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Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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19th July 2023

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

Back in the garden

My Mountain Ash tree's berries are ripening now.

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19th July 2023

Inside The Train Shed

Today I planned to calculate how the plan for the station/goods area would look prior to laying more track.

First I thought I'd give 'Tintagel Castle' another few circuits.

She responds very well to the 'Drivers' controls (Train Controller) in both high and low speeds. :D


GWR Class 57 'Tintagel Castle' hauls 4 MK3 coaches on the circuit
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I'm using Mk3 coaches at present, so I may have to change them for period 1910 coaches to finalise the platform length.

The nearest building is a goods shed.

You can see the main station building on the platform, the final building will be about twice this size.

The Signal Box will be mounted on the opposite platform, it will have a clear view of the main lines and station loops etc.

Opposite the main station building on the opposite platform is a waiting room.

There will be a four road span footbridge providing access to the two platforms.

A water tower will also be placed near the station.

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So, I've dug out all of the railway buildings out of the storage crates.

I now start looking at the other accessories I have.

I think it's probably time to sort through what I actually do have while I have the room and before I lay more track.

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20th July 2023

Steam locomotive 45596 Bahamas to visit Somerset this Saturday​

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LMS Jubilee 45596 'Bahamas' tackles the gradient past Old Dilton working a 1Z22 16.30 Exeter St Davids-Waterloo (via Bristol), the return leg of The Railway Touring Company's 'The Atlantic Coast Express' on 20/05/23.
45596 Bahamas is set to haul a tour to Somerset this Saturday (22nd July 2023)

Departing London Paddington at 07:00, the train will pass through Southall (07:14), Slough (07:26), Reading (07:50), Reading West (07:56), Newbury (08:20), Frome (09:47), Castle Cary (10:44), Taunton (11:20) and Bishops Lydeard at 11:42, where a WSR resident loco will take the tour to Minehead and back.

With 45596 now serviced and passengers back from Minehead, 45596 Bahamas will depart Bishops Lydeard at 16:42 and will pass through Taunton (17:04), Frome (17:53), Newbury (19:08), Reading West (20:07), Slough (20:37) and London Paddington at 21:10.
 
20th July 2023

Stadler to supply hydrogen-powered narrow-gauge trains to Italy​

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Visualisation of the new hydrogen train for ARST in Sardinia​

Stadler has been awarded two framework agreements to supply and maintain ten hydrogen-powered trains for Azienda Regionale Sarda Trasporti (ARST) in Sardinia and 15 similar trains for Ferrovie della Calabria (FdC) in Calabria.

Both railways are narrow gauge, which means that Stadler is the first train manufacturer in the world to supply hydrogen-powered trains for narrow-gauge railways.

However, Stadler has previously delivered FLIRT H2 hydrogen-powered trains to the USA.

The initial call-off from the framework agreements is for six trains for Sardinia and six for Calabria, with all of them to be built at Stadler's headquarters at Bussnang in Switzerland.
 
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Stadler's hydrogen-powered train for Calabria​

The contracts were awarded following public tenders launched last month, and cover the design, production, delivery, and maintenance of the trains.

They will incorporate ecological fuel-cell and hydrogen propulsion and are used on regional and suburban services on the narrow-gauge (950-mm) network in the two Italian regions.

Finance for both projects is from the EU's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
 
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Interior of Stadler's hydrogen-powered train for Calabria​

Ansgar Brockmeyer, Executive Vice President Marketing & Sales of Stadler, commented: “Stadler enjoys a long and innovative partnership with ARST and FdC. We are proud to be working together to drive forward the decarbonisation of rail transport in Italy.

“The new narrow-gauge trains with hydrogen propulsion are a world premiere and will pioneer sustainable rail transport on narrow-gauge lines worldwide. We would like to thank ARST and FdC for their trust in us and look forward to expanding our partnership even further in the future.”

These contracts confirm Stadler's establishment as a market leader in Italy for the design, supply, commissioning, and entry into service of narrow-gauge railway vehicles.

The company has previously received orders for over 130 trains that are in the process of delivery to Ferrovie Appulo Lucane in the Apulia and Basilicata Regions, Ente Autonomo Volturno (EAV) in the Campania Region, and Ferrovia Vigezzina-Domodossola in the Piedmont Region.

Stadler has also received orders for bimodal locomotives for Trenitalia, trams for ATM in Milan, and additional narrow-gauge metro vehicles for EAV.
 
Old Lady - Mormo maura

A large-winged, sombre-coloured moth, the adults are not readily attracted to light but are frequent at sugar.

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Flight Season​

Flies from July to August in one generation.

Size and Family​

  • Family – Noctuidae
  • Large Sized
  • Wingspan Range – 55-65mm

Conservation status​

  • UK BAP: Not listed
  • Local

Caterpillar Food Plants​

Caterpillars feed on blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and other trees and shrubs.

Habitat​

Damp localities as well as waste ground and gardens.

Distribution​

  • Countries – England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland
  • Distributed locally throughout much of Britain, and common in places.
 
21st July 2023

Derbyshire museum acquires Blackpool 645 Tramcar​

The tram will see mixed usage at the popular Derbyshire based museum as an "Access Tram' and "One Person Operation" tram.​

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Blackpool tram 654 arrives at Crich Tramway Village​

Crich Tramway Village, which is a branded name for the National Tramway Museum, has acquired Blackpool 645 tramcar after it was kindly donated by Blackpool Transport Services.

The tramcar will see combined usage at the well-loved Derbyshire-based museum, including “Access Tram” and “Once Person Operation” tram.

The museum already owns one Access Tram which supports wheelchair users and passengers with mobility difficulties by using a special hydraulic lift, however, it has to be booked ahead by a week in order to be used.

Peter and Susan Whitely, who are regular volunteers at the National Tramway Museum, have made a substantial donation in order to see the tram restored to working order, which also covered the costs of moving the tram to the museum.

The tram will see work get underway shortly following a comprehensive evaluation and costing for the 645's refurbishment, including the reinstatement of traction electrics.
 
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Unloading Blackpool 654​

Peter's volunteer work sees him heavily involved with restorations at the tramway workshop, he said:

“I realised that the tram would possibly make a good “Access 2” tramcar as it has a flat saloon floor, is 8ft wide and has offset centre doors, which makes the body very strong and maximises space in the saloon.”

“It is a large single-decker, so would retain a significant number of seats, allowing it to be used as an Access tram at the same time as a service tram. It is One-Person operated, so will enable a 3-car service when we have crew shortages. It also represents the last 1st Gen UK built/operated tramcar. It ticks a lot of boxes.”

Dr Mike Galer, General Manager at the Museum said:

“We are looking into the possibility of having a 2nd tram which is accessible to wheelchair users, and we are very grateful to Blackpool Transport Services and Peter and Sue Whiteley to give us the opportunity of exploring this option with this tram.”
 
21st July 2023

Stadler to supply battery-operated green trains to Austria​

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Prototype of the FLIRT Akku from Stadler​

Stadler has won a contract from the publicly-owned Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) to supply up to 120 battery-powered trains.

The framework agreement will see Stadler's FLIRT Akku vehicles – the battery-powered version of Stadler's FLIRT model – replace the current diesel fleet in Austria's eastern region.

The trains' traction batteries are charged by an overhead line, enabling them to operate on sections of line that are not yet electrified.

The two companies will sign the framework agreement this autumn, when the initial order for sixteen vehicles will be placed.
 
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FLIRT operating in winter conditions with Norske tog Railways​

Stadler points out that rail is the most sustainable mode of transport, but that for its environmental benefits to be maximised, trains need to run on electric power rather than diesel.

This presents a challenge in countries such as Austria whose rail network is only partially electrified or not electrified at all.

The company has addressed this by developing vehicles with battery, hydrogen or even hybrid propulsion.

The FLIRT Akku has an operating range of around one hundred kilometres, and can therefore operate on almost all of the non-electrified routes in Austria.

On one occasion, the train travelled 224 kilometres in battery-only mode, which is a world record for the longest journey travelled by a regional train in battery-only mode without additional charging.
 
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