Latest news with #TheGreatBritain
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Steam train makes special stop for rail volunteer
A heritage steam train has made a special stop to thank a volunteer who has been working on the railway for 16 years. Michael Dunn, from Northallerton, has been in hospital for five weeks as he underwent chemotherapy for cancer of the oesophagus. Mr Dunn said he felt emotional when he found out the Railway Touring Company's locomotive would be making the unscheduled stop at Northallerton Station. He said: "This has kept me going for the last few weeks because it's very special. No steam engine would ever be able to stop there normally. It's quite emotional, to say the least." The Railway Touring Company offers trips around the UK on five locomotives called The Great Britain. The service stopped in Northallerton at about 10:40 BST on Saturday. Mr Dunn said it was especially exciting because the locomotive making the journey was a Tornado, an A1 class that was built in Darlington. "It's on its last part going back down to London via Norwich," he said. "The total mileage will be just over 2,000 miles, with 200 passengers. "It is unique. It's a five-minute stop and everybody can wave their whistles from the train." Mr Dunn said his passion for trains began as a young boy, and having been born and bred in Northallerton, he was excited to see the service stop in his home town. "It's a passion that comes from childhood, but people don't realise how passionate people across the country are, not just rail enthusiasts. "The Great Britain started 17 years ago. "It normally starts in London at Victoria or King's Cross and from there it goes to various points within our Great Britain." Mr Dunn's niece, Laura McManners, said the nurses at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, where Mr Dunn was treated, had made special arrangements to allow him to get to Northallerton on Saturday morning. She said Mr Dunn had waved to all the passengers from the platform and been able to say thank you to train staff. The service began at London Victoria on 26 April before making its way to Inverness. The Northallerton stop was made on the train's journey back to London, where it will terminate on Monday. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. The Railway Touring Company
BBC News
04-05-2025
- BBC News
Steam train makes special stop for Northallerton rail volunteer
A heritage steam train has made a special stop to thank a volunteer who has been working on the railway for 16 Dunn, from Northallerton, has been in hospital for five weeks as he underwent chemotherapy for cancer of the Dunn said he felt emotional when he found out the Railway Touring Company's locomotive would be making the unscheduled stop at Northallerton said: "This has kept me going for the last few weeks because it's very special. No steam engine would ever be able to stop there normally. It's quite emotional, to say the least." The Railway Touring Company offers trips around the UK on five locomotives called The Great service stopped in Northallerton at about 10:40 BST on Dunn said it was especially exciting because the locomotive making the journey was a Tornado, an A1 class that was built in Darlington."It's on its last part going back down to London via Norwich," he said."The total mileage will be just over 2,000 miles, with 200 passengers."It is unique. It's a five-minute stop and everybody can wave their whistles from the train." Mr Dunn said his passion for trains began as a young boy, and having been born and bred in Northallerton, he was excited to see the service stop in his home town."It's a passion that comes from childhood, but people don't realise how passionate people across the country are, not just rail enthusiasts."The Great Britain started 17 years ago."It normally starts in London at Victoria or King's Cross and from there it goes to various points within our Great Britain."Mr Dunn's niece, Laura McManners, said the nurses at James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough, where Mr Dunn was treated, had made special arrangements to allow him to get to Northallerton on Saturday said Mr Dunn had waved to all the passengers from the platform and been able to say thank you to train service began at London Victoria on 26 April before making its way to Northallerton stop was made on the train's journey back to London, where it will terminate on Monday. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Western Telegraph
28-04-2025
- Western Telegraph
LMS Black Five steam locomotive passes through Pembrokeshire
The historic LMS Black Five steam locomotive - whose full title is LMS Stanier Class Black 5 45212 – travelled to Pembrokeshire from Bristol Temple Meads yesterday, Sunday April 27, with plenty of locals managing to get some pics as she steamed through. There are now only 18 Black Five locomotives preserved out of a total of 842 which were built between 1934 and 1951. (Image: Angela Judson) Several members of the class survived to the last day of steam on British Railways in 1968. LMS Black 5 45212 was built in Newcastle in 1935. (Image: Jack Simpson) The train visited Pembrokeshire as part of The Railway Touring Company's The Great Britain XVII rail tour. This was a nine-day experience for 160 passengers, costing up to £4,500 travel, on-board food and hotel accommodation. The train travelled under steam from Pembroke Dock to Whitland on Sunday afternoon, leaving Pembroke Dock at around 2.06pm 14.06, travelling via Tenby and arriving in Whitland at around 3pm. (Image: Tony Minkowsi) The train was then diesel-hauled from Whitland to Fishguard Harbour where it arrived slightly behind schedule at around 4.45pm. It departed shortly after an entirely steam-hauled return journey to Cardiff Central via Milford Haven. The Great Britain XVII Rail Tour, which left London Victoria on Saturday, April 26, is The Railway Touring Company's annual, flagship steam tour billed as 'a classic railway adventure you'll remember with great pleasure for many years to come'. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography) 'This year the highlight of day two of The Great Britain is the spectacular scenery of south Wales with a journey through Pembrokeshire National Park to Pembroke Dock, Fishguard and Milford Haven,' said The Railway Touring Company's MD Kelly Osborne. 'Leaving Fishguard Harbour, our historic steam locomotive faces the challenge of a 1 in 50 gradient so will be working hard!' (Image: Western Telegraph) The Great Britain is one of dozens of heritage rail-themed UK, European and worldwide tours provided by The Railway Touring Company each year. As the name suggests, this will be the 17th year The Great Britain has run. More details of tours and steam day trips can be found at linked above. (Image: Mike Roch)
