Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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25th October, 2025

New partnership for the Snowdon Mountain Railway​

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Vennersys Partners with Snowdon Mountain Railway


Vennersys has taken a step forward in its expansion into the heritage railway sector by partnering with one of the country’s most iconic railways, the Snowdon Mountain Railway in Caernarfonshire, Wales.

The 4.5-mile mountain railway, which carries 140,000 passengers annually, has chosen Vennersys, a company specialising in visitor management software, to help prepare the tourist attraction and the Hafod Eryri summit visitor centre for the future.
 
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Hafod Eryri summit visitor centre


The software that is to be implemented across the line, VenposCloud Visitor Management System, will bring all existing information relating to bookings, seating, catering, gift shop sales, etc., onto one overall platform.

This will allow online ticketing and allocated seating on both steam and diesel services, while other areas of the railway will also be able to access VenposCloud.


Overall, this will increase the operational efficiency of the railway and will put the line in a favourable position to add product flexibility and connect to other travel agents using the same cloud platform, including other historic sites across the UK.
 
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Snowdon Mountain Railway No. 2 Enid


Vennersys see this partnership as a milestone achievement, which shows their growth and the strength of their VenposCloud platform.

In addition, the data collected will enable the mountain railway to gain a clearer and more accurate understanding of bookings and on-the-day passenger numbers, allowing them to provide a more personalised and smoother experience for visitors.


“We were looking for a modern and scalable solution that could unify all areas of our operation, from ticketing and retail to marketing and reporting, focused on delivering a better experience for our customers. Vennersys stood out not only for the strength of their technology but also for their commitment to understanding our needs and ensuring the system supports our long-term vision.”

Kristian Johnson, General Manager at Snowdon Mountain Railway


“Partnering with Snowdon Mountain Railway is a real milestone for us. It’s an attraction with global recognition and a rich heritage, and we’re excited that our VenposCloud system will play a role in shaping its future. This partnership underlines our ability to support some of the most complex and high-profile sites in the UK, ensuring they can focus on delivering exceptional experiences to their visitors.”

Kristian Johnson, General Manager at Snowdon Mountain Railway
 
Monday 27 Oct 2025

Marcus, Cleo And Neo Have A Birthday Adventure in Cardiff

Today is Neo's Birthday, so we took him into Cardiff for some drinks and a meal.

He opened his cards in the morning and messed around with the present we had bought him.

After arriving in Cardiff our first booze stop was 'Be At One' and we drank a few Cocktails.

We sank a few Singapore Slings, Cuban Zombies, Raspberry Berets and Voodoo Monkeys.

After eating at the 'Global Buffet' we then went onto 'The Head of Steam' and had a couple of pints.

Then it was the bus home.


The bus into Cardiff was Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd No. 261, ADL Enviro200, CN64 FWJ
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Monday 27 Oct 2025

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£1.4m upgrade complete: Conwy Valley line reopens after major resilience work​

Region & Route: Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

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Conwy Valley line deveg. Oct2 025


Train services are running again on the Conwy Valley line after a £1.4 million programme to make the railway more reliable during extreme weather.

The line between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llandudno Junction reopened to passengers on Monday 27 October, following four weeks of intensive work by Network Rail engineers and specialist contractors.

Over the past month, teams have been hard at work across the scenic valley - removing high-risk trees and clearing 600,000m² of vegetation along 54 miles of track.

This vital work will help prevent fallen trees from blocking the line during future storms.
 
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Conwy Valley line gel application to railhead


Engineers have also created a new safe walkway for railway workers and carried out safety and infrastructure upgrades to bring the route up to modern standards.

For the first time in Wales, Network Rail trialled a new rail treatment on the Conwy Valley line using a road to rail vehicle to apply a gel solution to the rails, developed with Interflon and Irish Rail.

The coating breaks down leaf contamination, stays effective for up to seven days, and reactivates with rain - improving rail conditions where traditional treatment trains can’t operate.
 
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Conwy Valley line deveg Oct2025 - Bettws station


The Conwy Valley line is one of the most picturesque in Wales, but also one of the most weather-exposed.

In the past decade, storms have forced the line to close for more than 500 days - disrupting passengers and the transportation of freight goods.

This latest investment is part of a wider programme by Network Rail and Transport for Wales to future-proof the railway against the effects of climate change and deliver a more dependable service for people living, working, and visiting North Wales.
 
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Nick Millington, route director at Network Rail Wales & Borders, said, “We’re extremely pleased to have completed this major piece of resilience work and reopened the Conwy Valley line to passengers on time.

“These improvements will make a real difference to the reliability of services during the autumn and winter months, protecting the line from future storm damage and keeping communities connected across North Wales.”
 
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Conwy Valley line week 1


Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at Transport for Wales said, “We’d like to thank passengers and local residents for their patience while this essential work was carried out.

“The Conwy Valley line is a vital link for the communities of Conwy, and this investment means it’s now for better prepared to withstand the challenges of severe weather in the years ahead.”
 
28th October, 2025

Farewell to steam locomotive 778 as Halloween trains end season on a high for Leighton Buzzard Railway​

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778 at Pages Park


The Leighton Buzzard Railway say that their Halloween trains this year saw the highest passenger numbers since the COVID pandemic.

After a Halloween Season Finale on Sunday, there are still two half-term days left to ride the full line this year with all the Halloween decorations, Thursday 30th and Friday 31st October.

Two trains were in service on Sunday, one train was hauled by a pair of vertical boiler locomotives, De Winton 0-4-0BTs Taffy, which was visiting thanks to Alan Keef Ltd, and LBR-based Chaloner.

The other train was Baldwin No. 778, which was making its final appearance in steam before overhaul as its boiler ticket expires on the 30th November.
 
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De Winton locos at Pages Park


The locomotive is based at the Leighton Buzzard Railway but is owned by The Greensand Railway Museum.

The locomotive will now be withdrawn from service for its second 10-year overhaul.


“We aim to ensure the overhaul of No. 778 is undertaken as rapidly as possible. The Leighton Buzzard Railway, a line built with WW1 surplus equipment and opened in 1919 with its extensive collection of WW1 era locomotives and stock is the perfect home for No. 778 and doubtless will remain so into the foreseeable future. This loco has been pulling LBR trains since 2007 and the trustees hope the required overhaul can be completed as quickly as possible to enable that to resume.

Greensand Railway Museum Trust chairman, Cliff Thomas
 
28th October, 2025

Second consultation opens into new Newton-Le-Willows freight terminal​

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GB Railfreight inter-modal freight service


A second session of consultations on plans to build a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) terminal at Newton-Le-Willows has opened to the public.

The proposed plans will see Intermodal Logistics Park North Ltd (ILPN Ltd), a company under the ownership of Tritax Big Box REIT, build a freight interchange terminal on land next to Newton-Le-Willows.

The site chosen to build the Intermodal Logistics Park North Rail Freight Interchange (ILPN RFI) is ideally situated between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester.

It also has the benefits of easy access by rail and road transport.

Trains can easily access the terminal from the West Coast Main Line and the TransPennine route, while Junction 22 on the M6 and M6/M62 interchange are also very close to the proposed site.
 
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Draft Components Plan for the ILPN RFI


Following feedback from the first round of consultations, which took place earlier this year, the plans have been amended and once again open to public consultation from Tuesday, 28th October to Tuesday, 23rd December 2025.

During the consolation period, four in-person events will be held in the run-up to the deadline day. These will be:
  • Saturday 15th November 2025 at the Newton Community Centre, 10 am – 2 pm
  • Friday 21st November 2025 at the Winick Leisure Centre, 2 pm – 7 pm
  • Saturday 22nd November 2025 at the Newchurch Parish Hall, 10 am – 2 pm
  • Saturday 29th November 2025 at the Church Lane Community Centre, 10 am – 2 pm
There will also be an online webinar on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025, from 6:30 pm – 8 pm.

Anyone wishing to attend the session will have to register through the project website, TriTax Big Box.

Members of the public will have until one minute to midnight on Tuesday, 23 December 2025, to submit their feedback to the proposals.

More information about the project and to find out how to submit feedback on the project can be found at: https://www.tritaxbigbox.co.uk/our-spaces/intermodal-logistics-park-north/


“These proposals include an allocated site and will be instrumental in connecting the North West to global markets. As part of Liverpool City Region’s Freeport, this development can unlock significant investment and create thousands of jobs, while delivering both economic and environmental freight solutions for the region. We are committed to working with our partners and the local community to ensure these benefits are fully realised.”

Andrew Dickman, Chairman at Tritax Big Box Developments
 
28th October, 2025

West Midlands Train Given New Name​

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The Stourbridge Lion


West Midlands Railway held a community competition to name a train running on one of the world’s shortest branch lines.

The train has been named “The Stourbridge Lion”, which commemorates an early steam locomotive built in 1829.

It joins another shuttle named ‘George The Station Cat’ earlier this year.

The Stourbridge Lion nameplate was given to unit 139001 earlier this month.


“We are proud to be at the heart of our communities and this new name for our popular Stourbridge Shuttle reflects the long-standing connection between the Black Country and the railway. We’re almost coming to the end of Railway 200, a year-long celebration of two centuries of the modern railway, so we felt this name suggestion was a particularly timely reminder of Stourbridge’s industrial history.”

Jonny Wiseman, WMR customer experience director
 
Wednesday 29 Oct 2025

Marcus & Cleo Have Another Bus Adventure into Cardiff

We first popped into 'The Great Western' for a couple of drinks.

Then we went to my model railway shop, sadly nothing to buy today.

Cleo treated herself to a shopping spree and bought three silver rings, some nail varnish and a new coat.

Then onto 'The Central Bar' for a few drinks and something to eat, Cleo had a pizza and I ate 15 chicken wings.

I had a few pints of 'Dark Fruits Porter'.

Then it was the bus home.


The bus into Cardiff was Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd No. 545, ADL Enviro200, CN17 EYR
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