b9.jpg

Having a blast

g14.jpg

The Greatest Gathering

g3.png

Gardens in the sky

‘A4’ No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley attracts plenty of attention as it prepares to depart Grosmont on March 22, during its recent spell on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

g1.png

Managing ‘Gresley’

Stars-of-1975-1.jpg

The stars of 1975 – Part One

Kitson-1.jpg

The Kitson-Still the hybrid engine

Stars-1975-1.jpg

The stars of 1975 – Part Two

Robin-Hood-News-1.jpg

Robin Hood rides again at West Somerset gala

DG-News-1.jpg

Duke of Gloucester returns to steam

Fairytale-comes-true-1.jpg

A fairytale comes true…

uk-coal-use-drops.jpg

UK coal use drops to lowest level since Great Fire of 1666

Princess-Margaret.jpg

‘Maggie Rose’ joins August’s Greatest Gathering line-up

Keeping-it-in-the-family-P2-1.jpg

Keeping it in the family – Part Two

Newly overhauled De Winton 0-4-0VBT Chaloner shunts in the yard at Pages Park to collect the carriages for the ‘Leedon Flyer’ during the Leighton Buzzard Railway’s autumn gala on September 28 2024. GRAHAM NUTTALL

Keeping-it-in-the-family-1.jpg

Keeping it in the family – Part One

From-here-to-eternity-2.jpg

From here to eternity

Newly overhauled ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35005 Canadian Pacific, minus its smoke deflectors, steam pipe cladding, nameplates and smokebox numberplate, in steam in Ropley yard on the Mid-Hants Railway on March 1. JEREMY DE SOUZA

Canadian-Pacific-returns-to-steam-at-Mid-Hants-NEWS.jpg

Canadian Pacific returns to steam at Mid-Hants

Steam Railway Christmas-27-BWS 2400X900

Enjoy Steam Railway for less!

Steam Image 1600x900

Don’t miss the latest issue of Steam Railway!

MRO-2026-summer-sale-14.png

Summer sale now at ModelRailOffers.co.uk

J70-Graphic-1080-x-1350-11-BWS-Article-Image-1600-x-900.png

Celebrate 80 years of Thomas the Tank Engine

Display_BWS_1600x900.png

Rail 200 Special Edition – OUT NOW!

Articles

News

Features

Steam Railway Magazine

Latest Issue

Newsletter

Our Magazine

Offers & Competitions

<div class="landing-page">

<div class="container">

  
  <div class="section hero">

    <img src="https://images.bauerhosting.com/celebrity/sites/24/2026/10/Steam-Railway-Christmas-28-BWS-IMAGE-1-800x1200-1.png" />

    <div class="hero-text">
      <div class="offer">🔥Subscription Offer</div>
      <h1>Get 6 issues for just £19.99 + digital access!</h1>

      <p>
        Treat yourself to a Steam Railway subscription.
        <p>Each issue is packed with the latest news, reviews of current railway books, our steam and gala event guide, your stories from the railways and some of the very best railway photography.</p>
      </p>

      <ul class="benefits">
        <li>✅ Read wherever you are with digital access included</li>
        <li>✅ Access to rewards, discounts and prizes</li>
        <li>✅ FREE UK delivery</li>
      </ul>

      <a class="cta-button" href="https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/steam-railway-magazine?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=bau_steamrailway&utm_content=sra_subs_article"
         target="_blank">
         LEARN MORE
      </a>

      <div style="font-size:14px; margin-top:10px; color:#555;">
  📱 Print + Digital · 🎁 Access to rewards
      </div>

      <div class="small-text">
        No fuss. Secure checkout. Order in minutes.<br>
        ⏳ Offer ends midnight 28th December 2026
      </div>
    </div>

  </div>


  
  <div class="section review">

    <div class="review-text">

      <p><strong>Join thousands of readers across the UK</strong></p>

      <div class="stars">★★★★★</div>

      <p>
        “Interesting articles and up to date information on events and restoration progress.”
      </p>

      <p><strong>Trevor Davey - Verified reader</strong></p>

      <div class="stars">★★★★★</div>

      <p>
        “Interesting and well informed range of articles picking up on current issues. Engaging in-depth articles such as the Robertsbridge extension and recommissioning of ‘barn find’ Newstead. A good read!”
      </p>

      <p><strong>Geoff - Verified reader</strong></p>


      <a class="cta-button" href="https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/steam-railway-magazine?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=bau_steamrailway&utm_content=sra_subs_article"
         target="_blank">
         JOIN THE COMMUNITY
      </a>
      </div>
       <img src="https://images.bauerhosting.com/celebrity/sites/24/2026/10/Steam-Railway-Christmas-29-BWS-IMAGE-2-800x1200-1.png" />

    </div>

  </div>


  
  <div class="section">
    <h2 style="text-align:center;">Why subscribe?</h2>

    <div class="cards">

      <div class="card">
        <h3>🎟️ One-stop guide to steam events & galas</h3>
        <p>Simple and practical modelling tips</p>
      </div>

      <div class="card">
        <h3>📰 Latest steam railway news</h3>
        <p>Stay up-to-date with the latest news from the world of steam</p>
      </div>

      <div class="card">
        <h3>🚂 Stunning steam photography</h3>
        <p>Breath-taking photography throughout the magazine</p>
      </div>

    </div>
  </div>


  
  <div class="section final-cta">

    <h2>Still thinking about it?</h2>

    <p>Get 6 issues for £19.99!</p>

    <ul class="benefits" style="display:inline-block; text-align:left;">
      <li>✅ The perfect gift</li>
      <li>✅ FREE UK delivery</li>
      <li>✅ Instant digital access</li>
      <li>✅ Subscriber-only perks + prizes</li>
    </ul>

    <div style="margin-top:20px;">
      <a class="cta-button" href="https://checkout.greatmagazines.co.uk/singleitem?item=SRASR1&prom=ESR2XM26						">
         Get 6 issues for £19.99
      </a>
    </div>

    <div style="font-size:14px; margin-top:10px; color:#555;">
    </div>

  </div>

</div>
</div>

  
In Steam Railway SR589, we examine whether commuter trains can truly mix with heritage railways; we go inside the restoration of what is arguably the most exciting of the remaining ex-Barry locomotives – Urie ‘S15’ No. 499; we discover the delights of Britain’s only metre-gauge railway at the Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum; we celebrate 60 years of the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group; we hear the tale of one fireman’s gruelling 30-hour shift on the footplate… without the locomotive moving an inch; and we look at the 813 Fund, which is also celebrating its 60th anniversary this month.

**Never want to miss an issue of Steam Railway? Subscribe today and choose a Print+ subscription to get the next available issue delivered straight to your door with FREE UK delivery.**

**PLUS, you can access all of the past issues on your smart devices with the Steam Railway app.**

### :a[VIEW OUR LATEST SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS HERE]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/steam-railway-magazine?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_steamrailway&amp;utm_content=latest_issue_page' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}

## Save up to 29% on :a[selected models]{href='https://www.modelrailoffers.co.uk?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=summer_26&amp;utm_content=model_rail_new_website_article' }

☀️🚂 Track down something special for your layout this season and expand your collection. Save up to 29% on a selected range of our limited-edition locomotives 🛍️

## :a[CLICK HERE TO SHOP]{href='https://www.modelrailoffers.co.uk?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=summer_26&amp;utm_content=model_rail_new_website_article' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener'}

## Secure your :a[limited-edition J70]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/mr-rapido-lner-class-j70-68226?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=tte_j70&amp;utm_content=bws_article' } today

Our **:a[limited-edition J70]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/mr-rapido-lner-class-j70-68226?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=tte_j70&amp;utm_content=bws_article' }** is a standout addition to any collection. As **the real‑world inspiration for ‘Toby’ the steam tram** – one of the much-loved characters in Wilbert Awdry’s _The Railway Series_ – this J70 represents a strong connection between real rail history and the stories and imaginative world that have captivated the hearts of children and adults over the last eight decades. So join us in celebrating the 80th birthday of Thomas the Tank Engine with one of the locomotives that started it all. Afterall, it’s more than a model – it’s a piece of the story.

  
It will be 50 years this September since construction of the New Moelwyn Tunnel – a vital part of the Ffestiniog Railway’s Deviation project and extension to Blaenau Ffestiniog – got under way. This is the inside story... literally.  
**WORDS: JOHN DOBSON AND BOB LE MARCHANT**

Double Fairlie Merddin Emrys emerges from the newly completed north portal of the new Moelwyn Tunnel on March 29 2019. CHRIS PARRY/FFWHR  
Although it was always the firm belief of many early Ffestiniog Railway volunteers that the railway would be rebuilt back to Blaenau Ffestiniog, the difficulties that stood in the way of achieving this were considerable. Not only was it necessary to reconstruct the entire line from Porthmadog to Dduallt and then build around two-and-a-half miles of new formation around the lake created by the Tanygrisiau Pumped Storage Scheme, including the now-famous spiral, but a tunnel of considerable length was also required through a spur of the Moelwyn mountains. This was arguably a saving grace, as the old Moelwyn tunnel had a very restrictive bore, just eight feet wide and 9ft 6in high, which severely limited the loading gauge and would have placed major constraints on the motive power and rolling stock able to travel north of Dduallt.  
Nevertheless, work on the Deviation commenced with the cutting of the first sod in January 1965. Given sufficient time (one estimate was 35 years!) much of the open-air navvying required to create the new formation could be done using unskilled volunteer labour, but boring the tunnel was a job for professionals. Fortunately, as has often happened on the FR since 1955, the right people appeared at the right time in the form of three Cornish mining engineers – Peter Hughes, Robin Daniel, and Bob Le Marchant. The following description of how the work was carried out was written by Bob Le Marchant in 2020 – 45 years after tunnelling began.  
**Mining expertise**  
A few statistics will illustrate the magnitude of this task. The tunnel as completed is 3.5 metres wide (11½ft), 4 metres tall (13ft), and 271 metres (888ft) long. The rock through which the tunnel was bored is syenite, a hard material which is granite with one of its normal constituent minerals missing, interspersed with micro-granite. There are no boundaries between the two types of rock and the whole ridge through which the tunnel runs is intersected with faults, running in all directions, and generally water-filled. The average block size is just under a metre square.  
The dimensions of the finished tunnel required 3,794 cubic metres of rock to be blasted, which produced 10,434 tons of broken rock, or about 12,000 skip-loads, all of it needing to be loaded and taken away. Each day, 42 holes were drilled into the tunnel face, each hole being eight feet (2.4 metres) long, and 32mm in diameter. 223 rounds had been blasted by the end of the job, and we later came back to make the tunnel higher. 5,608 holes were filled with gelignite, making a total of 6,400 holes drilled including those required for the rock bolts. 5,608 electric detonators were used and 14,640lbs of explosive. Explosives came from the ICI Cookes works in Penrhyndeudraeth and were kept locked in a steel store on the top of the hill above the tunnel.

  
When, out of curiosity, I came to look at the Deviation project for the first time, construction of the Dduallt spiral was fully under way, and I met a gruff, but friendly, chap, soon to be known to everyone as Bunny Lewis. He informed me that they had originally had a half-promise from the Army that they would do the tunnel job, using their Gibraltar sappers, if and when the new formation reached the site. However, when pressed, they admitted they had no one capable of doing the job. Contractors had been approached, but the lowest bid, by McAlpine’s, was £120,000 – far beyond any reasonable FR budget at that time. Being on leave from my career as a gold miner in South Africa, I suggested the project wasn’t too difficult, and that I could advise them through it.  
To provide some background to my expertise, and that of Peter and Robin, I first met Robin during a year spent at the South Crofty tin mine in Cornwall. I was the geologist’s underground ‘gofer’. On measuring days, I joined the sampling gang, and found Robin 70 feet up an inclined raise, or connection, between levels – accessible via a chain climbed at 80º. He was drilling upwards, standing on a platform of planks placed on four steel pins. He was then one of the top miners in the mine. Peter was also an experienced miner.  
On graduating from the Camborne School of Mines, I’d gone to work for the Goldfields group of mines in South Africa, where life was extreme in every way. I was expected to gain experience in all the necessary trades the hard way, and stayed doing each job until I exceeded the mine average (metres drilled/blasted, or tons loaded) before being moved on to the next. The mine was 11,700 feet deep with a rock temperature of 160°F (71°C), and each of the two shifts consisted of 4,000 men. The mine language was Fanakalo, and I was given an intensive two weeks to learn it. At the depth this mine reached, square tunnels eventually become circular due to intense rock pressure, and stopes – the actual mineral excavations – closed up completely within a year or so, despite a 40% filling of timber. I became experienced in blasting curved tunnels, vertical and inclined tunnels, junctions, etcetera, so the business of blasting a straight tunnel through the Moelwyns presented no difficulties.

This view looking south from the southern approach cutting shows the stone processing site and the somewhat basic facilities available to the tunnel builders. The stone embankment that carried the original FR towards the Old Moelwyn Tunnel is visible on the left. PETER JOHNSON COLLECTION  
**Fire in the hole!**  
I began to communicate with the Deviation Project Engineer, Mike Schumann, when I returned to South Africa, telling him the method he should use, and the equipment he needed to get ready on site. He was also talking to Peter and Robin along the same lines. Unbeknownst to me, the company was already having problems with blasting the approach cuttings – not a job I would have liked, the ground being a mixture of bog and fractured rock. As time went on, Mike suggested that I came and joined the other two miners and did the tunnel job in person. After working a six-day week in South Africa for three years, with very few holidays, North Wales looked appealing.  
We all met up on site for the first time at the beginning of September 1975, when we unpacked three new Atlas Copco compressed-air-driven drills. The site had been set up with a big 600 cubic ft per minute compressor, and a semi-mobile screening plant. This last item was expected to be useful for screening the broken rock into ballast for the railway. It was never a real success, and the track gangs struggled with the resultant oversize ballast, which couldn’t be properly tamped. A number of rough sidings contained 35 one-ton V-skips and an old two-ton battery-electric mine locomotive. A brand new, compressed-air-driven Atlas Copco rock loader had also been obtained.

A fascinating early view of the Moelwyn Tunnel construction site during the mid-1970s, showing how the tunnel was literally blasted through the landscape. PETER JOHNSON  
Our first job was to decide on the drilling pattern. The ‘cut’, or the first holes to explode, is of vital importance to any tunnel blasting. Different rock types require quite different combinations of holes. They have to be arranged to explode to a free face. In our case, nine holes were drilled within a nine-inch square, straight in, and parallel. This is where skill and experience come in. The central hole is left uncharged, and is the free face into which the other eight fracture. If these central holes fail in some way, the rest of the blasted face will be a mess, resulting in less advance, no flat face next day, and possibly raw explosive left to be found accidentally.  
The first nine holes were drilled, and Robin and Pete left to go home to Cornwall. This left me to load and blast next day, witnessed by FR Directors John Routley and Bill Broadbent, General Manager Allan Garraway (always a Deviation sceptic) and Mike Schumann. A Beethoven exploder requires a vigorous winding of its generator handle, until the capacitor inside lights up, before pressing the firing button. I’d been using lit fuses in South Africa. With the Great and Good watching from a distance, I wound the handle, pressed the button, and nothing happened. This was a bad moment, with so much at stake. I saw Garraway turn away in disgust. I tried again and a roar resulted.  
Due to the poor nature of the entrance, we cut a smaller hole to start with, and once inside opened it up to the full dimensions. This proved to be a problem, as the roof was now too high to work the drills without a platform, which had to be pushed inside every day. We decided to speed things up by returning to full width, but only eight feet high. This enabled us to achieve a full round each day – mucking out the broken rock in the mornings, drilling and blasting in the afternoon, the fumes dispersing at night. Thus, our daily advance was either eight feet, or nothing. This was a 12-hour day, if nothing went wrong.  
“I wound the handle, pressed the button, and nothing happened. This was a bad moment”

Detonating a charge. Building the New Moelwyn Tunnel relied on traditional mining and excavation techniques. PETER JOHNSON COLLECTION  
**Breakthrough**  
I’d spent a couple of summers driving a bigger version of the Atlas Copco loader in nickel and copper mines in Canada, so this generally became my job. Pete and Robin roared in and out with full and empty skips. The track was advanced by using a pair of rails laid on their side, the head clamped into the web of the preceding rail and held with a special Eimco clamp. The loader is a brutal machine with over-width wheels, and can run on flange, tread, or occasionally neither. There are tricks to re-railing it without stopping. There is no rock big enough that it can’t throw it into the truck behind. A skip can be loaded in under a minute. Shunting and track extension takes the other minutes of the hour.  
I wrote earlier ‘if nothing went wrong’… We were saving money by hiring very old air compressors from Queens’ Garage in Blaenau, the idea being that Johnny Queens would not be far away to berate if they faltered. In freezing weather, it wasn’t unusual to see Robin standing astride a naked compressor, feeding blazing newspaper, lit by Peter, the smoker in the group, into the air intake. Things would degenerate further as the batteries failed, by having to jump start it from the battery loco. It would eventually start with a roar, when the night’s snow would melt and steam off everything. Then we would find our water supply had frozen in the pipes – a rock drill needs a water feed as well as compressed air.  
In this way we progressed. Bunny ran the screening plant, assisted by Dave Payne. He could be seen, or barely seen, enveloped in a massive cloud of black smoke as one of the smaller diesel locos attempted to propel a rake of rock-filled skips up to the tipping chute. We would fill about 50 skips from the blast each morning. If the plant broke down, as it did most days, then dark humour took over! FR staff member Martin Duncan, who welded broken things, and sharpened drill rods, rounded out our complement.  
It was during this period that the _Blue Peter_ TV people decided to do a special ‘_Go With Noakes_’ on the Deviation. A lot of filming was done inside the tunnel – loading, drilling, and blasting – all the stuff that is never seen, even on the internet nowadays. However, not much was actually shown in the grainy video that ended up on screen. Shame!

A wider view of the south portal under construction, with the scaffolding platform in place. PETER JOHNSON COLLECTION  
We knew the day when we should break through, so the BBC was booked, and this was the time that Johnny Queens’ compressor really failed us – with two days to go. It wasn’t easy to get a new compressor towed over the hill to site. So, we three miners split into two gangs, with helpers, and achieved four rather smokey blasts in those two days.  
I well remember standing on the little platform at Coed y Bleiddiau – I was living down the hill at Bron Turnor at the time. It was 2am, and Norman Gurley (FR permanent way ganger and photographer) was bringing up the battery loco plus about 30 emptied skips with the Simplex, ‘Mary Ann’. I could hear him in the distance, full throttle, and all I could see was an exhaust pipe, red hot, with flames a metre long shooting out the top. We blasted the final round at 11.04am the next day, four minutes late.  
We all retired to the Oakley Arms for a celebration. It is recorded that, in former times, a calf was slaughtered and barrels of ale rolled in the door to celebrate the opening of the first tunnel. I remember being miffed that I had to pay for my own sandwiches, but I was given a special commemorative plate to keep.  
It took eight months to break through to the north cutting. We then came back and blasted the roof down to full size. To do this, the platform was dispensed with, and we worked off the broken rock pile. Leaving a week’s worth of rock, Robin and Pete carried on drilling each day, whilst I loaded rock at a safe distance behind.

A battery-electric locomotive hauls away some newly blasted stone out from the south portal, ready to be processed and disposed of. PETER JOHNSON COLLECTION  
**Fond memories**  
In retrospect they seem happy days, with many stories to tell. I was living in Rhoslyn Cottage at Dduallt station by the end. A lovely place, where I felt I was the one doing the haunting. Gas bottles carried on the shoulder from Dduallt Manor, and glow worms in the ballast late at night after the last train. On a Monday, Robin and Pete would arrive back from Cornwall, with a loaf of bread from the Tanygrisiau bakery, and we would feast on what the weekend volunteers had left behind. This could be a giant catering tin without a label, such as prunes or greengages and, inevitably, cheese. We lived like kings! Except for the day that is, when all we could find was flour, tea bags and cough sweets. There was serious talk of frying the tea bags in batter in the horrible chip pan!  
Bunny Lewis was a lovely person, absolutely right for the job of bellowing commands to the girls and boys who appeared each weekend to heave rock, but easy to tease. A trick we played more than once was to hide in one of the many rock-filled trucks up by the screening plant, then let the brake off. The rake of trucks then started down the spiral to meet the service train at Dduallt. As Bunny set off down the old track from the Tunnel Mess with giant strides, a head would appear up from the first truck and apply the brake. It was a mean trick to play, especially the second time.  
With the screening plant not working as planned, most of the rock produced from the tunnel was just dumped – mainly on the inside of the curve that leads away from Dduallt station towards the spiral. Some was disposed of before then at, I think, Dragon Site, where the new formation is directly above the old formation.

The opening ceremony of the New Moelwyn Tunnel south portal on October 10 2021, marking the final completion of the tunnel 46 years after construction first got under way. Compare this view to that of the same location on p85 – much has changed in the intervening four decades! CHRIS PARRY/FFWHR

  
I learnt a lesson one freezing morning, not having tipped the skips the evening before, as I backed the rake along a temporary siding and the first skip was tipped. The rock had frozen inside and the whole wagon went over and down, pulling off the next. I watched in horror as one after another they peeled off and went down. I jumped off the loco as that too went over. A day was spent dragging them all back onto the rails on the old formation below.  
But it wasn’t all bad. Norman Gurley was the quiet one amongst us all, the opposite to Bunny! He would quietly sort things, be in charge of the temporary track at the Dduallt dumping site, take the BEV mine loco back to Tan y Bwlch each night for charging, erect new fencing during the day – only for a local farmer, vehemently opposed to the reopening of the FR, to tear it out again during the night!  
It wasn’t safe for casual visitors to enter the tunnel as it progressed. Danger lurked everywhere, with the rough track, loco movements, the roar of rock drills, and blasting. One person walked past us as we were hiding behind a rock ready to blast. On shouting at him, he remarked that it was OK, he was a member of the Society, and carried on towards the tunnel mouth. Only a couple of words followed! Another time, two enterprising girls decided we needed a tray of mugs of tea towards the end of the drilling stage each afternoon, at the rock face. They rapidly won our acceptance of this, and as a result Sue married Robin, who lived happily ever after, so I’m told.

Liz Saville-Roberts MP shakes hands with Moelwyn Tunnel Project Engineer Mike Schumann during the south portal opening ceremony on October 10 2021. CHRIS PARRY/FFWHR  
The final act for us three was to trim intrusive bits of rock in the tunnel to clear the profile gauge. Rock bolts two metres long, and 668 in number, were drilled into the roof using a mobile stage, and resin-grouted into place. Then heavy wire netting was fastened across the crown of the tunnel with Hilti bolts.  
The application of Shotcreting by the company is whole other story, not involving the three of us. Peter went back to South Crofty mine and became their Chief Safety Officer. Robin and Sue went back to Cornwall and established their own company, which operated mines in Ireland, tunnelled everywhere and generally carried out anything to do with rock. I left to open up an underground tourist railway at Morwellham Quay Museum in Devon.  
Due to financial constraints, and a seemingly never-ending series of more important civil engineering works, the ornamental portals planned for each end of the new tunnel weren’t built until the original utilitarian concrete portals had deteriorated to the point where remedial action became necessary – in 2019 for the northern portal and 2021, for the southern. A suitably inscribed commemorative plaque was installed at the southern portal.

EVENTS  
It’s been billed as ‘The Glastonbury of Railways’ and the largest collection of historic and contemporary railway vehicles ever assembled. But how did it originate, and what was involved in putting it together? GARY ESSEX looks at the background and logistics of holding The Greatest Gathering.

‘A3’ No. 60103 Flying Scotsman, double-chimney ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596 Bahamas, and ‘A2’ No. 60532 Blue Peter – three of the stars of The Greatest Gathering – pose for the camera at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane works in Derby during an evening photo shoot on August 2. JACK BOSKETT  
Over 40,000 rail enthusiasts descended on Derby on August 1-3 for The Greatest Gathering. Held at rolling stock manufacturer Alstom’s Litchurch Lane works – which started life as the Midland Railway’s Derby Carriage & Wagon Works in 1876 – the event was the biggest display of locomotives and rolling stock in a generation, featuring 25 complete steam locomotives, as well as numerous diesel and electric locomotives, multiple units, carriages, wagons, and on-track plant.  
For those who attended, it was an event that will live long in the memory, and was arguably the highlight of the ‘Railway 200’ celebrations this year.  
The original idea for the event came from James Dobson, Operations Delivery Manager at Avanti West Coast and Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster, Managing Director of the Severn Valley Railway. Gus, formerly the Executive Director for Operations and Safety at Avanti explains how the event came about.  
“The Greatest Gathering came about, like, all good events, over a discussion in a pub. Back in 2019, when I was working for Virgin Trains, we supported an event at Crewe in partnership with Locomotive Services, called Crewe for Change. It was a railway open day raising money for local charities around Crewe. The person behind that was James Dobson, train manager for Virgin. It was on a smaller scale than The Greatest Gathering, but still very successful, and it generated a lot of money for the charities.  
“At a Virgin Trains reunion last summer, we started chatting and said, ‘let’s give it another go and do something for ‘Railway 200’ in 2025. There will never be a better opportunity’.  
“We quickly ruled out railway maintenance depots. Although some have open days, they’re too full of trains, giving a very compressed window during the day after trains have left and before they return. We needed to find a railway site that wasn’t constrained in the same way, so I suggested the obvious one: Derby Litchurch Lane. It’s centrally located, and well connected. At present there is capacity as they are between orders, so there’s not too many vehicles on the site, although Alstom have now received the order for follow-on trains for the Elizabeth Line and are gearing up for the joint venture with Hitachi on the construction of HS2 trains.

Not a train you see every day! Class 50 No. 50049 Defiance hauls Class 40 No. 40106 Atlantic Conveyor, ‘Hall’ No. 4930 Hagley Hall, LMS Stanier ‘Mogul’ No. 13268, a pair of LMS carriages, a pair of GWR carriages, and a two-car Class 108 DMU to Derby for The Greatest Gathering. IAN NIGHTINGALE  
“I spoke to some people I know at Alstom, and they immediately bought into the idea, though we had to wait whilst it went through the company approval process, including the Alstom head office in Paris. It was signed off at the end of August  
2024, and the first press announcement went out in early September. The idea was for a pretty substantial exhibition to fit in with ‘Railway 200’ and its overarching principles, to celebrate both the past and the present and to shine a light on the future. Part of that was to show rail industry innovation, and demonstrating to school leavers and graduates that the rail industry is actually quite an attractive place to think about a career.  
“Then we hit on the idea of doing a launch event. So, having gone public, people were generally quite enthusiastic about the concept, but there was some cynicism about whether the rail industry could pull something of this nature off, given its fragmented nature. We were determined to prove people wrong. The real catalyst came with the launch on January 30. We assembled a fairly representative selection of stock on site, both heritage and modern.  
“That really galvanised interest in the industry, and we had a number of influential people there from the industry and trade press. I think it really brought home to many people who might have been sitting on the fence that this was a serious proposition, and the momentum gained since has been significant, including engagement from uninvolved sections of the industry.  
“It then became clear that if we managed it professionally this could be the biggest assembled gathering of railway vehicles that would ever take place in the UK.”

Geoff Armstrong inspects Stanier ‘Mogul’ No. 13268 prior to its main line journey to Derby. GARY ESSEX  
**Main line return**  
The headline figures themselves are impressive: 140 items of rolling stock on a 90-acre site, with over 40,000 people either taking part or attending. To enable this to take place, 45 movements to Litchurch Lane on the main line railway and numerous heavy haulage road movements were needed just for the locomotive and rolling stock displays, with dozens more vehicles bringing all the necessary event infrastructure to Litchurch Lane.  
Over the weeks building up to the gathering, people all over the UK were working towards getting the display stock prepared and ready to move. Arguably the most unusual arrival on site, and certainly one of the more unusual rail movements seen in recent years, was a rail convoy from the Severn Valley Railway. It comprised GWR ‘Hall’ No. 4930 _Hagley Hall_, LMS Stanier ‘5MT’ 2 6 0 No. 13268, a two-car Class 108 DMU, two GWR and two LMS carriages, and Class 40 No. 40106 _Atlantic Conveyor_, all hauled by BR Class 50 No. 50049. Although _Hagley Hall_ had been on main line service back in the 1980s, and the ‘Mogul’ in the 1990s, both needed thorough examinations to ensure they were able to go on the main line, even when hauled by diesel.  
The assessment of the Severn Valley locomotives and rolling stock was carried out by an independent traction examiner, Geoff Armstrong. Over a two-day period, he inspected the four carriages, the Class 108 DMU, and Nos. 4930 and 13268, to ensure they were safe to run on the main line. Prior to his assessment, another independent contractor carried out an ultrasonic assessment on all the stock’s axles to check their integrity.

An aerial view of Alstom’s Litchurch Lane works site during The Greatest Gathering, showcasing the vast, 90-acre area in which the event was held. STEVE DONALD  
Geoff explains the process: “We’re looking to ensure the stock is safe to run on the main line network. It’s been operated at 25mph for many years on a heritage line, then it suddenly has to operate at speeds up to 60mph for at least an hour, so we need to assess if it will get there without harm to anyone, the network, or the heritage stock itself. It’s also important to ensure the stock won’t fail and block the main line.  
“It’s a visual and practical exam. The visual elements ensure that it’s within gauge, everything is secure, including the motion, all securing and locking pins are present and secure, and if there is any sign of movement around rivets and fastenings. We run a functional brake test as well, making sure they both apply and release correctly. The biggest risk is the axleboxes overheating, so we pay attention to horn guides, alignment, lubrication and so on.”  
The locomotives were moved in light steam to allow the lubrication system to operate and they were crewed by drivers from West Coast Railways. Once the inspection was complete and the stock passed, a statement of attestation was issued and the vehicle details were passed to the Rolling Stock Library in Nottingham, which is the database of all locomotives and rolling stock passed to operate on the main line. This is where TOPS numbers were allocated to give the stock a trackable number for main line use. The certificate is valid for 28 days, which allowed time to return them back to the SVR after the ‘Gathering’.  
Though some of the locomotives and rolling stock being moved by rail to and from the event are over 100 years old, no problems arose. The only issue was a suspected brake fault on _Sarah Siddons_, the ex-Metropolitan Line Bo Bo electric locomotive, part of the Transport For London heritage fleet. She was removed from its train at Leamington Spa for inspection before onward movement to Derby.

  
Jonathan ‘Gus’ Dunster – one of the brains behind The Greatest Gathering. JACK BOSKETT  
**Road to Derby**  
The locomotives moved by road have all been transported by Allelys, the specialist heavy haulage company which regularly transports locomotives to and from heritage railways across the UK. For the Greatest Gathering, they have moved more than 30 steam and diesel locomotives from over 12 different locations, the furthest being the Plym Valley Railway’s Sentinel 0 4 0DH No. 10077, from its base at Marsh Mills, Plymouth.  
The oldest locomotive on display was _Locomotion_, the original 1825 Stockton & Darlington Railway locomotive. Normally residing at the National Railway Museum’s site at Shildon, it was carefully prepared for transport to the event by Allelys’ heritage and museum projects department in conjunction with NRM staff. Appropriately, as one of Britain’s oldest steam locomotives, it was displayed alongside one of the newest – the part-built new-build BR ‘3MT’ 2 6 2T No. 82045, which also came from the Severn Valley.  
A specially designed support frame created by the NRM was used under _Locomotion_. The frame gets used for internal moves and on the recent exhibition moves to Hopetown Darlington and, of course, to Derby. _Locomotion_ is not able to move on its own wheels due to their age and fragility, and its other components, and it has a smaller display frame for long duration static displays.  
This transport frame allows it to be lifted by crane, on machine skates or to have rail wheels attached to move it around easily and safely. Both the locomotive and tender were fully crated for the move to protect it from the elements.

One of the headline steam locomotives was ‘Princess Royal’ No. 46203 Princess Margaret Rose, making its first visit away from its West Shed home in 20 years. The Stanier 462 has a unique link with Derby, when it became the only LMS ‘Pacific’ to visit the former Midland works when it required attention to its outside cylinders in 1951/52. Just visible behind the ‘Lizzie’ is ‘9F’ No. 92214 and ‘King’ No. 6023 King Edward II. IAN NIGHTINGALE  
**Making the selection**  
The event has a diverse range of displays, from _Locomotio_n through to a Eurostar power car and one of the new Class 99 tri-mode freight locomotives that are the newest additions to the UK’s train fleet. How were the exhibits decided on and how easy was it to arrange them?  
Gus Dunster continues: “In terms of the exhibits, for standard gauge, that’s fallen to myself and James to manage. As you might imagine, we were inundated with offers. We wanted a fairly representative selection of railways past, present and future. Some of the decisions were based on emotion, if you like, because we know that certain exhibits will be popular with visitors. Some we’ve had to be more pragmatic about as the logistics wouldn’t be possible or cost-effective.  
“The selection has had to be based on logistics and what can reasonably work on the ground and what can be afforded. And some decisions have been based on the idea that we’ve just got to have certain things at the event.

The Greatest Gathering wouldn’t have been complete without some Derby-built steam locomotives. Returning ‘home’ for the event was Midland ‘Compound’ 440 No. 1000, which was parked up next to London Underground’s 4TC set. THOMAS BRIGHT/SR  
“The obvious one was _Flying Scotsman_. We can’t have an event of this nature and not have _Flying Scotsman_ there. And it can be a bit Marmite to some railway enthusiasts, but from my point of view and a historical point of view, it was at the Shildon cavalcade in 1975 and the ‘Rocket 150’ event at Rainhill in 1980, and it’s historically important, so it’s absolutely right that it should be at this event.  
“We tried to get early locomotives, but for various reasons some were unable to be moved. _Locomotion_ is really important and we’ve managed to get it to Derby. On the steam side, we didn’t set out with a particular amount of exhibits in mind, though we both thought that if we can get 20-plus steam exhibits, that would be quite representative. Picking 20 relevant steam locomotives has been quite difficult, and we’ve had some drop out and some replaced, so a bit by design, a bit by osmosis.  
“And there have been some surprises. We were after a ‘9F’; they are part of the story of freight, and the last steam operations of freight traffic. But there’s not many around and those that still exist can’t be moved by rail, so it’s rather limiting, so we were very pleased to get the offer from the Great Central Railway of 92214. Although it’s not currently steamable, it’s not long out of its boiler ticket and it is still very presentable.

Another locomotive returning to the city of its birth was unique surviving Caprotti valve geared BR ‘5MT’ No. 73129, appearing from the Midland Railway – Butterley. THOMAS BRIGHT/SR  
“Another I was pleased to get was the new-build ‘3MT’ 262T 82045 from the Severn Valley, because that represents 21st-century steam, and it has the first all-riveted boiler constructed in the UK since the end of steam on the main line. The locomotive is almost complete, with the boiler, built at Bridgnorth, now finished and fitted into the frames. We’ve displayed it next to _Locomotion_, bringing the story of UK steam right up to date.”  
Gus continues: “Having a number of exhibits in steam was always the intention, along with the on-site test track for modern rolling stock, which gives people a ride on modern traction and I’m sure there will be people who want to add the Litchurch Lane test track to their mileage.  
“We had a separate line for main line steam and some of the static locomotives were in light steam, and for some of the narrow gauge exhibits we built temporary lines there for the event, as well as the model engineering groups, so there were quite a number of engines in steam.

Old meets new. 1825-built Stockton & Darlington veteran Locomotion stands alongside the almost-complete BR ‘3MT’ 262T No. 82045. THOMAS BRIGHT/SR  
“In terms of modern traction, we were really pleased to get the Eurostar Class 373 power car, though that had to come by road, as it’s out of gauge for much of the UK network, apart from the HS1 and associated lines of course.  
“There were, of course, a few exhibits we would have liked to have seen on site. On a personal level, I would have really liked to have the prototype Deltic; I think that of all the modernisation scheme locos, it was just the most eye-catching. And we had a discussion with the National Railway Museum about the possibility, and they clearly understood why we wanted it, but there were a number of strong logistical reasons why that couldn’t happen.”  
There were steam-hauled trains on three gauges across the weekend, with ‘Jubilee’ No. 45627 _Sierra Leone_ (in reality No. 45699 _Galatea_) on one of the standard gauge test tracks, with _Prince_ and Trangkil No. 4 operating top-and-tail on the temporary 2ft gauge test track, and _Katie_ and _Anne_ working top-and-tail with a rake of Perrygrove Railway carriages on the temporary 15in gauge test track, the materials for which were provided by the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway. Ironically, despite being the smallest gauge, the 15in gauge line was the only one of the steam-hauled trio to have any wheelchair/disabled access provision.

Crowds swarm over the tracks to get a look at Flying Scotsman, Bahamas and Blue Peter at The Greatest Gathering. JACK BOSKETT  
**Good timing**  
The timing of the event at the start of August was planned to coincide with the annual holiday shutdown fortnight, although 300 Alstom staff volunteered across the event days to help manage the event and guide people around the site, as well as for the install and take-down days either side.  
Staff volunteered from across Alstom’s 37 sites across the UK and Ireland, and from sites in the rest of Europe. The CEO of Alstom, Henri Poupart-Lafarge, also visited from France and spoke at the official opening.  
The staff at Alstom have obviously been closely involved in the planning and logistics of opening up their factory site to the public; most areas are accessible, though several of the buildings are closed for operational reasons.

Ex-Eaton Hall Railway 0 4 0T Katie looks somewhat incongruous next to Class 92 AC/DC Co Co electric locomotive No. 92011 at The Greatest Gathering. JACK BOSKETT  
Two members of Alstom staff have been working almost full time on the event since January. Ben Goodwin, Communications Director, and Kathryn Lancaster, Communications Manager, have been overseeing the logistics and planning of the event and have been working with Derby City Council and train operators East Midlands Railway and Cross Country to streamline access to the site, encouraging as many people as possible to arrive by rail.  
Several main line railtour operators also planned services to arrive at Derby for the event, including Vintage Trains and Belmond – with _Flying Scotsman_ making its first revenue-earning foray onto the main line since December 2023 at the head of Belmond’s ‘British Pullman’ from Wellingborough on the Saturday. And, in a refreshing contrast to recent main line railtours, it did so without diesel assistance.

It wasn’t all about standard gauge steam. Britain’s oldest narrow gauge locomotive, 1863-built Ffestiniog Railway ‘Small England’ Prince, top-and-tailed with 1971-built Hunslet 0 4 2ST Trangkil No. 4 – the last steam locomotive built in Britain for commercial use – throughout The Greatest Gathering. JACK BOSKETT  
Ben Goodwin commented on why Alstom had agreed to host the three-day spectacular: “I think we had an obligation to host The Greatest Gathering! Given that we have one of the world’s largest rolling stock factories, we’re connected to the national network, and we’re currently between major orders, we’re perhaps the only site in the country that could put on an event of this size during ‘Railway 200’. The timing has been perfect; any earlier or a bit later and we simply wouldn’t have been able to accommodate a record-breaking roster of locomotives. We’ve just finished the country’s largest train-building programme in a generation – manufacturing 2,660 Aventra cars for customers across the UK over the last ten years – and literally the day after The Greatest Gathering finished, we started work on ten new units for the Elizabeth Line.  
“Admittedly, the modern railway began in England’s North East, but Alstom has a legitimate claim there too. Through our acquisition of Robert Stephenson and Company – the Newcastle-upon-Tyne builders of _Locomotion_ – we can draw a direct line from the dawn of the modern railway in 1825 to today’s cutting-edge mobility solutions.”

Time to reflect. Furness Railway 0 4 0 No. 20 – Britain’s oldest operational standard gauge locomotive – stands in the line-up behind ‘Royal Scot’ No. 46115 Scots Guardsman, and in front of ‘Hall’ No. 4930 Hagley Hall and Stanier ‘Mogul’ No. 13268 and their respective pairs of GWR and LMS carriages. JACK BOSKETT  
**A lasting legacy**  
The event had no sponsors or financial backers; the ticket sales covering the costs of holding the event, with the surplus going to charity. The initial ticket sales gave the organisation enough working capital to begin preparations. All the rolling stock owners waived appearance fees, but plenty of other unavoidable costs needed to be covered, including exhibit transport to site, insurance, facilities, staffing and security for the site and the exhibits.  
The remaining surplus after all the event overheads are covered will then be split between ‘Railway 200’s’ five chosen charities – Alzheimer’s Research UK, Railway Benefit Fund, Railway Children, Railway Mission, and Transport Benevolent Fund CIO – and charitable railway heritage partners.  
Ben spoke about the legacy of the event and Alstom’s involvement: “All those involved hope The Greatest Gathering excites interest from the next generation and encourages young people of all backgrounds to consider a career in rail. As a result, we designed The Greatest Gathering to be family friendly and engaging for all age groups. A whole host of interactive science, technology, engineering and maths activities were available among the rolling stock exhibits, while partners from across our industry showcased a host of career pathways.

‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35028 Clan Line, adorned with full ‘Golden Arrow’ regalia, stands next to classmate No. 35018 British India Line outside ‘K’ shop at Litchurch Lane. JACK BOSKETT  
“Other than that, I’d love us to be remembered as the Glastonbury for railfans! ‘Railway 200’ has given us a unique opportunity to celebrate not only the incredible progress of the past two centuries but also the bright future of rail. We’ve truly been blown away by the support from across our industry to put on this event, which we hope will be remembered as fondly as previous events such as ‘Rail 150’, Railfest and The Gathering in Crewe.”  
While enthusiasts will inevitably debate ad infinitum about what exhibits should or should not have been there – industrial steam was noticeable by its absence – and while the hoped-for line-up of an LNER ‘A1’, ‘A2’, ‘A3’ and ‘A4’ side-by-side did not ultimately happen (although all four representative locomotives were on-site during the event), no one can deny that The Greatest Gathering was an event for the ages. By the time you read this, Alstom will have already started on its new Elizabeth Line units; the last vestiges of the event will have been tidied away and the various exhibits will have returned home. It will be almost like it never happened.  
But for those who were there, it will remain etched in our collective memories. We might not be treated to a cavalcade on the scales of those in 1975 and 1980, but The Greatest Gathering will undoubtedly go down in history as the unparalleled highlight of the ‘Railway 200’ festivities.  
  
THE GREATEST GATHERING – THE STEAM LINE-UP  
**STEAM (STANDARD GAUGE)**  
**S&DR No. 1** Locomotion**:** National Railway Museum  
**Furness Railway No. 20:** Furness Railway Trust  
**Midland Railway ‘Compound’ No. 1000:** National Railway Museum  
**LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ No. 1054:** Bahamas Locomotive Society  
**LNWR ‘George the Fifth’ No. 2013** Prince George**\*\*:** LNWR George the Fifth Steam Locomotive Trust  
**GWR ‘Hall’ No. 4930** Hagley Hall: Severn Valley Railway  
**GWR ‘King’ No. 6023** King Edward II: Great Western Society  
**LMS Stanier ‘Mogul’ No. 13268:** Stanier Mogul Fund  
**SR ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35018** British India Line: West Coast Railways  
**SR ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35028** Clan Line: Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society  
**LMS ‘Black Five’ No. 44932:** West Coast Railways  
**LMS ‘Jubilee’ No. 45596** Bahamas: Bahamas Locomotive Society  
**LMS ‘Jubilee’ No. 45699** Galatea\***:** West Coast Railways  
**LMS ‘Royal Scot’ No. 46115** Scots Guardsman: West Coast Railways  
**LMS ‘Princess Royal’ No. 46203** Princess Margaret Rose: Princess Royal Locomotive Class Trust  
**LNER ‘A4’ No. 60007** Sir Nigel Gresley: Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust  
**LNER ‘A3’ No. 60103** Flying Scotsman: National Railway Museum  
**LNER ‘A1’ No. 60163** Tornado: A1 Steam Locomotive Trust  
**LNER ‘A2’ No. 60532** Blue Peter: Locomotive Services Group  
**LNER ‘B17’ No. 61673** Spirit of Sandringham\*\*: B17 Steam Locomotive Trust  
**BR ‘Clan’ No. 72010** Hengist: The Standard Steam Locomotive Co.  
**BR Caprotti ‘5MT’ No. 73129:** Midland Railway – Butterley  
**BR ‘3MT’ 262T No. 82045:** 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust  
**BR ‘9F’ No. 92214:** Great Central Railway \*appearing as No. 45627 _Sierra Leone_ \*\* Parts only  
**STEAM (NARROW GAUGE)**  
**‘Small England’ No. 2** Prince**:** Ffestiniog Railway  
**Hunslet ‘Brazil’ 042ST Trangkil No. 4:** Statfold Narrow Gauge Museum Trust  
**Eaton Hall Railway Heywood 040T** Katie**:** Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway  
**Exmoor Steam Railway 062T** Anne**:** Perrygrove Railway  
**STEAM-ERA CARRIAGES (not including support coaches etc)**  
**Brown, Marshall Bogie Brake & Luggage Van No. 10:** Ffestiniog Railway  
**Brown, Marshall Compartment Composite No. 16:** Ffestiniog Railway  
**GWR 57ft bow-end Composite No. 6045:** Great Western (SVR) Association  
**LMS Restaurant First Open No. 7511:** Severn Valley Railway  
**GWR Non-descript Saloon No. 9103:** Great Western (SVR) Association  
**LMS Corridor Composite No. 24617:** Severn Valley Railway  
**LNWR Chairman’s Special Saloon No. 45000:** Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust  
**LMS Bogie District Engineer’s Saloon No. 42029:** Transport for London  
**LMS Dynamometer Car No. 45050:** Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust

Want to read more articles like this? :a[Subscribe to a Steam Railway subscription today]{href='https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/steam-railway-magazine?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=bau_steamrailway&amp;utm_content=article' }.

## It's perfect for any rail enthusiast | just £9.99\*

To mark 200 years since the 1825 opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway and the beginnings of modern rail, the editors of _RAIL_, Steam Railway and Model Rail magazine have created this **:a[special 228-page souvenir edition]{href='https://magsdirect.co.uk/magazine/rail-200-magazine-the-story-of-our-railways-since-1825/?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=rail200bookazine&amp;utm_campaign=bau_transport' } to commemorate the auspicious bicentenary,** and to tell the story of rail in a way it’s never been told before…

This collaborative first will trace the past, present and future of rail over three centuries. **Lavishly illustrated over 228 pages**, it will use fabulous pictures, extraordinary facts and amazing figures to tell **the story of rail in a way it’s never been told before**.

As well as rail’s glories, with all the **key landmarks and events**, it will also take some detours to shine a light into **the secret corners and unexpected episodes in rail’s history**, and explore how it has shaped and continues to shape our home and work lives, the places around us and the future of world travel.

Here are just a few of the features we know you'll LOVE...

Pick up a copy from your local newsagent, Tesco, Morrisons or WHSmith! :a[Or purchase one here]{href='https://magsdirect.co.uk/magazine/rail-200-magazine-the-story-of-our-railways-since-1825/?utm_source=steamrailway.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=rail200bookazine&amp;utm_campaign=bau_transport' }.

T&Cs: \*£9.99 price is not inclusive of delivery charges on Great Magazines. Total cost is £11.49 with P&P. Shop price is £9.99. Offer only available while stocks last.

#### While it is relatively simple to re-purpose former stations, sheds and signal boxes into something else, other legacy structures are a bit more complicated. Just what do you do with a redundant railway bridge, for example? _Steam Railway_ takes a look at a few notable examples to find out.

The idea of a linear park isn’t new. It probably originated in the United States, creating a public green space which is longer than it is wide. This means it is ideally suited to re-purposing landscape features such as redundant railway lines.

The first elevated linear park was the Promenade Plantée in Paris, which follows the former Chemin de fer de Vincennes which closed in 1969 after only 90 years of operation. Opening in 1993, it was designed by prominent landscape architect Jacques Vergely and architect Philippe Matthieux.

Perhaps the most famous elevated urban park is the High Line in New York – a 1.45-mile long elevated park which re-uses an abandoned section of the New York Central Railroad, and which opened in phases between 2009 and 2014. Chicago has the three-mile Bloomingdale Trail, while in Britain, Bath Linear Park re-uses a disused section of the old Somerset & Dorset Railway trackbed. What was lacking, however, was a UK equivalent of the Promenade Plantée. Enter the National Trust and the Castlefield Viaduct.

Castlefield is the ancient heart of Manchester where the Romans built their fort and where, over a millennium later, George Stephenson laid out the first inter-city railway and its station at Liverpool Road. Already a vibrant transport hub thanks to the Bridgwater and Rochdale canals and their attendant warehouses, Castlefield became a key element to the expanding transport links which served the growing Cottonopolis. Even today, Castlefield is a convergence of road, rail and canal, the area being bisected by not only the main line toward Liverpool and Altrincham, but the Metrolink heading into Salford, re-using the Cornbrook Viaduct built in 1877 by the Cheshire Lines Committee (CLC). Its northern partner, also built by the CLC, remained desolate and unloved from 1969 to 2022. That said, it provided the backdrop for many film and TV productions, including _Coronation Street_ and _Peaky Blinders_, where it stood in for industrial Birmingham in the 1920s.

Castlefield Viaduct was built by the Cheshire Lines Committee, a joint line administered by the Great Northern, Midland, and Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire railways (latterly Great Central). The CLC opened its new Central station in 1880, with the new viaduct being built to relieve congestion from the existing Cornbrook Viaduct by providing freight-only lines. It was estimated in 1893 that “as many as 350 or 400 trains will then pass over the structure, in each twenty-four hours” with sufficient capacity to include an additional 100 trains per hour in the future.

In order to span Castlefield, the CLC approached Heenan and Froude, the engineers who built the iconic Blackpool Tower, to construct the new 56-arch viaduct. The 330m long viaduct was completed in 1893, and one Manchester newspaper report declared it “a triumph of engineering skill”, and stated that “some notion may be formed of the nature and importance of \[the viaduct\] from the fact that the total cost has amounted to £250,000.” The _Manchester Evening News_ in June 1893 reported that the new viaduct was load-tested by parking 12 locomotives “representing an average weight of seventy tons each” on the eight-span steel viaduct during its inspection by the Board of Trade, “and gave satisfaction.”

Following disuse in 1969, time and a lack of substantive maintenance had not been kind to the viaduct, something not helped by Manchester’s wet weather. In the care of what was then British Railways Board (Residuary), the Grade II-listed structure was by the early 21st Century in poor condition with rusting metal and rotting concrete being observed falling from it. Given the risks, BRB(R) established a project to make it safe, but owing to the number of affected property owners, consultations and planning approvals took around a year until work could begin to repair the iconic structure. This also included an ecological survey, looking for any bats which called the disused viaduct home and thus had to be protected, as well as the abundant plant life on the bridge deck, and for any rare or protected species. Thankfully there was neither, and work began in 2009, descaling, removing flaking paint and corrosion products; making brick work and pointing safe, removing plants and roots, and waterproofing the deck. Although – due to the small budget available – this was a short-term fix, the 2009 programme of works safeguarded the future of the viaduct, enabling it to become Britain’s first elevated urban linear park, thanks to the intervention of the National Trust.

Inspired by the New York High Line, during 2021 the National Trust unveiled plans to turn the Castlefield Viaduct in to a 150-metre-long linear urban park, albeit a temporary one, at a cost of £1.8 million. The Castlefield ‘Sky Park’ is the result of the partnership between Highways England (which cares for the structure), the National Trust, and the Castlefield Forum, the local community group.

Worked carried out on the viaduct included strengthening the deck, as in the words of Highways England engineer Fiona Smith who has responsibility for the structure: “The viaduct’s iron structure has more than enough strength to support the visitor centre and the hundreds of daily visitors walking over the top of it. But the deck that previously carried the railway tracks wasn’t designed to entertain so much weight. Our designers had to think about how they would spread the load and make sure anything heavy was supported adequately across its metal beams.” Not all the viaduct required strengthening work, but the work required listed building consent. It first opened to visitors in summer 2022 and saw 50,000 visitors during the next 12 months. This success meant that in July 2023 planning permission was extended to keep the park open until Autumn 2024. Plans for the next phase, making the park permanent as well as an extension, were announced by the National Trust in June and September 2024. Project manager Nichola Jacques described the extension was aimed at creating “a bigger, bolder and more beneficial green space” which will utilise the full length of the viaduct, to create a 330m-long linear park. The new designs also introduce a second entry and exit point on the west side of the Mancunian Way, offering a more accessible route into the park via a lift and stairway. This extended park will feature paths winding through planting which, it is hoped, will encourage visitors to slow down and connect with their surroundings – a moment of calm above the bustling city below.

The National Trust has already secured £400,000 from National Highways’ Users and Communities Designated Funds programme, and a planning application was submitted in September 2024. Manchester Council approved the application for the £3m scheme in April this year, and the National Trust is already seeking partners to fill the funding gap.

Castlefield Viaduct project manager Nichola Jacques said the approval was a “positive step towards realising our bigger plans, and those of our partners and supporters… The viaduct gives us an opportunity to create an accessible green space for the 50,000 residents living within a 20-minute walk of the area.”

Over the hills and far away in Leeds, Monk Bridge – a fragment of the former Leeds Central station – has also seen an urban renaissance. Originally built in 1847 by the Leeds & Dewsbury Railway to a design of Thomas Grainger, it was built to span the River Aire and Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Only a 200-metre section of the viaduct was preserved after closure of Leeds Central which, other than the waggon lift which forms the focus of Wellington Place, has been wiped from the cityscape of Leeds.

Thoughts of creating an elevated urban linear Park in Leeds, on the lines of the Promenade Plantée, appeared in 2017 which would see the re-use of the Holbeck Viaduct, of which more anon. Monk Bridge Viaduct was not part of this plan, but in 2019 it was ear-marked to play a crucial role as part of _The Junction_ waterside development project by Highline Investments.

The redevelopment of the former industrial part of Leeds involved the construction of five high-rise residential blocks and, crucially, the revival of the viaduct itself. Work on the viaduct began in 2022, led by the Nurture Group which saw the re-use of the deck as a linear park “complete with winding pathways, inviting seating areas, and lush greenery. The true stars of this transformation are the trees. Carefully planted to enhance the greenery, they blend harmoniously with the revitalised urban park. Multiple seating areas provide space for relaxation, while a new path encourages pedestrians and cyclists to explore and enjoy.” Access is provided through both lifts and stairs to make the park open to all users, ‘granting the public the chance to marvel at the city from a truly unique vantage point.”

Regeneration of the bridge has also seen the arches beneath it put to new use. Nurture Group notes that these “are set to become vibrant hubs of activity, housing bars, restaurants, and shops that will breathe new life into this historic structure.” About the transformation of Monk Bridge, Nurture Group said: “The Monk Bridge viaduct now stands not only as a testament to architectural and landscape innovation but also as a symbol of Leeds’ commitment to preserving its rich history while embracing a greener, more sustainable future.”

More ambitious than the Castlefield Viaduct or Monk Bridge is the £2m community-led proposal to turn the former Holbeck Viaduct in Leeds into a linear park. The mile-long structure which stretches from Granary Wharf in the city centre, and ends close to Elland Road – home of Leeds United – has not seen rail movements since 1988, but would be brought into community use as a green space and active travel route. The first suggestion to use the viaduct as an urban park came in the 2000s as part of the regeneration of Holbeck, and the present community-led project was begun in 2013. A pre-feasibility report was produced in 2017, which John Paddington, from the Holbeck Viaduct Project, said proved the scheme was “very much feasible.”

Constructed by the LNWR in 1882, the 92arch viaduct meanders its way through a former industrial part of Leeds and would provide a much-needed ‘green lung’ in that part of the city. As the pre-feasibility report notes, it would become a key link in the regeneration of ‘South Bank Leeds’, “providing a catalyst for development and community engagement.” Concept art shows walkways and planting along the bridge deck, with access provided by stairs and lifts to ‘create a vibrant green space for everyone to enjoy.’

Now a CIC, the Holbeck Viaduct Project has the vision to create the longest elevated linear park in Britain which would boost sustainable travel, boost the local economy and provide a much-needed green space for leisure and recreation with spaces under the arches to be developed for community and retail space. Unfortunately for the project, uncertainty over whether HS2 will come to Leeds as well as proposals for West Yorkshire Mass Transit systems meant that things have been on hold.

The Kingsland Viaduct in Shoreditch was built by the North London Railway in the 1860s to allow the railway to run into Broad Street station, next to Liverpool Street station. However, when Broad Street closed in 1986, it too closed. In recent years, the northern half of the viaduct came back into use as the London Overground, but the southern end was left derelict. But, as in Leeds, regeneration and new housing developments saw the disused part of the viaduct re-purposed into an urban park on the bridge deck, with the arches beneath becoming home to various commercial units. Access is provided with lifts and stairs providing entry to a small urban oasis next to the busy Great Eastern Street. It is laid out with paths, planters and play areas, with trees providing shade and habitats for birds.

The Bennerley Viaduct, although not a linear park per se, was restored to new life in 2022 following its closure in 1968, opening to pedestrians and cyclists at a cost of £1.7m with the funding coming from Railway Paths, the Railway Heritage Trust, and others. Saved from demolition twice in 1975 and 1980, it was placed on the Heritage at Risk register since 2007 and was thought to be in danger of collapse. A condition report was prepared in 2016 which showed the viaduct was in better than condition than previously thought, and in the following year the Heritage Lottery Fund gave a grant to the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct, a group working alongside the owner Railway Paths, promoting the history, repair and re-use of the viaduct. Finally, in 2019, Historic England provided £120,000 toward the restoration.

The wrought iron structure was in poor condition with extensive work being required to the ironwork, the bases of the piers, and abutments and partial reconstruction of the parapets at the eastern end. The embankment at the western end was rebuilt to provide ramped access from the Erewash Canal towpath, and steps were built from the eastern end. In January 2023, funding was awarded towards creating ramped access from the western end. The viaduct provides a spectacular vantage point for the Erewash valley, as well as providing nature habitats and encouraging green travel.

Redundant railway architecture may present many problems for re-use and adaptation, but as the Castlefield Viaduct and Monk Bridge show, with a little imagination and community engagement even something as unloved or as massive as a Victorian viaduct can come back into use, provide community space, green space and gardens in the sky in areas of our city centres which need them most. Castlefield Viaduct has been a triumphant success and shows there is new life in old bridges yet.

No.60007  
Keeping a main line steam locomotive running on the national network is no small feat, particularly in the heavily regulated world of 2025. So, how does the team managing one of the scene’s undisputed celebrities – ‘A4’ _Sir Nigel Gresley_ – manage?  
**WORDS AND PICTURES: TREVOR CAMP (EXCEPT WHERE NOTED)**

‘A4’ No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley attracts plenty of attention as it prepares to depart Grosmont on March 22, during its recent spell on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. BRIAN HALL

  
It is 4.30am on a dark, chilly, damp and very misty morning as I join the westbound M62 and head up and over the Pennine hills of West Yorkshire. I need to drive 90 miles to Crewe by 7am to meet up with the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Company (SNGLC) Locomotive Engineer, Darrin Crone, for whom these early starts are a way of life.  
If everything went to plan, Locomotive Services Limited’s (LSL) own ‘A4’, No. 4464 _Bittern_, would have arrived overnight by road transporter from storage in Margate for the start of her overhaul back to operational main line working. LSL has entrusted this overhaul to the SNGLC engineering team after the team’s exceptional work in overhauling their own ‘A4’ locomotive, No. 60007 _Sir Nigel Gresley_. The boiler will be removed at Crewe for overhaul by LSL’s own boilersmiths and the rest of the locomotive would then be transported by road to LSL’s new North Yorkshire base, where she would be reunited with her tender which had gone there directly from Margate.

SNGLC Locomotive Engineer Darrin Crone (right) looks on as ‘A4’ No. 4464 Bittern is unloaded at LSL’s Crewe workshops on February 28, ahead of its long-awaited overhaul which will be managed jointly by LSL and the SNGLC.

  
Since the move from the National Railway Museum in York to LSL’s workshops in Crewe after Covid in 2020 to complete the overhaul of _Sir Nigel Gresley_, the working relationship between SNGLC and LSL has blossomed into a strong bond of mutual respect, which has benefited both teams. This bond was born early in the relationship, when LSL officials met Darrin at the NRM to discuss the future operational contract, and they saw first-hand the quality and exacting standards of Darrin and his team. This led to discussions about the _Bittern_ overhaul starting long before No. 60007’s move from the NRM to Crewe, and was an early sign of the developing working relationship.  
Darrin’s team’s knowledge, impeccable standards, professionalism, and ability led to LSL asking SNGLC to conduct the _Bittern_ overhaul and, subsequently, suitable premises near Northallerton in North Yorkshire were acquired and fitted out. The 100% oreliability of ‘SNG’ throughout 2024 was a proud achievement for the team, and with the now increased workload of the two locomotives, Darrin wants to further strengthen the team with a salaried assistant engineer.

Recently repainted into its familiar BR express passenger blue livery, Sir Nigel Gresley undergoes a successful steam test at its new Crewe home on March 8 2023.

  
**A railwayman’s oasis**  
Passing through the security gates at LSL’s Crewe locomotive depot, you are at once transported to a nostalgic period in railway history, with a Class 47 diesel engine idly ticking over, the rakes of immaculately turned-out coaches from the 194080s era, and a wonderful mix of steam, diesel and electric locomotives from an even wider range of years. There is an intoxicating aroma of railway smells that greets you as soon as you step out of the car, no doubt enhanced by the still, windless, misty atmosphere which is slowly changing minute by minute as night turns slowly into day. A railwayman’s oasis is a world away from the urban commute slowly emerging in the surrounding area, and a privileged moment to savour.  
It is now 6.35am. Almost 30 minutes early, I’m wondering if Darrin is here yet, so I call him and the answer is, “Yes, I’m in the coach, where are you?” I reply, “Walking through the running shed.” “Really? I’ll put the kettle on. Is _Bittern_ there yet?” “No, I can’t see her,” I disappointedly respond, and you cannot really hide a ten-wheeled trailer and tractor unit carrying 103 tons of locomotive in the car park (168 tons with tender). So, climbing into our support coach, I am met by Darrin with my cup of tea from the adapted kitchen in the guard’s area. We retire to the warmth of the oil-filled radiator comfort of the First Class compartment that is often Darrin’s second home, and lament over the missing locomotive.  
After half an hour or so, we open the curtains to find the night has now turned into day and the floodlit scene is beginning to be replaced by long shadows of light and dark from the shafts of low sunlight piercing through the morning mist. Yes, as if by magic, _Bittern_ has arrived! The huge transporter has completed its overnight trip and is being expertly reversed down the several hundreds of yards into position to unload its precious cargo. My job of photographically documenting the event and Darrin’s job of overseeing the unloading with LSL staff could now begin, and it is only 7.30am!

Darrin Crone leans from No. 60007’s cab.

  
**Opportunity of a lifetime**  
A few weeks later, I get the chance for a longer chat with Darrin over a coffee, lemon drizzle cake and his beloved Jammie Dodgers. He freely admits he loves his work as he is being paid for doing what would be his hobby had he any other job. How good is that? Having spent 10 years watching him work at his hobby, I can also freely admit to knowing how good that is for him. It does all seem very glamorous, but it comes with a huge chunk of responsibility and commitment. He tells me a story from an incident on one main line trip when disaster was narrowly averted. About to collect several hundred passengers who have all spent several hundred pounds to ride on the main line behind ‘SNG’, he noticed the air pressure gauge for the coach braking system rising uncontrollably. A fix was required or the trip would be cancelled at the eleventh hour as no back-up steam locomotive was available. The compressed air system is a modern addition for the hostile environment of a 1937-built steam locomotive, and it was designed for the comparatively clean environment of a diesel locomotive. The control valve is underneath the cab floor above, over which coal is constantly being transferred from tender to firebox, so could it be coal dust in the valve? There’s only one way to check, and the clock is ticking. Run late and you risk a network fine, not to mention delaying main line services. So, Darrin and his support crew got a wrench and removed the cover to check. Staying calm and thinking logically, he finally breathed a huge sigh of relief as, at the second attempt, he found and removed an offending single speck of dust, which was enough to affect the valve seal, thus allowing the pressure to return to normal.  
The mental demands and stress put the job way beyond being just a hobby. Staying calm under pressure is an absolute necessity; panicking is not an option. Even when being watched by the locomotive crew and traction inspector while looking at their watches.  
This job is not for a railway enthusiast with engineering ability, but for an engineer with railway enthusiasm. Someone who knows his Whitworth from his metric, his left hand from his right hand, and can drill and tap out.  
Darrin does have the support of volunteers: Richard Swales, who is CME (Chief Mechanical Engineer), Andy Barwick and Phil Gillespie, all of whom are qualified ‘Duty Engineers.’ Not forgetting the other volunteers, along with the excellent team at LSL. But the addition of a full-time assistant engineer is now a priority. Like Darrin, any assistant would have to be extremely flexible regarding hours worked and availability, as well as being comfortable in periods away from home when on tour and/or visiting heritage railways, as the accommodation is often a compartment in the support coach.

Darrin cleans No. 60007’s distinctive streamlined smokebox ahead of a Steam Dreams tour from York to Edinburgh on November 23 2023. Keeping the ‘A4’ fit aesthetically is just as important as looking after it mechanically.

  
**Attention to detail**  
Darrin talks me through the long hours of a hypothetical operational railtour day. A departure from a London terminus would require relocation of the locomotive from the Crewe base (after the Fitness to Run – or FTR – assessment has been completed and signed off) at least the day before to the London LSL facility in Southall, necessitating an overnight stay after a probable late evening arrival followed by an early morning start around 5am. A comprehensive locomotive inspection and preparation – which includes oiling and cleaning, stoking the overnight warming fire to raise the boiler pressure to operational level, running and checking all the systems are working correctly – would then be required. Hopefully, everything goes to plan, so when the footplate crew of driver and fireman arrive, you are all set to go and collect the coaching stock on the timings of the distributed network pathway, so any last-minute problems need to be resolved quickly. You have a scheduled path to keep, not to mention a platform of fare-paying customers not to disappoint. You will stay for the duration of the trip, offering the footplate crew engineering support and being available as and when needed, particularly at all the water stops. The corridor tender of ‘Gresley’ comes in extremely useful here, offering the ability to move from the footplate to comfortable seats in the support coach.

Darrin Crone gets his hands dirty inside Sir Nigel Gresley’s firebox in February 2016, while its overhaul was under way at the National Railway Museum in York.

  
It is an oasis of comparative calm, offering a chance for a cuppa and even a Jammie Dodger, or possibly a few minutes snoozing after the full-on, hectic earlier 24-or-so hours, even though you are always listening to the sound of the locomotive listening for anything out of the ordinary.  
And so, the first half of your Duty Engineer shift has passed. All has gone well, so nothing much left to do except the whole thing again for the return journey. After an exceptionally long day, the passengers disembark at their final destination, but you are not finished just yet, as the locomotive needs to be returned to Southall and, ultimately, back to Crewe, depending on the schedules, which may require a longer stay away. This is anything but a regular job, but an incredibly special role which comes with huge responsibilities yet offers exceptional job satisfaction. If your circumstances allow you to make what can be a career-defining commitment – as Darrin did at the age of 50 when he felt his engineering career needed a fresh challenge – this could be your opportunity.

Darrin Crone climbs up underneath between the main driving wheels with an oil can to attend to one of Sir Nigel Gresley’s small ends at Crewe on May 12.

  
The days when people see ‘SNG’ in operation are sandwiched between many days of maintenance, preparation, testing and many auditable levels of certification/accreditation, including FTR. Darrin explains that the FTR test is a very demanding examination carried out by an independent examiner, and it is usually left until the day before a trip, so the clock is ticking if anything requires fixing. But he goes on to point out that you really can’t do an FTR any earlier, as the fire needs to be lit and the boiler brought up to pressure to carry out the test. Unlike a diesel or electric locomotive, where you can just switch it off, it would be expensive, time-consuming and simply not practical to do that with a steam engine. As important as it is, the FTR is just one of the many procedures that are routinely carried out to enable main line operations.

Darrin Crone, with the smokebox door open ready to be cleaned out of ashes, discusses future work with LSL’s Mark O’Brien.

  
There are many procedures that need to be undertaken and administered to follow operational fitness and safety. A major attribute, and a big part of Darrin’s job that goes on in the background unnoticed by the fare-paying passengers or the trackside enthusiasts, is administration involving the ability to work with the many other bodies involved, which is as important to the job as the hands-on tasks. Another often commented on factor is the excellent cosmetic condition Darrin absolutely insists ‘SNG’ is kept in by his team of volunteers, supervised by his own acute attention to detail. I can attest to this, having on occasions put my camera down only to find it quickly replaced with polish and cleaning rags. He sets the bar high in all aspects of looking after ‘SNG’, and this will undoubtedly not have gone unnoticed by LSL which will not for one minute expect anything different with _Bittern_. While it’s still some way off, there is a palpable excitement of seeing both _Sir Nigel Gresley_ and _Bittern_ running together. The experience gleaned by Darrin and his team from the Covid-interrupted overhaul of No. 60007 will be invaluable during the overhaul of _Bittern_, which will undoubtedly be aided by the excellent support and help available from the LSL team.

  
**Clean and unclean**  
The move from the NRM’s workshops in York to complete No. 60007’s overhaul at LSL in Crewe was brought about by Covid-19 delaying the overhaul and the NRM’s own redevelopment plans. The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust was incredibly grateful for the LSL gesture offering its facilities to complete the overhaul, which gave the opportunity for the teams to work together and familiarise themselves with each other before the return to traffic in 2022.  
A new learning curve evolved as the operations from a main line depot on busy main lines is vastly different from the operations on a heritage railway line. One of the key issues was volunteer availability, as with most of the team based in North-East England, overnight, two-day or longer visits became the norm instead of the usual oneday visits to Grosmont. The Crewe base eventually attracted some new volunteers who lived nearer and could do the usual one-day visits. However, the new North Yorkshire base will require teams at both locations, initially working on _Sir Nigel Gresley_ at Crewe and _Bittern_ in North Yorkshire.

Nigel Hoskison writes up his water analysis reports.

  
Since ‘SNG’ came back into traffic in 2022 after overhaul, she has been working a mix of main line and heritage railways, recently returning to LSL at Crewe from a very successful few weeks on the NYMR. The stay on the NYMR was very well supported by the NYMR team and the trust’s own volunteers. The return to Crewe was delayed due to unseasonal dry weather, creating a lineside fire risk and affecting steam train operations. Ultimately, this led to a return journey in light steam coupled with an LSL Class 37 diesel providing the main power.  
A few days later, I also went back to Crewe where Darrin requested that I observe additional behind-the-scenes work. Phil Gillespie had been assigned the task of cleaning out the smokebox ashes and Nigel Hoskison walked me through the technical water testing process. Two opposite ends of the cleanliness scale; I was incredibly protective towards my camera and lens from the gritty ashes of the smokebox cleaning, while the water analysis and treatment had to be done in a far cleaner environment. Nigel explains that he carries out three tests which are all aimed at preserving the working life of the boiler by reducing as much as possible the effects of corrosion and contamination. Tests are carried out not only from the water in the boiler but the water in the tender, as the water characteristics change from area to area. The three tests are a pH test and treatment, which is carried out to minimise acidic corrosion; TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) and treatment to reduce ‘priming’ (foaming), which left untreated reduces the steam-making capability of the boiler; and a tannin test and treatment to control dissolved oxygen thus reducing the effects of corrosion.  
Darrin then took me down into the pit below ‘Gresley’ where, armed with an oil can, he disappeared up between the main drive wheels to lubricate a small end, and I tried valiantly to follow with my camera without a great deal of success. Darrin had planned to carry out work involving the removal of the connecting rods today, but that would have to wait due to availability of volunteers on the day. Nonetheless, the day gave me a good insight into the behindthescenes maintenance requirements of operational working compared to my many previous days documenting the work during the overhaul in my book, _The Overhaul Picture_. The work at Crewe will now continue at a pace as the new season of main line trips fast approaches – Darrin estimates that for every hour running, there is 100 hours of maintenance and preparation.

Ian Foot (centre) presents SNGLT CME Richard Swales (left) and Darrin Crone (right) with a genuine ex-SNCF Flaman speed recorder during a ceremony at Pickering on March 27.

  
**Authenticity first**  
The mix of main line and heritage railway work averages 40 days a year, constituting a little over 10% of a year. Not a lot, you may think, but that does not tell the full story. You need to factor in all of the maintenance and tasks to be undertaken by the small team of Darrin and his volunteers compared to the large teams that British Railways and the LNER had available, and the fact that the locomotive is nearly 90 years old and far more complex than when built, with the addition of modern equipment such as On-Train Monitoring and Recording (OTMR) and the air system adding to the tasks.  
There is pressure for even more additions, but the trust wants to maintain authenticity. For example, the aforementioned air system is only for coach braking; the locomotive itself is still authentically vacuum-braked, and there are also plans to refit a recently acquired Flaman speed recorder which was in use prior to the Smith’s speedometer in 1959.  
The requirement for more advanced technology for main line operations will, inevitably, increase. This will strain the trust’s policy of staying as authentic as possible and will create a tipping point of whether to relax the policy and allow more technology in order to stay main line compatible, or stay authentic and only run on heritage railways which do not require all the higher levels of technology. There is currently a nice balance between main line and heritage running, but there will no doubt be decisions to be made and bridges to cross further down the line (pardon the puns). But for now, if you want to ride behind a main line steam locomotive on a main line you should, as Darrin told me, “Make hay while you can, and do so sooner rather than later.”

Sir Nigel Gresley in gleaming 1950s condition speeds north along the East Coast Main Line at Gamston Bank, south of Retford, with a recreation of the ‘Tyne-Tees Pullman’ on April 6 2024. ALAN WEAVER  
  
**Info**  
There is always room for more volunteers at both bases, so if you have the time and are interested in volunteering, or you are a suitably qualified engineer looking for a career-changing opportunity and feel you could meet the requirements of the full time Assistant Locomotive Engineer position, Darrin would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Darrin at _:a[darrin.crone@sirnigelgresley.org.uk]{href='mailto:darrin.crone@sirnigelgresley.org.uk' }_

**PART ONE**  
Fifty years ago, BR remarkably allowed steam to run to Shildon under its own power for the big S&D 150 event. HOWARD JOHNSTON witnessed it all, and now tries to rediscover the key exhibits.

Strict health and safety rules were a lower priority in 1975 when BR allowed uncertified steam locos back onto its main lines to attend the ‘Rail 150’ Cavalcade and Exhibition at Shildon during the Bank Holiday week of August 24-31.

Those were the days when inspections were not so rigorous to secure ten-year certificates. Indeed, it has been speculated that a couple of the locomotives that notched up hundreds of miles to get to the show had not even had their boilers lifted after coming out of Barry scrapyard. Having devoted months of logistical planning to get the engines and vintage rolling stock from across the country, including Scotland, BR had such confidence in the owners that it didn’t give much thought to diesel haulage. As with the Rainhill exhibition five years later, it was a treat for linesiders that can never be repeated.

Crowd management was also in its infancy half a century ago, and the organisers must be congratulated because there were no mishaps of any consequence, even though an estimated 250,000 travelled to the North East for the spectacle. Steam had only ended on BR steam seven years previously in August 1968, and few were prepared for the sight of more than 30 polished engines running past them in a two-hour long show. However, whose bright idea was it to set out the tiered seating facing directly into the searing sun, which made photography near-impossible? People on the other side of the track who had not paid admission got the best views.

Eric Treacy, Bishop of Wakefield and one of our most revered steam photographers, was among those overwhelmed by having such close contact with engines he recalled from the 1940s and 1950s. He also admitted his disappointment at a few notable absentees. He mourned the lack of an LMS ‘Duchess/Coronation’ 462, but there were none available (No. 6229 _Duchess of Hamilton_ was fresh out of Butlin’s holiday camp at Minehead and in a shabby state, and No. 6233 _Duchess of Sutherland_ was still at Bressingham). Also missing, he said, were a GWR ‘Castle ‘or ‘King’, because of weight and gauge clearance issues perhaps?

Those with a keen eye for celebrities at the private/press launch would have noticed British film actor Kenneth More, artist and engine owner David Shepherd, Bishop Treacy, ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ creator and author the Rev Wilbert Awdry, and photographer Derek Cross. _Flying Scotsman_ owner Alan Pegler was also there, and part of the Cavalcade commentary team.

There was a universal dislike of BR’s prototype Class 252 High Speed Train, which arrived filthy and was too long to go through local carriage washers. Attempts to clean it by hand made matters worse because the handful of quickly allotted staff could only reach window height. Its appearance as the climax of the three-mile Cavalcade from Shildon to Heighington was met with loud ‘boos’.

At the end as well as the start, there were no crowd dispersal issues as people were routinely shuttled back to Darlington in sixteen 12-car DMUs.

Fifty years on, it is significant that one of the highly burnished Cavalcade engines – SR ‘S15’ No. 841 ‘Greene King’ – no longer exists, having been condemned with twisted frames, and surrendering its boiler to a classmate. The prototype High Speed Train has been also been disbanded, and one of its power cars was broken up in 1990. All the main line diesels that hauled the excursion trains have been scrapped (with two exceptions – Class 47s Nos. 47596 and 47727), and most of the shuttle DMUs likewise. Very few of the BR Mk 1 support coaches that arrived with steam are also still with us.

And 2025? Anyone considering assembling a similar locomotive line-up today would experience great difficulty. Many of the 1975 engines are unfit to run, have changed hands once or several times, and are at new locations. A handful have current main line certificates, but the rest are on static display in museums.

### **Main line, museum, and worse: What’s happened to the exhibits?**

_(Engines listed in order of appearance)_

#### **1975 No. 1** **_Locomotion_** **replica**

**1975:** Beamish  
**2025:** Ruddington  
**Status:** Operational  
A replica of the engine that hauled the first train over the S&DR in September 1825 was constructed at Beamish to deputise for the fragile original, which was clearly unable to be steamed for the Cavalcade. The creation of engineer Mike Satow, it has been widely travelled, including to the United States and Japan. Following recent restoration, Locomotion has been running trials on the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) at Ruddington. Its axles and chimney have been replaced, and firebox and motion repairs carried out. Beamish

#### **Bagnall ‘Austerity’ 060ST NCB No. 2502/7**

**1975:** Seaham  
**2025:** Marley Hill  
**Status:** Awaiting overhaul  
Industry was represented by a Hunslet-design ‘Austerity’ originally built for the Ministry of Supply (Works No. 2779, No. WD75256 at the Longmoor Military Railway), from Vane Tempest Colliery at Seaham, which closed in 1993. It was repainted with striped bufferbeams. The engine is now ‘Gamma’ at the close-by Tanfield Railway, and is stored at Marley Hill shed, painted black as its No. 20.

#### **LMS ‘Black Five’ No. 4767 (44767) ‘George Stephenson’**

**1975:** Thornaby  
**2025:** Carnforth  
**Status:** Under overhaul  
Ian Storey’s unique ‘Black Five’ with Stephenson link motion was named ‘George Stephenson’ at Shildon on August 25 by William Whitelaw MP (grandson of an LNER Chairman, and later Conservative Deputy Prime Minister) to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and it still carries the plates. No. 44767 has visited many preserved lines since then and enjoyed long periods on the main line, including many stints on the Fort William-Mallaig run. Last steamed in 2014, it was sold to the West Coast Railway Company in 2018, and new cylinders and a tender tank are on the repairs list. Thornaby

#### **NER ‘T2’ 080 No. 2238 (63395)**

**1975:** NYMR  
**2025:** NYMR  
**Status:** Under repair  
The unglamorous LNER ‘Q6’ heavy freight engine arrived at Shildon from Grosmont in a trio that also included ‘K1’ No. 2005 and ‘P3’ No. 2392, having recently undergone a mechanical overhaul and large flue tube replacement. The journey included a stop at Thornaby depot for attention to its tender. Withdrawn in 1982, it returned to steam again in 2008. It is currently being fitted with a new right-hand cylinder, after its original item failed in May 2023, and the 0-8-0 is expected to return to service soon. NYMR

#### **NER ‘P3’ 0-6-0 No. 2392 (65894)**

**1975:** NYMR  
**2025:** NYMR  
**Status:** Operational  
The last of a class of 115 sturdy engines that saw out North Eastern steam in September 1967, the ‘J27’ spent many years allocated to York. After an initial overhaul, it was withdrawn immediately after the cavalcade for boiler repairs, and has been on hire to such diverse places as the Llangollen, Bo’ness & Kinneil, and Nene Valley railways. Its most recent overhaul was completed in 2018, outshopped in BR condition as No. 65894 with a new tender body and steam-heating equipment, and was repainted into the LNER condition as No. 2392 in 2023.

#### **LNER ‘K1’ 2-6-0 No. 2005 (62005)**

**1975:** NYMR  
**2025:** Carnforth  
**Status:** Under overhaul  
The restoration of the engine that precariously finished up its BR career as a stationary boiler was completed by NELPG members at Thornaby depot a year before the cavalcade. It was painted in non authentic lined-out LNER Apple green livery, later changed to standard BR lined black. No. 62005 has been a main line stalwart over the ensuing decades and a regular sight on the West Highland line. Last steamed in 2021, it is close to the end of a half-million-pound rebuild that includes major firebox work and new tyres, and should be back in service later this year, returning to its familiar ‘Jacobite’ duties. NYMR

#### **Caledonian Railway ‘439’ 0-4-4T No. 419 (55189)**

**1975:** Falkirk  
**2025:** Bo’ness  
**Status:** Operational  
The popular (and colourful) Scottish McIntosh ‘439’ class suburban passenger tank had already been restored, in 1971, before it was selected for participation at Shildon, and it partnered LNER ‘D49’ No. 246 Morayshire for the exhilarant main line run south. The 0-4-4T has been a roving ambassador for the Scottish Railway Preservation Society over the years, having paid visits to such diverse places as the Churnet, Chinnor & Princes Risborough, Bluebell and Spa Valley railways. Its most recent overhaul was completed in October 2018 and it is currently being repainted into LMS Crimson Lake as No. 15189. Falkirk

#### **LNER ‘D49’ 4-4-0 No. 246 (62712)** _**Morayshire**_

**1975:** Falkirk  
**2025:** Bo’ness  
**Status:** Under overhaul  
The ‘D49s’ were once common in the North East, but _Morayshire_ – the final ‘D49’ in BR service – ended its working life in Scotland, from where it steamed from on August 4 1975 with Caledonian No. 419 and three vintage coaches Eyebrows were raised at _Morayshire_’s distinctive, almost dayglow, shade of LNER green paint. The 440’s original Falkirk base was closed in favour of the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway in 1979, and No. 246 continued running on the main line until 1983. Last steamed in 2015, its overhaul is currently ongoing at Bo’ness.

**1975:** Tyseley  
**2025:** Tyseley  
**Status:** Awaiting overhaul  
As London Transport No. L94, No. 7752 famously hauled the last steam train on the ‘Met’ in June 1971 and was repainted in full GWR unlined green for the 1975 cavalcade. It travelled under its own power from Tyseley, combining with Ivatt ‘2MT’ No. 41241 and a rake of three Keighley & Worth Valley coaches at York. Since then, No. 7752 has run often on the main line and worked on other railways, but bowed out of traffic in late 2021 for overhaul.

#### **GWR ‘Manor’ 460 No. 7808** _**Cookham Manor**_

**1975:** Didcot  
**2025:** Didcot  
**Status:** Static display  
Although the longest preserved ‘Manor’ and the only one of the nine survivors to have been purchased directly from BR, No. 7808 is not on any priority list to return to steam in the foreseeable future, having last been used in 1983. _Cookham Manor_ was in sound mechanical shape for its 500-mile round trip from Didcot to the North East in 1975, arriving in splendid fashion at the head of a rake of five veteran coaches.

#### **GWR ‘Modified Hall’ 460 No. 6960** _**Raveningham Hall**_

**1975:** Carnforth  
**2025:** Margate  
**Status:** Awaiting overhaul  
It only took three years to restore this wartime ‘Hall’ from Barry condition to become a Shildon Cavalcade participant, and a few questions were asked about its overall suitability after it failed twice on its journey north from its then-base at Carnforth. It was a familiar sight on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire, Severn Valley, and West Somerset railways over the intervening years. No. 6960 last steamed in July 2021 and its currently in storage at owner Jeremy Hosking’s One:One Collection in Margate, awaiting its turn in the overhaul queue.

#### **LNER ‘V2’ 262 No. 4771 (60800)** **_Green Arrow_**

**1975:** Carnforth  
**2025:** Danum Gallery, Library & Museum, Doncaster  
**Status:** Static display  
The Gresley ‘V2’ was shunted from pillar to post in the eight years following its initial restoration into LNER Apple green at Doncaster in early 1963. Once intended for display at a museum in Leicester, it was returned to working condition at Norwich shed, and later based at Carnforth for main line use from 1973. It was therefore easy for it to motor over to Shildon with four support coaches. Carnforth Time was called for _Green Arrow_ in 2008 owing to its cracked cylinder monobloc, and in February 2021 it was relocated to the Danum Gallery, Library & Museum at Doncaster. Although the National Railway Museum has not ruled out a return to steam, as yet there are no plans to overhaul No. 4771.

#### **LNER ‘B1’ 460 No. 1306 (61306) ‘Mayflower’**

**1975:** Carnforth  
**2025:** Crewe  
**Status:** Operational  
The expected treat of the arrival at Shildon of ‘Mayflower’ double-heading GWR No. 6960 _Raveningham Hall_ on August 11 1975 failed to materialise because the ‘Hall’ was taken off at York with a hot box. The BR-built ‘B1’ had been transformed with a repaint from BR black to smart LNER lined Apple green with a red nameplate. The ‘B1’ has since had extensive main line use, and changed hands a number of times, notably to Gerald Boden, David Buck and, in 2022, to Jeremy Hosking. It is now part of his Locomotive Services Group and a regular sight at the head of Saphos Trains railtours.

#### **LMS ‘8F’ 280 No. 8233 (48773)**

**1975:** Severn Valley Railway  
**2025:** Severn Valley Railway  
**Status:** Static display  
The remarkable Second World War and BR end of steam veteran already had seven years of preservation service under its belt by the time of the 1975 cavalcade, having arrived at the Severn Valley Railway direct from BR in full working order, and it hauled trains during its official reopening in May 1970. After some necessary mechanical attention, the Stanier 280 appeared at Shildon in the guise of No. 8233, its original LMS number, and worked from the SVR to Shildon with Ivatt ‘4MT’ No. 43106 and three coaches in tow. No. 48773 has since enjoyed several stints in traffic, as well as main line use from the late 1980s until 2000, but has been silent since its boiler ticket expired in January 2008. It is currently on show at The Engine House at Highley; an estimated £1 million is needed to revive it. Severn Valley Railway

#### **War Department ‘Austerity’ 2 10 0 No. 600** _**Gordon**_

**1975:** Severn Valley Railway  
**2025:** Severn Valley Railway  
**Status:** Static display  
A somewhat colourful entry owing to its blue and red livery, applied while in service at the Longmoor Military Railway, _Gordon_ (named after General Gordon of Khartoum) was intended for war service overseas, but never made it beyond Southampton. Initially restored at the SVR in 1972, it did, however, get to Shildon, under its own power, and again to Rainhill in 1980. The Riddles 2 10 0 has had two ‘tickets’ in preservation, from 1972 until 1984, and 1990 until 1999, and is another static exhibit at the SVR’s Highley Engine House. An eventual return to steam is currently a long-term prospect.

#### **Metropolitan Railway Bo Bo No. 12** _**Sarah Siddons**_

**1975:** Ruislip  
**2025:** Ruislip  
**Status:** Operational  
Mentioned for completeness is the Metropolitan Railway electric locomotive _Sarah Siddons_, which needed a tow from London to Shildon behind Class 25 diesel No. 25263, It came with a 1973 Piccadilly Line three-car unit, consisting of vehicles Nos. 165, 365 and 565, and the engine was towed in the cavalcade by ‘WD’ No. 600 _Gordon_. It is still a main line engine (it was repainted at Eastleigh last year) but has not run since 2019.

#### **LNER ‘A4’ 4 6 2 No. 4498 (60007)** _**Sir Nigel Gresley**_

**1975:** Philadelphia  
**2025:** Crewe  
**Status:** Operational  
The ever-present 100th Gresley ‘Streak’ was in fine fettle for its participation in the 1975 cavalcade (in LNER Garter blue livery), having only recently returned to main line action following the lifting of BR’s infamous steam ban in 1971. Bowing out for overhaul the month after the cavalcade, _Sir Nigel Gresley_ has been an almost omnipresent sight on the main line and heritage railways in the years since, and emerged from its most recent overhaul in March 2022. However, it hasn’t appeared in LNER Garter Blue since the mid-1990s, having carried lined BR blue almost exclusively ever since, aside from a brief stint in LNER wartime black,

#### **GNR Stirling ‘Single’ 422 No. 1**

**1975:** NRM, York  
**2025:** NRM, York  
**Status:** Static display  
The iconic GNR single wheeler was not in steam at the cavalcade, but hauled by No. 4498 _Sir Nigel Gresley_. There had been a minor scare when it was derailed on the Darlington turntable soon after arrival on August 22, but no damage was done. A favourite of the late John Bellwood, the NRM’s CME, No. 1 was remarkably returned to steam at the Great Central Railway from 1981-82, and at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from 1983-85, before bowing out for good. Now a static exhibit again, one aesthetic change from its appearance at Shildon in 1975 was being paired with an authentic Stirling tender in May 2014, having spent decades paired with a non-authentic Sturrock vehicle.

#### **LNER ‘A3’ 462 No. 4472 (60103)** _**Flying Scotsman**_

**1975:** Carnforth  
**2025:** York  
**Status:** Operational  
Although it was already world-famous, Flying Scotsman had to compete for attention at Shildon with so much else to see. The engine had steamed in from Carnforth with LNWR 240 Hardwicke for company. The ‘A3’s’ career since 1975 is well documented and not worth repeating at length here, but its latest overhaul was completed in October 2022 and, after over a year spent on the side lines at both the National Railway Museum in York and Locomotion, Shildon, it has recently returned to full operational condition. However, it is as-yet unknown whether it will play an active role in the ‘Railway 200’ festivities, and it last appeared in single-chimney condition as No. 4472 in March 1993. Carnforth

**1975:** York  
**2025:** Shildon  
**Status:** Static display  
In its early years, the LNER was good at saving historic engines, and express passenger No. 910, the first of a class of 55, was laid aside for the 1925 S&D centenary procession. It had also appeared at the 1875 event. The 240 was present again half a century later for a third time, albeit not in steam but coupled behind _Flying Scotsman_. The engine remains in the National Collection, and after a spell on display back on ‘home territory’ at Kirkby Stephen East on the former Stainmore Route from 2011 until 2024, it is currently receiving cosmetic attention at Locomotion, Shildon.

#### **GNR ‘C2’ 442 No. 990** _**Henry Oakley**_

**1975:** York  
**2025:** York  
**Status:** Static display  
Britain’s first proper ‘Atlantic’, which always keeps the name of the Great Northern Railway general manager in our minds, had the honour of hauling Stirling ‘Single’ No. 1 along the East Coast Main Line to Shildon. No. 990, the first of Henry Ivatt’s 20 ‘Klondikes’ created the Doncaster family likeness that continued beyond his successor Gresley and right to the end of the LNER’s existence. Withdrawn from regular service in 1937, No. 990 was briefly reactivated at BR’s behest for two ‘Plant Centenarian’ railtours marking the 100th anniversary of Doncaster Works in 1953 before returning to static display. Revived for the 1975 cavalcade, it remarkably ran at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway from 1977-78 before bowing out for good. It is currently on display at the NRM in York.

In **Part 2,** we will continue exploring the 1975 locomotives, with details of the static exhibits, and the fate of some of the coaching stock.

Hybrid engines and bi-mode locomotives are nothing new. One of the most notorious examples of early experimentation into multiple fuels and ways of driving a locomotive was the Kitson-Still locomotive of 1928. Today largely forgotten, was this one-off 262T a total failure, or simply ahead of its time?

Main line steam came to an end in August 1968, rather later than many railway engineers had predicted at the start of that century. Around 1900, Francis Webb of the LNWR stated that the West Coast Main Line would be electrified within the next 10 years, while Vincent Raven made more concrete plans for the electrification of the East Coast Main Line between Newcastle and York, and Newcastle and Carlisle, and even built a locomotive.

But their hopes would take much longer to fulfil, largely thanks to the impact of the First World War and the Great Depression. How Britain’s railways eventually divested themselves of steam was the result of decades of political wrangling and engineering development, sometimes leading to dead ends and much wasted money on the way. One such dead end was the Kitson -Still locomotive.

Anyone who has stood next to a steam locomotive, or has worked on one, will know how hot they are. This is because, even with the boiler lagged, heat is still lost through thermal radiation. The external combustion engine is notoriously inefficient. Fuel is burned outside the engine – in the case of a steam locomotive, to boil water which makes steam. Heat, and thus energy, is lost at multiple stages, and doesn’t do any useful work of driving the engine.

Latest on Steam Railway

Articles

Steam Railway Magazine