No.12 December 2009 Inter City Railway Society Founded 1973
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Tracks the monthly magazine of the Inter City Railway Society websites: icrs.org.uk & icrs.fotopic.net Aggregates Industries 59002 ‘Alan J Day’ with the 6V18 Hither Green - Whatley empty boxes passes southbound through Willesden Junction High Level with a freightliner on line behind (see page 6 in November issue) and showing the early stages of platform lengthening on the left 13 October 2009 Volume 37 No.12 December 2009 Inter City Railway Society founded 1973 The content of the magazine is the copyright of the Society No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior permission of the copyright holder President: Simon Mutten (01603 715701) Coppercoin, 12 Blofield Corner Rd, Blofield, Norwich, Norfolk NR13 4RT Chairman: Carl Watson - [email protected] 14, Partridge Gardens, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO8 9XG Secretary: Gary Mutten - [email protected] (01953 600445) 1 Corner Cottage, Silfield St. Silfield, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 9NS Treasurer: Gary Mutten - [email protected] details as above Membership Secretary: Trevor Roots - [email protected] (01466 760724) Mill of Botary, Cairnie, Huntly, Aberdeenshire AB54 4UD Editorial Manager: Trevor Roots - [email protected] details as above Website Manager: Mark Richards - [email protected] (01908 520028) 7 Parkside, Furzton, Milton Keynes, Bucks. MK4 1BX Editorial Team: Sightings: James Holloway - [email protected] (0121 744 2351) 246 Longmore Road, Shirley, Solihull B90 3ES News: John Barton - [email protected] (0121 770 2205) 46, Arbor Way, Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham B37 7LD Wagons & Trams: Martin Hall - [email protected] (0115 930 2775) 5 Sunninghill Close, West Hallam, Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 6LS All Our Yesterdays: Alan Gilmour - [email protected] 24 Norfolk Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR32 2HJ Europe (website): Robert Brown - [email protected] (01909 591504) 32 Spitalfields, Blyth, Worksop, Notts. S81 8EA Magazine Distribution: Peter Britcliffe - [email protected] (01429 234180) 9 Voltigeur Drive, Hartlepool TS27 3BS Publications Team: UK Combine / Pocket Book: Carl Watson - [email protected] details as above UK Wagon Combine: Scott Yeates - [email protected] Paul Eveleigh (contact via Scott) Name Directory: Eddie Rathmill Publications Distribution: Carl Watson - [email protected] details as above Website Assistant: vacant Contents: Officials Contact List.........................................2 Traffic and Traction News............................ 7 Society Notice Board .....................................3-6 Wagon Corner........................................... 26 Publications ....................................................28 Feature Articles: Publication Reviews .........................................4 Days Out...............................................19-20 Current News / Sightings: Location ‘Spot’Light ................................... 21 Gloucester / Stirling Sightings...............17-19 Location ‘Spot’Light Update....................... 21 Light Rail and Metro News.........................27 Open Day Report....................................... 16 Open Day News...........................................6 Preservation Photo Spot.............................. 6 Out and About Sightings .......................11-15 Railway Globetrotters ...........................22-25 Stock Changes / Liveries ...........................27 Ramblings of a Rail Enthusiast...............8-10 £1.25 where sold separately (post free) Printed by Ords Group, Progress House, Usworth Road Industrial Estate, Hartlepool TS25 1PD 2 Society Notice Board MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR The Committee of ICRS would like to thank you for your continued support and send best wishes for the coming Festive Season Editor’s Comments: Well I’m now into my fourth year as editor, having started with the Dec 2006 issue and I hope you find the mix of articles interesting and absorbing. One of the nice problems I now have is finding space and unfortunately for good reason this month, the content has been affected by the inclusion of important news, a result of which should ultimately allow more pages to be included in ‘Tracks’. Firstly it’s all been happening on the rails, two of the new Cl.70s have arrived in the UK and their looks will need some getting used to. If any member can come up with a quality ¾ front photo of one, including next batch on their way, then it may end up on the cover of the 2010 Pocket Book. Secondly NatExEC has been ditched and the government is temporarily running the franchise, under the new name of East Coast, third incarnation in under two years. Thirdly, if any of you did look for us at the National Model Show at the NEC, I apologise as unfortunately I was unable to make the long journey south, the weather didn’t help. The following statements also explain that there were also events happening rapidly over several days around that weekend. Fourthly and more importantly we have a Chairman again. As reported in the August issue Carl Watson unfortunately had to step down from the role of Chairman. The committee is pleased to be able to announce that Carl has resumed his position at the helm after his brief sojourn away. Please note the following greeting and important statements from our Chairman, which heralds a new bold move forward in our gradual evolution. “It's great to be back! I'm very pleased to have been given the opportunity to return to the Chairman's role in ICRS. My first task as Chairman has been to announce a very bold step on behalf of ICRS in changing our Publications Strategy. The announcement made on 23rd November is shown below and on our website. If you haven't yet read it, I urge you to do so. The decision was made by the existing ICRS Officials and is fully supported by myself. We aim to transform ICRS from a Society that has been criticised as 'just a book club' dependent on publications to a Society that has control of its own publications and finance generation entirely for the benefit of the Society and its members as a whole. With the announcement comes a change in our relationship with HB Publications (see below). One obvious result of this is the reduction in titles that ICRS will publish. We are intentionally concentrating on the core best selling titles to start with, but have retained ownership of several others, which we hope to re-release as time and finances allow. There will be further updates on exactly what our publication plans are in the coming weeks. I'd like to thank you all for your continued support and take this opportunity to wish you and your families a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.” Kind Regards Carl Watson Chairman The following Statements were released on the website on dates shown (with shortening of references to ‘Tracks’ and website, as not necessary to repeat here, plus insertion of contact details) 3 23rd November 2009 INTER CITY RAILWAY SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS ANNOUNCEMENT It has been unanimously agreed by ICRS Officials on 22nd November 2009 that, with immediate effect, ICRS will bring Publications activities back in-house to be wholly managed within the Society. This means that Researching, Compiling and Production of all ICRS Publications will be carried out and managed within ICRS. All printing will be carried out by outside companies on a commercial fee paying basis, rather than the current arrangement whereby ICRS receive a small sum in royalties for each book sold. The main benefit in these changes will be the increased financial return to the Society for what have become popular titles within the general railway enthusiast community. This, in turn, will enable the Society to re-invest the additional money in projects to enhance Member benefits and improve the overall value of ICRS to its Members and Customers. For 2010 this will mean concentrating initially on our core best selling titles: UK Combined, UK Wagon Combined & UK Pocket Book Release dates for these books will be made available in ‘Tracks’, on our website and on the ICRS Yahoo Forum. Additional titles will be made available as and when possible and full details will be given in the above places at the appropriate time. The Member discount of 20% will continue to be offered on all ICRS Publications. Exact details of the ongoing relationship with HB Publications are yet to be finalised, but ICRS anticipates fully supporting HB Publications in those Publications that ICRS no longer plans to produce, ie the many European titles. Members will receive regular updates on our plans for Publications through the website, Forum and ‘Tracks’ but if you have any specific questions please email or write to the Chairman (details shown on page 2. Our aim is to make ICRS a better experience for all Members. We would like to thank you all for your past support and hope that you will continue to support us through these necessary but positive changes. 25th November 2009 FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENT ON INTER CITY RAILWAY SOCIETY PUBLICATIONS Following our announcement on 23rd November I can now provide more details on the ongoing relationship with HB Publications. In an email received on 24th November, HB Publications (HBP) has announced that, with effect from 1st January 2010, it intends to terminate the relationship with ICRS. ICRS will continue to receive royalties up until that date for any ICRS Publications sold by HBP. HBP have also announced that they intend to withdraw the 20% discount for ICRS Members with effect from 1st January 2010. HBP will be announcing plans