A sobering thought

IT is not very often I reference the

OUR WRITING TEAM

GARETH EVANS Deputy editor CHRIS MILNER Contributing editor

The RAILWAY Magazine

RETURNING HOME: Is this the largest gathering ever

RVLR AT THE GCR:

GRAHAM NUTTALL The Revolution Very Light Rail (RVLR)

STEAM PORTFOLIO

1: WESTERN POWER: No. 9681 pilots GWR Small

WD No. 37’s first run after restoration on DVLR

FOLLOWING three years of hard effort by volunteers,

SHUNTER REFRESHED:

JACK BOSKETT/GWSR Class 04 0-6-0DM No. D2280 has

HST power cars to visit Mid-Hants gala for the first time

THE Mid-Hants Railway has confirmed that it is

Norfolk shunter named in memory of previous owner

CLASS 03 No. 03063 was named at Thuxton

‘BUBBLE’ ON THE BRANCH:

CWR Locomotive Services Limited-owned Class 121 Bubble Car

DIARY

JULY 6-7 Llangollen: Classic Transport Weekend 6-7 Midsomer

SIDELINES

Livery change set for ‘20’

‘Deltic’ withdrawn from traffic for engine repairs

Alycidon assessment underway at Barrow Hill following issues at ‘legends’ event.

West Somerset diesel gala a success as sales up 10%

Around six years have passed since a ‘Peak’

CLASSIC TRACTION PORTFOLIO

1 WEST SOMERSET RAILWAY: Guest locos for the

MAKING THE GRADE:

Gresley ‘A4’ Pacific No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley

BLS promotes Lickey charity tour with a ‘Western’

A NEW circular charity dining tour offering from

Two more Cambrian excursions this autumn

PATHFINDER has two excursions over the Cambrian line

RAILTOURS PORTFOLIO

BOTH PHOTOS: STEVE DONALD DAWLISH DOUBLE: June 1

Mixed progress with European overnight train expansion

PRIVATE overnight train operator European Sleeper has extended

Replacement for New York’s oldest ‘Subway’ cars

A Staten Island Railway R44 EMU set led

Slovak ‘Parrot ’ goes on tour

FORMER Czechoslovak State Railways (ČSD) 4-8-4T No. 477.

The Isle of Man 1963

The Ivo Peters Collection Volume Fourteen

Chasing steam in 1966

HERE is a really vivid trip down memory

Canton Depot

CANTON TMD in Cardiff opened almost 60 years

The Railway Magazine binders and bound volumes

Binders High-quality binders to store your copies of

Scottish society signs deal with LSL Group for locomotives and stock

Bo’ness-based group forms partnership with Royal Scot & General Trust

More action needed if targets are to be met

Among a mixed picture for freight, mineral traffic

‘Surprise and pride’ as passenger services begin on Levenmouth Line

A schematic map of the reopened Levenmouth line.

Low-key launch for Avanti’s ‘Evero’

First of operator’s £350 million Hitachi-built fleet enter traffic.

Brief return for CrossCountry shops

THE transfer of the first ex-Avanti West Coast

Steam powered ‘Tug’ for freight trains?

A CLASS 60 diesel is set to be

Class 47 reaches Ukraine border

Hungarian railtour takes Brush Type 4 the furthest east the class has ever been.

First vehicles for Eastriggs storage site

No. 56113 with Network Rail Winter Development Vehicle

All’s still not right on the Isle of Wight

Our November 2022 issue reported on the much-troubled Island Line upgrade programme, but almost two years on problems still persist.

Andania digs in for a great cause

‘Bucket & Spade’ special hauled by Class 40 raised £40,000 for Railway Benefit Fund.

Railways in Parliament

Virgin comeback LIFE peer Lord Blencathra asked the

Journeys rise but revenue stalls

Total passengers journeys have reached 93% of pre-pandemic levels, but income from fares lags behind at 78%.

Work on Thame Valley Viaduct building passes halfway point

Forty-four precast beams and 66 piers for the 962-yard structure put in place within a year.

Former London Underground and Crossrail boss to lead HS2 Ltd

NEW HS2 Ltd chief executive Mark Wild has

Golden anniversary gala

Kent & East Sussex marks 50-year preservation milestone as it looks to the future.

Zulu Forty Eight

With a nonstop steam run from Plymouth to Bristol Temple Meads as one possible highlight, John Heaton FCILT joined the two-day ‘Great Western’ railtour from Birmingham to Devon.

Farewell shed, hello works

The once-mothballed Bletchley depot is being transformed into a compact ‘railway works’ facility, as Phil Marsh reports.

The ‘Liberation’ Locomotives

Robert Humm uncovers the fascinating history of a postwar 2-8-0 freight loco design that failed to find orders in the quantities expected, and subsequently disappeared into obscurity.

‘Trubble at t’Tunnel’

With the Transpennine Route Upgrade in full swing, John Heaton FCILT examines five rail accidents from earlier times centred on Standedge Tunnel.

Preserving the photographic past

CHRIS Milner’s article on ‘Preserving the Past’(June issue)

ORR’s double standards

THIS whole‘Jacobite’business [and the issue of fitting central

Memories of Welshpool

JOHN Heaton’s piece on the Welshpool & Llanfair

Extra Welsh ‘153s’ welcome, but...

THE additional Class 153s being used to pair

Where is it?

THE building shown last month (right), was the

Paper vs digital timetables

THANK you for the article about all-line timetables

FAIRGROUND DODGEMS

What an interesting and nostalgic article from John

MEETINGS

THURSDAY, JULY 4 Great Central Railway Society (Sheffield

PANORAMA

A showcase for the best in railway photography

From the archive

100 YEARS AGO JUNE 1924 Northern Line modernisation

The RCTS: then and now

Britain’s leading Railway Society

‘Saint’ to visit the SVR

DIDCOT Railway Centre-based ‘Saint’ No. 2999 Lady of

CROSSWORD & NEXT MONTH

The crossword winner and two runners-up can choose

Coming up next month...

THE August issue features a special report from

TRACKRECORD

CHRIS GEE CARNFORTH CROMPTONS: West Coast Railway’s Type

West Somerset is putting the ‘torrid times’ behind it

“We are now in a good place,” insists

PRAIRIE POWER:

JON HIRD/BR Small Prairies Nos. 5552 and 5553,

Goods demo

VISITORS to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR)

Van body rehomed

A GROUNDED van body has been relocated from

‘Kiddy’ station turns 40

THE Severn Valley Railway will be celebrating 40

Sir Berkeley is back after pipe repair

SIR Berkeley (1210/1890) has returned to service at

Chinnor steam gala guest loco announced

ABR Western Region tender loco which normally operates

NEW-BUILD ATLANTIC STEAMS:

JACK LAMB/BR History was made at Sheffield Park

Two Pacifics and a Prairie

THE Spa Valley Railway’s July 13/14 Summer Steam

Bahamas booked to visit Peak Rail and Severn Valley

HERITAGE lines are helping to fill the void

Vintage trains

PASSENGERS on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway

‘Strictly’ stars attract the crowds for Bulleid gala

Swanage’s superb long weekend celebrates Bulleid 4-6-2s

BACK IN TRAFFIC:

NICK GILLIAM SR Bulleid Pacific No. 34059 Sir

Grosmont shed tours

THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway is offering tours

Crossing upgraded

THE Telford Steam Railway has renewed the level

Positive figures for Cotswold steam festival

The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway’s Cotswold Festival of

Toddington’s ‘long forgotten’ BR Standard gets welcome attention

Chassis takes shape and contract signed for the boiler overhaul of No. 76077.

‘SPACESHIP’ ENTERS THE WORKS:

GORDON KIRKBY BR ‘9F’ 2-10-0 No. 92219 is

BACK TO BACK: TWO

HAYDEN SHEPPARD Leeds built industrial locos were on

Didcot launches appeal to restore its ‘Cathedral of steam’ engine shed

THE Great Western Society (GWS) has launched a

DIARY

JULY Jul 3-31 Great Central: Kids for a

West Somerset 150 celebration line up confirmed

THREE visiting steam locomotives are to be among

Automatic brake milestone hit

Nene Valley Railway puts its vacuum fitted freight train into action.

Jessie the ‘Green Goddess’ unveiled

Original livery for popular Blaenavon performer.

‘Austerity’ steams up to Mountsorrel!

RIGHT: Newly restored Hunslet ‘Austerity’ No. 18 approaches

GROUP OUTING:

STUART CHAPMAN On May 31 David Buck’s private

Swift overhaul set for Swordfish

ANDREW Barclay 0-6-0ST No. 2138 Swordfish (2138/1941) is

John Smallwood (1942-2024)

TALYLLYN Railway (TR) vicepresident John Smallwood died on

Five steam beside the seaside

Trains on two gauges, a first time visitor and a historic returnee for Fairbourne gala.

Sir Tom commences tour away from home at Statfold event

THRELKELD Railway & Mining Museum’s Bagnall 0-4-0ST Sir

Cleethorpes steam gala

THE Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway’s (CCLR) July 13/14

Old boiler for sale

THE boiler carried by James Evans’ Hunslet 0-4-0ST

Loco courses launched

THE Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways (Ff&WHR) has

Pathway back to steam planned for Ffestiniog’s Mountaineer – subject to raising sufficient funds

THE boiler from the Ffestiniog Railway’s (FR) ALCO

Lister extravaganza attracts 18 visiting locos to Apedale

Ten of the Lister built or engined fleet

Manx programme released

ISLE of Man Transport has published the full

Earl of Merioneth returns to Boston Lodge – for display

IN early June the Ffestiniog Railway’s (FR) 1979-built

SIDELINES

■ THE somewhat protracted restoration of Manx Electric

Cosmetic restoration of historic gunpowder vans at Haverthwaite gets underway

THE first of two 3ft 6in gauge gunpowder

‘TATTOO’ GOES GREY:

NATHAN SPENCE Talyllyn Railway’s Kerr, Stuart 0-4-2ST No.

DIARY

JULY 5-6 Talyllyn: Beer Festival 6-7 Hampton Kempton

Seven locomotives in steam for Perrygrove Railway gala

Visiting and resident locos delight passengers hauling a variety of trains.

LAST TRIP:

JAMES WAITE The Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway’s

Appeal raising cash for Garratt running shed at Boston Lodge

Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Eryri/ Welsh Highland Railway Society has

Electric, diesel and steam loco work at Boston Lodge

INITIAL work undertaken on one of the two

Lappa Valley loco Victoria converted to battery power

Railway says operating efficiencies have been achieved following rebuilding of its principal 7.25 inch gauge engine.

NEW MEASE VALLEY LOCO:

JAMES WAITE Built by the Exmoor Steam Railway,

Performance enhancements for Eastleigh tank engine Taw

DURING a workshop visit in which its rods

Work still to be done before No. 10 can return to duty

More mechanical attention is needed before the car which was the first to operate on the Beamish Museum tramway goes back into service.

‘BLUEBIRD’ VENTURES OUT:

London County Council Tram No. 1 (also known

SIDELINES

EATM receives New Zealand track EAST Anglia Transport

SIDELINES

Class 507 donations target reached THE Class 507

Permanent new homes for CEPG’s Class 309 vehicles

Restoration plans have been announced as the three cars become part of collections at the East Anglian Railway Museum and the Rushden, Higham & Wellingborough Railway.

OVERHAUL ON THE HORIZON:

JACK BOSKETT Class 24 No. 5081 (24081) is

Return of the ‘Melton Pieman’

A Western Region 4-6-0 is to traverse Harringworth Viaduct, the longest masonry viaduct across the valley in the UK.

Class 40 for freight lines in former stomping ground

THE Class Forty Preservation Society’s No. D345 (40145)

COAST-TO-COAST:

JOSHUA LEUTY Hastings Diesels’ DEMU No. 1001 enters

Going to the end of the line – at Sims scrapyard!

ANEW UK Railtours excursion for August 10, as

ENGLISH ELECTRIC POWER:

JAMIE SQUIBBS Hanson & Hall Class 50 No.

SIDELINES

Maritime Transport to operate proposed Hinckley site IF

Outline masterplan submitted for Bow Goods Yard scheme

Network Rail seeks planning permission for freight campus at one of London’s primary railheads.

GLASSWORKS-BOUND:

TIM EAGLES Over the last few months, GB

Rail timber terminal public consultation carried out

TWO events were held in June to gather

Nexus puts software ‘fix’ in place for Class 555 Tyne & Wear issue

Testing of new Tyne & Wear Metro fleet steps-up to daytime mileage accumulation.

RAIB reports on Clapham Common incident

FOLLOWING the publication of the Rail Accident Investigation

Edinburgh Trams infrastructure maintenance deal agreed

Edinburgh Trams CAF Urbos No. 255 is seen

END OF THE LINE:

Introduction of the first of the Tyne &

Derailment blocks West Coast Main Line

THE derailment of three wagons on May 29

Bridlington is step-free

THE installation of new lifts next to the

Whittlesea upgrade plan

FENLAND District Council has accepted £3million from Cambridgeshire

Funding for Lanark roof

THE Railway Heritage Trust has provided a grant

Bridge plaque unveiled

A COMMEMORATIVE plaque by the walkway of Barmouth

£350million to enable 50 extra stations to go step-free

An aerial view of the site Ayr station

Services to Ayr resume, Stranraer to reopen next

ELECTRIC services between Glasgow Central and Ayr resumed

Work delays pushing back Northumberland services

‘Innovative’ pricing revealed, with under-21s targeted. ALTHOUGH it

DERBYSHIRE STATION STRUCTURE RESTORED:

NETWORK RAIL THE renovation of a 132-year-old footbridge

RAIB investigates Redcar level crossing collision

THE Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has opened

GREATER HEADROOM FOR ELECTRIFICATON:

NETWORK RAIL Network Rail is raising the height

Funding announced and name revealed for new Okehampton ‘parkway’ station

WITH funding worth £13.5million from the Levelling Up

Heritage group to restore Norfolk station

FOLLOWING the signing of a basic asset protection

New station proposal for East Yorkshire

A PARTNERSHIP between East Riding of Yorkshire Council,

Centenary of Manton tunnel tragedy marked

THE centenary of a relatively unknown railway tragedy

D-DAY NAMING:

On June 4, two days prior to the

Alstom wins £8.8m Class 357 ‘refresh’ deal

ALSTOM has been awarded an £8.8 million contract

Testing underway of Class 802 fitted with high-energy battery

Capable of delivering 700kW of power, the battery been installed on the five-car set in place of one of its diesel engines, as Hitachi examines potential for a battery-electric intercity train.

Welwyn-Hitchin route ETCS test run

IN the early hours of June 2, Great

SWR ‘committed’ to ‘484s’

SOUTH Western Railway has told The RM that

Hull Class 802 training

HULL Trains opened its Learning & Development Academy

New and old motive power

MICHAEL ANDERSON LOADED RUN FOR TRI-MODE: Having completed

BR ERA BI-MODE:

CHRIS LIVINGS Having been repainted into a version

Grand Central ‘confident’ fleet reliability will steadily improve

Grand Central Class 180s diagrammed for workings between

Rail firm unveils bold plans for Springburn works in Glasgow

Gibson’s Engineering intends ‘The Caley’ to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for train manufacturing, maintenance and repairs.

Wagon Report

RailcareYDA ballast feeder wagon No. 99 70 9552

Stock Update

POOL CODES EPRL Europhoenix Rail Leasing LOCOMOTIVES Allocations

The network’s notable moves

Avanti West Coast Once again, heavy rain into

Cork improvements progress

Electrification and new stations for Cork Commuters a step closer with the award of a €50m contract

RARE VISIT:

HASSARD STACPOOLE The 201 class introduced 30 years

BUBBLE CAR SET TO BE REACTIVATED:

20. HASSARD STACPOOLE Single bubble car Class 2700

DART+ Coastal North is go!

ON May 21, the Irish Cabinet gave approval

Bord na Mona locos enter preservation

Left: No. LM384 is being unloaded at Clooncolry

Hourly Dublin to Belfast service to be introduced in the new timetable

FREQUENCY enhancements to several key Iarnród Éireann (IÉ)

Visit to Vietnam’s veteran diesels

Tourists experience modern traction thanks to UK tour operator.

Uruguay reopening

THE 273km rebuilt Central Railway from Paso de

British steam loco back in Belgium 40 years on

LEIGHTON Buzzard Railwaybased Kerr Stuart 0-4-0ST Peter Pan

Lineside fibre optic protection for elephants in India

INDIAN Railways is introducing detection systems to warn