Features
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From the 1983 Archives: The North Express – C. Hamilton-Ellis Recalls a Forgotten Railway
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In this archive article, C. Hamilton-Ellis recalls the Midland & South Western Junction Railway and its North Express service. Drawing on his own memories of the railway, he describes its history, locomotives and the journey through the Wiltshire countryside, accompanied by his railway painting. The North Express and its origins SUCH a title as the…
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From the Archives: 1982 – The Day the Queen Mother Named Class 47 No. 47 541 at Aberdeen
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On Wednesday, October 20, 1982, the Queen Mother named diesel-electric locomotive No. 47 541 The Queen Mother at Aberdeen Station. In this article from the January 1983 issue of The Railway Magazine, Patrick Kingston recounts the ceremony, the preparations and an unexpected visit to the locomotive’s cab. A historic occasion at Aberdeen A COLOURFUL event…
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RAILWAY ARCHIVES 1972: Quarter-mile siding laid in just one week at Invergordon
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From the October 1972 issue of The Railway Magazine: A quarter-mile railway siding was laid in one week at Invergordon, with the project commissioned within three weeks of a meeting to discuss its feasibility. The development served the MK-Shand pipe-coating plant, marking a step forward in British Railways’ involvement with North Sea oil industry traffic.…
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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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