Railways Illustrated

The best coverage of today's railway scene. Each issue of Railways Illustrated offers a comprehensive round-up of the latest news and topical events from the UK across the present-day railway, including heritage traction in operation on the main lines. Railways Illustrated reflects the energy and vitality of the present-day railway scene.

Welcome

Railways Illustrated

After 49 years, GWR says farewell to HSTs

Freightliner splits its fleet for impending sale

WCML Thunderbird contract with DRS ends

ScotRail addresses HST spare parts shortage

IN BRIEF

Peak engine started for the first time in eight years

As more 99s arrive, GBRf prepares to give up Class 66s

Nationalised GBR is formally launched

Fuel tank problems for 50s solved

Big clean-up as RHTT comes to season’s end

Tours in trouble

Positive Traction releases second e08

EMR’s Class 810s finally enter traffic

Class 93s lined up for GoLink logistics trial?

DB Cargo Class 66s move in and out of store

Chiltern Railways Mk. 3 farewell tour

Main line tours for LSL’s 50 and 55

SRPS prepares for a varied 2026 railtour programme

Britannic Explorer stock retired for winter

Rare Mallaig ED visit

Retro look for EPR 37

The rumour mill

Coaching Stock News

Deltic engine runs for the first time in 44 years

Christmas comes early for WLA – but delivery is delayed!

Preserved Class 507 is running again

LSL Deltic returns to operation

Hymek steam heat day

Isle of Wight gala sees popular shunters at work

Class 40 finally collected and moved to Worksop

NVR announces March diesel gala

Three decades of change • Thirty years ago, railfreight entered a new era when British Rail’s freight operations were sold off to the private sector. Paul Shannon looks at the ups and downs of the freight sector since that time.

What’s happening to… • Our monthly round up of restoration projects around the country, compiled by Pip Dunn

LIVING LIFE IN THE PAST LANE • The iconic HSTs were much maligned in the days when they were replacing Class 55s, 45s, 50s and 47s off top-link InterCity turns, but time is a great healer and now they too are on the way out. Chris Gee recalls his first, and probably last, blue and grey InterCity 125.

UKR’s Peak tour could herald a pivotal change

PICTORIAL

Another exciting year on the nation’s railways • It’s been a varied 12 months on the national network, the heritage railways, and in the charter market. Pip Dunn looks back at the highs and lows of 2025.

John Whiteley remembers… Peaks on Standedge • John Whiteley delves into his collection to look at the trans-Pennine line between Huddersfield and Stalybridge in the days when Class 45 Peaks worked most of the passenger trains on the scenic route.

10 PICTURES • In each issue of Railways Illustrated, we ask a photographer to select their 10 favourite railrelated images and tell us the reasons why they believe these photos stand out from the crowd.

NEW YEAR SALE

Super-size Sprinter • Heljan’s recent focus on DMUs continues with the release of the Class 153 in O gauge, this being the first-ever ready-to-run Sprinter in the larger scale. Simon Bendall takes a look at the Northern version of the model, which could open up new modelling avenues.

NEW YEAR

British Railways pocket books

Railwayana: latest sale results

Coming up in March’s issue