International & UK Railway News Sunday 17th March 2013

Shedmaster Railway News

National Rail Enquiries - Index
These pages give an overview of the services that each Train Operating Company will be providing over the Easter Holiday period (between Friday 29 March 2013 and Monday 1 April 2013).



World Heritage & Railway News

Asia Pacific Heritage & Tourist Rail Organization (APHTRO)

Booking for APHTRO conference 2013 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia has been opened.
Everyone with an interest in heritage railways and museums will be warmly welcomed.

Hope you come and enjoy our conference and superb North Borneo Railway steam train.

Please visit our website http://www.aphtro.org/ for details.

(From Kyoichi Oda)

-----------------------------------


Bluebell Railway website....

The Bluebell Railway are delighted to announce the opening of our extension to East Grinstead on the 23rd March.
To mark this special occasion we are holding a two week opening festival with many different special events taking place from Saturday 23^rd March until Sunday 7^th April.

Diary of Events:

Saturday 23^rd March ~ Opening Day Gala timetable trains every 45 minutes. First Train Champagne Breakfast. Evening Gala Pullman.
Sunday 24^th March ~ Opening Weekend Gala timetable trains every 45 minutes.
Monday 25^th March ~ New service two. "Officers' Special" on board the Observation Car.
Tuesday 26^th March ~ New service two. Guided tours of East Grinstead High Street advance booking essential.
Wednesday 27^th March ~ New service two. Visiting locomotive in service.
Thursday 28^th March ~ Special timetable. First through excursion from London. Special Class 73 hauled train on the Bluebell. Advance booking essential.
Friday 29^th March ~ New service two. Bo Peep Specials. First Wealden Rambler Afternoon Tea service to East Grinstead.
Saturday 30^th March ~ New service two. Bo Peep Special. First Golden Arrow evening Pullman to East Grinstead.
Sunday 31^st March ~ New service two. Bo Peep Special. Special evening service for Sainsbury’s at East Grinstead.
Monday 1^st April ~ New service two. Bo Peep Special. Wealden Rambler Afternoon Tea.
Tuesday 2^nd April ~ New service two. Special guided tour of the National Trust Sheffield Park Garden.
Wednesday 3^rd April ~ New service two. Special event to be announced.
Thursday 4^th April ~ New service two. Special evening Cheese & Wine Party plus quiz on board the Wealden Rambler commencing at East Grinstead.
Friday 5^th April ~ New service two. East Grinstead residents day. First Rail Ale special starting at East Grinstead.
Saturday 6^th April ~ New service two. Bell ringers special. Bus service Horsted Keynes station to village. Tours of St Giles Church and the grave of former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.
Sunday 7^th April ~ New service two. Free vintage buses and discount admission to National Trust Standen. Evening Service of Thanksgiving.



West Somerset Railway

Somerset Branch Lines Down the Ages

Highlights

• Travel between either Bishops Lydeard and Minehead or Minehead and Bishops Lydeard in either the GWR Steam Railmotor No 93 and Auto Train.
• There is limited seating capacity on GWR Steam Railmotor No 93 and Auto Train therefore tickets are sold on a first come first served basis.
• Heritage Freight Train in operation
• Branchline passenger train hauled by GWR Prairie No 4160, seats available on a first come first served basis on the day (seat reservations not available, rovers, single and returns valid).
• Special timetable designed to give passengers opportunity to take pictures at selected stations en route.

Timetable

Please click here to see the timetable for this day.

Ticket Sales Update:

Advance ticket sales for Mon 18th and Tues 19th March have now closed. There are tickets available to buy (see below table) on some services from the Travelling Ticket Inspector - Cash Only. Tickets for each of the GWR Steam Railmotor No 93 and Auto Train services are £15.00 per person, per single journey. No concessions, vouchers, Gold or Silver Passes etc. Rover tickets are not valid on these services:

Departure	Tickets Available
Mon 18th Mar 2013 Dep Minehead 09.50 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	1
Mon 18th Mar 2013 Dep Minehead 12.05 Autocoach. Single journey only.	59
Mon 18th Mar 2013 Dep Minehead 14.10 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	Sold Out
Mon 18th Mar 2013 Dep Minehead 16.05 Autocoach. Single journey only.	51
Mon 18th March 2013 Depart B. Lydeard 10.00 Autocoach. Single journey only.	32
Mon 18th March 2013 Depart B. Lydeard 12.00 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	Sold Out
Mon 18th March 2013 Depart B. Lydeard 14.15 Autocoach. Single journey only.	39
Mon 18th March 2013 Depart B. Lydeard 16.10 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	32
Tue 19th Mar 2013 Dep Minehead 09.50 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	26
Tue 19th Mar 2013 Dep Minehead 12.05 Autocoach. Single journey only.	51
Tue 19th Mar 2013 Dep Minehead 14.10 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	Sold Out
Tue 19th Mar 2013 Dep Minehead 16.05 Autocoach. Single journey only.	37
Tue 19th March 2013 Depart B. Lydeard 10.00 Autocoach. Single journey only.	36
Tue 19th March 2013 Depart B. Lydeard 12.00 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	Sold Out
Tue 19th March 2013 Depart B. Lydeard 14.15 Autocoach. Single journey only.	49
Tue 19th March 2013 Depart B. Lydeard 16.10 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	43
Thu 21st March 2013 Depart Minehead 08.50 Rail Motor. Single journey only.	34
Footplate Ride - Monday 18th March 2013. Depart B.Lydeard 09.00.	Sold Out
Footplate Ride - Monday 18th March 2013. Depart B.Lydeard 13.05	Sold Out
Footplate Ride - Monday 18th March 2013. Depart Minehead 11.00.	Sold Out
Footplate Ride - Monday 18th March 2013. Depart Minehead 15.10	Sold Out

The 'Steam' (Set D) departures are normal gala trains stopping at all stations and rovers, singles and return tickets can be used on these.

If you wish to make a return journey (using either the Rail Motor or Auto) you will have to buy two single tickets at £15.00 each, one for each journey.

Due to popular demand an additional Rail Motor service has been opened for public use on Thursday 21st March 2013 departing Minehead at 08.50. Single journey only.

Set D - 'Normal' Service Tickets

If you choose to make either journey on the 'normal' steam train running on these dates (Set D on timetable) you will need at least a gala single ticket which is £12.00 for adults, £10.80 Seniors and £6.00 children (age 5-15) which can be bought on the day from our ticket offices and ticket inspectors.

GWR Steam Railmotor No 93 Information and passenger information

• The vehicle is on hire from Didcot Railway Centre.
• The consumption of food and drink within the GWR Steam Railmotor No 93 is prohibited.
• The carriage of prams, pushchairs, buggies and any large object that has the potential for damaging the fabric of the vehicle, within the passenger saloons is prohibited. Folder prams, pushchairs, buggies and other large objects are only permitted in the luggage compartment.

Railway Engineering News

nationalrail.co.uk - Find out details about how services are running and be informed on any disruption on your journey.