Sam Hewitt

  • LOCAL LOCO TRIALS: 1931 style

    LOCAL LOCO TRIALS: 1931 style

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    In this month’s Practice & Performance, John Heaton FCILT recalls loco trials undertaken by the LMS to assess locomotive coal consumption in a bid to discover whether trains of lower overall weight could cut costs on lesser used lines.  Any casual lineside observers on September 9, 1931 at Chellaston (some four miles from Derby on…

  • Cohen’s: A Northamptonshire railway graveyard

    Cohen’s: A Northamptonshire railway graveyard

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    The volume looks at one of the scrapyards which, sadly, locomotives did not get away to start a new life.

  • ‘I thoroughly enjoyed it’ says last-minute Talisman Railwayana stand-in

    ‘I thoroughly enjoyed it’ says last-minute Talisman Railwayana stand-in

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    Sandra Phipps delivered the goods at Talisman Railwayana’s November 24 auction at Newark.

  • Two weeks on and the tills ring at Stoneleigh

    Two weeks on and the tills ring at Stoneleigh

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    Just two weeks after GW Railwayana achieved a world record £64,500 for a nameplate from LNER No. 60103 Flying Scotsman, as reported in last month’s issue, the tills were also ringing at Great Central’s December 1 sale at Stoneleigh Park, with the top five realisations achieving a combined £142,200 before the addition of buyer’s premium.…

  • Class 47 No. 47712 set for main line return

    Class 47 No. 47712 set for main line return

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    Crewe Diesel Preservation Group has announced that its Brush-built Type 4 is to return to the main line as part of an 18-month agreement with Locomotive Services Limited. In a statement, CDPG said: “This is a safeguarded deal whereby No. 47712 will complement LSL’s existing fleet of Class 47s on fill-in work. This will include…

  • The lady is not for turning

    The lady is not for turning

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    By Brian Sharpe In December 2017, the Railway Touring Company ran its usual series of steam tours to York during the festive season. A major selling point was the use of two Class 8 Pacifics – LMS Princess Coronation No. 46233 Duchess of Sutherland and LNER A4 No. 60009 Union of South Africa; one in…

  • Mayflower: March target

    Mayflower: March target

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    By Cedric Johns THOUGHTS of B1 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower returning south for Steam Dreams’ duties in December were dashed following its second main line (loaded) proving run around the West Coast Railways circuit on December 6. The 4-6-0 is still at Carnforth receiving mechanical adjustments to problems thrown up during the locomotive’s second run.…

  • Clan Line hauls Royal Train and  Pacific’s 70th birthday marked

    Clan Line hauls Royal Train and Pacific’s 70th birthday marked

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    By Don Benn December was an unexpectedly special month for Clan Line – for it hauled the Royal Train, in addition to the owning group, the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society (MNLPS) celebrating the locomotive’s 70th birthday of its release into traffic on December 23, 1948. During November, the society received a special request for…

  • Reasons why The Great Bear failed

    Reasons why The Great Bear failed

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    I note the plaintive appeal from D Martin in Platform, issue 248, for the reincarnation of The Great Bear. This is not the first time this sentiment has been aired in the pages of Heritage Railway. The fact of the matter is the designer G J Churchward, the world’s foremost designer of his age, saw…

  • Norman Preedy: – a real character  and a local legend

    Norman Preedy: – a real character and a local legend

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    With reference to Geoff Courtney’s obituary of Norman Preedy in the last issue, may I add my thoughts on someone who was a great friend and a superb and enthusiastic railway photographer. Norman was a real character and quite a local legend held in the highest esteem. Having been born in Newton Abbot in the…

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