4 August 2006 Issue 47

ISSN 1751-8091 RailwayThe Herald 4 August 2006 Issue 47 TheThe complimentarycomplimentary UKUK railwayrailway journaljournal forfor thethe railwayrailway enthusiastenthusiast For the latest issue and copies of all back issues, visit www.railwayherald.com RailwayThe Herald Electric traction rescues failed GNER HST Issue 47 Front Cover Class 47/4 No. 47810 Porterbrook passes Oulton Broad on 28 July with the 09.30 Norwich -Lowestoft addational service with classmate No. 47818 on the rear of the train. John Whitehouse Contents Work progresses on new platform developments at Edinburgh Waverley Page 4 Major expansion plans move a step closer for Midland Metro Page 6 A pictorial review of this year's loco-hauled specials for the Lowestoft Air Festival Page 11 Didcot Railway Centre rolls out GW 'King' No. 6023 King Edward II to show progress on the locomotive's rebuild Page 13 ABOVE: Class 91 No. 91131 County of Northumberland passes Brafferton, north of Darlington, on 24 July, hauling Class 43 Nos. 43111 and 43105. The HST set had been working the 15.30 London King's Cross - Edinburgh service when it expired. The Class 91 hauled the train through to its destination. Ian Hardy Brian Morrison looks back over the history of Sir Nigel Gresley's LNER Late News n Late News n Late News n Late News n A4s, one of the most well known classes of steam locomotive in the King Edward I headlines WSR October gala world. Page 15 Ex-Great Western ‘King’ Class 2-8-0T No. 4247, Severn existing resident Great Western No. 6024 King Edward I is Valley Railway's ‘Prairie’ Class fleet, the result is a stunning Regular Sections scheduled to head the West 2-6-2T No. 5164 and ‘1400’ array of locomotives. Somerset Railway’s Autumn Class 0-4-2T No. 1450 from A heritage goods train will Metro Rail & Tramway News 6 Steam Gala over 5-8 October. the Dean Forest Railway along operate during the event and Railtour News 7 With a distinct Great Western with restored Autocoach some services during the four- Rolling Stock News 9 theme, also booked to appear No. 178. day gala will be timetabled for Notable Workings Pictorial 10 are Bodmin & Wenford’s 4200 When added into the double-heading. Preservation View 13 Refurbishment for DLR Shadwell station Heritage line Submissions Passengers using Shadwell station started last week and focuses on for East London We welcome submissions from all on the Docklands Light Railway visual improvements, the work Plans have been readers, especially photographs from are to benefit from a major involving deep-cleaning of the announced for a new those enthusiasts with a digital camera. refurbishment programme to station and arches and the removal heritage steam service in Pictures should be sent to the editor at improve the station environment. of equipment that is no longer in East London, to connect [email protected] More than £1 million is being use. with the North Woolwich Good quality scans of colour slides and prints are also acceptable. Currently invested by Transport for London Phase two will start in the Old Station Museum. there is no financial payment made (TfL) to overhaul the arches autumn. Parts of the arches The plan provides a for photographs published in Railway which provide the main access will be re-modelled to simplify steam service on the North Herald. Once the magazine is moved to to the station, making extensive station entrances and exits, station London Line between a commercial basis then we will pay a improvements to their layout and signage will be enhanced and North Woolwich and standard repro fee. appearance over the next nine improvements will be made to the Custom House, which Where possible we always try to use months. paving and lighting around the could be running by 2009. news photographs taken within the The first phase of the work station area. Full story next issue. production week of the publication date, especially for news stories and features. a few minor 'tweaks' have your feedback and indeed Publication From the Editor taken place, which should your input, for Railway Herald The Railway Herald is due to be hopefully present a fresh and is and always has been a published every Friday and is available Hello and welcome to a revivied look to the magazine. readers magazine. We rely on on e-mail subscription or by download slightly new look Railway One of the key changes your news, information and from our website - www.railwayherald.com Herald, the only weekly with this issue is our railtour contributions in order to bring digital magazine dedicated to information. The section you the news and photographic Editorial Team the railway enthusiast! now has its own dedicated coverage that we do every Richard Tuplin Magazine Editor We've had the current style pages and railtour listings week. All submissions can be Brian Morrison Contributing Editor of magazine, since Issue 11 through which our well-known sent to the editor. John Whitehouse Railtour Correspondant For our team contact list, click here. (published in June 2005) so railtour correspondant, John Finally, if you've not looked although there have been no Whitehouse, will be keeping already, why not check out our Editorial Address: major changes, as a conseqence readers up to date with the revised and updated website at The Railway Herald, PO Box 252, Scunthorpe, of the increased news coverage North Lincolnshire. United Kingdom. DN17 2WY. latest news and information www.railwayherald.com. Telephone: 0870 28 56041 and the celebration that our from the charter companies. From here you can easily E-Mail: [email protected] weekly readership has now We hope you'll like the download a copy of the latest passed the 6,000 mark and changes that have taken issue or any back issues, Railway Herald is produced by RailwayHerald Ltd © Copyright Railway Herald Ltd 2006 continues to climb every week, place. As ever, we welcome wherever you are in the world! 2 RailwayThe Herald NewsDesk Reliability issues cancel VWC loco-hauled diagram 29 Police officers After continuing problems with of in-traffic failures concerning A Virgin Trains spokesman said join FCC reliability affecting the Class both the locomotive and stock has that the company had not ruled First Capital Connect 87 fleet and rolling stock used caused Virgin Trains to reassess out the possibility of returning and British Transport on the 'peak-hour' diagram at the suitability of the set. to the loco-hauled diagram later Police are increasing the southern end of the WCML, The result is that the booked in the summer, but much will the number of Police Virgin Trains has confirmed to diagram will now be covered depend on how the fault finding Community Support Railway Herald that it has taken by the Class 390 fleet, either progresses, the key task being Officers (PCSOs) the decision to step down the through spare units or by to have confidence in the loco- working on the loco-hauled set at the current stepping up departures at London hauled set, something that at Thameslink and Great time. Euston. Alstom is to investigate present is lacking. Northern routes. As reported in our last issue, the problems with a view to n The company made a the diagram was re-introduced discovering and rectifying the The Class 390 'Pendolino' commitment to increase originally to provide some faults. However, the increased modification programme is now the number of PCSOs by flexibility during the Class reliability of the set will need underway and progressing well, 23 prior to taking over 390 'Pendolino' modifications to be proved before a return to with the first modified set about the franchise. programme. However, a series passenger service is possible. to start testing. On 2 August, the company announced the appointment of 24 21st Century technology comes to rail ticket sales PCSOs and five Police Two of Britain's passenger Midland Mainline trains between right up until mid-day on the day Officers, representing an operators have become the first Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham, of travel, subject to availability. initial investment of over to experiment with the latest Leicester and London St. Pancras. The new facility starts to bring £1m from First Capital in internet and mobile phone All eTickets are priced at just £6 the rail industry into line with the Connect. technology to provide rail tickets one way, and will be available on airlines and long-distance coach All the officers will be to the travelling public. selected off-peak trains throughout markets which have used ticketless operational by the end of This summer, passengers using the summer. One of the many travel for some years. The lack of the summer following a Midland Mainline services to benefits of being able to Print@ paperwork means that the service period of police training London St. Pancras will become Home is that tickets can be booked is cheaper for the operator, there is and familiarisation with the first in the country to have up to 18.00 the day before travel, less to remember for the passenger the rail network. access to a new Print@Home and can be printed out any time up and it should, in theory at least, all facility, which allows them to to departure, subject to availability. work with the minimum of fuss Glasgow purchase and print their train Meanwhile, in Scotland, First and hassle. tickets at home. The development ScotRail has claimed an industry First ScotRail say that if the transformation? is a trial being launched by first by offering to deliver rail project is a success then it will Glasgow’s Queen Midland Mainline, in conjunction tickets by SMS text message! continue to explore opportunities Street station is set with online rail ticket retailer, From 3 August, First ScotRail to widen the SMS project to other to be transformed by TheTrainline.

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