RAILDATE: the weekly newsletter of the Hursley Park Model Railway Society:
http://www.hpmrs.ibmhursleyclub.org.uk/
Next week's edition will be the last of 2010.
NETWATCH
============
The Stour Valley line:
http://stourline.co.uk/
British Railways in the 1960s:
http://www.britishrailways1960.co.uk/
(Spotter: Richard Maund)
Nigel Kendall's steam railway photos:
http://www.steamweb.net/
(Spotter: Ted Millward)
The old signalbox at the former Warthill station at Stockton on the Forest
near York has been converted into a one-bedroom house and is up for sale:
http://tinyurl.com/34u24v9
Liverpool Central station - pictures taken immediately after closure:
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=55889
An interesting take on the "freedom to take photographs" debate:
http://i.imgur.com/coeUe.jpg
Cambrian resignalling:
http://www.therailengineer.com/FeaturedArticles/railengineer/view/136
Airdrie-Bathgate:
http://www.therailengineer.com/FeaturedArticles/railengineer/view/138
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
The former L&Y signalling school layout that was at Manchester Victoria is
preserved at the NRM in York. If you are interested in seeing it in
operation here is a list of the intended demonstration dates for next year
Saturday 22nd January
Saturday 19th February
Saturday 19th March (and "Cab It" weekend)
Sunday 20th March (and "Cab It" weekend, 1300 to 1530 only)
Saturday 30th April
Saturday 28th May
Saturday 25th June
Saturday 23rd July
Saturday 20th August
Saturday 17th September
Saturday 15th October
Saturday 12th November
Wednesday 28th December
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
============
A service that uses a 3D printer to create models from your own CAD
drawings:
http://www.shapeways.com/
There is a growing community of railway modellers using this service for
buildings and vehicles in various scales:
http://www.shapeways.com/themes/bnlsmodeltrains
This is supported by a forum - here is an example of an unusual prototype
(Irish Railways in N scale):
http://www.shapeways.com/model/65192/cie_class_071_n_scale.html?gid=sg21766
Short runs are possible to test your ideas before (perhaps) going to more
large-scale production. You need to be able to create your design in one
of the supported 3D/CAD tools listed here:
http://www.shapeways.com/tutorials/supported-applications
The Shapeways website will set-up a shop for you to support the sales of
your finished design, and you get all the profits minus a small fee (3.5%
of the markup).
Via John Russell of the Southern E-mail Group
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/SEmG/
============
Videos...
Peter Snow shows John Humphrys his model railway:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/today/hi/today/newsid_9251000/9251362.stm
A fascinating computer-generated reconstruction of the Liverpool Overhead
Railway:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE1VHJWpMOA
The opening the Tohoku Shinkansen between Tokyo and Aomori, which is
located in the very far north of Japan. This will connect with the
Shinkansen service that will operate between Aomori and Sapporo (Hokkaido
Shinkansen) once the line is completed (the first section opens in 2015).
The line opened on 4th December 2010.
http://railways.cloudywithsunnyspells.com/?p=966
(Spotter: Ralph Rawlinson)
============
Ralph Rawlinson's Railway Roundup
London Underground
Work to install new signalling on the Jubilee Line was started by Tube
Lines in 2007 but was taken over by LUL in June 2010 after several
deadlines had been missed. LUL now say that they hope to have the final
stage completed by spring 2011. A follow-on project to upgrade the
Northern Line has been put on hold and is not now expected to be completed
until the end of 2014.
Norfolk
The six-year campaign for a passing loop to be installed on the East
Suffolk line at Beccles has finally been given Government approval. This
will make possible hourly trains on the 15-mile long single track section
between Halesworth and Lowestoft.
Great Missenden
The Metropolitan Railway signal box at Great Missenden on the former
Met/GC joint line was abolished on 20th April 1990. The line between
Marylebone and Aylesbury then came under the control of Marylebone
Signalling Centre. It remained there boarded up for 20 years until, over
two days 25th/26th October 2010, the upper section was cut and removed,
lifted onto a low loader and taken to the Mid-Hants railway for
preservation.
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/News/Building/View/292
Nottingham NET
The January 2011 edition of the Railway Magazine reports that plans to
extend the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) to Clifton and Chilwell will
require an all-new bridge to be built roughly on the same course as the
ex-GCR girder bridge that used to span the MR tracks. The new bridge will
incorporate the tramway platforms which are now inconveniently sited on
the north side of Station Street. Nottingham station will also benefit
from a greatly expanded concourse area to be shared by both main line and
NET services.
Stoke-on-Trent Signalling Centre
The layout at Norton Bridge, between Stafford and Crewe on the WCML
(controlled by Stoke on Trent SC), restricts capacity and performance.
Network Rail has produced three options to upgrade the junction to
separate the paths of Birmingham-Manchester trains from London-North West
services, all featuring a flyover.
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/11047.aspx
Electrification North West
Raildate 12th November gave details of four lines that are to be
electrified. In addition, it is reported that the DfT is keen to include
Crewe-Chester and the Windermere branch. The former is linked with a
proposal to terminate London-Holyhead trains at Chester, with the released
Super Voyager diesels converted into electric trains to take over
Manchester-Scotland services at present operated by TPEx diesels. The
Windermere branch would be highly economical as it could be worked by one
EMU and it is thought no additional power supply would be needed.
Northern Ireland
Translink's Londonderry-Coleraine line will close for upgrading for a year
from April 2012 leaving the city without a rail link for the first months
of City of Culture 2013.
http://tinyurl.com/25rktz6
Austria
Within days of the successful breakthrough of the new Gotthard Base tunnel
in neighbouring Switzerland (Raildate, 15th October 2010) a contract was
signed in Austria for construction of the new 20km (12 miles) Koralm
tunnel. This is a key part of the new line being built between Graz and
Klagenfurt that bypasses the classic route via Leoben. This in turn is
part of the upgrading of the Trans European Network Corridor linking
Northern Poland with the Adriatic via Warsaw and Vienna.
Qatar
Qatar Railways Development Company plans to build the Doha Metro, a 300km
network covering Greater Doha and linking all major Olympic venues,
villages and the hotels district (Qatar is bidding for the 2020 Olympics).
The Network will be made up of four lines and 98 stations linking
locations such as Education City, West Bay, Lusail Urban Development, Doha
Airport and Doha Port. The project is part of Qatar Rail Network Program
(see Raildate, 27th November 2009) aiming to integrate Qatar's various
planned railways into a comprehensive and consolidated national railway.
http://tinyurl.com/2ueohxs
Zimbabwe
Update on steam (Garratts) in Bulawayo.
http://worldofrail.com/railwaysafrica/2010/12/bulawayo-steam/
India
The Kashmir rail link project is divided into three parts. The 119km-long
Baramulla-Qazigund section was the first to be completed about two years
ago and train services are in place. The 129km Qazigund-Katra section
involves about 70 major and minor tunnels with a total length of 103km. In
the Ramban district of the valley there are two crucial tunnels at
Sangaldhan; the first (1,671m) was completed on 29th July 2010, whilst
breakthrough at the second (1,483m) was achieved on 3rd December 2010. The
Chenab (claimed to be the world's highest) and Anji bridges also fall in
this section. The Udhampur-Katra section is also under construction.
http://tinyurl.com/2ctxodr
China
China claims that one of its trains has set a world speed record of 486kph
(302mph) during a test run on the country's recently-built track between
Beijing and Shanghai.
http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/12/03/36160456.html
Australia
Genesee & Wyoming (G&W), a United States company, has paid $334 million
for the 2,200km railway from Tarcoola to Darwin in Australia's Northern
Territory.
http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2010/12/g-w-buys-darwin-line/
============
IN THE NEWS
Tesco opens over railway (the end of the Gerrards Cross tunnel saga?)
http://tinyurl.com/27vs429
GW outer suburban electrification approved:
http://tinyurl.com/2gxeedg
Strike ballot at Southeastern London terminals:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11941665
Driver stops train to rescue swan in snow:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-11911331
Incident at Romford:
http://www.raib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/101209_R202010_Romford.pdf
Airdrie-Bathgate driver training suspended:
http://jonathanmcgurk.fotopic.net/p68325115.html
Scotrail service suspensions:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11906384
Travellers stranded at remote Highland station:
http://tinyurl.com/2f6tjzz
22m railway station fails to impress passengers:
http://tinyurl.com/2vahnqu
6024 at Abergavenny 27/11/2010:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11908722
Steam railways carry on through weather disruption:
http://tinyurl.com/25ruqc5
'Flaws' led to runaway Northern Line Tube train:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11948981
http://tinyurl.com/36ht73a
Viewers call Metrolink to check service after Coronation Street crash:
http://tinyurl.com/3xlnnu7
Door panel fell off plane at Southampton take-off:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-11954462
Runway mishap at Robin Hood (Doncaster):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-11958106
Welsh air service grant increases:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11904955
Spanish airspace closure:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11913878
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11918008
Tu154 emergency landing at Moscow:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11918769
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps
TV and RADIO
12/12/10 BBC2 1900-1930
"Coast" Tyneside and the Firth of Forth
13/12/10 Five 1930-2000
"How Do They Do It?" Fuel supplies and the Swiss Army knife
14/12/10 BBC2 1900-2000
"Coast" Cork to Dublin
16/12/10 Five 2000-2100
"Demolition: the Super Stadium"
17/12/10 BBC2 2100-2200
"John Sergeant on Tracks of Empire" Indian railways
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
All details are correct to the best of my knowledge. No responsibility is
taken for inaccuracies or changes.
11/12/10 Shaftsbury Book Fair
United Church Hall, Bell Street, SP7 8AR
http://www.fairharebooks.com/
11/12/10 Rye Book Fair
Rye College, The Grove, Rye, TN31 7NQ
http://www.woolhousebooks.co.uk/
11/12/10 Hayle Model Railway Club Exhibition
Hayle Day Care Centre, Commercial Road, Hayle, TR27 4DE
1000-1600
http://www.haylemrc.org.uk/
11/12/10- Wigan Model Railway Exhibition
12/12/10 Robin Park Arena, Loire Drive, Wigan, WN5 0UH
http://www.wiganfrm.org.uk/
15/12/10 Churnet Valley Railway: Victorian Christmas Carol Service
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
18/12/10 Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: Carol Evening
http://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk
22/12/10 Churnet Valley Railway: Mince Pie Winter Warmer
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
24/12/10 Dean Forest Railway: Santa Specials
http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/
24/12/10 Churnet Valley Railway: Mince Pie Winter Warmer
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
26/12/10- Mid-Hants Railway: Christmas Leave
27/12/10
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
26/12/10- Swanage Railway: Mince Pie Specials
02/01/11
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
27/12/10- Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: Mince Pie Specials
28/12/10
http://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk
29/12/10- West Somerset Railway: Winter Steam Festival
30/12/10
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
Santa Specials
11/12/10- Eastleigh Lakeside Railway: Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.steamtrain.co.uk
11/12/10- Mid-Hants Railway: Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
11/12/10- Swanage Railway: Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
11/12/10- West Somerset Railway: Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
11/12/10- Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/
11/12/10- Dean Forest Railway: Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/
11/12/10- Didcot Railway Centre: Thomas and Father Christmas
12/12/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
11/12/10- Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk
11/11/10- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Santa Trains
12/11/10
http://www.wyvernrail.co.uk/
11/12/10- Churnet Valley Railway: Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
11/12/10- Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: Santa Specials
12/12/10
http://www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk
11/12/10- Peak Rail: Santa & Steam Specials
12/12/10
http://www.peakrail.co.uk/
15/12/10 Churnet Valley Railway: Santa Specials
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
18/12/10- Eastleigh Lakeside Railway: Santa Specials
19/12/10
http://www.steamtrain.co.uk
18/12/10- West Somerset Railway: Santa Specials
19/12/10
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
18/12/10- Dean Forest Railway: Santa Specials
19/12/10
http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk/
18/12/10- Didcot Railway Centre: Thomas and Father Christmas
19/12/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
18/12/10- Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway: Santa Specials
19/12/10
http://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk
18/12/10- Swanage Railway: Santa Specials
19/12/10
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
18/11/10- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Santa Trains
19/11/10
http://www.wyvernrail.co.uk/
18/12/10- Churnet Valley Railway: Santa Specials
19/12/10
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
18/12/10- Peak Rail: Santa & Steam Specials
19/12/10
http://www.peakrail.co.uk/
18/12/10- Mid-Hants Railway: Santa Specials
24/12/10
http://www.watercressline.co.uk/
18/12/10- Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Santa Specials
24/12/10
http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/
18/12/10- Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway: Santa Specials
24/12/10
http://www.cleethorpescoastlightrailway.co.uk
21/12/10 Eastleigh Lakeside Railway: Santa Specials
http://www.steamtrain.co.uk
22/12/10 Churnet Valley Railway: Santa by Starlight
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
22/12/10- Didcot Railway Centre: Thomas and Father Christmas
23/12/10
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
22/12/10- Swanage Railway: Santa Specials
24/12/10
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
23/12/10- West Somerset Railway: Santa Specials
24/12/10
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk
23/12/10- Peak Rail: Santa & Steam Specials
24/12/10
http://www.peakrail.co.uk/
24/12/10 Churnet Valley Railway: Santa Specials
http://www.churnetvalleyrailway.co.uk
Cheers, Howard.
editor(at)raildate.co.uk replace (at) with @
Issues of Raildate up to and including 18th December 2009 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/
