The UK's HS2 continuing battle for minds and hearts sees positive comments regarding the advantages to Manchester from this development, and a statement from a government minister regarding "offsetting" in regard to ancient woodlands threatened by the proposed new line. Elsewhere, some councils seek to mobilize concerted opposition to the scheme.
In Europe, Norway ponders new high speed infrastructure, and the Port of Rotterdam and Deutsche Bahn agree on the need for rail expansion.
Comfort for passengers and tourism benefits are the thread linking reports from Vilnius-Minsk operations and Xiamen - Shenzhen .
And Singapore now has the first phase of its automated driverless metro...
These stories, and more, can be accessed HERE
Mainline Steam Schedule
Railway 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.
Listing offered in good faith. No guarantees offered or implied.
Please confirm runnings with operators.
Please observe Network Rail photographic guidelines.Thank you.
Rail enthusiasts will no doubt appreciate this blog, with the headline...
"Train enthusiasts gone wild! Are Japan’s train photographers losing their social graces?"
Read the account HERE
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
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GWR 7800 Class No. 7827 Lydham Manor at Churston.
Record-breaking festive rail investment programme delivers bigger, better railway.
At more than £100m, the festive investment programme was the biggest ever carried out by Network Rail and was planned in conjunction with train operators to minimise the impact on passengers during what is traditionally one of the quietest periods for rail travel.
Hundreds of engineers from Network Rail and its suppliers worked the equivalent of more than 600,000 hours at more than 100 locations across Britain over the period, often in extremely difficult weather conditions.
Highlights of the work completed include:
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Passengers and businesses are really seeing the benefits of sustained investment in the railway, with new and longer platforms, better stations and more capacity for extra passenger and freight services. The work carried out this Christmas and New Year period is part of our plan for a bigger, better railway and means the industry can cater for the continuing growth in demand for rail travel.”
Hundreds of engineers from Network Rail and its suppliers worked the equivalent of more than 600,000 hours at more than 100 locations across Britain over the period, often in extremely difficult weather conditions.
Highlights of the work completed include:
- A new platform, track and signalling equipment at Gatwick Airport station. Around 1300m of track was laid, a 50m footbrige was renewed and 250m new platform, complete with a new lift, escalators and high-level walkway to the station was completed.
- Commissioning of new signalling equipment at Peterborough, part of a wider project to relieve a major bottleneck on the East Coast Main Line which includes a new track layout, longer platforms, station bridges, extensions and new lifts (completion March 2014).
- Electrification work at Manchester Victoria, which saw 400m of track lowered and 1300 tonnes of spoil removed to create additional headroom for overhead power lines so electric trains can run from Manchester to Liverpool starting in December.
- Installation of a new rail bridge in Ipswich, part of a 1.1km stretch of new railway connecting the East Suffolk Line and Great Eastern Main Line to increase rail capacity to the port of Felixstowe (completion March 2014).
- A major ugrade of Gravesend station is scheduled for completion on Sunday 5 January as planned. The upgrade includes a new platform and will allow longer 12-car trains to call at the station for the first time, providing more seats and extra space for passengers. There will also be improved facilities including a new footbridge and lifts to all platforms (completion May 2014).
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Passengers and businesses are really seeing the benefits of sustained investment in the railway, with new and longer platforms, better stations and more capacity for extra passenger and freight services. The work carried out this Christmas and New Year period is part of our plan for a bigger, better railway and means the industry can cater for the continuing growth in demand for rail travel.”
Press Releases from the Rail Delivery Group
Michael Roberts, director general of the Rail Delivery Group which speaks on behalf of the rail industry, said:
"We strongly support the Government’s decision to limit the average increase in Season ticket prices this year. This, combined with the determination of train companies to continue attracting passengers, means the average increase across all fares is 2.8%, the lowest in four years. To help the Government hold down fares in future, the rail industry is working hard to get more for every pound it spends.
"This year and in coming years, passengers across the country will continue to benefit from billions of pounds spent on improving services. As well as introducing more carriages, work will proceed on major projects like the new Birmingham New Street station and thousands of smaller, less visible schemes to improve the railway."
Responding to the Transport Select Committee’s report into winter preparedness on the transport network, a spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, which speaks on behalf of the rail industry, said:
"It is good news that the Select Committee recognises the significant improvements and investment the rail industry has made, and continues to make, to provide passengers with better information and services when trains are affected by severe weather.
"The rail industry is already carrying out a review of the code of practice on how we communicate with passengers during disruption and will listen carefully to any proposals to improve further the service we offer to travellers."
Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway
Other news....
A Great Family Day Out in 2014 - Rheilffordd Talyllyn Railway
Obtain your copy of this excellent book on the GWR's last operating year from one of our foremost railway historians, Adrian Vaughan.
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