This day in history 28 February
Images
Waterside: Fairburn tank 42131 approaching Waterside on 28 March 1959 with a Dalmellington - Kilmarnock train.
Document: A paper produced by the Scottish Railway Development Association in the early part of 1969... includes some interesting thoughts.
St Margarets Shed: The remains of 64A on the last day of February 1970, seen from the Restalrig Road end of the shed looking towards Waverley. St Margarets signal box is just visible in the centre background, adjacent to the bridge carrying London Road over the ECML.
St Margarets Shed: The unusual sight (in this part of the world at least) of NBL type 2 no D6102 passing St Margarets signal box hauling ecs. The photograph was taken on the afternoon of Saturday 28 February 1970 and the stock is that of a football special from the west of Scotland which had brought fans to Edinburgh for the Hibs v Rangers match at Easter Road (an entertaining 2-2 draw I understand). See image [[37779]]
St Margarets Shed: Brush type 4 no D1984 restarts train 2F28 eastbound following a signal check at St Margarets on 28 February 1970. This was possibly the empty stock of the 12.55 from Glasgow Central via Shotts (due in Waverley at 14.28) with the usual DMU replaced by a locomotive and coaches that particular Saturday because of the Hibs v Rangers match at Easter Road see image [[27804]].
St Margarets Shed: D405 stands at St. Margarets up starter on 28 February 1970 waiting to proceed eastwards with a Freightliner working. The reporting number on the Class 50's trailing end indicates that it had arrived in Glasgow on the previous evening's sleeper departure from Birmingham New St., so the origin of this particular train was probably Gushetfaulds FLT. There was a booked SX afternoon working from there at 14.48 to Portobello and I surmise this was an additional working of that train, albeit running rather earlier than the weekday timings.
St Margarets Shed: The 10.30 Aberdeen - Kings Cross (14.00 ex-Waverley) photographed near St Margarets on 28 February 1970. Deltic 9003 Meld, would have taken over the train at Waveley, most probably from a Haymarket Brush Type 4.
St Margarets Shed: Deltic 9013 The Black Watch passing St Margarets on 28 February 1970 with train 1S48 the 09.50 SO York - Edinburgh.
St Margarets Shed: Brush Type 4, D1997, passing St Margarets on Saturday 28 February 1970 with the 4E35 13.58 from Bathgate Upper to Ripple Lane (Dagenham) composed mostly of Cartic 4s with a couple of Carflats at the head of the train. On weekdays this train would have been routed via the Sub to Niddrie West then via Wanton Walls to Monktonhall Junction, but on Saturdays was booked to run via Waverley (with a stop from 14.32 to 14.38 for a crew change) as the few signalboxes still extant on the Sub would normally be closed then.
St Margarets Shed: Sulzer Type 2 (class 25) no D7591 passing St Margarets with an ECS working from Waverley to Craigentinny Carriage Sidings on 28 February 1970. Along with D7590, the locomotive is one I always associate with the ECS workings to and from Craigentinny around that time.
St Margarets Shed: BR Sulzer Type 2 No. D7591 brings a Craigentinny - Edinburgh Waverley ECS working past the piles of rubble which, in February 1970, were all that remained of St. Margarets shed. The stock is thought to be that for the 16.00 departure to Kings Cross.
St Margarets Shed: Train 1E83, the 14.20 Edinburgh Waverley - Newcastle Central, passes between the site of the old St Margarets shed and the new Meadowbank stadium on 28 February 1970, hauled by Brush Type 4 no D1761 (the'D' prefix was in the process of being phased out at that time but not every depot had completed the painting over). A 19th century relic of 64A gives some foreground interest.
St Margarets Shed: Class 50 No. D405 brings an eastbound Freightliner cautiously past St. Margarets box, preparatory to stopping at the up starter. The section ahead to Craigentinny was occupied by a preceding train, probably the football special ECS hauled by D6102, which would be entering the carriage sidings see image [[27804]].
St Margarets Shed: EE Type 4 No. 345 swoops under London Road and past St. Margarets box on the 11.50 Aberdeen to Kings Cross Freightliner service on 28 February 1970. Meadowbank stadium is bathed in sunshine on what had been a fine afternoon but by four o'clock or so the railway is completely in shadow and this was the last shot of the day.
St Margarets Shed: Brush Type 4 no 1972 photographed just west of the site of St Margarets on 28 February 1970, with Meadowbank stadium in the left background. The train is thought to be the empty stock for the 1440 Edinburgh Waverley - Aberdeen service.
Bramley: A Basingstoke to Reading shuttle, formed of a Class 207 DEMU, heads north towards Bramley on the last day of February 1992.
Thornaby MPD: Thornaby shed at Tees Yard.
Seal Sands Branch Junction: The Seal Sands Branch, when still operational, in a wintry scene in February 2004. This view looks southwards from the level crossing immediately south of the junction.
East Howle Junction: A view east of a snowy former East Howle Junction. This was the junction between the Clarence's Spennymoor line (1837) and the York and Newcastle's line from Thrislington (1846). It ceased to be a junction in 1856 with closure of the Thrislington link. From here the curve south to Coxhoe Junction was modified in 1873 to fly over the main line and approach Coxhoe Junction from its east side. The trackbed seen here has since become an official footpath.
Tees Marshalling Yard: British Railways developed the substantial Tees Marshalling Yard between 1959 and 1963 on the site of, and to the west of, the North Eastern Railway's Newport yards. The original Newport yards opened in 1910 and became famous for the electrically hauled heavy coal trains that ran between there and Shildon. This 2004 view looks east over the down Tees yard. The up yard was to the left and has been lifted.
Haverton Hill South Junction: Looking north at Haverton Hill South Junction in 2004. This works yard was parallel to the west to south curve (now lifted) which was off to the right and further to the right was the east to south curve (also lifted).
Tees Marshalling Yard: A February 2004 view west over the staging sidings at Tees Marshalling Yard. Off to the left is Thornaby Shed, now closed see image [[20792]]. Behind the camera are the down sorting sidings.
Haverton Hill South Junction: Looking south from Haverton Hill South Junction in 2004, with the track still in situ, albeit rather past its best.
Dunston Staiths: Dunston Staiths in a view looking east with the New Redhaugh Bridge and [[King Edward Bridge]] in the background.
Gateshead MPD: Looking north from Askew Road over the sad remains of Gateshead shed on a snowy February day in 2004. The King Edward Bridge - Greensfield route runs left to right across the centre of the picture and part of the QEII Bridge, built to carry the Metro across the Tyne, can be seen in the left centre background.
Metrocentre: Eastbound Pacer at the Metrocentre station.
King Edward South Junction: Newcastle - Stranraer train passes King Edward South Junction.
King Edward Bridge East Junction: Looking east at King Edward Bridge East Junction on a cold February day in 2004.
Dunston Staiths: Detail of the west end of Dunston Staiths seen from across the River Team. The structure is on a curve and the distant part can be seen through the woodwork.
Boldon North Junction: View north east at Boldon North Junction on a wintry 28 February 2004. The line in the left foreground runs to Boldon West Junction and that in the right foreground to Boldon East Junction (the latter was reinstated in May 2011). Alongside the pylon in the centre background the line divides at Green Lane Junction with the Tyne Dock route turning off to the left and what is now a turnback siding (formerly the line to South Shields) running to the right.
Thornaby MPD: Looking west to Thornaby shed on a cold winter evening in 2004.
Thrislington Quarry: A view east of the loading facility at Thrislington Quarry, just north of Ferryhill, in 2004.
Edinburgh Waverley: General view of Waverley west end progress on 28 February 2007. An Aberdeen bound HST is leaving platform 19 passing a 158 in South West Trains livery.
Black Devon Viaduct: Approximately two miles east of Alloa station, the S&D route crossed a substantial viaduct over the Black Devon. View is east towards Dunfermline on 28 February 2008, with the site of Clackmannan Road station directly behind the camera. The tall square chimney in the background is part of the remains of Cherryton Brickworks. This large rail-served works officially closed in 1976. For a view of the viaduct from below see image [[18276]].
Aberdeen Waterloo: EWS staff at the scene of a tanker derailment on the Aberdeen Waterloo branch on 28 February 2008. Photograph shows the contents of one of the tanks in the process of being transferrred to a nearby ASCO road vehicle.
Alloa: Tracklifting at Alloa! Rails and sleepers lifted and temporarily relocated at Alloa station on 28 February 2008 while ballast is being removed. Corrective work has proved necessary following checks which showed the platform line to be too high.
Alloa: Still under wraps - the new Alloa station sign at the entrance from the ring road on 28 February 2008.
Black Devon Viaduct: A rainstorm moving south from the Ochil Hills reaches the old railway viaduct over the Black Devon, some 2 miles east of Alloa. Situated on the former route to Dunfermline, Clackmannan Road station (closed 1921) once stood at the far end. Photograph taken looking west towards Alloa on 28 February 2008.
Auchinbaird Siding: The route of the former Devon Valley Railway, looking south from the road bridge at Fishcross, Clackmannanshire, following a shower of rain in February 2008. Little remains at the site of Sauchie station (closed 1930), which stood in the middle distance, although some signs of Auchinbaird siding, which ran between the station and the bridge and served local pits, can be seen on the left. (For the view north from the site of the station see [[18284]].) The small village of Fishcross, which stands at the crossroads of the A908 and B9140, is known locally as Kipper Junction.
Clackmannan Road: The two stations serving Clackmannan were often referred to as North (S&D) and South (Kincardine line). The north station was opened as Clackmannan in 1850, renamed Clackmannan Road in 1893 and, following temporary closure from 1917 to 1919, closed for good in 1921. The south station opened as Clackmannan & Kennet in 1893 with closure coming in 1930. Nothing remains of the north station which is now part of a walkway, although recent clearance work on overgrown areas alongside the trackbed revealed part of a former loading bank at the east end of the site to the north of the line, seen looking northwest on 28 February 2008.
Fouldubs Junction Yard: An oil train shortly after leaving the Grangemouth refinery on 28 February 2008 behind EWS 60063 is held at signals approaching Fouldubs Junction.
Alloa: Oops! During a routine QC check at the under construction Alloa station in February 2008, it was discovered that the platform line had been laid in too high. Photograph taken from the north side of the station looking west towards the old waggonway bridge on 28 February 2008, showing rails and sleepers temporarily removed and put to one side while the ballast level alongside the platform is lowered.
Black Devon Viaduct: Approximately 2 miles east of Alloa on the former S&D route the railway crossed the valley of the Black Devon on a substantial viaduct. The line closed in 1980 and is now part of a walkway. This 2008 view shows the south face of the structure, photographed looking across the valley floor back towards Dunfermline. The former Clackmannan Road station (closed 1921) stood just beyond the western end of the viaduct.
Tampere: A VR class Sr1 locomotive stands with a train in the snow at Tampere, Finland, in February 2008.
Fishcross: View south from the long closed road bridge in Fishcross on 28 February 2008, looking along the Devon Valley route towards Alloa. The other bridge carries the B9140 and beyond is the site of Sauchie station. The old abutments midway between the bridges supported the Alloa wagonway route into Sauchie Colliery and the Devon Ironworks off to the right (also served by the old road bridge from which the picture was taken).
Black Devon Viaduct: The viaduct spanning the Black Devon on the Stirling - Dunfermline line between the former Clackmannan Road and Forest Mill stations. The impressive structure is now in use as part of a walkway / cycle route and is seen here looking west towards Alloa on 28 February 2008.
Kincardine: The tree eating machine in action near Kincardine on 28 February 2007.
Auchinbaird Siding: Looking north along the Devon Valley trackbed towards the Ochil Hills on 28 February 2008 from the site of Auchinbaird Siding. The siding acted as a reversing spur for the pits at Sauchie. Sauchie station itself was located behind the camera.
Cambus: Looking north towards the A907 past the newly installed automatic barriers at Cambus level crossing on 28 February 2008.
Alloa: Progress on the new station building at Alloa on 28 February 2008.
Kincardine: Modifications to the road approaches to Kincardine level crossing well underway on 28 February 2008. The under - construction Upper Forth Crossing (sic) can be seen running across the horizon.
Fouldubs Junction Yard: EWS 60063 stands at signals north of Fouldubs Junction in February 2008 with a trainload of tanks out of the Grangemouth refinery.
Kincardine: The tree-eating machine heads back to the yard at Kincardine around noon on 28 February 2008 following a spell of clearance work, presumably for a lunch break. The mind boggles.
Fishcross: Route of the Devon Valley line looking south towards Sauchie station in February 2008. Between the two bridges are the abutments of the bridge that carried the Alloa Wagonway into Sauchie Colliery and the Devon Ironworks. See image [[18271]]
Longniddry: A1 Pacific Tornado seen just west of Longniddry on 28 February hauling the Auld Reekie.
St Germains Level Crossing: 60163 approaches St Germains level crossing with the Auld Reekie Express on 28 February.
Wallyford: A1 Pacific 60163 Tornado runs west through Wallyford on 28 February with the Auld Reekie Express bound for Edinburgh Waverley. [The plate being carried above the buffer beam is a tribute to the late Wreford Voge, a former partner with Ernst & Young and Trustee of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust from its formation until his recent death.]
Calton Tunnels: Tornado emerges from the Calton Tunnel with the Auld Reekie on 28 February 2009
Edinburgh Waverley: A1 Pacific 60163 Tornado arrives at Waverley platform 2 on 28 February 2009 with the Auld Reekie Express from York.
Wallyford: Waiting for Tornado... a photographer with an interesting dual-camera rig awaits the arrival of 60163 with the Auld Reekie Express at Wallyford on 28 February 2009. Meantime an ECML service to Kings Cross is about to run through the station on the up line.
Stretford Bridge Halt: There is a wonderful impudence about the remains of the BCR. The trackbed seemed to be saying to me, I'm just like a big railway, only smaller. The three pieces of wood sticking out of the ground here are the remaining platform supports at the first station - very close to Craven Arms, and apparently serving only to show passing passengers on the Marches line that this tiny railway carried passengers! How strange that these wooden supports should have survived over 70 years after closure. The Onny Way footpath passes this way. View looks North-West.
Much Wenlock: No cant deficiency here... the Jack Mytton Way is a delightful rural footpath with a split personality. This section is North of Much Wenlock station (view looks South in February 2009); there is another equally delightful section on the other side of Wenlock Edge, approaching Longville station.
Wallyford: A 322 service from North Berwick leaves Wallyford on 28 February 2009 heading towards the Pentland Hills and its ultimate destination at Edinburgh Waverley.
Hayes Knoll: Newly painted Swindon and Cricklade Railway preserved class 207 DEMU no 1302 photographed at Hayes Knoll on 28 February 2009.
Leith Walk: Site of Leith Walk station, closed in 1930. The indentation in the pavement shows where the street-level buildings stood until demolition in the 1970s.
Wallyford: A DMU deputises for the usual class 322 electric set at Wallyford on Saturday 28 February 2009 forming the 1437 service from Edinburgh Waverley to North Berwick.
Hayes Knoll: The Swindon and Cricklade Railway's Class 207 Thumper DEMU 1302, newly painted in Southern Region green. Photographed at Haye's Knoll on Saturday 28 February 2009.
Leith Walk: Site of the former Leith Walk station looking north west on 28 February 2009, over platforms substantially extant 79 years after closure, although some trouble has been taken to centre the remaining line, which now runs as far as the Edinburgh Council refuse depot at Powderhall.
Wallyford: A North Berwick - Edinburgh Waverley 322 service at Wallyford on 28 February 2009.
Ribbleton [1st]: If some people didn't use it as a linear rubbish dump the old Longridge line would be quite a pleasant route through the Preston suburbs. This is the view towards Preston, under Cromwell Road bridge, from the original Ribbleton station. In June 2010 it will be the 80th anniversary of closure to passenger trains, although coal to Red Scar kept the tracks in use for another fifty years until around 1980.
Ribbleton [1st]: Open for three years, and closed for over one hundred and forty, the platform of the first Ribbleton station still lies in the undergrowth alongside the old trackbed. Now completely surrounded by houses it was obviously less well placed when it opened in 1863 and closed in 1866, although it apparently saw occasional use for the nearby Fulwood Barracks thus ensuring the platform's survival. View along the Longridge branch cyclepath trackbed towards Ribbleton (Gammer Lane) about half a mile from here See image [[19385]] beyond which the line continued to Longridge itself.
Loanhead: View south west along the route of the EL&RR on 28 February showing the trackbed passing below the crossroads in the centre of Loanhead on its way towards Roslin. Loanhead station is 100m behind the camera. Top left on Station Road stands 'Man boy and Horse', a work by local sculptor Alan Herriot featuring a coal miner, a boy and a pit pony. The closure of Bilston Glen Colliery in 1989 brought to an end a long history of mining in the area.
Roslin: The slightly mis-shapen 137 year old road bridge still spanning the trackbed just north of the site of Roslin station on 28 February 2011. See image [[37223]]
Roslin: Looking south west towards the site of Roslin station (now a housing development) along the overgrown EL&RR trackbed on 28 February 2011. The rail route and public walkway from Loanhead have parted company by this time with the latter now crossing the heavily overgrown formation via the skew-arch overbridge and continuing towards the centre of the village just over quarter of a mile away to the left.
Loanhead: Looking towards Roslin from the trackbed of the EL&RR on 28 February along the section running under the centre of Loanhead. This stretch of the line from Millerhill remained open until 1989 to serve Bilston Glen Colliery, located approximately half a mile further on.
Loanhead: The converted goods yard at Loanhead on 28 February 2001 now in use as a council depot/store. Note the surviving buffer stops below the trees on the right. View north with the old station behind the camera.
Roslin: The overgrown trackbed shortly after leaving Roslin station looking towards Loanhead in February 2011, approximately 45 years after this section of the line was closed. The old overbridge seen here is still in use see image [[33195]].
Loanhead: Long lens view north east from the bridge that once carried Church Street over the railway in Loanhead, Midlothian. Photograph taken in February 2011, by which time this section of the EL&R, which last served Bilston Glen Colliery, had not seen a train for 20 years, with the trackbed since converted to a walkway. Up ahead the route passes below the crossroads at the centre of the town, with the remains of the former Loanhead station located just beyond.
Loanhead: The buildings around Loanhead station, now a private residence, seen from the entrance on Station Road in 2011. The booking office still displays its identity, while the date above the door to the station house is 1874. The buildings in the left background on the other side of the trackbed were part of the former Ramsay Colliery see image [[24338]].
Cobbinshaw [2nd]: Site of the former station at Cobbinshaw, South Lanarkshire, (closed April 1966) on the Caledonian route between Carstairs and Edinburgh. Photographed looking north east from the unclassified road over the line on 28 February 2012. The expanse of Cobbinshaw reservoir stands beyond.
Llandudno Junction: Arriva Trains Wales 175103 rests in the west end bay at Llandudno Junction whilst working the 18.08 shuttle service from Llandudno Town station and 18.26 return. This working is slotted in between the set arriving on the 15.09 ex-Birmingham International and departing on the 18.44 service to Manchester Piccadilly.
Grand Central Terminal: Metropolitan Transportion Authority Police cars lined up alongside New York's Grand Central station in February 2012.
Ayr: Looking north at Ayr station on 28 February 2013 as 156514 pulls into platform 4 with the 11.29 service to Girvan.
Ayr: Platform view north at Ayr station on 28 February as the 11.35 to Kilmarnock [10.10 ex Stranraer] prepares to leave Platform 3. Platform 4 has recently been vacated by the 11.29 to Girvan which crossed this train on the short section of double track between Ayr and Dalrymple Junction see image [[42211]].
Newcastle Central: ScotRail 156435 is stabled forward of a Northern 156 unit in the east end down side bay at Newcastle Central, after arrival, via the High Level Bridge, with the 07.08 service from Glasgow Central. Meantime East Coast 91132 waits at platform 4 during its 45 minute layover prior to returning to London at 12.25.
Doncaster: 43300 Craigentinny is on the rear of this East Midlands liveried / East Coast branded HST set, as it leaves Doncaster on 28 February with the 09.54 departure to Kings Cross, ex Edinburgh.
York: A trio of DRS class 20 locomotives (left to right are 20308, 20305 and 20312) stabled forward of Network Rail's new York Rail Operating Centre, built on the site of the former York South shed. They had been joined by DRS 66421 by early evening. See image [[38048]]
Doncaster: DBS 66170 runs south through Doncaster at 10.00 with a long rake of mixed wagons carrying a large number of mainly 1.5T Peugeot and Citroen badged panel vans, plus a number of chassis cab versions, on a working indicated as originating at Warrington to Doncaster Europort. The empty return working came back through the station at 18.15 the same day.
Slochd Viaduct: With snowploughs front and rear, 37606 and 37218 leave the south end Slochd Viaduct on 28 February 2014 heading for Motherwell.
Beauly: 66100 heads north away from Beauly on 28 February with the tanker train for Lairg.
Culloden Viaduct: 37606 and 37218 leave the south end of Culloden Viaduct on 28 February on their way back to Motherwell, with snowploughs at each end.
Newcastle Central: Scotrail 156512 has just arrived to time into bay platform 10 at Newcastle Central, 3 hours 44 minutes after setting out on the 12.12 ex Glasgow Central service via Kilmarnock and Carlisle.
Victoria Swing Bridge [Leith]: The Victoria Swing Bridge crossed the Water of Leith almost at its mouth and provided rail connection between the various docks on either side. Now it is a pedestrian bridge linking smart flats and eateries with, well, other smart etc. Caught at the right moment in late winter sunshine this image makes an admired screensaver. Just saying.
Laigh Hill Tunnel: 68001 heads north from Dunblane with the daily Grangemouth - Aberdeen intermodal.
Sheriffhall City Bypass Overbridge: The 0947 ex-Tweedbank passes below the bridge carrying the Edinburgh City Bypass at Sheriffhall on the morning of 28 February 2016. The train has just over a mile to run to reach its next scheduled stop at Shawfair. The churned up muddy field had served as a works compound during construction of the bridge.
Sheriffhall City Bypass Overbridge: A southbound 158 on the Borders Line approaching Kings Gate Points on 28 February 2016. The DMU is about to cross the bridge over the Dead Burn.
Newbattle Viaduct: The 1211 (Sunday) Edinburgh Waverley - Tweedbank crossing Newbattle Viaduct in bright sunshine on 28 February 2016. The train has approximately half a mile to run to its next stop at Newtongrange.
Coventry Arena: This happened a lot sooner than I expected. Less than 6 weeks after Arena and Bermuda Park see image [[53940]] stations opened, London Midland took the initiative to charter 67028, 67006 Royal Sovereign, and a 6-coach Anglia set to work shuttle services between Coventry, Coventry Arena, and Nuneaton (not stopping at Bermuda Park). This train is the 1706 to Coventry. The sporting event was a rugby match between local team Wasps (who won) and the London-based Harlequins.
Hardengreen Viaduct: ScotRail 158739 crossing Hardengreen Viaduct with the 1045 Tweedbank - Edinburgh Waverley on 28 February 2016.
Eskbank: 158721, on a Borders Railway service heading towards Edinburgh, slows for the Eskbank stop on the late afternoon of Sunday 28th February 2016.
Dunblane: Freightliner 66957 works a Sunday ballast train south through Dunblane on 28th February 2016.
Bonnyrigg: Bonnyrigg closed in 1962 but the platforms facings are still in place and a footpath/cycleway passes through. At each end of the old station a replica totem sign has been affixed to a lamp post. To the north of here the next station is where the Peebles branch joined the Borders railway at Eskbank, which of course has now reopened.
Sheriffhall City Bypass Overbridge: A northbound service on the Borders Railway about to pass below the Edinburgh City Bypass on 28 February 2016. The train is the 1031 ex Tweedbank, which has a mile to run to its next stop at Shawfair.
Visby: The business end of 'Gotlandia II', summer - only fast ferry to Gotland moored at Visby. In the background, MS Visby has just arrived from Nynashamn on the Swedish mainland on 28th February 2017.
Visby: Following Charlie Niven's images of Gotland, this is a view of one of the summer-only fast ferries berthed at Visby in February 2017. Visby in winter is SHUT.
Inverkeithing: A Fife to Edinburgh service calls at Inverkeithing on 28/02/2017. The lamp columns on this half of the platform have been removed and replaced with strip lights on the fence. The back of the platform overhangs the Keithing Burn here and presumably the columns were considered to be adding unnecessary weight.
East Linton [1st]: The former East Linton station, closed 4th May 1964, seen from the delayed ex-14.00 service from Edinburgh Waverley to London King's Cross making an unscheduled stop due to heavy snow - the Beast from the East - on 28th February 2018. The train left Edinburgh nearly an hour late and at the time it should have been back at King's Cross was still sitting in Alnmouth station. The train was then terminated at Newcastle, everyone had to change to another train and it was standing room only all the way to York. We eventually arrived in London at 01.17 on 1st March but free taxis were laid on to get people home and the taxi marshalls did an excellent job cyphoning passengers into cabs going in the same direction as their homes. The roads were treacherous and it took nearly an hour just to get to my home in north London where I arrived just after 2 a.m.; one gentleman wanted to go all the way to Chingford, goodness knows what time he got home.
Dunblane: Running only 5 minutes behind time, the up Highland Chieftan does courageous battle with the “Beast from the East†at Dunblane on 28th February 2018. The “snowflake†generation of Class 170 and 158 DMUs on the other services was soon out of its depth, however, and within a few hours the system was at a standstill.
Cardross: Running exactly to time (actually 30 seconds early) this southbound Sprinter from Oban passes Cardross at 17.07. Virtually no electric trains were running.
Cardross: Last train out of Dodge. In an afternoon largely of cancellations this was the last train to Helensburgh out of Glasgow. It left Glasgow at 17.26 and then that was it, for the night (and, as it turned out, until the morning of the 2nd when a snowplough ran).
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: Glasgow Queen Street at 09 05 today (Wednesday). Trains with a light dusting of snow.
Arbroath Signal Box: WCRC 57316 and a track machine stabled in the up siding behind Arbroath signal box on 28 February 2018.
Carlisle: DRS 66304 waits at the end of platform 7 before returning to Kingmoor as the 1304 from Dumfries arrives at platform 8.
Barcelona Airport: A heavily graffiti'd train arrives at Barcelona Airport station. I guess social unrest is not surprising where there is 25% youth unemployment, but I wish they wouldn't spray over the windows in the doors - you can't see inside to see whether people want to detrain before getting in.
Stansted Airport: Mmm, looks a bit cold out there - the 08.00 to Liverpool Street considers its next thermal experience before leaving the relative comfort of the station in February 2020.
Burntisland East Junction: Caledonian Sleeper 73969 and 73971 sit above Kinghorn Road, Burntisland on engineers' duties on 28 February 2021.
Aberdour: 66051 Maritime Intermodal Four waits at Aberdour on 28th February 2021, with a ballast train for dropping between there and Burntisland.
Sessay: One of GBRfs recently imported class 66 locos, now numbered as 66796 and given a dedicated and colourful HS2 livery, is seen working north in February 2022, shortly after passing the former Sessay station with service 0N71. This is the 11.45 Doncaster Up Decoy to Tyne S.S, weekday working, which on this day comprised a lengthy consist loaded with new concrete sleepers.
Bermuda Park: Second day of revived passenger train operations post-COVID. No-one told the bus companies, so the rail replacement buses are running in parallel with the trains. Some of the West Midlands Railways 172s are painted white, and could well be mistaken for Chiltern 165s or 166s in the dusk with the light behind them. If you dont believe me, let's settle for Trial By Jury - you bring Gilbert, I'll bring Sullivan.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Building firms key to rail link deal [Scotsman] | A FUNDING strategy for the £129 million Edinburgh-Galashiels rail link will rely heavily on contributions from construction companies, it has been revealed. |
| 2006 | Rail operator trumpets success after best month [Scotsman] | PASSENGERS last month enjoyed the most punctual services on the Glasgow-London rail line since Virgin Trains took over nine years ago, the firm has claimed. |
| 2006 | Variable bridge toll charge rejected [Scotsman] | PLANS for variable crossing charges on the Forth Road Bridge have been rejected by Tavish Scott, the transport minister. |
| 2006 | All aboard the great tram race as four contenders unveiled [Scotsman] | THE four companies bidding to design and supply Edinburgh^s trams have been unveiled today. |
| 2006 | Call to put old railway lines back on track [Scotsman] | A TRANSPORT lobby group in Edinburgh has called on councillors to re-open the city^s forgotten railway lines. |
| 2006 | Minister hears opinions on routes [BBC News] | Transport minister Tavish Scott has heard urgent calls in Dumfries for an upgrade to the A75 and A76. |
| 2008 | Record fine for rail company [BBC News Article] | Network Rail is fined a record £14m after engineering work over-ran over Christmas and the New Year. |
| 2008 | Network Rail response to ORR on new year overruns [Network Rail Article] | |
| 2011 | Two arrested at opencast mine protest [STV] | A man and a woman from the Coal Action Scotland group have been arrested at the Railhead Coal Depot at Ravenstruther in South Lanarkshire. |
| 2012 | Train upgrade on hold as promised £50m diverted [Herald] | MINISTERS have been accused of backsliding on plans to upgrade the famous overnight rail service from London to the Highlands after diverting £50million earmarked for the project to Scottish Water. The Treasury gave an extra £50m to the Scottish Government to improve the ageing Caledonian Sleeper fleet this year, on condition it was matched by £50m from Edinburgh. The SNP welcomed the funding, while insisting the Treasury had to ^keep its promise^. Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye & Lochaber, claimed the arrangement showed ^the SNP is dedicated to improving Caledonian Sleeper services^. However, the Scottish Government has rerouted the money elsewhere ^in the short term^, with no firm timetable for fixing the trains. |
| 2012 | Glasgow-Edinburgh train passengers to be first to benefit from wi-fi [STV] | Passengers on trains travelling between Glasgow and Edinburgh will be the first to benefit from a wi-fi connection on Scotland^s rail network. The internet connection will be installed as part of a Scottish Government trial which will allow passengers full online access during their journey. The government has awarded a £250,000 contract to ScotRail which will allow the scheme to begin in the summer. |
| 2014 | Birmingham HS2 Curzon station plans unveiled [BBC News] | Plans for the redevelopment of 350 acres (141 hectares) of Birmingham city centre around the site of an HS2 station have been unveiled. The scheme includes shops, 350,000 sq m of offices, a hotel and 2,000 homes around the Curzon station site. Birmingham City Council said the plans were dependent on HS2 being approved. Curzon would serve as a hub linking phase one from London to Birmingham with phase two towards Leeds and Manchester. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2014 | It^s 25 years since the Settle-Carlisle railway line was saved [Westmoreland Gazette] | THIS spring sees a significant anniversary in British railway history – 25 years since the Settle to Carlisle line was saved. After a six-year battle, it was announced on April 11, 1989 that the Government had rejected British Rail’s plan to close it. A quarter of a century on, 1.2million passengers now travel on England’s most scenic railway every year. |
| 2015 | Steam train to come out of retirement at Heatherslaw [Berwick Advertiser] | It had been thought a much-loved steam engine had reached the end of the line when it was put into retirement at the end of last year. Much to the delight of train enthusiasts young and old, however, Lady Augusta is poised to make a comeback at Heatherslaw Light Railway. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2016 | ^Crack^ in train forces Heathrow Express to replace stock [BBC News] | All Heathrow Express rolling stock has been taken out of service after engineers found a structural fault on one of its trains. Trains from the Heathrow Connect fleet have been deployed on the route, while the slower Connect service has been suspended. Heathrow Express services are running at the same speed and frequency as usual. But travellers were warned to expect overcrowding at peak times. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2017 | Northern, Southern rail and Merseyrail staff to strike [BBC News] | Staff on Northern, Southern rail and Merseyrail have voted to strike in a dispute over the role of guards. The RMT union announced the walkouts in a dispute with the firms over plans to remove guards from trains, which would become driver-only-operated (DOO). Union officials, who confirmed the 24-hour strike on 13 March, say the move will make trains potentially dangerous. |
| 2017 | Two arrests in Doncaster over £2m railway track theft [BBC News] | Two men have been arrested as part of an investigation into the theft of £2m of rail track from across the Midlands and South Yorkshire. British Transport Police said the men, aged 50 and 54, were arrested earlier on suspicion of conspiracy to steal railway track. It comes after two raids on properties in the Bessecarr area of Doncaster. Officers said the track was possibly being smelted down and sold on through scrap metal dealers. |
| 2017 | GE delivers more class 70s to Colas Rail [IRJ] | THE first of seven additional GE Transportation class 70 PowerHaul locomotives for British open-access rail freight operator Colas Rail was unloaded at the port of Seaforth, Liverpool, on February 25 after completing its voyage across the Atlantic. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2018 | French rail unions threaten strike action over any reform by decree [Reuters] | PARIS (Reuters) - French unions met on Tuesday to coordinate their opposition to President Emmanuel Macrons plans to reform the French national SNCF railway, but stopped short of an immediate strike call. Instead, rail workers representatives warned the government of industrial action if it goes ahead with plans to introduce the reforms by decree, bypassing parliamentary debate. |
| 2018 | Trains left stranded for more than an hour in Moray after new level crossing gets stuck [Press and Journal] | [From the 28th]. Train services through Moray^s busiest town ground to a halt yesterday after a level crossing got stuck with the barrier raised. The new facility only came into action in October last year as part of a multimillion project to improve the railway between Aberdeen and Inverness. However, yesterday afternoon the crossing at The Wards in Elgin became jammed causing all signals approaching the site to turn to red and leaving one train stranded for an hour. |
| 2019 | 10-year-old boy praised for entry in Network Rail’s footbridge design competition [Network Rail] | A 10-year-old boy whose submission to a footbridge design competition wowed judges has been recognised by Network Rail and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) at an event in London. |
| 2019 | Virgin Trains rolls out Alexa feature to assist disabled passengers [Railway Technology] | UK-based train operating company Virgin Trains has added a feature on Amazon Alexa virtual assistant for disabled passengers. The JourneyCare feature will enable passengers to book assistance for their journey using simple voice commands. |
| 2019 | Labour calls for Glasgows threatened St Rollox train depot to be nationalised [Scotsman] | Labour has called for a train maintenance depot in Glasgow that is facing closure to be brought into public ownership. |
| 2019 | Council set to back Edinburgh tram extension [BBC News] | An extension of Edinburgh^s tram service to Newhaven has been approved by a committee of City of Edinburgh councillors. The council^s transport and environment committee backed the move despite concerns about cost and disruption. |
| 2019 | First passenger services use new longer platforms at Edinburgh Waverley [Rail Engineer] | Platforms 5 and 6 at Edinburgh Waverley, recently extended to 275 metres in length to accommodate new 10-car trains due to be introduced on the main line between Edinburgh and London later this year, have now re-entered service. An LNER train heading south was the first to use the freshly refurbished platforms, extended for the [] |
| 2019 | Number of rail journeys between Scotland and England rises to 9.6 million [Scotsman] | The number of people choosing the train for journeys between Scotland and England rose to 9.6 million last year, according to new figures. |
| 2019 | Old photos show Katrine aqueduct being built [BBC News] | Old photographs showing one of Scotland^s most important public works being built have been found in a skip. The photos show the construction of one of the Katrine Aqueducts, which take water to treatment works that supply 1.3 million people around Glasgow. The aqueducts were part of a radical 19th Century plan to supply fresh water from Loch Katrine to Glasgow, 35 miles away. [Railscot note: the photographs include views of the temporary railway lines, aerial railways and one of the observatory/semaphore towers used during construction.] |
| 2020 | Almost half the trains arriving at Dalmuir are late, website shows [Clydebank Post] | Commuters boarding a train at [[Dalmuir]] have a 42.4 per cent chance it will be late, according to a new website. |
| 2020 | ScotRail helps jobseekers get on track with new partnership [ScotRail] | Jobseekers in Strathclyde can now benefit from free travel in their first month of employment, thanks to a new partnership between ScotRail and The Wise Group. The train operator is offering The Wise Groups clients free travel for the first month of paid employment, after their participation in Fair Start Scotland. |
| 2020 | Volunteers to bring new stretch of historic Aberdeenshire railway line back to life [Press and Journal] | A stretch of an Aberdeenshire railway line which was closed decades ago will be brought back to life by a band of volunteers. The Royal [[Deeside Railway]] was forced to close in 1966 as a result of the notorious Beeching Report, bringing an end to more than 100 years of service. But a preservation society was formed in the 1990s to keep alive the memory of the line which ran along the banks of the Dee. |
| 2020 | Weymouth tramway: Disused rail line removal plans win £1m [BBC News] | A disused railway line at a Dorset seaside resort will be removed after plans won more than £1m in funding, council and rail bosses have said. The tracks of [[Weymouth Quay]] tramway, which was last used in 1999, will begin to be removed next month, Dorset Council and Network Rail said. They cannot be reused due to their ^deteriorated condition^, they added. |
| 2020 | How Britain fell back in love with the railways [Financial Times] | [The Financial Times Requires subscription to read this article]. On a Friday afternoon in November, in the midst of Britains election campaign, Boris Johnson appeared unannounced at the small-town railway station of [[Thornton-Cleveleys]] in Lancashire. He did not travel by train. |
