DAVID Buck’s Thompson ‘B1’ 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower will pay homage to the ship of the same name next September when it heads a commemorative railtour from London to Plymouth and Penzance to mark the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Pilgrim Fathers to the Americas. Steam Dreams’ ‘Mayflower 400’ will
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Check before you travel: 20,000 staff to work on 380 rail projects over Christmas
Industry Insider Week 49 · 10 Must-Read Rail News Stories
Last minute Christmas gift: Sir Nigel Gresley mug
Stunning blue livery for GB Railfreight Class 60s
ONE of the 10 Class 60s acquired by GB Railfreight from Colas Rail has been outshopped by Arlington Fleet Services, Eastleigh, in a bright blue livery. No. 60026 carries the house colours of leasing company Beacon Rail, which financed the purchase of the locos, five of which have long-range fuel tanks, with
Freightliner Class 66 named You Are Never Alone
FREIGHTLINER joined forces with Samaritans and Greater Anglia at Ipswich station on November 21 to name No. 66416 You Are Never Alone. Neil McNicholas, Freightliner managing director of UK Rail, said: “We wanted to partner with Samaritans for this loco-naming ceremony to pay tribute to, and raise awareness of, the invaluable
Impressive Great Central trio gather at Eastleigh Lakeside
THE Simkins family visited the Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway (ELSR) on August 10-11 with their unique collection of 10¼in-gauge Great Central Railway locos. Design and construction started in the early 1990s. The first completed was Andrew Simkins’ award-winning Class 8 (LNER ‘B5’) 4-6-0 ‘Fish’ engine No. 181, in 2002. Father Neil’s Class
Whitepass and Yukon restores Baldwin loco
Great Western Railway gearing up for biggest timetable change since 1976
GWR will be making its biggest timetable change in December, said to be the most comprehensive since the introduction of HSTs in 1976. More than 75% of the timetable is changed or recast, with faster journeys taking advantage of the superior IET acceleration times, more frequent trains and extra seats.
Class 66s cleared to Oban
Fire danger puts English Electric diesel in limelight
A RARE English Electric diesel loco worked passenger trains on the ‘Mary Valley Rattler’ heritage line in Queensland in September because of extreme weather and fire danger posed by the normal steam workings. Ex-Queensland Rail loco No. 1632, one of 34 ‘1620 Class’ locos manufactured by the English Electric Company in
A Cumbrian Coast ‘Jubilee’
STANIER ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 No. 45690 Leander winds its way southbound along the Lakeland coast at St Bees with the return leg of the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Cumbrian Coast Express on September 28. The BR black-liveried ‘Jub’ had left Carlisle at 13.32 and stuck to within four minutes of the timetable through Workington
Rare outing for Middleton’s tiny Hunslet
Forget socks, Classic Magazines has a gift for everyone!
At Classic Magazines we’ve made your Christmas shopping simple and straightforward, with plenty of ideas for family and friends in our festive gift guide. From magazines to merchandise, show tickets to books and bookazines – we’ve got your Christmas covered! Forget the socks this year! You can choose from our huge
Leaked draft confirms Oakervee support for full HS2 route
An early draft of the Oakervee Report – leaked to national media in November – confirms the expert panel will recommend High Speed 2 (HS2) should proceed, despite worries the revised £88billion budget could be exceeded. Supporters had been concerned that parts of the ‘Y’-shaped route could be scrapped to
December debut for Hull Trains ‘Paragon’ fleet
The Railway Magazine Archive: 120 years of rail history…
The Railway Magazine has always offered its readers plenty of informative content, with the very latest rail news and insightful features, images and interviews. Every new issue of The Railway Magazine is one in a long line of predecessors; which subscribers can now access with The Railway Magazine Digital Archive. The
December issue on sale!
Britain’s best-selling rail title The Railway Magazine is back for another month of award-winning photos, news, features and exclusives from the rail industry, past and present. This month’s The Railway Magazine features an insightful look into the final whistle for Virgin Trains! Plus, see Royal Scot return to Skegness! Also in
LNER to say goodbye to Inter-City 125 High Speed Train
Former Bodmin DMU enters service on Weardale Railway
CLASS 108 DMU Nos. M52054 and M50980 ran its first revenue-earning service on the Weardale Railway during the October 4-6 railcar weekend. The vehicles have received much attention since arrival from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in March 2018. The railway hosted the Railcar Association’s 24th annual convention at Stanhope station during the
Western Champion re-engined but woes continue after festival
MAIN-LINE certificated Class 52 No. D1015 Western Champion is seen at Severn Valley Railway (SVR) Kidderminster, ex-works, on September 15. Owner Diesel Traction Group has installed an overhauled MD655 engine in the B end, which was started successfully, and the loco participated in the SVR’s October 3-6 diesel festival. However,
Railway stations launch initiative to help passengers with hidden disabilities
Four of the country’s biggest railway stations will now offer passengers with hidden disabilities a discreet way to ask for extra help while making their journeys. To mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, sunflower branded lanyards and ticket holders are now available at Manchester Piccadilly, London
West Highland Line closed for track and bridge work
OCTOBER 5-13 saw the West Highland Line closed for essential repairs to track and structures between Crianlarich and Fort William. During the week-long line closure, engineers worked around-the-clock to refurbish and repaint bridges near Spean Bridge and Corrour, and renew drainage systems between Tyndrum Upper and Bridge of Orchy.
End in sight for Sussex signalboxes
Plan to relieve Edinburgh western approaches: Transport Scotland revives project for Almond Chord
SCOTTISH Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has approved a £15million preliminary project to prepare for the construction of a new chord to the Dalmeny to Winchburgh Junction line, west of Edinburgh. The scheme will enable Transport Scotland and Network Rail to develop three options for the Edinburgh Waverley Western Approaches (EWWA) project,
Construction traffic boom keeps UK railfreight stable
A FIVE per cent increase in construction traffic took the sector to its highest quarterly volume in the first three months of 2019/20, according to new figures from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The movement of construction materials, fuelled by high levels of property development in London and the
Consultation on Bakerloo extension project
TRANSPORT for London has launched a 10-week consultation into the latest plans to extend the Bakerloo Line into south-east London. Views are being sought on proposals for the tunnel routes, tunnelling worksites, and also whether to extend the line beyond Lewisham or not. The proposed extension would run from
‘Forgotten Engines’ at Vale of Rheidol
Back to the past at Moseley anniversary event
MOSELEY Railway Trust (MRT) harked back to its roots during its September 21-22 50th anniversary celebration at Apedale Valley Light Railway by operating passenger rides on its ‘Field Railway’. These basic rides, recalling the spirit of operations half a century ago, were undertaken using skip wagon underframes fitted with back-to-back seats
Katie says hello to Katie!
RAVENGLASS & Eskdale Railway’s resurrected 1896-built Heywood 0-4-0T Katie (right) stands alongside Eaton Hall Railway’s 1996-built replica 0-4-0T Katie (centre) at Clayton West Shed on September 14, revealing several interesting differences between the two locos. Rhyl Miniature Railway’s Cagney 4-4-0 No. 44 (left) gives a fascinating contrast in size between miniature and minimum-gauge locos sharing a
Downpatrick diesel gala marks 30 years of the ITG
STEAM gave way to internal combustion power at the Downpatrick & County Down Railway (DCDR) on October 12 as the Irish Traction Group (ITG) celebrated three decades of diesel locomotive preservation. Visitors travelled from both sides of the border, and from across the Irish Sea, to join in the celebrations, which
Middleton Hunslet appearance makes Ribble gala a success
A SHORT-notice agreement to bring the Middleton Railway’s roving Hunslet Brookes No. 1 (2387/1941) to the Ribble Steam Railway (RSR) for its Autumn Steam Gala helped ensure a good turnout for the end-of-season event. The former Brookes Chemicals Ltd 14in-cylindered 0-6-0ST had recently come to the end of a period of hire
RIA at AusRAIL PLUS 2019: The UK and Australasian Rail Industries
By Neil Walker, Exports Director, Railway Industry Association: Neil Walker The UK and Australian rail industries have often worked together in partnership. In March 2019, the UK’s Railway Industry Association (RIA) and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) announced a new partnership at a reception hosted by the British Consul-General in Australia,
Transport for NSW: The Transport Digital Accelerator
In the past when Transport for NSW procured products and services, there was a tendency to publish Requests for Proposals (RFP) or Requests for Quotes (RFQ) with a specific list of requirements. This restricted the ability for industry to come up with innovative solutions. For this reason, we now use the
McKinsey: Australia’s Infrastructure Innovation Imperative
McKinsey discusses its 2019 report. In September 2019 McKinsey published a report entitled Australia’s Infrastructure Innovation Imperative. It describes Australia as “among the most advanced economies globally in effective collaboration between the public and private sectors to deliver transport, energy and social infrastructure. It has also become a leader in private
12 Days of Christmas: Huge prizes up for grabs EVERY DAY!
12 Days of Christmas: Huge prizes up for grabs EVERY DAY!
Former Wadebridge pannier welcomed back by South Devon team
FORMER Wadebridge ‘1366’ 0-6-0PT No. 1369 ran its long-awaited first revenue-earning train in slightly more than two years on October 5 at the South Devon Railway. The diminutive pannier had its first light engine test run on October 3, then double-headed with the 14.35 from Buckfastleigh to Totnes the following day
Phase 1 of Churnet Valley’s Leek extension opens for passengers
‘King’, ‘A4’ and debutant ‘9F’ steal show at Moors line gala spectacular
THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) pulled off what might be regarded as one of the biggest steam galas of the 2000s on September 27-29, which not only featured a hugely impressive locomotive line-up, but also illustrated how far the line’s motive power department has come in a relatively short
9466 ready for Gloucs-Warks service
JONATHAN Jones-Pratt’s ‘94XX’ 0-6-0PT No. 9466 has entered service at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway at the start of an extended hire to the Cotswold line. The Hawksworth pannier was trialled on a round trip on October 19, double-heading with another Hawksworth type – ‘Modified Hall’ No. 7903 Foremarke Hall – during the
Didcot secures visit from Fawley Hill’s No. 31
HUDSWELL, Clarke 0-6-0ST Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons No. 31 made its first preservation-era visit to another heritage railway in late October when it joined ‘Swindonised’ Hudswell, Clarke 0-6-0ST No. 813 at Didcot Railway Centre. No. 31 can usually be found on the late Sir William McAlpine’s private railway at Fawley Hill (now in
‘P2’ fundraising receives two-thirds of £5m target
THE A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (A1SLT) has announced it has received pledges for more than two-thirds of the £5million required to complete its new-build Gresley ‘P2’ 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales. Since its launch in late-September 2013 around 930 supporters have signed up to the ‘P2 for the price of a
Industry Insider Week 48 · 11 Must-Read Rail News Stories
Joondalup Extension Works to Yanchep Commence | Infrastructure METRONET in Perth, Australia, has commenced the early works for the Joondalup Railway Line extension, which will connect the city to the northern suburbs, terminating in Yanchep. The total length of the extension will be 14.5km. The main construction works will begin in
South Western Railway 27-day strike begins
Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire Commuters are being warned to expect delays as workers on South Western Railway begin a 27-day strike. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union will walk out for 27 days between today and New Year’s Day, threatening travel chaos for commuters and Christmas shoppers. Passengers have been
Steam locomotives on the East Lancashire Railway
The official last day of steam
Five things you may not have known about British Rail freight
A big player for the UK economy According to the Rail Freight Group, rail freight contributes £870m to the economy and plays a big part in reducing congestion and carbon emissions. The overall freight tonnage carried by rail has declined gradually, from 175 million in 1973/74 to 138 million in 1986/87,
Black Friday: Six issues of The Railway Magazine for only £15!
Bag a Black Friday bargain and get six issues of Britain’s best-selling rail title, The Railway Magazine, for only £15! That’s nearly half-price off the cover price! Britain’s best-selling rail title – published continuously since 1897, commands the respect of professionals and enthusiasts alike. At The Railway Magazine, we pride ourselves
Black Friday: Six issues of The Railway Magazine for only £14!
Bag a Black Friday bargain and get six issues of Britain’s best-selling rail title, The Railway Magazine, for only £15! That’s nearly half-price off the cover price! Britain’s best-selling rail title – published continuously since 1897, commands the respect of professionals and enthusiasts alike. At The Railway Magazine, we pride ourselves
Protesters lose legal challenge against HS2 rail line running through woodland
Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire Environmental campaigners opposed to the HS2 rail line running through a woodland area in west London have lost their latest court fight. HS2 bosses complained that protesters were unlawfully occupying a path at a construction site in Hillingdon and asked Judge David Holland to grant them “possession”. Protesters
Class 66 locomotive carrying The Railway Magazine name given makeover
Photo: Jack Boskett The Class 66 locomotive which carries the name of The Railway Magazine has been given a brand new look. No. 66503 in Freightliner’s fleet, the 20-year old loco, which works intermodal trains from ports to inland terminals, was give a sparkling coat of Freightliner’s new orange and black
Alstom Wins Marseille Metro Contract
Roving Repton on autumn gala circuit
THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s (NYMR) Southern ‘Schools’ 4-4-0 No. 926 Repton took part in no fewer than three autumn steam galas during September and October, visiting the North West and the East Midlands in the process. Visiting Southern 4-4-0s Nos. 30120 and 926 Repton race past the curve for the Mountsorrel
Pitchford Hall creates Collett preservation ‘first’ after overhaul brings new livery
EPPING Ongar Railway-based GWR ‘Hall’ No. 4953 Pitchford Hall is back in steam after overhaul, and carrying a livery never before seen on one of the Collett 4-6-0s in the preservation era. Roger Wright’s ‘Hall’ caught many by surprise when it arrived at the Great Central Railway (GCR) for testing on
The Infrastructure Progress Report · Sydney
Preorder Your Copy of The Changing Face of Railfreight
Freight services on British railway lines have changed dramatically over the last 40 to 50 years. The Changing Face of Railfreight looks back over this period to chart both the physical changes to the network and the organisational changes which have had such an impact on this vital aspect of Britain’s
The Key Successes and Challenges for Rail in Australia
“For the first time, a national approach has been agreed to position Australia’s multimodal freight supply chains to face the growing freight challenges of the next 20 years and beyond. For passenger rail, the Government has committed to faster rail, providing for people to be able to commute from regional
The Ones That Got Away – Preorder now!
Railway heritage enthusiasts are well served by the legendary locos that have survived into preservation – but not every engine was so fortunate. Some of Britain’s finest locomotives were unceremoniously scrapped long before anyone thought to preserve them. The Ones That Got Away tells their story. Despite the millions of pounds and
Bombardier: “Rail Will Play an Important Role in Solving Australia’s Mobility Needs”
RN: “What will you be focusing on at AusRAIL?” Wendy McMillan, President, Southeast Asia and Australia Region: “We are proud to present Bombardier’s latest innovations for sustainable mobility at the AusRail Rail Conference and Exhibition 2019. Wendy McMillan “We will discuss with customers, operators and government officials; our complete value chain of
Re-wheeling planned for The Unknown Warrior
THE LMS-Patriot Project hopes to have new-build ‘Patriot’ No. 5551 The Unknown Warrior back on all of its wheels again before too long following the return of its centre pair of coupled wheels to Swanwick Junction. The wheelset has had new crank pins fitted at Multi-Tech, near Wakefield, after a problem
Rail workers to stage second Saturday strike in row over staffing
Photo: Aaron Chown/PA Wire Rail workers will stage the second in a series of strikes on Saturday in a dispute over staffing on trains. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union on West Midlands Trains will walk out for 24 hours, disrupting services for passengers including workers, shoppers and sports fans. The
RAIL UNIONS WELCOME LABOUR’S PLEDGE TO END DRIVER-ONLY TRAINS
Unions have welcomed a pledge by Labour to end the “discriminatory practice” of driver-only trains on the railways, guaranteeing there will be a second member of fully trained staff. Labour said the second member of staff will help with boarding and other duties during the journey so that older and disabled rail passengers
Rail unions welcome Labour party pledge to end driver-only trains
Unions have welcomed a pledge by Labour to end the “discriminatory practice” of driver-only trains on the railways, guaranteeing there will be a second member of fully trained staff. Labour said the second member of staff will help with boarding and other duties during the journey so that older and disabled rail passengers
Something ‘Wightwick’ this way comes as Bosworth line celebrates 50 golden years
“OVERWHELMED” and “speechless” were just two of the words used by Battlefield Line director Adrian Lock to describe the success of the Leicestershire line’s 50th anniversary gala on October 18-20. The Shackerstone Railway Society had wanted to mark its five decades of operations at Shackerstone with something special, and this it
Morpeth crash: I helped two survivors
Early Experiments in Steam
A working replica of Stockton & Darlington Railway Locomotion No. 1, which hauled the world’s first public train on September 27,1825. Andrew Jeffrey. In less than 30 years at the beginning of the 19th century, steam engine technology went from stationary mining machines to powering the world’s first inter-city railway. In the
Virgin Trains signs off in style!
Photo: PA With the end of the Virgin Trains franchise taking place at 01:59am on December 8 after 22 years of running trains between London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, they’re going out with a bang! To celebrate all that Virgin has achieved since it launched in 1997, the company has
Preservation focus: Forgetten Gems
Mark Smithers considers several important examples of narrow gauge and industrial steam locomotives which are not currently in the forefront of public attention. One of the more sobering aspects of the current domestic heritage railway scene is the large number of historic steam locomotives that can for one or more reasons
19 November: news in brief
FirstGroup directors branded ‘immature’ as shares fall THERE is new turmoil at rail franchise operator FirstGroup, with a major investor branding its directors ‘immature’. Robert Tchenguiz has allied himself with 10 per cent shareholder Coast Capital to demand that First sells off its US businesses. First has already been challenged by
16 November: news in brief
Weekend extra Green light for West Coast franchise NEW assurances by FirstGroup and Trenitalia over competition concerns about the West Coast Partnership franchise have been accepted by the Competition and Markets Authority. The partners have undertaken to cap fares and to maintain cheap Advance fares. The new franchise is due to begin
Eurostar marks 25th anniversary with first ‘plastic-free’ train
Eurostar is operating a train with no single-use plastics to mark the 25th anniversary of its inaugural service. The 10.24am departure from London to Paris on Thursday will feature wooden cutlery, cans of drinking water, glass wine bottles and paper-based coffee cups. In an interview, Eurostar chief executive Mike Cooper acknowledged
HS2 should go ahead despite costs hike, says review
Flooding washes out Churnet Valley gala
Hitachi Class 802 enters service with TransPennine Express
By Tony Miles THE first of 19 five-car Hitachi Class 802 bi-mode trains entered passenger service with TransPennine Express on September 28. They had received clearance from ORR late the previous evening. Set 802201 operated the 06.03 Newcastle-Liverpool Lime Street and 09.25 return as a one-off working ahead of regular
Correction: Pen & Sword printing error
The Railway Magazine November 2019 Railway Magazine November 2019 issue carried a leaflet in our subscriber copies from Pen & Sword Books which has a printing error on the publication ‘Gresley and his Locomotives’. Pen & Sword apologises for the error, which despite numerous checks evaded correction. The rrp price should have
Guide to Network Rail’s routes and regions
Network Rail’s new geographic regions, established in June, takes on accountability for the delivery of all projects within their borders, including track and signalling. This is the second phase of the company’s transformation into a customer and passenger focussed business. Andrew Haines, chief executive said: “Network Rail’s drive to be more customer and
Euston’s landmark towers vanish as HS2 redevelopment work continues
PREPARATORY work is continuing at London Euston despite ongoing uncertainty over whether High Speed 2 trains will ever serve the station. Contractors are quickly demolishing the two early-1970s tower blocks in front of the station, clearing the land for the redevelopment and expansion. Progress on the demolition of the
London to Glasgow passengers choose rail over air
The proportion of people travelling between London and Glasgow by rail rather than air has reached a record level, according to Virgin Trains. Some 29% of passengers making the journey between England and Scotland’s biggest cities in the 12 months to July chose to travel with the train company rather
Eurostar to merge with Thalys to form ‘Green Speed’
Heading north to Amsterdam: Thalys quad-voltage TGV set 4345 on the high-speed line just south of Rotterdam on September 13, 2018, about to go under the Oude Maas river tunnel. KEITH FENDER International high-speed operators Eurostar and Thalys announced plans in late September to merge the two companies to create
Restoration beckons for unique Lindsay
Class 195 roll-out continues – but ‘Pacers’ will run into 2020
‘Azuma’ trains improve direct Lincoln services
Crossrail: The story so far
Walkway for the new Elizabeth Line at Bond Street Station in central London. Photo: Victoria Jones/PA Wire The boss of the company building Crossrail has confirmed the railway will not open next year and has run even further over budget. Crossrail will not open next year and its cost has increased by
Crossrail: Line will not open until 2021 as costs rise
Photo: Crossrail Crossrail will not open next year and its cost has increased by up to £650 million, the firm building London’s new east-west railway has admitted. Mark Wild, chief executive of Crossrail Ltd, insisted services would begin “as soon as practically possible in 2021”. He revealed the bill for the scheme
Porterbrook donates two power cars to 125 Group after prototype recall shock
ScotRail Class 153 cycle conversions underway
Class 313 charity farewell to Moorgate raises £10,000
November issue on sale!
Britain’s best-selling rail title The Railway Magazine is back for another month of award-winning photos, news, features and exclusives from the rail industry, past and present. This month’s The Railway Magazine features an in-depth interview with Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy as we discover his passion for transport encompasses both
RAIB says Romney & Hythe sands incident has echoes of Abermule
Worcester Parkway on track for December opening
Construction work is almost complete on the new Worcestershire Parkway station, with testing and commissioning expected to be complete ready for opening on December 15. The split-level station will be operated by Great Western Railway (GWR) on behalf of Worcestershire County Council, with CrossCountry Cardiff to Nottingham trains serving the lower
Rail Riders enthusiasts’ club set for relaunch
Rail Riders, the club for rail travellers and enthusiasts founded and operated by British Rail between 1981 and 1991, is being relaunched in February. Almost 30 years after the iconic fan club closed, it is being revived by well-known railway accessory and clothing supplier Bufferbeam. Unlike the original club,
Northern franchise hangs in the balance after Shapps warning
Vivarail battery hybrid trials underway
TRIALS using a Vivarail Class 230 battery hybrid multiple unit were operated on September 9-10 between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh. In addition to diesel power on its converted trains, Vivarail can harness battery power, with hydrogen eventually planned. The company is building on tests undertaken in 2018 when its development set No. 230002
‘Plain Jane’ look for ‘Pendolino’
Factory commissioning of Merseyrail Class 777 begins
STATIC factory-based testing of the first of 52 Stadler Class 777 four-car EMUs for Merseyrail has started in Switzerland. When engineers are satisfied, the set will be moved to Germany for dynamic testing on Siemens Wildenrath test circuit, before the first completed set is delivered to Merseyside later in the year.
Let the train take away the temptation this Christmas
‘Aberdonian’ success prompts return in 2020
TORNADO Railtours’ series of Edinburgh to Aberdeen day trips concluded on September 7 after a successful first season, with dates having been announced for next year’s trains. The tours are hauled by ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado and will operate on July 23, September 3 and September 10, offering passengers a diverse selection
Belgian heritage line hosts gala weekend
BELGIAN national rail enthusiasts’ group Patrimoine Ferroviaire et Tourisme (PFT) held its annual gala weekend on the Chemin de Fer du Bocq heritage line from Ciney to Bauche in mid-August. Steam loco No. 29 013 leaves one of the line’s several tunnels, near Purnode, with a photo freight on August 16. This
