Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway

The R&ER Magazine Number 224 March 2017

The Journal of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society The R&ER Magazine No.224 Editorial March 2017 Keith Herbert

2017 is shaping up to be a landmark year in the history of the R&ER, and the Published quarterly by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society has a number of events in the pipeline to celebrate both Preservation Society Limited the fiftieth anniversary ofRiver Mite, which was commissioned in May 1967, and Member of the Heritage Railway Association the inauguration of the Train From Spain, which is likely to take place this year. Editorial Team: Keith Herbert, Di Chase, Bill Seddon, Opinions expressed by contributors and Further details about our events – including ‘Oktoberfest’, a German-themed Mark Harrington, John Taylor in editorial comment do not necessarily festival in celebration of our Train From Spain’s birthplace and classmates – will Editorial Designer: Julie Hutchinson reflect the collective views of the Society. be revealed by Sam Dixon on page 26. The R&ER Magazine is always pleased to receive correspondence, photographs and articles for possible PRESS DEADLINE: Material for inclusion To have any visiting locomotives on the R&ER is special and a real treat for inclusion. Most nowadays arrive via our e-mail address, in the next issue of the Magazine must all concerned; the prospect of multiple visitors from not just this country, but but postal contributions remain welcome. Please reach the editors not later than Germany and Austria as well, is very exciting indeed. We could be looking at the include a name and contact address with any prints. Thursday 20th April at noon. Scanning facilities are available. Please send material earlier if possible. best gala event since the centenary celebrations back in 1976 – one not to be missed! In deference to this increasingly Krauss-themed year, the Magazine will Society website: http://www.rerps.co.uk publish a quartet of Krauss-themed Centre Spreads for your delectation. Council Chairman: Sam Dixon, 17 Woodlands, Great Corby, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 8LX. The new name and livery of the Train From Spain will be revealed in this issue Email: [email protected] – keep reading to find out the news. There is also news onBonnie Dundee, and Hon. Secretary: Mungo Stacy, 34 Mayfield Road, Manchester M16 8EU. an appeal to help with its restoration. Despite the Company and Society each Email: [email protected] declining to resurrect this engine, it seems its new custodian railway still wants Hon. Financial Secretary: David Lees, 31 Water Street, Ribchester, Preston, Lancashire PR3 3YJ. our help. The work to finish the Train From Spain is, however, not yet over, Email: [email protected] and we would greatly value your support as we enter the final months of its restoration. While by no means a cure-all for the Ratty, which did not do at all Hon. Membership Secretary (enquiries and online renewals): Sarah Bennett, 2 Stanley Villas, well for motive power in 2016, it is the best chance the railway has to survive for Drigg Road, Seascale, CA20 1NW. Email: [email protected] another year and then beyond. Assistant Membership Secretary (renewals by post): Jim Wilcock, ‘Porthlow’, Neston Road, Ness, Neston CH64 4AZ. Email: [email protected] The Museum Project feature has, once again, lots to report. A victim of its own Sales Officer: Terry Williams, 88 Bluestone Road, Moston, Manchester M40 9HY. success, it has had to be moved further back in the Magazine than is customary, Email: [email protected] just to fit it all in! This is another facet of the ‘landmark’ year at Ravenglass, another colossal undertaking that is set to bear fruit. To see these two projects, and more Magazine Distributor: Cumbria Mailing Services Ltd. Penrith, CA11 9FQ. besides – think of Katie, or any one of the recent mammoth permanent way Heywood House Bookings: Mary Harding. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 01229 717080. jobs – succeed is a vital reminder of what can be achieved by the combined Volunteers: Peter Mills. Email: [email protected] efforts of the Company, Preservation Society, volunteers and carefully chosen General Manager: Trevor Stockton, R&ER Co. Ltd. Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1SW. Tel: 01229 717171. contractors; what can be achieved by the like mindedness of people who care Editor: Keith Herbert, 7 Dalegarth Cottages, Boot, Holmrook, Cumbria CA19 1TF about what the track foreman often calls “The best little railway in the world”. Email: [email protected] Indeed, only through this like mindedness and sense of care across every facet of our railway community can every positive aspect of our ‘landmark’ opportunity in 2017 be realised – something which is now in itself vital. With this in mind, I Train From Spain Appeal website: train from spain.org would like to quote one more colleague and friend: “Can we adopt the motto of Donations: Andy Cruickshank, 11 Townfield Close, Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1SL the LNER and do that with optimism?” Email: [email protected] ‘Forward.’ Front Cover: Northern Rock passes Murthwaite Halt under the watchful gaze of Scafell. Photo: Peter Mills 2 3 News from Ravenglass River Mite’s fiftieth birthday is another celebration; the history of its build and Trevor Stockton subsequent transportation to Ravenglass is well documented, however at the time of the demise of steam on British Railways it was a fairly groundbreaking project. We are very fortunate in this country that, if you are a follower of steam The 2016 season was not one of the best for the railway; parts of the Lake District railways or locomotives, you don’t need to travel far to see a steam engine - suffered the effects of Storm Desmond the previous winter, and the tourist large or small - pulling trains full of passengers, all enchanted by them. industry subsequently struggled, as there was a perception that the area was difficult to get to and/or areas were closed. Whilst much was done to put the Since the introduction of Tornado, the first entirely new-build standard gauge word out – “business as usual” – many suffered, including the railway. However, steam locomotive since 1960, there has been a whole new phase of new-build we must look forward and there is much on the immediate horizon to look projects coming through. The Preservation Society, far from sitting back after forward to. the building of Douglas Ferreira, commissioned a study into a new-build steam engine of its own. This very quickly moved on to the Train From Spain, when The Peppa Pig event last autumn was such a success that we will be doing two it was realised that there was Krauss Pacific available to buy. Amazing to think, this season, in late March and early October. We also have a ‘Young Engineers’ fifty years on fromRiver Mite’s first days in passenger service, that she will be Day’, Photographic Days and more in the 2017 events calendar. joined by another steam locomotive with its own unique history. Construction of the museum ‘train shed’ is well on the way to being finished; All the Ravenglass steam locomotives will be joined by a number of other completion of that, prior to fitting out, is scheduled for late March. Although overseas visitors in the autumn for our very own ‘Oktoberfest’, no doubt there is much still to do, a grand opening is anticipated before the high summer websites and social media keeping us all up to date on developments. service commences. Readers who know the railway will appreciate there is much hidden behind the scenes that can now go on show to the public. The Elsewhere on the railway winter maintenance progresses well. You will read added value of the museum for the general visitor must not be underestimated, further on about the exploits of the permanent way department, a tireless bunch with its ability to interpret the rich history of the railway. There will of course that are always up to something, all good of course. be the benefit of releasing much needed storage space in the carriage shed and All the carriage fleet is going through the works for servicing by Will Sands; paint shop for locomotives and rolling stock in daily use. painting of the fleet is the typical ‘Forth Road bridge’ job, the team of Peter van Zeller and Anna Tilsley working well to keep on top of the general wear and tear. Railway building maintenance is busy with repairs at Dalegarth, hopefully overseeing a new external staircase at the Ravenglass end of the building. The old signal box at Ravenglass has had new windows made and fitted as well as a repaint. New external stairs will be fitted as well. Our joiner, Dickie Rothery, has also done an excellent job of making new ‘Ravenglass’ signs for the box. The camping coaches have had a freshening up of the paint work to protect them for the winter, though require further joinery work. The track into the joiner’s shop is now reconnected to the rest of the system; all the area outside will benefit from a new tarmac surface which will be just about the last phase of works that started some years back with the removal of the hut between the bungalow and Martin’s workshop. The design work and grant applications for new carriages continue in the background, but there is still much to be done. However, it is hoped building could begin as soon as next year. As ever, if you have some spare time, come and join us – all the contact details Business as usual: stalwart performer Douglas Ferreira arrives at Dalegarth. are inside the front cover. Photo: Nicola Wilcock 4 5 Permanent Way Notes impossible to drill and a hasty rejig of rails, including collecting two more from David Moseley Murthwaite by trolley, was necessary. By the end of the first Sunday of Track Week we were however joined up and Trains finished running on Sunday 30th October and, with no passenger trains aligned, allowing ballast to be dropped. Packing of the track then commenced until the start of the school Santas on Wednesday 23rd November, the track gang and took up to the Friday with a couple of lengths into the old track in Mill set to on Monday 31st October and started the dismantling of the long stretch Wood also being lifted. from Muncaster Mill station to the Mill Race. The second weekend of Track Week was taken up with burning of the huge In the weeks running up to the season end we had unloaded the 500 sleepers quantities of brash generated by tree clearance. We have cut back the tree line (the sleepers had been delivered from our supplier in the nick of time) needed in Mill Wood and the approaches partly to aid adhesion on this steeply graded on site, along with some new rails to replace some badly drilled rails and also and twisty part of the railway and also to open up the views for the passengers. to correct a stagger (where the joints weren’t parallel). We also pegged out the John and Stan took the largest lumps of timber out by trailer. John also cleared alignment to make our job of reinstatement easier. out the culvert in Mill Wood along with widening of the side-track drain and resculpting of the bank sides while he was in the area. By the end of the second day all the track was lifted and the old sleepers loaded on to a tractor and trailer and taken away. John Wilson then levelled the track bed The usual roll call of thanks goes to John and Stan for their help and skills in and we started relaying from the Mill, with the crossing into the field reinstated the weeks up to and during the week itself. Thanks also to Janet Dickinson quickly to restore access in and out. This short stretch under the crossing used for feeding the hungry track gang at lunchtimes and for the excellent evening some of our supply of plastic sleepers and ex-Ffestiniog Railway clips. meal on the last Saturday. As usual we had talks on several evenings – thanks to speakers Sam Wake, Tony Kuivala and the double act of Tom Whitbread and Track laying progressed quickly so that by the start of Track Week proper about Alex Tilsley for their respective talks. Thanks also to the Preservation Society for half the section had been laid with ten lengths packed and ballasted. Several funding the evening meal on the Saturday. rails were cut and redrilled to keep joints parallel. Special thanks must go to Bob and Christine at the Mill for not only putting up Ballasting was another operation slightly different from our usual method. with us turning their roadway into a mud bath and disturbing the peace for the Normally we have ballast delivered to Irton Road and it is then loaded into our three weeks we were there, but also for supplying us with teas and coffees at wagons by digger. This regular intervals. Their two Labrador puppies, Archie and Poppy, were regular year we had ballast and welcome additions to the works. delivered to Muncaster Mill and then loaded In total we had 115 man-days over the nine-day Track Week and relaid fifty into a dumper truck lengths of track – that’s 1,500ft - and we hammer-packed an additional 90ft. We (courtesy of Stan and think this may be a record. John Wilson) and The railway was handed back to the operating department on Tuesday 22nd either tipped directly November ready for the following day’s Santa trains, following a line inspection on to the relaid track, and clearance of some trees brought down in strong winds. or into our wagons from the platform. While the trains were running we completed burning of the brash in Mill Wood, repacked several lengths to correct a roll in the same location and fitted The first weekend of additional fixings just west of Miteside loop and also at Esk Bank Corner, west Track Week saw the of The Green. remainder of the track laid and connected up. A lot of fencing work has also been done – long lengths have been completed This was not without between Beckfoot and Spout House by Alaister Graham with help from Will Lady Wakefield and the works train on new track in its issues, as the rails Sands. This section was very difficult to renew as the ground conditions were Mill Wood. The tree canopy has been cut back here. cut to length for the challenging to say the least, with ‘Mother Eskdale’ close to the surface making Photo: Christopher Glover final closures proved replacing of fence posts awkward. There’s a lot more fencing to renew as time, finance and labour permit. 6 7 After the trains had finished running at New Year we returned to track work time thought that some means of moving rails without having to bend down with the lifting of the old track into what was the late Martin Willey’s workshop, would be beneficial but there have always been other calls on the limited budget now being used as an extended wood working shop for Dickie Rothery. The we have. We have also invested in some lifters for sleepers as well – also making track inside was relaid during early 2016 to a slightly higher level than before life slightly easier. which has enabled a gentler grade from the track outside. With financial support from the Society and two regular volunteer track gang Once again we called on the services of Stan Wilson who dug out the old track in members we have also redecked (in steel) all but one of the four-wheeled fairly short order after which we relaid it using second-hand sleepers salvaged Heywood ballast wagons. The ease with which ballast can now be unloaded from our main line and rails cascaded from the works on Mill Bank. Several rails has to be experienced! Thank you very much for this generous support. Some had to be cut to length and redrilled. Once aligned we levelled and packed the of the tops need repairs which will have to wait until we no longer need the track and tidied the area pending contractors coming in and re-tarmacking. wagons in the spring. The post for number one signal is also being replaced and the S&T department Sadly one of our bogie flats (BF1) has reached the end of its life; we are has dug out and put in a concrete base ready for its completion. Other S&T work investigating a replacement as it is too useful a wagon to be without. has centred on the re-concreting of the bases for the point rodding runners Also on the ‘wishlist’ is a ballast hopper, and again we are investigating ideas. We from the signal box to the crossovers and the carriage shed points. are also aware of our friends in Vienna having built a fifteen-inch gauge tamper, Preparations for the January 2017 Track Week are taking place as these notes and your author is keen to pursue this further. Whilst we are very successful in are being written. The track east of Miteside loop has been lifted and several of attracting and keeping volunteers, both for Track Weeks and throughout the the necessary drains installed. Changes in the amount of water coming off the year, we are always mindful of the fact that mechanisation of the work is a good fellside have made better drainage essential so whilst the track is up we have, thing and allows more to be done by fewer people. with the aid of the Wilsons, put in bigger and deeper drains along with new A very big thank you to the huge numbers of people who do come down and channels to the River Mite to get the water away. Two drains so far have been help – yet again we have had record numbers over the past twelve months – it found to be collapsed – one large drain was 8ft down and the resultant hole to is tremendously humbling to have such an amount of support. replace it was quite impressive. Please do not forget you can follow all our activities through the magic of social Several trees have media – there are pictures and sometimes moving images as well. Search for also been felled ‘Rat Track’ on Facebook. again, improving the views and reducing the risk of poor rail conditions. A lot of the brash from the felled trees has been burnt and the larger lumps of timber have already been removed. John Wilson, adding yet another string to his bow, Tom Whitbread raises the level of the track while has made us three Northern Rock on the Santa Special of 24th November 2016 approaches hammer-packing and ballasting continue behind. sets of rail lifters. Miteside loop – this is the area of track tackled in the January 2017 relay. Photo: Christopher Glover We have for a long Photo: Christopher Glover 8 9 Traffic News rail conditions always found as the winter sun drops below the crestline of Peter van Zeller Muncaster Fell and three miles of line is left in shadow until spring. By then Northern Rock had returned to service; after working a considerable It has been a heartening time from the point of view of loco availability – those mileage this year, the opportunity presented by Typhoon’s visit had been that were available did the job required 100% of the time. River Irt and Douglas irresistible to re-profileRock ’s carrying wheels so that it could work into the Ferreira worked the low season service together for three weeks of October, next seasons without further major engineering work. Fitting new wheel sets without practical issues other than the passengers’ comments when steam and and springs took longer than first anticipated. It had an empty stock trial on diesel did not run as advertised on the timetable leaflets. 22nd October and re-entered service the following day, then ran through the half term services and the evening Hallowe’en Specials for the public. It also ran Lacking any other spare motive power for problems or Thunderbird duties, most of the Santa services and all the post-Christmas period up to 2nd January, Typhoon by courtesy of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway stayed after without technical issues, although it proved sensitive to rail conditions and the agreed lease period, beyond the Peppa Pig weekend, but only ran services needed rescuing from Murthwaite to Irton Road with a heavily loaded train again on 22nd October (when it was expedient to have banking from Lady on 27th December. To cope with particularly greasy rails, the sandboxes have Wakefield from Ravenglass to Irton Road). It was finally loaded on the Monday needed refilling en route, and sometimes refilling again, using the same weight prior to the RH&DR End of Season Gala weekend, where it was straight out of sand in a run as coal! on high speed non-stop runs for the edification of those attending the Narrow Gauge Staff Gathering. Meanwhile River Mite remained in the workshop after its incident with a rock between the rails in September, until steam trials on 12th and 13th December, Lady Wakefield had been working permanent way trains as required, for and worked the next two days of Santa services. After a season of unexpected laying out sleepers on 26th October, and standing in on passenger work the tribulations affecting the three operable big steam locos, 2017 now promises following day, including for Douglas Ferreira when the latter took the ghouls to have three more machines, two of which should really share the load. River on their Hallowe’en missions on 28th and 29th October. The final week of daily Esk’s boiler had its first steam raising out of the frames, on 24th October, since its service, with its usual requirement for four locos, was generally operated by the rebuilding with new firebox, tubes and rivets at Shaftsbury. The news of Katie’s three locos available; there was nothing spare to act as banker for the difficult steaming, and test running first on blocks, then on a short length of track at Metheringham followed on 3rd November, shortly ahead of the as yet nameless [but only for another few pages – Ed.] Train From Spain, Krauss No.8457. This was steamed at Bouth on 9th and 10th November and was delivered to Ravenglass on 18th November, prior to setting springs and its press launch steaming along the engineers’ siding on 22nd November. This date had long been a target to enable a period of running over the complete railway without impacting on any public passenger operations. The track scheduled for resleepering from Muncaster Mill to the Mill Race bridge was back together and handed back for the schools’ Santa trains to start from 23rd November. On the weekdays that followed, when the sleigh had returned from delivering Santa, the crew of 8457 were given a ‘possession’ of the complete line. The Krauss then worked some 160 miles with various loads to enable a first evaluation of its general capability and the further works needed to fit it for duty in Eskdale. It was operated with its original tender, still leaking water despite attention to seal it, and the battery driven air compressor recently used on Typhoon. The first aim was to get enough mileage to judge that the roller bearings had a reasonable chance of successful operation, to conduct brake trials to judge if the conversion of the loco steam brake linkage to air at 50psi River Irt heads for the hills across Barrow Marsh with Santa’s sleigh on 26th trainpipe pressure would stop at the required 0.7 m/s/s, and to become familiar November 2016. Photo: David Moseley with it while recording everything for its Technical File. 10 11 The loco hauled short trains initially, then a twelve-coach empty stock on 6th to the gang on 20th January for Track Week’s prospective task of hauling 150 December. As the Krauss sanding gear has not yet been refitted and the piston tonnes of ballast from Muncaster Mill to the worksite above Miteside loop. valves showed up leakage from the liners having sat without the motion rotating th for eighty-odd years, the loco was latterly worked with eight or nine empty Lady Wakefield was out with the p-way gang laying out sleepers on 26 October coaches. Unlike any plain bearing loco run-in here, nothing ran remotely warm. but had to be pulled into Irton Road and shunted into the siding by River th The boiler steamed most adequately, with the blast nozzle opened out, allowing Mite on 13 December, then brought back to Ravenglass later. Damage to the final tuning to be done when fully loaded trials take place. The railway and the parking brake incurred when towed, because full train pipe pressure from the project group recognise that in the first year of running in service, weaknesses other loco was insufficient to give a complete brake release, was not resolved. and problems may show up. However this is a promising start to the new life of Cyril was back into use for carriage shunting in Ravenglass and later, without th th a loco that last ran in May 1932. any alternative, was used for the track gang from 11 to 20 January 2017. Some members of the gang might have been disappointed by how things turned out, The machine was being operated as a visiting loco from Old Hall Engineering because the only other available loco capable of moving the ballast was the with Alex Sharphouse, Jack Dibnah and an R&ER pilotman, while during its last Train From Spain! week of trials, the potential future drivers all had a drive, to better inform the project group of their preferred options for controls and other potential issues. Across the fence, the English Electric engines of Direct Rail Services’ Class The loco was due to go back to Old Hall Farm, where work on building the new 37s continue to echo through Ravenglass station. The two sets of loco-hauled tender had started in January. On its return in due course to Ravenglass, there services give a splendid passenger environment, but are a percentage less would be formal commissioning trials as took place with Douglas Ferreira, reliable than the various multiple units operated by Northern. However they before acceptance by the Railway Company and entry into passenger service. continue to attract aficionados at otherwise quiet winter weekends, when the four coach rakes are reportedly full to standing north of Whitehaven. Douglas Ferreira has operated virtually throughout this winter period. It Meanwhile the freight versions always travel with safety in numbers on nuclear worked on p-way trains as required before the Santa period, a sleigh turn on trains. There is occasional passing of other DRS loco types – Class 66s and a solo 2nd December, handled all the before- and after-Christmas passenger duties and 68007, Valiant, recently on Scotrail’s Fife Circle loco-hauled services. then returned to the track gang once again. It was out of use while the lock that th isolates the brake and controls in the west end cab was attended to, and returned Steam on the main line was scheduled for 28 January with the southbound Winter Cumbrian Coast Express behind 46115 Scots Guardsman, but sadly this and the Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express of 21st January were at short notice routed ‘via Shap both ways due to gauging issues’!

A stunning photograph of Northern Rock bringing the Santa Special down on River Mite shunts the failed Lady Wakefield into the siding at Irton Road on 13th to the Marsh, 26th November. Photo: David Moseley December. Photo: Christopher Glover 12 13 Locomotive Mileages sterling service to us from the beginning of August and amassed more than Keith Herbert one thousand miles in that same month. It made up much of the balance in September, with sporadic appearances in October. Typhoon is now the fourth visiting loco to have come to our rescue in the space of four years. Will it also st Mileages to 31 December 2016 were as follows: be the last?

Steam 2015 2016 +/- The Train From Spain, Krauss No.8457, ran in the region of 190½ miles – either River Irt 6,024 5,286½ -737½ towed as simply chassis and tender on gauging trials, or under its own power with the boiler and cab fitted. This figure might be slightly inaccurate as mileage River Esk 0 0 N/A records for it appear not to have been kept with exactitude. River Mite 7,166 5,838 -1,328 Northern Rock 7,374 6,048½ -1,325½ The target dates for completion of Perkins and River Esk were last given in Number 218 (September 2015) as high summer 2015 and high summer 2016, TFS No.8457 0 190½ +190½ respectively. Neither has returned to traffic so far, though we continue to enjoy Typhoon 0 1,857 +1,857 updates on the efforts to restore the Esk to working order. Shelagh of Eskdale Synolda 118 31½ -86½ has also missed another year, while Cyril eventually returned to action after an Count Louis 118½ 59½ -59 absence of circa thirteen months. On two occasions Les was used on the main Lydia 98 0 -98 line – once on construction work for the Miteside point indicators and once Soony 14 0 -14 again for collecting fence posts from Muncaster Mill. A two-mile round trip to the Mill and back, excluding the three minutes to load fence posts, took Les in Katie (KLR) 31½ 0 -31½ the order of twenty minutes to complete! Sub-total 20,944 19,311½ -1,632½ Diesel The lion’s share of the diesel work has been handled once again by Douglas Ferreira, Lady Wakefield running fewer miles than last year and continuing Douglas Ferreira 7,994 10,703 +2,709 to suffer problems, often with brakes, during the season. Included is a graph Lady Wakefield 7,044½ 4,110½ -2,934 to show the mileages of the diesels over the last five years – there is little Perkins 0 0 N/A difference to see between the least performing locomotives; the illustration of Shelagh of Eskdale 0 0 N/A the difference between Douglas Ferreira and its nearest competitor provides Cyril 49 2½ -46½ the clearest insight. Les 0 6 +6 Guest locomotives from the 2015 centenary weekend – Lydia, Soony, Katie Quarryman 5¼ 0 -5¼ (KLR) and Red Gauntlet – have not run on the R&ER this year. Red Gauntlet 14 0 -14 Sub-total 15,106¾ 14,822 -284¾ Total 36,050¾ 34,133½ -1,917¼

The overall locomotive mileage continues to fall year on year. River Irt, River Mite and Northern Rock have each spent considerable stretches of the season out of traffic: theIrt suffered a broken spring in July, for which spares were not in stock; in September the Mite sustained damage to a spring hanger and brake gear from an unavoidable collision with a rock; and Northern Rock was withdrawn earlier that same month so that its front and rear pony trucks could be replaced – the deeper tyres of the new wheels appear to have affected adversely the weight distribution on the worn drivers. The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway locomotive No.7 Typhoon gave 14 15 River Esk Train From Spain: Engineering Nigel Day Mungo Stacy

A significant milestone was reached with testing of the Train From Spain under its own steam on the railway. The locomotive was moved from Old Hall Engineering to Ravenglass on 18th November 2016, with initial balancing and valve setting following on 21st November. Then, the first public steaming was held for a press day on 22nd November. ‘Going viral’ is perhaps an overstatement, but the resultant photographs quickly received several thousand views within twenty-four hours.

New expansion links. Photo: Nigel Day The test period was carefully chosen to coincide with the period of Santa trains. The railway was operating Santa trains during the morning, but these The main efforts are now on the cylinders, with most of the internal parts were finished by two o’clock and this allowed the Train From Spain to have finished. Aligning of the cylinders and all the slide bars is also taking place. unhindered ‘out of hours’ access to the railway for the remainder of the day – or The bolt holes can then be drilled and bolts made and fitted. The weighshaft at least for as long as daylight remained. brackets which are currently being machined are also part of this stage of getting everything lined up. Work has also started on the new connecting rods, The first trip out in earnest was the following day, 23rd November, and the with the various joints being machined to suit. The new steam sanders have locomotive made it to Dalegarth at the first attempt, with a single support been tested on the engine with promising results. Mechanical parts of the brake gear are finished bar the crank which was lost totally along with its brackets. The loco now has a Ratty standard ‘type twenty’ brake cylinder, triple valve and associated pipework. There will be three means of generating air – the steam pump, the belt-driven axle pump and an electric pump, so there is redundancy built in. The steam brake of old is gone as it was not a fail-safe design. The smokebox is now fixed on the boiler permanently, along with the ash pan. This [ashpan] had to be modified so the damper can actually open and close. Some of the sheet metal boiler cladding has to be remade and the rest repaired. Work on additional valves for the blowdown and the small extra equipment continues. The regulator is also finished including a new stuffing box and regulator rod. The old rod had failed so a new one was required. Items like the blowdown valves are unobtainable now; each has to be re-engineered from an old one, this involving new patterns, castings and machining jigs to be dealt with. Work on the tender is also occurring when man Made it at the first attempt: the Train From Spain at Dalegarth on 23rd power is available. The locomotive so far. Photo: Nigel Day November. Photo: Keith Herbert 16 17 carriage. This was quite some feat for a locomotive which had not turned a Train From Spain Appeal wheel in eighty-five years. This is also testament to the hard work put in by Alex Di Chase & Keith Herbert Sharphouse and Jack Dibnah at Old Hall Engineering. Further trips were carried out over the following days, with a gradually The results are in! After two months of voting for your favourite names and increased load. Trips with four, six and ultimately twelve coaches were made liveries (Caledonian Railway blue, Longmoor Military Railway-style blue, successfully. Significant tests were carried out on 7th December to check the LB&SCR Umber, German black and red, ‘Post Office’ red and LB&SCR Ochre), braking capability of the locomotive. Although further trials will be needed with we can present your choice: the new tender, initial indications are that the brakes on the locomotive achieve the required deceleration rates. CR LMR Umber Black / PO red Ochre Total The test programme continued until 16th December and included the blue blue red opportunity for the railway’s regular steam drivers to handle the locomotive. Ghyll Force 59 8 14 4 8 7 100 After this, the railway was in full use again for Santa trains in the final run-up to King of Prussia 51 6 12 16 6 5 96 Christmas – and also, the objectives of the test programme had been met, in that Pinta 18 2 5 16 8 5 54 the team developed a schedule of remaining works. Scafell 50 7 6 7 7 6 83 A meeting was held at Old Hall Engineering on 6th January to review the findings Volunteer 8 3 2 1 3 4 21 of the testing and agree what further works were required. In particular, this Whillan Beck 90 6 14 10 8 7 135 meeting considered input from the railway’s engineers and drivers, and from No name 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 the ‘duty holder’ to determine what would be required for entry into service. Advice on the project is being provided by the railway’s health and safety Total 279 32 53 54 40 34 advisors, Green Dragon Rail. The winning combination is the name Whillan Beck (27.4% of the vote) and Work is required to rebore the pistons and fit new rings – the decades spent the colour scheme resembling the blue of the Caledonian Railway (56.7% of the standing have resulted in some corrosion and steam was tending to escape vote). The shortlist was drawn up by five people and the vote counting done by on one beat in particular. Some checking of the motion is also required to three; thankfully more than half of the results were agreed upon unanimously, address the cut-off available in forward and reverse. However, mechanically the though the difference counted was never greater than three votes! To avoid locomotive appears to be very sound, and certainly none of the bearings was over-counting, the lowest number in each category was taken as the official running at all hot during the testing. result. In total more than 500 votes were submitted, representing almost 30% of Work will be carried out around the cab area with some of the controls and the membership. Three people voted for a colour but no name. ergonomics tweaked based on feedback from the drivers. The construction of It’s not quite the BBC’s election night swingometer, but our graphs show that for the new tender will also commence during January. every name option, Caledonian Blue was the most popular livery. Interestingly, those who voted for the German-style black and red preferred names along a German or Spanish theme, perhaps reflecting the engine’s perceived heritage. Similarly, black rivalled blue when it came to choosing a colour for the Spanish name, with the blue marginally ahead. Fundraising has enjoyed a welcome boost during the voting period, with many members choosing to make donations along with either their votes or membership renewals; we thank you for this support. We apologise if there is any significant delay in sending rewards for donations – the team is working hard to honour your contributions to the project. On 22nd November the locomotive was steamed in public view for the first time since 1932, a spectacle witnessed by several members of the press. The resultant The people’s choice. Image: Ben Vincer publicity put the project in The Whitehaven News (and other papers around 18 19 the county), as well as national railway titles such as Steam Railway, Heritage We also suffered from disappointments with the locomotives. It had been our Railway and Narrow Gauge World. Additionally there was an interview on BBC hope that with River Esk back in the fleet and the other engines in working order, Radio Cumbria about the momentous occasion and project in general – all we would be able to see the busy summer season through without the need to welcome coverage. hire in additional motive power. But that was not to be. The reconstruction of the River Esk is proving a difficult task. Without drawings, many of the parts The project was also represented at the Workington Model Railway Show in have had to be reverse engineered. The work continues to make progress and November, raising more awareness and important funds for our cause. Attention we expect that River Esk will see service again in 2017. now mustLOWEST turn to the building of the tender, corrective works and improvements LOWEST Cal. blue LMR Umber Black/red PO red Ochre percentage to the locomotive,Ghyll Force Cal. blueand59 LMR the8 Umberevents14 Black/red programme4 PO red 8 Ochre 7 for 1the00 percentage 220170.3% season. The events The other engines suffered too – with spring problems on River Irt and the KingGhyll of Force Prussia 5519 68 1124 164 68 57 19060 1290..53% will be outlinedPintaKing of Prussia by 15Sam81 Dixon26 152 on 11page66 8626. Though55 5946 we1119..05% cannot yet confirm a very unfortunate derailment of River Mite, the damage caused putting her out launch dateScafellPinta for the locomotive,5108 72 65 we expect176 78 to have65 the8534 engine’s1161..90% story on display of service through part of the season. Our thanks to the RHDR, who were again VolunteerScafell 580 37 26 17 37 46 2813 146..39% in the newWhillanVolunteer museum Beck 9when08 63 it opens142 in101 June.83 74 13251 274..43% able to help us out; their locomotive Typhoon did sterling service for us. noWhillan name Beck 930 06 104 100 08 07 1335 27.4% no name 2793 320 530 540 400 340 4923 The Trainpercentage From Spain56.277%9 identity6.53%2 10. 85will%3 1 1not.05%4 simply8.14%0 6. 9vanish3%4 492 now that a name has been Although we hope that such problems do not coincide again in such a way, it is percentage 56.7% 6.5% 10.8% 11.0% 8.1% 6.9% chosen to replace it – but thevotes castfact of choosing avotes name cast does now set the course exciting that the Train From Spain project will come to fruition in 2017, and we for the locomotive’sTotal membership: future;1772 votes incorporated cast492 27.77% fully asvotes a cast 5part10 28 .7of8% the R&ER steam fleet look forward to the extra resilience that it will give to the fleet. (incl.Total juniorsmembership: - some of whom will be17 babies!)72 492 27.77% 510 28.78% proper. (incl. juniors - some of whom will be babies!) On the positive side, our events programme was very successful. The popularity Names by colour of Peppa Pig meant that this new autumn event sold out. As a result, she is to Names by colour 100 visit us twice in 2017! Peter’s Railway was another great addition which will 10090 8090 Ghyll Force hopefully inspire a new generation of railway enthusiasts. The old favourites 70 80 KingGhyll of Force Prussia 6070 PintaKing of Prussia like Santa and Hallowe’en also proved very popular. I would like to thank all the 5060 4050 ScafellPinta volunteers who help with these events. We could not welcome so many people 30 40 VolunteerScafell 2030 at one time without the extra resources they provide. WhillanVolunteer Beck 1020 100 Whillan Beck 0 Cal. blue LMR Umber Black/red PO red Ochre Another disappointment was the delay in building the museum extension. Cal. blue LMR Umber Black/red PO red Ochre The purchase of the necessary sliver of land alongside the main line platform Colour by name took a very long time to complete because of the extraordinarily complex Colour by name 100 internal regulations of Network Rail. The transfer was finally completed on 29th 10090 8090 Cal. blue September, some ten years after the initial request to acquire the land had been 70 80 LMRCal. blue 6070 made. The land was immediately leased to the renamed Ravenglass Railway UmberLMR 5060 4050 Black/redUmber Museum Trust and building work commenced at the beginning of November. 30 40 POBlack/red red 2030 Good progress is now being made and the Trust plans to have the whole OchrePO red 1020 100 Ochre museum open by the end of June. The refurbished original museum remained 0 Ghyll Force King of Prussia Pinta Scafell Volunteer Whillan Beck Ghyll Force King of Prussia Pinta Scafell Volunteer Whillan Beck open throughout the season and added to the enjoyment of many visitors. During the year major permanent way projects were completed; as a result the Chairman’s Report permanent way is probably in as good a state now as it ever has been. Thanks are Peter Hensman OBE due to the permanent way gang who carry out this work – not always in the best of weather. At Ravenglass, the new guards’ room has been completed, tidying up a previously messy area, and the improvements at Eskdale Green, finally 2016 was a difficult year for the Railway Company. Although the direct impact completed under the auspices of the Preservation Society, have considerably of Storm Desmond on the Western Lake District was limited and thankfully had enhanced its attractiveness. minimal effect on the R&ER infrastructure, we did not escape the aftermath. The wide publicity gave the perception that the whole Lake District was difficult to So despite some setbacks, much has been achieved in 2016 and we hope that access and many individuals and groups cancelled or altered their holidays. So the firm foundations we are creating in operations, engineering, visitor services for the first time for several years our visitor numbers were down. and marketing will deliver a really successful 2017.

20 21 The Train From Spain on Test

No.8457 simmers at Irton Road during a run up the line. Photo: Jackie Pharaoh Storming up Mill Wood with a single coach during filming for the new Graham Whistler DVD. Photo: Christopher Glover

The Krauss pulls nine cars down grade from Irton Road towards The Green. Rolling down Hollin How as the sun shines its last on 23rd November. Photo: Christopher Glover Photo: Keith Herbert 22 23 From the Secretary’s Desk AGM and specific rules regarding Company Employees have been removed. Mungo Stacy Copies of the rules are available to members from the ‘Accommodation’ page on the Society website, www.rerps.co.uk The December Council meeting received updates on various A new central heating boiler has been installed. The previous boiler had been matters; however, many of the activities are works in progress in place since before the refurbishment, and a recent inspection had identified rather than being new or completed activities to report on. safety issues with the flue.

New rates will apply for the 2017 season, commencing 1st April 2017. The last Museum rate increase was in April 2014. The new rates are: The R&ERPS Trust has released the £90,000 grant towards the museum project, following the land transfer from Network Rail. Waged Unwaged Members - volunteering £6.65 per night £3.80 per night Events Members - not volunteering £13.30 per night £7.60 per night The Society is looking for people to support various events throughout the year, many of which are connected with the Society’s locomotives. Volunteer support The Great North Steam Fair will be held at Beamish Museum in the North East on 6th-9th April 2017, the weekend before Easter. River Mite will be on display As the new season approaches, the controller will be pleased to hear from behind the traction engine Providence. The traction engine and trailer may be volunteers about availability. We typically need at least three volunteer guards able to parade around the road circuit at Beamish. every day of the daily service. The late May bank holiday, Saturday 27th May 2017, is the fiftieth anniversary of River Mite’s entry into service. A rededication ceremony will be held at around 4.30pm at Ravenglass, followed by a special train to Dalegarth. The Society’s Annual General Meeting will be on Saturday 8th July 2017. This is expected to be held at Dalegarth and usually includes food, drink and entertainment, in addition of course to the important business of the meeting itself. The Oktoberfest event is planned for October half-term, Saturday 21st to Sunday 29th October 2017. This will be a German-themed steam gala week and it is hoped to include visiting engines from this country and from Europe. Council has agreed funding to support transport and accommodation costs for locomotives and crews.

Council nominations Nominations for new members of Council for election at the AGM are, as ever, always welcome. Nomination forms require signature by any other two members of the Society and should be returned to the Secretary at least sixty days before the date of the AGM, i.e. by 9th May 2017.

Heywood House Following discussions at last year’s Annual General Meeting, the rules of RHDR Krauss locomotive The Bug meets Siân at Fisherground in 1994. Will it Heywood House have been updated in accordance with the vote taken at the return this year? Photo: Bob Tebb 24 25 Membership Matters They will be based at the Pockerley Waggonway engine shed throughout the Sarah Bennett event but will make regular demonstration tours of the Beamish road circuit during each day. The Railway Company and Preservation Society will have a joint promotional stand and we would welcome volunteers to help for any of Just a quick update to say renewals are being received in abundance and are the four days. If you can spare some time, please contact Sam Dixon via the keeping both me and Assistant Membership Secretary Jim Wilcock extremely details on page 2. busy. We thank you for providing complete details of membership; it makes it more efficient at this end and means your new membership cards will be On Saturday 27th May, the fiftieth birthday ofRiver Mite will be celebrated. with you for the 2017 season within the twenty-eight day turnaround period. Preservation Society members are invited to join other invited guests and River Please note the changes on page 2: from now on, I will handle general enquiries Mite around Ravenglass turntable at 16.30 for a cake cutting and brief speeches. and online membership renewals, while Jim will deal with renewals by post A special train, hauled by River Mite, will depart from Ravenglass at 17.30 for an (cheque or postal order). A stamped, addressed envelope should be included, evening round-trip to Dalegarth, including a buffet supper. Return to Ravenglass please, with postal renewals. will be circa 20.00. Providence is expected to be in Ravenglass for this event and the following weekend. Celebrations & Events Direct Rail Services will hold an open day at their Kingmoor Depot in Carlisle on Saturday 22nd July. We hope to be able to display the Train From Spain at the Sam Dixon event and have a Preservation Society promotional stand In this landmark year for the Preservation Society, we have a busy schedule in attendance. Again, we’d of celebrations and promotional events, marking both the fiftieth birthday of welcome volunteers to help. River Mite and the launch into service of our brand new steam engine. Please If you can spare some time, join us at these events to enjoy the entertainment on offer, but know that we’d please contact Sam Dixon. welcome your help as well. Finally for now, we are th The Beamish Great North Steam Fair is being held from Thursday 6 to Sunday planning an ‘Oktoberfest’ th 9 April. River Mite and steam traction engine Providence will be reunited to event at the railway from recreate their amazing journey from York to Ravenglass in December 1966. 21st to 29th October, autumn half-term week for many schools. This promises to be a spectacular event. We hope to have visiting engines from the continent and nearer to home, as well as German- themed food, drink and entertainment throughout the period. Providence will also be in Ravenglass for the week. We’ll need plenty of operational volunteers for this event to guard trains, staff stations and help on the Preservation Society sales stand. More details in the The Train From Spain’s promotional stand The Train From Spain flanked by River Irt and Northern Rock in the June Magazine, but put it in at the Workington Model Railway Show in workshop yard on press day, 22nd November. Photo: Will Sands your diary now! November. Photo: Peter Mills 26 27 Volunteering Update induction processes that are used. It does vary from railway to railway in terms Peter Mills of how they deliver their training. So from this season, we will be introducing a new induction process for all staff and volunteers covering the many aspects of working at the R&ER. It may seem to some that this is overkill, but we Since the previous issue of our magazine was published, the railway has have a responsibility to get it right and to make sure everyone is given all the operated the Santa and festive season trains, with January seeing the second information needed – much of which didn’t exist previously. For example, the successful Track Week of the winter. Both events were supported by our many varied multimedia forums are amongst the latest challenges we face. volunteers, who have helped make them a big success. From all those happy faces on the children meeting Santa, to the laying of nearly ninety panels of So, over the coming weeks, the paperwork will be sent out to all our volunteers track, you the volunteer are making a difference towards this success. We have as normal, outlining the new induction process, and will go into the finer details seen a big increase in volunteers to our winter track maintenance programme of the new system. We ask for your patience – it’s new to the railway too! in January since creating a second full week where we encourage volunteers It is important to note that everyone will be treated the same, volunteer and staff to attend. This is supported by the Society in the form of hot lunches for each member alike. Your contributions are equal and valued. In the future, as we get participant for every day of Track Week. This is welcomed by volunteers and experience and knowledge of how we are implementing this new system, we staff alike. will be looking for volunteers to join our induction team and, if you feel that this Over the last couple of seasons, we have been very lucky with our volunteer is something that you could help with, then please drop me a line. support generally. We have the regular volunteers, who continue to give their Many thanks to those who have contacted me about volunteering in the coming time generously, and we have also been fortunate to attract new volunteers to season, you really are making a difference. Finally, as usual, if you’ve never join our family. As a result of this success we have experienced logistical issues volunteered before and want to give it a go, then contact me in the usual way; which have highlighted that we need to improve things a bit. We need to make my contact details can be found at the front of this magazine on page 2. sure that everyone is treated the same and goes through the same process, from the initial welcome and tour of the site, to training and passing out. As I have said previously, I have visited other railways to see how they deal with volunteers. Recently, this has taken the form of looking at, in detail, the

Douglas Ferreira crosses a wintry Barrow Marsh, the estuary calm, on 26th River Mite is seen close up on the ascent of Hollin How on 14th August 2016. November. Photo: David Moseley Photo: Nicola Wilcock 28 29 A (Very) Retiring Volunteer Driver! miles (2011) and 2,500 miles (inevitably 2013) – that’s some 750 pleasurable Bob Tebb (mostly!) round trips; thus I hope I have contributed my bit there to the overall well-being and future of the Ratty.

For the last seven years I have had, shared with others, one of the most I have had the pleasure of working with many different, enthusiastic guards (of pleasurable volunteering activities on the Ratty, that of being a volunteer diesel which I have been one since 1992) covering a wide range of ages and interests; driver. Having been the oldest Ratty driver throughout that time, I have now with us all being volunteers, I have sought to be on equal terms with them all, decided that I shall stand down from this most enjoyable and rewarding activity and hope we have all had enjoyable moments in the process. Similarly the paid by mid-year. What brings me to such a conclusion? staff could not have been more welcoming, treating us as equals – with such golden moments as the home phone ringing at twelve noon one Saturday and Quite simply, I shall have reached the age of seventy. I believe personally, from a familiar voice pleading “Can you drive the 12.30….?” my own lifetime professional experience in such industries, that there is a strong argument at that age to call it a day for driving public passenger services. Let me be clear on one thing; I may be giving up the honour of being a volunteer Ratty driver, but I see my volunteer future continuing by helping visitors to our I know that, for example, on preserved standard gauge railways, older footplate new enlarged museum to understand at least something of the sheer magic staff are not unusual – but they have a two-person loco crew; this means that, of Ratty. Our railway needs everyone’s support in whatever way they can – if (say) an age-related illness does overtake someone on duty, instant help is no matter how enjoyable (or otherwise!) the task, this all helps Ratty in equal available to ensure their treatment, and the safety of their passengers. Here on measure! (I might even go back to litter-picking too for the exercise!) the Ratty, locos are one-person-operated, and my professional instinct is one of ‘better safe than sorry’! Of course I shall miss the pride and camaraderie, as well as the responsibility and pleasure of driving those seven miles of twisting, tortuous, uphill and down My diaries suggest I have driven some 10,400 miles up to the end of 2016, since grades through such magnificent scenery; to offset the myriad of cantankerous being passed out in May 2010, with annual figures each season of between 770 sheep have been many sightings of deer, red squirrels, foxes, and simply beautiful scenic colours (particularly the last up train on a sunny autumn evening). Driving on the Ratty requires thorough training, itself an enjoyable experience – and, yes, going solo for the first time is truly scary! If you feel like giving it a go, get your application in! Be in no doubt that, if accepted, you will receive committed support and encouragement from management, staff, and other volunteers – and the view from the front is truly glorious – dare I say better even than being in an open carriage.

The guard and driver of River Irt reverse out of Ravenglass in search of Santa. Reflected in the water of the River Mite, Northern Rock returns to Ravenglass 26th November 2016. Photo: David Moseley on 17th December. Photo: David Moseley 30 31 Museum Project David Rounce

I write this almost exactly one year since taking up the Project Manager role with the museum, and can’t believe how quickly 2016 has flown by. This is due in no small part to the efforts of the Ratty staff and volunteers who gave a warm welcome and very quickly made me feel part of the team, and I’m looking forward tremendously to working with everyone in 2017.

Museum Extension Naturally the big news of the moment is the construction of the new museum, which commenced in mid-November and has made excellent progress thanks to the folk of Crowe Plant and Smithy Joinery. Hopefully the completed building will be handed over to us at the end of March for fitting out by our museum designers, ready for an opening date of Saturday 24th June (with opportunities for earlier sneak previews – watch this space for details).

Restoration We are also delighted to announce that we have been awarded £16,000 by the Arts Council PRISM fund to conserve and display the remains of the 1875 3ft gauge ‘Big Saloon’ coach. Working with Stanegate Restorations of Northumberland Inside the train shed, looking north to the ‘old’ museum with new mezzanine we’ll be turning one of the earliest and only surviving English narrow-gauge in view. Photo: David Rounce coaches into a sizeable display in the new museum, the idea being that visitors can discover the story of the 3ft era from within a real ‘Owd Ratty’ relic. volunteers to help restore objects for display, and would like to hear from anyone who can spare some time to do admittedly unglamorous work such as rub-down Volunteers and repaint the Dawson semi-open coach, restore an LMS platform lamp-post, or paint the rear With less than six months to go until the opening we find ourselves short of cab side from the standard- gauge Kerr-Stuart diesel shunter. No experience is necessary, and bribes of biscuits and cake can be provided if required.