BROADLINES

In association with Sidelines 112 10 Hurdeswell Editor: John Crane Long Hanborough E-mail: [email protected] Witney E-mail: [email protected] No. 21 FEBRUARY 2011 Oxfordshire Tel: 0800 756 5111 Ext. 702 OX29 8DH Tel/Fax: 01993 883384

THE HRA ANNUAL AWARDS. The presentations were made at a dinner held at ‘Steam’, The Museum of the in Swindon on the evening of Saturday 6th February.

HRA ANNUAL AWARD (LARGE GROUPS). This Award is made to a larger HRA member organisation for an outstanding achievement in railway preservation. The winner was the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for the ground breaking civil engineering project to rebuild Bridge 30 in a hostile location to enable continuing operation of the railway bringing together contractors, volunteers and local authorities. This project has paved the way for all Heritage Railways to have the confidence to carry out major civil engineering.

HRA ANNUAL AWARD (SMALL GROUPS). This is made to a smaller HRA member organisation, for an outstanding achievement in railway preservation. The winner was the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway for achieving a significant presence in South Wales with the opening of its extension to Blaenavon town centre combined with a new level of operational professionalism.

THE JOHN COILEY AWARD for projects was presented to the for its restoration of the Dubs Crane Tank, a lost dimension of working steam not in itself a major revenue earner.

The HRA INTERPREATION AWARD was presented to the Trust for the inspirational transformation of an unfashionable and unwanted derelict industrial into a key display exhibit.

THE HRA & STEAM RAILWAY JOINT AWARD was presented to Cotswold Steam Preservation for the superb restoration to working order of Great Western Railway freight locomotive 2807.

THE HRA AWARD FOR AN ‘OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO RAILWAY PRESERVATION’ was made to Michael and Jackie Cope. They have contributed in very many ways and on many projects for the railway preservation movement including their involvement with the Vintage Carriages Trust based on the Worth Valley Railway at .

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HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION - BROADLINES No. 21 FEBRUARY 2011 1 OF 7 AGM WEEKEND 5TH/6TH FEBRUARY 2011 AT SWINDON By Steve

This year’s venue for the AGM was Swindon, with the meetings, evening dinner and Annual Awards presentations being held at “Steam” museum, located in the former GWR works area.

Saturday 5th February the group travel by coach for a morning visit to the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway. Fortunately the rain held off on our arrival and we were greeted by Colin Young Chairman of the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway. Originally it was planned that we would not travel the full length of the railway due to engineering work, but Colin imparted the excellent news that they had postponed the engineering work for us, and we would indeed be able to travel through to Cholsey, for which we offer special thanks. Following coffee we set off on our special train hauled by a 08 diesel locomotive for Cholsey. During the journey the railways staff pointed out features of the line, and we passed the church where Agatha Christie is buried. On arrival at Cholsey we were able to view the run round arrangements as the line terminates in the Wallingford bay platform. There is certainly plenty of action on the GW main line here. We then returned to Wallingford where we were guided round the site and also shown an American built diesel under restoration.

On arrival back at “Steam”, there was time to look round the Museum before lunch, and the main business of the day. The formal meetings were held in three parts. First an EGM, then the AGM followed by a General meeting. The EGM and AGM are reported on elsewhere by our Chairman David Morgan but mention must be made of the inauguration of our new President Lord Faulkner of Worcester. Dame Margaret Weston, our President for many years, was made the Association’s first Patron.

The General Meeting featured presentations from Dr Reinhard Serchinger, known by many who attend the Fedecrail conferences. He spoke about what can be done about locomotive emissions in relation to the environment. This was followed by Paul Koronka who spoke about the benefits of Mutual Insurance.

Finally there were short updates on the HRA Statistical Return, the new HRA website, the Seminar Programme and the forthcoming HRA Parliamentary reception. It is gratifying to note that there were in excess of 100 members and friends in attendance at the meeting.

The evening dinner was also held at “Steam” and we were served a fine three course dinner. This was preceded by a drinks reception hosted by the on the Museum station platform Thanks must go to Alan Greer and his hard working team for the excellent facilities, and catering provided at “Steam”. The evening was rounded off by the presentation of the HRA Annual Awards. Again this is reported on elsewhere, but congratulations to all the recipients, and of course Ian Smith who did such a superb job. One mention however must be made of the personal award made to Michael and Jackie Cope which is so richly deserved. They genuinely did not know about the award prior to the meeting and their faces were a picture.

So to Sunday 6th which saw a visit to the Dean Railway. On arrival at Norchard Station we were greeted by Peter Adams, and his team, and we thank them for their warm hospitality. We travelled on a special train, from Norchard Low Level which comprised of Bill Parker’s GWR loco no. 5521, and the Royal dining car set. First we travelled to the end of the line, where the diesel facility was inspected. Then the full extent of the line which is at present . Here we had lunch aboard the train. Following this it was a return to Norchard High Level. Here there was time to visit the workshops, rollingstock on site, shop and museum. (The Museum has a telephone exchange on display!) It is so pleasing to see how far this railway has come.

So concluded the weekend, but thanks must go to the Choosey and Wallingford Railway, and the who hosted the visits. To “Steam” Museum for the AGM meeting and dinner venue, and of course to our own Bill Askew in organising the event.

HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION - BROADLINES No. 21 FEBRUARY 2011 2 OF 7 ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN MUSEUM AND TOURIST RAILWAY OPERATION AND THE NECESSITY OF PUBLIC FUNDING - Abridged Version - Dr. Reinhard W. Serchinger, Consultant in Applied Physics, Munich, Germany

Pollution problems in museum and tourist railway operation can be classified into three main categories:

1. air pollution, 2. soil and water pollution, 3. disposal of ashes and cinders from coal-fired steam .

In principle, there are three ways to reduce air pollution:

• use of better fuels, • primary measures (i.e. design changes that result in reduced formation of harmful chemical compounds in the combustion process itself), • secondary measures (i. e. filters, catalytic treatment of exhaust gases etc.).

Secondary measures may create new problems such as the disposal of used filters. They are not practical on steam locomotives but can be useful on old diesel locomotives and railcars.

FEDECRAIL's Environmental Working Group (EWG)

FEDECRAIL's Environmental Working Group was formed in 2009 and will tackle all these problems in direct contact with FEDECRAIL's member railways. Both in-depth studies of the technical literature from old steam days and brand-new Research & Development work carried out by EWG members serve this purpose. The Environmental Working Group not only addresses the environmental issues themselves but also covers the cost impact of any proposed changes. Of course, the scope of the activities crucially depends upon the available funding. In order to find out which environmental improvements and needs were most pressing, the Environmental Working Group agreed that a questionnaire would be sent to all member railways to establish background criteria for the pollution issue and to find out whether different countries attributed different priorities to the various aspects of pollution. The evaluation of this Europe-wide survey (74 railways out of 274 with full operations replied, i.e. 27 %) yielded that the three most pressing problems were (in the below order):

1. air quality, 2. line-side fires, 3. vegetation control.

Wastes disposal ranked no. 4, noise pollution no. 5, ground water contamination no. 6, and the burning of fossil fuels no. 7. EWG then decided to tackle the three most pressing problems first while including the other aspects whenever possible. In line with this strategy to kill two or more birds with one stone, a cost-effective modification package for classical steam locomotives is to be developed that significantly reduces both pollutant and spark emissions while at the same time a lower coal consumption (and thus a smaller carbon footprint) is aimed at. The work on vegetation control will also include all relevant infrastructural aspects to lower the probability of line-side fires.

FEDECRAIL is in a unique position to disseminate technologies and operating practices that help its member railways to meet EU environmental regulations. As all this work is done on the lowest possible organizational level and by the people directly involved, it is fully in line with the subsidiary principle. The EU as a whole seeks to support the application of this principle and should consequently cover travel costs to spread practical knowledge and techniques by EU funding.

HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION - BROADLINES No. 21 FEBRUARY 2011 3 OF 7 FEDECRAIL's Environmental Projects

Handbook on “Environmental Protection in Museum and Tourist Railway Operation”

Low-cost standard conversion procedure for classical coal-fired steam locomotives to reduce both smoke and spark emissions

• alteration of existing ashpan air inlets, • additional ashpan air inlets (these will be visible), • extended brick arch, • deflector plates over firehole, • modified spark arrestor (optional: integrated KylChap nozzles), • modified blast pipe.

Zero-carbon-footprint oil-fired burning biodiesel fuel made from waste vegetable fat

The first consideration in the creation of a CO2-neutral locomotive is the choice of a suitable biofuel. A responsible approach is to use biofuels that

• do not interfere with human foodstuff production and • are locally produced and consumed. The optimum is a biofuel made from locally available organic waste matter.

Zero-carbon-footprint wood-fired steam locomotive burning scrap wood from operations

• CO2-neutral. • Local and sustainable fuel. • Low-emission combustion. • No oil contamination at all, neither through oil dripping to the ground from bearings and/or diesel engines nor through condensation of oil from the exhaust.

Zero-carbon-footprint remote-control fireless steam locomotive using steam from combined heat and power generation (CHP) with an optional auxiliary burner using biodiesel fuel made from slaughterhouse waste

In order to demonstrate the concept of a modern fireless engine, an old Meiningen 0-6-0 fireless is to be re-engineered and re-built into such a modern fireless demonstrator. This locomotive is to earn her keep as a shunter in a CHP plant during the week and could do trip work with tourists over the weekend.

Conclusion

Use of better fuels with a low sulphur content, staff training, and good engine maintenance are a first step towards better environmental protection on museum and tourist railways. For reasons of historical authenticity, design changes to museum locomotives should be carried out only after very careful consideration. For tourist railways, the best way to meet both the economic and the environmental challenge is the purchase of modern high-tech steam locomotives. Museum and tourist railways not only have a significant share in the preservation of the industrial heritage and old crafts such as steam locomotive maintenance and adjustment. By collecting data from their operations and by passing them on to manufacturers and scientists, by trying out new fuels and operational concepts, and by ordering new equipment and feeding their practical knowledge into the development work, museum and tourist railways can also make a valuable contribution to progress in the field of environmental protection engineering and in some cases have already done so. However, all this work crucially depends upon the available funding.

HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION - BROADLINES No. 21 FEBRUARY 2011 4 OF 7 As further progress is beyond the financial means and time scope of volunteer organizations, a partial professionalization becomes necessary. This in turn means that the EU and national governments should come up with some form of financial aid to FEDECRAIL (and its EWG) as the umbrella organization of European museum and tourist railways. This would be fully in line with the subsidiarity principle. Five projects ranging from EUR 12,500 to 360,000 are proposed, the three cheapest of which cover the most immediate needs.

If half the sum of the most expensive project were granted to FEDECRAIL annually, several small improvements or one big project could be done each year. The economic benefits (tourism) brought to local communities by museum and tourist railways are by far more significant than the small sum required for ecological improvements: EUR 180,000 per year for FEDECRAIL’s EWG mean an annual contribution of EUR 7,000 from each of the 26 (out of 27) EU member countries in which railway heritage preservation takes place in one form or another. This small amount totally disappears in the tens and hundreds of millions granted to much less deserving causes, and it allows the politicians who support our cause to share all the goodwill and the good image that steam railways enjoy in the general public.

For more details and hardware for your projects you may contact the author: Dr. Reinhard W. Serchinger SePhys Consultant in Applied Physics Lutzstrasse 9a D-80687 Munich Germany Phone: +49-89-512 6153-0 Fax: +49-89-512 6153-2 Email: [email protected] ______

HERITAGE RAILWAYS AND THE HOUSE OF LORDS By Gordon Rushton

It was a privilege to attend the Moses Room in the House of Lords on the evening of 1st February 2011 and hear the noble lords debate:

'To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution the railway heritage sector makes to education, tourism and the regional economy.'

The debate opened with a fluent contribution from Lord Faulkner of Worcester that was music to the ears of those present from the heritage sector. We heard the arguments we had long advanced in favour of the movement, with specific examples that had been carefully crafted and passed forward from within the movement. Other Noble Lords spoke in support, and in particular Lord Wigley of Caernarfon, who quoted word for word from the findings of the economic report on Ffestiniog - Welsh Highland prepared by Bangor University, thus endorsing urgings made from inside the movement of the utility of such studies. Indeed it was this study, plus that from West Somerset that were used by both Noble Lords, to form the main points in support of their contention that the railway heritage sector makes a major contribution.

Earl Attlee replied for the government to the main thrust of the debate that the Railway Heritage Committee, if not preserved from the cull of quangos, may indeed see its statutory powers transferred to an appropriate body. He also acknowledged the contribution of the railway heritage sector in similar terms to the noble Lord Faulkner.

The event was a particular endorsement for the work done by those in the railway heritage movement who have been urging opinion formers to note the economic contribution made by the railways - the message has gone home. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Richard Faulkner who is 'carrying the torch' in such an effective way.

HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION - BROADLINES No. 21 FEBRUARY 2011 5 OF 7 It may be sensible to think also of the social factors that endorse the economic contribution of the movement. Heritage railways from time to time suffer from the accusation that the people in them are obsessional, tribal, passionate, and given to unusual behaviour. However, isn't this also true of football supporters, anglers and most churches? Perhaps the railway heritage movement has the flavour of the church about it. The points to be made are that:

• The railway heritage movement is socially inclusive. From families, from individuals, from children to senior citizens, trains have a common draw. The interest generated crosses boundaries of race and creed, and most effectively of class. The appearance of a famous locomotive, the presentation of a splendidly restored vehicle, drives difference from people's heads, and replaces it with mutual admiration. • The willingness and generosity of people with like interests knows no boundaries. Ask a question, lavish some praise, and almost anywhere in the world a sudden surge of hospitality is likely to sweep round you. • Those without the same passions and interests in this area find it a problem to understand why individuals are motivated in this way. Reactions range from disbelief through amusement to suspicion. Rational argument in support often finds crude rejection. However, when the economic argument in favour is applied, those against normally become thoughtful and then accepting. • Having found the key to the economic argument, that even a locomotive and a carriage in a field on 500 metres of track has remarkable pulling power, the news must be transmitted to the far corners of the movement. • Economic effect surveys are easy enough to conduct, and the ideas and expertise of how to conduct them are simple to transmit to those wishing to learn. What you do with the knowledge too is simple enough. Those who have this information must tell those who have not, in exactly the same way that those with engineering expertise are prepared to share it.

It seems that the antidote to any expressed prejudice or preference in the community against heritage railways (and rebuilding the WHR revealed just how strong the 'anti' forces can be) is the helpful regional economic effect. Yet it is surprisingly difficult to gain acceptance for this argument. Economics are either labelled 'boring' or 'incomprehensible' by many; questions of locomotive colour or the quality of coal are preferred. The normal participant expresses no wish to understand the position of economic advantage that his or her railway commands. This is reflected into many Trusts, Boards and Committees across the railway heritage movement. It needs to be changed.

There are many things that perceptive members at the head of the movement seek to change - and have succeeded in doing so. Large clouds of accompanying black smoke, pollution of the ground, health and safety are examples of items competently and diligently acted upon. Economic effect and fundraising ought to be included, as these affect every railway and museum in the movement.

Fundraising has been included, as like the economic effect, there are those who handle fundraising with great skill. Passing the knowledge on to those who do not is not difficult, and the results are gratifying. The two go together, as those with expertise in one always have skills for the other. Of course successful arguments proving helpful economic effect are a precursor to successful fundraising; having included the locomotive, we must not forget the train.

The main advantage to being listened to (as in the case of Lord Faulkner by their Lordships) is that the example spreads. Let the economic arguments be disseminated in simple form to accommodate understanding. Let those with expertise spread it to those who desire it. Let us capture a little of the passion and enthusiasm on which the movement depends to forward understanding of these vital matters.

HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION - BROADLINES No. 21 FEBRUARY 2011 6 OF 7 NEWS FROM MEMBERS’ PRESS RELEASES.

ISLE OF WIGHT STEAM RAILWAY. The Heritage Lottery Fund has made an Initial Funding Award to Isle of Wight Steam Railway A project to ensure the long-term preservation and display of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s historic collection of locomotives, carriages and other rolling stock has been given the green light from The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The Isle of Wight Railway Company Ltd has been awarded a £35,000 development grant to progress the plans for its ‘Changing Trains’ Project. This first-round pass means that they can now progress to the second stage of the HLF application process and they have up to two years to submit more detailed plans and apply for a full grant of £929,600 from HLF for the project.

'Changing Trains' aims to ensure that the Railway’s historic steam locomotives, Victorian and Edwardian carriages, and other heritage rolling stock, is kept under cover when not in service, away from the harmful effects of sun, wind and rain, and in so doing are placed on display for the public to enjoy. The project focuses on providing a Rolling Stock Storage and Display Building adjacent to Havenstreet Station which will provide covered space for most of the Railway's restored locomotives, carriages and wagons, including items scheduled for completion during the next 10 years under the HLF-assisted Carriage & Wagon restoration programme. In total the ‘Changing Trains’ project will cost £1.1m and to meet part of the criteria for securing HLF funding the Steam Railway has already raised £140,000 of ‘match-funding’. This has been raised through the generosity of IW Steam Railway members and supporters across the country and through donations from visitors to the Railway.

ISLE OF MAN RAILWAYS Douglas Steam Railway Station is the location for an exciting new restaurant called ‘The Tickethall’, which opened for breakfast at 8am on Monday 17th January. The site has been the location of a landmark restaurant for a number of years and in keeping with the venue’s long history in both ambiance and food, the new operators will manage a very sympathetic makeover. The new restaurant is totally committed to sourcing and utilising Manx produce and will cater very much for the vegetarian clientele. There will be the addition, however, of locally supplied fish dishes, with fresh fish deliveries being delivered by steam railway during the operating season from ‘Paddy’s hooked on fish’, based in Port St Mary.

CORRIS RAILWAY The project to build a “Falcon”- an 0-4-2 saddle tank locomotive based on the original engines of 1878 - for the revived Corris Railway took a tangible step forward on January 29th with the delivery to the Railway of the first components for the new engine. Most prominent were the chimney and dome cover. The intention is that when the boiler, presently under construction at Israel Newton and Sons works, arrives at Maespoeth Jnc it will be placed on display with other delivered components at Maespoeth where visitors will be able to view it during the tour of the site which is offered to all passengers who travel on the re-opened section of the Corris. Meanwhile arrangements have been made for patterns for the horn block, axle boxes, keep and bearing shell. ______

A service of re-dedication took place at the War Memorial on Midland Road, Derby, on 17th December 2010 The memorial, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, was originally dedicated on 15 December 1921 “to the memory of the 2,833 brave men of the Midland Railway staff who gave their lives in the Great War.” In August of this year vandals attacked the memorial, and ripped away two plaques giving the names of the fallen; fortunately the plaques were later recovered. At the time, Council leaders condemned the vandalism as a "deplorable crime". Network Rail and the Railway Heritage Trust subsequently funded the restoration of the memorial, which was completed for Remembrance Sunday.

______© 2011 The Heritage Railway Association, Limited by Guarantee, is Registered in and Wales No. 2226245 Registered office: 2 Littlestone Road, New Romney, Kent, TN28 8PL

HERITAGE RAILWAY ASSOCIATION - BROADLINES No. 21 FEBRUARY 2011 7 OF 7