RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society:
http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
BOOK NEWS
Wagons of the Final British Rail Era - A Pictorial Study of the 1983 to 1995 Period
by David Larkin
For the fifth volume in his comprehensive survey of freight wagons, David Larkin
turns to the final British Rail era. 1995 has been chosen as an end point since it
was in this year that the BR wagon fleet was transferred to the three freight
operating companies in readiness for Privatisation, Loadhaul, Mainline Freight and
Transrail (later to become EWS).
There were new types of wagon introduced after 1983, all in the air-braked fleet,
plus many more conversions, all of which are dealt with in this book. A major livery
change was implemented in 1983, followed by another in 1987, but by then,
Railfreight's image was very poor. The TOPS numbering and tracking system was
modified in 1983, and details are included in this book, along with coverage of the
many vacuum-braked wagons that were given air through-pipes - the last fling of the
traditional fleet.
Profusely illustrated, and including details of the disposal of each class to their
new owners, this book includes lot and diagram details, wagon number ranges, builders
and livery details. The 6-volume series will be completed with a look at the
Departmental stock of BR.
Softback: 96 pages with 175 photographs
273 x 215mm
978-1-905505-17-3
14.00
http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk
============
The Broad Gauge Railway of the Azores:
http://chrisbrady.itgo.com/azores/broad.htm
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Platforms 1 & 2 at Manchester Victoria are being rebuilt, possibly all part of the
broader plans for the station. The area that was once platform 11 (the platform that
went through to Exchange station) is being cleaned up at the site of Exchange
station, though the footbridge is still standing at the moment. Network Rail has
announced a 30m package of improvements.
http://tinyurl.com/y83uyx4
(Via Neville Knight and Ralph Rawlinson)
Peter Rogers Models:
http://www.rogers-models.co.uk.
A useful forum for those engaged in restoring rolling stock:
http://restorationparts.org.uk/
============
Videos...
"Ferrybridge No 3" in steam at the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmP4m3l8kSc
West Somerset Railway Standard Era Event:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9w8P51WacU
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
A run round loop - Japanese style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3Diw9MSUVo&NR=1
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
1950s newsreel about Budd railcars:
http://tinyurl.com/y6dpze2
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
============
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
London Underground
Taylor Woodrow and BAM Nuttall will carry out the 700m five-year upgrade
of Victoria tube station due to start in 2011.
http://www.mottmac.com/projects/?imageId=51992&id=51990
London Crossrail
Initial construction work has started on the tunnel in West London at
Royal Oak. A 190 metre-long box is being built from where tunnelling will
start in 2011. From 11th February, pumps started draining 100 million
litres of water from a specially-constructed coffer dam at the Canary
Wharf worksite. A station box will then be constructed in a dry
environment. Work is also underway at Paddington, Tottenham Court Road
and Farringdon.
Cornwall
A tunnel on the Newquay branch, built only two years ago as part of the
A38 Dobwalls bypass, has been named in honour of Frank Sperritt an
engineer who worked for Network Rail in the West country for 42 years.
http://tinyurl.com/ylphhg6
Midland Metro
The Government has given initial funding approval for the scheme to run
trams between Snow Hill and New Street stations through Birmingham city
centre. From Snow Hill trams will be routed along an already built 9m
viaduct, down Upper Bull Street and Corporation Street and onto Stephenson
Street before terminating outside a new entrance to New Street station.
http://tinyurl.com/yla239t
Manchester Metrolink
The DfT has approved construction of extensions from Droylsden to
Ashton-under-Lyne and Chorton to Didsbury. A further eight trams have
been ordered from Bombadier for these routes work on which is expected to
start early in 2011. Meanwhile GMITA Capital Projects Committee has
released 26m to fund design and preparatory work for the extension to
Manchester Airport.
Heaton Park Tramway, Manchester
The tramway celebrated its 30th anniversary on 28th March 2010 with horse
car L53, Leeds 6 and Manchester 765 in passenger service, plus works car
752 running. The event also saw the official public opening of the
remodelled museum.
http://www.heatonparktramway.btik.com/
Llandudno
The transport extravaganza on 1st, 2nd and 3rd May 2010 includes free
vintage bus rides to and from the town.
http://www.llantransfest.co.uk/fest_top.html
Arriva Trains Wales
The Office of Rail Regulation has decided to refuse ATW's proposal
(originally reported in Raildate October 2009) to run a new direct service
between Aberystwyth and Marylebone.
Dublin
Planning consent has been given for a new 100m euro station at Tara
Street, on the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART) system. Located between
Connoly and Pearse Intercity stations, it is arguably the most convenient
for the city centre and will remain operational throughout reconstruction.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~tulips/ei/stations/tara.htm
Meanwhile, construction of the 4-mile DART east-west underground line
between Docklands and Inchicore has moved a step forward with the start of
the formal process to find PPP partners for the 25-30 year concession.
http://www.irishrail.ie/projects/dart_underground.asp
Eurotunnel
Deutsche Bahn has been in talks with Eurotunnel about running high speed
trains between Frankfurt and London.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article7055789.ece
Netherlands
An exhibition "Royal Class, Regal Journeys" is being held at the Dutch
Railway Museum, Utrecht, from 15th April to 5th September 2010.
http://tinyurl.com/ygw36b8
Dutch Railways textbus (click picture to enlarge text):
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/outdoor/dutch_railways_textbus
Greece
Russia Railway freight operators from Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary and Russia
met on 29th March to consider the introduction of a new international
freight service on the Greece (Thessalonki) - Russia (Moscow) route.
http://rinsider.clubferoviar.ro/en/afiseaza_stire.php?id=6114
Croatia
The MoT concedes that Croatian Railways (HZ) is an old system but is
hopeful that it can be modernised with the help of EU funds.
http://rinsider.clubferoviar.ro/en/afiseaza_stire.php?id=6118
Israel
It is claimed that the State Comptroller will charge Israel Railways with
responsibility for the 8-10 year delay in completing the fast rail link
between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in his forthcoming annual report.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000548798&fid=942
Meanwhile the MoT has produced a draft bill to privatise the railways.
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000549150&fid=942
Turkey
Preparations are being made to build a line between Kars, Igdir, Aralik
and Dilucu to connect its network with Iran under the Istanbul-Islamabad
project.
http://tinyurl.com/y4cmz5h
Sudan
A right-of-way agreement has been signed with the Sudanese Railway
Corporation (SRC), the first step in fledgling rail operator Nile Valley
Railways' (NVR) entry into the promising Sudanese market.
http://www.railwaysafrica.com/2010/03/nile-valley-railways-sudan
East Africa
According to Tanzania's President, underinvestment has left East Africa's
railways inefficient and costly to run, and the trade bloc needs an
estimated $20 billion to upgrade the railway network in its five
countries. A loan advanced by the African Developmen Bank (AfDB) will
fund the second phase of the Dar es Salaam-Isaka-Kigali/Keza-Musongati
railway project connecting Tanzania to Rwanda and Burundi. Kenya Railways
says the building of the new standard gauge line from Mombasa to Kampala
and on to Kigali, Rwanda will cost $8.5 billion. Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda
are expected to share the cost.
http://tinyurl.com/yk4jfl7
Two Kenyan based firms have agreed to a joint solution for the
restructuring of the metre gauge Kenya-Uganda Rift Valley Railways (RVR).
The deal includes the injection of $250m to upgrade both the
infrastructure and rolling stock.
http://tinyurl.com/y54rlba
Angola
A parliamentary delegation is in Huila province to assess the
rehabilitation of Moamedes Railways Company.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201003250542.html
Namibia
Namibia's railway network now spans the entire country - from north to
south, east to west. In line with Government's "Vision 2030", it is
expanding to connect with its neighbours in addition to the historic
railway connection to South Africa.
http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=10220
Sri Lanka
A Chinese company has been awarded a contract to construct a line from
Matara to Beliatta at the extreme south of the island. This is the first
phase of the project to build a railway to Kataragama.
http://www.slrfc.org/2010/04/07/construction-of-kataragama-line-begins
Philippines
The approved Mindanao railway project will be implemented in four phases.
The first phase is from Laguindingan to Cagayan de Oro City; second phase
is Laguindingan to Iligan City; third phase is Cagayan de Oro to Phividec
area in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental and the final phase from Iligan City to
Linamon town, Lanao del Norte.
http://tinyurl.com/y6u3m4d
Video Manila's Slum Express
http://laonlaan.blogspot.com/2010/04/philippine-national-railways.html
Indonesia Pictures, mainly taken at Purwosari station on 16th March 2010.
http://tjahjonorailway.blogspot.com/
China
Construction has began on a new line linking two major cities in China's
west; Chongqing municipality and Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.
The project is scheduled to take four years and the 191 mile high-speed
link will halve the two-hour travel time between the two cities. There
will be 12 stations but, due to the mountainous terrain, 66 percent of the
track will go over bridges and through tunnels.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-03/22/content_9625078.htm
The high speed service between Zhengzhou and Xi'an opened on 6th February
this year (reported in Raildate No 93) and just seven weeks later flights
between the two cities have been suspended.
http://www.reuters.com/article/industrialsSector/idUSTOE62P04E20100326
Under the country's frantic railway boom, especially pushed by the giant
stimulus package in 2009, the Ministry of Railways is mulling whether to
expand its capital raising avenues to fund railway projects nationwide.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2010-03/29/content_9654820.htm
USA
Williams, Arizoan is the location of Amtrak's celebration of National
Train Day 2010 the weekend of 8th-9th May.
http://www.yourwestvalley.com/news/williams-14372-span-travel.html
Brazil
The Deputy MoT says the government wants to build 6,000 miles of railways
in the next 10 years as it seeks to cut transportation costs and make the
country's goods more competitive abroad.
http://rinsider.clubferoviar.ro/en/afiseaza_stire.php?id=6122
World
The Russian newspaper Rosiiskaya Gazeta has published a draft map of the
route of the proposed HS line between London and Beijing. According to
this map it will start from London and pass through France, Austria,
Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India. The two day
journey will be at an average speed of 200mph with construction
optimistically completed early in 2025.
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n214161
============
And finally... British Pathe Corner...
Nice shots of a Claughton amongst other things:
http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=75377
============
IN THE NEWS
Fire affects Cambridge station:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/8590449.stm
Tourists take the slow road on the West Highland line:
http://tinyurl.com/yk2h3az
Chiltern Trains could be 20 per cent faster:
http://tinyurl.com/yz3x8pg
Train crashes into level crossing at Norfolk Station:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8612647.stm
Inquest results on Penrhyn LC accident:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8597799.stm
Sheffield station ticket barrier plans put on hold:
http://tinyurl.com/y44x46s
Work starts on Waverley station upgrade:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/8612124.stm
RAIB report into minor accident at Washwood Heath:
http://tinyurl.com/y7hwz4x
National Infrastructure Forum:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2010_national_infrastructure.htm
EDL railtour to Swanage Railway:
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/news632.htm
RAIB report into Severn Valley Railway derailment:
http://tinyurl.com/ydk9eux
44871 "Earth Fault" on South Devon Railway:
http://www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/news/easter-2010/easter-monday-2010
Bo'ness & Kinneil reopened to Manuel:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8590770.stm
Snow clearing on Snowdon railway:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8607758.stm
Railway Children cast reunited:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8600449.stm
Campaign to avoid closure Wexford-Rosslare-Waterford line:
http://www.formspring.com/forms/?930142-cEwicPzPpZ
http://tinyurl.com/y7d9hr5
Fatal derailment in northern Italy:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8615002.stm
A new driver on the Great Orme Tram:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8596587.stm
Blackpool Trams update:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/8601658.stm
HLF boost for Crich Tramway Museum:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/8602520.stm
Failure of Hastings East Cliff railway:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8602859.stm
Driverless trains proposed for Glasgow Subway:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8617393.stm
Unofficial web site for buses around Vancouver:
http://www.busweb.co.uk/bctransit/
Old Nimrods withdrawn:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/8588658.stm
Public Service Obligation air service changes:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8598407.stm
Volcanic ash closes UK airspace:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8621848.stm
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps
TV and RADIO
Will be resumed next 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.
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/
02/04/10- Didcot Railway Centre: GWR 175 (second of four special events)
05/04/10
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/