The R&ER Magazine Number 216 March 2015

The Journal of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society Published quarterly by the Peter Hensman OBE The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society Limited The R&ER Magazine congratulates Peter Hensman, Chairman of the Board R&ER Member of the Heritage of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Company, on his being awarded the Railway Association Order of the British Empire for voluntary service to the rural economy in Magazine Cumbria, in the Queen’s birthday honours list, 2014. No 216 March 2015 Editorial Team: Keith Herbert, Di Chase, Opinions expressed by contributors and Bill Seddon, Mark Harrington, in editorial comment do not necessarily Editorial John Taylor reflect the collective views of the Society. Keith Herbert Editorial Designer: Julie Hutchinson

Address for Magazine Correspondence: PRESS DEADLINE: Material for inclusion in The permanent way of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway seems, at times, Keith Herbert the next issue of the Magazine must anything but permanent. Though our line has existed on its fifteen-inch gauge 7 Dalegarth Cottages reach the editors not later than rails for a century, now more than ever in history the seven-mile stretch is Boot, Holmrook Thursday 16th April at noon. treated for defects and treated to improvements. This winter has seen the hotly Cumbria CA19 1TF Please send material earlier if possible. anticipated arrival of plastic sleepers in what must be described as a radical [email protected] move which could, in time, pay great dividends. The British Columbia Society The R&ER Magazine is always pleased to receive correspondence, photographs and articles for possible inclusion. of Model Engineers’ Burnaby Central Railway (in Vancouver, Canada) has Most nowadays arrive via our e-mail address, but postal contributions are just as welcome. used plastic sleepers on its seven-and-a-half-inch gauge line since 1994. BCSME Please write your name and address on the back of any prints, and give at least the date and location of each photograph where possible. We have scanning facilities for slides and negatives, and will endeavour to return any and RERPS member Bruce Wilson reports that, though some damaged units loaned photographic material. have necessarily been replaced, all 25,000 sleepers would have been changed again by now had they been made out of wood. While plastics appear a touch Society website: http://www.rerps.co.uk experimental in these isles, there is quite clearly a precedent for their use. Council Chairman: Sam Dixon, 15 Lyceum Close, Leighton, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 3YB. This, then, is an exciting time to be a part of the permanent way operation. Email: [email protected] David Moseley is typically thorough in describing departmental activities in his Hon. Secretary: Mungo Stacy, 34 Mayfield Road, Manchester M16 8EU. quarterly report on page 6. Email: [email protected] Plastic sleepers might, in my working lifetime, bring about a reduction in track Hon. Financial Secretary: Ian Leigh, 206B Crowfield House, North Row, Central Milton Keynes, renewals and maintenance (or so I might dream!), but our legacy – what our Buckinghamshire MK9 3LQ. Email: [email protected] successors have to celebrate in another hundred years’ time – will be the result Hon. Membership Secretary: Phil Taylor, 12 Wholehouse Road, Seascale, Cumbria CA20 1QY. of not just trackwork, but everything we do now, a sentiment echoed very Email: [email protected] (1-1299 and 2500-3999) strongly in Geoff Holland’s letter (page 34) in the last Magazine, with particular Assistant Membership Secretary: Jim Wilcock, ‘Porthlow’, Neston Road, Ness, Neston CH64 4AZ. reference to the motive power situation. The Preservation Society’s new-build Email: [email protected] (1300-2499) proposal appears to be advancing behind closed doors while, on the European Sales Officer: Position Vacant. scene, the Killesbergpark railway in Stuttgart has snapped up one of the available Magazine Distributor: Cumbria Mailing Services Ltd. Penrith, CA11 9FQ. Krauss 4-6-2s recently restored in Spain, leaving one less purchase option for the RERPS should it choose to go down that route. Despite ultimately declining to Heywood House Bookings: Mary Harding. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 01229 717080. make an offer for one of these Pacifics, the Preservation Society has, according Volunteers: Peter Mills. Email: [email protected] to the minutes of its latest Council meeting [which are available online from the General Manager: Trevor Stockton, R&ER Co. Ltd. Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1SW. Tel: 01229 717171. Society’s website], approached the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway to see whether anything is saleable there. Is The Bug now higher on our shopping Front Cover: River Irt rounds Long Yocking Corner, bound for Ravenglass on 8th list than new parts for the Esk or Dundee?! Mungo Stacy moves to clarify the May 2014. Photo: David Mart position on Dundee at least (and at last) in his usual feature. 2 3 Di Chase’s Who’s Who feature available to us, the museum will have received its revamp and we celebrate one continues in this issue. Ahead hundred years as a fifteen-inch gauge railway. of going to press it was The workshops have been a long time coming but will be worth the wait, with necessary to tell her “There the large overhead crane, three roads and two pits; at thirty feet longer it will are no words to describe Peter serve the railway well for the future. van Zeller” – turn to page 38 to see whether she found any! The museum housed in the old Furness Railway waiting shelter has been a The Magazine has also been unique attraction now for over thirty-five years, telling the story of the railway, fortunate to receive some more its development and fascinating history. Although our story goes way back to photographs of Martin Willey, the 1870s, it is perhaps fitting that in our hundredth year we can look forward a seldom-captured personality to a 21st century museum. This fresh approach to telling the story of our railway around the railway, but one is the first phase of the project; the next phase will be the rolling stock display we are missing enormously. Tazzelwurm (left) and Springerle (right) area, hopefully to follow in the next couple of years. Hopefully a few of these will flank newcomer Santa María at the Any celebration on a heritage railway is another landmark, an achievement make it into print during the Killesbergbahn, 29th October 2014. sometimes against great odds, such as an engine restored that’s not run for many course of the year ahead. Photo: Tilo Hüneborg years, or an extension built to connect with the Big Railway. Our celebration Finally, The R&ER Magazine is given to understand that visiting locomotives will be to commemorate one hundred years of continuous operations. have been promised for August Bank Holiday weekend, when we celebrate From the early days of Bassett-Lowke, and gentlemen “preserving” a railway one hundred years of the fifteen-inch gauge Ratty. These will include Lydia in West Cumbria whilst the carnage of the First World War was unfolding, to from the Perrygrove Railway, one of the Sutton locos from Cleethorpes, and old the stone trains running through the Second World War, it is remarkable that favourite Bassett-Lowke Count Louis. I bid everyone thanks for contributions to somehow we never stopped. We may have been saved rather than preserved in the Magazine (please don’t stop now!); here’s wishing everyone a prosperous 1960, seamlessly moving on from one year to the next, starting up in 1961 much and happy 2015. as the previous season had finished, with improvements gathering pace in each subsequent year. News from Ravenglass What we cannot do, unfortunately, is run a heritage train using the old stock Trevor Stockton from that era; the frantic bid to keep the railway running during the period between the wars, resulting in the smallest engines getting scrapped and rebuilt and scrapped again, means there is little left. However, sister and brother As I type up these notes, we are able to look back on one of our most successful engines to Sans Pareil – Synolda and Count Louis – will be available to help Santa seasons. Thirty commercial trains run, fully booked; nineteen school recreate the special occasion of the running of the first fifteen-inch gauge train, trains, many carrying at least two school groups, and the Turntable Café has taking place during the August Bank Holiday weekend. provided some 650 Christmas dinners. The Santa experience is our longest- running and most popular event and is a credit to the staff and volunteers who Elsewhere the usual winter work is carrying on; the new crossover is going in work very hard at the end of a sometimes difficult season to make it so special outside the signal box (hopefully when you read this there will be trains running for so many people. over it!), and all the winter carriage maintenance from greasing to painting progresses. January has started with the ongoing construction of the workshop, Story Rail and Network Rail have taken over part of the car park in order to prepare for On the staff front we welcome Geoff Rinaldi, local to Seascale, joining Steve replacing the main line railway bridge, and our own track gang is replacing the Farish and Graeme King, as an Assistant Engineer. crossover in front of the signal box. Normally winter is quiet in Ravenglass, but We also welcome David Little to the post of Chief Executive for the group of not this year! companies, taking over the post vacated by Jim Walker’s retirement. Hopefully we can enter this season, 2015, with a degree of optimism for the future. We can look forward to the rebuilt and much improved workshops being

4 5 Permanent Way Notes firm doing the drilling and attaching of Pandrol plates didn’t occur until the middle of the first week, causing your writer to have a few nervous moments! David Moseley As it was, the late delivery worked out well because the sleepers would have The first of this winter’s Track Weeks took place in November on the stretch of been in the way in certain areas anyway. line from Fisherground crossing into Fisherground up loop. A new left-handed point had been delivered some weeks before and had been This year saw a complete cessation of services after the start of November. This dropped at Fisherground ready for installation. gave us an extra week to tackle the biggest and most complicated track relaying Once John had installed new cross-track drains, attention turned to widening session we have ever done. the cutting at the Ravenglass end of the loop and scraping back the hump as The track was broken immediately after the last of the daily trains and the old much as we could to improve the alignment and levels. Mother Eskdale is very up loop was lifted and the points removed by the end of the first day. The right- close to the surface here and short of spending weeks on pecking the very hard hand points were taken to Irton Road for temporary storage pending re-use at rock (which wasn’t an option both in terms of cost and time) we improved the Ravenglass. Whilst the track was being lifted we had contractors in felling trees levels as best we could by building up either side. back in the direction of Ravenglass. Once the Track Week started, we had the up loop in place and track was starting Once we were sufficiently clear, the felling contractors drove up the line with to go back in from the Ravenglass end. Several rails were cut and new rails tractor and chipper and cleared overhanging branches from the up loop, inserted to match headwear. To eliminate some badly side-cut rails and poor working back in the direction of Ravenglass as we lifted the track in advance. joints we replaced the rails around the bend at the bottom of the climb into Fisherground. These forty-foot rails had been pre-bent to an even radius and At the same time John Wilson was on site to do the earthworks required, moved to site some weeks prior to the works starting. including new and extended drains. As we were using John’s biggest digger we knocked a hole in the fence in the field opposite the King George IV pub to get Once the track reached the small cutting at the top of the bank we could move him and the felling contractors on to site, as the access through Fisherground the points to their final position and align the loops to suit. More cutting and crossing is surprisingly narrow. cropping of rails followed to join everything up. Juggling the work programme so no-one was holding the next person up was a Ballasting and hammer-packing carried on throughout the week with the down job in itself and it took until the end of the first week before all the track back to loop being the last to be tackled. Trains going back to collect ballast were loaded the crossing was lifted. Once the contractors had finished felling in the up loop, with cut timber for stacking at Irton Road. John Wilson with his digger loaded John was able the heavier bits of timber and unloaded them at Irton Road for us. to level the old The loops are now ninety feet longer than before, enabling longer trains to pass trackbed and in much more comfort. The left-hand point also allows a much smoother entry the first of the into the up loop. sleepers was put out and rails The last day of track week saw the S&T boys on site reconnecting the detectors reattached. to the points. This was the first The site was cleared of old rails and sleepers by the end of the Sunday – several use of plastic piles of brash from the tree felling were to be burnt in the weeks that followed. sleepers for us The days immediately following Track Week saw the old and reusable rails (only the second stacked at Murthwaite for future needs. Scrap fittings and offcuts were collected narrow gauge and weighed in. Any sleepers that were reusable were stored at Murthwaite railway in the whilst the poorer quality ones (i.e. ones we couldn’t use) were sold on. UK to use them) The occupation crossing had new crossing boards fitted as the last job before Samson stretches its legs along the same stretch of track but, owing to Santa trains started on time on Wednesday 26th November. which was due attention in the January 2015 Track Week. complications, Photo: Sam Dixon delivery from the 6 7 A shovel lifts the sleeper to the rail while the yellow Pan Puller clips them In January, Foreman David Moseley watches the diggers in action at together. Photo: Christopher Glover Ravenglass; the new crossover awaits installation. Photo: Keith Herbert

An inspection train for the General Manager, hauled by River Irt, leaves the S&T materials adorn the front of a Ravenglass-bound ballast train in the snow newly-extended Fisherground loop on 25th November. Photo: Christopher Glover at Miteside, 16th January 2015. Photo: Keith Herbert 8 9 We had a fantastic turnout of volunteers (a maximum of eighteen on one day) Traffic News enabling up to three separate groups to be working at once. For once the Peter van Zeller weather gods smiled on us and we kept dry for virtually the whole week. No Track Week would be a success without a lot of people coming together and After another season of regular vicissitudes and the visitors had returned helping so our grateful thanks to everyone who did come. Thanks also to John homewards, the last week of the daily timetable in October 2014 finally saw Wilson for such good company, and whose skill with his digger has to be seen three R&ER steam locos and two big diesels in operation – the welcome return to be believed, and to Joe Dreghorn, our felling contractor, who coped with our to service of all the available home fleet since the start of Santa trains the winter requirements to work in a way that must have seemed illogical to him! before the fire of Maundy Thursday 2013. Particular thanks to Janet in Ravenglass cafe and Kath and Helen at Dalegarth River Irt had worked in virtually unbroken service since June, losing little more who kept us well fed. than a couple of taper pins. Northern Rock had been finally put into traffic with Thanks also to the three speakers (Tony Kuivala, Graham Worsnop and Nigel its rebuilt boiler and had overcome warm bearings from its thorough chassis Day) who kept us entertained in the evenings adding to the success of the week. overhaul by early October, while River Mite had its damaged water gauge turret fitting replaced so that the final week of daily running could have steam locos Once trains were running for Santa, attention turned to preparations for the next double-heading for the morning trains from Ravenglass to Irton Road. Mite was projects. Additional rail was acquired for the new workshop track and some rails also used for the early evening Hallowe’en trains, on 30th-31st October, subjected were brought from Murthwaite. Rails have been welded into track panels by the to all manner of dastardly intervention by the Ratty ghouls – their deserted train engineers for setting in concrete in the new workshop floor. We had expected with Douglas Ferreira lit up at Fisherground loop looked suitably ghastly, while to be laying the new tracks outside the new building, linking up with the existing bouncing footballs on a string from Hollin How Bridge on to the passing train tracks during December, but delays in the work on the building meant that was infinitely more effective in the pitch darkness than it sounds! the floors and the outside groundworks had not reached a stage where our involvement could start. The floor and track inside the building should have been With the ensuing break from daily passenger trains, Lady Wakefield was then laid by the time this magazine lands on your mat, with our work following shortly. used for trackwork, during the relaying and line alterations which followed at Fisherground, without many issues. This was just as well for Douglas Ferreira Early December saw the arrival, in three parts, of the new crossover for exceptionally needed attention to a slow leak from the reservoir holding Ravenglass; temporarily stored in the car park, its installation was expected in transmission oil, which required the bonnet housing to be lifted and welded with early January. specialised stainless steel. All was virtually completed for the prompt start of the th This new crossover replaces the 1967 crossover in exactly the same position; Santa season on 26 the old points will be re-used in the station area, replacing some life-expired sets November, with and giving additional points for the workshop layout. River Irt taking a General Manager’s The points removed [from platforms 2 and 3] will be replaced, using the set of inspection train points we replaced at Fisherground. The points removed will be refurbished for use over the new elsewhere. works the previous The January Track Week will take place at Black Bridge and will relay the section afternoon. towards Muncaster Mill road bridge, linking up the section we relaid twelve Someone rashly months ago and the winter 2007/8 relay under the road bridge. commented that there were now six Before the season starts we also hope to re-level a couple of sections to keep working locos for the line in good order for the season. There is also the annual round of point the month ahead, servicing and fishplate greasing to complete. although Douglas As usual we look forward to any help anyone can give – you can be assured of was then only a very warm welcome. Please contact the writer or the office at Ravenglass on mobile enough for 01229 717171 for further details. shunting because Tom Whitbread trains on the footplate of Northern Rock a delivery of on 2nd January 2015. Photo: Christopher Glover 10 11 hydraulic oil was Fortress InterLock (the key switch the driver inserts to select the cab end that still awaited to top the controls operate from) failed at Dalegarth – luckily not preventing its return up its tank. to Ravenglass. The substitute Lady Wakefield continued throughout the holiday period and then became literally yard shunter while the permanent way gang Hence the very took up the scissors crossover at Ravenglass, as then it chain-hauled the track next weekend saw panels into final position. This required stabling two sets of coaches on the some interesting engineers’ headshunt so that their annual lift and bogie inspections could take workings resulting place in Martin’s workshop, as we continue to call it, despite the physical break from a pipe from in the track at the station throat. the brake air compressor on Meanwhile the station car park filled up with stacks of containers as contractors Lady Wakefield, Story Rail prepared for the complete renewal of the main line road bridge at having been Ravenglass. A giant crane was due to lift out the old iron girders and place the happily repaired new reinforced concrete deck in a weekend-long possession (from 31st January for a while, to 1st February), while the up platform extension over the road will continue Springtime on Ratty: River Mite passes the daffodils, April choosing its to rest on a lattice girder perched on the cast iron columns left over from the 2014. Photo: David Mart moments to keep erstwhile Duddon Viaduct scheme of 150 years ago! Ahead in the New Year, coming adrift. On works are now projected to relay some twenty miles of the coastal railway, in 29th November River Irt broke its duties as Santa’s sleigh loco to run up to Irton places substituting two bolt fishplates with long welded rail to be fit for purpose Road to shepherd the last diesel train home. When the problem recurred the for the new two thousand-tonne coal trains and whatever future traffic is following day, Irt even substituted on the afternoon scheduled diesel passenger diverted from the West Coast Main Line while Shap is relaid in its entirety. service, while River Mite was roused from being spare loco in light steam to Meanwhile the prospective timetable change on 17th May for the Cumbrian cover the sleigh turn to meet the Santa Special, hauled by Northern Rock, at Coast has just been announced to include, from Mondays to Fridays, no less than Miteside. Mite was then suffering an air compressor failure and a hole in the four of the eleven trains in each direction being loco-hauled. Northern Rail will exhaust manifold in the bottom of the smokebox to keep it from passenger hire Direct Rail Services to run two sets of newly-refurbished Mark Two coaches work, but both machines were soon fully available for main line duties directly. starting from, and returning to, Preston and Carlisle, with short workings to The following three weeks of daily running then worked like the proverbial Barrow in between. Apart from the first class quality of seating by the windows clockwork without any incident of note, other than invariable discovery of and no disturbance from underfloor machinery, the sheer rarity of trains in people, just as they were boarding the last Santa trains at Dalegarth on occasions, Britain being hauled by locos will make our local line a Mecca for rail enthusiasts, wanting to make tight connections with the last main line train to Carlisle. It with the best rolling stock for such a scenic line. Following the trials of January is quite challenging to run a train in the dark at line speed with all the stops 2012, this has been for The Bearded One [he is not referring to himself – Ed.] to change coaches. billed as ‘a good Gale conditions led to Douglas working a test train on 2nd December and Lady short-term solution’ Wakefield working an occasional overnight or early morning light engine run to the ‘complex to check the line for windfalls, however the precaution was never tested by problem ... of changeable wind directions. The complete clearance of woodland overhanging increasing seating the line at Katie Caddy, Horsefalls, Walk Mill and now Fisherground Bank has capacity in the made a dramatic difference to the impact of poor rail conditions, and further north’, hopefully to cutting back work in Mill Wood should reduce the chances of damage from last beyond the end slipping that began River Mite’s three months of woe earlier in the summer. of the franchise in spring 2016. The post-Christmas train service was popular regardless of the occasionally Readers can help to poor weather. Northern Rock started on Boxing Day and concluded the steam ensure its success roster on 4th January, with a few days’ service from River Mite in between. Lady Wakefieldamong the bluebells near Spout House th by using it. However Douglas dropped out after two runs on 26 December when a Farm, May 2014. Photo: David Mart 12 13 Locomotive Mileages Northern Rock was away from the front line for a lot of the season. It was the only steam engine to run in January, but was not seen out on the line again until Keith Herbert September, when sufficient paths ‘on the network’ allowed running-in trials to

st commence with any driver who could make himself available. Rock ran the most Mileages to 31 December 2014 were as follows: steam miles in October and again in December during a busy Santa season. Steam 2014 2013 + / - Forget not the visiting engines which have played a vital role yet again in River Irt 6,534½ 0 +6,534½ determining our fortunes this season. Hercules was available from late May after River Esk 0 0 N/A a hard winter’s work down on the Romney, whereupon it claimed the highest River Mite 6,246½ 3,128 +3,118½ mileage of the month of June, and again in September after running every day, Northern Rock 1,569½ 7,618½ -6,049 that time sharing the honours with River Irt. At times the Romney ‘Mountain’ Wroxham Broad 1,530½ 5,956 -4,425½ was the only serviceable steam loco on the line, but was embarrassed by an Hercules 3,718 1,344 +2,374 air compressor failure which saw it the third steam retirement in a single day’s Samson 0 1,218 -1,218 work on 24th June, falling down in sympathy with the Irt and the Mite. Synolda 0 0 N/A Count Louis 0 28 -28 Wroxham Broad arrived at the start of the high service in July, sitting in the yard Sub-total 19,599 19,292½ +306½ at Irton Road for an afternoon waiting for a path and a tow back to Ravenglass. Diesel It ran almost every day of its six-week summer holiday, claiming the highest Douglas Ferreira 10,809¾ 11,179¾ -370 mileage for August on its way. Lady Wakefield 5,2091/2 28 +5,181½ As for diesel miles, the January trackwork gave Les a number of main line Perkins 0 5,877¾ -5,877¾ outings on to the Marsh, after failures afflicting all of the alternatives.Douglas Shelagh of Eskdale 0 0 N/A Ferreira was only bested by Lady Wakefield in February and again in November, Cyril 44½ 378¼ -333¾ reflecting another generally good year for the 2005-built machine, including Les 22½ 0 +22½ high daily mileages of sixty-three on a few occasions, and even a seventy-mile Sub-total 16,806¼ 17,463¾ -657½ day in June. Total 36,405¼ 36,756¼ -351 In 2015 comes the prospect of more visitors to the line in August, but it is thought The overall loco mileage has fallen slightly from its 2013 zenith, where more Wroxham Broad will not be available for a third successive season on the R&ER. than three thousand diesel miles could be attributed to the running of the experimental overnight train. Though a replacement round trip both in the morning and again in the evening was scheduled for the pink and yellow timetables in 2014, most of the early morning trains did not run at all, leaving a probable mileage for that operation of under two thousand. River Irt has returned to the top of the steam mileage league, after an absence of running in 2013, with more than sixty consecutive days’ work after the high season. The Irt’s availability has been generally good from mid-April but it saw no action between the end of May and the middle of June. ‘Personal best’ months came in July and August, the engine registering 1,134 miles in each, but it was only the highest mileage engine outright in any single month in November. River Mite worked every single shift from the start of daily running back in March, until a problem thwarted its first trip on the record-equalling ninety-ninth day. After being the highest mileage engine in each of February, March, April and May, it returned to glory in July, but sat out much of August and all of September with problems, the driver frequently working at the regulator of the Irt instead. David Moseley, driving Hercules, crosses Phil Brown on River Irt, August 2014. Photo: Derek Walmsley 14 15 The Funeral of Martin Willey would have hated the whole thing, but all their holidays abroad were railway holidays, and he always insisted on annual visits to the Great Dorset Steam Fair, Keith Herbert which he called the “social highlight of his calendar”. The funeral, then, was an argument Carol was finally able to win, and one about which Martin didn’t The funeral of Martin Willey was held on Wednesday 12th November 2014 at really have much to say in the end – a light moment which I shall remember as Distington Crematorium, where far more people than could reasonably be typical of the day: the sadness of our great loss soothed by yarns of Martin’s rich accommodated inside the building turned out to pay their respects. His coffin character and penchant for misadventure. was carried in by Ratty colleagues Phil Brown, Keith Herbert, Peter Mills and Peter van Zeller, along with two of Martin’s Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team It was suggested that the date of Martin’s passing – 25th October – could have colleagues, Colin Smith and Dean Wilding, who, along with the rest of their been chosen, with any notion of forewarning, quite deliberately, as it was the contingent, wore red team jackets in Martin’s memory. day the clocks went back; Martin did not like the shorter winter days during which he felt he could get less done. Martin’s brother and two sisters paid tribute to him, making poetic comparison between him and the Lake District of which he was so essentially a part. They Carried in to the tune of 633 Squadron, played on the fairground organs Victory spoke of a difficult childhood at boarding school, which he hated, and revealed and Locomotion (as Martin would have heard at the Great Dorset Steam Fair), that Martin would proudly announce that every school he had ever attended his coffin was only lightly decorated, but did carry his R&ER greasetop cap. has since closed! It was said that one teacher gave him the time of day, teaching Though he might not have liked the fuss, it was highly deserved for a man who him how to climb, and that was the start of his life as we might remember it. His gave so much of himself not just to the Railway, but to the many and varied brother Peter said that Martin was the only person he knew who could turn up other people who were a part of his life. to a New Year’s Eve party late because he was doing an oil change on someone In the ‘Community’ section of the Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team website can else’s car – a story not hard to believe of Martin, a remarkably selfless man. be found an appreciation of Martin (look for ‘In Memory’), who was a founder Trevor Stockton paid tribute, telling tales of the times he fell in water tanks member of the team back in 1968, serving with it as Vehicles Officer until fate or becks, and of how he always seemed to drive the line a little faster than dictated otherwise. everybody else (until radio control, and greater accountability, came in, after Martin, dear friend to us all, may you rest in peace. which time he would often take longer than others, stopping mid-section to do jobs at the lineside!). Martin’s great many skills and roles on the railway were listed, with particular praise of his diligent work in maintaining the sizeable fleet of carriages. Martin’s partner Carol gave an eloquent tribute, speaking of his tremendous knowledge about all with which he was “obsessed”. Earlier, it had been queried how a man so disparaging of his own school education could possibly have amassed such intricate and detailed knowledge of so many subjects. Carol said that Martin didn’t Martin Willey on Black Prince at Ravenglass, 1982. want a funeral, and Photo: John Taylor Enjoying the moment, Miteside 1986. Photo: John Taylor 16 17 “All Change!” Chairman’s Report Jim Walker Peter Hensman OBE

The end of January sees a change in the management of Battlefields Holdings, 2014 turned out to be the best season we have had for some years. The dismal, the parent company of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, when I step down wet start to the year steadily improved so that the summer was better than as Chief Executive, after over twelve years, and David Little takes up this post. average and September was a wonderful, dry and sunny month. The better Battlefields Holdings controls a wide range of Wakefield family assets including weather and a strong marketing push pulled in the visitors and for the second the Ullswater ‘Steamers’, the large property and caravan park portfolio, the Peter year running numbers were up. So I am hopeful that the downward trend that Rabbit and Friends retail chain, and various farms, other facilities and services in we have seen over the years since the financial crisis in 2008 has been well addition to the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. and truly reversed. Good visitor numbers are very welcome but they put extra David comes to the company with a good understanding of caravan parks and strain on our staff and rolling stock. We are particularly grateful to the many property management. He has been involved in a wide range of marketing work Preservation Society members who were able to spare the time to help us out. and is experienced in the financial management of businesses. His last post, at We are also grateful once again to the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway for Parkdean Holidays, involved managing a cluster of caravan parks in Cornwall, loaning us Hercules for the summer and to the Bure Valley Railway for Wroxham and he has managed a large David Lloyd health & raquet club in Southampton. Broad. Without these engines we would not have been able to deliver the steam David says: “I am delighted to join this fascinating and broad-based company experience that our visitors so enjoy. The Board is hopeful that the shortage of our and am very much looking forward to helping to develop the two successful own engines is coming to an end. During the autumn half-term, for the first time tourist attractions we are involved in. At the railway the relationship with in two years, we had three of our own engines in steam. There is still much work the Preservation Society is currently excellent and I will be working hard to to do on River Esk and finding a way of completing this within the constraints of continue this and develop it further”. our insurance policy has not been easy. We believe that a way forward is almost For me, the last twelve years have been a time of considerable development agreed. What is also exciting on the engineering front is the new engineering and change for the railway. I have been delighted to be involved in this and, shop which is nearing completion. This, too, has been a long journey but the though we have been challenged by events, we are now emerging strongly out Board is confident that we shall soon have a first-class engineering facility that of the recession and we are in a very powerful position to drive the company will enable the efficient and effective maintenance of our rolling stock. forward and stabilise the The Company has also been playing a role in the museum renovation work railway further. David is being undertaken by the Eskdale (Cumbria) Trust. This work is in two phases ideally suited to this role - phase one, covering the refurbishment of the existing building and fresh with his experience and displays and interpretation, over this winter and phase two, the provision of a I look forward to seeing new hall for loco and rolling stock display, provided the Heritage Lottery Fund the railway continue to is supportive, over the winter of 2015-6. By the end of this work, we should prosper. I would like to have on the railway site a modern and exciting display area that will do justice take this opportunity to to our fascinating heritage. The support of the Preservation Society, both with thank the Society’s Council the funding of the work and with the restoration of Katie, is much appreciated. members, the volunteers and the railway staff who We were all greatly saddened by the sudden and premature death of Martin have all worked very hard Willey. His dedication and his enthusiasm for the Railway were exemplary. His together to enhance the knowledge and skills made him an extraordinarily versatile member of staff railway’s reputation and and he will be greatly missed. achieve an outstanding Finally, as you will know, Group Chief Executive Jim Walker retired at the end visitor experience which of January. During his twelve years he has been an enthusiastic supporter of the has retained our position as Railway – always available when it needed help and advice. He has done much one of the most successful David Little (left) takes over from Jim Walker to enhance the Railway’s reputation as one of the major Lake District attractions heritage railways in the UK. (right) as CEO. Photo: Courtesy Jim Walker and the Board is very grateful for his contribution. 18 19 20 21 Centre Spread Commentary From the Secretary’s Desk Keith Herbert Mungo Stacy

This quarter’s Centre Spread takes on a different look in celebration of our All Change fifteen-inch gauge railway’s centenary year. If your favourite locomotive is not The departing CEO, Jim Walker, was invited to the December featured, be sure to read the three issues which follow in 2015. Council meeting and was presented with a framed copy of the River Irt, being symbolic of the many and varied locomotives which were built out Golden Jubilee painting and made an honorary life member of of other engines or which were themselves heavily rebuilt, takes centre stage in the Society. Jim Walker has been instrumental in many of the a smartly composed photograph by Christopher Glover, taken in August 2014 as initiatives which have benefitted the Society, its members and it heads an afternoon train out of Ravenglass station. In the bottom right corner, volunteers over the past decade or so. The Council is keen to as Muriel, it stands in steam with sister locomotive Ella, parts of which eventually develop a similarly good relationship with his successor, David found their way into today’s dormant Shelagh of Eskdale. This photo is from the Little, early in his tenure. Mary Fair Collection, taken in 1924. Top left, Muriel as used by the quarrymen at I too have been through a period of personal upheaval, although possibly of no Beckfoot, 19th May 1927, their equipment powered by the boiler (note the partial significance to anyone else unless you actually want to get in touch with me. I dismantling of the running gear underneath). This was also by Mary Fair, as was the moved house in December; my new details are given on page 2. superlative shot of the original River Mite (bottom left), it like the Irt having been built out of something else (in this case, all three of Sans Pareil, Colossus and Sir Membership Aubrey Brocklebank), in this view working its way up the line out of Eskdale Green. Membership is up 7% on the same time last year. The updated Society website The top and top right photographs are courtesy of the Doulgas Ferreira (www.rerps.co.uk) includes a facility to renew online, and online renewals Collection, and depict ex-gasworks pilot Bonnie Dundee with benefactor Ian took off almost immediately after the last Magazine was issued with details and Fraser in its earliest times of running on Ratty, and the former sixteen-inch renewal notices. gauge battery-electric loco Greenbat (also known as U2), here seen with the unmistakable figure of Ian Page at the controls, which evidently underwent The Council will review how the first year of operation of the online renewals some alterations to run on our line. The two colour photographs flanking the goes, and make any necessary adjustments. Please let us have feedback, whether Irt show Perkins in the snow of March 2013 and Quarryman handling ballast good or bad, so we can improve the system. traffic in 1998 (both photos: Bob Tebb). It is interesting to see the way in which The Society has to pay an administration charge for operating the Paypal one of these once-identical engines has changed (and will again during its system. Taken together with the additional postage cost (which arises since we present rebuild), the other a good likeness for its original self. no longer receive so many stamped addressed envelopes), the additional cost is These photos, from the 1920s to the present, showcase the various locomotives approximately £1 per member. The Society has absorbed the cost this year as it which could seldom be considered purpose-built for the job in hand. Nevertheless is felt that the convenience of this method is a considerable advantage. they have played, individually and together, significant parts in nearly one The new website provides a ‘members only’ area. Minutes of the September and hundred years of history on this line (Ella, Muriel and Dundee pre-date the R&ER’s December Council meetings have been published in this area, and favourable change of gauge but did not arrive until afterwards – Dundee not until the 1970s). comment has been received from members. It is understood that several other members have treated this as a source of new and effective bedtime reading Centenary Competition Challenge material. A bit of fun! Put your thinking caps on and start researching! The date published in last year’s AGM report clearly slipped past the proof To mark the forthcoming centenary of the revival of the railway from readers as the day of the week and the date do not match up. The AGM this year August 1915, can anyone tally the hundred locos which have been on the will be on Saturday 11th July 2015 at 7.30pm at Dalegarth, with a train departing line since 1874? Entries to the Editor by Thursday 15th October 2015 (the Ravenglass at 6.20pm. The Council is always interested in having new council press deadline for the December issue). We admit there might be just a members join it. Election to the Council happens at the AGM. Nomination forms little bit of fudging in the mid-nineties to get to a round hundred. are available from the Secretary and must be received sixty days prior to the AGM, by 19th May 2015. 22 23 Volunteering additional £500 to cover a shortfall in funding from other bodies, to ensure that the Stage 1 works can proceed as planned. The Trust’s contribution of £10,000 Volunteers are essential for the continued operation of the railway. We are to date has been vital in mobilising significantly greater sums from other grant- always looking for new volunteers – if you fancy getting involved, or are unsure awarding bodies through match-funding. about what might be involved, please contact the Volunteer Liaison Officer, Peter Mills, via the signal box. Peter is producing a poster which will highlight The Stage 2 grant will need to demonstrate how volunteering can contribute the various volunteer roles which are available on the railway. It is intended to to the museum’s activities. An online survey was circulated to members of the display this at the stations on the railway. Facebook group and via the Society’s website. Many thanks to the twenty-four members who responded with thoughts on restoration, setting up exhibitions, The Society is also working with the Company to improve the benefits available maintenance, live interpretation and archive work. to working volunteers. It is intended to produce and issue ‘working volunteer’ identity cards which will entitle working volunteers to discounts on other Workshop heritage railways. As construction of the workshop continues, the Company has requested to The Company is also looking into adopting the Heritage Railways rostering draw down the full amount of the proposed loan from the Society of £100,000. system which is used on many other railways. If implemented, this could remove The loan agreement includes a nominal rate of interest and security for the loan the current lag with updates to the online roster, and would see the demise of against the new workshop equipment. the master paper copy from its peg in the signal box. Society Locomotives Heywood House Issues with the steam manifold kept River Mite out of service for some time last A local builder has been appointed to undertake the works to the exterior of the year. The remedial works have now been proved in service. A new blastpipe building and address the damp patches. The bedroom carpets are planned to has also been fabricated. be replaced prior to the start of the main season. A replacement interlock has been fitted to the Ravenglass end of the Society’s Projects diesel locomotive, Douglas Ferreira. Hairline fractures in the hydraulic tank led to some oil leaks into the floor pan and repairs have been carried out. The tarmac at The Green platform is planned to be done between Easter and May Day. Additional work will be carried out to the dry stone wall. Volunteer driver Graham Worsnop has worked with Council member Mike Jenkins to produce an operating and maintenance manual for Douglas Plans are progressing to create a larger level area for the platform at Fisherground Ferreira. A copy with better delineation. Discussions with the railway’s safety advisors indicate is available on the that the change would not cause issues for the railway’s safety case. locomotive and There has been no can also be viewed progress recently on the by interested Dalegarth water column, members on the but this is still being RERPS website, followed up. from the Douglas Ferreira page. Museum ‘Number 12’ The museum group is producing a Stage 2 The reports about grant application for the the proposed new Heritage Lottery Fund. steam locomotive In the meantime, the (‘Number 12’) Society Trust granted an River Mite passes the defunct Muncaster Mill in have generated Douglas Ferreira arrives at Dalegarth on a sunny day in April 2014. Photo: David Mart 2011. Photo: John Mitcheson 24 25 considerable discussion about the fate of Bonnie Dundee and the merits of An update on Katie wanting to construct a new steam locomotive whilst an existing one languishes Bob Tebb cold at Ravenglass.

The Council has discussed this issue with the Company. Significant sums would An update has need to be spent to return Dundee to serviceable condition. Keeping a fifth been received locomotive in service would demand an increase in overall maintenance, on the rebuild of therefore the Company’s preference remains that a fifth steam locomotive (if Heywood’s Katie any) is capable of handling train loadings at any time of the year as an equal of 1896 from member of the fleet. Station Road Steam, The Council is also unwilling to invest members’ money in an asset not owned Metheringham, by them, and it appeared unlikely that the Company would be able to transfer Lincolnshire, along ownership of Bonnie Dundee. the following lines: Assembly of the Design proposals for ‘Number 12’ are being led by volunteers Owen Ryder, locomotive has Duncan Webster and Dominic Wells, with support from other people both now begun; the at this railway and from others. The development team gave an update to the wheels have been Council at the December meeting which highlighted the detailed development fitted with bronze- work that had taken place for key components including cylinders, rods, wheel lined axleboxes bearings, tractive power and trailing axle. The development work includes a and axlebox computer model which can be used to visualise what the locomotive could lubricators have look like and, equally importantly, the setting out, sizing and fit of the key been fitted on components. frame-mounted The work undertaken to date indicates that a budget of £450,000 should be brackets. The more than sufficient. No-one has yet come forward to act as a fundraising leader, cylinders have following pleas in previous Magazines – would you be interested in becoming been fitted, and involved in this project and playing a vital role in raising the funds which would exhaust stubs made be essential to seeing it into reality? and trial-fitted. The valve chests No firm decision has yet been made, but this hundredth anniversary year could have been painted well be a suitable time to launch the project formally. With this in mind, we in anticipation of would be interested in the views of members before potentially committing the refitting, though greater part of the Society’s funds to the project. the slide valves still require a small amount Work continues on the rebuild of Katie. of machining Photos: Station Road Steam because, as received, they fouled the valve chests. The steam brake assembly has been trial-fitted and tested on compressed air, but will need painting before final fitting. The valve gear has been drawn up using frame measurements and existing drawings. Work continues on this with simulation to optimise the valve events. The missing links in the valve gear should be machined shortly. The boiler should be trial-fitted in February, prior to finalising pipe runs, footplating and water tanks. CAD drawing of proposed new locomotive. Image: Dominic Wells 26 27 Talyllyn Railway 2014 Correspondence A DVD Review by David Moseley

I’ve always maintained that if you asked From Jackie Pharaoh, by the ‘man in the street’ to name a narrow e-mail: gauge railway he would probably name the Ffestiniog, such is the power of its promotional Further to Bob Tebb’s article ability. But if you asked him to describe it, he in the last Magazine: I was would unwittingly describe the pioneering also lucky enough to win Talyllyn. number six at one of Graham Withers’ famous fundraising This DVD shows the Talyllyn at its very best raffles, though no string was – Graham Whistler and cameraman Jeff attached. When numbers one Freestone really do produce beautiful videos. and two were acquired I was Shot over some glorious Welsh days there is given to understand the round really little to fault in this well crafted snapshot ones were also from Beckfoot of this lovely railway. A professional voice-over Quarry. Hopefully someone by [television and radio presenter] Nicholas out there will know. Owen adds to the quality. From Terry Taylor, by e-mail: The engines are immaculately turned out and the coaches are equally clean and smart. Stations, although cramped, are well cared for and the staff conform to I was intrigued by Bob Tebb’s Photo: Jackie Pharaoh what I suspect the passengers expect to see. ‘Little Mystery’ on page 32 of issue 215. It brought back memories of a system I Having said that, the journey seems to take forever – maybe it’s just being used used in my youthful days. to an intensive service on I served a railway apprenticeship at the carriage works in York during the 1950s. the Ratty that makes virtually This was in the days before electronics ruled everything. Even the humble clock every other railway seem a card system hadn’t made it as far as this plant for recording who was at work little tedious in its operation and who was not. I think that we were using the system in place when the works – but there again perhaps this opened in 1884. is what the public expects! We started work at 7.30am and drew a zinc check from the check cabin. The As an overview of the day-to- check was about two inches in diameter with a flat at the base and had your day operation of a preserved works number stamped on it. You kept this in your pocket until the unpaid railway this DVD is hard to lunch hour started at noon. The check was returned to the cabin and we were beat and is available direct free to sort out our lunches. At 1.00pm we drew the afternoon check which was from Graham Whistler at : similar to the morning one except that it was made of brass. This was kept in a 9 Cherrygarth Road, pocket until finishing time, 5.30pm. Catisfield, Pay day was Thursday and the afternoon check was brass, hexagonal and about Hants. two inches across the corners. At the end of the working day this was exchanged PO15 5NA for one’s pay packet. Website: I gather from Bob that that these tallies he has in his possession also come in www.gwpvideo.com Wroxham Broad arrives backwards into sets of three. They are about the same vintage as the ones I used back in the Ravenglass while Northern Rock awaits 1950s, so I think that they probably served the same purpose, i.e. they recorded departure time. Photo: John Mitcheson attendance. 28 29 From Arran Cole: The Willebrew tickets were invented by Alan Williamson and John Brewer (hence the name) I was just wondering: on page 5 of issue 215, what indeed was the explanation for complex bus journeys involving several stages. of the camera drone hovering just above the train in Miteside loop? Perhaps this Williamson had a factory, in Ashton-under-Lyne, could be explained in the next issue. [Indeed it could; here goes! – Ed.] where ticket punches were made and tickets printed (the company also supplied the Ratty with From Richard Tilsley, by e-mail: ‘normal’ tickets during this time). I refer to the photograph on page 5 of edition 215, showing a camera drone I wondered why such a complicated ticket set-up hovering above a train at Miteside. For those unfamiliar with the concept, drones would have been needed at all (maybe it was old are radio-controlled flying craft capable of, amongst other things, conveying stock, acquired on the cheap!). a camera. Much larger versions have been used by military organisations and The Ratty has changed almost beyond recognition professional survey companies for some time, but they are now becoming since my first visit. Every subsequent year saw small enough and sufficiently affordable that members of the public can tangible signs of improvement. Some of the potentially buy one. However, unbeknown it seems to many, there are strict standard gauge sleepers were still in use on the rules published by the Civil Aviation Authority which should be obeyed by section to Murthwaite in1963; come the 1967 anyone operating drones as they can potentially be quite dangerous, especially season, there was not only a new steam locomotive, if they fall or crash into crowded places or are flown close to buildings or indeed but a new station and carriage shed at Ravenglass, passenger aircraft (as in a recent case near Heathrow Airport). The Rules in the not to mention new covered coaches as well. UK state, amongst other things, that they must not be flown within fifty metres of any person, vehicle, building or structure – and it is quite clear that this rule From Jackie Pharaoh (again!), by e-mail: is not being followed by whoever was flying the drone when this photograph was taken. I experienced a similar incident earlier this year, whilst guarding an Whilst organising tickets left by Graham Withers I up train at Fisherground, when a drone was being hovered immediately above came across several quite interesting ones. the train, quite clearly in contravention of the rules – it was also extremely noisy The one of main interest to the Society is probably and hardly in keeping with the rural surroundings! Hopefully the photo will the bottom left one, which is a ticket for the help draw attention to the fact that camera drones should not be flown close to inaugural run of River Mite, on 20th May 1967 the public, and that you can be prosecuted for doing so. (numbered 0001). The middle ticket is a NGR through ticket – the train between Ravenglass and From John Helm, by e-mail: Dalegarth and motor ticket between Dalegarth Like Bob Tebb (issue 213, page 17), I wouldn’t describe myself as a ticket and Wastwater. The bottom right one is a through connoisseur either, but the following tickets – which I’ve kept for many years – ticket from Carlisle to Ravenglass and thence by the have long puzzled me. R&ER to Dalegarth (also numbered 0001). [Jackie also had one of the NGR Willebrew types, numbered I first visited the Ratty in 1963 with my parents, and we returned every year until 7235 – Ed.] 1967 for walking holidays in the area. In 1966 and 1967 we stayed at Wha House in Eskdale.

Fortunately, I kept all my old tickets, timetables and other Ratty memorabilia Photo: John Helm from this period. Unfortunately, I cannot date these particular tickets, but I believe they are from 1964 or 1965. They are of interest for two reasons: firstly, they bear the imprint of the (by then) defunct Narrow Gauge Railways Ltd.; secondly, because they are of the Willebrew type normally associated with bus companies. Photo: Jackie Pharaoh 30 31 Ratty Riddles A further two saloons were built or assembled at Irton Road in mid-July 1923, as seen in the Histories and Ratty’s 100. These had taller timber balcony ends. Compiled by Dave Simpson Although Mary Fair records the date as 18th July 1923, she gives the same date for the completion of the Dawson four-wheel open carriages and the replacement of wheels on a group of granite wagons. The two joiners must have been fast workers, or have worked from dawn till dusk!

The Rumoured Model of the Three-Foot Engine In the Model Engineer of 15th March 1974 there was a request by Dai Pickup regarding a model of one of the three-foot locos, made by one of the fitters at the Furness Railway’s shops at Moor Row. It was last heard of in the Carlisle area, and the Oracle (Graham Withers) did not remember anything coming of it. If it does exist, at least a photo of it would be a welcome addition to the newly extended museum.

Tom Jones’ Diaries One of the key elements in the research and recording of images of the Ratty is the accurate dating of changes and arrivals, even down to the repainting of signs for the toilets at Ravenglass (1928, white letters on black; 1932, black letters on white – how sad can you get?). There is also a two-year range of dates New-build saloon, 1916. Photo: Ratty Album Vol.1 for the arrival of the first Muir Hill tractor. We’d love to see the diaries, to extract The Heywood Saloons any firm dates we can, whilst still respecting any personal entries. Does anyone know of their current location? We thought we’d start this new series of Ratty Riddles with one we think we have solved: the Heywood saloons. There were eight in total; the saloon, bogie brake van, dining and sleeping cars are already well documented. But what of the others? The part-built replacement for the abovementioned saloon arrived after the sale of the Duffield Bank Railway, following the death of Sir Arthur Heywood. This was completed at Ravenglass, along with a new-build saloon which had low timber balcony ends. The view of Ravenglass station must be from 1916, as the original three-foot gauge siding is clearly visible in the foreground. As the new management was concentrating on opening up the railway line, it is quite likely that little was done to Ravenglass station, so the three-foot siding could well have ‘Tall-ended’ Heywood-sttyle saloon lasted into 1916. . Photo: Real Photos Manning Wardle Nabb Gill. Photo: Dave Simpson Collection 32 33 Then & Now Forty Years Ago John Taylor

Edited highlights of previous editions of the Society’s Newsletters/Magazines: Issue No. 57: dated Spring 1975 The cover picture was The New Locomotive (an unfinishedNorthern Rock)

The New Steam Locomotive It was on the commissioning of River Mite on 20th May 1967 that Lord Wakefield publicly mentioned the possibility of a further steam loco being built for the Railway. Over the years there have been frequent mentions of the project, culminating with the visit of Northern Chief from the RH&DR. After this visit we were able to gather all our ideas and experiences and the shape of the new loco became more clear. It cannot be said who designed the new loco. No one person has been responsible and we have never even sat down round a table to discuss points of design! The general outline of the loco was finally decided by the changes which were made to River Irt and which appeared to meet with general approval. At least such a design gives us an engine which matches the dimensions of our Installing the crossover first time around in 1967: Chief Engineer Tom Jones is coaches and gives much more room on the footplate. on the left, farmer Stan Wilson stands on the wall. Photo: Doug Ferreira Collection The drawings of our standard boiler were done by Tom Jones. General arrangement drawings and later alterations have been done by Ian Smith, using the signal box as his drawing office. Although great strides have been made, pressure of maintenance of the other locos this winter has meant that progress has not been as rapid as we would have liked. We cannot yet give any definite completion date. The article in the previous edition of the Newsletter containing the announcement of the name Northern Rock for the new loco, prompted a large mailbag with other suggestions: “May I suggest that as it was people who came to the rescue of the railway at various times during its history, we start a personality cult. I would suggest the name Mary C. Fair as the first one, andSir Arthur Heywood for a second locomotive.” “One or two names come to mind, especially as I have known the little railway since the first world war. I suggestBoot Rock, Whillan Beck and of course The King of Prussia.” “I am sure that my dislike of the new Rock series of loco names will be shared Chief Engineer Steve Farish (left) and contractor Stan Wilson (son of the by many other Society members and despite Lord Wakefield’s persuasive abovementioned) join the Rat Track gang, January 2015. Photo: Will Sands 34 35 arguments in favour, I feel the River series should be retained – we still have end of 1965 and quite a number left – Duddon, Calder, Ehen, Derwent, Ellen and others.” they immediately showed the great “I note that the new loco is to be given the same name as a Building Society. need for more. Perhaps the name Cumbrian Rock would be better, or perhaps even Cumberland or Cumberland Rock as it would preserve the name of the county.” Following two visits from the Railway “Is the chairman of the Railway Company really serious with his suggestion Inspectorate, for having a Rock series of loco names? Presumably the livery will be pink and plans have now white with RAVENGLASS right through the middle.” been formalised “Why not Ravenglass or Dalegarth?” for increasing the safety of operations News from Ravenglass on our Railway. From the start of Easter in West Cumberland was certainly cooler than last year. But despite all the summer service, one read in the papers, the Lake District was not cut off from the rest of the Staff and Ticket country and enjoyed a most pleasant weekend. A great many people ignored operation will the prophets of doom and came anyway. As a result, trains over Easter were come into force. In The clock stops on time interval operation, here seen with very well filled and we had a most satisfactory start to the season. order that this can ICL No.1 at Irton Road in 1962. River Mite’s annual overhaul was completed in good time, and included be done without Photo: Doug Ferreira Collection the fitting of a Romney-type regulator in the boiler and the standard R&ER complications, all train paths during the middle of the day will be occupied. arrangement for the regulator on the back of the boiler. At Ravenglass, the lengthening of platform 3 and the laying of the triangle of Shelagh of Eskdale is back in service with work on the new hydraulics complete. track to the turntable was completed ready for use at Easter. The whole layout, The servo-assisted controls are meeting with approval, making the driver’s life the well-laid track, the new concrete edging and the handsome retaining wall, a lot easier. make for a most pleasing effect. Despite having been hydraulically tested, River Irt’s boiler gave trouble on 100 Years Ago when the R&ER opened: Easter Sunday with the result that she was not in service on the Monday, and all trains were handled by River Esk and River Mite. Extracted from the National Encyclopaedia 1875. The peasantry of Cumberland, like those of the adjoining county of After nine years Westmoreland, are superior in intelligence to those of many other counties. on the R&ER the They are well paid, well fed, simple and contented in their habits and Jaywick saloon disposition, of an independent turn of mind and prudent and thrifty. There is coaches finally also a remarkable absence of crime amongst them, but they are very immoral, left Ravenglass and the proportion of illegitimate births is larger than in almost any other part for a mystery of England. As a natural consequence perhaps, this state of things being so destination in general, is considered neither extraordinary nor disgraceful. The chief cause of Caernarvon on it undoubtedly is the extra advantages offered to single men and women, who 4th March. The generally reside in the farmhouses, where the sleeping accommodation is of a Jaywicks were very bad description – the same stairs leading to the rooms of both the male and the first saloons female servants. Improvements have recently been made in this respect in some on the Railway of the better class of houses, but much still remains to be done. Some interesting for many years and suggestive information on this subject will be found in the report of the when they Agricultural Commission published in 1869. arrived at the Shelagh of Eskdale, as seen in 1971. Photo: Bob Tebb 36 37 Who’s Who Ratty Diary 2015 Di Chase E&OE. Please check dates and details nearer the time before travelling. DATE EVENT CONTACT Keith Herbert was born in Nottingham, to Cumbrian MARCH parents, and would have travelled on the Ratty for the Council Meeting, Ravenglass Secretary first time aged just two weeks. He was brought up locally Saturday 14th - (mainly in Seascale) and educated at Wyndham School, Start of daily service Ravenglass Egremont. He read foreign languages at the University of APRIL Hull, and worked in France and Germany before graduating in 2009. Keith started volunteering in April 2004, joining the Friday 3rd - Easter Holiday Weekend Ravenglass th - permanent staff on 9th April 2010 as the regular driver of River Irt. He is also a relief Monday 6 controller, member of the permanent way gang and Editor of The R&ER Magazine. Friday 3rd - Teddies Go Free! Ravenglass Peter van Zeller was a summer diesel driver on the Thursday 16th - Ratty from 1968, and also a teacher, before joining the full-time staff at Easter 1973. Officially he is the regular Thursday 16th Press deadline for June issue Editor driver of River Esk but has, more recently, been seen on MAY the footplates of Wroxham Broad, Hercules and Samson. nd - During the winter months he works in the paint shop, Saturday 2 Bank Holiday Weekend Ravenglass th - but is also noted for his involvement with the museum Monday 4 and for driving the museum-piece locomotive Synolda. Tuesday 19th † Trackside Photography Day Ravenglass In his long railway career, Peter has authored books, written for the national railway press and provided commentary on a number of railway videos. JUNE Phil Brown, from Purbeck, Dorset, first visited the Saturday 13th Council Meeting, Ravenglass Secretary railway in 1994 and can remember vividly his trip, riding JULY in a Maxi coach. He was involved with the standard gauge Swanage Railway from the young age of thirteen, Saturday 11th Society AGM, Dalegarth Secretary for almost twenty years; first, as a volunteer, then as a paid employee for two seasons. He worked in council Full details of all Railway events can be seen on the website: † Please book in advance http://ravenglass-railway.co.uk/events/ offices, for the main line railway and as a bus driver before joining the full-time Ratty staff in September 2012 as the main driver of River Mite. His other duties involve winter work with the track gang and working as the only full-time member of the S&T department. Peter Mills was a Liverpool tax inspector for nineteen years before joining the Ratty staff on 19th March 2012 – his wedding anniversary! He first visited the railway in the early 1980s on a main line special hauled by Green Arrow and Flying Scotsman. He was chairman of Southport Model Railway Society, a volunteer on the Phase 4 rebuilding of the Welsh Highland Railway (the extension to Porthmadog) River Esk’s frames upside down on a wagon, 2014. Photo: Stephen Farish and a Ratty volunteer before joining the staff as regular The sun sets on Lady Wakefield during Track Week at Fisherground, driver of Northern Rock. Peter is our Volunteer Liaison Officer, and also a relief November 2014. Photo: Jeff Bennett controller and member of the permanent way gang. The R&ER Magazine is published by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society Ltd. 2015. Photos: Norman Young (top); Keith Herbert (second); Registered office: The Station, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SW. Incorporated in England. Registered No. 697768. 38 Gerry Balding (third); Diane Glover (bottom) Printed by Craven Design and Print, Shropshire. www.cravendesignandprint.co.uk 39