The Branch Line Society
Guest
KEG arranged the 'Grantchester Gripper', an 'all-line' style visit to the Cambridge Model Engineers' Society (CMES) line on the outskirts of the city, before public running (13.30 to 17.30 on the 2nd Sunday of each month from May to October), courtesy of our BLS member Alan Absolom. At 12.00 a gathering of BLS members duly climbed aboard a special train initially formed of two coaches and an excellent replica Southern Maunsell U-Class 2-6-0 '1618'. This was expertly driven by Edmond Brookes (CMES Treasurer) starting as we meant to go on by immediately shunting back onto the turntable approach road. A third coach was added here to make the rest of the trip a little less of a squeeze! The CMES had planned a very efficient route and the normal running lines were swiftly covered to the trailing point on the newer 2011 loop then setting back into the headshunt of the new turntable access road and drawing forward to the turntable. Reversing this process brought the train to the first 'cut-off' line never used in passenger service and locked OOU, but specially unlocked for this visit, which diverted us back onto the 2011 extension. Indeed so unusual was this and some subsequent traversals that various CMES members and their families gathered to watch and take pictures! After another circuit, the train traversed the longer 'cut-off' linking Grantchester to Dingley Dell and then went on to cover both platform loops throughout and drew forward along the Carriage Shed line until just before the diamond crossing. With normal public running approaching, the CMES members assisted our further traversals of the Carriage Shed and Steaming Bays branches by hand propelling some loose coaches. To put the icing on the cake they then provided a small flat truck and simply let the party loose on all 10 (ten!) turntable roads including the sheds and loading line, off the 2011 loop. All this was achieved within a very busy and enjoyable hour. A most efficient and rewarding visit for which the CMES were thanked warmly and given a generous donation.