I find it quite funny that people, myself very much included, find themselves becoming sentimental over the withdrawal of old locomotives, units, and even the ends of franchises. This has been a thought which I have had for a long time now, and thought it would be a good idea to post about it on here.
When the Class 43 HSTs were introduced, in the 1970s, people were upset that they were to replace the classic Western Region traction, such as the Class 50s, 52s, 35s, and 42s, which had been running around the west of the country for many years. However, 40 years later, and when GWR withdrew their Class 43 HST sets, people were being sentimental over the "End of the Intercity-125!" (myself included, once again).
The withdrawal of the HSTs on GWR was, even for me, the end of an era. I had grown up with these engines running along the Cotswold Line, and when they were taken out of service, I made sure that I saw and rode on as many of the last services as possible. This involved me riding the last "Up" and "Down" Cotswold Line HSTs - which was definitely something! The departure from Oxford was met with a large group of enthusiasts all gathering around at the end of Platform 4 to give the last HST a good send off. People climbed onto the small barrier running along the length of the back of the platform to get good photos and those on the train (like me) were all excited to be on what was destined to be part of HST history!
The withdrawal of the Class 313 units on the Great Northern network seems to be less sentimental, but that's not for me to decide. I don't live near the ECML and therefore I have never seen a 313!
I wonder if people will be sentimental over the withdrawal of the Class 800 units, when they go, in the middle of the century?.... :)
-Peter
Tuesday, 27 August 2019
Monday, 5 August 2019
"What's black, white, and red all over?"
The current Transport for Wales livery, that's what.
Thew new TfW livery which is being applied to their DMUs comprises of a relatively plain and boring white and red livery, with black window surrounds. Personally, I think that this livery is too similar to the current Virgin Trains West Coast (VTWC) livery on the Class 390 Pendolinos, which comprises of just a white side and dark grey doors, void of any sort of branding bar the splash of red at each end of the units with the Virgin branding on.
These two new liveries on the UK rail network are both very similar and very boring. What happened to the days of the old FGW liveries? What happened to the old blue ATW? In these cases, a branding change and a franchise change were the respective reasons for the change in livery. However, the Virgin Pendolinos were not subject to a franchise change when they received a new paint job; the livery change was supposed to make them fit in with the new Azuma Class 800/801/802 units which were designed to arrive in service in 2018. However, the new Azumas were going to run on the ECML and the Pendolinos on the WCML. Also, Virgin wanted a unified system, with one livery across the whole network they owned, but the franchise change from VTEC to LNER on the ECML meant that these ideas were not going to come to fruition.
The ECML now comprises of two different liveries; the livery on the Class 43s and 91s, and the livery on the Azuma units. The new Azumas carry a more modern livery, with less red branding. The only branding on the new units is around the windows and at the end of each unit. The 43s and 91s are all, with the exception of certain liveries, red with the white stripe and the LNER logo. The LNER logo, in fact, is actually in a different shade of red to the original colours.
But that's all I've got time for this time.
Thanks,
-Peter
Thew new TfW livery which is being applied to their DMUs comprises of a relatively plain and boring white and red livery, with black window surrounds. Personally, I think that this livery is too similar to the current Virgin Trains West Coast (VTWC) livery on the Class 390 Pendolinos, which comprises of just a white side and dark grey doors, void of any sort of branding bar the splash of red at each end of the units with the Virgin branding on.
These two new liveries on the UK rail network are both very similar and very boring. What happened to the days of the old FGW liveries? What happened to the old blue ATW? In these cases, a branding change and a franchise change were the respective reasons for the change in livery. However, the Virgin Pendolinos were not subject to a franchise change when they received a new paint job; the livery change was supposed to make them fit in with the new Azuma Class 800/801/802 units which were designed to arrive in service in 2018. However, the new Azumas were going to run on the ECML and the Pendolinos on the WCML. Also, Virgin wanted a unified system, with one livery across the whole network they owned, but the franchise change from VTEC to LNER on the ECML meant that these ideas were not going to come to fruition.
The ECML now comprises of two different liveries; the livery on the Class 43s and 91s, and the livery on the Azuma units. The new Azumas carry a more modern livery, with less red branding. The only branding on the new units is around the windows and at the end of each unit. The 43s and 91s are all, with the exception of certain liveries, red with the white stripe and the LNER logo. The LNER logo, in fact, is actually in a different shade of red to the original colours.
But that's all I've got time for this time.
Thanks,
-Peter
Thursday, 1 August 2019
"We apologise for the delay"
With the recent heatwave the UK experienced, we have seen how our railway system copes (or doesn't cope in some cases) with extreme temperatures. The heat seemed to cause all sorts of issues, mainly track buckling-related, as rails expanding in the heat can create issues surround the trackwork.
The railway dealt with the heat relatively well, although some small issues cropped up which caused me to chuckle.
One of these incidents involved a man running down onto the tracks at Waterloo station, London, to save his dog. At around 7pm, on one of the hottest days of the year, a man chased his dog around the electrified lines which lead into and out of the busiest station in the country. South Western Railway reported that the lines were blocked due to "trespass". They expected disruption until the end of the day, and, thankfully, it didn't carry over into the next day.
Due to the fact that the electrified 3rd rail was switched off for every line, the trains' air conditioning systems were not working during the time of the incident. Passengers reported getting "hotter and hotter" on trains which were only a minute or two away from the station. Train Managers were not sure of when the trains would start moving again. The BTP (British Transport Police) were called to deal with the incident. The dog was eventually taken back to the station concourse, unharmed.
The heat was the not the cause of the incident at Waterloo, however; but the incidents which plagued LNER services along the East Coast Mainline (ECML) were. One train in particular which the BBC reported about was stranded on the ECML for over an hour before any rescue train got there to help. However, although more probably could have been done to help the passengers (opening doors/windows were possible and safe), the time it took for a rescue service to arrive is not that bad. All trains up and down the ECML were delayed due to the heat affecting everything from the track to the OHLE.
During the hottest day of the year, the 25th of July, passengers were advised not to travel. They were also advised of this the day before, and the day after, when delays across a lot of the railway system were still very serious and widespread. Many of the trains on the Southeastern network do not have air conditioning, and passengers who found themselves on these trains during the hottest day of the year with speed restrictions in place across the south of the country did not enjoy their days out.
The railways may not be designed for the heat we endured last week, but they work very well for the rest of the year. We built our railway system to cope with the "standard" British weather; not very cold, but no very warm. Just, well, alright. And people who say that "the trains are working in Mexico and its 40 degrees!!" when their train is cancelled in a mild heatwave* over here can be directed to the following post from the Rail UK Forums:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/heat-related-issues-25-july-2019-and-subsequent-days.186863/#post-4121437
And please pay attention to another post from the same thread:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/heat-related-issues-25-july-2019-and-subsequent-days.186863/page-2#post-4121908
Thank you very much. We apologise to the delay in getting any sort of interesting blog posts out. :)
-Peter
The railway dealt with the heat relatively well, although some small issues cropped up which caused me to chuckle.
One of these incidents involved a man running down onto the tracks at Waterloo station, London, to save his dog. At around 7pm, on one of the hottest days of the year, a man chased his dog around the electrified lines which lead into and out of the busiest station in the country. South Western Railway reported that the lines were blocked due to "trespass". They expected disruption until the end of the day, and, thankfully, it didn't carry over into the next day.
Due to the fact that the electrified 3rd rail was switched off for every line, the trains' air conditioning systems were not working during the time of the incident. Passengers reported getting "hotter and hotter" on trains which were only a minute or two away from the station. Train Managers were not sure of when the trains would start moving again. The BTP (British Transport Police) were called to deal with the incident. The dog was eventually taken back to the station concourse, unharmed.
The heat was the not the cause of the incident at Waterloo, however; but the incidents which plagued LNER services along the East Coast Mainline (ECML) were. One train in particular which the BBC reported about was stranded on the ECML for over an hour before any rescue train got there to help. However, although more probably could have been done to help the passengers (opening doors/windows were possible and safe), the time it took for a rescue service to arrive is not that bad. All trains up and down the ECML were delayed due to the heat affecting everything from the track to the OHLE.
During the hottest day of the year, the 25th of July, passengers were advised not to travel. They were also advised of this the day before, and the day after, when delays across a lot of the railway system were still very serious and widespread. Many of the trains on the Southeastern network do not have air conditioning, and passengers who found themselves on these trains during the hottest day of the year with speed restrictions in place across the south of the country did not enjoy their days out.
The railways may not be designed for the heat we endured last week, but they work very well for the rest of the year. We built our railway system to cope with the "standard" British weather; not very cold, but no very warm. Just, well, alright. And people who say that "the trains are working in Mexico and its 40 degrees!!" when their train is cancelled in a mild heatwave* over here can be directed to the following post from the Rail UK Forums:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/heat-related-issues-25-july-2019-and-subsequent-days.186863/#post-4121437
And please pay attention to another post from the same thread:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/heat-related-issues-25-july-2019-and-subsequent-days.186863/page-2#post-4121908
Thank you very much. We apologise to the delay in getting any sort of interesting blog posts out. :)
-Peter
Standardisation
Ever since the days of British Railways and their "Standards" (classes of steam locomotive which were the best bits of all the "Big Four" designs put together), the railways of the United Kingdom have tried to be as standardised as possible. British Rail's Corporate Identity Manual set out how every sign should be printed and laid out on the BR network. And now, in the 21st century, the Hitachi AT300 series of trains (Classes 800, 801, and 802) are being rolled out across two of the most major routes in the country; the Great Western Mainline and the East Coast Mainline.
However, it is sometimes the small trains and the introduction of trains in smaller areas which is often overlooked. The introduction of Class 195 trains for Northern Rail to replace Class 142 "Pacers" has not been given the same fancy introduction as the IETs and Azumas, and the replacement of the Class 707s on SWR by new Class 701s has, although this has not begun yet, been covered as much as the IETs.
The new Class 701s are being introduced by South Western Railway to replace the Class 707 trains. The 707s do not have toilets, and, as SWR want every train to have a toilet onboard, they will not meet new requirements. The Class 701s will also replace the Class 455, 456, and 458 units, and SWR will have a standardised set of trains for all commuter services.
The Class 707s were introduced in August 2017, and the Class 701s are currently under construction. New guidelines relating to yellow ends and headlights on trains may mean that these new units will not have yellow ends if the headlights are bright enough. The promotional picture, shown below, is what these new units will look like:
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54352236
As these new units will be built for SWR, they will be introduced into service directly with the SWR navy and light grey livery; this is similar to GWR, where new units which were introduced soon after a name and livery change* were introduced in the new livery.
Thanks for reading my rambling post, this time about the standardisation of our railways. Boring, I know!
Thanks for reading,
-Peter
Edit to original post: I would recommend reading this website (https://www.railstaff.co.uk/2017/09/11/waterloo-dawn-south-western-railway/) for more information about the introduction of the Class 701 units.
*I know in the case of GWR there was not a franchise change, but a branding change, and in the case of SWR there was a full franchise change.
However, it is sometimes the small trains and the introduction of trains in smaller areas which is often overlooked. The introduction of Class 195 trains for Northern Rail to replace Class 142 "Pacers" has not been given the same fancy introduction as the IETs and Azumas, and the replacement of the Class 707s on SWR by new Class 701s has, although this has not begun yet, been covered as much as the IETs.
The new Class 701s are being introduced by South Western Railway to replace the Class 707 trains. The 707s do not have toilets, and, as SWR want every train to have a toilet onboard, they will not meet new requirements. The Class 701s will also replace the Class 455, 456, and 458 units, and SWR will have a standardised set of trains for all commuter services.
The Class 707s were introduced in August 2017, and the Class 701s are currently under construction. New guidelines relating to yellow ends and headlights on trains may mean that these new units will not have yellow ends if the headlights are bright enough. The promotional picture, shown below, is what these new units will look like:
By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54352236
As these new units will be built for SWR, they will be introduced into service directly with the SWR navy and light grey livery; this is similar to GWR, where new units which were introduced soon after a name and livery change* were introduced in the new livery.
Thanks for reading my rambling post, this time about the standardisation of our railways. Boring, I know!
Thanks for reading,
-Peter
Edit to original post: I would recommend reading this website (https://www.railstaff.co.uk/2017/09/11/waterloo-dawn-south-western-railway/) for more information about the introduction of the Class 701 units.
*I know in the case of GWR there was not a franchise change, but a branding change, and in the case of SWR there was a full franchise change.
More heritage railways
In my previous post about heritage railways (called "The Heritage Circuit", and linked here), I talked about the Bodmin and Wenford, Gloucestershire Warwickshire, and Severn Valley railways. I gave a small description of each of them and tried to be as neutral about each one as possible. I didn't give much information about each station on each railway, and that was because I don't think that I am any good at giving a full-on review of each line. And that's how it's going to stay.
Great Central Railway
The GCR is a long railway running between Loughborough and Leicester North. These two termini both serve towns which are served by the national network, which means that getting to them by rail is not as difficult as it is with some other railways.
The GCR is known for being the only heritage railway in the United Kingdom to have double tracks as part of its running line. This feature makes for some very interesting photo opportunities and more operational flexibility for the line. The large yard at Loughborough provides plenty of space for storing locomotives, especially during the galas which the railway holds.
This railway has a wide range of rolling stock, so please go and read the following website for more information. I am not qualified to say anything more about the railway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Great_Central_Railway_locomotives_and_rolling_stock
Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway
This small railway running between Chinnor and Princes Risborough is a relatively small and not very famous line. But it is a very good railway for its length; running through the hills, past a cricket field, and into the national rail station at Princes Risborough, it is the perfect place to go for a railway enthusiast in the area.
As mentioned earlier, this railway is connected to the national network in the form of a cross-platform connection at Princes Risborough. A Chiltern Railways service can take you to the C&PRR from pretty much anywhere in the Chiltern Mainline area.
The railway, being a lot smaller than those such as the GCR, GWSR, or SVR, does not have a lot of locomotives, but the engines and rolling stock it does have are very interesting. I would recommend you read this website, from the railway:
https://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk/article.php/8/locomotives
And that's it for now. I may cover some more railways in the future, but for now this is good enough.
Thanks for reading.
-Peter
Great Central Railway
The GCR is a long railway running between Loughborough and Leicester North. These two termini both serve towns which are served by the national network, which means that getting to them by rail is not as difficult as it is with some other railways.
The GCR is known for being the only heritage railway in the United Kingdom to have double tracks as part of its running line. This feature makes for some very interesting photo opportunities and more operational flexibility for the line. The large yard at Loughborough provides plenty of space for storing locomotives, especially during the galas which the railway holds.
This railway has a wide range of rolling stock, so please go and read the following website for more information. I am not qualified to say anything more about the railway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Great_Central_Railway_locomotives_and_rolling_stock
Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway
This small railway running between Chinnor and Princes Risborough is a relatively small and not very famous line. But it is a very good railway for its length; running through the hills, past a cricket field, and into the national rail station at Princes Risborough, it is the perfect place to go for a railway enthusiast in the area.
As mentioned earlier, this railway is connected to the national network in the form of a cross-platform connection at Princes Risborough. A Chiltern Railways service can take you to the C&PRR from pretty much anywhere in the Chiltern Mainline area.
The railway, being a lot smaller than those such as the GCR, GWSR, or SVR, does not have a lot of locomotives, but the engines and rolling stock it does have are very interesting. I would recommend you read this website, from the railway:
https://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk/article.php/8/locomotives
And that's it for now. I may cover some more railways in the future, but for now this is good enough.
Thanks for reading.
-Peter
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Times are changing
Having seen and heard so much about the new rolling stock, station improvements, and overall changes to the railway network which are happening over the next few years, I was wondering; in a few years' time, will the UK railway system be at all like the one we have today?
The Class 800/801/802s were originally brought into service on GWR services in 2017, and by 2019 all lines which were going to be served by IETs were being served by them. The Class 43 HSTs were eventually taken out of service after almost 43 full years of work on the GWML.
But the ECML has waited 2 years for the "Azuma" trains to arrive; the Office of Rail & Road insisted that safety issues on these trains had to be sorted before they could be introduced. However, the trains they were stopping from running on the ECML were already running on the GWML and had been for the best part of 2 years.
A major issue that hindered the introduction of the ECML's new Azumas was the fact that the wires connecting the train carriages could be used as a ladder for people to climb up and get close enough to the OHLE to receive a deadly shock. On the GWML, this problem was not brought up; IETs run every day on the GWR network with this potentially deadly system of wires between the carriages and nothing has happened.
However, the GWML IETs run with differing numbers of wires in between the carriages. Two wires seems to be the normal amount between unit carriages, but sometimes enough wires can be there to mean that someone could climb up to the OHLE. This issue was raised by the ORR when the ECML Azumas were almost in service and it delayed them by a sizeable amount of time.
The original plan was for the Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) Azumas (as they were in the early days) to be released into service in December 2018 - but this was delayed until July 2019. Some reports from late 2018 stated that they were going to be delayed until 2020.
Now both mainlines are seeing Class 800/801/802 trains in revenue-earning service. These trains, on the GWML, have replaced Class 43 HST sets - on the ECML, they are replacing both the Class 43 HSTs and the Class 91s.
The introduction of these new trains in 2017/2019 was the first major example of the same classes of train being released in such a wide number and on such varied routes for many years. The introduction of Northern's new Class 195 and Class 331 trains have also marked the beginning of the end for more trains - this time the Class 142 "Pacers", which have been in service in the north since the 1980s.
TransPennine Express are also receiving new trains - in this case, they are in the form of Class 397s, Class 802s, and Class 68s. The Class 397s are both brand-new designs in the UK. The Class 802s have already been in service on the GWML as IETs for a couple of years now. The Class 68s, which will haul Mk5 coaching stock, have already seen a few years' worth of service on the Chiltern Mainline and on various freight journeys throughout the country.
I have almost certainly missed out some new trains arriving in the UK.
With the introduction of all these new trains over here, one can't help but wonder: Will the UK railway in, say, 2029 be at all recognisable in comparison to what we have today? Stations across the country are seeing improvements ranging from step-free access in the form of lifts to entire station building rebuilds. Will we be looking back at the railways of today and saying how much we miss being on the HSTs, the Class 91s, or the TPE units?
I think that in a few years' time we will be looking back at the old trains, and we will be sentimental about them, but it will pan out like the end of steam; new trains are replacing the old trains we knew and loved, and people will of course be annoyed and upset. But with these new trains come better services and more reliable services. We may not have the old loco-hauled trains, but we will have multiple unit trains which will provide quicker and better journeys.
I will be sentimental and sad about the loss of more "classic" trains on our rail network, but I am interested to see what the future holds for the railways. When the final Class 91 is taken out of service on the ECML, or the last Class 43, we will be sad about it, but we will have photos of them and we will have videos of them and we will be able to look back at the memories we have and think how different the railways were. We will also be able to look forward, to the future, and have a much better railway overall.
Thanks very much for reading this blog post.
-Peter
The Class 800/801/802s were originally brought into service on GWR services in 2017, and by 2019 all lines which were going to be served by IETs were being served by them. The Class 43 HSTs were eventually taken out of service after almost 43 full years of work on the GWML.
But the ECML has waited 2 years for the "Azuma" trains to arrive; the Office of Rail & Road insisted that safety issues on these trains had to be sorted before they could be introduced. However, the trains they were stopping from running on the ECML were already running on the GWML and had been for the best part of 2 years.
A major issue that hindered the introduction of the ECML's new Azumas was the fact that the wires connecting the train carriages could be used as a ladder for people to climb up and get close enough to the OHLE to receive a deadly shock. On the GWML, this problem was not brought up; IETs run every day on the GWR network with this potentially deadly system of wires between the carriages and nothing has happened.
However, the GWML IETs run with differing numbers of wires in between the carriages. Two wires seems to be the normal amount between unit carriages, but sometimes enough wires can be there to mean that someone could climb up to the OHLE. This issue was raised by the ORR when the ECML Azumas were almost in service and it delayed them by a sizeable amount of time.
The original plan was for the Virgin Trains East Coast (VTEC) Azumas (as they were in the early days) to be released into service in December 2018 - but this was delayed until July 2019. Some reports from late 2018 stated that they were going to be delayed until 2020.
Now both mainlines are seeing Class 800/801/802 trains in revenue-earning service. These trains, on the GWML, have replaced Class 43 HST sets - on the ECML, they are replacing both the Class 43 HSTs and the Class 91s.
The introduction of these new trains in 2017/2019 was the first major example of the same classes of train being released in such a wide number and on such varied routes for many years. The introduction of Northern's new Class 195 and Class 331 trains have also marked the beginning of the end for more trains - this time the Class 142 "Pacers", which have been in service in the north since the 1980s.
TransPennine Express are also receiving new trains - in this case, they are in the form of Class 397s, Class 802s, and Class 68s. The Class 397s are both brand-new designs in the UK. The Class 802s have already been in service on the GWML as IETs for a couple of years now. The Class 68s, which will haul Mk5 coaching stock, have already seen a few years' worth of service on the Chiltern Mainline and on various freight journeys throughout the country.
I have almost certainly missed out some new trains arriving in the UK.
With the introduction of all these new trains over here, one can't help but wonder: Will the UK railway in, say, 2029 be at all recognisable in comparison to what we have today? Stations across the country are seeing improvements ranging from step-free access in the form of lifts to entire station building rebuilds. Will we be looking back at the railways of today and saying how much we miss being on the HSTs, the Class 91s, or the TPE units?
I think that in a few years' time we will be looking back at the old trains, and we will be sentimental about them, but it will pan out like the end of steam; new trains are replacing the old trains we knew and loved, and people will of course be annoyed and upset. But with these new trains come better services and more reliable services. We may not have the old loco-hauled trains, but we will have multiple unit trains which will provide quicker and better journeys.
I will be sentimental and sad about the loss of more "classic" trains on our rail network, but I am interested to see what the future holds for the railways. When the final Class 91 is taken out of service on the ECML, or the last Class 43, we will be sad about it, but we will have photos of them and we will have videos of them and we will be able to look back at the memories we have and think how different the railways were. We will also be able to look forward, to the future, and have a much better railway overall.
Thanks very much for reading this blog post.
-Peter
The Heritage Circuit
The "Heritage Circuit" is a term used to describe the railway preservation network we have in the United Kingdom. Preserved locomotives which go around to different heritage railways are often said to be "going around the heritage circuit".
The main point of this blog post is to share my opinions on some of the heritage railways around the country and why I may and may not like about them. These opinions are mine and do not reflect those of anyone else; if you don't like my opinions, please stop reading and don't bother filling this place with negativity.
Bodmin and Wenford Railway
This small heritage railway in Cornwall is an amazing railway. The two different branches provide a lot of ways to enjoy the railway and have a nice day out. Another good aspect of this railway is the link to the mainline at Bodmin Parkway; this national network link means that people who live in that area of Cornwall could easily get to the B&WR by rail.
However, the location of this railway is not the best for those who do not live in the area. Yes, for many people, such as those living in Bodmin itself, the railway is perfectly placed, but for anyone else, such as myself, it is a lot of work to get to the railway. A holiday in the area provided the way for me to get to the railway; however, many people may live further away from Bodmin than me and therefore trying to get there can easily take a few days to get there, have a nice day out, and get back, as accommodation overnight will be necessary.
The railway has some quite interesting locomotives based there; a Class 50, a Class 121, and two small quarry steam engines. There are many engines here which are quite interesting and writing about the railway's stock here won't do it justice. I reccomend you go and read this Wikipedia article which contains a list of all the rolling stock based on the railway:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Bodmin_and_Wenford_Railway
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
This railway is longer than the B&WR and provides a lovely day out for families and enthusiasts. The 14-miles of track provide a different and nice way of seeing some amazing Cotswold scenery. Running from Cheltenham Racecourse, via Winchcombe and Toddington, to Broadway, this railway connects two well-known places and makes the day even better for visitors.
The GWSR is known across a wide area for being a longer line with a wide range of rolling stock. However, many of the people who have heard about this railway may not be able to get to it as there is no mainline connection. Rumours about a national network connection at Honeybourne have been going around ever since the railway extended to Broadway last year, but this has not been confirmed by the railway yet.
A lot of the rolling stock at the GWSR is older engines; steam locomotives bring in a lot of the railway's money and the diesel locomotives which are based there can, along with some visiting engines, can bring in massive crowds for a Diesel Gala. As with the B&WR, I would like you to read the railway's website to see the wide range of rolling stock the GWSR has:
https://www.gwsr.com/
^Please use the "Enthusiasts" section of the drop-down menu to find the locomotives section.
Severn Valley Railway
The SVR is, like the previous two railways, an amazing heritage railway. The line runs from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, via Bewdley, Highley, Arley, and Hampton Loade, providing a long ride. The Galas which are held throughout the year provide an even better way for enthusiasts to see the railway; a wide selection of locomotives and plenty of track to run them on makes a gala day a day to remember and enjoy.
The railway is easily accessible from across the country as a mainline connection at Kidderminster makes the SVR a good place for a day out. However, the SVR does not actually run to Kidderminster National Rail station, and those going from the mainline station to the heritage railway have to change between the two across the shared car park. Improvement works at the mainline station are making the area better for passengers.
The SVR has a wide range of rolling stock and plenty of areas to keep it all in; special depots at Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, with a visitor centre containing engines at Highley, mean that the engines the railway has are safe. They are all very well looked after and I would like all those who are interested in the line's stock to read the following webpage:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rolling_stock_preserved_on_the_Severn_Valley_Railway
I don't want this blog post to become too long so I'll end it here. Next post, I'll probably talk about the Great Central Railway and some other lines.
Thanks for reading.
-Peter
The main point of this blog post is to share my opinions on some of the heritage railways around the country and why I may and may not like about them. These opinions are mine and do not reflect those of anyone else; if you don't like my opinions, please stop reading and don't bother filling this place with negativity.
Bodmin and Wenford Railway
This small heritage railway in Cornwall is an amazing railway. The two different branches provide a lot of ways to enjoy the railway and have a nice day out. Another good aspect of this railway is the link to the mainline at Bodmin Parkway; this national network link means that people who live in that area of Cornwall could easily get to the B&WR by rail.
However, the location of this railway is not the best for those who do not live in the area. Yes, for many people, such as those living in Bodmin itself, the railway is perfectly placed, but for anyone else, such as myself, it is a lot of work to get to the railway. A holiday in the area provided the way for me to get to the railway; however, many people may live further away from Bodmin than me and therefore trying to get there can easily take a few days to get there, have a nice day out, and get back, as accommodation overnight will be necessary.
The railway has some quite interesting locomotives based there; a Class 50, a Class 121, and two small quarry steam engines. There are many engines here which are quite interesting and writing about the railway's stock here won't do it justice. I reccomend you go and read this Wikipedia article which contains a list of all the rolling stock based on the railway:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_stock_of_the_Bodmin_and_Wenford_Railway
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway
This railway is longer than the B&WR and provides a lovely day out for families and enthusiasts. The 14-miles of track provide a different and nice way of seeing some amazing Cotswold scenery. Running from Cheltenham Racecourse, via Winchcombe and Toddington, to Broadway, this railway connects two well-known places and makes the day even better for visitors.
The GWSR is known across a wide area for being a longer line with a wide range of rolling stock. However, many of the people who have heard about this railway may not be able to get to it as there is no mainline connection. Rumours about a national network connection at Honeybourne have been going around ever since the railway extended to Broadway last year, but this has not been confirmed by the railway yet.
A lot of the rolling stock at the GWSR is older engines; steam locomotives bring in a lot of the railway's money and the diesel locomotives which are based there can, along with some visiting engines, can bring in massive crowds for a Diesel Gala. As with the B&WR, I would like you to read the railway's website to see the wide range of rolling stock the GWSR has:
https://www.gwsr.com/
^Please use the "Enthusiasts" section of the drop-down menu to find the locomotives section.
Severn Valley Railway
The SVR is, like the previous two railways, an amazing heritage railway. The line runs from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth, via Bewdley, Highley, Arley, and Hampton Loade, providing a long ride. The Galas which are held throughout the year provide an even better way for enthusiasts to see the railway; a wide selection of locomotives and plenty of track to run them on makes a gala day a day to remember and enjoy.
The railway is easily accessible from across the country as a mainline connection at Kidderminster makes the SVR a good place for a day out. However, the SVR does not actually run to Kidderminster National Rail station, and those going from the mainline station to the heritage railway have to change between the two across the shared car park. Improvement works at the mainline station are making the area better for passengers.
The SVR has a wide range of rolling stock and plenty of areas to keep it all in; special depots at Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, with a visitor centre containing engines at Highley, mean that the engines the railway has are safe. They are all very well looked after and I would like all those who are interested in the line's stock to read the following webpage:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rolling_stock_preserved_on_the_Severn_Valley_Railway
I don't want this blog post to become too long so I'll end it here. Next post, I'll probably talk about the Great Central Railway and some other lines.
Thanks for reading.
-Peter
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