Marcus' Model Railway Journey

23rd June 2023

Birmingham New Street Bull named following public poll​

The bull's permanent name was chosen in a national public poll which saw 'Ozzy' top the vote with an overwhelming win!​

The votes have been counted and the result verified – Birmingham New Street’s new bull will be called ‘Ozzy’ after a nationwide competition to find him a permanent name.

WATCH video:

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Birmingham New Street's bull has been named ‘Ozzy' following a national public poll to find the perfect name for the impressive sculpture.

The bull became popular at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony back in 2022, after which it was supposed to be scrapped. However, a massive campaign saw the mechanical beast rescued.

The massive metal bull has been in storage in a car park under a tarpaulin over winter when Network Rail revealed that it had found the perfect home for the sculpture at Birmingham New Street station where it can be enjoyed by thousands of passengers each day.

Thursday the 22nd of June saw the second stage of a competition organised with the West Midlands Combined Authority to find the vast moving sculpture with a name and now, the public has spoken!

Voting breakdown pie chart​

The first round saw 2,000 people send in their individual suggestions before Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street, and Network Rail Chairman Lord Peter Hendy, shortlisted those to just four* - Ozzy, Brummie, Bostin or Boulton.

The online public poll was open for seven days and closed at midnight on Tuesday (20 June), and in total more 28,000 votes were cast.

A landslide victory sees 70% of all votes going to Ozzy – in honour of the Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne who appeared as a surprise performance in the Games' closing ceremony.

The first round saw people offer up some weird, wacky, and wonderful suggestions in the first two weeks of the competition.

Some of the more memorable included, Optimus Moo, Thumbullina and Cadbully, and one of the most predictable - Bully McBullface – being suggested several times.

Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, chair of Network Rail, said:

“Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to at first send in their name suggestions and then vote for their favourite in the final four – it truly shows how much affection people have for this star of the Commonwealth Games.”

“It also proves to us how much of an honour it is for Network Rail to be the custodian of Ozzy the bull, and for New Street station to be its home. I can't wait for it to be unveiled on the station concourse in time for the first anniversary of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.”

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “So the public have had their say on what we should name the Bull and they couldn’t have made a clearer choice. Ozzy won by a resounding margin with a whopping 70% after more than 28,000 votes were cast.

“Like people right across our region, I cannot wait to see Ozzy take pride of place in New Street Station in a triumphant homecoming this summer – proudly bearing the name of the Prince of Darkness himself!

“My huge thanks once again to Network Rail for bringing the Bull home to Birmingham. The iconic symbol of the 2022 Commonwealth Games is back where it belongs.”

Mike Kelt, CEO of Artem, said: “It’s quite emotional for us that people in Birmingham wanted the bull become a permanent fixture, and when we saw how much people enjoyed it when it was on temporary display in Centenary Square during the games last summer was hugely humbling.

“That said, turning the bull into something which will live inside a railway station permanently and fit through its front doors as part of giant jigsaw puzzle, has been a huge challenge, but one we’re certainly relishing to finish – and what better name than Ozzy for it!”

Artem originally designed and built Ozzy as a one-off spectacle for the opening ceremony, and has been instrumental in making modifications so it could become a permanent attraction.

Once complete, Ozzy will be shipped from Artem’s workshop in West London to the West Midlands and rebuilt behind huge hoardings on the concourse at Birmingham New Street station.

While this work won’t cause any disruption to trains, passengers are advised that the look and feel of the concourse will be different.

A grand unveiling will take place ahead of the first anniversary of the Commonwealth Games.

You can keep up to date with all the latest bull news, and the goings on at Birmingham New Street station, by following @NetworkRailBHM.

24th June 2023

Network Rail using Artificial Intelligence to locate scrap materials​

Network Rail is using Artificial Intelligence software to help it locate forgotten scrap materials from the side of railway lines so they can be removed quickly and safer than how it is done now.

Network Rail Southern region is carrying out a trial of One Big Circle's video and AI technology to locate old railway materials that can either be reused or recycled.

By removing the materials from the side of the lines the risk of injury to colleagues from slips, trips, or falls will be reduced, and at the same time, the railway will appear a lot tidier.

On Network Rail's Wessex route, the largest causes of injury are ‘slips, trips and falls' with scrap materials on the side of the track being a significant hazard, especially as most work is carried out when it is dark.

A technology known as Automated Intelligent Video Review (AIVR) captures high-definition train's-eye-view video from across the rail network, and uploads it to the cloud where it is instantly accessible.

AI is then used to analyse the video to find scrap rail, sleepers, and bags of ballast and map their locations using GPS.

That will enable maintenance teams to plan how and when the items can be safely removed.

Network Rail has chosen its Wessex route for the trial, as it is one of the busiest on the rail network.

The results of the trial will determine whether the technology is rolled out more widely.

It is expected that as well as improving efficiency, the technology will also result in improved safety and financial savings.

Wayne Cherry, Network Rail senior innovations engineer, said: “Technology such as AIVR provides Network Rail with a brilliant opportunity to improve how efficient we are as a business.

“While AIVR is already in use across other parts of Network Rail, this will be the first time this technology has been used in this way with AI and could be a real game-changer.

“Not only is scrap on the side of the railway unsightly, but it can also become an obstacle during planned engineering work, block safe walkways or delay our teams accessing part of the railway infrastructure to make repairs during disruption.

“If we can become safer and more efficient with identifying and removing scrap material, it will not only help our colleagues stay safe, but benefit the wider rail industry, passengers and the taxpayer.”

Martyn Shaftoe, Network Rail's Wessex route health and safety advisor, who is leading this project, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with One Big Circle on this exciting project. I believe this technology will play an important role in helping keep our front-line colleagues safe, help us become more efficient in locating and removing scrap, as well as improving the overall condition of the railway for the benefit of our passengers and local residents.

“Unfortunately, over recent years, the railway has become somewhat of a dumping ground for discarded railway sleepers, scrap rail, redundant ballast bags and many other assets. The challenge we face is there is no definitive list of where these materials or assets are.

“The prospect of accurately locating scrap material using high-definition video footage and AI without the need for colleagues to walk along the railway is a huge safety improvement opportunity.”

“Financially, not only can some of the scrap material be recycled and any money accrued used to support running of the railway, but some of the leftover materials are also reusable. For example, Bomac concrete sleepers are no longer manufactured, but there is still a demand for them as replacements on sidings and on some stretches of track. Thanks to this technology, 40 of these sleepers have been identified on a site between Yeovil and Weymouth where they can be recovered and stored for future use across the business, preventing the need to buy costly new equivalents.”

“To be able to help the industry potentially save money by reusing or recycling this treasure-trove of scrap materials is a brilliant prospect and we look forward to hopefully rolling it out more widely across the business later in the year.”

Emily Kent, One Big Circle co-founder and director, said: “This is a really exciting application of AI developed in collaboration with Network Rail experts.

“The AIVR system collects high-quality lineside imagery from across the whole of the UK to help many different engineers and disciplines see what they need to see without attending site.

“Adding further intelligence to that data – as with this automatic detection and location of scrap rail and other lineside hazards – really enables you to hone in on specific issues and respond to them quickly and safely.”

24th June 2023

Missing tribute plaque to model railway inventor reinstated at Liverpool Lime Street Station​

The missing plaque marked the birthplace of Frank Hornby, renowned engineer and inventor of toys, has now been found, and put in place at the station​

Attendees of missing plaque being re-unveiled at Liverpool Lime Street 23 June 2023​

A long-lost commemorative plaque marking the birthplace of famous engineer and toy inventor Frank Hornby has been found and reinstated at Liverpool Lime Street station.

The businessman, engineer and politician invented three of the 20th century’s most successful toy brands based on engineering principles – Meccano, Dinky cars and the eponymous Hornby Model Railway.

He was born on 15 May 1863 at 77 Copperas Hill, which was later cleared for neighbouring Liverpool Lime Street station to be expanded.

To mark where the site once stood, in 1994 a plaque was installed on the station concourse.

But during station renovations in 1999, the tribute was taken down and mysteriously never seen inside Lime Street again – until today - nearly quarter of a century later.

WATCH:

To watch video click link: "https://fast.wistia.net/embed/iframe/h2eq2wmvqv"

Thanks to detective work between Network Rail and the Railway Heritage Trust, at 10:30am this morning (Friday 23 June) the plaque was unveiled (for a second time) in the station.

It was found after the trust contacted the Hornby Railway Collectors’ Association (HRCA) to see if there were photos of the original plaque so a reproduction could be made.

The HRCA then published a short article in their newsletter about the search, and purely by chance one of its readers contacted them saying he could do better than a photo – and in fact he was in possession of the real thing.

Tim Hedley-Jones, director of the Railway Heritage Trust, said: “We fully expected the original plaque to be long lost, so it was beyond all our hopes to find the real thing when we set about researching about how we were going to reproduce it.
“When we contacted the new owner he told us he had purchased the plaque at an auction a decade ago unaware that it had been removed from the station without permission. Thankfully he’s delighted to see the plaque returned to the station, which is a great outcome for everyone”

Click to expand...

Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill and Network Rail chair, said: “Frank Hornby’s toys have enthralled and inspired millions of children and adults across the globe, and the plaque celebrating him and his achievements, was put up in 1994 so people would know that Liverpool Lime Street station was where it all started.
“Despite not being on display in the recent past, it’s great that the original plaque has now been found so this fascinating piece of history can once again be on display and enjoyed by present and future generations."

Click to expand...

Today the original plaque has been returned to its rightful place in the station and unveiled by Network Rail Chair Lord Peter Hendy, with Tim Hedley-Jones from the Railway Heritage Trust and members of the HRCA and Network Rail teams also present.

For more on how Network Rail works to protect the railway's heritage and the conservation work it carries out you can follow this link: www.networkrail.co.uk/working-with-railway-heritage.

24th June 2023

Inside The Train Shed

I 'sweated buckets' today.

I was levelling and permanently attaching the baseboard sections together.

It was warm work in the +30°C temperature inside the shed.

24th June 2023


TANGENT MAN STRIKES AGAIN!
Just when you thought it was safe to be informed only on railway topics!

Back in the garden

White Astilbe

Variegated Hosta in flower

Close-up of Hosta flower

25th June 2023

Train named ‘Verena Holmes’ by Southeastern in honour of the Kent-born trailblazer​

Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day, the rail operator aims to increase awareness of careers for women in engineering and technical roles​

Friday the 23rd of June saw Southeastern name a train ‘Verena Holmes', who was the very first female members of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers as well as the Society of Locomotion Engineers back in 1889.

The honour comes as part of the rail operators International Women in Engineering Day celebrations held annually on the 23rd of June, which coincides with Verena's date of birth.

Verena Holmes​

Verena was a strong supporter of women in engineering and she was renowned for her commitment to developing fellow female engineers.

In 1931, Verena became the President of the Women in Engineering Society and in 1946, following work on naval weaponry for WWII, opened her own all-female engineering firm.

A ceremony which took place at London Cannon Street station saw a Class 375 named ‘Verena Holmes' and will fittingly operate on mainline routes between London, Kent and East Sussex.

The special event saw Caroline Yardley, Verena's great niece, attend alongside Steve White, Managing Director of Southeastern.

International Women in Engineering Day aims to support an increase in awareness of careers for women in engineering and technical positions in the traditionally male-dominated sector.

Steve White, Southeastern's Managing Director, said:

“Verena Holmes was born on our part of the railway, and she blazed a trail through a male-dominated world to deliver innovation, invention and inspiration in equal measure. We at Southeastern want to recognise that legacy and are proud to name a train in her honour.”

“We want to build on Verena's achievements by increasing the number of women we employ. Among our 4,500 or so colleagues, around 900 are women, and we have several programmes, like our apprentice scheme, to increase that number and breaking down misconceptions about careers in engineering. We want women to see rail as an industry where they can thrive on an equal footing. Our ambition is to increase the number of women we employ as engineers every year.”

Elizabeth Donnelly, of the Women in Engineering Society, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that Southeastern has chosen to name one of their trains after the past President of the Women's Engineering Society (WES) Verena Holmes. It is especially fitting that this honour has been unveiled on International Women in Engineering Day, celebrated every year on the 23 June the date of both the founding of WES and the day Verena was born.”

“Verena was a champion of Women Engineers throughout her career and in 1931 she became the first woman member elected to Institution of Locomotive Engineers, so we are incredibly pleased to see her honoured in this way.”

Verena has also had a faculty building at Canterbury Christ Church University, named after her.

Dr. Ann Nortcliffe, Head of the School of Engineering, Technology and Design at Canterbury Christ Church University, said:

“We're delighted to attend today's event celebrating one of the country's, and Kent's, most pioneering female engineers, Verena Holmes. She was a trailblazing mechanical engineer, a prolific inventor and someone who was dedicated to development and advancement of females in engineering.”

“We started our engineering degree courses to specifically address the issue of diversity and female representation within the industry. Our STEM building, which opened in 2021, was named after Verena to honour her legacy and inspire generations of female engineers.”

Nada Abouelhiga, Southeastern Technical Services Engineer said:

“Southeastern has supported me in my ambition to be taken seriously as a woman engineer and has valued my skills and the contribution I can make.”

“We all follow in the footsteps of inspirational women like Verena Holmes, and she richly deserves this honour.”

Southeastern Class 375

25th June 2023

Inside The Train Shed

More progress on permanently attaching the baseboards to each other.

Nearly one side completed so far.

26th June 2023


TRANSPORT FOR WALES

Transport for Wales’ pop-up exhibition is a ‘brutal reminder’ of the dangers of trespassing on railway tracks​

A new pop-up exhibition in Cardiff’s St David’s Centre highlights the increased dangers of trespassing on rail tracks since the introduction of electrified Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) in Wales.

Set up by Transport for Wales (TfW) as part of its ‘No Second Chances’ campaign, the pop-up may look like many familiar clothing shops seen around Cardiff city centre but is in fact is a stark, visual representation of the damage OLE can do by electrification using the damaged clothing of fictional victims.

Visitors will be confronted by displayed clothing of all shapes, sizes, styles and age-ranges, highlighting the indiscriminate dangers of trespassing on the rail line.

The ’No Second Chances’ campaign from Transport for Wales launched in May to coincide with the first stretch of OLE to be electrified in Wales, along the Core Valleys Line.

The campaign draws attention to the danger posed by OLE to those who choose to trespass on the railway network, with the aim of discouraging trespassing and antisocial behaviour – particularly amongst young people.

The pop-up, which will be open Tuesday 27th and Wednesday 28th, is set to be a powerful and immersive educational experience.

Schools from the area where OLE has recently been introduced are being invited to view the exhibition and will be able to take part in educational activities such as quizzes and decorating T-shirts with the safety messages they have learned.

Last year, more than 1,000 incidents of trespassing or antisocial behaviour were recorded on the Core Valleys Lines.

The risk death or serious injury for those who trespass on rail tracks has increased significantly since OLE went ‘live’ for the South Wales Metro, carrying 25,000 volts of electricity.

Contact with the overhead lines has a one in 10 survival rate and the heat generated from the shock can reach temperatures of over 3,000 degrees.

TfW has been taking additional measures to improve safety and security around rail tracks, with new fencing and extended safety barriers being added to key areas.

However, numbers of cable theft and damage are still increasing, showing that people are still trespassing on the tracks despite the added dangers.

Lois Park, Head of Community and Stakeholder Engagement at TfW, said: “Bringing OLE to the railway network here in Wales is an exciting milestone for Transport for Wales, helping to make trains smoother, quieter and more energy efficient. But it comes with increased risks for those who choose to trespass on the network.

“Trespassing on the railway has always been dangerous, but the introduction of OLE means that – for those who may have gotten away with trespassing on the lines in the past – the risk of serious injury and death is now significantly higher. We know young people are some of the most likely to trespass on railway lines. This pop-up experience has been designed to serve as a brutal reminder of the danger of trespassing on the railway, and to educate young people about OLE in an engaging way, which we hope will have a lasting impact.

“The OLE system has been designed to keep people safe and as long as everyone respects the railway boundary and does not trespass onto the railway, they will be as safe. Electricity from OLE can jump, so you don’t have to touch it directly to be electrocuted. People should stay at least 2.75m away from the OLE at all times and take extra care when carrying objects such as umbrellas, helium balloons and fishing rods.”

As well as the threat of electrification, severe burns and ultimately death, those trespassing on the rail network could also receive a fine of up to £1,000.

If you see any suspicious behaviour on the tracks to the British Transport Police:

• Call 0800 40 50 40
• Text 61016
• In an emergency call 999
• Or you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

26th June 2023

Seven-year deal struck between GB Railfreight and Caledonian Sleeper Ltd​

The contract came into effect on the 25th of June and will see the freight operator continue its work with the company, hauling Caledonian Sleeper services​

GB Railfreight has accepted a deal with Caledonian Sleeper Ltd, which will see it continue to haul its sleeper coaches for a further seven years.

The contract came into action on Sunday the 25th of June as the sleeper service moved into public sector control via the Scottish Government.

Caledonian Sleeper will see GB Railfreight usher the popular services into a new era which will see seven trains operated across six nights of the week, hauling Mk5 coaches between London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen & Fort William.

The services will see GB Railfreight operate Class 92s and Class 73s and due to the length of the contract, the rail operator may introduce its new bi-mode Class 99 locomotives in the future, which will bring substantial benefits to the environment thanks to its reduced volume of carbon produced in operation.

Caledonian Sleeper

GB Railfreight has hauled the Caledonian Sleeper services since 2015 and this renewal supports the original 15-year contract.

The service is seeing its highest-ever demand and a continuation in service with GB Railfreight will also provide less disruption for passengers in this time of transition.

John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight, said: “This new partnership with Transport Scotland is another great example of GB Railfreight's ability to deliver an excellent and reliable haulage service. As the iconic Caledonian Sleeper enters a new era, we are extremely proud to be working with Transport Scotland and look forward to continuing to deliver fantastic service to passengers for many years to come.”

26th June 2023

Govia Thameslink Railway rewrites nursery rhyme for Rail Safety Week​

To coincide with Rail Safety Week from today, Monday, 26th June to Sunday, 2nd July, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has released a new version of the children's song Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.

The song is called Keep off the Track and is available to stream on Spotify. It promotes safety on the railway by reminding passengers to keep hold of their belongings when getting on and off of trains.

In the last financial year over 400 people risked their lives by stepping onto potentially live railway tracks to retrieve dropped items, which was an 18% increase from the previous year.

As well as the health and safety dangers, industry data shows that last year over 60 hours of train delays were caused by items being dropped on tracks.

The updated lyrics are intended to serve both as a reminder and a warning that the public should NEVER take safety into their own hands by trying to retrieve items themselves.

If they do drop something onto the track, they should speak to a member of the station staff or visit a designated help point.

The rewritten song encourages passengers to check their ‘Heads [phones], Shoulders [bags], Keys, and Phones' when getting on and off trains.

Network Rail data shows that out of all small electronic items dropped onto railway tracks since 2018, headphones account for 50% of items and mobile phones for 50% and headphones 43%.

The song has been designed to create a lyric that people will remember when travelling and uses children's voices for added impact.

A previous transport campaign that used children's voices to deliver important messages showed a reduction in incidents.

Each year almost 200 items are dropped onto railway tracks including scooters, pushchair wheels, jackets/coats, and traffic cones.

A striking visual that is the album cover for the new song brings these to life along with a chalk body outline associated with crime scenes, that provides a stark reminder of the possible consequences when accessing railway lines.

GTR's Health, Safety and Security Director, Samantha Facey, said that instances like this are easily avoidable by checking your belongings are secure.

“It's easy for small items like headphones, mobile phones and bank cards to be dropped onto tracks and the last thing we want is for people to be risking their lives to get things back themselves.

“We're unfortunately seeing an increase in these types of incidents, so we wanted to do something to grab people's attention and remind them to keep hold of their belongings when getting on and off trains – and to never try and get a dropped item off the track.

“Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes is a classic nursery rhyme recognised worldwide, so we've taken the catchy lyrics and updated them with a serious message to help people be more vigilant with their belongings.”

The Keep off the Track track by Govia Thameslink Railway has been released on Spotify today and can be listened to by clicking here.

26th June 2023

Inside The Train Shed

It was a lot cooler in the shed today, 25 °C.

More progress on permanently attaching the baseboards to each other.

Nearly both sides completed.

27th June 2023

News story:​

Tram derailment at Bulwell

Published: 27 June 2023

Investigation into the derailment of a tram at Bulwell, Nottingham, 12 June 2023.


At about 17:06 hrs on 12 June 2023, a southbound tram travelling at around 30 km/h (19 mph) derailed at a set of facing points on the approach to Bulwell tram stop on the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) network.

The tram subsequently struck an overhead line support pole.

The derailment caused significant damage to the tram and to the infrastructure of the tramway.

There were around thirty passengers on board at the time of the accident.

Two people, including the tram driver, suffered minor injuries as a result of the accident.

Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events which led to the accident.

It will also consider:

• the actions of those involved and anything that may have influenced them
• the management of drivers working on NET, including their training and competence
• the status, maintenance and performance of the points and signalling equipment
• any underlying management factors.

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the light rail industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation.

27th June 2023

London North Eastern Railway runs test train to Cleethorpes​

Yesterday, Monday, 26th June, London North Eastern Railway (LNER) ran a test train to Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire as part of an investigation to see whether it could operate direct services between the town and London King's Cross.

One of London North Eastern Railway's Azuma trains was used for the tests, and starting at Doncaster it stopped at Grimsby Town, Cleethorpes, Barnetby, and Market Rasen.

At each station, a series of checks were conducted to validate the clearances between the platforms and the train.

Onboard the train was a specialist team that carried out the checks and assessments.

The process was the same when any potential new route or extension to an existing route is being considered for bringing into service.

A significant level of detailed testing will be carried out to check and validate whether the train can operate safely over the network concerned, following which the findings will be reviewed.