First, a confession…

Where the seed was sown: ex-Longmoor'Austerity' No. 118

Northern CAF units return to service

The new spreader plate fixed into the ‘T’

More Hitachi IETs back in traffic as repair plans are established

GWR reports it has begun returning more of

ORR launches 'lessons learned' review into train cracks

AS a result of the cracks in the

Industry facing cuts of £2bn as a result of Covid passenger exodus

THE substantial downturn in passenger numbers throughout the

RAIL JOURNEYS FALL TO LOWEST LEVELS SINCE 1872

THE number of passenger journeys on the National

'Azuma' training runs through to Middlesbrough

DRIVER training runs have taken place ahead of

TPE accepts final CAF train - and completes new train programme

TRANSPENNINE Express accepted its final new train on

First steps on the path to GBR

Following the Government's announcement of new public body Great British Railways, set up to replace the franchising system, The RM's new correspondent 'Industry Update' analyses the pros and cons of the proposed new organisation, which is still in development

West Coast record stands

Bold attempt to beat record time from Euston to Glasgow set by APT in 1984 fails by just 21 seconds

Chasing the record

Official timekeeper John Heaton FCILT describes the record-breaking attempt and how it came to just miss out

SIDELINES

Fourth HST power car for 12S Group PORTERBROOK

Bio-coal trial offers hope for the future of steam

Amid concerns over future supplies of carbon fuels for heritage railways, the 15in gauge Bure Valley Railway has undertaken the most extensive trials of bio-coal on a UK heritage steam line in the UK to date, reports Cliff Thomas

Pioneer '69' named May_flower

No. 69001 Mayflower after its naming at Eastleigh

Cumbrian bridge infill sparks heritage controversy

What an eyesore! The infilled bridge on the

Flexible season tickets on sale, saving hundreds of pounds for rail passengers

A NEW type offlexible season ticket was introduced

Railways in Parliament

Trans-Pennine benefits OLDHAM West and Royton MP Jim

BORING JOB MAKES EXCITING START

HS2 tunnelling is underway in the Chilterns, and Phil Marsh visits to find out more

CAMBRIAN CASEBOOK

In Practice & Performance this month, John Heaton FCILT turns his attention to steam workings over the difficult sections of the former Cambrian main line and connecting routes

FROM ENTHUSIAST TO MANAGING DIRECTOR

In the concluding instalment about his life on the railways, GWR managing director Mark Hopwood CBE talks to Tony Miles about the Privatisation years right up to the discovery of cracks on the IET fleet in May this year

50 years of Phoenix

WOODHEAD REMEMBERED

Marking the 40th anniversary of its closure as a through route, Graeme Pickering chronicles the rise and fall of Britain's first all-electric main line

Panorama

An air-con con?

YOUR response to the email from Gordon Bell

Time to re-create the first express electric loco?

IN VIEW of the ongoing replica builds of

Cambrian ticketing

I HAVE recently returned from a holiday in

Wonderful Copenhagen

I THOROUGHLY enjoyed the recentTrack Record Special (June

Class 58s: Not just freight locos

THE above titled article (June 2021 issue) resonated

Old Ghan recalled

HAVING just received the March edition of The

More on Thompson

I HAVE enjoyed reading the article (April issue)

Cuban mystery solved

CHRIS West's article on British locos exported to

FROM THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

~JULY1921 Lake District proposal A SCHEME for a

The RCTS: then and now

FOR over 90 years, the Railway Observer has

SIDELINES

Preparations for Bahamas AHEAD of its travels in

Rother Valley TWAO inquiry to begin: crossing concerns overcome?

The Public Inquiry (PI) into the proposed Rother

Mogul makes the grade!

SR'U'No. 31806 made a welcome return to the

Patriot progresses

LUXURY IN THE VALLEY: The Severn Valley Railway

Tender start for Dame Vera Lynn

THE return to steam of a popular member

Injector push for new-build 'P2'

THE A 1 Steam Locomotive Trust's (A 1SLT)

Toddington's BR 'Standard 4' No. 76077 rewheeled

THE restoration ofToddington Standard Locomotive Limited's (TSLL) BR'

Autumn hope for 'Grange'

THE completion of No. 6880 Betton Grange is

'Wizzer' £1 m 'SOS' appeal

THE West Somerset Railway (WSR) has launched an

SIDELINES

'T3' boiler progress WORK continues on the boiler

Reopening date target for Llangollen Railway

THE Llangollen Railway Trust (LRT) is aiming to

All stations go for GCR

Stanier'8F' 2-8-0 No. 48305 gets away past Charnwood

Kent 'Terrier' rallies to the rescue at Yorkshire gala weekend

'Terrier' 0-6-0T No. 2678 Knowle heads a service

Didcot gears up for gala

MAJOR celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of

SIDELINES

Horden enters traffic at Tanfield ... NEWLY restored

Tanfield 'Austerity' joins North Tyneside anniversary gala line-up

ROBERT Stephenson & Hawthorns-built'Austerity' 0-6-0ST No. 49 (7098/1943)

Northampton & Lamport Pecketts offered for sale

TWO Peckett-built locomotives based at the Northampton &

Transport Trust grant helps restore Teddy's original fixtures

AN ONGOING project to restore lost fixtures and

Steam Portfolio

SCOTSMAN'S CIRCULAR EXCURSIONS: The National Collection's 'A3' Pacific

SINGLE LINES

■ FFESTINIOG & Welsh Highland Railway (Ff&WHR) submitted

Talyllyn marks 70 years of preservation

Left: Talyllyn Railway's No. 2 Dolgoch and No.4

More railways reopen

HAVING reopened the Welsh Highland Railway between Caernarfon

Washford peat line relocates to developing Westonzoyland museum

THE collection of ex-Eclipse/ Fisons Peat Works narrow

Parracombe trackbed secured for L&BR revival

NEW-BUILD PROGRESS: This May 1 O overview of

Leighton Buzzard deviation construction in progress

EARTHWORKS are in progress for a deviation of

Handyman joins Statfold museum collection

'GREEN'TRACTION: The Clayton-built hybrid battery-diesel locomotives constructed for

La'al Ratty to celebrate 60 years of preservation

THE RAVENGLASS & Eskdale Railway is holding a

Flood defence upgrade boost for Bala extension

NATURAL Resources Wales secured planning permission from Snowdonia

Ogwen restoration enters final straight

Andrew Barclay 0-4-0WT Cegin (1991/1931) returned to operation

SINGLE LINES

■ THE replica Pickering brake carriage constructed at

SINGLE LINES

■ NEW Welsh Highland Railway carriage No. 2048

DIARY

Happy days as Fairbourne returns gala events to NG calendar ...

Exmoor 2-6-2T Christopher visiting from Littlehampton Miniature Railway

... and Statfold lays on a steam feast

Visiting George England 0-4-0STT Prince and resident Fowler

SINGLE LINES

■ THE boiler from Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland

SIDELINES

Normal Edinburgh Trams service resumes EDINBURGH Trams ran

Underframe cracks halt West Midlands trams temporarily

WEST Midlands Metro (WMM) services were suspended for

Wat~rloo & City Line services recommence

HAVING been closed since March last year, the

Preston plans progress 'this year'?

PRESTON Tram power (PT) director Lincoln Shields has

Poole Park Railway on track for reopening

THE long-running saga of the 1 0¼in gauge

End of the line for Norfolk's Wells Harbour Railway?

THE 1 0¼in gauge Wells Harbour Railway (WHR)

SIDELINES

Nottingham artefacts donated NOTTINGHAM Express Transit operator Nottingham

Roof repair appeal for Rigby Road

~ Blackpool's Rigby Road tram depot pictured in

Gateshead tram overhaul resumes at Beamish

WORK has restarted on the heavy overhaul of

Pete relaunches historic tramway

BACK IN ACTION: The Manx Electric Railway's 2021

SIDELINES

£6m for Hither Green station refurb A £6m

New through platform for Oxford in £69m plan

A NEW through platform and west entrance have

Planning approval for Inverness station

APPROVAL by Highland Council has been given for

16,000 sleepers delivered for Levenmouth link in Fife

IN preparation for rebuilding the rail link to

£250,000 spent on world's largest signalbox

SHREWSBURY'S Grade II listed Severn Bridge Junction signalbox

£33m upgrade for (adder yard

The signalbox before refurbishment. NETWORK Rail has confirmed

Fresh plans for Leicester station upgrade emerge

NEW plans for an upgrade of the access

Captain Sir Tom Moore memorial seat in place

A SPECIAL memorial platform seat to celebrate the

Signalling project grows as 'boxes decline

A PROJECT to document on film the wide

Leeds becomes first major station to get electric car charging

THE multi-storey car park at Leeds station, which

Fugro awarded Scotland survey contract

GEO-intelligence and asset integrity provider Fugro has been

Stephenson-designed viaduct restored

WORK to restore a 181-yearold viaduct designed by

Refurbishment for Forth Bridge approach span

NETWORK Rail has begun a £7.5m renovation project

Ealing Broadway access now step-free

A NEW ticket hall at Ealing Broadway station

Charity tour sells out as enthusiasts and industry rally round

A THREE-DAY railtour, covering in excess of 1200

Tyseley's 2021 tours prove popular

VINTAGE Trains (VT) says its railtour programme is

Grab a 'rare' 'Growler' for haulage to aid good causes!

ENTHUSIASTS are being invited to enjoy a day

BOOKING CONTACTS

BEL - Belmond 0845 077 2222 BLS -

5'' GAUGE CORONATION CLASS

OVER 90% OF BATCH NOW SOLD!

SIDELINES

'ED' for Cambrian Heritage Railways CLASS 73 No.

Telford Type 3 makes its preservation debut

PRIVATELY owned Class 37 No. 37263 operated its

Record-breaker HST power car donated to the NRM

HST power car No. 43102 The Journey Shrinker

SIDELINES

Last 'Pacers' withdrawn, but more are saved FINAL

WSR 'Teddy Bear' returns to service

CLASS 14 No. D9526 is now back in

Sulzer Type 2 returns to traffic as B&KR reopens

Class 27 No. 27001 is seen about to

Unique Class 71 electric loco restored at Shildon

BRUSH TYPE 3 TO REMAIN AT WIRKSWORTH: Class

Iron & Steel Traction Group sells its locomotive fleet

Class 14 No. D9520 has been bought for

DIARY

SIDELINES

Wensleydale launches 'Pacer' appeal THE Wensleydale Railway has

Classic Traction Portfolio

SIDELINES

First track for Belturbet station THE Belturbet Heritage

Minister welcomes new Ballina-Waterford Port freight service

A NEW twice-weekly intermodal freight service linking Ballina,

Dundalk becomes New York for Hollywood sequel

THE glitz and glamour of Hollywood descended upon

Railway projects benefit from Heritage Council awards

BOTH the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland (RPSI)

Progress with Nigeria's new standard gauge railways

NIGERIAN President Mr Muhammadu Buhari opened the 150km

Malaysian main line electrification progress

The electrification will replace diesel loco hauled trains.

Steam for final 2021 sugar train in Florida

THE last train of the 2021 harvest, carrying

New EMUs rapidly replacing French classic Nez Casse electrics

THE classic French loco design with an angular

Scottish fleet contract agreed

SIEMENS Mobility has agreed a five-year contract extension

Bicycle '153s' on the move

THE last two of ScotRail's five 'active travel'

Bogie drop for Crown Point

Sheffield-based depot equipment specialist Meehan has designed and

First HybridFLEX DMU tested at heritage line

Unit No. 168329 in the station yard at

GBRf honours engineers

GB Railfreight has named two of its Class

East Coast Class 803 testing underway

WITH Hitachi having completed the five Class 803

New colours for 50008

Hanson & Hall-owned Class 50, No. 50008 Thunderer,

Mk.4 stock enters service in Wales

June 7 saw the launch into public service

Sprinters reformed at Northern

Northern has formed four threecar Class 1S0s for

Welsh 'Pacer' farewell

On May 29, No. 143601 leads Class 150,

Leicester stabling for Class 170s

On May 15, Nos. 170398 and 17114 were

WAGON REPORT

WASCOSA is making a major investment in the

Operations

AVANTI /\ WES T COA~ FROM about 11.00

Stock Update

THE GENERATION GAME: Three railway ages meet at