The Railway Magazine

The Railway Magazine has been published since 1897 and is now the UK's best-selling general interest rail title. Every month, The RM provides enthusiasts and professionals with authoritative and informed news coverage of the following: - Network Rail and the train operating companies - Locomotives, multiple units, carriages and wagons - Steam, heritage and the preservation world, inc narrow gauge- Metro and underground systems - In addition, the magazine carries frequent items of overseas interest.

The Railway Magazine is also renowned for its wide-ranging and innovative feature coverage, encompassing up-to-the-minute developments as well as historical, nostalgic and foreign subjects. The magazine is also renowned for its award-winning photographic content.

The Railway Magazine

Welcome to issue 1500!

West Midlands Trains nationalised • WMT is the latest former franchise to be taken back under public control.

Northumberland Park opening restores heavy rail link to North Tyneside • The new single-platform station, the fifth to open as part of the £336.4 million Northumberland Line project, provides an interchange with the Tyne & Wear Metro system.

‘Tugs’ for sale as GB Railfreight prepares to introduce Class 99s • The operator’s planned motive power reshuffle will also mean lighter duties for its fleet of Class 69s.

More intensive use planned for GWR’s battery-powered ‘230’ • The three-car unit, which has been operating Saturday services on the Greenford branch since the end of January, will eventually be used on six days per week to gather further information about its performance.

New look for XC ‘Voyagers’ • Alstom will refurbish all 70 CrossCountry Class 220 and 221 DMU sets.

HS2 is Euston-bound as work on tunnel to the terminus begins • Expected to be completed by late June 2027, it is the final stage of deep bore tunnelling on the high-speed route.

Railways in Parliament

Locomotive No. 1500 • Continuing a tradition going back to 1951, Philip Atkins marks our latest ‘century’ issue with a survey of locomotives that have carried the number 1500.

Fifteen hundreds at WORK • John Heaton FCILT looks at some of the work put in by steam, diesel and electric No. 1500s.

1500 Volts • A first attempt at standardising electrification settled on 1500V DC supply, but widespread use was thwarted by the Second World War, after which 25kV AC took over.

Our ‘Century issues’ • Reflecting almost 130 years of railway history, our 1500 issues have covered much since the very first one in July 1897, writes Paul Bickerdyke.

Artificial unintelligence

MEETINGS

From the archive • Subscribe and read previous issues at www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/archive

The RCTS: Then and now • Britain’s leading Railway Society

PANORAMA • A showcase for the best in railway photography

Ex-GWR ‘Manor’ and ‘Dukedog’ locos to swap museum places • An exchange of Cambrian displays has been agreed between the Severn Valley and Vale of Rheidol railways.

West Somerset to recreate opening train from 1976 • The same loco will be used on the same day but 50 years apart.

Flying Scotsman to visit GCR(N) • The world’s most famous steam locomotive is heading for Ruddington for passenger work in May.

STEAM PORTFOLIO

Restoration of Slough Estates No. 3 enters the home straight • The 0-6-0ST is expected to return to service on the Middleton Railway later this year.

NWPG turns attention to refurbishment of Lydney-based TEA bogie tank wagon • Several thousand pounds is expected to be needed to complete work on No. 87867, the only surviving example of the type to be built with FBT6 bogies.

Final ‘Collection X’ locomotive is relocated to the Vale of...