RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society: http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
I've been having email problems the last day or two - no doubt due to the weather (!) so I'm launching this edition into cyberspace more in hope than expectation! Subscribers who do not use the Yahoo group, might wish to change to it, as it is (potentially) a more reliable way of distribution - if my email is down, I have a second line of attack by distributing via the Web. You can subscribe here: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/RAILDATE/ (but let me know so that I can remove you from the old distribution list).
A time lapse video of the removal of a footbridge at King's Cross station at Christmas. (Warning - it is 21MB!) http://tinyurl.com/8wkyud
You might have seen the ad on TV - it was filmed at Liverpool Street station: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQMT
Rail roving article in the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/feb/03/rail-travel-budget-england-uk
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
The Ffestiniog Railway Company - Press Release - 2nd February 2009
The Ffestiniog Railway today announced its plans for opening the remaining sections of the Welsh Highland Railway to full public service.
The Welsh Highland Railway is a £28m project to reinstate railway communication between Caernarfon and Porthmadog across the Snowdonia National Park. It has been reopened in stages, and now runs from Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu on the southern slopes of Snowdon. The remaining sections of the railway from Rhyd Ddu to Porthmadog Harbour have been rebuilt over the last four years.
The section from Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert will open on 7th April 2009 to full public service. This will be extended from Beddgelert to a temporary station at Hen Hafod (about a mile south of Nantmor) on 21st May, and to Porthmadog after the summer peak season. The Ffestiniog Railway is pleased to have been able to bring forward its proposals to open the railway through the Aberglaslyn pass (described by the National Trust as the best scenery in Britain), but regrets that the opening through to Porthmadog has had to be postponed due to delays in letting the final commissioning contracts. This contract delay has been caused by the delays in receiving payment from another party for work carried out on their behalf last year by Ffestiniog Railway on repairing flood damage alongside the Welsh Highland Railway.
The railway is substantially complete throughout and will be used by test and special trains in the meantime. The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways are a major attraction in North Wales. A recent University study indicates that the Railway in its present form support over 350 full time local jobs, and that the extension when fully open will support a further 70 long term local jobs. These figures are in addition to the Railway's own employees.
But there is a delay to the Welsh Highland reopening: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/7865626.stm
And there are trespass problems at Porthmadog: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/7853542.stm
Video of Welsh Highland Beyer-Garratt No 87 on trials: http://www.welshhighlandrailway.net/news.asp?dismode=article&artid=264
The Weymouth tramway, which linked the station to the quayside through the town's streets is to be bought by the council and removed. Copies of the relevant report and appendix are here: http://tinyurl.com/b3gefp http://tinyurl.com/dg83vd (Spotter: Chris Osment)
News item here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/dorset/7860015.stm
Last week there was a new item concerning the reopening of Sandhills station (Liverpool) following a £7m upgrade: http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5524
Neville Knight wrote to say that he was at Sandhills earlier in the week: "The station was still being worked on and men were carrying wheelbarrows up the stairs! Other work was in progress outside. At Ormskirk, this too is being upgraded, and this week it was found to be all boarded up. This might be to preserve the shell of the building so the interior can be gutted. It was in poor shape before work started. I don't know the extent of this project but it would have made common sense to restore the former up platform and reinstate the curve to Burscough Bridge - the EMUs could then slot in with the Northern Wigan-Southport services. There is an 'Interchange' at Burscough Bridge but only as a bus connection."
Channel 4's Time Team recently did a "dig" at Rise Hill on the Settle & Carlisle line. The programme was shown last Sunday, but unfortunately, I missed it when I went through last week's Radio Times. However, it is repeated on Saturday at 7.00pm (details below): http://tinyurl.com/bmzslw
Also, the Friends of the Settle & Carlisle, together with Northern Railways are launching an MP3 audio guide to the S&C journey - "Listen on the Line". It's thought to be a first for a railway journey. There is no need to listen to all four hours - you can click on any section that takes your fancy. The audio guide was put together by FoSCL's Richard Morris and it is narrated by BBC Radio 4 presenter (and FoSCL member) Mark Holdstock. Have a listen here (note the underscore between download and audio): http://www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/download_audio.cfm
"Signs of Our Industrial Past" videos by Gary Hodgkinson. Here are seven links to what adds up to an hour-long video about railways, canals and industry around the Erewash Valley.
Part 1: http://www.yournews.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=CC0104ED0ECA1C4A Part 2: http://www.yournews.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=A3A0B61455065B56 Part 3: http://www.yournews.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=29A2E085134B4D7B Part 4: http://www.yournews.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=B6DF2CF899E68ECB Part 5: http://grassroots.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=E6EEF9A178D0EDF1 Part 6: http://grassroots.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=DB0640775FA73557 Part 7: http://grassroots.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=92D1A6F88AB12DAA
Gary has also uploaded two other short videos:
Foxton Locks and Inclined Plane: http://www.yournews.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=9B3D67170A21AD4F
Moira and the Ashby Canal: http://www.yournews.itvlocal.com/Clip.aspx?key=F3BA3BD513740C7B
The following IRS&TH working papers on British railway research by Alastair Gilchrist have now been published on the IRS&TH web site:
British railway research - the first hundred years (Working Paper 8)
A history of engineering research on British Railways (Working Paper 10)
A history of British Railways' electrical research (Working Paper 11)
A full list of the IRS&TH Working Papers currently available is given at: http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/irs/irshome/academic/workpapr.htm
Bulleid's Leader built in Lego...! http://mocpages.com/moc.php/23113
Museum of Berkshire Aviation: http://www.museumofberkshireaviation.co.uk/
Irish waterways history: http://irishwaterwayshistory.com
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
"Railway Walks with Julia Bradbury" is now available from Acorn Media priced £16.99: http://tinyurl.com/bpybg4
Standedge Canal tunnel - pan down for Fred Carter relating how the tunnel was built: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7862831.stm
Battlefield Railway - Hellmail, the postal industry news site is appealing for donations to help restore vandalised buildings and support the Battlefield Railway: http://tinyurl.com/b67jg9
Europe - Grass-Lined Green Railways = Good Urban Design: http://tinyurl.com/boqkfo
India - the 101-year-old Matheran Light Railway (MLR) is chosen as a world heritage site. This is an unprecedented fifth entry made by Indian Railways to get such a rare honour: http://tinyurl.com/acn995 http://tinyurl.com/bk39oy
The Kalka Shimla Railway was chosen in 2008: http://tinyurl.com/5mkmdl http://tinyurl.com/bgdq7r
EWS rail strike news from Look North: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/7871693.stm
Stewarton derailment wagons removed: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7862485.stm
Work starts on £20m project to double the track at Axminster: http://tinyurl.com/bnqar3
Level crossing review by ORR: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7862792.stm
RAIB report into car on the line at North Rode: http://tinyurl.com/b7xtab
Colchester level crossing death: http://tinyurl.com/bj38l6
Refurbishment of Arch 4 at Paddington approved: http://tinyurl.com/d9guks
Stalybridge Station buffet refurbished: http://tinyurl.com/cn8ctw
Tornado at speed through Durham (poor quality though): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSWh1qlhhxs&feature=related
And from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7865518.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7862401.stm
And a slide show of the event: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Trainspotters-fired-up-for-new.4935902.jp
West Somerset Railway damage report: http://tinyurl.com/dapzq8
Video of the Great Central Railway's winter gala: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg4ehRauzrk (More in the related videos section)
EDL 73136 working a passenger train on the Bluebell Railway: http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/events/2009/wealden_exclusive.html
Star of "Railway Children" gets makeover at Shildon: http://tinyurl.com/ab9ogu
Channel Tunnel to get sprinkler system: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/news/article5620726.ece
Travel West Midlands bus looses its roof: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/7863338.stm
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Ted Millward, Reg Nerps, Ralph Rawlinson
| Sat Feb 07 | 1800-1900 | BBC2 'Coast' Speed records in South Wales |
| Sat Feb 07 | 1900-2000 | Channel 4 'Time Team' Rise Hill navvy camp, Settle & Carlisle |
| Mon Feb 09 | 1930-2000 | Five 'How Do They Do It?' Making banknotes |
| Wed Feb 11 | 1230-1250 |
Channel 4
'The Midland: Checking into History' Manchester's Midland
Hotel |
| Thu Feb 12 | 2200-2230 | BBC2 'What the Victorians Did For Us' Adam Hart-Davis |
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 Feb 07 - Sun Feb 08 | 1030-1700 |
Alton Model Railway Group - Febex 2009
Eggars School, Alton Hants, GU34 4EQ 1030-1700 both days Unfortunately do to family reasons, HPMRS member Derek Gillkerson has had to withdraw from the show with ZWIESBODEN http://www.altonmrg.co.uk |
| Sat Feb 07 - Sun Feb 08 | ? | Churnet Valley Railway: Winter Steam Gala http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk |
| Sat Feb 07 - Sun Feb 08 | ? | Midland Railway Centre: Winter Warmer Trains http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk |
| Sat Feb 07 - Sun Feb 08 | ? |
Stafford Model Railway Circle Model Railway Exhibition
The County Showground, Weston Road, Stafford, ST18 0DB |
| Sat Feb 07 - Sun Feb 08 | ? |
Rochdale Model Railway Exhibition
Oulder Hill Leisure Centre, Rochdale, Lancs, OL11 5EF |
| Mon Feb 09 | ? |
North East Derbyshire Industrial Archaeology Society
Friends? Meeting House, Ashgate Road, Chesterfield 'The History of the Butterley Company' by Brian Key Brian will outline the history of this pioneering engineering company which was founded by Benjamin Outram in 1790, and perhaps is best known today for its magnificent restored ironwork at St Pancras Station. Starts 1930hrs |
| Sat Feb 14 | ? |
A1 60163 'Tornado' visits Hampshire
Run by Steam Dreams - some seats still available http://www.steamdreams.com/content/view/47/50/ Schedule here: http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t09/t0214b.htm |
| Sat Feb 14 - Sun Feb 15 | ? | Midland Railway Centre: Winter Warmer Trains http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk |
| Sat Feb 14 - Sun Feb 22 | ? | Mid Hants Watercress Line: Ivor the Engine http://www.watercressline.co.uk |
| Sat Feb 14 - Sun Feb 22 | ? | Midland Railway Centre: Half Term Trains http://www.midlandrailwaycentre.co.uk |
| Sat Feb 21 | ? |
Model Railway and Trade Show
Bolton School Arts & Conference Centre, Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PA |
| Fri Feb 22 | ? |
The Curzon, Shaftesbury Avenue, London
Screening of 'The Moon & The Sledgehammer' The 65-minute film portrays the Page family who lived a simple but successful self-sustained life in near isolation in their ramshackle woodland home, where Mr Page and his sons Peter and Jim devote a great part of their time to maintaining and driving their Allchin and Fowler engines to no apparent purpose apart from the sheer enjoyment of it Tickets: £8 Cinema box office: 0871 7033988 99 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 5DY http://www.curzoncinemas.com/ |
| 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. | ||
| 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/ | ||