BATH RAILWAY SOCIETY

President: Pete Waterman OBE DL

Chairman: John Froud    

 Email: bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com

JULY  2024  NEWSLETTER

Dear Member,

SOCIETY MATTERS

We had a very good turnout for our AGM on Thursday June 6 which was completed in under 25 minutes. Mike and Davina Ware have now stood down from the committee and a presentation was made to each of them, with Mike also being made a honorary member. Mike has done an excellent job of publicity for the Society over the years, and of course Davina has excelled with the refreshments, and we thank them both for their hard work and support of the Society.

The committee is now John Froud (Chairman), Mike Dodd (Vice-Chairman), Mike Beale (Secretary), Richard Blunden (Treasurer) and ordinary members Bob Bunyar and Kevin Plummer. We now have two vacancies on the committee, so if you are interested in joining the committee and supporting the Society, please do get in touch as we would like to fill these vacancies.

A copy of our accounts is available if you wish to see them, please email us, details above.

Annual membership fees for the 2024/25 season remain unchanged at £22 with the newsletter by email. If you wish to have a printed copy of the Newsletter, posted to you, then add an extra £10. (It is appreciated that some members do not have electronic facilities, but, if possible, please could you use this method for the Newsletter). The Guest fee is £5 per meeting.

If you wish to pay for your membership in advance, our preferred method is by Bank Transfer to Lloyds Bank, Sort Code 30-94-80, Account No. 02294977, Bath Railway Society. Please put your name in the reference box.

The committee will be looking into the two issues raised by members: - an earlier start time of meetings, and more outings. (We are hoping for more of the latter, see below)

Following the AGM, we had a presentation by Paul Finch of the Western Locomotive Society, supported by two of his committee members. Paul described how they started preserving one Class 52, and now have 3 under their ownership at the Severn Valley Railway. It was certainly a most informative presentation. We have been invited to have a visit to view their facilities at the SVR, and to gauge interest for such a trip, could you advise us if you would like to participate by emailing using our address. It is likely to be on a Wednesday, but no date fixed so far. We can investigate it further if there is sufficient interest. It will probably be travelling by rail to Kidderminster.

Our visit to the Didcot Railway Centre took place on Wednesday June 12, which saw 28 members attending. The weather was fortunately kind, for us and we extend our thanks to our very informative guides, Alan Price and Rob Heron, for showing us around. They certainly gave us a most interesting visit, particularly going behind the scenes in areas not normally open to the public in the locomotive and carriage works. It is pleasing to know that the visit was appreciated and thank you to those members who contacted us to say how much you enjoyed it.

Please note, there will not be meetings in July or August and these resume on Thursday September 5 at the Bath Museum of Work, at 7.30pm when we welcome Richard Heacock. He will be presenting ‘Fayles Tramway’; a fascinating railway system built by Benjamin Fayle in 1806 in the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset. This featured six different gauges, using horse, steam and finally diesel traction.

Also, note, there will not be a Newsletter in August, again these resume in September.

In the last Newsletter, for the competition, you had to answer questions about I. K. Brunel. He was born in Portsmouth on April 9, 1806, and died September 15, 1859, at the age of 53. He was buried, like his father, in Kensal Green Cemetery, London and he is commemorated at Westminster Abbey in a window on the south side of the nave.

NEWS ITEMS

On Saturday July 6, D1015 WESTERN CHAMPION will be working a special to Westbury and the East Somerset Railway at Cranmore. The train picks up from stations along the Midland Main Line to Bedford, and then Bletchley and Watford Junction, reaching the Great Western main line at Acton. It then runs via Reading and the Berks & Hants line to Westbury & Cranmore. Please note, the ESR is closed to the public on the day of the visit.

On Saturday July 13, 2024, the annual Larkrail model railway exhibition will be taking place at the New Oriel Hall, Brookleaze Buildings, Bath, from 10am to 4pm. Admission – Adults £7. (All proceeds go to charity). There will be eight layouts and two trade stands with demonstrations. Light refreshments available. To get there by bus use First Bus service 7 to Larkhall or service 3/13 to London Road. See https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/y2024/26952-TheTitfieldThunderbolt_Exhibition

The London Transport Museum’s Depot at Acton will be holding an Open Day from July 5 – 7 incl. You can see behind the scenes and the large number of items of rolling stock and artifacts stored there. Book online in advance.

On July 12 to 14, the Mid Hants Railway – Watercress Line – will be holding a diesel gala. Visiting locomotives include a pair of Class 43 locomotives from RailAdventure UK Ltd., Class 50 50008 ‘Thunderer’, Class 438 fixed formation 4TC DTSO 76324, TBSK 70823, TFK 71163, DTSO 76297, plus home fleet locomotives.

Also holding a Diesel Gala, the same weekend is the Gloucester & Warwickshire Railway featuring seven locomotives. One of the visiting diesels will be Class 26 - D5310 from the Llangollen Railway.

As mentioned in the last Newsletter, Mike Beale is organising a walk along the old S & D trackbed and adjacent footpaths in the Shepton Mallet area on Saturday 20th July 2024, departing approx. 11.30am from Shepton Cenotaph, after arrival of the No 174 bus departing Bath Bus Station at 10.20. It will be a circular walk of around 6 miles, via Charlton Viaduct, Bath Road Viaduct, Winsor Hill Tunnel and Hamwood Viaduct, returning to Shepton approx. 3.15pm. For full details and to register interest, contact Mike via the Bath Railway Society website.

Peak Class 45 – 45 118 The Royal Artilleryman is due to return to the main line hauling a special on July 27. This is being operated by the Locomotive Services Group and it will start at Bristol Temple Meads at 7am, calling at Bristol Parkway and Cheltenham Spa. The train is called the Diamond Jubilee Express, and it will run to Chesterfield and back, also connecting with an event at the Ecclesbourne Railway in Derbyshire. The fare is £110 standard class and £150 first class and this includes the Ecclesbourne Railway event which is called ‘14’s@60’.

Improvement works will be taking place in the Severn Tunnel, between South Wales and the West of England in July. Network Rail will be doing track renewal and essential drainage works in the tunnel itself. No trains will therefore run between Bristol and South Wales from Wednesday July 3 to Thursday July 18 as well as the weekend of July Saturday 27 and Sunday 28. Services between London and South Wales will be diverted via Gloucester and as a result these services won’t stop at Bristol Parkway. A limited number of trains will be running between Bristol Parkway and London Paddington in the morning and the evening only. Services from Portsmouth and the Southwest which usually run to Cardiff Central will instead terminate at Bristol Parkway.  There will only be a very limited replacement bus service in place between Bristol Parkway and Severn Tunnel Junction during this closure. Customers wishing to travel between South Wales and Bristol should instead travel on trains via Gloucester, where services will continue to run to both Bristol and South Wales. Valid tickets between the Southwest, Bristol and South Wales will be accepted via Gloucester, this enables customers to make their journeys wholly by train with Journey times extended by around 30 minutes.

The West Somerset Railway is marking the 150th Anniversary of the opening of the line between Watchet and Minehead this month with a wide range of activities happening throughout the week of July 16 to 21 to commemorate the occasion. See their website for details of the events.

The Plym Valley Railway are having a DMU day on Sunday July 28 when they should be running their Pacer Unit from Marsh Mills to Plym Bridge.

The Tarka Valley Railway, based at Torrington Station are holding a Summer Gala on Saturday & Sunday, August 3 & 4 with multiple trains running throughout the weekend! They should also be operating their former GWR Pacer Unit 143 617, together with one of their industrial shunters.

Hastings Unit 1001 will be making a visit to Warminster on August 17, with pick up points from Hastings, and then running via Tonbridge, London Waterloo, Woking and Basingstoke. This is to coincide with the annual Imber Bus Day when dozens of Routemaster buses, and others, are used to run up to the lost village of Imber on Salisbury Plain.

LOOKING BACK

50 years ago, this month on July 14, 1974, British Rail ran an excursion train from Plymouth, departing at 0701, for a day out in Rhyl, North Wales. The train, hauled throughout by Class 47 – 47047, called at Newton Abbot, Exeter St Davids and Bristol Temple Meads before proceeding via Severn Tunnel Junction, Maindee North Junction, Hereford - Shrewsbury - Nantwich - Crewe and Chester, arriving at Rhyl at 1416. The return train departed from Rhyl at 1853, retracing its outward route to Plymouth. Bristol T M was reached at 2300, but final arrival back into Plymouth was not until 0131, quite a long day out for anyone joining there! It was a busy time for excursion trains on the North Wales Coast that day as there were also specials to Llandudno from Gravesend, hauled by 47086, and another from Barnetby hauled by 47168.

40 years ago, a serious accident occurred in Scotland on July 30, 1984, when a push/pull train being driven from a DBSO, and with class 47/7 – 47 707 providing power on the rear, struck a cow at 85mph to the west of Polmont, near Falkirk. It was the 17:30 service from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street that collided with the cow, causing all six carriages and the Class 47/7 to derail. 13 people were killed, and 61 others were injured, 17 of them seriously. The driver, who had made an emergency brake application, was one of the seriously injured.

MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION

Unfortunately, we do not have a member’s contribution this month. Please do send in your stories so we can continue this feature, as we have had some very interesting articles in the past, which have been enjoyed by members. Anything to do with any form of ‘rail’ about an A4 size maximum, but less of course also welcomed.

MORE NEWS ITEMS

This summer sees the return of the popular Fish and Chips trains on the Severn Valley Railway with the first of these departing from Kidderminster on Saturday 20 July. Additionally, the popular Travelling Tavern will be open on each train, selling cask beer to enhance the overall experience.  See the SVR website for full details. (The SVR has also been named the Best Regional Heritage Railway Attraction for 2024 at the UK Transport Awards). The Great Central Railway is also running Fish & Chip trains on July 13, August 17, and October 12. The evening includes two round trips on the Railway,

Reading’s Green Park Station has now been open for one year, and passenger numbers have reached the predicted forecasts. The station is situated on the Reading to Basingstoke line, and is served by GWR services on a half hourly frequency during the daytime.

The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust reached a major milestone last month, when the brand-new boiler of their new build locomotive was trial fitted into the locomotive frames for the first time at Bridgnorth, Severn Valley Railway. The Trust reported that the boiler fitted very well and after a small amount of adjustment, it was removed from the frames for further work towards completion, including the final joining of the barrel to the firebox and smokebox. All the tubes are on-site at the SVR, ready to be fitted towards the end of the summer, with the aim of it undergoing testing towards the end of the year.

The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust and the Urie Locomotive Society are holding a joint open day at the Mid Hants Railway on Saturday July 6, from 10am onwards. Members and visitors are welcome to attend in the locomotive yard at Ropley to view progress on both trusts’ locomotives, Nos. 53808 and 30499 and see the S&DRT’s 0-4-0ST Kilmersdon in steam in the yard, with the opportunity to ride behind Kilmersdon during the day within the confines of the yard, all subject to availability. There will also be the opportunity to walk around the workshops at the far end of the yard where coaches and boilers are being overhauled and so witness the latest projects on the railway. Both trusts will have their sales stands present and some trustees on location so that you can talk and discuss with them individual projects and news about current and future aims.

There are two events taking place at station sites on the former Somerset & Dorset line this month. At Spetisbury station site a ‘Summer Tea Party’ will be taking place from 1000 to 1400 on Sunday July 14. Pimms, teas & coffees, scones, cakes and more will be available. This is a donation event with all proceeds going towards the Spetisbury Station Project. On Saturday, July 20, it will be exactly 150 years since the opening of Midsomer Norton Station on the Bath extension of the Railway. Trains will be running throughout the day from 1000 until approximately 1630 at Midsomer Norton Station these being loco hauled and a Diesel Multiple Unit. All available motive power will be in use and there will be free Wickham Trolley rides in the yard area running all day subject to demand. In the evening, (1800 -2100) a DMU service will be running from 1815 to 2045. Ticket options include a Pasty and a Pint of Real Ale (age 18+ only) as well as a choice for a train only ticket. Any tickets booked Online will be automatically entered into a free Prize Draw. See https://sdjr.co.uk/events/view/msn-150 for full details of the day’s events.

On Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 August, the Wells Railway Fraternity are holding ‘Railwells’ Model Railway Exhibition in The Town Hall, Market Place, Wells. 1030 to 1700 Saturday and 1000 to 1630 Sunday. There will be 17 layouts on display and 17 trade stands in attendance. Admission: Adults £10.00 Accompanied Children 14 and under are FREE, wheelchair bound FREE, 15-to-17-year old's £5.00.

The Burnham and District Model Railway Club are presenting ‘Sedgemoor Rail’ on August 24 & 25 at King Alfred School, Burnham Road, Highbridge with 17 layouts and 10 trade stands due to attend. Open 1000 to 1600 both days. Admission £7. Highbridge and Burnham railway station is just under 0.7 miles from the venue.

At the Bluebell Railway, new build LB&SCR H2 Marsh Brighton Atlantic 32424 ‘Beachy Head’. will be inaugurated into traffic over the August Bank Holiday, with a launch event running from 23 August to 1 September. This is another major achievement in railway preservation and engineering after it was successfully steam tested for the first time on June 6, after a 20-year project to build it.

Our member Colin Maggs has just had his 112th book published. This is entitled’ ‘The Westbury to Salisbury Line’ with 160 pages and 105 black & white photographs. It is priced at £18.95 and is published by the Oakwood Press. (ISBN 978-0-85361-774-7) The book gives a history and description of the line, its locomotives, including the Westbury and Salisbury allocation, as well as those at the Westbury Iron Works. There is also a chapter on the WW I Military branches together with tables of traffic dealt with at stations and logs of runs in steam, diesel-hydraulic, DMU and DEMU days also appear. Our congratulations to Colin on another fascinating publication.

A running in nameplate from the former Green Park Station in Bath has been donated to the Museum of Bath at Work, our meeting venue. The sign, which is one of only two, has been put on display in the entrance way of the Museum. It was owned by well-known local photographer and historian Robert Coles, and after his recent death his son Gerard, kindly offered it to the Museum. Gerard will be officially unveiling the sign at a ceremony to celebrate Robert’s work at the Museum in July. In other news from the Museum, it is now working collaboratively with four other local museums as the Somerset Industrial Sites Group. These are the Claverton Pumping Station, Saltford Brass Mill Project, Museum of Bath Stone and Radstock Museum. Each August the group will co-operate to publicise a programme of events and openings, meeting regularly to exchange ideas and expertise.

COMPETITION/KNOWLEDGE TESTER?

No competition/knowledge tester this month, it will return in September.

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