HPMRS RAILDATE 14 Jul 06

News

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

NETWATCH

First we had fictitious liveries, now we have fictitious locos - a very well executed site:

http://fictitiousliveries.fotopic.net/c928870.html

The Bluebell Railway has announced that, following lengthy negotiations with Network Rail, it has now taken ownership of the land required to build its new terminus at East Grinstead on its northern extension. As well as a most significant development in itself, this represents a significant landmark on the the way to completing the pre-conditions for launching the share issue to help fund the completion of the extension. Further details are available at:

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/ext/extprog.html

A group is fighting to bring back passengers to the Don Valley line:

http://www.donvalleyrailway.org

Recently, Paul Metcalf was at Deepcar and noted that it was very overgrown:

http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/4960/dcstation18yt.jpg

http://img398.imageshack.us/img398/6052/dcstation26vj.jpg

Some interesting pictures of the last 502 EMU, the 307 car and the class 310s:

http://kmr3061.fotopic.net/c631846.html

Great pictures of Westhouses and surrounding branches:

http://stevecooke.fotopic.net/

Steve McNally has just passed 500 photos on his site. New are some shots of the DMU workings out of Manchester in their last year (2002) and the rest of his shots from Clapham Junction recently:

http://steve-mcnally.fotopic.net/c921261.html

Industrial Railway Society Group Hunslet 0-6-0ST 1873/1937 "Jessie" has arrived at the Foxfield Railway for the Steam Gala taking place this weekend, 15th & 16th July. For a picture of "Jessie" at Caverswall Road station, see the railway's stocklist website at:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/foxfield/

and click on the link under Latest.

For details of the Steam Gala click on Events at the Foxfield Steam Railway website:

http://www.foxfieldrailway.co.uk/

Neil Kearns advises that 34067 "Tangmere" failed on the return VSOE from Bristol on the evening of 12th July. It was detached at Acton ML and the train was hauled forward by 67005 which was booked to hauled the ECS out of Victoria. 34067 will probably be moved by road to Bury for repair.

From Richard Buckby...

At last the BBC have released Sir John Betjeman's famous TV programme Metro-Land on DVD. It can be ordered from various outlets - Richard used

http://www.ddhe.co.uk/p2_D23284_MetroLand.htm

who are charging £14.99 (of course just after doing that he found that play.com have it cheaper!) However, although all sites quote that it will not be released until 24th July, Richard's has already arrived!

The details are:

Format: DVD Running Time: 1 hr 3 mins Region: 2 No. of Units: 1 disc Release Date: 24/07/2006 Subtitles for HOH: YES

Includes extra footage showing: The Metropolitan Line extension to Stanmore, 1932 The 1946 crash at Northwood The Metropolitan Line Centenary Parade at Neasden, 1963 The last working steam train on the line, 1971 The 1999 and 2000 Steam on the Met events The centenary of the Uxbridge Branch, 2004 24 page illustrated booklet written by the programme's producer

As Richard says - a nice bit of nostalgia!

Railtrail have built up a very successful business organising holidays by rail:

http://www.railtrail.co.uk

IN THE NEWS

GNER in court over rival operator: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5167570.stm

Hoylake station reopens: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/5170436.stm

Trains to return to Shropshire line: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/5172542.stm

Rail link for Stonehenge: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/5167584.stm

Tube bosses to sue train builders: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/5177068.stm

Signallers set to strike: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5173954.stm

Mumbai train attacks: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/south_asia/2006/mumbai_train_attacks/default.stm

Mumbai's valued railway lifeline: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5170230.stm

Bangladesh train crash: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5167888.stm

Derailment blocks Chicago Metro: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5171260.stm

Darjeeling Railway's 125th birthday: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/5155186.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.