West Coast Railways

  • ‘Lizzie’ back on main line after repairs at Carnforth

    ‘Lizzie’ back on main line after repairs at Carnforth

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    STANIER Pacific No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth made its main line charter comeback on April 30 with a West Coast Railways ‘Dalesman’ outing over the Settle to Carlisle (S&C) line .  Out of action since November 2016, the LMS 4-6-2 made two test runs from Carnforth to Hellifield on March 14 and 28, the latter being…

  • ‘K1’ joins Stanier pair for ‘Jacobite’ summer season

    ‘K1’ joins Stanier pair for ‘Jacobite’ summer season

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    APRIL 19 saw the start of the 2019 operating season for West Coast Railways’ ‘Jacobite’ trains.  Two of Ian Riley’s Stanier ‘Black Five’ 4-6-0s moved north from Carnforth to Fort William on April 16, with No. 45407 having the honour of hauling the first train three days later.  No. 45212 is the other ex-LMS 4-6-0 allocated…

  • BLS charity tour to explore Yorkshire freight lines with Colas and WCRC ’37s’

    BLS charity tour to explore Yorkshire freight lines with Colas and WCRC ’37s’

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    No fewer than four rarely visited freight installations in Yorkshire will be explored by the Branch Line Society on July 20.

  • ‘Lizzie’ returns to main line following Carnforth boiler repairs

    ‘Lizzie’ returns to main line following Carnforth boiler repairs

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    Stanier ‘Princess Royal’ Pacific No. 6201 Princess Elizabeth is back and ready for a return to main line duties.

  • Bahamas returns in style

    Bahamas returns in style

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    IT WAS a close-run thing, but ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 No. 45596 Bahamas made a triumphant return to the main line on February 9.  The immaculate Stanier ‘5XP’ passed a late trial to ensure its new and overhauled equipment was in full working order, and then worked through from Oxenhope on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR)…

  • Major improvements at Dawlish to reduce sea wall disruption

    Major improvements at Dawlish to reduce sea wall disruption

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    Network Rail has spent months compiling a detailed report on the options for the future of the famous sea wall railway at Dawlish.

  • 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.…

  • Main line comeback for Thompson ‘B1’ Mayflower

    Main line comeback for Thompson ‘B1’ Mayflower

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    THOMPSON ‘B1’ No. 61306 Mayflower is back! Overhaul of David Buck’s 4-6-0 was completed at the West Coast Railways workshop at Carnforth in November, and on the 29th the loco underwent an engine-and-coach main line test run from Carnforth to Barrow-in-Furness and back. A loaded test run followed over the Carnforth-Hellifield-Preston circuit on December 6, during…

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