Railways on Air Weekend 2022

A small group of members from the Bittern DX Group visited Whitwell and Reepham Station over the weekend of 24th/25th September to participate in activating GB2MGN, the Midland & Great Northern railway, or as it is fondly known locally, “Muddle & Go Nowhere”.

The railway restaurant and function room hosted a wedding and a christening over the weekend so the site was very busy with many visitors interested in our activities. We also received visits from a number of local amateurs who came for a chat and a cup of tea.

Two HF stations were operating all weekend on FT8 and SSB. Almost 100 QSOs on FT8 were logged from all around the world. The SSB station concentrated on the 40m band and managed to log 55 contacts including many ROTA stations such as GB3RS the National Radio Centre at Bletchley, GB0WRH Whitrope Siding, Galashiels, GB0LMS Cinderbarrow Minature Rail at Morecombe Bay, EI3HQB Stradbally Woodland Railway and closer to home, GB2SRT Southwold Railway Trust, Suffolk to name a few!

The railway closed to passenger trains in 1959 as it was unable to compete with the extensive Great Eastern Railway. Whitwell and Reepham Railway Station has now been lovingly restored to its former glory. Re-opened in 2009, nearly 50 years after it was closed to passengers, the team of volunteers have relayed track and sidings, acquired rolling stock and brought the old station and signal box back to life. The Railway Station is now a wonderful place for both locals and tourists to visit and we are very pleased to be invited back every year to support them and have the opportunity to display our hobby of Amateur Radio to the public.

Railway Stations Contacted during the weekend:

GB2SLR Stansted Light Railway

GB3RS National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park

GB1MHM Moseley Heritage Museum, Narrow Gauge Mine Railway

GB4ACR Ashton Court Railway

GB0SDR Somerset & Dorset Railway

GB0BR Bluebell Railway, Horsted Keynes

GB2SRT Southwold Railway Trust, Suffolk

GB0HBL Helston Branch Line, Cornwall

GB4MHR Mid Hants Railway, Watercress Line

GB0WHR Whitrope Siding, Galashiels, Scotland

GB0LMS Cinderbarrow Minature Rail at Morecombe Bay

GB1CR Corris Railway, Rheilffordd, Nr Aberwystwyth, Mid Wales

GB1FRT Furnish Rail Trust, Preston

M0HEM Dagenham Dock Rail

EI3HQB Stradbally Woodland Railway, Eire