RailwayThe Herald 15 July 2005 No.15 TheThe complimentarycomplimentary UKUK railway railway journaljournal forfor thethe railwayrailway enthusiastenthusiast In This Issue Silverlink launch Class 350 ‘Desiro’ New Track Machine for Network Rail Hull Trains names second ‘Pioneer’ plus Notable Workings and more! RailwayThe Herald Issue 15 15 July 2005 Contents Editor’s comment Newsdesk 3 Welcome to this weeks issue of All the latest news from around the UK network. Including launch of Class 350 Railway Herald. Despite the fact ‘Desiro’ EMUs on Silverlink, Hull Trains names second Class 222 unit and that the physical number of Ribblehead Viaduct memorial is refurbished. locomotives on the National Network continues to reduce, the variety of movements and operations Rolling Stock News 6 that occur each week is quite A brand new section of Railway Herald, dedicated to news and information on the astounding, as our Notable Workings UK Rolling Stock scene. Included this issue are details of Network Rail’s new column shows. Dynamic Track Stablizer, which is now being commissioned. The new look Herald continues to receive praise from readers across the globe - thank you! Please do feel free to pass the journal on to any friends or Notable Workings 7 colleagues who you think would be Areview of some of the more notable, newsworthy and rare workings from the past week interested. All of our back-issues are across the UK rail network. available from the website. We always enjoy hearing from readers on their opinions about the Charter Workings 11 journal as well as the magazine. The Part of our popular ‘Notable Workings’ section now has its own column! Charter aim with Railway Herald still Workings will be a regular part of Railway Herald, providing details of the charters remains to publish the journal which have worked during the period covered by this issue and the motive power. weekly, although there are occasions when pressure of other work doesn’t allow this! Apologies for any How you can help... New address disappointment that is caused on our ‘non-appearance’ weeks, but there is We are being continually asked Contributions are welcome for Please note our new only one person on the editorial team how readers can get involved all our pages, especially our editorial e-mail address. - your editor! with The Railway Herald. We news and notable workings All submissions, both welcome readers contributions columns and should be sent to written and pictorial Submissions for the journal in both pictorial the editor, by e-mail at should now be sent to: We welcome submissions from all and written formats. [email protected] [email protected] readers, especially photographs from those enthusiasts with a digital camera! FRONT COVER: On 9th July, ETS fitted Class 37/4 No. 37405 approaches Llanbradach in the Rhymney Valley, Pictures should be sent to the the editor at whilst working 2F34 14.15 Rhymney - Cardiff Central Arriva Trains Wales service. MARK BEARTON [email protected] BELOW: South West Trains now just have two units remaining to be delivered, Nos. 450001 and 450101. Good quality scans of colour slides and Their arrival will signal the end of a major rolling stock upgrade programme, which has seen the end of prints are also acceptable. Mark 1 style ‘Slam-Door’ rolling stock. Two of the new commuter trains of Class 450, No. 450009 and Please note that as the Herald is free 450082, are pictured at Basingstoke on 14th July. PATRICK SEALE and compiled on a voluntary basis, we are unable to offer any financial return. Where possible we always try to use photographs taken within the production week (i.e the next issue will, where possible, only include images taken between the publication date of this issue and the following Friday. Publication The Railway Herald is due to be published every Friday and is available by e-mail subscription from [email protected] E-mail address are never given out and should you chose to cease your subscription in the future, pleas e just contact us. © Copyright Railway Herald.com 2005 2 Railway Herald - Volume 1 : Issue 15 Silverlink launches the Class 350 ‘Desiro’ Newsdesk ABOVE: On 15th July, Silverlink officially launched their Class 350 EMUs into traffic, despite the units having been operating out of London Euston for the past few weeks! The official launch was carried out using Class 350 Nos. 350111 and 350115, both of which were named on arrival at London Euston. No. 350111 becoming Apollo, whilst No. 350115 was named Archimedes. Both named were chosen by the LNWR society and were originally carried by LNWR locomotives. The Class 350s, which are also operated by Central Trains out of Birmingham New Street, are employed by Silverlink on Euston - Milton Keynes Central and Northampton services. Due to a security alert at Milton Keynes, all trains in both directions were stopped for over 30 minutes on 15th July until matters could be resolved by the police. Pictured is Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ No. 390037 Virgin Difference stopped in Wolverton station alongside Class 35o/1s Nos 350111 & 350115 on the special run. INSET: The vynal nameplate on No. 350115. BOTH:BRIAN MORRISON Wadebridge and Padstow Great Western stations rejoin National Rail Network get new look Wessex trains has announced a new Council and runs via Wadebridge Several stations customer information ‘virtual’ branchline from Bodmin every hour throughout the day operated by First Great boards replaced. Parkway to Padstow! Monday to Saturday and two hourly Western Link are being The next stage of the The new service, is provided by bus on Sunday’s. given a facelift as part of refurbishment connections at railway stations, The times for the new ‘Virtual’ a £240,000 refurbishment programme includes allowing onward travel to and from branchline are also published in Table programme. work at the following destinations by bus, all with a single 5 of the Wessex Trains Devon and The company is stations: Acton Main convenient ticket available from any Cornwall Timetable and on the net at deploying teams of Line, Bourne End, National Rail station. www.westerngreyhound.com. decorators across their Burnham, Cholsey, The connecting services (service No. Wessex Trains also operates ‘virtual’ network to carry out the Cookham, Goring and 555) from Bodmin Parkways to branchlines to the Eden Project from St repainting of everything Streatley, Hanborough, Padstow is provided by local bus Austell and to Helston from Redruth from waiting rooms, Hayes and Harlington, operator Western Greyhound, in with another local bus operator toilets and booking halls Henley-on-Thames, conjunction with Cornwall County Truronian. to lighting columns and Heyford, Islip, Langley, railings! At many Maidenhead, Newbury, stations, new vinyl Oxford, Paddington, RIGHT: EWS floors will be installed, Pangbourne, Slough, continue to ship Class 56 and benches will be Taplow, Theale, Tilehurst Class 58 refurbished, and and Twyford. locomotives out on lease to several operators Transport link for in France, namely Fertis. Eisteddfod festival The 12th July saw the latest A special rail and bus link is being provided for move when, visitors to the National Eisteddfod of Wales, to be Class 66 No. 66120, with held at Faenol Estate, Felinheli near Bangor between 58021 dead in 30 July and 6 August. tow, passes Arriva Trains Wales is offering an all-inclusive Kensington ticket covering rail travel, return bus link to the Olympia with Maes, and entry to the event. 6M44 Eastleigh - Wembley Shuttle buses from Bangor Station to the event will service. run every half an hour from 8am until 7pm, and JON BRADLEY hourly from 7pm until midnight. Railway Herald - Volume 1 : Issue 15 3 Ribblehead Viaduct memorial refurbished £1m bridge The memorial cairn below involved new engraved project Ribblehead Viaduct has been plates, made by the original A £1m project to refurbished thanks to suppliers, installing them and strengthen Prescot Network Rail’s Preston area re-pointing the stone Road bridge in team, which agreed to meet structure. Liverpool commences the costs. The new plaque was on 17 July. Network Rail has been unveiled in a re-dedication The work is taking liasing with the Friends of the ceremony, which was place to ensure that the Newsdesk Settle and Carlisle Line to get conducted by Rev. Charles structure can carry 44 the plaque refurbished after it Ellis, the Vicar of Ingleton. tonne lorries and became illegible due to severe The service included a involves the A57 over weathering over the years. blessing and the reading out the Bootle Branch. The work, which has cost of the names of the people £3,250, has taken around eight who died during the weeks to complete and construction of the viaduct. Track RIGHT: The recently refurbished memorial cairn situated beneath the 24 Renewal arch Ribblehead Viaduct. NETWORK RAIL Work Network Rail is to Cheap tickets to Belgium Fare evaison crack down renew a mile and a The 21st July is Belgian national day when people A total of 128 people one of the routes with a quarter of track in across Belgium celebrate the anniversary of their have been convicted for high proportion of Shropshire. country’s formation, with this year’s celebrations fare evasion in the West people travelling without The work is to take also marking the 175th birthday of Belgian Midlands during June. tickets. A total of 151 place in the village of independence. Posters naming and people were penalty Onibury will mean the To celebrate the anniversary a range of events are shaming the offender’s fared and will now have temporary closure of the taking place throughout the year and 21 July, will be who have had to pay out 21 days to pay their £20 level crossing on the the main event, with the streets of Brussels be filled a total of £23,896, have fine.