West Coast Main Line

  • Endangered crayfish rescued during Cumbria viaduct work

    Endangered crayfish rescued during Cumbria viaduct work

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    WORK to reinforce a 173-year-old railway viaduct is helping to protect endangered crayfish in Cumbria.  The Grade-II listed Docker Garths Viaduct, on the West Coast Main Line at Lambrigg, is currently being reinforced to repair damage from water erosion, at a cost of £750,000.  Work includes the diversion of the Flodder Beck river to allow…

  • HS2 bill up to £88billion as completion date slips to 2040

    HS2 bill up to £88billion as completion date slips to 2040

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    By Ben Jones HS2 Ltd has advised the Government the first phase of High Speed 2 to Birmingham could open five years later than planned in 2031, and the overall cost of the project could rise to £88billion. Phase 2b to Manchester and Leeds has also been pushed back, with completion now expected in 2040…

  • Three Type 3s – to the sea!

    Three Type 3s – to the sea!

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    THREE Class 37s at the head of a heavy freight train used to be a regular sight in South Wales and around Glasgow in BR days, but such a trio has always been a rare event on passenger trains.  On August 11, the Branch Line Society completed its two-day ‘Type 3 to the Sea’ trip…

  • First and Trenitalia to run West Coast Main Line

    First and Trenitalia to run West Coast Main Line

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    By Tony Miles OPERATION of the West Coast Partnership (WCP) will be in the hands of First Group and Trenitalia from December 8, under what will be the first of a new franchise partnership model.  With a 70/30 partnership in favour of First, the pair will end Virgin Trains’ domination of the flagship route, which…

  • Main line Travelling Post Office run to mark 85th anniversary of Night Mail?

    Main line Travelling Post Office run to mark 85th anniversary of Night Mail?

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    “THIS is the Night Mail crossing the border, Bringing the cheque and the postal order…” W H Auden’s opening lines to 1936’s evocative GPO documentary film Night Mail about the work of the Travelling Post Office (TPO) are known by thousands, and to many conjure images of Fowler 4-6-0s on the West Coast Mail Line,…

  • GB Railfreight ‘50s’ heading for the Settle & Carlisle

    GB Railfreight ‘50s’ heading for the Settle & Carlisle

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    This follows the success of their recent outing to Cornwall.

  • Obituary: John Ransom (September 24, 1935-  March 27, 2019)

    Obituary: John Ransom (September 24, 1935- March 27, 2019)

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    PHILIP John Greer Ransom was born in Northamptonshire. As a child he loved his Dartmoor pony and also cycled to watch the trains on the West Coast Main Line.  He developed a passion for steam power and canals, which continued into his late teens when the family moved to North Wales. While in his twenties,…

  • Sir Richard Branson: Virgin Trains name could disappear

    Sir Richard Branson: Virgin Trains name could disappear

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    Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has expressed shock at the disqualification from bidding.

  • East West Rail’s first piece of electrification nears completion

    East West Rail’s first piece of electrification nears completion

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    The East West Rail project was due to complete its first electrification project by May 6 – rewiring the four-track West Coast Main Line 150 yards either side of Bletchley flyover. The work is required because the track and formation and base slabs of the flyover need to be lifted to permit the refurbishment of…

  • Layouts to Love: Where railway modelling dreams begin

    Layouts to Love: Where railway modelling dreams begin

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    RMM visited two recent exhibitions, at Altrincham and Leamington Spa, and was delighted by what was in store at both.


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