The Railway Magazine

  • 45305 returns for GCR’s Last Hurrah

    45305 returns for GCR’s Last Hurrah

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    WORKSHOP staff and 5305 Locomotive Association (5305LA) volunteers put in a sterling effort to ensure the group’s flagship locomotive – ‘Black Five’ No. 45305 Alderman E Draper – was fit to run at the Great Central Railway’s Last Hurrah weekend on November 17-18 following the completion of its overhaul. The annual event is an opportunity…

  • Beautiful Bo’ness blues as ‘Caley’ duo unite for gala

    Beautiful Bo’ness blues as ‘Caley’ duo unite for gala

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    PRESERVATION history was made at the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway (BKR) in early November when two of only three preserved Caledonian Railway locomotives were united for the first time in steam and on a complete ‘Caley’ train. The BKR’s Caledonian Reunion gala on November 2-4 provided the perfect welcome for its freshly overhauled John F…

  • Hagley Hall’s wheels return to Severn Valley workshop

    Hagley Hall’s wheels return to Severn Valley workshop

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    OVERHAUL of Severn Valley Railway-based ‘Hall’ No. 4930 Hagley Hall picked up the pace again at the end of October with the return of the wheelsets from Buckfastleigh. All three coupled wheelsets and both bogie sets were sent to South Devon Railway Engineering in July for assessment and tyre turning. They returned to Bridgnorth on October…

  • Llangollen Railway works last train to temporary Corwen East terminus

    Llangollen Railway works last train to temporary Corwen East terminus

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    SERVICES into the Llangollen Railway’s temporary western terminus at Corwen East came to an end on November 4 as the railway prepares for the opening of the new station at Corwen Central next year. The final train to depart Corwen East was the 15.50 to Llangollen hauled by ‘2884’ 2-8-0 No. 3802, which carried a special…

  • Overhaul beckons for GWS pioneer No. 1466

    Overhaul beckons for GWS pioneer No. 1466

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    DIDCOT Railway Centre’s Black Saint Weekend provided a final opportunity to see the Great Western Society’s (GWS) pioneer locomotive – ‘14XX’ 0-4-2T No. 1466 – on site before its departure for a £300,000 overhaul. The former Newton Abbot ‘auto tank’ provided the foundation stone for all future GWS activities when, in April 1964, it became the…

  • FLYING SCOTSMAN Print

    FLYING SCOTSMAN Print

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    There are many superb images of Flying Scotsman, be they watercolours, photographs or models, but this one is special. Painted in 1975 by renowned artist David Weston, it was presented as a gift to Bruce Lounds, a friend of David’s, and has been kept out of public view for years until now. A stunning painting,…

  • Grouping Britain’s Railways: Creating the ‘Big Four’ in 1923

    Grouping Britain’s Railways: Creating the ‘Big Four’ in 1923

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    By A J Mullay DESPITE being one of the most significant events in the history of Britain’s railways, surprisingly little has been written about the circumstances that led to the Grouping of 1923, creating the ‘Big Four’ regional giants. In this fascinating new book, A J Mullay draws together a wide range of contemporary sources,…

  • Siemens to build fleet of Underground trains

    Siemens to build fleet of Underground trains

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    Siemens was awarded the contract in June, but it was put on hold following a legal challenge by Bombardier, Hitachi and Alstom.

  • Converted Class 769s set for Northern debut in New Year

    Converted Class 769s set for Northern debut in New Year

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    TESTING of Class 769 ‘Flex’ bi-mode trains converted from former Thameslink Class 319s has now reached an advanced stage, with production of sets for Northern, Transport for Wales and GWR set to ramp up over the coming months. The two pre-production sets – Nos. 769434 and 769456 – have been undergoing dynamic testing at the Great Central…

  • Railways mark the Armistice centenary

    Railways mark the Armistice centenary

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    TRAIN operators, Network Rail and many others held events in the lead-up to the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War and Remembrance Day on November 11. Some trains were specially named, notably GWR, with its unveiling of IET No. 800306 giving the names of all 2,545 men who worked for the GWR…

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