Sam Hewitt

By Geoff Courtney It surely ranks as one of the most unusual and idiosyncratic restored railways in the world, for it is noisy, cramped, uncomfortable, dark, and can even be a little intimidating. I wouldn’t describe it as fun, but fascinating it most certainly is. It is also the UK’s newest restored railway, and it’s…

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THE Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway’s Peckett 0-6-0ST Jurassic is to haul its first passenger trains in nearly a third of a century on September 17. Restored with the help of £43,000 in Lottery funding, Jurassic, No. 1008 of 1903, will run on the line during the Classic Car & Bike Show at the Skegness Water…

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Mid-Norfolk Railway volunteers have been busy restoring the line between Dereham and North Elmham over the past few years. It had not been used since the last freight left North Elmham in January 1989. To celebrate progress, a volunteer and members special train was run to the limit of the rebuilt track on the evening…

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By Geoff Courtney A FIERCELY fought campaign by enthusiasts and preservationists to prevent the auction of many of the assets of one of Australia’s leading railway museums ended in failure when the sale went ahead on August 2. The controversial auction, which included two British-built steam locomotives, took place against a heated background of protests,…

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TRESPASSERS caused delays to main line services when A1 Peppercorn Pacific No. 60163 Tornado headed a special charity train to Walton-on-the-Naze to mark the 150th anniversary of the railway arriving in the resort. Once the main tour from Liverpool Street had arrived at Walton on Saturday, August 12, a series of five shuttles carrying around…

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REPATRIATED GWR 4-6-0 No. 4079 Pendennis Castle has been given a new coat of Brunswick green at its Didcot Railway Centre home in readiness for the high-profile visit of A3 Pacific No. 60103 Flying Scotsman on August 26-28. The seventh of the first lot of 10 Castles built in 1923-4, No. 4079 was completed at…

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EXCLUSIVE: By Geoff Courtney THE unmarked grave of an express steam train driver who lost his life saving his passengers from a potential major catastrophe may receive a headstone recording his heroism, following research by Heritage Railway. Wallace ‘Wally’ Oakes died from burns a week after being enveloped in flames and smoke on the footplate…

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