Railways Illustrated

The best coverage of today's railway scene. Each issue of Railways Illustrated offers a comprehensive round-up of the latest news and topical events from the UK across the present-day railway, including heritage traction in operation on the main lines. Railways Illustrated reflects the energy and vitality of the present-day railway scene.

Welcome

Railways Illustrated

NYMR to prop up bridge to allow 2026 running

XCT reveals its first refreshed Voyager DEMU

D9015 to move to GCR, but April gala workings ‘not certain’

Five more 66s identified for Romania

IN BRIEF

Freightliner sale sees fleet split across two businesses

Siemens offers new BEMU Desiro Verves as viable DMU replacements

Oban will welcome first Class 45 and 50s… on consecutive days!

GB Railfreight offers Class 08s, 47s, 59 and 60s for sale

LNER reveals interiors of new Class 897 Serenza units

LSL’s Fearless returns to traffic ‘just in time’

Last full HST leaves Laira

Latest overhauled DC Rail Class 60 returns to traffic

EPR’s HVO Class 37 back in action

Beacon Rail acquires fellow ROSCO Eversholt Rail’s fleet

GBRf makes Melton test track super shunter swap

Ex-freight trial Class 769s head to store

SETG preserves Class 455 EMU for main line use

The rumour mill

And the news you probably haven’t heard yet…

Coaching Stock News

Shunter News

Unit News

Unit Focus

Liveries

Wagon News

Names

‘Lady’ in waiting! D1048 benefits from a set of ‘borrowed batteries’

IN BRIEF

D1013 edges closer to a return to use

‘Condor’ Co-Bo stars in East Lancs photoshoot

67-mile Paignton Class 37 charter announced

ED moves to Dean Forest Railway

New brakes for PWVR DMU

Tributes paid to preservationist Les Emery

Wensleydale 37 and 47 are first confirmed WSR guests

Hymek D7017 to star in 2026 WSR anniversaries

The Digital Deltic • LSL’s Deltic D9000 is the first heritage diesel loco to be fitted with European Train Control System to allow it to run on lines with digital signalling. Pip Dunn went to Crewe to see what’s been done to make the loco fit to run for decades to come on the new digitally signalled railway.

The execution chamber • CF Booth has gone into administration, so ending more than 50 years in the business of scrapping ex-BR diesel and electric locos. With nearly 600 meeting their doom in the Rotherham yard, Pip Dunn looks at what was broken up there, and when.

All the right moves… • If chasing locos for haulage was your thing in the 1980s, you needed the Loco Hauled Travel book. These useful little booklets helped many a haulage ‘basher’ back in the day, writes Pip Dunn.

PICTORIAL

What’s happening to… • Ourmonthly round up of restoration projects around the country, compiled by Pip Dunn

LIVING LIFE IN THE PAST LANE • Travelling to places far from your home to see locos that rarely, if ever, visited your local patch was always enjoyable to those spotting in the 1970s and 1980s.

Landcruise Class 50 action from UK Railtours

When ‘hot’ 37s ruled the Highlands • From late 1985 to early 1989, Class 37/4s were the staple power on the most popular scenic lines in Scotland – on the West Highland from Glasgow to Oban and Mallaig, and north of Inverness to Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh. David Staines presents a selection of these popular locos at work in 1986-88. Captions by Pip Dunn.

10 PICTURES • In each issue of Railways Illustrated, we ask a photographer to select their 10 favourite railrelated images and tell us the reasons why they believe these photos stand out from the crowd.

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