News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 280 - 31/07/2016
- ROLLING STOCK [all issues]
- RAIL ROUTES [all issues]
- Network Rail decides that Wherry Lines will not be part of Digital Railway in 2019
- Railfuture and politicians interviewed by ITV News about progress of East West Rail towards Cambridge
- Network Rail publishes detailed plans to re-instate fourth track north of Huntingdon station to improve punctuality and capacity
- GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues]
- PRESERVED RAILWAYS [all issues]
- North Norfolk Railway to commence mid-week lunchtime and evening dining steam trains in August
- Mid-Norfolk Railway hopes to earn much-needed revenue for infrastructure projects at its annual beer festival
- WEBSITES [all issues]
Railfuture has been told by Greater Anglia that refurbishment and expansion work on the ticket hall at Cambridge station will be completed by the end of September to the middle of October 2016. The work has been subject to a few unforeseen delays, including discovery of some asbestos. Since things can crop up Abellio cannot give a firm date yet. Meanwhile, the new waiting room at Ipswich station should open in August along with the new lifts at Manningtree station.
Sidings at the Ely Potter Group are being used to store off-lease third-rail Class 442 'Wessex Electrics' until their future is determined. They are being hauled by a diesel locomotive from Eastleigh. It is understood that they are taken via Bury St Edmunds to Ely because the third-rail shoe gear is not retractable and has not yet been gauge cleared on the route between Cambridge to Ely. Whilst in 'warm storage' at Ely the trains are likely to be moved occasionally to prevent the wheels from seizing up.
At the meeting of the Abellio Greater Anglia Cycle Forum on 29th July 2016, Abellio announced that every station on its network now has cycle parking. There was also a presentation about the large cycle park at Cambridge station, which caters for almost 3,000 cyclists. It was partly funded by the Department for Transport.
When Theresa May became prime minister she appointed Chris Grayling to replace Patrick McLoughlin (who had served since 2012) as transport secretary during her Cabinet reshuffle. Claire Perry resigned and was replaced with Paul Maynard, MP for Blackpool North and Cleveleys. Andrew Jones MP becomes responsible for freight. As part of the Labour party internal problems over its leadership, Lilian Greenwood resigned as Shadow Transport Secretary.
The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton Rail User Group has written an article its website about the audit that Railfuture East Anglia conducted of the three stations on Friday 25th March 2016 (Good Friday). The article (which has a link to the report) can be read at: http://meldrethsheprethfoxtonrail.org.uk/2016/07/02/audit-of-meldreth-shepreth-and-foxton-stations/.
On Saturday 10th September 2016 the East Suffolk Travellers' Association will be chartering a bus for tour to Leiston, Thorpeness and Aldeburgh to mark the 50th anniversary of the closure to passengers of the Aldeburgh branch.
ROLLING STOCK
Driver training begins on GTR's Class 387 trains that will transfer to the Great Northern routes from October 2016
Keywords: [Class387] [HornseyDepot]
On Wednesday 20th June, two coupled Class 387 trains from Southern Railway (one of the other GTR brands) became the first of their type to visit Cambridge, on a late evening gauging run. They operated from GN's Hornsey depot to Cambridge and back. The pair had also operated a gauging run the previous day from Hornsey depot to Peterborough and back.
During August 2016 crew training trips on the 110mph Class 387/1 Electrostars trains will be operating between Mondays and Thursdays with drivers operating at points between King's Cross and Cambridge. Passengers will not be on board. The trains will be stabled at Hornsey depot.
The trains should commence service on the Great Northern lines from October 2016 and will operate between King's Cross and Cambridge initially, and from 2017 to King's Lynn once Network Rail has completed the necessary engineering work. They will also operate on the King's Cross to Peterborough services, however, the trains will not run in passenger service through the Canal Tunnels, once they open in 2018, as only the Class 700 trains will do that.
The Class 387/1s will replace the Class 317s and 321s trains that are around 30 years old. They will be the first air-conditioned trains that have ever operated on the Great Northen line. Like the Class 365s they have two-by-two seating but unlike any of the existing GN trains they also have power sockets, although only the 13A and not USB. GTR will be adding Wi-Fi in the future. The trains first went into service on the Bedford-Brighton Thameslink line in December 2014 and therefore have full disability accessibility. In total 29 trains will be transferred from the Thameslink route (where the first of the brand new 'crowdbusting' Class 700 trains are already in service) to Great Northern. GTR describes the trains as 'light and airy.'
GTR has explained that the 387/1s are being used initially only on the King's Cross slows and semi-fasts because the diagrams aren't so interdependent as the fasts (currently undertaken by 100mph Class 365 trains) so it is fairly easy to interchange with 317s and 321s while only a few 387s are available. Once the old trains have been withdrawn (and presumably cascaded to other operators) the 387/1s may make use of their 110mph capability on fast services.
Eventually the Great Northern line will be operated by the Class 700 eight- and 12-car trains on the through-London services (with the Class 717 variant on the Moorgate service) along with the Class 387/1s on those terminating at King's Cross along with some of the current Class 365 fleet that will be retained.
RAIL ROUTES
Network Rail decides that Wherry Lines will not be part of Digital Railway in 2019
Keywords: [WherryLines]
Network Rail is to revise its signalling plans for the Norwich-Yarmouth/Lowestoft "Wherry Lines". As part of its Digital Railway Programme it had intended to pilot an ERTMS/ETCS Level 2 solution integrated with traffic management software to replace the old signalling, much of which relies upon mechanical semaphores, completing it by 2019. The deadline remains, partly because a lot of the signallers are coming up to retirement, but will consist of a future-proofed conventional and low risk solution using 'modular' components that would be ERTMS-enabled to minimise future changes. Any new equipment, such as colour-light signals could be cascaded to other parts of the network (something that it easier now that modern signal posts have spikes that are pushed into the ground rather than being firmly concreted in as they were in the past). The change of plan arises following a review by Network Rail's digital railway head, David Waboso, who views Digital Railway as an integral part of Network Rail's signalling policy, rather than an independent programme. Network Rail now intends to focus in the short-term on where digital railway can solve real problems and that means mainlines - essentially "getting maximum bang for their buck" as Americans might say.
Railfuture and politicians interviewed by ITV News about progress of East West Rail towards Cambridge
Keywords: [EastWestRail]
Railfuture East Anglia spokesman Chris Burton appeared on ITV News Anglia on 12th July in an item entitled "Oxford-Cambridge 'Varsity Line' gathering speed." Interviewed outside Cambridge station he mentioned the benefits of East West Rail, particularly the linking of the two research centres of Oxford and Cambridge plus the possibility of "generating lots of business that may be the spinoffs from the intellectual value that comes from the two universities." Cambridgeshire county councillor Ian Bates, who is leading the East West Consortium's proposals for the 'Central Section' rail route between Bedford and Cambridge, and Ian Stewart MP were also interviewed.
ITV News video report: http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2016-07-12/plans-for-oxford-cambridge-varsity-line-gaining-speed/.
Network Rail publishes detailed plans to re-instate fourth track north of Huntingdon station to improve punctuality and capacity
Keywords: [EastCoastMainline]
Network Rail has revealed its plans to re-instate a fourth track north of Huntingdon station, which British Rail had removed, to improve punctuality and capacity. The multi-million pound East Coast Main Line (ECML) upgrade proposal, which is part of Network Rail's £247 million Connectivity programme, has been around for some time and was mentioned in the route study, but it had not been published as a standalone scheme. At the moment the three lines consist of a down slow, down fast and an up line, which is used for both fast inter-city trains that run non-stop to London (perhaps calling at Stevenage) and commuter trains that call at Huntingdon station (and others further south). Track sharing by trains travelling at different speeds, especially one slowing down prior to reaching Huntingdon, cause a bottleneck with either the intercity trains crawling behind the commuter train until they reach Huntingdon or the commuter train being held at Peterborough so that an intercity train can overtake it. The extra track should save several minutes on intercity train journeys by tightening up the timetable and there would be a bigger saving when all the other proposed improvements along the East Coast Main Line were completed.
The upgrade would see six miles of new 'up slow' line laid on the eastern side of the ECML between Huntingdon and Woodwalton, re-designating the current 'up' line as an 'up fast' enabling fast trains to overtake slower ones. The level crossing at Abbots Ripton would also be removed, allowing train speeds to be increased (as well as improving safety). Work will also be carried out in the Peterborough area. In addition to the time savings, it should be possible to introduce seven more long-distance high-speed services per day in the future.
A series of public meetings about the plan took place in July. Network Rail engineers and their contractors explained the scheme and attempted to answer questions at Abbots Ripton Village Hall on 4th July, Woodwalton Village Hall on 5th July and Huntingdon Town Hall on 8th/9th July. Work is expected to start in 2018 and is scheduled for completion in 2020.
GUIDED BUSWAY
Second guided bus within months comes off the track near Trumpington and climbs side of the cutting
On 7th July a single-deck bus (with just the driver on board) travelling on the southern section of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway came off the guideway and mounted the side of the cutting where it became stuck. This accident not far from the Trumpington terminus is the second bus to have done so in this area during 2016. The first, on 22nd February 2016, was driver error and Stagecoach dismissed the driver soon after. It is highly likely that it was driver error on this occasion as well.
News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-36733703.
Meanwhile, the Cambridge News has made several Freedom of Information requests to Cambridgeshire County Council about the busway. It discovered that the council has received 15 compensation claims since the busway opened in August 2011 - six of the 15 were successful and cost a total of £18,700 to settle. These includes trips from defective paving and an unmarked bollard that someone crashed into.
PRESERVED RAILWAYS
North Norfolk Railway to commence mid-week lunchtime and evening dining steam trains in August
Keywords: [NorthNorfolkRailway]
Ever since the North Norfolk Railway's connection to the national rail network was opened in March 2010 it has had aspirations to operate its own trains over the level crossing and on to Cromer. Until now the crossing had only been used by charter trains (or locomotives) visiting the railway. The NNR has seen how other railways make money from dining trains and has proposed doing the same with its steam trains, but rather than just a round trip between Sheringham and High Kelling ("Holt") it will operate three-course dining trains as far as Cromer, which will give the railway extra visibility and hopefully attract more visits to Sheringham. Because of the expected high demand, all seats will need to be pre-booked.
The first dining train will be a VIP Luncheon on 10th August 2016. The first public train will be that evening, with luncheon and evening dining on 11th August, 7th and 8th September. All trains will use the NNR's newly registered mainline dining set The North Norfolkman, which consists of four first-class dining carriages and steam trains at both ends. Ultimately it hopes to operate about on about 10 days a year. Unfortunately pathing the trains on the single-track route may be problematic (especially if the Greater Anglia train is late) and the train could spend some time in the platform at Cromer - whether the public will be happy to eat their meal whilst stationary remains to be seen as it is probably not their definition of a "dining train" but they will enjoy the lovely view along the line.
The NNR has had to fit equipment to their trains in order to operate on the national rail network, even though it is only a short trip along the single-track line to Cromer station. This includes AWS/TPWS safety system and the OTMR "black box recorder."
Mid-Norfolk Railway hopes to earn much-needed revenue for infrastructure projects at its annual beer festival
Keywords: [MidNorfolkRailway]
The Mid-Norfolk Railway (MNR) is aiming to make its Dereham Beer Festival the best yet with around 50 real ales to choose from along with new ales and ciders from all over the country. The beer festival will take place over the August Bank Holiday weekend of Friday 26th to Monday 29th August 2016. The main festival site is at Dereham Station and there will be live music stage playing on Platform 3 under the canopy. Trains will also be selling beer. The MNR will operate a reduced-price late-night train service for local people (i.e. those living in Wymondham, Wicklewood, Thuxton and Yaxham). It will also offer free soft drinks to designated drivers as long as they are with someone who is purchasing alcoholic drinks. Many heritage railways find that events such as a beer festival are profitable, and have the advantage of being able to take place at any time convenient to the railway (and when the weather is good). In the case of the MNR it has many plans to improve the railway (e.g. maintenance shed, signalling at Dereham, new station near to Wymondham mainline station and its northern extension) but insufficient funds or donations for all of them - such events are vital to its future.
The MNR will be hiring an additional steam train over the August Bank Holiday weekend to expand its steam services. Experience from other heritage railways would suggest that incurring additional expenditure from visiting locos should be focused on family-friendly or enthusiast events rather than a beer festival, where many drinkers might not be particularly interested in travelling on a train. No doubt the MNR will report on whether the cost was worth it.
WEBSITES
Brilliant new MyTrainJourney website/app shows punctuality metrics for journey over a period of time
Many people use RealTimeTrains to see when a specific train arrived. However, it is cumbersome if you are interested in how often a particular train (e.g. the one you take to or from work) is over a longer period. The excellent new MyTrainJourney app and website www.mytrainjourney.co.uk will provide metrics over, for example, a month (quarter, year and custom dates are also possible), giving the number and percentage of trains that arrived within one minute of schedule time ("right time"), 15 or 60 minutes (or select your own three time bands). The interface is easy to use, but it only works on a single specified train a day on weekdays or Saturdays or Sundays (but not a combination).
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 280 - 31/07/2016
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