News

INDIAN Railways has reintroduced the 167-year-old ‘Fairy Queen’ 2-2-2T British-built steam loco into occasional passenger service as part of changes to its long-running ‘steam express’ programme of tourist trains. It first entered service in 1855. The veteran loco works the service on certain dates and on other dates Indian-built WP Pacific WP7161 is used. In…

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MEXICAN industrial conglomerate Grupo México has agreed to buy Florida-based railroad Florida East Coast from US investment group Fortress, paying around $2 billion. Grupo México owns the majority of two of Mexico’s main rail operators (55.4% of Ferromex and 74.9 % of Ferrosur). Florida East Coast has its own 565km-long route between Miami and Jacksonville…

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LEADING South African preservation centre Sandstone Heritage Trust added two newly overhauled 2ft-gauge locos to its fleet in early 2017. 1919-built Class NGG11 Garratt 2-6-0+0-6-2 locomotive number 52 (Beyer Peacock, Manchester 5976/1919) and the more modern 1973 GE-built ex-Transnet Class 91 diesel electric locomotive 91-010 both undertook commissioning tests on the Sandstone system on March…

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GERMAN national operator DB introduced the first of its new ICE4 250km/h EMUs in October 2016 on a test passenger service basis. Two sets from the seven now completed are assigned to two Hamburg to Munich (via Hannover/Würzburg) train pairs daily, although if unavailable the trains will be operated using earlier ICE1 Class 401s. The…

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THE railway between Hoek van Holland (Hook of Holland) and Rotterdam closed on March 31 for six months during which time it will be rebuilt as a light rail line. Special farewell trains operated with historic rolling stock running on March 26. The Hoek line is closely associated with ferry services to English ports, especially…

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IN 2016 the Presidents of Russia and Cuba agreed a package of investments by Russian firms in energy, transport and technology projects. Around $4billion worth of projects, financed by Russian banks was agreed, which included investments in Cuba’s railway industry. A $215 million contract to buy 75 new diesel locos was signed in 2016 with…

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GB RAILFREIGHT has replaced DB Cargo as the operator of general cargo traffic from the Ministry of Defence stores depot at Ashchurch in Gloucestershire. GBRf took over the trains on April 1, a surprise move as the depot was earmarked for closure, with the development of 3,000 new homes on the site. However, it is…

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RAILFREIGHT companies have given up almost 50% of their timetabled (but unused) weekly paths as part of an industry-wide initiative to create extra capacity on the national network. A major timetable reorganisation is now being implemented by Network Rail and operators that should open up more slots for passenger and freight trains or reduce congestion…

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THE 7¼in-gauge line in Wellington Country Park, Riseley, North Hampshire, has proved such a popular attraction since opening in 1980 that it has been increased in capacity through regauging to 12¼in, along with incorporating new stock. Alan Keef Ltd has relayed the track and provided a new steam-outline 0-6-0DH – Arthur – which is notable…

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THE Avon Valley Railway’s April 8-9 diesel gala welcomed Somerset & Dorset Locomotives’ (S&D Locos) Class 20 No. D8059 from the Severn Valley Railway. Also in operation for the event was resident BR blue-liveried Class 31 No. 5518 (31101). Class 08 No. 08202 and Kingswood 0-4-0D (Barclay 446 of 1959) were also in use until the latter…

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