Shred`s UK trips.

[shredder1]

Wells and Walsingham Light Railway. Sunday 20th August 2017.

A few days around East Anglia, for the Bure Valley Railway and the Wells and Walsingham Railway, also visiting Sheringham, Cambridge, Norwich and Ipswich.

After a great night’s sleep at the Marlborough guest house in Norwich, I was up and out on the station platforms by 06.00. I`d skipped breakfast, deciding to pick something up later. On the platforms were the two Cats, a 47 Thunderbird and three 90`s on the Liverpool Street services, with the two 37`s still parked up in the sidings, so lots to photograph.

I caught the 08.35 Greater Anglian 156 to Sheringham and then changed for a bus to take me out to Wells Next To The Sea. I called in at Sheringham NNR station while waiting for the bus, and was lucking in that recently returned to service, WD Austerity 90775 was at the head of a train and about to depart.

I next caught the Coast Hopper bus service out to Wells Next To The Sea, an interesting ride which passes all the famous birding sites like Cley Marshes and Blakeney, as the bus followed the coastal road. I was dropped off right outside the railway station at Wells, and after a good look around the site, purchased my tickets and awaiting the train returning from Walsingham, as I`d missed the first one out by the time I could arrive.

The Wells and Walsingham Light Railway occupies the former track bed of the Dereham and Fakenham lines while another branch used to leave Wells and travel East towards Hunstanton, sadly many of the lines in that region were decimated under the Beeching era. I took a trip up the line to Walsingham in an opened top carriage, it was a glorious day and I was hauled by one of the railways two Garratt locomotives Norfolk Heroine, a very impressive line and the locomotive performed well. Very friendly and helpful staff too, worth a visit. On leaving the railway I walked into Wells Village to search out the original station building, which is now used as a second hand bookshop, well worth a look.

Wells also has a harbour railway which runs from the town, but I didn’t get chance to visit it this time as I needed to head back. Returning to Sheringham on the Coast Hopper bus service, I had 30 minutes to visit Sheringham North Norfolk Railway station again and just in time to see the WD Austerity 90775 returning from Holt, so a few more photographs were in order.

I returned from Sheringham to Norwich by rail and arrived back in the City by 15.30. A serious derailment had taken place between Ely and Peterborough and a bus service was operating from Norwich railway station, leaving at 16.01. I took the rail replacement bus which went direct to Peterborough non-stop and made excellent timing at just under two hours, and from Peterborough I caught an EMT 158 directly back into Manchester Piccadilly arriving home by around 22.30, and so a fantastic weekend was had, many thanks for reading.

http://www.wwlr.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...1073742846.100001125840218&type=3&pnref=story

 

[Techniquest]

Sounds like two very interesting little railways there, I'll have a better look tomorrow as it's time to visit the land of nod here. Thanks for sharing those

 

[Cowley]

I'd like to go on both of those lines at some point. Very interesting as usual and a bit of a loco fest at Norwich too.

 

[AJM580]

Glad to see you had a good time in Norfolk. The Bure Valley is a cracking railway and with a footpath alongside it's good for photos too. BTW the class 47 you saw was in fact 57002 - we don't get many 47s in Norwich now. The Wells harbour Railway takes you to the caravan park and the beach, which is quite a way from the main town. It's well worth taking the train one way, having a cuppa at the cafe at the other end, then walking back along the foothpath that follows the harbour wall. Good for bird-watching as well.

 

[Cowley]

Glad to see you had a good time in Norfolk. The Bure Valley is a cracking railway and with a footpath alongside it's good for photos too. BTW the class 47 you saw was in fact 57002 - we don't get many 47s in Norwich now. The Wells harbour Railway takes you to the caravan park and the beach, which is quite a way from the main town. It's well worth taking the train one way, having a cuppa at the cafe at the other end, then walking back along the foothpath that follows the harbour wall. Good for bird-watching as well.

I'd never heard of the Wells Harbour Railway but I've just googled it. It said Roy Francis who set it up went on to set up the Wells and Wolsingham line. It's a very interesting area for railways isn't it? Lots of different operations in that part of East Anglia and some of them a quite decent length.

 

[shredder1]

Sounds like two very interesting little railways there, I'll have a better look tomorrow as it's time to visit the land of nod here. Thanks for sharing those

Thanks very much Tech, so much rail history in that part of the country

 

[shredder1]

I'd like to go on both of those lines at some point. Very interesting as usual and a bit of a loco fest at Norwich too.

Thanks Cowley, yes a great weekend way, lots of interest out there at the moment

 

[shredder1]

Glad to see you had a good time in Norfolk. The Bure Valley is a cracking railway and with a footpath alongside it's good for photos too. BTW the class 47 you saw was in fact 57002 - we don't get many 47s in Norwich now. The Wells harbour Railway takes you to the caravan park and the beach, which is quite a way from the main town. It's well worth taking the train one way, having a cuppa at the cafe at the other end, then walking back along the foothpath that follows the harbour wall. Good for bird-watching as well.

Thank you for the info, yes I must revisit for the harbour railway

 

[shredder1]

I'd never heard of the Wells Harbour Railway but I've just googled it. It said Roy Francis who set it up went on to set up the Wells and Wolsingham line. It's a very interesting area for railways isn't it? Lots of different operations in that part of East Anglia and some of them a quite decent length.

No that was a new one on me too

 

[shredder1]

South Tynesdale Railway. Saturday 26th August 2017.

Bank holiday weekend and both the railways and roads were forecast to be very busy, so I decided to head for the hills. I`d booked accommodation at Langdon Beck YHA for Friday and Saturday nights, so that I could visit the Railways at South Tynesdale, Eden Valley and Stainmore.

After work on Friday evening I drove up to Langdon Beck County Durham, taking all the back roads and avoiding the busy motorways. Tea was taken at Kelbrook Fisheries chip shop and I arrived at Landon Beck for 20.45. £20 for both nights, not bad.

After a few ales in the hostel I retired to the dormer and slept well. The next morning I was up with the larks, well probably before them actually, I was out for 06.00 and driving up to Alston for the first railway visit of the weekend, the South Tynesdale. A lovely little narrow gauged railway which has been making significant progress since my last visit in 2009.

The first sight to greet me at Alston was the new overall station roof and extra platform, an amazing job and paid for by a 4.2 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant. A few of the volunteers arrived on site and told me that the Slaggyford extension was not too far from completion, so I drove out to see how far they had progressed.

I was amazed by the work that had been done at Slaggyford, all that was left to do appeared to be the completion of the run round loop and a pair of level crossing gates, what a fantastic job they have done and I can`t wait to return and travel on the extension, once public operations take place.

Driving back to Alston, I was in time for a full English in the station café, complete with a giant rolled up Cumberland sausage. A rover ticket for the day cost a mere £9.00 and I had time to visit the locomotive depot, and was very kindly allowed inside to see the locomotives that were not running on that day. I also had time to visit the workshops which are open to the general public. Absolutely lovely staff, couldnt do enough for you, I was even invited into the signal box.

I caught the first train out at 11.00 behind Statfold Barns “Harrogate”, 2050 0-6-0 ST, (610 mm), a Peckett of 1944, to the present terminus at Lintley Halt, after photographing the loco running around her stock, I walked back to Kirkhaugh, which was the terminus on my 2009 visit. I waited for the next train up from Alston and returned to Lintley Halt before taking this train back into Alston. A really enjoyable day and I look forward to returning once public trains are operating.

After leaving Alston I drove down to Middleton In Teesdale as I wanted to photograph the former railway station buildings, which are now part of a caravan park, I also took tea in the town. It was a lovely summers evening so I called in at High Force on the way back up to Langdon Beck. The dormer was full when I arrived, some lovely lads, both cyclists and hikers and we chatted the evening away with talk of hiking, railways, travel and guitars, great company and another good night’s sleep was had on the moors.

http://www.south-tynedale-railway.org.uk/

http://www.rail.co.uk/rail-news/2014/south-tynedale-railway/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...67122597469.1073742849.100001125840218&type=1

 

[shredder1]

Eden Valley Railway. Sunday 27th August 2017.

After another restful night at Landon Beck, I was up and out early as usual, driving down the country lanes towards Kirkby Stephen, so much wildlife around at that time of the morning and so much road kill by ignorant drivers who drive too fast for those roads. Lots of young grouse, rabbit, hare and pheasant, so I was slow down the lanes and avoiding those that couldn’t get out of the way, in fact one pheasant wouldn’t move, he was stood in the middle of the road and I had to stop in front of him, he was glaring at me through the windscreen, so I had to get out of the car and shoo him away and he was still giving me grief as he crossed the moor.

I arrived early in Kirkby Stephen and had a look around the town, including a walk down the river as I waited for the café`s to open for breakfast, one each side of the main road, so I went in the first one to open, a full English with a curly Cumberland was devoured, with a heap of English mustard at the side and two cups of steaming hot coffee. I next drove back to the Eden Valley Railway at Warcop. A lovely little railway that runs some 2.5 mile towards Appleby, sadly the last 3 miles of track goes over land owned by Sustrans, who want to turn the track bed into a cycle path, but they can`t touch it because the railway owns the track, so no one is a winner at the moment and I would hope Sustrans see`s sense over this issue and meets the railway half way, I`m sure the valley would accommodate both a cycle track and railway line to run side by side.

I photographed the site at Warcop which included a class 37 and 47 along with a number of former southern region, one DEMU (205009) a pair of 4-CEPs (which were originally 4-BEPs) and three MLVs.. One which was operating on the day, so I took a ride up and down the line. A number of model railway layouts were also displayed on site along with an excellent book shop and carriage coach café.

Warcop was once part of the railway from Appleby East to Kirkby Stephen East and the Stainmore line to Barnard Castle and the East of England. The present railway has potential to eventually get back into Appleby East, once the current issue has been resolved, I do wish them good luck with this, the railway is located in an excellent and pictures part of the country and the staff and very friendly and helpful.

I left the Eden Valley Railway and drove back into Kirkby Stephen, having lunch at the famous Coast to Coast chip shop before visiting the Stainmore Railway at Kirkby Stephen East.

http://www.evr-cumbria.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...1073742850.100001125840218&type=3&pnref=story

 

[shredder1]

Stainmore Railway. Sunday 27th August 2017.

Bank holiday weekend and both the railways and roads were forecast to be very busy, so I decided to head for the hills. I`d booked accommodation at Langdon Beck YHA for Friday and Saturday nights, so that I could visit the Railways at South Tynesdale, Eden Valley and Stainmore.

After lunch at the Coast to Coast I drove over to Kirby Stephen East Railway station and home to the Stainmore Railway Company and indeed one I hadn’t visited for sometime. Work was being done in the yard, track laying and remodelling, so no trains are operating this year, the station and museum were however open and free entry to visitors, it is well worth a look around.

I spent a few hours on site, Kirby Stephen East railway station was once a through station for the Stainmore line, longer term plans are to link up with the Eden Valley Railway at Warcop, but a lot of major engineering structures are missing, so unfortunately it won`t happen any time soon, but at least the potential and vision are there. The old station building is magnificent and displays show how the railway was in its heyday; even a few models of the original buildings and yard are on display. Exhibit locomotives are housed inside the station building, which includes 0-4-0 ST 2084 F C Tingey and the magnificent North Eastern Railway, 2-4-0 No 910, designed by Edward Fletcher, built at Gateshead in 1875, which used to operate over the Stainmore route, now part of the National Collection. A railway shop is also available on site along with a coach café inside the building, so I indulged in a coffee, a small museum and displays are also available, well worth a visit. On my visit two miniature traction engines were operating on the platform.

On the way home I called in at Kirkby Stephen`s present main line railway station on the Settle and Carlisle line, before driving back to North Manchester, the weather had been glorious on both days, a great bank holiday and very enjoyable visits to 3 preserved railways.

http://www.kirkbystepheneast.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...24652511716.1073742851.100001125840218&type=3

 

[Cowley]

Some more interesting railways covered in Shreds grand tour of everywhere. I wish I had the time to do the things you do I must say. Maybe in a few years we can, the kids are getting older now and don't seem to want to go out with us embarrassing oldies as much as they did, so hopefully in a couple of years we can get out and explore a bit of the north finally. Great reading and well done on the pheasant rescue...

 

[shredder1]

Some more interesting railways covered in Shreds grand tour of everywhere. I wish I had the time to do the things you do I must say. Maybe in a few years we can, the kids are getting older now and don't seem to want to go out with us embarrassing oldies as much as they did, so hopefully in a couple of years we can get out and explore a bit of the north finally. Great reading and well done on the pheasant rescue...

Thank you very much Mr Cowley, yes I`m quite fortunate really with my lifestyle, plus I have a very understanding girlfriend, who at the moment I pencil in on Mondays, and wednesday nights after the gym, the kids flew from home a long time ago and I see the grandchildren every few months

 

[Cowley]

Thank you very much Mr Cowley, yes I`m quite fortunate really with my lifestyle, plus I have a very understanding girlfriend, who at the moment I pencil in on Mondays, and wednesday nights after the gym, the kids flew from home a long time ago and I see the grandchildren every few months

That sounds good. How did you get rid of them?
(I love them really)

 

[shredder1]

Sent them to university and changed the locks Mind you the lad lives in the home counties now, so I have a granny flat down there, saves on accomodation when I`m in that neck of the woods. Second granddaughter lives in Scotland, I`m hoping some of them might move to Eastern Europe

 

[shredder1]

Welshpool and Llanfair Railway Steam Gala. Saturday 2nd September 2017.

The first weekend of September and the weather was glorious on the Saturday. I was heading down to the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway for the Steam Gala.

Guest locos included Bagnall 0-6-2T steam locomotive ‘Superb’, normally resident on the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway in Kent, and diesel-hydraulic 0-6-0 ‘Badger’, owned by the Statfold Barn Railway in Staffordshire. “Superb”, was built in 1940 under works no 2624 for the Bowaters Paper Mills at Sittingbourne, it was the star attraction, also Kerr Stuart 0-6-2T ‘Joan’ of 1927. There was also the opportunity for Superb to be reunited with Bowaters stablemate ‘Monarch’, which is a resident of the W&LLR’s Welshpool display shed. Resident locos were No. 1 The Earl and No. 2 the Countess, were built by Beyer Peacock & Co. Ltd. at their Gorton Foundry, Manchester in 1902, (Source, http://www.wllr.org.uk/).

I was out early for the journey down to Welshpool, up at 04.00 for the drive down to Manchester Piccadilly in order that I could catch the 05.11 Bournemouth, Cross Country Voyager, with a change at Crewe and Shrewsbury. I met up with an old friend, Robert Wise from Shrewsbury, an ex-pat originally from Manchester, and we shared the day together.

After walking through Welshpool town centre, sadly the railway no long extends into the main line railway station, we caught the first train up the line at 08.50, behind “The Countess” 823, in GWR livery, it was a great trip up to Llanfair Caereinion, with a number of us having a good laugh on the way up. After taking the usual photographs and movements around the yard, we grabbed a bite to eat, the gala was superb, and the weather was fantastic. The railway had arranged things in such a way that you were basically unrestricted in where you could go, so that gave the opportunity for some excellent photographic opportunities, all credit to the organisers for a well thought out event. I must admit the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway is one of my favourite lines, take the copper top off the chimneys of the resident locos and you would have Cambrian locos.

Later in the day we took a ride back to Cyfronydd for a few photographs, returning to Llanfair and then another train back to Heniarth, Robert however kept on the train back to Welshpool, while I decided to return to Llanfair and catch a later train back to Welshpool. I hadn’t actually timed the trains back to Shrewsbury from Welshpool and had forgotten it was a two hour service, Robert however phoned me while I was on the train travelling towards Welshpool, and told me that there was a 17.00 service from Welshpool`s mainline station, he had missed the one before, and fortunately I just made it. We travelled back to Shrewsbury together were I changed for a Manchester Arriva 158, arriving home by around 20.00, so a great day out and not too late back either. A big well done to all the lads at the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway for a superb steam gala.

http://www.wllr.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...20248678823.1073742852.100001125840218&type=3

 

[Cowley]

A very nice little railway in nice scenery. I love that the original two engines survived, I think they look very handsome.

 

[shredder1]

A very nice little railway in nice scenery. I love that the original two engines survived, I think they look very handsome.

Oh yes most definitely Cowley, the original locos are true Cambrian descent

 

[shredder1]

Peakrail and Heritage Shunter Trust Gala. Sunday 3rd September 2017.

After a great Saturday down at the Welshpool and Llanfair steam gala, I was up early again Sunday morning to drive down to Peakrail as the Heritage Shunter Trust Gala was taking place and I`d missed the last one. Leaving home around 07.00 I called in at Peak Forest to see what was in the yard, a class 60 and 66 parked up, but engineering works was taking place, so nothing appeared to be running.

I arrived at Peakrail before opening time and was still a little tired from the day before, so I got my head down in the car for 30 minutes or so and then went for a walk around the yard while things were quiet, but I was told by an elderly lady on shed that I needed to wait until 09.00 when the railway opened, so fair enough, I returned to the car for another 30 minutes kip. At around 09.10 I return to the yard and started taking a few photographs of the shunters, when an elderly chap came out from one of the sheds, stopped me taking photographs and started reading the riot act to me, I`m afraid to say I nearly lost it and had to raise my voice to shut him up, apparently the event didn’t start while 10.00, there was no signage up anywhere, so I must have missed that bit on the website, and been given the wrong information, but no problem, and he did apologise afterwards, while I expect things may have changed since my last visit.

Returning to the station I met up with a good friend Steve, who had just driven down from Grimsby to support the event, and I was advising him not to go round to the shunter depot until after 10.00 when the station master, who was standing close behind us butted in and told us he would have the place closed down, not the best reception I`ve had at a preserved railway and some volunteers didn’t appear very happy. So just a warning to visitors to tread carefully at Peakrail these days, the volunteers do some amazing work and I would always support them regardless, possibly they are having a few issues at the moment. I hope this criticism is taken constructively as intended.

At 10.00 the shunter event began and I made my way around for the first guards van ride into the depot, it was amazing, all credit to the incredible work the Heritage Shunter Trust have done, I`ve supported them since the early days at Meadow Hall and they just go from strength to strength. Once we had reached the depot, visitors were allowed to wonder all around the site, workshops and amazing new depot, a real credit to the efforts of the Heritage Shunter Trust, and I would recommend that we all support them.

Returning to the main station at Rowsley South we were treated to a ride behind the magnificent class 44, D8 Penyghent down to Matlock, top and tailed behind steam loco 0-6-0 tank locomotive built by Hudswell Clarke & Co in 1942. It spent its working life as Samuel Fox & Co Ltd's no. 20.”Jennifer”. The station at Rowsley couldn’t accept card payments for the tickets, so I called in at Sainsbury`s to use the cash machine and get something to eat, after this we visited Bill Hudson`s transport books at Matlock railway station, when I was fortunately in picking up my last book in the Regional History of Great Britain series, Volume 12, South Wales, in mint condition too, a bargain at £22.

Returning on the next train as far as Darley Dale, we were allowed a tour of Andrew Briddon`s railway workshops and yard, thanks to our incredibly amusing guide Pete Briddon who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of everything, and basically had us in stitches throughout the visit, the collection is superb and we had a very enjoyable and welcoming tour, thank you so much Pete, very much appreciated.

We later returned to Rowsley South in time to see the astonishing class 04`s in action, 3 of them, the lads at the Heritage Shunter Trust really pulled all the stops out, thank you very much for what turned out to be a fantastic visit, I`ll certainly come back. How about a shunter charter on Peakrail itself?

It was equally nice to travel back into Matlock main line station again on Peakrail, I first supported the group when it was located at Buxton, the movement has progressed significently since those far off days and I`m sure they will continue to do so, a big well done to all involved on the day, a great visit, thank you.

The drive back to Manchester was uneventful, I again stopped off at Peak Forest on the way home, but the PW gang we`re still hard at it. It had been another great weekend with two events attended.

Heritage Shunter Trust collection

Class 01 D2953, Class 02 D2854, D2866, D2868, Class 03 D2027, 03099, 03113, D2139, 03180, D2199, Class 04, D2205, D2229, D2272, D2284, D2337, Class 05 D2587, Class 06 06003, Class 07 07001, Class 08, D3000, 08016, Class 09 09001, Class 14, D9525, PMW PMW650, PMW654, Indiustrials “Bigga”, BSC no 2.

Andrew Briddon collection presently contains 19 diesel locomotives, these include former Tyne and Wear Brush 0-6-0DE ML3, D9500 and Dutch class 10 among other rareties.

https\://andrewbriddonlocos.co.uk/

http://heritageshuntertrust.wixsite.com/hst1

http\://www.peakrail.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...1073742855.100001125840218&type=3&pnref=story

 

[shredder1]

Electric Railway Museum. Sunday 10th September 2017.

I stayed at Hatters Backpackers at St Pauls, Birmingham on Saturday night, after being invited to a fantastic day at the Statfold Barn Railway, Tamworth. After a reviving morning coffee in the backpackers, I was out on the streets of Birmingham for 06.00 and walked over to Birmingham New Street railway station. Amazingly for what is supposed to be Birmingham`s second city, it didn’t actually open until 07.30 and apart from the rough sleepers and drunken kids from the night before, I could only find McDonalds open, so I suffered a breakfast roll, philly bagel and another coffee and fresh orange and generally chilled until New Street station opened.

The first train out to Coventry was 08.35 and I arrived in the City for around 09.00. My destination was the Electric Railway Museum, very sadly my first and last visit. The Museum are being evicted because the car manufacturers Jaguar want the land the museum is sited on, Coventry Council have given the museum no support. My heart really goes out to those lads, they have created a railway were one didn’t exist before, so much hard work must had gone into the track work alone, not to mention the sheer graft and expenses of acquiring the amazing collection they now have, and all this for the benefit of me and you, the enthusiast movement, history in the making. A National Electric Railway Museum should have been supported and invested in by Government, not bypassed and evicted, personally I find it scandalous that they didn’t receive the support they needed, let alone being evicted.

Bus services don`t operate out to the museum on Sunday`s, so I booked a taxi at Coventry railway station to take me there and back, £10 each way so very reasonable and the taxi driver, a lovely Asian lad, returned for me when I was ready to leave. I spent about 3 hours on site and took lunch in the excellent British Rail Class 309 "Clacton Express" electric multiple units (EMUs) which were built by British Rail (BR) York Carriage Works from 1962–1963. They were initially classified as Class AM9 before the introduction of TOPS.

A number of exhibits are displayed inside various EMU`s which also include a bric-a-brac shop, book shops and arts and craft coach. This was the second to last open day at the museum the final one will be on Sunday 8th October 2017, Last Open Day Ever! Amazingly entry is free, I would advise those who haven’t already visited to take this last opportunity to do so, they even have a miniature railway, so good for the family to visit too. On the brighter side, I was told that 95% of the collection is potentially to be rehomed, but still this will cost money to move these historic vehicles and not all groups have the financial resources to do so, so please continue to donate.

My taxi arrived and took me back to the railway station at Coventry were I caught a direct Cross Country voyager back to Manchester arriving home by 17.00, another great weekend on the rails.

Stock List

http://www.emus.co.uk/ERMstocklist.pdf

http://electricrailwaymuseum.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...1073742857.100001125840218&type=3&pnref=story

 

[Cowley]

An interesting couple of trips there.
As you say it's a shame about the Coventry Electric Museum closing, although I must admit I've never visited it. It's looking more hopeful for the exhibits now thankfully.
I enjoyed reading the list of shunters (has there ever been a more geeky sentence than that?) and recognised a few from when they were the last survivors in industrial or departmental use.

 

[shredder1]

An interesting couple of trips there.
As you say it's a shame about the Coventry Electric Museum closing, although I must admit I've never visited it. It's looking more hopeful for the exhibits now thankfully.
I enjoyed reading the list of shunters (has there ever been a more geeky sentence than that?) and recognised a few from when they were the last survivors in industrial or departmental use.

Thank you very much Cowley, yes fortunately 95% of the Electrics have potentially been secured.

 

[shredder1]

Statfold Barn Railway. Saturday 9th September 2017.

An early start for the weekends travels, up at 04.30 Saturday morning for a bus to take me into Manchester to catch the 06.10 Virgin Pendolino down to Tamworth. It was raining as I left the house in Manchester, but by the time I`d arrived in Tamworth it was bright sunshine and I alighted just in time to phot a class 70 southbound, racing through the station on containers.

I walked into the town centre and found a café for breakfast. I had been sent an invite to attend the Statfold Barn Railway open day and needed to make my way out to Statfold, which is in an isolated location. Only one bus serves the place, a private operator, “Solus Buses”, which takes a circular route around a number of villages, and the driver very kindly dropped me off at the entrance to Statfold Barn, and gave me a timetable for the last bus back, which was at 16.50.

Statfold Barn is a truly amazing place and its name doesn’t really do it justice, there were railway lines and engines all over the place, 16 locomotives in steam, and they were constantly being turned and changed, an extensive main line and junction, both a loco sheds and a large roundhouse and a garden railway which is part of the same network, in addition a tramway running on its own lines. I`ve never seen anything like it and I`m sure my photographs won`t do it full justice. It was a full day though and I travelled behind everything. The invite price was a mere £10 and all the train rides were free. This is a private collection, thought to be the largest in Europe and the owner very kindly opens up his railway to the public, 3 times a year I believe and all monies collected go towards a charity, if anyone deserved a knighthood, this chap does.

As well as the railways, quite a collection of traction engines were also present, some American trucks and motor bikes and various collectable cars, plus the usual stalls, book stands and a café. In fact I bought a few rare books and also a plastic kit model of a 00 gauge BR Beyer Garratt which now stands proudly in one of my display cabinets on the wall, I just need to weather it for authenticity.

The event was hosted by numerous volunteers from preserved railways all over the country; I even met up with an old friend from the East Lancs firing on one of the locos, plus a few more friends which I bumped into throughout the day. If you just visit one railway in the UK, I would suggest the Statfold Barn, you really will be blown away, I know I certainly was and I`ve visited most of them now.

http://www.statfoldbarnrailway.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...22438098604.1073742858.100001125840218&type=3

 

[Cowley]

The Statfold Barn Railway has always looked really interesting to me, I've read quite a few articles about it in various magazines and they've got an amazing collection of stuff.
It'd be nice to have enough money to buy a load of land and set up your own mixed gauge railway on wouldn't it?
It looks from what I've read that there are few quite decent but short banks on the line, and the outer running line is quite a decent length now too?

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like an interesting little railway operation

 

[shredder1]

The Statfold Barn Railway has always looked really interesting to me, I've read quite a few articles about it in various magazines and they've got an amazing collection of stuff.
It'd be nice to have enough money to buy a load of land and set up your own mixed gauge railway on wouldn't it?
It looks from what I've read that there are few quite decent but short banks on the line, and the outer running line is quite a decent length now too?

Yes indeed, it really is a fascinating place Cowley, you must visit mate.

 

[shredder1]

Sounded like an interesting little railway operation

Trains moving all the time Kite, very busy

 

[shredder1]

Bressingham Steam Railways and Museum. Saturday 16th September 2017.


Friday afternoon after work and it was the usual mad dash home, quick change, grab the rucksack and camera for the weekend and catch a bus into Manchester. I was heading south again, Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston, and after a few photographs of the Caledonian Sleeper on the blocks behind 92014, it was a brisk walk over to Kings Cross and I was soon on a Great Northern train up to Sandy, number one Son`s residency and my second home. Always nice to catch up with the family.

Saturday morning was an early start, the 05.55 to Hitchin, change for Cambridge, where I took breakfast before catching the first Kings Lynn Anglian service as far as Ely and then changing for a train into Norwich.

Always lots to see Norwich and this visit was no different, with 3 DRS Class 37`s and a 57 parked up, lots of class 90 action on the Liverpool Street-Norwich services and my treat for this visit was a pair of Class 68`s, 68001 and 68034 on a special, the first and last of the class top and tailing between Ely and London. Once all the excitement of the special had died down, I took a service Class 90 down to Diss, as I wanted to visit the Bressingham Steam Museum.

Bressingham doesn’t have a regular bus service, but it’s only a few miles outside Diss, so I caught a taxi at £7.50 each way, so not too painful. The museum at Bressingham is amazing, displaying 6 different gauges, three of which I travelled on. A standard gauge also operates on certain days and the site additionally has two standard gauge museum workshops which house some notable exhibitions, including the Baddersley Garratt. The site and gardens at Bressingham are quite sizable with lots to interest for the rail enthusiast and transport historian. Entrance price was £13 which included rides on all three operating railways, so it was excellent value.

After spending most of the day at Bressingham, I returned to Diss by taxi and was just in time for an Anglian Class 90 down as far as Ipswich. Ipswich is always a busy with the Freightliner depot at the side of the station, plenty of Classes 66`s, 70`s and a few 86`s, with the addition of freights passing through on the main line and as luck had it, the class 68`s passed through southbound not long after I arrived.

I later returned to Cambridge changing for Hitchin, with a Great Northern service back up to Sandy to stay a second night at my Son`s and was treated to an excellent Indian, Pistachio chicken with garam masala and nan bread, yummy, plus a few beers in a local tavern, the perfect finish to a great day out.


http://bressingham.co.uk/home.aspx

https://www.facebook.com/nick.melli...79797402868.1073742859.100001125840218&type=3

 

[Cowley]

I think I was about 13 when I visited Bressingham. It was a good day out and back then had 70013 on display too, do you remember the struggle that happened trying to get them to release it? They were strange times.