HPMRS RAILDATE 23 Sep 05

News

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

NETWATCH

Pictures of the recent damage to "Green Arrow" rumoured to have been due to the shearing of one of the bolts holding the big-end bearing together:

http://rileysontour.fotopic.net/c671113.html

(The main site is also worth a look: http://rileysontour.fotopic.net/ )

Photos showing the disassembled damaged parts:

http://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13

You can subscribe to the Dean Forest Express newsletter at:

http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/maillist.html

Among the articles this month is news of Parkend Station, where an inspection by Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate is planned for October.

The railway has had a welcome increase in passengers this year and looks forward to the trend continuing for the remainder of the year. Trains operate every Sunday until the end of October (also Wednesdays and Saturdays until the end of September) with an enhanced programme during school half term week on October 22/23/26/29/30.

Much detail can also be found on the DFR website:

http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk

The Southern Railway Photo Net:

http://www.southernrailway.net/

Southern Railway Email Group:

http://www.semg.org.uk/

If you have broadband (or patience) a subscripton to the UKTrainsim file library also gives you access to about 100 free Microsoft Train Simulator routes (recently the Lyme Regis branch was added) and many thousands of rolling stock items.

Trainz has a free library at

http://www.auran.com

Paul Gausden has been steadily building up a set of SR/SECR and KESR models for simulators over the past few years:

http://www31.brinkster.com/decapod

for Microsoft Train Simulator and Trainz models

http://www.highworth.freeuk.com/mstsother.htm

for a few SR Microsoft Train Simulator models.

Kuju Software's site for their forthcoming Train Simulator (a successor to Microsoft Train Simulator)features the Somerset and Dorset as its primary UK rail route:

http://www.railsimulator.com/

And the Black Five is here:

http://www.railsimulator.com/black_five.htm

Mike Morant would like to know the location of this shot. I feel sure it must be round here somewhere - can anyone help with it? Note that Mike has had plenty of suggestions, so would prefer to not be flooded with "could bes" or "might bes". If you definitely know the answer, do lethim know.

http://gallery62603.fotopic.net/c693564.html

Humberside from the air:

http://tlfe.org.uk/air/

Ralph Rawlinson's International News:

Austria It is reported that a third railway line between Salzburg and the German border costing €175M will be completed by 2009. The project will include four new stations, a bridge and several underpasses. The first station directly next to Salzburg football stadium should be completed in time for the European Football Championships in 2008.

France/Spain It is understood that construction has commenced on the cross-border tunnel between Perpignan and Figueiras. The 5¼ mile tunnel will have two tubes and represents one of the most important segments of the future mixed TGV/freight transport line between Perpignan and Barcelona. When completed in 2009 jouney time between Paris and Barcelona will be reduced to nine hours. (Or as Ralph points out, St Pancras to Barcelona by Eurostar in 12 hours? And as Neil Ferguson-Lee of WyvernRail would no doubt say, Wirksworth to Barcelona in 15 hours??)

Russia/Ukraine On 1st August, a new high speed service started between Moscow and Kiev cutting the journey time between these two cities from 12 to 9½ hours. Two 15 coach trains (one Russian, one Ukranian) will run between the two capitals at an average speed of 87mph stopping only for border and customs control.

Bus company fleet lists that are constantly updated with new arrivals:

http://www.woolybus.net/

Details of all known existing examples of Bristol Lodekka, LH and VR buses - still at work or after disposal can be found here:

http://www.bvres.freeserve.co.uk/index.html

IN THE NEWS

Stations in line for £4bn upgrade: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4267566.stm

Punctual trains mean higher fares: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4260664.stm

More uncertainty at Crewe Works: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/4269398.stm

Tube bosses check trains brakes: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4267158.stm

Church blessing for rail landmark: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/4255332.stm

House with garden railway for sale: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/4273468.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.