The Railway Magazine

Oil instead of coal for Puffing Billy Railway

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

THE Puffing Billy Railway has converted one of its fleet of ‘NA’ class locos to burn oil instead of coal to reduce fire risk. The move will enable steam operation even in hot summer months. The conversion is the first of its kind outside Europe, and was developed in conjunction with Dampflokomotiv und Maschinenfabrik (DLM)…
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Appeal to save North British 4-8-2 tank engine

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

THE UK-based North British Loco (NBL) Preservation Group has announced an urgent appeal for funds to preserve North British-built, heavy duty 4-8-2T locomotive No. 25916. The 1,067mm-gauge loco was one of 42 similar locos built for industrial use in South Africa between 1929 and 1955. Over the years, most of them have been scrapped, but the…
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EE diesels stand in for DMUs

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

PORTUGUESE Railways (CP) recently ran the entire service at the eastern end of the Douro Valley line using loco-hauled trains for the first time in many years. These operated between Marco de Cavaneses and Pocinho via Régua in January and February as the line west of Marco de Cavaneses was closed because of an engineering…
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‘Chargers’ for Amtrak and VIA Rail

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

BOTH major national passenger rail operators in North America placed orders for significant numbers of Siemens 4,400HP ‘Charger’ diesel-electric loco in December. Canadian national passenger company VIA Rail ordered 32 ‘Chargers’ in early-December, along with 32 new push-pull trains which the locos will operate. VIA Rail plans to use the new trains, which will cost…
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New lease of life for former TEE coaches in Cuba

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

FRENCH and Cuban railways agreed in mid-2018 to co-operate in renovating workshops at Luyanó and Camagüey in Cuba, and to refurbish the former French Railways (SNCF) Trans-Europ-Express (TEE) ‘Inox-TEE’ stainless steel carriages, which SNCF sold to Cuba in the late-1990s. The TEE vehicles were built in the 1960s and once operated the most prestigious international…
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Steam heat returns (briefly) to main line in Spain

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

STEAM-heated mainline trains are now almost extinct across Europe but for a few days in late-January a charter train in Spain re-created the old atmosphere. UK rail holiday operator PTG Tours celebrated the 20th anniversary of its first rail tour by running the train in Spain. It was operated by open access operator ALSA Rail,…
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Didcot’s diesel shunter clocks up 40 years’ service

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

A SMALL celebration was held on December 29 to mark the 40th anniversary of Hunslet 5238 of 1957 – a 264bhp 0-6-0DM, now known as No. DL 26 – arriving at the Didcot Railway Centre. A cake was cut by former Great Western Society locomotive manager Ron Head, who had arranged the purchase of the locomotive. He…
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Restoration of West Somerset’s little-known diesel ‘shunter’

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

RUSTON & Hornsby 200793 of 1940 has been beautifully restored and is used as yard shunter by West Somerset Restoration, the commercial engineering arm of the West Somerset Railway Association at Williton. The 48DS-type arrived on the West Somerset Railway from South Wales in 2016, but as far as is known, has never made a…
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Diesel days on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway

by

Sam Hewitt

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27th March 2019

THE Swindon & Cricklade Railway ran diesel services on Sundays in February. On the 10th, haulage was provided by ex-BR Departmental 0-6-0DE Ruston & Hornsby No. PWM651, making a special appearance in its 60th year. It is seen at Taw Valley Halt carting a headboard commemorating well-known and active diesel enthusiast Andrew ‘Brillo’ Wilson, who passed…
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‘Holly’ and ‘Ivy’ speed up Whiteball Tunnel repairs

by

Sam Hewitt

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24th March 2019

A THREE-WEEK closure of the West of England main line between Taunton and Exeter saw essential repairs made to two Victorian tunnels on the route.
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