RAILDATE 2022.09.30

Your free weekly guide to what's happening, what's new and what's on.

To subscribe to the email, please send a blank email to: raildate+subscribe@groups.io

Follow us on Twitter: @RailDateNews

Raildate is a collaboration between the editor and a number of contributors. Please think about supplying links that you spot. The contact email address is: raildate.co.uk@gmail.com

The latest Raildate is always at https://latest.raildate.co.uk

There are sections on:

UK Rail News

East

London

Midlands

North East

North West

Scotland

South

South East

Wales

West

National

Politics

Rail industry

International Rail News

Australia

Ecuador

Europe

Germany

Ireland

Japan

Luxembourg

Switzerland

Ukraine

United States

Other Transport Modes

Air

Bus

Canal

Marine

Credits

Thank you to this week's contributors

HIGHLIGHTED WEBSITE

Your RailDate editor also runs the Timetable World digital archive.

Access is free to nearly 1,400 timetable books and maps from around the world, mainly covering railways and buses. In addition, a full set of Great Britain passenger timetables 1974-2020 has just been released as searchable PDF files to purchase (Dec 2007 - 2020 are free) and download.

Timetable World News · Autumn 2022 newsletter

UPCOMING EVENTS

Online talks, Galas, and Open Days this week and next.

Click me to open/close


01-Oct-2022

Plym Valley Railway

Bernard Mills presents "Twilight of Steam" (1965-68)

Cottle Lodge, Plympton, PL7 2AU

Admission £5, 1830 for 1900, buffet included

https://www.plymrail.co.uk


01-Oct-2022

Sheffield Model Railway Society: Exhibition

Grenoside Community Centre, Main Street Sheffield, S35 8PR

1000-1600

https://www.SheffieldMRS.co.uk


02-Oct-2022

Romsey Signal Box Working Museum Open Day

Brick Lane, Romsey, Hants, SO51 8LG

Opens 1100, last entry 1530

https://romseysignalbox.org.uk/


03-Oct-2022

Hampshire Industrial Archaeology Society

The Underhill Centre, St. John's Road, Hedge End, SO30 4AF

7:30 for 7:45pm

"Brunel's Timber Viaducts, Masterpieces or Aberrations?" by Roger Davies

Non-members welcome

https://www.hias.org.uk/meetings.htm


03-Oct-2022

Peak Railway Association - Sheffield Branch

"More Trains, Trams, Trolleys and Trivia" - digital - Frank Greaves

Farm Road Sports & Social Club, Farm Road, Sheffield S2 2TP

£4 donation requested on the door, non-members welcome

Starts 1930

http://peakrailwayassociation.co.uk/sheffield.html


07-09 Oct 2022

Mid-Hants Watercress Line: Autumn Steam Gala

https://watercressline.co.uk/


07-09 Oct 2022

Spa Valley Railway: Real Ale and Cider Festival

https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk


08-09 Oct 2022

Apedale Valley Light Railway: Hunslet 1215 Running Days

https://avlr.org.uk/


09-Oct-2022

Gainsborough Model Railway Society: Open Day

The Clubrooms, Florence Terrace, Gainsborough, DN21 1BE

1330 to 1730 (last admission 1630)

http://gainsboroughmodelrailway.co.uk/


11-Oct-2022

Great Western Society Bristol Group

589 Southmead Road, Filton, BS34 7RF

7:30 for 7:45pm

"Transport Video Highlights of 2018" David Brabner

Non-members welcome

No admission charge but a suggested donation of £3 is appreciated

http://www.gwsbristol.org/gwsmeetings.html


12-Oct-2022

RCTS South Wales Branch

Old Church Rooms, Park Road, Radyr, CF15 8DF

"Freight Reorganisation in the Cardiff Valleys during the late 1960s" by Brian Rolley

1900 for 1930

https://rcts.org.uk/branches/branch-swl-south-wales-de-cymru/


13-16 Oct 2022

Bluebell Railway: Giants of Steam Autumn Gala

https://www.bluebell-railway.com

TELEVISION

UK television listings with a transport theme for the next eight days

Click me to open/close

Abandoned Engineering -:- A town in West Virginia that fell victim to the pace of change when steam trains became obsolete and an underground complex in Italy that had been abandoned for nearly 2,000 years

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) -:- Horror spoof in which zany duo Bud and Lou play railway porters who encounter spooky characters Dracula, the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's monster, setting the stage for all kinds of thrills and spills. With Bela Lugosi

Bangers and Cash -:- Derek has a three-hour drive in a 1960s bus that arrived in the UK after a life in the sun. Dave takes a Triumph TR7 convertible to auction

Britain's Worst Road Disaster -:- A 1975 bus crash in North Yorkshire remains Britain's worst road disaster. This film remembers those who died and is a testimony to an event that is in danger of being forgotten

British Rails Are Long and Fast -:- Short promotional film detailing the production, installation and maintenance for long welded track in use on British Railways

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris crosses Australia from south to north following the original ill-fated route of the 2,000 mile-long Adelaide to Darwin railway. After beginning his journey on a luxury modern train, he transfers to one of the line's surviving steam locomotives before hitting the Outback, where he quickly concludes that a 4x4 is a more practical means of travelling. He passes through ghost towns and explores abandoned railway relics before uncovering why most of the southern section of the line eventually had to be abandoned. At Alice Springs he hitches a ride on a freight train headed for Darwin and reaches his final destination after nearly 24 hours in the cramped cab

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- Chris sets out on a mission to cross three former Soviet republics entirely by rail in just one week, travelling through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and uncovering amazing stories and dark secrets from the region's past. He begins in Narva, Estonia, before heading to the capital Tallinn on the country's oldest railway, built by German nobles to connect the Russian imperial capital St Petersburg with Estonia's ports, then travelling through Latvia and Lithuania and heading to the Russian border on a revolutionary new line

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- The broadcaster travels from the west of Morocco to the east, heading into the desert on a mission to find out whether a railway line once crossed the Sahara all the way to Timbuktu in Mali. He begins in Marrakesh, taking in Casablanca and Fez before visiting a town that he is convinced has been named in his honour

Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railway Journeys -:- TV and radio presenter Chris Tarrant goes on three journeys by rail through some of the world's harshest terrain. He begins by heading to the Congo in central Africa to experience one of the greatest surviving railways of the colonial era, built by the French at a cost of tens of thousands of native lives and connecting the capital Brazzaville to the coast. Chris sets off on his scheduled two-day trip from the station at the port of Pointe-Noire, ending his journey six days - and a whole series of setbacks - later

Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain -:- Fred meets fellow traction engine enthusiasts in Staffordshire and visits an old friend who is restoring a triple expansion engine at Bratch Pumping Station. He also takes a tour of the trains on the Severn Valley railway and learns about the history of mining in the Black Country at the Living Museum

Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain -:- Fred travels to the Lake District, which was once one of Britain's biggest sources of iron ore. He also takes a trip across a lake in a steamboat, examines how the rail industry made use of local metals, and finally enjoys a pint with former steelworkers in a local pub

Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain -:- Fred watches a traditional chain-maker at work and visits a copper mine, before discovering how the metal sheets produced would be transformed through a spinning process. He also takes a trip to the Ffestiniog railway, built to transport slate, where he rides on the footplate of a 19th-century train and sees the world's oldest working steam engine

Fred Dibnah's Made in Britain -:- The former steeplejack investigates traditional craftsmanship in Yorkshire and Derbyshire, including glass-cutting, making rivets using the traditional hot forge method, and ornate carving. He also catches up with some old friends in the process of restoring a showman's engine and watches workers at the Midland Railway Centre as they repair damaged trains

Gino's Italian Escape -:- For the final leg of his journey, Gino D'Acampo takes a railway adventure to picturesque Lake Iseo, a hidden gem often overshadowed by its big sisters Garda and Como. He starts out angling for sardines, then takes his catch and prepares a dish of grilled fish for the passengers of Treno dei Sapore - a tourist train that takes guests along the lakeside and into the Franciacorta region. While they enjoy the views they also get a seven-course meal - with today's starter cooked by Gino

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo continues following the route Queen Victoria took from Windsor Castle to the Isle of Wight, and reveals the oil fields hidden beneath some of England's seaside resorts. During his journey, he also explores the role the Dorset town of Weymouth played in the D-Day landings during the Second World War, and visits the site of Victorian Britain's most famous building rock in Portland

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo has a go at playing Winchester Cathedral's Victorian organ as he continues his tour of Britain's railways. He also goes behind the scenes at a rail works in Eastleigh that began operating in the 19th century, and travels to the Isle of Wight, one of Queen Victoria's favourite holiday destinations

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo journeys from Brockenhurst to Poole. He heads to the New Forest, where he seeks venomous adders, discovers a library in Wimborne containing rare books and visits 19th-century potteries that are still trading today

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo sets off on a journey from Oxford, through the Malvern Hills toward south Wales. He gets a special view of the city of Oxford, and discovers a unique and colourful crop in the Cotswolds

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo's tour takes him to Alton, Hampshire, where he samples Victorian super food, explores Whitchurch Silk Mill, which has remained untouched for more than 150 years, and drives a steam train on the challenging Watercress Line

Great British Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo visits the Worcestershire village of Hartlebury, which was once home to a bishop who captured Queen Victoria's attention, on the second leg of his journey from Oxford to the south Wales coast. He also investigates the secrets of Worcestershire sauce and learns why the Malvern Hills were popular with 19th-century health enthusiasts

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Armed with his 1913 railway guide, Michael Portillo travels from the Swiss Alps to the shores of Lake Geneva. Along the way, he is caught up in a war zone with the Red Cross and rescued from an 'avalanche' by a St Bernard puppy. He takes to the skies in a vintage bi-plane to retrace the epic journey of the pioneering pilot who was first to fly over the Alps, and tries his hand at watchmaking, James Bond style

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Armed with his trusty 1913 Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo travels east through the Balkans along the most exotic section of the route taken by the Orient Express. His journey begins in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, and includes stops in the ancient city of Plovdiv, the region of Rumelia, and former capital of the Ottoman Empire Edirne. Arriving in Istanbul, Michael takes a trip on the Bosphorus - a much-coveted stretch of water - finds out about Turkish delight and travels along the Marmaray metro line, which connects European and Asian Istanbul via a tunnel beneath the Bosphorus

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Armed with his trusty 1913 Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide, Michael Portillo ventures east through Romania to the shores of the Black Sea. Along the way he encounters a bloodsucking vampire in Transylvania and brown bears in the Carpathian forest, before visiting a fairytale castle with modern conveniences in Sinaia, striking oil in Ploiesti, tapping into the nation's musical soul in Bucharest and loading cargo from a crane in Constanta. This leg of his journey ends at Constanta, where Michael explores what is now emerging as Europe's largest grain port

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- In Vienna, Michael Portillo encounters a pre-Cold War spy and learns about the concert that caused a riot in 1913. He then travels the Habsburg imperial line across the Semmering Pass, a line blasted through the Alps. In Graz, the former politician ventures underground at the Lurgrotte Caves to find out about a famous rescue operation of the past, then in Slovenia discovers how an earthquake in Ljubljana prompted its citizens to assert their national identity in architecture and art. Arriving in the Italian port of Trieste, Michael savours the imported coffee that fuelled a cafe culture

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo embarks on a Greek odyssey from the Athens port of Piraeus, north to the city of Thessaloniki, exploring the Acropolis and sampling moussaka and baklava on the way. He also discovers the parlous state of Greek finances at the time of his 1913 Continental Railway Guide, and learns how an aristocratic English poet became a Greek national hero

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo experiences first-hand Italy's 'need for speed' in a state-of-the-art Maserati sports car, and discovers how the leaning tower of Pisa was rescued from near collapse. In Carrara, he finds out how the marble used by Michelangelo is still being quarried and is invited to chip away at a contemporary sculpture. Moving on to Bologna, the former politician embarks on a doomed search for spaghetti bolognese before being taught how to prepare a tagliatelle al ragu. Finally, he lets the wind rush through his hair on a high-speed boat trip across Lake Garda

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo leaves Europe behind to take in the sights, smells and tastes of North Africa as he travels from the Mediterranean port of Tangier to the Berber city of Marrakech. At Asilah, the political commentator lends a hand with the construction of Morocco's new £3billion high-speed railway line to Casablanca, where he calls in to the most famous gin joint in the world

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo traces the early 20th-century roots of the Spanish Civil War, which divided his family and sent his father into exile. The former politician discovers a nation fractured at the time by social tensions and regional loyalties, which today offer a rich diversity of cultures to delight the tourist. After arriving in Majorca from Barcelona, Michael spoils himself enjoying spectacular scenic views aboard a 1912 vintage railway and a 1913 tram. He also gets trampled underfoot at the bottom of a Catalan 'people steeple' and learns to make the perfect paella

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo uses his 1913 copy of Bradshaw's Continental Railway Guide to explore Poland. He begins in the capital Warsaw, where he takes to the floor to dance to one of Chopin's polonaises with high-school students rehearsing for their leavers' ball, before discovering how the former industrial city of Lodz supplied the vast Russian empire of the early 20th century. He then heads to Poznan and rides one of the few remaining steam-powered commuter trains, visits a factory in Wroclaw that manufactures car bodies for locomotives, and ends his journey in Krakow, where he takes a tour in an iconic vehicle of the communist era

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Michael Portillo ventures once more on to the European rail network to retrace journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 publication Continental Guide, beginning by travelling through Russia. He starts in the industrial city of Tula, before visiting Leo Tolstoy's former home of Yasnaya Polyana and learning how the author's life and works were intertwined with the railways. Michael then boards the train that runs from the Caspian Sea to Moscow, where he performs an important role in a dramatic opera at the Bolshoi Theatre, before exploring the beauty and history of St Petersburg and riding on the first railway ever built in Russia

Great Continental Railway Journeys -:- Steered by his 1913 Bradshaw railway guide, Michael Portillo takes the train down the spine of Italy as he travels from Rome to Sicily. He begins by weaving among the capital city's landmarks on the back of a 1950s Vespa, before boarding the train south to Naples, where he finds out about the first railway to be built in the country, and ventures into the crater of Mount Vesuvius. He takes a detour to the island of Capri, before finishing his journey in the ancient hilltop town of Taormina

Hitler's Bodyguard -:- Investigating the Nazi leader's armoured train, which was able to bring German railways to a halt

Hornby: A Model World -:- Record producer Pete Waterman is commissioned by Chester Cathedral to construct a monster layout in tribute to the unsung 19th-century railway builder Thomas Brassey

Japan Railway Journal -:- Discover the secrets of Japan's railways, from the newest technologies and systems in use to travel tips and must-see places.

Japan Railway Journal -:- Japan's railway news as covered by NHK from January to June 2022 - join us as we look at new and unique trains, fun events, and the introduction of AI technology on trains and at stations.

Look at Life -:- A look at controversial railway modernisation schemes

Oli Wyn -:- The Snowdonia Mountain Railway is one of Wales' biggest attractions. Oli Wyn takes a peek at Amanda the guard and Kevin the driver's work as they drive a diesel train up and down Wales and England's highest mountain

Railroad Alaska -:- A snowstorm and faulty equipment threatens the freight crew's journey as they race to deliver a heavy load, while in the woods, Jim and Nancy meet an off-grid couple

Railroad Alaska -:- A train struggles to reach the highest point on the railroad north to make a crucial delivery, while off the grid, things get steamy as JT and Marvin build a traditional bath

Railroad Alaska -:- Jim and Nancy journey to an abandoned cabin and discover that a bear has taken up residence, while Cathy and Larry go in search of an emergency vehicle

Railroad Alaska -:- Spring brings new challenges for the off-gridders as they scramble to repair their cabins, while the freight team prepares its most dangerous load of the year

Steam Train Britain -:- At the East Lancashire Railway, the annual Race the Train event gets under way - with athletes of all abilities taking on the 11-mile course from Bury to Rawtenstall

Steam Train Britain -:- At the South Devon Railway, Andy Leech and Liz Turner host afternoon tea for 44 passengers. In East Lancashire, volunteer Chandra Law takes on the new role of Stationmaster

Steam Train Britain -:- Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway are celebrating their annual Victorian Weekend, while in south Devon, silver service waiter Andy Leech runs the three-course Sunday lunch

Steam Train Britain -:- Great Central Railway's Scott Manley takes a rainy busman's holiday working as a guard at Bury, while a team of volunteers in Wales try to keep the line clear of overgrown plants

Steam Train Britain -:- Meeting the Welsh Highland Railway's oldest volunteer fireman, 80-year-old Cedric Lodge, who has worked on the railways for 60 years. In Devon, there is a look at the Autotrain

Steam Train Britain -:- On the Welsh Highland Railway, trainee Claire Oates takes her driving test, while chef Alex and manager Michelle prepare a dinner for 130 people on the East Lancashire railway

The Architecture the Railways Built -:- Tim Dunn is in London exploring the striking stations of the Piccadilly Line's northern extension. He also takes a look at Causey Arch in Co Durham

The Footage Detectives -:- Featuring archive footage of Daleks and their creator, Terry Nation. Plus, vintage toys and a treat for fans of steam engines

The Repair Shop -:- The experts use their restoration skills on an ancient penny farthing bicycle, a battered leather briefcase and a clocking-on clock from the British Rail depot in Crewe

Top Gear -:- Jeremy Clarkson drives the Jaguar F-Type sports car on some of Britain's finest roads, while Richard Hammond jumps inside the Range Rover Sport and gives it a thorough workout off-road, on a track and in what he believes is its most natural habitat - the lanes of Cheshire. James May goes for a countryside adventure in the New Routemaster London bus brought into use in 2013, which is propelled by a turbodiesel generator and a powerful electric motor. Inspired by the machines they have tested, the trio then meet to celebrate Britain's motor industry with a grand finale in front of Buckingham Palace. Plus, former Formula One driver Mark Webber takes to the track for a lap in the Reasonably Priced Car

Top Gear -:- Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May embark on a race from London's Wembley Stadium to Milan's San Siro, the home of Italian football giants AC and Inter. A price restriction leads Jeremy to grab the keys to a Shelby Mustang GT500, which costs the equivalent of £35,000 in America and packs a supercharged punch of more than 650bhp. James and Richard pin their hopes on the pan-European rail network in a bid to secure the prize of tickets to a top-flight football match, with nothing but a long journey home awaiting the losers. On the test track, Jeremy puts Toyota's GT86 coupe through its paces, and its promise of entertaining rear-wheel-drive handling should put a smile on his face. Plus, singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald gets to grips with the Reasonably Priced Car

Train Cruise -:- The steel industry of Kitakyushu drove Japan's modernization. Ride the rail lines that sprang up to transport coal from the resource-rich Chikuho area to supply its ironworks.

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell discovers the now-abandoned lines that unlocked the wild coastline of north Devon. He begins by following the dramatic Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway, which once built, proved an instant success, eventually carrying the glamorous Atlantic Coast Express service, direct from London Waterloo. He crosses to the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, which traverses the wild terrain of Exmoor up to the cliff-top village of Lynton. Rob follows the adventurous, narrow-gauge route, discovering the extraordinary tale of the line's construction and the very short section that has been fully restored

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell explores more abandoned rail routes, beginning with one that cut an outrageous path through the dramatic hills and gorges of the Peak District - part of the 1860s express route between London and Manchester. From Matlock to the spa town splendour of Buxton, Rob unearths a tale of Victorian ambition, as he travels along a route filled with great engineering, which is now a beloved part of the Peak District National Park

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell explores the lost railways of Northern Ireland, starting in Belfast, where they helped to create a city and a world-renowned shipbuilding centre. Rob's railway route takes him from the Irish Sea to the Atlantic coast, and, on a visit to Armagh, he learns of a campaign to restore the Belfast to Armagh route and visits the site of the Armagh railway disaster, which proved a watershed moment for railway safety

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell explores the Waverley Route, which ran south from Edinburgh for 100 miles through the Scottish Borders to Carlisle, connecting with what is now known as the West Coast Main Line. After years of campaigning, the first stage of Rob's journey is aboard the new Borders Railway, the longest railway to open in over a century. It follows part of the old Waverley Route, making fine use of the 170-year-old, 23-arch Newbattle Viaduct. Rob also pays a visit to one of Hawick's surviving cashmere factories and discovers a First World War prisoner of war camp served by the railway

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell follows the Callander and Oban Railway, an epic 70-mile route from Scotland's Lowlands to its glorious west coast. Setting off from Callander, he recalls the 14 years of determination it took to build this railway and how, with the help of local hero Rob Roy, it changed Victorian perceptions of the Highlands. No longer a distant land of fearsome Clans, the mountains, lochs and valleys were now a romantic and accessible destination of choice. Spectacles on the line include Glen Ogle, Loch Tay and an impressive terminus still evident at Oban

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell heads to Norfolk to follow a lost railway through some of the quietest - yet wealthiest - parts of the country. This railway was a curious latecomer when it was built in the 1880s and it threatened to rudely thrust the region into the industrial age. Rob explores an entire engineering town built from scratch, learns how Norfolk's agriculture was super-charged, and sees for himself where thousands of holidaying Midlanders arrived to sail the Norfolk Broads. The line put Norfolk on the frontline of the war so Rob takes to the skies to spot dozens of hastily constructed airfields

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell heads to the industrial heartlands of north-east England, beginning on Wearside, where he learns about the world's first railway designed for steam locomotives. Rob also visits the 'living' museum at Beamish and rides a railway from George Stephenson's day, following an old line into Hartlepool, where a medieval port was turned into a mega-centre of coal, rail and shipping in just one generation

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell is in Kent following a quiet, rural line that exploded into prominence during two world wars. The Elham Valley railway once linked Canterbury to Folkestone via the chalk downs of the 'Garden of England'. As Rob discovers, the line was built as part of a tug of war between competing Victorian rail companies

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Rob Bell travels to Bangor in north Wales, where he explores a lost line that was built in 1801 to transport Welsh slate from the local quarry, which once was the largest in the world, and now provides the backdrop for the world's fastest zip line. He also follows the Victorian railway inland to Llanberis, where tourists still flock to ride a special train to the summit of Snowdon, and discovers why the heirs to the throne have been styled 'Prince of Wales' for seven centuries

Walking Britain's Lost Railways -:- Until it closed in 1966 the Deeside Railway followed the River Dee upstream from Aberdeen into what is now the Cairngorms National Park. As luck would have it, Queen Victoria purchased Balmoral just as the line was set to open, giving the route prestige. Rob Bell retraces the route, visiting a shooting estate, tossing a caber and finding an unmistakable Highland 'brand' that all owe their existence to this royal railway age. He also explores a quiet valley of cattle farming and timber sawmills, and, in truth, a simple railway that struggled for decades to justify its own existence, despite its royal veneer

World's Most Luxurious Trains -:- A look at top-end trains, such as South Africa's famous Blue Train. A five-star hotel on wheels, guests pay upwards of £2,600 per ticket for the 40-hour journey from Pretoria to Cape Town, enjoying 24-hour butler service, bespoke linen and a soak in their own private bath. Another South African luxury train, Rovos Rail, offers a game drive. In Russia, the Golden Eagle offer a Trans-Siberian train journey, which crosses nine time zones on its two-week journey. The Presidential Train offers a luxury daytrip through the Portuguese countryside, where guests are served a meal created by a Michelin-starred chef

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- An epic 10-day expedition through Africa on a train made up of 18 vintage coaches, travelling from Walvis Bay in Namibia through the Kalahari Desert to Pretoria, South Africa. Bill Nighy narrates

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- Celebrating the wonders of Queensland, Australia, cameras travel over 1,000 miles from Brisbane to Cairns onboard one of the most advanced trains in the world. There's a look at a rum distillery in Bundaberg and trip on the historic Mary Valley line. Narrated by Bill Nighy

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- Looping around Andalucia, the luxury Al Andalus train takes in some of the most beautiful cities in Spain. Travelling south from Seville, cameras focus on Jerez, where the horses of the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art are trained. There is also a look at the clifftop town of Ronda, before rolling on to the ancient cities of Granada and Córdoba. Narrated by Bill Nighy

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- Starting a mile above sea level in Colorado's state capital Denver, cameras follow the Rocky Mountaineer as it makes its way through the state of Utah. Entering the red rocks of the true wild west, there's also a look at the grave of Doc Holliday, the famous gunslinger. Bill Nighy narrates

World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys -:- The Train des Pignes explores France. Leaving chic 21st century Nice behind, the Train des Pignes, or the 'Pine Cone Train', takes viewers back to the Provence of the past. Cameras explore the village of Villars-sur-Var, where olive oil is made using the same stone-wheel technique the Templar Knights used 1,000 years ago. Narrated by Bill Nighy

SMALL PRINT

We welcome links to publicly available online news items and videos from anywhere in the world.  Despite its name, Raildate covers all transport modes, including also bus, tram, air, and marine.  

Raildate may be freely distributed without permission as long as no changes whatsoever are made to the original document distributed by the Editor.

Raildate on Groups.io: https://groups.io/g/raildate.  To subscribe, send blank email to:  raildate+subscribe@groups.io

Raildate Facebook group. You must be a member of Facebook to join.

A history of Raildate (by Howard Sprenger - previous editor)

Issues of Raildate up to 18th December 2009 are archived at http://raildate.co.uk. This page includes a master catalogue of items that have appeared in previous editions

©  Matthew Shaw 2022