Month: October 2024

Rare loco action at bracing Skegness

37610 approaches Skegness with the Ultrasonic Testing Unit (UTU) on its monthly circuit from Derby

Trains testing and treating the track brought some rare loco movements to Skegness on Monday, 28 October 2024, with two special workings on behalf of Network Rail visiting the remarkable station, at the coastal end of the Poacher Line, in the space of less than an hour.

Shortly before midday came the distinctive sound of “tractor” 37610, which is operated by Colas Rail and is in British Rail blue livery, hauling Network Rail’s Ultrasonic Testing Unit (UTU), with DBSO 9714 at the rear. This had travelled from Derby on its monthly visit to the Poacher Line.

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Another year for the South Wales semaphores

800024 accelerates away from the station with 1L26 from Carmarthen (14.24) to London Paddington

Further delay to what is known as the Port Talbot West 2 (PTW2) re-signalling project in West Wales means that the semaphore signals at Ferryside and at Pembrey & Burry Port will live on until at least the end of 2025, well beyond the last estimated date for completion of the re-signalling.

An update provided to railwayworld.net by Network Rail on 15 October 2024 confirms this latest delay, which it puts down to the geographic size of the project and difficulties in gaining access to the railway.

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Autumn colours in the Rhodope Mountains

75008 approaches Velingrad on 10 October 2024 with the Rodopi (14.30 Dobrinishte-Septemvri)

For all the rail trips I do around the UK and have done in Continental Europe, there is something totally compelling about Bulgaria’s only narrow gauge railway, which persuades me to return for the third consecutive year to Velingrad “Spa Capital of the Balkans”.

Velingrad stands roughly one-third of the way along the remarkable 78-mile (125km) long 760mm gauge railway that runs from a junction called Septemvri on the main rail route from Sofia to Plovdiv, all the way to the renowned ski resort of Bansko and its terminus at Dobrinishte a few miles further on.

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Getting to the Heart of Wales

TfW 153913/329 arrive at Pantyffynnon with 2M06 from Swansea (09.09) to Shrewsbury

Plan a rail trip from Swansea to Shrewsbury and you will be presented with rather differing fares and journey times, depending on whether you pick the main route to Cardiff and the Marches Line via Hereford, or the slow and very scenic Heart of Wales Line via Llanelli, Llandovery and Llandrindod Wells.

Pick the main route and you will pay significantly more for a faster journey on one of the new Class 197 units, but opting for the Heart of Wales Line will give you a much cheaper fare, and the chance to spend around four hours trundling through some of the Principality’s most beautiful scenery in an aged Class 150 or single car Class 153 unit.

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