News

‘Hoover’ arrives at new Loughborough home

by

Sam Hewitt

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15th March 2019

Class 50 No. 50017 Royal Oak – bought from Boden Rail by the Great Central Railway – has been delivered to the line and is set to make its debut at the April 13-14 spring diesel gala. The ‘Hoover’ was brought by road from Boden Rail Engineering’s new Nottingham Eastcroft site and is currently being…
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New Grange approaches the finish line

by

Sam Hewitt

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15th March 2019

By Paul Appleton New-build No. 6880 Betton Grange has spent the winter at Tyseley Locomotive Works following the completion of boiler work there in order to finish off a number of other outstanding tasks prior to its return to Llangollen, where it should steam for the first time this summer. As is often the case…
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Tornado returns in ECML triumph – and plans a record run!

by

Sam Hewitt

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15th March 2019

Peppercorn A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado made its first main line passenger-carrying run for nearly 11 months on Sunday, March 3, hauling The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s ‘The Auld Reekie’ from Doncaster to Edinburgh. The A1 has been off the main line since its mishap while hauling the ‘Ebor Flyer’ from King’s Cross to York…
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BR locoman drives Aln Valley train 53 years on

by

Sam Hewitt

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15th March 2019

Nearly 53 years ago, in June 1966, BR fireman Kenny Middlemist from Alnmouth shed last worked on a steam locomotive over the Cawledge Viaduct on the Alnwick branch. Alnmouth-allocated K1 2-6-0 No. 62011 hauled the branch passenger train set on the morning of the last day of steam-hauled passenger services on the line. His driver…
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In 1950 Leo helped build Clun Castle: now he rides behind it!

by

Sam Hewitt

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15th March 2019

FOR 68 years, Leo Leeney kept a very dark secret all to himself. During his five years with the Royal Engineers, Leo served a three-year apprenticeship as a boilersmith. That work would see him labouring inside the blackest interiors of brand new boilers, riveting them, with only a pair of earmuffs to drown out the…
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West Somerset rescued from the brink of collapse

by

Sam Hewitt

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15th March 2019

THE West Somerset Railway has been saved from closure by a whisker – after failures were found in its finances, infrastructure and safety systems. In an open and frank meeting, 320 supporters gathered at the Oake Manor Golf Club, Wellington, Somerset on March 2 to hear first-hand of the plc’s dire position, as well as…
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New beginning for Blaenau & Trawsfynydd group

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th March 2019

THE Blaenau Ffestiniog & Trawsfynydd Railway Society is set for a new dawn, after members came together to vote on a fresh beginning and a new approach to returning trains to the line between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Trawsfynydd Lake Halt. The outcome of their voting on Sunday, February 3 resulted in the creation of a…
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Summer season at Launceston for Darjeeling engine 10 years on

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th March 2019

DARJEELING Himalayan Railway Sharp Stewart 0-4-0STT No. 19B is to return to the Launceston Steam Railway after 10 years for a summer visit hauling passenger trains. The only DHR locomotive outside India, and owned by former Chiltern Railways chairman Adrian Shooter, No. 19B ran on the Cornish line in August and September 2009. At Launceston,…
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Caley Blue 419 adds Broadway to English tour

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th March 2019

Caledonian Railway 0-4-4T No. 419 has added the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s Cotswold Festival of Steam to its biggest-ever tour of England. No. 419 will star in the May 25-27 festival alongside another blue guest, GWR 4-6-0 No. 6023 Edward II from Didcot Railway Centre. A third guest will be B1 4-6-0 No. 1260 from the…
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Terrier finale

by

Sam Hewitt

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13th March 2019

By Martin Creese A SOUND synonymous with a little corner of England will fall silent for a while during March, as former LBSCR ‘Terrier’ No. 32678 is being withdrawn from traffic for its 10-yearly overhaul. That corner of England is the Kent & East Sussex Railway, a line which has featured locomotives of the class…
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