Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 i The Railway Magazine

THE launch of a Stirling-London Euston service as part of its Lumo open access operations is not expected until the spring, but FirstGroup is already confident there is a case to warrant extension of the current track access agreement. The company expects to begin operating four return Monday-Saturday and three return Sunday trains between Stirling and Euston next year, serving Larbert, Greenfaulds, Whifflet, Motherwell, Lockerbie, Carlisle, Preston, Crewe, Nuneaton and Milton Keynes. It announced at the end of October that it would be making an application to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for the continuation of paths beyond May 2030, which it believes will support investment in the areas served, as well as encouraging a further shift from car to train usage. Following the rejection earlier this year…

Guinness World Record: Longest-running railway series, established in 1901 MANY locomotives have carried nameplates honouring the nobility, and a fair number have carried the soubriquet ‘Duke’ – although the London Midland & Scottish Railway demonstrated a marked preference for Duchesses, with 10 of Stanier’s Coronation Pacifics following the distaff line. The Great Western Railway managed the ‘Iron Duke’ class and the later ‘3252 Dukes’, then mongrel ‘Dukedogs’. Yet, if one mentions ‘The Duke’ in modern railway circles, there is no doubt that it will refer to the only Class 8 Standard Pacific No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester. Presumably, if further orders had been forthcoming, we would have had the Dukes of Abercorn, Atholl, Buccleuch and so on. It is generally believed there was engineering and operating enthusiasm to have more…

Whistles in the dark IT IS night on Station Road in Abergavenny, winter 1960. I am tucked up, snug, in my new bedroom. But out there, in the darkness, there is something going on. A steam engine whistles, loud and long. Then another engine answers, closer, two blasts; then the first again, and another blast. It is the signal to and fro from the banker pulling up to the back of a train from Pontypool starting its long climb towards Hereford. The next station, Llanfihangel Crucorney, is 4½ miles away at 1-in-82. Heavy going. That was the lullaby of my pre-teen years. The siren song of tough little tank engines giving their all to get big, important trains on their way north. Dozens of times a day, everyday and romantic…

100 YEARS AGO DECEMBER 1925 Met opens to Watford ON November 2, public traffic was inaugurated between Baker Street and City stations and from Marylebone to Watford via the new Metropolitan and London & North Eastern route. This diverges from the Aylesbury line between Moor Park & Sandy Lodge and Rickmansworth stations, thence proceeds eastwards to serve stations at Croxley Green and Watford. Garrett orders THE London Midland & Scottish Railway Company has placed an order with Beyer Peacock & Co, patentees and builders of the Garratt locomotive, for three of these engines of the 2-6+6-2 type for working heavy goods trains between Toton and Hendon (Brent Sidings). ‘Scotsman’ on vinyl DEPARTURE of the famous ‘Flying Scotsman’ train from King’s Cross has been recorded on a gramophone record for the…

A HIATUS of 58 years was brought to an end on October 25 when steam returned to part of the old ‘Varsity’ route between Oxford and Cambridge. Having returned to the main line only the month before, Southern Locomotives Ltd’s Bulleid ‘West Country’ No. 34028 Eddystone hauled ‘The Varsity Explorer’ from Slough to Chester, passing over the newly opened section of the East West Rail route between Bicester and Bletchley. This involved travelling over the rebuilt flyover at Bletchley before joining the West Coast Main Line on the run up to Milton Keynes. Closed as a through-route in 1967, the ‘Varsity Line’ is being reopened in stages as part of the full East West Rail project. The first section between Oxford and Bicester reopened in 2016, and from Bicester to…

A NEW shed and workshop building, which will finally provide protection from the elements for a small team of volunteers working on the restoration of late 19th and early 20th-century carriages at the East Somerset Railway, could be completed next year, subject to council planning approval. The ESR is appealing for donations towards the estimated £160,000 cost of completing the two-road structure at Tanker Sidings and for additional hands-on help with returning a fleet which could ultimately consist of six period coaches to traffic. “We can’t work when it’s raining hard because we’re working outdoors all the time,” said ESR Vintage Carriage Group member Steve Ehrlicher. “The site itself needs clearing to create a space for the two sidings that would form the interior of the shed. It’s going to…

A PROGRAMME of heritage tram illuminations tours in Blackpool was extended until the end of November due to demand after originally being due to last only for the duration of the Lightpool Festival. The town’s heritage fleet was suddenly suspended from operation in December 2024 after Blackpool Transport stated that a number of issues needed to be resolved so that they could continue to share the system with its Bombardier ‘Flexity 2’ cars, which operate normal timetabled services. The company said there had been difficulties relating to the introduction of obstacle and collision detection systems on the tramway, as well as safety conflicts and logistical problems relating to depot space and tram movements. Return In September this year, however, it announced that English Electric ‘Balloon’ No. 717 and illuminated car…

A NEW DB Cargo-operated intermodal train service, combining two traffic flows, was launched in October, linking Teesport with Mossend and Grangemouth. The Scottish destinations had previously been connected to the port by two separate trains which were consistently full, providing little if any scope for additional cargo. Teesport operator PD Ports worked with Network Rail and DBC to trial and approve a longer train serving both destinations. Consisting of 16 wagons (as opposed to the previous 14) and operating on a daily basis, it says this equates to an additional 40 slots per week for customers. The changes should provide more flexibility for businesses to ‘drip feed’ deliveries rather than having to wait for a specific day to move goods or revert to using lorries instead to make the journey.…

GB RAILFREIGHT confirmed on November 3 that it had received authorisation from the Office of Rail and Road to place its new Class 99 bi-mode locomotives into service. A total of 30 locos have been ordered from Stadler as part of a £150million deal and will be leased to GBRf by Beacon Rail. The first two examples, Nos. 99001 and 99002, arrived in the UK in May and have undergone evaluation across the rail network since then. Trials have included the locos taking charge of trains for loading and timing assessments, ahead of an expected first revenue earning service for the class in early 2026. The letter of authorisation from the ORR, dated October 21, follows an application by Stadler in September and covers all 30 members of the class.…

Rail Head Treatment Trains (RHTT) The Rail Head Treatment Train season along the southern section of the Midland Main Line commenced in October. GB Railfreight is the operator this year, and has been using a mix of its own Class 66s and hired-in DB Cargo Class 66s. On the first day, Class 66 Nos. 66150+66158 ‘top-and-tailed’ the 3J93/12.01 West Hampstead Thameslink to Sandiacre train. Nothing then happened for a fortnight, before the service began to run regularly. When observed on October 24 Nos. 66198+66151 were in charge of 3J91/23.17 Sandiacre to West Hampstead Thameslink circuit, and Nos. 66133+66775 on 3J93 on October 31. Multi Purpose Vehicle Nos. DR98971 + DR98921 have been utilised on the Horsham–Horsham RHTT diagram recently, visiting Littlehampton no fewer than four times on October 11. Fellow…

THE long-awaited details about what are described as “the railway functions” of Great British Railways were published on November 5. The content confirms the results of previous consultations, but they have now been translated into what the Government expects GBR to deliver. Government control is a key point, as the former duty of the Office for Rail and Road to develop the use of the network will be replaced by a requirement for the Transport Secretary to establish a 30-year strategy for the development of the network and the services that are to be provided. There is no indication there will be a continuation of the Passenger Services Requirement, which specifies timetable details such as the first and last trains, the frequency of services, and the retention of sleeping car…

TRANSPORT for London announced on November 12 that trains from the Docklands Light Railway’s new B23 fleet had been temporarily withdrawn after one of the units failed to stop at the correct part of a platform when braking during wet weather. Fifty-four of the five-car sets are being supplied to the DLR by Spanish manufacturer CAF and the first made its debut public journey on September 30. Three were in service when the decision was taken to remove them from traffic, and TfL confirmed to The RM that the temporary withdrawal also applied to members of the fleet which were undergoing reliability testing. It said the action was a precautionary measure following an “isolated incident with a single train” and the issue did not affect other trains which operate on…

THE Weardale Railway has announced that it has had to cancel plans for ‘Santa Express’ services this year. The official announcement on October 24 came as a result of mechanical issues with the railway’s two operational locomotives. One of these was due to re-enter service at the end of October, but further unexpected mechanical issues have delayed its return even further. Despite attempts to find operational cover, including asking round 30 locomotive owners, no replacement motive power could be sourced. The announcement came as a shock not only to the public, but to those involved behind the scenes. The railway’s general manager, Claire Gibbons, said: “On behalf of the entire team, I want to sincerely apologise to all our customers and supporters for this disappointing news. “After what has been…

THE Vale of Rheidol Railway’s (VoR) October 25-26 Steam Festival featured five locomotives in steam, the line’s trio of 2-6-2Ts all carrying British Rail-era liveries and nameplates. The central attraction was undoubtedly the appearance of 2-6-2T No. 9 Prince of Wales in a blue livery complete with double arrow branding, back in action after being withdrawn in 2020. This was the first time a VoR 2-6-2T had appeared in blue since 1982, although the shade seems lighter than this writer recalls it having been back then, when the BR double arrow was stencilled in white rather than being brass fittings as now applied to the cab sides. Also in action was Hanomag 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratt NG/ G13 (10551/1927) No. 60 Drakensberg handling main line services with Kerr, Stuart 0-4-0ST ‘Wren’ No.…

THE long saga of ‘Peak’ No. 45015 looks to be coming to an end, with the movement of the derelict locomotive by road from the Battlefield Line to Pershore Airfield on October 29. The move draws to a close the saga of the engine, which is both the earliest Class 45 still in existence – having been built in 1960 as No. D14 – and the last ‘Peak’ to be in unrestored condition. It was withdrawn at Toton in March 1986 with severe bogie spring defects, and was moved to the depot’s training compound from then until 2002. After purchase by The Third Class 45 Group, it moved to Shackerstone on the Battlefield Line. The length of time at Toton meant that it had been heavily stripped, both electrically and…

ENGINEERS have completed major repairs to Whitefield Tunnel, south east of Bury, to ensure it remains safe for use as part of Greater Manchester’s Metrolink system. Cracking to a support beam within the structure, which dates from 1876 and is part of the former heavy rail route between Manchester Victoria and Bury, was discovered in March 2022. Tram services were suspended on the section of the route from Crumpsall to Bury between October 25 and 30 while new concrete roof beams and supports were installed. The work was carried out for the system’s operator, KeolisAmey Metrolink, by Story Contracting Ltd. Transport for Greater Manchester says the repairs will help to ensure the tunnel remains fit for use “for decades to come”. Other tasks The next stage of the project involved…

YELLOW Rail, part of the Buckland Rail group is a recent entrant to the wagon maintenance and repair sector. Based at the Litchurch Lane site in Derby, it is currently carrying out general repairs to a group of Touax SA HYA bogie aggregate hoppers. Originally owned by GE Rail Services, the wagons were built by IRS, Romania as Nos. 37 70 6791 000-2 to 093-7 in 2008 to carry coal for the short-lived Fastline Freight company. In 2019-22, they were rebuilt in shortened form by W H Davis at Langwith Junction works. Currently they are operated by GB Railfreight. Another newcomer to the wagon repair and modification sector is Mandy Rail. Operations are centred on the former Ministry of Defence sidings at Eastriggs in Dumfries and Galloway. On the debit…

VIRGIN Trains is a step closer to establishing itself as an international operator, competing directly with Eurostar, after the Office of Rail and Road approved its application for access to Temple Mills depot. The ORR rejected proposals from Evolyn, Gemini Trains and Trenitalia France, the three other applicants that were also seeking to utilise facilities at the east London site, of which Eurostar is the owner and currently sole user. The regulator concluded that depot capacity was sufficient to accommodate the maintenance services Virgin had applied for and that it has the “strongest prospects of making best use” of it, as well as having plans which are more financially and operationally robust than the other applicants. “Just as we have successfully challenged incumbents in air, cruise and rail, we’re ready…

I SUPPOSE I fell in love with headboards before I left my cot and gained my own. My Dad was a joiner for the GWR and LMS, but it was in his early years with British Railways that I was to see the liberal use of the saw and the paintbrush as he brought his talents home with him. This would come in handy in the years that followed. I used to accompany my father on trips from Stockport to Crewe to visit his folks, but eventually I was allowed to stay on the station in the care of one of his former workmates. There I could see the many named trains passing through, such as The Caledonian and The Royal Scot, while summer holidays to Cornwall allowed me to…

IT was the turn everyone on shed feared. Driver Edwards had a reputation for being dismissive, aloof, humourless and very often just rude. Many had hoped that when the switchover from steam to diesel had happened the year before, and the steam shed had closed, that he would have retired. But he had mastered driving diesels with ease and planned on working to his 65th birthday the following year. George had dreaded being paired with the older man. His colleagues had wished him good luck whilst secretly being relieved it was not them. But in the weeks that followed, working the coal trains on the circuit - full from the valleys to the new hump yard and empties back - he had been surprised by the courtesy and attention he…

A VINTAGE Trains railtour on November 1 recreated the BR Western Region’s 1965 ‘Farewell to Steam’ special using the same locomotive No. 7029 Clun Castle and much of the same route. The route from London Paddington to Bristol and Cheltenham was originally covered by No. 7029 on November 27, 1965, having reached 96mph between Plymouth and Bristol the previous year. The 2025 ‘Farewell to Steam’ run differed in that it started from Birmingham New Street, with the run to London ending with the whole train being turned on the spur between Hanwell and Greenford stations using ‘top-and-tail’diesel No. 37240, before being dragged into Paddington ready for a boiler-first departure by the ‘Castle’ after stopping for 26 minutes. The return to Birmingham suffered delays of up to 52 minutes, but this…

TWO steam locomotives have been donated by Beamish Museum to the nearby Tanfield Railway (TR). 0-6-0T Twizell (works No. 2730, built in 1891) is the oldest working Robert Stephenson locomotive and has been on loan to Tanfield for many years. It has recently undergone a thorough £100,000 overhaul. The locomotive was employed hauling coal trains for James Joicey’s large colliery empire in County Durham before being saved for preservation in the early 1970s. After spending nearly 30 years on long-term loan at Tanfield, ownership of the locomotive has been officially transferred. The second locomotive to be passed over to the TR is 0-4-0ST Malleable No. 5, which was built for the South Durham Steel and Iron Company in 1873. Exactly who built Malleable No. 5 and where is a bit…

PLANS for a 400m-long (0.25 mile) railway at Severn Beach in Gloucestershire which aimed to recapture the spirit of the resort’s glory days have been abandoned by the local businessman who was behind them. Joe Nemeth, who has a history of involvement in operating, building and refurbishing miniature locomotives and rolling stock through his engineering business, had proposed a 10¼-inch gauge line, to be called the Severn Beach Miniature Railway, at Promenade Gardens. It would have run close to the site of a previous miniature operation first established in the 1930s and closed in 1976 of which there is now no trace. Work halted On-site work began in January, but was halted when it was discovered that a planning application to South Gloucestershire Council was required. Previous permission had been…

RAILTOURS are about to enter their traditionally quiet time during the month of January following several previously advertised excursions in December specifically aimed at customers interested in Christmas lunches and festive markets. It is a period when some railtour promoters finalise the first part of their programme for 2026, but also often when personal budgets are recovering after being stretched in the weeks leading up to Christmas – and hence there are very few tours. As previously reported, the final train in the Pathfinder programme (‘The Pathfinder Finale’) runs on December 20, a sell-out trip from Salisbury to Manchester Victoria behind ‘Western’No. D1015 Western Champion, along with a mini tour via Preston and Copy Pit. Once that tour has run, the process will begin to formally wind down the company.…

A CLOSURE of 12 of the 14 platforms at Manchester Piccadilly has been announced by Network Rail for what it calls a “once-in-a-generation” upgrade of track and signalling, much of which dates back to the 1980s. The nine-day closure from February 14 to 22 will affect all the platforms under the trainshed roof, but the concourse will remain open and there will be a limited westbound service from platforms 13 and 14. Renewals Engineering teams will replace 11 sets of points, renew 9,000 metres of cabling, upgrade timber sleepers with modern concrete equivalents and bring lineside equipment up to date across six lines to improve resilience on the busy route. The project is costing £7.9million. There will be an impact on some trains from elsewhere in the north as well…

POOL CODES DDHH Heavy Haul Class 70 (revised)DDHM Heavy Haul Class 66 Standard Fuel Capacity (revised)DDHN Heavy Haul Class 66 Small Fuel Capacity (revised)DDII Heavy Haul Class 59 (revised) LOCOMOTIVES Allocations 59002 DHLT-DDII60011 WQBA-WQDA66073 TO/WBAT-WQ/WQAA66112 WBAT-WBVT66114 TO/WBBT-WQ/WQAA-TO/ WBAT66118 TO/WBBT-WQ/WQAA-TO/WBAT66127 WBRT-WBAI66181 TO/WBAT-WQ/WQAA-TO/WBAT66205 WBVT-WBAT66224 TO/WBAT-WQ/WQNC66244 WBAI-WBRT66507 DFIM-GBBT66510 DFIM-GBBT66522 DFIM-GBBT66552 DHLT-DDHM66591 DHLT-DDHN70014 DFGI-DFHJ70019 FD DHLT-DDHH LiveriesChiltern new: 68026/29/30 Green with two yellow stripes: 70007 Debranded: 68018 Named66605 Tribute - Remembering our Freightliner Colleagues and Friends Names removed60019 Port of Grimsby & Immingham 68018 Vigilant Preserved:East Lancs Railway: 20069 Stored/stopped locationsToton: 66224 MULTIPLE UNITS Allocations 5713/35/42 sent for disposal5864 sent for disposal197040 newly delivered HQ/ HLHQ465920/34 sent for disposal466002/36 sent for disposal555024/25/30 newly delivered GF/PXGG701026/48/60 HQ-WD730208/28/29 HQ-BY Liveriesc2c: 357032 Chiltern: 196007/09 London Overground new: 378213/21 Southeastern blue: 376013/23/24 Named 139001 The Stourbridge Lion398028 Myddfai802006…

COMMUTER rail and urban transit systems in a number of big cities in the United States are facing financial problems as funding made available during the Covid pandemic ceases. Passenger numbers in some places have not recovered from the pandemic and are significantly reduced compared with 2019. In Minneapolis the Northstar commuter rail service that has operated since 2009 on the 40-mile route from Minneapolis Target Field to Big Lake will cease operation on January 4 next year. Ridership has collapsed since the pandemic with around 800,000 passengers a year in 2017-2018 falling to just over 100,000 in 2024. As each passenger journey required a subsidy of around $116, the transport authority Metro Transit has decided to stop rail services and replace them with commuter coaches using the parallel Interstate…