RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society:
http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
NETWATCH
============
Simon Calder climbs aboard the Welsh Highland Railway:
http://tinyurl.com/2v28mrc
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Trawscoed Station:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25876334@N00/sets/72157624142336494
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
David Hey Photo collection:
http://www.davidheyscollectionextra.com/index.htm
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
Ron Strutt has added some more photos to his fotopic site...
- Behind the scenes at the IOW Steam Railway - taken during the Walk the
Track Day and on Members' Day.
- The Basingstoke & Alton Railway today - taken during a Railway Ramblers
visit
- The Meon Valley Railway today - from Alton to Privett and West Meon to
Wickham.
http://ronstruttsrailwaypics.fotopic.net/
Royal Wessex Railtour 22/5/2010:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=325223
http://www.hemerdonbank.fotopic.net/p64985278.html
An interesting railway blog by David Turner, a PhD in railway history, who tries
to mix past, present and journey stuff in his blog:
http://turniprailway.blogspot.com/.
Latest progress on Mike Pannell's American Pullman Car No 57:
http://mikepannell254.fotopic.net/p65078101.html
============
Videos
Severn Valley 40th Anniversary on 22nd May:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=6mSFW32oUUw
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8699392.stm
(Spotters: Ted Millward, Neil Kearns)
Japan's slowest train:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8700327.stm
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Spooky German train:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKTCHj8nYsQ
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Debut of 8F 2-8-0 8624 on the East Lancs Railway, 20th May:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aLxtpzkL0Y
And photoshopped from maroon to black:
http://graham-williams.fotopic.net/p65069061.html
Before and after film of "The Titfield Thunderbolt".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWlbZnBPtOM
============
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
London King's Cross
Platform 0 (zero) was due to open for business on 23rd May 2010 with the
start of the new timetable. Platforms 1 and 2 will now close as the start
of the long-term programme to upgrade the existing main line station
platforms. This means that KX Main will have one platform fewer for
almost the next three years.
London ELL
Since it opened on 27th April a limited Monday-Friday service has been in
operation between Dalston Jn and New Cross Gate. The full service between
Dalston Jn and West Croydon commenced on 24th May 2010. The extension to
Highbury and Islington is due to open in Spring 2011, and to Clapham
Junction in 2012.
http://tinyurl.com/3965sd8
Tube Map
New Tube map and station index for London Underground, Overground and
Docklands LR, updated for the ELL opening.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/standard-tube-map.pdf
Bolton
A new Interchange bus station, located at the north end of Bolton station
in the fork of the Preston and Blackburn lines and linked to the station
by a footbridge, is planned. Full planning permission will be sought in
2011 with completion expected in 2014.
http://www.gmpte.com/upload/library/Bolton_Interchange_Easy_Read3.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/344d475
Preston Trams
Printing Press International Services (PPIS) have signed a 23m contract
to build a tram fleet for the city at its Sellers Street site in Deepdale
with delivery of the prototype vehicle said to be imminent. It is also
revealed that Liverpool-based operators Tram Power have plans to extend
beyond the city to Chorley and Ormskirk.
http://tinyurl.com/3yh68en
Longest Station Platform
The item earlier this year about Cambridge having the longest platform in
Great Britain (Raildate, 26th February) has proved incorrect. Gloucester
combined length of platforms 1 and 2 is 494m. Cambridge combined length
of platforms 1 and 4 is 467m. The Longest single platform seems to be
Darlington platform 4 at 458m.
Shrewsbury-Aberystwyth
The Welsh Assembly has agreed to provide funding for stage 2 planning
approval for the re-opening of Carno and Bow Street stations (both closed
4th June 1965).
http://tinyurl.com/33l8kls
Cambrian Coast
Introduction of the European Rail Traffic Management System on the Cambrian
Coast line has been postponed. Glare from the sun has prevented drivers seeing
the screens. Network Rail is now working with the manufacturer to find a
long-term solution.
Alloa-Dunfermline
South East Scotland Transport Partnership (SEStran) has proposed the re-
introduction of a passenger service between Alloa and Dunfermline. This
would use the existing freight line with stops at Clackmannan, Kincardine
and Cairneyhill. A chord line at Charlestown giving direct running from
Alloa to Inverkeithing and Edinburgh is also promulgated.
Wear Valley Railway
This line has now reopened between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope, and daily
commuter services are planned, in addition to charters and the Wolsingham-
Stanhope heritage trains. If all goes well coal from Park Wall opencast
site near Crook could also be moving by rail from Wolsingham later this
summer.
http://tinyurl.com/36kbavn
Lithuania
The Marco Polo Express freight route between the Italian city of
Portoguaro and Brest started operating in March 2010. Belarusian Railways
propose that Lithuania join this Belarusian-Italian project, thus
connecting the Mediterranean with the Baltic Sea.
http://tinyurl.com/33syuqd
Serbia
Information on Railways in Serbia:
http://www.twilight-serbia.com/information-on-railways-in-serbia.htm
Georgia
Construction of the Tbilisi Bypass Railway (reported in Raildate in March)
will be carried out by a Georgia-Chinese consortium.
http://www.rustavi2.com/news/news_text.php?id_news=36980&pg=1&im=main
Iran-Afghanistan-Tajikistan
Iran and Tajikistan have signed an agreement to cooperate on a plan for
building a railway between the two countries via Afghanistan.
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8903011063
Kenya
Kenya Railways Corporation has issued a new tender for the an electrified
standard gauge line that will replace the existing metre gauge line over
the 1,340 miles between Mombasa and the Kenya-Uganda border town of Malaba
with a branch to Kisumu. It is also envisaged that the railway will be
extended to Uganda and the Great Lakes region. The original timetable
expected studies to be completed by March 2011, funding to be in place by
July 2011 and the initial 330 mile Mombasa-Nairobi section open in
November 2013 with the final section opening in 2016.
http://tinyurl.com/35mkqcg
Pakistan
On 18th May, it was claimed that Pakistan Railways (PR) fuel stock would
exhaust in the next 2 to 3 days, and it would be unable to ply the trains
on existing routes.
http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=1057724
Cabinet documents reveal gross violations in Chinese locomotives deal.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=240767
============
IN THE NEWS
Lymington branch - last slam door train withdrawn:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/8701491.stm
http://tinyurl.com/32edgm2
ELL full timetable in operation:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8699262.stm
Crossrail funding investigation:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8699431.stm
Businessmen unveil ambitious plan for Bradford rail viaduct:
http://tinyurl.com/2fgmuor
Southeastern and First Capital Connect criticised by "Which" magazine
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10170185.stm
Cable thefts in Derbyshire (with an aptly-named BTP detective):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/8701807.stm
RAIB report on freight derailment at Ashbury
http://tinyurl.com/36qtmao
Still need for Firth rail spur:
http://tinyurl.com/327ng5w
200,000 project to revive 62-year-old locomotive:
http://tinyurl.com/34e8l3j
Weardale Railway launches new Stanhope to Bishop Auckland service:
http://tinyurl.com/32gctse
Former steam train drivers return to the Dales:
http://tinyurl.com/2udypv2
Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in race against time:
http://tinyurl.com/34okkq7
And on rail-news.com:
http://tinyurl.com/39e27nu
Welsh Highland extended to Pont Croesor:
http://www.welshhighlandrailway.net/news.asp?dismode=article&artid=389
Baby survives being hit by train in Australia (again!)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia_pacific/10161984.stm
South African rail strike:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8687001.stm
Prison trains await unruly England fans:
http://tinyurl.com/22w3o8y
Derailment in India:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8702412.stm
New lawnmower land-speed record:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8700030.stm
Air Southwest for sale:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/8705427.stm
Call for "right to roam" in towns:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8705079.stm
70th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8707657.stm
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps, Nick Wheat
TV and RADIO
29/05/10 Five 1100-1200
"Britain's Greatest Machines" Chris Barrie 4/8
29/05/10 BBC2 1900-1930
"The Boats That Built Britain" 5/6 Bristol cutter
29/05/10 BBC2 1930-2030
"Coast" The future of Britain's coastline
30/05/10 BBC4 1900-2000
"Dunkirk: The Story Behind the Legend"
30/05/10 BBC2 1910-2000
"Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections" 4/6
30/05/10 BBC4 2000-2030
"War Walks" Dunkirk
30/05/10 BBC2 2200-2300
"Lost: The Mystery of Flight 447"
31/05/10 BBC4 1900-1930
"The Boats That Built Britain" 6/6 The LCVP
31/05/10 C4 1930-2100
"Building Britain's Ultimate Warship" Story of HMS Daring
01/06/10 BBC2 2100-2200
"The Story of Science - Power, Proof & Passion" 6/6
01/06/10 BBC2 2320-0020
"Dunkirk" Drama-documentary 1/3
02/06/10 BBC2 2320-0020
"Dunkirk" Drama-documentary 2/3
03/06/10 Five 2000-2100
"Britain's Greatest Machines" Chris Barrie 5/8
03/06/10 BBC2 2130-2230
"Little Ships" The Dunkirk story
03/06/10 BBC2 2320-0020
"Dunkirk" Drama-documentary 3/3
04/06/10 BBC2 2000-2030
"Great British Railway Journeys" Portillo - Swindon/Bath
04/06/10 C4 2100-2235
"Fighting the Red Baron" Red Arrows recreate dogfights
EVENTS
For up-to-date information on many of the tours mentioned in Raildate (and
others) often with timings, see the Steam Tours pages at:
http://www.uksteam.info/index.shtml and also
http://railwayherald.co.uk/railtours/
All details are correct to the best of my knowledge. No responsibility is
taken for inaccuracies or changes.
29/05/10 Burnham and District Model Railway Club Exhibition
Community Centre, Berrow Road, Burnham-on-Sea, TA8 2ET
http://www.freewebs.com/bdmrc/
29/05/10- New Forest MRS Model Railway Exhibition
30/05/10 Brockenhurst Village Hall, Highwood Road, S)42 7RY
1000-1630 both days
http://www.nfmrs.co.uk
29/05/10- Risborough & District Model Railway Club: Railex
30/05/10 Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Harvey Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP21 9PP
1030-1730 (Sat) 1000-1700 (Sun)
http://www.rdmrc.nildram.co.uk/
29/05/10- Didcot Railway Centre: Enhanced Steamdays
31/05/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
29/05/10- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Wirksworth Carnival Open Days
31/05/10
http://www.wyvernrail.co.uk/
29/05/10- Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: Folk 'n' Cider Weekend
31/05/10
http://www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk
29/05/10- Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway: Cotswold Festival
31/05/10 of Steam - 175 years of the GWR
http://www.gwsr.com
30/05/10 Aldershot & District Bus Running Day
Farnham Railway Station
http://www.adbig.co.uk/
30/05/10 Indian Queens Toy Fair, Cornwall
03/06/10 Talyllyn Railway: Children's Duncan Day
http://www.talyllyn.co.uk
05/06/10- Mid-Hants Railway: War on the Line
06/06/10
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
05/06/10- Bluebell Railway: last opportunity to walk across the viaduct
06/06/10 and beyond up to the face of the Imberhorne waste tip
http://tinyurl.com/kvgmx
05/06/10- North Norfolk Railway: Mixed Traffic Gala
06/06/10
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/
05/06/10- Leawood Pump Steaming Weekend, Cromford Canal
06/06/10
http://www.middleton-leawood.org.uk/
06/06/10 Romsey Signal Box Open Day
Admission free (donations welcome!)
1000-1500 followed by AGM of the Friends
ex-Romsey Infants School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Rd, Romsey
Car park in old school grounds
http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk
06/06/10 Twyford Waterworks Communications Open Day
1100-1600
http://www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk/
06/06/10 Churnet Valley Railway: Alf Tunstall Classic Bus Rally
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
09/06/10 Historic Railway Walks of Rowsley
Start from Rowsley Old Station at 10.30am
Approximately 3 hours covering a distance of 2 miles
Advance booking required
http://www.rowsleyassociation.org.uk/
10/06/10 Talyllyn Railway: Victorian Train
http://www.talyllyn.co.uk
12/06/10 Mid-Hants Railway Real Ale Train (RAT)
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/rat.htm
12/06/10 Talyllyn Railway: Rover Retro Weekend
http://www.talyllyn.co.uk
12/06/10- Swindon & Cricklade Railway: GWR 175 Steam Gala (1)
13/06/10
http://www.swindon-cricklade-railway.org
12/06/10- North Norfolk Railway: Ivor the Engine Weekend
13/06/10
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/
12/06/10- demu Showcase 2010
13/06/10 Bretby Conference Centre, nr Burton-upon-Trent, DE15 0YZ
1000-1700 (Sat), 1000-1600 (Sun)
http://www.demu.org.uk
12/06/10- Churnet Valley Railway: Victorian Weekend
13/06/10
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
12/06/10- Bakewell Model Railway Show
13/06/10 Agricultural Business Centre, Bakewell, Derbyshire
1000-1700 both days
http://www.wingfieldrailway group.co.uk
12/06/10- Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: The Seaguill Has Landed
13/06/10
http://www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk
12/06/10- West Somerset Railway: Mixed Traffic Weekend
14/06/10 GWR 175 "Diesels in the West"
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
13/06/10 Minstead Model Railway Exhibition
Minstead Village Hall, Minstead, Lyndhurst, SO43 7FX
1000-1600
Adult: 3, Seniors & Children: 2, Family 8
Free Car Parking
Light Refreshments available - bar open 1200-1500
Supporting Diabetic for Solent & the British Heart Foundation
HPMRS member Derek Gillkerson will be attending with "New"
Stanton Lees in its newly-extended format
Cheers, Howard.
editor(at)raildate.co.uk replace (at) with @
Previous issues of Raildate are at:
http://www.raildate.net
This page includes a master catalogue of items that have appeared in
previous editions of Raildate.
(C) Howard Sprenger and Hursley Park Model Railway Society 2010.
The external edition of Raildate may be freely distributed without
permission as long as no changes whatsoever are made to the original
document distributed by the Editor. You can subscribe to the external
edition here:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/RAILDATE/