MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL - LOVE AND BEST WISHES TO YOU ALL

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas this year, I hope you enjoying a break from work and get to spend time with friends and family. Another disrupted year for so many and this is a time of year to once again spare a thought for those still working as they are doing an awesome job. It's also been a very difficult year for many with the continued variants, tiers, vaccinations and sadly looks set to continue for a while. Therefore I also send out a lot of love to all with thoughts for anyone missing this year, think of them, raise a glass and salute their memory. Though it's the season to "Eat, Drink and be Merry" and then let's go give the trains a run!! 😊 

Missing you so much Dad.

You always fulfilled my wishes, giving me whatever I wanted. Your presence in my life I had taken for granted. After your death my whole world has gone into a frightening void. When I had you, I had it all, now everything is destroyed. This is my repentance, my regret, I know you cannot hear me, but I still want to say, Dad I miss you and I'm sorry ... We had so much still to do together and despite the years that have passed I find it so hard to carry on without your love and influence. 💔

I always think that this time is a moment for reflection and while I hope it's been wonderful for you it may well be that together we have lost a lot of friends and legends so it's time to remember and never forget. Let us also move forwards to the new year, life is only as good as you make it and you have to let yourself live too, although this is something I don't allow myself time to breathe and enjoy life. 2022 needs to see many changes and hopefully I can find some energy and joy. So much to do, lets do more, enough of the excuses make some noise and a change for good now. 

Miss both of you, Mum and Dad xx

Love is always the answer 💕

THE WHITE ROSE - CHRISTMAS RAILTOUR - SATURDAY 18th DECEMBER 2021

The Christmas White Rose
 - Saturday 18th December 2021
Kings Cross - York behind 6233 Duchess of Sutherland

Enjoy a classic day out by steam train, combining exciting main line running, varied landscape and the special atmosphere of historic York. Our train will be steam hauled from London to York by Princess Coronation class locomotive No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland.

Due to depart from London King’s Cross at around 07:20 behind Duchess of Sutherland and follow the route of famous old trains like the Flying Scotsman. We storm up the gradient through Gasworks Tunnel and Finsbury Park and head northwards, calling at Stevenage, Huntingdon and Peterborough to pick up more passengers.

Our steam locomotive then tackles the 15-mile climb up the famous Stoke Bank. Here on 3rd July 1938, “Mallard”, an A4 class ‘Pacific’, achieved a world record speed of 126 mph when travelling in the opposite direction. Once over the summit we should have a good, fast run down the 20 mile descent to the Trent Valley and on through Grantham, Newark and Retford. We steam onwards through Doncaster before arriving into York.

There will be plenty of time for passengers to enjoy the city and all it has to offer. York has some major tourist attractions including the National Railway Museum, the largest museum of its type in Britain; the Castle; the Shambles; the splendid Gothic York Minster, one of the largest of its kind in northern Europe; and the city walls. There are a number of other interesting museums, quaint alleyways, and a good variety of shops. The York Christmas Market will also be in full swing with its vast number of stalls offering local yuletide crafts, along with seasonal food and drink.

Our train leaves York at around 16:30, diesel hauled, along the East Coast Main Line towards Peterborough. We continue, stopping to set down passengers at the same stations as on the northbound journey, arriving back at King’s Cross at around 22:00.

Background - No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland
LMS Princess Coronation Class 46233 Duchess of Sutherland is a steam locomotive built in 1938 for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) at Crewe Works to a design by William Stanier. It is a 4-6-2 Pacific locomotive built as part of the LMS Coronation Class for its express passenger services, including the Royal Scot service from London to Glasgow.

Withdrawn by British Railways in 1964, the locomotive was originally sold to Butlins holiday camp in Scotland. In 1996, the locomotive was acquired by The Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust with the intention of restoration to mainline condition. In 2001, 46233 was restored to operating condition and since then has been a regular performer on the national network.

In Preservation
Following withdrawal from service, 46233 was acquired by Butlins Heads-of-Ayr holiday camp, Scotland, in October 1964. It was later purchased by Bressingham Steam Museum. In 1996, 6233 was acquired by the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust (PRCLT) arriving at the PRCLT's West Shed, at Swanwick Junction on the Midland Railway - Butterley, on 3 February 1996. In 2001, No. 6233 returned to the national network after an overhaul assisted by the heritage lottery fund and match funded by the PRCLT.

To allow it to run on the main line in preservation, 6233 was fitted with Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) and on-train monitoring recorder (OTMR) equipment, alongside the BR fitted Automatic Warning System (AWS). On 6 March 2010, 6233 was rolled out in LMS lined black livery, which was retained during 2010, before a major overhaul, taking 6233 out of service for the 2011 season. On 3 March 2012, now renumbered 46233 was rolled out in "authentic (Brunswick) green" livery, as used by British Railways during the early 1950s.

To mark the locomotive's 80th birthday in September 2018, the engine regained its original number "6233" and LMS "Crimson Lake" livery.

HILLINGDON RAILWAY MODELLERS OPEN DAYS 2021 - 11th DECEMBER 2021

Welcome back, time for another Open Day run by the Hillingdon Railway Modellers. A regular feature that's returned to our calendar and are sure as they return will once again prove to be extremely popular. The final one for 2021 (only the second one to be fair) will take place on Saturday 11th December 2021. It might be cold now but you will be certain to receive a warm welcome, plenty of expertise on hand too, and run some trains if you wish. I certainly hope to get there and do just that.

Expect these to continue through 2022 as well and naturally everything is dependant on any changes to government rules and guidance, but we keep our fingers crossed. 

While I have not been able to attend here for a little while this is a good opportunity to get myself over there and give a few of my Dads O Gauge models a bit of a run out since I've no room for a layout at home and I don't want them to live in boxes forever. I aim to hopefully get there for the afternoon with a few items in my bag to try out and also update a few pictures too. It's always a popular day and doors open to the public at 10:00am, it's been a long time and I look forward to getting along and having a little run with a few of my old items they could sure do with a decent run as I haven't a huge amount of space available at home.

Address: 

Yiewsley Baptist Church, 74 Colham Avenue

West Drayton  UB7 8HF

* Please note that the entrance is at the side of the church down a path and the doors at the end should be open, please do not try and enter the main doors of the church itself. 

                       

Due to the rental costs of the hall there is a cover charge of £5 for these Open Days, there will be two extensive O Gauge and OO Gauge Test Tracks available and have recently added a three track N Gauge circuit too (Pic Below) all up and running so if you have anything you wish to see get a good run do please come along.

N GAUGE TEST TRACK 

OO Gauge Test Track pictured left, has five available loups to test your models with. DC and DCC accommodated, I believed that the club members have been working on their own layout too, so whatever your theme, they should be able to accommodate you, and rule one always applies, run what you want, modern image, steam, continental, I've even seen some London Underground run there in the past.

HOW TO GET THERE:

If you are Travelling by Car

Check here for Parking Options.

Nearest Railway Stations :

West Drayton [0.34 miles]

SOUTHEND TO OXFORD CHRISTMAS MARKET - THURSDAY 9th DECEMBER 2021

SOUTHEND TO OXFORD CHRISTMAS MARKET
Thursday 9th December 2021

SOUTHEND EAST - UPMINSTER - OXFORD

The City of Dreaming Spires is a must-see destination with its world-famous universities and museums. Add to this the beautiful River Thames winding through the city and lovely parks & gardens and the main problem will be deciding how to spend your time. Add to that a Steam hauled special service and what a lovely way to cross the South of England from Essex to Oxfordshire. 

The service should depart from Southend East at 9:05, additional stop at Upminster at 9:40 then due to arrive into Oxford around 14:20. 

The trip is steam hauled by Black Five locomotive 44871 (pictured left) which should prove to be a rare sight on the opening leg of the journey from Southend and Upminster.

OXFORD CHRISTMAS MARKET

We will be travelling to Oxford on the first day of the Christmas Market. Held in the heart of the city on beautiful and historic Broad Street, the market will feature many local artists, designer-makers and selected guests. With the sound of choirs singing Christmas carols, market traders offering unusual and handmade gifts, colourful decorations brightening wooden stalls and the aroma of mulled wine and cinnamon drifting in the air - a visit to the Oxford Christmas Market is a truly magical Christmas experience.

CAROL SERVICE
We are pleased to say that we are also organising a Carol Service in one of the oldest churches in Oxford, located in the city centre, around the corner from the Christmas Market.

LMS 'Black Five' LOCOMOTIVE
Black Fives were known as 'do-anything and go-anywhere' locomotives. The London Midland and Scottish Railway Stanier Class 5 4-6-0, commonly known as the Black Five, is a class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives. Several members of the class survived to the last day of steam on British Railways in 1968, and eighteen are preserved, with several examples still working on the mainline railway.

The first Class 5 locomotive was built for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway in 1934 to the design of Sir William Stanier. The new locomotives when built left the railway works in the standard mixed traffic black livery which soon earned them the nickname "Black Fives" for which they are still affectionately referred to today. The locomotives were capable of handling both express passenger and freight trains and were spread far and wide across the UK railway system. By the time the last Black Five was built in 1951, the class numbered 842 locomotives; one of the most numerous classes of British steam locomotives ever built.

MELTON MOWBRAY VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS FAYRE - SUNDAY 5th DECEMBER 2021

Melton Mowbray Victorian Christmas Fayre

Sunday 5th December 2021

Vintage Trains returns to Melton Mowbray for the annual Victorian Christmas Fayre, a slice of Dickensian Britain with Victorian stalls, street urchins, Santa’s Grotto, street theatre, brass bands and much more – in fact something for everyone. Passengers will have approximately five hours to explore the town before we return to Tyseley.

This tour boards at Tyseley, Coleshill Parkway and Nuneaton on its way to Melton Mowbray. Two steam locomotives will be used here with 7029 Clun Castle (page top) and 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe (pictured below) booked to provide the motive power.

In another Vintage Train’s tradition, while passengers visit the Melton Mowbray Victorian Christmas Fayre, others can take the lunchtime journey out to Corby and back which takes us twice across the famous Harringworth Viaduct with its spectacular views across the valley. Also known as the Welland Viaduct as it crosses the river of the same name, this is the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in the UK. 30 million bricks were used in its construction, the now Grade II listed structure opening in 1878. At its peak, 3500 people and 1200 horses were working on the site.

Clun Castle - 7029

The locomotive which started it all. Clun Castle is a relative newcomer having been built in 1950 by British Railways to the famous Great Western Railway Castle class design. She was modified towards the end of her career and fitted with a four row superheater and double chimney, enabling her to compete with new diesels being introduced on fast trains. And compete she did, taking the record for the shortest timed point to point journey from Plymouth to Bristol in 1964 from the previous record holder, City of Truro. This epic run by the last of her class in every day service ensured 7029’s preservation and she came to Tyseley to begin a distinguished second career in preservation. She powered the last express steam train on the GWR’s northern route to Birkenhead, the last steam train out of both Birmingham Snow Hill and Moor Street stations, so making a trilogy of lasts as she was also the last steam locomotive to run out of Paddington, hauling the last steam train on the Western Region. Not content with that, 7029 hauled the first ‘Return to Steam’ celebration run ending the infamous BR steam ban and was the first steam locomotive to return to Cornwall, a highlight of the 150th anniversary of the GWR. In 1988 she was driven part way to Tyseley by HRH The Prince of Wales in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the London & Birmingham Railway.

Earl of Mount Edgcumbe - 5043

The second member of the Castle class on the roster built in 1936 and so an authentic GWR locomotive, named after one of the Directors of the GWR. She was also fitted with the same modifications as 7029 and ran some of the Western Region’s top expresses including The Bristolian, being shedded at London’s Old Oak Common depot. When withdrawn, she was consigned to Barry scrapyard but found too good to destroy. Tyseley Locomotive Works rebuilt 5043 to exacting standards and she has run far and wide for Vintage Trains, including unfamiliar territory such as Stirling and Edinburgh in Scotland. 5043 has recorded some remarkable performances in preservation, including several non-stop runs, recreating The Bristolian, The Cheltenham Spa Express and The Inter City.  More recently, she ran on the Plymouth to Bristol route and shaved a few minutes off 7029’s own record. So now we have two record breakers in the collection. Returns to action in the second half of 2021 after a 10 year boiler overhaul.