LMS Route: Birmingham New Street to Nuneaton

Arley Tunnel: mrat1075

A three-car Craven DMU set leaves the eastern end of Arley Tunnel 'wrong line' on Sunday 23rd October 1966. The spoil heap on the right belongs to Haunchwood Colliery. The train forms the 11:40am Birmingham to Leicester service and is running wrong line because of permanent way work. The front of the DMU has a red tail lamp on front, as required by British Railway driver's rule book, because of single line working in the wrong direction through Arley tunnel. Tony Howell, who wrote to correct my original caption states, 'my black rule book, issued from 1950 onwards including all the amendments updated by an unknown driver and dated as from 28.9.1968 states the following applies, when passing through a tunnel ,or after sunset or during fog or falling snow , trains travelling over the single line in the wrong direction must carry a red headlamp and all other headlamps and indicators should be removed or switched off'.

back