Marcus' Model Railway Journey

Stamps cancelled with the alternative Filton, Bristol postmark.

Miniature Sheet FDC

Philatelic Numismatic Cover​

Concorde Coin​

Royal Mint’s Concorde 50p coin.

The coin is paired with the eight Royal Mail Special Stamps celebrating the 50th anniversary of Concorde’s first commercial flight.

The reverse of the coin features two Concordes, representing the two aircraft that took off simultaneously on the maiden commercial flights from Paris and London.

Philatelic Numismatic Cover Stamps cancelled with the alternative Heathrow, Hounslow postmark.​

The coin cover handstamp features an image of Concorde breaking the sound barrier.

The location of Heathrow, Hounslow, was the site of the first passenger flight from the UK.

Miniature Sheet​

Designed by Common Curiosity
Printed by Cartor Security Print
Print Process : Lithography
Gum : PVA
Perforations : 14 x 14
Size 192mm (h) x 74mm (v)

23rd January, 2026

Chinnor Railway offer driver experiences with Class 26 diesel​

Class 26 No. 26043


The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway is offering special driving experiences with visiting Class 26 diesel locomotive No. 26043.

Based at the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway and owned by the Cotswold Main Line Diesel Group, No. 26043 will be running at Chinnor’s Diesel Gala from 20 – 22 March.

During its visit, it is scheduled to run on Tuesday, 17th March and Thursday, 19th March, on diesel driver experience days, offering members of the public the rare chance to drive a Class 26 on a heritage railway.

Under the guidance of one of the railway’s driving instructors, the experience day will begin with a safety briefing before heading out to the locomotive at Chinnor station.

A tour of the locomotive will follow, accompanied by a presentation on its operation.

Then participants will move to the cab, where they will familiarise themselves with the layout and controls.

Class 26 No. 26043


Two participants will be able to travel on a single return trip, one driving and one acting as a second man on the outward journey, before changing roles ready for the return run, allowing both participants to drive and observe operations.

The run will include tackling short, steep inclines along the line, including 1 in 100 and 1 in 68 gradients guaranteed to test the locomotive.


Participants are allowed to bring up to six guests, who will receive a free ride on the train behind the locomotive.

Participants and guests are welcome to stay longer for further rides on the train before or after their time in the cab.

Food will be included as part of the experience day.

Bacon and sausage rolls, biscuits, crisps and homemade cakes will be available.

Guests will be able to purchase their own refreshments.

Information on how to book this special experience can be found on the Chinnor Railway website.

23rd January, 2026

Middy Peckett 0-4-0ST ‘May’ to visit Suffolk Railway​

Middy Peckett 0-4-0ST ‘May’


The Mid-Suffolk Light Railway Easter Gala Steam Up is their first major weekend of the year.

The event is set to feature two visiting locomotives, which will run on both days.

Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST ‘Illingworth’, who ran their North Pole Express services and Middy Peckett 0-4-0ST ‘May’.

Visitors can enjoy driver experience days on board ‘Illingworth’, before it leaves the railway just after the weekend.


It’s fun for all the family, with Easter Bunny Hunts for children to enjoy, and as many journeys as you want to Aspall Halt.

23rd January, 2026

Applications open for an experienced boilersmith​

Heritage steam locomotive repair


Locomotive Engineers Riley & Son (E) Ltd. wish to recruit a boilersmith to work on heritage steam locomotives at its workshops at Bury in Greater Manchester.

It is a full-time, permanent role with a salary from £32,800 per annum, depending on experience.

The successful candidate will join a team working on the maintenance, repair, and construction of boilers for heritage steam locomotives.

Heritage steam locomotive repair


To help to preserve UK heritage railways’ historic steam locomotives, the work will involve using traditional techniques and materials, and the ideal candidate would be someone who is an experienced craftsperson with a passion for the standards required to maintain heritage locomotives, including experience in precision workmanship and working to high standards of safety and quality.

Pre-requisite requirements are that the candidate should be time-served and have the appropriate qualifications and skills needed to maintain, repair, and build steam locomotive boilers.

Heritage steam locomotive repair


Applicants must have experience in:

• Using hand, power, air, and machine tools.
• Experience in thermal cutting using oxy-propane and a plasma cutter.
• Marking out and working from engineering drawings.

Applicants should have a strong attention to detail and pride in their work, and be able to work both independently and as part of a small specialist team.

Desirable skills include experience in MMA, MIG, MAG, and TIG welding, welding to pressure vessel standards, and experience in plate forming and working with copper fireboxes and platework.

Heritage steam locomotive repair


The work will include:

• Maintaining, repairing, and rebuilding boilers from heritage steam locomotives.
• Manufacturing and fitting boiler components using traditional methods.
• Performing riveting, flanging, forming, and plate work.
• Carrying out inspections, fault diagnosis, and remedial work.

Applicants should be able to work from historical drawings, specifications, and verbal instructions, and ensure all work complies with the relevant safety regulations and heritage standards.

They will also work with other engineers, inspectors, and other skilled trades, and be able to maintain a clean, safe, and organised workshop environment.

Other tasks will include boiler washouts and periodic inspections, repair/replacement of components, renewal of plate work, tubing, and hot riveting.

Applications should be sent to Gareth@rileysuk.com

Among the locomotives that have been overhauled by the company are LMS Black 5 No. 45163 and Great Western Railway 2-8-0 steam locomotive No. 2857.

Dawlish Station

London Overground train at Stonebridge Park

23rd January, 2026

Update on two Maunsell steam locomotives​

Part of the pattern for the new left-hand cylinder for 928 'Stowe'


The Maunsell Society has produced an update regarding the overhauls of Q Class 0-6-0 No. 30541 and Schools Class 4-4-0 No.928 ‘Stowe’.

The boiler for 30541 is advancing well at Leaky Finders in Devon. At the time of writing, the remaining jobs required are riveting the steel backhead to the outer firebox, followed by staying, and the foundation ring rivets fitted along with the flue boiler tubes.

The holes for the washout plugs will also need to be re-tapped before the boiler is hydraulically tested, then, after the grate and smokebox have been refitted, the boiler will be returned to Sheffield Park.

Since the last update, Leaky Finders have carried out extensive work during the second half of 2025.

The majority of the copper stays have been annealed, set, and fitted into place around the sides of the firebox.

Most of the monel metal crown stays have also been fitted and caulked.

All of the boiler flue tubes have received and passed an NDT inspection and are ready for the ends to be brazed onto the tubes; these will be fitted at a later date.

Smaller jobs have included reaming the holes for the foundation ring, repairing and fitting the mudhole doors and fitting the boiler blowdown valve.

Work on the frames has unfortunately slowed over the last few months following the discovery of cracks in the horn blocks, which were sent for specialist repair.

They have since returned, although before fitting, they will require machining.

The new axle box crowns are currently being manufactured, and components for the brakes are being reassembled.

When the frame inserts are completed and the horn blocks added, the frames will be ready for reassembly.

Following optical alignment, bronze plates will need to be made to ensure correct alignment of the axle centres, and white metal liner faces cast and machined.

The slide bars will then be reattached and aligned before fitting the driving wheels together with axle boxes and springs, after which the inside motion can be assembled.

Work on the tender is still ongoing at Sheffield Park, East Sussex.

The exterior of the new tender tank is being painted; the inside was completed before Christmas.

The coal space will be painted in January.

Pipe work has also started to be reassembled on the tender frames.

30541’s Sandboxes in grey primer


The pattern for casting Stowe’s left-hand cylinder block has been made by East Coast Castings.

An appeal was started to raise the £15K required to cast the block, which is now over two-thirds of the way towards its funding target; once reached, the cylinder will be cast.

The Maunsell Society thanks all those who have contributed so far to 928’s restoration and is still looking for more donations to fully restore ‘Stowe’.

BR 9F 92134 (as Annesley shed's 92043) at Loughborough Central on the GCR, 22/1/26

Good old shed passing longbeck

The most common nickname for the British Rail Class 66 locomotive is the "Shed" (or sometimes "Sheds").

This is due to their boxy, functional design with a sloped roof resembling a garden shed.