HeadlineNews

Big Brother technology ‘to predict rail suicides’ SECURITY cameras will soon be so advanced that they will be able to spot people’s behaviour as well as their image, experts say. The technology could predict railway suicides as the equipment will be able to recognise if someone is acting nervously on a platform and automatically alert security guards.

DfT investigates cancellations THE Department for Transport is probing cancellation by London Midland of numerous Sunday trains during the past few weeks. Traincrew anger over the possible loss of voluntary Sunday working has led to DB Schenker drivers being drafted in temporarily.

Ex-M&GNJR boiler sold AN ex-Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway boiler found at Maldon, Essex, in 1986 has been sold by Mangapps Farm Railway and is to be exhibited at the North Norfolk Railway’s M&GN 50th anniversary gala in March.

NR names new chairman NETWORK Rail has chosen Rick Haythornthwaite as new chairman in succession to Sir Ian McAllister. He is a former chief executive of Blue Circle Industries.

York station barriers outcry NATIONAL Express East Coast is to rethink its proposals for ticket barriers at York station, following a massive public backlash. Gates at other stations will go ahead though.

PTAs become ITAs THE six Passenger Transport Authorities in England were renamed Integrated Transport Authorities (ITAs) on February 9. The change gives them powers similar to Transport for London (see p92).

Euston Arch blocks dredged up DREDGING of the Channelsea River, east London, has uncovered parts of Euston’s Doric Arch, which were dumped there during the arch’s demolition in 1962.

Californian high-speed link CALIFORNIA, for so long the home of the freeway and automobile, is considering the construction of an all-new highspeed line to link Los Angeles with San Francisco.

Fence could spoil Sydney Gardens IT has emerged that Network Rail intends to install a security fence in one of the classic rail photspots, Sydney Gardens, Bath.

GCR in urgent appeal The Great Central Railway has to raise £100,000 by the end of March to save the old goods office building at Loughborough Central.

Polmadie to service 221s THE ex-LMS heavy repair shed at Polmadie depot has been equipped as a maintenance centre for Virgin Class 221s and is to re-open in July.

Summit station to reopen THE new terminus building at the summit of Snowdon has been completed and an official opening is scheduled for June 12.

Southern extends to Milton Keynes SOUTHERN services from Milton Keynes to East Croydon started on February 16 with the 07.01 departure using 377212. This service partially reinstates the Connex SouthEastern service that ran from Rugby to Brighton from 1997 until 2002. A lack of paths during the West Coast upgrade led to the service being curtailed at Watford Junction. The first train created further history by being the first public service to use the new Platform 2A at Milton Keynes. The platform was provided in the Milton Keynes upgrade project in readiness for the future Oxford and Aylesbury EastWest link services, but was pressed into service due to service disruption in the area at the time.

Southern EMU No. 377212 was the first service train to use platform 2A at Milton Keynes on February 16 with the inaugural 07.01 service to East Croydon. PHIL MARSH

London Orbital by 2012 as ‘South Circular’ Line gets go-ahead

FUNDING for the second phase of the East London Line extension, from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction, has been agreed following two weeks of talks between Transport for London and the Department for Transport. Construction is scheduled for completion in time for the 2012 Olympics. The London Overground’s southern link is the last part in the creation of an orbital ‘ring-road’-style route encompassing the existing East London, West London and North London lines. Described by TfL managing director Ian Brown as “the railway equivalent of the M25”, it will help take pressure off central London termini and interchanges, the London Underground and radial commuter routes. TfL will contribute £15m and the DfT £64m. Much of that will pay for the reinstatement of a disused alignment in south-east London, which, until 1911, was used by trains from Rotherhithe to Queens Road, Peckham via the erstwhile Old Kent Road station. There is also provision for a new station to be called Surrey Canal Road. The remainder of the route will utlilise existing lines in south London. There will be up to four trains an hour in each direction between Dalston Junction and Clapham Junction, calling at all stations en route. As part of the deal, the Southern TOC, or its successor, will surrender to London Overground the operation of Wandsworth Road and Clapham High Street stations. The ‘South London Line’ project (officially known as Phase 2 of the East London Line) will deliver significant benefits to the areas. It will also reduce disruption caused by the Thameslink rebuilding works at London Bridge by providing passengers with alternative routes to the City and Docklands. The

forthcoming £340m project to quadruple the tracks on the North London Line between Dalston West Junction and Camden Road by 2011 will help ease capacity on that section of the orbital route.

Top: Map showing how the complete circular ‘ring line’ will look once finished. Above: An extract from a 100-year-old Railway Clearing House map showing (in red between Deptford Road and Old Kent Road Junction) the line to be reinstated.

Blackfriars Tube station to shut for two years

BLACKFRIARS Tube station was due to close from March 2 until late 2011, to allow foundation work for the main line station rebuild to take place at underground level. Enhancements will include stepfree access, an enlarged Underground

ticket hall and better access. The Tube station will be rebuilt and will feature a new control room, a ‘cathedral-style’ ticket hall, plus enhanced customer information and security systems. During the closure, District and

Circle Line trains will operate without stopping at Blackfriars. Passengers who usually change for Thameslink services north of the river, should use King’s Cross/St Pancras. Passengers for the south should use London Bridge or Elephant & Castle.

10 • The Railway Magazine • April 2009