Today, you can still travel into Cornwall by steam, though at a more leisurely pace, with The Railway Touring Company.  Though not heading to Penzance as the famous Cornish Riviera Express did, ‘The Royal Duchy’ takes a scenic route from Bristol with the added excitement of a run along the sea wall at Dawlish. Heading into Cornwall via Brunel’s Royal Albert Bridge over the Tamar, ‘The Royal Duchy’ steams through magnificent Cornish countryside to Par, where there is a choice of visiting picturesque seaside town Fowey or harbour village Charlestown.  Dates are Sundays, July 28, Augus ..read more

The new government has been elected. There were many votes for Imran Khan (his PTI supporters won 101 of 266 seats), but the new government now appears to be a coalition of the economically liberal, conservative Pakistan Muslim League N (75 seats) and the Pakistan People’s Party (54 seats). Of course there are rumblings here and there, but the reluctance or even abstinence of our major media houses to report on Pakistan alone means that things are peaceful. On the one hand I am tired of all the voices with all their security warnings and the sceptics who are constantly talking about the dange ..read more

If you appreciate rail travel from yesteryear, where every journey affords you the time to savour the scenery, then it’s time to embark on the Isle of Man’s train network. This atmospheric Island in the Irish Sea arguably has the richest transport heritage in the world, boasting some of the most iconic – and handsomely functioning – steam and electric railways you’ll find anywhere.   The Manx Steam Railway – the longest narrow gauge steam line in Britain, still using its original locomotives and carriages – recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. The younger, but no-less impressive Ma ..read more

Darjeeling Tours Limited is synonymous with offering unique, interesting & authentic Indian train tours for over 25 years. ATOL protected holidays ensure you are at peace dealing with us. Most of our escorted rail tours include steam charters, and on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway there’s our exclusive dining charter which is our USP, plus a vehicle that follows the train along the line, so you can get those great shots of the locomotive in action. There’s plenty for spouses to enjoy on all our group tours, with a good blend of culture, tradition & heritage with time in each place t ..read more

Saturday 6th July 2024 Join us on this very special, high mileage railtour to Wiltshire with options to visit the delightful East Somerset Railway or Longleat House. The tour will be hauled throughout by D1015 ‘Western Champion’. Class 52 D1015 Western Champion at King’s Sutton with UK Railtours and Pathfinder Railtours ‘One Way Wizzo,’ 1Z56 1352 London Paddington to Birmingham New Street, Sunday 14 April 2024.2B7XNM9 A restored 5600 class steam locomotive, 5637, arriving at Cranmore Station pulling a passenger train on the East Somerset Railway.DFG1DM Longleat House, Horningsham, Wiltshire ..read more

Ray Fincham takes a look over the history of steam transportation in the Yorkshire Dales. The topography of the Yorkshire Dales has long made travel through the district problematic.  Transport links have evolved slowly over millennia to serve locals and travellers from further afield, paths and tracks for those on foot and horseback, pack-horse trails and drove roads for long distance trade.  Over the course of time, roads were made for horse-drawn carriages and carts, improved in the turnpike era when income from tolls paid for their regular repair.  The hand of the canal pio ..read more

Newly-built steam locomotive No. 6880 Betton Grange will be used for passenger services for the first time this weekend. Credit: Mile Lanning/Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Steam enthusiasts attending the Cotswold Festival of Steam will be among the first to experience the new locomotive. It will feature at the festival alongside No. 2999 Lady of Legend, and No. 9351. Gloucester Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) said it will be the first time that three steam locomotives built in the 21st century will appear together in the UK. Betton Grange was constructed using parts from other s ..read more

The East Lancashire Railway’s Summer Diesel Gala takes place next month with a great line up of visiting locomotives. The three-day event kicks off on the 27th of June. Joining members of the ELR home fleet, the following locomotives are visiting for the gala: Class 20, 20066, courtesy of HNRC Class 26, 26007, courtesy of KOZZY-RAIL Class 57, 57003, courtesy of Locomotive Services Group Class 47, 47830/D1645 “Beeching’s Legacy”, courtesy of Freightliner. Class 20, 20066 last operated a passenger service on the mainline in 1993, and many enthusiasts will have fond memories of returning on a ..read more

With not long to go until its June 1/2 golden anniversary gala weekend, the Kent & East Sussex Railway has announced additional details which includes the presence of two main line locomotives on the Rother Valley Railway section. Joining the previously-announced BR Class 7 Pacific No. 70000 Britannia to operate shuttles from Robertsbridge to Northbridge Street will be an as-yet unidentified GB Railfreight-owned class 73/1 locomotive, but one which will be turned out in a stunning new livery that has been developed in collaboration with the main line train operator and railway heritage ex ..read more

Meet Cedric Greenwood, the author of Echoes of Steam and Vintage Voltage and Merseyside: The Indian Summer series. In his own words, Cedric shares exclusive insights into his writing process and inspirations behind his books. The beginning “Buses were my first interest, from age four, stemming from the open-staircase Tilling ST buses of Brighton and Hove with I was brought up with. I was disappointed to find later that this was an obsolete design. At age eight I was fond of Oxford’s rattling pre-war buses seconded to the long country routes; their rich red and dark brown p ..read more