News

FIFTY years ago on July 23, 1966, one of the most bizarre trains to be devised was tested in the USA and attained a new North American speed record. The New York Central System (NYC) tested a jet-powered railcar over a 68-mile section of line between Butler, Indiana and Air Line Junction (near Toledo), Ohio.…

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APRIL saw the arrival of three more Class 68s locomotives for Direct Rail Services, which completes the second batch of locos ordered. More 68s complete as Class 88 heads for Velim The first Class 68 visit to Swansea came on April 1 when Nos. 68004 and 68002 top-and-tailed a Network Rail track assessment train from…

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THE now unmistakable outline of the new Fowler 4-6-0 The Unknown Warrior has returned to Llangollen as the rate of construction accelerates. First steam move for phoenix ‘Patriot’ ‘Patriot’ No. 45551 The Unknown Warrior won’t be able to move itself for a couple of years, so ‘4MT’ No. 80072 – six decades its senior, but…

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AVONSIDE 0-6-0ST Cranford (1919/1924) made a triumphant return to working order at the Scunthorpe base of the Appleby Frodingham Railway in mid-April, bringing to a close a restoration which began in earnest in the 1990s. Cranford steams at Scunthorpe Avonside 0-6-0ST Cranford makes its first moves since the completion of its restoration at the Appleby…

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A ‘FUNCTIONING’ locomotive is one of the distinctive proposals outlined as part of the Bluebell Railway’s improved offering. Bluebell reveals steam shed exhibition plans An idea of how the new steam shed exhibition will look should the Bluebell win favour with the Heritage Lottery Fund. MATTHEW COUSINS/BLUEBELL RAILWAY Using Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) money, the…

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A HUGE stride towards the realisation of a two-mile extension for the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway has been made, with its £1.25million share issue already a fifth of the way to its target. Broadway… here we come! The new station building (based on the original) and the former Henley-in-Arden footbridge take shape on April 6. ALL:…

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THE new premises of Riley & Son (E) Ltd is already a hive of activity. Riley’s settles into new workshops Having vacated the shared workshop-cum-shed with the East Lancashire Railway (ELR) at Buckley Wells, Bury, Riley’s is now up-and-running at a non-rail-connected factory site in Heywood. Current contract work includes the boiler overhauls of ‘King’…

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IT WAS meant to be a day of pure celebration as the towering 7ft 4in statue of Sir Nigel Gresley was revealed at King’s Cross. ‘Duck’ row rumbles on as Gresley statue is unveiled… and former ‘Top Shed’ 0-6-2 goes back to King’s Cross History is made as Gresley Society-owned ‘N2′ No. 1744 and Severn…

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APRIL was a bumper month for fans of rebuilt Bulleid ‘Pacifics’ with the simultaneous return to running of ‘West Country’ Braunton and ‘Merchant Navy’ Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co. Happy days as rebuilt Bulleids return to action Toddington, April 4: No. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co begins to tally what would be…

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LAND Rover has demonstrated a Discovery Sport 4×4 hauling three railway carriages weighing 108 tonnes across a girder bridge spanning the River Rhine, in northern Switzerland. Land Rover pulls train across Rhine Pulling power! No photoshop or trick photography was involved when a Land Rover Discovery Sport hauled a trailing load of 108 tons across…

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