Rail disruption continues in the UK (London Bridge station closes for a time)....Irish Railways endure strikes this weekend..and more due....
And some things come to an end..... the privately owned (by Andrew Goodman) Elegant Excursions dining train that has provided a flagship service for the Gloucester Warwicks Railway has run its last service......
Click on the links....
Headlines
UK
London Bridge railway station closes.(BBC News)
Continued rail disruption certain without urgent action, says report.(The Independent)
Stop picking passengers' pockets and bring trains back under public control.(The Guardian)
As fares go up again, what do Britain's rail users get for their money?(The Guardian)
'I double my discounts by using a website - and got £400 cashback': Save hundreds with our plan to beat rail rip-offs.(Mail Online)
Leeds nostalgia: Station with ‘rhubarb special’ came full circle.(Yorkshire Evening Post)
Railway Herald - Railtours
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Monday 25th August 2014
The Retro Shakespearean Tug (Retro Railtours)
- DBS Class 60 Leeds (pu) - Dewsbury (pu) - Huddersfield (pu) - Stalybridge (pu) - Reddish South (pu) - Stockport (pu) - Crewe (pu) - Stafford - Walsall - Sutton Park - Saltley - Tyseley - Shirley - Henley in Arden - Stratford upon Avon (break/rev) & return (route Stratford upon Avon Stafford tbc)
The Devon Belle (UK Railtours)
- 60163 London Paddington (pu) - Slough (pu) - Reading (pu) - Newbury (pu) - Westbury - Castle Cary - Yeovil Pen Mill - Yeovil Junction - Axminster - Honiton - Exeter Central (sd) - Exeter St. Davids
- 60163 Exeter St.Davids (pu) - Taunton - Castle cary - Westbury - Newbury (sd) - Reading (sd) - Slough (sd) - London Paddington
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Jacobite (Afternoon Train) (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Seaside Flyer (ex-The Scarborough Spa Express) (West Coast Railway Company)
- WCRC 47/57 York (pu) - Normanton (pu) - Wakefield Kirkgate (pu) - Wakefield Westgate (pu) - Woodlesford (pu) - Castleford (pu) - York (pu) - Scarborough
- WCRC 47/57 Scarborough (pu) - York (sd) - Normanton (sd) - Wakefield Kirkgate (sd) - Wakefield Westgate (sd) - Woodlesford (sd) - Castleford (sd) - York
Tuesday 26th August 2014
The Cathedrals Express (Steam Dreams)
- WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Finsbury Park (pu) - Enfield Chase (pu) - Hertford North (pu) - Hitchin (pu) - Huntingdon (pu) - Retford (pu) - Hellifield
- WCRC Steam tbc Hellifield - S&C - carlisle (break/rev) - Carlisle - S&C - Hellifield
- WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Hellifield - Retford (sd) - Huntingdon (sd) - Hitchin (sd) - Hertford North (sd) - Enfield Chase (sd) - Finsbury Park
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Jacobite (Afternoon Train) (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Seaside Flyer (ex-The Scarborough Spa Express) (West Coast Railway Company)
- WCRC 47/57 pool York (pu) - Normanton (pu) - Wakefield Kirkgate (pu) - Wakefield Westgate (pu) - Woodlesford (pu) - Castleford (pu) - York (pu) - Scarborough
- WCRC 47/57 Pool Scarborough (pu) - York (sd) - Normanton (sd) - Wakefield Kirkgate (sd) - Wakefield Westgate (sd) - Woodlesford (sd) - Castleford (sd) - York
Wednesday 27th August 2014
The Dorset Coast Express (Railway Touring Company)
- 34046 or 34067 or 70000 London Victoria (pu) - Barnes Bridge - Staines (pu) - Woking (pu) - Winchfield (water) - Basingstoke (pu) - Worting Junction - Winchester - Southampton - Bournemouth (sd) - Weymouth and return
- 34046 or 34067 or 70000 Weymouth - Upwey Bank - Dorchester South (detach banker) - Bournemouth - Basingstoke (sd/water) - Woking (sd) - London Waterloo(sd)
The Fellsman (Statesman Rail)
- WCRC Steam Pool Lancaster (pu) - Preston (pu) - Blackburn (pu) - Clitheroe (pu) - Long Preston (pu) - Settle - Appleby - Carlisle (break) and return
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Jacobite (Afternoon Train) (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Seaside Flyer (ex-The Scarborough Spa Express) (West Coast Railway Company)
- WCRC 47/57 pool York (pu) - Normanton (pu) - Wakefield Kirkgate (pu) - Wakefield Westgate (pu) - Woodlesford (pu) - Castleford (pu) - York (pu) - Scarborough
- WCRC 47/57 Scarborough (pu) - York (sd) - Normanton (sd) - Wakefield Kirkgate (sd) - Wakefield Westgate (sd) - Woodlesford (sd) - Castleford (sd) - York
Thursday 28th August 2014
The Cathedrals Express (Steam Dreams)
- Diesel/Electric London Euston (pu) - Berkhamsted (pu) - Milton Keynes Central (pu) - Northampton (pu) - Lichfield Trent Valley (pu) - Stafford (pu) - Carnforth
- Steam tbc Carnforth - Shap - Carlisle (break/rev) - Carlisle - Appleby - S&C - Hellifield - Blackburn - (Farington Junction if electrically-hauled)
- Diesel/Electric Blackburn/Farington Junction - Stafford (sd) - Lichfield Trent Valley (sd) - Northampton (sd) - Milton Keynes Central (sd) - Berkhamsted (sd) - London Euston
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Jacobite (Afternoon Train) (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Scarborough Spa Express (West Coast Railway Company)
- WCRC Steam pool York (pu) - Normanton (pu) - Wakefield Kirkgate (pu) - Wakefield Westgate (pu) - Woodlesford (pu) - Castleford (pu) - York (pu) - Scarborough
- WCRC Steam Pool Scarborough (pu) - York (sd) - Normanton (sd) - Wakefield Kirkgate (sd) - Wakefield Westgate (sd) - Woodlesford (sd) - Castleford (sd) - York
Friday 29th August 2014
The Edinburgh Festival Moorlander (Compass Tours)
- WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Darlington (pu) - Northallerton (pu) - Thirsk (pu) - York (pu) - Skipton (pu) - Hellifield (pu) - S&C - Carlisle - Beattock - Carstairs - Edinburgh Waverley
- WCRC Class 47 (Pair) Edinburgh Waverley (pu) - Dunbar - Berwick upon Tweed - Newcastle upon Tyne - Durham - Darlington (sd) - Northallerton (sd) - Thirsk (sd) - York (sd) - Skipton (sd) - Hellifield
The Dartmouth Flyer (Pathfinder Tours)
- DRS Class 37 (Pair) Crewe (pu) - Stafford (pu) - Wolverhampton (pu) - Tame Bridge Parkway (pu) - Stourbridge Junction (pu) - Kidderminster (pu) - Worcester Shrub Hill (pu) - Cheltenham Spa (pu) - Cam & Dursley - Bristol Temple Meads - Taunton - Exeter St. Davids - Newton Abbot - Torquay - Paignton - Kingswear (break/rev) & return
The Scarborough Flyer (Railway Touring Company)
- 60009 Crewe (pu) - Wilmslow (pu) - Stockport (pu) - Stalybridge - Huddersfield - Mirfield - Wakefield Kirkgate - Castleford - York (sd) - Malton - Scarborough (sd) and return
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
The Jacobite (Afternoon Train) (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
Saturday 30th August 2014
Cumbrian Mountain Express (Railway Touring Company)
- 46233 Crewe (pu) - Wilmslow (pu) - Stockport (pu) - Manchester Victoria (pu) - Bolton (pu) - Blackburn (pu) - Hellifield - Settle - Appleby - Carlisle
- 46233 Carlisle - Shap - Preston (sd) - Bolton (sd) - Manchester Victoria (sd) - Stockport (sd) - Wilmslow (sd) - Crewe (sd)
The English Riviera Statesman (Statesman Rail)
- WCRC 47/57 Derby (pu) - Long Eaton (pu) - East Midlands Parkway (pu) - Loughborough (pu) - Leicester (pu) - Hinckley (pu) - Nuneaton (pu) - Coleshill Parkway (pu) - Barnt Green (pu) - Paignton (sd) - Kingswear (break/rev) & return
Drax 40 (UK Railtours)
- tbc Finsbury Park (pu) - Potters bar (pu) - Stevenage (pu) - Peterborough (pu) - Doncaster (pu) - York
- tbc York (pu) - Church Fenton - Knottingley - Hensall - Drax Power Station Junction - Drax Power Station - Drax Power Station Junction - Hensall - Knottingley - Featherstone - Oakenshaw - Monk Bretton (rev) - Oakenshaw - Wakefield Westgate (rev) - Castleford (rev) - Pontifract Monkhill - Askern - Doncaster
- tbc Doncaster (sd) - Peterborough (sd) - Stevenage (sd) - Potters Bar (sd) - Finsbury Park
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
Sunday 31st August 2014
The Waverley (Railway Touring Company)
- 44932 or 45699 or 46115 York (pu) - Church Fenton - Leeds (pu) - Shipley (pu) - Keighley (pu) - Skipton (pu) - Settle - Appleby - Carlisle and return
Torbay Express (Torbay Express Ltd)
- To be confirmed Bristol Temple Meads (pu) - Weston-super-Mare (pu) - Taunton (pu) - Exeter St Davids - Dawlish - Paignton - Kingswear and return
Shakespeare Express (Vintage Trains)
- 4965 or 5043 Birmingham Snow Hill (pu) - Birmingham Moor Street (pu) - Tyseley (pu) - Henley-in-Arden - Stratford-upon-Avon (break) - Hatton - Tyseley (sd) - Birmingham Moor Street (sd) - Birmingham Snow Hill (sd) (two trips)
The Jacobite (West Coast Railway Company)
- To be confirmed Fort William - Glenfinnan - Mallaig (break) - Glenfinnan - Fort William
UK Heritage News
Elegant Sunset (GWSR).Elegant Excursions - the luxury dining train that has operated on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway for nearly two decades - has served its last diners.
The final public train was the '60s/'70s night on Saturday 2nd August while a final lunchtime train ran on Sunday 10th August.
The train is not operated by the railway, but by businessman Andrew Goodman who owns the coaches and who hires the locomotive required off the railway for each occasion. The operation has developed over the years to become a slick and efficient service with all food prepared and cooked on board, each train catering for up to 100 diners.
Robin Townshend, the genial manager of the train who will be well known to regular diners, says that the end of the service was a very sad occasion but added that while very enjoyable, operating the train was hard work and at times challenging. "Occasional faults with the coaches or power systems on board contributed to my increasingly greying hair," he commented. "But running the service is very much a team effort - from volunteers on the railway such as footplate crew, guards, signalling and station staff to our own team including chef Sam and his kitchen colleagues and the service team."
Andrew Goodman says that the train is no longer viable because of growing difficulty in finding 'paths' within an increasingly busy train timetable, which has reduced the running days possible by a third. "Meanwhile, the rolling stock is in considerable need of maintenance. Externally, the bodywork of some of the coaches is in serious need of care while there is a growing list of mechanical and electrical maintenance issues looming.
"So unfortunately the train can't pay its way any longer. The rolling stock has been sold and sadly, the coaches are now leaving the railway."
Some of the coaches are to be fully overhauled to main-line standards and will form part of West Coast Trains' heritage fleet. Others including the kitchen car will be moving to the Strathspey Railway in Scotland.
Andrew points out that the train has operated for nearly 20 years. "During that time it has brought much joy and entertainment, to all those who have either travelled with us or worked on it.
"We have established a regular client base, some of whom dine with us 6-8 times a year. We are often complimented on the very high standard of service and the quality of the food which we provide and this is directly due to the very hard work put in by Robin, who has managed the train in recent years; all of the serving staff, who form a great team and of course Sam and Alf who prepare and cook all of the food on the train.
"We genuinely believe that we operated one of the best, if not the best heritage railway dining train in the country."
Andrew adds: "It is with much sadness that we have now run our last train on the GWR. It has been my pride and joy for many years but because of the problems encountered in recent times, I decided that it is best to 'quit while we are at the top'. It would be even more sad to see the coaches deteriorate further and perhaps compromise our ability to operate the service. But the fact is that bringing the train fully back up to scratch would be extremely costly and beyond our current means."
Alan Beilby, chairman of GWSR Plc said: "Elegant Excursions has been a flagship service for the railway for many years.
"I'm personally very sorry to see the service come to an end and especially that it will be lamented by many people who have enjoyed the quality of the dining experience. I hope that in the future the railway will again be able to offer a luxury dining service."
Meanwhile, the railway's volunteer on-train catering team still offer the popular 'Cheltenham Fryer' Fish & Chips service.
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The Elegant Excursions dining train is no more! How sad....
This is a film of a private excursion in 2010. Andrew Goodman, Robin Townsend, and the team deserve credit for running an unsurpassed service.
Whether or not the GWSR runs a dining train to the same high standard in the future remains to be seen...
David Shepherd's 9F 92203 "Black Prince" heads the Elegant Excursion dining train 28th August 2010 Gloucester and Warwick Steam Railway..
(Filmed by Sean Dudden)
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International
China: High-speed cargo next on China's rail agenda.(WantChinaTimes)
China: China seeks private investments in railway sector.(Economic Times)
Oman: Oman Railway – PMC package to be awarded before end of October.(Mena Rail Post)
Ireland: Rail strike disrupting travel for 100,000 passengers.(Irish Times)
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