The only magazine specialising in narrow gauge railways. We recall the past, and offer comprehensive, in-depth coverage of today’s narrow gauge scene. We speak with authority to our readers, many of whom run narrow-gauge railways.
“Today’s Statfold has gone so far beyond what I enjoyed on that first visit…” Welcome to NGW194 after another busy month in the world of narrow gauge. Particularly on our news pages I’ve found myself facing extremes this month. One of the frustrations of editing any printed magazine, as opposed to an instant web-based resource, is that big news stories have a highly irritating habit of breaking the day after you go to press, and I have to wait a whole month until I am able to run them, or even worse during our winter publishing schedule, two months, by which time they are really old news… Less irritating, but mildly frustrating is what happened this month – it was press deadline weekend and on the Saturday I was as…
Two narrow gauge locomotives will play their part in ‘The Greatest Gathering’ being staged in August by Alstom, Britain’s largest supplier of new trains, signalling and infrastructure as a major event in the year-long ‘Railway 200’ celebrations. The Ffestiniog Railway’s England 0-4-0ST ‘Prince’ and Hunslet 0-4-2ST ‘Trangkil No.4’ will haul passenger trains of two Ffestiniog ‘bug box’ carriages on a 2ft gauge demonstration track built at Alstom’s Derby works for the event, from Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd August. Alstom is a major player in UK railway ewngineering – the company employs close to 6,000 people at 37 locations and among many milestones has built close to 40 per cent of the main-line train fleet and all of the current London Underground stock. The company’s Litchurch Lane works in Derby,…
Narrow gauge quarry Hunslets will appear at the standard gauge Severn Valley Railway’s ‘Engine House’ museum at Highley on 5th-6th July as part of an event for the Railway 200 celebrations.Temporary track is planned to be laid on which will be in steam ‘Felinheli’ owned by Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway general manager Paul Lewin, and potentially one of the Hunslet fleet from the Bala Lake Railway. The BLR also plans to display currently out of service Hunslet ‘George B’ on a stand at the event. The loco’s 10-year boiler ticket recently expired and it has been withdrawn to await overhaul. Send UK NEWS stories to Andrew Charman by email, editor@narrowgaugeworld.co.uk, or by post to 12 Maes Gwyn, Llanfair Caereinion, Powys, SY21 0BD. Tel: 01938 810592…
Graham Lee, the founder of the remarkable narrow gauge collection at Statfold in Staffordshire and the chairman of the Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum Trust formed to safeguard its future, has been named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours List. The prestigious recognition has been granted in acknowledgment of Graham’s exceptional commitment to the railway industry and his significant charitable work over many decades – the award also coincides with the Statfold Barn Railway’s 20th anniversary. NGW readers will be aware of Graham’s passion for preserving the UK’s railway heritage, focusing initially on the locos of Hunslet but expanding to establish Statfold as one of the country’s foremost centres for narrow gauge preservation. Under his leadership, the Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum…
Visitors were allowed to walk along the largest narrow gauge viaduct in the UK on 17th May, for the first time in its 130-year history. The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway’s Chelfham viaduct, which stands 70ft tall and 400ft long, was opened as part of the Railway 200 celebrations. According to National Highways’ Historical Railways Estate, which maintains the viaduct, more than 2,000 enthusiasts and residents walked over the structure and along the L&B trackbed, also visiting Chelfham station which has been immaculately restored by Lynton & Barnstaple Trust volunteers. Helene Rossiter, Head of HRE, was delighted with the success of the opening. “We have a large stake in the railways’ history,” she said, “maintaining over 3,100 former railway structures including bridges, tunnels, and viaducts across the country. “Chelfham, like all…
The Welsh Government has approved the Vale of Rheidol Railway’s application for a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO), paving the way for the mid-Wales line’s full acquisition of the Brecon Mountain Railway. The two lines have effectively been running under the same management this year but the latest milestone follows the formal application submitted on 20th January by Vale of Rheidol Railway Limited – the VoR told NGW that it reflects many months of detailed preparation, public consultation, and a significant investment in legal processes. The Order was made with modifications under section 13(1) of the Transport and Works Act 1992, and formally granted by decision letter dated 19th May 2025. Upon completion of the intended sale, this statutory instrument will authorise Vale of Rheidol Railway Limited to operate…
