News
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Daylight testing for TransPennine Express’s new train fleets
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TESTING of three types of new trains for the TransPennine Express franchise are being stepped up, with the new ‘Nova 1’ (Class 802) and ‘Nova 2’ (Class 397) now being seen making daylight runs. Nova is the train name adopted by TPE for its new fleet. The 125mph Class 397 ‘Civity’ EMU has been built…
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Steam-hauled overnight tour from Melbourne in the pipeline
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AN AMBITIOUS four-day, 1,500km steam tour is planned for June, including sleeping cars and overnight steam-hauled travel. The main tour loco will be North British-built Pacific R707 (1951/26997), constructed for Victorian Railways. The train will start from Melbourne and visit Echuca, Deniliquin, Swan Hill and Piangil between June 7 and 10. For more, email: [email protected]…
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EMUs in Queensland built by Bombardier… in India!
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QUEENSLAND Rail is over half way through the roll out of a new EMU fleet, after first introducing the train in December 2017. Unlike all previous EMU fleets in Queensland this one is not being built in Australia, but instead is being built by Bombardier in India. The trains are being assembled in Savli, Gujarat,…
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Oil instead of coal for Puffing Billy Railway
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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…
