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Engineer Alasdair Stewart and guests talk trains, technology and infrastructure at historic, minor and quirky railways from around the world...
The ‘Making Tracks’ podcast is a blatant excuse for railway enthusiast Alasdair to spend more time talking to other track and infrastructure experts and take a deep dive into Heritage Railway projects world-wide.
From Civil Engineering Manager for the Welsh Highland Railway reconstruction, completing the final twelve mile phase from Rhyd Ddu to Porthmadog, to bridge construction on HS2, a theme park railway in South Korea and Mail Rail in London, Alasdair Stewart has built a reputation on having much more than a one track mind!
23 Episodes
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Send us a text In this episode our travels to uncover Railway stories take us to Anglesey to meet Walter Glynn Davis, the 81 year old chair of Lein Amlwch – Anglesey Central Railway Ltd, a group who are working to bring the Amlwch to Gerwen line back into service. Walter, retired teacher travelled, on the last passenger train in 1964 and being a local man from Amlwch the line has been his passion ever since. We talk to the new job share General Managers: Liz Porrett and Lorraine S...
Send us a text Two cities and two very different electric railway stories: one still thriving with its original Victorian vintage vehicles and the other, a fading memory, with just a few tangible remains left around the city. I go to Brighton beach to visit Volk's the oldest operating Electric railway in the world and we head to the National Museum of Liverpool to speak to the curator of Land, Transport Works and Industry, Sharon Brown to find out about the former Liverpool Overhead Ele...
Send us a text Welcome to the first episode of making tracks of 2025 the start of a special year in the Railway calendar – Railway 200 Railway 200 is a cross sector, government backed, partner led campaign to celebrate Two centuries since the start of the modern era of rail travel marked by the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 The bi-centenary Celebrations started with a New Years Day 'Whistle Up' across the UK and beyond. Alan Hyde joins us from the Railway ...
Send us a text We visit Amberley Museum in West Sussex. Get off on the main line at Amberley and you are there, at this excellent showcase of rural, transport, industrial and communications history of the south of England. They're also recent recipients of The King’s Award for Voluntary Service … staying with the subject of volunteering ..the main stay of many heritage railways – later in this episode I chat to Doug Alldred from isle of Wight. There's also a word from a handful of...
Send us a text In this episode of Making Tracks with Alasdair Stewart, Sharon Gregory and Laura Raymond, we’ll be visiting Welshpool and Llanfair Railway a rural, narrow gauge light railway, built to develop the economy of a marginal hinterland in Welsh border country, hear from competition winner George Woodward, who at 14 years old, got to try his hand on the regulator of a steam locomotive for the first time. George won a driver experience in a Facebook competition run by the Rudyard...
Send us a text In this episode of Making Tracks we’ll take you behind the scenes of the 'Greatest Gathering' in Derby, England for a prestigious piece of the UK's Railway 200 celebrations. Engineer Alasdair Stewart meets some of those who made it happen, and speaks with a variety of people representing a fraction of the variety and scope of the UK railway family as the movement looks forward to the future. All aboard for the Greatest Gathering! Sharon Gregory goes on another 'Railway Rideout'...
Send us a text Welcome aboard this episode of MAKING TRACKS RAILWAY PODCAST with Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory – no tickets are required to travel with us and there is no fare to pay! In this episode we’ll be hearing from a teacher at one of Ukraine’s Childrens' Railways , an enthusiast and preservationist from Kiev tells me something of the current challenges in that country……Bill Parker of Flour Mill fame reflects on the two year working holiday of one of his engines in Transylvania, ...
Send us a text In this episode of Making Tracks with Alasdair Stewart, we hear cherished memories of growing up at a remote station house in rural north Wales from Lynette Tucker... daughter of John Harrison—fondly known as 'Lord North'. His great uncle, John Wills and his acquaintance with Bassett Lowke, who employed him to convert the #Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway from a derelict 3ft gauge railway to “15 “inch Gauge. We also visit a uniquely gauged tramway in Devon, ca...
Send us a text In this Episode of Making Tracks, engineer and podcaster Alasdair Stewart learns about modern methods of marketing heritage railways with the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways' Osian Hughes. Helen Leslie explains how a museum is a fundamental part of the visitor experience at the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway in Porthmadog, and Sharon Gregory has been on tour on her motorbike visiting some of her favourite lines and meets the S4C TV dragons at the Talyllyn Ra...
Send us a text In this episode of Making Tracks Podcast I visit some of England's most charming, bucolic countryside to join in celebrations at the Kent and East Sussex Railway, as they mark 25 years since Bodiam station was reopened. The 'Railway 200' anniversary is marked in Hastings, with an exhibition at the town's museum and gallery, and I went to meet the , former Railwayman Kevin Boorman. We speak about his collection of railway memorabilia and some of region’s rich railway histo...
Send us a text The UK winter is a good time for indoor hobbies, and like many others, my thoughts are turning to the model railway kits I have stockpiled but haven't got around to making! Instead of getting on with the job, I went to the National Exhibition Centre for the inaugural National Festival of Railway Modelling for some inspiration... organised by Warners Group Publications, who have taken over the slot from Warley model railway club. With more of a family friendly ...
Send us a text This episode focusses on engines from Africa. The first returned to steam after 20 years of restoration work and fundraising from dedicated volunteers – the NG 15 134. Alasdair talks to volunteer project leader Adrian Strachan and some of the volunteers and staff Now you know many a gem is found browsing a Railway Second hand book stall – a pastime Sharon from our Railway Ride Outs and Alasdair have in common. Well our second story from Africa this episode came to light when A...
Send us a text In this episode of Making Tracks we visit the Cheshire town of Crewe, once dubbed the ' Railway Capital of the World ' -and see how the the town's railway and industrial inheritance is being preserved at the Crewe Heritage Centre, We meet three trustees and take a walk around the museum, sit in the cab of the only remaining APT – Advanced Passenger Train and explore a signal box transplanted from Exeter, carefully rebuilt, complete with a 100 plus lever frame with working inter...
Send us a text In this episode of Making Tracks, Alasdair Stewart goes over old ground, or rather underground, as he revisits the Post Office railway – or Mail Rail as it has become known in recent decades, which is part of London's Postal Museum. Alasdair was keen to take a journey on the railway after working as a contracting engineer on the track upgrade underground nearly 10 years ago. Welcome to new contributor trainee fireman Sharon Gregory, Sharon's Railway Ride outs will give you some...
Send us a text This episode is a tale of two railways both celebrating milestones. A new beginning of the final stretch the two mile missing link that will join Robertsbridge to Tenterden and the Kent and East Sussex Railway and the Ffestiniog Railway Society marking 70 years. The inauguration of the RVR's new turntable coincided with the K&ESR 50th We meet volunteers from both railways and I get to speak to a former politician and Railway Royalty, Michael Portill...
Send us a text This episode of Making Tracks finds us once again in Sussex visiting a gem of a Railway, The Lavender Line just outside Uckfield. It is then onward to Robertsbridge to talk over plans, now getting underway for the rebuilding of the Rother Valley Railway, which will re-connect the Kent and East Sussex Railway to the National Network. A chance while we were in Sussex to head to the west and catch up with radio and TV presenter Stephen Cranford, to talk to him about his new series...
Send us a text This edition of Making Tracks is a Christmas Selection Box: We talk Santa trains and seasonal specials with Eleri Mottram at the WHR , and Neil Dale from the Durango and Silverton steam railway in Colorado, who represents the Polar Express brand in the UK. We meet artist Rebecca Kitchin, who brings Christmas to several railways, and VIP guests – a descendant of Robert Francis Fairlie, David Fairlie with some family history from South America, and historian Tim Dunn lookin...
Send us a text This episode takes us to Yorkshire at the invitation of the Ryedale Society of Model Engineers to visit their mainline in miniature on a steam day in November 2023. The extensive dual gauge 7 1/4 and 5" gauge ground level layout has been built by members, many of whom are rail professionals in their day job and qualified drivers and fireman on a number of heritage lines . We bumped into Ian Foot, the owner of a little 'Dame Vera Lynn' a 5" gauge...
Send us a text In this episode we look at engines built for service overseas that are now running or will run, on railways in the UK. We ask why travel around the world to find a loco to restore when there's no shortage in the UK? We hear from enthusiasts behind the restoration projects of engines which have journeyed to the UK from China and India - The Darjeeling tank engine 19B and the C2! We visit the Vale of Rheidol railway to see their Garratt and find out about a fundraisi...
Send us a text Episode 4 of Making Tracks looks at the new Double Fairlie Loco built at Boston Lodge and now in service on the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway . We also look at another Railway investment, this time on the mainline and the £30M refurbishment of the iconic Barmouth Viaduct. You can view the animation of Barmouth metallic viaduct construction methodology here. https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/video-successful-test-lift-of-160-tonne-metallic-span-...
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