HPMRS RAILDATE 6 Nov 09

News

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

SANTA SPECIALS

It's "Santa Special" time again, so as usual, these are listed in a separate list at the end of the Events section

BOOK NEWS

"Rails to Ripley" by Howard Sprenger

With the scenically beautiful Midland main line through the Peak District on one side, and the more workmanlike Erewash Valley line on the other, Ripley was surrounded by coal mines, potteries and agricultural land. Hard by Ripley, the Butterley Company sat like a spider in a web of industrial railway lines and canals.

Three lines eventually served the town, the earliest striking north-east from the Derwent valley and growing out of the railway town of Derby. > From the Erewash Valley came another line that was destined to be the poorest and shortest-lived. The third line, running east to west and linking the two great Midland Railway trunk routes from London to the north, bypassed Ripley, but provided the final link in the network of lines that this fascinating area spawned.

Each line was different in character, a heavily-used passenger and goods branch line, a short-lived and impecunious passenger branch line, and an important cross-country diversionary and through route.

None of them can be seen in isolation, so this book deals with all three, the cross-country link surviving long enough to become the home of the Midland Railway Trust which, fittingly, keeps alive the spirit of the company that called itself "The Best Way".

Softback: 144 pages with over 200 photographs and maps 273 x 215mm ISBN: 978-1-905505-16-6 £17.95 http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk/

NETWATCH

Last Wednesday night, there was a piece on Radio 5 about the new-build Patriot (proposed name, "The Unknown Soldier"), with recollections of the original class. It was broadcast around 3.30 in the morning, so unless you are an insomniac, you probably missed it! Fortunately, you can listen again here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nmz45

The bit we're interested in starts at around 2 hours and 33 minutes, and occupies the 30-minute slot between news bulletins. Enjoy it - it will only be there for another few days... (What a pity it was hidden away on the graveyard shift!)

Southern TV Advert - the "USP" appears to be that we are not a 3rd world country: http://tinyurl.com/yfptrdm

The perils of track patrolling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rapvHU3aoCw (Spotter: Richard Buckby)

Webcam World

West Somerset Railway: http://www.wsr.org.uk/webcams.htm

North Norfolk Railway: http://webcams.nnrailway.co.uk/

Forth Road Bridge: http://4btraffic.camstreams.com/

Honda webcam (Junction 5, M4) http://ww1.honda.co.uk/webcam/index.html

Various webcams worldwide (Australia is in Europe?): http://www.raillinks.com/railfan/pages/Webcams/Europe/

The Derby Sulzers website goes from strength to strength: http://www.derbysulzers.com/

Rugby station buildings, the birdcage bridge over the LNWR and other GCR London Extension drawings are available here: http://www.swithland-signal-works.co.uk/plans/plans.htm

Recent views of the disused Glasgow Botanic Gardens station: http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=44521

Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup

Derby Station Redevelopment Branch Line News reports that the roof and platform works were shown to be completed on 12th October 2009 when platform 1A was restored to traffic. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/8340987.stm

Aln Valley Railway The Aln Valley Railway Society, backed by the Aln Valley Railway Trust, is about to submit a planning application to Northumberland County Council for the reinstatement of the former rail link between Alnwick and Alnmouth, with a footpath and cycleway alongside. The rails were lifted from the trackbed in the early 1970s before the entire route was purchased by the Northumberland Estates (on behalf of the Duke of Northumberland). The AVRS Has negotiated a Lease from the Estates for the whole of the trackbed south east of the A1 together with extra land to construct a terminus station near to this road.

Lancs-Yorks At the October conference arranged by the Skipton and East Lancs Railway Partnership (SELRAP) it was announced that 222 local councils now back the campaign to reopen the vital 11-mile rail link between Colne and Skipton. http://www.daelnet.co.uk/countrynews/country_news_27102009.cfm

Docklands Light Railway Apparently train control software prevented the resited station at South Quay (on the Isle of Dogs between Crossharbour and Heron Quays) opening as planned on 12th October.

Channel Tunnel On 28th October the Chairman and Chief Executive of Groupe Eurotunnel (the operator of the Channel tunnel) said they are looking for partners to buy Britain's only high speed line. http://tinyurl.com/yk8j4bl

Dublin-Belfast main line Iarnród Éireann says that excellent progress is being made in the reinstatement of the Malahide Viaduct in North Dublin, the 4th pier of which collapsed on 21 August due to sea-bed erosion. It is on schedule to be reopened on 16th November 2009 with full services resuming before the end of the month. Original estimates claimed it was unlikely to reopen before Spring 2010!

Germany The German East Frisian Islands Railways: http://tinyurl.com/ylm42a8

Kenya Kenya Railways Corporation is seeking an advisor for preliminary design, financing, construction and operation of a new high capacity standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Malaba. This line would, in the future, be extended to Kampala, Uganda. http://www.nation.co.ke/business/news/-/1006/681338/-/ieoqj2

India India's Vice President has laid the foundation stone of the first ever railway line from Sevoke in Bengal to Sikkim at Rangpo. http://www.sindhtoday.net/news/1/66088.htm

India-Bangladesh Indian Railways' plan to connect Bhutan with Sikkim and Bangladesh through north Bengal: http://www.ptinews.com/news/354028_Indian-Railways-to-connect-Bhutan--Bangladesh

China China Southern Airlines Co, the country's biggest domestic carrier, is to expand overseas flights in anticipation of the high-speed rail network causing traffic to decline on about a quarter of its internal routes. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=a3GHSPLBfBOM

IN THE NEWS

The first £1,000 fare in the history of Britain's railways: http://tinyurl.com/yby96ny http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8340561.stm

East Coast handover to Department for Transport planned for 12th December: http://tinyurl.com/ykrgyzy http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8342435.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8343758.stm

ATOC suggests longer rail franchises: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8333171.stm

Maintenance job cuts on WCML...? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8344004.stm

Man guilty of beard fire attack on train: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8344779.stm

Man charged with rail depot fire: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8334622.stm

Michelin food on Arriva Trains Wales (no wonder it tastes rubbery!): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8343511.stm

Cable thefts near Coventry: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8321905.stm

Support for the Bideford to Barnstaple rail reopening: http://tinyurl.com/yfq3l8q

Borders rail link delayed: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8340027.stm

Football fan on train set alight: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8336485.stm

Fatality at Markinch: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8339698.stm

Glasgow Airport rail link scrapped: http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/scotland/newsid_8337000/8337824.stm

Photo on Cairngorm Railway: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/uk_enl_1257167932/html/1.stm

BBC box ends year-long journey: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8341302.stm

ZZ-Top performer travels to gig by underground: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8339710.stm

Steam rail tunnel will cost £1m: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8339700.stm

Alderney's Molly back on track: http://tinyurl.com/yey2uum

'Bad coal' generates hard feelings: http://www.times-news.com/local/local_story_307000249.html

Name the Royal Hudson DVD competition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvnVfO9ry7E

Canadian Railway Observations: http://www.canadianrailwayobservations.com/PDF/CRO_1109.PDF

Includes an item on Freightliner class 70s: http://gwilt33.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1782893 http://gwilt33.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1782895 http://www.youtube.com/freightlinergroup#p/a

Collision in Pakistan: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8340106.stm

Level crossing accident in India: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8337186.stm

Fatalities on Indian Railways: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8339881.stm

The latest classic from "Death by Health & Safety": http://www.deathbyhealthandsafety.co.uk/features/dog/index.html

Spotters: Richard Buckby, Lawrence Hanney, Neil Kearns, John McCrickard, Reg Nerps

TV and Radio

Events

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

Santa Specials