France has always had a love affair with their railways, and their National Museum is testament to this.
Category Archives: Articles
National Railway Museum -A4 Collection
JULY 2013 The collecting together of the six existing A4s at the National Railway Museum in York was a ‘must see’. I was able to visit on the 10th July just a few days after the exhibition opened and I have never seen the NRM so busy – when I left there was a […]
Collapse of the NESS Viaduct 8th February 1989
This vital link between Inverness and the 231 miles of railway north thereof was severed when on the morning of Wednesday 8th Feb floodwaters destroyed the Ness Viaduct. Originally built in December 1861, Miss Mitchell the daughter of the engineer Joseph Mitchell of Inverness and the Ross-shire Railway Co. laid the keystone of the viaduct, […]
The Berry Collection – Goods Stock
Photographs by Eric Dale unless otherwise stated Highland Railway Brake Vans HR goods brake vans rarely – if ever – left their ‘home’ system. They often had their own distinctive ‘architecture’, including the raised ‘birdcage’ lookout in many cases. The open verandas found elsewhere in the country were not as popular as elsewhere in Britain, […]
How to Ballast Track
Track ballast is referred to as a layer of crushed rock or gravel upon which a railway track is laid. 1st Step I would suggest that you paint the areas of your base board where the track will be laid, using a paint colour similar to that of your scatter. Some people don’t paint the […]
Model Railway Weathering Techniques | Methods
Weathering refers to the process of making a model look as if it has been previously used and exposed to the weather by simulating the natural dirt and wear on the vehicle, this technique can also be applied to buildings and equipment. Most models come out of the box with a “looking new” look, because […]
The Kennedy Highland Railway Model Collection
Over a period of thirty years, Inverness craftsman the late James Kennedy of Midmills Road created a unique collection of exact scale models of Highland Railway rolling stock. These working models, build to a scale of 10mm/ft (gauge 1) were displayed in an extensive garden layout at the James Kennedy’s home. The layout has been […]
The Gresley Spirit around Edinburgh
In Scottish folklore it is believed that no matter where you are in the world, at the moment of your death your spirit immediately returns to the place of your birth. Consequently, because in 1876 Sir Nigel Gresley was born in Scotland , his spirit – naturally – would have returned to Scotland’s capital city. […]
On the Hunt for Belgian Museums
Belgium is perhaps one of the least likely countries to visit for fans of the steam locomotive. In a way, this is rather surprising, as two of its engineers gave their names to inventions used around the World. Firstly, Alfred Belpaire designed the square-topped firebox that bears his name, whilst Egide Walschaerts produced the valve […]
From D1 to TOPS
Like many railway systems around the World, British Railways and its masters were seduced by the claims of diesel loco manufacturers. Suddenly steam was old hat, and was disposed of in great haste. Many of the British Standard locomotives went to the scrapyard (or into preservation) with less than 10 years service on the clock. […]