News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 326 - 31/05/2020
- COVID-19 PANDEMIC [all issues]
- STATIONS [all issues]
- Planning application submitted to build Soham station
- Breckland Council approves Greater Anglia request to demolish disused Brandon station building
- Construction of expanded car park at Saxmundham progresses
- RAIL ROUTES [all issues]
In mid-May early proposals for a new city district near Cambridge North station were unveiled. There would be potential for 8,000 new homes, office building to support 20,000 jobs, shops, restaurants, schools and other facilities along with parks. See https://greatercambridgeplanning.org/.
The East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership has recently revamped its https://eastsuffolklines.co.uk/ website, and it's worth taking look at.
People who walk, cycle and travel by train to work are at reduced risk of early death or illness compared with those who commute by car. This is according to researchers from Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge who carried out a study of more than 300,000 commuters in England and Wales. The researchers say the findings suggest increased walking and cycling post-lockdown may reduce deaths from heart disease and cancer.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Since Friday 15th May the Whitwell & Reepham Railway has been open from Friday to Sunday (only until 15:00) to allow people to use its car park in order to take a walk along the Marriott's Way. Its cafe is open during this time to sell drinks and snacks to take away, but its toilets will not be open. No train services will run. It is the only heritage railway in East Anglia that is open to the public at the moment.
From 18th May 2020 franchised train operators across Britain (primarily Greater Anglia and Great Northern in East Anglia) started to increase the frequency of services that had been reduced because of the COVD-19 pandemic. This was the railway's first response to the government's gradual easing of the lockdown.
The Mid-Norfolk Railway has announced that it has rescheduled its AGM from 11th July to 5th September 2020, but which time it hopes that the COVID-19 lockdown that preventing such gatherings will have ended.
Greater Anglia buys 'fogging guns' to keep trains and stations safe from COVID19
Keywords: [COVID19]
Greater Anglia (GA) is using new methods to help keep trains and stations clean during the coronavirus pandemic. It has purchased five 'fogging guns' to spray and sanitise large areas, which disinfect all surfaces including seats, arm rests, grab handles, windows and door buttons. They use cleaning chemicals that kill different types of viruses. GA is also using new Pacvac Velo cordless backpack vacuum cleaners, which are a quick and efficient way to clean difficult-to-reach areas. The portable machines can be used to clean trains at any depot, station or train stabling point. Staff can also nip onto trains between journeys and give floors and upholstery a thorough clean. GA asks passengers to taking their litter with them or put it in the bin, so that cleaners can spend more time cleaning than litter picking
The operator says that if a person with suspected coronavirus travels on one of its trains then the train would be quarantined and then undergoes a thorough deep-clean prior to re-entering service. Like other operators, GA carefully cleans high-contact areas at stations such as stair rails and ticket gates. It also tops up soap, water and toilet roll in toilets more frequently.
To double check that everything is squeaky clean, Greater Anglia is also buying testing equipment to carry out random hygiene tests on trains which quickly detect if surfaces have been cleaned effectively.
News: https://www.railbusinessdaily.com/new-fogging-guns-being-used-to-clean-greater-anglia-trains/.
STATIONS
Planning application submitted to build Soham station
Keywords: [SohamStation]
The £18.6m needed to build Soham station, on the Ely-Newmarket line, was approved in September 2019. The new railway station has now taken a further step forward with the submission on Friday 1 May 2020 of an application to East Cambridgeshire District Council for permission to build it. Network Rail is seeking to use its 'permitted development' rights to build the station, which will be constructed on existing railway land that it owns and therefore permitted development rights apply, rather than submit a full planning application.
The council has a determination period of eight to 12 weeks in which to consider the application.
News: https://www.railbusinessdaily.com/soham-station-takes-a-step-towards-reality/.
Breckland Council approves Greater Anglia request to demolish disused Brandon station building
Keywords: [BrandonStation]
Greater Anglia (GA) wishes to provide substantially more car parking space at Brandon station, which is located on the edge of the town. GA claims that the increase from "six" to 100 spaces, including five accessible bays, would be partly achieved by demolishing the disused station building and using that land as part of a £1m project to improve facilities for passengers such as anti-vandal waiting shelters, additional lighting and CCTV.
In fact the existing car park, which has few marked out spaces, is reasonably large and there is space for more than 30 vehicles. A strip of the car park towards the entrance is unecessarily covered with yellow 'do not park here' markings, and if the overgrown bushes to the side were trimmed back there would be room for many more cads. Morover, a disused Network Rail compound next to the car park could easily accommodate another 30 spaces. There is no need to demolish the building to release land for car parking. Critics might argue that the real reason for wanting to demolish the building is to abolosh a maintenance liability.
The demolition proposals, which are supported by the Railway Heritage Trust, are opposed by locals who would like to see the old station buildings retained. However, according to Greater Anglia, no-one has ever come forward with a credible business plan that demonstrates that they either have the investment required or an ongoing sustainable use for the buildings. As a result, they are falling further and further into disrepair and, it claims, becoming unsafe. Railfuture understands that the roof needs repairing and the floor needs completely replacing but the rest of the building is structurally sound. Breckland Council has now confirmed that demolition is lawful under permitted development regulations and has granted Greater Anglia a Certificate of Lawful Use or Development. It anticipates that the work will commence towards the end of 2020.
News: https://www.railbusinessdaily.com/plans-for-brandon-station-upheld-as-lawful-development-by-council/.
Construction of expanded car park at Saxmundham progresses
Keywords: [SaxmundhamStation]
Work to reconfigure and expand the car park at Saxmundham rail station has rapidly progressed since Greater Anglia broke ground on the project in early February 2020. The car park is being extended northward alongside the Ipswich-bound platform, and capacity will expand from 18 to 51 spaces with additional room for motorcycles. An additional entrance from the car park to the platform will also be provided. Vehicles will be protected by additional CCTV.
RAIL ROUTES
First major sign of East West Rail reopening progress as Bletchley viaduct rebuild commences
Keywords: [EastWestRail]
The Bletchley flyover, which was built in the early 1960s, is a crucial part of East West Rail as it allows trains travelling from West to East to cross over the West Coast main line. However, the concrete structure has not aged well, with 14 of the 37 295-tonne spans being lifted by cranes and rebuilt to modern standards. Prior to receiving the Transport & Works Act Order in January 2020, Network Rail had performed preparatory work to remove lineside equipment and overhead electric lines. When the Western Section is complete trains will run between Oxford and Bedford for the first time since 1967. Proposals for the Central Section between Bedford and Cambridge are being actively developed.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 326 - 31/05/2020
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