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*** Next week's Raildate will be published a day earlier than usual on Thursday 25th April
BOOK NEWS
Civil Engineers Wagons Volume 3 – Later British Rail: 1978-1994
by David Larkin
The first five Kestrel Railway Books volumes by David Larkin looked at the revenue-earning
wagon fleet operated by British Railways and its immediate successor, British Rail. This
volume is the third of three looking at the substantial fleet of specially-designed wagons that
were used for track maintenance, and covers a significant change to the wagon fleet from 1978
to 1994.
Concurrent with British Rail freight operations generally, there was a positive move towards
fully-fitted trains on all regions of the system. On working ballast trains, this could be
accommodated by using the vacuum-braked examples of suitable designs, and the early years of
the period saw the gradual elimination of unfitted stock, either through withdrawal or by the
application of automatic braking systems. To get Civil Engineers materials to the various
depots, air-braked stock was either built new, transferred from the revenue-earning fleet or,
eventually, rebuilt from existing stock.
Finally, the on-track plant fleet became more standardised and a new concept of "virtual
quarries" was introduced, where ballast was stockpiled at specified yards and reloaded into
hopper wagons or other types at those locations, rather than at actual quarries, such as
Meldon.
Softback: 96 pages with 185 photographs
273 x 215mm
978-1-905505-25-8
Price: £15.00
Post-free from the publisher
http://www.kestrelrailwaybooks.co.uk
NETWATCH
We've met this guy before... here he is again...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIEe2_t0mrM
French pacific under overhaul - Le Pacific Vapeur Club - Locomotive 231 G 558
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXxS9lK7-Zc
Railways in the Movies
http://www.railserve.com/trainmovies/
Lots more railroad/railway links available from here
http://www.railserve.com/
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Manchester Guided Tours - including monthly guided tours of Manchester Central station
http://www.manchesterguidedtours.com/
Colour-Rail is making several hundred previously withdrawn slides available again for a limited
period this summer. There are also many already withdrawn stock remainders and some secondhand
slides available at bargain prices. Request details by email: colourrail(at)aol.com. The
number of images available as prints and downloads on the colour-rail website now exceeds
40,000 items and around 400 are added each month.
http://www.colour-rail.com/
(Spotter: Nick Wheat)
Coronation Scot - the truth!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyJi0X2KMV0
(Spotter: Richard Buckby)
Has third rail had its day?
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/04/10/has-third-rail-had-its-day/
Tourism development for closed underground station
http://www.rail.co/2013/04/09/london-ghost-station-project-enters-new-phase/
Tunnelling under New York
http://www.rail.co/2013/04/10/video-blasting-the-way-for-new-yorks-underground-railway/
Building the UAE Ethiad railway
http://www.therailengineer.com/2013/04/03/new-rails-in-the-desert/
National Network map – Welsh version
http://www.projectmapping.co.uk/Reviews/Resources/Welsh%20map%201.4.pdf
(Spotter: Neil Kearns)
Last year, Jameson's Whiskey filmed a TV ad on a stretch of the Sibiu-Agnita Railway near the
village of Cornatel, about 20km east of Sibiu. The "Friends of the Mocanita" volunteer group
benefitted from the filming by having several kilometres of track cleared and repaired by
professionals. The advert is now on YouTube
http://youtu.be/15Rq8XKwvWk
Some background to the filming
http://www.sibiuagnitarailway.com/news.php
(Spotter: Laurie Webb, our Romania Correspondent)
17 London Underground Maps You Never Knew You Needed
http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/london-underground-maps-you-never-knew-you-needed
Lockheed EC-121 Super Constellation coming home to Yanks Air Museum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJvXCoWtq5k
(Spotter: Alan Rushworth)
============
IN THE NEWS
South West Trains spends £40m on fleet upgrade
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22166526
Cloud art unveiled at St Pancras International station
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22200383
New concourse at Birmingham New Street
http://tinyurl.com/d5tvnkm
Derby railway station £2.2m facelift completed
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-22189994
Work on Staffordshire rail 'bottleneck' begins
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-22206243
Alternative train route now being trialled after Scunthorpe line landslip
http://tinyurl.com/cpoktfz
HS2 Euston station total rebuild plan scrapped
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-22204998
HS2 villagers fight for compensation
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22132617
New Glazing for Newcastle Central.
http://www.railstaff.co.uk/2013/04/15/glaze-and-blaze-for-newcastle/
New roof for Manchester Victoria
http://tinyurl.com/d4tbv6h
Bridge Bash in Northamptonshire
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-22169600
Initial RAIB report on Athelney LC fatality
http://tinyurl.com/bwv3zxg
Stobart rail school visits
http://www.railstaff.co.uk/2013/04/15/stobart-rail-schools-campaign/
Last Scottish railwayman from the steam age retires
http://tinyurl.com/btpetle
Scotland’s rail stations to be given 2014 revamp
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-22166446
http://tinyurl.com/bvq3yng
Borders to Edinburgh rail line: Workers begin digging route
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-22198938
Designs for new Cardiff area stations
http://tinyurl.com/brz689x
Stolen statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel in Neyland is replaced
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-22126592
NIR future plans
http://tinyurl.com/bot3srl
National Railway Museum counts down to Mallard 75th anniversary
http://tinyurl.com/bpcqs63
Baginton's Electric Railway Museum opens in May
http://tinyurl.com/cv8rny9
Stainmore Railway Company needs £40,000 to build workshop
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-22163873
First two locos delivered for UAE Etihad railway
http://www.rail.co/2013/04/11/first-two-locomotives-arrive-in-the-uae/
Helsinki Metro extension design contract awarded
http://tinyurl.com/chlmplp
European Loan for Warsaw metro extension
http://www.rail.co/2013/04/11/european-loan-for-warsaw-metro-extension/
Poland train crash: 16 killed as trains collide 'after human error'
http://tinyurl.com/c4bp9ku
First Californian bullet train construction bid is below state estimate
http://tinyurl.com/bl7kboh
China's high-speed trains attract frustrated fliers
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/11/travel/china-high-speed-rail/
Two dead as nine coaches derail in Tamil Nadu
http://post.jagran.com/rail-mishap-in-tn2-dead-11-trains-cancelled-1365563934
End of the road as bus driver Eric calls it a day after an incredible 47 years
http://tinyurl.com/bmjt6g8
Leicester's £5m bus lane project to start
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-22125282
Bus named after Titanic survivor
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-22125742
Campaign to save 1930s bus shelter in Caversham
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-22142663
Aylesbury canal blocked by collapsing lock wall
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-22165326
Hampshire ferry operator to replace its ageing ships
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-22221103
Why build a ship tunnel?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22157079
World’s most beautiful shipwreck – Canadian schooner Sweepstakes
http://tinyurl.com/c6kyq59
Airbus Broughton 'eyesore' boiler house to be demolished
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-22058939
Converted BAe 146s cleared for RAF operations
http://tinyurl.com/c6ynqoj
Bali jet lands in sea after overshooting runway
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22134380
Airbus seat width changes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22141525
Landing aborted at Prestwick due to deer near runway
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-22144243
American Airways shut down by booking computer fault
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22177247
Junkyard genius's crazy nutcracker
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22094465
Spotters: Richard Buckby, Neil Kearns, Reg Nerps, Mike Price, Alan Rushworth
============
TV and RADIO
20/04/13 BBC4 2000-2100
"The Golden Age of Steam Railways" 1/2 Rescuing NG railways
21/04/13 BBC2 1800-1900
"Coast" 3/6 Joy of the Coast
21/04/13 BBC4 2300-2330
"That Petrol Emotion: Motor Racing at the BBC" 5/5
22/04/13 BBC4 1930-2000
"Great British Railway Journeys" Bath and Bristol
22/04/13 BBC4 2000-2030
"Ian Hislop Goes Off the Rails"
23/04/13 BBC4 1930-2000
"Great British Railway Journeys" Cheddar
24/04/13 BBC4 1930-2000
"Great British Railway Journeys" South Devon
24/04/13 BBC Radio 4 1100-1130
"The Big Ditch - How the Panama Canal Changed the World"
24/04/13 BBC2 2000-2100
"Coast" 4/6 Rivers and seas collide
25/04/13 BBC4 2030-2100
"Brushing Up on British... Bridges" A comedy documentary...?
26/04/13 Channel 5 1900-2000
"Air Crash: Heathrow Emergency" BA flight 38's crash in 2008
============
EVENTS
All details are correct to the best of my knowledge, but no responsibility is accepted for
inaccuracies or changes.
20/04/13- Whitwell & Reepham Station: 1940s Weekend
21/04/13
http://www.whitwellstation.com
26/04/13- Mid-Hants Watercress Line: Diesel Gala
28/04/13
http://www.watercressline.co.uk
26/04/13- Keighley & Worth Valley Railway: Diesel Gala
28/04/13
http://www.kwvr.co.uk
27/04/13 Friends of King Alfred Buses
40th Anniversary of the end of King Alfred Motor Services
Display of vehicles in Winchester Cattle Market car park
1200-1700
Free services over ex-King Alfred routes in evening
http://www.fokab.org.uk
28/04/13 Pinnock Tunnel Trip: Par-Fowey-Par
Trips through the privately-owned tunnel on the Fowey Land Train
The tunnel is used as a road by Imerys to take their china clay lorries
to the docks at Fowey and access is usually impossible
First trip: 1400, barbecue from 1300
Adult: £5, Child: £2.50
http://www.parcommunity.org.uk/Pinnock%20Tunnel%20Trip.pdf
01/05/13 Belper Historical Society
St John’s Heritage Centre, The Butts, Belper, Derbyshire, DE56 1HX
A talk: The Belper and Morley Park and other railways
Starts 1930
01/05/13 Institute of Railway Studies & Transport History Research Workshop
National Railway Museum/University of York
In the Edmondson Room, NRM - (Sub)urban Public Transport
Lynne Baxter, Carolyn Hunter and Abigail Schoneboom (York Management School):
Shifting space: memory and movement in commuting
Craig Horner (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Nick Richardson:
On the Buses: deregulation in the 1980s - dogma or inspiration?
1400-1715
All welcome, refreshments served
04/05/13- Didcot Railway Centre: Steam Gala
06/05/13
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk
04/05/13- Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: May Bank Holiday Steam Weekend
06/05/13
http://www.e-v-r.com
04/05/13- Great Central Railway (Nottingham): Closing the Gap Gala
06/05/13
http://www.gcrn.co.uk
04/05/13- Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway: Branch Line Weekend
06/05/13
http://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk
05/05/13 Romsey Signal Box Open Day
Admission free (donations welcome!)
1000-1600
ex-Romsey Infants School, Plaza Parade, Winchester Rd, Romsey, SO51 8JA
Car park in old school grounds
http://www.romseysignalbox.org.uk
05/05/13 Twyford Waterworks: Spring Rally Open Day
Hazeley Road, Twyford, Hampshire, SO21 1QA
http://www.twyfordwaterworks.co.uk/
05/05/13- Buckinghamshire Railway Centre: Spring Steam Gala
06/05/13
http://www.bucksrailcentre.org
05/05/13- Leawood Pumping Engine Steaming Day, Cromford Canal
06/05/13 Engine in motion 1200-1700
http://www.middleton-leawood.org.uk/
06/05/13 Peak Railway Association, Sheffield Branch
The Harlequin Pub, 108 Nursery Street, Sheffield, S3 8GG
“Sheffield to Cleethorpes”, a slideshow by Howard Turner
1930 for a 1945 start, for a requested £3 donation on the door
http://www.peakrail.co.uk/SheffieldBranch
09/05/13 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway: Steam
http://www.e-v-r.com
10/05/13- Swanage Railway: Diesel Gala and Beer Festival
12/05/13
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk
Cheers, Howard.
editor(at)raildate.co.uk replace (at) with @
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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 2013