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The brand was always Inter-City until the hyphen was dropped from 1982. (Source: The InterCity Story 1964-2012, Chris Green and Mike Vincent, Oxford Publishing, 2013, p49) Until then the hyphen was always present on advertising, marketing materials and the trains themselves. Although the...

Yes, there is obviously a slight distinction between the "Club" trains (which prior to 1939 included special club saloons in the formation) and the regular residential expresses. Although the distinction is possibly a bit blurred. I grew up in St Annes in the 1970s and our next door neighbour...

I am interested to know exactly when that evening Bpl train using the Hilton House line switched from being a Bpl Central/South to a Bpl North service. The 1962 timetable on timetable world still has it as the 1716 departure into Lytham (non-stop) at 1820 and on to Central (1843). There is no...

That is exactly the point that Cecil J Allen makes in the book. The actual mileage (not sure exactly) covered from Manchester to Lytham belies the fact that the train has to use the steeper-graded route via the Hilton House branch and then "crawl at almost walking pace" through Preston. Allen is...

If that is the case, would we say that the model we are now going to end up with - a state-owned "great British Railways" and lots of operating companies owned by foreign states (a la TfL) Abellio, RATP etc... - is going to stuggle to raise capital ? How did, for example, RATP become so...

The 1953 edition of Cecil J Allen's Titled Trains of Great Britain confirms the OP's source's suspicion about the routing of a Manchester to Blackpool train via the line. Before WW2 (and quite possibly after it) The Blackpool Club Train (to Blackpool Central via Lytham) left Manchester...

The other thing that always strikes me is that a lot of the 1950s and early 1960s posters advertised the destination rather than the mode. Rail is almost an afterthought. So, it is more of a big splash - "Come to Bournemouth" - and a much smaller "go by rail" and the BR hotdog logo. You...

Here is my latest post about walking on the track bed of the old Woodhead line (Manchester to Sheffield / Wath to Penistone) a few weeks ago, with some memories and a few photos of my first visit back in 1979. https://trainstobeyond.com/2021/06/14/2021-uk-pennine-rose/

I think it is the line of the tunnel isn't it ? The workers at the portal can see the first tower, the first tower can see the second, etc.. and they all are built on the line of the intended tunnel. That information is then used to compare with the internal heading to make sure they are...

Yes, The OS map for 1900 viewable on National Library of Scotland certainly has the words "air shaft / observation tower" at the point that corresponds to the tower in the photograph. And the next air shaft on the map, the one at Greystone edge quarry, also had an observation tower. But I...

This operational issue at Plymouth is understandable. I often watched the crew struggle a bit to unload from the HST in time for departure. A similar problem occurs in the up direction. But, are we any closer to the point where someone decides that having the restaurant accessible from...

I think Ilfracombe was mentioned - it just took a long time (1970) to close. I don't think Poulton le Fylde to Fleetwood was mentioned, but that closed (also in 1970). Woodhead passenger services were not mentioned, but they also closed (again in 1970).

Presumably, if you make any seat reservation for beyond Plymouth (let's just assume you are travelling to Cornwall), you will be automatically be put in the front (wrong) set? So, to dine you must get in the wrong part of the train, presumably with all your luggage. Would we then assume that...

if the modern railways article is correct, and breakfast won’t be returning - doesn’t that mean all the WOE lunch and dinner turns have to balance for the crews ? So they work up and down / down and up ? so if you have the two down dinner trains at 1804 and 1904 you have to have two up lunch...

Doesn't the Modern Railways article hint that they are moving towards the leisure market with this and that Breakfast is not considered a "leisure market" product. Not sure how permanent a plan that is ? Maybe it is just a COVID thing. I got the impression they are aiming for two return...

And I, for my part, appreciated your answer. I thought Warrington was 1972 but I wasn't sure. Nice to have confirmation. Agree that it is difficult to decide which dates to use - energisation or start of public service.

The dates would make sense. The election was on 31st March and the electric services were not started until April 18th. Having said that, as mentioned above, the line was already energised by then and they were certainly running some electrically hauled trains into Euston. Persumably the...

If we are talking about energisation dates, (rather date open to services) wasn't the Weaver J-Motherwell project also done in more stages. I might be getting mixed up, but wasn't Warrington energised before Preston, and Carlisle to Motherwell before the rest. Perhaps they were all done in...

Thanks for this. I have managed to do a bit more research and this is what I now think....(open to challenges... though) The National Library of Scotland OS Map for 1947 shows 6 shafts for the original tunnel(s). 3 each side of Salter's Brook. I think you are correct about 5 construction...

I walked from Woodhead over the top to Dunford Bridge today. The OS map shows 3 vent shafts - the first one ( from the west) looked to be intact - it was a normal brick tower job. I am assuming that was from the 1845 / 53 bores. The easterly one was just a flat brick structure sealed over -...