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The featured image at the head of the linked article is an early view of Thal Railway Station, possibly as early as 1903. By 1881, Khushalgarh had been connected by a short 7 mile (11 kilometre) broad gauge spur to Jand the North Western Railway main line. The length from Khushalgarh to Kohat was initially built to the 2ft 6in narrow gauge in 1902 but converted to broad gauge (5ft 6in) at the same time as the River Indus was bridged, reopening in 1908. The line from Kohat to Thal was built to the narrow gauge (2ft 6in) and opened in stages from 1901 to 1903. [5] Khushalgarh-Kohat-Thal Railway was worked by the North Western Railway. It was a military railway which ran close to the border with Afghanistan, linking the border town of Thal with the wider network at Khushalgarh. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/09/25/the-khushalgarh-kohat-thal-railway-in-pakistan/

[b]The Stockton and Darlington Railway[/b] On 27th September 2025 we marked the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway which is accepted the world over as one of the most significant developments in the history of railways, the precursor of all that was to follow in the development of railway networks throughout the world. That day, Locomotion No. 1 pulled a long train along the Stockton and Darlington Railway. ………… I was asked to give a talk by the Friends of Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust entitled, 'What was so special about the Stockton & Darlington Railway?' The link below is to my notes for the talk. .... Roger FarnworthThe Stockton & Darlington RailwayOn 27th September 2025 we marked the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway which is accepted the world over as one of the most significant developments in the history of railways, th…These were condensed somewhat to suit the time available. ..

Part 5 - Breil-sur-Roya to Airole and Ventimiglia This article follows the line South from Breil-sur-Roya to Ventimiglia in two parts: the first as far as Airole and the second from Airole to Ventimiglia. …. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/08/25/the-railway-between-nice-tende-and-cuneo-part-5-breil-sur-roya-to-ventimiglia/

The Severn & Wye Joint Railway and its Locomotives – The Railway Magazine, November 1899. Reading the November 1899 edition of The Railway Magazine, I came across an article about railways and tramways in the Forest of Dean … ‘The Severn & Wye Joint Railway’ by E.A. Clark. Roger FarnworthThe Severn & Wye Joint Railway and its Locomotives – The...Reading the November 1899 edition of The Railway Magazine, I came across an article about railways and tramways in the Forest of Dean … ‘The Severn & Wye Joint Railway’ …The article from 1899 adds something to the series of posts already made about the Forest and its tramways/railways Clark says that “it was in the year 1809 that the initiative of the Severn and Wye took place. It had long been felt that there was great commercial scope in the Forest of Dean, and in this year Parliament sanctioned the construction of a tram road through the district. The undertaking was incorporated by the name of the Lydney and Lydbrook Railway Company, ‘for the purpose of making a railway or tramway from the River Wye at Lydbrook to the River Severn at Lydney, with various branches to serve the collieries in the Forest of Dean’. The Company finding their undertaking not complete, owing to there not being proper accommodation at Lydney for the export of coal, etc., in the following year (1810) obtained power by an Act of Parliament for the construction of a canal (over one mile in length) and docks or basins at Lydney to communicate with the River Severn, and the name of the Com- pany was changed by the same Act to the Severn and Wye Railway and Canal Company.” ...

Dog Kennel Bridge on the Coleford Branch in the Forest of Dean The Coleford Branch between Monmouth and Coleford replaced an earlier tramroad. The Monmouth Tramroad, linked Monmouth with Coleford and opened in 1810. It was the first rail transport in the immediate area. This is an intriguing structure on the line. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/09/09/dog-kennel-bridge-on-the-coleford-branch-in-the-forest-of-dean/

Part 2 My apologies, I seem to have missed sharing the second part of the journey along the line. This is that second part. ..... In the first article about the line from Cuneo to the sea we covered the length from Cuneo to Vernante. This article covers the next length of the line from Vernante to Limone. The Line South from Vernante to Limone A schematic drawing showing the main locations on the line from Vernante to Limone. Banaudo et al write that “It was only in 1886, after the creation of the Rete Mediterranea, that the work on the fourth tranche from Vernante to Limone was awarded. It was 8,831 m long and had a gradient of 203 m, which was to be compensated for by a continuous ramp of up to 26 mm/m. This value would not be exceeded at any other point on the line. On this section, the rail remained constantly on a ledge on the steep slope on the right bank of the Vermenagna, where it was anchored by eleven bridges and viaducts totaling sixty-three masonry arches, as well as nine tunnels with a combined length of 4,416 m, or just over half the route:” We start this next length of the journey at Vernante Railway Station and head Southeast. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/07/26/the-railway-from-nice-to-tende-and-cuneo-part-2/

Part 4 - South from St. Dalmas de Tende The featured image in the linked article is a poster for the Nice-Cuneo line. It shows Scarassoui Viaduct with a Northbound steam service between the wars, designed by Adolphe Crossard, © Public Domain. In the first three articles about the line from Cuneo to the sea we covered the length of the line from Cuneo to St. Dalmas de Tende. In the linked article we head South from St. Dalmas de Tende. Roger FarnworthThe Railway between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Part 4 – St....The featured image above is a poster for the Nice-Cuneo line. It shows Scarassoui Viaduct with a Northbound steam service between the wars (c) Adolphe Crossard. … Public Domain. [49] In the f…

A Tramway in the Valley of the River Roya? (Early 20th Century) While finding out about the line between Cuneo and the Mediterranean coast, I found a few paragraphs in the French language book about the railway which crossed the Col de Tende by Jose Banaudo et al. Those paragraphs were about a proposed tramway that in the end did not get built. … The featured image in the linked article is a map showing the full length of the proposed line. Late in the 19th century before a rail link from Vievola to the Mediterranean was really on the agenda. Alongside the experimental ‘Train Scotte’, (see https://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/07/26/miscellaneous-steam-powered-road-vehicles-scotte-steam-road-vehicles) a “local engineer, M. Chatelanat, proposed building a tramway line between Vievola station … and Ventimiglia. He knew the region well, having just overseen the construction of the rack railway from Monte Carlo to La Turbie. (see https://rogerfarnworth.com/2017/11/23/monaco-to-la-turbie-rack-railway-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-15) He presented an application filed on 7th February 1899.” ….... The submission made by M. Chatelanat began, “The electric tramway for which we are requesting a concession is intended to facilitate the movement of passengers and goods in the Roya Valley through a rapid, convenient, and economical means of communication. Currently, to reach Nice and the other communes of the department, the population of the French part of this valley must either travel more than 60 kilometres along the old Nice-Cuneo road, crossing the foothills of Brouis and Braus, in unsafe conditions due to the steep slopes, the height of the passes, and, in winter, the seasonal inclement weather. Or, since the opening of the national road from Breil to Ventimiglia, travel approximately 30 kilometres and cross two customs lines to join the coastal railway line in Ventimiglia. … Between the coast and Upper Piedmont, especially the province of Cuneo, there is a very intense movement of population every year, but if you want to go by train, you have to make a long detour via Savona, which is long and expensive. The province of Cuneo sends to Nice and the coast some of its products that our region cannot obtain elsewhere. On the other hand, our particular products from the South are in demand and consumed in the upper Po Valley. Facilitating the movement of travelers and this exchange of products between Piedmont and the coast will at the same time allow the French populations of the Roya Valley to come easily and quickly to Nice to stock up and connect with the entire French coast without having to cross the Braus and Brouis passes, such is the goal we are pursuing.” There were a number of projects of this nature being explored at the time. The tramway between Menton and Sospel is an excellent example (see http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/02/23/the-sospel-to-menton-tramway-revisited-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-51 and http://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/06/08/the-menton-to-sospel-tramway-revisited-again-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-61). Others in the valley of the River Var and in the valley of the River Paillon were also built. This is what we know about the proposed tramway: ... Roger FarnworthA Tramway in the Valley of the River Roya? (Early 20th Ce...A proposed tramway that did not get built. … The featured image is a map showing the full length of the proposed line which followed National Route No. 204 in France. Late in the 19th c…

Les Trains du Col de Tende - Part 3 - Vievola to St. Dalmas de Tende http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/08/06/the-railway-from-nice-to-tende-and-cuneo-part-3-vievola-to-st-dalmas-de-tende/ Our journey South down the line continues from Vievola. …

Part 1 The railway from Nice PLM Station to Tende and Cuneo was completed in 1928. It was long in the gestation and in construction. The story stretches back more than a century and a half. ‘Le Chemin de fer du Col de Tende’ is historically a significant local and international line. Its inverted Y-shaped layout and its crossing of international borders means that it is known by a number of different names: - in Nice it is known as the Nice – Coni Line; - generally in Italy it is officially Ferrovia Cuneo Ventimiglia - in the Piedmont city of Cuneo’s economic/political circles, sitting at the top of the inverted ‘Y’, it is often referred to as the Cuneo – Nizza line in recognition of good relations with the community of Nice. Roger FarnworthThe Railway between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Part 1The featured image above shows the inaugural train arriving at Breil-sur-Roya in March 1928, © Public Domain, shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul in the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 25th…[quote]Its story is a saga of significant technical achievement: gaining 1000 metres in height ; having a dozen tunnels longer than 1 kilometre (including those of the Col de Tende (8098 m), the Col de Braus (5939 m) and the Mont Grazian tunnel (3882 m), which are among the longest structures on the French and Italian networks); having four complete helical loops, several S-shaped loops and a multitude of bridges and viaducts (some of which, such as those of Scarassouï or Bévéra, are architecturally significant railway structures. Of a total route of 143.5 km, 6.5 km are on bridges or viaducts and over 60 km are in tunnels. This means that close to 42% of the journey along the line(s) is on or within structures.[/quote]

A short note about extensive alterations at Manchester London Road Station appeared in the December 1958 issue of The Railway Magazine. The major alterations were designed to accommodate the electrification of the line between Manchester and Crewe. Roger FarnworthManchester Mayfield Railway StationThe featured image shows Longsight’s Stanier 2-6-0 Locomotive No. 42960 at Manchester Mayfield on 3rd September 1955 about to depart with a suburban service. This image was shared on the Brit…[quote] The Railway Magazine reported that “The improvements include[d] the construction of three new platforms, the lengthening of the existing platforms, to accommodate 16-coach electric trains, and the widening of the concourse. The station [would] thus have 14 platforms, of which ten [would be devoted to main-line and local traffic on the former London & North Western line, and the remainder to trains on the Great Central route. When the alterations [were] completed, the adjoining terminus at Mayfield [would] cease to deal with passenger traffic. A new power signalbox [would] control the area extending to East Didsbury and Heaton Chapel, and will replace 13 manual boxes. Electric trains [would] not be an innovation at London Road, because the Altrincham line was electrified in 1931, and the Sheffield line in 1954.” [/quote]

The December 1958 issue of The Railway Magazine featured three photographs of Beyer Garrett locomotives at work in East Africa. These were giants of the metre-gauge that grappled with long loads on steep inclines and at times sharply curved track radii. ....... Roger FarnworthThree Beyer-Garratts in East Africa in the 1950sThe December 1958 issue of The Railway Magazine featured three photographs of Beyer Garrett locomotives at work in East Africa. These were giants of the metre-gauge that grappled with long loads on…

Lewis, Harris and Skye - "The Soap Man," and some other railways (1890s to 1920s). ... Roger Hutchinson tells the story of Lord Leverhulme's interest in Lewis, Harris and (to a much lesser extent) Skye, in the years following the First World War. Lord Leverhulme purchased Lewis and later Harris with a view to developing the islands. Mingled in with the story are Lord Leverhulme's plans for transport infrastructure and particularly railways. Hutchinson first introduces railway plans in comments attributed to Thomas Mawson who wrote about Lord Leverhulme's plans in the Manchester Guardian. Roger FarnworthLewis, Harris and Skye – “The Soap Man,” and some other r...The featured image is a steam locomotive that was gainfully employed on Lewis on a contract fulfilled by Sir Robert McAlpine & Co. The Branahuie Railway (3ft-gauge) was a temporary line used in…

Part 3 – The Inverness to Aviemore Direct Line. The Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway was built by the Highland Railway to provide a shorter and more direct route between Inverness and Aviemore, carrying its main line traffic to Perth and the south. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/07/01/the-highland-railway-part-3-the-inverness-to-aviemore-direct-line/

The Railways of Namibia (the former South West Africa) – Part 2 – Windhoek and the Southern Lines In Part 1, we looked at the railways in the North of Namibia. This article covers lines which left Windhoek and covered the South of the country. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2025/06/20/the-railways-of-namibia-the-former-south-west-africa-part-2-windhoek-and-the-southern-lines/