London Bridge to Aberystwyth? Sort of...

Good to see that all this modernisation malarkey doesn't necessarily mean that our history gets scrapped.

This from the Beeb... 

Part of London's oldest railway station is set to be rebuilt in Aberystwyth as part of a £10m plan for a narrow gauge railway museum.

Sections of London Bridge station's roof have been given to Vale of Rheidol Railway which operates small steam trains for tourists in mid Wales.

London Bridge station, which opened in 1836 and is used by 55 million people, is undergoing a £6bn redevelopment. 

Network Rail has saved 16 columns, 14 beams and other elements of the roof.

Good effort NR. And well done Vale of Rheidol Railway for offering a home.

Blackfriars subliminal message - Shocker

This from Network Rail...

A unique piece of railway heritage has been unveiled to passengers at Blackfriars.

Fifty four stones from the original Victorian station, each engraved with destinations served by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway (LCDR), have been preserved in a newly opened area of the Blackfriars concourse. The stones list destinations as diverse as Bickley, Marseille, Gravesend and Venice, as the LCDR advertised Blackfriars’ links to towns and cities of the south east, and the business capitals of Europe via cross-channel steamers.

The restored destination stones are displayed in Blackfriars' new northern concourse, where First Capital Connect and Southeastern customers are benefitting from a new ticket hall with direct links to the London Underground station next door. Toilets in the new concourse building also opened over the weekend. Escalators to platform level and new shops within the station will open for use over the coming months.

Looking at some of the destinations on the stones, Eye wonders if their positioning next to the toilets is perhaps deliberate?

Sarah and the security guard

Oh dear.

Perhaps a little additional staff training required for these fine gentleman at Upminster station (C2C and the General Manager of the District line please take note).



Meantimes... nice to see pictures of Sarah back in traffic!

What an ugly baby!

Extra-ordinary news from the cranktocracy.

The Eye is advised that a Baby Deltic is to be reborn!

The donor vehicle is 37272 and work has already started today at top secret Derbyshire research centre, Llih Worrab!

A spokesman for the project said "first lump gas axed into the pit this morning".

Some conception - some baby!

UPDATE: An excited Captain Deltic asks...

...will the next project be to re-engine a Deltic with a class 50 engine to recreate DP2?

UPDATE: This harsh response from a Rail Professional columnist...

I think it's great if someone is going to recreate a baby Deltic.

Since they were withdrawn after barely a decade's service, it can be a permanent reminder to everyone of everything that was worst about British Rail.

Perhaps a Rosco could pay for its refurbishment as a permanent reminder of the follies of public sector specification?

No point - the IEP is doing the job already.

Less is more

Today is the 70th anniversary of Mallard's record breaking run down Stoke Bank.

The special run saw the LNER locomotive achieve a top speed of 126mph - a world speed record for a steam locomotive that remains unbroken today.

Seventy years later the top line speed on the East Coast Mainline is 125mph (providing the wires aren't down, cables haven't been nicked, points haven't failed, etc...).

Progress schmogress

Rail celebrities don't sell

A report from Railway Eye's independent Auction Expert:

A nameplate bearing the moniker of eminent train snapper Brian Morrison failed to reach its reserve at today's Sheffield Railwayana auction.

The nameplate, from a former Virgin Class 47, was priced at a relatively modest £1.200.

Brian, who was presented with one of the two plates when they were taken off the loco, remained philosophical. Instead of boosting his pension, the oldest snapper in the train biz is clearly going to have to carry on working.

Stingy lot these railwayana buffs.

A set of plates from the Wessex Electrics, donated by SWT in aid of a children's charity struggled to sell.

Most plates only achieved prices in the low hundreds despite much prompting from auctioneer Ian Wright.

UXB at Bromley by Bow (and more...)

***Restoration of service now estimated to be at 12:00 today***

*** 12:30 - now slipping into this afternoon***

UXB at Bromley by Bow (more...)

***District line suspended whilst final works take place to defuse 2,000lb wartime German bomb. If all goes well restart of traffic planned for 08:00 tomorrow. If not it may be some considerable time later...***