Marcus' Model Railway Journey

Just a few shots from my running session.

Click image to enlarge

23rd March 2023



RMT rail operators’ strikes suspended

The RMT has suspended the strikes at 14 train operators in England which it had called for 30 March and 1 April.

The move came last night after the Rail Delivery Group had tabled a new offer which the RMT said ‘could lead to a resolution to resolve the current national rail dispute’.

The union said further talks will now be held.

The suspension of the two 24-hour strikes has followed the ending of the RMT dispute with Network Rail, after its members had voted to accept a new offer.

The possibility of a settlement has been welcomed by the Rail Delivery Group and the Department for Transport.

The DfT said:

‘This marks a positive step and takes us closer to resolving this dispute.

‘After Network Rail employees overwhelmingly voted to accept a similar pay offer earlier this week, we’re once again asking the RMT executive to do the right thing and put this fair and reasonable offer to its members, giving them the pay rise they deserve and helping us end this dispute.’

The RDG added:

‘We are now jointly focused on working constructively towards a settlement to this dispute, which will mean we can do what we have always wanted to do – give our people a pay rise and help secure the long-term future of the railway with rewarding careers for all those who work on it.’

23rd March 2023

ScotRail reveals that more seats and services will be in operation for the Euro 2024 qualifiers​

The extra seating and services will support football fans travelling to Hampden Park to watch Scotland play Cyprus and Spain on the 25th and 28th of March​

ScotRail has confirmed that more services and more seating will be made available for football fans making their way to Hampden Park as Scotland hosts Cyprus and Spain on the following dates:

• Scotland vs Cyprus on Saturday the 25th of March at 2pm.
• Scotland vs Spain on Tuesday the 28th of March at 7.45pm.

The extra train services with increased capacity will operate both to and from Mount Florida which is the closest station to Hampden.

Customers using train services on the 25th and 28th of March are reminded that trains will be busier than usual and it is important to plan travel ahead of making a journey. Passengers are also asked to be patient with ScotRail staff as they aim to get people on board trains safely.

Regular commuters who travel on Neilston services will also find trains a lot busier than usual as fans make their way to the Spain game on Tuesday the 28th of March.

Rail customers will find queuing systems in operation at Glasgow Central prior to both games and also at Mount Florida station following the final whistle on both dates.

ScotRail will have extra staff members available to support customers.

In order to keep queueing to a minimum, customers are advised to purchase return tickets to Mound Florida ahead by using the mTicket system on the ScotRail app. mTicket system allows customers to buy tickets at home or whilst making their way to the station and show up immediately on their mobile device.


Carrying and consuming alcohol on ScotRail trains and at ScotRail stations is prohibited.

Class 385 trains at Glasgow Queen Street Station

Phil Campbell, ScotRail's Head of Customer Operations, said:

“Everyone at ScotRail wishes the Scotland men's national team the best of luck as they begin their qualifying campaign for the European Championships in 2024.

“We're adding more seats to trains between Glasgow Central and Mount Florida to help fans get to and from the matches against Cyprus and Spain at Hampden Park.

“To keep people moving as quickly and safely as possible, customers should plan their journeys in advance and buy their return tickets to Mount Florida before they board.”

23rd March 2023

Steam locomotive to depart Birmingham station this Sunday – when to see it!​

5043 'Earl of Mount Edgcumbe'

Steam locomotive 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe will be back on the mainline this Sunday as it hauls the Shakespeare Express to Stratford-upon-Avon.

The locomotive will be hauling a rake of vintage carriages from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon twice on Sunday 26th March 2023.

The first departure will depart Birmingham Snow Hill at 10:00, and will pass through Birmingham Moor Street (10:03), Tyseley (10:13) and Dorridge at 10:35 before arriving into Stratford-upon-Avon at 11:29.

The return journey will depart Stratford-upon-Avon at 12:49, and will pass through Dorridge (13:15), Tyseley (13:26), Birmingham Moor Street (13:35) and Birmingham Snow Hill (13:40).

The second departure will depart Birmingham Snow Hill at 14:07. It will pass through Birmingham Moor Street (14:10), Tyseley (14:20), Dorridge (14:37), and Stratford-upon-Avon at 15:10.

The last departure from Stratford-upon-Avon at 16:13, and it will pass through Dorridge (16:48), Tyseley (16:59), Birmingham Moor Street (17:06) and Birmingham Snow Hill (17:12).

These above timings in brackets are approximate timings.

23rd March 2023

Transport for London looks into funding for additional Elizabeth Line trains​

Transport for London has announced that they are looking for confirmation from the Government regarding funding so that they can look into the possibility of purchasing additional Elizabeth Line trains.

The news from TfL comes after the recent announcement of delays to HS2 terminating at London Euston.

TfL says that without the extra trains, there is insufficient capacity on the Elizabeth Line (until HS2 is extended to Euston in the 2040s) for passengers looking to use HS2 and the Elizabeth Line to get into Central London.

Government funding now needs to be confirmed so that Transport for London can begin the procurement procedure for the new trains before the production lines at Alstom's Derbyshire factory are demobilised.

If procurement is completed after this, it would mean more delays and higher costs.

23rd March 2023

CIRO celebrates Ofsted and Ofqual achievements for apprenticeships​

Transport for Wales Class197 picks up passengers at Blaenau Ffestiniog

The Chartered Institution of Railway Operators (CIRO) has achieved its first-ever Ofsted rating for its apprenticeships, and Ofqual has recognised it as an End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) for the Train Driver Level 4 apprenticeship standard.

Ofsted rated the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators as “Good” with no conditions, which is one of education's highest accolades.

The institution's Level 3 Team Leader or Supervisor, Level 4 Passenger Transport Operations Manager, and Level 5 Operations or Departmental Manager apprenticeships were all assessed for the first time.

The Ofsted inspection stated:

“Apprentices gain substantial knowledge, skills and behaviours as a result of their apprenticeship. They are proud of their work and talk with confidence about what they have learnt and how it is improving their effectiveness in the workplace through the application of managerial techniques gained because of the programme. For example, apprentices on the levels 3, 4 and 5 apprenticeships use the knowledge and skills they have developed successfully to lead and motivate their teams on issues related to compliance, safety and risk management.”

The Ofsted ‘Good' rating comes soon after being recognised by Ofqual in January 2023, which allowed the institution to be added to the EPAO register so that it could continue to offer EPA services.

The external quality assessment (EQA) of apprenticeships specified by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) has been reformed nationwide so that all EPA providers must be recognised by Ofqual to continue offering the service.

Train Driver Level 3 standard was previously regulated by The National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR).

The deadline to achieve the standard was last December, and after Ofqual undertook a rigorous review process into the Institution's practices, procedures, and resources, it was added to the EPAO register in January 2023.

Ofqual's recognition means the institution can now continue to offer an end-point assessment for the Train Driver Apprentice Level 3.

The assessment techniques and resources used by the Chartered Institution of Railway Operators were developed with the input and approval of a wide range of stakeholder organisations, including The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF).

The Institution hopes that by providing End-Point Assessment (EPA) levy funding will be kept in the industry.

By acting in a not-for-profit manner, it has developed a cost-effective and meaningful EPA for the industry whilst maintaining the highest quality.

Ellie Burrows, CIRO Chair commented:

“The timing of these two achievements couldn't be better as the industry begins to pick up pace in its reformation.

“CIRO's reliable, robust Apprenticeship and EPA services will be key in championing the professional development of those working in railway organisations, enabling the whole railway system to succeed.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the CIRO teams involved for their contributions to these two important achievements.”

The Chartered Institution of Railway Operators is the only Professional Institution that focuses on and specialises in railway operations, and its vision is to “support improvement in quality of the railway operations workforce and help railway organisations succeed”.

It was launched in 1999 and exists for both its members and the wider rail industry by promoting best practice and representing the interests of railway operators at all levels.

In 2018 it started to offer high-level apprenticeships to the railway operations industry.

In October 2018, Ofsted began to carry out monitoring visits to all newly directly funded providers of apprenticeship training provision, which had started to receive funding from ESFA and/or the apprenticeship levy from April 2017 onwards.

23rd March 2023

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway to stage a Cambrian Weekend​

Next month, the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) will stage a ‘Cambrian Weekend', to recreate the ‘Cambrian Coast Express' to celebrate the summer when passengers travelled over the challenging Cambrian lines to the Welsh coast.

The Cambrian Weekend takes place on Saturday, 22nd and Sunday, 23rd April 2023, when visitors will have the chance to ride behind the railway's resident Manor Class No. 7820 Dinmore Manor and BR Standard Class 4 No. 75014 Braveheart will be visiting the line from the Dartmouth Steam Railway.

It will be a weekend to relive moments from history as both Dinmore Manor and Braveheart operated over the Cambrian line during the 1960s, although at that time Braveheart was unnamed.

At the end of steam on British Rail, both engines were allocated to Shrewsbury shed, with 75014 there from the end of 1964 until its withdrawal in December 1966, whilst Dinmore Manor was at Shrewsbury from 1963 until it was withdrawn in November 1965, but remained at the shed until May 1966.

In March 1964 the Cambrian lines were transferred from Western Region to Midland Region control.

Shrewsbury shed, which at one time had an allocation of over 100 engines, closed to steam in 1967.

Because of limits on axle weight and loading gauge, locomotives larger than a Manor or Standard class 4 were prohibited, and both locomotives worked goods and passenger services over the steeply-graded line, which pushed them to their limits, particularly on the fearsome 1 in 52 to Talerddig summit.

The best-known service on the line was the Cambrian Coast Express from Paddington to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli, which was normally hauled by a ‘Castle' Class 4-6-0 from London to Shrewsbury.

From there, the train was double-headed, originally by two Duke class 4-4-0s then later by a Manor class or a Standard 4 4-6-0 for a non-stop run to Welshpool, with heavily loaded trains sometimes being double-headed.

Steam haulage of the Cambrian Coast Express lasted until 1965, and Dinmore Manor had the honour of hauling the last regular steam-hauled service.

On 4th March 1967 Standard Class 4 No. 75033, which was specially cleaned for the occasion and carrying the ‘Cambrian Coast Express' headboard, worked the last timetabled standard-gauge steam-hauled passenger service from Aberystwyth.

Tickets for the Cambrian Weekend event are available online at https://www.gwsr.com/events/cambrian-weekend, with the incentive of a 5% discount for all tickets bought online.

23rd March 2023

Approval for London Trams overspeed safety system​

Safety system on London Trams network to prevent over speeding of trams receives Safety Integrity Level 2 (SIL2) certification​

London Trams' new system to prevent overspeeding has received official certification.

The Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 2 accreditation is a UK first for a light rail overspeed protection system and provides independent safety assurance.

In January 2019, following a competitive tendering process, DB ESG – part of DeutscheBahn – was selected by Transport for London to develop, design, install and commission a device to prevent overspeeding of light rail vehicles operated by London Trams in the Croydon area.

DB ESG collaborated with engineering solutions company Sella Controls, which provided the hardware and software, including a Physical Prevention of OverSpeeding (PPOS) controller and Tracklink III system.

This work follows the Croydon tram crash in 2016, which killed seven people when a tram travelling at three times the speed limit came off the rails.

The Office of Rail and Road prosecuted Transport for London, Tram Operations Ltd and the tram's driver over the disaster, although the driver was cleared.

This system has been fully operational for over a year, during which time it has demonstrated, 100 per cent availability and zero system failures.

In February 2023, the Independent Safety Assessor certified the overspeeding protection system as being safety assured at Level 2 (SIL2).

The certification covers both hardware and software.

Nick Goodhand, Managing Director, DB ESG said:

“We are absolutely delighted that this system has received this mark of safety quality. Protecting a tram network with the highest possible level of safety gives operators the
peace of mind that they are doing their uttermost to keep their passengers safe.“

Chris Elliott, Business Development Director for Sella Controls, added:

“The successful delivery of the PPOS solution to London Trams is a fantastic achievement for us and our partners in this project, DB ESG and Transport for London. Knowing that we have implemented a solution that will provide our client with the highest level of safety for its tram network is of the upmost importance. As a passenger it is good to know that safety is at the forefront of London Trams' operation”.

Guy's, I have some good news and some bad news.

The bad news, for some, I am seriously considering walking away from the 'Train Time' forum thread.

The reason is mainly that there is just no interest on the forum anymore, for this subject.

It takes a lot of my time to produce this daily.

And I only get a 'like' from a nation or two.

I understand you all have lives and either have little interest or time to spend on my efforts.

And I really don't want to impose this subject on a disinterested audience.

The thread was started on Mar 26, 2022 and it appeared to gather a lot of support, and all I asked was for you to 'like' what you liked, so I would know if it was worth investing my time on.

The good news, I will still be enjoying my hobby and possibly continue with YouTube.

I would like to thank everyone for putting up with my daily 'pings' on the RMB.

I will continue with the thread until the end of the month.

Thanks once again for your previous support.

All the best

~Marcus

24th March 2023

Leicestershire railway to host its Annual Easter Vintage Festival​

The event will take place as part of the railway's 50th Anniversary celebrations of becoming a restored Heritage Railway​

The Great Central Railway is hosting its Annual Easter Vintage Festival which will take place from Friday the 7th to Monday the 10th of April with the daily opening at 10am until 4pm.

The festival comes as part of the GCR's 50th Anniversary celebrations for becoming a restored Heritage Railway.

The event will be one to remember with more than 30 engines in attendance alongside a large photographic display in the marquee which reveals the railway's development from 1973 up to the present day.

Quorn and Woodhouse station yard will host the show over the four-day event with entertainment including:

• Howards Steam Gallopers
• Big Wheel
• Train rides

During the afternoon of Saturday the 8th, the engines will undertake their annual road run through the village of Quorn with a pit stop halfway around!

Friday evening will see entertainment by the Syston Swing Band in the marquee and Saturday evening with Sarah Clarke also in the marquee.

Tickets for the evening entertainment cost £5 to buy at the door or visitors holding day tickets can gain entry at night free.

The railways Tin Shed Shanty Bar will be open right through the event providing a fantastic array of Real Ales, Ciders, Lagers, Wines and Prosecco.

Sunday morning will see the enginemen's whistle for absent friends and will also see plaque presentations for 2 engines that are 100 years old and 120 years old.

Event manager, Michael Stokes, said:

“The show has come a long way in the 11 years since we revived it and, with all the anniversaries happening this year, will have something for everyone, young and old. With a yard entry of only £10.00, redeemable against train travel tickets, it is excellent value for a full day's entertainment”

24th March 2023

Volunteers appeal for funds to repair of Class 45 locomotive generator​

Team 45 volunteers at North Weald

Volunteers are appealing for funds to repair the Main Traction Generator of historic locomotive 45132.

The generator is being repaired by a specialist company, and the group of volunteers – known as Team 45 – is asking members of the public to donate towards the cost of this repair, aiming to raise £7,500.

They want to ensure that this iconic, ex-British Railways class 45 locomotive runs on the Epping Ongar Railway again in 2023.

Everything else on the locomotive has been tested and is in operational order, so the only thing preventing the loco hauling trains again is the generator repair, which the volunteers of Team 45 are unable to carry out themselves.

They do, however, have the necessary skills required to re-install the generator when it returns from the repair company.

24th March 2023

South Wales and West of England leaders vision for improved services​

A vision for how train services across South Wales and the West of England should look by 2050 has been revealed by the areas' business leaders.

The vision is being led by the Western Gateway Partnership, in collaboration with Transport for Wales and the Western Gateway Sub-National Transport Body, and is designed to show how journey times between cities in the area could be halved, and journey times to London and elsewhere in the UK could be drastically improved.

The Western Gateway is the Pan Regional Partnership for South Wales and Western England.

It comprises local authorities, businesses, and universities from across the area, and aims to overcome productivity hurdles to add £34bn to the economy and drive efforts to achieve Net Zero.

The area is currently way behind other parts of the UK, with slow journey times for train services between major cities and rural communities.

In particular, the Government has identified Cardiff as having the “least well directly connected major city” in the UK.

Vision 2050 outline

Whilst national investment in rail services has been ongoing elsewhere in the UK, leaders and businesses have teamed up to make sure the area is not left behind.

The vision looks to:

• increase capacity to allow up to four trains per hour between Bristol and Cardiff , and reduce the journey times between the cities from 50 to 30 minutes;
• dramatically reduce journey times and frequencies between Swansea and Bristol from an hourly service taking 1½ hours to three trains an hour taking 60 minutes. This would come through funding Transport for Wales' proposed improvements to the South Wales Main Line and upgrading the Severn tunnel.

It is estimated that the planned improvements would cost between £1-2bn in the short term to deliver already committed and planned developments up to 2035.

Long term, the full range of development, the estimated cost to 2050 would be £7-8bn.

This is far less than the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme which is estimated will cost £17.2bn, and HS2 which is likely to cost £72.3bn in total.

A full version of the Western Gateway 2050 Rail Vision can be read on the partnership's website here.

The Rt Hon David TC Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales, said:

“Connectivity within South Wales and South West England is vital to growing our regional economy. I welcome the ambition of Western Gateway and am pleased to have recently announced significant funding to help develop a number of key priorities including tackling congestion on the South Wales corridor”

Cllr Jane Mudd, Leader of Newport Council and Vice Chair of the Western Gateway Partnership said:

“This vision is key to making sure our area gets the rail system our communities deserve. An effective and fast rail network will be essential if we want to make sure we can decarbonise our transport system and reach our climate change goals.

“The Global Centre for Rail Excellence in South Wales will put the UK at the forefront of rail innovation and we need the infrastructure to match that.

“Welsh and UK Government's recent announcement of funding for a new study to examine improvements to the South Wales Main Line shows a recognition that more that needs to be done. This vision lays out what we as the area's elected politicians see as the key areas to improve and I hope will lay the path for the faster and more reliable services we need.”

Cllr Toby Savage, Leader of South Gloucestershire Council and Vice Chair of the Western Gateway Partnership:

“Working with our transport bodies and industry, we have a huge opportunity here to vastly improve connections across the border between England and Wales. Through our partnership, we've identified many shared strengths between both countries and these sectors will get a huge boost through an improved rail service.

“It has been a difficult time for rail in recent months, but this vision gives a deliverable long-term ambition, putting confidence in our nation to build back better. With more journeys between Bristol and Cardiff than Leeds and Manchester, we know the demand is there and believe it is time Government acknowledged that our area should be next in line for investment to unlock our potential.”

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol and Western Gateway Board member, said:

“Better public transport between major cities like Bristol and Cardiff, along with wider investment in intercity transport, is essential to decarbonise and grow our economy.

“With over 80,000 car journeys taking place over the M4 Prince Of Wales Bridge every day, and predictions that this will increase, we desperately need long-term solutions. I am proud of the cross-party leadership we have been able to provide through our partnership of local leaders and businesses.

“Developments like the £95 million we secured for Bristol's Temple Meads and Temple Quarter show how investment in our area's transport can drive wider regeneration providing a gateway to Wales and South West England. I look forward to making the case for central government to back this vision to unlock the full potential of our Western Gateway area.”

Katherine Bennett CBE, Chair of the Western Gateway, said:

“Our area has so much to offer. With 14 of the 15 largest aerospace manufacturers based here and home to the largest group of high-tech cyber businesses in Europe, we are ready to help deliver a greener, fairer future for the whole of the UK and beyond.

“This vision sends the signal that we are ready for the investment needed to unlock our potential. A better rail system with improved connectivity and new station is key to creating the jobs and homes the area needs and our partnership is ready to work with Government and the private sector to deliver this.”

24th March 2023

New Photo Charter trial on the Severn Valley Railway​

The Severn Valley Railway is to trial the return of photo charters this April.

The news comes after a temporary withdrawal of photo charters two years ago due to concerns over safety.

An initial trial photo charter will run on Tuesday 18th April, featuring GWR 4079 ‘Pendennis Castle' with a rake of SVR-based GWR carriages.

As part of the Timeline Events charter, photographers will travel to photography locations along the line in their own transport, or transport provided by Timeline Events.

Depending on how the trial goes, the SVR will be looking to host other similar events over the course of 2023.

“This type of operation is commonly used,” explained Jonathan ‘Gus' Dunster, the SVR's managing director. “It has proven successful at other heritage railways. Very importantly for us, it greatly reduces the risks that were previously identified when large groups of photographers had lineside access, and which led to us temporarily withdrawing photo charters in 2021.

“It's clear there's an appetite for them to return, and we're delighted to be working in partnership on this occasion with specialist photography event organisers Timeline Events. We're sure that this opportunity to capture ‘Pendennis Castle' with our own set of GW carriages is going to prove extremely popular, and we're very much looking forward to hosting this exciting day.”

Tickets for the SVR ‘Pendennis Castle' photo charter on 18th April are available from timelineevents.org

24th March 2023

The end is coming for CrossCountry’s HSTs​

CrossCountry are to begin a phased removal of its HST fleet from the May timetable.

HSTs have been in use for over 40 years, but the train operator says that from the next timetable change in May, they will be making some changes to their fleet of trains.

XC says that it will enable them to run a more efficient service, which will require fewer trains to deliver the same number of seats, and means a phased removal of its High Speed Trains will begin.

A CrossCountry spokesperson said:

“While our High Speed Trains have served us well, they have been in use for over 40 years. We are making some changes to our fleet when the next timetable change is introduced in May. This is to enable us to run a more efficient service that also reflects the way people are now travelling for business and leisure and requires fewer trains to deliver the number of seats customers need at present. As such, there will be a phased removal of the High Speed Trains from the CrossCountry fleet.”

24th March 2023

Station Cat Spot

It's Lovely Lulu!

Station Cat No.3

She has certainly grown.

24th March 2023

Inside The Train Shed

Sawed a couple of baseboard legs and assembled and trial fitted another baseboard section.

25th March 2023

Flying Scotsman is set to pass through Lancashire and Yorkshire this Sunday​

World-famous locomotive, 60103 Flying Scotsman, is set to pass through Lancashire and Yorkshire this Sunday (26th March 2023).

The A3 locomotive is moving from the East Lancashire Railway in Bury to the National Railway Museum in York.

Departing Bury at 11:12, the locomotive will pass through Castleton (11:51), Manchester Victoria (12:07), Eccles (12:18), Wigan North Western (12:45), Preston (Lancs) (13:09), Lancaster (13:36), Carnforth (14:38), Hellifield (15:32), Skipton (16:18), Keighley (16:33), Shipley (16:49), Castleford (17:46), Hatfield and Stainforth (18:52), York (19:53) and York NRM at 20:08.

25th March 2023

Norfolk heritage railway receives Queen’s Award​

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, which is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE, has been awarded to volunteers at the North Norfolk Railway.

The award recognises outstanding work by local volunteer groups that benefit their communities.

It was created to celebrate The Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, and this year the North Norfolk Railway was one of 244 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award.

The list was announced in June last year at Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee Weekend, but the ceremony was postponed because of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The ceremony eventually took place yesterday, Thursday, 24th March at Sheringham Station when the Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk, Adel MacNicol, presented the crystal award to representatives of the line's 500 volunteers who had joined dignitaries for the ceremony.

All those present at the ceremony then all travelled aboard a special steam-hauled train on a return trip to Holt.

Two volunteers from the North Norfolk Railway and other recipients of the Award will also be invited to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace this May.

The North Norfolk Railway operates steam and heritage diesel trains along 5½ miles of restored track from Sheringham to Weybourne and Holt and is one of Norfolk's most popular tourist attractions.

Each year, it welcomes around 165,000 passengers per annum, with steam trains running between April and October.

Each year the railway stages a number of special events, including an annual 1940s Weekend, the Norfolk Lights Express, Santa Specials at Christmas, and luxury dining on “The North Norfolkman”.

A team of dedicated volunteers are mainly responsible for running the railway, with the support of The Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society, which is a registered charity.

Another busy year is planned for the railway this year, with steam and heritage diesel trains running almost every day between April and October.

There is also a busy schedule of dining train services and special events.

Advance booking is recommended for all trains, and details of timetables, fares, and how to book can be found at www.nnrailway.co.uk.

Hugh Harkett, Managing Director, said:

‘We are extremely proud to receive this Award, our volunteers really are the lifeblood of the Railway and we are continually thankful for their dedication and support.

“The North Norfolk Railway is a not-for-profit enterprise so the support of volunteers is really crucial to our survival and we are delighted that the fantastic contribution they make has been officially celebrated in this way. The ceremony is a great boost ahead of our main season, which begins on April 1.”

25th March 2023

Steam locomotive 46115 Scots Guardsman to pass through West Yorkshire this Sunday​

46115 Scots Guardsman will be passing through West Yorkshire this Sunday (26th March 2023) as it returns to base after hauling a railtour.

Departing the National Railway Museum at York at 11:45, the locomotive will pass through York (12:00), Church Fenton (12:15), Castleford (12:30), Shipley (13:07), Keighley (13:15), Skipton (13:31), Hellifield (13:42), Carnforth (14:24 & 14:55) and finally Carnforth Steamtown at 15:17.

25th March 2023

Inside The Train Shed

I managed to assemble the legs to another baseboard assembly and temporarily attached it to the other assemblies.

It was lovely and sunny out and it got to 19 °C inside the shed

The production ended when Cleo came in with the cats and some glasses of wine.

So we relaxed the rest of the afternoon listening to the top 20 from 1978 on the radio.

26th March 2023

26th March 2023

West Midlands Railway names train in honour of Sir Edward Elgar​

West Midlands Railway (WMR)(24 March) named one of its newest trains in honour of the region's most famous composer as the operator prepares to introduce the new fleet onto its Hereford Line.

High Sheriff of Worcestershire Andrew Manning-Cox formally named the train “Sir Edward Elgar” – in a ceremony at Worcester Shrub Hill railway station yesterday morning, in front of invited guests including passenger groups.

It is one of twenty-six trains in WMR's new Class 196 fleet which is being introduced as part of the operator's £690m investment in new trains and infrastructure.

Elgar is one of Britain's best-known composers, whose world-famous works include the Pomp and Circumstance Marches and Enigma Variations.

He was born in the village of Lower Broadheath, near Worcester, in 1857 and spent much of his life living in the county.