Marcus' Model Railway Journey

30th April, 2026

Ruislip Lido Railway unveils special guest locomotive​

Tony - mid overhaul


This May Bank Holiday, the Ruislip Lido Railway is hosting an exciting gala on the Sunday and Monday.

The railway has already announced two visiting locomotives, Victoria from the Statfold Barn Railway & Museum at Tamworth in Staffordshire, and Christopher from the Littlehampton Miniature Railway in West Sussex.

They have now announced that ‘Tony’ will be visiting for the gala as part of a collaboration between RLR, Fairbourne Railway, and Littlehampton Miniature Railway, as the locomotive approaches the final stages of its rebuild.

‘Tony’ will not be running; however, it is a brilliant opportunity to see its extensive overhaul works that have been underway.


The locomotive will be out on display for the gala in their workshop yard for visitors to get a closer look at and learn more about the process.

This appearance marks the first time that the locomotive has been available for public viewing in around 10 years.

Visit RLR’s website for more information on the restoration of Tony and for tickets for the gala.

30th April, 2026

New Tyne and Wear Metro vehicle given name in tribute to music superstar​

'Ariana Grinder' on the Tyne and Wear Metro network


The Tyne and Wear Metro’s newest rail maintenance vehicle has been named Ariana Grinder, in a playful nod to musician Ariana Grande, following an internal competition by Nexus.

The grinder is a road and rail going vehicle (RRV) that will be set to work across the Metro’s 77km network, grinding the top of the rails to remove defects and restore the rail after wear and tear.

This extends the service life of both the rails and train wheels, while helping to deliver smoother journeys for customers.

‘Ariana Grinder’ on the Tyne and Wear Metro network


The specialised machine is manufactured by Möser Maschinenbau GmbH, a German company that has produced rail-processing equipment since the 1990s.

Rail grinders are widely used across mainline railways, light rail, tramways, metros and industrial tracks.

Ariana Grinder is part of a modernisation in maintenance capability within the Tyne and Wear Metro, supporting reliability and performance across the network.


“The RRV allows us to get through a greater volume of rail profiling work. It’s a task that happens when the Metro system is closed to the public, so they don’t often get to see it.

“The grinder is capable of driving along the tracks, where it deploys a spindle which grinds the top of the rails. This makes it nice and smooth, eradicating any tiny imperfections in the steel.

“We have given it a first run out during our recent major renewal programme in South Tyneside and it went really well. We are already looking forward to using it on other parts of the Metro system. It’s a great investment in rail maintenance technology.”

Stuart Clarke, Infrastructure Director at Nexus.