Railway Magazine archive

  • From the archive: Forty years of rail-air at Gatwick in 1975

    From the archive: Forty years of rail-air at Gatwick in 1975

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    In September 1975, The Railway Magazine looked back at forty years of rail-air links at Gatwick. The article traced the story from the opening of Tinsley Green station in 1935 through to the rail connection serving the airport in 1975. FORTY YEARS OF RAIL-AIR AT GATWICK WHEN Airports Limited planned its new “air station” at…

  • From the archive: ‘Snowdon’ rebuilt on the Snowdon Mountain Railway in 1963

    From the archive: ‘Snowdon’ rebuilt on the Snowdon Mountain Railway in 1963

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    In the September 1963 issue of The Railway Magazine, major repairs to Snowdon Mountain Railway locomotive No. 4, Snowdon, were reported following work at the Hunslet Engine Co. Ltd., of Leeds. The article detailed the locomotive’s unusual Abt system features, its rebuilt components and its return to Snowdonia. “Snowdon” rebuilt THE recent major repairs effected…

  • From the archive: School or ‘Silver Jubilee’? A 1982 look back at a forerunner of the High Speed Train

    From the archive: School or ‘Silver Jubilee’? A 1982 look back at a forerunner of the High Speed Train

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    In the September 1982 issue of The Railway Magazine, D. L. A. Smith recalled playing truant in September 1935 to see the LNER’s new “Silver Jubilee” train on its Press Run. His account records the appearance of Silver Link, the passing of the train at Oakleigh Park and the later history of the “Silver Jubilee”.…

  • From the 1973 archive: The secret operation that brought Flying Scotsman home

    From the 1973 archive: The secret operation that brought Flying Scotsman home

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    A year after hopes for an American future began to fade, No. 4472 Flying Scotsman faced the possibility of sale to satisfy creditors. This first-person account from the August 1973 issue of The Railway Magazine describes the rescue operation, its concealed movement to Oakland and the locomotive’s return to Britain. Hopes begin to fade ABOUT…

  • Archive: The Maldon Branch in 1959

    Archive: The Maldon Branch in 1959

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    From the December 1959 issue of The Railway Magazine, P. J. Norris looks at The Maldon Branch, including Maldon East & Heybridge, Wickham Bishops Station, Langford & Ulting Station and Maldon Station. The article records the branch’s passenger services, goods traffic, station buildings and operating details as they stood at the time. ONE of the…

  • The Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway – an archive article from October 1959

    The Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway – an archive article from October 1959

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    This article from the October 1959 issue of The Railway Magazine examines the history of the Isle of Wight (Newport Junction) Railway, drawing on contemporary records and board minutes to trace its development, financial difficulties, and eventual incorporation into the Isle of Wight Central Railway. The account follows the railway from its promotion in the…

  • “Locomotive Men”: A 1943 Railway Magazine Insight into Rivalries, Pride and Steam-Era Culture

    “Locomotive Men”: A 1943 Railway Magazine Insight into Rivalries, Pride and Steam-Era Culture

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    Originally published in a 1943 issue of The Railway Magazine, “Locomotive Men” by Philip Spencer offers a vivid snapshot of the culture, rivalries and professional pride that defined Britain’s steam-era railwaymen. Spencer highlights how loyalty among drivers and firemen often ran deeper than allegiance to the post-Grouping “Big Four”. Instead, men continued to identify strongly…


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