News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 215 - 28/03/2011
- RAIL FRANCHISES [all issues]
- Shock as National Express is not short-listed for 17-month interim franchise starting in 2012
- National Express holds stakeholder presentation just before hearing the bad news
- ROLLING STOCK [all issues]
- Politicians line up to gain positive publicity from NXEA's new Class 379 Stansted trains
- Fen Line Users' Association learns that 'Intercity Express Programme' (IEP) trains will operate to King's Lynn
- STATIONS [all issues]
- Congestion caused by gating of King's Cross station is alleviated by some common sense
- Cambridge City Council gives go-ahead for new island platforms
- RAIL ROUTES [all issues]
- GUIDED BUSWAY [all issues]
- WEBSITES [all issues]
The next meeting of the Friends of March Station will be on Monday 16th May 2011 a 18:30 in the room under the footbridge on Platform 1 (Peterborough side) March Railway Station.
National Express East Anglia is to create three Passenger Panels across its regional network. The aim is to give rail passengers greater involvement in company development plans and customer service improvements. The Passenger Panels will cover the North, South-East and West areas of NXEA's network. The company will shortly announce how people can apply to become a member of one.
The three small stations between Cambridge and Royston will be holding a joint birthday celebration on Saturday 9th July. Foxton Station will celebrate its 163rd birthday, and Meldreth and Shepreth will celebrate their 160th birthdays. The celebrations will be held at Foxton Station at 11:00, Meldreth at 13:00 and Shepreth at 15:00. All will be welcome to stay on in Shepreth for the grand revival of the Village Fete, complete with pig roast, live music and games. Details on the user group's website: http://melbourn.org.uk/railusergroup/.
When Wisbech-March Bramley Line volunteers turned up at Waldersea on 3rd March they discovered the theft of around 30 cast-iron chairs and some fishplates from the track between Waldersea and Coldham. An inspection of the track between Waldersea and the A47 found a further 300 chairs and more fishplates missing. British Transport Police were informed. Although the rails were left behind this effectively severs the line in two places.
On 11th April Cambridgeshire County Council will be hold a public hearing at Shire Hall into the application from Cemex UK to bring 1.2 million cubic metres of building waste from London over the next five years by rail into Barrington quarry, and reopen the mothballed railway line between Foxton and Barrington. Anyone wishing to speak must notify the Democratic Services team at least two weeks before the meeting.
On 28th March the Cambridge Cycling Campaign launched its vision for 2016. This includes the Chisholm Trail, which would construct a cycling route beside the railway line through Cambridge. See: http://www.camcycle.org.uk/vision2016/.
On 13th March a new footbridge was installed at Witham station. It should be fully commissioned in the next month.
RAIL FRANCHISES
Shock as National Express is not short-listed for 17-month interim franchise starting in 2012
Keywords: [GreaterAngliaFranchise]
On 24th March the DfT announced that it had shortlisted three companies for the interim Greater [East] Anglia franchise which will begin on 5th February 2012 and run for just 17 months, with an option to extend by up to a year. The remaining bidders are:
It was a shock to many that the incumbent, National Express, was not shortlisted (just as First Great Eastern had not qualified in 2003, although in this case there was no explanation forthcoming). This means that the interim franchise (which allows the DfT time to consider reforms arising from the current McNulty rail review and build them into the terms of a subsequent Greater Anglia franchise) will definitely be operated by a new railway group, who may then be thrown out. Many observers have commented that to let a contract for such a short period and to include a new operator in the short list seems to be the height of folly.
An NX statement said "We believe we put forward a very positive and high quality submission" and confirmed that it would seek an explanation from the DfT. The government did not disclose whether the shortlisting decision was influenced by National Express walking away from the East Coast franchise in 2009, although a parliamentary statement at the time said "a company which had defaulted in the way National Express now intends would not have pre-qualified for any previous franchises let by the Department." The National Audit Office recently said that Lord Adonis was right to stand up to National Express and "acting decisively" by terminating its contract and taking the franchise back into public hands.
The Government has set out the following objectives for the franchise:
The Invitation to Tender for the Greater [East] Anglia franchise will be issued in April 2011.
DfT franchise page: http://www2.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/greater-anglia/.
National Express holds stakeholder presentation just before hearing the bad news
On 22nd March National Express East Anglia held a presentation where they listed many of the rail schemes that would be happening in the next few years, and they hoped to be involved with (as a rail group) over the lifetime of the interim and long franchises (including Essex Thameside):
ROLLING STOCK
Politicians line up to gain positive publicity from NXEA's new Class 379 Stansted trains
First, on 10th March, it was Theresa Villiers MP, Minister of State for Transport, who officially opened NXEA's new suite at its Stratford Training Academy for the Class 379 trains which includes a £1m driving simulator. The new fleet will be coming into service in the next few months.
Then on 17th March Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for transport, was at Liverpool Street station to launch the new trains and named 379005 "Stansted Express".
The Class 379 made its first passenger run on Thursday 3rd March 2011 when it worked the 20:10 from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport and the 21:15 return service.
For the first time NXEA will have newer rolling stock than First Capital Connect, which also serves the Cambridge to London market. Whether a superior train interior can offset an inferior journey tme remains to be seen. However, NXEA has decided to modify a small number, perhaps three, of its old Class 317 units to have the same interior as the new Class 379 units. Passengers will be asked their views on the modified trains, which should enter service in the summer.
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_379.
Fen Line Users' Association learns that 'Intercity Express Programme' (IEP) trains will operate to King's Lynn
At a meeting on 3rd March with local MPs and representatives from the Fen Line Users' Association, Theresa Villiers MP, Minister of State for Transport, confirmed that 'Intercity Express' trains will operate King's Lynn ? Cambridge ? King's Cross trains from 2018. There had been concerns that power supply problems north of Cambridge and platform length restrictions would se the new trains terminating in Cambridge, leaving only a shuttle service between Cambridge, Downham Market and King's Lynn.
Proposals to run Cambridge peak services with 10 car (2 x 5-car) electric IEP trains had been around for some time, as these would provide more seats than a 12-car Class 365 formation and the 125 mile/h capability would simplify pathing through the Welwyn Viaduct two-track section. The King's Lynn trains would terminate ar King's Cross but it is unclear if the second IEP service, operating only as far as Cambridge, would also terminate at King's Lynn or as a Thameslink through service. If, as FLUA is campaigning for, a half-houly King's Lynn service is introduced then two IEP services per hour could go there.
It is unclear whether the 5-car electric IEPs, which will have 'commuter' interiors, seating 350, will use selective door opening or if the four-coach platforms at Waterbeach, Littleport and Watlington will be extended.
The Intercity Express Programme was reaffirmed by the Government in March. It is primarily an initiative to replace the InterCity 125 fleet on the UK network with new rolling stock. It will be built by a Hitachi-led consortium under the largest rolling stock contract in the UK's rail history.
STATIONS
Congestion caused by gating of King's Cross station is alleviated by some common sense
Keywords: [KingsCrossStation]
Network Rail has realised the near chaos that it caused by gating platforms 0-5 so that passengers wishing to access the Underground had to beat their way through hoards waiting for their train. It has now moved back seats in front of the departure and arrivals boards and created a walking route. This is a perfectly sensible solution but passengers are incredulous that Network Rail didn't see the need for it initially.
Cambridge City Council gives go-ahead for new island platforms
Keywords: [CambridgeStation]
Network Rail has announced it had received more than £2m of private investment to improve and expand the main ticket hall at Cambridge station. This has become essential to cope with the growing number of passengers using the station, which experiences footfall exceeding eight million each year. The work will be finished after the new island platforms open.
RAIL ROUTES
Network Rail's TWA Order for Hitchin Flyover is confirmed after Secretary of State earlier 'minded to approve' announcement
Keywords: [HitchinFlyover]
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond MP has approved Network Rail's proposal to construct a flyover across the East Coast Main Line at Hitchin and 2km of new electrified single-track railway towards Letchworth Garden City, joining the line at Stotfold Road. The scheme will remove a major railway bottleneck at Hitchin, reducing delays by almost 30,000 minutes per year, and lead to quicker journeys and more trains on the ECML. Mr Hammond announced in 2010 that he was 'minded to approve' the TWA order but had to wait while matters concerning construction traffic access were satisfactorily dealt with. Trains should run on the new line from early 2014.
The flyover had been proposed for more than a decade, during which time the number of passengers travelling between Peterborough and London increased by 35% with an 18% increase in journeys between London and Cambridge. This growth is expected to continue in the long term.
NR press release: http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Press-Releases/QUICKER-JOURNEYS-FOR-CAMBRIDGESHIRE-AFTER-RAIL-LINK-GETS-GREEN-LIGHT-1702/SearchCategoryID-8.aspx.
GUIDED BUSWAY
Cambridgeshire Guided busway is now more than two years late and penalties mount up for contractor BAM Nuttall
BAM Nuttall's £14k-a-day late delivery penalty is now up to £10m and the handover is now more than two years late. The council says it is waiting to receive five construction and design certificates plus a further 47 construction certificates.
There have been a series of snags on the southern section that are holding up acceptance including the following:
National Grid Gas (NGrid) needs to be satisfied with the method of removing the busway beams if it needs access to its high pressure gas main. It also needs to be confident that the retaining wall design is satisfactory.
As both the new Addenbrooke's busway bridge and changes to the existing Hills Road bridge affect railway lines, Network Rail need to accept the maintenance manual, which was submitted to on 18th January, before the council will accept them.
CGB Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridgeshire_Guided_Busway.
WEBSITES
Yes to High Speed Rail launches an impressive professionally-designed website
Keywords: [HighSpeedRail]
Following major opposition by a plethora of groups to the government's High-Speed 2 proposals, a very professional website has been set-up to promote the 'Yes to High Speed Rail' campaign. See: http://www.campaignforhsr.com. Led by Professor David Begg the new group has already signed up a legion of individuals as members of its 'National Council'.
Rail campaigners' book from 1970s appears on the web
Keywords: [Bustitution]
In September 1977 the former Railway Invigoration Society, which later merged with the Railway Development Association to become the Railway Development Society - now called Railfuture, of course - published a book entitled "Can Bus Replace Train". This book was particularly relevant in the 1970s and the 1980s when rural railway routes looked vulnerable. These days, such routes are almost 'safe as houses' as community rail partnerships have grown patronage and the McNulty Report has not threatened any closures. However, many local authorities still look to bus services (and busways in particular) as a reason for not reopening rail routes. Many of the arguments made in the book are relevant today. It can be read in full at: http://www.rautatiematkustajat.fi/CanBusreplaceTrain.pdf.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 215 - 28/03/2011
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