This week Yoshi and I visited the East Lancashire Railway for their annual summer diesel gala. The original plan was to arrive in Bury by the early afternoon of Thursday 29th June, but a spanner was thrown in the works when I decided I’d like to see what might well be the final Winfrith working. Delayed by 24 hours, Direct Rail Services Class 68 locomotive No.’s 68002 ‘Intrepid’ and 68003 ‘Astute’ headed south from Crewe to collect low level nuclear west from the decommissioned Dorset power station. I chose the vantage point of the road bridge just west of Winfrith Magnox as I fully expected the train to consist of ten empty wagons as had been the usual consist. This would have meant the lead locomotive halting very close to the road bridge I had positioned myself prior to reversing into Winfrith sidings. However, I was disappointed to see the train was but two wagons long which obviously meant the train stopped well short of my vantage point and even with a long lens the train was a little too far away for my liking! We did have a quick walk down to the fenced boundary of Magnox Winfrith and after a quick chat with security who asked us not to photograph the workforce or buildings we took a few record shots and were on our way.
Direct Rail Services Class 68 No.’s 68002 ‘Intrepid’ and 68003 ‘Astute’ working 6Z62 0100 Crewe Coal Sidings DRS to Winfrith Wool Sidings reverse into Winfrith sidings from the mainline as a service train to Weymouth formed of a South Western Railway Class 444 unit awaits clearance – 29/06/2023Class 68 No.’s 68002 ‘Intrepid’ and 68003 ‘Astute’ with two PFA wagons await loading in Winfrith Sidings – 29/06/2023
Direct Rail Services Class 68 No.’s 68002 ‘Intrepid’ and 68003 ‘Astute’ working 6Z62 0100 Crewe Coal Sidings DRS to Winfrith Wool Sidings – 29/06/2023
Catching the “Winfrith” had a knock on effect to travel plans and we didn’t get on the road north until 1000, well behind schedule.
Further delays occurred around Bristol as I looked in vain around Portbury Docks for newly arrived Class 93 Tri-mode locomotive No. 93001 which had been delivered by ship from Spain the previous day. Traffic congestion didn’t help matters and by the time we arrived in Lancashire it was too late to catch any East Lancs Railway diesel action. So instead, after a quick refresh, we took a tram into Manchester where we took in the delights of Manchester Piccadilly.
Bombardier M5000 Manchester Metrolink Tram No. 3104 at Bury. The Bury line was identified by transport planners in the 1980’s as one of the local railway lines in the Greater Manchester area which was used mostly for local traffic, and could therefore be split off from the main line network and converted to light-rail operation – 29/06/2023Victory Over Blindness by Johanna Domke-Guyot was commissioned to commemorate the centenary of the First World War and is situated on Piccadilly Approach outside the main entrance of Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station. The bronze sculpture depicts seven blind figures guiding each other and walking together. Their likeness are based upon real veterans who all suffered blindness as a result of action on the frontline – Platforms at Manchester Piccadilly with Northern Rail Class 156 No. 156428 forming the rear of 2K34 2006 Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe and an Avanti West Coast Pendolino which had arrived with the 1H35 1753 London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly service – 29/06/2023Trans Penine Express Class 185 No. 185132 working the 2E91 2058 Manchester Piccadilly to Leeds service – 29/06/2023TPE liveried Class 68 No. 68022 ‘Resolution’ pauses at Manchester Piccadilly with 5H85 Liverpool Lime Street to Longsight Car. M.D. empty coaching stock. I believe Class 68’s will soon cease on services to Liverpool / Manchester – 29/06/2023Nameplate of Class 68 No. 68022 ‘Resolution’ We visited The Mill at Manchester Piccadilly located up on the Mezzanine. The staff were extremely welcoming and even provided Yoshi with sausages and water while I enjoyed a five bean chilli and a pint of Birra Moretti – 29/06/2023Avanti West Coast Pendolino Class 390 No. 390119 ‘Progress’ at Manchester Piccadilly platform 6 waiting to depart as 5H38 2136 Manchester Piccadilly to Longsight Carriage Maintenance Depot having worked up from London Euston with the 1H38 1853 service – 29/06/2023Transport for Wales service 1W65 1855 Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly having been propelled by DB liveried Class 67 No. 67010 stands at Piccadilly platform 10 – 29/06/2023Following our Manchester outing we returned to our Travelodge accommodation in Bury. After brushing my teeth in the bathroom I returned to find Yoshi had well and truly made himself at home! – 29/06/2023
To make up for the lack of heritage diesel action the previous day, we had an early start on the Friday and we at Bury Bolton Street railway station in good time to see the first train of the day, behind Class 24 No. D5054 ‘Phil Southern’ depart. The weather on the Friday was dismal and it hardly stopped raining until the late afternoon. It was also frustrating that only a few locomotives were rostered on trains for the most part on the Friday. Resident Class 42 Warship No. D832 ‘Onslaught’, Class 25 No.25279 and visiting Class 37 No. 37059 were not in use.
Class 24 No. D5054 (24054) ‘Phil Southern’ is one of just four preserved examples from the original 151 strong fleet of locos and was amongst the first Diesel locomotives to be based at Bury, arriving in 1987 – 30/06/2023Beautifully restored Southern Region Ferry Van No. B889011 is owned by the 3P20 group which also restores and runs other parcel and non-passenger stock on the ELR – 30/06/2023Class 40 No. D345 (40145) was built in 1961, the first locomotive of the final 54 class 40’s, constructed with centre-headcode panels. Damage sustained in a derailment at Stourton Yard, Leeds saw 40145 withdrawn from the 10th of June 1983. 40145 was the first of the seven class members to be secured for preservation and was an early diesel arrival in Bury on the 16th of February 1984. The locomotive is seen adjacent to Bury South signal box – 30/06/2023Class 40 No. D345 (40145) awaits departure from Bury Bolton Street. The station is located in the heart of Bury Town Centre and was opened by the East Lancashire Railway (ELR), on 28th September 1846, as Bury station. The ELR was absorbed by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) on 13th May 1859. The station was renamed Bury Bolton Street in February 1866. The station was rebuilt in the 1880’s and the existing platform canopy dates from that time. Street frontage buildings were also provided but were destroyed by fire on 14th May 1947 and replaced with a new brick and concrete entrance and footbridge in 1952. British Rail closed the station on 17th March 1980, when it was replaced by a new bus/rail interchange which has been the terminus of the Metrolink service from Manchester since 1991 – 30/06/2023
Originally opened by The East Lancashire Railway and operated from 1844 to 1859 the present day ELR began as a railway from Clifton via Bury to Rawtenstall. Following several years of discussions, the East Lancashire Railway was in 1859 amalgamated with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Passenger services between Bury and Rawtenstall were withdrawn by British Rail on 3 June 1972. Coal services to Rawtenstall ended in 1980 and formal closure of the line followed in 1982. The East Lancashire Railway Trust reopened the line on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991, the service was extended northwards from Ramsbottom to reach Rawtenstall, via Irwell Vale. The heritage line is now just over 12 miles (19 km) long and has a mainline connection with the national railway network at Castleton, just beyond Heywood. The ELR is planning to extend the running line to Castleton in the future, with a new cross platform interchange being the preferred option.
It was soon evident that forgetting to take a coat along with me was a amateur mistake and after a brief stop at picturesque Summerseat station the rain forced a retreat to Ramsbottom where more cover would provide respite from the adverse weather.
Class 50 No. 50015 (D415) ‘Valiant’ arrives at Ramsbottom with a train from Bury. No. 50015 is one of 18 preserved Class 50’s out of 50 locomotives of the class, an extremely high percentage. Withdrawn by BR on the 5th June 1992, ‘Valiant’ was initially bought by Pete Waterman, she was later transferred to the Manchester Class 50 Group. The locomotive arrived at Bury during October 1992 and is now owned and maintained by the Bury Valiant Group – 30/06/2023Yoshi doesn’t mind the rain. Which was a good job! In between showers, Class 35 Hymek diesel-hydraulic No. D7076 awaits departure from Ramsbottom. This locomotive is one of four preserved examples of the class and the only remaining locomotive from the later MkII batch. Built in 1962, No. D7076 along with the other Hymeks had a very short service life, being withdrawn in May 1973. She was retained at the Railway Technical Centre (RTC) in Derby along with classmate No. D7096, used as dead loads etc. By the time No. D7076 was secured for preservation both of the RTC Hymeks were in a bad state and it was possible to restore one by using spares from the other. No. D7096 was the donor locomotive and its number is carried in D7076’s B-end cab in memory. The shell of No. D7096 was scrapped in 1986 at Marple and Gillots scrapyard in Attercliffe Sheffield – 30/06/2023Class 24 No. D5054 (24054) ‘Phil Southern’ at Ramsbottom – 30/06/2023Nameplate of Class 24 No. D5054 (24054). Named after Phil Southern, an early member of the ELR going back to their original base at Helmshore. When the ELR moved to Bury he became a director of the Railway responsible for electrical maintenance and projects. Phil was one of the pioneers who got the Bury to Rawtenstall line re-opened for passenger service for both steam and diesel. He was a member of the Bury Type 2 Group and sadly was the first member to pass away. It was thought by the majority of the group that D5054 should carry his name in memory of Phil and his great works at the ELR – 30/06/2023Yoshi takes a look at Class 14 “Teddy Bear” No. D9531 at Ramsbottom. The locomotive was nicknamed ‘Ernest’ during her 15 year restoration 1997 – 2012 – 30/06/2023Class 20 No. 20305 visiting courtesy of Harry Needle Railway Company (HNRC) approaching Ramsbottom – 30/06/20231965 built Class 14 “Teddy Bear” No. D9531 ‘Ernest’ passes under the loading gauge at Ramsbottom – 30/06/2023Class 14 “Teddy Bear” No. D9531 ‘Ernest’ leaves the sidings at Ramsbottom with the brake van freight stock – 30/06/2023Class 33 No. 33109 (D6525) ‘Captain Bill Smith RNR’ on the approach to Ramsbottom. Built by Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) in 1960, D6525 entered traffic with British Railways on the 8th October 1960. As No. 33109 she was named ‘Captain Bill Smith RNR’ in a special ceremony at Kensington Olympia on the 3rd July 1993 to commemorate Captain Smith who bought GNR No. 1247 in 1959 and the first locomotive to be bought privately from British Railways for preservation and has since been donated to the National Railway Museum (NRM) at York. Bill Smith played a significant part in the international field of railway preservation and in 1982 was made the first honorary life member of the Friends of the NRM. In September 1993, additional plaques were fitted under the nameplates with an explanation of the dedication. The nameplates were removed in October 1996 and the locomotive officially withdrawn on the 13th of February 1997. Sold for preservation in March 1997, No. 33109 moved to the Mid Hants Railway in September that year. The ‘Captain Bill’ nameplates, along with the plaques, were refitted and subsequently re-dedicated at Alresford station on the 1st of August 1999, once again carrying the identity of D6525 – 30/06/2023Class 47 No. 47765 ‘Ressaldar’ was new to British Railways as No. D1643 in January 1965, this loco is one of the 202 Class 47’s built by BR at Crewe to the Brush Traction design. She entered traffic at Cardiff Canton depot becoming No. 47059 in the TOPS system during September 1974. She was renumbered as No. 47631 in 1985, following removal of the steam heat boiler and conversion to supply Electric Train Heating (ETH). Further re-classified as a 47/7b, becoming No. 47765 in March 1994, she received extended range fuel tanks (former boiler water tank used for fuel) and RCH jumpers to enable working with Propelling Control Vehicles (PCV) as seen on Royal Mail trains of the time. No. 47765 was withdrawn for disposal in April 2004 but was sold in July 2005 and entered preservation in August of the same year. The locomotive is seen here at Bury Bolton Street – 30/06/2023No. D5705 is the sole survivor of the 20 ‘Co-Bo’ Class 28 locomotives. The Metro-Vic Class 28s were different to everything in many respects, not least the wheel arrangement from which the ‘Co-Bo’ or ‘Bo-Co’ name is derived, having a ‘Bo’ (two axled) bogie at one end and a ‘Co’ (three axled) bogie at the other. All five axles are powered via traction motors. No. D5705 was withdrawn in 1968 and the whole class by 1969. No. D5705 survived only due to being used by the BR Research Division and later being converted into a Carriage Heating Unit as TDB 968006. I remember seeing her at Bristol Bath Road depot where she resided for many years. The loco was secured for preservation in 1980 and, prior to arrival at the ELR, spent many years at Matlock. Seen here at Bury on static display, the locomotive is being restored to running order and we enjoyed a tour of the locomotive after giving a donation towards her return to traffic – 30/06/2023For some reason Yoshi decided he wanted to “cab” No. D5705 and jumped up into the open door. Thankfully he was no worse for wear and was content to sit outside being looked after by a volunteer member of the Co-Bo Restoration fund as I was shown around the inside of the locomotive – 30/06/2023English Electric Class 37 No. 37109 (D6809) seen at Bury was built in 1962 and is part of the ELR home fleet. Substantial bodywork repairs were undertaken during Winter 2022/23 plus a full repaint into Trainload Metals livery – she looked stunning – 30/06/2023 Class 37 No. 37109 (D6809) side by side with Class 47 No. 47765 ‘Ressaldar’ at Bury – 30/06/2023Class 37 No. 37109 (D6809) and Class 47 No. 47765 ‘Ressaldar’ seen from the covered footbridge at Bury – 30/06/2023Visiting from the Severn Valley Railway was Class 42 Warship diesel-hydraulic No. D821 ‘Greyhound’. I had hoped to see this locomotive paired with the ELR’s example No. D832 ‘Onslaught’ but during my visit the locomotives were not running at the same time. There were more interesting pairings and running the following day on the Saturday, but I was unable to attend due to other commitments – 30/06/2023My only view of D832 ‘Onslaught’ was through the gates of the yard at Bury. Class 25 No. 25279 on the right was also a non-runner during my visit – 30/06/2023
All in all a mildly disappointing day on the East Lancs. To compound things; on the way home via the M6 and M5 I was very much hopeful at catching a glimpse of the pioneer Class 93 which had departed Portbury that afternoon and was heading to Worksop. Unbeknown to me, I drove past the locomotive which had stopped off at the northbound Strensham Service area for an overnight stop. You win some, you lose some!
While we were away from home, Saltburn railtours had organised a Pullman charter “The Bournemouth Belle” over the weekend of 30th June to 3rd July 2023. Saltburn Railtours have been organising excursion trains since 1995 and have been to destinations the length and breadth of the UK. This year they came to Bournemouth utilising West Coast Railways locomotives and rolling stock. The tour was scheduled to arrive in Bournemouth at 1732 on the Friday after an early morning departure from Saltburn in North Yorkshire. Once the passengers detrained, interestingly the empty coaching stock ran to Weymouth before reversing and heading off to Southall. The tour returned North on the Monday, scheduled to depart Bournemouth and run via Weymouth and “up the West” via Yeovil.
Class 57 No. 57601 ‘Windsor Castle’ in Northern Belle Maroon / Cream livery working 1Z79 1045 Bournemouth to Saltburn through Hamworthy – 03/07/2023West Coast Railways Class 47 No. 47804 at the rear of 1Z79 1045 Bournemouth to Saltburn at Hamworthy – 03/07/2023
Saltburn Railtours Bournemouth rail tour and associated ECS (with kind help from G E Barrett) – 2023
However, things didn’t go quite to plan as a fallen tree over the track between Dorchester West and Maiden Newton meant the train reversed to Dorchester Junction and then headed east back through Dorchester South. The tour, already off route, travelled via Basingstoke and Oxford before regaining its original path at Bordesley Junction, approximately 68 minutes behind schedule. It would appear that later locomotive problems necessitated the use of WCRC Class 47 No. 47813 at Milford Loop. The train eventually reached Saltburn at 2305, 95 minutes late.
On Saturday Yoshi visited Ladram Bay, Devon for a surprise 60th birthday party being thrown for a friend. We must take the opportunity on a future visit to walk the disused railway line on the former Budleigh Salterton Railway, a single track branch railway line that ran from a junction on the Sidmouth Railway at Tipton St Johns to Exmouth. East Budleigh station would have been the closest railway stop to Ladram Bay and the station building is now a private residence. The line closed on 6th March 1967.[
Yoshi at Ladram Bay. The stacks behind Yoshi are the remains of caves and arches that have collapsed, leaving behind the stumps. The rock is Otter Sandstone deposited in a hot dry climate during the Triassic Period, about 220 million years ago. These are some of the best examples of sea stacks in the British Isles – 01/07/2023
Our trip to Devon (and spending the morning buying new sofas) meant we just missed out on seeing Northern Belle’s “Tribute To The Bournemouth Belle” tour which originated at London Victoria and ran, funnily enough, to Bournemouth. The motive power was provided by West Coast Railways Class 47 No.’s 47826 and 47813. Friend of this blog, Jamie Smith, shared the following:
Class 47 No. 47813 arrives at Bournemouth with “Tribute To The Bournemouth Belle” ECS (Image by kind permission of Jamie Smith) – 01/07/2023 Class 47 No.’s 47826 heads the return “Tribute To The Bournemouth Belle” (Image by kind permission of Jamie Smith) – 01/07/2023
Jamie’s most excellent video of the “Tribute To The Bournemouth Belle”. -don’t forget to check out the other videos on his You Tube channel!
Sunday 2nd July 2023 saw the annual Bournemouth Bus rally take place at Kings Park, Boscombe.
WLT349 1960 AEC Routemaster ex London Transport RM349 – 02/07/2023FEL218 Burlingham bodied Bedford WTB, new to Bournemouth in June 1939- 02/07/2023Yoshi and FEL218 – 02/07/20231013MW Weymann bodied Leyland Atlantean, new to Silver Star of Porton Down in February 1962 – 02/07/2023Yoshi poses with 8159EL Weymann bodied Leyland Titan PD3/1, new to Bournemouth in November 1960 – 02/07/2023CRU184C 1965 Weymann bodied Daimler Fleetline, new to Bournemouth in July 1965 – 02/07/2023OAX9F 1968 Eastern Coach Works bodied Bristol RELH-6L, new to Red & White in March 1968. Now preserved in Red & White livery – 02/07/2023Yoshi with JDV754 – 02/07/2023JDV754 Duple Vista bodied Bedford OB, new to Woolacombe & Morthoe Motor Company in December 1947, now preserved in Lewis Coaches of Henstridge, Somerset colours – 02/07/2023
Apologies for the late posting of this blog entry which was due to technical issues which prevented uploading of images or posts. I need to get to the bottom of these issues, I’ve tried a few simple things to fix errors, but to no avail. Having researched online it seems a common error, and one which can be sorted.
