SIDE-BY-SIDE STEAM: Taken during this year’s Steamfest Festival held at Maitland, New South Wales, on April 29/30, the scene depicts ‘The Great Race’ being run between Newcastle and Maitland at East Maitland on the second day – with (from left) Australianbuilt No. 3801, American-built No. 5917, Britishbuilt No. 6029 and British-built (former broad gauge) Victorian Railway No. R766. A Gipsy Moth bi-plane was also
involved.
RUSSELL BUTTERWORTH
THE Talgo high-speed carriage that arrived for display at Barrow Hill Roundhouse in January 2020 has been donated by the Spanish train manufacturer to the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) test track, which is under construction at Onllwyn in South Wales.
Talgo bid for the classiccompatible order for HS2 trains and was interested in other potential UK deals as well as export opportunities. However, the HS2 contract was awarded to a joint venture between Hitachi and Alstom, and Companies House records show that Talgo UK Limited, which had its registered office address at Barrow Hill Roundhouse, was dissolved on November 9, 2021.
The sleeper vehicle now at GCRE had previously been used on overnight Paris-Madrid trains, with other coaches from those services being converted into Very High Speed Train vehicles for use in Spain.