Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2025 i Steam Days

From memory, I cannot now recall any of my many excursions to Hemerdon bank from my then home at Plymouth’s Laira having taken place during the mornings, possibly due to the fact that most holiday and weekend mornings found me at Laira motive power depot in company with my fellow enthusiasts of those happy times. Such morning visits did, however, provide an indication of what locomotives would doubtless be working away from Plymouth later in the day, when a visit to Hemerdon would enable me to record on film anything of especial interest. Had I made a morning visit to Hemerdon, the light would have been in the right quarter and more favourable for recording ascending workings on the gruelling climb from Plympton to Hemerdon Siding signalbox at the summit,…

Through the pages of Steam Days, in relatively recent times there has been a steady chronicling of the efforts made within British Railways and the British Transport Commission to build up the National Collection of steam locomotives for the benefit of future generations. An early forerunner in terms of coverage appeared in the December 2015 issue, Philip Atkins offering his thoughts within the article ‘Spoilt for choice: The BTC’s 1960 Preservation Plan,’ and then September 2020 saw Leonard Rogers deliver ‘The National Collection: The wilderness years’; it covered the pre-National Railway Museum whereabouts and travels of the saved locomotives in the 1960s and early 1970s. The latter led to two further articles by the same author, these progressively stepping back in time. ‘Building up the National Collection – the BTC…

A s we have seen across five articles so far – see related reading from the authors, page 23 – the provision of an engine shed at Thornton Junction facilitated a broad reach of influence and operation in regard to locomotive matters within Fife. It may previously have seemed that the 133 allocated locomotives listed in our initial overview was a large fleet, this covering the first decade of LNER operation, but that was when Burntisland engine shed retained something of its initial role as the primary motive power hub. We now pick up the allocation story on July 22, 1933, when the LNER opened a new engine shed at Thornton Junction, west of its predecessors, with facilities that usurped those at Burntisland and offered a home to a much…

The Aire Valley has always been a natural line of communication. For most of the way from Leeds to Bingley, the railway, river and the Leeds & Liverpool Canal are in close company on the valley floor. West of Keighley, the valley widens into a flood plain forsaken by the canal in favour of the lower northern slopes, and the main line of the former Midland Railway runs almost along the centre, raised on a low embankment. Heading initially for Skipton and Morecambe, this route would also carry Scottish traffic with the opening of the line to Carlisle in 1876. Settlements in the valley are sited on the lower slopes, in pairs on opposite sides, and joint stations were provided to serve them, as at Steeton & Silsden. Roads straggled…

By 1955 I realised that all of my illustrated articles for The Railway Modeller had so far been of former Southern Railway, Great Western, or London, Midland & Scottish locations, so I decided that I should visit some stations on the former London & North Eastern network. Living in Hastings, this was never going to be easy as I needed to do this as a day excursion – the train fares would have been more than enough expense for a teenager, even in those days, so bed and breakfast was out of the question. I cannot remember how or why I chose to visit firstly Swavesey, and then stations from Shelford, south of Cambridge, down the Long Melford line, both on the same day, but somehow I managed it, leaving…

Winter is loosening its grip, the sun is occasionally shining, and with the change of clocks imminent, we can all look forward to a fantastic start to the Railway 200 year… full of hope and events for all the family – ranging from the die-hard enthusiasts to those simply in need of a great day out. We’re sure you will have your favourite heritage line, museum or attraction to visit, and of course they need your support… but maybe you can also spread your horizons and have a look further afield? If you are looking for somewhere a bit special, perhaps in a part of the country you may not have been to for a while or have always meant to visit, or even an attraction on your doorstep you’d…

As railway enthusiasts we understand how to get the best out of a journey, and that same thought goes into each magazine as we travel around Britain through the pages of every issue of Steam Days. Stops can be to indulge in photographic nostalgia, reminisce with enthusiasts or get a railwayman’s point of view, learn of everyday operations or of the rise and fall of a long-lost railway, and most of all to seek out some fascinating elements of the UK railway scene when steam locomotives were in everyday operation. The semaphore signal is ‘off,’ so make sure you never miss a copy and join us as a subscriber. CHOOSE WHICH STEAM DAYS SUBSCRIPTION SUITS YOU BEST 1: 12-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION BEST VALUE 12 print issues for £49 Direct Debit 12…