We will try and update the Facebook page as & when we can, but the main news site will be locked down until such time as we find ourselves in a position to carry out more frequent updates.

Please accept our sincere apologies.

Matt Stoddon & Phil Seymour

Having only just mounted their loco (37372) on Brighton Belle accommodation bogies and issued a press release last week the Baby Deltic Project (BDP) learnt the following day that a pair of Class 20 bogies had been made available to them.

The bogies are surplus to the requirements of Direct Rail Services Ltd and have already been delivered to Barrow Hill.

Although they are minus traction motors / gearcases and brake cylinders this is a massive step forward for the project.

Said project spokesman Simon Hartshorne “This has come out of the blue, we are very grateful indeed to DRS for making these bogies available to us, two weeks ago we were faced with a seemingly impossible search for bogies and now we are well on the way to having everything that we need to complete the recreation of a Baby Deltic.”

“People have been very supportive during our six months of need, we certainly found out who our friends were when we needed help. We owe a debt of gratitude to the 5BEL Trust for loaning us accommodation bogies to keep us mobile and to Barrow Hill Roundhouse for giving us a home.”

“We’ll start to draw up a plan for the conversion which will be published in due course, but for the meantime we are back on track.”

Apologies everyone for the issue of the previous press release – that’ll teach me to read the inbox from the first message up! Matt

Bo’ness are holding their summer Diesel Gala on Friday 27th July – Sunday 29th July.  The current timetable and loco roster can be found Here

33 002

James Whincup’s photos of 33 002 out in action at the recent GCR Mail by Rail Event 08/07/12. 33 002 passes Swithland signal box on the Up Main with the 13:00 dep from Loughborough and 33 002 goes into Swithland Up Loop after its TPO run with the 14:40 dep from Loughborough:

33 103

Dicky White’s photo of 33 103 passing  the site of Witton-le-Wear Station on the Weardale Railway 07/07/12: 

Watercress Class 50

We all eagerly await 50 027 “Lion” hauling a passenger train on the Mid Hants Railway – Photo James Boylin

Engines at Weybourne

Bill Pizer’s photos of D6732 & 25057 at Weybourne 30/06/12:

Due to a shortage of servicable steam locos, 50 031, 50 035 and D1062 were out in use last Saturday with 50 044 piloting both 50 031 and 50 035 between Kidderminster and Bewdley.  Thanks to the information being made public in advance, a large number of people turned up to enjoy the “Mini Diesel Gala”.  The power of forums, Facebook and Twitter clearly ensuring that people could attend adding additional funds to the SVR.  A selection of photos from Phil Seymour:

37 003 is being prepared for a “Special Event” this coming Friday 6th July, and for those of you that are watching on Facebook, Twitter or Loco Progress she will be doing this back in BR blue.  As for the nature of the “Special Event”…. well, now that all the bits have arrived safely in Norfolk to make this event possible, we can at last make this official announcement.

37 003 will, on Friday 6th July, be joining in the Centenary celebrations of the Dereham Neatherd High School by being named

“Dereham Neatherd High School, 1912 – 2012“

She will carry these plates for twelve months as part of the school’s centenary year.  We were honoured to be asked to do this for the school, and is testament to the groups prominent presence at the Mid Norfolk Railway and now within the local community.

The outline plan for Friday is as follows, if anybody would like to witness the event.  As soon as we have something a bit firmer, you will hear it here first.

37003 plus vac set plus a.n.other loco as train ( 2 x TSO, 1 x BSO and FK).  Naming at 1400, runs to Thuxton only where the other loco draws the train back to Dereham.

NO spare seats I’m afraid as its a private charter.

Test run possibly Thurs evening.

Rushden Mail by Rail Event ‏

Bill Pizer’s photos of 31 206 in action at the Rushden Mail by Rail Event 01/07/12:

RHF’s last workings at the NNR 30/06/12‏

Bill Pizer’s photos of RHF’s last workings at the NNR.  55 019 at Sheringham with the 10.30 ex Holt, approaching Weybourne with the 12.45 Sheringham-Holt, departing Weybourne with the 12.45 Sheringham-Holt, arriving Weybourne with the 13.30 Holt-Sheringham, a worm’s eye view of the 14.15 Sheringham-Holt heading out of Weybourne, heading for Holt with the 15.45 ex Sheringham, nearing Weybourne with the 17.00 Sheringham-Holt:

Graham Perry’s photo of 55 022 passes Malago Bridge with a WSR to ELR move 19/06/12:

Deltic in the Duchy

Cary Barrett’s photo of 55 022 powering away from Droitwich at 06:28:

Ian Gould’s photo of 22 passing through Dawlish  the “The Mazey Day Cornishman” Tour:

Bill Pizer’s photo of 55 022 arriving at Penzance with the 1Z55 05:18 ex Birmingham International 23/06/12:

WSR Mixed Traffic Event

A selection of Bill Pizer’s photos from the WSR Mixed Traffic Event:

EVR Diesel Running Weekend

A selection of Bill Pizer’s photos from the EVR Diesel Running Weekend. 33035 nears Duffield with the 10.20 ex Wirksworth, 33035
calls at Shottle with the 14.20 Wirksworth-Duffield (This station reopened today, it closed to passengers during 1947!), M79900 arrives at Wirksworth as the 16.05 ex Ravenstor, 31414 approaches Wirksworth with the 17.10 ex Duffield 24/06/12:

Suburban Preservation are pleased to announce that after extensive engine work and bodywork repairs 31101 was started and ran under her own power on 25/6/2012, and a successful test run undertaken on the 26th to Shenton and back.  This is the first time she has run since being stopped after the sept diesel gala in 2009.  She should be out for the rails and ales weekend on the 14th and 15th July.  Photos from Suburban Preservation

33 103 Hire

33 103 leaving Nemesis Rail’s Burton Upon Trent Depot for a period of hire to the Weardale Railway to cover a shortage of locomotives for their train services.  Photo Martin Sargent:

SVR 1940′s Weekend

Owing to a shortage of steam locomotives, the SVR were forced to use both D8188 and D821 during their 1940’s event last Saturday. D8059 also worked on Sunday.  David Coombs photo of D8188 leaving Kidderminster taken last Saturday:

WSR Diesel Running

The diesel loco allocations have changed slightly on various dates due to crew availability.  The confirmed updated allocations are below.

MAJOR EVENTS INVOLVING DIESEL TRACTION
LATE SUMMER MIXED TRACTION GALA
SATURDAY 1ST- SUNDAY 2ND SEPT.

D7017, D9526, D1010 and D832

Diesel Running Dates 2012

July
Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th  Thomas Weekend. D7017 in use.
Friday 13th. D7017 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Saturday 14th. D832 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Friday 20th. D832 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Saturday 21st. D832 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Friday 27th. D1661 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Saturday 28th. D832 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram

August
Friday 3rd. D7017 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Saturday 4th. WSR Rally  D7017, D832 and DH16.
Sunday 5th. WSR Rally  D7017, D832 and DH16.
Friday 10th. D1661 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Saturday 11th. D1010 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Friday 17th. D6566 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Saturday 18th. D6566 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Friday 24th. D7017 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Saturday 25th. D7017 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram
Friday 31st. D1661 on the 11:40 BL diesel diagram

September
Saturday 8th. Camra Beer Festival. D1010 in use. 
Sunday 9th. Camra Beer Festival. D1010 in use.

QB Lunch Trains

These are pre-bookable only via the WSR and are midweek lunch diners between Bishops Lydeard and Minehead.
Weds 18th July. D6566
Weds 1st August. D6566
Weds 15th August. D6566
Weds 5th September. D6566
Weds 19th September. D6566

The date also marks to the day 150 years since the opening of the original “Border Union Railway”, the North British Railway’s link between Carlisle & Hawick, which joined the Edinburgh & Hawick Railway, so providing a link right through which was known from the start as the Waverley Route.

Railbus RB004 is the guest traction, courtesy of Northumbria Rail, and will provide all runs up & down the line between 1000hrs & 1600hrs. Current available running line length is only around 1/4 mile, but almost 3/4 mile has been laid and will be opened in stages. With the future potential for several miles of 1 in 75 ruling gradient the line offers some of the most spectacular scenery of any heritage railway.

The official opening ceremony will take place at 1400hrs and will be carried out by stalwart Waverley Route campaigner Madge Elliot and MSP John Lamont.

Tickets are £5 Adults, £2.50 Child, which includes a return journey and admission to Whitrope Heritage Centre where a new display showing the line being built between 1859-62 and details about the navvies has just been set up. Refreshments are also available in our buffet coach.

See the Waverley Route Heritage Association website http://wrha.org.uk/news/ for further information on this special event and the Border Union Railway website http://www.borderunionrailway.co.uk/ for 2012 opening dates.

 Border Union Railway, Whitrope, Hawick, Roxburghshire. TD9 9TY

Railbus RB004 sits in the platform at Whitrope for gauging trials. Photo courtesy WRHA

Featuring: 37250, 20166 and 20121

• First passenger runs of 37250 in preservation
• Welcome back 20166
• Peak season timetable (6 return trips daily)
• Beerex on Friday & Saturday Evenings
• Great value multi-day Rover Ticket (2 days £22; 3 days £30)
• Hot food on site
• Double- and single-headed class 20s

All traction subject to availability

Click here for the special weekend timetable

Click here for the working timetable (including details of rostered locomotives, subject to availability)

FREE special bus service between Northallerton station and Leeming Bar
(in addition to Dales & District services 73 (Mon-Sat) and 856 (Sunday))

Northallerton Station **
 0925  1030
 
Leeming Bar
 0950  1055
 
 Leeming Bar
 1750  1840
 
Northallerton Station
 1815 1905

** The bus stop is on the other side of the main road from the station, outside County Hall.