9th May 2021

IET Problems
Swindon Report
Ken Mumford

Written yesterday - 8th May 2021
By now you've probably heard that the 'new' Hitachi 800 class trains are being withdrawn because of a hair-line crack.
So, i spent about 30 minutes down at Swindon Station this morning.
One of the station staff told me that there were no bus replacement services.
Kind regards,
Ken Mumford

Photo 1 - Departure board on platform 3 - many cancelations Swindon to Westbury services seem to be running. Saw one coming into bay platform 2 as I was leaving. 8th May 2021- note the time - Copyright Ken Mumford.

photo 2 - empty stone train heading west headed by 59204. 8th May 2021. Copyright Ken Mumford.

Photo 3 - 10.40 triam to Swansea well loaded 5 coaches - few on platform 4 for that train. 8th May 2021. Copyright Ken Mumford.

photos 4 - From the London end of platform 4 looking west over platforms 3 and 1 8th May 2021. Copyright Ken Mumford.

photo 5 - From the London end of platform 4 looking west over platforms 3 and 1. 8th may 2021. Copyright Ken Mumford.

photo 6 - Looking east in the waiting area on platform 4. Not a soul in sight! 8th May 2021. Copyright Ken Mumford.

Many thanks Ken - not exactly an exciting time.
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From a not so busy Swindon to
Combe Junction
Roger Winnen

A nice quiet little spot. Coombe Junction Signal Box. 26th November 1977. Copyright Roger Winnen

A train crosses Moorswater Viaduct 26th November 1977. Copyright Roger Winnen

A long reach needed! Exchanging the token at Coombe Junction Signal Box. 26th November 1977. Copyright Roger Winnen

One of the few trains to call at the platform. A DMU sits at Coombe Junction Platform 26th November 1977. Copyright Roger Winnen

Coombe Junction Halt 26th November 1977. Copyright Roger Winnen

Quote courtesy Wikipedia - Coombe Junction Halt railway station serves the villages of Coombe and Lamellion  near Liskeard. It is situated on theLooe Valley line and operated by GWR. All trains on this line have to reverse at Coombe Junction, but very few continue the short distance into the platform to allow passengers to alight or join the train.
With 26 passenger entries and exits between April 2014 and March 2015, it was the second-least used station in Great Britain, behind Shippea Hill. It is one of only two stations on the National Rail network to have the designation 'halt'.

Thanks for the memories Roger.
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Portishead Railway Group News
Peter Maliphant

Dear Member,  It’s been a while since we were last in touch, so your committee hopes that you have safely negotiated all the challenges of the past year or so. We hope to resume committee and member meetings later in the year, most likely in time for our AGM in November.
 
Meanwhile, you’ll be pleased to hear that work on reopening the line has carried on unabated and everything is going well.
 
As you may know, the DCO (Development Consent Order) was submitted in December 2019 and it completed the examination stage in April 2021. PRG recently met with James Willcock and the MetroWest team for a progress update and here’s the latest news:

• The Planning Inspectorate are now preparing their report and this will go to the Secretary of State on July 19th.
• The Secretary of State will take three months to make his decision, which should be announced towards the end of October.
• The full business case for the Portishead line then has to be approved by North Somerset Council. This cannot occur until after the Secretary of State's decision has been announced.
• Meanwhile, the MetroWest team will continue work on various outstanding matters and on procuring the contractor to carry out the line’s construction.
• Once the full business case is approved in November/December, the Department for Transport will then take six months to sign off the project, including obtaining HM Treasury approval, in around July 2022.
• Only then can North Somerset Council award the construction contract, so construction is unlikely to get started before early 2023.
• Construction will take 12-18 months, so train services are likely to commence in the second half of 2024.

It’s understandable that these timescales feel frustrating slow, but it’s important to understand and explain to people that this is the system that all publicly funded transport infrastructure projects have to go through, regardless of who is actually in government. There is nothing that North Somerset Council, MetroWest or the project team, who continue to be working hard to deliver our line, can do to speed up the process.
 
Regards,
Peter Maliphant, Membership Secretary, Portishead Railway Group

Portishead station n 1960 Copyright John Thorn

Portishead station, the 2nd station , Copyright Roger Winnen

There is an excellent item on the branch courtesy of Wikipedia please click below.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portishead_Railway

Many thanks to Peter Maliphant, John Thorn and Roger Winnen for their contribution to this good news.
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