It’s time for another anniversary and it’s happening on the Isle of Wight. The Island is celebrating the 50th year of its annual island steam fair at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. This four day extravaganza is packed with tractors, traction engines, showman’s engines, steam rollers and of course, the railway is in full […]
Author: Andrew Brooke-Reid
Railway 200: The Greatest Gathering
This is it. In the year of Railway 200, this is THE event that every train enthusiast has been eagerly awaiting. From 1st – 3rd August 2025, Alstom’s Litchurch Lane site throws open its doors for the weekend to welcome in the largest ever assembled gathering of locomotive and railway stock past, present and future. […]
The Heart of Wales Line – Craven Arms to Cynghordy viaduct
Todays adventure was supposed to be going the whole length of the Heart of Wales line from Craven Arms station down to Swansea however due to staff shortages, our train was only going to go as far as Llandrindod. Our journey today is partly by train as far as Llandrindod and then by car to […]
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
We’re back in Wales for the second time this year, exploring the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway. Todays service was intended to be steam hauled but due to earlier lineside fires, there’s an instruction from the local fire station to only use diesel trains. It has been incredibly dry and hot recently which is great […]
Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways – Platinum 70th Jubilee
Grab a cup of tea and a biscuit, this is a big one. 2025 as you may know is a significant year for the railways in Britain. Not only is it the 200th year since the birth of the railway that we know today, but up and down the country many preserved railways are celebrating […]
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway
The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and is a gorgeous line that runs through the heart of the Lake District in Cumbria, but it’s not one that hasn’t had it troubles over the years. The railway has a nickname which has evolved over the years, but is affectionately referred […]
Monmouth and Monmouth Viaduct
We are in Monmouth today and on the trail of the Coleford, Monmouth, Usk & Pontypool Railway which was opened in 1857 and saw its passenger services withdrawn in 1955. Like many of the railways which were closed around that period, nature has reclaimed much of the land but there are still clues to the […]
StoomTrein Festival Maldegem – Belgium
We’re going international! Today we’re not in the UK, but over in Belgium at the Maldegem – Eeklo heritage railway. 2025 marks 200 years of the birth of the modern railways and there are nationwide celebrations and events all throughout the year to celebrate. Some places overseas are also celebrating this event and one of […]
Hovercraft Museum
In a rare entry for this blog, we’re turning away from trains and instead focusing on something that has a very slight link with the railways. Welcome to the ONLY hovercraft museum in the world! Located in Southsea in the South East, this is the worlds only (and by extension largest) assembled collection of Hovercraft […]
London Transport Museum Depot
Welcome to 2025 and this years first trip. Today we’re over in West London at the London Transport Museum Depot. The Depot is a working collection store with over 500,000 objects in the collection from signalling equipment and signs to trams, trolley buses and locomotives as well as everything in-between. The Depot is separate to […]