The branch AGM will be on Saturday 4th March at 14:00 at the Elizabeth Orwell Hotel, Hamilton Road, Felixstowe, IP11 7DX. Telephone 01394 285511. This is a short walk from the station. The change of location is to mark the retirement of Charles Taylor, who has been an active member of the branch and ESTA Felixstowe for many years. The speaker will be Jonathan Denby from 'one'. For directions, see: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=630460&y=235206&z=0&sv=IP11%207DX&st=PostCode. anyone travelling from the west are advised that that there are engineering works around Ipswich on the day, so members should check before travelling and allow more time for journeys.

First Capital Connect have already held some stakeholder meetings. The next is on Wednesday 8th March, 4.00pm-6.30pm, at the Bull Hotel Westgate, Peterborough, PE1 1RB. Managing director Elaine Holt will be one of the speakers.

Another of WAGN’s Class 365 units is to receive a name. On 10th March Robert Stripe, vice-chairman and former chairman, of the Fen Line Users’ Association, will name a unit in recognition of FLUA's 21 years, 1985-2006. The ceremony will take place at Kings Lynn station. Please contact Robert for more details.

The next Wisbech-March Bramley Line public meeting will be on Wednesday 29th March at 7.30pm. It will be held at the Rose and Crown Hotel, Wisbech, which is in Market Place.

The 2006 Rail Users' Conference will be held in Reading on Saturday 4th November 2006. More details will be given with the next issue of Railwatch.

On Friday 3rd March from 7:30pm - 8:00pm Channel 4 will be showing a current affairs programme by Andrew Gilligan entitled "Why the Trains Don't Work". According to the trailer "Passenger numbers on the railways are at their highest for 40 years, yet lines and stations are being closed. Subsidy, in real terms, is five times what it was under BR, but some fares went up by more than 25% in this year alone." Andrew Gilligan was a committee member of the Cambridge University Railway Club during his time at Cambridge.

The DfT recently published its appraisal guidance to apply to Network Rail's Discretionary Fund schemes. See: http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_railways/documents/page/dft_railways_611192.hcsp.

FRANCHISES

ORR's provisional decision to grant open access rights to Grand Central is challenged

The ORR's provisional approval for Grand Central's new London-Sunderland service has yet to be ratified because of strong pressure from GNER and the government. The Treasurer fears that it will not get its full £1,300m premiums from GNER if it does not run more Leeds services. The ORR will now hold an "oral hearing" on 6th March to hear objections. However, Grand Central's chief executive, Ian Yeowart, told the Guardian that GNER had already had "51 weeks to make their case" and he questioned the need for further discussion.

The Guardian has recently learned from the Electoral Commission that GNER has made donations of more than £27,000 to the Labour party since autumn 2004. This comprised £24,639 in cash, £1,348 in rail tickets and £1,412 for furniture. Grand Central's chairman, Ian Yeowart, said: "We don't make political donations because it can be embarrassing if these things come back to haunt you."

RAIL ROUTES

Western end of East West Rail Line moves slowly forward with regular use of Bletchley flyover

The Bletchley flyover is to come into regular use on 1st April with five freight trains each way daily, which will serve a new "virtual quarry" as Forders Siding on the Bedford-Bletchley line. Ballast trains between Forders and the WCML north of Bletchley will go over the flyover to get to Swanbourne to run round, then back across the flyover.

The flyover itself needs to be waterproofed and there's a range of structural repairs to be carried out on it. The track was removed on Sunday 12th February to enable this, using the same works trains used the following week to upgrade much of the Bedford-Bletchley track for 60mph running.

BBC new item: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/4695158.stm.

REVENUE PROTECTION AND PASSENGER SAFETY

Greater security focus since New Year by 'one' on trains and at stations

On 9th January ‘one’ has launched "Operation Braveheart" on its trains and stations in North London and Hertfordshire to deter anti-social behaviour and increase passenger safety. A team of security guards from Securicor Rail, who have patrolled the area since spring 2005, started making extra patrols on afternoon and late night trains between London Liverpool Street and Cambridge. They also patrolled selected stations.

Wearing high-visibility clothing and with Securicor identification, the guards are empowered to remove anyone committing offences from the train or station. They also assist station staff and work in conjunction with the British Transport Police.

ATOC press release: http://www.atoc-comms.org/tocstory.asp?abstractorder=&toc=&category=&File_reference=576843.

Successful prosecutions brought by 'one' thanks to DNA spit kits

Five prosecutions by 'one' against abusive passengers in recent months have been achieved using evidence collected with "spit kits" which collect DNA. According to Alan Perry, head of revenue protection at 'one', "It is a problem. Staff do get spat at, but DNA can now be used to trace the offenders. All staff are trained in how to take samples themselves, which are then sent off to the police labs for analysis. It's not just spitting either; the kits can be used for any nuisance behaviour. If somebody swore at a member of staff for example, we would look to see what was left behind by them. We could take a sample of a cigarette butt or a drinks can."

More than 1,000 kits have been distributed among employees across 'one's network.

CEN article: http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/region_wide/2006/02/07/cf63c39a-e094-4285-942a-0a01af0db6ca.lpf.

RAIL STATIONS

Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Urban Regeneration Company Masterplan conducts "Visioning Workshop"

Railfuture has responded to the masterplan consultation produced by the Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Urban Regeneration Company calling for improvements to various stations on the Wherry Lines. Railfuture president Peter Lawrence said:
* Lowestoft Station urgently needs work to improve the appearance of frontage of the station building after years of neglect and not being occupied for some 35 years;
* Oulton Broad North Station has insufficient car parking. Passengers have to park their cars in side streets. Unfortunately it is difficult to increase the car park as much railway land has been sold off;
* Great Yarmouth Station should be served by a regular bus service serving Great Yarmouth Station, the Central Bus Station at Market Gates, the Town Centre and Beach areas. The old Vauxhall Rail Bridge either needs some tender loving care or demolition as it is an eyesore to people arriving at Great Yarmouth Station by train.

Railfuture also expressed concern at the overcrowding on some peak-hour Yarmouth trains, especially on summer Saturdays. It was stressed that the resort has always been a popular holiday spot for East Midlands visitors and that the through trains needed to be restored. Since 2004 a change at Norwich is required. Railfuture called for the direct trains to be included in the new East Midlands franchise, which would include the Nottingham to Norwich route.

Campaigners attempt to renovate Brandon station

A group called Friends of Brandon Station was formed in January 2006 to give a bit of tender loving car to the station, which they call a local eyesore. This idea has stirred up local interest and they hope to lease the boarded-up and vandalised building from Network Rail. They have been offered space at the Brandon Heritage Centre for an exhibition about the station, and anyone with pictures or other interesting objects is asked to contact the Friends’ chairman Stephen Dean at stephendean@decanimusic.co.uk.

Suffolk County Council raises possibility of several new stations

Suffolk County Council recently held a meeting that discussed possible new stations, including Moreton Heath (east of Bury St Edmunds), Blakenham and Great Conard. There are also suggestions that Leiston and Felixstowe Beach could be reopened. The latter on the Felixstowe freight-only line had its derelict station building demolished in late 2004.

Cambridge station area redevelopment raises protests

Ashwell Group's proposed £725 million regeneration scheme around Cambridge railway station, which includes 1,400 new homes, a hotel and 10-storey buildings, recently generated a heated public meeting at Cambridge Guildhall. Residents' associations expressed concerns about traffic, the size, scale and design of the plans, lack of open space, school places for children, and how the scheme fitted in with the city's development plans. One city councillor warned Ashwell it was "on course for a headlong collision" with city planners over the scheme which is due to be decided in April.

RAIL FREIGHT

Alconbury Railfreight Terminal unlikely to go ahead

According to the Hunts Post newspaper on 15th February, the redevelopment of Alconbury airfield as a strategic rail-connected international freight terminal is unlikely to go ahead.

In late 2003 the Deputy Prime Minister approved Alconbury Developments Limited's appeal against refusal of planning consent but attached 78 conditions to the approval. The requirement for a rail connection to the ECML to be in place before any building on the site was occupied or used has prevented the development getting off the ground. Progress has not been helped by ADL's biggest customer pulling out. ADL has now admitted at inquiry into the East of England regional spatial strategy that Network Rail's review of ECML capacity has concluded that there would be insufficient freight paths available on the route to make the Alconbury scheme viable as approved.

PRESERVED RAILWAYS

Steam service scheduled for Mid-Norfolk Railway after 2005's deferment

The MNR finally expects to run its first steam-hauled passenger services between Dereham and Wymondham over sixteen operating days between Sunday 30th April and Saturday 3rd June.

WEB-SITES

Campaigners use BBC's Access Network facility to fight planned service cuts

Campaigners fearing a round of rail closures have made use of the BBC's Action Network service on its web-site to fight any attempts to close lines and stations, which is seen as a possibility following publication of the DfT's consultation in the closure process. Their "Stop The Axe - Campaign Against New Beeching Report" campaign can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/actionnetwork/G1517.

Midland Mainline expand reward scheme to include leisure travellers

In East Anglia there is no rail frequent traveller reward scheme. However, nearby Midland Mainline have recently expanded their online-based business traveller reward scheme "more" to the leisure market as well. Scheme members must purchase at least six tickets a year through their personalised online account, which records their transaction history, much like a Tesco Club Card. A free First Class upgrade is given to new members, who can benefit from specially negotiated deals with hotels and a 15% discount on board at mm's bar. For details see http://www.midlandmainline.com/mainpage.aspx?id=391.