Mayor of Durham to welcome railway heavyweights
The Mayor of Durham, Councillor John Wilkinson, will welcome important “heavyweights” from across the railway industry when he opens this year’s Railfuture National Conference and AGM at Durham Town Hall on today.(11th May)
Among them will be writer and commentator Christian Wolmar, local man Alex Nelson whose
unique travel and ticket company has won huge acclaim, and Andy Rogers, the person
responsible for bringing Britain’s next generation of inter-city passenger trains into beng from the new Hitachi factory at Aycliffe.
“This promises to be a really great Conference” said Railfuture spokesperson Tony Walker.
“Christian is arguably Britain’s number one rail watcher; Alex has a fantastic story to tell about his Chester-le-Track enterprise whilst Andy, who is overall project manager with Hitachi Rail, will describe how his company’s trains will set fresh standards for future passenger travel. And we have other contributions as well”, added Mr Walker, “including an update from campaign expert Dennis Fancett on plans to reintroduce passenger services to Ashington”.
Sponsorship for the Conference has come from Business Durham, the organisation charged with bringing new investment into the County. Its Managing Director, Stewart Watkins, said: “We are sponsoring the event in recognition of the strategic importance of the rail industry and
manufacturing to our local economy. The coming of Hitachi will create 700 new jobs and that will give an enormous stimulus to Durham’s economy”.
The Mayor, who will join Railfuture’s national Chairman Dr David Berman in greeting delegates, is expected to refer to the region’s extensive railway history. Among invited guests will be Fiona Hall, one of the North East’s MEP’s who takes a keen interest in European transport issues.
Chairman of Railfuture’s North East Branch, Trevor Watson said: “This is the first national
conference Railfuture has held in Durham City. I believe it comes at a significant time in railway development. As passenger numbers grow and freight volume increases, more trains and more line capacity are needed which presents a real challenge to the rail industry”.
Mr Watson, a former track engineer, continued: “Our own area cries out for route upgrades such as between Newcastle and Carlisle, between Newcastle and Middlesbrough and from
Northallerton to Teesport. A station to serve Peterlee is long overdue. And close to Durham itself reinstatement of the Leamside Line could bring big improvements to transport links between Ferryhill, Washington and Tyneside.”
Members of the public are welcome to attend the conference session. Admission is free. Email
enquiries to: anthony.walker@railfuture.org.ukShedmaster Railway News
Includes news from greengauge21.net - Welcoming the two new bills in this week’s Queen’s Speech, Greengauge 21 Director Jim Steer calls for a genuinely national plan to be developed for high-speed rail (HSR).
World Heritage & Railway News
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Last day of the 40th Anniversary Festival & Spring Steam Gala tomorrow (12th May 2013)
Railway Engineering News
News via railwaygazette.com....all change at the Ministry of Railways, India
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Monday 13th May 2013
The Cathedrals Explorer: Day 5 (Steam Dreams)
- tbc Bangor (pu) - Llandudno Junction - Rhyl - Chester - Crewe
- 60009 Crewe - Warrington Bank Quay - Preston - Carnforth - Shap - Carlisle - Hexham
Additional Tour Information
10/5: now via Shap with 60009, as not gauged for the Cumbrian Coast.
Added 11:41 on Friday 10th May 2013The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan (break) - Arisaig - Malliag (break/rev) & return
Tuesday 14th May 2013
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan (break) - Arisaig - Mallaig (break/rev) & return
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan (break) - Arisaig - Mallaig (break/rev) & return
Wednesday 15th May 2013
The Cathedrals Explorer: Day 7 (Steam Dreams)
- 61994 Stanhope - Darlington - Northallerton - Bedale - Leyburn - Redmire (break/rev) - Redmire - Leyburn - Bedale - Northallerton - Eaglescliffe - Middlesbrough - Battersby (rev) - Whitby
Provisional
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan (break) - Arisaig - Mallaig (break/rev) & return
Thursday 16th May 2013
The Cathedrals Explorer: Day 8 (Steam Dreams)
- NYMR steam Whitby (pu) - Grosmont - Goathland - Pickering (then road transfer to Malton)
- 4464 tbc Malton - York - Doncaster - London Victoria
- DBS 67 London Victoria - Upminster - Southend
- DBS 67 London Victoria - Bromley - Redhill - Margate - Faversham
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan (break) - Arisaig - Mallaig (break/rev) & return
Friday 17th May 2013
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan (break) - Arisaig - Mallaig (break/rev) & return
Saturday 18th May 2013
The Heart Of Wales Scenis Rambler (Compass Tours)
- WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Holyhead (pu) - Llanfairpwll (pu) - Bangor (pu) - Llandudno Junction (pu) - Colwyn Bay (pu) - Rhyl (pu) - Flint (pu) - Chester (pu) - Crewe (pu) - Whitchurch (pu) - Wem (pu) - Shrewsbury (pu) - Craven Arms - Llandrindod Wells - Llandeilo - Pantyffynnon - Swansea District Line - Port talbot Cardiff Central (break) - Cardiff Central - Newport - Abergavenney - Hereford - Craven Arms - Shrewsbury (sd) - Wem (sd) - Whitchurch (sd) - Chester (sd) - Flint (sd) - Rhyl (sd) - Colwyn Bay (sd) - Llandudno Junction (sd) - Bangor (sd) - Llanfairpwll (sd) - Holyhead
The Northumbria Explorer (Pathfinder Tours)
- DRS Class 37 (Pair) Bristol Temple Meads (pu) - Bristol Parkway (pu) - Cam & Dursley (pu) - Cheltenham Spa (pu) - Barnt Green (pu) - Birmingham New Street (pu) - Tamworth High Level (pu) - Burton upon Trent (pu) - Derby (pu) - York - Durham (sd) - Newcastle Central (sd) - Alnmouth (break/rev) & return
Golden Arrow Statesman (Statesman Rail)
- WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Birmingham International (pu) - Coventry (pu) - Rugby (pu) - Northampton (pu) - Milton Keynes Central (pu) - Bletchley (pu) - Leighton Buzzard (pu) - Hemel Hempstead (pu) - Watford Junction (pu) - Willesden
- 34067 illesden - Kensington Olympia - Clapham Junction - Ashford International - Canterbury West (break) - Canterbury West - Dover - Folkestone - Ashford International - Clapham Junction - Kensington Olympia - Willesden
- WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Willesden - Watford Junction (sd) - Hemel Hempstead (sd) - Leighton Buzzard (sd) - Bletchley (sd) - Milton Keynes Central (sd) - Northampton (sd) - Rugby (sd) - Coventry (sd) - Birmingham International
The Silver Lining (UK Railtours)
- East Midlands Trains HST London St. Pancras (pu) - Luton Airport Parkway (pu) - Bedford (pu) - Kettering (pu) - Leicester (pu) - Melton Mowbray - Stamford - Peterborough - March - Ely - Wymondham (rev) - Wymondham - Dereham - Hoe Level Crossing (rev) - Dereham (break) - Wymondham - Ely West Curve - March - Peterborough - Stamford - Melton Mowbray - Leicester (sd) - Kettering (sd) - Bedford (sd) - Luton Airport Parkway (sd) - London St. Pancras
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