Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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Runcorn East​

Lisa Cleminson, Stations Director said, “We are delighted to be progressing with this project. These station improvements offer tangible benefits to our customers and visitors to Flint and Runcorn East stations. The investment in the disused building at Flint station will improve the way the station looks and will provide more commercial and community opportunities. This significant investment in both stations will introduce an array of new and upgraded facilities and will really enhance the overall customer experience.”

TfW are working closely with contractor Taziker, industry and local partners on this project and the aim of these improvements is to provide a better customer experience for our passengers.

Kim Hawkins, Group Station Manager said, “We are happy to see this investment in customer facilities throughout our stations and I am confident that staff will support both our customers and contractors on site, to ensure we minimise disruption. We will continue to work collaboratively to ensure our stations are safe, accessible and welcoming places for passengers.”

The aim of these improvements is to provide an enhanced customer experience and work is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023.

TfW is encouraging customers to plan in extra time to allow for potential disruption.
 
15th June 2023

Man sentenced after pushing boy onto Welsh railway track​

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Porthmadog station​

Cameron Jones from Penrhyndeudraeth has been convicted after pushing a boy onto the track at Porthmadog railway station in Gwynedd.

Jones pleaded guilty to common assault Caernarfon Magistrates Court on Thursday 8 June and was given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay court costs and a surcharge totalling £239.

He was further ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.

Back on the 26th January, Cameron Jones arrived at Porthmadog railway station at around 8:30pm and began shout and act aggressively towards the boy.

He then pushed the boy with such force that he was pushed from the station onto the railway tracks.

Jones then left the station and the boy found help in the neighbouring pub.
 
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Porthmadog station​

Police Constable Robin Lloyd-Williams from British Transport Police said: “The potential outcome of this incident is unimaginable. Luckily, the victim came out of this incident physically okay, but it certainly left him very shaken. I would like to thank him for assisting us in our investigation.

“This type of crime is something we always treat very seriously and we will always take action when we can. I would also like to thank the Court for their time and the sentence handed down to Jones.”
 
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15th June 2023

Inside The Train Shed

Quite a bit of work done today.

The old testing circuit baseboard has been sawn in half for storage after being stripped of all wooden supports.

The ETHNON RAIL project baseboards have been temporarily assembled to reveal the true size of the new layout.

Big tidy up tomorrow. :)

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As the new ETHNON RAIL YouTube video has been released.

I would like to congratulate Laforeia for winning the 'Star on Ethnon Rail' competition.

I understand she's going to be away from NS for a month or so.

So this should be a nice surprise for when she returns.

You'll see her countryball on this video.............

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com

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Would you like to be a 'Star on ETHNON RAIL' ?

Simply like the 'Marcus' Model Railway Journey' posts on this forum

TOP TIP: Remember kids, it only takes one 'like' to enter (FORUM post).

But to improve your chance's of winning the coveted STAR SPOT, the more 'likes' on the FORUM posts, the more chances you have of winning.

Remember:

The more 'likes' you make, the more chances you'll have in the lottery.

Also, once you have won and are on the video, you are still going to be on following videos as long as you continue to support the forum thread. :D
 
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16th June 2023

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TRANSPORT FOR WALES

New Metro tram-train in testing​

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TFW tram train​

Brand-new tram-trains that will revolutionise public transport are now being tested on the South Wales Metro railway lines.

Supplied by leading manufacturer Stadler, the light rail vehicles will be able to run on both rail and tram lines and will operate on electrical lines and battery power.

At 40 metres long the CITYLINK tram-trains can carry more than 250 passengers and on rail run at 100km per hour.

The high-floor vehicles feature spacious, bright and air-conditioned passenger compartments with six multifunctional areas for bicycles, seats for people with reduced mobility and two wheelchair passenger spaces.

Transport for Wales recently electrified the first phase of the South Wales Metro and the first tram-trains are now in testing, ready for passengers in 2024.

The Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters said: “This is great news. Funded by our £800m investment in a new fleet of trains, these new light rail tram-trains, electrically powered, faster and with greater capacity, will play an important part in our plans to transform rail services in Wales.”

Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer at Transport for Wales said: “This is another major milestone for us at TfW, we’ve already introduced three new types of train to our network for passengers to use this year. We’re now pleased to be testing our light rail tram-trains that will operate a turn up and go service on the South Wales Metro in the very near future.

“Wales has yet to experience light rail travel and these vehicles will provide faster, cleaner and more efficient travel. We’re investing £800 million in brand-new trains for Wales and a billion pounds on the South Wales Metro and through transforming our network we want to encourage more people to travel sustainably.”

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16th June 2023

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NetworkRail:

Passengers along Ebbw Vale line thanked for their patience as line reopens following latest stage of multi-million-pound transformation​

Region & Route: Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

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Llanhilleth station​

Network Rail extends thank you to passengers and local communities after 19-day closure of the railway between Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale Town.

Network Rail engineers, together with contractors from Amco Giffen, Siemens and its own internal construction services team, worked day and night since Wednesday 24 May, to continue the transformation of the Ebbw Vale line.

This £70m major project has been funded by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council via a loan from the Welsh Government.

The Department for Transport and Network Rail are providing a further £17m to deliver signalling upgrade and renewal work. 

The work this Spring included the continued construction of two new platforms at Newbridge and Llanhilleth stations (one at each station), the installation of new signal posts, regrading and stabilising of an embankment, and track work in various locations along the line.

Part of a new access ramp and waiting shelter was constructed at Newbridge station while the lift mechanism and motor rooms were installed at Llanhilleth station.

This block of work concluded on Monday 12th June with five more Sunday day closures throughout June and July.
 
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Platform work at Llanhilleth​

Nick Millington, route director for Wales and the Borders said: “I would like to personally thank passengers and local communities for their ongoing patience throughout this work.

“We know there is never a good time to close sections of the railway, but it is the quickest and safest way to carry out the huge volumes of work required for this major project.

“Once complete, passengers will benefit from a direct link to Newport which will provide better access to employment opportunities, leisure and training, as well as open up rail travel to Bristol, the midlands and London.”
 
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New brickwork at Llanhilleth​

Jan Chaudhry-Van der Velde, Chief Operations Officer at Transport for Wales said: “The multi-million-pound investment into the Ebbw Vale line will allow us to run more frequent and more reliable services in the near future, bringing significant benefits to our customers.

“We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience while this vital work is took place.”

Further line closures will take place on the following dates:   
  • Sunday 18 June  
  • Sunday 25 June
  • Sunday 2 July  
  • Sunday 9 July  
  • Sunday 16 July  
 
16th June 2023

Livery unveiled for Bedford – Bletchley replacement trains​

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Livery for Class 150 (Click image for enlargement)

London North Western Railway has unveiled the new look its incoming Class 150s will get for the Marston Vale Line.

Currently, services are suspended with rail replacement bus services running after Vivarail, the company that maintains the Class 230 trains that operate services on the line, filed a ‘Notice Of Intention To Appoint Administrators'.

They have secured Class 150s No. 150137, 150139 and 150141 from Northern to run the line, and Northern has advised LNWR that the units will be available for release in July.

Ahead of this, the operator has been developing the required training courses that staff will have to complete ahead of passenger services resuming.
 
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16th June 2023

2,500 FLIRT trains have been sold by Stadler​

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Transport for Wales (TfW) FLIRTs Class 231​

Stadler is celebrating after it has just sold its 2,500th FLIRT multiple unit, 20 years after the FLIRT range was first launched.

FLIRT stands for “Flinker Leichter Intercity- und Regional-Triebzug”, or in English, “fast, light, innovative intercity and regional train”.

The units have become international best-sellers, and are now in operation in 21 countries from the Arctic Circle to North Africa.
 
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The first FLIRT for Zug S-Bahn for Swiss Federal Railways​

Stadler's latest order for FLIRTs is for four FLIRT electric multiple units for the Italian region of Valle d'Aosta, which placed its first order for FLIRT trains in 2015.

FLIRT stands for and has become one of the most popular and successful platforms for modern rail vehicles.

FLIRTs were originally designed as four-car articulated trains with two traction bogies at each end.

The design allowed for a spacious low-floor interior along the whole length of the train and was first used in the Zug S-Bahn for Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).
 
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FLIRT in use with NAH in Germany​

Outside Switzerland, Germany has the largest FLIRT fleet in service in Germany, with almost 500 vehicles in use by various operators for regional and regional express transport.

Another important is Norway, where 150 FLIRTs were ordered by the Norwegian state railway NSB for use on the Oslo suburban train network and intercity trains.

Last March the state-owned company Norske tog ordered up to 100 more FLIRTs.

The FLIRT combines an intelligent, innovative design with tried-and-tested technology.

It is also extremely versatile thanks to Stadler's proven module concept.
 
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FLIRT operating in winter conditions with Norske tog Railways​

The FLIRT is a cost-effective response to urbanisation and the growing pressure in the transport market on account of its high-performance drive system, excellent acceleration and braking characteristics, ergonomic driving properties, comfortable interior design and functional modular set-up.

Over the last 20 years, a variety of drive technology options have been developed including full electric traction, hydrogen, battery, and diesel operation, or using hybrid solutions combining several of these technologies.

The latest units incorporate Stadler's in-house signalling solutions.
 
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Hydrogen-powered FLIRT with the SBCTA in the USA​

Orders for FLIRTs with alternative drives has come from Nahverkehrsverbund Schleswig-Holstein (NAH.SH), which has ordered 55 battery-powered FLIRT Akku trains, and 58 of the same type for DB Regio in Germany.

Stadler is also developing a hydrogen-powered FLIRT for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (STAT) in the USA.

A Stadler FLIRT Akku model Stadler H currently holds the world record for the longest journey by a battery-powered train in battery-only mode.

Peter Spuhler, Executive Chairman of Stadler's Board of Directors, said “When we launched the FLIRT, it was an extremely impressive concept. Being imitated by the major rail vehicle manufacturers was a welcome acknowledgement for Stadler – and a driver for further innovation.

“The success of the FLIRT is a credit to our dedicated team. We are constantly endeavouring to develop and improve the vehicle. The sale of the 2,500th FLIRT is a significant milestone for Stadler and demonstrates the outstanding quality and performance of our vehicles. We are proud that the FLIRT is appreciated by rail operators and customers worldwide, and that it is helping to make rail transport more efficient and more attractive.”
 

17th June 2023​

Birth of the Railway Locomotive​

Before the invention of the railway locomotive, the speed and pulling power of horses represented the maximum that land transport could achieve.

Steam-hauled railways introduced entirely new concepts of speed; vastly more goods and people could be transported further, faster and more cheaply.

Steam-hauled railways revolutionised many aspects of peoples’ lives.

Within less than a single lifetime, steam-hauled railways went from remarkable novelties to being mainstays of everyday life.

The railway revolution began in Merthyr Tydfil on 21 February 1804 with the first recorded steam-hauled journey on rails.

The key personalities were the talented Cornish engineer Richard Trevithick and Samuel Homfray, owner of the Penydarren Iron Works.

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The forges and rolling mills at Penydarren Iron Works, with the blast furnaces in the left background.

In front of the buildings at the right is a horse pulling three loads of bar iron at the start of the journey to Abercynon where it would be transferred onto a boat on the Glamorganshire Canal for transport to Cardiff and loading onto a ship.

It was just such a consignment of iron that Trevithick’s locomotive successfully transported.

Etching by John George Wood for his book “The Principal Rivers of Wales”, 1812.
 
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Trevithick had developed a compact high pressure stationary steam engine that could be built more cheaply and produce more power that pre-existing designs of similar size.

Homfray formed a partnership with Trevithick to manufacture the stationary engines.

In 1801 and in 1803 Trevithick had built and demonstrated experimental steam-powered road vehicles but had failed to arouse public enthusiasm.

In south Wales he encountered a dense network of tramroads serving the ironworks, quarries and mines – all horse drawn and all built with iron rails.

He hoped there might be an additional market for his high pressure steam engines if he could demonstrate their usefulness on railways.

Homfray, seeking to widen demand for the engines he was beginning to build and market, agreed to fund the construction of a railway locomotive.

The pioneering locomotive was designed and built at Penydarren Iron Works over the winter of 1803-04.

The locomotive successfully pulled five wagons loaded with ten tons of iron and 70 men who had hitched a ride on the wagons for the 9¾ mile journey.

Over the following weeks the locomotive made a number of further journeys the length of the tramroad.

The locomotive was widely reported at home and abroad.

Frequent breakages of the brittle cast iron track by the unsprung locomotive resulted in it being converted into a stationary engine within a few months.

Two further Trevithick-designed locomotives were built in England in 1805 and 1808 but he found no commercial backers.

Despite Trevithick’s failure to commercially develop his locomotives, a seed had been planted.

Engineers in the North East of England, notably Timothy Hackworth and George Stephenson, built a succession of viable locomotives in the 1810s that reliably hauled coal wagons from collieries to shipping places.

These developments enabled the Stockton & Darlington Railway to use steam locomotives from its opening in 1825, and lead to the first long distance steam-hauled railway opening between Liverpool and Manchester in 1830.

In 25 years steam-haulage had progressed from experimental to reliable.

Within a few decades more, railways employing steam locomotives were in use on every continent.
 
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The pre-dawn preparations at Penydarren Iron Works for the locomotive’s first trial run, a scene filmed for the BBC series “The birth of Europe” in 1991.

The Museum’s conjectural reconstruction of the locomotive featured in the episode “Coal, Blood and Iron”.​
 
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“The Miners’ Express”, Saundersfoot Railway, 1900s. ​

This primitive service harked back to early 19th century practices and may capture something of the atmosphere of the Penydarren locomotive’s trial run in 1804 when 70 men hitched a ride on the five wagons.

This Saundersfoot Railway service was introduced in 1900 to enable coal miners from Kilgetty to travel to Bonville’s Court Colliery.

The ironic name was created by the postcard publisher.
 
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A conjectural reconstruction of Richard Trevithick’s pioneering Penydarren locomotive is displayed in the National Waterfront Museum at Swansea, where it is periodically demonstrated in-steam.​

Replica locomotive​

The replica locomotive on display in the Museum today was built working from Trevithick’s original documents and plans (now in the National Museum of Science and Industry).

It was inaugurated in 1981 and, ironically, presented the exact same problem as the original engine – it too broke the rails on which it ran!

We cannot overestimate the importance of Trevithick’s locomotive.

In 1800, the fastest a man could travel over land was at a gallop on horseback; a century later, much of the world had an extensive railway system on which trains regularly travelled at speeds of up to sixty miles per hour.

This remarkable transformation, a momentous occasion in world history, was initiated in south Wales in that February of 1804.
 
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The Penydarren loco​

On 21 February 1804, the world’s first ever railway journey ran 9 miles from the ironworks at Penydarren to the Merthyr–Cardiff Canal, south Wales. It was to be several years before steam locomotion became commercially viable, meaning that Richard Trevithick and not George Stephenson was the real father of the railways.

In 1803, Samuel Homfray brought Richard Trevithick to his

Penydarren ironworks at Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales.

Homfray was interested in the high pressure engines that the Cornishman had developed and installed in his road engines.

He encouraged Trevithick to look into the possibility of converting such an engine into a rail-mounted locomotive to travel over the newly laid tramroad from Penydarren to the canal wharf at Abercynon.

Crawshay’s wager​

It would appear that Trevithick started work on the locomotive in the autumn of 1803 and, by February 1804, it was completed.

Tradition has it that Richard Crawshay, owner of the nearby

Cyfarthfa ironworks, was highly sceptical about the new engine, and he and Homfray placed a wager of 500 guineas each with Richard Hill (of the Plymouth ironworks) as to whether or not the engine could haul ten tons of iron to Abercynon, and haul the empty wagons back.

The first run was on 21 February, and was described in some detail by Trevithick:

‘...yesterday we proceeded on our journey with the engine, and we carried ten tons of iron in five wagons, and seventy men riding on them the whole of the journey... the engine, while working, went nearly five miles an hour; there was no water put into the boiler from the time we started until our journey’s end... the coal consumed was two hundredweight’.
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Unfortunately, on the return journey a bolt sheared, causing the boiler to leak.

The fire then had to be dropped and the engine did not get back to Penydarren until the following day.

This gave Crawshay reason to claim that the run had not been completed as stipulated in the wager, but it is not known if this was ever settled!

The engine was, in fact, too heavy for the rails.

Later, it would serve as a stationary engine driving a forge hammer at the Penydarren works.

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Trevithick's Penydarren Locomotive on its Epic Journey from Merthyr to Abercynon, 21 Feb. 1804, oil painting by Terence Tenison Cuneo.
 

18th June 2023​

Eurostar launches exclusive ‘NOMAD’ pale ale by Two Tribes​

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Two cans of Nomad by Eurostar in partnership with Two Tribes​

Cross-Channel high-speed rail operator Eurostar introduced an exclusive pale ale onboard its services from 15 June.

The beer is called NOMAD, which Eurostar explains is in tribute to people “who travel to seek new and intriguing adventures in Eurostar's exciting city destinations such as London, Paris, Lille, Brussels, Rotterdam and Amsterdam.”

NOMAD has been brewed using sustainable brewing methods exclusively for Eurostar by Two Tribes at its brewery in King's Cross, a very short distance from Eurostar's London base at St Pancras International.

The pale ale is 4.5% ABV and Eurostar describes it as “a bright and easy-going beer reminiscent of sunny European summers.”
 
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The beer uses ingredients from the UK, Belgium and Germany:
  • British heritage malt Maris Otter
  • caramel malts and a special malt from Belgium called Chateau Biscuit
  • Mandarina Bavaria hops from Germany.
These produce a smooth caramel and toffee flavour, with an element of breadiness and citrus hints from grapefruit and orange peel giving hints of citrus.

The can, designed by Two Tribes, carries images of Eurostar's train, together with landmarks of its destination cities, including London St Pancras' clock tower, the Atomium in Brussels, tulips and bicycles in Amsterdam, and Rodin's Thinker statue in Paris.
 
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London St Pancras

Andrew Robinson, Eurostar's Head of On-board Services said: “It was very exciting to collaborate with Two Tribes to develop and design the most sustainable and locally sourced pale ale exclusively for our customers. We are very proud of Nomad by Eurostar with its amazing European flavours that can be slowly enjoyed onboard alongside the array of other sustainable foods, drinks and snacks we offer on all our classes of service.”

Justin Deighton, Founder of Two Tribes said: “We've embarked on an incredible journey with Eurostar over the past half-year, and we are thrilled to further strengthen our partnership by brewing an exclusive pale ale using the finest British and European ingredients. Two Tribes and Eurostar share the belief that travel holds the key to creative discovery and good times. It is this shared ethos that has fuelled our collaboration, resulting in a truly exceptional beer crafted exclusively for Eurostar's discerning on-board customers.”
 
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