Gilly White, External Relations Manager for Arriva Cross Country, will be the speaker at the branch meeting in Cambridge on Saturday 29th November 2008 at Alex Wood Hall, Norfolk Street, Cambridge, CB1 1LD. Arriva operate the Stansted to Birmingham route, which was previously part of the Central Trains.

Copies of the new East-West Rail Link leaflet that the branch as produced should, hopefully, be ready and available at the branch meeting.

The Fen Line Users Association will hold its AGM in King's Lynn at Green Quay, South Quay, on Saturday 22nd November 2008 at 14:30. For details of the venue see http://www.thegreenquay.co.uk.

The Fifth Annual General Meeting of The Railway Development Society Limited (trading as Railfuture) will be held at Oxford Place Methodist Centre, Oxford Place, Leeds LS1 3AX at 11.00am on Saturday 9th May 2009. There will be a morning session with a guest speaker commencing at 11.00 followed by a buffet lunch. The formal AGM will commence at 13.30.

Special Resolutions to amend the Memorandum of Articles of Association should be sent to Railfuture Returning Officer, PO Box 7690, Hinckley, Leicester LE10 9WJ to be received by 21st March 2009. If any members wish to receive a copy of any special resolutions then please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the same address marking the envelope 'Special Resolutions' in top left hand corner. Any motions for discussion at the AGM must be sent to: Mike Crowhurst, 33 Station Court, Aberford Road, Garforth, Leeds LS25 2QQ to arrive by 25 April 2009.

At least three places on the Board of Directors of Railfuture will be up for election in 2009, with the three-year tenure to commence from May 2009. Nominations for election to the Board of Directors must be sent to Railfuture Returning Officer, PO Box 7690, Hinckley, Leicester LE10 9WJ to arrive by 1st February 2009. Nomination forms can be obtained from the same address or from the Railfuture web-site, http://www.railfuture.org.uk.

Representatives from the branch will be meeting Cambridgeshire County Council on 20th November to discuss various railway matters, including Wisbech, Chesterton, East West rail link and electrification of Ely/Peterborough.

EAST WEST RAIL LINK

East West rail consortium reveals progress on western section

In a progress report the East West rail consortium has revealed that since the completion of the GRIP 3 study, a number of strategic rail developments have arisen as well as new proposals by Chiltern Railways for train services between Oxford and London Marylebone via Bicester. The latter propsal, conditrional upon a franchise extension, will be incorporated into the next stage of project development: Grip 4.

Progress report: http://www.eastwestrail.org/_inc/documents/EWRCInformationBulletin_Oct2008w.pdf.

Lib Dem rail priorities include East West rail according to press release

Liberal Demostrats have called for train operators to re-open the Cambridge to Oxford railway line in return for longer franchises. The party has proposed major reform of the current short rail franchise system which they would replace by 30-year franchises with five-year service quality checks. In return train companies would deliver major improvements to their network including re-opening lines.

LibDem press release: http://www.cambridgelibdems.org.uk/news/000630/reopen_railway_line_in_return_for_longer_franchises__howarth.html.

STATIONS

Manningtree Car Park extension starts

Work to expand the car park at Manningtree station commenced on 20th October. A new deck will be added to the existing car park in order to prove 150 extra spaces. Construction should be completed by spring 2009.

National Express East Anlgia stations retain 'secure status'

The NXEA stations at Diss, Harwich International, Ipswich and Stowmarket have recently all been reaccredited under the Secure Stations Scheme. The status will last for two years, until 30th September 2010.

RAIL ROUTES

MNR disappointed as Clacton branch signalling postponed

The MNR is disappointed to learn that Network Rail funding cutbacks, as dictated by the Control Period 4 settlement announced by the ORR, installation of new trackwork at Clacton has been put back (although the signalling is almost complete). This means that the scissors crossover and pointwork that would have been donated to the MNR for County School is on hold.

Reopening of King's Lynn to Hunstanton line discussed by West Norfolk Council

According to the Eastern Daily Press, on 20th October an idea to reinstate the King's Lynn to Hunstanton line, which closed in 1969, was discussed by West Norfolk Council's regeneration and environment panel.

Brian Holmes, of Hunstanton Civic Society said "There are so many benefits to it, but number one would be as a tourist attraction. You only have to look at how popular the North Norfolk 'Poppy Line' railway is. This scheme would be even more popular because it could link up to a mainline station at King's Lynn. Most scenic lines start nowhere and finish nowhere, but this one would bring people from all over the country to Hunstanton."

RAIL FREIGHT

Barrington Cement works to close

The Barrington Cement works, which are rail connected by a freight-only branch diverging just south of Foxton, will be stopping production in the first quarter of 2009, according to an announcement made on 4th November. The works is a casualty of the recession and the property slump.

PRESERVED RAILWAYS

Mid-Norfolk Railway used as receiving location for NXEA rolling stock

The Mid-Norfolk continues to play a role in the running of the 'big' railway. Several coaches recently arrived at Dereham, with more to come, for component recovery with the parts being sent to National Express at Crown Point in Norwich. This one of many sources of income that the MNR has found, apart from running passenger services.

WEB-SITES

Norfolk Community Rail Partnerships to try out web-sites for mobile phones

The Bittern and Wherry Lines have registered two new web site addresses for mobile phones. They are: www.bitternline.mobi and www.wherrylines.mobi. They are not live yet, as the information they will show needs to be specially formulated for access from 3G mobile phones. They will be set up in such a way as to make them visible on ordinary computers as well. The information will be limited to the most popular pages of the current web sites at present, which are timetables and prices along with a basic route guide and links. Norfolk County Council is to trial the CRP sites to see how well they work, with the hope that it could also open the CRPs to the ‘youth’ market.

Any other organsiaiton wish to see how this technology works, can go to http://www.nationalrail.mobi to see an example for National Rail.

Pedestrian advice web-site covers Norwich and Cambridge

The new http://www.walkit.com web-site gives walking routes around major towns and cities. Cambridge and Norwich are the first two cities in the branch area to be included.