News

RAILWAY history will be made on October 14 when the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland runs its next diesel-hauled railtour. Agreement has been reached with Iarnród Éireann-Irish Rail for the ‘Munster Double’ to feature two Class 071 locomotives working in multiple throughout, something never before seen on the network. Multiple working was once common with…

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THE Fife Heritage Railway’s Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST Forth was formally rededicated during a special ceremony on April 15. The ex-Granton Gas Works No. 10 (1890/1926) returned to steam last August and even worked trains during the autumn, but its paintwork was still incomplete and awaited the final touches to its ‘Wemyss Coal Company’ livery, applied in…

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SOMETHING of a surprise addition to stock for the West Somerset Railway is Andrew Barclay 0-4-0 Fireless Boots No. 1 (1984/1930). It has been acquired on loan from the Foxfield Railway by Ryan Pope of West Somerset Restoration, Williton, where it arrived on March 28. The locomotive spent its working career with Boots the Chemist…

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TWO days of very different operations kept the Chasewater Railway’s working fleet busy during its Industrial Gala on March 18-19 when the line’s various ‘small but perfectly formed’ four-wheeled types came to the fore. The Saturday was a day of experimentation, with a specially written timetable giving the three steam locomotives – Andrew Barclays Rosyth…

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PECKETT ‘M5’ 0-4-0ST Whitehead was the star of the Ribble Steam Railway’s Industrial Steam Gala on May 1-2. It had travelled north for the weekend from its home at the Midland Railway-Butterley. The one-time Cefnstylle Colliery engine shared duties during the weekend with Bagnall 0-6-0ST Courageous (2680/1942), Hawthorn Leslie 0-6-0ST Linda (3931/1938), and Grant, Ritchie…

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FORMER Courtaulds Textiles (Preston) Peckett ‘OY’ 0-4-0ST Caliban (1925/1937) will steam again in the city where it spent its pre-preservation career once the overhaul by the Furness Railway Trust is completed at the Ribble Steam Railway. Caliban had worked at Courtaulds’ Red Scar Mill from new and became a familiar sight at Carnforth’s Steamtown centre…

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SIR William Stanier formally recommissioned Sentinel 4wVBT William (9959/1956) back into Elsecar Heritage Railway traffic on March 26 as a highlight of the line’s Sentinel Gala. The re-enactment replayed events of 60 years ago when the real Sir William, then a board member for the Courtaulds empire, formally named William at the Courtaulds Fibre factory…

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A CALEDONIAN Railway covered footbridge has been given a new lease of life at the preserved Caledonian Railway’s Bridge of Dun station. This development brings to an end four years’ work to secure its future. The ornate lattice 1895 structure was originally erected at Dunblane and gave more than 100 years’ service. However, a 2012…

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THE National Railway Museum surprised enthusiasts on March 30 with the unexpected announcement that it had gifted the unique London & South Western Railway 4-4-0 No. 563 to the Swanage Railway Trust. The William Adams-designed ‘T3’ has for some time been on the periphery of the NRM’s core collection, to the point where the museum felt…

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