AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR RAIL USERS No 145 £1.50 October 2015 Picture: SCOTRAIL

We salute you, Madge Borders Rail heroine

BORDERS RAIL FOUR-PAGE SPECIAL: Centre pages Page one picture How rail can help cities LOCAL ACTION Book review: Rail and the City parks are heavily subsidised and Madge Elliott is one of the campaigning heroines who fought years ago, Madge led a petition to keep the line open and, on 18 Roxanne Warren has written though free to motorists, costs Yorkshire long and hard for the reopening of the Borders Railway, which December 1968 – along with son Kim – hand delivered it to Prime a beautifully produced book. are passed on to factory and welcomed its first passengers on Sunday 26 July 2015, more Minister Harold Wilson. Sadly, despite her efforts, the line closed Written from the standpoint supermarket customers. With By Chris Hyomes [email protected] than a month before it was officially opened by the Queen on on 6 January 1969. Not one to be put off, in 1999 Madge helped of the architect, it is aimed at 87% of US trips currently by car, Wednesday 9 September. found the Campaign for Borders Rail, a grassroots group which a United States car-orientated emphasis must be placed on audience but contains plenty pushed for the restoration of rail services to the Scottish Borders. walking and cycling as well as Mrs Elliot MBE, accompanied by her husband Bob, sons Kim and of examples of good practice developing land near stations. Sean, as well as other friends and family, joined a driver training Kim said: “Experiencing the route first-hand is something we’ve elsewhere – such as in Zurich. The book is an inspiring source service at Tweedbank station, making her one of the first people all been looking forward to since the Borders Railway deal The waste of city space devoted for rail development activists in the country to travel on the new route. was concluded in 2012, and it’s great to see my mother being to car parking is emphasised. and a pertinent message to Born in Hawick in 1928, Madge is renowned for her fight to save honoured for the role she played in the reopening.” Only 2% of the US population politicians. Roxanne Warren Rail the Waverley route from Edinburgh-Hawick-Carlisle. Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown said: “It was a real privilege live near railway stations and and the City: Shrinking our carbon Our four-page supplement, produced by Railfuture Scotland, for me to meet Madge when we named a locomotive in her park and ride has perverse footprint while reimagining urban RAIL Picture: NORTHERN celebrates the opening of the 30-mile-long Borders Railway honour. Madge Elliot is a legend of the Borders and consequences. The capacities of space. Cambridge Mass, MIT rail systems are limited by the Press (2014). ISBN 978-0-262- and can be found in the centre of this Railwatch. More than 40 the railways.” size of the station car parks! Car 02780-9 n n THE CAMPAIGN FOR RAIL FREIGHT by Peter Wakefield [email protected] Work starts on a new rail station for Bradford Construction work on a new £10.8 million rail station at Low Moor, Bradford, was officially launched in August. It is the third new station to be built in West Yorkshire, Searching for rail freight construction growth following Apperley Bridge and Kirkstall Forge which Wagonload and trainload are expected to open later this year. Low Moor is on the The rail freight construction located in a variety of sites also being sought where bulk actively seeking places where Recent work to establish new railway passenger services Calder Valley Line between Bradford Interchange and sector is experiencing from urban areas such as Bow handling as well as storage, such activity can take place. uncovered a pent-up demand for rail freight from Halifax and is close to the M62/M606 road junction. It strong growth as a result in London to rural areas next processing and distribution By incorporating a physical multinational companies. These companies appear to be is expected to attract park and ride passengers which of increased demand for to strategic trunk roads such can take place. These sites link to the railway network, taking their obligations to operate sustainably and reduce will reduce road congestion when it opens next year. building materials. This as Kennett in Suffolk. must be able to accommodate a site becomes an access carbon dioxide emissions seriously and want to use the Pedestrians and cyclists will have direct access to the demand is being met with a Fewer, longer trains give rail high capacity wagons, with point to rail. We welcome local railway. Of course they need a good old-fashioned canvass station from the adjacent Spen Valley Greenway which daily average of 60 bulk trains minimum train lengths of knowledge from branches, uses a disused railway line between Cleckheaton, freight an efficiency edge to tell them how, when and at what cost. That does not linking quarries, works and 450 metres that carry 2,000 groups, individual members Dewsbury, Heckmondwike and Bradford. “It has been that can be unbeatable so seem to happen nowadays for the more difficult to carry factories to regional terminals tonnes of payload, have and other interested parties finished goods – which can be less than a train load. a long journey to get to this point, with a number of and depots. Typically these the focus has been, as far as sufficient land available for who could suggest suitable difficulties that have had to be overcome, but persistence Reading through DB Schenker’s excellent in-house terminals are served on a possible, on providing much product storage, road access locations for further detailed and hard work have paid off and I look forward to the magazine, it is encouraging to learn how valued wagon- just-in-time basis with cement, longer and heavier trains. for onward delivery by lorry, examination by the society’s opening of the station,” said Councillor Val Slater of load services are, both for the customer and DBS itself. stone, sand, building blocks However, such is the demand and be suitably zoned in freight group. Please email: Bradford Council. There will be 130 car parking spaces These services work well for the environment and the and steel products and are that new larger locations are the district plan. Industry is [email protected] as well as cycle parking. The new station is expected to economy. That is, until you read the catch! All this positive be open in spring 2016. The Friends of Low Moor Station development takes place in Germany and its neighbours are now hoping that Grand Central will serve the station, but not in the UK. Why no innovation here? It is sad to as well as Northern Rail. Initially there will be no direct Out with the old, in with the new learn that DB Schenker (formerly EWS), is to make 118 service to Manchester. The Leeds-Bradford-Halifax- drivers redundant around the country. More than 230 staff Huddersfield service will serve Low Moor with only one Rail freight has to adapt to less dense than coal so for every altogether will go, including managers, clerks and fitters, train per hour in each direction. changing times, as we all do. one coal train, there needs to be depots may be closed, including Tyne Yard. n Coal mining in Britain is virtu- one and a half for biomass. More The picture shows, from left: Natalie Loughborough of Coal is going slowly so change is necessary but rail Northern Rail, Councillor Val Slater, Cllr David Warburton, ally extinguished – as gradually local sources of biomass are services are needed for all of industry here as much as in being identified and rail freight Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Cllr Keith Wakefield, Network Rail’s will be the burning of our tradi- Germany. It is good news that DB Schenker is developing could play a big part in that too. Dan Guiher, MP Judith Cummins, Steve Butcher and tional energy source. land at Barking Ripple Lane into a state-of-the-art freight A company called Pelco is seek- Graham Walker of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Imported coal is still important hub but let us have some real innovation and investment to and Network Rail’s Steve Watson. but much of it will also go. Mean- ing planning permission for five factories to convert straw into develop new domestic traffic and create more skilled jobs. while the demand for electricity n n Wensleydale celebrates with Revolving Words pellets to burn in power stations. Innovation is occurring in other parts of the country. There is increasing and as a part of Revolving Words, the festival of railway literature, is being Currently wending their way is work to load timber along the Far North Line, and to the future mix, there will still be staged at Bedale from 23-25 October, as part of the 25th through the planning system in get bulk whisky back on rail. Progress is patchy though. huge power stations. Some, such anniversary celebrations of the Wensleydale Railway. East Cambridgeshire and Nor- Companies are interested in using the new terminal at as Drax, will be fed by biomass More information: www.revolvingwords.com/ wich are two applications, one Georgemas Junction but so far cannot. The rail freight pellets, currently imported from companies find it difficult to risk capital to get a new for a factory to convert wheat n n Georgia, USA, and taken by train POWER: A class 70 diesel locomotive at Ipswich service up and running to cater for this latent demand. If it Officials move to Leeds to join Rail North from northern ports such as Tyne and certain other straws into pel- lets at Potter Group’s intermodal is not on rail, it is clogging the road network further. Department for Transport officials are to be based in Dock and Liverpool. We endorse the proposed total heavy lorry movements per Wellington House, Leeds, to keep in touch with day-to-day terminal at Queen Adelaide, Ely, movement of the finished annum which will be offset. To ensure the transfer of biomass Cambridgeshire. rail operations when management of franchises is shared from ship to train to power sta- pellet products by rail. The straw required to feed ­re-introduce the use of rail to plants in the arable-growing dis- with the Rail North group of 29 local transport authorities. This secures the future use tion, ports are investing large The other is for a district heating the pellet production plant the site. Existing rail sidings and tricts. Currently they are expected Cities in the north of England are also involved in of the rail sidings and network sums in equipment that also power station at Generation Park, already moves by road and access to the wider rail network to be in the following areas: Har- Transport for the North, which is trying to improve on the 1and contributes to wider sustain- keeps the biomass pellets dry. Norwich. This power station and a facility such as this will makes that an attractive trans- low, Swindon, Rugby and Selby. original plans put forward by High Speed Two. connected developments are on able transportation objectives. port solution and assists in secur- Like the Ely plant, they will serve Apart from Tyne Dock, several ensure that straw movements the site of a former coal-fired sta- The use of rail enables the 3 ing ongoing investment to that farms within a radius of about 50 n n Yorkshire Post in battle to kickstart electrification are minimised to a sustainable million tonnes a year will be tion on land behind Crown Point miles. Not long ago, straw was final product to reach a radius and that the product can rail network. The Yorkshire Post’s Back on transferred to rail in new facili- railway depot in Norwich. Three burnt in the fields causing huge wide renewables market at be transported by rail. Track campaign is calling on ties at Hull, Immingham and trains a week will connect the Ely If planning permission is smoke and particle pollution. relatively little additional not granted for this and the Government to reinstate Liverpool. At Liverpool, a facil- and Norwich plants using sets of The proposed site and It is good to see the by-product cost, minimising the transpor- other rail-fed proposed the TransPennine and Midland ity is to be constructed to enable former coal wagons converted to 2tation of product by road. Each adjacent site has a long being given a monetary value facilities there would be a main line electrification three million tonnes a year of the new product. train will carry 1,180 tonnes of history of haulage by road and providing farmers with a biomass to be taken by rail across and rail. There is currently significant loss of investment in projects and to give a clear Railfuture East Anglia, with pellets. This is equivalent to over 5 new revenue stream, as well as timetable for their delivery infrastructure and a likelihood the Pennines to Drax. the help of the freight group, 40 heavy lorry movements in and limited aggregate-handling rail giving the freight operating com- 4 the product will travel by road following the Government’s The old fleet of coal wagons will has supported the Ely planning 40 heavy lorry movements out use and the development site panies one too. Keep an eye open to a plant near the power station. announcement in June of a probably be converted into new application. The reasons why are per train. On the basis of the pro- itself was formerly a rail-fed for the planning applications and “pause” in the programmes. biomass wagons. It is worth worth reiterating as they demon- posed three trains per week this container-handling facility. The As indicated, there are further if you can, support them along remembering that biomass is strate the strengths of rail freight: is equivalent to around 12,500 proposed pellet plant would plans to build four more such the lines given above. 2 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Railfuture Bristol conference 7 November 2015: www.railfuture.org.uk/conferences railwatch October 2015 3 LOCAL ACTION Rail may have to rely on antique cast-offs By Ian Brown LOCAL ACTION Scotland [email protected] By Jane Ann Liston [email protected] Before the general election on North West n n Challenge to Abellio over Club 50 substitute for Club 55 7 May, announcements flowed By Arthur Thomson [email protected] on investment in our railways. The big news for Scotland and the rest of Britain is the n n North of England set to lose even more electric trains Borders reopening. However, other campaigning has been Rail had joined health, education and the economy as a big issue. carrying on, from staffing a Railfuture stand at model rail Railfuture North West has learned that Porterbrook, the owner exhibitions in Perth and St Andrews, to challenging the new Railfuture had issued its mani- of 17 class 323 electric trains operating on Northern Rail ScotRail franchise holder Abellio on its proposals to replace festo for a bigger, better railway. services south and east of Manchester, has declined to offer the popular Club 55 flat-rate £19 return fare between any two Optimism was high, but even them to the bidders for the new franchise, and may offer them Scottish stations on off-peak trains in off-peak months, with then there were doubts. to London Midland and Centro in the West Midlands, citing the less generous Club 50 offer of 10% (20% if booked online) Why for instance did Network reductions in operating costs by having all units in one depot. deduction all year round. Rail keep saying yes to so many This means replacement trains will be needed for the new n n Go-ahead for Mossend rail freight terminal electrification schemes without IAN BROWN Northern franchise in April next year. Although Northern now Some good news on the freight front is the go-ahead for the effective resources in place to has some refurbished four-car former Thameslink class 319 international rail freight terminal in Mossend, which may help deliver? units on Liverpool-Manchester Airport, Wigan and Manchester complexity. Network Rail may Victoria services, there would not be enough to cover all compensate for the loss of business from the soon-to-close Even North West electrification, have serious leadership issues, Longannet power station. 323-operated services. South East operators are also bidding which started with such opti- particularly in the area of project for the remaining class 319 fleet. New trains were suggested n n Census statistics could aid Glasgow Crossrail battle mism, has foundered, with con- delivery, but rail service delivery by the Government in its invitation to tender, although these For the Glasgow Crossrail campaign, RailQwest is examining tractors pulling out and the Farn- on the ground is more impressive VIVARAIL’S TRAIN OF TOMORROW? Electrically powered would not be available at the start of the new Northern 2011 census data for information on east-west travel patterns, worth Tunnel scheme delayed as the network copes with more former London Tube trains being rebuilt as diesel multiple units franchise. Bidders might rely on class 315s from London especially from Ayrshire, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and because of the “discovery” of trains on a constricted network. could solve some of the problems caused by the shortage of which will be replaced by new trains in 2019. But there are south-west Glasgow suburbs to central and east Scotland, voids, usually caused by water diesel trains. See page 11 for more details reports that the 315s have already been earmarked for the particularly Airdrie, Bathgate, Livingston and the Edinburgh Punctuality may be slipping seepage. Yet every civil engineer because the pips are squeaking Valley Lines electrification in South Wales. Some class 317s area, to identify the location and volume of commuting knows that old tunnels have may also become available in 2016 when they are replaced journeys not currently made by rail. The gap between as congestion increases and, in this hand-me-down approach on the negative press and political voids and subsidence issues. approach to railways. by class 377s, but any four-car units will require shortening, Glasgow Central and Queen Street stations is a disincentive some cases, as a result of much- the railway to Ryanair. The man- as Flowery Field and Godley stations on the Manchester- to rail use for such journeys. On the operational side, solving needed capacity upgrades such agement of Ryanair (love its style We have also just witnessed the Glossop/Hadfield line have only three-car platforms. some of the rolling stock prob- or not) makes money by provid- n n Dunbar switches from Virgin East Coast to ScotRail as London Bridge. reopening of the Borders Line Travelwatch North West has already raised the issue with lems depended on cascading ing ever more capacity for pas- Rail Action Group East of Scotland welcomes the end of Another problem with the pre as far as Galashiels and Tweed- local stakeholders and there is a petition against this change electric trains to replace ancient general election promises was sengers at competitive fares. bank, which we hope will be the at http://chn.ge/1LzMdY8. the historical anomaly of Dunbar being outwith ScotRail diesel multiple units and Pacers. jurisdiction. It has been transferred from Virgin East Coast’s the focus on inter-city and routes Ryanair succeeds by leasing the first stage of reopening the entire n n Heritage line could provide direct link to Manchester domain to Abellio. With project timescales slipping serving London. most modern and most efficient Waverley route to Carlisle. and others, such as Midland n n More welcome was the invitation planes and the most cost-efficient The Borders Railway is a tri- Postcard protest over station reopening delays main line and Trans-Pennine The Rossendale Free Press is campaigning for a commuter to tender for the Northern fran- crewing practices. umph, even if the specification Postcards protesting about the delay in opening of East electrification being abandoned service to be introduced to Rawtenstall, using the existing chise which stipulates replac- As recently as 11 September, for the project was rather lim- Linton and Reston stations from 2016 to 2018 (caused by for now, the rolling stock plan is heritage East Lancashire Railway. However, it has criticised a ing the wretched Pacers with a Ryanair bought 100 new Boe- ited. It is also a triumph for those recent 45-page report, the East Lancashire Rail Connectivity the shortage of rolling stock) have been delivered to the also in jeopardy. Scottish Government. The delay could have implications for combination of new build and ing 737-800 aircraft. Did anyone campaigning for so long. Sus- Study by the county council, for failing to consider reopening the protection of the train paths, because of open access We can be sure that if and when a cascade of electric trains from expect Ryanair to buy refur- tained targeted rail campaigning rail lines even though the study accepts the area’s economic proposals for London-Edinburgh trains. Railfuture wants to some of these schemes restart, Thameslink. bished Viscounts? has worked, and despite current development will be stifled by a lack of investment in the delay will be measured in industry and political difficul- train services. The Free Press says Rossendale Borough see the Scottish Government’s station investment fund used However, this is becoming more To take advantage of this grow- for the stations. decades not months. ties will work elsewhere when Council and MP Jake Berry, who have been campaigning difficult by the day, given the ing market, respond to demand, for the revived rail link, have been left out on a limb by the n n An extra convenience for North Berwick passengers The Government has blamed and to plug the gap caused by potential demand and the eco- cancellation of TransPennine nomic business case is strong. county council. The appetite for more train services has In ‘loo’ of no toilets at the station, North Berwick community Network Rail, and its chairman electrification and delays with post-election failures, the railway been whetted by the £8.8 million reopening of Todmorden rail partnership has negotiated access for rail passengers to has obediently stepped down. the North West electrification needs an order for 100 new diesel Railfuture is increasingly focus- Curve in May making it possible to travel direct from Burnley conveniences at Westgate Galleries. The Government has called for project, compounded by a fur- multiple units. ing on those campaigns which to Manchester by train for the first time in 40 years. The are economically sustainable. n n Coffee call to aid campaign for station at Beattock a stop to “incompetence” and ther tranche of transfers of the These are serious problems but reopening though was held up by a shortage of diesel trains. Campaigns such as Lewes-Uck- waste and ordered reviews, TransPeninne class 170 diesel there are some bright spots. Light Beattock Station Action Group is holding a fundraising coffee field, March-Wisbech, Skipton- n n which will inevitably cause more fleet away from the north. rail, sponsored by devolved Skelmersdale rail service is firmly on track morning in Moffat Town Hall on Saturday 21 November. The Colne and Oxford-Cambridge delay. authorities, is thriving. Two new regional transport planning authority SWesTrans is assisting The Northern Hub is also look- may well also succeed in the Plans for bringing the railway back to Skelmersdale are the group to identify the funding for the required STAG report extensions – to Toton Lane and There is also talk of Network Rail ing flaky. The Manchester Victo- same way as the Borders reopen- firmly on track and not just pie in the sky, insists County (Scottish Transport Action Guidance). being reorganised and even pri- ria rebuild is fabulous, but with Clifton – give Nottingham a city- Councillor Julie Gibson. Cllr Gibson told the Southport Visitor n n ing as they meet sustainability Road trip route for campaign for rail reopening vatised. None of this will help to only four through platforms is wide rail system. and ridership criteria, provided that a rail station would have a positive impact on the town’s Fife Council has agreed to fund a second STAG report create a bigger, better railway. hardly adequate for existing ser- In Manchester, work has started we can avoid politics and stay economic regeneration and encourage businesses to view the after Transport Scotland decreed the results of the 2008 After another election, a very vices, never mind the massive on the Second City crossing and focused. Interestingly, three of town as an ideal location to move to. “We want a commuter version out of date. With the help of a roaming road-show, different Labour leadership growth of the northern quarter of attention is turning to further the four listed above also sig- rail system that will enhance opportunities for people to LevenMouth Rail Campaign is collecting signatures on a emerged on 12 September which Manchester and the resurgence extensions. nificantly increase the general work and live in Skelmersdale,” she said. The aim is to link of Salford. Skelmersdale by rail to Manchester, Liverpool and Preston. petition demanding reopening of the line from Thornton on could mean the resurgence of an In Edinburgh, passengers love resilience and capacity of the rail the main East Coast Line to Leven. effective opposition. Cllr Gibson said that Lancashire County Council will soon be The rail supply industry has of the new trams, which took so network as will the Borders line going out to consultation on the development of the station. n n Starlink in focus as Borders Railway inspires the media Again railways are high on the course picked up on this, par- long to deliver. On a recent inte- when it is extended to Carlisle. “This will not only be the biggest development to happen St Andrews Rail Link has enjoyed media attention thanks to agenda, with calls for nationalis- ticularly the need to accommo- grated journey from Glasgow Nearly everybody loves rail- to Skelmersdale in my life time, but the biggest in West the Borders reopening, including a two-page spread in the ing the railways, bringing back date growth without depending to Edinburgh Airport, I was ways. Railways now have the Lancashire,” she said. Skelmersdale, six miles from Wigan, Daily Mail and an item on BBC Radio Scotland. The campaign British Rail and scrapping HS2. on an ill-thought-out cascade of unable to board the first tram at added burden of sustaining our was designated a new town in 1961. It now has a population now has a Twitter account and a Facebook page where it is We should be very wor- electric trains and fewer electric Edinburgh Park because of over- cities and our economy and also of around 38,000. collecting ‘likes’ and is grateful for the assistance and advice ried, because these political wires than anticipated. crowding. Expect extensions to have become a political football. of veteran successful Alloa campaigner Cameron Little. n n Another electrification delay likely for Blackpool approaches will not deliver the To fill the gaps, we now have the system here too. Our job as rail campaigners is to n n New stations in Dundee’s strategy for the future bigger, better railway that we London Underground D78 Tube Also in Scotland we have just break through this, show and tell Electrification of the Preston-Blackpool line is likely to be New stations at Newburgh and Wormit, subject to STAG, have need now, particularly in the area trains built in 1980 being con- seen Network Rail successfully what can and is being achieved, delayed, following the withdrawal by “mutual consent” of been included in the latest strategic Dundee-centred Tayplan. of capacity. More plans could be verted by Vivarail into prototype complete the Winchburgh Tunnel engage with politicians who go Network Rail’s main contractor Balfour Beatty from the put on hold just at the time of diesel multiple units. Contacts: Rail Action Group, East of Scotland (RAGES) http://www.rages.org.uk/, six-week blockade for electrifica- with the tide, and continue to project in August. The line was scheduled for completion Beattock Station Action Group (BSAG) http://www.beattockstationactiongroup.org.uk/, greatest opportunity. Rolling stock company Porter- tion of the Glasgow-Edinburgh campaign for a bigger, better in May next year but had already been put back to 2017. St Andrews Rail Link (Starlink) campaign http://www.starlink-campaign.org.uk/, https:// An effective opposition might brook is also revamping some line. Proper arrangements were railway. Electrification between Manchester, Liverpool and Wigan www.facebook.com/StARLinkCampaign https://twitter.com/starlinkrail #StARLinkRail, however moderate some of Pacers to make them suitable put in for diverted passengers n Ian Brown CBE FCILT is Rail- was completed earlier this year. Meanwhile the ORR recently LevenMouth Rail Campaign: http://www.lmrc-action.org.uk/, Capital Rail Action Group approved an application by open access operator Alliance (CRAG): https:// www.capitalrail.org.uk/, Newburgh Train Station campaign: http:// the more extreme privatisation for the disabled, but with fewer and the project was finished and future’s director of policy. He is newburghtrainstation.org.uk/ options such as selling off the seats. The market for such initia- reopened on time and to budget. a former managing director of Rail Holdings for six return services from Blackpool to stations, which risks taking – tives now looks enormous given I wonder what the people who London Rail and was awarded London from 2018. fragmentation to new levels of the failures elsewhere. Compare accomplished this think about the CBE for services to railways. 4 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railwatch www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Railfuture AGM will be held in Milton Keynes on 21 May 2016 railwatch October 2015 5 6 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk installed recentlyatChirk,Pontypridd and Ystrad Mynach. Port Talbot, Llandaff,RadyrandMachynlleth andhavebeen stations. Bridgeswithramps orliftsarebeinginstalledat Harrington Humps,havebeen installedatmanylow-platform announcements. Raisedplatform sections,knownas at thelargerstations,aresupported byloudspeaker all stationsnowhaveinformation screensand,except Station improvementsaretakingplaceacrossWales and n Screens,loudspeakersandhumpstohelppassengers community transportservicesinWales. enterprise andbusinesscommittee’s inquiry intobusand Railfuture Wales hasrespondedtotheWelsh Assembly’s n Railfutureaids Assembly inquiry intobuslinks Barmouth. good connectionswithtrainservicesatRuabonand bus timetablefromWrexham toBarmouthdoesnotoffer funded Traws Cymru‘connectingpeopleandcommunities’ transport systemforall.However, therevisedgovernment- The aimistoprovideamoreintegratedandsustainable listing schemestheWelsh Governmentexpectstodeliver. The nationaltransportfinanceplanwaspublishedin August, n FlawsindeliveryofWelsh integratedtransportplan extra Holyhead-Chesterservicesduringthesummerholidays. units, ATW deployeditslocomotive-hauledtraintoprovide timetable. To mitigatetheproblemofscarcedieselmultiple and CambrianlineswillbeevaluatedbeforetheMay2016 rolling stockisavailable.ImprovementsontheHeartofWales no significantchangesarepossiblebecauseadditional consultation onDecember2015timetablechanges.However, Railfuture branchesrespondedtothe Arriva Trains Wales n Dieseltrainshortagepreventstimetableimprovements speed upjourneysfromHolyheadtoCardiff. commissioned bytheWelsh Government,isdesignedto Junction andWrexham Northbutthe£44millionproject, signal box. A single-linesectionremainsbetweenRossett into usefromNovember, controlledfromChesterpower (Rossett JunctiontoSaltneyJunction)willbebrought The newdouble-linesectionbetweenWrexham andChester n Doubletrackwillspeedupnorth-southjourneys 5 Septemberandfootballinternationalon6September. was readyforthefirstrugbyinternationalin2015on brought intousefortherugbyinternationalsin2014butit It was,atfirst,anticipatedthatthenewentrancewouldbe staff andon6/7for Arriva Trains Wales staffwillberemoved. temporary buildingsonplatforms3/4forFirstGreatWestern and willbebroughtintouseintheautumn.Theexisting for traincrewhavebeenbuiltadjacenttothenewplatform machines andanofficeforunpaidfares.Newstaffrooms entry gatesincludingonewidegate,abookingoffice,ticket into useuntillatenextyear. Thenewentrancehallhasfive but thereisnotrackanditnotexpectedtobebrought platform 8iscompletewithsheltersandinformationscreens to platforms6and7.Thenew and alsototheeaststairway gives accesstotheplatformlifts to thesmallersubwaywhich main subway. A corridorconnects into use,linkingdirectlytothe new southentrancewasbrought growth to23millionby2023. A to helpitcopewithexpected unveiled improvementsin August used by13millionpeopleayear, Cardiff Centralstation,currently n CardiffCentralstation [email protected] By RowlandPittard Cymru Wales www.railfuturewales.org.uk LOCAL ACTION

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FrenchPlease includean trip. for more information aboutthe ested in theParliamentvisitor yahoo.co.uk ifyouare alsointer trevorgarrod2000@ 1RQ, NR32 Clapham Road South, Lowestoft Please contactTrevor Garrod, 15 ately afterChristmas. ing forms being sentoutimmedi December will beanadvertisementinthe and thenonwardsTGV. by There elling from London by Eurostar west orNiceinthesouth,trav- It willbeeithertoNantesinthe April orearlyMay. will alsobetoFrance,inlate long visitofRDSGroup Travel break inRheims, the nextweek- Following a short September Nice orNantes the trip. already expressed aninterest in Four Railfuture members have tee. A translatorwillbeavailable. transport and tourism commit chance tolistenadebateinthe a meetingwithanMEP andthe day 9-10 November, including Brussels on Monday and Tues- eration isorganising atripto The European PassengersFed- Visit toParliament EPF websitewww.epf.eu also feature You canbookonthe of EPFmemberassociations will as wellreports onthework a session on cross-border travel, ing andinformation.aspartof One of the topics will be ticket- minutes from thecentralstation. the Stadtmission,Berlin,only10 will beheldon8-9 April 2016in Railwatch, withbook------To theBalticandback ◆◆◆◆ You canjoin the Railfuture lottery at www.railfuture.org.uk/lottery 205,000. The decline was largely 1989 butthen climbedbackto fell from 250,000 to150,000after population city’s the told were gave interesting presentations. We Falke Nico department’s Doliwa andtheoperating Andrea executive chief RSAG’s authority) forthecityarea. the Verkehrsverbund (transport tocker Straßenbahn AG (RSAG), Ros- the of offices Wethe visited a 2007-builttunnel. via urbs southofHauptbahnhof, extended toserve newsub- been at itscore. Thetramsystemhas many,a networkoftrams with integrated asoneexpectsinGer public transportsystem,well The city also has an excellent German reunification in1989. new developments since erable ings, andthere havebeenconsid build- fine retains city the 1944, in 1942and Despite bombing (East Germany). German DemocraticRepublic was the major port oftheformer Rostock is a Hanseatic city and ­Wismar becauseofthedispute. ondary routes viaSchwerinand Rostock viaHamburg,using sec- tour ofBremen, wecontinuedto After aninteresting walking alternative routes andschedules. out printed staff Bahn Deutsche impressed though bytheway Aachen-Duisburg. We were ondary lines,viaVerviers and an alternativeroute usingsec- shape ofatornadotookuson drivers’ unions and freak weatherinthe German the of one by train atLiège,industrialaction Unfortunately, abroken-down Bremen foranovernightstop. express service, and thence to Köln byaconnectinginter-city where weplannedtocontinue London St PancrastoBrussels, We tookthe10.58Eurostar from the Ostsee. known bytheGermansas better tock onthecoastofBaltic, Railfuture membersvisitedRos- train appearsonthistramasit passes carsandacyclist ROSTOCK: Theimageofasteam [email protected] By PhilipBisatt - - his sterling organisation. RSAG andto Trevor Garrod for sister organisation, Pro Bahn,to Christian Teske from ourGerman Thanks to Marcel Drews and reopening schemesinBritain. tage railwaysandforpotential model forconsideration byheri- suggested that this could be a single-unit dieselrailcar. Itwas using amodernandimpressive which runs anhourlyservice currently thePressnitztalbahn, ain becalledamicrofranchise, ated underwhatmightinBrit- On Rügen,abranchlineisoper island ofRügen. train steam from Bad Doberan) and the ‘Molli’ the (using mar, theresort ofKühlungsborn also travelledtoSchwerin,Wis- and Warnemunde, of coastal offshoot Rostock’s explored We pooled betweenoperators. with 18rings,andrevenue is There is azonalfare structure mediator. the Verkehrsverbund acting as a on fares, servicelevels,andwith operators makemutualdecisions Within RSAG, the transport continue subsidies. (regional) authoritiesrefused to was withdrawnwhentheLand eastern partoftheRostockarea backs. An S-Bahnserviceinthe UK, there havebeensomecut- rosy compared withmuchofthe While thegeneralpicture seems 32% onfoot. port, 14%bikeandnolessthan to be35% car, 17% public trans- journeys in Rostockwas shown survey (2013), themodal share of buses. Inthemost recent travel mally takebikesontramsand Impressively, peoplecannor growing again. recent yearspatronage hasbeen the useofpublictransport,butin There wasacorresponding fallin tively highataround 11%. where. Unemploymentisrela- else- work find to away moved areas,people havealso although the citytosuburbsandrural caused bypeoplemovingfrom - - Picture: PHILIP BISATT set outtheircase intheMay2015issueof essential forsustainablegrowth ofhousinginthearea.They and outlyingsettlementsaround Oxfordwhichwouldbe Harman proposeanetworkof raillinesservingthesuburbs academic NicholasFalkandtransport consultantReg the Witney branch line,arebeingproposed.Urbandesign Abingdon, BotleyandEynsham, butnotusingthetrackof rail onlinesservingKidlington, Headington,EastOxford, A MetroservicefromBicestertoDidcot or Cowley, andlight n Trams couldtransformOxfordareawithMetronetwork vibration wereoverruled. the impositionofa40mphspeedlimittoreducenoiseand Objections fromsomeNorthOxfordresidentswhowanted permission. Work can nowstartassoonpossible. two newbaysatOxfordstation,hasbeengrantedplanning line fromOxfordParkwaytoNorthJunction,with The finalsectionofthereconstructionBicester-Oxford n PlannersclearwayforMarylebonetoOxfordservice as happenedwiththeBicester-Oxfordorder. bogged downwithendlessobjectionsandlegalprocedures, Transport andWorks Act order. We hopethiswillnotget Risborough havebeenincludedintheapplicationforasingle and upgradingthelinefromClaydonJunctiontoPrinces The reconstructionofthelinefromBicestertoBedford n EastWest Railreopening dependentonlegalprocess just leavesthegapbetweenBourneEndandHighWycombe. to closethegapbetweenMiltonKeynesand Aylesbury. That Chiltern Railways.Onthenorth-southroute,plansareinhand Iver. Theothermainrailarteriesinthecountyareservedby parking atTaplow andIverstations.Itwantsanewcarparkat its coreissuesinthesouthofcounty, withinadequate at presenthasnocomprehensivetransportpolicy, butsees planning officeratBuckinghamshireCountyCouncilwhich Railfuture ThamesValley hadausefulmeetingwiththesenior n HighhopesforBuckinghamshirenewraillinks swallowed uphalfoftheformergoodsyardatWantage Road. at Groveairfield.Earthworksforthenew A338roadbridge further westofWantage Road,nearer totheplannedhousing lapsed in2011, butthecouncilisnowlookingforasite outline planningpermissionforGrove-Wantage station electrification worknow“paused”bytheGovernment.The between OxfordandKenningtonJunctionaccompanying but itwouldbedependentonquadruplingandresignalling would beviable,evenwithoutfurtherhousingdevelopment, Council. We were assuredaserviceontheCowleybranch with thepolicyandstrategymanagerofOxfordshireCounty Railfuture ThamesValley membershadafurthermeeting n CountycouncilcontinuespushforCowleyreopening narrow andtwisty A4095 fromWitney. but localpeopleareworrieditwillincreasecartrafficonthe would morethandoubletheexistingparkingatstation, scheduled forredoubling.This down sideoftheline,whichis at Hanboroughstation,onthe additional 400-spacecarpark has offeredtogivelandforan new housingatHanborough bus lane. A developerplanning eastbound Eynsham-Wolvercote on theconstructionofan funding forthe A40 corridor decided tospendtheavailable Oxfordshire CountyCouncilhas n Witney-Oxford twists [email protected] By MartinSmith Thames Valley Transit. railwatch October 2015 7 Tramways &Urban LOCAL ACTION Your letters an inflexible policy. The lack Bathgate and Linlithgow, and we Lincoln and Spalding. We have staffed to enable this. of cycle provision suppresses would have a key interchange the benefit of passenger rail Conductors should have time to demand and discourages many that would tie together the whole services into the very heart of check tickets and collect fares cycle tourists, who would be of southern Scotland. historic Lincoln. In Victorian as needed, and sometimes two of benefit to the area. It shows Simon Norton, Hertford St, times freight was sent around conductors are needed on busy Scotland and the UK in a bad Cambridge CB4 3AG the city centre on the old High routes. Of course, the sooner we light, especially when there is a [email protected] Line, now dismantled and sold have Oyster type cards across dismal lack of good cycle routes off. Freight through the centre the network, the sooner people off the main roads (for example, Main attraction was not acceptable then. It is will be able to pay easily. A82, A87). less acceptable now in a modern Nina Smith, I was interested to read high-quality urban centre. Providing rolling stock suitable in Railwatch 144 about Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire Peter R Banks, Banks Long & Co, [email protected] for bikes has not been the Government-funded Lincoln, LN5 7EQ addressed since the removal enhancement of the Joint Line [email protected] of old style guards vans in the from Doncaster to Peterborough Tax the polluters Railfuture Lincolnshire 1980s. Very few services in the via Lincoln. The article Electric rail travel causes less UK can be relied upon for travel concentrated on the benefits of chairman David Harby comments: If we are going of the more obvious forms of with bikes. the improved capacity to carry pollution than air travel, and freight and relieve congestion on to add two more tracks to Rail operators should modify the East Coast main line, we is also free of the climate- Pollution shocker outer isles. The independent and trains to include more flexible the East Coast main line. non-subsidised Pentland Ferries need to think what happened change impact of vapour trails space, and rail staff should Lincolnshire Chamber of to the West Coast main line. (Railwatch 144). If the true I am indebted to the writer of offer a mid-day sailing all year to be encouraged to be more the article about road and air Gills Bay with bus connections Commerce is a keen supporter Passengers were put on environmental cost of aviation flexible. The two Dutch people pollution in Railwatch 144. Ever to and from Inverness. There are of passenger and freight rail buses for many weekends were taken into account, mentioned could have stood in since 1997, I have known diesel also bus connections available services benefiting Lincolnshire and there were huge cost for example by significantly the vestibule or been asked to exhaust is a major cause of lung to and from Thurso station, but and improvements to the Joint overruns. The ECML would be increasing short-haul air remove their bike wheels. cancer and that 10,000 deaths these are not well publicised. Line have been welcomed in even more difficult with two passenger duty, continental The system on both trains terms of enhancing capacity tunnels involved and crossing travel by rail would become a year are likely to be caused by Travelling north on the 07.02 consisted of two bars upon and reducing journey times. We the Trent at Newark where it more cost-competitive with air. this and smoking. train from Inverness, there is a did, however, campaign long is in effect two rivers. It could Taxing aviation fuel would be But I did not know it also causes bus to Gills Bay in good time which to hang bikes, making and hard for central government also involve a lot of property sensible too but is hamstrung by bladder cancer, hardening of the for the 13.30 sailing. However, it impossible to lean three or to adopt, as formal policy, a demolition in Grantham, international agreements. APD is arteries, cognitive impairment using the bus from Inverness four bikes together. Removal of these bars would increase commitment to upgrading the Newark and Retford. however under UK control. in children and probably type for this sailing, one could leave East Coast main line at the John Davis, Harpenden, 2 diabetes, fractured DNA in Inverness 1½ hours later. flexibility and bikes could be A new 140mph two-track squeezed together if necessary. earliest opportunity to a full four- Hertfordshire AL5 5UD sperm, nor that it can cause Travelling south from the 12.50 track route. railway bypassing Grantham, [email protected] brain shrinkage, leading to arrival at Gills Bay there is a 1½ John Hanahoe, Ffordd Rhyd y Newark and Retford, as Virgin premature ageing, dementia and Ceirw, Graianrhyd, near Mold, Discussions with rail freight were suggesting back in the hour wait for the bus to Thurso Denbighshire CH7 4BS Stratford-upon-Avon strokes. What a foul catalogue. and another one hour wait for operators made it clear they early days of privatisation, [email protected] would much prefer to keep would be my ideal solution. It As a step towards reducing the evening train departure – I agree that Stratford-upon- freight on the main line, which is would take all the fast York- London Bridge is a winner pollution, I believe diesel buses arriving in Inverness at 20.10. Avon is a major destination for Lanark could be key shorter and faster, and diversion London and Leeds-London London Bridge station is being reshaped at the moment in a in towns should be phased out in Using the bus connection from tourists but gets a poor service of some services on to the Joint trains out of the way and leave favour of trolley buses or trams the same ferry arrival at Gills We were told in Railwatch 144 from the south (Railwatch 144). massive rebuilding project as part of the Thameslink scheme. Bay one arrives in Inverness at Line is only a short-term solution plenty of room for freight and Are the few through services to It will never again look quite like this aerial photograph by which are electrically powered that the Carstairs-Edinburgh if there is to be a continuing 16.43, some 3½ hours earlier! local connectivity. Marylebone now to be reduced? Stephen Bright who was the 2014 winner of the Lines in the and cause minimal pollution at train service had been so increase in the growth of north- the point of use. The Far North Line serves both successful that a new car park The capacity of the Marylebone Landscape contest. south rail freight services. Pay complaint to Banbury line does not appear Colin Rose, Little Houghton, Caithness and Orkney and both was needed at Carstairs. Entries for the 2015 contest closed in July and this year’s Barnsley S72 0HG There are sections where four to be overloaded and I do not communities deserve a better As the largest community in When complaining about rail winners will go on show in November. The Network Rail Lines rail service. Easier access to the lines still exist. There are other remember proponents of the the area is Lanark, would it not fares, Railfuture should speak in the Landscape special award is part of the overall Take a Far North rail plea railway for Orcadian travellers sections where lines have been new Oxford-Marylebone service be more logical to build a new taken up and could easily be out about the excessive pay saying that it would adversely View – Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. could increase rail usage and station at Cleghorn, just beyond rail staff have received since Referring to the correspondence benefit Caithness users too by re-laid. There are, however, affect existing services on the about the Far North Line in the junction with the Lanark obvious bottlenecks such as privatisation. line. making the rail service more J M Berry, Prescot Road, Aughton, Railwatch 144, I too would branch, so that people can Stoke tunnel and the crossing of Peter Fleming, Lovers Walk, viable. Lancashire L39 5AQ Ports-Rotterdam/Zeebrugge/ Purgatory”. I have switched my travel by rail all the way with a the Trent. Nevertheless, the cost Dunstable LU5 4BG like to see a more reliable and Robert Grainger London-Glasgow trips back to air single change? This would be of of tackling these bottlenecks [email protected] Esbjerg) and this trend is being improved service on this route. Shapinsay, Orkney – just to get a more comfortable even greater benefit to visitors, pales into insignificance Onboard tickets further abetted by tougher I use the line whenever possible, [email protected] seat. And who in their right including those to the World compared to the costs of shipping emissions regulations. despite its problems. In the People are sometimes penalised Channel lorries mind would recommend 3+2 Heritage Site at New Lanark. schemes such as High Speed Vincent Champion, Consulting past 12 months I have suffered Be more flexible for not having a ticket when they The situation with regard to Editor, World Cargo News. seating on long distance trains? Even more helpful to cross- Two, and there is no more direct delays, points failures, broken have not had time to queue at accompanied cross-Channel [email protected] That configuration is just about When I travelled on the Kyle border travellers, in either route from Scotland to London rails and bustitution. It is also a ticket office. More often than freight on the Dover Straits acceptable to Guildford, Windsor of Lochalsh line to Inverness direction, would be for Anglo- than the East Coast main line. becoming increasingly difficult not they are not trying to evade axis is even worse than you or Shepperton, but hopeless in June, I was appalled to see Scottish trains to serve the new Trains need bus link to access the railway and Passenger services in paying, but they have busy lives describe in Railwatch 144. Apart beyond. Surely longer trains are maintain ferry connections. tourists, who presumably would station, which could be used Lincolnshire are limited, that do not always go to plan. I was intrigued by a number of the answer. Dumping First Class have been paying customers, from the 1.44 million trucks The connecting bus service as an interchange not only for although demand is growing They should not be made to feel using Le Shuttle last year, items in Railwatch 144. I agree accommodation south of the between Scrabster and Thurso made to get off the train with Lanark but also, by extending fast. We do not want improved like criminals. Tickets should that the lack of onward transport Thames might be the answer. their bikes because all reserved almost 2.5 million trucks used railway station was withdrawn the existing route between services to be frustrated by be sold on trains at ticket office the ferries to/from Dover (an is often a deterrent to rail travel. spaces were taken. Motherwell and Cumbernauld, prices, and trains should be It amazes me how much some time ago. A taxi service additional freight services, all-time record), of which 1.82 The recent collapse of Western diesel operation there is under is available to passengers There seemed to be provision stations from Motherwell to although we accept the short- million were via Calais (also Greyhound in Cornwall is very Stirling. overhead wires. I use Thirsk as with through ticketing to/from for only four cycles in each train term logic of some diversion and a record) and the balance via detrimental to my family visits to a “Park & Ride” and at least 50% Stromness, but this has to be and there are only four trains a Add direct bus links to indeed have aspirations for a Dunkirk. These figures are set Wadebridge. of the trains through that station arranged by the passenger. day in each direction. Edinburgh Airport via Livingston, freight hub in the Spalding area Send your to grow and are, as you say, It is now much more practical to are diesel. Galashiels via Biggar, Peebles to benefit the local food industry. Unfortunately Serco Northlink, Somehow, it seemed more unsustainable as they are. They drive from London so as to be Terry Bray, Clarence operator of the subsidised shameful that they were Dutch and Innerleithen/Abbotsford, What we are concerned about ­letters to: reflect the commercial success Road,Teddington TW11 0BN The Editors, 4 Christchurch mobile once you get to Cornwall. Stromness/Scrabster ferry, has and ironic that the ScotRail Sanquhar via historic Leadhills most is that the current diversion Square, London E9 7HU of Le Shuttle and the Dover [email protected] Please do not promote withdrawn the mid-day sailing service is now run by a Dutch and Wanlockhead, Dumfries & is seen as a permanent solution, Email: [email protected] Straits ferry operators. On top Galloway via Thornhill, Ayr via Pendolinos to Plymouth and except during peak periods, company. You cannot book which it is not, and as a result Railwatch also welcomes of that, price competition on the making the use of this service a cycle place online but are Muirkirk or Strathaven, possibly communities along the Joint ­articles and pictures Dover Straits has decimated beyond (P6).The minimal improvement in journey time almost impossible if one has required to ring an operator. extended to meet the Irish Line suffer an unacceptable Please use email if possible unaccompanied trailer traffic in More letters: Page 18 connections to or from Orkney’s ScotRail is clearly operating ferries, and possibly Bo’ness via level of disruption, in particular the southern North Sea (Haven does not justify “Pendolino 8 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railwatch www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Opinions do not necessarily reflect Railfuture policies. Letters may be edited railwatch October 2015 9 Web shop window LOCAL ACTION By Chris Page and Philip Shelton on Oke- Wessex [email protected] hampton. It is now possible for members to post comments on By David Brace Railwatch is read by members news articles – contact me if you [email protected] and allies in both politics and would like to do this and I will the railway industry. Some give you the login that you will n n Keep Island Line in franchise members circulate copies of Rail- need. watch to potential members and railwatchrailCelebrating the watch We have three audiences: exist- A new cross-party group named friends, but Railfuture needs to Scottish Borders Railway October 2015 KILF (Keep Island Line in make contact with a wider audi- ing members, potential new Franchise) has been set up on the ence. members, and stakeholders. The menu in the top left corner aims Isle of Wight to oppose the plans The website is open to all, of Island MP Andrew Turner and to make it easy for everyone to his transport adviser to remove ­people casually surfing, profes- find what they want. Brunstane the Island Line from the Wessex sional researchers and journal- ists intent on finding facts, and Within local action, Railfuture franchise and hand it over to a local branch pages are created by Newcraighall consortium, possibly operating it anyone who has heard of Railfu- ture and wants to find out more.. branch media representatives to Gorebridge old station as a tourist attraction. Through our Edinburgh affiliated member, the Isle of Wight publicise events and campaigns. Increasingly, people, including Waverley Bus and Rail Users’ Group, we are potential new members, hear The East Anglia branch pages Shawfair involved in this campaign. KILF of Railfuture through Twitter are a particularly vibrant exam- held a public meeting in August attended by 250 councillors messages directing them to the ple. There are also pages for Gorebridge and members of the public in Shanklin theatre. There they Scotland and Wales. unanimously voted in favour of keeping the franchise as website. The website is our shop part of a wider regional franchise. From the franchise point window. We dress it to impress, There is a help section for rail Midlothian of view, two urgent problems need to be solved: Improving and update it regularly so that it users, explaining the best ways the revenue collection and introducing a regular 20- or 30- is fresh each time people visit. of planning a journey in Britain minute interval service. Improving revenue collection is within News, which is the most fre- or abroad, finding the cheap- the control of the franchisee, as is provision of a 30-minute quently changing section of the est tickets, making the journey Dalkeith interval service. easy and dealing with problems website, has been expanded to Eskbank Laying new track at Newtongrange A 20-minute include opinion. The menu in which may arise. It is updated interval service the top right hand corner shows with the latest offers from rail would require the 10 most recent articles, while companies. Even if you are new infrastructure to using the internet, finding improvements clicking the more button gives access to all articles since 2000. your way around the Railfuture to reintroduce website should be easy. In addi- Bonnyrigg the passing I write news articles relating to tion to the menus in the left and loop at Brading. our campaigns, and other recent A longer term right hand columns, clicking on contributors include: Nigel Bray any heading or text in green will issue, again the on MetroWest, Roger Blake on Newtongrange problem for the link you to another page with Gorebridge Lea Bridge station, Paul Hol- more detail. The new Eskbank station next franchisee, linghurst on fares, Nick Dib- is what can be If you are looking for something 158 on Waverley Line introduced to ben on the Newark conference, Ian Brown on airport rail links, specific, you can use the search replace the 1938-built Tube stock (pictured above) as this will box in the right hand column. almost certainly require replacement in the next six to eight David Horton of the Abbey Flyer years. The Government published new proposals on rail user group on the threat of Take a look at www.railfuture. Lauder 11 September. See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ converting the St Albans branch org.uk and let me know what new-proposals-for-isle-of-wight-rail-services-announced to a busway, Jerry Alderson on you think. You may be surprised international topics, Chris Aus- at how much it has changed n n Network Rail and South West Trains abandon alliance tin on opening Newcourt sta- since you last looked. If you Stow The Deep Alliance is no more. Network Rail and South West tion and our message to the new have any news that you would Trains have agreed to abandon their alliance with no reason parliament, Allison Cosgrove on like to upload to the branch, given. Is it because of the recent pressure that NR have the campaign to reopen Beat- campaigns, or news pages, been subject to at national level? We all had high hopes that tock station, John Band on how please get in touch. I can either vertical integration might make train and track work together the Treasury keeps projects hon- give you access and explain how more sensibly. NR has now appointed a new route director to est, Phil Smart on Norwich in you can do it yourself, or I can manage maintenance renewals and enhancements. However 90, Wendy Thorne on Portishead­ upload it for you. Scottish NR has retained SWT to manage the enhancement projects Earlston at Waterloo possibly until 2019, even though SWT’s franchise AROUND THE WORLD AT HIGH SPEED Borders is being terminated in 2017. Will the new franchisee take over responsibility? Morocco high speed Africa’s to Fuzhou opened in June after first high speed train, an Alstom a five-year construction pro- Early days at Tweedbank n n Arriva bids to take on new Wessex franchise Duplex, was delivered to Tangier gramme through mountainous Galashiels in July, for use on the Tangier- terrain. Journey times have been As the Government failed to reach agreement with SWT to Melrose extend its franchise to 2019, tenders are being invited for Casablanca route. A new 113 halved, with trains running at a new franchisee to take over in 2017. Quick off the mark, mile long section is being built 185 mph, although the line has Tweedbank Arriva Trains are already consulting with stakeholders for 200mph running while the been designed for 215mph run- such as Railfuture. Arriva, in the form of CrossCountry remaining 85 miles is being ning. Trains, already works into our territory from Basingstoke upgraded for 135 mph running. Slow speed politicians A pro- Newtown St Boswells to Southampton and Bournemouth and from Reading to Florida high speed hopes A pri- posed Amtrak passenger rail Guildford. CrossCountry is not the most welcome operator Back to the Future? vately owned high speed rail line service along the Gulf of Mex- Full steam ahead on the old Waverley line with its Voyager trains being unpopular. It has few reduced is being planned from Miami to ico between New Orleans and To Selkirk & Hawick fare tickets and has abandoned quiet coaches. It has also Orlando, with stops in Fort Lau- Orlando, cut by Hurricane approaching the Eildon Hills allowed reservations up to 10 minutes before departure to override earlier bookings. derdale and West Palm Beach, Katrina in 2005, is waiting for the and is expected to open in 2017. US Congress to approve a trans- n n Railfuture Wessex AGM to be held in March All Aboard Florida claims three portation bill. million vehicles will be removed Talgo trains for Russia Talgo Railfuture Wessex AGM will be on 12 March 2016. We will from the roads each year. notify branch members of the location nearer the time. trains began running at up to High speed China The 500 mile 125 mph between Moscow and Bringing Rail back to the Borders ...... long high speed line from Hefei Nizhny Novgorod in June. S1 10 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk ....and the people who made it possible framework contract awarded to BAM Nuttall The Campaigners in March 2012 that included vegetation The Politicians The Contractors clearance, fencing, Madge Elliot environmental mitigation, Rebuilding a railway that has been out of use for almost From Lord Steel of Aikwood mining remediation and 50 years brings its own challenges. In some areas the Everyone who knows about property demolition. David Steel was a young MP when trackbed has been built on, or roads have taken its place. the fight to reinstate the In December 2012, the Waverley Line closed Some stations have disappeared almost entirely. As Waverley Line will have heard the design and build Stow Station Rebuild Councillor David Parker noted, more than 1000 separate of Madge Elliot from Hawick. contract for the main “We are all looking forward to the opening of the portions of land required to be assessed by the Waverley Back in 1969 she did works was let to BAM Nuttall and it was announced that the Border railway. Having been on the last train out Rail Bill Committee. In addition, there were changes to the something unheard-of – she construction cost would be £294 million. This included track of Galashiels in 1969 it has always been my contractors who would undertake the work, so it was with went to Downing Street with materials, engineering trains and BAM Nuttall’s contract cost. The ambition to be on the first train out again in 2015. That I shall some relief that the final contractor was named and works a petition to challenge the Government of the day on their decision to contract was target cost with a pain-gain share arrangement. At began. close the line after a recommendation by Dr Beeching. With today’s achieve, the original closure having been the greatest single the time, Gavin Gerrard of BAM Nuttall advised that the The Scottish Executive had concluded that reinstating email, Twitter and easy access to Scottish parliamentarians, it is disappointment in my parliamentary life.” company’s involvement in the previous DBFM process had forced the entire route would offer few benefits and be expensive hard to believe how revolutionary this was. Back then, the BAM Nuttall to think about maintenance as never before and so due to significant breaches south of Tweedbank. It also Government was the authority that must be obeyed. People, the final design featured reduced maintenance costs. So although Right on Track concluded that a passenger service between Edinburgh and especially ordinary people like Madge Elliot, did not challenge DBFM was dead, it had a positive influence. Tweedbank was likely to be viable. decisions made in London – rather they accepted what they were Scottish Borders council After the main works started in April 2013, major earthworks This Act gave the Promoter powers to acquire the land told. But it was a measure of Madge’s determination to save the chief has an enthusiastic were largely completed by the end of October after which the required to build the new railway. It also included a unique line that made her act as she did more than 45 years ago, in the welcome for the new railway focus shifted to structures such as the 137 bridges on the route of “I’ve started so I’ll hope that the railway that connected small and scattered which 42 were new. The line’s largest new structure at finish” or communities in the Borders would not be allowed to die. Allison Cosgrove talks to Hardengreen took shape in February 2014 with the installation of Mastermind Sadly, Madge’s campaign fell on deaf ears, despite her four 107-tonne beams. This caused some significant disruption on Scottish Borders clause. This petition having a record 11,768 signatures. But her persistence the A7 with the re-alignment of the Hardengreen Roundabout, Council Leader addressed saw the growth of the Campaign for Borders Rail rise up and but as with the earlier temporary re-alignment of the busy Councillor David Parker presides over the concerns that eventually become an unstoppable force in the Borders resulting David Parker Sheriffhall Roundabout, this was a positive sign that work was 1800 square miles that form the Scottish Borders,, future funding in the announcement that the Borders Railway would be progressing. Track laying was completed in a comparatively short issues might reinstated as far as Tweedbank. an area with a turbulent history of ancient battles,, time, from October 2014 to February 2015, often watched by result in the line Madge’s long term commitment to the Railway has been ruined abbeys and the Border Reivers. The world interested residents. After completion of signalling and station only being built commended by the naming of a train after her – a well-deserved famous Borders textile industry is a more recent work, the line was commissioned on 6 June. to Gorebridge honour for a lady who has stuck to her guns in the knowledge and peaceful addition to the manyfold charms of Track laying at Tweedbank Hugh Wark,Network Rail’s project director, advised David and so required that one day, trains would run again to the Borders. this unspoiled area. Shirres from Rail Engineer magazine (for whom we are indebted the promoter to Madge – we salute you! However, until September 6th 2015 it has also had the distinction of being the larg- for the major content of this article ) that the physical work done complete the line once work started. est area in Western Europe without access to a railway. during the commissioning weekend was relatively simple as the The Mastermind clause was triggered in March 2010 with Since the Waverley Route closed in 1969 as a result of the Beeching signalling is only at the loop ends. This entailed re-programming Petra Biberbach the start of advance works, including scour protection and cuts, the Border towns have seen a loss in jobs and lack of connectivity the Millerhill SSI and minor physical work such as removing utility works, managed by Transport Scotland, which had to Edinburgh year on year. derailers and buffer stops at the start of the line after a route Petra Biberbach, pictured with fellow taken over the role of authorised undertaker from Scottish campaigners l-r, Claudia Beamish MSP, Councillor Parker explained “The Scottish Government funded a proving train checked the line. The big challenge was ensuring Borders Council in August 2008. For the main works, their David Spaven and Bill Jamieson. feasibility study after a major employer in the area closed down in 1998, that all relevant certification was in place to demonstrate that procurement strategy was a design, build, finance and and in 1999, Campaign for Borders Rail started a petition to reinstate works were properly designed and were built in accordance with Petra Biberbach was the first Chair maintain (DBFM) contract which made the contractor the railway. There were some objections as time went on – the the design, such as stressing certificates and certificates of of Campaign for Borders Rail which responsible for the railway after it had been built, instead of likelihood of increased housing in the area was of concern to some local compliance for switches. was launched in January 1999 and it being part of Network Rail’s infrastructure. The intention people – but in 2003 the Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill was Only class 158 and 170 DMUs have blanket approval to run encouraged Borderers to believe was that the contractor’s design and build practice would be introduced to the Scottish Parliament.” on the line. Any other rolling stock, such as steam hauled special that they really could get their railway back. One of their first influenced by his responsibility to operate and maintain the The Bill was the longest-running piece of legislation ever in the trains, requires a special instruction before it can run on the line actions was to obtain 17,200 signatures on a petition presented line. history of the Scottish Parliament and was the biggest planning that may specify limitations such as speed limits over certain to the new Scottish Parliament in 2000, calling for the return of application seen, with the Bill Committee having to scrutinise 1,918 Three consortia expressed an interest after Transport bridges. rail services. separate plots of land which would form part of the new Railway. Scotland started the DBFM tender process in December 2009, The sign off included handing over the stations to ScotRail As well as the core strategic achievement of the return of a Councillor Parker paid tribute to Tricia Marwick MSP, and the other expecting to let this contract in autumn 2011 and have the during the weekend of 14 June. railway from Edinburgh through Midlothian and Galashiels to members of the Waverley Railway Bill Committee in steering the Bill line re-opened in December 2014. However, when two of the Finally, the environmental element of the project was a big Tweedbank (agreed by the Scottish Parliament in 2006), local rail through the years of negotiation in order to bring it to fruition. He added original three consortia withdrew, possibly because of challenge. South of Falahill, the project ran through a Special Area campaigners – notably CBR, Stow Station Supporters Group and that the complexities of scrutiny of the Bill had caused the system to be finance issues in the then economic climate, Transport of Conservation for the River Tweed that includes its Gala Water the Waverley Route Trust – can take credit for other successes, simplified for the future. Scotland decided that Network Rail should manage the tributary. Hence, particular attention had to be paid to including Stow as a station stop. (Source – CBR website) Looking to the future, does Councillor Parker think that there would project. construction silt run off after heavy rain. There were many be a case for extending the Railway on to Hawick and ultimately Carlisle? Thus, in September 2011, Network Rail started to protected species including river lamprey, otters, badgers and Simon Walton He points out that it would provide an alternative route to the East and manage the project with Transport Scotland remaining the bats, with one hundred and sixty badger setts being affected. Simon took over as Chair from Lorne Anton West Coast Main Lines when these routes might be unexpectedly closed. authorised undertaker. Before Network Rail could take over Summing up the project, Hugh Wark advised David Shirres of in 2012 and was still in post when the works He is very upbeat about the benefits he expects the Railway to bring this role, the design had to be developed and constructability the degree of satisfaction in bringing old railway infrastructure on the Railway were coming to fruition. By to the Borders, and is hoping for a population increase to the Border assessed to produce a robust estimate of cost and back into use, especially the Gala Water’s many wrought iron working together, he sees the Borders country as a whole, an increase in tourism, and the prospect of new programme. In November 2012, this was agreed with bridges. One of his most memorable moments was the Railway as not just a transport link, but an businesses setting up in the area, saying “a number” of companies and Transport Scotland and the Office of Rail Regulation (as it developers are already interested. He is also enthusiastic about the Great “phenomenal” number of people who greeted the track laying inspiration for greater collaboration in the then was) so that Network Rail could become the authorised Tapestry of Scotland coming to Tweedbank in March 2017, and the train. Borders, and an example of the value of undertaker. This agreement included a September 2015 increased traffic expected to the newly refurbished Abbotsford House. Source – Rail Engineer “Borders Railway Complete” by David commitment and collective endeavour. opening date. Reasons to be cheerful? I would say that on 6th September 2015, after Shirres, 2015 He’s committed to seeing restoration in the Prior to the agreement being formalised, Network Rail light of modern needs, and fully supports the push further south. waiting almost 50 years for the return of the railways to the Borders, could only undertake advance works. This was done under a Councillor Parker will be a very happy man! Photographs: Barrie Forrest (Source – CBR website) S2 S3 BORDERS RAILWAY EDINBURGH – GALASHIELS – TWEEDBANK Viva! Tube cast-offs or trains to fill the diesel gap? As pre-election promises of SERVICES investment in the railways evolve th Mondays to Saturdays into a reality of cuts, attention is SUMMARY OF SERVICES (to 12 December 2015) Half hourly departures from 05.20 to 20.00 then hourly to turning to how to keep old trains STATIONS: 23.54 except for Stow Station which is half-hourly in peak running. Edinburgh Waverley hours but mainly hourly departures. Although passengers are always Brunstane Sundays delighted to see new trains, cam- Newcraighall (Park and Ride) paigners have been impressed Hourly departures all day from 08.45 (Tweedbank), 09.11 by an enterprising team intent Shawfair (Park and Ride) (Edinburgh) to 23.11 (Edinburgh), 23.28 (Tweedbank). on solving the shortage of diesel­ Eskbank Because of the track layout departures are not fixed times train units which is bedevilling Newtongrange (Scottish Mining Museum) past the hour but vary by a few minutes. plans to improve services on overcrowded rail lines through- Gorebridge th Stow Until October 15 individual trains may be cancelled on out Britain. Galashiels (Public Transport Interchange) Wednesdays and Thursdays to provide paths for steam and The team’s radical approach involves stripping redundant Tweedbank (Park and Ride, route to Abbotsford) diesel excursions. Onboard coffee bar option Seat unit and storage, left, specially for a folding bike For details of train times ‘phone 08457 48 49 50 or London Tube trains “to the bone” and giving them new ­diesel www.scotrail.co.uk ­Alliance chairman Ray Chapman operation on the third rail DC power packs, matched with a said: “Once trialled, these highly network. range of interiors more comfort- efficient diesel-electric train sets able than many newly manufac- The trains will have a maximum would be an ideal interim solu- speed of 60mph but acceleration tured trains. tion on South Coast services. ABBREVIATED TIMETABLE GUIDE to 12 DEC 2015 Enter the Vivarail D-Train is good and it is anticipated that “Carrying up to 150 seats per when used on journeys with fre- One aim is to provide larger three-car train and a further 130 quent stops, journey time could Mon to Friday EDINBURGH to TWEEDBANK areas of convertible space so standing, these would provide be reduced. If used on branch Edinburgh 05.43 06.22 06.51 then 24 and 51 mins past the hour to 19.54 20.53 21.54 22.54 23.54 baby buggies, bikes and luggage Tube train now a diesel just the extra capacity and com- lines where speed is restricted Newtongrange 06.12 06.45 07.14 then 46 and 14 mins past the hour to 20.16 21.16 22.16 23.18 00.16 can be stored more easily than in fort we need, by reinforcing the to 60mph or less anyway, maxi- Stow 07.08 07.37 then at 08 mins past the hour to 20.38 21.38 22.38 23.41 00.38 the cramped interiors of many spend the minimum time in the two-car sets currently in opera- mum speed will not be an issue. Galashiels 06.45 07.16 07.46 then 17 and 45 mins past the hour to 20.47 21.47 22.47 23.49 00.47 modern trains. A special luggage depot. They will also be fitted tion, especially during peak peri- compartment has been designed with equipment that automati- A comparison of anticipated Tweedbank arr 06.49 07.21 07.50 then 21 and 50 mins past the hour to 20.51 21.51 22.51 23.54 00.51 ods when they are heavily over- to fit the popular Brompton fold- cally reports mileage and equip- crowded. costs and fuel economy was pro- vided. ing bike. ment conditions so maintenance “They would also add extra reli- Saturdays and depot visits can be pre- Rental was estimated at £7,000 Edinburgh 05.55 06.25 06.51 then 24 and 53 mins past the hour to 19.53 20.56 21.56 22.55 23.55 Seats have received special ability for the increasing num- attention, especially as the new planned and minimised. bers of people who leave East- per car per month, compared to Newtongrange 06.17 06.47 07.15 then 46 and 17 mins past the hour to 20.17 21.18 22.18 23.18 00.17 Thameslink class 700 trains have Rental, maintenance and fuel bourne, Bexhill, Hastings and £15,000 per car for a new diesel Stow 07.02 07.37 then at 08 mins past the hour to 20.39 21.40 22.41 23.41 00.39 been criticised for their minimal- costs will be significantly less Rye for Ashford for the Javelin multiple car and £7,500 for a cur- Galashiels 06.46 07.18 07.46 then 17 and 46 mins past the hour to 20.48 21.49 22.49 23.49 00.48 ist, uncomfortable seating. The than both new and existing ­diesel and Eurostar services to London rent class 150. Tweedbank arr 06.50 07.22 07.50 then 21 and 50 mins past the hour to 20.52 21.53 22.53 23.53 00.52 aim is to align seats with win- units and there will be variants and the Continent.” Comparative maintenance costs dows, which many modern train suitable for both branch lines and Railfuture’s rolling stock design are expected to be 40p for the Sundays designs fail to achieve. city commuter lines. panel visited Long Marston in D-Train, 60p for new trains and Edinburgh 09.11 then at 11 mins past the hour to 20.11 21.11 22.11 23.11 The easily accessible toilet is Vivarail chairman Adrian August. 70p for existing trains. Newtongrange 09.33 then at 33 mins past the hour to 20.34 21.34 22.35 23.33 similar to that on the Chiltern Shooter (a Railfuture vice presi- They found that since the train Fuel consumption is estimated Stow 09.55 then at 55 mins past the hour to 20.56 21.56 22.57 23.55 Railways class 166 Turbo diesel dent) is confident the train will retains its original DC traction at 0.5 per litre per mile for the Galashiels 10.04 then at 04 mins past the hour to 21.05 22.05 23.06 00.04 trains. be ready this year, probably motors, it will be possible to D-Train, 0.8 per litre for new and Tweedbank arr 10.08 then at 08 mins past the hour to 21.09 22.09 23.10 00.08 In the past few months, the by November. East Sussex Rail engineer the train for bi-mode 0.75 per litre for existing trains. Vivarail team has invited cam- Mon to Friday TWEEDBANK to EDINBURGH paigners, train operators, leasing Tweedbank 05.20 05.59 06.28 then 58 and 28 mins past the hour to 19.28 20.28 21.28 22.28 23.28 companies, Government officials Galashiels 05.24 06.03 06.32 then 02 and 32 mins past the hour to 19.32 20.32 21.32 22.32 23.32 and other experts to see the trains Big gains from small steps forward taking shape and to ride the pro- Stow 05.33 06.41 then at 41 mins past the hour to 19.41 20.41 21.41 22.41 23.41 By William Whiting totype around a test circuit at at Axminster. The redundant Newtongrange 05.53 06.31 07.01 then 31 and 01 mins past the hour to 20.01 21.01 22.01 23.01 00.01 Long Marston, Warwickshire. [email protected] platform has been reopened Edinburgh arr 06.15 06.53 07.29 then 59 and 24 mins past the hour to 20.26 21.24 22.24 23.24 00.23 I returned from a week’s holiday and there is now an hourly They say the aluminium bodies with my wife staying in a cottage service from Exeter to London and modern Bombardier bogies near Axminster in Devon. throughout the day. A photo of Saturdays made the Underground’s D78 a the new platform, left, shows Tweedbank 05.30 06.00 06.29 then 00 and 30 mins past the hour to 19.31 20.31 21.31 22.31 23.31 classic design, but to enhance its Axminster station, pictured Galashiels 05.34 06.04 06.33 then 04 and 34 mins past the hour to 19.35 20.35 21.35 22.35 23.35 safety, a reinforced cab has been right, is on the Waterloo-Exeter the improvement to the station. Stow 05.43 06.42 then at 44 mins past the hour to 19.44 20.44 21.44 22.44 23.44 fitted and the bogies and traction line and we travelled by train on The rationalisation of the route

Newtongrange 06.03 06.32 07.02 then 32 and 02 mins past the hour to 20.04 21.04 22.04 23.04 00.04 motors overhauled. three of our days out. Picture: WILLIAM WHITING was clearly regretted in view of Edinburgh arr 06.25 06.54 07.24 then 56 and 28 mins past the hour to 20.26 21.26 22.26 23.26 00.26 Most of the campaigners were I grew up in Shaftesbury, Dor- the fact that towns such as Honi- sceptical of what could be set and our local station was ton and Yeovil have increased Sundays achieved with second-hand Gillingham (Dorset). I recall my their population over the past Tweedbank 08.45 09.45 then at 45 mins past the hour to 19.45 20.45 21.45 22.45 trains, but after visiting Vivarail, late father helping to campaign 20 years. There is also a new Galashiels 08.49 09.49 then at 49 mins past the hour to 19.49 20.49 21.49 22.49 they were impressed by the against the line being severed town, Cranbrook, west of Exeter Stow 08.58 09.58 then at 58 mins past the hour to 19.58 20.58 21.58 22.58 attention to detail and high stan- west of Salisbury as this was the which will be served by a station Newtongrange 09.18 10.18 then at 18 mins past the hour to 20.18 21.18 22.18 23.18 dards being applied to the now intention following the Beeching expected to open this summer. It Edinburgh arr 09.40 10.40 then at 40 mins past the hour to 20.40 21.40 22.40 23.41 renamed D-Train. report. is also a diversionary route for It is intended that two- and three- What happened was that most of the West of England main line. Full list of stations: Edinburgh Waverley, Brunstane, Newcraighall, Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange (Mining Museum), coach variants of the train will the line was singled west of Salis- My vision for the line would Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels, Tweedbank be produced. The centre car in bury in about 1967 which led to has experienced a renaissance be to complete doubling the the three-coach train would be considerable operational diffi- with stations being reopened track west of Salisbury as towns a trailer, with the end coaches culties and a two-hourly service such as Templecombe which was continue to grow in size and Stow Station: There are some additional peak hour stops being powered. Edinburgh: There are early departures at 16.50 and 17.18 Monday to Friday from Exeter to Waterloo. At the a junction with the Somerset and the demand is there for further Due to the track layout there are slight variations (few minutes) in departure times through the day Vivarail say the engines can be same time branch lines to Lyme Dorset. One of the enhancements enhancements of the service. replaced as an entire module Regis, Seaton and Sidmouth which took place very recently is What a change in fortunes for Until October 15th some trains may be cancelled on Weds and Thurs to provide excursion paths within 10 minutes, so the trains were closed. However the line a four-mile doubling to the track the line since the 1960s. National Rail Enquiries at 08457 48 49 50 or www.scotrail.co.uk S4 ◆◆◆◆ Railfuture conference in Newtongrange (Borders Railway line) 18 June 2016 railwatch October 2015 11 LOCAL ACTION LOCAL ACTION Severnside North East By Nigel Bray By Peter Kenyon [email protected] [email protected] Picture: CHRIS AUSTIN Picture: CHRIS n n Metro upsets MP Emma n n Eye on station links The upgrading of the Metro Gloucestershire County Council infrastructure by Nexus continues has won Local Sustainable but the GB Regio-operated Transport Funding to undertake trains have been dogged by passenger surveys, initially at cancellations, power failures and a Cheltenham, Gloucester and spectacular crash of the automated Lydney but which will later involve ticketing system when adjustments the six other stations in the county. were made in July to accommodate The intention is to improve access earlier concessionary travel. Just at either end of a rail journey, as the modernisation of the last the crucial “first and last mile” of the Metro carriages was being which can be a deterrent to using completed, MP for South Shields rail. Local travel plans are being Emma Bucknell initiated a House developed with major employers to of Commons debate on the failings reduce car journeys. Network Rail has dropped its objection of the Metro which was “making passengers late for work and to plans to extend the station car park on its land at Lydney. stopping them getting children to school on time”. Transport Minister Andrew Jones responded that discussions “at the n n Bus-rail interchanges are failing to match demand very earliest stages” were taking place with Nexus and the HAPPY IN THE RAIN: Heritage Railway Association and Spanish North East Combined Authority about funding new rolling Back to the future and Britain leads the way visitors line up in front of the Great Western locomotive Rood Railfuture was represented at a meeting in Weston-super- stock. Nexus estimates that new trains will cost £350 to Ashton Hall which worked the Shakespeare Express from Mare on 22 June, convened by North Somerset Council and £430 million. Meanwhile the cleanliness of the trains again Britain was a pioneer of heritage The All-Party Parliamentary Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon. chaired by First Great Western station manager Mathew leaves much to be desired with litter left in overnight, grubby railways with the Talyllyn Group on Heritage Rail HRA president Lord Faulkner is in the centre and Vintage Trains Morgan, to discuss bus-rail integration. There was concern that Yatton, a relatively well-appointed station with an seats and stained dirty floors greeting passengers. Railway being run by volunteers recognised the importance of chairman Michael Whitehouse is standing to his right from as early as 1953. Britain’s heritage railways in its independent buffet, had virtually ceased to be an interchange n n University’s international conference in talent hunt now that buses to Clevedon no longer serve it. The station Today, we have well over 100, report of 2013 on the value of Railfuture North East members attended the July New Rail these railways in economic and nameboards still proclaim “Yatton for Clevedon” but only more heritage railways than any people with local knowledge or who buy the latest FGW International Conference at Newcastle University, with the other country, and the operating social terms. theme of attracting the best talents in the job market and guide to services will realise bus links now run from Nailsea season is generally longer and Other countries have started station, where shelter is minimal. The need for relevant bus making the (international) railway sector a career opportunity timetables more ambitious than to recognise this too, and the of choice. Plenty of imaginative ideas were forthcoming. information at Bridgwater station was made clear to the First those found in other parts of report has already been widely Bus representatives and the consensus view of the meeting n n Rail Academy is a winner for its star pupil Europe. circulated in Europe and has was that onward travel posters at stations would be better been translated into Russian, updated locally than by a remote agency. Over at Gateshead, the Rail Academy held its first prize-giving Some countries have sadly and now into Spanish. Britain, while David Keay from activity, such an international to recognise the achievements of the first intake of students. already lost so much. While the n n The 23-year-old winner of the Rail Ambassadors award, Netherlands has an excellent In July, the Heritage Railway the Railway Inspectorate told gathering would have been Community payback helps to upgrade station facilities a former doorman and labourer, said: “The Rail Academy railway museum in Utrecht, for Association hosted a group of them about safety regulation at sponsored or supported by At our branch meeting in Bath on 27 June, guest speaker has changed my life. I have grown and matured and feel as example, and a classic steam visitors from Spain, including first hand. Nick Ralls, general the Department for Business, Keith Walton, chairman of Severnside Community Rail though I have a real career ahead of me.” tramway at Hoorn, standard museum volunteers and officials manager of the Severn Valley Innovation & Skills. Surely Partnership, gave an illuminating talk on the partnership’s from the Catalan government had shown them his long and n n Rail campaigners wait for reopening cash go-ahead gauge steam locomotives are only in the world of railways progress over 10 years. Involving local people in caring for scarce and the South Limburg and the local authority of Mora busy heritage railway operating could this have been done by unstaffed stations had reduced antisocial behaviour. The The South East Northumberland Rail User Group awaits Steamtrain Company based at la Nova in Tarragona. on the Saturday. volunteers based on their shared Community Payback scheme in which young offenders undo their damage to station premises has been effective. School commitment by Northumberland County Council to funding Simpleveld has to use a Swedish They wish to expand the On the Sunday, they rode enthusiasm and experience. the GRIP 2 and 3 studies on the realities of restoring artwork at suburban stations had remained free from attack locomotive for its steam service museum already established on the Shakespeare Express It is good to know that the passenger services to the Ashington Blyth & Tyne line. to Valkenburg. because “children won’t allow their brothers to ruin it”. The group also wants to extend passenger services via at this railway town and to from Birmingham Snow Hill accumulated experience of run steam on the main line to the privately owned freight line to Butterwell which, with In Britain, some 750 steam to Stratford-upon-Avon to see 62 years of heritage railway n n Blinkered attitude leads to missed opportunities the realignment of Stobswood junction, would allow trains locomotives remain, albeit not Barcelona. steam working on the main operation is valued by from Alnmouth and the north to proceed via Ashington all are operational. There is no tradition of line as part of a regular Sunday colleagues overseas, and it Railfuture and Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways have to Newcastle This would free capacity on the East Coast volunteering on Spanish tourist operation. is certainly good to be able campaigned for restoration of passenger services on the Our preeminence is reflected Henbury loop to provide fast and convenient transport main line. Further aspirations include the extension of in the leading role played railways and no way of On the return trip, the party to share the knowledge local services north of Newcastle to serve stations in certifying volunteers as between west and north Bristol as part of Metro West by Britain in FEDCRAIL, the visited Tyseley locomotive works with friends who are just as phase 2. Unfortunately the case was recently dismissed in Northumberland, improvements at Cramlington, plus a new competent for safety critical station at Killingworth. European federation of heritage where the locomotives and passionate about putting their a consultants’ report to the West of England Partnership, railways and in WATTRAIN, the work. rolling stock are maintained to a precious railway heritage to which has endorsed only a spur service turning round at n n Parking at Morpeth and Cramlington stations World Association of Tourist HRA was able to demonstrate high standard by Vintage Trains. good use as those of us in Henbury from the east. This conclusion was condemned as The campaign by South East Northumberland Rail User Railways and Tramways. in detail how this worked in In any other area of commercial Britain are. a diabolically missed opportunity by Bristol North West MP Group to improve parking at Morpeth and Cramlington, Charlotte Leslie. In a letter published by the Bristol Post on which are not on an accessible bus route, continues. Land at 14 July, I challenged the consultants’ claim that a loop service Morpeth, which could provide 80 extra parking spaces has would produce only 8,000 more journeys per year (under 25 been identified, but construction requires co-ordinated action Record entries for 2015 Rail User Group awards per day) than would the proposed spur. This flies in the face of recent evidence such as the increase of 13,000 passengers by Network Rail and the council. Northumberland County By Roger Blake Valley RUG are entries from the Suburban Bristol Railways, than before, to enable judging Council has a free parking policy but Northern Rail has recorded at Avonmouth in the most recent year for official [email protected] North West, while Yorkshire sees and TransWilts Community vice-presidents to visit award station usage statistics, without any increase in train introduced charges of £2 per day or £25 per month at Morpeth entries from Friends of the Settle entrants and get to know more and Cramlington. The previously crowded car parks are now Rail Partnership have entered services, and the success of the enhanced TransWilts service Ten rail user groups are in the and Carlisle Line and Harrogate from Severnside, which is the about them and the work behind (Railwatch 144) in attracting four times the official forecast half empty. It is not clear if this led to a loss of passengers, or running for this year’s awards, Line Supporters Group. Further host organising branch for our the nominations. Bookings for of usage in the first year. A Metro West update meeting on 21 parking in nearby streets. to be presented by our President south, Marlow-Maidenhead November conference entitled the conference in Bristol can July generated a frank dialogue between campaigners and n n Christian Wolmar at Railfuture’s West of England Partnership officers, although there was Billingham improvements could help pedestrians Passengers Association has Rail Resurgence in the West of be made online. The standard autumn conference in Bristol on agreement that Metro West required a phased approach. It Coast Liners are in discussion with Stockton Borough entered from the Thames Valley, England. fee of £30, which includes Saturday 7 November. Twenty and in the London and South refreshments and lunch, is was confirmed that a Henbury spur would not prejudice its Council about improving the approach to Billingham station The judging panel of Railfuture extension to a loop service at a later date, but campaigners which could include a bus/rail interchange on an overbridge individual entries have been East branch area entries have reduced to just £20 for 16-25 received in all six categories, come from Abbey Flyer Users vice-presidents can also, at their Railcard holders. For former fear this might be long after thousands of new homes have 100 yards south of the station with a ramp to the platform. At been built along the route. the moment pedestrians have to approach the island platform coming from groups spread Group and for Dartford Rail discretion, make their own RUG Award winners see the by a steep, inconvenient footbridge. across five of our branch areas. Travellers Association. Saltford Judges’ Special Award. This year Railfuture website, via the Rail Lakes Line RUG and Ribble Station Campaign, Friends of entries closed a month earlier User Express button. 12 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railwatch www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Join Railfuture online at www.railfuture.org.uk/join railwatch October 2015 13 One giant step forward for the East West railway LOCAL ACTION By John Henderson of challenges has been thrown at LOCAL ACTION [email protected] the development teams, from the Devon and Cornwall A major milestone for East West famous bats-in-the-tunnel issue, London and South East By Gerard Duddridge Rail will be passed on 26 October through whether horse riders By Roger Blake [email protected] 2015 when trains start running can hear their instructor when a [email protected] from a new station at Oxford train goes by, to a very expensive n n Retirement and recognition at Hackney Interchange n n Parkway. private objection brought in the Bus links from rail stations High Court. Initially they will go via Bicester Network Rail, Integrated transport took a hit to London Marylebone as part of The delays were frustrating as Transport for London when numerous subsidised buses Chiltern Railways’ Evergreen 3 the objectors made enterprising and Hackney Council were cut by Devon county council plan to give Oxford an additional use of the law. The lessons learnt co-funded a new step- to achieve a £1.7 million saving. main line to the capital. are being used in early pub- for Wikipedia Picture: MOTACILLA free walkway directly The summer Sunday 187 linking Next year the London trains will lic consultation for phase two linking platforms Okehampton rail station to Tavistock of the EW project to link both at Hackney Central and Gunnislake station, as part of be able to run through the city’s Parkway station into the main Aylesbury and Bicester to Milton and Hackney Downs the Sunday Rover network, is not Keynes. London Overground expected to reappear next year. station in Oxford. stations. As transport Sunday 16 August was the last Four years from now, using Progress is also being made on planner and public day the connecting route around the rebuilt line from Oxford to the ground with overgrowth UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Oxford Parkway station in April transport officer for the north and west sides of Dartmoor could be used, firstly cleared, ecological and geotech- Hackney Council, I Bicester, and following work on expected to continue until 2017. there will be new platforms and due to rail strikes and then withdrawal of First Group buses the next stretch of the East West nical surveys completed and had co-managed the In May next year, a Transport & a signalling upgrade. Phase 2 in Devon from 6 September. The alternative service 46 route, trains will begin running topographical and structural sur- Hackney Interchange project. After the official opening, which from Okehampton to Tavistock will now run only Monday to Milton Keynes and Bedford. veys made. Works Act application will be should also include electrifica- coincided with my retirement from the council, I was given to Saturday, leaving no Sunday buses on this former rail- Public meetings about closure or made to Parliament. This will tion from Oxford and Aylesbury the honour of unveiling a plaque – and was stunned to see served corridor. The sooner a rail service can be restored the The rebuilt line is opening sev- trigger a series of assessments to Bletchley, and upgrade or the walkway dedicated to me. better. In Somerset, service 25 linking Taunton to Dulverton eral years behind the original diversion of crossings are being held two years before construc- and consultations, including a diversion of the road crossings via Wiveliscombe and Bampton in Devon, acts like a rail plan but every aspect of design, public enquiry. between Bletchley and Bedford. n n Budget gives a boost to two key Railfuture campaigns replacement service for the first half of the long-closed construction and operation has tion starts. Taunton to Barnstaple rail line. Unfortunately the evening been subject to intense scrutiny A public consultation programme If all goes smoothly the TWA However, there are issues over The Government’s Budget in July should help two of bus service was withdrawn some time ago and now loss of by local authorities, central gov- for phase 2 as a whole has just order is expected in the autumn public support for the road Railfuture’s key campaigns. First, a Department for Transport subsidy from Devon has reduced the once hourly Monday ernment, conservation bodies, started. Learn more at https:// of 2017. That gives about a year diversions, and funding. Rail- study will re-examine reconnecting the Uckfield line with Brighton and the Sussex coast via Lewes, and the wider to Saturday service to two an hour beyond Wiveliscombe. landowners, and people who consultations.networkrail.co.uk/ and half to build essentially a future is campaigning for these Through East Devon, the X53 Exeter-Weymouth service question of improving rail links between London and the live near the line – and in certain communications/ewr-phase-2 new line from Bicester and Ayles- enhancements to be included in south coast. Railfuture has outlined the benefits of Bridging is much reduced, but a positive development is diversion cases, not so near. A wide variety Design and planning work is bury Vale to Bletchley, where phase 2 and completed by 2019. between Seaton and Lyme Regis via Axminster railway the Gap between Uckfield and Lewes as a first step to making station. From Axminster station, the X53 becomes hourly, and later improvements. Second, the Kent area route study together with the X51 to Dorchester (formerly X31) this now by Network Rail will consider extending Javelin services gives a half-hourly link to Lyme Regis and Bridport. In South from Ashford International across an upgraded MarshLink Devon Kingsbridge loses an early morning Saturday return Now the search is on for best way to East Anglia to Rye, Hastings and Bexhill. Railfuture has pointed out service to Totnes railway station. that the project will boost tourism and enterprise in the By Phil Smart before, but we should remember coastal economies and we will take part in the stakeholder n n Masterplan turns a blind eye to Ashburton rail service To Leicester, Derby To Leeds, Newcastle consultations in October. We want to see the benefits [email protected] that this work is now supported and Nottingham and Scotland of reduced journey times and connectivity improved, as and funded by the Department To Norwich demonstrated by the Trains4Deal campaign. The Dartmoor National Park planning authority has dismissed The East West Rail consortium for Transport, a far cry from calls to preserve the Ashburton station site for future rail use moved towards linking Bedford (Railwatch 143). Its senior forward planner recommended where we have been in the past. n n and Cambridge as part of the It will also be a more ambitious Signals of success for Ashford International’s future that members approve the so-called Ashburton Masterplan. East West Rail link by announc- Railfuture welcomed European Union and British government Section 2.27 says: “The proposal to safeguard the historic scheme than many of us would Sandy ing two preferred broad cor- have thought possible even a To Ipswich funding which ensures the Eurostar service will continue route through the Masterplan site would impact upon public ridors which will be narrowed to serve Ashford after the introduction of the new 200mph parking, business parking, housing, traffic movement and the decade ago. Bedford Cambridge down to a preferred route in the To Bletchley e320 trains. The funding will pay for a signalling upgrade at provision of the convenience store.” Not even considered by This is going to be a fully elec- London St Pancras next few months. and Oxford Ashford. Railfuture vice president Ian Brown said: “We look the planning authority is protection of a site for a station up trified line designed for up to Hitchin forward to seeing this investment facilitating an improved to about 200 metres short of the historic Ashburton terminus. One corridor is a direct route 125mph running, which could service from Ashford to Lille, Paris and Brussels.” Only 10 of the 67 houses would have to be relocated for described as ‘via Sandy’ although offer a Cambridge to Oxford this. It considers it would be unlikely that the South Devon East West Rail has confirmed that journey time of little more than n n New rail strategy welcome but busway warning Railway would be able to purchase land needed to complete this is a broad corridor and could an hour. the route. It concludes that with these “substantial hurdles” include a route as far north as St London St Pancras London King’s Cross London Liverpool Street Railfuture generally supported Hertfordshire’s new rail The Sandy option between Bed- and “in the absence of a clear and robust exposition of how Neots and Cambourne. strategy consultation draft which concentrated on the five ford and Cambridge would a rail link could be delivered”, the potential benefits can that a sufficiently robust case is rail services through to Ipswich main rail corridors across the county, access to airports, the This northerly route is the pref- include a connection with the opportunities presented by High Speed Two, and freight. But be given little weight. This is disappointing as Ashburton and Norwich. Railfuture East represents an opportunity to restore a rail service to the erence of Railfuture East Anglia, East Coast main line. It will presented to any future examina- Railfuture is concerned at an “option” for bus rapid transit town with the support of the railway heritage movement and providing a balance between include an investigation into tion in public. Anglia is calling for a pack- between St Albans and Watford. Railfuture supports what minimal public expense. The Dartmoor planning authority directness and helping solve how the line could serve new Whichever is chosen, the route age of improvements including appears to remain the county council’s preference for rapid claims that protecting land for the railway will sterilise land Cambridgeshire’s poor connec- and existing settlements. into Cambridge is likely to come the electrification of both these transit connecting the city to the town by light rail. for several years, but it could be argued that protection will tivity to the west of the county. in from the south where there are routes, the re-doubling of the line The Hitchin option roughly fol- from Cambridge to Newmarket remove uncertainty and blight from the whole scheme. In the The other corridor links Bedford calls for a new station at Adden- n n New station kickstarts Lea Valley line upgrades not-too-distant future, reopening of the line from Okehampton lows the former Midland line and additional platform capacity with Hitchin to join the existing brooke’s to be provided. to Plymouth via Tavistock will demonstrate by analogy the from Bedford to Hitchin to access at Newmarket and Ipswich. After Chingford Line Users’ Association affiliated to strength of the case for an Ashburton-Plymouth rail service. line to Cambridge, an option Cambridge via the existing Great The final selection will be made Railfuture, it was able to secure a grant from our fighting which Railfuture East Anglia Northern route through Royston. within a year in order to be Service frequency should be dou- fund. CLUA commissioned a report from Jonathan Roberts At this point the case for Ashburton will gain momentum and bled with a mix of ‘fast’ and stop- the possibility of public authority support and compulsory considers less preferable as it is This line would require capacity included in Network Rail’s pro- Consulting making the case for reopening Lea Bridge station, purchase powers for rail reinstatement will open up. less direct, would need major improvements to accommodate gramme of works in control ping services every hour with the for adding a third track to the Lea Valley line to double the upgrading to take the extra East West services. period 6 (2019-24). ‘fast’ services continuing west service at the station from two to four trains an hour each n n along the new railway. Rail Meeting in Crediton trains, and would not add any The more direct the route, the Eastern promise way, and for direct Chingford-Stratford services. Lea Bridge new areas of Cambridgeshire to Our proposals have been pre- station is being rebuilt and should by open in the spring. Two Railfuture is planning a meeting on rail development at better is its whole life cost/ben- the rail network. Progress on the central section sented to several authorities, to years later, the third track should be in place from Tottenham Crediton. The meeting will be at the Boniface Centre on efit ratio, because a shorter route, has generated considerable inter- Hale to Angel Road and the service frequency in and out of The news came in spite of the Network Rail and to the DfT as Saturday 28 November 2015. There will be special emphasis even if it has high construction est among local councils to the Stratford doubled. pause in many other projects well as the three bid teams for on services between Exeter and Okehampton. No charge for cost, requires fewer staff and roll- east of Cambridge with more attending, but donations welcome on the day. Further details around the network and signals the East Anglian franchise who ing stock to operate. Option 1 is expected to join the consortium. n to follow. To book a provisional place please email gerard. the confidence that this project will be required to work with More local news in Railfuture London and South East’s therefore favoured but option 2 quarterly newsletter railse at: [email protected]. now enjoys. Campaigners may may be easier to deliver. What- District and county councils are East West Rail stakeholders dur- point out that we have been here ever happens, we need to ensure expected to meet later in the year ing the expected lifetime of the www.railfuture.org.uk/London+and+South+East+branch+news to share ideas for ­upgrading franchise. 14 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Rail User Express can be downloaded from www.railfuture.org.uk railwatch October 2015 15 An honour International line for Railfuture LOCAL ACTION LOCAL ACTION for Harry By Ian Brown paigning in Britain that is per- firmly embeds these strengths West Midlands [email protected] formed by our specialist groups. within each group. East Midlands Harry Maughan, who spent The ultimate test for Railfuture However, we need to use our To keep abreast of general Euro- n n Very light rail for Dudley By Anthony Kay knowledge of international rail- years as a rail campaigner and is to be successful in campaign- pean activity, Railfuture will as a volunteer working for Dudley Council has made an [email protected] ing for a bigger, better railway. way developments and compar- remain a member of the Euro- application for £14 million from the and Roger Bacon isons to strengthen our message the Ridgmont station heritage To achieve this Railfuture needs pean Passengers Federation. centre and Bedford-Bletchley European Regional Development [email protected] in Britain. Fund to fund its plan to provide to raise its awareness and repu- Our Lincolnshire branch chair- rail users, has been honoured tation. This means doing more Following my appointment as a light rail link from Dudley Port n n man, David Harby, was recently just a few months after his station, near Tipton, to Dudley town Electrification paused things and doing them better. Railfuture’s director of policy, interviewed by the BBC about death. with an oversight of our cam- centre at Castle Hill, using a disused As our work is done by volun- fare increases and inflation and freight line. A national centre for Railfuture East Midlands is paigning, I have reviewed how Harry, who died in March aged concerned about the recent teers we need to attract more the interviewer asked him spe- 79 and was also vice-chairman the development of very light rail we work. There is a clear need announcement that the members. Like any organisation cifically about what was done in of the Leighton Buzzard Soci- technology is also being planned by for our people with interna- electrification of the Midland we are increasingly focusing our other countries. We need to be in ety, won a Going the Extra Mile Warwick Manufacturing Group which tional knowledge to be involved main line will be “paused”. We efforts on realistic campaigns on a position, throughout the organ- award from SHARE Museums will bring the total cost of the project with all our groups. are pleased Nicky Morgan, MP sustainable issues where we are isation, to answer such questions. East. Harry was an inspiring to nearly £28 million. One of the two for Loughborough, has said likely to be successful. For any subject discussed in our tracks will be used for a passenger I am looking forward to working and enthusiastic campaigner service, while the second track will she will keep the pressure on to Primarily we need to make sure specialist groups (passenger, with all of our volunteers in the who was also chairman of ensure the project does not drift be used to test new tram designs. Councillor Khurshid Ahmed that all our efforts have a direct freight and infrastructure & net- policy directorate to make Rail- Bedfordshire Rural Transport told the Express & Star that the council will need to raise off into the indeterminate future. However, the pause may be works), we should always ask useful if it allows other upgrades on the line, such as station bearing on the railways in Brit- future an even better campaign- Partnership. £9 million from private sector investors. Railfuture wants improvements and curve straightening at Market Harborough, ain, both main line and light rail. the question: “How do they do ing organisation that will have He saw many of his campaigns to see the whole line opened for passengers and freight to be done in a more measured way. Network Rail has already That is the reason our members it in other countries?” That has more successes and serve our bear fruit but failed to con- from Stourbridge Junction to Walsall and on to Lichfield so announced that major investment in changes to track and join, stay members and leave not always been happening in members better. vince Luton’s blinkered politi- we are very concerned about this light rail plan. We are not signalling to increase line speed and segregate services legacies. the past but it will in future. We have contacted the European cians of the need to reopen the against the use of light rail vehicles in principle for this line, through Derby station will be going ahead, with an expected In the past we have had a sepa- The Railfuture board has agreed Passengers Federation to confirm line from Luton to Dunstable although this does reduce flexibility of rolling stock, and to completion date of 2018. rate group that looked at inter- a revised way of working that that Railfuture will remain as a as a light rail line and extend accommodate freight, the line would need to have heavy rail infrastructure. national rail matters which did incorporates our people with full member and asked for reas- it to Leighton Buzzard. They n n Positive approach to attracting more people to rail not feed directly into our cam- international knowledge and surances on certain issues. ripped up the line to build a much-criticised busway. n n Walsall wants new rail links with Wolverhampton Ariadne Tampion represented Railfuture at an East Midlands Walsall Council wants to expand the town’s rail station to Trains stakeholder event in Derby in July, which featured a provide faster links to Wolverhampton. The rail service presentation by the new managing director Jake Kelly. Mr was axed by London Midland in 2008 despite protests in Kelly had a very positive and ambitious approach to his new Parliament, but the current bus journey can take over an hour role, and in particular displayed awareness of how much for a seven-mile journey. Campaigners are worried however suppressed demand there is for rail travel. Sustainable Sussex that no money has yet been committed to the project. Community Rail came to many stations now looked n n MP backs rail reopening to Burton-on-Trent the South East a decade ago, after by an adopter or a station n n Electrification project set to boost rail freight and has proved remarkably partnership. The CRP and Work is under way on the £36 million Chase line electrification Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire, has successful. Starting with Southern also work with Sussex- been making the case for reopening the National Forest Line scheme between Walsall, Bloxwich, Cannock, Hednesford and Ashford-Hastings and then based charity the Aldingbourne Rugeley Trent Valley, which is expected to be completed in from Leicester to Burton upon Trent in discussions with including the Uckfield and East Trust which helps to identify the Department for Transport and Leicestershire County 2017. It will allow electric trains to run between Birmingham Grinstead lines, partnerships worthwhile community work for New Street and Rugeley via the Cannock lines. Clearances are Council, pointing out that the estimated £30 million cost of have now also been established the reopening would be very small compared to the economic adults with learning difficulties. also being improved for bigger W10 gauge freight trains. benefits to the region. Some local politicians at County Hall for Brighton to Seaford, the Despite cutbacks in local picturesque Arun Valley line have expressed a preference for a fast service stopping authority funding, the n n Real-time information system promised for Bescot only at Coalville and Ashby de la Zouch, but Mr Bridgen and most recently for Reigate- partnership has grown and insists smaller communities along the route also need to Tonbridge. Picture: SUSSEX CRP Centro is also planning a £75,000 improvement scheme prospered and is now more at Bescot rail station which will include real-time train have stations. There is no reason why the line could not While an important commuter secure with increased funds accommodate both stopping and semi-fast services. information. Campaigners say more trains are needed at the railway, Southern’s CRP routes from Southern written into the station. serve picturesque market franchise agreement.

n n Reopening campaigners put their case to Railfuture towns, some quite remote The partnership is a well- n n Tram link boosts rebuilt New Street station rural areas and some fantastic established ‘not for profit’ tourist destinations such as Rye, Representatives from Lichfield Rail Promotion Group http:// limited liability company. It is Lewes and Chichester. This is www.lichfieldrailusers.org.uk and the Ollerton and District the largest of the CRPs with a Economic Forum http://www.odef.org.uk attended the great walking country too, with hard-working team of five paid Railfuture East Anglia meeting. The Lichfield group wants stations at frequent intervals and staff (two of whom are part-time) to reintroduce passenger services along the line between plenty of good local pubs in and many volunteers including Lichfield and Burton upon Trent, with a new station at between to slake the traveller’s the board of eight people. Alrewas, also serving the National Memorial Arboretum. There thirst. is a petition on their website, which needs more signatures. The partnerships do good The Ollerton group seeks to improve the quality of life in the Can you identify the stations work with schools, teaching a Picture: NETWORK RAIL town following closure of the local colliery, and in particular on the Sussex CRP lines above EXPLORE BY TRAIN: Arundel Castle and the Arun Valley that are linked with: (a) the new generation of travellers to wants to reopen the line from Ollerton to Shirebrook on the respect and make good use of community. Over a decade, the Answers to my quiz questions: Robin Hood line. In relation to this reopening, the Government Bloomsbury Group, (b) the local railways of Sussex have industrial archaeology of Sussex the railway, and to kindle the (a) Southease, a healthy walk stated in its summer budget report that “the extended round become more embedded in the New Street station in Birmingham was scheduled to reopen of the New Stations Fund will be used to support a local and (c) Anne Boleyn? (answers flame that sometimes leads to a from Charleston, the farmhouse community and have thrived officially at the end of September, after a five-year rebuild. bid for stations on the Robin Hood Line to Edwinstowe and below). job on the railway. owned by Vanessa Bell, sister of Electronic gates were being installed in August. In a £127 Ollerton, subject to a business case.” Specific education materials as a result. To learn more, see Virginia Woolf and frequented million project, Midland Metro trams are being extended One of the partners is the www.sussexcrp.org by the Bloomsbury Group. relatively new South Downs have been produced in a through the city centre, giving a connection between Snow Hill and New Street stations. In August, the original trams had n n Chance to have your say and see tram extensions National Park, an agency keen project involving around 3,000 Let us hope that we can soon (b) Amberley has a museum been completely replaced by new Spanish-built CAF vehicles. to encourage car-free access schoolchildren at Horsham and extend the partnership to of industrial archaeology, Railfuture East Midlands’ next meeting, in November, is Chichester. include Uckfield-Lewes as well, including a narrow gauge The original Italian-made AnsaldoBreda vehicles are being to the wonderful countryside stored at Long Marston for possible future use. expected to be at a venue on the Nottingham tram extension. it contains. Gatwick Airport The Sussex CRP plays to all to make the most of this revived railway and collection of and 1066 Country Marketing the strengths of community route as it starts to play its part Southdown buses, next to the n n station. n n Regional West Midlands contact: Follow Railfuture East Midlands are also partners. Throughout rail – economic development, in Sussex’s strategic transport [email protected] on Twitter: @RailfutureEMids the Southern network, station sustainability, working with network. I will look at CRPs in (c) Hever was the home of adoption has taken off, with young people, engaging with the Wales in the next issue. Henry VIII’s wife Anne Boleyn.

16 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railwatch www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Please remember Railfuture in your will: http://tinyurl.com/3qtdzj7 railwatch October 2015 17 Letters extra LOCAL ACTION politicians to justify investing Railfuture, as an organisation transported it by train to my I see no signs that these ideas Trains service using class in rail. Rising house prices which purports to support then home in Torquay, Devon, are being taken seriously. I 158 diesels takes 50 minutes, East Anglia also have negative effects passenger rail travel, should changing trains two or three had a meeting in early 2014, including stops at Chesterfield By Paul Hollinghurst on society in general but in reconsider their support for the times. At that time, all trains had covering various issues, with and Alfreton. If this service was [email protected] London, proximity to good Trainline and advise passengers luggage space in the guard’s Andrew McNaughton, who said provided by class 350 public transport is one of the better. van. Why can’t modern trains that Sheffield was well down the 110 mph electric trains, they n n Haverhill petition progress keys to a “good life”. It is Chris Lee have some flexible space to league table for rail passengers. could probably achieve 45 [email protected] Railfuture East Anglia is working claimed by Alex Neill, director accommodate big items of Thanks to HS2’s proposals it is minutes, EXACTLY the time jointly with the local campaign Cambridge tunnel of campaigns at Which? Editors’ note: This is the luggage, cycles, buggies, dogs – likely to stay that way. which HS2 claims (erroneously, group Rail Haverhill to gather that only 6% of properties Going Abroad leaflet which and maybe even the odd chair? More recently, I challenged Sir in my view) for a journey support through a petition for I agree wholeheartedly that in London are more than the International Group J Evered, Llandrindod Wells, David Higgins to justify why city centre to city centre via Powys LD1 5RB the reopening of the line from the St Ives busway was a 1,500 metres away from a rail arranged to be sent out with Sheffield did not deserve city Meadowhall and Toton. Which Cambridge via Sawston, Granta disastrous mistake (Railwatch station, with the boroughs of the timetable. You can see the centre services, just like those choice would a sensible Park and Linton to Haverhill. A 144). However, I guess the Camden and Tower Hamlets leaflet at http://www.railfuture. HS2 and Stoke planned for eight other large person make? Mysteriously, leaflet has been distributed to best served. Houses within electrification proposals are germ of rationality in it was org.uk/DL777 Stoke is a weak point in the case cities in England and Scotland, households in the area explaining that Cambridge station is 500 metres of a Tube station but have received no response. currently missing the Erewash the scheme and directing them to are said to cost £25,000 more It contains a list of sources for High Speed Two. (Railwatch Valley route. As currently inconveniently placed, whereas for tickets between UK and 144). At present, two Pendolinos There is already a station in the online petition, and the local group is attending public buses can get into the heart of than the rest. proposed, Meadowhall will be an events to gather signatures. Two thousand people have European stations which link Stoke with London and Sheffield city centre, so what is the city. really needed is a direct HS2 enormous park and ride option already signed but we hope to push this much higher to Think Railwatch includes the Trainline, with a Manchester every hour. With for large swathes of south west match the success of the Wisbech campaign. The transport I suggest it is time to rectify warning that some charge a HS2 as currently planned, the service to that station, together with necessary enhancements and north Yorkshire, but largely corridor from Cambridge to Haverhill is one focus of this problem. With talk of “bus How often have you sat in your booking fee and use premium London-Manchester service irrelevant for much of Sheffield. to the classic rail network, Cambridgeshire’s future transport plans and it is vital that the tunnels” as a solution to the doctor’s or dentist’s surgery rate numbers. The Trainline would bypass Stoke and run It is still not too late for HS2 to rail option is explored. There is more information and a link dovetailed in with the Midland city’s intractable congestion waiting room and looked charges a booking fee and in an arc via Crewe. If HS2 get a better balance between to the petition on our website. problems, should we not be at those tired-out motoring a credit card fee. So no, succeeds in attracting the bulk of main line electrification scheme. www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Anglia+Haverhill constructing infrastructure looking into the feasibility of magazines, women’s periodicals Railfuture is not promoting London-Manchester traffic, it is HS2 has also put out incorrect and developing realistic direct a rail tunnel, running from the and gardening books. Bring a the Trainline. inconceivable that anything like information. It claims direct n n services for passengers. Cambridge station rebuilding station, under the city (with a city bit of culture into these waiting The extra costs are the current fast service would Sheffield-Nottingham existing David Hodgson, Forth Street, centre stop) and then out west. still run on the classic line. A Rebuilding of the ticket hall at Cambridge station has finally rooms. Next time you pay a pointed out more fully at: services take 53 minutes, Cambus, Alloa FK10 2NU started over a year late, which will eventually bring an end to The East West Rail link could visit, take along with you a www.railfuture.org.uk/ likely outcome is a slow service whereas the East Midlands [email protected] the dreadful conditions that passengers currently face where use this as its approach route to copy of Railwatch to brighten Planning+your+journey for intermediate locations. Stoke, a lack of ticket windows and machines (just four machines to the city. up your surgery waiting room. Macclesfield and Stockport Excellent place to promote the There is also a fares advice would lose out. ISSN 0267-5943 www.railwatch.org.uk serve a station used by nine million passengers a year) which Costly I know, but I daresay page at: www.railfuture.org. sees the current ticket hall packed with queues stretching bus tunnels are not cheap rail campaign. HS2’s Rebalancing Britain Peter Lawrence, Railfuture vice uk/Rail+user+help. railwatch into the street, especially at weekends. The new ticket hall either. And East West Rail may report has a nice chart on page is edited by Robert Stevens, John Stanford and Ray King, 4 Christchurch will double the space and significantly increase the number president, Norwich NR6 5EB be a case where the “spend 17 which shows that Stoke Square, London E9 7HU Tel 020 8985 8548 [email protected] of ticket machines, which will transform the experience for a bit more, get a lot more” [email protected] and Stockport together have passengers. Work on the surrounding station square is also Oxford Parkway [email protected] [email protected] philosophy that underpinned the about as many London trips as Printed by Print-Out, High Street, Histon, Cambridge CB4 4JD Tel: 01223 starting, with the hotel and cycle park structure now very Freight capacity Nottingham, substantially more Overground redevelopment in I was intrigued by reports of the 232709. Railfuture members receive ­Railwatch free. visible as the main structure reaches 3rd floor level. The London would apply again. new station at Oxford Parkway than Sheffield or Glasgow, and station cycle park has 3,000 spaces and will be the largest in Chris Austin’s concern about Peter Solomon, Green End Road, twice as many as Crewe. Why online at www.railfuture.org.uk/shop or by the country. provision for rail freight in the but because I do not know the Non-members can subscribe Great Barford, Beds MK44 3HA build a scheme which threatens www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Anglia+Cambridge+Station Leicester area (Railwatch local geography, I was puzzled sending £8 (cheque payable to Railfuture) to: Alan Cocker, 11 Derwent [email protected] 144) reminded me how short- as to how people arriving at this traffic? Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QR. Editors’ note: Railfuture East Oxford station would connect But it is not just a question n n East Anglia franchise sighted it was in the name of Copy deadlines: For the next issue, published in December, copy must Anglia is promoting the idea with the new Chiltern train rationalisation in 1986 to reduce of train services. HS2 aims be emailed to [email protected] by 26 October. Paper copy can be The invitation to tender for the East Anglia franchise was for the long term of a light rail service to London Marylebone to support the economy the double freight track between sent to 4 Christchurch Square, London E9 7HU but must arrive earlier. expected to be issued by the Department for Transport line under Cambridge as part Syston and Wigston junctions to via Bicester and High Wycombe. and promote development, in mid September 2015. In the meantime, members of of the Cambridge City Deal: single, except through Knighton Would they be expected to walk especially around high speed Advertising: Full page: £190. Half page: £95. Quarter page: £45. the Railfuture East Anglia committee have met with www.railfuture.org.uk/ tunnel, south of Leicester from Oxford station to Oxford stations. Examples such as Small ads are free to members. Otherwise: 30p per word. representatives of the preferred bidders for the franchise: East+Anglia+Cambridge+City station, where all the freight Parkway? Lille are quoted. But if cause First Group, National Express and Abellio-Stagecoach. Please report any problems with the delivery or condition of your copy of +Deal track was taken up. There are already plenty of and effect play out as claimed, Railwatch to [email protected] or to the E9 7HU address above. Their bid teams were already aware of our concerns and See also: www.railfuture.org. we can expect the cities which aspirations from Railfuture’s detailed response to the DfT If the freight line through the inconvenient places to change consultation so our discussions centred on the importance uk/east/docs/Railfuture-East- tunnel was reinstated, it would trains. Dorchester for instance would lose connectivity with HS2 Railfuture Anglia-2015-07-29-Cambridge- should surely have a combined to lose jobs. Is this what Stoke of reliability, increased capacity and issues that have arisen create a complete freight- is independent and voluntary. It is the campaigning name of the Railway City-Deal-Workshop-Slides. station. The present set-up at needs? since the consultation. All the bid teams appreciated our only line between Syston and ­Development Society Ltd, a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. professionalism and were very keen to hear what we had pdf Yeovil is as crackpot as it is Wigston junctions. Two further points. Registered in England and Wales No 5011634. to say. We came away from each meeting with the positive possible to devise. Changing This section will become 1. The crow-fly routes to ­Registered Office: 24 Chedworth Place, Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. impression that over the period of the franchise we will get House prices more important following the trains there involves a taxi ride, Manchester from both London a much improved network. It was recognised that during or a long and dangerous walk. Media enquiries the recent series of very short franchises, East Anglia’s rail I did not agree with your printing implementation of two major and Birmingham pass between But building a new parkway network has not kept pace with the demands made of it and a table showing the “top 10 schemes – the proposed electric Derby and Stoke. Neither runs Bruce Williamson, 29 Granby Hill, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4LT. station at Lydford on Fosse users are desperate for reliability and an improved timetable areas where house prices have freight spine and the upgrade via Crewe. Tel: 0117 9272954 Mobile: 07759 557389 where the Salisbury-Taunton that provides more and better trains and really works for all been boosted by Crossrail” in of the Felixstowe-Nuneaton line 2. If there is any likelihood of an Email: [email protected] aspects for the regional economy. Railwatch 144. We should not be to accommodate intermodal line crosses the A37 road could HS3 link between Manchester www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Anglia+Greater+Anglia encouraging the notion that the freight trains. It is imperative that provide a rail link to the Bath and Leeds, HS2 in Manchester Membership £18 per year. Family: £21 plus rising cost of home ownership there is a separate freight line and West showground and help should enable through services £2 for each extra person. Pensioners, students n n Peterborough-Ely set to be community rail service is a good thing. It helps to make between Syston and Wigston, many people who do not have such as Birmingham-(Stoke!)- and unemployed: £14. User groups, community and parish councils: property less affordable, and either double track or a bi- easy access to a station at Manchester-Leeds. Please apply for rates. The Government is planning to designate the 29-mile locks people into having to rent directional single line. present. Keith Rogers, Hillbrook Road, You can join using PayPal via www.railfuture.org.uk or by post, please Peterborough-Ely Hereward line as a community rail service. for longer than they wish. Norman Liszewski, Woodville, I do not like travelling through Bramhall, Stockport SK7 2BT ­contact Don Peacock, 1 Queens Road, Barnetby le Wold, North Public consultation ended on 25 September. Network Rail will South Derbyshire DE11 7JW [email protected] remain responsible for the line but CRP status allows local Let us not forget that houses in the Severn tunnel so I wonder Lincolnshire DN38 6JH. Email: [email protected] councils and volunteers to have more say in how it is run. the London area are already too has anyone ever considered Renewals and other membership queries: high in the first place. Railfuture leaflet rebuilding the old bridge across Sheffield’s value Use PayPal on the website or send a cheque to www.gov.uk/government/news/community-rail-plan-for-line- Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard the river near Lydney? It could Railfuture Renewals, 24 Chedworth Place, ­Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. between-peterborough-and-ely I received a Railfuture leaflet I have much sympathy Avenue, Grimsby DN31 2JP with the European rail timetable. be useful as a diversionary with Graham Nulty’s article Email: [email protected] [email protected] route but it could also be used n n Keep in touch at: www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Anglia I was appalled to see that you (Railwatch 144). I have Elections Board elections held annually. Nomination forms can be Editors’ note: Estate agents are promoting the Trainline. As for a train service from Wales to petitioned HS2 Ltd twice with obtained from www.railfuture.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=Elections report that house prices go up far as I am aware every ticket London via Gloucester. detailed proposals for serving n n Twitter: @RailfutureEA Who’s Who Many other useful contact details can be found on the when rail lines are opened or which the Trainline sells can In the early 1980s, I bought Sheffield, including direct ­Railfuture website: www.railfuture.org.uk reopened. That fact is used by be bought cheaper elsewhere. a chair in Ash, Surrey, and services for the city centre, but 18 railwatch October 2015 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ European Rail Timetable available at http://www.europeanrailtimetable.eu railwatch October 2015 19 Future of the railway up in the air Picture: NETWORK RAIL By Chris Austin [email protected] Network Rail’s long-term plans are on hold and no new consul- tation document on route studies has been published since March. How did we get here and what does it mean for Railfuture cam- paigning? When Network Rail was set up in 2002, the Government was keen to keep its debt from fall- ing on the public sector borrow- ing requirement and so it had to be a private company, borrow- ing (more expensively) from the markets. Projects were specified by Gov- ernment, the then Office of Rail Regulation determined efficient levels of spending on mainte- nance and renewals, and bor- rowings were underwritten by Government through an arrange- ment much like a credit card. This enabled work to be under- LONDON BRIDGE STATION: As it will be in 2018. This is a computer-generated view from the taken based on what the railway Shard, London’s tallest building, next to the station. Network Rail is engaged on an amazing needed, not limited to what it project to rebuild and re-shape the station while keeping most of the trains running. Associated could afford. Clearing the back- work, creating a new Bermondsey dive-under, involved demolishing Victorian rail viaducts and log of renewals started and realigning tracks. But privatisation zealots have used every problem to undermine NR’s status as major projects such as Reading, a not-for-profit enterprise. With the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader, the calls for the Birmingham New Street and an return of British Rail are becoming louder and the future of HS2 may again be in doubt ambitious electrification pro- gramme kicked off. Even at this early stage, how- The mounting debt, together a deliverable and affordable pro- unpainted stations and no fund- ever, commentators such as our with the revelation earlier in the gramme, helped by some others ing for expansion were all fea- own Christian Wolmar, were pre- summer that some major proj- such as Richard Brown, whose tures of that era. None of us dicting that this would lead to ects, including the electrification report was instrumental in get- wants to return to that. unsustainable levels of debt, and programme, were well adrift, ting the franchising programme Inevitably some projects will be this indeed has happened. triggered the announcement by back on track. deferred or extended to limit The debt issued was £44 billion the Secretary of State in June this Advocates of renationalisa- the burgeoning capital debt, and prior to September 2014 when year that, apart from the Great tion need to remember what it we will need to lobby hard for NR was taken into the public sec- Western main line (where the was like in BR days – a railway expansion plans, particularly tor and direct borrowing from new electric trains are already starved of capital and with barely reopenings, which are always Government started using a £30 being built), electrification enough money to maintain the vulnerable when the purse billion loan facility. New debt would be “paused” while the network. Renewals expenditure strings tighten. But, while the was also raised to finance the position was sorted out. Sir Peter was regularly cut to meet cash Treasury is back in control, the repayment of earlier loans. Hendy was brought in to identify limits, and speed ­restrictions, railway investment pot is so much bigger, even though free access to capital has now ended and the debts have to be paid. Railfuture board responds to AGM critics by consulting activists We have had a good run for five years with record levels of infra- Railfuture’s AGM in Black- age constructive dialogue to reconsider its attitude to structure investment and more pool in May was described across the membership and international campaigning importantly, the overall level of as a “shambles” by some the board is keen to involve and the European Passen- investment is now much closer members, but the board has the branches more. The gers Federation. An HS2 to the needs of a growing net- since said it is keen to take branches and groups day in proposal from Colin Elliff work than those made available criticism on board. Birmingham in October is and a Hugh Jaeger proposal to BR. The issue of reconciling expected to concentrate on dealing with the use of social A further report will follow after differing views of branches some of these issues. media were defeated. Sir Peter has reported to the Sec- in Railfuture responses to Sadly Railfuture’s new Stewart Palmer, Chris Page retary of State in the autumn. official consultations was chairman Chris Brown, who and Trevor Garrod were raised, with the Northern and attended the AGM, has since elected as board members TransPennine consultation had to stand down because while Ian McDonald and being quoted as an example of ill health. Chris Fribbins were not of communication failings. Vice chairman Chris Page elected. Various members hoped paid tribute to retiring chair- A report of the AGM can that a new national chairman man David Berman. An AGM be found on the Railfuture would be able to encour- motion called on the board website.