Sam Hewitt

AFTER 14 years out of service the unique South African Railways (SAR) Class 26 4-8-4 No. 3450 – named the ‘Red Devil’ – returned to main line service. This followed a overhaul at Worcester (180km north-east of Cape Town) on July 3. Overnight steam tests were carried out on July 2, followed by yard tests in…

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WELSH rugby union fans planning to attend the Scotland v Wales game at Murrayfield on March 9, 2019 will be able to travel to and from the game in style on a specially chartered train, organised by Pathfinder Tours. Starting in Carmarthen at 07.00 on March 8, the train runs via Llanelli, Neath, Bridgend, Cardiff,…

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HEIDELBERG Cement’s Ketton Works in Rutland opened its doors to enthusiasts on July 1, when the Branch Line Society organised a series of tours of the rail network within the complex. Here, RSS-owned No. 08580 trails as No. 08375 heads under the cement silos with the first train of the day. Bagnall 0-4-0ST (No. 2648 of 1940) Ketton…

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DAVID Buck, the owner of ‘B1’ No. 61306 Mayflower, has acquired the Steam Dreams railtour business from founder Marcus Robertson. Mr Robertson will continue as a consultant for the company, tasked with developing new multi-day holidays by steam in the UK and overseas. The deal was announced as Mayflower prepares to return to the main line…

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RESTORATION work on the Merseyside Class 502 EMU was on display when the Merseyside Transport Trust (MTT) held its annual open day in Burscough, Lancashire on July 8. The MTT is concerned with rescuing and preserving buses from Merseyside, but its shed on the Burscough industrial estate is also home to the Friends of the…

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THE Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’s eight-day 50th anniversary gala culminated in a diesel day on July 1. Visiting were GBRf Class 66 No. 66784 Keighley & Worth Valley Railway 50th Anniversary 1968-2018, DRS Class 37 No. 37401, Class 50 No. 50035 Ark Royal, and ‘Deltic’ No. 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier. The Class 55 is seen powering up to…

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THE North Norfolk Railway’s (NNR) June 15-17 event was changed from a diesel event to a mixed traction day because of a shortage of available home fleet diesels, which became apparent in late-May. Three visiting locos included the Bury Hydraulic Group’s ever-popular and much-travelled ‘Warship’ No. D832 Onslaught. This was the first appearance of the type…

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CLASS 04 No. D2289 makes its debut at the Heritage Shunters Trust (HST), Peak Rail, Rowsley South, on August 18, following repatriation from Italy (RM June, p82). The Drewry shunter was shipped to Italy with other BR locos in 1972. First admissions for the one-off event are at 11.00, continuing until 15.00. Visitors are asked…

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THE passenger service operated by Weardale Railway Heritage Services Ltd (WRHSL) now includes Bishop Auckland West on its timetable, until October 28. The last scheduled passenger trains to run there were operated by Weardale Railway CIC, which operated services between 2010 and 2012. WRHSL is a subsidiary of the Weardale Railway Trust, a voluntary body…

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FORMER National Collection Class 50 No. 50033 Glorious arrived at the Severn Valley Railway on May 31. It is owned by Vintage Trains, Tyseley, but currently in the care of the Class 50 Alliance. Glorious is on an initial three-year lease, and receiving considerable attention in the Kidderminster diesel workshops to restore it to working condition.It…

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