BrickishRail

01/06/2026

Pride in the Railways 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️| Looking back to The Greatest Gathering in August last year, and the celebration of LGBTQ+ diversity and history within the railways, with Avanti West Coast 390119 'Progress' taking centre stage, and TfL Pride Liveried 345055 running passenger shuttles along the Litchurch Lane Works test track. The Saturday of the event also saw a pride parade, made up of LGBTQ+ people from the industry.

The advent of the railways in the mid-19th century provided great development and opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community: The railways not only could provide travel for people beyond their local community, but railway hotels and compartment carriages could provide and element of privacy, sadly a necessity for many q***r people at a time where same-sex relationships, particularly between men, were criminalised. As a result, many gay villages and LGBTQ+ spaces would develop in close proximity to mainline stations, such as Canal Street in Manchester, Lower Briggate in Leeds, and Hurst Street in Birmingham.

For more information about the history of the LGBTQ+ community and the railways, I recommend watching the National Railway Museum's "People, Pride and Progress" stream from a couple of years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erjei5qn9Ms

The Greatest Gathering
ALSTOM
Avanti West Coast
Transport for London

30/05/2026

Churchill at Dungeness | From the recent gala at the Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, Canadian outline Pacific No.9 'Winston Churchill' takes a pause under blue skies at Dungeness Station, 17/05/26.

Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway

27/05/2026

What if...? | 46256 'Sir William A. Stanier F.R.S.'

, 150 years ago on 27th May 1876, Sir William Stanier was born. After staring his career in the railways working for the Great Western Railway, eventually becoming manager of Swindon Works in 1920, Stanier was selected by Chairman of the LMS, Sir Josiah Stamp, to take the position of Chief Mechanical Engineer, utilising his knowledge from working at the GWR. From 1932 to 1944, Stanier introduced several successful steam locomotives designs to the LMS, including the Princess Coronations, Princess Royals, the Jubilees, and the Black Fives.

The penultimate Princess Coronation and final LMS built Pacific to enter service, No.6256 in December 1947, was named in honour of Stanier, who by now had received a Fellowship of the Royal Society. 46256 became the final member of the class to survive in service, and despite being a favourite amongst enthusiasts with calls to preserve her, she was withdrawn in October of 1964 and scrapped by the end of the year.

Three members of the class were fortunate to survive in preservation, each representing different eras of the Duchess's lives. 46233 'Duchess of Sutherland', alongside 46229 'Duchess of Hamilton', was acquired by Sir Billy Butlin, and was displayed at the Heads-of-Ayr Butlins holiday camp. Today, 6233 is owned by the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust, and over the past two decades, has been the only operational example of the class, running mainline tours and occasional visits to heritage lines, though is currently out of service for an overhaul at The West Shed.

Pictured here outside The West Shed in September 2018, following a fresh repaint into LMS Crimson Lake livery, 6233 forms a basis for a photoshop job of 46256. This showcases how she would have appeared in the 1960s, sporting BR Standard Red with LMS lining, a livery which 46256 was one of 16 members of the class to carry. Note an attempt to represent the 'utility front' footplate and abridged cab sides, the latter being a unique modification to 46256 and 46257 'City of Salford'.

The Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust

25/05/2026

This Bank Holiday heatwave has me, in addition to melting, casting my mind back to 2018, and the wall-to-wall sunshine that was had during the Keighley & Worth Valley's 50th Anniversary Steam Gala: An event which brought with it some fond memories and some great new friends!

The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

23/05/2026

This weekend sees the Cotswold Festival of Steam take place at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway. Whilst our cameras unfortunaly won't be in attendance this year, here is a look back at the start of the month, with gala attendees 34070 'Manston', 6880 'Betton Grange' and GWR Railcar No.22 all in action on the line.

Check out the full video over on YouTube - https://youtu.be/dX5qIMmOj0k

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway
Southern Locomotives Ltd
6880 Betton Grange Society Ltd
Didcot Railway Centre

22/05/2026

Happy 225 Day!

Here's a selection of the various guises the Class 91s have carried over the last decade, including a number of celebrities and one offs! With the class recently running north of York once more, will certainly have to make a trip to the North East soon to capture some more shots!

London North Eastern Railway
225 Group

21/05/2026

New Video! Going for Gold | 34046 'Braunton' - The Golden Arrow - 20/05/26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvfHp72ECs0

Not often seen in the South East, Bulleid Rebuilt West Country Class 34046 'Braunton' takes charge of The Golden Arrow to Canterbury, stepping in last minute for BR 71000 'Duke of Gloucester'. On the outward journey into Kent, we catch the tour nearing Nutfield station, with the train running nearly 65 years to the day on the final steam hauled Golden Arrow service, which took place on the 11th June 1961, hauled by classmate 34100 'Appledore'.

Locomotive Services Group

Not often seen in the South East, Bulleid Rebuilt West Country Clas...

18/05/2026

New Video! Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway - Spring Steam & Diesel Gala - 17/05/26 https://youtu.be/tM4Wv2Ka_Hk?si=SdbtB_emisPg8k6h

Celebrating 99 years, the 15 Inch gauge Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway host their Spring Steam & Diesel Gala weekend. In addition to members of the railway's operational home fleet, visiting the line was 'River Mite' from the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway and 'Fox' from the Kirklees Light Railway.

The weekend saw several named trains and non-stop runs, including a "Golden Arrow" recreation double headed with No.1 'Green Goddess' & No.10 'Doctor Syn'. The event culminated in usual fashion for the RHDR, with a multiheader six loco hauled service around the loop at Dungeness, led by both guest engines.

Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway Co.Ltd
Whistlestop Valley

Celebrating 99 years, the 15 Inch gauge Romney Hythe & Dymchurch Railway host their Spring Steam & Diesel Gala weekend. In addition to members of the railway...

17/05/2026

New Video! LMS Black Five 44871 - The Buxton Spa Express - 16/05/26
https://youtu.be/CH_k_DRF3LQ?si=sDlD_ffbBIi4hJaj

Bringing steam to the Peak District, LMS Black Five 44871 hauls the second Buxton Spa Express of the year. With the tour having began at Ealing Broadway, and the 'Five' joining at Leicester, we catch the tour as it slowly passes through the Hope Valley at Hope Station, following a stopping service but keeping on the power to maintain traction up the gradient.

Following this, we view the tour rounding the corner at Blackwell Mill, where the Monsal Trail begins, running along the bed of the former line running south towards Bakewell. After a stopover in the spa town of Buxton, we catch a final view of the train following departure over an hour late, working up the steep gradient out of the station and along the LNWR route towards Manchester.

44871's visit to the Peak District comes on the heals of classmate 45407 'The Lancashire Fusilier' which performed her own run of "The Buxton Spa Express" back in March.

The Railway Touring Company
Riley & Son E Ltd Locomotive Engineers
West Coast Railways

Bringing steam to the Peak District, LMS Black Five 44871 hauls the second Buxton Spa Express of the year. With the tour having began at Ealing Broadway, and...

15/05/2026

New Video! Eastern Pacific Pairing | 60163 'Tornado' & 60103 'Flying Scotsman' head for the GCRN - 15/05/26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRI_6QVjtHQ

Perhaps two of the biggest celebrities of the steam world, LNER A3 60103 'Flying Scotsman' and new build Peppercorn A1 60163 'Tornado' make a rare appearance on the mainline in tandem, with both locomotives visiting the Great Central Railway (Nottingham) for a series of special services over the coming weeks.

Both locomotives are no stranger to the line, with 60163 'Tornado' having last visited in 2018. 'Scotsman' meanwhile saw service on the Great Central Railway in the early 1950s, running from London Marylebone to Sheffield and Manchester, having be allocated to Leicester Central Depot.

Having featured in the launch of Platforms 5 & 6 at Darlington Station that morning, 60163 would travel south to meet with 60103 at the Railway Museum in York. With both Pacifics together, the pair continue south towards Toton, our camera's ready on the Erewash Valley line, where DB Cargo 66190 'Martin House' was attached to aid with the reverse movement of the two locos up the length of the GCRN from Loughborough to Ruddington. We next catch the consist as it passes by the cooling towers of Ratcliffe Power Station, before finally catching both locos arriving at Ruddington on the GCRN.

NTHC Ruddington - Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre
The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust
National Railway Museum
Fox & Edwards Events
DB Cargo

Perhaps two of the biggest celebrities of the steam world, LNER A3 60103 'Flying Scotsman' and new build Peppercorn A1 60163 'Tornado' make a rare appearance...