Six of the Best 578

Mary Reid has been reading a report from the Manifesto Club on Public Space Protection Orders.

It's not Bernie Sanders that Jerermy Corbyn resembles, but Donald Trump. Lance Parkin draws parallels between the woes of the Republicans and the Labour Party.

"Our heritage, our history, our quirky collecting natures are being eroded and erased by the need to make financial savings, to economise, to pare down and re-shape." Tincture of Museum on the threat to our smaller museums.

"All this promises well for Mile End, does it not? Think of all the comfortable and respectable suburbs of London, from Norwood to Golder's Green, and try to find one with a series of concerts like this." The Guardian recently republished a 1921 interview with Adrian Boult about his plans to bring classical music to the East End.

The Gentle Author on two unlikely neighbours: Handel and Jimi Hendrix.

The Nottingham Post has a gallery of 30 photographs of the city's Victoria station.

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Uckfield to Lewes - it's all kicking off

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One of the causes closest to Norman Baker's heart, both as MP and minister, was the reopening of the railway from Uckfield to Lewes.

The project is now the subject of heated political debate, judging by this report from the Sussex Express:

This week Lib Dems have attacked what they perceive as inaction from the Tories since last year’s general election following the progress secured by the former Lewes MP and ex-rail minister Norman Baker. 

Baroness Randerson, the Lib Dems’ transport spokesperson, is set to question the Government on what action is planned between Lewes and Uckfield in the near future. 

However Maria Caulfield, Lewes MP, said that ‘once again the Lib Dems have got it wrong’, and explained that she had continually lobbied ministers about the ermits of opening a second Brighton mainline to Lewes. 

Rosalyn St. Pierre, a Lib Dem East Sussex county councillor for Ringmer and Lewes Bridge, said: “People in Sussex are forced to live with one of the worst performing railway networks in the country.”

Maria Caulfield would do better to emphasise the project's merits rather than its ermits.

Read more about the campaign on the BML2 (Brighton main line 2) site.

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East Midlands Trains is phasing out its quiet coaches

I learn from a conversation on Twitter that East Midlands Trains is in the process or phasing out the quiet coaches on its services.

The reason given - "because our onboard team were unable to enforce this rule" - sounds a bit wimpish. What would the team do if a passenger took it up on its constant urging to report "unusual" behaviour?

But I find it hard to be outraged at this decision, because it is ages since I chose to sit in a quite coach.

They sounded a good idea, and for the most part people respected the rule about being quiet in them.

The problem was that every now and then someone - and it was usually a suit who thought such rules did not apply to people like him - shattered the peace with a conversation on his mobile.

Because it took place in a quiet coach, that conversation was rendered infuriating rather than mildly irritating, as it would have been in any other coaches.

So, for a calm journey, I took to travelling in those other coaches again.

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Two lost Glasgow termini: St Enoch and Buchanan Street stations

St Enoch station closed in 1966 and was demolished in 1977. Buchanan Street station was also closed in 1966 and was demolished the following year.

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Bid to reopen the Northampton to Bedford line

From the Northampton Chronicle & Echo today:

Rail campaigners fighting for a link between Northampton and Bedford have launched an online petition. 

The English Regional Transport Association wants to ensure that the land and track that would be used for the link are protected and is calling for the route to be re-opened. 

The group says the route would link Northampton and Cambridge, which it says has been identified as a priority in local growth plans.

This sounds a good idea but, given the amount of redevelopment currently taking place in the relevant part of Northampton, I fear the campaign may have come too late.

Anyway, you can visit the English Regional Transport Association blog and sign their petition if you wish.

If this line ever is reopened, trains will run again across the Bridge Street level crossing in Northampton. It is shown in the photo above, though I believe the rails were removed from it last summer.

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Disused Railway Stations in Caithness, Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty

A short and sweet selection. People who favour places that end in -ster will find it particularly enjoyable.

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Great Western Railway poster for the Wye Valley

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This poster dates from 1946 and the artist is Frank Newbould.

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Disused stations in Nottinghamshire

The Nottingham London Road here is the vanished Higher Level station. The Lower Level one is still there, now occupied by a health club and spa.

There are lots more of these videos on this blog. Find them on the Disused Stations label.

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Work begins on bridging the gap at Loughborough

Last summer I wrote about the project to bridge the gap at Loughborough that separates the Great Central Railway and the Great Central Railway - Nottingham.

There is good news on the latter's website:

One of the biggest projects in railway preservation is about to get underway. A new bridge will be built in Loughborough to carry the tracks of the award winning heritage line, the Great Central Railway over the Midland Main Line. The new bridge is part of a chain of infrastructure which will ultimately allow two halves of the Great Central Railway to reconnect, creating an eighteen mile heritage line between Leicester and Nottingham. 

After three years of planning and fundraising, contractors will start on site in mid-February. A traditional Victorian style 'turning of the first sod' ceremony (which took place at the start of the many railway construction projects) will take place on Friday the 12th of February at 1pm. The ceremony will be carried out by the Nicky Morgan who is MP for Loughborough. 

"This is a very exciting moment," said Bill Ford, Managing Director of the Great Central Railway. "We have cherished this vision for decades, so to finally make a start on the ground is very important for us. So many people around the world and in the local community have donated money which has given the project life. Today’s start of work is a tribute to their faith. We know they'll be watching as the work progresses!"

I look forward to the gap being bridged - the photo above shows its southern edge. At present the Great Central Railway - Nottingham is a bit of a mystery to those of us in Leicestershire. Rather like the Eastern Roman Empire.

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The Croxley Green branch today

Last month I publish a video of Watford West in its final days.

This one from Londonist shows that station and the whole branch as they are today, awaiting revival as part of the Metropolitan line.

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A tribute from Hookland

Read more about Hookland.

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Disused railway stations in Dorset

There are lots more of these videos on this blog. Find them on the Disused Stations label.

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A lost line: South Acton to Hammersmith and Chiswick

A brief video about a brief and long-forgotten line. I traced its course myself when I was living in West London around 30 years ago.

For more on the line, see the Disused Stations pages for Hammesmith & Chiswick.

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Disused railway stations in Bradford, Calderdale and Wakefield

A varied selection from this part of West Yorksshire.

I can remember Altofts being open - it closed in 1990.

There are lots more of these videos on this blog. Find them on the Disused Stations label.

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Six of the Best 570

Ed Miliband has an article on inequality in the London Review of Books.

"If you criticise the party of government, you become a pariah - all of a sudden, you're faced with a deluge of SNP warriors to defend yourself against. What is becoming of democracy in Scotland if this is the situation that we have been left in?" Jordan Daly on life in post-referendum Scotland.

David Brindle talks to Brian Rix, who was 92 this week, about his two careers: farceur and activist for people with learning disabilities.

Labour peer Lord Berkeley warns against a pause in Network Rail's work to protect and improve the route to the South West.

Roger Mills introduces us Lilian Bowes Lyon, the Queen Mother's rebel cousin.

The Liverbirds were Britain's first all-female rock band. Paul Fitzgerald describes how they found fame in Hamburg.

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Major upgrade of Market Harborough station to be announced

"Multi-million pound plans to upgrade a railway station to improve journey times from Leicester to London are to be unveiled on Monday," said the Leicester Mercury last week.

I can't find any announcement of these plans on the Network Rail or East Midlands trains website yet, but according to the Mercury:

The details will be outlined to Harborough District Council representatives at a closed meeting on Monday. 

The improvements, which are under wraps until after the meeting, will also include building longer platforms at Market Harborough station and building a lift to improve access for people with disabilities to the southbound platform. 

Work could start on the scheme next year.

Monday's meeting comes after the Government agreed to spend £3 million on the new lift two years ago.

The report also quotes an old friend of mine who knows about such things:

Rail users group spokesman Steve Jones said: "We have known the key elements of the scheme for some time. 

"But it is good that at last plans have been drawn up so we shall be able to see what is being proposed." 

He said: " There are two possible schemes. The big expensive one which could include building a new station beside the existing one and another smaller scheme which includes the key improvements on a pared down scale." 

Mr Jones said to straighten the bend through the station would require new tracks being laid through the existing car park. 

He added: "That would require new longer platforms to be built and the car park moved to the other side of the track."

These improvements have been in the air for a very long time. Forty years ago the new buildings on platform 1 were built at an angle to the line to allow for its later straightening. But if the scheme is really radical, they may be demolished as part of it.

The Mercury quotes a Network Rail spokesman as saying a public exhibition of the proposals for the station will be held in the town's market hall on 27 February.

Let us leave the last word to Phil Knowles, a Liberal Democrat councillor in whose ward the stations stands:

"At long last the plans to bring Harborough station into the 21st century are to be unveiled. 

"I would urge people to attend the public exhibition on February 27."

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Modernity, High Speed Trains and opening doors

As this video shows, British Rail introduced their new High Speed Trains on the Great Western mainline in October 1976.

They were a powerful symbol of modernity and I remember being regarded with envy when I travelled from Paddington to Swansea and back on them early the following year.

Now I commute on HSTs every day. I like them better than the other stock used on the Midland mainline as they are more spacious.

Time moves on, however.

This morning I got on an HST and walked the length of the carriage looking for a suitable seat.

At the end of the next was a young woman. "Please can you tell me how to get off?"

To get off an HST you have to open the window in the door and turn the outside handle. To a generation raised on pressing buttons, this must seem extraordinarily old fashioned.

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Watford West station in 1990

Watford West stood on the branch from Watford Junction to Croxley Green. It closed along with the rest of the line in 1996.

This video shows it one evening in 1990 when it was already semi-derelict. For some photographs of it in happier days see the pages for Watford West on Disused Stations.

The line through Watford West is due to reopen as part of the Croxley Rail Link. The station itself will not be revived, as one will be built nearby to serve the local hospital and Vicarage Road stadium.

In 2012 I visited Watford Metropolitan which will also close under these plans.

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Six of the Best 566

MediaMasters has a cracking interview on Labour and political communication with Gordon Brown's former spin doctor Damian McBride.

"Recess is a lot more than just a free break for kids to play after lunch period. That free, unstructured play time allows kids to exercise and helps them focus better when they are in class. Now a school in Texas says it took a risk by giving students four recess periods a day, but the risk has paid off beautifully." Elizabeth Licata brings news from Fort Worth.

Lion & Unicorn on cautious welcomes.

"It’s time we authors were paid, not in promises of better sales and high profiles, but in money. Yes, actual cash. Is that too much to ask?" Guy Walters complains that literary festivals expect writers to work for nothing.

Andrew Hickey pays tribute to the great Roy Wood and in particular his LP Boulders, which was recorded earlier but released in 1973.

The names proposed for Crossrail's stations are all wrong, argues John Elledge.

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Disused railway stations in North Yorkshire

Recent videos in this series have covered Aberdeenshire and Lancashire.

You can find the earlier ones listed in the Lancashire post.

One day soon I will give them their own label.

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