HeadlineNews SIDELINES Woman killed leaning out of window
BETHAN Roper (28) suffered fatal head injuries returning to Penarth from Bath on December 1. British Transport Police believe she had her head out of the window, sustaining the injuries between Bath and Keynsham. RAIB was notified.
LT livery for Severn Valley pannier
FORMER London Transport pannier No. 5764 is to return to its LT guise as No. L95 at the Severn Valley Railway. The 90-year-old ‘57XX’ 0-6-0PT is currently in the paintshop at Bridgnorth having the famous LT maroon livery restored, after which it will return to display at the Engine House at Highley.
‘Pendolino’ tested on Bolton line
A ‘PENDOLINO’ has been used to test new infrastructure along the 25-mile route via Salford, Bolton and Chorley. The run was closely monitored by Network Rail engineers, checking the new overhead power lines. The test took place on the evening of December 13. Tests are taking place in two phases, with these first runs being used to check the new electrical infrastructure works correctly, while a second set of tests in early January will check the infrastructure can handle trains running at full line speed.
More daily London to Amsterdam Eurostars
EUROSTAR has announced it wants to increase London to Amsterdam services to four trains in each direction from December 2019. However, it says plans are dependent on immigration controls being in place at both Amsterdam CS and Rotterdam stations. Long term, Eurostar is planning to add a fifth service to the route. By June this year, there will be three services per day. KF
End of the line for Old Oak Common HST depot
REDUCTION of the use of HST trains by GWR and the need to redevelop parts of Old Oak Common has brought the curtain down on the west London depot’s long association with the InterCity 125. On December 9, the depot serviced its last HST, formed of powercars Nos. 43093 Old Oak Common HST Depot 1976-2018 and No. 43185 Great Western, the set leaving e.c.s. for Paddington.
'The Factory'
The workshops and loco depot, affectionately known as ‘The Factory’, was demolished several years ago as parts of the site were redeveloped and used for a Crossrail tunnel segment manufacturing plant. More recently, it has been used as the Crossrail EMU maintenance depot, with 33 sidings, which has been built partly on the site of the former steam locomotive depot and Coronation Sidings. Redevelopment is the next stage in readiness for the new interchange station, which will open in 2026, and link HS2 with Great Western Main Line services. Maintenance of the remaining HSTs used by GWR will be carried out at Laira depot. Top right: Power car No. 43185 about to leave the Old Oak maintenance shed for the last time. Right: Time for the staff to pose for a farewell photo. PICTURES: JACK BOSKETT
Worcestershire Parkway station shaping up Big passenger rise means more DMUs for Translink
NORTHERN Ireland rail operator Translink has ordered an additional 21 diesel multiple unit vehicles from CAF to cope with a 130% increase in passenger numbers on the network since 2006. It will allow the 20 three-car 4000 series DMUs ordered in 2011 to be lengthened to four cars. The intermediate vehicles are costing £50million, funded by the Department of Infrastructure, and exercise the contract option that was part of the original order. Delivery is expected during 2021, and all will be in service by the autumn of 2022. Passenger numbers on Northern Ireland Railways are at their highest since the organisation was founded in 1967.
Thornbury Castle moves to Somerset
BRW ‘Castle’ 4-6-0 No. 7027 Thornbury Castle moved to the West Somerset Railway from Tyseley Locomotive Works (TLW) on December 14. The transfer to Williton will enable owner and WSR plc chairman Jonathan JonesPratt to make a start on the loco’s restoration while TLW concentrates on the overhaul of Mr Jones-Pratt’s other Western 4-6-0 – ‘Hall’ No. 4936 Kinlet Hall – which is due for completion in the summer.
RM holiday guide available on line
ADVERTISERS’ promotional copy for the bi-annual Railtourers Guide now appears on our website. See: www.railwaymagazine. co.uk/category/railwayholidays. This follows the change first implemented with our July 2018 issue.
CONSTRUCTION of Worcestershire Parkway station is at an advanced stage. The station, situated east of Norton Junction and close to the M5 junction 7, will have two platforms on the Birmingham to Bristol line, and a single platform on the Cotswold Line from Worcester Shrub Hill. The station will have three 265 metre platforms and a 500-space car park, with scope to add more spaces in the future by adding a mezzanine level.
8 • The Railway Magazine • January 2019
The three platforms and final fit out of the car park are due for completion in the first part of 2019 ahead of the station then being commissioned. Further details regarding the plan for completion will be announced in 2019. It will be served by both GWR and CrossCountry services, the latter of which does not currently serve any stations in Worcestershire. Photo: WORCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
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