Preston and Wyre Joint Railway

The Preston and Wyre Railway was promoted to open up agricultural land in the Fylde in Lancashire, access a new port at what became Fleetwood and the Lancaster Canal at Preston: it opened in 1840. An associated company built the dock leading to the company changing its name to the Preston and Wyre Railway, Harbour and Dock Company. Passenger business was more buoyant than expected, and the company built branch lines to the nascent resort of Blackpool and Lytham that opened in 1846. At that time the line was leased by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and later the London and North Western Railway took a share in the lease which was later converted to outright ownership. The Preston and Wyre Railway continued to be jointly owned as the Preston and Wyre Joint Railway.
The Blackpool and Lytham Railway built a line without making any junction with the Preston and Wyre railway in 1863. In 1871 it was taken into the Preston and Wyre group. Passenger traffic in connection with steamer sailings at Fleetwood continued throughout the 19th century and fishing was important but the huge expansion of Blackpool as a holiday and trippers' destination dominated the P&WR network. There were massive peak flows of traffic on summer Saturdays to and from the industrial towns of Lancashire, Yorkshire and elsewhere. The railway carried local pleasure journeys by holidaymakers during their stay, and Blackpool to Fleetwood was a prominent route, served by a frequent railmotor service in the early 20th century.
After 1960 the railways' near-monopoly of passenger transport to Blackpool declined steeply, and Blackpool Central station was closed and the site sold for development. A revival started in 2018 when electrification of the Blackpool North line brought through trains to and from London and Manchester Airport.
Origins.
The North Union Railway opened a line from Parkside on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway to Preston on 31 October 1838. Before that, a local line had been authorised to connect agricultural districts in the Fylde to a sea harbour in the north-west and the Lancaster Canal at the eastern end. The Fylde, north of the Ribble estuary and straddling the River Wyre, had agricultural land with rich potential, but the roads were poor and there was no harbour for shipping.
Peter Hesketh succeeded to the Rossall Hall estate in 1824 and in 1831 acquired Royal authorisation to add Fleetwood to his name. He saw that the estate could be developed if a railway connection could be made to Preston and a harbour created in the sheltered estuary of the River Wyre. The harbour became Fleetwood, although at the time there was no settlement.
On 3 July 1835 an Act was passed authorising the Preston and Wyre Railway and Harbour Company with authorised capital of £130,000. Another Act of 5 May 1837 authorised a connection to the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway which was authorised on the same day. Also authorised was access to the North Union Railway's station at Preston. A dock was considered to be essential and the company was authorised to construct docks at Fleetwood with capital of £100,000. The Preston and Wyre Dock Company constructed the dock and the two companies were combined on 1 July 1839, forming the Preston and Wyre Railway, Harbour and Dock Company. Peter Hesketh Fleetwood founded the town of Fleetwood in 1836.
Route and opening.
The line ran from a terminus at Dock Street on the southern part of the promontory that forms Fleetwood. It continued south in a straight line for two miles across tidal marshes known as Cold Dubbs where it was to be carried on embankment. The intention was to reclaim the marshes which would be contained by the embankment but engineering difficulties were encountered during construction and several sections of timber trestle viaduct were substituted.
The line continued to Poulton and Kirkham and arrangements were made on market days to stop trains at Salwick and Lea Road between Kirkham and Preston. There seems to have been no stations at these locations. The Preston station was Maudlands at Leighton Street, a terminus adjacent to the Lancaster Canal. Maudlands was accessed by crossing the Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway on the level. The L&PJR line was constructed at a level five feet higher than the P&WR line which had to be lifted to make the level crossing. A connection into the southbound L&PJR was made later enabling Fleetwood trains to use the NUR station. The P&WR ran an omnibus between Maudlands and the NUR station for connecting passenger trains.
The dock and railway companies were amalgamated by Act of 1 July 1839 but work on the dock was deferred, although a wharf, pier and lighthouses were constructed. The singe line railway opened on 15 July 1840 for a special train and on 16 July to the public.
Traffic exceeded expectations: 20,000 passengers were carried in the first month, and in the six summer months of 1841 the total was 108,000. The line was worked by North Union Railway locomotives and rolling stock. The Lancaster and Preston Junction Railway opened on 25 June 1840
The Fleetwood line carried traffic from London to Scotland as there was no through railway line. Trains to Fleetwood to and a steamer to Ardrossan and train for the onward journey took about 27 hours. The route ceased to be significant in 1848 with the opening of the Caledonian Railway, providing a through railway route.
Branches.
In 1844 seaside excursions were run to Fleetwood from Manchester and it became apparent that the emerging resort of Blackpool was an attraction. Hoteliers arranged road connections to their town from Poulton. The Preston and Wyre Railway decided to build a branch to Blackpool from Poulton and an authorising Act was passed on 21 July 1845. The Blackpool branch (to Blackpool North) was built swiftly. During construction the contractor extended the temporary track used for building the line to the sea front to facilitate tipping spoil into the sea. The line opened on 29 April 1846.
The company decided that a branch to Lytham where there was a small harbour was worthwhile. It was authorised in the Act of 21 July 1845 to run from a junction three-quarters of a mile west of Kirkham. Construction proceeded swiftly and the branch opened on 17 February 1846. Stations were built at Wrea Green and Moss Side and the line forked to a terminus and a spur to serve the dock. Lytham Junction station was provided at the junction on the main line but it closed in 1853. Lytham portions of trains were detached and attached there until 1874.
Amalgamation.
The Manchester and Leeds Railway ran excursions over the line and amalgamation was agreed. The Preston & Wyre Railway was leased by the M&LR from 3 August 1846. The M&LR was renamed the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway the following year. The London and North Western Railway, that operated of the main line at Preston was then included in the leasing relationship, and by Act of 28 July 1849, the Preston and Wyre Railway was vested in the two railways, a two-thirds share in the L&YR and one third in the LNWR. The P&WR continued as a leased company until it was dissolved on 1 July 1888 under an LNWR Act dated 7 August of that year. A joint committee was appointed by the LNWR and the L&YR to manage the P&WR network. The line was now known as the Preston and Wyre Joint Line.
Preston and Longridge Railway.
The Preston and Longridge Railway opened in 1840, connecting quarries north east of Preston to a terminal at Deepdale Street, in Preston. The company was taken over by the Fleetwood, Preston and West Riding Junction Railway in 1847 which planned to connect the Preston and Wyre line to the Longridge line by building a tunnel through high ground. Its ambitious title was justified by a plan to build eastward from the Longridge line to Clitheroe and Skipton that was never built.
The new section of line in Preston joining the Preston and Wyre Railway near Maudlands with a level crossing of the Lancaster line opened on 14 January 1850. The FP&WRJR was short of money and suspended operating the Longridge line for three weeks in 1852. The Preston and Longridge company resumed control in 1856, and later that year the FP&WRJR took over again. It opened a station at Maudland Bridge on 1 November 1856.
For some time goods and mineral wagons were transferred from the Longridge line to the Preston main line station by crossing from Maudland Bridge to the Preston and Wyre line west of the main line and reversing and using the P&WR connection on to the main line. The Longridge line built its own connection southwards, opening for passengers and goods on 1 June 1885.
Developments.
The main line was doubled as far as Burn Naze by 10 August 1846. The embankment between Burn Naze and Fleetwood was to be retained as the up line and a single line, some distance from the original, following a two-mile deviation around the shore was built as the down line opening on 13 January 1851. Problems with the embankment and timber trestle sections caused the original line's abandonment at the same time. The deviation line was a single line that ran to Dock Street in Fleetwood, but entered the station from the south-west. A goods depot was built beyond the passenger station. The deviation was doubled in 1875.
The Blackpool branch was doubled by an Act of 26 May 1865, paid for by the companies in proportion.
Blackpool and Lytham Railway, and more improvements.
On 17 May 1861, an Act was passed authorising the Blackpool and Lytham Railway, the future Blackpool South line. The line was ready by autumn 1862. Leisure traffic was expected to be the main income, and the winter months would be quiet and so the opening was delayed until 6 April 1863. The line did not connect to the Lytham branch of the Preston and Wyre Railway, nor at Blackpool, so the line was isolated. The company operated its own trains and had two locomotives. At least one was delivered by being hauled through the streets of Lytham by horses, because of the lack of a railway connection. An intermediate station was built at South Shore. The resort of St Annes did not yet exist.
In 1871 the independent status of the line was reviewed because of financial difficulties, and by an Act of 29 June 1871, amalgamation with the Preston and Wyre Railway was authorised, along with provision for a connecting line at Lytham.
The Lytham branch made a sharp divergence about three-quarters of a mile west of Kirkham. An Act of 1873 authorised a cut-off line, a little under a mile and a half in length and a connecting line was authorised at Lytham, connecting the Blackpool line to the original Lytham branch. Both sections were double track from opening on 1 July 1874. Lytham station on the P&WR was reduced to goods station status. The single-line link at Kirkham, now by-passed, was retained for the west-facing connection at what became called Kirkham Old Junction, enabling direct running from Lytham towards Poulton. The east-facing curve at Kirkham was closed in 1874. The Blackpool and Lytham line was doubled in 1876.
Maudlands closure.
The Preston terminus of the Preston and Wyre Railway at Maudlands was close to a canal basin, but a connecting line was built to the North Union Railway's Preston station. Interconnection with other railways was important and so the Maudlands connection was retained for goods purposes but its passenger use ended in 1844. A flat crossing with the West Coast Main Line was built in 1850 when the Preston and Longridge Railway was opened. Its station was at Maudland Bridge and its line continued westwards to join the P&WR, enabling Longridge traffic to reach Fleetwood, and making an additional flat crossing of the WCML. In 1885 the flat crossings were removed, the Longridge line making an ordinary southwards junction, which the P&WR already had made.
Fleetwood dock traffic.
Fleetwood Dock was authorised at the outset, but work only started in 1869 and was soon stopped. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway took over construction and it opened in 1878. The short branch to Wyre Dock was L&YR property.
The L&YR and the LNWR had powers to operate steamer services to Belfast, Londonderry and the Isle of Man and operated through boat trains. On 15 July 1883 a new station opened on the quay at Fleetwood for transfer from boat trains to the steamers, and traffic developed greatly. The old station was closed as the new station better served the promenade for passengers not transferring to the steamers. Some fishing vessels used Fleetwood from 1860, but in 1892 a trawler fishing fleet was established by a Grimsby firm and the town became the largest fishing port on the west coast and the third largest in Britain, with heavy fish traffic sent by rail.
Passenger trains.
In 1895 the first Club Carriage was run between Blackpool Central and Manchester, membership of the club was restricted to first-class season ticket holders who also paid a membership fee. Elaborately furnished carriages were built and for many years returned from Manchester to Blackpool each evening by the 5.10 pm and 5.55 pm residential expresses. At one time they conveyed slip portions that were detached at Kirkham. A lesser-known L&YR residential train for East Lancashire business men ran non-stop from Lytham to Rose Grove, slipping the three rear coaches at Blackburn.
On 1 May 1901 the first L&YR corridor and dining car express was introduced between Fleetwood and Leeds via Manchester, connecting with the Belfast steamer. Belfast steamer sailings from Fleetwood continued until the improvement of the Heysham service in 1928. The summer service to Douglas, Isle of Man lasted until 1961, when heavy repairs were required to the quay and the expense could not be justified. Fleetwood terminus and the line from Wyre Dock were closed on 18 April 1966. The former Wyre Dock station was renamed Fleetwood, but the passenger service between here and Poulton ceased on 1 June 1970.
Infrastructure improvements.
The rapid and huge development of Blackpool as a holiday and trippers' destination continued in the latter decades of the nineteenth century, and the line between Preston and Kirkham was quadrupled, opening in the year 1889.
The Preston & Wyre Railway terminus in Blackpool (Talbot Road) was completely rebuilt and enlarged from 1896. The main platforms had a total length of 3,600 feet and the excursion platforms 6,300 feet; they were fully opened in the Spring of 1898.
The original alignment of the Fleetwood main line passed Poulton at some distance, so that the station was not conveniently located. When the Blackpool branch was opened in 1846, it left the Fleetwood line by a sharp curve, and there was a west curve, enabling Blackpool to Fleetwood direct running. The alignment was obviously unsatisfactory, and on 28 March 1896, a new loop line by-passing Poulton by a loop was opened, enabling a station better located for the town. The Blackpool branch left by a more gently curved line from the new Poulton station; the approach to the old Poulton station from the Preston direction was retained for goods purposes, as the town had grown towards that station over the years. A west curve on the new line was opened on 1 July 1899, and a platform called Poulton Curve Halt was opened on it on 1 February 1909, used by a railmotor service between Blackpool and Fleetwood. There were 19 trains each way daily.
The approach from Kirkham to Blackpool Central was roundabout, running via Lytham, and a new direct line was authorised by Act of 20 July 1896. It opened on 21 April 1903 for goods traffic, and to all trains on 30 May 1903. It saved five miles on the journey: it ran from a grade-separated junction at Kirkham North Junction to a junction near Blackpool South Shore, and it was known as the "New line" or the "Marton line". In winter ordinary passenger trains used the Lytham route, but in summer the traffic on the New Line was heavy. For some years the slip portion of the 5.10 pm from Manchester ran from Kirkham to Blackpool Central by this route, arriving ahead of the main train. New platforms were opened on the line at Waterloo Road, close to South Shore.
An Act of 1899 authorised a flyover approaching Kirkham for the New Line, providing a grade-separated junction.
At the end of the nineteenth century, Blackpool Central station was being reconstructed, with 9,000 feet of platforms being provided; the enlarged station was opening for Easter 1901. In 1903 widening from there to the junction at South Shore was ready.
On 1 October 1913 halts were opened at Burlington Road and Gillett's Crossing when a railmotor service was introduced between Blackpool Central and Lytham. The halts were closed on 1 October 1915 but reopened on 1 March 1920, finally closing on 11 September 1939. In March 1932 Waterloo Road station was renamed Blackpool South and Talbot Road became Blackpool North. By this time the North station had 15 platforms, although eight were set apart for excursion traffic outside the overall roof.
Cleveleys over the tramway.
The Blackpool tramway system was founded in 1885, and the line to Fleetwood was opened on 14 July 1888, running in a segregated alignment for much of the way.
As the coastal strip between Blackpool and Fleetwood became developed, the L&YR and LNWR sought powers to build a branch line to Cleveleys, but instead came to an agreement under which the tramway was connected with the railway at Fleetwood. Goods wagons were worked over the tramway to Cleveleys. The arrangement continued until 1949.
Diesel train trial.
In 1928 a four-car diesel passenger train was installed on the Preston to Blackpool Central via Lytham service, starting on 25 July. The train was a conversion of an electric train that had been used at Bury. In September 1928 it was withdrawn for installation of a stronger bogie under the power unit. The train was put back into service for the illuminations at the end of 1928 but a crankshaft failed on 9 December and it was out of use until 27 March 1929. It was then in use for three weeks until 18 April when it was finally withdrawn and later scrapped. It had only operated for 30% of available days. Quite apart from the reliability issues, it was calculated that the operating cost savings were not sufficient to justify the capital cost of wider introduction.
Traffic decline.
Blackpool was an extraordinary phenomenon of British seaside holidays, and for decades the railways had struggled to handle the volume of passengers, and the number of train movements, although this was highly seasonal. Nevertheless, road motor coaches began to handle the traffic in increasing numbers after 1945, as distances from the Lancashire and West Yorkshire industrial towns were not great. The decline in railway business in an era of scepticism about financial loss-making on the railways meant that it was impossible to sustain the former levels of train service, and of infrastructure.
Blackpool Central station was closed at the end of the 1964 Illuminations period, on 2 November, and the site was sold; trains on the coast line terminated at Blackpool South, and a few years later they were only shuttle services to and from Kirkham. The Fleetwood to Blackpool passenger service had finished in 1964. On 18 April 1966, the Fleetwood line was cut back to Wyre Dock.
The New Line from Kirkham closed on 6 September 1965, although it was used for excursion trains until 13 February 1967. In 1970 the Euston-Blackpool services, which had hitherto travelled via Lytham, were diverted to the North station. In January 1974 this station was rebuilt on the site of the former excursion platforms, on a smaller scale to suit modern requirements.
The south to west connection at Kirkham, which used part of the original Lytham branch, was closed in 1967, and the retained connection to Poulton old goods station was closed in 1968; the west curve on the new line at Poulton was closed in 1972.
The passenger service between Fleetwood and Poulton ceased on 1 June 1970. The line remained open to chemical works at Burn Naze, but beyond that, Fleetwood and the docks were no longer rail-served. The entire branch from Poulton closed in 1992.
In the 1970s and early 1980s the Blackpool South branch, as it had become, was singled, and the quadruple track between Preston and Kirkham was reduced to double track.
The present day.
During a long period of decline, the Blackpool North line became a medium-level branch from Preston, and the Blackpool South line a local shuttle subsidiary of that, from Kirkham. The Fleetwood line is no more. For some time local opinion formers have demanded better services, and electrification of the line from Preston to Blackpool North was implemented. This was commissioned in time for new passenger services to operate from 16 April 2018. There are (2020) three through trains to and from London in the timetable and a half-hourly service to Manchester. The service from Blackpool South is typically hourly.
Accidents.
Poulton 1893.
There was a serious accident on 1 July 1893, when a light excursion train returning from Blackpool to Stockport became derailed at speed on Poulton curve. The speed limit on the curve was 6 mph, and the train considerably exceeded that speed.
Lytham, 1924.
On 3 November 1924 the 4:40 pm express passenger train from Liverpool Exchange to Blackpool derailed, when a tyre on the engine failed. Three traincrew and fourteen passengers were killed. There had been a large undetected metallurgical defect in the tyre.
Weeton, 1961.
On 16 July 1961 a collision took place near Singleton Bank signalbox, between Kirkham and Poulton. An express passenger train from Colne to Fleetwood struck an engineers' ballast train at about 45 mph. The driver and six passengers died in the collision. The ballast train was working in section but irregular operation of single line working arrangements and misunderstandings of telephone messages led to the express train being signalled through the section, so it was running under clear signals.


List of closed railway stations in Norfolk

This is a list of closed railway stations in Norfolk, England. There are also a number of heritage railway stations in Norfolk, which have been re-opened by preservation societies. The companies listed are the pre-1923 groupings.


Manchester and Wigan Railway

The Manchester and Wigan Railway refers to a railway in North West England, opened in 1864 and closed to passengers on 3 May 1969, which was part of the London and North Western Railway before the Grouping of 1923. This route was an alternative to the surviving route through Swinton, Walkden and Atherton (which was part of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway before 1923).
Route.
The first part of the route remains between Manchester Victoria and Eccles on part of the original Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened in 1831. After Eccles, the line branched off in a north westerly direction crossing what is now the M602 motorway, calling at stations at Monton Green and Worsley. After Roe Green the line split, with one branch continuing to Bolton; and the Manchester to Wigan line continuing westward to stations at Ellenbrook and Tyldesley. After Tyldesley the line split, the Tyldesley Loopline continued to Kenyon Junction while the Wigan line continued to the north west to Howe Bridge Station before crossing the Bolton and Leigh Railway line. The next station was Hindley Green on the northerly (straight) section and it then passed Platt Bridge and approached a complex junction south of Wigan on what is now the West Coast Main Line.
Colliery sidings.
The route also served the collieries in the area. Sidings for Shakerley Collieries (Ramsden's) and the Tyldesley Coal Company (Greens) were located to the east of Tyldesley Station and for Fletcher, Burrows and Company's Chanters Colliery between Tyldesley and Howe Bridge.


Howdon depot

Howdon Satellite Depot is a light rail facility used by the Tyne and Wear Metro in Howdon, Tyne and Wear, England. The depot was built as a satellite depot of South Gosforth depot, which is being refurbished between 2020 and 2024. Construction on Howdon Depot completed in August 2020, with the first train entering in November 2020. The original intention was for Howdon to be a temporary depot, but future upgrades to the South Shields line, may mean the depot becomes permanent.
History.
Howdon depot was built on a former landfill site in Howdon, North Tyneside. The new depot was built as part of a £362 million package which includes a new fleet of metrocars which will be partly commissioned at Howdon.
The new depot has the capacity to house 25% of the current metrocar fleet, which allows for a continuing service whilst the main depot at South Gosforth is upgraded. Although the groundbreaking ceremony was in June 2019, the main construction phase on the facility was started in late 2019, with opening expected in July 2020, though this slipped until October 2020, when work at Gosforth depot started.
The depot, which is built on the former Riverside Branch (closed in 1973 and converted into a landfill site at Howdon) is equipped with ten storage roads. Howdon is to be capable of accepting, and assembling, the new fleet (to be built by Stadler), although this work could also be concentrated at South Gosforth, or shared between the two sites. Howdon has a maintenance shed with a single road and a pit underneath, and one shunt road adjacent to the mainline.
The depot at Howdon was conceived as a temporary solution whilst South Gosforth is upgraded. However, Nexus received £100 million from the UK Government as part of its Transforming Cities Fund in 2020, which will go to the Metro Flow project. If approved, this will mean the doubling of many single sections of track on the South Shields line and at Pelaw, Hebburn, Bede and Jarrow stations. If this does occur, then the depot at Howdon will become permanent.


Railways in Ely

The Railways in Ely are an important interchange point between several routes in England. There are junctions north and south of the city where rail routes from Suffolk and Norfolk connect with routes to London, the Midlands, the north of England, and Scotland. Several rail freight operating companies use these routes and four passenger train operating companies provide services through Ely.
Ely station.
Ely railway station is on the southeast edge of the city beside the River Great Ouse. The station is approx 70 miles (113 km) from London on the ex-GER (Great Eastern Railway) line from London to King's Lynn. Ely station has three platforms, all signalled for bi-directional running. Platform 1 is on the west of the station and is a facing platform backed by the main buildings. Platforms 2 and 3 are the two faces of an island platform. Generally speaking, London-King's Lynn services use platform 1 (down) and platform 2 (up) while east-to-west services use platform 3; however, the track layout and signalling allow any route to use any platform in either direction.
The original station was opened in 1845 but the Italianate main building has been much altered over the years. Most recently, the station was substantially upgraded in the early 1990s to coincide with overhead 25 kV AC electrification of the London to King's Lynn route. Until 1923 Ely station was owned and operated by the GER; from 1923 to 1948 by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER); and from 1948 until privatisation in the 1990s by the Eastern Region of British Railways. The current station operator is Abellio Greater Anglia.
Ely North Junction.
Ely North Junction is located at Queen Adelaide approximately one-and-a-half miles (2 km) north of Ely station. From Ely North Junction the electrified ex-GER London-King's Lynn double-track main line (marketed as the Fen Line) runs north to Downham Market and King's Lynn. Two non-electrified double-track lines branch at North Junction: the line to Norwich (marketed as the Breckland Line) diverges to the northeast; the Ely to Peterborough Line to March and Peterborough diverges to the northwest. At Peterborough there is direct connection to the East Coast Main Line from London to Scotland and the Peterborough to Birmingham route.
Immediately east of Ely North Junction is Potter Distribution Depot which has substantial railfreight facilities. Cemex operates an asphalt and building materials depot at the site.
Ely West Curve.
Ely West Curve (also known as the 'Adelaide loop', the 'Ely avoiding line' and the 'Ely freight loop') is a single-track loop which branches in the up direction from Ely North Junction. The loop turns through 180 degrees to re-join the Ely to Peterborough Line in the down (northbound) direction. Ely West Curve was laid in on 1 October 1890, to allow freight trains from the Midlands and north to run directly onto the King's Lynn and Norwich lines in the down (northbound) direction without reversal thus avoiding Ely station. Later, it was used by an increasing number of passenger trains, particularly holiday expresses to the Norfolk coast. In 1966 regular passenger traffic over the curve ceased. Currently there is one passenger train per week, in one direction only, which uses the Ely West Curve. This is the East Midland Trains 15:54 Sunday service from Norwich to Manchester Piccadilly.
Ely Dock Junction.
Ely Dock Junction is just under a mile south of Ely station on the London-King's Lynn main line. From the junction, the non-electrified single-track Ely to Ipswich line diverges to the southeast. The line serves Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich where it connects with the ex-GER main line from London Liverpool Street station to Norwich.
Hawk Bridge is half-a-mile east of Ely Dock Junction and carries the Newmarket line over the River Great Ouse. The original bridge was severely damaged by a freight train derailment which occurred on 22 June 2007. A replacement was erected, and opened on 20 December 2007. The new bridge carries a single line (as did the old) but has been built wide enough to allow the line to be doubled at a later date. The speed restriction has also been raised from .


West Coastway line

The West Coastway line is a railway line in England linking the densely populated conurbations of Brighton/Hove/Littlehampton and Southampton/Portsmouth, with 1.3 million people between them. It has short southward branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis. Some trains using part of the route operate as direct continuations of passenger services to/from London, particularly those to the branch stations mentioned.
From Brighton the East Coastway line continues to Hastings via Lewes, Eastbourne and Bexhill, and then to Ashford International, Kent via the Marshlink line.
Its bulk, east of the city of Portsmouth, was electrified by the Southern Railway before the Second World War. Stations and track further west are since the late 1980s considered additions, enabling through-trains and electrified trains to travel the whole route and to the north via Eastleigh or via Botley stations – between the 1930s and 1980s, passenger trains with direct current traction could not serve the entire West Coastway Line. The London and South Western Railway ran the tracks west of Farlington Junction which lies north of Portsmouth by the inland shore of Langstone Harbour. This section was served and timetabled separately before its electrification, a vestige of having had a different original railway company.
Definition and electrification.
The West Coastway line runs almost alongside or within a few miles of the south coast of Sussex and Hampshire, between Brighton and Southampton.
East of Portsmouth the line was electrified (using 750 V DC third rail) by the Southern Railway before the Second World War in two stages:
Services.
Southern is the main operator of passenger services and stations on the line east of Portsmouth. Service patterns have varied over the years, but have always included a slow service (calling at most or all stations) from Brighton to Portsmouth. Regular services run from London Victoria via Gatwick which avoid Brighton by using the tunnel between Preston Park and Hove. These services run to Littlehampton (2016); similar services extended to Chichester, Portsmouth and Southampton particularly in the initial decades of open competition between operators, making use of statutory and negotiated running rights. Other services run from London Victoria via Gatwick and the Arun Valley line to Bognor Regis or along more of the West Coastway line, between Ford and nearby Chichester, to Portsmouth or Southampton. All of the Southern services are operated by electric multiple-units. Many of these trains join/"couple" or divide/"uncouple" during their journey, historically at Barnham Junction, today at Horsham.
The section west of Portsmouth sees trains from typically three operators. Its stations are managed by South Western Railway, who operate regular services from Portsmouth either to Southampton or to London Waterloo (less directly than its Portsmouth Direct Line, instead via Fareham, Botley, Hedge End and Eastleigh). Great Western Railway operate diesel passenger trains from Portsmouth to and , with occasional services to the West Country or . Southern operate hourly services: between Brighton and Southampton Central; and between London Victoria and Southampton. The Southampton to London Victoria trains introduced at electrification created many direct routes, from Southampton, Swanwick, Fareham and Cosham to the West Sussex coast and particularly to Gatwick Airport.
Beyond the line and its main links to London, before late 2007 trains ran from Reading or Basingstoke to Portsmouth or Brighton; Basingstoke to Portsmouth being current. The Department for Transport withdrew the obligation of South West Trains to run Brighton services — being somewhat orbital around London — which left free train paths which were filled by extra Southern trains mainly bound to or from London.
Prior to the 1980s electrification of the "(south) Hampshire lines", including the part of this line west of Farlington, they were operated as a separate entity terminating at Portsmouth – few trains traversed the Cosham to Farlington triangle which lies north of Portsmouth and Langstone Harbours, excepting a daily Brighton–to-Exeter through (direct) train. After dieselisation using 3H units in 1958, the general service pattern every hour was one semi-fast from Portsmouth to Southampton and Salisbury (some extended to Bristol), one stopping to Southampton Central and one train to Botley and Eastleigh (some extended to Reading and, until 1966, Romsey via Chandler's Ford).
History.
The lines now operated under the banner "West Coastway" have a complex history and were built in stages by five different companies between 1840 and 1889.
The line from Brighton to Shoreham was a branch of the London and Brighton Railway which opened 12 May 1840, before the completion of the main line. The extensions of this line to Worthing (opened 24 November 1845), to Arundel & Littlehampton (opened 16 March 1846) and to Chichester (opened 8 June 1846) were built by the Brighton and Chichester Railway. In July 1846 these two companies merged with others to form the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (LBSCR), which continued the line to Havant (opened 15 March 1847) and Portsmouth (opened 14 June 1847). Part of this section became jointly owned with the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), following the opening of the LSWR line from Fareham to Portcreek Junction on 1 October 1848 (connecting to the Eastleigh–Fareham line).
The "Southampton and Netley Railway" built a line to connect with the Victoria Military Hospital at Netley, which opened 5 March 1866 and was operated by the LSWR. The final connecting link from Netley to Fareham was opened by the LSWR on 2 September 1889.
In the meanwhile the LBSCR opened the Littlehampton branch from Ford Junction on 17 August 1863 and the Bognor Regis branch from Barnham Junction on 1 June 1864.
Developments, major engineering features and minor station closures.
With the junction at St Denys the West Coastway Line joins the route of the South Western main line


Stechford rail crash

The Stechford rail crash occurred on 28 February 1967 at Stechford railway station in the area of Stechford in Birmingham, England.
A Class 24 diesel locomotive had arrived at Stechford sidings with a ballast train. This was due to return to Nuneaton and so the locomotive needed to be run round the train. There were too many wagons for the runaround loop to be used, so the Head Shunter decided to run the locomotive around via the main line. This was a movement that was only to be made in an emergency, and even then only with permission from the signalman at Birmingham New Street signal box.
The Head Shunter did not seek such permission and when his hand signal for the guard was misunderstood by the secondman, the locomotive moved on to the main line just as a Manchester-Coventry four-carriage Class 304 electric unit no.026 was approaching. It collided with the locomotive at about 60 mph, killing the driver and eight passengers. In addition, 16 people were injured.


Angelsea Sidings

The Angelsea Sidings is a former sidings terminal located on the South Staffordshire Line and served for a time as an oil terminal. The sidings are located on the other end of the A5 Watling Street in Brownhills near the border of Lichfield.
History.
The sidings were built to connect the South Staffordshire Line to the coal fields at Chasewater and Cannock Chase. This branch ran down Wharf Lane and connected near the present-day Chasewater Railway.
Decline.
The sidings were closed to Chasewater and Cannock Chase in the late 1960s. The sidings at Brownhills remained in use until 1984 when the section from Angelsea Sidings to Ryecroft Junction closed to all through traffic. The section through Hammerwich continued to serve the sidings for an oil terminal until 2001/02 when the entire line was closed. It was then left mothballed.
Present day.
Today, the branch at Wharf Lane has since become a public footpath. The section from Brownhills to Lichfield is now mothballed and out of use. It remains under the ownership of Network Rail. The section towards Walsall is now a leisure greenway.


Dartford Loop Line

The Dartford Loop Line is one of three lines linking London with Dartford in Kent, England. It lies to the south of the other two: the North Kent Line (or Woolwich Line) and the Bexleyheath Line.
Informally, the line is known as the Sidcup Line in the context of Southeastern Metro services.
History.
In June 1862 the South Eastern Railway obtained powers for a second line between London and Dartford from a junction with the main line at Hither Green to its existing North Kent line to reduce congestion on the existing line and to give a more direct route between London and Dartford. This was to be routed via the town of Sidcup.
The Dartford Loop Line opened on 1 September 1866. A loop line in railway terminology is a line which leaves the main line at one location, and then rejoins in another place. The line initially had only five new stations: Lee, Eltham (now Mottingham), Sidcup, Bexley and Crayford. The station at Hither Green, near Lewisham, where the line deviates from the main line, was built after the opening of the third North Kent route, the Bexleyheath Line in 1895.
Pope Street, now New Eltham station, opened in 1878 between Eltham and Sidcup stations. Hither Green finally opened in 1895 serving both the Dartford Loop Line and the main line via Tonbridge. The final station to open was Albany Park in 1935. The Loop Line originally passed through mainly open country and farm land but it stimulated development around the new stations.
In 1899 the Lee Spur, a double track link between the up line of the Dartford Loop Line and the Hither Green marshalling yard, was built. The spur is occasionally used by freight and engineering work trains.
The Loop Line was electrified by the Southern Railway in 1926 along with the two other lines to Dartford.
In 1942 a double-track loop (the ‘Dartford Loop’) came into operation between the North Kent and Dartford Loop Lines, creating a triangular junction. This allowed direct running between the two routes, avoiding the need for a reversing manoeuvre at Dartford.
In 1955 the platforms on all Loop Line stations were extended to accommodate ten-coach trains, whilst continuing standard operation of eight-car trains. Most stations had goods yards which closed during the 1960s and were converted into car parks.
In the late 1960s the Dartford Loop Line along with the two other North Kent routes were re-signalled which saw the replacement of semaphores with colour light signals. In November 1970 most of the mechanical signal boxes on the line closed. In the mid-late 2000s the Dartford Area Resignalling Scheme saw the line resignalled.
Infrastructure.
The line is double track throughout and electrified at 750 V DC third rail.
Stations.
The line is a little over in length. The following are the stations served:
Future plans.
The line was due to be served by Thameslink trains following the completion of the first phase of the Thameslink Programme. The 2008 Network Rail Route Utilisation Strategy, however, made clear that consideration of running Thameslink trains to Dartford by any route had been abandoned due to timetabling and pathing difficulties.
Service patterns.
Train services are operated by Southeastern. All services run to London Charing Cross or London Cannon Street.
The Monday-Saturday off-peak service is:
The Sunday service is:
The Sidcup Line is a freight route for trains to Kent. Most services use the Lewisham flyover via .
Rolling stock.
Rolling stock used on the line is Class 465 and Class 466 'Networkers' and Class 376 Suburban Electrostars.
Accidents.
On 11 October 1977, the derailed wagons of an eastbound coal train were struck by a Northfleet to Dunstable cement train between Lee and Mottingham. The locomotive ended up at the bottom of a garden of a house in Mottingham. There were no serious human injuries but several caged budgerigars in the garden were killed.
On 4 February 1997, an EWS freight train derailed near Bexley station (the Bexley derailment).


Wallingford railway branch line

The Wallingford railway branch line was a short branch line in Oxfordshire, connecting the market town of Wallingford with the nearby Great Western Railway main line.
It was planned as part of a line continuing to Watlington, but money ran out and the continuation was never made. The branch line opened in 1866. It had a frequent passenger shuttle service, connecting with main line trains.
It closed to passengers in 1959, although goods use kept the line in use until 1981.
A heritage railway, the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway has taken over most of the line and operates vintage train services.
Origins.
The Great Western Railway opened its first broad gauge main line in stages; from Reading to Steventon was opened on 1 June 1840; there was a station called Wallingford Road, located immediately to the east of the road that now forms the A329. The station was about three miles from Wallingford itself.
The prosperity of towns served by railways increased considerably, as manufactures could be transported to market much more cheaply, and communities not directly served by a railway were at a disadvantage accordingly. Watlington, with a population in 1851 of 1,884, suffered in the early part of the nineteenth century from poor road communications, at a time when transport and trade were becoming important, and other settlements were flourishing.
In 1861 a branch railway was proposed from near Cholsey, to run through Wallingford, Benson, Watlington and Chinnor to reach Princes Risborough, but the idea was not progressed. In 1863 a more modest scheme, to build only as far as Wallingford, went to Parliament but the promoters withdrew the Bill.
The scheme was revived late in 1863, now proposing a line from Cholsey to Wallingford and Watlington, with enthusiastic support from the latter town. Public meetings in January 1864 expressed a desire to proceed, and a Bill went to the 1864 session of Parliament. The line was authorised by Act of 25 July 1864, with capital of £80,000: it was to be called the "Wallingford and Watlington Railway".
While the Parliamentary Act authorised the capital of £80,000, the company needed to get commitment from investors to subscribe that money, and the process did not prove easy; however by the Spring of 1865 sufficient funds were available to let a contract for the construction as far as Wallingford. The line was to make a junction with the GWR main line at Wallingford Road station, and run north-westward alongside the GWR for three-quarters of a mile before turning north-eastward run independently to Wallingford. The track gauge was authorised by the Act to be either broad or narrow (later known as "standard gauge"), but the Great Western Railway main line at Cholsey had just been converted from broad gauge to mixed gauge, so the decision was taken to build the Wallingford and Watlington line to the narrow gauge. It was to be the first branch off the GWR's main line to be made on the narrow gauge. First proposals were to construct Wallingford station adjacent to the market place, but in fact it was located on the southern margin of the town.
In the Autumn of 1865 a local newspaper reported on progress:
Wallingford and Watlington Railway: This railway, which runs through the parish of Cholsey and forms a junction with the main line of the G.W.R., is progressing rapidly toward completion. The cutting in Cholsey field and near the Wallingford-road station, which is 60 feet deep and nearly perpendicular, will shortly be completed. The permanent rails are laid for a considerable distance near Wallingford. The Cholsey station (it is said) will be near the church, which will be a most convenient spot, not only for the inhabitants of Cholsey, but for Aston, Blewbury and the adjoining villages to the west. The starting point will be at the Wallingford-road station.
The Cholsey station would have been on the road to South Moreton, near St Mary's church, but it was never built; there was a Cholsey station later on the main line. The Wallingford Road station on the main line was renamed Moulsford on the day the Wallingford branch opened.
Opening.
The Board of Trade inspection took place on Tuesday 26 June 1866, and line opened to the public without ceremony on Monday 2 July 1866.
There were nine passenger trains each way daily, and the branch was worked by the Great Western Railway under an agreement of 30 June 1866.
Newspapers recorded the opening:
Opening of the Wallingford Railway: The branch railway from Wallingford Road station to the town of Wallingford having been completed and inspected on behalf of the Board of Trade, was opened for passenger and goods traffic yesterday. The line, which is three miles and a half long, has been constructed at the cost of a local company, and will be worked by the Great Western Railway Company. Mr Besant, the divisional superintendent, took the direction of the arrangements, which were in every respect satisfactory, but the opening was not celebrated by any kind of demonstration.
Wallingford Railway: This Railway, which is called the Wallingford and Watlington Railway, was opened on Monday last to Wallingford. This line forms a junction at the Wallingford Road station, Great Western Railway, and runs parallel with that line for a distance of about three quarters of a mile; it then quits company, diverges to the right, and then runs about three miles through this parish, and two and a half miles in the property of Charles Morrison Esq., of Basildon House. The line appears to work well.
Following the opening the Board met to consider the issue of extending the line to Benson (at the time frequently referred to as Bensington) as the statutory powers for land acquisition were to expire soon. The general economic conditions had deteriorated considerably, and the commercial bank Overend, Gurney and Company had failed in May 1866, deepening the crisis. Money became unobtainable and the question of extending the line was deferred: it was obvious that further subscriptions would not be forthcoming for some time. In fact only £17,575 of the £80,000 capital for the line had ever been paid up. The company's own revenue account was in serious difficulty, and sums due to the GWR in connection with the working arrangement were not being paid, and the contractor for the part of the line already built was also pressing for his money.
On 15 December 1868 the company's solicitor informed the directors that a Bill was to be presented to Parliament to authorise a railway from Princes Risborough to Watlington; this became the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway and its promotion marked the end of the Wallingford and Watlington Company's aspirations to reach Watlington.
Sale to the Great Western Railway.
On 10 August 1870 the Wallingford board met with the GWR directors to attempt to sell their line to the larger company, but the GWR blandly declined for the time being.
In June 1871 the matter was raised again and an offer to purchase was made: £3,515 of GWR 5% preference stock would be transferred to the W&WR shareholders, as well as £16,750 cash. The transfer was made and on 2 December 1871 the line was vested in the GWR. (The Act of Parliament ratifying the transfer was made on 18 July 1872.)
Junction relocated.
The GWR main line was widened to four tracks in 1892 and the opportunity was taken to relocate the junction station: Wallingford Road station was closed and a new junction station called Cholsey & Moulsford was opened 55 chains north west on 29 February 1892.
The twentieth century.
In 1925 the six-road goods yard dealt with an average of 45 wagons daily. The passenger station had a single four-coach platform with no run-round; that operation was performed by propelling to the area of the goods yard. There were 18 passenger trains each way daily in 1938.
In 1947 the passenger service was 14 trains each way on weekdays, running only to and from Cholsey station. It was operated by an 0-4-2 tank locomotive and a single push-and-pull coach. The passenger trains was known locally as "the bunk" but the 1947 writer stated that the origin of the term was unknown.
Wallingford station closed to passenger trains on 15 June 1959, although there was some use later in connection with carnivals in 1967 and 1968. Goods operation to Wallingford station ceased on 13 September 1965, when the residual use was to the Associated British Maltsters (Southern) Ltd mill some little distance short of the station. That usage also finished on 1 June 1981.
The station site at Wallingford is now given over to the Charter Way housing estate.
Heritage railway.
The branch line has been restored to operation by the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Preservation Society, and a heritage train operation is undertaken, generally at selected weekends.
Further reading.
Paul Karau and Chris Turner, "An Illustrated History of the Wallingford Branch", Wild Swan Publications Ltd, Upper Bucklebury, 1982,


Downs Light Railway

The Downs Light Railway is the world's oldest private miniature railway, with a track gauge of . The railway is located within the grounds of The Downs Malvern, a private school in Colwall, near the town of Malvern, Worcestershire in the English Midlands. It is owned by the Downs Light Railway Trust.
The Downs Light Railway is one of only two railways to be operated by children, and the only one by those aged between 7 and 13 years. The railway provides a wide range of educational activities. It provides The Downs Malvern with regular extra-curricular activities and supports other local schools. As of 2019, it is part of the Heritage Railway Association membership.
History.
The railway was built and opened in 1925 under the guidance of Geoffrey Hoyland (Headmaster) as a gauge railway, for the principal purpose of education. The railway was regauged during the 1930s to the larger gauge of , to allow for new locos to be used on the line. After Geoffrey Hoyland fell ill and retired from the school, the railway deteriorated until it became unsafe to use by the late 1960s.
During the 1970s, restoration work began by former pupils of the school, most notably James Boyd. In 1983, the railway was handed over to the Downs Light Railway Trust, who became responsible for its ownership, preservation and operation.


Bournemouth to Birmingham route

The Bournemouth to Birmingham route is a part of the CrossCountry network, linking Bournemouth to Birmingham. The route consists of parts of several lines, and trains running the full length of the route are run by CrossCountry. It is also used in parts by Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Great Western Railway, South Western Railway and West Midlands Trains . After joining the Cross Country Route at Birmingham, trains proceed to Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh or even Aberdeen.


Middle Forge Junction

Middle Forge Junction is an important junction on the Dean Forest Railway.
History.
The junction is where the Lydney to Parkend (High Level) and Lydney to Norchard (Low Level) lines meet.
The name Middle Forge was chosen because the junction is close to one of three Forges in valley of the River Lyd.
One forge is located near to Tufts Junction and the other past Lydney Junction.
Middle Forge is away from Norchard and consists of a three lever ground frame locked by a Token.
The Norchard Low-Level outer home is located on the Lydney Town side of the junction and is interlocked with the ground frame.
The signal is the longest pull from Norchard 'box and is worked from lever No. 13.
A cable tensioner is located behind the lever frame to help with expansion and contraction of the cable over its length.


Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Company

The Tynemouth and District Electric Traction Company operated a tramway service in North Shields, Tynemouth and Whitley Bay between 1901 and 1931.
History.
The company was formed in 1899. It was the successor to the horse tramway started in 1883 by the Tynemouth and District Tramways Limited. This became the North Shields and District Tramways Company Limited in 1884, the North Shields and Tynemouth District Tramways Limited in 1890, and British Electric Traction Company in 1897.
The horse tramway was closed in 1900 for electrification. The reconstruction of the line cost £58,000 (equivalent to £ in ) and eleven tramcars were purchased at a cost of £700 (equivalent to £ in ) each. One and a half miles of additional track was laid giving three and three-quarter route miles.
The official inspection of the newly electrified line took place on 13 February 1901 when two double cars and a pilot car was run to convey the Board of Trade Inspector, the Mayor of Tynemouth (Mr. Jacob Dalglish), the Borough Surveyor (Mr. Smillie), with several alderman and councillors.
Electric services started on 1 March 1901. The new electric line ran from the New Quay, North Shields to terminate at the Victoria Hotel, Whitley. In 1904 the line was extended from Whitley Front Street to the bandstand on the Links.
Near New Quay there was a connection to the Tyneside Tramways and Tramroads Company.
Electric power was supplied by the new Tynemouth Corporation Power Station at Tanners Bank.
Closure.
The system closed on 4 August 1931.


Lyne Bridge


Broomhouse Tunnel

Broomhouse Tunnel was on the Midland Main Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield. It was built by the Midland Railway in 1870 on what is known to railwaymen as the "New Road" to Sheffield. This bypassed the North Midland Railway's original line, which came to be known as "Old Road", and which had avoided Sheffield due to the gradients involved, see topographical map of the Sheffield area.
Broomhouse Tunnel was 92 yards long, through a narrow ridge a mile past Sheepbridge. It was opened out to become a cutting in 1969 (see 'Railway Magazine' July 1969 p. 409, plus (picture) Nov 1969 p. 636).
The line diverged just north of Chesterfield at Tapton Junction with a steady three and a half mile climb at 1 in 100, through Sheepbridge and Unstone stations, before a short drop to Dronfield. From there it climbed to the summit before Bradway Tunnel thence to what would become the junction through Dore and Totley and the line to Manchester, continuing to Beauchief.
External links.
The tunnel on an OS map (1930)


Jarrow and District Electric Tramway

The Jarrow and District Electric Tramway operated an electric tramway service in Jarrow between 1906 and 1929.
History.
The Jarrow and District Electric Traction Company was a subsidiary of British Electric Traction. It operated tramway services in Jarrow and the line through Tyne Dock connected with the tracks of the South Shields Corporation Tramways and through services were offered to South Shields. A reciprocal agreement allowed South Shields Corporation Tramways cars to operate over Jarrow company tracks. The Jarrow company received 3s 6d per mile from the South Shields Corporation Tramways to cover working expenses including electrical power and track maintenance.
Closure.
The company replaced its tram services with buses in 1929.


Harborne Railway

The Harborne Railway was a short standard gauge railway line constructed for residential travel from the Harborne area into the centre of Birmingham, England. The line opened in 1874, and was worked by the London and North Western Railway. As business developed, an increasingly frequent passenger service was operated, at its peak thirty trains each way daily.
In the 1920s and later it suffered from road bus service competition and it closed to passenger trains in 1934. A private siding connection had been made to Mitchells & Butlers Brewery, but the line closed completely in 1963.
Conception.
In 1866 Harborne was a distinct community outside Birmingham, with a population of over 22,000. The Harborne Railway was planned to serve certain suburbs of Birmingham, bringing in business people from the well-to-do areas of Lapal (near Halesowen) and Harborne. However, there was major opposition to the Lapal end of the scheme, and the promoters cut back their scheme to a route of just under miles. The Harborne Railway Company got its Act of Parliament on 28 June 1866. Authorised capital was £100,000.
The company concluded an arrangement with the London and North Western Railway to work the line for 50% of receipts. The line would join the LNWR Stour Valley Line at Monument Lane Junction, later renamed Harborne Junction. The branch was a single line.
The station at Harborne opened, and passenger traffic commenced on 10 August 1874. There was a Sunday service at first but there were complaints that the Sabbath was being disturbed and the Company withdrew the trains. Goods services started on 3 October 1874.
The first passenger train service was of six each way on weekdays and three on Sundays. The early departure of the last train into Birmingham was at 19:20, which attracted adverse comment at the time.
In 1879 Harborne station platform was extended, and the junction with the Stour Valley main line was renamed Harborne Junction. In 1893, the platform at Harborne was extended, in order to handle longer trains. There was a turntable and a run-round loop, but both were practically unused, and were later removed.
In 1897 Icknield Port Road station was moved west of the road in its name; the first station had been between the bridges for that road and Barford Road; when it was desired to lengthen the platform, it could not be extended in its old location.
In 1903 Rotton Park Road station was made into an island platform with a passing loop, enabling the train frequency to be improved. As part of the layout alterations, a siding spur into Mitchell and Butler's brewery was provided, and much traffic resulted.
Financial performance.
Early financial operating performance seemed good, but heavy interest on capital expenditure caught up with the company, and a receiver in bankruptcy was appointed on 26 July 1879. The receiver was discharged on 31 December 1900. During the whole of its separate existence dividends were never high, although between 1919 and 1922 a dividend of 3% was paid. The Harborne Railway Company was absorbed by the new London Midland and Scottish Railway at the Grouping of 1923 under the Railways Act 1921. The LNWR had worked the line throughout its existence.
Train service.
The early passenger train frequency was gradually improved over the years, and in 1897 when there was still no passing loop on the branch, there were twenty trains daily in each direction. The service was an early example of a regular interval service, with an hourly departure in each direction. By April 1920 the service had further increased to 30 down and 31 up trains daily.
Decline.
In the 1920s and 1930s bus competition, taking a shorter route into the city centre, hit the usage of the line, and the LMS felt the necessity for economies. The Harborne branch closed to passengers on 26 November 1934.
Coal continued to be carried, but complete closure of the branch took place on 4 November 1963. After closure the track was removed and stations demolished. See paragraph below for "Relics" .
Relics.
The bridge that carried the railway over Park Hill Road has survived, and now forms the start of the walkway. Most of the bridges that carried roads over the line (e.g. Woodbourne Road, Hagley Road) have also survived. Discarded sleepers can be found alongside the walkway. Although none of the stations survive, the name plate from Harborne signal box does, and can be found in Harborne library.
After Harborne station closed, the site was cleared and redeveloped. Frensham Way was built on the site, and now there are no relics that suggest the site was once a railway station. The only hints to the site's previous use are "Station Road", and a housing development called "The Sidings", which was built recently on the site of the old turntable.
Unlike Harborne station, the site of Hagley Road station was not redeveloped. The station buildings were demolished, but some bricks from the station can be found in the undergrowth, and the site of the goods yard is still there, but it is overgrown. A row of cottages still face the line.
Rotton Park Road's buildings were cleared as early as 1934. When the island platform was demolished in that year, a mound was left. Although overgrown, it can still be seen today. A concrete support that used to support the wooden footbridge can be seen at the site of the station
Today, there are no clues to a station's existence at Icknield Port Road. The cutting where the station was located was filled in circa 2008. Until then it was possible to walk under Icknield Port Poad through the old bridge. It was also possible to see the retaining wall that bordered the path from the road to the platform. Icknield Port Road station closed in 1931, a few years before the other stations. The line from here to the junction with the Stour Valley line used to run in a cutting, which has been filled in. The girder bridge that carried the line over the Stour Valley canal was removed, but the brick supports survive.


Tilbury Riverside railway station

Tilbury Riverside railway station is a closed railway station located in the town of Tilbury in the borough and unitary authority of Thurrock in Essex, England, south of a triangular junction on the railway between Tilbury Town and East Tilbury. The station was down the line from London Fenchurch Street station via Rainham.
History.
It was opened on 13 April 1854 as part of the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway, providing an interchange with Port of Tilbury to take advantage of the increasing steamboat traffic in this area of the river Thames. The station was opened as "Tilbury", and it became "Tilbury Riverside" on 3 August 1934. It used to provide an interchange with the Gravesend - Tilbury Ferry.
Tilbury engine shed was sited in the triangular junction to the north of Tilbury Riverside station.
Most trains from Fenchurch Street via Tilbury Town would reverse at this station and continue to Westcliff and Benfleet, with a few to or from Fenchurch Street starting or ending here, and there were also a few services operating short to or from Upminster. However, in 1986, London trains ceased calling here and the services were shortened to operate only from Upminster to Tilbury Riverside, East Tilbury and Stanford-le-Hope.
Tilbury Marine.
Tilbury Marine was a short-lived station built by the Port of London Authority to serve boat trains, it was located within the docks area to the west of Tilbury Riverside. It opened on 15 May 1927 and closed on 1 May 1932. The station suffered bomb damage in World War 2 but was still largely intact in 1947.
Closure.
On 30 November 1992, the station was closed. For many years prior to closure, the station was served only by certain trains on the local service from Upminster via Grays, because the nearby Dartford Crossing and increased car ownership had caused a decline in its importance as a passenger ferry terminal. There was some opposition to closure, but British Rail cited financial reasons for the closure with the annual cost of running the service at £180,000 against income of £11,000.
The station building can now be reached by a shuttle bus service from Tilbury Town railway station, which was a requirement of the line closure. Conditions placed include that the bus service is at least as frequent as the train service at closure, and also that any withdrawal of the bus service go through the same process as closure of the rail service.
The station building is now an indoor car park for Tilbury passenger terminal.


Darlington TMD

Darlington TMD was a railway Traction Maintenance Depot situated in Darlington, England. The depot code was 51A during the steam era and DN later on. It had several locations. It mainly provided for Teesside freight and local passenger routes to Penrith, Richmond and Saltburn.
History.
The main depot had an 1866 roundhouse, a 9-track 1940 shed and a 1958 diesel depot.
Diesel.
Darlington diesel depot opened just north of Bank Top station in 1957, on the east of the main line, linked to the main shed on the west by a wide, long, tubular steel footbridge. It had a 4-car long, 3-road running shed and a heated, enclosed, 4-car long, 2-road repair shop. Concrete frames supported brick walls and a roof with 70% glazing. 27 extractor fans cleared fumes. Four fuelling points were fed from a tank. The washing plant had four pairs of rotating rag flails. A 2-storey block provided for 130 staff. Internal walls were of fluted asbestos sheets, aluminium-faced asbestos boards and glass. The brick stores block south of the repair shop had an oil-fired boiler in the basement. Since the 1980s the former site has been planted
Other sheds.
There were also three other sheds.
1825.
In 1825 a shed served the Stockton and Darlington Railway near North Rd.
1840s.
Darlington Civic Trust's application to English Heritage to list the derelict shed, between Haughton Road and Dumfries Street, following a developer's request to demolish it, resulted in a Grade II* listing from 9 January 2008. The listing describes a 2-bay red brick shed with stone dressings, corrugated asbestos roof, timber ventilator, a Queen Post Roof and the remains of a fireplace, possibly a small forge.
The Civic Trust said it was built by the Great North of England Railway and dated from 1841, which is when that line opened. However, an alternative view is that it was a two-road engine shed, big enough to house four of the first main line steam engines, built by the Newcastle & Darlington Junction Railway when it opened in 1844. The Tithe map of 1847 confirms the building in this position. The listing notes that the first trains to run on the 1841 line used locomotives borrowed or purchased from the Stockton and Darlington. It also says, "The architect is uncertain but it is thought to be George Townsend Andrews of York, architect of the first York Station. While this cannot be confirmed the balance of evidence supports this view as Andrews is confirmed as a prolific designer of very many railway buildings in the area including stations, goods stations and engine sheds during this period including work for the Great North of England Railway." The alternative view is that it was, "Designed by George Hudson's friend, George Townsend Andrews." That view is supported by the building being in Andrews' style. It is believed to have been altered or rebuilt in 1854.
1861.
An 1861. 4-road, 12-engine shed also survives in Whessoe Rd, designed by William Peachey in the angle between the S&D main line and the track serving North Road Works, into which it was merged.
Steam.
In 1949 Darlington MPD had 138 locos (including (4 LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-0, 1 A2, 17 A5, 14 B1, 2 C7 , 3 G5, 10 J21, 12 J25, 37 J39, 10 J71, 4 J72, 12 J77, 10 J94, 3 L1, 5 N9, Q5, 2 V2)) allocated to it. By 1961 it was down to 68 steam locos (including 2 A3, 9 B1, 15 J94, 11 K1, 1 V2, 12 WD) and 27 diesel shunters.
Steam Sub-Sheds.
Darlington had several sub-sheds, some of which had sub-sheds of their own. Darlington's sub-shed was Middleton-in-Teesdale (to 1957)


Southsea Railway

The Southsea Railway was a branch of the Portsmouth Direct Line, located on Portsea Island, Hampshire in the United Kingdom. The railway was opened on 1 July 1885 and closed on 6 August 1914.
History.
In 1879, South Parade Pier was opened by Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar in Southsea, a fashionable Victorian seaside resort in southern Portsmouth.
South Parade Pier, measuring in length, began operating a passenger steamer service across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. This service gave rise to the idea of linking Southsea and its pier to Portsmouth's railway line, bypassing the busy town of Portsmouth and its crowded harbour. A similar scheme had already been operating between Clarence Pier and "Portsmouth Town" railway station since 1861.
The Southsea Railway Company was founded by Edwin Galt, who had been the mayor of Portsmouth from 1868 to 1869. Work on the new line began in March 1884, with Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar cutting the first sod.
The first and original terminus station of the Southsea Railway was named Southsea and was built in a grand Queen Anne style. The station was located to the north of Granada Road, Southsea, and south of the southern side of St. Simon's Church, in St. Ronan's Road, Southsea. The station and its tracks were orientated diagonally north-east in parallel with the southern side of St. Ronan's Road, and had three long platforms under a glass paned roof.
Southsea station, along with the Southsea Railway and Fratton railway station were jointly opened on 1 July 1885 by Lady Ada Mary Willis (née Neeld), wife of General Sir George Willis, the Lieutenant Governor of Portsmouth. The Southsea Railway was built to serve the fashionable Victorian seaside resort of Southsea, and at its northern end, the Southsea Railway connected to the Portsmouth Direct Line at Fratton railway station.
The Southsea Railway line was an uninterrupted 1.25 miles (2 km) long, using cuttings excavated to pass under Old Bridge Road and Albert Road, then under earth-bank road bridges built at Devonshire Avenue and Goldsmith Avenue. At the railway lines northern end, after passing underneath the Goldsmith Avenue road bridge, it connected to a dedicated island platform at Fratton railway station - itself purposely built as an interchange station for the Southsea Railway and Portsmouth Direct Line.
Fratton Station was also opened on the same day that the Southsea Railway was. An earlier alternative location for the Southsea Railway interchange station was originally planned at the newly built Station Road in Copnor, Portsmouth, but was not constructed, instead built at Fratton. Ironically, Copnor's Station Road still exists today, near to Copnor Bridge.
By the twentieth century, the Southsea Railway was experiencing competition with Portsmouth Corporation Transport electric trams and trolleybuses. Conventional steam trains on the line were replaced in 1903 with long steam railcars. The steam-powered railcars had small wheels and allegedly gave passengers a bumpy ride.
In 1904, the original 1885 Southsea station building was leased out to a motor engineer business as a cost-cutting measure, the Southsea Railway terminus then moved south to a much smaller single wooden platform station named East Southsea, built directly on Granada Road itself. Two unstaffed station halts were added in 1904 at Jessie Road and Albert Road
Sadly, on 19 July 1904, South Parade Pier was destroyed by fire, before being rebuilt and reopening on 12 August 1908.
On 4 July 1905, Fratton railway station's name was changed to "Fratton & Southsea".
The First World War, closure and fate.
By 1914, the threat of the First World War loomed. The final nail in the Southsea Railway's coffin was a government directive issued shortly after the declaration of war to the effect that railways unable to support themselves would cease operations at the earliest opportunity; and, as the line clearly fell into this category, the last train ran on 6 August 1914. The original 1885 Southsea station at Granada road was used as an munitions store during the war, while the rail line itself served as an additional overflow siding from Fratton railway station's goods yard.
After the war, the Southsea Railway and its stations lay abandoned. Partial removal of the line was sanctioned by Section 55 of the Southern Railway Act 1923. The 1885 Southsea station at Granada Road was converted into a road vehicle garage business, until it was demolished in the 1970s and later replaced with a residential cul de sac called Chewter Close which was named after former 1995 Portsmouth mayor, Malcolm Chewter.
Legacy.
After the demise of the Southsea Railway, "Fratton & Southsea" station reverted to its original "Fratton" name on 1 December 1921.
The "Southsea" station name was later transferred to Portsmouth's main "Portsmouth Town" railway station in 1925 creating the present-day Portsmouth & Southsea railway station name. Portsmouth was elevated to city status a year later in 1926.
Southsea Railway route today.
After its closure, the route of the Southsea Railway line was mostly redeveloped for housing, although its distinctive curved route can still be traced on a modern street map of present-day Portsmouth, and compared with period maps of the early twentieth century.
The site of Southsea's terminus station is now occupied by a modern residential cul de sac named Chewter Close, just to the north of Granada Road in Southsea. The original 1885 terminus station building was located at the northern end of today's Chewter Close until its demolition in the 1970s. A mural commemorating the station was unveiled on the northernmost wall in Chewter Close on 26 August 2011. The smaller, later East Southsea station site is now occupied by modern houses at the junction of Chewter Close and Granada Road.
Immediately to the north of Chewter Close, the Southsea Railway line followed the route of today's Parkstone Avenue, a mid-twentieth century development of semi-detached houses that covered the southern end of the line. To the north of Parkstone Avenue, the railway route passed through a bridge cutting under the eponymously named Old Bridge Road.
The route of the former Southsea Railway continued northwards in a narrow cutting between St. Ronan's Road and Craneswater Avenue, now filled and occupied by housing. Further to the north, the line ran alongside the eastern side of Craneswater School and passed through the Albert Road bridge cutting (since demolished and filled in). The route is now covered by a small school car park, games courts and turfed playing fields, this land previously had an Odeon ('Salon' from 1977) cinema built on it in 1937 before closure and demolition in 1985.
Through the Albert Road bridge cutting, the line passed under what is now 253 Albert Road, a dry-cleaners store. Beside this, at 251 Albert Road, the railway passed alongside a building once called the Gaiety Cinema, which has since been converted into a modern-day Co-op supermarket. The shape of the Co-op building's east side wall still follows the same angle as the former railway line route.
Following the route north from Albert Road, there is now Festing Mews, a collection of lockup garages built over the Southsea Railway line route. Continuing northwards, the route passed through what is now Pepys Close, a row of twentieth century bungalows.
North of Pepys Close, a brick wall now blocks the route northwards into a wide present-day back alleyway that passes between the backs of terraced houses in Bath Road and St. Augustine Road. The Southsea Railway line once passed through this alleyway and emerged at today's expanded Devonshire Avenue, the former location of Jessie Road Bridge Halt railway station. A road bridge was formerly built above this station, and connected Jessie Road in the west to Devonshire Avenue in the east. A turfed island in the centre of the present day Devonshire Avenue marks the location of the eastern half end of the demolished bridge.
North of Devonshire Avenue, the Southsea Railway route began its northwest arc to link with Fratton railway station. The arc originally followed directly behind the back of terraced houses in Heidelberg Road, and then to the north of house fronts in Francis Avenue. The original railway route is now covered by the extended Fernhurst Road and the addition of Chestnut Avenue. The houses in these newer roads are of a later style to those found in Heidelberg Road and Francis Avenue.
From the north side of Francis Avenue, the Southsea Railway line then travelled beneath an earth-bank road bridge built at an angle over the top of Goldsmith Avenue and down into Fratton railway station. The bridge, since demolished, once occupied land on Goldsmith Avenue which presently has a large modern Lidl supermarket on it. The supermarket replaced an earlier Danepak Bacon building, built after the bridge and Southsea Railway route were demolished.
North of the Goldsmith Avenue bridge, the Southsea Railway route once terminated at its own dedicated covered platform island at Fratton railway station, south of the main station buildings and platforms. The island was built just to the east of the main Fratton station overhead footbridge, which previously had a flight of stairs leading down to the Southsea Railway's island platforms. This island at Fratton station was demolished after the Southsea Railway line closed, a modern train washing facility now occupies the site.
Alternative stations.
Southsea is now served by stations at Fratton, Portsmouth & Southsea, and Portsmouth Harbour (also called The Hard), with regular trains to London Waterloo and coastway services.
Southsea Railway expansion.
According to a 18 June 2016 article by Bob Hind of Portsmouth's "The News" newspaper, plans for an expansion to the Southsea Railway network were once considered, but were ultimately never built.
The expansion plan would have created a junction at Goldsmith Avenue for trains from either Southsea, Fratton or Portsmouth to travel along the northern side of Goldsmith Avenue to the road junction of Milton Road, following the exact former Portsmouth & Arundel Canal route through Milton, to the disused lock gates at Locksway Road beside Langstone Harbour.
A new bridge across Langstone Harbour would have linked Portsea Island directly to Hayling Island by rail, and connect to the Hayling Island branch line. This, if ever created would have created a large railway loop in south east Hampshire, as the Hayling Island branch line continued north to Havant railway station on the mainland, which in turn was connected to the Portsmouth Direct Line railway.
As noted by the newspaper article, this plan might have prevented the closure of the Hayling Island branch line on 2 November 1963. But as the Southsea Railway itself closed before this date in 1914, the alleged expansion plan was never seriously considered.


Hexham and Allendale Railway

The Hexham and Allendale Railway was a railway company formed in 1865 to build a branch line from the lead mining district of Allendale in Northumberland to a junction near Hexham on the Carlisle to Newcastle line. It opened to goods and mineral traffic in two stages from 1867, and to passengers in 1869.
The area was thinly populated apart from the lead mining and smelting settlements, and a slump in lead prices around the time of opening made the financial status of the line difficult, and it was not completed to its intended southern terminus of Allenheads.
The company was absorbed by the North Eastern Railway in 1876, and the passenger service was withdrawn in 1930; the line closed completely in 1950.
First railways.
The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway was built to connect the east and west coasts of northern England, but in its construction, priority was given to opening the section between Hexham and Blaydon. This was to give early access to the River Tyne for lead ore extracted in the area, considered to be the most lucrative potential traffic for the line. The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway was completed (from Carlisle to Gateshead) in 1837.
Much of the ore was extracted from hilly locations north and south of the N&CR main line, and for some time it was carted down to the N&CR at Hexham or Haydon Bridge for onward conveyance by train. This was an improvement on the previous arrangement, but it was not long before proposals for railway connections were put forward. As early as 1841 the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway considered a connection to Alston and Nenthead, high in the hills south of and above Haltwhistle. The Nenthead part of that was dropped, but the branch line from Alston to Haltwhistle was opened in two stages in 1851 and 1852.
A rival proposal to the N&CR Alston branch had been the Wear Valley Extension Railway, which was proposed in 1845 to build from Frosterley on the Wear Valley Railway to near Milton on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway main line. Sponsored by the Stockton and Darlington Railway this was conceived as part of a future through main line route to Scotland. The terrain was very challenging, and attempts to keep to main line curvatures and gradients had to compromise with realistic earthworks. Opposition from the Earl of Carlisle, the major landowner in the area, resulted in the proposal being dropped in 1846.
Now in the same year the Newcastle and Carlisle published their intention to build a branch to Allendale from Morralee, but they were unable to prepare timely and accurate survey documents for the line through difficult terrain and the plan was deferred; even the Alston branch, serving a greater concentration of the lead industry, was much delayed in opening..
The independently promoted Border Counties Railway ran north from Hexham, connecting mineral deposits to the main line as well as harbouring strategic plans to reach further, which it later achieved. The first part opened in 1858.
Allendale.
The Beaumont Lead Company was operating at Allendale, 12 miles east of Alston. The Alston branch was of no benefit to it, and it continued to convey its output by road down to Haydon Bridge on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, while its competitors now had the advantage of a railway connection. The company was owned by Wentworth Blackett Beaumont and on 31 August 1864 he chaired a meeting in Allendale to promote a locally financed railway to Hexham, on the N&CR. The Greenwich Hospital Estates, trading as the London Lead Company had a lead smelting plant at Langley, and had become major proprietors of smelting facilities in the area and they supported the scheme, being prepared to invest £10,000. Beaumont stated that he would invest £20,000.
The company's manager was Thomas J Bewicke, and he arranged a survey; although a steep and continuous gradient of 1 in 40 was required there were no major engineering difficulties and no landowner opposition, and the North Eastern Railway was amenable to a junction being made with its main line. The line was to run from Hexham to Allendale, with a 7-mile extension to Allenheads. Parliamentary plans were deposited in November 1864; the Bill was unopposed and received the Royal Assent on 19 June 1865.
Construction proceeded reasonably rapidly, although the deep embankment at Coastley Dene proved difficult to stabilise. The Parliamentary plans had shown the junction with the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway at about 400 yards west of Border Counties Junction, where the BCR diverged. This was too far to control the junction to the Allendale from the Border Counties Junction signalbox, and a separate signalbox was inappropriate, so informal arrangements were made to make the junction close to the Border Counties Junction and within the control of that signalbox.
The company had difficult raising capital; the large subscriptions taken by Beaumont, the Greenwich Hospital and certain other principals with an interest in the line were not matched by individual subscriptions, and the decision was taken to stop construction about a mile short of Allendale, and not to proceed to Allenheads at all.
Opening.
The line was opened for mineral traffic between Border Counties Junction and Langley on 19 August 1867. The line was worked by the North Eastern Railway. The next section to Allendale was opened for goods and mineral traffic on 13 January 1868; the "temporary terminus" was named Catton Road. The junction at Border Counties was also a temporary arrangement, unsuitable for passenger operation, and the North Eastern Railway had undertaken to improve Hexham station but had not yet done so.
The Hexham and Allendale company paid for the use of the miles of NER line into Hexham station, and for the use of Hexham station. The cost of a locomotive on the H&AR was three guineas a day, and the H&AR paid the crews’ wages, any locomotive repairs, and stores used.
On 2 February 1869 the Board of Trade Inspecting Officer visited the line to approve it for passenger operation, but he declined to do so because of deficiencies in the signalling; he also criticised the arrangements at the North Eastern Railway's Hexham station. Yolland visited again on 25 February 1869 and this time passed the line for passenger opening. Passenger trains ran from 1 March 1869; there were two services each way every weekday, with a third on Hexham market day, Tuesday.
At this time the world price of lead had slumped considerably, and the commercial viability of the lead works, and the business they brought to the line, declined. In fact the slump led to a collapse, and depopulation of the area followed rapidly, with serious consequences for the line. Allendale parish's population fell from 6401 in 1861 to 5397 by 1871. In 1881 it was down to 4030. The collapse of the lead industry occurred from about 1880, most mines closing, and by 1886 the Allendale and Langley smelters had closed and the Beaumont lead concern had given-up its local interests entirely. Nonetheless it carried 240,000 passenger journeys during its independent existence.
Receipts for the half year to 30 June 1868 were:
In 1876 the company sold its line to the North Eastern Railway, and its shareholders received about 60% of their investment, effective on 13 July 1876. Dividends had been paid on three occasions.
The line continued but the depopulation and industrial decline had an adverse effect on business. Nonetheless for many years there were two goods trains daily on the branch; milk was an exceptionally buoyant traffic.
The line was single, worked on the one engine in steam principle, intermediate sidings being served by ground frame connections released by the train staff.
After 1923.
Following the Railways Act 1921, the North Eastern Railway was a constituent of the new London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), as part of the "grouping" of the main line railways of Great Britain, effective from 1 January 1923.
The new owner was unable to sustain the passenger service, and it was withdrawn from 22 September 1930.
After nationalisation of the railways on 1 January 1948 the line was under the control of British Railways. The residual goods service was unprofitable and the line closed completely in November 1950.
Topography.
The passenger service on the line started on 1 March 1869 and closed 22 September 1930.
Station list:
The line climbed steeply to a summit at Langley, 800 feet above sea level, and then descended to Staward, then falling gently to the terminus.


Hamworthy Freight Branch

The Hamworthy Freight Branch is a short standard gauge line from Hamworthy Station to the Hamworthy side of Poole Harbour.
History.
The line was originally constructed by the Southampton and Dorchester Railway in 1847 and was the terminus for Poole via a bridge over the inlet dividing Poole and Hamworthy. A new through branch via opened to a new Poole railway station in 1872 which meant that passengers had a direct service to the town, and following the opening of the causeway across Holes Bay in 1893 allowing through trains to serve Poole, the Hamworthy Branch lost its passenger status in 1896.
Locomotives.
The line was once worked, as part of the local pick up goods rounds, by a Southern Railway B4 class 0-4-0 steam locomotive.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s the line was worked by Class 03 Drewry 0-6-0 diesel shunting locomotives numbers 03 179 and 03 083, occasionally as double headers (cab to cab) when hauling a long train of Ford transit vans on bogie flat wagons or heavy girder and sheet steel rolls on bogie bolsters. Local school children at the lineside Hamworthy Middle School were quite familiar with these locomotives and could tell from a distance which was which as 03 179 was always front towards the docks and 03 083 was always cab towards the docks.
The brake vans used were the standard BR type, occasionally carrying a bicycle on the rear platform, as the train would stop at the hand opened level crossing gates in Ashmore Avenue, a man would jump down from the locomotive, open the gates and the train would proceed through. The train would stop just clear of the gates and the bicycle would be unloaded for the man to cycle back to Poole station once he had closed the gates. On occasions the reverse would happen and the man would cycle from Poole station, open the gates, the train would pass through returning to Poole, stop and pick up the man plus bicycle on the brake van.
A frequent brake van visitor was the ex-LSWR bogie brake van, which still had faint LSWR lettering showing under the BR red oxide wood paint. This tended to be used on heavier steel trains hauled by the double headed 03 shunters.
In the late 1970s both were replaced by Class 09 0-6-0 diesel shunting locomotives.
Occasional visitors were Class 47s hauling exceptional export steel train loads during the 1970s, later Class 37s became the normal visitors as steel and other freight traffic was forwarded via the branch (mostly scrap metal to the electric arc furnaces in Cardiff).
As of 2010 the line is home to no locomotives. The Poole Harbour Company kept a 0-4-0 shunter for use on the line, but in 2011 the loco was scrapped.
Current use.
The branch remains connected to the mainline network, but sees no regular traffic. Semi-permanent fences and barriers have been erected across the line near each of the level crossings in the port area.
The first stone train to run in five years along the line arrived in Hamworthy on the 25 January 2017. A regular weekly service has been restored.


Taunton sleeping car fire

In the early hours of 6 July 1978, a fire broke out in a sleeping car train near Taunton, Somerset, England, causing the death of 12 people and injuring 15. The fire was started by an electric heater that had been obstructed by sacks of dirty bed linen, causing it to overheat. Most deaths were due to smoke inhalation.
In response to the incident, British Rail adopted various fire safety measures on the newly introduced Mark 3 passenger carriages.
Background.
The fire started in a British Railways Mark 1 sleeping car (no. W2437) which had been built in 1960, at which time trains in the UK were mostly hauled by steam locomotives, which provided steam for heating passenger accommodation. Diesel locomotives of the period were fitted with boilers so that they could be used with existing coaches. However, with steam locomotives gone by the 1970s, and with boilers proving unreliable and expensive to maintain, the decision was made to change to electric train heating (ETH). W2437 was converted in 1976, with an electric heater being installed in the vestibule.
The Class 47-hauled 22:30 sleeping car express from Penzance to Paddington on 5 July 1978 was scheduled to pick up two sleeping cars at Plymouth; this arrangement was so that passengers joining the train there could go to bed without having to wait for the main service to arrive at around midnight.
The main store for bed linen on the Plymouth service was at Old Oak Common depot near London Paddington. Used bedding from Plymouth was previously transported in the guards van of the Plymouth portion, but in 1977 that vehicle was removed from the formation. Instead, the dirty linen was stacked in plastic bags in the vestibule of W2437, against the heater.
Events.
The train arrived at Plymouth from Penzance at 23:50. It was coupled up to the Plymouth sleeping cars (which included W2437) and the ETH was turned on at 00:15. The train departed on time at 00:30 and made scheduled stops at Newton Abbot and Exeter. Nobody who saw the train noticed anything amiss, but the bags of linen were now heating up. As they smouldered they began to give off toxic gases, including carbon monoxide. Unfortunately the ventilation system drew fresh air from the vestibule, and the gases were sucked into the system and into each berth.
A major fire developed and the train was stopped at 02:41 near Silk Mill signal box about a mile short of the station in Taunton, Somerset, by the communication cord being pulled. By that time, most of the victims were already dead from carbon monoxide poisoning. A small number of passengers awoke and were able to escape, although they had considerable difficulty in doing so due to the smoke and heat. The sleeping car attendant of the Plymouth coaches could only shout a warning to a few of the occupants before he was overcome by smoke; it was the attendant in the adjacent coach who pulled the communication cord. The victims as well as other injured passengers were taken to the nearby Musgrove Park Hospital for treatment.
A twelfth passenger, a Belgian national, died from pneumonia in August, having never regained consciousness.
Consequences.
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster David Penhaligon, the Liberal MP for Truro who regularly used the West Country sleeper stated in the House of Commons that "All the doors" on the train were "locked between carriages" and that all the external doors were locked expect for the door where the attendant was. He also claimed that windows on the train which were supposed to be able to be opened rarely worked. These remarks echoed claims by passengers that locked doors had hampered escape efforts. In the same debate another West Country MP Robin Maxwell-Hyslop, the Conservative MP for Tiverton pointed out that 111 years earlier an inspector reporting on "the Irish Mail crash" - which actually was in 1868 - had warned that locking doors at the end of sleeping cars could result in passenger deaths and asked "should we not have learned by now?"
Initial reports showed that fire crews had difficulty during the rescue operation because doors on the train were locked. This was against the rules, but it was commonplace for attendants to lock the end doors of the pair of coaches that they were responsible for. This meant that attendants could greet passengers on arrival, and it helped to keep out intruders. Following this discovery, BR made it absolutely clear that all doors were to be left unlocked at all times.
The Taunton fire occurred just as new Mark 3 sleeping cars were at the design stage. The decision was taken to install state-of-the art fire prevention measures including sophisticated warning systems, fire retardant materials, multilingual warning placards and revised emergency procedures.


Mexborough engine shed

Mexborough engine shed was an engine shed in Swinton, in South Yorkshire, England. It was built by the Great Central Railway and opened in 1875. The shed was built slightly to the west of the current Mexborough station on land between the River Don and the River Don Navigation. It had 15 dead end roads, and could handle about 150 steam locomotives, mainly for use on freight trains. The London and North Eastern Railway operated the shed from 1923. In 1948, on the formation of British Railways Eastern Region, Mexborough bore the shed code 36B, then 41F from 1958. It closed in February 1964.
Most of the locomotives stabled at Mexborough were used for hauling coal trains. The coal originated from the many collieries in the South Yorkshire coalfield and wagons of coal were despatched to locations all over the country. However, the main destinations were the industries and power stations in Lancashire. With the opening of the Wath marshalling yard in 1907, Mexborough supplied locomotives for collecting wagons from the collieries, for re-marshalling of the wagons at Wath and for hauling coal trains across the steeply-graded "Woodhead" route across the Pennines into Lancashire. In the 1920s, the depot was the stabling point for what was then the most powerful locomotive in the UK, the London & North Eastern Railway's Class U1 Garratt. It was used for banking heavy coal trains up the Worsborough incline on the Woodhead route.
In 1942 during the Second World War, three former Great Eastern Railway LNER J15 locomotives were drafted into to assist with coal traffic.
In the 1950s, the route from Wath to Manchester was electrified. Consequently, the demand for the steam locomotives from the Mexborough depot reduced. The electric locomotives were stabled at Wath rather than Mexborough. Even the steam shunting engines for the marshalling work at Wath yard were replaced by diesel shunters in 1957. The use of steam locomotives for collecting coal from local collieries was also phased out and the depot closed in 1964. The site of Mexborough depot is now occupied by units in an industrial estate off of Meadow Way in Swinton.
In its heyday, the depot had its own football team, Mexborough Locomotive Works F.C..
Locomotives.
On 1 January 1923 the following classes of locomotive were allocated to Mexborough.
In 1950, locomotive classes allocated to Mexborough included: