Anglia’s
fleet now TPWS-equipped
Anglia Railways’ programme to install the Train Protection Warning System
(TPWS) in its entire fleet, covering 99 driving compartments, has been completed.
TPWS is designed to stop trains travelling at up to 75 mph within a 200
yard safety overlap. To do this, trackside electro-magnetic detection loops
work in conjunction with on-train equipment which activates the braking system
when an irregularity such as a train passing a red signal is detected.
A TPWS-equipped train travelling at more than 75 mph may not come to a complete
stop within 200 yards, but its speed will be cut dramatically, reducing the
risk of a serious collision.
Drivers’ strike scuppers visit of ‘NRS loco’
Hopes have been dashed of seeing the return to Norwich of a loco whose restoration
was begun thirty years ago by Norfolk Railway Society members.
On Sunday February 16 ex-LNER V2 2-6-2 no.60800 Green Arrow was due
to haul Past-Time Rail’s Mustard Seed excursion from Kings Cross,
travelling via Cambridge and Thetford to Norwich. But now, with EWS drivers
staging weekend work stoppages as part of a pay dispute, Past-Time Rail
have had to cancel the tour.
Green Arrow came to Norwich in 1972 and was returned to working order
under the guidance of Bill Harvey, our late President. The following year
it left Norfolk under its own steam for Tyseley.
Failed 90 brings surprise 37 and blazing Thunderbird
January 24 witnessed a series of unusual events on the Anglia main line,
culminating in a loco fire. The first episode saw 90048 fail at Gidea Park
at the head of the 0505 Norwich - Liverpool Street. Eventually EWS’s 37707
arrived from Temple Mills and brought the train into Liverpool Street three
hours late. This is thought to be the first working of a Class 37 into the
terminus for about ten years. The empty stock was on its way back to Norwich
behind 'Thunderbird' no 47714 when the loco caught fire and the train was
stopped at Shenfield. The ohl was switched off, causing train delays for
much of the afternoon.
July finale for Norwich TPOs?
Rumours have been rife that Royal Mail plans to axe all Travelling Post
Office services some time in 2003, including the daily Norwich - Willesden
and return working (NRS Newsletter, August 2002). The company has
now announced that the first trains to go “will be the East Anglian, South
Eastern and the South Wales TPOs. The expected date of closure is the 26th
July 2003. However as all the detailed planning has not yet been completed
this date might change”.
Sunday engineering brings more bustitution
Anglia Railways’ main line Sunday services in January were disrupted by
track engineering work. On January 12th and 19th, work in the Chelmsford
area meant that train services between Norwich and London were replaced by
coaches between Witham and Liverpool St, lengthening journey times in each
direction by about an hour. On 26th coaches were again used, this time between
Norwich and Diss because of engineering in the Diss area.
WAGN services have also been affected by Sunday track maintenance. Whilst
work took place on February 2 between Littleport and Kings Lynn, a replacement
Ely - King’s Lynn bus service ran all day.
WAGN passengers left out in the cold
WAGN has admitted its error when, on January 7, 90 passengers were stranded
at an unstaffed station in freezing temperatures. The passengers were heading
for Norfolk on the 4.45pm train from King's Cross to King's Lynn, but were
told to alight at Downham Market so that their train could be used to shunt
a failed southbound train. With the waiting room locked, the angry passengers
had to stand in the open for 45 minutes until a relief train arrived to
take them the last few miles to King’s Lynn.
No. 10 mandarins visit Bittern Line
On December 17. members of Downing Street's policy directorate boarded the
13.46 Norwich - Sheringham train to make a fact-finding visit to the Bittern
Line, and West Runton station in particular.
At West Runton a presentation of a bouquet and a year’s free travel on
the Bittern Line was made to local Women’s Institute president May Bullock.
For almost ten years the WI has raised money to improve facilities at the
station and tended its gardens. Back in 1993, it was Mrs Bullock who wrote
to ask if she could help with the upkeep of the poorly-maintained station.
Central worsens, WAGN improves
SRA train punctuality statistics for June - September show that Central
Trains, only 70.8% of whose trains arrived on time, remains the worst operator
in our area. WAGN registered an improvement from the last quarter, its 82.7%
at last bringing it above the London & SE sector average. 78.6% of
Anglia’s main-line trains ran to time, keeping it near the top of the long-distance
operators’ table. Anglia’s local services were little changed at 84.1%.
Disabled campaigner at loggerheads with Central
Trains
The access difficulties which disabled passengers face at Thetford station
(NRS Newsletter June 2002
) was highlighted again in December when Keith Roads, chairman of the Norfolk
Coalition of Disabled People, was unable to reach platform 1 despite having
forewarned Central Trains about his travel plans. He now plans to sue the
company.
Other Norfolk stations where wheelchair users cannot reach the platforms
without help are Watlington, Wymondham, Attleborough, Brundall Gardens and
Buckenham.
Footbridge closed at Lowestoft
A favourite vantage point for railway photographers is temporarily out of
bounds. The footbridge which spans the tracks and yard outside Lowestoft
station is owned by Network Rail, but is in the process of being transferred
to Suffolk County Council. However, the Health and Safety Executive consider
it structurally unsafe and have placed a closure order on it. Once they
own the bridge Suffolk CC will repair and reopen it as a public right of
way, a status which it does not enjoy at the moment.
New year fare changes
While many TOCs brought in price rises of around 2.5% in January, Anglia
announced that most local and leisure fares would stay unchanged. What’s
more, it reduced season tickets from Norwich and Diss to London by about
4pc. Central Trains raised fares by 0.5pc on regulated journeys (e.g. standard
returns and season tickets), and by 2pc on unregulated tickets such as cheap-day
returns. WAGN’s increases saw an annual season from King’s Lynn to Kings
Cross rise from £3,660 to £3,760, while a weekly ticket from
Downham Market to ‘London All Zones’, previously £97.50, went up to
£100.
Heritage, Narrow-Gauge and Miniature
Superpower heads for North Norfolk
On Feb 7 the North Norfolk Railway took delivery of its biggest diesel so
far when Freightliner Class 47 no. 47367 arrived at Sheringham. The loco,
which has been bought from Basford Hall by the Stratford 47 Group, is reckoned
to be in good condition and could be operational in time for the NNR Diesel
Gala at the end of June.
Later in the summer the NNR will play host to another large engine, this
time North York Moors-based WD 'Austerity' 2-10-0 no. 90775. (The locomotive’s
quasi-BR number is fictitious; it was exported to Greece and was not among
the 25 which saw service with BR). 90775 was on loan last year to the Great
Central Railway, and is due to arrive on the NNR on August 1.
Army to consider Mid-Norfolk railhead
Plans to extend train services north of Dereham have been given a boost
by the news that the Mid-Norfolk Railway and the Defence Rail Executive are
in talks about establishing a permanent railhead for loading and unloading
army road vehicles. The proposed site next to Worthing level crossing, around
4 miles north of Dereham station, would include a siding and improved road
access. A specialist army unit is to carry out a feasibility study.
A coach body which lay in a Briston
garden for 67 years has been moved by the M&GN Society to the North Norfolk
Railway’s Sheringham station.
The Midland Railway saloon is thought to be no. 1616 built in 1886, which
was transferred to the M&GN in 1903 as their no.3. After withdrawal
in 1932 it was used as a departmental vehicle before the body was detached
from its frame to serve as a clubhouse at Briston Recreation Ground. In
about 1937 a gang of Melton workers manhandled it into Willy LeGrys's garden
at Edgefield Road, Briston. It hosted a wedding reception in 1938, and has
since been used as a workshop. Restoration will be carried out in Weybourne
carriage shed, but timing depends on its 'position in the queue'.
Also recently entrusted to the M&GN Society is ex-Wisbech & Upwell
coach No 7 (NRS Newsletter, Apr 2002). A new underframe for the 1884-built
coach has been built by High Cross Forecourt Canopies at Besthorpe near Attleborough.
This will be taken to join the coach body at Appleby, where the two will
be married up, allowing restoration to begin. The coach will then move
to the NNR to be upholstered and have replica bogies fitted.
Meanwhile, the NNR-based LNER Quad-art set (NRS Newsletter, Oct
2002) will soon go to Carnforth for restoration.
Bure Valley story reissued A History of the Bure Valley Railway has just been reprinted. In the
113-page illustrated book, author Adrian Vaughan traces the route’s story
from its earliest days right up to its 1990 revival as a tourist line. Copies
of the book can be obtained for £9.99 from the
BVR’s
Aylsham Station (01263 733858 or info@bvrw.co.uk
) or by mail order at £11.99.
Further Norfolk Orbital studies funded
The company behind the proposed Norfolk Orbital Railway continues to progress,
albeit slowly, its dream to re-connect Holt and Fakenham. The Holt, Melton
Constable & Fakenham Railway Co. has put together £30,000 to pay
for a revenue study of the complete route as well as a revised study of the
first part (from the NNR at High Kelling to the centre of Holt). The company
is continuing to consult North Norfolk District Council about route protection
and environmental aspects.
The HMC&FRCo welcomes approaches from interested individuals and organisations.
A leaflet outlining its aims can be obtained from The Railway Institute,
Melton Constable, Norfolk NR24 2DA or
www.norfolk-orbital-railway.co.uk
MNR to repeat diesel gala as fleet expands
Building on 2002's successful event, the Mid-Norfolk Railway will hold its
second Diesel Enthusiasts’ Weekend on March 22 and 23. A visiting Freightliner
loco, likely to be 47303, will join at least three of the MNR’s residents
- 31538, D8069 and 50019 Ramillies. 31538 will be making its first
runs in passenger service since its arrival in November 2001. It is hoped
that the Metro-Cammell 101 set will make its debut run - and a ballast train
is also scheduled to operate. One- and two-day rover tickets will be available.
The MNR’s diesel fleet increased to five in December when a low-loader delivered
grey-and-yellow-liveried 31530 to Dereham station. Named Sister Dora
until the mid-1990s, 31530 has been bought from EWS at Wigan by Paul Mobbs,
owner of 31538. The loco is likely to enter MNR service in 2004.
The Steam Dream - yours to own!
picture: M&GN Society
To celebrate the M&GN Society's
two ex-GER engines, B12 no. 61572 and J15 no. 65462, steaming together at
last for the first time in over 40 years, the Society commissioned railway
artist Malcolm Root to paint the pair on shed at Norwich. Prints of Malcolm’s
painting (pictured right) cost £22.50 including p&p, and are available
from the North Norfolk Railway.
New grant will enhance MNR’s Dereham presence
Having recently qualified for a large European Union grant (NRS Newsletter,
Dec 2002), the Mid-Norfolk Railway has now won an award from the Market Towns
Initiative run by the East of England Development Agency. The £40,000
will enable the railway to replace Dereham’s missing crossing gates as well
as renovate the derelict crossing keeper's cottage on Yaxham Road.
A notable event for the MNR took place on January 4 when a load-test train
crossed Dereham’s Neatherd Road - the first train to use the crossing for
more than ten years. Set against this good news, it is disappointing to
report that the MNR suffered costly damage on Christmas Eve when vandals
disfigured rolling stock with spray paint.
Away from the tracks
More ex-railway buildings on
the market
picture: Abbotts Country Houses
2002 saw a number of former Norfolk
stations put up for sale, and Wretham & Hockham joined their ranks in
December. Built for the opening of the Thetford & Watton Railway in
1869, the attractive
picture: Abbotts
flint station which sits alongside
the A1075 road saw its last passenger train in June 1964. Abbotts Country
Houses (01603 616898) are seeking a price of £285,000.
Also on the market is the ex-M&GN crossing keeper’s house at Gunthorpe,
just west of Melton Constable, for which Abbotts (01263 713564) are asking
around £180,000. The building at the rear of the picture used to house
a small ground frame.
