway autocar No. 3170, the forerunner of today’s internal combustion-powered trains.

Following test runs on the Great Central Railway in March, the body was lifted on to the chassis back at Embsay in the summer, and now all that remains is the engine compartment cladding, the roof and floor.

Project founder Stephen Middleton said the autocar could be running in 2017. It will be diesel power rather than petrol-electric as it was in NER days.

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NEWS

BR Standard Britannia Pacific No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell departs from Quorn & Woodhouse. ALAN WEAVER

Crowds defy the weather at

Last Hurrah

By Robin Jones

DESPITE patchy weather, passenger numbers at the Last Hurrah, the Great Central Railway’s final gala of the season, were 15% up on the corresponding event last year.

The November 19/20 gala featured five locomotives in steam plus a diesel, as contrasted with the first such event in 2010.

In action were BR Standard Pacific

No. 70013 OliverCromwell, recentlyoverhauled BR Standard 2MT 2-6-0 No. 78018,WR 4-6-0 No. 6990 Witherslack Hall, LMS Stanier 8F No. 48624 and‘Black Five’4-6-0 No. 45305.

Class 25 D5185 failed and was replaced

by Class 20 D8098.

The Saturday’s passenger numbers, on a cold but sunny day, were a third higher than last year, but the Sunday’s figures slightly down due to the weather.The Saturday featured 54 train movements.

GWR Modified Hall 4-6-0 No. 6990 Witherslack Hall accelerates away from Loughborough Central with a goods train. ROBERT FALCONER

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Apart from Saturday and selected Wednesday Santa trains, the railway is now closed until Boxing Day. Christmas holiday services will run from December 26 until January 3, normal fares applying.

The trains will include a griddle car service.

The first big event of 2017 will be the January 27-29 winter gala, which will feature guest engine Maunsell Q 0-6-0 No. 30541 from the Bluebell Railway.

It is intended to have nine engines in steam.

LMS 8F 2-8-0 No. 48624 races past Kinchley Lane with a southbound freight. PAUL BIGGS

BR Standard 2MT 2-6-0 No. 78018 passes the building site at Woodthorpe Lane. ROBERT FALCONER

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LMS ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 No. 45305 heads a morning goods train past Woodthorpe. ROBERT FALCONER

Write to us: Heritage Railway, Mortons Media Ltd, PO Box 43, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

The top 10

‘MUST SEE’ events of 2017 With several keynote events already planned and others still in the melting pot, Robin Jones and Brian Sharpe look at the big happenings awaiting us in 2017.

reopening of the 1The Settle and Carlisle line

The Settle & Carlisle line, arguably the most scenic inland railway route in England, was closed north of Appleby in February 2016 after a 500,000 tonne landslip at Eden Brows, north of Armathwaite, which caused the ground to slip 5ft beneath its normal level in the weeks that followed.

Train services were subsequently extended to Armathwaite with bus connections on to Carlisle, but the line remains closed as a through route with the familiar intensive programme of steam railtours being unable to operate.

As part of a £23 million engineering solution, engineers have been building an enormous concrete and steel, tunnel-like structure that will sit beneath the railway, 240ft above the

River Eden, to provide a stable base across the damaged and unstable ground.

Two rows of high-strength piles – steel tubes filled with concrete – have been driven into the sloping bedrock of the Eden gorge, north of Armathwaite.

The hundreds of piles will form a corridor, set into the hillside, on which a 5ft-thick, 110-yard concrete slab will then be placed.

This slab will form a solid base for the tracks.

The completed structure will stabilise a section of gorge bank above the River Eden that gave way in February, causing the ground below the railway to slip 1.5m below its normal level In addition to the solid structure being built beneath the railway, an extensive earthworks project, costing an estimated £5 million, will protect the foot of the bank down to the

LMS Princess Coronation Pacific No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland tops Ais Gill summit with the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express’ on January 31, 2015. BRIAN SHARPE

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The Eden Brows landslip site. NETWORK RAIL

A cross-section of the repair work at Eden Brows.

NETWORK RAIL

river. Drainage systems and ‘rock armour’, which helps prevent erosion, followed by tree replanting, will stabilise the land.

Martin Frobisher, managing director for Network Rail’s London North Western route, said: “The tunnel-like structure we’re building will safeguard this section of railway for generations to come. If the land gives way again, the railway will not.

“We are now focused on getting this iconic and much-loved line fully reopened right the way to Carlisle as soon as possible, which according to our programme of work will be by the end of March 2017.

“Network Rail remains strongly committed to the Settle-Carlisle line. We regard this line as an essential freight corridor and vital for local communities and the regional economy.”

Railtour promoters are making tentative plans for steam operations to return.

Douglas Hodgins, chairman of the Friends of Settle Carlisle Line, said: “This particular bit of the Eden gorge slipped in the 1870s when the line was being built. It took the then Midland Railway two years to stabilise the ground with Victorian resources and know-how. We are immensely grateful to Network Rail for devising and commissioning this 21st century solution.”

As it stands, the first steam tour advertised to run after reopening is the Railway Touring Company's 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' from Euston on April 22 which will be hauled northbound from Carnforth over Shap by LMS Princess Coronation Pacific No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, returning south via Ais Gill to Farington Junction.

Next looks likely to be the A1 Trust’s ‘North Briton’ from Leicester to Carlisle on April 29, which will be hauled by Peppercorn A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado from Doncaster to Carlisle via Settle, returning via Tyne Yard.

May 10 sees West Coast running the 'Pendle Dalesman' from Kidderminster, steam-hauled from Hellifield to Carlisle and return.

On May 20 there will be a diesel-hauled tour ‘Welcome Back to the Settle & Carlisle with the Northern Belle’, from King’s Cross to Carlisle.

On July 11, Statesman Rail runs its first regular Tuesday ‘Fellsman’ train, steam-hauled by one of West Coast Railways’ Carnforth-based locomotives, from Lancaster, Preston and Blackburn to Carlisle and back.

Sunday, July 23 sees the Railway Touring Company launch its summer programme

MAIN LINE NEWS

Loco Services and Vintage Trains bid for TOC status

WR 0-6-0PT No. 9466 stands at Bromsgrove before tackling the Lickey incline with Vintage Trains’ ‘Pannier Rambler IV’ on November 12. Class 47 No. 47773 was substituting for 0-6-0PT No. 9600, which had experienced problems at Stratford-upon-Avon. SAM BILNER

By Cedric Johns RUMOURS that have been circulating for months have now become reality, as both Jeremy Hosking’s Locomotive Services andVintageTrains are intending to apply to become licencedTrain Operating Companies.

This latest development was always a possibility for Locomotive Services but VintageTrains’application, coming hard on the heels of a £1 million appeal for the overhaul of GWR Castle class 4-6-0 No. 5080Defiant, has come as rather more of a surprise.

With the Hosking fleet of locomotives growing, the part-development of Southall as a stabling point and latterly the acquisition of the former diesel depot at Crewe, it was plain that plans were afoot to become much closer to main line operations.

The announcement that Mk.1 and Mk.2 coaches had been purchased for overhaul to Pullman standards served to confirm that intention.

Seven have so far been finished with three more pending, to produce a rake of 10 vehicles, all outshopped in carmine and cream.

Another clue to Locomotive Services’ intensions has been the addition of Class 47 diesels at Crewe.

Jeremy, who is a director of Premier League club Crystal Palace, organised a football special at the end of last season, carrying supporters to Southampton and back behind Bulleid 4-6-2 No. 34052 Lord Dowding as a‘taster’for things to come.

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Spokesman Peter Greenwood said: “TheTOC application is being processed.

“This was prompted, following the withdrawal ofWest Coast Railways’ operating licence (sic), as a safety net to ensure we can still run our own locomotives on the main line.

“However, we are pleased thatWest Coast is back in the action and we will continue to work with it and DB Cargo.

“We are only likely to do a limited number of our own trips and are certainly not looking to offer a rival service to either of the current steam Train Operating Companies at this time.”

Selected tour promoter

“Our own coaches will be used by the time ourTOC is up and running. By then we should have a full set of (10) refurbished coaches.”

Peter also confirmed a selected tour promoter would be used for ticketing.

“As to when it all starts, that is in the hands of the Rail Regulator, when he is fully satisfied with our application, but I do expect we should up and running during the coming year.”

When approved, operations will be carried out in the name of Locomotive Services (TOC) Ltd. In direct contrast,VintageTrains has years of experience of planning and promoting steam-hauled rail charter trains to back its application for a train operating licence.

WhenWest Coast was served with a prohibition notice by the ORR,Vintage Trains lost several railtours and this gave rise to rumours that theTyseley-based

company was looking for alternative means of doing its own thing.

This has now turned into fact, when VT’s chairman, MichaelWhitehouse, gave the first indication of the future, as he sees it, by issuing the following statement: “For the first time in British history, a charitable trust is promoting an application to the Office of Road and Rail for a licence to operate passenger charter trains on the national network.

“We are doing this so we can play a significant role and have an important national voice, ensuring the future running of steam locomotives on the national network, as the modern railway continues to develop.

“We know that this is a long and complex process and we cannot say when we will be able to start running trains of our own or what the exact arrangements will be, but we believe that the time is now right to take steps to secure our own long term legacy and purpose.

“This will provide our charity with ownership of all the elements required: steam locomotives, carriages, a workshop, a depot, a tour promoter and a licence to operate.

“Only by proceeding in this way do we believe we can create a sustainable future for public benefit.”

When Main Line News discussed the Defiant project a few weeks ago, we raised the subject of a train operating licence with MrWhitehouse.

His reaction was to brush the question aside with a non-committal answer,

saying that it would take years…When reminded of that, while talking about the TOC application he laughed saying:“You asked the question too early!”

In relation to the fundamental point of funding the operation, he said that he was talking to potential partners and he pointed out that some two-thirds of the operational requirements were already in place.

Too risky

Asked if was proposed to hire-in footplate crews and essential staff, he replied:“No, that would be too risky.

“We will employ the necessary crews, guards and staff to maintain control full-time, to ensure that we have the people required to operate extra trains as demands dictate,” he said.

He also said that he was keen to work with Birmingham’s industrial base, corporate institutions and the tourist trade and he added that the numbers of visitors to the city had increased by 30%.

“We see a potential market for attracting tourists to our trains and promoting corporate or business associated excursions.

“Now you can see why we need an additional number of engines,”he added, referring to ClunCastle and Defiant.

However, he said:“We do not propose to sever our association withWest Coast Railways, which has operatedVintage Trains’excursions for many years.”

A spokesman for the ORR said that both applications would be subject to a four-month process.

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MAIN LINE ITINERARY

GWR designed 0-6-0PT No. 9466 climbs through Shirley with the Stratford-upon-Avon to Worcester leg of Vintage Trains’ ‘Pannier Rambler IV’ on November 12.

GRAHAM NUTTALL

December THUR 15: ‘Sherborne Christmas Carol’ Victoria, Yeovil Junction and return.

Steam hauled throughout.

Locos: Nos. 44871 and 45407. RTC SAT 17: ‘Surrey Hills Luncheon’ Victoria, Guildford, Redhill and return.

Steam hauled throughout.

Loco: No. 60163 Tornado. BEL SAT 17: ‘Cathedrals Express’ Paddington, Minehead and return.

Steam hauled throughout.

Loco: No. 34052 Lord Dowding. SD

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SAT 17: ‘York Yuletide Express’ Victoria, Corby, York and return.

Steam hauled: Victoria, York.

Loco: No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland.

RTC WED 21: ‘York Yuletide Express’ Cambridge, York and return.

Steam hauled throughout.

Loco: No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland.

RTC THUR 22: ‘Cathedrals Express’ Victoria, Dover and return.

Steam hauled throughout.

Loco: No. 34052 Lord Dowding. SD

Regular steam DEC 20 -22: ‘Jacobite Santa Special’ Fort William, Glenfinnan and return (x2).

Steam hauled throughout.

Loco: No. 45407. WCR DEC 27-29: ‘Jacobite Christmas Express’ Fort William, Glenfinnan and return (x2).

Steam hauled throughout.

Loco: No. 45407. WCR

Tour Operators BEL

Belmond Pullman 0845 077 2222

RTC

Railway Touring Company 01553 661500 Steam Dreams 01483 209888.

SD WCR

West Coast Railways 01524 737751.

The information in this list was correct at the time of going to press. We strongly advise that you confirm details of a particular trip with the promoter concerned.

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RAILWAYS AT WAR

THE LONGMOOR

Military Railway

Few people are fully aware to what extent the railways, and certain sections of the army, were able to play such a large part in assisting the war effort during the two world wars. Brian Bell, who served at Longmoor in the 1950s, outlines how both the Allies and the Germans realised just how strategic the railways were as something to attack and something to defend.

I

t was during the First World War that the railways gave the ability to transport masses of munitions and men to the front in France, whereas in the Second World War the railways were vital, not only in transportation, but also in enabling the rapid reconstruction of destroyed French and German railway systems to become operational again.

Following the D-Day landings and the Allies’ attack, it was essential to have the railways operational, even if only under emergency conditions, but then, as the Germans retreated, their number one priority was to destroy as many bridges and rail track possible to halt the Allies’ advance. This became the priority of the Royal Engineers. However, we are pressing on too far and we must start right at the beginning to understand how it all began.

During the First World War, as the fighting became far more intense, a great many French railway enginemen volunteered for military service, plus French motive power became vastly overworked and unable to cope with wartime demands.

Realising this, the British military decided that many more locomotives were required for these vital roles and decided to ask several British railway companies what type of locomotives were available to transfer to France to assist in the war effort.

Fortunately, Robinson of the Great Central, had just three years earlier in 1911, designed the 11F 2-8-0 (later class O4) for freight service on

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the GCR, mainly for heavy coal traffic duties in the East Midlands. As the war dragged on into 1917, the military recognised that this type of engine could be ideal for what they were seeking and requested Robinson to construct a further 93 for military service. Although only the basic model, these locomotives became operational by a new unit formed from the Royal Engineers, and known as the Railway Operating Division. The engines subsequently became known as RODs for their remaining operational life.

Excellent steamers

Following the end of the war, these engines were recognised as a superb design, being powerful and excellent steamers, and Robinson built a further 24.

Eventually, practically all of the ROD 2-8-0s were transferred to the LNER before finally being taken over by British Railways when the Big Four were nationalised. No. 63601, the original built in 1911, has been preserved and is still in operation today.

The military, recognising what a considerable and essential contribution the railways had played during the First World War, realised that this branch of the Royal Engineers should remain operational in event of any further conflicts taking place. This meant the urgent need to have its own military railway so it was possible to train new recruits to be able to operate railways during wartime conditions.

Austerity 0-6-0ST No. 196 at Longmoor Downs station in 1967. COLOURRAIL.COM 120061 / T OWEN

By good fortune it was discovered that an ideal site had been authorised for construction in Hampshire in 1902, when an 18in gauge tramway was laid to assist in removing 68 large corrugated iron huts from Longmoor military camp to nearby Bordon. Later, in 1905-1907, this railway was relaid to standard gauge and initially known as the Woolmer Instructional Military Railway.

In 1933 a further extension was constructed, this time in the opposite direction towards a small town called Liss, where the line was connected to the electrified WaterlooPortsmouth main line. The whole site was renamed the Longmoor Military Railway in 1935. The line stretched for eight miles in total.

The stations and junctions included: ■ Bordon – the northern terminus, with platforms adjacent to the Southern Railway Bordon station. Here a single track railway with a passenger train service connected to the Southern main line at Bentley. The surrounding areas around Bordon and Longmoor included vast uninhabited open and forest land, ideal for military training and especially by the Royal Armoured Corps for tank training.

■ Oakhanger Halt – serving the village of Oakhanger, Hampshire. To gain access to Bordon station from Oakhanger, required a vast downhill loop in the LMR track. This was due to gaining rail access to the numerous numbers of engineering stores depots (ESDs) where vital military engineering stores were stored.

Austerity 2-8-0 No. 400 Sir Guy Williams at Longmoor on October 4, 1958. COLOURRAIL.COM 120064 Heritagerailway.co.uk 77

PLATFORM

READERS’ LETTERS AT THE HEART OF THE HERITAGE RAILWAY SCENE

TRACK TALK

➜ Long arm of the law’s quick off the mark – this time

AFTER reading the article ‘Photographer cautioned after Scotsman incident’in issue 221, I thought it important to place on record my compliments toWest Mercia Police on what must have been an amazing response time.

This is so obviously much improved from the mid nineties, when, as a signalman at Bewdley South, I had occasion to report to them several incidents of youngsters firing air rifles at trains from this same location. I cannot recall one single occasion when they actually bothered to turn up and eventually got fed up with reporting such incidents, which presumably was exactly what they wanted.

I just wonder what the father of the ‘child’involved in this incident was doing for‘fun’in 1996?

Alan Price, Frome, Somerset

➜ Too much priming

AS an ex enginemen and therefore, in my opinion, in a position to criticise current steam locomotive practice on main line steam hauled expresses, it never ceases to amaze me just how many times I have seen photographs in the railway magazines of steam engines priming.

In Heritage Railway issue 220, on page 106, No. 60163 has obviously too much water in the boiler.The safety valves are expelling water as well as steam.The exhaust from the double chimney has obvious signs of water with the‘whiteness’being water.The first two coaches also show signs of water from the locomotive.

Steam engines operating on the main line are obviously in top nick and therefore always in good shape for both the driver and fireman.There is just no excuse for allowing a steam locomotives to prime on main line operations.

I guess what I am saying is“they can’t do it like we used to”!

AlanMitchell, ex36Ashed,email

STAR LETTER

Late running on heritage lines has a real impact

WE ARE regular visitors to heritage railways and really enjoy our trips with one exemption, and that is the question of adherence to the timetable.

Wherever possible we use public transport to get to the railway.Whilst for some, such as the Bluebell Railway, that is extremely easy, for others it is a little more complicated.

We have had a few scary moments this year where the timetable has slipped measurably on the heritage railway concerned, presenting us with transport complications for our return journey.

This was most noticeable on October 26 on the NorthYorkshire Moors Railway.The train was due back at Pickering at 6.20pm with a bus back toYork at 6.51pm.

We actually arrived back at Pickering Station at 6.49pm.We ran through the town in the vain hope that bus was

late, which wasn’t the case. Before long a small group of us had gathered at the bus stop knowing we had missed the bus.

Fortunately there was another bus at 7.33pm – the last of the day, albeit involving a change and wait on route.

We got home much later but at least we got home. One person in our group missed his connection atYork to Birmingham – the last one of the day.

I realise that the railways are staffed largely by volunteers but there doesn’t seem to be a realisation of the impact on some people visiting the railway of the delays.The same thing happened to us on the Friday of the steam gala at Llangollen. I imagine this is because the vast majority of visitors, and I would imagine the majority of staff and volunteers, arrive at the railway by car, and therefore a delay may be inconvenient but not a disaster. For

The man who bought the Corris Railway pair IN issue 222, I loved Geoff Silcock’s Last Beasts of Man, Graig Merthyr – vintage railway heritage, great stuff. An ex miner told me in or around 1980 that he and his mates were struggling to mine anthracite from a vein only 18in deep in the final few weeks at Graig Merthyr, so it really was worked out!

In his letter on page 98, Chris Magner draws attention to behind the scenes work by CampbellThomas in saving Corris Nos. 3 and 4 but doesn’t mention that the late J I C Boyd actually paid BR for the locomotives.

I know this because Jimmy Boyd told me so one day atTywyn in the early Eighties when I was fireman on No. 3 and he was on the platform as

we reversed in with the empty stock for the first train of the day.

As far as I recall he said he paid £50 each for the pair, but whether he then gave them to theTalyllyn Railway Preservation Society or whether they paid him back in instalments he didn’t say.

Rebuilding TheGreat Bear: sorryTed Hiorns the much vaunted‘proposed Hawksworth‘Pacific’is a myth; no such animal was ever schemed out, despite of what several writers have claimed.

Another goody-packed issue – I never seem to be able to read all my mags every month in time to comment before the next deadline!

Peter Davis,Fishponds, Bristol

➜ Steam to Sheringham continued until 1962

HAVING seen a copy of your excellent magazine regarding the North Norfolk Railway’s Dining trains to Cromer (issue 219), it is reported that these trains were the first to Cromer, disregarding charters, since February 28, 1959, when in fact steam soldiered on along this line until the end of steam at Norwich in September 1962.

John Abson, Sheringham, Norfolk

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Talyllyn Railway No. 3 Sir Haydn: built by Hughes at Loughborough in 1878 for the Corris Railway, it was one of a pair acquired for use on its 2ft 3in gauge nearby sister line in 1951. It is pictured at Tywyn Wharf on December 18, 2010. PETER BROSTER/CREATIVE COMMONS

those who have onward bus or train connections then the effect can be much more serious.

I realise things go wrong, of course they do, but it would be helpful if the heritage railways as a whole were aware of the impact that these delays could have and first of all provide us with adequate information as to what was going on.We managed to find this out from staff on the platform and it was extremely difficult to find out how long the delay was going to take, particularly in this recent case for our expected arrival time at Pickering.

I believe that arriving at a heritage railway by public transport is not only much greener than arriving in the car but it is also in keeping with the ethos of the heritage movement in that we can use the railway as a proper railway and not simply as a tourist attraction.

MichaelLearmouth, email

Proposed Network Rail loadings DAVIDWARD’S letter in issue 221 confuses a focused approach (looking at historic precedent and the empirical evidence), with a ‘selective’one.

In so doing he lists 10 supposed omissions in evidence. Of these I had touched on two specifically; coal quality, and in calling for more rigorous commissioning tests I was obviously reflecting on the currently unacceptably high failure rate.

In doing so I had in mind that the BR definition of a locomotive failure in passenger service was when delays attributable to the locomotive by whatever cause exceeded five minutes.

I, and I suspect the great majority of those with an interest in main line steam, are only too well aware that finding paths for steam on the more crowded and much faster parts of the network is problematical, and failure to keep booked times can cause widespread delays to regular traffic. It did not seem therefore, necessary to cover DavidWard’s first point.

If 14-coach trains can no longer work out of Carlisle, something must have changed since such formations were worked by steam over the Settle and Carlisle line in the 1980s.

His various points on damp rails, sanders etc are undermined by the fact that the prescribed load reductions are confined to the autumn and early winter months.The weather on Shap and Beattock can change very quickly and be foul and challenging at any time of the year; seasonal provisions are unjustified.The LMS and BR took a similar view.

He does not address the absurdity of rating the tractive power of an 8F higher than a Duchess or A1.This does not instil confidence in the decision makers.

Doug Landau, email

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