BATH RAILWAY SOCIETY

President: Pete Waterman OBE DL

Chairman: John Froud    

 Email: bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com

AUGUST NEWSLETTER 2020

Dear Member, 

I do hope that you are all keeping safe and well in these continuing difficult times?

On Tuesday July 21, members of the committee met via Zoom, and we have now reluctantly decided to cancel our monthly meetings from September to December. We will keep under review whether it will be possible to start again in January 2021. St Marys Church has also not yet decided when the hall will be available again for hire, and it is also uncertain, even if we were to hold meetings from September, whether either members or speakers would want to attend. We are now investigating the possibility of holding some form of virtual meetings and the Newsletter will continue on a monthly basis. You will of course be kept informed through the Newsletter, and should there be any changes to the current Government advice, the committee will of course review the situation. If any member has the ability to set up any form of virtual meeting, then your input and thoughts would be appreciated or should you have any further questions, please contact us, using the above addresses.

A major restoration of Bristol Temple Meads station’s Victorian roof has commenced.  It is estimated that the work on the Grade I listed structure will take three years, and it is the first refurbishment of the roof in more than 25 years. It will involve extensive metal and woodwork repairs and the complete re-glazing of the roof and canopies. A scaffolding structure will be set up inside the station at the end of 2020, with a false ceiling installed as a safety screen. Work will take place above this and the restoration is due for completion in the first half of 2023. 75 full-time workers are expected on site at the peak of the project which is expected to cost £24m. Due to this work and security measures, all bike storage on the station platforms needs to be removed on Sunday 6 September. Temporary new cycle storage is being built to take its place and all cycle parking on Station Approach will remain.

It has been announced that proposals by MetroWest could see services to Yate extended. In phase two of its plans, it was originally going to provide a turn back siding at Yate for a proposed half hourly service to the town. Now it is being suggested that instead of reversing at Yate, services could continue through to Gloucester. These could also serve a re-opened station at Charfield (originally closed in 1965), for which support is growing and finance is being made available for a feasibility study. MetroWest’s phase two also includes plans for a new station and services to Henbury. Phase one is the re-opened Portishead line together with enhance services on the Severn Beach line which would also run through to Bath Spa.

The independent campaign group for a better rail and freight network – Railfuture - have put forward a proposal to reinstate the 9 mile route from Barnstaple to Bideford. In a report published on June 20, they state that no major threat to the integrity of the trackbed has been identified since the Barnstaple Western Bypass was built across the trackbed,  fortunately at a height that could have a bridge. The only major difficulties on the line would be the cutting immediately south of Instow station and the tunnel north of the station. These are currently used by the Tarka Trail cycle route which would have to be diverted as there would not be room to reinstate the railway with the trail. The line from Barnstaple to Bideford closed on October 4, 1965, but clay traffic continued to run from Meeth until this was withdrawn in September 1982. The track was lifted two years later.

The Churchward County Trust placed the order for the erection of frames for new build 3840 ‘County of Montgomery’ with Tyseley Locomotive Works in July. The work will include the assembly of the main frame plates, installation of the supporting stretcher plates with associated brackets, and the fitting of the horn blocks and spring hangers. A new set of spring hanger brackets was delivered to Tyseley during June. The assembly work will now progress as the works brings more staff back from furlough. It is anticipated to have the frame assembly completed as early as October, and it is planned that a fabricated rear dragbox will be constructed in parallel with the erection of the frames.

Fifty years ago this month British Rail ran a Mystery Excursion from Norwood Junction, East Croydon, Redhill and  Guildford to Weston Super Mare. The train was formed of DEMU’s 1033 & 1035 and from Guildford was routed via Reading, Swindon, Badminton and Bristol Temple Meads. After arrival at Weston Super Mare, the units ran back to Bristol Bath Road depot where they were serviced and stabled until the return journey. This saw it run back via Bristol Temple Meads, Bath Spa, Chippenham and Swindon then reverse of the outward route back to Norwood Junction.

Network Rail have produced a report on potential investment choices to improve services on the Waterloo to Exeter route. West of Salisbury the report recommends extending the loop at Tisbury and re-instating a second platform there. The Gillingham loop would be extended westwards and from Yeovil Junction double track would be re-laid west for an unspecified distance. Axminster loop would be extended eastwards and Honiton loop westwards. A new loop would also be provide in the Whimple/Cranbrook area plus a second platform at Cranbrook. The report also recommends a joint SWR/GWR facility at Yeovil Junction where incident officers could respond quickly to occurrences and breakdowns on their respective routes, and a direct service from Axminster through to Barnstaple to ease train congestion at Exeter St Davids.

On July 28, SWR ran a test train, with dignitaries & guests on board, formed of a Cl.159 from Southampton to Marchwood and Fawley (old power station gates). Planning permission has just been given for new housing in the area which could see the re-opening of the line to passenger traffic.

A further 50 schemes of proposals for the  re-opening stations and lines have been announced by the Government that will receive funding (75% of costs) for studies to be carried out. In the West some of these include: - Bristol West Capacity Enhancement, re-opening lines to Shepton Mallet (Mendip Vale) and Radstock (from Frome), a station at St Anne’s Park (Bristol) and at Charfield (Gloucestershire). A new station is proposed for the Langport and Somerton area, plus the improvement of services at Pilning station, as well as reinstating the footbridge to platform 2 there. Further afield the reinstatement of the Bodmin to Wadebridge railway and associated works, the Cirencester Community Rail Project, and re-instatement of the lines from Buckfastleigh to Ashburton and Brent to Kingsbridge. Over in Wales, the provision of Magor and Undy Walkway Station. All these proposals will be considered by an expert panel and the outcome will be announced by the end of this summer. There will be a third funding round in November 2020 to enable as many communities as possible to take advantage of the support provided and submit ideas for re-opening schemes.

Progress is being made at the Tarka Valley Railway at Torrington following months of fund raising. A brand new ‘King’ point (right hand) was delivered to the site just before the lockdown which then prevented further work taking place. Now restrictions have been eased, work has re-started on site and the point has been installed. It will eventually provide a siding off the running line which will go into a former ‘goods’ dock. Three more track panels have yet to be laid on the running line which will then complete phase 1 of the Group’s plans to eventually go towards Bideford. Both Mark Smith (HRA) and I asked our Society to make small donations towards the point following talks we gave earlier in the season, so BRS has gone a little way towards helping to fund it! If you are ever in the area on a Thursday, do call in at Torrington station, they are always happy to tell you what is happening there.

A number of steam specials are due to operate in the area this month, but could be subject to change and cancellation. Sophus Trains are running three specials and these are The English Rivera Express on August 2, from Bristol Temple Meads to Kingswear via Weston –Super-Mare. (70000), August 5 from Exeter to Shrewsbury with 70000 from Bristol & return (Class 47 Exeter Bristol – Exeter) and The Devonian on August 12 from Cardiff via Bath Spa. (46100 & 70000). The Railway Touring Company are running The Royal Duchy from Bristol via Yatton on August 30 with 6233 + Class 47 (Plymouth – Par and Return). You can check timing on the Real Time Trains website.

S & DJR 7F 53808 is to relocate to the Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line) for the rest of the duration of its current boiler ticket which expires in the autumn of 2022. 53808 will depart from the WSR at Minehead by road as soon as maintenance has been completed during August.

Bob Bunyar – BRS Vice Chairman