94 •The Railway Magazine• July 2019A surprise at the North Norfolk Railway’s June 14-16 mixed traction event was Class 33/2 No. 33202
Dennis G. Robinson.Believed to be the first‘Slim Jim’‘Crompton’to visit the railway, it stands in
platform 1 at Holt station on June 14, having arrived with the 14.20 from Sheringham.
Class 20 No. 20227 is on the rear.BOTH IMAGES: ANDY MARRISON.THE Dartmoor Railway held an
English Electric weekend on
June 8-9.
In use were Class 31 No. 31452
with a five-coach set of stock,
‘Berkshire’DEMU set No. 1132
(Nos. S60150+S60831), and
Class 08 No. D4167.
The plan was to run two
trains on the Saturday, one
from Okehampton towards the
Colford boundary with Network
Rail, and the other towards
Meldon Viaduct.TheGWRservicefromExeter
to Okehampton ran on the
Sunday, with it only possible to
run one train at a time.
The‘31’was due to work the
hauled stock throughout the
day, with the‘Thumper’booked
for part of the day, and then to
run attached to the‘Gronk’for
the remainder. Unfortunately,
the DEMU failed with cooling
water overheating problems on
Saturday and had to be used as
loco-hauled stock thereafter.THE Elsecar Heritage Railway
(EHR) has been approached by
Samuel Nye regarding
0-6-0DH No. 2895Earl of Strafford
(Yorkshire 2895 of 1964), which is
out of use, awaiting attention.
Sam’s grandfather Peter
Vaughan (90) used to drive the
loco, nicknamedBessie,atthe
British Gypsum works atTutbury,
Burton-on-Trent, working trains
to and from the exchange siding
at Hatton.
The loco was built at
Meadowhall, just nine miles
from the EHR, and would be an
important part of the railway’s
operational fleet, but is in need
of restoration.
A renovated torque converter
is required and the engine
refitted.
Sam, who is in his early 20s,
is now raising money for the
restoration so his grandfather,
who believed the loco was
scrapped, can see it running
again.
Sam is raising sponsorship
through mountain climbing,
having scaled Snowdon, plus anYorkshire 2895 of 1964 with its
engine removed and awaiting
attention at Elsecar.
OLLIE WILDSMITHRight: Class 33 No. 33063
R.J. Mitchellmade a rare
appearance away from its Spa
Valley Railway base. It arrived at
platform 1 Sheringham, North
Norfolk Railway, on the first mixed
traction event’s arrival on June 14,
as 2C01, the 09.04 from Holt. The
train was formed of four Class 101
DMU cars – Nos. E56062+E51228
and M56352+M51188 (see
separate item).Two ‘Cromptons’ take centre
stageatNorthNorfolkgala
THE North Norfolk Railway’s June 14-
16 mixed traction event had mixed
fortunes regarding loco availability.
‘Deltic’No. 55009Alycidonhad to
be replaced by SpaValley Railway
Class 33 No. 33063R. J. Mitchell,but
the line-up had an unexpected
boost by the arrival of another of
the type.
After delivering No. 33063 on
June 11 the lorry went over to
Dereham to collect Class 33/2
No. 33202Dennis G. Robinsonfrom
the Mid-Norfolk Railway, where it is
used by owners Sonic Rail Services
on track-laying contract work.
In addition, DRS supplied two
mainline Class 57s for the event –
Nos. 57002Rail Expressand 57003- which arrived in time for the full
three days.
When it was realised No. 57003
was a rarer loco for haulage than
No. 57002, which had been used on
a railtour earlier in the year, it was
used on Friday and Sunday.
No. 57002 only ran on Saturday.
Other diesels in operation were
resident Class 37 No. D6732 and
seasonal visitor Class 20 No. 20227
Sherlock Holmesin LondonTransport
red livery.
Dartmoor Railway's
English Electric weekend
Dartmoor Railway Class 31 No. 31452 is seen on arrival at
Okehampton on June 9 with 2C06, the 11.55 from Meldon Viaduct.
DAVID HUNTElsecar Railway to reunite
former driver withBessie
East-West bike ride.
Fundraising streams
have been set up, with
full support from the EHR:
https://www.gofundme.
com/project-loco-2895 and
https://www.facebook.com/
ProjectLoco2895 -,THE Gloucestershire
Warwickshire Railway’s July
26-28 diesel weekend is
expecting to see Class 24
No. 5081 returning to traffic
following a three-year
overhaul.
The star attraction is
SevernValley Railway-based
Class 50 No. 50035Ark Royal,
which will be staying on
the Cotswold line for the
October 12-13 diesel gala.
Up to seven other locos
from the home fleet,
including Class 45 No. 45149,
are due to be in operation
for the July event weekend,
working an intensive service
between Cheltenham Race
Course and Broadway via
Toddington.
The diesel shed at
Toddington will be
open, where two locos
are receiving extensive
overhauls.
Four sets of coaching
stock will be in use.
Other attractions
include a beer tent
and a free heritage bus
service running between
Cheltenham Spa G/WR Race
Course stations.
There is a bus rally in
Toddington station car park
on the Sunday.Plenty of
poweratEast
Lancs event
THE East Lancashire
Railway’s Summer Diesel
Spectacular is set to live up
to its name.
The following locos have
been advertised to appear
at the event on July 4-6:
Guest locos are four Class
20s from HNRC, Nos. 20087,
20110, 20311 and 20314;
Pioneer Diesel Loco Group
Class 33 No. 33035; and DC
Rail Class 56 No. 56091.
The home fleet is due to
provide Class 14 No. D9531,
Class 24 No. D5054,
Class 25 No. D7629,
Class 33 No. 33109,
Class 37 No. 37109,
Class 40 No. 40106,
Class 42‘Warship’No. D832,
Class 45 No. 45108,
Class 47s Nos. D1501 and
47765, Class 50 No. 50015,
and Class 56 No. 56006.
All will appear subject to
availability.
The event begins at
10.00 and ends at 16.00,
with passengers advised
to begin their journeys at
Bury Bolton Street station.Cotswold
‘Rat’ returns
to service
■Our thanks to contributors:
Josh Brinsford; Oliver Edwards
(EHR); Andrew Hoseason (IDRS);
David Hunt; James Kindred
(LWR); Andy Marrison, John
Reeve (MSLR); and 125 Group.
Classic Traction Track Record