AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR RAIL USERS No 133 £2 October 2012

Switched on at last Government decisions made in 2012 transform the railway map of England and Wales. Existing electrified lines, marked in yellow, will be augmented by the red lines, which have now been approved for electrification. For years, Railfuture has been campaigning for a rolling programme of electrification. Now we have to ensure that this far-reaching programme is implemented. Electrification details: Page 2 Scotland wavers: Pages 6-7 and 18

Scan this graphic with your smartphone to go straight to the Railwatch website GREENDAWN GRAPHICS Sad farewell to Alan PAGE ONE MAP It was with great shock that we ber from a heart attack. He was a LOCAL ACTION received the news of the sudden speaker at Railfuture’s 2009 con- The Government delighted Some of the electrification death of Alan Crowhurst in a car ference in Northallerton and had rail campaigners in July schemes had been Yorkshire crash in July. worked in the railway industry with its good news on approved by the last Labour By Chris Hyomes [email protected] Alan was the Railway Develop- since 1972. He owned a former electrification. government but frozen by ment Society’s administrative BR class 26 diesel. n n Electrification will boost national economic recovery The £9.4 billion rail package the Coalition government. officer from 1995 to 1999. o A special train ran on the Nene includes the creation of Yorkshire rail campaigner A civil engineer with an interest Valley Railway as a memorial to Railfuture Yorkshire welcomed news that Midland main line an electric “spine”, the electrification is to to go ahead at last. The £322 million in both railways and canals, he Paul Salveson commented: the Reverend Richard Paten who electrification of the Midland approval for the remainder of the Northern Hub scheme ran his own consultancy dealing died from cancer in August, aged “It’s a poor reflection on main line and the extension Labour that it has taken was cause for a double celebration for rail campaigners with such matters as embank- 80. Mr Paten is warmly remem- in Yorkshire, Manchester and the East Midlands. The ment stabilisation and scouring of the already announced a Tory-led government to bered as the man behind the Great Western electrification announcement included approval for extension of around bridge piers. Nene Valley Railway and Rail- take the railway bull by the electrification from Micklefield to Selby, with a turnback scheme to Swansea, plus horns and go for very major provided at Micklefield for local trains, and the connection A leading Freemason, he was world in Peterborough, where electrification of the Welsh largely responsible for organis- Railfuture holds many meetings. investment in rail. to the East Coast main line, enabling the plan for an valleys network. “electric horseshoe” (Leeds to London by two routes) to be ing RDS’s 20th anniversary cel- “It is true that the process This was the strange scene near Tower Bridge in London in Among his many accolades Mr The spine will be created achieved. In a statement, Railfuture Yorkshire chairman Chris ebrations at the Old Sessions Paten was made a Freeman of was started by Lord Adonis mid-summer. What looked like a monument to the passing of House, Clerkenwell, London. by electrifying the Hyomes said: “We are very pleased the Government has Peterborough in 2008. in the last years – months the car age was in fact a stunt by car manufacturer Skoda to recognised the benefit of good, modern electric rail services Railfuture has lost a loyal friend lines from Nuneaton even – of the previous launch its new model, the Citigo. Reminiscent of Stonehenge, Mr Paten fulfilled a long-held in helping to boost the much-needed economic recovery. But and colleague and we offer our and Bedford to Oxford, Labour government but a the sculpture, made from battered cars, was tagged Citihenge. dream when he purchased a electrification needs to go further – to Leeds and Doncaster sincere condolences to his family. Reading, Basingstoke and It was later taken on a tour of Britain, including a spell at the – to ensure we make the best use of the new electric spine scrap standard Class 5 loco 73050 pity it had taken them so Alan’s wife June was also badly Southampton. long to get round to it.” Goodwood Festival of Speed. and to achieve the most efficient operation of the expected injured in the crash. from British Rail. new electric trains.” The Government has also ring-fenced A new electrified £500 He added: “Here Up North, o The world of railways has also It was renamed City of Peter- million rail link between the the £240 million enhancement of the East Coast main line. borough and is still used on the the announcement reflects The Peterborough bottleneck is at last to be tackled, as well lost two other outstanding char- Great Western main line and the political power of the acters who each owned railway Nene Valley Railway. Heathrow will allow direct Help to run Railfuture as welcome track improvements at Doncaster. But Railfuture Northern city regions and is worried that there was no mention of the work needed to locomotives. services to the airport for Mr Paten was a fervent propo- the weakness of the shires. If you would like to take a from the Government on upgrade the overhead line equipment to make it more robust, Tom Clift, a former managing nent of railways as part of a sus- passengers from the West more prominent role in running electrification, rolling stock, or of improving capacity on the two-track section between director of open access operator tainable future, both in the UK Country, the Thames Valley “What is left out is Grantham and Doncaster where more cross-overs or more significant. On the Railfuture, there are elections to infrastructure and reopenings, Grand Central, died in Septem- and the rest of the world. and Wales. the national board of directors it is an exciting time to be bi-directional running/capacity are necessary. The lines between east coast, neither every year. involved with Railfuture, Hull, Scarborough nor n n Skipton-Colne project needs £250,000 study Micklefield and Selby in In 2013, there will be three seats which has achieved many of its ISSN 0267-5943 www.railwatch.org.uk Yorkshire and between Middlesbrough – all goals but still faces numerous railwatch integral parts of the current up for grabs. The Skipton East Lancs Railway Action Partnership has Walsall and Rugeley in the challenges. prepared a remit for the GRIP3 study that is pivotal to is edited by Robert Stevens, John Stanford and Ray King TransPennine network – get No specific experience is 4 Christchurch Square, London E9 7HU Tel 020 8985 8548 West Midlands are also to be required but a bit of spare If you would like to become a progressing the reinstatement of the Skipton-Colne rail line. electrification. Funding of £250,000 is needed. www.selrap.org.uk [email protected] electrified. time, and the ability to see the director (or would like to back [email protected] [email protected] “Barrow and Windermere someone else), you need to get Transport Secretary Justine bigger picture, to translate ideas n n John Prescott backs Minsters reopening campaign Printed by Print-Out, High Street, Histon, Cambridge CB4 4JD Greening, since shuffled to remain diesel operated into action, and to work with two members to countersign the Tel 01223 232709 international development, with the likelihood that others in making Railfuture the nomination form which can be downloaded from the Railfuture Lord Prescott has backed calls to reopen the 34-mile Railfuture members receive ­Railwatch free the important and growing independent voice of railway Beverley-York rail line which closed in 1965. The Minsters’ said: “We all know that website. diesel is massively Barrow route will have development in Britain, would Rail Campaign claims reopening the line would cost £200 Non-members can subscribe by sending £8 (cheque payable to A form can be obtained by post Railfuture) to: Alan Cocker, 11 Franklin Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP3 9DX expensive. Electric trains its services terminated be a great help. million. George McManus, chairman of the campaign, said are greener, cheaper and at Lancaster rather than The board is keen to increase from Returning Officer, PO Box the current aim is to obtain a detailed feasibility study. Lord Copy deadlines: For the next issue, to be published in December, copy 7690, Hinckley LE10 OYE. Prescott has signed the campaign’s petition. More details: must be emailed to [email protected] by 29 October. Paper copy lighter.” Manchester Airport. the diversity of both the board If elected, a director serves a www.minstersrail.net can be sent to 4 Christchurch Square, London E9 7HU but must be They cause leass damage “Electrification of the and the membership and so is three-year term, and can stand submitted earlier. to the track and so Midland main line north to keen to welcome women, ethnic n n Cheap rail fares for students in South Yorkshire minorities and younger people. for re-election. Nomination Advertising: Full page: £190. Half page: £95. Quarter page: £45. Small maintenance costs go down Sheffield is clearly welcome Railfuture is run by a board forms must be returned by Students in South Yorkshire can now get cheaper travel ads: 30p per word. Free to members. too. but surely the sensible thing January 2013. would be to wire a few miles of 10 directors whose task is on the train, as well as bus and tram, with Travel South Deputy prime minister Nick One of the issues for the future Yorkshire’s 16-18 Student Pass. The free pass, issued by is independent and voluntary. It is the campaigning further north to Moorthorpe to ensure that the finances Railfuture Clegg said: “As someone is whether Railfuture adopts South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, allows name of the Railway ­Development Society Ltd, a not-for-profit company and internal workings of the who cares deeply about (South Kirkby Junction) electronic voting, which would students at college or sixth-form to travel at half fare on limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales No 5011634. organisation are in good order, the environment, the to join up with the already enable more members to Northern Rail train services in the county. ­Registered Office: 24 Chedworth Place, Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. electrified East Coast route organise national conferences opportunity to dramatically and responses to official participate in Railfuture affairs. into Wakefield and Leeds.” n n Wensleydale in £250,000 appeal for terminus Bruce Williamson, 29 Granby Hill, expand rail, a greener form consultations, and decide what There are also opportunities Media enquiries o Clifton, Bristol BS8 4LT. Tel: 0117 9272954 Mobile: 07759 557389 of transport than aviation Each of the 92 electric national campaigns should be for volunteers to serve on The Wensleydale Railway launched a major appeal in August Email: [email protected] or road, is very exciting trains the Government is organised. Railfuture’s national specialist to raise £250,000. The aim is to build a passenger terminus indeed.” ordering from Hitachi will be Board meetings are held at committees and regional branch at Northallerton to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Membership £21 per year. Family: £21 plus £2 for each The Department for fitted with at least one diesel various locations four times committees. reopening of passenger services which falls on 4 July 2013. extra person. Pensioners, students and unemployed: £14. User groups, Transport said that engine, it was announced a year. Being a director If you would like more The terminus planned for next year will be a temporary community and parish councils: Please apply for rates. completion of the Welsh in September, providing is a statutory duty and a information, please contact structure, though it may have to last some years. The railway If you would like to join Railfuture, contribution to travel expenses is also working on plans to extend west, first to Castle Bolton schemes would mean that “self-rescue capability and Railfuture chairman David and then to Aysgarth. Current projects include the building please contact David Harby, 6 Carral Close, Lincoln LN5 9BD two-thirds of people in hotel power for the electric may be claimed. With so Berman at chairman@railfuture. Email: [email protected] of a repair and maintenance shed at Leeming Bar to enable Wales would be served by trains”. It will mean they can many positive announcements org.uk paid and volunteer staff to work under cover for the first time Renewals and other membership queries: Lloyd Butler, 24 Chedworth an electrified train service also serve destinations off and to provide security for visiting locomotives. The railway Place, Tattingstone, Suffolk IP9 2ND. Email: [email protected] from their local station. the electric network. Railfuture stalwart John is also aiming to design and install a new signalling system Barfield was made a Freeman for the passing loop at Constable Burton, upgrade facilities Board elections held annually. Nomination forms can Elections of the City of London in July. at Leeming Bar and Redmire, upgrade electricity supplies, be obtained from: provide water towers to serve steam locomotive operations Returning Officer, PO Box 7690, Hinckley LE10 9WJ. John, who for years edited Railfuture annual draw as well as improve track and rolling stock. To contribute You can also download a form from Rail Development News, the If you wish to take part in the Railfuture annual draw, please send in please write for information to WR Appeal, Leeming Bar www.railfuture.org.uk/tiki-index.php?page=Elections precursor to Railwatch, said: your counterfoils and cheques by 1 November. Any received after “I am pleased that the City has Station, Leases Road, Leeming Bar, Northallerton DL7 9AR, or go to www.wensleydalerailway.com Who’s Who: Many other useful contact details can be found the closing date will be regarded as donations to Railfuture. If there been a staunch supporter of on the Railfuture website www.railfuture.org.uk is anyone who would like additional tickets please send an SAE to Crossrail which is now under PO Box 7690, Hinckley LE10 9WJ. construction.” 4 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ You can buy our book Britain’s Growing Railway online at www.railfuture.org.uk railwatch october 2012 3 Olympic triumph shows how much more rail can do LOCAL ACTION By Ian Brown the current format unless you North West [email protected] allow the client to take a strategic By Arthur Thomson [email protected] The rail industry did a fantas- approach. tic job in providing a successful Open access n n Flowers and pictures keep the passengers growing “public transport” Olympic and Looking again at the West Coast, Paralympic games. The number of people using Bentham station rose by 25% open access potentially provided last year to just over 25,000, and other stations on the Leeds- The events demonstrated that a far more comprehensive range Morecambe line also showed increases. The Lancaster & significant additional capacity of innovative services than the Skipton Rail User Group is calling for a more frequent service can be provided with existing marginal crumbs offered by

to boost usage even more. Bentham station is looking more and limited new resources and TRAINS HULL Picture: FIRST train operators trying to win and more colourful, thanks to the Friends of Bentham Station, that the industry can co-ordinate ­franchises. and Bloomin’ Bentham. Volunteer gardeners are developing to provide an integrated service. a new shrub and flower bed under the footbridge and the But high hopes for open access Legacy was an important com- were dashed by a stronger station has been brightened up by the re-installation of local ponent in justifying the games artist Gill Barron’s colourful paintings. There was a formal IAN BROWN ­reliance on the franchise process unveiling of the paintings on Friday 14 September. so let us attempt to apply such for delivering improvements. principles to the post-Olympic The current method of franchis- n n railway. holders”, including of course Steam helps bring the crowds back to rebuilt station Railfuture. ing, led by the Department for Principle one: Transport, clashes ideologically Leadership This process would not have worked very well for the games with the “right to roam” or “open The Olympic authorities firmly because too much was required access” espoused by both the took on the leadership role and too quickly. European Union and the Office clearly spelled out what overall of Rail Regulation. outputs they required from the Other than the Olympic authori- ties, the only strong clients are The people of Hull, deprived by train operators. The operators the franchise process of a through responded well with good plans probably the integrated trans- port authorities of our provincial service to London, might see the Picture: IAN WHITELEY to meet the demand that the benefits of open access, while Olympic authorities specified. cities and of course Transport for London. those in Manchester who already The Olympic authorities WINNING WAYS: Hull Trains have given free first class railcards to Luke Campbell, who took have a good service to London behaved like an effective strate- The ITAs and TfL are able to understand their growing trans- Gold in the Bantamweight boxing at the London 2012 Olympics, and his fiancée. ithW Luke in probably see that being safe- gic rail authority, unlike the real the picture are (left to right) First Hull Trains staff Michelle Walker, Christabel Dickson (back) and guarded by a robust franchising but shortlived SRA, which was port requirements and recon- cile them with plans for wider Tracey Parkinson. FHT is an open access operator and provides a direct service to London which process is best. scrapped in 2006 because it had economic growth of the regions the franchise system does not deliver But if a strategic approach were failed to provide proper direc- concerned and make clear, well- taken we should have a more tion for the industry. thought-out demands on the rail to London at all on Sundays. tendency will not hamper their ment, but it is not borne out by balanced combination of open There was a clear demarcation industry. Even during the week, there is implementation. the evidence when you consider access and franchising. between the requirements of Do I hear cries of: “What about only one East Midlands Trains the current debacle over the West The Regulator could assess the the Olympic authorities and the So let us look at two specific HLOS?” – the high level output through service and one East initiatives, long franchises and Coast franchise. capacity available and then share response by the industry. Coast through service to London. statement. open access, and consider them The flaw in that process is to ask it out. This is unlike the present fran- It might look like a time past with a steam train in view but Well yes, but HLOS is handed Stratford-upon-Avon, with a mindful of the slogan “Be careful the providers of the rail service, The ORR could allow 10% of chise system which concentrates this was the scene at Frodsham in July this year, write Cedric down from too high a level of population of 25,000, has two what you wish for.” West Coast capacity to be avail- on the operators’ responses of all people, to look into their Green and Janet Briggs of North Cheshire Rail Users Group. government. direct services to London before able to open access operators, rather than the community’s Long-term franchises crystal balls and try to estimate The newly refurbished station buildings, lovingly brought Sunday lunchtime, run by Chil- while the remaining 90% could back to pristine condition, look magnificent and are now overall requirement and need for Principle three: The train operators have lobbied long-term growth and demand. tern Railways. be allocated to the franchise. a great asset to the town instead of the liability they had rail transport. Consistency hard for long-term franchises, Even the Treasury, well-stacked Hull has two direct services to become. Throngs of local people enjoyed the sight of A4 The games were provided for arguing that this allows time for with brilliant economists, is The Government should be the Principle two: London before Sunday lunch- steam locomotive Union of South Africa hauling an excursion Investment in capacity the whole country and required them to get a return on invest- ­incapable of doing that with any long-distance client, specifying to the Welsh Coast. The station house at Frodsham, access from the whole country. time, run by First Hull Trains. the core requirement. Network Rail’s now evolving ment which provides for growth. kind of certainty. Long franchises abandoned and boarded up for 20 years, has finally come to Principle four: It sounds like a reasonable argu- are not any kind of answer in Regional clients like the inte- life again. After nearly six months of feverish work starting rail utilisation strategy process Under the present system of rail- franchising, however, even local Once committed, the grated transport authorities and in January, the scaffolding and hoardings came down to is a key component here but, Olympic plan was fixed and reveal a building restored to its Victorian splendour with unlike the games, the process needs are not met on any fair and passenger transport executives equitable basis. the Olympics could not be should specify what local ser- clean brickwork and stonework, as well as replica windows starts with a massive handicap. postponed for a year or two and doors. It has been wonderful to watch the transformation Network Rail, as provider of Compare the dismal Sunday vices need to run. which the whole community has welcomed. the infrastructure, tries to inter- train service to London from The principle of remaining com- Where does this leave us post pret what demand it needs to tourist-orientated Lincoln with mitted to service levels or plans Olympics? It leaves us knowing Network Rail involved NCRUG from the beginning and it has respond to by looking at what that of Stratford-upon-Avon has not as yet been adopted by that rail has much more poten- been a wonderful experience to share the passion of those the train operators are doing (population 25,000) or (albeit the rail industry. tial, but that change is needed involved in the restoration. The garden on the north side was We have seen politicians repeat- in a big way if rail is to stand up restored two years ago by students from Helsby High School and what they want to do. It also much larger) Hull. Tourist-orien- who spent six months on the project as part of their Duke of tries to take some account of the tated Lincoln, with a population edly announce schemes or to the road lobby with shovel- Edinburgh bronze award. Victorian-style rope edgings round wishes of a wide range of “stake- of 105,000, has no through trains announce them in instalments. ready schemes to create jobs and the gardens provide an excellent effect and help keep cars The Northern Hub and North ­capacity. clear of the flowers. Following NCRUG’s co-operation on West electrification are cases in Meanwhile we plumb the depths this project, Network Rail is now examining the possibility of point. of ever-increasing complexity to repairing and restoring cast iron fencing on both platforms. A much more worrying recent hedge against many risks that we www.ncrug.org.uk

tendency is to announce big bold Picture: HEARING DOGS FOR DEAF PEOPLE should not need to be taking in n n schemes such as Scottish central the first place. MEP Rebecca backs Skipton-Colne rail reopening belt electrification and the inter- The Skipton East Lancs Railway Action Partnership has city express programme and n Ian Brown CBE FCILT retired announced another patron to join the existing 14 patrons. then cut back on them before the as managing director of Lon- Liberal Democrat MEP Rebecca Taylor, who comes from ink is dry. don Rail TfL in 2010 and was Todmorden, is backing SELRAP’s campaign to reopen the Recent announcements such as LISTENING HARD: Chiltern Railways staged a charity event awarded a CBE for services to railway between Skipton and Colne. Four other MEP patrons the North-South freight spine at Marylebone station in September for Hearing Dogs for Deaf railways in the 2011 new year’s support SELRAP, which wants to rebuild the strategic route have much to commend them if People. Chiltern, which operates direct trains to Birmingham honours list. He has recently between west and east coast ports with links to Europe. seen in a long-term strategic net- as well as Stratford-upon-Avon, has shown a willingness to joined the boards of Crossrail www.selrap.org.uk JAVELINS AT LONDON ST PANCRAS: One of the many rail links work capacity context. respond to passengers’ demands and offer more than the Ltd and Abellio UK Ltd. Views which provided good service to the Olympic Park at Stratford Let us hope that the stop-start service requirements in its franchise expressed are his own. 6 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Railfuture rail users conference in Birmingham on 3 November 2012 railwatch october 2012 5 Scotland wavers on its brave rail plans LOCAL ACTION LOCAL ACTION By Graham Morrison Wales [email protected] London and South East One of the great attractions for By Rowland Pittard people attending this year’s rail By Roger Blake [email protected] [email protected] reopenings conference in Stirling n n ‘Bridge the gap’ campaign makes tracks for East Sussex n n More electrification needed was the chance to travel on the Railfuture welcomed the confirmation Alloa line which reopened four The biggest single line reopening that electrification will be extended to years ago. campaign in our branch area, Swansea. Railfuture Wales proposed Looking to the future, Geoff extending the Uckfield branch line the electrification of the full Cardiff Cook from Network Rail south to reconnect with the rest of Valleys network in 2009 and this explained how the Edinburgh the Sussex coast network at Lewes, is our initial 10-year target. We has now been confirmed. This will Glasgow Improvement Project enable the replacement of the present launched our campaign leaflet at the would transform rail travel in the annual Uckfield Festival in July. This fleet of Pacers and class 150 units central belt for the two-thirds of used on the network. Railfuture has sets out our programme of action to Scotland’s population who live move forward from Network Rail’s reminded the Government of the need in the area it covers. to electrify the relief lines between 2008 Reinstatement Study, towards Severn Tunnel and Cardiff, certain EGIP is a multi-million pound inclusion in the next High Level freight yards in South Wales and the programme of making a com- Output Specification for infrastructure Newport to Park Junction curve to plete and coherent network in investment during Control Period 6 enable future freight and passenger central Scotland. from 2019-24, and inclusion in the developments. Invitation To Tender for the next-but- It includes 200 miles of electrifi- one, long Thameslink franchise from n n Railfuture suggests ways to beef up Welsh train service cation, new track linking existing 2020. We want an official opening in Railfuture submitted a response to Arriva Trains Wales’ routes and a link with the new 2022. East Sussex County Council timetable consultation and made a number of positive Edinburgh tram route to the air- published the results of the March- suggestions. Some of these will depend on Welsh port at a new station known as April public consultation on their Government funding. Edinburgh Gateway. Uckfield traffic improvements options in July. The largest single block of support was for more n n Better connections needed at Cardiff and Bristol Transport Scotland is funding the The original plan, but then the Scottish Government axed £350m from the £1 billion EGIP work and is in the lead, working car parking, for the station as well as the town centre. The Railfuture submitted a response to Arriva CrossCountry’s consultation also drew a very significant response to a timetable consultation. We welcomed the continuation of closely with Network Rail and ­production of her book about the ScotRail. the route as far as Galashiels, but ogy.com/projects/stirlingallo question which was not asked: support for reopening the additional stops at Chepstow and Lydney. We expressed construction. the Borders Council was not pre- kincard/ railway to Lewes! Thanks to all Railfuture local members who concern about connections from West of Cardiff into There was consultation in 2011 She acknowledged that Airdrie pared to subsidise it. Thereafter European transport policy may have helped in that. The strength of that response has services at Cardiff and Bristol Parkway. The suggestion that with 298 local councillors, 61 station was cut off from the town route protection was abandoned. pushed the county council to take seriously the option we the Swansea to North East of England and Scotland cross- community councils, and 90 MPs Trevor Garrod outlined the centre and ideally could play a advocated, building their preferred southern relief road on borders services should be reinstated was reiterated. and MSPs. The Campaign for Borders Rail importance of the European a bridge with sufficient clearance for the railway as well as n n Rail is the key to a healthy transport system more significant part in the com- was launched in 1999 and is still dimension to Railfuture’s work. the River Uck. Railfuture campaigners are now at the table An application under the Trans- munity, showing the regenera- campaigning strongly. Railfuture Wales’ response to the Active Travel Bill proposed port and Works Act will be Railfuture is linked through the with the Uckfield town centre steering group, and the county tion benefits of rail. council’s new focus group, influencing decision makers by the Welsh Government emphasised that we actively lodged next year. It is hoped that the short exten- European Passengers’ Federa- promote the use of, and improvements to, rail travel “Councils need to give more sion from Tweedbank to Melrose towards plans for an integrated town centre transport hub, In a lively question and answer tion to 32 like-minded bodies in throughout Wales. We seek to move more people and thought to pedestrian and cycle could still be achieved, but that 19 European countries. Trans- with a new station car park. See www.tinyurl.com/c893136 session, Geoff indicated that access to the railway station,” she freight from road and air to rail, by campaigning for cheap, would almost certainly need a port is an important policy area n n convenient rail services for everyone, better links for buses, Cumbernauld could well see said. “This is my next challenge!” review of the service pattern. Lea Bridge station set to be re-born electric services in 2014, as no for the European Union and it is bikes and pedestrians and creation of urban tram, light See page 12 for details of Ann’s www.campaignforbordersrail. therefore important to lobby at Lea Bridge station in east London is expected to reopen in rail and metro systems. The use of public transport has new rolling stock would be 2014, nearly 30 years after it was closed in 1985. The station, required. book. org/ European level and to work with environmental, health and social inclusion benefits. This is bodies elsewhere in Europe. which lies between Stratford and Tottenham Hale, will benefit enhanced by integrated transport and the opportunity to walk But just three weeks after the Current Scottish campaigning Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine from planning gain funds from Stratford City developer Passenger rights were first or cycle to railway and bus stations and to bus stops. These conference, the Scottish Govern- Ken Sutherland gave the con- Jackie McGuire gave a presenta- Westfield and help realise an ambition of the Railfuture- addressed for air passengers, points were expanded in our answers to the questions posed ment announced a cut of £350 ference a brief overview of rail tion of the Stirling-Alloa-Kin- affiliated Chingford Line Users Association. There will be two then rail and shortly sea and under the seven headings in the consultation document. We million in the £1 billion funding campaigning in Scotland and fac- cardine project from an unusual trains an hour to start with (hourly on Sundays). This could also emphasised that Railfuture has produced a Development for the project. tors which had helped to give it bus/coach. The next stage, being be improved later if there are sufficient funds for the next aim Plan for the Railways of Wales, a new edition of which is due perspective – that of a lawyer. At momentum. debated by the European Parlia- to ensure that there is also a quarter-hourly service to Angel out shortly. The Government’s action sud- the time, she worked for Clack- ment, is for unified passenger mannanshire Council, the small- Road where there is now an extensive shopping centre that n n Cardiff area resignalling will boost local economy denly called into question the Unlike many other issues, the rights. An urban transport action attracts road traffic from miles around. Railfuture’s Fighting title of our conference: How Scot- desire for a better rail system est council area in Scotland. Work has begun on Wales’ largest congestion-busting plan sought to encourage good Fund has allowed Railfuture and CLUA to commission JR scheme which has the potential to provide hundreds of extra land took the railway forward. transcends party political bound- The reopening of this line enabled practice in developing clean, Consulting to report on Waltham Forest’s case for securing rush-hour seats each day on rail services on the Cardiff and See page 18 for more details on aries. Campaigners and rail man- the transfer of coal trains away sustainable transport, combating Lea Bridge station reopening, increased Lea Valley line Valleys network. Expected to be completed by 2015, this the reaction to the cuts. agers should capitalise on this. from the Forth Bridge, thereby pollution and congestion. capacity, and reinstating the Hall Farm Curve which will £220 million scheme, with funding of £17 million from the Most reopenings had exceeded helping its passenger services. This was followed by a trans- allow Stratford-Chingford trains to run again. CLUA chairman More EGIP information can be Peter Woodrow can provide a copy of the report and two Welsh Government, will replace over 300 signals, 12 miles of found at: www.networkrail. modelling forecasts. Originally Jackie explained the complex port White Paper published in track, 59 sets of points and build seven additional platforms it was claimed that demand for legal and parliamentary pro- 2011 which looks ahead to 2050 Powerpoint presentations. Contact him by email at co.uk/aspx/11743.aspx [email protected] across the Cardiff and Valleys rail network. It will support the Prestwick Airport station would cesses that have to be gone ­envisaging: growth of the local economy. The work will be delivered in Airdrie-Bathgate o be negligible, but now 30% of all through for such a project. The elimination of convention- n n You cannot count on the Office of Rail Regulation five stages, starting with the Vale of Glamorgan line. Signal Ann Glen gave a very personal air arrivals continue their jour- boxes at Aberthaw and Cowbridge Road, Bridgend will close The other partners in the project ally fuelled vehicles in towns and perspective of the reopening of ney by train. cities Official station usage data for 2010/11, collated by the Office in January and Barry later in the year. the Airdrie-Bathgate line. She were unable to act as the scheme’s A regional injustice put right o of Rail Regulation, still shows very wide discrepancies with n n The Future of Rail in Wales conference moved to Airdrie in 1974, was legal promoter, so Clackmannan- The majority of longer distance observations of the Railfuture-affiliated Cambridge Heath A Cardiff conference on 1 October was the start of a process struck by the number of disused Bill Jamieson and David Spaven shire led on this complex project, transport to be by rail (currently and London Fields Rail Users Group. ORR says Cambridge to call for evidence for the role of rail in Wales now and railways and became involved told the story of Borders Rail. which involved the assembly it is about 6% for passengers and Heath staion has 223,850 users, while the user group in the future. One session focused on franchise models in their conversion to walkways The campaign to save the Edin- of documents including memo- 16% for freight) calculates it is 684,571 based on the reliable evidence of its and Railfuture Wales has already presented the Welsh and cycleways. burgh to Carlisle Waverley route randa of need, environmental o A massive investment in capac- own counts. ORR says London Fields station has 371,390 statements including mitiga- annual passengers while the user group is pretty certain it is Government with proposals for a not-for-dividend franchise. Ann presented a set of pho- via Galashiels had been too little, ity would be required and this Railfuture Wales was represented at the conference. too late and it closed in 1972. tion measures and the business has led to the TEN-T programme 757,791! Maybe the ORR should look again at how it does its tographs documenting the case, and all the follow-through sums, particularly now that so many people use Oyster cards. n n Doubts over future of Wales-Ireland ferry service However this became the most focusing on key corridors. rebuilding of the line. Despite including public consultation Distortions of this magnitude threaten prospects for station Stena’s Holyhead to Dun Laughaire ferry was withdrawn in populous area in Britain with- The conference was held on 16 her involvement in the reopen- and parliamentary processes. and service improvements. September and it is not known if it will run next summer. ing, initially there had been out rail services, and the Scottish June 2012 at the Golden Lion Railfuture will do all it can to help the ferry to continue. some scepticism of her “ama- Borders Council is now the only http://transportforscotland. Hotel in Stirling. A full report www.railfuture.org.uk/branches/ www.railfuturewales.org.uk teur” attempt to document the mainland council in Scotland gov.uk/projects/SAK-railway- of the conference is available for project. In the end, however, with no rail stations. As early as project download at www.railfuture.org. for more London & South East campaign news Network Rail agreed to fund the 1975 British Rail offered to reopen http://www.railway-technol- uk/Stirling+2012+Conference 8 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Railfuture is planning a Rail Action email newsletter between issues of Railwatch railwatch october 2012 7 Your letters

monument no longer stands in lines to Alloa and Dunblane, but Avon was. I then realised that isolation, because next to it there they need time to spread out the it was the Stratford to Moreton is a shining roll of honour listing expenditure load. in Marsh tramway. As this was new and reopened stations So far I don’t believe that always only horse drawn and reflecting that the railways they have explained why closed in 1904 it might be an have emerged from a long dark the reduction in the EGIP exaggeration to call it a closed tunnel. programme has been made. line. Last, but by no means least, The endless time lag in the The section from Moreton to our own excellent Railwatch United Kingdom between Shipston on Stour was later run should mark the Beeching 50th anything being announced and as a steam-operated railway, but

anniversary with a special issue, work on the ground actually this closed in 1929 (passengers) Picture: JOHN HENDERSON supplemented by the newsletters starting does, of course, give and 1960 (goods). of all the Railfuture branches. ample opportunity to the said Peter Fleming, Lovers Walk, for he cannot be ignored, The 50th anniversary of the officials to change things around. Dunstable LU5 4BG Beating Beeching [email protected] and from a spartan railway a Beeching Report is a platform for Obviously the Westminsterites Railfuture must capitalise on sprouting one has emerged. rail to show that it has a future, will take little notice of us, but at Public pledge the 50th anniversary of the There still remains much and for Railfuture to match its least it may make any reneging Beeching Report, a landmark more for Railfuture to do after name it must have a prominent on their plans slightly less easy place on this stage, the platform I would like to reply to Malcolm occasion, to enhance its highlighting its achievements, to do. Clark’s letter in Railwatch 132. campaigning, recruitment and which hopefully will aid not only for 2013, but into the John Gilbert, Pixiefield, Cradley, future. Has he forgotten Tony Blair’s profile. membership recruitment for rail Herefordshire WR13 5ND ringing commitment to a “publicly campaigning needs a louder Andrew Oldfield, Huddersfield, [email protected] The rail community and the Penistone & Sheffield Rail Users owned and publicly controlled” media, have already positioned voice to reflect the mood of the Association, Long Lane, Worrall, railway? nation seeking development, King’s Cross blues themselves on what will be the Sheffield S35 0AF Hints that Labour would re- rail platform of 2013, on which expansion and electrification of the rail network, with affordable I have passed through King’s nationalise the railways only Railfuture must also secure a Credit the Greens served to depress the Railtrack place, to enable among other fares. Cross station twice in the past month. The remodelled terminus share price, so that British Rail’s things engagement with the This message needs repeating Thanks for your front page news and the new western entrance assets were sold off at much media to our mutual benefit at a to politicians and industry in Railwatch 132 sharing the are magnificent and a credit to less than their real value. crucial point in railway history. stakeholders, who have not extremely welcome information the railway system. However, once in power, the sufficiently grasped rising that the Beccles loop is at last Flyover will help keep the trains on time Recalling Beeching, the Blair/Brown governments public support for rail, despite to be completed after years of The same cannot be said for the blackest chapter in railway between 1997 and 2010 were It is still a work in progress but Hitchin flyover would allow East West Rail trains to use the history, is vital, for it represents passenger volumes now campaigning. Underground. I wanted to get to the Victoria Line and had to walk happy with privatisation, and is beginning to take shape over the East Coast new layout. a springboard to record the matching levels last recorded in I was disappointed however that a long way westwards down a even rejected any suggestions main line. achievements of RDS and the 1920s. your article did not highlight the Railfuture hopes that the Bedford-Sandy line slope before reaching the ticket that failed franchises such as Railfuture, so contributions from Railfuture thus has the task of crucial role played over the past At the moment London-Cambridge trains have can be rebuilt with a new triangular junction to barrier. South Eastern and East Coast veteran Railfuture members who conveying the need for horizons few years by Beccles Green to cross over the main line on the level. both north and south on the East Coast main main line should be retained in line. Then eastbound trains from Oxford and campaigned against Beeching, to be lifted and blinkers removed Party Councillor, Graham Elliot. I then had to turn back on myself government ownership. In June the main span of the flyover was possibly wearing Railway among the movers and shakers, Without the unstinting work of along another long passage in place and by next June, the work will be Milton Keynes could use the Cadwell chord Nationalisation was a dirty word Development Association or who should be under no illusion Councillor Elliott, I doubt that we before reaching the escalators complete and Cambridge trains will be able allowing southbound trains on the ECML to for New Labour, and when Railway Invigoration Society that after decades of neglect, it would be celebrating just yet. to the deeper levels, which are gain access to the Royston line for Cambridge. Railtrack was dissolved, it was to take the new non-conflicting route over hats, would be priceless. is still a matter of playing catch- Dr Rupert Read, Merton Road, in their original position before the main line. The flyover is expected to be Work is also under way on stations between the alterations, and which in the converted into a quasi-private The brutality of Beeching, up which can be addressed only Norwich NR2 3TT brought into full use for the December 2013 Hitchin and Sandy. Sandy, Biggleswade and [email protected] past were relative easily reached company, although heavily taking a blanket closure-only through investment. timetable. Arlesey platforms are being extended to allow from the main platforms down a subsidised by the Government. stance, rather than considering With the Olympics still attracting for 12-coach trains to be introduced as part of flight of steps, now closed off. It should have been In the meantime, the focus of work switches alternative cost-cutting options, media attention, an analogy with Watch out for U-turn the Thameslink project. re-nationalised outright, and to putting in a new track layout at Cambridge must be highlighted, for this sport is valid. Thinking that I was stupid, senile Various options are being considered by I felt the need to write to you to placed on an equal basis with Junction, just north of Hitchin. Over Christmas is what really fired the starting The issue of selling off school or just plain unobservant, I and New Year, a track-laying train will spend Railfuture and others for the Bedford- urge the Railfuture organisation mentioned this to my son who the Highways Agency, with all pistol for rail campaigning playing fields can be likened two weeks installing track around the junction. Cambridge section of East West rail. to keep a really close watch on uses the station frequently, major infrastructure projects In 1963 the three Rs to the disposal of railway land, It is not yet clear whether “passive provision” More info on the Hitchin flyover: www. our politicians and civil servants. and he confirmed that he had such as new lines, reopenings for the railways were leading to either scuppered The new rolling programme of not found any other way from and electrification, funded has been made for the Cadwell chord which networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6397.aspx removal, retrenchment and route reopening prospects, or electrification is unbelievably the platforms to the escalators. directly by the Treasury, rather rationalisation. For 2013 imposed operational limitations than added to Network Rail’s splendid but, as it is almost too The ambience underground is locked into 15-year terms, any due as much to Ken Livingstone further fuel duty increases, and renaissance, regeneration and and increased reinstatement colossal debt burden. costs. good to be true – in fact I fear it however greatly improved. future Labour government as to any initiative from the was thus disappointed when recovery constitute the three Rs. IS too good to be true, should Christian Wolmar has argued By occupying a place on the I am all in favour of taking should take back full control of Labour Government. the Chancellor caved in to the We must remember that the we not be on our guard? that there is a case for Martin Smith, 57 Bath Street, Beeching 50th anniversary exercise, but it must be very Network Rail, and progressively motorist lobby yet again. year 1963 signalled the end for Quite apart from the tight frustrating for those who have re-nationalisation, and has take back passenger services. Abingdon, Oxon OX14 1EA many lines and stations, victims platform, Railfuture will raise its welcomed the report Rebuilding Let us not forget that the biggest profile. financial times we are in, to use the station day by day. Local services in the regions gainers from cheaper petrol are of the Beeching axe, which politicians and civil servants can If there is an easier access I Rail published by Transport for Bus and rail needed heralded a pattern of decline This process can be developed Quality of Life. and major conurbations could be those travelling the most miles in never be trusted, and excuses should like to know and perhaps operated by local government and isolation for countless by creating a local radio station- I agree with M J Leppard in their gas guzzling cars. can so quickly be summoned it could be better signed. Even if new franchises are owned bodies. communities. local rail network link. by them out of an apparently J E A Knowles, College Street, Railwatch 132 that Railfuture Yes we should be aware of bus It is worth comparing them with Scope for action there, and so clear sky – as evidence I would Bury St Edmunds IP33 1NL Freight operators which have should promote collaboration company needs, but support the relatively few places which too with the print media through indicate Scotland, where the [email protected] Send your prospered since privatisation between buses and trains. In selective measures on fuel costs successfully fought closure encouraging local and regional Government there has suddenly could remain as private many parts of the country the which affect buses directly rather proposals, and then reflecting newspapers to run features on switched part of its Edinburgh Horse-drawn railway ­letters to: companies, but should be scheduled bus is the only form than simply backing lower prices on those communities that Beeching, including RDS and Glasgow Improvement The Editors, 4 Christchurch guaranteed access to the of public transport available, and at the pumps. Square, London E9 7HU have been restored to the rail Railfuture successes. Programme funding to road The map on page 11 of system without unfair restrictions thus an essential service if you Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Email: [email protected] network as a result of RDS and Recalling Beeching is like building. Railwatch 132 showing the or exorbitant access charges. don’t have a car. Avenue, Grimsby DN31 2JP Railfuture campaigning. setting off on a journey in a It would be good if we could railways of the Cotswolds is a bit Railwatch also welcomes As for HS1 and St Pancras Nevertheless I would agree [email protected] misleading. ­articles and pictures. Please Thus Beeching is recognised sombre mood with the list of extract some kind of assurance use email if possible. Last copy station, they were built with with Chris Austin in the and recorded, but not dwelt station closures resembling from Edinburgh that yes, it is I wondered what the line running date is 29 October cross-party support, and the previous Railwatch that the More letters: Page 18 upon in any nostalgic context, a war memorial, but now the intended to proceed with the north-south to Stratford-upon- revival of the Crossrail project is Government should stick with 10 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Railfuture policies. Letters may be edited railwatch october 2012 9 1963 to 2013: The ‘Reshaping’ onslaught left BR without the revenue from its branches and limited its role as the backbone of the public transport system £20bn for Does Beeching still haunt our dreams? 6,000 Fifty years ago, Dr Richard Beeching, chairman of the newly formed British Railways miles of Board, was working on plans for radical changes to the rail network. railway Next March will be the fiftieth anniversary of his infamous expansion of the road system, none of the closure options Railfuture has spent the past Reshaping report of March 1963, at no cost to road users but at produced a profitable passenger 50 years trying to get the which set out plans to close a huge future cost to rail users railway. railway reconnected to many third of the network. It was an and the public transport system of the communities which earthquake whose aftershocks Despite improving rail as a whole. performance and the success lost their links following the are still felt to this day and Beeching report. which helped shape today’s In 1965, Beeching published his of InterCity and bulk freight, railway, its capability and its second report, The Development governments still saw rail Lines and stations have public image. of Railway Trunk Routes. This expenditure as “subsidy” reopened and prospects for was based on some quite and road expenditure as Picture COTSWOLD LINE PROMOTION GROUP the £400 million East West British Transport optimistic rail growth forecasts, “investment”. Rail project now look good, Commission closures but its real impact was in the When he was Secretary of State with electrification as well As early as 1949 the Railway elimination of much of the for the Environment in 1976, as reopening from Oxford to Executive had set up a branch Labour’s Anthony Crosland Bedford. line committee to recommend added another reason for It has been estimated however line closures, but by 1952 there cutting back rail expenditure. that a serious programme of was already strong pressure He claimed rail subsidies were reopening 6,000 miles of line from the British Transport could cost around £20 billion. Commission both to speed “regressive” because they up the process and to adopt a favoured the better-off. Railfuture member Daniel more radical approach, with This piece of specious nonsense Casey came to this conclusion the whole network being is still trotted out by politicians after interviewing rail “streamlined.” today, for example by Transport professionals for his essay Reversing Beeching’s Legacy. Branch line closures (and the Secretary Philip Hammond in a elimination of some main line speech to a transport conference He concludes: “There is so cross-country routes, like the in 2010! much enthusiasm for rail in Midland & Great Northern line Indeed, there are still people the country, but too much in 1959) meant that closures who have a blind faith that they of it is channelled into train- were a familiar, and seemingly can find a “profitable core” of spotting, nostalgia, and inevitable process by the time the rail network. playing with full-sized model railways.” Dr Beeching became British There are also still those who Railways chairman in 1961. The think that transport is a perfect His essay is in September’s railway he took over had a poor market and that there is no case issue of The Land. More info: public image, partly because for rail subsidy, even though PUTTING BACK THE TRACK: A £70 million scheme restored 21 miles of the Cotswold Line in 2011 to improve reliability. The line was www.thelandmagazine.org. closures created the impression roads are provided by the state not listed ‘for development’ in the second Beeching report in 1965 and was reduced to single track in 1971. Here a train for Great uk that the railway was declining at no cost at the point of use, Malvern calls at Charlbury’s new platform on one of the redoubled sections. In the background is the Brunel station building, while to Let’s hope his essay will fast. and investment in rail saves capacity which today’s railway the left is the memorial garden to former British Rail chairman Sir Peter Parker, who lived nearby and was a regular user of the station stimulate more strategic Motoring, however, offered the unsustainable spending on so desperately needs. thinking about what lines and freedom of the open road, while roads which encourages car income, particularly for freight, Earlier, on August 20, Dr Tim it serves and to the economy tired old discredited arguments stations need to be reopened. lorries provided a flexibility and The Great Central was a dependency. is earned by services that cross Leunig of the “liberal think- generally. Secretaries of State in favour of further pruning. high profile casualty, as was boundaries. According to the Oxford Mail, cost that rail could not match. But the railway is a network, tank” Centreforum, writing on for Transport have an average Rail campaigners need to watch the Midland main line to the Government has already Beeching with a high degree of shared Looney Tunes the Conservative Home website, tenure of office of only 14 for this and to deal with these Manchester, while part of agreed that it will consider costs where much of the proposed saving money by months, and closures take superficial arguments before Beeching was a successful the Great Western route from Giving evidence to the approving a reinstated industrialist with a clear mind Commons transport select cutting lines and stations outside about two years to implement, they take root. service between Oxford and London to Birmingham was the main inter-city routes and and which minister wants to o who was the first to analyse singled. committee on 4 September Holding the Line How Britain’s Stratford-upon-Avon (axed in the railway’s strengths and 2012, Dr Richard Wellings of the London commuter network, be remembered as a railway Railways were Saved by Richard 2004) as part of an agreement It could be argued that weaknesses, and to attempt to Institute of Economic Affairs and cancelling the electrification axeman? Faulkner and Chris Austin, to run the Great Western the capacity provided by define what Britain required argued that all subsidies to programme. But as the two current examples charts the political and social franchise from 2013 to 2028. HS2 would not have been from its railway. the railway should be cut out Most politicians now show, some people have not history of closures. It will be required had some of these The line from Braintree to But his Secretary of State Ernest before any new investment understand the tremendous learned the lessons of history, published by Ian Allan in Stansted Airport should be routes survived. In 1974, the programme was agreed. Marples had been a road Government even gave BR value of rail to the communities and are still prepared to drag out November. rebuilt, urge Witham and construction contractor with a a grant to reduce unwanted Rail users, he claimed, were far Braintree Rail Users. They say different agenda. capacity! wealthier than the population A new method to expand the rail network they have found a suitable Marples, and his minister at large. new route. The profitable core Network Rail may make it easier to reopen what future investment will be required. Market John Hay wanted the railway Rural rail routes such as the The Campaign for Better closed lines and stations in future. It has studies will forecast demand for freight and drastically pruned to reach a By the late 1960s, it was evident Heart of Wales line should be Transport published a decided to use a Long Term Planning Process for three passenger markets, long distance, “profitable core”. to BR that closures were not closed down. Electrification new report in July, entitled producing the savings expected. to succeed its route utilisation strategies in regional urban and London and the south They argued that money spent of the Valleys Lines was Reopening Railways – the case Nevertheless, the civil servants examining demand for rail over the next 30 east. Route studies will develop options for on the railway should be spent particularly poor value for for growing the rail network and continued in pursuit of the money. years. The new process will take a broader all future train services, based on the demand how it can be achieved. on the motorway construction view on how train services can support other forecasts and priorities set by the market Holy Grail of the “profitable The IEA claims to be a free- To read the report in full visit programme. aims, such as achieving economic growth, like studies. The first market study is expected core” of the railway. This was market think-tank but does not o www.bettertransport.org. The disinvestment in the rail amply demonstrated by the Fighting closures: Chris appear to be good at supporting connecting residential areas to labour markets. to be completed by the end of 2013 with the network helped to fund the uk/files/reopening-railways- Serpell Report of 1983, where Austin’s new book its arguments with evidence. A series of studies is planned to understand working groups expected to be set up soon. report.pdf.

12 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Download the latest Railfuture Who’s Who from www.railfuture.org.uk/Contact+Us railwatch october 2012 11 A railway success story Rail key to regeneration LOCAL ACTION LOCAL ACTION By John Stanford for West Yorkshire, similar to North East [email protected] Transport for Greater Manches- Severnside Rail services seem to develop ter, would be established for By Peter Kenyon [email protected] well where transport decisions the existing passenger transport By Nigel Bray [email protected] n n Ticketyboo progress on the Tyne and Wear Metro have been devolved. authority area with a £1 billion Scotland, Wales, London and West Yorkshire Plus Transport n n Millions for Trans Wilts The Tyne and Wear Metro provided free parking at six of fund from a levy on councils and its park-and-ride sites during the school summer holidays the passenger transport execu- which proved so popular that it was extended to the end of tives in English cities are good a 10-year allocation of infrastuc- September. The 16-18 youth card season ticket scheme has examples. ture spending. been extended to include all passengers in this age group, The Government has tried to There are similar plans for Liv- not just those enrolled at schools and colleges. The change build on this effect by devolv- erpool and Sheffield, with Liv- opened the door to cheaper fares for up to 12,000 young ing more transport and planning erpool having responsibility for people in vocational or work-based training programmes. The powers and in July announced the port and Sheffield having Metro’s infrastructure was also upgraded, although services the first wave of deals under management of the tram train were suspended for 23 days between Wallsend and Byker to project. allow signalling, electronic communication and track to be its Unlocking Growth in Cities improved. The ­programme. Proposals for Nottingham recog- line reopened The eight programmes involve nise the importance of longer dis- Railfuture Severnside was on 3 September Birmingham and Solihull, Bristol tance transport with references to delighted that Wiltshire County when North and the West of England, Greater the need for improvements to the Council’s bid for £4.25 million Shields station Manchester, Leeds City Region, Midland main line and for high to increase the frequency of came back into train services between Swindon and Westbury via Melksham Airdrie-Bathgate tracklaying. One of the book’s illustrations Liverpool City Region, Notting- speed rail connections. They also full use after ham, Newcastle and Sheffield promise to trial innovative ways has been approved in the Local Sustainable Transport Fund two years of By Trevor Garrod City Region. Several include to develop transport to encour- process. The grant will also allow for the creation of transport building work. greater powers and resources in age access to jobs. hubs at stations on the whole of the Trans Wilts route through Heworth bus [email protected] relation to transport. to Salisbury, as outlined in Railwatch 132. More information at interchange is Reconnecting Communities is the The proposals for Greater Bir- www.transwiltsrail.org.uk currently being subtitle of this well illustrated The Bristol and the West of mingham and Solihull make few refurbished at a book by Dr Ann Glen, and after England deal covers the four references to transport beyond n n Campaign for Bristol Metro and four-tracking pays off cost of £200,000, reading it you feel that you really unitary authorities that used to building on the area’s position at In July the Government’s Cities Minister Greg Clark with the aim of know the communities across form Avon County and provides the hub of the rail and motorway announced approval for the Greater Bristol Metro project. encouraging use Monklands and West Lothian. 10-year funding for the develop- network. This may arise from the £94 million is being made available to the West of England of the Metro which aims to extend its Pop smart card next ment of the Greater Bristol Metro recognition of possible tension Partnership for the scheme, which includes reopening of year, pictured at its launch in 2011. The Industrial Revolution came early to this part of Scotland, project. It also gives freedom to with Centro, which already has nine stations by 2019, including three on the Portishead line. n n How to boost the new InterCity East Coast franchise prompting the building of canals go ahead with Bus Rapid Tran- considerable transport powers in A later announcement from the Department for Transport and then railways, but in the sit plans, together with the abil- the West Midlands. confirmed that four-tracking between Dr Day’s Junction Railfuture North East called for improvements in the main ity to recycle any savings that and Filton would go ahead, something which Railfuture line services and to the five Northern rail feeder services 20th century came the steady The North East deal is disap- decline of mining, ironworks and can be made. There will also be Severnside and our corporate member Friends of Suburban which could be incorporated in the new franchise. The South pointing and is preoccupied with Bristol Railways see as essential for any major expansion of shale extraction as well as par- new local powers to deliver rail roads. East Northumberland Rail Users’ Group also coordinated a ­services. rail services in the Bristol area. More information at: www. Morpeth-based response to the Department for Transport affin and paper manufacturing Key areas are excluded from greaterbristolrail.com ,while newer industries such as The Greater Manchester, Leeds consultation. the programme, Leicester and car making and electronics came and Sheffield proposals include n n Bus rapid transit scheme danger to rail Teesside being the most obvious n n Alnmouth-Alnwick reopening project is coming to fruition and went. plans for them to work together examples, although the Govern- In June, Railfuture Severnside was represented at the inquiry for the devolution of the North- Stimulated by the granting of the necessary exemption These trends are well docu- ment has emphasised that this is into the BRT2 Bus Rapid Transit project, which would truncate ern Rail franchise. certificate by the Office of Rail Regulation, work proceeds mented in the book, as is the of an Act by the Scottish Parlia- the first wave of proposals and the Bristol Harbour Railway and prevent it from having an apace on the Aln Valley Railway. The Lionheart station site closure of the East-West rail link ment. Great care was taken over To this end, the Leeds City that more will follow. effective role in public transport. Our evidence pointed out was open to the public for three days a week until the end of between Airdrie and Bathgate, this and she states, “looking back Region includes not only the the dramatic increase in usage of Bristol suburban stations September. Tracklaying has begun and the 17-year campaign part of a through Edinburgh- West Yorkshire Metro authori- So there is scope for Railfuture and made it clear that a rail-based scheme was more likely now it can be said that the Aird- branches to press for greater to reopen the railway from Alnmouth to Alnwick, supported by Glasgow route, to passengers in rie-Bathgate line would become ties but also Barnsley, York, to attract people from their cars. More information at www. Railfuture, is coming to fruition. www.alnvalley railway.co.uk 1956 and ultimately to freight, Selby, Harrogate and the very recognition of the role of rail stopbrt2.org.uk/what-brt2 the most publicly consulted upon transport in economic and social n n with its lifting in the early 1980s. rural Craven. Similarly Sheffield n n Rail reopening project wins backing and publicity and openly explained rail project regeneration in these areas and Increase in rail use should clear way for more reopenings ever to occur in Scotland.” City Region includes not only The South East Northumberland Rail Users’ Group is cheered However, the line was sold to South Yorkshire but also Basset- elsewhere, as well as monitoring The upsurge in business at local stations was also Sustrans for conversion to a A detailed chapter is devoted to by the county council’s support for the Ashington Blyth and law, Chesterfield, Bolsover and the conversion of fine words and emphasised in our comments at the inquiry into South cycleway, on the understand- the challenges overcome in the Tyne reopening project, which is backed by Railfuture North North East Derbyshire. Barnsley good intentions into practice. Gloucestershire Council’s core strategy. Railfuture Severnside ing that if it was ever required construction of the 15 miles of East. For more news of SENRUG, including improvements at seems to have got in both, per- Unlocking growth in cities: city argued this was a strong indication that additional stations Morpeth station, the East Coast managing director’s positive for future rail use, the cycle path new railway and upgrading of haps because of the importance deals wave 1 can be downloaded suggested by FoSBR at Winterbourne, Coalpit Heath and reponse to the doubling of passenger numbers at Morpeth would be moved to allow rein- existing sections at either end; of the Penistone line! In addition from www.dpm.cabinetoffice. Chipping Sodbury, would be well supported. It was good and a comprehensive rail strategy for Northumberland, see statement of the railway. while a concluding chapter looks to see that some of the points we made in earlier written to this, a Combined Authority gov.uk SENRUG’s newsletter at www.senrug.co.uk. In the 1990s, local councils started towards the economic, social and consultations have been adopted by the council, including support for reopening of passenger services on the n n Railfuture makes alliances to improve public transport to look at the role of a rebuilt rail- leisure prospects for the new way from east to west in reju- ­service. Henbury loop, subject to a satisfactory business case. More information at www. http://fosbr.org.uk Railfuture North East is active in NECTAR, the North East venating the area, encouraged Ann Glen’s book is highly rec- Staff needed at stations Combined Transport Activists Round Table, an open n n by the success of the restored ommended reading for everyone It is essential that Railfuture branches and delegations insist that New footbridge leaves 1.2 million at mercy of rain voluntary umbrella body, established to provide a forum in Edinburgh-Bathgate passenger pressing for a new or reopened which associated bodies can develop a coordinated view train operators bidding for franchises employ enough front-line service. In 2000 a report by RDS railway. It can be obtained from Railfuture Severnside quizzed the Department for Transport on contemporary transport issues. Among its aims are staff. Our AGM urged operators “to ensure sufficient numbers as to why the new footbridge at Gloucester station, built the promotion of sustainable transport and its structures, Scotland (now Railfuture Scot- the author at 21 Monks Road, Airdrie ML6 9QW. of front-line staff on trains, on stations and in call centres as under the Access for All programme, does not have a roof. integrated transport, better provision of public transport, land), part-financed by West Railfuture considers that the design specification should Lothian Council, also put the appropriate. They should be well trained, well informed and well walking and cycling, minimising the negative environmental The 112-page Airdrie-Bathgate motivated.” take into account average local rainfall and the fact that 1.2 and social impacts of transport, and maximising its case for a new line. Rail Link is published by Lili million people use Gloucester station every year (according Our resolution went on to say: “Advances in technology may alter accessibilty and safety. As part of its policy of engaging with Dr Glen explains the processes Publications at £16. Please add £1 to Office of Rail Regulation data). In reply to Railfuture, Neil other organisations, Railfuture North East president Martin of consultation and planning for postage if ordering from the the duties and responsibilities of customer-facing staff, but they Priest of the DfT said that the design for Gloucester had been Murphy and other committee members attend NECTAR that followed and the passing author. ISBN 978-1-907945-01-4 remain essential for customer care, security and revenue protection. signed off in 2007 when there was pressure from Government meetings. Martin also represents NECTAR in the Tyne and We therefore oppose cuts in front-line staff other than in exceptional ministers to include as many stations as possible in the AfA Wear Freight Partnership and its Rail Freight Partner Group, circumstances.” The resolution was sent to the relevant politicians, scheme and hence to drive down costs. He believed this had where he seeks to capitalise on the recent local interest in Railfuture president bids to be mayor operators and trade unions. led Network Rail to adopt a “like for like” replacement policy. the increased use of rail for freight transport. Railfuture North Railfuture president Christian Wolmar has announced that At regular consultative meetings and surveys, passengers repeatedly Railfuture Severnside is now preparing to lobby both city and East is also represented on the Rail Freight Partner Group. county councils to rectify the situation. he hopes to become Labour’s 2016 candidate for Mayor of ask for more human presence and more staff in defiance of the London. See his manifesto at: http://tinyurl.com/d4pdnk3 findings of so-called experts like Sir Roy McNulty. 14 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Every six seconds someone is killed or seriously injured on the world’s roads railwatch october 2012 13 HS2 should go to St Pancras, rather than Euston Rail users are being People living near London’s Euston station Government about changing the route of Brussels and Antwerp to stop at Brussels LOCAL ACTION are calling for the £32 billion HS2 line to be HS2 to bring it closer to their terminals. airport. South Korea has unveiled a 267 cheated over fares realigned so it connects directly with HS1 The High Court will hear five legal mph experimental train in May, with the Thames Valley aim of bringing its cities within 1.5 hours of and Eurostar services at St Pancras. challenges to HS2 at a December hearing. By David Berman because air fuel is exempt from each other. In September, Japan unveiled the By Chris Wright They are supported by Arup consultant [email protected] taxation. That will lead to more [email protected] In other countries, high speed rail projects high speed trains which will run on the new Mark Bostock who believes there is no logic Unexpectedly high inflation fig- air and noise pollution and more are zooming ahead. In France work started Tokyo-Kanazawa line, expected to open in n n East West Rail victory in bringing HS2 to Euston. pressure for expanded airports. in July on the new £2.6 billion 82-mile-long 2014. Each train can carry 934 passengers. ures in July were bad news for The coalition promised it would Mr Bostock unveiled an alternative route high-speed line to Brittany. Sweden is to build a high speed line from rail passengers, as these figures The Oxford-Bletchley section of be the greenest government ever. East West Rail gained Government for HS2 at a Camden Town Hall meeting Jarna to Linkoping to add to the existing are used to calculate the annual France is also spending £12 million on eight rail fare increases. It does not look like it now. funding approval in July, after in September which attracted people from new trains capable of 125 mph for local Y-shaped project to link Stockholm, The Government is still showing Increases in rail fares suck money 30 years of campaigning by the Regent’s Park estate whose homes services on the high-speed line being built Goteborg and Malmo. Railfuture Thames Valley and no signs of backing down on its out of the economy, which does are threatened by the current HS2 plan to between Le Mans and Rennes. Steel made The California Senate approved in July a others, including the crucial plans to increase fares in January not help economic recovery, and rebuild and enlarge Euston station. in Scunthorpe will be used for the TGV 130-mile stretch of high-speed line from Los Oxon and Bucks Rail Action by 3% above the level of inflation disproportionately harms those Manchester and Birmingham airports tracks. In Belgium a new rail link opened in Angeles to San Francisco and also a £3.5 Committee. It is some reward for as measured by the Retail Price on lower incomes. have also been involved in talks with the June will allow high speed trains between billion bond scheme to finance it. the enormous efforts campaigners Index. Of course, we have to recognise have put in to reverse the 1967 It is interesting that the Govern- that we have to pay for the rail- closure which robbed a series of ment wants to use the RPI figure, ways one way or another, but communities in Middle England of rather than the Consumer Price we think the Government has their rail services. The East West Index which is lower. gone too far in trying to shift the Rail Consortium is now working LOCAL ACTION with the Department for Transport and Network Rail to plan Increases in wages, pensions and burden from the taxpayer to the the way forward. The EWRC is to be congratulated for its Lincolnshire benefits are now based on CPI, farepayer, much further than any stalwart efforts which should clear the way for services which excludes housing costs. other European country. By Don Peacock to be reinstated in 2017. Councils along the route have [email protected] So rail fare increases will have an Recently the Government backed agreed to contribute £30-50 million of funding over 15 years. Aylesbury Vale Council welcomed the news that the Milton n n even bigger impact on people on down on the planned increase in Operator names station petrol duty and we think it is Keynes-Aylesbury link is included, probably as an extension adopter Carolyn as the best average earnings which in many cases are static or even declining. only fair that rail passengers are of the High Wycombe service. Buckinghamshire and South Carolyn Sharp was named best Midlands Local Enterprise Partnerships have announced Train operating companies are given the same sort of break that station adopter by East Midlands motorists enjoy. funding, while Oxfordshire LEP supports the scheme as a Trains in July for her voluntary also given the flexibility on priority. Winslow estate agents Wilkinsons, who have long work at Skegness. Carolyn, who Time called on Apple ticket prices to make increases We will continue to push for recognised the benefits of the rail link, report an increase in is on the committee of Railfuture above that limit. Some fares may this. One of the arguments put interest in homes in the town, thanks to the rail approval. forward for above-inflation fare Lincolnshire, was presented with Swiss Post has reissued a stamp maker Apple which it accuses of increase by 11%. n n flowers, a bottle of champagne rises is that this money is needed Electrification go-ahead is a giant leap forward design using the iconic Swiss stealing its design. The clock icon Former Transport Secretary and a certificate by EMT at railway clock, with a new, that appears on the new iPad Philip Hammond probably for investment that is happen- News that the Great Western main line to Oxford was to a meeting for EMT adopters ing on the railways. But is it fair be electrified was welcome, but Railfuture Thames Valley in Derby. At the following unusual image which shows its and iPhone operating system regretted saying last year that the components. looks just like the ones that grace railways were a rich man’s toy, that rail passengers feel the pinch was delighted by the decision to include East West Rail in Railfuture committee meeting, the electrified network. This means that electrically hauled Swiss train stations. but his words are becoming ever now when they will not feel the we congratulated Carolyn and In the new image on the right, benefits for many years? passenger and freight trains will be able to gain access to another committee member, the clock is taken to pieces Railway spokesman Christian more accurate. Southampton from the West Coast and Midland main lines. Paul Jowett, who also received Sky-high rail fares will discour- The Government should limit the showing a circle with two black Ginsig said: “We are happy that n n an award from EMT recognising hands and one red, plus 12 lines Apple adopted the Swiss railway age rail use, which has knock-on increase to RPI+1% as a measure Trains must wait for decision on bats welfare his three years as an adopter at Ruskington station. We also to keep money in the pockets of representing the hour markings. clock. It just goes to show that it effects for the environment and Rail campaigners are waiting to hear whether the Chiltern noted the extra work done by an EMT staff member at Lincoln consumers, if they are genuine is truly a design piece.” for motorists too, who will suf- Railways proposal to upgrade the Bicester-Oxford line to who produced a bus timetable for the proposed rail strike The country’s name, Helvetia, fer ever more congested roads, about wanting to be green and provide a new London Marylebone-Oxford rail service will days. Another EMT staff member who worked on after the end has been reordered alphabetically The Swiss clock design was as people who want to take the stimulating the economy. go ahead. Protection for bats in Wolvercote tunnel and great of her shift on 6 July to cope with ad hoc diversions when on the right as AEEHILTV. The created in 1944 by Swiss o crested newts elsewhere led to the reopening of the public flooding disrupted train services was also praised. track and ballast have also been electrical engineer and designer train cannot afford to. More David Berman was elected people will go by air which is chairman of Railfuture in 2012, inquiry. A further Inquiry hearing, lasting seven days, has n n HST crowd-busting service gets through to seaside rearranged. The new stamp Hans Hilfiker but Mr Ginsig is available until June next said Apple’s use of it was already cheaper than it should be succeeding Mike Crowhurst. reported and the decision is awaited. A collapsed culvert at Sedgebrook closed the Grantham- year. Information from Swiss unauthorised. n n Enhanced facilities for key stations Nottingham line and required major emergency engineering Express, the magazine of the Apple’s new mobile operating work by Network Rail, but it did not prevent the start of Fair points A new multi-storey car park for 700 cars is to be built at Swiss Railways Society. To buy system iOS6 was introduced the summer HST service to Skegness, designed to relieve Railfuture’s Howard Thomas reports: I was shocked to find Greater Anglia Banbury station in a £10 million Network Rail project. the stamp, go to: http://tinyurl. in September and the Swiss summer overcrowding. Operator EMT obtained special had increased some of its regulated fares in September when I bought an Hanborough secured £40,000 for an extra 191 spaces and com/8pfra6u station clock appears on the permission from the Office of Rail Regulation and Network off-peak Travelcard from Chelmsford. The last time I bought this fare on 28 Charlbury £470,000 for 83 extra spaces. Milton Keynes Central Meanwhile Swiss Federal iPad to represent its first internal Rail to run the Nottingham-Skegness service via Lincoln. August, it was £13.65 for a senior citizen. Now it is £15.70, an increase of is set to gain extra inter-city services with the new franchise, Railways is seeking financial timekeeper, which can also serve £2.05, or 15%. I have noticed over the past few years that fares have often following a long battle by Milton Keynes rail users with Virgin n n Railfuture has its say on local transport plan for county compensation from computer as an alarm clock. Trains. Wolverton’s new station buildings were opened in July been surreptitiously increased in May and September. just as London Midland announced proposed cuts in opening Railfuture Lincolnshire has responded to Lincolnshire County Rail users are being hit twice as hard as motorists, with higher fares Council’s local transport plan consultation. hours! The £897 million remodelling work at Reading station Awards for campaigners and cuts in services, according to the Institute for Public Policy is reported ahead of schedule with a likely completion in late n n Rail show gives Railfuture chance to attract members Research. It recommends the Government invests in rail and bus 2015. A Heathrow rail link is also now on the agenda. The first-ever Rail User The closing date for entries was services, in its report War on motorists: myth or legend? n n The branch promoted Railfuture’s work with a stall at Group awards will be made 1 October. Entries were invited McNulty curse is now a real threat to booking offices Germany celebrates 20 years of the Bahncard, its national railcard, this Grantham Rail Show on the first weekend of September. at Railfuture’s Birmingham in Tony Smale’s August Rail Chiltern Railways has proposed cuts in booking office year. The British Government refused to introduce a British national rail- conference on Saturday 3 User Express, viewable on the opening hours at most stations covered by the branch and we November. card despite a 2003 Railfuture report showing that everyone, including train are disappointed at the loss of such provision. Railfuture website. operators, the Government and rail users, would benefit. The RUG awards will go to both We are hoping that the RUG n n Rail can deliver the goods for new recycling site groups and individuals who have The bosses of the “big five” private transport operators, National New ways to use website awards will persuade more Express, Stagecoach, Arriva, Go-Ahead and First, have pocketed an Railfuture has welcomed news that a rail connection is to be made a great contribution to rail rail user groups to affiliate to provided for Shipton old quarry site which is to be used as a campaigning or development. average £1 million each in pay, bagging an aggregate pay rise worth The Railfuture website now allows members to renew their member- Railfuture. a shade shy of 20 per cent, a study by transport union RMT reveals. recycling centre. ship online at www.railfuture.org.uk/renewal/ The award categories are for A comprehensive list of rail n n best newsletter (gold and silver The think tank Social Market Foundation, now associated with New Labour, New vision for the future is now overdue Various other transactions can also be done online. New members can user groups is available at wants pensioners to lose their free bus travel. But First Great Western has Railfuture Thames Valley is to review its campaigns as so join at www.railfuture.org.uk/join awards), best website (gold and http://www.railfuture.org.uk/ silver), most effective campaign, launched a trial in Worcester, Swindon, Westbury and Weymouth to use bus many of our aspirations have now been met. We need to Key+rail+user+groups For as little as £1 a month, you can also join the Railfuture lottery at most effective new group, most passes (for pensioners and disabled people) for discounted rail travel. revisit the potential for Bicester Depot, Witney and Bourne www.railfuture.org.uk/lottery/ outstanding individual RUG Regional lists are also available Stagecoach launched an ITSO stored-value smart card in March in End-Wycombe. The impact of Crossrail and electrification And of course you can book your place at Railfuture conferences at campaigner (the red carpet via the branch pages on the Basingstoke that can be used as a season ticket on Stagecoach South work and standards of service may become the emphasis. www.railfuture.org.uk/conferences/ award?), judges’ special award. Railfuture website. buses and South West Trains. 16 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Forty cities in China will have metro systems by the year 2020 railwatch october 2012 15 A rail future, well almost LOCAL ACTION By John Barfield O Humberstone Prosser, spear- LOCAL ACTION [email protected] headed by John Stanley, Charles Wessex East Midlands Railfuture’s rich history now Rowe, Arthur Daniel, Frank By Roger Bacon goes back more than 50 years. Hastilow, Richard Hulse, Alan By John Friedberger Picture: BOMBARDIER [email protected] It was way back in 1958 that I Bevan, Klaus Meyer, Frank Tom- [email protected] and Anthony Kay was persuaded to join the Society lins and Roland White. [email protected] for the Reinvigoration of Unre- In the year 2000, RDS adopted its n n Overhead to Southampton n n Boost for Ilkeston reopening munerative Branch Lines in the current campaigning name, Rail- Railfuture Wessex welcomed United Kingdom. future. With the recent encourag- Campaigners wanting a reopened news that electrification of That long name was soon simpli- ing announcements about elec- the lines from Nuneaton and rail station in Ilkeston were trification and high speed rail, it cheered by an announcement fied to the Railway Invigoration Bedford to Oxford, Reading, Society of which I was general is time to consider what we have This is the new face of rail travel in Europe, the latest version Basingstoke and Southampton from Transport Secretary Justine achieved. Will it be a rail future? Greening (since moved in a secretary from 1961 to 1968. of Bombardier’s Zefiro family of high speed trains which was is planned for completion by Cabinet reshuffle) that she was The creation of London Over- displayed at Rimini in August and at the InnoTrans show at 2019. The initial justification At the time branch line closures is for freight operations, but it making £20 million available for were few and far between but ground grew from our cam- Berlin in September. The new train has a top speed of 220 mph, new stations. Communities will paigns. We persuaded the can carry 600 passengers and uses less energy than other high will be interesting to see how with the advent of the Marples- CrossCountry services develop, be invited to bid for a share of the Beeching era in the mid 1960s the Greater London Council and speed trains. It will begin test running later this year on Italian cash but Ms Greening specifically railways for which 50 have been ordered. when the Reading to Basingstoke trickle became a torrent. its charismatic transport chief line will see electric trains and, in told the House of Commons Dave Wetzel, to study it and the she hoped to see the Ilkeston Encouraged by the poet John the longer term, how the future Betjeman and Robert Aickman, reopening of a disused tunnel of third rail electrification will be project in the running. Tory MP Jessica Lee (Erewash) between Farringdon and Black- asked Ms Greening whether she thought there was a strong founder of the Inland Waterways Ten years of success influenced by this extension of overhead wires to southern friars. The phenomenally suc- “regeneration case” for Ilkeston, and whether it was well Association, we persevered. England. Of special relevance is a sentence in a letter from cessful Thameslink project was matched to the new funding pot. Ms Greening replied: “It will By Trevor Garrod man and Railfuture vice presi- the Department for Transport: “The southern end of the With the assistance of local action the result, with technology again electric spine entails the conversion of a section of the be a decision for Network Rail but it was meetings I had with groups, such as the North Lon- [email protected] dent Christopher Irwin, repre- her and local councillors that brought it home to me that we providing dual voltage trains. existing Southern third rail (750V DC) electrification system don Line Committee and the East Ten years ago this month, Railfu- senting passengers on the agency to the more modern and capable overhead (25kV AC) needed money set aside for communities.” To date, £1 million RDS and the Chelsea Riverside Suffolk Travellers Association, ture was one of 14 organisations board, has been invaluable. system to upgrade its capability. The Secretary of State also has been made available for the £5 million project through the Action Group fought a plan for a now chaired by Trevor Garrod, which met in Ghent. Belgium, to Spreading good practice is a key wishes the industry to develop a longer-term proposition Nottingham Housing Market Area’s joint planning advisory motorway to be built on the West lines such as Ipswich-Lowestoft form the European Passengers part of EPF’s work. The PLUS- and business case for the systematic upgrade from DC to board as long as the rest can be found. Three stations once London Line. It is now a highly served Ilkeston which now has a population of 38,000 but escaped the axe. Federation. BUS scheme in Britain, which AC of the whole Southern network, for consideration for successful Overground line. future control periods.” after the Beeching axe there were none, with the last, Ilkeston The Felixstowe Branch, ably The EPF now has 33 member promotes seamless travel by Junction station, closing in January 1967. defended by the redoubtable We also campaigned for the bodies in 19 countries, 17 of them public transport, is an example. n n Station surveys reveal information shortfall reopening of the North Lon- Charles Taylor, is now destined within the European Union. Railfuture members, including n n East Midlands becoming part of strategic freight network don route from Shoreditch to Following up a successful pilot scheme by Railfuture to become a strategic freight Howard Thomas, Ian McDonald Dalston, now a busy part of the The other British organisations Wessex in 2011, six further stations were surveyed during Railfuture has welcomed the decision to upgrade the 110 mile route to the Midlands. and Simon Hope, worked on the Overground network. in EPF are Passenger Focus, Lon- the summer: Cosham, Gillingham (Dorset), Havant, Doncaster to Water Orton rail route to allow freight trains with It was around this time that don TravelWatch, TravelWatch EPF project Journeys without large “high cube” containers to use it as part of the strategic Porchester, Sherborne and Templecombe. All are managed the idea of a “bus on rails” was Despite the 1981 joint British South West and Bus Users UK. Borders. by South West Trains and were generally well kept and freight network. The work to adjust restrictive bridges, Railways Board and Department mooted and we were very much Copies of the October 2010 re- clean. Common themes from our surveyors’ comments platforms and station canopies started early this year and by of Transport report recommend- Railfuture has always had an in favour, along with the concept port are available from Trevor were: July, six track-lowering sites had been completed with 41 to ing a rolling programme of elec- international aspect to its work. o go, according to the Rail Engineer website. The route passes of the “basic railway” by the far- This was given further impetus Garrod, 15 Clapham Road South, Information about nearby bus routes and cycle tracks is trification, Railfuture has had to often poor. through the East Midlands via Chesterfield, Langley Mill, sighted railway manager Gerry when Eurostar trains linked Lon- Lowestoft NR32 1RQ. Fiennes. Many rural lines were fight for years to get meaningful o Local businesses at stations bring great benefit. Trent Junction, Castle Donington and Willington and is being don, Lille, Paris and Brussels in Like Railfuture at national level, o enlarged to W12 loading gauge. The work is expected to be saved as a result. electrification back on the estab- Full car parks deter prospective passengers. lishment’s agenda. 1994. EPF takes part in consultations o The importance of staff at stations. Porchester, although complete in 2014 and provide “an ideal route for freight from What we did not envisage was at EU level, for example on the the North East to the West Midlands”. The East Coast main line and The interest of the European with over 350,000 passengers per year, is unstaffed and has that the dreaded Pacers would Urban Transport Action Plan in signs which are out of date, indicating some lack of daily London to Norwich and Cam- Commission and Parliament in n n Sparks effect coming to the Midland main line still be running on services for 2008; the Transport White Paper care. bridge and King’s Lynn were transport issues was increasing which they are totally unsuited. and our original informal group- two years later, and the series of After years of campaigning for electrification of the Midland eventually electrified on a piece- n n Improvements sought in franchise renewal process The RIS was quick to embrace ing needed to be put on a more Railway Packages and consulta- main line, the good news came from the Government in meal basis. technology as the answer to formal basis to respond. tions on passengers’ rights. When a rail franchise is being re-let, the Department for July that the £500 million project would go ahead by 2019. Following a survey by RDS it many of the railways’ problems. EPF is an international not-for- Challenges in the next few years Transport issues “invitation to tender” documents. They Rail campaigners have been puzzling over what trains was discovered that most travel- might be operating over the line once it is electrified north We argued for capital investment profit association under Belgian include measures to ensure that are not easy to decipher so we are grateful to neighbouring lers from Cambridge and King’s branches for taking the lead in Railfuture’s response to the of Bedford to Derby, Sheffield and Nottingham. Coinciding to convert level crossings to auto- law. international rail travel is afford- Lynn wanted to go to King’s Great Western and the combined Thameslink, Southern with the Government’s go-ahead came the publication of the mated operation, in order to save Britain’s HS1 and the Channel able, and comparable passenger Department for Transport’s high level output specification the long-term cost of staff wages. Cross, rather than Liverpool and Great Northern consultations. Three GW routes Tunnel form part of a growing rights across modes which are (Portsmouth-Cardiff, Reading-Basingstoke and Weymouth- which said that high speed electric trains would be replacing Street and so all fast services go also simple to enforce. In the early days RIS, led by to King’s Cross, leaving the lat- network of high-speed rail links, Bristol) along with the Southern service to Portsmouth existing diesel IC125s and Meridians. In the same month the Geoff Manley, Michael Caton, order for 92 Hitachi intercity express trains was signed, with ter line to serve Stansted Airport, spreading its tentacles around The biggest challenge is for con- and Southampton are of importance to Wessex branch most of them expected to go to the Great Western. Whatever John Stanley, Richard Pullen and where RDS was and is calling for Europe to complement the exist- crete realisable steps to imple- members. We are seeking various improvements in the new happens, electric trains are expected to lead to a big increase Rowland Victor Banks, was con- a rail link from the east. ing rail network. ment the ambitious modal shift franchises. in passenger numbers, the so-called “sparks effect”. cerned with the ghost train from Birmingham to Berlin or Peter- targets in the White Paper. n n Clapham Junction to Olympia. Of course, RDS strongly cham- £2.7m pledge aids Swanage plan to re-link to network borough to Perpignan by train, Most of the work of EPF is done n n Work starts on £170m Nottingham area upgrade Now of course this line is flour- pioned the case for the Channel has become possible in a day. by volunteers, as is the case with Swanage could be reconnected to the national rail network Railfuture was delighted by the start in September of ishing as part of the London Tunnel and the High Speed Link at Wareham within two years after Dorset County Council Overground. to it. Finding out about services and Railfuture and most of its other and Purbeck District Council leaders pledged £2.7 million work on a three-year £170 million investment programme member associations. in Nottingham. Track, signalling and work on passenger We have sometimes been dis- booking them, can however be to support the scheme. Network Rail bosses demanded We also highlighted the fact that daunting, and EPF is trying to facilities will improve train performance, create additional towns such as Bathgate in Cen- missed as a group of rail enthu- In recent years the federation has a commitment from the councils ahead of this year’s persuade Eurostar, Thalys and Poole-Wool re-signalling work which is expected to be capacity and enhance the station. But next year there will tral Scotland had been wiped off siasts, but we have now won been able to increase its profile be no rail access to Nottingham during parts of July and all the serious arguments about the Railteam consortium to be and its income by taking part in completed by May next year. The new signalling will allow the railway map. regular through running between Wareham and Swanage. August while resignalling work takes place. London services transport. more user friendly. some EU project work. will terminate at East Midlands Parkway with a bus service As assistant town clerk of Ash- County council leader Angus Campbell said: “Now we We still have a long way to go We have also been involved in Every year we hold a conference. running through to Nottingham. ford Borough Council, Rich- the work of the European Rail- need to focus on the next phase of the project which before we have an efficient rail- In 2008 it was in London. Our is to help Swanage Railway lease and upgrade the line n n ard Pullen led the successful way Agency in developing IT. Leicester station revamp welcomed by campaigners campaign against closure of way, that is cheap and easy to next conference will be 15-16 between Norden and Worgret Junction and to ensure legal Railfuture has joined Leicester Civic Society in welcoming Ashford-Hastings. We set up use. We may have taught the pol- The plans of the Commission to March in Basle, Switzerland. agreements are in place to allow it to use the Furzebrook the completion of the £3.7 million refurbishment of Leicester a branch network to pursue iticians a few lessons about trans- develop a Journeyplanner, build- For more information about EPF sidings to store and maintain trains.” The long-term station. However, there will be further work at the station similar aims elsewhere. In 1978, port but they still have a long ing on the systems already in and its many affiliated associa- aim is to provide a regular community rail service. More before 2019, as the platforms and track will need to be the RIS merged with the Rail- way to go to correct many stupid place in some countries, are an tions, go to www.epf.eu where information: www.swanagerailway.co.uk/dailysvce.htm lowered when the Midland main line is electrified. way Development Association, decisions of the past and deliver encouraging response. you can also read our free twice- founded in the early 1950s by some quality for the future. The hard work of EPF vice chair- yearly bulletin. 18 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Please remember Railfuture in your will: http://tinyurl.com/3qtdzj7 railwatch october 2012 17 LOCAL ACTION Your letters extra LOCAL ACTION Scotland West Midlands n n Shameful cuts that includes trains run by Bayerische Oberland Bahn To Barnt Green/ By Peter Hughes Railfuture Scotland has Birmingham' REDDITCH BRANCH (which is pictured in Railwatch [email protected] protested over the shameful Alvechurch announcement of the Scottish 132) except between Aulendorf n n New Alvechurch station and Withybed N Government to make £350 million and Friedrichshafen Hafen. Green boost for cross-city service worth of cuts in the £1 billion Threat to Cornwall That means that the branches

The Railfuture has welcomed Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement A411 to Lenggries, Tegernsee and Orchard Network Rail’s plans to upgrade Programme. Railfuture’s Ken The news that Cornwall may Bayrischzell are out, whereas a Moorings Sutherland said that axing around lose a third of its through trains Lye the Redditch branch as a way Bayern Ticket will get you there. C Meadows of improving the cross-city 50% of the originally intended from London will draw much NEW FOOTBRIDGE TO The InterRail pass also does ACCESS NEW PLATFORM service across Birmingham to 200 miles of electrification in criticism. ALVECHURCH STATION EXISTING FOOTCROSSING Lichfield. Work is expected to the central belt (to Stirling-Alloa/ not work on a number of trains CLOSED AND DIVERTED Dunblane), and all of the Falkirk The local nature of trains on run by Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn, OVER NEW FOOTBRIDGE start next year on doubling the Grahamston loop, would severely the Cornish main line is indeed such as Zittau-Cottbus. largely single-track branch and reduce the social and economic a problem, although first class rebuilding Alvechurch station. carriages trundle around empty I was travelling last year Keepers Saved from Beeching by a benefits of the scheme. Major from Zittau to Gorlitz and the Cottage projects such as the Dalmeny all over the country. whisker, the line (electrified in conducter told me my ticket 1991) is now very busy. Train chord – which would allow Glasgow trains to switch on to The prospect of changing was not valid. However she did Fife lines outside Edinburgh and give access to a new tram C frequency will increase from two trains at Plymouth could deter not ask me to pay, and I did not to three an hour. Public consultation raised no serious issue interchange at Gogar – have been cut, alongside grade- many potential holidaymakers separated junctions at Winchburgh and Greenhill which offer, and honour appeared to be and Railfuture expects the Transport and Works Act order to and would apply an economic satisfied! be imminent. www.networkrail.co.uk/redditch/ would allow trains to pass on separate tracks. Mr Sutherland tourniquet to a county that is the said the Scottish Government’s rail cuts, announced in its When I raised this matter with n n poorest in Britain. Electrification and four platforms for Bromsgrove Rail 2014 statement, were all the more disgraceful while my travel agent (Ffestiniog Shortwood Dingle A new station is to be built to replace the current one- it was simultaneously boasting of an accelerated road The supply of cheap seats is Travel) they sent me a six-page Worcester and Birmingham Canal and motorway programme. Patrick Harvie, the Green MSP limited, as many of these are list of all that was covered and platform Bromsgrove station. Birmingham cross-city Little River Arrow electrification will reach Bromsgrove once the new for Glasgow, said: “What a complete lack of ambition the occupied by passengers to restricted for Germany. There Shortwood Bordesley SNP Government shows for our railways. These plans are Devon, and trains from the are a number of other operators four-platform station is built, south of the present site. pathetic.” A debate on the EGIP cuts was expected to take Midlands and the North are with restrictions. Worcestershire County Council starts public consultation place in the Scottish Parliament on 19 September when the bunched into a narrow time slot. Butler’s this month and barring problems the new station will be Apparently it is not automatic Wood Cottage operating in 2015. Then there will be a very strong case for Labour party opposition insisted that “vital elements” of the Even the motorway finishes in A411 that companies operating over CrossCountry trains from Cardiff and Bristol to stop there. scheme have been axed. Devon. Although the sleeper n n DB tracks are contractually liable Years of campaigning by Bromsgrove Rail User Group will be Cutbacks are also a threat to Borders rail service has been saved, the volume Farm House to carry InterRail travellers. This Great Shortwood rewarded. www.bromsgroverail.org.uk Rail campaigners have urged the Scottish Government not of tourists could adversely strikes me as a bit naughty. Butler’s Field Cottage n n Resignalling and electrification boosts line speed to make cuts to the planned Borders Railway. The Campaign affect the entire county by Donald Payne, Dudley Road, C for Borders Rail is alarmed by rumours that the length of this measure, and marginal Tipton, West Midlands DY4 8EE The Chase line from Walsall to Rugeley will benefit from crossing loops is to be reduced to save money. Chair Lorne constituencies could be at risk. electrification (see Electric spine item below) and current Anton said: “The campaign is seriously concerned that the R S Moore, St Philip’s Avenue, Butler’s President Wolmar Hill Farm resignalling which will allow the line speed to be increased

rail project will not be allowed to realise its full economic, Map: NETWORK RAIL Worcester Park, London KT4 8JS C from 45 to 75 mph. The 20 mph restriction at Bloxwich will social and environmental potential.” Campaigners are also Weight also be removed with the closure of the level crossing worried about the possibility that the terminus at Tweedbank I refer to Michael Weinberg’s KEY Farm UK to Salzburg letter in Railwatch 132 in which at the site of the original station. Railfuture supports may not be able to handle full-length tourist charter trains. EmbankmentEMBANKMENT strengthening he expresses concern that STRENGTHENING Walsall Council’s ambition for some future Birmingham to n n £12m ‘alliance’ investment to fast track Paisley Canal line A number of points arise from Manchester and Liverpool trains going via this route. But one Christian Wolmar has been C PossiblePOSSIBLE LOCATION location OF of construction compound Network Rail and ScotRail are electrifying the five miles of the article in Railwatch 132 elected president of Railfuture. CONSTRUCTION COMPUND operational difficulty would be southbound trains making a line between Glasgow Central and Paisley Canal in a £12 about travelling to Salzburg. ApproximateAPPROXIMATE SCHEME scheme extent To Redditch flat crossing of the West Coast main line at Rugeley Trent I was at the AGM in Worcester EXTENT Valley. million “alliance” investment. Work began in July and should I travel frequently to Germany be complete by December. when there was unanimous visiting friends. I use Eurostar support for choosing Christian BRANCH BOOST: Network Rail plans to improve the branch n n Electric spine will allow major service improvements Cost savings have been secured by using extended neutral and the one-country InterRail as our president. line to Redditch. See Local Action West Midlands, right sections when passing under bridges. This reduces the need pass for getting around. The coalition announcement of electrification projects put for rebuilding and moving power and telecoms cabling. In my view he is an excellent Enfield Soho depot at Smethwick in the national spotlight for a day, However I have come to the and there is local rejoicing. This region fared better than The aim is to provide sufficient clearance that will still allow a choice as he is well known as years and the fact is that my son what we need to do to attract conclusion that unless you are most in the past, but electrifying Walsall-Rugeley is long diesel unit to operate if no electric train is available and which a writer of books and articles and daughter have expressed members to join us. overdue considering that preparatory work was done in the will permit potential future freight traffic to Hawkhead station. travelling a long distance in the in RAIL magazine which are no interest in driving a car. William Whiting, Halesowen, day there may be occasions West Midlands 1960s. The electric spine for freight was more than we were always interesting to read even if I can only conclude more young Susan Anderson, Network Rail’s route commercial manager, when it is more worthwhile to [email protected] expecting and gives huge potential for passenger services in one does not agree with his view people are using public transport said: “This is the first tangible benefit for rail customers to be make use of a Schones Tag Warwickshire once the new Kenilworth station is built and the on HS2. so Railfuture should ask itself delivered through this alliance with ScotRail. We are delighted ticket which is valid on local rest of Coventry-Leamington doubled. Snow Hill lines next to be able to achieve this much more quickly than under Having him as president and the what it should be doing to make Windfarm threat trains. please. traditional arrangements.” other vice presidents we elected rail travel for that group easier. I calculated that my six-day I thought you might like to n n Midland Metro extension should have gone further n n Reopened station will ease Highland road congestion at the AGM, can only be of Branches may consider tapping InterRail pass cost £44 per day, know about a new hazard for benefit to Railfuture, which does into colleges and universities. Construction of the Midland Metro extension is under way Conon Bridge station in the Highlands, which has been whereas a one-day ticket in passenger journeys emerging on closed to passengers for over 50 years, may be reopened to need to attract new members So please can we be grateful amid complaints of lost trade and inconvenience following Nordrhein-Westfalia costs £21 TravelWatch Isle of Man’s patch, avert traffic chaos caused by road works. Highland Council and a more diverse membership that the board has selected a re-location of bus stops due to closure of parts of Bull Street and a Bayern ticket £17. A day’s offshore windfarms. We are hopes the station can be revamped and reopened before than we currently have. president who in my view will and Corporation Street in Birmingham city centre. The trams track-bashing could well work neither for, or against windfarms roadworks start on the Kessock Bridge near Inverness This is a matter that the board only benefit the organisation will terminate at a new Stephenson Street entrance to New out cheaper this way. but we are concerned about next year. The council is contributing £100,000 towards the needs to address and getting and let us now concentrate on their impact on long-established Street station but should have gone through to the south of the city. £850,000 it will cost to get the station back into use. Unlike the InterRail pass, the into arguments about the ferry routes. n n day tickets are not valid on Nuclear waste could pave way for more freight by rail merits of a particular person as This development indirectly n n New Parkway station brings a host of benefits inter-city, Intercity Express, or A new freight terminal was built this year at Georgemas president will not promote what Send your impacts on rail and bus Eurocity trains. If you buy the Stratford-upon-Avon’s new Parkway station will open in May Junction in Halkirk to carry nuclear waste from the we are about at all. passengers. And given the scale ticket from a machine this is not ­letters to: next yearat the existing park-and-ride site at Bishopton. Extra decommissioned Dounreay power station to Sellafield in It is difficult to see what can be of windfarm developments, other services supported by Centro will restore the Birmingham via Cumbria. Train operator Direct Rail Services hopes the clear. Be warned. I had to pay a The Editors, 4 Christchurch done to attract new members Square, London E9 7HU routes may come under threat in Solihull service and and should enable theatre-goers to get terminal can also be used to open up other opportunities for £13 penalty for travelling on an but young people are an obvious Email: [email protected] the future. home after the final curtain. These improvements can only rail freight. inter-city train from Dusseldorf to audience to capture. I read in Brendan O’Friel, chairman help the campaign by Shakespeare Line Promotion Group Railfuture Scotland: [email protected] Koln Deutz. the Guardian recently that the Railwatch also welcomes TravelWatch Isle of Man ­articles and pictures. Please to reopen the line south of Stratford via Long Marston to www.railfuturescotland.org.uk However, there are also number of 18-year-olds holding use email if possible. Last copy [email protected] Honeybourne to join the North Cotswold line. some trains on which the driving licences has fallen date is 29 October InterRail pass is not valid and significantly in the past four 20 railwatch october 2012 www.railfuture.org.uk ◆◆◆◆ Opinions do not necessarily reflect Railfuture policies. Letters may be edited railwatch october 2012 19