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

Chiltern agrees Class 68/Mk. 5A deal and crew training starts

Nemesis Rail to revive locos for charter work

New look for Europhoenix Rail Class 37

IN BRIEF

Ex-Network Rail Cambrian Class 37 set for reprieve

Second Swietelsky Class 37/4 outshopped

First Class 158 refurbished for East Midlands Railway

More routes for renumbered Mexican HSTs

Virgin plans new Channel Tunnel operations

Class 20 the star as Severn Valley reopens

Britannic Explorer moves closer to starting after coach issues resolved

Butterley welcomes Class 66s

100 charters for HDL

Main line Class 99s tests begin

LNER Mk. 4 sets to be shortened?

The Rumour Mill

And the news you probably haven’t heard yet…

Coaching Stock News

Wagon News

Liveries

Names

Unit Focus

Unit News

Shunter News

Severn Valley plans big Class 37 celebration

Main line return for HST Power car

First Class 150 for preservation moves to Mid Hants

Two Class 47s for Chinnor

‘B&G’ plan for GWR

Class 26 returns to use at GWR gala

Class 73 leaves Spa Valley, and moves to Isfield

Welsh Class 143s for sale

Another MLV for EPB group

SVR Class 14 special running day announced

Shed appeal for Mid-Hants diesels

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

Living up to its name • The Greatest Gathering at Derby in early August will go down as one of the best rail events in living history. Pip Dunn was there and certainly enjoyed it.

LIVING LIFE IN THE PAST LANE • Returning to Scotland, Chris Gee recalls those early days of lass 37/4s north of the border in ‘large logo’ blue and recreates the ‘under the trainshed roof at Wick’ scene that was a daily occurrence from 1986 to 1989.

PICTORIAL

The Magnificent Seven • They were only little engines, but boy were they ‘big’ for haulage! For a long time could there ever have been seven more elusive locos for passenger work than Haymarket’s dual-braked, non-boilered merry-go-round Class 26s? Steve McFarlane recalls his quest to ride behind 26001-007.

Time to take stock on the stock…

Rail blue remembered • Because so many of us grew up with it, the BR rail blue era remains one of the most popular periods in railway history. Kim Fullbrook presents a selection of images from 1980-82 when everything was different – the multiple units, coaches, signalling, and locos themselves.

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

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The age of mountains • Accurascale’s run of new OO gauge locomotive models has continued with the release of the Class 60. Simon Bendall takes a look at the representations of the first and last of the class, which depict the Brush machines some three decades apart.

OCTOBER11/12 2025

The Beaten Track; Volume 5

REVIEWS

Railwayana upcoming auctions

Coming up in November’sissue • THE NOVEMBER ISSUE WILL BE ON SALE ON OCTOBER 2 – DON’T MISS IT