News

The fascination of footplate working: The other side of the story!

by

Sam Hewitt

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20th January 2017

Working on the footplate is often regarded as having been glamorous, especially as a driver. Brian Bell tells what it was like as a fireman, keeping the coal flowing towards the metropolis in the 1950s. Monday, January 26, 1959. Driver R (Dick) Peart. New England shed. Booking on duty at 2.30am on a cold, windy…
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The Brecon Mountain Railway

by

Sam Hewitt

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20th January 2017

Narrow gauge heritage lines run on former standard gauge trackbeds in many parts of Britain. Mark Smithers outlines the history of one such line in South Wales and its motive power with a transatlantic flavour. The abandonment of parts of the standard gauge railway network deemed to be of no further commercial use during the…
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Yuletide Duchess

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th January 2017

The festive season normally sees an intensive programme of main line steam tours, many originating in London and bound for a variety of Christmas markets or carol services. The Railway Touring Company usually runs several tours from King’s Cross or East Anglia to both Lincoln and York in December and 2016 was no exception, although…
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Jurassic period is back… after 32 years

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th January 2017

PRESERVATION pioneer 2ft gauge Peckett 0-6-0ST Jurassic is to return to service on the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway in 2017 after a third of century out of action. Built in 1903 in Bristol by Peckett and Sons as works number 1008 for the quarries and cement works of Kaye & Co in Southam in Warwickshire,…
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Flying Scotsman sells for £35K!

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th January 2017

THIS beautiful 5in gauge model of Flying Scotsman sold for £35,400 at Special Auction Services’ 30th Trains Galore auction at Newbury on December 14-15. That was more than double the top end estimate. Originally owned by a stationmaster who had several live steam models, this beautifully executed and detailed live steam coal-fired model, built in…
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A trip to the unknown

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th January 2017

Britain’s heritage railways may set out to recreate the experience of a bygone age but they still have to interact with the digital age. Peter Brown reports on how the use of social media now has potentially far-reaching implications for the steam movement. So many changes have happened in recent years affecting the lives of…
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Era ends as Ian Allan quits railway publishing business

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th January 2017

IAN Allan – regarded by many as the world’s greatest publisher of railway titles – has pulled out of the sector after more than seven decades. The shock announcement, made before Christmas, has seen Crécy Publishing acquire the railway, transport and military books previously published by Ian Allan Publishing. Crécy has also acquired the Oxford…
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British Empire Medal for Didcot’s first lady of steam

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th January 2017

GREAT Western Society rolling stock company secretary Viv Cooper has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2017 New Year’s Honours list for her 53 years of service to railway heritage. Viv, 70, who is married, has three daughters and four grandchildren and lives in Maidenhead, joined the society when she was in her…
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Steam back on London Underground

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th January 2017

STEAM is set to return to London Underground after an absence of two years. The weekends of September 2-3 and 9-10 have been pencilled in by organiser London Transport Museum for public steam trains over the Metropolitan Line between Wembley Park, Harrow-on-the-Hill and Watford. The trains will be hauled by Metropolitan Railway E class 0-4-4T…
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Books that inspired so many generations

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th January 2017

There was a time, not so long ago, when the British public woke up to be told there would no longer be Woolworths in the High Street. Now the heritage sector has been told that Ian Allan Publishing will produce railway books no longer. Unlike Woolworths or British Home Stores, Ian Allan is far from…
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