Update on Tyne Valley line landslip and return of local railway following today's visit

Today I met with Network Rail, and the many contractors on site, who are grappling with one of the biggest engineering problems I have ever seen. Over 35,000 + tons of earth, trees, and debris have to be made safe, moved and then reinstated following the landslip that blocked the Tyne Valley railway line last week. I have attached below some photos to give an idea of the huge scale of this landslip. It extends over a hundred yards wide and goes back well beyond the slope itself that goes down steeply to the railway. There are around 50 people on site and a plethora of diggers, and other machinery being used  to make good the site. Everyone understands how important the line is for commuters, business, freight and tourism.

My thanks to Rob McIntosh of Netwrok Rail (pictured) and his team - many of whom I met and talked to - for allowing myself and others onto the site today, and for explaining in detail how this happened, what the engineering and restructuring task is that they are undertaking, and how long it will take to reinstate. The original fear, as reported in the Hexham Courant, was that it would take months to clear the site. That is not the expectation any more. In the last week the team have taken over the farmers field, created an access road, brought over a dozen heavy goods machinery and vehicles onto the site and organised dozens of engineers, clearance contractors, digger drivers, chainsaw crews to attend and sort the problem. I genuinely do not believe that the effort of Network Rail to correct the problem could be faulted. They have brought several teams urgently onto the site where needed, including specialists from out of the area, and they are working 12 hour shifts, with some staying in local pubs and bed and breakfasts in Hexham and Corbridge.

The way ahead is as follows: the site is being made safe and cleared. I do stress that no one uninvited should try and visit the site for their own safety, which was clearly an issue on several levels. There are significant on site complications, including ruptured drains, and a broken pipes that were underground and which has needed temporary and long term repair. In addition, part of the field above and on the edge of the works being done in the field are old Roman settlements and this has required approvals and assistance from the relevant heritage and archeological teams. This is sorted. The site is being made safe. Dozens of trees which have moved, fallen or become unstable are being felled, chopped and then removed. Some of the trees and soil will then be extracted by special train or lorries in the near future. The site can only be cleared and then reinstated from the top down for safety reasons. Bear in mind the men are working on a steep incline. But the soil will then be reinstated in a series of large drop offs. The reality now is that it is expected that the railway will be open again in around 3-4 weeks. Clearly the teams are working in early January in very challenging Northumberland conditions so there is a potential for weather delays, but I was impressed by the competence, commitment and quality of the all team working on this massive site. They are genuinely confident that the railway will be able to be operational in 3-4 weeks. They will be completing the reinstating of the site above the railway for a month or so afterwards. As I say, some of the teams are staying locally and have been made to feel very welcome locally in Tynedale (particular thanks to the people who dropped off a cake to the workmen - it did not last long - and praise to Station Inn in Hexham, where several of the lads are staying and are being very well looked after).

Two final points:
- this job could not go any faster, and be safe, given the dozens of men working with machinery from diggers to cranes to chainsaws in close proximity on unstable, highly sloping ground. Network Rail have really put their backs into this. The teams of men I met assured me that they were getting all the assistance they needed locally from every government agency and connected quangos, but by and large it is their problem and they are getting on with it. In reality, they have a big engineering job to do and are getting on with it, and with a likely outcome that is a lot faster than was originally feared.
- I realise that there are separate ongoing problems with Northern Rail's replacement service, both as to timetable marriage with bus services, which is not synchronised properly at the moment, the failure to provide any train service to Riding Mill and Stocksfield, and a lack of information. I have met received representations on this from several sources, notably the Tyne Valley Rail Users Group and I am in contact with Northern Rail and will update with answers on this and other issues shortly.

Good to see further progress being made on the Campaign to reopen Gilsland Station

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/campaigners-revival-northumberland-train-station-9272138

Long campaign to get rid of the Pacer Trains succeeds

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/outdated-pacer-trains-scrapped---8734741

Pleased to be welcoming Claire Perry MP, Trains Minister, to Northumberland Thursday

My plan is to take Claire to meet the team behind Gilsland Station on the Cumbria Border and see why the COGS campaign is worth backing. Precise details of the trip are still being worked upon but I am liaising with key local stakeholders as we sort the details of the trip, when she gets in from Carlisle, and how long we will have Claire with us in Gilsland; not least of our decisions is which train she is going on!
Gilsland details are here: http://www.gilsland-station.org.uk/

I have my "ticket" to Gilsland Station - it will happen in time, and progress is being made!

I literally bumped into Julie Gibbon last week. She is a tireless campaigner for the Campaign to Open Gilsland Station, and I was able to get my "ticket" to Gilsland Station.
This project is slowly moving forward, with assistance from Northumberland County Council, as we endeavour to fundraise the £30,000 to get to GRIP Stage 3 of the Network Rail process for Station Rebuilds. There is a large amount of support locally, and in the 2 local authorities, and I cannot praise Julie and the team at COGS enough - they are doing a great job. This project will happen eventually. We are pictured in the Bardon Mill Village Store and Tea Room - my usual Bardon Mill lunch pit stop.

Commons debate 3rd September on Transport infrastructure in Northumberland

On Wednesday September 3rd at 7pm I have the 30 minute Adjournment debate in the Commons; I applied in July to the Speaker and this debate was recently granted. The key issues I propose to raise I have been discussing with key local activists over the summer, including several members of the Tyne Valley Rail Users Group, and other activists concerned about the state of our roads in Northumberland. We also have a number of key bus issues to raise.
On trains I will be focusing on the rail infrastructure in Northumberland, focusing on the Tyne Valley Line between Newcastle and Carlisle, but I will also be addressing many other rail issues like the Gilsland and Bardon Mill stations.

Locals all know that with the Tyne Valley line:
- the rolling stock is old, there are issues on fares and and other issues and there is no Wi-Fi on the trains; we feel that the service is the poor relation of the Northern Train Network, notwithstanding a passenger increase; there are concerns as to the Northern Rail Franchise Consultation - noone wants to see lesser services.
I will be asking about the possible Designated Community Rail Service and what this means, in reality.
-  Gilsland Station rebuild: this is presently in the GRIP system but needs more Northumberland county council and network rail support. The old station was disbanded many years ago. Lots of the infrastructure remains and it would provide a massive boost to jobs, tourism and infrastructure if it were reopened. I am a big supporter.
- Rail crossing improvements – a Network Rail issue but we are looking to explore the future upgrades and improvements programme.
- I will also be raising the bridges controversy, notably the Bardon Mill proposed bridge, which I visited last week and spoke to residents and members of the Parish Council about.

Finally on trains I shall discuss the fact that the North East has no Oyster Card system for an integrated transport network system, as London and elsewhere does have and why this is the case.

On Roads I shall be raising A 69 Improvements west of Hexham leading to the Cumbrian Border. It is an accident black spot and I saw the Secretary of State for Transport on this issue last session; clearly money is tight but we want to know that we are in the queue for upgrades. Similar comments apply regarding the A696 safety improvements north of Ponteland. We will also be raising traffic safety elsewhere in Northumberland, and continuing to push for the A1 upgrades.

As always please get in touch with your comments, requests and suggestions. I have received many comments thus far over the last few weeks on many of these issues.  All thoughts very welcome.

Meeting Northern Rail Wednesday and good news on Tyne Valley line - public meeting Tuesday

The Hexham Courant reports success in the pilot project to stop late night drinkers and problem causers on the 7.25 & 9.18 Evening trains from Newcastle to Carlisle on Fridays and Saturdays. The Tyne valley rail users group and I have campaigned at length on this issue details here: http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/2.2978/police-stamp-out-drunks-on-tyne-valley-trains-1.1123842
I read in the paper this week that there is a meeting at Hexham Community Centre on Gilesgate on Tuesday at 7.15 pm, organised by the TVRUG and the Hexham Community Partnership.
This campaign started after my meeting earlier in the year with Northern and the British Transport Police after extensive complaints by locals and user group members. Delighted it is being sorted.

The Weekend Read: How do you recreate a "new" - old - station like Gilsland?

Dr. Beeching did for Gilsland Station 50 years ago, but the infrastructure remains and the Gilsland Railway Station Campaign was front page of the Hexham Courant last week, and rightly so. The full story is below but I am acutely aware that the local campaigners have gone to huge lengths to ensure the campaign has full support from both Rory Stewart MP and myself, the local councillors, Network Rail, The Tyne Valley Rail Users Group, the local community and businesses, and most importantly, the 2 County Councils. The strength of the case made is without question:
- it would revitalise a local community on a multitude of levels
- it would help Hadrians Wall and Pennine Way Tourism
- it would aid business investment in the cross border area
- and promote greater use of the trains, which is something we all want

The Campaign to Open Gilsland Station (COGS) was set up last year; I have held a series of meetings with many of the people involved not least Northern Rail, Rory Stewart MP and Network Rail; the COGS study, as helped by Councillor Alan Sharp, has revealed that the project could take five years, and cost up to £2.5million. This is no small sum, but it is genuinely doable. This is not a pipe dream project. It does tick the boxes, albeit we still have plenty to prove. If Gilsland station re-opens, it will be a remarkable victory for a community which lost the facility almost half a century ago.


But then we come to an understanding of what is called the GRIP Process. This may sound like some medieval judo hold and, to a degree, it is ... but I will try and explain it and outline the plan of action:
GRIP stands for the Governance for Railway Investment Projects: this is how such projects have been approached for a long time by Network Rail; it has 8 specific stages. Some might see these as bureacratic, but there is a degree of logic to the process, and as public money is going to be used in the process - then, in particular, in these tricky times- a need to ensure the money is well spent is required.


This from the Network Rail site:
"Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP) describes how we manage and control projects that enhance or renew the national rail network.


GRIP divides a project into eight distinct stages.

1.Output definition
2.Feasibility
3.Option selection
4.Single option development
5.Detailed design
6.Construction test and commission
7.Scheme hand back
8.Project close out"

The Gilsland project is already well through the early stages, with the feasibility study yielding positive results, and the 2 Councils are looking at ways to take the project forward. The 5 year estimate is realistic - this is not going to happen overnight. But the planets are aligned and we have a formidable team of supporters. Money will always be the problem, but if we take this GRIP process stage by stage I genuinely believe this will happen.

Fuller details on the story here:
http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/gilsland-it-s-full-steam-ahead-for-2-5m-rail-dream-1.1131325

Our local Tyne Valley Trains really matter

My latest blogpost, and the announcement of a pilot project to provide full time cover for the two key late trains from Newcastle to Carlisle, has upset some of the train guards / staff apparently. You can read the post and the indignant and upset comment of the guard here: http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/campaign-for-increased-public.html
I have to say I could not disagree more with the individual guard, or the sentiments.
I would make 2 points, and a couple of comments:
- I have had repeated complaints about these late trains at public meetings, surgeries in Haltwhistle in particular, and in letters. Sadly for the staff member who wrote in saying there is not a problem the evidence is against him and he should look to his own colleagues - as one of the people who complained was a train guard with Northern. There has definitely been a problem. It has not gone away. But I hope it will now.
- secondly the company Northern Rail, and the British Transport Police agree. The past prosecutions do not lie, and they have agreed to change the rota to address the problem. They are not spending their cash without a reason. In my view they should be applauded for listening.
- this train line really matters. Many people have gone to great lengths to improve the trains, the stations, the businesses that operate en route, and so much more. It is a line that is integral to our commuters, tourists and occasional users like myself and many others.

Going forward I am pushing hard to support the many people involved with the Gilsland Station Project, talking to Network rail about upgrades regarding train crossings, attempting to get an Oyster card system to operate on both the trains and buses, and trying to help those who want everything from better disabled access to station improvements.
I could say more but would finish on one point. To argue that I am doing this to get extra votes is laughable. As an MP there are only so many battles that you, and your very few staff, can fight, and I could do other campaigns that are way more populist, and would affect more people. But, the truth is I like trains, and I think this is a vital line that needs supporting if Tynedale has a future. And it does need work, as episodes like Torchgate, the franchise issues and other problems with the carriages have shown. Also, the old adage is very simple, and the staff should really grasp this: either we persuade people to use a service - or we will lose or lessen it. All I am doing is representing the constituents who write in, complain as users, and am trying to improve a crucial extra artery down the Tyne Valley. If any staff want to write in and ask for other changes I will help them too. To finish I would thank the Tyne Valley Rail Users Group for their support.   

Campaign for increased public protection on late night trains takes a step forward

Very large numbers of constituents have complained about the actions of a minority of drunks and idiots on the late night trains primarily from Newcastle to Hexham. We have met with dozens of residents both from the Tyne Valley Rail Users Group and locals from Hexham, Haydon Bridge and Haltwhistle who have been so affected.
After a recent meeting with BTP and Northern I am really grateful to them for making the effort to try a full time monitoring of the 2 key trains. Thus, in a new pilot project will see British Transport Police boarding trains between the two cities and travelling on both the 7.25pm and 9.18pm departures on a Friday and Saturday night. It is fair to say I have never had any complaints on any other trains save these evening trains.
It is hoped disorder on these routes will be prevented by the British Transport Police (BTP) presence.
As always I would ask anyone on the trains to write or email in with their comments and suggestions. See the full report in the Journal here:
http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/police-clamp-down-late-night-newcastle-6783116

Westminster this coming week

The North East after a Scottish "Yes" vote is the key debate this week - at 9.30 on Tuesday. I will be making the case for the Union but also addressing the impact of independence on North East trade, jobs, borders and so much more.
Also on Tuesday I will be
i). At 11am meeting Northern Rail and the British Transport Police both for an update and specifically to address a lack of cover on the Tyne Valley line, as complained about by many constituents.
ii). At 1.30 meeting with the top HCA representative concerning Prudhoe Hospital and any other HCA sites in Tynedale
There are many National Apprenticeship Week events this week, all of which are designed to ensure more people take on an apprentice.
Thursday is International Womens Day and we will be welcoming 1 female student who is representing our patch of Northumberland and taking her both to Number 10, around the Commons and to the Speakers House.
I also have a series of meetings with Northumberland College representatives, Home Office Meetings, and several constituency casework calls to make.

Trains in the winter - please write in as to how the Tyne Valley Line is coping?

I am not expecting a return of Torchgate, which made the winter of 2011-12 a difficult time for many travellers on the Carlisle to Newcastle line; see my blogpost here:http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/torchgatethere-is-light-at-end-of.html

But, several readers and members of the Tyne Valley Rail Users Group have alerted by email myself, and Pete who does the casework in my small team, to possible problems as to the number of carriages / seats available on the morning train to Newcastle, and the evening return. It seems to have been missing a lot recently according to users of the 7.42 from Hexham and the 5.54 from Newcastle, who have written in. I have written to Northern Rail seeking answers. The interim reply I have received makes the point that the company does achieve its required targets 95% of the time. I cannot go further and comment on this without evidence, albeit the level of complaints and overcrowding has caused me to raise the point once again with the representatives of Northern Rail, seeking an urgent review of this situation. This situation will get worse particularly as Christmas approaches, with the inevitable problems of Christmas shoppers. If I wanted to see a silver lining it is the hope that any problems on the trains would make locals do their christmas shopping in the local shops of Tynedale! To be fair to Northern Rail they are good people doing the best they can, and they have come to Corbridge to meet with both myself and local rail users; but I would still like the evidence to put to them. I will update the blog when I know more.