BATH RAILWAY SOCIETY

President: Pete Waterman OBE DL

Chairman: John Froud    

 Email: bathrailwaysociety@gmail.com

NOVEMBER  2025  NEWSLETTER

Dear Member,

SOCIETY MATTERS

At our October meeting we had a very good attendance for Matthew Pinto who told us all about ‘Milk on the Rails’ and how this important commodity was once carried. This was a most informative evening and well presented by Matt with plenty of photographs and illustrations. His book on the same subject has currently sold out, but there may be a reprint, and he did indicate that he is preparing a Part Two, so hopefully we can invite him back again in the future to continue the story.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday November 6, when we welcome Gordon Adams as our guest speaker. Gordon will be telling us about Train Ferries in WW I and WW II, a subject I don’t think we have covered in the past. He will examine how Cross-Channel Train Ferries were first introduced during WW1 to move Railway Equipment to France, and their use in WW2 following commercial introduction of the Harwich-Zeebrugge and Dover-Calais Train Ferries between the wars. As usual, doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

We welcome back Paul Cope to the Society. Paul re-joined us at the October meeting.

In the competition in the October Newsletter, you had to find the name of the station used in two episodes of the TV series, Dads Army’. It was Wendling in Norfolk on the Great Eastern line between Dereham and King's Lynn. The station closed from September 9, 1968.

Looking well ahead to June next year, we will be having a members evening following our AGM on June 4, 2026. There is plenty of time to have a think and to prepare something, so if you would like to do a presentation, we would love to hear from you. 

NEWS ITEMS

Building works for the new Okehampton Parkway station are well underway after its footbridge was craned into position over a three-night period. A hundred platform edging stones have also been laid. The station is due to open next year. The firm that has revived Meldon Quarry also wants to use rail to move stone from the quarry and they are waiting for Network Rail to assess the condition of the track between Okehampton Station and Meldon. This section of line has not been used for several years and will require relaying and ballasting before stone traffic can use it again.

North Somerset Council have advertised to find an operator to revive the 15” gauge miniature railway at Salthouse Fields, Clevedon. In addition to re-opening the railway, the lease for Salthouse Fields would also see the construction of a new train shed and other activities. Clevedon’s miniature railway first opened in 1952 and runs in a loop around Salthouse Fields but has been disused for some years with the track still in situ.

On the Severn Valley Railway, work is taking place at Kidderminster Station to increase the length of Platform 2. This involves the relocation of point rodding and the realignment of the track leading to the platform and the vehicle and barrow crossing, The work will also see a set of points at the footbridge end of No 2-engine line, moved towards Bewdley. Once completed the platform will be able to hold a nine-coach train.

HST Power Car 43091 has left the Plym Valley Railway and has gone to a private site at Henstridge.

4TC Driver Second Trailer (DST) has been taken from the Swanage Railway to Ramparts at Derby for exterior work to take place. On its return to Dorset, the Swanage Railway is hoping to run a 3TC set next year using Class 33 – 33111, which is currently at Barrow Hill having body work repairs.

On November 11, Pete Dunn will give a talk to the Wells Railway Fraternity on the Bath Crane makers Stothert and Pitt. The meeting takes place at the Wells Town Hall starting at 7.30pm. Non-members are welcome, Admission £4.

On Saturday November 15, the Angus Buchanan Memorial Lecture will take place at the Brunel Institute, SS Great Britain, Great Western Dockyard, Gas Ferry Road, Bristol BS1 6TY. This year’s lecture by Dr Victoria Owens will be on LTC Rolt and Railways. The lecture is due to run from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm and tickets are £10. Further details and link for tickets on the BIAS facebook page. Travel options and details including the Clean Air Zone checker can be found at https://www.ssgreatbritain.org/your-visit/how-to-find-us/

LOOKING BACK

On November 18, 1885, 140 years ago, on the Yelverton - Bickleigh line, there was a derailment of an LSWR passenger train on the GWR mixed-gauge line between Lydford and Plymouth. The following report was published on 11th January 1886. "In this case, as the London and South-Western Company's 4 p.m. stopping train from Exeter for Plymouth was proceeding on its journey, the train left the rails at a spot about 1 mile 27 chains from Yelverton, where it had last stopped. After running about 100 yards the engine, tender, and front van broke away from the rest of the train, after the engine had run into a rock face on the right of the line, precipitated down the slope of an embankment on the left of the line. The engine and tender came to rest, wheels upwards, the front of the engine still pointing obliquely towards Plymouth; the van became detached from the tender but remained on its wheels with its rear end jammed against the junction of the engine and tender.

The report stated that ‘the engineer of the Great Western Railway Company should see fit to reduce the super-elevation of the outer rail of the curves on the Launceston Branch to an amount calculated for the maximum permissible speed, and this, looking to the nature of the line between Yelverton and Bickleigh, should hardly exceed 30 miles an hour." One person was killed and six injured in this accident.

On November 27, 1965, 60 years ago, British Rail (W.R.), ran what was advertised as the ‘Last Steam Hauled Train from Paddington’. This was departed on time at 0918 hauled by 7029 Clun Castle and ran via Bath Spa, passing at 1132, eight minutes late. At Bristol, 7029 was turned and departure was at 1228 taking the Midland line via Mangotsfield to Gloucester Eastgate where the train reversed hauled by D1006 to Cheltenham St James. The train was then hauled back to Gloucester Central by D1006, where 7029 Clun Castle took over again for a run to Swindon via Kemble. Here, 7029 was replaced by D6881 and D6882 back to the Capital arriving at 1712, some 17 minutes late. 

MORE NEWS ITEMS

Looking ahead, you might want to have your last chance to have a trip on one of GWR’s remaining HST sets. From the December timetable change on Sunday, December 14, 2025, the remaining ‘Castle Sets’ as they are now known, are due to be  withdrawn from service. They currently operate in Devon and Cornwall only, and it is not known at present if GWR are planning any form of farewell to these units which have been in service since the mid 1970’s.

The Dean Forest Railway is holding a Steam Gala on November 1 and 2. Its home fleet locomotives of 8750, 9681 and Peckett Uskmouth No. 1, will be joined by visiting 78019 from the Great Central Rly.

Bristol’s Lawrence Hill Station is to get a lift to Platform 2 (Bristol T M direction). Step free access to Platform 1 is already available.

With the North Dorset Railway having opened their northern extension from Shillingstone Station recently, they are now applying to the Office of Road and Railway to start running trains carrying passengers. They hope this will be during 2026.

On Saturday November 29, 34028 Eddystone is due to work the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Bath & Bristol Christmas Express’ from London Paddington running via Newbury and Trowbridge to Bath. More tours to Bath are due in December featuring 71000 Duke of Gloucester. Details of these tours in the next newsletter.

MEMBERS CONTRIBUTION 

Newer members to the Society might like to know a little history about how it was formed, and the following is taken from a book written by F.W.J. Lawrence OBE, who was Chairman from October 1961 to September 1970.

An informal meeting was first held at the Midland Hotel on April 24, 1957, to discuss the formation of the Society after outings had been undertaken to Swindon Locomotive Works by groups of enthusiasts living in the Bath area. Twelve gentlemen attended this meeting, and apologies were also received from two others.

It is interesting to note the backgrounds and professions of these founding members of the Society. They included a clergyman, a schoolmaster, a member of the press, two civil servants, a businessman who was an eminent railway photographer, two professional engineers who were both keen modellers and a retired professional railwayman.

The object of the Society was defined, in broad terms, at the first meeting to be “to further the interest in railways generally, and to seek out other persons interested in the subject in Bath and district”.

The initial meeting set up a temporary committee of four who then met on May 9, to consider a pattern of activities and to draft a constitution for the Society for consideration at a general meeting held at the Midland Hotel on May 30, 1957.

This first general meeting on May 30 was attended by eleven gentlemen and apologies for absence were received from four others. It was at this meeting that the title “Bath Railway Society” was determined, and it was agreed that monthly regular meetings would be held at the Midland Hotel commencing at 7.30pm on the 5th day of each month, unless this fell on a Sunday, when the meeting would be held on Monday the 6th. During the summer it was hoped to arrange outings to running sheds and other places of railway interest.

The following gentlemen were elected to form the first permanent committee: - Chairman – Mr. P.J. Williams, Treasurer - Mr. R.W. Croft, Secretary – Mr R. Hurst, Members – Messrs T.R. Hopping and R.G. Thomas. This committee met on June 20 and drew up a programme of events for the rest of 1957 commencing with a talk by Mr. R.G. Thomas on July 5 on signalling.

An approach was made to Mr. O. S. Nock, the well-known writer on railway subjects, who lived in Bath, and he accepted the honorary office of President of the Society, and he also agreed to address meetings from time to time.

In less than three months from the first informal meeting, the Bath Railway Society had commenced regular activities.

If you have a story to tell, please do get in touch. We’d enjoy sharing and reading about your railway or transport related activities. Please send your stories to the email address on the first page.

COMPETITION    

Following the talk by Matthew Pinto last month, the competition this month is about milk processing plants in Devon which once saw regular rail traffic. All you have to do is unscramble the letters to find the names of the places. None are now rail served, and two are closed, just leaving one open for business today. As always, this is just for fun, and no prizes are given. Answers next month.

• MKHCYOE

• FNLOTI

• NRNTOGORTI

MORE NEWS ITEMS

Approval has been given for the reopening of the Cowley branch in Oxfordshire to passenger services. The last passenger trains ran on the line in 1963 and today it is used for automotive traffic from the Morris Cowley plant. The cost of the project to reopen the line is estimated at £500m with funding coming from the government of £120m. It is envisaged that two trains per hour will run from Oxford to Cowley with stations to serve the areas of Littledown Blackbird Leys and Greater Leys. A date to start upgrade work of the line, or its opening, has not so far been given.

Work on new build BR Standard 3, 82045, is progressing well on the Severn Valley Railway. The bushes for the coupling rods have been machined and await white metalling. Washers and nuts have been made for the leading coupling rods and machining of the gradients pins has started. Machining of the piston valve crossheads has also been in progress. The expansion links and die blocks are on order with South Devon Railway Engineering and the eccentric rods and reversing rod are on order with Heritage Rail Traction in Manchester. 82045 was taken to the Great Gathering at Derby and was positioned alongside Locomotion No1, demonstrating locomotive building 200 years apart.

As part of the Cirencester History Festival’s opening weekend, the town witnessed the extraordinary return of the AC Railbus W79978, from the Swindon & Cricklade Railway to a short length of track laid at its original platform at Cirencester Town Station. This was 61 years after its last visit. This free drop-in event took place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 October, and marked the centrepiece of the Old Station which is Grade II listed.  The branch line from Kemble to Cirencester Town closed to passenger services from April 6, 1964, and closed for freight from October 4, 1965.   

The Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust’s 1929 built Peckett & Sons 0-4-0 Saddle Tank ‘Kilmersdon’ has gone on loan to the Somerset & Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton. The Bristol built locomotive worked at the nearby Kilmersdon Colliery and is now normally based at the Mid Hants Railway. See the Somerset & Dorset Railway website for its operating days.  https://sdjr.co.uk

Planned engineering work is taking place in the Salisbury area on weekends November 1 and 2, 8 and 9, 15 and 16, and 22 and 23.  This will affect GWR services, and replacement buses will be operating on some of these dates with trains terminating at either Warminster, Salsbury or Southampton. SWR services between Salisbury via Romsey and Eastleigh will still be operating. Do check carefully if you are planning travelling on this route on these weekends. See  https://www.gwr.com/travel-information/travel-updates/planned-engineering

On Sunday November 29, engineering works and construction works for HS2 will affect trains to/from London Paddington. Instead of four lines, only two will be available in and out of the station. Again, do check if you are travelling to or from the Capital that Sunday.

The East Somerset Railway is hosting Christmas High Tea & Train Rides on weekends starting from December 6. You will get a 35-minute train ride and then the high tea will be served in a static Dinning Car. Advanced booking is required, see the ESR website for further details.

On Saturday November 1, the Fifteenth Vintage Hornby Train Show takes place at The King Alfred School (B Block), Burnham Road, Highbridge, Somerset. There will be ten layouts on display plus seven trade stands. The same date, the West Wiltshire Gauge O Group are staging The Westbury Model Railway Show at The Paragon Hall, Haynes Road, Westbury with nine layouts and six trade stands. On Saturday November 8 and Sunday 9, the Cale Rail Society have the Wincanton Model Railway Exhibition at King Arthurs School, West Hill, Wincanton, with 20 layouts and seven trade stands.

A stretch of the former Somerset & Dorset Line has reopened to the public as a walking and cycling ‘greenway’ route, connecting Shepton Mallet to the neighbouring villages. The initial section of the greenway begins near the A37 Whitstone Hall on the eastern edge of Shepton Mallet, following the track bed on top of the existing Bath Road and Ham Wood viaducts and passing through Windsor Hill tunnel. A ceremony to open the route was held at the Ham Wood viaduct on October 17.

A new TV railway series called Steam Train Diaries starts on Wednesday November 5, on More 4, at 9pm. This features Paul Middleton, known as Piglet, from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

LOOKING FORWARD

Our next meeting will now be on Thursday December 4, when Fred Parkinson tells us about Unusual Overseas Rail Journeys. Usual time of 7.30pm at the Bath Museum of Work.

Bob Bunyar

Newsletter Editor

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