RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society: http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
Gazetteer of the Railways of Wales A photographic record of the country's rail network on the eve of privatisation, 1995 by John Hillmer
As the British Rail years drew to a close and the new era of rail privatisation dawned, John Hillmer set out to record photographically the entire railway scene in Wales, and this wide-ranging book is the result. Every Welsh station that was open at the end of 1995 ? the last year in which BR operated a fully nationalised and integrated system ? is chronicled and pictured, and signal boxes, sidings, yards, locomotive depots, stabling and refuelling points are also covered, together with summaries of passenger services and freight flows, and locomotive classes and DMU types then in use.
With maps, some 450 carefully captioned photographs and supporting text, and notes on railway developments in Wales since privatisation, this Gazetteer provides a unique "snapshot" of the country's rail network.
John is a RAILDATEr, and having seen the book, I'm very impressed with it. I like the way it's laid out, and the photo reproduction is very good. At first, it seemed a little odd transferring myself back to 1995, as it's tempting to pick it up and think of it as a snapshot of the system now. It also took a little while to get used to the fact that, because it is a gazetteer, it's arranged alphabetically, so you miss the "progression" along a line. However, the excellent maps and cross-references help here, and I know that there was a lot of thought given to how best to arrange the locations.
There are also real oddities within its pages that reflect how the railway system has developed (and largely shrunk) over the years. Look out for a very "marooned" Aberbeeg Jn signalbox!
Softback, 238 x 172mm, 224 pages, circa 450b/w illustrations ISBN: 978 1 85794 303 0 Price: £25.00 http://www.nostalgiacollection.com/
The Bulleid Double Decker Society is based at the Northampton Ironstone Railway. They are restoring DMBS 13004 from set 4002: http://members.tripod.com/~dart75/bdds.htm
Art in the Age of Steam - Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK 18th April 2008 - 10th August 2008 Free admission
This major exhibition captures the excitement of the steam train in art from the earliest days, through the boom years of Victorian railways to the end of the line in the 1960s. It is the most wide-ranging exhibition yet held to look at how artists responded to the extraordinary impact that steam trains had on landscape and society. It is one of the major highlights of Liverpool's European Capital of Culture year.
Around 100 paintings, photographs, prints and drawings from some of the world's greatest art collections come together in a dazzling display including: - 'The Railway' by Edouard Manet (National Gallery of Art, Washington) - 'La Crau from Montmajour, with train' by Van Gogh (British Museum) - 'Lordship Lane Station' by Camille Pissarro (Courtauld Institute of Art) - Four paintings by Claude Monet - including 'Gare Saint-Lazare' (National Gallery) - 'Railroad Train' by Edward Hopper (Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass.) - 'The Anxious Journey' by Giorgio de Chirico (Museum of Modern Art, New York) - Photographs by Bill Brandt, Alfred Stieglitz and O Winston Link.
The national rail timetable starting in May is now on line. Click on the table number as required: http://tinyurl.com/3pcodj
Take a pew - quite literally! New seating at Huddersfield station: http://www.huddersfieldsrailways.photos.gb.com/p49909438.html http://www.huddersfieldsrailways.photos.gb.com/p49909436.html http://www.huddersfieldsrailways.photos.gb.com/p49909437.html
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Moseley Railway Trust: http://www.mrt.org.uk
RAIB report on tram derailment in Manchester January 2007: http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/080424_R092008_Pomona.pdf
RAIB report into collision at Armathwaite January 2007: http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/070424_R082007_Armathwaite.pdf
RAIB report into fatal level crossing accident Limavady Jn: http://www.raib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/reports_2008/report102008.cfm
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
A set of 80 or so images of the countryside at the northern end of the S&D has been donated to the "Bath in Time" website: http://www.bathintime.co.uk
Several from the collection feature the railway itself around the time it was abandoned. A couple of have also been used in the Two Tunnels gallery page: http://www.twotunnels.org.uk/gallery.html
(Spotter: Ralph Rawlinson)
Footage of the old Waterloo & City Line trains introduced by the Southern Railway in 1940: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AzcrAnf-bwE http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PN7pd76YeCA
You won't believe your eyes: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=E_hci9vrvfw (Spotter: Nick Wheat)
World News from Ralph Rawlinson...
South East Asia
The International section of the current edition of Branch Line News contains a special report on the railways of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. It explains that the present day metre gauge system, that links Singapore through Malaysia via Kula Lumpur to Bangkok in Thailand and ultimately Chiang Mai in the north, is effectively an isolated system with no physical connection to the countries of Burma, China, Laos or Cambodia.
There was a through line to Phon Penn in Cambodia but this was severed by war and is still not restored, while in the far NE of Thailand at Nong Khai rails extend to the very centre of the recent Friendship Bridge over the Mekong River. This river forms the border with Laos, only the Laotians haven't actually laid any rails on their side! There was also the notorious and transient Death Railway that linked Bangkok to Rangoon.
The distance from Singapore to Chiang Mai is 2700 km (1,700 miles) and takes two to three days. The author contends that this is the longest continuous metre gauge journey in the world but would welcome details from anyone who thinks they know where a longer journey is possible.
Own and fly your own Spitfire: http://www.supermarineaircraft.com/
A website with a full index to mining sites and lots of information about them: http://www.aditnow.co.uk
Rail fares set to be restructured: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7364127.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7365871.stm
Dartmoor Railway closes: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7354165.stm
Weardale Railway management changes: http://www.weardale-railway.org.uk/news_2008.htm
Northumberland station for sale: http://tinyurl.com/5sop95
Cable theft on Erewash Valley line: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/7363050.stm
Conon station revival planned: http://tinyurl.com/6ke58r
Train guard threatened with gun: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7362231.stm
Railway rolling stock VAT fraudster jailed: http://tinyurl.com/3r28hn
Eurostar failure: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7356283.stm
Fatal accident in Bangladesh: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7349784.stm
Work starts on Chinese high speed line: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7354093.stm
Feature on Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society 828: http://tinyurl.com/695jjm
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps
| Sun Apr 27 | 1715-1745 | ITV Meridian 'Along These Lines' The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway |
| Wed Apr 30 | 2100-2200 | BBC2 'Dan Cruikshank's Adventures in Architecture' 5/8 |
| Wed Apr 30 | 2000-2100 | Five 'Monster Moves' Moving two buildings in North America |
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 and also http://railwayherald.co.uk/railtours/ | ||
| All details are correct to the best of my knowledge. No responsibility is taken for inaccuracies or changes. | ||
| Sat Apr 26 - Sun Apr 27 | 1000-1730(Sat) 1000-1700(Sun) |
Epsom & Ewell MRC Exhibition
North East Surrey College of Technology, Reigate Road, Epsom 1000-1730 (Sat), 1000-1700 (Sun) http://www.eemrc.org.uk |
| Sat Apr 26 - Sun Apr 27 | ? | Churnet Valley Railway: 1940s Weekend http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/ |
| Sat Apr 26 - Sun Apr 27 | 1200-1800 |
Fencote and Rowden Mill Stations Open Weekend
A rare opportunity to visit these privately-owned and restored stations on the ex-GWR Leominster-Worcester line Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the SLS Special that was the last passenger train on the Bromyard branch to Leominster on 26th April 1958 1200-1800 both days |
| Sun Apr 27 | 1600 | King Edward Mine, Camborne, Cornwall: Open Day 1000- 1600 http://www.kingedwardmine.co.uk |
| Fri May 02 - Mon May 05 | ? | Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Bank Holiday Family Open Days http://www.e-v-r.com/ |
| Sat May 03 | ? | DEMU Model Railway Show, Knowle Hill |
| Sat May 03 - Mon May 05 | ? | Eastleigh Lakeside Railway: Visiting Locomotive Weekend http://www.steamtrain.co.uk/ |
| Sat May 03 - Mon May 05 | ? | Isle of Wight Railway: Real Ale Festival http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/ |
| Sat May 03 - Mon May 05 | ? | Midland Railway Centre: Vintage Train Weekend http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk |
| Sun May 04 | 1000-1600 |
Romsey Signal Box Open Day
Admission free (donations welcome!) 1000-1600 Romsey Infants School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Rd, Romsey Car park in school grounds http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk |
| Sun May 04 | ? |
Twyford Waterworks Spring Open Day
Hazeley Road, Twyford, Hants http://www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk |
| Sun May 04 - Mon May 05 | ? |
Leawood Pumphouse Steaming Weekend
Cromford Canal, Derbyshire http://www.middleton-leawood.org.uk |
| Mon May 05 | ? |
West Somerset Railway Taunton Group
Visit to the Dartmoor Railway and/or the Devon Railway Centre Joint visit with the GWS Taunton Group http://www.wsra.org.uk |
| Fri May 09 - Sun May 11 | ? | Swanage Railway: Beer Festival and Diesel Gala http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/ |
| Sat May 10 | ? | Midland Railway Centre: Real Ale Train http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk |
| Sat May 10 - Sun May 11 | ? |
Salisbury Model Railway Exhibition
Wilton |
| Sat May 10 - Sun May 11 | ? | Peak Rail: Diesel Weekend http://www.peakrail.co.uk/ |
| Sat May 10 - Sun May 11 | ? |
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard: Celebration of Steam
Includes a visit from Ivor the Engine http://www.historicdockyard.co.uk/ http://www.celebrationofsteam.co.uk/ |
| Cheers, Howard. editor at raildate.co.uk (spam-proofed) | ||
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Previous issues of RAILDATE are at: http://steam.to/raildate
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 2008. | ||