AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR RAIL USERS No 131 £2 April 2012 Spain’s new high speed rail station: Pages 2 & 10 Picture: FOSTER + PARTNERS Page one picture LOCAL ACTION Our cover picture is another at the station entrance and Picture: CSR example of high speed rail has a network of pedestrian Yorkshire spreading across Europe. routes leading to the station By Chris Hyomes It shows how the new station where there will also be a [email protected] bus interchange. for Ourense in north-west n n Electrification bonanza Spain will look. “We are delighted to have Railfuture Yorkshire is London-based Foster been selected for our delighted with the go-ahead + Partners are part of a integrated design and look for electrification of the consortium which won an forward to working with Manchester-Leeds-York line over international competition to the city of Ourense as the the Pennines via Stalybridge, design the station. project develops,” said Nigel Huddersfield and Dewsbury. Dancey of Foster + Partners. There have been worries, The design incorporates a Toxic policy on lorries however, about what will happen new park – partly built over The 90-mile long double- to the existing stopping services the tracks – for the Galician track route, incorporating Rail freight use has been going to take thousands more long-dis- and the future of services city which is surrounded 50 miles of new line, from up in recent years, in line with tance lorry journeys off the road. ‘300 mph plus’ Sword from York to Scarborough, by mountains and has a Ourense to La Coruna cost recent official policy and over- “Mega-trucks are 50% longer Middlesbrough and Newcastle This is China’s latest high current crop of high speed which currently depend on population of 100,000. £2.7 billion and opened in whelming public opinion. and a third heavier than existing speed train, operated by the trains, like the CRH380A which December. through trains from Liverpool The park will join two parts But the Government has recently HGVs.” train maker CSR. was developed by CSR. The and Manchester. Transport Minister Theresa Villiers has told of the city which have been Ourense is about the same been backsliding in its support CRH380A set a world record MP Tom Blenkinsop (Lab, Middlesbrough South and East for rail freight and getting back The train is actually a separated by the existing size as Cambridge but it is Good news cutting-edge research project, of 300 mph in trials between Cleveland) that she has asked Network Rail to establish the in bed with the road lobby. Beijing and Shanghai in railway. unlikely that Cambridge will n A four-mile disused freight and will become a mobile test cost and whether there is a business case for electrification December 2010. be getting a high speed rail It has already axed freight facili- line between Newton Abbot and platform for new techniques. from Northallerton to Middlesbrough. High speed AVE platforms ties grants in England which The new “Sword” test train has are situated above the line in the immediate future. Heathfield has been reopened for It is aimed at “perfecting” n n Vital to invest in local rail, MPs agree helped to transfer freight from a weekly train to transport tim- six power coaches, and uses existing rail track. Maybe one day an HS3 will road to rail and delivered over- China’s high speed technology carbon fibre, magnesium alloy Two local MPs have been to see for themselves the working allow Cambridge to be part ber from Teignmouth, Devon to so it can build its own trains in The roof canopies provide whelming economic and envi- Wrexham, north Wales. and new sound-insulating conditions along the Penistone rail line. Jason McCartney shade at times and also of the European high speed ronmental benefits. future but also to export them, materials, It was shown to the (Con, Colne Valley) and Simon Reevell (Con, Dewsbury) rail network. Patrick Hallgate from Network maybe even to Britain. public in Qingdao. were invited by the Huddersfield, Penistone and Sheffield reflect daylight on to the Now the Scottish Government Rail said: “Without the railway, The project is supported by Rail Users’ Association. Peter Marshall, chairman of the platforms. The park starts More information: Page 10 has followed suit and slashed the anticipated growth in freight CSR has already supplied association, said: “Both MPs were amazed at how busy the the grants by more than half. traffic over the next 30 years the Chinese government 278 high speed trains to the trains were.” Mr McCartney said: “It is vital to invest in local The Rail Freight Group said that would mean an extra 1.5 million and several universities and Chinese network but hopes rail services as the roads get busier and I hope that I can help railwatch ISSN 0267-5943 www.railwatch.org.uk the Scottish grants should be lorry journeys on Britain’s roads institutes and is also aimed to apply for more than 100 in my role as vice-chairman of the Northern Rail All Party increased to seven times their each year.” at developing safer ways to technical patents as a result of Parliamentary Group.” is edited by Robert Stevens, John Stanford and Ray King “pitifully small” current level. go even faster than China’s work on the Sword. 4 Christchurch Square, London E9 7HU Tel 020 8985 8548 “Each freight train can take Just to meet expected demand n n Rundown station may be restored to its former glory [email protected] about 60 lorries off the roads and The first volume of Passengers Once [email protected] [email protected] they would have to be increased Railfuture Yorkshire welcomes the news that Wakefield by shifting traffic from already More by Terry Gough deals with Southern Kirkgate station, which former transport secretary Lord Printed by Print-Out, High Street, Histon, Cambridge CB4 4JD by 10 times. congested roads to rail will bring England. The 128-page book features Adonis called “one of the worst in Britain”, is to benefit from Tel 01223 232709 A bogus 10-year “trial” began in greater future benefits.” 120 locations and costs £19.99. ISBN January of 60ft (18.55m) lorries. extra funding for its refurbishment. Network Rail has pledged Railfuture members receive Railwatch free n Supermarket company Asda 978-1-85794-356-6 an additional £1.5 million to be spent on the “The Government justified Non-members can subscribe by sending £8 (cheque payable to has agreed to use rail freight Railfuture’s book Britain’s Growing grade II-listed building and is working with Groundwork allowing longer HGVs on our Railfuture) to: Alan Cocker, 11 Franklin Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9DX from Southampton to Cleveland Railway gave details of reopened lines Wakefield, whose executive director Ken Taylor said there roads by misleading MPs and in north east England to reduce and stations over the past 50 years was a commitment to bring the station back to its former For the next issue, to be published in July, copy must distorting the safety analysis,” glory and the improvements would be a catalyst for the Copy deadlines: its carbon dioxide emissions by but now this series of books is being be emailed to [email protected] by 7 May. Paper copy can be sent said Philippa Edmunds, manager regeneration of the entire Kirkgate area. 60%. Freightliner will run extra published by Silver Link Publishing of the Freight on Rail campaign. to 4 Christchurch Square, London E9 7HU but will need to be earlier. trains to remove 10,000 lorry dealing with the rail reopenings area by Other campaigners are also tell- miles. area. Advertising: Full page: £190. Half page: £95. Quarter page: £45. Small n ads: 30p per word. Free to members. ing the Government in no uncer- Eurotunnel’s subsidiary Euro- tain terms that 25-metre mega- porte Channel has been given IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF + IN BRIEF trucks weighing up to 60 tonnes permission to run its trains over is independent and voluntary. It is the campaigning Railfuture should not be allowed in Britain. the 70 miles of track between the name of the Railway Development Society Ltd, a not-for-profit company Rail cam- 50% pay cut. The company, once Railfuture, 10 Bellamy Avenue, reduced noise and lower costs. Channel Tunnel and London. David Bill MBE limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales No 5011634. The European Commission is paigner David Bill received an part of General Motors, is now Hartcliffe, Bristol BS13 0HW. It is supported by the Swedish It means that European gauge Registered Office: 24 Chedworth Place, Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. proposing changes that would MBE for services to local govern- owned by Caterpillar. Please cut the stamps from their government. allow mega-truck traffic between freight trains will be able to run ment in the New Year honours envelopes leaving a quarter of an through to Barking. Eurotun- Rail- Most train oper- Bruce Williamson, 29 Granby Hill, consenting countries. list. Mr Bill, 67, is a member of Railfuture bequest inch margin of paper around the Boxing Day Media enquiries nel is also seeking permission to future member Martin Conway ators failed to provide any kind Clifton, Bristol BS8 4LT. Tel: 0117 9272954 Mobile: 07759 557389 The current UK limits for lorries Railfuture’s network develop- stamp and the post mark. run its class 92 locomotives on Cook of London, who died in of service on Boxing Day 2011.