The Railway Magazine May 2017

FAR NORTH IN STEAM DAYS ◆ WOODHEAD MEMORIES

Magazine

BRITAIN’S BEST-SELLING RAIL TITLE 1897 May 2017

2017

EAST COAST HISTORY IN THE MAKING

‘TON UP UP’ for Tornado ■ SRPS TO RUN

BORDERS STEAM ■ ‘CLUN’ TO DEBUT AT TYSELEY ‘CASTLES’ GALA REDUCING BRIDGE STRIKES ◆ SNCF/VIRGIN FOR HS2?

The

EDITORIAL

Editor: Chris Milner Deputy editor: Gary Boyd-Hope Senior correspondent: Ben Jones Designer: Tim Pipes Picture desk: Paul Fincham and Jonathan Schofield Publisher: Tim Hartley Editorial assistant: Jane Skayman Production editor: Sarah Wilkinson Sub-editor: Nigel Devereux Consultant editor: Nick Pigott Classic Traction News: Peter Nicholson Operations News: Ashley Butlin Narrow Gauge News: Cliff Thomas Metro News: Paul Bickerdyke World News: Keith Fender By post: The Railway Magazine, Mortons Media Group, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR Tel: 01507 529589 Fax: 01507 371066 Email: railway@mortons.co.uk © 2017 Mortons Media ISSN 0033-8923

Keeping a lid on costs

I

N THE July 2016 issue, I made reference to the escalating cost of railway projects nationwide and that the crazy prices are becoming an obstacle to reopening stations and lines.

During April, several railway journalists enjoyed an informative and informal lunch with Network Rail CEO Mark Carne, in which he said the organisation is working hard to get costs under control.

Let me take that further. £20million is being spent building a 1,800 space multi-storey car park at Didcot, which almost doubles its capacity. While I will let readers make their own judgment on its design and impact on the landscape, it does seem an incredible amount of money to spend on a car park.

At the other end of the scale, I am reliably informed that a quote to install HST stop boards

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EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTION

Accepted photographs and articles will be paid for upon publication. Items we cannot use will be returned if accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope, and recorded delivery must clearly state so and enclose sufficient postage. In common with practice on other rail periodicals, all material is sent or returned at the contributor’s own risk and neither The Railway Magazine, the editor, the staff nor Mortons Media Ltd can be held responsible for loss or damage, howsoever caused. The opinions expressed in The RM are not necessarily those of the editor or staff. This periodical must not, without the written consent of the publishers first being given, be lent, sold, hired out or otherwise disposed of in a mutilated condition or, in any unauthorised cover by way of trade or annexed to or as part of any publication or advertising, literary or pictorial matter whatsoever.

This issue was published on May 3, 2017.

The next will be on sale on June 7, 2017.

A CGI image of the new Didcot station car park. GWR

TRAIN OF THOUGHT

Editor’s Comment

at Ashchurch station was £15,000, with a further £15,000 quoted to install two bench seats at the same location! A suggestion to rename the station to a more meaningful Tewksbury Parkway was met with a cost for new signs and associated changes of between £32,000 to £50,000. Has the world gone mad? Are figures being made up and an extra zero added?

Just how can it cost that much to bolt a sign to a lamppost, or manufacture and fit new nameboards?

While I don’t doubt that Mark Carne is serious about cost reductions, my concern is that with such ridiculous quotes for small-scale items, minor enhancements will be not be pursued by passenger lobby groups.

But are these figures being scaled up and having extra millions added on to larger projects?

Project management is about keeping major tasks on the right timescale and within agreed cost parameters. We managed to build HS1 on time and within budget, so why are so many projects going wrong now?

Stop the short-term thinking

THE decision by Theresa May to call a snap General Election caught everyone out, and the result of the June 8 poll could trigger changes to how our railways are run, as Lord Berkeley alludes to on page 12.

His comment also touches on the ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ nature of politics, and to my mind too much short-term thinking has not only hindered investment in our railways, but poor decisions, coupled with poor planning and execution of those plans, has wasted lots of money, too.

While the short termism is something we will

never completely avoid, it would be a positive step forward if the next Government quickly set out its stall on railways by announcing some firm electrification plans, how the rolling stock cascades will be properly managed, the future of franchising, and how the industry can keep adapting and begin to deal with the ever-growing numbers of peak-time passengers. In other words, a proper long-term plan for the future.

As always, The RM will bring news of any changes in how we run our railways.

Proud to have been there!

Don’t let politics kill a Borders Railway expansion

APRIL has seen not one but two historic events both taking place on the East Coast Main Line just north of York.

On the night of April 11-12 came a new highlight in my journalistic career when I was privileged to be on board the covert test run of Tornado, which reached 100mph.

It was a scintillating performance by the ‘A1’, speeding through the dead of night. The successful completion of the tests is a firm justification to the ‘A1’ team, who believe in the loco and its capabilities.

Then, on April 23, four generations of East Coast power – five if you include a ‘Deltic’ at the rear of Flying Scotsman – ran in parallel south from Tollerton to York, creating a spectacle I’ve never witnessed in nearly 30 years as a railway writer.

Yes, it was a PR event but it showcased some of the best of Britain’s railways and what’s wrong with that? There are too many times the rail industry does not trumpet its successes loudly enough.

Arranging and planning both of these events was complex and time consuming, and we should applaud each person involved for their hard work, commitment and dedication in making these events happen.

NEWS of a transport study that could lead to extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle is a welcome move, but it should be viewed with some caution.

The success of the line since it opened in September 2015 has never been in doubt, even with the complaints of overcrowding and lack of parking. No one doubts that there are passengers patiently waiting for the line to re-connect Melrose, St Boswells and Hawick once again, but will the financial case stack up, particularly south of Hawick, where the population is far thinner?

Should money instead be invested to extend the dynamic loops which, along with the Class 158 performance, have been the Achilles heel of the route since day one?

There’s no perfect answer, but given the growing political divide between England and Scotland, my overriding hope is that the aspirations of those with vision and ambition for the Borders Railway connecting Carlisle and Edinburgh are not stymied by political machinations north of Hadrian’s Wall.

CHRIS MILNER, Editor

May 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 3

Contents

May 2017. No. 1,394. Vol 163. A journal of record since 1897.

Headline News

SNCF joins forces with Stagecoach/Virgin to bid for InterCity West Coast/HS2 franchise - p10.

Tornado becomes first 100mph British steam loco for 50 years; ECML ‘Four Trains’ event draws the crowds; Settle-Carlisle line reopens after 13 months of repairs; Clun Castle to debut at Tyseley’s June open day.

On The Cover The East Coast Main Line hosted two exceptional events in April, as Tornado became the first British steam loco to reach 100mph for 50 years and the 'Four Trains' parade brought past, present and future ECML traction together for a unique parallel run.

The four generations of ECML power are seen at Shipton-byBeningborough while the ‘A1’ is at Newcastleupon-Tyne. See p6-7.

CHRIS MILNER

Track Record The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest 70 Steam & Heritage Swanage Bulleid gala smashes visitor records, Midland Railway ‘Picnic Saloon’ restored after 60 years, ‘Scotsman’s’Worth Valley visit a ‘big success’, NRM gifts LSWR Adams 4-4-0 to Swanage Railway, ‘S160’ and ‘A4’ to visit Mid-Norfolk; Two Bulleids for GCR autumn gala.

76 Industrial Steam 78 Steam Portfolio 80 Irish News 82 Traction & Stock Liveries and interior concepts unveiled for ScotRail’s refurbished HSTs and new Greater Anglia fleet, Chiltern ‘Bubblecar’ farewell, what next for SWT’s unwanted Class 707s?

85 Stock Update 86 Traction Portfolio 88 Network Easter blockades deliver £70m of work at 200 sites, TfL publishes £3.6bn infrastructure ‘wish list’, Low Moor and Ilkeston stations open for business, user group lobbies for Ashchurch improvements.

90 Railtours

Major rebuild to prepare Bath station for electric trains - p88.

94 Narrow Gauge 98 Classic Traction Ex-Buxton Class 37/5 moves into preservation at the Mid-Norfolk, Sunderland port shunters saved, Class 88 booked for Severn Valley diesel gala, first Bluebell visit for a Class 50, PWM650 moves to HST at Rowsley.

102 Miniature 104 Freight 106 World 110 Metro 113 Operations News from the train- and freight-operating companies.

Regulars 12 Multiple Aspects

The Railway Magazine’s audited circulation of 37,250 copies per month makes it by far the

With Lord Berkeley.

40 Readers' Platform 58 Meetings

12 Railways in Parliament

Railway society meetings near you – all the details.

60 Subscription Offer Subscribe today to receive your monthly copies of The Railway Magazine for only £20 per year.

64 Panorama Our monthly gallery of the best railway photography.

68 From The RM Archives Find out what The RM was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago.

Looking every inch the 1950’s Western Region stopping train, Large Prairie No. 5199 strolls through the springtime countryside during a West Somerset Railway photo charter on March 28. DON BISHOP.

A one-off meeting on April 13 brought 'A3' No. 60103 Flying Scotsman back together with its 15in-gauge counterpart No. 7 Typhoon for the first time since 1927, when the pair met at King's Cross 'Top Shed'. See page 73 for the full story. STEVE TOWN

120 Heritage Diary Details of when heritage railways and centres are open.

130 Prize Crossword and Where Is It?

UK’S TOPSELLING RAIL TITLE! Subscribe today and save money on every issue.

Call 01507 529529 or see page 60 for our latest offers

Features

14 Inverness? Somewhere in the South

28 The Treasures of Beamish

Keith Farr looks to the Highland Railway's Far North line to Wick and Thurso for the latest instalment of 'Practice & Performance'.

Mark Smithers visits the leading heritage visitor attraction in the north-east of England and discovers a wealth of interest for railway enthusiasts.

22 Bridge Strikes: Educating the offenders Collisions of road vehicles with railway bridges cause enormous disruption and cost the railway millions of pounds every year. Chris Milner discovers how Network Rail is working to reduce the number of incidents.

MIND YOUR HEAD: Working to reduce bridge strikes – p22

36 Wonderful Woodhead A selection of previously unpublished photographs

by Geoff Willerton, taken in the final few years of this much-missed trans-Pennine railway.

INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE: Railways at Beamish – p28

45 The Train Journey that shook the 20th century Allan George recounts the extraordinary tale of Lenin's return from exile in Switzerland to lead the Russian Revolution 100 years ago.

50 Locospotting Pioneer Nick Pigott meets Eric Fry, the man behind the famous RCTS 'green book' series, describing the locomotives of the LNER in detail, and an early pioneer in the field of recording loco sightings.

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: BR blue days on the Woodhead route – p36

May 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 5

HeadlineNews

Going like the wind ‘A1’ TORNADO TOPS 100MPH ON ECML

By Chris Milner

‘A1’No. 60163 Tornado has set a new record for a preserved steam locomotive, reaching 100mph during a covert overnight test run on the East Coast Main Line.

Tornado is believed to be the first loco to reach that speed in the UK since‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35003 Royal Mail was recorded more than 100mph in June 1967 on consecutive nights between Basingstoke andWoking with a

load of three coaches and two vans.

Back in 2013,‘A4’No. 4464 Bittern was authorised to run at 90mph, even though it only managed 92½mph on test run on May 29, 2013, not the 99mph required.

Later, the loco did touch 93mph on an ECML excursion.

It was well known that‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado was being prepared to make a high-speed test run in order to be certified to run some steam specials at up to 90mph, but very few people knew

Above: The temperature display of the middle big end.

Left: From left: Graeme Bunker-James, Dave Proctor, Steve Hanczar and Jim Smith triumphant on arrival at York.

CHRIS MILNER

where and when. Planning for the test run had been taking place for months involving discussions with Network Rail as to a suitable place and time, and also with DB Cargo, which would be crewing Tornado, as well as Ricardo Rail, which was the certification body overseeing the tests.

Safety margin

Above: Tornado at Newcastle prior to its record run. CHRIS MILNER Inset: The speed showing 100mph, the fastest a preserved loco has travelled in recent times.

Safety was at the top of the agenda, and in order to be certified to run at 90mph, regulations call for a 10% safety margin, which meant running Tornado at 99mph, so an extra 1mph was on the cards.

There have been many questions and much online debate over the need to run a steam loco at 90mph on the main line.The A1 Steam Locomotive say this is to take advantage of better paths and to fit around other trains more efficiently than t it would at its previous maximum speed of 75mph.

Tornado’s operations director Graeme Bunker-James added that

the loco was rigged with diagnostic equipment that would measure horizontal and vertical forces, acceleration, track forces and brake force.The centre big end was fitted with a thermocouple, transmitting the temperature to a display partway down the running plate on the fireman’s side.

All this information would be matched with speed and GPS information as part of the subsequent analysis.This process would take several months and be submitted to the Office of Road and Rail, Railway Safety & Standards Board and Network Rail.

Mr Bunker-James said final approval was not expected until late this year, although from his perspective the tests in respect of speed and brake performance had been a success.

Although Tornado was only completed in 2008, so is a youngster compared to many other steam locos, the A1’s engineering team firmly believed

that 100mph was well within the loco’s capabilities.

The RM along with sister title Heritage Railway were among those invited to ride on the test run overnight on April 11-12 – an honour and privilege.

Brake test

Instructed to be at Doncaster for 22.00 at the latest, Tornado was impatiently blowing off, standing on a loop line near theWabtec Works with eight RivieraTrains carriages, a support coach and Type 5 No. 67008 idling on the rear – just in case. Even though the movement was shown on Real TimeTrains as diesel-hauled as part of the subterfuge, some had got wind, and the shunt into platform 8 and eventual departure at 22.40 was witnessed by a small gathering.

In the cab were driver Steve Hanczar, firemanTony Jones and traction inspector Jim Smith, with JoeWray minding the Class 67.

Passing Joan Croft Jct, just under

Four-train cavalcade makes history on the ECML

By Ben Jones

PAST, present and future East Coast express trains lined up for a unique event north ofYork early on April 23.

VirginTrains East Coast (VTEC) was promoting the introduction

of its new‘Azuma’trains in 2018, and teamed up withWelcome toYorkshire, Network Rail and the National Railway Museum for the‘FourTrains’event, which saw No. 60103 Flying Scotsman run in parallel for several miles with three generations of VTEC trains

– an InterCity 125, an InterCity 225 electric set, and a pre-series Hitachi Class 800/1.

Having assembled in the early hours atTollerton, north ofYork, the trains ran in echelon formation to Shipton-by-Beningborough for a photo call, pursued by television

crews in helicopters.

They then continued toYork, where they were lined up side-by-side across several platforms, joined by another East Coast legend – No. D9002 King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.The Class 55 had earlier dragged

the‘A3’and its train into position atTollerton.There was some disappointment for observers at Shipton when the Class 800 set off without the other three trains, and many others felt that the‘Deltic’ deserved a place in the line-up, the class having transformed

The amazing sight of four generations of motive power spanning 93 years passing the half-way point signs between London and Edinburgh. ANDY MASON

6 • The Railway Magazine • May 2017

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk

NEWCASTLE – YORK Date Train Locomotive: Load: coaches/tons tare/tons gross Timed from: Traincrew: Weather conditions Departure

Partly shrouded in steam, A1 No. 60163 Tornado gets its 415-ton load underway, passing Thirsk after a planned emergency brake test just south of the station. STUART BROWN

five miles from the start, with 405 tons on the drawbar, Tornado had reached 67mph and byTemple Hirst Jct, where the old ECML line to Selby diverges, the speed was 82mph.

A number of the small gathering of invited guests were using mobile phone sat nav apps, where the GPS speed can be inaccurate, but there was an official recorder and others using hand-held GPS equipment, which was far more precise.

After an easy run intoYork and a 15min stop for water and photos, Tornado was on the move, touching 84½mph at Sessay before a planned emergency brake test atThirsk.

Rattling past Darlington at 75, Tornado was in fine fettle as speed nudged higher, with 91mph being recorded atTursdale Jct, easing off for the run intoTyneYard and more water.

DepartingTyneYard, Tornado’s exhaust echoed off the rows of

back-to-backs in Gateshead, a little after 02.00.

To position the‘A1’for the run south, the train was turned on the King Edward Jct triangle, with 14mins being spent in platform 2 at the wonderful station at Newcastle.

Departure was 7min early, the Class 67 left behind to shadow us, the drawbar weight at 315 tonnes providing a better power to weight ratio. In the cab, Dave Proctor had replacedTony Jones as fireman.

‘Going for it’

ECML schedules from 1961 onwards. However, large crowds gathered along the route and BBC regional news programme Look North reported that more than 1.8million people had viewed its footage of the event on Facebook.

It was originally planned to arrange the trains in order of their age and introduction date, but gauging issues forced the‘A3’ and Class 800 to run together on the Down lines, while the‘Flying Scotsman’-branded Mk4 DVT No. 82205, propelled by No. 91105, ran on the Up fast and NRM 40th anniversary power car No. 43238 led the HST on the Up slow.

The run took advantage of an

overnight engineering possession, which closed the railway north ofYork until 08.00.This followed intensive negotiations between Above left: The remarkable various parts of the modern quartet moves into position for railway. the first time at Tollerton, at The sight of four trains built over around 05.15. a 93-year period travelling in the same direction was a world first, Above: An immaculate Flying but it wasn’t the first publicity Scotsman simmers on the Down stunt to use a four-track section of slow, just before the four trains the East Coast Main Line for this ran in formation to Shipton. purpose. In 1937 the LNER ran BOTH: BEN JONES three‘A4s’and an‘A3’in parallel nearWood Green, in north London. Right: The line-up by Flying Scotsman also ran s The Sidings restaurant, ide-by-side with two Australian Shipton-by-Beningborough, broad gauge steam locos during one of the main viewing its tour in 1988. locations. CHRIS MILNER

Before departure, a‘Matey’ headboard was placed on the front of the loco, in memory of former NRM head of engineering Ray Towell, who died just over a year ago.

It was clear Tornado was going for it. At Birtley Jct the speed was 70, cresting the 1-in-100 at Reilly Mill at 66, with towns and villages flashing by as the speed rose. The 89mph at Ferryhill was improved to 97 by Bradbury – so close to the

magic three figures at one of three locations where such speed was authorised and possible.

However, the best was yet to come, albeit 40 miles further on when on the downhill/level section south of Sessay, Tornado reached 100mph between Raskelf and Alne at 03.38 in the morning… to big cheers on board!

It maintained that speed for 48 secs, and even after the‘ton’, the‘A1’continued for the next five miles at 95-99mph, before beginning to slow for the York stop.

Back on the platform the footplate crew had become instant heroes after a magnificent achievement and a job well done. Valuable support for the test run also came from Resonate Ltd, DATS, Electromotive, Cass Heywood and Riviera Trains.

Use of the loco at 90mph will be limited to certain sections of the East and West Coast Main Lines and the GreatWestern Main Line.

April 12, 2017 02.50 Newcastle-Doncaster Class ’A1’4-6-2 No. 60163 Tornado 9/309/315 Second coach Driver: Steve Hanczar Fireman: Dave Proctor Traction Inspector: Jim Smith Moderate WNW wind 7½ mins early

Dist (miles) 0.00 1.65 2.70 4.85 8.30 10.55

Timing Point NEWCASTLE King Edward Bridge South Jct Low Fell Jct Birtley Jct Chester-le-Street Plawsworth

14.05 15.70 18.25 20.00 21.20 24.00 25.95 29.05 30.65 32.90

Durham Relly Mill summit (Top of 1-in-100) Langley Moor Viaduct – North end Croxdale Hett Mill LC Tursdale Jct Ferryhill South Jct Bradbury A1(M) bridge Aycliffe River Skerne Viaduct

36.10 37.30 39.20 41.25 43.00 46.45 50.25

Darlington 35 Croft Jct Tees Viaduct (75 mph restriction as outward) Eryholme Jct Cowton Danby Wiske Northallerton 47

53.70

Otterington

(75 mph restriction as outward)

Sched mins 0 3 8 (*2) 18 -

24 26 -

(75 mph restriction as outward) (50 mph trs)

58.00 62.20 64.15 66.85 69.00 70.60 73.20

Thirsk

74.65

Beningbrough

(#1)

76.90 78.55 79.57

Skelton Bridge Jct Skelton Jct Opposite Siemens depot

68½

80.20

YORK

71

Bridge ECM5–36 (18m 76ch)- 75 mph

Sessay Pilmoor Raskelf Alne Tollerton Jct Beningbrough LC

* Denotes speed restriction, # Recovery time (in minutes), LC = Level Crossing, ¶ = Special 75 mph restriction for 60163, trs = temporary speed restriction, SLW = single line working

52½ -

61½

Actual ms 0 00 3 02 5 39 7 37 10 29 12 17 15 15 66 16 43 18 34 19 50 20 42 22 42 23 59 25 58 *84 28 44 sigs 31 54 33 32 35 26 37 07 38 31 41 06 44 01 46 46 pws 50 37 ¶ 75 54 18 55 40 57 24 58 41 59 39 61 15 sigs 62 19 sigs & SLW 65 40 69 14 73 42 ] 75 12 ] 78 32

Speed mph *20 64½ 70 76 ¶ 68½ / 67 73½/70 72/86 83½ 81/84 81½ 89 94/97 *90 76½ *65 *32 55 ¶ 72 75 76 83½ / 82 74 / ¶ 75 76 *48½ 52½ 82 88 98½ / 100 100 99 95½ *68 *24 31 sig stop *0 -

Arrival on time

May 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 7

HeadlineNews

Scottish Government considers Borders Railway extension The railway between Newcraighall and Tweedbank TRANSPORT Scotland has reopened in September 2015, commissioned a study to examine and at times has been a victim of the case for extending the Borders its own success with overcrowded Railway beyond Tweedbank to trains, poor timekeeping and Hawick, and possibly Carlisle. the limitations of the new The seven-month long study infrastructure affecting reliability

by Jacobs UK will consider various and punctuality. options for improving links from However, in January this year the Scottish Borders to Edinburgh, the Scottish Tourism Economic Carlisle and Newcastle.

Assessment Monitor reported Holyrood Transport minister that visitors to Midlothian had Humza Yousaf said:“In the spent 16% more in the first half of Scottish Government’s 2016 compared with a year earlier, Programme for Government before the railway opened. The a commitment was given to number of days visitors spent in examine the case for an extension the Borders also rose by 11%. of the Borders Railway along The 98-mile Carlisle to with improvements to the A1, A7 Edinburgh line was opened by and A68. the North British Railway in “Working with partners in 1849-62, and popularly known as Scottish Borders Council and the‘Waverley Route’.

SEStran, Transport Scotland will It was identified as an identify a range of options for unnecessary duplicate route to improving transport that can Scotland by the Beeching Report be considered as part of the and, after vociferous protests, review of the Strategic Transport eventually closed in 1969.

Projects, which will look at future Many years of campaigning infrastructure projects for the led to a partial reopening in 2015, whole of Scotland. These options costing £350million. could include new rail services, Campaign for Borders Rail improvements to existing road chairman Allan McLean hopes infrastructure and improved the new study will be the public transport provision.” breakthrough his group has been

By Ben Jones

First UK freight to China

DB Cargo No. 66136 worked the first leg of the inaugural return Intercontinental freight train from the London Gateway terminal in Thurrock to Yiwu, China on April 10. The '66' carries vinyl markings on the front end promoting the event, which it is hoped will herald regular freight trains linking the UK with China via France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan. Loaded with export goods, including soft drinks and pharmaceutical products, the train passes Leyton Midland Road on the Barking to Gospel Oak line in north London, running as 7O81, the 14.57 London Gateway-Dollands Moor Sidings. EIKI SEKINE JUST OFF THE BOAT: THE last four of an outstanding order for seven Colas Class 70 locos saw Nos. 70814-7 arrive in the UK during April. All four are seen still on maffi trailers at Seaforth Docks, Liverpool, on April 23. See story on p82.

GERAINT JONES

8 • The Railway Magazine • May 2017

A six-car Class 158 formation is led by set No. 158727 past Cowbraehill between Gorebridge and Stow on the first day of Borders Railway service, September 6, 2015. CHRIS MILNER

pressing for.“This is very welcome news, and we certainly hope that the railway reopens and also hope the study will not just kick the idea into the long grass.

“Galashiels and Tweedbank have got their railway back, but Hawick

is still missing.”

Extending the Borders Railway via Melrose to Hawick, which has a population of 15,000, would add an extra 17 miles to its current 30-mile length. Continuing to Carlisle, via Newcastleton, would

add 50 miles, albeit through sparsely populated country with little potential for passenger traffic. However, the line could once again provide a useful diversionary route to the West Coast Main Line north of Carlisle.

Trespass incidents at a 10-year-high ALARMING new figures from Network Rail and British Transport Police reveal that more people than ever are risking their lives on the rail network by trespassing on the tracks.

The data looks at trends over the last 10 years and shows that trespass incidents are at an all-time high, and that at least one person trespasses and dices with death every hour.

Last year there were more than 8,000 incidents where people risked their lives across the rail network, an 11% increase on the previous year.

Young people are also the most likely to take a risk, with 50% of those killed under the age of 25.

Spring and summer see more than double the number of

young trespassers, compared to the winter months.

Allan Spence, head of public and passenger safety at Network Rail, said: “Every April we see a huge rise in the number of people taking a risk on the rail network and it’s worrying that these numbers seem to be going up.

Short cut

“Britain has the safest railway in Europe, but still too many people lose their lives on the tracks. The dangers may not always be obvious, but the electricity on the railway is always on and trains can travel at up to 125mph, so even if they see you, they can’t stop in time.”

According to Network Rail’s statistics, 72% of all trespassers who died over the last 10 years

were struck by a train and another 17% were electrocuted.

The other 11% were killed by a fatal fall on or near the railway.

Most trespassers highlight taking a short cut (42%) as their main motivation for committing the crime, followed by thrill-seeking (19%).

The new figures also highlight that youth trespass is more prevalent in areas where there is socio-economic deprivation.

In response to the seasonal surge in incidents and to tackle the problem of youth trespass, Network Rail and the British Police have jointly launched a schools programme where rail community safety managers and BTP officers will be out teaching thousands of children about railway safety.

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk

S&C open again after £23m Eden Brows repair work

By Ben Jones

THE Settle to Carlisle line reopened as a through route on March 31, more than a year after a major landslip closed the line at Eden Brows, north of Armathwaite.

The repairs cost £23million and were required after heavy rain caused the River Eden to burst its banks in February 2016, leading to the movement of around 500,000 tonnes of earth beneath a 100-metre section of the trackbed, which subsided by around 1.5 metres.

Repairs to the 1870s Midland Railway formation included the construction of a substantial

concrete deck and retaining walls, 150m long and 1.5m deep, supported on 226 steel-cased piles driven 20m into the ground to prevent a repeat of the landslip at this site.

Challenges

The location and nature of the landslip presented Network Rail and its contractors with significant challenges, including the construction of more than a mile of access roads across local farmland, ground investigation to identify other potential problems, a worksite perched on an embankment 70m above a river, and how to design and

implement improved drainage National Railway Museum’s and waterproofing.

‘A3’No. 60103 Flying Scotsman Network Rail’s contractor hauled the official reopening Story Rail excavated the railtour from Keighley to Carlisle original embankment to a and return, slowing at Eden depth of 4m and removed Brows to allow passengers to 16,000 tonnes of material by view the repaired section of line. rail before installing the new deck and piles, re-profiling and Size and scale landscaping the embankment Martin Frobisher, managing with 6,000 tonnes of stone and director of Network Rail’s 3,000 tonnes of ballast.

London North Western route, After tracks were relaid and said:“I am beyond thrilled ballasted, NR ran test trains that customers and goods over the section to ensure all are moving again on this vital was in order before the first economic artery through passenger train – Northern’s Britain’s most beautiful 05.50 Carlisle-Leeds DMU – landscape.“Our ‘orange army’ operated on March 31. However, has ensured that even if the the real celebrations took ground gives way again in place later that day when the future, the railway will not.

“The size and scale of the repair job, coupled with the inaccessible location and the fact the ground was still on the move, made this the biggest repair challenge Network Rail has ever faced.”

Douglas Hodgins, chairman of the Friends of Settle Carlisle Line, added:“It is great to be back in business. We shall be working with the railway industry to ensure the line regains its role as a through route to Carlisle and Scotland as quickly as possible – and to seeing the splendours of the Eden Gorge from the trains again.

“Well done Network Rail and its contractors.”

‘A3’ No. 60103 Flying Scotsman climbs the final few yards to Ais Gill summit on March 31 with the return working of a special to Carlisle that originated at Oxenhope on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. ANDREW DENNISON

St Petersburg metro bomb kills 15

By Keith Fender

AN EXPLOSION by a suicide bomber on April 3 onboard a southbound train on Line 2 of the St Petersburg metro killed 15 passengers and left more than 50 injured.

The explosion took place in a tunnel between Sennaya Ploshchad and Tekhnologichesky Institut

stations. A bomb was also left at Ploshchad Vosstaniya station on Line 1; this was found and defused by the security services.

The St Petersburg metro has five lines and carries around two million people every day.

Russian officials praised the decision of the driver on the train that was attacked to carry on to Tekhnologichesky Institut

station rather than stop the train in the tunnel.

This action helped to save the lives of seriously injured passengers who were treated by emergency medical teams quickly in the station.

Russian security authorities believe the person responsible for the attack was a suicide bomber linked to Islamic extremist groups.

Bombardier and Siemens ponder rail business merger TWO of the world’s biggest rolling stock manufacturers are in talks that could see their rail businesses merged.

Siemens and Bombardier believe a single unit could fight off growing opposition from China.

The proposals that have been put forward could lead to each company’s train manufacturing and signalling merging.

Discussions began earlier this

year, but the potential duplication of jobs could lead to plant closures and redundancies, which could face fierce opposition from unions.

Siemens manufactures a range of trains from commuter to high speed, while Bombardier’s orders have tended to be for metro, commuter and regional trains.

Both have collaborated on the development of the German ICE.

May 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 9

HeadlineNews SIDELINES £10k survey for Honeybourne reopening RAIL campaigners, local councils and rail user groups have come together to fund a £10,000 economic impact survey into the reopening of the Stratford-upon-Avon to Honeybourne route.

The aim of the survey is to assess whether there is a case for rebuilding the route, which would allow a 60-minute journey between Evesham and Birmingham and create another alternative through route between the West Midlands, Oxford and London.

The line between Long Marston and Stratford was lifted in the late-1970s.

Hitachi recruiting at Doncaster HITACHI Rail Europe (HRE) is recruiting 250 staff to work at its new Doncaster maintenance depot.

The job creation comes after HRW won the contract to build and maintain 500 new carriages to replace the HST. The Doncaster facility has cost £80million and employs 60 staff at present, with the focus on hiring local engineers with experience in mechanical and/or electrical work.

The depot is also looking to attract new train maintenance apprentices to start in September 2017.

Win tickets to the Battle Proms A PAIR of tickets to the Battle Proms is on offer at www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/ category/competitions This is the 20th year of the event in which classical music, carefully choreographed Spitfire and cavalry displays, dramatic cannon fire and stunning firework finales will be staged.

The show will be held over the summer at five stately homes – Burghley House, Hatfield House, Blenheim Palace, Highclere Castle and Ragley Hall. T&Cs apply.

Telford fly-tipping costs NR £40,000 NETWORK Rail removed around 250 tonnes of fly-tipped waste dumped on the railway in Telford, at a cost to the taxpayer of £40,000.

The industrial-scale dumping has been a blight on the local area – minutes away from the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site – since it happened in December 2017.

NR has been working with the Environment Agency to gather information and identify those responsible.

£2.75bn procurement of HS2 trains begins

THE process to procure up to 60 state-of-the-art trains to be operated on the planned HS2 high-speed line has begun.

It is envisaged between three and five companies will be shortlisted for the tendering process.

The contract for the trains is worth £2.75billion and as part of a single package, the successful bidder will be required to design, manufacture, commission and

shortlisted bidders in spring 2018 with the contract award following in late-2019. Future contracts will add to this fleet to provide trains for the second phase of the project in 2033.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:“Britain’s new railway will carry over 300,000 people a day, improve connections between our great cities, free up space on our existing rail lines, generate jobs

and help us build an economy that works for all. But what will make HS2’s reputation from day one will be its trains.”

Around 25,000 jobs and 2,000 apprenticeships will be created during HS2 construction, and HS2 Ltd has held discussions with UK-based suppliers to make sure they are in the best possible position to win contracts.

The first public trains are due to run in 2026.

SNCF joins Virgin/Stagecoach for West Coast Partnership bid The Department forTransport (DfT) prospectus for the West FRENCH national operator SNCF Coast Partnership contract states has teamed up with Virgin and that bidders must have extensive Stagecoach to bid for the next experience of high-speed West Coast franchise, which will operations. also include the launch of High SNCF has been operating Speed 2 services. high-speed trains on dedicated SNCF has a 30% stake in the routes since 1981, when the Paris joint venture, with Stagecoach to Lyon Ligne à GrandVitesse taking 50% and Virgin Group the (LGV) opened and now has the remaining 20%. most extensive network in Europe, As with the current East Coast with lines radiating from Paris to franchise, in which Stagecoach Marseille, Bordeaux, Brittany, Lille/ holds a 90% stake, the trains will Brussels, Strasbourg and Mulhouse. carryVirgin branding if the bid is It also has the largest fleet successful. of high-speed trains in Europe, Patrick McCall, VirginTrains cowith more than 430TGV sets, chairman, said:“I’m delighted that developed with Alstom over SNCF has come on board.Together several generations since the we will put forward what we hope 1970s. is the winning bid for the next SNCF’s high-speed division West Coast, and first HS2, franchise. operates around 700 trains every “We’ve just celebrated 20 years day, plus internationalThalys and of VirginTrains and this news puts Eurostar services. It had a turnover us in the best possible position to of €7.5billion in 2016, 27% of make it 30.” which was from international Chairman and CEO of SNCF operations.

Guillaume Pepy said:“This is a very SNCF/Virgin/Stagecoach will exciting development for SNCF. We be bidding against First Group, are world leaders in high-speed which announced a similar joint rail. SNCF has a long-standing venture with Italy’s Trenitalia in commitment to working in February. A shortlist of bidders will partnership with British companies, be published in June, followed using their local knowledge by the final invitation to tender in and sharing our expertise and November. experience.”

Bids must be submitted by April

By Ben Jones

French state operator SNCF is to lend its experience of running high-speed TGV services to a new joint venture with Stagecoach and Virgin, bidding to win the West Coast Partnership contract.

SNCF runs more than 700 TGV services per day, with many running into neighbouring countries. On November 27, 2016, TGV‘Euroduplex’double-deck set No. 4710 stands at Stuttgart’s main station with a Paris EstMunich train. BEN JONES

2018 and the winner announced in November 2018, ready to take control of West Coast operations from London Euston to the West Midlands, north-west England and Scotland in April 2019.

They will play a major role in the preparations for the opening of HS2 in December 2026 and operate the initial services on Phase 1 of the £50bn new railway, as well as reconfiguredWCML services.

Win tickets for GCR model event THE RM is giving away 10 pairs of tickets to the Great Central Railway’s popular model railway exhibition being held from June 16-18.

The tickets will allow entry to see more than 80 layouts as well as travel between the railways’ four stations.

It’s an online competition only so visit www.railwaymagazine. co.uk/category/ competitions to enter.

T&Cs apply

DAVID WOODHOUSE 1932-2017

Beacon Rail sold LEASING company Beacon Rail has been bought by JP Morgan Asset Management for around €1billion.

Beacon had been owned

by Pamplona Capital Management. The deal includes all DRS Class 68 and 88 locos and the new CAF Mk5a sleeping vehicles.

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maintain this new fleet, which will run up to 250mph.

The successful bidder will maintain the fleet from the dedicated rolling stock depot planned for Washwood Heath in Birmingham. The site will also be home to the HS2 Network Control Centre, with the depot and centre creating hundreds of skilled jobs.

Invitations to tender are expected to be issued to

David Woodhouse

10 • The Railway Magazine • May 2017

DAVID Woodhouse, one of the heritage railway movement’s pioneers, died in Aberystwyth Hospital on April 11 after a short illness. He was 84.

It was back in 1953 that David became involved with the Talyllyn Railway and was the guard on the original Coronation specials in June 1953 for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth. He became involved in the operational side of the railway and was appointed traffic manager in 1966, where he remained for 26 years.

David also represented the Heritage Railway Association,

often manning a stand at travel trade events, explaining the wonders of Britain’s heritage railways to tour promoters.

Mr Woodhouse was a member of the Railway Industry Advisory Committee Working Groups, and a Member of the Institute of Railway Operators.

He also helped forge links between the heritage railway sector and tourism through his roles as a director of Mid-Wales Tourism, being a member of the Visit Britain Tourist Attractions advisory committee, and as chairman of the Mid Wales Marketing Committee.

David was awarded an MBE for services to tourism in Wales in 1986, and a Wales Tourist Board Gold Medal in the same year. Last year his 60-year contribution to heritage railways was recognised with The Railway Magazine Annual Award for Services to Railway Preservation.

Leading the tributes was Brian Simpson, chairman of the HRA. He said:“David was a founder member of the HRA and gave his experience, knowledge and wisdom freely and generously. Not only have we lost a valuable contributor, but a treasured friend.”

Have you got a story for us? Email: railway@mortons.co.uk

STOP PRESS Eight Bulleids in the spotlight at Mid Hants’ Summer Steam Gala THE Mid Hants Railway is seeking to top the Swanage Railway’s (SR) recent record gathering of seven Bulleid Pacifics (see p70) by showcasing no fewer than eight at its Summer Steam Gala.

Just as at the SR’s Strictly Bulleid event the Mid-Hants will have four operational Pacifics in service over the July 1-2 and 7-9 weekends: Light Pacifics Nos. 34081 92 Squadron, 34053 Sir Keith Park and 34052 Lord Dowding (34046 Braunton) being joined by‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co. However, visitors will also be able to inspect‘West Country’ No. 34105 Swanage in the works at Ropley while classmate No. 34007 Wadebridge will also be on display, possibly with an identity change to represent one of the‘last’from 1967.

Unrestored‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34058 Sir Frederick Pile matches the SR’s total of seven, and the component parts of under-overhaul‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35005 Canadian Pacific push that figure to eight.

For more information and bookings see the MHR website at www.watercressline.co.uk

As this issue of The RM goes on sale the return of No. 7029 Clun Castle is a little over a month away. It will not be long before the Tyseley 4-6-0 graces the main line once more, as seen at Spring Road on June 8, 1986. ANDREW BELL

Clun Castle to debut at Tyseley’s June open weekend THE flagship locomotive in the Tyseley stable – No. 7029 Clun Castle – will make its post-overhaul debut at Tyseley’s special ‘Castles’-themed open weekend on June 24-25.

This will mark 16 years since it last steamed and seven years since its overhaul began.

The return of the BR-built Collett 4-6-0 this year is significant, coming half a century on from when the locomotive first reached Tyseley and set in motion the events that have resulted in today’s successful Vintage Trains and Tyseley Locomotive Works (TLW) operations (RM March 2017).

The overhaul has been

overseen by TLW’s works manager Alastair Meanley and may well be the most comprehensive that the double-chimney ‘Castle’ has received to date in its 67-year history.

Concerted effort

‘Clun’ was one of the pioneers of main line steam’s revival, and as such worked consistently from its BR withdrawal until the turn of the 21st century with few breaks in between.

By the time it was withdrawn for overhaul in 2001 it was showing its age.

In between working on contract jobs, No. 7029 has received new tyres on all six

driving wheels and the four working again around TLW’s bogie wheels, a new foundation other commitments. However, ring, new firebox corners, rewith 2017 marking the 50th staying and a full re-tube. anniversary of the Tyseley Additionally, the tender set-up, a concerted effort has tank has received a complete been made to ensure that the new floor, the motion has loco steams again this year. been rebuilt and re-metalled, and the bottom-end brasses Four 'Castles' refurbished to name just a few As this issue of The RM went of the tasks completed. to press No. 7029 was still to There had been hope that the be painted, but the work is loco would be complete in time expected to be completed in to mark the 50th anniversary of time for its June debut. its record-breaking run of May Tyseley is hoping that 'Clun' 9, 1964 in 2014, but it was not will be in steam at the event, to be, and it was not until June with at least two further 2016 that the boiler was finally 'Castles', Duchess of Sutherland reunited with the frames. and a ‘Grange’ as never seen Since then it has been a case before in preservation – see of reassembling the ‘Castle’, page 74 for details.

Great Western wires ‘go live’ TWELVE miles of the GW main line into Paddington, between Maidenhead and Stockley Junction, are now ready for electric operation as work continues to prepare the railway for Crossrail.

Electrification will also allow GWR to extend new electric trains from London Paddington to Maidenhead in May, and to Didcot in January 2018.

In January this year GWR began to run half-hourly Class 387 ‘Electrostar’ trains from London Paddington to Hayes & Harlington.

Crossrail trains will start to use this section of railway from December 2019.

Over three years, Network Rail has installed more than 1,400 overhead structures and 140 miles of overhead wires that will power the new trains.

SIDELINES ‘158’collides with bufferstop at Preston RAIL Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has launched an enquiry into a bufferstop collision at Preston on April 1.

Northern DMU No. 158758 ran into the buffers of platform 3C, one of the bays at the southern end of the Lancashire station, at around 6mph as it arrived fromYork, causing minor injuries to several passengers.

A preliminary examination has been undertaken and a full report into the incident will be published shortly.

PUTTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT (RM APRIL) ■ The DMU was calling at Salford Central not Salford Crescent (p8).

■ In the Guitars and Garratts feature (p14), the author apologises for a minor memory lapse in respect of catching a Liverpool tram in 1963.

The last one ran in 1957.

■ A Class 40 was working from Glasgow to Aberdeen, not vice-versa (p49).

■ The‘Peak’(p25) was No. 45015, not 45045.

■ Our apologies for not spotting the incorrect spelling of Lichfield (p111).

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! FAREWELL TOTHE 'D' STOCK: London Underground retired the last of its D78 trains, dating from the late-1970s and early-1980s, in late-April.They have been replaced by Bombardier-built S7 units on the District Line, completing the seven-year, wholesale replacement of the LU sub-surface line’s fleet.The last D78 formation in regular service was formed of half-sets Nos. 7032 and 7007, seen arriving at West Kensington on April 21 with commemorative markings on the cab front.

LondonTransport Museum is running a farewell tour for the D78s on May 7. EIKI SEKINE

FROM ONLY £20

SEE P60 FOR DETAILS

May 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 11

Multiple Aspects

with Lord Berkeley

Competition badly needed to boost efficiency on rail network… whichever party wins the General Election WRITING on the day that the General Election was called, what does this mean for the railways?

Do we assume that the Tories will romp home, and then seek to privatise everything that moves on track?

Will they, free from European rules, prevent ‘foreign’ operators owned by incumbents in other countries to bid for passenger franchises?

Will they try to integrate track and train into vertically integrated companies which can obfuscate the costs and benefits of passenger operators while suddenly becoming experts in whole-life infrastructure costs, and of maintaining track quality without needing to close any line for maintenance?

Or will a new left wing alliance re-

nationalise the railway back to the days of 1947?

There are already rumours of CrossCountry being broken up so that everyone has to change trains at Birmingham, making it much easier to integrate track and passenger trains on a geographical basis. Passengers who use CrossCountry to avoid having to change in Birmingham will love this!

Branches will wither

Cutting the present GW franchise into two (Devon and Cornwall branch lines and everything else) will have only one result – the branches will wither, but then Cornwall voted for Brexit forgetting that much of its investment, including the new sleepers and maintenance facilities in Penzance, were funded by the EU.

Penzance’s MP supported Brexit but his recent newsletter suggested that it was essential to allow free movement of people to support the Cornish agricultural sector.

However, there are two principles that I hope any new Government will support, whatever its complexion.

One is the need for competition as a boost to efficiency, innovation and better service. Network Rail is a natural monopoly, and the latest move towards regions competing with each other may, hopefully, result in better services and lower costs and charges. Freight already has competition between half a dozen operators, and long may this last. For passenger services, open access provides competition on some routes, and the franchising process is the best way of bringing innovation and cost

Selling off ‘surplus’ land – why are rail and roads treated differently by ministers?

THERE is a renewed threat to railway land now that ministers have instructed Network Rail to sell off unnecessary land.

We have seen this before, but now this instruction appears to include operational land as well. So aggregate terminals, supplying building materials for the construction industry in an environmentally friendly way to London and other cities, are under threat.

One can see what might happen.

The land is sold to a private sector company; it puts up the rent or ‘encourages’ the local authority to restrict operating hours to the extent that aggregate movement by rail is no longer viable. They develop the sites for ‘foreign’ investors with materials coming by road and make a lot of money. They will say that this will not affect air pollution, as that is caused by diesel cars. Are trucks pollution free?

Ventilation problems

So the Treasury continues to insist that Network Rail sells operational land; have they

thought of doing it for other non-freight sites?

Euston will clearly be a candidate as NR have been told to come up with a development plan which costs the taxpayer nothing.

However, what is perhaps odd is that there is no pressure on Highways England to do the same with its surplus land. It has much operational land which could be developed – over service stations, over motorways or whatever, but in a written answer in Parliament I have been told that there are no plans to do this.

Of course there would be ventilation problems in putting roads in long tunnels, as the DfT is finding out around Heathrow, but they had a clever solution – push the pollution away from Heathrow to the ends of the tunnel.

No doubt this could be applied in any new tunnel proposal!

So why the different approach to Network Rail and Highways England? Both have the same type of structure owned by us, and they both provide infrastructure for transport.

Why are they treated differently?

effectiveness to that sector. By all means fiddle with the detail, but the principle of competition must be retained to keep operators on their toes.

The second principle is to avoid unnecessary change. It took one if not two decades to sort out the detail not just of who owned what and whether it was or should be in the private or public sector, but the more important issues of separation of track and train.

This was and still is essential to achieve fair competition in freight and is equally important in the passenger sector.

However, politicians always have ‘good’ ideas about changing things for the better; they are not generally there to see the successes or failures of their pet ideas, but so often the railway suffers for years after they have gone.

Riviera Sleeper’s new coaches should prove popular… despite bunk and noise problems

BY CHANCE I was allocated a berth on a refurbished carriage of the GWR Riviera Sleeper.

The inside has been completely revamped with the berths wider at the top and middle, perhaps to reflect the shape of customers like me; the head end is at the window end and the basin, small hanging cupboard and controls are modernised and look good.

Only two complaints, which I am sure will be rectified: the bunks are lined with slippery material which encourages the sheet and duvet to slide off, hopefully without the body they are meant to cover. Secondly, there was a continuous high-pitch noise against which ear plugs would have been helpful.

Anyway, I am sure that these new coaches will be even more popular than the present ones, and will justify more vehicles being added to the Riviera service when released by Caledonian Sleeper after it gets its new ones. berkeleyafg@parliament.uk ■ (The independent views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The RM or the Rail Freight Group, of which Tony Berkeley is chairman).

Railways in Parliament

by Jon Longman

Non-tilting advantages

LORD Berkeley asked Her Majesty’s Government what are the minor line speed improvements on the West Coast Main Line, mainly north of Preston, that will enable non-tilt trains to go faster, but will not enable tilting trains to go faster.

Transport Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon replied:“The current West Coast Main Line has been optimised for tilting trains, which operate up to a maximum speed of 125mph, whilst non-tilting trains are limited to operating at up to 110 mph.

“However, north of the future Golborne Junction, track geometry on some sections of line may allow non-tilting passenger trains to operate up to 125mph within the existing operational rules and without track changes.

“Further, minor infrastructure alterations could be made on the transitions between straight and curved sections of track to optimise the speed profile for non-tilting trains further, which would make no change to the speed profile of existing tilting trains.

“The journey time differential between a tilting train and non-tilting train would therefore be reduced.”

Diesel performance

LORD Bradshaw asked Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the small diesel engine to get an electric Inter-City Express train from Newark to Doncaster over the 51-mile diversionary route via Swinderby; and how long it would take to complete that journey.

Lord Ahmad replied:“The small engine

12 • The Railway Magazine • May 2017

installed on the electric Inter-City Express trains is intended as a means of moving the train to the nearest station in the event of disruption. As such, journey times between Newark and Doncaster via Swinderby have not been assessed.

“It is planned that the bi-mode trains in the fleet will operate on the diversionary route via Lincoln during times of perturbation and engineering works.

“Bi-mode trains are capable of reaching line speed.”

Reckless passengers

LORD Bradshaw asked Her Majesty’s Government what is the current legislation regarding endangering passenger safety on trains; and what assessment they have made of whether the current legislation regarding the safe operation of trains adequately protects

the guard from legal action related to reckless actions by passengers.

Lord Ahmad replied:“There is a range of legislation in place aimed at rail operators, to ensure the safety of the travelling public and workers, which is reviewed periodically.

“For example, The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 provide the regulatory regime for rail safety, including the main line railway, metros (including London Underground), tramways, light rail and heritage railways.

“These regulations were recently subject to a periodic implementation review, which found they were working well.

“Any allegations about the conduct of rail staff would be subject to the appropriate civil or criminal law.”