INTERCITY RAILWAY SOCIETY Monthly Magazine http: // icrs.org.uk First ScotRail 158723+158706 with its coupling cover dragging behind and kicking up the snow on departure from Huntly (12.08 to Aberdeen) on a completely calm and sunny 2 February 2008 (what a difference a day makes !!) VOLUME 36 No.2 February 2008 INTER CITY RAILWAY SOCIETY President: Dr. Pete Waterman O.B.E. 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 owner Vice Presidents: Peter King 65 Long John Hill, Norwich NR1 2LX (01603 616298) Jeff Hall – [email protected] 3 Ingham Grove, Hartlepool TS25 2LH (01429 421175) Chairman: Simon Mutten Coppercoin, Blofield Corner Road, Blofield, Norwich NR13 4RT (01603 715701) Secretary/Treasurer: Gary Mutten – [email protected] 1 Corner Cottage, Silfield Street, Silfield, Wymondham NR18 9NS (01953 600445) Editorial Managers: Trevor Roots – [email protected] Mill of Botary, Cairnie, Huntly, Aberdeenshire AB54 4UD (01466 760724) Peter Britcliffe – [email protected] 9 Voltigeur Drive, Hartlepool TS27 3BS (01429 234180) Editorial Assistants: Sightings: James Holloway – [email protected] 246 Longmore Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands B90 3ES. Lincoln/Local Areas: John Barton – [email protected] 46, Arbor Way, Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham B37 7LD Wagons & Trams: Martin Hall – [email protected] 5 Sunninghill Close, West Hallam, Ilkeston, Derbys. DE7 6LS (0115 930 2775) European: Robert Brown – [email protected] 32 Spitalfields, Blyth, Worksop, Notts. S81 8EA (01909 591504) Membership Sec/ Maurice Brown – [email protected] or [email protected] Publication Manager: 192 Alvechurch Road, West Heath, Birmingham B31 3PW (0121 624 8641) Pub. Researchers: Euro/Preserved/Trams: Martin Hall – [email protected] – details as above Wagons & Engineers: David Sharpe – [email protected] 25 Lynfield Road, Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancs. BB6 7TS (07944 718429) Pub. Compilers: European: Bryan King – [email protected] 34 Anchor Street, Norwich NR3 1NR (01603 440432) Chris James – [email protected] UK / Ultimate Sight File: Carl Watson – [email protected] Web Site Manager: Mark Richards – [email protected] 7 Parkside, Furzton, Milton Keynes, Bucks. MK4 1BX (01908 520028) East Anglia Branch: Simon Mutten – details as above Contents: Officials Contact List............................................. 2 Traffic and Traction News.......................... 14 Society Notice Board ......................................... 3-4 Wagon Corner......................................15-16 Current News / Sightings: Feature Articles: European News........................................ 20-21 Diary of a Loco Spotter.........................17-18 European Trips.............................................. 22 Gosport Railway Station .......................18-19 Lincoln Sightings....................................... 10-11 ICRS / HB Publication Review..................... 4 Light Rail and Metro News............................. 15 Location ‘Spot’Light ..............................23-28 Out and About – Sightings ............................ 5-8 Preservation News / Photo Spot.................. 9 Railway Cuttings ............................................ 19 Railway Globetrotters ...........................12-13 Rolling Stock Changes................................... 22 Where in the...? ......................................... 10 £1.25 post free Printed by Ords Group, Progress House, Usworth Road Industrial Estate, Hartlepool TS25 1PD 2 Society Notice Board Editor’s Comments: No time for waffle this month…as more importantly I must bring to your attention the upcoming AGM, the website refresh and a new feature, reviewing the latest ICRS / HB Publications. Thanks should go to Mark Richards for his work on revamping the website. Annual General Meeting: The AGM is to be held on Saturday 5th April at the Crewe Arms Hotel (as per 2007) in the Albert Room at 12.00 noon. It is important that as many members as possible show support by attending, so please try your best..…couple it with a bit of spotting on Crewe, most of the Committee do !! For those members planning to attend, PLEASE notify the Secretary, Gary Mutten by 10th March so that we know how many will be attending. Similarly please notify any apologies for absence by same date and/or if you wish to add an item to the agenda. ICRS Web Site refresh: by Mark Richards The ICRS web site was refreshed on 22nd January and anyone who has visited the site recently will have noticed the changes to the design and layout of the pages, in particular the homepage. The reason for the change is to keep the web site looking as fresh and visually enticing as possible, whilst also applying a consistent and more interesting theme to all the pages. Navigation should also be easier around the new-look web site with changed menus and more logical links between pages. Some of the other changes made, include: • A standardisation of the font used across the site so that all pages have a similar look • The title bar on the homepage and all other pages within the site have been redesigned. The homepage is instantly more recognisable as a railway web site • The homepage has been ‘cleaned up’ with some of the unnecessary information removed and the layout enhanced so that less scrolling is required • A News & Information page has been added, which will be updated regularly • The Photo Gallery has been redesigned so that only the four most recently updated galleries are now shown Another important change is a regular update schedule, which will mean that the web site is updated every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, information permitting! Please help make the ICRS web site as interesting and informative as the magazine by providing your news, information, sightings, photos or articles so that we can provide a resource that stands out amongst other UK railway web sites. It’s easy to contribute – there are photo submission guidelines on the web site – and for anything else drop an e- mail to [email protected]. In addition to the refresh, please note that from 24th February the password to the Members Section is to change, please therefore access the Members Section before that date to find new password. There will be a notice on the website to confirm when the change takes place and advising members what they will need to do. Membership Matters: Membership Rates: Annual: £15.00 Five Year Rate: £70.00 (currently discounted) New Members: The following new members have joined this month B. Allsop (Tamworth), David Croft (Stoke-on-Trent), Brian Derricote (West Midlands), Peter Hart (Reading), Mike Machin (Stafford) Darren Smith (Wolverhampton), Walter Stafford (Lancashire), Mark Turner (Chesterfield), D.E. Williams (Harrow), A.S Woodcock (Halifax) - A warm welcome to you all Obituaries: It is with regret and sadness that we have to announce the passing away of two ICRS members: Philip Gause from Bury, Lancashire and A. Humpage, from Market Drayton, Shropshire. Our condolences and sympathies go to both families. 3 Magazine Submissions: Any information / article on any railway related item will always be most welcome for inclusion in the magazine. Your travel stories / anecdotes about far flung parts of the railway network, past or present can give pleasure to others or inform of places to visit. This railway hobby of ours is made all that more enjoyable by the sharing of information, so please consider sharing your knowledge and experiences. Please note that contributions for Out and About Sightings only should be sent to James Holloway, items for European News (and Sightings) to Robert Brown and for Wagon Corner and Light Rail & Metro News to Martin Hall. All other items should be sent to Trevor Roots / Peter Britcliffe. Neatly typed submissions are perfectly acceptable, but if you have a PC with Microsoft Word or Excel, then a document on CD is a bonus or better still e-mail them to the appropriate official. Good quality photographs are always welcome for inclusion in the magazine, colour or black and white clear prints of any railway subject will be considered but preferably high resolution digital photographs via e-mail. To credit members correctly please include your name with any submissions. The latest date for articles / info for the next magazine is Friday 29th February 2008. Items for Out and About Sightings should be sent in to James a few days earlier if possible please. Magazine Contributors: Thanks to Mark Richards, John Palin, Cassandra Sweeting, Eddie Rathmill Michael Hillier, Dennis Dey, Derek Sneddon, Paul Tarrant, Mike Rumens, Nigel Hoskins, Kenneth Pryce, Mark Turner, Ray Smith, Bob Brown, Martin Hall & Trevor Roots. We are sorry if anyone has been missed. All photos by Trevor Roots unless shown otherwise. ICRS / HB Publications Review by Trevor Roots Pocket Datafile 2008: This new publication has just been released and is the perfect companion to the Combined Volume, but in a cheaper handy pocket sized form. It contains all the same essential spotting information, but in abbreviated form. As with all ICRS publications it is well produced and size wise, occupies the same market as spotting books from Platform 5 and the NREA. (the former in its similar combined form is twice as thick and expensive). As I personally collect and use the two aforementioned books I can definitely recommend the Pocket Datafile. Loyalty apart, from now on I will use it as it contains far