"And was issued the headcode of two T six-four"
Who else but Mike Knell of Not in Production would write a complaint to South West Trains in verse? A......
00 Kettles!
Hornby Trains have made a big announcement today. After fevered speculation regarding whether or not they were going to buy......
14 years ago.
Whenever there's a serious rail accident, us rail geeks get so absorbed in analysing the technical causes, sometimes we forget......
2006 Resolutions
Post more regularly in my online games. Sometimes I wonder how my players put up with me. Play and GM......
208 Mph.
As a brief respite from the doom and gloom enveloping Britains railways, a Eurostar train has reached the speed of......
21 years ago
Posted by Steven Bateman on the Ngauge mailing list. 21 years ago today (ie 7th Dec 1981) BR's Advanced Passenger......
22 Minutes late, escaped puma at Heaton Chapel
19 minutes late yesterday. A full Reginald Perrin-syle 22 minutes late today I'm getting fed up with this. The 8:24......
25 year rule?
Cold Spring Shops gives an example of the rules for interchange traffic on US railroads No freight car more than......
25% rail cuts? Maybe, or maybe not.
The Observer has a disturbing-looking headline article today on the state of Britain's rail network. Britain's rail crisis is set......
4CIG Basher flails himself to death!
This summer on my holiday in the west of England just about every photo I took of a loco-hauled train......
A British Invasion?
Cold Spring Shops has some North British diesel-hydraulic power! Steve Karlson likes them in green. I have to say, I......
A Cautionary Tale
When building an N-gauge layout, and you lay track to within an inch of the baseboard edge, put a barrier......
A Milk Train Locomotive?
Some people think that many post privatisation British liveries are awful. But so far, nobody has come up with anything......
A Railway Modelling Meme
I've participated in a weekly meme for one of my two hobbies in Game WISH, this attempts to cover my......
A Thousand Miles
I'm sure my luck is going to run out sooner or later. I realise that over the past three weekends......
A Train Cam
Webcam technology has reached the stage where there's a camera small enough to fit on a N gauge train. Here......
A Train for the Weekend?
I am not at all sure what to make of this latest product from Märklin. It keeps reminding me of......
A new meaning to "Buffer Kissing"
An enthusiast charter marking the farewell to the Class 58 hits the buffers at Walton-on-Naze in Essex. The train, named......
A new type of spotter!
Annie of Going Underground is right. Pantomime celebrity spotting on the tube is indeed an order of magnitude sadder than......
A radical solution
The Czechs have a radical new solution to the problems of road congestion. Expect Ken Linvingstone to adopt the idea......
A sight for the sorest of eyes?
This was posted to the Britrail mailing list last night by a train driver called "Mike". Today Sunday 13th October......
Alanis Morissette on Railway Privatisation
A very silly idea using the Alanis Morissette Lyric Generator, suggested by Scott at The Gamer's Nook. "Will to Live"......
Alexandra Palace Show Report
Another weekend, another railway exhibition, and Minitrix have declared all-out war on my bank balance. Not content to bring out......
Alice in Blunderland
Patrick Crozier comments on a non-regular rail user's experiences with ticketing (Scroll down to the "Alice in Blunderland" post -......
All Aboard the Redneck Express
Using the sides of railway locomotives as advertising billboards is a recent development which, while not always very aesthetically pleasing,......
An Early Bath for Junipers
From this BBC report, South West Trains are getting rid the troublesome class 458 trains built by Alstom. A commuter......
Anglia Land
In the week after Easter I spent a few days wandering around the railways of East Anglia, operated by the......
Another Idiot
BBC NEWS | England | Inquiry after train hits tractor The accident happened on a occupation crossing with manually-operated gates......
Another black day
Another black day for the rail industry, comparable with the ending of newspaper traffic in 1988, and the closure of......
Another crossing accident
BBC NEWS | England | Hereford/Worcs | Safety rule ignored before train crash Safety procedures were not followed at the......
Another day, another derailment
BBC NEWS | England | Safety investigation into derailed train I realised I hadn't mentioned this weekend's derailment. From what......
Another runaway train
BBC NEWS | Scotland | Rail workers flee runaway train Railway workers had to run for their lives when a......
As I predicted..
Patrick Crozier credits me (or rather Hugh Dady, who I quoted) with prescience over the problems with Operation Princess. The......
As Others See Us
Matt Webb visited the Western Model Railway Club's show in Ruislip. Apart from some comments about the sadly typical poor......
Attack of the 50' cat!
Oh No! Electric Nose indulges in cat-blogging. And the cat seems to be imitating Kitten Kong!......
Australian train crash
BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | 'Several dead' in Sydney rail crash From the photograph it looks like a......
Avoid Stockport!
Add Stockport station to the list of places not to go when you've got a camera. I was taking some......
Bachmann's Super BG
One of the first completely new items of rolling stock produced by Bachmann since taking over the old Graham Farish......
Back Home Again
Electric Nose was right! I had been abducted by aliens and whisked away in a red-and-silver flying saucer. Only it......
Back from Switzerland
I've got back from two weeks in (mostly) sunny Switzerland. Coming back to this cold damp island is a bit......
Bad Trainspotter Fashion Alert!
People call the 70s "The decade that taste forgot". I know trainspotters are not known for fashion sense, but pictures......
Banger Blue on TV
BBC North did a very brief feature on tonight's local news on this weekend's Manchester Model Railway Club's exhibition. What......
Beeching II?
A posting in the SWRG mailing list led me to this article in last week's Sunday Mirror ALASTAIR Darling has......
Bet the warranty doesn't cover this!
There are some things that you really shouldn't do with a JCB. Will Nizlopi write a song about it?......
Beware the Fanboys
In Wanting More Than Anger, Bruce Baugh, line editor of Gamma World tells us some of the things he dislikes......
Blackburn Show
I missed their show last year because I wasn't 'up north' at the time. Blackburn always put on a good......
Boiling Frogs explained
Patrick Crozier of Transport Blog and says a lot of the same things about Boiling Frog Syndrome as I have,......
Book Review: Kevin Robertson - Blue Pullman
Author and bookseller Kevin Robertson is a familiar sight at railway shows up and down the country. He's previously written books on GWR gas turbines and the ill-fated Bullied "Leader". His latest book tells the complete history of the Blue Pullmans....
Book Review: Power of the Warships
Master Railway Photographer John Vaughan's The Power of the Warships is dedicated to the twin-engined diesel-hydraulics known as the Warships....
Book Review: Slam Doors on the Southern
The humble electric multiple unit has always been overlooked by enthusiasts and photographers, who have always concentrated on locomotives. Michael Welch's excellent book makes an attempt to redress the balance....
Bookmeme!
This meme appeared on Ken Macloed's blog, although it doesn't seem to have spread very far, at least through the......
Bracknell on Steroids
In an earlier post, I described Atlanta as "Bracknell on Steroids". Bracknell is a soulless 1960s new town 25 miles......
British Airways in Chaos
People rant about British train operating companies, including on occasions me. But no failures, cockups or mismanagement by the likes......
Bubbles!
Dave "Blimp" Jones of N-Thusiast Resprays have put some pictures of his new class 121 "Bubble Car" railcar online. Like......
Bush appoints Railroad Baron
BBC NEWS | Business | New US treasury secretary 'named' US president George W Bush has appointed the boss of......
But is it art?
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Arts | Minister attacks Turner art Culture minister Kim Howells has denounced the modern art......
But what about freight?
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | SRA 'forcing freight from rail to lorries' Looks like rail freight might have to......
Bye Bye, Jarvis
Trouble rail maintenance contractor Jarvis are giving up their contracts for rail maintenance. Network rail will now be doing maintenance......
Bye-bye Connex
Some context. At the end of the 1990s, Britain's previously state-owned railway network was splintered into a thousand parts, with......
CJM's class 67
This month's Model Rail has a review of CJM's new n-gauge version of an EWS class 67 diesel, and what......
California rail accident
A truck driver has removed himself from the gene pool by trying to beat a train to a level crossing.......
Car Wars Episode II: Attack of the Cones
From Boing Boing comes news of a terrible horror: Self-propelled swarming robot traffic cones. The new road markers have been......
Carpool Lanes = Communist Gulags
I'm not sure whether this is clever satire, or whether this guy is for real. It's very hard to tell......
Catzilla!
This sat tale got posted to the ModMod mailing list (dedicated to UK diesel and electric era railway modelling) Anyone......
Central Line shut for two weeks?
According to the BBC, the Central Line is to remain closed for at least two weeks for safety checks on......
Channel Tunnel freight returning to normal
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Channel freight back on track Some better rail news, at last. Freight services through......
Cheating
Living in rented accomodation with fitted carpets tends to preclude the sort of messy scenic work I've used on layouts in the past. No plaster Mod-Roc scenery, no green emulsion as a base for scatter materials, and no loose ballast fixed with watered-down PVA glue....
Chronologically Challenged
First North Western must be short of stock today. They announced that the 8:24 was running a Reginald Perrin-style 22......
Clashes!
The trouble with having more than one passionate interest that you have great difficulties deciding what to do when the......
Closure Notice
The Beeching Axe has fallen on Patrick Crozier's Transport Blog. One of the very first blogs on my blogroll. I......
Commuting
For those interesting in transport issues, Perverse Access Memory discusses commuting. It seems a dumb Republican politician is complaining that......
Containers
Cold Spring Shops tells us it's the 50th anniversery of the container. He remarks that deep-sea container traffic is one......
Continental Modeller Jumps the Shark
I'm not sure quite when Continental Modeller jumped the shark, but it has. The magazine has completely succumbed to the......
Cornish Speedlinks
All you ever wanted to know about Cornish wagonload freight trains. Some train formations from 1986 to 1991, mostly taken......
Cornwall in April
Haven't said much here lately - but I have bought a new scanner - so I'll post a couple of......
Countryside March Trains!
And they get special traction too! Haulage by class 67 is rare indeed. Posted by Hugh Dady on the South......
Creeps and Wierdos
As a non driver, I find the vast majority of car advertisements intensely annoying. All those pretentious adverts attempting to......
Crewe: The Gathering
Last weekend Crewe Works hosted an event called "The Gathering". More than sixty preserved locomotives were present, brought in from......
Crocodiles
A real crocodile locomotive must not only have articulated snouts, but must also have rod-coupled driving wheels...
Customer Service, Not.
Can somebody explain to whoever is responsible for training London Underground ticket barrier staff at Paddington that you should never,......
Cutting it fine
When viewing my new home before moving in, I measured the size of the living room to see if my......
DEMU Showcase at Burton on Trent
An excellent show! Demu Showcase is the annual exhibition put on by Diesel and Electric Modellers United, intended to showcase......
Danger! Radioactive Media Alert!
Nuclear train crashes in Kent! Thousands not hurt! Don't panic, Mr Mainwaring! This Guardian report has the full story, along......
Danger! Railway rant incoming!
Reading this month's edition of Modern Railways, I was struck an article called 'Boiling Frogs' about the way costs for......
Dapol Announcement
Dapol generated an enormous amount of hype by declaring a week ago they'd be making a major product announcement at......
Dapol and their livery choices
George Smith of Dapol is complaining about poor sales of their Dogfish ballast hopper. I think this is a lovely......
Dapol's 66
There's an awful lot of whining on the ngauge and ngauge-modern mailing lists from people who ought to know better,......
Dapol's Forthcoming 73
Dapol have revealed that their new N-gauge D&E model is to be a class 73 electro-diesel. I'm not sure......
Dawlish
Just got back from a week in the glorious Devon sun. I spent the days photographing trains along the sea......
Dawlish Sea Wall Under Threat
The sea wall at Dawlish is one of the classic stretches of main line in Britain. Generations of enthusiasts have......
Death Tram 3000
Lawrence of Amish Tech Support suggests a solution to people making illegal turns in front of the shiny new Houston......
Deltic Street
On the subject of suburbs, this is what happens when you let a railfan design suburban housing estates. It's from......
Deltics!
Steve Jones of Electric Nose has excelled himself today. (No permalinks, scroll down to the Tuesday 13th entry)......
Derby Show 2004
Another weekend, another train show. This time it was the Derby show. I was a little disappointed in this years'......
Destroy all Canards
On the Ngauge mailing list, a new poster asked for advice on what sort of model railway layout to build......
Dodgy Masking Tape?
Ever resprayed a model locomotive, and used dodgy masking tape that pulls the paint off? By the look of this,......
Don't open the windows!
As any British readers will know, yesterday was a very hot day. In the course of returning from Slough to......
Don't stop him!
Gnotalex of Dodgeblogium says "Stop me before I build again". He's asking the wrong person. He goes on to categorise......
Doncaster Open Day
Some pictures of the Doncaster Open Day, 26th July 2003., which I didn't manage to get to thanks to the......
Doncaster Show 2004
Spent yesterday at the Doncaster Festival of British Model Railways, held in the conference centre at Doncaster Racecourse. It's a......
Down with suburban sprawl!
Transport Blog links to this article, The New, Neighborly Architecture by Philip Langdon and Andres Duany, about alternatives to the......
Down with the HSE
politX notes the large-scale rail closures for engineering work during the bank holiday weekend. There are blockades on the West......
Down with the HSE (again)
Transport Blog rants at the "Safety Fascism" affecting the railways. Last week an engineer found some loose bolts on the......
Dream Layouts
This came up on the Ngauge mailing list If you had more money, and British N gauge gear wasn't as......
EMUs
Electric Nose thinks EMUs. Talking of multiple units, I travelled from London Waterloo to Woking the other day, and was......
Electric Nose on MRM
Steve Jones, quite possible the Amadán of model railways, celebrates the all-too-brief reign of Nigel Burkin as editor of Modern......
End of the Purple Monster
Not the final death of that dinosaur, sadly. But this is now it's proper colour again.......
End of the line for the Post Office Railway?
BBC NEWS | England | End of line fears for mail train It looks like the famous Post Office Railway......
English Channel 1, Virgin Voyager 0
The infamous Virgin Voyagers' allergy to seawater strikes again. 160 passengers ended up stranded for three hours on the sea......
Euro N
There's a new mailing list for European N gauge modelling, Euro-N. It's only been going for about three days before......
Europe by Train
Stephen Karlson of Cold Spring Shops has been riding European rails. The express train picks its way out of the......
Eurostar in trouble
Some speculation on the fate of the London to Paris Eurostar services on Transport Blog. Much input from me in......
Even the staff don't like them!
Yes, another posting about Virgin Voyagers. This came in from Matthew Cambourne on the SWRG mailing list. Says it all......
Every Train Driver's Nightmare
From JS Online News. A woman holding her baby daughter leaped in front of a commuter train Wednesday and was......
Farewell Andy Calvert
The British N gauge world has lost one of it's leading lights. Nobody that saw his excellent "Moorcock Junction" at......
Farewell, Dreadnought
Sad news for class 50 fans. After spending several years slowly rusting away in a Sheffield scrapyard, No 50001 "Dreadnought"......
Farewell, TPOs
After 150 years, the final Travelling Post Office trains are running tonight. The distinctive blank faced coaches in which......
First North Western on strike again.
ITV News: Rail strike brings more misery Northern commuters have suffered a lot in recent months, with strikes by both......
First Thames Trains
BBC NEWS | Business | FirstGroup secures rail franchise The First Group Borg has assimilated another train company, Thames Trains.......
First they came for the trainspotters...
BBC NEWS | UK | Terrorism fear derails train-spotters First they came for the fox hunters. But because I didn't......
First thing we'll do is shoot all the lawyers
Boing Boing tells us of the latest tale of ambulance-chasing. A Jeanette, Pennsylvania woman is suing Norfolk Southern railroad because......
Fish says "Keep the TPOs!"
In this interview with Fish with a Dutch prog website, he's clearly in favour of trains of windowless red coaches......
Forever Delayed
I notice Virgin Records are doing a major promotion for the new Manic Street Preachers greatest hits album, "Forever Delayed".......
Freaking the Mundanes!
Since so many people love taking the piss out of us rail enthusiasts (not trainspotters!), sometimes it's fun to have......
Freight is coming back
BBC NEWS | Business | Tide turns for Chunnel rail firm Channel tunnel rail freight firm EWS, which lost many......
Freightliner crash.
Nasty prang this morning at Norton Bridge in Stafforshire, where one Freighliner intermodal train ran into the back of another.......
French Train Fire.
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Twelve dead in France train fire. Today's hardly been a slow news day,......
From the Canals of Mars?
How have I managed never to have heard about the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland? It's an amazing futuristic boat lift......
GM Nobabs
Cold Spring Shops mentions the classic GM Nobab locomotives, once seen in Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg and Hungary, looking very......
German Railways
Patrick Crozier has written a long piece on his impressions of German railways. Some notable quotes: German trains can be......
Giving up on Britain
Steve Jones is giving up on 4mm British outline modelling, and returning to modelling those strangely shaped American things in......
Go Dapol!
Dapol dropped a bombshell at the N Gauge Society AGM with the news of their next models for this year:......
Going Underground
Teresa of Making Light has discovered the wonderful www.nycsubway.org site. I discovered this about three years back when I was......
Gotcha!
I've always been concerned that the rail industry is being strangled by excessive HSE 'safely' rules, dramatically increasing costs while......
Gotthard Spirals
This sequence of pictures shows the effort the 19th century engineers had to go through to run a railways through......
Graham Farish in 2006
Graham Farish have announced What's New for 2006. BR 3MT Standard 2-6-2 Tank LMS Jubilee Class 04 Diesel Shunter Class......
Grognards and Lima Collectors
I suspect the same sort of pathologies exist in an awful lot of different hobbies. Compare this post from Bruce......
Grrr! Split gears
I've been test-running some of my British N-gauge locomotive fleet that had been in storage for a couple of years......
Guided Busways? No Way!
AMG of Live from the Third Rail links to a very silly article in Rupert Murdoch's Times. It starts with......
Guinness Galore?
From BBC News. A Freightliner train has come off the track on the Trent Valley line between Tamworth and Lichfield,......
Happy Birthday, NYC Subway
Boing Boing reminds us that the New York Subway celebrates it's 100th birthday this month. Not the oldest underground railway......
Harry Potter and the Channel Tunnel
Michael Jennings has a long and interesting article on St Pancras station (Link from Patrick Crozier)......
Heard on Virgin Trains
Overheard this morning on the public address of a Virgin Voyager. "We apologise for the late running of this train.......
Herculii and SD70MACs, oh my!
Electric Nose has some new toys: Every home should have at least one SD70MAC, in fact in some areas of......
High Speed Freight!
Steve Karlson of Cold Spring Shops wonders if the Guardian story I linked to few days back has made a......
High Speed Rail
The French are celebrating 25 years of the TGV It has woken sleepy provincial towns, shrunk the map of France......
Hopping Frogs?
BBC NEWS | UK | Rising costs 'threaten rail plans' At last, somebody seems to have noticed! Modern Railways magazine......
Hornby Trains: Intellectual Property Pirates
And our friend Electric Nose is the victim. Being cheeky counts for a lot these days, it would seem, whilst......
Hot Axlebox!
While waiting for my train home tonight, I noticed a freight barrelling along on the other line; a long train......
Hungarian crossing disaster
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Many dead in Hungary crash Once again, a disaster on a level crossing.......
I was almost on TV today
Visited some former colleagues at SX3 in Alderley Edge. I had to pick up a parcel containing six Roco Swiss......
If I ran a Train Company
Patrick Crozier has already outlined what he might do if he ran a railway company. Here's what I might do......
If Microsoft made Steam Locomotives
If that well-known Seattle corporation were to build locomotives, they might be something like this. (Link from TrainNet)......
Ifu think trAns R ZzZz thnk x2
BBC NEWS | England | North Yorkshire | Museum talks 'dirty' Just when you thought things could not get any......
Imaginary Worlds
Last week I attended the funeral of a member of our church, a lifelong railway enthusiast. The eulogy his son-in-law......
Incompetence
For a while there's been a lot of evidence that there's an awful lot money being wasted through incompetent project......
Indian Rail Disaster
CNN.com - 100 feared dead in Indian rail disaster As many as 100 people are feared dead after a passenger......
Is this the finest view in England?
Is this the finest view in England? Horse Cove, between Dawlish and Teignmouth in Devon, with the seaside resort of......
Israeli Train Crash
BBC News are reporting seven dead in a level crossing collision between a train and a truck. Judging from the......
It Must Be Mine!
Trouble with big model railway exhibitions is that I turn into Igor. Last weekend's Alexandra Palace show was no exception.......
It's Electric!
Steve Karlson of Cold Spring Shops has taken delivery of a new locomotive, and is speculating on liveries. I think......
It's Rant Time Again
Electric Nose tells us what he really thinks of magazine reviews, naming Model Rail as the worst offender. As we......
It's not just network rail
From the London Evening Standard comes a story of a nasty 'bodge job' on the London Underground "The repair to......
It's not just the trains
Patrick Crozier's Transport Blog relates to a tale of woe, this time regarding Vermin Atlantic.......
Jarvis Strikes Again
A year after the derailment at Potter's Bar, for which dodgy maintenance remains the prime suspect, we have another prang......
Just Appalling
Just over two years ago, four rail workers died in an accident at Tebay, when they were run down by a runaway wagon. Now a cowboy contractor is found guilty of manslaughter in a case that sounds like something out of the 1840s....
Kandersteg
I've now got the ten rolls of film from Switzerland back, all scanned onto CDRoms; time to put a few......
Kettles and Castles
After travelling to North Wales to see Mostly Autumn on the Friday, I decided to make a weekend of it.......
Kettleski!
Cold Spring Shops shows that while Americans can do big, Russians could do even bigger. But just how does that......
Korean Arson Attack
BBC News is now reporting over 100 dead in the South Korean subway fire. It's being described as an 'arson......
Kosher Derailment Cleanup
This story shows the sort of people railways occasionally need to clear up the mess from a derailment. Rabbi Yosef......
Lament
It's sad when a online community dies. Sometimes a thriving community is broken up when the online service that hosts......
Later than Virgin Trains
We hear so much about rail delays. Today my parents made the road journey from Manchester to Slough, and took......
Lauterbrunnen
David Salo surmises that Tolkein's Rivendell is inspired by Lauterbrunnen in Switzerland. The Lauterbrunnental, just like Rivendell, is a narrow......
Layout Ideas
I'm thinking about layout ideas again. I've decided I'm unlikely ever to build a American-style basement-busting permanent layout. My current......
Layout Inspiration
When you're building a small 12' by 2' shelf layout because that's all you've got room for, things like this......
Layout Thoughts
Over the years I have accumulated a vast amount of both Swiss and British N-gauge rolling stock. Much of the......
Leeds
Norm is unimpressed by Leeds railway station. Here's a word of advice. If you travel by train from Manchester to......
Level Crossing Safety
The terrible crash has raised the subject of level crossing safety. Christian Wolmar has some very sensible things to say......
Libertarians, Alpha-Males, Trains and Cars
Interesting Transport Blog posting from Patrick Crozier: Taking issue with Andy Duncan is one thing but taking issue with Brian......
Locomotive Liveries that Never Were
Ever wondered what a class 50 might have looked like in 'Deltic Style' green? Or a Deltic in Virgin "Thunderbird"......
London Festival of Model Railways
Another weekend, another train show! This weekend it was the London Festival of Model Railways at Alexandra Palace. It's organised......
London grinds to a halt
Independent Argument quotes from the Lord Mayor's banquet speech given at London's Guildhall on Monday Here in London, our status......
Long journeys
I keep reading about rail traveller's horror stories. Since I've made two lengthy return journeys in the past week; I'll......
Look! No Car!
This BBC Article describes a public transport based day trip round picturesque places in Devon, including the delightful Cockwood. The......
Looks like I was mis-informed
Looks like I was mis-informed on the locomotive name. 57301 is actually named after Scott Tracy, not Lady Penelope. Still,......
Mainlines in Modest Spaces
Mainlines in Modest Spaces Iain Rice Atlantic Publishers 96pp This is the sequel to the same author's "Designs for Urban......
Manchester Model Railway Exhibition
Manchester MRC have changed the date this year, due to Warley changing their date to MMRC's old slot at the......
Manchester Show 2006
Yesterday was also the Manchester Model Railway Club's 70th exhibition. Previous Manchester shows have suffered from too many kettle-era branch......
Meme time again
Time for another meme. This one comes via Perverse Access Memory: List five things that people in your circle of......
Metro Light Rail Deathwatch
Not content with the Blogosphere Death Pool (of which all my picks are still alive), Laurence Simon continues his quest......
Mexican Waves at 100mph?
A Virgin Trains express does a Mexican wave on rough trackwork at Rugeley Trent Valley in Staffordshire. I would not......
Model Railway Fashion
I just had to quote this; it comes from the editorial of Model Railway Journal As has often been observed,......
Model Railways, New Year Thoughts
2005 was the year when British outline N turned the corner. British N endured a couple of fallow years after......
Modular Layout Thoughts
I find the concept of modular model railway layouts interesting. I find the idea of building a small module which......
Monorails
War Liberal muses about an article in Slate on Monorails. (Most of the musings are in the comments section) Old-fashioned......
More Model Railway Musings
Oh No! Cold Spring Shops has discovered the dreaded Depot Layout. (In British usage, a 'Depot' is a locomotive servicing......
More Pendolino Opinions
Patrick Crozier has been on board one of Virgin Trains' shiny new Pendolinos, and thinks much the same about the......
More locomotives!
The trouble with trying to build up a model locomotive fleet including some discontinued items is that sometimes, like London......
More on stations
I'm not in total agreement with Patrick Crozier. Or take the airport. OK, so arriving there by road is a......
More parallel worlds
If you liked my earlier posting on slightly parallel universes, here are a few more ways in which just a......
More pictures
More mountain main line working, on the BLS North Ramp and South Ramp, both from my Swiss trip in May......
Mornington Crescent
Transport Blog have started a game of Mornington Crescent. The first two moves were Baron's Court and Gunnersbury. My move......
Move Virgin Voyager Madness
From the Telegraph: Virgin Trains have cooked up a scheme to transport passenger's luggage by road because of the lack......
Movie Train Blunders
On Pyramid Online there's a thread on "Movie Goofs", which ranges from such things as visible microphones to historical goofs.......
Moving
I'm preparing to move back down south after spending two years in Manchester, which sadly means I'll have to dismantle......
N Gauge Society 35th Anniversary Show
Yesterday I spend all day at the N Gauge Society's 35th anniversary exhibition at Bletchley. Getting there was a bit......
N Gauge Wish Lists
The N Gauge Modern mailing list has yet another thread on wish lists. As one well-known member has pointed out,......
Nürnburg Fire
Many preserved locomotives have been damaged or destroyed in a disastrous fire at a railway museum in Nuremburg. This shows......
NThusiast Class 22
King Pot Noodle (as he is known) is introducing an N-gauge model of a North British Class 22 diesel-hydraulic. These......
Narrow gauge crash in Taiwan
From this BBC News story, a train has derailed on a narrow gauge tourist railway in Taiwan, killing 11 people.......
Naughty Thomas!
According to this BBC News story, Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as being blatantly steamist propaganda, is a bad......
New Livery of the Week
Since privatisation, British train companies seem to change their liveries as often as some people change their socks. Latest one......
New Meridians
From the International RailwaY Circle website, a picture of Midland Main Line's new Meridian sets on test in Belgium. Based......
New Rail Crash Investigators
A new body is to investigate rail accidents. The Bill takes the investigation of rail accidents away from the Health......
New Virgin Trains PR!
Virgin Trains have appointed a new public relations person, recently made redundant by the collapse of his previous employer, who......
News from 2026
Captain Electra has some predictions for model railway products from the year 2026. Hornby were showing off their Lyddle End......
News from 2112
Controversial rail company CrozierRail made the wrong sort of headlines again this Tuesday when two of their 'Bouncers' were arrested......
No new trains!
Today was the first time for a long while I've been to a major train show (Derby) without buying any......
No way to run a railway
Today's essential reading from The Guardian. It reveals the full horror story behind the West Coast Modernisation, starring everyone from......
No way to run a railway
I'm currently being forced to endure yet another three months of the dreaded Rail Replacement Buses on my daily commute,......
Not Walsall
Steve Jones talks about layout ideas and layout inspiration. As I grew up in England's industrial Midlands, much of my......
Not just call centres
I'm amused by this story. Railways bosses have drafted in engineers from India to work on five Victorian signal boxes......
Nottingham Show
My very first blog post, almost a year ago, was a review of the Nottingham model railway exhibition. Now that......
Nottingham Show Report
Went to the Nottingham Model Railway Exhibition today, and spent far too much money. Met up with a few of......
Notwork Rail
Looks like my rail replacement bus nightmare is going to last a lot longer than I'd originally hoped. As reported on the North Wales Railway notice board, things are going from bad to worse....
Notwork Rail
Depressing press release of the week, from Notwork Rail. (I can't find it on their site; but it was on......
O Gauge thoughts.
Cold Spring Shops notes my review of Iain Rice's layout planning book, and appears to disagree with the author about......
OMWB
Just to show I have been doing some railway modelling this weekend, I've been working on buildings for the Wominseebahn.......
October Railway News
Several years ago, Peco advertised they'd be making a N gauge model of a HAA coal hopper, perhaps the definitive......
Of trains and guinea pigs
A weekend away from blogging! I've been in sunny Southend, attending the Shoeburyness MRC exhibition and staying with my sister......
Off on holiday!
I'm taking a break for a few days, down to (hopefully) sunny Dawlish in south Devon. Being a rail enthusiast......
Oh No, Not Again!
So said the bowl of petunias... In an earlier post I made reference to disfunctional egroups, particularly railway modelling ones.......
Olten
I've put a few more of this spring's photos online at Fotopic.Net. These were taken at Olten in northern Switzerland,......
On Holiday
A long time since any updates, because I've been on holiday. After a couple of days RP-ing at Gypsycon with......
On Magazines
Electric Nose reminds us that the Model Railroader's Layout Planning issue is out, and tells us why he thinks Model......
On My Workbench
I really ought to put Steve Jones' Electric Nose: On My Workbench on my blogroll. It's really a blog, although......
One down, twenty more to go
My order of replacement wheelsets arrived this morning, and the recipient of the first set, class 37 no 37671 "Tre......
Oops, wrong train.
Steve Karlson of Cold Spring Shops recalls getting on the wrong train at Swindon and ending up in Kemble rather......
Ouch!
We're used to reading reports of cars getting onto railway lines and being hit by trains. Perhaps this might be......
Ouch!
If the election result wasn't bad enough, commuters in Washington had another shock. Not leaves, this time.......
Par 2003
First batch of photos from my recent holiday in the West of England up on Fotopic.Net. These are all from......
Parallel Universes
A poster on Pyramid Online asked the following: I'm running a kind of "kitchen sink," modern, horror, dark fantasy game.......
Parliamentary Mysteries
The Guardian's David McKie investigates the mysterious world of parliamentary trains. Even they, though, are better served than users of......
Passenger-only Operation?
BBC NEWS | Wales | Inquiry into runaway train An investigation is under way into how a south Wales train......
Pathetic Motorways
And people take the piss out of train spotters. Pathetic Motorways exposes the motorway equivalents of class 142 'Nodding Donkeys'.......
Patrick Crozier has been reading
Patrick Crozier has been reading my blog! Here, he mentions my name in connection with his suggestions to privatise the......
Paying for Quality
If you want real quality in British N, you have to be prepared to pay a premium price of......
Pendolino Prang
For the second time in a week, one of Richard Branson's shiny new wobbly trains has failed to stop at......
Pendolino: Worse than Voyager
There is something worse than the dreaded Virgin Voyagers. It's called the Virgin Pendolino The railway press has been gushing......
Perpetual Change
Getting from Cheadle Hulme in Cheshire to Barrow-Upon-Soar in Leicestershire is not one of the easiest rail journeys to make. The journey involves no fewer than four trains......
Philip Mengel Interview
In A friend of freight, the Guardian interviews Philip Mengel, chief executive of EWS, Britain's largest rail freight company. Is......
Plod Failure
Nottingham was a good show, but the journey home wasn't quite as good. PT Plod (That's the British Transport Police)......
Porcine Aviation Alert!
Reports are coming in of a squadon of maroon and gold pigs seen flying over central England. They were spotted......
Potters Bar Rant
Those of you who have been watching the news, and live in the UK will know we had another fatal......
Prang!
Is this what happens when you let Volvo drivers loose on trains? I have no further details of the accident......
Prang!
This is not what we want to happen to an National Railway Museum exhibit. Pioneer class 37 No D6700 was......
Pre Xmas Travel Woes
The Ghoul's Travel Travails remind me to post what I didn't have time to post about in the days before......
Quote of the Day
Transport books are a bit like heavy metal music. They are "specialist", so much so that there are specialist transport......
R*v*t C**nt*rs
Electric Nose goes Rivet Counting. Not really work-safe, especially if you work in Texas.......
Rail 1, Air 0
In a few months the Royal Mail will be transferring carraige of mail from rail to air and road. This......
Rail Replacement Misery
For five months last summer, commuters into Manchester from Stoke, Macclesfield and intermediate stations had to endure the dreaded Rail......
Rail Strikes Again!
Train guards (that's "Conductors" for the benefit of those living of the western side of the Atlantic) from nine British......
Rail Ten-Point Plan
The BBC's "Rail Champion", Jon Yuill, has a Ten Point Plan for improving things. Here's my thoughts on his proposals.......
Rail tragedy in Spain
A talgo passenger train has collided head on with an intermodal freight in Spain. According to BBC News, the death......
Railtrack strikes again!
Apart from the hideous colour, what else is wrong with this railway coach? (Thanks to Simon Bendall for the link)......
Railway Architecture
Plasticbag.org has some evocative pictures of Paddington and Cardiff stations. Perhaps I need to get a digital camera myself?......
Railway Fragmentation, US-Style
Cold Spring Shops has an interesting article on how the apparently fragmented METRA system in Chicago works, when the privatised......
Railway preservation.
Ed Driscoll writes about the Napa Valley Wine Train Imagine traveling in an elegant dining car, full of handsomely dressed......
Railways by Dead Tree Only
Patrick Crozier laments the fact that, unlike the mainstream press, Modern Railways doesn't have an Internet version, and he can't......
Raising the Bar
I paid a visit to my local model emporium, Waltons of Altrincham, this afternoon, and something was loitering in......
Ramming All Illegal Lefts
Laurence Simon (I've spelled his name right this time) of Amish Tech Support has put up some photos and video......
Re6/6 for Warley?
According to one of the guys from M G Sharp I spoke to yesterday, the long awaited Kato/Lemke N-gauge model......
Real-life dungeons?
Fascinating site on disused London Underground stations, closed stations beneath the streets of London. Some are dimly visible from the......
Reduction in Fragmentation?
BBC NEWS | Business | Network Rail takes repairs in-house Over the past few months, Network rail has taken maintenance......
Return of the Nose
After too long a silence, Electric Nose is back. His most recent post commemorates the 50th anniversary of Cyril Freezer's......
Road safety rather than rail safety
Yesterday, seven people died when a minibus carrying fourteen holidaymakers to Manchester Airport crashed on the M56, half-way through it's......
Roads into Rails?
Amazing post on the SWRG (South West Rail Gen) mailing list. EWS 08865 (en-route to Par harbour) overtook 37142 (in......
Roads to Nowhere?
BBC NEWS | UK | �7bn scheme to tackle congestion So New Labour have done a traditional Labour U-turn, and......
Round and Round It Goes
Electric Nose has completed his upper level return loop. Now continous running is possible thanks to the dumbell layout. The......
Round the Bend at Wominsee
I haven't made much more progress on Wöminsee, but here's what I have been up to. New scenic addition is......
Russian Light Rail?
Boing Boing has a story about rural Russians are making homebrew railcars to run on abandoned tracks, powered by motorbike......
Save Paddington!
Patrick Crozier of UK Transport mourns the loss of Euston Station in the great act of philistine vandalism in the......
Scale Differences
For historical reasons that have a lot to do with modelling outside valve gear on British 'kettles', British N gauge......
Scapped!
Steve Jones is not impressed with Hornby's new HAA coal hopper. (No permalinks, scroll down to the entry for Monday......
Schadenfreude
The Guardian's Paul Harris looks at the history behind America's obsession with the car, including the deliberate destruction of mass-transit......
Schermo blu della morte
Not even Reginald Perrin was that late. A minute before my train to work was due, it's headlight appeared on......
Signature Trains
Like most railway modellers I've got far too much rolling stock. I've reached the point where the limiting factor for......
Snakes on a Train!
One snake, anyway. As reported by BBC News A Swiss train has been taken out of service after a pet......
Snow!
We had half an inch of snow during the night. And it was enough to make transport networks grind to......
Some plugs
Electric Nose waxes lyrical about the merits of Rail Express, and reminds us to attend the DEMU showcase exhibition in......
Some things we do better over here
Cold Spring Shops reflects on the difference in connections and timekeeping between the two sides of the Atlantic. Amtrak and......
Split Gears Update
Thirty more locomotives tested, ten more with split gears. 24 new wheelsets ordered from B.R.Lines, Bachmann's official spares dealers. Casualties......
Spot the Difference
Neil, guest blogger at Going Underground has discovered someone who should be working for Bachmann. Are there, I wonder, people......
Sprawlophilia vs. Sprawlophobia
Ginger Stampley has a long post on suburban sprawl and it's downsides: Where my theoretical libertarianism often stops and my......
St Pancras Day
Today, May 12th, is St Pancras Day. Very little is known about St Pancras, except for the fact that it's......
Staffing stations
Patrick Crozier of Transport Blog describes how he'd run a railway. I'm not sure about this bit: So, tickets and......
Stations
On UK Transport, Patrick Crozier wonders about stations. I find almost all stations disappointing. And it's not just the graffiti,......
Steven Byers' Resignation
Stephen Byers has resigned. Clearly he's had enough, and he's got too many enemies. For all his mistakes, he probably......
Stupid link of the day
The incredible Train Spotting Simulator captures the experience of watching trains in a remote backwater of the railway network.......
Suburban Sprawl = Waistline Sprawl
BBC NEWS | Health | Urban sprawl piles on the pounds It may be possible to predict the average weight......
Swedish train crash
Nasty level crossing accident in Sweden. BBC news are reporting two deaths; but it doesn't say if those deaths were......
Swiss Heavy Metal
I get a namecheck from Electric Nose, who's talking DCCs and Ae8/8s. Magnificent beasts. It's a pity I didn't take......
Swiss Kettle!
Specially for Michael, a shot of the Blonay-Chamby steam railway in Switzerland, taken last summer. The train stopped just......
Swiss Rail Modernisation
Guardian | Business | Rail modernisation - the difference between us and the Swiss The difference being that the Swiss......
Swiss Train Crash
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | One dead in Swiss train crash Even the hyper efficient Swiss have rail......
Swiss-style private railways for Britain?
Local businesses may run rural railway lines More than 1,300 miles of rural rail lines could be handed over to......
Switzerland
I realise I haven't blogged about my holiday in Switzerland. There will be more when I get my photos back,......
Switzerland 2006
I realised it's been a month since I went to Switzerland, and I've never posted any of the photos I......
Switzerland!
Got my travel documents in the post today. Two weeks until I go on holiday to Spiez in the land......
TGV to Plymouth?
BBC NEWS | England | Rail firm considers 200mph trains First Great Western is considering building a brand-new TGV-style line......
TGV vs. ICE
Michael Jennings shows how a combination of Franco German rivalry and "Not Invented Here" syndrome means that despite the existence......
Tebay Tragedy
This accident had the same death toll as the Hatfield derailment. I just hope it doesn't produce the same overreaction.......
Tellenburg
Tellenburg castle, a mile south of Frutigen in Switzerland, is a superb place to watch trains when the weather is......
The A to Z of Excuses.
We've all heard the classic "Leaves on the line" and "Operating difficulties. The uk.railway FAQ now has the A to......
The Annual Show
Just got back from helping out at the annual exhibition of the Maidenhead and Marlow Model Railway Club - a......
The Awful Truth about the SRA
In the January 2003 edition of Modern Railways (dead-tree only, I'm afraid), George Hudson puts the boot into the Strategic......
The Channel Tunnel Rail Link
The Japanese were building them in the 1960s. The French have had them for twenty years, and the Germans for......
The Chocolate Tube Challenge
The new game proposed by Going Underground. I think I'll stick to Mornington Crescent.......
The Daily Commute
Why is it that as soon as I move into a flat conveniently situated for work, they decide to move......
The End of an era
Stewart Watt posted this to the ModMod mailing list. Subject: Last Virgin XC Loco Hauled into Padd Hi all, Just......
The Farce Continues.
Christian Wolmar isn't impressed with the government's latest rail review. Like the original privatisation Bill, the draft of the rail......
The First Lionel!
Silflay Hraka is filling up with 'alternative' versions of Christmas carols at the moment. While some of them are rather......
The Flying Fag Packet
The new Farish Mk2 Brake Second has arrived. I have mixed feelings about this one; on one side they're......
The Future of the Past
When I was a child, the cities of the future were filled with monorails. But the idea never caught on......
The Future that Was after all?
Remember the science fiction of half a century ago? With all those Art Deco monorails and aircars? Those stories were......
The Gap Is Too Wide
Yesterday I bought some of the new Bachmann-Farish Mk1 coaches, with the correct-pattern B1 bogies. They look good, event though......
The Heyday of the Scottish Diesels
This review also appears on BlogCritics, here. After the end of steam in Britain 1968, a great many British railway......
The Hump
Another layout plan; the planned new layout 'The Hump' from Gareth Bayer, featuring South Yorkshire freight operations during 1979-82 in......
The N Gauge Show
Spent yesterday at the N Gauge show held at a place called The Warwickshire Exibition Centre, near Leamington Spa. This......
The New HSE Approved Thomas
I'm not the only person that wants to update Thomas the Tank Engine to the 21st century. Tim Dowling in......
The Return of Muhammed Saeed al-Shergar
After far too long an absence, Unbiased Al-Freebie Information Minister, Muhammed Saeed al-Shergar is back at Electric Nose, with advice......
The Return of the Kettle?
This Guardian article outlines the proposed high tech steam locomotive proposed for charter work, with a maximum speed of 125mph.......
The Road to Romance?
Ananova - Mills and Boon helps M6 toll road to stay intact Engineers used 2,500,000 old Mills and Boon books......
The Saga of Polly
I'm not the only person who into both RPGs and Trains. Here's what one of my PBeM players has been......
The Shed Virus
A message for Stephen Karlson of Cold Spring Shops: Virus Warning!! If you receive a ship labelled "Class 66s", DO......
The Sociology of Model Railways
This is what I call a rant! The Sociology of Model Railroading (Link from Cold Spring Shops) It's about the......
The Stand Begins
The message board game based on The Stand is now running, and I've got my first player posting up! Since......
The Trains are Back
At last, the end of the Cheadle Hulme to Crewe blockade. For five long months I've endured the dreadful 'Rail......
The Trouble With Kettles
Cold Spring Shops reminds us of one flaw about steam locomotives that some of us forget, those cinders in the......
The Wheel/Rail Split in Europe
According to this book review on Transport Blog, the practice of dividing railway operation into separate organisations owning the track......
The Wrong Type of Seawater
Voyager at Dawlish Virgin Trains are very proud of their new Voyagers. Their website goes into great detail about......
The don't do them like that anymore...
This 70s British Rail travel poster has got some members of one of the railway Yahoogroups nostalgic for their teenage......
The downside of High Speed Rail
Patrick Crozier thinks high speed rail is boring: I have now travelled on high-speed lines in France, Belgium, Italy, Germany......
The first time as tragedy, the second as farce
As part of the 1955 modernisation plan, British Railways ordered large numbers of diesel locomotives from just about every......
The old workhorse
(click for larger image) This picture of class 37 No 37058 at Crewe was posted on the ModMod mailing......
The politics of transport, again
Ginger has another a good post on the politics of transport in Houston, Texas.......
The return of "Daisy"?
Yet more proof (if any was needed), that classic 1950s train liveries suit modern trains more than the psychadelic designs......
The return of Baghdad Bob?
Virgin Trains weren't quick enough. Looks like he's working for the American railroad CSX.......
The right kind of private railway
BBC NEWS | England | North Yorkshire | Rail back in the Dales Is this the first British example of......
This Day in Alternate History
Our transdimensional scientists have managed to retrieve some publications from various parallel timelines. Unfortunately, the only publication they've managed to......
This is going to get expensive!
The Bern Lötchberg Simplon railway have some new locomotives; I can seen some of these running on the N-gauge Wominseebahn......
Thoughts on Electification
Cold Spring Shops has recently mentioned a brief history of the Milwaukee Road Electrification, and a 1923 National Geographic article......
Thunderbirds are go!
What did this poor locomotive do to get painted in such a horrendous livery? (Photo from www.gbrail.org.uk/) Worse than......
Times of Transition
On the subject of British trains, and the modelling potential thereof, Electric Nose talks of times of transition. Contrary to......
Titanic vs. Thames Turbos
Cold Spring Shops considers the fate of second and third class passengers on the Titanic and wonders: Did steerage fares......
Today's Must Read
As Patrick Crozier says, if you read no other article on British railways then read this one. Find out what......
Train Crash in Berkshire
Bad news. The BBC are reporting one person dead when a High Speed Train collided with a vehicle and derailed......
Train Design
Patrick Crozier has been to Japan. He writes about the apparent standardisation of Japanese rolling stock: If you standardise on......
Train Fares
In his UK Transport blog, Patrick Crozier claims that rail fares haven't really risen; although walk-on fares have gone through......
Train Photos!
I've been uploading a few of the train photos I took on my west of England trip to my Fotopic.Net......
Train fare scare
There's a rather alarming front page on Rupert Murdoch's Times on government proposals for deregulating rail fares. RAIL fares will......
Train vs. Truck
Another spot of bother for the Houston Light Rail. Be sure to look at the photo gallery, that comes from......
Trains in the Cowshed
I'm recovering today from the N gauge show in the Leamington 'Cowshed'. Many excellent layouts; one of my favourites was......
Trains of Thought
Sometimes knowing a little, but not quite everything about railway operation can be scary. I was on board an Oxford......
Trains of Ticino
After too long a delay, I've put some more pictures from last summer on my Fotopic Site, of SBB......
Trains should replace planes?
So says the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (RCEP) in this BBC article. Instead of encouraging airport expansion and proliferation,......
Transport Direct
The Government's shiny new Transport Direct website is intended to give you a route by public transport from anywhere to......
Transport Economics again.
One of the more economically illiterate members of the Samizdata collective quoted this ridiculous passage from rightwing troll P.J.O'Rourke. The......
Transport Quote of the Day!
From Annie Mole of the "almost awardwinning" Going Underground ..bangs head against a brick wall - I DON'T WORK FOR......
Transport Wingnut Alert
Patrick Crozier linked to a site called Transport Watch, describing it as "Lots of facts, lots of comparisons". While it......
Transport investment
Stuii has some comments on the Governments road-building programme. He calls for massive investment in railways to accompany any investments......
Turkish Rail Tragedy
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Turkish train crash 'kills 128' A Turkish government official says at least 128......
Twilight of the 87s
Today I spent a few hours at Stafford photographing the last runs north of Birmingham of the class 87s.......
Ufton Nervet: HSE Report
There's now a preliminary accident report (in PDF format) for last Saturday's crash. It concludes (as if there was ever......
Upton Nervet Crash Update
Sadly, the train driver was among the dead. First Great Western have made the following statement: Our thoughts are with......
Virgin Trains and Tunnels
Commenter Temple Stark finds it amusing that Britain has a train company called Virgin Trains, and asks if there are......
Virgin Voyager Farce of the Week
The endless saga of the flaws of Virgin Train's "Operation Princess" has taken yet another turn. The traditional drama of......
Virgin Voyager woes, part 220
The BBC have now caught up with the woes of Virgin Voyagers, proving that it's not just us rail anoraks......
Virgin Voyagers: a non-trainspotter's view.
Just in case anyone at Virgin Trains thinks the only people that dislike Virgin Voyagers are railway enthusiasts nostalgic for......
Virgin on the Ridiculous
It's been reported that there's going to be a major press conference at 5pm toda by Virgin Trains, Stagecoach, and......
Vorsprung Durch Technik? Nein!
As you can see here, in a fight between a 120 tonne American-built locomotive and an Audi, there can only......
Voyager Derailed
A Virgin Voyager has derailed at 100 mph after hitting a car, in a frightening echo of Selby and Ufton......
Wagons Roll!
Or not, if you're a British railway modeller who doesn't think the universe ended in 1968. Electric Nose's observations explain......
Warley 2003
The Warley MRC exhibition, held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, is the largest model railway show in Britain.......
Warley 2004
Virgin Trains Saver Return to Birmingham - �28.80 Two day ticket for the Warley MRC exhibition - �15 Overnight Accommodation......
Weekend Rail Stories
Warley coincided with the BBC Clothes Show Live at the NEC, attracting vast crowds. A lot of these people would......
West Coast Misery
The West Coast Mainline is to be closed between Milton Keynes and Hemel Hempstead for every weekend until Christmas. This......
Westerns of Mass Distortion
It appears that Electric Nose does not like the new Heljan Western. (No permalinks, scroll down to the Jan 30th......
What London Tube Line are You?
I'm the District Line, apparently. I can remember the days of R Stock (trains with flares!) Going Underground - which......
What if?
This layout idea is inspired by a combination of the superb 'Bridport Town' 7mm scale narrow gauge layout I saw......
What makes a good layout?
There's been some discussion recently on the ModMod mailing list about what makes a good exhibition layout. While different people......
What's that train?
Being very anoraky today. I've been comparing some of the photos I took at Blausee-Mitholz with the BLS railway timetable......
What's the future of Cross-Country?
What are we to make of this? The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) today announced that it had not received an......
Which train company are you?
Steve Karlson is entirely to blame for this! What British train company are you? As for which one I am,......
Why buses are crap
Patrick Crozier has a post on Transport Blog explaining why buses are never going to an acceptable substitute for train......
Wominsee
Now I've got a digital camera, I thought I'd post a few photos of the unfinished N gauge layout, "Wominsee".......
Wominseebahn Derailment
The Health and Safety Executive had completed their interim report on the Wominseebahn freight derailment (see yesterday's entry). The derailment......
Woodhead!
Some evocative photos of the Woodhead line, which closed in 1981. The Woodhead line, running across the Pennines from Sheffield......
Worms on the Line
This is an excuse that Virgin Trains have yet to use. But I'm sure it's only a matter of time.......
Yet more trains
Collected a parcel from John Brightwell today, containing two N-gauge BLS Re465s, 465.001 in plain blue, and 465.004 in "Wallis......
York Railfest
An enjoyable day yesterday at the York Railfest, a special extravaganza running all week at the National Railway Museum in......
You know you're a Railfan if..
Cold Spring Shops (Scroll down, archives are Bloggered) notes that rail enthusiasts see things in numbers and acronyms that 'mundanes'......