6233 The Duchess back in Devon today
Keith Turley, David Tozer & Steve Widdowson,
Keith Turley, David Tozer & Steve Widdowson,
No.6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' at Stoke Canon. 21st August 2022. Copyright Keith Turley
6233 Duchess of Sutherland arriving at Exeter St David's today with the 0812 Bristol Temple Meads to Par.
Copyright Dave Tozer
Copyright Dave Tozer
6233 - 21st August 2022 Copyright David Tozer
6233 at Red Cow Crossing. 21st August 2022. Copyright David Tozer
Thanks David
6233 'Duchess Of Sutherland' dashing through Dawlish { 1Z34 08.12 Bristol Temple Meads to Par } 21st August 2022. Copyright Steve Widdowson.
Off to Bristol again - Matins' Football Pilgrimage.
Bristol observations
Martin Scane
Bristol observations
Martin Scane
Bristol TM this afternoon (21st August 2022) with the 15.38 from Exeter to Cardiff. Held at Bristol till 15.48 to convey several hundred suitably disappointed Cardiff City supporters home. Usually a Castle working the train was no doubt strengthened to 10 coaches to meet demand with 80003 Queen Victoria leading. Also in the consist was Queen Elizabeth 11 and 80033 Martin Heath and Emma Turrell Cheers Martin
Copyright Martin Scane.
Copyright Martin Scane
The 15.38 (delayed by 10 minutes at Bristol) from Bristol) to Cardiff 21st August 2022 Martin Scane
43094 leads a train into Temple Meads. 21st August 2022 Martin Scane
166211 at Bristol Temple Meads 21st August 2022 Martin Scane
Many thanks Martin - your regular run.
Up the bank to
St Austell
Chris Harvey
St Austell
Chris Harvey
43024 and 43136 powering towards St Austell with the 14.05 Paddington to Penzance. 16th August 2000. Copyright Chris Harvey
Chris continues with his very welcome deliveries of shots from the past generally from the Mid Cornwall area. Many thanks Chris.
Slow but sure - progress on reopening the
Portishead Branch
Peter Maliphant
Portishead Branch
Peter Maliphant
Following recent developments, we’d like to update you on the current situation with the Portishead line reopening.
As you know, the Secretary of State for Transport delayed signing the DCO (Development Consent Order) until a revised budget and funding statement had been submitted. This has now been done, with North Somerset and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) each committing a further £10 million and the Department for Transport contributing a further £15.6 million, taking the total project budget to £151.6 million. This is excellent news and shows the level of commitment to the project from all three key partners.
If you are wondering why so much extra funding is needed, the impact of inflation, which will now be much higher than when the 2019 budget was set, will account for at least £12 million; the year’s delay to the DCO and extending the project by a year probably has a similar financial impact.
What happens now is that the Secretary of State has up to 3 months to approve the DCO. This may well happen sooner and will be a very significant moment. This will allow work to start on the detailed design – GRIP 5 in the Network Rail process - which will then enable the final, very detailed, full business case to be produced by early 2024, after which work can begin on acquiring the necessary land and then reconstructing the line.
As ever, the long slow process - involving huge amounts of work behind the scenes - is frustrating for everyone but progress is being made and we look forward to celebrating the signing of the DCO and hearing more about what happens next at our AGM on Tuesday 6 December.
Everyone that we have spoken to - MetroWest, WECA, North Somerset Council and local MPs – is absolutely confident that the project will be delivered, just once again a bit later than we had expected. Indeed, with £31 million already spent it is difficult to see how any other outcome could be acceptable!
Regards,
Peter
Peter Maliphant
Membership Secretary
Portishead Railway Group
As you know, the Secretary of State for Transport delayed signing the DCO (Development Consent Order) until a revised budget and funding statement had been submitted. This has now been done, with North Somerset and the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) each committing a further £10 million and the Department for Transport contributing a further £15.6 million, taking the total project budget to £151.6 million. This is excellent news and shows the level of commitment to the project from all three key partners.
If you are wondering why so much extra funding is needed, the impact of inflation, which will now be much higher than when the 2019 budget was set, will account for at least £12 million; the year’s delay to the DCO and extending the project by a year probably has a similar financial impact.
What happens now is that the Secretary of State has up to 3 months to approve the DCO. This may well happen sooner and will be a very significant moment. This will allow work to start on the detailed design – GRIP 5 in the Network Rail process - which will then enable the final, very detailed, full business case to be produced by early 2024, after which work can begin on acquiring the necessary land and then reconstructing the line.
As ever, the long slow process - involving huge amounts of work behind the scenes - is frustrating for everyone but progress is being made and we look forward to celebrating the signing of the DCO and hearing more about what happens next at our AGM on Tuesday 6 December.
Everyone that we have spoken to - MetroWest, WECA, North Somerset Council and local MPs – is absolutely confident that the project will be delivered, just once again a bit later than we had expected. Indeed, with £31 million already spent it is difficult to see how any other outcome could be acceptable!
Regards,
Peter
Peter Maliphant
Membership Secretary
Portishead Railway Group
We wish you good fortune with this project - obviously a very sensible reinstatement.
The second Portishead staion - closed 7th September 1964, Copyright John Thorn
Portishead was on the itinerary for the Cheddar Valley Railtour on the 18th November 1968. However this is about as close as we got to Portishead station. As can be seen from the style, this was the new station opened in 1954, but not to last long - it closed to passengers on the 7th September 1964 and to goods in May 1967. The original Portishead station had been about half a mile further on, the line turning from a northerly heading to bear east into the old station. The original station had opened on the 18th April 1867 (exactly 101 years before the Cheddar Railtour) and closed on the 4th January 1954. Copyright Keith Jenkin
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