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BOURNEMOUTH RAILWAY CLUBFOUNDED
1943 President: George Barlow, B.E.M.
Chairman: Martyn Thresh
SE&CR RAIL MOTOR NO.4
Loco portion: Kitson 4293/1906. Carriage portion by Metro-Cammell Delivered to Bricklayers Arms 4/4/06 for West Wickham – Hayes service. Transferred to Selsdon Road – Woodside service from July 1906. In 1907 was at Orpington for Beckenham Jct – Crystal Palace service. By 1910 was at Slades green where it spent rest of it’s career. Initially operated Dartford-Gravesend Central till service ceased in June 1916: then worked 11/2 mile WD line between Slades Green and Crayford Ness. Laid aside in June 1918. RCTS History of SERC Locos, D.L. Bradley
The BOURNEMOUTH RAILWAY CLUB is the oldest society in the district catering for those interested in railways either professionally or as a hobby. Founded by the late Rev. A. Cunningham-Burley, who was also Club President from its foundation until his death in 1953. Also associated with the early days of the Club was O. J. Morris who later became President. His work as an author and railway photographer was renowned and revered throughout the enthusiast world. In March 1973 the Club celebrated its 30th anniversary and invited George Barlow, then Operating Manager of the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway and noted authority on railway matters to become President. This filled the post left vacant since the death of O. J. Morris in 1961. George was awarded the B. E. M. in 1982. The Club provides varied activities for all ages of enthusiast, with monthly meetings addressed by well-known speakers in the railway world. In addition, there are visits to places of railway interest at home and overseas. Members pay a fixed subscription at each meeting attended: All moneys are for Club funds and no additional fees are charged. A "Season" ticket is available for a year, giving a saving to regular attendees. The Club edits its own magazine, BRC News, and administers the collection of the late W.H.C. Kelland pioneer globetrotting enthusiast. Two trophies are awarded annually, the Les Hopkins Cup for the most promising entry in the Black and White Portfolios and the Martin Shoults Memorial Trophy for the overall winner of the colour slides competition. Elected annually, the Committee consists of the following members: Chairman: Martyn Thresh 21 Winston Gardens, Poole, BH12 1PN Vice Chairman: Alan Wild 46 Oswald Road, Moordown, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH9 1LD Treasurer: Graham Bailey 16 Cleveland Road, Springbourne, Bournemouth, BH1 4QD Secretary: Jim Boudreau 107 Maxwell Road, Bournemouth, BH9 1DJ Bookings Secretary: Winston Chandler 7 Huntvale Road, Moordown, Bournemouth, BH9 3HW Membership Secretary: Roger Aldous 54 Longfleet Road, Poole BH15 2JD Editor: David Evans 5 Wren Crescent, Poole, BH12 1LB Keeper of the Kelland Collection: Mike Smith 5 Wren Crescent, Poole, BH12 1LB Deputy Keeper of the Kelland Collection: David Evans 5 Wren Crescent, Poole, BH12 1LB Many thanks to the correspondents for their articles used in the production of this Newsletter. Printed by the Bournemouth Railway Club 5 Wren Crescent, Coy Pond, Branksome, Poole, DORSET, BH12 1LB mailto: [email protected] North East West South From the Correspondents
The cusp of the millennium saw no real improvement in train operations despite more optimistic “emergency timetables” being in place compared with the run-up to Christmas. The weather was partly to blame but most delays seemed to be due to less than competent operating strategies, the TOCs more at fault than Railtrack. Fri. 29th Dec. The plan was to travel by the 17.04 from Bournemouth to Basingstoke for a connecting service to Mortimer, arrival scheduled for 18.47, and a mini-bus shuttle to Burghfield Common, the bus service closing down at 19.00. On arrival at the erstwhile Central Station it was learned that SWT had implemented an emergency service owing to poor weather; which was not apparent locally. Only two trains per hour were running between Waterloo and Bournemouth with a separate hourly train shuttling to and from Weymouth, due off at XX.16. A bus service only as far as Poole was departing at XX.46. The trains were for the most part running late on the emergency timings. The Weymouth shuttle was formed of CIG + BEP/CEP or VEP units. It transpired that the previous day a 442 had suffered severe lack of adhesion on the Weymouth line, so
reversion had been made to “soon-to-be-banned” stock, which is still capable of operating under less than ideal conditions. The late arriving 442 from London was quickly turned round to form the 17.05 semi-fast back to Town, setting off about seven minutes late. Additional stops were made so that arrival in Basingstoke was several minutes after the expected connection should have left. Luckily Thames Trains had been persuaded to amend their schedules to maintain connections, and the 165 was now due away at 18.52, with arrival in Mortimer booked three minutes after the close of bus services! Fortunately the lady driver of the bus had the good sense to wait the few extra minutes in case any passengers showed up so the journey was completed with minimal inconvenience. Snow was in evidence around Southampton and more than an inch was lying north of Micheldever. The de-icers must have been out because there was very little arcing from the shoes of the electric trains. Sat. 30th Dec. A 14.27 VXC train to Southampton was shown at Reading as being expected at 14.50, this being the 05.35 from Edinburgh. I elected to travel courtesy of Thames Trains to Basingstoke and found that SWT were attempting to run a normal service. I had time to grab a cuppa before a 14.59 to Bournemouth was due away and was amazed when an HST ran in before I had paid for the tea This was indeed the train from Edinburgh but it had not been shown on the monitors at Basingstoke at all. All SWT services were running late due to a broken rail “in the Swaythling area” and our Train Manager warned of delay en route to Southampton. As we ran sedately between Swaythling and St. Deny’s a team was installing a new length of rail in the Up line about halfway between the two stations. Arrival in Southampton was 10 minutes late at 15.33, the monitor indicating that the train would be 35 minutes in arrears. The broken rail occurred late in the morning. The 11.30 VXC to Edinburgh had departed westwards from the Loop via Laverstock curve to Basingstoke to commence its passenger-carrying journey: platform occupation prevented it picking up passengers in Southampton. Subsequent VXC Up trains also ran via Laverstock whilst SWT services to London went via Havant. Down trains used the mainline but delays were typically 40 to 60 minutes. Whilst waiting for the 14.43 to Weymouth a 15.09 to Cardiff was shown on the monitor as dividing at Westbury and passengers should take care to board the correct portion. When it arrived from Portsmouth a great many people surged aboard and the single class 158 set off 26 minutes in arrears. I wondered what would happen when somebody attempted to divide the train at Westbury! The 14.43 left Southampton at 15.44 and reached Bournemouth 40 minutes later. Mon. 1st Jan. 2001. The line between Brockenhurst and Bournemouth was closed by flooding near Sway until early afternoon. Tues. 2nd Jan. Virgin departures from Bournemouth should have been back to normal today although journey times would still be extended. I was surprised to reach the station at 08.58 and find the Newcastle train already in the platform: thinking it must still be running on its “emergency” timing I made a dash over the footbridge to jump aboard before nine o’clock. It was in fact scheduled to leave at 9.20 but the signalman at Poole was working to last week’s timings and allowed the stock into the platform early. As the train then blocked the Wareham - Waterloo service there was little option but to let it run up to Bournemouth, the 92 overtaking by using the Down platform at that station. 47.769 was in Virgin livery with a train of 8 Mark II coaches. The brake second was at the front, adjacent to the First Class/Buffet car, but locked out of use. Train Manager Tizzard set up office in one of the seating bays. The
running was remarkably lack-lustre with a steady loss of time all the way to Basingstoke despite an absence of out-of-course delays. We left Basingstoke 13 minutes late but the very slack schedule on to Reading saw recovery of 2 minutes: having to run-round here would naturally extend the delay. There was an announcement to the effect that the train would by-pass Leeds due to over-running engineering work, buses being provided from Wakefield instead. We since learn that the over-run is likely to extend to two weeks! Fri. 5th Jan. Due to a fatality between Bath and Chippenham the 08.33 from Swindon to Reading was 12 minutes late showing up. It then had to wait for the 08.27 (booked non-stop to Paddington) to connect: this train had been announced 22 minutes late owing to a train defect “which is being attended to at Swansea”. The present tense suggested that the train was still in Abertawe, two hours away! Luckily it was the computer’s grammar that was awry and the train was indeed 22 minutes late leaving Swindon. Once under way my HST ran to Reading in 32m 44s with a couple of PW slacks and two signal checks. Top speed was 124mph, a rate exceeded only once in the whole of 2000! I suspect that I missed the 09.21 to Bournemouth by only a few minutes, the next VXC train being due at 10.21. When it eventually came up on the monitors it was shown as expected at 10.33. Once more I was taken by surprise when 47.829 rolled in on 6
coaches at 10.08 and I was only halfway through a fruit scone and cup of tea. The train left punctually and arrived in Bournemouth 10 minutes ahead of its revised 11.58-scheduled time. Incidentally, both the Oriana and Aurora were in the Western Docks at Southampton as we passed.
Engineering work closed Bournemouth station all day Sunday, 7th January. The job in hand was the relaying of the Down line through platform 3: it was understood this would be from the crossover east of Holdenhurst Road bridge to the starting signal. Materials were observed in place alongside the track on the Saturday, and on the Sunday work proceeded throughout the day in full public view. The footbridge and subway were both open to the public although the platforms were roped-off. Unusually, the gate leading from the road directly to platform 1 was open and by walking along said platform the ropes could be readily by-passed! The Up line was occupied by a spoil and material train, locomotive 66024 moving progressively further along the middle siding as loading proceeded. Another train was parked on the Up line out-of-sight east of the bridge and is believed to have comprised mainly ballast wagons with 66004 at one end and a 58 at the other. This observer travelled by Wilts & Dorset bus to Christchurch, on a service from Poole calling at all stations, but was unable to glimpse the second train. (The return journey was in a very overcrowded Damory single-deck bus about an hour later.) Other buses or coaches were running directly from Bournemouth to Southampton for Waterloo expresses and Virgin XC connections. An hourly semi-fast train from London was running through to Christchurch, calling at all stations west of Brockenhurst, travelling in both directions on the Down line. Mon. 8th Jan. The new track was very much in use when I arrived just before 09.00. For the first time concrete sleepers and flat bottom rail have appeared in the platform area, although timber sleepers (eleven of them) have been laid above the subway. The new track in fact commences at the platform end; the old bullhead rail is still in place through the Holdenhurst Road Bridge. It came as no surprise to learn that the Poole - Newcastle train was booked to commence at Southampton. The possession was not due to finish until 04.00 and the stock from Saturday evening’s arrivals had been sent straight back to Eastleigh. As no trains could run through on Sunday it was inevitable that the early cross-country trains would start “up-country” on Monday. No matter, the 08.45 from Poole would make a comfortable connection. Alas, at 9.00 it was announced as having been delayed owing to an electrical fault: ten minute later it was reported cancelled! [This was the train which my previous note of 2nd Jan erroneously referred to as starting from Wareham.] Whilst this problem was unfolding at Poole I witnessed a curious event in Bournemouth. Three orange-clad gentlemen were walking along the Up line through platform 2 and paused at the AWS magnets associated with the Down starting signal. One man stooped down and connected a piece of wire to the two running rails, whereupon the signal immediately changed from red to yellow. He repeated the action and again obtained a yellow aspect. After some discussion one of his colleagues had a go and bingo! the signal went straight from red to green. I had always laboured under the delusion that track-circuit shorting clips were intended to turn green signals red, not vice versa. I thought it was only crossing barriers that were activated by approaching trains. The experiment was repeated at the AWS magnets on the Down line but with no reaction from the signal. I was too far away to speak to the people concerned and could not see whether the Up starting signal (behind me) was also activated by
their actions. The later presence of a train in section did not activate the signal. Explanations to the Editor please. At 09.20 unit 2402 arrived in platform 2 and the driver alighted and started to walk back along the train. I expected the empty train to proceed to the sidings but the driver engaged in conversation with the guard and some station staff. The delayed 08.08 from Weymouth (due 09.06) ran into platform 3, as planned, at 09.23 and quickly reversed into platform 4. This allowed the 09.28 arrival from Seaford to run into platform 3 on time - this seemed a bit odd as it was shown as expected (and as programmed) in No.1 Bay. The Connex train then ran into a siding to allow the 09.10 from Poole to use platform 3 en route to London: all the while 2402 was still in platform 2. The Down side of the power/buffet car in this set had a great deal of graffiti on it, some had been ineffectually removed but much remained. The Up side was clean. I travelled on the stopper to Southampton, setting off 10 minutes late. Passengers for Winchester and beyond were advised to change at Southampton Central to join the following 91 from Weymouth. This train attaches to another unit in Southampton and, as that portion was standing in platform 1, I transferred. It became apparent that the Weymouth portion was running late and in fact the “stopper” left almost punctually at 10.31. I expected to overtake it before Shawford but it was permitted to precede the 91 so I had to await the 80 from Pompey to convey me from Winchester to Basingstoke. The upshot was an arrival in Swindon 90 minutes later than expected. Fri. 12th Jan. At 13.52 the 12.00 Waterloo - Wareham was reported as being at St. Denys, delayed by “emergency engineering work”. I had planned to travel to Poole and had just missed the 8 minutes late 13.28 departure from Bournemouth. As nobody had a clue as to when the next train might appear I abandoned my journey. All Down trains were merely shown as “Delayed”. General For about a fortnight in the pre-Christmas period the eastern face of the new analogue clock had the hour hand stuck just off the twelve, the minute hand functioning normally. This was even more misleading than having both hands stationary and was the only time I have witnessed such a fault. The problem was rectified by the New Year. MEETINGS PROGRAMME — February 2001 to July 2001 Both MAIN and EVENING meetings will be held in the All Purpose Room at the Winton Methodist Community Centre (WMCC), situated at the junction of Alma Road and Heron Court Road in central Bournemouth.
Evening Meetings will include a break for refreshments (tea, coffee, biscuits etc.) for which a voluntary collection will be made. Club Member Robert Kinnison has agreed to have another “Open Afternoon” on his narrow gauge sys ten at the Avon Valley Nurseries, South Gorley, Fordingbridge on Sunday, April 29th ”. A map is available for those who have not been before. “Ride as you please” trains will do the circuit “as required” and tea will be served in the “station hut”. In the absence of an advertised speaker an alternative programme will be arranged; the date, time and venue remaining the same. The Club magazine, “BRC News”, is published bi-monthly and is available at Meetings, price 40p, or by annual postal subscription. Contributions to the Editor can now be E-Mailed to him at [email protected] For further information on any Club matters please contact the Hon. Chairman at 21 Winston Gardens, Branksome, BH12 lPN or the Hon. Secretary at 107 Maxwell Road, Winton, Bournemouth, BH9 lDJ (Tel. Bmth 519469). Subscriptions are payable per meeting attended; £1.00 Adult and 50p Junior. A season ticket is available at. £10.00 and covers all meetings for one year. NEW MEMBERS AND VISITORS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME NO JOINING FEES
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