Today being the11th day of the 11th month, and various commemorative services held throughout the UK , it is appropriate that we take a look at the railway's involvement in the First World War..with some photographs courtesy of the National Railway Museum.
And an item from Austria shows that the Austrian railway operator OBB wants to "come clean" over its involvement in the most horrific episode of the Second World War , the holocaust.
Whilst it is good to acknowledge the past, it demonstrates that things put to a good use - i.e. the railways - can also be party to the most unimaginable suffering that the world has ever seen.
And whether the human family learns from the past remains to be seen......
Click on the links....
Headlines
UK
Experts and politicians to debate future of region's rail network.(The Northern Echo)
Even a Manchester passenger is making the case for an upgrade to our rail link.(EADT24)
Toilet waste on the tracks: rail staff threaten strike.(heraldscotland)
Man, 21, found with burns on Glasgow railway line.(BBC News)
Would you go loco to help SRPS foot £370,000 bill?(Linlithgow Gazette)
Network Rail Press Release
Exhibition charting the railway’s role in World War One arrives at Liverpool Lime Street station
An exhibition telling the story of the vital role Britain’s railway and its staff played in World War One is on show at Liverpool Lime Street station.
The free exhibition uses original photographs, documents and historical facts to bring to life the achievements of the railway in helping to transport hundreds of thousands of troops and thousands of tonnes of equipment.
Produced by the Rail Delivery Group, which brings together Network Rail and the owners of Britain’s passenger and freight train operators, it also tells the story of the women who kept the railway running when large numbers of men left to fight, sowing the seeds of social change in the process.
After war was declared at 11pm on 4 August 1914, rail helped Britain’s armed forces to mobilise. The fast movement of troops from across the country, including cities such as Liverpool, to the docks at Southampton was crucial.
Within the first few weeks of war, troop trains arrived at Southampton every 12 minutes across for 14 hours a day. Buy the end of August trains had transported:
• Around 118,000 army personnel;
• 37,000 horses;
• 314 guns;
• 1,800 bicycles, and
• Over 4,500 tonnes of baggage
The city of Liverpool was crucial in the war effort, and is particularly recognised for the local pals battalions. When Lord Kitchener issued the first call to arms for 100,000 vitally needed volunteers in 1914, Lord Derby was the first to test an idea that men would be more willing to join up if they could serve with people they already knew.
Within months over 5,000 men had signed up to the Liverpool Pals Battalions. This prompted other towns across the country to form similar units of volunteers.
A memorial to the Liverpool Pals who lost their lives in the war was unveiled at Lime Street station earlier this year.
Michael Roberts, director general of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “As the country continues to commemorate World War One, the exhibition marks the important contribution made by the railway during the conflict which also saw men from across the region depart Liverpool by train to travel to the front line.
“The pictures and words in the exhibition, which has been touring some of Britain’s biggest stations since August, also tells the story of how women kept the railway running when so many men left for war, meaning vital supplies were still able to reach our troops in France.”
Paul Spiers, station manager at Liverpool Lime Street, said: “When Britain declared war against Germany in 1914, it was the railway that enabled the rapid mobilisation of British forces and their equipment to France. Rail played a crucial role in the war effort and not just through transportation - stations were places to advertise vital information and feed and welcome home troops on leave or those who were brought back injured.
“It is also important that the bravery and efforts of people from different parts of the country are remembered and local history is preserved. Over 120,000 people from Liverpool enlisted to fight in World War One and we are pleased to help tell their story as well as highlight the role of the railway in the region to a new generation of rail staff and passengers alike."
The exhibition will remain at Liverpool Lime Street station until Monday 29 November.
With special thanks to the National Railway Museum for supplying exhibition photography. All relevant historical images accompanying this press release should be credited to National Railway Museum.
Produced by the Rail Delivery Group, which brings together Network Rail and the owners of Britain’s passenger and freight train operators, it also tells the story of the women who kept the railway running when large numbers of men left to fight, sowing the seeds of social change in the process.
After war was declared at 11pm on 4 August 1914, rail helped Britain’s armed forces to mobilise. The fast movement of troops from across the country, including cities such as Liverpool, to the docks at Southampton was crucial.
Within the first few weeks of war, troop trains arrived at Southampton every 12 minutes across for 14 hours a day. Buy the end of August trains had transported:
• Around 118,000 army personnel;
• 37,000 horses;
• 314 guns;
• 1,800 bicycles, and
• Over 4,500 tonnes of baggage
The city of Liverpool was crucial in the war effort, and is particularly recognised for the local pals battalions. When Lord Kitchener issued the first call to arms for 100,000 vitally needed volunteers in 1914, Lord Derby was the first to test an idea that men would be more willing to join up if they could serve with people they already knew.
Within months over 5,000 men had signed up to the Liverpool Pals Battalions. This prompted other towns across the country to form similar units of volunteers.
A memorial to the Liverpool Pals who lost their lives in the war was unveiled at Lime Street station earlier this year.
Michael Roberts, director general of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “As the country continues to commemorate World War One, the exhibition marks the important contribution made by the railway during the conflict which also saw men from across the region depart Liverpool by train to travel to the front line.
“The pictures and words in the exhibition, which has been touring some of Britain’s biggest stations since August, also tells the story of how women kept the railway running when so many men left for war, meaning vital supplies were still able to reach our troops in France.”
Paul Spiers, station manager at Liverpool Lime Street, said: “When Britain declared war against Germany in 1914, it was the railway that enabled the rapid mobilisation of British forces and their equipment to France. Rail played a crucial role in the war effort and not just through transportation - stations were places to advertise vital information and feed and welcome home troops on leave or those who were brought back injured.
“It is also important that the bravery and efforts of people from different parts of the country are remembered and local history is preserved. Over 120,000 people from Liverpool enlisted to fight in World War One and we are pleased to help tell their story as well as highlight the role of the railway in the region to a new generation of rail staff and passengers alike."
The exhibition will remain at Liverpool Lime Street station until Monday 29 November.
Notes:
The exhibition is produced by the Rail Delivery Group, which brings together Network Rail and the owners of Britain’s passenger and freight train operators. For more information visit www.raildeliverygroup.comWith special thanks to the National Railway Museum for supplying exhibition photography. All relevant historical images accompanying this press release should be credited to National Railway Museum.
Horses being loaded onto a train at Ormskirk, Lancashire, 11 December 1914
World War One recruitment banners for the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway
Female locomotive cleaners on the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway in 1917
Female porter on the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway during World War One
All pictures (C) National Railway Museum.
The Last Post at Euston railway station for the Armistice day service
(Network Rail on Youtube)
The Chalk Farm Salvation Army band play the ‘Last Post’ at Euston railway station for the Armistice day service #LestWeForget #ArmisticeDay
c2c.
Travel with Smart Cards
THOUSANDS OF ESSEX RAIL PASSENGERS NOW ABLE TO TRAVEL WITH NEW SMART CARDSMore than 30,000 commuters in Essex can transform how they buy their tickets from today as the new “c2c Smart” card became available for all types of season tickets for journeys into London.
c2c Smart, which is an ITSO smart card, is the Government’s pilot project for introducing smart tickets for all London train operators under the South East Flexible Ticketing (SEFT) programme.
c2c Smart is now available for every type of season ticket bought by Essex-based passengers. Regular commuters have been switching to c2c Smart for journeys outside of London since the summer, with the scheme extended into London’s Fenchurch Street station last month. For the first time today, Essex commuters whose season tickets include a London travelcard can replace their paper tickets with c2c Smart. They can now use this to travel on c2c and Transport for London services, including the tube and buses, within the zone their ticket covers.
c2c Smart will be compatible with other ITSO-based cards in future, such as Southern’s Key card, as the technology is rolled out across all train operators in the South East. This means rail passengers will be able to travel across London and the South East using a single smart card, rather than on paper tickets.
Rail Minister Baroness Kramer said: "Smart ticketing goes a long way in giving passengers a better experience, providing greater choice and security and making it easier to get around. I congratulate c2c on achieving this important milestone.
"The government and the industry are working hard together to build a more efficient public transport network to benefit all users and to support a stronger economy. That's why more than £38bn will be invested in the rail network over the next five years to bring in new trains and new services.”
c2c Managing Director Julian Drury said: “We know c2c Smart will be very popular with Essex commuters, and we expect thousands will switch to the cards in the next few months. Customers will benefit straight away by beating the queues and saving themselves five valuable minutes of their day. In the future they'll get even more benefits from c2c Smart, as it will allow us to provide automatic compensation for delayed trains and discounts for those who choose to travel outside the peak.”
TfL’s Director of Customer Experience, Shashi Verma, said: “We want to make travelling in London as quick and convenient as possible for all of our customers so we are delighted to have worked on equipping London for accepting ITSO and with c2c to bring Travelcards to their smartcard.”
SEFT Programme Manager Andrew Keating said, “This next step in c2c’s smart card scheme illustrates how rail companies, TfL and government are working together to deliver smart technology to passengers across the South East rail network through the SEFT programme. As we further develop and roll-out smart ticketing, we will provide a major upgrade to a system that’s been around for over 30 years, and passengers can look forward to replacing their paper ticket with modern technology with all the benefits that it brings”
Local MPs John Baron and Jackie Doyle-Price have already collected their c2c Smart cards. John Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay, said: “This c2c Smart card is an excellent initiative which will make commuters lives much easier. Well done to the team.”
The c2c Smart card improves passengers’ journeys by being:
- Quicker: Passengers can beat the queue by buying in advance online as well as at the station. They can collect their new ticket simply by touching in with their c2c Smart card at their local c2c station
- Easier: Passengers no longer need to get their paper tickets out to operate the gates
- Secure: Monthly and longer season tickets are protected if passengers lose their card
- Durable: c2c Smart tickets are more reliable than current paper tickets, and will last longer
- Compact: Passengers will be able to load up to five different tickets on their c2c Smart cards in future
The smart ticketing back office, consisting of the HOPS (Host Operator or Processing System), CMS (Card Management System) and an easy-to-use customer portal, are all supplied by ACT. The company also provided back office integration with Cubic gate validators, Scheidt & Bachmann ticket vending machines, Atos ticket issuing system and the TfL HOPS to create a customised end-to-end solution.
parliament.uk
Lords Select Committee
Network Rail and Lord Adonis questioned on HS2
11 November 2014
The Economic Affairs Committee will take evidence from representatives of Network Rail, a transport academic, and former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis as part of its inquiry into the economic case for HS2.
- Parliament TV: The Economic Case for HS2
- Inquiry: The Economic Case for HS2
- Select Committee for Economic Affairs
Witnesses
At 3.35pm on Tuesday 11 November in Committee Room 1 of the Palace of Westminster- Paul Plummer, Group Strategy Director, Network Rail
- Rupert Walker, Head of High Speed Rail Development, Network Rail
- Professor Chris Nash, Institute of Transport Studies, University of Leeds
- Lord Adonis
Possible Questions
In the first session the Committee’s questions will focus on the justification for HS2 including overcrowding between intercity and commuter routes, whether the West Coast Main Line could accommodate extra capacity following the recent upgrade and Network Rail’s dismissal of the proposal put forward by the 51m alliance of local authorities for an alternative to HS2. The Committee will also explore what the UK can learn from other countries’ experiences of high speed rail.In the session with Lord Adonis, the Committee will focus on the original rationale for HS2, how HS2 will lead to economic regeneration, the supplementary policies that might be required to ensure HS2 contributes to the regeneration of regional cities and whether improved links between regional cities would be of more benefit than faster links to London.
GB Railfreight
10th November 2014
GB Railfreight surpasses 1,000 train loads per week for first time in company’s history
GB Railfreight’s operations reached a significant milestone last week, as the company undertook 1,000 train movements for the first time in its history. In just over 10 years, this is a 1100% increase in train loads per week.
This growth can be attributed to developments in various markets. The infrastructure sector, in particular, has contributed to this growth as GBRf has doubled its work with Network Rail as a result of greater network flows and rail head treatment services in the southern region.
John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:
“I am proud to announce that GB Railfreight has surpassed 1,000 train loads per week for the first time in our history. It is testament to all of the all the hard work by GB Railfreight staff across the company, throughout the last 15 years.
“This is an overwhelming achievement for everybody involved and it will spur us on into 2015 to continue to deliver optimum service levels for our customers and to help keep the UK economy moving.”
This growth can be attributed to developments in various markets. The infrastructure sector, in particular, has contributed to this growth as GBRf has doubled its work with Network Rail as a result of greater network flows and rail head treatment services in the southern region.
John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:
“I am proud to announce that GB Railfreight has surpassed 1,000 train loads per week for the first time in our history. It is testament to all of the all the hard work by GB Railfreight staff across the company, throughout the last 15 years.
“This is an overwhelming achievement for everybody involved and it will spur us on into 2015 to continue to deliver optimum service levels for our customers and to help keep the UK economy moving.”
International
Australia
Austria
(November 4, 2014)
"Repressed years" - ÖBB-themed exhibition hosted in Brussels
The thematic exhibition of ÖBB "Repressed years - Rail and National Socialism in Austria 1938 - 1945"
From 4 to 7 November 2014 the European Parliament in Brussels
The railway in Austria has a history of over 175 years. In addition to enormous technical achievements and the importance of the railway to the industrial revolution, the ÖBB deal but also with the dark ages of the rail system:From 1938 to 1945, the Austrian Federal Railways (BBÖ), part of the Deutsche Reichsbahn and one of the main pillars of the Nazi state. Without the railway as a transportation logistics of the war the German Wehrmacht and the mass transport would not have been feasible in the extermination camps.
Christian Kern, CEO of ÖBB-Holding AG and CE-Chairman: "Forget is from concealment. We want to do something that the memory of us is supported and passed. This is part of our social responsibility. "
This period is the theme exhibition "Repressed years - Rail and National Socialism in Austria 1938 - 1945" dedicated, which is now to be seen in Brussels and in the Austrian Federal Railways reappraise their darkest chapter.
"Repressed years" in the European Parliament
. Today the ÖBB-themed exhibition was opened at the European Parliament in Brussels Ulrike Lunacek, Vice-President of the European Parliament , noted in her opening speech: "One of the posters in this exhibition shows the NS-railway slogan, Wheels must roll for victory '. Rolled the wheels of thousands of locomotives and wagons in the service of the Nazi regime but for the biggest defeat of humanity on this continent, for violence and cruelty, for destruction and death. I congratulate the ÖBB that they have launched from from the processing of this dark chapter in their history - who knows how to deal with Austria and many Austrian institutions of the Nazi era, knows that this is not self-evident. This exhibition is based on the commitment of ÖBB employees' employees of ÖBB-apprentices to witnesses. "
Also, Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and EU enlargement,
congratulates the ÖBB for bold exhibition : "This exhibition teaches us a lot about the weaknesses and depths of humanity. At the same time it is revealing, forming and touching. The European Parliament as a citizen chamber is the right place for critical engagement. " major topic is the importance of the railway system in the second world war the same way as the lessons of these findings for the future of Europe.
For MEP Jörg Leichtfried the ÖBB-themed exhibition is therefore an important sign: "We do not crowd out" , as Jorg Easy Fried, a member of the Transport Committee and Vice-President of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, " we look deliberately back to the dark years of the war and provide in the European Parliament in Brussels, the main findings from. Why? In order to process blind spots and it also be sent subsequently to look at why it has come to this peace project European Union. "
After all, the role of rail in the Second World War was a key. "The inclusion of the Austrian Federal Railways in the structure of the Third Reich after the Anschluss in 1938 meant that trains were used for the deportation of the Jews in Austria, and so to the almost complete have contributed to extinction of the Jewish community of this country. " , so Raya Kalenova, Executive Vice-President of the European Jewish Congress in her speech. "This is also part of the story."
Railwaymen in resistance
Many railroaders were helpers of the Nazi regime. The Nazi leaders tried to stop the train staff at their regime from March 1938. Railway workers and railway workers had to follow stricter rules than career civil servants, had "at any time wholeheartedly advocate the Nazi state" and they were widely subjected to political investigation and monitoring. Nevertheless, they were heavily involved in the resistance against National Socialism. 154 railway workers were convicted and executed for your resistance to death, 135 died in concentration layers or penitentiaries, 1438 were sentenced to concentration camp or prison sentences.
To defend its infancy, this rate may not be an empty formula. Because "today we are dealing with fixed-rooted nationalism and intolerance, social anarchism, which rather than being worn in the streets to show manifested in the voting booth," warned
Maurice Sosnowski, President of the Comité de coordination des organizations juives in Belgium in light of the recent attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels.
Discussion evening "Repressed years"
Based on the exhibition "Repressed years", which can be seen from 4th to 7th November at the European Parliament, the role of rail is provided in National Socialism to the discussion. Theme is the importance of the railway system in the second world war the same way as the lessons of these findings for the future of Europe.
Time: Tuesday, 4 November 2014, 19.00 clock Location: Vienna House, Avenue de Tervueren 58, 1040 Brussels
More information on the project are interested can find:
www.oebb.at/verdraengte_jahre
From 4 to 7 November 2014 the European Parliament in Brussels
The railway in Austria has a history of over 175 years. In addition to enormous technical achievements and the importance of the railway to the industrial revolution, the ÖBB deal but also with the dark ages of the rail system:From 1938 to 1945, the Austrian Federal Railways (BBÖ), part of the Deutsche Reichsbahn and one of the main pillars of the Nazi state. Without the railway as a transportation logistics of the war the German Wehrmacht and the mass transport would not have been feasible in the extermination camps.
Christian Kern, CEO of ÖBB-Holding AG and CE-Chairman: "Forget is from concealment. We want to do something that the memory of us is supported and passed. This is part of our social responsibility. "
This period is the theme exhibition "Repressed years - Rail and National Socialism in Austria 1938 - 1945" dedicated, which is now to be seen in Brussels and in the Austrian Federal Railways reappraise their darkest chapter.
"Repressed years" in the European Parliament
. Today the ÖBB-themed exhibition was opened at the European Parliament in Brussels Ulrike Lunacek, Vice-President of the European Parliament , noted in her opening speech: "One of the posters in this exhibition shows the NS-railway slogan, Wheels must roll for victory '. Rolled the wheels of thousands of locomotives and wagons in the service of the Nazi regime but for the biggest defeat of humanity on this continent, for violence and cruelty, for destruction and death. I congratulate the ÖBB that they have launched from from the processing of this dark chapter in their history - who knows how to deal with Austria and many Austrian institutions of the Nazi era, knows that this is not self-evident. This exhibition is based on the commitment of ÖBB employees' employees of ÖBB-apprentices to witnesses. "
Also, Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and EU enlargement,
congratulates the ÖBB for bold exhibition : "This exhibition teaches us a lot about the weaknesses and depths of humanity. At the same time it is revealing, forming and touching. The European Parliament as a citizen chamber is the right place for critical engagement. " major topic is the importance of the railway system in the second world war the same way as the lessons of these findings for the future of Europe.
For MEP Jörg Leichtfried the ÖBB-themed exhibition is therefore an important sign: "We do not crowd out" , as Jorg Easy Fried, a member of the Transport Committee and Vice-President of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, " we look deliberately back to the dark years of the war and provide in the European Parliament in Brussels, the main findings from. Why? In order to process blind spots and it also be sent subsequently to look at why it has come to this peace project European Union. "
After all, the role of rail in the Second World War was a key. "The inclusion of the Austrian Federal Railways in the structure of the Third Reich after the Anschluss in 1938 meant that trains were used for the deportation of the Jews in Austria, and so to the almost complete have contributed to extinction of the Jewish community of this country. " , so Raya Kalenova, Executive Vice-President of the European Jewish Congress in her speech. "This is also part of the story."
Railwaymen in resistance
Many railroaders were helpers of the Nazi regime. The Nazi leaders tried to stop the train staff at their regime from March 1938. Railway workers and railway workers had to follow stricter rules than career civil servants, had "at any time wholeheartedly advocate the Nazi state" and they were widely subjected to political investigation and monitoring. Nevertheless, they were heavily involved in the resistance against National Socialism. 154 railway workers were convicted and executed for your resistance to death, 135 died in concentration layers or penitentiaries, 1438 were sentenced to concentration camp or prison sentences.
To defend its infancy, this rate may not be an empty formula. Because "today we are dealing with fixed-rooted nationalism and intolerance, social anarchism, which rather than being worn in the streets to show manifested in the voting booth," warned
Maurice Sosnowski, President of the Comité de coordination des organizations juives in Belgium in light of the recent attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels.
Discussion evening "Repressed years"
Based on the exhibition "Repressed years", which can be seen from 4th to 7th November at the European Parliament, the role of rail is provided in National Socialism to the discussion. Theme is the importance of the railway system in the second world war the same way as the lessons of these findings for the future of Europe.
Time: Tuesday, 4 November 2014, 19.00 clock Location: Vienna House, Avenue de Tervueren 58, 1040 Brussels
More information on the project are interested can find:
www.oebb.at/verdraengte_jahre
(c) ÖBB/Posch
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Mexico
USA
www.progressiverailroading.com
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eurotransport
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eurotransport
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