The Railway Magazine July 2017

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SOUTHERN STEAM’S WATERLOO ■ LAST RUN OF DP2

120 ANNIVERSARY ISSUE TH

■ CLASSIC STATIONS: NOTTINGHAM VICTORIA ■ THE KESTREL STORY ■ RAIL HOLIDAY GUIDE

BOMBARDIER WINS £895m TRAIN ORDER

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

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This issue was published on July 5, 2017.

The next will be on sale on August 2, 2017.

120 not out!

W

elcome to the 120th anniversary issue of The Railway Magazine For a small team that is passionate about railways, who produce the magazine month in, month out, it’s a great milestone – one we are all very proud of.

Little did I realise that when my first photograph was published in the December 1982 issue that one day I’d end up in the editor’s chair.

In fact it seems no time at all since our centenary issue 20 years ago – such is the pace of railways.

In the 50 years since the end of steam on the Southern Region, a lot has been said and written, so rather than re-hash it we have a special Practice & Performance feature looking at some of the epic runs of Southern steam in the 1960s.

Also this month, the full story of the prototype Kestrel during its BR days is revealed, with the mysterious Russian side of the tale following next month.

Also with this issue you will find a free 32-page supplement featuring the work of some of the country’s leading railway photographers. Many of the images are thought provoking or just stunning in style and quality, with several others being different from the normal record shot, too.

Finally, reaching our 120th birthday has only been achieved with the sterling support of our readers for which I thank you, but I often wonder who our oldest continuous reader is? We’d like to know so please email or write to us.

TRAIN OF THOUGHT

Editor’s Comment

Gibb report a horror story – for the DfT and unions A REPORT commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) and produced by Network Rail non-executive director Chris Gibb on how to deliver improvements across the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) franchise makes for uncomfortable reading for both Government and rail unions.

Gibb, a highly respected career railwayman, has produced a hard-hitting report that highlights many shortcomings on GTR, including his belief the franchise was awarded because it was the cheapest bid.

The report further states the infrastructure is poor and unreliable for the number of trains it carries; out of more than 20 stakeholder organisations with an interest in the franchise, not one shared the same incentives or objectives; there was a lack of drivers on Southern when GTR won the franchise, later exacerbated by unusually high levels of short-term sickness and a lack of willingness by drivers to work overtime, making it difficult to maintain a full timetable.

Then there has been more than a year of bitter strikes (30 days in total) which Gibb says is difficult to comprehend, adding that nobody has been made redundant or lost pay against their wishes, and there will be more GTR trains operating with two people on board.

If that wasn’t bad enough for a franchise under so much pressure from the start, Mr Gibb highlights shortcomings over the placement of depots in the wrong location as well as both stations and depots unable to handle 12-car fixed-formation trains – a staggering oversight considering these trains were known about in 2011 and the depots two years later.

This warts and all report of 163 pages delves deep and not much appears to have been redacted.

The more you read, the more you realise how the winning bid was trimmed to the bone in a bid to win.

GTR removed 45 face-to-face train crew

supervisors, replacing them with a team of 21 controllers in Three Bridges ROC, managing train crews by phone.

Many experienced staff left the industry, taking their knowledge with them, leaving those that remained struggling to cope when the train service goes pear shaped. Little wonder satisfaction levels from passengers are so low.

It’s nothing short of a shambles and you wonder what the franchising team at the department have been doing?

Stripping GTR of the franchise – as has been called for – will achieve nothing other than delay any improvements.

Many of Chris Gibb’s recommendations – including changes to rolling stock and electrification of the Uckfield line – make an awful lot of common sense, and it makes me wonder why no one has considered these suggestions before.

However, what this report will highlight to many is the Department for Transport’s desire to merge the Thameslink, Southern and Gatwick Express operations into the biggest rail franchise in history has instead simply created a monster – one that is now out of control.

It has to be classed an abysmal failure in terms of franchising, and no one can say the DfT wasn’t warned.

Ministers and civil servants never seem to heed the advice from experts in their field. Corners are cut, costs are trimmed and the industry is left with a big mess to clear up at a cost of millions.

What is needed now is someone to take overall charge of implementing the majority of the Gibb report’s recommendations and not to sit on the report for months or years as has become commonplace.

Passengers want to travel with less disruption, and with more certainty and confidence. It’s the least they deserve.

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CHRIS MILNER, Editor

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July 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 3

Contents

July 2017. No. 1,396. Vol 163. A journal of record since 1897.

Headline News

On the cover COVER: A montage of The RM covers from the past 120 years.

South Western Metro: Bombardier’s Derby plant has won an order for 750 ‘Aventra’ EMU vehicles for the new First/ MTR London & South Western franchise.

Bombardier wins South Western EMU order, Gibb report on Southern crisis finally published, HM Queen christens GWR Class 800, Clun Castle back in one piece, Edinburgh to Glasgow electrification delayed again, West Coast and Southeastern franchise shortlists confirmed, Crossrail Class 345 into service.

Track Record The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest 68 Steam & Heritage LNWR pulls plug on contract work, ‘P2’ crank axle completed, £1m lottery windfall for NER ‘J21’, Tornado takes Bodmin by storm, Isle of Wight Ivatt tank steams again, Cornwall moves to Quainton Road.

74 Industrial Steam 77 Steam Portfolio 78 Narrow Gauge 81 Irish News

82 Classic Traction 86 Traction & Stock DRS Class 88s start work on WCML freight, Vivarail Class 230 main line tests restart, Irish Rail considers new engines for Class 201s, GWR Class 387s to Didcot.

88 Stock Update 89 Traction Portfolio 90 Railtours 92 Freight 94 Network Linear park plan for disused North London Line viaducts, Heathrow loses Crossrail access charges battle, drilling blamed for MML bridge collapse, Market Harborough realignment.

After many years of uncertainty, the future of the unique NER ‘J21’ looks secure after a £1m Heritage Lottery Fund award. RICHARD PEARSON

96 World 98 Miniature 100 Metro 103 Operations

Regulars 12 Multiple Aspects 12 Railways in Parliament 22 All Change 32 Subscription Offer

42 Readers’ Platform 43 From The RM Archives Find out what The RM was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago.

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

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With Lord Berkeley.

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Clun Castle, Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and Defiant are joined by Rood Ashton Hall and Betton Grange around the former 84E turntable during the RM-supported 50th anniversary Tyseley Open Weekend on June 24. ANDREW PLUMMER

Back home: The National Collection’s GWR ‘King’ 4-6-0 No. 6000 King George V at Swindon Works in 1979.

PETER ZABEK

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

114 Meetings

62 Panorama

Railway society meetings near you – all the details.

Our monthly gallery of the best railway photography.

122 Prize Crossword and Where Is It?

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Features

14 The Big Bird That Flew Too Far

34 Nottingham Victoria

Fifty years after it was unveiled as the world’s most powerful single-engined diesel loco, Kestrel remains a source of fascination for British enthusiasts. Nick Pigott tells the story of the unique 4,000hp prototype in the first of a two-part series.

Nottingham’s cavernous GCR station waved farewell to its final trains in September 1967.

Robin Stewart-Smith marks the anniversary with a two-part special, starting with a look at the station from its construction until the outbreak of the Second World War.

24 When Steam Met its Waterloo The final months of steam operation on the Southern Region’s Western Division have become legendary for the high-speed exploits of grimy Bulleid Pacifics. Keith Farr recalls some outstanding performances from the BR steam era.

44 Presence of Mind

KESTREL: 50 years of Britain’s most powerful diesel locomotive - p14

GOING OUT WITH A BANG: South Western steam in the BR era - p24

Fraser Pithie continues his look at serious rail accidents in 1967 with a tale of skill and bravery by railway crews faced with disaster on the East Coast Main Line - and the demise of English Electric prototype DP2.

49 Rail Holiday Guide 2017 The RM’s bi-annual guide to railway holidays in the UK and across the world. From depot visits to luxury land cruises there’s something to suit every interest and budget.

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HEROIC ACTIONS: July 1967’s Thirsk collision - p44

July 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 5

HeadlineNews

First Hitachi IET reaches Penzance

HITACHI’S first Intercity Express Train (IET) made its maiden voyage to Cornwall on June 22 as part of a through journey from London Paddington to Penzance.

The Great Western Railway bimode Class 800 set Nos. 800003 and 800004 worked to the Cornish terminus as part of an expo event with Cornwall Council to showcase improved rail services for the South West.

From 2017 this new fleet of trains will link London Paddington to Bristol and South Wales, and by 2018 another similar fleet will be working on services to Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance.

Station and signalling upgrades are part of the package.

Additional signals have been installed to reduce block section lengths to permit increased train capacity, seven level crossings have been upgraded, and the line south from Plymouth will be controlled from ’boxes at Plymouth, Lostwithiel and Roskear.

Weather conditions

Network Rail is spending £12million on clearing lineside vegetation plus a further £10m for gauge clearance work and on platform extensions at Totnes and Devonport. GWR says that the trains are designed to withstand the region’s variable weather conditions, including that along the Dawlish coast.

Passengers on the ‘Night Riviera’ sleeper service will also benefit from investment, with new seated carriages, a cocktail bar and refreshed berths that have hotel-style keyless door entry, USB charging ports and many other improvements.

Technology will provide real-time journey updates and seat reservation screens.

Above: Is this the first electric train to visit Penzance?

Hitachi Class 800 set Nos. 800004 and 800003 cross Forder viaduct with a special working, train 5X90, the 05.02 North Pole-Penzance.

RON WESTWATER

The two driving cars from set No. 802001 stand on the quayside at Southampton after arrival from Japan.

PICTURE: HITACHI

Queen marks 175 years of Royal Train travel with Great Western ‘800’ journey

By Ben Jones

Above: Her Majesty The Queen after naming one of the driving cars of Class 800 IET set No. 800003.

Left: The name at the other end of the set, creating the 175-year link between the two monarchs.

6 • The Railway Magazine • July 2017

HM THE Queen followed in the footsteps of Queen Victoria on June 13, making the short journey from Slough to London Paddington on one of GWR’s new Hitachi Class 800 units.

The trip marked the 175th anniversary of the first train journey by a British monarch, on June 13, 1842, when Queen Victoria travelled on a Great Western Railway broad gauge train driven by Daniel Gooch and assisted by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

On arrival at Paddington, Britain’s longest-serving monarch unveiled the name Queen Elizabeth II on GWR bi-mode Class 800 No. 800003. Following the naming ceremony, The Queen was presented with a pair of specially designed coins by Tim O’Toole, chief executive of GWR owner FirstGroup. The coins will become a feature of GWR’s new trains and

will incorporate a unique design on each of the company’s 93 Hitachi Class 800/802 electrodiesel multiple units. Their design is inspired by the commemorative coins fitted to the cabside of GWR ‘King’ 4-6-0 No. 6000 King George V when it attended the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad’s centenary celebrations in 1927.

‘Special moment’

Mark Hopwood, GWR managing director, said: “We are delighted that The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were able to join us to mark this historic anniversary.

“We at GWR are extremely proud of our heritage and this occasion marks a very special moment in the history of the Great Western Railway.”

Freshly reinstalled as Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling added: “This is a truly inspirational event and a fitting tribute to the proud heritage of Brunel’s railway. This route remains

one of the foundations of our rail network and as a nation we should be proud of our railways, which continue to be the bedrock of our public transport system.”

Four days later, GWR had further cause for celebration when the first of its uprated Class 802 bi-mode five-car trains arrived from Japan. It is the first of three pre-series AT300 trains being built at Hitachi’s Kasado plant (two fivecar and one nine-car) with larger fuel tanks and more powerful diesel engines than standard IEP Class 800s.

A total of 36 sets have been ordered by GWR to replace HSTs on West of England services to Plymouth and Penzance from next summer. The remaining 33 trains are being built at the Hitachi Rail Italia plant in Pistoia. All should be in the UK by the end of 2018, with all West of England services planned to be operated by AT300s from mid-March 2019.

PICTURES: JACK BOSKETT

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GIBB REPORT: Strike action was final straw for over-stressed Southern network

By Ben Jones

A REPORT into the poor performance of Southern in 2016 has finally been published.

The company is part of Thameslink Southern Great Northern (TSGN), the UK’s biggest rail contract.

The report was prepared by Network Rail non-executive director and career railwayman Chris Gibb for the Department for Transport (DfT) between September and December last year.

It identifies high levels of staff sickness and industrial action by trades unions over the controversial issue of Driver Controlled Operation (DCO) as key factors in the collapse of the timetable.

Mr Gibb backs DfT and Govia Thameslink Rail (GTR) criticism of the strikes, calling trades union motives for the action ‘debatable’ and ‘difficult to comprehend’.

However, the report also criticises Network Rail, DfT and GTR and highlights many other areas of the system that were already under great strain as Southern attempted to run too many trains on deteriorating, unreliable infrastructure with a complex timetable and overcrowded trains and stations.

Lowest bid

Other contributing factors include the ongoing disruption caused by Thameslink upgrades and London Bridge redevelopment, introduction of new train fleets, organisational changes and a high turnover in management roles at Network Rail.

The report also highlights unrealistic expectations over the delivery of the timetable during a period of massive upheaval on the Southern network, especially given that GTR won the contract by submitting the lowest bid with

Chris Gibb, the author of the critical report.

London Victoria's concourse during one of the strike days last December. PA IMAGES

a smaller number of train drivers than its rivals.

However, the real focus of the report is on where improvements can be made to make Southern’s timetable more robust and reliable. More than 30 recommendations have been made, some of which have already been implemented by DfT, including the allocation of an extra £300million for infrastructure improvements by 2018 and cancelling overnight services from London Victoria to provide more time for maintenance.

Other recommendations include providing clearer responsibility for overall system integrity; transfer of the East Croydon-Milton Keynes service to London Overground, using surplus dual-voltage Class 319 or 313 EMUs; rolling stock transfers to reduce the number of rolling stock types, with all services south of London to be operated

by Class 171 DMUs, Class 377, 387, 455 and 700 EMUs by late-2018; electrification of the Uckfield

line at 25kV overhead; transfer of the Ashford to Hastings route to the next South Eastern franchise; replacement of Southern Metro’s Class 455 fleet by the next franchisee.

Firebreak

Mr Gibb also suggests installing additional station shelters to encourage passengers to use the full length of platforms; reducing off-peak services at the lightly used Newhaven Harbour, Normans Bay, Warnham, Southease, Ashurst, Bishopstone and Amberley stations; creating a ‘firebreak’ in the timetable between 12.00 and 14.00 to enable the network to recover from disruption in time for the evening peak; reducing off-peak services; and accelerating Network Rail’s level crossing closure plans across the Southern system.

The Gibb report says ‘now is not the time to try and disconnect Southern Metro from GTR, as it will significantly increase the risk to overall service delivery up to 2018, with no short-term benefits’.

However, the report does not discount it as a possibility from 2019, and in the run up to letting new franchises in 2021, but he does suggest a review of the current Gatwick Express service, stating that the premium fare is difficult to justify for the current offering.

Responding to the report, GTR chief executive Charles Horton said the operator was “grateful to Chris Gibb for his thorough review of the challenges GTR has to face”.

He added: “The only way to address the capacity problem is to modernise infrastructure, trains, systems and working practices, so we urge our trade unions to play their part by working with us. We have assured them that there will be no job losses.”

However, both the RMT and Aslef criticised the report as ‘an attack on staff’. Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan noted that Mr Gibb said no single party was responsible and added: “It’s a combination of the Department for Transport and GTR/Southern deliberately provoking an

Improvements

Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Working together, Southern and Network Rail have already made positive improvements, making journeys better on one of the busiest parts of Britain’s railway.

“As Chris Gibb’s thorough and considered report highlights, there is much more to do and it is vital that the unions play their part and bring industrial action to a halt. We want to make his recommendations work, ensuring that we meet our customers’ needs and expectations and make the sustained improvements that everyone wants to see.”

Grayling still heads DfT

Driver error blamed for Preston collision RAIB’s investigation into the bufferstop collision at Preston on April 1 has identified driver error as the cause of the incident.

A trainee driver, under instruction from a driver mentor, applied power rather than the brake as the three-car Northern Class 158 approached the buffers of platform 3c at low speed.

The resulting collision, at around 6mph, caused injuries to two crew and 13 passengers, one of whom required hospital attention.

The train's data recorder confirmed that the trainee realised the mistake, applied the brake, but was unable to avoid the collision.

industrial dispute.” RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “No wonder the Government has sat on the Gibb report for seven months. It’s taken them that long to slice and fillet it into a document that they can spin up as an attack on the unions and the staff.”

TRANSPORT Secretary Chris Grayling has retained his post following a post-election Cabinet reshuffle, as has Parliamentary Under-Secretary and rail minister Paul Maynard.

John Hayes is appointed Minister of State with freight and logistics as part of his remit.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary is Jesse Norman, responsible for HS2, sustainable travel, smart ticketing and devolution, including the Northern Powerhouse.

Lord Callanan joins the DfT but his role has yet to be announced.

Swanage linked to the main line again JUNE 13 was a very significant day in the history of the Swanage Railway when it ran the first timetabled service to the main line at Wareham. It was the first

such service since January 1, 1972.

Hauling the train was the railway’s Class 33 No. 33012, which is ready to return to the coastal town. At the front was West Coast Railway

Class 37 No. 37518. In time, the Swanage will use a DMU on its mainline connection, the set being currently overhauled at Eastleigh. PICTURE: MARK V PIKE

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July 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 7

HeadlineNews

Class 345 Crossrail EMU launched into traffic

TRANSPORT for London launched the first of the new Class 345 Crossrail EMUs into service on June 22, running between London Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

Set No. 345005 worked what is normally a driver training run for the launch – the 10.35 to Shenfield as a passenger train – giving east London passengers their first experience of the air-conditioned train that will replace services provided by the ageing Class 315 fleet.

The launch was about a month later than planned, following extensive testing.

No. 345005 has been built by Bombardier and is part of the Aventra family.

When Crossrail – or to give it the correct name of the Elizabeth Line – opens through London in December 2018, the sets will be nine-cars long, but initially on Liverpool Street to Shenfield they will run with seven cars because of platform lengths.

Over the next few months TfL Rail will increase the number of sets in service to 11 by September, which will substantially increase passenger capacity on the route.

Unlike other EMUs, the Class 345s have three doors for each carriage to improve entry or exit times, the seven-car versions carrying around 1,200

passengers seated and standing, the nine-car sets 1,500 in total.

At the time of the launch, TfL Rail had three sets available for traffic. Then in October, driver training will begin with the units between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4, ahead of introduction of phase two of Crossrail from May 2018.

Use of the Crossrail tunnels under Central London begins in December 2018 with services formed of Paddington to Abbey Wood, Liverpool Street Main Line to Shenfield, and Paddington Main Line to Heathrow Terminal 4 diagrams.

Through trains from Shenfield to Paddington are due to begin in May 2019, and in December A mix of old and new 2019 services are extended to at Shenfield as launch Reading, each phase providing train No. 345005 stands new journey opportunities, and alongside TfL Rail bringing relief to overcrowded Class 315 No. 315860 on sections of the Underground’s June 22.

Central Line, while increasing rail capacity in the capital by 10%.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I’m delighted that our first A view down the train state-of-the-art Elizabeth line showing one of three train has entered service. It gives sets of doors on each Londoners a first look at a new carriage side, the service that will transform travel abundance of standing across London. room, space for buggies “The huge success of this and wheelchairs, plus project shows how vital it is for the mix of longitudinal the whole of the country that we and horizontal seating. also push ahead with Crossrail 2.” BOTH: CHRIS MILNER

More Northern and Merseyrail strikes

Class 91 and Mk4s for West Coast in new Alliance plan

THE RMT union has announced more strikes affecting Northern Rail and Merseyrail services.

Merseyrail will be disrupted on July 8, 10 and 23, the latter coinciding with the final day of the Open golf tournament at Royal Birkdale, near Southport.

Northern services will also be disrupted on July 8-10, when RMT members strike over the planned introduction of Driver Only Operation (DOO) on new trains.

ALLIANCE Rail Holdings has, despite the best efforts of many parties, dropped its plans to procure Class 390 ‘Pendolino’ trains for use on Blackpool to Euston services.

Although the Office of Rail and Road approved the proposal in 2015, Alliance and the ORR have agreed that the approval will lapse.

Instead of ‘Pendolinos’, Alliance is in discussions with Eversholt

Opportunities

Rail to lease a number of Class 91 and Mk4 carriage sets for the Blackpool service.

Alliance plans to run six trains daily calling at Poulton-le-Fylde, Kirkham & Wesham, Preston, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes, with seven carriages. This calling pattern has been changed to accommodate journey times of three hours, at a maximum speed of 110mph.

Alliance has made an

application for services to begin in the first half of 2019 using Class 91 sets released by Class 801 ‘Azuma’ trains being introduced on the East Coast Main Line. Back in 2013, Eversholt showcased a mock-up of a refurbished Mk4 which met with wide approval.

Looking at the Alliance bid to run Waterloo to Southampton services, the company says Network Rail has offered seven return paths, which could allow

services to begin next year.

Rolling stock would be the six Class 442 EMUs not earmarked

by First/MTR for the new SWT franchise, which need a full internal refurbishment.

■ Class 91 locos with Mk4 sets have worked into London Euston before, the first time 24 years ago in 1993 as part of a public relations exercise ahead of a proposed order of such trains for the West Coast Main Line.

OHLE issues delay Edinburgh to Glasgow electrification work until December

By Ben Jones

COMPLETION of electrification work on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Falkirk High route has been pushed back again

by Network Rail, this time to October.

ScotRail electric services on the route are now expected to start in December 2017, one year later than planned.

The delay reduces the time available for testing, approval and crew training on the new Hitachi Class 385 EMUs, although ScotRail is hopeful that this can still be achieved

by December.

Earlier delays were caused by the discovery of less-than-

standard clearances between overhead line equipment (OHLE) and numerous structures on the route, whereas the latest delay is the result of the need to replace a safety critical component which is susceptible to failure.

In response, NR has made a number of personnel changes and increased resources available to the delivery of the project by 20%.

Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Whilst this delay is extremely disappointing I am pushing Network Rail to fully support and maintain the December 2017 milestone – full electric service on the Edinburgh and

8 • The Railway Magazine • July 2017

Glasgow via Falkirk High route with new, faster, longer Class 385 electric trains.

The £742million Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) initially envisaged a full electric service by December 2016, although this was later revised to September 2017.

Transport Scotland is pressing for greater devolution of Network Rail’s activities and has asked that experience gained on the E&G route be applied to the rest of the EGIP infrastructure work, which will see electrification extended to Stirling, Dunblane and Alloa

by December 2018.

The bleak-looking station at Breich. CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTION

Public consultation begins over Breich station closure proposal NETWORK Rail has started a 12-week public consultation over the closure of Breich station, on the Edinburgh to Glasgow via Shotts line.

Just 138 passengers used the station in 2015/16, an average of 2.6 every week on the single train in each direction per day.

It is estimated that £1.4million is required to bring the station up to modern standards as part of the electrification of the route.

Nearby stations at Addiewell and Fauldhouse will remain open to serve the village.

The previous station to close in Scotland was Balloch Pier in 1986.

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Derby wins £895million South Western EMU order

By Ben Jones

feature wi-fi, at-seat charging BOMBARDIER’S Derby plant has points, USB sockets, toilets and won the £895million contract to air-conditioning. build 90 new ‘Aventra’ EMUs for They will be maintained First/MTR’s new South Western

by South Western staff at franchise.

Wimbledon depot, with support The 750 metro-style EMU from Bombardier, and are being vehicles will be formed into 60 financed by Rock Rail, which is ten-car and 30 five-car trains and also providing money for the will replace the current fleet of new Greater Anglia fleet. ex-BR Class 455s and 456s, the Richard Hunter, UK managing recently rebuilt Alstom Class director of Bombardier 458s and the 30 Class 707 Transportation, said; “We’re five-car EMUs ordered by thrilled to have won the contract, Stagecoach from Siemens, which which demonstrates further are yet to enter service (RM June). confidence placed in the First and MTR take control of market-leading rolling stock the South Western franchise on designed and built in Britain.

August 20 using the current fleet, “This order is a fantastic but expect to introduce their endorsement of our skilled new ‘Aventra’ fleet from workforce and the quality of the mid-2019. products we design, engineer All 750 vehicles should be and manufacture here in the UK,” in service by December 2020, he said. “It will ensure a stable, increasing peak-time capacity long-term workload for our staff on the Windsor, Reading and in Derby.” south-west London suburban Bombardier is in the process of routes by 46%. building 66 nine-car Class 345 ‘Aventra’ sets for Gangways Crossrail (plus options for 17 The trains are likely to be similar more), to be followed by 45 to the 25kV AC Class 720 four-car Class 710s for London EMUs ordered by Greater Anglia in Overground (options for 24 late-2016 to replace its suburban more), 22 ten-car and 89 five-car EMU fleet and will feature fullClass 720s for Greater Anglia. width gangways within each The South Western order takes set and doors at one-third and the total number of ‘Aventra’ two-thirds positions along the vehicles on order, and due to be body. They will have a maximum built, tested and approved by the speed of 100mph and will end of 2020, to 2,189.

A CGI of the new Bombardier train for the South Western franchise. COURTESY OF BOMBARDIER Left: SWT Class 455s and 456s pack the suburban platforms at Waterloo on June 20.

Despite being in the process of receiving new AC traction packages both these ex-BR classes, along with the recently rebuilt Class 458/5s, face an uncertain future after 90 new Bombardier EMUs were ordered to replace them.

JAMIE SQUIBBS

West Coast Partnership and Southeastern shortlists packed with international players THE Department for Transport (DfT) has announced the shortlisted bidders for the new West Coast Partnership and Southeastern franchises.

West Coast Partnership (WCP) replaces the InterCity West Coast franchise, currently held by Virgin/Stagecoach, and will include the design, development, testing and early operational phases of High Speed 2 (HS2).

Three groups, all with experience of international high-speed operation, have been shortlisted – First Group/ Trenitalia; Virgin/Stagecoach/ SNCF; and a Hong Kong/Chinese joint venture led by MTR Group UK/Guangshen Railway Co, supported by sub-contractors

Deloitte MCS, Panasonic Systems Europe, Swedish travel software company Snowfall, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Trainline.com.

Rapid growth

WCP will replace Virgin/ Stagecoach in April 2019 and operate West Coast Main Line services plus, for three to five years from 2026, high-speed services on Phase 1 of HS2 between London and Birmingham. Invitation to tender will be issued to the trio in November with the winning bidder expected to be announced in November 2018.

The Southeastern shortlist comprises current franchise holder Govia (a joint venture of Go-Ahead Group and SNCF

subsidiary Keolis); a consortium of Dutch transport company Abellio, East Japan Railway Company and Japanese conglomerate Mitsui; plus Stagecoach and Trenitalia UK. The new franchise will start in December 2018 and cover regional and commuter routes in south-east London, Kent and East Sussex, as well as domestic ‘Javelin’ services on HS1.

Priorities for the winning bidder will include increasing capacity to cope with a rapid growth in demand, increasing reliability, improving punctuality, and customer service.

Invitations to tender will be issued in September and the successful bid will be confirmed in August 2018.

Level crossings remain safety threat THE Rail Accident Investigation the Sandilands Junction tram Branch (RAIB) 2016 report confirms derailment in which seven people that level crossings remain the key died and 51 were injured. threat to railway safety.

Simon French, RAIB chief Of the 143 accidents/incidents inspector of rail accidents, also investigated by RAIB from 2012-16, highlighted two incidents – the 25 were related to level crossings partial bridge collapse at Barrowwith 20 of those serious enough to upon-Soar on August 1 and warrant full investigations.

Watford Tunnel derailment on Staff hit by trains was the second September 16 – where only luck biggest reason for investigations/ prevented more serious accidents safety bulletins (16 reports), with and potential fatalities. freight train derailments next with During 2016, RAIB received 14 incidents – of those, 13 required 367 notifications of accidents and full investigations. incidents from operators on the Train movement accidents national network, light rail, metro and passenger train derailments and heritage railways, resulting occupy fourth and fifth place with in 52 preliminary examinations, 13 and eight full investigations, 19 full investigations, one class respectively. investigation and 16 safety digests.

Just four Signal Passed at Danger In the 24 reports published (SPAD) incidents required full in 2016, RAIB made a total of 73 investigations over the four-year recommendations to operators, period to the end of 2016. contractors, infrastructure owners The most serious incident and others in a position to investigated by RAIB in 2016 was implement safety improvements.

HS2 extension confirmed in Queen’s Speech – but no mention of Crossrail 2 POWERS to build Phase 2a of High Speed 2 (HS2) between Birmingham and Crewe were the most important transportrelated aspect of the new Government’s programme, announced by the Queen on June 21.

However, as feared by many in London, there was

no mention of the £31billion Crossrail 2 project, which is seen as vital to keep pace with the capital’s growing population and assist regeneration to the east and north-east of the city.

The announcement paves the way for work to proceed on the extension of the £55.7bn

high-speed railway from the Birmingham area to a junction with the West Coast Main Line, near Crewe, by 2027.

Phase 2a, costing more than £3.5bn, will benefit passengers in the north-west of England and Scotland by reducing journey times and increasing capacity on Britain’s busiest

inter-city route. Originally scheduled to open in 2033, the completion of Phase 2a was brought forward by six years in 2015 to ensure that northern England and Scotland benefited as quickly as possible from the new railway.

Phase 2a is expected to

knock a further 13 minutes off journeys to the North West, with Carlisle just two hours and 33 minutes from London.

The proposed Phase 2b will further extend the line from Crewe to Manchester and from Birmingham to Leeds via the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.

July 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 9

HeadlineNews Royal stamp of approval at special opening for Mail Rail SIDELINES

Bishop’s Castle Railway museum to close in late-2017

THE Bishop’s Castle Railway Society which has maintained a museum in Bishop’s Castle says it will close at the end of year. Provision of the museum in its current form is no longer possible and the premises will be vacated.

Steps are being taken to provide alternative arrangements to view the collection.

The museum will remain open at weekends and bank holidays between 14.00 and 17.00 until the end of September, Visitors should call 01588 638998 to confirm the museum is open.

Runaway trailer in Hope Valley RAIB is investigating an incident on the Hope Valley line in Derbyshire early on May 28, where a track maintenance trailer became detached and ran away for around 1½ miles between Edale and Hope.

The driver of the tractor unit (known as a ‘Gator’) propelling the trailer followed in pursuit to warn any track workers.

It was later found that the draw bolt and locking pin of the coupling securing the trailer had come out.

Virgin worker award after racist incident VIRGIN Trains employee Matt Litton has been commended in the Frontline Employee of the Year category at the Scottish Transport Awards.

Matt intervened to stop the racial abuse of a female passenger and her four-year-old son on a London to Glasgow service.

The abuser, Alexander MacKinnon, was arrested, charged and fined £1,000 for a racially aggravated offence.

Fatality at Welsh foot crossing A PEDESTRIAN was struck and killed by a train at Trenos foot crossing, near Llanharan, Rhondda Cynon Taf, in South Wales.

The incident occurred on June 1 at around 15.50 and involved an Arriva Trains Wales DMU working from Cheltenham Spa to Maesteg.

The RAIB is investigating.

Holiday homes plan for Torre signalbox THE GWR signalbox at Torre is on the market with planning permission to convert it into three-storey holiday accommodation. The brick structure dates from 1921.

The agents handling the sale are Clive Emerson on 0345 850 0033.

New MD for Northern NORTHERN Rail has announced that David Brown is to be the new managing director of Arriva Rail North.

He is currently chief executive at Transport for the North and will take up his new post in September.

THE Princess Royal toured the Postal Museum and Mail Rail for its ceremonial opening on June 13.

Mail Rail, the former Post Office railway, opens to the public on July 28.

The museum is located in Phoenix Place, near the Mount Pleasant mail centre in Clerkenwell, where the main attraction will be the railway.

When built, it was 6½ miles in length, running between Paddington District Sorting Office to the Eastern District Sorting Office at Whitechapel.

It opened in late-1927 using electrically powered driverless

trains. However, changes in postal distribution, cost cutting and the advent of email saw the railway closed and abandoned in May 2003.

However, in October 2013 the British Postal Museum & Archive unveiled reopening plans for part of the railway network using special passenger vehicles that will give visitors a 15-minute journey.

The postal museum opens the same day, along with a specially created corporate and private party venue underground.

More about the railway will appear in a future issue.

HRH The Princess Royal takes a ride on Mail Rail at The Postal Museum PICTURE: MILES WILLIS/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE POSTAL MUSEUM

Complete Clun Castle debuts at Tyseley Open Weekend Right: With boiler cladding and motion in place, new Collett 'Grange' No. 6880 Betton Grange was a popular attraction during the Tyseley weekend. Its own ex-Willington Hall boiler (this one borrowed from Cogan Hall) was expected to enter the Tyseley workshops as this issue went to press.

GARY BOYDHOPE

TYSELEY’S flagship locomotive – No. 7029 Clun Castle – made its post-overhaul debut at the Tyseley Locomotive Works open weekend on July 24-25, albeit incomplete and on static display only.

The event, which was supported by The Railway Magazine, provided Tyseley with an ideal opportunity to showcase the work that has been carried out on the ‘Castle’ over the past seven years.

Looking every inch a Collett thoroughbred, No. 7029 was presented in as complete condition as possible; Alistair Meanley and the workshop staff had clearly pulled out all the stops to get the loco ready for the weekend.

The double-chimney 4-6-0 still requires its green paintwork to be

Back in one piece but yet to steam: ‘Castle’ No. 7029 Clun Castle makes its debut at Tyseley on June 24. CHRIS MILNER

finished and needs some smaller recently returned 5080 Defiant – assembly work to be completed, provided visitors with a glimpse such as the fitting of the spark into the future of Vintage Trains arrester. As yet it has not steamed, motive power. and another hydraulic test will be Of the three only No. 5043 performed before the first fire is lit. was in steam, but the trio Other equipment such as the nevertheless made an impressive On-Train Monitoring Recorder and formidable line-up.

(OTMR) is not expected to be Joining them around the fitted until after the summer, and former 84E turntable was ‘Hall’ the likelihood is that ‘Clun’ will No. 4965 Rood Ashton Hall and make its full in-steam debut at new ‘Grange’ No. 6880 Betton Tyseley’s next open weekend in Grange, the latter in the most October. complete condition yet seen in However, the sight of the preservation.

BR-built loco alongside Tyseley’s It was the first time since other two ‘Castles’ – Nos. 5043 October 1965 that a ‘Grange’ Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and the had been ‘on shed’ at 84E, and

for some of the weekend the loco carried a ‘6853’ smokebox numberplate in homage to Morehampton Grange – one of the last to be withdrawn and a Tyseley resident for most of its career.

Passenger shuttles were largely handled by ‘8750’ 0-6-0PT No. 9600 and visiting Stanier Pacific No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland, while Tyseley’s own Stanier 4-6-0 – ‘Jubilee’ No. 5593 Kolhapur – was displayed in the platforms at Warwick Road.

Former GEC Peckett 0-4-0ST No. 1 (2004/1941) was also in steam over the weekend.

Borders Railway delivering its promises to the region THE Borders Railway between Edinburgh and Tweedbank is attracting new workers, homeowners and tourists to communities served by the line.

An independent study by Peter Brett Associates reports the £300million railway has become a major factor in decisions to relocate to the area, with 50% of users who had moved house and more than 80% of those who changed jobs stating that the railway had been a factor in their decision.

More than 65% of tourist users stated the rail line was a factor in their decision to make their trip.

10 • The Railway Magazine • July 2017

Commuting is the most common journey purpose, but the line also sees a large volume of leisure traffic and a considerable number of trips for education. In December 2016, Borders College in Galashiels reported a 74% increase in applications.

About 50,000 (36%) of the estimated annual single trips recorded via the sample were ‘new trips’.

Passenger numbers are higher than forecast at all Scottish Borders stations and lower than forecast at all Midlothian stations. It is estimated that 40,000 car journeys and 22,000

Borders Railwayliveried Class 170 No. 170414 approaches Falahill summit on the first day of the reopened railway – September 5, 2015.

CHRIS MILNER

bus journeys are being saved annually.

The research was carried out before ScotRail’s service improvement plan of November 2016 took effect.

Since the study, ScotRail has

also added extra seats on peak-time trains.

In April, Transport Scotland announced a study into extending the Borders Railway to Hawick, with an option to reopen the line to Carlisle.

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

Farewell to Limerick’s ‘mechanical’ signal cabins

By Hassard Stacpoole

AFTER the passage of ICR No. 22134 working the 18.25 Heuston-Limerick at 20.34 on June 4, mechanical signalling came to an end in Limerick with the closure of Limerick Check and Limerick Station cabins for conversion to centralised traffic control (CTC).

Limerick Check, at milepost ½, was the last survivor of six mechanical cabins in Limerick, opened in 1910 with a 50-lever Railway Signal Company lever frame, controlling both semaphore and electric signals.

Called the Check – because a 130-ft timber platform stood on the Up side – it was the last survivor of once numerous Check platforms in Ireland. It controlled Ennis junction and the junctions for the mothballed Foynes (disconnected November 2007) branch and the 4½-mile Castlemungret cement siding (disconnected March 2013).

It was also the fringe box for CTC controlled from Dublin Connolly station.

Limerick Cabin housed a NX panel following its 1971

modernisation, controlling movements on the double line to the Check cabin by track circuit block. The three-week closure allowed the replacement of all signals with new LED colour light type and the installation of axle counters to replace track circuits.

Platform 3 was realigned, straightened and extended, along with platform 4, by 23metres to allow friction buffers to be installed 20m from the site of the old static buffers, increasing the overall platform length of both by three metres.

The run around road on platform 3 was removed in July 2014 following rationalisation in Limerick.

The new Limerick electronic control point is located in the former road freight building in the station, and was commissioned at 20.00 on June 25, replacing both Limerick station and Check cabins, which will be preserved.

The new signalling delivers more operational flexibility, allowing simultaneous arrivals and departures from Limerick, with passive provision made to allow the possible reopening of the Foynes branch to freight.

Vivarail Class 230 carries first passengers VIVARAIL’S prototype Class 230 DMU No. 230001 carried its first passengers on June 21-22 at the Rail Live! event at Long Marston.

The unit was used to shuttle passengers between the show

site on the former MoD base and Honeybourne station, where a temporary platform had been built.

In the week prior to the show, the unit undertook a

Queen’s Awards for volunteers at three narrow gauge lines LBR’s award, given for ‘Fifty years of conserving England’s THE Queen’s Award for industrial railway heritage in Voluntary Service has been Bedfordshire’, will be formally awarded to Leighton Buzzard presented by The Lord Railway (LBR), South Tynedale Lieutenant of Bedfordshire on Railway (STR) and Metropolitan July 28.

Water Board Railway Society The society is celebrating (MWBRS) volunteers. its 50th anniversary this year, The award is the highest for and the award follows the volunteer groups in Britain and the Heritage Railway Association’s equivalent of an individual MBE. (HRA) Peter Manisty Award in These 2017 awards were February. announced on June 2, the The MWBRS award is for work anniversary of Her Majesty’s in support of the Hampton & accession to the throne.

Kempton Waterworks Railway STR’s award comes as the Company, which operates the railway approaches the opening ‘Hanworth Loop’ and aims to of its extension to Slaggyford at restore part of the original an invitation-only formal event on 2ft-gauge line, which served July 24, with public opening the water pumping stations in the next day.

Hampton and Kempton area.

By Cliff Thomas

The end for Limerick Check on June 4. The incoming colour light signals can be seen to the left and outside the cabin, while beyond the semaphores represent the outgoing era. HASSARD STACPOOLE

‘T9’ to cover South Devon summer BODMINBASED Drummond ‘T9’ Small Prairies – No. 5526 and 5542 4-4-0 No. 30120 has been drafted – to handle the peak passenger in to cover the late-summer service. season at the South Devon Railway However, No. 5542 is due (SDR), owing to a shortage of to leave the railway in July to available locomotives. return to the GloucestershireFollowing the withdrawal of Warwickshire Railway, which will Collett ‘2251’ 0-6-0 No. 3205 with hopefully coincide with the return a recurring boiler problem, and to service of No. 5786. ongoing boiler repairs to ‘57XX’ However, in order to cover 0-6-0PT No. 5786 (L92), the SDR washouts and possible failures, has suddenly found itself short of a third loco is required and an motive power to cover the busy agreement has been reached two-train season. with the Cornish branch for the ‘64XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 6412 is out on hire of the high-stepping National hire and it is left to the two ‘4575’ Railway Museum ‘Greyhound’.

and the Copy Pit route to Hebden Bridge, Wakefield Kirkgate and York, where one of the company’s steam locos takes over for the run to Scarborough.

See www.westcoastrailways. co.uk for timetables and booking information.

PICTURE: BOB SWEET

Approval for £200m Luton Airport link A £200MILLION people-mover link between Luton Airport Parkway and the airport terminal looks set to go ahead after the project received planning permission from local councillors.

The 1.4-mile fully automated and driverless Mass Passenger Transit (MPT) line will open in 2021, replacing the current bus shuttle.

It is expected to reduce journey times from the airport to St Pancras International to less than 30 minutes.

Journey times between the airport and Thameslink/EMTserved Parkway station will be cut from 15 minutes to just five and trains will run 24 hours a day.

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NEXT MONTH

Scarborough outing for CFPS ‘40’ THE Class 40 Preservation Society’s No. 40145 will haul the diesel legs of West Coast Railway Co’s ‘Scarborough Spa Express’ on August 17.

The BR blue ‘40’ will replace the usual WCRC Class 47/57 between Carnforth and York, running via Preston, Blackburn

test run between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh.

Vivarail is still keen to get the unit in regular service with a train operator.

The overall roof at South Tynedale Railway’s Alston station and newly constructed platform 2 (left) are rapidly taking shape. The new cafe at the far end of the station building, which utilises the stone wall on the platform, was opened on May 27 when this picture was taken. MURRAY BROWN

EVERY reader will get a free DVD worth £16.95 with the August issue of The Railway Magazine.

Requiem to Southern Steam contains some of the best of preserved Southern scenes on DVD, featuring the Mid-Hants and Swanage Railways.

There is also archive cine footage of steam on the Southern Region in its final years of service with BR. Order your copy of The RM today, or call 01507 529529 to take out a subscription.

July 2017 • The Railway Magazine • 11

Multiple Aspects

with Lord Berkeley

Left luggage locker dilemma I RECENTLY visited Fort William and Mallaig, enjoying the breathtaking scenery on the route. You can reserve your seat – necessary in the summer as Scotrail clearly needs more capacity on that line. Another need is that, on a journey of more than five hours from Glasgow, one needs some power points to keep electronic devices alive.

However, more interestingly, at Fort William, there was a wonderful range of self-service luggage lockers for the use of passengers. The lockers were of varying sizes and prices, but how useful to be able to leave luggage

there in order to spend a few hours or even a full day enjoying the delights of, for us, a wet Sunday there.

So why do luggage lockers exist there and not elsewhere?

Busier stations

There are a few locations around the UK where there are lockers outside the station, but the Fort William ones are inside as part of a very smart toilet complex.

So why not lockers all over the network in busier stations where people travel to with lots of luggage? I start with Penzance – you can wait hours, if not days, for

a connection to the Isles of Scilly and it would be nice to walk round the town without towing a massive suitcase. Similarly, in Cornwall, Truro, St Austell and moving up the line to Plymouth and so on.

I was told that luggage lockers are a security risk – as are litter bins. But if this is true in a main station building, there are many locations around the outside of station buildings where they could be located.

If it is possible in Fort William, there is no excuse for refusing to provide them across the network.

It is part of a service to customers.

Felixstowe branch upgrade cheaper than road option WITH the current pressure on costs on the railway and an uncertainty about the future direction for whatever government emerges, it is useful to reflect on how to reduce costs – not only by being more efficient, but by not doing something at all if the same or a better result can be achieved by some other way at less or no cost.

The ‘can-do’ approach should apply to Network Rail, passenger and freight operators and of course the ORR. One issue that has been around for decades is that of doubling the Felixstowe branch to get more container trains into and out of the port. There are currently 33 trains every day, but the port could handle perhaps 50 or more. Such an

upgrade is important for the future of rail freight and if the DfT road and rail departments actually talked to each other, it would avoid the need for a £1.8billion upgrade of the parallel A14.

Bottleneck

There are various solutions to this bottleneck; the obvious one is to double part or all of the track, costing up to £50m. It's a far cheaper option to the disruptive A14 upgrade, but another option that has been floated on and off for years – and that is to replace the hourly passenger services on the branch with a bus, except during peak hours.

There are very few passengers in the middle of the day and they

would all fit into a high quality bus – one with wi-fi – and no doubt enjoy the ride. They might even be able to get off in the middle of Ipswich rather than face a long walk from the station.

However, I get the feeling that the passenger service is somehow ‘sacrosanct’, and any proposal to reduce it to peak hours only would be strongly opposed, not least by the redoubtable local MP Thérèse Coffey. But if the benefits (less air pollution, noise, traffic congestion, etc) of running 17 or more trains a day in each direction can be achieved at virtually no cost and cause little disruption to passengers, surely it is better to spend the money on enhancements that are not so easily dealt with?

Planning ahead for winter WE are now in the season of using trees and bushes along the line to ‘clean’ the trains.

Network Rail is doing well on cutting trees to make the tracks safer from fallen ones or leaves, but more needs to be done – certainly in Cornwall, where open train windows (yes – we still have them!) and gentle speeds might cause a branch to find its way in the carriage and injure someone. It is a winter job, to avoid affecting the nesting habits of birds, but planning must now start for next winter.

The price isn’t right I HAVE written before praising the GWR sleeper to Penzance, and suggesting that, as it is so popular, they should add more coaches, eventually buying some of the ScotRail ones which will soon be replaced by brand new trains.

GWR seems to have adopted a different route which acts to reduce demand and avoid having to grow the service – pricing.

In April 2015 I bought a single sleeper ticket for £50 plus the adult fare. Last week the same sleeper supplement was £70, a 40% increase in two years, rather higher than the rate of inflation. 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

Railway Ombudsman

BARONESS Randerson asked whether plans to improve compensation for rail travellers include the establishment of a rail ombudsman with powers similar to those of the energy ombudsman.

Transport Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon replied: “Under existing arrangements, if a rail passenger is not happy with a train operator’s response to a complaint they can contact either Transport Focus (TF) or London TravelWatch (LTW) who work to resolve the issue with the train operator on their behalf.

“We are considering how to strengthen these arrangements, taking account of arrangements in other sectors. This has included discussions led by the rail minister with TF, LTW, the Office of Rail and Road and the Rail Delivery Group.”

Windermere delay

TIM Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale) asked when the plans for electrification of the Lakes Line from Oxenholme Lake District to Windermere will be completed.

Transport Minister Paul Maynard replied: “The Hendy Review made provision for the Oxenholme to Windermere electrification scheme to be developed, with a target of March 2017 for selection of a single priced option.

“Network Rail (NR) indicated that the estimated cost to deliver the scheme has risen. In the light of this, NR has been asked to undertake a value management exercise to try to bring costs back in line with the original estimates.

“As a result of this investigation to bring down costs, the completion of the

12 • The Railway Magazine • July 2017

single option selection will be later than the published indicative date.”

NR land sold

LORD Berkeley asked what is the Department for Transport’s estimate of the expected income from Network Rail’s disposal of operational freight land.

Lord Ahmad said: “As recommended by the 2015 Hendy Review, Network Rail is committed to disposing of assets, including freight estate, where ownership is not essential for the running of the railway.

“As well as generating funds to reinvest into the railway, this will allow NR to focus on its core business of running a safe, reliable and growing network.

“At this point in time all options are still being considered and no firm

decisions have been made about freight asset sales. The detail of any expected future asset sales is commercially sensitive.”

Airport stations

CRAIG Whitaker (Calder Valley) asked what plans have been made to improve rail connectivity to Leeds-Bradford airport.

Mr Maynard replied: “Leeds City Council has submitted to the Department for Transport a proposal over how it wishes to spend the funding originally allocated to the trolley-bus scheme. This contains proposals for new stations in the region, including one close to Leeds-Bradford Airport with a bus link to the airport terminal.

“All schemes proposed within the package will be subject to local business case approval.”