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The Branch Line Society's "565 Special" approaches Bucknell on the Heart of Wales Line, with Colas 37's 37254 "Cardiff Canton" and 37175 up front. This was the return leg of 1Z65, the private charter tour from Carmarthen to Carnforth, Saturday 2.9.17.
Bucknell once had a loop but the platform to the right in view here is now redundant. The station still retains its lovely brick station building, which is now a private residence.
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50008 'Thunderer ' & 50007 'Hercules ' pass Morton In Marsh, Friday 22nd April 2022 while heading 1Z50 11:02 Burton on Trent - Eastleigh, Branch Line Society 'Honeybourne Hoover' charter.
26th June 2022. Cargounit's SM42-2320 on day three of the Branch Line Society's "Silesian Explorer" tour.
GBRF Class 66 Nos 66720 'Wascosa' & 66771 'Amanda' head 1Z31 1020 Chesterfield to Barrow Hill Up Sdgs GBRF via Derby with Class 57 No 57303 at the rear - at Station Road Bridge Clay Cross MML - the Branch Line Society (BLS) Greatest Gathering Shuttle No 1 on 1st August 2025
Copyright Photograph Robin Stewart-Smith - All Rights Reserved
27th June 2022. Quick photo stop at Kozów on the line between Legnica and Jerzmanice Zdrój during the Branch Line Society's "Silesian Explorer" tour.
57306 is seen just prior to passing through Wennington Railway Station along with 57310 bringing up the rear working the Branch Line Society "The Glasgow GM" 1Z60 09:44 Glasgow Central to Blackburn on the 23rd June 2024.
Stock :- 17105, 3333, 1657, 3325, 3386, 1651, 3304, 3364.
© Andy Parkinson 2024 - No Unauthorised Use Please.
37422 approaches Stenson Junction with 1Z39 11:38 East Midlands Gateway to Stanton Gate. Saturday 3rd July 2021.
37424 + 37407 TnT 37401 after having their layover in Buxton return with the afternoon part of the Branch Line Society Charter as 1Z50 Buxton - Crewe via Great Rocks & Peak Forest Freight Lines plus heading back via the Mid Cheshire Line as well - 14th June 2018
27th July 2019. On SR14561 14:00 Arnoldstein to Rosenbach, day two of the "Carinthia Explorer" run by NBiK for the Branch Line Society.
33029 / 33012 ‘Lt Jenny Lewis RN’ at Moreton on the Branch Line Society's "The Ruby Vampire" 1Z86 09:05 Crewe - West Kirby on 24/03/19.
Lancaster to London Paddington tour, 350377 unit working Birmingham International to Liverpool service. Lea Hall, Birmingham UK - www.robertcjones.co.uk
The Branch Line Society's "The Ruby Vampire" tour of the Merseyrail network and various loops and sidings along the way didn't exactly go to plan today. Having started at Crewe this morning, travelling to Gobowen for an about turn via Wrexham and the Bidston line, catastrophe struck as 1Z86 entered the Dee Marsh sidings where a carriage or two derailed.
Here, Crompton 33025 on the rear of the train is in view, with plenty of Hi-Viz attention. 47826 was on the front of the four carriage train.
The derailment must have happened around 11.15am, around three and a half hours later, 33025 plus coach A were detached and ran back to Wrexham General with some of the passengers. The Crompton then ran round the coach in Croes Newydd North Fork, returning to Dee Marsh to pick up more of the stranded passengers. We went back to Shotton High Level, but gave up waiting for the return at 5pm as the light had totally gone by then. The relief guard who was supposed to take over at Helsby had travelled down to Shotton to take over there, he reckoned it would arrive at Shotton around half an hour later. Checking RTT back at home, an STP 1Z88 ran from Dee Marsh back to Crewe via Wrexham and Chester, departing Dee Marsh at 17.13, arriving back at Crewe at 19.10.
Such a shame the railtour ended prematurely in such a fashion, and I felt really sorry for those on the train, particularly those who had to endure more than 6 hours stranded on the train. Sunday 4.11.18.
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Returning to Carnforth from the previous days Branchline Society 'Sussex Salopian' tour, WCRC 37518 is seen crossing Stephenson's 1830 Liverpool & Manchester Railway Viaduct with 'The Sunday Salopian'.
50008 on the approach to Chesterfield with the ECS to Chaddeston for a Branch Line Society railtour the following day, 37403 is on the rear.
Branchline society railtour to support RNLI 10th August 2019. Crewe - Portsmouth via West London returning via Oxford. Swipe to see unusual characters standing next to the train at the start of the day and on arrival in Portsmouth. Sorry I couldn’t decide which photos to leave out !! “Type 3 to the sea” was a Branchline society tour using coaching stock, hot buffet and 3 West Coast Railway class 37’s (518,669,706 leading) in different formations throughout the day, 2 at the front and 1 at the back. All profits and donations from the day totalled £8000 and will go to lifeboat facilities at Pwllheli in North Wales. It was a great day out despite the 46 mph wind in Portsmouth. There were technical difficulties in the break when the coaching stock was rearranged meaning the train left 25 minutes late. The locomotives performed admirably throughout the day and made the time up on reaching Reading. There was some angst and miscommunication about a route through a railway yard in Coventry and severe signal failures between Lichfield and Stafford but once again the locomotives performed and arrived 1 minute early in Crewe.
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50008, with 37418 "An Comunn Gaidhealach" at the rear, skirt Coatham Marsh, Redcar, working 1Z50: "The Saltburn Alternative" rail charter; the 05.30 service from Derby to Saltburn, promoted by The Branch Line Society.
Originally listed as The Whitby Endeavour, with Whitby as the destination, the rail charter destination was changed to Saltburn, due to engineering works on the Esk Valley line to Whitby.
Merseyrail 507001 7 507023 forming the BLS 'The Sefton Sparkler' have just exited Kirkdale No2 Tunnel and crossover to access the line into Kirkdale TMD.
* Six standby units are positioned around the system to cover for failures.
For the record the tour itinery on November 3rd 2024 was:
Southport - Hunts Cross - Fazakerley - Sandhills - Ormskirk - Kirkdale C.S - Liverpool Central - Southport - Bootle New Strand - Liverpool Central - Formby - Hunts Cross - Liverpool Central - Southport.
37415 brings the Branch Line Society north past the popular photo spot at Troon. 37428 was on the rear.
16th April 1994 saw the Branch Line Society run a railtour to Caldon Low, and the Hindlow branch, named the "Caldon Peak". While the sun was nowhere to be seen in Staffordshire, the shots in Derbyshire were much more rewarding.
37407 climbs from Great Rocks Jn. towards Peak Forest.
Direct Rail Services Class 37/4 No. 37422 "Victorious" arrives at Guide Bridge as it works the 1Z41 07:44 York to Rose Hill Marple leg of the Branch Line Society's "The Primary Colours" railtour on 4th July 2021.
Despite the miserable weather, many locals had turned out to watch the train. It used to be that only a steam working would bring joe public out to watch a train, but over the past couple of years there has been an increased interest in the railways, which is nice to see, especially in younger generations.
The Great Laxey Mines Railway photographed during the Branch Line Society Visit on Friday July 22, 2022.
ANT at Washing Floors Station. Ant is a 2004 built replica of the original ANT bult for the line in 1877.
The Great Laxey Mines Railway photographed during the Branch Line Society Visit on Friday July 22, 2022.
Branch Line Society Railtours and Visits feature passenger trips over track which is not normally used by passenger trains.
Here WASP can be seen propelling passenger car #1 into the engine shed. WASP is a 1973 built Clayton Battery Locomotive.
For more photographs of the Great Laxey Mine Railway please click here: www.jhluxton.com/Railways-and-Tramways/Isle-of-Man-Railwa...
66425 at Preston on the Branch Line Society’s ‘The Bo'ness Bonus’ 1Z65 09:00 Bo'ness – Crewe on 26/04/19.
Scottish Railway Preservation Socitiety Class 37/4, 37403, passes through the Pass of Brander with a Branch Line Society tour, 1Z38 06:35 from Fort William to Oban
The Branch line Societies 'The Sunday Yicker' became the first railtour to traverse the new track formation at the headshunt of Springs Branch Wigan L.I.P today. This location viewed from Taylors Lane bridge was originally called Cromptons Sidings on the Wigan -Tyldesley - Manchester line, truncated to become the Bickershaw Branch. The new formation is for access to the new Northern EMU servicing facility being constructed and due to open in 2020.
66 041 is seen attached to the rear of 1Z45 the delayed 14.14 to Falkirk Grahamston. The train being the Branch Line Society 'Zuzzy Syphons' railtour. The full extent of the branch from Lancaster Road Junction north of Harlepool station to the end of the line on the quayside is 1m 5ch. The tour was permitted to cover 64ch of the branch to a point just short of the first internal road crossing onto the docks quayside. To prevent access further a rather large granite block forms a temporary buffer stops. Beyond here the line is set in concrete and tarmac and hasn't seen traffic since 1993 so its true condition below the road surface is unknown the train thus only permitted to cover ballasted track to this point.
The whole idea of a Branch Line Society tour is to visit unusual parts of the railway system. 37415 brings the tour out of the sidings at Barassie in full sun. 37428 is still on the back.
Gourock Growler Railtour 27.04.19 run by Branchline Society with SRPS stock and catering volunteers. DRS 37038 and 37218 arrive and wait at Gourock momentarily.
More excitement than England vs Ukraine the previous night as 37422 ‘Victorious’ passing Romiley on the day’s first leg of Branch Line Society’s ‘The Primary Colours’ tour, which itself is part of their ‘Summer Syphons’ 4 day epic. Sunday 4th July was from York to York via Rose Hill Marple, Guide Bridge Stockport, Crewe, Crewe Electric Depot, Crewe, Stockport, Guide Bridge, New Mills, Edale, Sheffield, Doncaster and then to York, taking in the those obscure lines that are seldom visited by any trains, let alone passenger ones. 1Z41 was an hour late leaving York, made up about half of that by being diverted to a more direct route, but had lost nearly all the gain by the time it reached here.
31 312 sits at Carlisle having taken over from 47 971 working the Branch Line Society 'Northern Explorer' railtour 1Z14 07.38 ex Crewe. Its destination is the Maxwelltown freight branch from Dumfries making the unusual site of a class 31 working into Scotland. For company the tail end loco (not visible) was 26 041 as Maxwelltown had no run round facilities. Freight traffic on the branch used to be propelled from Dumfries Yard with the guard riding in a brake van controlling the propelling move by radio.
The Branch Line Society's 'Merry Wherry' charter, 1Z70 0648 Derby - Lowestoft passes through Loughborough for the first time on 15th July 2023, with Class 50 No. 50007 'Hercules' leading, and classmate 50008 'Thunderer' tucked in at the rear. The charter was heading for Leicester, where it reversed and again passed through Loughborough heading north about 50 minutes later. Copyright Photograph John Whitehouse - all rights reserved
The Branch Line Society "Lothian and Fife" Railtour is seen at Dunfermline Upper station (closed to passengers in 1968) on 23 August 1980. Nearest the camera is car 50243, new in 1957. It would survive until 1992. The other cars were 59067 and 51224. As far as I can tell the site of the station is now under a dual carriageway.
20189 with 20142 on the rear ease the Birmingham Balti Rail Tour organised by the Branch Line Society, out of Shrewsbury, 22nd September 2019.
Apologies for the absence over the past 3 months or so, this is my first upload of the year, and perhaps the 2020 Vision is a bit impaired now with the current troubles facing the world.
For the Phoenix Railway Photographic Circle and alternative railway photography, follow the link:
Having coupled to the rear of 'The Thanet Thunderer' tour, and adorned with the Branch Line Society's headboard, 66004 readies itself to work the tour forward from here at Leicester to its destination at East Midlands Parkway.
The Class 66 has been outshopped in one of DB Cargo's liveries stating "I am a climate hero" due to the UK arm of the company investing heavily in 100% renewable Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which cuts CO2 emissions by up to 90% - 31/07/2021
37667 is seen leading 37521 as they pass through Helsby Railway Station working the Branch Line Society "Three Peaks From A Seat 2021 : Day 2 The Coasts And Peaks Rover" 1Z16 13:13 Llandudno Junction to Carlisle on the 11th June 2021.
**Due to unforseen circumstances of this working being to long to fit into the Platform at Llandudno, the working started at Llandudno Junction.**
Stock :- 11077, 11091, 11098, 10411, 10416, 11087, 11076, 11068, 11075, 9479, 6311.
© Andy Parkinson 2021 - No Unauthorised Use Please.
37516 "Loch Laidon" is seen passing through Lostock Railway Station working the Branch Line Society "The Garston Growler" 1Z31 07:10 Lancaster to Preston on the 3rd September 2022.
Stock :- 9392, 5249, 99316, 5200, 5216, 5171.
© Andy Parkinson 2022 - No Unauthorised Use Please.
Ironically thundering away from the thunder and lightning further north, Hanson & Hall no. 50008 "Thunderer" thrashes towards Werrington Junction at the head of the Branch Line Society's "Merry Wherry" railtour (1Z70, 0648 from Derby to Lowestoft on this leg), with 50007 "Hercules" (masquerading as 50034 "Furious" on one side) on the rear.
The tour would take in the Wherry Lines from Norwich to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth, plus little bits and bobs along the way.
so my local foot crossing has had an Audible warning fitted, guess its not the best place to capture the sights and sounds of the railway.
I’ve created a YouTube Chanel, please take a look youtube.com/channel/UCWEm5_DSoPLmobGs-qu9jLg
On 24 August 1980, The Branch Line Society "Forfar Railtour" ran from Perth to Forfar using this three-car class 101 dmu set built in the late 1950s by Metro-Cammell. The set number at this end is 225, but carriage numbers are not recorded.
Well, sort of...
Built in the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Works in Smethwick in the early 1960s, WCRC-liveried 33207 "Jim Martin", one of 12 Class 33/2s built for the narrow tunnel profiles of the Tunbridge Wells-Hastings route (7in narrower than their 33/0 and 33/1 cousins), tails along on the back of 1Z39, the Branch Line Society's "The Cliffe Hopper" railtour to many small branches in and around the Midlands, including a last visit to Rugeley Power Station.
33029 at Preston on the Branch Line Society’s ‘The Park Royal Parkinson’ 1Z40 12:27 London Paddington – Lancaster on 09/03/20.
37424 "Avro Vulcan XH558" & 37407 tnt 37401 "Mary Queen of Scots" are seen passing through Chapel-en-le-Frith Railway Station working the Branch Line Society "The Nosey Peaker" 1Z49 07:58 Stafford to Buxton on the 14th June 2018.
© Andy Parkinson 2018 - No Unauthorised Use Please.
On 26 August 1979 the Branch Line Society ran a tour from Dundee to Brechin. This line closed to passengers in 1952 and eventually to all traffic in 1981. In 1993 a small section of the line at the Brechin end opened as a preserved railway. I believe the formation of the train to have been 50254+59303+50144, Metro-Cammell class 101 vehicles built 1956/57 and originally allocated to the Eastern Region.
16th April 1994 saw the Branch Line Society run a railtour to Caldon Low, and the Hindlow branch, named the "Caldon Peak". While the sun was nowhere to be seen in Staffordshire, the shots in Derbyshire were much more rewarding.
37429 is on the rear, with 37407 up front doing all the work as the tour climbs from Great Rocks Jn. to Peak Forest.