East Coast Main Line
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Staff charter takes GBRf ‘50s’ back to Scotland
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July 6 saw Class 50s Nos. 50007 Hercules and 50049 Defiance work a GB Railfreight staff charter from Motherwell to Scarborough via the East Coast Main Line. The train worked the empty stock north from Burton to Motherwell via Lancaster and Carlisle on July 5, and then ran via Edinburgh and York to the North…
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Mayflower in the Highlands
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‘B1’ No. 61306 Mayflower crosses the Beauly Firth at Invershin while working a day tour from Inverness to Dunrobin Castle during Steam Dreams’ mammoth ‘Highlands and Islands’ tour of Scotland on May 9-17. The previous day, the Thompson 4-6-0 worked with No. 60103 Flying Scotsman over the Highland Main Line from Edinburgh. ‘Scotsman’ worked north from King’s…
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Fleet Focus: Britain’s new trains
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Exciting times are ahead as the first trains of two new fleets entered service during April and May.
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Thousands of Eurostar passengers delayed by ‘Brexit’ protestor
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Terry Maher, 44, of Cubitt St, Camden, gained access to the roof of the tunnel on the evening of March 29.
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First Group’s open access plans move forward
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FIRST GROUP’S aspiration to run open access services on the East Coast Main Line from Edinburgh to London took a big step forward when an order for five Hitachi AT300 trains was confirmed. The services will begin in autumn 2021. The Class 802 electric-only trains will be worth £100million and are being financed by Beacon…
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British Line Society secures Thunderer for railtour return after 28-year gap
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THE Branch Line Society has scored a major coup by securing Garcia Hanson’s No. 50008 Thunderer for a railtour on July 27. The ‘50’ has been active on the main line for several years, but to date has only hauled passenger trains on heritage railways. Its last railtour outing is thought to have been in October…
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Tornado returns in ECML triumph – and plans a record run!
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Peppercorn A1 Pacific No. 60163 Tornado made its first main line passenger-carrying run for nearly 11 months on Sunday, March 3, hauling The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust’s ‘The Auld Reekie’ from Doncaster to Edinburgh. The A1 has been off the main line since its mishap while hauling the ‘Ebor Flyer’ from King’s Cross to York…
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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…
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Pathfinder returning English Electric classics to old haunts
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FANS of English Electric traction will have the opportunity to relive past glories over the coming months with Pathfinder Tours. March 23 sees Class 50s return to the West of England to mark 25 years since their final run under British Rail. The ’50 Terminator-Phoenixed’ is an epic day out, starting from London Paddington at…
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Last Fowler diesel loco in UK industry still operational
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PLASMOR Ltd continues to use a smart and well-maintained Fowler Class 422 0-4-0DH (4220038 of 1966) at its Heck Works, Great Heck, North Yorkshire. This is believed to be the last remaining Fowler-built diesel loco in industrial service in the UK. Fowlers were once very numerous in industry, right across the UK, and could be…
