RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society:
http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
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Due to holidays, the next RAILDATE will be published on Friday 16th April.
There is an extra-long Events section in this issue as a result.
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NETWATCH
============
Historic Railway Buildings of South-East England:
http://historic-railway-buildings.fotopic.net/
England's historic sites and buildings:
http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/
A recent exploration of Tiviot Dale Tunnel, Stockport (Cheshire Lines):
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=48601
Building a model steam locomotive from paper (in Portuguese) but follow
the steps over several pages:
http://bit.ly/azQ8aq
============
Videos
Follow the route of the Weymouth Boat Train from the station to the quay:
http://bit.ly/aWbFLz
Basingstoke in 1987 with BR blue 4-CIG and 4-CEP units plus 50005
"Collingwood":
http://bit.ly/dkjKze
BR blue 50041 "Bulwark" powering away from Salisbury in the 1980s:
http://bit.ly/ddvQqb
"Tornado" and other locomotives at the Great Central Railway:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mx4CbfbPzvE
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
Robert Lindsay talks about Stanton Ironworks:
http://tinyurl.com/ykrpfgj
(Spotter: Nick Wheat)
Cult animation and direction studio Shotopop is now able to show a project
it completed nearly a year ago for French railway company SNCF.
http://email.digitalartsonline.co.uk/go.asp?/bDAO001/qN16N9/x645Z9
(Spotter: Nick Wheat)
History of British Trams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipvV3QGOgtM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzv5FbWjIMk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9sZkC6dfxA
(Spotter: Ralph Rawlinson)
How to open the curtains...
http://tinyurl.com/36qj7f
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
============
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
Docklands Light Railway
The first of 55 new three-car trains, built by Bombadier as part of a 325m
upgrade, entered service on the Bank-Lewisham route on 23rd February 2010.
The upgrade also includes extending platforms to permit longer trains,
remodelling Tower Gateway station and replacing South Quay station. Trial
running over the former London Overground (former GER) line between Canning
Town and Stratford is expected to start in May 2010 with passenger services
to/from both Beckton and Woolwich Arsenal starting in the summer. From
Canning Town new and converted stations are at Star Lane, West Ham, Abbey
Road, Stratford High Street, Stratford and Stratford International.
http://developments.dlr.co.uk/extensions/stratford/stations.asp
Brighton Belle
Plans to return slam-door Class 421 4-CIG EMU 1881 to main line running
have been shelved. The four-car unit has instead been sold to the 5BEL
Trust who will use most of its traction equipment and running gear on the
5BEL project. The campaign to restore a five-car 'Brighton Belle' set was
reported in Raildate in September 2009.
http://www.brightonbelle.com
Birkenhead Tramways
It seems the tramway has been saved from closure. The tramway and Wirral
Transport Museum are to be taken over by Merseytravel.
Blackpool Trams
Track replacement has been taking place on the Promenade and towards
Talbot Square. The main steelwork and roof of the new Starr Gate tram
depot was completed during February.
Glasgow
The ferry across the Clyde between Renfrew and Yoker is to close at the end
of March 2010 to save Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) 430,000
a year in subsidy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renfrew_Ferry
Glasgow Transport Museum
The Museum of Transport in the Kelvin Hall Glasgow, which attracts over
half a million visitors a year and is home to a collection of vintage cars,
locomotives and trams etc, is to close on 18th April 2010.
http://www.glasgowmuseums.com/venue/index.cfm?venueid=7
Many of its exhibits will go on display in the new 74m Riverside Museum
being built on the banks of the Clyde just outside the city centre, but it
is not due to open until the spring of 2011.
http://www.glasgowmuseums.com/venue/showProject.cfm?venueid=7&itemid=33
Edinburgh
The likely cost of the new Gogar national rail/tram interchange station
is double the original estimate. It was promoted by the Scottish
Government as a cheaper alternative to a direct rail line into Edinburgh
Airport.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gogar_railway_station
Edinburgh-Perth line
Claims by two Scottish politicians that new halts at Newburgh and Bridge of
Earn have been added to the list of strategic transport projects have been
denied by Transport Scotland adding that spending constraints prevent it.
Spain
A new 109-mile long HS line is planned from Bilbao-San Sebastian with a
triangular junction midway onto a 58-mile branch south to Vitoria. It will
include five major tunnels the longest of which will be just under three miles.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_Y
Peru
PeruRail plans to restart its Vistadome train service to Aguas Calientes ?
the nearest station to Machu Picchu - on 29th March 2010.
http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/article.php?page_id=3230
Czech
State-run Czech Railways will launch tenders this year worth a record 16bn
crowns ($858.4m) for new trains and to modernise old ones. The loss-making
operator is in the middle of a multi-year turnaround plan to modernise its
fleet, raise efficiency and boost competitiveness as the Czech rail system
opens up. New and modernised trains worth around 4.2bn crowns went into
service in 2009, and new and reworked trains worth 4.5bn will be put into
operation this year.
http://tinyurl.com/yaebo5q
Serbia
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development said it may lend
Serbia's state-owned railways operator Zeleznice Srbije ?100m to upgrade
the line between Belgrade and the northern province of Vojvodina, the
procurement of 15 electric locomotives and procurement of spare parts for
the existing electric locomotive fleet.
http://www.balkans.com/open-news.php?uniquenumber=51543
Georgia
A $100 project aims to divert freight, including Caspian Sea petroleum
products en-route to the Black Sea, from having to travel through the
centre of Tbilisi. The city?s central railway station will be relocated to
the outskirts and a new line will go around a large water reservoir that
sits northeast of Tbilisi. A new highway and rapid tram line will also
replace the latticework of railways that cuts through the middle of the
city.
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/news/articles/eav031810.shtml
Azerbaijan
The Baku-Kars railway:
http://abc.az/eng/news/main/43501/html
China
Construction began on 17th March 2010 in North East China's Liaoning
Province on two railways near the border with Korea. One line will link
Shenyang, the provincial capital, with Dandong City, which faces Korea's
Sinuiju city across the Yalu River. When completed in 2014 the 129-mile
line, with a design speed of 155mph, will cut the travel time from 3hrs to
one hour. Construction of a HS line linking Beijing and Shenyang cutting
the time between the two cities to 2 hrs will start in July. The 184-mile
line linking Dandong and Dalian (Liaoning's most industrialised city) with
a design speed of 125mph should reduce the present 2hr drive to 90mins,
and be completed in 2013. If Korea also improves its railway services, it
could take only half a day to travel from Beijing to Pyongyang by train
after the Beijing-Shenyang and Shenyang-Dandong lines go into operation.
The distance between Dandong and Pyongyang is only about 125 miles.
http://www.china.org.cn/china/2010-03/18/content_19631020.htm
Impressions of commuting between Beijing and Tianjin, 73 miles in 30mins!
http://tinyurl.com/y9fzml5
Mongolia
The new head of Ulan Bator Railways said his main goal is to transform it
into a highly efficient transport system and to start far-reaching measures
for its modernisation, with the introduction of modern standards,
equipment, and technology.
http://tinyurl.com/yb4ezbw
============
And finally... British Pathe Corner...
The Schwebebahn in Wuppertal, Germany from 1945 and 1950:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=57166
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=59726
============
IN THE NEWS
Reward offered for Staffordshire rail crash vandals:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8579410.stm
Urgent action plea over crossings:
http://tinyurl.com/ycrbrqj
Jarvis to call in administrators:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8586663.stm
http://tinyurl.com/yjgf7s5
Talks to avert rail strike:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8586422.stm
Fatality at Cathays:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/8586481.stm
RAIB report into an incident at Greenhill Upper Junction:
http://tinyurl.com/yay48jw
RAIB report into derailment of passenger train near Cummersdale, Cumbria
http://tinyurl.com/yzue4l3
RAIB report released - Hanger Lane junction near collision:
http://tinyurl.com/ykpxeuh
Proposed extension to Tyne & Wear Metro:
http://tinyurl.com/yfyamkm
Railway workers mark 50th anniversary of "Evening Star":
http://tinyurl.com/yducndv
Railway children in Waterloo International:
http://tinyurl.com/yfdgmtb
Bluebell Railway updates:
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/whats_new.html
Runaway accident in Norway:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8585446.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8585315.stm
Wolsztyn - a new beginning...?
http://polishrail.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/wolsztyn-a-new-beginning/
Pensioners may be denied free travel on Edinburgh trams:
http://tinyurl.com/yznk4vq
Highland Airways goes into administration:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8586688.stm
New lock gates at Sharpness Docks:
http://tinyurl.com/yzr7tw9
WW2 munitions found at Cairnryan:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8582846.stm
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps
TV and RADIO
Sorry - I'm unable to provide information this week.
EVENTS
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.
25/03/10- West Somerset Railway: GWR 175 The Standard Era (2)
28/03/10
http://www.West-Somerset-Railway.co.uk
27/03/10 Mid-Hants Railway Real Ale Train (RAT)
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/rat.htm
27/03/10- The London Festival of Railway Modelling
28/03/10 Alexandra Palace
1000-1700 (Sat), 1000-1630 (Sun)
27/03/10- Bodmin & Wenford Railway: Spring Diesel Gala
28/03/10
http://www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk
27/03/10- Wimbledon Charity Model Railway Exhibition
28/03/10 Merton Abbey Primary School, High Path, Merton, South
Wimbledon, SW19 2JY
1030-1700 (Sat), 1030-1600 (Sun)
27/03/10- Nailsea & District MRC Model Railway Exhibition
28/03/10 Prince Hall & Community Centre, Clevedon, Bristol, BS21 7SZ
1030-1730 (Sat), 1000-1600 (Sun)
02/04/10- Furness MRC Model Railway & Transport Exhibition
04/04/10 Forum 28, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1HU
1000-1700 all three days
http://www.forumtwentyeight.co.uk
02/04/10- Didcot Railway Centre: GWR 175 (first of four special events)
05/04/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
02/04/10- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Easter Open Days
05/04/10
http://www.wyvernrail.co.uk/
02/04/10- Swanage Railway: Easter Specials
05/04/10
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
02/04/10- Mid-Hants Railway: Day Out with Thomas
11/04/10
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
03/04/10- York Model Railway Show
05/04/10 Knavesmire Stand, York Racecourse
1000-1700 each day
http://www.yorkshow.org.uk
04/04/10 Romsey Signal Box Open Day
Admission free (donations welcome!)
1000-1600
ex-Romsey Infants School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Rd, Romsey
Car park in old school grounds
http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk
04/04/10- Twyford Waterworks Guided Tour Days
05/04/10 1100-1600
http://www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk/
04/04/10- Leawood Pump Steaming Weekend, Cromford Canal
05/04/10
http://www.middleton-leawood.org.uk/
04/04/10- Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: Easter Eggspress Specials
05/04/10
http://www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk
10/04/10 Wessex Narrow Gauge Modellers: Narrow Gauge South
Sparsholt College, Winchester, SO21 2NF
Free vintage bus from The Broadway, Winchester
1000-1700
http://www.narrowgaugesouth.org.uk
10/04/10 Newark Railwayana Event
*** Cancelled ***
10/04/10- Bournemouth Model Railway Exhibition
11/04/10 Kinson Community Centre, Pelhams Park, Millhams Rd, BH10 7LH
1000-1630 (Sat), 1000-1600 (Sun)
http://www.eastdorsetngauge.co.uk
10/04/10- Trainwest 2010 Model Railway Exhibition
11/04/10 Christie Miller Sports centre. Lancaster Road, Bowerhill,
Melksham, SN126QU
Free vintage bus from Chippenham station
1000-1700 both days
http://www.trainwest.org.uk
11/04/10 Cobham Bus Museum Open Day
Wisley Airfield
http://www.lbpt.org/events.html
16/04/10- Bodmin & Wenford Railway: GWR 175 Steam Spectacular
18/04/10
http://www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk
17/04/10 East Surrey N-Gauge Model Railway Show
Redhill Methodist Centre, Gloucester Rd, Redhill, RH1 1BP
1000-1600
17/04/10 American Model Railroad Show
Felpham Community College, Bognor Regis, W Sussex, PO22 8EL
1100-1630
http://www.southshore.org.uk/exhibition.html
17/04/10 Amersham & Chorleywood MRS Model Railway Exhibition
Amersham Community Centre, Chiltern Avenue, Amersham, HP6 5AE
1030-1700
17/04/10- Crawley MRS Model Railway Exhibition
18/04/10 Tanbridge House School, Guildford Road, Horsham RH12 1SR
1000-1700 (Sat), 1000-1630 (Sun)
17/04/10- North Norfolk Railway: Vintage Bus Weekend
18/04/10
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/
18/04/10 Brijan Tours Ltd Charity Open Day
The Coach Station, Curdridge, Southampton, SO30 2DY
1000-1600
Preserved buses, enthusiast stalls, free sightseeing tours
Free bus service between Botley and Eastleigh bus station
23/04/10- Llangollen Railway: Spring Gala
25/04/10
http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk/
24/04/10 Mid-Hants Railway Real Ale Train (RAT)
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/rat.htm
24/04/10 Historic Railway Walks of Rowsley
Start from Rowsley Old Station at 10.30am
Approximately 3 hours covering a distance of 2 miles
Advance booking required
http://www.rowsleyassociation.org.uk/
24/04/10- Mid-Hants Railway: St George's Weekend
25/04/10
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
24/04/10- Epsom & Ewell MRC Model Railway Exhibition
25/04/10 NESCOT, Reigate Road, Ewell, KT17 3DS
1000-1730 (Sat), 1000-1700 (Sun)
http://www.eemrc.org.uk
24/04/10- Churnet Valley Railway: 1940s Weekend
25/04/10
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
25/04/10 Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre: Industrial Trains Day
http://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk
30/04/10- Week-end course: "Canals of the North Staffordshire Railway"
02/05/10 Wedgwood Memorial College, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent
Tutor: Basil Jeuda
http://tinyurl.com/yk34f43
30/04/10- Ffestiniog Railway: Quirks & Curiosities Weekend
03/05/10
http://www.festrail.co.uk/
01/05/10 American Model Railroad Group Mini Exhibition
St Mary's Parish Centre, Green Road, Alverstoke, PO12 2ET
http://www.freewebs.com/gosportrailroadgroup
01/05/10 The Monsal Trail Tunnel Walks
Walk commences at Bakewell and finishes at the site of
Blackwell Mill Halt - return by coach to Bakewell
For further details, send an SAE to the organiser:
Stuart Smith, 5 Sedgebrook Close, Oakwood, Derby, DE21 2DX
01/05/10- Kent & East Sussex Railway: Great K&ESR Gala Weekend
03/05/10
http://www.kesr.org.uk
01/05/10- Quantock Motor Services Running Days
03/05/10 Bishops Lydeard
http://www.quantockmotorservices.co.uk/qms-bus-rally/
01/05/10- Bodmin & Wenford Railway: Steaming Thru the '40s
03/05/10
http://www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk
01/05/10- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: May Bank Holiday Open Days
03/05/10
http://www.wyvernrail.co.uk/
01/05/10- Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: Spring "Heywood" Steam Gala
03/05/10
http://www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk
02/05/10 Romsey Signal Box Open Day
Admission free (donations welcome!)
1000-1600
ex-Romsey Infants School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Rd, Romsey
Car park in old school grounds
http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk
02/05/10 Twyford Waterworks Spring Rally
Free vintage bus service from Winchester Broadway
1100-1600
http://www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk/
02/05/10- North Norfolk Railway: Altogether Now! Kids help run railway
03/05/10
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/
02/05/10- Leawood Pump Steaming Weekend, Cromford Canal
03/05/10
http://www.middleton-leawood.org.uk/
02/05/10- Didcot Railway Centre: GWR 175 (second of four special events)
05/05/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
Cheers, Howard.
editor (at) raildate.co.uk (spam-proofed)
Previous issues of Raildate are at:
http://www.raildate.net
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 2010.
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/