Weekly Overview ~ 5th July 2015.

We observe a 1 minute silence at 11:30am on Tuesday (7th July), to mark 10 years of the tragic London 7/7 bombings which occurred in 2005, leaving 52 deceased and hundreds injured. Please join us. TFL Tube announcements will be stopped and buses brought to a standstill during the silence. Thoughts and condolences continue to go out. Harry & Team.

NEWS THIS WEEK:
  • I start of with saddened news about Railway Publisher Ian Allan. Unfortunately he passed away on June 28th, aged 93. Allan created all the useful information which resulted in the first Ian Allan ABC book during WW2 in 1943, focusing on the ABC of Southern Locomotives.
    66 711 in it's new livery - © C&A Transport Photography.


  • GBRF'S 66 711, painted in to Aggregate livery earlier this year, was named "Sence" at Bardon Hill on July 2nd.





  • The two pictures on the left, sent in to us by Simon Chivers, show the Pretendlino set from the air and one AGA set almost in full Abellio Greater Anglia colours. Both photos show Mainline Norwich to London Liverpool Street services. Both photos are © to Simon.






    AGA 90 013 at Norwich - © Lewis B.
  • Harry tells me that Sat 4th July was the Harwich Festival, and what a hot day it was! In order to put everyone in the mood for festival celebrations, the 11:00 and 13:00 Manningtree to Harwich Town train was 'decorated in a kaleidoscope of colour and free festival fun'. On board the Abellio Greater Anglia service were a number of performers and also free activity packs for children, supported by South Suffolk and Essex Community Rail partnerships. Petrina Murphy, area manager for Abellio Greater Anglia, stated: "We run a small number of special themed trains throughout the year and these are always popular with passengers. The festival train is full of treats for children and we hope as many families as possible enjoyed this day out. Upon arrival at Harwich, a piper led travelers into the town for the show, which includes a number of street performers, artists from Brazil and also theatre/dance groups. Source - Abellio Greater Anglia


  • The RMT have confirmed that First Great Western Staff are to walk out for 48 hours from 18:30 on July 8th and 18:30  July 10th after concerns about the cutting of services, jobs and safety.
  • Abellio Greater Anglia wants to hear your views about the acesss to Norwich Station. The online survey opened on Monday 22nd June and will end on Monday 13th July. Improvement work is already underway on the station, but do not miss the chance to comment on how the access to Norwich Station can be improved by visiting here - https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=143455486528
  • It has just been reported that Southall and West Ealing which are historic rail enthusiast landmarks are set to be demolished and replaced with modern buildings as part of the Crossrail project.
  • The Midland Main Line electrification project is to be paused so that Network Rail can concentrate on one of the top priority projects; the GWML electrification.

  • DB Schenker have launched their services from Cornwall to London. The load that the train will be taking to London is wagons full of eco-friendly materials which can be used in the construction industry. Locos like on the right (66 001) will be hauling the trains.
  • News from Network Rail now; figures at the end of June show that more train passengers arrived on time at their destination than ever before last year.
  • Chiltern Railways is to auction off 4 Class 67 nameplates after being displaced by Class 68's. The nameplates were carried by the Wrexham and Shropshire railway, but more recently with Chiltern. The nameplates that are to be auctioned are A Shropshire Lad (67 012), Dyfrbont Pontcysyllte (67 013), Thomas Telford (67 014) and David J Lloyd (67 015). For more information, visit here.

  • Network Rail fitted new track monitoring equipment to Abellio Greater Anglia 90 011 which was on Abellio Intercity Services mid-week. Photo CREDIT & © Network Rail Liverpool Street Station. 


 Andy
Regards:

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