The R&ER Magazine the R&ER Magazine
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The R&ER Magazine Number 225 June 2017 The Journal of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society The R&ER Magazine No.225 Commemoration & Celebration June 2017 Editorial by John Taylor As Keith wrote in Magazine 224, 2017 is a landmark year in the history of Published quarterly by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway the R&ER. Events during the year both “commemorate” and “celebrate”; we Preservation Society Limited shall be remembering the fiftieth anniversary of theRiver Mite, celebrating Member of the Heritage Railway Association the inauguration of Whillan Beck resplendent in Caledonian blue, looking Editorial Team: Keith Herbert, Di Chase, Bill Seddon, Opinions expressed by contributors and forward to an autumn gala, the opening of the new museum and the completed Mark Harrington, John Taylor in editorial comment do not necessarily reconstruction of Katie. Editorial Designer: Julie Hutchinson reflect the collective views of the Society. The R&ER Magazine is always pleased to receive All these things are good in themselves, but are also events that have an correspondence, photographs and articles for possible PRESS DEADLINE: Material for inclusion importance in and beyond themselves because they serve to build up the life inclusion. Most nowadays arrive via our e-mail address, in the next issue of the Magazine must of the R&ER as an entity. Commemoration means “to remember together” or but postal contributions remain welcome. Please reach the editors not later than “to have memories in common” and it is these common memories that give include a name and contact address with any prints. Thursday 20th July at noon. Scanning facilities are available. Please send material earlier if possible. meaning and purpose. So we shall be remembering fifty years ofRiver Mite, not simply because it’s a lovely engine to look at or ride behind, but because of what Society website: http://www.rerps.co.uk those fifty years have meant to the Railway – the fundraising; the excitement of its arrival; each of its drivers down the years; every journey, each happy Council Chairman: Sam Dixon, 17 Woodlands, Great Corby, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 8LX. passenger carried, and maybe even a few unhappy or traumatic memories – but Email: [email protected] all of which play a part in making Ratty what it is. Hon. Secretary: Mungo Stacy, 34 Mayfield Road, Manchester M16 8EU. Email: [email protected] And we shall be celebrating new things too – a new locomotive or two, a new Hon. Financial Secretary: David Lees, 31 Water Street, Ribchester, Preston, Lancashire PR3 3YJ. museum, and anticipating the uniqueness and fun of an autumn gala. These Email: [email protected] are events which will happen for the first time, but the very next day will join the growing list of events and people that become the commemorations of the Hon. Membership Secretary (enquiries and online renewals): Sarah Bennett, 2 Stanley Villas, future – and the life of the Railway is enriched again. Drigg Road, Seascale, CA20 1NW. Email: [email protected] Assistant Membership Secretary (renewals by post): Jim Wilcock, ‘Porthlow’, Neston Road, Ness, There is a word Neston CH64 4AZ. Email: [email protected] used in psychology Sales Officer: Terry Williams, 88 Bluestone Road, Moston, Manchester M40 9HY. to describe such Email: [email protected] meaningful events: they are “liminal” Magazine Distributor: Cumbria Mailing Services Ltd. Penrith, CA11 9FQ. events; things which Heywood House Bookings: Mary Harding. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 01229 717080. mark a threshold, that Volunteers: Peter Mills. Email: [email protected] have a before and an General Manager: Trevor Stockton, R&ER Co. Ltd. Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1SW. Tel: 01229 717171. after; things which Editor: Keith Herbert, 7 Dalegarth Cottages, Boot, Holmrook, Cumbria CA19 1TF mark the passage of Email: [email protected] time, that live on in our consciousness to be nurtured and Train From Spain Appeal website: TRAIN FROM SPAIN.ORG which are vital to our Donations: Andy Cruickshank, 11 Townfield Close, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SL common life. Let’s make 2017 a liminal Email: [email protected] Obscured from view by steam, early River Mite driver year. Front Cover: Guess who’s back! Bure Valley Railway No.1 Wroxham Broad Benny Benstead brings a train into Eskdale Green. storms Katie Caddy on 4th April 2017. Photo: Christopher Glover Photo: Geoffrey Sims 2 3 News from Ravenglass retain their nostalgic ambiance but generally upgrade fixtures and fittings in Trevor Stockton keeping with the period look. Apart from anything else they are very tired generally and will not go on forever without some TLC! The extended Easter timetable is just coming to an end, following a successful In the next issue it is hoped to report fully on the new carriage build. It is holiday period. The weather was kind; spring sunshine and daffodils. The Prime anticipated that the first vehicle will be an observation car, followed by a Minister has called a snap General Election (no doubt by the time you read this replacement for the Eskdale Belle. To follow will be a roll out of the new saloons. the results will be in), the USA and North Korea are posturing over who has the After many a long year we are seeking planning permission to erect a shed at biggest missiles, while at Ravenglass one season rolls into another! Irton Road. It is one of the few rail-connected areas of the railway, bar Murthwaite, It should be a season full of promise, as outlined in the last issue, with many where it is still possible to build further rolling stock accommodation. The events coming through. Early indications are good – a very successful Peppa Pig finished building will be three tracks wide and long enough to take two carriages event in late March, in glorious sunshine, where last year it was an early Easter. on each road. It would be nice to think that one day we could winter some of This all helps to promote a feeling of confidence before the high summer. I the opens in there and leave more room for the rest of the stock at Ravenglass. think it will be a case of ‘watch this space’ as the next issue will carry reports Elsewhere the usual smaller jobs are being tackled. Irton Road Station Master’s of ’s rededication, the museum extension opening and the possible River Mite office is having a much needed re-plastering of the internal walls. This should steaming of and together! Whillan Beck River Esk make it a bit more habitable for our resident Station Master, Gwyn Murfet. In Although in its very early stages, plans are taking shape for an upgrade of Ravenglass, the area up behind the engine shed, that had doubled up as a staff our venerable camping coaches. Returned to the railway in 1968, they have car park some years ago, is being reclaimed. It had become a dumping ground weathered many a Ravenglass storm, received various repaints, had minor for the excess stone from the workshop rebuild and all the old timber from overhauls, etc. The intention is to go for a complete revamp inside and out; the same job. When work is finished we should be able to get at between six and eight cars on there every day, releasing much needed room and of course creating revenue in the main car park. Finally, we are always appealing for help from both new and current volunteers. However, we do have a significant event – the ‘Oktoberfest’ – at the end of the season with the potential to have twelve, yes twelve, locomotives in steam at some point. Subject to availability of course! Please keep Peter Mills up to speed with your availability through the season and for this event. Permanent Way Notes David Moseley January’s Track Week at Katie Caddy was our most successful ever – by the end of the week we had had 141 days of labour, relaid thirty-eight lengths and packed an additional twelve lengths into the 2014 relay in Wet Cutting. When the last Notes were written the earthworks were being completed – three new cross-track drains were installed and channels dug out to the River Mite. John Wilson spent several days just completing the drains and making sure the water was getting away. The path on the south side of the line (where it runs parallel to the track) has been a soggy mess as long as anyone can remember and once we started investigating we found that, although there were drains, Wroxham Broad pauses at Fisherground to let River Irt pass. these were blocked and causing the water to flow over the top of the path. Photo: Keith Herbert 4 5 Once cleared the path dried out and made conditions underfoot acceptable. By the last weekend we were packing into the old track in Wet Cutting with a The fence separating the path from the track was replaced and hopefully should gang following to top up the ballast. By the Sunday we had all but completed discourage walkers and cyclists from accessing the railway and walking up the the basic works leaving a few minor jobs to attend to the following week to track as has happened in the past. make the track fit to run passenger services. John and Stan removed the timber from the felled trees by trailer and whilst Particular thanks must go to the track gang of both staff and volunteers who yet they were in the area also felled more trees at Murthwaite, opening up a view again surpassed expectations with enthusiasm and commitment through some of the crushing plant not seen for many years.