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More things culled from RAILDATE up to 10/02/02, plus anything else that's come my way.
Merchant Navy Class Pacific No 35028 "Clan Line" is currently undergoing a major overhaul in preparation for her next 7-year stint on the main line. The MNLPS website has been updated to cover the progress of the overhaul with a slide show with pics and commentary is included. Follow the "2001 overhaul progress to date" link on the main page:
Regarding the poor performance of 71000 after it entered regular service with British Rail, information on this locomotive from day one to the present is available at:
http://www.dukeofgloucester.cwc.net
http://users.powernet.co.uk/hamilton/
http://www.dukeofgloucester.cwc.net/
http://terrapin.ru.ac.za/~iwdf/art/class26.html
http://www.trainweb.org/tusp/new_steam.html
A proposal to build an updated version of Stanier's LMS "Turbomotive":
Other proposals for "advanced steam locomotives:
http://www.missmorley.f9.co.uk/
http://www.skyrocket.de/locomotive/
Gallery, together with an update on the positions of the stored locomotives at Canton Depot:
http://members.tripod.co.uk/martinbray1954
Diesel photo gallery has been updated:
The "Tractor Gallery" has now been moved to a new address and updated to include 37001 - 37049. 37050 - 37199 will follow shortly:
http://martinbray37.150m.com/tractorindex.htm
Diagram website:
http://www.class47list.co.uk/news.htm
Photo gallery:
Photo gallery:
Photo gallery:
A page about the Class 73 EDs to a TOPS site, also some updates to the Class 47 page:
http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail/index.html
A website has been set up to follow the last days of the 'heritage' class 101 DMUs:
All the surviving units are based at Longsight depot, Manchester.
D1015's historic run on 28th January at Duffield and Belper:
Go to the NEWS/PICS link
And a couple of soundclips. One recording is 2 miles north of Derby, available both in mp3 and real audio and the other is of the loco re-starting from Derby on the return leg:
http://www.6lda28b.freeserve.co.uk/1015.html
http://www.neotek.demon.co.uk/vct
http://www.50bus.co.uk/citycentre/2001-november-moor-street.htm
http://members.tripod.co.uk/martinbray1954
...and Cumbrian railways in general:
New website:
Courtesy of a recent high tide plus high winds:
http://www.rail-video.com/builder_images/pix8.jpg
I recently found myself in Morecambe, and was half-hoping that we might be able to stay at the Midland Hotel. However, when we got there, it was obviously no longer open for business, and there was a big sign outside saying that it had been bought for redevelopment. I feared the worst, but a walk past it the following day revealed that a company is doing it up with the intention of offering themed (and expensive in the Orient-Express sense of the word), 'thirties weekends, etc.
The manager at the place we stayed said he'd heard they were spending £5m (maybe £10m) on it, but that a couple of chaps who had been at the forefront of the scheme had later been found to be disqualified from being directors of any company! (There's always something "dodgy", where property speculation is concerned, isn't there?!)
Anyway, it is in an appalling state, and you can easily understand where all the money is going to go. Apparently, it closed for business around 18 months ago, and in its last weeks, guests were being issued with hard hats (I think that was mine host's little joke).
I for one hope that the place is restored to its former glory. For those who don't know it, it is in the Art-Deco style, and was built in 1933 by the LMS opposite the former Midland Railway station (still there, but now converted into a restaurant and night club by the look of it). I understand it replaced an earlier hotel that was built by the MR, but I have never seen a picture of it.
More information is available at this excellent website:
The Norfolk By Rail site has been updated, including the first electric locomotive to Dereham - Class 86 visits the Mid-Norfolk Railway. Article and photo on Norfolk Rail News. Several pictures have been added to the countywide stock listings, and some have also been added to the railway locations page:
http://link-rail.com/norfolkbyrail
http://come.to/victoria-station
On BBCi we have a FULL TWENTY MINUTE real video from the drivers cab. It starts at the docks, and finishes at Bedminster station. Log on to:
and go to "Features".
(The that the line actually runs to Parson Street, not Bedminster. Apparently, "Portbury" from the industrial museum is christening the line. Unfortunately, the reopening work has severed the junction at Ashton Gate so the locomotive has had to be moved there by road!)
As part of the Kings Cross/St Pancras rebuilding, the gas mains pipes are being rerouted through the disused Hotel Curve tunnel. They have dug 2 shafts to break into it.
The southern end is outside WHSmiths on Euston Rd. The contractors have kindly left viewing windows in the fencing, and there at the bottom of a deep deep hole is the brick crown of the tunnel, which has been knocked through so that they can lower materials into the tunnel itself. The northern end is on Pancras Rd between the Great Northern Hotel and the tunnel portal, but you can't really see much here.
If anyone is in the area and wants a wander round, it's surprisingly open to the public. Apart from the obvious great big hole in front of Kings Cross station, if you wander up Pancras Rd you can see where they are demolishing the old warehouse buildings. Next turn left down Battlebridge Rd past one of the demolition sites of the gasholders. This road junction will cease to exist when they build the deck of the Connex platforms to the east of the existing St Pancras throat. Goodsway is closed to vehicles, but you can walk down it and pass more demolished gasholders. North of the Goodsway/Yorkway junction there are the old Kings Cross goods warehouses that have been taken over by CTRL, and east of Yorkway adjacent to the North London Line they have started digging a big trench for the TBMs.
Some images from Mike Rea on the Midland Railway Society website:
http://irwell.mimas.ac.uk/~zzaascs/mrsoc/images/rea/Hotel-Curve-Tun-1.jpg
http://irwell.mimas.ac.uk/~zzaascs/mrsoc/images/rea/Hotel-Curve-Tun-2.jpg
Mike writes...
I wandered that way with my camera and managed to get a couple of photos of the demolished crown of the tunnel by WH Smiths. They are a little obscured by building clutter and safety netting but the construction of the crown is visible. I did, incidentally, take the camera on to St Pancras station but was told that photography was forbidden and more or less asked to leave... be warned!
John Brighton (of Steamline Sheffield, model locomotive kit building service) is building a model of Millhouses Shed and surroundings. Some pictures are on the web at:
http://www.steamline1.freeserve.co.uk/page5.html
http://www.mulehouse.demon.co.uk/stations
Live departure boards:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/departures/fs_departures.htm
Website update with photos of Barrow Hill Roundhouse Diesel Gala and the open day at Newton Heath depot:
http://www.merseyjcn.freeuk.com
There's latest news and photos from the Bluebell Railway, including photos of 80151 out of the loco works awaiting final inspection before returning to traffic at the forthcoming Giants of Steam event (27-28 Oct), and lots of news from around the railway, including another land purchase on the route of the extension to East Grinstead:
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/bluenews.html
http://www.cvmrd.freeserve.co.uk (Churnet Valley Model Railway Department) http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk (Churnet Valley Railway Site) http://www.kachuzyn.fsnet.co.uk (Leek & Manifold Web site) http://www.kachuzyn.fsnet.co.uk/specialevents.htm http://www.kachuzyn.fsnet.co.uk/victorianxmas.htm
English Electric Day (19th Jan) picture report:
http://www.geocities.com/lusitania40
20th January 2002 is the fortieth anniversary of the closure of the Stainmore route. For the latest on progress on the reopening the Eden Valley Railway and the fortieth anniversary events of the closure of the Stainmore route:
or
http://www.stainmorerailway.co.uk
The little known Ashover Light Railway now has a website. (Some of us would argue that it had as much charm as the more famous Leek and Manifold or the Lynton and Barnstaple...!)
Upgraded video clips of "Bundy", a Bundaberg-Fowler 2 foot gauge steam loco. The clips are from the TV documentary "Bundy's Last Great Adventure" which can be purchased online on the same site:
http://www.gullivermedia.com.au/bundyweb/bundy.htm
The Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway website is all about the narrow gauge railway on Peak Rail’s Rowsley South Shed Site, (The location of the old British Railways Rowsley (17D) Shed). This is of 2-foot gauge with a whole host of stock from ex-British Rail to ex-Butlins locos coaches and wagons.
Aiming to build a narrow gauge railway on Hayling Island seafront. Membership is £10 for life.
http://www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk
Contains photos of a selection of signal boxes, mostly of pre-grouping origin:
http://www.bevanp.in2home.co.uk/sigbox1.htm
Signalling Record Society: http://www.s-r-s.freeuk.com/
Bluebell Railway Signalling: http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/signals.html
Severn Valley Railway Signalling: http://www.svrsig.org.uk/
Kidderminster Railway Museum: http://www.krm.org.uk/
Exeter West, Crewe: http://www.studio433.co.uk/exeterwest
Midland railway Centre: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~pcrail/
From Dave Harris - Derby Area Signalling Project: http://www.crepello.demon.co.uk/sig/
From Chris Osment - Lynton and Barnstaple Railway: http://www.trainweb.org/railwest/railco/minor/lb-sigs.html
There are about 200 members so far and there are regular, and usually very interesting messages. The only rule about the group is that messages must be about steam. Members of the group receive these messages and are able to share photos of steam locos with other steam enthusiasts via the group's file space and photo album. To find out more about this group go to:
http://uk.geocities.com/krisward42/steam_locos.html
or visit the Yahoo Groups page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steam_locos
http://www.railpage.org.au/neety/trains/index.html
http://www.terhautz.com/tren.html
Then follow the link to "Brockenbahnhof live" if you pick the right time there might be a train in. The view seems to change about every 10 min. in daylight hours, 30 at night. They seem to run 6 coach trains even at this time of year and metric steam yet!
The official railway museum in India. This is based at New Delhi and is worth a visit:
http://www.oldironlinks.com/trains_and_railroads/
A new website about the good ol' days of steam - Going Loco! Containing photographs and historical information on British Railway Locomotives - both past and present. The latest additions include reminiscences of a journey along Great Central Railway - Nottingham Victoria to Loughborough and the presently preserved section between Loughborough and North Leicester. Also includes comparative photographs of locomotives that have survived from the 1960s to the present day. Cromford & High Peak Railway pages also feature.
http://www.goingloco.neave.com
http://www.photoloc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Launch of an on-line magazine called "Rail Photo Magazine", part of Railphoto.co.uk. The aim is to offer readers/visitors to the magazine (You!) the opportunity to contribute in both terms of photography, articles and letters:
http://www.railphoto.co.uk/magazine
David's Railway Photography website "Britain's Railways since 1978" updated. Contents include; Brief visits to the RHDR and the Kent & East Sussex; Kent & Sussex Signalboxes; 4-SUB Farewell Railtour (1/10/83). A brief record of the Scarborough Deviation railtour (12/11/83). A wet visit to the Berks & Hants (26/5/84):
http://www.mounton.freeserve.co.uk
Des Brailsford's Webshots site includes Welsh narrow gauge, North Stafford Railway, OO9/HOe East Bank Light Railway and "Scales 'n' Gauges":
http://community.webshots.com/user/dbrailsf
There is a new Phantasrail UK Steam photo gallery:
http://www.phantasrail.com/index.htm
The Phantasrail UK 2001 Gallery has also been updated:
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/phantasrail/uk.htm
New photos added to Mersey Junction:
http://www.merseyjcn.freeuk.com
BR Dieselweb has been updated with some sounds and photos of Ian Riley's latest main line class 37, 37197, which ran recently at the East Lancs Railway. The loco carries the distinctive Riley & Son livery. Sound files and Photos from the ELR July and September Diesel Galas are also available plus lots more:
British Railways pictorial has just been updated with new pictures and new classes:
http://www.moggy180.freeserve.co.uk
Martin Bray's Gallery has recived a considerable upgrade with more classic traction:
http://members.tripod.co.uk/ukloco
Website update with some photographs from recent photographic charters and the East Lancs Gala:
http://www.paddington83.freeserve.co.uk
Rail-photo has been updated with a new photographic gallery which invites people to submit their best winter railway shot and enter the photographic competition, closing date Christmas Day:
Now over 850 pictures on the Railfan.net site. Short cut on:
http://www.railfan.net/railpix/submit/contribthumb.cgi?johnlaw&800
A web page for vintage images. There is a lot of railway content, although the page is still under construction. Black and white from 1923 and colour from 1937 (although the rail content only dates from the 1960s in colour).
http://www.vintage-images.co.uk
A new website where you will be able to purchase a Locomotive Picture Archive CDRom The profits from the sale of which goes towards the upkeep and developement of the 30 year old Westport, Halebarns & Diggle O Gauge Model Railway in Cheshire UK:
Winter Railway Photography Competition:
53A Models photographic website has been further updated, and now has in excess of 1160 mainly wallpaper sized (1024 x 768 pixels) images of mainly UK railways in the diesel and electric era. The most recent additions have mainly been to the 1981 year page, and includes further shots of Deltics in their final months of traffic:
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/53amodels/
A folio of mounted prints including railway interest:
The complete BTF Filmstrip, "British Railways" of 1951 plus lecture notes are now on the BTF dedicated website for viewing, courtesy of Stephen Furley. This runs to 51 frames of photographs that explain the nature of BR in its early days with steam locos, plus early diesels (LMS 10000) & electrics plus goods handling and shipping featured. You may find the filmstrip by navigating via the homepage:
http://www.britishtransportfilms.co.uk (click on 'filmstrips' and then click on the 'Britsh Railways' entry)
Or go direct to: http://www.britishtransportfilms.co.uk/productions/filmstrips/BT0017/BT17.h tml
We'd like to add as many as possible to the website's filmstrip archive which currently contains just this one so if anyone has copies of other filmstrips that they would allow us to use on the site either by loan or sale, would they please get in touch.
Many thanks - Nick Wheat
PS - The Collectors Corner catalogues for 1986 & 1988 listed 'many' (too numerous to list) BTF filmstrips as being available for sale for a mere 50p each! Mind you, totems were just a few quid then as well!
http://welcome.to/briefencounter
Peter E Davies carnforth.station@virgin.net http://www.carnforth-station.co.uk
Transport video producers, featuring Britian's railways from the 1920s to the present day:
If anyone would like to be added to a free Video and DVD railway catalogue mailing list please mailto:gvfsm@aol.com giving your name, address and postcode to be include on the circulation list. The catalogues normally go out twice a year (May and November). As well as giving information regarding past and future programme the catalogue also includes details of any special offers. Details will not be passed on to any third parties.
New website looking for links to non-commercial pages on railway books. Also any related to railway movies, documentaries, etc:
http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/usrpages/collect/welcome.htm
http://www.nigelbirdbooks.co.uk
Silver Link Publishing:
http://www.nostalgiacollection.com
A useful web site for locating second hand books:
Oxford University Press Reading Room is a new online service that offers you the opportunity to sample chapters from new books on screen:
http://www.oup.co.uk/readingroom
Steamsounds website updated with some new recordings. If you'd like to listen to 46229, some sounds from the Festiniog, a couple of Panniers or listen to a few run pasts (remember those?) then visit:
http://www.geocities.com/steamsounds
or there is a mirror of the site at:
http://www.uclan.ac.uk/library/musrail.htm
Computer-based railway simulations and other products:
(Enter ZC09W in the search box for 3D-railroad or HO9000 for Hornby Virtual Railway.)
Auctions, for sale, wanted, exchange, nameplates, numberplates, totems, etc
The railwayana events diary has now moved to become part of the Prorail railwayana site. This diary lists all auctions and events where the whole range of railwayana is available. The Prorail site is currently being developed and is well worth keeping an eye on:
http://www.prorail.co.uk/events
Suppliers of train crew equipment:
http://freespace.virgin.net/jat.railway_supplies_and_services
European railtours:
An truly excellent resource for all 4mm scale modellers:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~phold/4mmMBG/index.html
Manufacturers and suppliers of 4mm scale model railway products:
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~phold/russ/supplier.html
A 7mm Modern Image Garden Railway pictures website and features the North Wales Coast Railway:
http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKModelRailandDiecastSwopMart
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