HPMRS RAILDATE 25 May 07

News

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

The Editor is on holiday next week. Next RAILDATE: 8th June 2007.

NETWATCH

Basingstoke's railway history in maps: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cj.tolley/cjt-brhm.htm

Thanks to Neil Kearns for this link to the unofficial website of Salisbury Area Signalling Centre: http://www.salisburyasc.co.uk/

Ron Strutt has posted pictures of "The Dorset Coast Express" which ran on 19th May 2007, hauled by Lord Nelson: http://ronstruttsrailwaypics.fotopic.net/c1272124.html (and scroll down)

Also "an appallingly poor quality video (but with good sound effects)" Lord Nelson on Upwey bank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUoEHpncXD0

Paul Biggs's pictures of the recent "Chopperfest Gala" at Butterley: http://paulbiggsmrcentre.fotopic.net/c1283625.html

Ralph Rawlinson reports that the Helston Railway Company, in the presence of local dignitaries, laid the first pieces of track at Truthall Halt on 7 May 2007. http://www.helstonrailway.co.uk/index.html

A very nice tea room based in an old station on the Scarborough-Whitby line if you're in North Yorkshire (as I shall be next week!) They do B&B too: http://www.cloughtonstation.co.uk/

An enterprising wagon owner has a Web presence. His site also includes a useful list of TOPS and wagon codes in the "Railway Info" section: http://www.btinternet.com/~second_engineering/index.htm

Ralph Rawlinson reviews forthcoming service changes on the WCML and ECML...

Living in the North West many of my train journeys are on Virgin services, so I have summarised the changes that will be taking place at the end of 2007 and 2008.

December 2007: Virgin West Country's present South West to Scotland (via WCML) trains will be replaced by separate services from Birmingham. This will involve 16 Class 221s (the tilting Super Voyagers) joining the West Coast fleet.

December 2008: An increase in frequency coincides with the completion of Network Rail's West Coast modernisation programme. There will be nine trains out of Euston in the off-peak: Three to West Midlands (two Birmingham and one Wolverhampton). Three to Manchester (two via Stoke and one via Crewe). One to Liverpool. One to Chester. One to Glasgow (except the 11.00hrs, 12.00hrs and 14.00hrs) which terminate at Lancaster with a connection into the train from Birmingham running 13 mins behind.

Stopping patterns etc: Liverpool trains will call only at Stafford and Runcorn, reducing the journey time to about 2hrs 05mins. Journey times to North Wales (operated by Class 221s) will also be reduced as there will be no loco change at Crewe. Most of the Glasgow services will be first stop Warrington. Rugby will be served instead by Wolverhampton services and Crewe by Manchester and Chester/North Wales bound trains. After remodelling through trains will dash through Rugby at the maximum line speed of 125mph! The hourly Birmingham-Scotland service, taking under four hours (around 20 mins less than today), will alternate between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Details of Manchester-Glasgow trains to be taken over by TransPennine Express have not yet been revealed.

Having produced a summary of WCML improvements from December 2007 and 2008, I should, perhaps mention those on the ECML.

From 21 May GNER will run six additional services in each direction between Kings Cross and Leeds giving a half hourly daytime service. There will now be a total of 33 northbound and 32 southbound trains, Monday-Friday largely organised on a "clockface" basis at XX.10 and XX.40 from King Cross and XX.05 and XX.40 from Leeds. The fastest journey times will be 2hrs 08mins northbound and 2hrs 06mins southbound.

To cover this project it has been necessary to lease two additional IC125s and engage 70 additional staff (including eight drivers).

This brings West Yorkshire in line with other major conurbations such as the West Midlands, Manchester, Bristol and Cardiff, all of which enjoy half-hourly services to and from London.

A forum for general modelling questions: http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index.php?

A couple of Yahoo groups if you're interested in DCC or DCC Sound: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DCCUK/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ukdccsound/

Garry Hillard has a website at on Cambrian Airways where he worked in the 1960s: http://www.unforgettable.org.uk/cambrian

IN THE NEWS

Fire disrupts services at Bermondsey: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6683641.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6686223.stm Video: http://tinyurl.com/2g23kn

Locomotive to train young workers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6673953.stm

Network Rail bonuses cut by crash: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6686603.stm

Concern over Waverley commitment: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/6679415.stm

Staff cuts on Metronet: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6683689.stm

Ffestiniog Railway's 175th anniversary: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/6680889.stm Video: http://tinyurl.com/26x6so

Staffordshire footbridge to be replaced: http://www.expressandstar.co.uk/2007/05/17/footbridge-on-track-to-return/

Locomotive moved from Darlington railway museum: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6676551.stm

Rail/bus ticket launched in Scotland: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/6676163.stm

Powered scooter accident on Newcastle Metro: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/6686703.stm

(Spotters: Neil Kearns, Ralph Rawlinson, Reg Nerps)

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