BATH RAILWAY SOCIETY

President: Pete Waterman OBE DL

Chairman: John Froud    

 Email: bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com

MAY 2023  NEWSLETTER

Dear Member,

SOCIETY MATTERS

Our last meeting on April 13 was certainly different! Stephen Gay, from Sheffield, told us his story of ‘Woodhead – The Lost Railway’. He took us along the abandoned route, which he walked with his German Shepherd dog Thunder, showing the splendid scenery whilst telling us historical facts along the way. He also explained what survives today of this once Pennine route, and there was even a little ghost story thrown in for good measure. I really enjoyed this talk and I hope you did as well? Just looking ahead, our Members Contribution in the June Newsletter will include a trip over the Woodhead line.

For our next meeting we return to the first Thursday of the month on May 4, and we will be seeing trains again! This will be a talk presented by Stuart Isbister on the ‘Branch Lines off the Salisbury to Exeter Line’. There were of course branch lines to Taunton, Lyme Regis, Seaton, Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Exmouth going off the former ‘Southern’ main line. All these are now gone except the latter, and there was also a military line that served Chilmark, so another interesting evening is in store for us. As usual, doors open at the Bath Museum of Work at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

This is to give you notice that our Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday June 1, at the Bath Museum of Work starting at 7.30pm. Nominations are invited for positions on the committee and these should be submitted to the Secretary using the above contact details. Also if you have an item you wish to be discussed at the AGM, please send these to the Secretary. Feedback, good or bad is also welcome. We will try to keep the meeting as short as possible, and it will then be followed by the tea/coffee break and Members Night (see below).

Thank you to those of you who have come forward so far to give a presentations at our Members Night following the AGM. This is an opportunity for you to bring along a short presentation to show to the members, and there is still space if you would like to have a go. Please contact Mike Dodd at mjdodd57@gmail.com or see him at our May meeting for details. The presentation should be about 15 minutes long, and we can accept slides, PC format or on a pen drive, but we need to know in advance.

As you may recall, we were trying to arrange a summer evening outing to the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, but  regrettably this has not be possible at this time.

We welcome back Alan Price who has re-joined us as a member at the April meeting.

The name you had to find in the competition in the last Newsletter for the former Isle of Wight station was Shide, which was an intermediate station on the line from Newport to Sandown, closed in 1956.

NEWS ITEMS

The Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway has launched an appeal to raise initially £300,000 for repairs to the 15 arch Stanway Viaduct. This is to provide a concrete membrane laid to prevent water ingress into the stone work. To achieve this the track will have to be lifted and all ballast cleared. The railway will have to raise at least £1.5m for further repairs, as the condition of the viaduct is causing concern. On May 9, the Railway will be celebrating 59 years to the day, since Pendennis Castle 4079 and Capel Dewi Hall 6999 did a celebration run of City of Truro’s 1904 where it was reported to have hit 100mph. See website for full details: https://www.gwsr.com/events/one-last-hurrah

A Crowdfunding appeal has been successful and raised £2,530 (+ £229 gift aid) to bring Oldland Common station (Avon Valley Railway) back to a 1960s style, with the restoration of original features. The appeal was supported by 66 people.

National Highways has until October 2023 to remove infill from a bridge at Great Musgrave in Cumbria. The bridge, built in 1862, was infilled without planning permission in July 2021 after National Highways said it could collapse if used by heavy vehicles. Eden District Council said the work carried out by NH needed retrospective planning permission to remain, and this was refused in October 2022. NH has said it will carry out removal work and it is donating the spoil and concrete removed to a local farmer.

On Monday May 1, the Midland Blue Pullman will be calling a Bath Spa at 08.45 & 21.20 while heading to/from Llandudno on an excursion which originates and returns to Bournemouth.  45596 is provisionally booked to  steam through Bath Spa on Saturday May 20 heading back to London Waterloo via Salisbury having worked the Atlantic Coast Express down to Exeter via the SR main line through Yeovil Junction.  On Wednesday May 24, steam will again be visiting Bath from London Victoria and return on a Steam Dreams special. The locomotive will be from the Locomotive Service Limited pool.

There are several Diesel Galas this month. Over the period May 12 to 14 inclusive, the Swanage Railway will have visiting locomotives 45 108, 47 830, 40 145, 50 021 ‘Rodney’ (or 50 026 ‘Indomitable’ if 50 021 is not ready) and the unique Class 17 – D8568 plus home fleet 33 012 & 33 111 in action. On May 15 there is the chance to drive D8568 for £250 between Norden and Frome River Bridge.  The following week, the Severn Valley Railway will be holding their Gala from May 18 – 21 when Class 58 No 58023 will make it’s first-ever appearance in preservation.  Another first for a heritage railway will be the pairing of the Class 47 and a DBSO train. Cl. 47 47712 ‘Lady Diana Spencer’ will be accompanied by a push-pull set of coaches incorporating a DBSO (Driving Brake Standard Open). These were specifically designed to work with the locomotive during its British Rail operations. Also booked for the SVR are Thunderbird 57 311 and a Class 60. See the railways websites for timetables + full details of locomotives in use etc.

LOOKING BACK

On May 5, 1973, the original Blue Pullman had its last run. This ran first from London Paddington to Birmingham New Street via Leamington Spa. It then headed south to Bristol Temple Meads via Cheltenham Spa. Swansea was the next destination from Bristol via Severn Tunnel Junction with the final leg of the run being back to Paddington via Bristol Parkway and Swindon. The Pullman set used was formed of eight car - 60090+60645+60735+60745+60744+60734+60644+60094. Sadly none of the original Pullman sets survive, all being scrapped.

The following week on May 12, 1973, the R.C.T.S. (West Midlands Branch) ran the ‘Bristol Avon Express’ rail tour. This started at Birmingham New Street and ran via Kemble, Swindon, Melksham, Frome North to Radstock West then crossing onto the S & D to traverse the line to Writhlington Colliery.  It then reversed and ran back to Westbury and through Bath Spa and Bristol TM to Ashton Junction to take the line to Wapping Wharf. Reversing again to head through Bristol TM to Yate to take the Tytherington Branch. It reversed back to Yate to then return to Birmingham. The train was formed of a 3 Car DMU.

MORE NEWS ITEMS

Away from Railways, but at our venue: The Bath Museum of Work will be staging The Angus Buchannan Lecture 2023 on May 20 at 11am. Dr Cassie Newland will present ‘Industrial & Historical’. (history and archaeology). Tickets are £15 (book in advance) to include a light lunch. On May 27 at 7.30pm the Museum will be showing the film ’80,000 Suspects’.  Bath is put into quarantine after Smallpox breaks out, in this 1963 thriller which was filmed entirely on location in the city. This, along with other films, is being shown as part of the Bath Fringe Festival. See the Museum’s website for full details and tickets.

1863 built 0-4-0 tender locomotive Furness No.20 was one of a batch of eight such engines constructed by Sharp Stewart and Co. This locomotive will be visiting the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway in late May early June, to celebrates both the 40th anniversary of the Railway, and also the locomotive's 160th birthday. No. 20 is scheduled to operate on May 20, 21, 27, 28, and 29 plus June 17 & 18.

The Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line) will be holding a steam gala from April 29 to May 1. In addition to its home fleet locomotives in use, 4079 Pendennis Castle will be attending the event.  This will be the first time a ‘Castle’ has run on the line since 2014, and it will be only the second railway 4079 has visited since its overhaul. Full details and advances tickets available on the MHR website.

The 82045 locomotive group believe there is a very good chance that the boiler will be completed by the end of this year. This new build locomotive is being constructed at Bridgnorth, Severn Valley Railway.

MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION

Following on from his article in the  April Newsletter, 11th August 1968 LIME STREET STATION, LIVERPOOL ’The Fifteen Guinea Special’ John Beck continues his reminiscences with Black 5 45110. We thank John for his two very interesting articles.

4th August 2018 - 50 Year Commemoration – Last BR Steam Severn Valley Railway, Kidderminster Station.

Not 11th but the previous week, which indeed was the last day of normal timetabled services - half a century ago. My main objective for the day was twofold - to try to meet certain people, and to have me photographed alongside a static 45110 at Kidderminster station. My mission was accomplished, and more.

Firstly, the iconic railway photographer and a bit of a hero, Colin T Gifford.

He was launching his new book ‘Transition’ at Kiddy Railway Museum. I picked up my pre ordered copy and thanked him for the pleasure his books, and work, had given me over many years. Whilst he was signing it I told him the definitive ‘Decline of Steam’, which I bought in ’69, was one of the things I would grab in the event of a house fire. He said that was very nice, and really appreciated the feedback on his work. He came across as a very considerate and gentle man. In amazing shape for 82.

David Postle who runs Kidderminster Railway Museum (and whom I had met several months before) had produced the book, and asked me to photograph the line-up. Unfortunately Colin had his eyes closed and, by the time I was taking more, there was a posse of people cashing in which resulted in the four subjects, which included Nigel Harris, looking in different directions.

So perhaps my self-imposed title of ‘Official Photographer of Colin Gifford’ isn’t going to wash.

My second target was then Eric ‘Tom’ Jones who was a fireman with 45110 on that infamous last day of steam. At Lostock Hall shed at the end of the day he dropped the fire, by himself, and walked away. That only makes him THE last steam locomotive driver on British Railways. I was expecting to meet an elderly man but he was only 18 at the time, so only 2 years older than me.  A Prestonian, he was very friendly, happily giving of his time, and full of stories.

Another slightly bizarre moment of the day involved me crouching to inspect a stall selling dedicated beer bottles of the event, with their labels featuring 45110 at Manchester Victoria on that last day. The seller who was about my age, said to me in an irritating manner, as though I was 12, ‘Yes, and that IS the engine just behind you now’. Condescending - - - I thought. I slowly looked up and retorted ‘I KNOW, and that’s me there’ (pointing to a lad in the platform crowd on the label). Not strictly correct, but it shut him up I like to think, as I strolled away gently smiling.

A bonus was then meeting several of the 'Master Neverers’, and particularly a Bernard Crick.

Full of anecdotes from their many exploits. There were about thirty members of the MNA, from all points of the country, and who met in many locations, their main objective being quality photography (despite the fact they have become famous for cleaning engines during the dying weeks). It has to be said, the four volumes on sale were amazingly good quality, the photography not a million miles away from the Great Gifford himself. He said they dedicated most weekends between ’64 and ’68 to their exploits, (presumably thereby sacrificing the more conventional romantic activity).

When I showed him the photo of IT57 leaving Lime St I was armed with, he told me he and three other Neverers were just down the track in the dark deep cutting and took some of the famous photos at ground level. The police approached them smartish but not before they had recorded the images for posterity. They were admonished but it was water off a ducks back by then.

He was also a founder member of the SVR back in 1964, and bought part of Heaton Mersey sheds for £99 !, and then eventually transported them to Bridgnorth to form part of the present sheds.

On the 11th August 2018 itself, there was a notable absence in the national press. I’m disappointed but shouldn’t be surprised I suppose, as for 99% of the population it is meaningless. Just a nod in the right direction from the Telegraph, and a small entry in the ‘i’. That’s it, and coupled with the even more conspicuous silence from the NRM, certainly compared to the splash a decade ago, a non-event. Except, for me, of course the previous weekend. It is partly a reflection of the unassailable progress of time; less people who were originally involved being around these days; and ever younger journalists and editors. The only steam that might be relevant in the slightest to most people these days comes out of a kettle - and that’s understandable.

Footnote: -

I knew ‘Horse and Hound’, 'Housewife Weekly’ and ‘Country Life’ wouldn’t exactly have a double page spread on the event, but - hold on - idly flicking through the September 2018 edition of ’Country Life’ at the parents-in-law six months later, I turned the page to find - only the biggest reproduction of the famous image I have seen. These things have a habit of popping up to bite you in the bum just when you least expect it.  It has to be said, also, it was a decently written review that, for once, was factually accurate.

The moral - never write off ‘Country Life’.

COMPETITION

The Talyllyn Railway has several steam and diesel locomotives, and all you have to do is find the Welsh name of one of the diesels from the clues, by re-arranging the letters of the first letter of each answer.

A heritage ‘Valley’ Railway in Staffordshire.

The Somerset & Dorset line ran up into Platform 3 at this Somerset station on the SR main line.

Main line station between Truro and Camborne

Name of West Country Class 34001

The first name on the nameplate of a Class 52 diesel

This GWR halt was between Malvern Link and Bransford Road

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MORE NEWS ITEMS

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway celebrates its 125th anniversary year this month. The weekend of May 13 & 14 marks the start of services on the Railway in 1898, but it will be a normal operating weekend for visitors; there will be no entrance fee and normal ticket prices will apply.

Due to construction of the new Ashley Down station in Bristol, train services between Bristol TM and Filton Abbey Wood, will not be calling at Lawrence Hill or Stapleton Road on May 27 & 28, and also between June 3 & 18. Services on the Severn Beach Line will continue to stop at these two stations.

The Salisbury and South Wilts Railway Society will be staging the Salisbury Model Railway Exhibition on May 20 &21 at the Michael Herbert Hall, South Street, Wilton. There will be at least 13 layouts on display and four trade stands in attendance. The following weekend, May  27 & 28th, the New Forest Model Railway Society present their Annual Exhibition at Brockenhurst Village Hall, Highwood Road, Brockenhurst with 10 layouts and nine trade stands in attendance.

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