Railwatch

Published by Railfuture

Railwatch is the quarterly magazine of Railfuture, which is free to members.


Non-members can subscribe to Railwatch, receiving it by post.

Subscribe

Railwatch 070 - December 1996

East Midlands

By Anthony Kay

Party time The Bedford to Bletchley Rail Users' Association is heavily involved in organising events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of their line. Exhibitions are being mounted, steam-hauled trains will run on 12 and 19 October, and on the anniversary weekend, 16-17 November. There will be a Rail Day at Bedford Civic Theatre on Saturday 16 and a train service along the line on Sunday 17. However, BBRUA is concerned about the future. It complained to the Franchise Director after a recent article in a local newspaper suggested that the desperately needed modernisation of the line's infrastructure would not be worthwhile because Stagecoach is running an Oxford-Cambridge coach service. Stagecoach is a likely bidder for the North London Railways franchise, which will include the Bedford-Bletchley line. The line is not just of local importance, but must form part of any future strategic East-West rail link.

Brush-off Loughborough locomotive maker Brush Traction is disappointed at not even being given a chance to compete for a £3250m contract to supply at least 250 freight locomotives to EW&S, the owners of the former British Rail freight operation. The contract has gone to General Motors in America, despite lobbying by local politicians of all parties. There are fears for the future of Brush Traction, which has already reduced its workforce in Loughborough by around 800 in the past two years.

Summer cuts One morning and one afternoon train in each direction was axed from the Ivanhoe Line, serving stations between Leicester and Loughborough, at the start of the summer timetable. The reason given was poor patronage, but there is scope for better marketing at a time when the county council's Caltrans study is looking into ways of relieving Leicester's serious traffic congestion.

Note: contact details (postal and email addresses, along with telephone numbers) in old editions of Railwatch out of date. Click CONTACT US for latest contact details.


[Issue 70 Index]

[Railwatch Home] [Prev Issue (69)] [Railwatch Issues] [RIS Progress Reports] [SRUBLUK Progress Reports] [Next Issue (71)] [Railfuture Home]


Rail users are encouraged to join Railfuture to help us campaign for a bigger and better railway - membership for individuals is just £20 per year

Railfuture is an independent, voluntary group representing rail users in Britain with 20,000 affiliated and individual members. It is not funded by train companies, political parties or trade unions, and all members have an equal say.

Railfuture campaigns for cheap and convenient rail services for everyone; better links for buses, bikes and pedestrians; policies to get more heavy lorries on to rail; new lines, stations and freight terminals. In short, a better rail service and a bigger rail system for both passengers and freight.

Railfuture is pro-rail but not anti-road or anti-air. However, we campaign for a switch from road and air to rail. We do not interfere in the running of the railway - we campaign for the quality and range of services provided, not how they are delivered. We are the only champion of all rail users.


Railfuture is the campaigning name of Railfuture Ltd.

A not-for-profit Company Limited by Guarantee.

Registered in England and Wales No. 05011634.

Registered Office: Edinburgh House, 1-5 Bellevue Road, Clevedon, North Somerset BS21 7NP (for legal correspondence only).

All other correspondence to 14 Ghent Field Circle, Thurston, Suffolk IP31 3UP


© Copyright Railfuture Ltd 2024.

Railfuture is happy for extracts to be used by journalists, researchers and students. We would, however, appreciate a mention of Railfuture in any article, website or programme. Except with Railfuture's express written permission, no one should distribute or commercially exploit the content.


Privacy Statement

Click Privacy to read Railfuture's GDPR statement on how we treat your data.

08.03.2024

This site does not use its own cookies, although Google Analytics does. Hosted by TSO Host (cPanel) and maintained for Railfuture by Billing Specialists Ltd.