|Aberthaw Resumes Cement Dispatch
This is the title of another article in the January 2017 Edition of Modern Railways.
I wasn’t sure where Aberthaw was, so I looked it up on the Internet and this Google Map shows Aberthaw Cement Works, Cardiff International Airport and the Vale of Glamorgan Railway, that links Cardiff Central station in the East to Bridgend in the West.
Note.
- The red arrow indicates the cement works.
- The Airport terminal is on the North side of the long runway,.
- Rhoose Cardiff International Airport railway station is on the other side of the runway and connected to the Airport by a sguttle bus.
- The line was closed by Beeching to passenger traffic in 1964, but was reopened in 2005.
Could Cardiff Airport benefit from the same sort of train-train link, that has been proposed for Glasgow that I wrote about in The Glasgow Airport Rail Link Will Be A Tram-Train?
But the map does illustrate the benefit of rail access to the cement works.
- The works is close the Vale of Glamorgan Line.
- Trains from the cement works can go East to places that need the product, including surprisingly, the South West of England.
- The rail link could cut the number of truck movements by 25%.
This would seem to be an ideal use for rail freight.
Are we doing enough to develop similar links, from other large factories all over the UK?
As the line is supposed to be electrified in a few years, could it be that a proper review of the line should be done first, to see whether any other projects should be done at the same time.
The reason I say this, is that the history of the line is much the same as that of the Grand Old Duke of York and his soldiers.
Both Sides Of The Bermondsey Dive-Under – Before Christmas 2016
The Bermondsey Dive-Under is on track to be completed by Spring 2017. This page on Thameslink gives more details and the latest progress.
Bermondsey Dive-Under
These pictures were taken on the 20th of December, from a train going between London Bridge and East Croydon stations.
And these pictures were taken on the 24th of December, from a train going between Deptford and Cannon Street stations.
Compare them with those in Both Sides Of The Bermondsey Dive-Under – 26th August 2016
In Praise Of Ancient And Modern
I last visited Deptford station nearly three years ago and wrote about the station in Deptford Station Is Almost Finished.
Today, it certainly was finished, as the pictures show.
It certainly is a good mix of Ancient (Actually 1836!) and Modern!
I wouldn’t be surprised if White Hart Lane and Hackney Central stations amongst others,develop the arches in the same way.
I suspect a few decades ago, British Rail used to despair at the number of brick arches and bridges they were responsible for.
Now, they have realised that they are an asset to exploit!
Why I’m In Favour Of Cycling Superhighways
Near me there is a junction, which drivers access, like Lewis Hamilton going into the pits at Silverstone.
It means they can get through to the City quicker.
But over the last few weeks, the number of drivers taking the bend quickly and putting pedestrians in danger has dropped significantly. I’ve also seen drivers go hurtling off doiwn the road only to come back a couple of minutes later, with faces like thunder.
I just give them a knowing look!
So why has a dangerous junction become a lot safer?
Cycling Superhighway 1, goes across the rat-run and it has been used to choke off the rats, as the pictures show.
I’m now very much in favour of the Cycling Superhughways despite being told by every taxi-driver I use, that they are a complete pain!
But then I don’t drive!
Will DOO Mean DOO on Thameslink?
On Thursday I took a Thameslink Class 700 train from St. Pancras to Blackfriars.
A Class 700 At Blackfriars
At Blackfriars an announcement said that the doors would open automatically.
Which they did without any of the usual intervention from passengers after the driver had released the doors.
This is how DOO works on the London Underground.
It is surely better, especially if you are getting off and your hands are otherwise engaged.
The Anonymous Widower 