Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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Engines at Leighton Buzzard Railway ​

The experience lasts ninety minutes, including a 65-minute steam train ride and 25-minute stop at Stonehenge Works where there is lots to see and do, including a Mothers' Day card decorating activity for the kids.

On returning to Page's Park, mums will be presented a potted plant gift, and The Train Shed Café is offering mums a free hot or cold drink.

This will be followed by an Easter Egg Hunt over Easter weekend, the return of the Gin and Whisky Festival on Sunday 7 May, the visit of Bluey on Sunday 28 May, and many more special events throughout the year.

Full details of the railway's operating days, the timetable, and special events can be found over on the Leighton Buzzard Railway website

The Leighton Buzzard Railway is an accredited museum with a history linked with the sand quarrying industry around the town.

In addition to equipment from that era, the Railway has built up a significant collection of Great War vintage narrow gauge equipment.

The National Railway Museum previously placed its ‘protected' type Simplex No. 3098 (MR1377/1918) on loan to the railway, and LBR is the base for the Greensand Railway Museum Trust's Baldwin 4-6-0T WDLR No. 778.

The Leighton Buzzard Railway is based at Page's Park, Leighton Buzzard, and the line runs to Stonehenge Works adjacent to the sand quarries which the original industrial railway was built to serve.
 
14th March 2023

CrossCountry promises better journeys for South West rail users​

Voyager trains improved to withstand sea wall conditions​

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CrossCountry is promising more reliable journeys in the South West because of improvements to its Voyager trains.

With more instances of severe weather presenting challenges to transport, CrossCountry has made significant changes to its trains to ensure they can continue working in stormy weather along the exposed sea wall on the South Devon coast.

Previously, in conditions when a train could be struck by waves coming over the sea wall, Voyagers were not permitted to operate between Exeter and Newton Abbot as their onboard systems could fail.

This left passengers having to use other services to complete their journeys, leading them to believe that they could not rely on the region's train connections to the Midlands and North.
 
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CrossCountry has now completed extensive modifications which it has successfully tested on the Voyagers.

This means they can now work in the same conditions as other trains, ensuring a more resilient service to support the region's important long-distance leisure and business connections.

Alongside the train improvements, Network Rail is investing over £80 million to protect the railway along the South Devon coast.
 
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Huw Margetts, CrossCountry's Regional Director for West and Wales, said:

“We're really pleased with the improvements to the Voyagers, which significantly enhances the reliability of our trains and connectivity to the South West that is vital for the region's economy.

“We've worked closely with local businesses and other stakeholders to ensure our services can be relied on by everyone looking to come and enjoy the region's beaches and popular destinations.”

Councillor Andrea Davis, cabinet member Devon County Council for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, and chairman Peninsula Transport said:

“Reliability and resilience are the top priorities for our residents, businesses, and visitors. This is welcome news for all of us in the South West, the popular CrossCountry route is vitally important to our region and with this improvement travellers can be reassured that journeys will not be subject to weather conditions, increasing confidence in the network.”

Alina Wolfe-Murray, Network Rail senior sponsor, said:

“The improvements to CrossCountry's Voyager trains are more great news for railway passengers in the south west. They will further enhance the reliability and enjoyment of journeys for passengers travelling to and from the south west along this iconic stretch of coastal railway.

“The new £80m sea wall – part of our South West Rail Resilience Programme – is already helping to prevent delays and disruption to passengers by helping to stop the tracks flooding and allowing the line to reopen more quickly after major storms. Both the train improvements and the new sea wall will help to maintain access to a vital transport link for people and businesses in the region.”

Trevor Butler, Senior Commercial Director, Beacon Rail said:

“Beacon Rail is proud to have played a part in this great example of cross-industry collaboration to ensure Voyagers, the backbone of the Cross Country fleet, will maintain rail services to and from the South West during challenging conditions at Dawlish.”
 
14th March 2023

Extra dates added for Flying Scotsman to visit the Bluebell Railway this August​

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The Bluebell Railway has announced extra dates and services when the world-famous locomotive Flying Scotsman visits the railway this summer.

Flying Scotsman was originally scheduled to visit the railway last August 2022, but now the locomotive's caretakers at the National Railway Museum have arranged an extended visit to the Bluebell for later this year.
 
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Flying Scotsman at speed​

For seven days from 23rd to 29th August, Flying Scotsman will be operating non-stop return services between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead.

From 30th August to 3rd September, Flying Scotsman will be on static display at Sheffield Park where visitors can view the locomotive and step onto the footplate.

Tickets for Flying Scotsman's trips between Sheffield Park and East Grinstead and for the footplate viewings must be pre-booked and can be booked online at https://www.bluebell-railway.com/flying-scotsman-2023/

Flying Scotsman last visited the Bluebell Railway in 2017 when people travelled from far and wide to view it on Bluebell rails.

This year, Flying Scotsman will operate both regular services and special dining trains, but to cover the expected increase in visitor numbers the railway is looking for extra volunteers in most roles and departments.
 
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Flying Scotsman headboard

Flying Scotsman entered service in February 1923 as the first locomotive of the London and North Eastern Railway and was named after the daily 10.00 London to Edinburgh rail service.

It was withdrawn from service in 1963 but was saved by Alan Pegler before embarking on a new life in preservation.

Last year, it underwent an overhaul to prepare it for this year's centenary celebrations.

As part of the overhaul, Riley & Son (E) Ltd restored the locomotive to the same standard as its last overhaul in 2016, focusing on the boiler with re-tubing and recertification.

Bluebell Railway chairman Paul Churchman said:

“After a lot of work on the part of The Bluebell Railway, and the locomotive's caretakers, The NRM we are thrilled to confirm the world-famous Flying Scotsman is to visit us once again, notably in its centenary year.

“The visit to the Bluebell Railway will be one of the chances to see the famous engine during its centenary year. We look forward to seeing you later in the year, if not before.”
 
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14th March 2023

Steam Loco Doctor Syn Returns to the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway​

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Doctor Syn Returns to service after it's recent overhaul

After spending several years out of service, the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway’s Pacific locomotive No. 10 Doctor Syn will soon be back hauling trains on the line.

Doctor Syn will make its debut after a long overhaul on Sunday, 2nd April, when it will haul a special service.

The last time that Doctor Syn ran on the line was in 2018, since when it has been in a queue behind Green Goddess waiting for its turn in the overhaul shop.
 
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Doctor Syn​

Doctor Syn was built in 1931 by the Yorkshire Engine Co. and is one of the railway’s two Canadian Pacific-style locomotives, the other being Winston Churchill which was also built by the Yorkshire Engine Co.

Green Goddess had been undergoing repairs after being involved in an accident, but once they had been completed, in June 2019 Doctor Syn entered the overhaul shop for an intermediate overhaul.
 
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Doctor Syn​

When it was first built, Doctor Syn was named Black Prince, but shortly after the war, it was renamed when the railway’s No. 9 was re-named Winston Churchill for obvious patriotic reasons and as it was to be displayed at an exhibition in Canada.

The name Doctor Syn was chosen as he was a local fictional hero of smuggling stories, and Captain John Edwards Presgrave Howey, who was a millionaire racing driver and one of the line’s founders, decided that Doctor Syn should command a wider audience.

For further information about Doctor Syn go to https://www.rhdr.org.uk/locomotives/doctor-syn/
 
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Doctor Syn’s classmate Winston Churchill​

Paul Trotter, Engineering Manager, said

“The overhaul was held up by the boiler when cracks were found around the clack bosses, but upon the correct size ones being found, it turned out that this size was no longer in production. These were in addition to the normal boiler repairs that were carried out.”

Operations Manager, Phil Brown, said

“After being out of traffic since 2018, it is great to see Doctor Syn return. A favourite amongst visitors there is a strong historical link with the Romney Marsh in the form of the books by Russell Thorndyke.

“Having the loco back in traffic will ensure that the ‘Day of Syn’ will be of greater importance. The overhaul hasn’t been the easiest project with issues identified with the boiler and the pandemic causing rather slow progress, but as usual, the loco has been returned from overhaul in the normal high Romney standard.”
 
14th March 2023

Female Northern chief operating officer urges women to join railway​

“There’s never been a better time to be a woman in the rail industry."​

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Two female Northern staff members​

Tricia Williams, who leads the team responsible for the safe day-to-day operation of trains, stations, engineering and control has helped drive the organisation's equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy for the past two years.

The chief operating officer of Northern has used Women's History Month in March to urge women across the North of England to join her on the railway, declaring: “There's never been a better time to be a woman in the rail industry.”

Dozens of volunteers from across the business came together to advise on matters relating to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to ensure the organisation continues to foster inclusive culture.

Since 2020, they have helped to introduce workplace policies on menopause, domestic violence support, becoming a parent and transgender support.

Northern also boasts of a flexible and agile working policy that it claims “offers the benefit of working outside of the traditional 9-5 schedule and can include home working and compressed hours if their role allows, which can have a huge impact on wellbeing as well as work-life balance.”

The company has introduced ‘blind sifting' in its job application process, meaning that information on CVs that could indicate a person's background or gender is removed to ensure there is no potential bias, conscious or otherwise, and that recruitment focuses on the skills required for the job.

The policy gained recognition nationally and across the industry.
 
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Northern Power Women, a leading equality campaign group, has also shortlisted Northern as the ‘Large Organisation of the Year' at its upcoming 2023 awards, which are being held in Manchester on Monday 20 March.

It is the second year running that Northern has been shortlisted for the award.

The group praised Northern for its commitment to developing an inclusive culture in the workplace by demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to recruitment, development and retention of talent.

Tricia Willams said:

“We've made great strides in creating a supportive and flexible environment that women and other people want to work in.”

“Our aim has been to create a culture where everyone feels included and valued and make Northern a great place to work for everyone.”

“Of Northern's 7,000-strong workforce, just over 1,300 of them are female. We want that to change. My message to women everywhere is ‘Don't Delay, Apply Today'.”
 
14th March 2023

Inside The Train Shed

So I have cut a couple of baseboard legs and trying out an idea to help me support baseboards as I join them together.

Cleared the 'decks' a little bit to enable 'leg' sawing.

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As I'll be working solo in the shed, I need some 'help' in supporting the baseboards when joining them together.

So I came up with an idea.

Using some spare wood I had lying around, I made a couple of 'lugs' to support one edge of a baseboard.

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15th March 2023

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London Underground halted by strike​

Updated 11.10

London Underground services are at a standstill today, because members of ASLEF and the RMT are staging a 24-hour strike.

The dispute is over working conditions, job cuts and pensions.

The walkout means that no service can run on any Underground line.

Other Transport for London services are not affected by today’s stoppage.

The RMT wrote to London Mayor Sadiq Khan yesterday, telling him that job cuts must be halted and that the safety of the travelling public was foremost in workers’ minds.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:

‘Attacks on pensions, conditions and job losses will not be tolerated and the travelling public needs to understand that understaffed and unstaffed stations are unsafe. We will continue our industrial campaign for as long as it takes.’

Last night TfL's chief operating officer Glynn Barton said:

"I apologise to our customers for any disruption caused by Wednesday's industrial action. I urge the trade unions to call off this action and continue to engage with us to avoid disruption.’

Some early morning Underground services may be disrupted tomorrow morning in the wake of today’s strike, while National Rail services in England are set to be disrupted tomorrow and also on Saturday by RMT industrial action in a dispute with operators.

This may affect some Transport for London services, such as the Elizabeth, Bakerloo and District Lines, which run on sections of the National Rail network.

Meanwhile, a ballot is in progress asking RMT members if they are willing to accept a new pay offer. Industrial action affecting Network Rail has been suspended.

Update:
ScotRail has confirmed that its services will not be affected by tomorrow’s strike on National Rail, because industrial action by Network Rail staff has been suspended.

ScotRail service delivery director David Simpson said:

‘ScotRail services will operate as normal on Thursday, 16 March, following the suspension of planned strike action by RMT members of Network Rail. The dispute between the trade union and other train operators does not involve any ScotRail staff. We look forward to welcoming passengers to our services.’
 
15th March 2023

Nene Valley Railway sees signal box unusable after a series of arson attacks around Peterborough​

Detectives believe that the spate of fires were deliberately set in and around Orton Longueville, Orton Malborne and the Nene Valley Railway​

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Orton Mere signal box on fire​

The evening of Sunday the 12th of March saw a series of arson attacks in Orton Longueville, Orton Malborne, and the Nene Valley Railway requiring firefighters and volunteer fire teams to deal with the fires.

The appalling behaviour saw fires set from 9.58pm and continuing into the night, seeing a number of cars set alight at multiple locations one of which involved five vehicles which saw the fire spread to a building.

At 12.32am one of Nene Valley Railway's signal boxes at Orton Mere was also hit by the shocking spate of deliberate fires leaving it unusable.

Fire crews from Yaxley and the Peterborough Volunteer Fire Brigade extinguished the fire and were able to leave the scene by 1.30am.

A just giving page has been set up in order to support Nene Valley Railway by two 12-year-old rail enthusiasts who were devastated to hear about the attack on the signal box.

The boys hope to raise as much money as possible in order to support the rebuild of the signal box and get trains back in action on the well-loved heritage railway.

An investigation is now underway and officers will be undertaking extra patrols in the areas affected by the attacks and are appealing for information regarding the series of arson attacks.

Anyone with information is asked to call 101 and quote Operation Onward or report online.

Information can be given anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, quoting Operation Onward.

Detective Inspector James Sheffield said:

“We are treating these fires as arson and they could be linked. We are working hard with partner agencies to trace those responsible. I would urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward.”
 
15th March 2023

Hull Trains services unaffected by this week’s industrial action​

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Rail services operated by Hull Trains will not be disrupted by the industrial action that most other train operators across the country will suffer this week.

Hull Trains has confirmed that it will continue to run a full regular timetable tomorrow, Thursday, 16th and Saturday 18th March, as well as two weeks later on Thursday, 30th March and Saturday, 1st April.
 
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Hull Trains service passing the Humber Bridge​

Although there will be reduced services on many parts of the rail network on those dates because of the industrial action affecting most other rail operators, Hull Trains is unaffected and is not part of the action.

Consequently, the company will continue to operate a normal timetable for all its services between Beverley and Hull, and London King's Cross.

The latest information about the industrial action page can be found on Hull Trains' website at https://www.hulltrains.co.uk/travel-information/industrial-action and across Hull Trains' social media channels.
 
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Hull Trains Class 802 arrives into Hull​

Martijn Gilbert, Managing Director of Hull Trains, explained:

“We want to reassure all of our customers that Hull Trains' services are running as normal, and they won't be affected by the upcoming industrial action affecting many train companies in March or April.

“Our timetables for Thursday 16th and Saturday 18th are now available to view on our website and tickets can be purchased in advance. We will also keep our website and social media regularly updated with the latest travel information and look forward to welcoming passengers on board.”
 
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15th March 2023

Isle of Wight Steam Railway named as Railway of the Year 2023​

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Isle of Wight Steam Railway

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway is celebrating after being named the ‘Railway of the Year 2023' at this year's Heritage Railway Association Annual Awards that were sponsored by Hallett Oil and held at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre last Saturday evening, 11th March.

The awards are dubbed the ‘Oscars' of the heritage sector and recognise the finest restorations and most innovative projects on the heritage railway scene.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway was in contention the top honours with Seaton Tramway, the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, and the Dartmouth Steam Railway & River Boat Company
 
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Winner of the Railway of the Year Award for 2023​

As well as being named ‘Railway of the Year 2023, which recognises the railway's excellence across visitor experience, business, safety, teamwork, preservation, restoration, and engineering, it was also shortlisted for the Lord Faulkner Award for Young Volunteers and the HRA Award for Marketing and Communications.

In The Lord Faulkner Award for Young Volunteers category, the Isle of Wight Steam Railway was runner-up to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society, and the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway.
 
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Heritage Railway Association Awards 2023 Presentation dinner​

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway was also a runner-up in the HRA Award for Marketing and Communications category, where it was up against the Talyllyn Railway for its work in building a digital audience, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway for its ‘Journey Through Steam' presentation.

Steve Backhouse, General Manager at The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, said:

“We are delighted to win this prestigious award and be recognised as the UK's leading heritage railway. I feel very fortunate to be a part of an amazing group of paid staff and volunteers who bring a raft of enthusiasm, skills, experience and teamwork to running the Railway.”

“The team have been very busy at Havenstreet, preparing our visitor attraction for the new season and we open again on Mother's Day 19th March. I am very proud of all our staff and volunteers and look forward to another successful year ahead.”
 
15th March 2023

Flexi Season fares which offer greater value trialled by Southeastern​

The rail operator is now offering discounted Flexi Season tickets until April 2023 for customers in parts of Kent and East Sussex as part of the trail​

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Flexi Season tickets​

Southeastern is taking part in a Flexi Season ticket trial until April 2023 for customers in parts of Kent and East Sussex in a bid to create better flexible ticketing which supports changes in commuting patterns over the past few years.

Flexi Season tickets have been popular with customers as they provide greater value for money for those travelling two to three times per week and are a fantastic choice for hybrid workers.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed that around a quarter of the working population is working to a hybrid model dividing working hours between their home and employer's premises.

The Great British Railway Transition Team are working with Southeastern for the trial, which will be ongoing until the 2nd of April, providing customers a chance to see if Flexi Season ticketing works for them.

Flexi Season Tickets provide 8-day passes through a 28-day period with a guaranteed minimum discount when compared to a monthly season ticket of 20%.

Customers using the Flexi Season ticket can select their travel days upon arriving at the station and can make journeys at any time, including Peak for their chosen route.

Whilst the trial is ongoing, the discount is enhanced as the project aims to get more people back to travelling by rail.

The trial is part of plans laid out in the 2023 Bradshaw Address by the government to improve experience for customers travelling by train.

Flexi Season tickets first came into use in 2021 and have had a positive impact for customers using them as they are more appropriate for their new travel needs.
 
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Southeastern Class 395

Whilst the trial is underway, Flexi Season tickets can be purchased at promotional rates until the 2nd of April and can be used for travel until the 30th of April 2023, subject to validity.

Below are some examples of how the discount works on all-day return travel:
  • A Flexi Season ticket from Hastings to London Terminals costs £41.15 per pass, which is 45% less than eight equivalent Anytime Day Return tickets
  • A Flexi Season ticket from Folkestone Central or Folkestone West to the same destination costs £43.41 per pass, which is 40% less than the same number of Anytime Day Returns.
  • A Flexi Season ticket from Canterbury West to London Terminals (including High Speed) can work out at £51.83 per pass, which is 38% less than the Anytime Day Returns.
Alicia Andrews, Commercial Director at Southeastern said:

“Since the pandemic, commuting patterns have changed and we know people across our route are having to make their money go further.

“For those commuting two or three days a week, our Flexi Seasons will offer better value for money and convenience to travel at any time right across all our network as well as flexibility to match the way people want to work now.”

Suzanne Donnelly, Director of Passenger Revenue at the Great British Railways Transition Team, said:

“We're working with the rail industry and Department for Transport to simplify fares and develop new products that better match how our customers are living and working today.

“Times have changed, so pilots like the Southeastern Flexi Season ticket are important for testing new approaches and gathering real insights to improve rail products across the country. Ultimately, we want to inspire more people to take the train more often.”
 
15th March 2023

Thursday 16th of March will see ScotRail operate services as usual​

Scotrail has revealed that RMT strike action by members of Network Rail has been suspended and its services will run as normal on the 16th of March​

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Class 385 trains at Glasgow Queen Street Station

The suspension of strike action planned by RMT members of Network Rail has led to ScotRail confirming that its service will be able to operate as usual on Thursday the 16th of March 2023.

The trade union had opted for strike action to be taken by its members at Network Rail and would have seen ScotRail services affected on the 16th of March alongside an overtime ban which would have taken place over the upcoming weeks, both of which have now been suspended.

The suspension will allow a referendum regarding a new pay offer from Network Rail to take place.

ScotRail staff are not involved in the dispute, however, industrial action by RMT affects ScotRail services due to its involvement of Network Rail employees in Scotland.

Industrial action planned by RMT members for 14 other rail operators is still set to take place on the following dates.

However, will not impact any ScotRail services:
  • Thursday 16th of March
  • Saturday 18th of March
  • Thursday 30th of March
  • Saturday 1st of April
 
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ScotRail Class 153

David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director, said:

“ScotRail services will operate as normal on Thursday, 16 March, following the suspension of planned strike action by RMT members of Network Rail.

“The dispute between the trade union and other train operators does not involve any ScotRail staff. We look forward to welcoming passengers to our services.”
 
15th March 2023

Inside The Train Shed

:ermm: No work today, a bit chilly as there was no sun to warm up the shed.

Even the Met Office were on strike............:eyeroll:

STRIKE ACTION

Industrial Action by members of Prospect Trade Union – Wed 15 March.

Services from the Met Office may be affected.


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15th March 2023

Mid Norfolk Railway launches emergency appeal to restore bridge​

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80078 crosses Crownthorpe Bridge​

An emergency appeal has been launched by The Mid Norfolk Railway to help fund the restoration of a bridge so that the railway can fully reopen for train services.

The appeal, known as the ‘Back on Track' appeal, is looking to raise £95,000 that, with money already committed by the railway, will help to fund the restoration of Crownthorpe Bridge which crosses the B1135 near Wymondham, together with associated works.
 
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Aerial view of Crownthorpe bridge

Initially, a staged reopening will take place, with trains running to Thuxton.

Once the major work at Crownthorpe bridge has been completed, it will remove a major hurdle to fully reopening the line.
 
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Work needed at Crownthorpe bridge

All those who donate to the appeal will have access to a ‘Back on Track' special train that the railway plans to run on Saturday, 13th April.

The ‘Back on Track' Special will run from Dereham to Wymondham Junction via Wymondham Abbey, allowing passengers to travel on the section of the line that is open to passengers.

Only those who have donated to the fund will have access to the special train.
 
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Crownthorpe bridge​

Charlie Robinson, the Chairman of the Mid Norfolk Railway {reservation Trust, explaining the appeal said:

“Despite significant investment in the railway's infrastructure in recent years, the reality is that when the Mid Norfolk Railway started in the 1990s, it began with a railway line that had not been maintained since the 1960s.

“Significant progress in addressing this has previously been made, but the rate of deterioration is accelerating and costs for long-term refurbishment have risen significantly. This means additional funding must be found just to maintain what we have. This appeal is designed to get the railway running again, as quickly as possible.

“Every pound donated is a small step to ensuring the railway's future. I, therefore, appeal to everyone be they from the region, or a rail enthusiast, or both, to give generously at this difficult time for all, to ensure the MNR has a future.”
 
16th March 2023

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Industrial deadlock continues as new rail strikes start

Members of the RMT at 14 train operating companies in England are on strike today, after negotiations with the Rail Delivery Group appeared to have stalled again.

Network Rail staff are not striking, because a new pay offer has been put to RMT Network Rail members in a ballot which closes on Monday.

Even so, the lack of RMT staff at the operators means that timetables have been cut back, with last trains running much earlier than usual and with no service to many destinations.

Although staff at ScotRail and Transport for Wales are not involved and are continuing to provide domestic rail services, cross-border trains in Scotland and Wales run by English operators are disrupted.

Avanti West Coast will not be serving North Wales today, nor running to Glasgow, although this is because of engineering work at Carstairs.

Replacement buses are being provided from Carlisle, and ScotRail trains are also running from Carlisle to Glasgow on the Glasgow & South Western route via Dumfries and Kilmarnock.

LNER is not running north of Edinburgh, and its services between there and London are reduced.

There are no GWR trains west of Cardiff, north of Oxford or west of Plymouth.

Other operators’ timetables in England are also disrupted, although c2c services are almost normal and

Merseyrail is not affected by the strikes.

Transport for London services are returning to normal after yesterday’s Underground strike by ASLEF and the RMT, but at 09.30 this morning TfL was still warning of ‘severe delays’ on some Underground lines.

The RMT is set to stage a second 24-hour National Rail walkout on Saturday, and unless there is a settlement in the meantime, two more strikes have been called for 30 March and 1 April.

Meanwhile, the RMT has criticised large pay rises awarded to senior managers working for some train operators.

The union’s general secretary Mick Lynch said:

‘On the one hand Ministers tell workers they must tighten their belts and on the other they are using taxpayer’s money to fund eyewatering pay rises and profits for the railway fat cats. It is this blatant the unfairness that will only reinforce our members determination to get a better deal.’
 
16th March 2023

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New all-electric TrawsCymru T1 buses launched​

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Traws Cymru Nant y Ci Depot​

Brand new electric buses have today (Thursday 16 March) been unveiled for the TrawsCymru T1 route between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth by Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters.

The state-of-the-art buses will enter service from 26 March and will be based out of a new charging depot in Carmarthen.

Speaking at the event the Deputy Minister, with responsibility for transport, Lee Waters said:

“Buses play a vital role in keeping our communities connected and offer people a sustainable transport alternative to the car.

“The introduction of brand-new electric buses will provide a great boost to the TrawsCymru service and is another important step forward in achieving our ambition for a high-quality, multimodal, integrated and low-carbon network of public transport across Wales.”

Lee Waters MS was joined by officials from Transport for Wales (TfW), Carmarthenshire County Council, route operator First Cymru and bus supplier Pelican at an event in Carmarthen today before taking a trip on one of the new fleet to officially open the new purpose-built depot and charging facility at Nant-y-Ci.

The T1 tender awarded to First Cymru is the first TrawsCymru contract to be managed by TfW.

Marie Daly, Chief Customer and Culture Officer at TfW, said:

“An incredible amount of hard work has taken place behind the scenes in order to make the launch of this improved service possible, bringing together experts in our bus team from commercial bus operations, transport planning and network development.

“TfW is committed to being a truly multi-modal organisation, improving links between bus and rail through joined-up timetables, ticketing and technology to make a network which works for everyone.

“These brand-new buses are setting new standards for customer experience and comfort.”

Cllr Edward Thomas, Cabinet Member for, Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste, and Infrastructure Services at Carmarthenshire County Council said:

“I welcome the introduction of this fleet of brand-new electric buses that will provide modern low carbon vital public transport services for the people of Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

"Carmarthenshire County Council is very proud to have worked alongside Welsh Government and Transport for Wales in delivering this project, which included the procurement of the bus fleet and the design and construction of the new charging depot facility at Nant y Ci, Carmarthen.”

Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability at Carmarthenshire County Council said:

“It’s excellent to see the T1 bus service, between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth, upgraded to include a fleet of low emission, sustainably powered vehicles.

“By moving away from using fossil fuels to power the buses, a more environmentally friendly public transport service option is provided. These electric buses will make an important contribution to the decarbonisation of public transport services in order to address our local, national and global commitment to net zero carbon.”

A number of showcase events have recently been held in Carmarthen, Aberystwyth and Lampeter, where passenger feedback for the new buses has been extremely positive.

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

Chris Hanson, General Manager of First Cymru said:

“Buses have an important and exciting role to play in Wales’s ongoing move to more sustainable travel,”

“We are absolutely delighted to have this opportunity to run the T1 route and the stunning electric fleet. People use First Cymru transport every day to move across towns and counties in South Wales. But we know many more will do the same as buses evolve to bring all the benefits of electric to customers and their communities.”

It is estimated that taking the T1 bus from Carmarthen to Aberystwyth would result in 14804g of CO2 savings compared to driving - the same as keeping a lightbulb on for 4174 hours (174 days).

Ian Downie, Head of YUTONG UK, Pelican Bus and Coach, said:

“We have worked with Carmarthenshire Council and TfW to develop a bespoke specification for this service. The collective team have produced a customer centric specification, with coach-style seating which will enhance the smooth, quiet journey.

“The vehicles are the fastest overnight charging available, with the vehicles being able to be recharged in less than 1.5 hours. We are so proud of the result, and these vehicles will make a compelling case for passengers to make a modal shift to zero emission vehicles. One vehicle can replace 14 cars with 5 people inside each, making a significant contribution to reducing emissions.”

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Information about the new T1 service can be found at www.traws.cymru and the new app enables you to purchase tickets, track your vehicle and see how much carbon savings you can make by taking the bus.

  • Single fares starting from £1.25 for a journey of 5km, this will encourage a switch from car use for short journeys.
  • Distance based fares and these adjust every 5km to a maximum single fare of £3.50 for the whole route
  • Day ticket for T1 only at £7.00 for whole route.
  • New option of £5.25 day tickets and £20 weekly tickets between Lampeter and Carmarthen and Lampeter and Aberystwyth.
  • New 10 trip singles bundle available on app between Aberaeron and Aberystwyth priced at £20.00 and 10 trip bundles between Carmarthen and Lampeter and Aberystwyth and Lampeter priced at £22.00.

WATCH:

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TfW TrawsCymru [ENG]​
www.youtube.com

TfW TrawsCymru [ENG]

www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

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16th March 2023

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Safety digest 02/2023: Bulkington​


Near miss with a track worker, Bulkington, Warwickshire, 15 November 2022.

Published: 16 March 2023

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West Coast Main Line near to Bulkington, Warwickshire, around 4 miles south of Nuneaton.​
 
Summary of the incident

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Forward-facing CCTV from the train involved showing the COSS in the six-foot as the train approaches​

At around 01:29 hrs on 15 November 2022, a passenger train travelling at 125 mph (201 km/h) narrowly missed a track worker on the West Coast Main Line near to Bulkington, Warwickshire, around 4 miles south of Nuneaton.

The track worker involved was the Controller of Site Safety (COSS) for a team working on the track nearby.

The team had been working within the four-foot (the space between the rails) of a line which was under possession (closed to normal rail traffic).

The near miss occurred after the COSS stepped from that position of safety into the six-foot (the space between two running lines) adjacent to the line on which the train approached, which was still open to rail traffic.

The COSS returned to a position of safety around two seconds before the train passed.
 
Cause of the incident

This incident occurred because the COSS moved from a position of safety within the four-foot of lines that were blocked to railway traffic to a position very close to an open line.

The COSS stated he did this to gain better visibility of the approaching train because he was concerned that it may have been travelling towards his team, who were working on one of the lines under possession.

The COSS was a member of a team which consisted of a Central Rail Systems Alliance (CRSA) supervisor and a track gang supplied by Vital Human Resources.

This gang consisted of a track chargeman, the COSS, a site warden and four track operatives.

The COSS was also the Person in Charge (PIC) for the work being undertaken.

Network Rail’s standards state that, as PIC, the COSS was responsible for all aspects of the team’s safety while they were on the track.

The railway at this location consists of three lines.

The most westerly line is the Down Trent Valley line.

This has a line speed of 125 mph (201 km/h) for the type of train involved in the near miss and was open to rail traffic.

The middle and the most easterly line (the Up Trent Valley Fast line and the Up Trent Valley Slow line respectively) were both under possession at the time of the incident.

The planned safe system of work for the team was to stay within the lines that were under possession and to use a ‘separated’ safe system of work.

This system uses a site warden to warn other team members if they attempt to move into an unsafe area, within two metres of an open line.

In this case, the separated safe system of work was set up so that members of the team would not be permitted to step into the six-foot which separated the Down Trent Valley line (which was open) and the Up Trent Valley Fast line (which was blocked to traffic, along with the Up Trent Valley Slow line).

If they attempted to do so, the team member concerned would receive a warning from the site warden to alert them to return to the safe area (the lines under possession).
 
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