Regional News
What‘s happening in your area?
WESTERN
Bratton Fleming: The former Lynton & Barnstaple station has been secured for future railway use, following a successful deal with the private owner. A previous sale fell through and L& B property company Exmoor Associates raised the funds to safeguard it. It will be leased to a tenant until it is required.
Great Malvern: The Railway Heritage Trust has awarded £ 3,808 towards converting the station clock to electric operation. The old mechanism will be put on public display.
Mortimer: Great Western Railway’s application to create a 150- space car park close to the station has been approved by West Berkshire Council planners.
Reading: The opening date of the new Green Park station close to the Madejski Stadium has now been put back to late summer 2021 at the earliest.
Washford: The West Somerset Railway has rescinded the eviction of its tenant the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust from the station and yard. WSR no longer envisages wanting exclusive use, so has offered a new ten- year lease instead.
EASTERN
Biggleswade: Some of the £ 70 million released by the Government for local projects will be spent on improving access to the station.
Dewsbury: The station will receive a share of the £ 750,000 area improvement grants secured by Kirklees Council.
Sandsend: Former Mid- Hants Railway Mk 1 TSO coach 4606 has been moved to the station for conversion into a holiday home. It has most recently been used as a restaurant at Nutbourne.
Sleaford: Uses are being sought for empty accommodation on the island platform, with support from the Railway Heritage Trust and East Midlands Railway. Stairfoot: December 12 marks the 150th anniversary of the death of 15 passengers at the South Yorkshire station, when a stationary train was struck from the rear by 12 runaway wagons. The wagons had been shunted and parked on a steep gradient with only one brake, which failed. They had reached 40mph at the moment of the collision one and a half miles away.
MIDLANDS
Awsworth: Completion of the conversion of the iron- girder Midland Railway Bennerley Viaduct into a walking and cycling route seems assured, following a grant of £165,201 from Historic England. The Railway Heritage Trust has already provided £ 280,000 to the project.
Coventry: The new station footbridge, spanning four platforms, is being lifted into place as part of the £ 82 million project. It will provide a direct link to a 633- space multi- storey car park and a second station entrance via Warwick Road.
Dorridge: The Chiltern Railways station waiting room has been refurbished in 1930s style.
Luton: The new £ 900,000 lifts at Luton Airport Parkway station have been commissioned.
University: A contractor has been hired to design and expand the station that serves Birmingham University.
SOUTHERN
Balham: The issue of low platform heights will be addressed as part of the station’s forthcoming £ 2.6 million upgrade, which is scheduled to be completed by next March. The work will also include new fencing at the London ends of the platforms, to reduce trespass incidents.
Bracknell: A major development of shops and 420 homes is planned for the old business park site next to the station.
Brixton: There is widespread local opposition to plans for a new 20- storey tower block on the entire site of the former East Brixton station. This would prevent the creation of an Overground station, which has featured regularly in local transport plans over the years.
Dover: A high- speed bus service to Priory station
has been promised as part of the approval for a 5,750- home development at Whitfield, which is almost three miles away.
South Western Railway: Network Rail has completed improvements at 14 of the operator’s stations since April 1: Botley, Claygate, Effingham Junction, Farnborough, Hinton Admiral, Honiton, Horsley Claygate, New Milton, Overton, Salisbury, Sunningdale, Weybridge, Whitley and Worcester Park.
ANGLIA
Broxbourne: The £1 million station car park extension has been completed, creating 270 new spaces and extending capacity by 50%.
Long Melford: A petition has been raised to allow cyclists to use the Melford Walk, which occupies the former Great Eastern Railway route to Sudbury. It is currently restricted to walkers only.
Whittlesea: A comprehensive upgrade for the Peterborough- March line station over the next ten years includes waiting shelters, a footbridge, more car parking, and better footpaths and lighting.
LONDON
Bank: The main tunnelling work ( begun in May 2017) to add a new platform at the London Underground station has been completed. The 40% capacity expansion includes a travelator to link the Northern and Central lines, and escalators between the Northern and Docklands Light
Railway and up to street level.
Battersea Power Station: The final escalator is due to be installed at the new Northern Line extension station, and the ticket hall is almost complete. The featured ‘gold’ roof will be ready for positioning early in 2021.
Nine Elms: Fitting out of the new Northern Line extension station will be completed in the opening weeks of 2021. Energisation of the substation will also soon allow trains to run into the station.
SCOTLAND
Dundee: The former Maryfield tram depot is to be taken over by Dundee Museum of Transport. The first phase of the conversion will be providing a new roof for the fire- damaged rear section.
Milngavie: The station platforms have been extended by 70 yards, to allow trains to be stabled between services without impeding other movements. The work has cost £ 5 million.
Saltcoats: A third of the £ 500,000 cost of converting redundant space at the North Ayrshire station for community use has been met by the Railway Heritage Trust. The conversion is expected to take three months to complete.