News

By Cedric Johns Friday, April 13 – considered unlucky for some – turned out to be a red letter day for those planning future developments of the Swanage Railway, when Maunsell 2-6-0 No. 31806 successfully ran to Weymouth and Yeovil with a loaded test train to gain its main line ticket. “It was a highly…

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With steam running throughout from King’s Cross to Victoria via Scarborough, Ais Gill, Kyle of Lochalsh, Llandrindod Wells and Swanage, using seven different steam engines, this year’s ‘Great Britain’ tour was as ambitious as its predecessors. As Brian Sharpe reports, the 11th trip in the series was again a great success, if not quite as…

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AN INVESTIGATION into a level crossing collision on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway involving original Beyer Peacock 0-6-0T No. 823 Countess and a car is underway. The collision occurred 11.50am on Thursday, April 5, on the level crossing at Cyfronydd station. The driver of the red Chevrolet Spark – a local man in his…

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THE Ffestiniog Railway’s ground-breaking new-build double Fairlie Earl of Merioneth has been withdrawn from service to make way for a replacement locomotive. ‘The Earl’, affectionately known as The Square due to its angular appearance, has reached the end of its 10-year certificate and needs a new boiler, a new boiler cradle, smokeboxes, chimneys and water…

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A SPECIAL celebration is to be held on the Talyllyn Railway to mark the 100th birthdays of Barclay 0-4-0WT No. 1431 of 1918 No. 6 Douglas and also that of the Royal Air Force which once owned it. On June 1-3, Douglas – which has already been repainted in RAF Traffic Blue – is to…

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By Hugh Dougherty and Robin Jones CONTROVERSIAL EU-funded £27 million plans to redevelop Northern Ireland’s only remaining Victorian-era station have been given the go-ahead despite public opposition. Translink’s proposal will see the redevelopment of Londonderry’s Grade B listed Waterside station – despite nearly 50 letters of opposition and a petition organised by rail lobby group…

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FROM May 6, the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway will be celebrating the return after nearly a century of a 122-year-old steam locomotive following the completion of an extensive restoration programme. Katie, an 0-4-0T built in 1896 by the engineer Sir Arthur Heywood for use on the Duke of Westminster’s private railway at his Eaton Hall…

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The Loch Lomond Steamship Company has marked the 65th anniversary of the launch of the last  paddle steamer to be built for a British railway company, by announcing the appointment of Lord Robert Smith of Kelvin KT CH as patron of the appeal to raise the last £1 million needed to get Maid of the…

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BRITAIN’S most southerly station – the new Truthall Halt on the Helston Railway – has received a royal booster. The Queen’s cousin HRH Prince Richard The Duke of Gloucester KG, GCVO officially opened the rebuilt halt on Thursday, April 5, more than 55 years after the GWR Helston branch was closed by BR. The duke,…

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