Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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Neo and I caught the trains again to Cathays.

Transport for Wales Class 150 Sprinter No 150260

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16th December, 2024

Gloucestershire home for steam locomotive 6880 Betton Grange

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Betton Grange heads a train from Sheringham to Holt on the North Norfolk Railway


A deal has been struck between the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway and the 6880 Betton Grange Society which will see 6880 Betton Grange based at the railway for the foreseeable future.

The GWSR was the first railway that the locomotive ran on following completion at Tyseley Locomotive Works.

The locomotive performed well during the line’s Cotswold Festival of Steam and is currently at the Battlefield Line for their Santa trains.

6880 will arrive at its new base in February 2025 after appearing at the Great Central Railway during January.


“The Society’s committee unanimously agreed that the GWSR is the ideal base for the locomotive. We are very impressed with the facilities at Toddington, both for locomotives and for volunteers with the outstanding mess facilities in ‘The Goods Shed’.

Richard Cadge, Chairman of the 6880 Betton Grange Society
 
16th December, 2024
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Special event at Cardiff Central marks return of direct services between Cardiff and Edinburgh​

Region & Route: Wales & Western | Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

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Nick Millington from Network Rail, Bethan Jelfs from CrossCountry, and Marie Daly from Transport for Wales launch the new Cardiff-Edinburgh service at Cardiff Central with the help of the Caerphilly Male Voice Choir.


Direct passenger services between Cardiff and Edinburgh returned today (Monday 16 December), with a special event to mark the launch of CrossCountry’s new weekday offering.

Almost four decades after it was last possible, passengers can now travel directly from Cardiff to Edinburgh once a day from Monday to Friday – the only direct train service connecting Wales, England and Scotland.

The occasion was marked by a rousing performance from the Caerphilly Male Voice Choir, who sang a mix of hymns, Christmas carols and the national anthems of Wales, Scotland and England in the main concourse at Cardiff Central, before the 0945 service to Edinburgh departed Platform 2A on time.

Representatives from Network Rail, CrossCountry and Transport for Wales, as well as members of the male voice choir, were among those who cheered and applauded as the service left the Welsh capital bound for its Scottish counterpart.

The 455-mile journey connects 10 cities and 22 stations, and there will be one service in each direction between Cardiff and Edinburgh on weekdays.
 
Nick Millington, route director for Network Rail Wales & Borders, said: “Today in South Wales, we have launched a significant timetable change with more frequent services and more consistent departure times, making it easier for people to use the train.

“In the run-up to this timetable change there was a lot of interest in one particular service: CrossCountry’s direct service from Cardiff to Edinburgh.

“It’s always positive to introduce a new service, especially one that connects people from Cardiff all the way through the Midlands and northern England to Scotland – making it easier for families to stay connected and for business travellers to get to work.

“The introduction of this service is a wonderful achievement, and it was fantastic to see the railway family here in force to celebrate.”



CrossCountry Voyager train at Cardiff Central on 16 December 2024, shortly before completing the first direct Cardiff-Edinburgh passenger service since the 1980s.
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17th December, 2024

Northern Belle train to pass through Yorkshire this Thursday​

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Northern Belle Class 57s at Blackburn


The Northern Belle train will be running once again, passing through Yorkshire on a trip to Carnforth.

On the 19th December 2024, the Class 47/57 duo will depart Huddersfield at 11:29 and will pass through Marsden (11:42), Guide Bridge (12:21), Manchester Victoria (12:43), Bolton (13:08), Preston (13:31) and Carnforth at 13:59.

From Carnforth, the train will pass through Hellifield (14:50), Skipton (15:03), Keighley (15:23), Wakefield Kirkgate (16:21), Huddersfield (16:59), Marsden (17:12) and Manchester Victoria at 17:48.
 
17th December, 2024

Celebrations to mark completion of South Western Railway’s Class 458 refurbishments​

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Alstom has completed a £25 million upgrade of South Western Railway‘s (SWR) twenty-eight Class 458 electric multiple units.

For each set, the refurbishment took two weeks to complete and was carried out at Alstom’s Transport Technology Centre at Widnes in Cheshire.
 
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Interior of a refurbished Class 458


Each unit is now configured with 234 seats in a two-by-two formation, with all seats having seat back tables and charging points, as well as two tables fitted with wireless charging points.

Each unit has new carpets throughout and space for two wheelchair users, and all carriage exteriors carry South Western Railway’s updated SWR livery.

The Class 458’s powered wheelsets were overhauled at Alstom’s historic Crewe Works, and the maximum operating speed has increased from 75 mph to 100 mph and they have been reconfigured for faster acceleration .

Completion of the project came last Thursday, 12th December, when the final unit No. 458414 after a special event at the Widnes facility, which was marked by Widnes Industrial Engineer, Hannah Temple revealing a drawing of the refurbishment that she had created.
 
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Completing the refurbishment of a Class 458


The 28 refurbished units are four-car Class 458 trains, and are now designated as Class 458/4.

They will enter service in the spring, with two units combined to operate eight-car services across South Western Railway’s suburban network.

There are still eight five-car units remaining, and they will be designated as Class 458/5.

Alstom’s Widnes facility opened in 2017 and is the UK’s largest and most sophisticated centre for train modernisation.

It works alongside Alstom’s UK Centre of Excellence for Bogie and Traction Motor Overhaul at Crewe, which has overhauled over 20,000 bogies during the past ten years.

It is also the location bogies for HS2’s new 225mph trains will be assembled and maintained.

During their refurbishment, work on the Class 458 trains supported almost 70 roles at Widnes and Crewe, and UK suppliers have benefitted from more than 80% of the £25 million investment.
 
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South Western Railway train passing Woking


“This refurbishment demonstrates Alstom’s commitment to delivering smarter, more sustainable and passenger-focused mobility solutions. The work completed at Widnes and Crewe not only enhances the passenger experience on the Class 458 fleet, but also showcases the value of British engineering and our investment in local expertise. We are proud to have supported South Western Railway and Porterbrook in this significant programme, ensuring that these trains are ready to provide better journeys for customers across London and the South East of England.”

Peter Broadley, Services Managing Director UK and Ireland at Alstom
 
17th December, 2024

December overhaul update on steam locomotive 30541​

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30541 bringing in empty stock at Sheffield Park in the summer of 2017


The Maunsell Locomotive Society based at the Bluebell Railway in East Sussex has released an update on the overhaul of their Q class Locomotive No.30541 following on from their last update.

With the boiler having spent nearly 18 months at Leaky Finders, work continues apace with new outer wrapper side sheets for the firebox now completed, which has allowed work to start on the reaming of the numerous stay holes, with about two-thirds already completed at the time of writing.

The new fire hole ring has been drilled out and finished in readiness for preparation for installation after the final repairs to the inner firebox plate work are done.

Efforts on the chassis have concentrated on refurbishing and fixing the axle boxes, horn faces, and wedges.

New steel plates have been installed on the horn faces and wedges.

The crowns of the axle boxes have been detached, and the holes in the axle boxes have been welded and machined.

Concurrently, the axle boxes underwent magnetic particle inspection to identify any surface cracks.

The re-riveting process for the frame stretchers, angles, and brackets is complete.
 
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New rear tender drag box fabrication riveted in place


The 4253 Group is making swift progress on the new replacement tender tank.

The primary structure is finished, with the water and coal spaces securely welded.

The tank’s front, which features the tool lockers and shovelling plate, has been completed and coated in protective green paint.

The original and newly made baffles and bracing have been welded or riveted in position, with the tank’s rear section already assembled and preparing for installation.

Considerable effort has been dedicated to repairing and repurposing the original beading that adorns the top edges of the tender tank.

These have been securely riveted into position, alongside other detailed tasks such as adjusting the toolboxes’ doors for an improved fit.

Repairs on the tender chassis are advancing smoothly, Bluebell’s workshop team and volunteers have been installing new drag boxes on the tender frames.

The front drag box has been crafted, secured and awaits final riveting, while the rear drag box is already riveted in position.

Members of the Maunsell Locomotive Society have been cleaning up and painting the brake rigging for both the locomotive and tender, prior to it being re-bushed, while work on degreasing the tender frames has also been undertaken.
 
17th December, 2024

Nene Valley Railway releases Santa Paws update as Tornado steam locomotive suffers failure​


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LNER Class A1 4-6-2 No60163 'Tornado'


The Nene Valley Railway has released an update for tomorrow’s Santa Paws trains.

60163 Tornado was expected to haul the trains, however the locomotive has sadly been sidelined due to a failure.

The service will now be covered by one of the railway’s smaller locomotives and due to this, just one train will operate with a departure time of 11 am.

The Santa Paws train will no longer be hauled by Tornado due to the loco suffering a failure.
We will now only be running one service with a departure time of 11:00.
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused.
NVR Spokesperson
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18th December, 2024

Marcus & Cleo Have Another Bus Adventure into Cardiff!

Well, we used the bus again to travel into and out of Cardiff.

Spent some time in the shops and indoor market, I didn't find anything for myself but Cleo bought a new dress, some leggings and a silver bracelet. :lol:

I enjoyed myself with a few pints in 'The Great Western' and 'The Gatekeeper'. :toast:

Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd 254, ADL Enviro200, CE63 NZJ
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18th December, 2024

Tracklaying progress to prepare Darlington Locomotive Works for S&D 200​

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32 Regiment, Royal Engineers helping with tracklaying


The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust has been progressing with laying tracks at Darlington Locomotive Works ready for S&D 200 next year.

Last July, thanks to generous donations to the ballast fund and helped by a team from the Royal Engineers, sidings at Darlington Bank Top station were removed whilst a new platform was being installed.
 
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Preparing the trackbed


Corners Transport carried out the heavy lifting and delivery of the track to the works, and by late August two new waybeams had been delivered for installation on the Otley Terrace bridge.

Vegetation has been cleared on the turnout next to the A1 shed, and the track has been jacked to the correct height and packed with ballast.

A large amount of rail had been collected on site and laid out ready for measuring and cutting to length, but torrential rainfall in September and October slowed progress as a drain needed to be dug next to the track formation to carry the water away.

260 tons of ballast had also been delivered to the headshunt, ready for grading and tracklaying.
 
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Recovering components from Eaglescliffe


By November, both tracks out of the A1 building had been laid and connected to the turnout, three turnouts had been assembled and were in place, and over 110m of plain line had been laid by the 1861 shed.

Otley Terrace bridge had been cleared, and the waybeams and 80% of the ballast for the headshunt had been delivered.

The Royal Engineers visited in mid-November for four weeks of training in constructing permanent way, and in readiness for their visit, ballast was delivered and individual rails cut to length.

1,700 tons of ballast have been delivered, all the rails north of the Network Rail turnout to Honeypot Lane bridge are in location and cut to length, and the stacks of rails stored next to the line as far as the headshunt have been moved to allow access to the sleepers.
 
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Cutting rails to length


With the help of a Hiab, redundant track with good quality wooden sleepers and bearers from a relaying project near Eaglescliffe station has been obtained and delivered to the turntable site for just £800, the price of the transport.

On Monday 18th, November, 32 Regiment, Royal Engineers, moved on site.

After a site tour and demonstration of what was needed, they started jacking the track and moving sleepers, and the next day were completing work that 507 STRE (Specialist Team, Railway Infrastructure) Royal Engineers had started last July and were laying new track.

So far, they have laid four panels comprising approximately 70 metres of track, and started levelling the ballast on the headshunt.

The team is now ahead of schedule but needs more ballast to maximise the work that 32 Regiment can carry out.
 
18th December, 2024

Momentous day as first new Tyne and Wear Metro train enters service​

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The new Metro train enters customer service for the first time at Pelaw Metro station


After months of waiting, and many hours of testing the first new Tyne and Wear Metro train has finally entered service.

The momentous occasion came at 11.04 am this morning, Wednesday, 18th December when one of the new trains departed from Pelaw to Monkseaton via Newcastle city centre.

Initially, the new train will run from Monday to Friday as part of a phased roll out.
 
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Class 555 on test at Four Lane Ends


The £362m project is the biggest in Metro’s history, and the new Class 555 trains were designed after a public consultation that brought 23,000 responses.

They are being built by Swiss train manufacturer Stadler and feature linear seating, mobile charging points, climate control, 44 digital CCTV cameras, battery technology, and an automatic sliding step at each set of doors.

In total, 46 new trains are on order, and two-thirds of those have been built, 13 new trains have already been delivered, and another 25 are due in the new year.
 
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Interior of Tyne and Wear Metro‘s new Class 555 train


Testing the new trains involved 90,000 individual checks and included everything from seats and windscreen wipers to brakes, CCTV, doors, wheels, and power supply.

Training staff on the new trains took a total of 19,000 hours of training time, and as part of their testing, the first few trains covered 37,000 kilometres.

A total of 480 staff are being trained to operate and maintain the new trains, and 195 Metro drivers are undergoing conversion training.
 
18th December, 2024

Flying Scotsman to be back in service ‘as early as’ February 2025​

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Flying Scotsman at Townsend Fold


The National Railway Museum has said that the world-famous locomotive, 60103 Flying Scotsman, could be back on the tracks as early as February 2025.

The NRM has reached an agreement with Northern Steam Operations Limited, the locomotive’s custodian, to contract operating and promoting teams.

Flying Scotsman will remain on display at Locomotion in Shildon over the festive period, nearly 320,000 people have viewed, climbed onboard or taken a ride behind the locomotive this year.

NSOL has held conversations with various heritage lines and the locomotive is likely to be in operation by February 2025.

The full statement is below:

The National Railway Museum is today delighted to announce that the museum has reached agreement with Flying Scotsman’s custodian, Northern Steam Operations Limited (NSOL), on future arrangements for the locomotive and how the two parties will work together in the future.
The agreement reflects the hard work that NSOL have put in over the past months to contract operating and promoter teams. NSOL has held productive conversations with various heritage railways, and Flying Scotsman is likely to be back in steam as early as February 2025.
A further announcement will be made once the details of Flying Scotsman’s future schedule have been finalised.
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19 December 2024
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Guide Dog Jamie clocks in at Transport for Wales.​

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Nathan Foy, Guide Dogs Cymru and Joey the Guide Dog, Geoff Ogden TfW and Ryan Moreland and Guide Dog Jamie


A golden retriever named Jamie has become the newest and perhaps the most liked Transport for Wales (TfW) team member.

The guide dog, who accompanies his owner Ryan Moreland, an Assistant Project Manager working in a team delivering safer streets for walking, wheeling and cycling, has been issued a TfW staff pass.

Jamie joins Ryan three times a week at TfW headquarters in Pontypridd. Ryan, who is visually impaired hopes to bring his unique personal experience as a disabled passenger to his new role with TfW.

He added: “I'm really excited about being a part of the solution, not just the problem.”

"Just like Chris McCausland on Strictly Come Dancing, Jamie and TfW have shown me that anything is possible when you have the right support and determination."

When Ryan applied for the post, it was his first ever job interview with a guide dog at his side. It was a positive experience, and he was successful in getting the job on his own merits.

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Jamie TfW Staff Card


Geoff Ogden, Chief Transport Planning and Development Officer at Transport for Wales said:

“Both Ryan and Jamie are settling in well and as a company we made small reasonable adjustments to accommodate their specific needs.

“By making these small adjustments, we can make a big difference, and we hope to set an example to others and promote TfW’s inclusive environment.”

Andrea Gordon, Head of External Affairs for Guide Dogs Cymru, said:

“It is great to hear that TfW is making Ryan and Jamie feel so welcome at work.

“An employer is required to make reasonable adjustments to enable a disabled employee with an assistance dog to attend their workplace and carry out their job.

“Dogs like Jamie are highly trained and accustomed to being around people in these situations, so I hope he brings a smile to their faces when he welcomes them to work.”

Ryan's colleague, Katie Williams, has launched a fundraising campaign for Guide Dogs through the Young Rail Professionals Wales Network. In just a few months, she has successfully raised £700 for the 'Name a Puppy' appeal, aiming to name a puppy 'Isambark Brunel' in honour of the famous civil engineer.

This generous donation will greatly aid Guide Dogs in their vital mission to train life-changing guide dogs.
 
19th December, 2024

A Behind The Scenes visit to Southeastern’s Maintenance Centre in South East London​

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Class 707 CityBeam and Class 465 at Slade Green Depot


Southeastern at their Slade Green depot this week, we can have a tour of the maintenance centre.

The centre has recently undergone a multi-million-pound investment and now has an overhead gantry, lifting cranes and a new wheel lathe system.

The lifting cranes have been brought into use to help service their new Class 707 CityBeam trains.

These trains have cascaded from South Western Railway and have their HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system on the roof, something which the other types of trains at Slade Green don’t have.
 
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Up on top of a class 707


The new wheel lathe system has been brought into use to help service Southeastern and Network Rail trains, along with the newly refurbished carriage wash and other modifications.

Since the pandemic, the railways have been getting busier, and Southeastern is finding it harder to keep the older trains in use.

Slade Green looks after five different types of trains, which could change in the future with options for brand new trains as well as trains that cascade from other train operators.

Our tour begins with a look at the carriage wash, which has been recently refurbished.

Slade Green puts into service around 1400 train carriages each week, so a refurbished carriage wash, which works just like an automatic car wash, will assist in getting trains out and into service.

We then headed round to the new wheel lathe area.

The wheel lathe is used to reprofile train wheels to make for a better ride for passengers.
 
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The extended wheel lathe area


CityBeams, also known as Class 707s, are 5-car trains, so the wheel lathe road needed to be extended into the building to allow for longer trains to be used; this involved a lot of support beams.

Train wheels experience daily wear and tear, and this can lead to small flat spots.

With the CityBeam trains coming into use, the work became apparent as the old wheel lathe only supported 4-car trains.
 
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New overhead gantry system


Our tour is completed in the general workshop area, where we see a number of trains being worked on and were introduced to the bespoke crane area that is used with Class 707 CityBeams.

As we said earlier, the HVAC system is on the roof of the CityBeams so if a system swap is needed or work is needed to a unit, the HVAC system needs to be lifted off to allow work to be completed.

The new crane, though, has had multiple different uses of late, with two levels to the working platform, work can be completed on the first level to doors or lights.

“We’re very proud of the great work that is done at Slade Green with Siemens and the wider team to keep our trains in the best possible condition for customer service, with recent improvements we’ve made in partnership with Network Rail ensuring that we have the most cost-effective and efficient maintenance regime, helping us also to prepare for any potential new or cascaded fleet in the coming years.”

Mark Johnson, Southeastern’s Engineering Director
 
19th December, 2024

GB Railfreight secures four-year contract extension to transport aggregates​

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GB Railfreight No. 66711 in Aggregate Industries livery


GB Railfreight (GBRf) has agreed a four-year contract extension with Aggregate Industries for transporting aggregate materials.

Under the contract extension, GB Railfreight will transport aggregates from Bardon Hill in Leicestershire and the Isle of Grain in Kent to supply some of Britain’s largest infrastructure projects.
 
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GBRf Class 66 No. 66754


During the last ten years, the partnership with Aggregate Industries has seen GB Railfreight transport over five million tonnes of aggregate.

Using rail instead of road to transport aggregates will contribute greatly to reducing the carbon footprint of the UK’s supply chains.

It will also help the government to meet its 2050 net zero obligations by increasing the amount of goods moved by rail freight by 75% by 2050.

The benefits of moving goods by rail have been well documented.

A typical train load of aggregate materials is estimated to remove up to 100 long-distance HGV moments from Britain’s congested roads whilst also reducing emissions by 76%.

In October, GB Railfreight was awarded a mark of 94/100 in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark.
 
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