HPMRS RAILDATE 11 Dec 09

News

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

Please note that next week's Raildate will be the last of 2009, and will include an extended TV and Radio guide covering the festive season!

NETWATCH

History of Southampton Tunnel: http://tinyurl.com/yz45qw6 (Spotter: Neil Kearns)

Santa on the Severn Valley Railway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ACZwllKBM (Spotter: Ted Millward)

An exploration of Crigglestone Curve & Viaduct in February 2008: http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=28345

Star Crossing, Mold and Denbigh Line: http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=45396

Inside the original Woodhead Tunnels: http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=36297

There are more interesting explorations linked at the bottom of these articles. (via http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bygone_Lines_UK/ )

Raildater and railway PR guru Rupert Brennan-Brown has set up the festive Railway Carols website: http://www.railwaycarols.co.uk/

Bring Back British Rail campaign: http://www.bringbackbritishrail.org/

Mike Morant came across this via Nico Spilt's news page: http://www.ovinnederland.nl/viewtopic.php?f=15&p=59610

Mike has fortunately provided a translation of the opening paragraph with a paraphrased version of the final one: Waterhuizen is a small place in the neighbourhood of Groningen. Historically, here stood the signal box for the Waterhuizen junction. Riekje van Waterhuizen (aka Riekje Buivinga) lived for many years in this 'box and grew up alongside the marshalling yard. Her greatest wish was to become a train driver but that wasn't permitted in those days. Since then she's collected everything she could get her hands on that's railway related. Her entire house, the garden, various sheds and other storage locatins are completely full of the stuff, and she's created a sort of museum that is arguably of greater interest than the national one. It is for viewing by appointment to anyone with no entry charge, but contributions to her efforts are warmly received.

Ralph Rawlinson Railway Roundup

Monmouthshire BBC Wales is transmitting a series of programmes about railways in Monmouthshire. The first one has already been transmitted, but is available for a couple more days on "Listen Again". Details of the series here: http://tinyurl.com/ylyrua8

Docklands Light Railway In October Raildate carried the news that the DLR's previously abandoned Dagenham extension features in the mayor's latest transport strategy. The 3¾ mile line from Gallions Reach will have five stations and cost £497m. In the longer term better integration with central London, such as a westwards extension from Bank to Victoria, is being examined.

GW Main Line Commencing on 14th December 2009, First Great Western is to name six of its business trains... The 05.58 Swansea-Paddington and 16.45 return become 'The Capitals United' The 07.30 Carmarthen-Paddington and 17.45 return become 'The Red Dragon' The 07.30 Paddington-Penzance via Bristol returning at 16.00 will be named 'The Merchant Venturer'.

Worcester Worcester County Council's plans for a £16M Norton Parkway station now has the backing of the London Midland TOC. The proposed site is where the Worcester-London line bridges the Birmingham-Bristol main line east of Norton Junction. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcester_(Norton)_Parkway_railway_station

South Staffs Two interesting pages showing past and present views of the mainly mineral lines west and east of the Walsall-Rugeley line: http://chasewaterstuff.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/some-of-hednesfords-railways/ http://chasewaterstuff.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/more-of-hednesfords-railways/

Helston Railway A footbridge, carrying a public footpath over the line, has been installed by the Helston Railway Preservation Company at Trevarno Gardens. It replaced the original bridge, and will allow track to be extended south to meet up with existing track from Truthall Halt at Cynhale.

Wolverton The Railway Magazine reports that Britain's oldest surviving railway works at Wolverton is to stage an open weekend on 14/15 August 2010. Opened by the London & Birmingham Railway in 1838, it subsequently passed through ownership of the LNWR, LMS, BR, BREL and after a management buyout is now in the hands of Railcare with a workforce of almost 400. Also at Wolverton a row of luxury townhouses has been built within the walls of the long-disused ex-LNWR Royal Train shed! http://www.transportevent.co.uk/index.html

Yahoo Groups Bygone Lines member Alex Hill who runs British Buses, Trolleybuses & Trams http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/BritishBusesTrolleybusesTrams/ has started two similar groups: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorthAmericanBusesTrolleybusesTrams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EuropeanBusesTrolleybusesTrams

Nottingham NET Bidders hoping to take over the city's existing tram system and design, build and operate the two new lines to Clifton and Chilwell have been told of potential for a further nine lines!

Welsh Highland Railway The ORR has passed the WHR(C) for passenger operation to the bridge at Pont Croesor allowing top-and-tail operations to extends southwards from Hafod y Llyn. The line between Pont Croesor and the Harbour station at Porthmadog has not been approved nor is approval being sought. WHR services into Porthmadog will thus not operate until Easter 2011 at the earliest.

Terence Cuneo If you have a few thousand pounds spare or are unable to suggest what you would like for Christmas how about an original Cuneo painting? His daughter Carole, who has been running Cuneo Fine Arts, is moving to a smaller house and has decided to sell most of the collection. More information in the December Railway Magazine and at: http://www.terencecuneo.co.uk/

Republic of Ireland Irish Rail made significant timetable changes from 29th November 2009. The new InterCity railcar fleet has made possible the introduction of a combined Dublin-Galway/Westport service. On Monday-Fridays, three-car trains will leave Westport at 05.15 and Galway at 06.05, combining at Athlone to run through to Dublin. In the reverse direction, a 15.30 from Dublin will split at Athlone with the front three for Galway and the rear three for Westport. The first train of the day for Westport and Galway is now the 07.30 from Dublin. The new service gives four pairs of trains a day to Westport and eight to Galway. On the Waterford route the new train fleet has brought journey time savings of up to 15 minutes with most trains taking between 135 and 150 minutes, whilst a new weekday two-hour service leaves Waterford at 07.10 and, calling only at Carlow, arrives Dublin at 09.10.

Syria The tourist line from Damascus-Al-Rabweh station up to Fedjeh still sees steam passenger workings on Fridays. Attractive 100 year-old wooden four- wheeled carriages are normally hauled by a green SLM 2-6-0T.

Afghanistan The country has just two Soviet-era 5ft gauge cross-border freight links, one 6m long to Turkmenistan and the other 9m long to Uzbeckistan. Commodities are brought by rail across the borders then transported further by road; there is hardly any export by rail. In 2006, Afghanistan began work on a line to connect Herat to the Iranian border at Sangan. 80% of the line is complete but work has stalled due to lack of funds and border disturbances. Funds have, however, been found for a 47-mile line from Mazar-e-Sharif to Hairatan (Uzbeckistan) with opening planned for 2011. Numerous plans for railways within Afghanistan have been scuppered in the past, not only due to the rugged terrain and war, but also gauge continuity. Of its neigbours the former USSR is 5ft, Iran uses 4ft 8½in and Pakistan has 5ft 6in!

China/Nepal More information has come to light following the 23 October Raildate. RITES an Indian consulting firm has proposed six cross-border links for connecting the proposed Mechi-Mahakali line with the Indian railways system. The total length of the railway lines will be around 870 miles. http://tinyurl.com/yfpl4fh

And finally... British Pathe Corner...

Terry Bye, who produces the excellent Coupe News for those interested in Pullman Cars, has forwarded a list of links to interesting British Pathe films - I shall include one a week until I run out (although once on the website, you might want to see what's available for yourself...)

Cock O' the North travelling to France, then on a rolling rail test bed: http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=5566

IN THE NEWS

Workington North emergency station construction time-lapse: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iy7KOkphBXM

Barnham signalbox moved to new site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8397795.stm http://tinyurl.com/yfkpjoq

Southern drivers dispute: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8405868.stm

Quad bikers killed on rail track: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8403014.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/8405190.stm http://tinyurl.com/ykbestr

FGW to fit TV screens in HSTs: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/Content.aspx?id=4483

Mayfield station, Manchester, to be finally demolished...? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8398596.stm

Level Crossing accident near North Walsham: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8405892.stm

Proposal to close Wareham foot crossing: http://tinyurl.com/ylna5oe

ORR investigation into open level crossings: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8394830.stm

Deutsche Bahn wins Tyne & Wear Metro contract: http://tinyurl.com/y8zx78o

Swan in train death wish: http://tinyurl.com/yzdma2x

Railway cartoon in the Guardian: http://tinyurl.com/yjnf89n

Disused Victorian station poised to become museum piece: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8400948.stm

Signallers plan strike in South Wales over new rosters: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/8395272.stm

Funding for Cairngorm Railway: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8402351.stm

Final call for passengers on the Orient Express: http://tinyurl.com/ya3gsx8

The first section of the new 331 mile Ankara-Istanbul line opens: http://www.tcdd.gov.tr/tcdding/ankist_ing.htm

Unbelievable stupidity at Netherlands level crossing: http://tinyurl.com/ybgc56f

DIY private train on German Railway network http://www.ananova.com/News/story/sm_3588249.html

Morocco and France to build high-speed Tangier-Casablanca line: http://www.railwaysafrica.com/2009/04/high-speed-for-morocco/

New railway to be constructed linking Kaduna to Abuja, Nigeria: http://tinyurl.com/ylc6kzk

Japan's hotels woo train spotters: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8397897.stm

Worlds fastest train unveiled in China: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8406910.stm

Asian train travel and food: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8382555.stm

Art exhibition in the Kingsway Subway: http://tinyurl.com/yauaf4s

Tram line problems for cyclists in Edinburgh: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8400094.stm

Guided busway spelling error: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/8405434.stm

Cardington Airship hangers for sale: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/8401211.stm

Coventry Airport closed: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/coventry_warwickshire/8405380.stm

Spotters: Richard Buckby, Terry Bye, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps, Ralph Rawlinson, Nick Wheat

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