HPMRS RAILDATE 18 Jul 08


News

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

NETWATCH


HPMRS member, Derek Gillkerson, sends news of his Zwiesboden layout. He recently had an article about the layout published in "European Railways & Modelling", and took copies with him to Bodenmais to show to the locals. The Burgermeister of Bodenmais asked for a copy, which Derek duly mailed to him after his return. He has now received a really wonderful letter the Burgermeister, Herr Michael Adam.

At the age 23, Herr Adam is the youngest Burgermeister in Bavaria (and possibly in the whole of Germany). He speaks and writes excellent English and spoke very highly of the Zwiesboden layout. It turns out that he is into Model Railways himself, and has a layout of his own. Herr Adam writes:

"We are very proud that Bodenmais & Zwiesel inspired you to build such a railway model, maybe it will be possible to add an article about your railway layout in our guests magazine 'Unterm Silberberg'". This magazine is given out free (weekly) to all visitors and residents of the town of Bodenmais.

Derek has now created the Zwiesboden Preservation Society, which enables him to operating older rolling stock than the usual "Waldbahn" DMUs. The Society was established in February 2008 in the town of Hedge End, in the county of Hampshire within the UK.

The rolling stock on the "Preservation List" is as follows: One: Piko Class 218 Diesel Locomotive One: Roco Silver Fish Driving Trailer.

The above units can be seen on the Zwiesboden HO Layout which is based on the WALDBAHN Railway located in Eastern Bavaria. This Railway has no freight stock and uses only Regioline RS1 DMUs built by Stadler/Adtranz. (I gather that the Waldbahn Company is now part of the Arriva conglomeration. Pity the Waldbahn Company!)

These two "Preserved" units are in no way typical of previous rolling stock used by Waldbahn (to my knowledge) but give an additional interest to the layout.

After all, it is MY layout!

The HPMRS webpage featuring Derek's layout is here: http://213.232.93.59/ss/hpmrs/dg2.html


Great Western Railway Journal index: http://www.gwr.org.uk/nogwrj.html


Mike Morant has added 72 images of electric locos and units from the Southern (mostly pre-war), the Eastern and Midland, plus LT and Waterloo & City 1940 stock (both above and below ground). A bonus is a single shot of a Glasgow subway vehicle which is pretty unusual: http://gallery62603.fotopic.net/c1539086.html


"The Diesel Story", a Shell film from 1952: http://www.archive.org/details/diesel_story


Some railway gossip: http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/

RAIB report on child falling off a Nene Valley train: http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/080717_R152008_Orton.pdf

(Spotter: Richard Buckby)


BITECARD. Food discounts on stations. For anyone who would like one free of charge, visit www.bitecard.co.uk and fill in details for up to 20% discount off food retail outlets at stations across the country. (Spotter: Neil Kearns)


Tim Kirsch's Opacity - a very atmospheric online museum of abandoned buildings: http://www.opacity.us

A new production of The Railway Children is being produced at the NRM in York starting on 17th July for four weeks. Unusually, it will feature a "live" steam engine coming straight into the stage. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7510721.stm

(Spotter: Nick Wheat)


A 7.25-inch gauge Blue Pullman: http://www.bluepullman.org/


Ralph Rawlinson's European round-up

Waterloo International South West Trains ran a trial into Waterloo International on 4th June. This was in preparation for using platform 20 from the December timetable.

Fastest average speed in UK The Railway Performance Society has recorded a fastest ever start-to-stop average speed between two UK railway stations. Recorded on board the 15.13

Paris - London Eurostar, it covered the 56.04 miles between Ashford and St

Pancras International in 27min 15sec, an average of 123.4mph.

Russia/Finland - Pendolinos Alstom has won its first contract in the Russian main-line sector with a ?120M deal for four high-speed Pendolinos for the Helsinki to St Petersburg cross-border service. The customer is Karelian Trains, a joint venture between Russian Railways (RZD) and Finnish Railways (VR). The new trains will cover the 280 miles between the two cities in three hours, compared with today's 5½hrs and they will operate at speeds of up to 137mph. Their seven vehicles will offer 352 seats, with customs and passport checks carried out in a dedicated carriage during the journey. Deliveries will start in early 2009 and the service will begin in 2010. The design of the trains is based on that of the 18 Pendolinos that already operate in Finland, featuring the same front-end and interior fittings and adapted to extreme winter conditions, but completely updated to take advantage of Alstom's latest tilting-train technology. The trains will be fully equipped to work on both countries' networks. Coincidentally I see that Cross Country's 221 Super Voyager's are having their tilt mechanism decommissioned. Apparently they only use the tilt between Oxford and Banbury but since their introduction in November 2007 there have been 21 services delayed by faulty tilt.

Belgium - Brussels Airport A project to put Brussels Airport on a through rail route in such a way that it could be served by trains on both Belgium's north-south and east- west axes is expected to be completed in 2012. In 1998 a new underground station was built at the airport and 2005 saw the opening of a new east curve (the Nossegem Curve) allowing direct access from the Liege direction. Work about to begin involves the extension of the airport branch beyond the existing station, under the airport facilities, and on to a triangular junction with the new Brussels-Mechelen line being built under a separate ?250m project.

Netherlands The Netherland transport minister has indicated that passenger services over HSL-Zuid, the new high-speed line from the Belgium border to Amsterdam, can start on 1 October 2008.

Switzerland The Swiss Federal Railway SBB is now a 125mph railway. 125mph running was introduced on the Mattstetten-Rothrist new line at the end of 2007.


Ralph also points out an article on Droxford station dating from when it was up for sale in 2005: http://www.findaproperty.com/displaystory.aspx?edid=00&salerent=0&storyid=7201


Hard Rock, the new museum of Cornish mining, will be formally opened on 6th September, but it is hoped that it will be open to the public immediately the building and fitout work is completed in mid-August. The museum, in a converted mine building, is the centrepiece of a restoration project that has taken over a year to complete at a cost of £3.8m. On Heritage Day (September 14th) there will be a free entry day to the entire site. Pendeen Community Heritage, Geevor Tin Mine, Pendeen, TR197EW http://www.geevor.com


And finally...

Spotted by Mike Morant, and from the North Wales Train News forum, this is a phone conversation between Network Rail Control in Manchester and the narrow-gauge Ffestiniog Railway. The line mentioned is a disused standard gauge line linking Blaenau Ffestiniog with Trawsfynydd and was last used when the Trawsfynydd power station was active.

NRC: Hello, it's Network Rail Control here, we've had a report of a bridge strike on the line between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Trawsfyndd. We've looked on our map and it's not ours, so we've just realised that it's probably yours.

FRC: Nope, it's not ours, not if it goes to Trawsfyndd

NRC: You sure? It's certainly not ours.

FRC: It's standard gauge track.

NRC: Oh really - didn't know that - it's not on any of our maps!

FRC: If it was on our line it'd be narrow guage and heading towards Porthmadog.

NRC: Ah, OK, I wonder if somebody knows if we own this...!


IN THE NEWS

Why trainspotters are a dying breed (from The Times): http://tinyurl.com/6d8tse

Four A4s at York http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7493998.stm

Virgin West Coast plans: http://tinyurl.com/5lx9kr

Oyster card system failure: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7503197.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7504199.stm

New rolling stock for Scotrail: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7502281.stm

Fatal accident to Contactor on Rugby remodelling possession: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/7505258.stm

Aberystwyth to Birmingham service extended to Birmingham International: http://news.bbc..co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7505769.stm

Too many trains on ECML: http://www.thepress.co.uk/news/3209627.Too_many_trains_on_the_line_/

Stobart Pullman trains cancelled: http://www.railwayscene.co.uk/newsitem.php?news=230 http://www.stobartrailtours.co.uk/

Veteran, 91, receives railway PhD http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/7510565.stm

Railway volunteers praised after derailment: http://tinyurl.com/6d7jv6

UK SteamInfo reports that the "Post Centenary Special" due to run on 26th July with 60007 has been cancelled.

Wolsztyn on Australian TV: http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2008/s2299102.htm

Bus service cuts due to fuel cost increases: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7507042.stm

US F22 Raptor UK debut (how young is the pilot...?) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7502739.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7506601.stm

Lewis Hamilton races Lear jet: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7505652.stm

Fuel concerns at air show: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7505647.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7504742.stm

Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps, Nick Wheat


TV and Radio

Sat Jul 19 1910-2110 Channel 4 'Who Downed Douglas Bader?'
Sat Jul 19 2000-2025 BBC4 'Sykes' Eric and Hattie on the buses
Sat Jul 19 2025-2100 BBC4 'Perpetual Motion' The Routemaster
Sat Jul 19 2100-2155 BBC4 'Little Platform, Big Stage' London bus conductors
Sat Jul 19 2155-2245 BBC4 'To the World's End: Scenes & Characters on a London Bus
Route'
Sat Jul 19 2245-2320 BBC4 'A Day off the Buses' Putney bus garage workers
Wed Jul 23 1930-2000 Five 'Massive Speed' Sports cars
Wed Jul 23 2100-2200 BBC4 'The Thirties in Colour' 2/4
Fri Jul 25 1100-1130 BBC Radio 4 'The Eureka Years' Adam Hart-Davis and the IC engine
Fri Jul 25 1930-2000 Five 'Brits Who Made the Modern World' Mobile phones

Events

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.
Fri Jul 18 - Mon Jul 21 ? Isle of Man Enthusiasts' Weekend
The first MER trams of 2008 will run from Laxey to Ramsey http://www.mers.org.im/ http://www.pleg.org.uk
Sat Jul 19 1100 Railwayana auction
Gartell Light Railway Centre, Templecombe, Somerset
Starts 1100
Large collection of items from South-West, mainly LSWR http://www.talisman-auctions.com/ http://tinyurl.com/5uahaa
Sat Jul 19 ? Peak Rail: Class 31 31270 operating http://www.peakrail.co.uk/
Sat Jul 19 ? Midland Railway Centre: Real Ale Train http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk
Sat Jul 19 - Sun Jul 20 1030-1600 Bluebell Railway: Toy & Collectors Fair 1030-1600 both days http://www.prorail.co.uk/nuevents/bluebell2.htm
Sat Jul 19 - Sun Jul 20 ? Midland Railway Centre: Anything Goes Weekend and Garden Railway & Modellers Weekend http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk
Sat Jul 19 - Sun Jul 20 ? Foxfield Railway Gala
Return to steam of Florence and Bellerophon http://www.foxfieldrailway.co.uk/
Sat Jul 19 - Sun Jul 20 ? Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway: Vintage Train http://www.wllr.org.uk/
Sun Jul 20 ? Hamble Valley Model & Railway Show
Bursledon Brickworks, Coal Park Lane, Swanwick, So'ton
Includes HPMRS member Derek Gillkerson with 'New Stanton Lees' http://www.hampshirebuildings.org.uk/bursledon-brickworks.htm
Sun Jul 20 ? Mid Hants Railway: Bus Rally http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
Sun Jul 20 1000-1600 Middleton Park, Leeds (Lakeside Centre)
National Archaeology Week Event 1000-1600
Fri Jul 25 - Sun Jul 27 ? Netley Marsh Steam & Craft Show
Meadow mead Farm, Netley Marsh, Nr Southampton
Steam engines, fairground organs, vintage vehicles, etc http://www.netleymarshsteamandcraftshow.org
Fri Jul 25 - Tue Jul 29 ? Isle of Wight Railway: Day Out With Thomas http://www.iwsteamrailway.co.uk/
Sat Jul 26 1030 Rowsley Historic Walks - guided walks of the Rowsley area
Meet at Rowsley Old Station near Matlock Derbyshire at 1030
Walks take about 3 hours - lunch available at Rowsley South station
Opportunity to travel on 1356 Peak Rail service £3.50 including 24-page illustrated guide book http://www.rowsleyassociation.org.uk/walks
Sat Jul 26 ? 40 years since end of main line steam: Carnforth Open Day http://www.rail.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/WCRC/Carnforth.doc
Sat Jul 26 - Sun Jul 27 1000-1800 Torrington Station Railway Gala
The Puffing Billy (Torrington Station), Station Hill,
Torrington, Devon EX38 8JD 1000-1800
Trade attendees include:
Kestrel Railway Books with Rod Garner's new book and his previous 'Torrington & Marland Light Railway' http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk/
Ian Pringle with Branch Line Video's DVDs and videos http://www.branchlinevideo.com/
Kevin Robertson Books (Saturday only) http://www.kevinrobertsonbooks.co.uk/
Sat Jul 26 - Sun Jul 27 ? Churnet Valley Railway: Summer Fair at Kingsley & Froghall http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk
Sat Jul 26 - Sun Jul 27 ? Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Wapentake Historical Re-enactment http://www.e-v-r.com/
Sat Jul 26 - Sat Aug 02 ? Swanage Railway: Swanage Regatta and Carnival http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/
Sun Jul 27 - Thu Jul 31 ? Talyllyn Railway: Tywyn Victorian Festival http://www.talyllyn.co.uk/
Mon Jul 28 - Fri Aug 01 ? Midland Railway Centre: Over '60s Half Price http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk
Sat Aug 02 - Sun Aug 03 ? Exbury Gardens Steam Railway: Woodland Adventures http://www.exbury.co.uk
Sat Aug 02 - Sun Aug 03 ? West Somerset Railway: Steam Fayre and Vintage Vehicle Rally http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/
Sat Aug 02 - Sun Aug 03 ? Leawood Pumphouse Steaming Weekend
Cromford Canal, Derbyshire http://www.middleton-leawood.org.uk
Sat Aug 02 - Sun Aug 03 ? Peak Rail: 1940s Weekend http://www.peakrail.co.uk/
Sat Aug 02 - Sun Aug 10 ? Midland Railway Centre: Day Out With Thomas http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk
Sun Aug 03 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 Aug 03 ? Twyford Waterworks Summer Open Day
Hazeley Road, Twyford, Hants http://www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk
Sun Aug 03 1030-1530 Stafford Railway Collectors' Fair
St Leonard's Hall, St leaonard's Avenue, Stafford 1030-1530 http://www.tobaz.co.uk
Sun Aug 03 ? Churnet Valley Railway: Robin Hood visits the railway http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk
Cheers, Howard. editor at raildate.co.uk (spam-proofed)
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.
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. You can subscribe to the external edition here: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/RAILDATE/

© HPMRS 1996,2008. All Rights Reserved