It is published in A5 format and usually runs to 76 pages or more of news and articles. See below for the contents of our recent issues.
RPS MEMBERS; You can download electronic versions of Milepost by logging in with your username and password. An extra 'MILEPOST ONLINE' submenu will appear in the navigation bar on the left hand side of the screen. This has links to the electronic versions. Adobe Acrobat software will be required to read these documents. In the event that the extra submenu does not appear, you may either need to login, or request an upgrade of your user status.
Browse below to see a summary of articles published in the last few editions of Milepost.
________________________________________________________________________________________
In the January 2024 magazine, we look at the running of the Class 68s and Mark 5 rolling stock across the Pennines, and Jeremy Hartill also describes a recent day out concentrating on these services. In the Fastest times article, Martin Robertson covers the GW main line, the Welsh Marches line, the East and West Coast main lines, Trans Pennine services, Scotrail services from Cupar and the Cross-Country route. John Rishton covers current running on the Brighton main line. David Stannard examines recent Hitachi developments and Martin Robertson reports on the recent electrification of services from Glasgow to Barrhead. David Ashley looks at the recent activity on the Welsh Marches line
In the October magazine, Martin Robertson covers the WCML, the Marches line, GWR lines, Cross Country, GE, and Scotrail services in his “Fastest Times” series. As well as recalling recent journeys, David Lloyd-Roberts examines a recent diversion from Tunbridge Wells to London Bridge, via Redhill. Frank Collins describes journeys with IETs between Edinburgh and Berwick. David Ashley has produced logs from signal berth data covering very fast running from Kings Cross to Newcastle with a LUMO on an ASLEF strike day, and a Voyager with a Class 221 from Doncaster to Kings Cross. John Rishton recalls his travels from RPS meetings, particularly with a Class 67 on the Welsh Marches line and a Class 196 between Hereford and Birmingham
In the July magazine, Martin Robertson covers the WCML, ECML, GWML Cross Country, Highland and Chat Moss routes in his Fastest Times article. Steve Griffin speculates on the possible fastest time with a Voyager between Milton Keynes and Euston. Martin Robertson examines the running of the Oxwellmains-Uddingston cement working and David Ashley assesses the effect of the Oxwellmains-Aberdeen freight on the passenger services it encounters. He also examines a Lumo run from Kings Cross to Newcastle in under 2˝ hours. John Rishton looks at current operations on the Nottingham-Grantham route. Jeremy Hartill reviews 100mph running from the May 2023 timetable. David Stannard considers the performance of Northern’s Class 769s and David Ashley looks at their Welsh counterparts and compares them with Sprinters and the new Class 231s on the Rhymney branch. David Ashley reviews results of enhanced GPS signals on Voyagers and Meridians with Garmin’s GPSMAP67.
In the April magazine, Martin Robertson covers the WCML, ECML, GW main line, XC and Scotrail in his Fastest Time article. Steve Griffin describes differing driving techniques on the WCML and David Ashley reviews operations there since the December timetable change. Ian Umpleby reviews initial running of the Class 777, and describes operations during the Morley diversions. Martin Robertson questions the performance benefits of electrification when there is little evidence of faster journeys. David Ashley and David Stannard review the recent introduction of 110mph running of Class 67s between Crewe and Wilmslow, and David Ashley describes recent developments on the Elizabeth Line. Baard Covington examines the introduction of automatic running on the District Line, and with David Ashley explains initial results from using Multi GNSS GPS equipment. Alan Varley remembers the introduction of “Warships” west of Salisbury in the 1960s. Bill Long recalls the operation of the “North Wales Coast Express” in the 1990s, and Charles Foss describes a disastrous Scottish rail-tour in 1966 Overseas, Frank Collins reports on Pendolinos in Portugal and Slovakia and Malcolm Simister describes performance of the V/Lines in Australia.
In the January 2023 magazine, David Ashley looks at operations on the Welsh Marches line in anticipation of Class 67s being introduced from the December 2022 timetable change. Steve Griffin compares differing style of driving Pendolinos on the WCML. Martin Robertson covers recent fastest times on the ECML, GWML, WCML, Greater Anglia, TPE, TfW and Scotrail. David Ashley compares the running of Class 802s and 397s at the north end of the WCML, and looks at the final running of Locomotive Services train from Crewe to Euston. Ian Umpleby examines Azumas running through Lincoln on recent diversions. Jeremy Hartill looks at the 100mph+ running in the winter 2022 timetable, and Nigel Smedley considers the fastest speeds ever reported. David Ashley looks at recent fast Lumo runs. Mike Burrow describes his recent journeys on the luxury Northern Belle land cruise, and Philip Tromans recalls the early days of Class 86s on the WCML Alan Varley describes his experiences on his Southern Region rail-rover in 1964 over steam routes out of Waterloo, and also reviews services in the Pyrenes. There is also a Mass Timing Day supplement covering services to and from Liverpool and Chester.
In the October 2022 issue, Martin Robertson reviews the ECML, WCML. GW, MML, TPE and Scotrail routes in his fastest times article. He also examines the “pathing” allowances on the XC Aberdeen trains, and recent experiences of delays on the east and west-coast main lines. Ian Umpleby describes his loco-hauled travels along the North Wales coast, current operations on the Bidston-Shotton line and IETs on the Calder Valley route. There is also a supplement covering LNER and TPE IETs between Edinburgh and Newcastle. Philip Tromans recalls the early days of electrics on the West Coast main line, and Steve Griffin describes driving techniques of the Class 87s. Andrew James reviews two runs behind a Class 31 in the south west. Bevan Price describes the Swindon Inter City dmus in Scotland in the early 1960s. Nigel Smedley and Frank Collins describe current running on the main line between Dublin and Cork. Richard Neville Carle recounts his travels with Bulleid pacifics on the LSWR Exeter line. Peter Commons explains his recent steam railtours on the ECML, and Jeremy Hartill his recent trips behind four Class 20s. Bill Long describes a chance meeting during a visit to the Talyllyn railway and David Ashley explains the second phase opening of the Elizabeth line, and the reintroduction of loco-hauled electric services on the Crewe-Euston route during the summer.
In the July 2022 magazine, Martin Robertson covers the ECML, WCML. GWML, MML, TPE, Highland and other Scotrail main lines. He also charts the development of services on the Edinburgh-Falkirk High-Glasgow route from 1977, and describes a recent trip on the West Highland line and a freight train’s journey from Grangemouth to Carlisle. John Rishton covers the diversions around Derby in 2018 on MML and XC services, and he also describes a non-stop XC journey from Leeds to Sheffield, via a very unusual route. David Ashley covers the initial running through the Central core of the Elizabeth Line, and also describes a journey through Cornwall with a single-engined IET and the introduction of bi-mode battery trains on the Chiltern line. Jeremy Hartill summarises the 100mph scheduled services in the summer timetable. David Pawson considers the running of single-chimney A4s, and discovers some strange and puzzling runs. Richard Neville Carle describes receiving original V2 logs from trials in 1946, and donating them to the NRM. Alan Varley describes the introduction of the Frecciarossa units in shuttle services within France, and compares them with the TGVs. He also looks at Sybics and compares them with EMUs.
In the April magazine, Bevan Price reviews recent activity on the Crewe- Liverpool route, and Martin Robertson looks at early journeys with the mini-HSTs between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. In his Fastest Times feature, he reports on the ECML, the GW main line, mini-HSTs in the south west, Trans-Pennine, East Anglia and Scotrail on the GSW and Highland main line Andrew James looks at the final days of the Great Central Michael Rowe describes the performance of the Claughtons in the 1930s. Ian Umpleby reviews the railways of Brisbane, and with Martin Robertson also looks at the Azumas working on the Durham coast diversions. David Ashley examines open rail data to produce a very fast log of a train from Reading to Paddington, and also describes main line delays during a week’s travelling last October, David Lloyd-Roberts recalls his travels during the same week. Sean Emmett samples the early days on the Okehampton line, together with a very recent rail-tour with two Class 50s, and then compares it with a run behind a Class 52 “Western”
In the January 2022 magazine, Martin Robertson covers the ECML, GEML, MML, XC, GW lines and Scotrail services in his fastest times article. David Ashley looks at recent running on the Portsmouth Direct line, and compares it with the Class 442s in the 1990s. He also looks at the recent introduction of the Class 484s on the Isle of Wight. David Adams describes a trip with a Class 387 from Bristol Parkway to Paddington, and John Rishton covers journeys on Lumo, and Azumas diverting via the WCML and on the Edinburgh suburban line. Martin Robertson also covers Azuma diversions and also a poor Scotrail journey from Aberdeen. Jeremy Hartill scours the December 2021 timetable to find runs at over 100mph. There is a supplement which examines the south end of the MML in detail, with Class 180, 222 and 360s
In the October magazine, Martin Robertson compares the running of Class 170s with mini-HSTs on the Highland Main Line. In his Fastest Times article, he looks at ECML, MML, WCML, XC GW and Scotrail operations. Bevan Price looks at the introduction of Class 195s on the CLC between Manchester and Liverpool. Alan Varley remembers his travels on a Britrail pass in 1981 covering ECML, WCML, MML, GW, Anglia and journeys in Scotland.
In the July 2021 magazine, David Ashley compares running on the GEML from electrification through to the introduction of the Class 745s and also looks at services west of Norwich. John Rishton remembers journeys from Birmingham to London in 2003 using Chiltern and Cross-Country services at a time when the WCML was closed. Martin Robertson covers the ECML, MML, GWR west of Exeter, Glasgow-Carlisle diversions via GSWR, and IETs towards Aberdeen in his Fastest Times article. Jeremy Hartill looks at WCML freight using Realtime trains and Martin Robertson uses the same techniques to look at freight diversions via the GSWR. Jeremy also reviews the 100mph start-stop runs in the new timetable. Ian Umpleby and John Rishton look at the introduction of the refurbished Class 769s in the north-west and South Wales. David Ashley looks how the TOCs assisted GWR in tackling the “cracking” problems with the IETs and also looks at the introduction of the Class 360s on the MML, and Alan Sprod describes the special EMR train commemorating the final HST leaving London
In the April 2021 edition, Martin Robertson covers the ECML, WCML and services provided by TPE, C2C and Scotrail in his Fastest Times article. He also covers the Glasgow-Stirling local trains from 1971 through to 2018. Jeremy Hartill examines the running of the recent heaviest freight train between Tunstead and Wembley. David Ashley describes bi-directional running (or the lack of it) in south west England, southern Scotland and on the GEML. John Rishton finds a train route where it runs half as fast again in one direction, compared with the other way. Andrew James reviews Pacer journeys in the north-east, and south west England. Avanti Driver recalls journeys on an ECS train from Preston to Longsight with Class 47s around the turn of the century. Noel Proudlock covers very early diesel multiple unit runs in Yorkshire in the 1950s. Alan Varley revisits his journeys on a Southern Region Rover ticket in 1963, and Derek Wilson describes journeys on the Highland main line, with K1 62005 on the West Highland line and 43512 on the Strathspey line. Conrad Natzio recalls his journeys with steam in France in 1964.
In the Fastest Times article, Martin Robertson covers the ECML, WCML, MML, GEML, the Cross-Country route to the south west, Northern Trans-Pennine, and Scotrail services. Avanti Driver describes an eventful Sunday when driving from Crewe to Chester to Euston and Manchester. Jeremy Hartill provides details of his travels in 2020 covering the GW mainline and the diversion of Azumas between Newcastle and Edinburgh via the WCML, including a Class 800 pushing a Class 801 in the non-electrified section. David Ashley and David Stannard search for the facts relating to rumours relating to inadvertent over-speeding, and David Ashley reviews the remaining GW Superfast service from Chippenham to Paddington. Ian Umpleby reviews the running of TPE services on diesel on Sundays.
In the October 2020 magazine, Avanti Driver continues his article covering the early days of lockdown. Martin Robertson covers ECML, MML, GE Main Line, Trans Pennine North Wales and Scotrail in his “Fastest Times" article. Ian Umpleby describes journeys on the recently introduced Class 195s between York and Leeds. We look at LNER IETs running on emergency diesel power, and between Leeds and Harrogate with Class 801/802s in tandem, and new TPE traction on both the East Coast and West Coast main lines
In the July 2020 edition Bill Hemstock looks at the stopping trains on the GW Main line between Reading and Paddington. Avanti Driver explains how Avanti are coping with the consequences of Covid-19 in running trains in the early stages of the pandemic. Martin Robertson covers the ECML, MML, GWML, TPE, GEML, C2C, Scotrail and the Ffestiniog Railway in his Fastest Times article. Nigel Smedley completes his review of HSTs on the MML covering the section from Leicester to Derby. Ă‚Â
In the April 2020 magazine, Martin Robertson covers runs on HS1, ECML, WCML, GW Main Line, XC, the GE main line, Hull Trains, the Aberdeen main line, Highland main line and suburban lines with Scotrail.
Nigel Smedley provides an in-depth survey of HSTs returning to the Sheffield on the Midland Main Line following the May 2018 timetable change.
Andrew James provides an article covering the southern end of the Great Central main line in the years prior to closure. Bill Long covers the Neubaustrecke III route between Wurzburg and Kassel
In the News section, Noel Proudlock describes his first and last journeys on HSTs on the East Coast main line. Richard Neville Carle recounts a journey to Somerset prior to lockdown. David Ashley provides an exceptional HST run from Bristol to Taunton. David Stannard reviews recent Hitachi bi-mode performance. Ian Umpleby provides detail of a run from Pitlochry to Inverness and back on the Highland Chieftain and also looks at TPEs Hitachi bi-modes running on diesel between Morpeth and Edinburgh and return.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________