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10th February 2023

South Western Railway contract extended​

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The National Rail Contract possessed by South Western Railway has been extended by two years.

SWR is owned by FirstGroup and MTR, which have 70 per cent and 30 per cent respectively.

It began as a franchise, replacing Stagecoach’s South West Trains, on 20 August 2017, and would have run for seven years to August 2024, with an option for a one-year extension at the discretion of the Department for Transport.

However, the franchise began to run into trouble in 2018, when the accounts recorded a loss of almost £137 million in the year to March 2019.

The directors also warned that cash support of £146 million from FirstGroup and MTR would probably run out.

In January 2020, transport secretary Grant Shapps admitted that the franchise was ‘no longer sustainable’, but the Covid-19 pandemic caused franchises to be suspended in March.

After a period of Emergency Measures, the DfT granted a new SWR National Rail Contract to start from March 2021 and run until May this year.

This will now continue until May 2025.

The terms of the contract mean that revenue is collected and costs are paid by the DfT, which gives the operator a performance fee, and FirstGroup said that ‘current contractual arrangements’ will continue.

First’s CEO Graham Sutherland said:

‘We welcome the contract extension for South Western Railway, which enables us to build on the achievements of the first two years of the contract and continue improving the customer offering. We are committed to working closely with government and our partners to deliver a successful railway network that provides vital connections for customers and communities along the SWR route.’

The decision follows transport secretary Mark Harper’s announcement three days ago that the new ‘guiding mind’ to be known as Great British Railways is to go ahead, and that new-style Passenger Service Contracts managed by GBR will ‘balance the right performance incentives with simple, commercially driven targets’.

He added that ‘risk will sit where it is best managed’.
 
10th February 2023

Network Rail’s work to improve a 1917 rail bridge will see temporary traffic lights on the main road into Reading until May 2023.​

The 106-year-old railway bridge which crosses a main route into reading will get a new paint job by Network Rail engineers​

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London Road bridge, Reading​

The bridge which runs over London Road in Wokingham Borough and the edge of Reading Borough is about to get a new lease of life with brand-new paintwork.

The bridge carries the line from Wokingham and Reading as it makes its way to the town and currently its paint is rather faded and requires fully replacing in order to protect the structure from rust.

Work will get underway from Monday the 13th of February and the project will be ongoing until Tuesday the 9th of May with work set to take place from 7am to 6pm every day.

Unfortunately, off-peak working is not a possibility for this job because the scaffolding which would be required would impact the carriageway itself and would mean that traffic lanes would not be able to be opened during peak times.

Network Rail Southern region’s spokesman Chris Denham said:

“We’re going to shot-blast the steel back to bare metal, treat any corrosion and then give it a coat of green paint, which won’t just keep the bridge looking good, but will keep the structure in good condition to carry trains well into its second century.

“Clearly London Road is an important route into Reading so we’re going to paint half the bridge at a time, keeping one lane of the road open at all times, with temporary traffic lights.

“It’s not ideal as we know this will cause some disruption, but the nature of the work and the need to keep our people safe while doing it, means we need to take this step. We’ll also make sure there’s a safe pedestrian route too.

“I’m very grateful to our neighbours in the town, who’ll be hearing and seeing us work between 7am and 6pm for the next three months, but we will get a much nicer looking bridge out of the job at the end of it.”
 
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London Road bridge, Reading​

Temporary traffic lights will see sides of the road swapped approximately halfway through the project which will allow painting to cover both sides of the bridge.

Due to the nature of the project, the structure will be hidden by scaffolding and a sheeted covering will prevent paint and debris from escaping the working environment.
 
10th February 2023

Line between Guildford and Petersfield to close for nine days​

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Portsmouth Direct Upgrade

Trains will be disrupted next week due to engineering work in connection with the Portsmouth Direct Upgrade that will eventually provide safer, smoother, and more reliable journeys along the route.

The line between Guildford and Petersfield will be closed from Saturday, 11th to Sunday, 19th February, whilst on Sunday, 19th February only, the line from Guildford to Gomshall will also be closed, which will affect Great Western Railway (GWR) services between Guildford and Gatwick Airport. During the closure, South Western Railway (SWR) will provide rail-replacement bus services.

Work to be carried out during the closure includes:
  • Renewal of a key set of switches and crossings in Haslemere, including replacing 500m of plain line track and 1,750m of conductor rail;
  • initial preparatory work on the signalling system between Farncombe and Petersfield to bring it up to modern standards, which will eventually allow more trains to run between Woking and Portsmouth Harbour;
  • carry out track maintenance at Witley station, Milford, Liphook, and Liss, including stone blowing (which is similar to tamping) for smoother and more reliable journeys;
  • renew drainage in the Witley area, and stabilise a rock cutting at Gomshall to improve reliability during extreme weather;
  • continue upgrade work on three level crossings at Farncombe, Milford, and Lilac;
  • carry out graffiti and litter clearance at stations and their surrounding areas.
Engineers will also be working around the clock with contractors Balfour Beatty to demolish a footbridge in Silo Road at Farncombe near Godalming that was constructed in the 1930s.

The existing footbridge is constructed from concrete that contains a high level of salts.

Using a rail-mounted crane, it will be replaced by a steel footbridge that will be more durable, with a life expectancy of 120 years.
 
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Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said:

“It’s really great to see work progressing so well on the Portsmouth Direct Upgrade programme. Our teams have been working hard to try and carefully plan and fit multiple pieces of work within the same railway closure, which in turn will save time and taxpayers money.

“I’d like to thank passengers again for their patience while we carry out these upgrades and bring the signalling system up to modern standards. We hope this will be a long-term benefit and cause less disruption in the future.”

Christian Neill, service delivery director for South Western Railway, said:

“In mid-February, the major programme of improvements will continue on the Portsmouth Direct line.

“This significant investment will replace decades-old equipment to help improve performance for customers, and infrastructure resilience, for many years to come.

“We appreciate that nine consecutive days of engineering works can be frustrating, so we would like to thank customers for their patience as these improvements are carried out.

“We advise customers to check their whole journey before they travel and to make use of the rail replacement bus services available.”
 
10th February 2023

Services between Newark and Nottingham affected by work at Rolleston​

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Rolleston station level crossing​

For the next month, train services between Newark and Nottingham will be subject to disruption due to engineering work at Rolleston in Nottinghamshire, including the use of buses to replace trains this Sunday, 12th February.

Between 9pm tomorrow, Saturday 11th and 7am on Friday, 17th February, engineers will be working to remove and replace the rails, ballast, and sleepers through Platform 1 at Rolleston station and the nearby level crossing.

This will be followed by renewal of the level crossing surface, but that work will take place on Saturday nights only until Saturday, 11th March, with the work being completed by Sunday, 12th March.

The work will also require closure of the level crossing to road traffic between 9pm tomorrow, Saturday 11th and 7am on Friday, 17th February and overnight on Saturdays until 12th March.

During that time, road traffic will be diverted over Fiskerton level crossing which will add around five minutes to journey times.

Anyone intending to drive through Rolleston during the periods of work should plan their route in advance and check the one.network map for details about the diversions.

Whilst the level crossing is closed, a temporary walkway will be in place during the week from 5am until 11pm, and staff will be on site to escort people across safely.

Brettles footpath crossing will remain open throughout the work for pedestrians.

On Sunday, 12th February, buses will replace trains between Newark and Nottingham, and anyone wishing to travel that day should check with National Rail at https://www.nationalrail.co.uk or with East Midlands Railway at https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk before travelling.

Anybody who intends to travel to Southwell races this Sunday, 12 February, may use the rail-replacement bus service but should alight at Fiskerton station where a minibus will be available to connect with the racecourse.
 
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Rolleston station from the level crossing​

Gary Walsh, East Midlands Route Director for Network Rail said:

“We’re sorry for the impact our work will have on people travelling through Rolleston. We’ve worked with Nottinghamshire Country Council to put diversions in place so that people can still get to where they need to be, but journeys are likely to take longer so please plan ahead.

“Upgrading the tracks through the station and the level crossing will ultimately improve reliability for both train passengers and drivers in the village.”

Neil Grabham, Customer Services Director for EMR said:

“We are asking any customers travelling between Nottingham and Newark Castle on Sunday 12 February to allow extra time to complete their journeys as a rail replacement bus will be in place throughout the day.

“We would like to thank our customers for their patience whilst Network Rail improve the track around Rolleston.”
 
10th February 2023

ORR welcomes timetable improvement plan by Avanti West Coast​

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Avanti West Coast has put a timetable improvement plan in place to help passengers plan and book their rail journeys.

This follows on from a call by the Office of Rail and Road for an immediate improvement after initial improvements stalled.

This saw weekend timetables only being finalised a few days in advance, making it difficult for passengers to plan ahead.

The new, more resilient recovery plan, shows a pathway to a full recovery, by finalising timetables in line with the industry norm by mid-May.

The ORR says it recognises that major engineering work on the WCML in March and April adds complexity to the plan and has impacted on recovery timescales.

Avanti has published on its website the dates for when tickets are to be released, an important step to improving information for passengers.

Stephanie Tobyn, Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform at ORR said:

“Now that Avanti has established an improved recovery plan, the onus is on them to deliver.

“It is positive to see some early improvements to passenger information, in particular the publication of dates when tickets are to be released to passengers.

“This early momentum needs to be sustained and we will closely monitor delivery on a weekly basis”.

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10th February 2023

Would you like to drive the historic steam locomotive which hauled ​

King George VI’s funeral train?​

A rare opportunity has risen for members of the public to drive popular locomotive No. 70000 'Britannia' at the Swanage Railway​

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The Swanage Railway has an incredible opportunity for steam fans as the always impressive and powerful No. 70000 ‘Britannia’ has availability for twelve premiere, hour-long driver experiences pulling a full train of carriages on Monday the 27th, Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th of March.

In order to take part in a driver experience you will need to be 18 years of age or older and complete a health and safety declaration.

The stunning locomotive is an icon of the steam era and is famous for hauling the funeral train of King George VI from Kings Lynn to London in 1952.

This year will also see the locomotive as a star guest for the railway’s three-day Spring Steam Gala, which will take place from the 24th to the 26th of March.

The driver experience will see one participant onboard the roomy footplate of ‘Britannia’ and will be guided by an experienced crew on the 11-mile, one-hour return trip from Swanage, passing the stunning ruins of Corfe Castle and on to Norden.

Robert Patterson, the volunteer chair of the Swanage Railway Company said:

“This is an amazing opportunity for the public to drive a historic leviathan of steam that had the sad honour of hauling the funeral train of King George VI, from King’s Lynn in Norfolk to London, during February 1952, and there are currently only 12 slots available across two days.

“It’s like offering people the chance to pilot the iconic Concorde or drive a classic Formula One racing car – the stuff that amazing memories are made of.

“Unlike the Swanage Railway’s usual driver experience trains, this exciting premiere ‘Britannia’ taster driver experience offers the participant double the driving miles and double the driving time at the regulator of No. 70000 through the beautiful Purbeck countryside,” added Robert who is also a volunteer station porter on the popular heritage line.
 
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70000 Britannia arriving at Swanage Railway

The locomotive was built in Crewe in January 1951 and was the very first British Railway Standard design locomotive and also the first 55 Britannia class locomotive built.

Britannia saw 15 years of mainline express service operating out of north London to the east coast and also through the London Midland Region until her withdrawal from British Rail service in May 1966

Swanage Railway Trust volunteer chair Gavin Johns said:

“No. 70000 ‘Britannia’ is historically important because it was the first steam locomotive of the new early 1950s range of standard designs to be built by British Railways aimed at taking our country’s railway network through the 1950s and the 1960s and replacing worn-out steam locomotives from the late Victorian and Edwardian era.

“The early 1950s saw British Railways design a range of standard steam locomotives, of varying power classifications, that shared common parts with the new steam locomotives being cheaper to run and maintain.

“The last of the British Railways standard design of steam locomotives worked right up to the final day of steam traction on British Rail, in the north of England, during August 1968,” added Gavin who is a volunteer signalman on the Swanage Railway.

This special opportunity will see a rare double mileage, double distance and double the drive time at the regulator of the stunning No. 7000 ‘Britannia’ and is reflected in the cost of £550 per person.
 
10th February 2023

Steam locomotive 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley rolls out of the paint shop in BR Blue​

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Sir Nigel Gresley at Crewe​

LNER A4 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley has rolled out of the paint shop at Crewe in its striking new BR Express Blue livery.

The livery choice was voted for by Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust Members and was completed at Locomotive Services Group in Crewe.

Since returning to steam in 2022 after an overhaul, that was completed at the National Railway Museum in York and at Locomotive Services Group in Crewe, it returned in LNER Wartime Black, as was seen at the Severn Valley Railway’s Spring Steam Gala.

The decision to return the loco in Wartime Black was made when locomotive moved to Crewe.

Prior to the move, it was put in black undercoat to protect the loco whilst in transit.
 
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10th February 2023

Clacton Express Preservation Group offers its Class 309 Unit for sale​

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The Clacton Express Preservation Group, which was formed to save the three-car express electric multiple unit Class 309 624 from scrap and restore it to working order, has announced that the benefactor who helped secure the initial purchase of the unit last year has decided to step away from the project.

However, this does not mark the end of the Clacton Express Preservation Group as it has engaged in a lot of discussions up to this point to ensure that it can find a way forward.

The unit will be listed “For Sale” on the group’s website, with the priority being to keep all three carriages of the unit in one piece as a set.

The ideal solution would be for a new benefactor to purchase the unit outright, with the Clacton Express Preservation Group coming as part of the package so it can continue to support the vehicles wherever they are located.
 
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Class 309 309624​

The unit is currently stored at Isfield on the Lavender Line, and the Clacton Express Preservation Group’s agreement with the Lavender Line lasts until October 2023, and the group intends to make full use of that agreement until it expires.

A “New Works Plan” has been formulated to ensure that more working parties work on the unit regularly until October.

Those plans have been sent to The Lavender Line and the group is now awaiting further communication.
 
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Class 309 309624 compartment​

Although this is not good news, the Clacton Express Preservation Group remains confident that a solution can be found and 309 624 will have a future.

It is working on a number of options behind the scenes, and all those who have supported the group so far will continue to do so through the challenging year ahead.
 
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Class 309 309624​

309 is being offered for sale on an as-seen and where-lying basis, and the successful buyer must remove the complete unit from Isfield within two months of purchase.

There is reasonable road access to the site, and assistance with loading will be provided to the buyer.

The group is open to reasonable offers for the unit, and it can be inspected by appointment.
 
10th February 2023

RMT rejects latest pay offers from Network Rail and Rail Delivery Group​

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Northern Class 150 at Burnley Manchester Road​

The RMT Union has rejected the latest round of offers from Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group.

After an in-depth consultation with every level of the union, the NEC decided to reject both offers, saying that they do not meet the expectations of members on pay, job security and working conditions.

The RMT says it is looking for an unconditional pay offer with job security and no detrimental changes to terms, conditions and working practices.

Further meetings are now been sought after with Network Rail and the Rail Delivery Group in order to work towards a deal.
 
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Michael Lynch, General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport​

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:

“We have carried out an in-depth consultation of our 40,000 members and the message we have received loud and clear is to reject these dreadful offers.

“Our members cannot accept the ripping up of their terms and conditions or to have safety standards on the railway put into jeopardy under the guise of so-called modernisation.

“If our union did accept these offers, we would see a severe reduction in scheduled maintenance tasks, making the railways less safe, the closure of all ticket offices and thousands of jobs stripped out of the industry when the railways need more investment not less.

“We have carried out an extensive listening exercise and our members have spoken.

“It is now time for the employers and the government to listen to railway workers in their tens of thousands.

“Our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes to get a negotiated settlement that meets our members reasonable expectations on jobs, pay and working conditions.”
 
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A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said:

“Our passengers and many hard-working RMT members will be deeply dismayed that the union leadership has opted to reject our fair proposals without putting out a vote to their full membership in a democratic referendum.

“Having listened to the union’s concerns during recent negotiations, we went back to the table with substantial changes to give colleagues a minimum pay increase of at least 9% over two years – rising to over 13% for the lowest paid – which they will now miss out on without even having had an opportunity to have their say. We removed driver only operation and gave an improved job security offer.

“This decision will hit colleagues in their pockets and does not negate the need to make the vital changes needed to secure the railway’s sustainable future, at a time when taxpayers are still paying up to £175m a month to make up the shortfall in revenue post covid.

“The railway’s financial crisis is not going away. We remain willing to engage, but the RMT leadership must now accept the urgent need to make the railway fit for the future for both our people, and the communities the railway serves.”
 
10th February 2023

All four lines through Hook in Hampshire set to open by Friday 24th of February following huge landslip​

Network Rail Engineers are working day and night in order to repair the major landslip which has seen train services extremely disrupted​

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Work continues at the Hook site​

Network Rail has revealed that all four lines running through Hook in Hampshire will reopen by Friday the 24th of February following a major landslip. Engineers are working around the clock to complete the urgent repairs.

The landslip took place on Saturday the 14th of January to the northeast of Hook station and left just two tracks out of four passable by trains.

The location of the slip is extremely remote and required engineers to build a 580-metre access road over fields in order to get materials and machinery on site prior to repair work getting underway.

Part of the repair will see engineers build a 60-metre retaining wall made from one hundred 12-metre long ‘sheet piles’ which a driven into the ground.

The sheet piles support the stabilisation of the embankment and will protect the railway in the future.

The repair has also seen engineers use 9,000 tonnes of stone and will also regrade the slope of the embankment in order to lessen the risk of falling material.

After the landslip occurred, it had a huge impact on train services with just one train able to operate every 90 minutes between Basingstoke and Woking.

Shortly after the landslip took place, Network Rail opted to reconfigure the track layout, moving it onto a stable area of the embankment which allowed six trains to operate every hour.

Whilst this move created an improvement in train services over the last few weeks whilst repair work to the embankment was taking place, further engineering work will see a closure put in place for the railway following the embankment’s full repair in order to return the track layout to its original placement.
 
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This video shows Route Director Mark Killick provide an update:


From the start of service on Monday the 13th of February following the completion of repair work on the embankment:
  • Trains heading to Basingstoke will be able to call at Hook once again.
  • Trains will continue to run at a reduced frequency.
From Monday the 13th to Thursday the 23rd of February:
  • Engineers will close the railway between Farnborough and Basingstoke early each night in order to restore the track to its original layout
  • Alterations will take place for late-night and early-morning services.
  • The last through services between London Waterloo station and Basingstoke (stopping), Portsmouth Harbour via Eastleigh, Salisbury and Weymouth will depart much earlier than usual.
  • South Western Railway (SWR) is organising rail replacement buses which will operate between Woking/Farnborough and Basingstoke after 10pm each evening.
  • Services for Monday the 13th to Friday the 17th of February will be updated in Journey Planners by the morning of Friday the 10th of February.
  • Services from Saturday the 18th to Friday the 24th of February are being finalised and will be updated when possible.
  • Advice is being given to customers to check their travel plans ahead of making their journey and to include plenty of extra time in order to complete their travel.
  • From Friday the 24th of February, all four lines will be open with the full timetable fully reinstated.
  • Network Rail engineers and South Western Railway are working hard in order to reinstate some services sooner where possible.
 
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Aerial view of the Hook landslip​

Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said:

“We’d like to thank customers and residents living alongside the railway for their patience while we’ve carried out this major repair.

“Fixing the landslip at Hook has been an incredibly tough and complicated job. I’m so sorry our customers will have to endure more disruption before we can reopen all four lines. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution, but this approach is the least disruptive to our customers overall.

“We’ve taken the difficult decision to carry out the track layout work over multiple nights because I recognise how important it is to provide a direct service to and from London and the southwest, particularly as the Portsmouth Direct Line will be closed from the 11 to 19 of February as part of a multi-million-pound upgrade that has been planned for more than two years.

“It’s crucial this work goes ahead because customers wouldn’t see the benefits soon enough and it would cost taxpayers a fortune to reschedule and cause more disruptive closures in the future.”

Stuart Meek, South Western Railway’s chief operating officer, said:

“The landslip at Hook has caused our customer’s significant disruption for more than three weeks now, so it is welcome news to hear we are a step closer to the embankment repairs being completed.

“To give Network Rail the time they need to realign the tracks, whilst also considering the large amount of engineering work across the rest of our network, we will need to make some changes to our late night and early morning services.

“We will confirm these alterations just as soon as we can. We’re very grateful for our customers’ continued patience through what has been a frustrating period of disruption.”
 
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10th February 2023

Locomotive ‘Fred’ to return to Sutton-on-Sea for the 70th anniversary of the East Coast Flood of 1953​

The narrow gauge loco worked on the Sutton-on-Sea sea defences both before and after the catastrophic floods.​

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'Fred'​

Historic narrow gauge locomotive ‘Fred’ is set to return to Sutton-on-Sea to mark the 70th anniversary of the East Coast Flood disaster of 1953, where it worked on sea defences both before and after the devastating flood.

The locomotive will return on Saturday the 4th of March 2023 for the anniversary and a ceremony which will inaugurate work to replace the now demolished seafront Colonnade.

‘Fred’ is a 4wd Diesel Mechanical 20 hp straight frame “Simplex” which was built back in 1947 for a Mablethorpe company by Motor Rail Ltd of Bedford and numbered 9264.

The locomotive was number 8 in the fleet of the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway and based at the popular Skegness Water Leisure Park in Walls Lane, Ingoldmells.

Restoration of the locomotive began almost 25 years ago by volunteer members of the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway Historic Vehicles Trust.

The work was completed to such a high standard that it saw them win two ‘runners up’ commendations at the annual awards ‘Railway Oscars’ of the Heritage Railway Association in 2020.

‘Fred’s’ fascinating history saw the loco delivered new contractors, W.G.C. Hammond Ltd in Mablethorpe where it was used in strengthening coastal defences and during this time experienced the devastating East Coast Flood of 1953 which saw Sutton-on-Sea, Mablethorpe and parts of the East Coast of England, Scotland, the North Sea coasts of Belgium and The Netherlands completely overwhelmed by the Flood which was driven by strong winds, killing 1,836 people.

The little locomotives strong and reliable ‘Simplex’ design was demonstrated as the loco was raised from the flood area, sand, seawater and debris flushed out before being topped up with fresh diesel, oil and water and restarted.

‘Fred’ was immediately able to get back to work in raising and strengthening the sea defences.
 
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‘Fred’s’ Test run in early 2020​

Railway spokesman John Chappell said:

“The skill and dedication of the LCLR’s volunteers brought back to life a small locomotive which has played a very large part in making the Lincolnshire Coast one of the most popular destinations in the country for families on holiday, by helping to protect the towns and villages and literally providing the motive power to build much of them, in its everyday work”.

Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway Trust Chairman Richard Shepherd said:

“It’s a great honour for us to be able to show people in Sutton-on-Sea this little locomotive, which played such a significant role in rebuilding the area and protecting it from further incursions by the sea. Many may not be aware of our collection of Lincolnshire narrow gauge railway equipment – locomotives, carriages and wagons – which were once a vital part of the county’s infrastructure and economy. We hope visitors to the events in Sutton-on-Sea will come and see them in operation when we run trains in the summer”.

The locomotive will be exhibited near the seafront at Sutton-on-Sea Pullover (LN12 2ET) from 10am til 4pm and marks the spot where reconstruction will begin at approximately noon with an address from MP for Louth and Horncastle Victoria Atkins MP.

The address will also make the beginning of work for a new Gallery which has been funded via a several million-pound grant for East Lindsey District Council by the government through the Connected Coast Towns Fund.

The Anniversary event has been organised by local a Coastal Community Team which are based at Tide Turners, 44 Sutton-on-Sea High Street with the support of Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council who awarded them a grant towards putting on the event alongside help from the Environment Agency who have facilitated arrangements.

The event will see members of the Agency attend at the foot of the Pullover and will have details regarding its current work on sea defences.

Presentations at the event will also see displays by:
  • Sutton-on-Sea Gardening Group
  • The Sutton Railway Group
  • The Sutton-on-Sea and Trusthorpe Carnival Committee
  • The Sutton-on-Sea Residents’ Association.
Meridale (the former Lifeboat Station) will have refreshments available at the foot of the Pullover.
 
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10th February 2023

Severn Valley Railway confirms position on future steam locomotive overhauls​

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A Brief Return To Steam on August 6, 2022, 2857 leaves Highley - the summer heatwave let up long enough for steam services to run again for a while. However at the time of writing we're back to diesel only running on the Severn Valley Railway, to prevent lineside fires.

The Severn Valley Railway has released an official statement on its position surrounding future overhauls of steam locomotives based at the line.

Currently, the engineering department at the Severn Valley Railway has their attention focussed on completing Stanier Mogul No. 13268 as well as 4085 ‘Dunrobin’ for the Beamish Museum.

Alongside these, in service locos such as 75069 is undergoing a winter valve and piston exam and a repaint, whilst 34027 Taw Valley is being repainted into its SR Wartime Black livery.

Following up the rear for in-progress projects are 4150 and 82045, and interim managing director, Jonathan Dunster, says that until some of these projects are completed, there are no plans for any new projects or overhauls to start.

As current projects progress and are completed, the SVR says it will then look at overhaul plans for other locomotives.

In his full statement, Interim managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster says:

“Our engineering department currently has completion of 13268 to achieve, along with 4085 ‘Dunrobin’ for Beamish Museum. On top of that a winter valve and piston exam beckons for 75069, along with a repaint, and we’ve recently completed a good deal of maintenance on 34027 ‘Taw Valley’ which is now being repainted into its temporary wartime black livery.

“In addition, the overhaul of 4150 is in progress, and the new-build 82045 is coming up behind it. Until some of these projects are concluded or completed there are no plans for any new projects or overhauls to start on the SVR. As the current projects progress, we will begin to look at the subsequent overhaul plan for steam locomotives.

“Past experience has taught us that running too many overhauls concurrently isn’t the most efficient way of managing these complex projects.”
 
10th February 2023

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Network Rail begins multi-million-pound upgrade of historic Chepstow Viaduct

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

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Chepstow viaduct​

The 170-year-old bridge over the river Wye is undergoing a major refurbishment as part of a wider package of work to secure the future of the Severn Estuary line.

Rail passengers travelling on the Severn Estuary Line can look forward to crossing the historic Chepstow Viaduct for many years to come as Network Rail begins its £4.6m refurbishment.

The Grade II listed bridge carries passenger and freight trains over the river Wye between South Wales and the West Country, Midlands and north of England.

This investment is part of a larger package of work Network Rail is delivering on this section of the Wales and Borders route, with intensive resilience upgrades also taking place towards Lydney as part of the Severn Estuary Resilience Programme.

Engineers will carry out steelwork repairs, waterproofing, masonry repairs, as well as strengthening and re-constructing the abutments on Chepstow Viaduct.

The historic viaduct was designed by Brunel and opened in 1852. Although the majority of the structure has since been changed, Brunel’s original tubular supports are still in-place.

It is considered one of Brunel’s major achievements and became the basis of design for the iconic Royal Albert Bridge, which links Devon and Cornwall.
 
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Chepstow viaduct from access road​

Lee Ackerman, scheme project manager at Network Rail, said:

“It’s a privilege to be upgrading a historic piece of railway engineering. This bridge has played an important role in linking Wales and England for more than 150-years, and we plan on ensuring that it can continue to do that for many more to come.

“As always, we are aiming to complete this project as safely and as quickly as possible while keeping disruption to an absolute minimum.”

The work on Chepstow Viaduct is not expected to disrupt train services with the majority taking place from 07:30 to 17:30 to reduce noise disturbance for the local community. There will be some dates when our engineers will need to work through the night. These include:
  • Wednesday 5 – Tuesday 11 April (inclusive)
  • Friday 19 – Friday 26 May (inclusive)
  • Friday 30 June – Thursday 27 July (inclusive)
  • Wednesday 2 – Wednesday 30 August (inclusive)
  • Tuesday 5 September – Monday 2 October (inclusive)
  • Friday 6 October – Thursday 2 November (inclusive)
  • Wednesday 8 November – Tuesday 5 December (inclusive)
There will be a few weeks during Summer 2023 where the Severn Estuary Line will be closed so teams can safely carry out the essential resilience work, near Lydney.

These dates will be announced closer to the time. Please check before you travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk
 
10th February 2023

OO Gauge Railway Model News Announcements

Accurascale OO Gauge BR Mk2B & Mk2C Coaches - New Variations Announced​

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Accurascale are producing a newly tooled range of BR Mark 2 coaches in OO gauge!

The range will kick off with a variety of Mark 2B variations in BR blue & grey, Network SouthEast, TransPennine & West Coast Railways liveries - which are due to arrive in Q2 2023.

A second batch has also been announced for release in Q4 2023, catering for Mark 2C coaching stock in BR blue & grey.
 
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11th February 2023

Steam locomotive 7029 Clun Castle to haul Shakespeare Express out of Birmingham this Sunday​

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7029 Clun Castle is seen passing through Cropedy as part of the ‘SLS Special’ Railtour on September 25, 2021

Steam locomotive 7029 Clun Castle will be back on the mainline this Sunday as it hauls the Shakespeare Express to Stratford-upon-Avon.

The locomotive will be hauling a rake of vintage carriages from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon twice on Sunday 11th February 2023.

The first departure will depart Birmingham Snow Hill at 10:00, and will pass through Birmingham Moor Street (10:03), Tyseley (10:13) and Dorridge at 10:35 before arriving into Stratford-upon-Avon at 11:29.

The return journey will depart Stratford-upon-Avon at 12:49, and will pass through Dorridge (13:15), Tyseley (13:26), Birmingham Moor Street (13:35) and Birmingham Snow Hill (13:40).

The second departure will depart Birmingham Snow Hill at 14:07. It will pass through Birmingham Moor Street (14:10), Tyseley (14:20), Dorridge (14:37), and Stratford-upon-Avon at 15:10.

The last departure from Stratford-upon-Avon at 16:13, and it will pass through Dorridge (16:48), Tyseley (16:59), Birmingham Moor Street (17:06) and Birmingham Snow Hill (17:12).
 
11th February 2023

Second footbridge opened at St Albans City station to ease congestion​

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New footbridge at Thameslink’s busiest station north of London, St. Alban’s City ​

A second footbridge has been erected at Thameslink’s St. Alban’s City station in Hertfordshire to ease congestion at the very busy station.

The new footbridge was opened to passengers on 31 January 2023, and was officially opened yesterday, Friday, 10th February, by Daisy Cooper MP, Member of Parliament for St. Alban’s, and the City of St. Alban’s Council leader Chris White, who were joined by representatives from Network Rail and the Managing Director of Thameslink, Tom Moran at the station.
 
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Entrance to the new footbridge at St Albans City station​

St. Alban’s City is Thameslink’s busiest railway station north of London, and almost 4 million journeys are made to, from, or through the station every year.

The multi-million-pound investment in adding a second footbridge to the station will make it easier for passengers to switch platforms, especially during busy times.
 
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