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Tangmere the star in Norfolk ‘Super Saturday’
‘Super
Thursday’ – that’s what journalists called May 3 when elections were held all
over the UK. But for local enthusiasts May 5 was ‘Super Saturday’, when
no less than three railtours, one steam-hauled, ran through Norfolk.
At
07.40 Battle of Britain 4-6-2 no. 34067 Tangmere set
off with around 300 passengers from the Mid-Norfolk Railway's Dereham station,
the first main line steam engine in almost 50 years to visit the town.
The East Anglian charter to Liverpool Street, organised
by The Railway Touring Company, was to have been pulled by the NRM’s Green
Arrow, but it had failed a boiler test. The MNR had a bonus the next day
when it was able to use Tangmere to operate its
regular Dereham – Wymondham service.
Meanwhile
those nostalgic for the 1980s were delighted to see Cargo D’s refurbished
blue-and-grey Mark 3 coaching stock make its Norfolk debut. The set,
top-and-tailed by nos. 47815 and 47847, formed Compass Tours’ Eastern Fensman from Blackburn to Great Yarmouth.
The
day’s third special was a ‘Northern Belle’ circular luncheon tour.
‘Royal’ locos nos. 67005 and 67006 hauled a ten-coach train from Ipswich and
Norwich to Peterborough and back.
Two-car
dmu promotes Norwich shopping
Love
‘em or hate ‘em, we’ll just
have to get used to all-over advertising on rolling stock. On June 4 unit
no. 156402 was put on display at Norwich station in a fully-wrapped livery
promoting Norwich’s Chapelfield shopping centre. The 2-car set had previously received new
carpets and re-trimmed seats.
The
blue and white ‘Love Shopping, Love Chapelfield’
wrap, unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor
Roy Blower, is thought to be the first of several units which will be given the
‘all-over ad’ treatment.
First
‘refreshed’ Class 365 train unveiled
Last
December First Capital Connect (FCC) announced a £2.7 million investment in
‘refreshing’ its GN-line fleet.
FCC’s
units on the Peterborough and King’s Lynn routes, the 40-strong class 365s, are
now are going through the refresh programme.
In each carriage carpets and upholstery are renewed, dado panels replaced,
interior trims replaced where necessary and toilets given new fittings. The
unit also receives a new coat of paint. At the beginning of June six
units had been completed.
No
class 365 units now remain in the old Network SouthEast
livery. The last was 365538, and its final working was on May 21 as part
of the 0705 Peterborough - King’s Cross.
After
the class 365s, it will be the turn of classes 313 and 317. The programme is scheduled so as not to affect the availability
of trains for service.
Day
Explorer ticket launched to mark CRP success
one
and the local Community Rail Partnerships celebrated the 2007 Community Rail
Week with nine days of activity from May 19 to 27 – and a new ‘Rover’-type
ticket. Special events included information stands at shopping centres and a programme of guided
walks.
The
new Day Explorer ticket was available initially from May 19 to June 3. It’s
valid for travel across the entire one network outside the London ‘One Day Travelcard’ boundary. Costing £18 (£2 for each
accompanied child), it will also be on sale from July
4 until September 9.
Community
Rail Week celebrates the achievements of the Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs)
where support from local authorities and other partners is leading to
passenger growth, more trains and station improvements. The seven CRPs on one’s
network – all of which can be experienced using the Day Explorer – include the
Bittern, Wherry and East Suffolk Lines.
Ignore
your sat-nav, motorists are told
Suffolk
County Council has erected warning signs telling drivers to ignore their
in-vehicle satellite navigation systems.
Drivers
of tall vehicles have become stuck as they went under a low bridge at Needham
Market “Some sat-nav systems show it as a
level crossing not a bridge, so lorry drivers think they can get across,” said a
Suffolk County Council spokeswoman.
After
a string of complaints, the council has put up a bold sign reading
”No high loads over 8’3”. Do not follow Sat Nav”
each side of the railway bridge.
Punctuality
‘best since the start of the franchise’
The
four weeks to April 28 were one’s most punctual since the start of the
franchise in April 2004, with 92.4pc of services running on time. On the Norwich – London main line timings were the best for
seven years, with 90.4% of services arriving within 10 minutes of the
advertised time. On rural lines, where 5 minutes is the leeway allowed,
the figure was 93.3%
Test
role for ex-GEML DBSOs
Four
DBSOs which worked Norwich - London services until retirement last year are to
be brought back into use.
Nos.
9702/3/8/14 have been bought from HSBC Rail.
Railway Vehicle Engineering Ltd is converting them at its Derby works for use
on Network Rail’s infrastructure test trains. They will work in push-pull
mode, saving the need for a second loco.
Victa Westlink
staffing postpones Wensleydale excursion
Just
months after being appointed, Victa Westlink had staffing problems which caused Nenta Traintours to cancel its
May 19 excursion to the Wensleydale Railway.
Sickness and holidays meant that not enough drivers and train crew could be
mustered. The tour, due to start from Sudbury, will be rescheduled.
Boatmen
fume as Reedham bridge stays
shut
Masted boats
found themselves unable to pass under Reedham swing bridge in late May. In a re-run of the conflict
at Trowse bridge in late 2003 (NRS Newsletter Dec
2003) NR locked the bridge in the ‘closed to river’ position and placed barges
and scaffolding below it while it carried out inspection and repair work.
Trains continued to cross the bridge at slow speeds.
Most
boats, said the Broads Authority could still pass under the bridge. It
hoped the problem would soon be resolved.
Network
Rail plans for decade of growth in East Anglia
In
a draft Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) announced on
April 18, Network Rail set out its ten-year plan to ensure that East Anglia’s
rail network can meet the growing passenger and
freight traffic in the region.
Already
120 million passengers each year use Liverpool Street, Britain's busiest
station. By 2016 peak-time passenger journeys in the region are projected
to grow by 17%. The RUS illustrates the forecast growth in population,
employment and housing, and estimates rail usage over the next decade.
The set of options which could help meet the demand include longer platforms
and trains, additional tracks, better station facilities and greater freight
capacity.
Specifically,
the RUS suggests:
*
Forming peak services between Cambridge and Stansted Airport to Liverpool
Street with 12-car trains
*
Increasing freight gauge and capacity between Felixstowe
and Nuneaton
*
Removing freight speed restrictions between Ipswich and Peterborough
*
Improving car parks at key stations
*
Altering more stations to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.
Following
a 12-week consultation period the RUS will be delivered to the Office of Rail
Regulation in the autumn.
Leaflet
drop aims to build Felixstowe rail journeys
To
raise awareness of the Felixstowe – Ipswich rail
link, one, Passenger Focus and the East Suffolk Travellers’
Association joined forces in a house-to-house leafleting exercise on June
9. Every domestic property within walking distance of the station received a leaflet which emphasised
the 25min average journey time and included a timetable and fare information.
Norfolk
railtour firm becomes less ‘steamy’ for a while
Motive
power for a ‘steam-hauled’ railtour was altered at
short notice after a Norfolk charter train company changed owners.
At
the end of February, Steamy Affairs, whose headquarters are in Terrington St Clement near King’s Lynn, was bought by the
Cotswold Rail Group. Announcing the purchase, Richard Clark; Cotswold
Rail’s Head of Commercial said, ‘Steamy Affairs for the past 11 years has been
quietly growing its comprehensive database of premier travellers
and its reputation for high quality, destination of choice, charter trains.’
A
Steamy Affairs railtour on March 24 should have
featured LMS no.6201 Princess Elizabeth from Preston to Carlisle and back via Shap, but, to the disappointment of many would-be
passengers, Cotswold – reported to have no safety case for steam operation –
replaced ‘Lizzie’ with Class 47s. However the new owners are likely to organise staff training and re-start steam-hauled trips
later in the year. They also plan to run more trains to the South West
and Scotland.
Heritage,
Narrow-Gauge and Miniature
After
the false dawns: the Steam Dream at last?
The
North Norfolk’s Railway’s wish to see all three of its ex-GER-designed
locomotives working together could at last be realised
on the weekend of June 30/Jul 1. If all goes well, the Great Eastern
Steam Dream will be the first time three GER-designed engines – B12 4-6-0 no.
61572, J15 0-6-0 no.65462 and N7 0-6-2 no. 69621 – have worked together in
preservation. Sharing duties with them will be SR BoB
4-6-2 no. 34081 92 Squadron.
Protracted
repairs to the B1 put paid to the last Steam Dream attempt during the NNR’s New
Year Mini-Gala.
Dennis’s
pannier makes a welcome return
Last
spring the Mid-Norfolk Railway’s much-heralded return to steam came in the form
of Dennis Howells’s BR(W) 0-6-0PT no. 9466. The
popular loco was hired for for a repeat performance
this year. It began MNR services on May 12 and was due to work each weekend
until July 1.
WWLR
celebrates 25 years as Norfolk Hero returns to steam
In
April the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway celebrated its Silver
Jubilee. It was in 1979 that Lt Cdr Roy Francis
took over four miles of disused trackbed and began
building a new 101/4” gauge railway, culminating in an opening ceremony in
April 1982. Chair of the railway’s support group, Benedict Cadbury
commented, "we must be unique in having the founder and constructor still
at the helm...25 years on!”.
The
new boiler for 2-6-0 + 0-6-2 Garratt Norfolk Hero arrived on March 12 from Mervyn Mayes’ Yaxham
workshops. Volunteers had just nine days to fit it in the frame, lag and
clad it, fit the chimney, superheater, steam pipes
and dome; and finally give it a coat of paint – but their work was rewarded
when the boiler passed its inspection on March 21.
47367
stars in NNR Diesel Weekend
The
North Norfolk Railway’s Diesel Weekend on June 9-10 featured the the Stratford 47 Group’s no. 47367 hauling its first
passenger trains in preservation. This was a second celebration for the
Stratford Group, whose other Norfolk-based loco, no. 47 596 Aldeburgh
Festival, made its passenger debut at the Mid-Norfolk Railway’s gala in March.
Also
appearing at the NNR weekend was recently out-shopped Class 25, repainted as
25057 in BR blue with full yellow ends. The timetable included non-stop
express trains, shuttle services and loco double-heading.
GWR
0-6-2T visits Sheringham
Visiting
the North Norfolk Railway for a short spell at the end of April was GWR 56xx
class 0-6-2T no. 6619. Built for the GWR by Armstrong Whitworth in 1928, no 6619 was rescued from Barry scrapyard in
1974 and taken to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway where, after restoration,
it returned to steam ten years later.
Brockford
volunteers to get better workshop facilities
Having
lengthened its running line through the woods last year, the Mid-Suffolk Light
Railway has turned its attention to setting up a workshop in a leased
industrial unit by Brockford station. This development
will be welcomed by the restoration teams who will be able to carry on their
work in all weather conditions.
Away
from the tracks
Rail
artists’ work on show at Bressingham
The
prestigious Guild of Railway Artists, which exhibits its members’ work at
railway locations around the country, is holding its
first ever East Anglian exhibition at Bressingham
Steam and Gardens.
Among
the 64 paintings and drawings on display are several with a local theme.
There’s an acrylic by Stephen Warnes entitled Norfolk
Bound (£249),and two water-colours
– East Anglian Departure (£450) and East Anglian Steam (£130) – by John Wigston. Peter Green has an intriguing oil on
display: Southwold no.1 c.1890 at the Heronry (£600),
while Norfolk artist Nick Hardcastle is showing five
pen-and-ink works including Claud Hamilton class no.
62613 at Kimberley (£495) and ‘The Broadsman’ at
Norwich Thorpe (£200).
The
exhibition runs until Sunday July 1.
Montana
heads south for a new life
Until
recently Pullman car Montana was a gradually-decaying lineside
feature near Cambridge. Now the 1923-built coach has left East Anglia to become
luxury ‘hotel’ accommodation.
Put
up for sale last year (NRS Newsletter May/June 2006), Montana was moved by road
from its home at Barnwell Junction to the Old Railway Station at Petworth, Sussex where, on May 9, it joined fellow Pullmans
Flora, Mimosa and Alicante After restoration by owner Gudmund Olafsson, it will provide
two additional rooms.
Old
station for sale in north-east Norfolk
After
the Cromer – Mundesley branch closed in 1953, trains
merely shuttled up and down between North Walsham and
Mundesley. There was just one intermediate
station, Paston & Knapton.
Once that five-mile section of line had closed too in 1964, converting Paston & Knapton to a private
house was probably an easier project than many, as it had always looked more
like a rectory or guest house than a railway station.
The
old station, now a four-bedroomed property in 1.5 acres of land, is to change
hands again. Handling the sale is Fine and Country (01603 221888), which
has set a guide price of £485,000.
Wroxham
box ‘on the slide’ at last!
Redundant
for the last seven years, the signal box at Hoveton
& Wroxham has been the cause of a speed restriction because it impedes the
view of a signal. Now at last it is to be ‘slid’ from its present
position the few yards on to land belonging to the Bure
Valley Railway.
Work
to move the box is due to begin on September 3, and the actual ‘slide',
under Network Rail track possession conditions, is due to begin on October 6.
East
Anglian memorabilia under the hammer in Warwickshire
At
their Stoneleigh Park sale on April 28, Great Central Auctions offered several
choice railwayana items from Norfolk and Suffolk.
Causing
a stir with a final price of £500 were a pair of
ceramic nameplates, no more than 9.5cm long. Marked ‘Hilgay
Fen’ and ‘Downham’, they originated from GER signalboxes on the Ely – King’s Lynn line, where they would
have been fitted to block instruments.
Among
the 500 lots were three totem signs from our region. £1,200 was paid for Leiston (despite some damage), £700 for Downham
and £660 for Burston..
A M&GN coat-of-arms transfer, mounted on a ‘golden
gorse’ panel, made £70, while a chromed steel ‘Cromer Beach - Sheringham’ key token was knocked down for £270.
