News

Keith Fender reports from Berlin’s Innotrans extravaganza, which takes over the city’s Messe exhibition complex every two years. Where would you find the latest trains before they enter service, every conceivable piece of railway technology, and for good measure free cab rides in a steam loco? Every two years the world’s railway industry converges on…

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THE Sandstone Heritage Trust in South Africa has begun the restoration of the sole-surviving ‘NG10’ class narrow gauge (610mm gauge) Pacific No. 61 (Baldwin 42633/1915). It was constructed by US firm Baldwin during the First World War when British builders were unable to supply locos to the now-disused 610mm-gauge Avontuur Railway, between Port Elizabeth and…

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SWISS company Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (BVB) is currently taking delivery of 61 new ‘Flexity’ trams to operate in Basel. The trams are made by Bombardier and are are replacing older vehicles. Basel, in the north of the country, on the border with both France and Germany, has a large tram network run by two companies: BVB…

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A NEW concept in steam charter train operation has been unveiled by the A1 Trust, which will see its ‘A1’ Pacific Tornado paired with a luxury train consisting of Mk3 rolling stock. The locomotive will be registered to run at a maximum of 90mph, fulfilling the Darlington organisation’s long-held ambition to raise its limited range…

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THE completion of the construction stage of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland’s showpiece railway museum was marked with an official ‘handing over’ ceremony at Whitehead in September. Building contractor MSM Contracts of Portadown formally handed the new sheds and other buildings over to the RPSI on September 1 after a 12-month construction programme. This…

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THE North Wilts Model Engineering Society (NWMES) honoured member and model builder Tony Newberry at Coate Water Miniature Railway (CWMR), Swindon on August 13-14. The Tony Newberry Locomotive Gathering brought together as many examples as possible of the 7¼in-gauge scale model GWR locos that Tony has built. This included those owned by NWMES members, invited…

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THE sole-surviving Class 504 EMU – No. 504451 – which had languished at Bury until a group was formed to secure its future, has satisfied the railway management as to its competence to carry the project forward. Two members of the Class 504 Preservation Society met East Lancs Railway (ELR) officers on September 15, who inspected…

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  THE majestic 49-arch Whalley viaduct that carries the Blackburn to Clitheroe line over the River Calder floodplain to the south of Whalley station will benefit from a £1.6million investment by Network Rail. Strengthening of the 1850-built North West Junction Railway structure started during the first week of October and is expected to last until…

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