How many diesel locomotives be given the title of honorary steam engine? The steam era GWR diesel railcars are usually included and early pioneering prototypes that could produce so much clag that they could be confused with smoke from a coal fire! For me (and this is definitely only a personal opinion!) some of the…
Next Weekend on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May 2015 Four Marks & Ropley Scout Group are holding their 11th Annual Model Railway Exhibition. In 2012 I visited this small but very friendly model railway exhibition (click here to read more.) As usual, on Sunday it coincides with the Watercress Festival in Alresford and so…
In the late 1960’s steam power was being obliterated in the UK. The iron king that had powered the industrial revolution and changed the world was at the end of its reign. As steam locomotives were being withdrawn and scrapped, something unusual was happening. A new 2-8-2 steam engine was being built…
The GWSR’s annual Cotswold Festival of Steam has once again chosen an imaginative theme going with Speed to the West, with guest locos representing classes who pulled the heavy holiday express trains at the height of rail travel Headlining the event will be two of Bulleid’s light pacifics, 34007 ‘Wadebridge’ courtesy of the Mid-Hants Railway…
Good evening, It’s been a couple of months since I have written a volunteer diary entry on my experiences working on Canadian Pacific but with most of the work focused around cleaning the frames and various components on the locomotive it seemed sensible to hold fire until I have something actually interesting to report. The big…
Ask most people they’re favourite blue tank engine and you can expect one answer, Thomas the Tank engine. But after a visit to the Lakeside and Haverwaithe railway, you may have you swayed if you see Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T 1245 in steam.
Bellerophon was a hero of Greek legend, famous for riding Pegasus and slaying the Chimera – a fire breathing beast. Being one of the greatest names of mythology, it comes as no surprise that it has been used for a number of warships. A little more surprisingly though, is that is name of a quirky…
Although today’s blog post is the last of a quartet of heritage railways visited in a little over a week, it certainly is not the least. The Severn Valley Railway deservedly has a reputation as one of the leading lights in the heritage railway world. The line has featured here on this blog before, but…
La’al Ratty in olde Cumbrian dialect means Little Railway and is an affectionate name of the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway. It might be a little railway, but it has a very big heart and was the biggest revelation for me on my recent trip to the Lake District. This 15in gauge railway deserves a lot…
Continuing with the reports from my trip to north west England, today we reveal the mystery blue tank engine! Painted in a colour scheme not too dissimilar to Thomas the tank engine is the rather chunky looking Andrew Barclay 0-6-0T 1245; a member of the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway’s fleet. We will look at it in more…
Loco Yard 