NETHERFIELD
Off peak fares are not available until 09.00 during the winter (Mon.to Fri.) but should be available from May 19th on the 08.51 Skegness service. Anytime Day Return is £38.30 and Off peak £24.00. The £24.00 fare is available on the 09.05 from Carlton and 09.55 Nottingham to Skegness. –
CARLTON
Network Rail will spend £16.8m upgrading the line between Nottingham and Newark between 2019 and 2024. This should increase line speeds and also increase capacity and be more reliable and cost efficient. The Skegness line will also have a lot spent on it, as will most lines in our region.
Passenger numbers are increasing and on Wednesday, January 24, 41 joined the 08.08 at Carlton. However we have reached ‘saturation point’ on the 17.21 Nottingham to Lincoln, except when four coaches are provided, so there isn’t much scope for increasing numbers at peak times.
A half-hourly peak service should be provided at Carlton. This could be done if the 06.46 from Lincoln called at around 07.34 and the Sleaford to Leicester called at 08.26. Also if the 07.35 from Nottingham to Skegness called at Netherfield at 07.41, this would give a service for commuters into our area from the Nottingham direction and also provide a service to Bingham, Grantham etc. Evening is more difficult, but if the 17.50 Nottingham to Lincoln called it would give a connection out of the 16.37 from Matlock. Let me know if any of the above times would suit your requirements.
Off-peak numbers seem to be steadily increasing in the Nottingham direction, but less so towards Newark. Partly this is due to those going to Lincoln preferring to catch the train to Nottingham where they can get a through train and avoid a 30 minute wait at Newark. The 09.05 Matlock is a popular service and in the first week of February this year 61 joined over the five weekdays. In 2017 it was 41 and 2016, 28. This May it will be three years since the Matlock service was extended to Newark. It was initially sponsored for 3 years, but it has been successful with extra trains on Saturdays introduced in May 2016. So it will continue.
NEW TEA ROOM ADJACENT CARLTON STATION
The Fox & Hounds public house has opened an attractive tea room which is open llam to 5pm Monday to Friday. Main entrance, turn left. Good selection of drinks and snacks, tea or coffee from £1.00 and takeaway drinks available. Free wi-fi and you can also pick up local train timetables.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE FIRE AT NOTTINGHAM STATION
I arrived at Carlton station at 07.50 on Friday, January 12 to find two trains in the Nottingham side platform and some passengers and train crews standing around. The first train was the 06.38 from Carlton which reached the entrance to Nottingham station, but being unable to enter was returned to Carlton. The second was the 07.11 to Matlock which had terminated. For the rest of the day there were no trains and on Saturday a limited service operated with just the Lincoln trains at Carlton (5 one way and 4 the other) as two platforms at Nottingham could not be used. Normal service resumed on Sunday.
At Netherfield there were also 2 trains when I arrived at 08.30, the 06.10 from Grantham and 06.13 from Boston. These combined and crossed over to platform 2 to return to Grantham at around 08.55, with a number of passengers deciding to return home. A normal service ran from here on the Saturday.
Train crews at Carlton were doing their best to arrange taxis and provide drinks for those still waiting. 28 coffees were sourced from ‘Number 1 snack bar’ in Netherfield. So it was good to see the following in the ‘Good deed’ section of the Metro newspaper on 17th January: “A BIG thank you to all the East Midlands Trains staff at Carlton station on Friday morning. You were all amazing. A special thanks to the one who brought everyone a coffee and for sorting a taxi”.
On February 12th one of the High Speed Train power cars No. 43467 was named in honour of the emergency services who dealt with the fire and evacuation. One side of the loco. has been named ‘British Transport Police Nottingham’ and the other ‘Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’.
DERBY STATION UPGRADE THIS SUMMER
Between July 22 and October 7, major works will be taking place in and around Derby station. This will involve building a new platform, replacing 17 kilometres of track and installing 79 new sets of points and new signals. The result will be the removal of the bottleneck which currently causes delays to some trains entering the station and replacement of the signalling which was installed nearly 50 years ago. So, if you are travelling to or through Derby there will be some disruption while the work is taking place.
The through Newark to Matlock service will run as normal from Newark to Nottingham. From July 30 to September 2 a bus and coach replacement service between Nottingham and Derby. From 25th August to 7th October a bus and coach replacement between Derby and Matlock.
Cross Country services through Derby will be diverted calling at Burton-on-Trent and Chesterfield. Trains from Nottingham to Birmingham and Cardiff will run but use a diversionary route. Between July 22 and 2nd September 2 Derby to Crewe services are replaced by a bus or coach between Derby and Uttoxeter and train from there to Crewe. Revised time-tables should be issued shortly.
For further info. visit dby2018.co.uk
NEWS IN BRIEF
A planning application has been made for up to 40 homes on land off Meadow Road in Netherfield, the site bordering the railway and including the former StationMaster’s House, which would be renovated. This building can be seen from the Platform 2 side, through the bridge at Netherfield station
Changes in the May timetable will include the London services from Nottingham departing at 45 mins. past the hour instead of 32 mins. This is because of extra Thameslink services south of Bedford
11.24am Saturday Carlton to Leicester train most weeks is full and standing, so best to use the 11.08 to Nottingham
Robin Hood season tickets can now be scanned on trains, also recording from which station the card is being used
Nottinghamshire County Show at Newark Showground is taking place on May 12 and 13th. Usually a free bus runs from Newark Castle station every hour. Advance booking 01636 705796 or nottinghamshirecountyshow.com
Gedling station buildings latest. Currently it has been taken off the market. I went to a presentation at Carlton library on Feb 1 where the Friends of Gedling Station (www.gedlingstation.com) showed the history of the station and the plans they have to develop the area and restore the buildings to provide a community asset. There was a good turn-out. The next Youth Centre Management committee meeting is on 21st March at 19.30 in the Willowbrook, Main Road
A railcard for 26-30 year olds is to be introduced this Spring.
FINALLY In 2008 when EMT took over the franchise borrowed a class 158 railcar from South West Trains. It included 1st class and was working the morning it was used on the Lincoln train calling at Carlton one day. Passengers joined, except one who I knew was going to Lincoln. So I said “this is your train”. “Oh” she said, “it looks too posh for a Lincoln train.”
- You can contact Tony for more information or to share your news and views about our local railway by emailing him at tonycavedbs@hotmail.com
Useful update as always Tony! Looks like my Birmingham train will be taking the scenic route for a while during the Derby works 🙂