British Railways

  • Severn Valley supports £50m scheme which could reopen Eardington Halt

    Severn Valley supports £50m scheme which could reopen Eardington Halt

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    THE Severn Valley Railway has backed a £50 million holiday venue plan which could see Eardington station reopened. General manager Nick Ralls has written to Shropshire Council in support of multi-million pound plans for the leisure development on the Astbury Estate near Bridgnorth, drawn up by the FCFM Group. The estate, which already includes a…

  • South Devon confirms golden anniversary celebrations

    South Devon confirms golden anniversary celebrations

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    While there will be many activities and events going on throughout the year to mark 50 years since part of the GWR Ashburton branch reopened as the Dart Valley Railway, the key centrepiece events are the April 6-14 steam gala and the July 19-21 diesel gala, the South Devon Railway has confirmed. Two locomotives which…

  • Impromptu ‘gala’ brings in the crowds

    Impromptu ‘gala’ brings in the crowds

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    By Paul Appleton THE first day of the Severn Valley Railway’s 2019 operating season, February 16, had the air of a gala event, with former BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 No. 75069 making its public debut on the 10.30am ex-Bridgnorth and the first train off Kidderminster double-headed by GWR/PTR 0-6-0ST No. 813 and Collett 0-6-0PT No.…

  • BR locoman drives Aln Valley train 53 years on

    BR locoman drives Aln Valley train 53 years on

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    Nearly 53 years ago, in June 1966, BR fireman Kenny Middlemist from Alnmouth shed last worked on a steam locomotive over the Cawledge Viaduct on the Alnwick branch.  Alnmouth-allocated K1 2-6-0 No. 62011 hauled the branch passenger train set on the morning of the last day of steam-hauled passenger services on the line. His driver…

  • Calbourne and black ‘Radial’ for Bluebell’s branch gala

    Calbourne and black ‘Radial’ for Bluebell’s branch gala

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    The Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s ex-LSWR ‘O2’ No. W24 Calbourne will be returning to the UK mainland.

  • Caley Blue 419 adds Broadway to English tour

    Caley Blue 419 adds Broadway to English tour

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    Caledonian Railway 0-4-4T No. 419 has added the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway’s Cotswold Festival of Steam to its biggest-ever tour of England. No. 419 will star in the May 25-27 festival alongside another blue guest, GWR 4-6-0 No. 6023 Edward II from Didcot Railway Centre. A third guest will be B1 4-6-0 No. 1260 from the…

  • ‘Caley’ tank for NNR, East Lancs and Swanage lines

    ‘Caley’ tank for NNR, East Lancs and Swanage lines

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    THE Caledonian Railway’s No. 419 played a starring role at the Churnet Valley Railway’s Winter Steam Gala on February 23-24, and the Scottish Railway Preservation Society is capitalising on the 0-4-4T’s presence in England by adding in further visits to heritage lines. First up for the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway-based loco is the East Lancashire Railway’s…

  • Blue ‘King’ confirmed for Cotswold Festival of Steam

    Blue ‘King’ confirmed for Cotswold Festival of Steam

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    THE Great Western Society’s Collett 4-6-0 King Edward II will return to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway later this spring to take part in the line’s Cotswold Festival of Steam on May 25-27.  It will be the second visit by Didcot-based No. 6023 to the ‘Gloucs-Warks’ in as many years, having starred at the same event last…

  • It’s high fives as GW Railwayana lives up to its name

    It’s high fives as GW Railwayana lives up to its name

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    With a selection of five GWR nameplates, supported by six GWR cabsides and five smokebox numberplates from named locomotives, GW Railwayana will be living up to its name at its March 16 auction, although both the LMS and Southern Railway get a slice of the action. The five GWR nameplates are Wardour Castle and Neath…

  • What’s in the Shops: Classic Freightliner wagons from Bachmann

    What’s in the Shops: Classic Freightliner wagons from Bachmann

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    Nigel Burkin reviews Bachmann’s OO-gauge FFA and FGA container flats in pre-TOPS condition, complete with early BR Freightliner containers. A revolution in railway wagon design took place during the 1960s, when inefficient standard wagons started to be replaced with modern long-wheelbase and bogie air-braked stock. The wholesale containerisation of goods was also on the horizon…


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