Milestone reached for Gwendraeth Valley

Cutbacks then and now

TRAIN OF THOUGHT Editor’s Comment

Significant setback for Lynton & Barnstaple revival

Planning permission for a line extension within National Park boundaries has expired after conditions were not met.

Ukrainian Railways mark first year of war

ON February 24, exactly a year since Russia’s

Massive blow to HS2

Further cutbacks and delays means the route will not reach central London until 2041.

SIDELINES

£2m for HNRC HARRY Needle Railway Company has

Legislation next step for GBR

Following February’s Bradshaw address by Transport Secretary Mark Harper, that effectively relaunched the GBR project, Network Rail chief Andrew Haines briefed The RM on progress.

SIDELINES

DRS open day change DIRECT Rail Services’depot open

HRA Awards celebrate preservation year

The Heritage Railway Association’s annual ‘Oscars’ were awarded in Birmingham in March.

Bid to secure Darjeeling tank

A GROUP that has cared for the late

Scotsman’s special year starts with a trip to Scotland

‘A3’ No. 60103 visited Waverley station as the first in a year-long series of events to mark the loco’s 100th anniversary.

Luton DART replaces bus link

New people mover connects Luton Airport Parkway station with the nearby airport.

Regulator approves management buyout of Abellio UK

AGREEMENT was reached on February 28, for Transport

Action urged to enable more rail freight

A new study finds Government support could triple rail freight by 2050 as well as reducing transport’s contribution to greenhouse gases.

UKRL to build new £1.5 million depot for bi-mode locos

An impression of how the UKRL’s new Leicester

Freight terminal plan withdrawn

A PLAN to build a new rail freight

SIDELINES

£816m of contract work awarded CONTRACTS with a

Balsall Common Viaduct plans submitted

Project to build 10 metre-high bridge also aims to improve local woodland, wildlife habitats and flood resilience.

Another half-mile of tunnelling

BRIDGE’S FINISHING TOUCHES: Following consultation with people who

Switches and crossings contract

VOESTALPINE Turnout Technology UK has been awarded a

Railways in Parliament

Scrutinising GBR RACHAEL Maskell, theYork Central MP, questioned

10 MINUTES 10 QUESTIONS

Steven Knight meets Direct Rail Services’s senior operations

Readers’ Platform

Send your letters to: The Railway Magazine, Media Centre,

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The bad, the ugly and the good

The many miles of line closures were bad, the sweeping changes to a long-established way of life were ugly, but did Dr Richard Beeching’s report of 60 years ago in fact sow the seeds for what’s good in the current railway age? Mike Jones investigates.

The Doctor’s last dozen

Graeme Pickering tells the story of the final 12 passenger lines closed due to Beeching’s 1963 report, the official end of the very last one coming some 40 years later!

TRAINS OF THE DESERT

Saudi Arabia is investing in its railway network with modern passenger trains and the first high speed rail line in the Middle East – and, with an economic plan to move away from solely depending on the oil industry, it is now opening up to tourist visits. Keith Fender reports.

CLASS 87 GOLDEN JUBILEE

Class 87s ruled the West Coast Main Line from the early 1970s, being the first locomotives to really flatten the climbs of Shap and Beattock, but – as John Heaton FCILT describes – their full potential was perhaps let down by ageing infrastructure and network constraints.

Farewell to ‘Kings’, reprised

Sixty years ago in April 1963, and four months after the class had been withdrawn, there was to be one last ‘King’-hauled railtour until the main line preservation era began in the 1970s. John Heaton FCILT describes the ‘readeption’ of King Henry VI.

FROM THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

100 YEARS AGO APRIL 1923 Day trips to

The RCTS: then and now

Britain’s leading Railway Society

TRACK RECORD

The Railway Magazine news digest

SIDELINES

‘No. 9’ departure for Fife imminent AT TIME

Swanage Railway begins Wareham trial operation

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

More visiting loco action confirmed for steam galas

■ Darmouth Steam Railway’s GWR Small Prairie No.

Moors introduces annual pass

BOTH PHOTOS: KEVIN WHITEHURST ‘SCOTSMAN’ AND ‘SAINT’ HAULAGE:

LMS ‘Patriot’ parts tested

GARETH EVANS LAST LOOK AT NENE VALLEY’S GERMAN

DIARY

Until Apr 6, 11-28 South Devon Railway: Heritage

SIDELINES

Foxfield colliery grant THE Foxfield Railway has been

East Lancs authorised for 60mph rolling stock tests

BUILDING on the success of Network Rail using

Youngsters rally to support NVR after arson attack

TWO young Peterborough railway enthusiasts, Oliver Walker and

RAIB examines platform incident

THE Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) is investigating

257 Squadron to go on tour

BULLEID Pacific No. 34072 257 Squadron is due

‘Slight gamble’ pays off – and snow fails to derail Worth Valley steam spectacular

‘Black Fives’ Nos. 44871 and 45212 with the

Mid-Norfolk Railway makes urgent appeal for funds

Need for bridge and track repairs temporarily curtails public services.

SINGLE LINES

■ ANDREW Barclay 0-4-0ST Colin Macandrew (1219/1910) is

Half-term trains handled by industrial

Economical Barclay takes charge of low season Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway services

Henry goes home for overhaul

BARCLAY 0-4-0ST Henry Ellison (2217/1947) has returned to

Swordfish to spend season steaming in the Colne Valley

AFTER hauling Polar Express trains at Telford Steam

DIARY

April 29/30 Bala Lake Railway (BLR) Holy War

All change, all change!

Sales and purchases as new season approaches.

Packed IoM Year of the Railways 2023 events programme in store

THE full programme for the Isle of Man’s‘Year

Track and stock being prepared for planned Tweeddale line

WHILE the process to secure planning permission for

Monobloc cylinder for replica 1863 Mountaineer completed

AFTER overcoming various issues, including faulty castings, the

Sutton Miniature Railway revival plans progress at Tyseley

FOLLOWING the acquisition of the Sutton Miniature Railway

New diesel locomotive boosts Hayling Light Railway fleet

The Talyllyn Railway operated training trains over the

Sir Drefaldwyn set to return in June

THE return to traffic of Welshpool & Llanfair

SINGLE LINES

■ RECENTLY restored 1894-built Manx Electric Railway (MER)

Steam Portfolio

MIRROR IMAGE: RSH 0-4-0ST Sir Cecil A

Poole Park loco problem solved

Unable to source motive power following the non-delivery of its new loco, the solution was found by adopting what traction the railway already had on site.

Interesting special events in store at Rudyard

THE 10¼in gauge Leek & Rudyard Railway, Staffordshire,

SIDELINES

EATM maintenance progress WORK has been taking place

Blackpool Tramtown vision formally announced

£800,000 secured for the first stage of transforming the town’s heritage trams base into a ‘nationally significant’ family visitor attraction.

Polishingoff tasks on No. 4

CENTRE STAGE FOR No. 78: Easter Sunday will

SIDELINES

Vandals apprehended THE West Somerset Railway had a

Type 1 for the Dales

Embsay & Bolton Abbey enhances its diesel loco fleet with Class 20 acquisition.

Last surviving Wisbech & Upwell Drewry is for sale

THE owner of Class 04 No. D2203 (11103)

A ‘rare’ Class 47 to star at Swanage Railway gala

THE Swanage Railway’s annual diesel gala and beer

New diesel driver experience courses feature shunters

A BRAND-NEW experience this year on the Bluebell

A rare outing for KWVR’s unique diesel shunter No. D2511

PICTURE: ANDREW JEFFERY THIS is the sole survivor

A WLA member is running 1013 miles in support of Western Ranger overhaul

PETE BRIDDON BRIDDON’S BARCLAY IS NAMED BAGNALL:

Wickham trolley rides on the S&D at Midsomer Norton

THE Somerset & Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton

Ryde Pier replica trailer car construction underway

FOLLOWING the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s (IWSR)

DIARY

April 14-16 Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Twin Peaks diesel

Four-day gala will mark 50 years of diesel preservation

Exciting line-up of visiting locomotives to perform alongside popular members of the home fleet at Severn Valley Railway event.

New Jacobite season begins

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

SIDELINES

Tour of 13 London termini UK Railtours ‘Bakers

Tornado suffers further delay for boiler overhaul

Inspection raises concerns prior to boiler being refitted into frames, but its small tubes will be replaced while an investigation continues.

Sell-out expected for Class 313 farewell tour

NEWS that the venerable Southern Class 313 EMUs

Colas Class 37s haulage for Central Wales line

A RARE loco-hauled circular tour over the scenic

Torbay destination for West Coast ‘Cromptons’ excursion

LMS ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 No. 45699 Galatea in its

Freight locos for Norfolk ‘rare track’

A TOUR around Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex where

SIDELINES

June opening for Newhaven link TRANSPORT for Edinburgh

Third time lucky for new T&W Metro delivery

After two postponements to its arrival, Nexus receives the first of the five-car Class 555s which will form Tyne & Wear system’s new fleet.

£700m Bank upgrade completed

CLOCKWORK (NOT SO) ORANGE: In ‘Net Zero’livery, with

Potential for rail-linked Marchwood

ASSOCIATED British Ports has agreed a deal which

Getting ready for digitallysignalled ECML freight

DB Cargo learns from Govia Thameslink Railway’s early experiences with ETCS.

Rail offers sustainability boost for Fox Group

Right: Freightliner Class 66 No. 66509 Josiah’s Wish

SIDELINES

North West electrification progress WORK on a £78m

Carstairs remodelling begins

Work on important West Coast Main Line junction makes it fit for the future.

Oxford station expansion to get underway in April

A £161 million project to expand Oxford station

RAIB investigates train hitting bridge debris

THE Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has opened

SW Main Line back to four tracks after Hook landslip

ALL four tracks of the South Western Main

Exciting plans unveiled at Leicester station

NEW images showing how the area around Leicester’s

£140,000 upgrade for Pwllheli’s Cambrian ’box

A COMPREHENSIVE refurbishment of Pwllheli signalbox has been

Five more new stations for West Midlands?

TRANSPORT for West Midlands (TfWM) and the West

Brechin selected as new home for historic bridge

BOUNDARY MATTERS: Palisade fencing has been installed along

Ryde Pier set to reopen soon

SUBJECT to the avoidance of further severe weather,

£4.6m refurb for Chepstow viaduct

A 170-year old viaduct spanning the River Wye

SIDELINES

Class 777 introduction enters next phase TEMPORARY changes

Southern confirms May Class 313 withdrawal

Summer timetable will herald end of the line for oldest EMUs in regular main line passenger service.

TfW Class 769 withdrawals begin

COLAS MAKEOVER: Having undergone repairs and a repaint

WAGON REPORT

NETWORK Rail’s programme to repurpose its fleet of

Operations

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

Stock Update

Your reports and pictures are most welcome. Highly

Report criticises rail operator after track maintenance incident

Investigation finds near derailment at Curragh was the result of ‘blatant disregard’ for the rule book.

Tender issued for Midleton track doubling scheme

IARNRÓD Éireann (IÉ) has issued a tender notice

Green light for DART+ South West

Nos. 2611+2611 depart Midleton with the 15.45 to

Mallet back in ‘Chessie’ livery for limited time

Fully restored last Baldwin steam locomotive built for US service temporarily carries colour scheme of its original operator.

Philippines North-South expansion

THE Philippines government has awarded Japanese firm Mitsubishi

Tramway for Mostaganem

A BRAND new 14km long, two line light

New Stadler-built trains for Mont Blanc tramway

The new TMB EMUs carry the names Marie,

Tram-trains enter service in Spain on two different gauges

Three of the Stadler built Class 5000 bi-mode

Mammoth 10-day charter in Australia

A SCHOOL trip with a difference took 86

Siemens diesels gain passenger work in Lithuania

LG loco ER20 023 seen at Kédainiai working