The Railway Magazine
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From the 1989 Archives: Braking Fault Forces Withdrawal of BR’s Entire Class 90 Fleet
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From the October 1989 issue of The Railway Magazine All 30 new Class 90 Intercity electric locomotives were temporarily withdrawn by British Rail on 17 August following the discovery of a braking system fault. The contemporary report also covered concerns involving other rolling stock and two derailments during July and August. Braking fault forces recall…
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November 2026
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The Railway Magazine provides the latest news, Steam & Heritage, modern traction and reviews and our brand-new November issue is out now!
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Railway Archives 1971: Inside British Oxygen’s £12m Rail-Served Super Plant at Widnes
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n October 1971, The Railway Magazine reported on the rail-based distribution system serving the British Oxygen Company’s new plant at Widnes, Lancashire. The article detailed the transportation of liquefied oxygen and nitrogen, including the construction and specifications of the specialised railway tank wagons. LIQUID GAS FLOWING FROM WIDNES A RAIL-BASED system of distribution, devised jointly…
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Railway Archives 1971: Scotland’s Biggest Signalbox Takes Shape at Motherwell
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In October 1971, The Railway Magazine reported on the newly constructed Motherwell Train Control & Signalling Centre. The article described plans to supervise train movements across parts of the Scottish railway network and the proposed introduction of multiple-aspect power signalling. CONSTRUCTION of Motherwell Train Control & Signalling Centre has been completed by the contractors, and…
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October 2026
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The Railway Magazine provides the latest news, Steam & Heritage, modern traction and reviews and our brand-new October issue is out now!
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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: 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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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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From the archive: Inside Crewe’s railway power control centre in 1962
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In September 1962, The Railway Magazine examined the power control centre at Crewe as work advanced on the Crewe to Stafford section of the London Midland Region electrification scheme. The centre already supervised power feed to the Manchester-Crewe and Liverpool-Crewe sections and was the first of four centres intended eventually to cover the entire electrification…
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From the archive: Inside Healey Mills marshalling yard in 1963
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In September 1963, The Railway Magazine took a detailed look at Healey Mills, the new marshalling yard four miles west of Wakefield on the Calder Valley route to Manchester. The article described a yard capable of handling 4,000 wagons a day, with 120 sidings totalling 57 miles of track. HEALEY MILLS, four miles west of…
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