Author Archives: Simon Lomax

Thanks for looking in. Just to clarify, the Apedale Valley Light Railway remains closed to the public, including non-working Trust members. Some work is taking place on site, but that work is subject to very close controls to ensure that we remain a COVID-secure workplace. At the stage, events from August onwards remain in the […]

This weekend should have been our annual gala, which would have marked the 10th anniversary of the start of train services on the Apedale Light Railway. Sadly, not to be. So, we thought it might be interesting to post photos showing the very beginnings of the AVLR from 2007 to opening in 2010. With the […]

In more normal times, this weekend would have been spent in frantic preparation for the 10th anniversary gala. A highlight of the weekend would have included cleaning the shed floor, ready for its re-use as the display area for model railways, trade stands and the MRT Tea Stall. Sadly, none of that will happen. So, […]

Today we head south. 1984, and this is a contract which was underway to expand the BR tunnel just London side of Southampton station. I believe the objective was to clear the route for 8’0″ containers. Ironically, the job has been repeated in recent years, this time to accomodate 9’6″ containers – just shows how […]

Today, we visit a location which has become a bit of a legend. RAF Fauld, the location of the UK’s largest-ever explosion.The site was storing large amounts of munitions in what was basically a converted gypsum quarry. In November 1944, a significant quantity of those munitions exploded, taking away a farm and around 70 lives. […]

In more normal times, this would have been our first steam weekend of the season. Not to worry, we’ll just call this Stanhope Saturday. The undoubted flagship of the Apedale steam fleet, this loco was first steamed in preservation in 1999, and shown to the public at an open day at Alan Keef’s premises that […]

Today would have been the first day of our 2020 operating season. The PWay has never been in better shape, and the fleet was fully serviced and ready to go. But, not to be. No point in getting upset, what matters is only that people follow the guidelines and we get through the current problems. […]

Dateline: 14 November 1993. Doubtless a freezing cold day. Despite this, the Moseley Industrial Tramway still runs public trains, and Paul Jarman is there to take a few photos. Both locos are still part of the fleet at Apedale (Motor Rail 22045 and Hunslet 6299).

It will come as no surprise to read that the Apedale Valley Light Railway will be closed to the public during the month of April. We will determine what happens for future months as the current situation evolves. Although the situation regarding the months beyond April is uncertain, we have decided that we will cancel […]

Another corporate volunteering day – this time the Civil Servants of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch. A small but effective team demonstrated its ability to Deliver at Pace. One group assisted our regular volunteers in carrying out repairs to the World War One trench system. The second group carried out a long-overdue repaint and smarten-up […]