Newsletter
BATH RAILWAY SOCIETY
President: Pete Waterman OBE DL
Chairman: John Froud
Email: bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com
APRIL 2023 NEWSLETTER
Dear Member,
SOCIETY MATTERS
At our March meeting Douglas Beazer first gave us an insight into ‘The British Military Train to Berlin –‘The Berliner’. This ran between the then divided City of Berlin and was mostly used to convey military personnel and diplomats, and Douglas had first-hand experience of travelling on the train during his military service. For the second half of the evening he talked about a railway a lot closer to home, ‘The Bridport Railway’. He took us on a journey from Maiden Newton to Bridport, but also on to West Bay, and then back again. We thank Douglas for coming up from his home at Beaminster in Dorset where he is also a volunteer at the local museum. If you are in the area and want to visit, the museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Bank Holidays: 10.30am – 16.00pm & Sundays: 14.00pm – 16.30pm,
Our next meeting will be on the second Thursday of the month on April 13 when Stephen Gay presents: ‘Woodhead – The Lost Railway’. The Woodhead route was from Sheffield to Manchester via Penistone and only the section from Manchester to Glossip and Hadfield remains today. Passenger services over the Woodhead Line were withdrawn from January 5, 1970 and freight continued until July 18 1981. This should be a most interesting talk, and as usual, doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start at the museum.
Planning for our next season (2023/24) of speakers is now well advanced. However, if there are any subjects you would like to see covered, or if you know of any speakers that we might be able to contact for the future, please do let us know at bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com
Looking ahead to our meeting on June 1, this will be a Members Night following the AGM. This will give you the opportunity to bring along a short presentation to show to the members. The ideal subject should be railway related, but trams/buses or other forms of transport can be considered. The presentation should be about 20 minutes long, and we can accept slides, PC format or on a pen drive, but we need to know in advance. If you would like to give a presentation, please contact Mike Dodd at mjdodd57@gmail.com or see him at our April or May meetings. We look forward to your input.
The name you had to find in the competition in the last Newsletter was Iron Acton.
NEWS ITEMS
South Gloucestershire Council granted planning permission on March 2 for a new station to be built at Charfield on the Bristol to Gloucester main line. It is estimated that the new station will cost £22m and will consist of two platforms, a pedestrian footbridge, a bus stop and cycle and car parking. If building work is commenced this year, it is hoped it will open by the end of 2024. The original station at Charfield was closed in 1965.
This month will see Furness Railway 0-4-0 No.20 visiting the Didcot Railway Centre for Easter. Also at the Centre, home fleet locomotives 4144 and 2999 are both being repainted in anticipation of a busy season for both. The GWS depot has just had the first consignment of sleepers and crossing timbers made from recycled plastic delivered. They are likely to be used to lengthen the siding into the new leasing area of the site, which is parallel to the Oxford curve.
The Severn Valley Railway is holding a Spring Steam Gala over the weekend April 14 – 16 inclusive. In addition to locomotives from their home fleet, they will be joined by visiting locomotives 4079 Pendennis Castle and Prairie 4555. (Pendennis Castle, normally based at Didcot, will also be visiting the East Lancs Railway, the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway and Tyseley this year).
There is still no news when new stations will be opened at Marsh Barton (Exeter) Green Park (Reading) and Portway (Bristol). All are due to be open by this ‘spring’, and will be served by GWR services.
A new transport system is being considered for Bath to solve the problems of traffic and pollution in the City. An overhead singular loop monorail system is being proposed to run above the centre of the streets on piers, with stations situated along it, approximately 30’ above ground. This is a similar system to one that once ran in Sydney, Australia, opened in July 1988 and closed in June 2013. The Bath route is to be from James Street West (opposite Weatherspoon’s) into Kingsmead Square, Westgate Street turning into Stall Street and Southgate. Turning right into St James Parade and continuing to James Street West to complete the loop. Spokesperson April Fulbery said her company, which is based locally in Bath, is hoping to make an announcement on the 1st of the month. (Photograph above shows how the system might look above the streets)
LOOKING BACK
60 years ago this month on Saturday, April 27, 1963, fifteen excursions were run from the Southampton area for a FA Cup football match at Birmingham’s Villa Park between Manchester United and Southampton. Ten of these trains travelled via Basingstoke, Oxford and Leamington behind Bullied Pacific’s 34028/40/2/5/50/2/88/94/8. Hall Class 7919(81D) was used to take over from a failed West Country Class in the Reading area. Of these trains, three travelled by the same route to Oxford and then via Worcester and Stourbridge Junc., being piloted from there by Class 8Fs which worked right through to Birmingham Snow Hill. These combinations were 48417 & 34009, 48478 & 34039 and 48430 & 34046. A further two specials arrived at Birmingham New St. behind Bristol Barrow Road jubilees, 45682 and 45690 with one of these specials having travelled up via the Somerset & Dorset line (with a loco change to a Jubilee at Bath), and the other was routed via Salisbury. What an interesting day for train spotters in the Birmingham area that day. For the football fans, Manchester United won 1-0!
Ten years later on April 14, 1973, the Sheffield Division of British Rail ran a special day excursion from Barnsley to Paignton. The train carried a headboard the ‘Torbay Adventurer’ and was hauled to Paignton by Class 47 – 1619. On the return journey this Class 47 failed at Exeter St Davids and was replace by Class 52 D1047 ‘Western Lord’ which took the train through to Swindon where it was replaced by Class 47 - 1681. The train then returned to Barnsley via Oxford, Birmingham and Derby.
MORE NEWS ITEMS
Funded by Great Western Railway’s (GWR) Community Fund, The Golden Memories film project, has capture local people’s memories of rail travel since the 1950’s. A film has been made by members of ‘Reconnecting Twerton’, a support group run by Bath City Football Club Foundation. Over one hundred people attended the film’s premier at Twerton Park, including dignitaries, with Ken Loach, the President of Bath City FC Foundation giving a speech. You can get further information and watch the 40 minute film at: https://www.bathcityfc.com/tickets-please-reconnecting-twerton/ It is well worth a look.
At the Avon Valley Railway on April, 1 & 2, they are holding a Local Residents Weekend when you can travel for half price if you live in a BS or BA postcode. Book in advance to guarantee your seat (limited tickets will be on sale on the day). Just bring proof of address with you when you travel. The railway has also been undertaking maintenance work during the shutdown period replacing a point at Oldland Common together with drainage works, and also making improvements to the level crossing at Bitton. During the Easter weekend the former Fry’s Chocolate Locomotive – Sentinel 7492 will be in use. Like all Heritage Railways, the AVR is looking for more volunteers. If you fancy working on this local heritage line, give Matt Smith, the Visitor Services & Volunteering Officer a call on 0117 9325538 for more details.
The Bluebell Railway will be holding a ‘Branch Line Gala for Smaller Engines & Branch Line Railways from 21 – 23 April! This will feature guest locomotives No. 15 "Hastings", Lancashire & Yorkshire duo, "Pug" No. 19 and ‘A’ Class No. 52322. The event will also feature the Bluebell’s very own No. 72 "Fenchurch" and other home fleet engines. Also at the Railway’s Sheffield Park workshops, the 84030 group, who are currently converting BR Standard 2MT 2-6-0 No. 78059 into a member of the extinct 2MT 2-6-2T class, have made progress, with the addition of the right-hand side tank which was constructed off-site.
MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION
We thank John Beck for his reminiscences and the very interesting article he has sent in.
11th August 1968 LIME STREET STATION, LIVERPOOL ’The Fifteen Guinea Special'
As a 16 year old boy brought up on Merseyside, and having been heavily into all things steam since around the age of 9, it was always going to be a huge day.
So I was there what I thought was nice and early, along with 3 steamed up mates. Even we, hadn't anticipated quite what crowds would be there that morning, hugging the platforms and in fact anywhere that would yield a half decent view. How I wished that I was one of the lucky people actually on board as we made, firstly, the considered decision which platform to go for, and then go about slowly moving along it to see just how far we could get. Patiently, and with a bit of luck, we made it virtually to the end, just before the slope. Amazingly we found ourselves alongside 45110.
After quite a time to contemplate and take in the excited expectant atmosphere, the time came. I remember thinking it seemed dreamlike. I have never forgotten the silence that fell over the whole platforms as the ’15 Guinea Special’ inched forward and then reluctantly started its farewell. It was unreal. The shock of that potent silence, the sense of disbelief, and the feeling that something of huge significance was happening, has always stayed with me.
It was as though nobody quite knew what to do. Apart from a thousand tiny clicks, I remember what broke it was some tentative and isolated clapping. Even the clapping seemed slow and sad.
Like a defiant beast the ‘Black 5’ then let out a prolonged shriek which echoed within the cavernous walls that is Lime Street. Truly the last gasp from a dying era.
We went home on the underground to New Brighton talking of how we would not let steam go, and there and then planned our trip to Lostock Hall sheds to at least see what was left, 13 condemned engines destined for yet another scrapyard.
Little did we know what was to be in store on the preservation scene, and how it was the start of a new and different steam era, with the Severn Valley Railway at the forefront.
Little did I know also that there was to be a bit of ‘icing on the cake’. After a while I would see myself included in what became quite an iconic photograph of that day in newspapers, railway magazines and books.
I look at my face and those of others in the photo, and half a century later I can hear the silence, and smell the smell - even now. John will be continuing his story with 45110 in the next Newsletter
(Of course 45110 is still with us. It was bought by the `Stanier Black Five Preservation Society’ late in 1968 and was towed dead from Lostock Hall to Ashford, Kent, in January 1969. The owners decided that it should become more active, and it was moved to the Severn Valley Railway. It was restored to lined B.R. black livery, and named ‘R.A.F. Biggin Hill’ at a ceremony on September 12 1971. In 1974, it was bought by the SVR and used on passenger services and mainline railtours until withdrawn in 1980. It is currently safely under cover at Kidderminster, but not normally on public display).
We are now running out of stories to put in the Newsletter, so please do send in your memories/articles to share. Please send them to bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com We look forward to hearing from you.
COMPETITION
The Isle of Wight covers an area of some 147 square miles and once had a fairly extensive railway system with just over 55 route miles of track. Today the majority of the railways have closed just leaving the 8.5 mile ‘Island Line’, operated by South Western Railway, between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin, serving Smallbrook Junction, Brading and Sandown. Also from Smallbrook Junction the 5.5 mile heritage ‘Isle of Wight Steam Railway’ runs to Wotton passing through their headquarters at Haven Street station. In this competition you have to find the name of a station on the IoW which is long gone, having closed in 1956. As usual all you have to do is find the name by taking the first letter of each answer, then re-arrange the scrambled letters to find it. There are no prizes, it’s all for fun!
Pop group that recorded the song ‘Last Train to London’
Headquarters of the North Dorset Railway
Name of Jubilee Class 45675
A former station between Barnstaple and Bideford which today has a preserved LSWR signal box
Station on the West Somerset Railway where you go for a candlelit festival and castle
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MORE NEWS ITEMS
The Railway Touring Company will be running three through trains to the West Somerset Railway this year. The ‘West Somerset Steam Expresses’ will feature steam haulage by two different locomotives on the same day. The trains will be hauled by one locomotive from London Paddington to Bishops Lydeard, and from there to Minehead hauled by a WSR based locomotive. Pick up points are also at Slough, Reading or Newbury and trains are scheduled to operate on July 22, August 12, and September 16.
The Gwili Railway will be opening Abergwili Junction station to the public at Easter, with train starting and finishing their journeys there instead of at Bronwydd Arms station. Abergwili is now the Railway’s headquarters and it will have a car park, off the A485 at Carmarthen.
On April 15 & 16, the Bentley Model Railway Group will be staging the Calne Model Railway Show at the Calne Community Campus, White Horse Way. 13 layouts are scheduled to be on display with 12 trade stands also in attendance. Open Saturday 11am-5pm and Sunday 10am-4.00pm. Admission £6. On Friday 28 to Sunday 30 the 53rd Bristol Model Railway Exhibition takes place at the Thornbury Leisure Centre, Alveston Hill, Thornbury. BS35 3JB Open Friday 12:30 -7pm, Saturday 10am - 5pm & Sunday 10am - 4.30pm. There will be 35 layouts and 40 trade stands attending. Admission: Adults £12.00.
Battle of Britain Class 34058 ‘Sir Federick Pile’, which was rescued from Barry Scrapyard and moved to the Avon Valley Railway at Bitton in 1986, has been acquired by Southern Locomotives Limited. It was moved from Bitton to the Mid Hants Railway in 2015 after its owner passed away. 90% of the fittings have already been manufactured for its restoration and the boiler is now due to be lifted. The frames will then go to SLL’s base in Kent for cleaning before moving to Herston Works on the Swanage Railway where it is hoped serious restoration can start next year.
70000 ‘Britannia’, + support coach, is due to pass through Bath Spa on Wednesday, April 12 at 1158. It is returning from Swanage to Crewe. It will pass Bradford Junction at 1138, and Dr Days (Bristol) at 1307. Details at: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66127/2023-04-11/detailed
During this month from April 2, the Isle of Wight’s ‘Island Line’ will increase services to/from Shanklin from one train to two per hour and Ryde Esplanade station is due to reopen after track and conductor rail renewal. The line from Esplanade station to Ryde Pier Head will remain closed until probably June, due to ongoing and late running repairs to the pier. A £161m upgrade for Oxford station will commence on April 11 and last for two years. A new platform will be provided, and the Botley Road Bridge, to the south of the station, will be replaced. This bridge will close to road traffic, also from April 2, and serious traffic congestion could result in the City. The new bridge will be put in place during 2024.
OUR MAY MEETING
This will be on Thursday May 4 when Stuart Isbister presents ‘Branch Lines off the Salisbury to Exeter line.
Bob Bunyar
Vice Chairman