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Ths week I received an announcement that HOPS (Heritage Operations Processing System, hops.org.uk) has added a register of stolen items for the Heritage sector. Hopefully this will aid collectors, and auctioneeers etc., to identify stolen items more easily. Let's hope that it helps a few more...

On that criteria, some of the larger miniature railways probably win hands down. On both intensity and frequency. Different if we only count former public transport & museum railways.

Indeed. The upcoming GCR Diesel Gala has average 3 departures per hour from Loughborough, from 0830 and 1.5 tph in the evening until 2200ish. 5 or 6 trains operating, at least 7 locos. Should be fun if you love diesel traction (and maybe in general). Even today the service averaged 1 train per...

In practice the GCR Leicester section is the limiting factor and effectively enforces 2tph max on full line services. It is just about possible to have 10 min headways on the rest of the line, and at galas this is sometimes used, certainly 3 to 4 tph is achieved at some times of day Loughborough...

And it is worth remembering that in any shunt move, especially one unsignalled, it is the driver's responsibility to observe the actual lie of the points and only proceed if satisfied they are correct. The signaller is responsible for suitably protecting the move (including use of reminder...

Of course, said snow was indeed very unusual - it stuck to everything, including the national grid wires which fell across the MML at Loughborough. That closed the line and cut off the town's electricity and gas for about 3 days. Strange, but actually very hard to cope with. Also, on the same...

I may have been on a sleeper with the most (temporarily) alighting at Carlisle in August 1990. At least 120 people. There is a story behind this: a smouldering fire on one of the seating coaches (safely extinguished) meant all seated passengers had to alight at Carlisle. As seating was full to...

Last time I travelled from NOT to Mansfield, the guard did the usual ticket check and the guy opposite moaned his phone was out of charge. The guard offered him the chance to get off and quickly buy a valid ticket, she would hold the train for the 2 minutes needed. He was not very impressed, and...

Unfortunately if your feet get warm and damp (e.g warm.socks!), the carrier bag can getvsweaty and is is apparently then a recipe for trench foot :-( More commonly an issue at festivals, I am told most damp festivals see multiple cases of trench foot (a fungal attack on the flesh) from this...

Yes, many heritage stations are lovely as it gets dark. I can certainly say I find Loughborough has an authentic and inviting atmosphere at night, and would be great on the Santas at that time. There are more teatime/early evening services in some GCR Santa timetables this year, particularly the...

Given the engineering traffic moving in and out, might not have been too bad. The first train(s) will have been run through under the rusty rails procedure (approximates to "not permit a following train until the train in question has been seen to activate and clear each circuit in sequence")...

Worth mentioning that I was told (during an organised technical visit) that Uttoxeter box on that line was the last mechanical box built by BR (open 1981). And very generously sized it is too! Not only that, Tutbury Crossing is apparently the oldest surviving UK box.

Interesting to think that the 1900s "improvement" to the 5-coach loco-hauled hourly Manchester-Sheffiekd shuttle was to provide 2-car 15x units. Incorporating that into new longer distance cross country services of course increased demand on the core section, but it tooka long time for...

Also Robin Hood line (Whitwell to Shirebrook), some nearly new motor-worked semaphores approaching Whitwell. There are still mechanical boxes on the Sheffield-Worksop line, but mostly colour lights.

Yes, and it is the correct thing to assume. A signal means exactly the aspect displayed, and nothing more until it changes. Because it very well might not step up, and that quote is made to remind drivers. Tell the (surviving) driver at the Colwich collision (or countless others)...

From multiple safety inductions to railway work, LUL engineering, airport engineering, and construction, the existence of no tolerance Drug and Alcohol policies is very clearly explained. For some years LUL and some others gave the "007" rule: no alcohol in your shift, no alcohol in the 8...

Well, that's a messy diversion. Some trains now running via the LU lines to Aylesbury, reversing to run to Princes Risborough, then reversing again to rejoin the planned path. It seems to be that some Birmingham & Oxfords that are running that way, with other services beyond W. Ruislip (Gerrards...

Realtimetrains has 5Q92 Crewe-Nuneaton and return as 5Q93. Booked as a class 350, so likely not a new unit unless just a placeholeder type for pathing. Possibly test or training run.

Sadly, it seems the video isn't clear enough to read the moped numberplate (I tried!), so they might well get away without prosecution. Unless it was deliberately obscured for legal reasons...in whcih case let's hope the original is being used for that purpose.

Unfortunately, no. Rules are quite clear: If, for whatever reason, the front of the train has passed the signal but the rear has not fully passed the signal and it cannot be clearly seen that it is showing a 'proceed' aspect, then the driver must obtain permission to proceed from the signaller...