From: Subject: Mid Cheshire Rail Report No.65 Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:59:24 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.mcrua.org.uk/mcrr65.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 Mid Cheshire Rail Report No.65

MID CHESHIRE
RAIL REPORT

ISSUE No. 65        =20                   = AUTUMN=20 2005              =20           ON-LINE = EDITION

The Newsletter of the Mid-Cheshire Rail Users Association, the Voice = for=20 Users of the Manchester-Stockport-Altrincham-Knutsford-Northwich-Chester = and=20 Crewe-Hartford-Liverpool Lines.

See our website, which is again available at www.mcrua.org.uk.

NEW RPC PASSENGER LINK DIRECTOR TO ADDRESS NORTHWICH PUBLIC MEETING =

We are pleased to inform members that John Mooney, the = recently-appointed=20 Passenger Link Director for the Rail Passengers=92 Council (RPC) based = in=20 Manchester, is to speak at a MCRUA public meeting on Thursday=20 20th October, starting at 7.30pm. Members will be able to = hear=20 about the new structure of the RPC and how the RPC and rail user groups = will be=20 able to work together for the benefit of passengers. Our own John = Kitchen, the=20 Community Rail Partnership Officer for the mid-Cheshire line, will also = be=20 telling us about a recent study visit, which he made to the Netherlands. = The=20 venue for the meeting will be the newly-refurbished station building at=20 Northwich station and the meeting will also provide an opportunity for = members=20 to inspect the new facilities inside the building. In fact our meeting = is=20 scheduled to be the first event to be held in the building. Suitable = trains are=20 the 18.24 from Manchester Piccadilly, due into Northwich at 19.17 and = the 18.57=20 from Chester, due into Northwich at 19.26. Suitable return trains are = the 21.26=20 to Manchester Piccadilly and the 21.17 and 22.17 to Chester. Parking is = free in=20 Northwich station car park. We hope for a good turnout of members for = this=20 meeting.

MANCHESTER SOUTH ENGINEERING WORK

A number of sets of crossover points have been reinstated in the = Stockport=20 area during the weekend engineering blockades over the summer. Track has = also=20 been laid in the new platform 0 (zero) on the east side of the station = and the=20 overhead line in this platform was live as from Saturday = 3rd=20 September. Stockport station is to reopen on Saturdays as from=20 24th September and National Rail and GMPTE tickets will = no longer=20 be valid on the Metrolink Altrincham line on Saturdays from that date = (unless=20 they specify =93route Metrolink=94). Manchester Piccadilly will be = closed for=20 further engineering work in connection with the new depot for = Trans-Pennine=20 Express at Ardwick on Saturday 15th October. Mid Cheshire = line=20 services will only operate between Chester and Stockport on this date = and MCRUA=20 hopes that National Rail and GMPTE tickets will again be valid on the = Metrolink=20 Altrincham line on that date. There is to be a three-month blockade of = the=20 Cheadle Hulme to Crewe line, starting on 11th = December.=20 There will be a limited service between Manchester and Wilmslow via the = Styal=20 line during the blockade. The existing signal boxes at Wilmslow and = Sandbach are=20 to be abolished (and demolished) and control of the Cheadle Hulme to = Crewe line=20 will pass to the new Manchester South signalling centre at Edgeley, = Stockport.=20 Despite previous information to the contrary, Sydney Bridge Junction = north of=20 Crewe is apparently to be removed as part of the scheme and the = track=20 layout at Sandbach is to be simplified.

AUTUMN 2005 TIMETABLE FOR THE MID-CHESHIRE LINE

The new pocket timetable for the mid-Cheshire line is enclosed with = this=20 newsletter. The only significant change is that Manchester-bound trains = are=20 retimed to run earlier (in most cases by 4 minutes). The present = 07.31=20 Chester to Piccadilly runs 8 minutes earlier and the present 09.31 = Northwich to=20 Blackpool North runs 5 minutes earlier. In practice trains are simply = being=20 given additional running time between Chester and Stockport to cater for = the=20 effects of leaf fall on train running times and the arrival times into = Stockport=20 and Manchester are unchanged. There is some retiming of Sunday = services.

MCRUA COMMITTEE NEWS

MCRUA=92s Webmaster Robin Polack very sadly died at the early = age of 48=20 on 10th August. Andrew Macfarlane represented the = association at=20 his funeral on 19th August. Arthur Sancto has taken over as our = new=20 Webmaster and the MCRUA website is now back on the Internet after a = brief=20 interlude. Please bear with us as we transfer control and it will be = some time=20 before any new information appears on the website. Nora Gleave = and=20 David Miller have both resigned from the committee and we thank = them for=20 their contribution. Mike Honeyman is now the Secretary of the=20 association.

STILL SEATS LEFT ON =93THE NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS EXPRESS=94

At the time of writing around 50 seats remained unsold on the special = train=20 to York, Malton (for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway) and Scarborough = on=20 Saturday 8th October. Please contact Laurence Wheeler=20 (01244-678070 or laurence.wheeler@tesco.net) with any late bookings. = Booking=20 forms are available from andrew@mcrua.fsnet.co.uk. We have not yet = decided=20 whether we are running a special train in May 2006 and, if so, where the = destination will be. The first choice date is Saturday = 13th May=20 with Saturday 20th May as the fallback date. Sunday=20 30th April is the provisional date for the 2006 Mid = Cheshire Rail=20 Day and it is again proposed to run a steam train between Altrincham and = Chester=20 on that date.

NEWS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ALTRINCHAM INTERCHANGE

The Friends have had something of a victory on the issue of the = canopy over=20 platform 1 (the main Metrolink platform) at Altrincham station. GMPTA = has=20 approved a =A3150,000 scheme to reinstate a cover for the length of a = double tram=20 (two vehicles coupled together). The decision on which type of roof = covering to=20 be installed was to be made at the September meeting of the GMPTA Policy = Committee. The choice was between polycarbonate, timber & felt and=20 galvanised steel (i.e. not glass). The Friends have done some good work = over the=20 summer in clearing areas around Altrincham station of litter. They did a = particularly good job with the area between platform 1 and the footpath = leading=20 to Moss Lane at the south end of the station. Sadly litter is again = accumulating=20 in this area. New, bigger litter bins have been installed on platform 1 = at=20 Altrincham (which has improved the litter situation) but Serco = Metrolink=92s=20 policy of only using a travelling cleaner to clear litter from platform = 1 is=20 still clearly totally inadequate. The travelling cleaner does not = usually appear=20 until mid-morning, which means that platform 1 is often strewn with = litter from=20 the previous night for the whole of the morning peak period. The Friends = now=20 have a noticeboard in the bus station on the outside wall of the main = station=20 building near the station booking office. The next meeting of the = Friends is on=20 Monday 17th October at the Altrincham Baptist Church, = Hale Road=20 (opposite its junction with Oxford Road), starting at 7.30pm. MCRUA = members are=20 welcome to attend.

NEWS FROM HARTFORD AND WINSFORD

The MCRUA Hartford and Winsford Sub-Committee has taken up a number = of issues=20 arising out of the June 2005 timetable with Virgin Trains. These = included=20 overcrowding on the 07.43 and 09.34 Crewe to Euston services and the = tight=20 connection (5 minutes) for Euston at Stafford out of the 07.07 Central = Trains=20 service from Hartford, which often runs late. The new class 350 = Desiro=20 electric trains were due to start working = Birmingham-Hartford-Liverpool=20 services as from 12th September. We have received = confirmation=20 that the promised Birmingham-Hartford-Preston service will not now be = provided=20 due to pathing difficulties in the Birmingham area but there will be a = 10.45=20 Hartford-London Euston service from the start of the December = timetable (the=20 first Monday will be the 12th December). The next meeting = of=20 MCRUA=92s Hartford and Winsford Sub-Committee is at the Red Lion, 277 = Chester=20 Road, Hartford, on Wednesday 21st September, starting at = 7.45pm.=20 All MCRUA members are welcome to attend.

GOOD TRAIN SERVICE PERFORMANCE CONTINUES
AFTER SHAKY START TO = SUMMER=20 TIMETABLE
by MCRUA Quality Improvement Team (QIT) member, John = Oates

I am writing this on 30th August. I am pleased to = state the=20 service continues to run well, though we did have a bad patch for 3-4 = weeks from=20 the middle of June. This was for a variety of reasons, all of which have = been=20 addressed either by Northern Rail or Network Rail. There was = subsequently a=20 short period of late running around the period of the test match when = our trains=20 got swamped, with occasions of passengers being left behind, as well as = trains=20 running more slowly due to the weight of the passengers on the train = springs.=20 There is probably very little Northern Rail can do about this, since = they were=20 having similar problems on other lines at the same time and there were = no spare=20 trains within the franchise available to draft in [some train operators = hire in=20 additional locomotive-hauled rolling stock on such occasions =96 Ed]. = What we are=20 doing however, is assisting Northern Rail to make sure their special = events list=20 for our line is up to date, so that extra resources can be drafted in = where they=20 are available. This covers events like Chester Races, concerts in = Delamere=20 Forest, the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park and Knutsford May Day, as = well as the=20 cricket and MUFC home games.

The QIT last met on 18 July, spending some time analysing the = difficulties=20 that had arisen since mid-June. Since the meeting, things have improved = markedly=20 back to their previously good position, apart from the period of the = Test Match=20 as noted above. The proposed timetable from mid-December 2005 was = subsequently=20 reviewed, this being little changed from the present. A variety of = suggestions=20 for improvements were made, most of which Northern have been able to = adopt.=20 Those that have not been are being carried forward with a view to being = fixed=20 from summer 2006. Meanwhile, a further minor improvement funded jointly = by=20 Network Rail and Northern Rail has been the installation of manual train = reporting into TRUST from Mobberley signal box. This plugs a previous = gap=20 between Greenbank and Deansgate Junction (just north of Navigation Road=20 station), so that railway personnel are in an even better position to = monitor=20 the progress of trains on the line as they are running. Those of you = with access=20 to the Internet can also do this using the train arrivals facility on=20 www.nationalrail.co.uk and those with WAP-enabled phones can use a = similar=20 service through www.kizoom.co.uk for this information. Very useful.

There have been a number of occasions over the last few years, still=20 continuing, where the bridge at Lostock Gralam (bridge 54) over the road = on the=20 Manchester side of the canal is hit, usually by overheight lorries, or = lorries=20 carrying loads which are overheight. Our trains are then disrupted as = many of=20 you have experienced. It looks like we may see a resolution to this = continuing=20 problem during 2006. John Kitchen, our Community Rail Officer is = involving=20 himself in taking this forward with Cheshire County Council and Network = Rail.=20

The plans for this year=92s =93leaf fall=94 season are well advanced. = Last year,=20 Network Rail tried a revised system of high-pressure water jetting = rather than=20 Sanditing, with Sandite being applied by hand only in the most = problematic=20 locations. This worked very well and much better than the systems in use = for the=20 previous few years. This year=92s plan is to water jet the whole of the = line,=20 rather than just at the known worst locations. Hopefully, this will be = even=20 better. Fingers crossed! Otherwise, in relation to the trains, we = continue to=20 monitor the train running, with tweaking being applied as necessary. The = targets=20 of 99% reliability of trains advertised (at least 99 out of every 100 = trains to=20 run) and 91% punctuality (91% of trains to arrive at their destination = within 5=20 minutes of their timetabled time) continue to prove elusive, but we=92re = getting=20 very close. Hopefully, we might just get there before the leaf fall = season comes=20 in mid-October.

The QIT is continuing to put a lot of effort into getting the = replacement bus=20 service when we have it to work more reliably. The services work much = better=20 than when the QIT first started taking an interest in these a few years = ago,=20 (that wouldn=92t have been difficult!), but we=92re not there yet. David = Godley, our=20 Area Director (West) since last April has involved himself with the = plans for=20 these. We are already on version 5 of the plans, with more changes to be = agreed,=20 though mainly minor. Northern Rail intend that all their replacement bus = services will soon be managed by a team based in York. David has decided = he=20 wants the plans for our line correct and agreed by all parties involved = in their=20 operation before handing them over. This is currently being worked on. =

The QIT next meets on 12 September. At David=92s suggestion, these = meetings=20 have now been scheduled to a regular interval to fit in with Railway = performance=20 reporting periods. Thus, we will be able to review the latest figures = for the=20 previous two 4-weekly periods just ended. Network Rail, Northern Rail = and MCRUA=20 continue to work towards improving our services. As ever, if you have=20 suggestions for improvements or performance problems to report, please = let me=20 know.

MID-CHESHIRE COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP REPORT by John Kitchen

The Partnership steering committee met in July 2005 at which the = principal=20 item on the agenda was funding for the Partnership from March 2006 = onwards when=20 the funding from the Countryside Agency comes to an end. It has been = decided to=20 solicit increased contributions from existing partners and to this end = the=20 Partnership will be making presentations around the Partners in = September. All=20 CRPs are facing this funding problem representing a paradoxical = situation where=20 CRPs have been recognised by government as part of the mainstream = railway=20 industry, but at the same time no formal funding mechanisms exist. = Nevertheless=20 the Partnership will be making strong efforts to continue beyond March = 2006 and=20 all Partners are expressing strong support.

Up and Down the Line

MAKING A COMPLAINT ABOUT A RAIL JOURNEY

If you have a complaint about a rail journey, the recommended = procedure is to=20 complain to the train operator first. In the case of Northern Rail, the = address=20 to write to is: Customer Relations, Northern Rail, PO Box 208, Leeds, = LS1 2BU=20 (tel 0845-600-11-59). If you are not satisfied with the response and/or=20 compensation which you receive you can pursue the complaint with the = Rail=20 Passengers Council. Their address is RPC, Freepost, WA1521, Warrington, = WA4 6GP=20 (tel 08453-022-022). The RPC has a good record of securing increased=20 compensation for deserving cases.

NEWS FROM THE LINE

MCRUA was disappointed by the late decision to run trains through to=20 Stockport on Saturdays in mid-summer. Many passengers were caught out by = the=20 fact that trains were leaving Altrincham for Chester at 51 minutes past = the hour=20 rather than at the advertised 08 minutes past the hour. The replacement = of the=20 Sunday service by buses between Altrincham and Northwich for many weeks = also=20 caught passengers out due to the buses being booked to leave Altrincham = nearly=20 an hour before the advertised train time. We will continue to press = Northern to=20 ensure that the pocket timetable is a true indication of what the train = service=20 will actually be. RAIL magazine informs us that Mickle Trafford = signal=20 box outside Chester is to be abolished in 2006 and its functions are to = be taken=20 over by Mouldsworth signal box. The work will no doubt entail a blockade = of the=20 mid-Cheshire line. We hope that trains can at least run as far as = Greenbank this=20 time rather than terminating at Northwich and then running empty to = Greenbank to=20 reverse, as happened during the three-day blockade of the line in June. = Network=20 Rail informs us that bridge 54 on the mid-Cheshire line = (Griffiths Road=20 at Lostock Gralam) is the ninth most bashed railway bridge in the North = West. A=20 new Metroshuttle free bus service, the no.3, is to begin = operating from=20 25th September. The new route will link Manchester = Piccadilly and=20 Salford Central stations via the new Spinningfields development. Routes = 1 and 2=20 are to be amended to serve Spinningfields from the same date.

FREIGHT NEWS

The line from Skelton Junction (Timperley) to Partington, last = used by=20 revenue-earning traffic in October 1993, is to reopen by the end of = 2006. The=20 reopening is being funded by Network Rail and EWS. As predicted in a = previous=20 issue of the newsletter, the traffic will be styrene monomer from = Immingham on=20 Humberside. Some of the flyash for the Northwich Salt Mine = Stabilisation=20 scheme has recently been sourced from Ratcliffe and Uskmouth Power = Stations=20 due to issues with the quality of the flyash supplied from Drax Power = Station.=20 The trains from Ratcliffe have been operated by Freightliner Heavy Haul = and the=20 one from Uskmouth (over the August Bank Holiday weekend) was worked by = EWS. The=20 Sunday Tunstead-Northwich limestone train began running again = from 7th=20 August following a request from Brunner Mond. The Peak = Forest-Bletchley=20 stone train with its distinctive orange bogie hoppers is now regularly = running=20 via the mid-Cheshire line (the loaded train passes through Altrincham = just after=20 midnight, the empties around 15.00). The train is routed via Middlewich = to=20 Crewe.

A plan to use class 66 diesels rather than class 60s on the=20 Tunstead-Northwich services from September has apparently been shelved. = The=20 Lafarge stone traffic from Dowlow to Northenden is said to be = restarting=20 =93imminently=94. The traffic stopped running because the sidings at = Northenden were=20 flooded. The Northenden and Bredbury =93binliner=94 services to = Roxby in=20 Lincolnshire are to be taken over by Freightliner Heavy Haul as from 1st = October. The Brindle Heath and Dean Lane binliners are to stay with EWS = for the=20 present. The Manisty Wharf branch at Ellesmere Port has reopened = for=20 imported coal traffic to Fiddlers Ferry Power Station near Widnes, = reached via a=20 reversal at Latchford/Arpley Junction. The 5-year contract with = Freightliner=20 Heavy Haul is for 11 loaded trains per week and the first train ran on = 21st=20 July. The coal is being conveyed by sea from Hunterston in Scotland to = Ellesmere=20 Port (reached via the Manchester Ship Canal) due to a lack of train = paths on the=20 West Coast Main Line.

NORTHERN RAIL STATION ADOPTION SCHEME

Several MCRUA members have been successful in becoming station = adopters for=20 stations along the mid-Cheshire line. The ones, which are known to the = Chairman=20 are:
Navigation Road =96 Andrew Macfarlane, Hale =96 Peter Davies, = Plumley =96=20 Peter Frier and Cuddington =96 David Miller. We are grateful for the = opportunity=20 to monitor the condition of stations and we hope that any defects, = vandalism and=20 graffiti will be sorted out more quickly as a result of the scheme.

STORM CLOUDS ON THE HORIZON?

A number of studies and reviews affecting train services in the = Manchester=20 area are in progress or in the pipeline. These include the Department = for=20 Transport Review of the Northern Rail franchise and Network = Rail=92s=20 Manchester Route Utilisation Study (RUS) . Passenger counts are = currently=20 being taken as part of the Review of the Northern Rail franchise and the = fear is=20 that lightly-used trains could be proposed for withdrawal. The review is = an=20 attempt to address the high level of grant aid for Northern (=A36 for = every =A32=20 taken in fares). It could be argued that it would be better to look at = the issue=20 from another angle and both improve the marketing of local rail services = and=20 further encourage Network Rail to reduce its high costs. Any service = changes,=20 which arise out of the review, will not be implemented until the = December 2006=20 timetable change. Network Rail=92s Manchester RUS may be based on = pessimistic=20 forecasts of growth in passenger numbers on local rail services and may=20 therefore recommend that long distance services gain even greater = priority for=20 scarce paths through the Manchester area than they receive at the = moment. MCRUA=20 is still actively campaigning for the reinstatement of the morning peak = train=20 which we lost to accommodate Virgin Trains=92 new Pendolino service and = which has=20 led to overcrowding on the 06.57 Chester to Manchester Piccadilly = service.

MIDDLEWICH CAMPAIGN REPORT

The meeting arranged by Cheshire County Council to consider setting = up a=20 steering group to promote the re-opening to pasenger traffic of the = Middlewich=20 line and the re-opening of Middlewich station is to take place in = September. The=20 signalling in the Middlewich area, currently controlled from Greenbank = signal=20 box, is being replaced as part of the SWIM (Sandbach and Wilmslow) = resignalling=20 scheme. There will be an opportunity to travel on the Middlewich line on = Sunday=20 30th October, when Virgin Trains will be diverting their=20 Euston-Crewe-Chester-Holyhead services over the route.

METROLINK NEWS

The =A3102m upgrade scheme for Metrolink Phases 1 and 2 (the = Bury,=20 Altrincham and Eccles lines) was given conditional approval by the = Department=20 for Transport on 30th June. However the Government=92s =A358 million = contribution is=20 cash-limited and there is a real possibility that the tenders received = by GMPTE=20 will come in over budget. GMPTE is however confident that they can = accommodate=20 this situation from their own resources, providing that the tender = prices are=20 not significantly higher than budget. To recap, the scheme includes 8 = new=20 vehicles, the replacement of the ticket machines and the relaying of = some track=20 (mainly on the Bury line). Vehicle 1015 was named Burma Star at = Piccadilly=20 Undercroft station on 13th August in connection with the commemoration = of VJ=20 Day. Vehicle 1002 was =93ex-works=94 from Wolverton by 14th August. = Cornbrook=20 station became open to the street as from Saturday 3rd September but the = opening=20 was extremely low-key. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have expressed = their=20 concern about the site (there were a number of robberies there when the=20 emergency exit was open to the public) and they have suggested that the = CCTV=20 coverage and lighting need to be improved still further. GMP also = suggested that=20 there should be a staff presence at the station [a staff presence would = be=20 useful at a number of other Metrolink stations =96 Ed]. A number of = Metrolink=20 vehicles now have an automated public address system, which has = been=20 funded by GMPTE. The work to extend the car park at Navigation = Road is to=20 be re-tendered.

A new Metrolink Information Centre known as = metrolinkonline is=20 about to open next to the new GMPTE Travelshop in the ground floor of = the =93One=20 Piccadilly=94 office block next to Piccadilly Gardens Metrolink station. = The=20 section of the proposed South Manchester Metrolink line between=20 Roundthorn and Manchester Airport via Wythenshawe Hospital has been = =93axed=94 to=20 save =A339 million on the cost of building the line. Roundthorn is just = south of=20 where the Metrolink line will pass over the Altrincham-Stockport line = just east=20 of the Dresser Rand factory. The decision has not surprisingly met with=20 considerable opposition (not least from the hospital) but it does = dramatically=20 improve the viability of the South Manchester line. An announcement on = the=20 phasing of the Phase 3 extensions to Ashton, Rochdale via Oldham = and=20 South Manchester is expected before the end of the year.

FARES NEWS

Virgin Trains is changing its advance purchase fares from=20 25th September. The present 14, 7 and 3=96day advance = deadlines are=20 abolished and the present 14-day, 7-day and 3-day advance purchase = single fares=20 will all be available up to 18.00 on the day before travel providing = that the=20 quota is not sold out. Midland Mainline is also changing its = advance=20 purchase fares from 25th September. The present Apex, Capital and = Twosome fares=20 are to be abolished in favour of advance purchase singles similar to = those=20 offered by Virgin Trains. Cheap evening return fares are still = available=20 from and between stations from Plumley to Manchester Piccadilly = (inclusive).=20 These are half the normal cheap day return fare and are available = between 18.30=20 and 21.00. They are now also valid for outward travel on the first train = after=20 21.00. Return can be by any train up to the end of service that day. = GM Day=20 Saver tickets allow unlimited off=96peak travel in the GMPTE area = (Hale is of=20 course the first/last station in the PTE area on the mid-Cheshire line). = The bus=20 and train version costs =A33.80 and that covering train and Metrolink = costs =A35.00.=20 The tram/train/bus version costs =A36.50. GM Day Saver tickets can be = purchased=20 from booking offices or from the conductor on the train if boarding at = an=20 unstaffed station. They are valid after 09.30 on Monday to Friday and = all day on=20 Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. Finally GMPTE concessionary pass = holders=20 pay half fare on heavy rail and Metrolink services in Greater Manchester = before=20 09.30 on Monday to Friday.

LOCAL RAIL NEWS

The weekly passenger train on the Stockport-Stalybridge line = reverts=20 to running from Stockport to Stalybridge at 11.23 on Saturdays from the=20 September timetable change. A booking office is under construction at = Horwich=20 Parkway station to serve this busy station on the = Manchester-Blackpool line.=20 The Furness line from Carnforth to Barrow is to be blocked from=20 26th March to 16th July 2006 while the = Leven=20 viaduct east of Ulverston is rebuilt. Salford Central station is = now open=20 until the late evening in recognition of its proximity to much of = Manchester=20 city centre. There is a proposal to build platforms on the Liverpool = line here.=20

ALTRINCHAM WINTER LECTURE SERIES PROGRAMME

The Altrincham Electric Railway Preservation Society is again holding = its=20 annual winter lecture series at Altrincham Methodist Church on the = corner of=20 Barrington Road and Woodlands Road, which is around 5 minutes=92 walk = from=20 Altrincham station in the direction of Manchester. Please use the main = entrance=20 to the church on the Woodlands Road side of the building. All lectures = are held=20 on Fridays at 7.30pm and admission is =A33 (free for AERPS members). = This includes=20 refreshments (tea/coffee and biscuits).

14th October. =93In Search of Steam in South America=94 by John = Sloane.
11th=20 November. =93Trams Old and New=94 by Tony Young.
9th December. = =93Tracks Round=20 Britain=94 by Cliff Parr.
13th January. =93Steam at Home and = Abroad=94 Large=20 screen video presentation by Geoff Monks.
10th February. =93A = Lifetime=92s=20 Interest in the Isle of Man Steam Railway=94 by Doug Darby.
10th = March.=20 =93Memories of Ireland=94 by Harry Madden.
7th April. =93Travelling = the World=92s=20 Railways=94 by Alan Gilbert.

STEPHENSON LOCOMOTIVE SOCIETY PROGRAMME

The SLS continues to meet in Manchester over the winter. The venue = remains=20 the Friends=92 Meeting House in Mount Street (on the other side of the = Central=20 Library from St Peters Square Metrolink station) and meetings are held = on=20 Saturdays at 14.00. Non-members are welcome.

1st October. =93The Impact of Community Rail=94 by Drew Haley of = Northern Rail.=20
5th November. =93The Restaging of the Rainhill Trials and the Making = of the TV=20 Programme=94 by John P Glithero.
3rd December. =93From Cleaner to = Driver=94 by=20 Eric Hickson (who began his career at Northwich in 1941).
21st = January. Area=20 AGM followed by: =93The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad=94 = by Tom=20 Spires.
18th February. =93Vulcan Foundry and its Locomotives=94 by = Ian Fisher.=20
18th March. =93Thomas Brassey, the World=92s Greatest Railway = Contractor=94 by=20 John Millar.

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

The following people have joined MCRUA since the previous issue of = the=20 newsletter was published:
Mr Thomas Carter, Alvanley, Frodsham
Mr = Paul=20 Margetts, Hale
Mr Rodney E Jones, Timperley

MID-CHESHIRE LINE PEOPLE

We say farewell to Jason Avison, who was for a number of years = the=20 railman at Northwich station. We wish him well for the future. Northwich = station=20 is currently being staffed by relief men and we hope that Northern is = able to=20 find a permanent replacement for Jason soon. Louise Cordwell, who = was the=20 Customer Services Manager covering the mid-Cheshire line until she = transferred=20 within First North Western, has moved to Greater Manchester PTE, where = she is=20 the Departmental Manager, Transport Services. We wish her well in her = new=20 job.

DISCLAIMER

Opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the = views of=20 the MCRUA committee.

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS

National Rail Enquiries 08457 48 49 50 (24 hours a day)
The = Trainline=20 (bookings by telephone) 08457 222 333
Freephone number to report = crime on the=20 railway 0800 40 50 40
Northern Rail Train Running Information = 0800-528-0200=20 or 0870 602 33 22
Northern Rail Customer Relations 0845 600 11 = 59
Rail=20 Passengers Council (complaints appeals) 08453 022 022
Helpline for = Manchester=20 Piccadilly station 0845 0000 033
GMPTE Bus, Rail and Metrolink = Enquiries 0161=20 228 7811 (08.00 to 20.00)
Metrolink Enquiries 0161 205 2000 =
Cheshire=20 Traveline (bus and rail enquiries) 01244 602666 (08.00 to 20.00) =
Merseyside=20 PTE Public Transport Enquiry Line 0151-236-7676 (08.00 to 20.00) =
National=20 Public Transport Enquiry Line 0870 608 2 608

YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN AND NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Andrew Macfarlane, 25 = Prestbury=20 Avenue, Timperley, Altrincham WA15 8HY.Tel:=20 0161-928-9394.

SECRETARY
Mike Honeyman, 36 Navigation Road, = Northwich,=20 Cheshire, CW8 1BE.Tel: 01606-74920.

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
John = Allen,36=20 Townfields, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 8DR.Tel: = 01565-632437.

MINUTES=20 SECRETARY & SPECIAL TRAINS
Peter Frier, 2 Hawthorn Road, Plumley, = Knutsford WA16 OUH.Tel: 01565-722140.

WEBMASTER
Arthur Sancto, = 8 Roxby=20 Way, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 9AX.Tel: 01565-651209.

COMMITTEE = MEMBER=20 & LOCAL REP FOR HALE
Peter Davies, 53 Acacia Avenue, Hale, = Altrincham,=20 WA15 8QY.Tel: 0161-233-0438.

SUB-COMMITTEES

Middlewich & West Cheshire Sub-Committee Chairman: Dave Roberts, = 5=20 Whitley Close, Middlewich, CW10 0NQ. Tel: 01606-833404 (home), = 07900-194975=20 (mobile).
Hartford & Winsford Sub-Committee Chairman: Andrew = Macfarlane=20 (details above).

MCRUA QIT REPRESENTATIVE

John Oates =94Swallowfield", Slade Lane, Mobberley, Knutsford, WA16 = 7QN. Tel:=20 01565-873059 (home), 07860-513309 (mobile), Email: = john.oates@bakertilly.co.uk=20

MID CHESHIRE COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP OFFICER

John Kitchen Mobile number: 07909-872667

Membership of the association costs =A34 for individuals, =A36 for = families and=20 =A312 for corporate bodies.
If you wish to join please return the = form below=20 to MCRUA, 25 Prestbury Avenue, Timperley, Altrincham WA15 8HY. Please = make=20 cheques payable to "Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association". Please send = any=20 subscription renewals to John Allen, 36 Townfields, Knutsford, WA16 8DR. =

Name=20 ________________________________________________
Address______________= _________________________________=20
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09/05=20 __________________________Postcode_______________
Family/Individual*&n= bsp;=20    New Member/Renewal*
* Please delete as appropriate

Transcribed into webpage format by Arthur Sancto on 6th April=20 2006.