News, features and stunning images - written by journalists who remember steam.
Features
38 Steam’s Olympic sprint
Heritage railways across Britain have played a major part on the Olympic Torch relay. However, the highlight came when the flame was carried on board a special train behind LMS 4-6-0 No. 46115 Scots Guardsman from the National Railway Museum in York to Thirsk, reports Phil Marsh and Robin Jones.
42 Get off your armchair!
Photographing steam trains in Britain today can be a battle – against the weather, operating problems, late running and much more, and that is for photographers who are fully fit. Alan Weaver has also had to contend with mobility problems in recent years but presents a selection of pictures where he has battled against all the odds and succeeded.
48 Reinventing the inventor
Richard Trevithick is acknowledged as the inventor of the railway locomotive, but there are those who believe his achievements have been unfairly, or deliberately, played down in favour of other steam pioneers, and his status today accordingly is far less than it should be. Robin Jones visits Cornwall’s mining landscapes World Heritage Site and looks at the huge wealth of railway and industrial relics still to be found, and asks is it time for a major revaluation of Trevithick as one of the greatest British heroes of all time, giving a major boost to the duchy’s tourist market.
66 200 years of steam!
The Middleton Railway in Leeds has valid claims to be Britain’s oldest railway and its first standard gauge preserved railway. In June, it celebrated another anniversary – 200 years of commercial steam power. Brian Sharpe reports.
68 Main line steam – NOT!
Industrial locomotives tended to be ignored while steam remained on the main line, but many survived into preservation. Coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the world’s first commercial steam at the Middleton Railway, John Scholes looks at what was still in industrial service in the late 1960s.
76 Clan Line to Exeter again
The South Western main line beyond Salisbury saw steam again in May, and it was quite a performance from Merchant Navy Pacific No. 35028 Clan Line, as witnessed by Don Benn.
82 East Broad Top – the end?
The sad news was carried in issue 164 that one of North America’s most iconic preserved railways has announced that it will not be operating for the 2012 season. David Rodgers reports on the closure of the last original narrow gauge line east of the Rocky Mountains.
86 Impressions of the London Transport Museum
The London Transport Museum at Covent Garden, which is behind next year’s planned Metropolitan Railway 150th anniversary celebrations with steam returning to the Underground’s tunnels, is a success story that so very nearly didn’t happen, as John Titlow reports.
Regulars
6 Headline News
National Railway Museum director Steve Davies outlines the story of the repatriation of the two Gresley streamlined A4s from North America; the NRM now hopes Flying Scotsman will be ready by the end of the year, plus three more classic British steam engines are now on their way home after half a century in Canada.
10 News
GWR steam railmotor wins permission to run on Network Rail; Schools class Cheltenham to visit Great Central; Weardale Railway accountant locked up for fraud; Diamond Jubilee steam report; Manchester City nameplate to be auctioned; North Yorkshire Moors Railway plans second platform for Whitby; Vale of Rheidol running again after flood washout; green Duchess storms over Shap; and five engines to steam at big Threlkeld quarry gala.
37 Railwayana
Geoff Courtney reports on the latest prices from the auction scene and previews what is coming up for sale.
54 Centre
The Titfield Thunderbolt 60th anniversary recreation on the North Norfolk Railway takes centre stage this month.
56 Main Line News Compiled by Cedric Johns
Resignation of Steve Underhill, Pathfinder reducing steam involvement, Duke stands in for failed A1 and Weymouth summer steam boom.
63 Main Line Itinerary
Brian Sharpe’s definitive guide to steam and heritage modern traction tours.
79 Platform
The pages where it’s your views which matter most. Wartime weekend controversy, restoring BR’s penultimate steam engine and more Starlight Special memories.
90 Off the Shelf
Latest book and DVD releases.
92 Scale Heritage Railway
The diamond jubilee is marked by Hornby’s release of Princess Elizabeth and Britannia, plus a special edition streamlined Duchess of Hamilton, and Bachmann’s V2 goes digital.
96 Up & Running
Brian Sharpe’s complete listing of museums and operational heritage lines.
101 Morgan
The HRA chairman visits Indonesia.
106 Next month
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