Issue No. 13 Summer 2009
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www.iberianrailwayssociety.org Issue No. 13 Summer 2009 he inaugural IRS meeting took place at the Model T Railway Club in London on 22nd February 2006, and was attended by about 20 prospective members from all around the UK. A general discussion took place and introductions, suggestions and proposals were made. At this meeting a small committee was voted on and tasked with setting up the Society on a formal basis. The Committee members are: Chairman David Stevenson Secretary Charles Phillips Journal Editor Michael Guerra Treasurer & Membership Secretary Tony Bowles Publicity & Exhibitions Myles Munsey THE BASICS The remit of the Society is to stimulate interest in and disseminate information about railways on the Iberian Peninsular and the Balearic Islands. It was felt at this time that extending this remit to Spanish and Portuguese speaking areas of the world would be too ambitious. It is proposed that a Society Journal be published four times a year and that this would be the main conduit between members. Local meetings and branches were also to be established wherever possible to encourage membership from the widest possible area. A fledgling library could be made available to members as time went on. Consideration would be given to organising trips from the UK, both formal and informal, as a way of enabling members to meet in a very convivial atmosphere and whilst indulging their passion for rail travel! MEMBERSHIP Membership was to be open to all and would entitle the member to receipt of the magazine, use of the Societies’ facilities and attendance and voting rights at an Annual General Meeting. MEMBERSHIP RATES FOR ONE YEAR – APRIL 2009-MARCH 2010 UK £13.50 EUROPE £16.00 REST OF WORLD £17.00 Web Download £5.00 Payment CHEQUE (Payable to: Iberian Railway Society) - Send to: Tony Bowles 1 Station Cottages Stow Road Toddington Cheltenham GL54 5DT Those joining during the year pay the Annual Rate and will receive all copies of the journal for that year. Membership of the IRS is subject to the rules and constitution of the IRS. Membership records are held on a computer database in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. 2 Title Page The Society 2 The Chairman’s Page 4 The Editor’s Page s 5 Northern Spain & Portugal Part 2 8 What’s In The National Archives 15 CP Narrow Gauge 16 Something About a Sewer 23 Aguilas Railway Museum 31 Contributions for publication should be, if possible, by email or computer disk (to avoid time spent transcribing text). Photos should be of good quality, sharp, well composed or of significant historical interest. Prints, slides, digital photos or good scans can be accommodated. All prints and slides should be sent by recorded delivery, they will be scanned as quickly as possible and returned by recorded delivery. Scans of 6”x4” prints should be scanned at 300dpi, 35mm slides should be scanned at 1600dpi, digital photographs should be 1920x1200 minimum. Articles can be of any length, though generally of between 500 to 800 words for a book review, and up to 4,000 words for a main article. Maps should be of a good clear line, and legible at quarter page size. Submissions should be to: Michael Guerra, 6 Nash Close, Welham Green Hatfield, HERTS AL9 7NN Email (pref): [email protected] Front Cover: Azpeitia Basque Railway Museum. Brown-Boveri Swiss-built Crocodillo 4002 of the FV (1928). Photo by M. Guerra 3 OLA! ery many thanks to those of you who have renewed so far this year. It's worth V mentioning that the renewal rate has gone down though which is very disappointing. With this in mind I have decided not seek re-election at the next AGM as Chairman of the Iberian Railways Society. The time has come for a fresh face at the helm to take the IRS forward. I intend to remain a member and am happy to assist in any way I can to promote the Society but after four years I feel I have done as much as I can. If you would like to put yourself forward or would like to know more about what is required please get in touch by email or phone on 01905 358440. I want to thank the other committee members for all they have done and wish them, my successor and the Society all the best for the future. In the meantime best foot forward and I hope to see many of you over the next few months at Sutton Coldfield and Warley. Adios, David Stevenson, Chairman – Iberian Railways Society 3, Aldersey Road, Worcester, WR5 3BG Tel: 01905 358440 Email: [email protected] TranVia 10 arrives at the Santa Cruz terminus of Europe's most southerly tram system in Tenerife on 12.03.09. David Stevenson 4 y apologies for this tardy edition of Correo. A series of hardware and M administrative problems conspired to make me a month later than usual. To obviate any further renewal issues would you let me and/or Tony Bowles have your current email address ([email protected] / [email protected]) I would like to thank our network of Mediterranean correspondents: Rarfe Chambers, Geoff Eley, Graham Harrison and Christopher Elliott. Together they are building a picture of the various works connecting the Costas with direct high-speed lines from Madrid and France. Despite engineering and political difficulties in Barcelona it is clear that RENFE/ADIF are taking advantage of the various European grants and loans available for strategic infrastructures. However, one is left with the feeling that, like SNCF, focus on AVE infrastructure will deflect resources from the low-speed network. Already this has resulted in an increasing share of fruit and veg travelling by road, despite the introduction of gauge-changeable freight and container wagons. Madrid-Valencia AVE The new AVE line has resulted in the construction of a new station at Valencia. 800m outside the gorgeous Norte station a new AVE terminus is being erected on the site of the long-disused goods depot (sometimes used for multiple units or the odd loco between turns). It appears to be close to the entrance of the Jésus Metro station, but it is a couple of stops from the main Xátiva stop which serves the Norte station. The ADIF leaflet describes this station as ‘temporary’, and further research has unearthed plans to turn Valencia Norte into an Atocha. (Go to www.valenciaparquecentral.es for info.) Photo taken from the Web showing the model of the winning design for Valencia’s new station.. The old Art Deco buildings will become an enclosed public space with a new park over the space where extended platforms used to be. The new station will transform both local road layouts and rail infrastructure. 5 The new temporary terminus will allow underground work to begin that will bring all tracks below grade, underneath a new 12-storey office block. The old, cool shed roof will stay, and where the platforms extend beyond the old shed will become a park. The buffers still seem to end at the same place, but 2 storeys down. Work is supposed to be completed by 2014. At St Pancras International I love the way Eurostars come all the way into the station; unlike at Euston or Atocha. Detaching waiting travellers from their trains instils a sense of insecurity about the journey and makes train travel less attractive. It still amazes me how many people still come to St Pancras to be near trains they are not travelling on, simply because they represent adventure; which is ironic for a service that only shuttles backwards and forwards across the Channel. The historic town of Cuenca is dramatically positioned above a steep cliff and has a beautiful historic centre. Cuenca will significantly benefit from the new Madrid- Valencia AVE line, as it will become 45mins from Madrid and only 30mins from Valencia (compared to 2h37m and 2h36m respectively in 1986 by TER). This will put Cuenca within easy commuting distance of both Madrid and Valencia. This is important as Cuenca is no.2 on my wife’s current Paradors-To-Stay-In-Before-I-Die list! Booking RENFE Tickets Online The expanding AVE network comes with a dramatic increase in new trains which caused a couple of hiccups in obtaining tickets for our impending tour of North Spain. For those readers yet to test the water with regards to planning and booking their own complex itineraries it has been an interesting learning experience. Our family holiday (for 2 adults & 3 boys) takes in Paris, Madrid, Palencia, Salamanca, Zamora, Santiago de Compostella, Leon, Oviedo, Bilbao and Burgos with side trips to Medina del Campo and Valladolid. We stay in 3 Paradors and 4 other hotels, and take around 18 trains. We had to book the Paradors almost a year in advance, as we will be staying in Santiago during the festival week of St James. The other hotels we booked directly online about 5-6 months in advance. So far so good. The railway tickets were a little more complex. Eurostar book 120 days in advance. We are departing on the first day of the school summer holidays so it was important that I booked the outgoing at the very moment the booking became live.— I didn’t. I forgot and tried to book the next day. It was impossible to find 5 Standard seats on the first 6 trains of the day. We eventually had to buy 5 Leisure First seats on the 12.29 to Paris. However the 1st class seats don’t have uncomfortable armrests and the included lunch would be welcome.