Indholdsfortegnelse for Issue 331 i Heritage Railway

THE Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust’s BR Standard 4MT 2-6-4T No. 80080 is to be loaned to the North Norfolk Railway for five years. NNR general manager Graham Hukins said:“The class is probably the ideal heritage railway locomotive, and I am sure the engine will be well-suited to our day-to-day services, dining trains, and special trains such as the Norfolk Lights Express, and it will also be a popular performer at our special events. The locomotive is scheduled to arrive in late May and will be an extremely useful addition to the fleet. I know when classmates have visited in the past, they have proved popular with crews, visitors and photographers alike.” On March 31, the 4MT arrived back at Butterley from the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, where it has been on…

THE Apedale Valley Light Railway, the West Lancashire Light Railway and Amerton Railway have signed an agreement to forge closer ties. All are 2ft gauge, entirely volunteer managed and operated, rely heavily on steam traction, and are underpinned by charitable organisations. Recognising the similarities in the organisations, a memorandum of understanding has been agreed between the trio to foster closer working and the sharing of good practice and knowledge. West Lancashire chairman Mike Spall said: “In an era of increasing pressures on heritage railways, we are better working in cooperation rather than in competition. The three organisations have always worked together – and many people are already members of at least two of the railways. Rather than three small organisations, we can now speak and influence with one voice. “All…

MARTY Gilroy has been appointed as the new manager at Donegal Railway Heritage Museum. The 33-year-old native of Drumkeen, County Donegal, is a graduate in English and history from University College Dublin, and also holds masters and doctorate qualifications. He cut his teeth in tourism as marketing and events coordinator at the James Joyce Centre in Dublin and was part of the team promoting the highly successful annual Bloomsday Festival. Marty, who has taken over from Niall McCaughan, said: “When I saw the job advertised, I decided it was for me as I wanted a whole new challenge and to further develop this award-winning museum. “Although I’m much too young to remember the railways of Donegal, I do remember as a child the awakening to their heritage that took place…

THE star of the Mid-Norfolk Railway’s diesel-oriented 30th anniversary weekend proved to be an InterCity Class 125 High Speed Train – which was making its last passenger-carrying trips in Britain before being shipped across the Atlantic for a new life in Mexico. Great Western Railway Class 43 power cars Nos. 43153 and 43194 are among a set of eight being exported by the Romic Group, a specialist in the procurement and worldwide sale of new, used and overhauled or remanufactured locomotives and rolling stock. The pair, loaned to the MNR for the anniversary event, hauled a set of four matching Mk. 3 coaches on a series of round trips between Dereham and Wymondham each day. The 125 train sets are being supplied to the Interoceanic Train of the Isthmus of…

THE Stephenson Steam Railway is offering a new hands-on driving experience – with the opportunity to take control of a BR Class 03 diesel. The North Tyneside attraction is giving visitors the chance to step into the cab of No. 03078 and learn how to prepare, start up, and manoeuvre it - before collecting wagons and hauling a freight train along the line. The cost is £200 per person, with two participants per session. On completion, guests will receive a completion certificate and complimentary North Tyneside Steam Railway Association mug. Participants can also enjoy a guided tour of the railway’s workshop. The experience also includes free time to explore the on-site museum showcasing the rich industrial heritage of the region. Available dates include May 10, August 2, September 6 and…

BRITANNIA will head to the seaside this October as it has been booked for the North Norfolk Railway’s Fiftieth Finale gala. Bringing the curtain down on the Poppy Line’s half centenary, the event takes place during the half-term week of October 25 to November 2. General manager Graham Hukins said: “We are delighted to have Britannia visiting us on the Norfolk coast, and we are looking forward to welcoming it back to a part of the UK that it was once a frequent visitor to. It is due to arrive by rail via the level crossing at Sheringham, the reinstatement of which is one of the major milestones in our 50-year history. “That fellow Britannia class locomotive No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell opened our main line link connection in 2010 makes the…

THE Cotswold Festival of Steam 2025 takes place on May 24-26 with the theme of Celebrating Railway 200. Confirmed visitors at present are BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75069, from the Severn Valley Railway, and West Country light Pacific No. 34092 City of Wells, from the East Lancashire Railway. Another guest was being negotiated. The home fleet in operation will include GWR 4-6-0 No. 6880 Betton Grange, WR 4-6-0 No. 7903 Foremarke Hall, GWR heavy freight 2-8-0s Nos. 2807 and 3850, and Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental SN Co. Merchant's final gala No. 35006 is on an extended boiler ticket which will finish in October this year. The 35006 Locomotive Society has recently launched a new fundraising initiative to support its overhaul with the slogan ‘Sponsor A…

NEW lineside signs are to be erected along the route of the Stockton & Darlington Railway as part of its 200th anniversary celebrations. Nearly 90 years ago, the LNER installed huge signs on the railway lineside between London and Edinburgh to indicate to passengers places of interest and the distance to their destinations while travelling on its new streamlined Coronation train hauled by Gresley A4 Pacifics. Signs of a similar design will be placed along the surviving parts of the 1825 line between Shildon and Stockton to make passengers aware of its historical significance. While many of the original 1930s signs along the East Coast Main Line were scrapped in the 1960s at the time of the Beeching cuts, several did survive, the most famous being the halfway sign between…

ONE of the world's oldest pioneering railways is to hold a series of illustrated history talks to mark Railway 200. The Middleton Railway will hold the events at its Moor Road headquarters on three Saturdays, with admission from 5.45pm, when a buffet meal and non-alcoholic drinks are served, followed by a trip hauled by one of the railway's diesels, and the talks beginning at 7pm and ending at about 8.15pm May 17's talk is Middleton Railway - A Preservation Pioneer, given by lan Smith, vice-president of the Middleton Railway Trust. On June 21, Anthony Dawson will deliver a talk titled Blenkinsop, Murray and Leeds Loco Building. Dr Michael Bailey will present The 1811 Model of Salamanca - What The CT Scan Revealed, on July 19. Built in 1758, the Middleton Railway was…

A PROJECT to restore a long-lost sole-surviving and unique Brighton tram has entered its 15th year with a conclusion firmly on the horizon. Brighton had a thriving network of electric street trams between 1901 and 1939, but the system ground to a halt at the outbreak of the Second World War and all 116 cars were believed scrapped for the war effort. In 2009, the body of Tram 53 was found on a West Sussex pig farm, and the Brighton Tram 53 Society was formed by enthusiast Guy Hall to restore it, with work starting the following year. Members decided that Tram 53 should be rebuilt to running order, which meant refitting the electrical wiring and air pipes, and acquiring a truck, controllers, and other equipment. The society has done…

DUE to popular demand, the Wensleydale Railway has increased the seating capacity on its 'Wensleydale Fryer' fish and chips services. The Saturday lunchtime service begins on April 12, with further trains every month from May to October. The two-hour diesel-hauled services will depart from Leeming Bar at 1.30pm for Leyburn. WR marketing and fundraising manager Nick Keegan said: "Tickets went on sale in January. We had anticipated high demand for these special services and all seven trains had sold out by the beginning of March. "Combining a meal of traditional fish and chips with a heritage train journey through the spectacular Yorkshire Dales scenery, the 'Wensleydale Fryer' is a perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon!" Places are limited on the services. To book, head online to https://wensleydale-railway.co.uk/_wensleydale_fryer/…

THE Railway Touring Company is to run a steam special to East Anglia on Sunday, June 1, under the title of ‘The Easterling,’ reliving the days when express trains regularly took Londoners to the seaside resort of Great Yarmouth. Starting from King’s Cross, the tour will pick up additional passengers at Potters Bar and Stevenage and then take the Cambridge branch at Hitchin and run via Royston to Cambridge. Passing through Cambridge, the tour will head towards Ely and then onto the Breckland Line via Thetford to Norwich. Following a reversal, with the steam locomotive at the rear, the route is expected to be via Reedham and Berney Arms from Norwich and on to Great Yarmouth. There will be about four hours to explore the resort before the return journey,…

INTERCITY Tours will run ‘The Double Gloucester’ on Friday, June 6, headed by a Class 40 and a Class 20. Starting from Crewe, the train will take the North Wales Main Line towards Chester to pick up additional passengers. A deviation onto the Shrewsbury-Chester Line will be made for further passenger pickups at Wrexham General and Shrewsbury. The tour is then planned to take the Welsh Marches Line to just outside Newport, before picking up the route via Severn Tunnel Junction and Chepstow, to Gloucester. Passengers will have three hours to explore the county town before the return journey. The route home is expected to take in the famous Lickey Incline and then run then via the Camp Hill, Sutton Park and Walsall-Wolverhampton lines to pick up the route back…

“I don’t think any of us quite expected the extraordinary run that unfolded, especially as there was a speed restriction for track repairs at Wimbledon…” I FAILED my own FTR (fitness to run) exam so was unable to be on the 11am from Alresford on March 21, the first public train hauled by the newly -restored No. 35005 Canadian Pacific (see feature, pages 42-47). Fortunately, my brother Bryan ‘Wedgie’ Benn was there, and he has supplied full details of the locomotive’s performance and an image, for which I am very grateful. The load was five coaches for 170 tons, and Canadian Pacific ran gently out of Alresford, not getting above 20mph until Bighton, taking 10 minutes 44 seconds to the Ropley stop, booked eight minutes, which is tight anyway and…

WHILE the usual suspects – steam nameplates – took top honours in Great Central’s March 1 flagship quarterly auction, an interloper in the form of a humble wagon worksplate rattled the top order by muscling in on its traditional exclusive territory. First things first, however, and top of the 500-lot selection was Alverstone from SR Isle of Wight O2 class 0-4-4T W29 that achieved £11,000, behind which was Lord St Vincent from SR Lord Nelson class No. 30856 (£8400) and Donnington Castle from GWR No. 4089 which sold for £8000. At this point, however, the nameplate procession paused, for down came the hammer at £5200 for an LNER worksplate from a 10-ton wagon built at Inverurie in 1917, the realisation being an extraordinary 35 times its middle estimate. Normal service…

Railwayana Auction Calendar ■ April 13-27 GWRA (timed auction) ■ April 14-29 Paperchase ■ April 26 Thirsk Railwayana ■ April 29/30 Vectis (model trains) ■ May 2 Lacy Scott& Knight (railwayana and model trains) PLATFORM tickets were the dominant force in Paddington Ticket Auctions’postal sale that ended on February 21, led at £1150 by an LBSCR example issued at Singleton. This West Sussex station, on the Chichester-Midhurst branch line, opened in July 1881 and was built in a grand style due to its proximity to Goodwood Racecourse. It was closed to passengers in July 1935 and to freight in August 1953, and its former station building and goods shed both survive and are Grade II-listed. Following this realisation was £880 for a single ticket from Halsall on the seven-mile Liverpool…

WITH Rapido focusing on Eastern Region in its announcement, Bachmann has raised the bar with its own contribution to the Midland Region goods scene with a new model of the LMS standard 20T brake van in OO. After inheriting large numbers of pre-Grouping vehicles and building its own vans based on Midland Railway examples, the LMS first introduced what would became its go-to design in 1935, with minor alterations made over the course of its lifetime. Once the vans were finally made redundant by BR, a second calling came for some in departmental use, and more than 50 survive in preservation today. Thanks to an extensive tooling suite, models of all three of the different diagrams can be produced covering their entire working lives and capturing the numerous differences seen…

READERS’ LETTERS AT THE HEART OF THE HERITAGE RAILWAY SCENE THE news item on page 15 of Heritage Railway issue 330 reminded me of my wife and I moving to Tiverton in 1974 to start our own business. I was surprised to see GWR 0-4-2T No. 1442 (the ‘Tivvy Bumper’) on a plinth beside what was then the main road into the town. I knew this engine at some time during the period from 1952 to 1959 when I was one of a small group of boys who travelled by train from Didcot to Abingdon to go to school. This involved changing trains at Radley and using the auto train on the branch. The branch engines were all supplied by Oxford shed and staffed by Oxford enginemen. With the start…

Beamish County Durham. The Living Museum of the North. Open: Daily. Tel: 0191 370 4000. Coleford GWR Museum Coleford, Gloucestershire. Open: Fris and Sats. Tel: 01594 832032/833569. Crewe Heritage Centre Vernon Way, Crewe. Open: W/Es. Tel: 01270 212130. Hopetown Darlington North Road Station, Darlington. Open: Tues-Sun in term time, daily in school holidays. Tel: 01325 405060. Leeds Industrial Museum Armley Mills, Leeds. Open: Tues-Suns. Tel: 0113 378 2097. Locomotion: The National Railway Museum, Shildon Co Durham. Open: Daily. Tel: 033 0058 0058. London Transport Museum Covent Garden. Open: Daily. Tel: 0343 222 5000. Manchester Museum of Science & Industry Castlefield, Manchester. Open: Weds-Suns in term time, daily in school holidays. Tel: 033 0058 0058. National Railway Museum Leeman Road, York. Open: Daily. Tel: 033 0058 0058. Rail Story Ingrow, West…

LOCOMOTION No. 1 – which hauled the world’s first modern passenger-carrying train over the Stockton & Darlington Railway on September 27, 1825 – has returned to celebrate the bicentenary of the globe-changing event. Designed by ‘the Father of the Railways’ George Stephenson and constructed by his son Robert at his Newcastle-upon-Tyne locomotive building works and initially named Active, Locomotion No.1 is now on display at the multiple award-winning Hopetown-Darlington attraction, where the Celebrating The Railway Rockstars Of The Past exhibition opened on April 4 and runs until June 22. The free exhibition which, as reported last issue, also features replicas of two other classic locomotives – Penydarren, designed by Richard Trevithick in 1804, and borrowed from the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, and Beamish Museum’s Steam Elephant, designed by John…

THE General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society will host a summer weekend coach tour taking in heritage lines in the South West. The venture is a bid to raise funds for the long-term restoration of Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35011 General Steam Navigation. With overnight stays at Torquay’s Derwent Hotel, the August 15-18 trip will visit the South Devon, Bodmin, and Dartmouth Steam railways, with pick-ups scheduled from Swindon bus station, Marlborough, Devizes, Calne and Chippenham. The excursion is offered as half board accommodation with evening entertainment at the hotel, and is priced at £439 per person. The society will also receive a £30 donation from Pewsey Vale Coaches, which is supporting the trip, when society members quote their membership during booking. Places can be reserved by calling 01225 685707.…

DIDCOT Railway Centre’s plan to restore its Grade II-listed locomotive shed has been given a boost thanks to backing from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which has awarded the Great Western Society £184,000 of development funding to progress the plan for a full grant application to be made later in the year. Home to one of the most extensive and significant collections of heritage steam engines and rolling stock in the UK, the restoration of the 1932 GWR engine shed will see the structure fully restored, with new interpretation installed in the museum and a programme of activities and events planned. Chief executive Clive Hetherington said: “The significance of this restoration project extends beyond the walls of the museum. “It represents a commitment to preserving a vital piece of national,…

THE Mid Suffolk Light Railway has announced that its 550-yard extension, which will double the length of its current operating line, will see its first public trains soon, after it was awarded the necessary Transport & Works Act Order on February 21. A statement said: “Following the end of the 42-day period for any challenges against the decision, no such challenges were received.” An opening date was due to be announced shortly after this issue closed for press. Like us facebook.com/heritagerailway Follow us @HeritageRailMag Connect with us heritage-railway-magazine…

A PAIR of High SpeedTrain Class 43 power cars will feature at the SevernValley Railway’s May 15-18 Spring Diesel Festival. Nos. 43480 and 43468 from Rail Adventure will join the previously announced Freightliner Class 66 and Class 70 guests to run alongside the home fleet of Classes 17, 20, 33, 37, 40, 42, 50 and 52. SVR managing director, Jonathan‘Gus’Dunster said: “We have more up our sleeves, with further heritage and main line visitors to announce once everything’s agreed. Of course, the usual caveats apply to all locomotives. “We have worked very hard to ensure an exciting and intensive timetable along the 12 miles of our line that we are currently able to operate on, and this includes evening services on the Friday and Saturday nights. “We may still be…

THE Weardale Railway has promoted Claire Gibbons to general manager. Claire joined the railway three years ago as its senior community liaison officer, building links with local residents, groups, schools and businesses, creating employment and training opportunities, and working towards the restoration of passenger services to Weardale. A railway statement said: “Looking ahead, Claire is eager to make the most of the opportunities that come with her new role. “We are all excited to see the positive changes and vibrant events that lie ahead under her leadership. Congratulations to Claire on this well-deserved promotion!” “We have a really exciting year ahead,” Claire said. Taken out of administration by The Auckland Project in 2020, the railway has since benefitted from more than £3 million in investment, including essential repairs and infrastructure improvements.…

THE locomotive known by many monikers - Hudswell Clarke 0-6-OST No. 1208 of 1916-is revisiting the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway, where it has previously run. As reported in Heritage Railway issue 329, Nightingale/Seacole, the sole survivor of locomotives built for the Nidd Valley Light Railway and owned by North Yorkshire-based preservationist and award-winning Stately Trains proprietor Stephen Middleton, is available for loan throughout 2025. "The interesting thing is they are going to rename it Harold because it used to work at Ebbw Vale Steelworks and it was called Harold while it was there," said Stephen. "It will be working there until the boiler certificate expires." Initially named Mitchell after the engineer overseeing the Scar House Reservoir project served by the Nidd Valley, it was later renamed after William Illingworth, who…

THE A1 Steam Locomotive Trust has reissued its appeal for donations to help re-lay a section of the original Stockton & Darlington Railway which opened on September 27, 1825. As previously reported, the trust is laying a main line connection to link its Darlington Locomotive Works at the multiple award-winning Hopetown Darlington attraction to the Bishop Auckland branch. The link will enable both new-build Peppercorn A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado and, on completion, Gresley P2 class 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales to return to the works for stabling and maintenance between operations on the national network, thereby reducing the requirement for road haulage. It will allow the works to offer servicing facilities for other locomotives visiting the area as a commercial activity, generating income for the trust and also…

A MAJOR step forward was achieved by the Darjeeling Tank Locomotive Trust in early February when the safety approval for the replacement new welded boiler design for Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Sharp Stewart 0-4-0ST No. 19B was received by the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway's Boston Lodge engineers who designed it. "This marked the end of stage one of four of the overhaul project," said trust chairman Jeremy Davey. "Stage one was the chassis overhaul, stage two was the boiler design, and stage three is now about to commence following the contract award a month later to Boston Lodge to construct the new boiler following discussions with three potential companies. Stage four will be to re-erect the locomotive." Trust treasurer Fuzz Jordan sanctioned the contract, signing when he informed fellow trustees…

THE Railway Touring Company’s ‘Great Britain XVII’ will set out from London Victoria on Saturday, April 26, heading for Bristol Temple Meads behind No. 35028 Clan Line. The following day it heads via Cardiff, Bridgend, Llanelli, Carmarthen and Tenby to Pembroke Dock and Fishguard Harbour, then returns to Cardiff behind LMS ‘Black Five’No. 45212. On Monday, April 28, the land cruise takes the Welsh Marches route to Shrewsbury, Wrexham, Chester, Carnforth and Grange-over-Sands for a road coach evening trip around the Lake District. From Grange-over-Sands, the tour runs the next day via Maryport, Carlisle, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and via the East Coast Main Line to Edinburgh. Freight-only line On Wednesday, April 30, the tour heads via the Forth Bridge, Dunfermline (a diesel-hauled leg taking in freight-only line along the banks of the…

UK Railtours is to run a tour from London to Aberystwyth on Saturday, May 24, titled ‘The Soul Exchanger.’ Departing from Euston, the planned route will take the West Coast Main Line and pick up additional passengers at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes and Rugby. It is expected to divert after Nuneaton onto the Peterborough-Birmingham Line, running via Water Orton and then taking the Sutton Park line to Walsall, skirting Birmingham to arrive at Wolverhampton for a leg-stretch and to pick up its final passengers. The next destination is Shrewsbury, then heading onto the Cambrian Line to reach Aberystwyth. Passengers will have about two hours to explore the seaside town or take advantage of the off-train option of the Vale of Rheidol Railway. Those choosing the heritage line option will be…

WORK to reopen the Portishead branch – which carried special steam and diesel trains during the GWR 150th anniversary celebrations 40 years ago – is due to start this summer, and the line is now scheduled to have regular passenger services to Bristol by the end of 2027. Despite Chancellor Rachel Reeves ditching the Conservative Government’s Restoring Your Railway scheme to reverse Beeching era closures last July soon after Labour came to power, the £152 million Portishead branch revival has now been given the green light after a £27 million grant from the West of England Combined Authority saw agreement reached with Whitehall over funding. The reopening of the branch, which opened in 1867 and closed to passengers in 1964, will slash travel times in half, reduce car commuting by…

THE Scottish Railway Preservation Society has arranged a tour from the newly-reopened Leven station on Saturday, May 10 under the title of ‘The Oban Explorer.’ After departing from Leven, the tour will head towards Cameron Bridge and along the north bank of the Firth of Forth to Kirkcaldy, picking up at both stations. Crossing the Forth Bridge, the next pick-up points are Dalmeny, Linlithgow and Westerton in the north of Glasgow. Leaving Glasgow, the tour follows the River Clyde to Helensburgh to pick up the West Highland Line as far as Crianlarich and then take the branch to the final destination of Oban. Passengers will have three-and-a-half hours at Oban before the return journey departs. For more details and to book, visit www.srpsrailtours.co.uk…

FORGOTTEN tunnels and rooms underneath Salisbury station have been found by Network Rail and South Western Railway engineers The discovery came about as part of the ongoing £5.3 million forecourt upgrades which will see the front of the station, opened by the LSWR in 1859, significantly transformed. During drainage checks, an old telephone box outside the station entrance was moved, revealing sleepers that once lifted uncovered a dark tunnel. Intrigued, engineers ventured underground and found a labyrinth of tunnels and rooms, and they are now hoping to uncover their origins and purpose as part of a larger effort to delve into the historical infrastructure beneath the station. The tunnel leads beneath Platform 4, opening into a curious area with a side room on the right. The primary chamber beneath the…

IF ANY long-standing traditional railwayana collectors were looking to GW Railwayana’s two-day March 15/16 auction for a hint of a return to pre-Covid calm and the previous natural order, they were to leave empty-handed. Yes, well-established patterns did emerge, such as Hall nameplates providing the basement on which higher storeys were built, but the midrange nameplate selection was a pot pourri of realisations that in some cases defied convention, as did some of the prices achieved in other categories. An LNER A4 plate, for example, outsold by, among others, two LMS Jubilees and a Patriot. Two B1 nameplates punching well above their weight. A Peppercorn A1 Pacific being out-manoeuvred big-time by almost everyone. A Castle for less than £5000, contrasted by another for more than three times as much. There…

RAILWAYANA auction house newcomers Ross and Guy Bowden set their ball rolling with a live online sale on February 22 that saw the main line and London Underground mix with bus memorabilia. First up for the brothers, who took over Transport Auctions of London from Michael Wickham at the back end of last year, saw a 1935 quad-royal map of the Underground’s central area and its surrounding streets emerge the victor by selling for £2100, with a Southern Railway Robertsbridge platform target sign in second place at £1700. This Charing Cross-Hastings route station is due to become a high-profile heritage line junction in 2028 when the current extension of the Kent & East Sussex Railway is expected to be completed. A tad behind at £1600 came a 1936 Harry Beck…

NAMEPLATES from three of the post-Grouping Big Four railway companies will spearhead the launch of Talisman Railwayana’s 2025 season on May 17, aided by a selection of signalbox nameboards and station totem signs from the iconic Settle-Carlisle Line. The nameplates are Pyrland Hall from GWR No. 4961, Trinidad and Inflexible from LMS Jubilee Nos. 45634 and 45727, and Persimmon from LNER Class A3 No. 60050. The Hall, named after an 18th century Grade II-listed country house near Taunton that is now a day and boarding school, emerged from Swindon in November 1929 and was withdrawn from Westbury (82D) in November 1962. The 4-6-0’s smokebox numberplate and one of its cabsides will also be going under the hammer, each as a separate lot. Roving engine No. 45634 was built at Crewe…

February 1965 brought with it the closure of one of the many lines subjected to the Beeching axe, but one which was also expedited due to flooding on part of the route. Sixty years on, the Gwili Railway in Carmarthenshire paid tribute to the loss of the Aberystwyth to Carmarthen line by hosting what was billed as the Six For Sixty gala, with one unique selling point per decade since that sad day – including the return of a Manor 4-6-0 to the region for the first time in more than 30 years. Once a branch of the GWR, the original route was first laid as broad gauge, with the first part opened between Carmarthen and Conwil in 1860. Extensions onward and conversion to standard gauge took place in the…

MODELLERS seeking to portray the railways on the Isle of Wight will no doubt be delighted by one of Bachmann’s latest announcements – a range of suitable bogie carriages are set to join the manufacturer’s EFE Rail range later this year. The railways operating on the Isle of Wight came under Southern Railway control upon Grouping in 1923, and at that time the SR inherited a disparate mix of locomotives and rolling stock which had been amassed by its predecessors. Soon, stock was being transferred from the mainland to replace the ageing vehicles and to meet the increasing demand generated by the growing number of visitors to the island. A large number of passenger vehicles arrived on the island between 1936 and 1939, when 60 former LBSCR coaches were transferred.…

APRIL ■ 11/12 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway/Peal Rail Twin Peaks Diesel Gala  ■ 11-13 Llangollen Railway Branch Line Gala  ■ 12 Apedale Valley Light Railway New Members' Day  ■ 12 East Anglian Railway Museum Essex Electrics Exhibition  ■ 12 Great Central Railway Peter Rabbit Visits  ■ 12 Kent & East Sussex Railway Land Rover Rally & Morning Birdwatching Experience  ■ 12-14 Statfold Country Park Model Railway Show  ■ 13 Kent & East Sussex Railway Green Fun Day  ■ 16 Epping Ongar Railway Easter Egg Hunt  ■ 17-21 Mid-Hants Railway Easter Bunny Train  ■ 18 Buckinghamshire Railway Centre Day Out With Thomas  ■ 18 Great Central Railway Good(s) Friday  ■ 18 Talyllyn Railway Stations at Stations  ■ 18-21 Bala Lake Railway Easter Egg Hunt  ■ 18-21 Battlefield Line Easter Eggspress  ■ 18-21…

FOCUS in 2025 may well be on the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which is celebrated as the birth of the modern railway, but the likes of tramways and wagonways were around long before that time, writes Owen Hayward. One such line is the Tanfield Railway in County Durham, which, as pictured on News, page 16, is celebrating its own 300th anniversary and regarded as the oldest railway in the world to still be in operation today. The authors of this publication both met at that railway and over the years have created vast archives documenting the progression of the heritage line since it opened as such in 1971. From building stations through to hosting iconic visiting locomotives, this is a largely pictorial piece but full of…

WANTED Your lighter takes If you’ve got a quirky photo, tale, poem, or anything else you think might be appropriate, please email staff writer Owen Hayward on ohayward@mortons.co.uk AMONG the many innovative events being held as part of the Stockton & Darlington Railway’s 200th anniversary this year, Durham county councillors have linked with the Friends of the Stockton & Darlington Railway to give primary-aged schoolchildren a treat. Funded by the Friends and via local Are Action Partnerships, each child in schools located along the route of the S&DR will be given a free copy of Little Loco’s BIG Day, written by local archaeologist Caroline Hardie and illustrated by fellow archaeologist John Pickin. This illustrated tale from the rails is about the opening of the world’s first modern railway on September…

THE oldest collection of artefacts on any heritage railway is now on public display. In January 2024, Seaton Tramway bought the closed Season Jurassic attraction in January 2024, rebranded it Jurassic Discovery, and last July opened the animatronic exhibition The Last Day of the Dinosaurs. On February 15, a new exhibit, the Leon Garner Fossil Collection, opened for viewing. The collection, never accessible to the public before, showcases the lifelong passion of fossil-hunter Leon Garner (1941-2024), which began in childhood as he explored the Jurassic Coast with his father Ron and brother Stefan. His life took in from hunting shark teeth at Bracklesham Bay to fossil expeditions in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. His sister, Karenina Bennett, who along with his friend Megan Rodgers, donated the collection, said: “Leon wanted his collection…

THE West Somerset Railway’s May 2-5 spring steam gala will see up to 11 locomotives in action, with previously announced guests and home fleet locomotives being joined by new-build GWR Saint 4-6-0 No. 2999 Lady of Legend, which will stay on the line until August – and for just one weekend only, it will adopt the guise of a long-lost classmate which will be decided by public vote. Event organiser Seb Walsh said: “Between our four gala team members, we can’t decide between the many options for suitable names, so we will be putting a Facebook poll together with four options so our followers can vote for their preferred name. “The name and numberplates for the most popular name option will be ordered and the loco will run as this…

THE Severn Valley Railway is currently in discussions with insurers about repairs for the major landslip at Mor Brook bridge on January 29 and has raised hopes that repairs could be completed by the summer. As reported in Heritage Railway issue 329, the slippage forced the closure of the northernmost section of the line, isolating its Bridgnorth terminus. SVR managing director Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster said: “We’ve had several site meetings with the loss adjusters. They are considering the situation and will decide whether we have a valid claim. Even if they decide we do have a claim, the railway will have to pay a large excess. “We are incredibly grateful to supporters who have donated £125,000 since we broke the news of the landslip. This will play an essential role…

A Western to Buckfastleigh! A CLASS 52 Western diesel hydraulic will be seen on the South Devon Railway for the first time in 35 years on May 10. Vintage Trains will run ‘The South Devon Explorer’ from Birmingham New Street, Widney Manor, Warwick Parkway, Banbury and Oxford via the Chilterns and the Great Western Main Line into Bristol Temple Meads behind D1015 Western Champion. From there, D1015 will run unassisted by another locomotive for a run to Plymouth. After nearly three hours in the maritime city, the train will head back to Bristol, stopping at Totnes for a return trip over the South Devon Railway to Buckfastleigh. The last time a Class 52 was seen on this heritage line was D1023 Western Fusilier in 1990. Tickets are available in Pullman…

THE Epping Ongar Railway is seeking a fresh face to join its team – through a vacancy for a business and commercial manager that could prove just right for one lucky applicant. Since reopening in May 2012 as a steam and heritage diesel line, the EOR has gradually expanded its leadership team as it seeks to secure its long and short-term future.“We are the closest heritage railway to central London and the largest in Essex and Hertfordshire,”a statement said.“With plans for significant expansion, including a potential rail link with Epping, and the creation of a charitable trust, this is an exciting time to join our team and make a lasting impact. “We are looking for a dynamic business and commercial manager to drive our growth, oversee our operations, and shape…

NEARLY £200,000 has been contributed to key renovation and maintenance work on the West Somerset Railway during the winter months by two of the line’s support groups. The Friends of Minehead Station provided £40,000 for roof repairs on the main station building, which marks its 150th birthday this year. The group has been supporting work at the station and in its environs for nearly three decades, with much of its income coming from its Readers Halt second-hand book stall on the platform. It has also introduced a popular new line in wooden train garden planters and members also carry out maintenance work and gardening on site. The largest overall support group, the West Somerset Railway, has contributed £119,000 towards the £180,000 cost of track relaying at Tribble Bridge, which carries the…

THE Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc, which owns and operates the 14-mile heritage line between Cheltenham Racecourse and Broadway, has appointed Prof John Dora as its new chairman. The 65-year-old, who lives in Charlbury, Oxfordshire, brings considerable experience of railway civil engineering and management to the G/WR, and is an acknowledged expert in the resilience of infrastructure to climate change. A Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor at the University of Birmingham and also a Visiting Professor at the University of Surrey, he was technical adviser to the joint Network Rail and Rail Safety Standards Board programme on climate risks, as well as convenor of the team responsible for the International Standards Organisation’s climate change adaptation standards. The railway has been without a chairman following the resignation of Richard Johnson last…

SOCIAL media trainspotting sensation Francis Bourgeois has bought one of Glasgow's redundant subway carriages. TikTok star Francis, 24, who has 3.2 million followers, described his purchase of power car No. 107 in a video on his Facebook site, saying: "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've bought a train. "Glasgow Subway has recently retired its charming old fleet and with nowhere for them to go, they would otherwise be ripped to shreds. "But this one, among many others, has been saved and will be finding their new home soon." The video shows the 1980s Metro-Cammell power car which was taken out of service last year, part of the fleet which has been replaced by 17 modern Stadler Rail wheelchair-accessible trains, being loaded at Govan on to the back of…

NEW for Saphos Trains’ 2025 season is a steam-hauled tour through the Scottish Lowlands under the title of the ‘Edinburgh Summer Explorer.’ The first in the series of tours under this title will start from Leeds on Wednesday, May 21, picking up additional passengers at Shipley, Keighley, Skipton, Hellifield, Settle, Kirkby Stephen, Appleby and Carlisle. On arrival at Carlisle, modern traction will be exchanged for steam to take the tour onwards on the West Coast Main Line through the Scottish Lowlands to the Scottish capital. Passengers will have three hours to explore Edinburgh before the return journey via the same route to Carlisle, where steam will come off for the journey back to Leeds, setting down passengers at their joining stations. Steam will be provided by one from the usual…

THE 40th season of Vintage Trains’ ‘The Shakespeare Express’ is going full steam ahead. The successful popular Sunday excursions to Stratford-upon-Avon run over the North Warwickshire Line, which is widely regarded as a heritage railway by the back door because of the large number of historic buildings still in place within unspoiled countryside and sweeping views. The named train first began in 1985, after an application was submitted to run a weekend of services from Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon, as part of the then Birmingham Railway Museum’s contribution to the 150th anniversary celebrations of the GWR. The conditions for running the train were that two locomotives would need to be provided, BR would provide a set of Mk. 1 carriages repainted into chocolate and cream for the year’s events, as many…

THE Branch Line Society is offering members the chance to see the inside of the Eastern Rail Services operation at Great Yarmouth on May 3, followed by a charter tour of East Anglia taking in rare tracks behind GB Railfreight locomotives including a Class 57, 66 and 69 in aid of charity. The tour sets out from Great Yarmouth where there will be haulage by one of the ERS Class 08s, Nos. 08822 or 08870. It picks up at Shippea Hill, Great Yarmouth and March, and travels via Peterborough Two Way Goods, Claypole Loop, Grantham, Highdyke, Whitemoor Yard, March, Ely, Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, Bacon Factory Chord, and Westerfield to a teatime break of about 90 minutes at Ipswich. The tour then travels via Claydon, Stowmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Ely,…

A COLLECTION of 230 colour slides of overseas steam in two continents was the top attraction at £620 in an auction of railway slides, negatives and photographs held by JustaClickago on February 17-23. Among the countries to feature in the slides, which were taken in the late 1960s and early 1970s, were Spain, Austria, Italy, Holland and South Africa. Another collection of 227 steam images in Ireland, Austria, Portugal and Germany taken during the 1970s was the runner-up at £540. Then it was the turn of the UK, thanks to 320 colour slides dating back to the 1980s of such motive power as Deltics in Yorkshire and other parts of the Eastern Region, which went under the online hammer for £480. BR and post-privatisation diesel and electric locomotives from the 1980s onwards…

TWO auctions held at the end of February kept model train collectors busy as a combined total of more than 1200 lots when under the hammer. First up on February 27 wasVectis of Thornaby, in which the highest realisation was £2200 for an O-gauge clockwork LSWR M7 class 0-4-4T No. 126.This locomotive was one of the last of the 105-strong class to be built, at Eastleigh in 1911, but the first to be withdrawn, in 1937. Following at £750 was an O-gauge LMS Jubilee No. 5604 Ceylon and at £560 another O-gauge clockwork model, of Midland Railway 1853 class 4-2-2 No. 650. On the following day it was the turn of Bury St Edmunds-based Lacy Scott & Knight, whose sale also included railwayana and a variety of other models. The…

CELEBRATIONS for both Railway 200 and the Stockton & Darlington Railway bicentenary are taking place around the UK, involving main lines operators, heritage lines, museums and local communities. Here's a preview of some of those happening in the next few months. If you have an event, exhibition, talk, or other way of celebrating this anniversary planned and would like it to be included here, please email Owen Hayward at ohayward@mortons.co.uk with the details. ➜ For a full list of events taking place in 2025, visit railway200.co.uk and sdr200.co.uk Headline events: August 1-3– Alstom presents: The Greatest Gathering Litchurch Lane Works, Derby August 23-25 - Stockton & Darlington Bicentenary steam gala Stainmore Railway, Kirkby Stephen East September 26-28 - Locomotion No. 1 on the Stockton & Darlington Extended celebrations: National Railway Museum and Locomotion…