This day in history 02 November
Images
Hawick Shed: Reid D30 Scott class 4-4-0 no 62423 Dugald Dalgetty stands in the shed yard at Hawick in 1957. The locomotive was withdrawn from here in December of that year and cut up at Inverurie works the following month.
Edinburgh Princes Street: A Black 5 storms out of Edinburgh's Princes Street station with the 1.20 pm service to Lanark on 2nd November 1964. Nowadays this view - from Grove Street towards Morrison Street - is dominated by the West Approach Road, but the tenements in the middle distance and the 'colonies' to the right still survive. See image [[18413]]
Balerno Junction: The Balerno branch - seen here crossing the Union Canal looking towards Balerno Junction - lost its passenger services in 1943, but freight would survive for another three years after this photograph was taken on 2nd November 1964. Much of the route is now an attractive walkway following the densely wooded valley of the Water of Leith.
Edinburgh Princes Street: The fireman of Dalry Road Black 5 no 45127 returns to his cab prior to the locomotive shunting empty coaching stock from Platform 1 at Princes Street on 2 November 1964.
Edinburgh Princes Street: Sunshine and steam at Edinburgh Princes Street station on Monday 2 November 1964. Black 5 no 45127 eases empty coaching stock away from platform 1, while Fairburn 2-6-4 tank no 42058 waits alongside the water column on the south side of the station. The photograph was taken from the steps of the signal box.
Buchanan Street: As a porter wrestled with a fully laden barrow, B1 61029 'Chamois' was ready to leave Glasgow Buchanan Street with the 11.35 service to Thornton on 2nd November 1966. Buchanan St station closed for good at the end of that week.
Boat of Garten: Curious youths watch the last Speyside train as it pauses at Boat of Garten on 2nd November 1968.
Grantown-on-Spey East: The Hills of Cromdale provide a snowy backcloth for a photostop at Grantown-on-Spey East on the final Speyside passenger train on 2nd November 1968.
Tillynaught: Last glimpse of the rural rail elegance of Tillynaught Junction, on 2nd November 1968. Looking north along the branch platform towards Banff, which had recently lost its freight services - passenger trains having succumbed in 1964. On the left stands the final Elgin-Buckie-Aberdeen passenger train.
Carlisle: D5317 is awaiting its scheduled departure time at Carlisle platform 7 on Saturday 2 November 1968 with the 1pm train to Edinburgh Waverley via Hawick.
Grantown-on-Spey East: The Grantown-on-Spey East signalman exchanges some final thoughts with the driver and secondman of the last westbound Speyside train during a photo stop on Saturday 2nd November 1968. The signalman was subsequently redeployed to Carrbridge, where he was a familiar face until the Inverness-Aviemore resignalling in the late 1970s which eliminated the boxes at Carrbridge, Tomatin and Culloden Moor - and introduced new loops at Kincraig, Slochd and Moy.
Knockando: A passenger chats with the driver and the secondman (remember them?) while the final westbound Speyside passenger special pauses at Knockando en route from Aberdeen to Aviemore on Saturday 2nd November 1968.
Ballindalloch: The extensive goods yard at Ballindalloch, as seen on 2 November 1968 - freight services between Aviemore and Aberlour had been withdrawn the previous day.
Cromdale: A special heading south for Aviemore along the Speyside line makes a photostop at Cromdale on 2 November 1968, just prior to the final closure of the line. Cromdale station itself had been closed by BR more than 3 years earlier in October 1965. See image [[24580]]
Boat of Garten: The locomotive and crew of the final westbound Speyside train attracting a lot of attention at Boat of Garten on 2nd November 1968.
Nethy Bridge: Looking north over the level crossing at Nethy Bridge on 2 November 1968 as a special makes a photostop at the closed station. The special, which was on its way to Aviemore, was organised to mark the final closure of the line.
Cromdale: Closure notices on display at Cromdale station on 2nd November 1968. In these pre-vandalism days, the notice advising passenger closure three years earlier still survives!
Boat of Garten: Passengers return to the last westbound Speyside passenger train after a photo stop at Boat of Garten on 2nd November 1968.
Millerhill Yard: Clayton no D8505 at Millerhill depot on a Sunday afternoon in November 1969. Barely a year earlier, in December 1968, it had been seen in store in the old steam shed at Kingmoor, having been withdrawn after only about five years of service. However, it was subsequently reinstated and worked from both Polmadie and Haymarket depots before final withdrawal.
Millerhill MPD: Class 40 no 257 at the head of a line of Type 4 power sitting out� the weekend at Millerhill depot on Sunday 2 November 1969. [The photographer's means of transport was the no 14 bus to Newcraighall and then Shank's pony - not the Morris Minor visible on the right.]
Millerhill MPD: Class 26 no D5328 sits out a Sunday at Millerhill depot on 2 November 1969, sandwiched between class 37 no D6844 and an unidentified class 26. Note the tablet catcher in the recess at the far end of the locomotive which, although then based at Haymarket, had spent most of the 1960s working from Inverness.
Millerhill MPD: Sunday 2 November 1969 finds green class 37 no D6841 basking in the late autumn sun at Millerhill depot.
Fraserburgh: Fraserburgh from the Links Road bridge looking south, a month after final closure. The two roads on the right latterly formed the loop, but were the St. Combs (middle) and Aberdeen (right) lines when passenger services operated. The foundations of the signal box can be seen at the bottom left. The line remained in this limbo state only for a few months and track lifting commenced in early 1980. This part of the railway is now occupied by the Harbour Access Road, completed in 1987.
Fraserburgh: The booking hall of Fraserburgh passenger station in 1979, looking north towards the exit to the street. The ticket offices were on the right, and waiting rooms on the left.
Fraserburgh: The booking hall of Fraserburgh passenger station in 1979, looking south towards the exit to the platforms. The ticket offices were on the left, and waiting rooms on the right. To the left of the door is a John Menzies kiosk which also opened out to the platform side.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: 47707 Holyrood awaits departure time at Glasgow Queen Street on 2 November 1983 with a push-pull shuttle service for Edinburgh Waverley.
Denham Watertroughs: During its spell of main line running, 34092 'City of Wells' approaches the site of Denham Water Troughs, which were near West Ruislip, with a Marylebone to Sheffield special in 1985. This once open country location is now completely overgrown with trees and, just around the corner, work for HS2 is in full swing. 34092 is now resident on the East Lancashire Railway.
Millerhill Yard: A view over the refuelling and stabling point at Millerhill yard, seen from the north in November 1997.
Millerhill Yard: 37515 in BR Metals Sector livery entering Millerhill Yard from the north in November 1997 with a PW train.
Pitlochry: Platform scene at Pitlochry in November 1999 as First ScotRail 158722 departs with a southbound service.
Killiecrankie Viaduct: Autumn at Killiecrankie, November 1999.
Oich Viaduct: One of the surviving piers from the Oich viaduct at Fort Augustus rising Excalibur - like (sorry about that) from the river in November 2002.
Richmond [Yorkshire]: The abandoned former terminus at Richmond, North Yorkshire, seen here unoccupied in November 2004, following closure of the garden centre that had previously operated from the site. See image [[25318]]
Wensley: The former Wensley station seen from the level crossing in November 2004. View west along what is now the Wensleydale Railway's heritage line towards Redmire.
NRM Shildon: The main exhibition hall at the National Railway Museum at Shildon, built on the site of a former yard. View is east on 2 November 2004, with the Bishop Auckland - Darlington line running past on the left.
Richmond [Yorkshire]: The 1846 Tudor style station building at Richmond, North Yorkshire, photographed on 2 November 2004. The station was the terminus of the branch from Darlington, which left the ECML at Eryholme Junction and also served the garrison town of Catterick, the British Army's largest base. Closed to passengers in March 1968 the building stood empty at this time, having recently been occupied by a garden centre.
Shildon: Looking north west towards Shildon station from Spout Lane road bridge in November 2004. The fence marks the boundary of the NRM site.
Dufftown: Gleaming class 73 electro-diesel 73119 stands in the KDR sidings at Dufftown in November 2005.
Craigellachie [2nd]: Standing under the road bridge carrying the A95 at Craigellachie in November 2005, looking east along the old Strathspey platform. For the view from the bridge itself some 40 years earlier see image [[22477]].
Aviemore: The up GNER Highland Chieftain HST calls at Aviemore on a cold dark November morning in 2005.
Nairn: A delightful small Highland Railway station building at Nairn in 2005. This building is to be found hard beside the footbridge on the Inverness bound platform. The waiting room, also in timber, is off to the right. (The main station building is on the Aberdeen bound platform.)
Alves Junction: North poles. Sections of the Inverness - Aberdeen line between Nairn and Inverurie represent the last significant stretches of S&T pole route extant on Network Rail, albeit they are disappearing fast. Part of the route is seen here in November 2005 at Alves, with a 158 about to pass below the A96 road bridge on its way to Aberdeen. Turning north on the right is the Hopeman branch, which now runs as far as the Roseisle maltings just beyond Coltfield.
Nairn: The elegant main station building at Nairn in November 2005, looking east towards Forres.
Dufftown: J&B liveried industrial 0-6-0 shunter - Dufftown, November 2005. The locomotive formerly worked at [[Cameronbridge Distillery]], Fife, from whom it is currently on extended loan.
Dufftown: Restoration challenge - Dufftown, November 2005.
Dufftown: Class 73 electro-diesel no 73119 at Dufftown in November 2005.
Craigellachie [2nd]: Approaching Craigellachie along the Speyside line from the Aberlour direction in November 2005, about to pass below the A95 road bridge and enter the site of the former station. [Ref query 779] See image [[22477]].
Alves: The former Alves station, midway between Forres and Elgin, looking west from the road bridge in November 2005.
Nairn: A bright and sunny afternoon at Nairn station looking west in November 2005, with a ScotRail 158 pulling away on the final leg of its journey to Inverness. The closed west signal box can just be seen at the far end of the platform (see image [[54095]]).
Nairn: Platform 2 at Nairn on a sunny November day in 2005. View is east towards the station footbridge.
Glenfarg: Deep it the cutting there is a shack, who is Lucan into it?
Saughton: A Bathgate train westbound from Haymarket in November 2006 approaching Saughton Junction.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: 170410 sitting at Queen Street waiting for passengers
Glasgow Central: 221105 William Baffin & 220034 Yorkshire Voyager at Glasgow Central with services for Plymouth & Bournemouth
Glasgow Central: 91120 Royal Armouries waiting to depart for London Kings Cross
Glasgow Central: 156477 waiting to depart for Paisley Canal
Glasgow Central: 221105 William Baffin departing with a service to Bournemouth
Glasgow Central: 390029 City of Stoke-On-Trent just arrived from London Euston displaying the all over train advert for Superman Returns
Glasgow Central: Virgin Pendolino 390029 'City of Stoke-On-Trent' at Glasgow Central Platform 2 in November 2006. An officer from the British Transport Police is busy carrying out security checks along the platforms
Hownes Gill: Memento of Consett. A hot metal cauldron standing alongside the trackbed of the former Stanhope and Tyne Railway in November 2007. Location is adjacent to a public car park near the former Lydgetts Junction on what is now The Waskerley Way, just under half a mile north east of Hownes Gill Viaduct.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF train at Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line, heading off into the Pyrenean sunset.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF closed goods van at Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line. I do not think it has moved for a while.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF 8473 at Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line. Detail showing depot location etc.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF 8473 at Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF 8473 at Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF 8473 at Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF 8473 at Ille-sur-Tet siding while trains pass in the station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line. Rail stock on this line is a bit tatty.
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: Graffiti Express SNCF Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line. Is this the new SNCF livery?
Ille-sur-Tet, France.: SNCF Ille-sur-Tet Station on the Perpignan to Villefranche-sur-Conflent line. This is as busy as you will see it,and busier than usual
Burrelton: Looking west from the old station towards Perth. Is that ewe I see?
Burrelton: Station House at Burrelton, now in private ownership. This view faces south with the former platforms (now removed) to the rear.
Sway: An eastbound CrossCountry DMU runs through Sway on the Bournemouth - Southampton line on 2 November.
Drumshoreland: A pair of 334 units head for Edinburgh past the remains of Drumshoreland Station.
Bathgate: 158868 at Bathgate (New) with the 12.54 to Edinburgh Waverley.
Falstone: The trackbed of the Border Counties line at Falstone on 2 November 2010. The former station here has been converted by the Forestry Commission for use as residential and office accommodation. View is south towards Reedsmouth Junction and Hexham.
Rugby: The North bays at Rugby have been filled in, and now resemble a 'virtual quarry'. Seen here in November 2010 see image [[32910]].
Bathgate: 334 021 heads for the yard at Bathgate (New) prior to returning west.
Forrestfield: 334 021 heads west past Bedlormie Toll, Forrestfield with a training run.
Shawfair: Work underway on the new car park alongside Shawfair station on 2 November 2014. The car park is located on the east side of the line and will initially provide parking for approximately 60 vehicles.
Edinburgh Waverley: Borders Railway message on wall of traincrew depot at east end of Waverley.
Deepdale: Autumn colours by the eastern portal of Miley Tunnel near Deepdale station in November 2014. Although it is around twenty years since the last train passed through it is only in recent years that vegetation has really taken over. See image [[18397]] for the same location less than seven years earlier and 'Yes' the tracks are still there (somewhere).
Golant: 66108 at Golant with empty CDA clay wagons from Fowey heading back to Rocks driers at Goonbarrow Junction.
Inverurie: A poster advertising improvement to the Inverness to Aberdeen route has been displayed at stations along the line.
For further details see the Network Rail site.
Turfbeg Road Bridge: Here is a picture of the old Road bridge at Forfar, on the A926 near the junction with the A90 on the old Strathmore route.
Pleasure Beach [Tram]: The stylish illuminated tram F736 HMS Blackpool, is modelled on the Royal Navy warship of the same name. It first ran in 1965, based on a 1928 Pantograph tram chassis. It was re-bodied in 2003 and is seen at the Pleasure Beach turning circle during the last week of the 2016 illuminations season.
Pleasure Beach [Tram]: Stern view of F736 HMS Blackpool on the turning circle at Pleasure Beach in between illuminations tours to Little Bispham on 2nd November 2016. Apparently the helicopter has experienced difficulties while taking off due to the overhead catenary wire but a solution is being worked on.
Hassendean: A view of the completely restored/repaired at Hassendean footbridge. See www.hassendeanstation.com for some more words and photos. Just a couple of main newel post finials and intermediate newels to have their caps replaced. And the 'cross the line by the bridge' signs to add.
Dyce: The former station building burned down almost a year ago, this was being used as a chip shop 'sea salt and sole' leaving locals devastated. See image [[12449]] This is currently being rebuilt and is due to open in the spring. This will please the passengers as many would purchase for the journey towards Inverness.
Pitlochry: The interior of Pitlochry station, facing the platform.
Happy Mount Park Miniature Railway: Small novelty train at Happy Mount Park Morecambe on 2nd November 2017. My great grand daughter really enjoyed a ride on it and to be honest so did I!
Westerton: 320305 approching Westerton with a Dalmuir to Larkhall service on 2nd November 2017. How long will the footbridge last after the new lifts and stairs are completed?
Baillieston: A Dalmuir - Motherwell service passes under the recently installed temporary bridge at Baillieston. 3 months have been allowed to complete the diversion of services over it before the present weak road bridge is demolished.
Silverdale: Neville Hill based Class 158s are now regulars on Barrow-in-Furness services from the May 2018 timetable. 158844 calls at Silverdale on its way to Lancaster on a sunny 2nd November 2018.
Midge Hall: 142027 heads for Preston on 02 November 2018 whilst working a service from Ormskirk. Although the service is timetabled only to Preston, the destination blind is already showing Blackpool South which is where the unit will head for next. The closed station of Midge Hall is just behind the train.
Kingmoor Sorting Sidings: GBRf 66716 parked up at Kingmoor with cement tankers on 2nd November 2019. The Goretex lining in my hiking boots was put to the test in that very water logged field.
Preston: 60163 'Tornado' waits at Preston in the Up & Down Goods Loop to run tender first to Blackpool on 2nd November 2019. The loco had arrived at Preston hauling 'The Illuminati' railtour from Birmingham. The tour continued to Blackpool hauled by a diesel while 60163 ran back to Farington Jct, Lostock Hall Jct and Farington Curve Jct so that it could go tender first to Blackpool and later haul the tour back to Birmingham.
Hest Bank: Classic British Railways signal box design and classic diesel traction meet at Hest Bank on 2nd November 2019. The front end of 57314 has a big hole where the Dellner coupling, from its days as Thunderbird Firefly, used to sit and this has done nothing for its looks. The train was an ECS Pullman from nearby Carnforth to Chester ahead of a Sunday excursion. Pullman liveried 57601 was on the rear.
Birkhill: Caledonian Railway 0-4-4T No.419 approaches Birkhill, hauling the two preserved C.R. coaches, during the SRPS steam gala on 2nd November 2019.
Bath Spa: Bath Spa station looking very welcoming on a cold dark November night. Compare to see image [[37202]]
Lancaster: Testing of CAF DMUs and EMUs in the North West has continued throughout 2019, as has driver training on these new units. 195113 pauses briefly in Platform 5 at Lancaster on 23rd October 2019 while shuttling between Preston and Lancaster. On this day, in addition to two Class 195s out on test, there were also two new Class 331 EMUs and two Class 397s stabled at Preston between trial runs.
Bath Spa: Another year, another livery, compared to see image [[38772]]. 159001, originating from London Waterloo, forms the 21.50 to Bristol Temple Meads. My wife had sent me out shopping; but the station was just across the road...
Blackpool North: Blackpool North on the evening of 2nd November 2019. In the centre is a Class 331 EMU getting ready to depart to St Helens Central. Normally this train would have travelled through to Liverpool Lime Street, however a major re-signalling project in the Edge Hill area resulted in no services using Liverpool's main station. The re-signalling will see the closure of Edge Hill SB with control being taken over by the Manchester ROC.
Leyland: One of the LSL HST sets heads north of Leyland on a training run from Crewe to Carnforth, 2 November 2020. Power car 43059 in former EMR livery leads two GWR Barbie livery coaches, two GWR dark green coaches and power car 43058, also in the former EMR livery.
North Pier [Tram]: A Flexity makes its way along the Blackpool tramway at North Pier on 2nd November 2021. This bright pink advertising tram was probably being watched by someone in the Tower [[54022]].
Jamestown Viaduct [Inverkeithing]: The first emission-free fully-electric train to cross the iconic Forth Bridge is seen, at the Jamestown Viaduct with the Forth Bridge beyond, in this Network Rail and Vivarail aerial view as the United Nations Climate Change Conference takes place in Glasgow. #COP26
Forth Bridge: Vivarail battery train crossing the Forth Bridge.
Cameron Bridge: Looking east from the A915 towards the site for Cameron Bridge 2nd station on 2nd November 2021. The line to Methil has been lifted but the sidings remain in place behind the camera. The headshunt using the former Up line can be seen in the foreground.
Wilton Parade [Tram]: Viewed from the North Pier, a Blackpool Flexity tram makes its way between the stops at Wilton Parade and North Pier on 2nd November 2021. The new sea defences here, part of a huge project on the Lancashire coast from Lytham to Fleetwood, are very impressive from the seaward side.
Blackpool North Pier: The diesel tram on the North Pier at Blackpool only operated from 1991 to 2004 but in 2021 the station at the landward end is still declaring 'Take the Train to the end of the Pier'. As it was only 250 yards long it was little used, although it did mean that the pier theatre could be reached undercover in inclement weather. Plywood boards still cover the tracks and so, in theory, the line could reopen but this seems unlikely.
Blackpool North Pier: There was a station at the seaward end of North Pier Tramway in Blackpool (See image [[57206]] from 2001.) The rails still run to the site, albeit now covered by plywood sheets, but the station itself has disappeared since it closed in 2004.
Arrochar and Tarbet: The rain was torrential over much of Scotland on 2nd November 2022. Thankfully, the old signal box at Arrochar and Tarbert has been converted into a second waiting room and this provided shelter to capture this Mallaig to Glasgow service calling at the island platform.
Barrhead: Interior of Barrhead signal box in November 2022, showing the diagram above the lever frame.
Barrhead: For those who thought that before closure Barrhead box was single manned ...
Barrhead: The interior of Barrhead signal box, just before the end.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
News
These are old news items which which occured on this day. This generally lists events after 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Talk The Caledonian Sleepers by Mr. Willie Black, ScotRail Sleeper Services Manager | ScotRail^s Caledonian Sleepers are Britain^s longest domestic passenger trains, conveying hundreds of berthed and seated passengers six nights a week between Scotland and London. Portions serve Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William, and the Sleepers enable tourists to save a day and businessmen to reach meetings without an early-morning flight. Marketing has had to move with the times, and logistical challenges are presented by the need to rely on suppliers and by the ongoing impact of West Coast Route Modernisation. |
| 2004 | SRA chief hits out at Borders line [Scotsman] | NEW doubts have been raised over the planned £130 million Borders rail line after the head of the Strategic Rail Authority said it was poor value for money and bus improvements might be more cost-effective. |
| 2004 | Tram plans spark rail crash warning [Scotsman] | RAILWAY chiefs today expressed fears that the Capital^s proposed £640 million trams network could cause train crashes unless the local authority spends substantially on safety measures. |
| 2004 | Two men in court over rail deaths [BBC News] | Two men, charged with manslaughter after four rail workers died in an accident at Tebay, appear in court. |
| 2004 | Politicians need to get on track [Scotsman] | Rail travellers can expect more disruption as ageing high-speed trains start to break down. But, asks DAVID HANSEN, what is being done to replace them? |
| 2006 | Services boost for east trains [Scotsman] | RAIL passengers in East Lothian are set to get an improved service. |
| 2006 | Travellers face delays as train staff protest over cuts [Scotsman] | RAIL passengers buying tickets at Waverley Station are facing disruption after workers voted to take industrial action. |
| 2006 | EWS shareholders agree on sale of business [Business Sale Report | English Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS), the UK^s largest rail operator of freight services, could be up for sale following reports that the main shareholders have agreed to sell the group. |
| 2007 | PASSENGER REMINDER: MAJOR MAINTENANCE AND ENHANCEMENT WORKS FOR HIGHLAND LINES [Network Rail Article] | |
| 2009 | Floods causing havoc in Scotland [BBC News] | Heavy rain is causing disruption in the north and east of Scotland with many homes flooded and trains cancelled |
| 2009 | Step towards £295m rail contract [BBC News Article] | The process of appointing a contractor to build the £295m Borders rail link will get under way by the end of the year. |
| 2009 | More rail disruption after floods [BBC News Article] | Rail services in the north east of Scotland continue to be disrupted after heavy rain brought flooding to many parts on Monday. |
| 2009 | Man hit and killed by 30mph train [BBC News Article] | A 22-year-old man dies after he is hit by a train travelling at 30mph about 800 yards from Markinch station in Fife. |
| 2009 | Steam rail tunnel will cost trust £1m [BBC News Article] | A steam railway charitable trust says the £5m it needs to raise to resurrect a railway line includes the cost of building a tunnel. |
| 2011 | Watercress Line gets Kings Cross ^Harry Potter^ bridge [BBC News] | A footbridge at London^s King^s Cross station that featured in the Harry Potter films is to be reinstalled on a Hampshire steam railway. The 118-year-old Handyside Bridge will be moved to the Mid Hants Railway in December. The bridge will span lines at Ropley to allow visitors to view the steam locomotives from above. The heritage railway, known as the Watercress Line, runs from New Alresford to Alton. The Handyside Bridge, which was erected in Kings Cross in 1893, was removed in 2009 as part of the station^s £500m redevelopment. Before it was removed, Network Rail said the only people still using it were Harry Potter fans and station staff. |
| 2011 | Todmorden Curve £8.8m reinstatement approved [BBC News] | A rail link in the North West could be restored after being allocated £8.8m by the Government. The Todmorden Curve, last used in the 1960s, was granted the money as part of the Regional Growth Fund announced by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. The restoration of the section of track could cut journey times between Burnley and Manchester by half. [From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2012 | Six-car ^pump train^ helps get subways back on track in wake of Sandy superstorm [Daily News] | Beneath the streets of Manhattan, one of the MTA^s giant diesel-powered work trains is reclaiming the No. 1 subway line from the sea. The six-car “pump train” has made it to about 2,000 feet shy of the South Ferry station as of Thursday afternoon, its back car on muddy tracks, its nose plunged in about 4 feet of brackish water. Farther down the line, the water gets deeper and deeper, reaching all the way up to the tunnel’s ceiling as it nears the tip of Manhattan. |
| 2012 | Dutch firm becomes first potential bidder for ScotRail franchise [Scotsman] | DUTCH national railways Nederlandse Spoorwegen subsidiary Abellio has become the first potential bidder for the next ScotRail franchise to throw its hat into the ring. |
| 2013 | Great locomotives of the past are lit up at the National Railway Museum [Press] | TRAINS are being spectacularly lit up at an event at the National Railway Museum. As part of the Illuminating York festival, the NRM has held the Locos In A Different Light competition which saw students from across the UK compete to most impressively light up the Mallard and its sister locomotives. |
| 2013 | Ken White painting is toast of rail museum [Swindon Advertiser] | THANKS to the Friends of Swindon Railway Museum, the STEAM Museum has now acquired a painting produced by internationally acclaimed artist and muralist Ken White. The oil on canvas painting, entitled The Rivet Hotters, depicts a group of GWR rivet hotters gathered round a brazier, making their toast at lunchtime. The Rivet Hotters is one of many paintings in Ken’s collection that reflect the time he spent at the famous Swindon Railway Works as a rivet hotter and later as a signwriter. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2014 | New transport powers for Manchester [Railnews] | THE process of devolving powers to the English regions has been boosted by an announcement from the Chancellor that Manchester is to gain greater power over transport and other issues, and also an elected Mayor. |
| 2015 | Porterbrook buys more trains from Bombardier [Rail News] | Rolling stock company (ROSCO) Porterbrook Leasing has announced that it will purchase an additional 80 Class 387 vehicles from Bombardier. This deal is in addition to the 256 vehicles in this class already on order. Delivery from Bombardier’s Derby factory will take place between October 2016 and June 2017. While the earlier order is for four-car sets, 29 for Thameslink, 27 for Gatwick Express and eight for Great Western, Porterbrook have not yet released how the new cars will be used. So they could be 20 new four-car trains, or they could be used in longer consists or even to add cars to existing trains. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2016 | Scots railway policing merger plan ^massively complicated^ [BBC News] | Police chiefs have warned that integrating railway policing into Police Scotland would be ^massively complicated^. A Railway Policing Bill is to be introduced at Holyrood to push forward devolution of law enforcement powers. This would include the functions of the British Transport Police being taken over by Police Scotland. Police bosses told Holyrood^s justice committee that a merger would be ^complicated but not insurmountable^. Representatives from BTP, Police Scotland, the Scottish Police Authority, and the Scottish Institute for Policing Research took part in a round-table session with MSPs at the Scottish Parliament. Absorbing transport policing into Scotland^s single force has been a long-running goal for Justice Secretary Michael Matheson. ^Efficient and effective^ The BTP itself wanted to continue providing the service, but with oversight from Holyrood instead of Westminster after devolution, and three railway unions came out against the plan. But the Scottish government said integration would ^ensure the most efficient and effective delivery of all policing in Scotland^. |
| 2016 | £60m Hull Trains electro-diesel train deal signed [Railway Gazette] | UK: Contracts worth £60m for Hitachi Rail Europe to supply and maintain five AT300 five-car electro-diesel multiple-units for use by open access company Hull Trains were finalised by the operator^s parent company FirstGroup and leasing company Angel Trains on November 2. This follows the granting of a 10-year track access agreement to the Yorkshire – London open access operator, running from 2019 until December 2029. Hitachi is to build the AT300 trainsets at its plant at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, and maintain them at Bounds Green depot in north London. They are expected to come into service in 2019, running under 25 kV 50 Hz electrification on the East Coast Main Line and continuing on diesel power to Hull and Beverley. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2017 | Five companies shortlisted to build trains for HS2 [Independent] | Five companies have been shortlisted to build 225mph trains for HS2. Rail minister Paul Maynard said the £2.75bn contract will create ^thousands of skilled British jobs and apprenticeships^. The companies vying for the right to design, build and maintain at least 54 new high-speed trains are Alstom Transport, Bombardier Transportation UK, Hitachi Rail Europe, Patentes Talgo and Siemens. |
| 2018 | Steam railway submit proposals for mainline summer shuttles [Rail Advent] | The West Somerset Railway has announced that it has submitted proposals to Great Western Railway to run shuttles next Summer. The proposals could see shuttle trains connecting Taunton and Bishops Lydeard on peak days during Summer 2019. This bid has been made to GWRs Customer & Communities Improvement Fund and is in competition with hundreds of others from around the Great Western Network. |
| 2018 | Next phase of Aberdeen “ Inverness rail improvements under way [Press and Journal] | The next phase of a major project to cut journey times between the north-east and Highlands is under way. |
| 2019 | Concern over delays to flagship projects including Highland railway upgrade [Press and Journal] | A flagship project to upgrade the Highland railway between Perth and Inverness has had £8.3 million added to its budget, according to Scottish Government documents. |
| 2019 | Next steps for improvements on Far North Line identified as review group moves to enhance accessibility [Press and Journal] | Transport bosses and local campaigners are planning the next steps of improvements for the railway line to the north Highlands. |
| 2019 | Passengers kept awake by alarms in latest fault on troubled Caledonian Sleeper services [Scotsman] | Caledonian Sleeper passengers denied showers, access to toilets or even coffee because of faults with its new trains are suffering a new nightmare being woken by alarms in the middle of the night. |
| 2019 | Heavy flooding forces closure of Highland railway line [Press and Journal] | Highland train commuters are experiencing service cancellations as heavy rain fall and flooding forces the closure of the Far North Line. The tracks between Rogart and Brora are currently being inspected by Network Rail engineers to ensure it is safe for trains to pass. |
| 2019 | First UK deep coal mine in decades to go ahead [BBC News] | The new mine in Cumbria could create 500 jobs but protesters argue it will contribute to global warming. [Railscot note: the colliery is to have a railway connection. The colliery is for coking coal for the steel industry.] |
