I recently visited the North Norfolk Railway with some railway friends. I hadn’t been to this heritage railway since the early 1970s although I always follow its progress in the media.  History of the NNR As many will already know the North Norfolk Railway, also known as the Poppy Line, operates between Sheringham and the Georgian town of Holt. It runs along the old Midland and Great Northern Main Line which network used to operate between Peterborough and Yarmouth via Melton Constable. It had a charm of its own with its Express services meandering across countryside towards the North Nor ..read more

The NYMR Steam Gala 2022 is something to look forward to and we have the latest news about the locomotive line up. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has announced the latest visiting locomotives which will be delighting visitors at its popular Annual Steam Gala on 22nd to 25th September 2022. BR Standard 5 73156 © Andrew Jeffery BR Standard 5 No. 73156 will be visiting courtesy of the Great Central Railway in Loughborough. It is only one of five surviving Standard Class 5 locomotives from the 172 originally built by British Railways Workshops between 1951 and 1956. It returned to servic ..read more

4930 ‘Hagley Hall’ moves under its own power The Severn Valley Railway has reached a significant milestone with the overhaul of its ‘flagship’ locomotive 4930 ‘Hagley Hall’. On Wednesday 11th May, the engine moved under its own power at Bridgnorth on the Severn Valley Railway. This is the first time such an event has occurred for 36 years and the moment holds a great deal of significance for everyone connected with its overhaul. “We’ve waited many, many years for this moment,” said Martin White, the SVR’s head of engineering. “And even though the loco only moved as far as the MPD yard sig ..read more

An exhibition of 40 vintage railway posters celebrating Britain’s ‘Golden Age of Travel’ opens from 19th March to the 26th June 2022 at Ushaw Historic House, Chapels and Gardens, County Durham. Edinburgh to London & Beyond is a collection of original railway posters from the 1920’s through to the 1950’s. All sourced from private collections, these vibrant art-deco and modernist posters turned railway platforms into inspirational art displays, tempting people to take a holiday or day-trip by train. Original Railway Posters on display at Ushaw House Andrew Heard, exhibition curator and visit ..read more

LNER Class A4 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley has been confirmed as the third guest locomotive at the Severn Valley Railway’s Spring Steam Gala between 21st and 24th April. Its potential appearance at the SVR’s first major event of 2022 has been the subject of much recent speculation and debate, and the news comes as a real coup for the railway. Following its recent overhaul at Crewe and York, 60007 will arrive at the SVR in the next few weeks for running in, and will stay on to play its starring role at the Spring Steam Gala. Its appearance has been arranged by agreement with Locomotive Ser ..read more

The Churnet Valley Railway is among more than 2,700 recipients to benefit from the latest round of awards from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund. This award will secure the future of the railway following the global pandemic that has thwarted many heritage sites and operations around the country. The Churnet Valley Railway ‘CVR’ in the Staffordshire Moorlands has received a grant of £283,000 from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen. Nearly £400 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the coun ..read more

New-build Churchward ‘County’ class 4-4-0 No. 3840 County of Montgomery steam locomotive could be based on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR), following the signing of a new agreement between the Churchward County Trust which is building the new engine, and the railway. The agreement, which supersedes an earlier ‘agreement in principle’ between the GWSR and the CCT, gives the railway first option to be the home of the locomotive when it is completed. This would see the engine based at the railway’s Toddington, Gloucestershire locomotive workshops, where it would become part ..read more

A guest post by Colin Wallace of Railway Photos Black and white steam train photography has of course been around a lot longer than colour. Now we live in a time where colour is a possibility and the default option of a modern camera. However, many people prefer to have steam train photos developed in black and white. British Railway 4-6-0 standard class 4 No: 75015 ‘Braveheart’ is at Goodrington on the Dartmouth Steam Railway working the 10.30am from Paignton to Kingswear service on 11th March 2017. Steam trains suit black and white photography. Often ..read more

Taking great photos of steam locomotives can be a challenge! Often someone steps into the frame at the last minute or the loco is passing so quickly, it’s hard to get a decent shot. So I’m delighted to bring you a guest blog post from Colin Wallace of Railway Photography who has been taking great photos of steam trains for over 40 years. In 1980, being a ‘trainspotter’ was a popular hobby and Colin became captivated by locomotives and railways. In 1983, with one click on his first camera, his passion for railway photography was born. If you follow Colin on Facebook or Twitter, you’re ..read more

Great Western Railway (GWR) is proudly showcasing the history of their network and celebrating the rich heritage of Britain’s railways with brand new animated images By delving into the historical railway image archives and commissioning a photographer to capture the stations in their present-day glory, GWR has successfully showcased the gradual development of Britain’s railways over the past 70 years and presented them in a series of innovative visuals. Oxford Railway Station In 1835, a collaboration between a group of businessmen and the brilliant young engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel ..read more