Advent 2017

[whole diary]

[SandTEngineer]

St.Albans Abbey......

[grahame]

St.Albans Abbey......

I'm afraid not - sorry

[grahame]

Yesterday - still not guessed:


And one from a bigger place today:

[brooklea]

Derby

[grahame]

Derby

Assuming that's a guess for today's picture, you're correct.  The pioneers of rail would be turning in their graves if Derby station had been reduced to that shown in the picture for yesterday.

Derby station is in for a complete rebuild soon ... major closures while the whole track work is re-organised.  Too far "out of area" for me to have taken much note, yet I suspect that a look at what's going on would be useful to see if there's anything to learn for our own zone.

[stuving]

Derby station is in for a complete rebuild soon ... major closures while the whole track work is re-organised.  Too far "out of area" for me to have taken much note, yet I suspect that a look at what's going on would be useful to see if there's anything to learn for our own zone.

Here it is. The main physical changes are closing the bay (P5) and building a new platfrom 6, and unscrambling the big crossing at London Road Junction.

To my eye it looks a bit odd, spreading services over three platform pairs rather than putting most of them through a pair of two-faced platforms - not very "modern". But it certainly follows the current practice of building track to reflect the current service pattern and nothing else.

[paul7575]

To my eye it looks a bit odd, spreading services over three platform pairs rather than putting most of them through a pair of two-faced platforms - not very "modern". But it certainly follows the current practice of building track to reflect the current service pattern and nothing else.

I expect the 3 pairs layout they've come up with is due to the relatively high proportion of trains reversing in the station, ie the Birmingham - Nottingham XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)).  So the central pair of three is effectively reserved for them, and the through services are separated into Birmingham bound and London bound routes north of the station.  It presumably means that Nottingham - Birmingham trains do not conflict with anything else, and late running XC doesn't remove platform capacity for north/south mainlines at all.

Ought to stop now as this is a photo quiz...   

Paul

[SandTEngineer]

OK.  I'll have another go at the unguessed one - Severn Beach.....

[grahame]

OK.  I'll have another go at the unguessed one - Severn Beach.....

Thank you, but 'fraid not.  Your first guess was at least 3 times closer!

[rogerw]

Is it somewhere on the Bedford to Bletchley line?

[PhilWakely]

I'll plump for either of Bearley or Claverdon stations

[grahame]

I'll plump for either of Bearley or Claverdon stations

Is it somewhere on the Bedford to Bletchley line?

Getting there ... no mention of the exact station yet.

[brooklea]

Is it somewhere on the Bedford to Bletchley line?

Indeed it is.....Fenny Stratford unless I'm very much mistaken.

I wonder what will replace the 150s used on this route next year, assuming they move on to Northern Rail? Some of Vivarail's finest maybe?

[rogerw]

The latest edition of Rail suggests that Vivarail will be supplying units for this line

[grahame]

Is it somewhere on the Bedford to Bletchley line?

Indeed it is.....Fenny Stratford unless I'm very much mistaken.

I wonder what will replace the 150s used on this route next year, assuming they move on to Northern Rail? Some of Vivarail's finest maybe?

Spot on, as usual ;-) ...

My understanding from a very reliable source is that the planning is for 3 x 150 will be replaced by 6 x 153 - however that is a report from prior to the franchise change.  And 230s may follow - 153 can only be an interim with lack of disabled toilets

I would love to see the east - west rail line extended through Swindon and down 'our way' ... certainly it would have had a lot of my custom over many years.