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Marcus' Model Railway Journey

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Showing the first refurbished Voyager train (specifically Class 220, unit 220033) from the CrossCountry fleet, unveiled on February 10, 2026.

The unveiling took place at Alstom’s Derby Litchurch Lane Works, marking the start of a major fleet-wide upgrade program.

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Wednesday 11th Feb 2026

Marcus & Cleo Have Another Bus Adventure into Cardiff!

We went 'The Great Western' and had a couple of drinks.

Popped into my train shop and I bought some items.

Then we went to Covered Market and Cleo bought some net curtains and some ribbon.

Arrived at 'The Gatekeeper' for a few more drinks, had a a couple, OK three, pints of a really nice porter and some food.

Then it was the bus home.


The bus into Cardiff and back was Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd No. 267, ADL Enviro200, CN64 FWR

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I enjoyed drinking this porter..... :toast:


Old Moor Porter​

Acorn Brewery

A full bodied Victorian style porter with hints of liquorice and chocolate throughout.

The initial roasted bitterness gives way to a smooth, mellow finish.

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11th February, 2026

Event tickets go on sale at Llangollen Railway​

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7754


Tickets are now on sale for a number of events in 2026 for the Llangollen and Corwen Railway.

Tickets can be bought online or from stations; online bookings provide an advance discount, making it cheaper to visit.

Events which now have tickets include the Berwyn Explorer, Afternoon Tea trains and Real Ale trains.

More events are planned for later in the year, including their 1960s Weekend and Heritage Railcar Gala, with these tickets going on sale soon.

Tickets are available on their website.


“Putting many of our services on sale in advance allows people to plan their visits more easily, whether they are coming for a scenic journey, a family day out or one of our larger events. We know many of our visitors like to book ahead, and this makes it straightforward to choose dates and secure seats in advance.

“The railway offers something for everyone, from affordable family travel and short explorer journeys to gala weekends, dining experiences and seasonal events. Travelling through the Dee Valley by train is a special and memorable experience, and we are looking forward to welcoming both returning visitors and those discovering the railway for the first time during what promises to be a very busy and exciting year.”

Joanne Bradshaw, speaking on behalf of the railway
 
11th February, 2026

Talyllyn Railway awarded £500,000 towards 75 Appeal​

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Talyllyn at Tywyn Wharf


The Talyllyn Railway has announced that it has received further grants towards its major redevelopment programme.

The narrow gauge railway, which runs from Tywyn Wharf to Nant Gwernol, has received £200,000 towards the 75 Appeal from the Garfield Weston Foundation.

The Garfield Weston Foundation is a grant-maker that donates around £100m a year to a number of UK charities each year.

The National Lottery Community Fund has also awarded a grant of £323,707 towards the range of improvements.


These major works will include a new Pendre Engineering Works, new Carriage Maintenance Facilities, a training hub, restoration of the current facilities at Pendre and a new visitor facility at Pendre.

This fantastic news comes on the back of last month’s trip to Tywyn to see the announcement of the £3m+ grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The 75 Appeal now has over £5m towards the £5.53m project. With pledges coming in from regular donations, that means the railway is just £300,000 from its target!

Further details about The 75 appeal can be found at www.talyllyn.co.uk/75appeal


‘I am delighted to confirm that the Trustees have agreed a grant of £200,000 towards improving
your engineering and commercial facilities at the Talyllyn Railway, we look forward to hearing how your important work progresses.’

Sophia Weston of the Garfield Weston Foundation


‘We really liked your application for National Lottery funding – and we are happy to support ‘Preserving our Past, Building our Future’ with £323,707 over 5 years to help your community’.

Rachel Richards, funding Manager of the National Lottery Community Fund


“In the year when we celebrate 75 years as the World’s First Preserved Railway this is excellent news, and we are grateful to both the Garfield Weston Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund for their support. It is a further recognition of the urgent need for this project. The programme of community engagement is also vital for the future of the Railway. However, it is now essential that our 75 Appeal reaches its £750,000 target to ensure we have sufficient financial resources to move forwards with making our plans a reality.”

Talyllyn Railway Company Chairman, David Ventry
 
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11th February, 2026

Progress report on maintenance of Class 25 and Class 27 at Great Central Railway​

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A gutter waiting to be cut out


The Northampton Type 2 Group has taken advantage of the post-New Year absence of services on the Great Central Railway to carry out essential maintenance on the railway’s diesel locomotives Class 25 No. D5185 and Class 27 No. 27056.

Formed in September 2009, the aim of the group is to keep both locomotives in serviceable condition, especially the Class 25, which has the distinction of being the oldest Class 25 in preservation.
 
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A gutter after being cut out


Among the jobs carried out on D5185 was cutting out and removing rotten metal from the body.

Especially the cab joining strips and gutters on the number 1 end.

A cupboard in the cab has been restored, including fitting a custom-made new door.

A power unit is also being stripped down, for which some parts for its refurbishment have been obtained.

There is a continual need for funds towards the work, with the sale of appropriate merchandise, including mugs, pens, and stickers, being explored.

To this end, samples of suitable items have been obtained, and the fundraising items will be offered for sale at a suitable time.
 
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Samples of merchandise


A long-overdue oil change on 27056 was carried out at the end of December.

A sample of the waste oil was sent away for analysis to determine its contents, which would give a good indication of the engine’s bearing surfaces and other parts deep inside the engine.

A comparison with previous tests showed that although the oil was life expired, the overall condition of the engine was good.

Four filters in the filter canister were also removed and cleaned out, and the sludge was examined, which revealed evidence of thick oil lumps, but there was a complete absence of metal.

Class 27 No. 27056 was one of the stars at last year’s Autumn Diesel Gala at the Great Central Railway
 
12th February, 2026

Appeal update on Bury-based locomotive No. D5705​

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D5705 at Bury Bolton Street during the photo charter


The Class 15 Preservation Society has released a small update on the fundraising efforts to bring the locomotive back into service.

Back in September 2025, the Co-Bo Appeal was started to raise funds for initial work.

This followed on from a quote from GenElec of £16,680+vat for the work.

So far, the appeal has raised £8,393, meaning the halfway milestone has been passed.

Organised by Liam Barnes with help from Zac Hinchcliffe, a special photo charter ran on the 6th February to help promote the locomotive.
 
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D5705 with the conflat wagon


The photo charter saw D5705 paired with an appropriate Conflat wagon, box wagons and a replica CONDOR headboard.

This was the first-ever charter to run with D5705 and helped raise funds and awareness of the locomotive.

How can I help?​

Well, there are a number of ways. Firstly, the Society has a range of merchandise available, with monthly releases of pin badges in 2026.

The first one sold out in less than 12 hours, and merchandise can be bought from their online shop.
 
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