News

Greendene (Works) Railway Closed

The closure notice attached to the waiting

shelter building. MIKE SLATTER BOB SYMES' wonderful Greendene (Works) Railway has finally closed and been removed following the sale of his home in Surrey.

A last large celebration took place to celebrate Bob's birthday on the 3rd of May, with his 14XX engine returning to provide steam traction for the day as it was no longer kept on site. The Bespoke Buildings signal box had also been previously removed and now resides at the Ingfield Light Railway in West Sussex.

A closure notice was fastened to the platform waiting shelter reading “The British Railway Board gives notice following the decision made by the Secretary of State for the Environment in accordance with section 56 of the Transport Act, 1962 that all passenger services will cease on the Greendene Railway.

On and from 14th September 2013 all services from the above railway will be withdrawn. The following stations will be closed:- Greendene Halt”.

Birchley House Sold

DRUMMOND Randall's former home Bichley in Biddenden, Kent has been sold.

The venue kindly hosted a number of memorable TMNR Society Days, and was passed to its new owner with the permanent way remaining.

The last public running was reported during the weekend that Drummond held a garage sale on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th April.

Dr umm o n d ' s f in e c o ll e c t i o n o f s t e am locomotives have be relocated to the Ingfield Light Railway.

A TMNR outside Birchley in 2008.

MIKE SLATTER

Dennis Hoad (1929-2014)

IT is with deep regret that I have to report the passing of society supporter Dennis Hoad in May, at the age of 84.

Dennis at the 2011 Society Day.

ROY HARWOOD

Dennis, along with Drummond Randall both played a large part in the early preservation of the TMNR system by purchasing stock and spares from Butlins.

Dennis attended the TMNR Society day in 2011 with his 4½” scale Foden steam wagon and wrote an article about his many railway memories in the spring 2013 (Edition 13) society magazine.

He was a man who devoted his life to his family and his great love of engineering and the many steam engines he built remain a testament to his great passion.

TMNR Society Visit to the Garden and Woodland Railway at Thame

A LAST minute invite kindly allowed society members to visit the late Ted Martin's 7¼” gauge railway in Thame, Oxfordshire, on Sunday, 22nd June. The railway is one of the finest in the gauge and is now operated by Ted's widow Irene.

Stolen TMNR Class 73 Bogies on eBay

THE bogies belonging to Richard Wigdahl's stolen class 73 locomotive appeared on the internet auction site eBay in late August. The seller reported having brought them at a fair in Detling, Kent earlier in the year but could be identified by Richard due to the non-standard TMNR motors.

Although the re-built wooden body of the locomotive appears to have been lost, the original TMNR bogies are hoped to return to Richard later in the year to be reunited with his original locomotive and Pullman coach.