News archive
July/August 2006
National Network
Heritage, Narrow-Gauge
and Miniature
Away from the tracks
National Network
Nenta cancels Penzance, returns to
Dereham
An unexpected track possession has forced Nenta Traintours to cancel an
excursion.
On Saturday July 29 The Eden Project was due to run from
Norwich to Par and Penzance. At a very late stage Network Rail supplied
revised timings: departure from Norwich would have been at 03.44, and
the return leg would have terminated at Ipswich at 01.10 on Sunday,
with Norwich passengers arriving by coach at around 02.45. Nenta’s Ray
Davies says this is the first time in 23 years of operations that
unacceptable timings have forced him to cancel a tour.
Meanwhile, after a three-year gap, Nenta is again using the Mid-Norfolk
Railway’s Dereham station as a tour’s start point. On Saturday
September 9 an excursion will run from Dereham, Wymondham (with a
connection for Norwich passengers), Attleborough and Thetford to York.
Passengers can then spend over six hours in York, or remain on the
train to Malton for a visit to Eden Camp, or to Scarborough. The fare
to York is £44.75, with variations for the other options. Further
details from Nenta Traintours (tel 01692 406152).
‘Nottingham split’ scrapped, but hourly Norwich – Liverpool service
under threat
Included in the East Midlands franchise, which begins operations in
November 2007, is the hourly Liverpool – Norwich service. The
Department for Transport had suggested splitting this vital
cross-country route at Nottingham (NRS
Newsletter Nov/Dec 2005). To the relief of rail campaigners, it
has now decided to continue the through service.
The DfT is, though, considering running alternate trains to Cambridge
instead of Norwich. To maintain Norwich’s hourly link to the ECML, a
Norwich – Peterborough service would run every two hours. If it proves
impossible to alter other operators’ schedules to achieve this, says
the DfT, the current Norwich-only service will continue.
The Peterborough – Ely – Norwich Rail Users have applauded the decision
to retain the service as a single entity, but would prefer to retain
all Liverpool – Norwich trains. The group suggests attaching/detaching
a 2-car unit for Cambridge to some trains at Ely.
Ex-Anglia rakes go down under
Coaching stock which once shuttled daily between Norwich and Liverpool
Street is to find a new life in New Zealand.
Operator Toll Rail has bought eleven Mk2f high density TSOs from owner
HSBC Rail. Still wearing ‘Anglia’ teal-green, the vehicles were first
moved to Wolverton for a special underframe clean, as the NZ Ministry
of Agriculture & Forestry insisted on the removal of every trace of
toilet effluent. At Southampton Eastern docks the coaches were lifted
off their bogies and tractored on to ro-ro vessels destined for
Auckland. Following conversion (NZ-gauge bogies, new doors and
interiors etc) they will be used on Wellington suburban services.
Meanwhile two former London–Norwich stalwarts, Class 86 locos nos.
86223 and 86235 are to join the FM Rail fleet for railtour use.
Lowestoft station to be shifted?
Ambitious proposals for breathing new life into Lowestoft could see the
town’s station moved 400 yards up the line. At an exhibition at the
town’s Hotel Victoria on July 25, urban regeneration company 1st East
revealed long-term plans under which Station Square would become a
shopping centre known as Peto Square.
Network Rail and one are thought to be opposed to moving the
station.
13th Mark 3 set means goodbye to the Mk2s
From Sunday July 16, passengers could expect refurbished Mk3 stock for
every journey on the Norwich – London line. Andrew Goodrum, Business
Director, Mainline for one said: ‘The arrival of the 13th
refurbished Mk3 set of carriages and subsequent withdrawal of the last
full Mk2 set mark a real step forward in the quality of service we
offer to our passengers.’
With 113 out of its 119 Mk3 carriages in service, the company was to
have given set no. AR17, its last complete Mk2 train, a final run on
July 15, but air-conditioning defects prevented this at the last minute.
The Mk3 vehicles are having their air-con improved for the hot summer.
With input from technical specialist firms Wabtec and Techtrain, one
has increased the stock’s performance by around 30%. The company says
that if a problem does occur with a coach’s air-con, passengers
affected will be given complimentary water, or moved where possible to
another coach.
Body on line halts services
Five peak-hour Norwich – London commuter services were cancelled on
July 3 after a man’s body was found by the track at Dunston, south of
Norwich. A train driver saw the body lying beside the up line at 5.45am
and trains were halted under British Transport Police instructions. The
line reopened at 7.20 am.
Snap a branch, win a break
What do local scenic lines mean to you? one is running a
competition which invites passengers to get out their camera and
capture the essence of a line. Qualifying routes are: the Bittern,
Crouch Valley, East Suffolk, Gainsborough, Mayflower, Sunshine Coast
and Wherry lines; also Stratford – Hertford East, Shenfield –
Manningtree and Wickford – Southminster.
The picture which in the judges’ opinion best illustrates the character
of its subject will win its photographer an overnight stay for two at
the Wherry Hotel in Oulton Broad. Runners-up will receive free weekend
travel on a one scenic route of their choice. Winning images
may be used on posters or leaflets.
Entries (in the form of hi-res JPEG images on a CD) should be sent by
August 15 to:
one
Tourism Trails Image Competition
c/o one Public Affairs, Suite C/First Floor, The Octagon, 27
Middleborough, Colchester CO1 1TG.
Doomed CT going out on a high
Although the Central Trains franchise will expire in November 2007, its
passengers have been enjoying ever more punctual trains. The Rail
Regulator’s National Rail Trends report shows that in the first three
months of 2006, 85.1% of CT services arrived on time, well ahead of the
74.6% achieved in the same period last year, and a six year high. The
achievement follows another good result for CT, when the National
Passenger Survey run by rail watchdog Passenger Focus showed the
company to have improved in 23 out of 32 categories. Overall, 82% of
passengers are ‘satisfied’ with CTs’ services, the company’s highest
score since the survey began.
one has also recorded improvements. Over the six 4-week periods
to June 24, 89.6% of trains arrived within 5 minutes of schedule (or 10
minutes for InterCity services), whereas 2005’s equivalent figure was
88.4%. The biggest improvement came on the Norwich – London main line
where punctuality was 91.2% compared to 85.2% last year – one’s
best result since before the October 2000 Hatfield accident.
25% saving for loyal football fans
one has developed a new ticket scheme for season-ticket holders
at East Anglian Championship football clubs. Fans travelling by train
to home games at Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich or Southend can save up
to 25% by buying a season-long rail ticket. As a bonus, travel to home
League Cup and FA Cup games will be free.
Tickets, which are only valid for travel on match days, must be bought
in advance from the one Customer Services Centre on 0845 8 50
90 20.
Sample prices for a season are:
Norwich City:
from Cromer £86.25, or Great Yarmouth £94.88
Ipswich Town: from Stowmarket £60.38, or Woodbridge £48.30
Colchester United: from Clacton £112.13, or Marks Tey £51.75
Children travel for 50% of
the adult price.
Loco-hauled extras take air show crowds to Lowestoft
To cater for crowds attending the two-day Lowestoft Air show on
Thurs/Fri July 27/8, one ran several special loco-hauled trains
as well as strengthening regular dmu services to three or four coaches.
The service was generally regarded as having been successful in moving
large numbers of passengers.
The loco-hauled trains, top-and-tailed by nos. 47810 and 47818, ran to
the following diagram:
1G92 09.30
Norwich - Lowestoft (arr. 10.27)
5G91 10.40 ecs Low estoft - Norwich
1G94 11.57 Norwich - Lowestoft (arr. 12.34)
* 1G93 15.58 Lowestoft - Norwich (arr. 16.35)
* 5G96 16.50 ecs Norwich-Lowestoft
1G95 18.00 Lowestoft - Norwich (arr. 18.37)
* Q (as required); in fact they ran only on Friday July 28.
Fen Line service disrupted by King’s Cross blaze
A fire close to King’s Cross on June 26 closed the station for more
than a day. First Capital Connect brought in an emergency timetable on
its GN route, with Finsbury Park used as the London terminus. King’s
Lynn passengers had a shuttle service to and from Cambridge every 30
minutes. FCC’s normal service resumed in time for the morning peak on
June 28.
‘Sorry – cow on the line’
Commuters at Norwich were given an unusual reason for the delays to
their arrivals and departures on June 22: a cow had wandered along the
track as far as the station.
The animal is thought to have come from Whitlingham. It meandered past
Crown Point depot and appeared beneath Carrow Road bridge at about 8.30
am. Station staff managed to barricade it temporarily into the bay at
platform 6 but it broke free and headed back to the country where it
was eventually captured. A police armed response unit had been summoned
but fortunately was not needed.
Bargain travel for over-50s with Central Trains
This summer Central Trains hopes to fill its off-peak services by
offering older travellers some remarkably cheap fares. Anyone aged over
50 who completes a simple voucher and hands it in at Norwich station
can then buy a period return to Peterborough, Leicester, Birmingham,
Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester or Liverpool for just £10. A
day return to Peterborough costs £5.
Each voucher is valid for up to two tickets; proof of age may be
required. Mon-Fri travel must start after 9 am, but there are no
weekend restrictions.
The offer lasts from June 15 to September 7. Vouchers can be printed
from www.centraltrains.co.uk, or obtained from CT Customer Relations
team on 0121 634 2040.
Ticket jobs to go
After a reorganisation of ticket offices, one is to axe several
posts. Around two dozen staff at six stations, including Norwich,
Lowestoft and Yarmouth, have been told they may have to move to other
locations.
Heritage,
Narrow-Gauge and Miniature
Pigeon van enters service
After lengthy restoration at Weybourne carriage shed, LNER teak-bodied
pigeon van no. 6843 has entered traffic on the North Norfolk Railway.
The M&GNJRS owns the 1929-built vehicle, which resembles other LNER
brake vans but was built to carry baskets of homing pigeons to their
point of release. On the evening of July 19 the van carried a
consignment of HM The Queen’s pigeons from Sheringham to Holt, where
they were released to fly home to Sandringham.
TRAMM to keep NNR track in good shape
Mid-May saw the arrival on the North Norfolk Railway of unique TRAMM
(Track Renewal and Maintenance Machine) no. DR98801. The Kershaw-built
machine, which languished at Colchester for some years, has been
donated by Balfour Beatty Rail Plant. It will retain Balfour Beatty’s
blue-and-white livery and relieve NNR volunteers of a lot of
back-breaking toil.
Jim Nabarro, Maintenance Manager North of Balfour Beatty Rail Plant,
said he was impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the NNR’s
volunteers. He added, ‘it's great to see the TRAMM going to a railway
where it will be worked and cared for to professional engineering
standards.’
Yankee to spend summer at Sheringham
A USA-built loco which spent nearly 50 years in China is visiting the
North Norfolk Railway this summer. Class S160 2-8-0 no. 5197, normally
resident on the Churnet Valley Railway, arrived on August 3 and hauled
its first service train the next day. It will remain on the NNR until
next January.
Built by the Lima Loco Works in Ohio, the 135-ton loco was sent
initially to the UK under ‘lend-lease’ arrangements. It was shipped to
China in 1946, and returned to Britain for preservation in 1995.
The S160’s arrival will help ease the NNR’s recent motive power
shortage, which caused the railway to cancel J15 0-6-0 no. 65462’s
planned visit to the Chinnor & Princes Risborough line in July.
56040 joins MNR fleet
The Mid-Norfolk Railway’s stud of ex-main line diesel locos has
increased once again. On the afternoon of June 27, no.56040 Oystermouth
arrived by road at Dereham and was transferred to MNR metals in a
trouble-free operation. The loco is owned by the Class 56 Group and
still wears faded Transrail colours. As the MNR has no loco lifting
gear, no.56040 had bogie repair work carried out at the EWS depot
before it left Immingham.
Heading north from Dereham
A milestone in the Mid-Norfolk Railway’s northward push towards County
School was reached on June 3, when Class 31 no. 31538 propelled a works
train as far as Northall Green bridge no. 1695, just over a mile from
Dereham station. It’s thought to be the first time a loco has ventured
this far along the line since 1989.
Assisting the MNR with permanent way work are members of the Bramley
Line (March – Wisbech) and CAST.IRON (Cambridge & St Ives Railway
Organisation) groups. While the MNR benefits from extra manpower, the
groups gain practical experience for their own projects.
Away from the tracks
Rail users deterred by parking charges, says Railfuture
Pressure group Railfuture has voiced concern at the high cost of car
parking at many stations. With charges having recently risen, all-day
parking now costs £6.50 at Norwich, £6 at Ipswich – and a
whopping £10 at Peterborough. High car park charges, says
Railfuture, deter people from using the train and will actually lead to
more car traffic as rail passengers will choose to be dropped off at
stations. Bus operators, says Railfuture, need to improve early morning
and late evening services to stations.
Boxes on the move
Of the four signalboxes which once controlled the traffic at Dereham,
just one has survived. Dereham North box was transported after closure
to a garden at Mattishall, near Dereham, where for 30 years it served
as a summer house and store room. Its current owners put it up for sale
and on July 20 it fetched £11,000 at TOPS Auction House’s sale at
Norwich.
The buyer was property developer John Barnes. Mr Barnes will move it
from GER territory to an ex-M&GN lineside location at
Hindolvestone, where he plans to use it as an office and study.
The Dereham-based Mid-Norfolk Railway would have liked to see the box
return home, but decided not to bid as it has several boxes of its own
awaiting restoration.
Also on the move is the old North Wootton signalbox from the closed
Hunstanton branch. It was once the scout hut for the 14th King’s Lynn
Woottons Scouts, but the troop has arranged for it to leave Norfolk and
move to the fledgling Epping and Ongar Railway.
NNR launches on-line sales outlet
Latest convert to on-line shopping is the North Norfolk Railway. To
access the NNR’s virtual shop, click on http://shop.nnrailway.co.uk)
where you can buy books and DVDs as well as tickets for special NNR
events.
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