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Breaking News: Chasewater Winter Steam Gala Postponed - 27th/28th February 2010

From Chasewater Railway: "Due to adverse weather conditions we have had to postpone our Gala on Sat 27th-Sun 28th February 2010 which will now be held over Easter Weekend 2nd-5th April 2010 please see our website for details
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

News
Planet and Tornado, with the Liverpool & Manchester Railway terminus in the background. ROBIN JONES

 

News: "Steaming through the mountains"

Steaming through the MountainsThe narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which in 2009 runs through the Aberglaslyn Pass, voted the most scenic view in Britain in a Nationoal Trust poll, has just scooped five national awards.
Its engineer has been awarded an OBE. It is now Britain’s longest heritage line. The purpose of narrow gauge railways is to take trains through upland regions where normal-sized railways would be too costly to build. They negotiate difficult terrain in a comparatively cheap and cost-effective manner. The bookazine is looking at classic British narrow gauge lines, telling the story of each of them. They include the Talyllyn Railway, which started the preservation movement in 1950.

The bookazine is by no means limited to Wales, although that is the location of the most famous British narrow gauge lines. To greatly broaden the appeal, we will be including English and Scottish lines, as well as the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, which was built by the British and still uses British locomotives.
• Due for release 8 March | Pre-order secure on-line today - just £7.99

Prince uses second Tornado trip to fuel climate debate

STEVE Davies’ last day as director of the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester was also his proudest, as he welcomed the Royal Train carrying Prince Charles and Camilla – and headed from Preston by none other than A1 Pacific
No 60163 Tornado.

In another moment of crowning glory for the heritage sector, around 10.15am on a very murky 4 February, the £3-million locomotive pulled into the world’s
oldest railway station, the Liverpool & Manchester Railway’s eastern terminus, which is still main line connected but now part of the museum.

Once there, Tornado came face to face with another new-build locomotive which filled a major gap in Britain’s heritage steam fleet – the replica of Liverpool & Manchester Railway 1830 2-2-0 Planet, built by the museum’s Friends group in 1992.

The locomotives represented one of the earliest main line steam engines of the 19th century, and the first of the 21st century.

The royal couple arrived by train at the start of a day-long tour on several locations in Manchester, beginning with the museum, a high-profile visit announced by Clarence House after we closed for press last month.

As they alighted from the train, they were met by schoolchildren from Birchfields Primary School in Longsight, Manchester.

It was nearly a year since the prince formally named Tornado at York station on 19 February 2009, before it made heritage railway history by hauling the Royal Train.

Now it has joined the exclusive set of steam locomotives – the only other in recent times to be LMS Princess Coronation Pacific No 6233 Duchess of Sutherland – to perform the feat twice.

Sources said that the prince so much enjoyed last year’s steamy affair, in which he had a turn on the footplate as Tornado ran on the main line, that he had ever since regularly 'nagged' his aides to arrange a repeat visit, another landmark in the fairytale story of the celebrity locomotive.

Steve, who on 8 February started in his new post as head of the National Railway Museum at York, showed Planet to the prince and gave him a guided tour of the Power Hall, which tells the story of energy production – from the water wheel through to the steam engine – and includes one of the largest collections of working steam engines in the world. The exhibits included machinery that powered cotton mills in and around Manchester, which the prince called the 'cradle' of the Industrial Revolution. He was given a demonstration of steam power by exhibitor Stephen Howe, dressed in costume as pioneer inventor James Watts.

The prince responded by delivering a speech which warned of the dangers of global warming – the same climate change that many believe is the product of such exhibits.

Speaking to an audience of local dignitaries and business leaders at the museum, the prince launched an attack on those who claim that global warming is not a man-made phenomena.

He said: "I have watched with growing dismay and alarm the glee with which the sceptics have leapt upon the recent news stories that question the science that climate change is man-made and suggesting it is nothing more than a myth.

"Well, if it is but a myth, and the global scientific community is involved in some sort of conspiracy, why is it then that around the globe, sea levels are more than six inches higher than they were 100 years ago? This isn't an opinion – it is a fact.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please be in no doubt that the evidence of long-term and potentially irreversible changes to our world is utterly overwhelming.

“But to those who seek to persuade us that there is no such thing as climate change, in the face of the now overwhelming peer-reviewed scientific evidence, I would ask just one question. Are you prepared to take the risk of being wrong?” Referring to the museum exhibits, he said: “I trust we do all know that these wonderful innovations carried with them a long-term cost that nobody at the time could possibly have foreseen."

He said it was “also a fact” that carbon dioxide levels are 40 per cent higher now than they were before the Industrial Revolution and spoke of the “alarming messages'” regarding the melting of the polar ice caps. The prince’s speech was immediately viewed as a reaction to the recent and growing furore over the accuracy of scientific data on global warming that followed in the wake of a series of leaked emails, which sceptics claimed showed data being manipulated to support a theory of man-made global warming.

One of the reasons for his visit to the city was to launch a new initiative called Start to provide the public with advice on how to lead more environmentally sustainable lives.

Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, who was on board the train, said: “The Trust and all of its supporters are deeply honoured that Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, who named Tornado last February, chose to travel on the Royal Train to the museum, hauled by Tornado. There couldn’t be a more appropriate occasion for this honour as the prince visited the amazing collection assembled by MOSI.”

The couple later met the team of nine Greater Manchester firemen who took part in the rescue mission following the Haiti earthquake, and who rescued a
two-year-old girl called Mia who had been trapped in the rubble of a collapsed school for three days.

The pair also visited Salford Lads' Club to launch an initiative for young people – Youth United. The prince also toured the M&I Materials factory in Trafford Park to celebrate its commercial success, while Camilla met environmentally conscious children at Canon Burrows Primary School in Ashton-under-Lyne.

The couple departed on board the Royal Train – again hauled by Tornado – from Manchester Victoria at 4.30pm.

Independence day at last for Buckfastleigh… for £1

AFTER nearly two decades of going it alone, the South Devon Railway is finally master of its own destiny.

Firstly, the long-running legal formalities to complete the purchase of the freehold from former owner Dart Valley Railway plc – operator of the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway – ended with its purchase for a nominal £1 in a ceremony at Buckfastleigh station on 8 February.

The purchase was made possible by the granting of a Transport & Works Order by the Secretary of State for Transport, allowing the SDR to run trains in its own right independently of Dart Valley Railway plc which held the previous operating licence for the line.

SDR Trust chairman Alan Taylor handed over a £1 coin to Dart Valley general manager Andrew Pooley in front of GWR 0-6-0PT No 1369.

Enthusiasts were horrified in 1990 when previous Dart Valley supremo Barry Cogar announced plans to sell the loss-making Buckfastleigh line and instead concentrate all resources on the more profitable Kingwear route.

In stepped the Dart Valley Railway Association and took over the branch as a charitable trust on a 25-year lease, relying almost exclusively on volunteer labour, under the auspices of former general manager Richard Elliott.

Since then, it has grown steadily from having virtually no locomotives and rolling stock to become one of the West Country’s top visitor attractions, carrying more than 100,000 passengers a year. A total of 1,543,954 visitors have travelled over the line during the 18 years of SDR Trust operations.

Ten years ago, the SDR Trust began negotiations with DVR plc to buy the freehold of the line. The sale price of £1.15-million was raised and paid over by the SDR via a combination of a share issue, loans and donations, plus operating revenues.

In 2002, the line was leased to the South Devon Railway for 199 years on condition of a new Transport & Works Order being subsequently granted. That would then release the final transfer of the freehold title for a nominal payment. The new TWO has not only provided the SDR with statutory authority to cover future development plans for extra sidings at Totnes and Buckfastleigh, plus new carriage and locomotive restoration facilities and installing a turntable, but also to regularise some of the changes carried out in Dart Valley ownership.

Specialist London-based law firm Winckworth Sherwood was brought in to manage the TWO process and the draft order went for public consultation in 2008. The order was finally made effective on 30 December 2009.

Current SDR general manager Dick Wood said: “Monday 8 February was a very special day for all of the people involved with the SDR who have worked incredibly hard in the background to complete the transfer of the line’s ownership and achieve the granting of the TWO. It is certainly one of the highlights of the railway’s 138-year history from when it was first opened in May 1872.

Ebay sells a load of rubbish!

A LOAD of rubbish has been selling on the eBay internet auction site. And the buyers will never receive their goods in the post.

Yet the Bluebell Railway stands to benefit from the sales. The listing, number 150409672911, offers high quality 1960s domestic waste for sale, with a special deal for bulk purchases.

The offer continues: “This auction is for a discounted price for a whole wheelbarrow full of domestic waste.”

The rubbish in question is more than 40 years old, and was used to infill Imberhorne Cutting after the line between Horsted Ketynes, then the heritage railway’s northern terminus, and East Grinstead had been lifted by BR.

The landfill tip is the sole remaining obstacle of the planned extension back to East Grinstead, the subject of a major fundraising drive by the line.

While the topsoil covering the tip has been removed, the re-excavation of the domestic waste has to be carried out under strict health and safety regulations. When a trial amount of the waste was taken out last year, the first item to re-emerge was an old pair of trousers, still recognisable nearly half a century after they had been made.

The eBay listing explains that the waste will be carefully removed from the tip and delivered by train to another landfill site.

But the winning bidder will receive absolutely nothing, the listing states. “Please note that this item cannot be delivered anywhere else due to government legislation, and because you probably don't have a railway siding in your garden,” it read.

As we closed for press, two loads of rubbish had been sold – for £10 each.
The main bulk of the rubbish is expected to be taken out from April onwards.
The listing invites anyone wishing to make a sizeable donation to visit http://bluebellrailwaytrust.org.uk

Four ‘Black Fives’ and two A4s for NYMR spring gala

THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s 30 April-4 May spring steam gala will see A4 Pacific No 60019 Bittern make a welcome return visit to join classmate No 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley in action. 

The LNER theme will be furthered by another returning visitor, albeit one which has not been seen for many years, N2 0-6-2T No1744 in its GNR livery. It is hoped that it will be paired with the LNER Coach Associationチfs teak train.

Indeed, the LNERCA is hoping to organise a photo charter with this pairing – anyone interested is invited to contact the association at webmaster@lnerca.org for further details.

However, for many enthusiasts, the highlight of the event will be the visit of Ian Rileyチfs two ‘Black Fives’, Nos 45407 and 44871, which should be able to line up with residents No 45212 and newly overhauled No 45428 to provide a four ‘Black Fives’ line-up.

The presence of two further LMS engines on the line, ‘Super D’ 0-8-0 No 49395 and S&D 2-8-0 No 53809, will give the NYMR an opportunity to stage an all-LMS line-up for one or more days. 

No 45407 is due to remain on the NYMR for an extended visit until taking up ‘Scarborough Spa Express’ and ‘Jacobite’ duties later in the summer, while No 44871 will return to Bury after the gala for completion of fitting of ERTMS equipment in preparation for working Cambrian Coast services in the summer.

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Product News

Mortons Acquire Classic American Magazine

Aviation ClassicsLincolnshire publishers Mortons Media Group Ltd have purchased Classic American magazine from the Trader Media Group. The magazine is the market-leading title for all things relating to classic American cars.

Mortons are one of the largest family-owned independent publishing companies in the UK with a portfolio of magazine titles of a similar size to Classic American. They are probably most famous for their classic motorcycle titles, including Classic Bike Guide, a former stable mate of Classic American when both titles were owned by Myatt-Macfarlane Publishing. Their expertise is very much in publishing specialist titles and most recently they acquired Kitchen Garden magazine, the UK’s leading title for those who grow their own produce.

Managing Director of Mortons Media Group Ltd Brian Hill commented: ‘We are delighted to be taking on Classic American. It is well placed to sit alongside our growing portfolio of specialist heritage transport titles and we have exciting plans to maintain the title at the forefront of the classic American car scene.’

Editor Ben Klemenzson will be staying with the title which will be published from Morton’s centre of operations in Horncastle. Ben commented ‘The move to Mortons can only be good news and I’m looking forward to the next successful chapter in the Classic American story with our loyal readers, subscribers and advertisers’.

www.classic-american.com

ON SALE NOW -
British Steam 6: Memories in Colour - Volume 2

132 pages, £7.99Out Now

Britain's Weirdest RailwaysRon White’s second selection of images completing his photographic ‘railway walk’ down memory lane with many more rare and unseen images from Britain's railway past.

■ Pre railway nationalisation colour images
■ The Somerset & Dorset Railway
■ London Transport steam
■ Named trains of the steam era
■ Narrow gauge locomotives 1950-1960
■ Steam locomotives in Ireland
■ Built for export, British locomotives abroad

Order online today - click here >>

 

• More news inside the magazine >>

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Mainline News by Cedric Johns

Heritage Railway Magazine
LMS Royal Scot 4-6-0 No 46115 Scots Guardsman roars along the West Coast Main Line near Garstang with the Railway Touring Company’s already late-running ‘Cotton Mills Express’ on 30 January. JOHN SHUTTLEWORTH

Three-day Great Western 175 Cornish trip selling fast

TALKING exclusively to Heritage Railway, Steam Dreams chairman, Marcus Robertson, revealed that seats on the ‘Cathedrals Express’ three day GW175 excursion from Paddington to Penzance, 26-28 May, had virtually sold out by the end of January.

Both Pullman and Premier dining classes were full, he said, only a handful of First class accommodation remained to be filled and less than 50 Standard class seats were still available.

By the time we went to press, he anticipated that these figures would have diminished.

This trip – as mentioned elsewhere – departs Paddington behind the King as far as Exeter, where Nunney Castle adds its considerable tractive effort for the taxing hill section from Dainton via Tigley to Wrangaton.

The itinerary allows a second day at leisure in Cornwall or optional trips to the Scilly Isles, Bodmin & Wenford Railway or the Eden Project before both Swindon-built 4-6-0s work the train back to London on day three.

Turning to this year’s ‘Coronation’, Marcus said that over the years Steam Dreams had pioneered the concept of recreating main line trains whereby passengers could leave or join en route. Two years ago, the ‘Coronation' was launched to replicate the 1938 crack express that ran between London and Edinburgh. “We have now combined these ideas,” he added.

“This year’s ‘Coronation’, departing King’s Cross behind A4 No 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley on 15 May, not only offers passengers the full Monty – a three-day excursion based on Edinburgh – but also a new, shorter trip for a two-day weekend in York. “In addition, this means that folk living nearer York than London will now be able to join the train as sister engine, No 60019 Bittern, takes over for the run down the ECML passing Durham and Newcastle, running along the stunning coastline to Berwick and Scotland’s capital city.”

For those staying in Edinburgh, the second day offers the option of an excursion to Carlisle via Newcastle behind the A4. The return journey north takes in Lockerbie, Beattock and Carstairs.

Seats in all classes were available as we closed for press.

The ‘Cathedrals Express’ trip to South Wales on 1 March, St David’s Day, originally booked to depart Paddington behind Tornado, has been switched to Victoria. Apparently Paddington’s platforms are fully allocated to service trains on a Monday.
As noted previously, the train picks up at Slough and Reading and gives passengers the choice of detraining at Cardiff or staying on for the run to Swansea.

Local people wanting to ride behind the A1 from Cardiff to Swansea can do so. A Standard class return ticket is priced at £39-50.

Passengers from Victoria, East Croydon, Redhill and Shalford will be able to enjoy a trip to Bath and Bristol via the Surrey Hills route with Tangmere on 25 March.

Breaking new ground – for Steam Dreams – a new passenger pick-up station, Shalford, a small village on the outskirts of Guildford (a regular watering stop for eastbound trains including the ‘British Pullman’), is included in the itinerary.

This will present the unusual sight of a ‘Cathedrals Express’ running non stop through Guildford (or not?) on its way to Reading for its final passenger stop before the train heads down the Great Western route to Bath either via Newbury or Swindon.

Explaining the rationale behind the routing, Steam Dreams’ CEO Graeme
Bunker said: “We have used the Surrey Hills route for shorter journeys such as carol services at Winchester and Oxford, and correctly pathed it doesn’t take much longer, so we are trying a train to Gloucester on 12 August.”

The pick-up points in Surrey give many more passengers a direct trip to their chosen destination like Bath or Bristol.

“Shalford is a great location for those living south of Guildford. It avoids the hassle of driving through the busy city centre and has plenty of free parking on nearby roads.”

That said, he admitted that the ‘Express’ may well stop at Guildford as well. “It gives us more potential operational flexibility.”

St George gets a look in on 23 April when, appropriately, King Arthur class 4-6-0 No 30777 Sir Lamiel – running as No 453 King Arthur – is booked to work a ‘Cathedrals Express’ from Victoria to Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon, calling at Beaconsfield on a day which coincides with Shakespeare’s birthday.

The 4-6-0 makes a rare visit to Canterbury on 29 April for the first time in many years. The highlight of this trip will be the stiff climb up Martin Mill bank en route back to London.

King Arthur rises again!

KING Arthur, the Eastleigh-built 4-6-0, whose name created a legendary class of express passenger engines, is set to rise from the pages of railway history books and ride the main line again!

In reality, it is not the fabled King rising to save his country but Scotch Arthur No 30777 Sir Lamiel being renumbered and named King Arthur. As noted elsewhere on these pages, the King is booked to work a couple of Cathedrals Express’ trains in April.

The first of these is appropriately rostered to head a Victoria departure heading for Warwick and Stratford-upon-Avon, calling at Beaconsfield, on St George’s Day, 23 April, coincidently William Shakespeare’s birthday.

Secondly, No 30453 – always a Salisbury engine – is booked to make a rare foray into Kent and Canterbury in particular, 29 April.

On the return journey, the King tackles the redoubtable Martin Mill bank, the climb starting at Deal up to the summit, Guston Tunnel, the train travelling over what was traditionally Scotch Arthur territory. In their prime, Arthurs were capable of fast and heavy passenger work, a fact illustrated by No 451 Sir Lamorak when Southern recorders accompanied the train, the ‘Atlantic Coast Express’, out of Waterloo in November 1925.

For this trip, the driver was instructed to work the engine ‘a bit heavy’ in order to get some meaningful indicator diagrams. That he did so was summed up by the train arriving on unsuspecting Salisbury station staff 16 minutes before advertised time.

Leading 10 coaches, 295 tons full, Sir Lamorak was through Clapham in six and half minutes at nearly 40mph, passed Woking two and half minutes early at 64.6mph, Basingstoke four and half minutes early at 70.4mph and Andover 12 minutes ahead of schedule at 72mph.

Now, some 85 odd years later, it is unlikely that the 4-6-0 will replicate such excitement hauling heavier ‘Cathedrals Express’ trains; but given a clear road and an experienced crew, there is little doubt that the King might well surprise one or two observers. The trip to Canterbury is certainly one to bring back memories for the older generation to savour.

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Railway books

OUT NOW - British Steam: Memories in Colour 1

The fifth in the British Steam series | Keith Langston / Ron White

132 pages, £7.99Out Now

British Steam: Memories in Colour 1The best known collection of coloured railway images is perchance the Colour Rail Collection painstakingly compiled over the last 32 years by knowledgeable railway enthusiast Ron White. Ron has decided to retire from the railway image scene and to commemorate the occasion he has selected his favourite colour steam images to be used in two unique publications.
The first highlights steam on British Railways.

This fascinating selection has been subdivided into Western Region, London Midland Region, Southern Region, Eastern Region and Scottish Region.
Steam locomotives and BR trains are depicted at work in over 200 superb full colour images. Past recipients of Ron¹s amusingly written catalogues will perhaps consider these collections of memories as illustrated farewell editions of the popular Old Ron¹s Almanac!
The 132-page full colour bookazines are destined to become 'must have' railway enthusiast keepsakes, in addition to being truly invaluable reference books. Available from WHSmith or direct from publishers Mortons Media Group, priced at £7.99.

Order this amazing new book, on-line today >>

OUT NOW - British Steam Power & Glory

132 pages, £7.99Out Now

British Steam: Power & GloryThe forth book in the British Steam series by Keith Langston In 1907 a patent application by Mr .H. W. Garratt led to the building of the first articulated steam locomotive. Supplied to Tasmanian Railways in 1909, now 100 years later K1 is back and at work in the UK. A total of 1,636 Beyer - Garratt locos ran on 86 railways in 48 countries. ‘Garratt 100’ pays tribute to the articulated locomotives of Beyer Peacock & Company Ltd.
The discontinued use of steam locomotives by British Railways was finalised in the summer of 1968, but by 1971 the practice of running steam special trains, had began. First limited to only a handful of selected routes, but in 1994 railway ‘open access’ changed all that.
The ‘steam special years’ are celebrated. Opened May 1898, closed September 1935! Just over 19 miles of narrow gauge railway running through glorious Devon, the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway remembered! This edition also chronicles the work of a modern railway artist, takes a look at industrial steam, highlights LMS streamliners, and looks back to Oxford in 1961. Plus ‘New build’ another GWR loco in prospect! Compiled and edited by Keith Langston.

Order this amazing new book, on-line today >>

OUT NOW - Britain's Weirdest Railways

132 pages, £7.99Out Now

Britain's Weirdest RailwaysYou will never have seen a railway book like this before. Heritage Railway editor has combed the British Isles to find the country’s weirdest railways, and presented the strangest of them in one volume.
For years, conspiracy theorists talked about a secret railway network beneath Wiltshire to serve a bunker city which would haven been the seat of government ion the event of a nuclear war - and were proved right!
The pictures are all in this book. Also, did you realise that there is a secret railway running through the fairytale island of St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall, or the remains of a complete network on Steep Holm in the Bristol Channel? Brunel’s Grewat Western Railway broad gauge was years ahead of its time - and so was his atmospheric railway - but both were edged out by market forces and deficiencies of available technology.

Order this amazing book, on-line today >>

 

British Steam3rd in the series:
British Steam Past & Present
132 pages, £7.99

This is the third in the popular British Steam series. The bookazine contains an evocative mix of specially commissioned modern steam images and steam era archive pictures, the majority of which have never been published before.

The recently completed rebuild of ex LMS N0. 6100 Royal Scot is heralded with an in depth study of that restoration and the history of that iconic ex LMS locomotive class, including the facts surrounding the long standing ‘which Scot went to the USA’ argument.

• IN STOCK ONLINE NOW!

More details / preview | Order this book online >>
* FREE p&p UK / Ireland

 

British Steam PreservedBritish Steam Preserved
132 pages, £7.99
- NOW £5

This comprehensive 132 page full colour, perfect bound 'bookazine' has been written and edited by Keith Langston as a follow up to our other recently published title ‘British Steam 1948-1968’. Britain now has a railway heritage collection like no other in the world, thanks to the vast army of dedicated volunteers.

This publication looks at their unselfish dedication, which ensures that not only the hardware of the railways has been kept alive since 1968 but also preserved a unique way of life.

More details & samples from this book >>
On sale now | Order secure online (P&P free)

 

British Railways - After SteamBritish Railways - After Steam
132 pages, £7.99
- NOW £5

A pictorial guide: 1968 - 2008
The latest in the British Railway series, showing how the railways have changed in the 40 years since 1968, with particular emphasis on the 1980s and 1990s.
Whilst the public’s appetite for steam in preservation and on the main line shows no signs of dwindling, it is to the great credit of Network Rail and many others that steam can still be seen over most parts of the country, especially at places such as on the East and West Coast main lines where the 125mph railway exists. The public’s expectations of train travel in 2008 is quite rightly much more demanding than back in 1968 in terms of comfort, frequency and speed.

More details & samples from this book >>
On sale now online | Order online - post free UK/Eire

 

Steam - The Grand FinaleSteam - The Grand Finale
132 pages, £7.99
- NOW £5

Steam: The Grand Finale is a landmark publication chronicling the last months of steam on the British Railways main line.

Years of painstaking research by Alan Castle, who viewed the proceedings at first hand 40 years ago, and interviews with drivers, firemen and engine shed staff, have resulted in this authoritative and definitive account of the year in which the final whistle sounded on a steam era dating back more than 150 years.

More details & samples from the Steam book >>
On sale now online | Order online - post-free UK/Eire

 

British Steam - out nowBritish Steam 1948-1968
132 pages, £7.99

This publication charts the British Railways steam years and in doing so recognises that it wasn’t just all about the big named locomotives, there were many steam types which now only exist as memories and fortunately as photographic images. It was impossible to preserve one of every major locomotive class, never mind examples of the many other types which ‘also served’.
Within these pages those who have memories can refresh them, and those who are younger can glimpse something of our glorious steam heritage.

More details & samples from the British Steam book >>
On sale now online | Order online - post-free UK/Eire

 

Great Western - Swindon Great Western - Swindon
NOW ONLY £5

"Hub of the Brunel empire"

The complete story of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's great railway workshops from the first steam locomotive to be built at Swindon to the last to leave.
The 132-page A4 book explains how Swindon became the centre of world transport technology for several decades and helped shape modern Britain through its railway expertise.
More details & samples from the Swindon book >>
Buy it now online - post-free UK/Eire >>

 

TornadoTornado (out of print)
Digital Edition £3

Britain's first main line steam engine since 1960

The complete story of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's great railway workshops from the first steam locomotive to be built at Swindon to the last to leave.
The 132-page A4 book explains how Swindon became the centre of world transport technology for several decades and helped shape modern Britain through its railway expertise.
More details & samples from the Tornado book >>
Buy a digital edition on-line >>

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Front Cover of Heritage Railway magazine
Issue No 134
17th February edition

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