TheThe R&ERR&ER MagazineMagazine NumberNumber 221221 JuneJune 20162016

The Journal of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society The R&ER Magazine No.221 What’s in a Name? June 2016 Editorial by John Taylor

In this issue you will find the latest information about the Train From Spain Published quarterly by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Appeal. The acquisition of the loco and the possibility of the Society membership Preservation Society Limited being involved in choosing a name [see page 29] caused me to reminisce about Member of the Heritage Railway Association locomotive names past and present, and to come to the conclusion that names Editorial Team: Keith Herbert, Di Chase, Bill Seddon, Opinions expressed by contributors and are more memorable than numbers. Mark Harrington, John Taylor in editorial comment do not necessarily Editorial Designer: Julie Hutchinson reflect the collective views of the Society. In my 1959 edition of Ian Allan’s abc book of British Railways Locomotives, The R&ER Magazine is always pleased to receive Eastern, NE and Scottish regions, I have underlined (amongst many others); correspondence, photographs and articles for possible PRESS DEADLINE: Material for inclusion A4 60021 Wild Swan; A3 60051 Blink Bonny; A2 60506 Wolf of Badenoch; D11 inclusion. Most nowadays arrive via our e-mail address, in the next issue of the Magazine must 62691 Laird of Balmawhapple. These names excited me as a young lad. It was but postal contributions remain welcome. Please reach the editors not later than more fun finding a name than just a number, and in those days it didn’t matter include a name and contact address with any prints. Thursday 21st July at noon. Scanning facilities are available. Please send material earlier if possible. if I knew whether it was a bird, a racehorse, a figure from Scottish history, or a character from a novel by Sir Walter Scott (who knew?) and it’s the names Society website: http://www.rerps.co.uk I remember, not the numbers. Mind you, some modern names such as Invest in Nottingham (an East Midland Trains Class 222) and MTU Power Passion Council Chairman: Sam Dixon, 17 Woodlands, Great Corby, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 8LX. Partnership (a Class 43 from an InterCity 125 train) are just meaningless mission Email: [email protected] statements. But, generally, names are exciting, numbers are prosaic. Hon. Secretary: Mungo Stacy, 34 Mayfield Road, Manchester M16 8EU. Email: [email protected] And so it is, here on Ratty. We use the names Irt, Esk, Mite and Rock, and not Hon. Financial Secretary: David Lees, 31 Water Street, Ribchester, Preston, Lancashire PR3 3YJ. the numbers 3, 7, 9 and 10, which are their actual stock numbers. The names Email: [email protected] immediately give us a mental image of the loco, and to give the loco itself personality, which the numbers can’t. Hon. Membership Secretary: Phil Taylor, 12 Wholehouse Road, Seascale, Cumbria CA20 1QY. Email: [email protected] (1-1299 and 2500-3999) And so it should be for the Train From Spain. It needs a suitable, memorable, Assistant Membership Secretary: Jim Wilcock, ‘Porthlow’, Neston Road, Ness, Neston CH64 4AZ. evocative and exciting name, and you, the membership, can be involved. Email: [email protected] (1300-2499) My own suggestion (and this is personal, not the Magazine’s editorial opinion) Sales Officer: Terry Williams, 88 Bluestone Road, Moston, Manchester M40 9HY. would link the loco’s origins Email: [email protected] with Eskdale. The name King Magazine Distributor: Cumbria Mailing Services Ltd. Penrith, CA11 9FQ. of Prussia combines the Heywood House Bookings: Mary Harding. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 01229 717080. loco’s German construction with the old name of a local Volunteers: Peter Mills. Email: [email protected] Eskdale pub (now the King General Manager: Trevor Stockton, R&ER Co. Ltd. Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1SW. Tel: 01229 717171. George IV) which can be Editor: Keith Herbert, 7 Dalegarth Cottages, Boot, Holmrook, Cumbria CA19 1TF seen from the train, and Email: [email protected] whose name was changed in WW1 as part of a now long-forgotten anti-German Train From Spain Appeal website: train from spain.org feeling. Donations: Andy Cruickshank, 11 Townfield Close, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SL Email: [email protected] I would also suggest the loco The Train From Spain’s chassis is unloaded in is painted Prussian [dark] th Front Cover: River Irt coasts down Long Yocking in May 2014. blue. But what is your choice? the Ravenglass workshop on 25 February. Photo: Peter Howie Photo: Jackie Pharaoh 2 3 News from Ravenglass We have recently run an evening train, hauled by River Irt on 13th April, inviting Trevor Stockton neighbouring guest house owners, hoteliers, campsite operators and staff from Tourist Information centres to come along and familiarise themselves with our operation so that they can be better informed of what we have to offer. It all It seems like we have run half a season already, an early Easter with mixed helps! weather and staggered school holidays has led us to run a ‘red’ timetable for seventeen days. Unlike many previous years, with later Easters, we had no On 1st April Arriva took over the franchise to operate the passenger service on need to ramp up the service over the bank holiday weekend. Passenger levels the Cumbrian coast line; their commitment is to improve the timetable and remained steady throughout. rolling stock alongside introducing a Sunday service, hopefully by December 2017. This will mean the section from Barrow to Whitehaven seeing regular One telling aspect of our continued recovery and improved workshop facilities passenger trains for the first time in over forty years. A trial was run one Sunday is that three steam engines were available from Good Friday and, with the a few years ago and was almost oversubscribed! odd exception, we were able to run the three-engine service as rostered. River Esk remains some way off as you will read elsewhere; the Perkins remains an The museum train shed project still awaits final paperwork tweaks with Network aspiration to be available for the high summer this year. However, it is hoped Rail, with an intention to build this year to completion, the grand opening in that the railway can soon look forward to the day when there are five steam 2017. locomotives to draw on. The current fleet, a rejuvenatedRiver Esk and, of Thank you to the Preservation Society for its continued support, the final stage course, the Train From Spain. of the project at The Green is underway with the resurfacing of the platform Behind the scenes our marketing team, Rachel Bell and Lisa Braithwaite, and the last of the trees felled overhanging the station building. continue to work hard promoting the railway, attending trade fairs and even travelling as far afield as China to tap into the growing overseas market. The new commentary app will be available soon in both Japanese and Chinese; such Permanent Way Notes is the march of technology. All this work is essential in promoting the railway to David Moseley the widest possible audience. The Lake District The winter activities took place at several locations over the three months from took a hammering the start of the year until daily trains recommenced in mid-March. on a few occasions through the winter The last notes written in early January covered the lifting of nine lengths just with the weather and beyond the quarter-mile post outside Ravenglass. This was another of the track is taking some time gang’s famous mud bath episodes – winter just wouldn’t be winter without to recover; much has covering ourselves with mud at some point. The bank [up to the field] in this been reported about location has been cut back to improve visibility and to create a drain at the foot bridges being rebuilt of the bank. and roads reopening The rails were reused in this location but received a lot of attention to correct soon, though we the curvature, to give a smoother ride. The track bed was lowered on the relay were lucky here on and the ballast removed was used to build up the shoulders (sides) of the track the west coast. Still, heading back towards Ravenglass. The relay was packed over the course of two every effort must be days with the track back towards Ravenglass also packed to correct any minor made to get the word dips. out that we are open for business, not just Once the works at Ravenglass were completed we transferred our attention to the railway, but other the next relay at the 3mp (milepost) at the bottom of Horsefalls. Some 27 lengths attractions that draw Perkins remains an aspiration for the railway – here were relaid here, again on African hardwood sleepers with Pandrol plates and visitors to the area. its ‘apparition’ is seen in the engine shed in clips. Although relatively straightforward in terms of alignment (the curve at the 2014. Photo: Stephen Farish 4 5 Murthwaite (western) end has been eased slightly and the track straightened) group was packing another group topped up ballast and tidied the lineside. there were a lot of rails to cut and redrill to eliminate poor ends. Several train loads of timber were moved to Muncaster Mill for onward processing and brash was collected to a central location for burning over John Wilson and his digger did the levelling of the bed and the earthworks February half-term. needed for easing the curve before working his way down the line clearing ditches as he went. Some time was spent at Miteside putting in cabling for point Another big Rat Track ‘Thank You’ to the people who came down both in the detection. Several trees were also felled and drains cleared whilst we were in the run up to Track Week and during the week itself. Thanks also to John Wilson area. John eventually made his escape through the gateway at Muncaster Mill. and his mighty digger for making our job so much easier. Grateful thanks to the Once the cables had been installed at Miteside loop we returned to Horsefalls lovely ladies of Dalegarth for feeding us at lunchtimes and also at the evening and the second of this winter’s Track Weeks. meal on the last Saturday night. Tony Kuivala, Jeff ‘Flash’ Bennett and Tom Whitbread did the evening talks and thanks again are due to them. Despite some pretty inhospitable weather we had an exceptionally good turnout of people with some 105 man days over the nine day ‘week’. In the days Once Track Week was out of the way we returned to the top of Horsefalls running up to Track Week proper we had cut and redrilled all the necessary where a slight dip in the track was causing a roll to the trains. The excessive rails with the exception of the two rails needed for closure. All the sleepers had superelevation around the first part of Rock Point was also corrected, and a been laid out ready for the rails to be replaced. minor realignment smoothed out the curve. We repacked back towards the track packed during Track Week and then topped up the ballast, aligning as we Once Track Week began, therefore, we were able to get on with laying track went. straight away with several lengths bolted up and clipped down. The track was aligned as we went, straightening out the previous alignment and easing curves Track was also packed around Murthwaite oak – this section will be relaid in as much as we could. the not too far distant future – it is one of the few sections still primarily packed with, and resting on, Murthwaite dust from the crushing plant, and suffers with Having refined track laying over several years, the longest part of any track work loss of line and level on a regular basis. This section will be relaid as part of our now is the ballasting, and this took up several days. Packing began on the Tuesday wider plans for tidying and making better use of the Murthwaite crushing plant and all the new track was packed by late on the Friday. This wasn’t the end of site and to this end we have made a start on clearing the trees on the north side work here, of the line. as several sleepers Whilst on the subject of Murthwaite, mention should be made of the had been improvements made to Murthwaite Halt itself. Largely a one man effort, Andy replaced Cruickshank has turned this previously unloved and neglected halt into a towards delightful wayside attraction (it is particularly attractive at this time of year Rock Point, with the daffodils). Andy has resurfaced the platform, put in new edgings and so we replaced the seat. carried on A relatively quick packing job at the top of Hollin How was followed by packing, repacking through Mill Wood. Whilst one gang was packing, two staff members taking out completed the installation of the point levers to the sidings at Irton Road – the several dips final fitting of the facing point lock to the siding point saw the lever frame as we went. brought back into use for the first time since the siding was relaid some three We had years ago. sufficient The overbridge at Irton Road was covered in scaffolding for a fortnight in early people February while the council undertook repointing work on this, arguably, the over the last most iconic of the Ratty’s bridges. A full structural survey was undertaken of weekend our other bridges and infrastructure in late March – fortunately there were no to split into Volunteers Sarah and Eva lead ballast wagons, guided carefully major surprises. down grade by pairs of workers, to the Horsefalls worksite in two groups. January. Photo: Christopher Glover Whilst one The fishplates on the line are greased every three years – we split the line into 6 7 three sections: Ravenglass to Murthwaite siding points; Murthwaite to Eskdale task) – our contractor has replaced fences at Spout House, Hollin How and Green crossing; Eskdale Green to Dalegarth. This includes the loops and, in Fisherground. We have also repaired fences in several locations where broken addition, Ravenglass station is also greased. wires and panels allowed sheep unhindered access to unintentionally train spot and play ‘race the train’. As we weren’t able to do any greasing last year (the workshop track taking all of our spare time) we had two thirds of the line to complete this year, with February half-term saw several bonfires consuming the brash from the tree the two sections from Murthwaite to Dalegarth being done in just seven non- felling – there’s plenty more to go at particularly around Murthwaite – any consecutive days. Bolts and fishplates were replaced as necessary. If you like offers from folks out there? getting covered in grease it’s a great way to get to know the railway! We are starting to make plans for this coming winter – sleepers have been We also replaced the level crossing boards at Beckfoot, Eskdale Green and ordered and the two locations for relaying in November and January have Tom’s Crossing (the farm crossing just west of Irton Road). These have been been identified. Daily trains stop on 30th October so we shall have access from replaced with plastic which, although more expensive than wood, we hope will Monday 31st October through to Wednesday 23rd November, with Track Week last much longer. ‘proper’ starting on Saturday 12th November and running through to Sunday 20th November. Please do think about coming to help – we are always very pleased Several large trees have been removed by contractors including those around and grateful to have your company and the work, although at times muddy, wet Beckfoot station, where the open aspect has improved visibility of both the and tiring, is also rewarding. We have references from satisfied participants to road crossing and Stanley Ghyll House, as well as enabling passengers to be prove it! seen more readily on the platform. The platform fence at Beckfoot was also repaired having lost an argument with several tree branches. Quite apart from the Track Weeks we are out on the track as often as we can be and would be grateful to have your help at any time. We are getting to the time The annual round of point servicing has also been completed along with point of year when the strimmers and mowers emerge from their winter hibernation detection checks. Our S&T department has replaced the LED assembly on the and regular mowing of the lineside is required to enable our passengers to Dalegarth end detector light at Fisherground, which had suffered water ingress, experience the delights of the views we have to offer. If you fancy keeping as well as fitting a trial electrical motor to one of Ravenglass’ signals – this has the lineside growth in check or getting involved with maintenance of this little been done to eliminate a long and awkward cable run. railway please do give us a call on 01229 717171. The point indicator at Dalegarth has also been upgraded and new detection fitted to the carriage shed points. The cabling at Miteside awaits the fitting of the clever bits to enable the points to have light detectors – this will be the last of the loops to have additional visual indication fitted. Fencing repairs have also Lady Wakefield propels the works train over the new boards continued (this on Beckfoot Crossing, on 2nd March 2016. pretty much The works train ‘shunt releases’ Northern Rock, on test, at Dalegarth. 2nd March Photo: Keith Herbert an ongoing 2016. Photo: Keith Herbert 8 9 Traffic News the front bogie and rear truck at Fisherground and Spout House, and know that Peter van Zeller the cylinder draincocks comfortably clear the road at Eskdale Green Crossing before any further work is done to turn the wheels to the R&ER flange profile and reduce their diameter slightly. River Mite started passenger services for February half-term on 13th February. All the advertised steam services after this have been met, because the three Irton Road groundframe, for access to the sidings, was brought back into use big locos passed their annual boiler inspections in January, and were ‘sufficient from 21st February, and a new combined ‘points set’ light and route indicator unto the day’ whatever (minor) evil occurred. River Irt had a short test trip at Dalegarth from 25th March. Meanwhile the traditional semaphore signalling to Irton Road on 16th February. It ran trains the following day but lost an air at Ravenglass was given a surreptitious boost from 10th April with hydraulic brake compressor belt. The substitute River Mite’s steam compressor then gave assistance for pulling the outer home, Signal 29. problems deserving workshop attention. Irt ran the passenger service again on Across the fence, the Northern franchise was taken over by Arriva Rail North th 20 February but required assistance on its last run from Irton Road, by Lady on 1st April, and rolling stock lost its former Abellio-Serco labelling directly. The Wakefield, to create enough train brake air, when its newly re-sited electric loco-hauled trains will continue into the immediate future (until circa 2019), compressor could not cope with leakage from the belt-driven compressor with the further prospect of six trains through Ravenglass on Sundays and later pipework. River Irt returned to the works again for changes to its injector water evening weekday services from December 2017. The driving trailers run with supply valves, and emerged after a partial rebushing of its valve gear. It has since the loco on the north end and only very exceptional top and tail working from run with only minor issues and without the characteristic rattle from Muriel’s the Direct Rail Services Class 37s. A fine sight from 14th March has been 37402 motion, a remarkable monument for minimum gauge railways a century after Stephen Middleton in heritage British Rail large arrow livery complete with West th the death of her builder, Sir Arthur Heywood, on 19 April 1916. Highland Scottie dog logo! Other trains use Class 156s, the four wheeled 142 Northern Rock had several false starts interspersed with visits to the weighbridge, Pacers and their 153 bogie cousins built at Workington. DRS also now mainly after trials to Dalegarth on 2nd March and a double-headed run with River Irt on use Class 37s on flask trains, but the special Pullman liveried Class 57sNorthern 10th March before entering daily service on 18th March. It had a loose belt-driven compressor sprocket on 2nd April and then missed the following two days. Its 11.25 train on 5th April loaded to ten coaches. The early Easter bank holiday followed by two weeks of the ‘red’ service saw some crowding on fine days as passengers followed the weather forecast. On 9th April, Northern Rock also took a special train marking ‘Stella’s 90th Celebration’ for friends of the Cookman family. The two big diesel locos have worked almost indiscrimately this spring. Lady Wakefield was the track gang’s main work horse throughout, while Douglas Ferreira was away from Ravenglass for periods while the line was broken for resleepering. Since the start of services, both locos have been used on passenger work while Lady Wakefield had occasional work collecting wagons from Irton Road on 22nd March and to Murthwaite on 7th April. Meanwhile Douglas ran evening specials for Fish and Chips on 19th February, 18th March, and 15th April, and the return of the ‘Celebration’. The chassis of Krauss works No.8457 came to Ravenglass on 1st March and then had a short towed run to Miteside, and another over the full line on 17th March. These were the first serious moves this loco has done since the Ibero-American Exposition railway last ran at Seville in 1932 and its subsequent partial restoration in Mataró, so were done with due caution and concern for clearances. The K3-6 design with its flangeless centre driving wheelset was capable of negotiating th far tighter curves than exist on the R&ER but it was useful to observe travel on River Mite waits in the sun with a train at Dalegarth, 14 June 2011. Photo: John Mitcheson 10 11 Princess and Solway Princess (for the ‘Northern Belle’ train) were recently noted River Esk on these duties. DRS Class 66s have worked Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday Nigel Day evenings top and tail on trains of stone from Burlington Quarries (not Ghyll Scaur as previously erroneously stated) loaded at Barrow Burlington Docks for Drigg. While the brand new Class 68s were seen from 2nd March in triplicate, top Since the last Magazine work has continued on the myriad of parts required. and tailing trial trains to Barrow Docks of container flats with two personnel Parts are being made and stored ready for fitting at a later date, but there are still coaches. many, many parts to deal with. As an example of the extent of the damage to the Esk and of the work now being undertaken, only the front valve cover and rear The closure of the Settle-Carlisle route since the landslip at Eden Brows has cylinder cover will survive from the cylinder block assemblies on both sides of thrown a limited amount of extra through traffic down the coast. This included the locomotive. The rest of the cylinder block and all other parts from valves to on 17th February the southbound ‘Pendle Dalesman’, steam-hauled behind drain cocks will all be new, everything having to be made one part at a time. The Jubilee class 45699 Galatea. 46100 Royal Scot followed with the ‘Cumbrian boiler is still awaited, but at last the chassis has all twelve wheels, even though Coast Express’ on 9th April, although sadly on neither occasion was an R&ER much work remains to be done to the running gear. loco available to whistle them through in the time-honoured traditional manner. [The whistle from Royal Scot was repaired in our own workshops at Ravenglass In rebuilding the Esk we are updating components where applicable, which in recent months and tested on River Mite once complete – it sounded excellent should then act as the basis for modern, common parts for all of the engines. on either loco – Ed.] The main areas are the valves, liners and valve events. Some of the items on the valves are a greater upgrade than what we did to River Mite two years ago (work on the valve rings and liners to improve both steam flow and steam tightness). Also the draughting, sanders, boiler fittings and many other small components are being improved to be easier to maintain and [in the case of the draughting] to use less steam. Part of this is to reduce long-term maintenance. Other areas like reliable steam-operated sanding, which is designed to clean the rail as much as it is to put down sand, will offer greater adhesion and improve safety by reducing the need for manual sanding (walking along in front of the train) by the guard. A good demonstration of steam-operated sanders was provided by the Bure Valley Railway’s Wroxham Broad. There will be a gain in efficiency and driveability. The fitting of spark arresters will also be possible to further reduce the fire risk. Standardisation of various parts in the brake gear and driving control positions is also being incorporated.

River Irt seen from the top of Black Bridge, near Irton Road, in 2014. Photo: Peter Mills Assembly of rods for River Esk. Photo: Nigel Day 12 13 Museum Project Restoration David Rounce Restoration work commenced with ICL No.1 receiving a repaint, courtesy of Peter, who was assisted by volunteer Bob Brook. This needs some final touches Museum Extension and then will be ready for display. The surviving granite hopper has been rubbed down by volunteer Jordan Leeds, visiting from the Llangollen Railway What’s been going on with the museum project? On the face of it very little! to spend time working with proper-sized trains. Both body and chassis (in We were hoping to be well into the construction of the new train shed by this use until recently as a boiler flat) have been primed and temporarily reunited point but, owing to continuing delays with the transfer of a strip of land to (see photo). On completion the plan is to install a false floor with granite load Ratty ownership from Network Rail, the aim now is to open the new museum and place it in the new museum with Quarryman to depict the Ratty’s stone- in spring 2017. In the meantime, the present museum was re-opened for Easter working heritage. and will remain open until building work starts. Archive Peter van Zeller and I spent a sunny afternoon shunting the carriage shed to lay out a rough outline of the new train shed and its contents, with Synolda, ICL The museum archive currently resides in the General Manager’s office, though No.1, Quarryman, the Heywood wagon and various planks and chalk marks I am given to understand that additional material is squirreled away in diverse representing absent stock. What became apparent from this operation is that locations! Dave Simpson has begun digitising the photographic archive, space in the nineteen-metre extension will disappear rapidly, especially when beginning with the fascinating Mary Fair collection, and over the next few room is allowed for ancillary displays and a comfortable visitor route. While this weeks we’ll be purchasing a museum database program and creating the first means we will have to be fairly strict with which vehicles are displayed, it also digital catalogue of the collection. leaves a pool of ‘spare’ stock which can be displayed on rotation to keep the Volunteers exhibitions fresh. We still need volunteers so if you’d be interested in cataloguing the archive, resurrecting the Theakston granite tubs, stripping the Bassett-Lowke coach back to its original wood finish, or even engaging with the public in the main line signal box, do please drop me a line at [email protected].

A refurbished hopper wagon at Ravenglass. Photo: David Rounce Hopper wagons at work at Beckfoot Quarry. Photo: R&ER Archive 14 15 A Century of Train Services by ‘Prospect Point’ and New Year a quarter mile further by the summit above Peter van Zeller old Walk Mill. In the Whitehaven News at the beginning of February 1916 there was an advert for ‘Reopening the Eskdale Railway’ and a train service now running several times a day to Irton Road. La’al Ratty celebrated a hundred years since the starting of fifteen-inch gauge trains to Muncaster with Bassett Lowke’s Sans Pareil on 28th August 1915, but By then two more locos had come from Eaton Hall – the estate accounts have a that was only a taster for what was to come. The events of the following year were record of their movement. The two distinctive types of miniature main line and to be the shape of the future: running a daily service from 6.30 in the morning to narrow gauge designs are a mismatch in style but an intrinsic part of La’al Ratty’s nine o’clock at night; coping with peaks of passenger traffic, breakdowns and character. Colossus was a Bassett-Lowke product, a scale model Pacific version the weather; running every piece of rolling stock, and mending it when it broke of the Class 30, barely run in and owned by Captain John Howey, then a prisoner down. One can but admire both the optimism and the endeavour, because they of war. Synolda and Count Louis are a formidable pair, working double-headed formed the foundations of what followed, a train service that operated in some today and giving some indication of what Sans Pareil and Colossus were like in shape or form in every year without a break for a century. their prime that summer. Through the autumn, work continued to regauge the track as fast as could be Katie was the 0-4-0 built by Arthur Heywood and sold to the Eaton Railway in done. Stretches of the old sleepers were firm enough to take the rails respiked 1896, but now with some thousands of miles behind it, having hauled 50,000 to the new narrower gauge, but elsewhere there was a shortage of cut down full- tons of coal to the stately home unaided in its first decade of work. Given that sized ones. The original wrought iron rails were laminating badly, but sections the old Eskdale Railway handled 150 tons a week of general goods including of steel rail relaid from the Gill Force mineral tramway were much better, though domestic coal, the contractor’s type of loco evidently handled its share. It will lots of fishplates needed replacement according to contemporary reports. be fascinating to see how capable it could be in as-new condition on its return ‘Voyageur’ gave account of the old railway being 2ft 9in gauge, which was at to the Eskdale line in the foreseeable future. odds with the reality of the old line being certainly overgauge; the use of a track By the end of that first month, a ball was advertised at Eskdale Green supporting profile drawn by Cecil J Allan in articles and annotated with the progress of re- the Eskdale & Ennerdale Foxhounds, with a special train from – and back to laying caused endless confusion before the few surviving 3ft gauge sleepers – Ravenglass. What an adventure that must have been, handling full trains on were found in more recent re-laying projects! steep grades in the dark – without continuous brakes! By November By 27th March the trains ran to Eskdale Green and apparently from 20th April to the little Beckfoot. The late Easter of 21st-23rd April found ‘The Bantam Railway’ … with railway was passengers offering some ‘far exceeding daily trains to the maximum Murthwaite that was dealt – where the with at any current halt time by the lies at the old company’. end of a long How they lane to the shifted bums valley road, on seats with not far from the limited Irton Hall. rolling stock! Christmas One double 1915 saw headed train the new line photographed stretch to the at Eskdale All those years ago: diminutive Pacific loco Colossus is turned 3¼ milepost Green had 73 Sans Pareil and train at Muncaster Mill Photo: R&ER Archive at Dalegarth. Photo: Mary Fair Collection passengers, 16 17 but the busy Fell Dales Show Day at the end of the summer saw no less than The railway continued to operate successfully for the next twenty years 400 passengers recorded in the ledger. This was the legendary day when the (although passenger services were cut back to just two trains a day during last train hauled by Katie was struggling so badly the hound trail bookies set up the second world war). However, by the 1950s, quarrying at Beckfoot had their tables to take bets on when the train would get home! ceased and the line’s future was in doubt. Complete closure was announced in 1959, which led to the formation of a preservation society which took over However the Sanitary Surveyor and Inspector of Nuisances for Bootle Rural the following year, and which began services with volunteer enthusiast labour. District Council was soon in formal communication with the Board of Trade. The Over the next decade improvements were made, including laying new track company’s tickets excluded any public liability and he wanted to know who had with fresh ballast and better passenger facilities at both Ravenglass and Boot. authorised turning a proper railway (if closed) into a toy. The files of the Railway In 1961 the Society was fortunate in acquiring four coaches from the County Department held an earlier complaint to Winston Churchill about the state of the Donegal Railway, along with a 2-6-4T which was named River Mite, followed in track from Eskdale to Boot, and a later disingenuous letter from John Wills asking 1968 by three more coaches and some wagons for permanent way duties from if they wanted to inspect a proposed fifteen-inch gauge railway at Ravenglass, like the Manx Northern Railway on the Isle of Man. the one at Rhyl... but no mention of converting the Eskdale line! The officials who side-stepped making any adverse decision deserve all our thanks. Over the last fifty years the railway has gone from strength to strength. The demand for a more intensive service in the summer months has led to the installing of more passing places and the first instance of radio signalling on a What if the Three-Foot Gauge... British railway. Although the majority of passenger trains are still steam-hauled, David Collins the historic fleet has been supplemented by a number of internal combustion locos, the first being a Hunslet loco bought by the National Coal Board in 1970, followed in 1985 by a three-foot gauge version of the Ffestiniog’s Conway …still existed? A discussion on the R&ER’s Facebook page once raised the Castle, and a sister loco to the Vale of Ffestiniog in 2000. question “If the original three-foot gauge railway had been retained, what would it be like now?” The highlight of the year for most narrow gauge enthusiasts must be the annual gala. Recent years have seen several locomotives from the Isle of Man Steam Let’s suspose that after the iron ore mine had closed in 1913 the residents of Railway and even a Manx Electric tramcar, powered by batteries, running on the Eskdale had rallied round and formed a new company to take over the line as it R&ER. In exchange Nabb Gill and River Irt have both visited the island. stood. Passenger services would have continued, along with freight to and from local farms, throughout the war, and once peace had been restored in 1918 This is just a “what might have been”, but I hope you have found it both summer holiday traffic would have made the line profitable again... entertaining and thought-provoking. I would like to close by saying I’m glad the change of gauge took place, as it paved the way for lines like the Romney, Hythe & However, the service remained slow because of the state of the track, which Dymchurch and Bure Valley, plus the saving of the oldest fifteen-inch gauge steam was remedied in the mid-1920s when the Keswick Granite Quarry acquired a loco still working, controlling interest in the railway, and brought a new form of traffic in the form now more than of roadstone from its quarry at Beckfoot to Ravenglass, where a transfer siding 120 years young. was erected on a man-made embankment so stone could be shovelled into Although another standard gauge wagons on the LMS. “what if” is “what By the 1930s the locomotives Devon and Nabb Gill were in need of overhaul, if the trend of but it was obvious that the railway could not operate with just one engine. In converting defunct addition, more passenger coaches were needed, as carrying passengers in railways to minimum open wagons on busy days was no longer acceptable. Fortunately, in 1929, the gauge lines had Southwold Railway had closed, so the R&ER could buy two of the three Sharp taken hold?” Would Stewart 2-4-2Ts on that line, along with some passenger coaches and some spare lines like the Leek rail. On arrival at Ravenglass the locomotives were renamed River Irt and River & Manifold, Lynton Esk, and enabled the original locomotives to be sent to Kerr Stuart in Stoke-on- & Barnstaple and Trent for overhaul. From the same source came an 0-4-0 diesel loco, in 1936, to Glyn Valley still exist What if the fifteen-inch gauge had never existed? work the stone trains, leaving the steam locos to work the summer services. today…? Synolda and train in August 2015. Photo: Jeff Bennett 18 19 The Miteside Feature the measurements taken in 2013 and 2014 were also used to produce a contour Albert Waterhouse map of the surface of the feature, and from this a schematic diagram of the feature was produced (see below). For the first time we had an accurate diagram of the shape of feature: and it is not really a circle. Luckily in early 2015 David In recent years you may have noticed a small team of local amateur Maron, an experienced archaeologist, joined the team. David spent time visiting archaeologists, armed with buckets, spades and other equipment, traveling to the site, reviewing what we had found, and poring over local maps. Eventually and from Miteside Loop. We have been investigating the Miteside Feature, and he developed a theory of what the feature could be, and we set about trying to trying to understand what it is. It appears as a roughly circular dyke between disprove his theory. the River Mite and the rail track. The track actually appears to rest on top of part of the feature. We had found no evidence, in literature or on the ground, of David had concluded that the feature was probably formed from two lines of why the feature was there, though there is a local story emanating from retired glacial till (the west dyke and the east dyke), modified by the River Mite and the Ratty engineers that it was “Aubrey Brocklebank’s cockpit”. It has an internal rail track to give the appearance of a circle. ‘Glacial till’ is material churned up by diameter of about 50m, about the size of a Roman amphitheatre, which is much a glacier which is then deposited when the glacier retreats. For David’s theory to too large for a cockpit. be correct the following would be true: The Miteside Feature was discovered by the late Martin Willey, and Denis • the east dyke and the west dyke would differ in their internal composition; Woolley, in 2004 while they were clearing undergrowth between Miteside Loop • there would be no original soil or vegetation surface beneath either dyke. and the River Mite. Though the line appears to rest on part of the feature it is mostly well concealed, among trees and undergrowth, from passing Ratty What we found was that the two dykes were different internally, though of carriages. The massive nature of the feature is really only apparent from within similar constituents, and in neither case is there evidence of a wall. Beneath the the circle. The dyke is about 10m wide and 2m high all round, except for a gap east dyke there was no sign of an original surface pre-dating the dyke. So, we near the river which we refer to, for convenience, as ‘the entrance’. Much of the are confident that David’s theory is correct. interior of the feature is flooded, with a thick layer of floating moss which stays It is possible that this natural feature has been utilised by people, perhaps as a remarkably green throughout the year. ‘cockpit’ or as a pool for water, but we have found no evidence to support such Being set among trees it is difficult to visualise the feature, and photographs usage. During 2016 we are intending to do a further check for evidence of the are unhelpful unless you have visited the site. So the first objective was to feature having being used by people. Then the intention is to check the whole take measurements. Ratty line for other sites of archaeological interest. We wanted to measure surface levels and the rock levels below the soil and vegetation, in the hope that this would allow us to understand the structure. From measurements and a limited excavation in 2013, the core of the eastern dyke appeared to be a rough granite wall 2m high and 4.5m wide. Further excavation during 2014 Miteside as was in July 2001, Northern Rock seemed to confirm this pausing under the tree canopy to allow an up train conclusion. However, to pass. Photo: Katriina Etholén Plan of the ‘Miteside Feature’. Image: Albert Waterhouse 20 21 Seen From the Footplate

Douglas Ferreira approaches Fisherground, as seen over a full bunker of coal Northern Rock climbs the newly relaid section up Horsefalls on 28th March from the cab of Wroxham Broad in April 2013. Photo: Sam Dixon 2016. Photo: Christopher Glover

River Irt climbs off Barrow Marsh towards Ravenglass, this photo taken from David Moseley fires an immaculately polished Hercules in a photograph from the cab of Wroxham Broad during a double-header. 31st August 2014. July 2013. Photo: David Rodgers Photo: Anna Tilsley 22 23 From the Secretary’s Desk European park railways Mungo Stacy One of the great features of the Train From Spain project is the links it provides with the fifteen-inch gauge European park railways. I found myself on business Volunteering in Stuttgart in April, and was warmly welcomed to the Killesbergbahn by the staff, including driver Urs Polin and engineer Thomas Stegmueller. This railway The controller will be pleased to hear from volunteers about is the new home of sister locomotive No. 8455 Santa María. Our own Steve availability during the season. We typically need at least three Wood and Ian Leigh were able to attend the inauguration on 16th April 2016. volunteer guards every day of the daily service. In addition, members are welcomed for other roles including station We have also been contacted by the Parkeisenbahn Auensee in Leipzig, which master, trackwork and the glamorous job of litter-picking. has expressed interest in bringing its similar Krauss locomotive to Ravenglass next year. Although it is still early days for this proposal, this raises the exciting The Railway Company will be issuing volunteering agreements potential of KraussFest 2017 – naturally in October! to each active volunteer. The wording of these has been reviewed with the Council.

Accommodation There were 100 bed-nights in Heywood House in the last quarter with income exceeding £400. The sea-facing elevation of the house has been re-rendered. Please remember to contact the warden, Mary Harding, if you expect to stay at Heywood House.

Museum project The Society Trust continues to work through the details surrounding the museum project, including a review of conditions about the land usage, the change in constitution and name of the Eskdale (Cumbria) Trust to the Ravenglass Railway Museum Trust, and appointment of Trustees to the latter.

Annual General Meeting The notice of the Annual General Meeting is enclosed with this magazine. The AGM will be held at Dalegarth on the evening of Saturday 9th July at 19.30. A train will be provided from Ravenglass departing at 18.30, and food will be provided at Dalegarth for members attending the AGM. There will also be a railwayana auction on the night in aid of the Train From Spain Appeal. We would like to hear the views of our members, so please do attend if you are able. The train will return after the meeting, arriving back into Ravenglass at approximately 22.30. There are currently vacancies on the Council following the resignation of long- standing Council members. Council members have a vital role in running the The pristine No.8455 Santa María at Killesbergpark. Photo: Mungo Stacy Society. They are expected to attend four meetings a year, usually in Ravenglass. Nomination forms are available from the Secretary. Train From Spain Appeal website: train from spain.org Donations: Andy Cruickshank, 11 Townfield Close, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SL Email: [email protected]

24 25 Volunteering Update experiences and adapting our processes to suit our needs here, will we keep Peter Mills getting better at attracting new volunteers to add to the fantastic volunteers that we already have. As we adapt and improve our plans here on the Ratty in volunteer recruitment, then you - the experienced volunteers - will be our most Since the last Magazine, I am pleased to announce that we have continued to important asset in helping us achieve our goals. Passing on your considerable attract new volunteers at a good rate, and they are at various stages of guard knowledge is key and will give us the best chance of doing this. training as we speak. It is a good sign that we have started the new season in this way, and hopefully this trend will continue into the busy season, when we need By the time you read this, our new dedicated volunteer leaflet will be ready; it more guards on a daily basis. will highlight the benefits of volunteering, the benefits of being a member of the Society and its cheap accommodation. Basically, similarly to promotional In the last issue of the Magazine, I asked if anyone was interested in getting boards at the stations, it uses words and pictures to show the many different involved with welcoming new volunteers. One or two have expressed an roles that volunteers can undertake in a way that catches the eye and is easy to interest in being involved in a team that deals with new volunteers and further read. developments will take place on this over the coming months. But if you are interested in helping to welcome new volunteers and haven’t expressed an Finally, if you don’t already know, I have taken up a new position in the Company interest yet, then it’s not too late (contact me via the volunteering e-mail address as senior controller, so I will be spending much more time in the signal box, I and you can join our team). Improving how we deal with new volunteers will be will continue as the Company’s Volunteer Liaison Officer which will enable me one of the most important roles that experienced volunteers can offer, because to coordinate and develop more effectively with both the Society and Company any potential new volunteer will hear directly from fellow volunteers and get our ever-changing volunteer programme. the true answers to how we treat and deal with new volunteers on the railway. Also since the last Magazine, I have visited the Talyllyn Railway and the Volunteering in the Museum Ffestiniog Railway in North Wales. Whilst there, I met my counterpart volunteer Bob Brook liaison officers and discussed at length various issues involved with volunteer recruitment and initiatives on their railways. Both railways were generous with the time and advice that they gave me and I thank them for their help. Both the Although I have railways that I visited have a proven track record in attracting volunteers and been interested retaining them. Sharing knowledge and experiences between railways is part of in the museum learning; best practice from our peers should be encouraged as only by sharing and doing occasional odd jobs for ten years, it is only in the last year that I have been able to volunteer more, although I am not able to be there as often as I might wish. In November 2014 I was able to help remove, Volunteers in action! A logging train and a burning gang at Peter Mills in conversation with volunteer guard Michael Hill at Dalegarth. photograph work, Perkins just visible as the motive power in November Photo: Christopher Glover Photo: Nicola Wilcock and record the 2013. 26 27 items as they were taken out of the old museum and put in store - a rather sad The Train From Spain Appeal time for those of us who had a high regard for the old display. In the spring I Keith Herbert was able to be there on the first days we had access to the renewed building, and started cleaning objects and pictures and putting them temporarily into The Train From Spain Appeal is happy to report on a successful first quarter the building. Last December we moved ICL No.1 across to the paint shop, and I – circa £17,000 raised by the press deadline of the Magazine, representative started by cleaning the accumulation of dirt and smoke damage [from the paint of some thirteen per cent of the target figure. A promotional banner is on shop fire in late 2012] from the body, and made a start on painting it. This was permanent display around the turntable at Ravenglass and there are Train From continued in March 2016, with the main body colour applied. Hopefully it and Spain leaflets in the racks at each end of the line. By all means take some and other items will be fit for display in the extension when it is complete. distribute them elsewhere. Why do I do it? With an interest in the history of the railway this sort of work The chassis of the locomotive has been at Ravenglass since early March for the means you can see and touch many historical items, and be able to ask questions running of gauging trials around the railway. Douglas Ferreira did the honours, and learn more. It was a real eye opener seeing just what was in the old museum. towing a boilerless No.8457 to prove its compatability with our line beyond It also gives an incentive to look up more details of the objects’ history when doubt. Despite fears in some quarters, there was no issue with curves or points, you get home. It is a varied job which can be done within the capabilities of the or even the turntable which proved adequately long to accommodate the Pacific volunteer; it can be done for part of the day if required; it is near refreshments, machine. It has, however, been decided to reprofile the tyres on the locomotive and trains can be seen and heard; it is something that may suit those who may so that they match the so-called ‘Ratty standard’ profiles of all other locomotives be getting too old to do heavy track work, or guarding duties. (except Synolda and Douglas Ferreira, which have profiles different from We now have a new Museum Manager, David Rounce, who, together with Peter everything else and each other). van Zeller and the museum management committee, has created a schedule of the restoration work to be undertaken in preparation for the new museum. This is informed by the ideas which have been discussed over the last couple of years and will involve a large amount of volunteer input. These opportunities can be put into several categories: conservation and restoration, to get large and small objects into a condition where they will not deteriorate and can be meaningfully displayed; cataloguing the collection, involving digitising the large collection of photos and paperwork; creating an audio archive of people’s memories; and, last but by no means least, working with the visitors to increase their understanding and enjoyment of the railway in many possible ways. There is a lot of ways for anyone to help, and to enjoy contributing to an exciting new addition to the railway’s River Irt passes a gang of volunteers at Fisherground nd visitor attractions. The boiler from No.8457 – the Train From Spain – at Bouth on 22 March Crossing, July 2014. Photo: Christopher Glover 2016. Photo: Stuart Harrison 28 29 A Chance to Have Your Say! Tom Whitbread

Two questions have been asked about the Train From Spain more than any others; “What is it going to be called?” and “What colour should it be?”. Names and liveries are always an emotive subject, and a great many suggestions have been made and discussed, both on and off the railway! To this end, we are welcoming suggestions for both names and liveries. A suggestion for either can be made, at the modest price of a £4.00 donation to the appeal. These suggestions will then be shortlisted (by a committee chosen by the Train From Spain project members), based on the following criteria: • relevance to the locomotive’s history, as a German built, Spanish operated engine; • relevance to the Ratty’s history and geography; • relevance to and predicted popularity with the travelling public. Once approved by the Society Council, this shortlist will be put to a vote amongst The smokebox interior, including superheater header. Photo: Peter Mills the membership via a voting slip in a future issue of the Magazine – it is, after all, your engine! On 22nd March the boiler inspector visited Old Hall Farm, the examination of the vessel going much as expected. The only question mark is over wastage This may seem an involved process, but it’s vital that both name and livery are on the front tube plate flange at the bottom of the smokebox. Non-destructive chosen in a transparent manner. We hope that you’ll be inspired to put your testing will determine its viability, as the next step in the certification process. imagination (and colouring skills!) to work, and make your ideas known to us The original thickness of the plate was 22mm and wastage in the order of forty via the forms which can be downloaded from the trainfromspain.org website. per cent will be allowed. The superheater has been a talking point of the restoration to date – is it worthwhile to keep? The boiler inspector deemed that it would require such work as to make it uneconomical to repair, therefore it is likely that no superheater be incorporated. This would make No.8457 saturated, as the other steam engines on the R&E line. The steam pipework in the smokebox is also considered to be in need of being replaced with new. The final item of great note is the tender, which was tested for water-tightness at Ravenglass. Unfortunately the tender body bore greater likeness to a collander than anything else; the project steering group is considering building a brand new tender utilising bogies from the former Maxi coaches. As you can see there is plenty happening at the moment on all fronts, and this even before considering what it is going to be called and what colour it should be…! A key date for your diaries is 9th July, the RERPS AGM, at which event will be held an auction of railwayana (some from the estate of the late Graham Withers, who did much to raise funds for the appeal supporting the construction of River Mite in the 1960s) to help generate monies for the restoration appeal. th Please come along to support your Society and your new locomotive. On 17 March the chassis made Dalegarth under the towage of Douglas Ferreira. Photo: Tom Whitbread 30 31 So What Shall We Call It? Or there’s a ‘partner’ for Shelagh of Eskdale the Viking heroine who, a thousand David Mosley years ago, engineered the bloodless repulse from Eskdale of the English king Ethelred the Unready. But humiliations of even unready kings demand detailed planning and that was provided by her son, Earl Grice. How about Earl Grice Well, it has finally arrived, the Society’s very own ‘Krauss from Catalonia’[surely then – most appropriate for railway enthusiasts but perhaps just a little bit too Train From Spain?! – Ed.] and, once the little things like making the locomotive redolent of a 1950s American rock ‘n’ roller really. fit to run have been dealt with, we can get round to the serious issues – like what will it be called and what colour shall we paint it? Those previous suggestions are Eskdale-based, though we ought to acknowledge our ‘Krauss from Catalonia’s’ [Stop it! – Ed.] Iberian heritage. So perhaps City Those perceptive people on the Train From Spain Appeal have indicated that of Seville / Ciudad Sevilla or City of Barcelona / Ciudad Barcelona. Or Santa we’re going to invite all suggestions (for a small fee!) to determine the livery María, a name with which the locomotive might be connected, if only by its and name of the locomotive so, without prejudice, a few random ideas to set tender. But better still, given the locomotive’s quixotic past – Don Quixote – you thinking... or perhaps that knight errant’s good and faithful servant, Sancho Panza, in River names are traditional for Ratty locomotives so Whillan Beck might be anticipation of the locomotive’s service on the Ratty. a contender; or how about a local landscape feature? Nab Gill perhaps, with A personal preference for the new engine would be none of these but one with shades of the three foot days and the iron mines, or Scafell, Scafell Pike or Great a bit of obscure Eskdale history behind it and one which acknowledges the Gable harking back to some of the earliest British Railways diesels. There are locomotive’s Teutonic origins, and that would be King of Prussia. This name had more mountains than enough to name a locomotive after but the obvious been proposed for Shelagh of Eskdale and the King George IV pub at Eskdale Eskdale one would be Harter Fell - that small but shapely peak which looks Green used to be the King of Prussia. Nobody is quite sure how this came about, down on Dalegarth and watches the trains as they climb from Eskdale Green not even the Company’s former gardener, Cris Pharaoh, whose family ran the to the terminus. Or then again locally there’s simply Hardknott, a good robust pub in the 1950s. Cumbrian name with more than a ring of the old London and North Western Railway about it. If you wanted something more ‘generic’ but related to the hills So when King of Prussia [or whatever name results from the competition and then Fellrunner might fit the bill. voting – Ed.] steams forth there seems to be a choice of three for livery… The locomotive might carry a name to complement the ‘ladies’ in the Company’s By custom and practice the Society’s livery for its locomotives is Furness red – diesel fleet. To matchLady Wakefield then Lord Wakefield is obvious but a little that’s the obvious choice. German engines were usually black with red wheels, routine, so how which would be authentic, or, if we went for a multi-coloured approach, Prussian about Sir Wavell blue would be appropriate (and that would certainly go nicely with the livery of Wakefield or just the saloon carriages). Sir Wavell, our The above are personal thoughts and preferences of course, to set you thinking. original owner’s appellation Don’t forget the competition; you’ve got to be in in to win it – so have your say. before his Your entry fee will help to get the Society’s newest acquisition out on the line elevation to the sooner rather than later! peerage? Sir Wavell would [The name King of Prussia appears to have been adopted by the pub in Eskdale have overtones Green in 1815 following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, near to the end of of the lovely which Prussia allied itself with Britain (and others), influencing the outcome. ‘King Arthur’ As a mark of gratitude this name was used not uncommonly by pubs of the time. class engines Evidently the name was changed in 1914 at the outbreak, or thereabouts, of the of the former first world war. The King of Prussia in 1815 was Friedrich Wilhelm III of the Southern House of Hohenzollern. King George IV reigned neither in 1815 nor 1914, so Railway. perhaps the bigger question is why was this name chosen instead? – Ed.] The engine formerly known as Muriel is familiar with the concept of a change of identity! Photo: Ian Pilkington 32 33 An Update on Katie Correspondence Bob Tebb

From Nicola Chase, by e-mail: After a difficult period in which Station Road Steam lost two members of staff It’s wonderful to watch from afar the purchase of, and progress that has (one to the Statfold Barn Railway, the other to the North Yorkshire Moors been made with, the Train From Spain. Congratulations to all who saw this Railway – they are obviously training up highly employable young men!), a opportunity and then acted on it. However once it is welcomed into the fold at new member of staff has been appointed full-time, allowing work to resume Ravenglass, I wonder about two integral things: its livery and name. From what on Katie. I can gather from photographs, the livery looks similar to River Mite and that Work at the moment is concentrating on finishing the valve gear, which requires might not only cause confusion for passengers but also the colour might clash two more links to be made. Material is on hand for these and they should be if River Mite and No.8457 are photographed together! Now is the time to debate fitted up by the end of April. This will give a complete rolling chassis. After that, a change in livery that would be both reverential to its history and yet distinctive work will concentrate on finishing the piping up – much of it is already done, within the rest of the shed. How about a Great Eastern blue? (I believe this is including boiler fittings and the smokebox plumbing – and then the platework. also sometimes referred to as ‘Prussian’ blue - which would make it even more suitable.) Likewise, do we plan to keep the loco as just a number or can we also This is rather a brief summary after a period of enforced inactivity. rechristen it? Past thoughts many years ago of Sir Arthur Heywood or one of a ‘Rock’ series to complement Northern Rock seem inappropriate considering the Krauss No.8473 origin of No.8457, so let’s bounce some other names around for consideration Geoff Holland within the Society. Bearing in mind recent success with a big engine now at York, and without unduly pandering to Teutonic stereotypes, how about The Some members of the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Preservation Society have Flying Sausage! Okay, definitely not and, joking aside, is there a way to focus on availed themselves of the opportunity to buy the remaining fifteen-inch gauge its past and its future in a name? What shall we proudly call our new locomotive? Krauss Pacific that was being offered for sale in Mataró, Spain by Jordi Comella, [Is this the Wurst joke we have seen in the Magazine? – Ed.] Jaume Circuns and Patricio Chadwick. No. 8473 Sevilla had been converted

to diesel propulsion, and its boiler scrapped, in the late 1960s whilst it was at From Di Chase, by e-mail: an amusement park in Madrid. Following acquisition by the sellers, the diesel On one of the rare warm and sunny days last summer, I got into jovial conversation parts were removed, so that it now consists of a reasonably complete, though with two couples in an adjacent compartment in an open coach. They were keen unrestored, chassis, and to know more about the railway, so I gave the usual history, and added that the a tender. Some useful Society was currently investigating the purchase of a second steam loco. Jokingly, work has been done I added that the most difficult decisions would be about the livery and the name! whilst at Mataró, making We discussed some of the possible choices and the conversation moved on. parts to replace those that had gone missing After a while one of the gentlemen said that he had a possible solution; we during its years at the should contact Prince William and David Beckham and say that we would be amusement park in naming the loco after them. This would appeal to their generous nature, so Madrid. Sevilla left Spain they would each send us a large donation, thus our financial worries would on 7th April 2016, and be solved. When the time came to inaugurate the loco, they would come to arrived in Cumbria on Ravenglass – which would be a massive publicity boost in itself – and they 13th April. It has been put would be positioned on either side of the loco to unveil the nameplates. When into temporary storage, the curtains were drawn back, we would appear surprised and apologise for the pending restoration, spelling mistake... the nameplates would show Whillan Beck (rather than “Will which will start once and Becks”!) The other Train From Spain – the chassis and Siân’s current overhaul tender from No.8473 Sevilla upon arrival in Brilliant! is complete. Cumbria, 13th April 2016. Photo: Geoff Holland 34 35 The Chocolate Wafer Train of the commercial world, beware: those of us who love Ratty might transfer our David Dixon affections elsewhere. Let the Liliputbahn be an awful warning! But, gentle reader, if you find yourself in the city of music and dance, do not As an avid supporter of railway lines with fifteen inches (known on the continent be discouraged. The heap of coal by the station suggested better things can as 381mm) between the rails, and in the interests of readers of this magazine, sometimes be found there. Catch a No.1 tram to the Prater, and may the great I seek out such things whenever the opportunity arises. In Vienna (capital of god of steam shine upon you and provide you with that gleaming Pacific which Austria), as in other central European cities such as Stuttgart and Dresden, exists avoided me! And, to rub it in, why don’t you take a picture for the Magazine? a little line looping round a city park. The Parkeisenbahnen, as they call them in the German language, are not as exciting as lines into the hills or beside the sea, but are the best thing available thereabouts. Thus, the last time I found myself in Diseases from Insect Bites Vienna, it was off to find the little line. Owen Ryder And at the Prater amusement park, close to the big wheel famous for starring in For most of my life, I had assumed that being bitten by an insect in the UK was that wonderful post-war black-and-white film The Third Man, was the Liliputbahn harmless. It’s just itchy for a bit and then everything’s fine again. Nasty diseases only (the name taken from Jonathan Swift’s book Gulliver’s Travels). One could occur in foreign countries, right?! After fell walking in Eskdale in 2013, I got what forgive some naff graphics and stern police warnings (do not jump on and off, looked like a nasty insect bite. Two months later, I became chronically ill, but the do not stand up, do not stick your arms and legs outside) as the track looked well- doctors told me they didn’t know what was wrong. I started doing research and kept, the stations smart. A picture above a heap of coal promised great things. discovered some unpleasant and little known information about insect and tick So I waited for a gleaming Pacific[one of the sisters to the Train From Spain] to borne diseases. steam out of the tunnel with its string of coaches filled with happy Viennese folk; and waited, and waited... It was October, and the people around about seemed The most commonly publicised one of these ailments is Lyme Disease. You can more intent on clapping in time to music provided by gleaming provincial brass get this from tick bites, but it is also now thought to be transmitted by other bands (some sort of festival) and eating than in riding the rails. insects. The most likely chance you have of getting bitten by a tick is walking in woods and long grass where animals like sheep and deer graze. If you are going Then – horror of horrors – the train which eventually emerged from a phoney walking, please make sure you: tunnel was like nothing I’d ever seen: pulled by a very streamlined and very pink diesel loco, which might look more at home in a breast cancer charity parade • wear strong insect repellent; than on a railway. The little carriages which followed along were shocking pink • cover your skin and don’t trail your hands through the grass; too – the sponsors had done their job thoroughly. It turned out to be advertising • inspect yourself for ticks and unusual insect bites immediately after Manner Neapolitan chocolate wafers, whose website tells me they originated in walking; 1898 and consist of four layers of hazelnut cocoa cream between five layers of wafer. When I tasted one later that day (nothing to do with the advert, I assure • consult a doctor if you get a bullseye rash or flu-like symptoms after you) it was not bad at all, I have to any bite. admit! But I can’t imagine the colour Unfortunately, Lyme Disease is not well understood and many doctors don’t catching on for confectionery back recognise it, so I recommend you educate yourself. It is important to get early home. treatment otherwise you can suffer from debilitating neurological symptoms and chronic illness if it is left to progress. The longer it is left untreated, the less I slept badly that night. Dreams successful treatment is. of a pink Shelagh (or was it even Doug?) struggling up Eskdale Before going walking in the countryside, please make yourself aware of the disturbed my slumbers; semi-opens information online (websites given below). This risk occurs anywhere in the followed behind in all colours of UK, but I know of a few people who have become ill from bites in the Lake the rainbow. It couldn’t happen District. Please be aware and take care. here, could it? If management were Useful web links: www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk The 1963-built D3 at Prater Park tempted to earn an extra few bob by www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/thingstodo/walking/lymedisease Photo: David Dixon succumbing to the blandishments 36 37 What to do with Old Coaches compartment dividing it from the mess facilities. This would contain another Andy Cruickshank washbasin, a hob, water heater and even a small fridge all working off gas (the bottle being located as per regulations). When, rather than if, we have a complete new set of carriages then comes the Perhaps two or three saloons could be turned into first class observation cars for question of what to do with the now redundant stock. Firstly let me say that I use on private hire trains or as special reserved carriages. [This was suggested do not think the old stock should be unceremoniously scrapped. We have little as the probable route for new-build by Trevor Stockton in the last Magazine – or no stock from earlier in the railway’s history so to scrap what we have got ‘special’ saloons being built before any further investment in ordinary saloon would seem perverse. stock – Ed.] Firstly I feel we should keep a complete consist that would cover both summer and winter running, perhaps call it the ‘heritage set’. This would include two or Paintings for Ratty three of the 1960s wooden-framed opens. It goes without saying that this stock The R&ER Magazine would be fully reconditioned. Now what to do with the remaining stock? First let us consider what the The R&ER permanent way department might find useful... Magazine introduces Perhaps a number of hopper wagons. Hoppers mounted at either end of the two paintings frame over the bogies, of a size to be determined by the maximum gross weight. created in recent In the central space would be the brake reservoir and the operating platform. I times. The first would suggest separate operating wheels for each side with a central wheel to is a superb open both sides at once. This operating platform would of course have safety work capturing rails, and steps on both sides for ease of access. River Mite at At the moment the p-way department uses one of the serviceable passenger Dalegarth, with saloons (in addition to the p-way saloon No.105) as extra mess van space for driver for the day Track Week. A saloon could be modified as follows as permanent extra crew Peter Mills and accommodation. volunteer Ben Pharaoh. Peter 1. The roof be removed and replaced with a domed roof as on the tool van, this commented that would give extra head room. “he’s even got all 2. The bench seats be removed and replaced with a single seat on either side of Painting: David French GRA each compartment. This would make access easier. Opposite each seat a small drop down gate-leg table with a fiddle edge, somewhere to put your brew and my grey bits in” – begrudging praise of accuracy cake! The end compartments would be treated similarly with the seat being there! This was painted by David French GRA turned sideways and the floor being lowered to provide more leg room. The (Guild of Railway Artists) for the Train From draw bar would intrude into this space but this can be coped with. This would Spain Appeal. Prints are available as part of reduce the capacity to ten but if this is not thought to be enough then convert one of the sponsorship packages. For more two coaches instead of one. information visit trainfromspain.org! 3. At the end that, at present, holds the heater and fuel tank, a toilet compartment The second painting was offered to the railway be made. This would I suggest use a caravan-style chemical toilet (there are by Preservation Society member Doreen ones on the market that are ‘pump out’). The glass of course would be frosted, Coombs, and depicts the late Martin Willey, and a vent in the roof, or even an extractor fan running off the battery, would in a work inspired by the cover photograph be fitted.. The door would be hinged to give ease of entry. A removable solid portrait of him in the December 2014 issue. That partition (to facilitate bogie maintenance) would run across the photograph was taken by Stephen Feather. Painting: Doreen Coombs 38 39 Forty Years Ago Ratty’s 100 Exhibition John Taylor The Centenary Exhibition in the goods shed was opened on 22nd May to coincide with the running of a special steam excursion to Ravenglass from Bristol. As The Edited highlights of previous editions of the Society’s Newsletters/Magazines: Whitehaven News reported “Railway engines varying in size from a quarter of an inch high to the full glory of the Flying Scotsman were in Ravenglass on Saturday.” Issue No. 62: dated Summer 1976 During the previous week, models had appeared, thirty square yards of hessian The cover picture was from the Railway’s Centenary celebrations: director, was ironed and draped, photos and captions were arranged and mounted, and engineer, stationmaster and guard all dressed up in Victorian costume. the early fifteen-inch gauge train marshalled into position. The commissioning of Northern Rock Performing the official opening of the museum, Mr Peter Boulter, Cumbria’s Director of Education, spoke of the value of the museum and its exhibition to Saturday 29th May dawned brightly after several days of mixed weather. The the education of children, as many teachers were now bringing the study of crowds around the signal box where the naming ceremony took place were industrial archaeology into the classroom. Thanking Mr Boulter, Lord Wakefield like a picture from the past, their Victorian costumes being appropriate for the said that though the exhibition was only temporary for the centenary year, a polished brass and shining paint of Northern Rock. permanent exhibition was to be set up in the shelter on the BR up platform. He The railway staff were all in costume; toppers, cravats and tails for Director, said the Charity Commissioners had just given their blessing to plans for the Manager, Controller, Engineer and Stationmaster; bowlers and red spotted permanent exhibition and the restoration of the old water mill at Muncaster. neckerchiefs for the drivers and lower orders; bonnets and lacy aprons for the cafe staff. The locals all did us proud for both Ravenglass and Eskdale Women’s Friday 2nd July 1976 Institutes and many individuals had dug into their attics and appeared in bonnets, On this day, the 13.55 extra train from Dalegarth was in head-on collision with bustles and crinolines accompanied by toppers and silver-topped canes. There the 13.30 timetabled run from Ravenglass, at the eastern end of Gilbert’s Cutting. were mountaineers with Norfolk jackets and Alpenstocks, a life-size William The down train from Dalegarth was hauled by Shelagh of Eskdale and the up Younger with long white beard, a Cleric with flat hat and a bag of sermons, train was headed by River Esk. Both trains were comprised of five open coaches and a handful of yokels in white smocks. Everyone entered into the spirit of next to the loco followed by three semi-opens or saloons. Although some of the the afternoon with much doffing of hats and curtsies when introductions were coaches of the down train were derailed, all remained upright. The damage to made. the up train was more severe, and the damage to River Esk is such that she will At 2pm the speeches began. Lord Wakefield said that in 1876 the Ravenglass to not be in service again this season. Shelagh stood up to the impact far better than Boot railway was licensed to carry passengers, therefore the day’s ceremony anyone would have believed and she was in service again by the end of July. was to celebrate the Ratty’s passenger-carrying centenary. “To commemorate Whatever the cause of the accident, much will be learnt. The very fact that such a the occasion we have built, in our own workshops here in Ravenglass, a new thing can happen has now been brought forcibly home, and this is a lesson that steam locomotive, the first to be built in Cumbria for sixty years.” no-one who works on the railway will be allowed to forget. On the footplate of the new locomotive were Ian Smith and Ian Page who, with David Clay, had done the bulk of the design and construction work. Tail Lamp by D. Guard Sir Mark Henig, chairman of the English Tourist Board, then stepped forward to This was the first of what was to become a regular feature at the end of the unveil the nameplates. Newsletter, bringing amusing stories and humorous anecdotes to readers. Then with a blast of her chime whistle, Northern Rock drew her first official train When the inaugural run of Northern Rock’s train, and carrying passengers out of Ravenglass, with all the passengers on board in Victorian costume. After so splendidly dressed in their Victorian finery, was between the Quarry and an effortless trip to Dalegarth, she broke the white ribbon stretched across the Beckfoot, the train was passed by a Scottish and Newcastle Dray. The double tracks by the turntable. take by the driver as he glanced up and saw a living William Younger complete with glass of ale waving at him caused him to make a series of violent swerves and a quick application of the brakes to check that his sight was all that it should be. 40 41 Who’s Where Ratty Diary 2016 Di Chase & Keith Herbert E&OE. Please check details before travelling

There have been some staff changes internally on the Ratty in 2016, as well as some new appointments. Assistant General Manager Martin Cookman, who also DATE EVENT CONTACT maintains the R&ER’s health and safety portfolio, has relinquished his position JUNE as senior controller, principally to spend more time in the office. He has also had significant involvement with driver training in the early part of this year. Saturday 11th Council Meeting, Ravenglass Secretary Peter Mills has stepped off the footplate of Northern Rock to take a seat in the JULY controller’s chair full-time. He is using the opportunity to spend more time on th volunteer coordination, and also now assesses trainee guards for competency Saturday 9 Society AGM, Dalegarth Secretary to ‘go solo’. Thursday 21st Press deadline for September issue Editor The vacancy on Northern Rock has been filled by driver Tom Whitbread, who spent much of the 2015 season gaining experience aboard this loco. He has also SEPTEMBER been passed for work as relief controller in the signal box during the low season. Tuesday 6th † Trackside Photography Day Ravenglass Congratulations to Will Sands on being passed out as a steam driver. After a year th of diesel driving in 2015, he is now relief driver for all duties, though has not yet Saturday 11 Council Meeting, Ravenglass Secretary driven all of the locomotives, only working on River Irt to date. Full details of all Railway events can be seen on the website: † Please book in advance New full-time staff member Anna Tilsley was born in http://ravenglass-railway.co.uk/events/ Bath, but spent several years in Eskdale Green – where her parents ran the village shop – until the family moved to North Yorkshire. In 2011, her mother (Lucy) moved back to Bootle, so Anna moved with her. She studied zoology at Nottingham Trent University and was awarded a first class degree in 2013. That summer she began volunteering, then, as seasonal staff, manned Fisherground station in 2014. She left to work for almost a year at South Lakes Wild Animal Park, near Ulverston, before returning to the Ratty booking office. In March 2016 she was appointed as a full-time member of staff and is currently training as a diesel driver. Another newcomer, David Rounce was born in Beverley, North Humberside, and grew up in Driffield. He first knew of the Ratty from the ‘Thomas’ book Small Railway Engines. David gained a BA in history and archaeology from York University, and a Masters in transport history in 2009. He volunteered in local museums, working his way up to become assistant curator at the Yorkshire Museum of Farming in York. He left in 2011 and, after spending time working Count Louis at Muncaster Mill, August 2015. It will run here again in 2016. for the National Trust, he joined Beamish in October 2012. He left there in May Photo: Chris Kennedy 2015 to work at the Scarborough Museums Trust, before starting on the R&ER in Back Cover: The face of River Esk is proof of the recent progress being made January 2016 as Museum Project and Activities Manager. behind the scenes to restore and improve it. Photo: Nigel Day

The R&ER Magazine is published by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society Ltd. 2016. Photos: Di Chase 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