Network tour in Blackpool

Attracting back passengers

Editor ’s Comment Plenty of empty seats on

£1.8 million heritage lifeline

Quintet of heritage railway organisations benefit from third round of Culture Recovery Fund

Rail fares to rise by 3.8%

RAIL fares are to rise by 3.8% in

Dumbleton Hall for new Harry Potter Japan attraction

No. 4920 Dumbleton Hall at Buckfastleigh on the

Pandemic makes Stratford the UK’s busiest station

HAVING held the mantle of London’s busiest station

OBITUARY

Adrian Curtis 1958-2021 RAILWAY writer Adrian Curtis, an

SIDELINES

Cadder depot opens SCOTRAIL’S new servicing and fuelling

UCR calls for a strategic transport network

The Government’s Union Connectivity Review highlights where passenger and freight corridors could be improved to bring the UK closer together

OBITUARY

Jeremy English 1947-2021 WHEN it came to filming

SIDELINES

Go-Ahead starts Bavarian Service UK based The Go-Ahead

Hitachi and Alstom team up to build HS2 fleet

The next generation of high-speed trains will be designed and built in Britain

London to Norwich in 82?

ON December 5, a Sunday, Stadler ‘Flirt’ No.

Class 89 ‘Badger’ set for main line return with LSL

THE unique Class 89 electric locomotive No. 89001

Safety door facility opens

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Construction skills centre

PLANS for construction site accommodation for HS2 in

First Midlands tunnelling machine launched

TBM’s journey marks ‘another major milestone’ for HS2 construction work

Preparations for motorway bridge first

SITE preparation was scheduled between Christmas and New

Getting to grips with poor rail adhesion

With dedicated railhead treatment trains being increasingly difficult to resource and expensive to run, Northern is helping to develop two new systems that could be fitted to passenger trains in service to improve wheel-rail adhesion in damp and leaf-fall conditions

Railways in Parliament

MML electric haulage THE Government’s announcement that the

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RM Archive

FROM THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVES 100 YEARS AGO

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Prize crossword

£100 worth of Nostalgia Collection books to be won

Where is it?

Our pictorial quiz, for fun only

A MISSED CONNECTION

Bradford’s rail connections are arguably the worst in Britain relative to its size, made worse after it was overlooked in the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan. Graeme Pickering looks at the potential impact, as the city’s 180-year wait for a through main line continues

Okehampton restored

John Heaton FCILT looks back over the history of the recently reopened line to Okehampton in Devon, once part of the LSWR’s through route from Exeter to Plymouth around the top of Dartmoor

HOW CAN RAIL HELP TACKLE CLIMAT E CHANGE?

Battery and hydrogen technologies offer a way to eliminate the use of diesel from rail use in locations not suitable or not economically viable for overhead electrification, as Keith Fender finds out

A TALE OF TWO CABS

30 years after its final working, Christopher Westcott discovers how both cabs of ‘Hoover’ No. 50046 Ajax have managed to survive

THE BATTLE OF BROMSGROVE 2021

A pair of Vintage Trains tours on the same day and same route in November offered a head-to-head trial of former GWR and LMS power on the testing Lickey Incline in Worcestershire, as John Heaton FCILT describes

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Six driving wheels ordered for new ‘B17’

New-build steam locomotive project progresses on several fronts

‘Pug’ on course for Lancashire & Yorkshire celebrations

THE Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Trust’s (L&YRT) ‘Pug’

‘51XX’ joins Earlstoke fleet

Pictured after signing the contract, from left to

Boiler back on LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054

PICTURE: PETE SKELLON LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054

L&Y coach No. 1 refreshed

No. 1 gleams in November sunshine at Embsay.

SIDELINES

Ivatt overhaul THE overhaul of BR Ivatt ‘2MT’

DIARY

January 8/9 Spa Valley Railway: Winter Steam Up

‘Project Reset ’ to fix ‘The Unknown Workload’

LMS-Patriot Project chairman is confident the locomotive is now on course for completion by 2026

Quintet of railway winners in National Transport Trust awards

FIVE projects from the heritage railway movement have

Hagley Hall’s return advances

THE boiler for the Severn Valley Railway’s flagship

Swanage ‘T3’ tender appeal

LSWR ‘T3’ No. 563 takes shape at The

Bridge and cutting to be repaired

TWO major infrastructure projects are being carried out

Methodology

The task has required the use of a

‘County’ boiler plan

THE boiler for No. 1014 County of Glamorgan

Key milestone reached on Cricklade ex tension project

Steam traverses South Meadow Crossing after 50-year absence

Wheel focus on the Duke of Gloucester at Tyseley Locomotive Works

THE wheels for No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester

The last highly ventilated BR meat van?

Watercress Line Wagon Group forges on with its projects

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Avonside Stamford will now remain in Rutland

Rocks by Rail completes purchase of historic ironstone 0-6-0ST

Tanfield triumphs over Storm Arwen

Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST Horden (1015/1904) heads the fifth

Steam Portfolio

GLOSSING OVER THE DAMP: The sun shines during

SINGLE LINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Big Dave delivered to West of Fife Munitions Railway

Resident narrow gauge steam returns to Scotland after almost 20 years

Autumn storm weather affects several lines

STORM Arwen over November 27/28 caused problems for

Ffestiniog Railway to benefit from major winter infrastructure upgrade

WITH main season services having ceased, the Ffestiniog

New-build Mountaineer could be ‘recognisable chassis’ by Easter

1863 Mountaineer Locomotive Ltd’s ‘Axlebox Challenge’ raised sufficient

Hafod Eryri to remain closed for second year

It may look like the USA, but this

Restoration of ex-Australian Avonside in progress

RESTORATION of Avonside 0-4-0ST 1909/1922, which last steamed

Halesworth revival group acquires RNAD wagons to replicate Southwold freight

Replica 3ft gauge Southwold Railway Sharp, Stewart 2-4-0T

‘Quarry Hunslet’ overhauls make important progress

THE overhaul of James Evans’ ex-Dinorwic Hunslet 0-4-0ST

Grant enables rock work to secure Steeple Grange future

STEEPLE Grange Light Railway (SGLR) has received a

Manx Electric Railway landmark reinstated

ON November 23, work began on installing new

Britain’s newest miniature railway opened at Ayton Castle

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

‘Forgotten’ Henry to return to steam at Watford

PICTURE: CHARLES O’MAHONEY WATFORD Miniature Railway’s latest acquisition,

Conductor bars replaced at Seaton

OVERHEAD conductor bars at Seaton station on the

Metrocar preservation discussions ‘at an early stage’

Hopes of permanent home for original fleet examples after withdrawal

‘Bluebird’ on the road to return

ALTHOUGH there is still considerable work to do,

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

KESR ‘Gronk’ sent to Bitton for major attention

Class 08 visits Avon Valley for repairs to engine, generator and wiring

‘4DD’ cars reunited

‘SYPHON’ MOVES NORTH: Class 37 No. 37674 arrived

Original look for DEPG ‘Western’

‘PEAK’ ON FREIGHT: The Great Central Railway’s ‘Last

DIARY

January 15/16 Great Central Railway ECML weekend. April

New owner wanted for Manchester Class 76 cab

THE Science Museum Group is seeking to dispose

HST donated to Welsh group

‘POLAR EXPRESS’ STEAM AND DIESEL. The Wensleydale Railway’s

Northern Belle offers rail and cruise tours

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Steam Dreams utilises Clan Line

‘MERCHANT Navy’ Pacific No. 35028 Clan Line, a

DRS locos in frame for ‘Link N’ Chord’ tour

Itinerary designed to have broad enthusiast appeal

West Coast confirms dates and locomotives for new ‘Jacobite’ season

Nearing the end of its journey from Derby,

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Plans for York station revamp move for ward

£25.7m project will see redundant Queen Street bridge removed

Middlesbrough area signalling modernised

Northern Class 156 two-car DMU No. 156449 passes

Concern over crossing misuse

VIDEO footage of teenagers doing handstands and ‘selfies’

UB40 launch ‘Musical Routes’ initiative

At the launch are (from left): Adam Regan

8000 tonnes of rock armour for Welsh Marches line

AS PART of a process to protect the

Restoration plan for Findlater’s Corner

An artist’s impression how the façade will look

Swanley station’s £5.5m upgrade completed

The smart façade of the new ticket office

Work begins on construction of new Willenhall station

CONSTRUCTION work for a new railway station at

SIDELINES

Viaduct damage worse than expected HOPES of reopening

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

New traffic flow for Cemex

GBRf Class 66, No. 66780 The Cemex Express

‘Humber Express’ intermodal service generates interest

A SIX-WEEK trial of a twice daily intermodal

Rail Freight Group welcomes upgrades but fears constraints

RESPONDING to the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan, the

Four ‘Swift Express’ Class 321 conversions

THE first of four ‘Swift Express’ electric multiple

Bogie press reduces repair times

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Mayor ‘confident ’ about West Midlands Metro fleet repairs

Welding expected to solve issues after second suspension of services due to cracks on trams

Stadler completes first bodyshell for new Tyne & Wear Metro units

THE first bodyshell for the Tyne & Wear

Class 153 dispensations expire

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

First Welsh ‘FLIRTs’ arrive at Canton depot

Extensive testing scheduled for Class 231s ahead of entry into service

Arwen aftermath

STORM Arwen caused widespread damage on the evening

Class 18 trialled at Chasewater Railway

THE first of 15 Class 18 locomotives, which

XC HST fleet temporarily sidelined due to low staff availability

Before their temporary removal from service, a CrossCountry

SIDELINES

Stadler working on ‘greener’ units STADLER is considering

Pantograph monitoring for main line locations

System aims to provide early identification of defects in Scotland

Sparkling results expected at Greater Anglia’s Ilford depot

FOLLOWING almost three months of work to install,

WAGON REPORT

An example of an ‘Ecofret 2’ flat, No.

Stock Update

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Operations

Call: 01507 529589 email: railway @ mortons.co.uk Your

New look for No. 134 as overhaul nears completion

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Irish Rail launches 20 -year national rail freight plan

Operator pledges €500 million to boost freight by 2040

Downpatrick line bounces back before Christmas

Steam returns to Downpatrick after nearly two years

MORE MAIN LINE STEAM AS RPSI RUNS FESTIVE SPECIALS

THE Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s ex-GNR(I) ‘Q’

Autonomous Shinkansen trialled in Japan

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Covid passports required widely in Europe

THE German Government introduced rules requiring proof of

Massive boost for American passenger rail infrastructure

Highest ever level of government funding described as ‘transformational’

65 years young – Spanish Alco diesel locomotive back on the main line

In early morning light, 1603 seen on the

Vintage diesels operate Czech autumn specials

MULTIPLE special trains often run in the Czech

Vertical boiler loco leaves museum to return to the Alps

Right: Rigi No. 7 works a shuttle service