Marcus' Model Railway Journey

Return of the Fly!

5th June 2023

News story:​

Runaway wagon at Kineton

Published: 5 June 2023

Investigation into a runaway wagon at Kineton, Warwickshire, 25 May 2023.

At around 21:10 hrs on 25 May 2023, an empty wagon ran away from the exchange sidings at the Ministry of Defence’s Kineton Munitions Depot in Warwickshire.

The wagon ran away for over one mile (1.6 km).

In doing so, it passed over two farm crossings and a level crossing on a public road.

The wagon came to a stand a short distance beyond the level crossing.

Nobody was injured during the incident, although damage was caused to a gate in the yard.

The wagon had been secured before it ran away using its parking brake by staff working for Kuehne + Nagel, working under contract for the Ministry of Defence.

Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events that led to the incident.

It will also consider:

• the actions of those involved and anything which may have influenced them
• the arrangements put in place by Kuehne + Nagel and the Ministry of Defence to control the risks of a vehicle running away
• the design and maintenance of the braking system on the wagon
• any underlying management factors

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry, the Ministry of Defence or the rail industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation.

5th June 2023

DB Cargo UK names locomotive after Yorkshire children’s hospice​

Martin House Children's Hospice at Boston Spa near Wetherby in West Yorkshire is set to receive nationwide recognition after DB Cargo UK named one of its locomotives after the hospice last Friday, 2nd June, at York railway station.

The hospice's colourful new branding has been applied to DB Cargo UK's Class 66 freight locomotive No. 66190.

The charities message about the valuable palliative care work carried out by the hospice can be seen throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

In recent years, the rail industry has carried out fundraising for the hospice, resulting in DB Cargo UK and Network Rail recently handing over a cheque for £200,000 to the hospice as a culmination of their four years of fund-raising.

To raise funds for the hospice, special fundraising charter trains have been run in conjunction with the Branch Line Society.

They were started after Martin House's services were used by a Network Rail colleague, Charlotte Bullock, to help care for her son Luca who was born with multiple disabilities.

Although both Charlotte and Luca have since passed away, they remain the inspiration for the rail industry's fund-raising efforts.

After the unveiling of the newly-liveried 66190 on Platform 3 at York station, industry and civic dignitaries took a special trip to nearby Drax Power Station, which is another major fundraiser for Martin House.

66190 'Martin House Children Hospice'. Recently Named, DB Cargo 66 at Doncaster. 'The Tyne Tees Maid' Day 1. 1Z27 Doncaster - Tyne Dock on June 3, 2023

DB Cargo UK's Chief Sales Officer Roger Neary said: “We are delighted to be in a position to spread the word about the amazing work undertaken by Martin House Children's Hospice.”

“Our colleagues are proud to utilise their skills and expertise to run charter services for such a worthy organisation and I'm sure this striking new livery will turn heads our locomotive is out and about on the rail network,” he added.

Rosie Mellor-Silvester, Head of Regional and Individual Giving Fundraising at Martin House Children's Hospice, who will perform today's official unveiling, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Martin House Children's Hospice is receiving the honour of having a locomotive named after us.

“This is a fantastic extension of our ongoing partnership with the Charter Train team, and we're incredibly grateful for their continued support which enables us to be there for children and young people across our region when they need us most.”

Jerry Dickinson, a Senior Incident Controller at Network Rail and whose brainchild the charter trains are, said: “It is fantastic to see a DB Cargo UK freight locomotive named in honour of such a deserving charity. We have worked closely with them and others to deliver a series of fundraising charter trains with our voluntary promoter, the Branch Line Society.”

“Martin House is a charity which we hold very dear to us after they provided invaluable support to our colleague, one of my members of staff and friend, Charlotte Bullock, and her family over a number of years.

“We are one industry working together to achieve remarkable things. Together, we will continue to do our very best to raise awareness of the wonderful work of Martin House Children's Hospice and provide donations to allow them to continue their critical work. We feel like an extension of their family and that is only enhanced when their staff join us on the trains.”

Mark Gibbens, Head of Logistics at Drax Power Station, whose chosen charity is Martin House Children's Hospice, said: “We are proud to support the vital work that Martin House Children's Hospice does to provide care and comfort for children and their families, and we are delighted to be working with our partners Network Rail and DB Cargo UK to raise awareness of such a good cause.”

“It was a real privilege to see the unveiling of the locomotive which looks fantastic and an honour for Drax Power Station to be the first stop on its inaugural run.”

5th June 2023

Siemens Mobility secures €530 million to maintain Class 185 fleet​

Siemens Mobility has secured a €530 million contract extension for the maintenance of Class 185 trains that operate on the former TransPennine Express routes between Manchester, Sheffield, and Cleethorpes and Manchester to Hull.

Most of the maintenance work will be carried out at Siemen's Ardwick Depot in Manchester and its depots at York and Cleethorpes.

The contract extension will secure around 200 jobs across Siemens Mobility depots in the north of England.

The company has maintained the fleet since 2006 and has completed a full digital upgrade of the fleet to improve its reliability.

The Class 185 trains are fitted with remote condition monitoring that uses use Siemens Mobility's cloud-based Railigent X application suite.

This provides maintenance teams with direct updates on the performance of each train, including any areas that need to be prioritised for maintenance.

As well as providing updates on individual vehicles, the system provides an accurate picture of the whole fleet to ensure they continue to give the best passenger experience.

In six times of the last seven years the Class 185 fleet has been awarded a Golden Spanner award, with the latest being in November 2022.

Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, said “The UK is one of our core markets and we're proud to have been awarded this contract extension. It is a real testament for us being a trusted partner to our customers and continuing to ensure trains perform at a high standard throughout their entire lifecycle. Railigent X applications, part of the open, digital Siemens Xcelerator business platform, enable us to offer best passenger experience and highest availability.”

David Walker, Head of Fleet Commercial for TransPennine Express, said “We have had a long and productive relationship with Siemens Mobility and we are delighted to continue working together with the award of this eight-year contract extension.

“We are looking forward to Siemens Mobility, Eversholt Rail and TransPennine Express delivering further improvements to one of our key fleets through building upon our strong, collaborative partnership.

“Suppliers like Siemens are vital in making sure that customers remain at the heart of everything that we do and we are committed to offering the best passenger experience when people choose to travel with us.”

“We look forward to working with TransPennine Trains Limited and Siemens Mobility to continue to deliver a reliable Class 185 fleet for passengers”, said Paul Sutherland, Client Services Director at Eversholt Rail.

5th June 2023


TANGENT MAN STRIKES AGAIN!
Just when you thought it was safe to be informed only on railway topics!

Marcus' Garden

Bellflowers

6th June 2023

News story:​

Unsafe movement of train at Styal station

Published: 6 June 2023

Investigation into an unsafe movement of train at Styal station, Cheshire, 3 May 2023.

At around 15:26 hrs on Wednesday 3 May 2023, a passenger train operated by Northern Trains departed from Styal station, Cheshire, with five passenger doors open.

The train involved was a three-car class 323 electric multiple unit.

Immediately before the incident, this train had experienced technical difficulties where the driver was unable to release the brakes and take power.

As a result of this, Northern Trains control instructed the driver to isolate safety systems relating to the doors to allow the train to move.

The train travelled for approximately 10 seconds with these doors open.

Once the train reached 5 km/h (3.1 mph), a safety system caused the open doors to close automatically.

No one was hurt in the incident, although people were moving towards the train and a passenger was standing in an open doorway when the train started.

Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events which led to this incident. It will also consider:

• the actions of those involved and anything which may have influenced them
• the arrangements put in place by Northern Trains to manage and control the risks of train dispatch
• Northern Train’s policies and procedures for managing technical issues on trains in service
• the design and function of the relevant safety systems on the train
• any underlying management factors

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation.

6th June 2023

Where to see steam locomotive 60103 Flying Scotsman as it visits Cardiff this Wednesday!​

60103 Flying Scotsman is to haul a tour to Cardiff this Wednesday (7th June 2023).

The tour originates at London Paddington with the famous locomotive departing at 07:50.

After London Paddington, the A3 locomotive will pass through Slough (08:20), Twyford (08:37), Reading (08:48), Didcot Parkway (09:22), Swindon (Wilts) (10:33), Bristol Parkway (11:16), Pilning (11:27), Severn Tunnel Junction (12:04), Newport (South Wales) (12:52) and Cardiff Central at 13:24.

With the loco's time in Cardiff over, Flying Scotsman will depart at 16:50 and will return via the same outbound route, passing through Severn Tunnel Junction (17:30), Bristol Parkway (17:48), Swindon (Wilts) (19:27), Didcot Parkway (20:41), Reading (21:07), Slough (21:32) and London Paddington at 22:07

6th June 2023

Cotswold town to host ‘Journey Through Steam’ valuation on 1 October​

The Cotswold town of Broadway is to host an event at which experts will value railway memorabilia brought along by members of the public.

The event will take place on Sunday 1 October between 10am and 3pm at Lifford Hall, Lower Green, Broadway, WR12 7BU between 10am and 3pm.

The organisers – Broadway Museum and Art Gallery, in partnership with the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) and GW Railwayana Auctions (GWRA) – are inviting members of the public to bring items of steam- and diesel-era railway memorabilia (‘railwayana') to be valued be three experts including author, railway historian, and BBC Antiques Roadshow star Paul Atterbury.

Railwayana might include locomotive name and works plates, station totems and signage, signalling items, railway posters, paperwork and ephemera, plus any rolling stock or miniature railway related items.

Further details of the event can be found on this webpage.

Broadway Museum and the GWSR recently won the 2023 ‘Heritage Railway Interpretation Award' for its popular ‘Journey Through Steam' exhibition.

The award was presented at the Heritage Railway Association Awards ceremony in Birmingham, on Saturday 11 March.

The exhibition has been extended until 12 November 2023, and visitors to the 1 October railwayana valuation event will receive a 20% discount voucher to the Broadway Museum and Art Gallery which is valid until the exhibition closes.

Catherine Johnson, GWSR Marketing Manager, commented: “We are delighted at the GWSR to be working again with The Broadway Museum, on this event, but also in conjunction with Paul and GW Railwayana Auctions and a couple of our volunteers. It is a further way of developing GWSR in the local area. It will also give people the opportunity to have their loved memorabilia valued.”

Anona Van Lawick, Museum Director, commented: “We cannot think of a better way to add to the hugely successful exhibition than to offer our community of railway fans the opportunity to have their own loved memorabilia assessed and valued by Paul. These collections are what made our exhibition possible and with the great lengths GWSR are going to, to grow this Heritage Asset, we are proud to be working with and supporting this important piece of British history.”

6th June 2023


TANGENT MAN STRIKES AGAIN!
Just when you thought it was safe to be informed only on railway topics!

Marcus' Garden

Morning in the garden

My Laburnum is losing it's flower petals now.

You can see them on the ground.

Rhododendron flower cluster with Bee!

Rhododendron flower close-up

Bellflower close-up

Azalea flower close-up

Valerian in flower

7th June 2023

News story:​

Train overspeeding incident at Spital Junction, Peterborough

Published: 7 June 2023

Investigation into a train overspeeding at Spital Junction, Peterborough station, 4 May 2023.

At around 13:00 hrs on 4 May 2023, the 09:54 hrs Sunderland to King’s Cross service, operated by Grand Central, passed over three sets of points at Spital Junction on the northern approach to Peterborough station at a speed of around 65 mph (104 km/h).

This was above the maximum permitted speed over the junction which is initially 30 mph (48 km/h) reducing to 25 mph (40 km/h).

The excessive speed over the points led to the train lurching sideways.

This resulted in a number of minor injuries being sustained by passengers, with some being thrown from their seats.

The train subsequently came to a stand at Peterborough station under emergency braking.

The train did not derail during the incident, and subsequent inspections found that no damage was caused to the infrastructure of the railway, or to the vehicles.

The train involved in the incident was not due to call at Peterborough.

It had been approaching the station on a fast line, before being routed onto a slower line via the points where the overspeed occurred.

The route onto this slower line was being displayed by the junction signal situated on the approach to the points.

RAIB is currently investigating an overspeed incident at this location which occurred on 17 April 2022.

The report of this investigation will be published soon.

More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/overspeeding-incident-at-peterborough-station.

On 25 May 2023, RAIB issued urgent safety advice to Network Rail and transport undertakings who operate trains on the East Coast Main Line through Peterborough station.

This advised the relevant duty holders to take immediate steps, either operationally, or by technical means, to mitigate this risk.

The urgent safety advice can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/urgent-safety-advice-022023-overspeeding-through-spital-junction.

Our investigation into this more recent incident will seek to identify the sequence of events which led to it.

This will include consideration of:

• the way in which the train was driven
• any factors which may have influenced the actions of the driver of the train
• the condition of the signalling system at the time of the incident
• the nature of the reported injuries
• any underlying management factors

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation.

7th June 2023


TANGENT MAN STRIKES AGAIN!
Just when you thought it was safe to be informed only on railway topics!

Moon - Night shots

I wanted to see how well my camera could photograph the night sky.

I took about seven pictures, some were over exposed and some didn't focus correctly.

I was amazed that the camera was even able to reveal stars!

Click on image for higher resolution image, you can see the stars very well.

8th June 2023

Great Central Railway: 50 Years of Heritage Train Celebrations​

June 2023 marks a significant milestone for the Great Central Railway, as it commemorates fifty years since dedicated volunteers successfully reintroduced steam trains to the renowned heritage line.

To celebrate this anniversary and envision the future, the railway will host a gala weekend on the 17th and 18th of June, inviting visitors to participate in the festivities.

In addition to the usual extensive service of passenger and freight trains on the railway's exceptional double-track line, the event will feature various displays, exhibitions, and a particular focus on recruiting new volunteers to shape the next fifty years of Great Central history.

An exciting opportunity awaits visitors as they are encouraged to explore the cab of our steam and diesel locomotives at Leicester North station.

Four exclusive films have been commissioned to preserve and share the remarkable story of how trains and passengers returned to the line fifty years ago.

These films will be released on the GCR's official YouTube channel (accessible via the search term “GCROfficial”). Each film will showcase a volunteer recounting the tale using restored archive pictures.

​

The former Great Central Railway faced closure in 1969 under British Rail. However, a group of dedicated volunteers immediately began efforts to reopen the line, tirelessly campaigning for access.

In 1973, the inaugural train open days were held, followed by the commencement of train operations between Loughborough and Quorn and Woodhouse station in June of the same year.

These initial trains were pulled by a locomotive from the Norwegian State Railways and included an antiquated wooden carriage.

Since those early days, the Great Central Railway has expanded its operations, with trains running to Rothley Station and a newly constructed platform at Leicester North.

A second line was laid to enhance the railway's capacity, transforming it into a double-track railway complete with heritage signalling.

Today, the Great Central Railway attracts visitors from all corners of the globe who journey to Leicestershire to experience its unique heritage and charm.

“To mark the moment we've got lots of special things planned,” said Malcolm Holmes, the Great Central Railway's General Manager. “Not only are we going to celebrate with a special gala event featuring a fifty wagon freight train, we're also going to tell the story of our pioneering volunteers, many of whom are still working on the line today.”

“We're also having a special golden ‘glow up' raffle over the summer,” continued Malcolm. “We have fifty wonderful prizes including the chance to learn to drive a steam engine and many more. Our aim to raise fifty thousand pounds to repaint signal boxes and carriages and give ourselves a bit of a facelift for the years ahead. With some money can't buy experiences on offer, tickets will go on sale at the special gala event.”

“We've come a long way,” concluded Malcolm, “but our success has been built on the loyal and continued support of our volunteers, members, shareholders, donors and local stakeholders. Our 50th anniversary gala weekend will be all about celebrating and hopefully welcoming some volunteers who'll be part of the story in the next half a century!”

8th June 2023

Free to Good Home – Railbus RB3 seeks a new home!​

Downpatrick and County Down Railway need to re-home RB3 as they are short of space and are unlikely to use the vehicle in the future​

Downpatrick & County Down Railway are on the look to give away Railbus RB3 to a good home after the vehicle has become surplus to requirement and is taking up space that could be used for other purposes.

The heritage railway has already advertised the sale in Ireland but is now looking further afield to see if the Railbus can be donated to a new home.

The BREL Railbus RB3 was built in Derby in 1981 and was moved to Northern Ireland Railways in 1982 to support capacity requirements on the Coleraine to Portrush line, but was unable to do so and was moved on to inspection duties before being withdrawn in 1992.

The Railbus then spent some time in the Transport Museum in Cultra ahead of making its way to the Downpatrick & County Down Railway in 2001, where it enjoyed a short spell running passenger services before going into storage.

The vehicle was also hauled as stock in 2012 on a few occasions in 2012 before returning to indoor storage before being stored outdoors in 2018.

The vehicle's physical condition is reasonable both internally and externally, with expected wear and tear for its age.

RB3 carries a few cosmetic issues including:

• A passenger saloon broken window
• Damage to fibreglass bumpers

The vehicle cabs are fully complete with all internal parts and also the passenger saloon, which also has a number of spare windows available.

Mechanically, RBS features:

• Leyland TL11 200hp diesel engine
• SCG gearboxes
• Gmeinder final drive to one axle

The vehicle's mechanical make-up is very much like that of a Pacer to which RB3 is considered a predecessor.

Whilst running with Northern Ireland Railways and also at Downpatrick and County Down Railway underwent several mechanical and electrical issues and features a ‘lively' ride quality.

Both British Rail and Northern Ireland Railway could keep the issues repaired and RB3 up and running however, Downpatrick and County Down Railway does not have the ability or the volunteer base with the expertise to repair the faults or make necessary modifications to support the vehicles running which is how it ended up being stored for so many years.

The issues ailing the Railbus include fuel starvation to the engine and the need for a major modification to the breaks, which were similarly carried out on Pacers.

Last started in 2012, RB3 could not move under its own power and the railway cannot ascertain whether it will start currently.

When the railbus was last hauled as stock in 2012, its air systems were run via the train supply and were in normal working order.

Interested parties can contact info@downrail.co.uk for more information.

8th June 2023

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway marks diesel loco’s 25 years in preservation​

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway is marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of its English Electric Type 3 / British Rail Class 37 diesel-electric locomotive no. 37215 (D6915) by releasing photographs of its entry into preservation service in 1998.

It will celebrate the anniversary on Sunday 24 September 2023 with the Class 37 locomotives operating trains under the pink timetable.

37215 officially began its preservation service on Friday 25 September 1998, after a test run on 5 July 1998 between Toddington and Gotherington.

The anniversary of the test run falls two days before the start of the railway's annual Summer Heritage Diesel Gala on Friday 7 July.

Class 37s are popular among rail enthusiasts, many of whom refer to them as ‘Tractors', as they sound quite similar to the agricultural vehicles.

The locos were known for their versatility and reliability, easily hauling heavy freight trains and mainline passenger services on primary and secondary routes.

English Electric built 309 Class 37 locomotives between 1960 and 1965, at two sites: Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire, and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in Darlington.

37215 (D6915) is a 37/0, and was one of those built at the Vulcan Foundry.

Completed in late 1963, D6915 was delivered new to Swansea Landore depot (87E) during January 1964, and spent the next three-and-a-half years mainly hauling freight trains around the Swansea and West Wales areas.

In October 1967 it transferred to Wakefield shed in West Yorkshire, then moved to its replacement, the newly-built Healey Mills diesel depot (55C), two months later, from where it worked coal and other freight services around Yorkshire and across the Pennines into Lancashire.

The Class 37 locomotives had a low axle load and a route availability of five (RA5), so could travel virtually anywhere on the national rail network.

Several subclasses were developed, to enable a longer their lifespan.

Ninety locomotives still exist, some in active mainline service, some in long-term storage, and some in preservation.

In October 1968, the ‘D' prefix was dropped, and during October 1971, 6915 moved to Tinsley depot (41A) near Sheffield in South Yorkshire.

Two years later, in September 1973, it moved to Stratford depot (SF) in East London, and spend the next eight-and-a-bit year working on the Great Eastern lines from London into East Anglia.

This included servicing Essex and Thameside's many freight facilities in the Essex and north Thameside area, including travelling around the north London line into the Southern and Western regions.

During this time, in March 1974, the loco was renumbered 37215.

In January 1982, it returned to Tinsley depot (TI), and spent the next six years hauling trains around Yorkshire, including regular Saturday seaside trips from the Sheffield area to resorts such as Blackpool, Scarborough and Skegness.

Between November 1987 and May 1988, the loco moved quickly from Tinsley (TI) to Immingham (IM) then Stratford (SF) and finally Cardiff Canton (CF), where it became part of the Trainload Petroleum fleet, spending the next four years working heavy oil trains out of South Wales to terminals across the south of England.

It usually worked in a pair with another Class 37.

37215 went into storage in August 1992, moving to Inverness depot (IS) and being officially withdrawn on 16 July 1993.

It was subsequently bought for preservation by The Growler Group then bought it for preservation, and moved it to GWR's Toddington site road.

It arrived on 23 June 1994, where work began to restore it to operational condition.

The locomotive returned to full working order in July 1998 and after several test runs, its paintwork was finished on 25 August 1998.

In 2007, 37215 was repainted in British Rail blue livery as the class wore during the 1970s and '80s.

Tickets for GWSR's summer diesel gala are available online on the Railway's website.

The event will feature up to eight diesel locomotives and a diesel multiple unit (DMU) in operation.

The locomotive and carriage & wagon workshops will be open for behind-the-scenes visits.

Other activities will take place at the railway's period stations.

8th June 2023


TANGENT MAN STRIKES AGAIN!
Just when you thought it was safe to be informed only on railway topics!

In the garden

More Bellflowers!

Bottlebrush flowers about to unfurl

8th June 2023

STATION CAT SPOT

Tess, looking cute, stopping me working on the YouTube video scenes

8th June 2023

Inside The Train Shed

I have been photographing scenes (when Tess lets me ) for the next ETHNON RAIL YouTube video.

Phil & Bob will be starring in it.

Phil & Bob's Land Rover

Bob & Phil