Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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My 'trusty' soldering iron. :)

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15th August 2023

New Rolling Stock for ETHNON RAIL :)

Two new coaches ordered today. :)

They were in a 40% off sale, so I pounced!

ManufacturerProduct CodeTitleScaleQty
Hornby​
R4988Mk3 NMT lecture coach 975984 in Network Rail New Measurement Train yellow
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)​
1​
Hornby​
R4989Mk3 NMT standby generator coach 977995 in Network Rail New Measurement Train yellow
OO Gauge (1:76 Scale)​
1​
 
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These are the track securing screws.

I prefer them to track pins, as they can be fitted and removed without any risk to damaging the sleepers.

The sleepers, in case you didn't know, are the pieces of plastic underneath the track.

Same as the IRL ones you find under the railway track, which are made of wood, concrete or even recycled plastic.

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To assist in getting accurate track spacings I use a Peco SL-36 6ft Way Gauge.

This is a small but useful item to ensure the accurate spacing of double tracks in 00/H0 along both straight and curved sections.

Also gauges platform height to the recommended 14mm (3ft 6ins in 4mm scale). :)

The upper tabs are for spacing using 'Setrack' standard trackwork, the lower tabs are for realistic 6ft spacing when using 'Streamline' points.

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The Peco SL-36 6ft Way Gauge used in conjunction with the Peco OOT10 TRACKSETTA OO/HO TEMPLATE 10" STRAIGHT.

With Tracksetta you can make sure your straights are really straight and your curves are smooth without any kinks or sudden changes of direction which make derailments inevitable.

These simple but effective tools are a worthwhile investment since well laid track is essential for reliable running.

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17th August 2023

Great Western Railway to run 72 trains for Cardiff rugby international​

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Rugby fans arriving at Cardiff Central Railway Station before Wales v England Six Nations match 25/02/2023
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Next Saturday, 19th August, Great Western Railway will run 70 trains to and from Cardiff to help fans attending the Wales-South Africa Summer International rugby match at the Principality Stadium.

In total, these trains will provide 34,000 seats, with 40 trains to Cardiff Central before the kick-off at 3.15 and 32 trains to take rugby fans home after the match.

Sixteen extra trains will run in addition to the usual timetable, with Great Western Railway's more-sustainable Class 387 Electrostars operating a shuttle service between Cardiff and Newport after the match.

These trains are expected to be very busy, especially immediately after the match, and a queueing system will be in place outside the station.
 
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Principality Stadium seen from Cardiff Central​

The same queueing system will be in place that was used for this year's Six Nations fixtures, with supporters travelling east towards Newport having to queue on the square in front of Cardiff Central instead of from Riverside Car Park.
 
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Queueing system for Cardiff Central on 19th August 2023​

Because of industrial action by the RMT union, on Saturday there will be no CrossCountry services to Cardiff Central from Birmingham New Street. More information, about Great Western Railway or to check your journey can be found at GWR.com.
 
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Great Western Railway Class 387 Electrostar, 387167 Cardiff Central

GWR Customer Service & Operations Director, Richard Rowland, said: “We're pleased to be able to provide some additional services for Saturday's Summer International, but we'd like to remind supporters that trains will be extremely busy leading up to kick-off and immediately following the match.

“We would encourage customers to check journey times and allow sufficient time to queue to board trains safely.”

Transport for Wales' Head of Operational Planning, Adam Terry, said: “TfW will have all available trains and carriages in service this weekend for the rugby in Cardiff. However, we expect services to be busy and urge all customers to check before they travel and plan ahead, especially as there is some industrial action on other operators between Cardiff and Cheltenham Spa which will have an impact on some customers.”
 
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18th August 2023

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NetworkRail:

Further reliability boost for rail services between Newport and Gloucester as Network Rail completes second phase of multi-million-pound resilience scheme​


Region & Route: Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

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Wide shot of rope workers and rock bolts​

The Severn Estuary line has today (Friday 18 August) reopened after three weeks of 24/7 work to mitigate the impact of weather-related landslips that will improve train performance, reduce delays, and ensure the highest level of reliability for passengers and freight services.
 
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Wide shot of rope access team down face​

More than 100 engineers from Network Rail and principal contractor, AmcoGiffen, along with their strategic partner QTS Group, worked around the clock, from Monday 31 July to Friday 18 August, to install an ‘active’ mesh system on the cliffs overlooking the exposed railway between Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire.
 
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Rope workers abseiling down face​

The teams worked more than 34,000 hours, with trained specialist rope access technicians abseiling down the cliff face, removing 1,000 tonnes of loose material before securing the specially designed netting with 5,000 rock bolts.

This bespoke ‘active’ system will hold the cliff face in position and help to prevent landslips from damaging, and subsequently, closing the railway.
 
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Rope access worker on top of cliff​

Part of a wider multi-million-pound investment, this work demonstrates Network Rail’s commitment to boosting resilience and mitigating the impacts of climate change on the Wales and Borders route.

This section of railway was hit by three landslips in January 2023 alone, following a bout of prolonged heavy rainfall, which has led to a huge financial and disruptive impact.
 
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Rock bolt and teams on site​

To safely run trains following the recent landslips, Network Rail imposed a temporary speed restriction (TSR) of 20mph – reduced from the normal line speed of 75mph.

This has caused nearly 6,000 delay minutes, costing more than £400,000 of taxpayers’ money.

The completion of this next phase means the TSR can now be removed, improving journey times and reducing costs to the taxpayer.

Phase One of this project was completed last summer and has also had huge benefits.
 
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Drone shot soil nail holes​

Nick Millington, route director for Network Rail Wales & Borders, said: “We are dedicated to improving resilience across the Wales & Borders route and we’re already seeing the benefit this multi-million-pound investment is having on the Severn Estuary line. The new mesh installed on a different section of the cliff, last Summer, has had zero landslips that have impacted the railway.

“With Phase Two now complete, the whole line is better protected against severe weather events. We will be coming back to carry out more resilience work to further future proof this line against the challenging effects of climate change.

“I would like to thank passengers and the local community for their patience while we carried out these vital improvements.”
 
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Drone shot rock bolt​

Andy Crowley, operation director for Wales & Borders at AmcoGiffen, commented: “We know how important our rail infrastructure is to passengers and freight and we’re delighted to have safely and successfully achieved our targets during this blockade.

“Working diligently alongside our sister company QTS Group, we’ve completed this crucial phase of the essential Severn Estuary Resilience Programme with the cutting slope stabilisation, handing back the blockade on time, as planned.

“This project showcases our commitment to collaboration, excellence and innovation to ensure journey efficiency and reliability for customers with a minimum impact for our lineside neighbours.”
 
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Drone shot of rope worker and rock bolt being drilled​

Gary Burnett, Operations Director for QTS, added: “The effort that our team has put into ensuring the success of these works at the Severn Estuary is something to be proud of.

“Being able to utilise the very best in rail plant innovation has allowed us to deliver these works on time, and as efficiently as possible, working in partnership with AmcoGiffen for Network Rail.

“We are pleased to have managed to carry out these works with minimal disruption for our lineside neighbours and thank them for their patience during the period of works.”
 
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Drone shot of rock bolt being drilled into cliff face​

Network Rail and contractors will remain on site on the Severn Estuary to install more bolts and mesh until March 2024. This work will not be disruptive to rail services.

Designs and plans for the next stage of this resilience project are currently being finalised, with teams expected to return next year to upgrade Phase One’s ‘passive’ system - that catches debris rather than holds it in place - with an ‘active’ system.

As well as specialist rope access, the QTS team also utilised its innovative fleet of road rail machinery.

This included the QTS Mega Reach, the largest RRV lorry loading crane working on the UK rail infrastructure, which features a full crane extension of up to 29m.

For this project, the Mega Reach was fitted with a specialised drill rig and extended to a reach of 20m, allowing it to drill to the top of the cutting slope from track level.

This removed the requirement for hand drilling by the operatives and creates a safer, more efficient way of working.
 
18th August 2023

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NetworkRail:

Network Rail will carry out essential maintenance to make journeys more reliable in Kemble, Gloucestershire, from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 August​


Region & Route: Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

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IET at Kemble​

Services between Swindon and Gloucester will be affected with no direct services between London Paddington and Cheltenham Spa.

Work will take place from 07:00 to 19:00 (7am - 7pm) each day between Kemble and Sapperton to cut back overgrown vegetation near the railway and improve drainage to ensure trains can run smoothly for years to come.

GWR will be operating rail replacement bus services to Kemble, Stroud and Stonehouse as there will be no trains stopping at these stations.

Passengers can still travel to Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa by train via Bristol Parkway.

Passengers are urged to check before they travel at.....

Check Train Journeys | Journey Planner | Great Western Railway

Check your train journey using our journey planner for the latest travel updates and information on planned works from Great Western Railway (GWR).
www.gwr.com www.gwr.com

Network Rail were due to replace track and ballast near Stroud over these four days, but this work has been postponed as dormice were found in the area.

It is currently dormice breeding season which means they cannot be disturbed as they are covered by a protected species licence in the area.

Network Rail are committed to protecting and maintaining the natural environment and habitats so have instead decided to carry out less disruptive work.
 
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IET at Kemble​

Jonathan Skirton, Network Rail infrastructure manager, said: “Our teams need to maintain vegetation and drainage near to the railway to reduce flood risk and keep the tracks safe.

“We’re sorry for the disruption to passengers but this work will ensure journeys are more reliable for years to come.”

Ben Scott, GWR’s Station Manager for South Cotswolds, added: “This work is part of an ongoing programme that will enable us to maintain services for customers travelling to or from Gloucestershire.

“We’ll provide alternative road transport and work with other train companies to ensure customers can still complete their journeys during this time.”
 
18th August 2023

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TRANSPORT FOR WALES

Improved Carmarthen – Aberystwyth link proves a hit with passengers​

More than 100,000 passengers have travelled on the improved Carmarthen – Aberystwyth TrawsCymru service since it was relaunched with all-electric buses earlier this year.

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TrawsCymru T1 service​

Passenger numbers have grown from 16,000 in March to 19,000 in April, 23,000 in May and 26,000 in June and again in July.

It’s an overall increase of 36,000 passengers compared to the same March to July period in 2022.

Huw Morgan, Head of Integrated Transport for Transport for Wales, said:

“The relaunched service has focused on providing customers with the best-possible passenger experience while keeping fares affordable.

“We’ve been really pleased with the success of the service in the first six months since the new buses were introduced and our focus now is to continue to improve our offering following feedback from users.”

The TrawsCymru T1 service, operated by First Cymru, is the first bus contract to be managed by TfW.

Its state-of-the-art buses operate out of a new purpose-built depot in Carmarthen and make some of the longest all-electric journeys of any buses in the UK, covering 104 miles for a round trip.

Each vehicle saves 3kg of CO2 per round trip, which equates to over 12,700 cups of tea.

The buses offer a number of great new features including reading lights, tables, cordless charging and USB sockets, arms rests, information screens and an air purification system.

Marie Cronin, Operations Manager for First Cymru, said:

“We’re delighted to be part of the success of the TrawsCymru T1 service. We’re committed to providing the best possible service to our customers, and with these electric vehicles providing state of the art technology and on-board features to improve our customers’ experience, the increased passenger numbers are a testament to that investment.”

The buses have onboard bi-lingual audio-visual information and next stop announcements to support people with visual and/or hearing impairments and people who are new to bus travel, unfamiliar with the route, or lacking confidence.

Passengers travelling to train stations benefit from live departure information, supporting integrated and multi-modal transport.

Cllr Edward Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services said:

“Carmarthenshire County Council has been pleased to be involved in launching this key strategic bus service between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth and has worked to enhance the success of the service with interconnecting and demand responsive Flecsi - Bwcabws services and real-time passenger information.”

For more information visit www.traws.cymru

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18th August 2023

Flying Scotsman to spend 12 days at the Bluebell Railway​

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Flying Scotsman at Irwell Vale
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At the end of this month, the iconic and much-loved steam locomotive Flying Scotsman will be paying a 12-day visit to the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex.

This month's visit of Flying Scotsman follows the unfortunate cancellation of its visit to the Bluebell Railway last year because of the need for an urgent overhaul.

Many ticket holders who were disappointed last year chose to keep their bookings and wait more than a year to experience this giant of steam.
 
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Flying Scotsman at speed

During its visit, Flying Scotsman will be hauling non-stop return trains from Sheffield Park Station to East Grinstead on both regular services and special dining trains for five days from 23 – 29 August.

Unfortunately, these services are sold out but anyone wishing to see Flying Scotsman can travel by other trains for which tickets are still available and hop on and off at intermediate stations to see Flying Scotsman pass by.

Also, tickets to Flying Scotsman on static display in light steam are still available.
 
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Flying Scotsman with its headboard​

Flying Scotsman will be on static display at Sheffield Park from 30 August – 3 September, when visitors can step up onto the footplate.

Tickets for footplate viewings are still available online at Flying Scotsman At The Bluebell Railway 2023 – Bluebell Railway in Sussex (bluebell-railway.com)

These will also allow visitors to walk through the corridor tender and talk to locomotive crews to find out what driving the locomotive is really like.
 
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Flying Scotsman during its visit to Texas in 1970​

This will not be Flying Scotsman's first visit to the Bluebell Railway as it visited the railway in 2017 when people travelled from far and wide to view the famous locomotive.


Flying Scotsman was the first locomotive to be built by the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway in 1923.

It was originally numbered 1472), but renumbered as 4472 in 1924 and named Flying Scotsman after the daily 10.00 train service from London King's Cross to Edinburgh.

After British Railways was formed in 1948 it was renumbered 60103.

Paul Churchman, Chairman, Bluebell Railway PLC, said “We are delighted that Flying Scotsman will fly south to visit us from 23rd Aug – 3rd September. An event like this creates a buzz of excitement for our hardworking employees and volunteers and we look forward to welcoming the thousands of ticket holders who are all keen to get close to arguably the most famous and iconic steam locomotive in the UK and probably the world”.
 
18th August 2023

The Night Owl project issues progress report on steam locomotive 4709​

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The Night Owl project has issued its latest update on the progress to construct No.4709 as a Great Western Railway 4700 Class 2-8-0 tender locomotive.

The 4700 Class was a class of ten locomotives built by the Great Western Railway to haul heavy trains from the west, southwest and south Midlands into the London area.

As well as being ideally suited for their designed tasks, they were also used to haul holiday specials, often in excess of 75 mph.
 
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4700 Class leaving Paddington on a passenger train​

Two years ago, a pair of new cylinders were cast and machined, and are now waiting for the loco's leading pony truck, suspension and braking system, before they can be installed in the waiting frames.

The took ownership of Castle Class No.7027 Thornbury Castle last year, allowing its standard Swindon No.8 boiler, which is in surprisingly good condition, to be used as a donor.

Although the No.8 boiler has slightly different dimensions to the No.7 boiler used on original 47oo Class locomotives, visually it would be very difficult to tell them apart.

Provided that the initial inspection of Thornbury Castle's boiler was accurate, a major overhaul would have it ready for service for a fraction of the cost of a new boiler and several years earlier.

The time and cost savings have been conservatively estimated at £500,000 and at least five years.

As well as its boiler, Thornbury Castle came with its chassis and a shipping container full of components including number and nameplates, new safety valve assembly, rods, and a collection of other essential items, all of which would cost a small fortune to make or purchase.
 
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GWR Castle no. 7027, Thornbury Castle​

Future work will focus on three main areas – the motion, boiler, and tender.

The tender will be relatively straightforward as a fully-wheeled chassis has been identified and is in store, although the fabrication of a tank may pose a few challenges. The plan is for this part of the project to start in the 2024/5 timeframe.

The project has a major part of the necessary inside motion, with much of it coming from donor locomotives, and are now fundraising to obtain the remainder.

Funds to purchase Thornbury Castle have almost been achieved, which will both preserve and secure these critically important components and earlier this month it was moved next to 4709 at Tyseley.

Because of Swindon's reputation for standardisation, many of 7027's components can be used on 4709, much of the locomotive will not be required.

Although progress on 4709 so far has been slow but steady, as the final few items are delivered later this year it is hoped that the preparation, machining, and assembly of the front end will progress more rapidly.

Once the front end is complete, 4709's chassis should have been wheeled and, provided that sufficient funds are available, the boiler overhaul will be complete and installed in the frames late next year.
 
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