Join us for our next CRS Excursion
The Launceston Steam Railway
Tuesday 26th May 2026
Join us next Tuesday for a visit to the Launceston Steam Railway by car.
It is suggested that we arrive at the station car park by 11.30 in time to catch the 12.00 service to New Mills. Further trains run at 13.00, 14.30 and 16.00.
I would appreciate it if members who are driving could assist by offering lifts to anyone requiring transport.
Please contact Roger Winnen on: 01736 350048
It is suggested that we arrive at the station car park by 11.30 in time to catch the 12.00 service to New Mills. Further trains run at 13.00, 14.30 and 16.00.
I would appreciate it if members who are driving could assist by offering lifts to anyone requiring transport.
Please contact Roger Winnen on: 01736 350048
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 106
S & C (3) – Ais Gill Summit
Michael L. Roach
Trains heading north up the Settle and Carlisle face a 15-mile climb at 1 in 100 from Settle Junction to Blea Moor Tunnel. In the opposite direction there is a similar 15-mile climb from Ormside to Ais Gill. In the six miles between the two locations the railway undulates gently up and down. Ais Gill is the highest point on the S&C at 1169 feet (356 metres); while for comparison Shap Summit on the WCML is 916 feet (279 metres) above sea level. Shap has the A6 trunk road, the M6 motorway and a village of the same name for company while Ais Gill has a very narrow minor B-road and seems much more isolated than Shap. But if you are ever at Ais Gill when a steam railtour is due to pass it is more like a busy town centre with people and cars jockeying for the last parking space. The summit is at the watershed which here forms the boundary between the historic counties of Westmoreland and Yorkshire. Westmoreland formed part of Cumbria from 1974 to 2023 but is now part of the Westmoreland and Furness Unitary Authority.
This instalment looks at the passage of A4 Sir Nigel Gresley past us on Tuesday 17 August 1982 when we were in a field beside the line just to the north of the road bridge which carries the B6259 over the line six miles south of Kirkby Stephen Station and not far from Ais Gill Summit. This is the last instalment about the S&C for the moment, but I may return to the S&C in due course. The line carried 995,000 passengers last year and is on course to pass 1M passengers this year. We wish the organisations and individuals who support the line a successful summer and autumn of celebrations and normal operation.
There have probably been more books, pamphlets and magazine articles written about the Settle and Carlisle than any other similar length of railway in Britain. The website settle-carlisle.co.uk contains a “Directory of Resources” which lists hundreds of books about the line. It is a measure of how spectacular and well-loved the Settle and Carlisle line is that a similar length of line in lowland England – Bristol to Exeter 75 miles – has little more than a handful of books about it, not even reaching double figures.
This instalment looks at the passage of A4 Sir Nigel Gresley past us on Tuesday 17 August 1982 when we were in a field beside the line just to the north of the road bridge which carries the B6259 over the line six miles south of Kirkby Stephen Station and not far from Ais Gill Summit. This is the last instalment about the S&C for the moment, but I may return to the S&C in due course. The line carried 995,000 passengers last year and is on course to pass 1M passengers this year. We wish the organisations and individuals who support the line a successful summer and autumn of celebrations and normal operation.
There have probably been more books, pamphlets and magazine articles written about the Settle and Carlisle than any other similar length of railway in Britain. The website settle-carlisle.co.uk contains a “Directory of Resources” which lists hundreds of books about the line. It is a measure of how spectacular and well-loved the Settle and Carlisle line is that a similar length of line in lowland England – Bristol to Exeter 75 miles – has little more than a handful of books about it, not even reaching double figures.
It was dull when the railtour passed us at 2.59pm on Tuesday 17 August 1982 with 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley in charge. The engine was then based at Carnforth. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4498 heads towards the summit at Ais Gill half a mile away. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The last coach on the train, which may be a Caledonian Railway coach. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
An hour after the railtour passed and most of the enthusiasts have departed. This freight train passed us with a load of 23 including a diesel shunter, hauled by 40047. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Our blue mini NRL448R is dwarfed by the landscape as a class 31 heads south on the 15.37 from Carlisle to Leeds. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The 15.37 heads towards Ais Gill box extreme right. The county boundary passes over the bridge on the right; while at the junction of the rough road over the bridge and the B6259 there is a cottage and a couple of bungalows with the postcode CA17 4JY. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Dursley Goods Yard
Ian Thomas
Here is a picture to gladden the heart for all. It features Class 14xx 0-6-0 D9500 shunting in the yard at Dursley on Monday, May 16th, 1966 — exactly 60 years ago. Note the headcode 8B35. All is well with the world, and life carried on at a more leisurely pace.
The 1400s were introduced to the remaining goods branch lines around Gloucestershire from January 1966, following the finish of all steam working on the Western Region at the end of 1965. They worked the Nailsworth/Stroud, Cinderford, and Coleford lines, and continued through 1966, eventually being replaced by the Class 22 diesel hydraulics during 1967.
The picture below was taken by the late Bill Potter.
The 1400s were introduced to the remaining goods branch lines around Gloucestershire from January 1966, following the finish of all steam working on the Western Region at the end of 1965. They worked the Nailsworth/Stroud, Cinderford, and Coleford lines, and continued through 1966, eventually being replaced by the Class 22 diesel hydraulics during 1967.
The picture below was taken by the late Bill Potter.
Class 14 D9500 shunting at Dursley goods yard in May 1966. Copyright Ian Thomas (original photographer Bill Potter).
Many thanks Ian - a lovely photograph by Bill.
Goonbarrow 'rush hour'
Jon Hird
175006, working the 1217 Newquay - Par passes 150202, working the 1229 Par - Newquay, at Goonbarrow Junction. 18.05.2026, copyright Jon Hird.
The semaphores are a good colour match to the livery worn by the class 175 fleet. 18.05.2026, copyright Jon Hird.
I only had around 10 minutes to hot-foot it back to the car and relocate for the next photograph. Once 175006 had reached St. Blazey signal box, 66762 was released from Goonbarrow (visible in the distance) with the midday Goonbarrow - Fowey, now retimed to run just under half an hour later than before the timetable change. 18.05.2026, copyright Jon Hird.
Trouble on the branch
Class 175 failure
Tony Shore
Following the photographs above, GWR's 175006 sadly suffered a door locking failure on its next Newquay - Par trip.
The failure trapped a GWR IET unit at Newquay station and the class 150 on the daily shuttles, whilst working its own Par - Newquay diagram, was cancelled at Luxulyan, running back to Par.
The failure trapped a GWR IET unit at Newquay station and the class 150 on the daily shuttles, whilst working its own Par - Newquay diagram, was cancelled at Luxulyan, running back to Par.
Tony has alighted from 175006 at Quintrell Downs. The unit was working the 1316 Par - Newquay. 18.05.2026, copyright Tony Shore.
175006 arrives back at Quintrell Downs with the 1428 Newquay - Par. However all was not well - the door locking system malfunctioned and the unit was unable to move off. Eventually all passengers were moved to the front coach under instructions not to leave seats, and the unit got underway after a delay of almost 2 hours. 18.05.2026, copyright Tony Shore.
Arriving back at Par some 113 minutes late, the class 175 and 150202 share the branch platform. 18.05.2026, copyright Tony Shore.
A moment of shame for 175006 as it shuffles off to Chapel Siding to await developments. With the 175 out of the way, 150202 was able to continue its own services. 18.05.2026, copyright Tony Shore.
Many thanks for the coverage Tony - 'teething problems', we hope.