FROM THERAILWAYMAGAZINEARCHIVES
SEPTEMB1E9R20 Lamps requisitioned
DURINGthe recentgasworkers'strike at Bristol,the GreatWesternRailway had to requisition oil lampsfrom rural stationsto assistin the lighting ofTemple Meads.As these bore the namesof the owning stations,the first impressioncreatedin the uninitiated travellerwasoneof perplexity,if not alarm. Littlehampton incident
A PASSENGEtrRain which arrived at Littlehampton on Wednesday afternoon, August 4, was unable to stop at the platform, and after crashing through the buffer-stop,forced its way through a brick wall and acrossa road-way.
Therewere no casesof injury sufficientlyseriousto requiremedical attention. A breakdowngangfrom Brightonspeedilyremovedthe engine from the roadway. i)nmi.m, EPTEMB1E9R70 Faster Edinburgh-Glasgow service next year FROMMay next year,British Railways ScottishRegionwill replacethe present DMUtrains operating between Glasgowand Edinburghwith six-coach setsof Mark IIA coaches,with a Class 27 locomotive at eachend, both wired through the train for multiple-unit control.
The presentjourney time of 55 min. will be cut to 43 and 45 min.Trackand signallingworkswill alsobe carriedout to enablethe train to work at speedsof up to 90mph with an averageof 70mph overthe 46 milesbetweenGlasgow
QueenStreetand EdinburghHaymarket. ~,,~UM~ffi• ~SEPTEMBER 2000 £60bn boost for railways in ten-year plan BRITAIN'rSailwaysareto benefit from a £60bn injection of funds as part of a £180bn investment in the country's public transport systemover the next ten years.Billions more are to be spent on light rail schemes.
Deputy PrimeMinister John Prescottsaidthe programmewas designedto tackleyearsof under investment,fragmentation, short-termism and neglect.
Among the major project announcedare:
Possiblereinstatementofthe Matlock-Buxtonline Possiblereinstatementofthe Cambridge-Oxfordlink Possibledouble tracking of Salisbury-Exeter
LRTsystemfor Bristoland South Gloucestershire
Reopeningof the Blythe& Tyneline A new expressservicebeween Tynesideand Teesside.
Stationsat Kingkerswell,Wilton, Corsham,Melkshamand Devizes.