News

THE National Railway Museum has confirmed that the workshop at York is to close in order to create both more gallery space and more space for displaying rolling stock. Titled The Works, the Heritage Lottery Fund grant-aided facility opened in 1999, and it enables visitors to look down from a balcony on locomotives being overhauled,…

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By Cedric Johns DESPITE indifferent morning weather when Flying Scotsman departed Plymouth North Road to begin the A3’s first-ever visit into Cornwall, thousands lined the 78 miles of the testing route across the Duchy to Penzance on Saturday, October 6. The extended week of action began on Thursday, October 4, when Flying Scotsman supported by…

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By Cedric Johns the Railway Touring Company slips into autumn on Sunday, October 7 with a trip to Matlock – having wrapped up its summer programme with trains to Plymouth and Par on September 2 and Swanage on September 13. ‘The Peak Forester’ starts from Norwich with ‘Black Five’ No. 45305 at its head, and…

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Saphos Trains has been putting D213 Andania to good use – with further tours to follow in the coming weeks. As reported in our last issue, the Class 40 recently returned to the main line. On August 27, the locomotive operated the ‘Cumbrian Mountain Whistler’, which ran from Crewe to Carlisle and return via the…

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LOCOMOTIVE Services BR 7P 4-6-2 No. 70000 Britannia is set to return to the main line following its appearance at the Severn Valley Railway’s September 20-23 autumn steam gala. It will use its visit to the gala (News, page 40) to check that the vibration problem which has kept the engine off the main line…

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IN A prime example of old-time railway working, prompt action on the ground by those responsible saved passengers on the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Royal Duchy’ a much-delayed journey home from Par to Bristol, on Sunday, September 2. Running behind Bulleid 4-6-2 No. 34052 Lord Dowding (34046 Braunton) from Bristol Temple Meads to Plymouth and Par…

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REACTING to an urgent telephone call for assistance, Swanage Railway-based 71A Locomotive Group’s Class 33 D6515 ran light engine from Wareham to Weymouth to replace a failed West Coast Class 47 on passenger duty on Thursday, August 23. The incident arose when West Coast Class 47 diesel No. 47580 was declared a failure prior to…

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As an example of mathematical symmetry, it was nigh-on perfect. Each of the top five nameplates sold at Great Central’s September 1 auction at Stoneleigh recorded five-figure realisations – and their combined hammer prices totalled exactly £100,000. The quintet was headed at £30,000 by 603 Squadron with matching squadron badge, from SR Battle of Britain…

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THE Foxfield Railway has come to the aid of fellow premier industrial heritage line the Middleton Railway to loan a locomotive for its showpiece Last Coals to Leeds event on September 29-30. Hunslet 0-6-0ST No. 3839 of 1955 Wimblebury was supplied new to the NCB Cannock Wood Colliery near Hednesford and worked there until the…

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