From: Subject: Mid Cheshire Rail Report No.66 Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:59:51 -0000 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.mcrua.org.uk/mcrr66.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 Mid Cheshire Rail Report No.66

MID CHESHIRE
RAIL REPORT

ISSUE No. 66=20             &= nbsp;   =20             &= nbsp;  =20 WINTER 2005-2006=20             &= nbsp;   =20      ON-LINE EDITION

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

*** A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A = HAPPY=20 NEW YEAR TO ALL MEMBERS AND FRIENDS ***

TRANSPORT MINISTER OPENS THE ZONE AT NORTHWICH STATION

Friday 25th November was a great day for Northwich station. Transport = Minister Derek Twigg, the MP for Halton, officially opened the new = community=20 learning centre (=93the zone=94) in the station building. The scheme has = come to=20 fruition thanks to a partnership of a number of bodies but Vale Royal = Borough=20 Council must take the most credit for driving the project forward. Their = partners were Cheshire County Council, the Learning and Skills Council = Cheshire,=20 Network Rail, the Northwest Regional Development Agency and Northern = Rail. Mr=20 Twigg unveiled a plaque inside the building to mark the event and guests = were=20 entertained with music and song by children from Rudheath High School. = The zone=20 offers a wide range of learning and training opportunities. It features = access=20 to ICT learning, a large multi-purpose training room and a cyber cafe = with a=20 coffee shop provided by local company Caffe Arabica. All courses in the = zone are=20 free and include such subjects as =93E-mail and Internet for = Beginners=94 and=20 =93Animation!=94. For information on courses please ring 01606-45724. = The day also=20 saw the unveiling of the refurbished station clock, which had returned = from its=20 original manufacturers, Joyce of Whitchurch. MCRUA warmly congratulates = all=20 those involved with this great scheme and we wish the zone every success = for the=20 future.

INTRODUCING THE MID CHESHIRE PM RETURN

To coincide with the opening of the zone, a new type of ticket is to = be=20 introduced by Northern Rail from 2nd January. The Mid Cheshire PM Return = will be=20 available for travel from Northwich after 12 noon 7 days a week. It will = only be=20 sold from Northwich station booking office and the cyber cafe located in = the=20 zone at Northwich station. The new ticket will enable users of Northwich = station=20 to buy a rail ticket to destinations on the mid-Cheshire line from the = cyber=20 cafe when the booking office is closed. Stations on the line are grouped = into=20 two zones. Zone 1 covers stations between Mouldsworth and Navigation = Road=20 (inclusive). Zone 2 includes Chester, Stockport and Manchester = Piccadilly.=20 Prices are:

Zone 1: Adult Return: =A32.50, Child (5-15) = =A31.25
Zone 2:=20 Adult Return: =A35.00, Child (5-15) =A32.50.

There are no further = railcard=20 discounts. Tickets are valid by any train departing from Northwich after = 12=20 noon, returning by any train the same day. Mid Cheshire PM Return = tickets cannot=20 be purchased on the train and are not available for travel to Chester on = Race=20 Days. MCRUA welcomes the fact that these fares offer a considerable = saving=20 compared with the normal cheap day return fares.

MANCHESTER SOUTH ENGINEERING WORK

As mentioned in the previous newsletter, the Cheadle Hulme-Crewe = line=20 is completely blocked from 11th December to 26th March. The = Manchester-Cardiff=20 service will start from Manchester Oxford Road station during this = period and=20 will run to Crewe via Warrington Bank Quay. There will be a = Wilmslow-Manchester=20 Airport-Manchester Piccadilly train service on Monday to Friday only = during the=20 blockade and this will call at all stations including Styal. The = commissioning=20 of the new signalling at Ardwick for the new train depot for = Trans-Pennine=20 Express is to take place on Monday 27th February. There is therefore = likely=20 to be disruption to services into and out of Manchester Piccadily from = the east=20 and south on that day and over the preceding weekend. Most of the = reinstated=20 pointwork at the north end of Stockport station has yet to be=20 commissioned and so there will presumably be further blockades for this = work to=20 be done. The new platform zero at Stockport is however now fully = commissioned=20 and is scheduled to be used by four or possibly five passenger trains = per day=20 from the December timetable change. Fortunately for us, the track layout = does=20 not enable trains to reach the mid-Cheshire line from platform zero.

DECEMBER 2005 TIMETABLE FOR THE MID-CHESHIRE LINE

A new National Rail timetable begins on the EU-standard timetable = change date=20 of 11th December and runs through to 10 June 2006. The new guide 17 = pocket=20 timetable for the mid-Cheshire line is enclosed with this newsletter. On = the=20 outside this looks identical to the previous pocket timetable. Northern = Rail=20 could consider changing the colour of pocket timetables with each = timetable=20 change to make it more obvious to the travelling public that the times = have in=20 fact changed. The standard departure time from Chester changes from 57 = past to=20 04 past the hour except in the evening when trains still depart at 57 = past the=20 hour except what becomes the 21.00 and the last train at 22.45. The = 13.33 Sunday=20 Altrincham to Chester service is retimed to depart earlier at 13.20 and = the=20 16.25 Sunday Altrincham to Chester becomes the 16.30. The 08.35 Sunday = Chester=20 to Altrincham becomes the 08.48 from Chester. This now provides a = 7-minute=20 connection out of the first Merseyrail service from the Wirral line, = something=20 which MCRUA very much welcomes and which the Wirral Transport Users = Association=20 has been campaigning for for many years.

MCRUA is disappointed that the 09.31 Northwich to Blackpool North = service=20 does not start from Greenbank despite our suggestion of how this could = be=20 achieved for no capital cost. We are also disappointed that the Sunday = 20.10=20 from Chester (the last Sunday train) departs four minutes before the = boat train=20 from Holyhead arrives into Chester. Also disappointing is that there no = mention=20 in the pocket timetable that through tickets are available from any = National=20 Rail station to any Metrolink station and that National Rail tickets are = valid=20 on the Metrolink Altrincham line on Sundays. It is now a year since the = pocket=20 timetable informed passengers that through tickets were available to = Metrolink=20 stations and some passengers are incurring additional expense and = inconvenience=20 by rebooking at Altrincham, unaware that through tickets are available. = Finally=20 we are disappointed that the 0800 freephone number for Northern Rail = train=20 running information, 0800-528-0200, is not publicised in the = pocket=20 timetable. Passengers can ring this number from the cardphones, which = First=20 North Western had installed at many stations, without using a phone = card. We=20 will continue to press Northern Rail on these issues. The new National = Rail=20 Timetable book is available at W H Smith outlets at stations for = =A312.

MCRUA COMMITTEE NEWS

Mike Honeyman has chosen to resign = from the=20 committee and we thank him for his contribution to the association=92s = work.=20 Arthur Sancto has taken on the job of Secetary of MCRUA in = addition to=20 his job as Webmaster. Peter Davies is to take over the job of = Membership=20 Secretary of MCRUA from John Allen as from 1st January. We thank = John for=20 his dedicated and conscientious work over the years. John Hill = from=20 Plumley, who has in the past been Membership Secretary, has rejoined the = committee and we welcome him back. John Hill has also become the station = adopter=20 for Lostock Gralam. MCRUA has joined forces with STORM (Support the=20 Oldham-Rochdale-Manchester line) and Ribble Valley Rail (the rail user = group for=20 the Manchester-Clitheroe line) to form the North West Rail User = Groups=20 Alliance. The alliance is seeking an early meeting with Greater = Manchester=20 PTE to discuss issues of mutual concern including the Department of = Transport=92s=20 Review of the Northern franchise.=20

IT=92S THE HEART OF WALES LINE AND CARDIFF IN MAY

The = association=92s spring=20 special train on Saturday 13th May will be running via the highly scenic = Heart=20 of Wales line to Llandrindod Wells and then on to Cardiff. The plan is = to have a=20 short break in Llandrindod and a longer break in Cardiff. The return = journey=20 will be via Hereford and Shrewsbury. Motive power may be a pair of class = 47s and=20 the train may feature a full dining service as well as a buffet car. A = booking=20 form for the train will be circulated to members and to our wider = mailing list=20 in the New Year.=20

NEWS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ALTRINCHAM INTERCHANGE (FoAI)

Work is = finally=20 to start on the provision of a cover on the platform 1 canopy at = Altrincham=20 station =93in the New Year=94 and the job will take 10 weeks. It is = disappointing=20 that it has taken so long for work to start considering that Greater = Manchester=20 Passenger Transport Authority made funding available for the scheme in = July. The=20 next meeting of the FoAI is on Monday 16th January at the usual venue of = Altrincham Baptist Church on Hale Road at 7.30pm. All MCRUA members are = welcome=20 to attend these meetings. NEWS FROM HARTFORD AND WINSFORD MCRUA is = pleased to=20 confirm that there is to be a 10.46 Hartford-London Euston = service on=20 Monday to Friday only from 12th December. The train will be operated by = Central=20 Trains as far as Rugby, where it becomes a Silverlink service (!). = Arrival into=20 Euston will be at 13.18, giving a creditable journey time of 2 hours 32 = minutes.=20 The train will be formed of one of the new class 350 Siemens Desiro = electric=20 trains, which do include some first class accommodation. The standard = class=20 Saver return fare from Hartford to London is =A350. The Saver is a = walk-on ticket,=20 which can be bought from the booking office on the day of travel. = Railcard=20 holders receive a 34% discount on this fare. The return journey on a = Saver=20 ticket can be up to one month after the outward journey and on any train = (including Virgin services) departing from Euston after 09.15 on Monday = to=20 Friday except departures between 15.15 and 18.11 (any train on Saturday = and=20 Sunday). There is no through train between London and Hartford and so = passengers=20 would need to change at Stafford or Crewe. We will continue to campaign = for an=20 earlier train from Hartford to Euston for use by business travellers and = for a=20 return through train from Euston. In the meantime please try to use this = new=20 through train so that it becomes a permanent feature of the timetable. = The=20 December timetable will also see the 17.38 Liverpool-Birmingham service = calling=20 additionally at Acton Bridge, which we welcome. Members will recall that = the=20 reason given for not providing the promised Birmingham-Hartford-Preston = service=20 was a lack of train paths in the Birmingham area. We have now suggested = that a=20 Birmingham-Preston service could run coupled with the = Birmingham-Liverpool=20 service as far as Crewe, where the train would be split to serve both=20 destinations. The Department for Transport is showing some interest in = this=20 suggestion. The Central Trains franchise has been extended until = December 2007,=20 when the franchise will be divided up between three new franchises. The=20 Birmingham-Liverpool service is to become part of a new West Midlands = franchise.=20 The Brownies will continue tidying their garden at Hartford station next = year.=20 The next meeting of MCRUA=92s Hartford and Winsford Sub-Committee is at = the Red=20 Lion, 277 Chester Road, Hartford, on Wednesday 1st February, starting at = 7.45pm.=20 All MCRUA members are welcome to attend.=20

BETTER LEAF FALL PERFORMANCE, BUT STILL SOME PERFORMANCE = DIFFICULTIES by=20 MCRUA Quality Improvement Team (QIT) member, John Oates

I am writing this on 22 November which is around two thirds through = the =93leaf=20 fall season=94, a time when leaves falling off the trees and landing on = the rails=20 become reduced to leaf mulch, causing the lines to become very slippy = for=20 steel-railed vehicles. Very similar in fact to the effect that those of = you with=20 leather-soled shoes will be aware of on pavements when the damp and the = leaves=20 combine to make the surface, particularly on paving stones, = treacherous.

This year=92s approach to leaf fall has been varied a little from = last year.=20 The =93Rail Head Treatment Train=94 (RHTT) has again run, though = starting one week=20 earlier than last year, and possibly to run up to one week later than = last year.=20 Last year we had a bad start to the leaf fall season with lots of = sliding before=20 the RHTT started running. This year has been much better, and although = it is not=20 wise to compare leaf fall seasons too closely year on year, each one = being=20 noticeably different, this season seems to have gone better than any of = us can=20 remember. For this year, Network Rail has invested about =A33m in more = leaf fall=20 trains with much greater water capacity (this year on our line =93topped = and=20 tailed=94 by EWS class 66s, rather than the class 37s used last year) = and has also=20 changed the system so that the high-pressure water jetting is carried = out at=20 1000 bar (1000 times gravity) for the whole of the line covered, rather = than=20 just in selected locations. Overall, the effect has been very good, with = =93Sandite=94, (the sandy paste) hand applied at only the most prone = locations=20 (Cuddington on our line), also further reducing the chance of the = Sandite=20 clogging up the track circuits and causing the signalling to fail.

The exception to good performance has been on Mondays. The RHTT does = not run=20 on Saturdays and Sundays as EWS does not have enough drivers to cover = the train=20 as well as covering the driving of all its trains needed for the large = amount of=20 engineering work carried out at weekends. Thus, by far the worst days = for=20 slipping and sliding on the line have been Mondays. This was discussed = at the=20 last QIT meeting on 7 November. We know that there are instances where = passenger=20 train drivers have been trained to drive class 66s to cover when there = is a=20 shortage of freight drivers, Chiltern Trains being one. Whether this = could be=20 carried out for our line at weekends, rather than one of the RHTTs = sitting at=20 Chester all weekend with no driver whilst our line gets really slippy = until=20 Monday night, remains to be seen. The train performance on the line is = good for=20 the time of year, though not as good as it might be due to what appears = to be=20 four factors:=20

David Godley, Area Director (West) since last April and our QIT = chairman,=20 left on 12 November to join Serco Metrolink as its Managing Director. = =93Out of=20 the frying pan, into the fire=94 doesn=92t start to say it! His efforts = in this=20 short period have been very much appreciated. We wish him the very best = at=20 Metrolink, if only since performance on Metrolink affects our line=92s = passengers=20 so greatly. Indeed, just about the biggest set of complaints we get is = about=20 poor performance on Metrolink, with late running and breakdowns leading = to trams=20 turning round at Timperley and our passengers then missing their = connecting=20 trains at Altrincham (and having to endure the =93salubrious = surroundings=94 of=20 platform 4, or the grotty caf=E9 at the nearby Tesco for half an hour or = so!)

The QIT next meets on 3 January with its new chairman, Paul Rushton, = who is=20 Acting Area Director (West). Network Rail, Northern Rail, the Community = Rail=20 Partnership and MCRUA continue to work towards improving our services. = As ever,=20 if you have suggestions for improvements or performance problems to = report,=20 please let me know.

MID-CHESHIRE COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP REPORT by John Kitchen

NEWS FROM THE LINE

In a correction to the previous issue, it is Mouldsworth = signal box,=20 which is to be =93abolished=94 in 2006. The box=92s work will be taken = over by Mickle=20 Trafford box for a period until the Chester Power Signal Box area is = extended to=20 link up with Greenbank box. 16-year old Fiona Washington, a girl who = terrorised=20 railway passengers and police at Northwich station has been given = an=20 anti-social behaviour order or ASBO. On August 1, she and another = teenager=20 screamed abuse at passengers on a train at Northwich station and then = started=20 hitting windows with a builder=92s trowel and a tyre lever. She had to = be put in=20 leg restraints by police as she repeatedly ran from them, hit an officer = with=20 her fists, grabbed and squeezed a male officer=92s private parts and = kicked him on=20 the shins in a bid to escape arrest. Fiona has been prohibited from = entering=20 Northwich station except to attend Entry to Employment (E2E) or when = accompanied=20 by a parent. MCRUA welcomes the action taken by the authorities in this=20 case.

There was an issue with Wayfarer tickets not being valid on = what=20 became the 09.26 train to Manchester from Northwich on Monday to Friday = from the=20 start of the September timetable. First North Western allowed such = tickets to be=20 used on this train when it departed just before 09.30 but Northern Rail = has=20 taken a different view, requiring passengers to buy a single to Plumley = in=20 addition to the Wayfarer if they wished to use the 09.26. The cheap day = return=20 from Northwich to Manchester was valid on the 09.26 because that fare is = available after 09.15 (it is a code =93B2=94). The problem solves itself = from 12th=20 December because the train time reverts to 09.31 but the same issue will = presumably arise again next autumn. MCRUA regrets that Northern Rail did = not=20 choose to allow Wayfarer tickets on the 09.26 from Northwich.=20

There has been a problem with poor or no heating on class 142 = =93Pacer=94 units=20 in the early morning on cold days and there have been several instances = of=20 passengers being able to see their breath. We hope that Northern Rail = can=20 address this issue. JPD at Plumley station are to continue the = Cheshire Best=20 Kept Station Competition despite John Hulme selling the business. = MCRUA=20 welcomes the continuation of the competition. A temporary ice = rink may be=20 built on the Oakfield Road car park at Altrincham (the large car park = behind the=20 Chester-bound platform) during 2006. This is in advance of the major=20 redevelopment scheme for the site, which is scheduled to include a = permanent ice=20 rink as well as an underground car park for 960 vehicles. Construction = work has=20 now started on the new cinema in Altrincham (on the former Denmark = Street car=20 park across the railway line from Tesco=92s). Ticket gates are to be = installed at=20 Chester station during 2006. There will always be a staff = presence to=20 assist passengers whilst the gates are in use. Two new = arrival/information=20 boards have been installed above the =93barrier line=94 at Manchester = Piccadilly. Also at Piccadilly a new NHS Drop-in centre has opened = on=20 Piccadilly Approach for use by rail passengers. The centre is open from = 7am to=20 7pm on Monday to Friday only.

FREIGHT NEWS

The big news to report is the decision by Trafford Borough Council in = October=20 to delete the Trafford Interchange scheme from its Unitary = Development=20 Plan (UDP). This was the scheme for a major rail freight terminal at = Carrington=20 on the former Skelton Junction (Timperley) to Glazebrook line. This = highly=20 disappointing news took the developers, Shell and Burford Holdings, by = surprise=20 and there was talk of a legal challenge to the decision. It is = disappointing=20 that Trafford has chosen to put =93NIMBY=94 considerations ahead of the = wider=20 national environmental benefits, which the scheme would have provided. = The=20 reopening of the Skelton Junction to Partington line may however still = go ahead=20 for the chemical traffic mentioned in the last newsletter. At the time = of=20 writing (6th December) we were awaiting a response from EWS on this = issue. The=20 Northwich (Oakleigh) to Middlewich (British Salt) brine traffic began in = early=20 August. The train is booked to depart from Oakleigh at 09.02 and to = depart from=20 Middlewich at 14.10. The Lafarge stone traffic from Dowlow to = Northenden=20 has now restarted. Contrary to the statement in the previous newsletter, = the=20 Northenden and Bredbury =93binliner=94 services remain with EWS, = who have=20 recently been awarded a new contract. Indian firm Tata Chemicals = is to=20 acquire Brunner Mond Group Limited, the operators of the two soda ash=20 manufacturing plants in the Northwich area (Lostock and Winnington). It = remains=20 to be seen what effect the takeover will have on the future of the two = plants=20 and the rail traffic which serves them. Quinn Glass in Elton = (near=20 Helsby) has started using EWS to convey its products between between = Widnes and=20 Mossend (central Scotland). The possibility of installing a direct rail = link=20 into the site is being investigated. This would presumably be a siding = off the=20 Helsby-Hooton line.

DEPARTMENT FOR TRANSPORT REVIEW OF THE NORTHERN FRANCHISE

The Department for Transport (DfT) has indicated that it will be = consulting=20 on options for streamlining rail services provided under the Northern = Rail=20 franchise in the New Year. County Councils and PTEs will be formal = consultees=20 but rail user groups and individuals will also be able to make their = views known=20 on the proposals, which will be published on the DfT website. MCRUA = understands=20 that the proposals may not be as significant as they might have been = following=20 representations by Labour MPs with seats in the North of England. = Members can=20 however rest assured that MCRUA will strongly oppose any proposals to = withdraw=20 services or close stations on the mid-Cheshire line. We hope that = members will=20 also make their views known to the DfT.

MIDDLEWICH CAMPAIGN REPORT

A Report from the Steeeering Group. to progress the reopening scheme = has now=20 been set up under the Chairmanship of Cheshire County Councillor Mark = Dickson.=20 Andrew Macfarlane is representing MCRUA on the steering group and the = Middlewich=20 Rail Link Campaign is represented by Vernon Perkins. Work is ongoing to=20 investigate train service options and site options for a new Middlewich=20 station.

METROLINK NEWS

A number of road traffic accidents involving trams and road vehicles = has led=20 to a shortage of trams during the autumn. The most serious of these = involved a=20 collision between a lorry and a tram at the notorious Corporation = Street/Balloon=20 Street crossing outside Victoria station. The force of the collision = caused the=20 tram to partially derail. A Serco Metrolink spokesperson=92s comment = that =93a wheel=20 came off [the track]=94 was amusingly interpreted by the local press as = meaning=20 that a wheel had fallen off the tram. There was an off-peak fare = increase from=20 Monday 28th November. The Altrincham-Manchester off-peak day return = increased=20 from =A33.30 to =A33.50 and the adult Metromax off-peak day ranger = increased from=20 =A33.40 to =A33.60 (=A31.70 for children). To buy a Metromax ticket, = passengers need=20 to press the button for the type of Metromax they require (Adult, = Family,=20 Weekend) and then the separate =93Metromax=94 button. Metrolink services = will this=20 year operate until 00.30 on both Christmas Eve and New Year=92s Eve. = Greater=20 Manchester PTA is also considering extending Metrolink=92s operating = hours at=20 weekends (presumably on Sundays).

FARES NEWS

Virgin Trains is to increase its already high unregulated fares (e.g. = Standard Returns) by 5% plus the Retail Price Increase from 2nd January. = Saver=20 fares are regulated and will not therefore be increasing by as much. = Virgin=20 Trains has announced a 40% increase in the sales of its cheap book-ahead = tickets=20 since it simplified its fares structure in September. If you are buying = a cheap=20 book-ahead ticket, it is strongly recommended that you buy a ticket = covering=20 your entire journey (e.g. Knutsford to London). If you book a ticket = from (say)=20 Stockport to Euston and your connecting train on the mid-Cheshire line = is=20 delayed or cancelled so that you miss your train at Stockport, you will = never be=20 reimbursed by Northern for having to buy a new ticket for the = Stockport-Euston=20 leg. However if you have booked a throughout =93cheapie=94 ticket and = you miss the=20 conecting train at Stockport through no fault of your own, then your = ticket will=20 simply be accepted on a later service (although suspicious guards may = phone to=20 check that the delay really occurred!). You will also qualify for = compensation=20 for the delay for the WHOLE journey from the company, which delayed you = first.=20 Apex fares will remain available for journeys from Manchester and = Stockport to=20 the West of England via Shrewsbury, Hereford and Newport following the=20 withdrawal of the Arriva Trains Wales Manchester-Penzance through train = from the=20 December timetable change. In future through passengers via this route = will have=20 to change at Newport. Midland Mainline=92s 4-Sight advance purchase fare = of =A348=20 for 4 adults travelling together between Manchester Piccadilly and = London St=20 Pancras remains available. Passengers use Central Trains or = Trans-Pennine=20 Express services to connect with MML services at Sheffield. The GM Bus = and Train=20 Day Saver ticket went up to =A34 from 25th September. National Fares = Manuals are=20 no longer distributed via Teamwork Direct of York. TSO (formerly known = as The=20 Stationery Office) now has the contract. Manuals can be ordered for = =A315.00 each=20 (including postage and packing). For an order form please ring James = Parker on=20 01603-696860 or email him at james.parker@tso.co.uk. The North West = edition of=20 the National Fares Manual is ISBN 0117910015.

LOCAL RAIL NEWS

Chris Kimberley, the Commercial Director of Northern Rail, told a = recent=20 meeting of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport that no = Northern=20 Rail route was showing a decline in revenue and that several were = showing=20 increases of more than ten per cent (so it is hardly a time to be = cutting=20 services =96 Ed). Trans-Pennine Express recently unveiled the first of = its new=20 class 185 Siemens Desiro diesel trains to the media at Wildenrath in = Germany=20 (where the trains are being tested). The fleet of 51 new trains, to be = based at=20 the new depot at Ardwick, is to be introduced into service from March = 2006. The=20 December timetable change sees the start of a two-hourly = Holyhead-Cardiff=20 service via Chester, Wrexham General and Shrewsbury. Combined with the = existing=20 two-hourly Chester-Shrewsbury-Birmingham service this will provide the=20 long-awaited and much-needed hourly service between Chester and = Shrewsbury. The=20 new Liverpool South Parkway station (formerly Allerton station) = is now=20 due to open in June 2006. Etruria station north of Stoke-on-Trent = closed=20 after the last trains called on Friday 30th September.

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBER

The following person has joined MCRUA since the previous issue of the = newsletter was published: Mr Derek Bowyer, Knutsford

MID CHESHIRE LINE PEOPLE

We welcome Stuart Latham as the new regular railman at = Northwich=20 station. We also welcome Greg Yates as the new Cheshire County = Transport=20 Co-ordinator and we say farewell to Garth Goddard, who has been = seconded=20 to a position at North West level. Keith Brown (66), Britain=92s = longest=20 serving signalman, retired at the end of October after 52 years=92 = service. Keith=20 joined BR in 1954 at the age of 14 and worked in a total of 265 signal = boxes in=20 the Manchester area, his last being Stockport No.1.

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=20 the railway - 0800 40 50 40
Northern Rail Train Running Information - = 0800-528-0200 or 0870 602 33 22
Northern Rail Customer Relations - = 0845 600=20 11 59
Rail Passengers Council (complaints appeals) - 08453 022=20 022
Helpline for Manchester Piccadilly station - 0845 0000 = 033
GMPTE Bus,=20 Rail and Metrolink Enquiries - 0161 228 7811 (08.00 to = 20.00)
Metrolink=20 Enquiries - 0161 205 2000
Cheshire Traveline (bus and rail enquiries) = - 01244=20 602666 (08.00 to 20.00)
Merseyside PTE Public Transport Enquiry Line = -=20 0151-236-7676 (08.00 to 20.00)
National Public Transport Enquiry Line = - 0870=20 608 2 608

YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS

EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN and NEWSLETTER EDITOR:
Andrew Macfarlane, 25 = Prestbury=20 Avenue, Timperley, Altrincham WA15 8HY; Tel: 0161-928-9394.
SECRETARY = &=20 WEBMASTER:
Arthur Sancto, 8 Roxby Way, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 9AX. = Tel:=20 01565-651209.
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY:
John Allen, 36 Townfields, = Knutsford,=20 Cheshire WA16 8DR. Tel: 01565-632437.
MINUTES SECRETARY & SPECIAL = TRAINS:
Peter Frier, 2 Hawthorn Road, Plumley, Knutsford WA16 OUH. = Tel:=20 01565-722140.
COMMITTEE MEMBER& LOCAL REP FOR HALE:
Peter = Davies, 53=20 Acacia Avenue, Hale, Altrincham, WA15 8QY. Tel: = 0161-233-0438.
COMMITTEE=20 MEMBER - John Hill, Glenferry, Plumley Moor Road, Plumley, Knutsford, = Cheshire,=20 WA16 OTR. Tel: 01565-722423.

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=20 Lane, Mobberley, Knutsford, WA16 7QN. Tel: 01565-873059 (home), = 07860-513309=20 (mobile).
MID CHESHIRE COMMUNITY RAIL PARTNERSHIP OFFICER John = Kitchen Mobile=20 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 to=20 MCRUA, 25 Prestbury Avenue, Timperley, Altrincham WA15 8HY. Please make = cheques=20 payable to "Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association".
Please send any=20 subscription renewals to John Allen, 36 Townfields, Knutsford, WA16 8DR. =

Name=20 ________________________________________________
Address______________= _________________________________
____________________________________= ___________
12/05=20 __________________________Postcode_______________
Family/Individual*&n= bsp; New=20 Member/Renewal*  -  * Please delete as appropriate =

Mid Cheshire Rail Report No.66 transcribed into this webpage = format on=20 28/03/2006.