HPMRS RAILDATE 01 Dec 06

News

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

NICK WHEAT'S VIDEO WATCH

A company called Fastline Films has just released its first pair of DVDs, containing five British Transport Films made for staff training purposes. They have also added other films (mostly BTF), in what they are calling "historical bonuses", to widen their appeal. None of them is to be released by BFI in their current releases of BTF films and only "Safety on the Track" has been previously released.

The main purpose is to make the training films available in a convenient form for those who operate the equipment today, 50+ years after they were made. And so the principal market will, they hope, be operators of preserved railways.

The first pair of DVDs concern mechanical signalling and level crossings due to support from the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers. This was important because while digital remastering is not cheap, the potential market (they suspect) is relatively small.

Two more pairs of DVDs are planned, both concerning permanent way, with the first pair concentrating on plain line and the second pair on switch and crossing work. Between them, with the historical bonuses, they will use a total of thirteen further BTF films. It is expected that the first of these will appear fairly early in the new year, but they need a good response from the signalling/level crossing pair before they can proceed.

These are available from the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers, 4th Floor, 1 Birdcage Walk, Westminster, SW1H 9JJ.

The cost is relatively high at £30 per set for non IRSE members (£25 to members) inclusive of p&p but as there is a fairly limited market, it was the only way of making the DVDs commercially viable. The IRSE accept credit card payment.

Fastline Films is a company owned by Richard Hall and Andrew Dow that specialises in collecting and remastering historic films of railway engineering specifically for the heritage railway operator

The Mechanical Signalling and Level Crossings DVD (ref: FF01) contains the following.

DVD 1

Layout of Signal Connections (BTF 1955) Maintenance of Signals and Connections (BTF 1955)

Historic Bonus Right Down the Line (STC 1962)

DVD2

Level Crossing Gates (BTF 1956) Part 1 General Part 2 Mechanisms Part 3 Maintenance

Historic Bonus Walton Street Crossing (BR NER 1962) Safety on the Track (BTF 1951)

NETWATCH

Westinghouse Brake & Saxby Signal Co Ltd miniature power lever frames: http://www.wbsframe.mste.co.uk/newsite/index.htm

The SEmG 2007 Calendar is now available to download from the SeMG website. In both HTML and PDF formats, it may be accessed directly from: http://www.semg.org.uk/calendar/2007/calendar.html

"Two Tunnels" shared path on the trackbed of the Somerset & Dorset: http://www.twotunnels.org.uk/

The latest edition of the unofficial online newsletter of the West Somerset Railway, "West Somerset Express" is now available: http://trainsferriesbuses.co.uk/westsomersetexpress.htm

Mike Morant has recently uploaded a new collection to Fotopic including the frontage of Bournemouth West in 1962: http://gallery62603.fotopic.net/c1144161.html

Mike has also set up a collection of images of German railway subjects: http://gallery62603.fotopic.net/c1090488.html

Steve McNally's photos of 458s and other modern 444/450 stock: http://steve-mcnally.fotopic.net/c1079945_25.html

Iain Logan's "Electric Soup" - loads of railway stuff: http://homepages.enterprise.net/iainlogan/

Airdrie - Bathgate Rail Link Project website: http://www.airdriebathgateraillink.co.uk/plan/

An invitation to sign a petition to request more government support for light rail initiatives. The petition reads:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Invest in light rail schemes across the country. The Audit Commission told the government why the UK fails to implement Light Rail (modern trams), whilst schemes are expanding greatly on the continent. Make it simpler to do, appropriate (less overbearing) safety, and public funding. UK Government just stopped developments for many towns. Buses cannot provide the same transfer of journeys from cars. All large towns and cities should be encouraged to review plans. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/lightrail/

Information on worldwide light rail at: http://www.lrta.org/

Last week, I mentioned that Tom Baldwin had plotted the trackbed of the S&DJR Bath Extension in Windows Live Local (WLL): http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=9A770B99E60A13E1!247

He has now added the three branches: http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=9A770B99E60A13E1!330

Inside the pushpins for the stations you'll see a 'More info...' option that takes you to an 1890 map. (Since the Bridgwater branch did not open until that year it isn't on the maps.)

Colin Duff has posted pictures of Modelzone's new Networker model on the Southern Electric Group website home page: http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/

Plus different pictures in the modelling gallery: http://www.southernelectric.org.uk/modelling/mod4galrtremu.html

A modelshop online that we haven't featured before: http://www.tarvitmodels.com

Apple Green Engines - handbuilt locos aimed at the LNER enthusiast: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/applegreen/

IN THE NEWS

Work begins on signalling centre: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/6179390.stm

OAP travel in Wales: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6180746.stm

St Edmunds naming: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/6190526.stm

Sandite train derailed worked by 2 class 67 locos (67013 & 67011) on the morning of 28/11/2006. Long distance trains were being diverted via Melksham and Swindon, not calling at Newbury. Local services to Bedwyn ran as booked. Service resumed Wednesday 29/11/06: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/6190460.stm

RH&DR level crossing court case: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6157201.stm

Glasgow Airport rail link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6157569.stm

RAIB report on derailment near Nairn: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6195734.stm

Dangerous goods alert in Southampton Maritime Container Terminal. Train involved 2023 MO Leeds - Southampton MCT which arrived 2 hours late due to signalling problems in the Swindon area: http://tinyurl.com/y9oxsa

Closure of RAF Coltishall: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/6158579.stm

Seaplane air-taxi service proposed: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6187102.stm

Spotters - Andy Sollis and Neil Kearns - Thanks!

TV and Radio

Events

See Mainline Steam Tours page for up-to-date info on many of these tours, and others, often with timings.