For decades, the world has been treated to railway paintings by renowned artists such as Terence Cuneo, Don Breckon and David Shepherd. I’ve even had the pleasure of briefly meeting David on a couple of occasions. Recently, I became aware of another artist whose works have been captured in his latest book An Odyssey in […]
11 heritage railways you’ll want to visit
I’ve picked 11 heritage railways that I have visited and I can recommend. I think they all make for a great day out and I’ve highlighted what I think is special about each railway. Let me know which railways you have visited and what you think is the best feature of the railway. Note: in […]
Top UK Steam and Diesel Train Trips
Steam train trips in the UK are offered by an abundance of heritage and tourist railways. We are very fortunate to have the choice of visiting a steam railway in most parts of the country. Indeed, the Heritage Railway Association report that an incredible 185 of member organisations regularly open to the public.
Are you sitting comfortably?
Getting a seat on a train is one of the primary objectives when we wisely decide to travel by rail. The design thinking that goes into a seat is something most of us take for granted. That is, unless you’re restoring a railway carriage which requires the seats to be refitted after an absence of forty years and the seats need to be reupholstered. […]
Were the 1960s railway closures a conspiracy?
Many remember 1966 as the year England won the football world cup but as many know, it marked significant railway closures. In 1966 marked the closure of two iconic main lines. The Great Central, that marvel of railway engineering, and the much loved Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway.
1970s railway enthusiast trip
I loved to travel on British Rail trains in the 1970s. In May 1971, when I was 13, we went on a two-week family holiday to Burnham-on-Sea in Somerset. We travelled by train as we had no car. We sent our luggage by rail passengers luggage in advance (PLIA). It always turned up at our destination! I […]
Lulled By The Sound Of Steam
When I was a child I remember seeing Peter Hanford’s LP’s of steam railway sounds in record shops. Peter was a
Discover how much luggage can you take on the train
How much luggage can you take on the train? Most passengers have no idea! The National Rail Conditions of Travel sets out passengers’ rights and responsibilities when traveling on rail services provided by franchised train companies. The vast majority of people who purchase rail tickets are unaware of these conditions. Rail tickets are endorsed subject […]
Loco hauling – should it be returned?
I’m a big fan of locomotive hauled trains and I think this type of traction offers great benefits to passengers.
How to make your model railway look realistic
1) People To achieve a realistic model railway the presence of people is essential. They need to be in trains, on stations, in the depot and working on the track. In particular, people on trains seems to bring the trains alive. I have often seen superb detailing where much thought has gone into the track and […]