Ro-railers Ahead Of Their Time Or Overtaken By Events?

A new type of vehicle for use on both road and rail was trialled in the early 1930s, but never caught on. Alan Dale considers whether early road-rail vehicles were too advanced for their time.

From Upminster To Upcycled: Vivarail's D-train

Ben Jones visits Long Marston to find out how redundant District Line trains are being rebuilt to provide cheaper and greener alternatives to brand new multiple units – and how Vivarail is looking to the future with new methods of propulsion.

Fatal Fracture

In the fourth of our series looking back at major railway accidents, Fraser Pithie recalls what was a terrible accident in terms of loss of life – an event that took place 50 years ago, in 1967. Much was learnt from the tragic and profound events that arose from a fateful Bonfire Night at Hither Green, London on what was then British Rail’s Southern Region.

ECML Power Supply Upgrade Complete

THE first phase of Network Rail’s programme to upgrade 25kV AC power supplies on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) is on track for completion in time for the introduction of new train fleets in 2018.

Tyseley Launches £3million Share Offer For New TOC

FROM the moment Tyseley unveiled its newly overhauled flagship locomotive No. 7029 Clun Castle at the end of October, fans of the Collett 4-6-0 began to ask when the famous BR(W) ‘Castle’will double-head with sister No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on the main line.

Bredgar's Little Gem

Gareth Evans visits the Bredgar & Wormshill Railway to discover the latest developments at the 2ft-gauge line in Kent, run by a group of friends, and open once a month to the public. 

South Yorkshire Tram-Train Project 400% Over Budget

South Yorkshire Tram-Train Project 400% Over Budget

Rebirth Of The Corris Railway

In the latest instalment of our periodic Lazarus Lines features Cliff Thomas describes the resurrection the Corris Railway, previously owned by the GWR and Nationalised in 1948.

Tornado Hits Cornwall

In a P&P extra, Keith Farr rides behind ‘A1’ No. 60163 Tornado on an epic journey from London to Cornwall – the first visit of the class to the Duchy.

Steam & Heritage

Thousands at Mid-Hants for gala marking 50 years since Southern steam bowed out

A Return To Amberley

Mark Smithers first visited the Amberley museum in 1987, and returned to the railway for its recent gala to review nearly 30 years of progress.

Push And Pull Diesel-Style

With the Great Central Railway-based diesel brake tender nearing completion, Nick Pigott tells the story of a unique new-build project.

George Dow

In the fifth in our series of railway writers and artists, the life of the great communicator and railway historian supreme is recounted.

Vandals Wreck Moors' LNER Teak Carriages

Vandals Wreck Moors' LNER Teak Carriages

Electrics, Diesels And Electro-Diesels

The June issue of Practice & Performance covered a journey in the cab of a Class 92 from Euston to Glasgow. Thanks to the good offices of Serco Caledonian Sleeper and GB Railfreight. John Heaton FCILT resumes the story with a Class 73 cab ride from Aberdeen to Edinburgh.

Nottingham Victoria

Robin Stewart-Smith concludes the story of the demise of an East Midlands railway station, covering the period from the Second World War to closure on September 4, 1967.

Restoring Thornbury Castle No Busman's Holiday

It came as a great surprise to many when The Railway Magazine broke the news last August that unrestored GWR ‘Castle’ No. 7027 Thornbury Castle had been sold to a 32-year-old enthusiast from Weston-super-Mare. Twelve months on and Jonathan Jones-Pratt is about to embark on the loco’s restoration, so Gary Boyd-Hope went to find out what the project will entail, along with Jonathan’s plans for his other Collett 4-6-0 – No. 4936 Kinlet Hall.

Industrial Steam

Three-day gala spectacular marks five decades of Foxfield

Network

Derby Set For £200 million Revamp In Summer 2018

Five To Bid For £2.75bn Hs2 Train Contract

Five To Bid For £2.75bn Hs2 Train Contract

Early-2018 Return Assured For Australia's Iconic No. 3801

Early-2018 Return Assured For Australia's Iconic No. 3801

Siemens And Alstom Merger To Create 'European Champion'

SIEMENS and Alstom announced on September 26 they had agreed a merger of the two company’s rail engineering businesses.

Shap And Beattock Class 50s Take The High Road

The charity special fronted by The Railway Magazine took a pair of Class 50s from Crewe over Shap and Beattock to Glasgow for the first time in many years. JOHN HEATON FCILT analyses the performance of these veteran diesels that were back on a familiar route, along with a comparison of some historic runs.

Thameslink Franchise Not Delivering Value For Money

AN IN-DEPTH report by the National Audit Office (NAO) into the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) rail franchise has revealed it has not delivered value for money as a result of high levels of passenger disruption.

Count Down Getting Farringdon Ready For The Elizabeth Line

The first tunnel section of the Elizabeth Line – better known as Crossrail – is due to open next December between Paddington and Abbey Wood via Canary Wharf. Keith Fender has been given an exclusive tour of Farringdon, one of the major interchange points on the £16billion project

Western Requiem

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the end of the class on British Rail and John Heaton FCILT recalls some performances by the ‘Westerns’ in their heyday.

RAIB Report Outlines Croydon Tram Operator's Safety Failings

THE crash of tram No. 2551 on a bend at Sandilands, Croydon on November 9, 2016 was, in all probability, caused by the driver suffering a micro-sleep during a 49-second period when the tram was passing through three consecutive tunnels in the hours of darkness.

East Coast Bailout Row Overshadows Minister Grayling's 'New Vision For Rail'

SECRETARY of State for Transport Chris Grayling has unveiled his vision for the evolution of passenger rail franchising in the UK.

A Narrow Gauge Railway Under South London

Keith Fender reports on the construction of the Northern Line extension to Battersea, which has necessitated the construction of a narrow gauge railway under south London – albeit a temporary one.