RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society:
http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
NETWATCH
============
Northumbrian Railways:
http://www.northumbrian-railways.co.uk/
Holidays at Allendale station:
http://www.allendale-holidays.co.uk/index.html
Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Livingstone, West Lothian:
http://www.almondvalley.co.uk/
Rail Around Birmingham:
http://www.railaroundbirmingham.co.uk/
A good friend of the Editor is Alton Douglas, who produces nostalgia
publications about the West Midlands. His website is here:
http://exhib.homestead.com/index.html
Semaphore Online - news and reports of progress on the Avon Valley
Railway:
http://semaphore.avonvalleyrailway.org/
The Cardiffrail site is an exploration of disused railways, tunnels and
industrial buildings in south Wales and the Midlands of England:
http://cardiffrail.co.uk/
Among the many railway staff associations on the Web is the Great Eastern
Golfing Society (and its successors):
http://www.errgs.org.uk/
Another is the Rowsley Society, catering for those with a connection to
the ex-MR/LMS/LMR shed:
http://www.rowsleyassociation.org.uk/
Steamsounds - one of the largest resources on the web for UK steam railway
sound recordings. Over 400 mp3 recordings available here and at the
steamsounds archive for free download:
http://www.steamsounds.org.uk/
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
The Battle of Britain 70 years on (BBC):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/features/battle-of-britain-season/
http://tinyurl.com/3xfrz8l
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/battle_of_britain_01.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/air_war_bombers_01.shtml
Railway photograph exhibition in New Zealand - the photographs can be seen
on the website, and cover world railways:
http://www.library.otago.ac.nz/exhibitions/all_aboard/index.html
============
Occasionally, I receive submissions that are not suitable for inclusion in Raildate,
either because they include photographs, or because they are too long. Raildate has
always been essentially a simple list of links and references, and that is how it
will remain, but at the Editor's discretion, items may be added to the Files section
of the associated Yahoo group. One such is by "Reliving the Past" by David Canning,
and it can be found here:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/RAILDATE/files/
(Note: you will need a Yahoo id in order to be able to view anything in
the Files section.)
============
Extract from a press release from Moorland & City Railways:
Moorland & City Railways (MCR) is pleased to announce that, subject to the
ongoing renewal and upgrade work currently underway on the Leekbrook
Junction to Cauldon Low line, and final inspection by the Office of Rail
Regulation, it should be in a position to return the line to passenger
traffic for a celebration event on 13th November 2010.
In collaboration with the Churnet Valley Railway (1992) plc (CVR), MCR is
planning an intensive 3-train service over the weekend of 13th/14th
November 2010 featuring some interesting steam motive power. The weekend
of 20th/21st November 2010 will see a repeat of this, with the addition of
diesel locomotives to recreate a 1960s theme. This new section of line
will see the CVR expand operations from an 11-mile round trip to a 27-mile
round trip.
The route comprises 8 miles of steeply graded railway line offering truly
magnificent views of the moorlands unseen for many years. Steam and diesel
locomotives will be working almost at full capacity to pull 6- & 8-coach
trains up gradients ranging from 1:40 to in 1:59. The summit of the line
at Ipstones is a staggering 1063 feet above sea level. These gradients
will give the opportunity to see and hear the locomotives in action
working hard.
Locomotives currently booked for this event include (subject to
availability) are 71000 "Duke of Gloucester", Stanier Mogul 42968, 8F
48624, "Large Prairie" 5199 and a surprise visitor, as yet unseen in the
Staffordshire Moorlands. Diesel locomotives will include class 37 37075,
class 33/1 33102 and a return visit by a truly local class of diesel loco.
These will be joined by the CVR resident Class 104 DMU.
Pre-booked tickets for the event will be available via the CVR website
closer to the event:
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk.
Special tickets will be available by pre-booking only to ride on the first
passenger train over the complete line - the 09:55 ex-Froghall to Cauldon
Low on the Saturday, hauled by "Duke of Gloucester".
============
Videos...
Three video clips of the SR's Westerham branch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K55T7nA6wg8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XXUcj_4OkE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNzDay3k-SE
The Allhallows branch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeKOsTCWIVM
And still in Kent, the Hundred of Hoo Railway:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uye8m1GxlaA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i43KMNfQxyw
Fascinating footage of the Yosemite Lumber Co incline:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9--XxD-B_k
============
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
Bromsgrove
The northbound platform is too short for some trains to stop and a new
station should have been finished by Easter 2009. It has now been revealed
that work has not yet started and funding has been frozen.
Blackpool Trams
Trams between Cleveleys and Fisherman's Walk, Fleetwood will start running
again on Monday 26th July 2010. They should have resumed in April but were
delayed by the theft of 135,000 of overhead cable. Fisherman's Walk-
Fleetwood Ferry Landing will remain closed until 2012.
Tyne & Wear Metro
Nexus will now go ahead with its plan to modernise trains, stations and
the infrastructure following the Government's confirmation that it will
invest up to 350m in the Metro.
Netherlands
From its opening, the five mile Sofia tunnel, located between Kijfhoek
freight yard and Papendrecht on the freight-only Betuweroute from the
Rotterdam area to Emmerich on the German border, has constrained overall
line capacity as the safety case only allowed one train per tunnel tube,
despite being equipped with modern European Train Control System
signalling. The safety regime has now been changed allowing on average
six trains an hour each way to use the line.
Poland
Polish national passenger operator PKP IC and regional operator Przewozy
Regionalne (PR) (formerly part of State Railways PKP but now owned by
Poland's regional governments) have both recently introduced brand new
electric locos and the two operators are each now operating long-distance
trains competing with each other.
Czech Republic
State-run Czech Railways has placed a 57m order with German firm Stadler
to supply 33 of its Regioshuttle single car DMUs.
Lebanon
The early 20th century line that links the north and south of the country
and to neighbouring Syria has been inactive since 1975 when the Civil War
broke out. Today trains sit motionless as corrosion eats away wagons and
grass covers the rails. A plaque stands at the entrance of Tripoli
station indicating that renovations started in 2001, but locals confirm no
work has been carried out and neither is there any indication that work
will start anytime soon.
http://tinyurl.com/2u8xl8n
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Railways has received two bids for the second stage of a 450km
railway that will link the holy cities of Mecca and Medina to Jeddah. The
two bidders for the contracts are the Al Rajhi Group and AlShoula Group.
The $1.4 billion in contracts will involve laying tracks, installing
signals, and communications, operation and maintenance and, on completion,
operate and maintain the entire infrastructure for 12 years. The line will
connect Mecca with Medina via Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City and
is expected to carry at least 3 million people a year.
http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100703-700837.html
Afghanistan
A 1,000km standard gauge corridor is being planned across the north of
the country. This would give Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and potentially China
access to world markets via the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas without
requiring transit through other CIS countries. Minister of Mines,
Wahidullah Shahrani, set out a $US6bn plan for a 2,000km national network
at a railway development workshop in Kabul in May. The first phase would
start at Sher Khan Bandar on the Tajik border, connect at Naibabad with
the line now under construction from Uzbekistan (on 1,520mm gauge), and
continue through Mazar-i-Sharif to Herat, with the possibility of a link
to the Turkmenistan Railways line at Towraghondi. A branch would run from
Shirbirghan via Andkhvoy to the Aqina border crossing with Turkmenistan.
At Herat, the railway will join a line under construction from Iran; civil
works are complete on two-thirds of the formation within Iran, but the
Afghan section of the route still awaits funding. The minister said the
corridor will be built to 1,435mm gauge, designed for 25-tonne axle loads
and speeds of 100 to 160 km/h. A second phase would see a Chinese-backed
line built from Mazar-i-Sharif to Kabul, Jalalabad and Torkham, near the
Khyber Pass. The long-proposed extension of Pakistan Railways' Chaman
line to Kandahar is also planned.
http://www.railwaysafrica.com/2010/07/afghan-railway/
China
A new high-speed service between Shanghai and Nanjing, capital of
neighbouring Jiangsu Province opened to passengers on Thursday 1st July
2010. It will cover the 301-km route in just 73 minutes, carving 80
minutes off the previous time and its 21 stops include the eight most
prosperous cities in the Yangtze Delta region, including Suzhou and Wuxi.
In the initial operation phase, 92 pairs of high-speed trains will operate
on the route. The Ministry of Railways plans to raise the number to 120
but no timetable has been set.
http://newsystocks.com/news/3574801
China to build two new railways in underdeveloped western regions with
construction expected to start before the end of 2010. One of the lines
will be a 401km passenger high speed route linking Lanzhou, capital of
Gansu Province, and Baoji, an important city in neighbouring Shaanxi
Province. The other line approved for construction will link Lanzhou with
the capital city of southwestern China's Sichuan Province, Chengdu. It
will be 463km long and pass through Jiuzhaigou, a high-altitude valley
with lakes and waterfalls near the Sichuan-Gansu border.
http://tinyurl.com/2awe7ml
============
IN THE NEWS
East Suffolk Line level crossing accident:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/10501064.stm
Extra coaches for West of England sleeper:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/10501202.stm
Newquay branch blocked due to gas cylinder fire:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/10547507.stm
Get a sneak peek at 1.9m cycling path:
http://tinyurl.com/396q2zs
Restoration of SS Great Britain:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10490928.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10575515.stm
Vulcan bomber to fly at airshow:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/8796584.stm
Fire on ship at Glensanda (Foster Yeoman Quarry):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/10501134.stm
McGill Buses of Greenock fined:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/10494050.stm
Margate dream land to be restored:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/10503394.stm
Spotters: Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps
TV and RADIO
11/07/10 BBC2 1900-2000
"James May's Toy Stories" A Plasticine garden
11/07/10 BBC Radio 4 2000-2100
"Archive on 4: I'm on the Train" Commuter tales
11/07/10 BBC2 2100-2200
"How to Build... Britain's Secret Engineers" Secret projects
12/07/10 BBC Radio 4 1500-1545
"Archive on 4: I'm on the Train" Shortened repeat
12/07/10 BBC1 West 1930-2000
"When Brunel's Ship Came Home" SS Great Britain's return
12/07/10 BBC Radio 4 2000-2030
"Top Deck Tales" Life on London's buses
12/07/10 C4 2100-2230
"Concorde's Last Flight"
12/07/10 BBC2 2320-0020
"How to Build... Britain's Secret Engineers" Secret projects
14/07/10 Five 2000-2100
"Battle of Britain: the Lost Evidence"
14/07/10 BBC4 2000-2100
"The Last Days of the Liners" Post-WWII cruising
15/07/10 Five 2000-2100
"The Man Who Moves Buildings"
15/07/10 BBC4 2000-2100
"Glamour's Golden Age" Between the Wars 3/3
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.
04/07/10- North Norfolk Railway: Quad-Arts Week
11/07/10
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/
10/07/10 Mid-Hants Railway Real Ale Train (RAT)
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/rat.htm
10/07/10 Shaftsbury Book Fair
United Church Hall, Bell Street, SP7 8AR
http://www.fairharebooks.com/
10/07/10 Bodmin & Wenford Railway: Cornish Branch Line Day
http://www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk
10/07/10 DRS Crewe Gresty Bridge Open Day
http://www.directrailservices.com/OpenDay/Default.aspx
10/07/10- Guildford Model Engineering Soc Model Steam Rally & Exhibition
11/07/10 Stoke Park, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1TU
http://www.gmes.org.uk/rally.htm
10/07/10- Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre: Railway Gala Weekend
11/07/10
http://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk
10/07/10- Peak Rail: Anything Goes Weekend
11/07/10
http://www.peakrail.co.uk/
10/07/10- Crich Tramway Village: Edwardian Weekend
11/07/10
http://www.tramway.co.uk/
10/07/10- Golden Valley Light Railway: Narrow Gauge Gala
11/07/10
http://www.gvlr.org.uk/
11/07/10 Eastleigh Lakeside Railway: Summer Steam Gala
http://www.steamtrain.co.uk
15/07/10 Talyllyn Railway: Victorian Train
http://www.talyllyn.co.uk
16/07/10- North Norfolk Railway: Beer Festival
18/07/10
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/
17/07/10 Mid-Hants Railway Real Ale Train (RAT)
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/rat.htm
17/07/10 Alton Limited 2010 All American Meet
Four Marks Village Hall, Nr Alton, GU34 5AA
1000-1630 both days
Layouts, bring & buy, trade stands, demos
17/07/10 Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: Fish & Chip Quiz
http://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk
17/07/10- CamRail
18/07/10 Saint Margarets Hall, Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts
1100-1730 both days
http://www.titfield.co.uk/Camrail/Camindex.htm
18/07/10 Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum: Classic Vehicles
Swanwick Lane, Swanwick, Southampton, SO31 7GW
http://www.bursledonbrickworks.co.uk/
18/07/10 Mid-Hants Railway: Bus Rally
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
18/07/10 Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: Senior Citizens Day
http://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk
21/07/10 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/
24/07/10 100 Years of Flying in South Hampshire
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast along Southampton
Water (also in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the
Battle of Britain)
Best viewing points will be from Royal Victoria Country Park
and along Hamble foreshore
http://www.centenary-of-flight.co.uk
24/07/10- Didcot Railway Centre: Enhanced Steamdays
25/07/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
24/07/10- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Heritage Bus & Rail Gala
25/07/10
http://www.wyvernrail.co.uk/
http://www.e-v-r.com/busgala10.htm
24/07/10- Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: Children's Weekend
25/07/10
http://www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk
25/07/10 Gauge 0 Guild Open Day
Otterbourne Village hall, Nr Winchester, Hants
25/07/10 100 Years of Flying in South Hampshire
Gordon-Keeble Car 100-mile Rally
Around 40 cars rally around South Hants
http://www.centenary-of-flight.co.uk
25/07/10 Crich Tramway Village: Mini Meet
http://www.tramway.co.uk/
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/