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It is 40 years ago today that an intensive fire broke out inside the Summit Rail tunnel following a derailment of tank wagons. The train was the 6M08 01:40 Haverton Hill, Teesside to Glazebrook near Warrington, and the train consisted of a Class 47 locomotive numbered 47125 convoying 13 tank...

Came across the picture the other day and found this photo on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sixbellsjunction/23728418595/ It was on display at a rail exhibition somewhere in 2000 or 2001 (I can't find the exact location further, Wikipedia does takeover the search), but anyway it was...

It has been seen before, but I’ve noticed in the last week that more websites are now receiving a ‘Google Consent’ statement which you have to respond before using the site. Even this forum has got a ‘Google Consent’ panel, and even some apps have got them. I got that statement when I used one...

Just heard that Sir Michael Parkinson has died aged 88. I remember him on ITV (STV where I live) in the 2000s and he was on SunLife ads. He had his own TV show Parkinson as most will remember. He was a friend of the former comedian Billy Connolly. He will be sadly missed...

Evening folks I've just learned that UKTrainSim.com is closing down in the next few months, according to Matt Peddlesden last Friday. He said: "It is going down at some point permanently, little while yet, but no longer has a future"...

As I understand, there is an extra door on the low-emission Class 66 locomotives (or JT42CWRm) to allow access to the engine room. The reason behind this is because the size of engine and radiator arrangements prevented direct access from the cab. Which end the cab has no access to the engine...

Class 47 locomotives were originally built with lower buffer beams (or fairings). Since around in 1990s, the locos began to appear with their buffer beam fairings removed. Not all locomotives were so treated and some 47s still have buffer beam fairings today. I think 47299 was the first...

As we may or may not know, unit 318270 had vehicles 77288 + 62890 + 77289, and was not numbered sequentially like 318250 to 318269. According to the British Rail At Work: Scotrail book by Colin Boocock, it was mentioned that 20 Class 318 units would be built. Is it true that 318270 was added to...

There were a few occasions pre-modernisation that rolling stock have been proposed. Firstly, the 1948 proposed extension would see the new rolling stock, which would have been a two-car unit, and would be based on continental tram instead on the tube train already used on 1896 built original...

When I was at primary school as a kid, I read a book called 'The Young Engineer Book of Supertrains', and there was a page about the trains in the future, one of topics was about intercontinental vacuum tube trains that go through the centre of the Earth! This concept is called 'Earthport', set...

As far as I know, a GBRF Class 66 locomotive in BR Green, 66779 'Evening Star', has a diesel engine that was recovered from 66734 that was scrapped following a derailment at Loch Treig in 2012. The original Class 66s had 2N-710G3B-EC engines (which is a case for 66734, ex-66402), while...

In 1990, there was an artist's impression of the proposed dual-voltage parcel electric unit, as shown on page 16 of the "Future Rail - The Next Decade" brochure: https://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/BRB_Future001.pdf It is described as a 'new' unit, but it was strictly based on the Class...

In the late 1990s, Virgin Trains was initially planning to have three classes for passengers for the then new Voyager and Pendolino trains, which they were in the drawing board at the time. There were going to be First Class (Club Class in Voyagers), Standard Class, and a cheap no-frills class...

Hi folks As far as I know, there have been HSTs in 'Merlin' green and white livery before First took over in the late 1990s. There were Class 47 in Green 'Merlin' livery as well. Is there other vehicles that were in 'Merlin' livery? I think there were Mk3 sleeper cars for the 'Night Rivera'...

As I understand, the last four Class 221 units to be built for Virgin Trains, units 221141 to 221144, were originally four-cars (the rest were five-cars). But around 2010, units 221142 and 221143 were extended to five-cars by taking vehicles off unit 221144. Unit 221142 received 60994 (an ex...

Earlier this month on Sky News website, there was an article with the headlines: 'Coronavirus is cornered and will burn out due to UK distancing measures'. https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-is-cornered-and-will-burn-out-due-to-uk-distancing-measures-ex-who-official-says-11967018 With...

Just saw it on TV that presenter Nicholas Parsons has died, more details to follow. RIP Nicholas Parsons https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51278023

Hi Folks :D I've noticed that all stations that I have seen recently that much of the ceilings has been removed. Also, on island platform stations, some of the panels were removed. The system is supposed to be modernised, some stations only received new tiles for the floor, walkway and tunnel...

Hi Folks As far as I know, the Greater Anglia Class 317 are having PRM-TSI mods at Wabtec Doncaster. I had looked at the photos that the windows still appear to remain the same (including old toilet windows). Probably door opening alarms and stuff. Regarding the toilets on board, are they...

It is hard to believe that tomorrow marks 40 years to the day that the Argyle Line opened to passenger traffic, and thus links the electrified North Clyde Line with the rest of Glasgow electrified lines south of the Clyde (and beyond) for the first time. The Argyle Line had been part of Glasgow...