News

A major GWR collection may be set to take centre stage at GW Railwayana’s July 14 auction, as reported in last month’s Heritage Railway, but other companies and locations will also be adding their weight. The headline items from the collection are nameplates County of Oxford, St Mawes Castle, Fringford Manor and Runter Hall (Nos.…

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Fifteen inches was considered to be the minimum practical gauge for a full-size as opposed to a miniature steam locomotive. Mark Smithers recounts the story of a pioneering engine of this gauge that barely survived but has now returned to steam. In the 19th century, Sir Arthur Percival Heywood attempted to gain commercial acceptance for…

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THE Swanage Railway’s Class 33 D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN has made history twice over in London. On Sunday, April 29, it became the first class member to haul a passenger train over part of the London Underground system, and on Friday, May 11, it hauled the special four-coach ‘Purbeck Explorer’ Swanage Railway charter train…

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The collection and the achievements of the Vintage Carriages Trust are explored by Rodney Towers on a visit to Ingrow as host the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway celebrates its 50th anniversary in style. Today it is the Vintage Carriages Trust that owns and operates a rather special museum at Ingrow in the Worth Valley…

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By Cedric Johns News that West Coast has been using Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35018 British India Line over the Settle & Carlisle route to avoid taking water at Appleby appears to be something of a storm in – or over – a water column. The column, originally funded locally, is now being leased by…

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By Hugh Dougherty THE historic southern aspect of Glasgow’s Queen Street station roof arch is on view again for the first time in over 50 years, as demolition of Consort House, once the headquarters of Strathclyde Passenger Transport, goes on as part of the station’s £100 million makeover. The cast-iron roof was designed by the…

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TALYLLYN Railway 0-4-2ST No. 3 Sir Haydn returned to passenger service on May 14, the 67th anniversary of the line becoming the world’s first preserved line. No. 3 was built at Henry Hughes’ Locomotive & Tramway Engine Works at Loughborough in 1878 and has been out of service since 2012, and from 2015 has been…

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TWO significant centenaries and a railway birthday will be at the centre of the Severn Valley Railway’s June 2-3 goods gala. The event will see up to two goods trains in operation alongside passenger services each day, showcasing the changing face of freight traffic from the 20th century through to the modern day. Visitors will…

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