Lobbying for Metrolink to Leigh

Hard work pays off

The go-ahead has been given to join up

New LU ‘Inspiro’ Tube trains to be tested in Germany

Siemens has installed Tube-style fourth-rail electrification to its Wildenrath test track loops.

EWR announces preferred Bedford-Cambridge route

EAST West Rail has announced the preferred route

First coach arrives at Welsh test track

Former Talgo high-speed coach moves from Barrow Hill to South Wales.

A1ST moves into new home

THE relocation of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust

SIDELINES

No new Piccadilly platforms NETWORK Rail’s long-proposed plans

SIDELINES

First Avanti Class 807 EMU goes main line

Irish steam breaks new ground

The multi-day ‘Emerald Isle Explorer’ took Q Class No. 131 to Galway, Limerick and Waterford for the first time ever.

RAIB says no urgent safety notifications were issued in 2022

THE Rail Accident Investigation Branch’s annual report indicates

TPE nationalised

THE National Rail Contract held by FirstGroup for

Network Rail publishes business plan for the five years to 2029

Adverse weather is expected to have an increasing

Obituary: Brian Morrison 1930-2023

Brian’s first published photograph was of Bulleid 0-6-0

10 MINUTES 10 QUESTIONS

This month Steven Knight meets UKRL’s managing director Mark Winter.

Railways in Parliament

Maintenance drones EASINGTON MP Grahame Morris asked what

Was this the last passenger train to call at Sheffield Victoria?

THE ‘Last Chance’ railtour to Stocksbridge Works, South

MEETINGS

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7 Railway Correspondence & Travel Society.

FROM THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

100 YEARS AGO JUNE 1923 New LNER stock

RCTS Britain’s leading Railway Society

The RCTS: then and now

Panorama

THROUGH THE SQUARE WINDOW: The Gloucestershire Warwickshire

SIGNALLING CENTRES IN THE NORTH EAST: 2A LEEDS

AS THE latest in the ‘Signalling Centres’ series,

British Railways First Generation DMUs

THIS is an updated and expanded version of

LNER Steam in the 1930s The George Barlow Collection

READERS of The RM often wish for a

Newmarket to Haughley and Laxfield

ANOTHER excellent volume from the Middleton Press series

Britain’s Heritage Railways

THIS third edition offers 192 pages of useful

Reader Ser vices

How to order a subscription Have your RM

Prize crossword

■ Puzzle compiled by WILL ADAMS £100 worth

SIDELINES

Sinkhole investigation AN investigation was launched last month

Material moved by rail target smashed early

Goal of 10 million tonnes reached in just over two years, some seven years earlier than planned.

Old Oak station box takes shape

THE underground section of Old Oak Common’s HS2

CORONATION DAY SPECIALS

West Coast Railways train guard Phil Marsh shares his experience of ‘Project Golden Orb’, the special operation taking troops to and from the King’s Coronation.

Scotsman goes West

Network Rail’s Craig Munday gives an insider’s account of Flying Scotsman’s recent visit to Cornwall, and the restored turntable at St Blazey.

A BRIGG TOO FAR (AND OTHER NORTHERN CUTS)

The removal of services from Northern’s summer timetable has left some rural journeys impossible and others increasingly difficult to make by train. Graeme Pickering investigates the changes and scope for their reversal.

Giving you great ideas for a special getaway...

Our recent Railway Magazine survey told us how

Midland Transitions

FROM ‘SPINNERS’ TO ‘BRITANNIAS’

50 years of Pathfinder

Chris Milner speaks to Pathfinder Railtours’ Peter Watts who, after 50 years and more than 1100 tours, has decided it is time to step back from planning and running charter trains.

Ropley’s other railway

Raymond Briscall tells the story of the 10¼in gauge Ropley Miniature Railway, which runs alongside the ‘Watercress Line’ in Hampshire.

Readers ’ Platform

Send your letters to: The Railway Magazine, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6JR. email: railway@mortons.co.uk

Go-ahead for Rother Valley Railway revival

Transport & Works Act Order granted, including compulsory purchase powers.

SIDELINES

‘Q6’ cylinder failure NORTH East Locomotive Preservation Group-owned

WR line-up for Ongar gala

‘3F’ BACK IN ACTION: LMS ‘Jinty’ 0-6-0T No.

Full steam ahead for reassembly of ‘T3’

THE return to steam of LSWR ‘T3’ 4-4-0

Government believes new young volunteers’ bill is ‘unnecessary’

HRA President Lord Faulkner, has continued to lead

Cotswold steam gala delight

THE Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway’s (GWSR) May 12-14

SIDELINES

‘O1’ to visit 75F SECR 0-6-0 ‘O1’ No.

West Somerset gala declared a success

Further boost as supporters raise £50,000 to repair landslip in under six weeks.

Lock solution agreed for GWR carriage fleet at Severn Valley Railway

A WAY forward has been agreed to ensure

Heightened awareness of falls from industry regulator

POPULAR PERFORMERS: Paul Churchman, who chairs both the

The end of Welsh steam coal?

The Heritage Railway Association says rejection of Ffos-y-Fran opencast steam coal mine planning application “is likely to have dire longer-term consequences.”

Lottery grant paves way for Stockton & Darlington celebrations

THE Stainmore Railway Company at Kirkby Stephen East

Transforming wrecks

Assembly of pre-Grouping coal train underway at Chasewater Railway.

Stanley returns home

Barclay loco is back on the Tanfield Railway where it worked when in industrial service.

Sir Berkeley relaunched at Middleton Railway

Sir Berkeley hauls a train for Middleton Park

SINGLE LINES

■ FFESTINIOG & Welsh Highland Railway has secured

Locos on the move

Three steam locomotives relocate to new homes.

Kent-based pair visit Porthmadog

BREDGAR & Wormshill Light Railway’s O&K 0-4-0WT Eigiau

David Lloyd George being reassembled

THE boiler from Ffestiniog Railway’s (FR) Double-Fairlie David

R&ER marks River Esk’s centenary – aided by Romney

PACIFIC POWER: Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway’s Davey

Visiting carriage to re-create early preservation trains

WELSHPOOL & Llanfair Light Railway’s (W&LLR) June 17/18

SIDELINES

‘CAT Carriage’ leaves Corris for new home A

SINGLE LINES

■ CORNWALL’S Poldark Tin Mine site has plans

Ex-Fairbourne pair star at Perrygrove gala

Popular visiting 15in gauge locos star alongside homefleet.

Cab and tender tank mocked up for Chinese C2 locomotive preparatory to gauging test

THE major restoration of the C2 class 0-8-0

SKLR launches Superb boiler appeal

SITTINGBOURNE & Kemsley Light Railway’s (SKLR) next locomotive

Several ‘firsts’ for Ruislip Lido Railway gala

London line hosts two-day gala featuring a visiting steam loco.

Named train launched at Trago Mills steam gala

Picture: BERNARD MILLS THE 10¼in gauge Bickington Steam

SINGLE LINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Steam Portfolio Track Record

‘MICKEY MOUSE’ IN THE HIGHLANDS: BR ‘2MT’ 2-6-0

Community company to run Wirral Transport Museum – but volunteers will still play a part

Council report claims change in operator has potential to create a ‘compelling visitor attraction’.

Beamish tramway anniversary setback

CHALLENGES with tram availability and workshop capacity led

SIDELINES

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Great Central diesel gala draws the crowds

While many heritage railways are concerned by a serious downturn in the number of general public visitors, a well-organised gala with interesting motive power still attracts large numbers of enthusiast supporters.

More HST power cars saved

WITH time running out on main line operation

Well attended Swindon & Cricklade diesel gala

THE Swindon & Cricklade Railway’s April 15/16 gala

GWSR appreciates the value of its diesel fleet

Cotswold line offers a variety of heritage diesel operations this season.

More Colne Valley Railway fleet additions

Ruston & Hornsby 394009 with proud owner Ollie

Diesel Saturdays at Caledonian Railway

THE Caledonian Railway at Brechin is running a

‘Deltic’ and ‘Hoover’ added to West Somerset summer diesel event

THE West Somerset Railway’s June 8-10 ‘Diesel Festival’

Long-lost Ruston & Hornsby shunter discovered and rescued

A 48DS-type 4wDM not recorded as existing in

New colours for HST power car No. 43159

EVER since the 125 Group acquired the speed-recordbreaking

Classic Traction Portfolio

DALES TRACTOR: No. 37294 heads away from Stoneacre

Award-winning Class 47/7 in demand

COMPILED BY CHRIS MILNER Your reports and pictures

Three new BLS tours

Good causes to benefit as enthusiasts enjoy unusual traction and routes.

Latest round of industrial action impacts railtours

HOPES of ‘Deltic’ No. D9009 Alycidon returning to

Sunset steam specials on offer

EVENING steam excursions of just over three hours

UKR’s 4TC tours fully booked

TWO railtours promoted by UK Railtours using London

SIDELINES

COMPILED BY CHRIS MILNER Your reports and pictures

Plan for office block on top of Liverpool Street moves forward

If approved, scheme to modernise historic London terminal could be complete by 2029.

Waterloo roof to benefit from major renovation work

A TWO-year project to replace the glazing at

Sign language travel information is rolled out

FOLLOWING a trial of touchscreen displays at London

June reopening for Ryde Pier Head station

RESTORATION and repair work on Ryde’s famous pier

Track upgraded in 16-day Midland Main Line closure

A 16-day closure of a key part of

E-ticket battery warning issued

EAST Midlands Railway has issued a warning to

Lichfield Trent Valley platform replacement

NETWORK Rail has confirmed that the high-level platform

£1.2m spend on Glasgow Central project

A TEN-week project, which began in March, has

Healthcare centres launched

COMPILED BY GRAEME PICKERING Your reports and pictures

Freightliner opens training academy

FREIGHTLINER’S new Operational Training Academy in Ipswich will

Planning Inspectorate accepts Hinckley application

Resubmitted plans for National Rail Freight Interchange in Leicestershire will go forward to assessment and examination stages.

First phase of terminal upgrade completed

TEESSIDE TANKS: In April, Colas Rail Freight began

SIDELINES

COMPILED BY GRAEME PICKERING Your reports and pictures

Getting out and onto the Metro network

Class 555 makes first test journeys under its own power on the Tyne & Wear system.

SIDELINES

COMPILED BY GRAEME PICKERING Your reports and pictures

Hitachi contract renewed for ‘West of England’ Class 802s

Company’s maintenance partnership with GWR and Eversholt Rail extended for five years in deal worth over £300million.

GWR takes ownership of former Vivarail D78 stock

OWNERSHIP of 67 former London Underground D78 vehicles,

Positive findings from Class 805 tests

In addition to the Avanti West Coast order,

MARKING THE CORONATION

NOVA NAMED IN SCOTLAND: TransPennine Express Class 802

Long Marston investment

ROLLING stock leasing company Porterbrook has invested £3

Fuelling and servicing facility upgrade at Barrow-in-Furness

New facilities pave way for operation of six-car Northern trains to and from Manchester Airport.

WAGON REPORT

BALFOUR Beatty Rail Plant (BBRP), based at Hither

Stock Update Track Record

COMPILED BY ASHLEY BUTLIN Your reports and pictures

Stock Update Portfolio

ADIEU LES ‘BONES’: Here is a sight expected

Operations

COMPILED BY ASHLEY BUTLIN Call: 01507 529589 email:

Operations Track Record

With the Class 180 expected to be withdrawn

Funding go-ahead for Derry Phase 3

COMPILED BY HASSARD STACPOOLE Your reports and pictures

Preferred options outlined in consultation for DART+ Coastal North extension

Package of improvements set to deliver capacity enhancements on key rail route into Dublin city centre from Malahide and Drogheda.

Maam Cross gets first operational carriages

At the beginning of May, three carriages were

A tale of two railtours

ENTHUSIASTS enjoyed the opportunity to experience unusual track

Argentinian veteran diesels still going strong

Large fleet including Alco and EMD locomotives built in the 1950s and 60s continue to operate on national rail network.

Hydrogen fuel cell future for Indian narrow gauge lines?

IN February the Indian government announced plans to

Kiwi Rail DL Class complete

THE fifth batch of Chinesebuilt Class DL diesel

Polish ‘Gagarin’ works tour

POLISH railtour operator Turkol offered a rare chance

SIDELINES

Quito Metro opens PASSENGER services began on the