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AMIDST the avalanche of stunningly-beautiful autumnal landscape lineside scenes we have been receiving by the day, there have been regular updates on the incredible progress being made in the heritage sector. In this issue, Gareth Evans updates us on The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s projects to build a new P2 – the tender wheelsets have been delivered within the past few weeks – and a V4, reinforcing this group’s position as the world market leader. Elsewhere in Darlington, North Bay Engineering, which earlier this year delivered Bagnall Sipat 0-4-0ST O tter to the Groudle Glen Railway, and is making heady progress on the construction of a full-size replica Southwold Railway engine, has just started physical work on re-creating the world’s first 1ft 11 ½in gauge locomotive and the first steam…
A MAJOR milestone was passed on October 17, when the Llangollen Railway’s running line into its new Corwen station was physically connected. The main line was linked through from the railhead to the points, giving a continuous length of rail all the way from Llangollen station to the stop block at Green Lane, Corwen for the first time since 1968 when the line was lifted. The passenger service was withdrawn in 1965 as a result of the Beeching cuts but the line lay dormant for three years until Harold Wilson’s Government ordered the lifting of the track in 1968. The connection marked a watershed moment in the revival project which was first conceived in 1975, but it was not until 2011 that work on building the 2½ mile extension from…
THURSDAY, November 7, saw a major landmark in the £750,000 overhaul of LNER A4 Pacific No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley with the boiler reunited with the frames. As reported last issue, the boiler passed its out-of-frames steam test at Llangollen on October 26. The boiler was subsequently taken to the National Railway Museum at York, where the rolling chassis has been overhauled in the workshop. Before the boiler could be lifted back on to the chassis, the centre coupled wheelset and its associated components, along with the ashpan, had to be fitted. The left-hand piston crosshead has been delivered after being bored and the sensors for the On-Train Monitoring Recorder have been calibrated. The chassis was shunted out of the work into the yard for the lift to take place.…
HAVING been sidelined for several months because its wheelsets were being retyred in the South Devon Railway’s workshops, Locomotive Services Ltd’s LMS No. 46100 Royal Scot is literally on the road again. Moved by a low loader, the 4-6-0 departed Crewe for the Severn Valley Railway at Bridgnorth on Thursday, November 6. In light steam two days later, it ran several light engine test runs on November 12 and 13, with similarly clandestine loaded test runs planned for November 19-21. It was thought unlikely that it would haul any passenger trains during its visit. The locomotive was due to return to Crewe under its own steam as a light engine test run on November 26 via the Kidderminster main line connection. The engine’s move and subsequent running in is an…
A GATHERING of pioneering railcars is to take place the Great Western Society’s Didcot Railway Centre base over the Easter weekend of Friday, April 10 to Monday, April 13. Billed as the Railcar Rendezvous, it will see the extraordinary spectacle of four early railcars in action side-by-side at Didcot. The society’s unique GWR steam railmotor No. 93 and surviving diesel railcar No. 22 will be joined by 1903-built pioneering petrol-electric ‘autocar’ No. 3170, plus Waggon und Maschinenbau diesel railbus M79964, dating from 1958. Built for the North Eastern Railway and recently restored to its Edwardian splendour by Stephen Middleton, No. 3170 is the earliest example of an internal combustion engine being used in a passenger-carrying rail vehicle and was half-a-century ahead of its time. Now operational at the Embsay &…
MORE than 14,000 people have booked for the only main line steam version of the full theatrical re-creation Warner Brothers’classic children’s tale The Polar Express – and more are selling fast. The Vintage Trains schedule of four trains a day from Birmingham Moor Street starts on November 22 and runs on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until December 22 with seat prices starting at £29 and children under three free if they do not occupy a seat. All travellers receive a ceramic mug, a silver bell from Santa and a tote bag, plus hot chocolate and cookies. Now in the second season at Vintage Trains, the return trips last just over an hour each with the full show performed on the train. To buy tickets log on to: thepolarexpressbirmingham.com…
