HPMRS RAILDATE 23 Jan 09

News

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

NETWATCH

A location featured before, but here's a new article on New York Grand Central station's track 61: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7830369.stm

And the secret of Lincoln's assassination might be underground in Brooklyn: http://tinyurl.com/9uysaq

Steam fun in miniature - looks like a fun place: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zJNxA3Im9FI&NR=1

(Spotter: Richard Buckby)

The Forgotten Relics site is one of the best, and has been linked from here before. Nice to see they are providing a focal point for the Woodhead Tunnel Campaign: http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/woodhead/index.html

(Spotter: Ted Millward)

Detailed London Tube track maps: http://thelondontube.org.uk/trackmaps/

Moscow Metro map: http://www.mrl.ucsb.edu/~yopopov/rrt/trackmaps/tm_moscow.html

(Spotter: Neil Kearns)

Videos of 423417's Journey to East Grinstead on 17th January, by Oliver Ashmole: Part 1: http://tinyurl.com/8ovf9h Part 2: http://tinyurl.com/8wqdru Part 3: http://tinyurl.com/93ze2q

Steam & Things "the home of custom etching, decals/transfers, casting and much more!" - based in Australia, but happy to serve worldwide: http://www.steamandthings.com

There's a new model railway scale - T Gauge - with a track gauge of (wait for it...) 3mm and a scale of 1:450! Here's a review with photos of the stock and track: http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5956

Stock has been available in the UK since around last August, and the supplier mentioned in the above thread is here: http://www.tgauge.co.uk/

There are a lots of links in this Blog to other T-Gauge websites and blogs: http://1-450.blogspot.com/

Regrettably, the tinyurls I gave last week for the Bournemouth bus and Blackpool tram videos were wrong. These should work!

Bournemouth Bus videos: http://tinyurl.com/9e95fk

Blackpool tram videos http://tinyurl.com/9kmnbj

Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup

Somerset & Dorset Railway - a new project: http://somersetanddorset.blogspot.com/2009/01/message-spreads.html

Scotland Scotland's Strategic Transport Projects Review outlines several main line enhancements. Improved line speeds, dynamic loops, more double track, better signalling and the introduction of more powerful trains would make possible an hourly frequency and a three hour journey time on the Edinburgh-Inverness line. Similar improvements to Glasgow-Aberdeen (2 hrs) and Edinburgh-Aberdeen (2hr 15min) would bring hourly express services stopping only at Dundee, but requiring a new crossing over the Montrose Basin at Usan. A reduced journey time and hourly frequency is also envisaged between Aberdeen and Inverness.

FirstGroup FirstGroup is the world's leading transport company - a global giant which boasts annual revenues of £6 billion, employs a workforce of 137,000, and carries 2.5 billion passengers every year on its buses and trains: http://tinyurl.com/778dz3

India Indian Railways have invited global tenders for conducting pre-feasibility study of a high-speed train corridor on the Delhi-Chandigarh-Amritsar route: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200901131653.htm

Thailand/Laos/Vietnam A little-known Malaysian-owned company, Giant Group Ltd, is close to finalising a US$5 billion contract to construct a 130-mile electrified railway line in Laos that will connect it to Thailand in the west and Vietnam in the east: http://tinyurl.com/7bay65

North America Oil Electric - a blog about diesel locos in Canada and USA: http://www.oil-electric.com/

IN THE NEWS

Gwaun Cae Gurwen line reopens for freight and possible railtours: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/south_west/7830724.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7834302.stm

Stobart/DRS service to Inverness for Tesco: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7839871.stm

Blow for Frinton railway gates campaigners: http://tinyurl.com/96lpcv

400,000 use Alloa line: http://tinyurl.com/ael8x3

ECML - latest DfT response: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/ecml-fcr_DfT_120109.pdf

Electrification plan for Midland and Great Western mainlines: http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5464

RAIB report into tamping machine derailed in September 2008: http://tinyurl.com/a94lue

RAIB report into accident at West Lodge level crossing: http://tinyurl.com/a7n88x

RAIB report into the Ely de-railment http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources/090122_R022009_Ely.pdf.pdf

ScotRail's young lady driver: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1036632?UserKey=

Bluebell Railway connection to Network Rail completed: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/7836237.stm

Full steam ahead for Aln Valley Railway (well, not quite...) http://tinyurl.com/cf2get

But end of the line for the Vale of Glamorgan Railway Company: http://tinyurl.com/b99xn4

Channel Tunnel fully reopening in February: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7838752.stm

Freight train driver "unaware" that 10 wagons were detached: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10552933

US coastguard video of airliner crash in Hudson River NY: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7834638.stm

Bristol bus preserved in South Africa (pdf): http://tinyurl.com/avugfz

Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps, Ralph Rawlinson

TV and Radio

Events

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