Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 340 i Heritage Railway

THE National Railway Heritage Awards 2025, as featured on pages 64-67, has for many highlighted the rich transformation of the public awareness of Britain's rich railway legacy, as reinforced by the splendid Railway 200 landmark celebratory programme. The post-Beeching decades in which far too many redundant railway structures were cast aside and bulldozed in the cause of quick commercial progress without a second thought to their true historical value to their locality, region, or the nation now seem a distant memory, although we can never sit back and take current positive thinking for granted. Take, for example, the case of Richmond station, where a £235,000 transformation which started two years ago restored its magnificent Art Deco glory with its facade leading to it now being hailed as "the prettiest station…

BRITAIN’S longest standard gauge heritage railway has announced a series of events to mark its 50th anniversary in 2026. The theme for the year’s special events on the West Somerset Railway will be WSR 50 to mark the halfcentenary of the reopening of the first section of the GWR branch between Minehead and Blue Anchor on March 28, 1976. The loss-making line was closed by BR, with the last service departing from Minehead on January 2, 1971. Following a meeting of the Minehead Railway Preservation Society in Taunton on February 5 that year, a working party headed by local businessman Douglas Fear set about looking into the possibility of the closed branch being reopened as a privately-owned concern That May, a new West Somerset Railway Company was formed to acquire…

THE Great Central Railway’s new Robinson Centre, featuring an education and training facility next to Loughborough locomotive shed and which attracted a £280,000 grant aid contrubution from Loughborough Town Deal, was officially opened on December 5. The centre will become home to the GCR apprenticeship programme and a hub for school engagement and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) outreach, featuring state-of-the-art teaching facilities. The opening event brought together staff, volunteers, partners, and supporters who were welcomed with speeches from GCR general manager Malcolm Holmes, Coun Jenni Tilltson, Charnwood Borough Council’s deputy leader and lead member for economic development, and Dave Jones, from CrossCountry Trains, each highlighting the line’s role within the community. The £780,000 project also included the refurbishment of the shed with resurfaced walkways and the creation of…

LORD Parkinson of Whitley Bay has taken over as the new chairman of the Heritage Railway Association. While serving as Minister for Arts, Heritage and Libraries in the Government in 2022-24, he secured £15 million of public funding for the National Railway Museum’s new Central Hall project and took part in the centenary celebrations of A3 Pacific No. 60103 Flying Scotsman. He also worked closely with the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Heritage Rail on issues ranging from coal to young volunteers. Lord Parkinson also has a long-term commitment to diversity and widening engagement, with a passion for ensuring that people of all backgrounds can follow their talents. The North Tyneside-born peer is a trustee of a registered educational charity. “Both in government and in opposition, I’ve made the case for…

THE Port of Middlesbrough celebrated 200 years of the Stockton & Darlington Railway with a special Branch Line Society event on November 22. AV Dawson, owner and operator of the port, hosted a rail experience event in the form of the AV Dawson Shunter Special, which featured its Class 08s, Nos. 08410 and 08774, giving rides around the internal system, with visitors learning more about the rail facilities on the site. The firm donated the £5500 proceeds from the day to the Friends of Stockton and Darlington Railway to support their continued efforts to preserve the line’s heritage. Six primary school pupils from across the Tees Valley were also invited to attend the event as winners of the S&DR200 Challenge Day, which saw 15,000 local children learn about the history…

WHILE Railway 200 has successfully celebrated the bicentenary of the world’s first modern steam train on the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825, the replica of the locomotive believed to have started it all 23 years before has returned to steam near its reported birthplace following an 18-month overhaul. The full-scale working replica is based on a drawing by Richard Trevithick which dates back to 1802/3, two years before what is considered to be his second locomotive gave its first public demonstration on the Penydarren Tramroad, near Merthyr Tydfil. The fate of the original prototype, if there ever was one, remains unknown, and its design appears to have formed the basis for the 1804 locomotive. The 1802 design came 27 years before Stephenson’s Rocket and could be considered the catalyst…

TWO new Colas Rail tampers arrived on the Severn Valley Railway on November 17 for testing prior to being put to work assisting with permanent way work along the heritage line. Built by Plasser & Theurer in Austria, they arrived via the main line connection at Kidderminster from the company’s UK base at West Ealing. Numbered DR73954 and DR73953, the pair looked rather incongruous against the heritage backdrop of Highley station in their striking orange, yellow and black livery. Commissioning checks and inductions for the Colas staff took place on November 18, with both units being put to work the following day. During the visit, they continued tamping the rest of the week on the Highley to Arley section, working alongside the railway’s permanent way department. With the extension of…

ON December 23, GWR 2-6-0 No. 7325 was towed by Class 20 No. 20142 from the Severn Valley Railway’s Kidderminster carriage shed to Bridgnorth Shed. The same day, Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0 No. 43106 was towed to Kidderminster for undercover storage inside the carriage shed. No. 7325 is not generally on public view and has been hidden at the back of the carriage shed for some time, occasionally brought out for display at Kidderminster station. It last worked on the SVR in 2000 and was withdrawn due to a leaking boiler. It is to undergo an engineering assessment which will not be date-bound, the longer-term hopes being for an overhaul sometime in the future. Not a high priority, it will be done when time and resources permit. Designed by George Jackson…

A SOCIAL media group set up to save Devon's Pecorama attraction has been joined by hundreds of people. Fears have been sounded for the future of the venue which in November, only weeks after celebrating the 50th anniversary of its 7¼in gauge Beer Heights Light Railway, which was officially opened by Thomas the Tank Engine creator the Rev W Awdry on July 14, 1974, announced that it would not open in 2026. A statement from the attraction, which includes many model railways, gardens, and a shop, said: “It is with great sadness and after much soul-searching we have decided to close Pecorama, our well-loved family attraction, for the 2026 season. “Despite Pecorama having had a busy year of trading involving its 50th anniversary of the Beer Heights Railway and concluding…

THE North Dorset Railway was celebrating after the first locomotive in nearly 60 years crossed newly-renovated Lamb House Bridge on a rainswept November 22. Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM D1186 of 1959 Ashdown, formerly Manchester Ship Canal D1, hauled a ballast wagon over the bridge spanning Bere Marsh. As reported in Heritage Railway issue 336, the railway completed a four-year project to double the length of its running line to half a mile, with the aim of offering brake van rides to visitors to Shillingstone station. During the extension work, the bridge was stripped down to its brickwork. A NDR statement said that the “nearly 60-year wait for a locomotive to cross Lamb House Bridge was finally rewarded.” “For four years, the permanent way guys, all volunteers, have gone from breaking through…

A Grade II-listed footbridge on the Dean Forest Railway line was pulled down after a volunteer loaded a digger on to an engineering train incorrectly, a Rail Accident Investigation Branch investigation has found. The 133-year-old lattice-girder structure at St Mary’s Halt in Lydney collapsed at about 10.55am on Thursday, August 14. Constructed of wrought iron beams and supported on cast iron columns, which spanned the tracks and platform and carried a public footpath providing access to a lake and a residential area, it was said to be the last-surviving piece of infrastructure from the Severn & Wye Railway. The railway owns two 360-degree excavators, a six-tonne model purchased in 2009 and an eight-tonne one bought in 2024. The RAIB found that the eight-tonne digger had been loaded by a railway…

A TRIO of abandoned railway vehicles have been donated to the Plym Valley Railway in Devon – with the recovery of one seeing its Sentinel diesel make a brief appearance on main line metals. Abandoned wagons are not an uncommon sight on the rail network; some end up being left behind through mechanical faults, such as hot axleboxes, that prevent any further movement, while others are stabled when the work for which they are used ends. Network Rail’s Tavistock Junction yard had been home to three railway vehicles, and many had wondered what the fate of these would be. One of those to be saved is ZUA ‘Shark’ ballast plough brake van DB993840, which had been used for Cattewater scrap workings. These trips would see scrap wagons taken by a…

THE Class 507 Preservation Society’s Merseyrail EMU No. 507001 has run for the first time since it was acquired by the group. The unit was driven along train builder Alstom’s test track on November 18 at Litchurch Lane in Derby, powered from the energised third rail. Since welcoming about 6000 visitors on board No. 507001 during Alstom’s The Greatest Gathering event held on August 1-3, society volunteers have been working hard to prepare the unit for this, its next heritage era landmark. The milestone was passed when No. 507001 made several faultless journeys under its own power along the test track. The Class 507 fleet served Merseyside for more than 46 years, carrying the last passenger on November 28, 2024. A week later, an empty stock move of Nos. 507003…

THE Railway Preservation Society of Ireland has been presented with a Civic Recognition certificate for its contribution to the Omagh Heritage Railway Memorial Project marking the exact 75th anniversary of a tragic accident in which five workers lost their lives. The presentation took place on November 24 prior to a remembrance service at the memorial in Omagh which honours the memory of the five victims, and which was attended by more than 200 people. The RPSI built a six-metre panel of Great Northern Railway (Ireland) track as the centrepiece of the newly improved memorial garden, funded by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, at James Street on the site of the original stationmaster’s house and in the shadow of the bypass road which now runs along the route of the Derry…

A FOUR-DAY excursion to Edinburgh including a rare steam outing over the Forth Bridge saw BR(E) Peppercorn A2 4-6-2 No. 60532 Blue Peter return to familiar territory – after first taking over from a Deltic working its first public tour this year! Outshopped from Doncaster Works in March 1948 by the newly-formed BR and so painted in the apple green livery of the old LNER but with British Railways lettering on the tender, after a brief stint allocated to York North shed, No. 60532 – the first of its class with BR numbering – was moved across the Scottish border to Haymarket motive power depot near Edinburgh on November 27, 1949. From there it was primarily employed on expresses from that city and Glasgow to Aberdeen. Subsequent allocations saw it…

‘THE Polar Express’ returned to Euston for a second year running. Following a sell-out first year in 2024, the charter train was booked for 14 days between November 29 and December 23. On board were festive musical and theatrical performances, with Santa himself making an appearance. Mark Haynes, marketing manager for PNP Events, said: “We are thrilled to bring ‘The Polar Express’ train ride back to London, sharing the timeless message of belief and the magic of Christmas with families once again. “The experience creates moments of pure wonder, and we are excited to welcome guests aboard for a festive journey that inspires joy, togetherness, and a renewed sense of Christmas spirit. Once again, we’d like to thank the team at Network Rail and Euston station for welcoming us back…

Locomotive nameplate Glenshesk, from a Ballycastle Railway of Northern Ireland locomotive, and a 'Northern Irishman'headboard were in a deadheat at the top of the sale of the Lord O'Neill of Shane's Castle railwayana collection held by Mullens of Bray, County Wicklow, on November 10, each selling for 3000 Euros (one Euro = 88p). The Ballycastle Railway was a 16-mile 3ft gauge line in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, that opened in October 1880, was taken over by the Northern Counties Committee, a division of the LMS, in 1924, and was closed in July 1950. The glen after which the locomotive was named is one of the nine glens of Antrim. Shadowing this pair at 2600 Euros were an Arthur Guinness Son & Co locomotive No. 2 numberplate, a Great Southern Railways…

BASSETT-LOWKE gauge three (2½in) live steam led from the front in a Vectis model train sale on October 29/30, thanks to two four-figure realisations comprising £1600 for a Great Eastern Railway 4-4-0 and £1400 for Caledonian Railway 4-6-0 No. 903 Cardean, the locomotive on which the model was based, having been named after a Scottish Roman fort that was abandoned in AD86. A Sancheng of China O-gauge Royal Scot 4-6-0 No. 46113 Cameronian sold for £950, and an £850 bid secured another O-gauge model, of SNCF 2-8-2 No. 141.P.1. Prices exclude buyer’s premium of 22½% (+ VAT).…

THIS trilogy of railway publications comes from the pen, or rather computer, of prolific author Peter Tuffrey, and marks his 32nd, 33rd, and 34th titles for Bradford-based Great Northern Books, writes Geoff Courtney. Each treads a familiar path listing the region’s stations and other locations in alphabetical order, and if any reader fancies themself as a geographical whizzkid wishing to show off their knowledge of such matters, they should avert their eyes now, as I am about to identify first and last in each book. The East Midlands title starts its photographic journey at Alfreton and terminates at Worksop, the West Midlands runs from Alveley Colliery to Worcester Shrub Hill, and the North East volume from Alnmouth to Widdrington. It is, as I have said, a well-trodden path that serves…

IT may still be a relative newcomer when compared to the likes of Hornby or Bachmann, but Rapido Trains has certainly made its mark on the model world and continues to do so with its choices of prototypes to focus on. With an already extensive catalogue of preGrouping era designs under its belt, the manufacturer shows no sign of stopping with this latest addition - the Great Northern Railway C2 4-4-2T. Introduced in 1898 by Henry Ivatt for local passenger workings in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the wheel arrangement had already proven successful for the company and so was incorporated into the design of these new locomotives. Sixty were built up until 1907, with 50 introduced with condensing gear to work the Metropolitan Railway's tunnel routes around London. When…

THE hugely popular visit by A3 Pacific No. 60103 Flying Scotsman to the West Somerset Railway last summer further boosted its finances – after the increased use of the heritage line for location filming by movie companies helped reduce its annual losses from more than £420,000 in 2004 to £29,460. The WSR plc annual accounts for the year ending March 31, 2025, showed that previous weekly losses of more than £800 had been reduced to £566. Chairman Jonathan Jones-Pratt said income had been boosted by an increasing use of the railway by filming companies. “We had a major contract in mid-2024 and we are pleased how this went,” he said. “We are actively pursuing other possibilities. “A key element which a heritage railway can offer the film industry is more…

A PRIVATELY owned LMS ‘Black Five’ which has yet to steam in the heritage era has been placed on the market. Its sale is being facilitated by the Great Central Railway, its home for the past 14 years. Built at Derby Works in 1943, No. 5491was employed for wartime traffic during the latter years of the Second World War, after which it settled down with basic goods and passenger services. Renumbered 45491 by BR, it lasted in service until July 1965 and that October arrived at the Woodham Brothers’ Barry scrapyard. It remained there for 16 years before being bought in 1981 by the West Lancashire Black Five Society, which moved it to the ICI works at Hillhouse, Thornton, along with a tender from Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45699 Galatea. It…

WORK to restore a second Class 62 Yugoslavia-built ‘Yankee tank’ 0-6-0T at the North Dorset Railway to running order is to begin. Project 62, which completed a 15-year overhaul of No.30075 at Shillingstone when its boiler inspection was passed on August 6, as reported in Heritage Railway issue 336, is now set to start work on sister No. 30076. The group is hoping to get No. 30075 out on the heritage railway circuit to raise funds to restore No. 30076. In 2006, the group bought 62-521, as No. 30076 was then known, from Sarajevo steelworks in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The 1954-built locomotive was moved intact to the Mid-Hants Railway, the cost of transport proving more expensive than the purchase price. It then lodged at Allely’s heavy haulage yard in Warwickshire and finally…

A ROOT-and-branch budget review by the Kent & East Sussex Railway has led to the abolishment of the heritage line’s general manager role, a move that will lead to the present incumbent, Robin Coombes, leaving his post on January 2. Staff, volunteers, and members were advised of the decision via a statement on November 24, explaining it had been made to ensure the financial viability of the railway in “a challenging economic environment.” Daily operations will be reallocated to existing directors. A press release issued the same day said the decision followed an extensive review of options to protect front-line delivery, such as safe operations, visitor service, and income-generating activity, while reducing overheads as the railway readied itself for the opening of the extension to Robertsbridge in 2028. Simplifying overheads…

THE Gresley Society has formally loaned the nameplate from A3 Pacific No. 2555 Centenary to Doncaster’s Danum Gallery, Library and Museum for display. The handover took place during the society’s annual general meeting on November 29 and was presented to Coun Tim Needham, the City of Doncaster’s civic mayor, to mark the start of the trust’s year-long Sir Nigel Gresley 150th anniversary celebrations. No. 2555 Centenary was completed at Doncaster Works for the LNER in February 1925, its naming celebrating the centenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway that year. During its 38 years of service, Centenary hauled express passenger trains on the East Coast Main Line and was allocated to sheds including Doncaster, Grantham and King’s Cross before its withdrawal on May 13, 1963, having covered 1,867,962 miles. Scrapped…

NARROW gauge expert and author Mark Smithers, a contributor to Heritage Railway, died at the age of 64 on November 8, we are sad to report. Mark succumbed to renal failure and hypertension in St Leonard’s Hospice in his home city of York. Mark had a lifelong interest in railways, particularly industrial and narrow gauge lines, and counted the Middleton Railway among his favourites. He had been writing about railways since his teens, and his first book, An Illustrated History of 18 Inch Gauge Steam Railways, was released by Oxford Publishing Company back in 1993. His subsequent volumes included Sir Arthur Heywood and the 15 Inch Gauge Steam Railway, The Royal Arsenal Railways: The Rise and Fall of a Military Railway Network, and Locomotive Builders of Leeds. Highly regarded writer…

THE extended visit of Class 27 D5370 to the Great Central Railway was rounded off in style on November 15/16 when the line’s annual Last Hurrah gave enthusiasts their final opportunity to enjoy a gala-style weekend before festive services fully took over heritage lines around the UK. The Last Hurrah has become a staple of the GCR events calendar for that reason, and this year’s line-up comprised five steam locomotives, one DMU, and two diesels, the latter pair having both been guests brought in for the September 4-6 autumn diesel gala (as reported in Heritage Railway issue 337). Owned by the Caledonian Railway diesel group at Brechin, Class 27 D5370 was making its final appearance in service there before returning north of the Scottish border, to where it departed by…

ON Saturday, November 22, Didcot Railway Centre said farewell to Jon Barlow, one of the four 16-year-old schoolboys who in 1961 started the fund to preserve GWR 0-4-2T No. 1466, which blossomed into the Great Western Society and later the venue itself. Jon sadly died on September 1, aged 80, and his ashes made their final journey behind none other than No. 1466 in the cold, driving rain. The locomotive carried his initials and the figure 3, his Great Western Society membership number. It hauled auto-trailer No. 231, which was also preserved as a companion to No. 1466. As highlighted in Heritage Railway issue 337, No. 1466 returned to service for the first time since 2000 at Didcot’s August bank holiday weekend event – a week before Jon died. Achieving…

There’s no denying that the Severn Valley Railway’s 60th anniversary year has been eventful – 2025 had only just begun when news came in of the embankment collapse at Mor Brook, which severed the line between Eardington Halt and the main engineering hub at Bridgnorth. A gargantuan effort following this saw the full line reopened in style on July 25 with the visit of LNER A3 No. 60103 Flying Scotsman. Before that, the railway also hosted the public launch of the Railway 200 exhibition train Inspiration, and its own events have gone from strength to strength. The railway is a vastly improved position compared to that of 2023, when a £1.5 million survival fund appeal was launched as it struggled to balance declining passenger numbers with rapidly rising costs. Despite…

THE modern-day Great Western Railway has donated an Intercity 125 High Speed Train Castle Class nameplate to the Helston Railway, to be sold by sealed bid auction to raise funds to further extend the heritage line to the edge of the town. December 13 was scheduled to be the last day for these iconic trains in scheduled passenger service in England. Introduced in 1976, the last of these sets – which hold the world speed record for a diesel train, with 148.5mph recorded on a test run -will be seen crossing the Tamar and running through Cornwall, where they have operated for much of their lives Each Castle Class HST power car was named after a Castle around the Great Western network. The Helston Railway was donated St Mawes Castle,…

December 21 ‘The Class 455 Farewell’ Rare tracks tour from Waterloo and return. EMU: Class 455 TBC. BLS 21 ‘The Polar Express’ Return trip from Birmingham New Street. Loco: 7029 Clun Castle. VT 21 'The Polar Express' Return trip from London Euston. Loco: 44871. PNP 22 'Santa Steam Express' (am and pm) Circular tour from London Victoria. Loco: 70000 Britannia. SD 22 'The Polar Express' Return trip from Birmingham New Street. Loco: 7029 Clun Castle. VT 22 'The Polar Express' Return trip from London Euston. Loco: 44871. PNP 23 'The Polar Express' Return trip from Birmingham New Street. Loco: 7029 Clun Castle. VT 23 'The Polar Express' Return trip from London Euston. Loco: 44871. PNP 29 'The Dead Simple Positioning Move' Great Yarmouth to Peterborough only. Loco: 2x Class 20s…

The first of the Class 5s emerged from Derby Works in April 1951, although much of the design work was carried out at Doncaster: to be fair, there was a great deal of overlap between the Standard Class 5 and Stanier’s LMS classic ‘Black Five.’ Probably the most noticeable difference between the two was the very-high running plate of the Standard 5, adopted to make servicing and maintenance easier and quicker. Boiler pressure was 225lb sq in and the cylinders were 19in × 28in, the tractive effort was 26,120lbs. and they weighed in at 76 tons 4cwt. There were two slightly different grate areas of 27.75 or 28.5 sq ft, giving firebox heating surfaces of 156 or 171 sq ft respectively, which led to slightly differing areas of a superheating…

Ends January 4 GW Railwayana January 14-24 Great Northern Railwayana January 17 Thirsk Railwayana February 2-27 Paddington Ticket Auctions February 16-22 JustaClickAgo February 28 Main Line Railwayana Transport Auctions of London March 7-9 Great Central Railwayana March 14/15 GW Railwayana  March 21 Talisman Railwayana March 25-April 4 Great Northern Railwayana April 18 Thirsk Railwayana April 25 Main Line Railwayana May 4-29 Paddington Ticket Auctions May 16 Talisman Railwayana May 18-25 JustaClickAgo May 2 5-31 Main Line Railwayana June 6-8 Great Central Railwayana June 20 Thirsk Railwayana June 27 Transport Auctions of London July 18-19 GW Railwayana July 25 Main Line Railwayana August 3-28 Paddington Ticket Auctions August 24-30 JustaClickAgo September 5-7 Great Central Railwayana September 19 Thirsk Railwayana  September 26 Main Line Railwayana October 24 Talisman Railwayana October 31 Transport Auctions…

DESPITE being the second largest constituent company created by the Railways Act of 1921 (otherwise known as the Grouping Act), the LNER is perhaps the least represented in the heritage sector. A total of seven subsidiaries were amalgamated to form it, including the Great Central, Great Northern, Great North of Scotland and Hull & Barnsley railways to name a few. Sadly, few locomotives from these made it into preservation. One other company that was absorbed was the Great Eastern Railway, which fared slightly better. A total of nine locomotives built for that company remain, among which are two new-builds at various stages of construction at the time of this article being written. With the biggest surviving GER locomotive being James Holden's B12 4-6-0 No. 8572 and the smallest being the…

The article by Geoff Courtney in issue 338 about the ex-Stratford drivers’ reunion I organised at Mangapps Railway Museum brought to mind a photograph in my collection of the depot in June 1961, a year before it closed to steam. There are just two steam locomotives in view, although more would have lurked inside the old Jubilee shed. That was a stark contrast to even just the year before, when on January 3, no fewer than 174 locomotives were noted on shed, the vast majority of them steam. I feel very envious of Geoff’s steam trainspotting exploits. We both lived in the Ilford area, but are of slightly different generations. By the time I started trainspotting at Ilford, steam was a distant memory, having been banished from East Anglia in…

I WAS very interested to read the article on the 150th birthday of the Rimutaka Railway Fell locomotive in Heritage Railway 339. The image you published was taken when the New Zealand railway was still active, with the 0-4-2T in steam, and judging by the look of some of the people in the picture, one possibly taken on the occasion of an enthusiast group visit. Here is an image of the locomotive, No. H199, in the museum at Featherston, North Island, together with a close-up of the motion, which as you mention in the article moves by virtue of electric motors, and one of the Fell brake van which you also mention, all of which I took when I visited in 2015.…

THE Great Central Railway has won an award for being the Best Day Out in Leicestershire. The railway scooped the prestigious accolade at the 2025 Leicestershire Promotions Tourism & Hospitality Awards presentation evening and was highly commended for its Elizabethan traditional Sunday Lunch dining train. GCR general manager Malcolm Holmes said: “Winning this is an incredible honour as it was the only category voted for by the public. Placing in every category we entered as well makes this a truly remarkable night. As a volunteer-led, not-forprofit organisation, recognition like this means the world to us. It reflects the passion, skill and hard work of our teams.” The GCR will be running a public passenger service on Christmas Day. Although December 25 has traditionally seen most of the country close down…

AN early December water supply disruption to Tunbridge Wells in Kent came close to impacting the Spa Valley Railway's 'Polar Express' services, but thanks to some quick planning, services were able to run as advertised. On November 29, residents reported low pressure for their water supplies, with some a total absence. South East Water apologised, citing issues at the nearby Pembury water treatment plant which had resulted in the site shutting down, with water tankers deployed to supply residents and businesses with drinking water supplies. Although the firm initially hoped to resolve the issue by 6am the following morning, the disruption continued until the end of the following week. 'Ridiculous' situation Accordingly, many firms, including hotels and restaurants, had to close while mains supplies were reinstated, resulting in thousands of…

THE East Lancashire Railway is now home to Class 20 D8069. Entering service on June 30,1961, later renumbered to 20069, it was withdrawn on February 1,1981, and stored at Swindon Works. In June 1982, No. 20069 was moved to Glasgow Works as part of a plan to upgrade all remaining Class 20s with dual brakes to see them in traffic for another decade and allocated to Edinburgh'shlaymarket depot. On May 19, 1991, while at Thornaby, it was condemned and dumped at Frodingham depot. The following year, it was bought by a group led by the late Chris Broadhurst and arrived at County School, home of the nascent Mid-Norfolk Railway, that June. In June 2001, it visited the nearby North Norfolk Railway’s diesel gala and stayed there for four months, undergoing…

A BULLEID Pacific, a fireless locomotive narrow-gauge gunpowder van and the newest heritage line station in the UK are among dozens of projects, people, and achievements that have made it onto the biggest-ever shortlist for the Heritage Railway Association Annual Awards 2026. A panel of judges chaired by the National Railway Museum’s Anthony Coulls and comprising industry experts and leading journalists from the sector considered a record 110 entries to create the shortlist. HRA chief executive Steve Oates said: “This has already been the most hotly contested HRA Awards ever, with entries comfortably breaking through the 100 figure for the first time. “The judging panel really did have their work cut out to whittle that down to a shortlist – the biggest and most comprehensive shortlist we’ve ever seen. Facing…

THE Mid-Suffolk Light Railway is to stage its Steam & Light Festival on January 1. The event will feature the Historical Lighting Association’s display of fascinating vintage oil lamps dating from the mid-Victorian era, as seen everywhere from grand houses to practical workplaces. The duty locomotive will be Stephen Middleton’s Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No. 1208 of 1916 Illingworth, from the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, which previously visited in 2018. It will be hauling the line’s GWR Victorian four-wheeled coaches, a historical and exciting experience for any passengers, especially children. The tearoom and museum will be open, and the Eastern Counties Bus Preservation Society will run a free shuttlebus service between Stowmarket and Brockford station during the day. Tickets are available now and can be booked online at www.mslr.org.uk/booktickets…

A £135,000 winter appeal have been launched for PS Waverley, the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer, to replace both of its masts and dining saloon windows by March, ahead of the 2026 sailing season. These traditional features are central to the distinctive profile of the vessel, built in 1947 for the LNER, and renewing them in authentic materials is essential to preserving it historic character and renewed appearance. Waverley general manager Paul Semple said: “Essentially, many parts of the ship could be replaced with more modern materials and fittings which may last longer, but collectively that would change the look and feel of the ship. “Preserving Waverley is about maintaining her as far as is possible as she was intended to be. We are preserving her truly unique character.” Waverley’s…

WORK to prepare Robertsbridge station for the arrival of regular services once the Rother Valley Railway is linked to the Kent & East Sussex Railway has entered the next phase, with the latest fundraising appeal aimed at completing the facilities required for both passengers and rolling stock there. Thanks to the generosity of supporters, the £500,000 station building forming part of phase one is now structurally complete and the interior fit-out is underway. When finished, it will house a traditionalstyle booking office, souvenir shop, and light refreshments area. The northern end already boasts fully fitted public toilets which the RVR Heritage Trust claims are “probably the best” to be found on any UK heritage railway. Work is also progressing on a new access route from the car park, including a…

SIXTEEN more dates have been added to the year-long nationwide tour of the Railway 200 free exhibition train Inspiration, already visited by more than 40,000 people. Co-curated with the National Railway Museum and supported by a £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Inspiration outlines the story of how railways reshaped Britain and opportunities for the future. The new hosts and venues are: Ribble Steam Railway, Preston, January 6-9; Merseyrail, Southport, January 10-13; Avanti West Coast, Crewe, January 15-19; East Lancashire Railway, Bury, January 21-24; c2c Rail, Upminster, January 26-30; Greater Anglia, Cambridge, January 31-February 1; Greater Anglia, Colchester February 3/4; Greater Anglia, Clacton, February 5/6; Greater Anglia, Hertford, February 7/8; Swanage Railway, Swanage, February 16-18; Mid-Hants Railway, Hampshire, February 19/20; South Western Railway, Salisbury, February 21-23; South Western…

THE oldest-surviving locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley successfully completed its steam test at Weybourne workshops on the North Norfolk Railway as its six-year overhaul nears completion – and an appeal to finish the job has raised a third of its target. The Gresley Society’s 1921-built GNR N2 0-6-2T No.1744/4744 (BR No. 69523)˜was withdrawn from service late in 2018 for an overhaul that has proved to be considerably more extensive and costly than anticipated, but it is now on the road to returning to traffic in spring 2026. The overhaul began in 2019 but was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which affected both timescales and costs. Worse then expected Once the locomotive was stripped down, it became evident that far more work was needed than…

RAPIDLY nearing the end of its boiler ticket, Dartmouth Steam Railway’s BR 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75014 Braveheart received a slightly new look just in time for the start of the line’s annual illumination trains. Due to be withdrawn during 2026, the BR standard’s smokebox detailing and buffers have been picked out in white, a look which was common for locomotives allocated to work on the Western Region’s Cambrian route. Furthermore, the number and shedcode plates have also been given red backings as seen on locomotives of the Midland Region in the early 1950s. During its working life, No. 75014 worked in both regions, being shedded at depots such as Llandudno Junction and Croes Newydd for the former and the likes of Patricroft and Stoke for the latter. DSRRBC’s Chief Mechanical…

A 40FT model railway attraction built by the late Great Central president and benefactor David Clarke is to remain open for the ‘foreseeable future’ after a U-turn on closure plans was made. The Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation, which owns the David Clarke Model Railway at Ulverscroft Grange in Whitwick Road, Markfield, Leicestershire, said in October that it needed to pull the plug on the attraction to increase revenue due to rising employment and energy costs, and finding a new home for the model was a priority. However, a change of heart led to an announcement on November 26 that the decision had been reversed. A statement said: “Constructive discussions have taken place between the volunteers and the trustees, and alternative plans have now been submitted to meet the foundation's requirements. These…

THE overhaul of repatriated Sharp Stewart 0-4-4T No. 4085 of 1895 Dunrobin inside the Severn Valley Railway’s Bridgnorth shed has taken considerable steps forward after the boiler passed its tests and fittings were reinstated onto the backhead. Blanking-off plates can be seen where the boiler has undergone testing. A successful trial fitting has taken place and the boiler now sits in front of the locomotive for work to continue. Its valve gear and motion are assembled. Dunrobin was constructed for the fourth Duke of Sutherland and ran with carriage No. 58A, built by the Highland Railway at Lochorm works in 1909. The third duke had financed the construction of the line from Golspie to Helmsdale, which opened in 1871. At Dunrobin Castle, the duke built his own private station and…

HOUSED in the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum, one of the world’s first petrol-driven railcars is reaching the centenary of its entry into regular timetabled service. However, the museum has plans to draw special attention to former County Donegal Railways railcar No. 1, which entered traffic on the Stranorlar-Glenties line in 1926 when it was short of coal as a result of the General Strike that year. The unique railcar, which originated as an open track inspection car built by Alday and Onions in 1907, was gifted to the former Belfast Transport Museum by the CDR in 1956, when it was withdrawn from service. It was one of the first pieces of Irish narrow gauge rolling stock to be preserved thanks to the CDR recognising its historical importance as a…

THE Downpatrick & County Down Railway has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service 2025 – the equivalent of the MBE for volunteers. It follows the extraordinary efforts of the team who led the railway from flood recovery to a full reopening being Highly Commended in the Outstanding Team of the Year category in the Social Enterprise Northern Ireland Awards 2025. DCDR chairman Robert Gardiner said: “We are deeply honoured and proud to receive The King’s Award for Voluntary Service as we celebrate our 40th anniversary year. This is a tribute to every volunteer who has helped build, maintain, and grow this railway over the past four decades. “In recent years we have faced some of the toughest and most unprecedented challenges in our 40 years, from the Covid-19…

THE Lynton & Barnstaple Railway has launched an appeal for the overhaul of First World War Kerr Stuart 0-6-0T Axe. A Joffre class locomotive, No. 2451 of 1915 dropped its fire for the last time after the Remembrance Day service for local schools on November 11, 2024, when its boiler ticket expired and has since waited its turn in the overhaul queue at Woody Bay. Axe was part of a batch of 30 ordered by the French government in February 1915 for service on the Western Front. The name of the class came from the French commanderinchief. When the French were forced to concentrate on the defence of Verdun in February 1916, the British took over the front line section north of the Somme, the scene of the devastating battle…

STEAM locomotives are set to return to Carlisle Upperby depot after plans to store them there were approved by Cumberland Council. It has granted planning permission for a 460ft-long steel-framed canopy at the former Carlisle Upperby Diesel Depot’ 12B carriage shed, off St Nicholas Bridges, to provide covered accommodation for steam locomotives and heritage rolling stock, enabling their preservation and protection in a manner that is sensitive to the site’s longstanding railway heritage. A planning officer’s report said that the new structure will be located within the existing confines of Carlisle Diesel Depot on the site of a former railway storage building. Accordingly, the principle of the proposal is acceptable, it said. Built by the Lancaster & Carlisle Railway, the depot passed into LMS ownersgip at the Grouping of 1923.…

THE Great Central Railway (Nottingham) has completed the installation of a new 65ft-long locomotive servicing pit as the line gears up to operate more steam services. While the line’s northern terminus at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre in Ruddington has an engineering building with an indoor inspection pit, until now it lacked a dedicated facility for lighting up a steam locomotive, maintaining it, and cleaning it down at the end of the day. The railway ran a fundraising campaign throughout the summer to pay for the new pit, a state-ofthe-art, industrial grade stainless steel construction with lighting and connections for power, water and compressed air. Constructed by Premier Pits of Spalding, it represents an investment of nearly £100,000 – and means that the GCR(N) is now ‘open for business’ for…

AFTER the prolonged overhaul of BR Standard Class 8 No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester, the promised member’s special ran on October 8, routed round the circuit from Crewe to Chester, Shrewsbury, Bushbury Jn, and back to Crewe on Locomotive Services Limited’s test circuit. Sandy Smeaton was on this and his image shows the train at Crewe. His table below gives estimates of No. 71000’s power output on five sections of the route. The highest equivalent drawbar horsepower (edbh) value achieved was 1590 on the 1-in-100 climb from Albrighton. Gresford Bank, climbed at relatively low speed, required 1380. Perhaps the engine was not pushed too hard here to avoid slipping in the woods shrouding the line. The sprint along the West Coast Main Line required no more than about 1100 edbhp.…

EXCLUSIVE The Manchester South Junction & Altrincham Railway is one of those comparatively obscure railways where little of its rolling stock has been preserved, apart from two compartment carriages stored under cover at Swanwick on the Midland Railway - Butterley dating back to 1931, soon after the line was electrified. The main line was between Ordsall Lane and London Road, but there was an 8½ -milelong branch running from Manchester London Road, now Piccadilly, to Altringham. Eventually, it was connected to the Cheshire Lines Committee rails at Altrincham and became a through route. Opened in 1849, the railway never owned any locomotives but hired them in from the LNWR and the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway. However, it owned its own carriages. Initially, four-wheeled carriages were used on the railway…

THE announcement of another newly tooled example of the BR Class 08 shunter in OO scale may have raised a few eyebrows, but what Accurascale will bring to the table is almost a much broader story of these 0-6-0 locomotives, covering variants not previously released in the scale. In addition to the standard Class 08, the manufacturer will be covering the cut-down versions and the Class 10 variant, bringing these to life as accurately as possible and incorporating many of the variants between members of the same class. Members of the Class 08 were reduced in height to work the Bury Port & Gwendraeth Valley line that connected Llanelli and Cwm Maur. This line had previously made use of Class 03 locomotives with a reduced cab height, but as they…

MUCH has been made of painting Vale of Rheidol 2-6-2T No.9 in BR electric blue, its recent return in this livery featured in Heritage Railway issue 339. The original reason was to save the Aberystwyth train crew depot as closure of the VoR would have meant redundancy for a number of staff. George Dow, BR Stoke Division divisional manager, did not want to close the VoR so on July 1, 1967, he invited Transport Minister Barbara Castle to travel from Devil’s Bridge to Aberystwyth on the line in the hope she would prevent closure – which she did. To reinforce BR’s determination to keep hold of the VoR, the decision was taken in the Stoke Division offices in 1968 to repaint the VoR stock in BR electric blue livery. Ron…