Category: Heritage Railways

2026 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Sharpness branch line in Gloucestershire and it’s a special day at the Vale of Berkeley Railway. Not only is today 150 years since the branch line was first opened, it is also 62 years since the last regular timetabled passenger service ran on the line. […]

Bridgnorth is a historic market town in Shropshire and can trace its roots back to 1101AD and even further beyond the Norman conquest of England. Robert of Bellême, the 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, moved from Quatford, constructing a castle and a church on the site of the modern-day town in an effort to deter and defend against attacks from […]

Whilst in Northumberland I decided to cross the border into Scotland and visit Whitrope Heritage Centre however this is an example of a heritage railway where declining volunteer numbers have led to the sad eventuality which all heritage railways risk and that is being unable to operate. The centre was closed when I visited but […]

It’s a blazing hot day in July and as part of a wider trip to Northumberland, we find ourselves at the Tanfield Railway. The Tanfield Railway is a special one as it is the worlds oldest railway and can trace its history right the way back to 1725. This is a whole century before the […]

Today we’re off to the The Fairbourne and Barmouth steam railway. Fairbourne is a small Welsh seaside village situated on the west coast of Wales and has steadily been growing since 1895. The village is served by the mainline station of Fairbourne on the Cambrian Coast railway (opened in 1865) which is where most passengers […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]