Mark Lancaster
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January 1977: D.E. Canning, Signalman and Photographer, seeks snow & sun in Scotland
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From the January 1977 archive, this first-hand account follows a winter rail journey over the Highland Main Line, travelling on the “Royal Highlander” and “Clansman” amid snow, summit climbs and Class 40 and Class 47 haulage. Living in Southern England and planning the trip LIVING in a sheltered part of Southern England where snow is…
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WIN!! a first-class trip behind Flying Scotsman
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It’s the most famous steam locomotive in the world, and in just a few days you could be riding behind it in first-class style. We’ve teamed-up with leading railtour company Vintage Trains for a limited-time exclusive competition, as we have reserved a table for four people in first class on Thursday, February 19… and you…
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The Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway – an archive article from October 1959
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This article from the October 1959 issue of The Railway Magazine examines the history of the Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway, drawing on contemporary records and board minutes to trace its development, financial difficulties, and eventual incorporation into the Isle of Wight Central Railway. The account follows the railway from its promotion in the…
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Dapol launches special UK-produced World Book Day wagons for March
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Model railway manufacturer Dapol is marking World Book Day 2026 with a range of specially liveried UK-produced wagons, supporting reading-for-fun charity efforts with every sale. Dapol has announced a new range of UK-produced wagons to coincide with World Book Day, which takes place on 5 March 2026. The charity-linked models will be available in both…
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Recent restoration round-up around the country
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A recent round-up of restoration projects as seen in Railways Illustrated Magazine, compiled by Pip Dunn. 03145 – Moreton Park: In September, the reduced-height 03 received a layer of polish from the top down to give it some protection during the winter. Some rust spots on the cab end and sides were treated and a…
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Tunbridge Wells West as a Railway Centre (January 1956)
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An extract from the January 1956 issue of The Railway Magazine describing passenger and goods services, station layouts, motive power, and traffic patterns centred on Tunbridge Wells West. The article records contemporary operations, routes, rolling stock, and infrastructure as they stood in the mid-1950s. IN the Tunbridge Wells area of the Southern Region of British…
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Potters Bar Rebuilt: A 1956 Account of Main Line Reconstruction and Station Modernisation
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First published in the January 1956 issue of The Railway Magazine, this article documents the reconstruction of Potters Bar Station and the quadruplication of the East Coast main line through the site. Reproduced here as a historical retrospective, it offers a contemporary account of the engineering, architectural design and passenger facilities introduced as part of…
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Remembering British Rail’s Class 03 Shunters
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Small, characterful and often overlooked, British Rail’s Class 03 shunters played a vital role across the network, quietly breaking up the visual and operational monotony of the more numerous Class 08s. Though diminutive in stature, the 03s proved themselves to be remarkably capable machines and became a familiar sight in yards, docks and stations across…
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Transformation at Sunderland: How a Modern Station Took Shape in 1966
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Sixty years ago, Sunderland was in the midst of one of the most significant railway redevelopments in its history, as British Railways’ North Eastern Region completed a major modernisation of Sunderland Central Station. An article published in the January 1966 issue of The Railway Magazine detailed how decades of incremental change culminated in the opening…
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Oil Rescues Rail: How North Sea Energy Kept Highland Railways Alive in 1976
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In January 1976, Britain’s expanding North Sea oil industry was already reshaping the nation’s railways — and nowhere was that impact clearer than in the Scottish Highlands. An article published in The Railway Magazine that month revealed how the construction of offshore drilling platforms at Loch Kishorn was generating vital freight traffic for the Inverness–Kyle…
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