RAILDATE 2023.12.08

Your free weekly guide to what's happening and what's new.

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There are sections on:

• UK Rail News
• International Rail News
• Other Transport Modes
• The Weekly Poser (and the answer to last week's poser)

We welcome lots of new subscribers this week, thanks to a small posting by the prolific (and elusive) blogger Diamond Geezer. To the newbies: Please become contributors too by sending in news items via the email address above. Thanks!

UK Rail News

East Midlands

• Corby to London St Pancras disruptions after trains damaged by ice

London

• Tunnel Boring Machines blessed on St Barbara's day
• A large art exhibition is coming to Waterloo station
• Boosting smartphone signal strength around King’s Cross station
• London Underground tops 4 million journeys in a single day
• Design details of Arnos Grove station

Midlands

• First HS2 viaduct completes deck beam installation
• Highfurlong Brook is first HS2 viaduct to finish deck beam installation

North East

• Northumberland line's re-opening faces delay

North West

• Dangerous attacks on region’s trains DOWN almost 90% as risk of being ‘caught on camera’ far greater, says Northern
• Crewe: What will happen now HS2 is cancelled?
• Staffordshire railway tells Pacer train group to find new home

Northern Ireland

• Grant to investigate electrification of Northern Ireland Railways

Scotland

• Transport Minister takes first electric passenger train on Glasgow-Barrhead line
• New footbridge at Port Glasgow
• Commuter anger after ScotRail app crashes again
• Official opening of Port Glasgow Train Station's new accessible footbridge and lifts
• Core path reinstated as Balgray Reservoir bridge re-opens
• Transport Minister takes first electric passenger train on Glasgow-Barrhead line
• The best way to build bridges with rail giant
• This Spectacular Scenic Train Route Connects All Eight Scottish Cities

South

• Cracked rail blocks Brockenhurst Level crossing

South East

• Damaged footbridge near Woking
• Earthslip found near Woking
• Woking footbridge crumbling

Wales

• Rail passengers left at stations due to lack of carriages

West

• Lines blocked due to flooding on routes from Taunton
• Landslip at Crewkerne railway tunnel closes track
• Flooding between Salisbury and Exeter

Yorkshire

• Station cat at Huddersfield dies
• Government announces £3.9bn for rail upgrades in northern England
• New operator for Doncaster inland port

National

• Fare dodger who gave advice on Tik-Tok caught and fined

International Rail News

Austria

• Austrian Railways to use drones for remote inspections

Canada

• Kamloops Heritage Railway workshops to reopen as a museum
• Expansion of Ottawa Subway network

D.R. Congo

• Congo Katanga - Deadliest Journeys

Europe

• Government requirements for railfreight via the Channel Tunnel

France

• French senate warns against new rail infrastructure funding model
• France to freeze ticket prices on some rail services in 2024

Germany

• German travel problems due to heavy snow

Ireland

• Fastest Cork-Dublin train on track
• Irish Rail photo update shows western corridor progress as minister confirms return steps
• Faster trains and expanded schedules announced across Irish Rail network

Morocco

• Morocco Railways order new rolling stock for 2030 World Cup

Tanzania

• Tanzania Railways Corporation plans US$5.6bn railway line

Ukraine

• US invests $225m into Ukraine rail network

USA

• US, Canada to form task force to get locomotive emissions to net zero
• Cass Scenic Railroad State Park snow plough
• US to award $6.1 billion to Las Vegas, California high-speed rail projects
• U.S. rail traffic continues monthly, weekly gains

Other Transport Modes

Air

• Munich Airport cancels flights due to snow
• Maintaining Edinburgh Airport runways
• Ryanair passengers hit with 'scandalous' new fee of up to £21 to board flight
• Air Canada announces new air-to-rail connections

Bus

• Double-decker bus slams into tree in Thailand, killing 14
• Bus de-roofed in Bournemouth (One of the convertible open top buses used on New Forest tours)
• Bluestar Christmas and New Year services
• Blue Star named bus operator of the year
• Update on Bristol bus franchising after metro mayor accused of 'stalling'
• Passengers scared after fight breaks out on Norwich bus
• CCTV picture released after Bristol bus arson attack
• Stuck bus closes Paulton High Street as police help free vehicle

Canal

• Rise in canal boating fees a 'kick in the teeth'
• Cardiff canal hidden for 70 years uncovered in city centre
• Montgomery Canal restoration efforts marked by special pint
• Canal improvements in Loughborough officially opened
• Tourism Award success celebrated at Grand Western Canal
• Video shows dramatic moment Lancaster student braves icy canal to rescue stranded sheep

Marine

• Boxship collides with floating bridge in Suez Canal
• Ferry service suspended due to fog
• Portsmouth-Fishbourne ferry delays after fuel tanker fire near Gunwharf  ferry  terminal
• History of Furgusons shipyard Port Glasgow
• Christmas supplies in UK at risk as Panama Canal shipping route faces worst drought on record
• Researchers Claim to Positively Identify Wreck of Captain Cook’s HMB Endeavour
• Panama Canal surcharges could be coming for car carriers as rates tipped to spike

Credits

Thank you to this week's contributors.

• Alan Rushworth
• Matthew Shaw
• Neil Kearns
• Paul Tambini
• Richard Buckby
• Richard Maund

The Weekly Poser: Where is this?

This 1938 map records a German city with an extensive local rail network. It is centred on islands in a major river, but a flood relief channel had been built to the north. Where is it?

Rather harder than last week's question, and requiring some awareness of 20th Century history. As an extra clue here is the central area enlarged:

Last week's Where is this?

A 1935 aerial view of a railway station. Where is it?

Answer: Bristol Temple Meads. Congratulations are due to the following for their correct answers: Richard Maund, Dave Goodyear, Colin Penfold, Nigel Petre, David Mant, Andrew Treves, Simon Wass, Paul Hopper, Bill King, Peter Murnaghan, Ian Bromley, Jeremy Harrison, Steve Boulding, Dave Winter, John Lacy, Bob Joshua, Peter Tisdale. (Shame on those who gave the game away on Facebook 😧 )

A very easy one: The photo is looking south-west, with Brunel's original 1839 station the long narrow building in the centre. The GWR's Bristol Harbour branch is just to its right, a lengthy loop that eventually crossed the Avon to connect with the Portishead branch at Ashton Gate Junction (near Bristol City's ground). To its right is the huge (22,000sqM) GWR goods shed, demolished in 1964.

The trucks shown in the bottom-right wharf are on the LMS (formerly Midland) Railway. Its network (including the Clifton Extension joint line) served the city north of the Avon.

SMALL PRINT

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©  Matthew Shaw 2023