Mark Smithers reports on the West Lancashire Light Railway, a family-friendly operation which has just celebrated its 50th anniversary after starting from humble beginnings in 1967.  IN 1878, the standard-gauge West Lancashire Railway was opened from Southport to Hesketh Bank, with a through connection to Preston following in 1882. This line

TIMBER traffic is returning to Scottish railways this week, after a gap of more than a decade during which all timber was carried by road. The Scottish Government has allocated £195,000 to Victa Railfreight for a six-week trial of timber trains in the far north of Scotland. There will be up to

An 180-year-old viaduct designed by railway pioneer George Stephenson is undergoing a multi-million-pound restoration to improve passenger journeys and secure its future for generations to come. The £3.7m Great North Rail Project investment will see the Grade II listed Gauxholme viaduct grit blasted to its bare metal for structural repairs to

With lockdown restrictions easing slightly in UK, this is perhaps a time to reflect on the past months, and look forward to what a world could look like once the COVID-19 pandemic has gone, if ever. Life after COVID-19 investigates past epidemics and their aftermath, seeking to draw parallels with the

A BUSINESS case for improving train services between Cambridge, Ipswich and Norwich is to be developed by consultants on behalf of the East West Rail Consortium, as an addition to the plans for reopening the former Varsity Line between Oxford, Bedford and Cambridge. Work to complete the section between Oxford and

Britain’s best-selling rail title The Railway Magazine is back for another month of award-winning photos, news, features and exclusives from the rail industry, past and present. This month’s The Railway Magazine covers the devastating news about the COVID-19 pandemic as the rail industry is hit hard, as train companies thank the

Photo: Network Rail Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris has announced the opening of a new £40 million platform and track at Stevenage station. Construction work on the project has been accelerated and delivered more than a year ahead of the revised schedule. Rail passengers will benefit from more frequent and reliable services as well

THE number of road users failing to obey the rules at a level crossing in Kent has ‘astonished’ Network Rail, with 13 drivers ignoring red lights and closing barriers in June and July alone. Network Rail said the misuse at East Farleigh had caused four incidents, although it gave no further

A FIVE week statutory public consultation has started today on a scheme to build a new station called Cardiff Parkway, on the Newport side of the Welsh capital. The consultation is in preparation for an application for outline planning consent to be submitted soon. The £120 million station would serve a

Construction of the interchange for HS2 at Old Oak Common has moved to its next stage. HS2 Ltd has revealed that the joint venture of Balfour Beatty/VINCI and SYSTRA/Mott MacDonald took over the site of Old Oak Common as Station Construction Partner on 27 July. The handover has followed more