Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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Sat down enjoying an ice cream looking towards the pier building. :)

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Since the Dark Ages, Flat Holm has been a retreat for monks and since then has acted as a sanctuary for Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, silver miners, smugglers and cholera victims.

Fortified in Victorian times and again in World War II it is perhaps most famous for receiving the first ever radio message across water by Marconi in 1897.

In the early 10th century, a band of marauding Vikings encamped on the island and turned it into a base of sorts - indeed, the word 'holm' derives from the old Norse for 'river island'.

However, the conditions on Flat Holm were so harsh and food so scarce that they almost starved to death there.

Legend has it that they'd been pillaging their way along the Welsh coast until they were finally dispatched by a Saxon army from Hereford and Gloucester.

Some of the Vikings would finally escape Flat Holm for Dyfed and from there they moved onto Ireland.

A closer view of Flatholm.

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The Italian Gardens occupy a narrow strip of land on the landward side of the Esplanade which runs along the seafront in central Penarth, on gently sloping ground (formerly used for boathouses) that has been levelled into two terraces.

Above, the ground rises steeply to Windsor Gardens at the top of the cliff.

They were laid out and opened in 1926 and constitute a well-preserved Edwardian-style public garden in a fine setting on the sea front.

The lower terrace, flanked by sloping flower beds, is a tarmac walk, with benches, bounded by the curving limestone rockwork edges of the flowerbeds on either side which also features cordylines and a Chusan palm.

The upper terrace, accessed by steps flanked by Irish yews, is a long straight walk of random paving stones, backed by a roughly coursed dry-stone wall.

The terrace supports a small rockery bed (at the south end), a sundial base, modern planters and benches.

The terrace continues along the north side of the garden, leading to a platform with a low parapet wall and bench.

The garden, surrounded by iron railings, was always intended as a rock garden, and early photographs of the 1930s and 1950s show the layout of the garden to be unchanged since then.

Here are the Italian Gardens, a peaceful spot away from the promenade.

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30th May 2023

Reward offered after West Yorkshire train shot at with air gun pellets​

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A train was attacked by an air gun on May 22​

A £1000 reward has been offered by Northern for information that leads to the arrest of a person that shot air gun pellets at a rush hour train in West Yorkshire last week.

The incident took place on Monday 22nd May and saw the Leeds to Bradford Forster Square hit at Kirkstall Forge station just before 17:30.

The attack came just a few days after Northern featured on the Frontline Fightback programme on BBC One, where they highlighted the case of a driver being hit by a brick in 2022.
 
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A train window that cracked in the attacks but did not shatter completely
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Tony Baxter, regional director for Northern, said: “It's very fortunate that no-one was injured.

“It beggars belief that anyone thinks it's ‘fun' to target a train in this way. Anything involving shattered glass whilst trains are travelling at high speed can be very dangerous.

“We hope this reward will encourage anyone who knows the perpetrator of this attack to come forward with information for British Transport Police.”
 
30th May 2023

May update on restoring Adams T3 steam locomotive No. 563​

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563 with it's chimney fitted​

The 563 Locomotive Group has issued the latest update on restoring Adams T3 Class 4-4-0 No. 563 to running order.

At the end of April, the completed boiler was moved outside, filled with water and pressurised to check its integrity, all being witnessed by the boiler inspector.

A few days later the boiler was steamed to a pressure of 175 psi.

Following this successful hydraulic and steam test, the boiler was fitted back into the frames, allowing the cab roof to be fitted and more components reassembled.
 
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563's boiler back in the frames​

Although 563 is being restored in Drummond's 1903 livery with its distinctive stovepipe chimney, the group has purchased Drummond chimney from UK Architectural Heritage Ltd and test-fitted it so that it now has the option to portray the engine in different liveries..
 
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563 in 1919 at Woking​

The photo above shows 563, with its later Drummond chimney, at Woking in 1919 on a train to Southampton via Alton.

Such a scene is the 563 Locomotive Group's vision for the future.

In the workshop, 563's iconic stovepipe chimney has been refitted, the cladding has gone back onto the boiler and is now being painted.

The cab roof is now in place, so the rest of the cab can now be finished.

Parts of the tender tank have been refurbished and the well section of the tank has been replaced, and it has been reunited with the frames.

Coal rails have also been fitted back to the tender for the first time since the 1960 cosmetic restoration at Eastleigh.

It is now waiting for LSWR lettering to be applied.
 
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563 ‘s refurbished ender tank​

Although 563 is close to returning to steam thanks to the Flour Mill and the team at Herston, the group still needs support to finish the project.

To finish the overhaul now requires less than £40,000, which the group hopes to raise by sponsorship.
  • London and South Western Railway locomotive lamps
    Appropriate lamps and disks suitable for 563's 1903 Drummond livery are required. At that time the London and South Western Railway used ‘plugs' instead of the brackets fitted to later Southern Railway locomotives and those of other constituents.
  • The Southern Railway retrofitted lamp brackets into the LSWR plugs. To operate on the Swanage Railway, 563 will need a dedicated set of lamps, discs, and diamonds.
  • Although the discs and diamonds can be produced in-house, they are rather complicated. The Group has been working with the Urie Society and the South Western Circle, and has found a suitable drawing for an LSWR locomotive lamp, which looks quite different to the latter SR lamps. A quote of £430 each has been received to manufacture these lamps, and two are needed.
Cab Gauges
  • The Group is also looking for a sponsor for steam heat and steam brake pressure gauges to be mounted on the footplate.
  • 563 did not have steam heating fitted when it was originally overhauled, but is now an essential requirement for running in colder weather. Each gauge, with the correct ‘LSWR' lettering, will cost £380.
 
30th May 2023

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TRANSPORT FOR WALES

Industrial Action Travel Advice​

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Transport for Wales (TfW) Class 153​

Transport for Wales (TfW) is reminding passengers of the importance of checking for the latest travel information with industrial action taking place this week.

The train drivers’ union ASLEF has announced strike action at 16 Train Operating Companies (TOCs) on Wednesday 31 May and Saturday 3 June, while The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) has announced strike action at 14 TOCs on Friday 2 June.

TfW is not involved in industrial action but some of its services are likely to be extremely busy as a result of the severely-reduced timetable put in place by other operators.

Wednesday 31 May

Transport for Wales services will run, however the following routes will be busier than usual:
  • Carmarthen - Swansea - Bridgend - Cardiff Central - Newport - Severn Tunnel Junction
  • Gloucester - Cheltenham
  • North Wales - Chester - Crewe – Manchester
  • Also, all services set down/ pick up only at Stockport and Wilmslow.
  • Last services out of Manchester Piccadilly will be cancelled due to overcrowding concerns.
  • West Midlands services will terminate/originate at Wolverhampton due to late notice engineering works.
Friday 2 June

Transport for Wales services will be busy due to a reduced frequency service from other TOCs including GWR, WRM, Avanti and Northern.

Early morning and evening TfW services running in and out of Cheltenham, Gloucester, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham International and Liverpool Lime Street will be disrupted before 07:00 and after 19:00.

Saturday 3 June

Transport for Wales services will run, however the following routes will be busier than usual:
  • Carmarthen - Swansea - Bridgend - Cardiff Central - Newport - Severn Tunnel Junction
  • Gloucester - Cheltenham
  • Also, services will not call at Manchester all day on BTP advice due to overcrowding concerns.
  • Marches services to terminate / originate at Crewe
  • Chester / North Wales services to terminate / originate at Warrington Bank Quay
  • West Midlands services to terminate / originate at Shrewsbury due to late notice engineering works

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31st May 2023

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TRANSPORT FOR WALES

Safety warning as first Overhead Line Equipment for Metro goes live​

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Transport for Wales (TfW) OLE​

Trespassing on railway lines in South Wales is more dangerous now than it has ever been, warns Transport for Wales (TfW) and the British Transport Police.

The risk death or serious injury for those who continue to trespass on the rail network has increased significantly with the introduction of ‘live’ Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) for the South Wales Metro carrying 25,000 volts – the equivalent of 100 times standard household electricity.

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Transport for Wales (TfW) OLE​

Contact with OLE is fatal nine times out of 10, with the heat generated from a shock of 25,000 reaching temperatures of more than 3,000 degrees Celsius.

In 2022 there were more than 1,000 recorded incidents of trespass on the Core Valleys Lines alone, which could have been fatal if the OLE was energised.
 
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Transport for Wales (TfW) OLE - Night Shift​

Lois Park, Head of Community and Stakeholder Engagement at TfW, said: “The first section of electrified OLE is another significant milestone for the South Wales Metro project, but it brings significant risks for those who choose to trespass on the network.

“The OLE system has been designed to keep people safe and as long as everyone respects the railway boundary and does not trespass onto the railway, they will be as safe. But for those who may have gotten away with trespassing on the lines in the past, the risk of serious injury and death is now significantly higher.

“Within the next two years the whole of the Core Valleys Lines will be electrified to allow TfW to run our brand-new trains, so we are committed to working with communities to make everyone aware of the danger.

“People should stay at least 2.75m away from the OLE at all times as you don’t have to touch it directly to be electrocuted, and take extra care when carrying objects such as umbrellas, helium balloons and fishing rods.”
 
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Transport for Wales (TfW) OLE​

TfW has been improving security around the network with measures such as additional fencing and extensions to safety barriers on bridges.

But there have been a number of incidents of cable theft and damage in recent months, which have resulted in severe damage to equipment and disruption to services.

In February an empty passenger train struck damaged cables close to Llandaff station following an attempted theft, resulting in delayed and cancelled services into Cardiff for several hours.

BTP Wales and Borders Superintendent, Andrew Morgan, said: “Trespassing on the rail network is something we take extremely seriously. Not only is it illegal, but the railway is full of hidden dangers that can result in serious and life-ending consequences. It is also one of the biggest causes of train services being delayed across the network, with just over 200 hours of delays caused in Wales alone last year- purely because of trespass incidents. We continuously work with train operators, partners and local communities to raise the awareness of these dangers and we always take action against those who trespass whenever we can.”

Anyone caught trespassing on the rail network could be taken to court and fined up to £1,000.

You can help by reporting suspicious behaviour on the tracks to the British Transport Police:
  • Call 0800 40 50 40
  • Text 61016
  • In an emergency call 999
  • Or you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
 
1st June 2023

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TRANSPORT FOR WALES

Metro Transformation Works Update​


WATCH:

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Metro Transformation Works Update - OLE Switch On​
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Metro Transformation Works Update - OLE Switch On

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Transport for Wales has successfully completed the first phase of electrification on the South Wales Metro and progressed with station transformation and signalling work.

The railway line between Cardiff and Pontypridd will open on 5 June.

However, transformational engineering works on the Aberdare and Merthyr lines will continue until 12 June.

Transport for Wales is urging all customers to check before they travel and allow enough time for their journeys, as there could be timetable changes and bus replacement services will continue to run to keep people moving.

Customers are also being advised ahead of the Coldplay concert in Cardiff on 6 and 7 June, that there will be no trains north of Pontypridd (Treherbert and Merthyr Tydfil Lines) and Mountain Ash (Aberdare Line). Rail replacement buses will be busy, and customers should plan ahead.

Replacement buses will be in operation, with changes for rail services at Pontypridd / Mountain Ash. Ticket acceptance has also been agreed with Stagecoach for the below services: 
  • T4 Merthyr – Cardiff 
  • 60/61 – Aberdare to Pontypridd 
  • 120-130 – Treherbert – Pontypridd 
  • 132 – Pontypridd - Porth 
Also, from 5 June, there will be changes on the Treherbert bus replacement service timetable and customers are again urged to plan ahead and check before they travel.

Marie Daly, Chief Customer and Culture Officer at Transport for Wales said:

“We’ve taken a huge step forward in delivering the South Wales Metro and electrified the first part of the railway line in the valleys. In the near future, this will allow us to run faster, cleaner and more efficient services.

“We will also reopen the line between Cardiff and Pontypridd on 5 June.

“Unfortunately, some of our planned engineering work is over-running while we complete all the necessary checks to allow the infrastructure to be reopened safely.

“We understand the extension of rail replacement buses that are currently in place will be frustrating for passengers, especially with a major event taking place in Cardiff next week.

“It is important customers familiarise themselves with the rail replacement timetables to get to the event and home safely afterwards. We also have ticket acceptance in place with bus operators and customers are advised to make use of these where possible.”

“All our teams are working hard to ensure that we offer the best possible service to our customers.”  

For the most up to date information, please use our Journey Checker or visit our website www.tfw.wales

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1st June 2023

Nine days of delays as major work takes place in West Yorkshire​

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Engineers continuing work to transform Morley station​

Network Rail is warning passengers of disruption from 17 until 25 June, as major work for the TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU) takes place at Morley station in Leeds.

This follows disruption for TRU work in May and in February.

TRU will be carrying out nine days of upgrade work at Morley, which will affect passengers travelling along the rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York. Network Rail is urging passengers to plan their journeys in advance.
 
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Morley workers​

Engineers will begin to demolish Morley station's old platforms and build new ones.

They will realign tracks and activate a track turn-back, which lets trains turn around, and calibrate the control of signals to Network Rail's rail operating centre in York.

The most significant impact on train services will be over the first two days of the upgrades (17-18 June).

Engineers will be completing additional work in Huddersfield, which will affect the route that would otherwise be used to divert trains.

During this time, passenger trains will be unable to run between Huddersfield and Leeds and buses will replace all train services.

For the remainder of the nine-day works, passengers will be able to reach their destination via railway diversionary routes and/or rail replacement buses.
 
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Morley track​

Sarah Thompson, Sponsor on TRU said: “We're really excited to start the next phase of upgrades at Morley which take us one step closer to a fully accessible station.

“However, for us to safely complete these upgrades, we do need to stop trains from running via their usual route, so I'd urge anybody travelling between 17-25 June to check ahead and plan their journey”. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank customers for their patience and understanding while the work takes place”.

Chris Nutton, Major Projects Director for TransPennine Express said: “As major upgrade work takes place for Morley station, there will some service alterations for TransPennine Express services. Customers are advised to allow for additional time to travel and to check carefully for the latest service alterations before they travel on our website (www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates/changes-to-train-times).

“Updates will also be available on our social media channels. In addition, extra support will be available for customers from Customer Delivery Managers who will be on hand to assist customers with their journeys.”
 
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1st June 2023

Ipswich-Lowestoft line improvements to continue in August​

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Track renewal Ely Ipswich​

Trains will not run directly between Ipswich and Lowestoft for ten consecutive days in August, as Network Rail engineers replace track on the East Suffolk Line.

Network Rail workers will replace over a mile of track that is over one hundred years old, and will also replace the ballast and sleepers which support the rails.

The track has joints between different sections, which can make journeys noisy and uncomfortable (the familiar ‘clickety-clack' sound).

The new track is continuously welded, which will enhance the quality of the ride for passengers and will reduce noise.
 
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Some of the worn-out track that will be replaced​

Engineers will carry out the work between Wednesday 16 August and Friday 25 August.

Buses will replace trains between Ipswich and Saxmundham throughout this period, and will also operate on Sunday 3 September to enable follow-up work to take place.

The track replacement is taking place to the north of Martlesham, where Network Rail stabilised and widened a deteriorating embankment in spring this year.

In August, engineers will finish installing a new walkway along the embankment, which will improve access for railway workers to carry out regular maintenance along this part of the line.
 
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Before the works: signage slipping down the deteriorating embankment​

Maintenance work means that buses will replace trains on the Ipswich to Felixstowe line on Sunday 3 September.

Rail replacement buses can not carry full-size bicycles and e-scooters.

Network Rail is advising passengers to check before they travel, using the Greater Anglia or National Rail websites.

Mark Walker, Network Rail Anglia route infrastructure engineer, said: “Having completed our stabilisation works on the Martlesham embankment in the spring, we're now coming back to finish the job. This is a major track replacement project and we need an extended stretch of access to the railway to get it done. We're sorry for the disruption that this will cause, but passengers can rest assured that we'll be making the very most of the time to help deliver an East Suffolk Line that is fit for the future.”

Jamie Burles, Greater Anglia managing director, said: “This improvement work will help us maintain high levels of punctuality and reliability on the East Suffolk Line. With our new trains having raised service standards on this important route, this engineering work will help modernise the rail infrastructure and provide a more comfortable journey for passengers.

“A rail replacement bus service will run while the work takes place, so customers can complete their journeys. We would like to thank customers for their patience while this work is carried out.”
 
1st June 2023

LNER Names Train ‘Together’ in celebration of PRIDE and Inclusivity​

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LNER ‘Together'​

London North Eastern Railway (LNER) has introduced a newly named and fully adorned Azuma train in honor of the ongoing Pride celebrations across the UK this summer.

Dubbed ‘Together,' this train is a testament to LNER's unwavering support for Pride activities along its route and its steadfast commitment to fostering diversity, equality, and inclusion initiatives for its employees, customers, and communities throughout the year.

The grand unveiling of the train's special livery preceded LNER's enthusiastic participation in the inaugural Pride event along the extensive 956-mile East Coast route connecting Scotland and London.

The name ‘Together' was thoughtfully chosen by a panel of LNER colleagues and dedicated train naming experts.

LNER employees were given the opportunity to propose a meaningful name, and the final selection was determined through a collective vote.

This name exemplifies LNER's dedication to fostering unity among all communities and acknowledging the profound bond between members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies at LNER.
 
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Azuma 801 266 ‘Together' in new PRIDE Livery​

The striking design of the train's livery, expertly crafted by LNER staff, graces each of the nine carriages within the Azuma fleet.

The livery is adorned with eight LGBTQ+ flags, artfully showcasing the broad spectrum of vibrant and diverse identities within the community.

These flags include the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride flag, Bisexual flag, Trans Inclusive Gay Men's flag, Lesbian Pride flag, Pansexual Pride flag, Nonbinary Pride flag, and Asexual Pride flag.

LNER proudly supports Pride events along the East Coast route and will actively participate in the Pride parades in York on June 3, 2023, and Edinburgh on June 24, 2023.

Additionally, LNER will organize engaging in-station activities in Edinburgh on June 24, 2023, and London on July 1, 2023, further contributing to the spirit of Pride.

The ‘Together' Azuma train will become a permanent fixture on the LNER route, offering passengers a seamless and enjoyable journey between destinations with the utmost speed, style, and comfort.

The introduction of the Azuma fleet signifies an exciting new chapter in sustainable rail travel, accessible to all, thanks to its innovative technology and advancements.
 
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LNER Together train

David Horne, Managing Director at LNER, said: “It's a momentous occasion for everyone at LNER to unveil the first full-liveried Azuma in celebration of Pride ahead of our summer of supporting Pride
events on our route. At LNER, we truly focus on creating an inclusive workplace where our people feel able to be themselves. “Every year, our colleagues get fully onboard with supporting our activities at Pride celebrations. The introduction of ‘Together' means that we will have a visual reminder for all our communities to enjoy and engage with, and I'm sure its colourful design will make it a popular sight on the LNER route.”

Craig McNally, LNER Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Lead, said: “The LNER team has Pride in their DNA. All year round we see colleagues getting involved, supporting other colleagues and communities and sharing their stories. ‘Together' is the perfect celebration of the respect and love our colleagues have for each other.”
 
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