Sommaire pour Issue 338 de Heritage Railway

IN 1825, Britain inspired the globe by attaching one passenger coach to alengthy rake of coal wagons and running it as the opening train of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The crowds marvelled – and so did the rest of the planet. The self-propelled transport revolution had begun and a new age of human society dawned. To recreate that inaugural modern train two centuries to the day, attracting a crowd of about 100,000 – a figure said by those who attended to be a very conservative estimate – to Shildon, Darlington & Stockton, with a 21st century carnival atmosphere, again combined meticulous years of planning and honest hard graft, backed by strokes of genius and five-star-plus leadership. The globe could not help but to sit up and take notice again,…

DOUBLE Fairlie Merddin Emrys bowed out of service at the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways on October 5 following the line’s annual Bygones weekend, which celebrates the long history of the line and variety of heritage rolling stock in its collection. Built in 1879 in the company’s own workshops at Boston Lodge, Merddin Emrys was the only double locomotive still available for service when the railway closed in 1946. Despite this, owing to the closure coming so suddenly, it remained stored in the locomotive shed with water in the boiler and tanks, and coal in the bunker awaiting its next turn of duty that never came. By the time the preservationists had taken over, corrosion had taken its toll and the locomotive would not steam again until 1961 after receiving…

ALSTOM opened its Glasgow Traincare Centre to the public on October 12 for the first time in 25 years to celebrate Polmadie 150, the depot’s 150th anniversary. Located about two miles south-east of Glasgow Central station, the facility is currently the main base of the iconic Caledonian Sleeper service, where it is maintained and cleaned by more than 100 staff who providea round-the-clock service. The depot typically welcomes 17 trains per day, including AvantiWest Coast’s fleet of Alstom-built Class 390 Pendolinos. “Polmadie stands as more than a depot – it represents a beacon of engineering excellence and a vital pillar in Scotland’s rich railway heritage. For 150 years, this site has played a crucial role in keeping the country moving, and we’re incredibly proud of the dedicated teams who continue…

FOLLOWING their withdrawal from service in December 2024, the reason given being down to the rising challenges posed by operating the ageing fleet of vehicles on a modern tram network, heritage trams returned to the seafront at Blackpool on October 15. The announcement of the withdrawal was initially met with widespread condemnation from local residents and enthusiasts concerned about the impact on tourism for the seaside resort their absence would result in. A further reason cited was the ongoing refurbishment of Rigby Road depot where many of the heritage trams had normally been stabled, with operations having to temporarily move to Starr Gate where the modern fleet is maintained. Blackpool Transport quickly issued a statement confirming that their absence would only be temporary and that it and the local council…

THE Science and Industry Museum in Manchester has reopened its Power Hall after six years of closure. The Grade-II listed building was constructed in 1855 as the shipping shed for Liverpool Road station, the world’s first purpose-built passenger station. It reopened in September 1983 to house one of the UK’s largest collections of historic working engines, ranging from those employed in cotton mills and chip shops to electricity generators and railways. The free Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery temporarily closed in 2019 to allow urgent repair and renovation works to take place. Since then, the museum has collaborated with architect and lead designer Carmody Groarke, Manchester building contractor HH Smith & Sons, exhibition designer Studio MUTT and building service engineer Max Fordham to repair and protect the building’s heritage,…

A RETURN to horsepower at the Talyllyn Railway’s September 13/14 Heritage Weekend helped the world’s first volunteer-run preservation railway revive the long-distant days when steam power was still to be conceived. Building on the success of the previous two years and a growing reputation, the weekend was created to depict the rich heritage of the TR, such as the local slate industry, personalities involved in the railway, and the history of other railways whose locomotives and rolling stock are now based on the line. This year’s event welcomed hundreds of visitors to ride the themed trains and explore the displays. A strong focus on the TR’s slate heritage reflected its original role as a means of transporting slate from Bryn Eglwys quarry in the hills above the western end of…

THE Downpatrick & County Down Railway has added a vehicle thought to be extinct to its collection, a CIE ‘bubble wagon.’ No. 25199, built in 1972 at Inchicore Works in Dublin, is the very last of its class of 150 distinctive vehicles which for more than three decades were a familiar sight in Ireland, north and south, hauling cement until the traffic ended in 2009. Every known example was scrapped… almost! One example eluded the cutter’s torch because of the efforts of dedicated enthusiast Mike Murphy and moved to a remote collection where for 16 years it remained undisturbed and undiscovered. It has now been donated to the DCR, whose chairman Robert Gardiner said:“One look at it and you can see how these wagons got their nickname. Ours was the…

ALTHOUGH an Essex resident all his life and a dedicated member of the GER Society, top railway artist Malcolm Root is also a keen advocate of Oliver Bulleid’s Battle of Britain and West Country light Pacifics. He speaks of a “great affinity” for these locomotives, taking pride in having ‘copped’ most of the class when train spotting at Winchester and Eastleigh during the 1960s. There is, though, one in particular with which he feels a bond. It is No. 34072 257 Squadron, and his fondness for this engine is due to the strongest tie of all, a familial link. For that was the squadron his father was attached to after training as an armourer in 1943 and with which he remained until the end of the Second World War. No…

A UNIQUE shunter which had been assembled in the North East from a ‘flatpack’ collection of components returned to the region for the first time to star in the Tanfield Railway’s September 20/21 Diesel Pioneers event. Work on building 0-4-0DH Myfanway and two identical locomotives was started by the Stafford-based locomotive builder WG Bagnall in February 1961, just as the firm was being taken over by Brush. The locomotives were then moved as kits of parts 175 miles away to be completed by Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns in Darlington during 1962. Accordingly, Myfanwy ended up carrying two works numbers– Bagnall 3211 and RSH 8366. It was delivered new to the Royal Ordnance Factory at Pembrey and later purchased by construction company Tarmac for work on the Jubilee line extension in…

A RIBBON-CUTTING ceremony at Shillingstone station on September 18 marked the formal opening of the North Dorset Railway’s new 440-yard length of track. Witnessed by the High Sheriff of Dorset, Callum Bremner JP, North Dorset MP Simon Hoare and local county and parish councillors, together with about 70 NDR volunteers, home-based Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0DM D1186 of 1959 Ashdown cut the ribbon.The sole survivor of a unique design built for the Manchester Ship Canal, it was waved off by the station’s youngest long-term volunteer, 13-year-old Joe Bond. It was followed by on-loan Wickham trolley Type 17A No. 8267 of 1959, its full restoration having been completed earlier this year, with the addition of passenger seatbelts. Then came Yugoslavia-built Class 62 ‘Yankee Tank’ 0-6-0T No. 30075, which, as reported in issue 336,…

THREE-CYLINDER BR Standard 8 Pacific 71000 Duke of Gloucester is back in main line service after a 10-year overhaul at Tyseley Locomotive Works. On October 7 it hauled the Saphos Trains rake of Mk. 1 carriages on a test train starting and finishing at Crewe round the Shrewsbury circuit. The following day, it hauled a BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust members’ special on the same route with the headboard ‘The Impossible Dream.’ Designed at Derby Works by Robert Riddles, it was constructed at Crewe in 1954. Along with being the only three-cylinder Standard locomotive built, it is unusual for having Caprotti rotary valve gear, considered to be more efficient than Walschaerts or Stephenson. Initially, it was to have the Kylala-Chapelon (Kylchap) double blastpipe exhaust system, but it was fitted…

A BRIDGE in the heart of Stockport has been renamed to honour a steam locomotive driver who died while trying to stop a runaway train in 1957. Born in the town in 1900, on February 11, 1957, John Axon was at the controls of a freight train travelling from Buxton to Warrington when the pipe connecting to the steam brake failed just short of Dove Holes in Derbyshire, filling the cab with scalding steam. While he fought for control, Axon instructed his fireman, Ron Scanlon, to apply the handbrake and then jump clear to try to apply as many of the brakes on the unfitted train as possible. Despite managing to alert the signalman, the 500-ton train continued out of control down the steep hill towards Chapel-en-le-Firth station, where it…

THE steam nameplate selection at GW Railwayana’s November 15 auction, early details of which were in last month’s column, has been boosted by six new arrivals, four of which are from Nigel Gresley-designed engines, comprising an A4 Pacific and a trio of B17s, while the other two are both from BR-built locomotives. From the A4 class comes Sir Murrough Wilson, carried by No. 60002, the B17s are Framlingham, Serlby Hall, and Hinchingbrooke (Nos. 61603, 61631, and 61634), and the post-Nationalisation-built representatives are Meg Merrilies from Peppercorn LNER A1 No. 60115 and John Bunyan from Britannia No. 70003. No. 60002 emerged from Doncaster in April 1938 as Pochard, was renamed the following year after LNER director and MP Sir Murrough Wilson, and was withdrawn from Gateshead (52A) in May 1964, and…

IT would appear that retailer Rails of Sheffield has a soft spot for pre-Grouping locomotives of the LMS constituent, particularly those from the Caledonian Railway, as the firm announced it has commissioned Bachmann to produce a range of exclusive models of the 0-4-4T 439 class of locomotives, which includes variants of the sole-surviving preserved example. The CR had a long history of using locomotives with this wheel arrangement, with examples being built from the mid-1880s right through until 1925. The 439 class was the most numerous example, with 92 built. The first was introduced in 1900, becoming classed as the ‘standard passenger’ class; 74 survived into BR ownership and the class was one of just a few tank engine designs with pre-Grouping origins to survive into the final decade of…

The Leighton Buzzard Railway’s 10-12-D Baldwin 4-6-0T No. 778 will make its final appearance on the line on October 26 as part of a four-strong locomotive line-up, following which it will be withdrawn for overhaul. The end-of-season Halloween jamboree will also feature De Winton 0-4-0VBTs Taffy (visiting from Alan Keef Ltd)and LBR-based Chaloner, together with Kerr Stuart ‘Wren’ 0-4-0ST Peter Pan, making four locos in steam for the day. Owned by The Greensand Railway Museum Trust, a registered charity, No. 778 has run at the Leighton Buzzard Railway since it was restored to operation in 2007. Following the expiry of its boiler ticket on November 30, work will begin swiftly to overhaul the locomotive. “We aim to ensure the overhaul of No. 778 is undertaken as rapidly as possible,” commented…

THE first on the foremost: the replica 1825 Stockton & Darlington Railway train, which generated waves of international headlines as it ran on the main line to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the world’s first steam-hauled passenger train, is to have an autumn season of running public services on one of Britain’s most popular heritage lines. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway, which has often topped the charts in terms of passenger numbers, will be offering trips on the train during October and November. As highlighted in our special feature on pages 44-49, the replica train spectacularly recreated the pioneering spirit of 1825 during the September 26-28 climax to the S&DR200 festival, drawing tens of thousands of visitors to Shildon, Darlington Stockton. After the conclusion of the event, the replica train…

THE £5 million project to build new Gresley P2 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales has taken two major steps forward. At builder The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s 35th annual convention, held in Darlington on October 4, to which chairman Steve Davies MBE welcomed nearly 200 supporters, it was announced that the locomotive’s boiler is now complete and ready to be delivered from the DB Meiningen works in Germany at the end of October, allowing for logistics planning and customs processes. Certification body TUV Thüringen attended the works to witness the hydraulic test and announced it was satisfied, before fixing a CE mark to it. On display in the trust’s Darlington Locomotive Works was the P2’s completed tender. Timken attended in September to install the roller bearings onto the balanced…

SWANAGE Railway volunteers who help maintain and develop Herston Halt are supporting a Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance appeal to raise the final £1 million for a second life-saving helicopter. Two large advertising boards have been installed at the halt, which was built in 1983 off Washpond Lane and now looks very different to the original basic wooden platform once sited there. Swanage Railway Trust chairman Frank Roberts said:“In operation for 25 years, every life-saving mission flown by the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is funded by generous public donations. When every second counts, the air ambulance brings the hospital to the patient and is often the difference between life and death. You never know when it may be needed.” Tracy Bartram, communications manager at the Dorset and Somerset Air…

THE full return to service of unique Class 89 locomotive No. 89001 Avocet has moved a significant step closer following the first run under its own power on the national network in 25 years! The prototype example of a class that never went into production, Avocet was designed by Brush Traction with construction subcontracted to BREL at Crewe, being completed in 1986. The slanted ends led to the locomotive being nicknamed‘Aardvark’by locomotive crews at the time, while enthusiasts dobbed it‘The Badger.’ Had the class gone into production, they would have likely been allocated to the East Coast Main Line hauling rakes of Mk.3coaches. Unfortunately, by the time of Avocet’s completion, BR had started to favour fixed-formation consists with Class 91 locomotives semi-permanently attached to one end. Despite this, Avocet remained…

THE East Lancashire Railway and the 125 Group have announced a new partnership that will see the latter’s fleet of preserved HSTs take up residence at Bury, where they will form an exciting new addition the line’s operational collection. Both the largest and oldest HST interest group and the only charitable organisation promoting the memory of the HST, the 125 Group, which was custodian for the National Railway Museum-owned prototype between 2011 and 2019, has until recently been based at the Midland Railway – Butterley. The news comes ahead of the 50th anniversary of the InterCity 125 class, which will be celebrated in 2026, and this new partnership opens ups further operational possibilities for the group. Trustee Alex Wood said: “With a train as large and iconic as ours, working…

NEARLY 4100 visitors attended the Severn Valey Railway’s Autumn Diesel Bash, which marked the 65th anniversary of the Class 37s entering service. Ten ‘Tractors,’ a class of 309 Type 3 diesel-electrics built by English Electric at Vulcan and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns between 1960-65, and which took their nickname from their distinctive sound, took part in the October 2-5 event. One enthusiast who travelled from Cornwall to attend wrote to the SVR afterwards, saying:“From start to finish, it has been nothing but brilliant, with plenty of awesome English Electric music on tap!” The line-up, which included both heritage vehicles and those still in regular main line service, comprised No. 37508 (courtesy of Loram UK Ltd and Steve Beniston); D6948 (37248, The Growler Group and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway); No. 37250…

KENT & East Sussex Railway volunteer Helen Douglas is to spearhead the fundraising campaign to provide facilities at the Rother Valley Railway’s new Robertsbridge Junction station as part of the ongoing £6 million project to link the two neighbouring lines. In the new role of appeals director, 38-year-old Helen becomes a trustee of the RVR Heritage Trust, with her sights set on three fundraising objectives, the first being for the fitting out of the new station building, which is nearing completion. Phase two will be for the locomotive running shed and the third for the carriage shed. “Our railways are more than just track and trains–they are living narratives of our nation’s history,” said Helen.“Preserving this vital part of our heritage is crucial not only for tourism, but also for…

REPRESENTATION of the LMS era has recently expanded as Caledonian Railway 439 class 0-4-4T No. 419 was unveiled in the striking lined crimson livery of the company at the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway. Following an extended period of running in BR black as No. 55189, the locomotive entered the workshops last November for maintenance and some repairs, with the opportunity taken to applya fresh new look in time for reemerging in the Railway 200 year. Built in 1907 at St Rollox Works in Glasgow, No. 419 was renumbered as 15189 at the 1923 Grouping. Until that point it had been air-braked only, but the LMS opted to fit it (along with other members of the versatile class) with vacuum braking in addition to this, which further enhanced its capability. Withdrawn…

THE Saturday of the GW/R’s Railway 200 weekend was graced by two highly respected guests, with Sir Tim Laurence, husband of the Princess Royal, and Lord and Lady Faulkner of Worcester both in attendance on September 27. Sir Tim is president of the GW/R Trust, while Lord Faulkner is president of the Heritage Railway Association and a patron of GWSR Plc. The day began with the distinguished guests presenting long service awards to several of the heritage line’s volunteers at a ceremony held in the Tim Mitchell Building at Winchcombe station, where there was also a display tracing the history of the line. Sir Tim praised volunteers for the remarkable job they had done in the past and present, and what they will continue to do in the future, applauding…

A COMMEMORATIVE plaque has been unveiled at Swanage station recognising its role in one of the most remarkable humanitarian efforts of the 20th century. In 1938/39, the station became an arrival point for many of the 10,000 Jewish children fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe. As part of the Kindertransport initiative, thousands of unaccompanied minors – known as ‘the Kinder’– were granted entry to Britain after the then government temporarily waived visa requirements. Many arrived in Swanage with little more than a suitcase, photographs, or treasured keepsakes like dolls, leaving their families behind to begin new lives in safety. The Swanage branch played a vital part in their journey, carrying the youngsters away from danger and into new homes and communities. The plaque, now affixed to the station building, reads:“ Swanage…

MEMORIES of the huge east London shed and works complex of Stratford (30A to we steam era trainspotters and SF to the diesel generation), reverberated around Mangapps Railway Museum on September 27 as former drivers swapped tales at their annual reunion. The working museum welcomed about 30 ex-Stratford men to its Essex home near Burnham-on-Crouch in an event organised by Dave Brennand, who embarked on his 40-year career at Stratford in 1973 as a 16-year-old cleaner and within five years was driving diesels. With attendees from near and far, including Chris Maguire, from Aberdeen, much banter was exchanged, many stories told, and the museum’s rolling stock and facilities greatly admired. As he relaxed after a busy day, a delighted Dave said: “All footplatemen share a common bond, whether they were…

THE oldest surviving locomotive built to a Sir Nigel Gresley design has successfully completed its steam test at the North Norfolk Railway’s Weybourne workshops in the latter stages of its six-year overhaul. GNR N2 0-6-2T No.1744 was withdrawn from service in late 2018 for an overhaul that has proved to be considerably more extensive and costly than anticipated, and which was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Once stripped down, it became evident that far more work was needed than anticipated. An extensive programme of mechanical and boiler work led to the overhaul cost of about £650,000. Since arriving at the workshop in mid-December 2024, work completed includes the successful non-destructive testing and examination of the two carbon steel steam pipes that serve from the superheater…

THE world’s largest collection of 2f gauge locomotives and rolling stock in South Africa has drastically reduced steam running due to a lack of qualified and skilled engineers. This situation is one also faced in the UK, with insufficient young engineers being trained to take over the role of experienced counterparts, and the skills are not being handed down the generations. With Sandstone’s experienced locomotive engineers reaching retirement age, they have unsuccessfully tried to find replacements to fill the void. Accordingly, its once large collection of working locomotives has been reduced to the bare minimum. A Sandstone spokesman said “Since we began operations in 1999, we have always kept a reasonable supply of parts and associated equipment for the ongoing and scheduled maintenance of our steam locomotives and rolling stock,…

ON Saturday, December 14, UK Railtours will run a festive trip to Newcastle involving A3 Pacific No. 60103 Flying Scotsman. Starting from Finsbury Park in Mk. 3 coaching stock behind a Class 67,‘The Festive Flying Scotsman’is scheduled to head up the East Coast Main Line. Picking up additional passengers at Potters Bar, Stevenage and Peterborough, the train will then run fast through Grantham and Doncaster to York. At York, diesel traction will make way for steam as Flying Scotsman is coupled to the train. Passing Durham and arriving in Newcastle mid-afternoon, passengers will then have three hours to explore the city, which will be hosting its annual Christmas market. The route home is expected to be a reverse of the outward journey, with No. 60103 taking the train south as…

FOUR days after the Stockton & Darlington Railway 200 Festival’s recreation of the 1825 world’s first steam passenger train came to a close, the railway family came together on October 2 for a special celebratory LNER Evensong at Durham Cathedral giving thanks for 200 years of rail travel. The Deputy Lieutenant of County Durham, David Gray, the Mayor of Durham, Coun Gary Hutchinson, and the chairman of Durham County Council, Coun Robbie Rodiss, were among the invited guests who joined representatives from LNER, Network Rail, Northern Trains, TransPennine Express, Grand Central Rail, British Transport Police and young people from the Stockton and Darlington Railway Youth Team and the community. Ina poignant service lead by the Very Rev Dr Philip Plyming, Dean of Durham, the innovation of the North East was…

THE Branch Line Society is to run a one-way trip to the Severn Valley Railway behind a Class 47 on Friday, October 31. ‘The Brush and Broomstick’ is planned as a positioning move in conjunction with the BLS’s Class 50 tour to Paddington entitled ‘The Fantastic Four,’ with two depot track bashes included, on Saturday, November 1, but as we closed for press, no further details of that trip had been released. Leaving Peterborough on the afternoon of October 31, the route is planned take the Stamford Line to Leicester to pick up additional passengers, before heading onwards past Nuneaton and Water Orton to Birmingham New Street, where passengers will have the option to alight. Continuing via Soho South Junction, Galton Junction and Smethwick Junction, customers will have the option…

October 25 Settle & Carlisle Steam Special Grantham, Carlisle, and return. Steam-hauled between Carnforth (outward) and Preston (return). Loco: 34067 Tangmere. NB 25 ‘The Varsity Explorer’ Slough, Chester, and return. Steam-hauled throughout. Loco: 34028 Eddystone. RTC 25 ‘The Brick&Tile’ Finsbury Park, Cleethorpes, and return. Locos: 50008 Thunderer+ 1x Class 50 & Class 37 TBA. 26 ‘The Shakespeare Express’ Derby, Stratford-upon-Avon, and return. Loco: 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe or 7029 Clun Castle. VT 27 ‘Muncaster Express’ Manchester Piccadilly, Ravenglass, and return. Diesel-hauled throughout. Loco: TBA. WCR 29 ‘Muncaster Express’ Penrith, Ravenglass, and return. Diesel-hauled throughout. Loco: TBA. WCR November 1 ‘The Chiltern Explorer’ Manchester Piccadilly, Reading, and return. Steam-hauled outward only. Loco: 34028 Eddystone. RTC 1 Farewell to Steam special Birmingham New Street, Paddington, and return. Steam-hauled return only. Loco:…

While September 26-28 will go down in history for many, marking the replica Locomotion No. 1 returning to the main line to mark the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, as covered in our special feature on pages 44-51, for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, it was business as normal. This final weekend of the month has traditionally been the time for its annual steam gala. There had been some concern among enthusiasts that with such a significant event happening at Darlington, a little over 30 miles away from Grosmont as the crow files, visitor numbers for the Moorsline gala might be affected. Such worries were swiftly to rest alaids over the four days (starting September 25), huge crowds descended on the railway to sample the line-up, which contained…

UNSURE whether to make another Scottish locomotive or something from further south, Rapido Trains UK opted to settle for both in one locomotive with the LNER D40. Introduced as the Great North of Scotland Railway V and F class, when the original order for 10 was made in 1899, the company realised that five was all it could actually afford, and the remainder were deemed surplus. As they had already been built, Neilson, Reid & Co sought a buyer, which came thanks to the South Eastern & Chatham Railway in the south, for which they became the G class. A total of 18 would survive into BR ownership, but only one made it into preservation – No. 62277 Gordon Highlander, which is currently on display at the Bo’ness & Kinneil…

THE first passenger service on the original trackbed of part of the western section of the Southwold Railway since it closed in 1929 is being planned to run next year. The announcement was made by the Halesworth to Southwold Narrow Gauge Railway CIO after holding its annual Heritage Open Days event at Blythburgh Station Heritage Centre on September 14, with the show also celebrating Railway 200. Blythburgh station has been partrestored from complete dereliction in less than five years and is centred around the last building from the original 3ft gauge railway, the 1879 goods shed. This building is restored, and the platform – with running-in board and lamps, signal shed, main line and sidings – have all been recreated on their original site. A collection of archaeological relics found…

A LOCOMOTIVE dating from 1875 which ended up buried in sand for more than half a century has been recovered by enthusiasts in Wanganui, New Zealand, and has gone on public display for the very first time. Built in 1875, 0-4-0T No. 1 Skunk was one of three identical eight-ton locomotives built for the tramway that linked the towns of Foxton and Palmerston North, both on the west coast of the North Island, with No. 1 being the first to arrive in Foxton that August.The line on which they were to run had previously been a wooden-railed horse-drawn tramway. When the locomotive arrived, these were being replaced by steel rails, with Skunk put to work assisting. The first passenger trains hauled by Nos.1 and 2 Wallaby ran in April 1876,…

ONE of the Llangollen Railway’s DMU fleet bowed out in spectacular fashion at the line’s October 4/5 railcar gala as all eight operational trailers came together on the Sunday morning for a combined jaunt up the Dee Valley. The annual gala weekend celebrates the varied fleet of DMUs which have been instrumental in the LR’s survival in recent years, having been the first motive power to work services after its administration period and providing cheap but high-capacity traction for off-peak services when steam or diesel locomotives would otherwise have proven operating to be non-viable. DMUs are often considered as ‘Cinderellas’of heritage railways; while they may lack the perceived glamour of a named express steam locomotive or the impressive engine hum of diesels such a Deltic, the panoramic views of offered…

THE Mid-Norfolk Railway has appointed Samantha Taylor as its first female general manager. Samantha brings 30-plus years of senior leadership experience from the charity and small and medium enterprise sectors, with a career that has spanned the UK and Asia. While new to the heritage railway world, she brings a strong track record in building resilient organisations, driving operational excellence, and engaging diverse teams, said a MNR statement. “Supported by a small team of committed paid staff and an amazing group of volunteers, Samantha’s appointment reflects the MNR’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity, modernisation, and building a sustainable future rooted in community values,”it said. The railway already benefits from the leadership and insight of women serving both on its board, in trustees Lesley Sparks and Marie Saville, and in business manager…

WHILE the Stockton & Darlington Railway 200 celebration reached its grand climax on September 27/28 to widespread acclaim, an International Parade of locomotives was staged on the Sunday of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway’s autumn steam gala to mark both the 90th anniversary of the closure of the original line on September 29, 1935, and Railway 200. Four visiting locomotives joined the six resident ones for the event, built on the theme of ‘narrow gauge, the wider story’ to reflect their geographical range. The parade featured de Winton 0-4-0VBT of Chaloner of 1877, built for the Welsh slate industry, Kerr Stuart Wren 0-4-0ST contractor’s locomotive No. 4256 of 1922 Peter Pan (both visiting from the Leighton Buzzard Railway), FC Hibberd Planet 4wDM No. 1830 of 1933 Boothby, from the Westonzoyland…

WHILE the big national celebrations were taking place on the route of the Stockton & Darlington Railway on September 27/28, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway gave a different twist to Rail 200 by running freight trains between timed passenger services. The aim was to explain what makes a heritage railway run in the 21st century, both front-of-house and behind the scenes. Representatives from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway Trust were on hand to chat to visitors and explain the benefits of becoming a member and joining the 900 working volunteers. Steam locomotives taking part were new-build GWR No. 4-6-0 6880 Betton Grange, GWR 2-8-0 No. 2807 and WR 4-6-0 No. 7903 Foremarke Hall, which was taking the place of Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No. 35006 Peninsular and Oriental S. N. Co, which had…

A PAIR of visiting Southern steam locomotives helped the Epping Ongar Railway deliver what it described as its“most successful gala yet,”with more than 1000 people visiting on September 19-21. Billed as a Southern Giants gala, the steam line-up saw resident GWR 4-6-0 No. 4953 Pitchford Hall joined by visiting SR Schools 4-4-0 No. 926 Repton and Battle of Britain light Pacific No. 34027 275 Squadron. Both locomotives had starred at the Swanage Railway’s own steam gala the previous weekend (as reported last issue) and made the stopover in Essex on their way northwards to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where Repton is normally resident, for a gala there the weekend immediately after (see feature, pages 68-71). The appearance of both visitors came off the back of the visit of Pitchford…

GWR 5600 0-6-2T No. 6695 has taken up temporary residence on the Avon Valley Railway, where it worked its first trains during the weekend of September 27/28. Owned by the 6695 Locomotive Group, No. 6695 was built by Armstrong Whitworth for the GWR and was withdrawn in 1964. While it never ran over the line through Bitton itself, it is believed that three members of the class passed through in the 1950s on their way to the Somerset & Dorset route for trials. Following an appearance at the West Somerset Railway’s May 2-4 steam gala, No. 6695, which was previously based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, entered the Minehead workshops for repairs to the foundation ring. It moved to Bitton on the AVR in mid-September and a contract has…

THE earliest standard gauge railway in Scotland– and possibly Britain – may have been discovered. Archaeologists from the 1722 Waggonway Heritage Group, working on the Tranent-Cockenzie Waggonway, have found evidence dating its use of 4ft 8in gauge to about 1775. The waggonway was built in 1722 by the York Buildings Company to carry coal from pits at Tranent to fuel salt pans on the coast at Cockenzie. It became connected to the North British Railway via a short branch in 1849; the southern section of it serving Fleets Colliery remained in operation with steam locomotives until the colliery closed in 1959 and was used in the 1960s by the NCB as a wagon store. The archaeological team was working on the route of the waggonway where it crossed the fields…

THE Railway Touring Company added a steam train of its own to the Stockton & Darlington Railway during the climax of the 200th anniversary celebrations. Setting out diesel-hauled from Carnforth early on Saturday, September 27, ‘The Railway 200 Special’ headed via Hellifield to the pick-up points at Hellifield, Keighley, and Leeds to York, where it was joined by LMS ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0 No. 44871. Departing at 9.26am, the tour headed north up the East Coast Main Line to Darlington. As it passed the multiple awardwinning Hopetown Darlington attraction, passengers could see the replica Locomotion No. 1 and its 1825 train and Titans of Steam guests including A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado and A4 No 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley. From Darlington, the train headed up the Tees Valley line, calling at…

VINTAGE Trains still run a good number of pure steam-hauled trips and always state when no diesel will be involved. One of these was ‘The Mayflower’ on Saturday September 6 and my good friend Alan Rawlings was on this for the steam sections. He tells the story of the day. “For all the reasons we know about there have been many occasions in 2025 when an unassisted main line steam charter has not been possible. However, Vintage Trains made it clear from the outset that this trip to Plymouth would not be one of those. The diesels that were to bring the train down from Birmingham to Bristol would again shadow the train to Plymouth, as in 2024. It was also a final opportunity for, arguably, the finest example of…

It was a Midland takeover of the Eastern Region at the start of October as the Great Central Railway hosted its annual autumn steam gala, at which no less than three visiting locomotives were drafted in to star, each proving popular with visitors and once again drawing the crowds to Leicestershire for the occasion. For many, the star of the occasion was Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45596 Bahamas. Normally a resident at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway but also a regular on main line charters, it has been exceedingly rare for this particular locomotive to visit a line without a direct connection to the national network. Its visit to Loughborough was therefore a product of fortunate circumstances. Several GCR shed staff are supporters of No. 4556’s owning group, the Bahamas…

While the modern rail industry perhaps does not have quite as many stand names in terms of its ehaps and designers, there’s no doubt that the likes of Bulleid and Gresley are two from history with which railway enthusiasts are very familiar. They were responsible for a wide range of very successful locomotive classes – some being produced under more challenging circumstances than others – but both widely associated with two different regions of the pre-Grouping era. Despite this, their stories are much more closely linked than some may realise, and it was that often forgotten chapter of their life stories that was celebrated by the Mid-Hants Railway at its October 3-5 steam gala. Born in 1882, the rail career of Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid began when he became an…

SOUTH EAST Amberley Museum 2ft gauge, ¼ mile. Arundel, West Sussex. Tel: 01798 831370. Open: Weds-Sun until Nov 2. Bluebell Railway Standard gauge, 11 miles. Sheffield Park, East Sussex TN22 2QL. Tel: 01825 720800. Running: Daily until Nov 2. Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway 2ft gauge, ½ mile. Bredgar, Sitting bourne, Kent. Tel: 01622 884254. Running: Oct 25/26. Chatham Historic Dockyard Standard gauge, one mile. Chatham, Kent. Tel: 01634 820800. Open: Weds-Suns until Nov 2. East Kent Railway Standard gauge, two miles. Shepherdswell, Kent. Tel: 01304 832042. Regular running resumes spring 2026. Eastleigh Lakeside Railway 10¼in & 7¼in gauge, 1¼ miles. Running: W/Es, sch hols. Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway 12¼in gauge, 1½ miles. Exbury, Southampton. Tel: 023 8089 1203. Open: Daily until Nov 2. Hayling Light Railway 2ft gauge,…

AT the Russell Ridge heritage centre, 62 miles north of Sydney, is the privately owned 2ft gauge Mandalong Valley Railway. The railway’s four engines were in steam to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington railway, led by Baldwinbuilt 0-4-2RT No. 10533 of 1889 No. 1 carrying a Railway 200 board on its headlamp. It was the first steam engine to be imported to Australia when purchased by the Fairymead Sugar Mill, near Bundaberg, Queensland. Painted in Mosman Mill red, John Fowler 0-4-2T No. 19547 Ivy ran at the mill north of Port Duglas, in north Queensland. Just returned to steam in grey undercoat, 0-4-2T No.7 was built by Perry Engineering South Australia in 1951 for the Mourilyan Sugar Mill, north of Townsville, Queensland. Last in the line-up…