AN INDEPENDENT VOICE £1.50 July 2016 FOR RAIL USERS No 148

Three heroes line up as Britain’s newest station opens SEE PAGE 2 PAGE ONE PICTURE THE CAMPAIGN FOR RAIL FREIGHT Long wait for a train Is it really There was a party atmosphere reopening. The original station in when Britain’s closed 31 years ago but virtually newest station was opened on 16 every part of it had to be rebuilt. RIP for Old May by rail minister Claire Perry. The station allows local people Many people were involved in to reach Stratford in just a few

minutes by train. SHEPHERD Picture: DAVID

campaigning for the reopening SCUDAMORE Picture: DAVE but none worked harder than the Northbound trains go along the King Coal? three in our front page picture. Lea Valley line to Tottenham Hale By Lee Davies They are also pictured, right, six and Bishops Stortford. The new station was funded by [email protected] years ago when the campaign for Through winter and into spring the new station was in full swing. Council and the Government but will be operated it seemed that an announcement , on the left, has by Abellio Greater Anglia. about a coal-fired power station been a doughty fighter on behalf closing was happening every “Lea Bridge station will really SIX YEARS AGO: Jennette, Peter and Stella on the site of the of London’s public transport help open Leyton up for growth,” month. users. She is the old (and new) station. Long grass was growing all over the said Chris Robbins, the leader of platforms in this picture published in Railwatch December 2010 Longannet in Fife and Ferry- Assembly member for north east Waltham Forest council, who said bridge C in Yorkshire closed at London. 3,000 homes are likely to be built the end of March, while Rugeley Railfuture member Peter nearby. in Staffordshire was expected to Woodrow is chairman of the Officials at the opening ceremony close by the time you read this in Line Users Association. paid tribute to the Chingford Line Win like the Smiths June or July. Stella Creasey, MP for Users Association which kept the Fiddlers Ferry in Cheshire was dream of reopening the station HAVING the surname £12, payable to Railfuture Walthamstow, pictured right, Smith may well be lucky . . . Lottery, to 24 Chedworth Place, given a stay of execution for said she became involved in the alive. three winners in our March Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. 12 months and Eggborough in campaign before the primary One thing rail campaigners have Yorkshire, which was expected to learn is to have patience. Pro- Railfuture Lottery draw share Recent winners – February: school children who attended the that name! to close in March, was reprieved ceremony were born. gress is made – but very slowly. Peter Hillier-Palmer, Peter but “mothballed”. POWER TRAIN: A traditional coal train at West Burton power station on a rainy February day. It was a new station but also a Triumphant return: Page 18-19 But you could buck the trend R Lawrence, Fred Golding, There are two power stations at West Burton, the coal-fired one built in 1968, and a second – or add to it if you are a The impact on the rail freight combined cycle gas turbine station commissioned in 2011. Both are operated by EDF Energy Lianne Woodman, John operating companies has Smith– and help Railfuture Fancourt, Roger Blake. fundraising by joining in. It can resulted in redundancies at DB Immingham so coal is not quite The trial allows longer lorries to has been set. Railfuture believes cost as little as £1 per month. March: Paul Godfrey, Graham Cargo (formerly Schenker) and dead. operate on British roads within more long-distance rail freight Euro sleeper trains at risk Smith, Garth Smith, Roger Freightliner Heavy Haul. Half of the entry fees are Ash kept off the road the current 44-tonne weight should be using the tunnel and Goring, David Smith, Michael Europe’s largest coal-fired power Both Germany and France are cutting sleeper train services this year ploughed back as prizes with restriction. The trial is ongoing that rail freight operators should Breslin. station at Drax near Selby has A recent case study of Forterra and the “cheap” airlines are being blamed. The European Union has the other half going into our with a 10 year life. offer lorry piggyback services converted three of its six generat- plc (formerly Hanson), shows encouraged the airlines but has not yet created ideal conditions for funds and it is simple to join , April: Peter Geall, Michael However now we have the road over longer distances than Folke- ing units to biomass. the merits of using rail. the environmentally friendly international train service which they using PayPal at www.railfuture. Breslin, Mark Edgell, Michael hauliers calling for the weight to stone-Calais. High-quality, low-carbon ash should. But maybe there is a way to revive the night train. org.uk/lottery or by sending Hanson, P J Rowland, Robert Rail freight is transporting the be increased to 48 tonnes. The used to create Thermalite blocks However in Britain, rail freight A future for night trains: See Pages 10 and 11 a cheque for a multiple of Burrows. biomass to Drax from Port of increase to 44 tonnes from 38 is transported nearly 200 miles operators have to provide their Tyne, Hull docks, Humber tonnes was originally allowed own terminals, whereas in France (Immingham), Liverpool and from Drax to Appleford-on- on the basis of running into rail the state or the local authority Portbury, near Bristol. With at Thames, Oxfordshire, three times depots. provides the facilities. Army veteran Steve put Railfuture on the right track least 20 years life left in it Drax a week using InBulk Technolo- gies’ ISO-Veyor containers. Steve Wilkinson, chairman of the will be a big player for rail freight FREIGHT NEWS IN BRIEF That is one reason why a new chairman. Steve was born in Cambridge in the north of . Each train can carry up to 1,200 intermodal flow from southern Railway Development Society for 10 and was happiest in his home county but tonnes of fly ash to Forterra’s n n France to Britain goes only as far years until 2000, died on 3 April after a was proud to be member of the Wiltshire One of the arguments for burn- Inefficient long illness borne with great fortitude ing biomass is that it is far more railhead, before being trans- as Calais, with lorries delivering Regiment for his National Service and ported by road to the Aircrete The transport industry is “inef- to destinations in Britain. and good humour. served at Suez in 1956. environmentally friendly than coal. Some of the environmen- plant in nearby Newbury where ficient, expensive, polluting and n n Rail potential unrealised He showed courage and resilience as he Later he drove lorries from Britain to the fly ash is mixed with cement living in a pre-internet age”. Lor- faced operation after operation and one tal advantage is lost when it is There is considerable suppressed defence establishments in the Middle imported from the USA and Can- to make Thermalite blocks. ries are empty up to 25% of the hospital appointment after another. East, including Badar Abbas and Abu Using rail is expected to reduce time and have been for the past demand for rail freight con- ada, and requires shipping over sumer services, especially out of He visited Addenbrooke’s Hospital as a Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. He the Atlantic with a rail journey at the firm’s carbon footprint by 10 years. the ports, according to Philippa patient in 1976 but did not retire because had a respect for Islam and regularly both ends. 1,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Source: Freight Transport Associa- of ill health until 2001. Edmunds of Freight on Rail, the quoted from the Bible and the Koran. A couple of by-products from the The fly ash is loaded at the power tion 2015 Logistics Report. n n Pollution group which facilitates the shift He joined RDS in 1976, serving on the For a time, he worked for the British burning of coal have been pul- station in just a few minutes with from road to rail. East Anglian committee and was the Nursing Association as a carer for the verised fly ash and, with lime- the containers being sealed for Transport accounts for 20% of She said: “Every new path out of founding chair of the freight committee elderly and mentally ill. He found it stone used in flue gas desulphu- the entire journey, the first stage total emissions and uniquely is for more than 20 years, building up many personally fulfilling but he was forced to risation, gypsum. by rail, and the second stage by Felixstowe port which comes on the only industry whose carbon stream can be used by rail imme- invaluable contacts for the society. retire because of his health problems. road. footprint is still increasing . The ash is used to make breeze diately and thus reduce road He campaigned for the reopening of Over the years, he rescued many “waif blocks for the building trade The total round trip is 415 miles. Source: European Union Commis- congestion and collisions on the the St Ives- until 1993 and stray” animals, including ducks, while the gypsum is used in The intermodal route using rail sion Transport Pocketbook. A14 corridor. when transport minister Roger Freeman geese, rabbits, chickens, guinea pigs, rats, making plaster board. for the long leg saves 370 miles n n Wales to announced it would happen. cats, dogs and even a cockatiel. Gypsum from Gascoigne Wood of road haulage per trip. At full “It is vital that the funded and The project was however lost with Railfuture members put Steve’s name power station near Selby is being capacity the project will save With the closure of Longannet planned branch line enhance- privatisation, the establishment of forward for an official honour but sadly taken by rail to Hotchley Hill at more than 3,000 road journeys, power station in Fife, fly ash is ments between Felixstowe and Railtrack and the building of the busway he did not receive the recognition he East Leake, Nottinghamshire. which equates to more than 1 being transported by weekly Ipswich, to allow another 10 instead. He was also a member of deserved. He leaves a widow Janet, a son million road miles per year. train to the breeze block manu- trains out of the port each day, RESPECT: Steve Wilkinson All the above products have uti- facturer at Longannet from Aber- Transport 2000 and a founder member of Norman and two grandchildren Lauren Longer, heavier road vehicles happen as soon as possible.” lised rail freight to move them thaw power station in Wales. the South East Lincolnshire Travellers and could speak authoritatively about and Jordan. Rather than investing a few over the years but with the The threat to the environment n n Channel Tunnel freight Association. bee keeping, the dulcimer and local Steve’s funeral at Cambridge was reduction in coal burning these and to rail freight of heavier road million pounds on doubling But he was a man of many talents. He history, especially the Littleport and Ely conducted by his friend Hugh McCurdy, movements are declining. As vehicles never seems to go away. Eurotunnel’s freight shuttle the Felixstowe line and the Ely- played the Wurlitzer organ in cinemas, riots of 1816. He was a member of Histon the archdeacon of Huntingdon and well as biomass, Drax is taking In the past four years, a trial has trains carried more than 139,200 Soham rail line, the Govern- was a passionate footballer in his youth Parish Council for 25 years, 16 of them as Wisbech. imported coal from Port of Tyne been going on to evaluate semi lorries in April 2016, the sixth ment is spending £1.5 billion on and Humber Import Terminal at trailers, hauling heavier loads. month in a row that a record “upgrading” the A14 road. 2 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Railfuture Birmingham conference on 12 November 2016 railwatch July 2016 3 LOCAL ACTION Making progress towards a bigger and better railway East Anglia and ticket machines. Other stations in the Line reopening could help non-car families By Ian Brown tion staff are best deployed. We Cambridge area could benefit from this Reopening Ollerton-Shirebrook was the subject [email protected] are also concerned about connec- By Paul Hollinghurst approach, including Waterbeach, which is now of a meeting between Nottinghamshire County A casual observer might think the tional policy and the provision of [email protected] seeing chaotic parking conditions resulting Council leader Alan Rhodes, Sherwood MP railways of Britain have achieved affordable parking. from the popularity of the station. Haverhill study first step to reopening Mark Spencer and rail minister Claire Perry political recognition as key to the We are regularly asked for The importance of bus and rail connections in February. The county council has invested development of the British econ- informed opinion on train layout A step towards reopening Haverhill-Cambridge omy, given such announcements at Halesworth was highlighted at a meeting £200,000 in a business plan and feasibility Graphic: ELLIE KING design such as seating layouts is the publication of a corridor study draft rail as the Northern Powerhouse, a viability technical note. Assuming a reopening in Southwold, Suffolk, organised by the East study. Ollerton councillor Mike Pringle pointed and provision of toilets. Suppli- Suffolk Travellers Association in February. ESTA out that 40% of residents do not have a car. resumption of “paused” electrifi- date of 2025, an initial estimate of operating cation schemes, HS2 and, at last, ers do listen. Railfuture branch costs and benefits concludes that a single track chairman Trevor Garrod told the meeting: Making contact with friends and allies chairs are routinely contacted “Part of ESTA’s job is to work to promote the franchises being awarded incor- railway with passing place for a half-hourly In recent months, members of Railfuture East porating the need for new diesel by the media to comment on the service would have a benefit to cost ratio attractive bus services which also offer an annual fares increase. alternative to the private car for many visitors to Midlands committee have met Railfuture and dual mode trains. of 0.99, below the figure of 2.0 considered London and South-East branch, to discuss our area.” Trevor later appeared on BBC TV Look This is very encouraging, par- Railfuture therefore aims to desirable. But the figure is only an indicative issues, Railfuture West East to discuss plans to remove the passenger ticularly where funding goes broaden our collective knowl- cost and there may be cheaper alternatives. Midlands to discuss Midlands Connect, and edge of best practice in these Railfuture East Anglia has identified where foot crossing at Halesworth. with political announcements Peak Rail to discuss reopening Matlock-Buxton. areas with a view to strengthen- costs could be reduced (from a figure which is www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Anglia+Stations as in the case of the recent fran- www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Anglia www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Midlands+Branch ing our arguments, using evi- twice the cost per mile of the ) Twitter: @RailfutureEMids chise announcements in the and benefits increased (through a better Twitter: @RailfutureEA north – Northern and TransPen- dence of how other railways appreciation of population growth, commuting Yorkshire nine Express both including new worldwide respond to passenger demand, wider economic benefits and East Midlands diesel and electric trains, and in needs, including access to sta- interaction with the rest of the growing railway By Chris Hyomes the latter case dual-mode trains tions and trains for people who system in East Anglia). We believe a BCR of 2.0 By Anthony Kay [email protected] designed to continue through are mobility impaired, or not [email protected] is achievable. Railfuture East Anglia is actively New staff move into unstaffed stations operation north of York to Scar- familiar with using our railways. working with the Rail Haverhill campaign which Positive change in attitude from rail strategy borough and Middlesbrough. It is surprising how differently Railfuture Yorkshire members were told after EUSTON CROSS: The best HS2 solution for London these issues are being tackled in is gathering support through a petition, media A Leicester and Leicestershire Rail Strategy has Arriva Rail North took over the Northern fran- This does not mean we should different places. We have there- exposure and working with politicians. been commissioned by the city and county chise that 45 unstaffed stations will be staffed forget electrification. Manches- Strong campaigning has seen Railfuture’s position is to cam- fore introduced the Go and Com- www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Anglia+Haverhill councils and the local enterprise partnership. in future. Alex Hynes, who was managing direc- ter-Leeds electrification is still more improvements in relocat- paign for a resilient network with pare campaign. See: www.railfu- Cambridge Connect and light rail The draft is out for public consultation until tor Northern Trains, is now managing director essential, as is far more infill elec- ing Leeds HS2 station next to the capacity to grow both freight 1 July at http://bit.ly/1WLWNmu. It is a very ture.org.uk/Go+and+Compare Railfuture East Anglia has promoted rail to meet of Arriva Rail North. trification in the North West and Leeds (City) station with a view and passenger services. There positive document, for example seeking to public transport needs in the Cambridge region in Yorkshire. to better serve West Yorkshire. are several ways of achieving Many members travel abroad so obtain the best benefit from HS2, especially Brighouse demands a better train service for many years, most recently to the Cambridge The bigger railway Similarly in Manchester, regional this, traditionally through invest- the aim is to capture impressions considering the county council has previously The campaign for better train services through City Deal, which has been allocated substantial distribution is at last being con- ment in key pieces of infrastruc- of systems in other countries opposed it. Railfuture East Midlands vice-chair Brighouse in the Calder Valley is being stepped Resumption of electrification on funds to address transport problems. Railfuture sidered with the just released ture such as double track on the from the viewpoint of the user, Ariadne Tampion was interviewed about the up, the Halifax and District Rail Action Group’s the Midland main line and con- suggested a light rail line from west Cambridge, plan to reroute Metrolink to run Peterborough-Felixstowe route possibly unused to the system or draft strategy on BBC Radio Leicester. She AGM decided in May, following improvements tinuation of Great Western elec- tunnelling under the city centre and the railway between Piccadilly and the HS2 through Soham and on the Felix- the language. spoke about the need to work with the other to other areas in the new Northern franchise. trification after massive cost and station, before heading for Newmarket Road in time overruns is also important. station. Only a cynic would say stowe branch itself, or through We are not looking for techni- cities in the “dynamic triangle” (including The group wants the Leeds-Brighouse-Man- this is to increase the space for the east. chester service to be made “semi-fast” instead technology such as foreseen in cal descriptions. Our aim is to Nottingham and Derby) in developing a rail Project mistakes have been made. retail. the digital railway. We initiated collaboration with Cambridge strategy, and highlighted inadequate rail links of calling at all stations into Manchester, and Education can be expensive but develop a knowledge bank for Connect, led by resident Colin Harris, who between the east and west Midlands, and the says capacity improvements around Mirfield lessons have been learned and I quote these two examples as The rail freight industry is cam- our members to use to strengthen developed a proposal for a light rail network. need to reopen the Leicester-Burton line. and Huddersfield would allow more trains a more realistic project plan has illustrations of where a clear paigning against more pas- our campaigning arguments. We Cambridge Connect outlines needs (including strategy, supported by stake- senger services on the Cardiff- Market Harborough looks to a speedy future along the Brighouse corridor linking upper evolved. Railfuture supports are in a stronger position to argue estimates of demand), benefits, options, Calderdale with faster journeys to Huddersfield, continuation of these flagship holders, can result in lasting Shrewsbury line. The answer is our case if we can quote compari- held a public information technologies and costs on its website. Five Leeds and beyond. Peter Davies, secretary of projects but our members have improvements particularly in not to pick a side but to ensure sons. Please send in your own event in Market Harborough in February, to line options are suggested, which together HADRAG, said: “Over the past few years we have not been slow to realise how this areas where the Government a solution that maximises capac- impressions when you travel consult about track realignment and station would form a network that would bring 95% been seeing a lot more people using Brighouse investment can form the back- proposes a general scheme with- ity and resilience for, in this case, abroad to show on the Go and improvements. The realignment will reduce the out thinking through the detail. of Cambridge within a 20-minute walk or station on a regular basis. Brighouse is a size- bone of other regional schemes. a higher capacity mixed traf- Compare web page. Please send eight-minute cycle ride of one of the proposed fastest London-Leicester travel time to under an able town with huge potential for even more fic railway. We are actually in a The Welsh Government is going Realising that HS2 is about to [email protected] light rail stops. Much of the network would hour. The station will at last be fully accessible people to use the train for work, business and unique position if we continue ahead with a mixed heavy/light capacity and regional distribu- Innovation be less than 10 minutes from the centre, with and have platforms suitable for the longest leisure if only we had a better service. We are to use our resources intelligently. rail development based on elec- tion and economies is hardly a the underground component essential to trains on the MML. Harborough Rail Users asking for a fair deal for our part of the railway.” We have the contacts at branch Another area where we can apply trification of the Welsh Valley detail and all Railfuture branches achieve rapid journey times and to protect the welcomed these plans and the relocation of were there from the start. and national level but we must Go and Compare is innovation. So inner city’s heritage. Going underground also the main car park to the east side of the station, Pontefract loses battle against isolation lines, potentially transforming The Northern Powerhouse, if it is be coordinated and clear on our much of our industry practice is avoids city centre congestion which plagues but have called for access from the west (town) regional travel in South Wales. Pontefract Civic Society is also disappointed to be a powerhouse, needs a very priorities. about “compliance” with stan- the bus punctuality. The light rail network side to be retained for those not arriving by GW electrification presents simi- that the new franchise has not delivered im- careful coordinated approach, Branches and groups day dards resulting in high cost and would connect to rail stations, as well as bus car. Steve Jones, HRU chair and a committee lar opportunities around Bristol provements in its area which remains “isolated” partly on electrification but also Saturday 29 October Birmingham hideous structures, for example and coach services. A light rail network would member of the Railfuture East Midlands, has as does Midland electrification even though the society made several sugges- on HS3 and city distribution with providing access. We want transform travel in Cambridge. also made a presentation to a scrutiny review in South Yorkshire, particularly We aim to get your input into tions of how to improve services in its consulta- including seeing light rail as in to see cost-effective innovative www.railfuture.org.uk/East+Anglia+Cambridge+ panel of the county council that is examining if properly integrated with HS2 our approach on these and tion response. Manchester’s Metrolink as part solutions applied to our railways City+Deal#Cambridge_Connect the scheme. where joined-up thinking is other issues being discussed at of the regional transport system. so they can cater for everybody’s Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton audit MP on alert over Leicester’s high fares Esk Valley line in need of improvement required. We will be seeking your Railfuture branches so that our These are opportunities for us strengthened group structure can needs using best practice. The Meldreth, Shepreth and Foxton community A survey by travel comparison site Gopili The Esk Valley line to Whitby also failed to views on the criteria for support- ing electrification schemes. to campaign, but this time we work on ensuring that Railfuture We are increasingly listened rail partnership is looking at how well these has found Leicester the most expensive achieve many of its improvements in the new intend to be more proactive as is in a strong position to focus to as an organisation but we stations cope with current and future traffic city in Britain to travel from. The Leicester This is one example of where franchise, upsetting the community rail part- ideas soon get set in stone. on the real issues concerning our must use our strengths, particu- (including the arrival of Thameslink in 2018) Mercury then looked at off-peak fares on a investment in rail is being recog- nership which now wants section 106 money Freight members. We have policies and larly through our members and and how more people can be attracted. Saturday and a weekday, and found that not to be used for infrastructure improvements on nised, yet we are far from seeing respond to consultations with a branches, with strong geographic The stations have all recorded increases of only was it much cheaper to travel to London the line to clear the way for extra trains. The an integrated solution and long- Freight is another issue where view to making a difference. We coverage and local contacts. We around 30% over the past five years and 10% from stations at a similar distance on the East partnership is also calling for further investiga- term strategy maximising the few organisations can take a bal- are hoping for maximum input need consistent, relevant and in the past year alone. Combined annual and West Coast main lines, but also at certain tion into the possibility of reopening the nine regional and national economies. anced view. Freight on the rail from our branches. passenger numbers are 467,100. Railfuture times it was cheaper to travel from Nottingham miles of line from Battersby Junction through network is clearly under threat sustainable policies to commu- On HS2, many Railfuture mem- A better railway nicate with stakeholders and East Anglia supports the partnership and the or Derby to London on trains passing through Stokesley to near Yarm on the Middlesbrough- bers, including me, are not sure from a growing passenger net- Go and compare service providers. The time has rail user group covering the same stations. Leicester. The Mercury spoke to Railfuture Northallerton line. we have the most integrated work which needs infrastructure never been better to campaign We helped by carrying out a comprehensive East Midlands chairman Terry Holt, who solution in London. The maxi- to grow in capacity too. Railfuture also campaigns for a Hull station gateway to city of culture for a bigger and a better railway 20-page illustrated audit of the three stations pointed out that the high fares are particularly mum benefits and lowest impact Railfuture hit the spot with the bigger and better railway when identifying a number of areas where significant unreasonable when the Midland main line is Train operator TransPennine Express (run by would have been achieved with Shaw Report consultation and rail franchises are renewed. in Britain. It is also much more improvements could be made, including step- still awaiting modernisation. Leicester South First Group) is to spend £1.4 million upgrading the Euston Cross scheme directly is pleased that Nicola Shaw (for- At those times, we can also raise enjoyable as we share successes. free access to Meldreth, and improvements MP Jon Ashworth is to raise the matter with the Hull Paragon station in time for the 2017 City of connecting to East London, HS1 mer HS1 boss) has recognised the issues such as ticketing and pric- n Ian Brown CBE FCILT is to car and cycle parking, signposting, shelter Government and East Midlands Trains. Culture events. and through the Channel Tunnel. need for a single rail network. ing, information, and where sta- ­Railfuture’s director of policy 4 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railwatch www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ France is to spend £6 billion to extend its TGV network from Bordeaux to Toulouse railwatch July 2016 5 LOCAL ACTION On the track of fare evaders Rail user www.facebook.com/Levenmouth-Rail- newly elected Mayor of London Sadiq Khan Scotland Campagin-432832616900648/ had 10 priorities for London in his manifesto. By William Whiting By Jane Ann Liston Capital Rail Action Group (CRAG) The second priority was to freeze London [email protected] [email protected] www.capitalrail.org.uk/ transport fares for four years. The new mayor With the agreement of London awards Positive manifesto for rail but what reality? Newburgh Train Station campaign is also reported to be determined to tackle the Midland route manager newburghtrainstation.org.uk/ Brenda Lawrence, I was able to The Scottish Parliament elections resulted in pollution problem which is being blamed for Forth Rail Link a death toll of up to 9,400 a year. He told the accompany a revenue protection a third term of office for the Scottish National www.forthraillink.com team on Birmingham’s Snow Party, albeit without an overall majority. It is Evening Standard: “I have been elected with a for 2016 www.facebook.com/forthraillink/ clear mandate to clean up London’s air – our Hill lines. perhaps worth noting what the party manifesto By Roger Blake said regarding rail: biggest environmental challenge.” Over a four-hour period on 24 March, I saw 25 penalty fares [email protected] London and South East He is said to be considering an extension of the “Our investment plan will include £5 billion issued to passengers who failed Fancy a visit from a in rail improvements – including upgrades to By Roger Blake ultra low emission zone. Simon Birkett, founder [email protected] to produce a valid pass or ticket. Railfuture vice president? the /Inverness line and the Highland of Clean Air in London, said: “It is fabulous to Then get thinking about On this occasion, there were no main line and modernisation of the Glasgow Railfuture’s station reopening triumph send a powerful early signal to discourage the your Rail User Group Subway. We will also examine the feasibility of most polluting vehicles from entering the most cases where a passenger failed award nominations now, extending the Borders Railway to Hawick and We were there when it was closed in July polluted parts of the capital.” to produce a railcard, which also and get them in before the incurs a penalty fare. Carlisle... 1985, and we were influential in getting Lea The Railfuture manifesto can be downloaded from 3 September deadline so Bridge station reopened this year. The new “By the end of 2016, we will have electrified www.railfuture.org.uk/London+and+South+East Train operators must comply that our vice-presidents can £11 million station on Abellio Greater Anglia’s the to Glasgow route and with the penalty fares rules be notified and possibly Lea Valley line was officially reopened by Rail redeveloped Queen Street station and created London Riverside developments need rail produced by the Strategic Rail Birmingham New Street: Birmingham International bound train arrange to visit you while on Minister Claire Perry on Monday 16 May. Five the Edinburgh Gateway rail- interchange. Authority in 2002 if they want to their travels. years earlier, transport officers in neighbouring is pressing on with the We will also invest in electrifying the Stirling- operate a penalty fares scheme. said the conductor should have the team, I have a much better Hackney Council discovered that Stratford extension of the Gospel Oak line to Barking RUG Awards for 2016 will Dunblane-Alloa line, the Glasgow-Edinburgh- walked through the train to understanding of the operation City’s Westfield developers had allocated Riverside, with publication of its application There are a number of be given for: Shotts route, complete the redevelopment enable her to purchase a ticket. of the penalty fares scheme. “planning gain” funds to expand their rail for a Transport and Works Act Order and provisions in these rules which 1 Best newsletter. Gold and of Dundee station, support shorter and more It was explained that a train It is clear that the onus is on a catchment northwards, with reopening Lea consultation until mid-May. Railfuture has been relate to the display of warning silver awards frequent journeys between Aberdeen and conductor’s prime responsibility passenger to produce a ticket Bridge station – just a five-minute journey away supporting this at every stage, as a means of notices which must state the Inverness, improve the Highland and Aberdeen is for the punctual departure of or pass. I was told that where 2 Best website. Gold and silver – one possible target. The station is just the enabling development of nearly 11,000 new circumstances when a penalty mainlines and invest in redeveloped station a train, safety of passengers and people fail to carry railcards awards other side of the River Lea from Hackney, which homes, and looks forward to its opening in fare may be charged. hubs at Aberdeen, Inverness, Perth, Stirling and correct alignment of the train at with a discounted ticket, they 3 Best social media promotion is connected to it by three high-frequency bus 2021. The issue of a £20 penalty was in Motherwell... a platform. routes. some cases paid in full and not will be issued a penalty fare. But 4 Best campaign So the exercise itself. We started if within 21 days, a copy of the “We will maintain the rail route to Stranraer, Lord Adonis endorses Thameslink 2 disputed. If a passenger refuses 5 Best Railfuture member maintaining lower fares on the route, conduct Chingford Line Users’ Association saw that to pay the penalty or wishes to at 07.30 and took the train railcard is sent to the appeals The National Infrastructure Commission’s campaigner a feasibility study into extending the Waverley if it affiliated to Railfuture it could apply appeal, the revenue protection to Jewellery Quarter where service, the fare may be waived. March report Review of the case for large scale 6 Best new rail user group route via Hawick to Carlisle and make progress to the Fighting Fund for a grant to hire an officer must issue a written the team checked tickets of It might be an improvement if transport investment in London declared that on improvements to the , independent consultant to report on the case notice and explain the right of passengers leaving and entering staff had access to the railcard 7 Judges’ special award for the station to be reopened. Jonathan “there is currency in the view that there is the station. Despite having a database so they could verify if including examining the case for a station at appeal within 21 days. The closing date for Reston in Berwickshire. We will also examine Roberts Consulting duly established the case a case for a third scheme and one large number of passengers, the people had valid cards. Identification is obtained and submissions is 23.59 on the case for an extension of the Stirling-Alloa for the station, and for a third Lea Valley line version of this would be to extend the existing ticket office was closed. I was It is the responsibility of a train track running north through Tottenham Hale, Lea Valley line southwards from its end-point I understand that access to told it is permanently closed Saturday 3 September rail line to Dunfermline by upgrading the conductor to check tickets 2016. As usual we plan the existing Longannet freight line.” also just five minutes away, which would enable at Stratford to the Isle of Dogs and then council records verifying the which was a surprise to me. The identity of a person is obtainable where possible between stations judging panel to be made up the service frequency each way to double southwards across the Thames to connect with station has only a card payment if it does not distract from safety Despite the apparently pro-rail talk from all from an application on the of Railfuture vice-presidents. to four trains an hour. Railfuture provided the network, possibly connecting machine. and timekeeping duties. The parties, we have the absurd situation whereby London Midland database. a substantial grant to pay for the Jonathan with the Brighton main line and providing However one member of the conductor can issue tickets but The 2016 RUG Awards will local councils are prohibited from even congestion relief to it.” That is a north-to-south be presented at our autumn medium-term safeguarding of former railway Roberts Consulting report. This is the same process as revenue protection team had not penalty fares. view of the London end of our Thameslink 2 a penalty charge notice or a conference in Birmingham routes in local plans. a hand-held ticket issuing The enforcement of the penalty CLUA’s close links with Waltham Forest Council proposition, and we are most grateful for the contravention of a parking on Saturday 12 November. also helped convince their officers and machine which could accept fares scheme at Birmingham This means that Glasgow City Council is official recognition! See www.railfuture.org.uk/ restriction or prohibition issued You can book now to members that the project was both desirable cash payments. This was only New Street is virtually non- forbidden by the Scottish Government from Thameslink+2 by a local authority which is attend the conference at and viable, and the council then sought and for the hour or so we were on existent. Virgin Trains staff protecting the St John’s Link route for Glasgow now civil enforcement. the concourse. www.railfuture.org.uk/ Crossrail from development. There are already secured Department for Transport new stations Call for eastern extension of operate the barriers but cannot conferences. examples of where such short-sightedness funding to support it, as well as contributing The appeal system is handled One passenger, a 15-year-old, issue a penalty fare. separately and the revenue A members’ early bird has made potential reopenings, such as the itself. The council is confident the station will East London local authorities and Essex said he boarded the train at Rule 2f defines an “authorised act as a catalyst for the surrounding area’s have published a promotional brochure protection team has no further Acocks Green without a ticket discounted fee of £25 Musselburgh-Niddrie West line proposed by collector” as a person who is (includes Welcome Network Rail, well-nigh impossible, because regeneration. CLUA’s Roger Gillham said he advocating an eastern phase for Crossrail involvement once the notice is as he said the ticket office was authorised to collect fares on had been fired up by a 1998 Railfuture leaflet 2 to serve the growth of what used to be issued. closed. He attempted to provide refreshments and buffet bridges have been removed and houses built behalf of a train operator. lunch) applies until to believe the station could be reopened. Now called the Thames Gateway, now the London Train managers are not evidence on his mobile phone on the alignment. There are certain stations Wednesday 31 August. CLUA is campaigning for the reopening of the Riverside Opportunity Area. Lord Adonis’s “authorised collectors” in with a photo which showed the In the meantime, the Beattock Station Action National Infrastructure Commission report in ticket office closed but the date where fare evasion is more Rail user groups that Group has been carrying out a pre-STAG which would allow trains from accordance with the rules and March Transport for a World City advocated and time of the photo were not prevalent. Jewellery Quarter send representatives to (Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance, not Stratford to travel to Chingford via the new Lea cannot issue penalties. investigating the case for this East London the date of travel. He was not and Longbridge were said Birmingham will be well Stop These Action Groups!) evaluation. The Bridge station and Walthamstow. Riverside Route in more detail and so does In all cases where a notice issued a penalty fare but will be to be places where revenue placed to collect their RUG StARLink (St Andrews Rail Link) campaign Mayoral election set to bring big changes Railfuture. See map below. was given, the staff member prosecuted for fraudulent travel. protection teams concentrate Award – if selected. has had encouraging meetings with the chief explained the system in full and their resources. Before the London elections on 5 May, Railfuture London and South East’s quarterly London Midland staff checked A framed certificate will executive of Fife Chamber of Commerce and gave advice as to how to avoid that the ticket office was in fact I am told that in Vienna, fares Railfuture published a Rail Manifesto for London newsletter railse can be found at www.railfuture. be signed by Railfuture’s the head teacher of St Leonard’s School, and is being charged a penalty fare in open that morning. are so cheap there is practically now looking forward to discussing with North which we sent to mayoral candidates. The org.uk/London+and+South+East+branch+news president and chairman and future. I felt the attitude of staff no fare evasion. I believe British East Fife’s new MSP how best to advance the We then travelled back to Snow the ceremonial occasion can was excellent and calm. operators though need to do campaign. CROSSRAIL 2 POSSIBLE EASTERN EXTENSION Hill where there were spot be photographed for local West Horndon Basildon It seems that no one category more to ensure fares are paid. To North East London checks of tickets as passengers publicity purposes. nRail Contacts & Lea Valley Upminster Laindon of passenger avoids paying a reached the top of the stairs. I am very grateful to Brenda Award winners also have Hackney Stratford fare. In the majority of cases, Lawrence for organising this. Rail Action Group, East of Scotland (RAGES) Central International Barking Finally I accompanied the team their Railfuture membership Dalston passengers said they had rushed Seeing something operating in www.rages.org.uk/ Euston/ Hackney on a Stourbridge-bound train extended by a year as a St Pancras East Ham Beam Park to catch the train and did not Beattock Station Action Group (BSAG) Wick Ockendon where a number of penalty fares practice has given me a much Angel have time to purchase a ticket. bonus. www.beattockstationactiongroup.org.uk/ Dagenham Rainham better understanding of the Tottenham Court Road Dock were issued. At Stourbridge Full details in Rail User St Andrews Rail Link (StARLink) campaign They were told they should at Junction, spot checks were scheme. Victoria Express at www.railfuture. www.starlink-campaign.org.uk/ Cha ord Hundred the first opportunity find the made on the platforms. After a Pureet Team members were very org.uk/Rail+User+Express www.facebook.com/StARLinkCampaign To South conductor on the train and West London Grays 10-minute gap, we boarded a friendly and open with me and Planned Route and on the dedicated website twitter.com/starlinkrail #StARLinkRail purchase a ticket. Stratford-bound train when a Eastern phase on existing track I hope my day has strengthened page www.railfuture.org.uk/ LevenMouth Rail Campaign Eastern phase on new track The onus is on the passenger to full check of tickets was made our relationship with London RUG+Awards www.lmrc-action.org.uk/ do so even though one woman on the train. After my time with Midland. 6 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ You can join the Railfuture lottery at www.railfuture.org.uk/lottery railwatch July 2016 7 Your letters the circuitous nature of the power station become general, old Bedford-Cambridge line electric trains will be priced out Flowers are brightening up Scotland’s rail stations which is proposed as the basis of the market. Their energy cost Railfuture director Allison Cosgrove has been impressed by for the alternative route, this will be about three times that of the flowers at many Scottish rail stations. She said: “Back in more southerly route would diesels. November on a freezing cold, dark day, I spotted a volunteer be roughly the same overall I don’t think the government has from the local Rotary Club working in the small garden at distance, but with much greater joined up the dots on this yet. Glasgow Exhibition Centre Station. I was delighted to return overall benefits, while requiring When it does, it will drop railway there recently and see the beautiful result of his labours, right. considerably less new-built line. electrification like a hot potato. Well done to that volunteer who brightened up a bleak corner!” Services could still be run One solution would be for from Bedford to both Oxford & Network Rail to generate its own Cambridge, but half or more of electricity, instead of buying it the Oxford-Cambridge services from a massively over-priced Pictures: ALLISON COSGROVE would presumably bypass public supply. The generators Bedford. would probably be powered Surely the Milton Keynes-Luton by diesels or gas turbines. link alone makes this a price This would not please the “low worth paying? carbon” lobby but what is the Beautiful tulips in tubs and wall planters at Kirkcaldy station East West options 100 metres above sea level from alternative? a starting point of just over 80 Railfuture should also make more mention of the pollution Rex Hora, Erleigh Court Gardens, John Davis rightly dismisses a metres at Ridgmont. Earley, Reading RG6 1EJ hazards of diesel, which is route for south of [email protected] It would run for just over four implicated in thousands of Stevenage, but then in Railwatch miles in a roughly east-south- 147 commends the old Midland premature deaths in the UK east direction from Ridgmont each year. route from Bedford to to join the main line just north Diesel standbys “on mainly existing trackbed”. Michael Rothwell of Flitwick (elevation about 70 [email protected] I was interested to read, under However, this alignment has metres). Local Action East Anglia in been totally compromised Railwatch 147, about nearly through Shefford, and would The first mile would climb at Words that annoy less than 1 in 50, then it would half of Greater Anglia’s diesel also require a tunnel under the I may be old-fashioned, but I multiple unit fleet being out of Greensand Ridge. descend at about 1 in 100 to meet the main line, so very too dislike “train station”, and I action. Lobster pots and a tiny lighthouse at Dunbar’s seaside station Daffodils at Newcraighall station, planted by Portobello Rotary A route north of Sandy to serve little need for embankments or am not too happy about always This reminds me of a visit to Cambourne would entail a new, cuttings, and only one major being called a “customer” rather Norwich last October where I out-of-town interchange station road would have to be crossed. than a “passenger”. However, was surprised to see a Yarmouth with the East Coast main line, even worse is the current use train that was not the usual unit yet others have their porticos would need to be slewed on would be a cheaper alternative not only be good for Plymouth at least 14 miles of new track, Benefits would be direct Milton of “service” as a synonym for boarded up and are dark and to the alignment of the current from trying to do the impossible traffic but also (with a reversal) Keynes/ but a three-coach train topped and a convoluted approach into “train”. I once heard a station and tailed by a class 37 diesel grim. sidings before joining the up at Basingstoke Station. it would be very beneficial for Cambridge. (and subsequently Oxford) rail announcer at Paddington say Portsmouth line via the existing Martin James, Egham, Surrey travellers to and from Cornwall. link to Luton and Luton Airport loco. A few questions revealed Railfuture looks foolish The Railfuture Route Options “First class accommodation is at crossover just before the station. [email protected] Edwyn Gilmour, Coopers Hill, Parkway, potential Thameslink that this was far from unusual. campaigning for railway paper rules out the use of the rear of the service”. expansion if that means more of The engineering for the flyover Marden Ash, Ongar services between south London I remember the situation on Essex CMS 9EE existing main lines, other than Martin Smith, Bath Street, the same deficient service. would be a challenge but not Exeter rail bypass and Milton Keynes, potential Abingdon OX14 1EA summer weekends a few years impossible. [email protected] for “the last few miles”, on ago when if you were travelling Railfuture has an important capacity grounds. But this will as diversionary West Coast [email protected] After reading the promising on London Midland it was a role in bringing all rail services At Basingstoke station, a flyover never apply to the four-track main line route, potential for report in Railwatch 146 Women in key posts lottery whether your train turned up to 21st century standards, is totally impractical, but there is section through Biggleswade, major park and ride station at about improved rail services Back at the depot up because of staff shortages. particularly as the root causes already a flyover three miles to It has been interesting to read as the number of ECML paths Ridgmont (by M1 junction 13), to Plymouth and Cornwall, relatively low cost due to short For the life of me I can’t see of many of the problems are the south, just beyond Worting it is disappointing to read the recent correspondence is constrained by the twin-track Surely when a business bids Junction at Battledown. distance and favourable terrain, what the fuss is all about. In for a franchise it has to be sure national issues. in Railwatch 147 that the in Railwatch regarding how through Welwyn, less those on few women attend Railfuture and little negative environmental the first place I am not at all that it has the resources (both During the day, platform 4 at Government is now pulling back the Cambridge branch. So when we campaign for meetings. impact. sure this is an Americanism, not in equipment and people) to new stations and lines, getting Basingstoke station has only on the proposals. Using the ECML all the way three up passenger trains per Crucially, it would also be necessarily a bad thing anyhow. meet its demands (short of force the physical railway is not I was a frequent user of the We should, however, not down to the Hitchin flyover hour, plus some up freight trains. the first stage in the link from On my visits across the Atlantic, majeure of course). Or does enough. We must emphasise former Southern Railway route forget that there is and has would entail only a new chord. Surely platform 4 could be used Bletchley to Cambridge: stations have variously been the quango overseeing this not new standards of performance, to Plymouth in the 1950s when in recent years been a not However, there is a fairly level more fully in its bi-directional inconsiderable number of described as depots, railroad care? maintenance, comfort, I was working in London and and direct route from south Another new line leaving the mode with down CrossCountry women with significant roles in stations, etc. Might it not be Peter Fleming, Lovers Walk, information, and customer-focus. my father was station master at of Biggleswade to just east of main line less than two miles that train station has become Dunstable LU5 4BG services calling there as well. the management of the UK rail Ashwell and Morden, which south of Flitwick (slightly to John Henderson, Caxton End, Plymouth Friary and Devonport common use here to distinguish [email protected] Eltisley, St Neots PE19 6TJ These would then join a new line industry. would shorten the route by about the north of Westoning at 80 Kings Road. it from bus station – which, [email protected] (third down line) to the north of seven miles and take the freight metres elevation) could run ESE Furthermore, readers might like incidentally I have never seen the existing four lines, the new Over the years I have continued to note that both the chair and out of and Baldock. descending for just over a mile Service needed referred to as a roadway station. three-mile line being installed as to follow the changing fortunes secretary of the well-respected to 70 metres elevation, and then Withered arm Biggleswade and Royston would A station which serves trains is Most of Railfuture’s campaigns far as the farm bridge at Worting of the former Okehampton Rugby Rail Users’ Group are run roughly due east passing serve as interchange stations, surely a train station. QED. are for new lines, stations Being a new subscriber to Junction. route to Plymouth and I have women. I am sure that there boosting their profile, and the just to the north of Barton-le- and freight facilities. But the Railwatch, I went online to read been encouraged to read that Michael Baker Down trains from this new must be many examples of route would also allow for a Clay and Pirton (all over more [email protected] campaigns will be futile unless some past editions looking reinstating the line from Meldon line could then cross over similarly effective female Hitchin-Bedford service, either or less flat terrain at about 70 the train services provided particularly for my area of to Bere Alston was a strong involvement elsewhere. permanently or as part of a metres elevation) to join the East are reliable, comfortable and interest, the Waterloo-Exeter Battledown Flyover and rejoin possibility. Electric warning Perhaps we might reflect upon disruption plan. Coast main line just north of convenient. Central line and beyond on the down line to Winchester via Mention in Railwatch 146 of calls the thought that female interest Roger Smith, High Street, Hitchin to meet the existing line James Knight’s letter in to the “withered arm”. I found a new trailing crossover. This Passengers have reasonable for a two-hour 15-minute service is perhaps less likely to be based Meppershall, Shefford, to Cambridge. Railwatch 147 looks forward to an item discussing the need expectations, trains on time, a from London to Plymouth on a primal, male ‘trainspotting’ Bedfordshire SG17 5LX This section would be just over an “all-electric railway”. clean seat, a place for luggage, for flyovers at Woking and [email protected] Send your prompts me to suggest that if the instinct and more likely to focus 10 miles long, so the Oxford- I expect railway electrification heating, toilets and protection Basingstoke stations. Tavistock route was reopened principally on service quality and Cambridge link would be will come to a grinding halt from the weather at stations. A flyover at Woking is possible ­letters to: then it would make sense to improvement. East West via Luton The Editors, 4 Christchurch established with a total of about after the 2020 General The reality is often very different. rising on the up Portsmouth insert a short cut-off chord at Tim Hosker, Rugby CV22 6EL 15 miles of new line. Election, whichever party wins. Square, London E9 7HU Unlike a link from Lidlington, a On some branch lines and some line to cross the down slow Email: [email protected] Cowley Bridge Junction and thus [email protected] new link from Ridgmont to the By contrast, the route via Paradoxically, it will become a secondary routes there may and up/down fast lines before by cutting out Exeter completely, victim of “low carbon” policies. Railwatch also welcomes Midland main line would not Bedford would require at least be no trains for a day or even descending to line up with ­articles and pictures a journey time for some trains of More letters: platform 1 at Woking. The up less than two hours to Plymouth need any tunnel since it would 25 miles of new line between If the funding arrangements for a week. Some stations are Please use email if possible Pages 13, 18 and 19 reach a maximum elevation of Bedford and Cambridge. Given the proposed Hinkley C nuclear glowing architectural examples, slow line from Basingstoke would be feasible. That would 8 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railwatch www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Opinions do not necessarily reflect Railfuture policies. Letters may be edited railwatch July 2016 9 10 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk mal day trains.Often, theonly space, evenmore sothanon nor A majorproblem is luggage needs oftoday’s passengers. moreand taking accountofthe concept box” the outside “thinking some entire should be studiedfurtherwith the Perhaps end ofthe19thcentury. vehicles were introduced at the since thepioneer changed little couchette andsleeping-carshas The design and layout ofboth bunks. movable partitionbetweenthe traditional layoutbuthavinga vacy forpassengers,usingthe car giving morea couchette pri- Interestingly, OBBhasdesigned example. operators mayfollowtheir some of DB’s services and other showing interest in takingover Austrian Railways(OBB)are part ofawidersocialinterest. prepared tosubsidiseservicesas ments and operators who are are toleratedbysomegovern- view- different a Perhaps costs point. financial the be to seems ern countries for instance, there In otherareas ofEurope, ineast- it withnew. ing oldrolling-stock orreplacing costs, and the cost of refurbish- operational and maintenance The main problems seem to be ing SNCFsleepertrains. to axe all but three of the remain- This yearFrench Railwaysplan campaign toretain them. erful andwidespread petition severed lastyear, despiteapow- Scandinavian linkswere partly had afuture. of train this type whether about decision doubts were growing Even before DeutscheBahn’s beds! trains which provide seatsonly. No Express InterCity speed It isreplacing themwithhigh- December thisyear. by sleeper trains(CityNightLine) withdraw all classic overnight last yearthatitintendedto German Railwaysannounced A future for night trains right) provides64berths,comparedtothe Europe. Oneprovisionaldesign(shownbottom deck vehicleswhicharenowcommonin change toalongitudinaldesign,usingdouble- alignment ofbedsacrossthevehicleand Train designerscouldabandontheexisting over thecomingyears. make travellingovernightmuchmoreattractive of acouchettecoachcouldbeimprovedto With somelong-termthinking,thebasicdesign some drawbacks. sleeper trainbuteventheyrecognisethereare Many Railfuturememberslovetravellingby [email protected] By SimonHope - final destination. from main stationsathometo (with goodthrough ticketing), n Easyconnectionstodaytrains arrival times(07.30-09.30). ture (19.00-21.00)andmorning n Convenienteveningdepar number. nation: ECNfollowed by atrain n Newtrainbrandinganddesig- rail andtravelagents. which is also made available to stand information on the internet at mainstations,easytounder posters and leaflets of provision publicity campaigns, and regular n Consistentmarketingand Other crucialpoints: train reservation. discounts for peoplewithanight lowed, withspecialdealsand The airlineexamplecouldbefol- rail-based tours. on except accommodation, from usually beenarrangedseparately Traditionally, railtransporthas issue. tels, infuture discussions on the tourist industry, hotelsandhos- organisations, includingthe helpful toincludenon-railbased For thistosucceeditwouldbe distance transport. question ofinternationallong- train withinthebroadernight sess the role ofthetraditional reas- to time the is now Perhaps rack inasix-berthcouchette. up toanoverheadhas toheaveit or one is onanunoccupiedbunk, place foralarge suitcaseorbag Nice/Paris-Moscow Munich-Zagreb Munich-Villach-Venice Munich-Milan/Rome Munich-Budapest Malmo-Berlin Madrid-Lisbon Irun-Lisbon Dusseldorf-Vienna Budapest-Bucharest Budapest-Belgrade-Sofia Berlin-Budapest/Vienna Amsterdam-Munich/Zurich PRINCIPAL INTERNATIONAL NIGHT INEARLYTRAINS 2016 arrive intimeforaleisurelybreakfast. allows peopletosleepcomfortablyandstill to catchanearlymorningflight. A sleepertrain by airandtheysacrificemostofanight’s sleep are preparedtogiveupanight’s sleeptotravel range ofEuropeandestinations.Manypeople coaches togetpeoplefromLondonawide taking ifarailcompanyusedtraveller-friendly A majorbusinessadvantageisthereforthe generally moreuser-friendlyenvironment. close toeachindividualbedandcreatea conditions, allowmoreluggagestoragespace and woulddoawaywiththecurrentcramped 40-60 berthsinanexistingcouchettecoach - - Europe. for rail inBritainand the rest of should betohelpboostthecase trains, buttheultimateaim financial case needs to be made for night and economic new A ernments ? from therailindustryandgov- expect a new trans-European message soon passengers Could reach yourdestination. new place,withthewholedayto ing upintheearlymorninga cannot provide inEurope, wak- providing aservicetheairlines ing bettervalue for money, and giv- affordable, and comfortable moreIt couldbe convenient, mentally damagingairlines. and forsakethemore environ- the first choice of transport mode environmentally friendlyrailas could beencouragedtochoose of concept new overnight travelmore people a With dren. and familieswithyoungchil- more), especiallyfor theelderly hours or or bus(eight tance train able night’ssleeponalong-dis- practical solution for a comfort- seats-only nighttrainsisnota replacing sleepertrainswith n Current DBproposals for tional andhighspeedtrack. trains, runningconven- onboth fast day(EuroCity)and night emphasis on the importance of networks there should be equal speed high national expanding n Despitethevitalrole of the transiting twocountriesormore. in character,international being n A clearertrains focusonnight Romania andother countries.Romania operate inItaly, Spain,Poland, map (right) but other sleeper trains n Zurich-Zagreb Zurich-Budapest Zurich-Berlin/Hamburg/Prague Vienna Warsaw-Budapest/Prague/ Vienna-Venice Vienna-Moscow/St Petersburg Vienna-Milan/Rome Prague-Budapest Paris-Venice Principal routes are shown on HENDAYE/ MADRID LISBON & IRUN PRINCIPAL INTERNATIONAL SLEEPER TRAINS A BETTER DESIGNOFSLEEPER ABETTER TRAIN Luggage Space Bunk (2berths) Rennes TARBES Barcelona DE CAROL LAT Bordeaux Nantes OUR Tours Toulouse Le Mans Sleeper trains to beaxed by Dec2016 internationalPrincipal sleepers surviving INNER CORRIDOR Brive Limoges OUTER CORRIDOR London RODEZ Staircase Toilet PARIS PORTBOU CERBERE/ DB SNCF EuropeanOther operators SNCF Calais Avignon Rouen ◆◆◆◆ A 23-mile rail lineopened in April from Denver Union station to the Colorado city’s airport Valence Marseille Dover Lyon Lille Dijon CORRIDOR Rotterdam Grenoble Brussels BRIANCON LUXEMBOURG Conductor’s compartment andtables Seats Geneva STRASBOURG Metz NICE VENICE Nancy MAURICE BOURG ST Turin Basel Capital Sleeper train terminus UK connections mainlines Other AMSTERDAM Mannheim Genoa Bern Frankfurt (Main) COLOGNE DUSSELDORF Pisa MILAN ZURICH Dortmund Bologna Innsbruck Wurzburg Stuttgart MUNICH HAMBURG Florence Verona Hanover Partition orcurtain (sliding) Door Leipzig Naples COPENHAGEN ROME Nuremberg VENICE Rostock Villach Ancona BERLIN Salzburg Ljubljana Bari CORRIDOR Linz PRAGUE Dresden MALMO Sassnitz VIENNA Graz ZAGREB Szczecin Brno INNER CORRIDOR Poznan OUTER CORRIDOR Breclav Window Katowice Sarajevo Wroclaw Gdansk Bratislava Ostrava Lodz BUDAPEST LOWER DECK UPPER DECK railwatch July2016 11 KRAKOW Kaliningrad BELGRADE Nis WARSAW Skopje Lublin BUCHAREST MOSCOW SOFIA

Map and graphic by SIMON HOPE and ELLIE KING LOCAL ACTION Your letters extra Overnight parking banned at station opportunities afforded by modest expansion. Severnside Pressure on parking space at Cam & At the AGM, Bruce Duncan was elected as the By Nigel Bray [email protected] Dursley station appears to have induced new chairman of Railfuture Wessex. Bruce Gloucestershire County Council, which owns has been busy establishing a rail user group New hope for mothballed Frome-Radstock the car park, to erect notices in March stating for the Salisbury-Exeter line. Endorsement of A model railway and driving cab simulator was that overnight parking was not permitted. The his achievement came in March when SWT displayed at Railfuture Severnside’s January needs of rail users who could not return the announced it intended to form a community meeting in Frome which was held jointly same day were ignored. Railfuture Severnside is rail partnership for the six stations from Tisbury with North Somerset Railway to promote the pursuing the case with the council. to Crewkerne, to be known as the Blackmoor HS2 and Crewe campaign to reopen the Frome-Radstock line. Vale Line CRP. I am Railfuture Wessex’s new NSR is now negotiating with Norton Radstock secretary and spurred on by Bruce’s success, Michael Bell in his letter to Regeneration to safeguard the mothballed line. West Midlands I am sounding out local rail users about a Railwatch 147 asks what guided Picture: STEVEN ROBERTSON support group for the South Dorset line HS2 Ltd in the decision to route More backing needed for rail freight Volunteers count Hereford line passengers between Poole and Weymouth. We want to HS2 via a new station just Railfuture Severnside’s AGM at Bristol in April A Railfuture team of volunteers counted ensure that a fair slice of SWT’s new community outside Crewe. The answer is heard an authoritative talk by Bernard Kennedy, passengers on the Hereford to Birmingham rail fund is earmarked for stations in Dorset. most probably the cost as HS2 secretary of ASLEF Bristol branch and a driver New Street line in April with the aim of Ltd is spending much more than with CrossCountry Trains and previously with providing facts to justify improving capacity in Swanage railway’s network link delayed planned on both the tunnelling DB Cargo. He made a number of comparisons the new West Midlands franchise. Our members under the Chilterns and the between the British network and European earlier reported overcrowding. West Midlands rebuilding of Euston. railways, calling for more capacity and more Rail, a company set up by local authorities to Certainly no commercially joined-up thinking to develop rail freight. improve passenger services, will be working driven private company would Giving examples of distribution centres with the Department for Transport to manage accept these high costs without and warehouses built at Avonmouth and the franchise which starts in June next year. very serious examination of Bridgwater without rail connections, he said Govia, MTR and Abellio are on the shortlist of the alternative M1 route and that in Germany such premises would be rail- bidders. a through Euston Cross type connected by law. He agreed that high start-up station with the added potential costs for private sidings deterred investment Mobile phone tickets tested at 200 stations benefits of links to HS1 and and said it needed to be easier to get grants to More than 200 stations in the West Midlands are connection with Thameslink. fund them. involved in an experiment, using mobile phone M WRIGHT ANDREW P Picture: barcoded tickets. The Rail Delivery Group is also While there can be many options Progress on Portishead line reopening working on a system which allows passengers to for the route of HS2, the location buy tickets online and use credit or debit cards of a parkway station two miles Reopening of the Portishead line took a It is disappointing that recent setbacks have to open barriers. Railfuture welcomes ticketing south of Crewe, without Stoke SCOTSMAN: Despite a Network Rail ‘ban’ Flying Scotsman took a special train over the significant step forward in April with North delayed the launch of the Swanage Railway’s improvements but believes the printed ticket also being served by HS2 trains reopened Borders Railway and the on Sunday 15 May as well as traversing the Somerset Council’s decision to buy the land regular service between Swanage and needed for stations at Portishead and Pill. remains essential for many passengers. from London and Birmingham, Royal Border Bridge, above, at Berwick-upon-Tweed the day before en route to Edinburgh Wareham until the summer of 2017 but the could do more harm to the The North Somerset Times for 20 April quoted railway’s huge achievement in preparing track, economy of Stoke-on-Trent consuming change of train at council leader Nigel Ashton as expecting Shrewsbury-Chester double track needed signalling and heritage diesel units for the start scheme which the article rightly Greater Anglia diesel fleet and The Shrewsbury to Chester Rail Users Association than is likely to be gained by building work to start in 2017. The article said of service is an inspiration. On 20 April, SWT ran Crewe. Linking Nottingham, describes as highly damaging? their consequent withdrawal the council expects the line to be operational wants to see Wrexham-Chester fully redoubled, a investment around the new Derby, Stoke and Liverpool by A new station at Thurrock could for repairs led to a spate of new Wrexham North Parkway interchange station, a “stakeholders’ special” over the four miles of station. For the Stoke economy by late 2019. The council and Network Rail upgraded track between Wareham and Norden. fast trains would greatly improve act as an interchange between seemingly random cancellations already own 95% of the land required for the and Baschurch station reopened. It is worried by to maintain its status quo from connectivity between the East HS1, the Essex Thameside affecting services on the Mid reports of cross-border lines switching franchises The picture of a class 158 unit (above) illustrates HS2, additional trains would project. In the Bristol Post for 22 April, Councillor how the Swanage Railway has expanded from a Midlands and the North West. line, and a vastly improved Anglia, East Suffolk, Breckland, David Pasley, North Somerset executive when a new Wales and Borders franchise is have to serve Stoke instead of Graham Nalty, Colwell Drive, bus service on the existing Felixstowe and Sudbury lines. awarded in 2018. tourist steam railway into the newest extension Crewe. What is more, there is member for asset management, described of Britain’s rail network. Boulton Moor, Derby DE24 5AA Dartford Crossing. Add other As the situation deteriorated two portions of land as “the final pieces of little real evidence to support the [email protected] interchanges on the M25 Abellio Greater Anglia took the jigsaw.” This is welcome news because the New station but trains are in short supply choice of Crewe other than the corridor between Stansted and the decision to withdraw Despite the opening of the new £3.4 million Timetable changes welcomed suggestion that it is a strategic protracted GRIP procedures for the MetroWest Railfuture Wessex responded to the May Councils’ dilemma Gatwick, a new strategic freight services altogether on the scheme have resulted in little evidence of Coventry Arena station in January, the diesel train point in the rail network. route from the Channel Tunnel Felixstowe and Sudbury lines service which serves the station can carry only 75 timetable proposals from SWT by broadly physical work to date. While historically Crewe met Congratulations on a really to the East Coast Main Line and from 11 November, extending people and runs only every hour. Train operator supporting the additional services for the West interesting Railwatch 147 of England. An extra morning train from Yeovil the needs of an expanding rail a waterbus for local Thames to the Yarmouth and Ipswich- Circular bus link improves Yatton station London Midland said there was a shortage of and in particular on the article diesel trains but ran two special charter trains on Pen Mill to Waterloo via Yeovil Junction was industry around 150 years ago, crossings to make up a strategy Peterborough services on 19 Financial support from North Somerset Council there is no direct evidence to Unrepentant road lobby back that would surely cater for a high November. This episode begs match days. The special trains were reportedly helpful but we felt more work was needed to in driving seat. Local councils has reinstated a bus link between Clevedon abandoned because of high costs suggest it is the best choice proportion of journeys currently some awkward questions . achieve a regular, all-day service between the cannot use profits from parking (population 21,000 in 2011) and Yatton station. Railfuture West Midlands contact: for the 21st century. Not only is made by car or lorry. about who takes the risk in the two Yeovil stations. The trial of direct trains for their general funds but they Railfuture’s response to the recent West of [email protected] between Salisbury and Weymouth on summer Stoke closer to the intersection Simon Norton, Hertford franchised railway. Is it time to can – and some do – use them Street,Cambridge CB4 3AG England Joint Transport Study Consultation Saturdays would no doubt prove popular and of lines drawn on a map separate train buying from the to support public transport. It is [email protected] contrasted the lack of onward bus connections we hoped it would strengthen the case for between Derby and Liverpool awarding of franchises? symptomatic of the dominance at Yatton with excellent interchanges at Bath Wessex improved infrastructure, including a new south and between Birmingham and Why cannot rolling stock Spa and Bristol Parkway. The new bus service By Tony Smale [email protected] chord at Yeovil Junction. Manchester, but with investment of the car lobby that so many Felixstowe cut off companies operate like your replaces one withdrawn in 2015. in a new faster and more direct have opted instead to subject local garage which holds enough people without cars to virtual Floods and storms at Soar-away growth at South West Trains Isle of Wight rail future still uncertain line between Stoke and Crewe, Workington (2009) and Dawlish spare vehicles to lend you one MP backs bid for Wellington improvements South West Trains head of pricing and strategy The Garnett Report on the future of the railway serves all the routes that Crewe house imprisonment by while yours is in for service? withdrawing bus subsidies. (2014) were a dramatic reminder Reopening of Wellington station was the Chris Loder was guest speaker at the Railfuture on the Isle of Wight continues to provoke serves with the sole exception of of the disruptive effect that Why cannot franchise awards subject of a public meeting attended by 140 Wessex AGM in Winchester. As might be debate. Meanwhile, Railfuture Wessex remains Shrewsbury-Manchester. Stoke New Labour also brought the elements can have on specify sufficient rolling stock to people at Wellington School on 6 April. It was expected, Chris pointed to the impressive concerned about the continuing failure to also has the advantage of linking in legislation – unused and rail services. The elements cover for foreseeable events? organised by Rebecca Pow, MP for Taunton growth in passenger numbers and revenues check tickets and collect fares on Island Line. Macclesfield with London which apparently forgotten except that caused the suspension Will the Department for Deane, who said there was a Government since privatisation. This upward trend, being cannot be achieved via Crewe. by Nottingham City Council of services on the Felixstowe Transport ensure the next funding pot of £20 million for feasibility studies met in part by longer trains and more frequent Railfuture input to South West franchise The proposed Crewe HS2 – allowing workplace parking branch for nearly a fortnight in Anglia franchise is adequately for new stations. She said at least £240,000 services, shows no sign of abating. He believes Earlier in the year, our former chairman, David parkway is more likely to add levies, which in Nottingham November 2015 were mostly resourced, or will it be awarded was required for a GRIP study but Taunton this soar-away growth should be the basis for Brace, put together Railfuture’s response to the to journey times within the have been used partly to extend man-made, with the weather to the lowest bidder? When Deane Borough Council had already pledged much greater investment in infrastructure. South West franchise consultation. David has North West rather than reduce their tram network and also to playing a relatively benign role. will the “paused” electrification £40,000. Some concerns were expressed Government funding for transport to support since been involved in discussions between them. Granted that the Northern subsidise buses. The levies The trigger was a mild and late programme reach the Felixstowe about the siting of a new station at Wellington business and housing developments is Railfuture and the two shortlisted bid teams, Powerhouse is very much about could be used anywhere where autumn giving rise to a delayed, and mid Anglia lines under the because the original site is compromised by increasingly being channelled through Stagecoach and First Group. After the meeting shorter journey times between the local authority is having and more concentrated, leaf- ‘Felixstowe to Nuneaton’ (F2N) industrial development. A joint working party planning authorities and Local Enterprise with First’s team, David remarked that they had city centres, extending the difficulty finding the money fall season. Despite the regular upgrade? As things are, the risk of local authorities in Devon and Somerset Partnerships. Without a strategic authority to clearly read and seemed genuinely impressed Northern Powerhouse benefits from its own resources. How presence of rail head treatment is simply passed on to the long- is developing a case for an extension of the argue the case for rail, Chris finds himself much by Railfuture’s consultation document. The new south should mean faster about using the railways’ own trains around the Anglia network, suffering passenger. proposed Devon Metro network to serve in demand at planning meetings to explain the franchise will start in June next year. journey times between Stoke Lower Thames Crossing, on the poor rail conditions resulted Phil Smart www.railfuture.org.uk/Wessex+Branch Wellington and Cullompton stations. current limitations of the rail network and the and Liverpool, without the time HS1, as an alternative to a road in wheel damage to the Abellio [email protected] 12 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railwatch www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Join Railfuture online at www.railfuture.org.uk/join railwatch July 2016 13 LOCAL ACTION When is it right to support road building? develop the scheme” but no attempt has been been very supportive of rail transport, and By Malcom Bulpitt North East made to keep the rail user group in the picture. employed a rail transport officer. The district Editor Swiss Express GOTTHARD BASE TUNNEL OPENS TO AID BIG SWITCH FROM ROAD TO RAIL At the post-franchise award presentation in councils have neither the interest nor expertise By Peter Kenyon Newcastle, the operator’s approach to this to deal with transport matters, and would be [email protected] [email protected] reopening was more reactive than pro-active. too small to develop a county-wide transport Although not a member of Rail- Future AB&T trains cannot run unless access to future, as an interested observer Tyne and Wear Metro sacks operator strategy. The Vale of White Horse Council has the three-mile section of main line from Benton whose transport involvement Work on the Metro infrastructure proceeds been dismissive of plans for a new Grove- Junction to Newcastle is guaranteed. The South is with the Swiss transport sys- along with the refurbishment of Newcastle’s Wantage station. In Berkshire, which is split East Northumberland Rail User Group has tem, I enjoy reading Railwatch subterranean Central station, with closure into six small unitary authorities, there is no drawn attention to the danger that future open one able to develop a rail strategy, apart from and admire the efforts of the after 20.00 until the start of service at 05.00 organisation. However, I would access Edinburgh-London services could crowd Picture: ALP TRANSIT on weekdays and from 08.00 Saturday until the Thames Valley/Berkshire Local Enterprise out the projected local service. caution your organisation about Monday morning. However dissatisfaction with Partnership. District councils as the authorities The series of seven community meetings across commenting upon developments operation of the trains by DB Regio has been for development planning usually grant South East Northumberland aiming to increase in other countries when perhaps growing. Despite the levy of nearly £600,000 planning permission for new developments awareness of the role of the group and its without reference to public transport. all the relevant issues are not in penalties for performance failure since its fully known, or understood. operating contract began in 2010, the failure campaigns to improve rail services in the area In Railwatch 147 an item headed in September to deliver a service sufficient to has been concluded successfully. Little progress in Buckinghamshire Road tunnel threat to the Alps com- take competitors and spectators to the Great The local transport plan for Buckinghamshire mented critically on the potential North Run and queues which lasted for hours Morpeth on the rail map from 2021 is a feeble document, with a proposal for for a second road tunnel to be after the end of the race, which coincided with SENRUG is pleased that First Group has listened a station on HS2 its only reference to rail constructed under the Gotthard the end of a Sunderland home game, was the to arguments that Morpeth has potential to transport. Otherwise, it is a catalogue of small Pass. May I try to put the record beginning of the end for DB Regio. support north-south services on the main line. road improvements, a cycling lane here and straight on the proposals, which In February Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle It welcomed the approval of the group’s open a roundabout there. Railfuture Thames Valley City Council and transport lead at the North access bid which will mean five Edinburgh- has pointed out that there is no strategy for were approved, 57% to 43%, by East Combined Authority, advocated the London trains a day each way at Morpeth. the county as a whole, and no recognition of the Swiss public in a national ref- termination of the operator’s contract in Negotiations continue with Virgin Trains East the importance of High Wycombe-Bourne erendum on 28 February 2016. Coast to restore the convenient 18.30 departure March 2017, before the optional extension to End as a vital link in a rail route from North The original Gotthard road tun- Switzerland is opening the world’s longest Mediterranean coast, Italy’s busiest port by for London which was replaced by a train an Buckinghamshire to Heathrow. We are pleased 2019. Further train and signal failures, driver nel was opened in 1980, is a railway tunnel in June 2016. The new Gotthard tonnage, thanks to the Gotthard. shortages and illness have caused periodic hour later in the May 2016 timetable, giving a Marlow-Maidenhead Passengers Association single main bore, and operates very late arrival in London. Base Tunnel is 35.5 miles long and has cost Two other rail tunnels are being constructed confusion on the system. In March Nexus has taken up this issue, and Railfuture now has with the carriageway carrying £7 billion. announced that it would be taking over the a member on the MMPA committee. a single lane of traffic in each in Austria, the Semmering Base Tunnel and operation of the trains in 2017 until a new Full steam ahead at Alnwick direction. There is a small paral- It was first approved in 1992 in a national the Koralm Tunnel. They should open in 2024. operator was awarded the contract in 2019. The very wet winter prevented work on the new Progress on East-West Rail lel ventilation and access tunnel. referendum and work began in 1996. Trains These will cut times between Vienna and However it should be noted that the signalling embankment which will connect the extensive Lord Adonis as chairman of the National The current tunnel has a poor through the tunnel will be able to reach speeds Graz, but also provide a faster rail corridor, layout at Lionheart with the track bed of the of 150 miles per hour, cutting the journey time system has yet to be fully modernised and Infrastructure Commission has declared East crash record despite numerous eventually from the Baltic port of Gdansk to former branch line, but this has been resumed. between Zurich and Milan to two hours and 30 though the bodywork and interiors of the West Rail is his next priority, and it is expected initiatives having been put in Bologna and on to Rome. 30-year-old Metro cars have been refurbished, A stock of 1,000 used concrete sleepers has that a decision on the route between Bedford place over its life in an attempt to minutes from four hours and 40 minutes. nothing other than routine maintenance has been acquired and work on recently acquired and Cambridge will be announced soon. improve its safety. The tunnel’s real role is to streamline freight Work has also begun on a 34-mile-long new been done to the running gear and power rolling stock is progressing. Plans are afoot to However the Government, with the support transport across Europe, with the aim of tunnel under the Brenner Pass. This will start formal discussions for future access to It also does not meet various equipment. Hence any operator can anticipate of politicians and local papers, is pressing the international tunnel operational switching freight from road to rail and cutting provide a faster route between Italy and further train and signal failures. This means Alnmouth station but more immediately the commission to consider proposals for a road pollution. Europe’s busiest port, Rotterdam, the German cities of Munich and Berlin and overhaul of the 1917 Hudswell Clarke steam standards, and it is in need of con- that negotiations by the new North East “Expressway” between Oxford and Cambridge. siderable upgrading work. The will be efficiently linked to Genoa on the possibly on to Scandinavia. Combined Authority with central Government locomotive Richboro has been completed and she will be active around the station on tunnel is the major all-weather, for the provision of new trains are crucial. It is Thames Valley lobbying all-year road link between the selected days during the season. cantons enjoy. In peak times the but it is far to the east of the coun- hoped that these will follow the success of the During the past six months, Railfuture Thames Swiss Canton Ticino and the rest its long-term operation is that www.alnvalleyrailway.co.uk Manchester Metrolink system which obtained Valley has had meetings with Oxfordshire of the country. It is important not traffic queues on its approaches try and off the axis of popular it should carry only one lane new rolling stock after 21 years of operation. and Buckinghamshire county councils, West just in transport terms but also (comprising mainly of Swiss demand. This tunnel and its road of traffic in one direction with Oxfordshire District Council, Oxfordshire in internal political terms, as for nationals in private vehicles) can approaches also have restricted the original tunnel carrying the Coastliners are being vigilant Thames Valley Growth Board (another new quasi-official body be many kilometres long. peak capacity and safety issues. opposing flow on just one lane. By Martin Smith Switzerland’s Italian-speaking Like many other rail user groups, Coastliners looking at transport in the East-West arc), and The referendum result has now [email protected] minority it is their principal road Many of these hold-ups are as The spare space will allow a have been following the development of the the Witney-Oxford Transport Group. link to the economic heartlands a result of the inevitable break- made construction of the new safety margin and also enable proposed devolution of the responsibility All clear for Oxford North of their country. downs that immediately bring tunnel non-negotiable under disabled vehicles to be passed. for running transport services in the North Oxford City Council has signed off the final Devon and Cornwall the two-way flow to a halt, and Swiss law. Work is expected to In the short term, the new tunnel planning hurdle needed for work on the There has been a concern south East. At least six entities concerned with the By Gerard Duddidge also a reduction in capacity start on the £2 billion project in will carry two lanes of opposing matter are emerging and the group has had line from Oxford Parkway to Oxford station, of the Alps that the, generally [email protected] German-speaking, environmen- resulting from the long spacing 2020, with a 2027 completion traffic during the period when two meetings with planners to put its views and preliminary work began on 15 March. work takes place to refurbish and Exeter Paris Street bus station development tal lobby wished to cut them required between freight vehi- date. The new tunnel will be forward. Good news is that Arriva Rail Northern The two old parcels vans which have been put in place essential safety sys- The proposal to replace Exeter’s Paris Street off from conventional means of cles. An alternative road tunnel, capable of carrying two lanes of intends to route its new Northern Connect parked on the Red Star Parcels bay for the past tems on the original tunnel. services via the Stockton Ferryhill goods route three decades have been removed, so that bus station with a smaller one near Cheeke communication that the other 25 the San Bernardino, does exist traffic, however the intention for between Tees and Tyne, saving 20 minutes on construction of a new bay platform for Chiltern Street, will disadvantage rail passengers making The Swiss have a robust legisla- the Middlesbrough and Newcastle journey. Railways can begin. Chiltern expects to extend onward journeys by bus to places such as BULGARIAN VALLEY AT RISK FROM EUROPEAN UNION ROAD BUILDING tive system in place to discour- Sunderland Council is also supporting Arriva’s its train service to Oxford with the beginning of Sidmouth, Chudleigh and Ashburton. Railfuture age major increases in through the winter timetable on 12 December. In order is concerned that the distance to the bus movements of international intention to double frequencies along the By Richard Townend way between Sofia and the Greek border at coastal route. Coastliners advocate that the to placate the North Oxford protestors, the city station from Exeter Central and St David’s rail freight vehicle traffic, so the [email protected] Kulata with less damage and great benefits southern end of these services should run from council has imposed restrictions on the number stations will be increased. A new bus station concerns some groups have Stockton to Northallerton. of trains allowed to use the line, limited to eight concourse could instead be built in Paris Street, I am a Railfuture member who visits Bulgaria all round. I have contacted the Bulgarian expressed should not come to trains per hour, and no more than two freight opposite the Civic Centre, with the bus bays from time to time, and am concerned about Railway Company (www.brc-bg.com) which fruition once the new operating SENRUG is becoming alarmed trains per hour in the night. behind and through stops in front. This option the tragedy about to unfold in the Kresna is actually not the rail infrastructure/operator, regime is in place. valley (on the route to Greece) where a major It was reported erroneously in the last issue would maintain the existing distance from but a freight rail-lobby organisation, the only I hope that this response will road threatens an important European nature that a direct service would link Morpeth with Counties or unitary councils? the two railway stations and provide safer Bulgarian pro-rail body I can find out about. It go some way to allay fears that reserve and local villages. Manchester Airport. Sadly the airport train will District councils in Oxfordshire have proposed, pedestrian access at night. Bus services include is a member of CER. Switzerland has ‘sold-out’ to a terminate at Newcastle. with the support of Prime Minister David Stagecoach 5 from Crediton to Exeter with The European Union has offered €1 billion of Please can you suggest any other ways to raise road lobby. The second Gotthard The GRIP 2 (Governance for Railway Investment Cameron, that the county council should be Stagecoach 9/9A to Sidmouth and beyond. grants for the motorway if a long underground this issue? I am suggest that my Bulgarian tunnel is as essential a part of that Projects) study on the reopening of the abolished, and its functions taken over by four This would improve links from Exeter St David’s road tunnel is constructed. friends start a pro-rail organisation like Rail- country’s future national trans- Ashington Blyth and Tyne line is behind enlarged unitary authorities. Bizarrely, it is station and the University (using the New North But there is already an electrified, single-track future, but this will take a long time. There is port infrastructure as is the rail schedule. The local press has quoted the Labour suggested that West Oxfordshire be combined Road stop near the Imperial) to Sowton and railway through the Kresna valley, and for this a good article at http://www.theguardian.com/ Gotthard Base Tunnel. It is also group which controls the county council as with the Cotswold District of Gloucestershire, Sidmouth. Paris Street should remain open for money it could be doubled, certainly through environment/2016/feb/17/bulgarian-motorway- probably a Swiss political neces- saying: “We have progressed the £65 million and Cherwell District with South those buses which could be linked across Exeter the Kresna valley and probably most of the poised-to-carve-up-wildlife-haven sity, something that may not be AB&T line securing £5 million council funding to Northamptonshire. Oxfordshire has always via the railway stations. understood outside the country. 14 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Rail User Express can be downloaded from www.railfuture.org.uk railwatch July 2016 15 LOCAL ACTION Welcome North West Station Operator Charge Services in each Facilities By Arthur Thomson per year direction [email protected] Bishop Northern £6,466 2 hourly clockface Daytime ticket office, CCTV to Berlin Auckland Station cost disparities flagged up By Trevor Garrod A rare glimpse into the murky world of railway Kents Bank Northern £6,756 Mainly hourly, but Nothing finance has been made possible following some 2 hourly [email protected] research by the Furness Line Action Group. Cathays Arriva Wales £14,982 6 trains per hour Ticket offices am and pm, ticket machine, Seven Railfuture members FLAG has found there is a large disparity help points, CCTV were among 90 representa- between the annual charges Network Rail tives from 16 public transport Silverdale First £14,811 Mainly hourly, but Will soon have customer information system users’organisations in 11 coun- makes to train operators to use stations and the TransPennine some 2 hourly varied facilities provided at stations. tries who attended this year’s Sandy Great Northern £24,745 2 trains per hour clockface Half-day (am), ticket office, customer conference of the European Pas- The table (right) shows the charges made by information system, help points, CCTV sengers Federation held in Berlin Network Rail to the train operator, the train in April. services that call and the facilities. Three Cark Northern £24,238 Hourly Customer information system Furness line stations, Kents Bank, Silverdale Cross-border links, the case for and Cark, are shown and compared to Bishop bring the project to fruition within one day of funding up to £10,000 from Railfuture’s Fighting regional services, passenger sat- Auckland, Cathays and Sandy, with similar the end of the old Northern’s franchise, with Fund (made possible by members buying isfaction, long-term investment charges but varied facilities. Passengers on funding and help provided by the Railway Annual Draw tickets, joining the monthly and the positive and negative the Furness line are paying the same price Heritage Trust. The contribution of Northern lottery and leaving Railfuture a legacy). aspects of the European Com- POLISH VISIT: European Passengers Federation delegates on a study visit to Gorzow to access stations as ones with far superior Rail’s Theo McLauchlan, line manager, and chair The award will help finance a GRIP 3 mission’s fourth railway pack- of Friends of Glossop Station, Neil Williams, was (Governance for Railway Investment Projects) facilities. There is a link which shows this at age, passenger rights in all was needed if climate change MILTON KEYNES AGM 2016 invaluable. The Friends group was encouraged study, following the recently published GRIP www.networkrail.co.uk/using-our-network/ transport modes and the current goals were to be met. He added: that Northern’s MD, Alex Hynes, took a personal 2 report that found the station proposals to cp5-access-charges, scroll down to “Price lists challenges posed by security “I am not asking for more money, interest in the project. be technically feasible. The resulting publicity updated for RPI”. were discussed. but for different spending pri- The result is very pleasing, and represents will also help raise Railfuture’s profile in Diversity challenge Peter Buchner of S-bahn Berlin, FLAG is also challenging the new franchise excellent co-operation between the operator, South Wales. For more information, see www. orities.” Further speakers dealt who arranged for all delegates to Railfuture president Christian ­Edinburgh to Galashiels and holder Arriva to ensure it gets the rolling stock Network Rail and a local community rail group. magorstation.co.uk with the plans of Talgo GmbH necessary to operate services over the next two have a free pass on the city’s pub- to develop new night and day Wolmar reminded Railfuture Tweedbank being extended to to three years until delivery of the new units. Great Western main line electrification lic transport network during the trains and cross-border co-opera- members that we must attract Hawick and Carlisle. Mem- Wales The Great Western main line electrification conference weekend, explained tion between the Czech Railways more women and ethnic minor- bers were welcomed to Milton The May 2016 timetable shows a reduction in By Rowland Pittard through trains between Barrow/Windermere will be state of the art, according to Dr Dave how disruption caused by engi- and their German partners. ity members if Railfuture is to Keynes by Mayor Steve Cov- [email protected] entry, a former train driver. He and Manchester, and loss of some of the class Hewings of Network Rail. He pronounced neering work was dealt with The 2017 EPF conference is remain relevant. said he was excited over the 185 100 mph units which currently work those this at a lecture in Cardiff in March, attended and how passengers were kept planned for 18 March in the “The railway has massive Business and enterprise committee prospect of the Milton Keynes services. Currently a class 185 runs the 08.50 by several members of Railfuture Wales. He informed. Netherlands. The illustrated political support,” he told the Railfuture gave evidence at the public hearings to Oxford line being reopened Barrow to Manchester Airport service which explained how the system could recover from Dieter-Lebrecht Koch MEP, who report of this year’s conference annual general meeting at Mil- of the Future of Welsh rail infrastructure inquiry. faults in the electrification infrastructure much as part of East West Rail. will be replaced by a 156 Sprinter at 09.17 The report of the inquiry was published in has produced a report on multi- is available from Trevor Gar- ton Keynes on 21 May. to Preston only in May, requiring passengers faster than happens conventionally. This is MP Iain Stewart, the MP for March with 15 recommendations, most of modal information, said mobil- rod, 15 Clapham Road South, “But we need to engage people to change at Lancaster. This service is very possible because a snapshot taken just before Milton Keynes, paid tribute to which had been identified by Railfuture in ity should be a basic right for all Lowestoft NR32 1RQ, or trevor- from the wider community. popular and often overcrowded with three the fault can be analysed and used to quickly Railfuture campaigner Chris its evidence. The Government response that citizens and today’s technology [email protected]. It can Diversity is very important.” coaches, and is likely to be much worse unless restore working lines to operation. should be making it easier to also be viewed at www.epf.eu/ Wright who had been influen- followed accepted all of the recommendations. As an electrical engineer, Dr Hewings’ talk was Chris Page was elected unop- it is doubled up to a four-coach 156. These The committee also published its Fourth Legacy plan and book a journey. wp/conference-reports/ along tial in the campaign for East technical and all but ignored the cost overruns posed as chairman of Railfu- units are 30 years old with a 75 mph main line Report in March and this covered 21 inquiries. with the full presentations. West Rail. restriction, and it is unlikely seat reservations and delays that have plagued the project. Michael Cramer MEP said that ture. Allison Cosgrove, Chris Railfuture submitted responses to six of these a modal shift to rail and other n Trevor Garrod is president of EPF The MP added: “Rail has an will be available. He stated that all substations and connections Hyomes and Roger Blake were exciting future. The case for inquiries and attended three. to the National Grid had been completed on environmentally friendly modes and a director of Railfuture Two other services are no longer through re-elected as directors. East West Rail is overwhelm- The committee identified a possible time and that there was passive provision for services to Manchester Airport, although there n Railfuture members enjoyed an April visit to Lyon which Allison gave an upbeat pre- ing but we have to remem- programme of work for the new committee. the Marches line north of Newport. is an additional through service leaving at It expects further scrutiny of the South Wales has been linked by TGV to Paris since 1981 and Nice which has sentation about the “greatest ber that those who shout the 09.29. The new services will leave intermediate Metro project, Welsh Government preparations Great Western Railway the highest car ownership in France but is now improving its grassroots campaign” for the loudest often succeed.”­ Scarce stations Ulverston, Grange and Arnside with no for the next Welsh rail franchise, and steps to Timetable changes from May 2016 provide no public transport. You can read a longer report on this visit at Borders Railway. She was look- resources could easily be through service after the 06.48 ex Barrow. reduce transport’s carbon dioxide emissions, improvement in rail services between South www.railfuture.org.uk/article1679-Nice-to-see-you ing forward to the line from diverted to other projects. such as the Active Travel agenda. Wales and Paddington. Services previously Railfuture NW pursues ticket anomalies Also to be considered is the impact of the withdrawn are not reinstated. On Saturdays the Railfuture North West has found that some purchase of Cardiff airport and the value of Didcot stop is withdrawn from most services ADVERTISEMENT NEWS IN BRIEF stations outside the Greater Manchester area improved connectivity and economic benefits. from Swansea to Paddington, resulting in an n The Government has recog- is ­electrified. The Gospel Oak- are wrongly applying the peak evening ticket Public transport integration will be scrutinised, additional change to reach Oxford. There will be nised the importance of railways South Tottenham section will price to what are marked on their maps as as well as the effect of road building on people, faster journey times on Saturdays from South VISIT TO NANTES to tourists by introducing rail close from September. The Bark- off-peak journeys. Journeys from Alderley business and the environment. Wales to Paddington but only when they are tourism awards. Grants up to ing-Gospel Oak Rail User Group Edge to Wilmslow/Handforth/Styal, New Mills Whether North Wales can benefit from the not disrupted and diverted by electrification £75,000 have been made to 17 is in talks with Transport for Lon- Northern powerhouse initiative will be Newtown to Disley, New Mills Central to Strines, and engineering work. Unlike Arriva Trains railway organisations. One of the don in an attempt to keep disrup- examined, as well as the potential of city Birchwood to Warrington Central, Newton-le- Wales, GWR does not consult with stakeholders winners was the Ecclesbourne tion to the minimum. When the regions. Railfuture will be preparing responses Willows to Earlestown, and Burscough Bridge in advance of service changes. However we Valley Railway in Derbyshire line reopens TfL plans to use to consultation by the committee as they arise. welcomed the opportunity to discuss revised to Parbold are outside the peak area marked and its heritage railcar visitor diesel trains for nearly a year transport arrangements during the closure on the map published by Northern, but the experience. but BGORUG wants TfL to rede- Railfuture supports innovative campaign of the Severn Tunnel for electrification work ticket price charged at some stations and on ploy displaced Shenfield electric the National Rail website show only the peak Railfuture Wales has helped a local pressure between 12 September and 21 October 2016 n Alstom is to build a new units. fare for travel during the evening peak time. group, Magor Action Group On Rail, with with members of GWR staff, but it appears £19 million rail maintenance Railfuture is raising the issue with the new its campaign to open a new station east that not all lessons learnt from the previous and training depot at Widnes, n BGORUG campaigner Gra- franchise holder Arriva. of Newport, serving Magor and Undy. The closure in 2009 will be implemented. The Cheshire. It will open in 2017. ham Larkbey is also calling for station would be designed to encourage weekday service from Cardiff to Paddington better Chiltern line services at n Rail journeys increased by New lighting at Glossop station access by foot, bicycle, bus and taxi, leaving will be halved during this period and journey Sudbury & Harrow Road and 3.7% in the year to March with An old photograph of Glossop station was the nearby Severn Tunnel Junction to cater for times extended by up to 40 minutes. There Sudbury Hill Harrow which inspiration to replace the globe light fittings car users. The station would also form part of will be no replacement train service between RDS Group Travel journeys in the south-east going up 4.2%. Passenger revenue have no trains for hours on end. there with more historically appropriate lantern a community hub for the villages. The idea is Cardiff, Newport and Severn Tunnel Junction London TravelWatch has helped designs. Visits to other stations suggested that it will be managed by the community, and where GWR at present provides a half-hourly Visit to Nantes on the Loire in western France grew by more than 5%, according to the Rail Delivery Group. to gain some improvements but that this could be allied to a change to LED commission from rail ticket sales will go back service. Road transport will be provided Monday 26 to Thursday 29 September 2016 Graham said: “The campaign technology, giving a much better lighting into the community. No other station operates between Newport and Bristol Parkway. Arriva n The London Overground line will continue however – Railfu- like this, and Railfuture is very interested to see level and a saving in electrical consumption. CrossCountry will make additional stops at Full details from Trevor Garrod, 15 Clapham Road South, Lowestoft NR32 1RQ from Barking to South Totten- ture members do not give up that if it is a viable model for other new stations. Northern Rail and Network Rail worked with Severn Tunnel Junction to provide an hourly ham is closed for eight months easily!” For further details, con- Therefore, MAGOR has been offered matched [email protected] the specialist lighting firm D W Windsor to service to and from Newport and Cardiff. until February while the line tact [email protected] 16 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railwatch www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Please remember Railfuture in your will: http://tinyurl.com/3qtdzj7 railwatch July 2016 17 Your letters extra railwatch ISSN 0267-5943 www.railwatch.org.uk is edited by Robert Stevens and Ray King, 4 Christchurch Square, London E9 7HU Tel: 020 8985 8548 [email protected] [email protected] Printed by Print-Out, High Street, Histon, Cambridge CB4 4JD Ticket office threat Tel: 01223 232709. Railfuture members receive ­Railwatch free.

I was disappointed to see Picture: NICK CATFORD Non-members can subscribe online at www.railfuture.org.uk/shop or by sending £8 (cheque payable to Railfuture) to: Alan Cocker, 11 Derwent nothing in Railwatch 147 about Croxleyrebel.wordpress.com Govia-Thameslink’s plans to Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 0QR. close or restrict the opening Copy deadlines: For the next issue, published in October, copy must be hours of ticket offices at the emailed to [email protected] by 1 September. Paper copy can be majority of its stations and the sent to 4 Christchurch Square, London E9 7HU but must arrive earlier. protest campaign. Advertising: Full page: £190. Half page: £95. Quarter page: £45. Surely it should be of the Small ads are free to members. Otherwise: 30p per word. utmost concern to Railfuture, 1985: Simon, left, Graham, Dave and John Mannel on the day not just in itself but also for the station closed. Out of shot is band founder John Simms Please report any problems with the delivery or condition of your copy of its implications for deterring Railwatch to [email protected] or to the E9 7HU address above. and maybe reducing rail travel to destinations beyond the Triumphant return Railfuture company’s territory? is independent and voluntary. It is the campaigning name of the Railway M J Leppard, St George’s Court, Aunt Fortescue’s Bluesrockers reunited to celebrate the ­Development Society Ltd, a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. East Grinstead RH19 1QP reopening on 16 May 2016, of Lea Bridge station in east Registered in England and Wales No 5011634. London. The band last played there the day it closed 31 ­Registered Office: 24 Chedworth Place, Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. Save our routes years ago. Rail Minister Claire Perry arrived by train from Media enquiries I urge Railfuture to be more Tottenham Hale to open Britain’s newest railway station, Bruce Williamson, 29 Granby Hill, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4LT. active in seeking the long-term Lea Bridge. As she spoke a freight train rumbled through Tel: 0117 9272954 Mobile: 07759 557389 preservation of former rail the station. There was a party atmosphere as the band routes. celebrated the reopening with children from nearby Sybourn Email: [email protected] At this moment, I am thinking primary school who sang alongside the band. Also present Membership £18 per year (special offer). about the closure of Longannet was Dave Newall MBE who drove the last train in July 1985. Pensioners, students and unemployed: £14. power station, leaving no freight Railfuture director Roger Blake played a key role in User groups, community and parish councils: Please apply for rates. on the recently reopened the reopening by identifying funding and organising a You can join using PayPal via www.railfuture.org.uk or by post, please 2016: Dave Illingworth, left, Simon Brown and Graham Larkbey at Lea Bridge reopening Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine line. consultant’s report. The new station allows local people to ­contact Railfuture Membership, 1 Queens Road, Barnetby le Wold, North People are saying: “Let’s run reach Stratford, the Olympic park and Westfield shopping Lincolnshire DN38 6JH. Email: [email protected] trains between Stirling and 30-minute train run became an the west end of the line as the aspiration and spending. Rail centre in just a few minutes by train. Northbound trains go Dunfermline!” hour in the bus. SAK! should not be trapped into the along the Lea Valley line to Tottenham Hale and Bishops Renewals and other membership queries: Politicians jump on board. Like the main line from Sadly, in those 12 years, the cheap (vis a vis roads) and Stortford. “Lea Bridge station will help open Leyton up for Use PayPal on the website or send a cheque to Railfuture Renewals, Something must be done! Edinburgh to Perth via track bed of the former main line second rate by ‘reusing sidings’ growth,” said Chris Robbins, the leader of Waltham Forest 24 Chedworth Place, ­Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. Email: renewals@ The point often missed is that Dunfermline and Kinross, it was through Dunfermline was utterly and the like. council who said 3,000 homes are likely to be built nearby. railfuture.org.uk destroyed. It is a particularly bad A final thought on reopenings. the coastal route is single not even on the Beeching list. Elections Board elections held annually. Nomination forms can be example of the short-sighted It is noticeable that the single track, slow and winding. It Track remained in place east of obtained from www.railfuture.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=Elections lost its passenger services in Alloa until 1980. The track from thinking that we see up and track SAK line was built ‘down the single section. Spain may easy to get to Kent and also to 1930. In contrast, the straight Oakley through Dunfermline down the country. the middle’ of the old double indeed have high-speed single Sussex. Who’s Who Many other useful contact details can be found on the ­Railfuture website: www.railfuture.org.uk main line between Stirling Upper station was lifted as All is not lost. The route of the track formation. Despite all lines, but how frequent are their I sincerely hope the Government and Dunfermline closed recently as 1993, only 12 years main line is intact from Alloa to that was said, it seems that the services? sees sense and opts for rail. to passengers in 1968. A before work started on restoring the outskirts of Dunfermline. In lesson was not learned on the Secondly, I strongly condemn Timothy Christopher, Grapnellis, Borders line, where the same represents Scotland at public electricity generated from wind principle, a route could probably the plan to remove toilets from Vange, Basildon, Essex SS16 4LT events. power within two years, advises be found for a new-build chord thing happened. Come the time, West Midlands trains. The We suggest Mr Mickleburgh Railwatch 147. of about 2.5 miles to skirt round it will be a good contract to fix it, Cross-City train service conveys Political jealousy? would do better to restrict his If Dutch wind power produces the west of Dunfermline and link of course, but needless expense late-night revellers homewards, Join Railfuture too. comments to his own kailyard. the same risible proportion of You get four copies of Railwatch magazine a year and the the former main line route to the and it must provide a toilet. From far off Grimsby, your Bill Riggs, Station Road, Church Allison Cosgrove, Chair installed capacity as that in coastal route near Charlestown Station facilities, if any, are Railwatch 147 correspondent chance to help make Britain’s railways great again Village, Mid Glamorgan CF38 1AH Jane Ann Liston, Secretary the UK in calm high pressure Junction. This could be near locked when the ticket office Tim Mickleburgh describes Membership is £18 per year for an individual (special offer price) [email protected] Railfuture Scotland periods, Dutch rail passengers where an east-south chord has closes. This is asking for trouble, Nicola Sturgeon as ‘one of n Pensioners, students and unemployed £14 also been proposed to allow the most divisive politicians in can presumably look forward n User groups, community and parish councils: Please use this form to just for the sake of 4 extra seats. Making a stand running towards the Forth Double track Mike Bond, Studley, Warwickshire. Britain today’. We question upon to a new excuse for their train ask for group rates Bridge. being cancelled – the wind is not I have to disagree with David [email protected] what grounds he makes such an I was bemused to see the The contrast between rail Dixon in Railwatch 147. Double assertion. Railwatch 147 caption referring blowing hard enough. Name ...... G P Brown, Fieldview, Bowthorpe aspirations (let’s reuse a slow, track is essential for reliability. Given that Mr Mickleburgh is a to “plenty of handrails for Thames link Road, Norwich NR5 8AQ old freight line) and actual road The formerly woeful reliability Labour councillor in England, standing passengers”. If people [email protected] Address ...... expenditure (the new Upper of the Cotswolds line has been I am very much opposed to the we suspect his knowledge of are expected to stand on a train, proposed road tunnel for the they are not going to be weaned Forth Road crossing and roads transformed by redoubling. Any Scottish politics is rather limited. Editors’ note: Dutch Railways ...... Postcode ...... linking to the M9) is striking. residual problems are usually lower Thames crossing. Surely Mr Mickleburgh could out of their cars and persuaded to use public transport. has signed contracts to Railfuture should place greater down to late-running trains Our local MPs need to put the not possibly be jealous of Ms acquire electricity from Email ...... emphasis on preserving former occupying the remaining single case for rail to the Department Sturgeon’s high popularity Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard specific wind farms. For Avenue, Grimsby DN31 2JP. Send to Railfuture, 1 Queens Road, Barnetby le Wold, rail routes, especially in built-up sections at each end. for Transport. ratings? [email protected] more information: http:// North Lincolnshire DN38 6JH areas where it would be difficult I recently sat on a punctual Railways old and new are able Railfuture Scotland represents www.railway-technology. Please make cheques payable to Railfuture ever again to find a way through. London-bound train which to reduce congestion, pollution, a range of political views, by no Wind power com/features/featuremichel- Email: [email protected] Legislation? was delayed at Charlbury for noise and accidents. I long to means all of them in favour of kerkhof-of-eneco-discusses- OR JOIN ONLINE USING PAYPAL AT www.railfuture.org.uk It should also highlight the a late-running Worcester train see the c2c line connect Essex independence. Nevertheless, The Dutch railway network aims the-dutch-rail-networks- contrast between road and rail which had not yet even entered with Kent as it would make it we recognise Ms Sturgeon to run its train fleet entirely on renewable-revolution-4647194/ 18 railwatch July 2016 Twitter: @railfuture www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ European Rail Timetable available at http://www.europeanrailtimetable.eu railwatch July 2016 19 Light rail solutions for the main line railway By Ian Brown [email protected] Railfuture aims to support its members who want to see rail- ways developing in Britain. The launch of Railfuture’s Go and Compare campaign should help our branches keep abreast of ABELL Picture: PAUL innovation around the world. We also need to know what other organisations are doing in terms of best practice. We are not here to tell other railways abroad how it should be done, nor do we campaign for things which are not sustainable any more. Rail is part of a transport solu- A special tram run on 11 May for the Light Rail Transit Association at Bull Street, Birmingham tion, and transport is part of an economic, social and environ- mental equation. Birmingham New Street station ready for its tram link Rail can rarely stand alone. By Paul Abell city council has insisted on wire-free operation, Investment in big schemes such [email protected] and it is intended to run the 800 metres on as Crossrail (Europe’s largest rail scheme) was justified on The expected opening of the Midland Metro link battery power. The Urbos 3 have been the basis of its ability to deliver to Birmingham New Street station from Bull developed to the point that they are expected to quantifiable economic, social and Street was delayed by a couple of weeks in May. have a 22 kilometre range, though the trams will environmental benefits. Last-minute safety checks held up completion be back under the wires and able to recharge their batteries long before then. Battery trams To prove that rail can produce of the Metro line from Wolverhampton to last ran in Birmingham along Bristol Road to real results on a big scale, we New Street through the centre of Birmingham. Bournbrook between 1890 and 1901. need to be smart. We need more However, trams are already making a big feedback and member involve- impact on Birmingham city centre and public Two more extensions are currently awaiting final ment to address the imbalance awareness. approval by the Department for Transport, and between a bigger railway in Brit- The latest extension will provide a useful link will take advantage of battery power to save ain and a better one. between Snow Hill and New Street stations, the cost of erecting wires at locations where Britain’s railways are certainly with an intermediate stop at Corporation Street overhead clearances are problematic. A link growing in terms of ridership, serving the city centre shops and offices. from the present Wolverhampton terminus at if not fast enough in terms of An enlarged fleet of 21 new CAF Urbos 3 trams, St Georges to a new transport interchange at capacity and resilience. and the expansion of the Wednesbury depot Wolverhampton station is expected to open by Our railways are also getting necessary to house them, was included in the 2018. In Birmingham a 1.3 kilometre extension safer, but not necessarily better £130 million programme, which is expected to to Edgbaston via Broad Street and Hagley Road in many ways, hence the inclu- add an annual £50 million to the local economy. should open by 2021, at which time it is planned sion of the word “better” in Rail- A further extension, to be constructed between to run a service of 10 trams per hour between future’s campaign slogan – Cam- 2017 and 2019, will continue from New Street Edgbaston and Wolverhampton. paigning for a bigger and better station for 800 metres to Victoria Square and Of course Birmingham plans to take advantage railway.. Centenary Square. Because this section passes of HS2 by building a 1.7 km tramway extension As an example, many members Birmingham’s impressive civic buildings, the to serve the HS2 station at Curzon Street. will be aware of the Govern- ment’s “Access for All” scheme. If carefully examined it is really invasion. The danger is concen- ­Croydon and Dublin. All have are planned to have in the case “Access for Some” because there tration of investment on the core growing ridership and plans to of Blackpool, direct interchange is a strictly controlled budget railway with far less attention expand without a national fund- with the National Rail system so that limits the number of new paid to the local railway which ing structure as applies to our are reasonably easy to reach from schemes each year – and there- feeds the core railway. national railways. All are under many parts of Britain, and from fore the number of people who The local railway is strangled by scrutiny in terms of cost so inno- Northern Ireland in the case of a can be helped. common “main line” standards, vation and the passenger experi- trip to Dublin. By 2020, legislation will ensure a situation unlikely to encour- ence have been a focus. So please Go and Compare – Light. there is good access on to trains. age innovation. We in Railfuture The question is whether these Next time you get a chance to But what about the station itself? want modern, sustainable, thriv- varied experiences of different, travel on one of these develop- ing systems just look, and take Amazingly, even Crossrail was ing local railways and we want to often local control, different man- photographs of good and bad promoted on the basis of no level make strong economic and social agement and different financing practice. We are looking to use access at surface stations (those arguments for the development regimes and the availability of your feedback on best practice to on the National Rail network) of the entire network. funds can help in the cost effec- strengthen our campaigning. compared to Crossrail’s new Can we learn from Metro and tive provision of our local rail underground stations which are light rail systems in Britain and services, particularly with regard You can send in your feedback to all properly accessible. Ireland? Light rail is growing. to the passenger experience. [email protected] n It was local pressure that changed Besides London Underground Many of these light or metro Ian Brown CBE FCILT is this, a point not lost on Railfu- there are three light metro sys- railways have focused on attract- ­Railfuture’s director of policy ture. The industry, with its stan- tems, London’s Docklands Light ing and retaining passengers in dards and legislation, is its own Railway, Glasgow’s Subway such areas as use of social media, worst enemy resulting in over- and Tyne & Wear’s Metro, all of good signage, information, good engineering, over-specification, which have development plans. access, and a keen attention to high cost and quite often hid- There are also eight modern passenger safety and security eous structures such as ramps for light rail systems in Edinburgh, despite sharing space with road mobility-impaired access which Blackpool and Fylde Coast, users, as well as the provision are seemingly built to a specifi- Greater Manchester, Sheffield, of attractive vehicles to travel cation to accommodate a Roman Nottingham, the West Midlands, on. All these systems have, or