TheGreatBritishRailScene

Hi folks, Harry here to cover the admins who're on vacation. For my fourth and final post this week, I bring you all the Weekly Review. I haven't done one of these in a while, so apologies in advance if it's slightly different to the usual style. There isn't too much to report, so we shouldn't be here too long! NEWS : Anyway, without making you wait any longer, we firstly turn our attention to the main Railway News of this week. BONG!  Ian Sharman In East Anglia, the Short Set is still going strong and  37422 / 37425 currently power it. 3 MK2s (including 5991 ans 6118) for it. A reminder that the short set (loaned from DRS) is used on a specific Weekday diagram between Norwich and Great Yarmouth or Norwich and Lowestoft, dependant on whether it needs maintenance or is actually serviceable. On Saturdays the set operates the additional Summer services to/from Great Yarmouth. The other DRS Class 37 based at Norwich,  37059  is used on stock movements to/...

CARDIFF CENTRAL  is the largest and busiest station in Wales. Opened in 1850, it is a grade 2 listed building owned by Network Rail but operated by Arriva Trains Wales. Train announcements at this station are automated, created by "Roger" (in Welsh) followed by "Ruth" (in English).  PLATFORM CONFIGURATIONS AND DESTINATIONS:   With 7 Platforms (however a Platform 0 rather than having a Platform 5), Cardiff Central is served by both Local and Express services.

©Liam Jenkins - A rare combination of each train Hello all, Liam here, providing a Fleet Focus on the 750v DC Third Rail Desiro classes, 444 and 450. Bit of a kickback to your GCSE (Or CSE) School Physics or Engineering classes here, both the Class 444s and 450s are only operable on a 750 volt DC (Direct electricity Current) third rail lines. A special piece of equipment on each side of each bogie (wheel set) draws the current from the third rail line, and when the current is able to be drawn, the electricity is provided to the train. This electricity powers the motors of the trains which makes the train move.

Liam (C) Hi, Lucas here, today I will be providing a post about my short trip to Bognor Regis with Liam. We departed on a London Waterloo bound train, calling at Ash Vale, Brookwood, Woking, West Byfleet, Surbiton and Clapham Junction, where we alighted the train.

Harry creating a number of posts this week ,  including this short Post regarding London Waterloo.  Opened in 1922, and with 24 platforms, London Waterloo station is situated within a stones throw (if there weren't obstructions) from the River Thames and the London Eye.  Since 2004, when there was a footfall of over 68 million people a year, the station has increased to 98 million in the present day. This now makes Waterloo one of the busiest UK stations based on passenger numbers.

Hello all, Liam here for a Station Focus post on Clapham Junction. If you are out and about in the railway in the South (Hampshire/Surrey/South London), you will more than likely have heard this station's name in service announcements. Clapham Junction is the UK's busiest railway station (in terms of train numbers - 180 per hour in peak times). INTRODUCTION Although appearing rather dismal at first, the Northern entrance to Clapham Junction station (as seen in the picture to the right) the entrance conveys large numbers of passengers, originating from a wide variety of backgrounds, ethnicities and classes, brightening up the doom and gloom of peak and rush hour travel with vibrance and a rich sense of multiculturalism.

Focusing on the Greater Anglia Region, here are the AGA/DRS developments in recent weeks; 37 405 was relieved of duties on the Short Set for an exam at the end of July, so 37 419 took it's place on the Short Set while 47 813 lead 37 405 to Willesden Brent DRS from Norwich Crown Point, witnessed myself at Stratford. Pictured to the right is the move described as above on a sunny Friday afternoon in the capital! Ian Sharman 37 419 and 37 425 were left comfortably at the helm of the Short Set while 37 405 underwent it's exam. To much surprise, 37 422 travelled down from Crewe Gresty Bridge to Norwich Crown Point on August 14th and has since taken 37 419's (Which is due to return north anytime soon after the lease presumably ending) place. 

Hello, Lewis here. This post has a very Great Western theme and is all about Bristol Temple Meads station. The station opened in August 1840 and has had an interesting past but has a very important role to play in the future. Bristol Temple Meads is the terminus of the Great Western Mainline from London Paddington and was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The huge trainshed at Temple Meads is an icon of the Great Western Railway and the City of Bristol oozing with character and history. The station is currently served by three train operating companies: Cross Country, South West Trains and First Great Western who operate the majority of the services. Bristol Temple Meads is a vital transport hub in the South West of England with passenger being able to reach London, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Exeter, Plymouth, Penzance, South Wales, Salisbury, Derby, Newcastle, York, Edinburgh and even Aberdeen.

Add Lucas Lucas here. Arriva Trains Wales operate all over Wales and a margin of England here are a list of stations that Arriva trains Wales operate in Wales Holyhead, Colwyn Bay, Wrexham general, Cardiff Central,Llandudno and lots more. I really trains Wales also operate in something this is on the edge of Wales in England the stations are crewe, Manchester Picadilly, Chester, Hereford and a few more.

321 447 departing Stratford - © Andy. A very good welcome to all readers of East Anglia Rail Scene, Andy here, back after my holiday (eventually back, although that's a long story!) Once again it is my turn to bring the news from the Rails this week, so without further a do, here we go; AGA / Cross Rail News; DRS locomotive 37 422 is now on the Short Set. 37 422 has replaced 37 419 which is expected to return north to Crewe. 37 422 travelled from Crewe Gresty Bridge to Norwich Crown Point on this past Thursday (13th August). 

Abellio Greater Anglia currently operate 94 Class 321 sets dating from 1988.  As part of a partnership between Eversholt Rail and Abellio Greater Anglia, 10 of the AGA Class 321s (321310-321311 included) will be refurbished before the end of the current franchise (the first will be ready by Winter) which ends in October 2016. The remaining 20 that will be refurbished will be offered to the new franchise. Separate from this refurbishment programme, another refurbishment programme will commence whereby 20 other Class 321's will receive new seat covers and an internal refresh. The Class 321 RENATUS refurbishment will include: - New, more comfortable seating; - Air-conditioning fitted; - New heating systems; - Larger vestibules for improved boarding and alighting; - Wi-Fi facilities throughout; - Power sockets installed; - New, energy efficient lighting - Improved space allocation for buggies, bicycles and luggage; - New flooring, ceiling panels, ...

(C) Gatwick Express Media and Bombardier. Artist Impression.  GATWICK EXPRESS  The Gatwick Express operates from London Victoria to Gatwick Airport, calling at 8 stations in total. The service has been running since 1984, in British Rail days, when it used slam door stock. However, the station itself at Gatwick Airport was built a few years before in 1958. It was originally served by Mainline services before the designated GE service began. Over the years, the Gatwick Express become more and more popular as an efficient and practical method to starting or ending your holiday.

Good Evening, Lewis here. This brief report will detail the demise of the Class 315 electric multiple units on the Southend Victoria line. The Class 315's have been operating on the Southend Victoria line since virtually brand new in 1980. They frequently operated to Southend Victoria from London Liverpool Street but more recently they only visited the line in the peak hours on stopping services to and from London. The very last day of Class 315 operation on the Southend Victoria line was Saturday 16th May 2015, one day before the national timetable changes. Up until this date the Class 315's had a few peak working and ECS workings along the Southend line. They worked the first two trains of the day, the 0400 & 0430 Southend to London and another two peak stopping services to London Liverpool Street. There was only one returning evening peak service and that was the 17:49 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria.

DRS 37612 on the rear of a test train passing Rochford (C) Lewis Brownlow Lewis here. I'm signing in for todays Line Review post, which focuses on the Southend Victoria route. The Shenfield to Southend Victoria line is a railway line located in South Essex and runs between Southend Victoria in the East and Shenfield in the West. At Shenfield the line joins the Great Eastern Mainline from Norwich into London Liverpool Street. The double track railway was first electrified in 1956 and electric trains directly replaced steam services on the line. In 1990 the majority of services run along the Southend Victoria line were operated by Class 315's. Here, the Network Rail maintenance train is hauled by DRS Class 37s.

92 018 at London Euston - © Andy. On Friday 31st August, I was lucky enough to see the first sleeper trains I've ever seen at London Euston and London Paddington. After an hour or so at Clapham Junction, I headed back in to the Capital and took the London Underground Northern Line train terminating at High Barnet direct to London Euston. From the Underground, a brief walk to the platforms was required. I couldn't remember if it was Platform 1 or Platform 15, so I first walked to Platform 1, but the sleeper stock was Platform 15! So a walk down to Platform 15 was greeted with my first 92 in Caledonian Sleeper livery. A walk up to the front of the train to get the front loco also saw 2 or 3 coaches having the Caledonian Sleeper stock, pictured to the right. 90 039 - © Andy. The locomotive on the front of the train was DB Schenker's 90 039, which departed 3 minutes late of the schedule 21:15 departure from London Euston to Inverness, Aberdeen and Fort Wil...

The famous InterCity125 has revolutionized intercity rail travel in the United Kingdom. The HST's are well on their way to 40 years old and it is quite apparent that a replacement for the aging trains is necessary. It was decided in 2005 that a replacement will be required and the government set about finding a suitable train to replace the iconic HST. Class 800 at Old Dalby Test Track. In February 2009 the government announced that the preferred bidder for the Intercity Express Programme was Hitachi, with a train named the Hitachi Super Express. The train is based on the Class 395 Javelin trains already in operation the the United Kingdom, with differences including the size of the body shells, carriage length and interior design. The interior of the trains has been designed by a company called DCA Design. The trains feature 2+2 seating, more legroom than its predecessor, electronic seat reservation system, plug sockets, sliding doors and WiFi.