News that the Llangollen Railway has called in the receiver has been met with overwhelming shock and calls for an appeal to help save it. Hopefully news will come through that the railway will re-open again soon. Like many other railways, heritage attractions financial problems have occurred due to the Covid situation.
Going back to the 1970's on the former Mexborough And Swinton Trolleybus system.
Photographs above were take several years after the trolleybus system was closed, but some of the infrastucture for the overhead electric wires were removed. The system was opened on the 3 October 1912 replacing the trams previously operated. Sadly like many other trolleybus operators of the trolleybuses the system gave way to motorbuses on the 2 October 1965
The above photograph from the John Law collection shows a trolleybus travelling across the Denaby Crossing prior to the closure of the trolleybus operation. The map to the right shows where the railway crossing was. The trolleybus system could operate only single deck trolleybuses due to several low railway bridges. To the right the last day farewell of the trolleybuses showing one of the low brige that had taken over from the trolleybuses.
Due to operational problems caused by COVID-19 the Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft remains closed until May 2021
Now the Government has published its Roadmap out of the Lockdown they hoping to re-open on Sunday 30th May 2021. However this is not guaranteed so some events may still be cancelled or changed because of the Covid pandemic; they are sorry but the Sandtoft Gathering '21 Event will not now take place and we will not be running our free bus services to/from the Museum in May or June. Please visit there website for further details.
A few Miscellaneous Photographs from the museum
Replicating six of the traction poles around the museum was carried out by contractors during March 2021 in readiness for the resuming of trolleybus operation. The original poles were put in place during 1972/3
Snowfall at Stainforth/Hatfield 9th February 2021
2021 saw some of the first snowfall around this area for the first time for several winters so a walk to the station and bridge seemed the opportunity to take the camera along too.
Sandtoft District Railway News 2021
Work has now been completed to transfer the railway from the Ise Valley Railway Northamptonshire to the museum.
In the summer of 2019, British Trolleybus Society Trustee Francis Terry kindly offered to the trolleybus museum his 7 1/4" gauge railway then as above a well established railway at his home at Finedon in Northamptonshire. The railway was based on 'Estate--style' narrow gauge railway. During the summer months of 2019 the railway was dismantled and the brought to the museum. Unfortunately the Covid epidemic has caused delays in planning and then seeking planning permission to progress much further than relocating the rolling stock and tracks to the museum.
The unloading of the locomotives and other items of rolling stock has take place over the last few months since some of the lifting of the Covid restrictions. Planning and other legal matters will have to take place before the work can build railway at the museum.
Thorne Central publication
Between 2001-2003 I arranged for the Doncaster & District Model Engineering Society Ltd. to receive considerable funding to purchase locomotives, materials for the building of coaches and the electric locomotive John L Stokes. We were also able to purchase two marquees for shows such as the Summer Festival Event. Plastic Tables and chairs for visitors to use. Stationary, publicity leaflets and much more were obtained by funding. I would estimate about £10,000+ worth of funding was obtained with many hours of form filling producing brochures for the funders. The Neighbour Renewal Community Chest also funded this special Newsletter that was made available free at local newsagents etc. Click here to see the contents.
