Tracking the 1838-62 ‘pioneer engine’ names of the royal scots

Ninety years ago, the one-off LMS No. 6170 British Legion was officially named at Euston. Now, one of its nameplates has gone on public display at Ingrow on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway. The ‘plate is part of an incredible and historic collection of locomotive memorabilia, the legacy of one man: Roger Bell.

1M86, the 09.35 Glasgow Central-St Pancras, was the famous Up Thames Clyde Express and ran via the Glasgow Sou’ Western route, then the Settle and Carlisle line to Leeds, and then took the Midland Mai

The growth in the ‘fleet’ of preserved ex-main line loco seems to have slowed down in recent years due to a number of factors: fewer locos becoming available, a possible saturation of the fleet, and d

PART ONE

Being too young to go to Shildon in 1975, my railway hobby started with the Liverpool and Manchester Rocket 150 celebrations in May 1980. I have lasting memories of visiting Rainhill for the cavalcade

The article ‘A whirlwind Scottish shed bash: 1965’ (Steam Days, May 2023) reminded me of an epic Scottish shed and line bash I was fortunate enough to undertake in August 1959, while steam was still p