International & UK Railway News Sunday 25th May 2014

 Total Railway News

 

There will still be time tomorrow (Monday) to visit Bongo (Peter's Railway) at Highley Engine Shed, on the Severn Valley Railway.....so if you are a young budding railway engineer, that's the place to be.

Elsewhere, news focusses on reduced bonuses for Network Rail directors, and easy access to rail statistics..

Reuters have a story on Russian Railways, and the awarding of contracts...
And the question "Are Europe’s state-run railways really better?" is answered...


Click on the links to follow up the headlines..
Headlines
Waverley work to begin after road tragedy.(heraldscotland)



Bill Jamieson: Losing track of the railway debt.(The Scotsman)


RMT decides not to ballot London Midland staff for action.(BBC News)





Trainspotters' stories wanted for new exhibition at National Railway Museum.(The York Press)


Comrade capitalism: Russian Railways pays billions to secretive firms - Reuters /standartnews.com.




Network Rail


Bonuses significantly reduced for Network Rail directors Network Rail’s remuneration committee has decided to award bonuses significantly below target to the company’s executive directors for the 2013/14 financial year.


UK Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) Data Portal


From September 2013, the ORR publishes regular commentary on rail statistics under eight themes – including performance and safety. These releases are designed to help the user interpret the data and are accredited National Statistics.
As part of the commitment to improving the quality of the statistics in line with requirements for National Statistics accreditation, ORR is publishing themed statistical releases from September 2013.
These releases will provide contextual commentary on statistics across a common topic and will aid the user in the interpretation of the data. Data tables will also be available via the NRT Data portal.


Two themes are shown below..

Passenger and freight rail performance

Public performance measure (PPM), freight performance measure (FPM) and cancellations and significant lateness (CaSL).
Latest statistical release:
Download the Passenger and freight rail performance statistical release 2013-14 Q4 pdf icon PDF, 427 Kb
Published 8 May 2014
Further information about the data and quality dimensions can be accessed in the Passenger and freight rail performance quality report pdf icon PDF, 717 Kb.

and

Passenger rail service satisfaction

Complaints, appeals and National Rail Enquiries (NRE) telephone service.
Latest statistical release:
Download the Passenger rail service satisfaction statistical release 2013-14 Q3 pdf icon PDF, 398 Kb
Published 20 March 2014.
Further information about the data and quality dimensions can be accessed in the Passenger rail service satisfaction quality report pdf icon PDF, 522 Kb.

 

Rail Delivery Group

Are Europe’s state-run railways really better?

22/05/2014
- Passengers rate Britain’s railway as the best major network in Europe, according to a recent survey of 26,000 people published by the European Commission.
- Britain’s railway is the fastest growing network in Europe. Between 1998 and 2010, journey growth in Britain was 49% compared to 31% in France, 14% in Germany and 10% in the Netherlands.
- Britain has the safest major railway in Europe.
- According to independent blogger “the Man in Seat61”, “the next time someone says (or you read) ‘Britain has the highest rail fares in Europe’, you'll know this is only 15% of the story.  The other 85% is that we have similar or even cheaper fares, too.  The big picture is that Britain has the most commercially aggressive fares in Europe, with the highest fares designed to get maximum revenue from business travel, and some of the lowest fares designed to get more revenue by filling more seats.  This is exactly what airlines have known, and been doing, for decades.”

UK Heritage


Ribble Steam Railway - Photography on the Ribble Steam Railway


Rapid Progress on Swithland Carriage Shed(GCR)


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



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.

Monday 26th May 2014

The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)

• To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William

Tuesday 27th May 2014

The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)

• To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William

Wednesday 28th May 2014

The Canterbury Tales Explorer (Compass Tours)

• DRS Class 37 (Pair) Crewe (pu) - Marple (pu) - New Mills Central (pu) - Chinley (pu) - Grindleford (pu) - Chesterfield (pu) - Alfreton (pu) - Langley Mill (pu) - East MNidlands Parkway (pu) - Loughborough (pu) - Leicester (pu) - Canterbury (break/rev) & return

The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)

• To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William

Thursday 29th May 2014

Cathedrals Express (Steam Dreams)

• 44932 Rugby (pu) - Northampton (pu) - Milton Keynes (pu) - Berkhamsted (pu) - Watford Junction (pu) - West Brompton (pu) - Salisbury and return

The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)

• To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William

Friday 30th May 2014

The Forth & Tay Highlander (Compass Tours)

• DRS Class 37 (Pair) Crewe (pu) - Preston (pu) - Carlisle (pu) - Newcastle (pu) - Cramlington (pu) - Morpeth (pu) - Alnmouth (pu) - Berwick upon Tweed (pu) - Dunbar (pu) - Drem (pu) - Longniddry (pu) - Musselburgh (pu) - Edinburgh Waverley (pu) - Dalmeny - Forth Bridge - Kirkcaldy - Tay Bridge - Dundee - Montrose - Aberdeen - Elgin - Inverness
• DRS Class 37 (Pair) Inverness (pu) - Aviemore - Perth - Stirling - Falkirk - Edinburgh Waverley (sd) - Musselburgh (sd) - Longniddry (sd) - Drem (sd) - Dunbar (sd) - Berwick upon Tweed (sd) - Alnmouth (sd) - Morpeth (sd) - Cramlington (sd) - Newcastle (sd) - Carlisle (sd) - Preston (sd) - Crewe

The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)

• To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William

Saturday 31st May 2014

Settle & Wensleydale Circular (NENTA Traintours)

• WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Norwich (pu) - Diss (pu) - Ipswich (pu) - Stowmarket (pu) - Bury St Edmunds (pu) - Cambridge (pu) - Ely (pu) - March (pu) - Peterborough (pu) - Doncaster - Skipton - Settle - Appleby - Carlisle (break) - Hexham - York - Peterborough (sd) - March (sd) - Ely (sd) - Cambridge (sd) - Bury St Edmunds (sd) - Stowmarket (sd) - Ipswich (sd) - Diss (sd) - Norwich (sd)

Esk Valley (evening Service) (North Yorkshire Moors Railway)

• NYMR steam Grosmont (pu) - Whitby (pu) - Grosmont (pu) - Glaisdale (pu) - Battersby & return

The Topper Chopper (Pathfinder Tours)

• DRS 20 x 2 and DRS 37 Crewe (pu) - Sandbach - Middlewich - Northwich - Knutsford - Stockport - Denton - Ashton Moss Junction - Phillips Park West Junction - Brewery Curve - Castleton - Rochdale - Todmorden Curve - Copy Pit - Accrington - Blackburn
• DRS 37 and DRS 20 x 2 Blackburn - Clitheroe - Horrocksford Exchange Sidings
• DRS 20 x 2 and DRS 37 Horrocksford Exchange Sidings - Clitheroe - Blackburn - Darwen - Bolton
• DRS 37 and DRS 20 x 2 Bolton - Westhoughton - Wigan Wallgate - Rainford - Kirkby
• DRS 20 x 2 and DRS 37 Kirkby - Rainford - Wigan Wallgate - Bamfurlong Sidings Junction - Golbourne Junction - Winwick Junction - Dallam Royal Mail Platform - Warrington Bank Quay - Crewe

The Southern Irishman (Railway Touring Company)

• WCRC Class 47 Birmingham International (pu)-Birmingham NS (pu)-Worcester Shrub Hill (pu)-Cheltenham Spa (pu)-Gloucester (pu)-Lydney-Chepstow-Newport
• 5029 Newport-Cardiff-Briton Ferry-Swansea District Line-Carmarthen
• WCRC Class 47 Carmarthen-Fishguard Harbour
• 5029 Fishguard Harbour-Clarbeston Road-Whitland-Carmarthen South Curve-Llanelli-Cockett Bank-Cardiff-Newport
• WCRC Class 47 Newport-Lydney-Gloucester (sd)-Cheltenham Spa (sd)-Worcester Shrub Hill (sd)-Barnt Green (sd)-Birmingham New Street (sd)-Birmingham International (sd)

The Settle & Carlisle Statesman (Statesman Rail)

• WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Hereford (pu) - Ledbury (pu) - Great Malvern (pu) - Worcester Foregate Street (pu) - Droitwich Spa (pu) - Kidderminster (pu) - Stourbridge junction (sd) - Rowley Regis (pu) - Tame Bridge Parkway (pu) - Wolverhampton (pu) - Crewe - Blackburn - Hellifield (pu) - S&C - Carlisle
• WCRC Class 47 & 57 Carlsile (pu) - Penrith - Shap - Lancaster - Preston - Crewe - Wolverhampton (sd) - Tame Bridge Parkway (sd) - Rowley Regis (sd) - Stourbridge Junction (sd) - Kidderminster (sd) - Droitwich Spa (sd) - Worcester Foregate Street (sd) - Great Malvern (sd) - Ledbury (sd) - Hereford

The Settle & Carlisle Statesman (Statesman Rail)

• WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Hereford (pu) - Ledbury (pu) - Great Malvern (pu) - Worcester Foregate Street (pu) - Droitwich Spa (pu) - Kidderminster (pu) - Stourbridge junction (sd) - Rowley Regis (pu) - Tame Bridge Parkway (pu) - Wolverhampton (pu) - Crewe - Blackburn - Hellifield (pu) - S&C - Carlisle
• WCRC Class 47 & 57 Carlisle (pu) - Penrith - Shap - Lancaster - Preston - Crewe - Wolverhampton (sd) - Tame Bridge Parkway (sd) - Rowley Regis (sd) - Stourbridge Junction (sd) - Kidderminster (sd) - Droitwich Spa (sd) - Worcester Foregate Street (sd) - Great Malvern (sd) - Ledbury (sd) - Hereford

The Somerset & Dorset (UK Railtours)

• SWT Class 159 London waterloo (pu) - Woking (pu) - Basingstoke (pu) - Salisbury - Templecoombe (sd) - Yeovil Junction (break/rev) & return

Sunday 1st June 2014

The Cathedrals Express (Steam Dreams)

• 34046 London Victoria (pu) - Feltham (pu) - Woking (pu) - Basingstoke (pu) - Winchester (pu) - Southampton Central (pu) - Salisbury (sd) - Sherborne (sd) - Sherborne (sd) - Yeovil Junction (break/rev) & return

Christian Wolmar  .. At The Hay Festival

To the Edge of the World: The Story of the World’s Greatest Railway

Event 186 • Tuesday 27 May 2014, 10am • Venue: Elmley Foundation Stage

The Trans-Siberian stretches nearly 6,000 miles between Moscow and Vladivostok on the Pacific Coast. It was the most ambitious railway project of the C19th. It is intimately involved with Russian and Soviet history. And it reminds travellers of the vastness of our world and hints at the hardships that were endured in its construction. Chaired by Oliver Bullough.

Tickets £6-00 (on Hay Festival website)

United States of America

In North American rail towns, some try to stop oil trains (Reuters)

County defers to feds on oil-by-rail safety impacts [The Bakersfield Californian  (Business Week)

Union Pacific's $400M Santa Teresa facility ready for showtime [El Paso Times, Texas  

(Business Week)

Japan

Govt. to improve fuel transport in disasters (NHK)