RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society:
http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
NETWATCH
============
Unbelievably, Santa Specials start appearing in RAILDATE this week. They
are listed separately at the end of the Events section.
Rail network anagrams:
http://www.pedt.demon.co.uk/network_rail/rational-nail.htm
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Mike Morant has recently uploaded 86 images of rail tours from all regions bar
the Southern covering the period 1950 through 1968:
http://gallery62603.fotopic.net/c1912858.html
Dave Bowles's photos of King Arthur's trip to the Bluebell Railway:
http://www.steamrailwayprints.co.uk/gallery_300392.html
Chris Dadson's photos of train services operating on the Bluebell
Railway's
new northern section to East Grinstead:
http://gallery74781.fotopic.net/c1893320_116.html
Paul Gildersleve's photos of a Black 5 at the Churnet Valley Railway on
6th November:
http://paulgildersleve.fotopic.net/
Ted Millward's photos of Bittern at Bristol:
http://tinyurl.com/3aoxylq
Neil Ferguson-Lee's photos of 10 years progress on the Ecclesbourne Valley
Railway:
http://wyvernrail-plc.fotopic.net/10yearson
How to get off a crowded train:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11676437
============
Online index to the Great Western Journal:
http://www.gwrjournal.com/
Online index to the Model Railway Journal:
http://www.mattots.com/mrj/index.php
============
Videos...
71000, Duke of Gloucester on 5th November:
http://www.britishrailways.tv/british-railways?task=viewvideo&video_id=1561
Churnet Valley Railway on 6th November:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8_1I3zBDnc
Isle of Man Railway:
Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-X6UPrO7mM
Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtofJkq7APs&feature=related
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
Talyllyn Railway:
http://railways.cloudywithsunnyspells.com/?p=929
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J3csY9tFqY&feature=fvwk
(Spotter: Ralph Rawlinson)
QR National 5000 Class locomotives on a night time coal train plus links
to other Australian scenes.
http://tinyurl.com/29h4h4x
(Spotter: Ralph Rawlinson)
============
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
ROSCOs
HSBC is selling its rolling stock operating company Eversholt Rail Group
for 2.1bn to Eversholt Investment Group.
http://tinyurl.com/2vfrheb
Watford-St Albans
Trams could be running regularly between Watford and St Albans by 2012, a
new report suggests. Hertfordshire County Council, which wants to convert
the Abbey Flyer line between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey to a
tram route, carried out an extensive public consultation earlier this year
the full findings of which were released by the DfT at the end of October.
Didcot
The 20-year restoration of GWR 6023 King Edward ll is complete. It will
be in steam on 2nd April 2011, and after spending June at the Mid-Norfolk
Railway, will return to Didcot from mid-July.
http://tinyurl.com/2v7lkqa
Portishead branch
A report, recently published by NR working with North Somerset Council,
states that, whilst costs have risen to 40m, a journey of 17 mins,
shorter than previously anticipated, has been established. This compares
favourably with the 35 mins of trains in 1950. The line is, of course,
open for freight as far as Portbury Dock Junction at Pill, but for
passenger trains to operate throughout, the line speed will be raised to
55mph and extra capacity provided. Some 3.3 miles of track will need to
be relaid from Portbury Dock Jn-Portishead town centre with a reinstated
station at Pill and a new station built on Harbour road at Portishead.
The Severn Railway Bridge
On 17th October 2010, memorial plaques were unveiled at Lydney (on the
west bank) and Purton (on the east) to mark 50 years since two barges were
swept out of control down the River Severn. The 229-ton tanker Wastdale
struck pier No 17 of the Severn Bridge supporting two of the shorter spans
at the Lydney end. They fell onto the barges causing them to catch fire
and killing five members of the crew. The bridge was said to be beyond
repair and ten years later was dismantled. The Severn Bridge was on the
GWR/MR joint line from Sharpness to Lydney, although the bridge itself was
built by the independent Severn Bridge Railway Company.
Short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AImpaQ-7E1M&NR=1
West Midlands Signalling Centre (WMSC)
Replacement of semaphore signalling on the North Warwickshire line between
Shirley and Stratford-upon-Avon has seen signalboxes at Shirley, Henley-
in-Arden and Bearley Junction abolished. Shirley, a fine brick-built,
platform-mounted, box was demolished on 6th November 2010.
Derby Roundhouse
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has named Derby College's 48m
railway roundhouse regeneration as Project of the Year.
NSR Stoke-Leek Brook Jn
In April 2001, Tarmac applied for a Freight Facilities Grant to reopen the
line from Stoke, but subsequent changes in ownership of the facilities at
Caldon Low meant that the new owners no longer wished to progress the
scheme. Now, Moorlands & City Railway intends introducing regular freight
services in 2012, when the line is reopened, to give a main line
connection with Network Rail.
Central Wales line
The Central Wales line runs between Craven Arms and Llanelli, and a 5m
project to modernise the passing loops at Knighton, Llandrindod,
Llanwrtyd, Llandovery and Llandeilo has just been completed by Network
Rail. In recent years three of the five NSTR (No Signalman Token Remote)
passing loops have been out of use, with the hydro-pneumatic train-
operated points life-expired. Spares are not available and it has not
been possible to reverse-engineer new ones, so they have been replaced
with HW2121 electric motorised units. The position light point indicators
have been replaced with a Dorman LED signal point indicator that display
either a flashing red or steady yellow aspect. The Stop boards on the
exit from the loops have been renewed and provided with a Dorman LED
indicator displaying a flashing red or blue aspect to indicate the
position of the Points and TPWS.
ERTMS National Implementation Plan
The delayed commissioning of the Cambrian ERTMS (European Rail Traffic
Management System) trial went live on 28th October 2010. It is now
controlling all trains between Harlech and Pwllheli. Trains that are not
ERTMS fitted are not allowed beyond Barmouth.
Electrification North West
In December 2009, the Labour government announced a 200m scheme for
electrifying lines in NW England, and on 20th October this year, George
Osborne confirmed that it is going ahead. The lines concerned are:
1. Liverpool-Manchester via Earlestown.
2. Huyton-Wigan 15 miles allowing electric trains Liverpool-Wigan via
St Helens.
3. Manchester-Euxton Junction 25 miles allowing electric trains Manchester
-Preston via Bolton.
4. Preston-Blackpool North 17 miles allowing electric trains Manchester/
Liverpool-Blackpool.
An announcement is still awaited as to whether intercity trains will be
introduced between Liverpool and Scotland or whether the present
Manchester-Glasgow Class 185s will be replaced by emus.
Doncaster PSB area
Public consultation on the proposed 54m North Doncaster flyover (now
known as the North Doncaster Chord) that will take freight trains from
Stainforth Jn over the ECML at Joan Croft Junction has raised concerns
that barrier down times will cause delays to road traffic. As a result
the level crossing is to be replaced by a road bridge carrying Joan Croft
Lane over the ECML.
http://www.railnetwork.info/article.php?article_id=1801
Colne-Skipton
On 7th December, South East Lancashire Rail Action Partnership (SELRAP) is
running a charter between Skipton and Colne. The 150-mile journey will
involve six reversals.
http://www.selrap.org.uk
Cumbria
Deutsche Bahn owned Alliance Rail Holdings wants to run a direct service
from Carlisle to Euston, via the Cumbrian Coast line, three times a day,
using electro-diesel trains.
http://tinyurl.com/3ygy9f8
Dublin: Luas
The 7.5km Green line Cherrywood extension linking Sandyfords with Brides
Glen opened on 16th October 2010.
http://tinyurl.com/3yp3yxk
Maps showing all read and green line stops:
http://www.luas.ie/luas-green-line-stops/
China
Construction of China's first railway across the Qinling Mountains, the
318-mile (511km) Xi'an-Chengdu high-level and high-speed line, is
scheduled to begin at the end of 2010 and completed in 2014. 127km of
tunnels include six more than 10km long and the the 16km Tianhuashan
double-track tunnel.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90862/7185682.html
The government's $525bn five year railway plan:
http://english.cri.cn/6826/2010/11/06/2021s603355.htm
Japan
A new book "Early Japanese Railways" gives a comprehensive illustrated
account of the development of railways in Japan between 1853-1914.
http://tinyurl.com/33rrku7
============
IN THE NEWS
Oxshott accident:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11702343
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11704133
Sky:
http://tinyurl.com/32mh2cr
Video:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11703916
Video:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11704421
Surrey Comet:
http://tinyurl.com/3ytbz7g
Surrey Comet:
http://tinyurl.com/36oekku
Elmbridge Guardian:
http://tinyurl.com/3a4scn5
Initial RAIB response:
http://tinyurl.com/38zl68l
Potters Bar rail crash firms face prosecution:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11726734
Railway flooded at Ryde, IoW:
http://tinyurl.com/2g8yv8j
http://tinyurl.com/33k9t49
National Trust anger over High Speed 2 railway:
http://tinyurl.com/3937tnb
Refurbishment of Didcot Station:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-11694327
Refurbishment of Shotton station:
http://tinyurl.com/37awvk6
Reading Engineering works at Christmas:
http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/Xmas2010.aspx
http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4888
Unacceptable train overcrowding to get worse, MPs say:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11713792
Doubts over Borders rail line as firm quits:
http://tinyurl.com/2wea3yn
Virtual driver training for the new Airdrie-Bathgate line:
http://tinyurl.com/24g9xd9
OHLE problems at Penkridge:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11733214
St Helens pair jailed for train line cable theft:
http://tinyurl.com/2ew43o6
New life planned for Kyle signal box:
http://tinyurl.com/2v86s6s
North Shields Tyne & Wear Metro station to be revamped:
http://tinyurl.com/3xmmjor
No mystery over green hoardings at Didcot Railway Centre:
http://tinyurl.com/37nwqec
More steam power for Ecclesbourne Valley Railway:
http://tinyurl.com/35uo5g2
Historic Glyn Valley Tramway's restoration hopes:
http://tinyurl.com/39hscau
Clashes in Germany over nuclear waste train:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/11706115
Explosion and fire as freight trains collide in Poland:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11712646
California bullet train construction to start in Central Valley:
http://tinyurl.com/2u399xw
Great Train Expo brings small-scale enthusiasts to Denver:
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16551771
Croydon Tramlink affected by fallen branch:
http://tinyurl.com/2et9ov8
New Routemaster mock up on display:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11734064
WW1 van used to convey the Unknown Warrior restored at Tenderden:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11726907
Solar powered lights at Southampton Airport:
http://tinyurl.com/337qjd7
Boeing 787 testing suspended:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11728915
Qantas A380 engine failure:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11691543
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps
TV and RADIO
13/11/10 BBC2 1915-1930
"Coast" Norway
13/11/10 Discovery Shed 2200-2230
"Central Steam" 11/15 Tornado
http://tinyurl.com/32of3r7
13/11/10 Discovery Shed 2230-2300
"Central Steam" 12/15 GCR Past & Future
http://tinyurl.com/32of3r7
14/11/10 BBC2 2100-2200
"James May's Man Lab" Loosely engineering-based nonsense 3/3
15/11/10 Five 1930-2000
"How Do They Do It?" Oil and Swiss Army knives
15/11/10 BBC2 2320-0020
"The Secret Life of the National Grid" 1/3
16/11/10 BBC2 1900-2000
"Coast" Whitstable to the Isle of Wight
16/11/10 BBC4 2000-2030
"Blackpool on Film" Archive film from 19th century to the present
16/11/10 BBC2 2320-0020
"The Secret Life of the National Grid" 2/3
17/11/10 Discovery Shed 2200-2230
"Central Steam" 13/15 Collecting the Goods
http://tinyurl.com/32of3r7
17/11/10 Discovery Shed 2230-2300
"Central Steam" 14/15 Golden Oldies Gala
http://tinyurl.com/32of3r7
17/11/10 BBC2 2320-0020
"The Secret Life of the National Grid" 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
All details are correct to the best of my knowledge. No responsibility is
taken for inaccuracies or changes.
13/11/10 Shaftsbury Book Fair
United Church Hall, Bell Street, SP7 8AR
http://www.fairharebooks.com/
13/11/10- Moorland & City Railways and Churnet Valley Railway
14/11/10 Leekbrook Junction to Cauldon Low reopening (1st weekend)
CVR operations expand from 11-mile to 27-mile round trip
71000 Duke of Gloucester, 34028 Eddystone, 44767 George
Stevenson, 8F 48624, GWR 5199
Intensive 3-train timetable
http://www.mcrailways.co.uk/events
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk
Railway enthusiasts' market - to book a stall, visit:
http://www.delapoleevents.co.uk/
13/11/10 Alsager Railway Association Exibition
14/11/10 Victoria Oakley Centre, CW1 2PZ
http://www.alsagerrailwayassociation.co.uk/
14/11/10 Poole & District MRS Model Railway Exhibition
Ashdown Technology College, Adastral Road, Canford Heath
Poole, BH17 8RE
1030-1700
14/11/10 Bluebell Railway: Vintage Bus Day
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/
19/11/10- Moorland & City Railways and Churnet Valley Railway
Leekbrook Junction to Cauldon Low reopening (2nd weekend)
CVR operations expand from 11-mile to 27-mile round trip
71000 Duke of Gloucester, 34028 Eddystone, 44767 George
Stevenson, 8F 48624, GWR 5199
Intensive 3-train timetable
http://www.mcrailways.co.uk/events
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk
20/11/10 Mid-Hants Railway Real Ale Train (RAT)
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/rat.htm
20/11/10- Kew Bridge Steam Museum: Live Steam Model Railway Show
21/11/10
http://www.kbsm.org
20/11/10- Warley National Model Railway Exhibition
21/11/10 NEC, Birmingham
1000-1800 (Sat), 1000-1700 (Sun)
http://www.thewarleyshow.co.uk
20/11/10- Moorland & City Railways and Churnet Valley Railway
21/11/10 Leekbrook Junction to Cauldon Low reopening (2nd weekend)
CVR operations expand from 11-mile to 27-mile round trip
71000 Duke of Gloucester, 34028 Eddystone, 44767 George
Stevenson, Class 37 37075, Class 33 33102, plus 2 visiting
diesel locomotives
Intensive 3-train timetable
http://www.mcrailways.co.uk/events
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk
21/11/10 Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum: Christmas Event
Swanwick Lane, Swanwick, Southampton, SO31 7GW
http://www.bursledonbrickworks.co.uk/
24/11/10 Moorland & City Railways Steam Running Day
34028 Eddystone, 44767 George Stevenson, 8F 48624
2 train timetable in operation
http://www.mcrailways.co.uk/events
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/
26/11/10- Moorland & City Railways Diesel Gala
28/11/10 Class 37 37075, Class 33 33102, plus 2 visiting diesels
and Class 104 DMU
Intensive 3 train timetable
http://www.mcrailways.co.uk/events
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/
26/11/10- Wakefield Model Railway Exhibition
28/11/10 Thornes Park Stadium, Horbury Road, Wakefield, WF2 8TY
http://www.wakefieldrms.org/index.html
27/11/10 New Forest Book Fair
The Community Centre, High Street, Lyndhurst, SO43 7NY
http://www.fairharebooks.com/
27/11/10 Letchworth MRS Model Railway Exhibition
Etonbury Middle School, Stotfield Rd, Arlesley, Beds, SG15 6XS
1000-1630
28/11/10 New Forest Model Railway Society Open Day
Brockenhurst Village Hall, Highwood Rd, off Sway Road,
Brockenhurst, SO42 7RY
Layouts include Crow Arch Lane MPD, Calshot and Aldermouth
1000?1630
Adult: 3, Child: 2, Family: 8
http://www.nfmrs.co.uk/nfmrs_exhibition
03/12/10- West Somerset Railway: Dunster by Candlelight
04/12/10
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
04/12/10 Mid-Hants Railway Real Ale Train (RAT)
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/rat.htm
05/12/10 Romsey Signal Box Open Day
Admission free (donations welcome!)
1000-1600
ex-Romsey Infants School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Rd, Romsey
Car park in old school grounds
http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk
Santa Specials
04/12/10- Mid-Hants Railway: Santa Specials
05/12/10
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
04/12/10- Swanage Railway: Santa Specials
05/12/10
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
04/12/10- West Somerset Railway: Santa Specials
05/12/10
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
04/12/10- Didcot Railway Centre: Thomas and Father Christmas
05/12/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
04/12/10- Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: Santa Specials
05/12/10
http://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk
04/12/10- Churnet Valley Railway: Santa Specials
05/12/10
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
04/12/10- Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: Santa Specials
05/12/10
http://www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk
04/12/10- Peak Rail: Santa & Steam Specials
05/12/10
http://www.peakrail.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
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