The end of an era

Today has seen a little bit of history made down at Apedale. Silverdale Station East Sidings are no more. This temporary group of sidings were conceived and executed in a big hurry back in 2010 when it was suddenly realised that having the mainline chock full of wagons was not conducive to the safe and efficient operation of passenger trains. Hence, any passing piece of temporary track was pressed into service along with a couple of points and levers. The area later found fame at the 2012 Gala as the entry point to the Field Railway which gave everyone so much fun and enjoyment. However, time marches on, and the Museum project is now encroaching on the area. So, goodbye SSE Sidings. In between the torrential thunder storms (a rarity in January, surely?), we have cleared the sidings and dismantled the track ready for lifting. A few panels have made new homes for themselves in the wagon store, but most of the rest will be stored for now. A final train to remove the last couple of wagons attracted no interest whatsoever.No wreaths, no speeches from local dignitaries, no strongly worded editorials in the local press. Just Mick and "Sludge" sauntering off into the distance. But, it's all change. Goodbye SSE, Hello Museum North. For in the place of the bodgy temporary sidings will be the fan of tracks for the museum approach - proper points, proper track and maybe even ballast. From this fan will also spring Field Railway Mk2, which will hopefully play a key role in September's big WW1 event. Meanwhile, if you wish to contribute to the fledgling Silverdale Sidings Preservation Society, please get in touch here.

Riveting

It's a strange thing, but somehow it always seems to be that, on a cold day down at Apedale, there is always an urgent job to do which involves the gas torch. And so it has proven to be this weekend. The rear cab sheet on the Hudswell diesel was pretty badly corroded, and quite a number of the reinforcing members had either rusted beyond use, or had their joints forced apart by corrosion. So, all had to be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned or renewed. It was then just a question of putting it all back together. This involves riveting. Riveting is a job for which subtlety and delicacy of touch are NOT the key attributes. A certain level of experience, effective teamwork and a large hammer are, however, essential. If we had been building these locomotives on a production line, it would have been worthwhile setting up an air riveter, or maybe investing in a hydraulic rivet closer. Neither were necessary for the thirty or so rivets in the cab.  The first phase of the job was to straighten the cab sheet - wavy steel doesn't sit well on straight steel sections. And then away we went with the gas torch and the big hammer. The end result is pretty good, and smug feelings all round. Next weekend, it's back to mending the track. Let us hope the weather forecast is wrong. As ever, get in touch here.

Orienteering

Yesterday - Saturday 11th - was Member's Day at Apedale. This is an informal day which is intended to give Moseley Railway Trust members an opportunity to hear about how 2013 went, review plans for 2014 and be kept generally informed about what the Trust is up to. What it isn't is a formal meeting! In the afternoon, a group of members took the opportunity to head North across Apedale Road. This is a fabled area, marked on many maps with the words "Here Be Dragons" and the like. However, in a few years time, it will be graced by Apedale Valley Light Railway trains. Hopefully the trains will face less mud than did yesterday's explorers. Once the trains cross Apedale Road, they face a steady climb to an intermediate station at Birley Shales. The first photo shows the site of the Birley Shales station. From here, trains will go on to a final terminus at Miry Pools, just over a mile from the current railway terminus at Silverdale. The first-time visitors to this area (and your author was one of them) took away many impressions. Amongst those what there are  few civil engineering issues, certainly as far as Birley Shales. Secondly, the gentle climb should make a nice challenge for the engines, but not so much as to be scary - typically, the climb is around 1 in 50. Thirdly, the landscape changes rapidly from the rather "post-industrial" environs of Apedale to rolling countryside; from Miry Pools, we could see hills which - a knowledgeable individual informed us - were in Wales. One member claimed he could see a train climbing to the top of Snowdon, but we didn't believe him because - as everyone knows - the Snowdon Mountain Railway doesn't run in January. The issue of curvature of the Earth wasn't on his side, either. As ever, get in touch here.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year from everyone at the Moseley Railway Trust. It is promising to be a Big Year at Apedale, with the return to traffic of the Joffre loco, the first entry into traffic of the ex-Ghana Hudswell, further progress on the museum, and the Tracks to the Trenches mega-event in September. But the thing you've all been waiting for is, of course, the answers to the Quiz. We have had two winners - you know who you are, so well done Alan & David. The answers:-

 1a) 9 3/4
  b) Hogsmeade Station (for Hogwarts School)
  c) Euston - JKRowling said that she had pictured the station as Euston, but actually wrote (in error) Kings Cross. Platforms 9 and 10 at KX are the undistinguished suburban platforms, so this does make some sense.

2) The Train

3) Trans-Europe Express. As an aside, the episode of Father Ted "Think Fast Father Ted" where four Irish priests impersonate Kraftwerk is probably one of the greatest TV moments ever.

4) Chris Rea and Deltics. I am told that F88 is a reference to the name of another band  managed by Chris Rea's manager, and involving musicians with whom Chris had collaborated. And not the predecessor the the F101 "Voodoo" as I thought.

5) The Fugitive

6) The Blues Brothers. If you don't believe me, look for the scene where Carrie Fisher confronts Jake with an assault rifle. The 1950 film was "Union Station".

7) Source Code. Explanations as to what on earth is actually going on welcomed.

8) Homeward Bound.

9) Neverwhere

10) Eric Lomax was a Japanese P.O.W. who worked on the Thai-Burma railway. Hence his involuntary employer was the Japanese government.

Christmas Quiz - Round Two

The first Xmas quiz rounds seems to have been, frankly, embarrassingly easy. It lasted only a couple of hours before a full set of answers were received. For the record, the answers are:-

1 Stoke on Trent - including the site of Kerr Stuart's works

2. Edinburgh

3. Stafford - Bagnall's premises are visible

4. Crewe

5. Cheadle Hulme

6. Manchester Piccadilly

7. York

8. Carlisle

9. Cologne - The Deutz works is just off the photo to the right, across the Rhine. 

10. Blackpool

I am not going to let this setback defeat me. Round Two is based on Movies, Songs and Books - the full Amazon product range. However, there is a railway theme throughout. Ready? Okey Dokey.

1:- Book. "A Scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people......Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowds....Owls hooted to each other in a disgruntled sort of way"

A:- What platform did this train leave from? B:- What was the destination? C:- From what London station did the Author THINK it would leave from?

2:- Film. A 1964 film starring Burt Lancaster saw the destruction, for real, of a French marshalling yard. Name of the film?

3:- Song. What was Kraftwerk's song about long distant trains?

4:-  Song. "Deltics and steamers and F88s in full flight". Artist and Album, please. Also, why on earth did he choose one of the Cold War's most obscure aircraft?

5:- Film. This, and the next two question, take Chicago as a common theme. Which 1993 film, based on a 1960s TV serial, saw a train demolishing a prison bus and the Chicago Elevated Railway as key plot points?

6:-  Film. Which 1980 cult film also had the Chicago Elevated Railway almost as a cast member, had a scene short in the remains of the 2'0" gauge Chicago Tunnel Railway and saw the cast singing about the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad?

For a bonus point, name the 1950 movie which uses the 2'0" Chicago Tunnel Railway as a key part of the film climax?

7:- Film. Which rather bewildering 2011 film sees the hero repeatedly making the same journey on a Chicago commuter train?

8:- Song. A plaque on the waiting room wall at Widnes station commemorates the writing of which Simon and Garfunkel song?

9:- Book (and TV serial and radio play). By Neil Gaimen, this book saw the hero meeting people who took their names from London place names, including many Tube stations. The TV serial included a sequence shot on the 2'0" gauge Post Office Railway. What is the name of the book?

10:- Book (and now film). My namesake was a RailwayMan. Where did he work and who was his involuntary employer?

Answers to here - and a happy Christmas to everyone reading.

Time for Santa to crack on with the main job

It's time for Santa to leave Apedale and get on with the preparations for the Big Day. You can follow his progress here if so inclined. The Santa campaign at Apedale this year seems to have been a great success - almost 100% train occupancy - from what I saw, somewhat in excess of 100% in a few cases. Not quite at Indian Railways levels, but not far off. So, if you are reading this and came to see us as a visitor, a BIG THANK YOU - every penny you spend with us goes towards continuing the work of the Trust. If you are reading this and helped out - even just as an armchair member of the Trust - an EVEN BIGGER THANK YOU - this Trust is nothing without its members. So, it only really remains to wish everyone a happy Christmas, and we can reflect on what marvellous things 2014 holds for the Moseley Railway Trust and the Apedale Valley Light Railway. Get in touch here.

It must be Christmas

It must be Christmas, for three reasons. Firstly, Santa has been seen at Apedale. Secondly, we have had the Trust Xmas meal (thanks to Terry for organising it) and the CME was seen with a ridiculous dancing Meerkat toy. Thirdly, and most relevant, we have once again sent the Trust SR71 on a tour, and produced aerial photos. This time, they are well known (to be honest "not totally obscure" might be closer to the truth) railway stations. All you have to do is to identify the ten railway stations. Simples. Either a major clue, or for bonus points, is to identify the sites of well-known loco builders which are visible in two of the photos - and for the Smarty Pants award - who is the builder whose site is just off the edge of one of the photos? Good Luck, and get in touch here with your answers.

Station 1

Station 2

Station 3

Station 4

Station 5

Station 6

Station 7

Station 8

Station 9

Station 10