Glorious sunshine welcomed participants to Stanley Park, Blackpool, for the 17th Annual Railsport Games, held on the 26th / 27th June.  Although overall numbers were slightly down on previous year’s due in part to a change in date and the effect of the Football World Cup taking place in South Africa, the event once again proved a huge success with Northern Rail heading the Medals Table.

It proved a long day for the badminton players with over 150 games played on a very hot day.  It started with a small contingent in the main event for the Men’s Singles, when Lee Clayton of Amey ran out winner in a close final game against Craig Harrop of Network Rail. 

The Men Veterans was well represented with 16 competitors fighting for places in the knock-out stages. Last year’s champion Duncan Fraser of East Coast Mainline breezed through his group and quarter final, before overcoming a stiffer challenge from Stephen Weatherall of British Transport Police to take his place in the final. In the other half of the draw Kevin Langley of DB Schenker won through his quarter final and then managed to get the better of a defiant Paul Cross from Northern Rail.  Kevin went on to win the final in two clear games.

Sue Connelly and Caroline Sagar from Northern Rail won the Ladies Doubles, defeating work colleagues Kim Stanton and Helen Miller in the final.  In the Men’s Doubles Harrop and Fraser managed to maintain a long standing grip on the title, while Lee Clayton and Alistair Shutler of Amey put up a good performance to get through their semi final, but were then overpowered in the final.

Seven couples fought off fatigue for the mixed title, with Caroline Sagar and Paul Lavenne of Northern Rail coming out on top in a one game match against the Amey pair of Polly Logan and Lee Clayton.

A large turnout and a number of new but strong players made this year’s Railsport Chess tournament one of the most exciting and closely fought titles for some years. At the start of the final round only half a point separated the top four players.  Two players finished on 4 out of 5 points and were still equal on the first tie-break system, only separated by the second tie-break, the sum of their opponent’s scores. The winner was John Bass of Network Rail Euston with Nigel Holroyd of Thales runner-up.

The team prize was just as keenly fought with South West Trains (Peter Eldridge, Trevor Jones and Barry Kocan) the eventual winners, while in second place was a combined team from Network Rail / LUL (John Bass, Mike Broad and Safiullah Farnad).

The grading prize for the best performance by a player graded under 140 was won by Alan Stokes of Northern Rail.

Just five teams contested the cricket tournament this year, so group matches were arranged for each team to play all others.  The Cricket final proved an all of First Great Western affair, FGW Wanderers winning the title from FGW Rockets, with Network Rail Tail Enders finishing in third place in the group.

Northern Rail’s Michael Shaw won the Men’s Darts title, defeating LOROL’s Alan Jessop-Peacock in the final, he then teamed up with Allaen Canta of Network Rail to win the Doubles title, with Conrado Gambon and Winnie Deletina from Network Rail Guide Bridge runner’s up. The women’s singles was won by Trina Melville of Southern Railways, who beat Rose de Brauwer (First Great Western) in the final.

Network Rail Euston captained by Diane Crowther won the Netball with Virgin Trains Station Preston runners up and Northern Rail Angels third.

A golden penalty shoot out decided the over 35’s Five a Side football, with First Capital Connect Old Boys defeating another London side Network Rail Waterloo’s Becky’s Boys 1 – 0 to lift the trophy.  On the previous day FCC Old Boys had qualified for the finals finishing runner up in their Group Stage matches to Bombardier’s Designamo Kiev team who lost their quarter final match to London Midland A team 1 -0, who were themselves defeated by FCC Old Boys in the semi final.

In the Open competition a strong Network Rail Dynamo Deansgate team from Manchester defeated Unipart Prunes of Crewe, themselves a previous winner of the tournament, 6 – 0 in the final. Dynamo Deansgate had beaten LOROL Living Legends 2 – 0 in the quarter finals and Lucchini (Manchester) Fat Birds Shoes 3 – 0 in the semi final.

Grass Volleyball was again dominated by the Keegan family from Serco Rail Operations in Derby, Ken and son Shane winning the Men’s Pairs against First great Western’s Michael Adams and David Woodington, while Ken and Shane, together with mother Beryl and Rosanna Lysaczenko triumphed in the Open Fours against a gallant First Great Western side.

Northern Rail’s Big Girl Blouses won their fourth consecutive Rounders title.  The Hull based team led by Graham Sellars remained unbeaten in their group matches, before sweeping aside their fellow Northern Rail rivals Drinkers Delight in the semi final, then defeating a spirited Virgin Trains team from Preston in the final 6 – 5½ with an innings to spare.

Trevor Kerry of Network Rail in Derby won the Men’s Table Tennis singles, with Ian Quinn of Balfour Beatty runner up.  Kerry then teamed up with Reuben Okai of First Capital Connect to win a closely contested Men’s doubles final from Dave Fox (WS Atkins) and Wayne Glossop (Great central).

Ten Pin Bowling was played at the Lakeside Superbowl in Preston where Northern Rail’s John Pattison won the men’s singles from Virgin Trains Laurie Garratt, while Tash Wood     (D B Schenker) won the Ladies singles from Cheryl Harper (Northern).  The open doubles was won by Brian Smith and Gary Lucht representing D B Schenker, runners up were John Pattinson and John Hewitt (GNER Retired). The team Event was won by GNER Retired led by John Hewitt, with Colchester (National Express East Anglia) runners up.

Eurostar’s Andrew Gardner won the 10k Road race in a sprint finish with Northern Rail Conductor Shay Walker; both runners were given the same time of 40min 08s.  Rebecca Freeman (East Coast Mainline) was the first women to finish in 46 min 09s.