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The Guardian Lifestyle Travel - Saturday 23rd May 2026 Part 2 – Nice to Tende 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 second part of a look at those pages. … The featured image for this article is the Train des Merveilles (Train of Wonders), a scenic tourist train that runs between Nicye, France, and Tende, France. Services also run on to Cuneo. The train travels through the Roya Valley, through rugged gorges, picturesque villages, and numerous tunnels. The line is a feat of engineering, featuring hundreds of bridges and tunnels to traverse the steep terrain of Les Alpes Maritime. The viaduct shown in the featured image is the Viaduc de l’Erbossiera, a unique structure designed to run longitudinally through a river gorge having a singular upturned ‘U’-shaped pier (just off the left of the photograph), © Monaco Tribune, (although used on a significant number of different webpages). [14] 2. France’s Wonder Train My wife and I stay regularly in Nice or in Les Alpes Maritime and have often travelled on the line between Nice, Tende and Cuneo – Le Train des Merveilles. A particular favourite location to stay has been the perched village of Saorge which overlooks a section of the line. In recent years, the valley of La Roya has experienced devastating flooding. In October 2023, Storm Alex hit the valleys of the Royal and the Vesubie causing catastrophic damage. The Institut Géographique National published excellent interactive maps showing the Roya and Vésubie valleys before and after Alex. These can be found here. [2] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/24/the-guardian-lifestyle-travel-saturday-23rd-may-2026-part-2-nice-to-tende/

[b]Part 1 – Naples[/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). The featured image for this short article is a photograph of a EAV (Ente Autonomo Volturno)-owned Circumvesuviana train at Napoli Garibaldi station, © Falk2 and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [b]1. Time Travel on the Naples Line[/b] The first of the articles, written by Sophia Seymour picks up on a new film about the region around Naples which “reveals rarely visited villas, seismic landscapes and a ‘civilisation buried mid-sentence’ – all accessible by train.” [1: p72] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/24/the-guardian-lifestyle-travel-saturday-23rd-may-2026-part-1-naples/

The Modern Tramway – December 1951 – The Bratislava Tramways The featured image for this article is a vintage postcard featuring a tram crossing Hurbanovo námestie in Bratislava, © Public Domain. [7] The Modern Tramway carried a short article by Gerald Druce about Bratislava’s Tramways as he encountered them at the beginning of the 1950s. [1] This series of photographs appear on a single page in the journal and are of relatively low definition. [1: p264] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/23/the-modern-tramway-december-1951-the-bratislava-tramways/

The Modern Tramway – June 1951 – Reinstatement of a Street Tramway Route in Helsinki The featured image for this article is the pikkuruotsalainen (“Little Swede”) tram, built by ASEA in Sweden. Together with its open summer trailer, they became a beloved pair on city tracks. The breezy trailers were especially popular on hot days, so much so that passengers sometimes clung to the running boards or jumped off before the tram had fully stopped. Though open trailers were meant only for summer use, wartime shortages forced them into winter service under tarpaulins. Their final flourish came during the Helsinki Olympics in 1952, when crowds crammed aboard one last time before the trailers disappeared from daily traffic, © Helsinki City Museum, Public Domain. [19] A short letter from Kaj Arnold Larsen, Engineer of Helsinki Tramways was published in The Modern Tramway in June 1951. [1] It seems that the editors of The Modern Tramway were delighted when examples that bucked the seemingly overwhelming trend of closures could be cited. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/22/the-modern-tramway-june-1951-reinstatement-of-a-street-tramway-route-in-helsinki/

The Modern Tramway May 1952 – Metrovick Electrical Equipment This short article follows on from an earlier article about the adverts placed in the 1951 issues of The Modern Tramway. The featured image for this article shows Allan Tram No. 107 at work on the streets of Rotterdam, © Voogd075 and licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [6] Metropolitan-Vickers, – Metrovick – was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse. Highly diversified, it was particularly well known for its industrial electrical equipment such as generators, steam turbines, switchgear, transformers, electronics and railway traction equipment. Metrovick holds a place in history as the builders of the first commercial transistor computer, the Metrovick 950, and the first British axial-flow jet engine, the Metropolitan-Vickers F.2. Its factory in Trafford Park, Manchester, was for most of the 20th century one of the biggest and most important heavy engineering facilities in Britain and the world. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/21/the-modern-tramway-may-1952-metrovick-electrical-equipment/

[b]The Modern Tramway 1951 – Some Advertising[/b] This short article shows a number of intriguing advertisements from The Modern Tramway magazine in 1951. There were only a few different UK companies in the early 1950s who took out advertisements in The Modern Tramway. These advertisements are of interest for the wider perspective on the industry that they provide. … http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/20/the-modern-tramway-1951-some-advertising/

The Modern Tramway – December 1951 – The New German Standard Tramcar The featured image for this article shows the prototype Standard Tramcar on the streets of Hanover, © Streek en Stadsvervoer, Public Domain. [1: p280] During the 1950s, German trams transitioned from older, war-damaged wooden vehicles to new, streamlined standard designs that supported the postwar Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle). Standard designs emerged in both East and West Germany, heavily influencing urban transit. In West Germany, operators sought to replace aging fleets with standardized models to streamline manufacturing and repairs http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/20/the-modern-tramway-december-1951-the-new-german-standard-tramcar/

The Modern Tramway – July 1951 – Pittsburgh: An American Tramway Stronghold The Modern Tramway of July 1951 included an article by A. A. Jackson about the tramways of Pittsburgh. The featured image for this article is a vintage Presidents’ Conference Committee (P.C.C.) tramcar- No. 1604. It is from the 1600 series of P.C.C. cars, operated by Pittsburgh Railways and is pictured on Line 49 bound for Beltzhoover. This photograph was taken during the 1970s, © Voogd075 and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). Pittsburgh is situated at the point where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers converge to become the River Ohio, historically it is the most important Iron and Steel Centre in the United States. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/19/the-modern-tramway-july-1951-pittsburgh-an-american-tramway-stronghold/

The Modern Tramway – February 1951 – The Modernisation of Amsterdam Tram No. 12 In 1939, Amsterdam acquired twelve 2-axle motor cars from the closing electric city tram network in Utrecht (Gemeentetram Utrecht – GTU). These trams, built by Werkspoor in 1927, were introduced to the Amsterdam network and later renumbered, serving as the only secondhand motor cars purchased by the Amsterdam city transport service. These twelve cars (originally numbered 67-78 in Utrecht) were subsequently renumbered 1–12 in Amsterdam. The purchase helped Amsterdam boost its fleet for expansion, particularly as new tracks were being laid in Amsterdam-Oost and around the new Amstel station (opened in Oct 1939). http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/18/the-modern-tramway-february-1951-the-modernisation-of-amsterdam-tram-no-12/

The Modern Tramway – July 1951 – The Tramways of Clermont-Ferrand The Modern Tramway of July 1951 included an article by Peter J. Jacques about the tramways of Clermont-Ferrand. The featured image for this article is a photograph of one of Clermont-Ferrand’s modern trams. The initial fleet was 26 trains, but in September 2019, the fleet was expanded to 30 trains. Every STE 4 model consists of 4 cars, for a length of 32 metres (105 ft), © William Crochot and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/18/the-modern-tramway-july-1951-the-tramways-of-clermont-ferrand/

The Modern Tramway – May 1951 – A Tram-Bus Experiment in Switzerland The featured image for this article is a Forchbahn Bt: 104 + Be 4/4 in service in 1982. These tramcars were built in the 1950s after the experiment described below, © Spoorjan and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). One of the points regularly made by the editors of The Modern Tramway is that given a proper chance to shine modern electric trams are better than internal combustion engined buses. So it must have come as something of a relief to hear, in 1951, that testing had taken place in Switzerland which seems to have supported the argument that the closure of tramway networks would ultimately prove to be a false economy. … http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/16/the-modern-tramway-may-1951-a-tram-bus-experiment-in-switzerland/

The Modern Tramway – May 1951 – The Tramways of Udine, Italy – Part 1 The Modern Tramway of May 1951 included a short article by Peter J. Jacques about the Tramways of Udine and District. [1] The featured image for this article is a photograph of Sante Gerussi probably dating from the early 1920s. The tram is No. 21 serving on the Udine-Tricesimo-Tarcento line. Originally these trams were painted white but were repainted when the management was transferred from the Società friulana di Elettricità to the Società anonima Tranvie del Friuli. The bus in the image may be the one that connected Tricesimo with Buja, © Public Domain. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/16/the-modern-tramway-may-1951-the-tramways-of-udine-italy-part-1/

The Modern Tramway – April 1951 – The Tramways of Auckland The April 1951 issue of The Modern Tramway featured an article about the Tramways of Auckland, New Zealand. The featured image for this article shows a series of older trams on Lower Queen Street, Auckland. [1: p85] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/15/the-modern-tramway-april-1951-the-tramways-of-auckland/

The Modern Tramway – March 1951 – Tramways in Valencia Among other items of international news in the March 1951 issue of The Modern Tramway, was a short series of notes culled from the Spanish magazine, ‘Ferrocarriles y Tranvias’ The featured image for this article shows two different trams operating on the modern Tramway network in Valencia: a Series 3800 on the right and a Series 4200 on the left. The Modern Tramway reported: “A recent issue of the Spanish monthly ‘Ferrocarriles y Tranvias’ contains interesting news from the town of Valencia. The Compañia de Tranvias y Ferrocarriles de Valencia [CTFV], which operates about 50 route miles of metre gauge tramways and some electric railways, has recently acquired certain Italian patents relating to articulated tramcars, and a start has been made in rebuilding the medium-age 4-wheel tramcars to articulated units with a suspended central unit, as in Rome and Milan. The two 4-wheel cars and the central section form a unit capable of transporting 120 who enter by the rear platform and leave by the centre or front: all entrances/exits are provided with power-operated folding doors, worked by the driver and conductor from their respective seats. These unidirectional articulated sets are numbered from 501 upwards, and are intended for service on certain town routes such as the recently extended Ruzafa-Mislata line, where the curves and restricted clearances in the city centre prevent the use of the modern 400-class bogie cars. These also deserve mention: they have been constructed locally, some of them since 1946, and are single-ended, with doors on one side only: some, however, have the doors on the left, ie. off-side, and others on the right, as usual on the Continent. The explanation is that the former batch of cars are used on Valencia’s circular route No. 5, which is provided throughout with central loading islands placed between the tracks. We believe this is the only case of its kind; Brussels has some centre islands, as did Manchester at one point, but in these cases the cars are (or were) running on the ‘wrong’ side of the road, against the traffic whereas the Valencia cars are on their correct side of the road.” [1: p66-67] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/14/the-modern-tramway-march-1951-tramways-in-valencia/

The Modern Tramway – March 1951 – Glasgow Tramways Fare System The March 1951 issue of The Modern Tramway included an article about Glasgow Tramways Fare System, written by F. James Mayhew. [1] The featured image for this article shows a hold up on tram movements on Sauchiehall Street and Renfield Street in 1951. In front of a queue of trams, a service car is at work tending to the overhead cable(s), © Public Domain. [3] The article is interesting even if just for an insight into the relative value of money in 1951 compared to 2026. In 2026, an adult single bus fare for a 5-mile journey in Glasgow is typically between £2.90 to £3.25. Using First Bus Tap On Tap Off (contactless), a 4–5 mile journey is listed at £2.90, while a standard on-bus ticket can be higher. Prices vary between operators, with First Bus and McGill’s being the primary carriers. Back in 1951, a 5 mile journey on Glasgow’s trams would set you back 3d, about 1.25p. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/13/the-modern-tramway-march-1951-glasgow-tramways-fare-system/

The Modern Tramway – March 1951 – The Hill of Howth Tramway Following on from an article written in May 2023, after a visit to Howth. I found an article about the Tramway by C. L. Fry in the March 1951 issue of The Modern Tramway. [2] The May 2023 article covers the route of the line in some detail. The featured image for this article is a Standard Double-deck tramcar sitting at Sutton Station on the Hill of Howth Tramway © F. Jeffares, Public Domain. [2: p50] C. L. Fry wrote: “A very delightful summer outing can be had by availing oneself of the excellent service operated by the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) on its Dublin local line from Amiens Street Station to Howth. Perhaps the best way would be to leave the train at Sutton Station and there board a G.N.R. Hill of Howth tram which leaves Sutton Station, and winds its way round and over the Hill. The tramway at its summit reaches a height of 350 feet above sea level. From the top of the Hill, and the tramway goes almost to the top (560 ft.) it is possible to see the Mountains of Mourne on the north side, the Wicklow Hills on the south side, and the wonderful view of Dublin Bay and Bray Head. The view at night time, with the reflection of millions of lights glittering in the sea across the bay is equally marvellous. For 1s. 6d., a ticket may be purchased to include a trip by railcar to the tramway terminus and then by the tramway round and over the Head, and back to Dublin by diesel railcar.” [2: p50] Roger FarnworthThe Modern Tramway – March 1951 – The Hill of Howth TramwayFollowing on from an article written in May 2023, after a visit to Howth, which can be read here, [1] I found an article about the Tramway by C. L. Fry in the March 1951 issue of The Modern Tramway…

[b]The Modern Tramway – February 1951 – Traction Motor Trends in 1951 – and beyond[/b] The featured image for this article is a line drawing of a drive system from a Hamburg Metro Car, an SKF DT4. [5] … AC traction motors (commonly induction motors) are the standard for modern trams, replacing older DC motors to provide higher efficiency, better reliability, and reduced maintenance. These motors, often running at 60–200 kW, power the bogies and enable regenerative braking to feed energy back into the overhead line. They are controlled by variable-frequency inverters for smooth acceleration. The Modern Tramway of February 1951 carried an article by ‘Eltee’ entitled ‘Traction Motor Trends’ about the recent changes in electric motors in trams. [1: p33-34] Roger FarnworthThe Modern Tramway – February 1951 – Traction Motor Trend...The featured image for this article is a line drawing of a drive system from a Hamburg Metro Car, an SKF DT4. [5] … AC traction motors (commonly induction motors) are the standard for modern …

[b]Modern Tramway February 1951 – New Tramcars for the Brno Tramways in 1950/51[/b] The featured image for this article is Brno Tramways No. 131 with Trailer No. 310, which early in 1951 was newly delivered to Brno. [1: p21] Gerald Deuce reported in February 1951 on a series of new tramcars being delivered to Brno in what is now the Czech Republic. [1: p25-26] He writes that these tramcars: “are uni-directional single truck motor-cars with trailers of similar design and are intended for PAYE [Pay As You Enter] operation with the entrance at the rear. All the doors except the leading set of the motor-car, are under the control of the respective conductor. “The cars are heated by electric radiators fitted under the transverse seats, and lighted by a fluorescent tube strip along the ceiling. “Brno is the capital of Moravia and has a population of just over 273,000. It is situated about 130 miles south-east of Prague, and is the centre of the Czechoslovak textile industry and an important tourist centre.” [1: p25] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/12/modern-tramway-february-1951-new-tramcars-for-the-brno-tramways-in-1950-51/

Modern Tramway – January 1951 – The Brisbane City Tramways I have a few older copies of Modern Tramway which I had not yet read. The first of these is the January 1951 issue, this is a third reflection from that copy of the Journal. The featured image for this article is Brisbane City Transport No. 506: a high-speed, resilient-wheeled car, one of a new [1950] batch of 50, with full-length sliding doors, leather-covered foam-rubber seats and a panelled body. This car had a multi-notch controller driving 4 x 40 hp motors; there are 64 seats and the overload capacity is 110, © Public Domain. [1: p1] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/11/modern-tramway-january-1951-the-brisbane-city-tramways/

Modern Tramway – January 1951 – The ‘Felthams’ in Leeds I have a few older copies of Modern Tramway which I had not yet read. The first of these is the January 1951 issue, this is a second reflection from that copy of the Journal. As the London network began to close a significant number of trams were sold. This copy of Modern Tramway notes that the remaining ‘Felthams’ were sold to Leeds City Transport. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/11/modern-tramway-january-1951-the-felthams-in-leeds/

Modern Tramway – January 1951 – Birmingham Bustigestion! I have a few older copies of Modern Tramway which I had not yet read. The first of these is the January 1951 issue. The editorial for this issue of Modern Tramway was a long update on Birmingham’s tram-scrapping programme. An update that railed against the dominance of the bus! It was clearly written by someone who knew the centre of Birmingham at the start of the 1950s very well. The featured image for this article shows a tram service on Slade Road, Erdington in 1951, the photograph was shared on the Birmingham Area History Facebook Group by Jan Ross on 23rd November 2023, © Public Domain. Roger FarnworthModern Tramway – January 1951 – Birmingham Bustigestion!I have a few older copies of Modern Tramway which I had not yet read. The first of these is the January 1951 issue. The editorial for this issue of Modern Tramway was a long update on Birmingham&#8…

We enjoyed a visit to Wemyss Bay Railway Station in early May, while we were waiting for the ferry to the Isle of Bute. [Quote]The featured image for this article shows Wemyss Bay Railway Station from the covered walkway to the pier. A steam-powered service from Glasgow has just arrived, © Public Domain. [/Quote] Roger FarnworthWemyss Bay Railway StationWe enjoyed a visit to Wemyss Bay Railway Station in early May, while we were waiting for the ferry to the Isle of Bute. The featured image for this article shows Wemyss Bay Railway Station from the…

It was announced on 22nd October 2025 that the lines through the Channel Tunnel would see double-decker trains by 2031. An order was placed for their construction and delivery in October 2025. This article takes a look at the history of double-deck trains and carriages. The featured image for this article shows what one of these trains would look like in Eurostar’s grey livery. The fully electric fleet of trains will be named Eurostar Celestia, which comes from the Latin word caelestis, meaning ‘heavenly’. The colour of the train has not yet been decided, but the current colour of Eurostar trains is grey, dark blue and yellow. Each train would be 200m long. Currently two are run together making an entire service 400m long. Double-decker trains don’t have twice as many seats as a single-deckers though, just because there needs to be room for interior steps, but there would be a fifth more seats. This means an increase from just under 900 seats on the current service to just over a thousand. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/04/double-decker-trains/

A mineral railway and enlarged harbour were constructed in 1853/1854 with a first significant cargo of limestone leaving the Carnlough harbour for Scotland in mid-August 1854. http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/04/23/the-carnlough-limestone-railway-and-harbour-carnlough-co-antrim/

The Railways of West Cumberland – Part 1 – An Introduction The November 1954 issue of The Railway Magazine included an article by C. A. Knight about the railways between Sellafield and Maryport and inland as far as Cockermouth and Kelton Fell. [Quote]Reading Knight’s article encouraged me to begin a review of the different railways and tramways of the area. This article is the first of a series. … [/Quote] http://rogerfarnworth.com/2026/05/02/the-railways-of-west-cumberland-part-1-an-introduction/