Steam World

The car is King’ became a popular slogan of the road transport lobby in post-war years – but it took Beeching's Reshaping of British Railways to afford the car its Coronation. Without public transport, thousands of communities, denied their railway a

Although watching trains at the Exeter stations was always full of interest, there were several other places within easy travelling distance that offered real variety. Plymouth was one of those as, although Laira-based 4-6-0s were regular performers

Around 1980 an elderly gentleman came into a printer's shop in Sheffield with a pencil drawing (size 530mm by 300mm) of a ‘Duchess’ (as they were popularly known) ‘Princess Coronation’ 4-6-2 No. 46251 City of Nottingham, and asked if it was possible

It seems that many memories concerning Gresley's iconic ‘A3’ have surfaced recently with enthusiasts recalling long cherished trips behind No. 4472 or lineside sightings. As a frequent spotter under Crescent bridge in the early 1960s I, like others,

In recent times there has been a lot of concern aired following the mindless misuse, by the public, of footpaths that cross railway tracks. Always a bone of contention, the humble foot crossing has been around since the beginning of railways and used

A copy of the book Western Main Lines: Didcot to Swindon by Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith (Middleton Press) will be given to the sender of the first correct answer opened on June 16, 2023. Answers (with your name and address) to SW432 Crossword, Steam W

My family moved from Surrey to Bournemouth in 1945. I was then seven years old, still very impressionable, and even then, naïvely very keen on all things railway but with experience mainly of the Southern. Thus it was always exciting to be told that

As the summer arrives, my thoughts inevitably turn to those fondly remembered holidays in the West Country and the wonderful branch lines, which served the coastal resorts of the area which the Great Western Railway called the Cornish Riviera. Most o

Charfield is a small village in Gloucestershire, which boasts the customary pubs, post office and a less-than-customary 13th century church – the Church of St James, which nowadays, like all churches of that age, enjoys the protection of a Grade I li

Prompted by an article by Andrew Britton, some years ago in Steam World, my memories of travels over the Lymington branch came flooding back and, by delving into my records, I found that I made several visits to the line during its final years of ste