News from the East Anglian Branch of Railfuture, Edited by Martin Thorne and Jerry Alderson.
Railfuture News Snippets 79 - 09/12/2001
- RAIL MEETINGS [all issues]
- TRESPASS AND VANDALISM [all issues]
- RAIL SAFETY [all issues]
- STATIONS [all issues]
- RAIL LITERATURE [all issues]
- Railfuture publishes new book "A New Station. What might it cost?"
- Bedfordshire Railway and Transport Association publish Bedford-Olney-Northampton engineering report
- RAIL IN THE MEDIA [all issues]
- FORMER RAIL PROPERTY [all issues]
- RAIL SCHEMES AROUND THE WORLD [all issues]
A reminder of the branch's concerns about the guided busway:
* uncertainties over route along railway line
* space alongside railway is needed for future rail capacity - must not be used for busway
* busway will take longer than existing buses
* busway will not serve villages, so little advantage over light/heavy rail
* route and technical issues on busway mean it can not be built in the short-term as suggested
* congestion around bus-station.
The public need far more information especially on say journey time, route, timescale (i.e. don't knock the system or mention rail, just ask for information). There is a need for strategic links and the fact that CHUMMS did not consider long distance public transport.
RAIL MEETINGS
Eastern England Rail Passenger Council (RPC) Meeting on Tuesday 4th December 2001 in Peterborough
Chris Austin, Director of External Relations at the SRA, confirmed at the Eastern England RPC meeting that the
SRA Strategic Plan is due out on 14 January 2002 and had some good news for passengers:
* Work had started on the East London Line extension
* Work was due to start this week on the Edinburgh cross-city link service
* RPP increased from £35 to £40m a year, for ten years, with new guidance on bidding being issued to speed things up
* Approval for some RPP schemes in the North East would be announced before Christmas [occurred 7th December]
 |
In a remarkably honest presentation, Robin Gisby, Eastern Zone Director of RAILTRACK explained some of the key issues that needed to be addressed if the rail network was operate properly. |
Mr Gisby noted that the fast lines on the ECML were nearly back to normal but the slow lines were behind on maintenance. The GE mainline was in balance with the speed restrictions being removed at a similar rate as new ones were added, there should be improvements by March/April 2002.
The only ECML work in progress were extra power supplies and clearance work for Class 373 Eurostars to Leeds for May 2002. The ECML upgrade was now up to the SRA.
Jim Morgan of HULL TRAINS outlined the company's first year of operation as the only open access passenger operator on the network. Passenger numbers are growing and there is overcrowding on some Sunday trains. They did not compete with GNER as the latter's trains were faster and many people still drove from Humberside to GNER stations. Due to slack schedules caused by pathing issues, current timekeeping was around 90% (0-10mins)
Discussions were going on with Railtrack to secure a 10 year track access agreement. When this was done new 125mph trains would be ordered. Hull Trains were also looking at direct services from London to Lincoln and Cleethorpes using Class 170 units (or similar). Frequency would be every two hours to Lincoln with two trains each way to Cleethorpes.
There were also presentations from CENTRAL TRAINS, GNER (which discussed excessive police involvement after suicides) and WAGN (who were quizzed about the benefits of merging of WAGN, Silverlink and c2c operations). The most significant revelation was that access at Kings Cross will be affected by the CTRL/underground works. GNER are being evicted from their offices on the west side of the station as the contractors expand the work area. this could also affect access to platforms 9-11 at the station.
The next RPC Eastern England meeting will be in Colchester on 9th April 2002.
TRESPASS AND VANDALISM
WAGN run special trains to patrol route during school holidays
Keywords: [WAGN]
In a joint venture with British Transport Police, WAGN are running half-speed chartered trains with just WAGN and BTP staff on board and police cars in the area to catch offenders and deter potential trespassers. These trains are run during school holidays when most T&V acts take place.
Several WAGN stations (mainly in north London on the West Anglia route) now have improved CCTV systems using digital software which records images of "prosecutable standard" and enables fast searches.
WAGN have also recruited twenty-one extra revenue protection inspectors on West Anglia route trains and stations.
RAIL SAFETY
Anglia Railways driver "acted very responsibly" following fire on train
Keywords: [AngliaRailways]
An Anglia Railways train driver has been praised for calmly evacuating over 120 passengers when a fire occurred on Saturday 1st December near Colchester in a 35-year old class 86 engine on a Liverpool Street-Norwich service.
The badly damaged engine is now sitting at Manningtree platform 4, according to Derek Monnery of Manningtree Rail Users Association. Anglia believe the fire may have resulted from friction caused by excessive wheel slip from something on the line.
STATIONS
WAGN to improve litter problem ands customer care at stations
Keywords: [WAGN]
According to the Autumn 2001 issue of WAGN's "Tracking" commuter newsletter, instead of using cleaning contractors, WAGN will be employing their own "station care assistances" to look after stations and offer advice to passengers, such as answering timetable queries. They work from 06:00 throughout the day.
New litter bins will be installed on all stations. They will consist of a simple hoop with see-through plastic bags, which comply with DTLR regulations.
WAGN have also introduced full time platform staff at Huntingdon. Three people work between 06:00 and 21:30 Monday to Saturday and 07:00 to 19:00 on Sundays.
Cambridge station improvements will see an expanded WH Smith store and Gingham's refurbished and replaced with a branch of Upper Crust.
WAGN Tracking Autumn 2001 Newsletter (GN route) http://www.wagn.co.uk/wnews/GNissue2.pdf.
WAGN Tracking Autumn 2001 Newsletter (WA route) http://www.wagn.co.uk/wnews/WAissue1.pdf.
Needham Market station tidy up
Keywords: [NeedhamMarketStation]
Following the completion of renovation work on the main station building at Needham Market, attention is now being turned to station forecourt improvements and the removal of electric cables that are draped over the front of the station.
RAIL LITERATURE
Railfuture publishes new book "A New Station. What might it cost?"
Railfuture has published a new 30-page report "A New Station. What Might it Cost?", edited by Tony Smale, to help rail campaigners battling for new stations. Available at £3.95 including postage from Railfuture sales.
The report provides the facts and figures needed to argue the case effectively, with advice on factors like terrain, building materials, how to assess catchment areas, types of shelter and platforms, access, lighting and other specifications. It gives detailed breakdowns of just what each component of the station is likely to cost, including safety measures, making it suitable for disabled people. For instance, a basic platform could cost £18,000 while a one-metre-wide pedestrian path to the station would cost around £75 a metre.
Having given advice about how to estimate costs, the guide also lists sources of funds — European Union grants, British Government grants, the Strategic Rail Authority, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, the National Lottery, the Railway Heritage Trust, private companies, Railtrack, train operating companies, Railfuture itself, and other sources. It also deals with different conditions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as the emerging English regional authorities.
The guide highlights several case studies, including Beauly near Inverness, Leeds, Warwick Parkway, Merseyside, the West Coast main line, the Swansea-Bridgend line, Ventnor and Filton Abbey Wood.
Bedfordshire Railway and Transport Association publish Bedford-Olney-Northampton engineering report
The BRTA have commissioned an engineering study into reopening the rail link between Bedford and Northampton via Olney. The consultants report, which cost over £1,700 to produce, is available to members and the public at £5 inclusive of postage and packing from BRTA, 4 Rowlandson Way, Manton Heights, Bedford, MK41 7LT.
RAIL IN THE MEDIA
BBC 4x4 documentary focuses on trials of using Britain's railways
On Monday 10th December at 19:30, an edition of BBC-1 documentary series 4x4 called "Strain Of The Train" focuses on the two million people who rely on the train daily and asks what sort of service they receive. According to the Radio Times, it "uncovers a picture of rising fares and safety concerns".
FORMER RAIL PROPERTY
Former Hadleigh station for sale
The refurbished former station building at Hadleigh, at the end of the closed branch line from Bentley on the Great Eastern main line, has been put on the market by estate agents Fenn Wright with an asking price of £310,000. The station closed to passengers in 1932 and to freight in 1964.
RAIL SCHEMES AROUND THE WORLD
Libya is latest country to announce major railway project
Libya is planning to build two new railway routes, one east-west (along the Mediterranean coast) and the other north-south (through the Sahara). Both are designed to link up with railways in adjoining countries.
BBC News report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/africa/newsid_1700000/1700241.stm.
Railfuture East Anglia Branch News Snippets 79 - 09/12/2001
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