Here’s a few samples of pages from the 1961/62 “World Railways” published by Sampson Low. The directory was published from the early 1950’s until the late 1060’s when it was taken over by Jane’s publishing, and still continues as Jane’s World Railways. This copy is from the British Rail Technical Library in London. The directory… Read More World Railways 1961
A couple of years ago I wrote a post about the disused station at Newnham Bridge in Worcestershire. It had been empty for many years. Over the last couple of months refurbishment work has started. The work is currently focusing on the main station house, the buildings are all being preserved and renovated. According to… Read More Newnham Bridge revisited
Although there’s often a theme in the media about “health & safety gone mad” the concern for people’s welfare, especially in the workplace, is not a recent thing – although, without a doubt, conditions are far safer now than for previous generations. This recently acquired LMS accident prevention booklet from 1924 shows rail workers how… Read More Early Railway Health & Safety
If you’ve ever watched “The Fugitive” with Harrison Ford you will, no doubt, remember the train crash. No models involved, all full size, some of it is still on location. It was filmed on a private/heritage railroad, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Though their website barely mentions ithttps://www.gsmr.com You can see it on Google Maps:… Read More The Fugitive train crash
In its heyday Builth Road was a thriving community in its own right. The junction of the Central Wales Railway and the Mid Wales Railway was built on two different levels, with a spur linking the two. The Central WalesRailway’s High Level Station opened for traffic in 1866. The Mid Wales line ran from Brecon… Read More Builth Road Station
Browsing at a car boot sale last year (a type of flea market for non-English readers) I found several old cine films, including this one. It’s a Walton Films documentary of a trip during the last days of the LMS before nationalisation, in 1948. It follows the journey of LMS Jubilee class No. 5614 Leeward… Read More Day in the life of an engine driver, on Super 8
Last year I picked up an old box of slides at auction. I noticed a few railway images amongst the general views of life in what turned out to be Edinburgh in the early 1960’s. In fact, as far as I can deduce from the collection and the slide captions it was the work of… Read More Auction Finds
The Severn Valley Railway is one of the premier heritage railways in the UK, and one of the best known. Many people don’t realise that the original railway ran much further, from the heritage lines current terminus in Bridgnorth, under the town to Ironbridge and ultimately Shrewsbury. Opened in 1862, and already scheduled for closure… Read More Severn Valley Railway – the disused section
I found an envelope of old GWR papers at a recent car boot. Accident reports & letters from/to the Great Western Railway regarding staff injuries. Mostly dated about 1927. I’ll scan and post more soon, however this one stuck out. “With regard to injury… in handling lard” . Thankfully it’s not a problem we encounter… Read More Beware of Lard
The project to build the 81st ‘Grange’ class GWR 4-6-0 is moving along rapidly, with a hydraulic test expected on the boiler in the next few weeks. The Great Western Railway built 80 Granges, none survived the end of steam. The locos were reported to be popular with crews and reliable performers. In 1998 the… Read More Betton Grange, almost in steam
