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WE are now fast approaching the dizzy heights of the Railway 200 year, with the major landmark events celebrating the bicentenary of the Stockton& Darlington Railway within grasp. However, The Greatest Gathering at Derby, the newlyannounced Titans of Steam at Hopetown Darlington, and the operation of the replica 1825 train over the S&DR main line – dazzling as all these events look set to be– will now all be pre-empted by the latest magnificent achievement of the heritage sector: the reopening of the landslip-hit Severn Valley Railway sooner than many observers anticipated, with none other than Flying Scotsman hauling that first public train on July 25, tickets having evaporated quicker than you could input your bank card details. A herculean effort on all fronts – administration, volunteers and contractors –…
A3 PACIFIC No. 60103 Flying Scotsman is to haul the first service over the reopened Severn Valley Railway full line on July 25 – and the £45 return tickets for the landmark trip sold out within three minutes of going on sale. After its Severn Valley visit, the world's most famous steam locomotive will then head by rail to Derby, as one of the latest visitors to be announced for The Greatest Gathering extravaganza at Alstom's Litchurch Lane works on August 1-3 – one of the biggest highlights of the Railway 200 programme (see News, page 14). ‘Significant'progress on repairs to the failed embankment at Mor Brook bridge between Bridgnorth and Hampton Loade since specialist engineering contractor CML took possession of the site at the beginning of June has seen…
IT will be a case of turning back the clock on August 8-10 as the Bluebell Railway prepares to celebrate its 65th anniversary with a mini gala starring its entire home fleet of locomotives, with the celebration culminating in a cavalcade of locomotives at Horsted Keynes as would once have been enjoyed at galas past. The anniversary gala will see the railway split into two sections, with three passenger sets travelling between Sheffield Park and Horsted Keynes, while further three will run between the latter and the railway's northern terminus at East Grinstead. These consists will see almost all of the available carriages pressed into service, including the iconic Metropolitan Chesham vehicles, a rake of restored four-wheelers from the LBSCR and SECR, and the LNWR observation saloon. A rake of…
A MILESTONE in their Reunification scheme, the two heritage era Great Central railways have been given planning permission to build the crucial missing link between the pair. After an 11-month process, Charnwood Borough Council has given the go-ahead for the construction of 550 yards of new line as a major step forward in joining the GCR at Loughborough to its northern counterpart, the GCR (Nottingham). Using funds donated by wellwishers around the world, three parts of the project have already been constructed, including a new bridge over the Midland Main Line and one over the A60, while the bridge over the Grand Union Canal has been fully renovated. So far, £5 million has been spent, with another £2.5 million raised. Further work, including the construction of a new viaduct between the…
SIX locomotives will line up at the Titans of Steam Gala at the multiple award-winning Hopetown Darlington, announced as part of the Stockton & Darlington Railway 200 Festival. The free-to-enter event will run from Wednesday, September 20 until Sunday, October 5, and will also be partially held on a new track which is being laid to link The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust's new £4.5 million Darlington Locomotive Works. It will see the first homecoming by rail of Darlington-built A1 Peppercorn Pacific No. 60163 Tornado to the new works. Tornado will line up alongside LNER A4 Pacific No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley and LNER K1 2-6-0 No. 62005, which will both be on static display at the works, with LNER Q6 0-8-0 No. 63395, LNER J27 0-6-0 No. 65894 and BR…
GRAHAM Lee, who founded the Statfold Barn Railway with his wife Carol, has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours list for services to heritage railway preservation and charity. A passionate advocate for preserving the UK's railway heritage, Graham, 81, has been instrumental in establishing Tamworth-based Statfold as one of the country's foremost centres for narrow gauge preservation. Chairman of the Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum Trust, under him it grew into a thriving hub for enthusiasts, families, and educational groups alike. The prestigious recognition is granted in acknowledgment of his exceptional commitment to the railway industry and his significant charitable work over many decades, and it coincides with the railway's 20th anniversary. Graham chaired the familyowned LH Group, with its…
