HPMRS RAILDATE 22 Apr 05

News

RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society: http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/

* * * * It's back, and it's big! * * * *

RETURN TO OZ

As you will know, I have just returned from a trip downunder, where our first "railway encounter" was at the Puffing Billy steam railway just outside Melbourne. As is often my wont, I was wearing a shirt with a ram on it, and very soon, I was approached by our driver, who told me that not only did he come from Derby, but from my bit of it - Allestree!

He moved away to London when he was quite young, but returned to Derby to serve his apprenticeship at the Carriage and Wagon works. We had a good natter - his name it Peter Stowell, and he's actually the "face" of Puffing Billy on their website: http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/index.html. (Not Thomas - the other picture.)

On our return to Sydney, I was privileged to visit three members of the British Railway Modellers of Australia courtesy of David Lord, who made the arrangements. The first was to Peter Betts, who literally lived round the corner from where we were staying. Peter has an excellent EM gauge layout called Lulworth Cove, and we wiled away a whole afternoon discussing railways, cricket and music - and occasionally running the odd train! His house is called "Ambergate", which made me feel quite at home.

Next it was to David Lord's house at Gosford, a very pleasant rail journey north from Sydney. Here, there were three layouts on show - Hamworthy Old Poole (in OO gauge and a worthy main feature in the latest "Model Railways On-line" magazine), an O gauge Great Western layout, and David's son's OO gauge layout based on Australian practice. To add to our private model railway exhibition, David then took me to near-neighbour Rob Lees to see his EM gauge "Ashwood Dale" layout, based on the Midland Railway in the Peak District, and heavily influenced by Bill Hudson's "Through Limestone Hills". This superb layout was featured in issue 3 of "Model Railways On-line", and lives in its own specially-constructed "railway wing" of Rob's house. It helps if you're a builder by trade, of course, and Rob is.

My final stop, the following afternoon, was to renew my acquaintance with Chris Harding and Ross Verdich at the bookshop of the Australian Railway Historical Society, NSW Division. Easily the best railway bookshop in Australia (unless you know different) it was good to browse their vast range and debate how much weight I could load into the hold of the Singapore Airlines "Jumbo" on the way back to Blighty! In the end, I settled for a couple of largish books on the railway through the Blue Mountains west of Sydney (built by the brother-in-law of the engineer of the Forth Bridge).

There were several other features of interest to be seen on our travels, but these were the highlights. There's little doubt that we'll return again some time in the future, and I was flattered to have received so many invitations to visit Antipodean readers of RAILDATE. To those whose offers I took up - thank you - you made me (and my family) feel extremely welcome, and I'm very grateful for your hospitality. To those I didn't catch up with... I'll be back...!

A selection of Australian railway-related links is included in the Netwatch section below.

NETWATCH

The website of the group intending to preserve the Amlwch branch is at:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/leinamlwch/index.htm

Fairford branch web site:

http://www.martin.loader.btinternet.co.uk/Fairford_Branch.htm

Railway pictures taken around Tintern are available on the village's website:

Train in the station - 'The last day': http://www.tintern.org.uk/mm19512.htm http://www.tintern.org.uk/mm19511.htm

Tintern Tunnel (not known why the author states the line is closed - perhaps it was for part of the war): http://www.tintern.org.uk/mm19406.htm

Colour photo from above the tunnel of Lyn Weir bridge and goods train bound for Chepstow as late as1963, with the station in the background. http://www.tintern.org.uk/mm19606.htm

The National Railway Museum is attempting to make its archive available more easily through a new project called "Search Engine". They would like to gather feedback from potential users, particularly from those who do not currently use the existing NRM library & archives. Please log on and let them know what you think of the project. The direct URL is:

http://www.nrm.org.uk/html/searchengine/searchengine.asp

but the page can also be reached from the main NRM homepage.

There is a new, moderated, chat group for those who want to talk "sensibly" about the Weardale railway:

Weardale_Railway_Supporters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

An link to a story and pictures of huge snow drifts on the Stainmore Railway:

http://www.fivenine.co.uk/local_history_notebook/A%20Tour%20in%20Westmorland/chapter_9.htm

Mark Annand's Midford pictures:

http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/leopold/mark/midford_web_site/Midford_web_site.html

The Great Central line through Nottingham website:

http://www.gwoodward.clara.co.uk/nottm/gt_central.htm

Andy Sollis advises that the "Oakamoor" layout is nearing completion, and new pictures have been added to the website. Go to the Oakamoor page from this link:

http://www.cvmrd.freeserve.co.uk

David Moore has prouced a web page listing William Nash photographs:

http://www.lnw1.demon.co.uk/nash.htm

Narrow Gauge and Industrial:

http://www.narrowgaugeandindustrial.com/index.htm

Mike Morant has uploaded another 30 archive images to Fotopic from his collection:

http://gallery62603.fotopic.net/c488994.html

"Dunstable Dasher" has updated his fotopic gallery and is hoping for some help with the unknown locations at the start of the collection:

http://gallery5171.fotopic.net/c465097.html

Barry Emmott has produced a Majorca Railways newsletter consisting almost entirely of photos from Toni Sanchis:

http://mysite.freeserve.com/MajorcaRailways/newsletter.htm

Ralph Rawlinson writes...

Members of the group who have an interest in railway tunnels generally but are not members of the Branch Line Society may wish to be updated on two that are currently under construction or planned in Switzerland.

The following items appear in the International section of the current edition of Branch Line News.

Gotthard Base Tunnel Work on what will be, when finished, the world's longest tunnel at 57km (35 miles), is proceeding around the clock at all of the construction sites. Of the total of 153.5km of tunnels, shafts and passages, as at March 24th 2005, 66km or more than 43% had already been excavated. The tunnel is expected to be opened to traffic in 2011. The current total estimated cost of the construction is CHF 7,634 million (£3.520m). Total planning and construction time will be approximately 25 years.

Zimmerberg base tunnel, Zurich It is reported that construction is scheduled to commence in 2006.

Simply oodles of Australian links...

150 years of New South Wales rail transport: http://www.railcorp.info/150years

3801 Tours, New South Wales: http://www.3801limited.com.au

Illawarra Light Railway Museum, New South Wales: http://www.gghome.com/ILRMS

Junee Roundhouse, New South Wales: http://www.rhta-junee.org.au

Katoomba Scenic Railway, New South Wales: http://www.scenicworld.com.au

Richmond Vale Railway Museum, New South Wales: http://www.richmondvalerailwaymuseum.org

Sydney Live Steam Locomotive Society, New South Wales: http://www.slsls.asn.au

Sydney Tramway Museum, New South Wales: http://www.sydneytramwaymuseum.com.au

Puffing Billy, Victoria: http://www.puffingbilly.com.au

Walhalla Goldfields Railway, Victoria: http://www.walhallarail.com

Australian Model Railway Association: http://www.amra.asn.au/

Australian Model Railway Association, New South Wales Branch: http://www.amransw.asn.au

Australian Model Railway Association, Queensland Branch: http://www.amra.asn.au/qld.htm

Australian Model Railway Association, Victorian Branch: http://www.amra.asn.au/vic.htm

Australian Model Railway Association, Western Australian Branch: http://www.amra.asn.au/wa/index.html

Australian Railway Historical Society, ACT Division: http://www.arhsact.org.au/index.php

Australian Railway Historical Society, New South Wales Division: http://www.arhsnsw.com.au/portal.htm

Australian Railway Historical Society, Queensland Division: http://www.arhs-qld.org.au/

Australian Railway Historical Society, South Australian Division: http://217.29.195.116:555/default.asp

Australian Railway Historical Society, Tasmanian Division: http://www.railtasmania.com/

Australian Railway Historical Society, Victorian Division: http://www.arhsvic.org.au/

Australian Railway Historical Society, Western Australian Division: http://members.iinet.net.au/%7eramjet1/arhs/

British Railway Modellers of Australia: http://www.gppsoftware.com/sitenet/brma/

Railtrails Australia: http://www.railtrails.org.au

And finally... from Renaud (Ron) Olgiati...

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I do apologise for the delay to your service. I know you're all dying to get home, unless, of course, you happen to be married to my ex-wife, in which case you'll want to cross over to the Westbound and go in the opposite direction."

IN THE NEWS

Rally for rail renationalisation: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4449201.stm

Rail retraining for Rover workers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4467397.stm

Bristol rail terminal "to cut pollution": http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bristol/4463133.stm

Bowes Railway in cash crisis: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/4432563.stm

Rail service cuts "a good idea": http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4464597.stm

Strike threat over rail cuts plan: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4468855.stm

Action threat over rail service cuts: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4466769.stm

Talks on moving timber by rail: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/4466135.stm

"No time" for Hatfield inspection: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4460963.stm

Glasgow subway dispute: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4463155.stm

Greens "£30Bn transport pledge": http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/england/4469571.stm

Wildlife of rail network promoted: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4458375.stm

Continental rail travel "cheaper": http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4469635.stm

New charges for tram "joyrider": http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4467563.stm

India's antiquated railways: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1051068.stm

Trains collide in western India: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4467447.stm

TV and Radio

Events

See Mainline Steam Tours page for up-to-date info on many of these tours, and others, often with timings.