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By Hugh Dougherty THE Royal Chartered Institute of Surveyors has presented Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited with its Scotland Infrastructure award for its sensitive £1 million restoration of the timber walkway connecting Wemyss Bay ferry terminal with Wemyss Bay station. The grade A listed walkway, completed in 1903, along with the ornate Caledonian Railway station, both…

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A COACH which ran over the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway main line in its last week in service has returned. The Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust, which has restored Midsomer Norton station, have taken delivery of BR Mk.1 BSO brake No. E9267. The coach arrived in Somerset on Monday, May 8, having made…

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By Geoff Courtney A veteran steam locomotive bought for £25 after its withdrawal in the 1960s, that has become a favourite with visitors to a West Sussex railway, is celebrating 50 years in preservation. It is Polar Bear, a 2-4-0T built by W G Bagnall and now a star attraction on Amberley Museum’s 2ft gauge…

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ACCLAIMED vintage coach restorer Stephen Middleton has now added his own locomotive to his fleet, after a restoration that cost him £200,000 and 22 years’ work. The May bank holiday weekend saw former Nidd Valley Light Railway Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST No. 1208 of 1916 Illingworth/Mitchell run in passenger traffic for the first time in the…

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A MAJOR new diesel gala is to be held at the Apedale Valley Light Railway this year. The Diesel Delights weekend of October 7-8 will see many of operator the Moseley Railway Trust’s collection of internal combustion locomotives in action. Several will haul passenger trains – in some cases, these will be the first-ever passenger…

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By Geoff Courtney New-build Gresley P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales is to receive a boost from an anonymous railwayana enthusiast who is selling his collection at auction on July 15 in aid of the £5 million project. A quartet of pre-Big Four worksplates will be among the lots going under the hammer, as well…

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THE East Somerset Railway further boosted its locomotive restoration credentials with the first steaming of Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T No. 41313 after 52 years. The Cranmore workshops have carried out the £145,000 restoration of the former Barry scrapyard locomotive as a contract job on behalf of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Last steamed in Hampshire…

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The North Norfolk Railway staged its annual diesel gala on June 9-11, starring three Peaks representing Classes 44, 45 and 46. Class 44 was represented by newly-repainted green-liveried D8 Penyghent visiting from Peak Rail; Class 45 by blue No. 45133 and Class 46 by D182 in rail blue but with small yellow warning panels and…

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FOLLOWING the controversial gift of LSWR T3 4-4-0 No. 563 by the National Railway Museum to the Swanage Railway, the locomotive was unveiled at Corfe Castle station by a descendant of one of the locomotive’s designers. Designed in 1890 by William Adams for smooth running at up to 80mph, and built at Nine Elms in…

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HAMPSHIRE has its Watercress Line. The GWR’s Cheddar Valley branch was the Strawberry Line. Now North Yorkshire has an Asparagus Line! If a WR Class 42 Warship was booked to haul real freight near Pickering, thoughts might immediately turn to a hired-in locomotive running a photographic charter on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. However, nothing…

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