HPMRS RAILDATE 04 Aug 06

News

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

BOOK NEWS

Steam on Southern Metals by George Marsh and Michael Webb A limited edition of 500 copies only, A5-size

In this sequel to his acclaimed volume, "Steam on Scottish Metals", photographer George Marsh turns his lens to Southern routes. George takes us on a decidedly steamy tour down the South Western main line from Waterloo to Weymouth, then from Salisbury to Exeter and points west, and finally the Somerset & Dorset and the Isle of Wight.

This collection of more than 120 previously unseen images is an ideal introduction to the work of this important, but lesser known, chronicler of the age of steam.

http://britishrailwaybooks.co.uk/buggleskelly.html

Kevin Robertson has other books by this publisher, and I'm sure will be happy to supply this one too:

http://www.kevinrobertsonbooks.co.uk/

NETWATCH

An interesting feature on the Cuban 'class 47s', spotted by Nick Wheat:

http://www.class47.co.uk/c47_feature_423.php

Also highly recommended by Nick:

http://c37dl.community.fotopic.net/gallery/dave-higson.fotopic.net/

Steve McNally has added several class 25s and a class 40 to his BR blue collection from the 1980s:

http://steve-mcnally.fotopic.net/c911571.html

A fotopic collection from Andy Armitage:

http://gallery35291.fotopic.net/

And another from Bill Watson:

http://monkeysnaps3.fotopic.net/

Tim Moon has a monthly programme called "Transported" that goes out on BCB Radio, a non-commercial community radio station in the Bradford area. However, you don't have to live there to listen in, as you can tune in via the Web:

http://www.bcb.yorks.com

The programme is transmitted on every 4th Wednesday at 6.30pm, and is repeated on the following Thursday at 1.30pm. The next programme (on 23rd/24th August) will feature a 'in cab' interview with a Worth Valley driver about working in a metal box with a big fire when it's 90 degrees outside. There is also a bit of cab travel included (it's in Ivatt tank 41241, by the way).

Past programmes have included a footplate trip on a Jinty, and a number of preserved railway and steam special front window recordings (narration and sound). The July programme had someone from Northern Trains talking about the Settle-Carlisle line. Tim tries to cover other transport as well, has featured canal trips, the launch of the Leeds and Bradford to Newquay air service (home to Cornwall in less time than it normally takes Tim to reach the M6!) and assorted buses and traction engines.

I will try to remember to include reminders in our TV and Radio section in future weeks...

The Somerset & Dorset Heritage Railway Trust at Midsomer Norton station is to extend its running line, subject to obtaining the necessary planning permission, from its present 1000 feet to almost half-a-mile. The required track panels have been obtained from Wootten Bassett after Network Rail lifted and relaid the up goods loop recently. Pictures of the track being recovered can be viewed at:

http://nickhowes-sdjr-midsomer-norton.fotopic.net/c1032420.html

The August 2006 issue of "West Somerset Express" (Issue 49) the unofficial online newsletter of the West Somerset Railway ecellently put together by Steve Huddy is available here:

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

In a new initiative to increase the attractions of Exmoor three "heritage" railways are joining forces in a joint marketing and ticketing venture for 2006. The three railways concerned are the West Somerset Railway, the water-powered Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway, and the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

Tickets are priced at £16.00 for adults and senior citizens and £8 for children aged 5 to 15 (giving some reductions over the tickets for the railways if purchased individually). They can be bought from the railways' booking offices or in advance from West Somerset Railway (Commercial), The Railway Station, Minehead, TA24 5BG from whom leaflets giving fuller details can also be obtained.

http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/

http://lynton-rail.co.uk

http://www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk

Mark Annand has created a temporary web site with 21 images of the remains of Trawscoed station and its environs on the evening of 29th July in unfavourable light. There's a small amount of chocolate and cream visible in places:

http://users.bathspa.ac.uk/annm1/trawscoed/

The Ystwyth trail's web site has movie clips from the line (extracts from film available on a DVD from Wolverton Rail):

http://www.ystwythtrail.org.uk/

The Bulleid Double Decker Society is restoring DMBS13004 from set 4002 at the Northampton Ironstone Railway:

http://members.tripod.com/~dart75/bdds.htm

A new discussion group has been started called Signal Watch. It seeks to monitor the present situation of new signal contracts and their introduction, and the closure of existing signal boxes. It covers the whole of the United Kingdom and all of Ireland. The Group will not have any model railway content (a point made quite strongly on the home page, but presumably model railway enthusiasts are not actually banned...!)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SignalWatch/

Two discussion groups exist relating to lost lines:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Britains_Lost_Railways/

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bygone_Lines_UK/

I am assured that although they cover similar themes, they are not in competition with each other.

The GWR4mm group has changed its name to become GWR Finescale Modelling:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GWRFinescaleModelling

Ralph Rawlinson spotted these in several railway periodicals, but principally "Railway Magazine"...

Record attempt On 22 September VIRGIN Trains is to make an official attempt at breaking the record for the fastest journey ever from Glasgow to London on the West Coast Main Line - and, in an exciting, exclusive and unprecedented development, readers of "Railway Magazine" are to be allowed on board!

This once-in-a-lifetime venture will feature a hand-picked, specially- prepared 'Pendolino', which will attempt to run non-stop from Glasgow to Euston in under four hours.

If it achieves: 3 hours 59 minutes, it will become the first train ever to run southbound between the capital cities in under four hours.

3 hrs 58 minutes, it will establish a new West Coast record by setting an average speed of more than 100mph for the full 401-mile route.

3hrs 52 minutes, it will break the all-time West Coast record, which was set by British Rail's Advanced Passenger Train (on a northbound run) in 1982!

Credit card are bookings now open, and the cost, with proceeds to Virgin Trains nominated charity is £59.99 second class, £99.99 first class.

No discounts, not even for "Railway Magazine" staff - they pay full price. Virgin Trains staff on board, will be volunteers for the day.

Test track de-electrified Although there had been hopes that a consortium could take it over as a going concern, de-electrification of the Old Dalby test track, Leics, was set to begin in August. The track - the only such highspeed facility in Britain - has had millions of pounds spent on it by Alstom Transport in recent years in order to bring it up to the standard required for testing Pendolino EMUs but all the facilities are now to be ripped out.

MP leads fight to save National Rail Timetable A Parliamentary battle to save the National Rail Timetable is gathering pace, thanks to the efforts of Halifax MP Linda Riordan. The Labour MP has received a stream of emails and letters of support from all over the country after introducing an Early Day Motion in the Commons on June 28.

The motion states: "This House notes with regret the decision by Network Rail to scrap the printed copy of the National Rail Timetable from 2007 and further notes that a national rail timetable covering every service in the country has been printed since the Bradshaw's timetable was introduced in 1839. "We call for this short-sighted decision to be reversed so that the much-needed and much-used national timetable can continue in its current printed form for many years, to the benefit of both rail passengers and staff."

The NRT has a circulation of 23,000 copies - 12,000 sold to travellers and 11,000 made available to the industry. Thomas Cook says it remains 100 per cent committed to the publication of its own printed timetables, which include an overview of UK services as well as those abroad.

Dover to get 'Javelin' trains The Hitachi Class 395 'Javelin' EMUs will serve Dover, it has been confirmed by Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman. Because of limited clearance in Shakespeare Tunnel, there had been concerns whether the 140mph trains could run between Folkestone and Dover, but Network Rail has agreed to fund the necessary improvements that will improve emergency egress arrangements and thus enable the trains to run through. Dover commuters had been on the verge of being Kent's poor relatives but will now benefit from a 70-minute service to St Pancras over the Channel Tunnel Rail Link - a 40-minute improvement on current services to the capital.

IN THE NEWS

Station "adoptions" hits 100 mark: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/5224046.stm

Work to relieve rail bottleneck: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/staffordshire/5240490.stm Video: http://tinyurl.com/zcb4x

Fire danger steam trains halted: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5234212.stm

Helicopter to beat train vandals: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/5239936.stm

Passengers led off burning train: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/5240328.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.