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The text on this page has been compiled by RVRNews Editor, Bill Briggs
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Out now! Available to non-members from the Tourist Information Centre, RVBC Offices, Church Walk, Clitheroe, and the Visitor Centre, Church Street, Blackburn: Price £2
Ribble Valley RailNews No.90, Winter 2010
Front cover: “Christmas card scene” at Langho
Editorial: comments on problems caused by severe weather, Santa services, Northern departures, Langho’s missing signage, and revisiting RVR’s aims and objectives.
Peter’s Platform: Chmn Moore praises the work of Network Rail and Northern in the recent bad weather, regrets Northern’s departing staff, comments Santa services, involvement with the CRP, pressing the case for facilities and service improvements, the lengthened season of DalesRail 2010, and looks forward to other events in 2010 and RVR’s Silver Jubilee in 2011.
Notes & News: Friends of Stations, Executive Diary, and various other items including website news, plus a miscellany of items from Railfuture, STORM, Northern, and Network Rail. Bob Hayes reviews a new railway atlas. Marjorie Birch reviews RVR/Northern Santa Services 2009 and Craig Ward reviews DalesRail 2009.
Features: Chatburn Bridge reconstruction completed, Brian Haworth tells what makes the CLRCP tick, and SusStations – a concept for eco-friendly stations.
Photo features: a few pictures of the 2009 Santas; Langho station sign (before it went missing); final phase of Chatburn Bridge reconstruction; Prize Competition; Ribble Valley Line in the snow and giant icicles in Blea Moor Tunnel (S&C).
Railway Cuttings: a resumé of press cuttings of interest to RVR members compiled by Kathleen Sharples and the Editor.
On The Line: Brian Haworth`s comprehensive review of the traffic using the line during the previous quarter, plus planned WCML diversions.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS & DIARY DATES 2009/10
Mon 1 Mar RVR Meeting, New Inn, Clitheroe 19.30
Sat 20 Mar RVR AGM, RVBC, Church St, C`roe 13.30 for 14.00
Mon 12 Apr* RVR Meeting, New Inn, Clitheroe 19.30
Tues 4 May** RVR Meeting, New Inn, Clitheroe 19.30
NB * change of date, ** change of day
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| The 24th Ribble Valley Rail Annual General Meeting will take place in the Ribble Valley Borough Council Chamber, Church Street, Clitheroe, on Saturday 20th March 2010, 1.30 pm for 2.00 pm.
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From a Written Statement by: Rt Hon Lord Andrew Adonis, Secretary of State for Transport: 14 December 2009
In the Pre-Budget Report the Chancellor indicated that the Government is now going ahead with plans for electrification of further lines in the North West.
The first line is between Huyton, on the line running from Liverpool to Manchester, and Wigan, on the already electrified West Coast Main Line. This will allow electric trains to operate between Liverpool and Wigan via St Helens. The second line is between Manchester and Euxton Junction, just south of Preston on the West Coast Main Line. This will allow electric trains to operate between Manchester and Preston, via Bolton. The third line is between Blackpool North and Preston. This will allow electric trains to operate between Blackpool North and both Liverpool and Manchester.
Our plans envisage that, once electrified, these three lines will be served by thoroughly refurbished electric commuter trains transferred from the Thameslink line. This will increase rail capacity and reliability between key cities and towns in the North West. It will allow 30 year old `Pacer` diesel trains to be retired, and modern diesel trains to be transferred to other routes requiring extra capacity.
Network Rail will now develop detailed plans to complete these electrification projects alongside the previously-announced plans for Liverpool to Manchester, opening in sequence between 2014 and 2016.
In July I undertook to review the Department’s rolling stock plan in the light of the electrification announcements and other developments. The Government remains committed to providing an additional 1300 carriages by mid-2014.
The specification for a first phase of additional capacity on services into Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield has been completed and is now being discussed with Northern Rail and the relevant Passenger Transport Executives. Planning work is also underway with Northern Rail and the Passenger Transport Executives to develop a second phase scheme to address the further capacity requirements for these cities.
The specification for the new Intercity West Coast franchise, due to start in April 2012, will include a requirement to deploy the 106 new Pendolino vehicles on order to increase capacity between London, Birmingham and The current Transpennine Express franchise is due to end in February 2012, and the specification for its replacement will be developed over the next 24 months. This will include the deployment of new electric trains on the Manchester to Central Scotland route, allowing the diesel trains currently operating these services to be used to provide more capacity on the main trans-Pennine route.
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A few copies still available to non-members from the Tourist Information Centre, RVBC Offices, Church Walk, Clitheroe, and the Visitor Centre, Church Street, Blackburn: Reduced Price £1
Ribble Valley RailNews No.89, Autumn 2009
Front cover: Unveiling of children’s artwork “Welcome to Clitheroe” sign
Editorial: comments on forthcoming Santa services, successes at the AcoRP Awards, completed engineering work, and revisiting RVR’s aims and objectives.
Peter’s Platform: Chmn Moore comments Santa services, improved performance, successful events, involvement with the CRP, and pressing the case for facilities and service improvements.
Notes & News: Executive Diary, Friends of Stations, and various other items including website news, plus a miscellany of items from Railfuture, STORM, Northern, and Network Rail.
Features: RVR/Northern Santa Services 2009. Chatburn Bridge reconstruction. The Oldham Loops “Final curtain”.
Photo features: Brian the Bull welcomes travellers to Clitheroe; Santa in retrospect; Chatburn Bridge reconstruction; Prize Competition; Points failure at Horrocksford Jct; AcoRP Awards.
Then & Now: Rimington station
Railway Cuttings: a resumé of press cuttings of interest to RVR members compiled by Kathleen Sharples and the Editor.
On The Line: Brian Haworth`s comprehensive review of the traffic using the line during the previous quarter.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS & DIARY DATES 2009/10
Mon 8 Dec RVR meeting, New Inn, Clitheroe 19.30
Sat 12 Dec RVR/Northern Santa Services
Sat 19 Dec RVR/Northern Santa Services
Mon 4 Jan RVR meeting, New Inn, Clitheroe 19.30
Mon 1 Feb RVR meeting, New Inn, Clitheroe 19.30
Mon 1 Mar RVR meeting, New Inn, Clitheroe 19.30
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Brian the Bull wins First Prize
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At the 2009 National Community Rail Awards in Carlisle on Friday 25th September the Explore the Ribble Valley Line DVD project won first prize in the category of Working with Young People. Community Rail Development Officer Brian Haworth and Peter Fenton, Headmaster at Daisyfield School, collected the prize from Chris Austin, the author of the government’s Community Rail Strategy.
The Lancashire Community Rail Partnerships took second place in the Local Transport Integration category for the Pendle Connect ticket, a bus/rail ticket being trialled in the Pendle area of East Lancashire, and a third place in the Passengers Matter category for the Ribble Valley Line Blockade Bus Replacement.
Richard Watts, Rail Projects Manager for Lancashire County Council and Partnership Secretary, shared with Richard Burningham of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership. a special award for Outstanding Contribution for Developing Community Rail.
Info: Simon Clarke
Full details of all the winners can be found on the ACoRP website at www.acorp.uk.com
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Mark Rand (FoSCL Chairman) informs us that on Tuesday 3 February a partnership of The Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line, Northern and Network Rail launched an MP3 audio guide to the Settle-Carlisle rail journey, `Listen on the Line`. This may be a first for any railway journey, certainly in the UK. Have a listen at www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/download_audio.cfm
No need to listen to all 4 hours! Just click on any section that takes your fancy and you will get the idea.
It took months of work to get the timings right but the partners are very pleased with the outcome. Have a listen or, as Mark says - better still try it out for real some day.
Mark Rand 01729 822930
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