railway history

From the archive: graffiti, ‘jumbo’ steam trains and £25 fares – railway concerns in 1989

by

Mark Lancaster

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29th September 2026

From the September 1989 issue of The Railway Magazine, Peter Kelly considered the growing graffiti problem on the railway and the economics of main line steam excursions. The piece also looked at a proposed 488-seat train over the Settle & Carlisle line and the costs involved in operating steam-hauled services. Signs of the times PERHAPS…
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From the archive: Inside Crewe’s railway power control centre in 1962

by

Mark Lancaster

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23rd September 2026

In September 1962, The Railway Magazine examined the power control centre at Crewe as work advanced on the Crewe to Stafford section of the London Midland Region electrification scheme. The centre already supervised power feed to the Manchester-Crewe and Liverpool-Crewe sections and was the first of four centres intended eventually to cover the entire electrification…
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From the archive: Inside Healey Mills marshalling yard in 1963

by

Mark Lancaster

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22nd September 2026

In September 1963, The Railway Magazine took a detailed look at Healey Mills, the new marshalling yard four miles west of Wakefield on the Calder Valley route to Manchester. The article described a yard capable of handling 4,000 wagons a day, with 120 sidings totalling 57 miles of track. HEALEY MILLS, four miles west of…
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From the archive: Forty years of rail-air at Gatwick in 1975

by

Mark Lancaster

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16th September 2026

In September 1975, The Railway Magazine looked back at forty years of rail-air links at Gatwick. The article traced the story from the opening of Tinsley Green station in 1935 through to the rail connection serving the airport in 1975. FORTY YEARS OF RAIL-AIR AT GATWICK WHEN Airports Limited planned its new “air station” at…
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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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Historic achievement as East Lancashire Railway welcomes its first female steam locomotive driver

by

Mark Lancaster

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8th September 2026

The East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is celebrating a landmark moment in its history following the successful completion of the driving assessment by Steph Elwood, who has become the railway’s first female steam locomotive driver. Steph’s achievement marks the culmination of a long journey on the railway, following the traditional route through the steam department from…
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A Good Read: Yorkshire Railway Disasters

by

Mark Lancaster

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5th September 2026

This is an intriguing book and it details all serious rail accidents and collisions across Yorkshire from 1840 to the most recent, a freight train collision in 2022, reports Pip Dunn. Each incident is given a brief review of what happened, what caused it and what action was taken in regards ascertaining the most likely…
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Upcoming events at Pendon Museum!

by

Mark Lancaster

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18th August 2026

Preschool Craft & Activity Mornings 10am – 12pm on Thursdays 27th August, 24th September & 29th October Crafts and activities for ages 3 to 5 (siblings under 3 welcome) from 10am – 12pm. Each session is £5 per child, siblings under 3 attend for free. Tickets and more information on the session’s theme on our website https://pendonmuseum.com/events/preschool-craft-activity-mornings (Please…
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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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