The Railway Magazine

The Railway Magazine has been published since 1897 and is now the UK's best-selling general interest rail title.

The Railway Magazine2 min read
The Railway Magazine
PUBLISHING Production editor: Sarah Wilkinson Designer: Tim Pipes Editorial assistant: Jane Skayman Publisher: Tim Hartley Sales and distribution manager: Carl Smith Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Commercial director: Nigel Hole Publishing directo
The Railway Magazine2 min read
A Sobering Thought
IT is not very often I reference the letters page in this column. Which is not to dismiss that section of the magazine in any way – it is a valuable and often enlightening part of our make-up, and we very much enjoy reading all the comments, feedback
The Railway Magazine1 min read
The RAILWAY Magazine
RETURNING HOME: Is this the largest gathering ever of British locomotives stored in this way on sets of temporary rails? The growing collection at the former Brush Falcon Works in Loughborough includes these 15 locos, seen on June 9 from a field adja
The Railway Magazine3 min read
Journeys Rise But Revenue Stalls
RAIL’S recovery from the Covid pandemic continues, with 1,610 million journeys recorded in the year to March 31, which is a 16% rise on the previous 12 months. The figures have been released by the Office of Rail and Road, and the rise comes despite
The Railway Magazine3 min read
More Action Needed If Targets Are To Be Met
AS PART of initiatives to reach a net-zero target for emissions, a range of agencies, including Network Rail, have published growth targets for carrying more freight by rail that range from a 75-200% by 2050. But the most recent annual traffic survey
The Railway Magazine2 min read
Scottish Society Signs Deal With LSL Group For Locomotives And Stock
A NEW long-term partnership has been formed between the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) and the Royal Scot Locomotive & General Trust. The agreement with the trust, part of the Locomotive Services Group (LSL), will be mutually beneficial
The Railway Magazine1 min read
‘Surprise And Pride’ As Passenger Services Begin On Levenmouth Line
TIMETABLED passenger trains have returned to a Scottish coastal town after a 50-year absence following the formal opening of the Levenmouth Line. Passenger services to Leven ceased in 1969, after which the five-mile branch to the Levenmouth conurbati
The Railway Magazine2 min read
Low-key Launch For Avanti’s ‘Evero’
THE first three units from Avanti West Coast’s new £350 million‘Evero’fleet entered revenue-earning service without any prior publicity on June 2, departing Crewe almost simultaneously on workings to London Euston and Holyhead. Class 805 No. 805009 l
The Railway Magazine1 min read
Brief Return For CrossCountry Shops
THE transfer of the first ex-Avanti West Coast Class 221‘Super Voyager’units to CrossCountry has brought with them the return of on board shops to XC services, but only until they are removed during refurbishment. CrossCountry will take on a total of
The Railway Magazine1 min read
Steam Powered ‘Tug’ For Freight Trains?
A CLASS 60 diesel is set to be converted to steam power using the latest engineering advancements as part of a project to find alternative fuels for the rail freight sector. Steamology Motion Limited, a green technology start-up company in Hampshire,
The Railway Magazine1 min read
Class 47 Reaches Ukraine Border
THE only ex- British Rail Class 47 to be exported from the UK, No. 47375, worked a two-day railtour around Hungary on June 8/9 reaching the border with neighbouring Ukraine and Slovakia in the process. The tour was organised by the Brush Type 4 Fund
The Railway Magazine1 min read
First Vehicles For Eastriggs Storage Site
JUNE 19 saw the first two vehicles arrive for secure storage by Rail Sidings Ltd (RSL) at Eastriggs in Dumfries and Galloway, writes Graeme Pickering. Network Rail Winter Development Vehicle (WDV) No. 7095940141 and its support coach No. ADB977896 ar
The Railway Magazine3 min read
All’s Still Not Right On The Isle Of Wight
IT was September 2019 when the £50 million Island Line upgrade was announced, to include new trains, track upgrades and a reinstated passing loop at Brading. On the face of it, it should have been a straightforward project, the 8.5-mile route from Ry
The Railway Magazine1 min read
Rvlr At The Gcr:
The Revolution Very Light Rail (RVLR) demonstration vehicle has been undergoing testing at the Great Central Railway. It is pictured at Loughborough shed alongside NCB Hunslet‘Austerity’No. 18 on June 9, two days after arriving by road at Quorn. Unve
The Railway Magazine2 min read
Andania Digs In For A Great Cause
A CLASS 40-hauled charity tour to Scarborough on June 5 raised more than £40,000 for its organiser the Railway Benefit Fund (RBF). Locomotive Services operated the‘Bucket & Spade’ special on behalf on the Crewe-based RBF. No. D213 (40013) Andania hau
The Railway Magazine2 min read
Work On Thame Valley Viaduct Building Passes Halfway Point
CONSTRUCTION work on the 880 metre (962 yard) Thame Valley Viaduct near Aylesbury, one of the longest structures on the HS2 project, passed the halfway point during May. The majority of it – including beams for the spans, deck slabs and all but two o
The Railway Magazine3 min read
Railways in Parliament
LIFE peer Lord Blencathra asked the Government what consideration it had given to expediting the application by Virgin Trains to run a service on the West Coast Main Line. Transport Minister Lord Davies of Gower said:“We note with interest the report
The Railway Magazine1 min read
Former London Underground And Crossrail Boss To Lead HS2 Ltd
NEW HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Wild has said he looks forward to leading the organisation as it shifts focus from overseeing construction of the high-speed route to preparing for it to become operational. Mr Wild will join HS2 Ltd from SGN (formerl
The Railway Magazine1 min read
Golden Anniversary Gala
THE Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR) celebrated its half-century in style on June 1/2, with a 50th anniversary gala encompassing the Rother Valley Railway (RVR), which is reconstructing the route’s missing link between Robertsbridge and Bodiam. The
The Railway Magazine14 min read
Zulu Forty Eight
THERE are few sights more evocative of British steam traction’s ‘Golden Age’ than a Great Western-designed ‘Castle’ glinting in spring sunlight as it glides along the Dawlish sea wall hauling a rake of chocolate and cream coaches. Thanks to the valia
The Railway Magazine5 min read
Farewell Shed, Hello Works
AFTER being largely disused for more than a decade from 2007-2018, Bletchley depot is now going through a £72 million upgrade to turn it into a works-style engineering facility for both diesel and electric units. Bletchley was an early railway crossr
The Railway Magazine7 min read
Readers’ Platform
NB. Publication of a letter does not imply that the Editor or staff of The Railway Magazine necessarily agree with its contents. CHRIS Milner’s article on ‘Preserving the Past’(June issue) highlights the problem of photographic collections ending up
The Railway Magazine10 min read
‘Trubble At T’Tunnel’
IT was nearly midnight at Huddersfield on August 12, 1866 as the Normanton to Bangor mail train approached the station, its chief stopping point in the West Riding of Yorkshire. This train normally loaded to just three vehicles: a post office sorting
The Railway Magazine12 min read
The ‘Liberation’ Locomotives
TO say that ‘Liberation’ locos are a forgotten type would be a serious overstatement. With just a couple of articles in the technical press at the time of their construction, plus a few brief references in later books and articles, these fine locomot
The Railway Magazine3 min read
Meetings
Great Central Railway Society (Sheffield branch). Meet at CTL Seal, Butterthwaite Lane, Ecclesfield, Sheffield S35 9WA for a short walk at 18.30 and a visit at 19.30. Donations towards 72010 Hengist welcome. RCTS (Milton Keynes branch) & Institution
The Railway Magazine1 min read
Panorama
Delivering a safe, efficient and sustainable railway
The Railway Magazine3 min read
From The Archive
WORK is now in hand on the Morden extension of the City & South London Railway, and it is hoped that electric trains will be running between Clapham Common and Morden by December 1925. Work is also in hand on the Kennington Loop, scheduled to be comp
The Railway Magazine2 min read
The RCTS: Then And Now
LOCATED in a sparsely populated area of Gwynedd, formerly Meirionnydd, the small country town of Bala enjoyed the benefit of being on the through route from Ruabon to the Cambrian Coast at Barmouth. The first trains arrived in 1868, after an agreemen
The Railway Magazine7 min read
West Somerset Is Putting The ‘Torrid Times’ Behind It
THE West Somerset Railway (WSR) has been turned around and it is now on a more sound footing after a lot of hard work, according to one of line’s senior figures. “The railway is ahead of budget this year,”WSR plc chairman Jonathan Jones-Pratt told Th
The Railway Magazine7 min read
Toddington’s ‘Long Forgotten’ BR Standard Gets Welcome Attention
SIGNIFICANT progress is being made on the restoration of BR‘4MT’2-6-0 No. 76077 from Barry scrapyard condition for service on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR). Toddington Standard Locomotive Ltd (TSLL) acquired the locomotive fro
The Railway Magazine6 min read
‘Strictly’ Stars Attract The Crowds For Bulleid Gala
AN historic gala gathering featuring eight impressive 1940s Bulleid Pacifics captured the imagination of enthusiasts and attracted more than 4,700 passengers to a huge Swanage Railway special event. The Strictly Bulleid II gala took place between Fri
The Railway Magazine2 min read
Automatic Brake Milestone Hit
NENE Valley Railway (NVR) Wagon Group volunteers have enjoyed the fruits of their labours following a considerable amount of hard work in reinstating vacuum brakes on their operational fleet of goods vehicles. As previously reported, since the group’
The Railway Magazine3 min read
Jessie The ‘Green Goddess’ Unveiled
A SOUTH Wales heavy industry veteran was the star of the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway’s May 26/27 Pit to Port Coal Train event. The Bank Holiday Sunday and Monday gala saw the debut of Hunslet 18in 0-6-0ST Jessie (1837/1937) in a new livery. Volunte
The Railway Magazine2 min read
Lappa Valley Loco Victoria Converted To Battery Power
THE main locomotive on the Lappa Valley Railway’s (LVR) 7.25in gauge line is expected to be able to complete two days of summer running with a five-coach train from a single charge of its batteries, following conversion from diesel power. Originally
The Railway Magazine10 min read
Five Steam Beside The Seaside
FAIRBOURNE Railway’s May 25-27 annual steam gala featured two interesting guest steam locomotives, one being a first-time visitor and the other returning to the line where it spent much of its working life in its 100th anniversary year. On the 12.25i
The Railway Magazine3 min read
Work Still To Be Done Before No. 10 Can Return To Duty
A REVIEW of mechanical work still outstanding as part of the overhaul of Gateshead No. 10 at Beamish Museum has revealed areas which will need to be addressed. Paul Jarman, the museum’s director of development for transport, industry and design, said
The Railway Magazine8 min read
Permanent New Homes For CEPG’s Class 309 Vehicles
CLACTON Express Preservation Group (CEPG) chairman Brad Wright has told The RM that the transfer of the three surviving cars from Class 309 No. 309624 to permanent new homes marks“a very positive new chapter”for the vehicles and the organisation. In
The Railway Magazine5 min read
Return Of The ‘Melton Pieman’
AN excursion from the West Midlands to the popular market town of Melton Mowbray – with the added attraction of steam over Harringworth Viaduct – is being reprised by Vintage Trains on September 14. Under its popular‘Melton Pieman’title, either No. 5
The Railway Magazine3 min read
Outline Masterplan Submitted For Bow Goods Yard Scheme
PLANNING approval is being sought for the redevelopment of 30 acres of brownfield land at Bow Goods Yard in East London, which would include construction of the capital’s largest integrated rail freight logistics hub. Network Rail Property (NRP) has
The Railway Magazine7 min read
Work Delays Pushing Back Northumberland Services
ALTHOUGH it had been anticipated that services on the Northumberland Line from Newcastle to Bedlington and Ashington would begin in June, delays in the work are pushing the opening date back. Some of the delays on the Government’s Restore Your Railwa
The Railway Magazine6 min read
Testing Underway Of Class 802 Fitted With High-energy Battery
TRANSPENNINE Express Class 802 ‘Nova 1’ unit No. 802207 is undergoing testing after being fitted with a high-energy battery in place of one of its three diesel engines at Hitachi Rail’s factory at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham. The collaboration b
The Railway Magazine3 min read
Nexus Puts Software ‘Fix’ In Place For Class 555 Tyne & Wear Issue
TYNE &Wear Metro operator Nexus has told The RM that a software modification has been made following the discovery of a traction problem during testing of its new Class 555 units on the system. Nexus revealed details earlier this year, explaining tha
The Railway Magazine2 min read
Wagon Report
MIDWAY through the year, an overview of the wagon fleet shows that Ealnos type box wagons and intermodal flats dominate wagon orders. In turn, the supply of new stock comes largely from the Eastern European factories of USA-owned Greenbrier Europe. C
The Railway Magazine24 min read
The Network’s Notable Moves
Once again, heavy rain into the early hours of Thursday, May 23 caused flooding on the WCML north of Carlisle. This caused major disruption to the AWC’s Anglo-Scottish services with many trains being cancelled between Preston and Glasgow. That day’s
The Railway Magazine2 min read
Stock Update
EPRL Europhoenix Rail Leasing Allocations 37250 re-registered HQ/MBDL37407 EPUK-EPRL37424 KM/XSDP-BH/HNRL37425 KM/XSDP-BH/HNRL43050 SBXL-LSLO43054 MBDL-LSLO45118 LSLS-LSLO66224 WBAI-WBAT66591 LD/DFIN-FD/DHLT69012 LR/UKRS-RR/GBRG Renumbered 56077 –
The Railway Magazine4 min read
Cork Improvements Progress
THE delivery of eight new stations, electrification and a new depot for the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme moved a step closer on May 24, following an announcement by IrishTransport Minister, Éamon Ryan TD. It was confirmed that consultants TYPSA
The Railway Magazine6 min read
World News
Tourists experience modern traction thanks to UK tour operator. A GROUP of enthusiasts recently enjoyed the chance to see and hear an eclectic mix of modern traction in South East Asia as part of a visit arranged by a British company. In April, opera
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CROSSWORD & NEXT MONTH
The crossword winner and two runners-up can choose books worth £50 and £25 respectively from the extensive Nostalgia Collection. Visit us at www.mortonsbooks.co.uk £100 worth of Nostalgia Collection books to be won 1 GWR No. 5082, formerly Powis Cas
The Railway Magazine4 min read
Reviews
The Ivo Peters Collection Volume Fourteen FILMS shot by the late Ivo Peters, which were originally made available in video tape form, have in more recent years been progressively remastered and issued as DVDs. This 48 minute programme is devoted to f

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