A Buxton interlude / By Glynn Waite, R. Morten & Stephen Summerson
Midland Railway engine sheds at Hitchin / By David Hanson
A Note on Williamthorpe Incline / By Roger Brettle
Frightening working practices around Clay Cross / By David Harris
Query Corner
New query 45 : a special from Skipton
New query 46 : a luggage label query
New query 47 : the Dronfield move
New query 48 : can you identify the location?
New query 49 : G&SWR 0-6-2 tank in the East Midland
New query 50 : a special occasion at Carlisle?
Front cover This rather bleak picture of Hunnington on the Great Western & Midland Joint Halesowen branch could be taken as a metaphor for this line’s contribution to the Midland’s revenues. After a long gestation the Halesowen Railway had opened in 1883 and was operated jointly from the first and absorbed in 1906. The passenger revenue was so meagre that the station lost its signal box in 1888 and most trains ran mixed. Had it not been for the establishment of the Longbridge factory it would have probably closed in 1917 but regular passenger services only survived two more years. However, GWR (later BR) workmen’s trains lasted until 1958 and goods until 1964. The Longbridge bound loco is a Johnson 0–4–4T from Bournville shed and is fitted with the rather inefficient hot water system of carriage heating. The date is between 1903 and c1906.
[Photograph J. Alsop collection : notes by Peter Witts]
Rear cover A letter from the Telegraph Department of the General Superintendent’s Office at Derby advising the telegraph arrangements to be introduced on the replacement of Matlock North and South signal boxes by a new box situated between the two. A letter from the same department on the previous day stated that the new signal box ‘will be connected with the Derby — Rowsley (superimposed) and Rowsley — Matlock Bath telephone circuits. The call signal for Matlock will be “N”. i.e. one long and one short’. Revised circuit cards were enclosed with the letter.
[W. Skevington collection]
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