News
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Enhanced diesel loco services on West Somerset
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CLASS 37 No. D6948 arrived at the West Somerset Railway (WSR) on April 29 for a two-month visit. The privately owned loco is in the care of the Growler Group, based at Toddington on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. The blue-route loco is helping with WSR timetable services during the weight restriction period, and worked several days…
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Progress at Tarka Valley on major extension work
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PHASE 1 of the Tarka Valley Railway’s extension at Torrington, North Devon, continues apace. Following installation of the new Strail crossing panels late last year, the permanent way team has completed the pedestrian crossing permitting public access to the Tarka Trail. This was followed by preparing the trackbed and laying the next three panels of…
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Revised plans unveiled to protect sea wall route
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FURTHER proposals to rebuild and re-route the Exeter to Newton Abbot route between Dawlish and Teignmouth have been unveiled by Network Rail. The ambitious plans include extensive works to protect the line from cliff falls and landslips, as well as high seas, around Parsons Tunnel and Holcombe Beach. A 1.8km section of the railway could…
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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Prototype HST power car withdrawn by NRM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RESTORED prototype HST power car No. 41001 has been withdrawn from all forthcoming engagements.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. …
