HPMRS RAILDATE 04 Nov 05

News

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

MORE TRAVELS WITH LAWRENCE AND MELISSA

The Soller Tram and Railway in Mallorca - Part 3 of 3 - The Railway

Soller station has a relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere; on a gentle curve, the metre gauge tracks are separated by trees, there is a good cafe, and the electric motorcoaches and trailers are largely in well-cared-for mahogany and polished brass. The journey begins with a curve through the depot and a climb to the north. The route then doubles back on itself, still climbing, till it enters the main tunnel high above Soller to burrow through the mountains. On the other side, it's downhill to Bunyola, where some interesting passengers await the train, then onwards through milder country to an unnamed station that I dubbed "Palma Parkway", as it is where coaches wait for excursionists rather than face the traffic of the capital. This short piece can't adequately cover the beauty of the scenery, the warmth of the Mallorquin welcome, nor the linguistic skill and knowledge of true Mallorquin tourist guides, but to experience those you have to go there. We shall certainly repeat our visit...

Pictures at: http://www.lchanney.plus.com/Photos/Mallorca/Tramontana/sollerrailway.html

Official tren de Soller website (in Spanish): http://trendesoller.com/

Barry Emmott's Majorcan Railways site: http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/MajorcaRailways

Map at: http://www.lchanney.plus.com/Photos/Mallorca/Tramontana/Tramontana.jpg

As it happens, Lawrence and Melissa have recently been in Herefordshire and Gloucestershire (it's a hard life when you're retired) and spotted this at a farm shop just west of Gloucester. Lawrence wonders whether they really have to make trains out of straw these days!

http://www.lchanney.plus.com/Photos/HHH20051031/At%20Over%20Farm%20Market.html

NETWATCH

Issue 40 (November 2005) of West Somerset Express, the unofficial online newsletter of the West Somerset Railway is now available from the West Somerset Express homepage:

http://trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/westsomersetexpress.htm

The November 2005 edition of Model Railways On-Line magazine is now available at:

http://mrol.gppsoftware.com

Sadly, this is the last edition of the magazine, due to a shortage of material from contributors. It's a great shame - this was a laudible attempt at a quality online modelling magazine, and I know several RAILDATE readers downloaded it - indeed honorary HPMRS member Larry Schwartz had a creditable stab at the last puzzle picture competition.

The MROL website will remain online for the time being but will probably close down towards the end of the year. Some of the services available on the website, for example, the large database of model railway related information, can already be accessed through the website of the British Railway Modellers of Australia at:

http://www.brma.asn.au

Another online journal - ASLEF's Locomotive Journal:

http://www.aslef.org.uk/C2B/document_tree/ViewACategory.asp?CategoryID=19

Cornwall Railway Modellers' Website:

http://quicksitebuilder.cnet.com/rmrc/cornwallrailwaymodelerswebsite/

Some "arty" photographs of slam-door stock:

http://www.maxinebeuret.com/pages/page13.html

Brick, tile and other textures that modellers might find useful:

http://amazingtextures.com/textures/index.php

Thanks to Brian Hall for spotting this site devoted to passenger train services over unusual lines:

http://www.psul4all.free-online.co.uk/intro.htm

Last week it was reported that the project that began over three years ago to catalogue the National Railway Museum library's collection of books and has finished. All 15,000 books and 800 serial titles are fully searchable on the library's catalogue:

http://libcat0.york.ac.uk/F/?func=file&file_name=find-k&local_base=nrm

However, Niall Fergusson points out that, if go to the website, you'll discover that the library is closing for refurbishment in January until further notice!

Nick Wheat advises that if you are interested in seeing and photographing what he believes to be the first Class 40 hauled passenger service along the Dore & Chinley and Erewash Valley lines for 20 years, the following times are from the Class 40 email list (subject to change, late/early running, etc, etc...)

Saturday 5th November 2005 - 1Z40 0630 Liverpool-Euston STOCKPORT 0756 0758 EDGLEYNO1 PASS 0759 CHINLEYNJ PASS 0816 EARLESSB PASS 0825 TOTLEYTUN PASS 0837 DOREWESTJ PASS 0839 CHESTRFLD PASS 0847 CLAYXSTHJ PASS 0851 ALFETON PASS 0857 LANGLEYML PASS 0903 TOTONCEN PASS 0912 TRENT PASS 0918

On the same day, a Weymouth - Nottingham football charter will run topped and tailed by Class 47s. The Weymouth departure time is 0710 with a stop at Dorchester. Routing details, thereafter, are not known.

Two sites with some very nice photos of Maltese buses:

http://geocities.com/MotorCity/Garage/8926/html/malta.html

http://www.jsh1949.co.uk/jsh1949/MALTA%20BUS%20HOME%20PAGE.htm

And finally, congratulations to the Friends of Cromford Canal who, on 29th October, brought a horse-drawn boat to the canal for the first time in 30 years.

http://www.cromfordcanal.org.uk/

IN THE NEWS

SouthWest Trains to offer £1 tickets: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4394068.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4402216.stm

Steam railways against drinks ban: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/4395804.stm

Services affected by rail arson: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4405926.stm

Battle to save seaside special: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lincolnshire/4395616.stm

Tube trains pass more red lights: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4392078.stm

Door inspections on Tube trains: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4397136.stm

MerseyRail disruption continues: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4392888.stm

Indian railway crash: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4389818.stm

China could privatise railways: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4395070.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.