News

THE Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s share issue to finance its northern extension to Broadway may have passed the £1 million mark by the time this issue hits the newsstands. Chris Bristow, the railway’s volunteer finance director, is to say it mildly, thrilled with the result. “We had budgeted to have sold £900,000 worth of shares by…

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THE 50th anniversaries of the closure of the GWR route to Birkenhead and the last ‘Cambrian Coast Express’ are to form the theme of the Llangollen Railway’s March 3-5 gala. Titled ‘Along Birkenhead Lines’, the gala will recall the end of both the famous named train and the Paddington to Birkenhead (Woodside) expresses. Three star…

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A NORTH East-built 4-8-2 donated to preservationists a year ago risks being scrapped – because the new owning group does not have the funds to bring it back to the UK. Now a nationwide appeal has been made for other heritage organisations to take it on before it is too late. South African Railways’ Robert…

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The glamour of a named main line express locomotive will be a highlight of a Kent & East Sussex Railway gala in May, when GWR-designed, BR-built No. 7822 Foxcote Manor makes a guest appearance. Built at Swindon in December 1950, the 4-6-0’s first-ever visit to the KESR will include starring in a 1940s weekend on…

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THE South Devon Railway is to welcome back one of its former residents for its February 11-19 half-term week services. The National collection’s LSWR Beattie 2-4-0WT No. 30587, which was for many years displayed inside the Buckfastleigh station museum, is returning from its Bodmin & Wenford Railway home. A second guest will be GWR 2-6-2T…

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EXCLUSIVE An ambitious project to recreate one of a pair of LMS ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0s that were the forerunners of No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester has been called off, so ending the dream of Peter Kenyon, a former engineer on the restoration of the unique Standard Pacific. Peter is a member of the locomotive’s custodian,…

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ONCE a defiantly steam-only line, the Bluebell Railway is to stage as major gathering of Class 55 Deltics this autumn. The railway hosted two Deltics during its 2015 diesel gala – but will now stage a gala featuring all four operational class members. The three-day event beginning on Friday, October 6 will also celebrate the…

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GLOUCESTERSHIRE Warwickshire Railway-based Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. is to make its first visit to Southern Railway territory since its restoration. The 1941-built locomotive is one of four Bulleid Pacifics that will star at the Mid Hants Railway’s July 1-2 and 7-9 gala in order to mark the…

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Railway revivalists in west London are coming to terms with the shock death of their popular chairman, with one of their members saying her passing had “left an enormous void because she did so much for the railway”. Elizabeth Scholefield, who was known as Rick from one of her middle names, Rickwood, died shortly before…

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FROM Manors to intricate miniatures, locomotives of all sizes will be running at the Severn Valley Railway’s April 8-9 Open House Weekend. Up to 30 model railway layouts will on display in the Kidderminster diesel depot and the Engine House Visitor Centre at Highley. Visitors will also be given the opportunity to experience the inner…

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