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A4’s in Preservation

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

It is now 57 years since the last of Sir Nigel Gresley’s famous ‘A4s’ were taken out of service yet six survive, with one still active on the main line. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES looks at the preservation years of what will always be remembered as the ‘Streaks’.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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The Great Eastern Jazz Trains

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

Intensive suburban passenger workings are a feature of many great stations, but perhaps one of the most efficient in steam days were the ‘Jazz Trains’ of the Great Eastern Railway’s London Liverpool Street terminus. These intensive steam workings established a frequency of service that many thought impossible to achieve, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES describes.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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Developing the diesel shunter

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

Amazingly, the diesel shunter has been around now for more than 90 years. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES looks at its development and shows how it can be incorporated into layouts set from pre-nationalisation days onwards.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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The Billinton LBSCR ‘E4’ 0-6-2T

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

Throughout the history of the railway many locomotive classes have made an invaluable contribution to providing services, yet have remained largely out of the limelight. One such design was the Brighton built ‘E4’ 0-6-2T, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES relates.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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BR Liveries: Sectorisation to Privatisation

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

In the 1980s British Railways was coming under considerable pressure from the country’s politicians to stem its losses. One of the most radical changes made was the splitting of the railways into sectors and the abandonment of regional boundaries. The changes lead to an explosion of new liveries, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES relates.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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The GWR ‘64XX’0-6-0PTs

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

The Great Western stood alone amongst the railways of the British Isles in its widespread use of ‘Pannier’ tank locomotives. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES takes a close look at the ‘64XXs’, and finds out what made this small class different from the rest.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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RAILWAY REALISM: The British Royal Trains

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

The coronation of a new king in May will bring to the public’s attention one of the more unusual trains on our network, the Royal Train, which has been transporting our monarchs around the country now for almost 200 years. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES looks into its history.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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Direct Rail Services Class 37s

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

Although they were one of the earliest British Railways diesel classes which could well have faded into history by now, Cumbrian operator Direct Rail Services has used them for many years. Now though, their seemingly charmed existence looks to be coming to an end, as EVAN GREEN-HUGHES reports.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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Class 08 Diesel Shunters

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

The Class 08 diesel shunters are amongst the most successful locomotives ever to run on Britain’s railways – yet they are often ignored by enthusiasts and modellers. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES argues this is a situation which should change. 

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES
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REALITY CHECK: Western Region Blue Pullmans

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES

Remembered by many as the high point of the 1950s modernisation of British Railways, the Blue Pullman trains set new standards of comfort and design, yet had a short and unhappy life, with much of it spent by necessity on the Western Region. EVAN GREEN-HUGHES explains all.

EVAN GREEN-HUGHES