News

THE eagerly awaited return of Jubilee No. 45596 Bahamas to main line action remains on course – despite some unexpected delays to its commissioning process. In addition to confirming plans for its flagship for the first quarter of 2019, owning group the Bahamas Locomotive Society, has also revealed that further requests for the year ahead…

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Gareth Evans talks to volunteers of the Mid-Hants Railway-based Urie Locomotive Society and learns about the group’s two S15s: Nos. 506, which is set to return to action in the coming months and 499, which is currently being restored to original condition. As in the wider world of work, some people in the heritage railway…

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EXCLUSIVE By Geoff Courtney THE railway nameplate collector who in November paid a world-record £64,500 for a plate from No. 60103 Flying Scotsman, has revealed that it may be donated to the National Railway Museum on his passing. While he expressed a wish to remain anonymous, the collector, who lives in California, outlined to Heritage…

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THE Buckinghamshire Railway Centre received an early Christmas present when WR 4-6-0 No. 6989 Wightwick Hall became the 150th locomotive rescued from Barry scrapyard to be returned to steam. The fruits of a restoration project which has taken nearly 41 years of hard graft by volunteers, saw No. 6989 pass its formal in-frames steam test,…

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By Brian Sharpe SOUTHERN steam enthusiasts are in for a treat next summer, when West Coast Railways’ Carnforth-based Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35018 British India Line visits the Southern Region for the first time since its return to action. The Railway Touring Company is promoting two trips with the locomotive. The first is the‘Bournemouth Belle’…

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By Cedric Johns STANDARD class tickets sold out within hours for the mainline comeback of Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45596 Bahamas, which is set to work a special train from Oxenhope to Carlisle on February 9. Handed over to Bob Meanley and his engineering team at Tyseley Locomotive Works for a major overhaul in November 2013,…

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A Branch Line Society railtour on November 17 raised over £20,000 in aid of the 125 Group’s £100,000 HST Depot Appeal, which will see a maintenance facility built at the Ruddington base of the Great Central Railway (North). Carrying 292 passengers, the six-car HST comprised power cars Nos. 43423 Valenta 1972-2010 and 43467. At Ruddington,…

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