Meeting Reports September 2013 - May 2014
Meeting Report 15 May 2014
The Rise and Fall of the Ipswich Dock Railway - Graham Kenworthy & Dave Pearce
Our final meeting before the summer break showed once again how fortunate we are in the NRS is to have expert historians and photographers among our ranks.
The story of the railways leading to and within the docks at Ipswich is not a simple one. Graham Kenworthy and Dave Pearce split the evening between them. Graham concentrated on ‘the Rise’ and Dave on ‘The Fall’ - although, by their own admission, each strayed considerably from his brief, with Dave subtitling his presentation The Changing Faces of Ipswich Docks.
Both speakers had an excellent series of pictures to illustrate their points. They had dipped extensively into Britain from Above, the Aerofilms collection of photographs taken between 1919 and 1953. Graham also showed some extraordinarily historic maps and plans, some from the very earliest days of railways in Ipswich. He has also walked the length of the old line (but not across the lock gate because of an obstructive harbour official) and his photographs of the dockside structures as they are today made an intriguing contrast with his black-and-white steam age views. Dave had raided not just his own picture collection but also those of several other photographer friends.
The first quayside railway gave access to the west bank of the Orwell. Originally known as the Griffin Wharf branch, it had sidings serving dockside businesses including Ransomes and Rapier and Cooksedge & Co Ltd. The branch still exists – indeed, it is the only dockside railway left in Ipswich – but it’s truncated, the rails are rusty and it sees only sporadic sand traffic and the occasional railfans’ special, such as last year’s Anglia Freighter.
The ‘New Dock’ was completed in 1842 and the line serving that was much more extensive. It began at Upper Yard, between Ipswich station and East Suffolk Junction and ran down and across Ranelagh Road and the River Gipping to Ipswich Lower Yard and then the dock’s north and east quaysides. It then diverged: one spur continued south to Cliff Quay, while the other route crossed the lock gate and turned sharply back up north to serve the west side of the dock.
Quayside businesses were served by a myriad of dockside lines. We saw R&W Paul, Ipswich gasworks (in operation from 1822 to 1971), Cranfields mill, Ransomes Sims & Jefferies, Cobbolds maltings and St Clements shipyard - not to mention a fertiliser works alongside the charmingly named Coprolite Street. One or two half-buried lengths of rail are still evident today.
Probably the most impressive waterfront structure is the Old Custom House, which was opened in 1845. Graham noted that the historic significance of this classical building has been recognised with the application of a blue plaque with the dates of its use. The Grade II listed building now houses the local office of Associated British Ports.
Down on Cliff Quay, the power station was opened in 1949, closed in 1985 and demolished in 1994. The end of freightliner and grain traffic to Cliff Quay in 1992 meant that no further freight traffic ran along the dock line.
Motive power along the quaysides was often the delightful J70 0-6-0 tram engines, recognisable by their wooden body, cow-catcher and protective side skirts over the wheels and motion. In later days, their duties were assumed by BR 0-6-0 Class 03 and 04 diesels. The dock railway has proved to be a magnet for ‘rare track’ bashers over the years, and many pictures featured the several enthusiasts’ specials which picked their way carefully over questionably-maintained sidings.
Other aspects of Ipswich’s railway scene were not forgotten. Graham took us back to 1846 when Ipswich Stoke Hill (south of the still-to-be-bored Stoke tunnel) was the northern terminus of the Eastern Union line from Colchester. Dave showed us the present Ipswich station with steam, diesel and electric traction, interior shots of East Suffolk Junction box as well as Freightliners working over the recently-opened Bacon Factory Curve (which we must now call ‘Ipswich Chord’)
Chairman Peter Cooke thanked both speakers for a thoughtfully constructed and highly entertaining evening.
The Rise and Fall of the Ipswich Dock Railway - Graham Kenworthy & Dave Pearce
Our final meeting before the summer break showed once again how fortunate we are in the NRS is to have expert historians and photographers among our ranks.
The story of the railways leading to and within the docks at Ipswich is not a simple one. Graham Kenworthy and Dave Pearce split the evening between them. Graham concentrated on ‘the Rise’ and Dave on ‘The Fall’ - although, by their own admission, each strayed considerably from his brief, with Dave subtitling his presentation The Changing Faces of Ipswich Docks.
Both speakers had an excellent series of pictures to illustrate their points. They had dipped extensively into Britain from Above, the Aerofilms collection of photographs taken between 1919 and 1953. Graham also showed some extraordinarily historic maps and plans, some from the very earliest days of railways in Ipswich. He has also walked the length of the old line (but not across the lock gate because of an obstructive harbour official) and his photographs of the dockside structures as they are today made an intriguing contrast with his black-and-white steam age views. Dave had raided not just his own picture collection but also those of several other photographer friends.
The first quayside railway gave access to the west bank of the Orwell. Originally known as the Griffin Wharf branch, it had sidings serving dockside businesses including Ransomes and Rapier and Cooksedge & Co Ltd. The branch still exists – indeed, it is the only dockside railway left in Ipswich – but it’s truncated, the rails are rusty and it sees only sporadic sand traffic and the occasional railfans’ special, such as last year’s Anglia Freighter.
The ‘New Dock’ was completed in 1842 and the line serving that was much more extensive. It began at Upper Yard, between Ipswich station and East Suffolk Junction and ran down and across Ranelagh Road and the River Gipping to Ipswich Lower Yard and then the dock’s north and east quaysides. It then diverged: one spur continued south to Cliff Quay, while the other route crossed the lock gate and turned sharply back up north to serve the west side of the dock.
Quayside businesses were served by a myriad of dockside lines. We saw R&W Paul, Ipswich gasworks (in operation from 1822 to 1971), Cranfields mill, Ransomes Sims & Jefferies, Cobbolds maltings and St Clements shipyard - not to mention a fertiliser works alongside the charmingly named Coprolite Street. One or two half-buried lengths of rail are still evident today.
Probably the most impressive waterfront structure is the Old Custom House, which was opened in 1845. Graham noted that the historic significance of this classical building has been recognised with the application of a blue plaque with the dates of its use. The Grade II listed building now houses the local office of Associated British Ports.
Down on Cliff Quay, the power station was opened in 1949, closed in 1985 and demolished in 1994. The end of freightliner and grain traffic to Cliff Quay in 1992 meant that no further freight traffic ran along the dock line.
Motive power along the quaysides was often the delightful J70 0-6-0 tram engines, recognisable by their wooden body, cow-catcher and protective side skirts over the wheels and motion. In later days, their duties were assumed by BR 0-6-0 Class 03 and 04 diesels. The dock railway has proved to be a magnet for ‘rare track’ bashers over the years, and many pictures featured the several enthusiasts’ specials which picked their way carefully over questionably-maintained sidings.
Other aspects of Ipswich’s railway scene were not forgotten. Graham took us back to 1846 when Ipswich Stoke Hill (south of the still-to-be-bored Stoke tunnel) was the northern terminus of the Eastern Union line from Colchester. Dave showed us the present Ipswich station with steam, diesel and electric traction, interior shots of East Suffolk Junction box as well as Freightliners working over the recently-opened Bacon Factory Curve (which we must now call ‘Ipswich Chord’)
Chairman Peter Cooke thanked both speakers for a thoughtfully constructed and highly entertaining evening.
Meeting Report 17 April 2014
“Stations and Structures of the M&GN Railway” - Nigel Digby
The meeting coincided rather fortuitously with the publication a few weeks earlier of Nigel’s book with the same title. After a brief introduction to his railway interests such as railway walks, architecture, engineering and writing, Nigel described the events leading up to the launch of the book.
His 1993 work “A Guide to the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway” was published by Ian Allan but, since then, more research had revealed much more detail of the subjects covered. In 2009, he met a representative of Lightmoor Press, who offered to publish an updated version.
The evening’s presentation followed a similar path to that of the book, but with rather more personal detail and comment included. The first part dealt with a broad history of what, in 1893, became the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway, mentioning the various engineers and contractors who were involved in the development of design and standards for the fledgling companies. Particular mention was made of the emerging use of concrete by the contracting firm of Wilkinson & Jarvis and, subsequently, by one of their employees, William Marriott, when he was appointed as Engineer of the Eastern & Midlands Railway, one of the eventual constituents of the M&GN.
Nigel then went on to describe the various forms of architecture that were first adopted for the various buildings that were essential for the conduct of the railway business. These were the stations, the goods and locomotive facilities and the domestic accommodation. Each of the categories was then further sub-divided with detailed illustrations of the features.
Following this extended introduction, Nigel then took us on a journey along the routes which comprised the M&GNJR, including those where the company had a shared interest with the Great Eastern Railway. This excursion started at Coke Ovens Junction, Lowestoft, via the Norfolk & Suffolk Joint to Yarmouth Beach, from where we were taken westwards towards Melton Constable. Along both of these routes illustrations, a number of which had not previously been published, were shown of those typical stations and structures which had been mentioned in the introduction.
Having returned to North Walsham, a similar trip was then taken on the northern section of the N&S Joint via Mundesley to Cromer Beach, and, after reversing, onwards to Briningham Single Line Junction through Sheringham, Weybourne and Holt. Nigel informed us that Volume 2 on the subject would start at Melton Constable and head west to King’s Lynn, Spalding and Bourne.
With thanks to Andy Wright for projection services. (Graham Kenworthy)
“Stations and Structures of the M&GN Railway” - Nigel Digby
The meeting coincided rather fortuitously with the publication a few weeks earlier of Nigel’s book with the same title. After a brief introduction to his railway interests such as railway walks, architecture, engineering and writing, Nigel described the events leading up to the launch of the book.
His 1993 work “A Guide to the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway” was published by Ian Allan but, since then, more research had revealed much more detail of the subjects covered. In 2009, he met a representative of Lightmoor Press, who offered to publish an updated version.
The evening’s presentation followed a similar path to that of the book, but with rather more personal detail and comment included. The first part dealt with a broad history of what, in 1893, became the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway, mentioning the various engineers and contractors who were involved in the development of design and standards for the fledgling companies. Particular mention was made of the emerging use of concrete by the contracting firm of Wilkinson & Jarvis and, subsequently, by one of their employees, William Marriott, when he was appointed as Engineer of the Eastern & Midlands Railway, one of the eventual constituents of the M&GN.
Nigel then went on to describe the various forms of architecture that were first adopted for the various buildings that were essential for the conduct of the railway business. These were the stations, the goods and locomotive facilities and the domestic accommodation. Each of the categories was then further sub-divided with detailed illustrations of the features.
Following this extended introduction, Nigel then took us on a journey along the routes which comprised the M&GNJR, including those where the company had a shared interest with the Great Eastern Railway. This excursion started at Coke Ovens Junction, Lowestoft, via the Norfolk & Suffolk Joint to Yarmouth Beach, from where we were taken westwards towards Melton Constable. Along both of these routes illustrations, a number of which had not previously been published, were shown of those typical stations and structures which had been mentioned in the introduction.
Having returned to North Walsham, a similar trip was then taken on the northern section of the N&S Joint via Mundesley to Cromer Beach, and, after reversing, onwards to Briningham Single Line Junction through Sheringham, Weybourne and Holt. Nigel informed us that Volume 2 on the subject would start at Melton Constable and head west to King’s Lynn, Spalding and Bourne.
With thanks to Andy Wright for projection services. (Graham Kenworthy)
Society Annual General Meeting - 3rd April 2014
Our A.G.M. had been brought forward by 2 weeks to 3rd April to avoid having successive M&GN-themed meetings.
The main points were:
● Gordon Bruce had thoroughly enjoyed his year in charge and, in summing-up, praised not only the quality and variety of our meetings, but also urged members to attend the excellent NTG meetings and the GERS meetings and which are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays.
● Our new Chairman is Peter Cooke. Brian Cornwell becomes our new Vice-Chairman.
● Sadly, Ian Woodruff has stood down from his position as Society Secretary after some 10 years in office. In recognition of his services, he was granted Hon. Membership. Our new Secretary is Peter Adds.
● Membership Secretary Mike Handscomb reported that we ended the year with 99 members. This year has seen 3 resignations, 5 non-renewals and 3 new members, taking us back to 94.
● Next year’s Annual Show will again be in the capable hands of Peter Willis, and will be held on 28th February 2015 if you wish to reserve the date.
● Subscriptions for 2015 will remain unchanged @ £18.50.
● Webmaster Andy Wright reported that our website normally receives between 50/100 “hits” daily, but immediately after our Show, and coincidental with the generous publicity in the EDP/EEN, we had an amazing 418 “hits” on one day!
● Yours truly remains as your Editor and I would like to hear from members not only with contributions for the Newsletter but also with offers to report on our meetings, please. Neither is particularly difficult. Overseas contributions are also appreciated.
Our A.G.M. had been brought forward by 2 weeks to 3rd April to avoid having successive M&GN-themed meetings.
The main points were:
● Gordon Bruce had thoroughly enjoyed his year in charge and, in summing-up, praised not only the quality and variety of our meetings, but also urged members to attend the excellent NTG meetings and the GERS meetings and which are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays.
● Our new Chairman is Peter Cooke. Brian Cornwell becomes our new Vice-Chairman.
● Sadly, Ian Woodruff has stood down from his position as Society Secretary after some 10 years in office. In recognition of his services, he was granted Hon. Membership. Our new Secretary is Peter Adds.
● Membership Secretary Mike Handscomb reported that we ended the year with 99 members. This year has seen 3 resignations, 5 non-renewals and 3 new members, taking us back to 94.
● Next year’s Annual Show will again be in the capable hands of Peter Willis, and will be held on 28th February 2015 if you wish to reserve the date.
● Subscriptions for 2015 will remain unchanged @ £18.50.
● Webmaster Andy Wright reported that our website normally receives between 50/100 “hits” daily, but immediately after our Show, and coincidental with the generous publicity in the EDP/EEN, we had an amazing 418 “hits” on one day!
● Yours truly remains as your Editor and I would like to hear from members not only with contributions for the Newsletter but also with offers to report on our meetings, please. Neither is particularly difficult. Overseas contributions are also appreciated.
Meeting Report - 20th March 2014
‘Back to the Future' Recalling, Recording and Creating the M&GN Joint Railway - John Hobden
As our outgoing Chairman so tactfully put it, he had not been looking forward to this meeting but, in my experience, it was unlike any modelling talk heard before. From your Scribe's point of view, it dashed hither and thither across time zones (to quote the author) so that any error or confusion is of my making and not his; added to that I was writing in the dark on my knee!
The scene was set at 2087, ten years after Morrison’s Cromer store had been demolished, redundant due to the prevalence of online shopping, and at a time when the Norfolk Orbital railway had been in operation for many years. To add to the forward thinking, a Norfolk Railway Heritage Park had been set up, being some 60 miles long …..!
Way back in 1846 a Grand Union Railway had been planned from Lynn to Nottingham, via Grantham. If built, it would have been the first in Grantham because the GN main line did not yet exist!
Following the non-appearance of the above, the Bourne & Lynn Joint was built 30 years later, and in 1905 became part of the M&GN. The route has now been stolen by the A17. Pictures were shown of the splendid swing bridge at Sutton which thankfully survives but the station is of course buried under tarmac. Comment was made as to the different colour interpretations by artists of M&GN locos in brown/orange and similar hues, as depicted by George Heiron and others, which, it seems, are impossible to portray correctly.
Further east the Lynn & Fakenham became the second railway into Lynn, and further east still the railway was opened as the Great Yarmouth & Stalham (Light) Railway, the word in brackets being quickly removed as its importance progressed but a printed example was shown incorporating it. Experts argue that someone had a Master Plan from the beginning to link all these railways into a cross-country main line, which is indeed what it became, to the chagrin of the Great Eastern.
Marriott’s inspection saloon loco was shown and attention drawn to the guards over the locomotive's slidebars to protect them from dust due to using shingle ballast (quarried from Kelling Heath). These were removed when a decision was ultimately made to use granite – the Bure Valley has had a similar problem. Way back Marriott had worked for the line's Contractor , then for the Eastern & Midlands Railway, and ultimately the M&GN.
Our speaker had had a birthday treat of a flight using a chartered light plane along the M&GN route and many interesting shots were shown. Amongst these was one of the former Air Ministry fuel depot at Massingham, which caused a stub of the line to remain open for many years after closure and the weight of the trains required 10 – coupled locos (“Austerities”, presumably – Ed.)
Ordnance Survey Maps were shown of East Runton triangle; the 1884 edition showed nothing, the 1905 edition a single line only along the coast, and in 1928 a double track on all three sides. An aerial photo in 2010 or so showed the single line on the north and east sides and winter storage of caravans in the middle.
A photo of an immaculate Beyer-Peacock 4-4-0 and long train at Cromer fronted by some 30+ uniformed staff members caused a discussion of its raison d’être; King’s Cross trains were serviced at Cromer but this was unusually long and had mixed stock of MR and GN origin. Locos too were borrowed or filched when possible – once they got onto the Joint they might be a long time returning – Melton also liked to obtain bargain locos from elsewhere to rebuild, such as the Sharp Stewarts from Cornwall Minerals Railway.
As part of the Heritage Project, John had built an '0' gauge model of Fen Drove which was a station on the Spalding & Wisbech Railway of 1868. It was host to a 2' branch of the Gedney “Tater Railway” shown on the model but closed by the date represented. Like most stations on that section it had a Midland Railway signal box with an up and down tablet catcher which our speaker remarked would be very noisy in action at 30-60 mph. The model was set in winter and various wheezes had been employed to justify the existence of artefacts - the 2' railway having closed (track being there but rusty and overgrown) - a Hudswell Clarke named Conundrum, similar to Wissington was employed to move one van of “taters” ; a 2MT 2-6-0 was commandeered from Kettering to work a Gardens Inspection Special, and the Pied Calf PH from Spalding was moved en bloc to become the Railway Pub at Fen Drove. A favourite underline culvert depicted on the layout embarrassed the speaker by running unprototypically beneath the station building, causing much mirth from other enthusiasts. The layout was shown in pictures in black & white, which effectively succeeded in bringing the desired ambience.
A final shot of buffer stops at North Walsham with a MOYS Bedford Coal Lorry of the 50's inspired your writer as he was instructed to count the sacks when such a lorry delivered to Earlham Road in his youth!
Summing up, our Chairman described this Show as genius, which is a perfect description.
Our speaker invited anyone interested to arrange a visit to his extensive '0' Gauge f/s line at Setchey where we were promised full employment in running the layout which needs 12 operators and 7 assistants!
Thank you, John, for a wonderful evening of nostalgia. (Graham Smith)
‘Back to the Future' Recalling, Recording and Creating the M&GN Joint Railway - John Hobden
As our outgoing Chairman so tactfully put it, he had not been looking forward to this meeting but, in my experience, it was unlike any modelling talk heard before. From your Scribe's point of view, it dashed hither and thither across time zones (to quote the author) so that any error or confusion is of my making and not his; added to that I was writing in the dark on my knee!
The scene was set at 2087, ten years after Morrison’s Cromer store had been demolished, redundant due to the prevalence of online shopping, and at a time when the Norfolk Orbital railway had been in operation for many years. To add to the forward thinking, a Norfolk Railway Heritage Park had been set up, being some 60 miles long …..!
Way back in 1846 a Grand Union Railway had been planned from Lynn to Nottingham, via Grantham. If built, it would have been the first in Grantham because the GN main line did not yet exist!
Following the non-appearance of the above, the Bourne & Lynn Joint was built 30 years later, and in 1905 became part of the M&GN. The route has now been stolen by the A17. Pictures were shown of the splendid swing bridge at Sutton which thankfully survives but the station is of course buried under tarmac. Comment was made as to the different colour interpretations by artists of M&GN locos in brown/orange and similar hues, as depicted by George Heiron and others, which, it seems, are impossible to portray correctly.
Further east the Lynn & Fakenham became the second railway into Lynn, and further east still the railway was opened as the Great Yarmouth & Stalham (Light) Railway, the word in brackets being quickly removed as its importance progressed but a printed example was shown incorporating it. Experts argue that someone had a Master Plan from the beginning to link all these railways into a cross-country main line, which is indeed what it became, to the chagrin of the Great Eastern.
Marriott’s inspection saloon loco was shown and attention drawn to the guards over the locomotive's slidebars to protect them from dust due to using shingle ballast (quarried from Kelling Heath). These were removed when a decision was ultimately made to use granite – the Bure Valley has had a similar problem. Way back Marriott had worked for the line's Contractor , then for the Eastern & Midlands Railway, and ultimately the M&GN.
Our speaker had had a birthday treat of a flight using a chartered light plane along the M&GN route and many interesting shots were shown. Amongst these was one of the former Air Ministry fuel depot at Massingham, which caused a stub of the line to remain open for many years after closure and the weight of the trains required 10 – coupled locos (“Austerities”, presumably – Ed.)
Ordnance Survey Maps were shown of East Runton triangle; the 1884 edition showed nothing, the 1905 edition a single line only along the coast, and in 1928 a double track on all three sides. An aerial photo in 2010 or so showed the single line on the north and east sides and winter storage of caravans in the middle.
A photo of an immaculate Beyer-Peacock 4-4-0 and long train at Cromer fronted by some 30+ uniformed staff members caused a discussion of its raison d’être; King’s Cross trains were serviced at Cromer but this was unusually long and had mixed stock of MR and GN origin. Locos too were borrowed or filched when possible – once they got onto the Joint they might be a long time returning – Melton also liked to obtain bargain locos from elsewhere to rebuild, such as the Sharp Stewarts from Cornwall Minerals Railway.
As part of the Heritage Project, John had built an '0' gauge model of Fen Drove which was a station on the Spalding & Wisbech Railway of 1868. It was host to a 2' branch of the Gedney “Tater Railway” shown on the model but closed by the date represented. Like most stations on that section it had a Midland Railway signal box with an up and down tablet catcher which our speaker remarked would be very noisy in action at 30-60 mph. The model was set in winter and various wheezes had been employed to justify the existence of artefacts - the 2' railway having closed (track being there but rusty and overgrown) - a Hudswell Clarke named Conundrum, similar to Wissington was employed to move one van of “taters” ; a 2MT 2-6-0 was commandeered from Kettering to work a Gardens Inspection Special, and the Pied Calf PH from Spalding was moved en bloc to become the Railway Pub at Fen Drove. A favourite underline culvert depicted on the layout embarrassed the speaker by running unprototypically beneath the station building, causing much mirth from other enthusiasts. The layout was shown in pictures in black & white, which effectively succeeded in bringing the desired ambience.
A final shot of buffer stops at North Walsham with a MOYS Bedford Coal Lorry of the 50's inspired your writer as he was instructed to count the sacks when such a lorry delivered to Earlham Road in his youth!
Summing up, our Chairman described this Show as genius, which is a perfect description.
Our speaker invited anyone interested to arrange a visit to his extensive '0' Gauge f/s line at Setchey where we were promised full employment in running the layout which needs 12 operators and 7 assistants!
Thank you, John, for a wonderful evening of nostalgia. (Graham Smith)
Meeting Report - 6th March 2014
“How Inspectors Make Enforcement Decisions” - Steven Bateson, H.M. Inspector of Railways
It’s a queer do. Here am I wondering how to begin my report on Steven’s presentation when, next day, NR boss Mark Carne suddenly offers a “full and unreserved apology” to the families of those bereaved by level-crossing accidents.
You soon realised that Steven is not a man with whom you take liberties. He is a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health as well as being highly-qualified through serving 26 years in various senior positions on the track side of the rail industry, He has spent a further 12 years as an Inspector and is required to present cases in court. He is guided by the Enforcement Management Model which provides a range of options from verbal advice through to prosecution. He explained that, although the number of track workers killed has fallen steadily – and is in single figures per year now – the aim was to reach zero by 2020.
With the help of illustrated examples, Steven explained what followed as a result of his inspections and the types of advice/formal notice at his disposal. Some of his investigations followed very serious accidents where the injured person suffered life-changing injuries.
Another case related to a quarry/tip adjacent to a railway embankment which might not have seemed to be a case for Steven. The quarry had been dug out, leaving a “vertical knife edge” railway embankment. The quarry had been backfilled in one layer, higher than and surcharging the embankment. Although Prohibition and Improvement Notices were served on the quarry owner, these had no effect; he was prosecuted for breaching the former and received a 6 month custodial sentence.
Drainage is a constant worry, and the failure to inspect and maintain them can lead to all sorts of problems. He illustrated a case where he had given verbal advice regularly to inspect the drains and maintain them as necessary. As this advice was not followed, written advice was given. This was not acted on so an Improvement Notice was served, requiring the drains to be surveyed, to produce diagrams and an annual plan to inspect against, and to provide the resources necessary to deliver the plan.
There was a very mixed bag of cases relating to the various types of level-crossings. He explained that the train derailment at Croxton was caused by an incorrectly-installed crossing panel; another related to a very short warning of an approaching train. There were several relating to inadequate sighting at footpath crossings – NR blithely making a “crossing count” between 1000 & 1030 where the crossing was used by children going to & from school! Another one related to something called “Nairn’s profiles” (steep gradients up to and down from an occupation crossing near Perth caused a tractor hauling a low-loader to get stuck and be hit by a train in 1982). [Interested members can find a copy of the Accident Report on the internet – Ed.] Finally, on the Sudbury branch, GPS has been introduced as road users were having to wait too long before crossing-barriers were lifted to allow them through. In other words, the wrong system was being used to control road traffic.
A very different type of meeting for us, but one which fascinated the audience from start to finish. (EM)
News Update - Level Crossing Safety Improvements
The House of Commons Transport Select Committee has now published its report on level crossing safety. Click here for further information and here to open the report as a pdf document.
“How Inspectors Make Enforcement Decisions” - Steven Bateson, H.M. Inspector of Railways
It’s a queer do. Here am I wondering how to begin my report on Steven’s presentation when, next day, NR boss Mark Carne suddenly offers a “full and unreserved apology” to the families of those bereaved by level-crossing accidents.
You soon realised that Steven is not a man with whom you take liberties. He is a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health as well as being highly-qualified through serving 26 years in various senior positions on the track side of the rail industry, He has spent a further 12 years as an Inspector and is required to present cases in court. He is guided by the Enforcement Management Model which provides a range of options from verbal advice through to prosecution. He explained that, although the number of track workers killed has fallen steadily – and is in single figures per year now – the aim was to reach zero by 2020.
With the help of illustrated examples, Steven explained what followed as a result of his inspections and the types of advice/formal notice at his disposal. Some of his investigations followed very serious accidents where the injured person suffered life-changing injuries.
Another case related to a quarry/tip adjacent to a railway embankment which might not have seemed to be a case for Steven. The quarry had been dug out, leaving a “vertical knife edge” railway embankment. The quarry had been backfilled in one layer, higher than and surcharging the embankment. Although Prohibition and Improvement Notices were served on the quarry owner, these had no effect; he was prosecuted for breaching the former and received a 6 month custodial sentence.
Drainage is a constant worry, and the failure to inspect and maintain them can lead to all sorts of problems. He illustrated a case where he had given verbal advice regularly to inspect the drains and maintain them as necessary. As this advice was not followed, written advice was given. This was not acted on so an Improvement Notice was served, requiring the drains to be surveyed, to produce diagrams and an annual plan to inspect against, and to provide the resources necessary to deliver the plan.
There was a very mixed bag of cases relating to the various types of level-crossings. He explained that the train derailment at Croxton was caused by an incorrectly-installed crossing panel; another related to a very short warning of an approaching train. There were several relating to inadequate sighting at footpath crossings – NR blithely making a “crossing count” between 1000 & 1030 where the crossing was used by children going to & from school! Another one related to something called “Nairn’s profiles” (steep gradients up to and down from an occupation crossing near Perth caused a tractor hauling a low-loader to get stuck and be hit by a train in 1982). [Interested members can find a copy of the Accident Report on the internet – Ed.] Finally, on the Sudbury branch, GPS has been introduced as road users were having to wait too long before crossing-barriers were lifted to allow them through. In other words, the wrong system was being used to control road traffic.
A very different type of meeting for us, but one which fascinated the audience from start to finish. (EM)
News Update - Level Crossing Safety Improvements
The House of Commons Transport Select Committee has now published its report on level crossing safety. Click here for further information and here to open the report as a pdf document.
Meeting Report - 20th February 2014
“South Eastern & North Eastern Matters” - Chris King
Chris presented a tour of railway and historical locations of two European extremes, North Norway and the former State of Yugoslavia.
The journey started at Norway’s Sogne and Aurland Fjords. The railway paralleling the fjords was constructed in the early 1900s and is now electrified with passing loops. The trains run from Flåm to Myrdal, junction of the Bergen to Oslo mainline, at approximately two-hour intervals and the journey takes around 50 minutes. Trains comprise seven coach formations with an electric locomotive at each end. Motive power is Swedish built NEBB Brown Boveri electric locomotives which were tested on gradients of 1 in 18 along the route through a picturesque landscape of dense forest and dramatic waterfalls.
An onward journey to Bergen by electric multiple unit saw Swiss built Class 460s on a freight at Voss. For the record, Chris and Hilary travelled the world’s longest road tunnel of 24.5 kilometres which included lay-bys for picnic stops!!!
The Norwegian part of the journey showed pictures of Christiansand Harbour station before they took the ferry to Skagen, the northernmost railway station in Denmark, and saw Danish designed IC3 diesel multiple units and a German built Class 612 unit.
A recent tour of the former Yugoslavia saw a much reduced railway network in the now-emerging countries of Serbia, Bosnia and Slovenia. A metre gauge railway in Serbia was seen being restored for the re-emerging tourist industry with the staple motive power of Romanian built Class 54D Diesels. A unique steam locomotive of 0-8-2+2 configuration was seen on a Sunday service. A study of local architecture along the railway saw many examples of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.
From Serbia to Bosnia, Chris came across a wood burning locomotive on another metre gauge railway in action on a special Sunday service.
The presentation continued with a tour of Sarajevo starting with a photograph of the location of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28th June 1914, which precipitated the outbreak of the First World War. Various trams were seen in the regenerated city carrying vinyls of product advertisements and international flags. The scale of railway operation was a two-coach express hauled by a powerful Swedish- built electric loco. A committed effort to seek out the sparse railway scene was rewarded by finding an industrial railway 0-6-0 steam locomotive delivering its heavy loaded coal hoppers to a hopper discharge facility. Chris was not made welcome, however!
Chris rounded off his presentation with historical scenes of the former Yugoslavian railway prior to the conflict, and Sarajevo’s notorious “Sniper Alley”, quiet now but in the daily news 20 years ago. With thanks to Andy Wright for providing the projection services. (Chris Mitchell)
“South Eastern & North Eastern Matters” - Chris King
Chris presented a tour of railway and historical locations of two European extremes, North Norway and the former State of Yugoslavia.
The journey started at Norway’s Sogne and Aurland Fjords. The railway paralleling the fjords was constructed in the early 1900s and is now electrified with passing loops. The trains run from Flåm to Myrdal, junction of the Bergen to Oslo mainline, at approximately two-hour intervals and the journey takes around 50 minutes. Trains comprise seven coach formations with an electric locomotive at each end. Motive power is Swedish built NEBB Brown Boveri electric locomotives which were tested on gradients of 1 in 18 along the route through a picturesque landscape of dense forest and dramatic waterfalls.
An onward journey to Bergen by electric multiple unit saw Swiss built Class 460s on a freight at Voss. For the record, Chris and Hilary travelled the world’s longest road tunnel of 24.5 kilometres which included lay-bys for picnic stops!!!
The Norwegian part of the journey showed pictures of Christiansand Harbour station before they took the ferry to Skagen, the northernmost railway station in Denmark, and saw Danish designed IC3 diesel multiple units and a German built Class 612 unit.
A recent tour of the former Yugoslavia saw a much reduced railway network in the now-emerging countries of Serbia, Bosnia and Slovenia. A metre gauge railway in Serbia was seen being restored for the re-emerging tourist industry with the staple motive power of Romanian built Class 54D Diesels. A unique steam locomotive of 0-8-2+2 configuration was seen on a Sunday service. A study of local architecture along the railway saw many examples of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.
From Serbia to Bosnia, Chris came across a wood burning locomotive on another metre gauge railway in action on a special Sunday service.
The presentation continued with a tour of Sarajevo starting with a photograph of the location of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28th June 1914, which precipitated the outbreak of the First World War. Various trams were seen in the regenerated city carrying vinyls of product advertisements and international flags. The scale of railway operation was a two-coach express hauled by a powerful Swedish- built electric loco. A committed effort to seek out the sparse railway scene was rewarded by finding an industrial railway 0-6-0 steam locomotive delivering its heavy loaded coal hoppers to a hopper discharge facility. Chris was not made welcome, however!
Chris rounded off his presentation with historical scenes of the former Yugoslavian railway prior to the conflict, and Sarajevo’s notorious “Sniper Alley”, quiet now but in the daily news 20 years ago. With thanks to Andy Wright for providing the projection services. (Chris Mitchell)
Meeting Report - 6th February 2014
Somerset’s Railways & A Look at Bath Green Park Station - Edward Mann and Mike Handscomb
Edward Mann treated the meeting to a comprehensive geography lesson on the network of routes passing through the county of Somerset, making use of extracts from a pre-grouping atlas. This included mention of all main lines and several of the many branches, with the Somerset & Dorset receiving particular attention, due to its obvious strong association with the county.
The audience was then entertained by a DVD film which covered virtually every corner of the county. The railways featured ranged from a 9½" gauge miniature railway at Clevedon, using an Ivatt Atlantic, to non-stop expresses speeding through main line junctions at a number of locations. Between these two extremes there were examples of the more unusual aspects of rail use, such as the impoverished and, some would say, ill-conceived Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Railway. A sequence that produced an audible reaction was that of wire rope haulage of coal wagons on a very steep incline in the Somerset Coalfield; the phrases “Health & Safety” and “Risk Assessment” were clearly not part of the 1950’s jargon.
Many details of opening and closure dates were covered in the commentary along with those for signal boxes, other structures and layout alterations. As well as the comprehensive coverage of many lines and stations, attention was drawn to the surprising number of featured locomotives that had since been preserved, not least the preserved S&D 2-8-0 which was to feature in the second half of the programme. There were interesting sequences showing complicated movements at a number of locations, such as Yeovil, where reversal of trains was necessary to achieve through workings. This was also true at Bath Green Park, where the many Summer Saturday trains from the north, heading for Bournemouth, had to reverse.
The main impression left at the end of the film was how many lines there had once been in such a relatively rural county and how few now survived, these being limited to the former GWR and SR main lines together with the very successful preserved West Somerset Railway to Minehead. The number of intermediate stations on the various branches that were, to say the least, basic and which were deemed to be “Halts” was very noticeable.
The second part of the programme was led by Mike Handscomb. He had, as was to become clear, something of a rare, if somewhat distant, association with the splendid station at Bath Green Park. It was opened by the Midland Railway as Bath Queen Square in 1870, the terminus of an extension from Mangotsfield. When the Somerset & Dorset Railway opened its Bath Extension from the south, it reached an agreement with the Midland for use of the station, each company having its own engine shed to the west of the Avon Bridge, which was almost immediately outside the station.
Bomb damage to the overall glass roof during World War 2 was never repaired and, after closure in 1966, the station deteriorated during the 1970s. However, in 1979, the site of the station, which is Grade II listed, was developed by J.Sainsbury as a supermarket in a scheme costing £1.5 million. Mike was a Sainsbury employee at the time, hence his interest in the proposal.The site, and particularly the station building itself, has been further enhanced in more recent times, and now includes a brasserie, various offices and small shops, while the former concourse is used as a covered market, housing local traders.
Edward then concluded the evening with a show of photographs and a number of historical facts and figures. These included details of the fitting of Ferodo brake blocks on the unique 2-8-0 locomotives, the use of the standard BR 2-10-0 locomotives on passenger workings, and the volume of Summer Saturday traffic heading from “stations north” to Bournemouth, including those leaving their home station on Friday evenings. This last topic led to the question of how some of the overnight travellers spent the time from their 0500 arrival until they were able to book into their accommodation.
Chairman Gordon Bruce expressed the thanks of the meeting for the evening’s entertainment; this was followed by the customary round of applause. Thanks also to Andy Wright for projection services etc. (Graham Kenworthy)
Somerset’s Railways & A Look at Bath Green Park Station - Edward Mann and Mike Handscomb
Edward Mann treated the meeting to a comprehensive geography lesson on the network of routes passing through the county of Somerset, making use of extracts from a pre-grouping atlas. This included mention of all main lines and several of the many branches, with the Somerset & Dorset receiving particular attention, due to its obvious strong association with the county.
The audience was then entertained by a DVD film which covered virtually every corner of the county. The railways featured ranged from a 9½" gauge miniature railway at Clevedon, using an Ivatt Atlantic, to non-stop expresses speeding through main line junctions at a number of locations. Between these two extremes there were examples of the more unusual aspects of rail use, such as the impoverished and, some would say, ill-conceived Weston, Clevedon & Portishead Railway. A sequence that produced an audible reaction was that of wire rope haulage of coal wagons on a very steep incline in the Somerset Coalfield; the phrases “Health & Safety” and “Risk Assessment” were clearly not part of the 1950’s jargon.
Many details of opening and closure dates were covered in the commentary along with those for signal boxes, other structures and layout alterations. As well as the comprehensive coverage of many lines and stations, attention was drawn to the surprising number of featured locomotives that had since been preserved, not least the preserved S&D 2-8-0 which was to feature in the second half of the programme. There were interesting sequences showing complicated movements at a number of locations, such as Yeovil, where reversal of trains was necessary to achieve through workings. This was also true at Bath Green Park, where the many Summer Saturday trains from the north, heading for Bournemouth, had to reverse.
The main impression left at the end of the film was how many lines there had once been in such a relatively rural county and how few now survived, these being limited to the former GWR and SR main lines together with the very successful preserved West Somerset Railway to Minehead. The number of intermediate stations on the various branches that were, to say the least, basic and which were deemed to be “Halts” was very noticeable.
The second part of the programme was led by Mike Handscomb. He had, as was to become clear, something of a rare, if somewhat distant, association with the splendid station at Bath Green Park. It was opened by the Midland Railway as Bath Queen Square in 1870, the terminus of an extension from Mangotsfield. When the Somerset & Dorset Railway opened its Bath Extension from the south, it reached an agreement with the Midland for use of the station, each company having its own engine shed to the west of the Avon Bridge, which was almost immediately outside the station.
Bomb damage to the overall glass roof during World War 2 was never repaired and, after closure in 1966, the station deteriorated during the 1970s. However, in 1979, the site of the station, which is Grade II listed, was developed by J.Sainsbury as a supermarket in a scheme costing £1.5 million. Mike was a Sainsbury employee at the time, hence his interest in the proposal.The site, and particularly the station building itself, has been further enhanced in more recent times, and now includes a brasserie, various offices and small shops, while the former concourse is used as a covered market, housing local traders.
Edward then concluded the evening with a show of photographs and a number of historical facts and figures. These included details of the fitting of Ferodo brake blocks on the unique 2-8-0 locomotives, the use of the standard BR 2-10-0 locomotives on passenger workings, and the volume of Summer Saturday traffic heading from “stations north” to Bournemouth, including those leaving their home station on Friday evenings. This last topic led to the question of how some of the overnight travellers spent the time from their 0500 arrival until they were able to book into their accommodation.
Chairman Gordon Bruce expressed the thanks of the meeting for the evening’s entertainment; this was followed by the customary round of applause. Thanks also to Andy Wright for projection services etc. (Graham Kenworthy)
Meeting Report - 16th January 2014
“The Railways of Patagonia” - Ken Mills
Ken Mills, who is probably the most widely travelled member of the Society (sampling over 9000 miles of rail travel in South America), visited Patagonia in 1969 and 1972. Ken gave a few facts about Patagonia which is region shared by Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. It has a population of some 2m with a very sparse density of less than 2 people per square kilometre (UK density is 256 people). Only four towns or cities have a population exceeding 100,000 residents with the largest having a population of 345,000 with the next largest having only 173,000 residents. The name reputedly comes from the word “patagon” used by Magellan in 1520 to describe the native people that his expedition thought to be giants. Much of the country features desert-like conditions with much scrub – rainfall can be as little as 5’’ per annum - sometimes relieved by a few lakes with surrounding greenery. Roads are predominantly unmade apart from the approaches close to towns.
The first part of the talk featured a journey on the 250 mile long branch of the General Roca Railway from Jacobacci to Esquel laid to 75cm gauge (standard gauge is 5’ 6” or 168cm). Buenos Aires is some 1200 miles to the north. This line was completely steam worked with oil-fired 2-8-2s of two types constructed by Baldwin Loco Works or Henschel in Germany during 1922 – the locos are designated as 75 with the manufacturer’s initial letter following as a suffix (ie 75B or 75H). The quantity of locomotives ordered and delivered far exceeded the number actually needed allowing some to be transferred to new railways (see Part 2 of the talk).
One passenger train makes the journey each way daily – that from Jacobacci departed at 0615 for a scheduled journey time of 14 hours for the 250 miles. Ken recounted that the train frequently slowed to such an extent that one could dismount, walk alongside and then rejoin the train – perhaps even moving closer to the locomotive(s) ahead! The restaurant car was sampled – although very narrow with single seats on either side of the aisle, good food and wine was served from the miniature kitchen. (Unfortunately the line was out of use by the 1980s – Ed.)
Before the interval Ken circulated copies of a magazine article he had written previously helping to set the scene for the second part of his talk which recounted his travels in March 1972 on what was then the southernmost railway in the world at 52° south (by coincidence Norwich is 52° north of the Equator). The railway concerned was the 162 mile long Rio Turbio freight-only line which runs from coal mines at Rio Turbio eastwards to Rio Gallegos where the coal is transferred to ships for the sea journey to power stations serving Buenos Aires – the nearest railway is 1045 miles north of the port. The 75cm gauge line was constructed between September 1950 and September 1951 following the Turbio and Gallegos River valleys. Before Gallegos port was constructed 50,000 tons of materials for use in the construction of the railway were delivered via the beach! The line was first worked by eight Henschel class 75H 2-8-2 locomotives transferred from the Esquel line to the north until being replaced by the first batch of 10 modern and more powerful Santa Fé 2-10-2 locomotives built by Mitsubishi in 1956 with a second batch of 10 delivered in 1963. The coal fired locos fitted with mechanical screw stokers have 2’ 11’’ diameter driving wheels but despite being on only 75cm gauge are reputed to produce almost the same tractive effort as a “Black 5”.
Prior to his visit Ken had met Señor Ingeniero Porta of Argentinian Railways to discuss all matters steam and, when he had mentioned his intention of visiting the freight only line during his trip to Patagonia, Señor Porta wrote an introductory letter to the Locomotive Engineer for the railway which resulted in a little passenger coach being added to an empty coal train on its westbound journey!
The train concerned consisted of 51 empty wagons, two covered wagons with supplies for Rio Turbio and the bogied coach at the rear weighing some 460 tonnes and being almost a kilometre in length. Loaded eastbound trains can weigh up to 1800 tonnes. A 2-10-2 steam locomotive No 113 provided the motive power for the journey and the train made its way west at a maximum speed of some 20-25 mph. Ken mentioned that it was normal for the leading 30 wagons to be braked with the remainder unbraked. The fine colour slides (skilfully projected under Graham Kenworthy’s guiding hand) showed various views of the scenery and stations encountered en route; the locomotive depot at nearby La Dorotea and the coal mine’s own internal electrified narrow gauge line serving the coal mine headings.
The return journey to the coast was by way of a Permanent Way department railbus. Several slides showed how the coal trains were discharged at the port by means of rakes of wagons being rotated in tipplers, their couplings being able to accommodate this rotation and back. It was interesting to view the coal loading dock facilities which can cope with a tidal range of 50 ft.
The Chairman proposed a well-earned vote of thanks and all the members present showed their appreciation for a most interesting and absorbing presentation. (Peter Adds)
“The Railways of Patagonia” - Ken Mills
Ken Mills, who is probably the most widely travelled member of the Society (sampling over 9000 miles of rail travel in South America), visited Patagonia in 1969 and 1972. Ken gave a few facts about Patagonia which is region shared by Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. It has a population of some 2m with a very sparse density of less than 2 people per square kilometre (UK density is 256 people). Only four towns or cities have a population exceeding 100,000 residents with the largest having a population of 345,000 with the next largest having only 173,000 residents. The name reputedly comes from the word “patagon” used by Magellan in 1520 to describe the native people that his expedition thought to be giants. Much of the country features desert-like conditions with much scrub – rainfall can be as little as 5’’ per annum - sometimes relieved by a few lakes with surrounding greenery. Roads are predominantly unmade apart from the approaches close to towns.
The first part of the talk featured a journey on the 250 mile long branch of the General Roca Railway from Jacobacci to Esquel laid to 75cm gauge (standard gauge is 5’ 6” or 168cm). Buenos Aires is some 1200 miles to the north. This line was completely steam worked with oil-fired 2-8-2s of two types constructed by Baldwin Loco Works or Henschel in Germany during 1922 – the locos are designated as 75 with the manufacturer’s initial letter following as a suffix (ie 75B or 75H). The quantity of locomotives ordered and delivered far exceeded the number actually needed allowing some to be transferred to new railways (see Part 2 of the talk).
One passenger train makes the journey each way daily – that from Jacobacci departed at 0615 for a scheduled journey time of 14 hours for the 250 miles. Ken recounted that the train frequently slowed to such an extent that one could dismount, walk alongside and then rejoin the train – perhaps even moving closer to the locomotive(s) ahead! The restaurant car was sampled – although very narrow with single seats on either side of the aisle, good food and wine was served from the miniature kitchen. (Unfortunately the line was out of use by the 1980s – Ed.)
Before the interval Ken circulated copies of a magazine article he had written previously helping to set the scene for the second part of his talk which recounted his travels in March 1972 on what was then the southernmost railway in the world at 52° south (by coincidence Norwich is 52° north of the Equator). The railway concerned was the 162 mile long Rio Turbio freight-only line which runs from coal mines at Rio Turbio eastwards to Rio Gallegos where the coal is transferred to ships for the sea journey to power stations serving Buenos Aires – the nearest railway is 1045 miles north of the port. The 75cm gauge line was constructed between September 1950 and September 1951 following the Turbio and Gallegos River valleys. Before Gallegos port was constructed 50,000 tons of materials for use in the construction of the railway were delivered via the beach! The line was first worked by eight Henschel class 75H 2-8-2 locomotives transferred from the Esquel line to the north until being replaced by the first batch of 10 modern and more powerful Santa Fé 2-10-2 locomotives built by Mitsubishi in 1956 with a second batch of 10 delivered in 1963. The coal fired locos fitted with mechanical screw stokers have 2’ 11’’ diameter driving wheels but despite being on only 75cm gauge are reputed to produce almost the same tractive effort as a “Black 5”.
Prior to his visit Ken had met Señor Ingeniero Porta of Argentinian Railways to discuss all matters steam and, when he had mentioned his intention of visiting the freight only line during his trip to Patagonia, Señor Porta wrote an introductory letter to the Locomotive Engineer for the railway which resulted in a little passenger coach being added to an empty coal train on its westbound journey!
The train concerned consisted of 51 empty wagons, two covered wagons with supplies for Rio Turbio and the bogied coach at the rear weighing some 460 tonnes and being almost a kilometre in length. Loaded eastbound trains can weigh up to 1800 tonnes. A 2-10-2 steam locomotive No 113 provided the motive power for the journey and the train made its way west at a maximum speed of some 20-25 mph. Ken mentioned that it was normal for the leading 30 wagons to be braked with the remainder unbraked. The fine colour slides (skilfully projected under Graham Kenworthy’s guiding hand) showed various views of the scenery and stations encountered en route; the locomotive depot at nearby La Dorotea and the coal mine’s own internal electrified narrow gauge line serving the coal mine headings.
The return journey to the coast was by way of a Permanent Way department railbus. Several slides showed how the coal trains were discharged at the port by means of rakes of wagons being rotated in tipplers, their couplings being able to accommodate this rotation and back. It was interesting to view the coal loading dock facilities which can cope with a tidal range of 50 ft.
The Chairman proposed a well-earned vote of thanks and all the members present showed their appreciation for a most interesting and absorbing presentation. (Peter Adds)
Meeting Report - 2nd January 2014
Chairman’s Address - “Striking a Chord” (Gordon Bruce)
Past Chairman Peter Adds introduced Gordon’s presentation with the reassurance that all previous Chairmen had survived the ordeal!
Gordon hails from Nottinghamshire and went on to explain his railway ancestry – though his parents were teachers his grandfather (Bill) had joined the GNR aged 14. He rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Stationmaster at Claypole, just south of Newark on the ECML, which closed in 1957, but which would have given Gordon’s father the opportunity for unauthorised cab rides on A4 “Pacifics” on test from Doncaster. His final posting was to Ollerton on the Chesterfield – Lincoln line. Although closed to regular passenger services in 1955, Ollerton remained very busy with coal traffic. His grandfather retired to Skegness in 1964.
No doubt because they were his transport to and from school, Gordon is a great fan of real buses (i.e. the Bristol/E.C.W. type of fond memory) though the Park Royal products for London Transport are close behind, so these were not overlooked.
However, to get back to railways, albeit miniature ones, he has been a regular visitor to the system at Hemsby since the mid-1980s, and we saw many Society members in his photographs some, sadly, no longer with us. He had been up to Tanfield last year and, whatever the merits of the railway, they seemed to have a lot of decrepit carriages and wagons, which are sorely in need of an army of carpenters. The NNR, on the other hand, with the J15 on the vintage stock and the B12 on the quad-arts, showed what could be done.
The second half opened with one of Gordon’s predilections – obscure arty films from the Channel 4 series “Art of Landscape”. Two of these were railway-themed and it was a pleasure to see steam-heat Class 26s on the West Highland Extension. The other film covered the Ffestiniog Railway and was shot entirely from the observation car.
We then saw / cringed our way through some old Pathé News Pictorials; in summary these included: radio-controlled marshalling in Whitemoor Yard (1949); a trip up Snowdon (1948) – fare 50p (even then) with loco no. 2 “Enid”; early days on the Tal-y-llyn (1955) with someone hand-sanding on the front buffer-beam; the return to work after the ASLEF strike (1955); cutting-up a “King Arthur 4-6-0 at Eastleigh and the entry into service of brand-new “Hastings” units (1957); an 08 shunter and the prototype “Deltic” being exhibited (1959) and the self-propelled track recording trolley Neptune (also 1959). Artist Terence Cuneo put in a welcome appearance, working-up a drawing that would become a famous publicity poster for the “Condor” express freight service (1960), track welding at Dinsdale (1960), with “Monty Python” interlude, the then-new Temple Mills marshalling yard (1960), followed by new goods depots, signalboxes and the striking new station at Manchester (Oxford Road). Colonel Stephens might have approved of the Land Rover-cum-road-railer, before we saw 6100 “Royal Scot” being transported to its resting-place at Butlin’s, Skegness in 1964 - who had a crystal ball to predict its eventual return to the main line? We also saw the early days of a very short Bluebell Railway and, finally, the last railway shunting horse at Newmarket. Commentators must have graduated from the Bob Danvers-Walker dumbing-down school with flying colours!
Gordon closed the show with a couple of films shot on the NNR and, where appropriate throughout the presentation, he had made sure there was a background of classical music. Gordon received deserved applause from the audience though it was a pity (indisposed members and family gatherings excepted) that more did not turn out for an excellent evening. Thanks also to Andy Wright for projection services.
Vice-Chairman Peter Cooke, warmly thanked Gordon for his superb presentation, and said that he was already working on his show for next year! (EM)
Chairman’s Address - “Striking a Chord” (Gordon Bruce)
Past Chairman Peter Adds introduced Gordon’s presentation with the reassurance that all previous Chairmen had survived the ordeal!
Gordon hails from Nottinghamshire and went on to explain his railway ancestry – though his parents were teachers his grandfather (Bill) had joined the GNR aged 14. He rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Stationmaster at Claypole, just south of Newark on the ECML, which closed in 1957, but which would have given Gordon’s father the opportunity for unauthorised cab rides on A4 “Pacifics” on test from Doncaster. His final posting was to Ollerton on the Chesterfield – Lincoln line. Although closed to regular passenger services in 1955, Ollerton remained very busy with coal traffic. His grandfather retired to Skegness in 1964.
No doubt because they were his transport to and from school, Gordon is a great fan of real buses (i.e. the Bristol/E.C.W. type of fond memory) though the Park Royal products for London Transport are close behind, so these were not overlooked.
However, to get back to railways, albeit miniature ones, he has been a regular visitor to the system at Hemsby since the mid-1980s, and we saw many Society members in his photographs some, sadly, no longer with us. He had been up to Tanfield last year and, whatever the merits of the railway, they seemed to have a lot of decrepit carriages and wagons, which are sorely in need of an army of carpenters. The NNR, on the other hand, with the J15 on the vintage stock and the B12 on the quad-arts, showed what could be done.
The second half opened with one of Gordon’s predilections – obscure arty films from the Channel 4 series “Art of Landscape”. Two of these were railway-themed and it was a pleasure to see steam-heat Class 26s on the West Highland Extension. The other film covered the Ffestiniog Railway and was shot entirely from the observation car.
We then saw / cringed our way through some old Pathé News Pictorials; in summary these included: radio-controlled marshalling in Whitemoor Yard (1949); a trip up Snowdon (1948) – fare 50p (even then) with loco no. 2 “Enid”; early days on the Tal-y-llyn (1955) with someone hand-sanding on the front buffer-beam; the return to work after the ASLEF strike (1955); cutting-up a “King Arthur 4-6-0 at Eastleigh and the entry into service of brand-new “Hastings” units (1957); an 08 shunter and the prototype “Deltic” being exhibited (1959) and the self-propelled track recording trolley Neptune (also 1959). Artist Terence Cuneo put in a welcome appearance, working-up a drawing that would become a famous publicity poster for the “Condor” express freight service (1960), track welding at Dinsdale (1960), with “Monty Python” interlude, the then-new Temple Mills marshalling yard (1960), followed by new goods depots, signalboxes and the striking new station at Manchester (Oxford Road). Colonel Stephens might have approved of the Land Rover-cum-road-railer, before we saw 6100 “Royal Scot” being transported to its resting-place at Butlin’s, Skegness in 1964 - who had a crystal ball to predict its eventual return to the main line? We also saw the early days of a very short Bluebell Railway and, finally, the last railway shunting horse at Newmarket. Commentators must have graduated from the Bob Danvers-Walker dumbing-down school with flying colours!
Gordon closed the show with a couple of films shot on the NNR and, where appropriate throughout the presentation, he had made sure there was a background of classical music. Gordon received deserved applause from the audience though it was a pity (indisposed members and family gatherings excepted) that more did not turn out for an excellent evening. Thanks also to Andy Wright for projection services.
Vice-Chairman Peter Cooke, warmly thanked Gordon for his superb presentation, and said that he was already working on his show for next year! (EM)
Meeting Report - 19th December 2013
Members’ Evening
The pre-Christmas meeting is full of traditions – mince pies produced by Graham & Joy Kenworthy – and it is turned over to members to talk, show images or films for about 10 minutes.
Peter Knights began proceedings – he used to be a mechanic at St Benedict’s Garage – and one day the garage owner was “hovering” & eventually asked Peter if he’d like to go to Oxford to bring back a new car. In the 1950s, he explained, cars were not delivered by transporter but were collected by the garage that placed the order. These cars were meant to be driven carefully – max. 30 m.p.h. for the first 500 miles and “run-in”. Peter’s day began at Ditchingham, taking the works van to the station to catch the 0700 to Liverpool St, then Circle Line to Paddington & then 1018 or 1100 to Oxford; no. 1 bus to Cowley, Gate 18 Morris Motors, find the car and bring it home. Sometimes, he recalled, the car was not made, and he had to wait at the end of the assembly line – or it might be a body and nothing else – and sometimes he had to find it on a huge sports field! His homeward trip was via Oxford, Bicester, Buckingham, Bedford and Cambridge. Early trips were in pre-motorway days, and other trips were to Longbridge (Austins) and Manchester (Morris Commercials).
Next, we heard from Graham Kenworthy who had taken a holiday in the Black Forest in September. The rail route from Paris was Strasbourg – Freiburg and Titisee (for Lake Titisee). They had a coach excursion to Triberg, seeing an amazing cuckoo-clock manufacturer without, sadly, any apprentices to follow. Among the other excursions was one to the Pigtailbahn (see NRS/NL 58/3 p.6). Strasbourg station was a remarkable sight; the original part with its stained-glass windows was cathedral-like, but the less said about the modern extension the better.
Mike Handscomb, with a box of books and wearing his salesman’s hat, explained that, through the good offices of Graham Smith, Derek Norris (brother of deceased member Raymond Norris) had given the Society Raymond’s book collection for disposal. Choice items were displayed and, at future meetings, Mike will bring some more boxes of these books.
Peter Cooke had been given a DVD of several steam locomotives that have visited Norwich, including 6024 King Edward I, 4472 Flying Scotsman, 35005 Canadian Pacific, 60009 Union of South Africa (making a very smoky departure) & 73096, whilst B1 61264 was seen at Ingatestone.
Graham Smith began the second half with some early 1970s slides of a visit to Brimsdown Power Station, where RSH 7597 was in action. This loco later went to the Chappel & Wakes Colne Railway, then the GCR and is now at Peak Rail. Early memories of Sheringham followed, with the B12 & J15 awaiting restoration. He then moved on to another power station where some fireless locomotives were seen, and ended up at Wymondham, with an amazing number of wagons which would be shunted by the 03 pilot.
Hadrian Jeffs then recounted an early 1960s visit to Harrods Toy Department, which began with a slow train from Dunstable to King’s Cross, but occupying the westernmost (suburban) platform was a train with an A4 on the front. Hadrian’s father spoke to the A4’s driver; 4 year-old Hadrian was lifted into the cab and asked if he’d like to drive the train a little way. Gradually he opened the regulator, the train moved, and he wonders if he’s the youngest person to have driven an A4!
Chris Mitchell summarised the many events of 2013 (150 years of the Metropolitan, the 6 A4s at the NRM etc) and said that the tunnelling machine Phyllis completed the breakthrough on Crossrail’s line from Royal Oak to Farringdon in November. He then showed a film, courtesy of the Institution of Civil Engineers, which began with animations of the creation of the Thames Tunnel, then the steam-operated Metropolitan before finally going on to more recent achievements such as the opening of the Victoria Line in 1968 and the subsequent Jubilee Line and Docklands Light Railway.
Peter Willis showed film of A4 60009 Union of South Africa leaving Norwich on a very cold day, two “Black Fives” (44871/45407) at Ely, modern traction between Ely & Manea and the two “Black Fives” at Pymoor after turning, and on departure from Ely.
Steve Cane wrote about the Luton Busway in NRS/NL 58/6 p.10 and developed his theme through visits to Luton to see his football team, and staying in a hotel overlooking the Midland Main Line. He also showed some then-and-now shots of the Great Northern’s former station at Luton (Bute St.) and of the last steam train on the Dunstable branch. He spoke highly of the Busway, which runs between Luton and Dunstable, and showed photographs of its operation in an area full of traffic problems.
Arthur Barrett showed film of the replica Rocket at Sheringham in 1993, GNR 1247 at the Centenary Gala, Romney “Santa Specials” from Hythe to New Romney c.1990 and finished off by playing “The Santa Claus Express”.
Ken Mills recalled the April visit to the Baie de Somme Railway and interested members are referred to NRS/NL 58/4 pp 7-9. He showed slides of a vintage 3-car Paris Metro set, many narrow gauge locomotives from various French builders, a 1942 S.N.C.F. compound 4-8-0 on display, as well as some street running (60 cm. gauge). The K&ESR supplied a coach, though their locomotive was out of action.
Contributors were generously applauded at the end.
And that almost concludes the members’ evening report except to thank Andy Wright for projection services, and Graham & Joy Kenworthy for the mince pies. They, in turn, would like to thank everyone for the sum of £135 which was raised for the St. Martin’s Housing Trust (Norwich Night Shelter). (EM)
Members’ Evening
The pre-Christmas meeting is full of traditions – mince pies produced by Graham & Joy Kenworthy – and it is turned over to members to talk, show images or films for about 10 minutes.
Peter Knights began proceedings – he used to be a mechanic at St Benedict’s Garage – and one day the garage owner was “hovering” & eventually asked Peter if he’d like to go to Oxford to bring back a new car. In the 1950s, he explained, cars were not delivered by transporter but were collected by the garage that placed the order. These cars were meant to be driven carefully – max. 30 m.p.h. for the first 500 miles and “run-in”. Peter’s day began at Ditchingham, taking the works van to the station to catch the 0700 to Liverpool St, then Circle Line to Paddington & then 1018 or 1100 to Oxford; no. 1 bus to Cowley, Gate 18 Morris Motors, find the car and bring it home. Sometimes, he recalled, the car was not made, and he had to wait at the end of the assembly line – or it might be a body and nothing else – and sometimes he had to find it on a huge sports field! His homeward trip was via Oxford, Bicester, Buckingham, Bedford and Cambridge. Early trips were in pre-motorway days, and other trips were to Longbridge (Austins) and Manchester (Morris Commercials).
Next, we heard from Graham Kenworthy who had taken a holiday in the Black Forest in September. The rail route from Paris was Strasbourg – Freiburg and Titisee (for Lake Titisee). They had a coach excursion to Triberg, seeing an amazing cuckoo-clock manufacturer without, sadly, any apprentices to follow. Among the other excursions was one to the Pigtailbahn (see NRS/NL 58/3 p.6). Strasbourg station was a remarkable sight; the original part with its stained-glass windows was cathedral-like, but the less said about the modern extension the better.
Mike Handscomb, with a box of books and wearing his salesman’s hat, explained that, through the good offices of Graham Smith, Derek Norris (brother of deceased member Raymond Norris) had given the Society Raymond’s book collection for disposal. Choice items were displayed and, at future meetings, Mike will bring some more boxes of these books.
Peter Cooke had been given a DVD of several steam locomotives that have visited Norwich, including 6024 King Edward I, 4472 Flying Scotsman, 35005 Canadian Pacific, 60009 Union of South Africa (making a very smoky departure) & 73096, whilst B1 61264 was seen at Ingatestone.
Graham Smith began the second half with some early 1970s slides of a visit to Brimsdown Power Station, where RSH 7597 was in action. This loco later went to the Chappel & Wakes Colne Railway, then the GCR and is now at Peak Rail. Early memories of Sheringham followed, with the B12 & J15 awaiting restoration. He then moved on to another power station where some fireless locomotives were seen, and ended up at Wymondham, with an amazing number of wagons which would be shunted by the 03 pilot.
Hadrian Jeffs then recounted an early 1960s visit to Harrods Toy Department, which began with a slow train from Dunstable to King’s Cross, but occupying the westernmost (suburban) platform was a train with an A4 on the front. Hadrian’s father spoke to the A4’s driver; 4 year-old Hadrian was lifted into the cab and asked if he’d like to drive the train a little way. Gradually he opened the regulator, the train moved, and he wonders if he’s the youngest person to have driven an A4!
Chris Mitchell summarised the many events of 2013 (150 years of the Metropolitan, the 6 A4s at the NRM etc) and said that the tunnelling machine Phyllis completed the breakthrough on Crossrail’s line from Royal Oak to Farringdon in November. He then showed a film, courtesy of the Institution of Civil Engineers, which began with animations of the creation of the Thames Tunnel, then the steam-operated Metropolitan before finally going on to more recent achievements such as the opening of the Victoria Line in 1968 and the subsequent Jubilee Line and Docklands Light Railway.
Peter Willis showed film of A4 60009 Union of South Africa leaving Norwich on a very cold day, two “Black Fives” (44871/45407) at Ely, modern traction between Ely & Manea and the two “Black Fives” at Pymoor after turning, and on departure from Ely.
Steve Cane wrote about the Luton Busway in NRS/NL 58/6 p.10 and developed his theme through visits to Luton to see his football team, and staying in a hotel overlooking the Midland Main Line. He also showed some then-and-now shots of the Great Northern’s former station at Luton (Bute St.) and of the last steam train on the Dunstable branch. He spoke highly of the Busway, which runs between Luton and Dunstable, and showed photographs of its operation in an area full of traffic problems.
Arthur Barrett showed film of the replica Rocket at Sheringham in 1993, GNR 1247 at the Centenary Gala, Romney “Santa Specials” from Hythe to New Romney c.1990 and finished off by playing “The Santa Claus Express”.
Ken Mills recalled the April visit to the Baie de Somme Railway and interested members are referred to NRS/NL 58/4 pp 7-9. He showed slides of a vintage 3-car Paris Metro set, many narrow gauge locomotives from various French builders, a 1942 S.N.C.F. compound 4-8-0 on display, as well as some street running (60 cm. gauge). The K&ESR supplied a coach, though their locomotive was out of action.
Contributors were generously applauded at the end.
And that almost concludes the members’ evening report except to thank Andy Wright for projection services, and Graham & Joy Kenworthy for the mince pies. They, in turn, would like to thank everyone for the sum of £135 which was raised for the St. Martin’s Housing Trust (Norwich Night Shelter). (EM)
Meeting Report - 5th December 2013
The GN/GE Joint Line (Chris Mitchell & Ken Mills – 5th December)
The Joint Line was built by the two railway companies which did not make natural bedfellows but the rail traffic potential between the coalfields and industrial areas in South Yorkshire to the market places in East Anglia, London and the South-East was sufficient justification for the project to proceed.
The 119 mile long GN/GE Joint Line left the GN (now East Coast) main line at Huntingdon and then ran via St Ives, Chatteris, March, Spalding, Sleaford, Lincoln, Gainsborough and Doncaster, passing through the counties of Huntingdon, Cambridge, Lincoln and Yorkshire. Sections of the line were built between 1845 and 1912. The Sleaford to Lincoln section was a more difficult section to construct, compared with the alternative route between March and Lincoln via Boston, because of the topography encountered.
Chris showed numerous photographs of the stations and major engineering structures along the route – an interesting view was taken during the construction of a new chord at Murrow West allowing rail access to the Murrow – Peterborough section otherwise cut off by rail following the closure of the M&GN which had crossed the Joint Line by means of a flat crossing at Murrow West.
The March to Spalding section closed on 27th November 1982 and one line was quickly removed. Views of intermediate stations such as Guyhirne, Murrow West, French Drove, Postland, Cowbit and Welland Bridge were shown. Most wayside stations on the Joint were closed from 11th September 1961.
Ken Mills continued our tour explaining the traffic flows and their associated locomotive workings normally involving a loco change at March. In the September 1955 – June 1956 Working Timetable some 55 freight trains, predominantly unbraked Class H freights, were timetabled each way and given their unbraked nature the trains ran at relatively low speeds. There were 5 passenger trains scheduled each way daily including Colchester – Glasgow (Queen St); Harwich – Liverpool (Central) and Yarmouth – York services. The passenger trains effectively occupied a 45 minute path window reflecting their much higher speed potential along the route compared with the much slower freights. He also commented on the influx of specials to Spalding for the annual Flower Parade, these running until the early 1980s.
After the interval Chris described the remaining parts of the route and its future strategic use as a diversionary route for the East Coast Main Line, particularly for container services originating from Felixstowe and the new London Gateway terminal. The infrastructure was being renewed (including the restoration of the northbound Sleaford avoiding line) and would be resignalled within the next few months with the new signalling, largely controlled from Peterborough and Lincoln.
Chris had been given unique access to visit the 12 surviving signalboxes between St James Deeping, Spalding and Sleaford and his fine photographic record of his visits was much appreciated by the audience. Ken concluded the evening with further photographic and personal memories of the services north of March.
The presentation was much appreciated, and fully deserved the hearty applause. (Peter Adds)
The GN/GE Joint Line (Chris Mitchell & Ken Mills – 5th December)
The Joint Line was built by the two railway companies which did not make natural bedfellows but the rail traffic potential between the coalfields and industrial areas in South Yorkshire to the market places in East Anglia, London and the South-East was sufficient justification for the project to proceed.
The 119 mile long GN/GE Joint Line left the GN (now East Coast) main line at Huntingdon and then ran via St Ives, Chatteris, March, Spalding, Sleaford, Lincoln, Gainsborough and Doncaster, passing through the counties of Huntingdon, Cambridge, Lincoln and Yorkshire. Sections of the line were built between 1845 and 1912. The Sleaford to Lincoln section was a more difficult section to construct, compared with the alternative route between March and Lincoln via Boston, because of the topography encountered.
Chris showed numerous photographs of the stations and major engineering structures along the route – an interesting view was taken during the construction of a new chord at Murrow West allowing rail access to the Murrow – Peterborough section otherwise cut off by rail following the closure of the M&GN which had crossed the Joint Line by means of a flat crossing at Murrow West.
The March to Spalding section closed on 27th November 1982 and one line was quickly removed. Views of intermediate stations such as Guyhirne, Murrow West, French Drove, Postland, Cowbit and Welland Bridge were shown. Most wayside stations on the Joint were closed from 11th September 1961.
Ken Mills continued our tour explaining the traffic flows and their associated locomotive workings normally involving a loco change at March. In the September 1955 – June 1956 Working Timetable some 55 freight trains, predominantly unbraked Class H freights, were timetabled each way and given their unbraked nature the trains ran at relatively low speeds. There were 5 passenger trains scheduled each way daily including Colchester – Glasgow (Queen St); Harwich – Liverpool (Central) and Yarmouth – York services. The passenger trains effectively occupied a 45 minute path window reflecting their much higher speed potential along the route compared with the much slower freights. He also commented on the influx of specials to Spalding for the annual Flower Parade, these running until the early 1980s.
After the interval Chris described the remaining parts of the route and its future strategic use as a diversionary route for the East Coast Main Line, particularly for container services originating from Felixstowe and the new London Gateway terminal. The infrastructure was being renewed (including the restoration of the northbound Sleaford avoiding line) and would be resignalled within the next few months with the new signalling, largely controlled from Peterborough and Lincoln.
Chris had been given unique access to visit the 12 surviving signalboxes between St James Deeping, Spalding and Sleaford and his fine photographic record of his visits was much appreciated by the audience. Ken concluded the evening with further photographic and personal memories of the services north of March.
The presentation was much appreciated, and fully deserved the hearty applause. (Peter Adds)
Meeting Report (21 November 2013)
The Epping Ongar Railway - Rodger Green
A good turnout of members arrived at the URC to hear Rodger Green give an account of the story of one of the UK’s fledgling heritage railways, the Epping Ongar Railway. And all members present were absolutely amazed at just how much has been achieved in such a short time, the line having commenced public operations as recently as May 2012.
Rodger began by giving a brief résumé of the history of the line. Original plans to reach Epping from the East End of London had come to nothing, and it was not until the Eastern Counties Railway built a line from Stratford to Loughton in 1856 that rails extended to the capital’s north-eastern suburbs. The Epping Railway was granted approval to extend to Ongar in 1858, and the route was opened by the Great Eastern on 24th April 1865, with Epping as a crossing point on a single track line. A subsequent proposal to extend to Dunmow fell through.
But to most people, Epping to Ongar is remembered as the farthest outreach of the London Underground network. After the whole route from Stratford passed to London Transport in 1935, the line was electrified as far as Epping in 1949 (the work having been delayed by WW2). Epping to Ongar remained steam-worked, with a fleet of elderly GER F5s, C12s and J15s working shuttles with equally ancient coaches. The branch – it has always been referred to as such despite having an end-on connection at Epping – was finally electrified in 1957, although freight trains continued to ply the line for a further nine years.
Always the Central Line’s Cinderella line with few passengers, the intermediate halts at North Weald and Blake Hall were notorious for their light patronage, the latter being the least-used station on the entire LT network with only six passengers per day. Various closure plans were submitted from 1976, but Ongar did not finally lose its trains until 30th September 1994 (Blake Hall had closed 13 years earlier).
Initial preservation attempts faced considerable obstacles from London Transport, which wanted to dispose of its redundant assets as soon as possible, and had not a preservation order been hastily applied, Ongar station would have been quickly reduced to rubble. An uneasy partnership between Pilot Developments and the Ongar Railway Preservation Society saw a Sundays-only DMU service running between Epping and Ongar between 2004 and 2007, but when Pilot pulled out of the partnership and put the line up for sale, benefactor Roger Wright – who occupied Blake Hall station building – purchased it and entrusted it to the Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society.
With the line in an extremely run-down condition, the bold decision was taken to close it completely and undertake various rebuilding projects. For now, abandoning the section between Epping and North Weald (and opting to run a heritage bus shuttle between these points), the latter station – along with Ongar – was the subject of considerable restoration. Ongar was to see all of its track removed and the ground lowered in order to accommodate ex-BR stock, while the station buildings were sympathetically restored to GER stone-and-cream colours; North Weald lost its unsightly concrete footbridge and waiting shelter, gaining instead a replacement footbridge from South Woodford. North Weald was selected to be the main base for operations, the nearby North Weald airfield being a further draw for future customers – indeed, an Open Day was held in 2011 in conjunction with the North Weald Airfield Bus Rally, with customers being afforded short rides behind - and in the cabs of - Class 37 D6732 and 03119 with a Pullman coach. Virtually all trace of its former London Transport identity has gone – even the gates at what was LT’s only level crossing have been replaced – the station being restored to LNER appearances.
At Ongar, the railway goods yard was lost to development along with its signalbox. However, a replacement `box was found at Spelbrook, and Rodger’s main project over the last two years has been the total rebuilding and restoration from derelict condition. That the work was achieved in such a short time to such a high standard was in a great deal due to the kind of fortune that many heritage railways dream of – a gentleman walking along the platform, gazing at the derelict structure, and asking “I’m a carpenter, do you need any help with that?”! The frame inside the new `box is actually the one that was in the original Ongar structure. The completed results must be seen to be believed.
The line was finally opened to passengers on 25th May 2012 – and while most fledgling heritage railways tend to commence public operations with a DMU, a few diesels and an industrial saddle tank or two, for the EOR it was very different. Just two months prior to opening, the owner of two GWR locos – ‘Hall’ 4953 Pitchford Hall and ‘Large Prairie’ 4141 - announced that his locos would be moving to the line, and these provided the motive power on the opening day (along with a hired-in Pannier tank). They also had a couple of industrials, one of which has now passed to Whitwell & Reepham Station. On the diesel front, the line now boasts examples of Classes 47, 37, 33, 31, 25 and 03 plus a few industrials, while rolling stock comprises the usual BR Mk1s, along with a ‘Thumper’ DEMU and a former 4-CIG electric unit used as hauled stock.
Being the nearest heritage railway to London – and of course being a former portion of the Central Line – the railway’s biggest event since opening was its participation in the LT150 celebrations in 2013, when it was visited by Metropolitan Railway 0-4-4T No 1, a Small Prairie masquerading as ‘L150’, ‘N2’ 0-6-2T 1744, Met Coach no 353, two former Chesham line ‘Dreadnought’ coaches plus a Mk1 suburban hired from the North Norfolk Railway. Indeed, the EOR have formed good relations with the NNR in as much as their two resident GWR locos were loaned to the NNR to help out with the latter’s ill-fated Spring 2013 Gala, while the NNR has donated three Mk1 suburbans to the EOR which remain long-term restoration projects.
As I said, a remarkable amount has been achieved in a comparatively short time, but the EOR are not resting on their laurels. Major projects still in the pipeline include – erection of a new loco shed at Ongar, the total rebuild of a Gresley Buffet Car, construction of a new station at Epping and return of services there, possible occasional use of Blake Hall (where a private platform has been built), the aforementioned Mk1 suburbans, and – if what I read on Wikipedia is to be believed – the possible future use of a new-build ‘F4’ on passenger services. Meanwhile, the Railway have a full programme of regular and special events, including Steam and Diesel Galas, Santa Specials, ‘Peppa Pig’ and ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’ events, real ale galas and bus rallies.
Rodger fielded a selection of questions from the audience at the end of his talk, which naturally included the thorny subject of the derelict ex-Finnish Railways 5-foot gauge loco dumped at Ongar. This is a throwback to the earlier preservation attempt in the late 90s/early 2000s, when five such machines were acquired. The others have all found new homes, but after being advertised for sale for many months with no serious interest being expressed, the final example looks like being scrapped.
The Epping Ongar Railway is a line which began operations comparatively recently and has crashed straight into the ‘Championship’ league table, with keen ambitions of making the ‘Premier League’. If you’ve not yet paid a visit (as I as yet have not done) then this must be at the top of members’ New Year Resolutions for 2014! (Gordon Bruce)
The Epping Ongar Railway - Rodger Green
A good turnout of members arrived at the URC to hear Rodger Green give an account of the story of one of the UK’s fledgling heritage railways, the Epping Ongar Railway. And all members present were absolutely amazed at just how much has been achieved in such a short time, the line having commenced public operations as recently as May 2012.
Rodger began by giving a brief résumé of the history of the line. Original plans to reach Epping from the East End of London had come to nothing, and it was not until the Eastern Counties Railway built a line from Stratford to Loughton in 1856 that rails extended to the capital’s north-eastern suburbs. The Epping Railway was granted approval to extend to Ongar in 1858, and the route was opened by the Great Eastern on 24th April 1865, with Epping as a crossing point on a single track line. A subsequent proposal to extend to Dunmow fell through.
But to most people, Epping to Ongar is remembered as the farthest outreach of the London Underground network. After the whole route from Stratford passed to London Transport in 1935, the line was electrified as far as Epping in 1949 (the work having been delayed by WW2). Epping to Ongar remained steam-worked, with a fleet of elderly GER F5s, C12s and J15s working shuttles with equally ancient coaches. The branch – it has always been referred to as such despite having an end-on connection at Epping – was finally electrified in 1957, although freight trains continued to ply the line for a further nine years.
Always the Central Line’s Cinderella line with few passengers, the intermediate halts at North Weald and Blake Hall were notorious for their light patronage, the latter being the least-used station on the entire LT network with only six passengers per day. Various closure plans were submitted from 1976, but Ongar did not finally lose its trains until 30th September 1994 (Blake Hall had closed 13 years earlier).
Initial preservation attempts faced considerable obstacles from London Transport, which wanted to dispose of its redundant assets as soon as possible, and had not a preservation order been hastily applied, Ongar station would have been quickly reduced to rubble. An uneasy partnership between Pilot Developments and the Ongar Railway Preservation Society saw a Sundays-only DMU service running between Epping and Ongar between 2004 and 2007, but when Pilot pulled out of the partnership and put the line up for sale, benefactor Roger Wright – who occupied Blake Hall station building – purchased it and entrusted it to the Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society.
With the line in an extremely run-down condition, the bold decision was taken to close it completely and undertake various rebuilding projects. For now, abandoning the section between Epping and North Weald (and opting to run a heritage bus shuttle between these points), the latter station – along with Ongar – was the subject of considerable restoration. Ongar was to see all of its track removed and the ground lowered in order to accommodate ex-BR stock, while the station buildings were sympathetically restored to GER stone-and-cream colours; North Weald lost its unsightly concrete footbridge and waiting shelter, gaining instead a replacement footbridge from South Woodford. North Weald was selected to be the main base for operations, the nearby North Weald airfield being a further draw for future customers – indeed, an Open Day was held in 2011 in conjunction with the North Weald Airfield Bus Rally, with customers being afforded short rides behind - and in the cabs of - Class 37 D6732 and 03119 with a Pullman coach. Virtually all trace of its former London Transport identity has gone – even the gates at what was LT’s only level crossing have been replaced – the station being restored to LNER appearances.
At Ongar, the railway goods yard was lost to development along with its signalbox. However, a replacement `box was found at Spelbrook, and Rodger’s main project over the last two years has been the total rebuilding and restoration from derelict condition. That the work was achieved in such a short time to such a high standard was in a great deal due to the kind of fortune that many heritage railways dream of – a gentleman walking along the platform, gazing at the derelict structure, and asking “I’m a carpenter, do you need any help with that?”! The frame inside the new `box is actually the one that was in the original Ongar structure. The completed results must be seen to be believed.
The line was finally opened to passengers on 25th May 2012 – and while most fledgling heritage railways tend to commence public operations with a DMU, a few diesels and an industrial saddle tank or two, for the EOR it was very different. Just two months prior to opening, the owner of two GWR locos – ‘Hall’ 4953 Pitchford Hall and ‘Large Prairie’ 4141 - announced that his locos would be moving to the line, and these provided the motive power on the opening day (along with a hired-in Pannier tank). They also had a couple of industrials, one of which has now passed to Whitwell & Reepham Station. On the diesel front, the line now boasts examples of Classes 47, 37, 33, 31, 25 and 03 plus a few industrials, while rolling stock comprises the usual BR Mk1s, along with a ‘Thumper’ DEMU and a former 4-CIG electric unit used as hauled stock.
Being the nearest heritage railway to London – and of course being a former portion of the Central Line – the railway’s biggest event since opening was its participation in the LT150 celebrations in 2013, when it was visited by Metropolitan Railway 0-4-4T No 1, a Small Prairie masquerading as ‘L150’, ‘N2’ 0-6-2T 1744, Met Coach no 353, two former Chesham line ‘Dreadnought’ coaches plus a Mk1 suburban hired from the North Norfolk Railway. Indeed, the EOR have formed good relations with the NNR in as much as their two resident GWR locos were loaned to the NNR to help out with the latter’s ill-fated Spring 2013 Gala, while the NNR has donated three Mk1 suburbans to the EOR which remain long-term restoration projects.
As I said, a remarkable amount has been achieved in a comparatively short time, but the EOR are not resting on their laurels. Major projects still in the pipeline include – erection of a new loco shed at Ongar, the total rebuild of a Gresley Buffet Car, construction of a new station at Epping and return of services there, possible occasional use of Blake Hall (where a private platform has been built), the aforementioned Mk1 suburbans, and – if what I read on Wikipedia is to be believed – the possible future use of a new-build ‘F4’ on passenger services. Meanwhile, the Railway have a full programme of regular and special events, including Steam and Diesel Galas, Santa Specials, ‘Peppa Pig’ and ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’ events, real ale galas and bus rallies.
Rodger fielded a selection of questions from the audience at the end of his talk, which naturally included the thorny subject of the derelict ex-Finnish Railways 5-foot gauge loco dumped at Ongar. This is a throwback to the earlier preservation attempt in the late 90s/early 2000s, when five such machines were acquired. The others have all found new homes, but after being advertised for sale for many months with no serious interest being expressed, the final example looks like being scrapped.
The Epping Ongar Railway is a line which began operations comparatively recently and has crashed straight into the ‘Championship’ league table, with keen ambitions of making the ‘Premier League’. If you’ve not yet paid a visit (as I as yet have not done) then this must be at the top of members’ New Year Resolutions for 2014! (Gordon Bruce)
Meeting Report (7 November 2013)
Rail Archive - The Bodleian Library, Oxford
Ian Dinmore, a career railwayman who went on to become Community Railways Officer at Norfolk County Council, presented an evening of railway paperwork and photographs.
His 'paperwork bug' began in the loft at Lampeter station, where he came across a cache of Manchester & Milford Railway papers. This started him collecting railway ephemera, a hobby which soon developed into the quest for a piece of printed material from every UK and Irish railway company which ever opened. Ian has set up a website where examples of his collection can be shared by other interested historians - www.railarchive.org.uk.
Realising that the collection was becoming unmanageably large, Ian started to look for a public repository which could keep it intact, care for it properly and make it available to researchers. After some false leads he was directed to the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. His paperwork is now moving there bit by bit, and has become a part of the John Johnson Collection of transport literature.
Ian has also been a keen photographer of railway subjects. Many of his pictures show derelict stations and signal boxes in the 1975 - 1985 period. These, like the paperwork, can be viewed on www.railarchive.org.uk, and he showed us a selection.
The audience's expertise was put to the test when, having attached six photographs round the walls, Ian invited us to identify where they'd been taken. Your reviewer (like many, I guess) recognised none. Winner was the well-travelled Dave Pearce who managed to score five, and his knowledge was rewarded with the prize of a calendar. (Mike Handscomb)
Rail Archive - The Bodleian Library, Oxford
Ian Dinmore, a career railwayman who went on to become Community Railways Officer at Norfolk County Council, presented an evening of railway paperwork and photographs.
His 'paperwork bug' began in the loft at Lampeter station, where he came across a cache of Manchester & Milford Railway papers. This started him collecting railway ephemera, a hobby which soon developed into the quest for a piece of printed material from every UK and Irish railway company which ever opened. Ian has set up a website where examples of his collection can be shared by other interested historians - www.railarchive.org.uk.
Realising that the collection was becoming unmanageably large, Ian started to look for a public repository which could keep it intact, care for it properly and make it available to researchers. After some false leads he was directed to the Bodleian Library at Oxford University. His paperwork is now moving there bit by bit, and has become a part of the John Johnson Collection of transport literature.
Ian has also been a keen photographer of railway subjects. Many of his pictures show derelict stations and signal boxes in the 1975 - 1985 period. These, like the paperwork, can be viewed on www.railarchive.org.uk, and he showed us a selection.
The audience's expertise was put to the test when, having attached six photographs round the walls, Ian invited us to identify where they'd been taken. Your reviewer (like many, I guess) recognised none. Winner was the well-travelled Dave Pearce who managed to score five, and his knowledge was rewarded with the prize of a calendar. (Mike Handscomb)
Meeting Report (17 October 2013)
60s Steam on Shed
David Percival was originally scheduled to visit us on 21st March, but indisposition prevented his attendance. Fully recovered, the well-known author and photographer gave the large audience an excellent presentation, which could have been sub-titled “And a Cinder Path Leads to the Shed”, a phrase well-known to spotters of the 50s and 60s from The British Locomotive Shed Directory and indicated that they were closing in on their quarry.
After he was introduced by Peter Adds, he explained that he was a long-term resident of Knebworth and that his nearest shed was Hitchin. Nevertheless, he visited it just once – in 1958 – when he espied an unfamiliar shape which turned out to be an O2 2-8-0, 63958, very rare so far south on the ECML. His first trip was with his school’s society – a so-called “educational visit” – to the delights of Stratford (over 215 locos), Devons Road & Plaistow! The only photo he took was of an N2 & an N7, not long out of Works, his first camera being a Brownie Reflex. As well as regular visits with the Stevenage Railway Society, he was not averse to “chancing his arm” at most sheds up and down the country, and he still has an Eastern & North Eastern Region Railrover ticket from the early 1960s which cost £9.50 and which gave him some 2,700 miles of travel, making good use of the overnight services.
His first job was as an Editorial Assistant with Ian Allan Ltd, and he was advised to invest in a Kodak Sterling II camera, costing £7 and which used 620 film (8 exposures). This served him very well and his first photo was published in the Winter 1962/63 Combined Volume (44599 on p.81 – Ed.). We saw locos on Agecroft, Birkenhead, Bushbury, Coalville, Darlington, Grangemouth and Hull Dairycoates sheds, to name but a few. He also visited the one-time Scottish “dump” at Bo’ness (N15 & V2 photographed) and the better-known one at Barry, already filling-up in 1961/62. Shed features – coaling plants, water-cranes, the New England water gantry, and an overflowing tender tank at Workington – received attention. Some unusual 3-way pointwork at Skipton was also recorded. At Saltley we saw a 9F being turned manually, and its driver later wrote to David asking him to supply a print!
Unique locos he photographed included the prototype S.R. U1, 31890, 44767, 60813 (with small chimney and tiny smoke deflectors) & Giesl ejector-fitted 92250. We also saw 4F 0-6-0 44444 at Aston. He was not slow to try the artistic shot e.g. of reflections or shafts of sunlight at Holbeck.
As steam went into storage, we saw an “unrebuilt” Patriot stored at Rugby, and Royal Scots stored at Devons Road (presumably Willesden had no room).
After a spell ensuring that the biannual abc information and that in the monthly magazines tallied with the official B.R. advices, David left Ian Allan Ltd in 1965 to work on the staff magazine at W.H. Smith & Son Ltd. He regarded the most difficult shed to get round without a permit as Edge Hill (Liverpool). Indeed, one of his contemporaries regarded Bank Hall (also Liverpool) as his “most difficult”. The last steam shed he visited, just before the end of steam, was Rose Grove (Burnley) where he judiciously re-arranged a shovel to improve the artistic effect of his picture!
Much-deserved applause followed the conclusion of David’s presentation, and thanks to Peter Adds for arranging his visit. (EM)
60s Steam on Shed
David Percival was originally scheduled to visit us on 21st March, but indisposition prevented his attendance. Fully recovered, the well-known author and photographer gave the large audience an excellent presentation, which could have been sub-titled “And a Cinder Path Leads to the Shed”, a phrase well-known to spotters of the 50s and 60s from The British Locomotive Shed Directory and indicated that they were closing in on their quarry.
After he was introduced by Peter Adds, he explained that he was a long-term resident of Knebworth and that his nearest shed was Hitchin. Nevertheless, he visited it just once – in 1958 – when he espied an unfamiliar shape which turned out to be an O2 2-8-0, 63958, very rare so far south on the ECML. His first trip was with his school’s society – a so-called “educational visit” – to the delights of Stratford (over 215 locos), Devons Road & Plaistow! The only photo he took was of an N2 & an N7, not long out of Works, his first camera being a Brownie Reflex. As well as regular visits with the Stevenage Railway Society, he was not averse to “chancing his arm” at most sheds up and down the country, and he still has an Eastern & North Eastern Region Railrover ticket from the early 1960s which cost £9.50 and which gave him some 2,700 miles of travel, making good use of the overnight services.
His first job was as an Editorial Assistant with Ian Allan Ltd, and he was advised to invest in a Kodak Sterling II camera, costing £7 and which used 620 film (8 exposures). This served him very well and his first photo was published in the Winter 1962/63 Combined Volume (44599 on p.81 – Ed.). We saw locos on Agecroft, Birkenhead, Bushbury, Coalville, Darlington, Grangemouth and Hull Dairycoates sheds, to name but a few. He also visited the one-time Scottish “dump” at Bo’ness (N15 & V2 photographed) and the better-known one at Barry, already filling-up in 1961/62. Shed features – coaling plants, water-cranes, the New England water gantry, and an overflowing tender tank at Workington – received attention. Some unusual 3-way pointwork at Skipton was also recorded. At Saltley we saw a 9F being turned manually, and its driver later wrote to David asking him to supply a print!
Unique locos he photographed included the prototype S.R. U1, 31890, 44767, 60813 (with small chimney and tiny smoke deflectors) & Giesl ejector-fitted 92250. We also saw 4F 0-6-0 44444 at Aston. He was not slow to try the artistic shot e.g. of reflections or shafts of sunlight at Holbeck.
As steam went into storage, we saw an “unrebuilt” Patriot stored at Rugby, and Royal Scots stored at Devons Road (presumably Willesden had no room).
After a spell ensuring that the biannual abc information and that in the monthly magazines tallied with the official B.R. advices, David left Ian Allan Ltd in 1965 to work on the staff magazine at W.H. Smith & Son Ltd. He regarded the most difficult shed to get round without a permit as Edge Hill (Liverpool). Indeed, one of his contemporaries regarded Bank Hall (also Liverpool) as his “most difficult”. The last steam shed he visited, just before the end of steam, was Rose Grove (Burnley) where he judiciously re-arranged a shovel to improve the artistic effect of his picture!
Much-deserved applause followed the conclusion of David’s presentation, and thanks to Peter Adds for arranging his visit. (EM)
Meeting Report (3 October 2013)
A Steam Safari – Southern African Steam in the 1970s by Tim Morton
A good turnout of members eschewed Norwich’s auction of ‘Go-Go Gorillas’ in order to enjoy an entertaining and nostalgic view of steam in action in the southern part of Africa, taken during a number of visits to the region during the 1970s. Our speaker was first alerted to the promise of working steam through the Continental Railway Society in 1972, and a couple of years later actually worked in Malawi, a country handy for railway visits to neighbouring states such as Mozambique and Rhodesia, returning in 1979 for an extensive tour of South Africa.
We began our tour in Mozambique, and specifically the area around Maputo (at the time still known by its colonial name of Lourenço Marques – independence came in 1975). The city station building’s impressive colonial façade hid a rather run-down railway scene, with services in the hands of a rag-bag assortment of mostly Canadian and American locos, including Baldwin 2-8-2s and Pacifics. Rhodesia, on the other hand, whose visit began at the mighty Victoria Falls, offered an assortment of ‘15A’ class Garratt locos and ‘20A’ 4-8-2s on the freight and sleeper workings to/from Bulawayo, including some with mechanical stokers. Indeed, one ‘15A’ Garratt was employed on station pilot duties at Bulawayo. Five different classes of Garratt were noted on Bulawayo shed.
South Africa in 1979 was still host to 1700 steam locos, divided into 17 different classes. Beginning in the Pretoria area at Hercules, some North British-built class ‘24’ 2-8-4s were noted, while at Capital Park shed were seen an number of ‘15CA’ 4-8-2s dating from the 1920s (South Africa’s Black Fives?), reboilered ‘15AR’ 4-8-2s, and some North British 4-8-2s at one of the many collieries in the area. Another such colliery gave us the only tank loco seen that evening – a North British 4-8-2T, not exactly an ‘Austerity’! Services to Johannesburg and Bloemfontein were treated to Class ‘23’ 4-8-2s – the last steam class to be built for South African Railways - and examples of SAR’s most numerous class, the ‘15F’ 4-8-2s.
Moving across to Bloemfontein, more ‘15Fs’ kept company with SAR’s legendary Class ‘25’ 4-8-4s, which made their names working the long-distance freights across the desert-like Karroo between Touws River and Kimberley, and Kimberley and De Aar. Three varieties of ‘25s’ existed – the ‘25C’ condensing locos with their massive auxiliary tenders, ‘25NC’ non-condensing versions, and a further batch of ‘25NCs’ which had previously been condensing locos but converted to non-condensing (in fact, only three of the class remained as ‘25Cs’). Construction of these locos was divided between Henschel and North British. The sight and sound of these massive engines continued to draw enthusiasts right into the 1980s, particularly on the 145-mile long Kimberley – De Aar section, where the distant exhaust of an approaching freight could be glimpsed from the nearby road when several miles away. When Tim visited, De Aar shed was home to ‘25s’ and ‘15As’, while Cape Town gave us ‘S2’ 0-8-0s on local workings plus enormous ‘GEA’ Garratts on freights.
Down in the south of the country lies George, and the shed there was home to South Africa’s legendary ‘GMA’ class 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratts, which were seen on services between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in the company of ‘24’ 2-8-4s. This mountainous route was traversed at an average speed of 17mph (although nowhere in South Africa could you expect speeds much in excess of 45mph)! Away from the main line could be seen some local steam running, along with timely reminders of apartheid-era segregation of passenger accommodation. At Oudtshoorn, a ‘19D’ was seen shunting, while at Port Elizabeth suburban services were in the hands of ‘16R’ 2-8-2s to Uitenhage.
More ‘25NCs’ were seen at Bethlehem, while we ended with some scenic shots of the Bethlehem – Bloemfontein line plus a brief trip into Lesotho, where Maseru is the nation’s only railway station.
This account covers only the tip of the iceberg of Tim’s adventures, and an appreciative audience thanked Tim for an excellent – and very different – evening. Thanks also to Chris King for providing Tim with accommodation, and to Graham Kenworthy and Andy Wright for operating the projectors. (Gordon Bruce)
A Steam Safari – Southern African Steam in the 1970s by Tim Morton
A good turnout of members eschewed Norwich’s auction of ‘Go-Go Gorillas’ in order to enjoy an entertaining and nostalgic view of steam in action in the southern part of Africa, taken during a number of visits to the region during the 1970s. Our speaker was first alerted to the promise of working steam through the Continental Railway Society in 1972, and a couple of years later actually worked in Malawi, a country handy for railway visits to neighbouring states such as Mozambique and Rhodesia, returning in 1979 for an extensive tour of South Africa.
We began our tour in Mozambique, and specifically the area around Maputo (at the time still known by its colonial name of Lourenço Marques – independence came in 1975). The city station building’s impressive colonial façade hid a rather run-down railway scene, with services in the hands of a rag-bag assortment of mostly Canadian and American locos, including Baldwin 2-8-2s and Pacifics. Rhodesia, on the other hand, whose visit began at the mighty Victoria Falls, offered an assortment of ‘15A’ class Garratt locos and ‘20A’ 4-8-2s on the freight and sleeper workings to/from Bulawayo, including some with mechanical stokers. Indeed, one ‘15A’ Garratt was employed on station pilot duties at Bulawayo. Five different classes of Garratt were noted on Bulawayo shed.
South Africa in 1979 was still host to 1700 steam locos, divided into 17 different classes. Beginning in the Pretoria area at Hercules, some North British-built class ‘24’ 2-8-4s were noted, while at Capital Park shed were seen an number of ‘15CA’ 4-8-2s dating from the 1920s (South Africa’s Black Fives?), reboilered ‘15AR’ 4-8-2s, and some North British 4-8-2s at one of the many collieries in the area. Another such colliery gave us the only tank loco seen that evening – a North British 4-8-2T, not exactly an ‘Austerity’! Services to Johannesburg and Bloemfontein were treated to Class ‘23’ 4-8-2s – the last steam class to be built for South African Railways - and examples of SAR’s most numerous class, the ‘15F’ 4-8-2s.
Moving across to Bloemfontein, more ‘15Fs’ kept company with SAR’s legendary Class ‘25’ 4-8-4s, which made their names working the long-distance freights across the desert-like Karroo between Touws River and Kimberley, and Kimberley and De Aar. Three varieties of ‘25s’ existed – the ‘25C’ condensing locos with their massive auxiliary tenders, ‘25NC’ non-condensing versions, and a further batch of ‘25NCs’ which had previously been condensing locos but converted to non-condensing (in fact, only three of the class remained as ‘25Cs’). Construction of these locos was divided between Henschel and North British. The sight and sound of these massive engines continued to draw enthusiasts right into the 1980s, particularly on the 145-mile long Kimberley – De Aar section, where the distant exhaust of an approaching freight could be glimpsed from the nearby road when several miles away. When Tim visited, De Aar shed was home to ‘25s’ and ‘15As’, while Cape Town gave us ‘S2’ 0-8-0s on local workings plus enormous ‘GEA’ Garratts on freights.
Down in the south of the country lies George, and the shed there was home to South Africa’s legendary ‘GMA’ class 4-8-2+2-8-4 Garratts, which were seen on services between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in the company of ‘24’ 2-8-4s. This mountainous route was traversed at an average speed of 17mph (although nowhere in South Africa could you expect speeds much in excess of 45mph)! Away from the main line could be seen some local steam running, along with timely reminders of apartheid-era segregation of passenger accommodation. At Oudtshoorn, a ‘19D’ was seen shunting, while at Port Elizabeth suburban services were in the hands of ‘16R’ 2-8-2s to Uitenhage.
More ‘25NCs’ were seen at Bethlehem, while we ended with some scenic shots of the Bethlehem – Bloemfontein line plus a brief trip into Lesotho, where Maseru is the nation’s only railway station.
This account covers only the tip of the iceberg of Tim’s adventures, and an appreciative audience thanked Tim for an excellent – and very different – evening. Thanks also to Chris King for providing Tim with accommodation, and to Graham Kenworthy and Andy Wright for operating the projectors. (Gordon Bruce)
Members’ Summer Round-Up (19
September 2013)
The first meeting of the autumn session was the traditional show of members’ images, taken during the spring and summer. It was pleasing that Peter Cooke reported the evening for us, and it is to be hoped that new scribes will follow his lead.
As was, perhaps, fitting, Chairman Gordon Bruce opened proceedings and commented on the North Norfolk Railway’s run of bad luck including the Sheringham signalbox fire and the non-appearance of 60163 Tornado at the Autumn Gala on account of an NR engineering blockade which effectively trapped it! However, we did see 76084, recently back in service, and 70013 Oliver Cromwell, among others. The Mid-Norfolk Railway was not overlooked and we saw 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, 61306 Mayflower and, possibly best of all, M7 30053 topping’n’tailing with Pannier 9466. Two visits were paid to the Hemsby Miniature Railway – part of the May visit was lost to wet weather - but the August visit was a great success, and numerous members were espied enjoying themselves. We crossed to the Isle of Wight to see the “Tube” trains and preserved steam on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
A number of members were on Spratts’ short tour of the north-east, and several preserved lines were visited, including the Wensleydale Railway where J72 69023 Joem was, most unusually, seen in action. Also visited were Beamish, the North Tyneside Railway, the Tanfield Railway, with its centre of operations at Andrews House, and nearby Causey Arch, the oldest surviving single-arch railway bridge in the world. The NRM was also visited and the 6 A4s recorded before they dispersed.
Malcom Banyer had photographed the Tyne & Wear Metro and Grand Central Trains at Sunderland. Beamish seemed to feature prominently during the evening, and we were reminded of the working replicas of locomotives from the dawn of the steam age. We also saw something of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.
David Pearce weighed-in with a short monochrome and colour presentation entitled “Top’n’Tail”. He concentrated on pursuing “The Wansbeck” railtour of 30th March 2013 Topped and tailed by K4 61994 “The Great Marquess” & K1 62005 round mainly secondary lines in the north-east with industry featuring prominently. Starting in the Blyth area the train worked its way southwards towards Stockton and eventually to the limit of working near Carlin How (Boulby Potash Mine). He also strayed into the Warrington area, which seemed very busy, and we naturally saw something of the Settle & Carlisle line.
Mike Fordham, Robert Scarfe and Andy Wright joined forces to recall the Society’s visit to the Bluebell Railway in May; as well as the “train” and locoshed views we saw Imberhorne Cutting with its sides covered in black polythene until it consolidates. Robert had managed to visit the signalbox at Sheffield Park to vary the theme.
Operating alone, Mike Fordham had ranged far and wide, including the Epping & Ongar Railway, Calvert Waste Disposal, Milton Keynes, the Galas at the MNR & NNR, the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway and, most interestingly, the new lines in the Felixstowe Docks area.
Robert Scarfe rounded off the evening with film of the August visit to the Hemsby Miniature Railway.
With thanks to all who contributed, and to Andy Wright for projection services.
The first meeting of the autumn session was the traditional show of members’ images, taken during the spring and summer. It was pleasing that Peter Cooke reported the evening for us, and it is to be hoped that new scribes will follow his lead.
As was, perhaps, fitting, Chairman Gordon Bruce opened proceedings and commented on the North Norfolk Railway’s run of bad luck including the Sheringham signalbox fire and the non-appearance of 60163 Tornado at the Autumn Gala on account of an NR engineering blockade which effectively trapped it! However, we did see 76084, recently back in service, and 70013 Oliver Cromwell, among others. The Mid-Norfolk Railway was not overlooked and we saw 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, 61306 Mayflower and, possibly best of all, M7 30053 topping’n’tailing with Pannier 9466. Two visits were paid to the Hemsby Miniature Railway – part of the May visit was lost to wet weather - but the August visit was a great success, and numerous members were espied enjoying themselves. We crossed to the Isle of Wight to see the “Tube” trains and preserved steam on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.
A number of members were on Spratts’ short tour of the north-east, and several preserved lines were visited, including the Wensleydale Railway where J72 69023 Joem was, most unusually, seen in action. Also visited were Beamish, the North Tyneside Railway, the Tanfield Railway, with its centre of operations at Andrews House, and nearby Causey Arch, the oldest surviving single-arch railway bridge in the world. The NRM was also visited and the 6 A4s recorded before they dispersed.
Malcom Banyer had photographed the Tyne & Wear Metro and Grand Central Trains at Sunderland. Beamish seemed to feature prominently during the evening, and we were reminded of the working replicas of locomotives from the dawn of the steam age. We also saw something of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.
David Pearce weighed-in with a short monochrome and colour presentation entitled “Top’n’Tail”. He concentrated on pursuing “The Wansbeck” railtour of 30th March 2013 Topped and tailed by K4 61994 “The Great Marquess” & K1 62005 round mainly secondary lines in the north-east with industry featuring prominently. Starting in the Blyth area the train worked its way southwards towards Stockton and eventually to the limit of working near Carlin How (Boulby Potash Mine). He also strayed into the Warrington area, which seemed very busy, and we naturally saw something of the Settle & Carlisle line.
Mike Fordham, Robert Scarfe and Andy Wright joined forces to recall the Society’s visit to the Bluebell Railway in May; as well as the “train” and locoshed views we saw Imberhorne Cutting with its sides covered in black polythene until it consolidates. Robert had managed to visit the signalbox at Sheffield Park to vary the theme.
Operating alone, Mike Fordham had ranged far and wide, including the Epping & Ongar Railway, Calvert Waste Disposal, Milton Keynes, the Galas at the MNR & NNR, the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway and, most interestingly, the new lines in the Felixstowe Docks area.
Robert Scarfe rounded off the evening with film of the August visit to the Hemsby Miniature Railway.
With thanks to all who contributed, and to Andy Wright for projection services.