The R&ER Magazine Number 223 December 2016

The Journal of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society The R&ER Magazine No.223 Editorial December 2016 Keith Herbert

Anyone holding their breath over the last decade or two for a new museum, Published quarterly by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway construction of which hinges on the transfer of a tiny strip of land from Network Preservation Society Limited Rail to the R&ER, can exhale at last; the transfer has been completed and building Member of the Heritage Railway Association may begin. This Phase II of the museum project will increase the footprint Editorial Team: Keith Herbert, Di Chase, Bill Seddon, Opinions expressed by contributors and beyond what was achieved in Phase I, creating more covered space for the Mark Harrington, John Taylor in editorial comment do not necessarily housing and displaying of historic or interesting locomotives and rolling stock. Editorial Designer: Julie Hutchinson reflect the collective views of the Society. Project manager David Rounce shares the news in his regular feature on page 16. The R&ER Magazine is always pleased to receive correspondence, photographs and articles for possible PRESS DEADLINE: Material for inclusion Elsewhere in this issue, we have updates on Katie and the Train From Spain, inclusion. Most nowadays arrive via our e-mail address, in the next issue of the Magazine must work on which is coming on apace now. River Esk, too, moves ever nearer to but postal contributions remain welcome. Please reach the editors not later than completion, as Nigel Day reveals on page 14. Problems out on the track owing to include a name and contact address with any prints. Thursday 19th January at noon. Scanning facilities are available. Please send material earlier if possible. extremes of weather have been overcome by David Moseley and team, and there are lots of events in the planning for 2017 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Society website: http://www.rerps.co.uk River Mite and the inauguration of No.8457 – the opportunity to choose a name for which has arrived (details on page 19). On the volunteering front, some ten Council Chairman: Sam Dixon, 17 Woodlands, Great Corby, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 8LX. guards have been passed out this season, with more still in training (putting us Email: [email protected] roughly on par with the twelve passed out last year), and words of encouragement Hon. Secretary: Mungo Stacy, 34 Mayfield Road, Manchester M16 8EU. to would-be volunteers are offered in this edition by, among others, Sales Officer Email: [email protected] Terry Williams, who is making strides in that area, with new lines available for Hon. Financial Secretary: David Lees, 31 Water Street, Ribchester, Preston, Lancashire PR3 3YJ. the discerning customer! We also welcome Assistant General Manager Martin Email: [email protected] Cookman, who presents the News from Ravenglass in a very thorough update to Hon. Membership Secretary: Sarah Bennett, 2 Stanley Villas, Drigg Road, Seascale, CA20 1NW. the readership. Email: [email protected] (1-1299 and 2500-3999) There is also an increasingly rare update on workshop activities – a Christmas Assistant Membership Secretary: Jim Wilcock, ‘Porthlow’, Neston Road, Ness, Neston CH64 4AZ. treat for readers – and a strong reminder of our continuing struggle for motive Email: [email protected] (1300-2499) power in the Traffic News. Although it has not run trouble-free,Typhoon has Sales Officer: Terry Williams, 88 Bluestone Road, Moston, Manchester M40 9HY. provided invaluable support to the Ratty this season, the third member of the Email: [email protected] Romney fleet to do so in the last four years. Its Romney stablemate,Green Magazine Distributor: Cumbria Mailing Services Ltd. Penrith, CA11 9FQ. Goddess, suffered damage in an horrific collision with a tractor on an occupation Heywood House Bookings: Mary Harding. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 01229 717080. crossing over the summer, and will spend quite some time out of traffic. As members of this great narrow gauge fraternity we must be thankful that nobody Volunteers: Peter Mills. Email: [email protected] was seriously injured, and offer our very best wishes to all at the RH&DR as a General Manager: Trevor Stockton, R&ER Co. Ltd. Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1SW. Tel: 01229 717171. mark of gratitude for the help they have given to the R&ER when perhaps we Editor: Keith Herbert, 7 Dalegarth Cottages, Boot, Holmrook, Cumbria CA19 1TF have not always been easy to accommodate. Email: [email protected] All of this helps to illustrate and underline once again the importance to us of having another working steam locomotive or few of our own. The Train Train From Spain Appeal website: train from spain.org From Spain Appeal and the River Mite Maintenance Fund remain very much Donations: Andy Cruickshank, 11 Townfield Close, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SL open for business, and for anyone who feels strongly enough about it I am Email: [email protected] sure the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway Association’s Special Projects Fund would also welcome support to maintain the locomotives it has been our Front Cover: River Mite passes through Little Cutting during a wintry-looking privilege to operate. April 2015. Photo: Christopher Glover 2 3 News from Ravenglass Due to losing the Irt from traffic, the railway management team met and a Martin Cookman decision was taken to request hiring in a Romney loco to strengthen the fleet for the summer season. Typhoon arrived at the end of July, has worked two months, travelled 1,730 miles and been invaluable. We cannot thank the team Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. at the RH&DR enough for coming to the rescue and helping us make it through Although generally we have had a period of good operating days, unfortunately another season. the summer season never seemed really to get going for us. Operationally, the Extreme weather conditions (not our friend Typhoon!) hit the railway on the railway with its team has performed well; personnel have stayed buoyant and 22nd August causing us to lose an operating day. A severe storm caused a torrent enthusiastic which is a credit to them in the face of lower than expected visitor of water to come off the fell in the Mill Wood area, blocking the storm drain numbers. culvert and placing debris over the line. In the area of Hollin How we had a tarn Most advertised services have been fulfilled, but some steam-hauled trains break its bank and knock a dry stone wall over, washing it on to the railway line. have had to be replaced by diesel due to motive power constraints, following An unprecedented situation which took a lot of clearing up, it’s a credit to all unforeseen damage to locomotives in service. We are now taking the opportunity involved that we only lost the one day. through October and November to repair the fleet and have everything ready Northern Rock was withdrawn from traffic duties on 15th September with what for the usual busy Santa Season. appeared to be worn rear truck suspension. It has undergone repairs in the In July River Irt suffered a trailing truck spring failure in traffic, causing a workshop, returning to traffic on 23rd October, following testing the previous day. considerable amount of repair work to be undertaken just as we hit the high On 19th September River Mite struck a boulder in the centre of the line at the 3 summer service. The locomotive was repaired, tested and passed fit for traffic mile post area. This caused the front truck of the loco to derail and numerous on 25th August and entered traffic again on the 28th August. parts of the loco’s brake gear to be broken. No-one was hurt and the train came to a safe stand; an evacuation was carried out, followed by repairs and recovery. This meant the railway was operational again three hours later with the cancellation of only a few trains. We had been instructed to carry out an internal investigation, so we took the decision to ask Green Dragon Rail to undertake this for us. Due to the current workload, we felt it unrealistic for the team at Ravenglass to conduct and prepare this report, along with concentrating on repair works. River Mite is awaiting workshop time for repair. During the summer season Synolda was in steam on Tuesdays, giving rides along the engineers’ siding. This was designed to promote the museum project, and was very popular. The museum team also attended Eskdale Show on Saturday 24th September, taking Synolda on a trailer (thanks to Stan Wilson). Although a static exhibit, Synolda attracted a good deal of attention and raised awareness of the museum project, as well as the Train From Spain and the railway in general, and roughly £30 in donations were taken. The show’s organisers have expressed interest in our attendance next year, and we are hoping to take Katie or Quarryman. Around Ravenglass external wood repairs have taken place prior to the painting of both camping coaches. Scaffolding has been erected around the old BR signal box with a view to repairs and painting commencing over the winter period. On the permanent way David has been working hard in preparation for the winter repair programme. We are expecting to take delivery of sleepers and th On 24 August Typhoon drops down towards Hollin How bridge. fittings soon, so if you were unable to join us for the November Track Week Photo: Ian Pilkington please consider helping during January. 4 5 The railway has just had an extremely successful Peppa Pig event weekend, On 13th August Northern Rock lost two runs with a broken tender wheel with lots of very happy people (small and large) enjoying their time with us. bearing, but returned to service the following day. On 17th August River Irt had Although we were still suffering from a shortage of steam motive power, the a successful light engine run with its new springs but curtailed an empty stock railway operated well with a special timetable in place. Due to the success of test run at Irton Road with a rear truck bearing running hot. this event we are planning to run similar ones next year. On 20th August very wet and windy weather saw Lady Wakefield take River Progress is being made with carriage development, a full application being Mite’s last scheduled run. The bad weather continued such that two days later submitted to the European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF). Purcell architects the Mill Wood culvert overflowed, completely blocked the line with rubble and have completed three sets of drawings for a standard saloon carriage, an trains could not run. At the top of Hollin How bank there was a further major observation car and a Pullman-type event carriage. The carriage brief was blockage where a small tarn had broken its banks and washed an entire section formulated from extensive research across both our customers and other of stone wall one hundred metres down to the lineside. Only an empty stock railway carriage designs. The drawings were submitted to three contractors to train ran up the line to form the first down train the following morning. Later quote for the complete works in two phases. These quotes have been submitted on Typhoon lost battery power for braking its train which was rescued from to ESIF in the final application for funding help. A final decision is awaited in Dalegarth by Douglas Ferreira. On 24th August Rock failed with its own brake November 2016 and, if successful, the project must be completed by 2020. compressor problems and Lady Wakefield, summoned from the workshop to replace it, was then stopped at The Green; ‘a fun day was had by all!’ However The transfer of the land for the museum extension from Network Rail to the following day saw Irt pass a test run to re-enter service with a now rare day the R&ER was completed on Thursday 29th September, and it is hoped that of four big locos in steam. construction work will begin at the end of October. After a 22-week build, plus time for fitting out the new exhibitions, the new museum should be open for On 28th August Mite lost a run with a knocking liner and Rock was booked for summer 2017. attention to its tender compressor. On 31st Typhoon needed impromptu banking from Mill Wood by Douglas Ferreira, and the following day was banked on its Traffic News heavy 11.25 train to Irton Road by River Irt. On 4th September Irt lost a run when a valve gear collar went missing. The following day Cyril returned from Peter van Zeller the engineers. The day after that Mite needed recovering from Miteside with a

The motif of the 2016 season was survival, with only just enough motive power to cover scheduled services and plans in place for cancelled trains if an unexpected loco failure reduced availability further. The start of the peak summer ‘yellow’ service from 16th July saw two steam and two diesel locos available for a four loco service. River Irt was out of action for the duration so River Mite had a tender compressor belt quickly replaced before running on 19th July. With no spare loco, this availability was sufficient unto the day for the traffic on offer; ‘this is not summer trade!’ commented the controller’s daily log. Nor was it summer weather. On 20th July Douglas Ferreira went on track patrol to survey for storm damage with a tree to remove at Fisherground Loop. From 26th July Synolda made a weekly appearance promoting the museum project through the high summer service, shuttling on the engineers’ siding headshunt. On 30th July Typhoon was delivered from New Romney and steam tested, with a successful trial run and entry into service on 1st August. It then worked a regular 42-mile turn with few problems, scheduled to allow for separating and turning loco and tender. Meanwhile Lady Wakefield was fully serviced and available as spare loco. On 3rd August Typhoon missed the 10.45 when a water valve spindle broke but then ably supported the much degraded home steam fleet as traffic Lady Wakefield shunts Quarryman and Synolda around Ravenglass, 25th much improved. 9th August saw ‘a busy day with full trains’. September. Photo: Christine Turkington 6 7 bent combination lever, while on 9th September Irt took over Typhoon’s train Permanent Way Notes from Irton Road as the latter had lost a cylinder relief valve. David Moseley River Mite had a test run on 13th September, re-entered service two days later but on 19th September hit a rock between the rails at the 3mp, with subsequent No sooner had the last notes, and their reference to the rail and fittings from delays to trains. Typhoon thus had further service alongside River Irt through the ex-MoD depot at Eastriggs, been sent to the Editor for inclusion in the last to the busy Peppa Pig weekend of 1st and 2nd October. Synolda had a day out Magazine, we were made aware of the rail’s availability from the contractor who by trailer on display at the Eskdale Show on 24th September, commemorating had done the lifting. the momentous day a century before when sister loco Sans Pareil, along with Colossus and Katie, took five hundred people to the 1916 Fell Dales Show. This On the hottest day of the year we went to have a look at what was available was the legendary occasion when the hound trail bookies took bets on when and assess its suitability. Whilst we ultimately decided not to buy rail on this Katie would bring the last portion home! occasion we did eventually purchase some fishplates (as our supply of spares is all but exhausted) and made some useful contacts for equipment and fittings River Irt then ran alone with two diesels for much of the October service with in the future. brief further appearances by Typhoon on 8th and 9th and finally on 22nd October. Lady Wakefield took test runs with coaches 121 and 127 empty on 3rd October We had ordered sleepers for this winter’s relaying back in December 2015, for and the next day loaded with fence posts to simulate weight of passengers. It delivery in early September, in time for drilling and plating prior to arriving in brought Santa’s Sleigh down from Irton Road on 20th October and later had Ravenglass ready for installation. Just to show that the R&ER is not immune to several days moving sleepers to the prospective relaying sites at Muncaster Mill world events, however, we fell victim to a disputed election in Gabon which and above Miteside Loop. meant that, whilst the sleepers had physically arrived in Antwerp (Belgium), the absence of paperwork, including bills of lading from the sawmill, meant that the Northern Rock emerged from the workshops for a trial run and service on 23rd ship could not be unloaded. After several phone calls and even investigation October, enabling two steam locos and one diesel to handle the busy October of alternative supplies the sleepers arrived ready for plating in the early part of half-term trains often loaded to nine and ten full coaches. The daily running October. This wasn’t the end of the problems as even then not all the correct season concluded with two evenings of special Hallowe’en trains on 28th and sleepers had been delivered. 29th October. Typhoon left on 31st October. More phone calls were required to ensure the correct quantity was eventually Over the fence the DRS Class 37-4 powered push-pull trains continue to delivered. At the time of writing (mid-October) we are awaiting the completed provide a distinctive background sound to many of the connecting trains on sleepers from South Wales ready for the start of track work in early November. the Cumbrian Coast line. Other services are handled by Class 156 and 153 bogie units with fewer sightings of the four wheeled 142s as autumn draws on. DRS- While all this was going on the supply of plastic sleepers, as we used in 2014, powered freights see mainly 37s with 66s. On 21st October the Royal Train became available again with the commissioning of a UK manufacturing facility – took Prince Philip to Sellafield, some sixty years on from when HM the Queen we shall look at the costs for next year (2017/18) and other suitable alternatives. opened Calder Hall after an overnight stop in the quiet of the Ravenglass up It is the writer’s view that plastic sleepers are the preferred material for the R&ER loop, earning its nickname ‘Queen’s Siding’. (because of their longevity) but we are always governed by price. Rail tours now mainly pass through Ravenglass with steam limited to 46115 As usual during the summer months operating our intensive train service Scots Guardsman running southbound on 20th August, 3rd September and 1st requires all available staff. As a consequence we have been out on the track only October. A potential run by Castle Class 5043 Earl of Mount Edgecombe on 17th as labour permits – usually managing most Tuesdays and other days only when September was cancelled and Jubilee Class 45690 Leander on 15th October two or more people are free. Having said that we have had probably our best due to ‘gauging issues’. On 22nd October West Coast Railways 47826 and 47851 ever summer of works on the lineside and it looks much more cared for than topped and tailed Scottish Railway Preservation Society stock from Linlithgow in previous years. The self-propelled Ferrari flail (part-financed by the Society) to Grange-over-Sands, bringing visitors from Newcastle to Ravenglass. has been out several times during the summer enabling large, level areas to be covered quickly – the two large strimmers have been out intensively and done the lion’s share of the clearance works. We have also been active in keeping drainage channels clear and digging out where necessary – we did however suffer from two extremely heavy downpours 8 9 within forty-eight hours of each other. The first storm on the Saturday caused taking out the post and wire fence on its way. The track gang cleared the rocks some consternation at Dalegarth where the Whillan Beck showed signs of from the line and out of the drainage channel on the uphill side. After checking breaching the flood defences. Fortunately the Beck subsided as quickly as it the stability of the track we arranged for an emergency supply of ballast for the had risen and no damage occurred. following day and continued to Dalegarth clearing another couple of blocked drains as we went No damage, that is, other than saturating already very wet and waterlogged ground further down the valley, which caused the second equally heavy The following day John loaded wagons with ballast and we returned to the site downpour simply to run straight off the fells and bring debris down from the of the breach and reballasted the track. Other areas were topped up with ballast tops and block culverts. The culvert in Mill Wood blocked with an estimated where needed and passenger trains were then able to restart. The fences were twenty tonnes of Muncaster Fell and covered the line. This was discovered with repaired by our fencing contractor later in the month. the first train of the day which got no further than the culvert before returning John returned later that same day and finished clearing the culvert in Mill Wood. to Ravenglass. We then investigated two landslips visible from the valley road coming down A couple of people started digging to try and relieve the flow of water but as from Muncaster Fell. One was just above Miteside loop and had blocked the soon as some stone was cleared the water brought down more. Help arrived in path from Muncaster Mill to Murthwaite. The second one was between Walk the shape of John Wilson and his digger, who quickly cleared the outfall and Mill Summit and Big Stone. Neither would pose an immediate threat but we will then the upstream side to allow the water to flow through the culvert again. need to put additional drainage in at Miteside when this stretch is relaid in the Clearing the huge quantity of sand and stone to allow trains to pass took some near future. time but John had to leave us temporarily to clear further blocked culverts and Both slips are barely visible from the trains but are dramatic when viewed close damaged roadways on the up. In both instances the water has scoured a channel up to four feet deep by other side of Muncaster Fell. twenty foot wide. The devastation caused has to be seen to be appreciated, and We then proceeded up the viewed in the wider context of an evolving landscape, but acts as a reminder line, clearing minor blockages that we are at the mercy of the elements. as we went. Until we reached We have been extremely fortunate in that the damage only caused us to lose Hollin How there was one day’s trade (albeit at what should be our busiest time of year) and that we surprisingly little evidence of have such a the previous night’s rain. good team of At the top of Hollin How volunteers, we encountered a serious contractors blockage with rocks on the and staff track and ballast washed prepared to away, along with both work beyond lineside fences destroyed. the call of By the time we arrived most duty to keep of the water had dissipated, us operating. leaving evidence of the height A huge thank the water had reached in the you to all debris stuck to the remaining those who fences. Investigation revealed came and that some fifty foot higher helped in than the track a small tarn had some pretty breached and, on its escape, arduous destroyed a stone wall and conditions. The deluge floods the track and culvert in Mill deposited it on our track, Wood. Photo: David Moseley Digging for victory. Photo: David Moseley 10 11 We returned to ‘normal’ maintenance with more strimming at several locations, Engineering Report particularly from Irton Road towards Eskdale Green. The drainage channels The R&ER Magazine around Kissing Gates have been dug out and hopefully should stay clear now a new, (allegedly) cow-proof fence has been installed. The engineering Several small packing jobs to correct dropped joints have also been completed workshop has had – there always seems plenty to go at and never enough time to get to them all. a busy summer. The We have also carried on the installing of additional fittings to keep the track to main issue was River Irt gauge – locations attended to include, amongst others, Beckfoot Bank (where breaking a truck spring, some 300+ screws were added one day in October), Hollin How and Katie the repair of which Caddy where several sleepers were changed to keep this 33-year-old section incurred a delivery going just a little longer. delay from the spring supplier. Typhoon came We may well look at relaying this stretch from Katie Caddy to Miteside loop in from Romney. With January 2017, particularly as August’s landslip above the line at this point may reports of her being make additional drainage necessary. light-footed, we put her We will however be out on the track from 3rd January 2017 (as well as some days over our weighbridge, During its 95-day streak, River Mite approaches The in December 2016) with Track Week proper starting on Saturday 21st January since when it has done Green. Photo: Derek Walmsley and running through to Sunday 29th. Lunches are provided during Track Week very well. along with evening entertainment on some nights and an end of week dinner. Irt has had all of its spring pads and trailing springs replaced. Issues with the Your help is very welcome at any time and we are always pleased to have your regulator were tracked down to an old faulty casting. Otherwise only minor company – please remember to bring warm clothing with you along with attention has been needed. waterproofs, gloves and steel toe-capped boots. You should also bring sufficient River Mite ran 95 days without being stopped for workshop attention and drinks and food with you. Please also remember the track gang is amenable to has been the backbone of steam services. She then suffered a broken Clupet cake at any time! valve ring, which was quickly repaired. In September damage occurred to the Thanks to everyone who has helped through the summer months – we have springing on the front truck and the brake gear due to an obstruction on the been very lucky to have so many people coming to the railway to help. You can line. Many damaged components underneath are being renewed. be assured Northern Rock has had various small works done, and has received attention we are very to the wheels and springing of the rear truck. A tender wheel bearing also was grateful – changed. thanks again. Douglas Ferreira has run a high mileage but has work due on the fuel system. We look forward Lady Wakefield has run well, but received attention to the compressor and to seeing brake operating gear. you during Perkins has been on hold due to the rest of the workload. the winter, helping to Cyril has had its gearbox overhauled. On first test it was learnt that the gearbox’s keep this failure was the symptom of many other transition issues which were duly solved. railway the With regular maintenance the carriage fleet is doing well but needs attention to best little some of the bodies. The regular servicing and maintenance of the carriages has railway in the to be done twice a year on forty-plus carriages and involves a major amount of Remains of the stone wall on the track under the tarn at Hollin world. time. The replacement of wheel sets near the end of their usable life has been a How. Photo: Diane Glover major project in itself. 12 13 River Esk the paint removed, traces of the green livery of the 1960s were found. Samples Nigel Day of this paint were handed over to the museum for conserving. Additionally it should be noted that any parts not suitable for reuse have been offered to the museum first. Further work on the tender will occur in between other As I write this maintenance as time allows. the boiler is undergoing It is now some five years sinceEsk last worked, and in that time she has gone final work through massive trauma. Even I underestimated just what a vast amount of before work would be involved. “How much remains of the original locomotive?” is having a a question often asked; or, “What is still fit for purpose?” The following items steam test. that I know are original are the frames, driving wheel centres, the cab and All the some of the plate work. Also the reversing quadrant, sand boxes, most of the fittings have buffers, some of the small parts of the cab fittings including window frames and been tested hand rails. There are other parts which survived from more recent times like and fitted, the suspension system, leading and trailing wheel sets, main drivers with tyres, including boiler, draw gear, steam air pump and ash pan. We have tried to save what we the injectors. could but when it practically disintegrates in your hand or is simply distorted This work and corroded away then there is no choice, we have to make new and that is has taken why Esk has not been an instant fix. time due to the pressures of keeping On 24th October Nigel Day steams River Esk’s boiler for the first the railway time since September 2011. Photo: Courtesy Nigel Day running over the high season. The boiler will then be lagged, further pipework and valves fitted, smokebox fixed once the boiler test is completed, and then put aside till other work is done. Additional fire bars and supports have been acquired for the firebox and a new firebox door is partly made. The new cylinders were cast near Wakefield and the patterns were made just down the road from the Kirklees Light Railway. Machining took place at Complete Engineering, near Carlisle Airport, to a high standard. All the issues of the past with the old cylinders have now disappeared. As attention moves away from the boiler, work fitting valve liners, honing the cylinders, etc. will be done. Although it has been a big expense the work sets this engine up for another good few decades of life. Myriad other small parts have been acquired or are on order for the valve motion and other systems on the engine. This includes all the springs, much piping, air tanks, brake cylinders, compressors, gauges and related fittings. Work on the tender commenced in September with a total strip down to the last nut and bolt. Components have been cleaned, and many shot-blasted, along with metal work from the loco itself. Issues on the chassis stretchers and tank have been found and will need dealing with along with standardisation of River Esk, probably in the late 1960s or early 1970s, passes under Spout House newer components with the rest of the locomotives. When the sand boxes had bridge. Photo: Doug Ferreira Collection 14 15 Museum Project in consultation with David Rounce Stangate Restorations, whose previous projects include Museum Extension extensive work with Finally! By the time you read this the current museum will have closed and the Ffestiniog Railway construction of the new building will be underway, following the successful and Beamish Museum, transfer of the final sliver of land for the train shed extension from Network Rail regarding options to R&ER ownership. A grand opening is pencilled in for May 2017, hopefully for conserving and with opportunities for a sneak preview in the month before – as ever, watch the creating a meaningful journal and the museum’s social media for the latest news. We are excited to be display out of the three- working with Headland Design to produce the new exhibitions and interactive foot gauge ‘Big Saloon’ features – Headland is based in Chester and has broad experience, including remnants. An idea we developing the People’s History Museum in Manchester and Bury Transport are keen on is erecting Museum. the surviving elements What remains of the big saloon. David Rounce around a new sub- Archive frame to illustrate the size of the original coach, and to lay to rest once and for all the question of Our collections catalogue, comprising 1,256 photographs and 1,310 objects at whether it really could accommodate one hundred people! To turn our ideas the time of writing, is now available to browse on the museum website (http:// into reality we are currently preparing a funding bid with the Arts Council PRISM www.ravenglassrailwaymuseum.co.uk). It’s very much a work in progress and fund, which aids the conservation of items deemed important in the history and there is a huge amount of material still to be catalogued (volunteers welcome), development of technology, industry and related fields. but it gives a glimpse of the wealth of diverse material in the museum’s holdings from object RVNRC 1 ‘Tipper wagon body from Fisherground’ to RVNRC 681.3 Volunteers ‘Blueprint Yorkshire Engine Company radial axlebox, 1920s’. Once the new season and new museum come around we will be seeking Restoration volunteers to engage with visitors and help to deliver our education programme. In the meantime the vital behind the scenes work of cataloguing the archive and On the restoration front, Peter van Zeller and Michael Sands have been stripping restoring exhibits ready nearly a century of paint from our Bassett-Lowke open coach to expose the original for display continues, teak finish. They’ve scraped their way through green, orange, red and even traces and new volunteers of blue liveries, layers of which will be preserved intact to record the vehicle’s are always welcome. colourful history. We have been particularly pleased to find markings from where So, if you’d like to do the ‘Eskdale Express’ some volunteering lettering was briefly over the winter months attached, proving and fancy something that the surviving a little warmer and coach is one of the more indoors than original complement permanent way work to operate with Sans or guarding the Santa Pareil at Ravenglass in trains, do please drop 1915, fresh from the me a line at davidr@ Norwegian Exhibition ravenglass-railway. in Oslo, 1914! Restoration work on the Bassett-Lowke coach. co.uk. The guard of the train with the big saloon. Photo: David Rounce We have also been Photo: R&ER Archive 16 17 Train From Spain: Engineering The opportunity was taken to look in detail at Typhoon’s tender during Mungo Stacy its visit over the summer and to incorporate some of the best features. In particular, a Romney-style sprung drawbar will be used which should provide a smoother ride for the driver. The existing tender will be offered to the Work has continued rapidly on the Train From Spain at Old Hall Engineering Stuttgart Killesbergbahn, owner of Santa María, which needs to construct a at Bouth. new tender. nd A major milestone was reached on 2 September 2016, when the boiler was It is anticipated that the locomotive will be ready to come to Ravenglass in late steamed for the first time in some eighty years. This followed from completion November for steam trials. These will be carried out with an existing tender. The of the works identified during the boiler inspector’s initial visit earlier in the trials are intended to test the capability of the locomotive and highlight further th year, and a hydraulic test which was held on 20 August. The boiler inspector works which need to be carried out over the winter. visited on 26th September and expressed himself satisfied with the works. He will need to return once the boiler is reunited with the chassis. Currently it is envisaged that the locomotive and new tender will be ready for full trials in the spring and early summer of 2017. The main driving wheels for the locomotive have been built up and turned to the standard R&ER wheel profile. They were refitted into the chassis in August. The The fundraising total is currently some £25,000. So far, expenditure on the project locomotive’s rear bufferbeam has been altered to suit the drawbar arrangement including the purchase price is in the region of £200,000. The rate of donations on the new tender. Work now continues to ‘plumb in’ the boiler and to fix the has slowed down since the initial launch of the appeal. The fundraising team is various ancillaries such as lubrication pipework. offering opportunities to sponsor various parts of the locomotive and tender. Design work for the new tender is now at an advanced stage and an order has We are looking for more people to become involved in this exciting project. been placed with Old Hall Engineering for the tender to be constructed. The In particular, there will be a series of events over the coming year designed to tender is proposed to allow for 0.43 cubic metres of coal and 910 litres of water. raise publicity about the project – these will include a ‘first steam at Ravenglass’ In more practical terms, this is enough coal to do three round trips and sufficient press day, potential opportunities in the central Lake District in spring 2017 water for a full round trip with some to spare. possibly combined with the Providence traction engine, the Kraussfest event and various others. Can you help? We would like to take this opportunity to raise the profile not just of the Train From Spain project, but also the railway and of volunteering on the railway.

Train From Spain Appeal Keith Herbert & Di Chase

While fundraising for the Train From Spain must be considered a great success in the round, contributions have slowed despite our best efforts. The Preservation Society aims to cover the expected cost of restoring the loco to serviceable condition, with the target date for commissioning in May 2017. Surplus monies would be put towards future overhauls. Identified work is needed on the boiler and backhead fittings, pipework, injectors and safety valves, and a decision has been taken to build a new tender. Pottery mugs (£7.50) and enamel badges (£2.50) are available to purchase, and all other donations are welcome! The following donations will attract the rewards described overleaf: The Train From Spain’s first time in steam in the UK at Bouth on nd2 September. Photo: Alex Sharphouse 18 19 e.g monthly The loco’s new tender will be built over the winter by Alex Sharphouse of Old Hall Engineering in Bouth to a design by volunteer Stuart Marsh; it is expected Donation for 25 months Reward via gift aid to cost in the region of £10,000, which sum is counted in the original target of more than £100,000 promoted by the Society at the beginning of the year. Your £25 £1 Exclusive enamel badge support would be greatly appreciated in raising funds for its construction. £50 £2 Exclusive printed (china) mug During the past summer, and to aid fundraising, Society members and the general £125 £5 Exclusive polo or sweatshirt public were given the opportunity to suggest names and liveries, with a closing date of 30th October. The full list of suggestions was sent to a subcommittee, £200 £8 A seat on the official launch train which drew up a shortlist of six names and six colour schemes; the six colours £500 £20 A cream tea trip for two on the R&ER are portrayed ‘virtually’ in the Centre Spread (thanks to the goodwill of digital £1,000 £40 Signed (by artist) print of loco River Mite volunteer Ben Vincer, www.bubblesrailways.co.uk), while the six names are and an exclusive footplate ride listed below, in alphabetical order. Please vote (for free this time!) on both the name and livery, using the form provided, www.rerps.co.uk or by emailing £2,5000 £100 Signed (by artist) print of loco River Mite [email protected] – please have your membership number to hand! and an exclusive footplate ride and life memberhip of the R&ERPS Ghyll Force – This dramatic Eskdale waterfall is amongst the valley’s most visited beauty spots, and boasts and a resonant and characteristically Cumbrian Separately, we invite sponsorship of particular components used in the name. This name also touches upon the watercourse theme which has provided restoration, such as the brake valve (which we are delighted to report has been names for three of the R&ER’s steam locomotives. sponsored at a cost of £90), safety valves (which cost £1,000 each), a lubricator King of Prussia – As well as having obvious links to the locomotive’s German for the cylinders (also £1,000) and twenty fire bars at £50 per unit (we are origins, this name has links to Eskdale and the R&ER. The King George IV pub at grateful that one of these has also been sponsored). In addition to the above Eskdale Green was known by this name until 1914, and it was the name proposed rewards and sponsorships, all supporters donating £10 and above will have the for Shelagh of Eskdale in the 1960s; Ratty’s locomotive name that never was! option to have their names recorded on the project’s dedicated list of donors. Pinta – This is Krauss No.8457’s original identity, the name which it carried For more information, including further items to be sponsored, please visit upon delivery in 1929. Pinta was the name of one of Columbus’ three ships, for the dedicated website: http://trainfromspain.org/ or e-mail donations@ which No.8457 and her classmates in Seville were named. The New World was trainfromspain.org. first sighted in 1492 by a sailor aboard this ship. Scafell – While not quite England’s highest peak, this mountain dominates the skyline for much of the journey from Ravenglass to Dalegarth. Part of the Scafell massif, it is one of England’s mot iconic summits, and popular with walkers. Volunteer – This name pays tribute to the many volunteers past and present without whose support the R&ER would not exist today. It also draws the attention of our visitors to the vital role of volunteering; maybe it would encourage some of them to become more active supporters themselves. Whillan Beck – This name fits in well withRiver Esk, River Irt and River Mite, all named after local watercourses. The Whillan Beck, which lies at the end of Dalegarth station platform, is a prominent feature of any journey on the La’al Ratty. The voting period will last until 31st January, at the end of which the results will Back in May the Train From Spain’s chassis and tender are tested on the be collated and published for the first time in the March issue of The R&ER Magazine. This is your engine and your choice – happy voting! engineers’ curve. Photo: Ian Pilkington 20 21 Paint the Train From Spain All images: Ben Vincer (www.bubblesrailways.co.uk)

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This rich blue livery was used on passenger locos of the Caledonian Carried by almost all German main line steam locos since the 1920s, the Railway, and would stand out in the Eskdale landscape, where blue Deutsche Bundesbahn livery of black and red pays tribute to No.8457’s engines have not hitherto been seen regularly. heritage. 2 5

This scheme, resembling the Longmoor Military Railway, combines ‘Post Office’ red, lined yellow, reflects Spain in the colours of the elements of both British and European practice. Red wheels and motion national flag. This scheme is very different from River Mite but does are a feature of many continental liveries. echo the brighter hues previously carried by it. 3 6

LB&SCR umber; an unusual but handsome colour scheme with a good LB&SCR ochre is inaccurately known as ‘improved engine green’, a pedigree in both Britain and Europe which would sit well among the bold and striking livery reflecting the dominant shades of the Spanish spring greens of Eskdale. landscape, as a nod to No.8457’s past. 22 23 From the Secretary’s Desk by volunteer drivers – nearly 6,000 miles in the year to date by eleven volunteer Mungo Stacy drivers. The Society and railway are keen to expand the pool of volunteer drivers, not Volunteering just shunters and diesel drivers, but also ultimately the pool of volunteer steam drivers. For the 2017 season, there will be an opportunity for one volunteer to The railway’s Volunteer Liaison Officer, Peter Mills, has train as diesel driver and one volunteer to train as shunter. As has happened recently been putting considerable effort into development previously, a formal application process will be run. Application forms are and implementation of a five-year programme to improve available from the Secretary. The deadline for applications is Monday 23rd volunteer recruitment. This season has seen a dramatic increase January 2017. The application pack gives full details of the role, application in new volunteers coming to the railway. This has already paid process, selection criteria and timescales. off in making the summer roster much easier to fill. Plans are being developed to hold specific days offering River Mite 50th anniversary an introduction to volunteering on several weekends next Next year will be the fifty-year anniversary ofRiver Mite (keen historians will year. Meanwhile, the railway is considering adjusting the approach to formal add, in its current form as the Society’s steam locomotive; the frames date from inductions to the railway, perhaps gathering up new volunteers for briefing at the earlier steam-powered tender for River Esk). a series of standardised induction days. This approach is used successfully on some other railways. A special celebration will be held at the late May bank holiday, Saturday, 27th May 2017, to mirror the events of fifty years ago. A special train will be run in There is also an initiative to launch an under-sixteens volunteering programme the afternoon. Details will be confirmed nearer the time, but it is likely that a in non-operational roles, for juniors accompanied by parents. rededication ceremony will be held at around 4.30pm with the train at 5.30pm The museum project has brought increased opportunities for volunteering. for a light buffet at Dalegarth. There has also been an increase in the number of volunteering days spent in The Beamish museum is holding a Great North Steam Fair from 6th-9th April 2017, the engineers’ workshop. the weekend before Easter. It has been agreed to send River Mite to the Fair, where it will be displayed behind the Providence traction engine. The traction Society Council engine and trailer may be able to parade around the road circuit at Beamish. The Society’s affairs are overseen by an elected Council of up to twenty members. Following the appeal at the Annual General Meeting, several members had come forward to offer themselves to stand for Council. Several of these members attended the September Council meeting as visitors to see if they wished to stand. The Council is always keen for interest from new people who would like to become involved. The Council is also investigating ways to maintain links with members. In future, more information about the Council and its activities may be displayed in the guards’ room at Ravenglass.

Volunteer drivers Volunteers can train and work on the railway as three categories of driver: shunter, diesel driver and steam driver. The shunter role was introduced to formalise the movement of stock, to make sure that sufficient training was provided. The driving concept has changed over time, away from the original approach of having all weekend diesel turns driven by volunteers, to more Speaking of fiftieth anniversaries: River Mite with the headboard for Neal general assistance with diesel turns. This is reflected in the mileage accumulated Glover’s birthday train; he has been an active volunteer on the Ratty for half a century! Photo: Christopher Glover 24 25 Kraussfest 2017 Membership Matters Initial planning is in hand for a German-themed steam gala week at Ravenglass Sarah Bennett during October half-term, Saturday 21st to Sunday 29th October 2017. This is the last week of the daily service in 2017. At the 2016 AGM I was voted in as Membership Secretary, and it has certainly With the likely entry into service of our own Krauss engine, No.8457, contact been one of life’s curve balls so far. I’m currently on an extremely steep learning has been made with other railways to investigate the possibility of gathering curve and having a few highs and lows! Thankfully, I took over at a reasonably together a group of visiting Krauss engines. Given the October date and the quiet time which has given me a small amount of breathing space. German connections, there is a strong likelihood that a German beer tent and The first thing that surprised me when I looked at the membership records oompah band may also be present. was the actual number of members we have, because although I have seen the So far, the Killesbergbahn in Stuttgart has expressed interest in sending its figures in quarterly reports, it is not until you see the records that these figures ‘Spanish’ loco No.8455. The Vienna Prater railway is interested in sending its become real people. There are quite a few of you! Secondly, I was amazed at the No.1, 8441. Early discussions have also been held with Bressingham about location of some of our members; you’re all over the world! providing one of its Krupp locos as a static exhibit, and with Romney about So, I really just wanted to say hello and ask for your patience whilst I’m on my having Black Prince visit. steep climb up this learning curve. As I take on this voluntary role, I can’t let it take over my life or distract me completely from my other roles in life: mum, Katie wife, teacher, volunteer, to name but a few. Work at Station Road Steam on Katie continues. Stuart Harrison has offered to take on the role of project manager to oversee entry into service of the locomotive, including discussions with the railway’s health and safety advisors. Stuart is also interested in others becoming involved with this historic locomotive, and asks interested members to get in touch via the Secretary. It is intended to set up a tripartite working group to oversee operations of the locomotive, including representatives of the museum, Company and Society Trust.

The Viennese Krauss locomotives on shed . Photo: Mungo Stacy River Irt heads for the engine shed in May. Photo: Dick Smith 26 27 Therefore, I’m going to ask a few favours please: Volunteering Update • If you contact me or when you renew, please include your membership Peter Mills number (you only need to remember one, I have to search through a few thousand!). It’s on your membership card. As Christmas approaches, the first thing that I must say is a massive thank you • If you are renewing for someone else, please ask them their number to avoid to all who have volunteered throughout the 2016 season. I know that my fellow duplicates being issued. This has happened already on two occasions and Council member Di Chase has produced figures[Magazine Number 222] takes a bit of sorting out. which show the number of ‘volunteer days’ spent on the railway and the many benefits that it brings. One of the things that has been most pleasing to see, is • Please renew early in the season and please don’t leave it until just before the continuing enthusiasm of experienced, existing volunteers, in training our you are visiting Ravenglass or Eskdale on your holidays. I cannot guarantee new volunteers. a return of post turnaround, especially at the end of the summer term and in school holidays. Our cross range of ages, experience and backgrounds is a strength to our team; many railways are suffering manpower issues, and continuity for running a • If you are moving, let me know your new address, along with your old one service in future years will be an issue. There is the old saying, ‘the world would and your membership number, for the continued delivery of your Magazine. be a boring place if we were all the same’ – well each individual’s personality – I promise I won’t pop round for a cuppa! and strengths have helped in training our new volunteers. For example, this year • If your Magazine has not arrived a couple of weeks after it was due then has seen the continued introduction to the railway of young volunteers in their please contact me, not the Editor, as I keep the spare copies and your contact teens, sometimes shy and not confident in social interaction. But with the help details. Sometimes there are unforeseen delays, so please be patient. of existing, experienced volunteers, we have seen them grow in confidence and gain valuable life skills. This is one of the many ‘hidden benefits’ of volunteering • Please remember that membership cards are not transferable and you will that we wish to promote. This season has also seen the continued attraction to the probably be asked for additional ID on presentation at the Railway. Misused railway of newly-retired or semi-retired volunteers. Both groups bring different cards will be retained at the booking office and returned to me. For your assistance in the above matters, I’ll thank you in advance. For this year at least, I’ll aim to get all the early renewals posted after the Christmas post rush, as I’ll be busy with the school run up to the Christmas holidays and enjoying a rest during them! This shouldn’t be an issue as new cards are not needed until 1st March. Wishing you all a smooth and happy renewal period for 2017.

RH&DR No.7 Typhoon on the run up to Irton Road, August 2016. Volunteer Matthew Pye assists in the turning of Typhoon at Dalegarth. Photo: Nicola Wilcock Photo: Nicolette Vincer 28 29 challenges to engage, encourage and train to become an active volunteer on the Society Sales railway. In one sense, we are not a traditional heritage railway but, as a Society, we Terry Williams have a strong tradition going back fifty-six years. So our volunteering initiatives in the future should not just be aimed at ‘train people’ who are already interested in railways. Anyone of my age (just 46!) and younger won’t remember steam Since becoming Sales Officer it has been my intention to introduce new trains running every day, and we need to shout out the benefits of volunteering merchandise for members and the general public which hopefully will raise to the individual, citing the benefits it can bring to them, the railway and the local both the profile of the sales function and the income derived therefrom. community. By the time you read this, our new volunteering leaflet will be out In previous years the Society has dealt with a great deal of second-hand items, and about with the emphasis on some of the benefits I have outlined above. mainly books. However, when I took over as Sales Officer, I noticed that our Without the enormous help of existing volunteers helping to train new store room contained much more than just old books and that is one reason for volunteers, we would have struggled considerably and for that I also thank you. writing this now. You are all making a difference! The Society greatly appreciates the fact that members, for one reason or another, I attended the September Council meeting and gave a brief presentation. It was think of us when they find themselves with material that they believe could be an update on what we have achieved over the last couple of years and what we passed to us for onward sale to raise funds. As Sales Officer I am more than plan to do to adapt to attracting new volunteers in the future – and we must happy for this to continue but could I please ask that I am contacted in the first constantly attract new volunteers; our efforts can never stop. I told you in the instance as some material, on occasions just left literally on our doorstep, has last issue of the Magazine that I have a new role on the railway and that, over the been totally unsuitable for us to display and sell on. coming months, there will be some changes. Well, I am pleased to tell you that By contacting me first, members could avoid an unnecessary trip to Ravenglass Danny Duckworth will be taking over the role of the Society’s Volunteer Liaison or the incurring of postage costs by sending items that we simply can’t sell or Officer at the next AGM. In the meantime Danny will be working with me to even store (we have limited space). In the past we have received some bizarre coordinate our volunteering efforts. items, many of which have found their way only to the bin! In the next issue, we will be able to give you more detailed information on our plans as we work together to improve the partnership between Company and Society.

Variety in Volunteering David White

As an infrequent visitor to the Lake District I came to the conclusion that, if I wanted to become a volunteer on the Ratty, I would not have the time or availability to commit myself to such tasks as becoming a guard. However, I would be able to offer my services in other ways on an irregular basis. So, for the past several years, I have enjoyed helping out with many different and varied jobs. These involve such things as fence erection and repair, hedge and weed trimming, leaf removal and ditch clearing, track inspection and maintenance, stone wall building, painting of benches and permanent way vehicles, and much, much more. A great variety of interests, all of which have been performed on the odd day or half day that I have been available. Plus there is the chance to work on a casual basis and meet friendly and like-minded people. So, if you can spare a few hours and feel able to help in any manner, you do not have to possess any particular skills; enthusiasm and a willingness to join in will go a The sales coach in Ravenglass, with visitor Lydia lurking behind. long way. Your services would be more than welcome. Photo: Jackie Pharaoh 30 31 As for new merchandise, Bogies on the R&ER we now have polo shirts John Bate and fleeces, embossed with a Society logo, in burgundy. Also, a range When the railway began operations in summer 1915 the rolling stock included of children’s t-shirts, from two bogie vehicles from Sir Arthur Heywood’s Duffield Bank Railway, a saloon age 3-4 upwards, with a and a luggage van, to be followed shortly by the dining car. Following the st picture of either River closure and subsequent auction on 31 May 1916 of the Duffield Bank stock, the Mite or Douglas Ferreira remaining bogie vehicles comprising four open carriages, sleeping car, 3-ton on the front. A range of open wagon and a partly completed saloon also arrived at Ravenglass. ‘arty’ cards, showing Mite The dining and sleeping cars and, probably, the 3-ton wagon, ran on cast iron and Doug which are quite frame bogies, while the remainder ran on wooden bogies. All the Heywood different from the normal stock ran on 13½” diameter chilled cast iron wheels. Bogie wheelbase was 18” ‘run of the mill’ shots with one wheel loose on the axle to reduce wheelslip on sharp curves. familiar to us. More is planned for 2017 – watch The unfinished Heywood saloon, built to the same six-foot height of the dining this space! and sleeping cars, was subsequently completed and mounted on bogies. It was similar to a saloon built by Heywood a few years earlier for the Eaton Hall Perhaps this is also the Railway. Its bogies were probably those already prepared for it with wooden time to ask if there are frames. members out there who would be willing to help The four Heywood open cars were the most useful for the summer traffic and with the sales effort? This it is evident that the luggage van, sleeping and dining cars and the bogie wagon could involve assistance were dismounted for their bogies to be used under the open cars when their with manning our sales wooden bogies became unusable. coach at Ravenglass, Re-gauging of the Sand Hutton Railway in 1922 resulted in the fifteen-inch taking a stall to some of gauge rolling stock being acquired by the R&ER, including a very light saloon. the nearby country shows It was mounted on bogies, probably wooden framed with 8” diameter wheels, as well as more mundane supplied by Basssett Lowke, which were soon replaced. It was chiefly used for (but important!) tasks such the winter service hauled by various small petrol scooters. as keeping our store room tidy and ensuring that the In about 1922 three new saloons were built by a contractor, using Sir Arthur Sales Officer keeps his Heywood’s drawings slightly modified to increase roof height from rail by paperwork up to date! about five inches. Solid end panels to the open end seats replaced the original design with simple handrails. If this is an area in which you may have an interest These carriages were placed on new bogies supplied by F. Theakston Ltd, to a then please do get in touch design by Henry Greenly based on American practice. This Greenly-Theakston via the contact details on (GT) bogie design comprised a main frame of a pair of 4” by 2” steel channels, page 2 of the Magazine. It mounted flanges downwards, at the ends of a substantial transverse steel plate New t-shirts featuring Society locos. which carried the bogie centre pin. Pairs of hornplates bolted within the channel will be great to hear from Photo: Terry Williams you. All of our items are flanges served to guide the axleboxes. Between the hornplates the ends of an available at Ravenglass, or by post by contacting me, ideally by email. In the equalising beam or yoke rested on the axleboxes and the centre portion carried meantime, a very Happy Christmas and New Year to you all; I hope to meet as a pair of small coil springs, whose upper ends lay within the frame channel. many of you as possible next Ratty season. This design provided a very flexible suspension suitable for indifferent track. The R&ER continued to use the same basic frame design for all subsequent 32 33 bogies built up to 1935. The total number of this pattern built by Theakston By 1928 with more powerful locomotives available, longer trains could be was probably twelve; for the three new saloons, dining and sleeping cars and placed in service. Six new bogie open cars were built at Ravenglass with teak the Glass coach. The wheelbase was 24” with 10¼” diameter wheels and 1½” frames. While similar to the Heywood open cars, the seating layout differed, journals. with four compartments, whereas the Heywoods had three full compartments and a half-compartment at each end. The new locomotive River Esk, designed by Henry Greenly, arrived in 1923 with the tender mounted on bogies of GT design. The same GT bogie design New bogies were built for these cars. These used the same plate and 4” by was also used under the tenders of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway 2” channel frame as the GT bogies, but omitted the equalising beams and locomotives and their 1927 Clayton saloons. They were found to give a poor hornplates. Cast iron hornblocks and axleboxes, as used on the quarry wagons, ride at the greater speeds on the RH&DR and were soon replaced by Gibbins were bolted to the channels with 11½” steel wheels. Small coil springs or rubber frameless bogies. blocks were provided above the axleboxes. The new Brocklebank management in 1925 found the dining and sleeping cars By the early 1930s the three 1922 saloons, built of softwood, were in poor out of use and unsuitable for passenger service. They were soon modified, side condition, and the original Heywood saloon and the four Heywood open doors and seating were added to the sleeping car and they were placed on GT cars had also deteriorated from lack of covered storage and were in need of bogies. replacement. The Ford Model T ‘Crewe Tractor’ originally mounted on a 4-wheel frame was The four open cars were dismantled after the 1931 summer and the bogies used rebuilt early in 1926 on to a steel frame bogie chassis. It is probable that the under four new cars of the same design as the 1928 ‘Teaks’, but of somewhat bogies were taken from a carriage and were not a new purchase. Photographic heavier pattern. These cars had Columbian pine frames. A new numbering evidence has emerged which clearly shows a bogie under the rear end. It scheme was instituted incorporating the year of construction. Thus the ‘Teaks’ appears that the original ‘Crewe Tractor’ wheels, about 18” diameter with the became 1/29 to 6/29 and the four new cars 1/32 to 4/32. Some years later these Ford crown wheel and pinion and chain sprockets, were installed in a GT bogie. cars were running on four Heywood cast iron, two wooden and two GT bogies. This bogie was mounted rigidly in the main frame. As the vehicle still exists in As winter services had been discontinued in 1928, there was no need to retain its later form, this can be checked. The 1926 vehicle was badly damaged in a the saloons, and four were withdrawn in 1932. Four new cars 1/33 to 4/33 collision late in 1928 and was rebuilt to its existing form. It is likely that the front were built in 1933. Two cars were mounted on Heywood bogies, cast iron and bogie was damaged and then replaced by one from the Glass Coach which had wooden framed. Some of the GT bogies used under the saloons were in need of been dismounted. In 1951 the leading bogie was a modified GT bogie lacking replacement with worn axleboxes and journals. Four bogies were dismantled, the outer hornplates. the wheelpairs, axleboxes, hornplates and equalising beams were discarded A design for bogie hopper wagons was prepared at Ravenglass in 1927 with and the main frames used again with the standard cast iron hornblocks, as bogies based on the Greenly type and built by Theakston, but somewhat used on the quarry wagons, heavier with three springs to each side beam (HT bogies). The steel wheels bolted within the frame were 11½” diameter and the wheelbase 24”. The wagons were built by the channels. This enabled the Yorkshire Engine Co. and served for the brief period before the standard gauge use of the same 14” wheels was extended up to Murthwaite. In 1930 the wagons were sold to the RH&DR and 2” journals as on the for use as track ballast wagons. The RH&DR subsequently replaced the bogies wagons. The wheelbase with their Gibbins frameless type and the R&ER bought back the old bogies was reduced to 20” to suit for further service. Eight were dismantled and the running gear used for a set the positions of the frame of wooden body ‘loose top’ Heywood-type wagons for chippings traffic from bolts. Murthwaite to the Ravenglass chute. The 1916 Heywood saloon Early in 1928 the R&ER lost the mail contract when the Post Office began a road was retained for use as a motor service up Eskdale. The winter mail service ended and the Glass Coach workman’s carriage for became redundant, its bogies becoming available for other vehicles. The body the staff at Murthwaite was sold. ICL No.2 and the Heywood stock pass through and remained in service Eskdale Green. Photo: Mary Fair Collection until 1949. The body 34 35 subsequently remained for some years parked on the Murthwaite quarry siding, the bogies having been recovered for further use. The body of the Dining Car Correspondence was put into use as a mess room for the Murthwaite staff.

Two new open cars 1/34 and 2/34 were built in that year. One was mounted on From Ingrid Robson, by e-mail: a pair of HT bogies from the 6-ton hopper wagons, the other on GT bogies. Two more cars 1/35 and 2/35 were built in 1935, one was mounted on GT bogies I read with great interest the article by David Dixon concerning the ‘Chocolate with 10½” wheels and the other on rebuilt bogies with 11½” wheels on 20” Wafer Train’ [Number 221]. Having spent a few years in Vienna and returning wheelbase. regularly with a visit booked for June, the Liliputbahn, which I have not seen for a number of years, suddenly became one of the priorities of the ‘things to do’ in With a total of eighteen bogie open cars available, two nine-car trains could be the week I was there. assembled, sufficient for normal traffic. Only at Bank Holidays was there a need for a relief train making use of the remaining four-wheel stock. No further new On a Saturday I visited the Prater Park, as the steam loco is only out at the vehicles were built until the 1950s. weekend. There were three trains running round the loop, two diesel-hauled (including the Manner ‘wafer’ train) and one steam-hauled. I took some pictures Following the closure of Beckfoot Quarry in 1953 and the subsequent of the steam train and am happy to pass any on to David Dixon if he would like development of passenger traffic, a programme of replacing the 1930s cars and some. building additional stock was instituted. For the new cars Tom Jones built many th new bogies, based on the original Heywood design with wooden frames and This year the Prater Park is celebrating the 250 anniversary of the emperor making use of the running gear from the now redundant stone wagons. These Josef II giving over his hunting grounds to the people of Vienna as an area for had 14” wheels set at 18” wheelbase. recreation.Over the years this has led to the development of the fairground, wheel and railway loop and is a very popular destination for locals and tourists A survey was made in 1963 when the stock totalled 27 open bogie cars assembled alike. in three nine-car sets. The stock was re-numbered by the new management in 1960. The sets were given the numbers 1-9, 10-18 and 19-27, but vehicles had Unlike David Dixon most Austrians are quite happy with advertising and since been exchanged between the sets and some cars had been re-painted and sponsorship all over the place; it seems to be a way of life to them (and their had lost their numbers. economy) and they are particularly proud of their ‘home-grown’ products such as Manner. Manner products are available in supermarkets and other Twelve cars were running on Tom Jones’ new standard bogies and the six food shops but they also have their own city centre shop aimed at the tourist ‘Teaks’ (numbered 13-18) still retained their original bogies. The remaining market; the shop is always busy. This sells not only their edible goodies but nine cars were running on an assortment of bogies, comprising five Heywood advertising products like bags, tins and pens, also an expensive model railway cast iron, five steel frames with 11½” wheels and eight Theakston, probably two loco (Austrian Railways, not Liliputbahn!) in the Manner colours! of the three-spring HT type and six GT with two springs. Perhaps the emblazonment of the 250 year Prater anniversary on the steam loco Only four of the 1930s cars with 9” depth frame timbers remained, possibly may also not go down well with some [see photo, page 26] but again Austrians 4/32, 2/33, 4/33 and 1/35, identified by their bogies. There were also one or two are very strong on celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, etc. Likewise their love with old bodies mounted on new 8” depth frames. A total of seventeen new cars of bright colours is also seen especially with anything to do with children; I had been built since 1952. think the Liliputbahn trains are aimed primarily at younger people, not railway A new bogie design by David Curwen was introduced in 1968. This comprised a enthusiasts. steel channel frame, flanges outwards, from which depended four pairs of rods, each pair carrying a standard industrial ball bearing pillow block unit beneath From Philip Boorman, by e-mail: long coil springs. A flat steel diagonal bracing coupled the frame channel to the I noted with some amazement Trevor’s comments [Number 222] regarding bottom ends of the long rods all secured with nuts. consultation with passengers about new coaches – “a box that needs to be I have no information regarding further developments. ticked”. I am sure Trevor would say that it was not meant that way but like it or not, and his News from Ravenglass backs it up, it is passengers who pay the bills, [Can anyone out there complete the story of bogie development on the R&ER, therefore they jolly well ought to be consulted. Although I no longer find it easy bringing us up to the present day? – Ed.] 36 37 to travel from Cornwall to volunteer as a guard, I do remember that there was a punishment than even the individual responsible for the crimes has received cadre of volunteers that gave the impression that the passengers were a means through due process. for them to indulge their hobby – I am sure Trevor, for whom I have the greatest We are proud and privileged to call Phil our friend, along with many others respect, did not quite mean what he said. in the R&ER Preservation Soociety – and Railway Company – and would On another tack, sad that I am to see Bonnie Dundee leave Ravenglass, it is great respectfully ask that both groups reconsider their position in their handling of that someone might restore it to working order. I would have loved it to have this unfortunate situation. happened at Ravenglass but better somewhere else than never. The physical damage to the railway and its undoubtedly priceless and in some cases irreplaceable assets is clear for all to see – and is being repaired and From Mark Harrington, by e-mail: renewed. What is not so easy to see is the impact to those affected and their People will doubtless be aware of the precedent for swapping names between individual, and combined, ‘spirit’ – the character of the railway. locomotives over the years. Many famous names from the steam era have been Please don’t allow the R&ER to become anything less than the ‘friendly line’ perpetuated in modern times, by using them for modern traction examples. and allow those who have a real passion and love for the place to continue However, I’m unaware of the reverse having been done. volunteering their time and effort. My suggestion would be to name the Train From Spain Douglas Ferreira as a Yours in friendship, The Enfield Gang (Ivan, Roger, Jeff and Iain). more fitting tribute to the man who wanted to perpetuate steam in the valley and was so instrumental in championing our other steam loco, River Mite. An official response to this letter, courtesy of Sam Dixon, Chairman of the Douglas understood the need for steam and was key in ensuring that up to five RERPS Council, is printed below: steam locos could be fielded in the high season, despite limited engineering Following publication of the Company Statement about Ben Taylor in the resources by today’s standards. September Magazine, and the related section in the AGM report concerning Phil It would be a less onerous task, choosing a new name for the diesel, and I would Taylor, the Society has received correspondence from a number of members, suggest Scafell Pike to reflect local interest. This name was carried by Peak class both directly to the Society Officers and via the Editors of The R&ER Magazine. D1 under the old BR numbering scheme (latterly 44001) just to keep the name We are always pleased to hear from our membership on any subject and swap theme going. the feedback is welcomed. The majority of correspondence has indicated unhappiness at the Company’s stance in relation to Phil Taylor, although we From The Enfield Gang, by e-mail: have received some correspondence supporting the decision. The R&ER has always been known to us and many others as the ‘friendly line’ I would like members to know that Society Officers expressed their strong and, although it is some years since most of us volunteered, we have all made reservations to the Company about this stance. The Company explained that many friendships through La’al Ratty. its decision had not been taken lightly and only after consultation with some Events of recent years have understandably put strains on the railway and it is members of the railway staff. Although we are not entirely comfortable with only through the resourcefulness and strength of all involved that the railway this position, we understand the reaction that the case and trial have provoked has survived these trying times. Where an individual has been responsible for within the Company. We have a good working relationship with the Company, some of this destruction and distress it is right and proper that the legal process and are not averse to holding challenging discussions with it when necessary. has been used to bring them to justice – they committed the crime and now they But ultimately, after formal discussion, and conscious that the primary role of must ‘do the time’. the Society is to support the Company, the Council accepted Phil’s resignation. However the distress they caused will also have had an immense impact on The Society Council will continue to work with the Company to support the those close to them, one of these undoubtedly being Phil Taylor. It therefore future success of the railway with many exciting events planned for 2017, seems extremely cruel to prevent him from participating in something that has including the launch of our new steam engine and the fiftieth birthday of River brought him pleasure and friendship through many decades. Depriving Phil Mite. We look forward to continued support and feedback from our membership. of the ability to participate in volunteer activities at the railway which he has served so well, in a voluntary capacity, since childhood, seems to us a greater

38 39 Forty Years Ago At long last the planned move of the carpenters to their new premises in the John Taylor warehouse is taking place. This means that the whole of the old workshops can be taken over by the engineers.

Edited highlights of previous editions of the Society’s Newsletters/Magazines: The Mill Wheel Turns Again Issue No.64: dated Winter 1976/77 On 2nd December the small amount of water coming out of the mill race was The cover picture showed River Esk “heading away from Eskdale Green on 22nd diverted into the new pen-trough and water splashed on to the rebuilt mill wheel August 1975 and nearing the record 6,322 miles she ran that year”. at Muncaster for the first time since 1961. With a little persuasion the wheel was soon moving and, as the oil reached down into the bearings, was soon turning Centenary Year smoothly and silently. Thus ended the first stage of the restoration of Muncaster Mill to full working order. During the winter more parts of the machinery will be By the end of Cavalcade Week, passenger journeys on the Railway had equalled overhauled and the considerable task of clearing and repairing the breaches in the number made by the comparable date last year. The exhibition in the goods the mill race will be undertaken. It is hoped that the Mill will open to the public shed at Ravenglass was a resounding success; a joint venture between the by Easter although the full scheme will not by then be complete; this entails the Railway Company and the Society, the Company provided the finance and the bringing of the Mill back into full production of wholemeal flour and oatmeal. Society the expertise. The events of 29th May when 150 people – most of them members of the Society – turned out in Victorian costume for the commissioning The First Volunteer? of Northern Rock has already been well chronicled and is now part of Ratty’s history. Centenary celebrations culminated with the Grand Cavalcade on 25th Towards the end of 1976 the Society received the gift of an early but undated September which drew a large crowd from far and wide, including some 350 R&ER Free Pass presented by Mr E H Fowkes of Windermere, at one time who arrived by charter train from London. archivist to British Railways. He writes: “This pass was given to my uncle, the late W Fowkes in recognition News from Ravenglass of the assistance he gave to the staff at Ravenglass. Billy Fowkes was a Ticket 19th November, the last day of the first century of passenger traffic, was marked Inspector on the Furness line for forty years. At peak periods in the summer, he by the running of a special train up the valley and a gathering at the Ratty Arms would travel to Ravenglass and, although no part of his official duties, he would with an extension of permitted hours to 12.30am. The running of steam trains check passengers on to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, helping both the staff after dark is a sufficiently rare occurrence to have made this a very special and the public. In occasion for the few who travelled up behind Northern Rock. A pleasantly mild return he was evening, the unusual sight of the glare from the firebox door glowing on the given the Free steam overhead, the string of lighted coaches snaking up the valley, the sights Pass which was and smells of Eskdale at night, the Britannia whistle echoing back from the hills never withdrawn”. and the exhilarating run over the Marsh which Graham Withers gave us, all As well as combined to make it a night to remember. checking tickets In the workshops, River Esk is virtually ready for the road once again and should at Ravenglass, it is be in better form than for many a year. River Irt has also received a more major believed that Billy overhaul than usual and should be in excellent order for next year. However the Fowkes would boiler is nearing the end of its days and a supplier of a new one is being sought. sometimes travel River Mite is due for a major overhaul soon, so the red livery will not be seen in on the trains in the service during the summer of 1977. (It is perhaps of interest to note that when role of volunteer River Mite entered service in 1967, annual locomotive mileages had not reached Ticket Inspector, 3,000, now they run close to 6,000). thus being in effect, the first Forty-year-old Rock aids Typhoon, with its failed The railcar will soon receive its control gear and it is hoped to have it in service volunteer! before long to save using Shelagh or the Passenger Tractor on the winter service. compressor, back to Ravenglass. Photo: Christopher Glover 40 41 Belinda: The Forest How Red Ratty Diary 2016-2017 A book review by Di Chase E&OE. Please check details before travelling

Forest How (http://www.foresthow.co.uk/) is a guest house located in woodland DATE EVENT CONTACT under Muncaster Fell, between Irton Road and The Green stations (and a walk on the bridleway between those two stations is very pleasant). Forest How is DECEMBER one of the best places in the area to have a chance of seeing red squirrels, mainly 3rd, 4th, 10th † Santa Express Ravenglass owing to the efforts and devotion of the late John Harris, to whom this book, 11th, 17th - 22nd Belinda: The Forest How Red Squirrel, is dedicated. Saturday 10th Council Meeting, Ravenglass Secretary Peter Trimming has documented a small colony of native wild reds, living near Forest How, from autumn 2012 to summer 2015. During this time, there was JANUARY 2017 a devastating outbreak of squirrel pox, which resulted in the loss of the adult Thursday 19th Press deadline, March issue Editor population of the colony. Despite this, a few of the younger squirrels, born Saturday 21st - Track Week Ravenglass in spring 2014, survived and began to rebuild the colony; one of these young th squirrels was a female named Belinda, who seemed to be less shy of humans, Sunday 29 and proved to be an excellent photographic ‘model’! MARCH Peter’s photographs are absolutely stunning; you can see every whisker and Saturday 11th Council Meeting, Ravenglass Secretary strand of fur! They provide a superb photographic record of several squirrels, Saturday 18th Start of daily service Ravenglass but mostly – of course – of Belinda, sometimes shown in some unusual situations! Peter continues to record sightings of the various red squirrels, and APRIL is sometimes seen visiting the railway too! Thursday 6th - Beamish Great North Steam Fair featuring Secretary I thoroughly recommend this delightful book, which is filled with fantastic Sunday 9th River Mite and the Train From Spain photos. Copies can be ordered online from the publisher (via Peter’s website: MAY http://petertrimming.co.uk/), or via most major bookshops. Saturday 27th River Mite fiftieth anniversary celebrations Ravenglass Published by The OCTOBER Book Guild Saturday 21st - Festival of Steam featuring German-built Ravenglass Ltd., 2016. Sunday 29th steam locomotives ISBN: 978 1 91087 Full details of all Railway events can be seen on the website: 855 2 http://ravenglass-railway.co.uk/events/ † Please book in advance Price: £12.50 Train From Spain Appeal website: train from spain.org Donations: Andy Cruickshank, 11 Townfield Close, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SL Email: [email protected]

Back Cover: Northern Rock sits on Dalegarth turntable during a Santa Special turn in 2013. Photo: Anna Tilsley

The Forest How squirrel Caroline. Photo: Peter Trimming The R&ER Magazine is published by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society Ltd. 2016. Registered office: The Station, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SW. Incorporated in England. Registered No. 697768. 42 Printed by Craven Design and Print, Shropshire. www.cravendesignandprint.co.uk 43