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Churnet Valley Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Sheff, Dec 6, 2013.

  1. Pbrian49

    Pbrian49 New Member

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    Doing my bit, recently joined as a volunteer and been working on E3809 doing some basic preparatory work.
     
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  2. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    Shame it was all in vain as we’ve been advised against opening due to Staffs Moorlands entering Tier 3.

    Here’s hoping for a better 2021 (which it should be if all the plans we have come off, possibly 3x major milestones to celebrate).
     
  3. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    As it’s out on Facebook, Batt Holden have today taken delivery of S160 3278. They’ve taken the loco on loan, and will restore it for an agreed period of use. Full press release to follow when we’ve written it. Though I believe first job tomorrow is to unblock the toilets which have developed an issue #winning
     
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  4. NeilL

    NeilL Well-Known Member

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    Two Pway teams out this week - one replacing insulating joints near Consall and the other removing trees close to bridges. Nobody went swimming. Pictures from Sheff.
    image0.jpeg image3.jpeg image4.jpeg image7.jpeg image8.jpeg image10.jpeg
     
  5. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    Well the toilet got unblocked, the website got updated, some admin work got completed and to cheer us all up the Events Manager has fitted the xmas light from the train around the Class 20 and Katie. To be fair it looked quite nice in the dark, and also meant I didn’t fall over the stone at the bottom of the path as we normally do in darkness. Press release can wait another day...
     
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  6. Sheff

    Sheff Resident of Nat Pres

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  7. NeilL

    NeilL Well-Known Member

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    Different sort of job this week. A culvert under a small embankment south of Chedd appeared to have developed a hole and a hollow had developed in the four foot above the hole. Having moved one of the concrete sleepers out of the way we could dig down until we found the top of the culvert and the hole. Plug the hole and cover with concrete in bags then backfill.
    IMG_20201202_121202.jpg IMG_20201202_124000.jpg IMG_20201202_122527.jpg IMG_20201202_124018.jpg
     
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  8. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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  9. NeilL

    NeilL Well-Known Member

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    The job we started in early December was completed this week, packing the sleepers, bringing up ballast that had been left bagged nearby filling the beds and finally leaving neat and tidy.
    DSCF2062.JPG DSCF2067.JPG DSCF2068.JPG DSCF2073.JPG
     
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  10. FJR8642

    FJR8642 Member

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    The farmer is doing a grand job of clearing all them trees & bushes around Chombs brook.... Nice to see them carrying on after they first started up by the new man made lakes :)
     
  11. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    "Is Leek Brook South the oldest box still standing in its original position? "

    The Historic England listings for Crawley (LBSCR) and Bedale (NER) both say "ca. 1860". For Crawley I have my doubts; other sources give 1875 and stylistically I think that is more likely. Couldn't comment on Bedale as it is not really my patch.

    This English Heritage report gives a good overview - relatively little before about 1870 that I can see but thereafter a large number of extant signal boxes. https://web.archive.org/.../ResearchRepor.../028-2012WEB.pdf

    Not included in that document is Billingshurt (LBSCR), now relocated to Amberley. The Amberley website only says "before 1876" but it is of a significantly old design, of which production probably stopped in 1868. The 1876 date is when it was erected at Billingshurst but it may well have been in use at another site before then. https://historicengland.org.uk/.../the.../list-entry/1271531

    Weston-Super-Mare (1866) would be another significantly early one still in original location and seemingly with a well-attested date. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1129748

    Tom
     
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  13. 33021

    33021 New Member

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    Lot of original signal boxes on the Furness Railway / Cumbrian coast in Cumbria not sure on their dates know Carnforth is both old and unusual in design
     
  14. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    This site reports on 2 different potential build dates, circa 1870 and 1882. Also on the Historical England site we have this:

    "Arnside Signal Box was built in 1897 to the standard design introduced by the Furness Railway the previous year, the design now known as the Furness Railway Type 4. It replaced an earlier box built at the time of the line's construction in 1862."

    Several other Furness Railway boxes in the area seem to date to a similar period, i.e. around the turn of the century.

    Perhaps we could say oldest working signal box still in original position?
     
  15. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Apparently Norton South and Norton East signal boxes in Teeside (built 1870) are now the oldest working signal boxes on Network Rail - though possibly only for another month or so. There is a change.org petition to try to prevent their being demolished. https://www.change.org/p/local-councillors-help-retain-iconic-signal-boxes

    Weston-Super-Mare is disused, but dates from 1866 which is significantly early in date.
    https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1129748

    Tom
     
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  16. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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    The answers as to when the box opened, which no-one seems able to prove.

    Cheddleton Junction opened in 1867 when the line from Stoke was brought into service. In 1872 there was a re-signalling scheme introduced. What we can't confirm was the box there for the 1867 date, or part of the resignalling in 1872.

    It does look like once operational it will be the oldest working box in preservation. See what else turns up.
     
  17. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    Goathland and Levisham on the NYMR both seem to date from the 1870s and must be close to be being candidates, but they too are mentioned as being involved in re-signsling schemes at the time, suggesting that Goathland in particular was originally constructed for the opening of the deviation that replaced the original rope-worked incline in 1868.
     
  18. bluetrain

    bluetrain Well-Known Member

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    According to "Branch Line to Minehead" (Mitchell & Smith), the B&ER box at Williton dates from 1871, when the passing loop was installed.
     
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  19. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

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    In" The Minehead Branch 1948-1971" by Ian Coleby , Ian states the signal box and loop opended in August 1874.
     
  20. lil Bear

    lil Bear Part of the furniture

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