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by Howard Sprenger (unless otherwise credited)
More things culled from RAILDATE MEMO, plus anything extra that's come my way.
In conjunction with the opening of Peak Rail's extension to Rowsley by the owner of "Flying Scotsman", Tony Marchington, it has been announced that after its current overhaul at Southall, the loco will be based permanently at the Peak line. In addition, the local authorities are keen to see the early reopening of the line to Buxton to help relieve traffic conjestion in this tourist area. There is even the possibility of Peak Rail operating services as far as Chinley.
I (Nick Wheat) was at the opening ceremony on saturday for the Rowsley South extension. The trains were top and tailed by a J94 clone (masquerading as 68006) and a black 5.
Speaking to some active working Peak Rail members, Dr Marchington, owner of Flying Scotsman who is bringing his loco to the line is to re-build the line to Buxton with his own money (I was told he's worth c.140 million) plus as much lottery/EC/Council/Millenium cash as he can get his hands on to subsidise the bill.
This is to re-build the line as a commercial freight (mineral) railway with steam puff-puffs to run between the freight train paths. There is no difference in Railtrack allowing Class 60 hauled limestone trains or Black 5 hauled passenger trains from Topley Pike to Chinley. All Railtrack wants is pound notes, regardless of the motive power or type of train. So it looks like Peak Rail WILL be running services from Matlock to Chinley as well as Buxton.
I understand that engineers redundant from the Channel tunnel project will be employed in connection with reopening the line.
Some photographs taken by Nick Wheat of the opening of Peak Rail's extension, plus a look at the Midland Railway Trust Diesel Day and the narrow gauge railway being built at Butterley, are available on the HPMRS web pages.
60007 Sir Nigel Gresley has arrived at Mid-Hants Railway for a six week visit, under her own power and carrying the headboard "The Jolly Roger". (And Mr Barker was indeed looking thoroughly cheerful.) Saw her at Guildford, where she ran round the support coach after turning at Reading (2 hour delay at Reading, usual Railtrack cockup. "Like disappearing into the Bermuda Triangle" said Mr Slaughter) and again at Alton, where a fair-sized reception party saw her through the gate on to Mid-Hants metals, with her chime whistle telling Hampshire she was back.
For GW fans - 6990 "Witherslack Hall" has just set out on a three month hire at Glouc/Warks rly. She should then return to GCR in July. For those who don't know she is in an improved GWR livery (BR lined black - gorgeous!)
http://www.dsds.demon.co.uk/
http://members.tripod.com/~Mike_Broom/index.html
http://members.aol.com/cfps40/index.html
The Web Pages of the Fifty Fund have been updated for 1997. They have actually been in place for quite a while now but I've only just got round to spreading the word. Our thanks to the University of East London for the web space.
The Funds pages can be found on the UK Railway Preservation Pages at:
http://www.uel.ac.uk/pers/1278/rly-pres/info.html
All comments welcome! (stands back, then ducks and runs :-) )
http://www.nlr.org.uk
http://www.almac.co.uk/a/mnr
By special arrangement with North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group, custodians of the engine, 60532 "Blue Peter" is to visit GCR for about six weeks. Provisional steaming dates (but please check before travelling) are 24,25,26 May, 7,8,14,15 June as part of summer gala, 28,29 June (last weekend before loco leaves).
Diesel gen is as follows:
Saturday 17th May - Class 40 D335. First outing since power unit overhaul Saturday 24th May - Class 50 50015. Saturday 31st May - Class 40 D335. Saturday 7th June - Western Class D1041. Saturday 14th June - Class 55 D9019. Saturday 21st June - Hymek D7076. Saturday 28th June - Class 50 50015. Saturday 5th July - 1960s Weekend - start of 'The Event' 9 day gala.
Midland Railway 2 chain/1" lineplans. These will be available for a couple of weeks if you want to see the location of the South Africa War Memorial at Langley Mill & Eastwood stations, Derbyshire:
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~nickwheat/monument.jpg
The wider environs of Langley Mill & Eastwood Stations. This is 130k, so be warned. The plan is date-stamped 1912:
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~nickwheat/langmill.jpg
The GWR Preservation Group which is based at the old BR motive power
depot at Southall has been give notice to quit the premises on 21 July
by Railtrack Property. They are appealing for help in persuading
Railtrack to change its mind. They also want people to write to
chairman Sir Bob Horton asking him to intervene on their behalf.
Ray King
http://ds.dial.pipex.com/kevin.clapcott/
just follow links to S&D pages.
(Excellent site - HS)
http://www.bangor.ac.uk/ml/whr/whr.htm
Calling all steamies... The Isle of Man STEAM railway is now operating until the autumn. They are Beyer-Peacock 2-4-0 tanks on a three foot gauge, with seventeen miles of track, and lessons on driving can be had (Charge). Fred Dibnah had a go and was thrilled to bits in '94. Breath in the lovely oily steamy smell of real locos.
Pictures at http://www.mcb.net/iom/train.html
The Isle of Man Visitors Club web site includes a large section on the Isle of Man Trains. It includes details of the 1997 summer timetable.
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~iomvc/
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Trails/3291/index.html
http://whitworth.me.ic.ac.uk/people/students/djbur/ukrail.faq
http://www.pcpages.co.uk/railmaps/
Try the mercurio web site for railway pics: http://mercurio.eit.unipi.it
(Broken when I tried it!)
The Crowsnest Guide to British Railways is at: http://www.crowsnest.co.uk/north
Some of my photos are at: http://www.cavrdg.demon.co.uk and a few more at: http://www.crowsnest.co.uk/north/photos.htm
I have just updated the ROSCOs bit: http://www.crowsnest.co.uk/north/train1d.htm
Michael Parry (michael@unicorn-connection.co.uk)
http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dit8bls/
Overseas trip for 1997: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cj.tolley/cjt-ch97.htm to Brig in Switzerland (which, being at one end of the Simplon Tunnel, was on the route of the Orient Express) at the start of May.
For other information about the Society, including forthcoming meetings: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cj.tolley/bdrshome.htm
...plus associated train workings:
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Arcade/1960/railpage.htm
http://www.totalweb.co.uk/dweb/nwales/rainy.htm
http://www.totalweb.co.uk/dweb/nwales/crewe1.htm http://www.totalweb.co.uk/dweb/nwales/crewe2.htm
...in the British Isles, Summer 1995:
http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dit8bls/psul9508.txt
http://www.zynet.co.uk/gold/thepub/trains/Welcome.html
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/misc/links.html
http://www.zynet.co.uk/gold/thepub/trains/
* * * Highly Recommended - like an online Ian Allan ABC * * * * * * Linked from the HPMRS pages * * *
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/nigel.e3/index.htm
http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/s.freeman/
Includes Gauge O Guild information
I have a leaflet listing special events, tours, film shows and lectures. There's some interesting stuff, including a lecture on disused underground stations (on a Wednesday!) and a tour of the disused Aldwych station. Let me know if you'd like a copy.
As I have received a number of requests for information about the London Underground Railway Society, I have produced this FAQ. Please note that whilst I am a current member of the Society, I am not an officer, so these are personal notes, comments and observations rather than official notices.
As is usually found, there are the stalwart few in any club or society, that put in an enormous amount of work for the benefit of their members, and I fully acknowledge the effort that our Officers put in, especially with regard to the monthly magazine. We are also very lucky that some of them are employees in LU, and after finishing work, spend even more time talking or writing about the Underground. This gives our membership even more insight into the whole operation of the Underground System, and about areas that the general public are not allowed to visit. Without these people, those that live outside the London Area like myself, would be ill-informed on the happenings of the Railway System we all love.
Members receive a wonderful A5 size monthly magazine which includes Rolling Stock Changes and Movements (including withdrawls and scrapping details), reviews of books and videos that have an Underground/LT theme, as well as snippets from local, daily papers and trade magazines.
The Docklands Light Railway also regularly features in the magazine, plus details of the other operations in which LT are involved. The Letters to the Editor pages are also full of interesting information.
The society also have a Modelling Secretary who has arranged special printing of Underground Station signs in 4mm scale in any true or fictitious station name. So if you're into model railways, this is one reason alone to join the society.
For people living in UK, membership costs nineteen ukp per annum and is the best value for money for accurate London Underground Railway information that I know.
For other details about membership, please contact Eric Felton, Hon. Secretary, L.U.R.S. 54 Brinkley Road, Worcester Park, Surrey KT4 8JF
There are two railway simulation programs which stand head and shoulders above the rest, BAHN340 and NXSYS. You can get more information and download these direct from my pages:
http://homepages.enterprise.net/iainlogan/Pages/BAHN.html BAHN340 is an incredibly powerful railway network simulator for DOS computers.
http://homepages.enterprise.net/iainlogan/Pages/RlyOp.html NXSYS is a very good simulator of an NX (Entrance Exit) Route relay interlocking panel of the type used by the NYC Subway, and very similar to those used in the UK, which now has a cab view incorporated in its 32 bit version.
If you think Railway Modeller is naive in refusing to allow advertisers to display their websites, leave an aggravated message, expressing your displeasure, on Peco's guest book at: http://www.mmcltd.co.uk/peco/
The action of Railway Modeller to ban Internet URLs from advertisements has generated a huge protest from the uk.railway newsgroup, to the point that an article about the controversy appeared in the Guardian Online ( http://online.guardian.co.uk/one.html). In the article, PECO Chairman, Charles Pritchard, complains that the Internet users who are complaining "are not railway modellers", and that the Internet is just an "electronic game, and when people are playing with that, they are not modelling railways".
Needless to say, the Guest Book on Peco's own Web site has received some pretty colourful submissions, but criticisms are (understandably!) being deleted by Peco. On the basis that they are reading them, even if no-one else can, go to http://www.mmcltd.co.uk/peco/pecohome.htm and make your point if, like me, you think their stance is (at best) akin to King Canute, or (at worst) an insult to those of us who model railways and also happen to use the Internet.
rec.models.railroad
It deals with model railroads - the group is massively and understandably dominated by North American interests, but there is the occasional thread of UK interest, usually tagged UK
http://www.wgh.co.uk
If you're interested in modelling the Southern (Railway, Region or Pre-grouping) join the Southern E-Group e-mail discussion list. See: http://members.carol.net/~lawrence/southern/egroup.htm or e-mail David Lawrence, lawrence@carol.net
http://freespace.virgin.net/brian.rumary/irs.htm
If you are interested in joining, the membership secretary is: B.Mettam, 27 Glenfield Crescent, Newbold, Chesterfield, S41 8SF, England.
http://members.aol.com/TauntonME/welcome.html
(linked from HPMRS page):
http://www.tela.bc.ca/tela/british-n-scale
http:/ http://www.argonet.co.uk/users/s.freeman/gog.html
http://www.pherber.com//archangel/
http://w3.one.net/~aharman/index.html
John Luxton still has an extensive list of second-hand railway books and related items. Let me (Howard) know if you want a copy of his list.
http://freespace.virgin.net/ian.jessop/index.html
LAST IN LAST OUT RAILTOUR - Saturday 31st May 1997.
Connex are running a railtour to commemorate the closure of the Addiscombe branch and Wimbledon-West Croydon line. The lines will close at the end of the current timetable. The train will be formed of 8 Vep and start from Victoria about 1000. It will run over some of thoserare curves and spurs that are impossible to do on ordinary service trains.
Highlights: Canterbury Road spur, Blackfriars Carriage Road, Cannon Street reversible Borough Green loop, Maidstone East Through line, Lenham loop, Folkestone Harbour, Headcorn UGL, Newhaven Marine and then will run to the be the last train between West Croydon and Wimbledon and Addiscombe to Elmers End.
Full details from: 100277.1576@compuserve.com or: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/hopepages/railtour
Timings are now complete. the tour is doing all and more than it says on the booking form. Seats are still available. No first class. If you're thinking of booking then now is not too early, so not to avoid disappointment.
Stock will be 8-Vep. Cost Standard $20 First Class $25.
The latest revision for the railtour includes Newhaven Harbour.
Just to clarify ADDISCOMBE closes for good on 31st May 1997. The Tramlink operation joins the branch off the former Selsdon Line at Woodside. Addiscombe to Woodside will close for good. Addiscombe for those who haven't seen it seems to be still in a Southern Railway time warp. Although the station building is shut. The long island platform still retains an ample station canopy and non-modernised station lighting etc. All it wants is the green station signs instead of the plain modern black and white variety. Pity the signal box got burnt down because until then it was semaphore signalled
Following the recent death of the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, and given that there was some correspondence on the subject of Sodor in this file a couple of years back, you might be interested in this exchange from the uk.railway newsgroup...
1) Gilbert once told me about a clergy gathering at which Wilbert Awdry gave a talk. His subject was the Isle of Sodor, its history and topography. He didn't give undue prominence to its railway system, and he omitted to mention the names of any locomotives; his delivery was erudite and grave. By the end of the talk, said Gilbert with great glee, half his audience were quite convinced the place was real!
2) Er - it is real, I think. Otherwise, what is the Bishop of Sodor and Man bishop of?
3) Good point. And probably what foxed all those luckless vicars, who of course had heard of the Diocese of Sodor and Man.
The solution is in Brian Sibley's biography 'The Thomas the Tank Engine Man' (page 154). In 1950 Wilbert, who was then trying to find a home for his railway, visited the Isle of Man, and was intrigued to find that, although the Bishop had the title 'Sodor and Man', his diocese consisted only of Man. Apparently it dated back to the Norwegian occupation some 700 years earlier; the islands to the north of Scotland were called The Nordreys, and those to the west were The Sudreys, which turned into Sodor. And as the name was now hanging about doing nothing in particular, Wilbert decided to 'discover' the Isle of Sodor, and "so give the poor deprived Bishop the other half of his diocese!"
Wilbert and his brother George published in 1987 'The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways', now out of print, but should be available from the public library system. Great fun.
The father of Rev W Awdry was the Vicar at Ampfield, and it is said that Wilbert's love of railways stemmed from watching trains on the Romsey- Eastleigh line as a child.
The Wagon-Lits Society: http://ds.dial.pipex.com/historian/wl The SNCF Sosiety: http://ds.dial.pipex.com/historian/sncf
and hopefully soon:-
The Italian Railways Society: http://ds.dial.pipex.com/historian/fs
http://www.totalweb.co.uk/dweb/srs/
http://www.worldaccess.nl/~krolri/
http://www.ioc.ee/~valdo/ok1.jpg http://www.ioc.ee/~valdo/ok2.jpg http://www.ioc.ee/~valdo/ok3.jpg http://www.ioc.ee/~valdo/ok4.jpg
http://www.spoornet.co.za/1pass00.htm
http://www.nwadv.com/signalsigns/
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6444
The Con-Cor Web page has a nice letter in which they explain how many modelers are out there, what scales they model, and how that affects Con-Cor's production plans: http://www.skypoint.com/~hudsonl/
http://www.railpage.org.au/
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~aattc/
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