Something old, something new…
OUR ever-changing railways are illustrated no better than by three of our feature articles this month that cover something old, something new, and something being reborn.
The ‘new’ is the incredible work being done at Calvert, Buckinghamshire, that was until recently a railway backwater served only by trains to the waste terminal, but is now a key location on two new main lines. Historically, it was where the Great Central Railway crossed the London North Western Railway’s ‘Varsity’ Line – but soon it will be where HS2 passes under East West Rail, and is also the location for a future HS2 maintenance depot. The scale of construction is already impressive, but we will be back over the months and years to keep tabs on progress until the first trains start running later this decade.
The ‘old’ is a look back to Horncastle’s railway, which closed 50 years ago. The town today is home to The Railway Magazine, but sadly all we can see from our office windows now is the former trackbed following the widespread closure of Lincolnshire’s rural lines in the 1960s and 70s. A fantastic exhibition has been put together locally detailing the line’s history, and I would urge anyone living nearby or on holiday in the area to pay a visit.
And the ‘something reborn’ is a great look behind the scenes at a growing preservation project in West Wales, where the Llanelli and Mynydd Mawr Railway is rebuilding a section of one of the oldest lines in the country. Given that a large part of its recent history has included the Covid pandemic, the railway has done an amazing job in its progress so far, and again I would recommend anyone in the area to visit.
Return of ‘Staycation Express’
the Settle & Carlisle Line again this year. In fact, it is pleasing to see railtours in general returning en masse since lockdown restrictions were eased, both steam and diesel-hauled, but RCS’s train has been the much-anticipated ‘poster boy’ of the charter market. Its newly-acquired HST set has been turned out in a smart green livery that looks the part cruising through the hills and dales of the northern landscape. There are new timings this year too to appeal more to the tourist market, so we wish them – and all other railtour operators – well in their return to a full programme of trips.
‘Pendolino’ Perfection
ANYONE who followed the attempt last month to set a new record time on the West Coast Main Line between Euston and Glasgow will know just how close it was, with small factors over the 401 miles adding up to make or break overall. Famously, or infamously perhaps, we lost out by just seconds – and to illustrate the finer points of getting the most out of a Class 390, this month John Heaton takes a look at ‘Pendolino’ driving techniques between Milton Keynes and Euston. Even on this relatively short stretch, much skill is required by the driver to ensure an on-time arrival, and John pulls back the curtain on this fascinating side of railway operations. SPEAKING of holidays, it is great to see Rail Charter Services ‘Staycation Express’ return to