RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society: http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
Next Sunday, 4th February - quote from Network Rail source:
Don't miss this week's Top Gear...
All eyes will be on BBC2's Top Gear this Sunday (4th February) to see what happens when a high-speed train hits a stationary car on a level crossing. The high-impact stunt, filmed last August and made possible by us, supports our "Level crossings: don't run the risk" public information campaign. Network Rail teams helped the Top Gear production crew to stage the crash at Hibaldstow level crossing in Lincolnshire. Over three months our people assessed the risk, prepared the site and locomotive, protected the level crossing, organised possessions and mounted the cameras. And their hard worked paid off when the 107-tonne train crashed into the stationary car on the crossing at almost 70mph. To find out exactly what happened make sure you watch BBC2 on Sunday at 8.00pm - you'll be shocked - Jeremy Clarkson was...!
Press release from Cotswold Rail...
I am delighted to announce the launch of a new business based within Gloucester - The Blue Pullman Train Co Ltd. Adding this most picturesque train to our Cotswold group is one where I believe we are positioned to offer a high quality passenger service, removing weeks of uncertainty regarding its future. The company aims to uphold and retain the traditional train that has been recently experienced by many when operated under FM. Mainline status of the set will be retained under the sponsorship of Gloucester-based rail operator Advenza Freight Ltd, that has its own UK National passenger operators licence. Richard Clark, Advenza Freight Head Of Commercial said, "It is fantastic news that the Blue Pullman has followed me to Advenza and its place in railway history maintained", he continued "I am absolutely passionate about this train, every time it enters service people are impressed with its style, panache and quality. The X factor of charter sets." The train can be booked for any purpose including Corporate events. Charters will also be run by Advenza's sister company, Heartland Rail using this set as a 1st Class full-diner emulating the set's previous use. With the replacement from the set of brake vehicle number 9513 by a more modern example the train will, in the very short future, see the introduction of full disabled facilities. Our new web-site will be launched in the next few days. It is considered that the set will continued to be based at East Ham depot in London for at least the next few weeks. The Blue Pullman Train Co Ltd http://www.cotswoldrail.com http://www.advenza.com
Colin Duff's photos of Tangmere on the Kent Coast Express on 27th January 2007: http://www.duff-family.demon.co.uk/railway/kentcoastexpress.html
For those who like living above their station, Otterham is on the market at £340,000: http://www.kernow-properties.co.uk/mainsite/300plus.htm
Lots of interesting stuff on Tom Jenkins' personal website http://www.tom-jenkins.co.uk/
If you live in the Sutton Scotney area, you might be interested in the Stan Micklewright Railway Club which meets at 7.30pm on the first Wednesday of every month (except July and August). There are discussions, talks, film and slide presentations of trains, planes and boats.
Information about the GWR Abingdon branch and model: http://www.abingdonbranch.co.uk
Last week, I pointed to some mystery photos, and several updates have been made as a result of information received, but there's a lack of unanimity over some! Further ideas/confirmation welcome and thanks to those who've contributed so far! http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk/mystery.htm
Nick Wheat reports that the complete film of the famous nuclear flask crash test, "Operation Smash Hit", has been posted on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17mETJNBvOU
Spotted by Richard Buckby - the Crewe Rail Gateway project: http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/crewerailgateway
Further to last week's piece on the Amman Valley Railway, Ralph Rawlinson tells me that following Neath Port Talbot Council's approval of a new opencast site at East Pit, Gwaun-cae-Gurwen, in 2004, several issues have delayed reopening but these have now been resolved and it is anticipated that outward coal traffic will commence in March 2007. No mentione of this on their website, though: http://ammanvalleyrail.netfirms.com/
Further letter from Iberia...
Since the piece last week, former HPMRS member Ken Lunn writes:
"The website you mentioned (below) confirmed what I'd suspected, that the locos I saw were old class 37s. The high-speed line is pretty much complete near us (Tarragona), with the overhead wires up. Nearer Barcelona, work is still very much in progress, so I doubt if the whole line will be open for some months. L'Arboç is quite near us, but is a small village and wouldn't merit its own station, so I'm not sure what's going on there."
http://www.c58lg.co.uk/html/spain_update__2006.html
Brian Houston has started a Scottish Bus Models website: http://www.scottishmodelbuses.co.uk/
Portsmouth signalling works over-run http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/SWTrains/News/_Portsengineeringworks.htm
New status to boost rail services: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/6320923.stm
Customers see "good" rail service: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6308803.stm
Train firms to adopt Oyster cards: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6316245.stm
Search on for women train drivers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6320225.stm
Sponsorship for Severn Beach branch: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/6302003.stm
Green light for £20m transport hub at Gourock: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6312897.stm
Failure on the "Clockwork Orange" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/6316989.stm
Plans for a new type of tram to replace Blackpool's ageing fleet are on hold after a fire onboard a prototype: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/england/lancashire/6300113.stm
Rail line to reopen after blaze - train involved was the 6X38 2153 MO Washwood Heath Up Sdgs - Bathgate: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6312439.stm
Work has started on the Waverley route rebuild: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6309501.stm
(Spotters: Neil Kearns, Richard Buckby, Nick Wheat, Reg Nerps)
| Discovery's programmes are no longer included, but their daily schedules are here: http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/_listings/ and http://discoverywings.co.uk/_listings/ | ||
| Sun Feb 04 | 2000-2100 | BBC2 'Top Gear' Train hits car on level crossing (see above) |
| Sun Feb 04 | 2000-2100 | BBC4 'The Way We Travelled' A look back at TV travel shows 3/3 |
| Mon Feb 05 | 1915-2000 | Five 'Megastructures' Germany's autobahns |
| Mon Feb 05 | 2000-2100 | Five 'Monster Moves' Moving two churches (God moves...) |
| Wed Feb 07 | 1900-2000 | BBC2 'Top Gear' Train hits car on level crossing (see above) |
| Thu Feb 08 | 2320-2420 | BBC2 'Alchemists of Sound' Story of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop |
| Fri Feb 09 | 2150-2200 | BBC2 'Coast' An Norfolk snippet |
See Mainline Steam Tours page for up-to-date info on many of these tours, and others, often with timings.
| For up-to-date information on many of the tours mentioned in RAILDATE (and others) often with timings, see the Steam Tours pages at: http://www.uksteam.info/index.shtml | ||
| All details are correct to the best of my knowledge. No responsibility is taken for inaccuracies or changes. | ||
| Sat Feb 03 | ? |
Andy Firth Illustrated Talks
Coal Aston Village Hall, Eckington Road, Sheffield 'Dovedale and the Manifold Valley' 1930-2115, Admission: £2.00, refreshments available |
| Sat Feb 03 | 1100-1600 |
National Railway Museum
Demonstration of the former L&YR signalling school layout from Manchester Victoria 1100-1600 |
| Sat Feb 03 - Sun Feb 04 | 1030-1700 |
Alton Model Railway Group Febex 2007
Eggars School, Alton, Hants 1030-1700 both days Free preserved bus service from station and town centre http://altonmrg.co.uk/febex |
| Sat Feb 03 - Sun Feb 04 | 1030-1700(Sat) 1030-1600(Sun) |
Epsom & Ewell MRC Annual '0' Gauge open-weekend
St Francis Church Hall, Ruxley Lane, Ewell 1030-1700 (Sat), 1030-1600 (Sun) http://www.eemrc.org.uk |
| Sat Feb 03 - Sun Feb 04 | 1000-1800(Saturday) |
Stafford Railway Circle - 50th Anniversary Exhibition
The Prestwood and Argyle Suites, Stafford County Showground 1000-1800 (Saturday), 1000-1700(Sunday) http://www.staffordrailwaycircle.org.uk |
| Sat Feb 03 - Sun Feb 04 | ? |
Rochdale Model Railway Exhibition
Oulder Hill Leisure Centre, Hudsons Walk, Rochdale |
| Sun Feb 04 | 1000-1600 |
Romsey Signal Box Open Day
1000-1600
Admission free (donations welcome!) Romsey Infants School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Rd, Romsey Car park in school grounds http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk |
| Mon Feb 05 | 1945 |
West Somerset Railway Association Taunton Group
'British Vintage Steam and GW150' cine films, Terry Nicholls
Great Western Staff Association Club (NE corner, Taunton stn) Starts 1945 http://www.wsra.org.uk |
| Sat Feb 10 | 1000-1700 |
Newbury Model Railway Exhibition
Newbury College, Monks Lane, Newbury 1000-1700 http://www.newburymrc.co.uk/common/home.htm |
| Wed Feb 14 | 1400-1715 |
Institute of Railway Studies & Transport History, York
Dieselization and Modernity Robert Forsythe (Independent Scholar, Morpeth) Expressions of the Timetable Jeff Schramm (University of Missouri-Rolla) To Each Their Own: Dieselization of the Railroads of the United States Light refreshments will be served. 1400-1715 Yorkshire Rail Academy, The Warehouse, NRM, Leeman Road, York http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/irs/ |
| Thu Feb 15 | 1900 |
Institution of Engineering & Technology
'Southern Region Power Supply Upgrade' by Richard Catlow,
Senior Electrification & Plant Testing Commissioning Engineer, Network Rail In 1999, the Government enacted the Railways Safety Regulations that required the replacement of 1976 'Mk1' based rail vehicles by December 2005. This saw the delivery of 2120 new rail vehicles and the reinforcement of the world's largest interconnected private high-voltage network. Lecture Theatre 0, University of Cambridge Engineering Dept, Trumpington Street, Cambridge Starts 1900 http://www.iee-cambridge.org.uk/ |
| Sat Feb 17 | 1000-1700 |
Warminster & District Model Railway Group
Model Railways and Transport Exhibition Warminter Assembly Hall, Western Car Park, Warminster 1000-1700 |
| Fri Feb 17 | 1000-1700 |
Risborough & District MRC - RISEX 2007 Model Railway Exhibition
Community Centre, Wades Park, Stratton Road, Princes Risborough 1000-1700 http://www.rdmrc.nildram.co.uk/risex2007.html |
| Sat Feb 17 | 1000-1700 |
Tonbridge Model Railway Exhibition
The Angel Centre, Tonbridge 1000-1700 http://tonbridgemrc.co.uk/ |
| Sat Feb 17 - Sun Feb 25 | ? | Swanage Railway - A Day Out with Thomas http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk |
| Sat Feb 17 - Sun Feb 18 | 1000-1700 |
North Turton Gauge '0' Group - Scale Rail Bolton
Bolton School Arts & Conference Centre, Chorley New Road, Bolton 1000-1700 both days http://www.notgog.org.uk |
| Sat Feb 17 - Sun Feb 18 | 1000-1730(Sat) 1000-1700(Sun) |
Festival of British Railway Modelling
Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate, North Yorkshire 1000-1730 (Sat), 1000-1700 (Sun) http://www.warnersgroup.co.uk/exhibitions/festrailmod/ |
| Fri Feb 23 - Sun Feb 25 | 1100-2000(Fri) 1000-1800(Sat) 1000-1700(Sun) |
Model Rail Scotland
SECC, Glasgow 1100-2000 (Fri), 1000-1800 (Sat), 1000-1700 (Sun) http://www.modelrail-scotland.co.uk/ |
| Sat Feb 24 - Sun Feb 25 | 1000-1730(Sat) 0930-1700(Sun) |
Eurotrack 2007
Fleming Park Leisure Centre, Passfield Avenue, Eastleigh 1000-1730 (Sat), 0930-1700 (Sun) Adult: £4.50, Senior Citizen: £3.50, Child: £2.50, Fam: £12 HPMRS member, Derek Gillkerson, will be in attendance with his new HO Continental layout 'ZWIESBODEN' http://fdelaitre.club.fr/Smrg.htm |
| Sat Feb 24 - Sun Feb 25 | 1000-1700(Sat) 1000-1630(Sun) |
Carshalton & Sutton MRC - Leatherhead 2007
Leatherhead Leisure Centre, Leatherhead, Surrey 1000-1700 (Sat), 1000-1630 (Sun) http://www.carshalton-sutton-mrc.co.uk |
| Sat Feb 24 - Sun Feb 25 | ? | Bluebell Railway: Branch Line Weekend http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/ |
| Sun Feb 25 | 1000-1700 |
The Grange 25th Annual Modellers Exhibition
Trains, boats, planes, cars The Grange Leisure Centre, Bepton Road, Midhurst, West Sussex 1000-1700 |
| Tue Feb 27 | 1930 |
West Somerset Railway Association Bristol Group
'WSR - The Early Years' with Nick Jones
BAWA, Southmead Road, Filton, Bristol Starts 1930 for 1945 http://www.wsra.org.uk |
| Wed Feb 28 | 1400-1715 |
Institute of Railway Studies & Transport History, York
The Finances of Railways in Post-War Britain John Quail (University of York) UK railways before Beeching Terry Gourvish (LSE) Should the Chunnel have been built? Light refreshments will be served. 1400-1715 Yorkshire Rail Academy, The Warehouse, NRM, Leeman Road, York http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/irs/ |
| Cheers, Howard. editor at raildate.co.uk (spam-proofed) | ||
|
Previous issues of RAILDATE are at:
http://uk.geocities.com/richardthetuba@btinternet.com/hpmrs/hpmrs.htm
This page includes a master catalogue of items that have appeared in previous editions of RAILDATE. | ||
| (C) Howard Sprenger and Hursley Park Model Railway Society 2006. | ||
| The external edition of RAILDATE may be freely distributed without permission as long as no changes whatsoever are made to the original document distributed by the Editor. | ||