Sam Hewitt

No other main line in Britain went from steam to modern traction overnight. Don Benn recounts the incredible locomotive performances recorded on the Waterloo – Bournemouth line in the days leading up to the sudden end of Southern steam. Monday, June 12, 1967 was the first day of the final timetable for steam and I…

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This year sees a number of significant anniversaries being celebrated. Brian Sharpe recounts the story of one of Britain’s heritage lines which has now been running trains for 40 years. The Nene Valley Railway has its origins in the boom in new preserved steam railway schemes in the 1960s but in this case the line…

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FIVE heritage railways and a unique museum have been awarded the coveted Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The awards, which recognise excellence in voluntary activities by community groups – and are considered their equivalent of an MBE, the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement or the Queen’s Award for Technology – were announced by Buckingham Palace…

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After eight years working trains to most parts of the country, 101mph A1 4-6-2 No. 60163 Tornado finally notched up a ‘first’ on May 29 when the 4-6-2 crossed the Royal Albert Bridge and entered Cornwall. Heading UK Railtours’ ‘Cornishman’, the A1 had departed Paddington with 420 tons on, travelling via Reading, the Berks &…

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EXCLUSIVE By Geoff Courtney The world record realisation for a railwayana auction may be under threat on September 2 when a George Cross awarded in 1965 to the driver of a Britannia Pacific for heroism is to go under the hammer. Interest in the medal is bound to be high, among not only those railwayana…

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By Geoff Courtney The UK’s newest, and one of its most innovative ever, railway restoration projects received royal approval on June 13 when Princess Anne unexpectedly rode its tracks, to the delight of everyone connected with the £26-million scheme. The princess was at the Royal Mail’s Mount Pleasant centre in Clerkenwell, near King’s Cross station,…

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As HAS been usual practice, Scottish Railway Preservation Society officials have taken advantage of RTC’s ‘Great Britain’ railtours to ‘borrow’ a steam locomotive enabling them to promote and run what amounts to its annual ‘Forth Circle’ trips. This year, two such trips have been flagged up to take place Sunday, May 7. Utilising the availability…

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By Cedric Johns In WHAT may turn out to be a surprise ‘cop’ for Southern enthusiasts, the Railway Touring Company has announced A4 4-6-2 No. 60009 Union of South Africa will head its ‘Swanage Belle’ on June 8. As previously reported, the ‘Belle’ was originally down for B1 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower haulage but with…

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I felt deeply honoured to have been invited to join a small group of guests aboard the train that was to prove to the world whether A1 Peppercorn Pacific No. 60163 Tornado is capable at regular running at 90mph. And it was with great trepidation that I drove to Doncaster station on the late evening…

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