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BOOK NEWS
Locomotive Testing on Britain’s Railways 1901-1968 - A non-technical overview
by Dave Peel
The years 1901-68 cover the heyday of locomotive testing from the advent of the first
dynamometer car through to the end of BR’s activities in this area. In 1948, BR inherited the
revamped Swindon test plant together with the three dynamometer cars from 1901 (GWR), 1906
(NER) and 1913 (L&YR) around which testing had revolved for decades. With the Rugby testing
station soon to be opened, and replacements for two of the three old dynamometer cars already
in the pipeline, the following years were to become the busiest and most interesting testing
years of all. Most of the book relates to this period, but it also includes a selection of the
work done previously by each of the three old cars, as an essential historical background to
the BR period.
By the end of the 1960s, locomotive testing as such, had ceased and the “Test Cars”, as they
were now called, were centralised at Derby and were no longer under Regional control. The cars
themselves were re-equipped to include the ability to measure the dynamic movement of the
(diesel or electric) locomotive and particularly, the new rolling stock. This could involve
measuring the rolling resistance of Freightliner wagons, the rough riding of bogies, or the
measurement of pressure changes in tunnels when two trains pass at speed – “tests” far removed
from those undertaken in earlier years.
The title’s subsidiary wording, “A non-technical overview”, should come as relief to those who
have seen any of the bulletins issued by BR, which were full of technical terms, calculations,
and pages and pages of graphs. Previously, the subject has been dealt in a piecemeal fashion
or as a technical exercise, but this book aims to present a more complete picture of what was
happening nationwide, together with a little of the history behind it.
Softback: 80 pages with 45 photographs
273 x 215mm
ISBN: 978-1-905505-31-9
Price: £12.95 post free from the publisher:
http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk/
http://twitter.com/kestrelrailway
http://www.facebook.com/KestrelRailwayBooks
NETWATCH
Great Central Railway, 16th February
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsMTktCfpuM
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
A Fred Ivey film of the London Underground 150 steam train
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SslRXV9ZC0s
Carry on Camping!
http://www.firebox.com/product/5441/London-Underground-Tube-Tent
The Friends of Glendon and Rushton Station have a Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfGlendonRushtonStation
(Spotter: Nick Wheat)
Rebuilding Milverton Viaduct
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/02/12/christmas-at-milverton/
Rebuilding London Bridge station for Thameslink
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/02/12/thameslink-next-stop-london-bridge/
High speed for Scotland
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/02/12/high-speed-rail-for-scotland/
High Speed 2 progress and legal stages
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/02/11/high-speed-interest/
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
New trailers from the Media Archive of Central England
http://vimeo.com/user2588853
Mississippi Rails
http://www.msrailroads.com/
A recent exploration of East Norton Tunnel, Leicestershire (GNR & LNWR Joint)
http://tinyurl.com/bxjq88j
(Spotter: Tom Baldwin)
A fine collection of maps:
http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/
============
IN THE NEWS
Major delays on London and Peterborough East Coast line
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21516102
http://tinyurl.com/ar8wfdz
Spoil heap continues to move onto Doncaster railway line
http://tinyurl.com/aejqdtc
Soil mechanics of Stainforth slip
http://tinyurl.com/bdhggg2
HS2: Planners used out of date maps
http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/story/2013-02-20/hs2-maps-are-old/
Harecastle tunnel offered for sale by the government
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-21511087
Network Rail facing £30million fine as performance levels deteriorate further
http://tinyurl.com/apr37jx
Station ticket machines 'are confusing and poor value'
http://tinyurl.com/apyf62w
Easter railway chaos as trains to shut down at same time as Midland Metro
http://tinyurl.com/b2osenl
Trial in Moreton on Lugg LC accident
http://tinyurl.com/a7jcsxf
Llandudno station upgrade starts
http://tinyurl.com/b46do2v
ScotRail conductor faces trial, accused of assaulting man with ticket machine
http://tinyurl.com/aktyyr3
Oban-Glasgow train services to double from May 2014
http://tinyurl.com/an9xynp
Owners write off derailed locomotive due to costs
http://tinyurl.com/avwhoer
Ladybank railway station on track to become transport hub
http://tinyurl.com/auwczsp
New lease of life for Invergarry station
http://www.lochaber-news.co.uk/News/New-lease-of-life-for-former-station-14022013.htm
Coleraine-Londonderry/Derry to reopen 24 March
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-21424337
Isle of Man Steam Railway "Caledonia" restored
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-21442857
India joins the superlative club, we now have the world's highest rail bridge
http://tinyurl.com/ah34wyo
World War II shells disrupt Japan bullet trains
http://tinyurl.com/a9b4o3u
RAIB report into accident at Sandilands tram stop, Croydon
http://tinyurl.com/b7vszdf
RAIB investigation into electrical fire on Tyne & Wear Metro car
http://tinyurl.com/a76bfhp
Call for free introductory Edinburgh trams service
http://tinyurl.com/am2zvdr
Rolling stock announced for Ottawa light rail project
http://tinyurl.com/ajw3f57
Cambridge 'guided busway' crash leaves three injured
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-21479277
Colour coded buses in Maidenhead
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-21496156
Ashok Leyland to open research centre in Warwickshire
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-21516529
First Group sell Worcestershire operation
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-21183753
Arriva ordered to give free bus trips by traffic commissioner
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-21530168
First group bus order for 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-21459594
Electric cars will become common sight, says Transport Secretary
http://tinyurl.com/bf266d6
Conserving Imperial War Museum Spitfire
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-21476802
Change of battery type for Airbus 350
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21477126
Donetsk plane crash survivors describe ‘nightmare’
http://tinyurl.com/cjoaocm
Nigeria risks more air disasters with no maintenance hangar
http://tinyurl.com/attvhzl
Dreamliner customers turn to 30-year-old planes for fleet
http://tinyurl.com/afkmyov
Pilot toils to restore rare antique airmail plane
http://tinyurl.com/bzx9pbh
Dredging at Port of Southampton
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-21516510
London Gateway container port
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-21519921
Fire on board Carnival Line ship
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21465387
Blue Star Line building Titanic II, maiden voyage to New York scheduled for 2016
http://tinyurl.com/b5huzax
How much bigger can container ships get?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21432226
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Ted Millward, Reg Nerps, Alan Rushworth
============
TV and RADIO
24/02/13 BBC4 1900-2000
"The Story of British Pathe"
24/02/13 Channel 5 1905-2055
"Mosquito Squadron" WW2 adventure film (1968)
24/02/13 Channel 4 2000-2100
"A Great British Air Disaster" Story of the DH Comet
24/02/13 Channel 4 2100-2200
"Madness in the Desert: The Paris to Dakar Rally
25/02/13 BBC1 South West 1930-2000
"Inside Out" The future of South Crofty mine
25/02/13 BBC4 1930-2000
"Great British Railway Journeys" Yorkshire
25/02/13 BBC4 2000-2030
"Decisive Weapons" The Harrier jump-jet
26/02/13 BBC4 1930-2000
"Great British Railway Journeys" Still Yorkshire I think!
26/02/13 BBC2 2100-2200
"The Railway: Keeping Britain On Track" 3/6 Standing room only
26/02/13 BBC2 2335-0035
"Murder on the Victorian Railway" Drama documentary
27/02/13 BBC4 1930-2000
"Great British Railway Journeys" Leicestershire
27/02/13 BBC2 2320-0020
"The Railway: Keeping Britain On Track" 3/6 Standing room only
28/02/13 BBC2 2100-2200
"The Sea King: Britain's Flying Past"
29/02/13 BBC2 1900-1930
"Coast"
29/02/13 BBC2 2030-2100
"Sea City" Documentary about the port of Southampton 3/3
============
EVENTS
All details are correct to the best of my knowledge, but no responsibility is accepted for
inaccuracies or changes.
22/02/13 Derbyshire Archaeological Society Industrial Archaeology Section
St Mary's Parish Hall, Darley Lane, Derby
"Coal Mining in the Dalley - Belper" by Mike Allan
Starts 1930
Non-members welcome
22/02/13- Model Rail Scotland
24/02/13 Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow
1100-1800 (Fri), 1000-1800 (Sat), 1000-1700 (Sun)
http://www.modelrail-scotland.co.uk
23/02/13 German Railway Society: Bring and Buy Sale
St Davids Church Hall, Shenley Green, Shenley Lane, Birmingham, B29 4HH
1200-1600
23/02/13 Durham Locomotive Preservation Group: Swapmeet
Rosa Street School, Rosa Street, Spennymoor, Co Durham, DL16 7NA
1000-1500
Diecast models, kits, scenic materials, tools, equipment, model railways
http://www.wrlpg.com/
23/02/13- Solent Model Railway Group: Eastleigh Model Railway Show - Eurotrack 2013
24/02/13 Fleming Park Leisure Centre, Passfield Avenue, Eastleigh, SO50 9NL
1000-1700 (Sat), 0930-1630 (Sun)
Raildater Derek Gillkerson will be attending with Boden-Am-See
http://solentmodelrailwaygroup.webs.com/
23/02/13- Nene Valley Railway: Winter Gala
24/02/13
http://www.nvr.org.uk
23/02/13- Churnet Valley Railway: Winter Steam Gala
24/02/13
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk
23/02/13- East Lancashire Railway: Steam Weekend & Transport Collectors Fair
24/02/13
http://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk
02/03/13 Stafford Railway Collectors' Fair
St Leonard's Hall, St Leonard's Avenue, Stafford
1030-1530
02/03/13- Romsey & District Railway Modellers Society Exhibition
03/03/13 Crosfield Hall, Broadwater Road, Romsey, SO51 8GL
1030-1700 (Sat), 1000-1630 (Sun)
http://www.rdrms.hampshire.org.uk/
02/03/13- Romsey Signal Box Open Day
03/03/13 Admission free (donations welcome!)
1000-1700 (Sat), 1000-1600 (Sun)
ex-Romsey Infants School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Rd, Romsey, SO51 8JA
Car park in old school grounds
http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk
02/03/13- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Diesel Locomotive Weekend
03/03/13
http://www.e-v-r.com
02/03/13- Northern Modelling Exhibition
03/03/13 Event City, Manchester, M17 8AS
http://www.northernmodellingexhibition.co.uk
04/03/13 Hampshire Industrial Archaeology Society
Underhill Centre, St John's Church, St John's Road, Hedge End
Liverpool Crown Street to Liege Guillemins - how did we get there?
by Bill Fawcett
Starts 1945
http://www.hias.org.uk/
04/03/13 Peak Railway Association, Sheffield Branch
The Harlequin Pub, 108 Nursery Street, Sheffield, S3 8GG
“British Transport Films”, a film show by Nick Wheat
1930 for a 1945 start, for a requested £3 donation on the door
http://www.peakrail.co.uk/SheffieldBranch
06/03/13 Institute of Railway Studies & Transport History Research Workshop
National Railway Museum/University of York
In the Edmondson Room, NRM - North-west Canals as Carriers & Businesses
Peter Maw (Northumbria University):
What was carried on Britain’s canals? Evidence from Manchester during the
industrial revolution
Grahame Boyes (Railway and Canal Historical Society):
The business of running a canal: evidence from the Peak Forest Canal
1400-1715
All welcome, refreshments served
08/03/13- North Norfolk Railway: The Standards Gala (Part 1)
10/03/13
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk
Cheers, Howard.
editor(at)raildate.co.uk replace (at) with @
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 Raildate here:
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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 2013