HPMRS RAILDATE 16 Dec 05

News

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

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our Readers!!! * * * * * * A real bumper issue this week to carry you over the festive season * * * * * * The next issue will appear on 6th January * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BOOK NEWS

A seasonal eminder that I offer members 20% off all books on the Kestrel Railway Books website: http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk

NETWATCH

Paul Bartletts wagon fotopic site update...

"SR Brake vans" (C#789920) - 94 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c789920.html

BR Weltrol WBB Diag 2/735" (C#782838) - 4 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c782838.html

"ASW Black Adder scrap wagons POA" (C#777680) - 35 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c777680.html

"LMS Tube wagons" (C#775508) - 26 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c775508.html

"GWR Open C and GW/BR Tube diag 1/446" (C#774614) - 14 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c774614.html

"BR Tube wagons - BR design diag 1/448" (C#770302) - 121 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c770302.html

"BR Tube wagons - LMS design" (C#760115) - 17 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c760115.html

"BR Tube wagons - LNER design" (C#759148) - 58 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c759148.html

"BR Weltrol EJC" (C#751041) - 45 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c751041.html

"On track plant, large cranes etc. after 1980" (C#750298) - 4 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c750298.html

"DR82201 = DB901202 YXW Viaduct inspection unit" (C#749297) - 17 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c749297.html

"BR Vanwides - vacuum brake" (C#732904) - 59 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c732904.html

"BP exSMBP Bitumen tanks BPO61660 -691" (C#727372) - 32 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c727372.html

"LMS 3 plank medium open" (C#725403) - 89 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c725403.html

"BR Meat vans" (C#716425) - 11 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c716425.html

"Transfesa Spanish 4 wheel fruit vans of 1984" (C#714632) - 10 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c714632.html

"On track plant, large cranes etc. upto 1980" (C#712394) 79 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c712394.html

"BBA , BXA and BWA steel carriers" (C#703706) - 120 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c703706.html

"Gunpowder vans - pre-nationalisation 1970s-90s" (C#634655) - 3 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c634655.html

"SR Railway wagons - general" (C#77779) - 3 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/show_collection.php?id=77779

"BR Gane A" (C#373918) - 1 photograph: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c373918.html

Some excellent pictures of lost railways at Clifford Occomore's site:

http://www.Cliffspictures.RailwayRemains.photoshare.co.nz

Mike Morant has uploaded a new rail archive for the festive season:

http://gallery62603.fotopic.net/c792438.html

An interesting site based around the Channel 4 programme "The Worst Jobs in History". The Victorian section includes a piece about the lot of a Great Western Railway loco cleaner:

http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/W/worstjobs/victorian.html

Richard Buckby has foud a site that reveals Network Rail's plans for track work and possessions in the London North Eastern area for the coming year. No doubt if you dig around on this site, you might find similar statements for other areas. This is quite a large PDF document so might take a while to download.

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/operations/networkstatement/rules_route/Outrotr6/70LNE06.pdf

Richard has also been following some discussion on the uk.railway newsgroup regarding Google Earth:

One user wrote that:

There's a great slice of new aerial photos of Yorkshire. Excellent for investigating a swathe of railways both in use and not so in use ... the Great Northern line to Keighley is particularly entertaining. However, go to 53 53 24 80 N and 1 55 48 90 W - or alternatively find Keighley and set off in the direction of Skipton, and you'll come to a loco and 17 wagons. Then a gap. Then 12 wagons. It's either an optical illusion or the rear portion is derailed and fouling the opposite line ... which if so must date the photography fairly closely.

Another observed:

GoogleEarth is brilliant! If this is what ordinary morals are able to view, I'd love to know what the military can see. All 12 of those wagons look to be derailed. There's another 4-coach train at 53 52 02 34N; 1 53 57 35W.

http://earth.google.com/

St John's (Mickleover) Model Railway Group:

http://www.mmrg.org.uk/

An excellent review of "See Britain By Train", the latest release of BTF films from the British Film Institute:

http://dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=59490

England's trams and light railways:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/4514370.stm

Nick Wheat advises that Discovery Wings (a TV channel usually dedicated to aircraft interest) has started to pad out its output with wider transport- related material. "Chris Barrie's Massive Machines" has been on, amongst others, but more relevant to us is "Mark Williams on the Rails" which is on at the moment. "Coltrane's Planes and Automobiles" and further episodes from "Trains with Pete Waterman" are on at the weekend with "Ultimate Trains" on next Wednesday. Listings:

http://discoverywings.co.uk/_listings/

Nick also found this clip of a French DMU:

http://videorail.free.fr/X2879%2BX2870.wmv

Ralph Rawlinson's round-up of world railway news:

South Korea: Seoul - Brusan It is understood that construction work on the remaining 118 km (73 miles) section of the new high speed line between Daegu and Busan has recommenced following a three month break during which a study was jointly conducted with protesters who said the project to cut through a mountain near Busan would destroy the region's eco-system. The 13.2km (8¼ mile) tunnel was being built through Mount Cheonseong with the complete line being scheduled for completion in 2010.

Spain: Valencia - Gandia The local government has approved funding for the building of an extension of the Valencia-Gandia line through to Denia, approximately 25 miles. When completed it should be possible to travel by RENFE through to Denia, where a change can be made onto the metre gauge FGV which will take you on to Alicante where, with another change, one can rejoin the RENFE network. FGV (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana) operates trains on the 92km (57mile) non-electrified line between Denia and Alicante. The 14km (8¾ miles) between Alacant-La Marina and El Campello have, however, been doubled and electrified at 750V as the first phase for a tram-train project.

Portugal plans a fast link to Spain http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4524928.stmi

Tunisia Intending travellers be warned. It is reported that from 1 November 2005, police can arrest anyone who takes photographs from SNCFT trains or stations. Even holders with photo permits can now be arrested. Authorisation must now be obtained personally at the SNCFT offices in Tunis. It can take several days before such a permit is issued!

IN THE NEWS

New timetables: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/4516462.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/4517144.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4518380.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4519076.stm

Ralph Rawlinson reports that the major change in the new timetable (commencing 11th December) is on the WCML due to the speed-up north of Preston following the introduction of tilting trains to the whole route. Some Euston-Glasgow trains take exactly five hours with, ten intermediate stops! With four stops, it takes 4hr 39min, and with only two stops, a record-breaking 4hr 25min. Best start-to-stop timings are Euston-Preston in 2hr lOmin (209miles = 96.4mph), Preston-Carlisle in 59min (90miles = 91.6mph), and Carlisle-Glasgow Central in 68min (102¼miles = 90.2mph), all of which, given the gradients and curvature, are quite extraordinary. As this includes recovery time, some two-hour London-Preston journeys (104.5mph) are expected! All named trains are once again abolished, although the train that achieves the fastest timings (Euston-Preston- Glasgow) is obviously what we know as the Royal Scot: 10.19 ex-Euston and 9.49 ex-Glasgow. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4518282.stm

Arriva Trains Wales has launched its new two hourly direct rail service linking Holyhead and Cardiff. The new "standard pattern" service provides 78 direct services a week. All services on the new route travel via Wrexham and a Business Class service will be introduced from 2006. The new Cross-Wales rail service is one of several improvements being made to services from the start of the new timetable period. For travellers in and around Wales, this will mean an additional 950 services a week, with extra seating capacity on some of the busiest peak-hour trains. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4519436.stm

London-Cornwall sleeper retained: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/4523794.stm

Train damaged after object thrown: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/4527058.stm

Are trams at the end of the road: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4527250.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.