Due to other commitments which are hindering news updates and keeping our inbox clogged with an ever increasing number of emails, from today the Preserved Diesels website will be taking an enforced sabbatical, until further notice.
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
Unexpected bogies!
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
A selection of photos from the recent East Lancs Railway Diesel Gala, courtesy of photographers Andrew Simpson, Neil Walkling & Bill Pizer.
On Sunday 1st July the Border Union Railway officially opens at Whitrope. Situated between Hawick & Newcastleton the UK’s newest heritage line to open is at the highest point on the old Carlisle-Edinburgh “Waverley Route”.
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
Friday 22 June, Saturday 23 June and Sunday 24 June
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.
A news release from the owners of 50027:
It comes with mixed emotion to inform you all of our intention to quit the NYMR.
As you may be aware the railway has changed recently and for reasons I wont go into, this has stopped us from providing the loco to them in a fully serviceable condition.
Various railways were considered and we have taken up a very good offer from the Mid Hants to base the loco at Ropley. We will be part of the general diesel fleet but with our input we have also been offered some booked / advertised running.
A lorry has been booked to take us back south, this should take place during the middle of next week.
We have made many, many friends during our time in Grosmont and have been proud to feature in some very good diesel galas and loco running on what is probably the UK’s premier line but we feel we have no other option than moving.
50027 Lion made its preservation debut on 17 May 1992, when it worked a number of trains on the Mid Hants Railway. Lion passes Bishop’s Sutton on the Mid Hants with the 15:15 Alton to Alresford service under a cloudless sky. Photo courtesy of Martin Loader
A full size image of 50027 at the Mid Hants can be found on Martin Loader’s website, at http://www.hondawanderer.com/50027_Bishops_Sutton_1992.htm
WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY MIXED TRACTION WEEKEND
JUNE 15th to 17th
WHAT IS WORKING WHAT?
The following is a list of which locomotive is scheduled to work which train during the long weekend. Please note that this information is printed in good faith and may change if there are any breakdowns, failures to arrive in the case of the “guests” or other problems.
Steam Trains will run as follows
On Saturday 16th 7828 “Norton Manor” will head the 10.45 from Bishops Lydeard and the 12.45 from Minehead. In the afternoon it is the turn of 6960 “Raveningham Hall” which will leave Bishops Lydeard at 14.45 and return from Minehead at the head of the 16.45.
The following day Sunday 17th has the same four trains being steam worked but the “Hall” will head the 10.45 from Bishops Lydeard and 12.45 from Minehead with the “Manor” on the 14.45 from Bishops Lydeard and the 16.45 from Minehead.
CLASS 33 CROMPTONS
D6566 will be at the head of the following:-
Friday 15th June:- 0800 Goods from Minehead, then passenger turns as follows:- 1145 from Bishops Lydeard, 1345 from Minehead, 1545 from Bishops Lydeard., 1745 from Minehead.
Saturday 16th June:- 0900 from Bishops Lydeard, 1745 from Minehead.
Sunday 17th June: 1645 from Bishops Lydaerd.
D6575 will work the following:-
Friday 15th June: 11.45 from Bishops Lydeard (the return to traffic working after the completion of the overhaul), 1345 from Minehead, 1545 from Bishops Lydeard and 17.45 from Minehead.
Saturday 16th June:- 0900 from Bishops Lydeard, 10.45 from Minehead, 1545 from Bishops Lydeard and 1745 from Minehead.
Sunday June 17th:- 0900 from Bishops Lydeard (first “solo” working after overhaul), 1445 from Minehead.
CLASS 35 HYMEK
D7017 will work the following:-
Friday 15th June:- 1045 from Minehead, 1245 from Bishops Lydeard, 1445 from Minehead, 1645 from Bishops Lydeard.
Saturday 16th June:- Standby loco at Williton.
Sunday 17th June:- 0955 from Bishops Lydeard, 1145 from Minehead, 1345 from Bishops Lydeard, 1545 from Minehead.
D7018’s long return to working order continues to progress at the DEPG Depot at Williton and it can be viewed there on all three days.
CLASS 42 WARSHIP
D832 “Onslaught” will be working the following trains:-
Friday 15th June: No work during the day but will attach to 1645 from Bishops Lydeard at Williton
Saturday 16th June:- 0845 from Minehead, 1145 from Bishops Lydeard, 1345 from Minehead, 1645 from Bishops Lydeard.
Sunday 17th June:- 0955 from Bishops Lydeard (after running light engine from Minehead), 1145 from Minehead, 1345 from Bishops Lydeard.
CLASS 47
D1661 “North Star” will be mixing Sulzer sound into the Maybach music at the head of:-
Friday 15th June:- 0945 from Minehead.
Saturday 16th June:- 0845 from Bishops Lydeard, 1045 from Minehead, 1840 goods from Bishops Lydeard.
Sunday 17th June::- 0945 from Minehead.
CLASS 52
D1035 “Western Yeoman” (D1010 “Western Campaigner” in alternate guise) will work as follows:-
Friday 15th June:- 1245 from Bishops Lydeard, 1445 from Minehead, and 1645 from Bishops Lydeard.
Saturday June 16th:- 1155 from Bishops Lydeard, 1345 from Minehead, 1645 from Bishops Lydeard.
Sunday 17th June:- No rostered workings.
CLASS 55
The visiting “Deltic” 55022 “Royal Scots Grey” will be working at the following times:-
Friday 15th June:- 0945 from Bishops Lydeard, 1145 from Minehead, 1345 from Bishops Lydeard, 1545 from Minehead and 1745 from Bishops Lydeard
Saturday 16th June:- 0945 from Minehead, 1245 from Bishops Lydeard, 1445 from Minehead and 1745 from Bishops Lydeard.
Sunday 17th June:- 0845 from Minehead, 1145 from Bishops Lydeard, and 1345 from Minehead.
CLASS 66/7
The big General Motors Type 5 from GBrF will be on duty as follows:-
Friday 15th June:- 1045 from Bishops Lydeard, 1245 from Minehead, 1445 from Bishops Lydeard and 1645 from Minehead.
Saturday 16th June: 0945 from Bishops Lydeard, 1145 from Minehead, 1345 from Bishops Lydeard, 1545 from Minehead.
Sunday 17th June:- 1545 from Bishops Lydeard and 1745 from Minehead.
CLASS 73 73119.
Unfortunately only one electro diesel will now be coming to the Mixed Traction Weekend and as it will on diesel power rather than the “juice” its availability is limited. It will work as follows:-
Friday 15th June:- 1840 Goods from Bishops Lydeard.
Saturday 16th June:- 0800 goods from Minehead, 1545 from Bishops Lydeard. (In between it will offer some brake van rides along the Bishops Lydeard-Norton Fitzwarren section)
Sunday 17th June:- 1045 from Minehead, 1245 from Bishops Lydeard and 1445 from Minehead.
CLASS 14
There is no scheduled “Teddy Bear” haulage in this Gala. D9526 is undergoing maintenance at Williton Depot and can be seen there together with the recently arrived and very much unrestored D9518.
COMPANY DMU
The Class 115/117 hybrid will do the following:-
Friday 15th June: 0900 from Bishops Lydeard
Saturday 16th June: 1845 from Minehead
Sunday 17th June: No scheduled turns.
ROF SHUNTER
The former Royal Ordnance Factory Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 DH will be doing “Driver for a Fiver” at Minehead. Please note these are not pre-bookable in advance.
FIRST GREAT WESTERN SHUTTLES
FGW will be working shuttle trains between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard as follows (traction type not known for sure but likely to be a Class 150)
Saturday 16th June:-
From Taunton at 0932, 1030, 1130, 1230, 1530,1620, and 1711
From Bishops Lydeard at 1003,1103, 1203, 1310, 1410, 1503, 155, 1645, 1733 and 1830
Sunday 17th June:-
From Taunton at 0936, 1034, 1130, 1231, 1526, 1620 and 1710
From Bishops Lydeard at 1003, 1103, 1203, 1503, 1555, 1645, and 1740.
Please note that down trains will not leave Bishops Lydeard before the shuttles arrive from Taunton.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Ivatt Diesel Re-creation Group will be at Minehead on all three days explaining their plans to recreate one of the long-scrapped prototype LMS diesel locomotives 10000 and 10001.
Also at Minehead you will find John Cowlishaw who will have displays of his nameplates, numberplates and shed plates ready for sale. These are wooden recreations and commissions can be taken for your favourites. Prices are rather less than you could expect to fork over for the metal versions from dealers or auction houses.
The above information is also available to download here and in the news section of www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
Some recent images
North Norfolk Railway Summer Diesel Gala
25th – 27th May 2012 – Please note date change
This event will see a number of different diesel locomotives in traffic operating to an intensive timetable. The engines will be working hard, particularly up the 1-in-80 Kelling Bank – (whoever said Norfolk was flat?!) why not come along and experience some thrash!
Please be aware that all locomotives are subject to availability – Please check back closer to the event for the final loco lineup
The event should see a number of different locomotives in operation, all working hard up the 1-in-80 Kelling Bank!
Class 55, 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier on loan from The Deltic Preservation Society
Class 25, 25057
Class 31, D5631
Class 47, 47367
Class 101, 51228+56062 Diesel Railcar
Further details can be found at http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/page.php?pid=50
Project to re-create historic locomotive reaches milestone with Charity registration
The Ivatt Diesel Recreation Society has reached a significant milestone with the completion of registration with the Charity Commission.
The recognition of the charitable aims of the society is an important stage in the project as it demonstrates the progress the project is making. It also opens the door to the society claiming back tax in the form of Gift Aid on donations. The society will now start a bug push to secure funding for the build of the locomotive.
Locomotive No. 10000 was built in the 1940s by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), before being taken over in the formation of British Rail. It was the first successful prototype mainline diesel locomotive in the UK, and set the shape of diesel traction for decades to come. It was scrapped in the late 60’s before the railway preservation movement had turned its attention to diesel locomotives.
The Ivatt Diesel Recreation Society (IDRS), a charitable organisation, are building a replica of the locomotive, using existing parts as well as new build components. The project has secured an original English Electric diesel engine and is currently raising funds for the project. More information can be found on the IDRS website at www.lms10000.org/fundraising/Engine-Appeal
Mid Norfolk Railway Stratford Weekend
Sat 5th May to Monday 7th May
Please note that with 37003 missing due to an internal air pipe fault and the team finding the time to make good, we have been able to negotiate for 37087 to attend the Sunday and Monday of this event.
Saturday sees 47596 and 31235 sharing all workings with the 47 working the air brake set, complete with breakfasts on board, and 31235 on the vacuum set, with run rounds at both ends.
Sunday sees the following for 37087:
Sunday:
1200 Dereham to Wymondham
1305 Wymondham to Dereham
1400 Dereham to Wymondham
1505 Wymondham to Dereham
1600 Dereham to Wymondham
1705 Wymondham to Dereham
Monday:
1200 Dereham to Wymondham
1305 Wymondham to Dereham
1400 Dereham to Wymondham
1505 Wymondham to Dereham
1600 Dereham to Wymondham
Loco then light to Norwich and 31235 returns the train to Dereham
Full details are now on www.mnr.org/calendar/events/stratford/
Preserved Diesels 