News

In terms of steam operations, West Coast Railways is unique in as much that it can usually rustle up a diesel locomotive at short notice to assist a stranded steam-hauled charter train when things go wrong on, or in front of, the footplate. This ability was demonstrated on Tuesday, June 11 when Jubilee 4-6-0 No.…

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FOLLOWING on from the appearance of GBRf Class 66 No. 66763 Severn Valley Railway during its namesake’s Goods Gala on June 2-3, the EMD Co-Co diesel electric stayed on Severn Valley Railway (SVR) metals for a series of corporate events provided for Network Rail and GBRf during the ensuing week. Delegates were able to enjoy…

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STEAM haulage returned to the Severn Valley Railway on Thursday, July 19. Because of the recent heatwave and dry weather, which saw a number of lineside fires, the railway took the decision to revert to diesel traction. A statement from the railway said: “Because of the dry weather of late, we have been operating a…

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West Coast Railways supremo David Smith has agreed to send recently restored Bulleid Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35018 British India Line to the Wensleydale Railway. The Carnforth-based locomotive is to star in the heritage line’s 1940s weekends. It is set to arrive with the railway’s main line connection today (Friday, July 20), and will head…

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By George Jones IT has been said that the best way to appreciate the scenery of the Llangollen Railway is to take a trip on a DMU. The spacious windows act like those in an observation car, allowing unparalleled views of the stupendous upland landscape. For the line’s Railcar Gala on June 2/3, the star…

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By Geoff Courtney THE former Midland Hotel is within yards of a main line and in a street named after a pre-Grouping railway. Not far away lie a rank of sidings that are still in very active use and a once-busy steam depot, all in a county town with two stations, one of which welcomes…

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DURING the very warm May Bank Holiday weekend, the Bodmin & Wenford Railway’s diminutive Port of Par Bagnall 0-4-0ST Judy made the long journey north to star at the East Lancashire Railway’s Thomas the Tank Engine event. The Lancashire public were taken by surprise and did not expect to see such a small steam locomotive…

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EXCLUSIVE By Phil Marsh A FRESH bid has been launched to save 1937-built Southern Railway paddle steamer PS Ryde. The Southern Railway operated a fleet of ships from south coast ports to various destinations between Rotterdam, Belgium, France, the Isle of Wight and to the Channel Islands. This aspect of ‘railway’ history has been well…

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THE General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society has made further progress in filling a sizeable hole in Britain’s heritage fleet by the back-conversion of a rebuilt Merchant Navy Pacific to its as-built form, complete with air smooth casing and Bulleid’s unique chain-driven valve gear. The society has bought a set of nameplates for its engine,…

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A STEAM locomotive from Switzerland is to visit the Snowdon Mountain Railway in September. The 1891-built locomotive, the Brienz Rothorn Bahn’s No. 2, is a sister engine to the Snowdon line’s locomotives which were also built by Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works, a railway equipment manufacturer based in Winterthur. Much of the world’s mountain railway…

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