Archive July - September 2012 Back to News Archive
A round up of news from around the region
NATIONAL NETWORK
Ten years of direct rail services from Norwich to Cambridge
At Norwich Station on the 1 October tens years of direct services to Cambridge were celebrated. Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman, who has campaigned for better infrastructure in the county, cut a cake at Norwich Station and birthday muffins were handed out to passengers on the 9.40am service. In the first year of the service, which started in September 2002, 300,000 passengers used the line, a figure which Greater Anglia said has risen to almost 1 million each year. Before the direct connection, passengers had to travel to Ely and change trains to reach Cambridge.
Click here to see the EDP report
Ely Junction Upgrade - Update
It is being reported that on Monday 16 July that ministers will announce of infrastructure upgrades, including finance for the Ely North junction. This follows considerable lobbying by MPs, councils and business leaders arguing the upgrade is key to improving both passenger and freight services across the region (see below).
Another Death and Call for Closure of Level Crossings
A London-bound First Capital Connect service from King’s Lynn collided with a silver Kia Sportage, on a farm crossing without barriers between Ten Mile Bank and Welney, at around 1.15pm on Thursday 12 July. The train involved was the 12:56 BST King's Lynn to King's Cross service. The collision resulted in the death of the driver of the car. Although some were badly shaken by the crash, no passengers or staff on the train were physically injured. The car was pushed 500m down the line by the train, which was believed to have been travelling at 70mph when the impact occurred on a straight section of single track. All four coaches remained on the rails, as they came to a halt beyond a second crossing where the line crosses the Ten Mile Bank to Welney road.
It was not until 4pm that passengers were taken off the train to continue their journey by road.
This crash is the latest in a string of collisions to have occurred on crossings in the Fens between King’s Lynn and Ely. Whilst some have automatic barriers, others, like the crossing where this collision occurred, depend on flashing lights to warn drivers of an approaching train, which could be traveling at 70mph or more on open stretches of the line.
Manuel Cortes, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association union, said: “Level crossing fatalities are the biggest killer on our rail network. Road and rail just do not mix in a fast-moving transport system with trains moving at up to 90mph. The sooner Network Rail starts to close these potential dangerous crossings, the better it will be for both rail passengers and road users.”
Blueprint for the Future of East Anglia's Railway
Published only days after a damning survey showed Greater Anglia passengers were the most disgruntled in the country, rating the service bottom in the UK for reliability and value for money, a new blueprint 'Once in a Generation - a Rail Prospectus for East Anglia', puts forward the case for faster trains, more track, and better stations across the region. It warns our trains are “not fit for purpose” with decades of under-investment in the east of England’s rail network threatening our economic future. Published by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and supported by councils, chambers of commerce and MPs across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex, the manifesto warns of the “critical need” for investment in our tracks. It claims the economic performance of these counties is being held back by inadequate infrastructure and out of date trains. It argues that East Anglia’s leadership in technology and innovation must be supported by improved rail services.
The rail prospectus calls for:
•The Ely North Junction to be upgraded to increase the frequency of trains between King’s Lynn and London, and Norwich and Cambridge.
•Increasing track speeds so trains can run at 110mph
•Increased track and platform capacity at Norwich and Ipswich stations
•New trains on the Norwich to London line, with a complete refurbishment of the rolling stock
•A third track north of Chelmsford which will cut journey times between Norwich and the capital
It also outlines the case for longer term priorities for 2019 to 2032, including the electrification of lines on the Norwich to Cambridge route, faster journey times between Norwich and Diss and an east to west service between Oxford and Cambridge, which would then link to Norwich. Increasing train speeds to 110mph would cut journey times from London to Diss to 80 minutes, and Norwich in 90 minutes, which has been the subject of a high-profile Norwich in 90 campaign. It also calls for improvements to the Bittern Line serving the north Norfolk coast
The manifesto is also being supported by Greater Anglia, which wants urgent investment in the rail infrastructure. Managing director Ruud Haket said: “Many of the key decisions taken by the government affecting rail investment - both via Network Rail and through the specification and funding of the next Greater Anglia franchise - will be taken in the next couple of years, so now is the time for all of us who care about the region’s railways and its wider prosperity, to make the compelling case for rail investment in East Anglia.”
Hopes for Ely Junction Rail Cash
Hot on the heels of the publication of 'Once in a Generation - a Rail Prospectus for East Anglia', Theresa Villiers, Transport Minister, gave the strongest hint yet that the government will pay for a £25m upgrade to Ely Junction. This followed lobbying by a series of Norfolk and Suffolk MPs at a debate at the House of Commons on 3rd July 2012.
Ms Villiers said: “I got the message loudly and clearly on the importance that honourable members attach to the Ely Junction. Later this month we’ll publish our [investment programme] to cover what we want the rail industry to deliver in the 2014 to 2019 period. Some of the larger headline schemes are likely to be directly mentioned in the statement.”
She added: “I can assure you we’ll be giving very careful consideration to the points made about the Ely Junction and other rail improvements talked about in the debate today. I should also mention that we anticipate that the [investment programme] statement is likely to contain certain general funding pots to be made available over the five year period, which could be used to support various different schemes around the country, including in East Anglia.”
Heritage, Narrow-gauge and Miniature
Heritage Diesel Convoy on the Main Line
On 5 July 2012 two Class 20s, nos. 20314 and 20096 were given the task of transporting 47596 "Aldeburgh Festival" from the North Norfolk Railway, via the Sheringham level crossing, back to the Mid-Norfolk Railway, and 55019 "Royal Highland Fusuilier" back to Barrow Hill. A video on YouTube shows the Class 20s on oZ44 Barrow Hill - Sheringham at Wittlingham junction on the way to Sheringham, all four locomotives at Wymondham on oZ45 Sheringham - Wymondham, to drop off 47596 at Wymondham Abbey on the MNR and finally the Class 20s with the Deltic are seen passing Spooner Row on oZ46 Wymondham - Barrow Hill.
To watch the video follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q8V7TEfUUg
Crash Forces Change to Mid Norfolk Railway Steam Gala
Mid Norfolk Railway's Steam Gala (13th - 15th July 2012) was expected to include regular summer visitor, ex-GWR design Hawksworth Pannier tank No.9466. Unfortunately the locomotive was in collision with a diesel engine at Dereham on Saturday 30th June. No-one was hurt in the incident although the engine's driver, fireman and cleaner who were on board at the time were shocked by the incident.
The EDP reported that the damage caused may run into six figures to repair. However, our sources suggest this will not be the case. It is believed 9466 will leave shortly for the South Devon Railway and may even be back before the end of the MNR's steam season.
The accident has been referred to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. MNR PR Officer, Leslie Dale is reported as saying the railway is aware of what went wrong and steps are being taken to ensure it does not happen again.
With 9466 out of commission, MNR's second Annual Steam Gala will feature ex-LNER Class B1 locomotive “Mayflower”, No.1306, and ex-LNER Gresley N2 tank locomotive No. 1744. It is hoped tyo secure the services of a third steam locomotive.
The N2 was based on a 1907 designed N1 which was enhanced by Sir Nigel Gresley and built at Doncaster and Glasgow, being delivered between 1921 and 1929. 107 were built in total, this loco becoming LNER 1744 in March 1924 and settling down to a busy life hauling commuter trains out of London Kings Cross and Moorgate down the Great Northern. Withdrawn in 1962, 1744 moved to Doncaster for scrapping during 1963 and was purchased for preservation by the Gresley Society, covering over 60,000 miles since being rebuilt.
New Name on the Line
A Dereham school’s oldest old girl had a trip down memory lane on Friday 6 July after a locomotive was named after her alma mater at a special ceremony at Dereham Station to celebrate its centenary. Present-day Neatherd High students listened as 94-year-old Margaret Groom, nee Adcock, recalled travelling by train to her first day at what was then Dereham High School for Girls back in 1930. The plates were unveiled by a former headteacher, Annette Cheeseman following which a party from the school had a trip part way down the line.
In traffic on the MNR the following day the English Electric built Class 37 locomotive 37003 was seen freshly painted in rail blue and bearing its new alloy nameplates Dereham Neatherd High School 1912 - 2012.
Those with exceptionally long memories may recall that in April 1963 this loco - as D6703 - was briefly named First East Anglian Regiment but that the name was never unveiled.
Away from the tracks
Move for Action on Wymondham Bottleneck
A Norfolk MP is hoping to secure funding to widen the road under the Station Road railway bridge in Wymondham. Currently the section of road under the 118 year old bridge is only wide enough for two vehicles to pass with difficulty. Long traffic queues can develop during peak periods and the road also becomes flooded during heavy rainfall.
George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, met with representatives from rail infrastructure owner Network Rail, Abellio and local councils to discuss his vision for the town. He hopes Abellio will invest in improved facilities at Wymondham rail station to attach more tourists to the town. Network Rail and Abellio estimate the initial cost of the work will be in the region of £3m, but exact costings will have to await a feasibility study.
Mr Freeman said: “For too long, Wymondham has suffered from a lack of co-ordinated planning of road, rail, housing, schools and other infrastructure with different agencies responsible for different functions. The area action plan for Wymondham is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put together a plan for the town that sets a framework for a sustainable future.”
Ten years of direct rail services from Norwich to Cambridge
At Norwich Station on the 1 October tens years of direct services to Cambridge were celebrated. Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman, who has campaigned for better infrastructure in the county, cut a cake at Norwich Station and birthday muffins were handed out to passengers on the 9.40am service. In the first year of the service, which started in September 2002, 300,000 passengers used the line, a figure which Greater Anglia said has risen to almost 1 million each year. Before the direct connection, passengers had to travel to Ely and change trains to reach Cambridge.
Click here to see the EDP report
Ely Junction Upgrade - Update
It is being reported that on Monday 16 July that ministers will announce of infrastructure upgrades, including finance for the Ely North junction. This follows considerable lobbying by MPs, councils and business leaders arguing the upgrade is key to improving both passenger and freight services across the region (see below).
Another Death and Call for Closure of Level Crossings
A London-bound First Capital Connect service from King’s Lynn collided with a silver Kia Sportage, on a farm crossing without barriers between Ten Mile Bank and Welney, at around 1.15pm on Thursday 12 July. The train involved was the 12:56 BST King's Lynn to King's Cross service. The collision resulted in the death of the driver of the car. Although some were badly shaken by the crash, no passengers or staff on the train were physically injured. The car was pushed 500m down the line by the train, which was believed to have been travelling at 70mph when the impact occurred on a straight section of single track. All four coaches remained on the rails, as they came to a halt beyond a second crossing where the line crosses the Ten Mile Bank to Welney road.
It was not until 4pm that passengers were taken off the train to continue their journey by road.
This crash is the latest in a string of collisions to have occurred on crossings in the Fens between King’s Lynn and Ely. Whilst some have automatic barriers, others, like the crossing where this collision occurred, depend on flashing lights to warn drivers of an approaching train, which could be traveling at 70mph or more on open stretches of the line.
Manuel Cortes, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association union, said: “Level crossing fatalities are the biggest killer on our rail network. Road and rail just do not mix in a fast-moving transport system with trains moving at up to 90mph. The sooner Network Rail starts to close these potential dangerous crossings, the better it will be for both rail passengers and road users.”
Blueprint for the Future of East Anglia's Railway
Published only days after a damning survey showed Greater Anglia passengers were the most disgruntled in the country, rating the service bottom in the UK for reliability and value for money, a new blueprint 'Once in a Generation - a Rail Prospectus for East Anglia', puts forward the case for faster trains, more track, and better stations across the region. It warns our trains are “not fit for purpose” with decades of under-investment in the east of England’s rail network threatening our economic future. Published by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and supported by councils, chambers of commerce and MPs across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex, the manifesto warns of the “critical need” for investment in our tracks. It claims the economic performance of these counties is being held back by inadequate infrastructure and out of date trains. It argues that East Anglia’s leadership in technology and innovation must be supported by improved rail services.
The rail prospectus calls for:
•The Ely North Junction to be upgraded to increase the frequency of trains between King’s Lynn and London, and Norwich and Cambridge.
•Increasing track speeds so trains can run at 110mph
•Increased track and platform capacity at Norwich and Ipswich stations
•New trains on the Norwich to London line, with a complete refurbishment of the rolling stock
•A third track north of Chelmsford which will cut journey times between Norwich and the capital
It also outlines the case for longer term priorities for 2019 to 2032, including the electrification of lines on the Norwich to Cambridge route, faster journey times between Norwich and Diss and an east to west service between Oxford and Cambridge, which would then link to Norwich. Increasing train speeds to 110mph would cut journey times from London to Diss to 80 minutes, and Norwich in 90 minutes, which has been the subject of a high-profile Norwich in 90 campaign. It also calls for improvements to the Bittern Line serving the north Norfolk coast
The manifesto is also being supported by Greater Anglia, which wants urgent investment in the rail infrastructure. Managing director Ruud Haket said: “Many of the key decisions taken by the government affecting rail investment - both via Network Rail and through the specification and funding of the next Greater Anglia franchise - will be taken in the next couple of years, so now is the time for all of us who care about the region’s railways and its wider prosperity, to make the compelling case for rail investment in East Anglia.”
Hopes for Ely Junction Rail Cash
Hot on the heels of the publication of 'Once in a Generation - a Rail Prospectus for East Anglia', Theresa Villiers, Transport Minister, gave the strongest hint yet that the government will pay for a £25m upgrade to Ely Junction. This followed lobbying by a series of Norfolk and Suffolk MPs at a debate at the House of Commons on 3rd July 2012.
Ms Villiers said: “I got the message loudly and clearly on the importance that honourable members attach to the Ely Junction. Later this month we’ll publish our [investment programme] to cover what we want the rail industry to deliver in the 2014 to 2019 period. Some of the larger headline schemes are likely to be directly mentioned in the statement.”
She added: “I can assure you we’ll be giving very careful consideration to the points made about the Ely Junction and other rail improvements talked about in the debate today. I should also mention that we anticipate that the [investment programme] statement is likely to contain certain general funding pots to be made available over the five year period, which could be used to support various different schemes around the country, including in East Anglia.”
Heritage, Narrow-gauge and Miniature
Heritage Diesel Convoy on the Main Line
On 5 July 2012 two Class 20s, nos. 20314 and 20096 were given the task of transporting 47596 "Aldeburgh Festival" from the North Norfolk Railway, via the Sheringham level crossing, back to the Mid-Norfolk Railway, and 55019 "Royal Highland Fusuilier" back to Barrow Hill. A video on YouTube shows the Class 20s on oZ44 Barrow Hill - Sheringham at Wittlingham junction on the way to Sheringham, all four locomotives at Wymondham on oZ45 Sheringham - Wymondham, to drop off 47596 at Wymondham Abbey on the MNR and finally the Class 20s with the Deltic are seen passing Spooner Row on oZ46 Wymondham - Barrow Hill.
To watch the video follow this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q8V7TEfUUg
Crash Forces Change to Mid Norfolk Railway Steam Gala
Mid Norfolk Railway's Steam Gala (13th - 15th July 2012) was expected to include regular summer visitor, ex-GWR design Hawksworth Pannier tank No.9466. Unfortunately the locomotive was in collision with a diesel engine at Dereham on Saturday 30th June. No-one was hurt in the incident although the engine's driver, fireman and cleaner who were on board at the time were shocked by the incident.
The EDP reported that the damage caused may run into six figures to repair. However, our sources suggest this will not be the case. It is believed 9466 will leave shortly for the South Devon Railway and may even be back before the end of the MNR's steam season.
The accident has been referred to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. MNR PR Officer, Leslie Dale is reported as saying the railway is aware of what went wrong and steps are being taken to ensure it does not happen again.
With 9466 out of commission, MNR's second Annual Steam Gala will feature ex-LNER Class B1 locomotive “Mayflower”, No.1306, and ex-LNER Gresley N2 tank locomotive No. 1744. It is hoped tyo secure the services of a third steam locomotive.
The N2 was based on a 1907 designed N1 which was enhanced by Sir Nigel Gresley and built at Doncaster and Glasgow, being delivered between 1921 and 1929. 107 were built in total, this loco becoming LNER 1744 in March 1924 and settling down to a busy life hauling commuter trains out of London Kings Cross and Moorgate down the Great Northern. Withdrawn in 1962, 1744 moved to Doncaster for scrapping during 1963 and was purchased for preservation by the Gresley Society, covering over 60,000 miles since being rebuilt.
New Name on the Line
A Dereham school’s oldest old girl had a trip down memory lane on Friday 6 July after a locomotive was named after her alma mater at a special ceremony at Dereham Station to celebrate its centenary. Present-day Neatherd High students listened as 94-year-old Margaret Groom, nee Adcock, recalled travelling by train to her first day at what was then Dereham High School for Girls back in 1930. The plates were unveiled by a former headteacher, Annette Cheeseman following which a party from the school had a trip part way down the line.
In traffic on the MNR the following day the English Electric built Class 37 locomotive 37003 was seen freshly painted in rail blue and bearing its new alloy nameplates Dereham Neatherd High School 1912 - 2012.
Those with exceptionally long memories may recall that in April 1963 this loco - as D6703 - was briefly named First East Anglian Regiment but that the name was never unveiled.
Away from the tracks
Move for Action on Wymondham Bottleneck
A Norfolk MP is hoping to secure funding to widen the road under the Station Road railway bridge in Wymondham. Currently the section of road under the 118 year old bridge is only wide enough for two vehicles to pass with difficulty. Long traffic queues can develop during peak periods and the road also becomes flooded during heavy rainfall.
George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk, met with representatives from rail infrastructure owner Network Rail, Abellio and local councils to discuss his vision for the town. He hopes Abellio will invest in improved facilities at Wymondham rail station to attach more tourists to the town. Network Rail and Abellio estimate the initial cost of the work will be in the region of £3m, but exact costings will have to await a feasibility study.
Mr Freeman said: “For too long, Wymondham has suffered from a lack of co-ordinated planning of road, rail, housing, schools and other infrastructure with different agencies responsible for different functions. The area action plan for Wymondham is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put together a plan for the town that sets a framework for a sustainable future.”