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This is the second book written by Heather Hurley which focuses on railway history. The first concentrated or the early tramways/tramroads of the Wye valley. A short review of that earlier book can be found here: Horse-Drawn Tramways of the Wye ValleyIn this latest publication, Heather Hurley provides a social history of the lines which served the area between Ludlow in the North and Chepstow in the South – the area shown in the map below. Given the essentially rural nature of the Southern Marches, it is sometimes easy to forget the industries which existed in the area and the manifest need, in the 19th century, for the railway connections which developed over time. This book is an obvious successor to Hurley’s earlier study of the Tramways in the Wye valley. It is “written by a local historian, not a railway enthusiast, who has delved through the archives of 18 railway companies: two were abandoned from the start, four remained open, with another partly restored as a heritage line. Apart from the documentary research, a great deal of fieldwork was undertaken [by Hurley] in the counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Brecknockshire and Radnorshire, in order to provide important visual information.” http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/29/the-railways-of-herefordshire-and-the-southern-marches/

Railways of Tanzania – Part 12 – The South The featured image for this article is a Tanganyika Railway (TR) oil-fuelled RV (River) class 4-8-2 locomotive, later classified as the East African Railways (EAR) 21 class. Locomotives of this Class were used on the Southern Province Railway in the late 1950s and early 1960s, © Public Domain. [6][1: p303] The linked article looks at attempts by the German protectorate to expand a rail network into the south before WW1 and links to efforts made under the British Mandate to establish a Ground Nut Scheme and an associated railway and the locomotives that were active on that line. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/29/railways-of-tanzania-part-12-the-south/

I have enjoyed being a member of the Narrow Gauge Railway Society in the UK for a number of years. One of the benefits of membership is the regular mailing. The Narrow Gauge Railway Society sends out a bimonthly mailing in which ‘Narrow Gauge News’ (a full colour A4 update for readers covering what has been happening across a wide range of different narrow gauge lines in both the UK and around the world) is accompanied by one, sometimes two, more detailed studies of contemporary and more historic narrow gauge lines. In October 2026, the latest mailing included two other A4 ‘bookazines’. The first being a single issue paper recorded as ‘The Narrow Gauge No. 302’ which focusses on various railways at Crystal Palace, written by R. G. Cash. The second ‘bookazine’ is the September edition of ‘The Narrow Gauge’ – No. 303. In 2026, the Narrow Gauge Railway Society celebrates 75 years serving the narrow gauge world since 1951. This is reflected on the front cover of ‘The Narrow Gauge No. 303'. This second volume includes: Slaggyford Light Rail – Philip Champion (p3-9); Early Petrol-Electric Railcars in Prussia – David Meller (p10-22); The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: Part 1 – Jim Stancliffe (p23-33); and A few shorter items. The linked article below reviews the two 'bookazines!' http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/10/05/the-narrow-gauge-railway-society/

[b]Railways of Tanzania – Part 11 – The Central Line – from Dodoma to Tabora[/b] The featured image for this article is EAR 24 Class steam locomotive No. 2443 which was originally purchased by the Uganda Railway by 1930, manufactured by the Vulcan Foundry and Nasmyth, Wilson and Co. The photograph was taken at the Tabora depot in Tanzania in 1968 © Basil Roberts, 1968 and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [2] We start this next length of the journey along the Central Line in Tanzania at the capital Dodoma’s metre-gauge railway station which until the SGR line was opened was the main transport hub for the city, both for passengers and goods. The station is no longer used for passenger services to Dar-es-Salaam to the East nor for travel further West in Tanzania. The SGR line has (in 2026) reached Tabora and work on the line to Kigoma has now started. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/08/16/railways-of-tanzania-part-11-the-central-line-from-dodoma-to-tabora/

[b]The Central Line - Part 2 - From Mikese to Dodoma[/b] The featured image for this article is from the Tanganyika Guide of 1953. It shows the Railway Station at Dodoma with the New Dodoma Hotel behind. Note too, the station turntable close to the camera – perhaps a bit of overprovision as the station also boasted a turning triangle, © Public Domain [31: p48] The length of the Central Line which is covered by this article. The map was drafted in the early years of the 20th century under German colonial rule. The place names are the German spellings. This map is licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [32] We start the next length of our journey on the Mittelland Bahn (the Central Line) at Mikese just to the West of the junction with the link line between Tanga and Ruvu. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/08/03/railways-of-tanzania-part-8-the-central-line-from-mikese-to-dodoma

Aberystwyth Cliff Railway After Easter 2026, we spent a few days at Borth on Cardigan Bay, North of Aberystwyth. We took the opportunity to visit Aberystwyth and to travel on the Cliff Railway. Aberystwyth Cliff Railway is the longest electrically operated cliff railway in the UK. It sits at the North end of Aberystwyth’s promenade. Constitution Hill provides views over the town and Cardigan Bay. On a really good day, as many as twenty-six mountain peaks can be seen from the summit. Roger FarnworthAberystwyth Cliff RailwayAfter Easter 2026, we spent a few days at Borth on Cardigan Bay, North of Aberystwyth. We took the opportunity to visit Aberystwyth and to travel on the Cliff Railway. Aberystwyth Cliff Railway is …

The linked article explores some of the interactions between railways and religions. The featured image for the article is a stained glass window in Emneth Parish Church which is a memorial to Revd. Wilbert Vere Awdry who served as the incumbent of the parish from 1953 to 1965. [9] In his book ‘The World the Railways Made’, in a chapter entitled ‘The Habits the Railways Changed’, and after a discussion of the dramatic effect the railways had on the consumption of different foodstuffs, Nicholas Faith talks of the food the railways carried not only being physical: “It was also spiritual, enabling pilgrims to travel far more easily. But there were natural hesitations before God-fearing folk were prepared to use such an obviously secular phenomenon. The Russian bishops, for instance, were afraid that ‘pilgrims would come to the monastery [Sergiev Posad (now Zagorsk), site of the sacred Troitsk monastery] in railway cars, in which all sorts of tales can be heard, and often dirty stories, whereas now they come on foot and each step is a feat pleasing to God’. Despite this reluctance, the Metropolitan himself opened the line from Moscow to the holy spot, and by the time the Trans-Siberian was opened, the church was happy to commission a splendid ‘church car’ to minister to the congregations en route." http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/11/railways-and-religion/

Latest Railway News/Reports from East Africa The featured image for this article shows a Tata Chemicals locomotive at work on the metre-gauge line near Magadi A. Railways Africa recently reported: East African Governments Ramp Up Rail Investment in 2026/27 Budgets B. On Sunday 28th June 2026, The East African reported: Uganda locks funds for joint SGR as Kenya plan stalls C. Magadi Soda Works and Branch line Thanks to 'Class442' on RailUKForums for pointing this out. Tata-Owned Locomotive Catches Fire D. Biza Kenya reports on 2nd July 2026 Construction of the Malaba Extension Begins E. The Citizen Reported on Saturday 14th March 2026: Tanzania Begins Local Assembly of Locomotives http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/11/latest-railway-news-reports-from-east-africa/

Egyptian National Railways (Al-Sikak al-Hadidiyyah al-Misriyyah) is the national railway network of Egypt. Founded in 1854, it is the oldest railway system in Africa and the Middle East. [1] The featured image for this article is an Egyptian National Railways (ENR) GE ES30ACi locomotive in the Alexandria railway station yard, (c) Abdelrhman 1990 and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [6] The National Authority for Egyptian Railways is one of the largest economic institutions in Egypt and the Arab world, and it is the largest in the field of transport services (passengers and goods). It is considered the backbone of passenger transport in Egypt. Its share of passenger transportation is more than 30% of the total transportation volume at the national level. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/30/egyptian-railways-in-the-21st-century

This article focuses on relatively recent news about the railways of Egypt. ... A. Cairo Monorail Project: The 56.5km East Nile line began operations in March 2026, serving 22 stations with driverless technology, reducing Cairo congestion. A second line, bringing the total network to over 100km, is under development. B. High-Speed Network: Siemens Mobility is constructing a 2,000 km network, featuring Velaro and Desiro HC trains traveling up to 250 km/h, covering 60 cities. C. Modernisation: of Egypt's 10,000 kilometre rail network. ...... http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/28/egyptian-rail-news-summer-2026/

Ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) 0-8-0 Locomotive in LMS Days at Liverpool, Bank Hall Locomotive Shed – 1937 The featured image for this short article is a relatively poor/grainy photograph taken on Sunday 25th July 1937 at Liverpool Bank Hall Engine Shed. Prominent in the photograph and identified by the photographer, is ex-L&YR 0-8-0 7F Locomotive No. 12981. In the background LMS 4-6-0 No. 5229 can be glimpsed. [Unknown Photographer] In June 2026, I was given an image printed on a postcard in 1937. The photograph was taken at Liverpool Bank Hall Engine Shed (Code 27A) which was in north Liverpool, located just off Stanley Road in Kirkdale/Bootle. This is a ‘down-the-rabbit-hole’ kind of article in which I follow my nose from the photograph above and see where that leads. …. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/08/ex-lancashire-yorkshire-railway-lyr-0-8-0-locomotive-in-lms-days-at-liverpool-bank-hall-locomotive-shed-1937/

The Thinking About Light Railways before 1896 (and the 1896 Act of Parliament in the UK). The featured image for this article shows a brand new standard-gauge locomotive – 0-6-4T Mersey Railway No. 1 ‘The Major’. It had not yet received its nameplates when it posed in ‘works grey’ at the Beyer, Peacock works at Manchester in 1885. The locomotive served on the Mersey Railway until that line decided on electrification. Four engines from the line, including ‘The Major’ found employment in Australia, on John Brown’s private light railway – the Richmond Vale Railway in New South Wales. The image comes from “Light Railways – Australia’s Magazine Industrial and Narrow Gauge Railways.” It is included here as an example of a standard gauge locomotive employed on an industrial line recognised as a light railway by ‘The Light Railway Research Society of Australia’. ... Not all ‘Light railways’ were narrow gauge, nor were their locomotives small 0-4-0T or 0-6-0T locomotives. [7] W.J.K. Davies tells us that in the 1870s, it became apparent both in the UK and other countries that “many districts, while they would benefit immensely from the facilities afforded by a railway, just could not maintain a line built and operated to main line standards. And so, gradually, during the 1870’s and 1880’s, the concept of the light railway was formulated; a sub-standard means of bringing the advantages of rail transport into rural districts with the deliberate intention of opening them up and improving them. It must be made clear that this concept was different both from the idea of a standard gauge branch line which, although single track, was built and equipped in such things as signalling, stock and staffing to the same standards as the main lines, and from those narrow gauge lines already in existence which had been constructed in difficult country for a specialized purpose, normally the carriage of minerals; the best example of which was the Ffestiniog Railway, in Wales. These lines were not light railways in the true sense of the term.” [1: p24] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/06/the-thinking-about-light-railways-before-1896-and-the-1896-act-of-parliament-in-the-uk/

The featured image for this article shows 'Argyll' (a Barclay built 0-6-2T) taking its train Southeast out of Campbeltown before turning Southwest to run round the South side of the town. This image was shared on the Machrihanish Online Facebook Page on 26th July 2023. (c) Public Domain. [22] The Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway was a 6-mile, 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) narrow-gauge railway in Kintyre, Scotland, operating between 1906 and 1934. It ran from Campbeltown's New Quay to Machrihanish, primarily serving coal traffic while also transporting tourists and locals across the peninsula. It replaced an earlier industrial tramway which was built in 1876 and used by the Argyll Coal and Canal Company, which before this had replaced a canal. In 1876, the line followed the line of the old canal that used to be used to transport coal. In 1905/6 the curves were improved and the steeper gradients eased. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/07/01/the-campbeltown-and-machrihanish-light-railway/

Part 6 - Over Land & Sea: Magical Views and Sea-Hugging Routes on Europe’s Best Coastal Train Lines – Part B – Spain and Italy The featured image for this article comes from the FEVE lines of Northern Spain. It shows a typical DMU in use on the FEVE network, together with a number of single-car units, these vehicles provide services across the network, (c) Elfo del Bosque and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [151] The travel section of the Saturday Guardian Magazine on 23rd May 2023 included a few pages about train journeys in Europe (pages 72 to 77). This is the sixth part of a look at those pages. … Nicky Gardner is lead author of Europe by Rail: The Definitive Guide (Hidden Europe, £21.99). The 19th edition of the book was published on 22nd June 2026. To order a copy for £19.79 go to guardianbookshop. com. Delivery charges may apply! This second part of a look at the coastal routes highlighted by Nicky Gardner focusses on two railways – one in Spain and the other in Italy. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/06/28/the-guardian-lifestyle-travel-23rd-may-2026-part-6-over-land-sea-magical-views-and-sea-hugging-routes-on-europes-best-coastal-train-lines-part-b-spain-and-italy/

Friends of The West Highland Lines Journal – ‘West Highland News Plus’ The featured image for this article shows the Jacobite arriving at Mallaig Railway Station, © Mary & Angus Hogg and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [18] In the bookshop at Wemyss Bay Railway Station in May 2026, I picked up the Spring 2026 issue of West Highland News Plus which is the magazine of the friends of The West Highland Lines. It reminded me that 2026 is the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Mallaig Extension on 1st April 1901. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/06/26/friends-of-the-west-highland-lines-journal-west-highland-news-plus/

Corrour Station is near Loch Ossian on the Corrour Estate. It is the highest mainline railway station in the United Kingdom at an elevation of 1,340 feet (410 m) above sea level. It is located between Rannoch and Tulloch, and is sited 71 miles 54 chains (115.3 km) from Craigendoran Junction, near Helensburgh. In the 21st century, ScotRail manages the station and provides the most services, along with Caledonian Sleeper. [2] The featured image for this article is from a video of steam at work on Rannoch Moor not far from Corrour. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/06/26/corrour-railway-station/

The Edaville Railroad, South Carver, Massachusetts, again. … The featured image for this article is Monson Railroad No. 4 on an Edaville Railroad works train in 1950, © Public Domain. [2: p93] In January 2026, I was reading an early copy of The Railway Magazine and wrote an article about the Edaville Railroad which can be found above. [1] In January 2026, I had not really cottoned-on to the significance of the Edaville Railroad as a pioneer in the field of preservation. We all recognise the Talyllyn Railway as the first railway in the world to be preserved. But the Edaville Railroad predates the date in 1951 when volunteers began running the Talyllyn. The Edaville Railroad opened in 1947. It was not a ‘preserved’ railway, but it still has a claim to being the first heritage railway. It was a 2ft-gauge railway, built by an enthusiast on a green field site to run historic stock. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/06/18/the-edaville-railroad-south-carver-massachusetts-again/

Ronachan Point, Kintyre – Limestone Tramway Ronachan Point, located on the Kintyre peninsula, features remnants of a very short industrial limestone quarry and a 19th-century tramway used to transport materials to a nearby slipway. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/17/ronachan-point-kintyre-limestone-tramway/

The Guardian Lifestyle Travel – 23rd May 2026 – Part 5 – Over Land & Sea: Magical Views and Sea-Hugging Routes on Europe’s Best Coastal Train Lines – Part A – Scotland, Ireland and Germany The travel section of the Saturday Guardian Magazine on 23rd May 2023 included a few pages about train journeys in Europe (pages 72 to 77). This is the fifth part of a look at those pages. The featured image for this article is a view looking Southeast towards the buffers at Kyle of Lochalsh Railway Station and across the Kyle to Skye in 1939, the ferry to Kyleakin is off scene to the right. A train is leaving for Dingwall and Inverness, managed by an ex-Highland 4-6-0 locomotive, © Walter Dendy and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [14] Nicky Gardner, lead co-author of the guidebook ‘Europe by Rail’, has championed slow travel across the continent’s most scenic routes. Her writings highlight sea-hugging railways where travellers can take in spectacular coastal panoramas, deep fjords, and dramatic cliffs right from the carriage window. The short Guardian article featuring a few such routes was written by her and is directly quoted here. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/06/10/the-guardian-lifestyle-travel-23rd-may-2026-part-5-over-land-sea-magical-views-and-sea-hugging-routes-on-europes-best-coastal-train-lines/

I saw the featured image in the article in a photo book compiled by Alton Douglas for Beacon Radio in 1987, ‘Memories of the Wrekin and Beyond’. It shows Lilleshall Estate’s 2ft-gauge railway in action in 1933. [1: p47] The Lilleshall Estate in Shropshire featured a historic 2-foot gauge miniature railway that operated from 1928 until the onset of World War II. Built to entertain tourists, the line used unique petrol-powered, steam-outline locomotives manufactured by E.E. Baguley Ltd. Opened in 1928 and closed in 1939. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/06/14/lilleshall-abbey-woodland-railway/

Locomotives of the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) – 1920 I have just been given a small pamphlet style paperback book compiled and published in June 1920 by W.G. Tilling. The featured image for this article comes from the frontispiece of Tilling’s book. It is a picture of the Class L 4-6-4T superheated large tank locomotive ‘Charles C. Macrae’. [1] Tilling’s forward to the book states: “For many years particulars of the locomotives running on our railway lines were difficult to obtain, but the Great Western Railway Company a year or two back broke through the usual official reticence by publishing a list of all their named engines. This was doubtless done to interest the general public in that railway, and I believe has proved a successful advertisement. “Unofficial lists have also been published of the engines of the London and North Western Railway and a few of the smaller lines. Following these examples, I am prompted to deal with the locomotives of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway." http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/06/13/locomotives-of-the-london-brighton-south-coast-railway-lbscr-1920/

Railways of Tanzania – Part 7 – The Central Line – An Introductory History and the Length of Line from Dar-es-Salaam to Mikese The featured image for this article is a photograph of East African Railways (EAR) Class 30 steam locomotive No. 3019 ‘Nyamwezi’ at Tabora depot on the Central Line, Tanzania in 1968. Class 30 locomotives were oil-burning 2-8-4 steam locomotives. Built in the 1950s by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow, the 26 engines in the Class were named after indigenous tribes across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika (now Tanzania). They were known as the ‘Tribal Class’ of locomotives, (c) Basil Roberts and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [44] The line from Dar-es-Salaam to Kigoma. was known during the German Protectorate as the Mittelland Bahn. Under British colonial control it was the Central Line. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/06/04/railways-of-tanzania-part-7-the-central-line-an-introductory-history-and-the-length-of-line-from-dar-es-salaam-to/

The Railways of West Cumberland – Part 2 The featured image for this article is a photograph taken by Walter Dendy of a football excursion returning from Egremont to Carlisle passing through Distington Railway Station behind ex-LMS Class ‘4F’ Locomotive No. 44461 in 1951. The line to the left is to Rowrah and Kelton Fell line, © W. Dendy and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [6] This article is based around the potted history of West Cumberland’s railways written by C. A. Knight and included in his article in The Railway Magazine of November 1954. [1] Knight explains that the growing importance of Carlisle as a railway centre, sitting as it did on the natural route between England and Scotland and already the terminus of existing and proposed railways. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/31/the-railways-of-west-cumberland-part-2/

The Guardian Lifestyle Travel – Saturday 23rd May 2026 – Part 4 – Readers’ Favourite Railway Journeys – Part B The travel section of the Saturday Guardian Magazine on 23rd May 2023 included a few pages about train journeys in Europe (pages 72 to 77). This is the fourth part of a look at those pages and includes more reader’s recommendations of journeys by train. It includes a few more uploaded by the Guardian online. The featured image for this article is a photograph of Le Petit Train Jaune which runs from Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour de Carol/Enveitg in the Pyrenees, © A1AA1A and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [33] 4. Readers’ Favourite Railway Journeys – Part B F. Vintage Locomotives in Tuscany. G. Alpine beauty on the Montreux to Interlaken line. H. Slow travel at its best: Belgrade to Bar. I. Through Italy’s Apennines to Rome from the Adriatic. J. Best way to See the Pyrenees? On a Little Yellow Train! http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/28/the-guardian-lifestyle-travel-saturday-23rd-may-2026-part-4-readers-favourite-railway-journeys-part-b/

The Guardian Lifestyle Travel – Saturday 23rd May 2026 – Part 3 – Readers’ Favourite Railway Journeys – Part A The travel section of the Saturday Guardian Magazine on 23rd May 2023 included a few pages about train journeys in Europe (pages 72 to 77). This is the third part of a look at those pages and focuses on some reader’s recommendations of journeys by train. It includes a few more uploaded by the Guardian online. The featured image for this article is a Flexity Outlook Eurotram at Trindade station in Porto, Portugal, © Cornelius Kibelka and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [3] 3. Readers’ Favourite Railway Journeys A. A Dramatic Metro Line in Porto B. Fjords and Waterfalls in Norway C. An Electric Gem in Germany D. The Swiss Watchmakers’ Line E. Charmed by the Vienna to Zagreb train http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/27/the-guardian-lifestyle-travel-saturday-23rd-may-2026-part-3-readers-favourite-railway-journeys-part-a/