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THE simple concept that was the January 1WhistleUp, as highlighted in our Headline News Special on pages 8-13, spearheaded by the Heritage Railway Association, was nothing short of a stroke of genius that will go down in history on its own account. The event, which saw steam, diesel and electric railway locomotives big and small, plus the occasional traction engine, sounding off in unison around the UK – and indeed in continents beyond – may well have set new records in the sector for mass participation. It was certainly a beyondbelief perfect start to Railway 200, which is celebrating one of Britain's greatest ever achievements: the reshaping of the world through the development of self-propelled traction. Despite the murky and windy weather which battered the country on New Year's Day,…
DECEMBER 31, 2024, was a day of celebration and triumph in Staffordshire as the Churnet Valley Railway saw the first passenger train run to Leek almost 60 years to the day after the station was closed by BR. The achievement came as the result of a multi-million pound project, in the presence of supporters who were invited to travel aboard the historic service. The market town's original station was built in 1849 for the North Staffordshire Railway and remained open until January 4, 1965, when BR ceased passenger services along the line to Uttoxeter. As with many lines, freight continued to be run for several years until this too ended in 1970. Despite attempts by preservationists to save it, the station was demolished in 1972 and the site is now…
JUST as the opening of the first modern railway in 1825 reshaped global transport, so the start of the Stockton & Darlington bicentenary celebrations captured the attention and imagination of Britain and overseas. Noon on January 1 saw the WhistleUp event take place, in which more than 200 steam, diesel and electric locomotives at about 60 venues in the UK sounded their whistles and horns in unison to mark the start of Railway 200, an unprecedented and growing nationwide programme of celebratory and educational public events in be staged through 2025. It was on September 27, 1825, that George Stephenson's Locomotion No. 1 became the first steam engine to haul both passengers and freight. The Heritage Railway Association invited venues around the UK to take part in the Whistle-Up. The…
ON January 1 at precisely midday, BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75069 sounded its whistle on Platform 2 at Bridgnorth station on the Severn Valley Railway to mark the start of Railway 200, reports John Titlow. Despite it being New Year's Day, the 10am service out of Kidderminster was crowded, with only a few seats available. I joined the train at Highley expecting to get a seat, but fewer passengers than is usual got off to visit the Engine House visitor centre; most headed straight for Bridgnorth to record the start of Railway 200. Upon arrival, the headboard made especially for the event was transferred from the tender to the smokebox before running round. The locomotive then headed into the shed yard for coal and photographs of the crew on…
THE Railway 200 year was launched at every size and gauge of railway in the UK on a wet, cold and windy New Year's Day–including the Milton Keynes-based Caldecotte Miniature Railway, which hosted the inaugural Railway 200 team members Emma Roberts, project sponsor, project manager Sharna Smith, and Phil Marsh. LMS-liveried Achillies design 0-6-0T Wolverton was steamed specially for the Whistle-Up at the multigauge line. Owned and driven by Ben Cox for the event, following his apprenticeship at Wolverton Works commencing in 2017, he is now an engineer there. CMR operations manager Bob James began his railway career in 1958 at Nine Elms and has only just given up driving duties at the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway after 65 years on steam. He trained Ben asasteam driver, who in…
THE celebratory noise of whistles heralded the start of a very special occasion for the world's oldest continuously-working railway and what, in June 1960, became the first standard gauge line to be taken over and operated by volunteers. At noon prompt on New Year's Day, Leeds councillor Paul Wray, who represents the city's Hunslet and Riverside ward, sounded the whistle to officially start Railway 200 during The Middleton Railway's annual mince pie special run at the Moor Road site. Keeping to tradition, Leeds-built Manning Wardle's steam locomotive No. 1210 Sir Berkeley, which is owned the line's partner organisation, the Vintage Carriages Trust, and its young volunteer crew and driver Mark Calvert journeyed along the former quarry line to Middleton Park. In response to Sir Berkeley‘s whistle, the horn was sounded…
