News

By Cedric Johns ACCLAIMED by thousands of fans worldwide, Flying Scotsman, the iconic locomotive which draws crowds wherever it goes, ran into trouble and was reduced to the ranks of also-rans when a hot axlebox stopped the A3 in its tracks. Working the return leg of a Steam Dreams’ dining trip from York to Peterborough…

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It WAS a close bout, but the Southern Railway won on points against the GWR at Great Northern’s October 7 sale at Poynton, followed by the LNER and a second GWR contender on the undercard. Top of the quartet was Robert Blake from Lord Nelson No. 30855 (£12,800), ahead of the £12,200 for Diamond Jubilee…

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A trio of GWR Halls joins a Grange, Star, SR West Country, and LMS Patriot and the inevitable Jubilee in the headline nameplate category at Great Central’s December 2 sale. The Halls are Rood Ashton Hall, Haydon Hall and Kingsthorpe Hall, from Nos. 4965, 5932 and 6950 respectively, a trio built between 1929 and 1942…

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BULLEID Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35005 Canadian Pacific, undergoing a £1.5 million overhaul, has taken another major step towards returning to steam at the Mid Hants Railway. On September 26 the frames were lifted back onto the driving wheels at Eastleigh. Railway engineering firm Arlington Fleet Services provided overhead cranes to complete the preparation work…

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COULD St Austell station’s landmark GWR Victorian footbridge be found a new home on a heritage railway? That is the question being posted by St Austell councillor Tim Styles, who is welcoming Network Rail’s plans to move the Grade 2-listed bridge despite local opposition. The covered cast-iron lattice footbridge was built after the GWR took…

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By Geoff Courtney Locomotive owners Tony and Glynnis Frith are celebrating the return to service of their beloved former Rowntree diesel after the couple carried out an ambitious DIY repaint that returned the 0-4-0 to its original ex-works livery. Built at Ruston & Hornsby’s Lincoln plant in 1960 for Rowntree & Co of York, it…

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By Phil Budd THE Gwili Railway’s October 7 gala was the first since its southern extension to Abergwili Junction was opened in July – with visitor numbers and the financial return described as ‘very healthy indeed’. The day saw both resident steam locomotives, RSH 0-6-0STs No. 7849 Moorbarrow and No. 71516 Welsh Guardsman alternating on…

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By Geoff Courtney Many railway enthusiasts of a certain age also have a passion for heritage buses, especially those that plied the streets of London in the 1950s/60s, such as the RTs and Routemasters. Often the twain – steam and buses – do meet, a fine example being the Epping Ongar Railway. As a youngster…

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By George Jones A REPRESENTATIVE roster of five locomotives with an ‘Along South-Western Lines’ theme was assembled for Llangollen Railway’s October 13-15 autumn gala. Star of the show was undoubtedly visiting Bulleid Battle of Britain Pacific No. 34053 Sir Keith Park, representing the Southern Railway, and effectively marking the last gap of this year’s headline-grabbing…

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THE railway world has been in mourning following the deaths of John Edgington and Peter Gray, two of the country’s best-loved lineside photographers. Peter, who lived in Torquay, has died at the age of 89 from complications following pneumonia. He was particularly renowned for his colour pictures of main lines and branches in the West…

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