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Marcus' Model Railway Journey
- Thread starter Marcus Antonius
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Liverpool South Parkway
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Evero train approaching Liverpool South Parkway
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Class 26 No. 26038
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17th December, 2025
50050 on the Settle and Carlisle
Luxury experience touring company Saphos Trains is starting 2026 with a range of tours to beat the long nights and winter blues as part of its tours aimed at railway enthusiasts.
One of the trips features Class 50 haulage using MK1 stock from London Euston to Crewe and return, with recently refurbished No. 50050 ‘Fearless’ on the Fearless Express Railtour.
Departing London Euston at approximately 07:00 on Thursday 12th February 2026, the train hauled by ‘Fearless’ will make its way up the West Coast Main Line, via Bletchley, before picking up more passengers at Milton Keynes Central at about 07:50. The train will continue via Northampton, Nuneaton and Stafford before reaching Crewe.
Refurbished Class 50 to haul charter train next February
50050 on the Settle and Carlisle
Luxury experience touring company Saphos Trains is starting 2026 with a range of tours to beat the long nights and winter blues as part of its tours aimed at railway enthusiasts.
One of the trips features Class 50 haulage using MK1 stock from London Euston to Crewe and return, with recently refurbished No. 50050 ‘Fearless’ on the Fearless Express Railtour.
Departing London Euston at approximately 07:00 on Thursday 12th February 2026, the train hauled by ‘Fearless’ will make its way up the West Coast Main Line, via Bletchley, before picking up more passengers at Milton Keynes Central at about 07:50. The train will continue via Northampton, Nuneaton and Stafford before reaching Crewe.
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From here, No.50050 comes off, and the coaching stock becomes the train for the Cambrian Mountaineer Railtour with A2 No.60532 Blue Peter, which takes the train to Carlisle and back via Shap Summit.
Upon 60532’s return to Crewe with the train, the A2 is detached, and No.50050 is reattached to the train to take it back to London Euston. No.50050 will return to London via the same route to set down passengers.
Passengers wishing to stay on the train to ride behind Blue Peter to Carlisle will need to buy a separate ticket for that charter service, which is also being operated by Saphos trains.
The same coaching stock will also form Saphos’ Positioning Move railtour on the same date.
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New Tyne and Wear Metro train
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New Tyne and Wear Metro train
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BR Standard 4MT No. 75069
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Class 170 Hampden Park train
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18th December, 2025
Class 52 No. D1015
Class 52 No. D1015 is to haul The Pathfinder Finale this weekend (20th December), which will bid farewell to tour promoter, Pathfinder Railtours.
Departing Salisbury with a WCRC locomotive at 05:50, the train will pass through Westbury (Wilts) (06:18), Bath Spa (06:43), Bristol Parkway (07:28), Cam and Dursley (08:05), and Gloucester at 08:28.
Here, D1015 is added to the train and will depart at 08:53.
From here, the tour will head to Manchester Victoria and on a mini tour in the North West.
It will pass through Cheltenham Spa (09:02), Worcestershire Parkway (09:34), Birmingham New Street (10:23), Penkridge (11:12), Macclesfield (12:50), Stockport (13:04) and Manchester Victoria at 13:31.
The mini tour in the North West will depart at 13:35 and will pass through Wigan North Western (14:15), Acrrington (15:47), Todmorden (16:12), Rochdale (16:25) and Manchester Victoria (16:55).
The main tour will then head back to Salisbury via Warrington Bank quay (17:31), Crewe (18:07), Stafford (18:31), Birmingham New Street (19:29), Worcestershire Parkway (20:10), Cheltenham Spa (20:31) and Gloucester at 20:46.
From Gloucester, the WCRC diesel will take over again and will pass through Cam and Dursley (21:14), Bristol Parkway (21:38), Bath Spa (22:03), Westbury (22:34) and Salisbury at 23:10.
Where and when to see a Class 52 locomotive as it hauls The Pathfinder Finale
Class 52 No. D1015
Class 52 No. D1015 is to haul The Pathfinder Finale this weekend (20th December), which will bid farewell to tour promoter, Pathfinder Railtours.
Departing Salisbury with a WCRC locomotive at 05:50, the train will pass through Westbury (Wilts) (06:18), Bath Spa (06:43), Bristol Parkway (07:28), Cam and Dursley (08:05), and Gloucester at 08:28.
Here, D1015 is added to the train and will depart at 08:53.
From here, the tour will head to Manchester Victoria and on a mini tour in the North West.
It will pass through Cheltenham Spa (09:02), Worcestershire Parkway (09:34), Birmingham New Street (10:23), Penkridge (11:12), Macclesfield (12:50), Stockport (13:04) and Manchester Victoria at 13:31.
The mini tour in the North West will depart at 13:35 and will pass through Wigan North Western (14:15), Acrrington (15:47), Todmorden (16:12), Rochdale (16:25) and Manchester Victoria (16:55).
The main tour will then head back to Salisbury via Warrington Bank quay (17:31), Crewe (18:07), Stafford (18:31), Birmingham New Street (19:29), Worcestershire Parkway (20:10), Cheltenham Spa (20:31) and Gloucester at 20:46.
From Gloucester, the WCRC diesel will take over again and will pass through Cam and Dursley (21:14), Bristol Parkway (21:38), Bath Spa (22:03), Westbury (22:34) and Salisbury at 23:10.
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18th December, 2025
34067 Tangmere
34067 Tangmere will haul The Edinburgh Christmas Market train this Saturday (20th December 2025).
The train departs from York at 06:56 with a diesel locomotive and will pass through Northallerton (07:27), Durham (07:57), Newcastle (08:16), Hexham (09:09) and Carlisle at 10:02, where 34067 takes over the train.
34067 will depart at 10:30 and will pass through Lockerbie (11:01), Slateford (13:04) and Edinburgh at 13:13.
After time in Edinburgh, 34067 will depart at 16:46 and will pass through Slateford (17:09), Lockerbie (18:49) and Carlisle at 19:27.
The diesel loco takes back over and will head back to York via Haltwhistle (20:19), Newcastle (21:05), Durham (21:25), Northallerton (21:58) and York at 22:23.
Where to see steam locomotive 34067 Tangmere as it heads for Scotland this Saturday
34067 Tangmere
34067 Tangmere will haul The Edinburgh Christmas Market train this Saturday (20th December 2025).
The train departs from York at 06:56 with a diesel locomotive and will pass through Northallerton (07:27), Durham (07:57), Newcastle (08:16), Hexham (09:09) and Carlisle at 10:02, where 34067 takes over the train.
34067 will depart at 10:30 and will pass through Lockerbie (11:01), Slateford (13:04) and Edinburgh at 13:13.
After time in Edinburgh, 34067 will depart at 16:46 and will pass through Slateford (17:09), Lockerbie (18:49) and Carlisle at 19:27.
The diesel loco takes back over and will head back to York via Haltwhistle (20:19), Newcastle (21:05), Durham (21:25), Northallerton (21:58) and York at 22:23.
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18th December, 2025
Two visitors enjoy the travelling exhibition train
The exhibition train Inspiration has welcomed its 50,000th visitor as it cotinues to tour around locations across the United Kingdom.
Inspiration introduces visitors to the story of railways, and forms part of the railway industry’s celebration of its bicentenary.
It is co-curated with the National Railway Museum, and has four carriages containing interactive exhibits and stories.
Inspriation will stop at sixty locations across Britain between June 2025 and June 2026.
The first dates for next year’s visits were announced last month.
This week, Inspiration made its 28th stop, visiting the south coast city of Southampton, where sea shanties welcomed it and a mural has been created to commemorate the visit.
While it was there, the 50,000th visitor boarded the train to explore its contents.
Southampton is its most southerly destination to take, with its most northerly stop being in the Cairngorms in Scotland and as far south as Southampton.
It has travelled as far east as Lowestoft and its and as far west as Llandudno in North Wales.
Travelling exhibition train welcomes 50,000th visitor
Two visitors enjoy the travelling exhibition train
The exhibition train Inspiration has welcomed its 50,000th visitor as it cotinues to tour around locations across the United Kingdom.
Inspiration introduces visitors to the story of railways, and forms part of the railway industry’s celebration of its bicentenary.
It is co-curated with the National Railway Museum, and has four carriages containing interactive exhibits and stories.
Inspriation will stop at sixty locations across Britain between June 2025 and June 2026.
The first dates for next year’s visits were announced last month.
This week, Inspiration made its 28th stop, visiting the south coast city of Southampton, where sea shanties welcomed it and a mural has been created to commemorate the visit.
While it was there, the 50,000th visitor boarded the train to explore its contents.
Southampton is its most southerly destination to take, with its most northerly stop being in the Cairngorms in Scotland and as far south as Southampton.
It has travelled as far east as Lowestoft and its and as far west as Llandudno in North Wales.
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The exhibition train at Southampton
Inspiration has so far made 28 stops across the UK, travelled 6,086 miles, consumed 22,660 litres of HVO recycled vegetable oil fuel, spent 117 days open to the public and welcomed 51,402 visitors.
It has also been displayed in Derby at the biggest ever rail festival and at Shildon, where the modern railway was born.
People can also take a virtual tour of the train.
Visitors to Inspiration have enjoyed the experience, with nine in ten saying that they would recommend Inspiration to a friend.
Words that visitors have used to describe the exhbition train include “fascinating”, “brilliant” and “interactive”.
More information and tickets are available from the Railway 200 website.
Teachers can book visits for school children free of charge.
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Richard and Mags Wylie outside Inspiration in Southampton
“We are hugely proud to reach a major milestone for this travelling attraction: 50,000 happy visitors!
“We are truly thankful to everyone who’s visited so far, and we cannot wait to welcome even more people in 2026, including thousands more schoolchildren.
“It’s remarkable to think that railways, an invention dreamt up by brilliant British engineers 200 years ago, continue to connect communities across the UK and the world today.”
Emma Roberts, Programme Manager for Railway 200
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Thursday 1 Dec 2025
Wentloog Freightliner terminal Cardiff
If Network Rail did Christmas adverts, this would be ours. Join us for a festive look behind the scenes at Wentloog, where rail freight helps keep shelves stocked, supports Welsh industry and cuts congestion at the busiest time of year.
Rail freight is a major and complex logistical operation, bringing together infrastructure managers, freight operators, ports, terminals and retailers to keep goods moving reliably across the country - especially in the run-up to Christmas.
Together, we have enabled the safe transportation of more than 4,000 freight trains across the Wales and Borders network, in 2025.
Across the country, rail freight handles both every day and seasonal goods through key terminals such as Wentloog, in Cardiff, and other freight facilities across the region, ensuring festive deliveries reach local communities on time.
Wentloog, managed by Freightliner, is one of South Wales’ main container handling facilities, with five freight services operating each day - two Direct Rail Service and three Freightliner services.
The site operates as an intermodal terminal, where containers are transferred seamlessly between rail and road.
This allows goods to stay in the same container from port to distribution centre, improving efficiency and reducing the need for long-distance lorry journeys.
Freightliner's Cardiff terminal plays a particularly important role at Christmas.
Around 1,300 containers arrive every week, at Wentloog, equating to approximately 250,000 tonnes of goods in December alone - including food and drink destined for shops across Wales and the Borders.
The terminal also handles around 120 million litres of wine every year!
In this video, Network Rail and Freightliner have teamed up to spread some festive joy and to thank all those hard working railway-elves who help deliver Christmas.
Video: The rail freight teams working behind the scenes to deliver Christmas across Wales and Borders route
Region & Route: Wales & Western: Wales & BordersWentloog Freightliner terminal Cardiff
If Network Rail did Christmas adverts, this would be ours. Join us for a festive look behind the scenes at Wentloog, where rail freight helps keep shelves stocked, supports Welsh industry and cuts congestion at the busiest time of year.
Rail freight is a major and complex logistical operation, bringing together infrastructure managers, freight operators, ports, terminals and retailers to keep goods moving reliably across the country - especially in the run-up to Christmas.
Together, we have enabled the safe transportation of more than 4,000 freight trains across the Wales and Borders network, in 2025.
Across the country, rail freight handles both every day and seasonal goods through key terminals such as Wentloog, in Cardiff, and other freight facilities across the region, ensuring festive deliveries reach local communities on time.
Wentloog, managed by Freightliner, is one of South Wales’ main container handling facilities, with five freight services operating each day - two Direct Rail Service and three Freightliner services.
The site operates as an intermodal terminal, where containers are transferred seamlessly between rail and road.
This allows goods to stay in the same container from port to distribution centre, improving efficiency and reducing the need for long-distance lorry journeys.
Freightliner's Cardiff terminal plays a particularly important role at Christmas.
Around 1,300 containers arrive every week, at Wentloog, equating to approximately 250,000 tonnes of goods in December alone - including food and drink destined for shops across Wales and the Borders.
The terminal also handles around 120 million litres of wine every year!
In this video, Network Rail and Freightliner have teamed up to spread some festive joy and to thank all those hard working railway-elves who help deliver Christmas.
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- Ethnon
WATCH VIDEO:
To watch video click this link:
This year, Network Rail has supported additional capacity at Wentloog by undertaking gauge clearance at Newport, enabling Direct Rail Services’ twice-daily intermodal trains to carry larger refrigerated containers.
With major retailers such as Tesco moving more than 30 per cent of their packaged Christmas range by rail, this has increased the movement of perishable goods, keeping products fresh while further reducing pressure on the road network.
Rail freight also underpins some of Wales’s most important industries, moving materials such as steel, construction products, timber, fuel and aggregates across the country.
It produces around 76 per cent less carbon emissions per tonne than road transport and contributes £2.5 billion to the UK economy each year.
Network Rail and freight operators continue to work closely with the UK Government to support the ambition to grow rail freight volumes by 75 per cent by 2050.
Richard Moody, Programme Director at Network Rail, said, “Rail freight companies are playing a central role in delivering Christmas cheer, ensuring families have everything they need to celebrate in style. With only a fraction of the emissions compared to road haulage, every tree, pudding and toy transported by rail helps to make Christmas greener.
“Many families will be unaware that much of their festive shopping has been carried by rail freight – one of Santa’s not-so-little helpers.”
From all of us at Network Rail Wales and Borders and Freightliner, Have a Merry Freightmas!
To watch video click this link:
This year, Network Rail has supported additional capacity at Wentloog by undertaking gauge clearance at Newport, enabling Direct Rail Services’ twice-daily intermodal trains to carry larger refrigerated containers.
With major retailers such as Tesco moving more than 30 per cent of their packaged Christmas range by rail, this has increased the movement of perishable goods, keeping products fresh while further reducing pressure on the road network.
Rail freight also underpins some of Wales’s most important industries, moving materials such as steel, construction products, timber, fuel and aggregates across the country.
It produces around 76 per cent less carbon emissions per tonne than road transport and contributes £2.5 billion to the UK economy each year.
Network Rail and freight operators continue to work closely with the UK Government to support the ambition to grow rail freight volumes by 75 per cent by 2050.
Richard Moody, Programme Director at Network Rail, said, “Rail freight companies are playing a central role in delivering Christmas cheer, ensuring families have everything they need to celebrate in style. With only a fraction of the emissions compared to road haulage, every tree, pudding and toy transported by rail helps to make Christmas greener.
“Many families will be unaware that much of their festive shopping has been carried by rail freight – one of Santa’s not-so-little helpers.”
From all of us at Network Rail Wales and Borders and Freightliner, Have a Merry Freightmas!
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