Archive for the ‘Railways’ Category
Goodbye 2007
As 2007 closes, time to look back at the year. Only positive and good things I think, there’s too much doom and gloom around already!
2007 has seen a number of centenaries both personal to me and personal to everyone else.
My Mum’s parents were both born in 1907. It’s hard to think of them as being 100, although Grandma nearly made it to 92!
Grandma’s 75th birthday.
Mr. William Thomas Vickers and Mrs. Alice Irene Vickers
I could have got into real trouble for announcing to the world that Grandma’s first name was Alice! It’s a shame Grandad never got to see all the computer and interweb stuff as he would have been fascinated. The first radio (wireless) he had, he built himself!
Newcastle (Staffs and District) Camera Club was 100. Grandad and Mum were / are members and they had an exhibition to mark their centenary. Mum had a couple of here photos displayed.
Of course, one of the big events of the year was the Scout Centenary. Looking back at some of my scribblings from 2007 and looking at my Scout Group’s web site you can see some of the things we did. I think my highlight was restarting the Scout Troop after 18 months and investing the new Leader and new Scouts at our District’s Centenary camp.
The other two personal highlights were finally seeing Paul McCartney live and actually driving a real locomotive – albeit up and down the yard at Cheddleton a couple of times!
Goodbye 2007 and hello 2008.
Warley MRC Exhibition
Dad and I went to the NEC on Saturday to visit the Warley Model Railway Club’s annual exhibition.
Very good it was too. It was absolutely packed as usual. Strangely they only seemed to use 3/4 of the hall, but there was as much stuff there as normal. Trouble was the hall was a bit badly laid out in places so there were a few crushes.
The 12 inches to the foot ‘models’ this year were a couple of industrial Hunslets.
This one was built in 1971 (a very good year!) and the other in 2005.
I ended up with some Triang TT stuff and a couple of Video 125 DVDs. Good day out really!
Local Rail Services 2
After I'd received the reply to my e-mail from East Midlands Trains , I thought I'd reply –
Thank you for your reply.
I have to say that I'm not over confident that the Crewe Derby route is going to be treated as a priority. You talk about the fact that ‘We will link stations progressively over the next few years and this will enable passengers to speak directly to an information controller….' Being cynical and based on the fact of the lack of investment and interest in the route by previous companies, I feel that the Crewe Derby route stations will be amongst the last to receive these improvements!
Of the 70 ticket machines you talk about, will Longport be included?
I also hear on the grapevine, and please correct me if I have misheard, that you are to run the single coach Class 153 units on the route, thereby reducing the seating capacity and moving the two car units to other areas.
My final worry is that you are expecting local authorities to pay for the upgrading of your stations! Why should they pay to improve your facilities when it is in your interests to improve services etc. to increase passenger numbers?
I'm sorry if this all seems a little negative, but local train services in North Staffordshire have been eroded away over the last 15 years or so and your predecessors seemed to treat this area as an inconvenience!
Yours sincerely
And the reply –
Thanks again for your email.
We will not be installing ticket machines into the Longport station.
We are proposing to run single coach Class 153 units on the Crewe-Derby route from December 2008, however, this has not been finalised. We are currently consulting with stakeholders on our proposed December 2008 and their feedback may have some bearing on this decision.
We do have funds to undertake station improvements however, we are also looking to local authorities to assist. We will be looking to invest in stations where we can make a valid business case for it.
Kind regards
David Horne
Mobilisation Director
East Midlands Trains
That reply doesn't exactly instil confidence does it? The trouble is that it's an East Midlands franchise serving the West Midlands / North West. Time will tell I guess, but I'm not holding my breath for improvements.
Local Rail Services
Dear Sir,
I would be interested to hear what your company is proposing to do to improve the Crewe to Derby service and the stations along this line.
As the majority of this service is in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire area, I am somewhat surprised that it is being run by a company whose main area of focus is the East Midlands. In the past, Central Trains and to a degree Regional Railways treated this service and its stations as an inconvenience and little or no investment has been made in the route. A lot of people in the North Staffordshire area aren't even aware that there are open stations at Longport or Longton!
In fact, one of the stations, Etruria, was closed two years ago. It is also noticable that the majority of stations currently operated by Central Trains (the exception being Kidsgrove) are unstaffed. Most of the stations are in a poor state of repair, although some new shelter facilities have been installed at Longport, but this was not financed by Central Trains! The stations do not provide a welcome to the travelling public – your potential customers!
Can you reassure me that the level of service you will provide, the state of the stations, the staffing of the stations and the publicity of the route will be improved when you take over the service?
Yours faithfully
And this is the reply –
The level of service will be broadly similar to that operating today, but from December 2008 there will be some changes to train times in conjunction with major timetable changes across the country. We have been told exactly when our trains can operate throughout the day by Network Rail.
East Midlands Trains (EMT) intends to deliver improved ambiance at all stations by investing in deep cleaning, painting, improved CCTV Help Points and signage. The CCTV and Help Points will be connected to a new Information and Security Centre collocated with the new integrated control at Derby. We will link stations progressively over the next few years and this will enable passengers to speak directly to an information controller to obtain accurate and up to date information.
Further enhancements may be possible if local stakeholders are able to provide additional funding and a number of local authorities have already stated that they wish to join with EMT to improve stations.
We will also be installing over 70 ticket vending machines across our network. Staffing levels will remain as now but our management arrangements will be developed to ensure that stations are kept clean and provide a welcoming environment for passengers.
Regards
Hmm, can't say I'm too reassured to be honest. I've got a copy of the new proposed 2008 timetable 😉 so I'd better take a closer look to see what's planned!
Train Driver!
Llangollen
Been a bit lazy recently!
Went to the Llangollen Railway's steam gala weekend a couple of weeks ago with Mum & Dad.
The weather behaved and we had a rather good day out! The railway put on a good selection of locomotives and we all took loads of photos! Mum has even asked to borrow my digital camera after using it all that day for when they go to China! Mum and digital photography is an interesting thought!!!
Virgin Lose the Cross Country Francise
Wow! Virgin have lost the Cross Country franchise to Arriva!
I'll be fascinated to see if they improve the services and also the number of seats on the trains!
Longport Station 2
Seems like some money is finally being spent on Longport Station see here.
This is good news. However, it is noticeable that it is not Central Trains who are funding the work, but North Staffordshire Regeneration. Strange really as it was Central Trains who have not spent any money on the stations and made them unstaffed halts since they have had control of them. Having said that, they lose the franchise on 11/11/07, so it will be interesting to see what the new London Midland company and the new East Midlands franchise will do. They can't be worse than Central – can they?
Etruria and Longport
Snooze
While waiting at Crewe, it occurred to me how boring it now is! The diesel depot is closed and I didn't see one loco moving through the station. All Pendolinos , Voyagers , 175s , 170s , 158s , 153s & 323s . Dull, dull, dull. No wonder there was hardly anyone spotting.
I came across some pictures from 20 years ago, they showed new and refurbished locos coming off the works and loads of variety in locos and units!
Vintage Trains
We went to The Midland Railway, Butterley yesterday. A good day out for the enthusiast, not quite so for the the wife of one! Herself prefers the ones with the longer journey and better scenery!
It was good, however, to be able to travel in the Victorian Train. We went in a 4 wheel 3rd class coach. It was beautifully restored, but it would have been somewhat uncomfortable on long journeys!
Longport Station
Seems like Stoke City Council is trying to remind people that Longport and Longton stations still exist. There are posters on bus shelters round Hanley etc. to advertise the fact, which is to be commended.
All very well and good except that neither are, of course are, in Newcastle as it's a different Council. Longport is the nearest station to many people in the Borough.
Big Journey
While sorting out my old photographs today, I came across the ones I took 20 years ago today (Sgt Pepper taught the band to play…..!).
It was this day that I caught the following trains
- Etruria to Stoke
- Stoke to Euston
- Kings Cross to Edinburgh
- Edinburgh to Glasgow Queens Street
- Glasgow Central to Crewe
- Crewe to Etruria!
That was a great day’s line bashing. Couldn’t do it now of course, because Etruria is now closed and I don’t get free travel on the railways any more so it’d cost me a fortune!
Great day though!
Name a Train
Looks like one of the train operating companies is to name a locomotive with a Scouting name.
Naming a locomotive with a Scouting related name is not a new idea.
I'm interested to know which TOC it is. How about 'The Scout'?