Narrow gauge in North Gloucestershire

We had a little outing to Toddington yesterday – to visit the North Gloucestershire Railway’s Gala – three visiting locomotives, comprising two old friends – Statfold and Taffy, who need no introduction – and Gertrude, newly-restored sister of “The Doll” at Leighton Buzzard. Before the restoration was completed last month, it had been 50 years since Gertrude had last steamed.

Visit “North Gloucestershire – narrow gauge” on “Geoff’s Rail Diaries” for more on the event…

Max at Apedale

12th September – their only open day this year (so far…) The guys at Apedale have done a splendid job building a railway for the Moseley Trust’s amazing collection of narrow gauge equipment. A fine new station building is partially constructed, and a running line laid long enough to enable visiting O&K “Max” to stretch his legs. The Statfold guys have done a splendid job too – Max is a very fine locomotive.
A Rail Diaries page will appear eventually (with photos and video of much more than Max); in the meantime, just for a change, here’s a preview in video format.

Steam in the Rhiw Valley*

Last year it was wet – not actually raining all the time, but the long grass in the fields was wet – so were we by the time we left. This year, rain was threatened, but held off for our visit.

A “Rail Diaries” page will follow in due course, with video; in the meantime here are a couple of tasters

*The Rhiw Valley Railway is a private 15″ railway, a few miles up the valley from Berriew in the Severn valleyn between Welshpool and Newtown – today’s visit was to the annual open day.

Britain’s newest narrow gauge line…

…is at Blists Hill, site of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum’s “Victorian Town”. Opened on Monday 24th August, a 2′ gauge “mine experience” railway now operates. Along with the newly-opened “incline lift”, the regularly-steamed Trevithick replica and several static railway and plateway exhibits, the museum is now of some rail significance… Visit “Ancient and modern at Blists Hill” on the “Rail Diaries” pages