Newsletter
BATH RAILWAY SOCIETY
President: Pete Waterman OBE DL
Chairman: John Froud
Email: bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com
JULY 2023 NEWSLETTER
Dear Member,
SOCIETY MATTERS
Our Annual General Meeting took place on Thursday June 1, at the Bath Museum of Work, and it was very pleasing to see such a good turnout.
Robert Howes stood down as our Secretary after ten years in the post, and in recognition of his role, he was made an honorary member of the Society and presented with a book token. The position of the secretary is not an easy one as he has to source and book speakers and check on their requirements etc. We of course thank Robert for his hard work and we now welcome Mike Beale into the position who, with the other existing members of the committee, were unanimously voted back to serve another year. The full committee are therefore John Froud (Chairman), Bob Bunyar (Vice-Chairman), Richard Blunden (Treasurer), Mike Beale (Secretary), Mike Dodd, Mike Ware, Davina Ware and Kevin Plummer, (Committee Members).
We must thank Davina for arranging and providing the teas/coffee and biscuits, assisted by Sue Bunyar, and other members during the season. It is certainly appreciated.
Membership rates will remain the same for the coming 2023/24 season at £22.00 with a guest fee of £5. If you receive the newsletter by post instead of electronically, then there is an additional £10 to pay to cover postal and printing costs making that membership £32. Membership fees will be due in September, but if you wish to pay in advance, then these can be paid by bank transfer which is now our preferred method to receive them. Payment should be made to Acc. No. 02294977 Sort Code 30 – 94 – 80. Please state in the reference box your surname. Any problems please contact us, details as above.
Following the AGM we held a Members Night, which seemed to be well received with a good mix of material. We hope to do this again at some time in the future, and if you have any comments to make on how it went, please do let us know. We thank John Beck, Robert Howes, Alan Price, Mike Dodd and Brian May for their presentations, with a special thanks to Mike for arranging the evening.
It is with sadness that we have to announce the passing of former longstanding member Don Withers, seen here on the footplate of 35027 ‘Port Line in 2003 at Swanage. Don was also a member of the former Bath Area Group of the Swanage Railway and a keen supporter of all the activities that were organised by them and BRS. Some of you may recall that he played Christmas tunes on the keyboard at our December meetings. One unforgettable memory I have of Don was on a brakevan charter on the West Somerset Railway, which some of our society members participate in with the Swanage Group. There was a lunch break at Williton with clear instructions we had to be back at the station for a prompt departure. Close to departure time there was no sign of Don, and when I went looking for him, he was found in the local pub, looking very happy and in full swing, playing the piano surrounded by ‘singing’ locals. It was difficult to get him out and back to the station to catch the train! He was a shareholder in Pathfinder Tours and went on many of their trips. Away from railways, he was the Chairman of the Bath-Braunschweig Twinning Association for many years, only standing down around seven years ago because of ill health. As chairman he and his wife Lynn would attend the annual Mayor Making service in the Abbey followed by a reception in the Guild Hall. Don was a great character, and he will certainly be missed. There will not be a funeral service as he had given his body to medical science to Bristol University. A memorial service may be held, and details will be posted when this is known.
The name you had to find in the competition in the last Newsletter for the type/class of LMS /BR (M) locomotives was Jinty.
Due to holidays, there will not be a newsletter in August, it will resume in September when our first meeting of the new season will take place on Thursday September 7 at 7.30pm. Our guest speaker will be Colin Brading: Subject - Confessions of a Narrow-Minded Enthusiast (Miniature railways).
NEWS ITEMS
Network Rail started work on June 3 on the construction of the new station at Ashley Down in Bristol. Teams worked around the clock during a week’s engineering possession to install the two new platforms on the site, which is situated on the line between Bristol Stapleton Road and Filton Abbey Wood. The cost of this new station is now estimated at £73m! Another ‘local’ station has recently won third place in a national competition. Yatton Station was one of 48 stations in the country competing in the World Cup of Stations 2023, which all went head to head in hotly contested regional heats, semis and a final. The competition celebrated stations which positively impact the public by supporting local businesses and creating social spaces.
LOOKING BACK
40 years ago on July 3, 1983, F & W Railtours ran ‘The Menai Marauder’ tour, which originated at Plymouth, and departed from there at 0350hrs. The 12 coach special hauled by 37 270 & 37 272 picked up at stations en-route including Bristol Temple Meads at 0637hrs. At Crewe, 40 093 took over heading for Chester, Rhyl and Llandudno Junction where 40 028 + 40 047 in top ‘n’ tail mode took the train to Blaenau Ffestiniog and back. 40 028 then worked from Llandudno Junction to Gaerwen Junction and the branch to Amlwch with 40 093 now on the rear. 40 093 hauled the train back from Amlwch returning it to Crewe, where the Class 37’s took over for the return run. Bristol T.M. was reached at 2307hrs and Plymouth at 01.42hrs. The train travelled a total of 810 miles on that tour.
60 Years ago on July 7, 1963, the Gloucester Railway Society ran a tour from Gloucester Eastgate to Nailsworth and Stroud Wallbridge (Midland). This was formed of three coaches and hauled by Jinty 47308 throughout. It was an afternoon/early evening tour which started at 1325hrs and also visited Gloucester’s Hempsted Sidings from Tuffley Junction, concluding back at Gloucester Eastgate at 1745hrs. At the time of the tour, 47308 was allocated to Bromsgrove, but it was transferred to Bath Green Park shed on April 13, 1964, surviving there for only a few months, being withdrawn from service on August 10 that year. It was cut up at Cashmores of Newport during December 1964. The Gloucestershire Railway Society was formed in 1951, and had an annual rail tour, but sadly it is no longer in being.
MORE NEWS ITEMS
A very local event to go to is LarkRail 2023. Details of which are below:
On the Isle of Wight, the line to Ryde Pier Head from Esplanade is expected to reopen on July 10. Extensive repairs have been carried out to the pier by Network Rail engineers with 400m of track renewed. At Smallbrook Junction, the Isle of Wight Steam Railway is to carry out refurbishment of their facilities. This will include providing solar panels and batteries, to provide power, as there is no electric supply to the station. They are also going to build a replica signal box on the foundations of the original BR box at the junction. This will not be used for signalling purposes, but as a visitor information centre.
MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION
We thank Ken Ayers for sending in another interesting article of his travels.
Ken’s Newcastle Adventure from March 6th to 8th 1963, 50 years ago!
On this day, 50 years ago, a colleague and I took a duty trip from Bath to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, for work alongside HMS Devonshire at Swan Hunters Ship Yard. The day started with the 7.23am train from Bath Green Park to Mangotsfield where we caught the Bristol – Newcastle train, hauled by 44819. Here is a list of locos that I saw on this trip:
Birmingham New Street: 45584 “North West Frontier”, 45006 and D3526; Saltley Shed: 45269 and 42421; Washwood Heath Yards: 12042, 12068, 12077, and D6556; Burton on Trent: D4149, D4150 and 90276; Derby Station: D57, D152, D2380 and D2381; Chesterfield: 61014 “Oribi”; Sheffield Station: 61033 “Dibatag”; Sheffield Yards: D3439, D4043, D5682, D5847, D8057, D8064, D8065 and D8066; Rotherham: D3288, D5854, D8052, D8053, D8057, D8058, and 90719; Moorthorpe Yards: D5638; Milford Yards: D6731 and 90517; York South: D35, D2159, and D3834; York Station: 60119 “Patrick Stirling” and 60146 “Peregrine”; York North Shed (pass): D257, D285, D350, D5098, D6768, 45262, 60629, 61152, 62047, 62049, and 62057; Darlington: D2109; Shed (pass) 40190, 42477, 60045 “Lemberg”, 69006, 78015 and 90445; Ferryhill: 61338, 63380, 63407 and 63469; Durham: 63351; Gateshead: D3938, D5102 and D5179; Newcastle Central: D176, D190, D279, D2044, D5108, 60140 “Balmoral”, 67659 and 68723.
After booking into our Hotel, we returned to the station. Our train hauled by 67658 took us along the riverside loop through Byker for a visit to the shipyard. We had to check that arrangements had been made there for our work the following day. I then finished my day by visiting Heaton and Gateshead Sheds. 52B Heaton Shed was taking over the maintenance of the Express Locos from Gateshead, which was being converted to form a large Diesel Depot.
52B Heaton Shed: A3: 60088 “Book Law”, 60042 “Singapore”, 60051 “Blink Bonny”, 60060 “The Tetrarch” and 60083 “Sir Hugo”. B1: 61022, 61038 “Blacktall”, 61216 and 61351; V2: 60802, 60813, 60868, 60904 and 60969. A1: 60161 “North British”, 60127 “Wilson Worsdell”. J27: 65658, 65862, 65870, 65878; J58: 69008, 69024, & D134. Class ES1 26501 electric loco was there for work on the Newcastle Wharfs. At Heaton Station I saw 60132 “Marminon”, 65795, 65893 & 67646.
At 52A Gateshead Shed were: D69, D167, D169, D185, D191, D239, D246, D270, D271, D274, & D386, D2010, D2026, D2028, D2057, D2059, D2326, D2330, D5102, D5104, D5109, D5110, D5149, D5156, D5179, D5180, D5375, D6784, D9005 “The Prince of Wales Own Regiment of Yorkshire”, 60154 “Bon Accord” and D6787.
Thursday March 7th was a work day and we finished testing the equipment at 5pm, so while my colleague went back to the Hotel, I was able to visit two depots in the Newcastle area. After seeing D3076 and 67646 at Newcastle Station, I passed 52B Heaton Shed again, where I saw D362, D336, 60962, 60978, 67651, & 90459; and at Wallsend Station, was 65814. In 52E Percy Main Shed were J27’s 65790, 65813, 65825, 65842, 65858, 65860; D2092 D2247, D2321, D3618, & D3939.
I then used the ferry across the River Blyth to the Docks and 52F North Blyth Shed. Here I Saw: J27: 65789, 65794, 65801, 65804, 65819, 65845, 65860, 65875, 65879; Class Q6: 63359 and 63381. As there was no passenger services from North Blyth, but only coal trains, I crossed back on the ferry to the station on the south side of the river, and visited 52F South Blyth Shed to see: 65803, 65820, 65822, 65855, 65857, 65890 & 65891. I then left here by train for Newcastle, the Hotel and my bed.
On Friday March 8th we returned to Bath from Central Station where I saw 61350, D9017 “Durham Light Infantry”, D240, 60530 “Sayajirao”, D9003 “Meld”. We then caught the mid-morning train to Bristol, which was hauled by D43. At Heaton Shed I saw 67652, 61324, 61038 “Blacktail”, 61216, 60082 “Neil Gow”, 60037 “Hyperion”, 60825, 69008, D365 & D179. Crossing the River Tyne we passed Gateshead Shed where I saw 67642, 67628, & 63938. At Ferryhill were 62041, 62044 & 63469. We stopped at Darlington Station, and saw 60052 “Prince Palatine”, 65811, 62059 & 42405. In the York area were a variety of locomotives: D276, D282, D307, D347, D2051, D3313, 45341, 45575 “Madras”, 61018 “Gnu”, 60146 “Peregrine”, 60856, 60877, 60954, 61337, 61454, 62042, 90424, 60146 “Sir Walter Scott”, D3874, D282 and D307.
In Rotherham Yards: 90685, D3288, D4041, D4042 & D3575. Sheffield: 26049 (EM 1 electric), 61104, D141, D155, D4043. Chesterfield: 44465, 44288, 48026, 48508, 48547, 62049, 92181 & D3792. In Derby I saw 48065, 48395, 48407, 73143, 92112 & D2 “Helvellyn”. In Burton on Trent Yards were: 48064, D3574, D4137, D4151 & D9 “Snowdon”. In Saltley Yards were: 42855, 43940, 44131, 44246, 44165, 44775, 48391, 92126, 92135, 12039 & D3576. After this, it became too dark to see any more out of the window, as we continued on our way back to Bath.
On this journey, I managed to see about 240 engines, 121 of which were Steam, and the rest were Diesel Engines. From my point of view, a very fruitful “Works” trip!
Ken Ayers
We thank Ken for this story of his trip north. It is interesting that out of all the locomotives he saw, a few do still survive in both preservation and operational services, but alas, no steam. The surviving diesels are: Cl. 11 – 12077 at Butterly, D2381 at Carnforth, D8066 (20 066) at Tata Scunthorpe, D8057 at Cheddleton, D2059 (03 059) Haven Street, IoW, D6784 (37 084 then 37 718) DRS but withdrawn, D2051 at North Norfolk Railway, D4041 (08 873) Beaver Metals – Water Orton, D4042 (08 874) PD Ports – Teesport, D4137 (08 907) Great Central Railway, D3575 (08 460) and D4151 (08 921) both Railway Support Services (RSS) Wisley, for hire purposes. One interesting steam fact with Class V2 steam locomotives 60904 and 60856, is that both were sent to Swindon Works for scrapping. 60904 after withdrawal, was sent to Darlington Works for scrapping on August 11, 1964, but on August 28, it was towed to Swindon Works. In total, 13 of the V2’s were scrapped at Swindon Works.
If you have a story to tell, please do send it in as we do struggle to find contributions. Graham Vincent has sent in a story for our September Newsletter, and there is an offer of a free CD, so do keep an eye out for it. Graham’s will be reflecting on “Footplate rides in the 1960s”.
COMPETITION
There will not be a competition this month due to holidays and a lack of space.
MORE NEWS ITEMS
Following National Highways failure to obtain retrospective planning permission to retain infill at a former railway bridge at Great Musgrave in Cumbria, they are now facing another challenge to obtain retrospective planning application to retain unauthorised infill at St Andrew’s Lane Bridge at Congham, Norfolk. So far nearly 250 have objected to this retrospective planning application, by National Highways, to retain the unauthorised infill there. National Highways has been ordered by Cumbria Council to remove the infill at Great Musgrave Bridge, which it has to do by this coming October.
The North Dorset Railway at Shillingstone has reached agreement with the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust for the long term loan of several of their wagons and coaches from Washford, The S&DRT have to vacate their site on the West Somerset Railway by November, with some of the vehicles already having moved from Washford to Shillingstone. PMV S1248S, which was built in 1935, has also moved to Shillingstone from the Swanage Railway. It will be used to store equipment and items during the restoration of 0-6-0 tank locomotive 30076.
Following a successful Crowdfunder appeal in April, the Avon Valley Railway has started making improvements to Oldland Common station. A 'Notices' board with a replica of the line's original closure poster, has been constructed, and this will go up at the station to add to the mid-1960s atmosphere. It is also planned to restore and repaint the station lamps this summer, during spells of good weather!
A bid by Devon County Council to the DfT’s ‘Ideas Fund’, under the ‘Restoring Your Railway’ scheme, for the reinstatement of the railway and services from Bere Alston to Tavistock has been successful. Further funds have also now been obtained to develop the project further. If it comes to fruition, an hourly train service between Tavistock and Plymouth would be provided, whilst retaining the existing two-hourly service to Gunnislake.
Although not railway related, you may be interested in the following regarding the abandoned and lost village of Imber on Salisbury Plain, a military training area. On Saturday August 19, up to 25 vintage former London Transport Routemaster buses (plus a few newer ones) will provide a bus service from Warminster Station to Imber between 10am and 6pm. Just turn up and buy your ticket from the conductor on the bus or from one of the ticket sellers outside the station. Buses run every 15 minutes. The church will be the only building in the village accessible to the public, plus the main road through the village, and the Imber Range Perimeter Path. All other roads and paths are off-limits.
On Saturday July 22, between 11.00 a.m. – 4pm, the Museum of Bath at Work and the nearby Christ Church will be teaming up for the annual Julian Road Fete. Admission is free.
Further rail strikes have been announced to take place on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 July. On these dates GWR will only run a limited service, starting later and finishing earlier than usual. Most of the GWR network will have no service whatsoever. Do check if travelling on these dates.
It may only be July, but tickets for Santa Specials have now gone on sale at the Avon Valley Railway!
OUR NEXT MEETING
As previously mentioned, this will be on Thursday September 7 at 7.30pm at the Bath Museum of Work, with guest speaker Colin Brading: Subject - Confessions of a Narrow-Minded Enthusiast (Miniature railways). There will not be a Newsletter in August.
Bob Bunyar
Vice Chairman