seraphim

The railway certainly operated for a period using a pair of fairly modern Motor Rails, and a couple of pretty awful coaches. Annoyingly, I never went for a ride on the one time I visited and it was running. I was unaware that there was a balloon loop - presumably at the far end. Perhaps this was added after my visit, as the train was top'n'tailed and just shuttled back and forth. As said above, the locos went to Carlton Colville. The coaches ended up at Chasewater and were for sale not long ago. I don't know how long the railway last in operational condition - "not long" seems to be the consensus. The two WW1 locos were still on display in the Land Warfare hall last time I visited. The "leave to Apedale" comment is ironic; we contacted IWM about the railway, but it all foundered because the railway track is within the "airside" area of the active airfield; working to recover the track in that area fell firmely in the "all too difficult" box. I strongly suspect that is why the track remains, albeit cut-off from the main musuem.

I'll add a little to this, as I knew Teddy Boston well - he's the Fat Clergyman who lands on the loco, and Wilbert Awdry distantly. It was always stated that all the stories in the books were based, to a lesser or greater extent, on real events - with the exception of this episode, which was completely fabricated. For some reason, I have a recollection that the story (of the loco found in the jungle) was inspired by Mike Satow's discovery of Rishra in India. Duke the Lost Engine was published in 1970, and Rishra returned to the UK, having been restored in India, in 1971. Therefore, news of Mike's discovery would have been current at around the time of the book's publication. Not conclusive evidence, but it fits my recollection.

The key point is in the name - it was a test car, and hence "owned" by the Mechanical & Electrical Engineering department - as distinct to a Lab Coach which belonged to BR Research. Correct, arguably the best-known use was for acceptance testing of new vehicles. I spent a lot of time in it on the Class 60 project. Essentially, the loco would be instrumented to the nth degree, and then the cabling brought back to racks of instruments in the vehicle. This would only be done for type approval of the first of each type - not for each individual loco.

The book was British Military Railways Overseas. The launch was by Mainline and Maritime - see https://www.mainlineandmaritime.co.uk/ - but the book has been produced by the British Overseas Historical Railway Trust. I suggest M & M is the best source, but it doesn't seem to have made it onto their website yet. I bought a copy, and it looks good.

Forgive a dual posting, but here goes.... Not one but two WD Hunslet 4-6-0Ts will make their debut at Tracks to the Trenches this year! In addition to the War Department Locomotive Trust running No. 303 for the first time, Accucraft UK Ltd. will unveil their 1:19 scale, live steam locomotive. Hunslet produced 155 of these 2 foot (60cm) gauge locos during WW1 for service behind the trenches in France, sharing their duties with Baldwins and Alcos procured for the same role. After the war they were scattered to the four winds, examples ended up in South America, Australia and Palestine as well as England and Scotland. In 2005 The War Office Locomotive Trust repatriated No. 1215 (No. 303) from Australia and its restoration is now complete. A percentage of the retail profit from each UK sale will be donated to this locomotive, a greater percentage if ordered directly from Accucraft (UK) Ltd. The model is internally gas fired and has slide valve cylinders. The boiler is fitted with a water gauge with blow down valve, lubricator with drain and pressure gauge. It will be available in either 32mm (gauge 0) or 45mm gauge (gauge 1), the latter as per the 3’ gauge locos supplied to Balfour Beatty in Scotland. The model will only be available in satin black (with no running number) and will carry a UK RRP of £1950.00. They will carry item numbers S19-29A (45mm gauge) and S19-29B (32mm gauge).

Not one but two WD Hunslet 4-6-0Ts will make their debut at Tracks to the Trenches this year! In addition to the War Department Locomotive Trust running No. 303 for the first time, Accucraft UK Ltd. will unveil their 1:19 scale, live steam locomotive. Hunslet produced 155 of these 2 foot (60cm) gauge locos during WW1 for service behind the trenches in France, sharing their duties with Baldwins and Alcos procured for the same role. After the war they were scattered to the four winds, examples ended up in South America, Australia and Palestine as well as England and Scotland. In 2005 The War Office Locomotive Trust repatriated No. 1215 (No. 303) from Australia and its restoration is now complete. A percentage of the retail profit from each UK sale will be donated to this locomotive, a greater percentage if ordered directly from Accucraft (UK) Ltd. The model is internally gas fired and has slide valve cylinders. The boiler is fitted with a water gauge with blow down valve, lubricator with drain and pressure gauge. It will be available in either 32mm (gauge 0) or 45mm gauge (gauge 1), the latter as per the 3’ gauge locos supplied to Balfour Beatty in Scotland. The model will only be available in satin black (with no running number) and will carry a UK RRP of £1950.00. They will carry item numbers S19-29A (45mm gauge) and S19-29B (32mm gauge).

OK, you got me. DISC = Drivers's Indicated Speed Control. Essentially cruise control - driver sets a speed, loco accelerates to and sits at the speed. It was isolated in DVTs on West Coast because it was suspected of causing tapchangers to hunt around notches on Class 86 & 87. I THINK it was re-instated on Anglia when it became 100% Class 90, but can't recall.

The traction motors on the older AC locos are, as said, series motors - ie the field windings are in series with the armature. They depend on the OLE supply to provide field excitation - hence the loss of rheo when passing through a neutral. To answer a couple of previous questions, braking energy is dissipated in large resistor banks which are force-cooled. The energy being dissipated in these resistors is substantial, so the blower motors must be proven to be operating before rheo can happen. Failures in this area have accounted for a good number of AC loco fires. It is worth noting that the power density of an AC loco can be quite scary; the one-hour rating of a single Class 90 traction motor is greater than the output of an HST power car. Get the cooling wrong and expect to call the fire brigade. The roof circuit breaker can be opened with the tap changer in any position, but opening it on-load is bad, as it will burn the contacts; hence (as commented above) drivers are expected to run-back the loco approaching a neutral. Class 90 are SEPEX motors, so the fields are fed seperately from the armatures. This is largely a wheelslip control thing, and became the in-thing after trials on a Class 58 in the 1980s. If memory serves, when a loco is in Rheo, the output from the motors is connected in series. On older locos, this meant no rheo with a motor out. Class 86 & 87 on WCML expresses would eat brake blocks at a phenomenal rate in such circumstances, and would be diagrammed for a nightly block check. Never worked on Class 91, funny Eastern Region things.

I think that description is pretty good. I cannot remember if anything happened as a consequence of the brief loss of rheo when the loco passed through a neutral section. One clever feature of Class 90 was the ability to continue Rheo braking even through a neutral. DVT plus Class 90 could have brake operation at both ends, similar to HST; the DW3 unit on the loco (or DVT, if loco leading) could be controlled via the TDM system. However, I recall that in practice, this wasn't really used and the DW3 units on the DVTs were left isolated. This was to ensure a consistent feel of the brake - saving the driver having to recall if there was a Class 90 or an 86/7 ten coaches behind him.

East Coast HST power cars now have (following MTU conversion) a Brush cooler group - I believe that this has the roof cowl divided by a tranverse bar. Great Western cars have a Voith group, which has a longitudinal bar. So, 43311/43114 - which are East Coast cars - should have a different configuration to FGW cars. 43002/003 are (presumably) representing the Valenta era, in which case they will have either a Serck or Marston group - and I'm sorry, I honestly cannot recall what either looked like from above.

Put simply, it's because it looks nice and is reasonably easy to do. Also sometimes seen are wheels with white lines painted radially at 120 degree separation. These are painted if there is a suspicion that the tyres may be shifting. Not seen these days as virtually all locos have monobloc wheels.

I like the idea of "coach wrangling", done that a few times. Politics also played a part. Upperby is convenient for the S&C. In the mid 1980s, it was suggested that the S&C - then at risk of closure - could be saved by privatisation. Upperby depot would have been the depot which went with the line. Practicality was also a factor. Kingmoor was very much laid out as a loco depot, whereas Upperby was set-up for coaches and DMUs.

At Apedale, we have done a World War One footplate experience which is all about shunting and assembling groups of wagons in order to be able to supply the needed stores to the troops at the front line. Participants get to drive both steam and diesel locos. We have found that it is very volunteer resource-intensive, but the participants at the day which have been run seem to have hugely enjoyed the whole thing (including the chap who derailed the diesel loco!). We are mulling over the future of these days, but if you're interested, drop a message via the contact page at www.mrt.org.uk.

We have toyed with having a model-led event at Apedale, but it's never really come to pass. Of course, if someone wanted to organise something and use our venue, we'd be listening.

Ray - did you see the 2nd Baldwin at Froissy? Photos of that one seem to be like chicken's teeth? Simon Lomax

NIce model. I've dug the attached views of RR84 at Apedale. It's had a few modifications in industry (like a new engine and gearbox!) but the rear section and the forward/reverse box is as original. There is a large handle on the right hand side (looking forward) which is used to reverse the loco. Let me know if you need any more, I see the loco every weekend! Regards, Simon Lomax

Moseley Railway Trust celebrates successful Stanhope Gala – and looks to the future The Moseley Railway Trust held the annual railway gala at the Apedale Valley Light Railway on May 13 & 14. The theme for the 2017 event was to mark the centenary of the Kerr, Stuart locomotive “Stanhope”. Kerr, Stuart were a firm of locomotive builders based in Stoke-on-Trent – just a few miles from Apedale. Three visiting engines attended, two built by Kerr, Stuart, and the third built to a Kerr, Stuart design. With the home-based fleet of Stanhope and a further 1916-built Kerr, Stuart loco, it is believed that this was the largest gathering of Stoke built locomotives in preservation. The Gala attracted over 1000 visitors. Phil Robinson, the Trust Chairman said “We are very pleased with how the Stanhope Gala went. On behalf of the Trust, I’d like to express my thanks to the visiting loco owners and also to all our volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the weekend a success”. The centenary of Stanhope was marked with various cakes – edible by humans and edible by engines. The owner of Stanhope – or the “current custodian”, as he described himself – Dr John Rowlands made a speech describing the remarkable story of how the loco survived into preservation. It was a close-run thing! This story has been put into print in a new book written by Phil Robinson and published by the Trust. Looking to the future, there will be a new enthusiast-focussed event in October. The Diesel Delights weekend – 7 & 8 October 2017 – will see many of the Trust’s collection of internal combustion locos in action. Some will haul passenger trains – in some cases, these will be the first-ever passenger working for locos over fifty years old! In 2018, the Trust will hold the third of the popular Tracks to the Trenches events, themed around the First World War. The site will be transformed into the Western Front for the weekend – July 13, 14 & 15 2018. The Trust would be pleased to hear from potential exhibitors of WW1-appropriate items, particularly road vehicles. More details of the Trust and the Apedale valley Light Railway can be found on Facebook or on the website www.mrt.org.uk.

An important announcement regarding tickets for the Stanhope Gala - 13 & 14 May. We aren't doing advance tickets by post for this event - BUT you will be able to buy tickets from the shop at Apedale for the event from this weekend. It's a great way to beat the queue on the day. Tickets are just £6 for adults, £3 for children 3-16 and there's a family ticket at £15 (2+2). We've also re-vamped the Access All Areas passes aimed at serious enthusiast photographers - £20 buys you access to the whole site for both days of the event plus the Friday set-up day - including access outside the public hours PLUS unlimited train rides and footplate rides on the locos. Only a limited number of passes are made available, and again these can be bought in the shop beforehand or from the gate on the day.

The Moseley Railway Trust is pleased to confirm two more visiting locomotives for the 2017 railway gala at the Apedale Valley Light Railway. Continuing the theme of the event – which is the Kerr, Stuart locomotive company of Stoke-on-Trent - is Kerr, Stuart 3128. This is one of the iconic “Wren” class locomotives. This locomotive has had a particularly interesting career, including crossing the Atlantic four times! It was built in 1918 for a factory at Avonmouth which supplied Mustard Gas to the British forces fighting in the First World War; after the end of hostilities, the factory became the National Smelting Company producing zinc products. In 1959, the loco was exported for preservation to Canada. The loco was returned to the UK in 2013 and was restored at the Statfold Barn Railway to full operating condition. It was returned to its owner in Canada; tragically, problems in Canada prevented its operation, and it returned to Statfold in 2016. The visit to Apedale will be the first time that this locomotive has operated away from its Statfold base; the Trust wishes to thank Graham Lee, Henry Noon and the Statfold team for allowing the locomotive to attend the event. The second locomotive is also a Wren – but a much more recent incarnation. The modern successor to the old Kerr, Stuart company is the Hunslet Engine Company, based at Statfold Barn Their number 3905 of 2005 is named “Jennie” and is now based at the Amerton Railway, near Stafford. Owned by the Gully family, the locomotive has previously visited a number of UK narrow gauge railways, but will be a first-time visitor to Apedale. The Trust is grateful to the Gully family for facilitating the loan of this fascinating locomotive. Phil Robinson, Moseley Railway Trust Chairman said “Having two Wren class locomotives on site at Apedale will be really exciting. This is the design of locomotive which most people associate with Kerr, Stuart. We think that having five Kerr, Stuart designed locomotives in operation is a record in preservation. It will be fascinating to compare two locos which are very similar in design, yet are 87 years apart in age. This must surely be another record – the longest production run of a product design!” The “Stanhope Steam Gala” will be held on May 13 and 14. Admission will be £6 adults, £3 children. More details of the Trust and the Apedale valley Light Railway can be found on Facebook or on the website www.mrt.org.uk.

We haven't done anything serious with the BLW at Apedale yet - it is still in as-received condition. It's unlikely much will happen on it during 2017, because we've had a PRISM grant to restore another loco - MR1320 - and there's only so many hours in a year! I am aware of a total of 19 survivors of the 50hp locos, and none of the smaller 35hp type. 9 of the survivors are at Tacot de Lacs, south of Paris; a visit there is an experience! The forthcoming edition of the Trust magazine has (I hope!) a longish article on the survivors.

The Moseley Railway Trust is pleased to confirm arrangements for the 2017 railway gala at the Apedale Valley Light Railway. This year’s gala, to be held on May 13 and 14, will mark the centenary of the Kerr, Stuart locomotive “Stanhope”. Kerr, Stuart were a Stoke-on-Trent based locomotive manufacturer – so “Stanhope” is now preserved less than five miles from where it was built. However, the intervening century saw it work in England, Scotland and Wales! The gala will be themed around Kerr, Stuart products, and the visiting locomotive line-up will reflect this. The Trust looks forward to welcoming Phil Mason and his locomotive “Diana” to the railway. “Diana” will also mark its centenary in 2017, and is the only “Sirdar” class Kerr, Stuart loco in Europe; there is one other preserved in Namibia. “Diana” was used on the long-closed Kerry Tramway in Wales, and now operates on the Bala Lake Railway. The locomotive steamed again in 2015, 65 years after being taken out of traffic. Further visiting locomotives are under negotiation and will be announced in due course; suffice to say that the Trust is aiming to have the largest-ever gathering of Kerr, Stuart locomotives in preservation at Apedale in May! There will be the usual supporting cast of model railways and trade stands, plus military re-enactors in the recreated World War One trench system. The Trust will also be launching a new book telling the story of “Stanhope” and its’ astonishing survival - the loco owes its survival to an argument between two well-known personalities from the early years of narrow gauge preservation! Phil Robison, Moseley Railway Trust Chairman said “We are all looking forward to bringing Diana home to Stoke-on-Trent; the Stanhope Steam Gala looks like being another really good weekend at Apedale. The MRT has developed a reputation for top-notch railway galas, and we are expecting this to be no exception!” The “Stanhope Steam Gala” will be held on May 13 and 14. Admission will be £6 adults, £3 children.

Mr Ryde:- You will be able to access the site from 0800 each day with your pass. Not sure why the website gives an error. I'll get thye soldering iron out. We have a rather splendid new arrival on site - check out the Facebook page or the news section of the MRT website. Thanks!

The Moseley Railway Trust is pleased to announce the details of the steam locomotives which will be visiting the Apedale Valley Light Railway for the Tracks to the Trenches 2016 event. In addition to the previously-announced Kerr, Stuart “Joffre” from the West Lancashire Light Railway and Hudswell Clarke 1643 from Statfold, Baldwin 44656 of 1917 will make a very welcome return visit from its normal base at the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway. Owned by the Greensand Railway Museum Trust, the Baldwin – No.778 – has just completed a major winter overhaul. These locomotives were supplied en-masse from their American builder to the British War Department from 1917 onwards, eventually totalling nearly 500 by 1918. They were the most common steam locomotive operated by the War Department Light Railways during World War One. After the War, No.778 was one of a batch of 50 locomotives identified for further service on the North West Frontier between India (now Pakistan) and Afghanistan. By the early 1970s, this war veteran had been re-discovered at an Indian sugar works by adventurous British railway enthusiasts. In March 1985, the loco returned to the UK. After a major restoration project, No. 778 was finally launched into public service in August 2007. 2014 saw No.778 star at the Tracks to the Trenches event at Apedale before withdrawal for a boiler overhaul. This has been completed in double-quick time – a testimony to the quality of the original restoration. Phil Robinson, the Chairman of the Moseley Railway Trust, said “The Baldwin No.778 was a hit with our visitors at the 2014 Tracks to the Trenches event, and we very much look forward to a repeat performance in 2016!” Additionally to the visiting steam locomotives, various visiting internal combustion locomotives will be at Apedale for the event, complementing the extensive collection of War Department Light Railway material which is resident on site. All of these will be operated in an authentic environment, moving supplies to a re-creation of a Western Front trench. Living History groups will be on site to add authenticity, as will the replica Tank which provided a backdrop to many memorable photographs in 2014. Tracks to the Trenches 2016 will be open 1230-1730 on Friday May 13 2016 and 1030-1730 on Saturday & Sunday 14 & 15 May 2016. Admission prices are Adult £9, Child £4, Family (2 + 2) £20. A limited number of Access All Areas passes will be available, priced at £30. The event has a dedicated Facebook page and its own website, www.ww1-event.org. Tickets are available in advance via this website. The Trust would still be delighted to hear from potential exhibitors with suitable period vehicles or other exhibits – get in touch via the above website, or the main Trust site at www.mrt.org.uk. By way of exchange, the Moseley Railway Trust’s Hudswell Clarke steam loco no.1238 will be visiting the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway’s event marking the War Department Light Railways Centenary. This event is on August 28, 29 & 31 and September 1st, 4th & 5th. This will be a return visit by Hudswell 1238, which previously visited Leighton Buzzard in 2008 prior to the locomotive being restored. This visit is particularly appropriate, because the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway had two steam locomotives of the same type as Hudswell Clarke 1238 when it first opened in 1919 – sadly, the two Leighton Buzzard locomotives were scrapped many years ago.

We've issued this press release today:- The Power of the Horse:- Moseley Railway Trust celebrates £10,000 National Lottery winThe Moseley Railway Trust has received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £10,000, it was announced today. This money will be used to develop the Trust’s interpretation of the role of the horse with both civilian industrial railways and in delivering supplies to the front lines during the First World War. During the 1914-1918 conflict, both sides used horses not only for direct combat (cavalry regiments and the like) but also as a means of moving the huge weights of supplies which a fighting army needs to sustain itself. Light Railways were laid as a means of increasing the amount which a horse could haul, and also to spread the weight of wagons in the infamous mud of Flanders Fields and elsewhere. Frequently, supplies would be hauled by steam or petrol-powered locomotives to a point near the front lines, and then horses were often used for the last mile to the front – the so-called Trench Tramways. Using the Heritage Lottery Fund grant, the Moseley Railway Trust will replicate these operations and demonstrate them to visitors. Thanks to National Lottery players, the Trust will now be able to fulfil two key objectives. Firstly, it will enhance the displays which will be available to the public at the forthcoming Tracks to the Trenches 2016 event at the Trust’s Apedale Valley Light Railway site. During this event, part of Staffordshire is transformed into the Western Front in 1916 – including a replica trench for visitors to experience. The event will include displays of working horses, mules and horse-drawn vehicles. This event takes place on May 13, 14 and 15 2016, and further details can be obtained from www.ww1-event.org. Secondly, the grant will allow permanent improvements to the facilities and exhibits at Apedale. These will be constructed by volunteers at the Apedale Valley Light Railway, and will include an extension to the existing demonstration railway and an interpretative panel. These will further enhance the Industrial Railway Trail which was initially funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2014. A Trench Tramway wagon will also be constructed – these vehicles were hauled by horses on the very lightly-built railways which spanned the vital last yards to reach the troops fighting at the front. Commenting on the award, Phil Robinson, Moseley Railway Trust Chairman said “We are once again delighted that the HLF have rewarded the efforts which our dedicated team of volunteers have made. Working with the HLF, this grant will not only transform the Tracks to the Trenches event in May 2016, but also allow permanent improvements to the visitor facilities at Apedale. We are very grateful to HLF for their continued support”. Vanessa Harbar, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund West Midlands, said: “The impact of the First World War was far reaching, touching and shaping every corner of the UK and beyond. The Heritage Lottery Fund has already invested more than £70million in projects – large and small - that are marking this Centenary. Our small grants programme is enabling even more communities like those involved in The Power of the Horse to explore the continuing legacy of this conflict and help people in particular to broaden their understanding of how it has shaped our modern world.” The Moseley Railway Trust is a registered charity. It exists to preserve, conserve and interpret narrow gauge railway locomotives and other artefacts. This work is carried out at the Apedale site by a team of volunteers. The volunteers are a very diverse group of all ages and backgrounds – the Trust prides itself on having an active group of younger members, who are able to learn genuine skills as they carry out work on the site. The Trust arrived on the Apedale site in 2006, and opened a passenger carrying railways, known as the Apedale Valley Light Railway, in 2010. The key current development on site is the construction of a large museum to fully display the Trust’s collections.

Moseley Railway Trust announces visiting engines for Tracks to the Trenches 2016 – May 13-15 2016 The Moseley Railway Trust is pleased to announce the details of the first two visiting steam locomotives for the Tracks to the Trenches 2016 military railways event. Coming from its normal base at the West Lancashire Light Railway is Kerr, Stuart No.2405, built in 1915. This locomotive is the oldest survivor of the type known as the Joffres and this locomotive carries that name. The type is named after Marshal Joffre – known as Papa – one of the key leaders of the French military effort, especially in the early part of the conflict. This visit will re-unite this locomotive with the Joffre-class locomotive resident at Apedale, No.3014. The Moseley Railway Trust is very grateful to the owners of Kerr, Stuart 2405 for their assistance and support in facilitating their locomotive’s attendance at Tracks to the Trenches. Making a very welcome return visit to Apedale is Hudswell, Clarke no. 1643. Although built after the end of World War One – in 1930 – it is of the same design as the “G” class Hudswell steam locos which saw considerable military service. Again, there is an Apedale home-fleet loco of the same design – no.1238 of 1916 – and every opportunity will be taken to pair these twins together. We wish to express our thanks to Graham Lee, Henry Noon and the team at the Statfold Barn Railway for making this locomotive available. Sadly, however, the War Office Locomotive Trust’s Hunslet 4-6-0 locomotive no. 1215 of 1916 will not, after all, be able to attend the event. Restoration is continuing on the locomotive, but a number of delays have been encountered – as is inevitable when restoring 100 year old machines. The owners and the Moseley Railway Trust have therefore decided that the best course of action is to ensure that the best possible restoration is carried out on the locomotive, rather than rushing to meet the May 2016 deadline. The event organising team believe that, despite the regrettable absence of Hunslet 1215, Tracks to the Trenches 2016 is shaping up to be every bit as good as the now legendary 2014 event. It is planned that further announcements will be made in the coming months as further major visiting exhibits are confirmed. Tracks to the Trenches 2016 will be open 12-1730 on Friday May 13 2016 and 1030-1730 on Saturday & Sunday 14 & 15 May 2016. Admission prices are Adult £9, Child £4, Family (2 + 2) £20. A limited number of Access All Areas passes will be available, priced at £30. The event has a dedicated Facebook page and its own website, www.ww1-event.org. Tickets are available in advance via this website. The Trust would be delighted to hear from potential exhibitors with suitable period vehicles or other exhibits – get in touch via the above website, or the main Trust site at www.mrt.org.uk.