Features
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FROM THE ARCHIVES: Lottery-funded Hunslet Brookes No. 1 returns to passenger service in 2017
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From the October 2017 issue of The Railway Magazine: The Middleton Railway’s Hunslet 0-6-0ST Brookes No. 1 made its post-overhaul passenger debut on August 28, following a Heritage Lottery-funded purchase and overhaul project lasting more than four years. The locomotive returned to service in a lined version of Hunslet’s standard green. The Middleton Railway’s Hunslet…
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From the archive: How Western Region set a new world railway speed record in 1979
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In the July 1979 issue of The Railway Magazine, O. S. Nock described an attempt by Western Region to set a world record for start-to-stop average speed by train. The run involved the 09.20 HST from Paddington on April 10, 1979, with the speed limits throughout to be strictly observed. NEW WORLD RECORD O. S.…
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From the archive: 1264 – The B1 that would not die
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In the October 1989 issue of The Railway Magazine, Thompson B1 Locomotive Trust Chairman Michael A. Cobley outlined the progress being made with No. 1264. Once written off as “the engine with the duff boiler”, the locomotive had endured withdrawal, Barry scrapyard and major boiler problems on its long road through preservation. Once written off…
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From the archive: Class 90s recalled over braking fault in 1989
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In the October 1989 issue of The Railway Magazine, all 30 new class 90 Intercity electric locomotives were reported as having been temporarily withdrawn by BR after a braking-system fault was found during routine maintenance. The report also covered rolling-stock safety concerns and separate derailments involving MkIII coaches and a London Underground Jubilee Line train.…
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From the archive: graffiti, ‘jumbo’ steam trains and £25 fares – railway concerns in 1989
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From the September 1989 issue of The Railway Magazine, Peter Kelly considered the growing graffiti problem on the railway and the economics of main line steam excursions. The piece also looked at a proposed 488-seat train over the Settle & Carlisle line and the costs involved in operating steam-hauled services. Signs of the times PERHAPS…
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Recreating the Past: Why Railway Photography Still Chases the Spirit of the 1980s
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Railway photography has always been more than documentation. For many enthusiasts, it is about capturing a fleeting moment in time — preserving memories while also creating images that echo the atmosphere of a vanished railway era. In this reflective feature from Railways Illustrated (December 2025), photographer Chris Gee explores why recreating the look and feel…
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Why does snow prevent rail services from running?
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With parts of the country waking to snow outside their windows this morning, let’s look at how trains cope in snowy conditions, and what happens when they don’t.
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From the archive: Inside Crewe’s railway power control centre in 1962
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In September 1962, The Railway Magazine examined the power control centre at Crewe as work advanced on the Crewe to Stafford section of the London Midland Region electrification scheme. The centre already supervised power feed to the Manchester-Crewe and Liverpool-Crewe sections and was the first of four centres intended eventually to cover the entire electrification…
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From the archive: Inside Healey Mills marshalling yard in 1963
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In September 1963, The Railway Magazine took a detailed look at Healey Mills, the new marshalling yard four miles west of Wakefield on the Calder Valley route to Manchester. The article described a yard capable of handling 4,000 wagons a day, with 120 sidings totalling 57 miles of track. HEALEY MILLS, four miles west of…
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Win tickets for SIX on Santa’s Steam Special
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It’s one of the highlights of any railway lover’s Christmas, a magical experience for the whole family… and thanks to our friends at the Severn Valley Railway, you can enjoy a brilliant start to your festive season.
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