Main line diary

Long ago, well before the term ‘heritage railway’ was coined, railway enthusiasts delighted in the light railways of England with their charming and often sublime appeal. The first statutory use of th

Non-commuter lines are experiencing an upswing in fortunes, but the UK lags behind mainland Europe when it comes to value for money and accessibility. RICHARD FOSTER explains why more must be done to fulfil potential

When their working lives were over, a small fleet of Pilot Scheme diesels found life anew as carriage pre ‐heating units. Chris Gilson takes a closer look at these unusual survivors.

It’s a lovely warm summer evening and I’m heading along the West Highland Line on a Mallaig-bound ScotRail service, worked by an active-travel Class 153 and a Class 156. My destination for this partic