Railway Mania

Welcome to a new mini-series on the Railway Mania channel, where we are giving guests the challenge of putting forward their candidate for KING OF THE STEAM AGE. First up is friend of the show, Graham Muspratt, making the case for Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid. Thanks to Graham for coming on the podcast again!

The Titfield Thunderbolt is one of my favourite films and I’m so chuffed to have been able to work on the recent train pack we made at work in conjunction with StudioCanal and the 70th anniversary of the film. Ever since I first saw it, I’ve always wondered how I would go about remaking the film in the modern era.

Our guest is author David Grimshaw, talking about articulated locomotives, but not the sort that immediately come to mind. These machines were built in America long before Fairlie or Meyer's creations. Horatio Allen's articulated locomotives were built in the 1830s for the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company, at the time the longest railway in the world! Thanks to David for

Today’s podcast guest is Lawrie Rose, creator and star of popular YouTube channel Lawrie’s Mechanical Marvels. We’re talking about what it’s like to realise every railway enthusiast’s dream: having your very own locomotive. Lawrie explains the the circumstances that led to the purchase, how he went about it, and shares his experience and advice for anyone wishing to try t

100 years ago, a luxury express sleeper train was en route to Peking, travelling through dangerous territory. In the middle of the night, the train is deliberately derailed and the passengers are kidnapped. The hostages include a journalist, the wealthy daughter of an a Rhode Island Senator, a French businessman, a gangster and a US Army Major. The kidnappers are a made up of sever

Nick joins us again for the second half of this double-bill about collieries and coal railways of North East England. Nick goes into detail on 3 distinct railway systems; The Bowes, Lambton and Harton lines. Thanks again to Nick for being an excellent guest!

The birthplace of the railway is often said to the be coalfields of North-East England. We are joined by Nick Richardson in this first half of a two-part episode. Nick sets the scene as we discuss the landscape, the technology, and the people of the coal mining communities. If you're interested in learning Geordie, here is a handy affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3wBNUTv

To celebrate 10 years of 'Steam Locos in Profile', Chris Eden-Green embarked on a mammoth mission across America, to publish 10 new episodes all about American steam locomotives. Chris joins us on the podcast to discuss the (literal) highs and lows, the logistics of such a feat, and the steam scene in the USA. Purchase your copy of the USA special edition of 'Steam Locos in Profile

Joining us today is Dan Fox of the Signals to Danger podcast, which takes an in-depth look into the history of rail crashes in Britain. Dan talks us through the genesis of the show, key developments and learnings in British railway safety and how changing practices and technologies have affected it. We also answer some questions sent in by listeners! Thanks to Dan for taking the t

The summer of 2022 has seen the return of the #LoveYourRailway campaign to social media. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway's Marketing Manager Luke Hudman joins us today to tell us the idea behind the campaign, why we should love our railway, and how to get involved. 'Love Your Railway’ brings together over 80 organisations from as far afield as Scotland, Snowdonia, Leighton Buz