Jan Ford's World

Review of the Year - 2011

2012-01-20T10:20:00.005Z

I'm pleased to be able to say that 2011 was another good year for me and I'll mention some of the highlights below. I'm still working at Ford Electronics where most of our projects are railway-related but, for commercial reasons, I don't normally put much in the blog about this important area of my life. The year wasn't all good, of course, but let's emphasise the good bits. I've divided the review into 'OVERSEAS TRAVEL', 'RAILWAYS' and 'BREWOOD HALL'.

OVERSEAS TRAVEL

There were three overseas trips in the year, all very enjoyable and instructive.

Saint Helena and Ascension

I was determined to visit the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic before they build the long-threatened airport, which will surely transform island life for ever. The picture shows Jamestown, St. Helena, viewed from the sea. After a few days on the fascinating island, I then sailed on to Ascension Island where there is an airport but the only flights are RAF Transport Command! This trip exceeded my expectations and you can find the various posts on the trip here.

Russia

On the second trip, I flew to Moscow and joined one of the many river ships which cruise between Moscow and Saint Petersburg on a combination rivers and canals. There were some fascinating contrasts as we moved between cities, towns and villages. The picture shows the improbable-looking, wood-constructed Transubstantiation Cathedral on Kizhi Island.My reports are here.

Burma

For my last overseas trip in 2011, I returned to the river cruise ship 'Road to Mandalay' in Burma. I re-visited two schools, visited three schools for the first time and visited two boys' and one girls' orphanage. At each place, I helped in the distribution of charitable support provided through 'Road to Manadalay' by the ship's passengers. I also participated in the official opening of a new Medical Clinic in Bagan built, staffed and supported by the 'Road to Mandalay' and its passengers. The picture shows a group of brick pagodas in Bagan. My reports on the trip are here.

RAILWAYS

During the year, I continued driving at Peak Rail, the Battlefield Line and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester on a regular basis. I'm still secretary of the Old Locomotive Committee (LION's supporters club). I'm also involved with an informal Historical Group researching railways in the West Midlands. In March 2011, the Historical Group held another Slideshow and Meeting at Brewood. For the rest of the year, communication was mainly by a (sometimes frantic) exchange of e-mails. In connection with that research, there are a number of articles in the blog about Traffic Movements and signal boxes in the '60s. I've also put rough sketches of a number of track diagrams in the blog (before I lose them again).

Old Locomotive Committee

The A.G.M. in May 2011 gave members a last chance to view 'Lion' before her transfer to the new Museum of Liverpool (see below).

Agecroft No. 1

In June 2011, I had my first opportunity to drive newly-restored Agecroft No. 1. She's proved a popular and reliable performer and made many new friends on her visit to the Tanfield Railway.

Day out with Thomas

At the Battlefield Line Day out with Thomas, I shared the driving on 'Thomas' with Eddie on the 25th June 2011 and returned the following day to drive 'Daisy', the 2-car DMU.

Matlock Station Re-opening

The first Peak Rail trains into the former down platform at Matlock station ran on Friday 1st July 2011, reserved for invited guests and Peak Rail shareholders. The first revenue trains were on Saturday 2nd July 2011, when I drove 68103 as part of the Matlock Station Festival Reopening.

Lion Shoot

On 6th July 2011, John Hawley and I took part in the Lion Shoot, where Centre Screen filmed interviews to be incorporated in the Audio-Visual interpretation of 'Lion' in the Museum of Liverpool (see below).

Lionsmeet

Lionsmeet 2011 was held at Chelmsford on 30th July 2011. After a good contest, the Mike Parrot Memorial Cup was won by Jon Swindlehurst.

Summer Saturday at Shackerstone

On 27th August 2011, I had my first turn on the Great Western 2-8-0 currently at the Battlefield Line. More details here.

Thomas visits MOSI

Thomas made his second visit to the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester in September and I was driver on 1st September 2011. More details here.

Thomas visits the Battlefield Line

'Thomas' was back at the Battlefield Line in October for two weekends. On the 9th October 2011, I was driving 'Daisy' the DMU and on the 16th October I was in charge of 'Thomas'. More details here.

Royal Opening of the Museum of Liverpool

I was present at the Official Opening of the Museum of Liverpool by Her Majesty the Queen on 1st December 2011. There's a report here.

Peak Rail Santa Specials

Peak Rail had another well-patronised 'Santa' season. I was the driver on 10th December 2011 on visiting locomotive 'Sapper'. My report is here.

Battlefield Line Santa Specials

The Battlefield Line Santa Specials were handled by popular visitor '3803'. I was the driver on 17th December and had a great time.

MOSI Christmas Trains

Agecroft No. 1 handled the MOSI Christmas Trains and I was driver on 29th December. The weather was pretty bad but we still had lots of passengers (the photograph above was taken earlier in the year).

The 'Mince Pie Flyer'

On New Year's Eve, I drove the recently-outshopped single-unit DMU ('Bubble Car') on the Mince Pie Flyer at the Battlefield Line. The weather was pretty good and plenty of passengers turned up. An enjoyable end to the year!

BREWOOD HALL

No major works in 2011, just ongoing maintenance. Various visits from friends and family, plus three Group Visits outlined below.

Wulfrun College Retired Staff Association

On 23rd February the Wulfrun College Retired Staff Association visited Brewood Hall. There's a very brief report here.

'History Walks'

A party of 41 from History Walks toured Brewood Hall on 8th May.

National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies

NADFAS visited on 13th October and there's a report here.

EARLIER REVIEWS

2010
2009
2008
2007
2006

Peak Rail in Winter

2012-01-18T09:12:00.008Z

'Sapper' in the frost: Up train approaching Darley Dale. Click above for complete image.(Photo: Sheila Rayson)

Peak Rail tries to operate a passenger service all the year round but in winter it's restricted to Sundays. I was rostered as Driver on Sunday 15th January 2012, with Dave as Fireman. As I walked across the yard at Rowsley to the outside pit at the shed, I noticed that our train had been reduced to 5 coaches (we'd run with 7 on the Santa Specials). This wasn't surprising - the Santa trains usually run at peak loading (no pun intended) but the shorter train should be adequate to meet the demand on a cold January Sunday. As far as I knew, we were top-and-tail to Matlock (Town), as all the services have been since we re-opened Matlock Station, apart from the Santa Specials. I also wasn't surprised that there was no big diesel attached to the north end of the stock yet - the first passenger departure was not until 11:15. But I was surprised that the tank wagon parked opposite the south end of the stock used to replenish the locomotive water had been removed as this would make watering during the day harder.

Dave had signed on at 04:00 to 'light-up' so, by the time I arrived a little before 07:00, matters were well in hand and Austerity tank locomotive 'Sapper' was radiating warmth (although there were still four-inch icicles hanging from the underframe). It was still dark and the thermometer was down to minus five Celsius as I started oiling round. I'd no time to feel sorry for myself as we were due 'off shed' at 08:15, light engine to Darley Dale to pick up our candidate for a two-hour driving experience course. I've described the preparation of this class of engine here.

We were ready on time and, in possession of the single line staff for the Rowsley-Church Lane section, attempted to move away. Something was frozen but, after a slight pause, things freed themselves and we moved off. The hand points we had to change were stiff with frost and the ground frame which let us onto the running line was heavy to operate. We gently ran down to Church Lane Crossing where Rob let us through the gates and we surrendered the staff. I commented to Rob about the missing water tank to be told there was no diesel that day. "So we're on our own?" I exclaimed as the consequences sank in. If we were on our own, it would be like the 'old days' when we ran round the train each end and did all the work ourselves. Our destination would be Matlock (Riverside), where there are run-round facilities, rather than Matlock (Town). But, at least, we'd be able to water at the grey tank wagon at Rowsley as we ran round (provided it wasn't frozen!). Dave and I looked at one another - normally we'd both relish the extra work, but we'd turned up expecting a fairly easy shift and that had now changed. Oh well, "Embrace the Unexpected" is one of my sayings.

We continued to Darley Dale Up Platform and met up with our trainee driver, just as the Station Staff were arriving. By this time, Rob had driven by road from Church Lane to Darley Dale so that he could let us through the Darley Dale Level Crossing. Once introductions were made and our trainee was on board, Rob let us over the Crossing and gave us the single line staff for the Darley Dale-Matlock section. Our trainee was a good driver, although he'd never driven a steam locomotive before, so we had a pleasant but rather cold couple of hours pottering between Darley Dale and Matlock Riverside. I've described the format of the Peak Rail driving experience courses here.

With the current timetable, driver training is 08:45 to 10:45 then we're booked light engine back to Rowsley, ready for the first passenger train at 11:15. We said goodbye to our trainee in the Down platform at Darley Dale and Jackie called across that we'd be taking a film crew from Darley Dale on our first Up train. We hadn't time to find out more as we needed to water at Rowsley before 'tie-ing on' to our train. With the passenger coaches stabled in the platform at Rowsley, we had to go around the loop to get to the grey water tank (which, to our relief, was not frozen), take water and then return via the loop to get to the south end of our train. By the time we'd done this, we'd only a few minutes to start steam heating the coaches before the first passengers boarded - not long enough. I've talked about 'hooking on' to a train and steam heating in On the Footplate Part 2. Because of the heavy frost, I also wanted to be sure I'd done a 'functional' brake test on the vacuum brakes, checking that brakes could be applied along the train by the driver. If brake cylinders become frozen in the released position, the driver may discover he has a lot less braking effort than he expected! There's more about the vacuum brake in Section 4 of the article Brakes. A proper test involves a lot of walking up and down alongside the train, first checking that the brakes can be applied and then checking that they can be released.

I didn't make a note of our departure time by the time the station staff were ready to send us out. We were late and, I knew, destined to become later when we picked up the film crew. We had a gentle run down to Church Lane where we were checked by the signal whilst the signalman manually pushed the gates across. During the day, we were checked or even stopped each time we passed Church Lane. On one Up train, we were called on by a yellow flag so we approached the facing motor points very cautiously, to ensure they were correctly fitting-up, before we moved across them.

We arrived at Darley Dale and were introduced to James Lewis, an auctioneer and valuer well-known for his appearances on various television antiques programmes. He was already dressed in a boiler suit and was to travel with us on the footplate to Matlock and back with his cameraman. James proved to be good company and he was very enthusiastic about accompanying us. The footplate on an 'Austerity' tank is not that large so, with Driver, Fireman, Cameraman (porting a large, professional camera) and James aboard, I remember at one point saying "One of us is going to have to go on a diet!". Eventually, they had recorded the shots they wanted (and the third member of the film crew, the Director, had taken a footplate ride) so we said goodbye to our visitors.

James Lewis saying goodbye after his footplate experience. (Photo: Sheila Rayson)

Now about twenty minutes late, we carried on with the timetable. With the various temporary speed restrictions, there's not much scope for catching up lost time 'on the road'. It has to be done by smart running round or watering, leaving little opportunity for getting food or drink. At about 13:30, Dave was relieved by Phil as fireman. As the heading picture shows, the scenery looked very attractive with the heavy frost but, boy, was it cold. We normally try to avoid black smoke but, on an afternoon Up departure from Darley Dale, Sheila asked for a bit of an effort and you can judge the result (below) for yourself. In warm weather, of course, steam can remain invisible but cold air condenses steam to water vapour, giving quite impressive results.

'Sapper' takes an Up train out of Darly Dale. (Photo: Sheila Rayson)

For the last round trip from Rowsley, we lit the locomotive lamps. There's an article on lamps here. By the time we arrived back, it was quite dark but we were on time. We 'hooked off' and made our way back to the shed's outside pit, about nine hours after I left it that morning. The method of disposal currently in use at Peak Rail is a little different from that described in the article Disposal, but the principles and the hazards are the same. I partially filled the boiler but left '100 pounds' (100 pounds per square inch) on the 'clock' so as to be able to make the final movement into the shed with an effective steam brake. By closing right up to the diesel shunter in the shed, we were 'inside, clear' and Phil was able to close the roller shutter door whilst I finished filling the boiler. As Phil and I had a wash (it's difficult to keep clean on a steam locomotive but I have worked with people who manage it) we agreed that we were both fairly exhausted but had had a good time.

There are detail pictures of 'Sapper' here.

A number of articles about working on locomotives are linked above. You can find all of them here.

The Titfield Thunderbolt

2012-01-13T12:02:00.012Z

The well-known poster for the film by Edward Bawden.

All of the 'Ealing Comedies' series of films are well-known and well-loved. But 'The Titfield Thunderbolt', released in colour in 1953, is surely one of the most affectionately remembered. This is partly because of the use of a genuinely old locomotive called 'Lion' which, for the benefit of the film, was renamed 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' and turned out in a fairly striking livery.

In the 1950s, I think I saw the film four times in the cinema so, even at that tender age, perhaps my later association with railway preservation could have been predicted. In fact, it was not until I was in my mid-40s that I actually got involved in preservation, first becoming a member of 'Lion's' Supporters Club, the Old Locomotive Committee (OLCO) and later becoming involved with a number of railways and preservation initiatives.

The film's gentle, but witty, screenplay from T.E.B. Clarke was supposedly inspired by volunteers having taken over the running of the Talyllyn Railway which, in 1951, became "The World's First Preserved Railway".

My favourite dialogue from the film comes when the Vicar declares that they must not allow the Titfield line to be closed and the Town Clerk replies that they closed the historic Canterbury and Whitstable line. With full ecclesiastical gravity, the Vicar retorts:-
"Perhaps there were not men of sufficient faith in Canterbury".

There's more about the film in an article on Wikipedia.

From time-to-time the film is still repeated on television and I'm glad to report that it's still available on DVD.

The film screenplay was adapted as a stage play by Philip Goulding and in 2005 a professional stage production of 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' toured theatres in Horncastle, Coventry, Windsor and Eastbourne. It was great fun but nothing like the film, of course. I saw the production in Coventry with the Old Locomotive Committee (OLCO) President and his wife and my review (below) first appeared in the OLCO newsletter 'Lionsheart'.

THEATRE REVIEW
by our occasional drama critic, Jan Ford
No, there's not been much call for a drama critic in OLCO. But when 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' is adapted for the theatre, we had to check it out.
How can you adapt one of the best of the Ealing Comedy Films for the stage? Well, the 'Telegraph' drama critic Charles Spencer, having seen the production at Hornchurch, commented "You can't, but you can have a lot of fun in trying". His review encouraged me to see the staging in Coventry.
It's a strange mixture of the familiar and the new. Chunks of dialogue taken straight from the screenplay, interspersed with all sorts of plotlines not in the original, yet all done with such apparent affection that it remains true to the spirit of the original.
The original John Gregson role, Squire Chesterford, is transformed into Lady Edna Chesterford, played in "jolly hockeysticks" mode by Kate O'Mara. The Reverend Weech becomes much younger, as played by Steven Pinder and the Union Representative at the Enquiry, Mr. Coggett becomes Miss Coggett. A number of these changes are predicated by the multiple roles adopted by the actors – five actors cope with fourteen roles, involving some amusing on-stage quick-changes. The sheer gusto and good nature of the cast soon dispels any thoughts of wobbly sets or improbable plotting.
The short season (Hornchurch, Coventry, Windsor and Eastbourne) is now finished but, if there is another season, and I certainly hope that there will be, I strongly recommend that you check it out for yourselves.

The cover of the Programme for the 2005 production in Coventry of 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' starring Kate O'Mara and Steven Pinder.

I believe the stage play has since become a popular choice with dramatic societies. At the time of writing, I've just learnt that Southport Dramatic Club have a production running from 27th January 2012 to 4th February 2012 and I'm delighted to copy their playbill below:-

There are a number of articles in my blog about the locomotive that starred as 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' and the locomotive's "Supporters' Club", OLCO. You can find them here.

Driving 'Lion'

2012-01-13T07:57:00.007Z

'Lion' (minus its tender) being prepared for display in the Museum of Liverpool. The whistle is visible at the top, with its steam cock handle. The regulator handle is at 10 o'clock - the fully open position. The reverser can just be seen on the right of the firebox.

It's over twenty years since 'Lion' steamed but, before that, I had a few opportunities to actually drive 'Lion'. A correspondent asked whether driving 'Lion' was very different from driving 'Modern' locomotives. The answer is "not very". The basic principles of the steam locomotive haven't changed a great deal since the early days but, clearly, all sorts of refinements have been attempted (with varying degrees of success) over the years.

To move a steam locomotive, the driver has to decide which way he wants to move, forwards or backwards, and set the reverser (a lever in 'Lion') accordingly. The driver has to ensure that the hand brake is released (the hand brake will become important when it's time to stop). The driver will then open a steam valve to allow steam to flow from the boiler to the cylinders (there are at least two cylinders, as in 'Lion', but sometimes more) to make it go.

The steam is used to push a piston from end to end of a steam-tight cylinder. The piston is attached to a piston rod which sticks out of one end of the cyclinder and it's the reciprocating motion of the piston rod which extracts useful work. Usually, that reciprocating motion is converted to rotary motion of the driving axle by connecting rods pulling and pushing either a cranked axle (as in 'Lion') or outside cranks (if the cylinders are outside the frames). The driving axle may share its turning torque with one or more other axles via horizontal Coupling Rods. 'Lion' has two coupled axles, coupled via 'Flycranks' mounted outside the outside framing and coupling rods, giving the locomotive an antique, attractive appearance which is quite hypnotic when the engine's moving.

The clever stuff is performed by various bits of moving 'old iron', collectively called the 'Valve Motion' (or 'Valve Gear'), which automatically move a Steam Valve to cut off steam to one end of the cylinder when the piston completes its travel and admit steam to the other end of the cylinder to push the piston back again. Setting the reverser alters the geometry of the Valve Motion to determine which end of the cylinder first receives steam and hence which way the engine moves. There are lots of pictures of 'Lion' and this 'old iron' here.

'Lion' is fitted with an early form of valve motion called 'Gab' which only allows the driver to select direction. Other forms of valve gear (such as the Link Motion) allow the driver to cut off steam earlier in the piston's travel for better efficiency. For instance, the '1400' tank engine shown in 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' has Link Motion controlled not from a reversing lever but from a reversing screw.

The steam whistle gives character to an engine. It's usually sounded before starting as a warning to people in the vicinity but may also be used just to express exuberance. 'Lion' has a single whistle operated by a rotary steam cock. The handle is 'parked' at 6 o'clock - moving it left or right sounds the whistle. I could manage the 'cock-a-doodle-doo' whistle commonly used on railways (called a 'crow') but "On Ikla Moor Baht 'at" requires a two-tone whistle such as provided on Great Western engines (like the '1400' mentioned above).

'Lion' has a lever (or 'pole') reverser standing waist high on the right hand side of the footplate because (in common with most early locomotives) 'Lion' is right hand drive. The Great Western stuck with right hand drive to the very end (the '1400' is right hand drive) but, because railways 'drive on the left' in England, most railways changed to left hand drive to give the driver better visibility of signals which are usually mounted on the left. There's one peculiarity on 'Lion'. Lever reversers normally stand upright when the engine is not moving (this is called 'Mid Gear') and are pushed forwards to go forwards ('Fore Gear') and pulled backwards to go backwards ('Back Gear'). All very intuitive. But, on 'Lion', you pull the reverser back to go forwards and push it forward to go backwards. This was a peculiarity of the partnership who built 'Lion' (Todd, Kitson and Laird) and continued by their successors (Kitson and Company) for a while. Whereas most lever reversers are latched in the selected position by a trigger handle a bit like an old motor car parking brake, LION's reverser has a 'T' handle where the right hand handle hinges to release or apply the latch.

The steam valve that allows the engine move is called the 'Regulator' (sometimes the 'Throttle'). It's a proportionate valve - the more you move it, the more steam flows to the cylinders. The valve itself is within the boiler (where the steam is), operated by rotating the regulator rod. The regulator on most engines (including 'Lion') is operated from a fairly long handle attached to the end of the regulator rod on the footplate to give the driver sufficient leverage to be able to adjust the valve against the pressure of steam inside the boiler. The driver moves this handle in an arc. In 'Lion', it's fully closed at about 2 o'clock and fully open at about 10 o'clock. Different classes of engine have different detailed regulator design and sweep through different arcs. For instance, most Great Western Engines move from 5 o'clock to 1 o'clock. The marvellous Great Eastern '1500' moves from 4 o'clock to 8 o'clock ('underarm'). Left hand drive engines have mirror-image regulator movements. Many L.N.E.R. engines and British Rail Standards have 'Pull-out' regulator handles moving fore-and-aft, where the handle is pulled towards the driver to open it. There's a little more about regulators (including LION'S regulator) here.

Once the train has been accelerated to the desired speed, it's usually possible to partially close the regulator and run under 'easy steam' or fully close the regulator and 'drift'. The regulator is always closed before attempting to brake.

I talk a bit about braking here. In the early days of steam locomotives, effort was concentrated on making machines powerful enough to pull a useful load and braking technology was rather neglected. The 'Lion' has no 'power brake' (usually steam-operated on later designs). There is merely a hand brake operating on the four tender wheels. Since the brake blocks of the period were wooden, this was more of a parking brake - any attempt at 'serious' braking was likely to set fire to the brake blocks!

When I worked on 'Lion' we were giving fairly short demonstration rides so braking wasn't too demanding. Having closed the regulator, we used the traditional technique developed on early railways called 'Counter-pressure braking'. That's the posh term for "shove it into opposite gear and hope it slows down". With steam cut off, selecting opposite gear causes the cylinders to act as air compressors, absorbing energy of motion and slowing the train. We'd usually combine this with judicious use of the tender hand brake to stop in exactly the right place. It's possible to enhance the counter-pressure effect by admitting a little steam - not too much or the wheels will simply spin in the wrong direction and the train will slide.

'Lion' on display at the Museum of Science & Industry in Manchester whilst the new Museum of Liverpool was under construction.

The Museum of Liverpool regard 'Lion' as one of their major exhibits and the locomotive now has pride of place in the Great Port Gallery of the new museum. 'Lion's' starring role in 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' is not forgotten and the Audio-Visual presentations interpreting the locomotive include a number of clips from the film. There's a report on 'Lion' in her new home here.

Since 1984, 'Lion' has her own supporters' club called the Old Locomotive Committee (OLCO) which forms a repository of knowledge about the history of the locomotive. 'Lionsmeet' is an annual meeting of live-steam working models of 'Lion' organised by OLCO. OLCO also has its own website here.

I've written a number of articles about 'Lion' and OLCO which you can find here.

If your interest is broader than just 'Lion', there's also a series of articles describing working on preserved railways and driving various steam locomotives. Most of these articles can be found here.

Railway Signalling: Tipton (Part 2)

2012-01-10T10:29:00.002Z

In the post Railway Signalling: Tipton I first wrote about my visits to this box.

There are track and signalling diagrams of the Stour Valley line in the 1950s in the excellent series of publications from the Signalling Record Society 'British Railways Layout Plans of the 1950's' taken from the John Swift Collection. The West Midland lines are included in 'Volume 11: LNW Lines in the West Midlands' (ISBN: 1 873228 13 9).

For details of what remained of this route in 2005, refer to 'Railway Track Diagrams' Book 4: Midlands & North West', Second Edition, published by Trackmaps (ISBN: 0-9549866-0-1). The First Edition of this book was published by Quail in 1988.

Below are some more of my recollections.

1. Tipton Station Signal Box Diagram

The best way to orient yourself in any signal box is to study the box diagram. The diagram below (from my earlier post) is rather simplified, omitting important information such as gradients (see 2 below), distances to distant signals (see 3 below), lists of spare levers and any special levers such as the level crossing gate lock (see 5 below) and details of any Block Control (see 6 below).

The diagram displayed in the box was large enough to be readily visible and hand tinted so that, for instance, stop signal arms were tinted red and distant signal arms yellow. The diagram was mounted, behind glass, in a substantial wooden frame and suspended from the roof above the block shelf. There's a simplified sketch of the block shelf showing the diagram hanging from the roof above the block instruments:-

Of course, the 'regular' signalmen would rarely give the diagram a glance since they became very familiar with every aspect of the layout. 'Relief' signalmen, who might only intermittently work the box, were more likely to look at the diagram but they often preferred to consult the 'Pull Plates', the 'badges' fixed to the front of each lever showing what other levers were first required to release a lever. But, for other visitors, the diagram was an invaluable source of information.

2. Gradient Diagrams

It's important that the signalman has a clear idea of prevailing gradients. If a train becomes divided, particularly a 'loose coupled' freight without continuous brakes, it's important that the signalman understands what may happen to any vehicles running away. Gradient profile information is included on each signal box diagram, from where this information was taken. Main and Branch lines are common between the box and the actual junction - I don't know why the two gradient diagrams show different profiles.

A sketch of the main line profile is given below.

A sketch of the branch line profile is given below, extending to Wednesbury and showing the long-gone King Street Crossing on the Tipton side of Princes End.

3. Distances to Distant Signals

Down: 759 yards and 350 yards from Home.
Up Main 35B: 876 yards from Home.
Tipton Curve: 623 yards from Home.

4. The Lever Frame and Interlocking

Tipton Station box was fitted with the a 36-lever frame. It was the earlier pattern of Webb lever frame - the L & NWR 5.5 inch centres Tumbler Interlocking Frame. For more information about L & NWR signal boxes and the fitted at Tipton Station, refer to the excellent book 'A Pictorial Record of L.N.W.R. Signalling' by Richard D. Foster, published by Oxford Publishing Company in 1982 (SBN: 86093 147 1).

I've always preferred the 'loop' catch handle used by Webb. In the 'Tumbler' design, the catch handles were not interlocked, it was the movement of the lever which moved the Hook Rack associated with the lever within the vertical Guide Rack. Actuators ('L' shaped bell cranks) transferred this movement to U-section Locking Bars moving horizontally in a Guide Rack. Full or Half Locks were attached to each Locking Bar to allow or prevent movement of the Hook Racks attached to other levers as required by the desired interlocks. The whole Locking Rack was held together by a series of vertical Backbones which held the Locking Bars and Hook Racks in position.

5. Spare and Special Levers

The box diagram listed the following Spare Levers:-
1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 36.

Because of the level crossing gates, there were also two brown-painted special levers. Lever 31 was the Gate Lock and Lever 32 the Gate Stops. There were no pedestrian wicket gates - a subway was provided used by both passengers to get between the Up and Down platforms and pedestrians using the public road.

Finally, there was a Ground Frame released from an Annett's Key, described in section 9 below.

6. Track Circuits and Block Control

There was one track circuit - a short 'Berth' track approaching the Up Home. The track circuit was numbered TC10013, dating from a period when track circuits were quite rare and track circuits from a large area shared a common numbering scheme. Later, as track circuits proliferated, each signal box had its own number series, starting with 'T1'. The box diagram recorded that 'TC10013 controls the Up Block Instruments. With Lever 34 (the Up Home) Normal operates the Annunciator (a buzzer reminding the signalman that a train is approaching a 'Stop' signal at 'Danger'). Line Clear Up Main requires Lever 34 Normal.'

7. The 'Fobbing Bar'

Lever 18 was painted Blue and operated a Locking or Clearance Bar. However, it was not associated with a set of facing points but was situated on the track from the Down Main to Tipton Curve Junction. This line became rising once clear of the junction with the Stour Valley and spring-operated Catch Points were provided to prevent runaway vehicles running back and obstructing either the Up Main or Down Main.

Like a normal facing point Locking Bar, the Locking Bar operated from Lever 18 usually lay below the level of the wheel flanges but was raised via point rodding from the signal box. If a train was standing or passing over the locking bar when the signalman attempted to raise it, the wheel flanges would interfere with the raising of the Locking Bar and prevent the lever movement from being completed.

Before the signalman could clear the Down Main or Up Main signals, lever 18 had to be operated both ways - this was called "Fobbing Up". If successful, the signals were released. If you'd 'pulled off' the signals in one direction, you could also clear the signals the other way without "Fobbing Up" again.

Exactly what disaster scenario this special locking was installed to prevent, I'm not quite sure. The most puzzling aspect of the interlocking was that you could "Fob Up" at any time, not just immediately before clearing the main line signals. The universal practice after a train passed on the main lines was to restore the signals to danger, wind the gates open to road traffic and immediately "Fob Up" ready for the next train, even if that train was not expected for some time. I never heard of this curious arrangement being used elsewhere, but I'd be delighted to hear from anybody with more information.

8. Short Section Working

Under normal Absolute Block Regulations, a signalman had to have the line clear for 440 yards (1/4 of a mile) beyond his first Home Signal before accepting a train from the box in the rear. This 'Clearance' was a safety margin so that, if the driver of the approaching train 'missed' the Distant and only saw the 'Red' Home Signal when he was on top of it, he'd still got at least 1/4 of a mile to make an Emergency Stop before reaching an obstruction. At Tipton, the Up Main Home was only about 350 yards before the Starting signal, so the 1/4 of a mile extended into the section of the next signal box, Watery Lane Crossing. Tipton was not allowed to accept an Up train while the Watery Lane block stood at 'Train on Line'. Similarly, Watery Lane could not accept a Down train while the Tipton block stood at 'Train on Line'.

There were old 'Face Discs' in Tipton Station box but they had been out of use for some time. What did remain was a mechanically-operated indicator for the Watery Lane Up Distant weight bar. It was in the form of a cast box fixed to the wall behind the frame with a vertical slide operated from beneath the floor. Tipton was not allowed to clear the Up Distant until the indicator showed that Watery Lane's Distant was 'Off'.

Distant Indicator at Watery Lane, as shown on Tipton Station signal box diagram.

There was a similar arrangement on the Down line and the Tipton box diagram depicted the indicator in Watery Lane box which was operated from Tipton's lever 2.

9. Ground Frame

There was a Ground Frame released from an Annett's Key, pattern 'A'. This was Roberts Siding, leading to sidings behind the Up Platform. When I was visiting Tipton, these sidings were heavily overgrown and I never saw the Ground Frame used.

The sketch above shows Roberts Siding Ground Frame as depicted in the John Swift diagram which shows the five parallel sidings behind the Up platform I remember. But his diagram also shows a second connection to sidings for "Freakley's Stone etc. Sidings" extending towards Tipton Curve. That had gone by the time I took an interest in Tipton.

10. Station Bell

The sketch of the block shelf in section 1 (above) shows a bell push marked 'BOOKING OFFICE'. This worked an electric loud-sounding bell on the adjacent station principally used to alert the station staff to approaching stopping trains. The simple bell code was:-

1 ring: Down Stopping Train approaching.
2 rings: Up Stopping Train approaching.
3 rings: Speak to Signalman on the Box-to-Box telephone circuit.

Tipton Station Shunting Frame

2012-01-08T09:13:00.000Z

In other posts, I've written about Tipton Station box as I first knew it and, later, after it was modernised. In August 1965, Tipton Station box was downgraded to Tipton Station Shunting Frame when Wolverhampton Power Signal Box was commissioned. The details of the Power Signal Box commissioning were given in Special Notice 745G and the diagram below, abstracted from this Notice, shows the revised arrangements.

Signalling at Tipton Station, after Wolverhampton Power Signal Box had been commissioned.

The mechanically-worked level crossing remained and Tipton Station Shunt Frame controlled slots on the signals protecting the level crossing - WN188 on the Down and WN187 on the Up. The connections to the down sidings (and the venerable elevated ground signal mounted on the Goods Shed wall) remained mechanically operated from the Shunting Frame but an electrical release was first required from the Power Box.

The earlier illuminated track diagram was replaced by another, showing the revised arrangements. The new diagram was supplied by Westinghouse who were the main contractors for the West Midlands power box schemes. The block signalling equipment was taken away and the approach of trains was indicated on Train Describers. These were crossbar-switch equipment supplied by Standard Telephones and Cables.

A sketch shows the new illuminated track diagram:-

Sketch of illuminated diagram in Tipton Station Shunt Frame (after Birmingham New Street Power Signal Box had also been commissioned).

I worked the box as a Shunting Frame a number of times but a lot of the interest had gone. There are more details here.

Further changes lay ahead. The Down Sidings were taken out of use, the gates were replaced by four lifting barriers with skirts. Tipton Station Shunting Frame was finally closed when Closed Circuit Television was installed and the level crossing was remotely monitored from Watery Lane Crossing. Eventually, the long-promised underpass was constructed and Tipton Owen Street now dives under the railway. There is now very little evidence of how things used to be, apart from the passenger station itself.

Traffic Movements at Tipton Station Box (1965?)

2012-01-06T12:54:00.004Z

I've been unable to date this period of observation so far but the reference to the Colour Light implies it's after Tipton Station box was modernised. It's probably early 1965 and very likely a Saturday afternoon. No Train Register entries have been found.

(1) The Up '1-4' has 13 minutes before the Up Express so we take him on.
(2) The Down 2-3-1 ('Out-of-Gauge Load') is slipped onto the Curve, causing us to refuse the Up '4' for a moment, whilst the freight clears the junction.
(3) The Colour light goes to 'No Light'. Bloomfield stops the Express, so we cancel the train forward to Watery Lane. Then the 'phone comes back so we get the Express away.
(4) Watery Lane won't have the '1-4' now waiting at our Up Branch Home so a '4' runs next on the Up.
(5) Finally, we get the road for the Up Freight - 76042 with ballast in 'CATFISH' wagons.
(6) Open the gates to road traffic after the Up Ballast. Immediately receive 'Section' for the Down train. Close the gates to road traffic and pull off. He runs by with the engine whistling furiously.
(7) We take on a '4-1' from Princes End.
(8) Simon (S&T Lineman) gets the Colour Light back on. Are we back to normal? I wonder?
(9) The '4-1' is only short so we send him on to Watery Lane. He stops to shunt at Watery Lane.
(10) The Down Local picks up his passengers at Tipton without incident.
(11) Simon has an explanation for the Colour Light failure (not recorded what it was!).
(12) Next, 5288 comes off the Branch with a second trip - steel bars loaded on BBEs.
(13) A Fowler '4F' passes on the Up and backs inside with his brake at Watery Lane. He's to pick up at Watery Lane, after the Up Local has gone.
(14) On the Down, 8335 tender-first arrives with 12 Engineer's wagons and 15 Tiptons - steel mainly. He puts off the Tiptons on the front road, backs up and disappears towards Spring Vale.

Traffic Movements at Tipton Station box, 1965

2012-01-05T11:30:00.008Z

There's an introduction to Tipton Station box as it was when I first knew it here.
There's a more detailed description of the modernised box in preparation.
There's a description of the box after demoting to a Shunting Frame here .

On Saturday 10th July 1965 I started the day at Tipton Curve Junction (traffic movements described here) and moved on to Tipton Station Box later in the morning. It was a rather difficult time for the signalling staff in the area since redundancy notices had been issued in connection with the commissioning of Wolverhampton Power Box, scheduled for August 1965.

Tipton Station box, Saturday 10th July 1965

Externally, the signal box was largely unchanged but inside it had received all the modern electrical safety refinements: continuous Track Circuiting, Illuminated Diagram and full Block Control with 'Welwyn' releases. This was only to last until August 1965, when the box was demoted to a 'Shunting Frame' following the commissioning of Wolverhampton Power Box.

As we arrive at 10:48 (the 24-hour clock was introduced with the summer timetables), the '4-1' from Princes End comes to a stand at our branch Home Signal. After the Up express, we run the freight off the branch and a light engine for Albion follows from Princes End. He passes at 11:03, a Class 8 (perhaps to work the Albion Tanks?).

Then weird things start to happen:-
1) The signal light repeater buzzes but, when we check, it's a 'spare' position causing the fault.
2) The Up colour light Distant 35a buzzes - the signal reports having gone to 'Standby'.
3) The Up Inner Distant Repeater 35 b/c goes to 'Wrong'.
Nobody knows what's going on.

On the Down we 'take on' 1S61 at 11:30 but when we try to offer the train forward, we discover that all bell and block communication with Bloomfield Junction has been severed! At least the 'phone still works, so 1S61 goes down 'on the phone', no block under Regulation 25 a (iii).

First the signal light repeater is restored, then the block comes back, then the colour light goes back to 'Normal'. That only leaves the distant repeater and that is restored in time for us to take the Up Local. We initially refuse the '1-4' offered from Princes End until the local has departed. The freight comes to a stand at our Up Branch home at 12:03. Meanwhile, the Up colour light distant fails again, restored at 12:20. We advised Bloomfield and managed to run the Up express. The Train Register shows we cancelled the express forward to Watery Lane and re-offered it. I don't know whether it was 'operator trouble' now the Up Starter is tied to the Block.

Tipton Curve opened (for just 9 minutes!) at 13:35, presumably to have a train onto or off the North Stour. Then Bloomfield Junction closed so we'd be working through to Spring Vale Sidings.

The Up Light Engine arriving at 14:58 was turned through the crossover road and despatched on the Down Branch. At this time on a Saturday, this engine would almost certainly have previously worked a train to Spring Vale and be scuttling back to Bescot for disposal.

The final entry on the Down is a Local accepted at 16:14. It amused me to 'send it on', wind the gates, pull off and then dash across to the Down platform to travel on the train back to Wolverhampton.

A copy of the Train Register entries is below:-

Deepfields Electrical Controls

2012-01-04T11:44:00.010Z

Deepfields was one of the mechanical signal boxes I got to work (unofficially) in the early 1960s. The box is described in the posts Deepfields and Deepfields in Detail

Click on image to enlarge.

In a series of articles about Spring Vale Sidings box (which was the next box to Deepfields), I discuss the electrical controls applied to this type of signal box. Part 1 and Part 2 are published, other parts are in preparation. I didn't manage to obtain prints of the electrical controls for Deepfields, but I did make rough manuscript copies which appear below. Click on any picture for a larger image.

The principles of electrical control apply everywhere so, if you're familiar with the arrangements at Spring Vale for instance, it's much easier to understand the Deepfields controls.

Drawing Symbols and Labelling Conventions

The symbols for the various circuit elements are, in general, peculiar to railway signalling. Whereas the Spring Vale drawings use the 'old' symbols, some of the Deepfields drawings use the 'simplified' symbols which are probably harder to follow, until you get used to them. The student also has to become familiar with the letter codes used to label components. As in the Spring Vale drawings, a group of letters and figures is used to identify each component. For instance, the designation '20RGCR' means [20][Red][Signal][Proving][Relay]. Once you've mastered the principal codes, understanding diagrams becomes much easier.

The Drawing Set

The set of drawings for Deepfields was numbered CW.125/59/x, where 'x' was the sheet number. These drawings were prefaced by a Contents and Ordering page. The 'Contents' gave details of the drawing pages and I'd got as far as producing a typed version of this list:-

'Ordering' was a brief stores description of the various electrical items:-

Sheet 1 Controls

This information is presented as a table comprising a row for each running line and various columns:-

Line: There is a row of entries for each running line, Up Main, Down Main and Up & Down Goods.
Block Control: Shows that the Berth Track Circuit on the Up Main controls the Block.
Line Clear: Lists the conditions which must be satisfied to be able to give a 'Line Clear'. These conditions are divided into levers in the frame which must be proved 'normal' and actual signal indications which must be proved (by electrical contact boxes attached to signal arms or weight bars for semaphore signals or 'lamp proving' for colour lights).
Annunciator: Shows that the Berth Track Circuit triggers an audible warning if a train approaches the Home Signal when 'on' and shows the time (in seconds) for which the alarm sounds before the lever lock on the home signal is released.
Track Circuits: Lists the Track Circuits associated with each running line.

A second table details the requirements for electric lever locks. A row is provided for each lever requiring a lever lock or circuit controller and various columns:-

Lever and type: Lever Locks [L] may hold the lever Normal [N] or, in the case of Facing Point Locks, Reverse [R}. Lever 1 has a circuit controller for the Green [D] relay [R] controlling Bloomfield's Down Starter. Lever 39 has a circuit controller for the Yellow [H] relay [R] controlling Deepfield's Up Starter.
Lock Proving Contacts: Lists other levers which must be proved via Lock Proving Contacts [LCC].
Track Circuits: Lists Track Circuits which must be Clear or, in the case of certain home signals, occupied before the lock is released.
Block: Lists signals controlled by the Block.
Signals: Lists signals which must be On or, in the case of the distant signal prior to the colour light, Off before the lock is released.
Replaced: Records the criteria for the colour light to be automatically replaced to danger, even when the controlling lever is still reverse.
Notes: Records that lever 1 is a control on a Bloomfield signal and that Sealed Releases are provided for the Facing Point Lock levers.

Sheet 2 Block Control Up and Down Main

Sheet 3 Block Control Up and Down Goods

Sheet 4 Lever Locks Sheet 1

Sheet 4A Lever Locks Sheet 2

Sheet 5 TPR's, TPS & Annunciator

Sheet 6 Down Main Distant and Repeating

Details of the 3-aspect colour light were not recorded, sorry.

Sheet 7 Up Starting Signal

Details of the 3-aspect colour light were not recorded, sorry.

Sheet 8 Bonding

The 'Mince Pie Flyer'

2012-01-03T14:38:00.002Z

55005 at Shenton, waiting to return to Shackerstone.

My last railway 'turn' in 2011 was driving the single-unit 'Bubble Car' at the Battlefield Line on New Year's Eve. The four return trips from Shackerstone to Shenton with a stop each way at Market Bosworth had been advertised as 'The Mince Pie Flyer'. Every passenger was given a mince pie and a drink, alcoholic for the grown-ups, soft drinks for children. In contrast to my turn two days before on 'Agecroft No. 1' at MOSI, the weather remained dry and the sun was out. It did become a little cold later, but it was a splendid day to finish the year.

The single-unit W55005 has recently been 'outshopped' after fairly major work and it looked splendid. I'd never driven W55005 before but, of course, all the controls across a range of DMU types are similar. I'd been warned that, at start-up, I might need to restart Number 1 Engine a couple of times but, in fact, it fired up first go and ran sweetly for about ninety minutes. Then, on the way back to Shackerstone, that engine quit and refused to restart. I eased back into Shackerstone and Pete and I had another go at re-starting, without success. I decided to run on the remaining engine for the rest of the day so Pete and I isolated the final drive and isolated the engine. I completed the 'Diagram' on time without further incident. The most likely cause of the engine problem was air remaining in the fuel line after an earlier hose replacement, but the sound design of the 'Modernisation' Diesel Multiple Units meant that we didn't need to declare a failure.

I really enjoyed the day!

Jan 'in the chair' before departure from Shackerstone.

More pictures of 'The Mince Pier Flyer' are here.
Pictures showing W55005 in detail are here.

Agecroft at MOSI

2012-01-03T14:05:00.004Z

A photograph (taken earlier in 2011) showing 'Agecroft No. 1' with the semi-open passenger coaches. Click on picture for full image.

After a very successful visit to the Tanfield Railway, 'Agecroft No. 1' handled the Christmas services at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Manchester. This has allowed the 'Planet' replica to be 'shopped' for repairs. I didn't do any of the 'Santa' trains, but I was driver on the 29th December 2011. Laurence was Fireman and Dave was Operating Officer. The weather was pretty foul all day - high winds and heavy rain much of the time - (hence no new photographs). The Guard, Duncan, elected to have the 20-ton piped brake van attached at the rear as offering somewhere to shelter from the worst of the weather. I was surprised at just how many passengers we carried in the day - the semi-open replica 1830 coaches are not ideal in inclement weather. At one stage, there was a torrential hailstorm with the hail coming virtually horizontally. I got quite wet and our passengers can have fared little better. Despite these problems, everybody retained their sense of humour and 'Agecroft No. 1' performed admirably, as expected.

Sedgeley Junction - Early History

2012-01-02T12:00:00.003Z

1. Origins

The South Staffordshire Railway was initially completed from Wychnor Junction (where it joined the Midland Railway's line from Birmingham to Derby) to Walsall in 1846. By 1849, the line had been extended to Dudley. The short branch connecting Sedgeley Junction to Dudley Port High Level on the Stour Valley Line was finally opened to through traffic in 1854 (after some difficulties with the Railway Inspectorate because of the cramped site at Dudley Port High Level). The Midland Railway and the London and North Western Railway were shareholders, seeking to prevent the Great Western from encroaching further on their territories and for a time the railway was leased to John Robinson McClean. The London and North Western Railway bought McClean's lease in 1861 and finally bought out the other shareholders in 1867.

Cheslyn Hay and District Local History Society has a short history here and Rail Album has some details of the early locomotives here. There's an extended history of the railway in 'The South Staffordshire Railway - Volume 1' published by the Oakwood Press (ISBN 978 0 85361 700 6) containing a treasure trove of photographs.

2. Rules for Working the Dudley Incline

During his researches at local archives, my friend Ian has found 'The Rules for Working the Dudley Incline' from around 1872. The gradient from Great Bridge to Dudley Port Low Level was around 1 in 240, steepening to around 1 in 60 for the final stretch to Dudley. Working this incline presented an operational challenge throughout the line's long life. Trains stalling on the gradient delayed the service but the biggest risk was of trains or vehicles running away downhill.

Here's a summary of the instructions:-

Ascending: When ascending, drivers and guards were instructed to ensure that there was a 'Break' (brake van), with a Guard in charge, at the rear of every train. Goods trains exceeding ten loaded wagons were also required to have a 'Breaksman' able to operate further brakes if required. Where Goods Trains were provided with an Assistant Engine, this was to be behind the brake van. Each 'Passenger Van' was to carry two wooden 'Spraggs' and each 'Goods Van' six wooden 'Spraggs'. I assume they meant brake van in each case. The spraggs were used to scotch the wheels to prevent running away. There was also an instruction that Goods Trains must have a margin of at least 15 minutes before a passenger train is due before being allowed to leave Great Bridge.

Descending: Goods Guards were instructed to pin down one handbrake on every fifth wagon before leaving Dudley. Passenger trains were to have a brake van for every eight carriages, with a extra man in charge as far as Dudley Port. The signalmen at Dudley, 'Sedgley Junction' (note spelling) and Dudley Port were to keep spraggs ready for use. The Porters at Dudley Port were also required to have spraggs.

These rules were written in a time when passenger vehicles were simply coupled together and the handbrake in the brake van (or vans) was the only brake available on the train. Freight vehicles were usually provided with a lever-operated handbrake worked from the ground but going up inclines, only the locomotive brake and the handbrake in the brake van were available. If a bank engine was provided, this provided further braking effort in addition to 'pushing power'. Going downhill, trains would stop at the top of the incline and pin down brakes on a proportion of the train which would hopefully be sufficient to allow the driver to keep the train under control. The train would then stop at the bottom of the incline to release the brakes - a time-consuming process. Some of these practices were still in use in the 1960s.

By the end of the nineteenth century, matters were somewhat improved: at least all passenger trains were required by law to have an 'Automatic Brake' on all vehicles. This brake could be applied throughout the train by the Driver, the Guard or (through the Communication Cord) a Passenger. In the event of a train becoming divided, the brakes would be automatically applied on both portions of the train.

But, even in the 1950s, the majority of freight trains comprised wagons coupled together with individual handbrakes on the wagons worked from the ground and no brake operative throughout the train. A guard's brake van with a handbrake was provided at the rear of all freight trains, except on specially-authorised sections of line where short-distance movements might be allowed without a brake van. In an attempt to allow freight trains to run faster, some wagons were being fitted with 'Automatic Brakes'. Initially, these brakes were vacuum-operated but British Rail moved towards air brakes with the demise of steam traction. Since only the minority of the fleet of wagons received Automatic Brakes, only the most important freight trains were 'Fully Fitted'. As a halfway-house, the brake force available to the driver could be increased by having a proportion of the wagons fitted with the Automatic Brake and marshalled immediately behind the locomotive. This was called a 'Fitted Head'. There's more about braking systems in the article MIC - Brakes.

In the period when I visited Sedgeley Junction, most of the freight trains were controlled simply by the locomotive at the front and the brake in the Guard's Van at the rear. Banking assistance up to Dudley was provided on all but the shortest freight trains. To provide additional braking, descending trains might stop at Dudley to pin down wagon handbrakes, requiring a second stop at Great Bridge to release these brakes. Some of the 'through' goods trains were provided with a 'Fitted Head' and trains like the block oil train to Soho Pool were 'Fully Fitted'.

3. The 'Third Line'

In the time I knew Sedgeley Junction, the Up Loop extended from Sedgeley Junction to Dudley East and, with significant freight traffic tackling a gradient of around 1 in 60 up to Dudley, the usefulness of the 'Third Line' in managing freight trains sharing the route with passenger trains was obvious. The third track extended downhill from Sedgeley Junction to serve Palethorpes' loading shed. On the few occasions I walked the line between Sedgeley Junction and Palethorpes' sidings or Dudley Port Low Level, I'd noticed that the formation for the Palethorpes' siding nearest the running line seemed to carry on beyond the stop block near the loading shed.

It was only recently, studying the 1902 Ordnance Survey Map for the area based on a survey in 1885, that the explanation became apparent.

On the above map, the South Stafford line runs from top right to bottom left, crossing the Stour Valley line almost at right angles. Just clear of the aqueduct where the Birmingham Canal Navigation passes over the South Stafford, there's a facing connection to the Third Line, and a signal box to control it. So that was the explanation for the extended formation! Ian tells me that, from his library of old documents, the signal box at Dudley Port Low Level was open in 1908. On weekdays, the box closed between 10.15 p.m. and 5.45 a.m. At the weekend, the box closed from 8.15 p.m. Saturday to 5.45 a.m. Monday. Apparently, station staff worked the signals for any stopping trains when the signal box was closed. This signal box does not appear in the February 1909 and subsequent Working Timetables, so we assume that from this time Up freights had to struggle on to Sedgeley Junction before they could leave the main line. At least Palethorpes' benefitted from a nice siding to themselves.

3. Signalling Changes at Conygree Siding

The connection to Conygree Siding was another oddity when I knew Sedgeley Junction. It was only accessible to Down trains but involved blocking both the Up Main and Up Goods when in use. Early maps revealed that there had once been access to Conygree from the Up Goods as well and the extensive sidings at the time formed a triangular connection with the South Stafford Line.

During his researches at local archives, my friend Ian located a fascinating drawing detailing the proposals for signalling changes at Conygree Siding during the 19th century. The sketch was prepared by the L. & N. W. R. Signal Superintendents Office at Crewe in July 1887 and the document then spent the rest of the year being circulated around interested persons - the Signal Superintendent, Traffic Superintendent, Locomotive Superintendent, Mr. Neele, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Calkwell and, finally signed for the Chairman on 11th January 1888. The cost estimate for the work was £59! I've sketched the main features:-

The connection to the Down Main with a ground frame next to the trap points is exactly as I remember it but the connection to the Up Goods with its own ground frame had been removed at some point. The connection to the Down Main had been protected by an adjacent stop signal which was to be moved towards Dudley as part of this work. Near the connection to the Up Goods, the plan shows two parallel signal posts each originally carrying two fixed distant arms. The two splitting Down distants (reading to Dudley Port High Level and Great Bridge) were to 'come out'. The two Up distants, applying to Up Goods and Up Main were to remain. Note that the Up Goods distant carried a ring to indicate a less-important line. At 'A' there are to be two parallel posts. There's a fixed splitting distant for Dudley Port High Level on the left. The post on the right carries a stop signal (presumably Dudley's Down Starter) which is to be slotted by Conygree, with a fixed splitting distant for Great Bridge below. This slot, later controlled from Sedgeley Junction, survived as a means of protecting the connection to Conygree until the end. Distances next to signals will be from Sedgeley Junction signal box.

There's a little more on L&NWR signals here.

Note that the L&NWR drawing uses the spelling 'shewn', 'Coneygree' and the singular 'Siding' (although the note regarding the slot uses 'SDGS').

4. Addition of Signalling Detection at Sedgeley Junction

Ian also located a drawing in Local Archives detailing the proposals for adding signalling detection at Sedgeley Junction.

Mechanical interlocking of lever frames ensured that, for instance, the signal lever could only be moved when the point levers had first been set appropriately. A later refinement where the signal 'read' over facing points was to route the wire to operate the signal through a 'Detector' next to the points, ensuring that the signal arm could only move if the points themselves were lying correctly.

The scope of these changes was to add facing point detection to the Up Walsall, Up Dudleyport and Down home signals. The sketch was prepared by the L. & N. W. R. Signal Superintendents Office at Crewe in April 1894 and the document then spent the rest of the year being circulated around interested persons - the Signal Superintendent, Traffic Superintendent, Locomotive Superintendent, Mr. Neele, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Calkwell and, finally, the Chairman signed on 7th December 1894. The cost estimate for the work was £32! I've sketched the main features:-

The layout of the junction was rather different then from when I knew it, incorporating both a single slip and a double slip. This may explain the multiple spaces in the frame which intrigued me during my visits, if we assume that the remodelling to remove the single slip and double slip removed the need for a number of levers which, rather than being painted white and left as 'Spare', were taken out and converted into 'Spaces' (Section 4 of the post Sedgeley Junction - Signalling Alterations 1964 lists the spaces as 3,5,6,9,11-14,26-28,33-34,37 and 40).

The Up signals also show the arms in a second, and in some cases third, position. This is the way of representing 'Slotting'. From consideration of the layout of Conygree described in section 3 above, the slots appear to be operated from the ground frames controlling the Down Main and Up Goods connections at Conygree, as shown in the table below:-

Signal	Down Main Ground Frame Slot	Up Goods Ground Frame Slot
Up 3rd line home	Yes	Yes
Up Main to 3rd line home	Yes	Yes
Up Main to Up Main home	Yes	No
Up Dudley Port to 3rd line home	Yes	Yes
Up Dudley Port to Up Main home	Yes	No

Heaviest Single Load carried by British Railways

2011-12-30T10:38:00.002Z

My introduction to Tipton Curve box here refers to the "largest single load ever carried by British Railways". On 27th March 1965, I signalled this load through Tipton Curve Junction, thanks to the kindness of my friend Tom. Earlier that day, Tom and I had covered Deepfields from 8.0 a.m. to 2.0 p.m. It looks as if we 'doubled back' to cover the evening working. I've located my Train Register covering these movements and a copy appears below.

I don't know whether larger loads have been carried since but at 122 feet long and weighing 240 tons, it was fairly impressive. In theory, any weight can be carried by rail, provided it is spread over sufficient carrying wheels so that the Civil Engineer's axle load limit is not exceeded. As far as size goes, the British loading gauge is quite restrictive (much more restrictive than, say, the 'Berne Gauge' widely adopted in continental Europe). Obviously, the load can't be so large that it starts bumping into bridges or other lineside structures. Length is significant, too, because as the load traverses curves, overhang and end throw may put structures or trains on adjoining lines "in harm's way". Considerable pre-planning is necessary before 'Out-of-Gauge' loads can be run.

As far as block signalling was concerned, three different 'Is Line Clear?' bell signals were generally authorised, depending upon just how out-of-gauge the load was. There was also a special bell code to ensure adjoining lines were 'blocked' where necessary. The bell signals are listed below:-

Bell Code	Description
2-6-1	Is line clear for a train which can pass an out-of-gauge or exceptional load similarly signalled on the opposite of adjoining line?
2-6-2	Is line clear for a train which cannot be allowed to pass an out-of-gauge load of any description on the opposite or adjoining line?
2-6-3	Is line clear for a train which requires opposite line, or an adjoining line to be blocked between specific points?
1-2-6	Opposite line, or adjoining line used in the the same direction, to be blocked for passage of train conveying an out-of gauge load.

There was a special notice covering the working, but I don't have it. Because of the tight curve between Bloomfield Junction and Tipton Curve Junction, the train was to travel as a '2-6-3' between these points. It was then allowed to go forward to Princes End as a '2-6-2'. Two different reporting numbers were allocated - 8Z03 normally, changing to 8Z04 in between Bloomfield Junction and Tipton Curve Junction.

Tipton Curve, Saturday 27th March 1965

We opened the box at 7.15 p.m. and just after 8.0 p.m. we acknowledged the '1-2-6' to Bloomfield and 'Blocked Back' in the Tipton direction. We 'took on' the '2-6-3' at 8.17 p.m. and immediately 'Sent on' a '2-6-2' to Princes End. We received 'Section' from Bloomfield at 24 minutes past and the train passed, at walking pace, five minutes later. The special train was diesel-hauled and carried a long silver-coloured drum on a number of wagons. It passed me at walking pace and was accompanied by more-than-enough inspectors making sure it didn't get into trouble. As soon as I sent 'Train out of Section' to Bloomfield, he lost no time in closing the box. I also removed the 'Block Back' to Tipton. At 8.36, Princes End sent 'Train out of Section' and we closed Tipton Curve box.

DOWN

I think there must have been a series of these shipments but I only saw one myself. Below is a cutting from the 'Express and Star' dated 31st May 1965 showing one of the massive drums leaving John Thompson by road for rail shipment from the goods depot at Ettingshall Road. Apparently, they were Steam Drums for the power station at Eggborough. An idea of just how different the world was then can be gained from the employment adverts adjacent to the picture of the Steam Drum, particularly noting the salary being offered to the Works Manager of a presswork company.

Sedgeley Junction - Signalling Alterations 1964

2011-12-25T23:14:00.011Z

The Dudley - Birmingham (Snow Hill) passenger service finished on Saturday June 13th 1964. Three weeks later, I did a morning shift at Sedgeley Junction on Saturday 4th July 1964. This was the last day of the Dudley - Walsall and Dudley - Dudley Port services. The timings are on pages 38 and 39 of Jan's Train Register Book.

I think it was that day I found copies of the drawings detailing the changes to be carried out to the interlocking at Sedgeley Junction box which were intended to 'single' the line to Dudley Port, retaining it as an Engineer's Siding. I hastily made my own sketches from the drawings.

I never returned to Sedgeley Junction so I don't know whether the planned alterations were introduced - on 20th September 1964 the box was destroyed in a fire. Certainly, alterations were made at Dudley Port, turning the branch into an Engineer's Siding. The changes at Dudley Port are described in the section titled 'Changes at Dudley Port Friday 2nd October 1964' in the post Traffic Movements on the Stour Valley, 1964

On Sunday 20th July 1964, Sedgeley Junction signal box was destroyed by fire and not re-instated. In the immediate aftermath, all the signals at Sedgeley Junction were maintained 'off' and the adjacent box at Horsley Fields was manned continuously to shorten the block section.

The four sketches I made are reproduced below. Click on any sketch for a larger view. These sketches not only show the alterations but give a good idea of the the situation in the previous period when I worked the signal box. For more information about L & NWR signal boxes and the 5.5 inch centres Tumbler Interlocking Frame fitted at Sedgeley Junction, refer to the excellent book 'A Pictorial Record of L.N.W.R. Signalling' by Richard D. Foster, published by Oxford Publishing Company in 1982 (SBN: 86093 147 1).

1. Title Page

This is a simplified sketch of the standard title sheet in use at the time. Note that the 40-lever frame is made up from two 15-lever girders and one 10-lever girder.

2. Locking Diagram showing Alterations

The book referred to above has a copy of an interlocking diagram dated 1878 which uses virtually identical symbology to this sketch. I'm afraid my hastily-made sketch isn't too clear. The vertical lines represent the Hook Racks operated by each lever which move in the Guide Rack. Horizontally, there are twelve channels for U-section Locking Bars. The symbol ' ][ ' indicates that two shorter Locking Bars share the same channel. Horizontal movement of the Locking Bars is effected by a Drive Stud attached to the Locking Bar operated from an 'L' shaped bell crank called the Actuator from the movement of the appropriate Hook Rack. Full or Half Locks attached to each Locking Bar allow or prevent movement of the Hook Racks attached to other levers as required by the desired interlocks. The whole Locking Rack is held together by a series of vertical Backbones which hold the Locking Bars and Hook Racks in position.

3. Locking Table showing Alterations

For each lever, this table tabulates what lever must be pulled before the lever in question can be pulled. The last three columns show which other levers are locked Normal, locked both Normal and Reverse and released by the lever in question.

4. Lever Colours, Pulls, Nameplates showing Alterations

This table shows which positions are working levers, spare (unused levers) or spaces (position where a lever could be fitted). The last three columns show, for each lever, the colour, the detail on the Pull Plate and the text on the Name Plate.

Sedgeley Junction (again)

2011-12-25T09:14:00.011Z

I introduced this fascinating signal box in the post Sedgeley Junction. I hadn't located my early notes so I produced a (not very good) box diagram from memory for this post. Because of interest from my friend Phil, I started to expand on this theme in the post Sedgeley Junction Remembered. Eventually, I located a notebook containing notes on traffic movements at Sedgeley Junction which got issued in a whole series of posts called 'Traffic Movements at Sedgeley Junction 1962-1963'. Later still, I found a train register book with detailed timings of some of my visits. I've described this in the post Jan's Train Register Book with a link to the complete document. If this all seems a little backwards, well, it is but after losing the information for half a century, it seems better to try to nail it down in a less-than-ideal manner now.

All this is leading up to saying that I've found more contemporary notes and sketches relating to Sedgeley Junction. Rather than wait another fifty years for these to be converted into a better form, I'll post them as they stand. Once you're familiar with the way a signal box is laid out, it becomes easier to understand any other signal box. In the earlier post Deepfields in Detail, I give an explanation of some of the features of an L&NWR box, and it may be worth referring to that post for more information.

Box Diagram & Block Shelf

The best way to orient yourself in any signal box is to study the box diagram. I've also sketched the layout of the block shelf:-

Sedgeley Junction - Copy of box diagram and sketch of block shelf layout. Click on sketch to enlarge.

At Sedgeley Junction, the block shelf only extended between levers 1 to 30 - the last ten lever positions had no block shelf above. The four L & NWR Block Instruments and the Block Switch (allowing the box to 'switch out') huddled together near the left end of the shelf. The order, from left to right, was Horsley Fields, Dudley Port Junction, Block Switch, Dudley East (Main Lines), Dudley East (Loop Line). To the right of the block instruments, the Box Diagram was suspended from the roof and to the right of the diagram there was the antique telephone and L & NWR Single Stroke Bell communicating with Conygree Siding Ground Frame.

The front face of the block shelf mounted a number of Signalling Repeaters. From left to right there was the Distant repeater for lever 1 (a miniature yellow arm on a brass 'signal post'), the Track Circuit Indicator for TC2205 (discussed below) and the Weight Bar Repeater for lever 7 (the Up Distant from Dudley Port High Level direction). The right hand end of the block shelf was fitted with an indicator for the track circuit. This was in the form of a pointer moving between 'LOCKED' and 'FREE'. To the left of this indicator was a Sealed Release. The front face of the block shelf was also furnished with a number of protruding nails to suspend a number of reminder links used as Lever Collars and 'Train Waiting at Signal' reminders for the commutator of block instruments. As far as I remember, lever 35 (the Down Slot protecting Conygree Siding) and lever 39 (the Down Distant) also had repeaters. In the absence of a block shelf above these levers, each repeater was mounted on top of a vertical tube rising out of the floor behind the frame.

Looking at the box diagram, note that, with the point levers 'normal', both Up and Down roads are set towards Dudley Port High Level (not as shown in my earlier posts). Presumably, this is considered 'safer' as any vehicles running away would be diverted onto a rising, rather than falling, gradient. However, when I was visiting levers 20 and 21 were left reverse for most of the time because that was the way most trains went.

Facing points 18 and 21 were each provided with a mechanical locking bar (to prevent attempted movement of the points when vehicles were passing over). Facing point 30 had been modernised and protection was provided with a track circuit (T1). This track circuit controlled a Back Lock on lever 29 and the associated Locked/Free indicator mentioned above.

Track circuit TC2205 was something of an oddity. I believe it indicated the presence of a train in Dudley Port Low Level station on the Down Line. Since this was in Horsley Fields block section, it wouldn't normally be of interest to Sedgeley Junction. It might have been involved in the control of the electric lock on the Down Walsall Home (lever 38 - the only signal in the box with an electric lock) but I don't know. I can't remember our taking a lot of notice of this track circuit although you'd hear a 'click' as a down train left the track circuit and the indicator moved back to 'TRACK CLEAR'. Originally, the L.M.S. numbered all its track circuits in a single series, hence the rather large number 'TC2205'. But as track circuits started to proliferate, a change was made so that the track circuits for each box were in a 'local' series, starting with T1, without renumbering any existing track circuits.

Levers and Pulls

Then, you need to study the layout of the levers. The colour indicates the function, of course, for instance red for stop signals, black for points and so on. Fixed to the front of each lever is the 'Pull Plate' showing which other levers need to be reversed before that lever can be pulled. Further guidance was given by the text on the Back Plates fixed on a board behind the levers.

Sedgeley Junction - Lever Pulls (First column is lever number, next columns list the 'Pulls', final column gives description as on the Back Plates) Click on sketch to enlarge.

This is fairly straightforward, although I suggest that the pull 'Lever 24 requires Lever 36' is a transcription error for 'Lever 24 requires Lever 35'.

Gradient profiles

Sedgeley Junction - Gradient Profiles. Click on sketch to enlarge.

It was a tough slog for freight trains from Great Bridge up to Dudley. The diagram above shows a section of 1 in 62 just outside Sedgeley Junction box. That, combined with weight transfer on the wheelsets of locomotives passing through common crossings on poinwork near the box resulted in many engines 'losing their feet' near the box. In contrast, the line from Sedgeley Junction to Dudley Port High Level was, according to the diagram, a bit of a switchback.

Sealed Release for Signal Boxes

2011-12-24T14:37:00.008Z

Most people are familiar with a 'Break Glass' plunger for activating a fire alarm. The electrical plunger is covered with glass to discourage 'nuisance' operation. To press the plunger, you need to first break the 'glass' (these days, it's more likely to be thin, clear, moulded plastic) and the location of the alarm activation is then readily identified by the broken 'glass'.

Something similar, called a 'Sealed Release' is used in Signal Boxes. The most common application is in connection with facing points protected by a Track Circuit.

A Sealed Release in Shackerstone Railway Museum, unmounted (it would normally be fitted to the front of the block shelf above the associated lever). No glass or label is fitted. This example had apparently been installed with the larger side vertical but the examples I saw in the West Midlands always had the smaller side vertical as the sketch below.

Facing points (that is, points which, in the direction of travel, divide one line into two) are dangerous because of the risk of derailing a train if the signalman attempts to move the points when a train is moving over them. Originally, a Locking Bar was provided which usuaally lay below the level of the wheel flanges but was raised by rodding operated from the signal box before the actual points could be moved. If a train was standing or passing over the locking bar when the signalman attempted to raise it, the wheel flanges would interfere with the raising of the Locking Bar and prevent the points from being moved. This was an effective technique but could be cumbersome to implement.

Long before the idea of 'continuous' track circuiting was common, providing fairly short track circuits over facing points could improve safety avoiding the mechanical complexity of a Locking Bar. If the track circuit was clear, the points could be moved - if occupied, the points were locked in position. This was achieved by providing an electric lock on the facing point lock lever in the signal box.

But track circuits could fail and they were carefully designed to always fail in the 'track occupied' state, for safety. So a track circuit failure could stop traffic by preventing facing points protected by track circuit from being moved to the required route. To cater for this occurence, the signalman is provided with a special switch which is operated manually to allow facing points protected by track circuit to be moved during the failure. To prevent casual use of this special switch, the pushbutton is placed behind a glass panel which must be broken before use. This special switch is the 'Sealed Release'. The principal dimensions are given below:-

The Signal and Telegraph Lineman was expected to rectify faulty track circuits urgently and the broken glass would be replaced by pulling the catch inside the Sealed Release, allowing the front half to hinge open. Behind the glass, a paper label was fitted with details of location, attending lineman and date. The paper label was torn out of a small book of numbered labels and counterfoils. An unused counterfoil/label is shown below:-

Battlefield Line Santa Specials 2011

2011-12-18T10:54:00.005Z

Jan, with Christmas hat, relaxes during a station stop at Market Bosworth (Photo: Sam Brandist).

I had one day driving the 'Santa Specials' at The Battlefield Line on Saturday 17th December 2011. The special timetable called for four departures from Shackerstone at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 each giving a round trip to Shenton, with a stop at Market Bosworth on the outward journey. Danny was 'marked' as Fireman with Sam (now almost-qualified as a fireman) and the locomotive was 3803, so I was pretty sure in advance we'd have a good day and so we did. It was only my second 'turn' on this engine - the first one is described here. This earlier post includes some background on these engines.

It was a cold morning with a hard frost and still dark when I arrived at the shed at 06:30. The big doors were open and 3803 wasn't immediately visible as she was boxed in by a diesel shunter but making itself known by the smoke lazily drifting at roof level. Danny and Sam had already checked the firebox, cleared both grate and ashpan and a new fire was taking hold.

It's second nature to check that the engine is secure (handbrake hard on, regulator shut, reverser in mid-gear and cylinder drain cocks open). I also satisfied myself that there was sufficient water showing in the gauge glass. It's not that you don't trust your mates, it's part of the relentless culture to ensure safety on railways. Opening the firedoors showed a sluggish fire but Danny and Sam had matters well in hand and additional wood soon got the fire away.

This left me free to oil round and carry out the daily 'Exam' of the engine. Although the shed had a number of fluorescent lights, the part you're checking always seems to be in shadow so I used a wind-up LED torch as I made my way round the engine. I always feel rather guilty that I'm not using a 'Duck Lamp' which was the type of hand-carried flare lamp traditionally used by enginemen. When I was at Tyseley Railway Museum, I used 'Duck Lamps' fairly frequently for authenticity, if not convenience.

Once I'd finished using the pit to access the underside of the locomotive, it would have been nice to drag 3803 outside with the diesel shunter but it was clear, from the brief 'eeeergh' from the starter motor as as Danny attempted to start the diesel engine, that the battery was not up to the job. I decided that, once we'd sufficient pressure to move the engine, we'd propel the diesel shunter through Platform 1 to the north end and stable it there, out of the way. A steam locomotive will move at much less than the nominal boiler pressure (225 p.s.i. for '3803') but, at low pressures, you may have to rely on the tender handbrake to control the movement. Danny travelled on the shunter, to keep a lookout ahead, Sam stood ready by the handbrake and we gently propelled the diesel shunter to the north end. Danny 'tied down' the shunter and 'unhooked' it from '3803' and we slowly made our way back to the platform.

We were soon ready to move across to our train in Platform 2 to start steam heating the coaches ready for our ten o'clock departure, but the signalman was initially reluctant to authorise the move as the Train Staff had not been located and a prior Engineering Possession on the single line had not been 'signed off' as withdrawn. After some delay, we 'got the road' to shunt across to our train - five coaches plus a 'BG' serving as "Santa's Grotto" as the last vehicle.

We 'hook-on', Sam starts the steam heating and I create vacuum so that the Guard can carry out a 'Brake Continuity Test'. When I see the 'Train Pipe' needle of the duplex vacuum gauge drop away and then come up again as the ejector re-creates vacuum, I know the test has been carried out. This should be done by unseating the vacuum hose from the 'stopper' on the rear coach so that the Guard is confident that the flexible vacuum hoses on all vehicles have been correctly coupled-up.

Tickets for 'Santa' trains are pre-booked and Stewards are provided with lists of passengers to check-off as they arrive. This means that departure times are only approximate if we're waiting for missing passengers so we were a little late getting the 'rightaway' for the first train.

Lever reverser into full back gear (we're running tender first to Shenton), whistle, handbrake off, ease the regulator partly open and gently move away, the front of the engine wreathed in clouds of steam from the open cylinder drain cocks. The use of drain cocks is not quite so crucial on engines with slide valves ('flat' valves), since the valve can move away from the cylinder port face to help clear any water from the cylinder but '3803' has piston valves. Piston valves are intended to be tight-fitting by the use of piston rings and so agressive use of the drain cocks when starting away after standing for any time is essential to avoid possible damage from trapped condensate.

I always 'link-up' very early. With the light loads encountered on preserved railways, once the train is moving there's little need to develop maximum torque so I believe in 'notching-up' by moving the reverser a few notches towards 'mid gear'. The term 'link-up' derives from the fact that, with a conventional arrangement of Stephenson Link motion, the expansion link is in its lowest position with the reverser fully forwards selecting 'forward full gear' so lifting the link will produce an earlier cut-off of steam during the piston stroke and hence use the steam expansively. Of course, if you're running tender first, you're actually lowering the link from the 'full back gear' position but it's still called 'linking-up'. There's a diagram illustrating the layout of the valve motion of '3803' in the earlier article referred to above.

Now we can shut the drain cocks. Great Western engines have about the best control for the cylinder drain cocks that I know. The cocks are opened by pulling back a handle which rises only a few inches above the cab floor. The handle is retained in the 'back' position by a pivoted catch working in a ratchet. To close the cocks, you stamp on the end of the pivoted catch which disengages it from the ratchet and allows the handle to move forward, snapping the drain cocks closed.

There's a 5 m.p.h. restriction over the crossover by the box so we keep going gently until we've collected the single line staff from the 'Bobby' on the landing in the signal box steps and the whole train has passed the '5' restriction sign applying to the opposite direction. I give her a little more steam, but we still have a 10 m.p.h. restriction until the train has passed under the first bridge. We're in no hurry with a 'Santa' train, because it takes some time for parties of children to be led back to the Grotto at the rear of the train to visit Santa, so I just open the regulator to 'Full First Valve' and let her run for a while. Most preserved railways have a Line Speed Limit of 25 m.p.h. so, providing the boiler is somewhere near the 'sizzling point', the settings I'd chosen would produce around that speed.

'Sizzling point'? I'd mentioned this in an earlier post on locomotive '813'. The Great Western were never seduced by the attractions of Ross Pop safety valves and always used their version of the early Ramsbottom design. This lets you bring the boiler pressure close to the blowing-off point with just a wisp of steam continuously escaping from the safety valves, in true Great Western fashion, rather than having the intermittent wasteful (and often noisy) discharge typical of Ross Pop safety valves. It was a point of honour amongst Great Western fireman to 'balance' the boiler with the valves just 'fizzing' to indicate to your driver (and everybody else) that you were on top of the job. Even when I was at Tyseley Railway Museum, if the pressure gauge was more than 10 pounds below the red line on a Great Western engine, the old-time enginemen would enquire "What's the matter? Won't she steam?".

As we approached Headley's Crossing, I shut off and allowed the engine to drift towards the 10 m.p.h. 'slack' over the relaid track. Drifting on a Great Western engine with a Sight Feed Lubricator is a bit more complicated than shutting the regulator (and finding the best setting for the reverser) - the regulator is deliberately not quite closed against the stop so as to maintain lubrication to the cylinders and valves. The earlier article referred to above discusses the Sight Feed Lubricator and has a link to full details in Great Western Circular 5801. The photograph below shows the regulator complication. Above the regulator, there's a curved, slotted link, pivoted on the left. The regulator handle has an extension piece (extending upwards at about one o'clock in the picture), the top of which is pinned to the slot in the curved link. The slot is 'Z' shaped at the right so that initial movement on opening the regulator lifts the right hand side of the curved link but further movement produces no additional lifting action. The lifting of the link is communicated via a link (almost-vertical, red-painted) so as to open a steam valve mounted on the boiler backhead below the regulator. This valve is called the Jockey Valve or, sometimes, the 'W Valve' (because it's referred to as item 'W' in Circular 5801). The Jockey Valve controls the supply of steam to the Sight Feed Lubricator which, in turn, controls the supply of oil to the 'front end'. Thus, if the engine is being worked or 'drifting' (with a breath of steam or no steam), oil is being fed to the cylinders and valves.

Jan Ford on the footplate of '3803' (well wrapped-up against the cold and having reverted to her battered 'Grease-top').

A vacuum brake application (at 15 in/Hg) was also necessary to ensure that we passed the '10' board at the right speed. Once the whole train had passed the '10' board for the opposite direction, I re-applied steam until we had passed the out-of-use 2-aspect colour-light distant for Market Bosworth, where I shut-off again. Another brake application brought us down to 10 m.p.h. at the points on the approach to the station and we ran along the platform to come to a stand with the leading coach just at the top of the platform ramp. I shut the regulator fully so that the Jockey Valve stopped the oil feed to the front end and opened the drain cocks. There's a variable length stop here, according to how well Santa is getting on with meeting all the children, so Sam wound on the tender handbrake and I put the reverser in Mid-Gear and shut down the vacuum ejector to save steam (and make the footplate a bit quieter).

Once we were told that they were ready to depart, I created vacuum and heaved the reverser into full back gear. On receiving the Guard's 'Rightaway', I whistled, Sam released the handbrake and I eased the regulator open. Soon, I'd linked-up and closed the drain cocks. We kept a very sharp look-out over the foot crossing (although the station was closed to passengers) and waved to the restoration crew working on the Signal Box. They'd got the newly-completed stove going in the box. There's a 5 m.p.h. slack over the bridge in a few hundred yards so we kept going nice and easy until we were past the restriction, then it was full first valve to let her accelerate up the bank and back to drifting to come over the top and roll down the other side to Shenton. Gentle braking from the fixed distant signal to come over the points at 10 m.p.h. and along the platform, keeping a sharp look-out for people straying onto the foot crossing then bring the train to a halt with the leading coach just on the platform ramp. Danny uncoupled us from the train and we ran round.

Soon we were on the way back, chimney leading. No stop was required at Market Bosworth, so we just drifted through at 10 m.p.h. before steaming up the bank until the 10 m.p.h. slack over the relaid track. Steam on again until the old platelayers' hut on the approach to Shackerstone and then bring the speed down to both comply with the 10 m.p.h. slack at the road overbridge and be able to stop at the outer home signal, if needed. You can't sight the outer home until you come under the bridge - it was against us so I gave a long whistle. The signal soon came 'off', the arm threatening to go right over the top but settling down pointing almost vertical (reminding me of 3-aspect semaphore signals) so we didn't come to a stand. I gave a little 'pop' on the whistle to say 'thank you' and we rolled down the cutting. More braking was needed to comply with the 5 m.p.h. restriction over the crossover and the 'top dolly' of the ground signal came off, routing us over the crossover into Platform 1. Danny surrendered the staff to the signalman who verbally authorised us to "Pass the Stop Board to Run Round". This meant we could take the engine beyond the 'Stop Board' at the end of the platform and come to a halt with the leading vehicle (Santa's Grotto) just at the top of the platform ramp. One trip down - three to go!

Danny, Sam, Andy and Ross in earnest discussion at Shackerstone. The left hand loco lamp is wearing a 'Santa' hat.

We ran round our train ready for the second trip. Again, there was delay awaiting passengers. Apparently, there'd been a Road Traffic Accident on the A5 because a number of passengers phoned in to say they were delayed. Eventually, we got the 'Rightaway' and made our way fairly gingerly out of Platform 1 and over the crossover. The journey to Market Bosworth was uneventful but we were told we'd stand there for at least half an hour, so I accepted an invitation to go and look at the restoration work on the signal box. I was very impressed with the work on the structure and took a number of photographs, including this elevated view of the station:-

A 'Santa Special' at Market Bosworth, viewed from the scaffolding around the signal box.

When the guard announced that he was ready to take the train out, a whistle from the engine (as arranged) brought me running back to the footplate and we set off for Shenton. Although the day was still cold, the sun was out and it was quite pleasant, except on the footplate where the wind was quite chilling, particularly running tender first. The 3,000 gallon tender might give you better visibility tender first but it gives you very little protection from wind and rain. We completed the second round trip without incident, arriving back in Platform 1 again and running round for the third trip.

By this time, the weather had deteriorated and it was raining fairly hard, reminding me of my dictum "Anybody can work on engines in good weather - it takes railwaymen to do it in bad weather". Sam was tucked in the front corner of the cab, next to the warm boiler backhead to keep out of the worst of the weather, but Danny and I remained more exposed, trying to keep a good lookout. When we ran round at Shenton, we also lit the two engine lamps - although it was only around three-thirty, it had become really murky. At least the cab was more effective returning to Shackerstone but I found I had to lean out of the side of the cab or keep the front spectacle open to maintain a reasonable view ahead. Once again, we were routed into Platform 1 but, this time, we stopped to take take water at the column. Adrian provided a 'dose' of water treatment and suggested that we fill the tender tank to capacity.

By the time we were backed up on our train, we were already past the published departure. This train was not loaded to capacity so we didn't have to wait long before we got the 'Rightaway'. It's a completely different experience in the dark. In the steam era, British trains never carried high-intensity headlights although many foreign railways did. Everybody's familiar with pictures of American wood-burning 4-4-0s with a diamond stack and a huge rectangular headlamp but, in Britain, the head lamps performed the same task at night as in the daylight merely indicating the class of train.

The only light on the footplate was usually from a gauge lamp mounted near the gauge glass to assist the fireman in confirming the boiler water level. We had a working gauge lamp on the bracket next to the gauge frame. I'm afraid our gauge lamp was burning paraffin. In the old days, the gauge lamp always used rape oil which, being less volatile than paraffin, was less likely to explode into flames in its warm location next to the boiler backhead. In addition, a paraffin handlamp was often carried. With a white shade, it could be used when coupling, uncoupling, examining parts of the engine or just to help when walking about 'on the floor'. At night, a white light would be shown to the Guard in acknowledgement of his 'Rightaway'. We didn't have such a handlamp with us but used electric torches to acknowledge the Guard.

When the fireman opens the firedoors to shovel in more coal, the footplate is bathed in an orange or white light, depending how hard the engine is being worked. The driver will do well to protect his eyes from the glare, otherwise his night vision can be lost for a while. Some locomotives (particularly L.N.E.R. examples) were provided with a hinged shield to reduce the glare spilling across to the driver.

It wasn't completely dark as we made our way down the line for the last time. Some lineside features could still just be distinguished in silhouette against the inky sky. At night, sounds take on a more important role. The old drivers could work a train virtually 'with their eyes shut', listening to the distinctive sounds made by every rail joint, bridge and passing feature. We reached Market Bosworth safely, pausing briefly for the last time, then continued to Shenton. Uncoupling and coupling becomes more difficult in the dark and, when shunting through pointwork, it's vital that particular care is taken before moving points and that any handsignals given by lamp are clearly understood.

We ran round without incident and, having seen the Guard's green 'Rightaway' and acknowledged with a white, we set off back to Shackerstone. This time, we were routed into Platform 2. We lost no time in 'unhooking' and dropping forward clear of the points but then we had to wait a short while to allow the disembarking passengers to cross in front of us using the sleeper crossing at the end of the platform. We set back to the Ground Frame controlling access to the shed and, once called back by Danny, moved into the shed. Once the fire was cleaned and the boilers was filled, we were almost finished. By now quite tired, we made our way back to the station where I completed the repair sheet and signed off. Danny, Sam and I agreed we'd had an enjoyable, if tiring day.

My pictures taken on the day are here.
My pictures of the restoration of the signal box at Market Bosworth are here.
More pictures of 3803 are here.
Sam Brandist has his own blog - Sammy's World.

Single-stroke Bells

2011-12-16T11:23:00.006Z

When railways introduced the Block System for the control of trains, electricity was used to power the bi-directional single-stroke block bell between adjacent signal boxes and the galvanometers used as block indicators. There's a brief description in the post on L&NWR Block Signalling Instruments. As explained there, many railways used separate wooden-cased units for the Block Bell, the 'Pegging' Block Indicator and the 'Non-pegging' Block Indicator. The picture below shows the typical appearance of the block bell.

Wooden-cased single stroke bell at Shackerstone Railway Museum. Note the studio portrait in the background of a proud railwayman in uniform

However, the L&NWR developed a 'Combined' Block Instrument, joining Bell and Block Indicators into a single unit. But there were still applications for single-stroke bells alone, where the Signalman exchanged bell codes with, for instance, a Guard or Shunter at a Ground Frame. The picture below shows an early form of the L&NWR single-stroke bell mounted on a cast frame.

L&NWR single-stroke bell (early version) at Shackerstone Railway Museum.

Later versions used a larger housing with the bell tapper moved to a central position and replaced the cast frame with four round, hollow columns. The hollow columns copied the technique used on the later 'Combined' Block Instruments which offered a neat way of bringing the wiring from the block shelf into the bell housing.

L&NWR single-stroke bell (later version) at Crewe Heritage Centre.

Only one wire is required between the two bell units - an earth-return is usually adequate. Each key or tapper has one changeover contact. In the quiescent state, the incoming wire at each end of the line connecting the two bell units is fed to one end of the bell coil and the other end of the coil is earthed. When the key is operated, the local coil is disconnected and a suitable voltage from an earthed battery is fed to line, operating the bell coil at the remote end of the line. The coil forms an electromagnet which attracts a moving armature connected to a bell hammer. The ball at the end of the armature strikes the bell dome to produce the sound. A spring attached to the armature returns the bell hammer to its rest position against an adjustable stop when the bell coil is de-energised.

There was a single-stroke bell of the later version between Sedgeley Jn. and Conygree Sidings Ground Frame. One day fifty years ago I sketched some of the dimensions:-

Sketch showing the principal dimensions of the later form of the single-stroke bell.

I also sketched the rear base casting which mounted the rear two columns. It had a tapped projection for fitting an adjustable back stop for the bell hammer:-

Sketch showing bell hammer adjustable back stop at rear of unit.

Jan's Train Register Book

2011-12-13T15:18:00.004Z

I've now located one of 'my' train register books with details of most of the 'observations' I made between September 1963 and November 1965. Wolverhampton Power Signal Box had been commissioned on the 13th and 14th August 1965 so after this date Stour Valley signalboxes had either been abolished or downgraded to Shunting Frames. I think there should be an earlier train register book but I'm afraid this hasn't come to light.

This post is an index of the dates and locations covered by the train register. The train register itself (currently with an incorrect page 2 and possibly other editorial errors) can be viewed, printed or downloaded here.

Location	Date	Register Pages
Deepfields	Saturday 28th September 1963	2,3
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 19th October 1963	2,3
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 26th October 1963	4,5
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 2nd November 1963	6,7
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 9th November 1963	6,7
Watery Lane	Saturday 16th November 1963	8,9
Watery Lane	Saturday 23rd November 1963	10,11
Deepfields	Saturday 30th November 1963	12,13
Watery Lane	Saturday 14th December 1963	12,13
Bloomfield Jn.	Friday 27th December 1963	14,15
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 4th January 1964	16,17
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 11th January 1964	18,19
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 18th January 1964	18,19
Deepfields	Saturday 1st February 1964	20,21
Deepfields	Saturday 29th February 1964	22,23
Deepfields	Saturday 7th March 1964	22,23
Deepfields	Saturday 14th March 1964	24,25
Sedgeley Jn.	Wednesday 25th March 1964	26,27
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 28th March 1964	26,27
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 11th April 1964	28,29
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 25th April 1964	30,31
Deepfields	Saturday 2nd May 1964	32,33
Deepfields	Friday 15th May 1964	32,33
Deepfields	Saturday 30th May 1964	34,35
Deepfields	Saturday 6th June 1964	34,35
Tipton Curve	Saturday 13th June 1964	36,37
Deepfields	Saturday 20th June 1964	36,37
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 4th July 1964	38,39
Deepfields	Saturday 11th July 1964	38,39
Deepfields	Saturday 25th July 1964	40,41
Deepfields	Saturday 1st August 1964	40,41
Bloomfield Jn.	Friday 2nd October 1964	42,43
Tipton Sta.	Friday 2nd October 1964	42,43
Tipton Sta.	Wednesday 7th October 1964	42,43
Tipton Sta.	Saturday 10th October 1964	44,45
Deepfields	Saturday 17th October 1964	44,45
Deepfields	Saturday 24th October 1964	46,47
Deepfields	Saturday 31st October 1964	46,47
Tipton Curve Jn.	Saturday 7th November 1964	48,49
Deepfields	Friday 13th November 1964	48,49
Deepfields	Saturday 28th November 1964	50,51
Deepfields	Saturday 5th December 1964	50,51
Deepfields	Saturday 19th December 1964	52,53
Deepfields	Saturday 2nd January 1965	54,55
Deepfields	Saturday 16th January 1965	54,55
Deepfields	Saturday 30th January 1965	56,57
Deepfields	Saturday 13th February 1965	56,57
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 6th March 1965	58,59
Deepfields	Saturday 27th March 1965	60,61
Tipton Curve Jn.	Saturday 27th March 1965	60,61
Deepfields	Saturday 10th April 1965	62,63
Deepfields	Tuesday 20th April 1965	62,63
Deepfields	Saturday 24th April 1965	64,65
Deepfields	Saturday 8th May 1965	64,65
Deepfields	Saturday 22nd May 1965	66,67
Tipton Curve Jn.	Saturday 29th May 1965	66,67
Deepfields	Saturday 5th June 1965	68,69
Deepfields	Tuesday 8th June 1965	70,71
Deepfields	Saturday 12th June 1965	70,71
Deepfields	Saturday 19th June 1965	72,73
Deepfields	Saturday 26th June 1965	72,73
Watery Lane	Saturday 26th June 1965	74,75
Deepfields	Saturday 3rd July 1965	76,77
Tipton Curve Jn.	Saturday 10th July 1965	76,77
Tipton Sta.	Saturday 10th July 1965	78,79
Tipton Curve Jn.	Saturday 17th July 1965	80,81
Deepfields	Saturday 24th July 1965	80,81
Tipton Curve Jn.	Saturday 31st July 1965	82,83
Deepfields	Saturday 7th August 1965	82,83
Tipton Shunting Frame	Saturday 28th August 1965	84,85
Bloomfield Jcn. Shunting Frame	Tuesday 31st August 1965	84,85
Watery Lane Shunt Frame	Saturday 4th September 1965	84,85
Tipton Station Shunt Frame	Saturday 18th September 1965	86,87
Bloomfield Jn. Shunt Frame	Saturday 2nd October 1965	86,87
Bloomfield Jn. Shunt Frame	Saturday 6th November 1965	86,87

Traffic Movements at Tipton Curve, 1965

2011-12-13T13:05:00.007Z

There's an introduction to Tipton Curve box here.

Tipton Curve, Saturday 22nd May 1965

In this case, I've located my Train Register covering these movements and a copy appears after the text. The original notes appear in italics with minimal editing, sometimes followed by my recent comments attempting clarification. The numbers in brackets have been added purely to assist in locating entries.

(1) '37' Up - Train of empty Iron Ore very fast, Class 8 tender first.
(2) A special of Ore goes 'down the Vale'.
(3) 'T23' comes from Bloomfield, with 350 h.p. diesel electric, cab leading, HG, Lowside and two tenders with sludge. The guard is on the footboard of the brake, waiting to 'unhook' but the train goes 'almost to Princes End' with an unfamiliar driver! The Engine and Brake returns to Bloomfield.
(4) Later in the day, when we re-open, a Trolley is being pushed 'Bang Road' from Tipton with an S & T Bridge Girder. No signal box knows anything so we stop him and make him clear our Track, to let us have an Electrification train down for Bushbury - engine, LMR Brake, Well Wagon loaded with transformers, Crane, Match Truck and BR Brake.

Santa Specials at Peak Rail 2011

2011-12-12T09:52:00.004Z

I was steam locomotive driver on the 'Santa Specials' at Peak Rail on Saturday 10th December 2011. The schedule called for four round trips from Rowsley to Matlock Riverside with a maximum-length 7-coach train. The working was to be top-and-tailed with a steam locomotive at the south end and a main-line diesel electric at the north end.

Peak Rail stalwart 68013 is currently undergoing boiler work so 'Lord Phil' was originally planned to perform the steam diagram. Unfortunately, 'Lord Phil' has recently been 'stopped' for attention to the axleboxes. Fortunately, at short notice, Peak Rail was able to hire another 'Austerity' tank - 'Sapper' from the East Lancashire Railway.

'Sapper' on the outside pit at Rowsley being prepared for duty.

I'd not worked on 'Sapper' before and it's always interesting to have a different locomotive. Even though all 'Austerity' tank locomotives share the same basic layout, there's considerable variation in detail between different restored locomotives. I quickly formed the impression that the locomotive had received a competent and thoughtful restoration and I was not disappointed.

'Sapper' was 'brewing up' on the outside pit and Dave (Fireman) and the Cleaner had matters well in hand when I arrived (a little late because of a road traffic accident on the A6). I completed the 'oiling round' and daily examination then we moved the engine to the siding alongside the shed so that Chris could use the Bucket Loader to top-up the bunker with coal. 'Sapper' is provided with coal rails on the bunker so we were able to take a generous tonnage.

At the scheduled time of ten o'clock, we moved the engine across to the 7-coach train standing in the platform. Since the first departure was scheduled for 10:45, I was a little concerned that we'd seen no sign of a diesel locomotive crew, let alone any sign of the rostered locomotive, 'Penyghent', being drawn out of the shed for starting. I warned the fireman to be prepared to work the first train unaided.

We started to warm the coaches and we were delighted to find that we could set the carriage heating steam pressure to the specified 30 p.s.i. and it stayed as set. Since industrial locomotives didn't originally have carriage warming facilities, this facility is added during restoration and inappropriate control valves are sometimes employed, resulting in difficulties controlling the output.

Industrials also lacked vacuum brakes originally so, again, a variety of approaches may be found when this feature has been added. 'Sapper' retained the original arrangement of a steam brake valve mounted on the fireman's side, with a horizontal shaft across the cab with handles for applying the brake within reach of both fireman and driver. A 'Davies and Metcalfe' ejector had then been added in front of the driver for creating and applying the vacuum brake on the train but this is not a 'Combination' brake as would normally be fitted to passenger engines with steam brakes on the engine. In a 'Combination' brake, application of the vacuum brake will automatically proportionately apply the steam brake to the locomotive. Since 'Sapper' lacks this refinement, it may be advisable for the driver, when stopping a train with the vacuum brake, to also make a steam brake application to prevent the locomotive from 'bouncing' against the train as it comes to rest.

I decided to assume that we were 'going on our own' and I carried out a functional vacuum brake test on the 7-coach train. First, 21 in/Hg of vacuum is created in the train pipe which should ensure that all train brakes are off. This vacuum is destroyed and the length of the train is inspected, ensuring that all brake blocks are 'on' (or, rather, that all brake blocks on the non-platform side of the train are 'on'). If this is satisfactory, vacuum is re-created and the whole train is inspected again to ensure that all brake blocks are now 'off' and clear of the wheel tyres, with the exception of the Guard's Brake composite coach, where the Guard's Handbrake will keep the brakes applied. In this case, correct operation of the vacuum system can be determined by ensuring the the piston in each brake cylinder is 'up' when the vacuum brake is applied and 'down' when the vacuum brake is released.

While all this was going on, the locomotive had been feeding steam for carriage warming. It takes a while for this steam to work its way through the train and the cleaner had opened the steam heating shut-off cock on the rear coach to assist the process. Eventually, clouds of steam vented from the the steam heating hose on the rear coach, indicating that steam was passing throughout the train. I was intending to shut the open cock on my second walk testing the brakes, but the Guard just beat me to it.

We heard that the diesel crew had failed to start 'Penyghent' because of battery problems and that an attempt was being made to start the Class 31. We were asked to take the first departure on our own, which we were happy to do, since the destination was Matlock Riverside (where we could run round our train for the return journey), not Matlock Town. For the Santa trains, only Rowsley station is used by passengers and seats are pre-booked for a round trip.

On receipt of the Guard's 'Rightaway', we set off with our seven coaches. 'Austerity' tanks are powerful locomotives so a trailing load of around 250 tons barely taxes the engine which can be worked quite lightly. Church Lane's Up Home signal was already off as we approached and we surrendered the Church Lane-Rowsley single line staff to the 'Bobby' as we passed the box. Soon, we were braking for our booked stop at Darley Dale.

'Sapper' pauses at Darley Dale with the first Up service of the day.

The crossing gates opened, the bracket signal came 'off', the Guard gave the green flag and we were off again, collecting the Darley Dale-Matlock single line staff from Signalman Jack Hinks as we passed. Our progress to Matlock Riverside was quite restrained - there's currently a ten miles an hour 'slack' (speed restriction) most of the way. Although there was some snow on the hills, the valley we were running in was free of snow. The sun was out and it was a pleasant day, apart from the bitter wind blowing straight into the cab on the driver's side.

We made a gentle approach to Matlock Riverside where there's a temporary speed restriction of 5 m.p.h. whilst the re-signalling work is in progress. We came to a stand fairly well along the patform - there's not much margin for error at Matlock Riverside when running round seven coaches but we had no problem and were soon 'tied-on' to the train for our bunker-first run back to Rowsley.

The trip back to Darley Dale was uneventful and I intentionally stopped with the leading coach clear of the platform. Six coaches will fit in the platform but longer trains need to stop further forward to avoid complaints that the rear of the train is still occupying the track circuit protecting the facing points.

'Sapper' ready to leave Darley Dale on the first Down train of the day.

We headed back to Rowsley still unaware of whether the 'Class 31' would be ready to join us. As we approached the station, we could see the '31' in the headshunt, beyond the 'END OF SINGLE LINE' board. We uncoupled from our train and, having confirmed that the diesel would stay where it was until we were clear, dropped forward clear of the loop handpoints and run round the stock.

The remaining three round trips of the day were 'top-and-tailed', as originally intended but with the '31' substituting for 'Penyghent'. We lit the paraffin engine lamps for the last trip - it was already getting dark. We carried two white lights, one above each buffer, on our way to Matlock (signifying an express). To return, I removed one white lamp and inserted the red shade in the other so that we were carrying the required tail lamp.

The last train of the day standing at Darley Dale before being hauled back to Rowsley by the '31'. Note the red tail lamp on the buffer beam.

Every train was filled to capacity during the day. Commercially, the 'Santa Specials' are very important to most preserved railways. But I hope people find them good fun as well - I do.

List of Traffic Movement Posts

2011-12-06T12:18:00.030Z

I've written a number of posts describing some of the railway traffic movements in the West Midlands in the 1960s. Most of the observations are based on working (unofficially) in signal boxes. As I've located my original rough notes, I've written them up as this series of posts (as time permitted). Some of the posts cover many hours of observation, some are merely fragments. The tables below list these posts in date of observation, earliest first. I've separated posts covering the Stour Valley Line from those at Sedgeley Junction on the South Stafford Line. Links in the last column should get you to the individual posts.

Stour Valley Line

Location	Date	Click on link
Journey	May 1960	Steam Special
Watery Lane	Tuesday 17th October 1961	Stour 2
Watery Lane	Saturday 4th November 1961	Stour 2
Watery Lane	Thursday 16th November 1961	Stour 3
Watery Lane	Saturday 2nd December 1961	Stour 3
Tipton	Monday 29th January 1962	Stour 3
Dudleyport	Saturday 17th February 1962	Dudleyport
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 24th March 1962	Bloomfield Jn. 1
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 7th April 1962	Bloomfield Jn. 1
Journey	Tuesday 19th June 1962	Sunday Stroll
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 28th July 1962	Holiday Time
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 11th August 1962	Bloomfield Jn. 1
Dudleyport	Friday 24th August 1962	Dudleyport in the Dark
Watery Lane	Friday 12th October 1962	Watery Lane 1
Bloomfield Jn.	Saturday 3rd November 1962	Bloomfield Jn. 2
Watery Lane	Saturday 23rd November 1963	Reading the Runes
Bloomfield Jn.	Friday 2nd October 1964	Traffic Movements
Tipton Station	Friday 2nd October 1964	Traffic Movements
Tipton	Wednesday 7th October 1964	Tipton
Deepfields	Saturday 17th October 1964	Deepfields 1
Deepfields	Saturday 24th October 1964	Deepfields 2
Tipton Curve	Saturday 27th March 1965	Heaviest Load
Tipton Curve	Saturday 22nd May 1965	Tipton Curve
Tipton Curve	Saturday 10th July 1965	Tipton Curve

South Stafford Line

Location	Date	Click on link
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 8th December 1962	Sedgeley Jn. 2
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 15th December 1962	Sedgeley Jn. 2
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 22th December 1962	Sedgeley Jn. 3
Sedgeley Jn.	Mon 24th December 1962	Sedgeley Jn. 3
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 29th December 1962	Sedgeley Jn. 4
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 12th January 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 4
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 26th January 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 4
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 9th February 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 5
Sedgeley Jn.	An Evening in February 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 5
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 23rd February 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 6
Sedgeley Jn.	Wed 20th March 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 7
Sedgeley Jn.	Sat 23rd March 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 7
Sedgeley Jn.	Friday 29th March 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 8
Sedgeley Jn.	Monday 15th April 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 9
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 20th April 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 10
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 4th May 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 11
Sedgeley Jn.	Friday 10th May 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 12
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 18th May 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 13
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 25th May 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 14
Sedgeley Jn.	Monday 3rd Jun 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 15
Sedgeley Jn.	Tuesday 4th June 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 16
Sedgeley Jn.	Saturday 8th June 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 17
Sedgeley Jn.	Friday 14th June 1963	Sedgeley Jn. 18

Reading the Runes: Decoding Train Register Books

2011-12-05T11:53:00.011Z

In the post 'The Train Register Book', I talk about the log books kept in signal boxes recording exactly what happens. But some of my friends have suggested that the bald list of timings is hard to make sense of. Let's look at a Saturday morning at Watery Lane back in 1963 to try to make things a little more clear.

Watery Lane after conversion to a Shunting Frame, still retaining the rather forbidding appearance of 'A.R.P.' boxes.

It's certainly important to understand the facilities provided at the signal box and have some idea of its relationship to the adjacent signal boxes. Watery Lane is described here. It may be useful to be able to refer to the Working Time Tables for passenger and freight trains, Freight Train Trip Notices and Special Traffic Notices but, for now, let's ignore that complication.

Ideally, you need to be familiar with the 'Regulations for the Signalling of Trains', the significance of all the bell codes and any special local regulations but, again, let's leave all this to one side for now. 'The Signal Box' is an excellent site for signalling information and all the bell codes then in use are listed here.

My train register book for the morning is shown below. Remember, the DOWN and UP pages are side-by-side in the train register book itself.

(Click on page for an enlarged view)

I booked on at 6.15 a.m., having travelled from Wolverhampton on the local train to Tipton and then walked to Watery Lane. The official signalman, my friend Tom, had booked on earlier and relieved the 'night man'.

The first train was a down local - a DMU. I accepted the train (a '3-1') from Dudleyport at 6.21, placed my block instrument at 'Line Clear', releasing Dudleyport's signals and immediately obtained 'Line Clear' from Tipton, allowing me to clear my Down signals. At this stage, I'd leave the Level Crossing Wicket gates unbolted, allowing pedestrians to continue crossing. Normally, these would be bolted on receipt of 'Train Entering Section' ('2') from the box in the rear. The road crossing gates at Watery Lane were always left open for rail traffic, unlike Tipton, where the gates had to be worked each time. At 6.23, the train started away from its Dudleyport stop and Dudleyport sent 'Train Entering Section' ('2'). I flipped the commutator to 'Train on Line' and sent 'Train Approaching' ('1-2-1') to Tipton. This is his cue to wind the gates and get his own down signals 'off'.

Around the same time, I accepted an Up express from Tipton ('4') and 'sent it on' to Dudleyport so that I can clear my Up signals. The Down local passes at 6.24 a.m. and the Up express two minutes later. Because of the short distance to Tipton, I wait for 'Train Out of Section' ('2-1') from Tipton before 'clearing back' to Dudleyport. On the Up, I give 'Train Out of Section' to Tipton at 6.26 a.m., as soon as I've a quarter of a mile clearance beyond my Up Home and Dudleyport 'knocks out' a minute later.

Five minutes later, I 'take on' a Light Engine ('2-3') on the Down Loop - the parcels engine returning to Wolverhampton for another train. There's 'nothing about' on the down so we 'turn him out' and he scuttles off to Wolverhampton.

At 6.57 Tipton offers an Up Local and at 7.0, Dudleyport has a Down Local. After these trains pass, there's another Up Express offered at 7.13. As he passes, Dudleyport offers pick-up freight T73 ('3') on the Down Loop. A Down Express is taken on at 7.23, so we have to let T73 come to a stand at our Down Loop Home Signal. The Down Express passes at 7.35 and the Up Local which has been 'on the block' since 7.30 passes at 7.38. At the same time, another Down Local is accepted from Dudleyport. After this local passes, there should be a margin for T73. We get 'Line Clear' from Tipton and 'Block Back ('2-4' Blocking Back Inside Home Signal) to Dudleyport to protect the freight as he stops and shunts in the Down Sidings at Tipton. At 7.59, Tipton offers an Up Local, which we refuse for 3 minutes. The most likely explanation is that T23 (the Tipton Shunt) wanted to draw out from the Up Sidings and then immediately push back on another road a raft of wagons too long to be shunted without 'coming out main line'. A 'running move' like this could fairly legitimately be done without 'Blocking Back' for protection. The Up Local passed at 8.04. Soon after Dudleyport had given 'Train Out of Section for this train, he 'Blocked Back' on the Up, possibly so that the Dudley Parcels could load or unload on the Up Platform for the convenience of the station staff. At 8.10 Dudleyport offered us a Parcels on the Down Main and as he sent 'Train Entering Section', he also cleared the 'Block Back' on the Up.

At 8.18 we 'take on a local on the Down and, a minute later, an Express on the Up. These pass us at 8.23 and 8.25, repectively. We refuse the Up Parcels at 8.37, accepting him a minute later. I assume this was because of T23 doing another 'main line shunt'. We 'get the road' for the parcels on the Up Loop but Tipton cancels the parcels at 8.42 and offers a following Up Local instead. So we cancel the Parcels on the Loop ('3-5') to Dudleyport and offer a '3-1' Up the Main instead. The Up Local passes us at 8.45. Presumably, Tipton realised that he hadn't time for the Up Parcels to complete its work in the platform and tuck itself in the Up Loop at Watery Lane without seriously delaying the Up Local. He had two possible ways of shunting the parcels out of the way - putting it 'across the road' onto the Down Main or setting it back onto the branch from Princes End. Since he didn't 'Block Back' to Watery Lane on the Down, I assume he set the train back onto the Branch, under protection of a '3-3' ('Blocking Back Outside Home Signal').

Shortly after the Up Local has gone, we 'Block Back' on the Up to Tipton, whilst T23 does some serious shunting main line, but we clear the 'Block Back' at 8.51 and accept the Up Parcels which this time goes up the Main to Dudleyport. At 8.52, we accept T42 from Tipton, which is routed up the Loop. On the down, we 'take on' a Local at 8.54 which passes at 9.00.

All is quiet for a while, until we accept a Parcels on the Up at 9.26, pass at 9.27 and at 9.40 a Down Express, pass at 9.49. At 9.52 we take on an Up Express which passes at 9.56. At 10.10, we 'Block Back' to Tipton for 9 minutes. The Local on the Down is briefly refused - I imagine because T23 is completing a 'running move' into the Down Sidings to be ready for a short journey to Bloomfield Junction. After Tipton has 'knocked out' for the Down Local at 10.23, we offer T23 as a Light Engine ('2-3'). The Up Express at 10.25 is briefly refused, presumably because fetching T23 out of the Down Sidings at the Watery Lane end will briefly foul the Up Main but there's no damage done and the express passes at 10.32. We take on another Up Express at 10.41 which passes at 10.44. T23 then returns on the Up, this time as an Engine and Brake ('1-1-3'), at 10.58. It looks as if he immediately starts shunting main line again as we Block Back to Tipton from 11.00 to 11.03.

On the Down, we accept a Local at 10.53 and receive 'Train Entering Section ('2') at 10.56. It appears that the Stockport Parcels has finished his work in the Bay at Dudleyport, and we get a '1-3-1' down the Loop at 10.57. After the Down Local, we 'get the road' for the Stockport from Tipton and turn him out main line.

Light Engine '0D97' passes on the Up at 11:21 and, a few minutes later, pick-up freight T90 comes down the Loop, to wait at our signal until the down express (taken on at 11.30) has passed. We turn out T90 but Block Back to Dudleyport (from 11.39 to 11.47) so I assume that T90 stopped at Tipton to attach/detach vehicles from the Down Sidings. Before T90 had finished, Dudleyport sent the 'Shunt' ('1-5-5': 'Shunt Train for Following Train to Pass'). We forwarded the 'Shunt' to Tipton who gave 'Train Out of Section' at 11.47 allowing us to remove the 'Block Back' also at 11.47 and accept a down train of Empty Coaching Stock ('2-2-1') which passed at 11.48. At 11.49 we accepted the Up Local from Tipton which passed at 11.56.

We accepted another down pick-up freight (T68) from Dudleyport at 12.04 and he passed at 12.09, to stop at Tipton. As soon as he'd passed, we 'got the road' on the Up Main for T23 light engine which had been waiting in the Down Sidings for a margin to return to shed (either Bescot or possibly Monument Lane). Meanwhile, T68 had presumably left his brake van main line and reversed his train into the Down Sidings at Tipton. He then returned to his brake van main line and, like T23, was anxious to scarper. Tipton put a 'Wrong Direction Movement' on the block ('2-3-3'). This can only be used where authorised but the complexity of the working around Tipton meant that such moves were authorised. So T68, Engine propelling his Brake, returned to Watery Lane in the wrong direction on the Down Main ('bang road') with Tipton maintaining his block indicator for the Down Main at 'Train on Line'. With T23 having scuttled off at speed, Dudleyport had already 'knocked out' on the Up Main, so I was able to offer T68 as a '1-1-3' ('Engine and Brake') to follow. Having obtained a 'Line Clear', I could reverse the crossover to turn the engine and brake onto the Up Main and away. A 'Wrong Direction Movement' is unusual in that there must be a means for the box at the opposite end of the section from normal to indicate that the section is clear. This is the '5-2' bell code - 'Train Clear of Section' which I sent to Tipton, who then altered his block indicator from 'Train on Line' to 'Line Blocked' so that I could offer further trains in the 'Right' direction.

Meanwhile, I'd 'taken on' an Up express from Tipton at 12.16 so I sent the 'Shunt' to Dudleyport for T68. As soon as T68 had cleared Dudleyport, I obtained 'Line Clear' for the express and cleared our Up signals. The Up passed at 12.21, as Dudleyport offered an express on the Down. At 12.27, I 'took on' a 'Special' up parcels from Tipton at 12.27 which passed at 12.30, a minute before the down express passed. At 12.36, I accepted the down local from Dudleyport. This passed at 12.40. The up local was accepted at 12.49, passing at 12.57. At 1.00, Dudleyport offered another down local (and gave 'Train Out of Section' for the previous up local).

I obtained 'Line Clear' from Tipton for the down local and, at this point, my register stops. I'd just about five minutes to leave Watery Lane and walk to Tipton station so as to catch the approaching down local back to Wolverhampton at the end of an interesting morning.

Audio Visual Installations at the Museum of Liverpool

2011-12-05T09:18:00.007Z

Click on any picture below to see the un-cropped image.

In the post 'Royal Visit to the Museum of Liverpool', I described the state-of-the-art Audio-Visual systems used around the museum, which use a number of high-definition flat screen displays and large, projected images. The picture below shows the facilities associated with just one exhibit - the locomotive 'Lion'.

At high level, there are three large displays using Panasonic projectors. In the above picture, views of Liverpool are being shown but, at other times, pictures of 'Lion' are projected. In front of the locomotive, three high-definition flat screens are provided. In the foreground, a pedestal has pushbuttons allowing visitors to select one of two presentations (with or without subtitles and signing).

The Liverpool Overhead Railway display shown above also has complex A.V. facilities. The are three high definition flat screens, three control panels with multiple selection buttons and six handsets.

All the A.V. systems are controlled through a comprehensive computer network around the museum provided by Cisco. I was able to visit one of the four equipment rooms in the museum where the A.V. control equipment is situated.

The left and right cubicles in the above picture are associated with control of the Audio Visual presentations. The central cubicle provides a 'conventional' computer network. The Audio Visual equipment includes BrightSign High Definition Media Players, Adtec 'signEdje' High Definition Digital Signage Players and WOTbOX Solid State Audio Players. A slide-mounted Laptop Computer allows diagnostics and programming of all features.

There's a small set of pictures of the A.V. equipment here.

Royal Visit to the Museum of Liverpool

2011-12-02T14:39:00.011Z

Click on any picture below to see the un-cropped image.

The Museum of Liverpool nears completion in July 2011.

On Thursday 1st December 2011, Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, officially opened the Museum of Liverpool adjacent to the Pierhead in Liverpool. The museum first opened to the public on 19th July 2011, although not all the Galleries were complete at the time. On that occasion, I was not able to attend because of a trip to Russia but I believe a number of members of the Old Locomotive Committee (OLCO) were able to be there.

The Official Opening on the 1st December saw the unveiling of additional galleries - principally 'The Great Port' gallery in which the locomotive 'Lion' is displayed. John Hawley and Jan Ford were invited to the official opening, in recognition of their contribution to the Audio-Visual presentation describing 'Lion'. The filming of this contribution is briefly described in the post 'Lion Shoot'.

The Great and the Good arrived at the Museum around 08:30 for the Official Opening and refreshments were provided in 'The Waterfront Cafe'. At 09:30, visitors were directed to their allocated positions, prior to the arrival of the Royal Party at around 10:00. It had been arranged that the Queen and the Duke would make separate tours - the Duke was to visit 'The Great Port' gallery which has 'Lion' as the central exhibit.

'Lion' is the centre piece of 'The Great Port' gallery.

Although OLCO has never concealed its disappointment that 'Lion' would not be allowed to steam again, it has remained committed to assisting the Museum of Liverpool in the interpretation of the locomotive within the gallery. In acknowledgment of that support, Jan Ford (as current Secretary representing the entire membership of OLCO) was allocated to the small 'meeting group' at the entrance to 'The Great Port' Gallery whose members were presented to the Duke of Edinburgh. In reply to the Duke's question "What do you do?" I briefly outlined the role of OLCO as a "supporters' group" for 'Lion', independent from the museum. The Duke asked about the size of our membership and I replied "Around 70". After all the members of the 'meeting group' had been presented to the Duke, the Museum's Chairman, Phil Redmond, then led the Duke in a brief circuit of the gallery with the 'meeting group' following behind in case of further queries. The Duke's Equerry engaged me in a brief conversation about 'Lion' and soon the guests moved on to other galleries.

We then gathered in the large reception area until the Queen and the Duke had completed their separate tours. The Queen then unveiled a perspex plaque commemorating the official opening before she and the Duke were invited to sign the Visitors' Book. After receiving a posy from a seven year old boy and speaking briefly to the Mayoral Party and various Civic Officials, the Royal Party walked to the waiting limousine outside. The convoy of nine vehicles left just on 11:00.

Having unveiled the plaque (on the easel in the background), Her Majesty is invited to sign the Visitors' Book.

Light refreshments were provided to the invited guests under the designation 'Brunch'. The galleries remained open for the rest of the day solely for the invited guests and the front doors remained closed to the public. The following day was the first day of public access and large visitor numbers are anticipated.

So what of the Museum? I'm too much of a traditionalist to approve of what has been called rather unkindly 'The Dented Shoebox' architectural design (see heading picture)and I'm not too sure about the 72 million pound price tag. But I was impressed with the attempts made in all the galleries to convey information about the topic in a lively manner. This is largely based on the use of state-of-the-art Audio-Visual systems and, where appropriate, interviews with people who have experience of the topic and can provide 'Oral Histories'. For a little more information on the technology behind these Audio-Visual presentations, go to the post 'Audio Visual Installations at the Museum of Liverpool'.

As far as 'Lion' is concerned, locomotive and tender are displayed on a short length of ballasted bullhead track surrounded by stainless steel railings (see photograph above). There are a few labels attached to the railings with certain data about 'Lion' but most information is presented on a group of three high-definition flat-screen displays mounted at a convenient height on stainless steel posts along the right hand side of the locomotive. In the quiescent state, a series of black and white images is continuously presented on these three screens but a small pedestal allows either of two short colour productions to be displayed on demand by a simple button press.

The small pedestal allows selection of either of two presentations.

The first is called 'Railways are the future'. This is an imagined conversation taking place in 1838 during a journey by train between George Stephenson and a railway shareholder.

The second is called 'Lion takes centre stage - The Old Locomotive Committee discusses Lion'. This comprises ad lib 'pieces to camera' by John Hawley and Jan Ford filmed in the 'Lion Tavern' talking about 'Lion' and her history intercut with archive film of 'Lion' and 'snippets' from 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'. This presentation includes video of 'Lion' recorded during the Sesquicentenary celebrations showing the locomotive operating at Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, Birmingham Railway Museum and The Science Museum Wroughton Open Day.

In the picture above of 'Lion', you can also see three large projected images at high level. Normally, these cycle through various black and white images showing the Port of Liverpool and 'Lion'. I understand that, periodically during the day, these will provide a further presentation on 'Lion' but, on the day of the Royal Visit, this feature was not in use.

The preserved Liverpool Overhead Railway coach.

The preserved Liverpool Overhead Railway Coach is displayed at high level adjacent to 'Lion' on a short length of simulated overhead railway viaduct. There's a little about this railway here, with links to more pictures of this coach. Visitors to the museum can enter part of the coach from the first floor and sound effects are provided.

The large model of the docks and the route of the Liverpool Overhead Railway, viewed from the Dingle end (where the railway ran underground to reach Dingle Station).

Quite a lot of information on the Liverpool Overhead Railway is presented on the first floor of the museum. I was particularly taken with a large model of the route, where white lights (representing trains) move up and down the route, pausing briefly at each station.

Sadly, there was insufficient space to display the preserved Mersey Docks and Harbour Board 0-6-0 saddle tank in the museum (there are a few pictures of the locomotive in store here) but the Sentinel Steam Tractor is on show (my earlier pictures are here).

In the four months since the museum first opened, I understand it's attracted around half a million visitors. Now the additional galleries are open, it is anticipated that the museum will be even busier!

My camera coped poorly with the museum lighting conditions but I've nontheless posted the results in Royal Visit.

The Train Register Book

2011-11-29T08:00:00.011Z

For well over a century, the Train Register Book has been a feature of railway signal boxes following British practice. When I started visiting signalboxes, the standard Train Register Book produced by British railways (B.R. 24847) had 49 double pages (DOWN/UP pairs) bound with card covers. In each signal box, this book lay open on a writing desk with the left hand page headed 'DOWN' and the right hand 'UP'. Printed rows and columns (rather like an accounting cash book) provided a framework in which every activity was faithfully recorded with the corresponding time.

The signal box wall clock would be mounted adjacent to the desk so that the time of each entry could be readily determined. Although the wind-up clocks were of good quality, they were manually synchronised each day with a Time Signal. At the boxes I visited, the Time Signal came from the local Traffic Control Office as a series of rings on the omnibus 'Control' telephone circuit at 9.00 a.m. On occasion, this Time Signal would not be sent at nine o'clock but it might then be sent at 10.00 a.m.!

The Train Register Book had various functions. Firstly, it served as an aide-memoire to the signalman. Provided the book was kept up-to-date, the signalman could refer to it at any time to remind himself of the current situation and it reduced the chance of signalman becoming confused and a train being 'forgotten'. What was then 'Rule 55' required the fireman of a detained train to actually walk to the signalbox to remind the signalman of the position of the train and ascertain that any 'protection devices' (like lever collars) were in use. Before returning to his train, the fireman would sign the Train Register Book as evidence of his visit. As electrical devices like Fireman's Call Plungers and Track Circuits were adopted, the need for these visits was reduced, although fireman might still appear at the box to beg hot water for a 'brew'. Secondly, the Train Register recorded the comings and goings as signalmen changed shifts or visitors like the supervising Station Master called. Thirdly, in the event of any serious incident, the Train Register Book (and those from adjacent signal boxes) would be taken away for analysis. By looking at the recent entries in the Train Register (Down trains on the left hand page, Up trains on the right hand page), anybody could gain a picture of what was going on at the time and this was a powerful tool in re-creating the circumstances leading to an incident.

Some signalman were assiduous in entering each event as it occurred - others would rely upon their memory to remember the timings for a number of trains before entering those timings in 'The Book'. At very busy boxes, a separate 'Booking Lad' would be responsible for maintaining the Train Register and he would usually deal with telephone calls as well.

The signal boxes I was familiar with in the '50s and '60s were more modest affairs where a solitary signalman carried out all the tasks. I obtained a blank Train Register Book to enable me to make my own record of my visits. Watery Lane was a typical example and my pages for 23rd November 1963 are reproduced below. (Click on either image to enlarge)

Of course, 'Down' and 'Up' pages should be side by side. My record stops at 1.00 p.m. when my friend Tom was relieved by the 'Late Turn' signalman but, of course, the actual box register would continue, shift after shift, day after day.

'Down' and 'Up' pages have an identical layout. Each horizontal row represents a train or event. Vertical columns are divided into five groups: 'Description of Train', 'REAR SECTION', 'Line', 'ADVANCE SECTION' and 'Remarks'.

Where manual block signalling is in use, the first column records the 'Is Line clear' bell code used - '3 pause 1' for an ordinary passenger train, '2 pause 3' for a light engine and so on. Alternately, where Track Circuit Block and Train Describers are in use, the first column shows the 4-character headcode for the train.

The second group of columns 'REAR SECTION' records the passage of a train from the box in the rear for a train coming towards us. There are three possible responses to an 'Is Line Clear' - accept the train normally under 'Regulation 4', accept the train conditionally under 'Warning' or 'Permissive' regulations (where authorised) or refuse the train ('Received but not accepted'). Three columns allow the response to be clearly recorded. The next columns allow the 'Train Approach' signal (authorised where there are 'short sections') to be recorded then 'Train Entering Section' (always sent by the box in rear as the train enters our block section) and finally 'Train out of section' (allowing the box in rear to offer a further train). The final three colums in the 'REAR SECTION' group allow the times to be shown for when a description is received, when a train arrives (if it stops) and when a train departs or passes.

Where there are additional lines in addition to 'Up' and 'Down' or where there are junctions to other routes, the 'Line' column is used to clarify the line over which a train runs.

The fourth group of columns 'ADVANCE SECTION' records the passage of a train to the box in advance for a train leaving us.

The final 'Remarks' column is used to identify a particular train, such as 'T73' for a freight trip or '1Z64' for a special.

Of course, the Train Register (which recorded what actually happened) was supplemented by separate Working Time Tables for passenger and freight trains which showed what was supposed to happen. Then there were Freight Train Trip Notices and Special Traffic Notices so it was no wonder that confusion sometimes occurred. The railways became users of the Telegraph and then the Telephone quite early so that information could be disseminated and collected in a timely manner but railway telecommunications and the function of the Traffic Control Office is another story.

A Trip to the Seaside (Part 2)

2011-11-27T10:24:00.019Z

Click on any picture below to see the un-cropped image.

On 26th November 2011, I made a trip to Llandudno, on the North Wales Coast. In Part 1, I talk about the town: this part concentrates on the railway journey.

The first train in my journey was non-stop from Wolverhampton to Crewe - a 'Virgin' operated Bombardier-built 'Voyager' heading for Scotland. This made a surprisingly swift journey to Crewe where I had a short wait with a large contingent of passengers for the Arriva Trains Wales DMU to Chester.

The much-simplified layout at Crewe North Junction, with the Chester Line diverging to the left. The 'Voyager' which brought me to Crewe is just departing on the Liverpool Down Fast.

Although Crewe is still a large and important station, it's a shadow of its former self, which was a 'Mecca' for me when I was young. There's a post on Crewe station here. I'll never get used to the platform renumbering which has taken place at Crewe (I grumble about this sort of 'Modernisation' in 'Zen and the Art of Platform Numbering').

Chester station, showing two of the massive trusses which still support what remains of the overall roof. Note the modern apartments in the background.

The rather shabby Arriva Trains Wales DMU from Crewe to Chester was at least quick, so I was soon standing on the much-rebuilt Chester station awaiting another Arriva Trains Wales DMU from Manchester which would take me forward to Llandudno. The commissioning of the power box at Chester in May 1984 meant that the station lost its wonderful arrays of L.& N. W. R. lower quadrant signals. All the mechanical signalboxes were abolished, to be replaced by a Power Box whose architectural style quite defeats me. Great sections of the overall station roof have been swept away, apparently at random. Whilst the elegant station buildings provided by the Chester and Holyhead Railway in 1848 largely remain, the concourse area is now flanked by two curious modern structures which give me the impression of having been accidentally left behind by some alien civilisation.

The connecting train arrived (again, on time) and we were soon away on the last leg of the journey. The train I was on continued directly to Llandudno, avoiding a further change at Llandudno Junction which is often necessary nowadays. The route is now significantly simplified. There were originally four tracks to Saltney Junction (where the G.W.R. line to Wrexham diverged) and beyond but it's now only double track from Roodee Junction. The line to beyond Saltney Junction is remotely controlled from Chester Power Box. There is little sign now of Mold Junction and its Motive Power Depot but the turntable lives on elsewhere, now installed at Peak Rail (see post here). At Hawarden, the huge Airbus plant manufacturing wings appears on the left and at Shotton, on the right, the Corus steel processing plant. Originally, this was John Summers - a 'modern' integrated steel works. The Courtaulds plant has gone, replaced by a gas-fired power station. The modern, brick built signal box of Rockcliffe Hall which controlled the connections to Courtaulds has been replaced by a curious two-storey 'Portakabin'-style signal box next to the new overbridge which carries the approach road to the new cable-stayed road bridge over the Dee.

Fflint (it used to be 'Flint' when I was young) retains its simple Chester and Holyhead station building but has lost its L.M.S. pattern signal box. The next block post is Holywell Junction with its semaphore signals. The station has been closed for many years but the impressive Chester and Holyhead buildings remain. A curious sight on the way to Mostyn is the 'Duke of Lancaster' beached in a creek near the railway. This turbine-driven ship was commissioned in 1956 as a British Railways cruise ship and passenger ferry. It was modified to additionally carry cars on the Heysham to Belfast crossing and was finally taken out of service in 1979 to become a 'Fun Ship' in its present location. It now has a very neglected appearance. There's a 'Wikipedia' article on the ship here. The I remember the ironworks at Mostyn which closed in 1965 but Mostyn Docks remains successful (see article here). The L.N.W. signalbox at Mostyn still sits between the Up and Down Lines controlling the trains. The next box, Talacre, is about 3 miles further on at the far end of Mostyn Sea Wall. Talacre controls the connections to what was the Point of Ayr colliery. The colliery has gone, replaced by a chemical works. The next block post is Prestatyn, now served by a single island platform. I was delighted to find the standard L.N.W. standard wooden station buildings still in use and apparently being renovated but appalled at the huge new footbridge connecting the platform to the town. Painted dark green and with long approach ramps, the ugly steel bridge dominates the area.

The Up side station buildings at Rhyl.

The larger resort of Rhyl is a further three miles on. The scale of this station indicates its former importance but now it has just two platforms, a passenger loop on the down and a couple of engineers sidings. Two huge L.N.W. signal boxes once controlled the station. Rhyl No. 1 is still is use. Rhyl No. 2 is disused and forlorn but, I believe, Listed Grade 2.

The signalbox at Abergele & Pensarn.

The next station and signal box is Abergele & Pensarn, some four miles further on. Although the L.N.W. signal box has been modernised, the original appearance has been largely retained. The L.M.S. pattern signalbox nameboard used to read 'ABERGELE' but this has been replaced by a new board in the original style lettered 'ABERGELE & PENSARN'. It's about 10 miles to the next signalbox at Llandudno. There's still a station at Colwyn Bay but no longer a signal box. After a brief pause at Llandudno Junction, we set off on the sharply-curved line towards Llandudno. I well remember the diminuitive L.M.S. box at Llandudno Junction Crossing with its level crossing on the main road to Conway and beyond. This used to be a horrendous bottleneck until a road overbridge finally abolished the crossing and signal box in 1969. The estuary of the Conwy River is now on our left and Deganwy station is reached within a mile. New housing has sprung up on the left and extensive boat moorings - the old Quay is transformed. There's still a station at Deganwy and a signalbox to control the road crossing which now has lifting barriers.

The present-day view of Llandudno Station from the road leading to the Promenade.

Less than two miles takes us to our final stop - the terminus at Llandudno. Llandudno No. 1 box was abolished in 1970 and Llandudno No.2 box at the station throat (renamed simply 'Llandudno') has had its 86 lever L.N.W. lever frame reduced to 34 levers! Platforms 1 to 3 are still in use but tracks serving island platform 4 and 5 are now sidings. The station buildings on the disused side of the station are now out of use or demolished. In addition, much of the station's overall roof has been removed.

Llandudno station buildings in the 1950s (from 'An Historical Survey of Chester to Holyhead Railway Track Layouts and Illustrations').

There are a few railway photographs of this trip (including those in this article) here.

Crewe - Holyhead Gradient Diagram

The Irish Mail

The reason for building the North Wales Line was to improve communications with Holyhead - the premier port for steamers to Ireland. Mail was carried by train from the start and the 'Irish Mail' train between Euston and Holyhead became the stuff of legend. When I was young, there was still a service between Euston and Holyhead carrying the 'Irish Mail' headboard which connected with the steamers. On a number of occasions, I watched this train thunder through the 'Fast' lines at Stafford, usually with a 'Rebuilt Scot' in charge. The 'Emerald Isle Express' followed the same route, I think.

I also remember, on a visit to Holyhead, finding an Up service preparing to depart in the late afternoon with (I think) two or three Travelling Post Office coaches marshalled ahead of the passenger coaches. I was most impressed with the Post Box fitted in the side of the T.P.O. coach. On payment of a surcharge, the public could actually post letters here, right up to departure!

Holiday Traffic

The advent of railways allowed seaside holidays to become feasible for a much larger section of the population. The North Wales coast was within fairly easy reach of the Midlands and Lancashire, with resorts like Rhyl, Colwyn Bay and Llandudno growing to meet the demand. In summertime, the original double track main line was unable to handle the traffic. Certain sections were quadrupled (paired by direction) and additional signalboxes were introduced to shorten the block section and allow trains to follow on another more closely in a safe manner. The track layout and station buildings at places like Rhyl and Llandudno were redeveloped to cater for the holiday and excursion traffic.

Chester

Chester (General) station was originally shared by the L.M.S. and G.W.R. The L.M.S. lines from Crewe and Warrington converged here and continued along the North Wales coast. But the Great Western also reached Chester via Shrewsbury and Wrexham, to join the North Wales route just outside Chester at Saltney Junction. Trains towards Birkenhead (Woodside) could then either take the Chester Curve or reverse at Chester (General).

References

Goto North Wales Coast Steam for a marvellous collection of pictures from the steam era.

On the same '6G' site there's a wonderful page devoted to signalling titled 'Signalling around the Junction.

There's a splendid collection of photographs and plans in 'An Historical Survey of Chester to Holyhead Railway Track Layouts and Illustrations' published by Oxford Publishing Co. (ISBN: 0-86093-216-8).

You can find more detailed track and signalling diagrams of the route in the excellent series of publications from the Signalling Record Society 'British Railways Layout Plans of the 1950's'. North Wales is included in 'Volume 10: LNW Lines in North Wales, Chester and Wirral areas' (ISBN: 1 873228 12 0).

A Trip to the Seaside (Part 1)

2011-11-27T09:44:00.009Z

The sweep of the bay at Llandudno, with the Great Orme in the background.

I've always lived in the Midlands of England, where the sea is around ninety miles distant so the sea became a source of fascination to me and visits to the sea were always prized. One of my favourite destinations then, and now, was Llandudno on the North Wales coast. In 'Steam around Morecambe' I explained that my visit to that Lancashire resort came about because my mother was responsible for a party of about 200 pensioners from the West Midlands on a week's holiday organised by a voluntary organisation. One of my early visits to Llandudno was similarly because my mother was looking after another large party of pensioners at the Welsh resort.

Llandudno has always seemed 'proper' seaside to me. There's a large, attractive bay framed between the Little Orme to the east and the Great Orme to the west. There's a wide promenade overlooked by a swathe of elegant Victorian hotels. There is still a splendid pier (when I was young, large pleasure steamers like the 'St. Tudno' docked at the seaward end). The town is still a good place to shop and many of the shops still sport verandahs over the pavement, lending a certain style. The cable-hauled Great Orme Tram still takes passengers to the summit of the Great Orme (in the season). Alas, the trams which ran through the town itself and out to Llandudno's second beach (the West Shore) are long gone. I'm old enough to remember the trams - after behaving quite properly in the town itself, the trams would suddenly dive off across fields and grind their way around the Little Orme to Rhos-on-Sea at the western end of Colwyn Bay. Llandudno still has its terminal railway station, although it's now a pale shadow of the station I remember from childhood, when steam-hauled excursion trains arrived from all over the place.

Over the years I've been back many times and on 26th November 2011, I decided to make another brief visit, before winter had us more firmly in its grasp.

My journey by rail was quite good and Arriva Trains Wales delivered me to Llandudno on time, just after eleven. I walked to the promenade, to enjoy the view shown in the heading photograph. The sea was quite placid although I could see waves breaking against the sea wall near the entrance to the pier. I walked along the promenade and then turned off into the town. Many of the hotels and boarding houses were closed for the winter and sported 'No Vacancies' signs.

Llandudno's attractive Town Hall.

The Town Hall was hosting an Antiques Fair, from which I emerged with a large Willow Pattern meat plate to add to my collection. The second hand bookshop I normally visit was closed but I found a shop with a splendid selection of discounted new books which proved irresistible.

The Imperial Hotel, Llandudno.

I then made my way back to the promenade and the Imperial Hotel where I decided to take lunch in the restaurant at the front of the hotel since it provides good views of the sea. A rainbow had appeared, its arc rising out of the sea to the east, climbing high into the sky and then diving behind the Great Orme. More prosaically, a noisy yellow-painted 'Sea King' helicopter from Air-Sea Rescue overflew the hotel. The battered haddock I ordered was excellent and I followed that with Fortes ice cream.

By the time I left the hotel after my leisurely meal, the sky was quite overcast and the wind had strengthened so that I made progress only with some difficulty. Accordingly, I decided to head back to the station and make my way home after a very enjoyable interlude.

More pictures of Llandudno.

Traffic Movements at Tipton Curve, 1965

2011-11-23T09:40:00.006Z

There's an introduction to Tipton Curve box here.

Tipton Curve, Saturday 10th July 1965

All the signalling staff in the area have received redundancy notices and Wolverhampton Power Box is scheduled for commissioning on August 13th and 14th.

At 06:50 hours (the 24-hour clock was introduced with the summer timetables) I board the London in Platform 3 at Wolverhampton High Level. We depart on time and make a good start. We pass the new Monmore Green freight yard, with its access to both LM and GW routes, and slow for the slack at Catchem's. The remaining crossover and the Tip Siding is coming out tomorrow and most of the ballast is already removed in preparation. Spring Vales's new motor distant is 'on' but his mechanical distant is well 'off' and we roar past Stewarts and Lloyds. No freights in Spring Vale yet this morning. A burst of speed past Deepfields followed by a brief stop at Coseley station. A swift run down the bank to Bloomfield, passing under the colour light gantry, and we are soon slowing for Tipton. The signals show that the Curve box is open, and Tom is at the top of the box steps to wave in recognition.

I leave the station and take a brisk walk round to the Curve. A freight stands at the down home and the young fireman is just making his way to the box to sign the book. But the train has a long wait: by the time Hawkin Davies at Bloomfield takes him, the freight has chalked up 50 minutes standing time. The train was wired as Spring Vale but as 5288 finally blasts past, the driver mouths "Bloomfield" and he has a dozen loaded stone wagons at the front of his train. Bloomfield is advised and fortunately he has a margin to shunt the train, otherwise it would have been embarrassing. The train is shown as '55' but I think this is wrong. All the trip numbers have been altered again but trips are no longer shown in the Freight Book [Working Timetable of Freight Trains] but only in the Local Trip Notice, which I have only just got hold of. People seem to be using a mixture of old and new numbers.

We close the box and return to Tipton station by car. Tom wants his breakfast but hardly has he started to make arrangements than it's "Round the Curve". So I am presented with the key while Tom makes food arrangements. I take a gentle walk round to Tipton Curve box, being passed by 1D25. I notice the diesel had a cab door open at the rear - getting to be a habit! When I give a '1' to Bloomfield, prior to opening, he's so anxious, he immediately slaps a '4-1'. Apparently, Deepfields has turned out '37' in front of the up local! The freight makes rather painful progress towards me, 5090 tender first with a grim-faced driver and a long train of ore empties and coke empties. The up local is delayed - oh well! A telephone conversation confirms that there's nothing else about, so I close, check with Princes End that they're tested through and walk back to Tipton Station.

Before we can finish the bacon sandwiches Tom's obtained, George Lewis (at Tipton signal box) gives three rings on the station bell and tells Tom "Round the Curve". I walk out onto the platform and '23' is just going down to Bloomfield. Des leads on his brake van and he confirms that he's going round the curve. The 350 h.p. diesel grinds past - no tail lamp - oh well.

Tom and I walk round the Curve and find that '23' is the only reason for our curtailed refreshments. In due course, '23' comes round from Bloomfield - D3089, cab leading, very dirty and still carrying the old lion-astride-a-mangle-wheel motif (no headlamp, of course), 5 minerals, a loaded sludge tender, 1 mineral and the B.R. brake. The driver stops a bit sharp and the brake van, which has been cut loose by Des working from the van footboard, stops well outside the home signal. The rest of the train is drawn forward and reversed into the Tip Siding. All the mineral wagons are empty, apparently, and we have no idea what they are for. "Engine and Brake Princes End then back to Bloomfield" calls Des. I get the road and pull off, deliberately pulling the starter before the home. Tipton Curve is unusual in lacking the sophistication of sequential locking. As the train pulls rapidly away, Tom says "I think I'll have a ride to Princes End". He dashes down the steps and leaps onto the speeding brake van, much to the amusement of Des.

After '23' has departed, I forget to 'knock out' [give 'Train out of Section'] to Bloomfield, who comes on the phone rather concerned and very confused. When I 'clear back', he offers a '4-1' and I realise he's got '55' which he wants to clear before the express. 'T23' returns from Princes End and comes to a stand at our home because Bloomfield won't take the E&B. '55' storms past with his usual train from Ettingshall Road, after pausing at a very poor branch starter at Bloomfield. Bloomfield manipulates the starter for some time before putting it back and pulling off up the main - he's apparently in some trouble, one way and another. He's already stopped most down trains at his home, for some reason. At last, Bloomfield accepts '23' and he scoots off. As soon as Bloomfield gives 'Train Out Of Section', we close the box.

A copy of the Train Register enties is below:-

DOWN

For variety, we walk round to Bloomfield Junction, rather than back to Tipton. '23' has finished whatever he was doing there and is ready to return to Watery Lane, so we 'blag' a lift. On arrival, Watery Lane puts us 'inside' on the Up. There's a large bridge girder on wagons stabled there, awaiting installation (I don't know where) so we take the opportunity to clamber over it, examining its construction.

Then, it's a short walk to a friendly reception at Tipton Station box, where I spend a few hours working the box. But that's another story.

[Text and Train Register entries added 5-Jan-2012].

Death of the Dudley Line

2011-11-22T14:57:00.004Z

I started to write this article back in June 1964, using a typewriter. For some reason, I never finished it but below I reproduce what exists, without change and under the original title.

Dudley is to lose its final rail services. Two short years after the closure of the Wolverhampton (Low Level) to Dudley line, the remaining services are withdrawn. The Dudley to Birmingham (Snow Hill) finishes on Saturday June 13th 1964; the Walsall service, originally to close on the same day, is now reprieved for a month. And so, a round trip is arranged to tour the sentenced lines and on Wednesday June 10th I set out, bright and early, with the following itinerary carefully arranged:-

Station	arr.	dep.
Wolverhampton H.L.	...	5.58 am
Dudleyport	6.11-1/2	6.34-1/2
Dudley	6.39	6.44
Walsall	7.00	7.14
Dudley	7.31	7.50
Dudleyport	7.53	8.08
Dudley	8.11-1/2	9.00
Birmingham S.H.	9.25	9.55
Dudleyport	10.16	10.20-1/2
and hence to Wolverhampton

Wolverhampton (High Level) station was in a state of quiet disorder, owing to the ensuing Modernisation. Alrteady boxes No. 1 and No. 3 had disappeared and Platform 1 had just been brought back into use after a confusing period when down trains used platform 2 and up trains platform 3. The 5.58 local was in platform 2 and, after 1M16 type 4 hauled and running early pulled up in 3, we got the road and left for Dudleyport. The run was uneventful but the new concrete cable troughing and the well-advanced Track Section Cabins at Deepfields, Bloomfield's down starter and Tipton point to the changes overtaking the main line.

The friendly booking clerk at Dudleyport seemed quite unruffled at supplying a return Walsall, a return Snow Hill and three returns to Dudley at 6.15 in the morning and so I was soon down the Low Level, awaiting the first connection. The diesel twin arrived on time from Walsall and rumbled off up the 1 in 39, past Sedgeley Jn. where Quiyum was on duty. The driver kept up a reasonable speed over the junctions, past Conygree Siding, onto the straight section which crosses the New Road and up to Dudley East's home, which remained resolutely on until we had come to a stand, when the subsidiary aspect cleared. Once in the platform, the train quickly emptied of its few passengers and drew down to Dudley South, to be crossed to the up side and Platform 4.

6.44 and the train left for the quick trip to Walsall. We run down to Dudleyport at a cracking pace, then gingerly descend through the cuttings, past the fairy-tale box at Horsley Fields which hides coyly in the recess in the cutting and into Great Bridge, an utterly squalid collection of huts hiding at the rear of a dirt platform. In the yard, the diesel-electric shunter positions steel coil wagons, which are in circuit working to Great Bridge and are another sign of the present attitudes to bulk freightage and the like. Fully fitted wagons too! The train starts away, past the goods shed and past Eagle Crossing. A bus waits reluctantly for us to pass and the hand-worked crossing gates hang at an angle, adding to the general appearance of decrepitude which is only offset by the new paintwork of the box. We rattle past a few wagons left on the Long Siding and pass Gols Hill Crossing. The box was burnt down a few months ago but has been rebuilt in the original (L.N.W.) pattern and repainted. A pity this course was not adopted at Tipton Curve when the Pigeon Loft was erected!

As we approach Wednesbury, we enter a thick pall of smoke from the neighbouring industries. On the left, the Princes End line can be seen rising uphill and disappearing under the roadbridge near the Ocker Hill cooling towers. T55, with a Class 8 at the head end, is just starting up the bank, with the diesel-electric shunter from Wednesbury giving assistance. Wednesbury station already looks derelict. Part of the station is already out of use, with doors boarded up and windows smashed. After a brief pause, the train starts away and the signalman in No. 2 rises from his register to give "section". The train accelerates through the cutting, past No. 2's starter, still an L.N.W. lower quadrant but now shored up by a sleeper. The line levels out past the tiny box at Mestycroft and we speed on towards Bescot Curve. Just past the junction, the line is shrouded by the massive columns of a flyover under construction, to take the M6 southwards. We soon rattle over the crossings at Pleck, where the box now stands side by side with the shell of the massive new Walsall power box.

Walsall environs are busy at 7.00 am. Two light engines stand by the P. Way Frame, awaiting duty, a Brit. pauses with stock in the carriage sidings and a 2-6-0 shunts the Midland yard. Nearer the station, a diesel shunter groans in the down sidings and another 2-6-0 contemplates a parcels turn. We pull under the massive gantry at No. 2 and stop in platform one. A diesel parcels unit draws out of the adjacent bay and then our twinset pulls out to reach platform 2. The over-anxious signalman offers a '3-1' then, realsing his mistake, cancels and offers stock. Meanwhile, a Birmingham multiple unit rolls into No. 4 and quite a crowd of passengers entrain. But the Dudley train, with so little time left, commands a sizeable patronage and by the time I board for the return journey, it is uncomfortably crowded.

And there, I'm afraid, the article stops.

Riding the Brake

2011-11-22T09:15:00.005Z

These are the notes I made at the time of a brake van ride from Tipton Curve to Wednesbury and back. There's more about Tipton Curve here and a description of Princes End here.

Saturday 12th December 1964

It's usually a fairly quiet day for the 'Porter Bobby' at Tipton Curve Junction, but today I am lucky enough to arrange a trip to see '23' shunt Austin's. '61' used to come down as a '2-2-3' ('Train requiring to Work in Section') and spend an hour working at the siding but the work is now done by '23'. The Second Man for the diesel shunter arrives at Tipton after 10.0 a.m. and, waiting at Tipton Station, I watch '23' grind away up the bank to Bloomfield with Bolsters and Open Wagons. This is the cue for Tom and I to get round 'The Curve' and wait for '23'.

After 1G05 and 1G06 have passed on the Up Main, '23' heads round the sharp curve from Bloomfield with the 350 h.p. diesel electric, cab leading, two All-Steel Open Wagons and a S.R. 20-ton Brake. The train is brought almost to a stand and then allowed forward, so that the writer can make a rather undignified leap onto the footboard of the brake van, as the train accelerates away for Princes End.

The brake van is provided with two padded seats and duckets, diagonally opposite one another. I am soom installed in one of them, facing the friendly Guard, Des Jones ('Jonah'). The permanent furniture is completed by the brakewheel and the diminuitive stove. There is also a metal locker which doubles as a footrest and a shunting pole is propped in one corner.

We are soon approaching Princes End: the crossing gates open as we near and the 'pegs' come off. The train passes the L.& N. W. lower quadrant Starter and we commence the descent to Wednesbury.

The Guard comments favourably on his brake, S56240 - "It's nice and snug, rides well, brakes evenly and got lamp brackets on the wall" (the last feature prevents accidents to spare lamps when the van is jerked). He decides to keep it as the 'Residential Brake'.

We are coming down the bank past Wednesbury Number 1's fixed distant. The Guard comments on what a "wicked bank" it is to descend with a load on. He recalls seeing a 'Class 8' and a train of coke run out of control, right through Wednesbury station, whistle 'popping', finally stopping halfway up the bank to Mestycroft with the coupled wheels locked. The engine ended up with half inch flats on the tyres and a frightening 'rattle-thump-rattle-thump" as he moved!

We pass through the so-called Princes End Tunnel, an elongated road bridge, and emerge in the shadow of a cooling tower at Ocker Hill Power Station. Our train draws up to Wednesbury's Outer Home (or is it Home 1?) which remains stubbornly 'on'. Des points out the sidings.

On the left, protected by the signal at which we're standing, are Bagnall's Sidings. This is a steel stockyard, with three curving sidings (2 loaded, 1 empty) populated by BBCs. The freight is steel bars.

On the right are the sidings to Ocker Hill Power Station. The facing lead from near the junction fans, after a short neck, into six roads. At the other end of the yard these lines, plus a short Cripple Siding, converge into a single line which splits up into the Power Station. Number 1 siding (nearest to us) in the Empty Road, the remainder are Inwards Sidings, crammed with loads of slack. As we watch, a 'Class 8', facing the Power Station, backs from the bottleneck onto a train of Empties and subsequently sets back onto his Brake Van waiting in the Neck. Des confirms from Chris, the Bushbury Guard with the empties, that it's a train of 'Pools' for Littleton's and he admires the neatness of the move, which he has not seen before. He also correctly surmises that the train will set back onto the Down Line, in front of us, since the signal to leave the Neck only reads to the Down. Setting back onto the Up, although sometimes done, requires a hand signal.

We patiently wait while the train of empties backs clear of the connection to the Power Station and sets off bravely up the bank to Princes End. In a few minutes, the engine blasts past, working hard, slipping momentarily just as he draws level. While I watch the wagons rumble by, there is an awesome jerk and we are on the move.

'23' stops just short of the 'Western' bridge (where the Wolverhampton Low Level to Birmingham Snow Hill main line crosses over the South Stafford line). The handbrake is partially screwed down, to hold the Brake Van as the engine and two wagons are uncoupled and draw away, clear of the connections to the Down Sidings. The Wednesbury Shunters crowd round and uncouple the two wagons from the diesel. The diesel gives the wagons a 'shove' and then stands by the signal box as the wagons roll sedately into the sidings, rumble like thunder passing under the bridge and contact sharply with the wagons we have come to pick up which are standing on the 'Front' road. Throughout these operations, the Wednesbury shunt engine (a 'Class 8') stands obediently clear on another siding. Our diesel returns and, without much ceremony, buffers up to the Brake (and its passenger). Once attached, the engine and brake are drawn forward, clear of the points, and propelled over the rough trackwork onto our train. Our train is now twelve wagons strong: the original two wagons loaded with spoil and lumps of iron now augmented by ten 16-ton mineral wagons. The diesel draws the whole collection into the Down platform and the Guard calls for "Full Brake". The engine is unhitched and draws away to Wednesbury Number 2 box, where he is turned onto the Middle Road. The diesel creeps past his train as a long freight rolls through the station on the Up and out on the Great Bridge Line. Our engine is soon coupled onto the train and draws out of the station, holding up the road traffic waiting at the level crossing a minute longer.

We head back up the bank to Princes End. On emerging from the tunnel, I am amazed to see an express approaching from the other direction! It turns out to be the S.L.S. Special 1Z65, touring the Midlands with the last two 'Super Ds' in service. 49340 and 49361 are impeccably turned out and both cabs sport the yellow cab diagonals (not to work under overhead lines south of Crewe). Even the coaching stock, which sprouts heads and arms along its length, is clean. The passenger train slows as it enters the tunnel and the engines whistle in chorus to signal their approach. Nostalgia apart, the train was not shown in the 'W1' Weekly Notices or the Supplement so it had earlier been brought to a stand at Watery Lane because nobody knew what it was! We proceed about our mundane busines and are soon drawing up to Princes End crossing, with assistance from the van brake. The Secondman goes to 'Sign the Book' and the Guard goes to explain what he's about. This gives me about ten minutes of quiet in the van to contemplate the lonely life of a freight guard then the train draws over the crossing and stops with the Brake opposite the box. The van brake goes on hard and the engine and wagons draw away with the Annett's Key required to get into Austin's. Within a quarter of an hour, the engine is back and coupled up, the Annett's Key is returned to the box and we are whining back to Tipton Curve.

There's time to complete the Guard's Journal:

Wednesbury arr. 11.15 (that is, commence shunting)
det. 2 att. 12 (note that the two all-steel count twice)
Wednesbury dep. 11.25
P. End arr. 11.50 det. 12
P. End dep. 12.5

When we get back to Tipton Curve, Tom keeps the home signal 'on', to allow me to drop off and then the engine, now facing Tipton, rumbles back to Owen Street with his Southern Region Brake. Incidentally, the '4-armer' home signal was recently moved further away from the junction as, in its original position, it was starting to slip down the embankment, presumably due to the underground fire in the embankment.

The 'Express & Star' carried this report of the S.L.S. Special.

Traffic Movements at Deepfields, 1964 (Part 2)

2011-11-21T14:21:00.003Z

There's an introduction to Deepfields box (with a signalling diagram) here and more detail here.

Deepfields, Saturday 24th October 1964

It's a cold morning with frost on the ground as Deepfields is opened up. We exchange the '5-5-5' with Bloomfield and Spring Vale and then try to replace the signals. Both the Up Distant Weight Bars are frozen 'off': Down Home 2 and Down Starter signals are also frozen off. The levers are banged around for a bit and the slack adjusters are let out but it's to no avail. So we walk to Down Home 2 and physically pull the weight bar 'on'. The Down Starter is freed-up by pulling on the signal wire at a number of places. Back in the box, the Up Inner Distant is restored by working the lever a few more times and then, with the railway brought to a standstill, we start work.

The Down Local is accepted normally but we now have a Block Failure on the Up to Spring Vale since, without our distants being proved 'on', we're unable to give a 'Line Clear'. We also have to 'Double Block' on the Up because our distant may not be correctly 'on' to warn an approaching driver (this is a rather technical point because, without a 'Line Clear' to Spring Vale to release his Up Starter, neither of our Up Distant signals should be 'off', even if the associated weight bars are 'off'. Enos, the signalman at Spring Vale, warns the Up Crewe past his starter and the driver steams past, trying to recover from his stop at Spring Vale. His train is five coaches, a 6-wheel van and the Palethorpes' van.

37's engine, rather late, coasts down to 'The Vale' to pick up his train - 4837 chimney-leading. Within 40 minutes, he is ready with his train and gingerly approaching our Up Loop Home tender first. We have to work the levers to-and-fro a few times to get the signal detectors correctly lined up to enable the signal arm to be cleared. His train is coke, coal and limestone empties (including one fitted hopper wagon marked 'HOUSE CONCENTRATION COAL' - an interesting title.

There is one Excursion today - 1Z66 to Blackpool. A 'Black 5' heads this train away from a brief stop at Coseley station and, on this cold day, I almost feel sorry for the passengers!. However, as encouragement, the sun comes out and the frost clears, although the day is still cool.

The Outer Distant on the Up can now be persuaded to go back 'on' (you can't pull it 'off', but that's hardly unusual) and so Enos is informed that normal working can be resumed.The next train is stopped at Spring Vale to pick up the official 'BLOCK RESTORATION' form for us and the train coasts towards us, a 'Type 4' with about 12 on. Tom is 'on the floor' to catch the note but the driver lets go prematurely and the form flutters away in a gentle breeze, to be retrieved by Tom. Each coach has its complement of passengers leaning out, curious at this second virtual stop in half a mile.

Another 'Type 4' heads the 'Stockport' downhill with a 'BG' and two rattling vans, passing 92111 light engine, scurrying uphill to collect the Albion tanks. By now, '55' is ready and he approaches up the Loop for Bescot. Thanks to the sun, the signal detectors do not foul on this occasion and 8007 blasts up the bank tender first with a long train of mixed empties. '61' is offered on the Down at the same time as the Up diesel parcels unit. Wise from last week, we loose the parcels only as far a as Coseley station platform which would allow us to cross '61' onto the Loop. But when the freight train hoves into view, it looks suspiciously short and Spring Vale refuses it down the Loop. He then informs us that it's actually '41' for Bushbury so all our planning was to no avail. Enos accepts the freight 'Under the Warning' down the Main, allowing me to loose the freight past the Home and put out a green flag to indicate he's 'Under the Warning'. Immediately, Spring Vale sends the '3-3-5' (now accepted under the 'Clear'. So as not to confuse the driver, I leave the flag out for a moment and wait for the cab to draw level, when I give the 'Rightaway' (hand held vertically and wrist turned left and right a few times rapidly). But the train stops and the driver starts talking animatedly. It seems that he was hit in the face by a branch of a tree overhanging the Down Main between Deepfields station and the Bridge. The freight then departs with half a dozen on.

We decide to leave the Up Starter 'on' against the Parcels, so that they will come to the Starter Telephone and we can get them to raise the station staff to carry out an investigation (the station staff never answer the box-to-box telephone as previously stated). Bloomfield has already loosed a train of Empty Stock down to his starter and he waits for the trainmen to come on his signal telephone, so that he can advise them. So nothing moves and two boxes wait for the phone. Eventually, our Parcels comes on the 'phone and the Guard agrees to get the station staff on the Box-to-Box 'phone. My faith in Guards is rather shaken when he says "Who are you?", apparently not knowing what box he's speaking to. The Parcels is allowed to proceed and the down Empty Stock is 'taken on'. Not being sure whether the Empty Stock was warned by Bloomfield, I loose him down to the box and stop him with a red 'un. The Driver and Guard are sitting in the front cab with a panoramic view of the track. "Seen any overhanging branches?" we enquire. The Guard is definite "Nothing at all" so we let the train proceed. Next, the coloured guard from Coseley station comes on the 'phone "I can see nothing at all: instruct the driver to proceed cautiously" (I don't know what driver, the Parcels was halfway to Birmingham by this time).

But Tom and I are not satisfied. Even a small branch can be quite lethal when hit at speed and the offending branch may not be obvious: it could have been knocked to one side by the last train and could swing back again. A number of morbid jokes circulate about Diesel Multiple Units speeding through Wolverhampton headed north with a decapitated driver and the Deadman's Handle jammed down! So Tom decides that we should close the box and have a walk up to see for ourselves. We didn't find anything, though.

Traffic Movements at Deepfields, 1964 (Part 1)

2011-11-21T14:10:00.002Z

There's an introduction to Deepfields box (with a signalling diagram) here and more detail here.

Deepfields, Saturday 17th October 1964

Back to Deepfields and it's clear this box cannot survive for much longer. The satellite interlocking Relay Room was structurally complete some months ago but now Point Machines are being fitted to the Loop points and a two-lever Ground Frame is being erected by outside contractors to control the crossover road. However, we open up as normal and take on our first train - the Up Crewe. The Sulzer-hauled train drifts by with the driver leaning out, interested in the activity, a 5-coach rake with the Palethorpes' vans which are now serviced at Birmingham. I notice the rear cab door is swinging open so we send 'Stop and Examine' to Bloomfield.

The train stops at Coseley & Deepfields station and, apparently, the door is shut there. When stopped at Bloomfield, the Guard is irate - "Why didn't yer stop us at Coseley?". But Coseley station has a well-observed tradition of not answering the telephone. Until recently, the question of a diesel locomotive door open and whether this required the use of the 'Stop and Examine' was in some doubt. My friend Tom raised this question with the Signalmans' Inspectors and, because of the danger of a member of the engine crew having fallen out, a memorandum was issued confirming that the use of the '7' was correct.

After this brief excitement, we settle down to the day's work. About three gangs of men are working outside, each with their attendant 'Look Out' and it gets quite noisy. Without a word, the signal wire to the Down Line Detonator Machine is severed with two sharp hammer blows. Until we confirm just what has been disconnected, Tom and I discuss which of the Down signals will fail to operate! The gang then set about re-siting a chain wheel and re-connecting the ‘shot machine’. During this work, they inadvertently slip the chain off the wheel on lever 3 so that the next time I try to pull off, the lever jams hard half-way through the stroke. After I complain, the men run around, putting things right.

At 9.7 a.m., ‘55’ is offered up the Loop, followed by the diesel parcels unit up the Main. A freight for ‘The Vale’ is approaching on the Down and here we make an error of judgement. We pull off for the Up Parcels, but he stops for 20 minutes in the platform at Coseley dealing with parcels traffic. During this time, ‘55’ is held in the Loop and the down freight stands main line, waiting for the Loop to clear. Eventually, we send the down freight on the main line to Spring Vale, Austerity 90377 hauling lime, sintered iron ore and ingots loaded on BBCs. Spring Vale gets a bit confused by the change, offers him forward as a ‘4’ and pulls his ”back ‘uns”! Eventually, the parcels unit clears and ‘55’ starts away, a ‘Class 8’ tender-first with empties, lime wagons and oil tanks.

The Barnt Green – Blackpool special 1T06 roars past on the Down with ‘Black 5’ 45006 bound for the bright lights! The Stockport Parcels coasts by with a ‘Type 4’, two ‘BG’ and a 4-wheel van. A ‘Class 9’ rattles past uphill, going to work the Albion tanks. He whistles imperiously at the gangs working near the line.

‘T37’ is reported ‘off the road’ at Bescot but ‘61’ comes down and rumbles into the loop, in the teeth of the following Down Manchester. There are two more trains to come ‘off the top’ at Tipton but Bloomfield wants to close. He agrees to wait for the first train (‘80’, double-braked) but decides that the second must ‘take its luck’. We keep Deepfields open so that we can turn ‘80’ down the Loop. Then we let Bloomfield close and afterwards close ourselves.

After we close, the two o’clock down rushes past behind a ‘Sulzer’. The 5-coach Up express is being handled by a ‘Type 4’ which rushes past at about 60 m.p.h., horn sounding, then brakes hard for the 15 m.p.h. slack on the other side of Deepfields station. A freight (‘90’?) clanks down behind a ‘Black 5’, double braked with various open wagons and oil tanks. Another ‘Class 9’ hurries past with its fully-fitted load of Gulf Oil tanks for Albion. Finally, I wonder who was the joker who wrote in the dirt on a ‘Class 8’ tender “H.M.S. ROCKER”?

Back to Brewood

2011-11-21T10:05:00.002Z

Friday, 4th November 2011

Breakfast at the Oriental.

After a comfortable night at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, all that remained was the long non-stop flight back to Heathrow and the road trip back home. Still in a lazy mood, I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in my room before making another tour of the hotel and grounds. I completed my packing and made my way to reception at the agreed time for transfer to the airport. After 'goodbyes' to the staff, I boarded the hotel limousine for the journey back to the airport. Check-in and security were quickly performed, allowing me to make the long walk to the EVA Air lounge to await the inbound aircraft from Taipei. We boarded just a few minutes late on schedule and made an uneventful journey back to London Heathrow. A fairly lengthy walk took me to the immigration hall now operated by 'UK Borders'.

I now have a new-style 'Biometric' passport (the old one had become full with all my travels!) so, for the first time, I was able to use the new, automated passport checking facility. You lay the open passport on a reader whilst the picture from an adjacent camera is analysed automatically. A television screen showed a rather dim black and white view of what the camera could see. Looking at the screen, correct identification didn't seem very likely to me but, after a few seconds, the equipment was apparently satisfied and the gates opened to allow me through.

Another walk took me to the large baggage hall and I eventually managed to negotiate the hoardes of bewildered or irritated passengers to find the correct carousel where I spotted my checked-in bag already circulating. With some difficulty, I managed to insert myself through the mass of waiting passengers and heave the case from the moving belt.

A short walk through Customs brought me to the arrivals hall where I quickly spotted my driver. A crowded lift and another walk took us to the car park and, within a few minutes, we were on the way back to Brewood.

My journeys abroad always give me plenty to think about but this trip, in particular, has given me lots to ponder. Visits to five schools, three orphanages and the opening of a Free Clinic presented vivid images which will remain with me for a long time. As always, I think myself very privileged to have had these opportunities to learn more of our world and its people.

The Oriental Hotel, Bangkok

2011-11-18T10:38:00.003Z

Thursday, 3rd November 2011

The Strand provided breakfast in my room promptly and as ordered so I was ready when Nay Lin arrived to transfer me to Yangon Airport for my flight to Bangkok.

Breakfast at the Strand Hotel, Yangon.

Traffic seemed particularly heavy on the way out to the airport, so the driver deemed it wise to make a detour using some fairly basic roads. We arrived at the International Terminal in good time and I said goodbye to my guide and driver. Check-in for the Thai morning flight to Bangkok was painless and Passport Control only took a few minutes. Soon I was relaxing in the small but comfortable Thai lounge until my flight (TG0304) was called.

On the flight to Bangkok, they served a very adequate breakfast. I was in a central aisle seat on this trip, so I was unable to see any signs of the flooding as we came in to land but the morning Thai English-language newspaper I'd been reading on the journey had extensive coverage of what had become a major emergency for Thailand. One of the newspaper maps suggested that floodwater had extended to a point near the boundary of the airport we were to use but we landed without incident, taxied to the stand and the air bridge was quickly attached. Since I was to spend Thursday night at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, I had to retrieve my large suitcase from the baggage carousel but this didn't take long and, as I made my way into the Arrival Hall, I quickly spotted the Oriental representative in his distinctive orange jacket.

He telephoned to the driver of the hotel limousine and I was soon seated in the comfortable rear of a BMW saloon. The Oriental chauffeurs always wear a lightweight white suit with white peaked cap. More importantly, they are professional drivers so the journey is invariably smooth and safe. We used the toll road to the city, passing two toll stations where the first took 25 Baht and the second 45 Baht. The car was fitted with the 'Express Toll' equipment so it was only necessary to slow on the approach to each toll gate until the barrier lifted automatically.

When we were a few minutes from the hotel, I was particularly impressed when the driver turned slightly and asked "May I make contact with the Hotel, Madam?" before he telephoned his arrival time to the hotel. This ensures that when the car pulls up at the hotel, not only is the Door Man and his staff of Bell-Boys in attendance, but there are at least three Reception Staff lined up to welcome the guest by name and present the traditional Thai floral tribute. I was amused when the Receptionist explained that I'd been booked into a room not quite as good as last time (which I knew). They offered a half-price upgrade to the suite I'd had before which I accepted. I was then conducted to the Old Building overlooking the river and the Noel Coward Suite which I'd had on my previous visit.

I'd been out-of-touch since last being able to use the internet at Mount Popa Resort, so I signed-up for 1-days internet usage. Using Wi-Fi on my notebook computer, I was getting speeds about 50% faster than back home, so I took the opportunity to upload some of my pictures, in addition to dealing with e-mails and writing to Blogger.

The Noel Coward Suite, Oriental Hotel, Bangkok. The writing desk in the sitting room shown set up for using the notebook computer. The double doors lead to the bedroom.

Nprmally, I'd go out to explore Bangkok. I've not yet travelled on the overhead electrified railway serving the airport and I'd considered trying it out. But I was still feeling tired so the attractions of staying in the hotel proved too great. I summoned the energy to explore the hotel, going to the Riverside Terrace which is a favourite spot for meals. But part of the terrace was closed and builders were in occupation. A row of sandbags had been placed on the river side of the terrace. The small garden which links the original hotel building to the terrace was also partly closed and criss-crossed by fire hoses. In addition, the windows and doors of the original building had been boarded-up for a few feet above the ground and more sandbags were in evidence. It appeared that the river had, at some stage, risen above its retaining walls but, when I was there, things were reverting to normal.

The public part of the original hotel building is a palm court style tea room, painted white where (like the Strand in Yangon) you can take afternoon tea, so I decided that, lacking the energy to explore Bangkok, afternoon tea would be suitably relaxing. Access to the Authors' Suites on the first floor is via two staircases provided with a small balcony which lead up from the tea room. Whilst afternoon tea is being served, an excellent acoustic guitarist plays gentle music from this balcony.

The guitarist entertains the guests taking afternoon tea from the balcony.

I passed an equally relaxing evening in my suite before completing my packing ready for my trip home the next day. I ordered breakfast in my room (for the second day running), retired to the comfortable bed and slept soundly.

Leaving the 'Road to Mandalay'

2011-11-16T11:50:00.007Z

Wednesday, 2nd November 2011

It's always with some sadness that I leave the 'Road to Mandalay'. When I made my first visit to Myanmar and the 'Road to Mandalay' in March 2008 as part of my 'Round the World 5' tour (see posts), I little realised what a powerful effect Myanmar would have on me.

As always, I'd had a wonderful (and tiring) time on this latest trip. It had been my fifth trip to Burma and my fourth cruise on the 'Road to Mandalay' (it would have been my fifth cruise had not Cyclone Nargis severely damaged the ship). But it was time to leave the sybaritic pleasures of 'Road to Mandalay', say farewell to my friends on the ship and board the coach for Mandalay Airport.

The coach was scheduled to leave at 7.0 a.m. and all the passengers made it on time. We wound our way out of Shwe Kyet Yet, past the now-familiar sights of life by the roadside and took a recently-completed section of dual-carriageway which made our transfer to the airport fairly painless.

'Road to Mandalay' staff checked in baggage and obtained our boarding passes for us, so we only had to make our way through security to the departure hall overlooking the apron. A number of flights were scheduled to leave fairly close together so we had a little wait before boarding a bus for the short trip to our aircraft. A simple snack meal was served on the non-stop journey to Yangon which took an hour and a bit.

Our route to Yangon took us over this new dual carriageway road.

Our turbo-prop aircraft made a straight-in approach at Yangon and had soon parked on the apron. As usual, a bus ferried us the short distance to the Domestic Terminal where I quickly spotted my guide, Nay Lin. He despatched a man with my luggage receipt to retrieve my case and we were soon in the car and on our way into Yangon. Time was allowed for sight-seeing so I picked the places I'd not already been to.

Yangon's huge Reclining Buddha in its massive 'shed'.

First stop was Yangon's famous Reclining Buddha. It's big and it's impressive but what fascinated me was the huge steel-framed building which protects the image from the elements. The heavily-braced industrial structure looks as if it should hold a rolling mill, rather than a delicately-modelled Buddha image.

The 'Royal Barge' in Karaweik Park.

Next stop was Karaweik Park. We had to pay at the gate and then the car drove to a decking-covered viewpoint at the side of a lake. The location had a commanding view of what appeared to be a huge 'Royal Barge' further along the shore. In fact, the barge is actually made of concrete and is built on land but it's spledidly modelled to resemble the type of Royal Barge I'd seen around Lake Inle on a previous visit.

We then made our way to busy Pyay Road and the National Museum which I'd previously seen from the outside but not visited. The National Museum is a large, modern building spread out over a number of floors so, by the time we'd looked at all the exhibits, I was getting rather tired. There is some labelling of the items in English but there is, apparently, no English guide book. Since photography is prohibited, I've no record of the visit, which is a shame because there were some very interesting artefacts on display covering all aspects of Burmese history, culture and life. There weren't many visitors in the museum and only a couple of those were European.

There was a large, privately-owned souvenir shop on the ground floor. I spent some time looking at the books in English and finally purchased a 1995 reprint of 'A Tour in Burma in March and April 1892'. This is a description of religious architecture in Burma by F. O. Oertel, complete with 40 original photographic plates. Although sold as new, the copy was rather battered and I suspect had been waiting for a purchaser for some time!

I was now quite ready to be delivered to my Hotel. As our car passed the Peoples' Park, I spotted a couple of interesting displays. There was a small steel-hulled gunboat, looking rather curious set on blocks above ground level, and a large tank locomotive, painted green and with the Walschaerts motion finished with aluminium paint. I made a mental note to try to have a better look next time.

The usual warm welcome awaited me at the Strand Hotel and, this time, I was in room 103, a front corner site, overlooking the Australian Embassy.

Room 103 at the Strand Hotel

I'd had thoughts of making another journey on Yangon's Circle Line, as I'd first done in 2008 (see post), but after the early start to the day and the exercise I'd already had, I decided I was too tired so I settled instead for Afternoon Tea downstairs. Later, I made another fruitless attempt to use the internet and then, having booked breakfast in my room for the next morning, retired and slept soundly.

Three Orphanages

2011-11-03T12:40:00.006Z

Tuesday, 1st November 2011

The programme for guests allowed for viewing the Offering of Alms at the local monastery followed by a river trip to Mingun in a motor boat. After lunch, guests were offered a trip to Mandalay City or Sagaing, depending upon the group they were travelling with. I attended the Offering of Alms to the monks, because I always find this inspiring but afterwards Doctor Hla Tun had arranged a different programme for me for the rest of the day. Once again, we were pleased that Captain Myo Lwin was able to come with us.

The Captain, the Doctor and I travelled the 40-odd miles to Maymyo in a very comfortable car, distributing stationery and donations at three Orphanages.

(1) Thukha Myittar Boys' Orphanage

This small boys' orphanage has been open for less than a year and is run by a retired headmaster, U Phone Myint Aung. It is located directly on the road to Maymyo, about 24 miles from Mandalay, very near the newly-opened 'I.T. City'. The 'I.T. City' trains young people in computing and a 'technology park' of manufacturers is being established.

There are currently 58 boys at the orphanage but when we visited they were all away at school for the day, apart from the two youngest orphans who are not yet of school age (5 years old in Myanmar). Boys between the ages of 2 and 8 who have lost one or both parents are accepted and they are currently all from the Pa-O tribe in Shan State. The sprightly 70-year old founder is assisted by six staff. The small site is divided by a stream providing clean water and the dirt playground has been marked out for football and provided with rustic goal posts. Building work was in progress when we were there, repairing the site boundary walls.

The presentation of donations from RTM.

More pictures here.

(2) Doe Pin Boys' Orphanage

I'd visited Doe Pin before in September 2009 when the orphanage was home to over 500 boys (earlier report). It now caters for 1,015 boys! Class rooms on site extend teaching to Grade 8 - beyond Grade 8, suitable pupils can attend a Government School We were there during the lunch hour, when all the boys on site assembled in the large hall for the rather basic meal of steamed rice with a small portion of soya bean paste and a little vegetable soup.

We made donations to the monk in the assembly hall before making a tour of the site. During the tour, we met the irrepressible Head Monk and Founder, U Pan Na Wa, still laughing and surrounded by a group of young children.

Boys quietly awaiting lunch in the Assembly Hall.

More pictures here.

We carried on to Maymyo, used by the British as a Hill Station and with a number of very English-looking properties. There's more about the town in an earlier post. On my latest visit, we stopped for a very pleasant lunch on the outskirts of the town before locating the Girls' Orphanage we'd come to see.

(3) Shwe Sin Minn Girls' Orphanage

Two nuns founded the orphanage in 1999 and they currently look after 335 orphans or single-parent girls from poor families from various tribes. At present, the girls go off-site for school but a major building programme is almost complete which will allow teaching up to Grade 7 to be carried out in the Nunnery Compound.

Some of the girls become nuns, just as some of the boys at Doe Pin become monks. The discipline for both nuns and monks allows no food to be taken after 12 noon so one criterion is how well a child can tolerate a life of breakfast and lunch alone.

The presentation of donations from RTM to the two nuns.

More pictures here.

As we toured the new building works, the girls started to return to the Nunnery Compound. We made our farewells very impressed by the energy and dedication of the two nuns, we made our way back to the town centre and took refreshments in a rather up-market tea room. We finally made a tour of the large market at Maymyo. There is a dry-goods market with a bewildering array of mainly Chinese items and a wet market of mainly locally-produced food. It was then time to make the fairly long journey back to the 'Road to Mandalay' after a tiring but very educational day.

Visit to Monastery School No. 21, Taung Be Lar, Sagaing, Myanmar

2011-11-03T11:30:00.007Z

Monday, 31st October 2011

The 'Road to Mandalay' had moored midstream during the night but around 6.0 a.m. she continued north. I took an early breakfast in the restaurant and spent some time on the top deck watching our progress.

Doctor Hla Tun describing the effects of Cyclone Nargis.

At ten o'clock, the Doctor was scheduled to give a talk in the Observation Lounge titled 'Road to Mandalay Social Contribution'. I had been asked if I would add a few words afterwards from the perspective of an ordinary paying passenger who has become a donor. The Doctor had prepared a 'Powerpoint' presentation detailing the work being carried out. In addition to the building of schoolrooms and the provision of various types of support to schools, a Mobile Clinic is still operating in the Delta Area which was so badly affected by cyclone Nargis and following the more recent cyclone Giri, a Mobile Clinic was provided in Rakhine. Finally, the Free Clinic in Bagan is now operating. Because not all the interested passengers had been able to attend the Bagan Clinic opening ceremony on the previous day, I'd put together a few photographs of the event which I used as the basis for some informal comments on the work. It all seemed to be well-received and a number of passengers were keen to help.

Before long, it was time for lunch and, just before 2.0 p.m., we passed under the old Ava road and rail bridge, then under the new road bridge and carefully docked at Road to Mandalay's Shwe Kyet Yet River Station.

'Road to Mandalay' making fast at Shwe Kyet Yet River Station.

A number of tour buses were already waiting to take the passengers on a Mandalay City Tour or, on the other side of the river, a tour of Sagaing. However, the Doctor had arranged that he and I would visit Monastic School No. 21 in the Sagaing hills to distribute stationery. We were delighted that the Captain was to accompany us. We piled into a taxi and crossed the river on the new road bridge to reach Sagaing. The hills of Sagaing are said by some to be the most beautiful and spiritual in Burma. Temples and Pagodas are scattered across the wooded hills and each summit is topped with a shining pagoda which catches the sun and draws the eye. But the foothills to the south, although lush and green, have only a network of dirt roads almost inaccesible to road vehicles with occasional smallholdings or farms.

Meeting goats and the goatherd on the way to Taung Be Lar.

In this poor area lies Taung Be Lar Monastic School Number 21, with over 300 pupils. I'd visited once before and 'Road to Mandalay' has funded various improvements at this school. We found further extensions to the main building being constructed, this time funded by a local donor.

Distributing Stationery (Click on picture for the full width showing left to right Jan, the Deputy Headmistress and Dr. Hla Tun).

My pictures of this visit to the school are here.

Following the distribution of stationery, we made our way to the important temple on the tallest hill of Sagaing, where we spent a peaceful and contemplative time before returning to the ship.

The gilded pagoda at Soon U Ponya Shin.

View of the Irrawaddy from Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda. The large white vessel moored on the opposite bank is the 'Road to Mandalay'.

There are a few more pictures here.

In the evening, the Doctor invited me to join him for dinner in the restaurant, which gave me a further opportunity to ply him with questions!

Opening of the Bagan Medical Clinic

2011-11-03T07:02:00.006Z

Sunday, 30th October 2011

I didn't sleep too badly but that was probably due to the mild sedative the Doctor had prescribed. I was up early in order to take breakfast as soon as the restaurant opened at 6.0 a.m. At 6.45 a.m. Sammi the hotel manager and I took the motor boat to the shore. A few minutes walk from the landing stage brought us to the Clinic. Having heard a motor boat engine somewhere near the ship before Sammi and I left, I was not surprised to see the Doctor and the Logistics Manager already at the Clinic, making final preparations for the ceremony.

The Clinic, just before the Opening Ceremony.

A large number of local school children were marshalled at one side of the Clinic and a crowd of villagers waited patiently. The Head Monk of the local monastery, whose support was vital in bringing the project to fruition, was provided with a chair facing the Clinic to watch the proceedings. After a few introductory words from the Doctor, one of the Guests guest from the boat and the writer were invited to cut the opening tape.

The Burmese version of cutting the opening tape involves a tape, five girls in traditional longyi and a collection of helium-filled balloons. Two of the girls hold the ends of the tape and the third holds the middle, where the balloons have been attached. The other two girls each hold a tray with a pair of scissors for the tape cutters. When each half of the tape is cut, the balloons are allowed to float up into the air in another interpretation of 'Balloons over Bagan'.

The writer was invited to add a few words for the benefit of those guests from the boat who were attending the opening ceremony and then the Doctor presented the commemorative pennant (inscribed in English and Burmese) to the writer. Afterwards, this pennant will remain on display in the Clinic. Next, it was time for the presentation of stationery to the schoolchildren. The children lined up in front of the Clinic where tables had been set up bearing exercise books, pencils and ballpoint pens. Helpers prepared each pack, normally comprising two exercise books and two pencils (with erasers) so that the Doctor and the writer could rapidly hand them out to the lines of children. The children invariably lowered their heads on receiving the gift, some would say 'Mingele bar', a minority would say 'Thank you' in English. Burmese children are dark haired with dark eyes and often very fine facial bone structure. It's always very moving to see this long procession of innocent, beautiful children when presentations of this kind are made.

A young boy, face covered with Thanaka for sun protection, appears somewhat over-awed.

We were now entertained by a concert performed by young people to celebrate the opening of the Clinic. First, three young boy dancers in matching, colourful traditional costumes performed a dance to (rather loud) music from the sound system. Next, eight girls carrying decorated silver-coloured bowls and dressed in matching white longyi printed with a floral design performed a traditional water dance.

Eight girls perform a traditional dance.

The third act was a modernised form of a traditional light-hearted dance where a man with a parasol flirts with a girl. In this case, boys played both parts. Six children then performed a very amusing dance with three girls carrying clay water pots dressed in longyi representing village life and three boys in baggy trousers, sports shirts, baseball caps and sunglasses representing city life. The comic effect of the contrast between the boys and girls was irresistible.

Village life meets City life!

Then, the lead dancer from the first act performed another traditional dance. Finally, a young man dressed in a special costume, male on the right side, female on the left side and incorporating a dummy female head on the left side, performed a dance where the male and female sides of his appearance are alternately presented with appropriate steps and gestures.

In general, the crowd, although clearly impressed by the entertainment, remained largely impassive. Smiling is allowed but open-mouthed laughing in public is considered rude. In meetings with Burmese, they will frequently cover an open mouth with their hand in a show of modesty. Manners are still important in Burmese society - Burmese walking in front of you will often bend low in a sign of respect.

This was the end of the opening ceremony, so the children and the watching crowd slowly melted away. However, a large number of people remained, gently jostling at the Clinic window to ensure registration for an appointment with a doctor, before patiently settling down in the area around the Clinic to wait their turn.

Patients registering for treatment at the Clinic window.

Before starting his consulations, the Doctor gave me a conducted tour. There's a small waiting room, two consultation rooms with examination couches and a general purpose room which serves as dispensary, patient reception and staff room. There's a separate toilet block connected to a septic tank and electricity and water are provided by the monastery, Two doctors currently share the duties and there are a number of volunteers acting as auxiliaries. The auxiliaries are unqualified but already trained to a high standard by Dr. Hla Tun. All the staff carry specially-made badges with a large red cross for instant recognition. In addition, a young monk was in attendance as a commanding presence showing the head Monk's approval of the project. I afterwards learned that the young monk actually sleeps on the premises!

The rear of the clinic is only a few yards from the river bank and there was a pleasant cooling breeze from the river. A number of banana trees have already been planted between the clinic and the river - as these mature, they will provide shade and further natural cooling.

I was invited to watch a number of Dr. Hla Tun's consultations and was impressed, not only by the Doctor's quiet efficiency but by the distances travelled by the patients (up to 30 km) and the fact that most conditions could be significantly improved by the use of standard drugs. Patients are asked to contribute 1000 kyat for a consultation (around one U.S. Dollar) but in the case of poverty, this charge is waived.

Dr. Hla Tun during a consultation.

More pictures of the Opening Ceremony, the Concert and the Clinic getting back to treating patients are here.

Until this trip, I was not aware that 'Road to Mandalay' had provided a school building at the local school at Bagan and so the Doctor suggested I take a look at the buildings (there's no school on Sunday) whilst he continued seeing patients. The Captain allocated a member of the ship's 'shore party' to accompany me and, although a car was offered, we decided to walk. My young Burmese friend from the "Bagan Cycling Club" (see earlier posts here and here) also came with us. Sadly, there was insufficient time for a cycling meeting on this trip. I was shown around the school buildings by what I took to be Headmistress. The 'Road to Mandalay' building had recently been repainted with funds from the Charity. Actually constructing a new building, of course, is the easy part. It's normally necessary to plan for an ongoing maintenance budget and support for stationery costs and teachers' salaries.

More pictures of the school are here.

I returned to the Clinic which still had a serious number of patients waiting to see a Doctor. Since the ship was due to sail for Mandalay at ten o'clock, Doctor Hla Tun reluctantly left the balance of the patients for the two doctors and the Doctor and I took the waiting motor boat back to the ship. I noticed as the motor boat approached the ship's gangway that the anchor had already been raised and, from the wash at the stern of the ship, the Captain was using power to hold station until we had boarded.

After all the excitement of the Clinic opening, I was glad to resume the easier pace of life on the ship. The Captain kindly invited me to join him on the bridge and we talked at length on numerous topics. Passengers are welcome on the bridge wings and the Captain spent some time chatting with various passengers and answering their questions about the river and Myanmar. Great interest was caused as we passed under the new bridge over the river which is nearing completion. The bridge has innumerable steel spans supported on concrete piers and I believe the total length will be over 2 miles. This is part of a series of major projects under way to improve the transport infrastructure and develop communications with adjacent countries.

This massive road and rail bridge is nearing completion.

Being concerned as to my comfort, the Hotel Manager kindly offered an upgrade to the Governor's Suite, situated just ahead of the central reception area, so there was a flurry of activity whilst I collected my scattered belongings which were whisked by the helpful stewards to the new location. In the evening, after a cocktail party on the top deck, I enjoyed dinner in the restaurant with the Doctor, giving me a chance to learn more about the diverse Social Contribution provided by the ship with the help of donations from the ship's guests.

At 9.30 p.m., there was the 'Surprise on the River' where hundreds of tiny rafts each carrying a candle and provided with shades to give different colours are launched upstream. The current then carries the rafts downstream until the ship is surrounded by a mass of moving lights. Even for 'Returners' like me who have previously seen the effect, it's a wonderful show. Afterwards, I was quite ready for bed and slept soundly in my new quarters.

Mount Popa to Bagan

2011-11-03T06:53:00.003Z

Saturday, 29th October 2011

The view from the restaurant terrace was still hazy as I took an early breakfast before leaving Mount Popa Resort at 7.0 o'clock. We headed back towards Bagan, having arranged to meet Dr. Hla Tun at the junction with the road to Htee Pu village at 7.30 a.m. The Doctor was waiting for us in a pick-up truck loaded with gifts. In convoy, we set off down the rutted, sandy track which is the only way to reach the village, passing a series of smallholdings and homes constructed from bamboo, neatly laid out with woven fences surrounding yards and a few buffalo patiently waiting.

Although schools are closed on a Saturday, most of the pupils were there, both boys and girls clad in white tops and green longyi. A group of boys were scooping sand from part of the schoolyard to improve the rutted path to the newest 'Road to Mandalay' building. Bunting was being hung on the verandah of another building, with matting laid on the concrete floor and a battered sound system connected up, to provide a stage for the concert.

We examined the building opened a year ago which now has a permanent brick floor - a year ago, it was still an earth floor. A 2-cubicle toilet block and septic tank, also provided by donors, is nearing completion. There is a large assembly hall now under construction. Part of this building has been provided with a temporary roof and is already in use. Also new is an open-sided workshop where carpenters contruct combined desk and seat units, mostly from reclaimed timber. A number of these units are intended for other schools.

Distributing stationery at Htee Pu.

All the children lined up obediently and the distribution of stationery was made - two exercise books and two pencils for each pupil. Then, with rather loud music from a DVD player, different age groups entertained us with various dance routines - some traditional, some modernised. A further presentation gave a green longyi to each of the teachers, after which a donation of cash was made to the headmaster, to support payments to teachers. Finally, under a new initiative, a number of plastic refuse (trash) bins were presented in a drive to promote tidiness and recycling.

My first visit to Htee Pu was in 2009 and my pictures are here.
I returned in 2010 for the Official Opening of a new building - there are pictures here and also here.
My pictures on this latest visit are here.

The pick-up and my car bumped their way back up the track to the main road and continued towards Bagan before taking another rutted track which, after a couple of miles led to Pon village and its school. I'd not been to Pon before but the arrangement is similar to other locations with classrooms for grades 1 to 5 provided by the government and classroom for higher grades donated by Road to Mandalay and its passengers. Once again, stationery was distributed to the well-behaved children and plastic refuse bins to the headmaster.

Distributing stationery at Pon.

The concert which followed was a fairly impromptu, rather unrehearsed affair with singing in place of a sound system but absolutely charming. We then went to the adjacent wooden monastery building to meet the elderly head monk, whom the Doctor treated whilst other members of our party sat for simple food and drink. A number of the younger children were on the ground floor of the monastery which acts as a creche or safe haven for children during holidays or other times.

Pictures taken on this visit to Pon are here.

We retraced our route back to the main road and carried on towards Bagan. But we were not yet finished - we took another side road which seemed even bumpier and even longer than at Pon to reach our last call at Kyauk Kan (also written Chauk Kan) school.

Road to Mandalay have also provided a new building here but an older open-sided structure with palm leaf roof is still in use. We looked around the various buildings before going to the assembly hall where the children had been quietly waiting. We were entertained by a well-rehearsed concert of a number of dances with music supplied by a battery-powered sound system. The headmaster then invited us to the Staff Room, where refreshments had been provided. As elsewhere, we distributed stationery to the pupils and refuse bins to the headmaster.

The Headmaster receives 'Road to Mandalay' trash bins as part of a new initiative.

Incidentally, pictures of all the schools supported by 'Road to Mandalay' which I've posted so far can be found in the collection 'Educational Support in Myanmar here, but there are a number of other schools supported.

Following our third school visit, we drove directly to the ship at its usual midstream mooring in Bagan. Although I'd seen photographs of the new Clinic building at Bagan (they are here) I got my first glimpse with my own eyes just before the bus pulled up at its destination. It looked splendid. Motor boats were on hand to transport us to the ship, where I received the usual warm welcome. All the other guests were already aboard and completing their lunch, so I quickly took a light lunch myself and deferred checking out my cabin until later. By the time I'd eaten, the buses were being loaded for the tour of Bagan and I joined the guide San on his bus.

The famous Ananda Temple.

We visited the Ananda Temple, the Gubyaukgyi Temple, the 'Everstand' lacquerware factory and the 'Sunset Pagoda' - all places I'd been to before (and photographed) but I was happy to see them again. My pictures on this trip are here.

We were back on the ship around 6.0 p.m. and, at last, I went to my cabin. I'd been given one towards the stern and I was bit worried about the noise. The exertions of the day were beginning to tell so, by the time I'd had a leisurely dinner, I was ready to crash out.

Around Mount Popa

2011-10-28T15:23:00.005+01:00

After the exertions of Thursday, I'd planned to stay in the resort on Friday. But Kyaw was keen to help so, when I said I intended to do some walking on the trails around the mountain, he offered himself as guide. We arranged to meet in the lobby at 9.0 a.m. Friday.

Mount Popa is a large extinct volcano, heavily forested, rising to 4981 feet. The Mount Popa Resort is about halfway up, at 2618 feet. The nearby rock column with temples is called Taung Kalat and it rises to 2417 feet. When you view Taung Kalat from the Resort, you are actually slightly looking down on it.

I set the alarm for 6.0 a.m. but woke a little before it went off. I took my time getting ready and went for breakfast on the restaurant terrace at 7.0 a.m. I transferred the text I'd prepared on my Notebook Computer to a memory stick and went to the lobby at 8.15 a.m. to hire their computer. It was a little slow, but it worked, so I was able to send the blog post about Thursday's activities. Just as I was finishing, Kyaw arrived with the driver by car.

The driver had decided he'd also come, so the three of us set off on foot along the trail to the Water Spring. It's supposed to be a one hour trek but with all our stops en route and coming back a different way, we were gone for three and a half hours. We started on a typical forest road - crushed rock overgrown except for two tracks where vehicle tyres ran. The rocks were quite large so I found the going a little tedious. Some areas of trees have been cleared for tea plantations and our route took us past people working in the tea plantations and past the headquarters buildings, with a marvellous view point for Taung Kalat.

Tea Plantation workers. Curiously, their supervisor is using a digital camera.

Road tankers take water from the headquarters to various outstations for irrigation. We passed one tanker returning - a World War II British military vehicle still going strong! Once we left the plantation behind, the track was more overgrown, although still designed for vehicles. Eventually we reached a small pumping station - a wooden building with woven bamboo sides. The worker let me have a look round. About a third of the hut area appeared to be his living space: the rest was taken up by an electric motor driving a small pump through belts and pulleys. There was also a Chinese diesel engine, presumably as backup should the electricity fail.

We carried on to what Kyaw assured me was the source of the spring water. There were two domestic-looking buildings and a third labelled 'Rest House'. An elderly gentleman appeared and solemnly opened the rest house for us, before disappearing to fetch green tea. The Rest House had been nicely constructed on piles in the sloping site, wood panelled, lots of windows and a verandah all the way round. It had got a bit shabby over the years and termites were doing their best to demolish the building - some of the handrails on the verandah has disappeared. It was still a pleasant spot to catch our breath.

There were various concrete water tanks in the vicinity and lots of plastic water pipes running downhill in the direction we then took. This was the hardest part of the trek. Some way down the hill, the water pipes led in and out of a small complex of equipment rooms. Nearby was a shack occupied by a worker clad in a longyi, flip-flops and nothing else except a digital watch and a tattoo.

The worker poses outside his home.

The track now became easier to follow as we continued our descent. There were wheel tracks of a small motor bike but going up and down must be like motor cycle scrambling back home. We came to a concrete road which was much easier walking apart from it continually changing direction and going up and down following the contours. Where we had the chance to leave the road and take another track back to the resort, I was happy to take it.

Kyaw and the driver returned to their accommodation in the village and, feeling peckish, I had an omelette in the restaurant. Suitably revived, I booked another horse ride for three o'clock.

It was the same horse but a different horseman who again led the horse at an easy pace, only occasionally speeding up. We descended on the Resort road, finally making a left turn into the Environmental Education Centre operated by the Ministry of Forestry. There was a rather nice Exhibition Building, locked up until an aged caretaker appeared to open it up. The exhibits were a little sparse and sorry looking but still very interesting. I then toured the extensive gardens of 'Popa Medical Plants'. A second sign said 'Forest Department Medicinal Plantation'. The Medical Plant Library building was locked up and there was no sign of whoever tends the gardens.

Part of the extensive Medicinal Plantation.

I re-mounted my steed (with arthritis, easier said than done) and we made our way back to the Resort. Time for a short swim followed by a simple dinner once again on the verandah of the restaurant and then I'll try to post this report. I'll be sorry to leave the Resort on Saturday, but other attractions beckon.

Exploring Burma

2011-10-28T03:01:00.002+01:00

Wednesday 26th October 2011

The aircraft to Yangon was a Thai A330 with 2+2+2 seating in business class. We boarded on time and then sat at the gate for almost an hour with engines stopped. I didn't find out why - probably Air Traffic Control delays. Eventually we taxied to the queue of departing aircraft and took off about the time we should have arrived in Yangon. They served a reasonable meal on the 1 hour flight. We landed and taxied to the International Terminal where the airbridge was promptly attached. After a few minutes walk, I had an early position in the immigration queue for 'Foreigners' and, after the usual amount of checking of passport and visa, I was admitted by the smiling young immigration officer. There was the usual huddle of passengers around the carousel in the baggage hall but I only had to wait a minute or two before my bag appeared. In the arrival hall, I easily found my guide as his board displayed the tour company (Sun Bird), the booking agents (Wexas) and my own name. Outside the terminal, we were picked up by the car for the transfer to my hotel. It was already pitch dark and most roads are not well-lit so there wasn't much to see on the 30 minute journey.

There was the usual warm welcome at the Strand Hotel. My air ticket for the next day's flight to Bagan was waiting so my guide checked the details and arranged to pick me up at 4.45 a.m. the following day. I'm on Asian Wings Airways AWM-891 due to leave Yangon for Nyaung U (Bagan), Mandalay and Heho. I arranged a wake-up call for 4.00 a.m. and a simple breakfast in my room for 4.15 a.m. before retiring to the comfort of room 103.

My computer attached to the hotel's Wi-Fi without difficulty but I was surprised to receive the following screen:-

"Dear Valued Customers,

On 17 October 2011, Due to the failure of SEA-ME-WE 3 submarine fiber optic cable, the Internet connection was unstable. It is being fixed by concerned personnel and during this period, the Internet connection may be significantly slow and possibly offline sometimes. We will keep you informed accordingly and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused.
With regards,

Yatanarpon Teleport"

The hotel staff confirmed that the internet was very slow and suggested I might do better on the machine in their business centre. Having tried that with very limited success, I eventually gave up on the internet and went to bed.

There are pictures of the Strand Hotel here.

Thursday 27th October 2011

I was picked up at 4.45 a.m. as arranged and we arrived at the domestic terminal about 5.15 a.m. to catch Asian Wings Airways flight AWM-891. This is a new airline which started up in January this year, operating a couple of ATR-600 turbo-props. Check-in was painless and after waiting in the departure hall, I was surprised when the flight was called at about twenty to six. We sat in the bus for a while and then drove 100 yards across the tarmac to the waiting aircraft.

Boarding the Asian Wings flight at Yangon Domestic Terminal.

We were airborne just on 6.0 a.m. The cabin crew of a steward and stewardess served a simple meal and we landed at Nyaung U (the airport for Bagan area) around 7.15 a.m.

I easily found my guide Kyaw (pronounced 'chore') and, having located my luggage and the car with driver, we were soon on the way. I explained that I'd seen the major temples of Bagan but I was keen to see some of the smaller, quieter locations. We spent a wonderful couple of hours on dirt roads looking at minor temples and ruins. Amazingly, the souvenir sellers have some sort of radar which directs them to a tourist, even when on the 'road less travelled'. One girl with good English insisted she'd seen me the year before and I decided she was right.

The restored features of a once-large monastery.

My pictures of this exploration are here.

After these exertions in the hot sun, we took the hot, sweet tea that the Burmese love at a typical tea shop. The tea is made with condensed milk, as they also take it in India. Green tea is also available. I had one green tea and two cups of sweet tea whilst Kyaw contacted the Doctor on 'Road to Mandalay' by mobile phone to make arrangements for our meeting on Saturday morning. Then we set off for Mount Popa, pausing at Bagan railway station for me to check it out. The service is sparse so, as expected, we didn't see a train but I was able to take photographs of the infrastructure before we continued on the rather rough road to Mount Popa.

There had been heavy rain recently and, at a number of places, short-lived watercourses had flooded across the road. Although the watercourses had thoroughly dried-out again, the sand brought down by the water had been thickly deposited across the road. In addition, the water had damaged the tarmac road surface. We passed various road-mending gangs on our way to Mount Popa. Large heaps of crushed stone had been dumped at the roadside, together with drums of bitumen. A large, yellow road roller was usually in attendance for the final stage. But all the earlier stages of the work preparing the road bed and laying the roadstone was carried out manually, with large gangs of mainly women. I spotted one firepit where the bitumen was being heated ready for laying. A pit had been dug in the verge, a few feet long and a couple of feet wide. This had been filled with brushwood and set alight. Three drums of bitumen had been placed side-by-side across the pit and flames surrounded the drums.

Taung Kalat viewed from Mount Popa.

The flat plain gave way to hills and the road we were on twisted and turned as it climbed through the wooded landscape to arrive at the village at the foot of the astonishing column of rock topped with temples called Taung Kalat. The rock column sprouts from one side of the substantial extinct volcano of Mount Popa. The village was even more chaotic than the last time I'd visited because a section of the village street was closed for re-surfacing. Kyaw and I set off up the 777 steps (I didn't count them) to the temples at the summit. It was hot but conditions were better than on my last ascent when heavy rain had made the steps very slippery. We spent some time checking the views from the top before coming down. There were very few visitors and the souvenir sellers seemed preoccupied with taking lunch. We passed a group of around six Germans making there way up - they'd travelled from Yangon on the aircraft I'd been on.

My pictures of Taung Kalat on this trip are here.

We located our car and driver and our car made its winding way up the mountain to Mount Popa Resort. I was expected and was quickly conducted to just the villa I'd imagined - semi-detached, wood and stone construction with a wooden shingled roof. The building was built on piles on the wooded hillside, with a spacious verandah looking across to the fairy-tale looking temples of Taung Kalat we'd just visited. The one wall of the bedroom was completely glazed so the view from inside was almost as good. I was absolutely charmed by the spot.

The splendid accommodation at Mount Popa Resort.

Feeling a little peckish, I ordered 'Fish and Chip' and a coke from room service which I enjoyed on the verandah. Afterwards, I looked at the infinity swimming pool (which also has views of the temple rock) but decided to try the horse riding first. As I expected, this was a little sedate but still marvellous fun. The horse was led through a forest road to the Deer Park, where I dismounted and was invited to look out for deer. We did spot a couple of deer but they remained a little distance away, suspiciously watching us and ignoring the enticing calls of the gamekeeper.

Jan, on the way back from the Deer Park.

On my return, I had a quick dip in the pool then relaxed a little before going to the dining room for a simple evening meal. I took my meal outside on the restaurant verandah which, of course, had a splendid view of Taung Kalat, now twinkling with electric lights in the warm evening air.

My pictures around Mount Popa Resort are here.

Bangkok and Beyond

2011-10-26T10:12:00.009+01:00

We boarded the Eva Air 777-300ER on time but the aircraft was about one hour late pushing back. I'm afraid no announcement was made but there was a lot of bumping and clanging going on under the floor so I rather think they were late loading cargo containers. I couldn't see anything from my (port) side so I assumed loading was from the right hand side. After taxiing a short way in the shadow of the new control tower, we were stopped by red taxiway lights. Within a few minutes, we continued following the line of green lights, making a right turn to head east on the main taxiway which is parallel to Runway 27 Right (the departure runway in use that evening). A procession of aircraft roared past on their take-off roll as we advanced up the queue for departure. After eight or nine aircraft had preceded us, we took off, making a left-hand climbing turn to gain our route across southern England.

View of Heathrow's Runway 27 Right as our aircraft lines up for a rolling takeoff.

I managed to work out how to drive the AVOD system (Audio Visual On Demand) and had a brief look at 'Cars 2', but I wasn't in the mood for CGI so I switched to 'Too Big to Fail' about the banking crisis which I found gripping. Odd that, because it's just a series of scenes with people talking - no action. Meanwhile, they served a reasonable supper before closing all the window shades and dimming the lights. The seats are partially electric recline but not fully-flat and I slept only fitfully, in between watching a bit of 'Boardwalk Empire' and an episode of 'Mad Men'.

Our flight time was twelve and a bit hours, mostly at 600 m.p.h. and 35,000 feet. Our route took us overhead Myanmar (I always fantasise about parachuting out at this stage to avoid the rest of the flight to Bangkok, transiting and flying back to Myanmar). On the approach to Bangkok signs of the recent serious flooding were apparent. We turned south, flying parallel to Bangkok Airport which lay to our left. We continued to the coast, made a 180 degree left hand turn over the sea and a straight-in approach to the runway. Heading east, of course, we'd 'lost' hours so it was 3.15 p.m. local time when we arrived at our stand and the two airbridges were attached.

As I've said before, the architecture at Suvarnabhumi Airport isn't too bad - at least it's light and airy but the distances to walk are huge. The arrival concourse is one floor up from the ground and the departure concourse is up one further level. I followed the signs for 'Transit' and soon came to the security lounge where passengers and their hand luggage are scanned. A whole-body scanner is now in use for passengers. At least the staff are pleasant and helpful and after a few minutes an escalator disgorged me on the departure level, a few yards from the Thai transfer desks where I got my boarding pass and an invitation to the Thai lounge nearest my departure gate - a walk of over half a mile! So the Thai lounge is where I type this update, prior to boarding flight TG 305 for the short flight to Yangon.

View of the Thai aircraft at Suvarnabhumi Airport shortly before boarding for Yangon.

There are more pictures of Suvarnabhumi Airport here.

I don't know what Internet access I'll have in Myanmar but, as possible, I'll keep you updated.

Back to Burma

2011-10-25T20:07:00.007+01:00

Another journey starts! I'm returning to Burma (which we should now call the Union of Myanmar) for a short cruise on that magical river the Irrawaddy (as the English spelt it). In addition to the cruise, I'm finding out more about the various charitable initiatives organised through the cruise ship the 'Road to Mandalay' which is operated by Orient Express.

There are so many parts of the world I've not visited, I'm normally content to make one visit and then explore somewhere else. But Burma has had a special effect on me and this will be my fifth visit!

I'm writing this in the Admiral's Club Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3. This is the American Airlines lounge but it's shared by the Taiwanese carrier Eva Air with whom I'm flying to Bangkok this evening.

Alan picked me up at home a little before 5.0 p.m. and drove me to Heathrow, passing through a number of tremendous rainstorms en route. Terminal 3 was reasonably quiet so check-in and security was not as tedious as it can frequently be. The airline lounge is a wonderful oasis of calm to prepare for the rigours of the 13-hour flight to Bangkok.

En route from the airline lounge to the aircraft, I spent a few minutes in the departure lounge - a vivid reminder of just how many people would be sharing the flight tonight!

The departure lounge at Heathrow, just before boarding the aircraft.

This will be my fifth visit to Burma. There are lots of pictures from earlier trips:-

1st Visit in 2008 - Pictures are here. My first visit to Burma was part of a Round the World trip.

2nd Visit in 2008 - Pictures are here.

3rd Visit in 2009 - Pictures are here.

4th Visit in 2010 - These pictures can't currently be viewed, thanks to the demise of the fotopic photo hosting site. I'll re-post them as soon as I can.

One of the charitable initiatives in Burma run by 'Road to Mandalay' is Educational Support in poorer areas of the country. There are some pictures of a new building being opened at Htee Pu school (whilst I was in Burma during 2010) here.

Another initiative is a small Medical Centre in Bagan which started treating patients a couple of months ago. There are a few pictures of the building and its early clinics here. All being well, I'll see the clinic for myself on this trip.

I'll tell you more when I can but, for now, the 'Big Silver Bird' beckons.

Day Out with Thomas: October 2011

2011-10-19T11:54:00.004+01:00

The Battlefield Line ran their final Thomas events of the year on the 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th October 2011.

A view from the footplate of 'Thomas' as 'Daisy' slowly negotiates the crossover to Platform 1. This picture was taken late in the day on the 16th October, when 'Henry' (on the right) had already retired to the shed.

On the 9th October I was 'Driving Miss Daisy', the diesel railcar. Every time the service train arrives back at Shackerstone, the DMU dashes onto the single line. Originally, this allowed the locomotive of the service train to run round ready for its next trip to Shenton. However, most service trains in October were being 'top and tailed' so Daisy's foray onto the single line was being curtailed at the second bridge out from Shackerstone. The driver then changes ends and brings the DMU back to Shackerstone, usually platform 1. This allows Daisy's passengers to transfer to the service train on platform 2 for a trip all the way to Shenton.

The local authority have recently closed the footbridge at Shackerstone to await repairs, so at present access from platform 1 to platform 2 is solely via the sleeper crossing at the north end of the platforms. When the railway is closed, this footbridge forms part of a public footpath so local authority signs on the footbridge approach detail the detour which walkers must take.

'Daisy' performed flawlessly and I was able to carry out the 'diagram' as required. Although the ride is short, the passengers inevitably enjoy the 'extra treat' of a ride on the diesel railcar.

On the 16th October I was in charge of Thomas. Things didn't quite go to plan as there was no fireman and no trainee for 'Thomas' so I was faced with lighting up and oiling round on my own. Although the boiler was warm from the previous day's service, I hadn't obtained working pressure by 9.30 a.m. when 'Thomas' was booked to enter the station with the Fat Controller on the footplate and break a tape stretched across the line. Mick and Chris were in somewhat better shape on 'Sir Gomer' so we coupled the engines together and 'Sir Gomer' propelled 'Thomas' into the platform. By this time, 'Thomas' had 'made' reasonable pressure, so 'Thomas' was able to move independently, with Chris or Dave on the footplate with me. During the morning, we carried out the usual activities around the station. The Engine Races are always popular!

'Thomas' taking water. Chris checks the 'Bag' and Dave works the water valve.

We made a visit to the water column at the south end of platform 2 to top-off the side tanks ready for the 'Lunch with Thomas' service. Counter-intuitively, you turn the water valve on the column clockwise to open it. Perhaps this is an oddity of the Island of Sodor Railways? 'Bo-Co' (with the usual pair of wheels missing as our loco is actually a 'Bo-Bo') arrived from Shenton on Platform 1 and we backed 'Thomas' onto the train, which rapidly filled with passengers.

'Thomas' at the head of the 'Lunch with Thomas' service ready to depart from Platform 1 at Shackerstone.

Although he was unfamiliar with the engine, Mick came on board as fireman for the run. With a heavily-loaded 5-coach train and 'Bo-Co' as a trailing load, 'Thomas' was worked quite hard but Mike maintained good boiler pressure throughout the run. Quite a few passengers got on or off during our stop at Market Bosworth then it was on to Shenton. Because we were top and tailing, we had no more work to do for a while as 'Bo-Co' hauled the train back to Shackerstone.

Once back at Shackerstone, we spent the afternoon doing Engine Races, playlets (this time it was Jan who had water thrown at her), singing the 'Thomas' song and even giving Brake Van rides. 'Thomas' picked up the 'Tidmouth Dairies' milk tank wagon and a brake van and gave rides from the north end of Platform 2 to just past the signal box.

The last train of the day was 'Tea with Thomas' so we watered and stood clear whilst the main train arrived in Platform 2. 'Bo-Co' uncoupled from the train for we were to take it 'on our own'. Mick was to fire again but Danny (who'd been on 'Henry' all day) came as well, to give some pointers to Mick. We had a good run, stopping at Market Bosworth then continuing to Shenton. We ran round fairly smartly and returned to Shackerstone with a brief pause at Market Bosworth as the sky darkened.

Once uncoupled from the train, we shunted to Platform 1 opposite a spare locomotive spring which was lifted onto the footplate. Rather than go on shed, the locomotive was to be loaded onto a waiting low-loader for the road journey back to Llangollen.

By 6.30 p.m., it was already dark and a low-loader was in position, being prepared for hauling 'Thomas' aboard. The following day, 'Thomas' was returning to Llangollen by road.

Having cleaned the fire and filled the boiler, Adrian took over the engine and moved it to the north end. The transport contractor then positioned the low-loader trailer stradding the track so that 'Thomas' could be winched onto the trailer.

After a fairly heavy 12-hour shift, I was happy to 'Book Off' at this point and leave them to it.

My pictures taken on the 16th October are here.

NADFAS visit to Brewood Hall

2011-10-14T15:02:00.005+01:00

Jan Ford talks about the history of Brewood Hall.

On the 13th October 2011, around 40 members of the local branch of the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS) visited Brewood Hall. The members gathered in the Lounge Hall at 11.30 a.m. and Jan talked about the history of the Hall and the conservation work which has been carried out. Members had been asked to bring at packed lunch so at 12.30 p.m. individual groups of members settled down for a snack, distributing themselves in the dining room, lounge hall and (since the weather was mild) the kitchen yard and the front steps.

A group of NADFAS members taking lunch.

For the tour of the principal rooms on the ground and first floors, the visitors were divided into two groups. Whilst Jan conducted the first group on a 30-minute tour around the building, the second group were invited to explore the 1 acre of gardens and see the inside of the restored Small Barn. Jan then took the second group around the Hall allowing the first group to visit the garden and Small Barn.

Jan taking the visitors around the building, accompanied by Marion's dog Harry.

NADFAS are a substantial organisation in both education and conservation in connection with our heritage in decorative and fine arts. They are active at around 340 locations in the U.K. and Europe. For more information, go to their website.

Jan and visitors chatting in the Victorian Sitting Room.

All the visitors appeared to enjoy the opportunity to see a little more of Brewood Hall. Once again, thanks are due to Marion Reeves for her help with this visit. There are more photographs of this visit here.

Tai 1996 - 2011

2011-10-12T09:44:00.003+01:00

On the 8th October 2011 I lost my dog Tai to the inoperable tumour that had been growing for the last four years.

There's an earlier piece on Tai here and pictures in the set Tai and Friends. He was a very gregarious dog so he also pops up in the set Friends and Family at Brewood (and a few other places). He was a loyal and loving companion and, even at the end as his mobility became compromised, his spirit was undiminished.

He was a very special dog and will be greatly missed by me and all his many friends.

The Stour Valley Line

2011-09-27T13:30:00.001+01:00

In the early 1960s, I was a regular visitor to a number of signal boxes in the West Midlands and there's a series of posts about my experiences. At the time, I lived in Wolverhampton but most of the signal boxes I visited were in the Tipton and Dudley Port area. I was working for a local company as an Electronics Engineer, so most of my visits were on a Saturday. Going through the Notebook I've recently found for Sedgeley Jn., I'm surprised at what a regular visitor I was. It seems that most Saturdays saw me leaving home early to visit one of my friends in a Signal Box.

My home was about 30 minutes walk from Wolverhampton High Level Station and I must have set off somewhere between 6.0 a.m. and 6.30 a.m. Occasionally, I'd get a trolleybus to town (yes, Wolverhampton had trolleybuses until 1967) but they were a bit thin on the ground at that time of day so I'd usually walk.

On arrival at the station, I'd get a return ticket to either Tipton or Dudley Port (according to where I was headed and what trains were running).

The Sedgeley Jn. Notebook includes brief details of some of these journeys, so I thought we'd take a look. Original notes are in italics with recent comments in square brackets.

Visit to Sedgeley Jn. Mon 24th December 1962

From Wolverhampton platform 2 with two ‘Type 4’ in multiple – D268 and D229. [Clearly, a London service].

Visit to Sedgeley Jn. Sat 12th January 1963

I travel on 1B03 departing Wolverhampton at about 7.15 a.m. The 6.55 a.m. Up Local is still stuck in the Down Bay, boxed in by a 2-car DMU. 1M16 arrives just before we leave.

Visit to Sedgeley Jn. Sat 26th January 1963

I travelled on an Up DMU which arrived Dudleyport at 8.59, departed 9.0 a.m. I later discovered that the Guard arrived back on foot at 9.08 to report the DMU failed in the section. With a Wrong Line Order, the Parcels Engine went onto the DMU at 9.23, dragged it back and cleared the main line at 9.36. It was arranged that the passengers off the stranded DMU would be taken forward by 1B08. There was one passenger for Oldbury so a Special Stop Order was issued to 1B08 so that the Oldbury passenger could be set down. The failed DMU was left at Dudleyport until an engine could be found to drag it back to the Depot. [The Wrong Line Order would be issued by the Dudley Port Signalman to the driver of the Parcels Engine, allowing him to return to Dudley Port, dragging the failed DMU. An impressive example of an operational problem swiftly dealt with].

Visit to Sedgeley Jn. Sat 9th February 1963

To Dudleyport from Wolverhampton behind 46228, "sounding like an engine!". [Presumably a London service and a welcome change from diesel haulage]. Noted that 61018 is ‘Gnu’ [?]

Evening Visit to Sedgeley Jn. February 1963

50460 is Dudley end of local. 6.30 p.m. Wolverhampton – Burton is a 2-6-0 tender first with a British Rail 1st/2nd Composite and an ER Brake/2nd Composite! [Rather cryptic, I'm afraid].

The London and North Western Railway

2011-09-27T13:00:00.000+01:00

The London and North Western Railway called itself 'The Premier Line' for some years. The railway could not be accused of false modesty! It was run for many years by Captain Mark Huish (1808 - 1867). Later, with Sir Richard Moon (1814 - 1899) as Chairman and with the towering, if controversial, figure of Francis William Webb (1836 - 1906) as the Chief Mechanical Engineer ruling his empire at Crewe with a rod of iron, the railway was bound to have a high opinion of itself. But in many ways, that opinion was justified. The railway was a joint stock company, owned by its shareholders, so the first measure of success was did its shareholders receive a good dividend? Yes, they did - consistently.

The railway boasted some of the finest permanent way in the country, made possible by the steelworks using the Bessemer process set up at Crewe so that the railway could manufacture its own rails, in longer lengths than otherwise available, reducing the number of rail joints and improving ride quality.

Webb believed that manufacturing in-house led to highest quality and lowest cost to the railway so Webb is also responsible, amongst other things, for the distinctive L.& N.W.R. signals and signal boxes. There's a little on L.& N.W.R. signalling here and on the 'Crewe' All Electric signalling system here. Steam Index has a wonderful Webb collection here.

1054 at the Battlefield Line in 1997 (Photo: John Fairclough).

But, of course, Webb is best known as a locomotive designer. The only Webb locomotive I've had an opportunity to drive is the preserved 'Coal Tank' number 1054, when she visited the Battlefield Line in 1997.

Slideshow at Brewood

2011-09-27T09:45:00.000+01:00

Clockwise from left front: Phil, Mick, Ian, Dave, John, Keith.

My friend Phil arranged for Keith to give a slideshow on 18th March 2011 to a small group of interested people. Keith talked about his involvement in the partial restoration of the main station building at Wolverhampton Low Level. Needless to say, there was also animated discussion during the evening of other historical railway subjects. Present were Phil, Mick, Ian, Dave, John, Keith and Jan.

Clockwise from left front: Dave, John, Keith, Phil, Mick, Ian.

World Travel

2011-09-27T09:00:00.003+01:00

Jan at the summit of Hyana Picchu, Machu Picchu in 2005.

In applying for a Russian visa for my trip in 2011, I had to list the countries I'd visited in the last ten years. I was quite surprised at the list:-

2002 Thailand, Fiji, USA, China.

2003 Poland, Germany.

2004 Canada, China, Macau, Hong Kong.

2005 Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Ukraine, New Zealand, Brazil, USA, Peru, Egypt.

2006 Australia, India, Equador, Chile, Hong Kong, Mexico, Tahiti.

2007 Australia, Japan, Argentina

2008 Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Mexico, Panama, USA, Cuba, Dubai.

2009 Myanmar, Thailand, Jordan, Egypt, India, Bhutan.

2010 Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Norway.

2011 South Africa, St. Helena BOT, Ascension BOT.

At the top of the blog, you can click an entry in the list 'Labels to select a blog topic' to find the posts on a particular location. Some of these labels are still in code - for instance, 'RTW5' means my fifth trip round the world. Alternately, 'Search' in the header at the top of the blog will find posts including a particular word or phrase.

Following the collapse of the 'Fotopic' photo hosting site, most of my travel photographs have now been moved to various 'Collections' on my 'Flickr' site here.

I'm sorry that many of the picture links in the blog still point to the dead 'Fotopic' site but I'll update them as soon as I can.

I've been very fortunate to be able to see all these exotic places for myself.

'Thomas' visits MOSI

2011-09-04T13:57:00.003+01:00

Thomas waits patiently as passengers board the train.

The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester (MOSI) first ran 'A Day Out with Thomas' event in 2010. On that occasion, I was overseas so was unable to participate. However, when the event was repeated in 2011, I managed a day driving 'Thomas' on 1st September 2011, the first day of the four-day event.

The locomotive was the East Lancashire Railway's 'Gothenburg' in disguise. I'd driven this 'Thomas' at Shackerstone back in 2007 (see article) and, before that, I'd known the locomotive on the East Lancashire Railway in its handsome dark green livery over twenty years ago.

'Gothenburg' was numbered '32' by the Manchester Ship Canal. She was built by Hudswell Clarke (works number 680) in Leeds back in 1903 - I hope I'm as lively at the age of 108! It's one of a batch of 0-6-0 side tank locomotives with 15.5 x 20 inch inside cylinders and 3 foot 1 inch coupled wheels built for the Manchester Ship Canal which operated an extensive railway system. To facilitate operation on the tight curves of the dock railway, the centre pair of wheels are flangeless and the coupling rods have articulated joints.

Don Thorpe's book 'The Railways of the Manchester Ship Canal' (ISBN 0 86093 288 5) is an interesting history of Manchester's dock railway system.

My pictures of Thomas at MOSI are here.

Summer Saturday with a '2884'

2011-09-04T13:52:00.030+01:00

Mike and 3803 ready to come 'off shed' at Shackerstone.

Former Great Western 2-8-0 locomotive number 3803 has been a popular performer at the Battlefield Line this summer. My first rostered turn was on Saturday 27th August 2011 when the locomotive was required to make five round trips to Shenton with a 5-coach service train. Mike was 'marked' as fireman, Danny (who'd recently passed out as a fireman) was also on hand and Danny's sister had the cleaner's 'spot'.

The locomotive had been left with a warming fire on Friday night so it was possible to clean the grate and resuscitate the fire with wood and coal. It's a big boiler so we were anxious to bring it into steam gently to avoid the rapid expansion which can increase maintenance costs through the increased stress on rivets, stays and smoke tibes. In the meantime, I got on with oiling round and the driver's daily examination of the locomotive. Outside cylinders mean that quite a few oiling points are accessible from outside but the link motion between the frames (see 'Layout of Valve Gear' below) requires you to lean in (or climb in) from the footframing to attend to some of the oiling points.

We were ready in good time, came 'Off Shed' and coupled up to the 5-coach train in Platform 2 on a nice, sunny morning. We set off, tender first, and I was at once impressed by the power and smoothness of the locomotive. Although running tender first, the low Great Western tender gives reasonable visibility to the rear, provided the coal isn't too heaped-up in the tender. I was obviously comparing this Swindon product with the Stanier '8F', about which I'd commented "The standard Stanier tender is not ideal running tender-first as far as visibility is concerned, so it's particularly important that the driver and fireman work together as a team." (see full article).

On my first trip with '3803', I drove fairly cautiously whilst I got the feel of the unfamiliar locomotive. As is my usual practice, as soon as we were moving, I linked well up on the 'pole' reverser to a position sutiable for drifting. The effort required to adjust the reverser was very moderate, as you'd expect with Piston Valves (which are 'Balanced' valves, unlike standard Slide Valves). With our featherweight train, acceleration was still good linked-up and, when we reached line speed, I could simply slam the regulator shut, re-open it on the 'Jockey Valve' (to make sure there was still a steam supply to the Sight Feed Lubricator - see below for further information) and coast. However, I was disappointed to find I was losing time. I'd been warned that I'd have to run fairly hard to keep to time now that trains are making a stop at Market Bosworth station. In addition, there are still a number of 'slacks' (speed restrictions) of 5 m.p.h. and 10 m.p.h. to be observed. We arrived at Shenton, ran round our train and set off back to Shackerstone, chimney leading.

On the approach to Shackerstone, the engine crew are always on the lookout for the Outer Home signal. The road bridge in front of this signal means that the sighting distance is reasonably short. If the arm is horizontal (nine o'clock clockface), the signal is 'On' and the train has to stop at the signal. If the arm is raised through 45 degrees (ten thirty clockface) the signal is 'Off' and the train can proceed to the Inner Home signal near the signal box. During the hot weather, it's been common for the signalman to struggle to give the correct 'Off' indication but on this day, I'd commented to Mike that we were getting a good 'Off' indication.

Shackerstone's Outer Home (lever 2) 'On'.

Back at Shackerstone, we ran round, and started our second trip of the day. Now the temperature dropped and it started to rain quite heavily. I'd taken the precaution of bringing a waxed jacket but the rain seemed to be coming horizontally across the low tender as we made our way to Shenton. As I squinted into the rain to 'watch the road', I remembered my own saying "Anybody can work on engines in good weather - it takes railwaymen to do it in bad weather". Many locomotives had 'Storm Sheets' which could be rigged between the cab and the tender to give some protection. I gather one had been ordered for '3803' but had not yet arrived. We used to keep storm sheets on the Great Western tender engines at Tyseley Railway Museum, but I was never too keen on using them myself because they do inevitably somewhat restrict your lookout running tender first.

One the second trip, I ran a little harder and just about managed 'even time'. Approaching Shackerstone's Outer Home on the return journey, the drop in temperature had tightened the signal wire and this time, the arm was almost pointing straight up. "If it gets any colder, the arm will be over the top" I joked, telling Mike about the time that happened to me on the 'Big Railway' (one of the 'Recollections' in the article on Tipton Curve Junction).

It was agreed that Mike would have a break for lunch and Danny would fire the third trip. Once again, we made the run to Shenton, ran round and returned chimney leading. The rain was still pretty bad. The Great Western did have large, sensible hinged spectacles at the front of the cab (visible in the heading photograph). Stanier lost no time in using a similar spectacle on his designs for the L.M.S. after he moved to Derby. I'd been running with the driver's spectacle open but an awful lot of stinging rain was being thrown into my face so I slammed the spectacle shut. Within seconds, there was so much rain streaming down the outside of the glass that I could see nothing ahead, so I reverted to running with the spectacle open.

I made the usual cautious approach to the Outer Home at Shackerstone and, to our surprise, the arm was at about one o'clock clockface. My prediction had come true, the arm had gone 'over the top'! This counted as a signal aspect "imperfectly displayed" which should be treated as a danger signal, so I brought the train to a stand. It was still raining quite hard but Danny made no complaint at the prospect of walking to the signal box to advise the signalman and obtain his instructions. Danny returned with permission to pass the signal and we made our way into the platform. I'm sorry I didn't get a photograph of the arm in the odd position.

Mike came back on the footplate and we completed our last two runs in rather better weather. Danny attended to the Outer Home so, when we returned to Shackerstone on the fourth trip, we received a proper 'off' indication. We enjoyed a pleasant fifth trip and disposed of the locomotive after an excellent day.

Background to the '2884' class

One of Churchward's original designs for the Great Western was a 2-8-0 for heavy goods work. The first locomotive '2800' was introduced in 1903 and the build totalled 84 locomotives. The '28XX' class was a great success and so when Collett, Churchward's successor as Chief Mechanical Engineer at Swindon, needed more heavy freight locomotives in the run-up to the second World War, he continued to build the Churchward design with very little change. The standard Collett cab, with glazed side windows, was the most obvious improvement. The numbering carried on from 2884 to 2899, then continued from 3800 to 3866. The Collett engines are often called the '2884' class.

The Great Western had published the first of its 'Engine Books' in 1911 and periodically this was updated. The 1946 edition (priced at two shillings and sixpence) included the page reproduced below describing the 2-8-0 tender engines (this is taken from the David and Charles composite edition of 1971, ISBN 0 7153 5367 5). Note that the official works photograph of 2840 shows the original Churchward cab but the lower line drawing depicts the Collett cab.

Click on the above image to enlarge.

Layout of Valve Gear

All the 2-cylinder Great Western designs feature Stephenson Link motion with four eccentrics mounted on the driving axle between the frames to provide the necessary valve events. With inside cylinder designs, the valves are usually between the frames and can be readily driven from the expansion links via the dieblocks and valve rods. However, where outside cylinders and valves are required, a means must be provided to translate the movement of the dieblocks from inside the frames to outside the frames. Swindon devised a typically rugged arrangement using rocking shafts which is illustrated below.

Click on the above diagram to enlarge.

In this arrangement, the dieblock is attached to an Intermediate Valve Rod, the lower end of which is supported by a swing link. The upper end of the intermediate Valve Rod is attached to the inner of two valve arms attached to the rocking shaft mounted on the framing. The upper end of the intermediate valve rod describes an arc when driving the rocking shaft, necessitating the swing link at the lower end to accommodate this non-linear movement. The outer valve arm drives the short valve rod which connects to the valve spindle. The set of pictures of 3803 (link below) has a number of pictures of the valve gear illustrating how the layout in the diagram above is implemented in practice.

Sight Feed Lubricator

Moving parts in contact with steam (such as the valves, pistons and regulator valve) require lubrication with a special, compound mineral oil, formulated to retain its properties at high temperature. Sight feed (or hydrostatic) lubricators are often used for this purpose and Swindon developed a range of suitable lubricators. Whereas many railways left the management of these lubricators to the fireman, the Great Western placed the Sight Feed Lubricator in front of the driver. Through training and the issue of circulars, Swindon ensured that drivers understood the method of operation and the importance of the Sight Feed Lubricator. A copy of Great Western Circular 5801 issued in November 1937 by C.B. Collet can be accessed (and downloaded) here.

My pictures of 3803 are here.

Lionsmeet 2011

2011-08-01T11:50:00.006+01:00

The Steaming Bays at Chelmsford

The 2011 'Lionsmeet' was held on Saturday, 30th July at the Chelmsford Society of Model Engineers' track at Chelmsford.

We were using their elevated multi-gauge railway which has provision for 3.5-inch, 5-inch and 7.25-inch gauge vehicles in the form of a dumb-bell. There's a Sector Switch Unit (traverser) giving access to the steaming bays which are served by a traverser and a station area with a substantial umbrella roof, clubroom and refreshment facilities. A footbridge links the station area with an exhibition area where a marquee contained a display of various 'Lion' and other early locomotive models and gave access to the steaming bays.

Around the elevated track, a dual-gauge ground level oval track supports 5-inch and 7.25-inch models. This line had some very impressive dual-gauge pointwork.

Alan Bibby was on hand to make sure everything ran smoothly and OLCO President E.F. Clark, OLCO Chairman John Brandrick and OLCO 'Lionsheart' magazine editor John Hawley were in attendance. The morning was spent in preparing locomotives and earnest discussions. After lunch provided by the host club, the competition started at 1 p.m.

Once again this year, there were four competitors on three 5-inch gauge 'Lion' models. By convention, the previous year's winner (Andrew Neish) ran first, followed by his father, David Neish on the same locomotive. Then Jon Swindlehurst performed his run and, finally, Adrian Banks with his newly-built 'Lion'.

Each competitor was allowed an untimed lap or two to determine what load he wished to carry behind the Chelmsford dynamometer car, followed by ten minutes to try to produce the maximum work done. David Neish has recently designed and built a 'LIONsPOWER' measuring unit which replaces the drawlink between locomotive and train and displays work done on a small electronic unit. This unit was used to collect comparitive readings, but the contest was awarded based on the results from the Chelmsford dynamometer car.

The performances are summarised below:-

Name	Work done (ft./lb.)	Position
Andrew Neish	51081	3
David Neish	53843	2
Jon Swindlehurst	74605	1
Adrian Banks	6775	4 (retired)

Adrian had only recently completed his model - indeed, there is still more work required - but he very sportingly agreed to compete. Unfortunately, he was forced to retire after a piston gland worked loose during the run. Andrew and David put up their usual strong performance but it was Jon, taking a much heavier load, who produced the winning result.

E. F. Clark presenting the Mike Parrot Memorial Cup to Jon Swindlehurst.

Jan's pictures of the event are here.

Leaving Russia

2011-07-30T12:31:00.000+01:00

Tuesday 26th July 2011

The ship had made arrangements for transport at appropriate times to ferry the departing passengers to St. Petersburg airport to go our various ways. My departure time was 11.30 a.m. and I was determined to squeeze the most experience out of the remaining time by making a 'whistle-stop' visit to the city centre.

I established that the first shuttle bus to the Metro station was at 9.00 a.m. so I was waiting for it in good time. The bus made good time across the river to the Metro station and purchasing a ticket was no problem. When I got to the platform level, I realised that the station lacked any signage in 'Romanised' characters but the Metro map I was carrying only had the place names in 'Romanised' form, so I struggled to determine in which direction I should be heading. A train came in on what I thought was the right direction so I caught it. After a fair bit of worrying and trying to guess the meaning of words in Cyrillic characters each time we stopped, I arrived at Gostiny Dvor in the centre of the city.

St. Petersburg street scene.

It was another sunny morning with plenty of people about and I happily wandered around for a while until fear of getting back to the ship late overcame me so I entered Nevsky Prospekt Metro station, purchased a ticket and made my way through the underground passages to get to the Gostiny Dvor platforms, aided by at least some of the signs using 'Romanised' as well as Cyrillic characters.

With some relief, I boarded a train going in the right direction and counted off the stops. When we arrived at the stop before mine, I realised my carriage was now empty. A minute later, the driver walked through the train 'shooing' any remaining passengers off the train. The platform edge doors closed and I heard my train rumble away. I'd no idea why the train was being taken out of service. After a few minutes, the following train arrived and I was able to continue my journey. By now I was worried that I would miss the shuttle bus back to the ship so I sprinted up the long escalator until I was panting heavily, emerged into the sunlight and impatiently waited for the traffic lights to stop the traffic and allow me to cross the road. By now, I could see the shuttle bus but my watch suggested that the bus should be about to leave. Two passengers were still on the pavement - 'Plenty of time' they assured me and, indeed, it was about a minute before the bus moved off with one relieved passenger still breathing heavily.

After this adventure, I was back at the ship with time to spare before saying my final goodbyes, identifying my luggage and joining the coach to the airport. The coach initially took the route we'd used the previous day going to the Catherine Palace at Pushkin before taking the airport road, passing a large retail park and pulling up at a surprisingly small airport terminal building. This was Pulkovo II which appeared to be for international flights. As we'd arrived, I'd seen another terminal in the distance crowned with what looked like five cooling towers and I assumed this was Pulkovo I for domestic flights. The terminal was fairly crowded with a number of queues snaking towards check-in desks placed around the outside of the space. According to the passenger displays, I had at least an hour to wait before I could check in so I found a relatively quiet corner of the terminal, sat down on my large case and took out my notebook computer to pass the time preparing text for the blog. To my amazement, the computer immediately connected itself to a free, fast 'Wi-Fi' so I dashed off a couple of e-mails. I was quite happily typing away and didn't at first notice that check in had started at two desks for my flight to Zurich.

One desk for Economy had a very long queue but the other desk for Business had a short queue which I joined. There seemed to be a group of French ladies at the head of the queue attempting to check-in (in English) but the check-in girl was repeatedly directing them, with extreme politeness, to the other queue. I assumed they didn't have Business Class tickets. Next, the French contingent tried to book in by speaking French. Once again, the check-in girl declined with great courtesy, responding in French. One of the French ladies then insisted on remaining directly in front of the check-in desk, glowering at everyone in sight. The check-in girl then processed the Business class passengers very efficiently and I commented on her patience. Check-in complete, I made my way through security and immigration, with the French ladies still attempting to picket the Check-in desk.

I found the nice, quiet Polkovo business lounge which had extremely friendly staff and a reasonable range of snacks. Once again, the 'Wi-Fi' worked well and it was soon time to make my way to the Departure Gate for my flight. The advantage of the small terminal was that it only took a couple of minutes to get from the lounge to the gate. There are plenty of airports where they warn you to allow 20 minutes!

Taxiing away from Pulkovo II terminal at St. Petersburg.

Once on the aircraft, I was able to relax and catch my last views of Russia as we made our way to Switzerland. It was sunny and hot when we arrived in Zurich. The terminal seemed very crowded but, to my relief, my flight was called quite soon and I boarded the bus taking us onto the apron where the aircraft for the Birmingham flight was waiting. The flight was uneventful and we arrived at Birmingham on time - a satisfactory conclusion to what had proved a stimulating and fascinating tour.

More pictures.

Last full day in St. Petersburg

2011-07-29T16:05:00.015+01:00

Monday 25th July 2011

Various optional tours (chargeable) were offered on the Monday. I'd elected for the Catherine Palace in Pushkin during the morning and the Yusopov Palace in the afternoon. The bus to the Catherine Palace didn't leave until 9.15 a.m. so, after an early breakfast, there was time for a walk along the four-lane highway which followed the river into the city centre. I explored one or two side roads but the mainly residential area was fairly nondescript - it could have been a million miles from the grandeur of the civic buildings and palaces in the city centre.

The four-lane highway passing the River Station leads to the centre of Saint Petersburg.

Just after 9.00 a.m., the usual coaches were lined up to take us to the Catherine Palace and, once everybody had been sorted onto the appropriate coach, we set off in convoy, this time negotiating the complex of slip-roads leading to the cable-stayed road bridge next to the River Terminal for our journey in a new direction to Pushkin.

The palaces and parks we were to see were developed by Empress Elizabeth and later re-developed to the taste of Empress Catherine in the late 18th century. The centrepiece is the massive baroque palace called the Catherine Palace after Peter the Great's second wife who was the Empress Elizabeth's mother. The architects Rastrelli, Rinaldi, Cameron and Quarenghi were all involved in the creation of the 'Russian Versailles'. The area has, once again, started to be known as 'Tsarskoye Selo' (the Tsar's Village) but that name fell out of favour following the revolution so the area is also known as 'Pushkin' after the revered Russian poet.

Our coaches dropped us off on the approach road to the Catherine Palace and we joined the throng of visitors walking towards the Palace. We eventually joined a large queue awaiting admission to the palace where we were entertained by a group of uniformed musicians. As I listened to the music, I realised they were not mere 'buskers'. I was so impressed, I purchased the CD their leader was selling (stopping playing his trumpet to serve customers and then picking up the tune again). The sleeve notes told me that they were the 'Catherine Palace Orchestra', now established 20 years and having played at numerous official functions during that time. I was quite sorry when the queue finally shuffled forward and we moved into the Palace itself.

The Catherine Palace Orchestra performing for the queue.

The Catherine Palace is certainly impressive, if somewhat 'over the top' for me. The Germans got as far as St. Petersburg during the second World War and during their occupation of the Palace, it suffered considerable damage. Considerable resources have been expended (some from War Reparations) to bring the palaces and parks to their present state of renovation. Our tour was necessarily brief but we saw the Main Staircase, the amazing gilt and mirrored Great Hall (which was used for balls), a number of Anterooms, the Arabesque Room, the Chevalier, Minor White and Green Dining Rooms, the White, Crimson and Green Pilaster rooms, the Portrait Room, the Picture Room, the Drawing Room of Alexander I and a rather grand Waiters' Room. The Amber Room is perhaps the most famous room, completely inlaid with pieces of ambers in various shades of toffee colour. It's definitely baroque and cleverly executed, but a little sickly for my taste.

The Catherine Palace, viewed from the Catherine Park.

Once outside, at our Guide's suggestion we gave the Alexander Park (with the large Alexander Palace) a miss and spent the rest of our time exploring the Catherine Park. All too soon, we were hurrying back to our coaches which took us back to the ship for lunch at 1.00 p.m.

Pictures of the trip to the Catherine Palace in Pushkin are here.

At 2.30 p.m. I departed by coach with the group visiting the Yusupov Palace, situated on a bend of the Moika River near the city centre. Our guide had arranged to purchase photographic permits for those who wanted to take pictures but, when we arrived at reception, we were told that the people who dealt with the permits were on break so photography would not be possible. Mindless bureaucracy is still alive and well in the Russian Federation!

The entrance to the Yusupov Palace at 94 Moika.

A little background ... Apparently Tsar Peter the Great never liked Moscow, his original capital. He built a new capital at what is now called Saint Petersburg where the River Neva flows into the Gulf of Finland. The area was originally swampland so construction was no easy task. The city is still penetrated by numerous minor rivers and canals, giving rise to its description as "The Venice of the North", although I was more reminded of Amsterdam. Numerous grand residences were built to accommodate members of the Royal court and the city delighted in its sophistication. Even today, Saint Petersburg regards itself as the cultural capital of Russia. There was a wooden palace on the site of the Yusopov Palace at the beginning of the 18th century and ownership changed hands many times. The 'golden age' for the Palace was initiated by its purchase by Prince Nikolai Yusupov in 1830. Nikolai Yusopv was from an ancient family of Russian nobility, educated in Europe. His immense wealth allowed him to indulge his taste for collecting. On the death of Prince Nikolai in 1831, the Yusupov Palace passed to Nikolai's only son, Boris. The palace received the attentions of the finest architects and artists to create a suitable home for the Prince's collections. The rebuilt Palace included a private theatre! In the 1860s, there was a further major reconstruction of the Palace carried out by Nikolai Yusupov the Younger, followed by yet further improvements in the 1890s. The last Yusupov to own the Palace was Prince Felix Yusupov the Younger who commissioned the final changes to the Palace between 1911 and 1916.

The relationship of the Royal court with the Tsar's familiy had become threatened by the power gained by Grigory Rasputin - a peasant from Siberia who had become close to Tsar Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra through his apparent ability to help the Tsar's haemophiliac son Alexis. Rasputin was lured to the Yusupov Palace in December 1916 and murdered in the basement. In the following year, the Russian Revolution swept away the previous hierarchy and the Yusupov Palace was seized by the State. The custodians of the Palace realised the importance of the Palace and its collections and it remained more or less intact until the Second World War when aerial bombing and a serious fire caused major damage. At the end of the war, the State carried out meticulous restoration so that visitors can once again view the Palace as it was at the end of the 19th century. The building is now the 'Palace of Culture of Education Workers' but it is referred to as the 'Yusupov Palace' without embarrassment.

There were quite a few parties touring the Palace but the lady attendants in each room were diligent in closing the doors to each room as parties entered and left so it wasn't the 'scrum' we'd experienced elsewhere. I found the private rooms quite atmospheric. As you might expect, there were drawing rooms of various colours, dining rooms of various colours and grander rooms for balls and banquets. There was a series of Picture Gallery rooms for the display of various types of art. Much of the art had been removed for display elsewhere, but impressive displays remain. There was a rather gloomy Oak Dining Room and an equally gloomy smaller dining room in Prince Yusupov's Apartments improbably sporting embossed, coloured leather 'wallpaper'. Equally improbably, this room is now used as one of the souvenir shops. I did rather like Prince Yusupov's Study, filled with bookcases. The Moorish Drawing Room with mosaic floor, elaborate wall decorations and marble columns was rather over-the-top. I was perhaps most impressed by the threatre with its elaborate gold leaf and painted ceiling. Monighetti was the architect in 1860 but it was then 'modernised' to accord with the then-current taste by Stepanov in 1899. The guide book refers to the theatre as "a precious casket, created with intricate virtuosity". We descended to the basement and a re-creation of the events surrounding the demise of Rasputin. I couldn't help thinking that, having despatched Rasputin in violent fashion, less than a year later the whole of the aristocracy was either killed or exiled in the shattering events of the Revolution.

We returned to our coaches but, to our surprise, we were delivered to the landing stage by the Hermitage, to complete our journey back to our ship by hydrofoil. This made a pleasant conclusion to a busy day.

Pictures on the journey to and from the Yusupov Palace are here. I took no pictures inside the Palace, as explained above.

An Evening at the Ballet

2011-07-29T11:57:00.001+01:00

Sunday 24th July 2011

The Auditorium of the Hermitage Theatre, just before the performance.

Sunday had already been quite busy (Peterhof in the rain in the morning, exploring the Metro and Moscow Station in the afternoon) but we were not done yet. Dinner was at 6.00 p.m., comprising soup and a man course only to ensure that we'd be ready to leave the ship by 7.00 p.m. The dessert was to be offered to us on our return! We'd been offered two choices for the evening's entertainment - The Menshikov Hall Folk Show or Ballet at the Hermitage Theatre. Well, the Ballet Company might not be the famous Mariinsky (formerly the Kirov) but the performance was at the Hermitage Theatre so it was no contest. I joined one of the buses for the ballet and we drove downtown.

We entered the Winter Palace through a modest doorway and climbed stairs to the first floor. We passed through a large salon which formed a bridge over a canal. The salon had been renovated and was quite grand, if bare. Large windows on either side gave views of the canal on one side and the Neva River on the other. A small souvenir and programme stall looked rather out-of-place in the grand salon. We passed into the theatre itself which had also had extensive renovation. The theatre seats around 250 and is quite intimate. Steeply raked semicircular seating rows ensure good views. A few rows of chairs, very close to the orchestra, filled in the semicircle. Guides from the ship acted as usherettes to find seating for us all. Most of the audience appeared to be tourists, but I did spot one old Russian lady who looked as if she might be a regular.

The performance started on time. I'd not seen 'Giselle' so I was quite glad of the programme notes. I'm not a fan of the ballet but I enjoyed the two-acts of 'Giselle'. After the performance, the audience were generous in their appreciation of both the dancers and the orchestra.

The Company and the Orchestra take their bow after the performance.

We retraced our steps through the salon, down the stairs and out into the street, where our coaches were waiting to return us to the ship. Those with the appetite (and energy) were offered dessert to complete the evening meal. Altogether, a very satisfactory day.

Pictures of the trip to the ballet.

Saint Petersburg Metro

2011-07-29T10:19:00.000+01:00

Sunday 24th July 2011

Route Map of the Saint Petersburg Metro. (Larger image).

After the morning organised visit to the Peterhof, in the afternoon I briefly explored the Saint Petersburg Metro on my own. Any journey costs 25 Roubles and all stations have one or more staffed ticket windows where you can purchase the necessary coin token. There were a few automatic ticket machines but I never worked out quite how they worked. Moscow Metro uses credit-card sized printed tickets but Saint Petersburg uses coin tokens similar to those I found in Kiev a few years ago. The automatic gates themselves which give access to the platforms are similar to Metro systems the world over.

Russian Metros seem to run quite deep - 70 metres below ground is typical. Descending to platform level usually involves one long escalator and steps or a short escalator. Each station is formed from three parallel tunnels - two outside tunnels for the tracks and a central concourse tunnel for passenger access which is sometimes highly decorated. At many stations there are platform edge doors so you can only hear the arriving trains. The row of heavy steel doors set in arches either side of the concourse tunnel rather gives the impression of a prison. At other stations, the arches allow you to walk through to a conventional platform which shares the tunnel bore with the track. Digital displays are often provided on the end walls of the concourse showing how long has elapsed since the previous train departed. Even on a Sunday, trains were running every two or three minutes.

There are now five separate Metro lines in St. Petersburg, all end-to-end, with seven interchange stations. The lines are known as M1 to M5, but always using a stylised 'M' looking like a letter 'V' in a tunnel - (V). All signage, of course, is in Russian using Cyrillic characters. In the city centre, many signs also carry station names or other clues in the 'Romanised' or 'Latinised' form but away from the city centre Cyrillic rules. To add to my confusion, interchange stations have a separate name on each line. I started my tour at Gostiny Dvor on Line 3: had I walked through the pedestrian tunnel to Line 2, I would have been at Nevsky Prospekt.

My first trip took me just one stop on Line 3 to the interchange station of Mayakovskaya/Ploshchad Vosstaniya where I emerged to look for 'Moscow Station' - the main line railway station for trains to Moscow. I spent a happy half hour wandering around this station before returning underground to continue my Metro tour. This time, I took Line 1 for two stations to reach the interchange station of Pushkinskaya/Zvenigorodskaya. The rolling stock on lines 1 and 3 had been the fairly basic Russian Metro design but, transferring to the later Line 5, more modern trains were in use and there was a lot of electronics in the driver's cab. I only travelled one stop to the three-way interchange of Sadovaya/Sennaya Ploshchad/Spasskaya. Wandering through the pedestrian tunnels, I was amused to find a pair of double doors labelled in Russian and in English 'Spasskaya Telecontrol Centre' which I assume was a signalling control room. This time, my journey took me three stops on Line 4 to my final interchange of Ploshchad Aleksandra Nevskogo. Oddly, the two stations here share the same name, with a suffix 'I' or 'II'. Three stops on Line 3 took me to Proletarskaya. Here I was to get the Shuttle Bus back to my ship at the river terminal. Worried that I would miss the bus, I panted up the long escalator, crossed the main road and panted along the street opposite which I hoped would lead to the bus stop. Fortunately, it did and the bus set off a few seconds after I boarded. A rather breathess end to an interesting tour.

My rather indifferent pictures of the Saint Petersburg Metro are here.

My equally indifferent pictures of Moscow's Metro are here.