Tuesday 27th April 2010Rail competition – how can it be made to work?Ian Yeowart, Founder of Grand Central Trains
The title on the evening had changed to “From Grand Central to the future with Alliance” due to the fluid nature of developments in the railway industry. Ian gave an excellent presentation on open access railways from the beginnings of Grand Central to his current and future work with Alliance Rail Holdings.
He introduced himself with a brief outline of his long career in railways from starting at Toton depot in 1973 volunteering to do whatever was required. From there he moved to Cornwall and then on to Yorkshire in 1990 and has been based there ever since.
After a brief outline of the privatised railway set-up he went on with details of the pros and cons of open access. Approximately 99.9% of the privatised railway is franchised with government contracts let by competitive tendering and of a limited duration. There is strict regulation of service provision and either a fixed subsidy or a premium payment to be made. However, with open access it is purely a commercial operation with no government contract and it must offer a service not otherwise available. There is still a requirement to meet all the safety and operational standards but with the freedom to control services and set fares at a commercially viable level without being dictated to by the Department for Transport (DfT). Open access is also a way in to providing rail services for a company that might not otherwise be big enough to take on one of the franchised services. The main drawback is that any timetable is limited by the availability of pathways.
Initial failure to win a franchise in the first round of privatisation led to a lot of work being done to find a gap in rail services that would fit in with the criteria for open access and application was made to provide services between Sunderland and London, Bradford and London, and York to Chester. The proposals had to meet the stringent ORR (Office of the Rail Regulator) tests regarding capacity – large enough population with poor service provision - and availability of pathways, and Grand Central were successful, initially gaining a contract for the Sunderland to London service.
Ian set up Alliance Rail Holdings in 2009 having left Grand Central earlier in the year and, with the experience he had gained setting up Grand Central, immediately set about looking at further open access opportunities. There are hurdles to setting up services not least being taken seriously in the early years and, as he soon discovered, understanding a complex area which is constantly changing and evolving, meeting the strict and changing criteria and, on occasion, outright hostility from some parts of the railway industry and the media. What he highlighted was the need to stay focused, professional and patient.
Having covered the successful setting up of Grand Central, in spite of the difficulties and the steep learning curve, he moved on to the new company Alliance and what they hope to achieve – a successful and sustainable national railway business providing new ‘state of the art’ trains for passengers, delivering a high ‘standard setting’ service and delivering high levels of sustainable profitability and returns for shareholders. With experience already gained in the field they have a good grounding in the necessary disciplines for success with open access, they now own the GNER and GNWR names and he believes they have an outstanding opportunity to develop Britain’s railways further.
Alliance is looking at a number of routes and new services for both the East and West Coast Main Lines, services to link Hull and Liverpool via the Transpennine route, Leeds to Manchester, Cardiff – Crewe – Edinburgh, Llanelli – Bristol Parkway – Paddington, amongst others and he showed maps to illustrate the proposed routes, where existing stations will be developed and where a limited number of new ones will be built on existing lines. The whole idea of open access can provide benefits to a relatively deprived area with poor rail services but where there is underused infrastructure.
To ensure the right type of rolling stock, the company has decided to go for Chinese built Polaris hybrid trains with flexible internal configuration and the ability to lengthen trains. The Chinese are keen to break into the European market and their build standards have improved and will now comfortably pass the quality requirements in place as well as supporting the ‘green’ nature of the proposals. There will also be a new bespoke maintenance depot and a site has already been identified. Future potential for assembly in the UK and the possibility of manufacturing here would be a welcome boost to industry and manufacturing jobs. Because of the experience already gained and the preparation work done in gaining support both locally, politically, from within the industry and having proper financial backing, Alliance is as certain as one can be of the success of this particular venture.
In conclusion Ian stated that this would probably have the biggest impact on UK travel since privatisation with a business plan based on realistic passenger loadings, and the potential to develop further routes.
A lively question and answer session followed with questions about leasing or owning, the effect of high speed proposals, pathways into London and the possibility of splitting trains at Doncaster as well as questions about his earlier work at Toton and as a BR retail manager. His previous work as a safety manager with BR has also come in handy when making the safety case for open access services. Why does he continue? He likes railways and loves working with people.
The vote of thanks was given by Bob Ellison highlighting the very interesting and eye-opening aspects of open access as well as the behind the scenes politics, and the fascinating extra dimension provided by Ian’s presentation.
Saturday 10th April 2010Visit to Lymington and Hythe
Eight members and friends embarked on a trip to ride the last of the 3CIG slam door stock on the Lymington branch on Saturday 10 April 2010. Most travelled from Woking and the rest of the party joined them at Basingstoke. On the day chosen by Alan Norris, who organised the trip, the main line between Basingstoke and Eastleigh was closed for engineering work. As well as the replacement bus Cross Country ran a through train every two hours running via Andover, Laverstock curve (near Salisbury), Romsey, and Redbridge to Southampton. The party joined the 10.10 train which arrived on time and provided an interesting alternative route to the main line. Following a quick reversal at Southampton we soon arrived at Brockenhurst.
The 3CIG unit was waiting across the platform to take us on a 10 minute run to Lymington Pier. There was a brief time for a few photos at the Pier, and then it was back on the train for the short run alongside the busy harbour to Lymington Town station. The station ticket office was open and there was plenty of information available for visitors to the town. Everyone went on their own way to explore the town and get some lunch. Being a Saturday it was market day in Lymington and the sloping high street was lined both sides for most of its length with market stalls, all doing a brisk trade. Here was a thriving town with plenty of visitors and not an empty shop in sight!
Back to the station for the 13.46 train to Brockenhurst, but arriving a few minutes early we got the train to the Pier, and there was time for a few more photos. This time the 3CIG carried a special headboard 'Farewell to the Slammers', and the driver was in typical Southern motorman's uniform. The 3CIG unit looked a bit 'tired', and whether the regular travellers on the Lymington branch have appreciated participating in enthusiasts' nostalgia in recent years is debatable.
On arrival at Brockenhurst it was a quick walk over the bridge for the next train to Southampton, a class 444 Desiro heading for Eastleigh. At Southampton we caught the free shuttle bus to the Town Pier for the Hythe Ferry. This was a 12 minute trip past the docks and a couple of large cruise ships. The ferry 'Hotspur IV' soon arrived at Hythe Pier (opened in 1881) with a steep walk up the gangway to the waiting Hythe Pier train. This was an antiquated three coach train with a small electric locomotive running along the 2ft gauge single track on the 700 yard long pier at under 10mph. The Pier railway train is a relic running in the same form since 1922, and the locomotives came from the Avonmouth mustard gas works. The railway still performs a useful service running every half hour along the pier to connect with the ferry boats. It is a one man operation. The Hythe Ferry and Pier train is thoroughly recommended - it really is something different and is more akin to a preserved heritage line. One of the party commented that he was completely unaware of its existence.
After a quick walk around the small town of Hythe it was back on the Pier train and the ferry back to Southampton. This time the catamaran ferry ‘Great Expectations’ was in service. The shuttle bus soon arrived and we just made the 16.30 train to Waterloo formed of two class 444 Desiros. Because of the engineering work near Winchester, the train was diverted off the main line at St Denys and followed the winding route through Woolston and Netley with stops at Fareham and Havant before it joined the Portsmouth direct line for a non-stop run to Guildford and Woking. Altogether an interesting day out with the benefit of glorious spring weather and travel on the diversionary routes, which was appreciated by all the party.
For more information on the Hythe Ferry and Pier Railway see http://www.hytheferry.com/ . Also Wikipedia has details, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hythe_Pier,_Railway_and_Ferry
Friday 9th April 2010Visit to the SWT Desiro driver training simulator
Friday saw another small group of branch members on a repeat visit to Basingstoke to have a go at learning to drive a Desiro. It is necessary to limit the size of the group of visitors and after a brief introduction outlining the route we would be taking and basic details of what to expect, the group paired up – two people to each of the four simulators. On previous visits our host Chris Lemon has always made sure that we are well looked after and this occasion was no exception. From the member who asked if he could take his bag and cup of tea into the cab in traditional railway fashion to the branch chairman being complimented on an especially good stop at one of the stations a great time was had by all. TPWS and cows and Mercedes cars suddenly appearing on the line ahead, as well as unusually rapid changes to the weather and light levels all added to the experience. You have to pay attention to get it right.
This is not only a fun visit, but on a more serious note it also provides a brief insight into just one aspect of what is involved in learning to drive a train. It takes a lot of skill to do it properly and learn to cope with any situation.
We were enjoying ourselves so much that the afternoon flew by and all too soon it was time to go. South West Trains has a great asset and is very good in allowing visits to their training facility. For those who have a particular interest the simulators are numbered 450196, 450197, 450198 and 450199.
Our thanks go to South West Trains and Chris Lemon for another excellent outdoor visit.
Tuesday 23rd March 2010Docklands Light Railway expansions for growth and the challenge of 2012Ralph Harding, Chief Engineer
After graduating in electronics and electrical engineering Ralph spent the next 21 years working for Westinghouse on automatic train control systems. Following this came two years working for London Transport International before moving to the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in 1989. Having worked his way up to Chief Engineer he retired 2 months ago and now runs his own business working on signal and train control engineering.
Having introduced himself he gave an overview of his presentation dividing it up into five main sections: DLR history, capacity enhancement, Stratford International extension, new vehicles and the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
He started with a series of photographs showing the mushrooming development of Canary Wharf. When the DLR opened in August 1987 at a cost of £77 million, there were 15 stations, 13 km of track, 11 vehicles (single car P86 units) and a fixed block signalling system. It was designed as a light railway system with a maximum speed of 80kph and a minimum curve radius of 40m. Not the oldest driverless railway in the UK, it is the first automatic passenger service and started with just two routes running from Tower Gateway to Island Gardens and Stratford to Island Gardens.
1989 saw the acquisition of a further 10 vehicles this time P89s. The line to Bank was opened in 1991 with special vehicles for use in tunnels, and to Beckton in 1994, while the period 1990-93 saw another stock upgrade to B90/92 vehicles. In 1995 the automated signalling system was upgraded followed by the Lewisham extension with further developments under construction and planned. Currently there are approximately 70 million journeys per year on the DLR.
The first extension to Bank (£149 million) comprised 1.6km of twin bore tunnel providing a key connection to the City and the Underground - still only two routes. The Beckton extension, built mainly on a viaduct, opened in 1994 at a cost of £224 million with 10 new stations, to help regeneration in the area. The existing signalling system could not have coped with the increase in traffic so it was replaced with a new moving block system. There were now three routes, and the first major capacity enhancement from 1 to 2 car units.
The third extension to Lewisham meant tunnelling under the River Thames and Island Gardens station had to be relocated underground. This extension (£200 million) provided 5 new stations and was one of the first railway Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) in the UK – still only three routes. Next came a further 4.4km from Canning Town to King George V (£140 million) providing good air/rail integration with City Airport and developed on a design, build, maintain basis. The most recent extension completed in 2009 reached Woolwich Arsenal with a further 2.5km of twin bore tunnels under the Thames at a cost this time of £180 million providing a new transport interchange for Woolwich town centre. Still only 4 routes.
An overview of the extended network as at 2009 showed current routes as well as those under construction including Canning Town to Stratford International, and graphic illustration of passenger growth and future demand coinciding with the developments at Canary Wharf and docklands in general. The annual figure for journeys is expected to reach close to 100 million per annum by the time Stratford International is opened even allowing for the present economic situation. The business is currently separated into three sections covering passenger operations, maintenance, and infrastructure provision, managed partly through private sector franchise, some through DLR Ltd and some retained within Transport for London (TfL).
Ralph moved on to discuss capacity enhancement and the need to upgrade to 3 car operations. This has not only necessitated additional rolling stock but also major upgrades to some stations and major reconfiguration of other parts of the network to cope with the extra traffic and longer vehicles. At the five stations where it has not been possible to extend, selective door opening has been introduced – a little more complex in a fully automated driverless system. Crossovers are being upgraded and junctions like Canning Town converted to a grade separated junction, with excellent graphics to show the why and how as well as photographs of the construction work. Fortunately, the original platforms at Bank were built to take 3 car vehicles as this would have been a particularly difficult and expensive issue to resolve otherwise. Tower Gateway is a useful back-up if there are problems at Bank, and it too has undergone some reconstruction providing separate platforms for arriving and departing passengers – one on either side.
South Quay station proved a more difficult challenge as the space between curves was too tight to take 3 car platforms. A new station was built further east over a straight section of track and the photographs provided excellent detail showing the progression from old to new and the civil engineering problems being overcome. Another animated diagram illustrated the problems at Delta Junction with photographs showing the construction of the new grade separated junction with dive-under, dismantling and reuse of existing viaduct sections wherever possible and the massive steel supporting jacks used in the process. Constraints here were the developed land to the East leaving a very tight footprint for the structure.
Ancillary issues for three car working are the requirements for traction power upgrade, LV power upgrade, more lifts, extension of CCTV and LLP and trackworks, and a new control room under construction to cope with the increased work load. A summary of statistics for three car working: Station modifications 20, station reconstruction 2, new viaducts 2, strengthening works to bridges/viaducts 70, other strengthening works – various, electrical substation 1, trackwork locations – various, selective door opening – 5 stations.
After a break for refreshments Ralph moved on to the Stratford International extension from Canning Town. This was not specifically planned for the Olympics but as a catalyst for regeneration and to improve public transport capacity, although it now includes meeting travel demands for the 2012 Olympics. There will be four new stations and modifications to 3 others as well as a double track approach route from Channelsea Junction and a realignment of High Meads Loop, plus the associated works to traction power and communication systems. This is on target for Summer 2010 at a cost of £106 million. On completion DLR will have 40 route kms and 45 stations – a light railway? – only in civil engineering terms. Photographs and diagrams provided really good illustration of the layout showing the arrangements for the Olympics area and how this will link in to the wider transport network.
The more recently completed Woolwich Arsenal extension, another PFI, includes 2 bored tunnels under the Thames and cut and cover tunnels, provides improved journey times and a continuation of the City Airport extension. The new station is fully integrated with heavy rail, bus and taxi services and required the installation of a gateline (for the interchange with heavy rail) and a new intervention shaft for ventilation and as an emergency escape route. With the first vehicles already dispatched in December 2007, once completed, the 55 new vehicles built by Bombardier at Bautzen in Germany will see the fleet increased to 149.
The new control centre will provide additional resilience, absolutely essential considering the increased capacity, and will be fully operational in good time before the 2012 Olympics. It will provide upgrades to all systems including power supply and traction control, and the signalling upgrade includes multi-core fibre replacement. With much liaison and careful planning the DLR has a key role to play in the Olympic strategy providing rail capacity to move people to and from the Olympic and Paralympic Games and between sites.
Future plans and aspirations include enhancement to 3 car working to the east - already under construction - as well as extending services to Dagenham Dock and in the longer term north to Walthamstow, west to Victoria (the alignment of the proposed Fleet Line via Charing Cross has been protected) and south to Catford.
Past, present and future in one evening – showing just how much has gone on from small beginnings costing just £77 million for a complete new light rail system as recently as 1987, to the present day, and on into the future.
Excellent attendance ensured a particularly lively and varied question and answer session with queries relating to the Olympics, technical details, urban myths, traction arrangements, further extensions, the Railway Inspectorate and Health and Safety amongst others. The vote of thanks was given by Branch Secretary Peter Bosomworth highlighting such an amazing journey in a relatively short time – a good system with good engineering, reliable and efficient, and with excellent detail. A well illustrated and fascinating presentation.
Tuesday 23rd February 201025 years of the Spa Valley RailwayBrian Halford, Duty Station Master
Brian began with an outline of what he would cover in his presentation starting with the history of the line, the background to the current organisation from closure 25 years ago right through to the present day and the hoped for opening of the line right through to Eridge.
The current SVR runs from Tunbridge Wells West to Groombridge with a halt along the way at High Rocks. The original station building at Tunbridge Wells West (TWW) was built in 1886 but was semi-derelict by the time the line closed. This was the last station on British Rail to still have gas lighting so not only would it have been very expensive to upgrade the building there would have been the additional cost of a full electrical conversion. Brian showed some excellent photographs from just before closure of the TWW station building, the signal boxes, platforms and the lines with all five platforms in use right up to the last day. There was also a locomotive depot, carriage depot and the sidings that remained open for another six weeks after closure. Older photographs included the signal box at Groombridge built in 1958 but closed in 1969 after only 11 years service while the station at Eridge was virtually complete at closure.
The SVR formed in 1985 and Brian joined in 1987 after the hurricane, and further photographs showed scenes of the aftermath of the storm with the lines partly overgrown and partly blocked by fallen trees. By now negotiations were in progress with the Council – keen to have a heritage railway - and other interested parties for the TWW station site. The Sainsbury supermarket chain wanted to develop a large part of the site and part of their planning conditions included carrying out substantial works for the preserved railway by constructing the platform, putting up perimeter fencing and carrying out the necessary works to the engine shed. Whitbread had bought the old station building for use as a restaurant. Due to its listed status they were unable to change the basic structure and there were photographs to show the finished refurbishments. Work started at TWW in 1988/9 and the supermarket was finished in 1990 with a little 0-4-0 locomotive – the only rolling stock available at that time - on display for Sainsbury’s official opening.
Unusually perhaps for a preservation society, some of the first practical work to be done by the membership and volunteers was removing and stockpiling as much useful material as possible, taking out the existing track and other items to salvage as much as they could before the contractors cleared the site.
There were similar issues at Groombridge with the site being split into separate lots. Much of it was sold off to a housing developer leaving enough land for a single line although the new build encroached so close to the original track that no trains could safely pass by. After a legal dispute over the boundary, the line was eventually moved over to allow a safe clearance as it was too late to move the new buildings. The station house meanwhile was sold to the sitting tenant. The SVR wanted the old ticket office but this went to the highest bidder and the eventual solution was a new platform and ticket office on the opposite side of the road bridge. Again, the society was involved in taking out track and other items and salvaging as much as possible for future use.
In the meantime they had been accumulating stock initially buying a carriage shell, utility wagon and shell tanker. Originally these were stored at Groombridge but were later moved by rail to a safer area with the permission of BR. Later acquisitions provided more locomotives, rolling stock, engineering equipment etc, some of which could be used straight away while other items had to be restored before use.
By 1994/5 work began on refurbishing the engine shed at TWW as per Sainsbury’s planning conditions. In 1995 the North Downs Railway needed to move and the decision was made to join the SVR and by January/February 1996 their track and rolling stock moved to TWW with the two organisations fitting very well together. The influx of experienced staff and further rolling stock meant that there was now sufficient to run a railway properly. This proved to be a real turning point in the project and culminated in the first public service along half a mile of track in December 1996.
Progress continued to open up the line to Groombridge and by August 1997 the SVR had permission to run into Groombridge. A section of trackbed from the former line to East Grinstead had been bought by an SVR member as it was adjacent to his home and was just enough to use as a small carriage sidings sufficient to take up to four carriages – very useful. Many years ago there used to be a halt at High Rocks between TWW and Groombridge and photographs showed the original location and some of the old platform supports. The site was not very accessible and it was not possible or sensible to rebuild there. However, the manager of the High Rocks Inn offered to pay for a new High Rocks station where his land ran adjacent to the line once services were open to Groombridge. This gave the society a new station at no cost. Having a stopping point here was good for trade for the Inn and the society, and the SVR now holds its AGM and other functions there on a regular basis - a mutually beneficial arrangement.
The ultimate destination for the line is to link up with main line services at Eridge. SVR has the use of the whole island platform and bay and restoration and conversion work is being done to the original buildings to provide a ticket office, waiting room and ladies and gents toilets. By 2008 track had been laid to the boundary gate separating the SVR land from Network Rail (NR). What a difference from the earlier photographs showing the area almost completely blocked with undergrowth and fallen trees. From this point track laying had to be done by an NR approved contractor – a very expensive exercise especially considering how well the SVR have done over the years in salvaging and reusing huge amounts of track, sleepers, ballast and other equipment at minimal cost and doing most of the work themselves. The value of the works done by Sainsbury’s as part of their planning conditions also runs into something over £250,000 so the SVR have benefited here too.
There are, of course, safety considerations with proposed SVR services running alongside NR tracks on the formation of the former up line when the line was double track, and the unmanned crossing at Forge Farm where the barriers are operated by road users cannot be ignored. Here too the SVR have carried out restoration this time to the original crossing hut. Everything is now physically in place to run the services right through from TWW to Eridge, it just remains for the legal formalities to be finalised. A comment from the audience - “It’s funny when the paperwork takes longer than the engineering!”
There was an interesting question and answer session which included future plans for a run round loop at Eridge, funding and accessibility amongst others subjects. The SVR is wheelchair accessible at TWW and Groombridge with facilities for wheelchair users to ride on the trains in one of the passenger units – best to ask in advance if this facility is required just to make sure it is in use in the right place at the desired time of visit. Unfortunately, the High Rocks Inn is not easily accessible by wheelchair from the new station as you first need to cross an uphill mown grass area to reach the pub garden and the Inn itself.
An excellent, well prepared and well illustrated lecture giving a neat history from closure in 1985 up until the present day showing the hard work, financial commitment and working together required for a successful outcome culminating in a working preserved railway with further developments planned for the future.
Tuesday 26th January 2010Railways at home and abroadA two part presentation by Nick Lera, Ex BBC Director/Cameraman
After 29 years working as a director and cameraman for the BBC, Nick now works freelance. After a brief introduction his presentation comprised a series of short films and extracts with commentary including some unique and historical pieces. Throughout his experiences he recalled the title of Kate Adie’s book “The Kindness of Strangers” as being a fact of life, and enjoying getting paid to travel seeing amazing places and meeting some very special people as a great privilege in the course of his work, a lot of the time being able to incorporate his long time interest in railways.
The first part of the evening concentrated on UK railways starting with an extract of the very first moving film that he took in 1967 using a hand-held camera with what he described as inferior commentary and poor colour quality using his description ‘warts and all’. Nonetheless this was a historic piece of film showing a Bulleid Pacific. Nick showed a series of further short films taken since then moving through different classes of locomotives and rolling stock to the end of steam and beyond. Of particular note was the footage from Eastleigh in 1983 taken using a more modern camera – equipment has improved tremendously over the years since he started filming - showing the works in action with Class 33 diesels undergoing major repair and maintenance and the difference between health and safety and working practices then and now. Hard hats and protective clothing seemed to be an optional extra a lot of the time except for the overalls which were a practicality. There were some splendid shots of the Sulzer diesel engines and the Crompton-Parkinson electrical equipment undergoing checks. Also of note was the absence of spray guns and automation in the paint shop, the hand-stitching of upholstered seats and the care taken with hand finishing. There was a nice bit of action showing diesel shunter 08204 moving stock out of the sheds after overhaul.
A short film followed with the DEMUs, specifically S60013, known as ‘Thumpers’ running on the Hastings service – six car units with a 500hp English Electric diesel at each end. Details of the Mountfield Tunnel provided the reason for the slightly narrower units – a new lining of bricks being required and reducing the width because of the original poor quality of finish to the inside lining of the tunnel. This was another historic piece of film as there is little contemporary footage available from this time period.
Up next was film from Clapham Junction in 1990 with footage taken on the station and quite a bit from the Clapham A signal box – a splendid viewpoint to see the comings and goings and showing just how busy it is there. More history as this box, that looks rather like a series of wooden garden sheds stuck up on top of the gantry straddling the running tracks, closed three days later and is no longer there now services having been transferred to Wimbledon box. It was certainly privileged access into the box although he had been warned not to interfere with the work of the signalmen by talking to them. The film showed them at work and if anyone knows who and where they are Nick would be interested in getting in touch.
He had a few criticisms to make of his earlier films regarding quality, accuracy of commentary and how much he has learned over the years about improving his filming and production skills.
After a break for refreshments Nick began the ‘abroad’ part of his presentation with some film from the Beyer Peacock works taken in 1946. The original unedited footage had lain undiscovered in the Museum of Science and Technology of Manchester University as it had been misfiled. He was asked to look at it and see if he could produce a documentary showing the manufacture of a Beyer Garratt articulated locomotive as had been originally intended. Although there was a lot of repetitive footage in the original raw material, with careful editing there was sufficient to produce a short documentary. This was very largely responsible for his early interest in the Garratt locomotives.
There followed some extracts from his published films – available in DVD format – from Rhodesia in the time of Ian Smith with plenty of commentary on the background and history, and how the Garratts were very popular as they could be powered using locally produced coal when sanctions cut the supply of diesel, with some excellent footage of Class 15 4-6-4s - known as the Flying 15s - at work. It was a somewhat precarious time with civil war causing damage to the railways, sanctions, and guards being prominent to protect the coal supply route, and the security routines to be observed. Other potential problems came in the form of elephants particularly where the line crossed through the Hwangi Game Reserve. Next in line to be presented were the heavier Class 20s – the largest of the Garratts – shown hauling the copper trains from Zambia.
We next moved on to Kenya especially the Class 59s introduced in 1955 and a special run in 2001 when he was given very little notice of the opportunity to go and make a film of the trip. Class 59 Mount Gelai had been lovingly restored and was to haul its first train for a quarter of a century. A number of retired railwaymen had been involved in the restoration project and it was well driven by retired driver Kirpal Singh Sandhu who seemed quite at home after being away from it for 20 years – Mount Gelai had been his locomotive and it was as if he had never left it. The commentary both on and off the extract was entertaining and enlightening with large game a major problem at times during construction of the line and very different from what one might experience in the UK. Once the party reached Mombasa at the end of the trip, there was a very special visit to the home of Kirpal who has a complete boiler front from a Class 59 in his living room lovingly built from scrap parts collected over time with permission from his employers. Mount Gelai is back in the museum as plans to use it for tourism have not come to fruition so this is another unique piece of film.
With a map to put things in context we moved on to South Africa and more delights of both steam (more splendid footage of Garratts included) both on the 3ft 6in gauge and the 2ft system in Natal. Liberally applied coal dust for a photo opportunity provided some very obvious ‘smoke’ from the locomotive and there was some very impressive film with plenty of real live action showing some of the later Garratts built under licence in Germany and in the UK by Northern British in Glasgow. Unfortunately, some of the original lines have fallen into disuse as not being commercially viable in spite of efforts to provide competition for road haulage. It is not a level playing field between road and rail when it comes to costs.
However, all is not doom and gloom with regards to Garratts and Nick showed a very up to date short film clip of one of the three locomotives returned from South Africa to the Welsh Highland Railway, in action in North Wales. Is this the new Garratt country?
The question and answer session had to be brief as time had caught up with us and included technical questions and techniques of filming. What was very clear was the amount of planning, preparation and complex logistics required to produce a fine finished product when making films and turning raw footage into an interesting and coherent piece of work.
The vote of thanks was given by branch member Alan Gosling.
A well attended fascinating evening with plenty of live action and, as Nick described, some very privileged access to railway locations and archive film. ILR.
Tuesday 22nd December 2009Railways of the Isle of ManA presentation by Geoff Brockett.
In spite of the snow and ice keeping quite a few regulars away, we had a very enjoyable evening with a well illustrated talk on the railways of the Isle of Man. Geoff started with a brief introduction to the island, its scenery and history, and a few statistics as background. He first visited there in 1974 for the purposes of ‘track-bashing’ with subsequent visits over the years followed by regular annual visits since retiring quite recently. One of the main reasons for the continuation of the railways on the Isle of Man is tourism which is an important ‘industry’ for the Island, and indeed the railways come under the Department of Leisure and Tourism.
The slideshow started with a beautiful scenic shot of Peel which, sadly, no longer has a railway station but shows the beauty of the location. This was quickly followed by a slide of four ferries in the harbour taken in the early 1970s, which used to be the main way to access the Island but which has now been superseded by air and seacat services. Starting with the 3ft gauge steam railway from Douglas to Port Erin – approximately 15 miles, he explained how the system used to be more extensive but trains ran from Douglas to Peel and Peel to Ramsey for the last time in 1968. The Manx government nationalised the system in 1978 to save what was left for tourism. Starting this section with pictures of the now reduced large station and buildings at Douglas, Geoff took us briefly through the history including a variety of rolling stock, liveries, stations and scenery as well as the seeming local propensity to use any excuse for a celebration and some of the interesting photographic opportunities put together by and for railway enthusiasts. Where lines have been lifted the closed track beds have become well used scenic footpaths.
Moving on to the famous horse drawn trams which run for 1½ miles along the promenade at Douglas, we heard about the economic difficulties of maintaining the service which was taken over by the Douglas Corporation in 1902. The service has been reduced although it is a major attraction and it too is included in celebrations and still uses some of the very oldest rolling stock dating back to 1888. Connecting Douglas to Ramsay is the famous Manx Electric Railway - more a tramway with overhead wires. This is 3ft gauge and approximately 18 miles long and was built between 1893 and 1898. This line is complete with the original Car 1 still running which has given it a place in the Guinness Book of Records.
The next slides showed Derby Castle depot with winter saloon No. 20 as well as the old wooden booking office and car No. 33 – one of the newest cars that was built in 1906. Leaving the depot and an assortment of vehicles we moved on to the Snaefell Mountain Railway and some excellent shots of the 100 year celebrations.
After a break for refreshments we moved back to the Manx Electric Railway following the Douglas and Laxey Coast line and slides showing the wonderful selection of the oldest and newest rolling stock brought out together especially for an enthusiasts tour, as well as the illuminated car for after dark running. Another interesting line shown was the Groudle Glen Railway, a two foot gauge line running approximately 1000 yards that was built as access to the mini-zoo cages. These used to house polar bears and sea lions on the steep coastal cliffs at the end of the line. This line has now been completely restored by enthusiasts although, thankfully, the derelict animal enclosures have been left as a curiosity at the end of the line with the scenery being the more important view now.
Going back to the 3ft 6inch gauge Snaefell Mountain Railway from Laxey there were some more detailed slides showing the rolling stock and infrastructure including Car number 7 which used to haul coal wagons up to the old power station that provided the original electricity for the line. Of interest here were two working Wickham trolleys. Most examples of the trolleys these days seem to be rusting in odd corners around the country so it was good to see some actually working and in good condition.
The newest line to re-open – in 2004 - is the Great Laxey Mines Railway with replicas of the original locomotives used for ferrying zinc and lead to the dryer floors. This is a 19inch gauge line and is just 390 yards long with a new terminus at Laxey Gardens – a definite tourist attraction. To complete the picture, mention was made of the old 3ft gauge line on Ramsay pier which served the former steam packet services and was closed through lack of money and health and safety considerations, and the 5” and 7¼” gauge miniature railway at the Wildlife Park. As he had started with a scenic shot of Peel, Geoff closed the slide show with a glorious sunset view over the town.
From the nineteenth century beginning of the railways here, through later closures, rescue and restoration, the Isle of Man has a splendid variety of railways and some very interesting original rolling stock all set in a beautiful landscape. Definitely a place worth visiting. The vote of thanks was given by branch member Arthur Weiss who has himself been a visitor to the island
Monday 30th November 2009Inter Society Quiz
Monday evening of 30 November 2009 saw the annual intersociety quiz night between the MHR Guildford, RCTS Surrey Branch and our hosts this year the LCGB in Dorking. The team was the same as last year comprising Peter Bosomworth, Jim Eades, Roger Hawes and Alan Norris. Branch exhibitions officer Andy Davies had volunteered as a reserve in case any team member was unable to attend at the last minute and, with a full team in attendance in good time at the start of an evening of tough quiz questioning, was delighted to be able to sit back and enjoy the evening as part of the audience instead. The quiz was very well organised into 12 subsections with the use of jokers to double up the score for any two sections chosen at the beginning of the quiz. Questions ranged from steam locomotive names and their destinations, railway boats, to early locomotive designers, moving on to something slightly more modern – Deltics and other early diesels. All teams played well but in the end the RCTS and MHR were no match for the LCGB on this occasion who won with a total score of 92. Surrey Branch and MHR tied second with a respectable 63 points each.
Tuesday 24th November 2009Join the ORR and see the worldDavid Brace, Office of the Rail Regulator
David began with a brief introduction and explanation of the ORR (Office of the Rail Regulator). After 30 years of civil engineering working with drainage systems he decided it was time to change and converted his skills to railways achieving an MSc in railway engineering and joining Railtrack. This was followed by self-employed consultancy work before eventually joining the ORR where he worked for six years with the job title of Asset Engineering Adviser before retiring in the Summer.
The talk was in three sections covering Economics and Safety, the UK and finally abroad. The ORR is independent of both government and private enterprise to ensure ‘fair play between competing parties’ and he explained the need for independent regulation for both economics and safety and dealt too with what might be perceived as a possible conflict of interest between the two.
The ORR was created by the Railways Act of 1993 which set out key statutory duties, economic and competition regulation for the privatised industry and its position as the industry’s independent referee. It holds power directly from Parliament which means that it does not answer to any government department.
Their role includes negotiating government funding through the periodic review of expenditure (currently CP4). This involves the high level output specification (HLOS) and then a statement of funds available (SOFA) and working to achieve a balance between the two. Vast sums of money are involved and the current round started with requests for £31.5bn which was finally settled at £27.7bn for the next five years.
The ORR are responsible for allocating capacity ensuring sufficient paths are available and also ensuring that the network is properly maintained and renewed for the longer term. The remit also includes encouraging necessary investment from all sources as well as issuing and controlling licences. With this broad remit, they can help provide stability and on-going investment for the longer term for all aspects of UK railways.
The ORR also has responsibility for safety regulation for all forms of railway in the UK which includes the national rail network, all underground railways, all light railways and tram systems, the Channel Tunnel and HS1 and all heritage railways. This duty was previously part of the HSE until being transferred to the ORR in 2005. David used a flow chart to illustrate how the sometimes complicated relationships of privatisation work.
Having outlined the origins and brief of the ORR David went on to describe his travels around the UK from when he joined in 2003 as asset engineering adviser with a joke about having an asset register. There was a need to know what they had for providing information to third parties and for keeping control and also because it was statutory requirement. It was no joke to compile and took four years to complete. This was followed by work on new projects and enhancements to existing railways and while some have gone ahead others are still at the planning stage for economic reasons and issues with viability although this can be overcome with suitably active and vocal support. A small unusual detail from a visit to Scotland – a claim for cycle allowance for hiring a pushbike as the best means of going over a 15 mile stretch of former railway line to inspect the possibility of reinstating it. This has now been successfully done with a parallel route for cyclists as an integral part of the project.
Stations and infrastructure and the interests of freight as well as passenger services are also important responsibilities and he gave some details of the problems with coal trains and the coal dust and how this can really mess up the ballast. Solutions included ensuring that the wagons are properly cleaned externally before leaving the coaling plants and surcharges to cover the costs of cleaning up the ballast. There were some excellent pictures to illustrate exactly what the problems are and just how bad it can get. Illustrations showed depots, track maintenance and new projects such as HS1 and the impressive engineering involved. Also part of this are the testing and inspection trains, safety training such as the rollover rig at Bramley MOD – now defunct, and adequate training for staff. A good time to mention one or two of the photographs showing what can go wrong and testing how well the current systems can cope! With site surveys and inspections, asset register, platform extensions, new stations, major station roofing projects, car parks, accessibility, maintenance and renewals there is plenty to keep an engineer at the ORR busy.
After a break for refreshments David continued with describing his visits abroad explaining that the visits were for the purpose of benchmarking and looking at best practice relating to possessions and work planning (in Europe) and asset management in Australia, USA and Canada. His first visit to Switzerland was in conjunction with an EC funded project looking at environmental impacts and comparing road and rail transport. There were a couple of interesting photographs of accidents like the train trying to use the road! After a brief mention of a proposed UK trial in Barry, South Wales about coal loading infrastructure came a visit to Gouda in the Netherlands showing a non-invasive fibre optic rail testing system. This was quick and easy to set up with continuous recording. The current UK testing system takes longer to set up and take down and therefore requires longer possession. This showed the conflicts between requirement for possession for maintenance and the TOCs (train operating companies) who want to run trains – seven days a week, and followed on nicely from last month’s speaker who had been talking about track laying and maintenance machines.
Next came visits to Australia with discussions, visits and railway rides looking at aspects of engineering, finance and politics and the complications within Australian railways with each state having its own system. In Sydney for example, each of the commuter lines is shut down in sequence every 13 weeks for a fixed period of a weekend for ALL essential maintenance work to be completed. Coal trains featured in Australia too as there is a massive export market with some of the same problems as UK.
The working trip to USA and Canada began in Washington where he quickly discovered that you can take photographs of the capitol building but security get very upset if you try to take photographs of locomotives and trains! Good practice in possessions showed that safety was good, protection well planned with staff well trained to do the job. New Jersey saw state of the art recording equipment in use for track inspections and the spectacular New Jersey Transit Holboken and Control Centre. This was followed by innovative ways of carrying out some of the rural single track maintenance. Then came Omaha and Union Pacific and a rather entertaining ‘whoops’ photograph showing wheel indentations in the rails due to wheelspin thanks to vandals leaving a unit running on the spot. Very impressive was the speed with which the Canadian National took possession of a bridge for inspection – just five minutes to arrange and trains going by on the other track at the same time. The Victoria Jubilee Bridge in Montreal is split to allow trains to continue running while one of the sections of bridge lifts to allow shipping through.
Questions and answers ended the evening with a local query about the very recent bridge collapse at Feltham and how Network Rail looks after its assets. With an old network many of the bridges and earthworks are also old so some failure is inevitable but they do their best to predict what is required before anything fails. This led on to how good is the asset register and major failures like Hatfield and what works best in modern times. Other questions related to ‘bridge bashes’ and mention was made of the increasing incidence of these related to trucks and satnav. It appears that the satnav systems do not perceive low bridges.
With plenty of excellent photographs and charts to illustrate David gave an excellent presentation although numbers attending were slightly down. A vote of thanks was given by branch committee member Anthony Eynstone who highlighted what an eye-opener the evening had been on all aspects of the ORR.
ILR
Tuesday 27th October 2009Plasser & Theurer Track Laying and Maintenance MachinesMark Simmons, New Machines Sales Coordinator.
Mark grew up from a very early age with South African Railways, later gaining a degree in electro-mechanical engineering followed by his first job managing a test facility at Spoornet Umbilo Electric Motor Repair Facility in Durban. He came over to the UK in 2001 as a commissioning engineer for the Corradia DMUs and subsequently joined Plasser & Theurer (P&T) later the same year. He has moved from being a workshop support technician through managing a number of other departments to his present role as New Machines Sales Coordinator.
He began his presentation by outlining what he would include – an introduction, basic principles of the railway including interaction of track elements, types of faults and tamping machines, followed by the history of manual track maintenance and replacement, to the development of machinery from the earliest very simple machines to the complex equipment in use today and continuing research and development for the future.
A brief history of P&T followed from the very early days when Mr Plasser and Mr Theurer first met and decided to collaborate and the first very simple basic tamper produced in 1955 to the present day. The company has its headquarters in Linz in Austria and currently invests about 5% of the turnover in research and development.
To fully understand the subject, Mark explained the basic interaction of track elements from catenaries and their constituent elements, the track and its components to the basic foundations that the track is laid on using a cutaway photograph as illustration. Going on to talk about how the different elements interact especially in modern times as the lines have to endure increased axle-loading and speeds, he emphasised the importance of sound foundations that can withstand this type of use. This was followed by details of the types of track fault that can occur with some very interesting and, in the case of the beautifully squiggly single track, very entertaining photographs, why they happen, how they can be repaired and the reasons for doing this work. Each pair of rails needs to be straight or smoothly curved and at the same height or correct cant. Mark explained that you cannot just push one rail down, which means that you have to raise the other one up and squeeze the ballast back underneath to ensure that the sleeper is properly supported in the right position.
Two basic graphs showed the increases in axle loading and speed from the early beginning of the railways to modern times. The very first P&T machine was a hydraulic tamper with non-synchronous pressure vibration tamping but which could not lift or line up the rails. However, by 1960 a machine that could be used in conjunction with a separate lining machine had been developed that could also level the track. Further development included tilting tamping tools (unlike the early machines which were just straight up and down), ballast cleaning machines, and by 1965 progression to the first two-sleeper tamper. By 1967 the first mechanised track maintenance train was used on Austrian Federal Railways to provide a complete maintenance operation. Since then developments have included welding machines, continuous ballast cleaning, track stabilisation, cranes and by the late 1970s/early 1980s machinery had been developed that could operate over both track and switches in a continuous process. Further improvements included automated track inspection and fault finding and 1990 saw the first catenary renewal train. Alongside these developments came electronic recording and controlling for greater precision and accuracy. The latest models in this part of the presentation included the Unimat 09-475/4S higher output universal tamping machines for tracks and switches, RM800 Super 3S – a high capacity ballast bed cleaner and the BDS 2000 – for cost effective ballast management to which further units can be added.
Finding track faults is a key task and modern equipment includes video surveillance, geo-surveys of the underlying ground, ballast profile measurement etc and P&T have developed equipment to do this. There was an interesting graphical illustration at this point contrasting the electronic readings of unmaintained, manually repaired and mechanically maintained track bed. Although the manual repair is good the mechanically repaired is a little better and slightly more even. More slides followed to illustrate the range of measurements required, how they are done and the continuous monitoring throughout.
One of the elements Mark mentioned was the cost of ballast and how to make best use of it. In Austria there is a database with a record of all the work previously done which can be linked up to any further requirements for track maintenance and repair and can help to ensure that surplus ballast is shifted to where it is needed rather than just adding more new ballast. The ballast cleaners also ensure that as much as possible is reused – each level of spoil being moved one layer down – resulting in very little that cannot be recycled along the line which is ultimately more cost effective and environmentally friendly. New developments help to increase the speed and efficiency and reduce the requirement for possessions as well as giving better results. Particular difficulties in the UK to be circumvented include restrictions allowing only one engineering train per possession so careful planning is required as well as the right equipment. A short video clip illustrated perfectly the complex conveyor system eventually sending spoil out to waiting wagons and bringing in new ballast coming from behind. Machines that can renew sleepers as well are not yet in use in the UK although Mark showed another video clip of the latest complete track renewal equipment in use including ‘perfect’ positioning of sleepers, and precise recording to help with future workings.
Current research and development is progressing towards increased automation and continuous working which is more efficient and saves time and energy, rather than stop, work, move forward. . Further slides showing the latest innovations followed, with Mark explaining in detail what they are designed to do and how they work. Because of the unique situation in the UK with the limited space available some machines cannot be used here and alternative solutions have to be found.
After a break for refreshments came details of the latest laser technology for measuring and correct positioning. The laser trolley with on-board camera is in front of the machine and uses specific fixed points to measure from and is equally accurate on curved track. Other innovations included parallel tamping where the adjacent units are linked to together generally using a mechanical link which is less prone to interference and therefore less risky. Another short video clip showed this operation in process. Graphic illustrations of the most efficient way to pack ballast and details and photographs of the machinery that can do this and the latest APT600S flash-butt welding machine followed. This is electrical resistance welding where the metal of the rails is fused together requiring no additional material and this machine also ensures that the rail is stressed properly at the same time.
The latest mobile maintenance units produced by P&T ensure that the workers remain inside the machine and under cover. Introduced as a safety measure this has had the desirable side effect of increasing productivity because of working better in more comfortable conditions. These units also include a mobile mess facility so there is no need to step outside a vehicle during a work period. Other new developments include high output catenary installation and Mark provided a schematic overview. The idea is a 5 stage system – stage 1 base and masts (can be done at any time), stage 2 framework, stage 3 electrical feed and earth returns, stage 4 carrying wire and catenary with careful and accurate tensioning using pre-fabricated hangers, stage 5 current links, snagging and recording with the whole coordinated by a complex control system. Another interesting video clip was run at this point showing one of the catenary renewal machines in action while another train went by on the adjacent line. Mark ended this part of the presentation by summarising the high output catenary installation machines – 11 machines, 32 operators and 6 hours = catenary installed and the final statistic here stating that one site would require only 5 possessions of 8 hours each. The designers are working on new equipment that can do the job in less than 5 possessions.
After a really interesting and detailed presentation there was only time for a limited question and answer session covering aspects such as costs (these are complex and expensive machines), who might buy or lease the machinery (eg Network Rail, TOCs etc) and how the purchase might be financed. Increasing complexity and what the ultimate goal might be in automation of track maintenance and replacement were covered as were the dangers of causing damage when tamping - the best answer to this last question being better planning and knowledge of an area including the underlying geology and fixed points. A good survey before any work is done and good training for operators is key. Also discussed was the level of standardisation across Europe, learning from each development how improvements might be made, working through stations and tunnels and exports to the USA.
At the end of a most fascinating and interesting technical presentation on an essential part of railways, the vote of thanks was given by regular visitor David Bosomworth – a good explanation of something we do not see very often because of night time working and an illustration of changes over time and modern requirements due to bigger loads and higher speeds.
Mark is clearly a very knowledgeable and interesting speaker who gave an excellent presentation.
Tuesday 22nd September 2009South West Trains, where to from here?Stewart Palmer, Managing Director, South West Trains.
Stewart introduced his talk by saying that he would start with general information and where the company is now to give some background and context. The presentation began with an outline of the company profile with some interesting statistics showing SWT as the busiest commuter Train Operating Company (TOC) in the UK very heavily focused on London Waterloo with less than 5% of season tickets that do not involve journeys to London. These statistics are current and it is also interesting to note that the number of passenger journeys since 1995 has increased by 81%.
Next came a map to show the routes covered by the company, with three main lines, the suburban network, a few semi-rural routes and non-London routes such as the Lymington branch and the Island Line on the Isle of Wight. SWT customers comprise approximately 40% commuters, 40% leisure and 20% business travel. It is less commuter based than some other TOCs but the business is very London-centric. Also shown, by way of graphs, were the performance statistics of where the company is today in terms of trains arriving on time – these figures include trains arriving late regardless of reason including those beyond SWT control, reliability and overall customer satisfaction. These are very good figures considering the complexity of the network and when compared with some other means of transport. An interesting fact here is that customer satisfaction varies with time of year so it is important to compare like with like in annual comparisons ie Spring with Spring and Autumn with Autumn.
Having outlined the company performance and statistics Stewart confirmed that they are comfortable with the current performance but in no way complacent as there are still things to do not least dealing with the current economic situation.
Central London Employment (CLE) is something that affects SWT as less CLE, ie less jobs in London, means less commuters and it is likely to be around 2014 before this again reaches the same level as before the banking crisis. This also applies to leisure travel which is affected by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) levels ie when people have less money they will spend less on leisure travel and business travel will be for essential purposes only especially when technology can allow meetings via computer links rather than in person. Both CLE and GDP are the main drivers used to forecast SWT income and reductions in both mean reduced income for the company.
This also affects other TOCs and the freight companies and is not unique to SWT. Part of the problem is in not having a truly privatised market, as there are many fixed costs that cannot be renegotiated in spite of the current economic situation for example the charges paid to Network Rail for track access, British Transport Police, Rail Regulator etc. Services cannot be cut back and there are very limited opportunities to grow revenue at the moment as well as the reductions in high price tickets and volume sales with more cheaper advance ticket sales. Much as the company may want to change some contractual obligations, they are unable to renegotiate because of the way the franchises have been set up. To cope with this, they have already reduced staffing levels where possible, reduced ticket office opening hours, reduced some off-peak formations from 8 car to 4 car – but still maintaining the service, and they are reviewing costs at all levels from the largest to smallest items and he gave examples of this.
However, it is not all ‘doom and gloom’ and there is much that can be done. The current economic situation is very different from the recession in the 1960s and much has already been achieved although some of the proposals for High Level Output Specification (HLOS) eg the ‘ten car railway’, may not be agreed quite as quickly as hoped. Gatelining (automatic ticket gates at railway stations as the only access to the platforms and trains) has already had a number of positive effects and not just making sure passengers pay to travel. It has also helped to reduce the level of anti-social behaviour on the trains as it is less easy for those involved to gain access.
Stewart’s vision for the future for SWT? This includes continuing with good management of the company, rigorous cost control, delivering best in class on performance and safety, continued investment where there is a good business case and caring about its customers and people. The company relies very heavily on people as it doesn’t really ‘own’ much and they are its biggest asset providing the interface with customers, so they are very important. Taking care of all this should place the company in a strong position to take advantage of economic recovery when it occurs.
Stewart is retiring next month after nearly 38 years in the industry in a variety of roles and for a number of different companies, and he was happy to confirm that SWT is a well run business although they cannot expect to return to the same level of growth as over the last 7 to 8 years before the banking crisis last Summer. When he first took part in ‘meet the manager’ sessions three years ago as Managing Director, they were not good meetings but they are much better now which shows that positive progress has been made with service provision.
The evening continued after a break for refreshments with a lively question and answer session with questions ranging from travel centre closures and annoying announcements on trains to more difficult questions on politics and economics. Travel centre closures were a realistic business decision mainly as a result of changing public use with far more people using ticket machines and a substantial increase in internet bookings and enquiries. They are not good value for money and, unfortunately, have become an expensive luxury. Annoying announcements are largely there to stay as a result of legal obligations with only very minor changes possible.
There were questions about extending services with the Reading Station re-modelling and how this might improve services around platform 4. However, provision will have to made for Airtrack services so any additional platform is likely to be set aside for this purpose. There were also questions involving slower timetabled services answered by confirming that there has to be a balance between reliability and complexity. Cost is a factor in decision making as it is for the former Waterloo International Station although this has been safeguarded for future rail use.
More questions followed on further electrification and re-opening old lines or extending existing ones and again finance is likely to be critical but at least the ideas are being considered as can be shown in discussions about building a new eco-town at Bordon in Hampshire although these have not yet included a link into the rail network. It is not realistic to expect to be able to do everything so choices have to be made but at least there is some good in this speculation as it creates interest and debate.
Political questions were handled very sensitively and questions were asked about the future with some companies ‘going bust’. The railway franchises are a hybrid of state and private which raises some unique difficulties. Stagecoach had to win the franchise but cannot renegotiate in light of the downtown in the economy. SWT will get through until the situation improves and will maintain the service even if quality does ‘fray a little’ round the edges.
A vote of thanks was given by branch member Alan Nichols – a driver for SWT for 7 years now and an ex-banker – and, yes, he pre-empted any comments about bankers. It was also by way of a farewell to Stewart as Managing Director of SWT.
A presentation as impressive as others Stewart has given and we wish him well for the future.
last updated: 09/06/10
