Heritage Railway Issue 295

AT A time when Britain is in the grip of a cost of living crisis, unprecedented in recent times, there will be few in the country who will not be looking at ways in which they must make savings on personal spending. Sadly, the home tourist market is likely to suffer in the wake of the massive hike in fuel costs. Heritage railways now need our custom like never before. Already they are faced by the steam coal shortage issue, with soaring prices leading to the prudent pruning of services wherever possible; the Severn Valley Railway has, for instance, postponed its footplate experience courses as a fuel-saving measure. Several venues have taken large hits through the cancellation of wartime weekends – a big annual earner for many – in an…

THE National Railway Museum’s Locomotion ‘outreach station’ at Shildon has been granted planning permission for a new hall, allowing the venue to press ahead with the transformation planned for the site. Approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee at a meeting on June 23, this consent marks a key milestone in the museum’s Vision 2025 development, and will help Locomotion in its aim to increase visitor numbers by 50,000 to reach its target of 250,000 people per year. Housing more than 50 vehicles from the National Collection, Locomotion is now set to become the largest undercover collection of heritage rail vehicles in the world – a major accolade for both Shildon and County Durham, places so intimately connected to the origins of global railway history. The new hall will draw…

SIX Mk.2 carriages were listed for sale by the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust, including some from its award-winning blue-grey set – but were swiftly withdrawn when members voiced their objections and concerns. Four of the vehicles being offered were air-braked only and represent several of the variations of the Mk.2 design (types a, e and f). Two further vehicles were vacuum-braked only but required complete restoration. The decision to dispose of these caused much upset among the line’s supporting volunteer workforce, with the blue-grey stock having been a key factor in the MNR’s winning of the 2012 Heritage Railway Association Modern Traction Award, recognising the line’s excellence in portraying the BR 1970s era with matching locomotives and stock for the period. The sale of one of only two vacuum-braked vehicles…

HOT on the heels of the diesel test runs, as reported last issue, the Llangollen Railway has run its first steam train into Corwen Central station as the site takes another step closer to opening to the public. It was an all-GWR affair when the officer’s special ran using GWR 0-6-2T 5600 class No. 5619 (visiting from the Telford Railway for the summer) and 1948-built Hawksworth inspection/observation saloon No. 80975, which is privately owned but based on the line. The trip was run to conduct further testing of the platforms and station facilities, and allow a very important person to be among the first to use the station – Llangollen Railway Trust founding member and president Bill Shakespeare MBE. He has been involved with the railway since its creation as…

BARROW Hill Roundhouse has announced that it will hold its 150th anniversary gala on August 26-28. The much-anticipated event, which has been delayed for two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic, will be a celebration of the BR-era open days that took place at the venue in the 1970s and early 1980s. There will be a special line-up of locomotives in the roundhouse itself, and the yard will be opened up to allow cab visits to both visiting and resident engines. Train rides from the Roundhouse Halt platform up the Springwell branch will also run. Historical enactments of roundhouse characters will celebrate the 150 years of the now-unique building, which will host a range of children’s activities and trade and society stalls. General manager Mervyn Allcock said: “This is a…

BRITAIN’S railway heritage engineering sector has reached a new high point, with the three cylinders for new Gresley P2 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales placed together for the first time prior to welding to create the locomotive’s monobloc – a first since the 1940s. Builder The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust has accordingly launched a £250,000 appeal to complete the construction of this unique component. The cylinders have been placed together to check alignment and clearances, and to ensure that preparations are complete for welding. The cylinder block has been fabricated in three sections: the centre cylinder and the two outside cylinders. The mating faces have been machined to create a good fit and dowels added to control vertical and front to back movement. The assembly was strapped together so…