RAILDATE - your free weekly guide to what's happening, what's new and
what's on
NETWATCH
GWR December timetable
https://www.gwr.com/plan-journey/train-times
GWR Christmas alterations
www.gwr.com/travel-updates/planned-engineering/christmas
SWR Christmas Travel alterations
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/christmas-travel-2020
Remains of the former SR HQ at Deepdene House, Dorking
http://derelictmisc.org.uk/deepdene.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erKarjeDRMM
Cowley Bridge Jn 1984
https://www.facebook.com/ExeterStaffPastAndPresent/videos/428694318117656
Escalating skill shortage in the railway industry
https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/114612/skills-shortage-escalate-uk-rail-2025/
Solar power for railways
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-55044198
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
Steam Sunday - Bahamas' Bonus Weekend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7nqS8km4oU
Testing Times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpVpKShOw7k
Our Royal Scot "Royal Engineer" 7.25 gauge "The Restoration"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNaiAwNlfw8
Great Western Steam Railmotor 93
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4oZBKUdFgA
NYMR - GWR No. 7822 'Foxcote Manor' pounds the 1:49 gradient at the NYMR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTY9gC-IhEo
New EFE Rail Beattie Well Tank - Unboxing & Review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQU6mi31Hh8
Thornbury Model Railway Exhibition - Virtual Model Train Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSZq3Xjyyys
Snailbeach Lead Mine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy_iLDuOswE
Snailbeach Lead Mine - Explore With Shano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-Mh2RDpit4
Shropshire Mines Trust
http://www.shropshiremines.org.uk/
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
Rare glimpse inside forgotten Dudley railway tunnel set to be brought
back to life
https://is.gd/hllVb8
(Spotter: Brian Carter)
The secret piece of information hiding in plain sight on Tokyo’s subway
signs
https://wp.me/pbXBSE-2cf1
Drinking wine made from the only station platform vineyard in Japan
https://wp.me/pbXBSE-2ccJ
Tired of teleworking from home? Get a change of atmosphere by working in
an express train!
https://wp.me/pbXBSE-2cgq
(Spotter: Andrew Nummelin)
============
IN THE NEWS
Crossrail could be mothballed as TfL financial crisis continues
https://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2020/11/23-crossrail-could-be-mothballed-as.html
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/crossrail-tfl-london-funding-delayed-b75781.html
Two of London’s busiest railways receive improvement work
https://is.gd/SahyR0
Train fire at West Worthing (Unit 313220)
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/18885849.fire-train-west-worthing-station/
New South Western Railway fleet delayed due to software problems
https://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/new-swr-fleet-delayed-again
New Isle of Wight rolling stock ( Moving on battery power)
https://www.islandecho.co.uk/next-stop-ryde-st-johns-new-trains-roll-down-the-line/
Island Line Train to be Preserved by Transport Group in Essex
https://www.islandecho.co.uk/?p=169863
https://is.gd/ylzaq8
http://wig.ht/2o5x
Swans on Bath Spa station
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bath-swans-train-station-b1759858.html
Are we nearly there yet? (Gypsy Patch Lane bridge)
https://www.railuk.com/rail-news/are-we-nearly-there-yet/
Class 720 units delayed entry into traffic
https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/new-aventra-trains-coming-1-6941877
Fridays now ‘off peak’ on Avanti West Coast
https://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/fridays-now-peak-avanti-west-coast
Bridge replacements on Middlewich line
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/?p=74128
Laser and drone technology recreates Ribblehead viaduct like never before
https://is.gd/qfRGjw
https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/?p=114353
Transport Secretary gives fresh backing to Northumberland Line
https://is.gd/BmZ1vy
Timetable change for customers on Scotland’s Railway
https://is.gd/ObGGP9
Vandalism at New Cumnock station
https://is.gd/zcj33x
Network Rail fined after allowing trains over damaged Lamington Viaduct
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-55045094
https://is.gd/KA9SbD
Safety improvement work for Cornton level crossing
https://is.gd/ucQUPp
Kinross rail link ‘could cut journey times from Perth to Edinburgh by 35
minutes’
https://tinyurl.com/yxubjzhp
Train users asked to continue to report station 'skipping' incidents
https://is.gd/EGO6op
Welsh government alleges £2.4bn underinvestment in Welsh network
https://www.railjournal.com/?p=45324
Omagh rail tragedy: Heritage project recalls 1950 disaster
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-55049908
Bob Meanley to join Churchward County Trust as engineering manager
www.railadvent.co.uk/2020/11/new-engineering-manager-for-the-churchward-county-trust.html
Elsecar Heritage Railway mothballed indefinitely after operators
surrender their lease
https://is.gd/NFckjW
Historic railway posters saved from collapsing loft
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-55094176
Eurostar pleads for government support as Covid-19 threatens its future
https://www.railjournal.com/?p=45444
Over 10,000 freight trains ran between Europa and China in 2020
https://www.railuk.com/?p=104284
Bologna opens Marconi Airport peoplemover
https://www.railjournal.com/?p=45423
North Milan Railway orders hydrogen powered units
https://www.railjournal.com/?p=45469
Prototype 20m van (Sweden)
https://is.gd/9sbz61
Swiss Pilots could retrain as train drivers
https://uk.style.yahoo.com/swiss-pilots-could-retrain-train-113101931.html
COVID-19 surge derails remaining Polar Express runs through national park
https://is.gd/xHS2DE
New Rocky Mountaineer service in Denver and Utah Rockies
https://is.gd/58YKQt
AMTRAK accelerates infrastructure investments while the network is quiet
https://is.gd/Lw7WMU
Relaying track in Dudley for "Very Light Rail" project
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/rare-glimpse-inside-forgotten-dudley-19333263
Mock up of new DLR trains
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2020/11/20/a-first-look-at-the-new-dlr-trains/
Network Rail to help restore disused Derbyshire canal
https://www.railuk.com/rail-news/network-rail-to-help-restore-disused-derbyshire-canal/
Cowes Floating Bridge: Oil leak grounds troubled ferry
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-55102673
CalMac proposes to increase freight costs
https://is.gd/LXZdNP
Finnish Ferry run aground on Aland Islands
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55029358
Great Lakes passenger ship could leave its home port
https://www.barrietoday.com/local-news/ss-keewatin-could-soon-set-sail-from-port-mcnicoll-2903915
737Max Update: Return To Service!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhSVtLXtIrw
SWISS Pilots Swap Planes For Trains
https://simpleflying.com/swiss-pilots-swap-planes-for-trains/
El Al To Launch Dubai Route In Just Under Three Weeks
https://simpleflying.com/el-al-dubai-launch/
BA 747-400 catches fire in Spain
https://simpleflying.com/breaking-british-airways-boeing-747-catches-fire-in-spain
Model fairground rides auctioned
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-derbyshire-55005223
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Brian Carter, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps, Alan
Rushworth
============
TV and RADIO
27/11/20 Channel 5 2000-2100
"Walking Britain's Lost Railways" 1/4 North Devon
28/11/20 Yesterday 1000-1300
"Great British Railway Journeys" Six episodes
28/11/20 Channel 5 Select 1305-1900
"Walking Britain's Lost Railways" Six episodes
29/11/20 BBC4 1900-2000
"Crossing England in a Punt: River of Dreams" The River Trent
30/11/20 BBC1 1145-1215
"Night Force" Track repairs before the morning commute
30/11/20 BBC4 1900-1930
"Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam" 3/6 Driving the wheels of industry
30/11/20 Channel 5 2100-2200
"Paddington Station 24/7: Back on the Tracks" 6/8
30/11/20 More4 2100-2200
"Building Giants: High Speed Train" Built for Turkey
30/11/20 Yesterday 2100-2200
"Secrets of the Railways" Trans-Pyrenees Railway
30/11/20 Yesterday 2200-2300
"Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways" Congo
01/12/20 BBC4 1900-1930
"Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam" 4/6 Steaming down the road
01/12/20 Channel 5 2100-2200
"The Dambusters: a Daring Plan" 1/3
02/12/20 BBC4 1900-1930
"Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam" 5/6 Steam on the water
02/12/20 Channel 5 2100-2200
"The Dambusters: Race Against Time" 2/3
02/12/20 Channel 5 Select 2000-2100
"The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard"
03/12/20 BBC4 1900-1930
"Fred Dibnah's Age of Steam" 6/6 Steam and the Modern Age
03/12/20 Channel 5 2000-2100
"Tarrant on the African Express" 3/3
03/12/20 Drama 2000-2155
"The Lady Vanishes" Recent remake
03/12/20 Channel 5 2100-2200
"The Dambusters: Attack! Attack! Attack!" 3/3
04/12/20 ITV 2000-2100
"Griff's Great Australian Adventure" The Ghan
04/12/20 Channel 5 2000-2100
"Walking Scotland's Lost Railways" 2/4 The Callender & Oban
============
EVENTS
While many events have been cancelled due to Covid-19, a limited number
of events will be included - if you would like to publicise an event
here, please contact the editor
01/12/20 RCTS Watford Branch: Members’ Slides
Starts 1930
Non-members please contact the Branch Web Co-ordinator, Rob
Davidson
watford@rcts.org.uk for an invitation - no charge -
donations welcome
04/12/20- Mid-Hants Watercress Line: Steam Illuminations
06/12/20
https://www.watercressline.co.uk/
A full list of forthcoming RCTS virtual meetings (Nov-Feb):
https://rcts.org.uk/branches/
Cheers, Howard.
editor(at)raildate.co.uk replace (at) with @
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Issues of Raildate up to 18th December 2009 are archived at:
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This page includes a master catalogue of items that have appeared in
previous editions
(C) Howard Sprenger 2020