British Rail

  • From the archive: The Glory Years of BR Steam

    From the archive: The Glory Years of BR Steam

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    From The Railway Magazine, December 2005: At Nationalisation, the GWR feared it would lose its unique character, but as it turned out, those worries weren’t to be realised for more than a decade and the 1950s and early ‘60s thus proved to be the era of the ‘Great Western Region’!

  • Full circle for last British Rail train to Wareham passenger returning as driver

    Full circle for last British Rail train to Wareham passenger returning as driver

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    A Swanage Railway volunteer who travelled on the last British Rail train from Swanage to Wareham as a child in 1972 will be the conductor driver on the first Swanage Railway passenger train into Wareham using the heritage line’s 1950s diesel train.

  • UK Rail services to unify under state-owned body, Great British Railways

    UK Rail services to unify under state-owned body, Great British Railways

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    The creation of a new public sector body to oversee Britain’s railways will simplify a system that is “too complicated”, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

  • A Cumbrian Coast ‘Jubilee’

    A Cumbrian Coast ‘Jubilee’

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    STANIER ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 No. 45690 Leander winds its way southbound along the Lakeland coast at St Bees with the return leg of the Railway Touring Company’s ‘Cumbrian Coast Express on September 28. The BR black-liveried ‘Jub’ had left Carlisle at 13.32 and stuck to within four minutes of the timetable through Workington and Whitehaven, being just…

  • ‘King’, ‘A4’ and debutant ‘9F’ steal show at Moors line gala spectacular

    ‘King’, ‘A4’ and debutant ‘9F’ steal show at Moors line gala spectacular

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    THE North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) pulled off what might be regarded as one of the biggest steam galas of the 2000s on September 27-29, which not only featured a hugely impressive locomotive line-up, but also illustrated how far the line’s motive power department has come in a relatively short timeframe. It was only in…

  • Rail Riders enthusiasts’ club set for relaunch

    Rail Riders enthusiasts’ club set for relaunch

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    Rail Riders, the club for rail travellers and enthusiasts founded and operated by British Rail between 1981 and 1991, is being relaunched in February. Almost 30 years after the iconic fan club closed, it is being revived by well-known railway accessory and clothing supplier Bufferbeam.  Unlike the original club, which was aimed at children aged…

  • Former UK electrics have mixed fortunes in Bulgaria

    Former UK electrics have mixed fortunes in Bulgaria

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    BULGARIA remains the main user of ex-BR built electric locomotives, but the competitive nature of freight operations has led to mixed fortunes for the Class 86, 87 and 92s exported there. Operator Bulmarket has work for its well-maintained Class 87s (Nos. 87009/17/23/25), however its Class 86s, which are around 10 years older, are reported to have…

  • North Tyneside 03 prepared for Gateshead shunter reunion

    North Tyneside 03 prepared for Gateshead shunter reunion

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    CLASS 03 No. D2078 has been repainted in BR blue and now carries its TOPS number, 03078.  It is based on the North Tyneside Steam Railway (NTSR) and Stephenson Museum. The repaint inspired the September 29 diesel day to be become a Gateshead TMD-themed diesel shunter gala over two days, 28th and 29th.  For the first…

  • Electric Railway Museum stock stored at Colne Valley

    Electric Railway Museum stock stored at Colne Valley

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    A NUMBER of historic items have been accommodated at the Colne Valley Railway (CVR), Essex, following closure of the Electric Railway Museum at Coventry in 2017.  The move was made possible as the CVR had recently secured its own future following a closure threat the year before. The stock includes BR EMU driving trailers, Class…

  • Springs Branch goes live again

    Springs Branch goes live again

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    NEW overhead line equipment has been switched on at the reactivated Springs Branch depot in Wigan.  The former BR diesel depot and EWS disposal site will reopen as a new £46million depot for Northern EMUs and DMUs from December. Springs Branch has been rebuilt with new stabling and servicing facilities for 24 Northern electric and…

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