News
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A1 Trust orders TWO new boilers from DB Meiningen
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GERMAN steam locomotive works Dampflokwerk Meiningen has been awarded the contract to construct the new Diagram 118a boiler for new-build LNER ‘P2’ 2-8-2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales. The £1million order by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (A1SLT) covers not only the boiler for the Gresley Mikado, but also a second identical boiler for the trust’s…
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English Electric survivors in Asia
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A HANDFUL of British-built former Malayan Railways Class 22 locos remain in usable condition, but not all in Malaysia. Forty of the metre-gauge locos were ordered in the early 1970s from English Electric and AEI (which by the time they were delivered had become part of GEC). The locos were built by Metro-Cammell in Saltley,…
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300 passengers stranded on HST after landslide causes ‘major incident’
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AROUND 300 passengers became stranded on an East Midlands Trains HST for hours after a diverted train was engulfed in a landslide, and a rescue train sent to assist was stopped by rising flood waters. What turned into a major rescue, involving the emergency services and Network Rail, occurred on June 13 when the Midland…
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Chasewater recalls Littleton Colliery
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THE Chasewater Railway held an event on April 6-7 to mark the 25th anniversary of the closure of Littleton Colliery. The pit was located near Cannock, Staffordshire. It closed on December 3, 1993 and was the last working coal mine in the Cannock Chase Coalfield, thus ending deep mining in Staffordshire. ‘Janus’ 0-6-0DE (Yorkshire 2748 of 1959)…
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NER 1903 railcar enters service at Embsay & Bolton Abbey
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AWARD-winning NER electric Autocar No. 3170 and trailer car No. 3453 are now in regular operation on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, following launch on October 19 (RM Nov, p9). However, on the first day of public operation on April 17, a technical problem occurred and it looked as though the four-train service might have…
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Spa Valley special remembers ‘great friend’ Roy Bell MBE
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THE Spa Valley Railway ran a special train on April 30 in memory of the late Roy Bell MBE, who was a great friend and supporter of the railway. He died in October 2018. Roy was the Southern Region’s last chief signalling engineer. The four-coach ‘Roy Belle’, top-and-tailed by Class 31 No. 31430 Sister Dora and…
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Enhanced diesel loco services on West Somerset
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CLASS 37 No. D6948 arrived at the West Somerset Railway (WSR) on April 29 for a two-month visit. The privately owned loco is in the care of the Growler Group, based at Toddington on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. The blue-route loco is helping with WSR timetable services during the weight restriction period, and worked several days…
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Progress at Tarka Valley on major extension work
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PHASE 1 of the Tarka Valley Railway’s extension at Torrington, North Devon, continues apace. Following installation of the new Strail crossing panels late last year, the permanent way team has completed the pedestrian crossing permitting public access to the Tarka Trail. This was followed by preparing the trackbed and laying the next three panels of…
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Revised plans unveiled to protect sea wall route
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FURTHER proposals to rebuild and re-route the Exeter to Newton Abbot route between Dawlish and Teignmouth have been unveiled by Network Rail. The ambitious plans include extensive works to protect the line from cliff falls and landslips, as well as high seas, around Parsons Tunnel and Holcombe Beach. A 1.8km section of the railway could…
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Spa Valley ‘Crompton’ replaces ‘Deltic’ at North Norfolk gala
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CLASS 33 No. 33063 R.J. Mitchell will visit the North Norfolk Railway’s June 14-16 mixed traction gala in place of Class 55 No. 55009 Alycidon, following its failure while working on the main line on March 3 (RM April, p98). The ‘33’ appears courtesy of the South East Locomotive Group, and is making a rare appearance away…
