Table of contents for Issue 314 in Heritage Railway

HISTORIANS have said that the concept of railways originated in the theatres of ancient Greece, in which parallel grooves were cut in stage floors so that large items of scenery fixed to wheels could be easily and efficiently moved during performances. Drama and railways have remained bedfellows, especially in modern times, with film and TV producers spoiled for choice with heritage lines by their nature having the ability to recreate period scenes often at a stroke to mutual benefit. Remember the police drama series Heartbeat and the immense publicity it bestowed on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway during its 18 series from 1992 to 2010? In so many ways, our heritage railways are the greatest moving stages of all, each journey playing out what life was like on public transport…

THE Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway's project to repair its landmark Stanway Viaduct suffered a setback when damaged brickwork was discovered during waterproofing works. An open joint where the mortar bond has failed within the parapet brickwork has been found in several courses below the base of both parapets. The defect was discovered by contractorWalsh when brickwork that has not been visible since BR days was exposed following the start of the £1.5 million first phase of repairs to the 656ft 15-arch structure on November 6, when, as reported last issue, the line's permanent way team lifted the track and removed the ballast down to the membrane so it could be replaced with a new concrete deck and a waterproof bituminous membrane. The work cut off the railway from its northern terminus…

THE Mid-Norfolk Railway's‘Polar Express'season began with a special trip for Ukrainian children currently living in the county after escaping from the ongoing war in their homeland. As a leading railway charity, the MNR gives great weight to taking its place within the local community and the line's trust council felt this was a suitable gesture of support towards the children and their families. MNR chairman Graham Watts said: “The war in Ukraine is in the news on a regular basis and it is now two years since this conflict began. “There is little we can do; however, we can hopefully bring some fun and joy at this time of time of the year to families who find themselves living here in Norfolk not through choice.” The trip, organised in conjunction…

THE Southern Electric Traction Group (SETG) has launched a £50,000 appeal to help bring BR 4VEP EMU No. 3417 Gordon Pettitt back into main line operating condition. Established by a number of Wimbledon Park Depot staff, the SETG has been progressively working on the restoration of the four-car Class 423 unit (comprising driving trailer Nos. 76262 and 76263, and centre trailers Nos. 62236 and 70797). No. 3417 was built in 1967 and on January 17, 2009, was formally handed over by South West Trains to the Bluebell Railway, which then put it into the care of the SETG, the latter having the specialist operational and technical knowledge to ensure the unit's long-term future and main line potential. After a time stored in the open at Clapham Yard, No. 3417 first…

AN early Christmas present on December 8 saw the Bodmin & Wenford Railway take delivery of the first of eight redundant CDA hopper wagons so it can create a second heritage china clay train. Also, the National Railway Museum's LSWR Beattie 2-4-0 well tank No. 30587, a veteran of the sharply curving Wenfordbridge freight-only line serving Wenford clay dries, has returned for a second spell on the heritage line. As reported in issue 270, a scheme to restore a rake of wooden-bodied china clay wagons to reflect Cornwall's rich rail freight heritage was launched by BWR member Evan Gray and his dad Bryan, restoring the clay hood wagons currently based on the heritage line which are surviving examples of 875 built by BR between 1954 and 1960. So far, the…

SOLE-SURVIVING LSWRT3 No. 563 will make its gala debut at the Swanage Railway's January 6/7 WinterWarm Up weekend. Since completing its debut runs during the October 2023 half-term, as highlighted in issue 312, the 4-4-0 has undergone further work to help improve its performance. A spokesman for the Swanage Railway Trust's 563 Locomotive Group said: “It's had a new cap fitted to the blastpipe and we've seen a great improvement in performance as a result, so we are looking forward to enjoying that during theWinter Warm Up.” The gala will also feature diesels, with No. 563 operating alongside West Country 4-6-2 No. 34028 Eddystone and Class 33 pair Nos. 33012 and 33111 in action. An engineering freight train will also run, thus presenting the first opportunity to see No. 563…

THE efforts of volunteers at the Llangollen Railway as it continues to rebuild into a top-tier heritage line has been rewarded – by the Go North Wales Tourism award for Attraction of the Year. The annual ceremony took place on November 23 and saw the railway scored on seven elements: use of innovation; engaging with the local community; sustainability; achievements; skills; social inclusivity; and overall quality. As previously reported, the railway has achieved great success in rebuilding in the wake of the administration of the previous plc. Initially restarting services utilising its fleet of heritage DMUs, the railway has gone on to resume steam and diesel-hauled trains, with its own resident GWR 5700 pannier No. 7754 completing overhaul at the hands of LR volunteers at the end of September. The…

NEWS ENTHUSIASTS will already be making plans to visit their galas of choice in 2024. Keen to ensure that these events attract as many as possible, some guest locomotives have already been announced. Kicking off the year with its winter gala on January 26-28, the Great Central Railway will welcome Peter Best's USATC 2-8-0 S160 No. 2253 Omaha, the Baldwin Locomotive works-built locomotive having appeared at the Severn Valley Railway'sown winter event a few weeks beforehand, where it has been since autumn. Omaha will star alongside a second visitor, East Lancashire Railway-based L&YR 0-6-0 Aspinall Class 27 No. 52322, courtesy of Andy Booth. Sole-surviving NER electric autocar No. 3170 will also be in service alongside Derby Lightweight railcar Iris; the former will be making its final appearance on the line…

NEWS IN what is becoming an annual exchange of locomotives, WR 4-6-0 No. 7820 Dimore Manor moved from its home base at Toddington on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway to the South Devon Railway in midNovember. In return, GWR 2-6-2T No. 5526 arrived at Toddington on November 15 and after inspection was pressed immediately into service on the 17th for the race train to Cheltenham Race Course. Further trains ran on November 18. The G/WR has operated race trains since 2003 for Classic Hospitality to the two principal meetings: the Cheltenham Festival in March and the November meeting. The service avoids the traffic jams at the end of the day when everyone tries to leave after the last race; racegoers glide past the queuing cars to a peaceful exit from Toddington.…

WHILE admitting that in 2023 the Kent & East Sussex Railway was at times “blown off course, distracted, and frustrated”, the heritage line's general manager, Robin Coombes, has hailed several achievements and said he was more convinced than ever that the KESR was “a great little railway and a truly remarkable one.” Delivering his annual report at the railway's annual general meeting on November 4, Robin listed some of these achievements, which included survival in the face of numerous challenges, a 13% increase in passenger numbers, turning a ‘daunting’ £380,000 loss into close to break even, the recruitment of more than 150 new volunteers, and outperforming 2022 in most aspects despite the lingering challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic. However, he balanced this statement with areas that needed improvement, including safety…

A WORK plate could perhaps be described as akin to a locomotive's birth certificate, identifying its ‘place of birth’ and year it came into existence. Usually coming in pairs, they are synonymous with steam locomotives irrespective of its status, purpose and builder. When the time came for locomotives to be scrapped, these plates were often removed and snaffled by collectors, even though some of the locomotives in question would go on to be preserved. And so it was with great delight that on November 21, ‘The Lost Enginemen’ – the title of the restoration group – was finally able to reunite Hunslet Fitzwilliam class 0-6-0ST No. 1589 Newstead with one of these plates, which had been missing for many decades. For many years this Hunslet was presumed scrapped, having been…

A RECENTLY-LAUNCHED support group for the Great Central Railway Rolling Stock Trust has opened its doors to new members. The new Friends of the Great Central Railway Rolling Stock Trust will aid the registered charity's work in restoring three of its seven preGrouping carriages, all of which are on the Historic ‘At Risk’ Register. The trust, which is based at the Ruddington Transport Heritage Centre, needs support and donations to return these classic vehicles – including a pair of the legendary GCR Barnum coaches, Nos. 664 and 695 – to running order. Membership costs £6.95 per month and includes private invitations to view key stages of progress, supported by a knowledgeable guide with experience in restoration, with an understanding of the impact and effect these carriages had on the social…

NEWS CONSERVATION groups and local politicians have expressed their shock at the sudden demolition of a large part of the fire-ravaged Glasgow & South Western Railway Ayr Station Hotel. Bulldozers moved in without prior notice on December 2/3. South Ayrshire Council ordered demolition contractors to remove the south gable and western gable walls as a prelude, it is believed, to the removal of the entire structure of the Grade B-listed hotel, once the pride of the town and regarded as an important part of local railway heritage. MSP Siobhan Brown was one five local Members of the Scottish Parliament who wrote to the council backing SAVE Britain's Heritage group's plea to save the hotel, which, said SAVE's architect, leading conservation engineer Ed Morton, was not as badly damaged by fire…

A4 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley will be fit to haul its planned 2024 tours despite suffering a right-hand cylinder failure on its northbound working on to York to Edinburgh leg of Steam Dreams'‘Edinburgh Christmas Market Weekender'on November 23. Large pieces of piston ring became detached in the steam circuit, causing damage to the valve heads, preventing the locomotive from continuing on the tour. Following a temporary fix, the A4 was moved back to Crewe in steam with assistance from Class 20 No. 20132 for full repairs, while the return leg of the tour was handed over to Class 40 D213 Andania. Back at Crewe, it was found that a set of the A4's valve rings had disintegrated, causing some damage to the lining. No. 60007 was ruled out of…

December 22 ‘The Polar Express' Return journey from Birmingham Moor Street. Loco: 7029 Clun Castle or 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. VT 23 ‘The Polar Express' Return journey from Birmingham Moor Street. Loco: 7029 Clun Castle or 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. VT 23 Carols at Sherborne Abbey Peterborough, Sherborne, Yeovil Junction and return. Diesel-hauled throughout. Loco: TBA. UKRT 30 ‘Awkward Week Venturer' Peterborough, Eastleigh, Southampton Docks and return. Loco: Class 66 TBC. UKRT January 6 ‘The Surrey Hills Surprise' Hastings, Guildford and return. DEMU: 1001. HD 13 ‘The Ayr Extension' Crewe, Ayr and return. Loco: Class 86 or 87 TBC. IC 27 ‘The Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express' Euston, Carlisle and return. Steam-hauled between Carnforth (outward) and Preston (return). Loco: Steam: TBC. Electric: Class 86 TBC. RTC 27 ‘The East…

HERITAGE MODELLER NEWS WITH its GWR Manors having proved a massive hit, and its GER‘Buckjumpers’ having been so highly received following their announcement earlier in the year, Accurascale is set to add another sixcoupled tank engine to its range with an all-new tooling for the GWR 5700 class panniers. The manufacturer's goal with this project is to bring the ultimate model of one of the most iconic tank locomotives of them all to modellers in OO gauge. Although a locomotive class that has been modelled in readyto-run format before, the Accurascale model brings a fresh approach and follows its philosophy of modelling variants never before done as a RTR model. This means locomotives with backplate feed (not top feed fitted) feature heavily in the launch range. Another striking variation among…

SOUTH EAST Amberley Museum 2ft gauge, ¼ mile. Arundel, West Sussex. Tel: 01798 831370. Open: Dec 30/31. Bluebell Railway Standard gauge, 11 miles. Sheffield Park, East Sussex TN22 2QL.Tel: 01825 720800. Running: Dec 28-Jan 1. Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway 2ft gauge, ½ mile. Bredgar, Sittingboume, Kent. Tel: 01622 884254. Reopens: Spring 2024. Chatham Historic Dockyard Standard gauge, one mile, Chatham, Kent, Tel: 01634 820800. Reopens: Feb 2024. East Kent Railway Standard gauge, two miles. Shepherdswell, Kent. Tel: 01304 832042. Reopens: Spring 2024. Eastleigh Lakeside Railway ¼in & 7¼in gauge, 1¼ miles. Running: Dec 26-Jan 2. Exbury Gardens & Steam Railway ¼in gauge, 1½ miles. Exbury, Southampton. Tel: 023 8089 1203. Reopens: March 2024. Hayling Light Railway 2ft gauge, one mile, Hayling Island, Hants, Tel: 07902 446340. Running: Weds, W/Es. Hollycombe Steam in the Country 2ft gauge,…

In addition to Santa specials, ‘Polar Express’ services, illumination trains and Mince Pie specials this winter, warm up after the big day with a trip to these post-Christmas events: DECEMBER 2023 ■ 26-31 – Winter Warmers, Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway ■ 29 – Winter Steam Up, Bodmin & Wenford Railway ■ 29 – Winter Diesel Day, Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway ■ 29 – Winter Diesel Day, Severn Valley Railway ■ 29-31 – Winter Steam Gala, South Devon Railway ■ 30/31 – Black Bun Specials, Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway ■ 31 – Winter Steam in the Valley, Ecclesbourne Valley Railway ■ 31 – The Night Rider, Great Central Railway JANUARY 2024 ■ 1 - New Year Steam, Bluebell Railway ■ 1 - Winter Steam in the Valley, Ecclesbourne Valley Railway ■…

HEADLINE NEWS THE Great Central Railway has won the 2024 Heritage Railway Association Interpretation Award for its Railways AtWork 1963 gala, in which the turbulent times of the Beeching Axe were recreated by dozens of re-enactors. The event looked back at the times when railways were the backbone of Britain long before road transport became king, with a mixture of locomotives hauling passenger and freight trains to reflect the ‘changeover years'from steam to diesel.The award was sponsored by Heritage Railway magazine via our publisher Mortons Media. Actors played the part of protestors demanding the reversal of the Government's controversial Beeching report which laid out plans for an unprecedented wave of closures of lines and stations across the country. Re-enactors from Derbyshire-based On-The-Beat Classic Police Hire attired in accurate police uniforms…

THE 15-year scheme to build a new LMS Patriot 4-6-0, No. 5551 The Unknown Warrior, took a major step forward in December as the chassis was tranferred to its new assembly base at Tyseley Locomotive Works. The LMS Patriot Project switched venues after the Princess Royal Class LocomotiveTrust (PRCLT) wanted to see the chassis moved outside its West Shed workshop at the Midland Railway – Butterley as soon as practicable, the priority being to access the wheel drop on No. 1 road for repairs to be carried out. The PRCLT had stopped all work on The Unknown Warrior in July.“It also became very clear that PRCLT saw workshop and museum capacity and resource availability as a major challenge in the medium term,”read an LMS Patriot Project statement. The project organised…

UNIQUE BR Standard 8 Pacific No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester was moved out of the Tyseley Locomotive Works shed onto the turntable for a special private viewing by members of the owning trust on December 3 – in advance of its planned return to the main line in 2024 after a 12-year absence for overhaul. The Crewe 1954-built Robert Riddles locomotive was shunted onto the turntable by a diesel so that the 70 guests could view its progress, with a warming fire burning in the grate. The Duke's boiler passed its hydraulic test in late November, and a steam test was being arranged. Trevor Tuckley, chairman of the BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust, said that 2024 will be very special to the group as the Duke will return to…

THE Keighley & Worth Valley Railway is set to receive a £5 million package from the Government's Levelling Up funding to support a series of improvements including the reinstatement of traditional signalling at Keighley and bringing into use the passing loop at Haworth to enable more services to run on the line. The grant aid will also include the overhaul of the line's DMU fleet and a new maintenance facility for it, and potentially restoring a section of double track from Keighley to provide rail access to the proposed site of the new DMU depot. The package of projects will enhance operational flexibility on the five-mile line. The travel enhancements to and from Keighley station, along with other improvements being made to passenger facilities, aim to boost incoming tourist traffic…

NEWS THE restored main line turntable at St Blazey depot in Cornwall, the Leighton Buzzard and Wensleydale railways and GWR Rowden Mill station were among the big winners at the 2023 National Railway Heritage Awards. Announced by the awards’ executive director, Tim Hedley-Jones, with Bill Reeve, director of Rail, Transport Scotland, as the guest of honour at the ceremony in the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London on December 6, the annual competition recognises, acknowledges and rewards, for the public benefit, the very best in re-use, restoration and conservation of the UK's historic railway infrastructure. The BAM Nuttall Partnership Award was made for the restoration of the Grade II* 65ft Cowans Sheldon 1952 turntable at St Blazey by the MPower Kernow Community Interest Company, which, as reported in issue 306, was…

THE Severn Valley Railway's Christmas season started on November 25 with a two-train service from Kidderminster to Arley for a pantomime at the station. Five return workings took place on December weekends, with additional trains on Friday, December 22. On the 24th, it was to be reduced to a four-train service. Ticket sales were doing well at the time of Heritage Railway going to press. From Bridgnorth, the ‘Enchanted Express’ with Father Christmas on board started on December 2. Stanier Mogul No. 2968 was hauling its first public train since overhaul. Four return workings to Highley took place at weekends finishing on December 24, proving to be very popular and were expected to sell out. Reviews on social media have been excellent. Motive power changed over the weekends on both…

ATEAM of British volunteers helped run a successful holiday event in Romania at the beginning of December, usingThe Flour Mill's ManningWardle 0-6-2T No. 1877 of 1915, formerly known as Chevallier and colloquially known as Vlad. The last day of November is celebrated as St Andrew's Day and the first of December is Romanian National Day, so three round-trips ran on the two public holidays and Saturday, December 2. Harry Billmore, chief engineer of the Fairbourne Railway and a driver on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, joined the locomotive crew, having given Sebastian (Sebe) Vintila, the SAR's engineer, a footplate ride in June, when Sebe was in England helping to assemble Vlad, which will be on loan for two years. Despite the time of year, the weather was kind, and…

THE supermarket shelves may be stocked up with festive goods before Halloween has even passed, but for many Christmas does not start until December 1. For the first families travelling aboard ‘Santa specials’ in the north of the country, a blanket of snow helped cement the feeling that the holidays were well and truly on their way. The enhancement of the magic was not only for those travelling aboard some of the most popular services of the year, but also afforded an opportunity to many photographers to capture stunning moments. Difference in a day Yorkshire was the first area reported to have received snowfall, with the landscape changing quite literally overnight. None quite reaped the benefit as much as those enjoying a photographic charter on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway…

IN A bid to become an accessible attraction for the less mobile, the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway has begun replacing its platform at Sittingbourne Viaduct station for it to become step-free. The project has received a boost from building product supplier Ibstock, a leading UK manufacturer of a diverse range of building products and solutions.The group has eight core product categories, including flooring and lintels, and rail and infrastructure. Ibstock's factory in Sittingbourne generously topped up an existing grant from Swale Borough Council providing concrete beams for the new beam-and-block concrete platform which sits on top of cast concrete piers, and also provided pre-cast concrete platform edging. All these concrete products were delivered free of charge by Seymour Transport Ltd. The use of pre-cast concrete products was a key…

THE Bluebell Railway's newly overhauled Battle of Britain 4-6-2 No. 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair will work its first trains for the general public on NewYear's Day. A three-train service featuring the Bulleid and visiting WR 4-6-0 No. 6989 Wightwick Hall working two main long rakes of coaches, with LBSCR A1 ‘Terrier’ No. 72 Fenchurch supplementing with the LNWR observation saloon, present an ideal opportunity to enjoy a panoramic view of the line as it passes through the wintry Sussex countryside. SECR O1 0-6-0 No. 65 will also be in steam, working a demonstration goods train between Horsted Keynes and Kingscote, with the second trip continuing back to Sheffield Park. No. 34059 recently exited the workshops at Sheffield Park following overhaul. With testing completed in early November, it was rostered to…

THE new carriage shed at the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre in Ruddington was completed in early December. The structure at the northern terminus of the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) stood partially-built for several years until external funding revitalised the project. It will now house up to four carriages under cover, with room for a small workshop and storage area. A polished concrete floor will be laid in early 2024 to allow the space to host events and exhibitions. Andy Fillingham, from the GCR(N), said: “The new building is looking very smart. We've worked with two local companies, Intelligent Fabrications and Now Build, and the team have kept the project on time, despite the storms in October. With sidings laid inside the building, it won't be long before we are able…

HAVING bid farewell to Chris Smith, who, after five years in the post of engineering manager, has moved to join the engineering team at the Churnet Valley Railway, the Talyllyn Railway has recruited former Wells & Walsingham Light Railway operations manager Graeme Wigglesworth as his replacement. Having spent 20 years working in IT, redundancy led Graeme to start as a driver on the Wells & Walsingham Light Railway before finishing his first season in the senior role. He later moved to be engineering manager at the National Tramway Museum at Crich. His career has also seen him take a seat on the Heritage Railway Association's business development committee, as well as vice-chairman of the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society.…

THE Downpatrick and County Down Railway has launched the Back on Track appeal to help repair the flood damage suffered by the line at the end of October and beginning of November, as reported in issue 313. With unavoidable costs estimated by the society's insurers at £250,000, and doubt over how much Government aid might be available because of the society's charitable and voluntary status, as opposed to qualifying for business aid, chairman Robert Gardiner is appealing to the community, and also enthusiasts throughout Ireland, Britain and beyond, to donate as a matter of urgency to get the line literally back on track. “Make no mistake,”said Robert, “we had seven days when the flood waters saturated our site and it's only now that we've been able to properly assess the…

THE completion of the restoration Glasgow Corporation Coronation Mk.1 tram No. 1245 has moved a step closer – now that volunteers at Summerlee Industrial Museum workshop have mounted the tram body on its fully restored EMB bogies. The body was raised on jacks and blocks to allow the bogies to be placed underneath, and work is now underway to connect the motors to the control unit and controllers as a prelude to test running the vehicle, possibly in 2024. Volunteer team leader Charlie McAloon said: “Putting the tram back on its bogies has been a huge step forward and positive proof of the progress we are making. “The body is now fully glazed with modern safety glass and the upper deck seats, fully reupholstered, are ready to fit. “We have…

THE overhaul of Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 No. 46464, affectionally known as the Carmyllie Pilot, has moved into the next phase following the successful completion of both a hydraulic and out-of-frames steam test in November. On November 20, the hydraulic test was undertaken in the presence of the boiler inspector outside the Strathspey Railway's locomotive shed at Aviemore. Wanting to waste no time, the various fittings for the next test were quickly assembled and the first warming fire was lit in the firebox at 9.30pm. Just two days later, the out-offrames steam test was undertaken and passed by the inspector. This now means that efforts can focus on refitting the insulation and cladding, along with mounting the manifold and associated valves on the backhead in readiness for the boiler to be…

THE Spa Valley Railway has come up with a wizard idea that will comprise a programme of steam-hauled trains from Tunbridge Wells West station to Eridge – and feature Gherkin and Mrs Magogglesargon. Gherkin is a young wizard in search of the perfect wand and Mrs M is his teacher, and the duo will combine to introduce slapstick comedy, magic and mayhem over the weekend of January 20/21. The action will start at Tunbridge Wells, where pupil and teacher will perform their magic, following which they will join passengers on board ‘The Wizard Express’ and hand out activity packs during the five-mile journey to Eridge, where magic will be performed on the platform. Then it's back to Tunbridge Wells, with treats on the way and a prize awarded to the…

Saturday, January 6 will see members of the 6880 Betton Grange (Society) Ltd and its supporters gather at Tyseley Locomotive Works for a private steaming of Britain's latest new-build locomotive behind closed doors. A week later, on January 13, No. 6880 will then be steamed at Tyseley in public. Afterwards, it will be taken to the Battlefield Line to undergo test runs, and if all goes well, it may haul public services there during the February half term week. The completion of the locomotive will see a Grange run for the first time in more than 58 years, and like the Great Western Society's new Saint 4-6-0 No. 2999 Lady of Legend, it will not only fill a major void in GWR preservation but will also mark another apex in…

THE Vintage Trains seasonal ‘Polar Express’ trains out of Birmingham Moor Street were once again a resounding success. The company operated its seasonal trains – its ‘Polar Express’ being unique on the main line – from Friday, November 24, which served as a test day with three return trips to Dorridge for the second year in succession. The first train was empty for the actors to prepare and familiarise themselves with their roles. The second and third trains were dress rehearsals and open to charities, schools, staff, volunteers and the public (the latter at a discount). The weekend trains started on November 25/26. Fridays December 1/8 and 15 saw four return trains to Whitlocks End with an additional train on the 22nd. Saturdays December 2/9/16 and 23 saw five trains…

LMS 4-6-0 No. 46115 Scots Guardsman moved south on November 25 while deputising for rostered ‘Black Five'No. 44932, hauling the Railway Touring Company's ‘Capital Christmas Express’ from Chester to Paddington. Picking up at Wrexham, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street, the day started with a 10-minute late departure from Chester at 6.52am, which increased slightly to a 12-minute late arrival at Wellington. Further delays occurred after a prolonged stop there, meaning more time was lost, departing at 8.52am, 26 minutes late. Time was made up by reducing the service stop at Banbury, departing five minutes down at 11.19am. With no more stops it was a straight run up through Oxford via Didcot onto the Great Western main line at Didcot for an 11-minute late arrival at London Paddington at 1.41pm.…

A COMMUNITY celebration marking the second anniversary of the reopening of the Dartmoor Line was held at Okehampton station on November 20. In those two years, more than 550,000 passengers have been carried on the line, part of which was previously used as the Heritage Dartmoor Railway. The route, from which daily passenger services were withdrawn in 1972, was the first line to be reopened under the Government's Restoring Your Railway programme, in just nine months and delivered £10 million under budget. The birthday party was organised by the modernday Great Western Railway, local rail support group Okerail, and the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership (DCRP) to celebrate the positive impact the reopening has had on the local community. Rail Minister Huw Merriman said: “The reopening of the Dartmoor Line…

RAILWAYANA THE top link pairing of the LNER and Nigel Gresley scored an overwhelming nameplate victory in Great Central's December 2 auction, with the duo winning gold, silver, and a joint bronze. Top of the podium at a resounding £38,500 was Guillemot from A4 Pacific No. 60020, followed by Loch Morar (K2 class 2-6-0 No. 61781) at £15,500, and The Cleveland from D49 class 4-4-0 No. 62743 at £7000. The K2 was designed by Gresley in his Great Northern Railway days, so credit also goes to that company alongside the LNER. Sharing the £7000 spoils with No. 62743 were Lady Faringdon (Great Central Railway Class 8E No. 364/LNER Class C5 4-4-2 No. 5364) and Lord of the Isles (LNWR Experiment class 4-6-0 No. 2623/LMS No. 5506). Following at £6000 were…

More often than not, panning is overlooked and appears to be way down on our list of style choices when it comes to railway photography – yet the rewards of a good panned shot can give that extra angle and outlook on our hobby. Panning shots tend to work when side on to your subject; I have never found it to work at other angles. In some ways, it has a similar failure rate to night photography, which can be high, but with digital there is nothing to lose, so it is worth the experiment. On several occasions I have attempted panning, only to find that the images were unsuitable due to a too slow shutter speed where nothing is sharp at all, the subject going too fast, or both…

THE Erlestoke Manor Fund acquired GWR 5101 class large Prairie No. 5164 from its previous owners, the 5164 Preservation Group, in 2021 under an agreement to return the locomotive to operational condition. Since then, the fund has been gradually fundraising and acquiring the components required for its upcoming overhaul, with the locomotive on static display at Barrow Hill Roundhouse since 2014, shortly after its last boiler certificate expired. On November 25/26, the prairie was a centrepiece of the annualWarley Model Railway Club's exhibition at the National Exhibition Centre, near Birmingham, the EMF having a fundraising stall alongside. Transport to the venue was partly sponsored by Accurascale Model Railways, which also donated an OO scale model of the fund's flagship, No. 7812 Erlestoke Manor, as a prize for a raffle held…

THE Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway has come top in two categories in the annual Cotswold Awards, organised by the online and social media guide Cotswold Concierge and voted for by the public. The heritage line was voted Best Attraction in the Cotswolds in the Experience Awards category, in which the Cotswold Wildlife Park and Blenheim Palace were also winners. Scooping top spot in the Events Awards category was the railway's Cotswold Festival of Steam, which took place on May 12-14, as featured in issue 307, and voted Best Event in the Cotswolds 2023. A third award was for Professional Services and the Best Photographer category was won by Jack Boskett, renowned for his pictures of railways and royalty. Jack edits the G/WR's membership magazine, The Cornishman, named after ‘The Cornishman’ express…

THE ownership of BR Standard 2-6-4T No. 80064 has been transferred to the West Somerset Railway after the locomotive spent almost 40 years on the Bluebell. In a textbook case of locomotives owing their survival to individuals or groups coming together to save them, only to later disband, the 80064 Locomotive Fund has become the latest to wind up. Formed in 1972, that December the fund purchased No. 80064 from Dai Woodham's Barry scrapyard. The 2-6-4T had entered service at Watford in June 1953 and toured the regions during its working life. Starting out on Midland Region metals, in December 1959 it transferred to the Southern Region, commencing with a month at Dover Marine before moving to Ashford in January 1960. Its stint there lasted just over a year before…

NOT since the withdrawal of No. 1450 in December 2020 has a GWR 1400 auto tank been seen operating on a UK heritage line – but that looks set to change in 2023, with Didcot Railway Centre’ sown No. 1466 expected to return in time to mark the museum's 55th anniversary on May 10. Last operational in 2000 when it was withdrawn due to the condition of its foundation ring, work to return the 0-4-2T to service began in 2019 when it was transported to Western Steam Engineering Ltd in the Forest of Dean.While mechanically good, it was known that a new backplate, firebox plating and repairs to the boiler barrel were required. Later transferred to theWest Somerset Railway, a new copper tubeplate was also made at South Devon Railway…

WITH Peterborough seemingly the furthest location down the country where snowfall reached, the south of England became enshrouded with fog throughout the same weekend – and the atmosphere was particularly enhanced at the lines running illumination trains. These services have seen a boom in popularity since their inception as the ‘Train of Lights’ at the Dartmouth Steam Railway in 2018, with many lines adding their own spin on the services as they strive to improve the experience year on year. The Mid-Hants Railway's Steam Illuminations trains commenced on November 24; the town of Alresford partook in the occasion with a parade of lanterns, many of which were made by pupils at the local primary school, the parade making its way along the high street at 5.40pm and arriving at the…

THE Lappa Valley Railway has won a major accolade in Cornwall for the second year running. The railway was named Large Visitor Attraction of the Year in the prestigious Cornwall Tourism Awards, which took place at Truro Cathedral. Tourism industry experts judged the entrants on key aspects and an undercover visit, which noted the warm welcome, well-maintained facilities, and very friendly and helpful staff. LVR managing director Keith Southwell said: “We are humbled to have been recognised in this way for a second year. “This would not be possible without the hard work and commitment of our entire team. Every single one lives and breathes the Lappa values of inclusivity, fun, nature, and enabling families to make special memories. “We have made a significant number of investments to evolve Lappa…

PASSENGER numbers on the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway have fallen sharply since the line was shortened. The Isle of Man's Minister for the Department of Infrastructure, Tim Crookhall, told the House of Keys that there were only 45,000 passengers in 2023 compared with 78,000 in 2018. When work to reconstruct Douglas promenade ran late and over budget, it was decided to reinstall the tramway tracks only to the war memorial rather than all the way to the sea terminal. Mr Crookhall said he believed the shorter length has hampered numbers in the tramway's first full season since the promenade refurbishment and the Covid-19 pandemic. However, he said that the figures did not include income from “Go Explore tickets”, which could be used on all of the Manx heritage railways and…

NEWS THE National Railway Museum has yet to decide on the future of LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 after the conclusion of its hugely successful centenary year programme. The museum's current six-year contract with Riley & Son (e) to operate the world's most famous steam train expires on New Year's Eve. A statement issued by the York museum, which owns No. 60103, said: “The NRM is focused on the delivery of Flying Scotsman's centenary celebrations, which will conclude with a visit to Locomotion in Shildon between December 16 and January 7. “The current contract to maintain and operate Flying Scotsman runs until December 31, 2023. After the success of Flying Scotsman's centenary year, and the locomotive's two popular visits to the NRM, its future operation after this date is being…

THE completion of the £30 million four-year restoration of the Cambrian Coast Line's 156-year-old Grade II*-listed Barmouth Viaduct was celebrated on December 8. Network Rail, representatives of the community, rail industry partners and the local council joined Wales Office minister Fay Jones for the unveiling of a plaque to mark the milestone, six days after trains returned to the iconic structure following a 13-week closure. Built in 1867 by the Aberystwyth andWelsh Coast Railway in 1867, the 842-yard viaduct is the longest in Wales and the longest wooden railway bridge in Britain. Heritage in mind When restoration work began in 2020, Network Rail engineers found the viaduct to be in a much worse condition than originally anticipated. Many of the timber elements had significantly decayed and a large portion of…

THE East Kent Light Railway is to host Class 73 No. 73130 until early 2025 following an agreement being reached with the locomotive's owner, 73130 Limited. This particular example of the class is unique as it is the only remaining locomotive carrying the Eurostar adapter couplers which were provided to enable it to rescue failed Eurostar trains during the early years of its operation. The unique 73 has been based on the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway since being purchased from the Coulsdon Old Vehicles & Engineering Society last November, making its operational debut there in March this year. Following this new deal being struck, the locomotive departed the L&MMR's Cynheidre base by road on November 9 and was unloaded at Shepherdswell, the home of the East Kent Light Railway…

THE ‘heritage presence'of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in Wales has been further boosted, with four replica coaches delivered the Bala Lake Railway. The four coaches were built by Alan Keef Ltd, of Ross-on-Wye, for the 2ft gauge Treasure Island railway at Thorpe Park and acquired by the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway after that line closed in 1993. The L&B rebuilt them into their current form but later replaced them at Woody Bay with restored original coaches. They were acquired by the Statfold Barn Railway in 2014 but following the arrival of three former South Tynedale Railway coaches in 2022, the L&B replicas saw little use and have now been donated to the BLR, which is aiming to extend into Bala town centre. They comprise No.1, brake third with guard's…

DUNDEE Museum of Transport has launched a brick-by-brick appeal to replace 2500 weather-expired Victorian bricks at Maryfield Tram Depot, currently being restored as the museum's new permanent home. Supporters can donate £10 per brick as part of a £25,000 drive to weather-proof the historic tram depot, which was opened in 1901. The museum has also released visuals showing what the revamped interior will look life after the museum's initial £5 million restoration work is complete. Now it is calling on the local community and enthusiasts to back the appeal and make the displays a reality by repairing the exterior fabric of the tram shed. The Maryfield museum will cover road, rail, and maritime themes, reflecting the variety of exhibits which will be moved from their current temporary home at Market…

THE judicial review of the Office of Rail and Road's (ORR) refusal to grant ‘Jacobite’ operator West Coast Railways (WCR) a further period of exemption from regulation five of the Railway Safety Regulations 1999 took place in London's High Court over two days at the end of November, in front of the Hon Mrs Justice Thornton. Judgment has been reserved, meaning a further short-term exemption has been granted by the ORR in order to continue using vehicles without Central Door Locking (CDL) ahead of the outcome. The issue concerns the fitting of secondary carriage door locking systems to its heritage coaches. To recap, regulation five of the Railway Safety Regulations 1999 required all operators of slam-door stock to fit centrally-controlled door locks. However, charter stock was never the intended target…

ONLOOKERS at King's Cross may have thought they were seeing double on the morning of November 18 when a pair of LMS ‘Black Fives’ departed the station mere minutes from one another, both bound for the same destination – but a signalling error meant that the pair missed the opportunity to be pictured side by side in the capital. The first was worked by No. 44871, at the helm of the Railway Touring Company's ‘Christmas White Rose’ excursion. Departing from West Coast Railway's Southall depot at 4.50am, the set arrived at Platform 7 not long after 7am in readiness for its advertised 7.42am departure. The second service was a Steam Dreams excursion with No. 45231 The Sherwood Forester as the locomotive in charge. Departing Southall at 5.50am, it was scheduled to…

IT WAS a long day for Saphos Trains’ ‘The Cotswold Explorer'from Peterborough to Worcester Shrub Hill on November 15. The tour started diesel-hauled at 5.30am and headed up the East Coast Main Line towards King's Cross, and at Copenhagen Junction it turned west onto the North London Line to Willesden where Bulleid West Country No. 34046 Braunton was waiting to take over for the return run to Worcester Shrub Hill. The Willesden departure was 11 minutes late at 8.13am before joining the Great Western Main Line at Acton, heading towards a service stop at Hanwell. Leaving 11 minutes down the outward routing was via Swindon and the Golden Valley towards Gloucester. After losing its path, it was never able to make up lost time, finally arriving at Worcester 45 down…

SIGNALLING made its presence felt at Great Central's two-day 1200-lot ‘Bloxham’-style live online auction on November 16/17, with the realisations being led at £1000 for a complete Great Northern Railway wooden post somersault signal and £860 for an LMS 15-lever frame from Naas Crossing signalbox near Lydney, Gloucestershire, which closed in 1968. Following at £760 was a 3½in gauge live steam model of an LBSCR 0-4-0T and a North Eastern Railway rug that went for £560, just ahead of four LNER, SR and BR Western Region D wagonplates that sold as a single lot for £520. Prices exclude buyer's premium of 15% (+VAT).…

IN these chilly winter months, it's hard to not want to stay warm, so naturally my mind has thrown itself to Austin Cooper's gorgeous Art Deco poster from 1924, proclaiming ‘It is warmer down below. Travel in comfort by Underground’ – so, for this month's Heritage in Miniature, let us travel down below and back to 1863 for the formation of the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground railway. Metropolitan – a brief history Opening to the public on January 10, 1863, the Metropolitan Railway ran from Paddington (Bishop's Road) to Farringdon Street via Edgware Road, Baker Street, Portland Road, Gower Street and King's Cross – all of which are still open to this day. At only 3.75 miles long, the Met was a far cry from today's sprawling Underground…