GWR
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Uninspiring train liveries
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Seeing the photo of the new EMR livery on the front of the September issue highlights what to me is a retrograde step – I think this new scheme is most uninspiring. I have always thought that the old livery, predominantly white with red and blue trim, was rather smart and stylish, and always kept…
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Four panniers and ‘Foxcote’ farewell for WSR’s country railway event
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THE West Somerset Railway’s (WSR) Autumn Steam Gala will take place just days after this issue of The RM goes on sale, with a no fewer than four GWR Collett panniers taking centre stage. Three of the ever-popular 0-6-0PTs will be visiting the railway for the October 3-6 A Country Railway-themed event, including one-time resident…
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Mogul and ‘Wells’ join the ‘Q’ at Severn Valley autumn spectacular
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A DISTINCT Southern Region atmosphere surrounded the Severn Valley Railway’s (SVR) Autumn Steam Gala on September 19-22, with five of the participating locomotives having a BR(S) pedigree. East Lancashire Railway Bulleid ‘West County’ No. 34092 City of Wells was surprisingly making its first visit to SVR metals. The air-smoothed Pacific proved to be a popular draw,…
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Dinmore Manor makes it a Western 4-6-0 pair for Battlefield Line’s October gala
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LEICESTERSHIRE’S Battlefield Line has further cemented its reputation as an unofficial GWR outpost by securing a return visit from No. 7820 Dinmore Manor for its 50th anniversary gala on October 18-20. The ‘Manor’ becomes the second Western 4-6-0 confirmed for the event, joining ‘Modified Hall’ No. 6989 Wightwick Hall on its first post-restoration visit away…
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The shocking state of trackside vegetation in public areas
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I AM constantly depressed by the lack of vegetation control on our national network, as highlighted in your Readers’ Platform this month (RM August). On a recent visit to St Mary’s crossing near Stroud I was shocked by just how bad things have got. Not only were there weeds growing between the track but small shrubs…
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Heathrow Express Class 387s external livery revealed
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THE first units of a fleet of Class 387s that will take over Heathrow Express services by December have been returned from Bombardier Ilford with a new external livery. GWR is taking over responsibility for the 15-minute frequency operations, and the current Class 332s, now more than 20 years old and not fitted with TPWS,…
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GWR gives ‘Castle’ names to its HST power cars… and revives Class 255 designation
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GWR has unveiled a series of new cast nameplates with ‘Castle’ names that will be applied to its HST power cars. The HST power cars are used on the shortened 2+4 formations, which run between Bristol and Penzance. The plates are of a new design and feature the outline of a 2+4 HST set as…
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Great Western railcar progresses at KESR
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GWR diesel railcar No. W20W is receiving a thorough overhaul at Tenterden on the Kent & East Sussex Railway (KESR). No. 20 was built at Swindon in 1940, withdrawn in 1962, and after four years of storage was bought by the KESR. It arrived by rail as an ‘out-of-gauge load’ in April 1966. Years of restoration followed,…
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Cardiff electrics pushed back to January
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RESCHEDULED engineering and testing work in South Wales means electric operation to Cardiff will not now start until January 2020. The December 2019 timetable will see a typical journey time saving of 14 minutes between Cardiff and London Paddington, but the final 10-mile section of 25kV equipment between Newport and the Welsh capital will not be ready in…
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Dartmouth’s Goliath regains its boiler at Cranmore works
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OVERHAUL of the Dartmouth Steam Railway’s GWR 2-8-0T No. 5239 Goliath by the East Somerset Railway reached a key stage on July 23 when the loco’s No. 4 boiler was reunited with the frames. Re-tubing of the boiler was completed at the end of May and, following a successful hydraulic test on June 14, it…
