THE SWANAGE BELLE - LONDON VICTORIA -> SWANAGE [Thursday 9th September 2021]

The Swanage Belle
  Thursday 9th September 2021

A unique experience awaits those who join this day trip by steam train to Swanage. It uses the re-opened rail link from Wareham to the ‘Heritage’ Swanage Railway, which is available only to specially chartered trains. Swanage is a superb seaside destination where the railway station is situated close to the town centre.

Steam hauled, Black 5 [44871]
London Victoria (dep 08:45) - Staines (pu) - Woking (pu) - Basingstoke (pu) - Swanage

Return under Diesel from Swanage (pu) - Southampton Central.

Then Steam hauled again from Southampton Central - Redbridge - Romsey - Andover - Basingstoke (sd) - Woking (sd) - Staines (sd) - London Victoria

Due to leave London Victoria station at around 08:45, hauled by our LMS Black 5 steam locomotive [No 44871], and cross the river Thames at Battersea and at Barnes. We pass through Feltham and stop at Staines to pick up more passengers and then re-cross the river Thames. We join the South Western Main Line at Byfleet Junction and stop at Woking to pick up further passengers. At Winchfield, we stop for our steam locomotive to take on water. Our final stop to pick up passengers is at Basingstoke. 

We leave the West of England Main Line at Worting Junction and head through Winchester and Southampton to Bournemouth. We pass through Poole, where there are spectacular views of Poole Harbour, and continue to Wareham. We leave the Weymouth Line at Worgret Junction and take the re-opened link to Norden and the Swanage Railway. There are magnificent views of Corfe Castle as we head towards Swanage along this attractive Heritage Railway. There will be more than three hours for passengers to explore the pleasant seaside resort of Swanage, with its sandy beach and Victorian pier. Durlston Castle is in Durlston Country Park & Nature Reserve from where there are stupendous views along the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Park contains Anvil Point Lighthouse, the 40-ton stone Great Globe, fascinating artefacts from London, and an amazing diversity of wildlife. The Park is one mile from the town and can be reached by bus from the railway station or by walking via public footpaths. 

Our train leaves Swanage for the return journey at around 16:55 and is diesel hauled to Southampton where our steam locomotive takes over. We then take a different route from the outward journey, via Romsey to the outskirts of Salisbury where we join the West of England Main Line at Laverstock North Junction. We travel up the main line through Andover and then stop at Basingstoke, Woking, and Staines, to set down passengers. The train is due to arrive in London Victoria soon after 23:00.

Swanage Heritage Railway

Stations located at Swanage, Herston Halt, Harmans Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden, with a connection to the National Main Line network to Wareham which hopefully will be a regular operation from 2022?

To look at it now, you would never believe that the Swanage Railway has been rebuilt from nothing since 1976 – after almost seven miles of the line was demolished in 1972. The volunteer-led heritage railway that you see today has been the work of several generations of dedicated railway and community volunteers.

Now contributing more than £15 million a year to the Isle of Purbeck economy, the Swanage Railway was demolished in just seven weeks and it took volunteers 30 years to relay it. After the line to Corfe Castle Swanage was closed and demolished in 1972, British Rail ran oil, clay and gas trains to Furzebrook – on the remaining three-mile stub of the branch line – until 2005. A signalled connection between the Swanage Railway and the national railway network near Furzebrook came into use from 2007 with the first excursion trains running from London to Corfe Castle and Swanage during 2009. The summer of 2017 saw the Swanage Railway run a 60-day trial diesel train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham. Sadly Covid brought an interruption to plans to run more regular services to Wareham itself but hopefully that will be something to look forward to in the near future.

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.

HERITAGE RAILWAYS 2021 PART FIVE - CUMBRIA AND NORTH EAST REGION

While we are continuing to see the easing of the lockdown rules during 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. Last time for part four of our series ventured 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, now for this next chapter in the series we drop back into England and view the northern area of Cumbria and Northumberland.

Weardale Railway
https://www.weardale-railway.com/about/

The line between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope was built in stages by between 1845 and 1862, British Railways passenger services survived until June 1953 and the line kept open then only for limestone traffic from the Eastgate Cement works until March 1993. The railway was then mothballed until 2004 when it was purchased by 'Weardale Railways Limited'. The heritage line runs through the picturesque Wear Valley skirting the river wear for 18 miles, starting from the beautiful small market town of Stanhope, situated within the Northern Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in County Durham, with intermediate stations at Frosterley, Wolsingham and Witton-le-Wear ending at the market town of Bishop Auckland. The railway trust is currently undertaking a project to install a new halt at Kingfisher Caravan Park with valuable assistance from staff between Frosterley and Wolsingham.

Tanfield Railway
https://www.tanfield-railway.co.uk/

The Tanfield Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway in Gateshead and County Durham, England. Running on part of a former colliery wooden waggon way, later a steam railway. It operates preserved industrial steam locomotives. The railway operates a passenger service every Sunday, plus other days, as well as occasional demonstration coal, goods and mixed trains. The line runs 3 miles (4.8 km) between a southern terminus at East Tanfield, Durham, to a northern terminus at Sunniside, Gateshead. Another station, Andrews House, is situated near the Marley Hill engine shed. A halt also serves the historic site of the Causey Arch. The railway claims to be "the world's oldest railway". The preserved line was first built from Marley Hill to the current northern terminus, Sunniside Station, with passenger trains beginning on 2 July 1981. Since 2017, the railway has become the home to a large collection of industrial steam engines, with 28 in all, though only three are operational. One is undergoing repairs and three more are under overhaul for future operation, with the other 21 around the Marley Hill site.

Operational steam locomotives

Number and name	Description		Livery	Owner(s)	Date	Photograph
Hawthorn Leslie and Company 0-4-0ST, No.2.	Built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company in 1911. Re-entered service after an overhaul in 2013.		A few different shades of green with lining	Tanfield Railway Trust	1911
0-4-0ST Sir Cecil A Cochrane	Sir Cecil A Cochrane was built by Robert Stephenson + Hawthorns in 1948 and worked a few miles from its current home. It is currently in regular use on passenger services.		RSH works livery (lined green)	Private	1948
Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST No. 1015 "Horden"	This engine was built by Andrew Barclay. The locomotive has been under restoration since August 2012 and is expected to enter service in early 2021.		N/A	Private	1904
0-6-0T Twizell	Twizell was built by Robert Stephenson and Company in 1891. Currently owned by Beamish Museum, it is currently on long term loan to the Railway.		Black, Lined in Red	Beamish Museum	1891
Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns 0-6-0ST NCB No. 49	Built by RSH in 1943. The locomotive returned to service hauling passenger trains in July.		Green with white and black lining	Private	1943

Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway
https://ravenglass-railway.co.uk/about-us/

One of the great things to do with all the family is a steam train ride from Ravenglass across seven miles into the heart of the Eskdale Valley and to the foot of Scafell Pike on one of the oldest and longest narrow gauge railways in England. The heritage steam engines transport passengers from Ravenglass, the only coastal village in the Lake District National Park to Dalegarth for Boot that is 210ft above sea level. The journey takes 40 minutes up the line from the protected nature reserve of the Ravenglass Estuary through ancient woodlands and fells of the Eskdale Valley.

South Tynedale Railway
https://www.south-tynedale-railway.org.uk/about-us/

The South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society has run and developed the railway as an incorporated society since 1983, developing the work of an unincorporated group started in 1973. The railway follows the former route of British Rail’s Haltwhistle to Alston branch line. The railway was closed in 1976 and has been partially reopened as a Narrow Gauge line operating over the original route of the former BR line. 

A voluntary society was formed to take over the entire route but its initial efforts failed. However, a reformed group successfully opened the first stage of a narrow gauge railway in 1983. Since then the railway has grown and prospered, the South Tynedale Railway heads northwards for almost 5 miles from Alston in Cumbria, past the original terminus at Gilderdale, on through Kirkhaugh and Lintley to the village of Slaggyford. Future plans exist to completely restore the line and reconnect Alston with Haltwhistle. 

Negotiations with British Railways Board (Residuary) Ltd. have secured a seven metre wide strip of land at Haltwhistle station following the line of the Alston branch and negotiations with Network Rail to secure access for South Tynedale trains to the one-time bay platform at Haltwhistle are ongoing.

Aln Valley Railway
https://www.alnvalleyrailway.co.uk/about-us/the-project

The Alnwick branch line is a partly closed railway line in Northumberland, northern England. A heritage railway operates a short section of the line, which originally ran from Alnmouth railway station, on the East Coast Main Line, to the town of Alnwick, a distance of 2+3⁄4 miles (4.4 km).

The principal objective of the Aln Valley Railway Trust is the restoration and operation of the railway between Alnmouth and Alnwick, providing an additional tourist attraction for the area and to enlarge the district's tourism offering. This project also aims to develop the railway corridor as a sustainable transport link as well as a recreational and educational resource for the local community and visitors to the area. “The Cawledge viaduct is the jewel in the crown of the Aln Valley Railway. It's both an amazing feat of Victorian engineering and a beautiful piece of architecture. Sadly, years of neglect have left it in poor condition. "This project will make sure that it's still there for people to enjoy for the next 100 years.” It is believed to be the country’s oldest, existing heritage railway viaduct. Constructed by the contractors Rush and Lawkin, work started in August 1848 and took almost two years to complete. The viaduct was designed by Robert Stephenson and is built to a similar design as the nearby Lesbury Viaduct, on the Alnmouth to Berwick main line. Due to the building of the A1 bypass which cut the original track bed on the outskirts of the town, and the construction of industrial units and a supermarket on ex-railway land, the costs of getting the line to the original station in Alnwick are almost prohibitive.

A new station has been built on a greenfield site in Lloyd's Field, adjacent to the Lionheart Enterprise Park just outside Alnwick. The new 'Lionheart Station' is aligned parallel to the A1 from where a single track line joins and follows the original track bed towards Alnmouth Station, near Hipsburn. Ultimately heritage steam and diesel locomotives will haul trains between the two locations. As an integral part of the project, a permissive cycle path runs alongside the railway line, and will link up with the National Cycle Network at Alnmouth and the A1068 road next to the A1. This provides a safe corridor for cyclists, pedestrians and riders, and has also been proposed to form the basis for an educational nature trail. The current extent of the line has reached Greenrigg Bridge Halt, and the intention is to continue southwards along the original route to reach Alnmouth and connect with the National Rail network there, a piece of land has been secured at the station making this possible with sufficient funding and goodwill. An important part of the regeneration of any Heritage Railway is that they have plans for future expansion, given they have been going less than twenty years this is an impressive piece of work.

HERITAGE RAILWAYS 2021 PART FOUR - NORTH OF THE BORDER

As we begin to see the easing of the lockdown rules during 2021 we have been looking at a few 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. Now we are reaching part four of our series we will cross over the English border once more, this time heading north into Scotland. First of all we are looking at heritage railways around the Cairngorms region between Inverness and Aberdeen, then in another chapter in this series we will look a little further down towards Glasgow and Edinburgh themselves.

Strathspey Railway
https://www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk

The Strathspey Railway (SR) in Badenoch and Strathspey, Highland, Scotland, operates a 10 miles (16 km) heritage railway from Aviemore to Broomhill, Highland via Boat of Garten, part of the former Inverness and Perth Junction Railway (later part of Highland Railway) which linked Aviemore with Forres. It is one of only a handful of primary/secondary main lines to be preserved in Britain today. The Strathspey Railway operates from platform 3 of Network Rail's Aviemore railway station. Until 1998 the railway's southern terminus was Aviemore Speyside about 300 yards further north. Aviemore Speyside is no longer in regular use, although its platform has been retained as a fall back in case of problems with access to the Network Rail station. Coaling of the steam locomotives is carried out at a facility constructed in 2014 on the site of the former Aviemore Speyside station building. Its signal box, which was formerly at Garve West and transported from there in 1986, was retained when the station itself shut. New features are gradually being brought into service at the Aviemore site controlled using traditional British Railways mechanical semaphore signalling. 

The Strathspey Railway’s long term ambition has always been to re-open its line all the way from Aviemore to Grantown-on-Spey, fulfilling the vision of those who opposed the line’s closure in the 1960s and those who backed its re-birth. The Strathspey Railway Charitable Trust was established by the railway to deliver this goal by extending the line from its present northern terminus (Broomhill) through to Grantown-on-Spey. The service is due to reopen in line with current guidance from 21st May. 

Deeside Railway
https://deeside-railway.co.uk

The Royal Deeside Railway is a standard gauge steam and diesel hauled heritage railway, in a beautiful setting running alongside the River Dee. The line is currently about one mile long and the return journey lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. The original Deeside Railway opened on 8th September 1853 and reached Ballater some 13 years later. It amalgamated with the Great North of Scotland Railway in 1876.  The line was regularly patronised by the Royal Family and other visitors to Balmoral Castle until it closed in 1966 as a result of the notorious Beeching Report. Thirty years later, the Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society was formed and the work of restoring part of the line commenced in 2003.  Although they only have about a mile of track in passenger service and are gradually extending the line along the original track bed until reaching Banchory, which will give a running line of just over two miles.

Historically speaking the Deeside Railway was a passenger and goods railway between Aberdeen and Ballater in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Opening in 1853 to Banchory, an extension reached Aboyne in 1859. A separate company, the Aboyne & Braemar Railway, built an extension to Ballater and this opened in 1866. By 1855 there were five services a day over the 43+1⁄4-mile (69.6 km) long line, taking between 1 hour 50 minutes and 2+1⁄2 hours. The line was used by the Royal Train for travel to and from Balmoral Castle from 1853 and a special 'Messenger Train' ran daily when the Royal Family was in residence. A group, called Campaign for North East Rail, was launched in April 2021 and is campaigning for the reinstatement of the Deeside Railway between Aberdeen and Banchory seeking to build on the successful reintroduction of the Borders Railway services and promote better services in the Aberdeen region.

Keith and Dufftown Railway
https://keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk

The Keith and Dufftown Railway keeps alive an eleven mile line linking the World’s Malt Whisky Capital, Dufftown, with the historic town of Keith, hence is also know as 'The Whisky Line'. The railway runs for 11 miles (18 km) from Keith Town, Keith  to Dufftown via Drummuir and Auchindachy. Dufftown is the main centre of operation of the railway where there is a booking office, waiting room and cafe called the 'Sidings Cafe', which is open March to November. There are two headshunts and a loop.

Work is being undertaken to install a new loop at Dufftown so that there can be two tracks going into the new engine shed. At Dufftown there are seven working distilleries to its name, Dufftown can argue that the title of "Malt Whisky Capital of the World" is justifiably earned! The town was founded in 1817 by the Earl of Fife to relieve unemployment and the quality of its local water sources saw it develop into a major centre for the distilling industry. Perhaps the most famous of Dufftown's exports is the Glenfiddich which is the only Highland Single Malt to be distilled, matured and bottled on one site. The distillery, which is alongside the railway at Dufftown, has, for five generations, been run by the Grant family and is open to the public throughout the summer.

Caledonian Railway
https://caledonianrailway.com

The Caledonian Railway established for over 170 years is now an entirely volunteer run, non-profit organisation that operates heritage steam and diesel hauled trains along the 4 mile branch line between the town of Brechin and the countryside stop of Bridge of Dun. The railway has been in operating as a preservation society since 1979 and is open on weekends throughout the summer.

The line has now been re-instated and preserved for 4 miles (6.4 km) between Brechin railway station and Bridge of Dun railway station and since 1993 trains have run at weekends during the summer as well as on special occasions at other times of the year. The two railway stations have also been refurbished. Although the line originally went all the way to Montrose, which is still a station on the main rail network, there are currently no immediate plans to link the Brechin line back into the main rail network, as the section at Dubton through and onto Kinnaber Junction close to Montrose itself has now been redeveloped, making it difficult for the preserved railway to be reconnected to the national network at all.  However, there is still hope of seeing the "CR Brechin" extended a further 3 1⁄2 miles (5.6 km) to Dubton, bringing it up to a total of 7 1⁄2 miles (12.1 km) in length. This is a long-term aim which would only require the re-instatement of a short length of track.

MAY 2021 RAILTOURS AS LOCKDOWN CONTINUES TO EASE?

With the calendar showing no model railway exhibitions available for May, also early June does not look too hopeful either, so we will keep our eyes on the possibility for the resumption of rail tours in the not too distant future. Looking at the calendar for May 2021 it would appear that a lot of planned events are still being cancelled or rescheduled for later. The one exception seems to be north of the border where the regular service known as The Jacobite. The seven-month season will have two trains running each day (morning and afternoon service) starting in April and continuing through October 2021. This 84 mile round trip takes in some of the breath-taking views the highlands can offer including a ride over the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct.

Steam Dreams look like they are preparing the Flying Scotsman for some regular tours beginning with a trip around the Surrey Hills from London Victoria later in May, then there's a run down towards Southampton early June departing Paddington behind the world famous Steam Locomotive as well as rides to Oxford and Salisbury and all these trips are sure to fill up fast. 

Elsewhere the HST rebranded as the Midland Pullman (pictured right) will set out on 29th May bound for Cornwall. Highlights of the journey include the twisting scenic line around the breath-taking Devon sea wall at Dawlish, views of the Dartmoor National Park, and the iconic Royal Albert Bridge spanning the River Tamar designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Early June they will set off from Bristol Temple Meads up around the Settle / Carlisle line. Expecting the return of a regular steam service now departing London Victoria to Windsor which began just before Covid originally from Waterloo, The Royal Windsor Express runs three services available every Tuesday from 1st June till 14th September and should prove to be popular again too.

As always these tours are subject to change, though hopefully it's a positive sign if we can see some opportunities to get out and about now. In our next blog we will be creating another in the series on the Uk Heritage Railway scene with a look north of the border around Scotland. Probably some of the most scenic views in the British Isles that can be seen from the comfort of a train, will begin with a look at the Cairngorms region, which also has it's funicular train to help the tourists (below), but predominantly looking at the heritage scene.

LOCKDOWN #3 2021 BEGINS TO EASE? BUT STILL NO SHOWS, EXHIBITIONS, OPEN DAYS. VERY SAD. 😷

😷Lockdown in 2021 continues as we reach early April now, still no open days, no exhibitions, no fun. Last month I had my first Covid-19 vaccine jab now expecting to receive the second one sometime soon which now makes me look ahead to ask the question 'When can we begin to plan something outside?' Yes pubs might be opening soon but that doesn't appeal to us right now! There remains a lack of entertainment to look forward to, sport might continue behind closed doors till May, and still haven't been able to visit the new stadium on Plough Lane for my football club AFC Wimbledon it's really my enjoyment of modelling, railways, steam tours which is still being denied with venues closed. 

Hillingdon Railway Modellers will continue to hold regular Zoom meetings with their members. Pleased to see they are still getting on with their superb work, as are the London Kings Cross based Model Railway Club who also are holding zoom meetings and lectures with guest speakers. 

https://www.themodelrailwayclub.org/events/mrc-zoom-club-meeting/

Rail-Tours 
The calendar shows every tour cancelled throughout April which is sad but not surprising, will be keeping an eye on May and June which are yet to be updated, me thinks that June will be the earliest, even the regular trips on the Jacobite service between Fort William and Mallaig are off though Scotland have a slightly different road map to reopening events than England. 

Heritage Railway Services
Looks like they are beginning to open up slowly, plenty of Covid restrictions in place and advance bookings essential. 

Many Heritage Railways will be making announcements on Monday 29th March, already the The Bluebell Railway have announced some changes to feature events as follows;

  – The Model Railway Weekend has been moved from June to July – it is now scheduled to take place on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 July.
  – The first Bluebell Railway Beer Festival is due to take place in September (date to be announced).
  – Giants of Steam will be Friday 8 – Sunday 10 October rather than in September with visiting locomotives to be confirmed nearer the time.
  – The Diesel Gala which had been scheduled for July has been postponed until 2022 to allow more time for preparation.
  – The Diamond Anniversary steering group is engaged in planning the ’60+ 1′ celebrations scheduled for Friday 6 – Sunday 8 August.

While the Swanage Railway are beginning a service from April 12 which will run a steam service from Swanage to Nordon only, with Covid social distancing rules in place you can at least turn up and ride but advance booking is still preferable. Personally I'm not travelling that far yet having been shielding for so long, but would want to have a trip down when the service from Wareham is established.

Model Railway Societies / Clubs

A few societies are using social media and you tube to try and deliver something to a waiting audience here are a couple of on line 'shows' coming up soon. I've been viewing some of the bigger shows from previous years on You Tube such as Warley, Rail Wells, and this from Weston Super Mare watch the coal tipper from about 3 mins in that's some modelling skill. 

Sadly as I look at the listings for April and May everything remains 'Cancelled' with one or two virtual shows being put up in their place. Seems this might not change till after June/July time, hopefully the summer can bring about some much needed change.

The National Garden Railway show will take place on Saturday 26th June 2021. Let's hope that outdoor events can go ahead and this one could be fun.

HERITAGE RAILWAYS 2021 PART THREE - GREAT LITTLE TRAINS OF WALES

As we continue with the latest lockdown during 2021 having another look ahead to better times when hopefully we can visit some more of our Heritage Railways. 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. 

In part three we head over the border into Wales, some of my favourite childhood memories of the many steam trains here and visits with my father. Summer holidays to Llandudno and Aberystwyth were not complete with the obligatory day out on the 'Great little trains of Wales'. I sadly haven't been to visit these for some time, and hopefully will be able to start rectifying that sometime this year.

Vale of Rheidol Railway
https://www.rheidolrailway.co.uk/

Former Great Western Railway line and run under British Railways from 1948 until privatisation in 1989, it's now a heritage line owned as a charitable trust with the original GWR loco's restored to their Green and Gold livery. The 11.75 mile journey takes approximately one hour in each direction. Listen to the sound of a powerful narrow-gauge steam locomotive working to climb up 700ft (200m) from Aberystwyth to Devil's Bridge

The Vale of Rheidol Railway re-creates the Edwardian spirit of adventure. Since opening in 1902, millions have enjoyed the scenic trip through the ancient woodlands to Devil’s Bridge, home of the famous waterfalls, nestled in the magnificent Cambrian Mountains. The railway is charming, a masterpiece of engineering opened to carry lead ore, timber and passenger traffic. The narrow-track gauge allows the railway to follow the contours of the terrain with many sharp curves and steep gradients. Trains normally wait for one hour at Devil's Bridge station before returning to Aberystwyth. You can also alight at one of the recently restored intermediate stations and explore the many walks the valley has to offer. The vintage steam engines and carriages were built for the line by the Great Western Railway in the 1920s / 30s, now restored, they are still operating on the trains today.

Talyllyn Railway
2021 Celebrating their 70th Anniversary.
https://www.talyllyn.co.uk/

Enjoy the stunning scenery of Southern Snowdonia, stepping back in time to enjoy the 14.5-mile round trip, which has been running along the same route since 1865 it's also the world's first preserved steam railway and would be looking to celebrate their 70th Anniversary in 2021. 

In 1951 the railway was taken over by the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society, the first such in the world, and it is the volunteer members of the Society together with a small dedicated full-time workforce who run the Railway today. 

Two original Victorian steam locomotives and four passenger coaches are still in regular use, together with others which have been built or acquired over the years. The original Victorian train which opened the line runs on selected Thursdays, and this trip includes a personal tour guide. The stations are at Tywyn Wharf (connecting to the Cambrian Coast Line), Pendre, Rhydyronen, Brynglas, Dolgoch Falls, Abergynolwyn and Nant Gwernol.

UNESCO World Heritage Site Bid: Llechi Cymru Welsh Slate

The Talyllyn Railway, Bryneglwys quarry and Abergynolwyn village are an important part of this bid which has been through a lengthy submission process and is the UKs preferred application in 2019, the decision should be known sometime in 2021 from UNESCO. Good luck / Pob lwc. 

Ffestinogg Railway
https://www.festrail.co.uk/about/

The Ffestiniog Railway (above) is the oldest independent railway company in the World today, built to serve the slate industry of Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1832, now with the rebuilding of the pre-war Welsh Highland Railway complete, and a new £1.25 million two-platform layout at Harbour Station at Porthmadog (complete with a substantial semaphore signalling installation), it is now possible to connect with Caernarfon-bound trains and experience 40 unbroken miles of spectacular narrow-gauge steam. While the railway has a huge history with regards to the modern tourist railway we have now we have to bring us up to the 1990s, when the FR became involved with the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) again with a plan to start at Caernarfon, rebuilding back to Porthmadog and connecting with the Ffestiniog to create a 40 mile railway – a new “Great Railway Journey”. Following the closure of the Beyer-Peacock works, the FR saved the pioneer Garratt locomotive ‘K1’, which had spent its early life in Tasmania. The locomotive became an exhibit at the National Railway Museum after plans to convert it to fit the FR loading gauge were dropped, so as not to affect the heritage outline of this historically important locomotive.

In 2003 the line was reopened as far as Rhyd Ddu and tracklaying was completed through to Porthmadog in early 2008, with the volunteer track gangs building a new railway the same length as the Ffestiniog in just three years. During the space of just one week, the tracklayers built a mile of railway! Public services started to Beddgelert, then Hafod y Llyn in 2009 and Pont Croesor in 2010. The final link to the FR opened in April 2011, finally enabling through services to operate between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Caernarfon. This is a MUST visit for me when it's possible to holiday again as it would required a week away to fully explore this location and the Snowdon mountains too.

Bala Lake Railway
https://bala-lake-railway.co.uk/

The Bala Lake Railway is a 4½-mile narrow gauge railway, established over 40 years ago on a former Great Western Railway track bed. The visitors are almost all entirely tourists and it is one of the thirteen narrow gauge railways of Wales. Deep in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park from its start point at Llanuwchllyn, the line runs parallel to Bala Lake and descends to almost lake level offering the visitor spectacular views of the lake itself and the lush surrounding pasture and woodlands that leads the eye to the stunning vista of mountains Arenig Fawr, Aran Benllyn and Aran Fawddwy. Picnic sites at Llangower provide the perfect spot for a break in the journey on a summer's day for a picnic on the foreshore.

The line currently terminates at Pen y Bont, a remote terminus some 1,200m from the town itself. With limited parking, a poor visible profile and no amenities, passengers rarely venture into Bala Town and visitors to Bala Town are largely unaware of the railway's existence. 

The Red Dragon Project, under the auspices of the Bala Lake Railway Trust, has been established to build a £3.5 million extension into the town of Bala and fulfil the potential of one of Wales' most scenically beautiful railways.