SINGLE LINES

AMBERLEY Museum volunteers have been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, recognised as the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups. The volunteer workforce at Amberley includes the Rail Group which operates the 2ft gauge railway and narrow gauge museum at the site.

WHILE work continues on repairs to the well tank of Bredgar & Wormshill

Light Railway’s Arn. Jung 3872/1931 0-6-0WT No. 2

Katie (RM, August), and steel has been purchased to replace the very thin footplate, it has become apparent extensive boiler repairs are required which need to be undertaken by a coded copper welder.

THE Fairbourne Railway’s winter relaying of part of the main line which runs parallel to the sea wall was boosted in late November by a week-long loan of Ruislip Lido Railway’s ‘Jupiter XN’ tamping machine, claimed to be the smallest tamping machine in the world, and its operator.

THE major overhaul of Talyllyn Railway’s Fletcher, Jennings 0-4-2ST No. 1

Talyllyn was essentially complete in late November.

The boiler will not be officially tested until the new year to avoid wasting several months of new boiler ticket during the winter before

Talyllyn returns to service for the 2024 season. The loco has been out of service since withdrawal in June 2018.

THE boiler for Amberley’s Bagnall 2-4-0T Polar Bear returned to the museum on October 30 following overhaul by Bennett Boilers.

The cost of transporting the boiler from Highbridge, Somerset, back to the Sussex museum was sponsored by Lamonde Automation Ltd.

THE 15in gauge Heatherslaw Light Railway’s 2014-built diesel locomotive

Binky was unveiled in a new BR blue livery as No. 97655 complete with double arrow motif and wasp stripes on November 25. The loco was previously bright yellow.

LINCOLNSHIRE’S Crowle Peatland Railway has secured funding from the SSE Keadby Wind Farm Community

Fund to enable construction of a proper platform and associated trackwork outside the line’s shed building.

OVER 150,000 passengers travelled on the Manx

Electric Railway’s trams during 2023, an increase of more than 20% over 2022 passenger numbers.