National Network
Drought Closes Line....in November
After a spate of disruption to rail services attributed to cable theft, drought is the latest phenomenon to close a line for two days in November. The Ely to Downham Market line has become out of direct alignment with the overhead power lines due to ground movement resulting from the dry weather of recent months. Repairs are taking place on the 20th and 27th of the month with services running at reduced speeds at other times.
Colin Sampson, chairman of the Fen Line Users' Association, said the reason for the closure might seem unusual but was not unexpected. "If you lived in other parts of the county, you might wonder what on earth was going on but for most of us here I don't think it's that much of a surprise," he said. "The reasons are perfectly understandable. It's due to the poor Fenland soil quality. It's unfortunate because it causes disruption but we're lucky it hasn't happened before. It's a result of the incredibly dry summer."
Drought is latest natural event blamed for disruption on the railways. Previously, problems have been caused by leaves on the line, snow and extreme heat.
New Speed Record Liverpool St. to Cambridge
A Class 379 'Stansted Express' electric multiple unit broke the record for a non-stop run from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge on 30 September 2011. NXEA Set No. 379015 operating a special service achieved a time of 48min13sec. The previous record, set in 1987 by Class 86 loco No.86401, was 48min 17 sec.
On arrival at Cambridge a ceremony conferred the name 'City of Cambridge' on the unit.
The Class 379s have taken over from class 317s on the Stansted run, offering improved quality and wi-fi internet access.
Swing Bridges Get Revamp
A pair of century-old railway swing bridges on the Norfolk Broads are receiving a much-needed £900,000 revamp as Network Rail engineers carry out an extensive programme of repairs on the historic structures.
Somerleyton swing bridge, like its sister bridge at Reedham, was built in 1905 to replace the single track bridges that carried the railway between Norwich and Lowestoft over the Yare and Waveney rivers. Both bridges are constructed from wrought iron, brick, cast steel and timber and require regular maintenance to keep them in full working order.
The work to carry out essential steel work repairs as well as signalling, plant and equipment refurbishment, was due to be completed during the school half term break between 22 and 31 October. However the timing drew criticism from the Broads Authority's Director of Navigation who, according to the EDP, was given less than two months notice of the work and was concerned at the likely impact on the last major boating opportunity of the season.
Chris Curtis, Network Rail general manager, speaking in advance of the work said: "Running a twenty-first century railway on Edwardian infrastructure is a challenge but it’s a challenge we are committed to meeting.
"This essential investment is designed to make the bridges more reliable for train operators and the boating community. We recognise that the timing is not ideal for everyone but always look to minimise disruption with our works, and the half-term week is when the railway is at its quietest. Thanks go to rail and boat users in advance for their patience while our engineers carry out this important work."
To allow engineers to complete the work as quickly and as safely as possible, the line between Reedham and Lowestoft was closed to trains with alterations to services between Norwich and Lowestoft/Great Yarmouth.
Buses replaced trains between Norwich and Lowestoft throughout the period. A train service was planned between Norwich and Reedham on Saturdays and Monday to Friday and on Sundays buses were to run between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
Going Dutch - Abellio Promises Improvements
Transport campaigners have pledged to maintain pressure on East Anglia’s new Dutch rail operator to honour its promises of improvements for the region’s train passengers. Nederlandse Spoorwegen, operating as Abellio Greater Anglia Ltd, has been chosen by the Department of Transport as the new operator for the “Greater Anglia” franchise across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. Abellio beat off competition from rival bidders Go-Ahead and Stagecoach to win the government contract
Making the announcement on Thursday 20 October, rail minister Theresa Villiers said the franchise would play a “significant role” in transport for the London 2012 Games, providing crucial services to the Olympic Park. “The reliability requirements for the new franchise are also more demanding than the previous one.” the minister said and added “When the franchise is renewed again in July 2014, the contract is expected to be 15 years in length. This forthcoming franchise will provide the opportunity to seek further improvements for passengers." She promised the terms of the contract agreed with the government will deliver a series of improvements during the 29 month franchise. These include:
Abellio will take over station leases from Network Rail, taking on responsibility for all repairs and renewals at stations.
The contract has been held by National Express since 2004, but was involved in a major spat with the previous government after the company walked away from its East Coast franchise after it suffered heavy losses following the onset of the recession.
But a note of realism was sounded by passenger groups and MPs, who warned that fundamental improvements in journey times and reliability should not be expected within the short-term 29-month contract, due to start in February. Norwich North MP Chloe Smith, who led Norfolk MPs in lobbying for improvements to the county’s rail links, said the overwhelming priority of faster services between Norwich and London may have to wait until after the contract is renewed again in 2014. But she said she would urge the short-term contractor to “commit to investment over profit” and lay the foundations for long-term future improvements.
Passenger groups said they also hoped for greater improvements in the longer term. Peter Lawrence, president of Railfuture, said: “My suspicions are that there will be very little change for the next 18 months. I don’t think there will be anything major to speed up services – to do that, you have to tackle the problem of rail capacity between Colchester and Shenfield and that will be a long-term effort. “We welcome the minor improvements that they are proposing but we look forward to seeing much better improvements when the long-term franchise is let.”
Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, said: “Congratulations to Abellio, although it is a short franchise we look forward to working with them, ensuring they keep delivering for passengers. Passengers will want to see a clear focus on punctuality, improving information and management of any disruption, and attention to driving up the overall quality of service.”
Abellio chief executive Anton Valk said he was “delighted” the company had been selected. “This win adds to Abellio’s already successfully operated franchises in the UK, Northern and Merseyrail, and is a testament to the growing confidence that the Department for Transport has in our ability to bring positive change to rail services,” he said.
More Disruption on the Norwich to London Line
Cable problems at Bethnal Green in London on Tuesday 18 October affected National Express East Anglia services to and from Liverpool Street station from about 5am. Altered timetables meant many morning commuters arrived late for work in the capital and by the evening rush hour an hourly service was running back to Norfolk as engineers battled to repair the damage. Overnight the repairs were completed with normal services resuming the following morning. During the delays, NXEA ticket-holders were accepted on routes served by other train companies, as well as London Underground trains and buses.
Port of Felixstowe launches new freight service
A new five day a week service from Felixstowe to Manchester began on 1 October operated by GB Railfreight. It comes after the completion of new sidings, some track re-laying and installation of two new gantry cranes at the South Terminal. Further expansion of facilities will occur in 2012 with a third rail terminal designed to accommodate longer 30 wagon freight trains.
Stobart Rail Trial Train runs from Felixstowe
Direct Rail Services (DRS), the UK’s leading rail freight operator has collaborated with Stobart Rail to run a Special rail service from the Port of Felixstowe to the new Stobart Rail facility at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT 2) on 15 October 2011.
This initial trial service was organised at short notice with a significant multi-agency effort between DRS, Stobart Rail, Network Rail and the Port of Felixstowe. The result was a train carrying 24 Stobart Rail Curtain Sided containers distinctively liveried with ‘Less CO2 Rail’ departing the Port of Felixstowe heading for DIRFT 2.
The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the UK and following the success of this first train it is anticipated that more services could follow in the near future.
Heritage, Narrow-gauge and Miniature
NNR close to setting a passenger record
The North Norfolk Railway is confident of setting a passenger record this year. By mid-October ticket sales were 600 up on the same period last year, helped by the successful steam gala (2-4 September) and the 1940's War Weekend (17-18 September). Santa Trains are yet to run, but most are now pre-booked, so last year's record should easily be topped.
Hire of the Class 4 Preservation Trusts Ltd's Hunslet 0-6-0ST 'No. 68030' has been extended to provide cover for the Santa operations. This arrived for the September gala to take the place of Hunslet 0-6-0ST Ring Haw after its tubes finally expired. Also David Shepherd's 9F No. 92203 Black Prince and GWR 0-6-2T and GWR 0-6-2T No. 5619 are due to receive piston and valve exams.
Restoration of two ex-Great Eastern Railway wagons completed
Mid Suffolk Light Railway has completed the restoration of five plank open wagon No. 28601. Acquired in 2005 from Swindon & Cricklade Railway it has been rebuilt in a project taking more than a year to complete. Another wagon arrived at the MSLR as a five plank but was found to have been originally a seven plank vehicle. This has been rebuilt as a loco coal wagon with fixed upper planks and given the fictional number 600043. It could be converted to original form if suitable hinges can be found.
Derailment blamed on axle failure
The derailment of a Bure Valley Railway train on 30 May 2011 (News Archive May/June 2011) was caused by the failure of an axle by fatigue cracking. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch Report, published on 6 October, concludes this failure most likely resulted from the welding of the worn journal end in order to restore its diameter so as to provide a secure fit in the bearings. There were no identification markings on the failed wheelset apart from what appeared to be cast numbers, thus making it difficult to trace the history of the wheelset after its manufacture. The wheelset involved had been built up with weld metal when the BVR was under different ownership.
The consequences of the accident were increased because the other wheelset on the same bogie forced its way through the plywood floor of the coach into the passenger compartment. The vehicle was awaiting refurbishment as part of an ongoing programme which included replacing the plywood panels over the bogies with steel panels.
The investigation by the ORR found shortcomings in the safety management documentation and issued an Improvement Notice. Following the accident BVR initiated several actions to relating to its wheelsets, engineering procedures and documentation. These included removing the other three wheelsets of the batch of four manufactured in 1990 with the intention of scraping them; checking all other passenger vehicles and concluding none of the axles had been welded; prohibiting use of welding on the axles of wheelsets; and improving recording of components and maintenance.
The RAIB decided further investigation would not lead to formal recommendations and so issued three learning points for noting by other heritage railways:
On the move
Class 31 No. 31438 has been sold and moved from the Mid Norfolk to the Epping Ongar Railway.
Away from the Tracks
BaBa Class 0-4-0 'Wiltshire Horn' to manage cutting
Network Rail has "borrowed" a flock of Wiltshire horn sheep to graze a railway cutting at Great Stukeley in Cambridgeshire. The land is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to rare plants and orchids. The sheep's owner assured the company that the animals would clear the scrub without harming other plants. Russell Spink, from Network Rail, said: "We have a legal responsibility to maintain those areas and it costs us a fair bit of money. For a number of years, before Network Rail's time, that maintenance was fairly low-level. It's very overgrown with brambles and thorny bushes which are harmful to the flowers that are protected."
Rare plants at the Great Stukeley SSSI include lady's bedstraw, bird's-foot trefoil, hairy violet, cowslip and fairy flax as well as pyramidal orchids.
Network Rail usually employs its own maintenance crews and uses volunteer conservationists to manage its land. "The sheep are just better at this kind of work than our guys, and running our railway has to be our main focus," said Mr Spink. "We are very confident that they will leave the protected species alone. We're told by the owner that they are very discerning and will only chomp their way through the non-native vegetation and leave the rare orchids so they can bloom."
The 35-hectare (86-acre) site runs along the East Coast Main Line and is fenced off to prevent the sheep from wandering on to the track.
End of an Era - The Nowich to Ely Line
From Attleborough resident Michael Rhodes: "A few months ago I did a little book for Network Rail on the line from Norwich to Ely. The signallers along the line were brilliant and have made loads of suggestions and corrections - so much so that I have redone parts of it. The new book is available for anybody to preview all 120 pages for free at the following URL" http://www.blurb.com/books/2574300
Local MPs visit Friends of Brandon Station Open Afternoon
The campaign to revitalise Brandon station and make it a “gateway to the Brecks” was given an extra shunt on Friday 11 November when two MPs visited the station. The derelict and dilapidated station building has wooden boards covering the windows, paint peeling from the walls and doors and stained carpets.
But the Friends of Brandon Station group hopes to transform the building and the neighbouring stationmaster’s house into a community facility and received high profile support from two of the area’s MPs – South West Norfolk’s Elizabeth Truss and Matthew Hancock, who represents West Suffolk. Miss Truss said a regenerated station could be used to help bring more tourists into the Brecks region. She added with Cambridge expanding as a city, the station could become an even more important asset and said funding could be sought from such bodies as the East of England Buildings Preservation Trust, which helps regenerate important community buildings. “This is the first time I have been inside the building and I think we could be able to use this building better so I am very supportive of what is happening,” she said.
Mr Hancock spoke to the Friends and joked about the importance of the station to him– so much so that he had ventured “15 yards” outside his constituency to promote the campaign. He said: “I think it is important to the whole of Brandon because if you look to the future and what Brandon can be, one of the great areas of growth is Cambridge and right here we have a train link into the centre of what is one of the leading scientific research cities in the world.”
The long-term goal of the Friends is to restore the building and make it available for a variety of uses including passenger facilities and a booking office, new community rooms for hire to businesses and local groups and an information centre with details of local tourist attractions. However, Tony Wojtasz, the Friends’ vice-chairman, said the cost of achieving this vision could be in the region of £200,000. The Friends also needs to secure agreements from the bodies which have a stake in the station and to persuade Network Rail to extend its two-year lease on the building.
He said proof of the station’s popularity was that the number of passengers visiting it had increased from 17,000 in 2006 to 70,000 this year..
Award for Bittern Line Project
The Bittern Line Community Rail Partnership and Paston Sixth Form College's project 'Increasing Student Travel on the Bittern line' won the Passengers Matter Award at the Association of Community Rail Partnerships awards ceremony held at Sheffield City Hall on 23 September.
Soham Box to Kimberley Park
Thank you to Clive Bamberger for an update on Soham Box (Archive Sept-Oct 2011): The date of the move from Prickwillow scrapyard to the MNR is Friday November 4th . It will be re-located at the crossing end of the old up platform at Kimberley Park on a temporary base, until a new brick base can be funded and laid . It will then be restored and frame-fitted as and when funds become available . The ultimate long term intention is to fully signal and interlock the level crossing and install either a new passing loop or a new double line section from the other existing lop at Thuxton .
Obviously it all comes down to money but it would be great to have another heritage line with a double line section ( the other being the GCR ).
National Express East Anglia Helps the Railway Children
National Express East Anglia (NXEA) is supporting the Railway Children charity with a donation following the company’s annual employee survey, where a contribution is made to a charity on behalf of the staff participating in the survey. Staff who took part in the survey came from across the entire geographic area that NXEA serves, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and London.
NXEA staff chose the Railway Children as their nominated charity this year and almost £1,400 was donated by National Express to the charity, as a result of the survey.
The Railway Children was founded by stalwart of the British rail industry David Maidment, who when visiting India was approached by a young girl begging outside Mumbai Station. The encounter inspired David to dedicate the rest of his life to finding ways of helping this girl and the millions like her. In India, millions of children use the trains to run away and railway stations become a natural place to congregate and survive. David saw a natural link between this cause and his peers in the rail industry and was able to call upon his many friends and contacts to rally a team of dedicated supporters. To this day a large proportion of support for the Railway Children still comes from the rail industry.
The Railway Children exists to help vulnerable children in grave circumstances. Their objective is to provide relief to children and young people who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress and in particular to those living on the streets. Since its inception in 1995, Railway Children has helped many thousands of children and young people living alone and at risk on the streets, both at home and abroad.
Terina Keene, Chief Executive of Railway Children said “This is such an intuitive way for National Express and their employees to help us to protect children from violence, drugs, sexual exploitation and sleeping rough on the streets. We’re so grateful for support such as this and it makes an unimaginable difference to the lives of vulnerable children.”
For more information see www.railwaychildren.org.uk
Drought Closes Line....in November
After a spate of disruption to rail services attributed to cable theft, drought is the latest phenomenon to close a line for two days in November. The Ely to Downham Market line has become out of direct alignment with the overhead power lines due to ground movement resulting from the dry weather of recent months. Repairs are taking place on the 20th and 27th of the month with services running at reduced speeds at other times.
Colin Sampson, chairman of the Fen Line Users' Association, said the reason for the closure might seem unusual but was not unexpected. "If you lived in other parts of the county, you might wonder what on earth was going on but for most of us here I don't think it's that much of a surprise," he said. "The reasons are perfectly understandable. It's due to the poor Fenland soil quality. It's unfortunate because it causes disruption but we're lucky it hasn't happened before. It's a result of the incredibly dry summer."
Drought is latest natural event blamed for disruption on the railways. Previously, problems have been caused by leaves on the line, snow and extreme heat.
New Speed Record Liverpool St. to Cambridge
A Class 379 'Stansted Express' electric multiple unit broke the record for a non-stop run from London Liverpool Street to Cambridge on 30 September 2011. NXEA Set No. 379015 operating a special service achieved a time of 48min13sec. The previous record, set in 1987 by Class 86 loco No.86401, was 48min 17 sec.
On arrival at Cambridge a ceremony conferred the name 'City of Cambridge' on the unit.
The Class 379s have taken over from class 317s on the Stansted run, offering improved quality and wi-fi internet access.
Swing Bridges Get Revamp
A pair of century-old railway swing bridges on the Norfolk Broads are receiving a much-needed £900,000 revamp as Network Rail engineers carry out an extensive programme of repairs on the historic structures.
Somerleyton swing bridge, like its sister bridge at Reedham, was built in 1905 to replace the single track bridges that carried the railway between Norwich and Lowestoft over the Yare and Waveney rivers. Both bridges are constructed from wrought iron, brick, cast steel and timber and require regular maintenance to keep them in full working order.
The work to carry out essential steel work repairs as well as signalling, plant and equipment refurbishment, was due to be completed during the school half term break between 22 and 31 October. However the timing drew criticism from the Broads Authority's Director of Navigation who, according to the EDP, was given less than two months notice of the work and was concerned at the likely impact on the last major boating opportunity of the season.
Chris Curtis, Network Rail general manager, speaking in advance of the work said: "Running a twenty-first century railway on Edwardian infrastructure is a challenge but it’s a challenge we are committed to meeting.
"This essential investment is designed to make the bridges more reliable for train operators and the boating community. We recognise that the timing is not ideal for everyone but always look to minimise disruption with our works, and the half-term week is when the railway is at its quietest. Thanks go to rail and boat users in advance for their patience while our engineers carry out this important work."
To allow engineers to complete the work as quickly and as safely as possible, the line between Reedham and Lowestoft was closed to trains with alterations to services between Norwich and Lowestoft/Great Yarmouth.
Buses replaced trains between Norwich and Lowestoft throughout the period. A train service was planned between Norwich and Reedham on Saturdays and Monday to Friday and on Sundays buses were to run between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.
Going Dutch - Abellio Promises Improvements
Transport campaigners have pledged to maintain pressure on East Anglia’s new Dutch rail operator to honour its promises of improvements for the region’s train passengers. Nederlandse Spoorwegen, operating as Abellio Greater Anglia Ltd, has been chosen by the Department of Transport as the new operator for the “Greater Anglia” franchise across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex. Abellio beat off competition from rival bidders Go-Ahead and Stagecoach to win the government contract
Making the announcement on Thursday 20 October, rail minister Theresa Villiers said the franchise would play a “significant role” in transport for the London 2012 Games, providing crucial services to the Olympic Park. “The reliability requirements for the new franchise are also more demanding than the previous one.” the minister said and added “When the franchise is renewed again in July 2014, the contract is expected to be 15 years in length. This forthcoming franchise will provide the opportunity to seek further improvements for passengers." She promised the terms of the contract agreed with the government will deliver a series of improvements during the 29 month franchise. These include:
- better station and ticket facilities and measures to improve passenger information
- a text messaging service to keep passengers informed if service disruption occurs will be introduced
- new information desks will be provided at major stations including London Liverpool Street, Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich and Stansted Airport
- Updates to existing ticket machines to make them more user-friendly, the installation of 28 new ticket machines at stations across the network and the introduction of online season ticketing
- publishing a breakdown of punctuality figures by route to give greater transparency over performance of the service
- 141 stations will be “refreshed”, the majority of the train fleet will be deep-cleaned, some will be refurbished and more carriages will be fitted with CCTV.
- a new cycle hire scheme at Norwich station.
Abellio will take over station leases from Network Rail, taking on responsibility for all repairs and renewals at stations.
The contract has been held by National Express since 2004, but was involved in a major spat with the previous government after the company walked away from its East Coast franchise after it suffered heavy losses following the onset of the recession.
But a note of realism was sounded by passenger groups and MPs, who warned that fundamental improvements in journey times and reliability should not be expected within the short-term 29-month contract, due to start in February. Norwich North MP Chloe Smith, who led Norfolk MPs in lobbying for improvements to the county’s rail links, said the overwhelming priority of faster services between Norwich and London may have to wait until after the contract is renewed again in 2014. But she said she would urge the short-term contractor to “commit to investment over profit” and lay the foundations for long-term future improvements.
Passenger groups said they also hoped for greater improvements in the longer term. Peter Lawrence, president of Railfuture, said: “My suspicions are that there will be very little change for the next 18 months. I don’t think there will be anything major to speed up services – to do that, you have to tackle the problem of rail capacity between Colchester and Shenfield and that will be a long-term effort. “We welcome the minor improvements that they are proposing but we look forward to seeing much better improvements when the long-term franchise is let.”
Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, said: “Congratulations to Abellio, although it is a short franchise we look forward to working with them, ensuring they keep delivering for passengers. Passengers will want to see a clear focus on punctuality, improving information and management of any disruption, and attention to driving up the overall quality of service.”
Abellio chief executive Anton Valk said he was “delighted” the company had been selected. “This win adds to Abellio’s already successfully operated franchises in the UK, Northern and Merseyrail, and is a testament to the growing confidence that the Department for Transport has in our ability to bring positive change to rail services,” he said.
More Disruption on the Norwich to London Line
Cable problems at Bethnal Green in London on Tuesday 18 October affected National Express East Anglia services to and from Liverpool Street station from about 5am. Altered timetables meant many morning commuters arrived late for work in the capital and by the evening rush hour an hourly service was running back to Norfolk as engineers battled to repair the damage. Overnight the repairs were completed with normal services resuming the following morning. During the delays, NXEA ticket-holders were accepted on routes served by other train companies, as well as London Underground trains and buses.
Port of Felixstowe launches new freight service
A new five day a week service from Felixstowe to Manchester began on 1 October operated by GB Railfreight. It comes after the completion of new sidings, some track re-laying and installation of two new gantry cranes at the South Terminal. Further expansion of facilities will occur in 2012 with a third rail terminal designed to accommodate longer 30 wagon freight trains.
Stobart Rail Trial Train runs from Felixstowe
Direct Rail Services (DRS), the UK’s leading rail freight operator has collaborated with Stobart Rail to run a Special rail service from the Port of Felixstowe to the new Stobart Rail facility at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT 2) on 15 October 2011.
This initial trial service was organised at short notice with a significant multi-agency effort between DRS, Stobart Rail, Network Rail and the Port of Felixstowe. The result was a train carrying 24 Stobart Rail Curtain Sided containers distinctively liveried with ‘Less CO2 Rail’ departing the Port of Felixstowe heading for DIRFT 2.
The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the UK and following the success of this first train it is anticipated that more services could follow in the near future.
Heritage, Narrow-gauge and Miniature
NNR close to setting a passenger record
The North Norfolk Railway is confident of setting a passenger record this year. By mid-October ticket sales were 600 up on the same period last year, helped by the successful steam gala (2-4 September) and the 1940's War Weekend (17-18 September). Santa Trains are yet to run, but most are now pre-booked, so last year's record should easily be topped.
Hire of the Class 4 Preservation Trusts Ltd's Hunslet 0-6-0ST 'No. 68030' has been extended to provide cover for the Santa operations. This arrived for the September gala to take the place of Hunslet 0-6-0ST Ring Haw after its tubes finally expired. Also David Shepherd's 9F No. 92203 Black Prince and GWR 0-6-2T and GWR 0-6-2T No. 5619 are due to receive piston and valve exams.
Restoration of two ex-Great Eastern Railway wagons completed
Mid Suffolk Light Railway has completed the restoration of five plank open wagon No. 28601. Acquired in 2005 from Swindon & Cricklade Railway it has been rebuilt in a project taking more than a year to complete. Another wagon arrived at the MSLR as a five plank but was found to have been originally a seven plank vehicle. This has been rebuilt as a loco coal wagon with fixed upper planks and given the fictional number 600043. It could be converted to original form if suitable hinges can be found.
Derailment blamed on axle failure
The derailment of a Bure Valley Railway train on 30 May 2011 (News Archive May/June 2011) was caused by the failure of an axle by fatigue cracking. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch Report, published on 6 October, concludes this failure most likely resulted from the welding of the worn journal end in order to restore its diameter so as to provide a secure fit in the bearings. There were no identification markings on the failed wheelset apart from what appeared to be cast numbers, thus making it difficult to trace the history of the wheelset after its manufacture. The wheelset involved had been built up with weld metal when the BVR was under different ownership.
The consequences of the accident were increased because the other wheelset on the same bogie forced its way through the plywood floor of the coach into the passenger compartment. The vehicle was awaiting refurbishment as part of an ongoing programme which included replacing the plywood panels over the bogies with steel panels.
The investigation by the ORR found shortcomings in the safety management documentation and issued an Improvement Notice. Following the accident BVR initiated several actions to relating to its wheelsets, engineering procedures and documentation. These included removing the other three wheelsets of the batch of four manufactured in 1990 with the intention of scraping them; checking all other passenger vehicles and concluding none of the axles had been welded; prohibiting use of welding on the axles of wheelsets; and improving recording of components and maintenance.
The RAIB decided further investigation would not lead to formal recommendations and so issued three learning points for noting by other heritage railways:
- Axles should not be welded unless as part of a properly assessed and controlled procedure
- Wheelsets should be uniquely identified and appropriate records kept relating to them
- Specific procedures to be in place for maintenance of equipment and components whose failure could be critical to safety.
On the move
Class 31 No. 31438 has been sold and moved from the Mid Norfolk to the Epping Ongar Railway.
Away from the Tracks
BaBa Class 0-4-0 'Wiltshire Horn' to manage cutting
Network Rail has "borrowed" a flock of Wiltshire horn sheep to graze a railway cutting at Great Stukeley in Cambridgeshire. The land is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to rare plants and orchids. The sheep's owner assured the company that the animals would clear the scrub without harming other plants. Russell Spink, from Network Rail, said: "We have a legal responsibility to maintain those areas and it costs us a fair bit of money. For a number of years, before Network Rail's time, that maintenance was fairly low-level. It's very overgrown with brambles and thorny bushes which are harmful to the flowers that are protected."
Rare plants at the Great Stukeley SSSI include lady's bedstraw, bird's-foot trefoil, hairy violet, cowslip and fairy flax as well as pyramidal orchids.
Network Rail usually employs its own maintenance crews and uses volunteer conservationists to manage its land. "The sheep are just better at this kind of work than our guys, and running our railway has to be our main focus," said Mr Spink. "We are very confident that they will leave the protected species alone. We're told by the owner that they are very discerning and will only chomp their way through the non-native vegetation and leave the rare orchids so they can bloom."
The 35-hectare (86-acre) site runs along the East Coast Main Line and is fenced off to prevent the sheep from wandering on to the track.
End of an Era - The Nowich to Ely Line
From Attleborough resident Michael Rhodes: "A few months ago I did a little book for Network Rail on the line from Norwich to Ely. The signallers along the line were brilliant and have made loads of suggestions and corrections - so much so that I have redone parts of it. The new book is available for anybody to preview all 120 pages for free at the following URL" http://www.blurb.com/books/2574300
Local MPs visit Friends of Brandon Station Open Afternoon
The campaign to revitalise Brandon station and make it a “gateway to the Brecks” was given an extra shunt on Friday 11 November when two MPs visited the station. The derelict and dilapidated station building has wooden boards covering the windows, paint peeling from the walls and doors and stained carpets.
But the Friends of Brandon Station group hopes to transform the building and the neighbouring stationmaster’s house into a community facility and received high profile support from two of the area’s MPs – South West Norfolk’s Elizabeth Truss and Matthew Hancock, who represents West Suffolk. Miss Truss said a regenerated station could be used to help bring more tourists into the Brecks region. She added with Cambridge expanding as a city, the station could become an even more important asset and said funding could be sought from such bodies as the East of England Buildings Preservation Trust, which helps regenerate important community buildings. “This is the first time I have been inside the building and I think we could be able to use this building better so I am very supportive of what is happening,” she said.
Mr Hancock spoke to the Friends and joked about the importance of the station to him– so much so that he had ventured “15 yards” outside his constituency to promote the campaign. He said: “I think it is important to the whole of Brandon because if you look to the future and what Brandon can be, one of the great areas of growth is Cambridge and right here we have a train link into the centre of what is one of the leading scientific research cities in the world.”
The long-term goal of the Friends is to restore the building and make it available for a variety of uses including passenger facilities and a booking office, new community rooms for hire to businesses and local groups and an information centre with details of local tourist attractions. However, Tony Wojtasz, the Friends’ vice-chairman, said the cost of achieving this vision could be in the region of £200,000. The Friends also needs to secure agreements from the bodies which have a stake in the station and to persuade Network Rail to extend its two-year lease on the building.
He said proof of the station’s popularity was that the number of passengers visiting it had increased from 17,000 in 2006 to 70,000 this year..
Award for Bittern Line Project
The Bittern Line Community Rail Partnership and Paston Sixth Form College's project 'Increasing Student Travel on the Bittern line' won the Passengers Matter Award at the Association of Community Rail Partnerships awards ceremony held at Sheffield City Hall on 23 September.
Soham Box to Kimberley Park
Thank you to Clive Bamberger for an update on Soham Box (Archive Sept-Oct 2011): The date of the move from Prickwillow scrapyard to the MNR is Friday November 4th . It will be re-located at the crossing end of the old up platform at Kimberley Park on a temporary base, until a new brick base can be funded and laid . It will then be restored and frame-fitted as and when funds become available . The ultimate long term intention is to fully signal and interlock the level crossing and install either a new passing loop or a new double line section from the other existing lop at Thuxton .
Obviously it all comes down to money but it would be great to have another heritage line with a double line section ( the other being the GCR ).
National Express East Anglia Helps the Railway Children
National Express East Anglia (NXEA) is supporting the Railway Children charity with a donation following the company’s annual employee survey, where a contribution is made to a charity on behalf of the staff participating in the survey. Staff who took part in the survey came from across the entire geographic area that NXEA serves, including Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and London.
NXEA staff chose the Railway Children as their nominated charity this year and almost £1,400 was donated by National Express to the charity, as a result of the survey.
The Railway Children was founded by stalwart of the British rail industry David Maidment, who when visiting India was approached by a young girl begging outside Mumbai Station. The encounter inspired David to dedicate the rest of his life to finding ways of helping this girl and the millions like her. In India, millions of children use the trains to run away and railway stations become a natural place to congregate and survive. David saw a natural link between this cause and his peers in the rail industry and was able to call upon his many friends and contacts to rally a team of dedicated supporters. To this day a large proportion of support for the Railway Children still comes from the rail industry.
The Railway Children exists to help vulnerable children in grave circumstances. Their objective is to provide relief to children and young people who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress and in particular to those living on the streets. Since its inception in 1995, Railway Children has helped many thousands of children and young people living alone and at risk on the streets, both at home and abroad.
Terina Keene, Chief Executive of Railway Children said “This is such an intuitive way for National Express and their employees to help us to protect children from violence, drugs, sexual exploitation and sleeping rough on the streets. We’re so grateful for support such as this and it makes an unimaginable difference to the lives of vulnerable children.”
For more information see www.railwaychildren.org.uk