Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 327 i Heritage Railway

HAVING attended the 44th National Railway Heritage Awards in London, I could not fail to have been impressed not only with the high standard of the 58 entries but also the contest itself, as reported in News, pages 26-28. The heritage railway revival movement has worked miracles over the past 75 years, the heights this year being the debuts of two standard gauge mainline type locomotives, Brighton Atlantic No. 32424 Beachy Head and GWR 4-6-0 No. 6880 Betton Grange, both filling gaps in our fleets. However, the awards reinforce the concept that the UK's justifiably proud rail legacy is far from limited to locomotives and rolling stock, but encompasses a rich wealth of buildings too. Sadly, the Beeching era cuts led to so many classic railway structures bulldozed without a…

BUCKLEY Wells depot on the East Lancashire Railway is now to be home to two Bulleid light Pacifics following the announcement of Battle of Britain class No. 34081 92 Squadron's departure from the Nene Valley Railway to head to Bury indefinitely. Built in 1948, 92 Squadron arrived at Wansford on November 7, 1976. Purchased by the Battle of Britain Locomotive Society, it was originally planned for it to be based at the Dean Forest Railway for restoration, but negotiations broke down and a subsequent approach was made to the NVR. The locomotive was delivered to the sidings of the nearby British Sugar's Peterborough factory and towed to Wansford by a Barclay 0-4-0ST. Nene Valley stalwart After a lengthy restoration, the locomotive's first moves under its own steam came on March…

THE year 2025 will contains plenty of celebrations, and the Isle of Wight Steam Railway is gearing up to kick off with a four-day gala on February 20-23 that will not only raise the curtain on its Rail 200 celebrations, but which will also mark a significant anniversary and host two debuts with the return of one of its 'Terrier'0-6-0Ts and the first workings of the new Ryde Pier Tramcar trailer vehicle. Built at Brighton Works in 1877 as LBSCR A1X No. 46 Newington, No. W8 Freshwater arrived on the Isle of Wight in 1913, being hired by the Freshwater, Yarmouth & Newport Railway from the LSWR which had been operating it on the Lyme Regis branch since 1903. Freshwater returned to the mainland on May 4, 1949, under BR…

THE Ffestiniog Railway has confirmed that its June 20-22 70th anniversary weekend will feature “as many locomotives together in one place as possible”. There will be a cavalcade of locomotives set to run across the Cob led by a newly outshopped George England 0-4-0STT Prince in Garraway green! Last operational in 2022, Prince has been completely stripped down and refurbished in a comprehensive overhaul that has been entirely funded by FR Society members, including a new saddle tank, with the previous example found to be life expired despite efforts to save it. When it emerges from Boston Lodge workshops, Prince will carry the lined green livery that it has not been seen in since the 1980s, and which it wore when it worked the first heritage era trains on August…

THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway is to run a series of Whitby Winter Excursions from Friday, December 27 until Sunday, January 5. Departing at 11.10am (10.15am on Sundays) from Pickering and 2.30pm from Whitby, the journey takes around one hour and 45 minutes in each direction, leaving time for visitors to explore the seaside town for over an hour and a half. NYMR CEO Laura Strangeway said:“The Whitby Winter Excursions are a highlight of our winter calendar and a wonderful way for passengers to experience the charm of steam travel. “This service offers a unique journey through the stunning North Yorkshire Moors to the coastal town of Whitby, making it an ideal outing for families and visitors during the festive season.” For more information and to book, visit www.nymr.co.uk/whitby-winter-excursions…

NEARLY 750 people from Torbay’s fostering, special guardians, disability families and care-experienced young people took part in Dartmouth Steam Railway’s annual Christmas Train of Lights on November 28. The event was organised by Torbay Council’s Children’s Services to help create magical memories and a shared experience in the run-up to Christmas. It is one of several events that the council, working with a wide range of corporate fostering partners, offers as part of a package of support for foster carers which also includes training, local support groups and professional advice from a team comprising social workers and experienced carers as mentors. Coun Nick Bye, Torbay’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “A huge thank you to Dartmouth Steam Railway. It’s an amazing generous gesture greatly appreciated by all our special…

BUSINESSMAN Derrick Bilsby, who joined the Kent & East Sussex Railway 50 years ago as a schoolboy volunteer, has been elected chairman of the Tenterden-based heritage line in succession to Simon Marsh, who stood down in November after six years in the role. The 68-year-old boss of a company that provides revenue protection and software development services for the rail and bus industry, he said:“Heritage railways are in my DNA, but so is business, and the two need to be very much aligned if we are to steer our way through some pretty choppy waters in the coming years. “Whether we like it or not, for the sector to continue to be something that we can all enjoy for years to come, we have to operate with commercial heads, not…

CONSTRUCTION work on the £6 million project that will link the heritage lines of the Kent & East Sussex Railway and the Rother Valley Railway two miles away is expected to start in the spring, with the first passenger trains over the newlycreated 14-mile line provisionally set to run in 2028. The project, which was fiercely opposed by two farming families on the route at Salehurst, was given the go-ahead in May last year in the form of a Transport & Works Act Order granted to the RVR. It will result in trains operating from the RVR base at Robertsbridge, where a five-coach platform has been built beside the national network station, to Tenterden, and will be operated wholly by the KESR. Other facilities at Robertsbridge will include engine and…

THE Churnet Valley Railway has successfully relocated its signalbox at Cheddleton station, returning it to the site of one that was demolished by British Railways in the 1960s. Until October this year, the ’box – an original North Staffordshire Railway example recovered from Elton Crossing, near Sandbach – had been situated at the south end of the station, some distance away from the gated level crossing. Discussions about the possibility of relocating it to the site of the lost structure first took place in 2021, but while grant funding would have helped finance the project, there was uncertainty around the feasibility of the proposal. However, it resurfaced in 2023, during which it was identified that a temporary replacement system would be required to control entry and exit to the locomotive…

THE survival of one of the world's most extraordinary railway museum collections - the Sierra Leone National Railway Museum - is under threat after a large fire in an adjacent warehouse seriously damaged its building. The museum, housed in the former Cline Town Railway workshops in Freetown, contains 16 historic British-built colonial-era vehicles and many other smaller items - important assets for both heritage and tourism purposes, as rare reminders of the nation's once-extensive railway which closed in 1975. The structural damage – which has seen 20% of the recently-rebuilt roof damaged, 15 large windows implode and cracks appear in one major wall– compromises the security of the collection and the safety of the staff. Smoke and water have caused cosmetic damage to every vehicle, so a full repaint of…

BUDDING rail photographers have just a few weeks left to enter a major competition linked to this coming year's Railway 200 celebrations. Organised by the National Railway Museum and the Railway Photographic Society, Fujifilm UK is the latest major name to come on board as a co-sponsor of the contest, which is also supported by Heritage Railway magazine publisher Mortons Media, Network Rail, GB Railfreight and Network Rail and Amateur Photographer magazine. But to enter, you need to act quickly, as the closing date is January 31. Fujifilm has joined the line-up and increased the prize pot with some superb equipment. Three X-T5 Silver digital cameras with XF16-50mm lenses will be won by the overall winner, plus winners in the two age categories of 18 and under and 19-25. Other…

THE big push to see one of the few preserved BR steam locomotives that has yet to run in the heritage era debut in time forafast-approaching anniversary has seen the boiler arrive in the West Country ready for overhaul and repair under contract. Built at Horwich in December 1956, BR Standard 4MT 2-6-0 No. 76077 will mark its 70th birthday in two years’time, so owner the Toddington Standard Locomotive Ltd (TSLL) is makinga concerted effort to complete the front half of the mogul in time, with hopes of seeing it run in its birthday year. Although the identity of No. 76077 will be turning 70, the boiler – No. 1052– was first fitted to classmate No. 76007 that was outshopped from the same workshop in 1953.The boiler was swapped during…

IN a drive to forge stronger links with politicians, the Heritage Railway Association hosted a parliamentary reception in the House of Lords on November 13. Attended by directors, trustees and senior managers from 60 heritage organisations including railways, tramways and funiculars, the aim of the event was to help heritage railways connect with their MPs and Lords with an interest in the sector. It was the first opportunity to bring heritage rail representatives together in Westminster since this year’s General Election. The reception was addressed by Liz Saville Roberts MP, whose North Wales constituency contains more heritage railways than any other in the UK and who co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Heritage Rail alongside HRA president Lord Faulkner. The group’s first chair, Baroness Nicky Morgan, also spoke, and the…

THE Bure Valley Railway has taken delivery of its new battery-electric locomotive from Clayton Equipment Ltd in Burton-upon-Trent. As reported in issue 308, the order for the CB12 Co-Co was placed following three years of discussions which began before the Covid-19 pandemic. The 15in gauge line has already pioneered the first trials of coal alternatives for its steam locomotive fleet and is now breaking new ground with environmentallyfriendly‘ green’traction. The line stated that the 13.6-tonne CB12 Co-Co is the first all-new design and build battery electric locomotive for passenger haulage on a UK statutory regulated railway of any gauge. While having the same power as one of its steam locomotives and able to haul the nine-mile railway’s longest and heaviest trains over steep gradients with ease, the new arrival is…

OVERHAULED recently at Bill Parker’s Flour Mill workshops at Bream in the Forest of Dean, GWR autotank No. 1450 is to be based at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway for the foreseeable future. As reported in our last issue, the Swindon 1935-built 0-4-2T made a surprise appearance at the Avon Valley Railway’s end-of-season gala minus logo on the tanks on November 2/3. Originally outshopped as No. 4850, it was one of the 4800 class. Designed by Charles Collett, 75 were built in three batches between 1932 and 1936. It was renumbered 1450 by the GWR in 1946. Most of its working life was spent on the Abingdon branch while shedded at Oxford. In January 1951 it was moved to Slough shed, working the Bourne End to Maidenhead autocoach service.…

THE Railway Touring Company has been named the Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays in the 2024 British Travel Awards. Travelling consumers cast more than 1.2 million votes in the annual awards, and winners were announced on November 19. It is the fifth top award in a row for Kings Lynn-based RTC, which was established in 1997. In 2019, 2022 and 2023 it was also voted Best Small Travel Company for Rail Holidays and in 2019 Best Small Specialist Interest Holiday Company (the awards were not held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic). RTC managing director Kelly Osborne said:“It is incredible to receive this accolade once again. Thanks to all our wonderful customers for voting for us “Looking ahead, 2025 is set to be another special year. It…

A REPLICA running-in board has been erected at Torre station in Torbay to commemorate the 175th anniversary of its opening. The coming of the railway in 1848 led to growth of the local economy and the development of Torquay as a prime tourist destination. The Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership secured funding to create a traditional sign for Torre station, on the northbound platform where the original would have been positioned. Coun Chris Lewis, Torbay Council’s cabinet member for place development and economic growth and deputy leader, along with deputy civic mayor Coun Barbara Lewis, attended the station with members of the partnership to mark the installation of the sign. Coun Lewis said:“The sign is a great enhancement to Torre station, a transport and heritage gateway into Torbay for locals…

The completion of the latest bridge renewal scheme on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway will go down in history. According to James Barlow, the railway's chief civil engineer, it is the KWVR's largest volunteer-led civil engineering project, involving at least 100 people ranging in age from 16 to 75, and uniting a breadth of skills and expertise. For James, a volunteer on the KWVR whose full-time role is with Network Rail, the replacement of Bridge 27 brings to conclusion a decade of planning and preparation. "I was a bit emotional, because over the last six months I have been working and coming home and doing Bridge 27 stuff," he said. "Having so many people chipping in has made it much easier. The scale of the project was beyond what…

UNDER the auspices of Churchward and Collett, many variations of the class came about, all based on the same underlying principles. With so many classes and subclasses as part of the story of the large prairies, it is best to start at the very beginning with George Jackson Churchward. Churchward was a visionary and an innovator. When he took over as CME in 1902, he didn’t just put his feet up. He proactively set a style which would not only apply to the Great Western Railway through his tenure, but which would also establish principles that lasted throughout nationalisation and into preservation too. Churchward's standardisation The key was standardisation. The GWR needed new engines quickly, and Churchward realised that the development of high-quality individual parts such as boilers, wheels and…

THE start of the nationwide Railway 200 celebrations of the Stockton & Darlington Railway bicentenary as the world's first modern line will, as previously reported, see a mass Whistle Up of locomotives at noon on New Year's Day. However, the event, spearheaded by the Heritage Railway Association, may now feature more than 200 locomotives - steam, diesel and electric - taking part around the UK and further afield, such has been the popular response. As we closed for press, more than 60 lines had confirmed their participation in the event, which draws heavily on the steam-age tradition of locomotive crews sounding their whistles on January 1, and the numbers were growing on a daily basis. With several lines committing multiple locomotives - such as the Volks Electric Railway's fleet of…

A RECORD number of entries have been received for the Heritage Railway Association 2025 Annual Awards. The huge level of interest – nearly 25% up on 2024 – saw 92 submissions received, the figure being seen as a strong indication that heritage rail is fighting back strongly from the twin challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. HRA chief executive Steve Oates said:“The awards in 2024 were a record year for entries, but this eclipses it completely. We’ve launched a couple of very popular new categories, like Achievement of the Year, but we have seen strong interest across the board. Rising to the challenges “It’s been a tough few years for heritage rail, but I’d like to think that this is evidence that much of the hard work…

THE Battlefield Line’s Winter Warmer Gala on January 11/12, 2025, will see the first appearance in almost half a century of Austerity 0-6-0ST No. 71480 Fred following its overhaul being completed at Tyseley Locomotive Works. Built in 1945 by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns, it was delivered to the Longmoor Military Railway that July but was there for only four months before being sold to Manchester Collieries. Departing Longmoor the following April, it worked at various pits before being named Fred. Many colliery locomotives took their names from prominent employees within the company, with this example named after Fred Hilton, a former superintendent of the Manchester Collieries railway system. At one time, following a rebuild in 1964, Fred was fitted with an underfeed stoker that mechanically fed coal into the fire.…

THE Severn Valley Railway’s ‘Enchanted Express’ from Bridgnorth proved to be a roaring success, with all services fully sold out. The season started at Bridgnorth on November 30 when three compartments were available on the first train only. Three returns ran to Highley over that weekend. The following weekends throughout December (and also scheduled for Christmas Eve) saw four trains daily. Santa was on board in addition to actors in different guises to entertain children and adults alike. The inspiration came from the classic poem A visit from St Nicholas (‘ Twas the nght before Christmas’) narrated by Dame Julie Walters. Five GWR carriages carried the passengers with one maroon Mk.1 for Santa and his helpers, plus the Stove R on the rear as the guard’s van. Motive power was…

VERY high winds and torrential rain battered parts of the UK over the weekend of December 7/8 as Storm Darragh blew in – and brought disruption to many heritage lines that had to cancel services as a precaution or owing to damage sustained. With red weather warnings across the UK, heritage lines perfectly poised to face the brunt of the weather announced service suspensions rather than disappoint customers on the day. The Talyllyn Railway confirmed on December 6 that its‘Tinsel and Turkey’ services for the following day were suspended. As high winds rolled in off the coast, the railway’s offices received a call advising that some of the roof cladding had been ripped off of Brynglas blockpost, and tiles dislodged from the station roof. Submerged lines Later inspections also revealed…

TWO former BR carriages are facing different futures, with one set to be converted into a community café, while the other could be retired from the same purpose for which it is currently used Built in 1961 as a corridor second, Mk. 1 No. 25853 was later converted for use as part of BR’s travelling college train. Designed by engineer Barrie Masterton, it comprised 12 carriages that were converted for this use at the Cardiff Cathays works. It was the only train of its kind in the world and could accommodate 160 students, being operated under contract with the InterCity charter section. The travelling college was developed following the launch of GCSE examinations which required an amount of learning to be undertaken beyond the classrooms. It was intended that this…

A £10,000 appeal to complete the first phase of the restoration of a former Dawlish Warren camping coach for use by West Somerset Railway volunteers has been launched. The 57ft Corridor Third toplight built under lot No. 1269 to Diagram C32 was completed by the GWR in July 1920. It was renumbered No. 3385 during 1955 and converted to a camping coach christened Hilda. Renumbered 9882 and then just 82, it is now based at Blue Anchor station. The first phase of its restoration is to remove the asbestos from the steam pipe beneath the carriage – an essential first step before the renewal of the rest of the coach can begin in earnest. The intention is to restore it as a camping coach for the use of volunteers working…

AN iconic Chesapeake & Ohio Railway 4-8-4-the last steam locomotive commercially built for main line passenger use in the USA - has been sold to a group which is set on returning it to running order. Chesapeake & Ohio Class J-3a 'Greenbrier' No. 614, built in 1948 by the Lima Locomotive Works, is hailed as the pinnacle of steam locomotive development in the USA and celebrated for its engineering excellence and its role in American railroading. Designed to master the Allegheny Mountains, it hauled the C&OR's premier trains including 'The George Washington' and 'The Fast Flying Virginian. No. 614 was an instant success, enhancing railroad capacity and efficiency with its impressive performance; its ability to handle heavy loads over challenging terrains at speeds exceeding 100mph, generating about 5000 horsepower, demonstrated…

THE surviving part of one of London's lost stations has carried off a top honour in the 2024 National Railway Heritage Awards, which attracted nearly 60 entries this year. In the charitable organisation's 44th annual awards ceremony, held at the Merchant Taylors' Hall in Threadneedle Steet in London on December 4, Bromley Council and the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway carried off the BAM Nuttall Partnership Award for the conversion of the subway at the long-closed Crystal Palace High Level station. The subway beneath Crystal Palace Parade was designed as a pathway to provide access for first-class passengers to the relocated Crystal Palace, from the London, Chatham & Dover Railway's Crystal Palace High Level station, which opened in 1865. The Crystal Palace was originally built in Hyde Park for the…

THE oldest locomotive to operate services on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, Zillertalbahn 0-6-2T No. 2 Zillertal, left the line on November 27 as its five-year loan period ended and it returned to its home in Austria. The only engine of its type ever to operate in Britain, Zillertal had been based on the WLLR to help cover a shortfall in motive power there, the visit a result of the Welsh line's strong relationship with the Zillertalbahn. In 1968 the independent Austrian railway also donated four of its distinctive balcony carriages to the revival efforts of the Llanfair Caereinion-Welshpool Raven Square route, with these remaining in regular service to this day. The Zillertalbahn runs through a valley for 20 miles alongside the river Ziller in Tyrol, Austria, starting at…

WHAT is now believed by experts to be the world's oldest railway station - which the Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway is attempting to save - has been added to Historic England's annual Heritage at Risk Register. Heighington station on the Tees Valley line, five miles north-west of Darlington on the Bishop Auckland to Saltburn line, is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains. However, on the opposite side of the line are the Grade II*-listed original station buildings which were completed in 1827 as Aycliffe Lane, not the mid-1830s as previously thought, leading to experts now believing that it is the oldest station in the world. Landmark moment The original design called for a public house which would act as a waiting room. It marks…

THE first 3ft gauge track to be laid at Donegal Railway Heritage Museum since County Donegal Railways lifted its lines through the station in 1960 following closure of the route could be on the cards if an approach to Bord na Mona to bid for track, points and two diesel locomotives goes ahead. The materials are available following the Irish national turf producer’s end of railway activities, and several other heritage lines, including the Cavan & Leitrim Railway, have made successful bids to Bord Na Mona for equipment, motive power and rolling stock. Risk of missing out Museum manager Niall McCaughan said:“A decision will be taken soon at board level and the plan would be to approach Bord na Mona with our shopping list and budget to see what would…

WHAT do a master baker, a GP, and a human resources specialist, have in common in the publishing world of recording the railways of yesteryear? The answer is that the trio forms the team responsible for a newly-launched tome of photographs and paintings, most of which are previously unpublished, covering the period from the 1940s to the 1980s. The master baker is Eric Oldham, whose photographs and paintings are the beating heart of the book. The HR specialist is John Hillier, who first met Eric during his schooldays in Hyde, Cheshire, and was subsequently guided by him during his formative photographic years, and the GP is Sir John Oldham, Eric’s nephew, who took his uncle’s collection of 4000 negatives into safe keeping after Eric’s death in 2008 at the age…

THE Rail Trolley Trust added a plethora of personnel carrying vehicles to its collection in a successful 2024, with another three vehicles being secured in addition to those reported in the last issue of Heritage Railway. In addition, the charity has said it is investigating battery power conversion for one that, if successful, could see more of the permanent way personnel carries treated to the same. While they may not have the glitz and glamour of a full-size locomotive, rail vehicles such as these are instrumental to many permanent way teams at heritage lines, offering more economical transport to worksites plus covered protection. Many variations were developed, but sadly many have fallen into disrepair. This is an area in which the RTT has flourished and has amassed a growing collection…

SAPHOS Trains will retrace the route of the ‘Golden Arrow’ boat train on Wednesday, March 26, behind either West Country light Pacific No. 34046 Braunton or BR Standard 7 No. 70000 Britannia. Starting from Peterborough diesel-hauled, the tour is scheduled to head towards March and Ely for additional passengers, before stopping at Cambridge for a further pick-up, and then taking the Cambridge branch back towards the East Coast Main Line. Further passenger stops are planned for Royston, Letchworth, Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City and Potters Bar, before the train pauses in West London to exchange diesel for steam. The train is expected to then head towards the Garden of England for a circular steam tour around the Kent coast. Passing through Ashford, the tour is bound for Canterbury for an afternoon…

A BLUE plaque honouring Edward Watkin, who created the Great Central Railway main line and which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2024, was unveiled at Cleethorpes station on November 15 by the seaside town’s MP, Melanie Onn. Visionary Sir Edward William Watkin, 1st Baronet (September 26, 1819-April 13, 1901) presided over large-scale railway engineering projects to fulfil his business aspirations, eventually becoming chairman of nine different British Railway companies. Among his other projects were the expansion of the Metropolitan Railway, the creation of a pleasure garden with a partially constructed iron tower at Wembley, and a failed attempt to dig the first Channel Tunnel to connect his railway empire to the French network. He brought the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway to what was then the small coastal village of…

AT THE conclusion of its 50th anniversary year, Porthmadog-based tour operator Ffestiniog Travel has its eyes firmly fixed on the Railway 200 celebrations and has announced an eight-day itinerary taking in relevant heritage in the north with travel to each by rail. On September 27, exactly 200 years to the day after Britain’s first steamhauled passenger train ran the 26 miles between Shildon, Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees, a similar experience will run, taking travellers over much of the same route – albeit with diesel traction instead of steam. However steam will feature in destinations on the tour, with stops planned for at least six museums and heritage lines. General manager Maria Cook said: “A lot of our customers are enthusiasts and have a keen interest in how the railways developed, so…

December 21 ‘Thames Valley Christmas Cracker’ Rare freight lines tour departing Burtonon-Trent. Locos: 2× Class 57s TBA. PT 21 ‘Edinburgh Christmas Market’ York, Edinburgh Waverley and return. Steam-hauled throughout. Loco: TBA. RTC 21 ‘Santa Steam Express’ Circular tour from London Victoria. Loco: 34046 Braunton. SD 30 ‘Bo’ness Christmas Explorer’ Bo’ness, Edinburgh Waverley and return. Loco: 37403 Isle of Mull, 47712 Lady Diana Spencer. SRPS January 2025 10 ‘The Capital’s Scot’ Euston, Edinburgh, King’s Cross. Loco: 87002 Royal Sovereign. IC 17 ‘Emperor of the North’ Crewe, Carlisle and return. Locos: 45118 The RoyalArtilleryman, 50050 Fearless. IC 18 Mick Tester Memorial Tour Hastings, Winchester and return. DEMU: 1001. HD 18 ‘The East Anglian Freighter’ Rare tracks tour from London Liverpool Street. Locos: 2× Class 20s, Class 37 TBA. UKRT 24 ‘West Highland…

PERHAPS one of the unsung heroes of preservation and even BR, the Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST is one of the most instantly-recognisable tank locomotives in the country, with about 485 built and nearly 60 surviving in the heritage sector. No stranger to the model railway world, with Kitmaster introducing the first kit in 1961 and Dapol making the first ready-to-run example in 1998, the Austerity is soon to hit the shelves anew. Accurascale has revealed a new tooling suite that caters for many of the variations the class that have been missed by previous releases from other manufacturers. The Accurascale Austerity takes the spirit of the real locomotive; designed to move heavy trains with the minimum of fuss, a weight of nearly 250g, combined with a powerful coreless motor, ensures that…

VISITORS to Rapido's stall at Warley during the weekend of November 23/24 were kept guessing as designers from the firm could be seen live-producing design CADS for a surprise new wagon project, though the precise nature was kept under wraps until November 29 when it was announced alongside two more new designs! With its range of pre-Grouping locomotives and stock establishing itself well in the market, the addition of a L&BSCR eight-ton goods van and both five and seven-plank GER open wagons is new territory The eight-ton van models will not only be the first van introduced by the L&BSCR to ever be modelled in OO, but as a ready-to-run product full stop. Almost 400 of the type were introduced between 1878 and 1915 and will suitably complement the manufacturer's open wagons…

ON loan to the Nene Valley Railway to haul festive season services, LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45596 Bahamas received an early Christmas present with newly-manufactured worksplates fitted. Boxing Day 2024 marks the 90th anniversary of when Bahamas was outshopped in Glasgow. The new plates show the correct build date of 1934, and correct the previous date as displayed on the first 'replica' worksplates which inadvertently displayed 1935, often stated as the year when 5596 was built. It was this information, provided by BR at the time Bahamas was purchased, that led Bahamas Locomotive Society member Fred Barnes to create new worksplates in 1969 in his desire to replace the 'rebuild' plates provided by the Hunslet Engine Co. The discrepancy in the date was noted only much later. While the LMS…

THE recently-opened Hopetown Darlington has now won four awards and accolades in a row. A week after landing the prestigious North East Culture Award for Best Museum or Cultural Venue 2024, Hopetown carried off the Visitor Economy Award at the County Durham Together Awards 2024 on December 5. These awards followed in the wake of Hopetown's recent Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme and Welcome accolades, both bestowed by VisitEngland, which, as highlighted in Heritage Railway issue 323, gave the attraction top marks in a recent inspection. The North East Culture Award recognised the impact that the venue has had in both Darlington and the wider region and is viewed as a testament to all of the staff and partners who tell the story of the town's pioneering railway heritage. Other…

CHRISTMAS came early for the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) on November 28 when it ran its first test passenger train over its nine-mile line since the Covid-19 pandemic. Hired from Nemesis Rail, recently-restored two-car Class 107 DMU comprising vehicles Nos. 52031 and 52005 ran over the entire line it controls from Ruddington to the junction with the Midland Main Line in Loughborough. The movement was also the first passenger stock to cross the new bridge over the A60 north of Loughborough, the southern limit of operations following the full tamping on the line in recent months. Ready for service The DMU had been hired to provide motive power for the Jingle Bells Express, GCR(N)’s brand new festive family event. The test train was run as an operations rehearsal for the…

WORK on restoring Severn Valley Railway stalwart GWR Churchward 2-8-0 No. 2857 at Kidderminster has begun. No. 2857 hauled its last train on January 2, 2023, and its boiler certificate ran out soon afterwards. Built in 1918 as one of the 84-strong 2800 class designed for heavy freight use, especially coal, from South Wales, No. 2857 was withdrawn by BR in 1964 and sent to Barry scrapyard. Purchased from Woodham Bros in May 1974 by the 2857 Society, it was steamed for the first time in the heritage era in September 1979. Since then it has had several overhauls, including the replacement of a cylinder block which was discovered under a pile of coke during the demolition of Briton Ferry steelworks. Presently, No. 2857 is hidden under a cocoon at…

FOLLOWING several attempts to effect repairs throughout 2024, West Somerset Railway plc chairman Jonathan Jones-Pratt has confirmed that his WR Hawksworth 0-6-0PT No. 9466 has been withdrawn from service a full year before its boiler ticket was due to be overhauled, following failure of its cylinder block. Built in 1952 at the Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn Ltd works in Darlington, No. 9466 was purchased by Jonathan in 2019 following the death of its previous owner, Dennis Howells. Dennis had owned the locomotive since 1977, buying it two years after it was saved from scrap, and it arrived at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. During his tenure, he restored the locomotive to main line operating condition. Supported by the 9466 Locomotive Group, the large pannier ran main line tours with Vintage Trains…

PLANS for the forthcoming extension into the namesake town by the Bala Lake Railway have been revealed to have benefitted from a financial boost from a firm responsible for the decommissioning of 10 UK nuclear power stations. As reported in Heritage Railway issue 324, following the initial rejection for planning permission in 2023 the BLR was encouraged to resubmit a revised application which was approved by Eryri national park in September. The extension will see the 2ft gauge line, which traverses a 41/2 mile section of former standard gauge trackbed along the shores of the lake, lengthen by a further three quarters of a mile to a new station on the edge of the town. At present, services terminate at what was formerly the GWR’s Bala Lake Halt, with the…

THE Plym Valley Railway has been gifted a Class 43 High Speed Train power car by the modern-day Great Western Railway. The class is part of local transport heritage, having been based at nearby Laira since 1979 to run Plymouth to Paddington services. The power car, No. 43063, will undergo cosmetic restoration in the spring and then be placed on display so members of the public can visit the cab. Its power unit has been lifted out and other important components removed so it cannot be started or driven, but it will become a static exhibit. Sister No. 43161 has also arrived, but only as a source of spares for No. 43063. Once the cab has been lifted, it will be broken up on site during the closed season, with…

THE Wensleydale Railway has taken delivery of Class 47 No. 47714, which it purchased from the Harry Needle Railroad Company. Arriving at Leeming Bar on November 11, it was delivered by Class 50 No. 50008 Thunderer from Hanson & Hall Rail Services Solutions Limited. The WR’s Class 37 No. 37250 brought it onto its line from Castle Hills Junction at Northallerton to Leeming Bar station. The WR’s diesel traction team staff and volunteers have carried out a series of mechanical and electrical inspections and tests, and the 47 was successfully started up for the first time at the railway on November 17. Wensleydale Railway director of engineering and rolling stock, Tim Williamson, said: “The purchase of this locomotive improves our operational capabilities. “It has electric train heating capacity, which will allow…

THREE women have passed out as members of the South Tynedale Railway’s volunteer train crew. Exploring Alston soon after moving to the UK, Shanthi Adiyat took a ride on the line and said that she was instantly drawn to the beautiful scenery along the route and the friendliness of the volunteers running it.“With my airline operations background, the theme of transport felt familiar, and the next thing I knew I was training as guard!”she said. Shanthi qualified as a guard a few years ago, and her next aim is to complete driver training which was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a recent house move. Liz Cook, the youngest daughter of a stationmaster and station announcer, has an early childhood memory of inspecting signalboxes with her dad,…

STEAM Dreams will run a tour between Southend and Cardiff behind BR Standard 7 4-6-2 No. 70000 Britannia on Wednesday, April 16. Starting out Shoeburyness diesel-hauled, the train is scheduled to pick up additional passengers at Southend Central, Leigh-on-Sea, Barking and Stratford, before skirting the north of the capital. There is planned to be a brief stop in North London while the diesel traction is exchanged for steam, before the tour heads through north-west London to pick up the Great Western Main Line to reach the Severn Tunnel and the final destination of Cardiff. Customers will have just over three hours to explore the Welsh capital before the return journey, which is expected to follow the same format as the outward trip, with Britannia giving way to a diesel in…

ON the morning of Saturday, November 23, two steam-hauled trips under the banner of the‘The Christman White Rose’headed north to York on the East Coast Main Line well within an hour of each other. The first was the Saphos Trains tour from St Albans, which set off diesel-hauled, running via Luton, Bedford, Kettering, Leicester, Melton Mowbray and Stamford with LNER A4 Pacific No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley, which had been stabled at Wansford on the Nene Valley Railway, coming on at Peterborough. After four hours in York, the train departed diesel-hauled passing Church Fenton en route to Gascoigne Wood Down loop, where it reversed, and No. 60007 led again. A diesel took over once more at Peterborough, with the train retracing its earlier route to St Albans. LMS ‘Black Five’…

In his latest column, Don Benn looks at the work of Gresley A4 Pacific No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley in recent times, on the Great Northern main line in 1963 and in Scotland in 1965, plus another view of Welsh coal. A rare main line run with two Class 20s is also included. LNER A$ Pacfic No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley is an elusive beast for me, and my last main line run with it was the superb effort in 2008 with Ray Churchill driving. However, Alan Rawlings had a more recent run in 2014, the details of which are shown in Table One. Alan comments:“We were held up en route to Exeter and took 67 minutes instead of the booked 55. Kept time – i.e., 37 minutes to the water…

The Last Hurrah could be considered a fairly low-key gala when compared to some events in the sector. Rather than bringing in swarms of visiting locomotives, it relies entirely on the Great Central Railway's home fleet. Despite this, the weekend of November 16/17 saw increased footfall over the same event 12 months previous, which has helped the railway round off a year of celebration quite nicely. "Over the two days, we saw more than 2500 people pay to travel on services which was a significant increase on the figures for 2023," observed general manager Malcolm Holmes, adding that initially he was "anxious about the appeal of this year's event given we only had four steam locomotives out. Last year we had six running, plus the diesels, but since then BR…

This year has been one of celebration for many, but a particular anniversary that may have perhaps passed some by is the half centenary for a travel company based in Porthmadog, the existence of which came about in part thanks to the growth of the Ffestiniog Railway’s revival and a ticketing deal with British Rail. In 1969, Alan Heywood made the jump from a six-year-long career as an O-level teacher to being the FR’s traffic commercial manager. His involvement with the burgeoning heritage endeavour actually began in 1955 when he and friends from Bury Grammar School made a day trip there that July. While many of the group returned home at the end of the day, Alan and eight others stayed on for a week of volunteering, camping in a…

A TIME capsule buried at Kemble station 90 years ago is among the prized artefacts on display at an exhibition which opened on November 26. In 1935, stationmaster Cyril Feldwick placed a postage stamp and handwritten note commemorating King George V and Queen Mary’s 25th Jubilee in an old tobacco tin which was then hidden between a wall and window overlooking the station garden. Unearthed 10 years ago and now belonging to Cyril’s granddaughter, Bronwen Dale, the time capsule forms part of a display at the station entitled Kemble Through The Ages. Masterminded by modern-day Great Western Railway colleagues Al Watkins and Sarah Bennet, the exhibition offers a glimpse into the rich history of the railway and surrounding community. Al, a customer sales advisor at Kemble, said Cyril joked that…