RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society:
http://www.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/ss/hpmrs/
NETWATCH
============
Signalling Notices:
http://www.signallingnotices.org.uk/index.php
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
The S&W Severn Bridge:
http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/severn.html
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
North Wales railways in pictures:
http://tinyurl.com/35gmuyk
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
Speeder Riding - the new craze in Australia and USA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speeder
http://www.nicdoncaster.com/sectioncars
http://www.railspeeders.com
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Brian Williams comments on last week's item about 'Le Shuttle' carrying
9,382 passenger vehicles, a record for any day since the tunnel opened in
1994. Evidently this was for traffic from the UK to France only, and was
not the total number of vehicles carried on that day. That record was
also broken during the summer, when a total of just less than 15,000
passenger vehicles were conveyed in one day.
============
Videos...
A documentary about Swindon Works made in 1984 amidst the controversy
surrounding the future of the Swindon site.
http://vimeo.com/12557513
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
Severn Valley Autumn Gala, 24th September:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY4w2o9ux2c
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
Photos from the same event:
http://paulgildersleve.fotopic.net/
http://www.iandixon.fotopic.net/c1901657.html
http://rickeborallphotography.fotopic.net/c1901215.html (Sat afternoon)
http://rickeborallphotography.fotopic.net/c1901803.html (night shots)
http://rickeborallphotography.fotopic.net/c1901812.html (Sunday)
============
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
London ELL
TfL have confirmed that they are not prepared to fund a new station at
Surrey Canal Road.
North London Line Upgrade
TfL and Network Rail have announced the final phases of resignalling work
on the North London Line. The line will be closed between Gospel Oak and
Stratford from 18th-24th December and between Richmond and Stratford and
Shepherds Bush and Willesden Jn from 27th December to 3rd January 2011.
There will also be further short closures during Spring 2011 to complete
the work by next May. Overall the improvements will involve more than 200
signals, 7 km of track, 69 sets of points and 30 station platforms
lengthened.
London Crossrail
Whilst works for Farringdon station have been delayed, it should be
possible to serve longer trains from December 2011. To allow signalling
commissioning during the 2012 Easter weekend delivery of the bay platforms
at Blackfriars is put back to April 2012 with completion of the station in
July 2012.
Victoria
Grosvenor bridge, the first railway carrying structure across the Thames,
celebrated the 150th anniversary of its opening on 1st October. Originally
built of brick, the four spans were completely renewed in steel by BR
between 1963-67, and today the 910ft structure carries some 1,500 trains
every weekday in and out of the former LBSCR terminus.
Luton-Dunstable
As part of the conversion to a guided busway six bridges in Luton and
Dunstable are to be removed between 24th September and 14th November 2010.
Each removal will take place over a weekend, commencing at 2200hrs on
Fridays until Sunday evenings as follows:
24th September to 26th September Dunstable Road bridge in Luton, close to
Bury Park.
1st October to 3rd October Church Street Bridge in Dunstable - crossing
the A505 Dunstable to Luton road, near the junction with Station Road.
8th October to 10th October Skimpot Road Bridge, Luton (off A5065 Hatters
Way).
22nd October to 24th October New Bedford Road Bridge, Luton.
29th October to 31st October Kingsway Bridge, Luton.
12th November to 14th November Guildford Street Bridge, Luton
Havant
The fate of this 1876 64-lever LBSCR box was a thread on Signal Watch in
February and June 2009. The latest news is that, whilst fundraising
continues to convert it into a museum, it will not now be moved from its
present location. Havant & Bedhampton Community Board is forming a trust
to preserve it.
http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome/Help-us-preserve-a-piece.6478402.jp
Four views of the box can be seen on John Tilly's site:
http://www.tillyweb.biz/gallery/hh/sigsh.htm
March-Spalding
On 8th August 2010 an 11-mile section of the diverted A1073 between
Spalding and Crowland was opened. This new road severs the alignment of
the former March-Spalding joint line north and south of Cowbit.
Gloucester
Alterations to the layout of the station building include moving the main
entrance.
Daventry
A new rail connection is being installed at Daventry under DIRFT 2, an
expansion of the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT)
logistics centre located two miles SE of Rugby on the line to Northampton.
The signalling system comprises a Route Relay Interlocking located in a
REB (relocatable equipment building) with conventional lineside signalling
controlled from a local panel in the terminal which interfaces with Rugby
SCC. DEG Signal has been contracted to undertake design modifications to
the signalling system.
Egginton
Egginton automatic half barrier level crossing, on the Derby-Stoke line in
Derbyshire, is to be renewed with associated signalling, telecomms, per
way and mechanical and electrical engineering work.
Tinsley Yard
The changes at Tinsley Yard are now reported in the trackwatch page of the
October edition of Modern Railways as follows:
"Tinsley Yard signal box abolished. The line between Shepcote Lane East
Junction and Broughton Lane Junction taken out of use until further
notice. The Line between Tinsley South Junction and Tinsley Yard remains
open but worked by the signaller at Woodburn Junction signal box."
On-train WiFi
Raildate 121 listed operators across Britain that provide on-train Wifi.
It has now been revealed that, because it has not met its commitment for
internet access on its train fleets, Arriva Cross Country is making four-
weekly payments to the DfT.
Carnforth-Barrow line
Network Rail will take advantage of the closure of the Carnforth-Barrow
line for 16 weeks between March and July 2011 to carry out repairs to
Lindal tunnel and refurbish Ulverston station.
NBR Waverley Route
In connection with the reopening of the line between Edinburgh and
Tweedbank it has been discovered that the site of the planned Tweedbank
terminus at Craw Wood Industrial Estate will have to be moved to a cutting
behind the entrance to Essendine Drive following the discovery of
underground power cables. Meanwhile Transport Scotland is unable to
guarantee that Redbridge Viaduct, the Cat B listed five-arch sandstone
structure, carrying the Southern Upland Way over the River Tweed, will be
kept open throughout the 2-year construction period.
Airdrie-Bathgate reopening
Dates for energising are: Haymarket East Jn-Bathgate: 3rd October and
Bathgate-Airdrie: 10th October 2010.
Paisley
Improvements costing 9m to Gilmour Street station, that include a new
roof covering 40% more of the platforms, are due to start in February
2011.
Conon
This Inverness-Dingwall line station, located north Muir of Ord and closed
in 1960, could reopen following a visit by the Scottish Transport
Minister.
MGWR Clonsilla-Navan
The first five miles between Clonsilla and Pace (Dunboyne) reopened to
passengers on 3rd September 2010. The remaining 18 miles from Pace-Navan
are said to reopen in five years.
Waterford-Rosslare Strand
On 3rd September Ireland's National Transport Authority approved Iarnrd
irean's decision to withdraw passenger services between Waterford and
Rosslare Strand. The last day of operation was 18 September 2010. The
line will now be downgraded to the status of an engineers siding with a
25mph speed limit and single block section.
France
A new 23km express light rail line between Lyon Part Dieu station and
Saint Exupry airport east of the city opened on 9th August 2010. It uses
Lyon tram line T3 as far as Meyzieu and then its own 8.5km extension to
the airport which is also on the LGV line from Paris-Marseilles.
Germany-England
If Deutsche Bahn ICE3 train passes stringent tests, high speed services
between Frankfurt and London are planned to start in 2013.
http://tinyurl.com/2dyrdgm
Germany
Work has started on putting the 16-platform Stuttgart Hbf terminus
underground as a through station. It will comprise eight platforms built
at 90 to the existing station on a new high speed line from the northern
suburbs to Ulm via Stuttgart airport.
Poland
History and update on the The Elk narrow gauge railway.
http://tinyurl.com/35l7vwu
Russia-France
Russian and French Railways are launching a passenger service between
Moscow and Nice. A direct Moscow-Paris service is also under
consideration.
http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/09/22/21685441.html
Russia
Russia's railways were due to break new ground on 24th September 2010 when
the remote Siberian line linking Yakutsk to the Amur opens a new station
at Kerdyom, just 150km from its final destination.
http://www.mn.ru/russia/20100922/188059968.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amur_Yakutsk_Mainline
Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey
Update on the Baku-Tiblisi-Kars railway.
http://en.trend.az/capital/transport/1754550.html
Angola
By 2012 it is expected that the Angolan provinces will be connected to two
neighbouring countries. The rehabilitation of the Luanda Railway will be
completed in 2011, with the railways of Moamendes and the Benguela
Railways following in 2012. For the first time since the war they will
then be connected to Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia.
http://tinyurl.com/376jxak
South Africa
The China Railway Group, has announced it is in preliminary talks with the
South African government to build the country's first high-speed railway,
linking Johannesburg and Durban, South Africa's busiest port.
http://tinyurl.com/33o4cf4
China
The 857km Guiyang-Guangzhou high speed line, linking Guizhou's provincial
capital Guiyang with Guangzhou capital of the southern Guangdong Province
(one of the country's economic powerhouses), is expected to open in 2014.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/indepth/2010-09/22/c_13525019.htm
============
IN THE NEWS
New Chief Executive for Network Rail:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11431934
Copper prices push cable thefts to new high:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/09/28/rail_copper_thefts/
Inquest into "Cherry Picker" fatal accident at Margaretting:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-11437922
Victoria Underground station closed due to smell:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11438041
Surrey CC & Airtrack project:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11434923
Discovering Ayrshire's lost railway line:
http://tinyurl.com/2d7atpb
Former Dinting Railway museum sold (6x the guide price!):
http://www.bagshaws.com/property-detail.asp?propref=B10-139
Plans to reopen Melrose station on track:
http://tinyurl.com/27pryle
UK's worst rail crash at Quintinshill remembered:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-11404043
Cheltenham Racecourse station's stolen castings found:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-11410080
Steam loco saved for one pound:
http://tinyurl.com/2a8rvxj
Swiss train enthusiasts celebrate restoration of Furka Pass train:
http://tinyurl.com/3yaa3w6
Collision in Tunisia:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11410021
South African steam train runs its final passenger service:
http://www.coastweek.com/3339_train.htm
Tram line defects prompt fears of new chaos on Princes Street:
http://tinyurl.com/2vlopn3
Work to start on new Titanic museum:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-11427024
Vulcan XH558 funding problems:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-11413736
Air Zimbabwe strike resolved:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11404799
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps
TV and RADIO
02/10/10 BBC2 1930-2030
"Coast" Cardiff to St Davids
03/10/10 BBC4 1900-1930
"A Time to Remember" Archive film of 1920/30s entertainment
03/10/10 BBC4 1930-2000
"The Beauty of Maps" 1/4 The Mappa Mundi
03/10/10 BBC4 2000-2130
"All Our Working Lives Revisited" 2/4 The chemical industry
04/10/10 Five 1930-2000
"How Do They Do It?" Making aluminium and how sat-nav works
04/10/10 Channel 4 2100-2200
"Titanic: the Mission" Reconstructing the ship to scale 2/5
04/10/10 BBC4 2300-0030
"All Our Working Lives Revisited" 2/4 The chemical industry
05/10/10 BBC4 2000-2030
"Britain's Best Drives" Snowdonia
08/10/10 Five 2000-2100
"Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers" 3/6
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.
30/09/10- West Somerset Railway: Autumn Gala
03/10/10
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/
02/10/10- Fareham & District MRC, Wickham Railex
03/10/10 Wickham Community Centre, Mill Lane, Wickham, Hampshire
HPMRS member Derek Gillkerson will be attending with
"Zwiesboden"
http://www.fadmrc.hampshire.org.uk/index.html
02/10/10- Folkestone, Hythe & District MRC, Folkestone 2010
03/10/10 Leas Cliff Hall, The Leas, Folkestone, Kent
http://www.folkestone-mrc.com/
02/10/10- Wadebridge Model Railway Exhibition
03/10/10 Wadebridge School, Gonvena Hill, Wadebridge, Cornwall
http://www.wadebridge34007.co.uk/mrex.html
02/10/10- Mickleover Model Railway Group Exhibition
03/10/10 Community Centre, Uttoxeter Road, Mickleover, Derby
http://www.mmrg.org.uk/
02/10/10- Manchester Model Railway Exhibition
03/10/10 The Armitage Centre, Moseley Road, Fallowfield, Manchester
http://www.mmrs.org.uk/
03/10/10 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
08/10/10- Keighley & Worth Valley Railway: Autumn Steam Gala Event
10/10/10
http://www.kwvr.co.uk
08/10/10- Ffestiniog Railway: Vintage Weekend
10/10/10
http://www.festrail.co.uk/
09/10/10 Shaftsbury Book Fair
United Church Hall, Bell Street, SP7 8AR
http://www.fairharebooks.com/
09/10/10- Blandford Railway & Transport Exhibition
10/10/10 Milldown School, Milldown Rd, Blandford, DT11 7SQ
To mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of the first part
of the Dorset Central Railway from Wimborne to a temporary
terminus at Blandford St Mary, eventually to become an
integral part of the S&DJR
1030-1700 (Sat), 1000-1630 (Sun)
http://www.blandfordtownmuseum.org/railway_club.htm
09/10/10- Bodmin & Wenford Railway: Branch Line Weekend
10/10/10
http://www.bodminandwenfordrailway.co.uk
09/10/10- Churnet Valley Railway: Diesel Gala
10/10/10 *** Cancelled - replaced by MCR Gala Weekend on 26th, 27th and
28th November
10/10/10 Mid-Hants Railway: Rolls Royce Sunday
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
16/10/10 Mid-Hants Railway Real Ale Train (RAT)
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/rat.htm
16/10/10- Eastleigh Lakeside Railway: Big 4 Weekend
17/10/10
http://www.steamtrain.co.uk
16/10/10- Christchurch MRC Model Railway Exhibition
17/10/10 Bishop of Winchester School, Mallard Road, Castle Lane,
Bournemouth, BH8 9PW
1030-1630 (Sat), 1000-1600 (Sun)
http://www.christchurchmrc.org.uk
16/10/10- Uckfield MRC Model Railway Exhibition
17/10/10 Uckfield Civic centre, Civic Approach, Uckfield, TN22 1AE
1030-1700 both days
http://www.uckfieldmrc.co.uk
16/10/10- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Model Railway Exhibition
17/10/10
http://www.wyvernrail.co.uk/
16/10/10- National Festival of Railway Modelling
17/10/10 East of England Showground, Peterborough, PE2 6XE
1000-1700 (Sat), 1000-1630 (Sun)
http://www.brmodelling.co.uk
17/10/10 Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum: Steam
Swanwick Lane, Swanwick, Southampton, SO31 7GW
The editor of Raildate will be attending with the
Kestrel Railway Books sales stand
http://www.bursledonbrickworks.co.uk/
17/10/10 The Isle of Wight Bus Museum: Annual Running Day
http://www.iowbusmuseum.org.uk
17/10/10 Horndean Book Fair (tbc - see website)
Merchistoun Hall, 106 Portsmouth Rd, Horndean, PO8 9LJ
http://www.fairharebooks.com/
17/10/10 Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre: Autumn Industrial Trains Day
http://www.amberleymuseum.co.uk
22/10/10- Bluebell Railway: Giants of Steam
24/10/10
http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/
23/10/10 Solent Railwayana Auctions
Community Centre, Mill Lane, Wickham, Hants, PO17 5AL
http://www.solentrailwayana.com
23/10/10 Didcot Model Railway Exhibition
Willowbrook Leisure Centre, Bowmont Water, Didcot, OX11 7AF
23/10/10 Folkestone Book, Paper & Print Fair
The Grand, Folkestone
http://www.pbfa.org/
http://www.ephemera-society.org.uk/
23/10/10 Carmarthen Model Railway Exhibition
Community Education Centre, Furnace Road, Carmarthen SA31 1EU
1030-1630
Adult: 3.50, Concessions: 3, Child: 2, Family (2+2): 7
Refreshments available, disabled access
23/10/10- Didcot Railway Centre: GWR 175 (last of four special events)
24/10/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
23/10/10- Rail-Ex Southwest (Taunton)
24/10/10 Taunton School, Staplegrove Road, Taunton
http://www.somerset-modellers.co.uk
23/10/10- North Norfolk Railway: Altogether Now! Kids help run the railway
24/10/10
http://www.nnrailway.co.uk/
23/10/10- Mid-Hants Railway: Wizard Week
31/10/10
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
23/10/10- Swanage Railway: Half-term Fun Week
31/10/10
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
23/10/10- Peak Rail: Shunter Hunter Extravaganza
24/10/10
http://www.peakrail.co.uk/
24/10/10 Crich Tramway Village: Red Oktober
http://www.tramway.co.uk/
Cheers, Howard.
editor(at)raildate.co.uk replace (at) with @
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/