China plans 50,000km high speed network

Sobering reading

The burnt-out remains of power car No. 43140,

Millions flee from Russian invasion by train

European railways have played a key role helping refugees escape the war in Ukraine

Welsh Highland Railway announces competition to celebrate centenary

THE narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway has launched

‘Overwhelming’ response to GBR base competition

A TOTAL of 42 English and Scottish locations

Welsh museum to investigate links between slaver y and railway development

The Trevithick replica locomotive at the National Waterfront

Work begins on real and replica Locomotion No.1

THE Head of Steam museum in Darlington is

SIDELINES

Farewell tour for Southern ‘455s’ SOUTHERN, in conjunction

OBITUARIES

Alistair Grieve VOLUNTEERS on industrial steam lines across

First runs for preserved HST

125 Group power cars in action at the Midland Railway-Butterley

ExploreStation project enters second stage

NETWORK Rail is hosting a nationwide discussion exploring

Swanage Railway’s Wareham trial postponed to 2023

THE Swanage Railway has postponed its planned trial

Freight prospers while passenger numbers struggle to recover

The latest figures from the Office of Rail and Road show freight traffic is now above pre-Covid levels, but passenger traffic is still more than a third down overall

SIDELINES

First Kent Rail COP KENT politicians, business leaders,

Darlington museum boost for railway bicentenary year

Work has begun on transforming the Head of Steam museum ahead of celebrations to mark 200 years of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 2025

Retractable catenar y could be freight yard game changer

Prototype system could pave the way for more fully-electrified freight workings

Toton base for Toyota car trains

A NEW international rail freight service to move

HRA preser vation winners announced

The Heritage Railway Association revealed the winners of its annual awards, which recognise achievements in preservation, at an event held in central Birmingham on March 19

Drainage installation fault led to Carmont HST disaster

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s final report details the series of events that led to derailment of a ScotRail HST and the loss of three lives

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Construction supplies focus on new Aylesbury railhead

285,000 tonnes of aggregate for building HS2 to be delivered over four months

Work begins on Britain’s longest railway viaduct

The Colne Valley Viaduct factory and some of

Low-carbon concrete structural slab trial

CONCRETE with a carbon footprint calculated to be

First stage of Chiltern tunnel drive completed

THE two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM) excavating HS2’s

Railways in Parliament

Ticket office angst THE continuing closure of ticket

Readers ’ Platform

HS2 endpoints SIMON Woodley wonders (letters, March issue)

East Coast snapshots

I ENJOYED John Heaton’s article (March issue), it

First ‘40’ to Plymouth

WITH reference to your request for information of

SNP and ScotRail

MISSING (THREE) LINK? Whilst visiting Buxton recently I

Readers ’ Platform

Send yo ur letters to: The Railway Magazine,

Doncaster’s part in the ‘365s’

I WAS pleased to read the article about

FROM THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

100 YEARS AGO APRIL 1922 Over a billion

The RCTS: then and now

Britain’s leading Railway Society

Panorama

Catching the last light of the day on

Reviews

Books, videos and other items for possible review

Reader Services

How to order a subscription Have your RM

Prize crossword

£100 worth of Nostalgia ■ Puzzle compiled by

Where is it? Our pictorial quiz, for fun only

LAST month’s photo (right) is the incredible sight

100 years of the RPS

David Gibson, honorary secretary of the Railway Photographic Society, looks back on 100 years of the society and the recent competition showcasing the next generation of talent

Treasures in the attic

John Heaton FCILT examines some newly discovered steam and diesel performance logs from the late 1950s and early 1960s that describe some of the best Western, London Midland, and Eastern Region trains of the time

A visit to secluded COVES

Phil Marsh was given rare access to the COVES collection in Bicester, which faces a race against time to secure funds for a permanent base

GAINING BY TRAINING

The Bluebell R ailway is generating additional revenue by making some of its assets available for training use by main line companies, helping to secure the future of this premier league heritage line. Gareth Evans reports

Return to Tavistock

After the Exeter to Okehampton route rejoined the passenger network at the end of last year, attention is turning to reconnecting Tavistock with Plymouth as a stepping stone to full reopening of the former LSWR inland route around the top of Dartmoor, as John Heaton FCILT reports

TRACK RECORD

The Railway Magazine news digest

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Coal supply concerns

Steam coal prices skyrocket as the race to find viable alternatives continues

Western steam power for the Dee Valley!

THE Llangollen Railway has hired GWR 0-6-2T No.

No.60163 Tornado overhaul steams ahead

THE overhaul of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s

Second Tenterden ‘Terrier’ is all set for June relaunch

No. 70 Poplar passed its out of frames

SIDELINES

‘B12’ to go green MEMBERS of the Midland

Sir Keith Park set to bow out in style

Spa Valley to run ‘farewell’ event for popular Bulleid – and Swanage set to have three operational SR Pacifics for the summer season

Green light for Buckley Wells upgrade

ON FEBRUARY 22, members of the planning committee

‘Mickey Mouse’ and Fairburn overhauls take shape at Haverthwaite

GOOD progress continues with the boiler overhaul of

Exciting line-up set for Severn Valley steam gala

THE Severn Valley Railway (SVR) is gearing up

Duke’s support coach upgrade makes headway

Blood and custard livery has been applied to

Scotsman booked for Bluebell stint

OUT FOR NOW: March 6 saw the last

DIARY

April 9-10 Statfold Railway: Model Railway Event April

Tributes paid to Peak Rail managing director Jackie Statham

JACKIE Statham, 80, managing director of Peak Rail,

Welcome back to Minehead!

West Somerset Railway passenger services return to resort after a twoyear absence

Van out, van in

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway team progress projects at Winchcombe

North Tyneside wagon fleet bolstered

Tyne Improvement Commission No. 14 is now back

Appeal to return Singapore to steam

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Marcia steams at KESR

PECKETT ‘1287’ 0-4-0T Marcia (1631/1923) has been steamed

North Tyneside’s Victor and Vulcan gala rescheduled

Longbridge Bagnall twins reunion set for end of April

Two in steam at Yeovil as Pectin returns

YEOVIL Railway Centre opened its 2022 season in

Fireless loco gifted to Vale of Berkeley

THE National Waterways Museum has gifted Andrew Barclay

Steam Portfolio

BUFFER ZONE: On February 26, LMS ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0

DIARY

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

SINGLE LINES

■ CONTRACTORS commenced repairs to the canopy roof

Garrat t K1 to visit Welshpool ‘Beyer Bash’

Gathering to mark 120th birthdays of The Earl and The Countess.

WHR centenary celebration dates

Southwold Railway Trust’s (SRT) replica 3ft gauge Southwold

Vintage MER Trail er to be restored

VOLUNTEERS will restore 1893-built Manx Electric Railway (MER)

Revised Talyllyn NLHF bid passes first stage

TALYLLYN Railway (TR) has submitted a revised funding

Overhaul of Teifi Valley’s Alan George to commence

Hayling Light Railway’s recently refurbished Ruston LB type

Everything to run during RH&DR 95th anniversary gala

ROMNEY Hythe & Dymchurch Railway’s (RH&DR) 95th Anniversary

Appeal to cosmetically restore Mona by 2023

ISLE of Man Steam Railway Association (IOMSRA) has

Date confirmed for Brazil class trio to steam together at Sittingbourne

THE anticipated (RM, December 2021) appearance of three

SINGLE LINES

■ THE Braxted Bakery Railway anticipated opening to

April opening for new Poole Park Railway?

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Paignton stock saved

All rolling stock from Paignton Zoo finds new homes after railway closes

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Architect commissioned for Blackpool Tramtown project

Sell-out tours boost fundraising for Rigby Road renaissance plans

Crich awaits return of overhauled trams

AFTER winter maintenance, Crich Tramway Village, home to

Tram operations resume in Birkenhead

BACK IN ACTION: Permanent way work, including sleeper

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Bluebell inaugurates diesel diagram

New morning train will help provide a more attractive day out by rail from London

A busy season for the S&D at Midsomer Norton

AMONG the many events planned for this year

‘Clayton’ to visit West Somerset Railway?

SUBJECT to confirmation, the West Somerset Railway’s June

Avon Valley Railway’s ‘Gronk’ day

The last train of the day at the

Freightliner Class 86 to stay at Crewe Heritage Centre?

PICTURE: BRIAN PORTER FREIGHTLINER Class 86 No. 86622

Rare Dutch shunter saved

The Dutch shunter is seen in the platform

Rushden to run a ‘Pacer’ service

THE Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway, Northamptonshire, only

DIARY

April 22-24 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway diesel gala 22-24

SVR’s Western Courier becomes Western Queen

THE Western Locomotive Association (WLA) is renaming and

‘Deltic’ Alycidon to star at Severn Valley Railway diesel gala

THE Deltic Preservation Society’s newly restored Class 55

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome.

Final DRS ‘Tractor’ tour?

Pathfinder set to see last planned use of DRS Class 37s on a railtour

Pieman special gets on the East Midlands tracks

A DIFFERENT offering if you do not want

Hastings Diesels outlines provisional dates

The ‘No Batteries Required’ charity tour of the

Gearing up for Britannia on ‘The Royal Charter’

A STEAM-HAULED special from Crewe to Winsdor &

‘Tractor’ haulage from tourist hotspot to seaside

PATHFINDER’S ‘Yorkshire Rose’ tour on June 18, will

Steam Dreams freeze prices

SURREY-BASED railtour operator Steam Dreams is freezing fares

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

GBRf service shows bigger opportunity for aggregates

Operation marks ‘continued expansion’ in bulk market

‘Combi consist’ successfully trialled by DB Cargo

DB CARGO says successful operation of a ‘combi

Scottish ‘Green Freeports’ announcement welcomed

MOSSEND International Railfreight Park (MIRP) has welcomed an

£32 million Argyle line improvement work begins

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Plans for Newsham station approved

PLANNING consent for a station at Newsham, the

Storm damage severs Cambrian Main Line

£2 million of emergency funding made available to protect this section of a key route

Eaglescliffe to get a facelift

A generated image of the new footbridge which

£15m spent on Brighton main line upgrade

DURING a nine-day closure from February 19-27 Network

Frequency enhancement set for Ebbw Vale line

AN investment of £70m is to open up

Exciting plans could help revitalise Peckham Rye station

The attractive frontage of Peckham Rye station is

Sniffer dogs used to tackle cable and metal theft

SPECIALLY trained sniffer dogs provided by Search Dogs

Restoration for Helsby signalbox

PICTURE: NETWORK RAIL THE Grade II listed LNWR

Transport Minister visits Inverness Airport site

SCOTLAND’S new Transport Minister, Jenny Gilruth, visited the

SIDELINES

£6.5m platform upgrade at Carlisle UPGRADES to platforms

Laser and drone technology maps viaduct condition

LASER scanners and drones have been used to

London gets £200 million in Government support

Settlement to run until June as negotiations on longer-term deal continue

‘All-electric’ link to Edinburgh Airport

EDINBURGH Trams and coach operator Ember have created

Electric converter manufacturing due to begin for new Tyne & Wear Metro fleet

A GATESHEAD company is preparing to manufacture electric

Final Dudley Interchange plan submitted

An architect’s impression of the new Dudley Interchange,

£35 million modernisation for Etches Park

Two-phase project will prepare Derby depot for arrival of ‘Aurora’ fleet and provide new facilities

GBRf ‘no comment’ on reported new locomotive plan

GB RAILFREIGHT has declined to comment on claims

SIDELINES

End of the line in sight for Southern

A thousand overhauls completed in Lincoln!

Siemens Bogie Service Centre in the city celebrates ‘fantastic achievement’

WAGON REPORT

NETWORK Rail is undertaking the biggest reorganisation of

Stock Update

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Operations

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

DART+ Coastal North consultation launched

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Track upgrade on course

Iarnród Éireann confirms plans for double track to Limerick and reopening to Foynes

Hopes for No. B134 to be ready for Inchicore open event

WORK continues on the restoration of the Railway

First Mk.IV stock railtour to Tralee in August

BACK ON TRACK: In preparation for the reopening

Stadler wins big Austrian contract

COMPILED BY KEITH FENDER Your reports and pictures

250km/h trains ordered for Sweden

ALSTOM will build 25 six-car 250kph EMUs for

New stock for North American passenger operators

Fleets of locomotives and carriages to be upgraded in the USA and Canada

Berlin’s remaining East German veteran trams to be replaced

Right: ‘Gotha’ car 33, built in 1957, originally

Czech Railways launches new Siemens trains

Right: On its second day working for ČD