railway archive

From the archive: ‘Snowdon’ rebuilt on the Snowdon Mountain Railway in 1963

by

Mark Lancaster

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12th September 2026

In the September 1963 issue of The Railway Magazine, major repairs to Snowdon Mountain Railway locomotive No. 4, Snowdon, were reported following work at the Hunslet Engine Co. Ltd., of Leeds. The article detailed the locomotive’s unusual Abt system features, its rebuilt components and its return to Snowdonia. “Snowdon” rebuilt THE recent major repairs effected…
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From the archive: School or ‘Silver Jubilee’? A 1982 look back at a forerunner of the High Speed Train

by

Mark Lancaster

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10th September 2026

In the September 1982 issue of The Railway Magazine, D. L. A. Smith recalled playing truant in September 1935 to see the LNER’s new “Silver Jubilee” train on its Press Run. His account records the appearance of Silver Link, the passing of the train at Oakleigh Park and the later history of the “Silver Jubilee”.…
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From the archive: 42 years ago, Arthur Miller looked back on three decades of railway enthusiasm

by

Mark Lancaster

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15th August 2026

In the August 1984 issue of The Railway Magazine, Arthur Miller’s “Thirty Years On” looked back to the dawn of his railway enthusiasm. Having travelled over all the British Railways passenger lines in Great Britain then carrying a regular timetabled service, he reflected on the journeys, changes and experiences of the previous three decades. A…
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From the archive: Glasgow museum receives one of Britain’s last fireless steam locomotives

by

Mark Lancaster

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13th August 2026

From the August 1969 issue of The Railway Magazine, A. Kempsell reported on the preservation of a fireless steam locomotive formerly used at Dalmarnock Power Station. The locomotive had been presented to Glasgow’s Museum of Transport by the South of Scotland Electricity Board. A permanent home in Glasgow ONE of the last fireless steam locomotives…
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From the archive: Mid-Hants Railway celebrates 20 years with a packed 1993 gala

by

Mark Lancaster

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5th August 2026

n September 1993, The Railway Magazine reported on a successful Mid-Hants Railway gala marking 20 years of operation. The event featured visiting locomotives, intensive services and progress on projects across the railway. A capacity gala OVER the weekend of 3/4 July, the Mid-Hants Railway held a very successful gala event to celebrate 20 years of…
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From the archive: Swindon ‘Steam’ opens to the public

by

Mark Lancaster

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30th July 2026

We take a verbatim look back at when JOHN STRETTON was given an insight into Swindon’s new £11m railway museum. WEDNESDAY June 14, 2000 will become an important day in the history of Swindon and its railways. After many years, alternative suggestions, trials and tribulations along the way, this date was due to mark the…
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Bedford Electrification on Schedule – Railway Magazine archive from June 1979

by

Mark Lancaster

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21st July 2026

Published in the June 1979 issue of The Railway Magazine, this archive article reports on progress with the electrification of the Moorgate/St. Pancras–Bedford line. The article describes work underway, engineering developments and infrastructure improvements as they stood at the time of publication. Bedford Electrification on Schedule Work underway between Moorgate, St. Pancras and Bedford WORK…
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Archive: Cornwall’s industrial steam survivors in 1975

by

Mark Lancaster

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13th June 2026

From the March 1975 issue of The Railway Magazine, this archive extract looks at industrial steam locomotives still present in Cornwall after the main-line railways of the county were fully dieselised in 1964. The article covers locations including Par Harbour, Falmouth Docks and Penlee Quarries. Cornwall after dieselisation WHEN the main-line railways of Cornwall were…
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