News
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Spa Valley ‘Crompton’ replaces ‘Deltic’ at North Norfolk gala
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CLASS 33 No. 33063 R.J. Mitchell will visit the North Norfolk Railway’s June 14-16 mixed traction gala in place of Class 55 No. 55009 Alycidon, following its failure while working on the main line on March 3 (RM April, p98). The ‘33’ appears courtesy of the South East Locomotive Group, and is making a rare appearance away…
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Prototype HST power car withdrawn by NRM
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RESTORED prototype HST power car No. 41001 has been withdrawn from all forthcoming engagements. This follows detection of possible engine problems during operation at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s (KWVR) May 3-6 diesel and mixed traffic gala. The power car was conveyed by rail from the KWVR to Kidderminster on May 7 in convoy 5Z89,…
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Porterbrook wins hydrogen race as converted ‘319’ makes public debut
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Word: Ben Jones THE UK’s first hydrogen-powered main line train moved under its own power for the first time at the ‘Rail Live’ event in June. Porterbrook ‘HydroFLEX’ demonstrator No. 799001, extensively modified from dual-voltage EMU No. 319001, has been fitted with a hydrogen power pack, allowing it to run as normal on electrified routes, or independently…
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Power station decline continues as Cottam faces closure
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EDF Energy has announced it will stop electricity generation at Cottam Power Station, in Nottinghamshire, on September 30, writes Chris Booth. The coal-fired 2,000MW facility is one of two EDF power stations in North Nottinghamshire, and although West Burton ‘A’ will remain open, the company says Cottam will not be ‘economically viable’ beyond the end…
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Abellio outlines its plans for East Midlands franchise
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Train operator Abellio has begun outlining its plans in a series of briefings to stakeholders ahead of when it takes over the East Midlands franchise from August 18. Abellio will brand the franchise East Midland Railway (EMR), introduce a new deep purple livery for its trains, and have three distinct strands – EMR Intercity, EMR…
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Extended Buxton sidings boost Peak stone traffic
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Hogshaw Lane Sidings in Buxton have been transformed by a £14million project to accommodate longer limestone trains from local quarries. The two sidings, close to Buxton station, are on the site of the former London & North Western Railway (LNWR) engine shed, and are used by Freightliner and DB Cargo trains to and from the…
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Autumn blockade for West Coastway route
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SOUTHERN services on the West Coastway route will be disrupted between Havant and Chichester from October 26 to November 3. The nine-day closure will be followed by three further weekend blockades, allowing Network Rail to relay 2.3km of track and replace life-expired equipment at at Basin Road, Stockbridge Road, Brook Lane and Bosham level crossings. …
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CP6 signalling contracts worth £750m awarded
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SIX contracts to deliver signalling and telecommunications worth an estimated £750million between 2019 and 2024 have been awarded by Network Rail. The framework contracts are divided into geographical lots, with VolkerRail winning London North West, Atkins taking Anglia, and South East and Wessex and Linbrooke Services winning London North East. Read more News and Features…
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£40million Exeter depot beginning to take shape
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THE impressive new £40million train maintenance depot next to Exeter St Davids is now taking shape, although the stated opening date of ‘summer 2019’ looks somewhat ambitious. The project was announced at the beginning of 2018 and is being built by Hochtief for Network Rail, Great Western Railway and the Department for Transport. This April…
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July start for King’s Cross ‘throat’ remodelling work
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WEEKEND part-closures on July 13-14 and August 24-26 will mark the start of Network Rail’s £237million scheme to renew and remodel the station throat at London King’s Cross. Over the coming months, life-expired trackwork, overhead line equipment (OHLE) and signalling, dating from the last remodelling in the 1970s, will gradually be replaced over the first…
