News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 351 - 30/06/2022
Official figures released by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) show a total of 990 million journeys were made in Britain between April 2021 and March 2022. This is more than double the number of rail journeys made the previos year (388 million), during which pandemic restrictions were in place for most of the time, as journeys fell to the lowest levels seen since the mid-nineteenth century. Passenger revenue recovered to £5.9 billion (from £2.0 billion) and equates to 54% of the £11 billion generated pre-pandemic. Season tickets accounted for just 16.9% of journeys made this year – half of pre-pandemic levels.
The East West Rail company will be staging drop-in style events on Wednesday 29th June at the The Clayton Hotel, Station Road, Cambridge CB1 2FB and Wednesday 20 July at The Cambridge Belfry, Back Lane, Cambourne CB23 6BW. All events are 14:00-20:00. This is part of the public consultancy process prior to submitting a Development Consent Order (DCO) application to government. The company considers it important to have face-to-face sessions now as their previous consultations were virtual owing to COVID-19.
Greater Anglia has announced that their use of Class 317 trains will end completely by the end of July 2022. The use of these emu trains is already reduced to "if there is nothing else available". On Saturday 16th July one pair of units will operate all day between London Liverpool Street and Hertford East. The trains been operating in East Anglia since about 1986. The first batch were built for the Bedford-St Pancras/Moorgate electrification, but the second were for King's Cross-Royston where they replaced slam door 312s. From May 1988 they were the units used on Cambridge-King's Cross services. Later, all the 317s ended up based at Hornsey, for use on services from both King's Cross and Liverpool Street, running to Peterborough, Cambridge and King's Lynn, alongside 365s on the Great Northern. Their use on the Great Northern finished a few years ago, but they continued on West Anglia services until the new class 720s saw many of them sent for scrap.
The Fen Line Users Association (FLUA) will hold an in-person AGM on Saturday 26th November 2023 from 14:00 at "The Old Fire Station", Discover Downham Heritage Centre, 30, Priory Road, Downham Market PE38 9JS. It will also be possible to watch via Zoom.
The Whitwell & Reepham Station will be holding a Steam Rally on Saturday 30th (10:00-23:00) and Sunday 31st July 2022 (10:00-20:00). Attractions comprise Steam Train Rides (full gauge and narrow 7.25-inch gauge), working steam engine displays, exhibition stands, working demonstrations, craft stands, classic vintage cars, vintage tractors, licensed bar & cafe, live entertainment and a showman's engine. Parking is available at Reepham High School on both days and is free.
On Sunday 17th July 2022, the Mid Norfolk Railway (MNR) will stage a Classic Car Day and Vintage Fair at Dereham Station from 10:00 to 16:00. The MNR has announced that its in-person AGM will be held on Saturday 22nd October 2022 from 14:00 at the usual venue, the Memorial Hall, 62A Norwich Street, Dereham. Members who are unable to attend will be able to vote by proxy by contacting the Company Secretary. The MNR's last two public running days before The Polar Express™ Train Ride (which has 90 trains scehduled to operate in November and December) will be on the day of the AGM (free travel for members who show their membership card) and then 29th October 2022. The railway will still be busy at that time as Direct Rail Services (DRS) visit the line for servicing of their locomotives and equipment at Dereham yard, coming on the railway via the mainline at Wymondham from Stowmarket.
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Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 351 - 30/06/2022
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