Sam Hewitt

THE 90th anniversary of the founding of the Railway Correspondence & Travel Society (RCTS) was marked with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque on April 12 on platform 1 at Cheltenham station. The unveiling was performed by the society’s current president the Rev Canon Brian R Arman, who paid tribute to the two founders, Aubrey…

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USING a pair of Class 50s is proving a popular railtour attraction, with a second charity tour selling out in a matter of weeks, this time promoted by The RM’s sister title Rail Express. Working with the Class 50 Alliance, GB Railfreight, Pathfinder Tours and Riviera Trains to provide funds for The Railway Children charity,…

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THE first Class 802/2 five-car bi-mode for UK testing and destined for use with TransPennine Express left Hitachi’s Kasado works in Japan on April 17, embarking on a two-month voyage to the UK. Set No. 802201 will be one of three pre-series sets being built in Japan for testing, the remainder of the fleet will…

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GB Railfreight Class 47 No. 47749 City of Truro (still in Colas livery) failed with a loss of power on Old Hill bank on April 21 while working Pathfinder Tours’ ‘The York Moors Venturer’, from Newport to Scarborough. It took more than three hours to get a rescue loco to the stricken train, No. 66518…

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By John Heaton FCILT and Gary Boyd-Hope THE bold attempt to run at up to 90mph from King’s Cross to York on April 14 with No. 60163 Tornado suffered an expensive and disruptive fate after its middle cylinder piston valve failed at Biggleswade. The ‘A1’ took its 12-coach train up to Potters Bar on the…

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OPEN ACCESS operator Grand Central is embarking on a £9million refurbishment of its fleet of 10 Class 180 ‘Adelante’ DEMUs. The first unit was completed at the end of March. The refurbishment programme will run for the rest of the year and include the five sets acquired from GWR. The interior and exterior has been…

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HAWAII has a rich railway heritage, with at one time multiple railways operating. These supported either the sugar, pineapple and other agricultural industries, or the US Navy, whose major base is at Pearl Harbour, near Honolulu. Most of these railways have ceased operation, but there are some regular heritage tourist railways, and there are also…

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