HPMRS RAILDATE 21 Apr 06

News

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

NETWATCH

Spencer Jackson's railway memories and photographs:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/railwaymemories/

Large scale maps of the Welsh Highland Railway:

http://www.steven.harris.dsl.pipex.com/index.htm

A special issue of "West Somerset Express" to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the line's reopening is available from the West Somerset Express homepage:

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

This page leads into Network Rail's "Rules of the Plan" and "Rules of the Route". The former gives most of the information and rules necessary for train planners (that is timetablers) to time trains from A to Z on the network. The latter gives the future plans for engineering possessions that should be allowed for in future timetabling.

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/operations/networkstatement/rules_route/Roprhome.pdf

A site with Joe Bartlett's pictures of steam around Eastleigh:

http://tjbartlett.photobook.org.uk/

Nick Wheat spotted the "Modern Traction Photo Group":

http://photos.m-t-p.org.uk

Latest updates to Paul Bartlett's Fotopic site...

BR Light alloy B container (C#921521) - 7 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c921521.html

Gulf Oil 4 wheel tank wagons (C#902479) - 30 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c902479.html

Belgian 40ft flat/Stake wagons (C#900566) - 11 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c900566.html

BR Pig Iron Wagons (C#888438) - 15 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c888438.html

TRL 51954 - 68 Chemical tank rebuilds (C#879652) - 9 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c879652.html

Esso 4-wheel LPG tank wagons (C#878006) - 53 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c878006.html

BR Transformer MC Diag 2/470 FRO (C#874701) - 49 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c874701.html

BR Weltrol MC (C#873078) - 23 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c873078.html

BR Air braked Boplates and conversions (C#872007) - 33 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c872007.html

BR Vacuum brake Boplate and conversions (C#867530) - 78 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c867530.html

BR unfitted Bogie Plate wagons (C#858005) - 81 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c858005.html

86901 and 902 Network Rail (C#864790) - 16 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c864790.html

LNER & BR E Coaching stock (C#850046) - 14 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c850046.html

BR 16t minerals, includes SNCF (C#529418) - 4 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c529418.html

Non passenger carrying coaching stock - on BR mixed (C#21911) - 8 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c21911.html

Iron ore wagons - PO & BR tippler & BR hopper (C#608252) - 12 photographs http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c608252.html

Minilink and Maxilink container (C#825324) - 1 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c825324.html

SR Railway wagons - general (C#77779) - 1 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c77779.html

BR Coil C wagons converted from Pig Iron Wagons - 7 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/show_collection.php?id=26057

ICI Mond Caustic soda tanks (C#210225) - 7 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c210225.html

LNER wagons - a selection on BR pre 1975 (C#21606) - 4 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c21606.html

Cowan Sheldon 6.5 and 10 ton hand cranes on BR (C#88721) - 4 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c88721.html

BR Boplate as Conflat ISO for Coil (C#151690) - 2 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c151690.html

Iron ore wagons - PO & BR tippler & BR hopper (C#608252) - 1 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c608252.html

LMS wagons - a selection pre-nat and on BR (C#21868) - 2 photographs: http://gallery6801.fotopic.net/c21868.html

Dewi Williams' transport web site:

http://dewi.ca/trains/

A useful online resource for modelling bits (they accept Paypal):

http://newcube.net/kk/

Paul Bartlett's Fotopic site for the Ebor Group of Railway Modellers:

http://ebormodelrail.fotopic.net/

An excellent American model railroad site with loads of modelling tips:

http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/

Ralph Rawlinson sends news from around the world on new railways proposed and under construction.

Spain (Tenerife) Further to my previous report, it is the first phase from Santa Cruz to La Laguna, and not the second phase of the tramway that was scheduled to open last month. Delivery of the new trams commenced in November 2005. The second phase, planned to extend the tramway to Tenerife North airport with a branch from Hospital Universitario to La Cuesta, has no proposed opening date and there is some doubt whether construction has in fact commenced on any of these sections.

Israel The high speed line between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, originally scheduled to open in 2008 will not begin operating until 2010. Journey times between the two cities will be cut to 28 minutes. The normal route via Beit Shemesh takes 1½ hours but even this only reopened last year after being closed for seven years due to the poor track conditions and frequent derailments.

Sicily Under consideration is the construction of a high speed line from Catania to Fiumetorto (Palermo). This would follow the existing line from Bicocca up the valley but then follow a direct route. It would link the islands two biggest cities and allow a single train from the mainland to serve both destinations.

China (Harbin - Dalian) Construction of a passenger-only railway linking Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, and Dalian in Liaoning Province will begin this year. The 560 mile long high speed line will run through the central part of the northeast region via Changchun and Shenyang. Journey time will be about 4 hours. When completed in approximately five years time, pressure will then be taken off the existing Harbin to Dalian line, which is one of the busiest in the region.

China (CN6 Shanghai - Hangzhour) Work is also to be started this year on a high speed magnetic levitation line between Shanghai and Hangzou. When completed (scheduled for 2010), trains on the 109-mile line will be able to travel at speeds of up to 280 mph, cutting the journey time from the current two hours to just 30 minutes. This new line will begin in Shanghai's eastern district of Pudong, with trains stopping at the site of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, Shanghai South and Jiaxing. This line will be the world's second commercially operating Maglev system, the first being the line from Shanghai's airports to the financial districts of the City.

You want roads? You got roads...

http://www.cbrd.co.uk/

Various Yorkshire bus websites:

http://woollen797.fotopic.net/

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/avtc

http://airevalleytransportgroup.fotopic.net/

http://www.wyts.org/

At the time of the Asian tsunami, a plea was made to UK bus and coach operators to donate surplus vehicles to be transported to the area to help with the relief effort. Photos of some of the donated vehicles are at:

http://www.asiabusresponse.co.uk/

Nice photos of Australian buses in the pictures area at:

http://groups.msn.com/BUSRIDERS/

IN THE NEWS

Possible reopening of Bicester Town-Verney Junction-Aylesbury http://www.aylesburytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=789&ArticleID=1435065

Rail machine crashes into bridge: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4917734.stm

Burst main hits town and railway: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/4921684.stm

Electrical blast damages bridge: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4924708.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4925596.stm

Train stranded in Mersey Tunnel: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4923356.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.