International & UK Railway News Saturday 28th December 2013

Stafford Railwayana Auctions News

Back at Stafford on Saturday 11th January 2014

NEXT LIVE AUCTION VENUE

THE BLESSED WILLIAM HOWARD CATHOLIC SCHOOL,
ROWLEY AVENUE,
STAFFORD,
ST17 9AB


If you have any items you wish us to include in this sale please contact Neil on 01242 620020 or click here to email

More details here



Total Railway News

 

Headlines from selected media.

 

High-speed rail used to show China's mobilization capability｜Politics｜News｜WantChinaTimes.com

 

Government drafts in consultants to keep HS2 plan moving - The Business Desk (registration)

 

New Rail Links to Boost China's Western Access - the Diplomat

 

California’s high-speed rail: delayed or derailed? (video)

 

HS2 campaigners reject economic benefit - Leamington Observer

 

 

National Rail Enquiries - Christmas and New Year Travel Summary 2013/2014

 

How to take the longest journey in the world (Christian Wolmar)

 

 

Blog: What's New at the Bluebell Railway?

 

Winter Steam Festival « West Somerset Railway

 

Timetable | North Yorkshire Moors Railway :: A steam train adventure through the stunning Yorkshire Moors

 

 Crossrail..Europe's biggest infrastructure project - FT World - World & Global Economy Video - FT.com

 

 

 

 Mainline Steam ScheduleRailway Herald - Railtours

Listing offered in good faith. No guarantees offered or implied.
Please confirm runnings with operators.
Please observe Network Rail photographic guidelines.Thank you.

 

Saturday 11th January 2014

The Deviationer (Pathfinder Tours)

• 2 x DRS 20 and DRS 37 Crewe (pu) - Stafford (pu) - Lichfield Trent Valley (pu) - Tamworth Low Level (pu) - Nuneaton - Hinckley - Wigston South Curve - Kettering - Bedford - Cricklewood - Hertford North - Royston - Cambridge - Ely - Potter Group Terminal
• DRS 37 and 2 x DRS 20 Potter Group Terminal - Ely (pu) -
• 2 x DRS 20 and DRS 37 Ely - Manea - March East Junction - Whitemoor Junction
• DRS 37 and 2 x DRS 20 Whitemoor Junction - March - Whittlesea - Peterborough - Spalding - Sleaford - Grantham
• 2 x DRS 20 and DRS 37 Grantham - Nottingham - Trent Junction - Loughborough - Leicester - Hinckley - Nuneaton North Chord - Tamworth Low Level (sd) - Lichfield Trent Valley (sd) - Stafford (sd) - Crewe

Saturday 18th January 2014

The Old Battle Axe (UK Railtours)

• DBS Class 90 London Finsbury Park (pu) - Potters Bar (pu) - Welwyn Garden City (pu) - Stevenage (pu) - Peterborough (pu) - Tyne Yard
• DBS Class 66 (Pair) Tyne Yard - Newcastle - Forth Banks Branch - Newcastle - Blyth & Tyne Line - Bedlington Junction - Battleship Wharf (rev) - Winning Junction - Lynemouth Power Station (rev) - Marchey's House Junction - Newcastle
• DBS Class 90 Newcastle - York - Peterborough (sd) - Stevenage (sd) - Welwyn Garden City (sd) - Potters Bar (sd) - London Finsbury Park (sd)

Friday 24th January 2014

The VSOE British Pullman Surrey Hills Luncheon Train (VSOE)

• 35028 London Victoria (pu) - Staines - Woking - Guildford - Shalford - Reigate - Redhill - East Croydon - London Victoria

Saturday 25th January 2014

Buffer Puffer 11.0 (Pathfinder Tours)

• DRS Class 37 (Pair) Crewe (pu) - Stafford (pu) - Tamworth Low Level (pu) - Rugby (pu) - Milton Keynes (pu) - Wembley Central (pu) - Kensal Green Reversing Siding (rev) - Clapham Junction (pu) - London Blackfriars (rev) - London Cannon Street (rev) - Lewisham - Hayes (rev) - New Cross Spur - London Bridge (rev) - North Dulwich - Clapham Junction - Battersea Rounding Loop (rev) - Brixton - Crystal Palace - East Croydon - Tattenham Corner (rev) - Norwood Junction (rev) - Sutton - Epsom Downs (rev) - Streatham South to North Junctions- via Fast Spur - London Victoria (rev) - Kensington Olympia - Wembley Central - Milton Keynes - Rugby - Tamworth Low Level - Stafford - Crewe

The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express (Railway Touring Company)

• 44871 and 45407 Manchester Victoria (pu) - Bolton (pu) - Preston (pu) - Shap - Carlisle
• 44871 and 45407 Carlisle - Appleby - S&C - Hellifield - Blackburn (sd) - Bolton (sd) - Manchester Victoria

 

 

 

Jonathan Glancey: Giants of Steam. The Great Men & Machines of Rail’s Golden Age.

(Courtesy: Atlantic Books)

The cover of this enthralling book tells it all.. but only  the half of it!

True, the splendid appearance of the express steam locomotive at its best is magnificent to behold.. but behind the scenes are the engineers who dared to improve, refine and develop further Stephenson’s legacy to the world into the far distant future.

 

The “Mallard 75” and “The Great Gathering” (of the six surviving A4s) celebrations have come to a close at the National Railway Museum, York. Thousands have visited …. And enjoyed the experience. But exhibits in a museum, being static and lifeless, convey the very idea of something being very definitely of the past. Discerning eyes, though, see something else. They see the development of steam traction over the nearly 200 years of commercial service and use.. and the prospect of this continuing far into the future. Which is where this book “Giants of Steam” comes into its own..

We are introduced through this book’s pages to a veritable “Who’s Who” of engineers who made contributions to improving the steam locomotive’s capacity for power, speed  and its thermal efficiency. (Don’t worry about the technical expressions in the book…-and there are many-..there is a helpful glossary at the end of the volume)

Following on in the footsteps of Stephenson come…..George Churchward, Andre Chapelon, Kyosti Kylala, Louis Armand, Otto Jabelmann, William Woodward, Paul W Keifer, Vlastimil Mares, Lev Sergeyevich Lebedyansky, Kenneth Cantlie, Alan Griffiths Watson, Egide Walschaerts, Alfred Belpaire, Nigel Gresley, Oliver Bulleid, William Stanier, Dr Piero  Crosti, Ing. Attillio Franco, Dr Giesl, Livio Dante Porta, David Wardale…………and others….

Each of the above made significant contributions to the development of the steam engine..some quite radical designs… Gresley’s “Hush Hush”, Stanier’s “Turbomotive”, Bulleids “Leader” and turf burner for CIE, and Wardale’s 5AT…and Jonathan Glancey   argues persuasively that steam traction could still be developed further to maximise its full potential. The aggressive marketing techniques of diesel manufacturers and  a love affair with being “modern” have marginalized the very notion of steam traction. But in countries where indigenous fuel is available (and not expensive imported oil using up valuable home currency) and could be used to fire locomotives, then steam very definitely has its place.

Andre Chapelon has been described as a “passeiste” or “man of the past”. But thanks to such men of the past , steam traction may yet have a very useful future.     

Get your copy of this excellently researched book   HERE

 

 

 

                                              Jonathan Glancey (Courtesy: Atlantic Books)