News archive April 2004
National Network
Heritage, Narrow-Gauge and
Miniature
Away from the tracks
National Network
....and
the name is: ‘one’
At last we know the name! At 2am on April 1 National Express took over
all rail services to and from Liverpool Street, and ended weeks of speculation
among rail watchers by revealing the brand for its trains. The company is
called ‘one’ - but the name is used alongside existing regional names.
Anglia, Great Eastern, West Anglia and Stansted Express are to live on as
sub-brands to denote familiar services.
one, claims NatEx, reflects the integrated service which it will provide
across the region. The company aims to earn the reputation that ‘one
’ deserves, and become the number one train operator - “an example to the
industry and a champion of the region”. Aware that working and/or travelling
takes many hours of our lives, the company will think about “how we can inject
more pleasure and enjoyment into our services”.
Publicity material sees the name used for rather weak puns: leaflets have
headings like Two for ‘one’ with Anglia and The ‘one’ to Cambridge
.
On Day 1 a trainset in the new one livery - dark blue/purple with
loco and coach ends enlivened by a five-colour ‘rainbow’ panel - was officially
unveiled at mid-day at Liverpool Street Station. The trainset, powered by
loco no. 90003, then formed the 12.30 from Liverpool St. After arrival at
Norwich the train was scheduled to remain in the platform for around half
an hour before proceeding to Crown Point. No. 90004 also appeared at Norwich.
No. 90003 has been named after Raedwald King of the East Angles. In the
early 600s AD, Raedwald was known as an honest and reliable leader who understood
the value of diversity.
On Saturdays April 3 and 10, a £20 “Family Fun Day” rover ticket
will enable two adults and two children to travel anywhere in the Greater
Anglia network. Full details will appear in the local press.
According to Ken Bird, franchise development officer, NX intends to
* upgrade at least 60 stations across the region by the end of 2005
in a £11m programme, with more if match-funding from local authorities
can be found.
* rewrite the timetable from December 2004
so as to reduce delays caused on the six-track stretch between Bethnal Green
and Liverpool Street. A Network Rail maintenance team will have access to
two of the six tracks each day between 10am and 4pm. The timetable change
will allow more regular departure times for the twice-hourly Norwich - London
service.
* alter the times of some services from Sheringham
and Yarmouth to improve connections at Norwich with London trains.
* introduce trains every two hours from Lowestoft
and Bury St Edmunds to London.
* replace Norwich-London trainsets by the
end of 2005 with 14 modernised class 90 locos, 104 modernised Mk 3 InterCity
coaches, and 14 DVTs. On-board kitchens will provide a “new catering offer”
on all London - Norwich trains.
* simplify the ticket structure to attract
more non-rail users
Local rail users who were disappointed
when Anglia (i.e.GB/FirstGroup) failed to win the franchise may be consoled
by the news that Tim Clarke, Anglia Railways’ Managing Director, has been
appointed MD of the new larger group. His team includes five Route Business
Directors, one for each subsection of the franchise: Mainline, Rural, Metro,
Stansted and West Anglia. There is also a London Terminals Manager Liverpool
Street.
NX has confirmed that it will take over sponsorship of the Norfolk &
Norwich Festival. Anglia Railways was the previous principal sponsor.
Demolition threat to Felixstowe Beach station
The future of the wooden Felixstowe Railway station building hung in the
balance at the end of March.
Demolition of the 1877 building, which had suffered vandalism since a
printing firm vacated it at the end of last year, was apparently scheduled
to take place overnight on March 21/22, but Suffolk Coastal District councillors
stepped in to impose a delay, allowing time for interested groups to seek
Listed Building status. Also being examined is the possibility of dismantling
the building for re-erection elsewhere.
When first opened, Felixstowe Beach station attracted crowds of Victorian
holidaymakers to the town. Its inconvenient site led the GER to replace
it in 1898 with a new passenger and goods station at Felixstowe Town.
King’s Lynn train in terror alert
Passengers on the 08.56 WAGN service from King's Lynn to King’s Cross were
caught up in a terrorist alert on March 17, when an unattended black briefcase
was discovered on their train. An emergency stop was made at Stevenage and
passengers were told to leave the train. All running between Hitchin and
Welwyn Garden City was halted for 90 minutes until a police search adviser
gave the “all clear”.
Norfolk’s trains share national improvement
in punctuality
The SRA's latest National Rail Trends, covering Quarter 3 (Oct - Dec 2003),
show that nationally 76.5pc of trains ran on time, up from 72.3pc in the
same period in 2002. Autumn is normally the poorest quarter, but this is
the best autumn performance for four years.
Our local TOCs all shared in the improvement. Anglia ‘locals’ stayed well
ahead of the Regional Operators’ average with an increase from 79.2pc to
82.5pc. Central Trains' impressive 7-point jump to 67.8pc was not enough
to lift it from the bottom of the same table.
Among London & S.E. Operators, WAGN leapt to 79.8pc, keeping it more
than three points ahead of the average. Anglia InterCity, previously the
most punctual Long Distance Operator, managed only a modest increase from
72.1pc to 73.5pc. As a result Virgin West Coast overtook it and now heads
the LDO table.
No more 67s on Nenta trips
Nenta Traintours, the Norfolk-based special train operator, is changing
its fleet arrangements. This year’s “Great Days Out” trains will be operated
by Merlin Rail and formed of an ex-Virgin rake consisting of eleven Mk.2
carriages (including restaurant car) and a Mk.1 RBR kitchen car, all refurbished
with Virgin-type interiors. The trainset will normally be top-and-tailed
by two Fragonset Class 47 locos. It will travel to Norwich on Friday afternoons
from its base at Oxley (Wolverhampton), and sit overnight in the Royal Dock
sidings ready for early-morning Saturday departure.
Details of Nenta’s 2004 programme can be obtained from 01692 406152 or
www.nentatraintours.co.uk
Wherry Lines promote walks
A series of village walks from stations between Norwich, Great Yarmouth
and Lowestoft is being promoted by the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership.
The “easy going short to medium length” walks start from Acle, Reedham,
Buckenham, Haddiscoe, Cantley and Somerleyton, and are aimed at encouraging
people to use the train to see Norfolk and Suffolk's scenic countryside and
broads. Details can be found at
www.wherrylines.org.uk/walks
Beccles tidy-up and passing loop back on
the agenda
Soon after the news that more through London trains will serve Beccles and
other East Suffolk line stations, hopes of improving the semi-derelict area
around Beccles Station have once more been raised. At the instigation of
Waveney MP Bob Blizzard an outline development plan has been agreed by Network
Rail and property developer Arthur Crisp. The plan includes good pedestrian
and vehicular access to the station, prominent station signing, safety enhancements
and residential development of surrounding derelict land and buildings.
A new plea for a passing loop between Beccles and Lowestoft has been made
to the SRA by East Suffolk Travellers' Association (ESTA). ESTA secretary
(and NRS member) Rod Lock claims that passenger numbers on the line rose
almost 50pc between 1996/7 and 2002/3. If these increases are to continue,
says Rod, the infrastructure has to be improved. According to ESTA, a common
complaint about the trains is their infrequency, and with a loop at Beccles
an hourly-interval service could be introduced.
Roughton Road attacked by vandals
British Transport police are investigating an attack on the isolated station
of Roughton Road, outside Cromer. The glazed waiting shelter was smashed
up, leaving nowhere to take cover from winter weather.
Most Bittern Line stations have been “adopted” by a member of the local
community, but at the time of the attack no-one had volunteered to look after
Roughton Road. A few miles down the line, West Runton station provides an
excellent example of just what can be achieved. The local WI acts as adopter
for the station, and the ladies have recently transformed an overgrown section
of the station gardens into an attractive woodland clearing accessible to
the public.
Dangerfield to head RPC Eastern region
In order to improve its work on behalf of rail passengers, the Rail Passengers'
Council has created a regional management team and appointed six regional
directors for England. Heading the Eastern England team is Guy Dangerfield.
Prior to joining the RPC in 1998, Guy worked for the late Jamie Cann, MP
for Ipswich.
On March 11, as part of a campaign to raise awareness of its work, the
RPC spent twelve hours at Norwich station distributing questionnaires and
listening to passengers’ needs.
Let me off - I’ve got a station to run
Police were called to Thetford station when passengers could find no trace
of the booking clerk, despite the booking office lights and computer being
on. It turned out that he had left the office in order to help a mobility-impaired
passenger board an earlier Cambridge train, but before he could get off,
the train pulled out of the station.
Another accolade for sacked Anglia
Little over a month before it handed over to National Express, Anglia Railways
was named Train Operator of the Year at the Rail Business Awards 2003. It
is the second time the company has won the award.
Gatwick 73s leave Norwich for Southern infrastructure
duties
A new life beckons for Norwich’s “Gatwick six”. The ex-Gatwick Express
Class 73 electro-diesel locos, stored in Crown Point depot sidings since
last July (NRS Newsletter August 2003
), have now been bought by GB Railfreight from its parent company. On February
16 nos. 73204/5/6/9 were hauled away by no. 47818, and four days later nos.
73203/7 left behind no. 66710. GBRf has won its first infrastructure train
contract from Network Rail’s Southern Zone, and the 73s will be based at
Eastleigh and Hoo Junction in order to work trains in third-rail areas.
GBRf hopes that refurbishment at Fragonset’s Derby works will produce four
operational locos.
In a separate deal, GBRf has also been appointed as operator and manager
of Network Rail's new Whitemoor depot for infrastructure materials. The
company is also to increase the number of infrastructure trains it hauls
in East Anglia.
King's Lynn gets two more (WA)GN years
With West Anglia services having become part of the new Greater Anglia,
the WAGN (West Anglia Great Northern) franchise has been split. In February
the SRA sanctioned a two-year extension for the Great Northern section, to
run until March 2006. GN trains run from Kings Cross and Moorgate to Cambridge,
Kings Lynn and Peterborough, and there are plans to bring in more Class 365
emus to improve services. It remains to be seen whether the company will
drop the “WA” from its brand.
Mail and farewell
It is sad to report the end of Royal Mail’s rail operations at Norwich.
After travelling post office trains finished last July (
NRS Newsletter August 2003
), only a daily train of bulk mail ran to the Willesden distribution centre.
However this too has now been withdrawn as part of Royal Mail’s national
strategy to end rail traffic. EWS no. 67007 was in charge of the final departure
from Norwich on February 20. Reports claim that the train in fact ran empty
for the last few weeks.
First Leziate sand arrives in Goole
The first train of sand from WBB Minerals’ quarry at Leziate, near King's
Lynn, to Guardian Glass’s new glassworks at Goole (
NRS Newsletter October 2003
) arrived on February 17. Meeting the train were representatives from EWS,
WBB Minerals, Guardian Glass and Yorkshire Forward.
EWS has a five-year contract under which it will move 130,000 tonnes of
sand a year from Leziate to Goole. 9,000 lorry movements will be kept off
the roads, claims Chris Metcalfe, WBB Minerals’ Transport Director.
KL-KX with one driver
To reduce delays and cancellations caused by shifts ending at Cambridge,
WAGN drivers on the Fen Line are being trained to work the entire route between
King's Lynn and King’s Cross. At the Fen Line Users’ Association AGM, GN-route
Manager James Adeshiyan confirmed that over half the King's Lynn-based drivers
had already been trained, and the new arrangement was due to be introduced
in late March.
Signal success for May Gurney
As part of Network Rail’s Anglia Region “enhancement and renewal programme”,
the rail signalling business of Norfolk construction services giant May Gurney
has been awarded a five-year £45m contract. A team made up of NR and
MG managers and engineers will spend the first year year developing signalling-based
projects, and the design-and-build phase will follow. May Gurney's new Chelmsford
office will manage the contract
Heritage, Narrow-Gauge and Miniature
“Now we are five” say Norfolk’s
Brush 2s
For years the Class 31s, or ‘Brush Type 2s’, were a familiar sight in Norfolk.
Now the arrival at Sheringham of no. 31207 (D5621) means that five preserved
examples are based in the county. Grey-and-yellow liveried no. 31207, bought
by the M&GNRS from EWS, travelled from Old Oak Common to the North Norfolk
Railway on February 12. A month later restoration had avanced sufficiently
for it to make its first return trip from Sheringham to Holt.
Classmate no. D5580 (31162), owned by the A1A Loco Group, is also based
at the NNR, while at the Mid-Norfolk Railway, the class is represented by
nos. 31235 (D5662), 31530 (D5695) and 31538 (D5557).
Interestingly, 31207 has a NRS connection. In 1968 a party of 20 Society
members rode in the brake vans of a King’s Lynn - East Rudham grain train
which was hauled by 31207.
2-10-0 arrives at “Stalham” to launch Operation
Phoenix
Stalham station has begun a second lease of life. Transported from its
original home, the building has been rebuilt at the North Norfolk Railway’s
Holt site, where its opening on February 28 was marked by the arrival of
“Austerity” 2-10-0 no. 90775 with a Gresley buffet at the head of its train.
The ceremony took place 45 years to the day after Stalham saw its last M&GN
train, the 10.48pm from Yarmouth Beach.
The occasion also saw the launch of “Operation Phoenix”. The NNR and
the associated M&GNRS have been awarded £778,000 of EEDA, European
and council cash to be spent on developing Holt Station. This will involve
fitting out the station building, relaying track, building a six-coach platform
and creating a museum of M&GN artefacts in the goods shed from Thursford
(NRS Newsletter December 2003
). However the grant depends on the railway providing match funding of £286,000.
Operation Phoenix, under Project Director Julian Birley, has been launched
to raise this sum through donations or purchases of NNR shares (min. £250).
Liveries chosen for Norfolk 47s
The Stratford 47 Group’s loco no. 47596, which is destined for the Mid-Norfolk
Railway, remains at Tyseley Works where its traction motors and bogies are
to receive attention. Its Res livery will eventually be replaced by rail
blue, with a “Stratford silver” roof and replacement Aldeburgh Festival nameplates.
Railfreight grey has been chosen for the 47 Group’s other loco, North
Norfolk Railway-based no.47367. A milestone in its restoration was reached
at Weybourne running shed late last year. To run a check on the main bearings
fitted earlier in the year, 47367 was successfully started for the first
time.
DMU exodus from Dereham
A clutch of semi-restored dmus are leaving the MNR's Dereham headquarters.
In mid-February, Railcar Enterprises’ cosmetically-restored Gloucester
RC&W “bubble car” no. 122006 (55006) left for the Ecclesbourne Valley
Railway (Wyvernrail), which is in the process of finalising the lease/purchase
of its 81/2 mile line. Soon afterwards hybrid 108/117 set
(DMBS 51360/DTC56224) followed them to Derbyshire.
Derby-built Class 108 DMC no. 51572 is destined for the Wensleydale Railway.
Also on their way out are unrestored Gloucester cross-country Class 119
DMBC no. 51073 (currently advertised for sale), the unique Metro-Cammell
Class 111 TRBS (buffet car) no. 59575 and the shell of Pressed Steel Co “suburban”
Class 117 DMS no. 51386.
On the hauled stock side, air-braked Mk 2 carriage no.5255 arrived at
Dereham on March 9, followed a few days later by maroon-liveried Mk1 composite
no. E25189.
Regrettably, Dereham station is being plagued by vandalism. In mid-March
intruders broke into the signal box, workshops and stables and let off fire
extinguishers. The MNR operates 24-hour security patrols, with an instant-response
link to the police.
Away from the tracks
Reg Carter exhibition and
board game mark Southwold anniversary
This year sees the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Southwold Railway,
and visitors to Southwold Museum will enjoy an added attraction this summer:
an exhibition devoted to the life and work of Reg Carter, who famously catalogued
the foibles of the 3ft-gauge railway in his “Sorrows of Southwold” cartoon
postcards. The museum, in Victoria Street, is open between 2pm - 4pm from
April 9 (Good Friday) to October 31. During August it opens between 10.30am
- 12pm as well.
The museum publishes a series of booklets including The Southwold Railway
(£1.50), and two packs of "Sorrows of Southwold" postcards (80p per
set of six). They can be obtained from the Librarian, Southwold Museum,
9 -11 Victoria Street, Southwold, Suffolk IP18 6HZ. Cheques, payable to
Southwold Historical Society (Museum a/c), should include 27p per booklet
to cover postage.
The anniversary is also being marked by the launch of a board game. In
The Southwold Railway Game, produced by the Bungay Game Factory, players
compete to get passengers on board their own carriages, all the while collecting
forfeits, bonuses and “engine driver” cards which carry an illustration of
the railway. The game retails at £12.95, and a percentage from each
one sold will go to the Southwold Railway Society and Halesworth Museum.
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