The R&ER Magazine Number 218 September 2015 The Journal of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society Published quarterly by the Editorial The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Keith Herbert Preservation Society Limited R&ER Member of the Heritage Locomotives and rolling stock remain two of the major talking points on the Railway Association Ratty as another summer unfolds before us. The editorial column and letter Magazine on the subject of the coaches (printed in the last Magazine) would appear to have added to the discussions and, from the sheer number of letters, either No 218 September 2015 there has been an explosion at the Scrabble factory again, or there is more still Editorial Team: Keith Herbert, Di Chase, Opinions expressed by contributors and to say. Turn to page 37 to read further views on this and other matters in our Bill Seddon, Mark Harrington, in editorial comment do not necessarily Correspondence. John Taylor reflect the collective views of the Society. The subject of coaches was even brought up during questions from the floor at Editorial Designer: Julie Hutchinson the Preservation Society’s AGM on Saturday 11th July. Asked for his view on the condition of the closed saloons, the General Manager suggested they were past Address for Magazine Correspondence: PRESS DEADLINE: Material for inclusion in Keith Herbert the next issue of the Magazine must their best. Does the pressing need for more vehicles in service now share top 7 Dalegarth Cottages reach the editors not later than billing with the pressing need for more working locomotives? If it doesn’t, then Boot, Holmrook Thursday 15th October at noon. it should. The Maxi coach frames have now been cut up, leaving little more than Cumbria CA19 1TF Please send material earlier if possible. bogies and a bit of floor in place – no going back, then, for the coaches taken [email protected] out of traffic in 2009. Coach 136, an ordinary, blue and white, heated saloon, has The R&ER Magazine is always pleased to receive correspondence, photographs and articles for possible inclusion. also been withdrawn pending fitting of new bogies. Most nowadays arrive via our e-mail address, but postal contributions are just as welcome. Please write your name and address on the back of any prints, and give at least the date and location of each While we hope and pray that no more follow suit, we are at least able to photograph where possible. We have scanning facilities for slides and negatives, and will endeavour to return any loaned photographic material. welcome coach 387 (an open coach, no less!) into the fold. And there is more good news on top, for trains are now running – in good weather – in ‘half-and- Society website: http://www.rerps.co.uk half’ formation. That is to say, the Ravenglass-end of the train is made up of four opens. Now you can sit right behind the engine with no window or door to Council Chairman: Sam Dixon, 15 Lyceum Close, Leighton, Crewe, Cheshire CW1 3YB. keep from you the “brilliant sensory experience” (Mag 217, page 3, paragraph Email: [email protected] 6) that is La’al Ratty in the open air – just like in the good old days! Hon. Secretary: Mungo Stacy, 34 Mayfield Road, Manchester M16 8EU. Email: [email protected] Hon. Financial Secretary: Ian Leigh, 206B Crowfield House, North Row, Central Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK9 3LQ. Email: [email protected] Hon. Membership Secretary: Phil Taylor, 12 Wholehouse Road, Seascale, Cumbria CA20 1QY. Email: [email protected] (1-1299 and 2500-3999) Assistant Membership Secretary: Jim Wilcock, ‘Porthlow’, Neston Road, Ness, Neston CH64 4AZ. Email: [email protected] (1300-2499) Sales Officer: Terry Williams, 88 Bluestone Road, Moston, Manchester M40 9HY. Email: [email protected] Magazine Distributor: Cumbria Mailing Services Ltd. Penrith, CA11 9FQ. Heywood House Bookings: Mary Harding. Email: [email protected]. Tel: 01229 717080. Volunteers: Peter Mills. Email: [email protected] General Manager: Trevor Stockton, R&ER Co. Ltd. Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1SW. Tel: 01229 717171. Opens behind the loco! River Irt approaches Muncaster Mill with a ‘heritage’ Front Cover: Northern Rock departs Dalegarth on a bright October day in 2014. consist. Photo: Christopher Glover Photo: Dick Smith 2 3 As this edition of the Magazine closes for press, we are still some weeks away Much has been done to preserve and enhance the short walks from the station from our August bank holiday centenary celebrations (you will have to tune in at Dalegarth. Boot Riverside Action Group, made up of local parish councillors, next time for photographs from the weekend) – but you will get this just in time land owners and local businesses, has been formed to fundraise to improve the to prepare for a trip to see River Mite at the Kirklees Light Railway’s tenth annual road to St Catherine’s Church and the local paths that make the short walks so steam and diesel gala, and Northern Rock at the twenty-fifth anniversary gala at attractive. Work has also taken place on the old tramway that originally crossed the Bure Valley Railway (see the diary on page 43 for dates). Go out, explore the valley road to reach the far side of the river – not for trains, I hasten to add! and enjoy these railways (and report back to the Magazine, please!) – but don’t – but again to help the experience of these walks. Check Eskdale web links for forget our own La’al Ratty, with its hundred years of history to look back on and, more information. hopefully, one hundred more still to look forward to. Tour operator Statesman Rail has already paid us one visit this year with almost 200 extra passengers, another 300 are promised on the next trip. Although there News from Ravenglass are only two excursions this year they all contribute toward our viability. Trevor Stockton Up the line in among running trains the flail has had a run out, under the charge of Martin Cookman and Will Sands, to cut back the lineside vegetation (an The railway has been the recipient of two awards this summer, one for the almost never-ending battle). But it does stop people hanging out to try to grab Best Heritage Railway Attraction at The National Coach Tourism Awards, plus a bracken! The weed killing has also been completed for another year. This was a Cumbria Tourism Award in the Large Visitor Attraction category. These awards job that the late Martin Willey used to carry out with great gusto. Thanks to Keith are testimony to all the hard work that goes into making an attraction like ours Herbert and Will Sands the lineside and track will continue to be weed free, and award-winning. Anyone and everyone that works front of house, behind the I am sure Martin would approve that his high standards have been maintained. scenes, etc. should feel justifiably proud of these achievements. Thank you. Once again, I make no excuse for this; the railway needs volunteers, a minimum As we approach another high season service we do so on the back of an of three a day help keep the service going. Although you can put yourself encouraging spring. Although we experienced higher than average rainfall it forwards to cover most roles on the railway we are always in need of guards. has not deterred the visitors too much. Even if you only have a spare day every few weeks it all helps; give us a call. There is much to be positive about; the revamped museum will be opened during the high summer service. This is Phase 1 more or less complete; Phase 2 is in the final stages of fundraising. Hopefully in the next issue we can be clear on deadlines for build and completion. In the mean time allow yourself time to browse round the museum on your next visit. It is an amazing transformation. The engineers are now operating from their rebuilt workshop; whilst there are a few snagging issues to sort out it certainly makes for an easier, quicker turn round of repairs and breakdowns. Nigel Day will concentrate on the overhaul of River Esk; an anticipated return to steam of next high summer [2016] is our aim with that project. Another assistant engineer, Peter Fitzwilliam, has been appointed, which brings us back up to full complement. Perkins continues to take shape; although its return for this high summer remains our goal, it will be dependent on how the rest of the fleet performs. In a mad week in June we closed the car park for resurfacing. Two thirds of the surface area are now complete with fresh lining out; the final third will be done when the museum phase 2 has been completed. It was certainly strange to see the trains fairly busy but the car park empty. The village car park and a walk over the bridge did little to put folk off. Synolda and River Irt greet 45699 Galatea outside the new workshop on 30th May. Photo: Bob Tebb 4 5 Locomotives: a Summer Summary and using components from, the unit used on Hercules last season. This work An update from the R&ER Magazine was in anticipation of use in service during August bank holiday weekend, top ‘n’ tailing shuttles to Muncaster Mill with Count Louis, which has been resident in the paint shop this year. River Irt: has seen heavy use in traffic but lost a few days at the outset of the high summer service when necessary repairs to its steam pump overran.