THE WEST SOMERSET STEAM EXPRESS - SATURDAY 24th JULY 2021

The West Somerset Steam Express

This series of trains from London Paddington to Minehead features haulage by two steam locomotives in one day. An express steam locomotive will haul our train from London Paddington to the West Somerset Railway at Bishops Lydeard. The Heritage Railway will then provide two steam locomotives to haul our train to Watchet and back. This provides a truly fascinating day out travelling through beautiful scenery to the Bristol Channel coast.

Scheduled to leave London Paddington at around 08:05, steam hauled by Jubilee class steam locomotive No.45596 Bahamas (pic right) and stop at Slough and Reading to pick up more passengers. At Reading we join the Berks and Hants line which runs through picturesque rural countryside, passing the celebrated Newbury Racecourse before making our final stop for passengers at Newbury station. We continue westwards, travelling beside the tranquil Kennet & Avon Canal, and climbing steadily to Savernake Summit. We pass through the Vale of Pewsey, with views of one of the famous Wiltshire White Horses as we approach Westbury and continue through undulating agricultural countryside to Taunton.

Soon after leaving Taunton, we shall arrive at Norton Fitzwarren, where we transfer to the West Somerset Railway (WSR), the longest Heritage Railway in the country. We continue to Bishops Lydeard, where two WSR steam locomotive will take over our train for the remainder of the journey to Watchet. The WSR runs along the edge of the Quantock Hills between Bishops Lydeard and Watchet where it meets the coast. From here passengers will have the option of remaining in Watchet for the afternoon, or travelling to either Dunster or Minehead by coach.

On arrival at Minehead, there will be around two hours to explore this delightful Bristol Channel seaside resort, where the railway station is close to the beach. Passengers will then return by coach to Watchet from where two WSR steam locomotives will haul our train back to Bishops Lydeard, where our main line steam locomotive will take over for the return journey to London Paddington.

ROUTE + TIMETABLE (BELOW)
[45596 Bahamas] London Paddington (pu) - Slough (pu) - Reading (pu) - Newbury (pu) - Westbury - Taunton - Bishops Lydeard [WSR Steam TBA] Bishops Lydeard - Minehead
[WSR Steam TBA] Minehead - Bishops Lydeard  [45596 Bahamas] Bishops Lydeard - Taunton - Westbury - Newbury (sd) - Reading (sd) - Slough (sd) - London Paddington

About The West Somerset Railway

https://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/
The West Somerset Railway a true country branch line of the old Great Western Railway is full of fascination whether you are looking for a nostalgic ride back in time through lovely countryside or to study the railway and industrial heritage which our line preserves. The historic steam locomotives, coaches and wagons, and the buildings of our ten unique stations linked by a twenty mile scenic journey will repay hours of exploration. The surrounding countryside is as varied as it is beautiful.

The gently rolling Quantock hills and distant Exmoor, unspoilt villages and farms nestling in leafy lanes, the cliffs and coast of the Bristol Channel with views of distant South-Wales, confident Church Towers, Dunster's imposing castle and Minehead's seaside charm are all waiting to be discovered. Honestly you would want to spend a weekend here to enjoy it all. It's come a long way since I used to visit here with my late father in the 1980's, and even sees occasional services through from Taunton now that the line is connect to GWR main line once more. Though regular steam services are still from Bishops Lydeard station through 20 miles of scenery to Minehead.

NINE YEARS ON. MUCH MISSED AND DEARLY LOVED. RIP DAD Xxx

Mr Geoffrey Tyler

07-02-1934   --   23-07-2012

Miss you every day Dad. Xx

Nine long years might have passed but no matter where I am or what I am doing my thoughts are always with you Dad x

No amount of time that passes will change the way I feel; I hurt, I love, I smile, I cry. It's not all about me, it's about what feelings that I've lost, and how much love I have for both you and Mum too. Dad you taught me to be strong, so am sorry that I am letting you down. I can never be strong enough to accept that you are no longer here, even after seven years the pain is still there.



Dad 
I love you so much xx
Wish I could share just one more day with you. 

N GAUGE SOCIETY - ANNUAL EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION 31st JULY 2021 [Real not Virtual]

Worldwide Group of the N Gauge Society
  - Annual Exhibition & Convention 2021

Saturday 31st July 2021

Location;
Wyllyotts Theatre, Wyllyotts Place, Potters Bar
Hertfordshire   EN6 2HN

OPENING TIMES:  10.30am to 4.00pm

ADMISSION:  Adults £3.00  Concessions £1.00     

A small, relaxed and friendly annual gathering of some members layouts and displays which are all foreign layouts (No British). All the layouts are N scale. Supported by Mount Tabor Models. There will also be a display of DCC control from the N Gauge Society and a display by the Model Electronics Railway Group (MERG) local area group. Refreshments will be available from the theatre café. Only five minutes walk from Potters Bar station, parking on site or at railway station.

List of Layouts Attending:

Bregenbach Im Schwarzwald by Les Richardson;
A new layout by Les featuring modern practices and trains on a line in the Black Forest region of Germany (pictured below and also page top). The location is to the West of Furtwangen on the road that leads over the pass to Freiburg. While Bregenbach isn't a place it seems, but would appear to be the name of the stream that flows through Furtwangen at the bottom of the Bregtal (which gave its name to the Bregtalbahn, the branch line from Donaueschingen to Furtwangen).

Trifolou by Piers Milne;
A layout based on the former Rseau Du Vivarais, a French secondary metre gauge line in the 'Ardche Departement' of south east France.

Ampertal by Roger Sant;
Set in the Austrian Tyrol during the late 1990s through to the mid 2000s.

Vartanakert by Paul Brinsdon;
An Armenian layout named after a ruined ancient Armenian city.

Obertonberg by John Coulston;
A fictitious village near a mainline railway in Southern Germany set in the late 1960s.

Halfway to Paradise by Geoff Latham;
A selection of American T-Trak modules.

Schlusselwert by Sam Boote;
A static display of buildings and stock from Sam's layout and a test track.

Boats and Buildings by Paul Wright;
Items from his Dutch layout.

Nearest Railway Stations:
Potters Bar [0.11 miles]
Brookmans Park [1.74 miles]
Hadley Wood [2.08 miles]
Welham Green [2.92 miles]

MAP:

THE CHESHIREMAN - London Euston to Chester A1 Class 60163 Tornado

The Cheshireman
  - Thursday 15th July 2021

Steam Hauled realtor, London (Euston) to Chester with A1 Class locomotive 60163 Tornado.
Route
London Euston (pu) - Watford Junction (by service train to Milton Keynes) (pu) - Milton Keynes Central (pu) - Northampton (pu) - Rugby (pu) - Nuneaton (pu) - Stafford - Crewe - Chester and return.

This tour offers a wonderful opportunity to travel by a special charter train to the historic city of Chester. The train will be steam-hauled throughout from London Euston to Chester by A1 Class locomotive No. 60163 Tornado. We will follow the route of the famous express such as the Royal Scot along the west coast main line (WCML) to Crewe and then onwards to Chester. We can expect some spirited running down the WCML to Crewe. Be sure to book early to join us on this historic occasion.

‘The Cheshireman’ will leave London Euston at around 07:00 steam hauled behind Tornado. Initially on departure we shall hear our locomotive working hard on the climb up Camden Bank. We continue through Watford Tunnel into rural Hertfordshire. We stop to pick up further passengers at the 1960s ‘new town’ of Milton Keynes, where passengers from Watford Junction will join by service train. At Hanslope Junction, we leave the West Coast Main Line (WCML) and take the Northampton loop line where we stop again for passengers.

We continue northwards and pass the Daventry Railfreight Terminal (DIRFT) before re-joining the WCML at Rugby, a further pick up stop, and the birthplace of rugby football and the jet engine. We then follow the Trent Valley Line to Nuneaton, our final stop to pick up passengers. We pass through Lichfield, notable for its three-spired medieval cathedral, and soon after Rugeley is Shugborough Tunnel. This has ornamental grand entrances, the result of conditions required by the Earl of Lichfield for building the line across his estate. We continue northwards through Stafford to the famous railway junction town of Crewe where we take the North Wales Coast Line to Chester.

There will be around four hours to explore the Roman city of Chester, one of the most visited places in the UK. Chester lies on the river Dee, close to the border with Wales, and is one of the best preserved walled cities in Britain. The city contains a number of medieval buildings and is famous for its 14th Century ‘Rows’, the first floor level galleried walkways connecting shops and cafes. Other places of interest include the Castle, the Cathedral, and the picturesque racecourse, which is located between the city walls and the river Dee.

Our special train, hauled on the return journey by our steam locomotive Tornado, leaves Chester late afternoon for the return journey to London Euston. We stop at the same stations as on the outward journey to set down passengers, and this tour promises to be one of excitement as Tornado is allowed to reach its maximum permitted speed along the WCML.

Steam Hauled by A1 Class Pacific '60163 Tornado'
The original Peppercorn A1 series were ordered by the LNER, but the 49 locomotives were built at Doncaster and Darlington for British Railways (BR) in 1948–49, after the nationalisation of the railways in the United Kingdom. Following the modernisation and dieselisation plans of the 1950s, the A1 Peppercorn class was eventually scrapped at a comparatively early age of just 15 years.

The original Peppercorn A1s were designed to cope with the heaviest regular post-war East Coast trains. The A1 Trust intended Tornado to be built from scratch, designed and built as the next locomotive in the A1 Peppercorn class, not as a replica or restoration project, but an evolution of the class incorporating design improvements that would have occurred had steam motive power continued on the mainline railway.
  
Tornado moved under its own power for the first time on 29th July 2008 at Darlington, and then spent two months at the Great Central Railway in Loughborough, where it was tested up to 60 mph (97 km/h) and operated its first passenger train. Tornado then moved to the National Railway Museum (NRM) in York for three test runs on the main line up to 75 mph (121 km/h). After repainting from works grey into LNER Apple Green, Tornado was approved for mainline passenger operation. On 31st January 2009 Tornado hauled its first passenger trip on the main line, The Peppercorn Pioneer, from York to Newcastle and back. By hauling various A1 Trust railtours, charters and other activities, Tornado will begin to recoup the estimated £800,000 debt from the project, which cost around £3 million.

HERITAGE RAILWAYS 2021 PART SIX - EAST ANGLIA AND NORFOLK REGION

While we are hopefully about to see the easing of the Covid lockdown rules during July 2021 we have been looking at a several of the Heritage Railways around Britain. In part one we took a look at some of the relatively local GWR based heritage railways and then we moved a little further down the line for part two towards Bristol and the West where there are several lines which have survived into preservation. Then in part three we headed over the border into Wales to enjoy some of the many 'Great Little Railways of Wales' a second instalment for this is a necessity. The next couple of entries in this series we headed north for part four venturing over the English border again, this time heading north into Scotland, there we were looking at heritage railways around the Cairngorms region between Inverness and Aberdeen, stayed in the north for part five dropping back into England and viewing heritage railways in the northern area of Cumbria and Northumberland. Now for part six ... where we head into the Norfolk region and look at a few of the heritage railways, narrow gauge services and museums. 

North Norfolk Railway
Sheringham, Norfolk NR26 8RA
www.nnrailway.co.uk

The North Norfolk Railway (NNR) - also known as the 'Poppy Line' - is a 5+1⁄4-mile (8.4 km) heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the towns of Sheringham and Holt. The NNR operates both steam and diesel hauled services, and organises a programme of seasonal special events including steam galas, diesel galas, 'Day Out With Thomas' and an annual beer festival. There are two stations between Sheringham and Holt – Weybourne (about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the village) and Kelling Heath.

The main restoration sheds, including the former locomotive shed from Norwich City, are at Weybourne. They have room to accommodate four standard length British Railways Mark 1 coaches and six large steam or diesel locomotives. New carriage storage sheds have been built near Holt with £308,000 Heritage Lottery funding. These have the capacity to store the equivalent of 18 Mark 1 coaches.

In 2010 the railway undertook one of its most ambitious projects, to rebuild the level crossing at Sheringham to reconnect with the national network. With the help of donations from enthusiasts, well-wishers and local government, volunteers and contractors toiled though one of the worst winters in decades to reinstate the crossing. Their hard work was rewarded on March 11th when BR ‘Britannia’ Class no. 70013 ‘Oliver Cromwell’ hauled a special train from London King’s Cross to Holt over the crossing, becoming the first passenger train to do so in 34 years.

Bure Valley Railway
Aylsham, Norfolk, NR11 6BW
www.bvrw.co.uk

The Bure Valley Railway is a 15 in (381 mm) minimum gauge heritage railway in Norfolk, the railway runs from Wroxham to Aylsham (9 miles or 14.5 kilometres) and is Norfolk's second longest heritage railway. It uses both steam and diesel locomotives. Intermediate halts at Brampton, Buxton and Coltishall. There are 17 bridges, including a 105-foot (32 m)-long girder bridge over the River Bure in Buxton with Lammas, and the Aylsham Bypass Tunnel under the A140 at Aylsham. The Railway is built on the track bed of the former Great Eastern Railway between Wroxham and Aylsham. Originally opened in 1880 the line survived for passenger traffic until 1952, eleven years before the infamous Beeching Report! The line did, however, survive for the purpose of carrying freight, a role it performed until the line was formally closed by British Rail in 1982. 

Construction of the line started on 8th May 1989 and progressed quickly. The line was ready to open with all due ceremony on 10th July 1990. Whilst the railway had built 20 modern and comfortable carriages and well-built modern station facilities, it did not have the required capital or time to obtain steam locomotives to operate the railway. As a result locomotives were hired in from the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent.

Mid-Norfolk Railway
Dereham, Norfolk NR19 1DF
www.midnorfolkrailway.co.uk

The Mid-Norfolk Railway (MNR) is a 17+1⁄2 miles (28.2 km) preserved standard gauge heritage railway, one of the longest in Great Britain. Preservation efforts began in 1974, but the line re-opened to passengers only in the mid-1990s as part of the "new generation" of heritage railways. The MNR owns and operates most of the former Wymondham-Fakenham branch line of the Norfolk Railway. The branch opened in 1847, was closed to passengers in stages from 1964 to 1969 as part of the Beeching cuts, and was finally fully closed to goods traffic in 1989.

The Mid-Norfolk Railway is the longest standard-gauge heritage railway in East Anglia and runs through the Heart of Norfolk. The railway has its headquarters in Dereham and runs south to Wymondham Abbey Halt station. Currently the line is also being restored north towards North Elmham and will run to the railway’s County School Station.

​Regular steam and diesel services run 11+1⁄2 miles (18.5 km) through the centre of Norfolk between the market towns of Wymondham and Dereham via Yaxham, Thuxton and Kimberley Park, and occasional sightseer services continue north of Dereham passing the nearby village of Hoe, where there is no station, to the limit of the operational line at Worthing. The line is periodically used for commercial freight operations and staff instruction for mainline railway companies. The company owns the line to a point just beyond County School railway station, which will make it the third longest heritage railway in England once restoration is complete. The Mid-Norfolk Railway has had a long-term, published ambition to restore the railway as far as Fakenham.

Whitwell & Reepham Station
Norwich, Norfolk NR10 4GA
www.whitwellstation.com

Whitwell and Reepham railway station, also known as Whitwell station, is a former station situated in Norfolk, England. The station closed in 1959 and is a notable stop on the Marriott's Way long-distance footpath. It is being restored as a railway museum, including the re-laying of track.

The project's future has been planned in three phases. Phase one involves returning the station to its original layout by re-laying track and restoring the station buildings. Phase two is to extend the line along Marriott's Way to re-create the 7 miles (11 km) Themelthorpe curve to Reepham railway station. Phase three would entail linking up with either the North Norfolk Railway or Mid Norfolk Railway.

By September 2008, 440 feet (130 m) of track (donated by the Spa Valley Railway) had been laid in the yard and to the former goods shed which will serve as the designated engine shed. A Baguley-Drewry diesel shunter, two Mk I coaches, a Bogie 'B' luggage van and a British Rail four-wheel van have already been delivered to the site. In addition, an original M&GN hand crane (from Holbeach station) has been loaned by the North Norfolk Railway.

By May 2010, most of the station-side platform had been resurfaced and the fencing was going up. After being granted £70,000 the engine shed was being renovated with new doors and windows. An extra line had been completed along the cattle platform and was serving as storage line for stock..

Bressingham Steam & Gardens
nr Diss, Norfolk, IP22 2AA
www.bressingham.co.uk

The unique Bressingham Gardens are renowned worldwide for their horticultural excellence. With nearly 20 acres, four linking gardens and 8,000 species they can be a truly tranquil place, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the scenery.  Take a trip on one of the four railways at Bressingham, the collection of working locomotives will take you round our magnificent gardens and woodland, or ride on the steam Carousel.

A trip to the locomotive sheds brings the power and the glory of mighty steam engineering up close. The National Dad's Army collection lets you wander through Walmington-on-Sea looking at original props and vehicles from the series [you'd be a stupid boy to miss it] Whether your passion is Gardens, Steam, Exhibits, Rides or even a mixture of them all, we are confident that Bressingham has something for all.

'THE END OF SOUTHERN STEAM' RAILTOUR - FRIDAY 9th JULY [LONDON VICTORIA - WEYMOUTH]

This day trip by steam train provides a unique opportunity to visit the Yeovil Railway Centre and the popular seaside resort of Weymouth for the afternoon. This special train to mark the anniversary of the end of Southern steam will be hauled by a powerful ex-Southern Railway Pacific type steam locomotive from London Victoria to Yeovil. We continue to Weymouth diesel hauled before our steam locomotive hauls us back to London Victoria via Bournemouth. Steam power is expected to be provided by Merchant Navy Class 35018 British India Line.

Our journey to Weymouth commences from the former joint London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway’s Victoria terminus. We thread our way through Clapham Junction and cross the Thames at Barnes Bridge, and take the Hounslow loop to Staines. We will pass Woking before pausing for water at Winchfield. We then head through Basingstoke to Worting Junction, were we will take the London & South Western Railway’s main line to Andover and Salisbury. 

Leaving Salisbury, at Wilton Junction the line becomes single track. We cross the edge of Salisbury Plain and pass through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty at Tisbury and Gillingham in Dorset. We cross Gillingham Viaduct and pass through Buckhorn Weston Tunnel before Templecombe, where once the iconic Somerset & Dorset Railway passed beneath our line. Travelling westwards through north west Dorset we pass through Sherborne, one of the most beautiful towns in England, before continuing with the train to Yeovil Junction where the steam locomotive will be serviced at the Yeovil Railway Centre.

Our train leaves Yeovil Junction, hauled by a diesel locomotive, and runs southwards through Maiden Newton towards Dorchester to the large seaside resort of Weymouth. There will be a break here to visit the town, with its many attractions and restaurants, before we return to London Victoria steam hauled.

Our return route will be via Bournemouth, Southampton and Eastleigh back to Basingstoke and Woking to set down passengers, followed by journey’s end at London Victoria.

Outward Journey > London Victoria (pu) - Weybridge - Woking (pu) - Basingstoke - Salisbury (sd) - Sherborne (sd) - Yeovil Railway Centre.
[Break for visit at Yeovil Railway Centre]
Yeovil Junction (pu) - Maiden Newton - Dorchester - Weymouth.
Return Journey > Weymouth (pu) - Poole - Bournemouth - Southampton Central - Basingstoke (sd) - Woking (sd) - Weybridge - London Victoria

SR Merchant Navy Class 35018 British India Line

35018 British India Line is a preserved SR Merchant Navy Class steam locomotive built by the Southern Railway in 1945. British India Line was one of the first batch of twenty completed at Eastleigh Works in May 1945, and in that month was first retained at Nine Elms shed, where it was to remain for most of its career, under both the Southern Railway and British Railways. On 24 November 1960 it was briefly re-allocated to Bournemouth's 71B shed, but in January of the following year it returned to Nine Elms 70A shed. 35018 was withdrawn from service in August 1964 and sold on to Woodham Brothers scrapyard in Barry, South Wales where it arrived in December of the same year. It was rescued from the scrapyard in November 1979, but work to restore the locomotive began only in 2012 and British India Line ran again under its own steam on the mainline in May 2017.

NB the route originally showed as departing from London Waterloo but we will try and verify this starts and ends from Victoria.

Yeovil Railway Centre

The Yeovil Railway Centre is a small railway museum at Yeovil Junction on the L&SWR West of England Main Line between Salisbury and Exeter in the U.K. It was created in 1993, in response to British Rail's decision to remove the turntable from Yeovil Junction. Approximately ¼ mile of track along the Clifton Maybank spur is used for demonstration trains. The site contains a G.W.R. transfer shed built in the 1860s, which was erected to facilitate the transfer of goods from 7 ft (2,134 mm) broad gauge to 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge freight wagons. This is the last remaining shed of its type on its original site and has been converted to a visitor centre. The site also has an S.R. turntable and a 15,000 gallon water tower. These have been restored to working order for the servicing of steam locomotives.