News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 335 - 28/02/2021
- STATIONS [all issues]
- Marks Tey rail station now has 200 additional secure cycle parking spaces
- Proposed investment in routes around Norwich station to improve life for walkers, cyclists and public transport users
- ROLLING STOCK [all issues]
- RAIL ROUTES [all issues]
- Network Rail announces major route resignalling in Cambridgeshire and consultation over level crossing changes
- Vehicle hits underbridge at Stonea level crossing on day it reopened following repairs and strengthening
- Network Rail rebuilds rail overbridge at Eccles Heath following road traffic incident three years earlier
- Network Rail to replace wheel timbers on East Suffolk Line bridge over a weekend
- Network Rail replaces track on the Fen Line to improve ride quality for passengers
- Greater Anglia works with mobile operator to increase 4G signal along its routes
- DECARBONISATION [all issues]
- PURCHASING TICKETS [all issues]
- EAST WEST RAIL LINK [all issues]
Railfuture's criticism of the government's inflation-busting RPI+1% fare rises on 1st March 2021 was quoted in several national newspapers and there was also a Railfuture appearance on BBC regional television as well. Read Railfuture's fare increase press release at https://www.railfuture.org.uk/Press+release+24th+February+2021.
Part-time commuters are demanding flexible season tickets, which the government says 'could' be introduced by summer 2021, although it has been dragging its feet and the Treasury has raised concerns. Railfuture has proposed a quick-to-implement solution whereby the existing weekly season ticket could also be offered (for the same or slightly-higher price) as a smartcard-base carnet allowing five days' use in a fortnight. See the press release at https://www.railfuture.org.uk/Press+release+9th+February+2021.
Greater Anglia announced in early February 2021 that 66 of its brand-new trains are in passenger service, leaving a total of 125 more to come – a larger number than originally procured since the 10-car Aventras will now be two five-car trains to provide more flexibility.
On 26 February 2021, Netflix premiered its film "The Girl on the Train", which included filming at the Mid-Norfolk Railway over several days in August 2019, with Dereham station being temporarily renamed 'Highroad Station'.
STATIONS
Marks Tey rail station now has 200 additional secure cycle parking spaces
Keywords: [MarksTeyStation]
Since early February 2021 an extra 200 secure covered cycle spaces have been available at Marks Tey station, increasing the station's cycle parking capacity by over 300%. The secure facilities, which have CCTV and lighting, can only be accessed using one a smart card issued by Greater Anglia (GA).
The train operator has already provided total of 290 additional cycle spaces at Whittlesford Parkway, Bishop's Stortford and Dullingham stations, and is progressing work for more spaces at Audley End, Manningtree, March, Newmarket, Elsenham and Diss in 2021, with further locations planned for 2022. In total, GA will create almost 1,000 additional cycle parking spaces across its network.
Proposed investment in routes around Norwich station to improve life for walkers, cyclists and public transport users
Keywords: [NorwichStation]
Norfolk County Council has approved plans to spend £2.5million (from the Department for Transport's Transforming Cities Fund) to improve routes around Norwich station for walkers, cyclists and public transport. The plans, which will be put out to public consultation planned to start in March 2021, would provide improvements at junctions for cars, priority lanes for buses, taxis and cyclists, new pedestrian routes. As a result, bus journey times could be cut by around a third.
The existing pedestrian islands on the Foundry Bridge junction would be removed with a widened signalled crossing installed Riverside Road leg of the junction. The stretch between Riverside Road and Lower Clarence Road will be made into a bus lane to improve journey times into the city centre, which unsurprisingly has support from First Buses. The station area is one of the busiest areas in Norwich, with more than 300 buses a day on Thorpe Road.
ROLLING STOCK
Govia Thameslink Railway starts five-year modernisation of its Electrostar fleet
Keywords: [TSGN] [Class377] [Class387]
It was reported in [Snippets 330] that GTR had begun a £55 million five-year modernisation programme of its entire 270-strong Bombardier Electrostar fleet, comprising the class 387 trains used in East Anglia and class 377 trains used south of London. The latter are being upgraded first, as they are older, and will give passengers an idea of what to expect in East Anglia by 2025.
GTR has announced that its first Class 377 train was back in service following completion of its modernisation at the Selhurst Depot on 5th February 2021. The improvements include new passenger information screens (which will display up-to-the-minute GTR and London Underground service information, energy-saving LED lighting and passenger-counting technology along with high-tech onboard operational systems that cut the time trains spend out of service for maintenance or repair, and CCTV cameras to record the track in front of the train to help Network Rail to analyse incidents that delay the service. USB/power points were added, which the Class 387s already have. GTR's entire fleet will eventually have common features, allowing GTR;s engineers to streamline routine maintenance and repairs. That keeps each Electrostar out in service for longer, reducing delays and cancellations.
RAIL ROUTES
Network Rail announces major route resignalling in Cambridgeshire and consultation over level crossing changes
Keywords: [ETCS] [RouteResignalling]
Network Rail (NR) is planning to replace almost 700 signalling assets, primarily in Cambridgeshire and dating back to the 1980s, along 125 miles of track stretching from Meldreth and Elsenham to the south, both south of Cambridge, through Cambridge, up to Ely to the north and Thurston to the east. It also wants to upgrade Croxton level crossing (in Norfolk) on the Ely-Norwich line. Manual signal boxes will be closed with control moved to the Power Signal Box (PSB) in Cambridge, adjacent to the station, as part of NR's national strategy to create a Digital Railway. NR had previously planned to close the Cambridge PSB and move operations to the Regional Operating Centre (ROC) at Romford, but this is unlikely to happen for many years as it has realised the significant downside of the loss of local knowledge. Towards the end of the 2020s, NR is proposing to have re-signalled the Peterborough-Ely line using ETCS along with conversion of Ely to King's Lynn soon after, but this is unrelated to the Cambridgeshire resignalling.
The proposals include:
- Upgrade of signalling control equipment at Cambridge power signal box (PSB)
- Upgrade of signalling systems with a modern, computer-based digital system
- Upgrade of seven level crossings to full barrier with obstacle detection or CCTV technology
- Relocation of signalling control from the Bury St Edmunds, Dullingham and Chippenham signal boxes (which will all close) to the Cambridge PSB
- Upgrade of telecommunications and power supplies to support the new systems
Changes to the seven level crossings will have a potentially significant impact on the public, not least the much longer downtime of full barriers compared to automatic half barriers. Therefore, the public will be invited to comment on the proposals for a six-week period from 1st March until 11th April 2021. See www.networkrail.co.uk/cambridge-resignalling. Because of COVID-19, the proposals will be presented as part of a virtual consultation, similar to those conducted during 2020 for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and Cambridge South consultations, with the opportunity to speak with Network Rail representatives over the phone. Comments, which can be submitted to CambridgeC3R@networkrail.co.uk, will be considered as part of the design process ahead of preparing a Transport and Works Act order, which is expected to be submitted later in 2021. Subject to obtaining the necessary consents, work is expected to begin by the early part of 2022 and is currently planned to be complete by 2025.
The affected level crossings are at Meldreth Road, Milton Fen, Waterbeach, Dimmocks Cote, Six Mile Bottom, and Dullingham in Cambridgeshire and Croxton level crossing in Norfolk. Meldreth Road will have CCTV for the signallers but the other six will use obstacle detection. All except Waterbeach level crossing (at the current station) will require land acquisition, primarily for the housing of the equipment. The consultation pages on the website contain no detail of Waterbeach though NR is in the process of undertaking a traffic modelling assessment to explore the wider impacts the level crossing proposal there will bring.
News: https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/public-invited-to-comment-on-signalling-renewal-proposals-for-cambridge-area/
www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/signalling-renewal-public-consultation-cambridge-area.
Vehicle hits underbridge at Stonea level crossing on day it reopened following repairs and strengthening
Keywords: [ElyPeterboroughLine]
On 10th February 2021 the rail underbridge on Stonea Road on part of the Ely-Peterborough rail line was reopened to road traffic after repairs and strengthening. This work – one of the country's most hit railway bridges – was necessary following a crash that occurred in October 2019 when a vehicle hit the bridge causing significant damage that meant the road underneath had to be closed to keep everyone safe. At the time it was said that the underpass would be closed for "up to a year".
At the time the bridge was just over two metres in height and it was the thirteenth time it had been hit in 2019. Network Rail's engineers have designed and installed a new protection beam, designed to withstand future bridge strikes, making the bridge stronger than before. Cambridgeshire County Council has updated the signage with its new height of 2 metres – 10cm lower than before, owing to the new protection beam.
Cllr John Gowing, member for March South and Rural at Cambridgeshire County Council, tempted fate by saying: "The new signage will provide a warning to drivers on the approach to the bridge and help prevent further accidents." On the day that the underpass reopened it was struck (see www.cambstimes.co.uk/news/traffic/bashed-stonea-bridge-struck-again-7325034) "scraping under the barrier" according to Network Rail.
The underpass is only used by vehicles when the adjacent level crossing is closed to traffic. This location featured in "The Flypaper" episode of Anglia Television's 1980s' long-running Tales of the Unexpected series.
Network Rail rebuilds rail overbridge at Eccles Heath following road traffic incident three years earlier
Keywords: [ElyNorwichLine]
A rebuilt rail overbridge at Eccles Heath (between Harling Road and Eccles Road stations) was reopened after three years of closure on 31st January 2021. The old bridge had been damaged in a road traffic incident in 2017, with work finally commencing in October 2020. Photos of the new bridge appear to show that it has been raised a little, which hopefully will provide clearance for overheard wires to be erected in the future. However, Railfuture asked Network Rail for clarification and they have stated to Railfuture that "the new bridge did not include passive provision for installing OLE. This is because it would have added significant additional cost to the project." This is disappointing but somewhat understandable. Railfuture has campaigned for electrification to be introduced across as much of the network as is practicable and economically sensible.
On the same date a separate, life-expired, bridge in Norfolk, over Oaks Lane at Postwick (east of Norwich), was completed. Work began in November 2020 and the main deck was craned into place over the Christmas period.
Network Rail says that the new bridges, which meet modern standards, are expected to last over a hundred years.
News: www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/network-rail-replace-two-bridges-norfolk.
Network Rail to replace wheel timbers on East Suffolk Line bridge over a weekend
Keywords: [EastSuffolkLine]
Network Rail has announced that on 6th/7th March 2021 it will be replacing three pairs of wheel timbers on the East Suffolk Line railway bridge that crosses the River Deben. Replacing these timbers before they deteriorate further will prevent the need for speed restrictions. A rail replacement bus service will run between Saxmundham and Ipswich all weekend.
Network Rail replaces track on the Fen Line to improve ride quality for passengers
Keywords: [FenLine]
Network Rail replaced nearly a mile of track and sleepers between Littleport and Downham Market on the weekend of 20th/21st February 2021, which included the renewal of 120 tonnes of ballast.
News: www.railtechnologymagazine.com/articles/key-track-works-planned-between-ely-and-kings-lynn.
Greater Anglia works with mobile operator to increase 4G signal along its routes
Keywords: [GreaterAnglia]
When Greater Anglia was awarded its nine-year franchise back in 2016 it announced that it would be funding infrastructure work to improve mobile phone signals along it routes in order to provide high-quality un-interrupted free Wi-Fi and mobile phone coverage on its trains. It has been working with mobile operator EE (the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network) to increase 4G signals through the installation of 35new 4G masts across East Anglia where reception has previously been weak (one in Cambridgeshire, nine in Essex, eight in Norfolk, 11 in Suffolk and also six in London). As of February 2021, 24 have been installed, and all will be completed during 2021.
The work will not just benefit passengers, but also improved mobile coverage for communities in the vicinity of the masts and for the emergency services in rural areas.
DECARBONISATION
More than 5,000 trees planted across Peterborough thanks to partnership with LNER
It was announced in mid-February 2021 that more than 5,000 trees have been planted across Peterborough, following a partnership between London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) to protect and enhance the local environment. LNER provided funding for the campaign through its annual Customer and Community Investment Fund (CCIF), and the planting was performed with the help of primary schools, youth groups and hundreds of members of the local community.
Anthony Pateyjohns, Head of Safety & Sustainability at LNER, said: "As a long-distance rail operator, we're working hard to play our part in creating a greener future so we are delighted to be supporting Peterborough Environment City Trust in providing a boost to the environment in Peterborough, that will benefit both the local community and wildlife for years to come."
PURCHASING TICKETS
Greater Anglia upgrades ticket office software to process ticket changes and refunds more quickly
Keywords: [GreaterAnglia]
In mid-February 2021 Greater Anglia (GA) announced that it had upgraded software on 108 ticket machines across 61 railway station ticket offices to be able to process ticket changes and refunds more quickly and easily and cut down on paper (the upgrade includes switching off of automatic receipt printing, and only printing one when requested by the customer). The software changes were introduced following consultation with ticket office staff about how the system could work better, and agreement and funding from the Department for Transport.
Ticket office staff are now able, for example, to easily swapping tickets from paper to smart cards, undertaking changeovers of season tickets to smart cards and issuing duplicates if required, as well as being able to provide quicker refunds.
Greater Anglia has deployed software from Fujitsu but, although GA frequently blows its own trumpet, it is not alone in making it easer to refund customers. Northern has introduced Payit, from NatWest, which allows refunds to appear in a customer's bank account in a matter of seconds, and all without the need for their bank details.
As well as facilitating ticket office staff, as described above, Greater Anglia has also upgraded both its app and website so that customers can obtain a refund on their Smart Card tickets when their plans change and they no longer need to make the journey they has planned. Previously customers would have needed to email or call the GA's Smart Support Team for assistance to obtain such refunds. The self-serve system will advise how much is going to be refunded, with the refund value calculated using the industry standard National Rail principles. Refunds can be paid straight back onto the original card used for purchase. As well as providing a supposedly "simple and hassle free" service to its customers, it will reduce the effort required by back office staff.
EAST WEST RAIL LINK
Politician unhappy about lack of electrification with penny-pinching government focused on hydrogen or battery technologies
Keywords: [EastWestRail]
Reconstruction of the railway between Bicester and Bedford via Bletchley is going as part of the Western Section phase 2 of the East West Rail – in January 2021 the government confirmed expenditure of £760m to reopen the core part from Bicester to Bletchley – and whilst there may be passive provision for electrification in future, not a single mast is being erected. Initially all services will be operated by diesel trains. The Department for Transport is proposing that future technology will make electrification of the full route to Cambridge unnecessary, but few outside government believe it. It is hard to imagine any government on the European mainland rebuilding such a major rail route without electrification, not least because the most cost-effective time to erect the wires is when the line is being built.
Aidan Van de Weyer, the Liberal Democrats candidate for Mayor of Cambridge and Peterborough has launched a campaign to stop diesel trains being used on the new East West Rail line, saying: "Allowing diesel trains on the new East West Rail will be a disaster, both for residents along the route and for the environment." The government proposes that diesel trains on the line would eventually be replaced by trains using new hydrogen or battery technologies. Mr Van de Weyer is urging people to sign a Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats petition which calls for the line to be zero carbon from day one using the "tried and tested technology" of overhead wires. He said "The opportunity to invest in the electrification of East West Rail needs to be seized now - not left until the line has been built, when costs will have soared", which is the Railfuture view as well.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 335 - 28/02/2021
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