RAILDATE 2024.12.06

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

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Raildate is a collaboration between the editor and a number of contributors. Please think about supplying links that you spot. The contact email address is: raildate.co.uk@gmail.com

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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)

UK Rail News

East

• Sizewell C-related upgrades
• Locals urged to stay off tracks as Sizewell branch line work set to begin

London

• Stuart Broad Helps Launch New South Western Fleet
• Mayor Says Way Clear for West London Orbital Scheme
• Driverless London Underground trains scrapped after TfL finds they would cost billions
• Linking inner suburban routes in London to HS2 Old Oak Common station
• South London resignalling over Christmas holiday
• Tunnelling machines to take HS2 to Euston unveiled - work set to start next year
• Lord Hendy: finishing HS2 and getting it to Euston 'even bigger challenge than completing Crossrail'

Midlands

• More train services to be introduced across region
• Lines reopened through Northampton after flood damage
• Pete Waterman’s World Record beating Train Set @ NEC

North East

• Opening date for the Northumberland Line is confirmed
• Northumberland line reopening 15th December

North West

• TransPennine Express starts electric-powered running between Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge
• Carnforth to Barrow blocked by flood damage
• A Duchess Over Shap Unassisted

South

• Romsey bridges not even in the top 100 bridges hit.
• Secret tunnel under Salisbury station

South East

• Long-delayed £1bn train fleet to launch
• £2.6m SE station upgrades
• What difference will rail nationalisation make?
• South Western Railway to be nationalised by Labour

Wales

• Lorry collides with level crossing barriers near Caersws
• Locomotive Zillertal returning home from Welshpool & Llanfair
• First Group acquires Grand Central access rights to Carmarthen

West

• Newquay rail reopening delayed
• Newquay branch blocked by earth slip

Yorkshire

• Refurbishment of Huddersfield station
• Restoration of Keighley station

National

• Great British Railways or untangling 30 years of private management
• Three rail firms to be renationalised next year

International Rail News

Australia

• New trains enter service between Newcastle and Sydney

Austria

• New wagons for Austrian salt traffic

Germany

• Coca-Cola and DB Cargo team up for advent railway stops
• Crash of a freight and construction train near Kerpen-Dorsfeld
• Deutsche Bahn: Ghost trains latest signal of railway woes

Greece

• Thessaloniki Metro opened

Switzerland

• Stadler wins order for 20 Multiple units for Bern S-Bahn line

USA

• Amtrak Talgo set damaged in storm

Other Transport Modes

Air

• Heathrow CEO Urges Starmer to Back Third Runway
• Maintenance error led to TUI flight being aborted in mid air

Bus

• Petition to save bus route presented to Tynwald
• Cap of £1 for bus fares in Brighton & Hove
• Oxford Tube withdraw High Wycombe to London service

Credits

Thank you to this week's contributors.

• Alan Rushworth
• Brian Billing
• John Grimley
• John Oliver
• Mike Price
• Neil Kearns
• Paul Hopper
• Paul Tambini
• Richard Buckby
• Richard Maund
• Tim Oosterlee

The Weekly Poser: Where is this?

A coastal railway. Where is it?

Please send your answers to raildate.co.uk@gmail.com

Last week's Where is this?

An attractive station concourse. Where is it? Bonus question: Which year was the photo taken?

Answer: Eastbourne. Bonus answer: 2003. Congratulations are due to the following for their correct answers: Dave Goodyear *, John Czyrko, David Goddard, Colin Penfold, Simon Wass *, Phil Deaves, Andrew Treves, Paul Tambini *, Mike Mundy, Paul Hopper, Leslie Braithwaite *, John Grimley, Ian Lowe. Neil Spencer *. [* = Bonus answered correctly.]

The date clue is the advertisement for actor/author Ethan Hawke's "Ash Wednesday", published in hardback 2002 + paperback 2003. The photo was taken 20th June 2003. Image credit: John Robinson RCTS Collection

Raildate reader Leslie Braithwaite took this picture on Tuesday. An Amazon locker replaces the ticket machine, the helpful signage is removed, and cathode-ray info screens are replaced by flat screens.

The light and airy glass canopy welcomes summer visitors to the genteel resort of Eastbourne. The branch line into Eastbourne began as a single track but the railway triggered development of the resort, soon requiring double tracking and a much enlarged station. Electrification commenced 7th July 1935. The former goods shed survives as the Enterprise Shopping Centre, a home for independent retailers.

Summer Saturday holiday trains came from Birkenhead, Walsall, Sheffield (via the Great Central) and Manchester. There was even a thrice-weekly car-sleeper service from Glasgow - see below. £16 10/- in 1958 for the driver and car is £395 in 2024 pounds. It was this train that crashed at the station on Monday 25th August 1958, with some loss of life. Pathe newsreel

SMALL PRINT

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©  Matthew Shaw 2024