Marcus' Model Railway Journey

Nexus Rail overhead line engineers on the Tyne and Wear Metro

18th April, 2026

Staffordshire railway releases statement after train derailment​

Churnet Valley Railway guard


The Churnet Valley Railway has released a statement after a train derailed this morning.

The incident happened at around 09:40 this morning (18th April 2026) and involved a non-passenger carrying train at Cheddleton station.

Thankfully, no injuries were sustained during the incident.

The Churnet Valley Railway are working with the Office of Rail and Road and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.


The railway says that this is the first incident like this since they began operating in 1996.

Recovery is underway to remove the locomotive and coach affected.

The locomotive involved is a new locomotive to the railway’s fleet, but the CVR says it would be inappropriate to speculate on what the cause was.

All services have been suspended as a result of the derailment and this will continue into Sunday.

A full service is expected from the 22nd April, subject to safety and recovery work being completed in time.


"At approximately 09:40 this morning, a non-passenger-carrying train movement consisting of empty coaching stock departing Cheddleton Station derailed.

No injuries were reported or sustained as a result of the incident.

We are working closely with the relevant authorities, including the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), and are fully cooperating with them. A response team from CVR was immediately dispatched and recovery operations are currently underway to safely rerail and remove the affected locomotive and coach.

The railway has proudly operated heritage steam and diesel services since 1996, and this is the first incident of this nature in our history. We are committed to understanding exactly what has occurred and will continue to support all investigative efforts. While the locomotive involved is new to our fleet, it has undergone extensive testing prior to entering service, and it would be inappropriate to speculate on the cause at this stage.

As a result of the derailment, services will remain suspended through Saturday and into Sunday.

We currently expect to resume normal services on Wednesday 22 April, subject to the completion of recovery work and safety checks.

We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available."

CVR Spokesperson

18th April, 2026

ACMU Society move to the Essex heritage railway​

No. 312792


The ACMU (Alternating Current Multiple Unit) Society has announced a partnership with the Colne Valley Railway in Essex, which will see the society move to new premises and launch “The 300 Club”.

“The 300 Club” will provide a means of funding for “Project 300”, which is to restore a DTC and TS vehicle from No. 312792 and a DTBSO from No. 307123 to full working order, with potential for passenger use on the Colne Valley Railway in the long term.

Members of “The 300 club” will be able to donate £3 a month towards the restoration of the two units.

Both units are unique in their own way.

No. 312792 is the last class 312 in existence, while No. 307123 is formed of the only two Mk2 EMU carriages to make it to preservation.

No. 307123 celebrates its 70th Anniversary this year, and there are plans underway as part of “Project Yellow Submarine” to cosmetically restore this ACMU to as-built condition in BR Green livery for its anniversary this August.

No. 307123


The two vehicles from 312792 will go straight into full restoration with support from Colne Valley volunteers.

Both units have already begun to be stripped, with assets being assessed for possible reuse or replacement.

307123 and 312792 will also be added under the banner of AC EMU preservation, and will feature under the Societies’ “Meet the Fleet” network alongside other preserved units Nos. 309624, 311103, 313121, 317345, 315856,

The ACMU Society has already been very grateful to a generous donor who has sponsored a storage building and modular office for the group.

To fully purchase both assets, the society is encouraging members to like Budget Shipping Containers on Facebook.

Every like will see £1 taken off the final cost of purchase and movement of the containers to the society’s new site at the Colne Valley Railway.


“I’m really pleased to take this big step forward for the group and to support these unique vehicles. The Colne Valley Railway have been very supportive of our aims and ambitions, and our organisations share a lot of the same values. I look forward to working with the railway and exploring some of the other opportunities and future potential on site”

Lakshman Pathak, Chair of ACMU society


“The Colne Valley Railway and ACMU partnership allows us to continue preserving these vehicles with their historical connections to Essex. We are home to a large proportion of the AC fleet, and now is a good opportunity to develop this relationship. The ACMU bring an enthusiastic team with expertise and a clear roadmap. We welcome The ACMU Society to the CVR and look forward to working with them.”

Adam Croot, CVR Trustee

18th April, 2026

Llangollen to expand partnership with Llangollen Tourist Information Centre following launch success​

James Veal, Denise Williams and Ian Lebbon at the launch of the new partnership


The Llangollen and Corwen Railway has expanded its partnership with Llangollen Tourist Information Centre following strong demand for town-centre ticket sales.

Since the launch of the initiative on Castle Street, delivered in collaboration with Go North Wales, visitors have responded positively to the convenience of purchasing tickets in the heart of Llangollen, simplifying access to one of North Wales’ most popular heritage railways.

From this week, the offer has been broadened to include official railway merchandise at the Tourist Information Centre.

A range of branded items such as teddy bears, tote bags, key rings, cups and cushions is now available, allowing visitors to combine ticket purchases with souvenirs in a single location.

The railway has also outlined plans to extend partnerships with attractions across North Wales in the coming months, supporting Llangollen’s bid for Town of Culture.

7822 'Foxcote Manor' approaches Carrog


Existing collaborations include the Llangollen Garden Railway Festival, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and Wales Comic Con, strengthening the town’s position as a year-round destination.

Meanwhile, the railway’s ‘Ales from Wales’ Real Ale Trains will launch on 25 April, featuring Welsh breweries including Hafod and Purple Moose.

The event will include live music in the James Veal Station Master’s Marquees at Llangollen Railway Station.

Further supporting local enterprise, the railway café now stocks predominantly Welsh produce, including Mario’s Luxury Ice Cream, reflecting a wider commitment to regional suppliers and the visitor economy.


“The success of selling tickets through the Tourist Information Centre has been fantastic. It has made a real difference in helping visitors access the railway more easily, right from the centre of our town. The TIC is such a brilliant asset to Llangollen. It plays a vital role in welcoming visitors and promoting everything the town, the Dee Valley and the wider region have to offer.

“It’s been a pleasure to work alongside Denise, Barbara and the whole team, who do an outstanding job every day. We are proud to support them and strengthen this partnership even further. By expanding into merchandise, we’re creating an even better experience for visitors, giving them the chance not only to plan their journey, but also to take a piece of the railway home with them.”

David Hennigan, Trust Manager at the railway.

19th April, 2026

Charity railtour visits Alstom Traincare Centres​

09007 at Alstom Manchester Traincare Centre


A charity railtour has visited three of Alstom’s Traincare Centres.

The Branch Line Society organised the charter, which visited the Alstom sites in Manchester (Longsight), Wolverhampton (Oxley) and Liverpool (Edge Hill) on Saturday 4 April.

The visits were part of a tour along on the West Coast Main Line, which began and ended in Merseyside.

The tour was dubbed ‘Alstom’s Depot Dash’, and enabled passengers to see and film railway maintenance facilities that they would not usually get to see.

66701 at Alstom Midlands Traincare Centre


Alstom’s five Traincare Centres along the West Coast Main Line service fleets including Avanti West Coast’s Pendolino trains, which Alstom also built.

The Pendolinos completed an upgrade two years ago, which returned the trains to an ‘as new’ condition.

The railtour set off from Edge Hill railway station and was hauled by GB Railfreight (GBRf) locomotive No. 66701 to Liverpool Lime Street. Locomotive no. 57306 then took the tour to Alstom’s Manchester Traincare Centre, and No. 66694 hauled the train from Bescot Yard to Bletchley railway station.

Around three hundred passengers travelled in Mark 3 carriages, which were provided by Eastern Rail Services.

The tour carried the headcode 1Z57, and Alstom’s Central Operations team welcomed it to each site.

Resident shunting locomotives at Longsight (No. 08887 and No. 09007) and Oxley (No. 08617) hauled the charter’s eight coaches.

The charter raised more than £4,200, with over £3,200 donated to Beatson Cancer Charity, and over £1,200 shared among Railway 200 charity partners.

57306 at Alstom Liverpool Traincare Centre


Other Alstom Traincare Centres have also hosted charity tours, including Polmadie Depot in Glasgow, which last year welcomed visitors for the first time in 25 years.


“Opening our Traincare Centres to a passenger service is something we do very rarely, so Alstom’s Depot Dash was genuinely special. These sites are first and foremost operational environments, and the professionalism of our teams ensured the tour could be delivered safely while giving passengers a unique perspective on the work that keeps Britain’s railway moving.”

Christopher Mackenzie, Head of Passenger Operations at Alstom

Monday 20th Apr 2026

Marcus & Cleo Have Another Bus Adventure into Cardiff!

Due to Cleo using our Wednesday as a charity donation/collection day we have move to Monday instead.

We went to 'The Great Western', we sat outside and I had three pints of 'Plum Porter'.

Then we went for a walk to find some lunch. bought a couple of meals deals from Tesco's and went to the indoor market upstairs balcony to eat.

Then we ended up in 'The Gatekeeper'.

I had a pint of 'Top Dog Stout' and two pints of 'Leffe'.

We had our dinner there, we both had 'all day breakfasts'.

After all that we caught the bus home.


The bus into Cardiff was Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd No. 259, ADL Enviro200, CE63 NZP

The bus home from Cardiff was Cardiff Bus/Bws Caerdydd No. 262, ADL Enviro200, CN64 FWK

Plum Porter​

A well-rounded speciality porter with a sweet, fruity nose. Notes of plum and other stone fruits are present throughout, balanced against a delicate blend of classic hops

First brewed in 2011 as a one-off seasonal, our multi-award winning Plum Porter has gone on to become a genre-defining speciality beer beloved by drinkers both at home and in the pub!

Top Dog Stout​

Burton Bridge​

Malty, Bitter, Fruity, Rich, Hops, Black, Roast, Smooth, Dry, Creamy, Malt, Bitterness, Fruit

Black and rich with a roast and malty start.

Fruity and abundant hops give a fruity, bitter finish with a mouth-watering edge

LEFFE BLONDE​

Leffe Blonde is an authentic blond abbey beer with a slight hint of bitterness to it. It is delicate but characteristic, Leffe Blonde is the tasting beer par excellence: it gives an extra touch of flavour to simple dishes and lightly accompanies your fried foods.
Aroma: Floral and spicy with notes of vanilla and cloves.
Taste: The strong malty aroma of Leffe Blonde reveals a sweet bitterness in perfect harmony with notes of vanilla and clove.
Alcohol content: 6.6%

Testing the overhead line repairs near Manchester Piccadilly Sunday 19 April.

Teams carrying out the overhead line repairs at Manchester Piccadilly on 19 April 2026.

20th April, 2026

Vale of Rheidol Railway receives station sign donation​

Aberystwyth Station totem sign donation


An original Aberystwyth Station totem sign has been donated to the Vale of Rheidol Railway.

The sign dates back to around the 1950s/60s and was originally acquired by Stephen Wiggs in 1970.

Wiggs is an Aberystwyth graduate and acquired the sign from British Rail while he was a student, and the sign has remained in his collection ever since.

The railway stated that they were delighted to have received the historic sign and give it a permanent home.

20th April, 2026

Trains ready for testing if new Marchwood and Southampton to London service is approved​

Grand Union Class 769


A decision is expected soon by the Office of Rail and Road for Alliance Rail’s proposed new service from Marchwood to Southampton and London Waterloo.

The decision is expected within the next two months.

Work has progressed to develop a timetable and make the Class 769 trains ready for use.

The trains have now received certification to be operated on the South West Main Line for testing and can be operated up to 100mph.


The Class 769s are now ready to begin testing and gauging runs if the service is approved

Network Rail is working on a new 2027 timetable, which includes Alliance’s new service, which Alliance says shows that there is sufficient track capacity for the new service.


“The news regarding the Class 769 is particularly welcome as Porterbrook, the owner of the trains, has worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to ensure our planned trains could operate on this route. Being a bi-mode train, both third rail electric and diesel, means it can operate on the non-electrified route between Totton and Marchwood, otherwise the only other option would be a diesel train operating on the entire route”.

“The significant cross party support we have received from MPs, local authorities and other stakeholders has been very important in promoting the value of the service for this important but overlooked part of Hampshire, which had expected to see the line re-opening before hopes were dashed once again in late 2024. The recent reopening of the Okehampton line in Devon and the Northumberland line show how important local rail re-openings are for their communities and both have been a huge success”.

Ian Yeowart, Alliance Rail’s Managing Director

20th April, 2026

West Somerset Railway announces final visiting locomotive for Spring Steam Spectacular​

16” Hunslet No.1589 Newstead


West Somerset Railway have announced the final visiting locomotive for its Spring Steam Spectacular 2026, set to take place between 1-4 May.

16” Hunslet No.1589 Newstead completes the line-up of 11 locomotives celebrating 50 years of the railway, after a series of earlier announcements of the roster for the event.

Built in 1929 by the Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds for coal mining duties, Newstead worked until 1972, when it was believed to have been scrapped.

It had been saved by Malcolm James Saul and stored in a convent garden shed, later obscured by trees and forgotten.

More than 40 years on, Alex Alder rediscovered the engine with help from the resident nuns.

Following restoration, it returned to steam in 2025 at the North Norfolk Railway.


At the event, Newstead will operate as an industrial counterpart to ‘Victor’, with a Sunday double-header alongside LNER A4 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’.

Further information on the event can be found on their website.

20th April, 2026

Llanberis Lake Railway suspend services for National Grid upgrades​

Dolbadarn at Llanberis


The Llanberis Lake Railway has provided an update on the ongoing National Grid electricity cable replacement project.

While it has been ongoing, the railway’s timetable has been subject to change at short notice and has now suspended passenger journeys between 13th April and 10th May.

A number of the cables needed for replacement run under the railway’s land, so the project will affect journeys throughout the rest of 2026.

Journeys outside of this suspension will be shorter from Padarn Country Park to Llanberis station.


Visitors to the area are reminded that their café and gift shop at Gilfach Ddu station will remain open on 21st-23rd April, 28th -30th April and 4th-7th May.

20th April, 2026

Steam locomotive driving experiences available at the Tanfield Railway​

Steam Driver Experiences


The Tanfield Railway, widely regarded as the world’s oldest railway, has introduced a new hands-on visitor attraction in the form of Steam Driver Experiences.

The initiative gives participants the chance to step onto the footplate and take control of historic industrial steam locomotives.

The sessions feature engines such as Sir Cecil A Cochrane and Keighley Corporation Gas Dept No.2, machines built for heavy-duty industrial work rather than passenger elegance.

Constructed by renowned Tyneside firms including Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn Leslie, these locomotives reflect the region’s industrial heritage.

Each experience lasts 40 minutes, led by a qualified crew.

Participants can learn to operate the locomotive under realistic conditions, including handling steep 1-in-40 gradients.

Steam Driver Experiences


The package also includes a souvenir goody bag and complimentary day travel for the participant and a guest, offering unlimited rides along the line.

Dating back to 1725, the railway began as a wooden wagonway transporting coal to the River Tyne.

Today it operates as a living museum of the 1920-1950 industrial era, featuring sites such as the Marley Hill Engine Shed and the Causey Arch, both landmarks maintained largely by volunteers.

Sessions are scheduled for May 25, July 5, August 1 and August 31.

Participants must be aged 21 or over and meet basic fitness requirements.

Period attire, such as a flat cap and boiler suit, is provided to enhance the authenticity.


“Our experience packages have been incredibly popular over the past few years, and the response from the public has been nothing short of fantastic,”

“However, the Steam Driver Experience is the one we’ve been working so hard to offer, and I’m thrilled it’s finally here. It provides a true, hands-on experience of our industrial railway heritage, and you never know, we might even get a few more volunteers out of it too!”

Euan Sharp, Tanfield Railway’s Visitor Experience Lead.

20th April, 2026

Gresley Society announce tribute headboards to celebrate Gresley’s 150th birthday​

No. 1744 with the Gresley 150 headboard


The Gresley Society, founded in 1963 to honour the life and work of Sir Nigel Gresley, has announced a nationwide tribute to mark the 150th anniversary of the engineer’s birth on 19 June 1876.

Gresley, who died on 5 April 1941, remains one of Britain’s most influential locomotive engineers and served as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER).

On Friday, 19 June 2026, all surviving and new-build steam locomotives designed by Gresley that are either in operational condition or on public display will carry a specially commissioned ‘Gresley 150 Anniversary’ headboard.

The design faithfully reflects the pre-Second World War London North Eastern Railway house style, echoing the headboards once carried by named expresses and incorporating the characteristic Gill Sans typography associated with the railway’s golden age.

No. 1744 with the Gresley Society headboard


The headboards will appear across a wide and internationally dispersed fleet. Among them are LNER A3 No. 4472/60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’, based at the National Railway Museum in York and regularly seen on main line tours, and LNER A4 No. 4498/60007 ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’, based at Crewe with Locomotive Services Ltd.

Also included are A4 No. 4468/60022 ‘Mallard’ on static display at York, A4 No. 4464/60019 ‘Bittern’, under overhaul at Crewe, and A4 No. 4488/60009 ‘Union of South Africa’, now preserved at Balbuthie in Fife.

Overseas representatives include A4 No. 4489/60010 ‘Dominion of Canada’, in Quebec and A4 No. 4496/60008 ‘Dwight D. Eisenhower’ in Wisconsin.

Further participants range from D49 No. 246/62712 ‘Morayshire’, currently under overhaul on the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, to K4 No. 3442/61994 ‘The Great Marquess’, at Balbuthie.


To complement the full-size tribute, the Society has commissioned model versions of the anniversary headboard, manufactured by Fox Transfers and available online.

Prices are set at £15.00 for 7 mm (0 gauge), £10.00 for 4 mm (00 gauge), and £7.50 for both TT120 and 2 mm (N gauge), with standard ‘The Gresley Society’ headboards also offered.

The initiative aligns with a strong market for LNER models, particularly in 00 gauge, where manufacturers such as Hornby and Bachmann produce detailed A1/A3, A4, and V2 classes alongside tank and tender locomotives.

Equivalent ranges exist in 0 gauge, N gauge and TT120, allowing modellers to recreate LNER operations with increasing fidelity.

The anniversary headboards provide a straightforward means of marking the occasion on layouts and displays.


Enthusiasts are encouraged to share their models using #Gresley150, contributing to a wider programme of events throughout 2026 under the banner ‘A Legacy of Innovation, Speed and Elegance’, including exhibitions, a symposium and collaborative activities with heritage railways and museums.


“The 150th anniversary of Sir Nigel Gresley’s birth provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate his extraordinary legacy of engineering excellence. We are delighted that all surviving and new build Gresley locomotives will carry the special ‘Gresley 150 Anniversary’ headboard on 19 June 2026, in authentic pre-war LNER style.

“These high-quality model headboards, available in O, OO, TT120 and N gauges, allow enthusiasts and modellers everywhere to join the celebration on their own layouts. We warmly encourage everyone to fit the headboards to their models and share photographs on social media using the hashtag #Gresley150, helping to create a lasting digital tribute to one of Britain’s greatest locomotive engineers.”

Philip Benham MBE, Chairman of The Gresley Society.

20th April, 2026

Branch Line Society announce new railtour, hauled by a Hastings unit this May​

Hastings Diesel Electric Multiple Unit


The Branch Line Society have announced the Gosh Ness Monster railtour, raising funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital, set to take place between Friday, 22 and Sunday, 24 May 2026.

With thanks to GBRf and Hastings Diesels Limited (HDL), the Branch Line Society are presenting the opportunity to travel from Tonbridge on a three-day excursion to see the beauty of the Scottish Highlands on a route rarely seen by a Hastings unit.

With boarding points from Tonbridge up the West Coast Main Line, the journey is set to take passengers towards Carlisle, onto Edinburgh Waverley on day one, followed by a packed day two of travel, headed from Waverley towards Edinburgh Haymarket, Perth, Avimore, Inverness, Aberdeen, and both the Tay and Forth Bridges.

Then, on day three, the tour makes its way back down the West Coast Mainline from Edinburgh Waverley.

The train is composed of 6-car unit 201013 and 3-car unit 201001, coupled together to form a 9-car train.

Onboard will also be a buffet car and a daily charity raffle.

The Hastings DEMUs belong to a class of 23 diesel-electric units built in the late 1950s to replace steam-hauled services between London and Hastings via Tunbridge Wells.

The units remained in service until their withdrawal in 1986 and are now preserved for enthusiast operations.


Indicative timings are as follows:

Friday, 22 May:

Tonbridge (08:12) – Bromley South (08:42) – Kensington Olympia (09:19) – Up and Dn SW Goods – Acton Lane Reception No 1 – Watford Junction (10:15) – Milton Keynes Central (11:00) – Northampton Down Goods – Rugby P6 (11:30) – Up & Dn Through Siding – Nuneaton (11:50) – Stafford (12:45) – Crewe Up & Dn Loop – Warrington Bank Quay – Wigan North Western (13:50) – Preston – Lancaster – Grayrigg DPL – Penrith P3 – Carlisle (15:45 / 20 minute photo stop) – Lockerbie DPL – Beattock Summit DPL – Carstairs – Slateford – Edinburgh (19:30)


Saturday, 23 May:

Haymarket P0 (08:00) – Haymarket North Goods Loop – Inverkeithing – Kirkcaldy – Ladybank – Perth P4 (South) – Perth UPL – Pitlochry – Kingussie – Aviemore (20-minute photo stop) – Inverness (2 hour break) – Elgin – Keith – Aberdeen (20-minute photo stop) – Craiginches Loop No 2 – Dundee Up Through – Tay Bridge – Ladybank – Kirkcaldy – Forth Bridge – Haymarket P0 (20:00)

Sunday, 24 May:

Edinburgh (09:00) – Haymarket – Carstairs – Carlisle (10:45 / 20-minute photo stop) – Penrith – Lancaster – Preston Up Goods – Wigan North Western (12:30) – Warrington Bank Quay – Crewe Up & Dn Loop – Stafford (13:45) – Nuneaton (14:45) – Rugby (15:15) – Northampton Reception line – Milton Keynes Central P2 (16:30) – Bletchley Relief No 2 – Tring P4 – Watford Junction (18:00) – Acton Lane Reception No 2 – Kensington Olympia (19:30) – Bromley South (20:30) – Tonbridge (22:00)