NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL: A Day At The Races!
Two decades since it was set up, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway has reached Chelteham (Racecourse) - and is already running revenue-earning trains to the races, a first for preservation. Brian Sharpe looks at this major milestone and future plans to extend to Broadway and beyond, and asks if this line could become the greatest heritage era Great
Western Railway of them all!
NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL: A Worsdell J21 in Wensleydale?
Beamish museum has announced plans to restore the sole surviving North Eastern Railway J21 0-6-0 No. 876 not only to running order but to main line standards. Robin Jones talks to the museum's keeper of industry Jim Rees about this trailblazing new project.
CARRIAGE & WAGON NEWS: Will this be preservation's finest train of all?
In Heritage Railway issue 17, we broke the news of the repatriation from the United States of two Pullman cars which had formed part of the funeral train for Sir Winston Churchill in 1965. Now as the refurbishment of Lydia and Isle of Thanet nears completion at the West Coast Railway Company's Carnforth workshops, we gain exclusive access to see what lies in store for future Swanage Railway visitors.
NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL: A line possessed!
Warner Brothers took over the West Highland Extension in late February to shoot more scenes for the next Harry Potter Hollywood blockbuster. However, the unexpected happened when a lineside fire caused by a stray spark led to a real-life drama every bit as gripping as a scene from the movie, as Robin Jones witnessed!
NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL: Winter warmer!
The first few weeks of each new year are habitually a bleak time for the railway photographer. Not so at the Ffestiniog Railway on February 22/23, where the 'Winter Warmer' weekend produced some sensational scenes.
THE PRIDE OF CREWE!
Keith Langston reports on the restoration of Crewe-built Br Standard 9F No. 92134 which is set to make its first appearance at the forthcoming Crewe Works open weekend - as a rolling chassis.
THE CHANGEOVER YEARS: Minehead's place in Mersey folklore!
In the wake of the Beeching Axe, there were many branch lines which experienced the full transition from steam to diesel and the accompanying rationalisation, even though they were doomed for closure. One of them was the Taunton-Minehead branch, which nonetheless had its own special contribution to make to the Swinging Sixties, with the aid of the Fab Four, as Robin Jones recounts.
HEADLINE NEWS
LNER K4 The Great Marquess to stay at Severn Valley Railway after purchase by John Cameron; Bluebell hits purchase target for museum site within weeks; Lottery gives £682K for Talyllyn museum; Duchess of Sutherland to 'replay' Royal Train at big Crewe Works open weekend and man in court for Teifi Valley Railway's blaze.
NEWS
First pictures of the Llangollen Railway's new 2-6-2T in action; council approves Mid-Suffolk extension; Somerset & Dorset company sells up to go main line; Paul McDonald in Swanage quit shock; Baltimore cancels Iron Horse 175 festival; steam freight back on Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway with real timber train; B1 Mayflower joins Doncaster LNER line-up: Class 306 designated for preservation; Southall group in fresh crisis over quit; action from the big Heritage Railway Severn Valley gala, L&Y 'Pug’ at Goole docks charter and Ivatt visit to Bluebell Railway...and much, much more!
PRIZE COMPETITION
Win a Hornby Flying Scotsman train set and John Crawley's Great Northern Railway book!
NEW GENERATION LINES
Wirksworth acquires a complete Gatwick Express set and Oswestry 'outcast' starts building his own railway nearby!
SHOWCASE
Brian Dean's spectacular shot of GWR 4-6-0 No. 5029 Nunney Castle heading along the Devon seawall.
MAIN LINE NEWS compiled by Cedric Johns
Four-day main line charter planned for West Highland Line in October; Ivatt 2-6-2T and Bradley Manor may head August 'Dawlish Donkey'; Green Arrow in three hours wait at King's Cross are among the stories in this month's definitive news round-up.
MAIN LINE TOUR ITINERARY
Our guide to steam and diesel tours.
PLATFORM
Britain's liveliest preservation postbag!
DAVID MORGAN - the man you can't ignore.
Conflicts with cyclepath developer Sustrans.
RAILWAYANA
Colin Tyson reports from Kidlington.
OFF THE SHELF
The latest book and video releases.
SCALE HERITAGE RAILWAY
Paul Appleton reviews new pre-nationalisation releases from Hornby.
YOUNGER VIEW:
The Spa-rtan Squad
Gareth Evans meets Spa Valley volunteers.
INDUSTRIAL SCENE
Leighton buzzard 95th anniversary day.
UP AND RUNNING
Brian Sharpe's alphabetical listing of all standard, narrow and minimum gauge lines.
HERITAGE NET
A fresh looks at Lynton & Barnstaple websites.