Returning and News Update

Hello readers of Loco Yard! After a few weeks in the USA, touring the West Coast of the country, and visiting many of the heritage railroads of Nevada and California, I am now back in the UK. As with last time, I will be sharing videos and pictures of my adventure in the USA, so…

GWSR Cotswold Festival of Steam “Swindon Built”

This coming weekend May 28th-30th is the GWSR’s annual Cotswold Festival of Steam, This year with the theme “Swindon built” to celebrate 175 years since the GWR’s Swindon workshops opened. 8 locos will be in steam for the event operating an intensive service, including steam runs to Laverton over Stanway Viaduct (not usually possible any…

35006 P&O back in business!

Yesterday, on Monday 16th May 2016 35006 P&O made her triumphant return to steam after over 30 years of painstaking restoration by volunteers at Toddington on the GWSR. Thanks to the generosity (and slight disorganisation 😉 ) of my co-bloggers (thanks again chaps!), I went along to the shareholders’ and supporters’ launch ceremony. When I…

Isle of Man Steam Railway

A great look at the Isle of Man Steam Railway    Gosh! It came as a surprise to me to find it was 23 years ago we went to the Isle of Man. It was 1993 so we took a couple of teenaged children there. And we spent time on railways! The Isle of Man…

Canadian Pacific Video!

The Watercress Line’s flagship steam locomotive, Merchant Navy class no. 35005 Canadian Pacific, is currently undergoing a full overhaul at Eastleigh works.  Although the railway has been awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant, they still need to raise a further £200,000.  Please help return CanPac to working order. Go to http://www.watercresslinepayments.co.uk/product.php/15/no__35005_canadian_pacific to donate and http://www.watercressline.co.uk/canpac to keep up…

Flying Scotsman Steams!

On 21st December 2015, the world’s most famous steam locomotive steamed for the first time since the overhaul commenced and almost exactly ten years since its last excursion hauling the ‘Christmas Lunch Excursion’ run by Vintage Trains on 17 December 2005. There is some work still left to complete ahead of the loco making its first…

Bigjigs Heritage Collection Sir Archibald Sinclair review

Good evening, Following the popularity of my first review looking at the Black 5, Bigjigs have kindly sent me another loco to review and its no great surprise that I went for the ranges only Bulleid locomotive – the Bluebell Railway’s 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair. Class: Rebuilt West Country / Battle of Britain class Use: Express Passenger and…

Bigjigs Heritage Collection Black 5 review

Tonight we are looking at something rather different and another first for LocoYard in the form of a wooden train review and not just any wooden train; the Mid-Hants own Black 5 45379.Class: Stanier Black 5 (5MT) Use: Mixed Traffic Region: Midland/Scotland Era: 1934-1968 Preserved examples: 4767 (BR 44767) George Stephenson – North Yorkshire Moors Railway 4806…

UK Heritage Hub Issue 58 ready to download!

The brand new UKHH E-zine (Issue 58) has been released today, 13th August, and is ready to download and read at your leisure. To find the magazine follow the link – ukheritagehub.co.uk/ UKHH58 It works on smart phones and tablets too, so you’ll be able to read on the go! Our thanks to everyone, whom continues to contribute…