This day in history 29 April
Images
Possil: The Stephenson Locomotive Society Special Tour. At Possil. 2.6.4T 42207 (Driver Mullen) and four corridors.
Parkhead [NB]: Fairburn tank 42207 at Parkhead (NB) on 29 April 1950 with the SLS (Scottish Area) Glasgow rail tour. This local Saturday afternoon tour, which started at Central and finished at St Enoch, included shed visits to Balornock and Parkhead. The station was renamed Parkhead North in 1952 and closed in 1958.
Balornock Shed: The shed yard at Balornock St Rollox on Saturday 29 April 1950, with Hurlford based class 2P 4-4-0 40612 recently arrived following a visit to the paint shop.
Eastfield Shed: General view of the north end of Eastfield shed on 29 April 1950 with a smokescreen hanging over the busy yard. Photograph taken from the window of a passing train on the Balornock Junction to Possil line.
Muirend: A DMU for Uplawmoor approaching Muirend on 29 April 1960.
Muirend: A train from Glasgow Central destined for Patterton about to enter Muirend station on 29 April 1960. The locomotive is Polmadie's Fairburn 2-6-4T 42055. Note the tidy coal yard and broom!
Muirend: Looking north through Muirend station in April 1960. A location much 'rationalised' over the years, although the main station building thankfully survives. See image [[14923]]
Craigendoran Pier: Seen from a departing vessel, 'Caledonia' and 'Maid of Argyll' at Craigendoran Pier in the spring of 1962.
Selkirk Junction: An unidentified Type 2 with an up stopping train passing through Langlee in April 1963 shortly after restarting from Galashiels. The train is about to pass below Winston Road bridge shortly before crossing the River Tweed. (See [[72670]])
Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: BR Standard class 9F 2-10-0 no 92017 photographed on 29 April 1967 in the shed yard at Kingmoor.
Carlisle Upperby Shed: Upperby shed yard in April 1967 with 70021 Morning Star nearest the camera and 70015 Apollo beyond.
Carlisle Upperby Shed: Ivatt 2MT 2-6-0 no 46522 photographed on Upperby shed in April 1967, a month before official withdrawal.
Long Preston: Black 5s 45407+44932 heading south east at Long Preston on Saturday 29 April 1978 with a Steam Locomotive Operators Association railtour from Carnforth to York. [Ref query 5387]
Hellifield: Black 5s 45407 and 44932 with an SLOA special from Carnforth to York on 29 April 1978, photographed between Hellifield and Bell Busk. [Ref query 7899]
Long Preston: A light mist hangs over the moors at Long Preston on 29 April 1978 as Black 5s 45407+44932 pass on their way to York with a Steam Locomotive Operators Association railtour from Carnforth.
Newlay Cutting: LNER Society Railtours The South Yorkshireman tour of 29th April 1978 forges through Newlay cutting on the west side of Leeds. The special, which originated at London Euston, was powered by Black 5s 45407 and 44932 between York and Carnforth. The magnificent brick arch with squared stone spandrels and wingwalls clears the formerly four-track Midland main line in one leap but carries no more than the access track into the former Rodley sewage works (now a nature reserve).
Long Preston: Black 5s 45407+44932 photographed near Long Preston on 29 April 1978 with an SLOA special en route from Carnforth to York.
Ealing Broadway: 47188 accelerates west through Ealing Broadway platform 3 in 1981 after bringing a trainload of containers off the North London Line at Acton Wells Junction. A Central Line train is awaiting its departure time at the LU platforms in the background.
Bowling Junction: EE Type 4 no 40121 with a weedkiller train, photographed approaching Bowling Junction in April 1981. The train is about to come off the Bradford avoiding line and join the main line south towards Halifax.
Ealing Broadway: Cardiff based Brush Type 4 no 47241 about to run through Ealing Broadway with a westbound freight in April 1981. A Central Line train is standing at platform 5, while a District Line service can just be seen approaching the station in the left background.
Ealing Broadway: Pigeon dispersal at Ealing Broadway. A Brush Type 4 opens up with a westbound freight through platform 3 at Ealing Broadway station in April 1981. The train has recently joined the ex-GW main line after descending the bank from the North London Line at Acton Wells Junction in the distance. Meantime a sister locomotive is about to run through platform 1 on the down fast line at the head of a Paddington - Bristol express.
Boat o' Brig Viaduct: 26036 crossing the viaduct over the River Spey at Orton in April 1982, taking a train east towards Aberdeen.
Carnforth: Preserved Stanier Black 5 no 44767 (fitted with Stephenson valve gear) stands at Carnforth on 29 April 1984.
Aviemore: A quiet lunchtime looking north along the outer face of the island platform at Aviemore in April 1986. Beyond a pair of brake vans was a train of bolster wagons, some with recovered track panels.
Aviemore: Class 27 on a southbound parcels train at Aviemore in April 1986.
Aviemore: 37264 shunts ballast wagons at Aviemore in April 1986.
Lochwinnoch [2nd]: Lochwinnoch on the Kilbarchan Loop looking north. This was taken on the 29th of April 1987 which was before the route became a footpath but just days after the bridges over Church Street (south end of the station) had been demolished. The ramp seen here was the north end of the station access ramp, already blocked at this date. This ramp is now buried under a housing estate. See image [[33255]].
Mendip Vale: GWR 0-6-2T 5637 at Mendip Vale on the East Somerset Railway on 29th April 2001.
Cardross: A 37 hauling the sleeper to Fort William approaching Cardross.
Port Glasgow: Part of the westbound platform at Port Glasgow on the morning of 29 April 2007. Beyond the canopy is part of the filled in bay platform once used by Wemyss Bay services.
Bishopton: The north end of Bishopton station in April 2007, with a train leaving for Gourock. The overgrown line running off to the left accessed the former Royal Ordnance Factory. The 2,500 acre location, which employed 20,000 workers at its peak, had its own fleet of diesel locomotives operating over 20 miles of private track. Part of the huge abandoned site is currently earmarked for housing and other developments.
Bishopton: View from the footbridge towards Glasgow in April 2007. A train for Wemyss Bay has recently arrived at platform 2.
Oich Viaduct: Close-up of one of the viaduct columns over the River Oich. No wonder there was no money left for rolling stock.
Port Glasgow: Early morning sunshine on Port Glasgow. View west over the station on Sunday 29 April 2007. The main station entrance from Princes Street can just be seen centre right.
Oich Viaduct: The support columns of the viaduct that carried the railway over the River Oich to the pier on Loch Ness.
Fort Augustus: This bridge once carried the line from Fort Augustus Station to the pier. Nothing remains of the swing bridge accross the canal and the station site has been totally obliterated by a school.
Aberchalder: Aberchalder Station site. The trackbed is partialy filled in and an attractive timber house now occupies the platform.
James Watt Dock: Looking east along the A8 in Greenock towards Glasgow in April 2007, showing the lengthy Caledonian Railway bridge that carried the line over the road and into James Watt Dock on the left. See image [[15506]]
Gleneagles: Twin towers carrying Gleneagles footbridge.. The left bridge has been abandoned for some time.
Gleneagles: View across platforms showing both access stairways.
Port Glasgow: Someone else who appears to have had a heavy Saturday night! Early Sunday morning scene on the westbound platform at Port Glasgow, as a precariously perched young lady nods off awaiting the first Stage west out of Dodge - in this case the 07.52 Sunday service to Gourock.
Langbank: Sunday morning 29 April 2007 at Langbank station. Main entrance, looking south from the B789.
Port Glasgow: Entrance to Port Glasgow station from the junction of Princes Street and Station Road in April 2007. The ramp up to the eastbound platform and footbridge is to the right at the top of the steps. See image [[54919]]
Bogston: Looking east from the bridge over Bogston station in April 2007, with Wemyss Bay Junction in the far left background. The Gourock and Wemyss Bay lines approach from the junction with the former running through the platforms below and the latter climbing the embankment alongside to cross a bridge over the station entrance see image [[61577]] .
Wemyss Bay Junction: A westbound train forming a Glasgow Central - Wemyss Bay service passing the houses of Lilybank Road shortly after leaving Port Glasgow station on 29 April 2007. The train is about to run through Wemyss Bay Junction.
Gourock: Scene at the buffer stops, Gourock platform 2, Sunday 29 April 2007. The train is stabled over the weekend.
Gourock: A very quiet Sunday morning at Gourock station on 29 April 2007. View is west along the platform back towards the station concourse.
Gourock: Work on the £20m bus/rail/ferry interchange at Gourock is scheduled to commence later this year. View northeast on 29 April showing the temporary entrance and ticket office.
Bishopton: A Glasgow bound service arriving at Bishopton on 29 April 2007.
Bishopton: Station building on the eastbound platform at Bishopton. April 2007.
Port Glasgow: Looking west along the platform at Port Glasgow station on 29 April 2007.
Geilston Level Crossing: Geilston level crossing just west of Cardross on 29 April. The crossing - keepers cottage once stood on the right but has now been demolished.
Port Glasgow: A station with lots of character (and characters). View east along the platforms at Port Glasgow. April 2007.
Port Glasgow: Looking west over Port Glasgow station on 29 April 2007 from the short-cut to Springhill Road. The main station entrance is located on Princes Street, lower right and gives access to a ramp leading up to platform level. See image [[14815]]
Cardross: Looking across to the north shore of the Clyde on 29 April as a Helensburgh train pulls into Cardross.
Gourock: Exit from platform 1 at Gourock station early on Sunday 29 April 2007.
Gourock: Looking back towards the concourse at a pre-refurbishment Gourock station on Sunday morning 29 April 2007, with empty stock stabled in platforms 1 and 2.
Bishopton: The stately old booking office alongside the eastbound platform at Bishopton in April 2007, seen from the car park.
Wemyss Bay Junction: A Sunday morning service from Glasgow Central in April 2007 takes the left fork for Wemyss Bay, at the junction bearing the same name, just to the west of Port Glasgow. The train has another 10 miles or so to run to reach its ultimate destination.
Bogston: View west towards Gourock from the top of the stairway linking the westbound platform and the overbridge at Bogston in April 2007. The A8 runs parallel with the line at a lower level beyond the trees on the right, with a bus stop located alongside a walkway leading up to the station.
James Watt Dock: The bridge that carried the Caledonian route from Ladyburn Junction across the A8 at Greenock and into James Watt Dock. View west on 29 April 2007.
Greenock Containerbase Sidings: The bridge over the A770 in Greenock which formerly carried the route into Princes Pier station, off to the right. View is west towards Gourock in April 2007.
Bogston: Scene at Bogston station in April 2007 looking towards the south entrance from Shankland Road. The bridge and embankment running across the picture carry the single line of the Wemyss Bay branch, while the overbridge from which the photograph is taken spans the station platforms, located on the Gourock branch see image [[15207]]. The vacant area on the right accomodated a booking office at one time (the station opened in 1841). There are no parking facilities here, but a bus stop is provided alongside the A8, which runs past the northern entrance to the station at a lower level behind the camera.
Port Glasgow: Exit from the Glasgow bound platform 1 at Port Glasgow station in April 2007. View is down the ramp towards Princes Street. The footbridge to the westbound platform is on the right. See image [[14815]]
Croy: A train bound for Glasgow Queen Street formed by 170 426 calls at Croy on 29 April.
Princes Street [Tram]: Tram rails (re)appear in Princes Street... view west on 29 April 2009 showing fragments of old tram rails recovered during the excavations.
Shieldmuir: A 6-car 334 set pulls into Shieldmuir with the hourly Lanark direct service on 29 April. A new housing development is now underway on land off to the left once occupied by part of the former steelworks.
Howwood: 334 011 makes the hourly stop at Howwood on the Ardrossan Town to Glasgow service on 29 April and picks up the passenger.
Woodhall: 334 017 pulls into Woodhall with a Gourock to Glasgow stopper on 29 April 2009.
Croy: A Glasgow - Alloa service, formed by 170 474, calls at Croy on 29 April 2009.
Wishaw: Scene at Wishaw on 29 April, as 318 255 calls with a Lanark to Dalmuir direct service.
St Enoch [Subway]: The original St Enoch Subway building on 29th April 2009. The building is now in use as a Cafe Nero after SPT vacated the building and moved the travel centre into the current St Enoch subway station. The St Enoch Centre that replaced the main line station is in the process of expansion, and is currently creeping out into St Enoch Square
Woodhall: Glasgow Road entrance to Woodhall station on 29 April. Short on well-kept flower beds, no comfy waiting room, but at least there is a ticket office.
Haymarket: A Waverley-bound empty stock movement photographed running east through platform 3 at Haymarket station on 29 April 2009.
Shipton: HST power car 43022 leads the 17.05 First Great Western service to London Paddington into Shipton Station on the Cotswold line. The HST stop board is some 130m distance beyond the station to leave only the rear two coaches accessible by the platform. See image [[28829]].
Princes Street [Tram]: Edinburgh tram on display at The Mound tram stop on Princes Street on 29 April 2010.
Shipton: The rear two coaches only of the 17.05 HST service for London at the platform at Shipton Station on 29 April. The HST stop board is some 130m distance beyond the station to leave only the rear two coaches accessible by the platform.
Haymarket: View over Haymarket station on 29 April 2010 from a table on the balcony at the local Starbucks. The Virgin Trains 0820 Birmingham New Street - Edinburgh Waverley is making its penultimate stop.
Princes Street [Tram]: The Mound tram stop on Princes Street, with a service for Edinburgh Airport having recently arrived... by crane. The latest Edinburgh tram exhibit on display on 29 April 2010, although this one is the genuine article as opposed to the previous mock-up see image [[5137]].
Princes Street [Tram]: 'There goes the competition!' The current favoured method of reaching Edinburgh airport by public transport from the city centre passes a would-be future method on Princes Street on 29 April 2010.
Haymarket: View west from Haymarket on 29 April 2010, showing construction work on the deck over the north side of the car park that will carry part of the tram interchange. Off to the right is Haymarket Terrace while over on the left are the station platforms, where the East Coast 0952 Aberdeen - Kings Cross HST has just arrived. See image [[28745]]
Haymarket [Tram]: The new tram deck under construction above the car park at Haymarket, seen looking east towards the station building on 29 April 2010. See image [[28739]]
Haymarket: A mid-morning Edinburgh Waverley - Dunblane service makes its first scheduled stop as it draws to a halt at Haymarket's platform 4 on 29 April 2010. The 158 is in a transitional Alphaline/ScotRail livery.
Princes Street [Tram]: Cab interior of one of the new Edinburgh trams - photographed during a static exhibition on Princes Street on 29 April 2010.
Princes Street [Tram]: Internal layout of Edinburgh tram on static display on Princes Street on 29 April 2010.
North Berwick: Driver's cab of unit 322484 at North Berwick in April 2010.
Haymarket [Tram]: Getting there! View over Haymarket Terrace towards the station during construction work on the new interchange on 29 April 2010.
Edinburgh Waverley: Sea of glass. View from the North Bridge, showing approximately one third of the roof area of Waverley station. The roof is to have more than 24,000 (twenty four thousand) clear glass panels installed over the next 3 years '...flooding the station with natural light and totally improving the environment for passengers'. [See recent NR news item]. Photographed looking east on 29 April 2010.
Princes Street [Tram]: 'This tram doesn't seem to be going anywhere Gladys'.... 'You can say that again Euphemia.' The static demo version of an Edinburgh tram on Princes Street on 29 April 2010.
Baggeridge: Where there were once serious standard gauge railways overground and narrow gauge underground see image [[33950]], the sole survivor in 2011 is a miniature railway. Good for family visits...
Loch Leven: Loch Leven station closed a lifetime ago but the simple brick platform buildings are still there on both sides along with the station house. In addition, there's this other little building, which was on the northbound platform. It is well maintained and in use as business premises in April 2011.
Leyland: 180108 arrives at Leyland with a service to Manchester from Blackpool on 29 April 2011.
Buckshaw Parkway: A Northern DMU service heads east towards Chorley on 29 April 2011, passing the site of the new Buckshaw Parkway station. Due to be completed in early October, the new station will be adjacent to the site of the former Chorley Halt see image [[20909]]. Work started here early in 2011 and has progressed from the north side of the line (left) where the station building and car park will be located, to the south side, where an access road has been constructed and fencing erected.
Leyland: 156487 arrives at Leyland platform 1 on 29 April 2011 with a Liverpool Lime Street - Blackpool North service.
Sanquhar: Part of the restored and refurbished Sanquhar station in 2011 see image [[7002]].
Euxton: An Anglo-Scottish Intermodal service heads north through Euxton on 29 April 2011 with DRS 66418 in charge.
Newton-on-Ayr: 380 109 runs non-stop through Newton-on-Ayr station on 29 April with the 10.00 Glasgow Central - Ayr service.
Baggeridge: Having found some very short single standard gauge rails see image [[30642]] and some corresponding double track see image [[30679]], I now present some very short narrow gauge rails, complete with colliery dram (number 82, apparently). Baggeridge colliery in the West Midlands was once one of the largest in the world. The area is now a Country Park. This nano-railway is a monument to the mine and those who worked there.
Loch Leven: The back of the Down buildings (left) and the modest station house at Loch Leven, which opened as Kinross and closed as long ago as 1924. See image [[17439]] for a view looking the other way over 100 years earlier.
Euxton: The new 11 car 'Extendolino' 390054 heads south at Euxton on 29 April 2011 with the 5T35 service to Edge Hill following a test run between Carnforth and Carlisle earlier in the day.
Newton-on-Ayr: 334 033 forming the 10.46 Ayr - Glasgow Central on 29 April running non-stop through Newton-on-Ayr.
Euxton Balshaw Lane: The 4M83 Coatbridge - Crewe Freightliner container train photographed heading south at Euxton on 29 April 2011 behind 86604+90043.
Leyland: The Carlisle - Chirk log train starts to pick up speed as it approaches Leyland after joining the WCML at Farington Junction on 29 April 2011. View north under the road bridge from the down slow platform at Leyland. Colas Rail no 66845 is in charge of the 21 loaded bogie wagons.
Grenoble: An Alstom Citadis tram on Grenoble's Line C route passes the 1968 Hotel de Ville (like the railway station, a 'legacy' building from the 1968 Winter Olympics) on Boulevard Jean Pain on a fine Sunday afternoon in April 2012.
Kemble: A very wet Sunday 29 April sees 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe passing at speed though Kemble station bound for Swindon then on to Paddington.
Glenrothes with Thornton: 158732 about to depart Glenrothes with Thornton on the 14.21 service to Newcraighall on 29 April.
Thornton West Junction: WCRC 47804 draws The Royal Scotsman 'Classic' Tour past Thornton West on 29 April, bound for Keith.
Markinch Viaduct: A Saltire-liveried 170 heads south over Markinch viaduct. View east on 29 April.
Bristol Harbour: Scene on the Bristol Harbour Railway on 29 April 2013 with Peckett 0-6-0ST Henbury (no 1940 from 1937) hauling a trip from the Bristol Industrial Museum (Mshed).
Inverkeithing East Junction: VSOE Northern Belle from Glasgow Central to Dundee led by 47501 and backed up by 47790 nears Inverkeithing East Junction on 28 April.
Avon Riverside: WPR No 15 is Barclay built J94 no 2183 from 1945. (I first saw this locomotive at Muir's Yard, Thornton, in 1983). No 15 has been restored to working order on the Avon Valley Railway and is seen here at Avon Riverside on 29 April 2013. For now its depot will be at Bitton. See image [[19178]]
Bristol Harbour: Peckett 0-6-0ST no 1940 from 1937, seen here on 29 April working from the Bristol Industrial Museum.
Preston (Ribble Branch): Beginning the 1:29 descent to Preston Docks is 66013 with fourteen loaded bitumen tanks from Lindsey Refinery. Most of the train is still on the level at this point as can be seen to the right but the loco is dropping steeply through the brick lined cutting towards Fishergate tunnel. The south end of Preston station can be seen in the background See image [[34939]].
Avon Riverside: Ex-Wemyss Private Railway 0-6-0T no 15 at Avon Riverside on 29 April 2013. See image [[42888]]
Bristol Harbour: Peckett 0-6-0ST Henbury (no 1940 from 1937) seen here on the Bristol Harbour Railway on 29 April 2013. The trip was running from the Bristol Industrial Museum (now known as the M-Shed) to Brunel's ship Great Britain.
Dinwoodie: Although working hard, there is only a light exhaust from the double blastpipe on 46115 'Scots Guardsman' as it heads north at Dinwoodie towards Beattock on 29th April 2014. This train was part of the GB VII round Britain tour however in 2020 the GB tour, scheduled for April, has been postponed due to Covid-19.
Lockerbie: A northbound Voyager passes a pair of Black 5s in the Down loop at Lockerbie on 29 April 2014. The Black 5s were 44871 and 45407 (hidden by the Voyager) which were taking water on a positioning move northwards for a later leg of the GB VII tour.
Dalston: Royal Scot 46115 Scots Guardsman brings the Great Britain VII tour north through Dalston, Cumbria, on Day 4 of the round Britain trip. The special is heading for Carlisle, then on to Edinburgh.
West Street [SYPTE]: Supertram no 122 runs along West Street, Sheffield, on 29 April 2014.
Dalston: A Barrow to Carlisle service pulls away from the platform at Dalston in the early afternoon of 29 April 2014. Part of the large Nestle factory stands in the background beyond the road bridge.
Lockerbie: Following behind the GB VII tour on 29 April 2014 were Black 5s 44871 and 45407, moving north from Grosmont on the NYMR to Edinburgh in readiness for Day 5 and the run from Edinburgh to Stranraer. The locos are being refreshed in the down passenger loop at Lockerbie from some fire hoses.
Burnton Viaduct: Built as part of the Ayr and Dalmellington Railway, this viaduct now only carries the railway from Dalrymple Junction to Chalmerston Opencast Mine for coal trains. The line is still open but has not seen traffic for some time.
Nuneaton South Junction: This is the point where the sand train which uses the North Chord see image [[42951]] crosses from the line East from Leicester to the West facing line, so that it can run wrong line through platform 7 at Nuneaton. 66077 is the locomotive on 29 April.
Crawford Viaduct: Crossing Crawford Viaduct on 29 April 2014, almost two hours behind the Great Britain VII, Black Fives 44871 and 45407 head north with the support coaches in readiness for the trip to Stranraer the following day.
Dinwoodie: Scots Guardsman gets to grips with the GB VII railtour as it pulls away from the water stop at Lockerbie on 29 April 2014. The photograph was taken between Nethercleugh and Dinwoodie
Crawford Viaduct: Rebuilt Royal Scot No.46115 Scots Guardsman crossing the viaduct at Crawford on its way to Edinburgh with the Great Britain VII on 29 April 2014. The ruins of Crawford Castle stand beyond the trees in the background.
Edinburgh Waverley: A display on railways during World War 1 on the concourse at Edinburgh Waverley on 29 April 2015.
Dumfries: Trompe d'oeil paintings decorating one of the platform buildings at Dumfries Station on 29 April 2015.
Ivybridge: 66122 pilots 70000 'Britannia' on the 'Great Britain VIII' railtour near Ivybridge on 29 April 2015.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: A view of progress through the window at the Queen Street Works Viewing Area.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: Works at the Glasgow Queen Street platforms seen through the viewing area window.
Dalston: A pleasant sight in Dalston, Cumbria 45699 Galatea steaming through on route to Edinburgh from Grange over Sands on 29/04/2016.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: The 'orange army' busy on the north end of platforms 1 and 2 on 29th April 2016. Progress on realigning the platforms has been rapid, with track components and ballast delivered by rail and other buiding materials craned down from Cathedral Street Bridge.
Oxford Parkway: The station at Oxford Parkway is brand new and busy, but the lack of glazing on the footbridge gives an all-too-familiar abandoned look. The large car park (behind the photographer) has over 850 spaces. [Ref query 3705]
Cardross: 66746, on the rear of a northbound train to Spean Bridge, in Belmond Royal Scotsman livery.
Morpeth: An Edinburgh bound Virgin East Coast service passes Morpeth with 91122 in charge on 29 April 2017.
Morpeth [B and T]: View east along Coopies Lane, Morpeth, on 29 April 2017, with the ECML station off picture to the left. The building in the centre with the white canopy is a former goods shed, while on the right is part of the old Blyth and Tyne Railway terminus (now a residential property). The level crossing in the background is the link from Morpeth Junction leading to the turnback siding, the Network Rail Engineers Depot and the Blyth and Tyne lines. See image [[47436]]
East Linton [1st]: A southbound ECML service from Edinburgh approaches the former East Linton station on 29 April 2017 with Mk 4 DVT 82214 leading. 91108 was providing the traction at the back.
Morpeth [B and T]: A Northern Class 156 has just departed from Morpeth station (out of view to the right) and is heading for the turnback siding alongside the line to Bedlington Junction. The roof of the former Blyth and Tyne terminus on Coopies Lane is visible above the cab. See image [[47436]] [Ref query 1006]
Markle Level Crossing: 158711 crosses the not so level level crossing at Markle on 29 April 2017 with a Dunbar to Waverley service.
Markle Level Crossing: 91014 propels a VTEC service south at Markle level crossing on the ECML between Drem and Dunbar.
Morpeth: Arriva XC Voyager 221127 slows for the call at Morpeth with a southbound service on 29 April 2017.
Morpeth: A northbound HST rounds the notorious Morpeth Curve see image [[33304]] on 29 April 2017 on the southern approach to Morpeth station.
Elgin East: Underneath the fine glazed canopies at Elgin East station in April 2018.
Elgin East: Some of the very fine architectural features at the surviving Elgin East station building, including a very ornate chimney! 29th April 2018.
Millerhill EGIP Depot: ScotRail 380005 held at signals waiting to exit Millerhill depot on 29 April 2018. The train will run ecs to Waverley platform 3 where it will form the 0933 service to North Berwick.
King's Gate Junction: The Sunday morning 0911 ex-Waverley about to cross the Dead Burn on 29 April 2018 during its journey south to Tweedbank. The train is approaching Kings Gate points and the start of the single line section to Fushiebridge.
Elgin East: The container crane at Elgin (East) was felled on the afternoon of 29th April 2018. It had not worked for some time. See image [[26350]] for happier times.
Elgin East: A surviving set of weigh scales spotted whilst exploring the old Elgin East station, closed to passenger trains fifty years earler. 29th April 2018.
Elgin Centre Signal Box: An overview of the former Elgin East and the line east to Aberdeen. The container crane at Elgin was felled on the afternoon of the 29th April 2018, but had not worked for some time.
Stirling South Signal Box: Clearing up the abutment debris following demolition of the old bridge on the 29th of April.
Grange-over-Sands: A Barrow to Lancaster service runs between Grange-over-Sands and Arnside on 29th April 2018. In the foreground is the River Winster and behind the embankment is the River Kent Estuary. [Ref query 3 May 2018]
Leyland: 88007 on the Up Fast at Leyland on 29 April 2018 with the Mossend to Daventry 'Tescoliner' service.
Sheriffhall [2nd]: A northbound train on the Borders line midway between Eskbank and Shawfair on 29 April 2018, with more than a hint of spring in the air. The train will run onto the double track section at King's Gate points on the other side of the bridge.
Millerhill EGIP Depot: ScotRail 380005 leaving Millerhill EMU depot and joining the main line on 29 April 2018 on its way to Waverley.
Elgin East: The felled container crane at Elgin East, viewed from the former station.
Newcraighall North Junction: Empty stock on its way from Millerhill depot to Waverley about to pass through Newcraighall station on 29 April 2018. Unit 380005 will form the 0933 Sunday service to North Berwick.
Elgin East: Elgin East station, photographed on a fine sunny day in April 2018, fifty years after closure to passenger services.
Leyland: The end of day 3 of The Railway Touring Company GBXII tour is seen at speed passing Leyland heading to the final stop of the day in Preston. LMS Stanier Pacific no. 6233 'Duchess of Sutherland' catches the evening sun and will be looking forward to a rest after hauling most of the first three days of the tour. Day 4 of the tour will see double headed steam from Preston to Edinburgh.
Worcestershire Parkway: After some 20 years in planning, this new Parkway station is at last being built. View South-West from the Pershore road on 29th April 2019.
Hackney Downs: The entrance at Hackney Downs station to the walkway that connects with Hackney Central on 17th February 2016. A previous walkway connecting Hackney Downs with the ex-NLRs Hackney station was abandoned when the latter closed in 1944 along with the Broad Street to Poplar service after heavy war damage. The new walkway was opened in 2015 when both lines became part of London Overground. However, this is not step free and is a bit of a climb up when transferring from Central to Downs and comes out at the extreme south end of the Chingford branch platform at the latter. Passengers for stations to Chingford and Enfield Town then have a lengthy walk to the subway and more stairs before arriving at the right platforms. Similarly, at Central, the walkway opens out on to the west end of the eastbound platform so any passengers for stations to Richmond and Clapham Junction have a long walk and a footbridge.
York Place [Tram]: Tram 275 approaches York Place terminus on 29th April 2021. This is to be superseded by the Picardy Place stop on the Newhaven extension. The stub on the left will be extended to form the double track route.
Picardy Place [Tram]: Looking south towards the St James Centre from Elm Row, Leith Walk, on 29th April 2021 with construction work in progress.
McDonald Road [Tram]: Looking towards Leith, from close to the site of Leith Walk station, through the ongoing construction works on 29 April 2021.
Portobello Freightliner Terminal: Magog? Romulus? Or is it Pollux? Whatever the surviving twin at the old Freightliner depot is called it is not looking in terrific shape when seen close up. Hardly surprising when it hasn't seen action in 36 years. The KEEP CLEAR notice would have applied when the thing could still move. Why wasn't it scrapped, I wonder?
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1890 | Crieff and Comrie Railway | Agreement on operation of the Crieff and Comrie Railway by the Caledonian Railway. |
| 1967 | Nottingham and Melton Line (Midland Railway) | Line closed to passenger expresses. It was latterly used by express trains until the WCML was upgraded. |
| 1972 | Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway | Leith Central Branch (North British Railway) to Edinburgh_>London Road Junction Edinburgh and Lochend South Junction is closed. |
| 1975 | Saigon falls to North Vietnamese Troops | |
| 1984 | Mallaig Extension (West Highland Railway) | Arisaig becomes a block post again. |
News
These are old news items which which occured on this day. This generally lists events after 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | FirstGroup gets the go-ahead for ScotRail bid [Scotsman] | FIRSTGROUP was given the green light to press ahead with its bid for the ScotRail train franchise yesterday, but was warned that it may be hit with a number of regulatory restrictions if it succeeds. |
| 2004 | A Mercy mission [Scotsman] | AN Edinburgh-based charity is co-ordinating a life-saving response to help those injured by the North Korea train disaster. |
| 2005 | Deal hope in city subway dispute [BBC News] | Union chiefs recommend acceptance of a revised pay and conditions offer to striking Glasgow Underground staff. |
| 2005 | Underground strike talks end without agreement [Scotsman] | A SIX-hour meeting between Strathclyde Passenger Transport and unions aimed at finding a solution to the Glasgow underground dispute ended last night without agreement. |
| 2008 | Train operators set out plans to shake-up and simplify ticketing [Transit Newsletter] | The Association of Train Operating Companies has set out a programme to simplify rail ticketing by placing the wide array of current ticket types into three categories with easy-to-understand names |
| 2009 | Commuter call for tourist railway [BBC News] | Proposals are being considered to extend a tourist steam railway line to provide a commuter link between Lancashire and Manchester [From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2011 | Haymarket^s the end of the line as trams cash runs out [Evening News] | EDINBURGH^S embattled tram project looks destined to run only as far as Haymarket. Sources close to the project have told the Evening News that tram bosses are looking at leasing up to 20 trams, leaving them with just seven – only enough to run a regular service between the airport and Haymarket. |
| 2012 | Two taken to hospital after train derails [Telegraph] | Two people have been rushed to hospital after a train was derailed by a landslide thought to have been caused by heavy rainfall. All 17 passengers on board the two-carriage train were evacuated after it came off the tracks near Clarborough Tunnel in West Portal, Retford, in Nottinghamshire, just after noon today. In a statement BTP said: ^The train involved was the 11.25 Lincoln to Adwick Northern Rail passenger service. The front of the train derailed but the train remained upright. [From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2013 | Train derails at low speed at gala event [Leicester Mercury] | A train derailed at low speed during a Great Central Railway gala event over the weekend. The incident happened during a shunting operation at Quorn on Saturday, the second day of the three-day event Swithland Sidings. [With thanks to Richard Buckby] |
| 2014 | MPs reject calls for HS2 rail plans to be halted [BBC News] | MPs have rejected calls for the proposed HS2 rail link between London and the West Midlands to be scrapped, despite a Tory rebellion. MPs threw out a proposal by ex-minister Cheryl Gillan for the plan to be halted by 451 votes to 50, a majority of 401. Transport Minister Robert Goodwill said it was an "important step" in taking the controversial project forward. |
| 2014 | Tube strike: Commuters suffer ^severe disruption^ [BBC News] | Commuters travelling in London are experiencing "severe disruption" as Tube workers strike. Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union have walked out for 48 hours over plans to close all ticket offices at a cost of 960 jobs. Transport for London said 50% of services were running compared to about 40% during the last walkout. The strike is due to end at 20:59 BST on Wednesday but disruption may continue into Thursday morning. |
| 2014 | Borders Railway cuts ‘could hold back development’ [Scotsman] | NETWORK Rail warned Transport Scotland that cuts to the Borders Railway project could hold back its future development, The Scotsman has learned. The news comes as campaigners today criticised the Scottish Government agency for failing to “future proof” the mainly single-track line by building new road bridges which will hamper the later addition of a second track for more trains. |
| 2015 | Play marks centenary of Quintinshill rail disaster [Scotsman] | A NEW play inspired by Britain’s worst rail disaster is to be staged in the same drill hall in Edinburgh where most of its victims were based. The 100th anniversary of the tragedy at Quintinshill, near Gretna, claimed more than 200 men from the seventh battalion of the Royal Scots. |
| 2015 | Denmark approves Fehmarn Belt fixed link construction [IRJ] | THE Danish parliament approved the Construction Act for the Danish section of the Fehmarn Belt fixed link on April 28, authorising the construction of the tunnel to Germany and rebuilding of the connecting line from Ringsted to Rødbyhavn. The fixed link will comprise an 18km immersed tube tunnel linking Rødbyhavn on the Danish island of Lolland with Puttgarden on the German island of Fehmarn. The existing line from Ringsted to Rødbyhavn will be electrified and upgraded for 200km/h operation with the construction of a second track to provide capacity for higher levels of traffic. The new connection will reduce the distance by rail between Hamburg and Copenhagen by 160km and cut journey times to around two-and-a-half hours. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2017 | GWR test trains head to the UK [BBC News] | Test trains for the new fleet of Intercity Express Trains on the Great Western Railway (GWR) in the South West have left Japan, heading for the UK. The new train is for use on the line linking Paddington to Exeter and Cornwall via Reading and Newbury. It is part of what GWR describes as the ^biggest fleet upgrade in a generation^, aimed at reducing journey times and increasing capacity. The Class 802 fleet is due to enter passenger service next summer. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2017 | From the railways: Striking images of Scotland this week [STV] | From opportune moments shot on smartphones to breathtaking landscapes captured in high definition, each week we share a selection of interesting pictures taken by people on their travels around Scotland. |
| 2019 | Radical blueprint calls for Glasgow metro [BBC News] | Glasgow needs a city-wide metro system to reconnect left-behind areas and boost the economy, according to a radical new blueprint. The Glasgow Connectivity Commission wants about £10bn to be spent over the next 20 years on a range of measures to upgrade the city^s transport capacity. It said the first new link should be to Glasgow Airport via Renfrew, Braehead and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Other tram or light rail lines should then be spread out across the city. |
| 2019 | New £150m Caledonian Sleeper train arrives three hours late [BBC News] | Passengers on the first of the new Caledonian Sleeper trains from Scotland to London arrived three hours late after signalling problems on the line. The northbound service to Glasgow and Edinburgh was also delayed after being hit by what operators Serco called ^teething problems^. The signalling issue happened at Carstairs and led to the train not making it to London until 10:30. Serco has apologised to customers and offered them a full refund. |
| 2020 | Captain Tom: Train named in honour of NHS fundraiser [BBC News] | A train has been named after Captain Tom Moore in honour of his fundraising achievements during the Covid-19 crisis. The war veteran has raised £29m for the NHS by walking 100 laps around his garden. The Great Western Railway (GWR) intercity express train 800025 will go into service carrying its new name on Thursday, Captain Tom^s 100th birthday. GWR said the high-speed train would carry key workers to and from work. |
| 2020 | Overnight repairs planned for Aberdeen train station [Evening Express] | Overnight repairs to the platform at Aberdeen train station will take place next month. |
| 2020 | ScotRail staff banned from using whistles to stop coronavirus spread [Scotsman] | Train whistles have become the latest victim of Covid-19 with staff banned from using them, in an effort to help reduce spread of the virus. |
| 2020 | CalMac warning after turning back dozens of passengers [Scotsman] | The west coast ferry operator said the number of people needlessly trying to travel is creeping up. |
| 2020 | Edwardian railway footbridge restoration complete for passengers [Network Rail] | An historic station footbridge on the Cumbria-Lancashire border has been completely overhauled for passengers. |
| 2020 | Maid of the Loch ^needs urgent financial help^, charity says [Helensburgh Advertiser] | The charity which owns the Maid of the Loch paddle steamer says the ship^s future is at risk without urgent financial support. |
| 2020 | Coronavirus: What^s it like to work on the train in lockdown? [BBC News] | It used to be a daily scramble for seats on many railway journeys, but the country^s trains have gone from booming passenger numbers to almost empty. On East Midlands Railway, which runs a key route from Sheffield to London, some services are averaging just six passengers. But they are continuing to run to get key workers to their jobs. Train manager Matt Dawson said sometimes it was a ^very surreal^ experience with little more than a handful of people travelling. |
