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Battlefield line

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by triumphman, Apr 13, 2018.

  1. estwdjhn

    estwdjhn Member

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    I'm not sure that there is much correlation between "staff friendly to visitors" and "doesn't have major internal politics".
    When on the footplate even if I were to mentally be envisaging methods of murdering my driver and hiding the evidence, I'd like to think I'd still retain a friendly demeanour towards the travelling public - to my mind that separation of the personal / internal politics etc from being the public face of the railway is part of being a professional railwayman.

    I also think that there is a difference between the political atmosphere of a place that feels on the up, even if it's small, and a place which, rightly or wrongly gives off the vibe of its glory days having been somewhat in the past - it's the later where one is most likely to find particularly bitter political battles.

    Whilst that's very true, that wasn't really the point I was making. It was more that if a railway say has a team doing wagon restoration, then it's probably easy to join in. If all that happens to wagons is someone gets the short straw of doing an annual FTR exam, even if someone new appears at the railway with a passion for wagon restoration, probably nothing will happen, and they will more than likely end up at another railway. (I use wagons as an example, but this problem can be true of many aspects of a railway)
     
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  2. clementi

    clementi New Member

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    You may be thinking of the two guys who run their business repairing diesel locomotives at the north end of the station. They are also on the board of directors that runs the railway. The two concerns are separate entities but there is obviously some crossover at times.
     
  3. toplight

    toplight Well-Known Member

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    From the replies given, would seem then that the most pressing need is to increase the number of volunteers as you cant address the areas that need addressing if there is nobody to do the work.
    From my experience volunteers tend to join and work all the time in the same area, so you get some people that always work on track, others always on signalling and it needs for each of those separate groups to promote themselves. Maybe they could even have leaflets for say the loco department to attract volunteers to that dept. Sometimes it can breed a bit of resentment if there are 15 guys to restore carriages but nobody wants to work in the shop.

    One thing which definitely helps with that promotion is news articles about what is happening. For example the Battlefield website latest news has nothing on it and has been like that for some time see here https://www.battlefieldline.co.uk/news.html. It is often the page people look at first yet it is blank. Even if it is just something basic, like "Fred painted the station fences", at least it shows something happening. They could have had news for example about the recent gala.

    I like the recent GWSR approach with a regularly updated blog for each department, often that shows just individuals doing simple tasks but it shows a team at work and potential volunteers may follow progress online first before deciding to get involved themselves. It needs regular photos too.

    One thing that would make an immediate impact is cutting down a lot of the trackside vegetation. Couldn't they hire in one of those tractor based vegetation clearance machines for a week or so ? . Also they should make much more of the close location of the Battlefield museum as there is nothing there to tell you about the closeness of the Battlefield railway, yet they are only a 10 minute walk away. This could be marketed more as the 'destination'.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2018
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  4. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

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    Ah yes, not the most welcoming of people, if I heard right?
     
  5. clementi

    clementi New Member

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    Lol! I couldn't possibly comment!
     
  6. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

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    I wrote something along these lines on the Avon Valley Thread #161
     
  7. toplight

    toplight Well-Known Member

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    In some ways it is similar to the Avon Valley railway, however, it does have more to see in the way of original stations than the AVR and more to see away from the railway too. The AVR has the one decent station at Bitton and then the other two are just platforms with nothing to see. They should concentrate on getting to Warmley in my opinion.

    I believe the buildings at Shenton and Market Bosworth were moved from elsewhere but look the part especially at Shenton.
    The Original station at Market Bosworth is on the other side of the line and has been converted to a garage. If you walk around the front of it they have removed a big chunk of the front wall and made open car access to the interior which has car ramps etc in it. There is also lots of cars lying around presumably for sale which doesn't look pretty but I understand the railway wont be able to do anything about it.
    I took some pictures so I will post later. There was a very nice Riley RMA outside the garage that had obviously brought in for some work. If the garage/station ever closed who knows they might be able to get it back
    I was really surprised how nice the town of Market Bosworth is, all historic buildings, well worth the 20 minute walk from the station.
     
  8. steam_mad

    steam_mad Member

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    Sorry to dig up an old thread. I'm trying to track down a coach - FO 3050 - which according to various websites was at the Battlefield line 2004-2013, moving afterwords to Nemesis Rail. More info: https://www.departmentals.com/departmental/6351

    If anyone can help with leads please send a PM!
     
  9. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

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  10. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

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    Latest motive power update from Shackerstone - 6989 Wightwick Hall (which has been the operational steam loco for this year) has failed its boiler exam with broken stays. The owning group have decided to move the loco to their Quainton Road base to carry out the repairs. These are not anticipated to be completed in time for 6989 to haul Santa Specials from the end of November, so an alternative locomotive to cover the Christmas season is to be sourced.
     
  11. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

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    7822 Foxcote Manor has been secured as the motive power for the Battlefield line for the Santa Specials and Post Christmas running period, with thanks to the Foxcote Manor Society and the West Somerset Railway.

    For those wanting to get a trip behind her without booking a Santa Special, she is due to haul passenger trains on 1-3 January 2022

    https://www.facebook.com/shackerstoneshentonmarketbosworth/posts/1979340362242102
     
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  12. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

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    7822 arrived at Shackerstone a couple of weeks ago, and Battlefield Line volunteers have teamed up with 7822's owning group to give her a washout over the last fortnight. Yesterday she was brought up to steam and undertook a test run to Shenton and back. She's also facing North, which gives a new photo opportunity as most locos at the Battlefield in the last few years have faced South. Santa specials start next weekend (all fully booked), and Mince Pies specials run on 30th December and 1-3 January

    Nice little photo on their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/shackerstoneshentonmarketbosworth/posts/1992584264251045
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2021
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  13. Pete Thornhill

    Pete Thornhill Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Administrator Moderator Friend

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    I’m guessing one of those norths in your post should be south ;)
     
  14. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

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    Yes it should! Duly corrected!
     
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  15. Sidmouth

    Sidmouth Resident of Nat Pres Staff Member Moderator

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  16. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

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    The Battlefield Line, along with many other heritage railways across the country, is currently closed for winter maintenance prior to the start of the main running season in Spring. A key project currently being undertaken involves improving drainage and relaying track just south of Shackerstone. From the railway's website (https://www.battlefieldline.co.uk/winter-project):

    "During our closed season in the winter, we carry out annual maintenance and improvement projects.
    This year is our most ambitious project to date, with a mammoth 16 panels of track destined for renewal in the cutting just south of Shackerstone Station.
    The renewal is badly needed as this section of track is highly prone to flooding due to its location, so part of the project is to install over 300m of new drainage alongside the trackwork. The accompanying photo shows the scale of the issue quite clearly.
    This project is being funded by the money raised by operating trains during 2021, but costs are high, particularly due to rises in material costs caused by the recent pandemic.
    Therefore we are appealing for public donations to help towards the cost, whether that's donating a pound or two for some track clips, a new concrete sleeper or even a days digger hire, it all helps towards achieving this huge task and will result in a sustainable railway for many years to come.
    All donations are gratefully received, no matter how small.
    Thank you on behalf of all the members and volunteers of The Shackerstone Railway Society."

    Donations can be made at https://www.battlefieldline.co.uk/product-page/donation-towards-new-trackwork. It is set up so you can select a range of fixed amounts to add to your cart to pay for, so you have a rough idea of what your donation can buy. The options available for donation are:
    -Track Clip (£1 each)
    -1m Drainage Pipe (£10 each)
    -Sleeper (£25 each)
    -Bulk Bag Ballast (£50 each)
    -Excavator Day Hire (£100 each)

    Any money that can be spared for a donation will be gratefully received

    Thanks
     
  17. Flying Phil

    Flying Phil Part of the furniture

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    Mention has been made of the station buildings on the Battlefield Line. I believe one came from the dismantled Humberstone Road Station in Leicester. This was on the Midland main line about 3/4 of a mile to the North of the London Road Station. The railway line went over the A46 Humberstone Road with the station building at road level and the platforms higher on the embankment. It was deserted for many years and dismantled in the 70's or 80's?
     
  18. alexl102

    alexl102 Member

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    I've just read the feature on the Battlefield Line in HR 289 which mentions that it was previously a Midland/LMS line.
    So I'm just intrigued to know why the railway seems to hire in almost exclusively GWR steam engines? Is this a policy or just dictated by what's available? I know there isn't a huge surplus of LMS engines around but from what I've read, the railway doesn't need something as big and powerful as a Manor for regular services, and I'd have thought that even an Austerity would be cheaper to hire and run whilst still being more than adequate?
     
  19. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

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    Availability is a key thing - there are far more GW locos in preservation than there are from any other Big 4 or BR company, and also more of a suitable size for Battlefield line requirements (for several years the line hired Prairies from the South Devon). Prior to that the line had 3803 on long term hire. That relationship with the South Devon has expanded relationships to other GW owning groups. We also have crew members who are involved at Quainton Road (hence 6989 for her running in in 2019 and then again for most of 2021), and from the Dinmore Manor Preservation Group (so 7820 has visited on a couple of occasions). Foxcote Manor came for Christmas because we only knew 6989 wasn't going to be available with a month to spare, and of the various contacts tried to see if a loco was available, 7822 was one that was available and hadn't visited before so gave the crews something new. Plus, due to relative positioning of the water tower at Shackerstone and the length of the train, the loco wouldn't be able to fill up during the day, so a loco with enough water capacity to do a whole day on 1 tank (which no tank engine except for perhaps a 4MT tank can do for Santas) was needed. Various attempts have been made to get an ex LMS loco in over the years (including the visit of 45379 for a gala a number of years ago, which was a loco which ran over the line in BR days), but for various reasons this hasn't worked out. Plus there are just not that many ex LMS locos available for long term hire. You mentioned Austerities - Cumbria (the Furness Trust's Austerity) did visit for a couple of years a little while back. I don't think it's that the line is against ex LMS locos. It's just that as a small railway with a need to hire in locos on long term agreements, they've had to take what they can get, and what they have been able to get have all happened to be Great Western, because that is what has been available.
     
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  20. alexl102

    alexl102 Member

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    Thank you for explaining that. It does make sense.
     

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