This day in history 03 January
Images
Cairnbulg: Ivatt 2-6-0 no 46460 with a St Combs branch train at Cairnbulg on 3 January 1953.
Haymarket Shed [2nd]: Robinson D11 4-4-0 no 62690 The Lady of the Lake stands in Haymarket shed yard in January 1958.
Haymarket Shed [2nd]: General view of the shed yard at 64B, Haymarket, in January 1958.
St Margarets Shed: BR class Y9 0-4-0 ST no 68102, complete with wooden tender and dumb buffers, stands at St Margarets shed in January 1958. Introduced as the Holmes G class by the NBR in 1882 the last example was withdrawn by BR in 1962. Another long term resident of St Margarets, W Worsdell J72 0-6-0T no 69014, stands alongside.
Dalry Road Shed: J37 0-6-0 no 64574 on shed at 64C Dalry Road on 3 January 1958.
Dalry Road Shed: McIntosh 3F no 57550 on shed at Dalry Road in January 1958.
Dalry Road Shed: Pickersgill 0-6-0 no 57679 stands alongside the main shed building at 64C Dalry Road on a grey looking 3 January 1958. The compact former Caledonian shed, always overshadowed by its larger city neighbours, was officially closed in October 1965 and demolished a short time thereafter. The site is now part of Edinburgh's West Approach Road.
Hawick [1st]: Together till the end. Scott class locomotives 62422 Caleb Balderstone and 62428 The Talisman stand out of use at the west end of Hawick shed during the first days of January 1959. Built within a few weeks of each other in 1914 the 4-4-0s were officially withdrawn by BR from the same shed (64G Hawick) on the same day (31 December 1958). The final curtain came down on both locomotives in the yard of Motherwell Machinery & Scrap, Wishaw, in February 1960.
Hawick [1st]: B1 4-6-0 no 61221 Sir Alexander Erskine-Hill ready to come off Hawick shed and take a train back to Edinburgh in January 1959. The locomotive, which spent most of its life at 64B Haymarket, was eventually withdrawn in March 1965.
St Margarets Shed: B1 61308 at St Margarets in January 1964.
Bathgate Yard: Withdrawn locomotives in the yard at Bathgate in January 1964. In the background stand Lindsay High School and St Mary's RC High School, both of which have since been demolished. In the centre is class A2 Pacific no 60529 Pearl Diver, withdrawn from St Margarets in December 1962 and disposed of via Campbells of Airdrie in June 1964.
Bathgate Shed: Looking west along the locomotive holding sidings at Bathgate in January 1964. Bathgate shed stands in the left background while nearest the camera is A2 Pacific no 60537 Bachelor's Button with 60534 Irish Elegance next in line. Both locomotives had been withdrawn from St Margarets at the end of 1962 after just over 14 years service.
Carstairs Shed: Inside Carstairs shed looking out into the darkness of 3 January 1964. Star attraction on this occasion is Gresley A4 no 60011 Empire of India. The Pacific, which had been reallocated from Haymarket to Ferryhill in June 1962, had most likely worked into Carstairs on the afternoon 'Postal' from Aberdeen.
St Margarets Shed: BR Standard class 4 2-6-4T no 80114 alongside the coaling stage at St Margarets shed in January 1964.
Dalry Road Shed: Twilight of steam at Dalry Road shed in January 1964. Residents include A4 Pacific 60006 Sir Ralph Wedgwood, stored here temporarily between transfer from Peterborough's New England shed in late 1963 and reinstatement at Ferryhill on 4 May 1964. Also present are Black 5 45477 and standard class 4 tank 80006. Dalry Road shed was officially closed on 3 October 1965.
Bathgate Yard: J36 no 65224 Mons is one of a number of locomotives in the holding sidings on the north side of Bathgate yard in January 1964, some 8 months after withdrawal by BR.
Bathgate Yard: Withdrawn steam locomotives awaiting disposal in the sidings along the north side of Bathgate yard in January 1964. View is west with Bathgate shed in the left background and the main Edinburgh road off to the right beyond the locomotives. Nearest the camera is A3 Pacific no 60087 Blenheim, withdrawn from St Margarets in October 1963 and eventually cut up at Arnott Young, Carmyle, in June 1964.
Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: Twilight at Carlisle Kingmoor shed, in January 1967, with three Black 5s looking more than ready for the overnight duties that await them. From left to right 44934, 44911 and 45069.
Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: January 1967 view of Carlisle Kingmoor from the north.
Whitrope Summit: The 9.23am ex-Waverley passes a snowy Whitrope summit on 3 January 1967 en route to Carlisle. The locomotive is one of the early Peaks.
Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: On a crisp and frosty January afternoon in 1967, Black 5 44671 moves off from a signal on the main line alongside Carlisle Kingmoor shed.
Carlisle Kingmoor MPD: Ivatt 4MT 2-6-0 43049 and Britannia 70005 'John Milton' on shed at Carlisle Kingmoor on 3rd January 1967.
Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: On a frosty January afternoon in 1967, Stanier 8F 48076 reverses towards Carlisle's Kingmoor depot, after bringing a freight into Kingmoor yard.
Lesmahagow Junction: Britannia Pacific 70009 proved to be 'Alfred the Not-so-great' on 3rd Jan 1967. Steam haulage between Glasgow and Carlisle had by that time become a rare event, so there was some excitement at finding two 'end of New Year holiday' Glasgow to London reliefs running that morning, both Britannia-hauled, one running over the G & S W route and one over the Caledonian. We made the wrong choice by going Caledonian. The train left late and drew to a halt outside Motherwell, the Britannia seemingly not steaming well. English Electric Type 3 D6841 was eventually attached and I think did most of the work on the run over Beattock, reaching Carlisle 50 minutes down. The photo was taken from the train whilst waiting for the diesel's assistance at Lesmahagow Junction.
Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: Winter afternoon sunlight, almost but not quite obscured by the wonderfully smoky atmosphere, catches Black 5 45435 at Carlisle’s Kingmoor depot on 3rd January 1967.
Carlisle: Type 2 diesel no D5131 appears to be trying to hide under Victoria Viaduct at the north end of no 7 bay platform at Carlisle station on 3 January 1969. Lurking behind the locomotive is the stock of the 1pm service for Edinburgh Waverley.
Kershopefoot: View south over Kershopefoot station on the final Friday, 3 January 1969. Taken from the border, just north of the station. Few signs of the railway remain here today, other than the old station house, part of which can be seen standing at a lower level to the left of the crossing see image [[17732]].
Kershopefoot: View north over Kershopefoot station, Cumbria, on the final Friday of operations over the Waverley route, 3 January 1969. The border lies just beyond the signal box / level crossing and follows the course of the Kershope Burn at this point. See image [[31490]]
Hawick [2nd]: D5311 arrives at Hawick station on 3 January 1969 with the 9.20am Carlisle - Edinburgh Waverley.
Tickets and labels: The last ever ticket to be purchased at Penton station - 3 January 1969. [Editor's note: No prizes for guessing who bought the ticket! Penton was a staffed station due to the absence of a footbridge, one requirement being to see passengers safely across the lines between the main station building and the down platform. With Penton signal box closed, signalman 'Wink' Henry was on relief duty on that final day and it was he who locked up the booking office for the last time - following which I understand BMcC gave him (and his bike) a lift back to Newcastleton.]
Kershopefoot: A misty Cumbrian landscape - looking south from the down platform of Kershopefoot station on 3 January 1969, the final Friday of operations over the Waverley route.
Kershopefoot: With the light almost gone on an overcast January afternoon in 1969, the 8.50am London St Pancras - Edinburgh Waverley (3.58pm ex-Carlisle) runs through Kershopefoot station heading for Newcastleton. The photograph is taken from the border crossing see image [[31037]].
Hawick [2nd]: 'Ahemm!!.... about this walk?' A polite dog endeavours to attract the attention of his minders at Hawick station on the morning of 3 January 1969, as those in charge become overly involved in conversation with the driver of D5311 at the head of the 9.20am Carlisle - Edinburgh train.
Kershopefoot: View north from Kershopefoot signal box on a grey day in the 1960s as a lengthy up Waverley route freight crosses the border on the approach to the station. The border signs can just be made out on the left of the photograph standing on each side of the Kershope Burn. The date of the photograph is 3 January 1969 and the locomotive no D6846.
Colchester: Locomotive 37049 at rest alongside BR's Colchester MPD on 3rd January 1977.
Grantown-on-Spey West: The former Grantown on Spey West Station in January 1980. Now demolished with nothing remaining.
Grantown-on-Spey East: The former GNSR Grantown-on-Spey East Station photographed on 3 January 1980. The building still stands see image [[38990]].
Achnasheen: 37416 approaches Achnasheen from the east at dawn.
Achnasheen: 37416 at Achnasheen waiting for eastbound train.
Kyle Shed: 37 416 entering Kyle of Lochalsh. The signalbox is to the left and the locomotive shed was on the right.
Kyle of Lochalsh: Separating 37 416 from its train at Kyle of Lochalsh in order to run round. Two walkers try to blend in with the high visibility jackets.
Kyle of Lochalsh: 37 416 has just run round and backed down on its train at Kyle of Lochalsh.
Kyle of Lochalsh: Ready and waiting for customers for Inverness at Kyle. Skye can be seen on the far side of the Kyle.
Perth: Finally, running about 2 hours late, the Edinburgh portion of a combined Edinburgh and Glasgow train to Inverness arrives at Perth on 3 January 1989.
Perth: Finally, about 2 hours late, the Edinburgh portion of a combined Edinburgh and Glasgow train to Inverness arrives. 47 632 takes charge. View looks north.
Newtonmore: Newtonmore looking north. The station building is now in private ownership and the platform has been relocated further north.
Inverness: Inverness looking east from the station. A 47 and 37 outside the locomotive works and a 125 in the carriages area.
Kyle of Lochalsh: The signalbox at Kyle of Lochalsh, living on as a bothy.
Kyle of Lochalsh: Looking to the station and pier at Kyle of Lochalsh from beside the signalbox.
Kyle Shed: Looking away from Kyle towards Inverness. The locomotive shed was on the left.
Kyle of Lochalsh: Platform 1 at Kyle looking to Inverness.
Kyle of Lochalsh: Platform 2 at Kyle looking to Inverness.
Inverness MPD: 37 by the former locomotive works at Lochgorm. Access by kind permission of British Rail.
Kyle of Lochalsh Slip: Car ferry at Kyle of Lochalsh. The hotel behind the ferry was the station hotel.
Inverness MPD: 37 in the locomotive works at Lochgorm. Access by kind permission of British Rail.
Inverness MPD: 47470 awaiting reparis in the locomotive works at Lochgorm. Access by kind permission of British Rail.
Inverness MPD: A 47 by the Lochgorm locomotive works. Access by kind permission of British Rail.
Inverness: 37s ready with the first trains of the day to Thurso & Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh.
Dingwall: 37416 with the train to Kyle of Lochalsh under the roadbridge at Dingwall.
Georgemas Junction: A 37 buffers up to the Thurso portion of the train from Inverness late on the 3rd of January 1989.
Sleaford West Junction: Sleaford West signal box.
Alloa [1st]: Looking west towards the site of the original Alloa station junction in January 2006, with the trackbed of the former Devon Valley route turning off to the right.
Edinburgh Waverley: Early morning at Waverley in January 2006 with the lights of the new Edinburgh Council HQ construction site taking up most of the foreground of the picture.
Bishopton No 2 Tunnel: Bishopton Cutting and tunnels were cut into solid whinstone rock which delayed the opening of the line by 7 months. View looks west with a backdrop of the River Clyde and Dumbarton Castle.
Langbank: Glasgow bound train at Langbank. No trace remains of the station building I saw on my last visit. A (cough) few years ago.
Daff Glen Viaducts: View of the two viaducts to the east of Inverkip station. Left viaduct (original) reduced to piers only, right still in use. And I thought visiting here in winter would reduce the undergrowth ...
Upper Greenock: Upper Greenock looking to Wemyss Bay. The island platform was to the left and goods yard to the right.
Upper Greenock: The grand (and bricked up) entry to Upper Greenock. Entry was by a tunnel as the station had an island platform.
Bishopton Aqueduct: The Bishopton aqueduct viewed from the south in 2007. Dumbuck can be seen across the River Clyde.
ROF Bishopton Yard: A ruined van stood alongside the west end of the disused exchange yard at Bishopton in 2007. The view looks towards the junction with the yard to the left of the van.
Bishopton Aqueduct: About 333 yards west of Bishopton No 2 Tunnel is a class 'AM' listed cast iron aqueduct which carries a small burn over the railway. An eastbound 334 passes the aqueduct in this 2007 view. The M8, River Clyde and Kilpatrick Hills are to the left.
Millburn Yard: 37 411 Caerphilly Castle at Inverness on standby for snowplough duties on 3 January 2008.
Eastriggs: Sprinter heads into the sunset at Eastriggs. New line to right and MOD depot to left.
Eastriggs: View looking east at Eastriggs. The newly laid eastbound track is to the left. Other than the crossover it is not connected to the rest of the network. MOD depot to right.
New Cumnock: Northbound coal empties pass through New Cumnock at night.
Lugton: Glasgow bound service passing Lugton. Lugton is likely to become the location of a long dynamic loop (meaning trains do not have to slow to enter the loop I gather) to assist an increase of frequency of trains between Glasgow and Kilmarnock.
Annan: Carlisle bound china clay passing through Annan in the evening light.
Annan: Carlisle bound service at Annan. The line between Annan and Gretna is being re-doubled. The section being doubled is behind the camera.
Dumfries: Northbound Freightliner passing through Dumfries.
Alloway Viaduct: The Doon Viaduct at Alloway on the former Maidens and Dunure Light Railway, photographed on 3rd January 2009.
Euxton Balshaw Lane: A southbound Pendolino about to pass under Balshaw Lane road bridge as it heads for Wigan North Western on 3 January 2010. The slow lines are curving to the right here prior to entering Euxton Balshaw Lane station while the fast lines continue straight ahead past the station and through Balshaw Lane Junction.
Balshaw Lane Junction: A Liverpool to Blackpool North service in the hands of 150137 heads north between Coppull and Euxton Balshaw Lane on 3 January 2010. At the next bridge over the line is the signal controlling Balshaw Lane Junction and it is indicating the train will take the diverging route onto the slow lines so that it can call at Euxton Balshaw Lane station. To the left of the train is the route of the former slow lines which used to continue south towards Standish.
Milton of Crathes: Battery Electric Unit being given a shove towards Banchory, by industrial diesel, after leaving Milton of Crathes on 3 January 2010.
Keith: Legend tells of a mysterious female figure, dressed in black, often seen wandering the platforms following the departure of the last train... These appearances stopped suddenly, around the same time Scottish Widows opened their local branch office. View east on a cold evening at Keith station in January 2010.
Dalgety Bay: 170 407 nears Dalgety Bay with a Fife Outer Circle service on 3 January 2010.
Euxton Balshaw Lane: 150137 catches the afternoon winter sun as it comes south between Euxton Junction and Euxton Balshaw Lane station with a Blackpool North to Liverpool service on 3 January 2010. Earlier in the afternoon I had seen this unit south of Balshaw Lane Junction on it's way to Blackpool. Now it is returning to Liverpol on the slow lines approaching the next stop at Euxton Balshaw Lane station.
Leith Docks: These rails ran parallel with the edge of Leith Old Dock (right) and the dockside warehouses on the left which are now chichi restaurants and shops. Whether the cobbles (setts, in strictness) had to remain because of the rails or vice-versa I don't know - it depends on the timing - but it has resulted in a bit of unintended preservation. Photographed looking west in January 2011.
Ocean Terminal [Tram]: Attached to various lampposts along Leith Walk are banners depicting scenes or people connected with Leith. This one shows a future vision of Ocean Terminal, currently a busy bus terminus (among other things). The artist must have a vivid imagination, as it shows trams actually in operation. The trackwork has an M C Escher like quality, at one point rising up to become twin overhead wires (over a single track) without supporting poles. Too clever for me.
Plates, signs, notices etc: Among the banners adorning lampposts down Leith walk on 3 January 2011 is this one depicting a Pickering Standard tramcar on route 17, coming up from the 'Fit o' The Walk' in the mid 1950s. The destination is Newington Station where the tram would terminate in the middle of a road which wouldn't have been quiet even then. The plan is that trams will one day run again down Leith Walk, but who knows when? This is a bit of a sore point in Edinburgh.
Leith Docks: The NBR had a connection with the western docks at Leith through a line which left its North Leith branch before the passenger terminus. The line is just visible on the left of the 1964 railtour photographed at the terminus see image [[23432]]. It crossed Commercial Street on the level then split three ways. The western curve has been preserved in the cobbles of the revitalised former dockside.
Melville Drive: The most obvious remnants of Edinburgh's once extensive tram system are some former trampoles which were converted to street lighting after the routes closed in the mid 1950s. Melville Drive, which runs through the Meadows, has a complete set of these and a facing pair are pictured on 3 January. The fact that they are facing is a giveaway: lamp posts are usually staggered. How long before people are looking for remnants of Edinburgh's next tram system? Let's wait until it's built (and at the moment...)
Charnock Richard: Freightliner 66560 leads a rake of empty coal wagons from Fiddlers Ferry Power Station to Hunterston between Coppull and Balshaw Lane Junction near to the village of Charnock Richard on 3 January 2013. Although Charnock Richard has never had a railway station the name will be familiar to many through its association with the motorway service area on the M6 just to the west.
Preston: Having arrived separately, FTPE 185150 has just coupled up to a second unit and will shortly be departing from Preston heading for Manchester Airport on 3 January 2013.
Glasgow Central: Meeting point for the Glasgow Central Tour, this is a very informative and worthwhile tour and is adding more each year.
Bakewell: The old station at Bakewell on a damp 3 January 2015.
Carnforth: A Leeds service departs from Carnforth on 3rd January. 144015 has just squealed round the check rail in the station and will now squeal round the Wennington line curve. In the background scaffolding surrounds the signal box, which is still operational but scheduled to close in 2021.
Baillieston: 66111 approaches Baiilieston with a Longannet coal train at dusk on 3rd January 2015.
Maidens: The old Maidens goods was to the north east of the passenger station and the line crossed a bridge over the main road, with double track, before reaching the latter. The goods station is now a caravan park and the entry of the line from the north crossed a burn via a now demolished bridge, seen here in January 2015. The sidings were led in from the south end.
Milton Keynes Central: The 1300 London Euston - Manchester Piccadilly Virgin Pendolino service runs north through a wet Milton Keynes Central at speed on 3 January 2015.
Baillieston: A 318/320 EMU pairing on the 1539 service to Milngavie, leaving Baillieston in fading light on 3rd January 2015.
Carnforth: 142011 at Carnforth makes the first of 34 possible intermediate stops on a Lancaster to Carlisle service via the Cumbrian Coast. These services are normally handled by Sprinters rather than the bouncing Pacers. The WCML runs behind the station building passing under the bridge that can just be seen behind the Network Rail van.
Kemble: Platform scene at Kemble station on a dark winter evening in January 2015, with a grand total of three waiting passengers. The late running 19.31 to Cheltenham Spa is conspicuous by its absence.
Maidens: A January 2015 view showing the surviving southern abutment of the double track bridge that carried the railway over the A719 north of Maidens station and south of the goods yard. This section of the line closed completely in 1956.
Maidens: The northern abutment of the old railway bridge that once carried the Maidens and Dunure Light Railway over the A719 north of Maidens station see image [[50039]].
St Enoch [Subway]: St Enoch Subway Station on 3rd January 2015. This picture was taken after participating in a Glasgow Central station tour.
Bo'ness: 73966 and 73967, both gleaming, on a visit to Bo'ness in January of 2016.
Bo'ness: Caledonian Sleeper loco 73966 makes a guest appearance at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway's Winter Gala on 3 January, backing on to the 12.30 to Manuel.
Tweedbank: 158 from Edinburgh arriving to form the 10.29 ex Tweedbank at Platform 1. The 158 on platform 2 is there for much of the day.
Newmachar: The old station at Newmachar with the signal box base on the foreground.
Ellon: Station hotel in Ellon. Both main line platforms are intact, hopefully passengers will be able to make use of the Hotel again while waiting for a train to Aberdeen in the not too distant future.
Brighton: Freshly repainted into BR blue/grey 313201 is at Brighton platform 8 about to work the 1140 service to Seaford today 3rd January 2018. Originally the doors would also have been half blue/grey but to comply with prm-tsi specification had to be just one light colour! Sadly, the BR blue era hasn’t been replicated inside.
Edinburgh Waverley: Continuing progress at Waverley Platforms 5 and 6 on 3rd January 2019.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: The concourse at Queen Street on 3rd January 2020.
Haymarket Goods: Rather surprisingly the loading platform at Haymarket Goods has not been though worthy of building over or even cleared as a car park. It remains as a sort of nature reserve among the office buildings. View looks east on 3rd January 2020.
Bare Lane: Regular services on the Bentham line are all diagrammed for Leeds and Skipton crews and stock. The withdrawal of Pacers has seen many services go directly over to Express Sprinter Class 158s from the December 2019 timetable change. 158848 calls at Bare Lane with a Leeds to Morecambe working on 3rd January 2020.
Potters Brook Br 81 [LC]: The Canal and River Trust have a small maintenance depot by Bridge 81 at Potters Brook near Forton. Usually the boats are out at various points on the Lancaster Canal where work is taking place but on 3rd January 2021 had not yet moved after the Christmas period.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1839 | Arbroath and Forfar Railway | Completely opened. James Gow was the locomotive superintendent. Three locomotives were supplied by James Stirling of Dundee Foundry. |
| 1869 | Great Southern and Western Railway Cork and Youghal Railway | Connection put in between the lines in Cork between Cork Glanmire and Grattan Hill Junction, used by mail trains. |
| 1921 | Cavan, Leitrim and Roscommon Light Railway and Tramway | Adoon re-opened |
| 1942 | Alyth Railway | Alyth Shed closed, but continues to be used until 1951. By this date the turntable is 42ft. |
| 1951 | Chard Branch LSWR (London and South Western Railway) | Line closed during fuel crisis. |
| 1951 | Chard Branch (Bristol and Exeter Railway) | Line closed during fuel crisis. |
| 1955 | Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway | DMUs introduced. |
| 1966 | Banff Macduff and Turriff Junction Railway | Turriff to Inveramsay (excluded) closed completely. |
| 1966 | Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Railway | Old Meldrum to Inverurie closed to freight. |
| 1966 | ~West Midland Railway | Adlestrop closed. |
| 1972 | Caledonian Railway | Beattock closed |
News
These are old news items which which occured on this day. This generally lists events after 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Broken rail at Cardonald | A broken rail was found at Cardonald and a temporary speed restiction imposed on Glasgow, Paisley Gilmour Street and Ayrshire services. A number of trains were cancelled. |
| 2001 | Car strikes bridge closing Glasgow Queen Street | A car struck a bridge over the lines approaching Queen Street station in the morning. The lines were closed while the rubble was removed. The line was re-opened in the afternoon. A large number of services were cancelled. |
| 2008 | West coast route to reopen [Network Rail Article] | |
| 2008 | Aberdeen - Dundee rail replacement work [Network Rail Article] | |
| 2009 | Tornado update [BBC News Item] | A1 Pacific 60163 Tornado receives her colours at York. |
| 2010 | Virgin Trains staff begin strike [BBC News] | Virgin Trains ticket office staff have gone on strike, affecting a dozen stations on the West Coast Main Line. |
| 2010 | Key milestone reached on Blackfriars project [Network Rail Article] | The successful installation of a 350-tonne, 22-metre, concrete and steel section of bridge on the landmark Blackfriars station redevelopment over Christmas has marked a significant milestone in Network Rail’s £5.5bn Thameslink programme |
| 2011 | Glitches on new trains means 6 month delay to services [Herald] | Fresh technical problems to a fleet of of new ScotRail trains have delayed the introduction of some rail services by at least six months |
| 2012 | It^s the end of the line for rural rail service in Weardale [The Advertiser] | RAIL chiefs have axed a passenger service set up to serve rural communities because not enough people are using it. The Weardale Railway, in County Durham, launched its community service between Stanhope and Bishop Auckland in May 2010 to help rural residents get to the town. But the service ran its last train on Saturday due to a poor take up by passengers. The railway will instead refocus its efforts on the heritage side of operations, including running a steam engine popular with tourists |
| 2013 | Talyllyn steam railway in Gwynedd asks for cash from volunteers [BBC News] | One of Wales^ oldest steam railways has appealed for help from volunteers because of a drop in funds caused by falling passenger numbers. Talyllyn Railway in Gwynedd, which inspired the Thomas the Tank Engine author, was the world^s first to be saved from closure by enthusiasts. But directors say even they are finding things difficult in the current economic climate. |
| 2016 | Why are UK train tickets more expensive than in Europe? [BBC News] | Commuters heading back to work after the Christmas holidays will be faced with train fare increases of 1.1%. Train fares have gone up in the UK and new research shows that it has some of the highest season ticket prices in Europe. Some passengers spend up to 13% of their monthly salary just to get to work. Graham Satchell looks at how UK rail fares compare with the prices elsewhere in Europe. |
| 2017 | ^China freight train^ in first trip to Barking [BBC News] | China has launched a direct rail freight service to London, as part of its drive to develop trade and investment ties with Europe. China Railway already runs services between China and other European cities, including Madrid and Hamburg. The train will take about two weeks to cover the 12,000 mile journey and is carrying a cargo of clothes, bags and other household items. |
| 2018 | Glasgow Subway trains first in UK to run with no staff on board [Scotsman] | New trains on the Glasgow Subway will be the first in the UK to run with no staff on board, The Scotsman has learned. Operator Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) has previously announced that the trains would be driverless, but has now confirmed that no other staff will routinely ride in the carriages either. The Unite union, which represents staff, has raised safety concerns. SPT said staff would be kept on the busiest trains, which will also be fitted with CCTV for the first time. The new fleet will be unlike trains on other UK underground lines with no drivers, such as on the Docklands Light Railway in London which has on-board staff to operate the doors. It is part of a £288 million overhaul of the Subway the biggest for nearly 40 years. |
| 2019 | Rail Operations seeks new sites to extend storage space [RAIL] | As much as 47 miles of storage space needed as 4,000 vehicle set for store. |
| 2019 | Glasgow - Manchester train route confirmed as the most overcrowded route in UK [The Herald] | Overcrowding on trains has hit one of its highest levels and is set to get worse, Labour has claimed. |
| 2019 | Michael Matheson: Train fares increase unwelcome [Scotsman] | The Transport Secretary has conceded the recent rise in rail fares, brought in while ScotRail struggles with performance targets, is unwelcome for travellers. |
| 2019 | Full steam ahead for old railway tunnels as cycle paths [BBC News] | Three years after a study earmarked five disused Welsh railway tunnels for reopening as cycling and walking routes, one is now in use and work is under way to open two much larger projects by 2021. What has happened to make the dream of many move closer to reality? Tregarth tunnel in Bethesda reopened in May last year, after four months of work and at a cost of £430,000. Known locally as Tynal Tywyll - Dark Tunnel, in English - it now forms part of a north Wales coast to Snowdonia path. |
| 2019 | Final Class 37 working on the Cumbrian Coast on January 11 [Railways Illustrated] | Direct from the Northern website “ you better be quick! To commemorate the service of the Class 37s on the Cumbrian Coast, Northern and Direct Rail Services (DRS) have commissioned a farewell return journey between Carlisle and Carnforth on ... |
| 2019 | Work starts this weekend on £3m Cumbrian coast line railway upgrade [Network Rail] | Passengers are being advised to plan ahead as work to upgrade the railway between Silecroft and Bootle in West Cumbria takes place over the next six weekends. |
| 2020 | Train cancellations in full as TransPennine Express scraps 17 services [Chronicle Live] | TransPennine Express has temporarily scrapped services on the Liverpool to Edinburgh route because the roll-out of a new fleet of trains is taking longer than expected. |
