Inhaltsverzeichnis für Issue 335 in Heritage Railway

On Saturday, October 4, Hitachi Rail will hold an open day at its Newton Aycliffe factory, marking Railway 200 and 10 years since the firm opened the doors of its state-of-the-art UK facility. It is the first time that the general public will be admitted, giving a rare glimpse behind the scenes of one of Britain’s most advanced train manufacturing sites. Locomotion No. 1 will be on display during the event and the Railway 200 Exhibition Train Inspiration will also be present. Factory tours will give a rare chance to see Hitachi’s pioneering trains first-hand, and the public will be able to talk to the team which builds them. There will also be a special exhibition of winning entries from the Past, Present & Future of Train Travel schools drawing…

THE Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway now has unhindered access into its main line interchange station following the completion of its independent line project. Once a part of the former GWR line to Aston Rowant, the Chinnor branch splits off from the Chiltern Main Line to Princes Risborough. A short distance into the journey, the train reaches Thame Junction where a further split with another line branches off to Oxford. Until 2016, this junction had been the limit of operations before the C&PRR gained access to its own new platform at Princes Risborough. To access this platform, however, the railway had to rely on a leased section of track from Network Rail. With this being used as an engineering siding by NR, entry into the station had been reliant on…

THE North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group has reached an agreement with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway for a joint project to overhaul the bottom end, tanks and cab of its Hunslet 0-6-0ST No. 68030. The 1952-built former National Coal Board locomotive is owned by the NYMR, with the boiler being overhauled by an outside contractor. The NYMR will fund the project at no cost to the NELPG. An NELPG statement said: “The main benefit is that the J94 can be worked on after J72 0-6-0T No. 69023 is finished and before P3 0-6-0 No. 2392 comes due for overhaul in 2028, thus providing continuity of work in 2026 and 2027 for NELPG’s Darlington workforce. Furthermore, it is hoped that as a joint project, supervised by the NYMR, we can benefit…

THE Welsh Highland Heritage Railway is to mark the 45th anniversary of its first passenger train on Saturday, August 2. The original Welsh Highland Society was formed in 1961. In 1964 it became the Welsh Highland Light Railway (1964) Co Ltd and later simplified to the Welsh Highland Railway Ltd. Today it operates as the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. On August 2, 1980, in Porthmadog, a small red Ruston & Hornsby 40DL No.354068 named Kinnerley hauled a single white and green carriage from a simple dirt platform three-quarters of a mile to Pen-y-Mount. On August 2 this year, it will recreate the first train. Since those early days, while the length of the running line has not been increased, much has been achieved. Peckett 0-4-2T No. 2024 of 1942 Karen,…

A DOON Valley Railway recruitment day on Saturday, June 7 attracted 18 potential volunteers. The majority took out society membership on the spot and pledged to start volunteering almost straightaway. The line said that the success of the day resulted from the way it was organised, with existing volunteers staffing six stands at which the potential new starts were given an overview of the the railway, including the work of the museum and what volunteers do on an open day, the café, and ticket office and gift shop, while the heavy engineers of the site and locomotive shed laid out how to get hands-on with the railway’s engineering side. Chairman Archie Thom said: “We were delighted with the success of the venture which has boosted our number of active volunteers.…

THE National Tramway Museum at Crich is mourning the death of preservation powerhouse Geoffrey Claydon CB LLB M.Inst TA CMILT at Derby Royal Infirmary on June 30 at the age of 94 followinga short illness. A stalwart of The Tramway Museum Society, he joined in 1957 and soon became its secretary. He was instrumental in finding the home for the Crich museum following a lead from the Talyllyn Railway which had been lifting rail from the site. Having enjoyed a distinguished career as a lawyer in the civil service, in 1962 he guided the society through incorporation to enable it to become a company limited by guarantee and registered as a charity. He played a key role in introducing a fundamental principle of the museum’s development in that a tramcar…

FANS from around the globe descended on Tywyn on July 18-20 to join the Talyllyn Railway for it’s last – for now – Awdry Extravaganza, celebrating the stories, people and history of the Rev Wilbert Awdry and the Railway Series books, with record numbers thought to have been present during the three days. From humble beginnings in 2021, the event has grown year on year and is supported by both Mattel, the current licence holder of the Thomas & Friends franchise, and the Awdry family. Veronica Chambers, Wilbert’s daughter, and Richard Awdry, his grandson, have attended each year to witness the passion and love for the stories of the fictional Island of Sodor. Big finale The annual celebration has centred around one of the characters of the Skarloey Railway, which…

THE Isle of Wight Steam Railway and The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust have joined together to install a new squirrel hide at Havenstreet. The hide, built from locally-sourced timber and eco-friendly materials, blends seamlessly into the woodland and visitors will be delighted to see native red squirrels from it. Its strategic location allows visitors to enjoy unparalleled views of the activity among the treetops, where squirrels thrive. The hide was officially opened by Isle of Wight Council chairman Coun Ian Dore on June 18. The trust’s Helen Butler said: “The Isle of Wight Red Squirrel Trust is delighted to be working with the IoWSR to promote the Island’s red squirrels. The Isle of Wight is a nationally important stronghold for our only native squirrel species and it’s a…

TWO historically significant items of Manx Electric Railway rolling stock have a safe future after ownership was transferred from one of the island’s heritage organisations and into another that normally focuses on a smaller gauge. Built in 1900 and 1895 respectively, MER Nos. 23 and 26 both represent part of the island’s freight workings, and both are now owned by the Great Laxey Mine Railway. Running on 19in gauge tracks over a quarter-mile between the former entrance to the lead mines and the washing floors, the GLMR volunteers are no stranger to the MER’s 3ft gauge rolling stock, a group having been responsible for the restoration of car No. 26 that was completed in time for the 2023 Manx Transport Festival. Originally built as a motorised passenger vehicle and allocated…

LNER has marked the 50th anniversary of the National Railway Museum by repainting one of its InterCity Class 225s into a special new livery. Named National Railway Museum 50 Years 1975-2025, the Class 91 locomotive celebrates the golden anniversary and the long-standing partnership between LNER and the York venue. The special livery has been supported by Eversholt Rail, from which LNER leases the Class 225 fleet. Similar train namings have previously marked significant moments in the museum’s history. In 1985, Class 43 HST power car No. 43038 was named NRM – The First 10 Years. The same locomotive was renumbered 43238 and in 2015 was named National Railway Museum 40 Years 1975-2015 in a ceremony with Paul Kirkman, then director of the NRM, and David Horne, who is now the…

THE GWR Portishead branch will reopen to passengers after more than six decades, the Government has confirmed following its spending review. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the Government is investing a further £27 million to reinstate passenger rail services on the branch, with new stations at Portishead and Pill. Preparations will begin this autumn for work to start in the spring and summer 2026. Coun Mike Bell, leader of North Somerset Council, said: “It’s brilliant to announce that, after many years of hard work, we have this crucial funding for the reopening of the Portishead to Bristol rail line. “This Department for Transport backing means we can roll up our sleeves in readiness to get out on site, connecting 50,000 residents back into the rail network by linking Portishead and…

LNER A4 Pacific No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley will be the star guest at a public charity event to mark the 150th anniversary of the Heaton TrainCare Centre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Railway 200 on September 20/21. Also on display will be Northern’s regional Class 15x DMUs, along with modern fleets from London North Eastern Railway and TransPennine Express. Additional heritage exhibits were yet to be announced. Guided tours will take visitors through Heaton’s active maintenance facilities, one of Britain’s oldest train depots, while there will be interactive exhibits, food vendors, and hands-on experiences throughout the day. Entry costs £12 for adults and £5 for children under 16, with morning or afternoon options available. Proceeds will support local charities chosen by the TrainCare team and Northern’s official partner, the Motor Neurone…

ON Saturday, October 11, Pathfinder Tours will run a steam-hauled tour over the newly reinstated LNWR ‘Varsity Line’ for the first time since 1967 on a tour titled ‘The Shakespearean.’ As reported last issue, the Railway Touring Company announced steam trips over the Bletchley and Bicester section of the line on Saturdays, October 25 and November 1. The route, which closed to passengers on January 1, 1968, is part of the East West Railway project to connect Oxford and Cambridge. Starting out diesel-hauled from Eastleigh, the earlier Pathfinder trip will take the South Western Main Line to Southampton Central to pick up additional passengers, then on to collect more at Romsey, Salisbury, Westbury, Chippenham and Swindon, before turning north on the Cherwell Valley Line at Didcot. The final opportunity for…

THIS time I am carrying on initially with my Scottish theme, starting with a run timed by Alan Rawlings behind A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado from Inverness to Perth on June 22, 2015. Alan tells the story of the run in Table One. “Everyone will have their favourite stretch of line that pits man and machine against the terrain. The Settle and Carlisle is an obvious example, but if you also factor in the elements to the list of challenges, then one’s mind has to turn to Scotland, where there is arguably little to beat the Highland Line from Stanley Junction (north of Perth) to Inverness. The clues are in the station names like Aviemore, the skiing capital of Great Britain. Then there are the formidable climbs to Slochd and…

Unlike its standard gauge contemporaries, and even some of its fellow narrow gauge ones, the unusual 2ft 3in gauge of the Talyllyn Railway does not make gala planning an easy matter - only the Corris Railway has any locomotives that could visit. So, how do you shape an event that maintains that gala feel? The TR is quite fortunate in having an exceptionally broad story to tell across its rolling stock collection. Not only does it contain both the original locomotives and carriages from 1865, but it also offers examples of both Corris and Glyn Valley Tramway stock, as well as those built to meet the demand of preservation needs. While the September 13/14 Heritage Weekend will acknowledge some of the more authentic operations of the past 160 years, the…

IT is arguably the most famous steam locomotive in the world, and it possibly qualifies as the most modelled steam locomotive ever, so no surprises at Lacy Scott & Knight's collectors and railwayana sale at Bury St Edmunds on June 20 when a gauge one live steam version of the LNER Pacific made by Accucraft of California broke through the four-figure barrier with ease by selling for £2000. Two live steam G-gauge models made by Roundhouse of Doncaster were next up at £700 each, comprising Welsh Highland Railway 2-6-2T Russell and an 0-6-0T named Lady Anne, and close behind at £650 was a Gauge three 2-4-0 dating from circa 1903 of LNWR No. 7003 Black Prince made by Bing of Germany that required total restoration. Prices exclude buyer's premium of…

RAPIDO was not the only manufacturer showing off highly anticipated model samples, for Bachmann’s EFE Rail subsidiary has lifted the veil on decorated samples of the highly anticipated LSWR T3 4-4-0 models. Following the reveal of the project at the 2024 Bachmann Collectors Club Members Day last autumn, modellers have waited excitedly for further news, and the appearance of the decorated samples has shown just how careful the firm has been, with the liveries being carefully recreated down to the finest of details. The elegant appearance of the T3 carried many hallmarks of a locomotive designed by William Adams, with long frames extending beyond the smokebox and stovepipe chimneys. Their Victorian splendour was only enhanced by the vibrant and ornate liveries that the LSWR, and later the Southern Railway, adorned…

FOLLOWING its appearance at The Greatest Gathering in Derby, A3 Pacific No. 60103 Flying Scotsman will visit the North Yorkshire Moors Railway this autumn. As part of the line’s Railway 200 celebrations, No. 60103 will haul public services there daily on October 25-29 and November 1-5 and 8-12. Passengers who book before August 31 will get 10% off. Bookings are for an allocated seat return journey from Grosmont to Pickering behind the A3. Non-seat-allocated services between Pickering/Grosmont and Whitby, hauled by different locomotives, will be running, and Scotsman ticketholders are welcome to board these trains. For details, visit: www.nymr.co.uk/Event/flying-scotsman. For discounts for groups of 20 people or more, email info@nymr.co.uk…

MUSIC mogul Pete Waterman OBE DL added his Making Tracks 3 layout to the Model Railway Village at The Greatest Gathering. His 64 ft-long OO-gauge recreation of Milton Keynes Central station was booked as one of many high-quality miniature layouts on show, illustrating the past and present in miniature. Other highlights include Mick Bryan’s Deadmans Lane, Eric French’s London Underground layout of Harefield Road, Key Model World’s own Twelve Trees Junction, and Mark Pearson’s Welby Lane RTC, based on the Old Dalby and Mickleover test tracks. Andy Butters, managing director of Derby Litchurch Lane Works, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Pete Waterman and his Making Tracks 3 layout. The Model Railway Village is a celebration of craftsmanship, creativity and community – values that resonate deeply with our team at…

PASSENGERS can ride though Leicester’s historic Glenfield Tunnel for the first time in 97 years. To mark Railway 200, the Leicestershire Industrial History Society has laid a 165ft 7¼in gauge line through the mile-long tunnel, which was built by the Leicester & Swannington Railway, one of England’s earlier railways, with Robert Stephenson as engineer, and opened in 1832. It was then the longest railway tunnel in the world. Used to transport coal from the west Leicestershire coalfields into the city, and one of the world’s first underground rail routes, the last passengers were carried through the tunnel on September 24, 1928. When the line closed to freight on May 2, 1966, the tunnel was bought by Leicester City Council for £5. The society already runs a miniature railway at Abbey…

An overwhelming response to its proposal for improved engineering facilities and volunteer accommodation has seen the Talyllyn Railway achieve its fundraising target of £500,000 in just 12 months – despite that amount being planned to take five years to achieve. However, as base costs continue to rise, that total has now been revised, with an additional £250,000 to be raised before the major redevelopment project can fully commence. Launched in March 2024 (as reported in Heritage Railway issue 318), the 75 Appeal is billed as preserving the past and protecting future and will see the railway’s workshop facilities at Pendre remodelled to become better suited to the needs of the modern heritage railway, while also retaining the heritage atmosphere of the locomotive sheds dating from 1867. This will include demolition…

ON July 3, LMS Stanier mogul No. 13268 hit an oak tree on the first public train of the day which had departed Kidderminster at 10.15am. Soon after leaving Bewdley and heading towards Arley, the service was rounding a right-hand bend with restricted views near the Bewdley North banner repeater when an emergency stop was undertaken. On board the footplate were two experienced crew members – driver Tom Clarke, who was on the left side of the locomotive, and Harry Bradley, who was firing at the time. They were warned by the cleaner Leo Greenaway, who was keeping a lookout at the time. Unable to stop fully in time, the tree, which had blown down overnight, was hit at an extremely slow speed. “To be fair, this really was a…

REBUILDING the GWR branch from Oxford to Witney and Carterton would be “economically viable,” a study commissioned by West Oxfordshire District Council said. The study found that a new line could reduce congestion on the A40, the main route for drivers travelling in and out of the city, while offering a more affordable alternative to car travel. Previously estimated at £600 million, the report said the benefits could be “more than double the cost of the scheme.” Coun Hugo Ashton, the council’s executive member for planning, said: “From unlocking new housing to boosting access to jobs, essential services, education, and reducing congestion and carbon emissions, the benefits underline why sustainable transport must be at the heart of our plans for the future.” Witney station opened in 1873, closed to passengers…

A CEREMONY was held at the Ffestiniog Railway’s Grade II-listed Penrhyn station on July 5 to formally unveil two plaques which marked the completion of the project for renovating the external side of the building, which won the National Railway Heritage Award for a Volunteer Project in 2024, as reported in Heritage Railway issue 327. Work to the building included fitting insulation and waterproofing to the walls, which had to be propped up in places to renew the frame of the building. Plastic gutters were also replaced with cast-iron at the rear, and chimneys were rebuilt where necessary. Guests included retired architect Paul Scarisbrick, who volunteered in helping to specify what was required to gain listed building status, along with representatives from the NRHA and award sponsor. Representing the NRHA…

VISITORS to the multiple award-winning Hopetown Darlington attraction are invited to stop 200 years in the future in the venue’s second major family-friendly exhibition as part of the Stockton & Darlington Railway bicentenary celebrations. As reported last issue, S&DR200 has commissioned an immersive installation by AA Murakami, also known as Studio Swine, inspired by steam as the original source of locomotive power, exploring the transformative power of steam travel and celebrating the brilliant minds behind its groundbreaking innovations. Following the success of Railway Pioneers: Celebrating the Railway Rockstars of the Past, the STEAM to the Future exhibition– now open and running until Sunday, October 5 – focuses on the invisible forces at play and offers a visual insight into the wonders of steam. Naturally chaotic and randomly dispersed, steam is…

THE Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is getting three more diesel locomotives, raising the total fleet from six to nine, due to the urgent need for more motive power as a result of increased tourism. The first NDM-6 locomotive No. 606 arrived in midJune, with the other two, Nos 607 and 608, due to follow shortly. The four-wheeled diesel-hydraulic NDM-6 class, powered by a six-cylinder Kirloskar Cummins and built by the SAN Engineering and Locomotive Company at Bengaluru, is unique to the British-built 2ft gauge DHR, a World Heritage Site. The first, No. 604, arrived on trial in December 1999 from the Matheran Light Railway, for which the fleet of six had been destined. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society vice chairman Paul Whittle said: “This latest investment is hugely encouraging, both for increasing…

A PAIR of Andrew Barclay 0-4-0STs might soon steam in Norfolk once more–provided that £25,000 can be raised to complete their currently required overhauls. Built in 1904 and 1945 respectively, Nos. 945 Annie and 2199 Victory reside on the Whitwell & Reepham Railway, but both require boiler work before they can run again. Originally built for wagon builders and repair firm SJ Claye Ltd, at Long Eaton, in Derbyshire, Annie is purported to have been the last steam locomotive operating in UK private industry (outside of the National Coal Board) in 1970. It arrived at the W&RR from the Lavender Line in 2009 and was last operational in 2012, when it was withdrawn pending an overhaul which requires both the boiler and firebox to be replaced. Victory spent its whole…

THE Mid-Hants Railway held a special lunch for long-service volunteers, celebrating individuals who have contributed 30 years or more to the heritage line. Held at Alresford station on July 5, the event brought together long-standing volunteers to enjoy a relaxed lunch, share stories from across the decades, and reflect on their invaluable role in operating one of Hampshire’s most cherished heritage attractions. Volunteers were presented with awards to mark their years of commitment, with heartfelt thanks expressed by staff and trustees. In 2023, the railway was awarded the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK, the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, presented by the Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire. The line’s CEO, Rebecca Dalley, said:“We are fortunate to have more than 550 volunteers who do everything from driving the…

SAPHOS Trains is to run two steam trips to Canterbury under ‘The Golden Arrow’ banner. The first is on Tuesday, September 23, starting out diesel-hauled from Poole and then taking the South West Main Line, picking up additional passengers at Bournemouth, Brockenhurst, Southampton Central, Eastleigh, Winchester, Micheldever and Basingstoke, and then turning towards Reading for the final passenger pick-up. The tour is routed through the London suburbs to switch steam traction in West London. The tour will arrive in Canterbury around lunchtime forabreak of about three hours. Leaving Canterbury, the route home is planned to include a run along the Kent coast, before turning inland and taking the South Eastern Main Line back to London. After a further locomotive exchange, the tour will retrace the outward route back to Poole,…

FOLLOWING the sell-out success of ‘The West Yorkshireman’ charter headed by A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado in May, the Settle-Carlisle Railway Development Company is to runa second celebration train. More than 400 people joined ‘The West Yorkshireman’ at Bradford Foster Square on May 31. Now, ‘The Border City Express’ will run on Saturday, October 4, 2025, to mark three special events – Bradford’s year as City of Culture, Railway 200 and the Settle to Carlisle line’s 150th anniversary Passengers will have the opportunity to visit the farmers’ market in the gardens of Carlisle Cathedral, Carlisle Castle and Tullie House Museum before returning via the Settle Carlisle line to Bradford. For tickets, visit www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/steam-charters…

UK Railtours is advertising a tour in a specially-chartered Class 125 High Speed Train set from London to the Scottish borders on Saturday, September 13. ‘By Invitation Only’ will start from Euston, operated by RailAdventure and hopefully featuring its blue-liveried power cars. Heading north on the West Coast Main Line, pick-up points are Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Crewe, Preston, Penrith North Lakes and Carlisle. Crossing the border at Gretna, the destination of Eastriggs is close by. Eastriggs is a former Ministry of Defence site which has been reactivated for civilian use. Depot tour On arrival at the site, the train will be routed into the large platform where passengers may alight for a look around the facility, which will be hosting an open day during the tour’s visit.…

For its first-ever appearance on the Severn Valley Railway, which is celebrating its own 60th anniversary year throughout 2025, LMS 4-6-0 46115 Scots Guardsman paid a flying visit to celebrate Rail 200 and its Trains Through The Ages weekend on July 6-7, making an excellent replacement for the unavailable Peppercorn A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado which had main line commitments elsewhere. It was only the second time that No. 46115 has been a guest on a heritage line, the first being at the Mid-Norfolk Railway in 2014. Built in 1927 at the North British Locomotive Company works in Springburn, Glasgow it looked perfectly at home on the Seven maroon carriages plus one LMS dining carriage No. 7511 on the southern end. Originally numbered 6115 by the LMS, it was named…

GWR and BR Western Region motive power headlined the early declared runners in Great Central's quarterly auction on September 6, aided and abetted by a Britannia smokebox numberplate, workspiates old and not so old, and the customary flurry of platform totem signs. The GWR weighs in with Fairey Battle from Castle class No. 5077, which entered service in August 1938 named Eastnor Castle, was renamed after a Second World War light bomber in October 1940 and ended its days in July 1962 when a resident of Llanelly (87F). Its original name was reused on classmate No. 7004, which was outshopped by Swindon in June 1946. BR's Western Region representative is Western Warrior and cabside numberplate from D1017, a Class 52 diesel-hydraulic which emerged from Swindon in March 1963 and saw a…

IT may have had a significant chunk missing and therefore a candidate for some restorative work, but a Cambrian Railways' wagonplate numbered 403 showed its historical worth when it was the highest priced item in Great Central's two-day 'Bloxham'-style sale of general rail wayana on June 19/20 with a realisation of £1100. The wagon carrying the plate would have been built at the railway's carriage and wagon works at Oswestry, which were closed by BR in 1966 but survive today in a variety of commercial uses and are Grade II-listed. Moving across to the nation's capital, a London Underground station illuminated fascia sign was the runner-up at £980 and thence came a Railway Signal Co ex-military railway miniature staff machine, whose realisation of £600 was matched by six diagrams from…

THREE more heritage sector locomotives were late additions to The Great Gathering guest list at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane plant in Derby on August 1-3. Peppercorn A2 Pacific No. 60532 Blue Peter returned to steam in 2024 after a 22-year absence, having been restored by Locomotive Services Ltd, which bought it in 2014. It will be on display on each of the three days, subject to operational availability, joining examples of the A1, A3 and A4 classes, No. 60163 Tornado, No. 60103 Flying Scotsman and No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley respectively. Whether or not an historic ‘ultimate wish list’ line-up of all four would be staged at what is the largest temporary assembly of rolling stock and railway-related exhibits in a generation had not been announced as this issue closed for…

THE Deltic Preservation Society board has altered the plan made for its three Class 55s after The Greatest Gathering on August 1-3. Further remediation work has been identified on D9015 Tulyar as part of its return to active service after a break of nearly 28 years. This work includes changing an oil radiator and the replacement of No.2 compressor, which necessitates lifting equipment. It will also be given a thorough brake test prior to being authorised to haul carriages. As a result, D9015 will return to the DPS depot at Barrow Hill. It had previously been the intention to move Tulyar to the Great Central Railway for running-in trials No. 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier will therefore return to the GCR from whence it is due to be moved to Litchurch…

BEAMISH, The Living Museum of the North, has launched a six-week summer programme railway-inspired storytelling and hands-on history. Celebrating Railway 200, Summer of Fun: Tales from the Rails, will look at how railways shaped life in the North East through a different historical story each week. From August 4-10, the Women’s Suffrage movement will be highlighted, with a Tax Resistance Auction at No. 7 Ravensworth Terrace and a police investigation across The Town and Rowley station. During August 11-17, visitors will investigate the derailment of the Flying Scotsman at Cramlington during the 1926 General Strike in The 1900s Pit Village. August 18-24 will focus on The 1940s Farm, showing how railways transported evacuees during the Second World War. From August 25-31, The 1950s Town will celebrate North East football teams…

THE Bank of England has been asked to commemorate the Stockton & Darlington Railway on a banknote, with the request coming from Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayor Ben Houchen, Stockton Borough Council leader Lisa Evans and Darlington Borough Council leader Stephen Harker. The mayor said: “It was from our corner of England that local visionaries, industrialists, engineers and communities came together and sparked what would become nothing short of a global revolution. “Today we talk of how the internet connects the world, but 200 years earlier, it was the railways that opened the prospect of travel and fast communication for everyday British people. “And from here to the world, it was the railways that spanned the plains of America, linked Calcutta to Delhi, and crossed the Australian Bush. “That it…

A STALWART of the main line and popular whenever it returned home to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, LMS Jubilee No. 45596 Bahamas will bow out of service for the final time before overhaul this autumn, with its last days in steam to take place at the Great Central Railway. Owned by the Bahamas Locomotive Society, the double-chimney 4-6-0 will take the headline spot when it visits Loughborough for the GCR’s October 2-5 Autumn Steam Gala. Seldom seen on lines without a national network connection, Bahamas will evoke authentic main line scenes on the largely double-tracked line between Loughborough Central and Leicester North. It will join a line-up drawn from the home fleet, which will include LMS 8F No. 43805 (having returned from a summer stint on the KWVR…

Two overhead electric groups merge THE Class 315 Preservation Society and The Clacton Express Preservation Group have merged to form the ACMU (Alternating Current Multiple Unit) Society. The combined society, officially launched at the East Anglian Railway Museum Rail 200 event on July 13, has the aim of supporting overhead electric units in preservation and will inherit and continue restoration work on all current projects and vehicles from the predecessors. It will own the sole-surviving Class 315 No. 315856, currently at the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway, and EARM-based Class 309 No. 309624 and Class 317 No. 317345. Nos. 309624 and 317345 were displayed in the yard for the occasion. No. 309624 carried Clacton ‘Depot Special’ additions of white buffers and window frames as well as a new group headboard.…

CONSTRUCTION of new-build NER G5 0-4-4T No. 1759 continues to gather momentum, with new parts being delivered and others coming together. The cylinder block has been returned to the frames and the front bufferbeam fitted. Work has started on manufacturing the supports for the front running boards, following which the mounting of the sandbox and splashers can be carried out. The fully-machined connecting rods are now back at the main workshop and are currently being displayed on new racking. Springfield Engineering is working on producing all the ancillary parts to go with them, which include cotter pins, wedges, brass bearings and bushes. Eccentric straps are currently being manufactured by Daniela Works Ltd in Durham and the eccentric sheaves will also be machined there to ensure a perfect fit. While all…

THE Railway Preservation Society of Ireland has appointed a new general manager who said that she sees enormous potential for both Whitehead Railway Museum and the group as a whole. Rachele Crawford, 33, who took up her new post on July 21, was speaking during a visit to White head for a series of familiarisation and handover meetings with outgoing general manager Yvonne McIlree. Rachele, who comes from Comber, is relocating to Carrickfergus to live more conveniently to Whitehead. A graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast, she was the experience and visitor programming manager with the National Trust at Castleward. She has also worked as visitor experience manager with the RSPB at Window on Wildlife in Belfast and at the Rathlin Island Seabird Centre, and she has also done stints with…

THE Great Western Society’s project to build the 10th example of George Jackson Churchward’s ‘Night Owl’ mixed traffic 2-8-0s, No. 4709, has gathered pace after months of post-Covid delays, with almost all of the components for the pony truck now in its store at Tyseley Locomotive Works. Aside from its single axle and wheels, the mechanical framework will be hidden between the frames, under the smokebox. The pony truck guides the locomotive’s front end, reducing flange wear on the leading set of driving wheels, carries a significant portion of the locomotive’s weight, and balances – and most importantly helps avoid derailments – over points and around curves. The work currently underway is carried out with the entire assembly inverted for ease of access. Still to be prepared and joined to…

A NEW exhibition celebrating the Stockton & Darlington Railway’s bicentenary is running at Bishop Auckland’s Mining Art Gallery until December. Fuelling The Railway Revolution explores the connection between mining and railways that helped keep the Industrial Revolution on track. The exhibition, which opened on June 27, features paintings from around the north spanning two centuries, capturing the transformation of industry and society through the eyes of miners and artists, A painting on loan from the Laing Art Gallery, North East Museums, depicts Backworth’s ‘A’ Pit in North Tyneside and highlights the use of stationary steam engines in the region’s mines, using ropes to pull waggons of coal along the rails. Also on display, on loan from Leeds Libraries, is The Collier in the book The Costume of Yorkshire by George…

LETTERKENNY Community Heritage Group plans to rescue a railway goods crane which is in danger of rusting away or being removed from the former County Donegal Railways station in the town, now used as Bus Eireann’s bus station. The group has approached Bus Eireann with a view to having the crane moved to a more suitable location within the yard and has asked a local painter for a quote for conservation work and a repaint. Opened by the Strabane 3ft gauge & Letterkenny Railway in 1909, Letterkenny station was worked by the County Donegal Railways until closure in 1959. Unusually, the station was not provided with a crane on opening, but the current one seems to have been installed after the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 to…

DIDCOT Railway Centre’s pioneering locomotive will be making its comeback debut this summer following completion of a seven-year overhaul. Last operational in 2000, GWR 1400 class 0-4-2T No. 1466 was the first locomotive to be saved by the Great Western Society (originally called the 48XX Preservation Society) in 1963. As steam was being withdrawn by BR, a group of schoolboys saw that of 71 locomotives listed for preservation in 1961, only 10 were of GWR origin. Furthermore, of those 10 there was no 1400, Manor or Hall included. Keen to rectify this, a letter by Jon Barlow to The Railway Magazine was published that August, seeking support to raise £1130 towards the purchase of a 1400 class tank locomotive“with the purpose of preserving it in running order.” First purchase A…

THE Greatest Gathering may be wowing crowds with its eclectic mix of heritage and modern traction from throughout the gauges and eras, but a slightly smaller affair in the south is also set to compare steam and electric – when Southeastern opens the doors to Ashford Works on August 24. Opened by the South Eastern Railway in 1847, the site became the main workshop facilities for the newly formed South Eastern & Chatham Railway in 1899, and designs such as the SECR’s P 0-6-0T and N 2-6-0 classes were constructed there. The presence of the works led Ashford to becoming the largest industrial town in Kent, with a carriage and wagon facility built on an adjacent site in 1850. Locomotive construction and maintenance ceased in 1962, with N class No.…

THE Railway Touring Company will run two tours as part of the Railway 200 celebrations. The first, on Saturday, September 27, will start from Carnforth diesel-hauled and head east via Hellifield to pick up additional passengers at Skipton, before taking the line towards Leeds and collecting more passengers at Keighley, Leeds and York, where diesel will change for steam. Heading north on the East Coast Main Line, at Darlington the tour will branch off on the Tees Valley Line, which was part of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. Passengers will have the opportunity to alight at Shildon and visit the Locomotion museum or stay on board to travel to Bishop Auckland and on to the Weardale Railway for a trip to the terminus at Stanhope. There will be a short…

THE first death of a train driver on duty in the Second World War was remembered by the unveiling of a plaque at Bishopstone station in Sussex on July 3. Charles Henry Pattenden, 59, died on July 3, 1940, in his line of duty when a Luftwaffe plane opened fire on the 5.37pm service from Seaford to Horsted Keynes. The train was powered by LBSCR D1 0-4-2T No. 2244 pushing the carriages from the rear. Mr Pattenden’s surviving relatives, including grandchildren and great-grandchildren, were there to unveil the plaque, which was installed by the Friends of Bishopstone Station 85 years to the day in the restored station building. In January, Friends director Graham Moore appealed online for information about the attack, and Ivor Pattenden, the grandson of Charles, turned up…

WORK has begun to fit equipment for digital in-cab signalling to 16 ‘heritage’ Class 43 High Speed Train power cars. The fitment is part of the £1.4 billion East Coast Digital Programme that will replace traditional lineside signals with continuous information displayed inside drivers’ cabs, improving reliability, green credentials, and safety. Four of the power cars belong to Locomotive Services Limited and are used for private charters. Another four are owned by RailAdventure, a specialist European freight operator, and are used for freight and rolling stock movements. The other eight are leased by Colas Rail from Porterbrook and are used for infrastructure management, including Network Rail’s New Measurement Train. Ben Mason, charter and heritage lead for ECDP, said: “In this year of Railway 200 we are pleased to be equipping…

RAILWAY 200's specially-commissioned travelling exhibition train Inspiration arrived in style at the Severn Valley Railway on Friday, June 27 for the first leg of its year-longUK-widetour. The four-coach train comprising reconfigured Mk.3 coaches arrived at Kidderminster Town station, sporting its unique one-off livery, in tandem with the home-based GWR 0-4-2T No. 1450. On board Inspiration, over the following 10 days, visitors were treated to a voyage of discovery, celebrating the past, present and future of railways. The mobile exhibition is designed to inspire schoolchildren and others to consider a career in rail. SVR managing director Jonathan 'Gus' Dunster, said that the railway was “thrilled” to be the first 'venue to host Inspiration. “It's a fascinating look into everything related to the railway, with exciting, interactive exhibits that are really going…

Although they wouldn't have been capable of the magic ton, the BR-built 4MT tank locomotives were equipped with 10Omph speedos, as doubtless were other Standard classes, and one example (above), from No. 80141, sold for £825 at a GWRA timed auction of general railwayana that ended on June 21. The 2-6-4T was outshopped by Brighton in July 1956 and withdrawn from the southwest London shed of Nine Elms (70A) in January 1966 after a service life of fewer than 10 years. Follow us @HeritageRailMag…

At the height of railway building in the mid-19th century, it was widely felt that no town should be without a railway. Bishops Castle, situated in rural south Shropshire, near the Welsh border, was to be no exception. Town tradesman met in Craven Arms to discuss the building of the railway in 1860. The line started at Stretford Bridge, immediately north of Craven Arms, on the Welsh Marches route. Skirting the edge of Long Mynd, it ran to Lydham Heath, where there was a ‘Y’ for running round, before taking the branch to Bishops Castle. Thomas Savin, a former Oswestry draper turned railway contractor, was appointed to build the line and by 1863, sufficient land had been acquired to make a start. He was advanced £20,500 but a year later…