Features

Many of Switzerland’s mountain railways play an essential role in keeping their communities alive, as Ben Jones discovered on a recent visit to the Lucerne region. EVERY year millions of people from all over the world squeeze into little trains in Switzerland, hoping to experience unforgettable mountain vistas and clean Alpine air. Whether they’re local…

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Dave Richardson recalls more than 40 years of connecting railways with beer festivals and brewery visits, organised by former Salisbury area BR manager Gerald Daniels. REAL ale and rail travel somehow go together, especially with heritage railways, which often hold beer festivals at stations or on board trains. Both interests appeal to people who love…

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Chris Milner meets centenarian Ron Buckley, a railway photographer with a fascinating past, who took his first railway picture in the 1930s, but also spent more than 40 years employed by both the LMS and BR. Most of us hope for a long and fruitful life and for centenarian Ron Buckley that wish has certainly…

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For this month’s instalment of Practice & Performance, John Heaton FCILT, recalls some of his commuting journeys from York to Huddersfield behind four types of diesel synonymous with the trans-Pennine route. IT IS a summer evening in the early 1970s on the flat farmland west of York, next to the four-track main line from the…

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  A fast-growing website is bringing the UK’s lineside into the homes of rail enthusiasts across the world – Aidan Goldstraw logs on to Railcam UK It began with an unexpected Christmas present. Among the items in Alex Howarth’s stocking that year was a security camera. For a while, he wondered what on earth to…

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Following the recent announcement of the Government’s intention to remove diesel trains from the network by 2040, Keith Fender looks at how Alstom has developed a hydrogen-powered train that will lead to a trial in the UK within two years. In early November, Alstom and the government of the German state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony)…

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Mark Smithers reports on the West Lancashire Light Railway, a family-friendly operation which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary after starting from humble beginnings in 1967. IN 1878, the standard-gauge West Lancashire Railway was opened from Southport to Hesketh Bank, with a through connection to Preston following in 1882. This line remained in use until…

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While many transport companies look to external agencies and specialists to develop and maintain their brand and image, some undertake the activity in-house. Virgin Trains was one of the companies that until recently had its own design unit. Steven Knight speaks with creative designer Sam Jessup, whose artistic talents were used by Virgin Trains for…

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