The Railway Magazine - 5 Mai 2025
Torpedoed!
FRENCH ‘TYPE 4’
‘TRACTOR’ MAKEOVER
DIGITAL TORNADO
THE IMPACT OF THE ‘BIG FOUR’ ON RAILWAY HISTORY
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Torpedoed!
Then there were four
Practice & Performance
The first railway photo?
Great Central operations unite; Bodmin gala first since pandemic; Cotswold Festival of Steam line-up.
■ COVER: USATC S160 Class No. 6046 exits the short tunnel at Bradnop, Churnet Valley Railway, on March 8. ROBERT FALCONER
A return to service after nearly a century out of traffic.
Behind the scenes making the ‘Is Line Clear’ film.
Battery-powered Class 230 unit takes the high load.
Namings, reallocations, scrappings, sales and more.
No. 171 makes main line return after 23 years away.
Freight operators meet Tata Steel’s needs in Wales.
Meetings
New designs for Liverpool Street redevelopment.
Over 50 million Metrolink trips using ‘tap and go’.
Visitors galore for three spring diesel gala events.
Spring spruce-up for Beamish vehicles.
French ‘Type 4’ is back with public charter debut.
Stephenson Museum acquires two locomotives.
Government backs more open access operators.
The best way to receive The RM every month.
Years Ago
Talyllyn Railway reworks its plans for Pendre.
New owners for Eastleigh Lakeside Railway.
Crossword & Next Month
Colas ‘Grid’ will go off to the English Riviera.
Notable moves from around the country.
Reviews
Panorama
Access all areas
OUR WRITING TEAM
FIELDS OF FIRE:
Government backs development of more open access services
Grand Central orders new trains from Hitachi and aims to connect Newcastle and Brighton
Tornado goes digital
ASHFORD WORKS CONVERSION
Class 555s taken out of traffic after door issue
East West services to start ‘by the end of the year’
END FOR ORION EMU
SIDELINES
Insurance cover to pay out for Severn Valley landslip
DOUBLE ‘MANORS’
GBRF prepares to reinstate Port Talbot slab wagons
Obituaries
NR boss to retire
Tribute to pioneers will see trio of locos exhibited at Darlington
Robert Stephenson statue moves to Locomotion
‘AZUMA’ IN LIGHTS
DIARY
Middleton talks
Greatest Gathering grows
Cross-channel competition heats up
Railways in Parliament
Creating some extra room to eliminate HS2’S sonic boom
FINAL PIECES:
Then there were four
Surfin’ Safari
‘ENGINE OUT’ PERFORMANCE
Torpedoed!
PRESERVED ‘S160s’
The first railway photo?
The making of ‘Is Line Clear?’
Build more Mk.1s to secure the future of traditional operations
Preservation heroes
Where is it?
The RCTS: then and now
Iris YEARS AGO MAY 1975
YEARS AGO MAY 1925
YEARS AGO MAY 2005
MAKING THE GRADE
SHAP STEAM BANKERS:
Great Central operations reunite
‘4MT’ to head to North Norfolk
‘2MT’ confirmed for Kirkby Stephen bicentenary gala
ROUGH SEAS:
Bodmin gala is first since pandemic
Aln Valley appeal to build repair shed
ELR vandal attack
Riveting work
Tanfield celebrates 300 years
Victorian elegance to lead line-up at Cotswold Festival of Steam
Prairie steams into service on the Nene Valley Railway
IVATT FREIGHT
‘K1’ boiler test
‘Normandy’ boiler lift
Swanage bridge repairs
2857 fundraising
Second to last ‘9F’ readied for boiler lift at Aviemore
MASSIVE ATTACK:
Gwili fulfils ambition to acquire a GWR Small Prairie
‘Middy’ extension approved for use
DIARY
‘S160’ to Chinnor
NVR celebrates autism
Two steam locomotives acquired by the Stephenson Railway Museum
INDUSTRIAL STARS:
From Strathspey to WSR
Spring spruce-up for GWR ‘Mink A’ and North London Railway coach
Talyllyn Railway reworks its plans for Pendre
Bord na Mona Wagonmaster arrives at Steamworks
FIRST STEAM OF THE SEASON:
Ffestiniog Railway gets ready to ‘Spiral into Chaos’!
DIARY
Apedale, Amerton and West Lancs lines formalise closer links
The Countess overhaul in full swing
Another step forward in the restoration of Statfold’s Baldwin 10-12-D
Boston Lodge to build new boiler for Darjeeling B-class tank
EVENING TRIP:
SINGLE LINES
NEARLY FINISHED:
Much-travelled Simplex donated to Old Kiln LR
Baldwin ‘590’ back at Gelert’s Farm
‘Kalahari’ completes gauging test through Aberglaslyn Pass
Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch locos to make gala return to Bure Valley
Consent required for Severn Beach plans
TYNESIDE STEAM:
New owners for Eastleigh Lakeside Miniature Railway
No. 173 to return to service after nearly a century out of traffic
Merseyside trams join the collection at Crich
New season setback for ‘Bluebird’
Visitors galore confirmed for three spring diesel gala events
‘ED’ GOES BLUE:
Chinnor new home for Scottish ‘47/7’
Scotrail repaint for LSL Class 47
TWIN ‘PEAKS’:
Ashdown gets an outing at Shilling stone station
‘SKIPPER’ RETURNS TO TRAFFIC
CORNISH ‘08’ RETURNS TO
TRAFFIC:
DIARY
EAST WEST ‘THUMPER’:
Colas ‘Grid’ off to English Riviera
Green ‘Shed’ anticipated for May tour via East West line
West Coast Railway ‘Tractors’ to take charge of the ‘Ffestiniog Slater’
Change of traction for SRPS tours
WARREN PEACE:
Steam haulage on ‘Jolly Fisherman’ from Skegness
Dates for ‘Dalesman’ and ‘Scarborough Spa Express’
Freight operators meet Tata Steel’s changing needs in Wales
‘iwagon’ conversions under way at Clitheroe and Padeswood
‘Net zero’ Cricklewood
Aluminium diagram ends
London Gateway go-ahead
Over 50 million Metrolink trips made using ‘tap and go’
JOB DONE:
More changes to Blackpool services
Sunderland platform work awaited
Temporary terminus progress
Policy changes
Bury revamp case approved
New designs for Liverpool Street redevelopment
Funding secured for Hither Green accessibility upgrades
Wigston electrification completed under budget
NR and GWR control functions merge
Far North line faces summer closure
Trains can now call again at Altnabrec
Corrour station gets a 4G connection
Step-free for Newtown
Maintenance unit for Barnetby
£9.9 million restoration of Keighley station completed
TRU brings a new platform and entrance for Mirfield
Stabilisation work completed on main line in Durham
York’s water tower restoration is something to be trumpeted
Grand Union withdraws Wales to Scotland open access application
Scarborough station roof restoration begins
New training centre opens at Selhurst
Cumbrian Coast line to close for 23 days
GWR’S battery-powered Class 230 unit takes the high load
‘TRACTOR’ MAKEOVER:
Crosscountry ready to introduce remaining Class 221s
Hitachi continues Class 385 maintenance
‘Grid’ transfer completed
DB Cargo DVT for sale
Caledonian Sleeper seeks interest from loco operators
POWER CARS FOR EXPORT:
ST PANCRAS DEBUT:
CULTURE CELEBRATION:
Wagon Report
The network’s notable moves
No. 171 returns to the main line after an absence of 23 years
RETRO ‘2600’ TO GALWAY:
New platform opens at Cork’s Kent station
Consultation on €2.17 billion Luas light rail scheme
CC65512 returns to the main line in France on public charter train
Trieste funicular tram route reopened after nine years
Diesel locomotive variety aplenty in Tunisia
BACK IN V/LINE LIVERY:
Panama Canal Railway sold
New train ferries for NZ
Backtracking around Plymouth, Laira, Lee Moor, Kingsbridge, Ashburton, Totnes & South Devon Railway
Merseyside and West Cheshire Railways 1965-1990
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May crossword entry form
Solution to the March issue.
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