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Both the ECML and WCML are continuous double track (or more tracks) from London to Glasgow/Edinburgh, and a fair amount of the lines in the west and south are, including the GWML of course. But how far does double track extend north of Edinburgh/Glasgow? Can you go from Penzance to Inverness on...

Track 11a was the short stub track between the tracks 10 and 11 that long distance trains used, and the Ayr/Inverclyde tracks. But how was this track actually used in regular traffic? I've seen photos from the 80s with locos parked there, and photos from the final years before the track was...

The original plan for the Class 320s was to put them in service on the Argyle line, but as we know they instead ended up on North Clyde. How would the stock cascade have been if the 320s had entered service on the Argyle line as intended? 314s to Inverclyde in stead of 318s? Or 314s to Catchart...

In many European countries. combined first- and second-class carriages had compartments for first class, and open seats for second class. In the UK, of course, compartments are designated with a K and open seats with O. I understand that combined carriages in the UK were either fully...

Came across this video from Preston on the WCML in late April 1992. On a couple of occasions you can see Class 150 sets - at least one even operating as a 3-car(!). Where were the 150s used at this point? Temporary replacement for the 108s to Barrow? AFAIK the Manchester - Preston services were...

Or was the 87/90+DVT removed at Carlisle/Preston and the Mk3 rakes just ran as an ordinary Class 47-hauled train?

Photo from Flickr...

AFAIK the HS1 (former CTRL) is built to Berne gauge (UIC gauge), and can operate conventional trains in addition to Eurostars. Is there anything that would prevent a service using conventional loco hauled stock to UIC gauge operating into St Pancras thru the tunnel?

From the steam era, I understand the standard was that the brake end on coaches like BTKs were to face the end of the train - e g a BCK at the front with the Brakevan end facing forward, and a BTK at the rear with the Brakevan end facing rearward, and if there were more than two, the others...

Perhaps imagining the government in the late 40s instead of nationalising had decided to give the "Big Four" an economic aid package instead. Could the "Big Four" have survived into our time? Would we have seen an even more streamlined network in that case? Would they have ended up merging into...

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/db-class-90-updates.243097/ Freightliner next?

Video from Watford Junction in summer 1991 seems to show two (presumably northbound) night trains: The first one is at around 4:15, hauled by a Class 87 and has a pretty weird formation of 2 Motorail GUVs, 3 SLE/SLEP, 1 TSO, 2 BSO with the van areas facing each other, 2 TSO. Strangely large...

I know diesel power was always the preferred even on electrified lines (the Royal Train having a pair of dedicated Class 47s at least from around 1990), but given it's name, it'd have to at least be very tempting to put 87002 at the head of the Royal Train if it was travelling on an...

Freight cars owned by BR or UK Railway companies intended for use through the "chunnel" or to be ferried across the channel, always got UIC designations in addition to the usual three-letter UK code. But recently it seems these get applied even to domestic UK freight cars - are the TOPS...

Most other European countries' capitals have been able to concentrate the railway traffic in and out of the city on one single terminus - at least for long distance traffic. Would something similar (perhaps a merged St Pancras/Kings Cross?) be feasible in the UK? Was something like this ever...

86s operated on the GEML, and hauled mail trains (and possibly freight?) on the ECML. 90s took over for 86s on the GEML, and also hauled mail trains (and possibly freight?) + occasionally stepped in for 91s on the ECML. And both 86s and 90s hauled freight on the North London line. But did 87s...

I've seen the ECML Terminus written both ways, Wikipedia says Kings Cross, lots of other sources say King's Cross - what is actually correct?

The most common Pendolino is the Italian ETR 470, which apart from Italy is also used in Switzerland (Cisalpino), Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Finland. How related are the British Class 390s to the Italian original? Is it only the tilting equipment, and nothing else?

While in North America and Australia, "Freight Train" always seems to have been the favoured term, in the UK both terms have been used colloquially, but with "Goods train" seeming the most prevalent, at least in the steam era. What made "Freight Train" become the more prevalent term even in the...

"Buckeye" couplers have been used on passenger trains in the UK since the 1930s, AFAIK, although for freight traffic they're a more modern phenomenon, mostly post-privatisation. BUT - are these 'buckeyes' the same? I've seen some suggestions that the passenger buckeyes are a lighter/weaker type...