Sam Hewitt

THE Llangollen Railway’s December 30-31 Winter Warmer weekend provided entertainment when all other tourist attractions in north east Wales were closed. The timetable offered a 45-minute frequency service, starting at Llangollen at 9.30am with a mix of steam and diesel haulage for the return journey to Carrog. First away was GWR pannier No. 6430 with…

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THE South Devon Railway has been in mourning following the death of the man believed to be the world’s longest-serving steam driver who, in 2017, clocked up 63 years’ continuous footplate service. Dave Knowling, who had just celebrated his 78th birthday, was one of the original members of staff to join the Dart Valley Railway…

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THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway is considering setting up a subsidiary trust to take on the long-term overhaul and management of Riddles WD 2-10-0 Dame Vera Lynn. However, it is understood that its ultimate ownership will be retained by the North Yorkshire Moors Historical Railway Trust, in accordance with the wishes of the late Clifford…

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The £5 million new-build Gresley 2-8-2, No. 2007 Prince of Wales, is set to becoming a rolling chassis this spring. Three new plain coupled axles were expected to arrive at Darlington Locomotive Works from South Africa via Unilathe at Stoke-on-Trent, where they have been finish machined, in early January. They are the replacements for those…

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By Phil Marsh Wolverton Works, the longest continuously-open standard gauge railway works in the world, was legally consigned to history on December 20 by Milton Keynes Council. That was the date which will go down in history as the formal signing-off of the planning application by its owners, property development company St Modwen. The company’s…

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By Geoff Courtney Passengers of all ages loved it, staff and volunteers were delighted, and doubtless Father Christmas thought it pretty special too. A humble 0-6-0T had returned to service in time for the Kent & East Sussex Railway’s Santa Specials, resplendent in blue livery enhanced by red lining that drew admiring glances and approving…

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By Phil Marsh THE Isle of Wight Steam Railway could be extended at both ends, to provide a new link between Newport and Ryde St Johns Road, if plans for the Isle of Wight’s rail network come to fruition. A public meeting in Shanklin Theatre on December 14 was billed as what the future shape…

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