Sam Hewitt

THE Aln Valley Railway (AVR) now has two operational steam locomotives for the first time. Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST No. 3686 of 1948 entered public service on the line over the bank holiday weekend of May 5-7 during a Branch End 50 steam gala, marking 50 years since the closure of the NER Alnmouth to Alnwick…

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PRUSSIAN blue-liveried Peckett saddletank Kilmersdon may have often been viewed as a ‘sideshow’ at its home at Washford station on the West Somerset Railway, giving shunting demonstrations at special events. However, in Cornwall, what was the last steam locomotive to work at Kilmersdon Colliery and within the Somerset coalfield has acquired immediate superstar status, as…

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LIFELONG enthusiast and locomotive owner Gareth Evans has just landed his dream job – as the new assistant editor of Heritage Railway. As a teenager, Gareth wrote the Younger View column for us in our early years and it led him to a career in journalism, editing Coach & Bus Week magazine for 11 years…

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DORSET’S 10¼in gauge Poole Park miniature railway has been closed following a derailment in April – and a reported “strike” by 40 volunteers and resignations of its management. It was understood that several youngsters were riding on the train when it came off the tracks, although no further details of the incident were available. On…

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‘Lost’ Brunel reservoir found in Devon UST when we thought, with the opening of a major new Isambard Kingdom Brunel museum in Bristol, we knew all of his major works off by heart – another has been discovered. Added to Box Tunnel, the Royal Albert Bridge, Maidenhead Bridge, Bristol Temple Meads, Sonning Cutting and the…

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It is not often that a railway books a visiting engine for a gala which turns out to be unavailable and even rarer for its replacement to be unavailable as well. The third choice engine turned up though and Brian Sharpe reports on another successful event on the North Norfolk Railway. With two BR Standards…

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A head-to-head battle between BR and the LNER ended in a narrow victory for the former at Great Northern’s April 7 auction at Poynton, with nameplate William Wordsworth from Britannia No. 70030 claiming a narrow victory at £12,500, closely pursued by Loch Lomond from K2 class 2-6-0 No. 61790 (£12,000). Duchess of Kent from LMS…

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EXCLUSIVE By Cedric Johns Steam Dreams has announced that its annual ‘Cathedrals Express’ nine-day tour is to be revived on the UK’s shores for the first time since 2014, when Flying Scotsman headlines its ‘Highlands & Islands Explorer’ in May next year. After three years of running in Ireland, the last trip including the Isle…

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By Cedric Johns and Brian Sharpe Saturday, April 14, was a big day in the history of main line steam preservation, as Saphos Trains’ first steam railtour, the ‘North Wales Coast Express’ made its historic journey from Crewe to Holyhead hauled by LMS 4-6-0 No. 46100 Royal Scot. This was the first time for many…

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Since the announcement was made that Duke of Gloucester would be joining Tyseley’s locomotive line-up, Vintage Trains has reported that its website has registered over 400 hits from enthusiasts wanting to learn more about BR’s unique three cylinder 8P express 4-6-2. “It’s quite remarkable,” commented the locomotive’s managing trust chairman, Trevor Tuckley. “When we announced…

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