RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society:
http://www.hpmrs.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/
NETWATCH
============
Plymouth's railways:
http://www.plymouthdata.info/Railways.htm
Puffing along across the bridge to Hayling Island (an exceptionally low
tide reveals just about the entire bridge structure):
http://tinyurl.com/63ezkfc
The Wye Valley Railway:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nigel.nicholson/gn/page 32.htm
The former railway station at Stanner, Herefordshire, was for sale by
auction last Friday. The result of the auction is not known.
http://tinyurl.com/6c9glox
Mike Pannell is purchasing a massive collection of British PO and company
wagons in O gauge, scratch-built in Canada by a conductor on CN railways.
There are several hundred still to come. All liveries are hand-applied
and all the diagram numbers and dates of construction are written on the
bottom of each wagon. It is Mike's intention is to keep the collection
together as a reference source. Pictures of those acquired so far:
http://mikepannell254.fotopic.net/c1941151.html
Private owner wagons and tankers index (mainly pre-1948) compiled by Joe
Greaves. This index alphabetically lists references in books to private
owner railway wagons and tankers by company name. Each company is listed
by an abbreviation of the book's author and its page number. Coal
Merchants who ran wagons are also included. Most of the references
include a photograph or drawing of the wagon.
http://www.steamindex.com/carrwagon/powindex.htm
A wide range of wagon and coach kits from Mousa Models:
http://www.mousa.biz/
Dave's Train Travels:
http://davestraintravels.fotopic.net/
Modellers without specialist signalling knowledge will benefit from the
addition of a special section to a long-established internet signalling
forum. Known as "The Signal Box" the forum numbers among its contributors
members of the IRSE, RAIB, Network Rail, former signal engineers, the
Signalling Record Society and experts from a number of other organisations
with specialist signalling knowledge. Anyone can view the forum at:
http://www.signalbox.org/forum/
More background to the ongoing disagreement between the Manx Government
owned railway and the Isle of Man Railway & Tramway Preservation Society:
http://www.iomsrsa.com/the-news/93-2011/850-fnl-fsc
http://www.iomsrsa.com/the-news/93-2011/851-crt-stt
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=41187
(Spotter: Richard Maund)
A couple of explorations of St Johns Station, Isle of Man, dating from
September 1974 & 2010:
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=57657
Holidaying in Montana? Stay
*inside* Great Northern loco no 441:
http://www.gn441.com/
Correction: I reported last week that Peter Fox of Platform 5 Publishing
had died in hospital on 8th December - this should have read 8th February.
============
Videos...
1964 steam loco cab ride on the Wannie Line, Morpeth, Northumberland:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRvpPI36FTc
(Spotter: Neil Ferguson-Lee)
Steam in the Lune Gorge:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQPdRS-9p_I
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
Footage of King Arthur class 4-6-0 "Merlin" being derailed by the Royal
Engineers at Longmoor. It was broadcast live on 11th February 1956 as
part of the "Saturday Night Out" series, but ends up not being quite as
spectacular as the commentator had hoped:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em62OGbgdFE
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
David and Marion Canning, have put their first railway video onto Youtube.
It was recorded when when Colthrop signalbox was 100 years old on 11th
July 1998.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNvhnoQbisU
They are adding other films and photos, and all can be seen here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/davidmarion1
A railroad crossing in North Dakota - spot the train:
http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/1311127/711011378/name/RR_XING_ND.wmv
(Spotter: Andy Sollis)
============
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
London Crossrail
Network Rail has proposed the absorption of Heathrow Express services into
the Crossrail operation. Together with the plan to extend some services
onto the WCML this would result in all Crossrail services from the east
continuing beyond Paddington.
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight Railway Company Ltd has been awarded a 35,000
development grant to progress the provision a Rolling Stock Storage and
Display Building adjacent to Havenstreet Station, which will provide
covered space for most of the Railway's restored locomotives.
http://tinyurl.com/64lupx2
Peterborough
The station is to to undergo a 2.5m redevelopment:
http://tinyurl.com/65zfj8y
Nottingham
Brief details of the revamp of Nottingham station were posted previously
in Raildate. Now known as the Nottingham Hub, it will also include
restoring the original booking hall and extending the concourse to provide
a direct link with a new high-level tram stop for NET. Current bus links
to the station will be improved and additional stops provided. On 30th
January work got underway on a new 950-space car park; the current car
park will be closed for 12 months.
East Coast Main Line
Grand Central has applied to drop the Pontefract stop and run its King's
Cross-Bradford service direct from Doncaster/Wakefield (with an additional
stop at Mirfield) reducing the overall journey by 20 mins.
Stourbridge
Work has started on the construction of the new 7m rail/bus interchange
at Stourbridge Junction reported in Raildate of 18th June 2010.
http://tinyurl.com/66cmseg
Manchester
Salford Crescent station, strategically located at the junction of the
lines from Bolton and Wigan to Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly, is used
by more than a million people a year but the single island platform is too
short and narrow. NR propose closing it for three months, and spending
12m in order to move the ticket office to road level and lengthen
platforms to take six-coach trains.
Manchester Metrolink
Test running, between the new Old Trafford depot and the interim terminus
at St Werburgh's Road, began in January. Construction continues on the
line to East Didsbury.
South Wales
Network Rail have just started a Valley Lines feasibility study that will
examine the cost of electrifying the lines from Rhymney, Merthyr Tydfil,
Treherbert and Aberdare to Barry and Penarth via Cardiff Queen Street and
Central. Passenger demand is expected to carry on growing rapidly on the
core Valley Lines network.
http://tinyurl.com/6kfa4kd
Although not yet commissioned, a new crossover has been laid between the
up and down main lines at Gaer Junction, Newport. It is hoped that this
will now facilitate the long awaited service between Newport and Ebbw
Vale. The present service, introduced in February 2008 runs between
Cardiff and Ebbw Vale. BT Police claim thieves are stealing copper cable
from South Wales lines almost every night.
http://tinyurl.com/7yy6d
Airdrie - Bathgate
Armadale station should open in March:
http://tinyurl.com/4hcqoqb
Republic of Ireland
Following a funding package agreed with the European Union, the Irish
Government has confirmed that Metro North and Metro West (extensions to
the Luas Light Rail system in Dublin) are going ahead. Resignalling for
the DART Underground project will also proceed but the actual tunnelling,
to create a direct link between Heuston and Connolly stations, will not
begin before 2014.
Bulgaria
New lines permitting speeds of up to 100mph from Plovdiv-Svilengrad-
Turkish border, Plovdiv-Burgas and Plovdiv-Septemvri are planned to be in
use by 2014.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=124988
Greece
The Greek Government has decided that the 2,500km of lines that were
(nominally) in use in 2010 are likely to be reduced to 750km whilst the
temporary closure, since January, of all narrow gauge lines may be made
permanent. Large parts of the regional passenger network have lost all
services and are not being maintained and some are earmarked for immediate
lifting. Freight services in future can only be offered on those lines
with a passenger service.
Georgia
Reconstruction of the Abkhazian section of the Trans-Caucasian Railway has
begun. In particular, sections of Gantiadi-Gagra, Gagra-Gudauta and
Gudauta-Sukhumi are being restored. It is planned to complete these works
in three months and afterwards the Abkhazian railway will be transferred
to the management of the Russian Railways for 10 years.
http://tinyurl.com/6a5fd7w
Iran
China has signed a $13 billion contract to construct a rail network
comprising of eight lines extending a total of 3,293 route miles.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/164339.html
Sri Lanka
The renovated Galle-Matara coastal line was due to reopen on 16th February
2011 with maximum speeds raised from 25 to 62mph.
http://www.colombopage.com/archive_11/Feb09_1297265382KA.php
Myanmar (Burma)
Construction of the 411km rail line from Sittwe on the Bay of Bengal to
the inland town of Ann in the west of the country is causing
archaeologists great concern because the state is largely unsympathetic to
heritage issues. Many priceless 14th century treasures such as pagodas,
fortresses and sculptures have been destroyed in the past and more are now
threatened by the new line.
http://tinyurl.com/6yp5d33
============
IN THE NEWS
St Pancras Renaissance Hotel - rebirth of a Gothic masterpiece:
http://tinyurl.com/6b5bh8u
http://tinyurl.com/63bok9f
London Waterloo "still UK's busiest station":
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12415716
New Entrance To Make Clapham Junction accessible:
http://tinyurl.com/4sua4ok
Rail chiefs tell MPs of 'mistakes' in the heavy snow:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12462517
Refurbishment of Meridian fleet planned:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12441076
Network Rail seeks innovative ideas:
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/12000.aspx
New inquiry into two deaths on Elsenham rail crossing:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12454250
New East Coast timetable from May:
http://tinyurl.com/5r4lhlp
RAIB report on derailment near Hebden Bridge:
http://tinyurl.com/6caz93u
RAIB investigation into freight train incident at Shap:
http://tinyurl.com/2wx7y25
Flying Scotsman returns in rail bid to rival air travel:
http://tinyurl.com/6c4no7c
Road move for Borders to Edinburgh railway agreed:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-12447055
Delay for Montrose station improvements:
http://tinyurl.com/633qbof
New Caldercruix station set to open:
http://www.railbrit.co.uk/articles.php?recno=40
Oban Sunday rail link extended:
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Oban-rail-link-is-extended.6719068.jp
Victoria line evacuation on Friday evening:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12440045
Revised LUL ticket office hours:
http://tinyurl.com/3xv5567
Tyne & Wear Metro pre-payment card:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-12457243
Latest problems for Edinburgh trams:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-12429332
Fatality at Merthyr Vale:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12489011
Flying Scotsman to be painted black:
http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/news.aspx
RAIB report on serious injury to a guard at Foxfield Railway:
http://tinyurl.com/6hcoktc
Whitby to Pickering line to celebrate 175th anniversary:
http://tinyurl.com/4gv4smf
Hope of new HQ for Oswestry rail museum:
http://tinyurl.com/62cst74
Busy time for Barry rail centre:
http://tinyurl.com/63pjv4w
Porthmadog bypass bridge installed:
http://tinyurl.com/6xzfq6h
Vandalism on Welsh Highland line:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-12478787
Couple's amazing escape as train hits car at 70mph:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12471381
http://tinyurl.com/4ujdxz4
Isle of Man steam packet ship for sale:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-12478230
New lock gates for Caen Hill flight at Devizes:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-12408772
Ordnance Survey exhibition opens in Southampton:
http://tinyurl.com/4wacg2c
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps
TV and RADIO
19/02/11 BBC4 2000-2100
"Glamour's Golden Age" Life between the wars 2/3
20/02/11 BBC2 1900-2000
"Graham Hill - Driven" Portrait of the racing driver
20/02/11 BBC2 2100-2200
"Toughest Place to be... a Bus Driver" Manila
21/02/11 Channel 5 1930-2000
"How Do They Do It?" Communicating with spacecraft
22/02/11 BBC Radio 4FM 1330-1400
"The Foghorn: a Celebration"
22/02/11 Channel 5 2000-2100
"Stansted: the Inside Story" 3/6
22/02/11 BBC4 2000-2030
"Britain by Bike" The Cotswolds
23/02/11 BBC4 2030-2100
"Time to Remember" Early aviators on newsreel
25/02/11 BBC2 2030-2100
"Britain from Above" 2/3 The Land
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/tours/index.htm
All details are correct to the best of my knowledge. No responsibility is
taken for inaccuracies or changes.
19/02/11 Manchester Victoria signalling school layout operating day
National Railway Museum, York
http://www.nrm.org.uk/
20/02/11 Churnet Valley Railway: Barney Buffers & Friends
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
21/02/11 Friends of Cromford Canal - Talk
Ironville Church Hall, Casson St, Ironville, NG16 5NN
"Rails to Ripley" by Howard Sprenger
Starts: 1930
http://www.cromfordcanal.org.uk/
http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk/ripley.htm
23/02/11 Romsey & District Railway Modellers Society - Talk
10th Romsey Scout Headquarters Hut, Braishfield Road, SO51 0PB
"The Longmoor Military Railway" & "The Carriage of Tanks"
by Mike Walshaw
Starts at 1930
23/02/11 Churnet Valley Railway: Barney Buffers & Friends
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
25/02/11- Model-Rail Scotland
27/02/11 Scottish Exhibition Centre, Glasgow
1100-1800 (Fri), 1000-1800 (Sat), 1000-1700 (Sun)
http://www.modelrail-scotland.co.uk
26/02/11 Scale '0' Rail
Bolton School Arts & Conference Centre, New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PA
26/02/11- Eastleigh Model Railway Show incorporating Eurotrack 2011
27/02/11 Fleming Park Leisure Centre, Passfield Avenue, Eastleigh SO50 9NL
1000-1730 (Sat), 0930-1630 (Sun)
http://fdelaitre.perso.sfr.fr/Smrg.htm
04/03/11 Kettering & District Locomotive Society
"The Wirksworth Branch" by Howard Sprenger
Cornmarket Hall, London Road, Kettering
Starts 1945
http://tinyurl.com/6zs3nf3
05/03/11 75th anniversary of the Spitfire's first flight
Two will fly over Southampton to commemorate the event
05/03/11 Stafford Railway Collectors Fair
GEC, St Leonards Avenue, Stafford
Starts 1030
05/03/11- Romsey Model Railway Show
06/03/11 Crosfield Hall, Romsey, SO51 8GL
1030-1700 (Sat), 1000-1630 (Sun)
http://www.rdrms.hampshire.org.uk/
05/03/11- Romsey Signal Box Open Day
06/03/11 In association with Romsey Model Railway Show weekend
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
05/03/11- Macclesfield Model Railway Exhibition
06/03/11 Tytherington High School, Manchester Road, Macclesfield,
SK10 2EE
Cheers, Howard.
editor(at)raildate.co.uk replace (at) with @
Issues of Raildate up to and including 18th December 2009 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 2011.
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/