News

  • Chris Pulham – a female railway artist in a man’s world

    Chris Pulham – a female railway artist in a man’s world

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    Christine Pulham is a rarity – a female artist in a man’s world. For Chris is gaining a reputation as a painter of steam locomotives, and is hoping her skills will wow visitors to this year’s Railart exhibition being run at the Severn Valley Railway’s museum at Kidderminster. The exhibition is held annually by the…

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  • Roger Daltrey opens ‘new’ Dungeness station

    Roger Daltrey opens ‘new’ Dungeness station

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    THE Who frontman Roger Daltrey has opened new £700,000 station facilities at the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway’s (RHDR) Dungeness terminus. On Tuesday, August 2, as hundreds of enthusiasts and fans packed the platform, the rock legend alighted from a special train and officially unveiled a plaque to mark the completion of the railway’s recently…

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  • London’s ‘must do’ railway ride to open next spring

    London’s ‘must do’ railway ride to open next spring

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    The UK’s newest and most innovative railway attraction is on track to open next spring, providing passengers with a glimpse of a unique world 70ft beneath the streets of London. Visitors will travel on nearly a mile of a 2ft-gauge railway that, although opened in 1927, has never previously carried members of the public. It…

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  • Charity to benefit as first railtour prepares to use new Chinnor link

    Charity to benefit as first railtour prepares to use new Chinnor link

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    CHARITY fundraiser Dennis Barnes has spoken of his “excitement” after finalising plans to become the first railtour operator to access the Chinnor branch via the main line platform at Princes Risborough and the preserved railway’s new link with the national network. Charity Railtours will run a special on October 1 from the south coast to…

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  • Fire brigade to the rescue of Tornado

    Fire brigade to the rescue of Tornado

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    LINCOLNSHIRE Fire Service were the heroes of the hour after coming to the rescue of UK Railtours’ ‘Robin Hood’ tour from King’s Cross to Chesterfield on Saturday, August 13. Just before the train left Chesterfield for the return journey, the footplate crew of A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado were advised that the water tanker had…

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  • St Blazey turntable back in use

    St Blazey turntable back in use

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    Specialist railway engineers Gloucestershire-based Cambrian Transport Limited, has led a project to restore the St Blazey turntable to working order. Assisted by volunteers from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, Cambrian Transport completed the work in time to receive Stanier 4-6-2 No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland after the engine had worked the Railway Touring Company’s history-making…

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  • Scotsman fever to take Midlands by storm!  Pacific Power sells out on Severn Valley

    Scotsman fever to take Midlands by storm! Pacific Power sells out on Severn Valley

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    THE Severn Valley Railway’s September 22-26 Pacific Power event featuring the ‘Clash of the Titans’ – Flying Scotsman and new-build Peppercorn A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado – is on course to being a complete sell-out – paving the way for the event to be the most successful in the line’s 51-year history. As we closed…

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  • M&GN back after 57 years!  FIRST CROMER DINER BECOMES ‘REAL’ STEAM SERVICE

    M&GN back after 57 years! FIRST CROMER DINER BECOMES ‘REAL’ STEAM SERVICE

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    THE eagerly awaited first North Norfolk Railway dining train to Cromer became a ‘real’ steam-hauled local passenger service – when it carried around 15 ‘ordinary’ passengers to Sheringham. The ‘North Norfolkman’ made its debut journey from Sheringham at noon on Wednesday, August 10, being hauled by the Class 20 Locomotive Society’s London Underground-liveried No. 20227…

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  • REVIEWS: The Line To The Stars

    REVIEWS: The Line To The Stars

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    By Heidi Mowforth (softback, Bluebell Railway, Sheffield Park Station Shop, TN22 3QL, £114pp, £10, plus £2.99 p&p, or mail order plus £2.99). In addition to the phenomenal boosts that heritage railways bring to local economies, not to mention their multiple educational and cultural benefits, they also play a key role in performing arts, in terms…

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  • Fond memories of Diana

    Fond memories of Diana

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    I was so pleased to learn (issue 21) that my late friend Diana Clementson had been honoured by the refurbishment and renaming of dining car No. 4779 Diana on the Churnet Valley Railway. Di and I had been good friends since we first met in the 1970s, and had many railway adventures together, including some…

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