Tim Hedley-Jones

A reminder of British Rail days at March never rebranded to Railtrack or Network Rail.

Changed trains at March yesterday. I see the 1885 Station Hotel is to be demolished. Not listed, not part of the rail network and not the greatest architecture but a piece of a town’s character is lost when we demolish buildings like this.

Dead Power Station, photographed from Flockton, W Yorkshire, 31 miles away.

Some splendid non-railway relics of the past from a work-related visit to Ruabon. Had a spare hour before catching my train back to Chester. The cylindrical building was probably a parish lock-up according to Cadw.

Round the corner from Longton Station, Staffordshire is Grade II listed Boundary Pottery Works with a super weighbridge surviving under the arch. The milepost is also listed separately. Window at top is a Diocletian Window and the one in the middle is a Palladian window.

Highly recommend the Art Deco exhibition at the London Transport Museum - a must for anyone with an interest in railway heritage and architecture.

The former Cumberland St Station Glasgow.

Visited Hemingfield Colliery in South Yorkshire yesterday. A listed site, it is being restored by a team of volunteers and is well worth a visit, still retaining its concrete headstock & a number of early colliery buildings. It’s just up the valley from Elsecar Heritage Centre.

Foundations and floors of 19th century engineering sheds at York
station - recently underneath the long stay car park and soon to be a multi-storey car park.

Makers’ Marks from Nottingham Station

After my talk at the Jubilee Refreshment Rooms I went for a wander round Sowerby Bridge - a few historical relics and continuity Railtrack going Strong.

River Ouse, Naburn Lock, December 2025.

York NER War Memorial Tuesday evening.

David - Matrix produced our 40th anniversary exhibition which went in busy stations like KGX and EDB. They are Network Rail accredited and I was very pleased with their service. Happy to message you with an idea re costs.

Always like an old shop front probably soon to be converted to a house or a new shop with bland new plastic signage. Spotted in Darlington on Brinkburn Rd.

Went for a mooch round the newly reopened Station Hall at the NRM yesterday. Nice to see some new exhibits (Euston clock) and some old favourites (station signs).

Quick trip to Grade II listed Battersea Park Station this afternoon - C H Driver was the architect, very similar to Peckham Rye. Continuity Southern Railway survives in the drain covers on the street outside and platform up above.

There’s also a cannon next to the battery which was captured from the Russians at Sevastopol during the Crimean War presented to the town.

We went to visit the Heugh Battery on the last day they are open this year, apart from December 16, the anniversary of the bombardment of Hartlepool in 1914. 112 people were killed

Day out on the Hartlepool Headland and stopped off to see Grade II listed Throston Engine House, needing a bit of TLC, a very early piece of railway heritage built between 1838-40. #railwayheritage #hartlepool

Nice to see the hovercraft in action when I was at Ryde last week #isleofwight

Fine faience/terracotta facade to a building in Walkden, Salford - not listed; spotted during my visit to the nearby station - possibly an old pub.

I do like the trains and trams of Soller - this is my kind of place.

Obviously I couldn’t!

If you can tear yourself away from Scarborough’s funicular railways, there is an excellent exhibition on at its Art Gallery on the town’s lost aquarium, the place to go for performing cats and fernmania!

We also found his parents’ grave in Montford.

Been in Shropshire over the weekend - they embrace their famous son Charles Darwin everywhere….except perhaps here. Is this an anti-plaque? Love the capital letters!

A relic of our mining heritage and Leeds Engineering rusting away beside a field in Rodington, Shropshire

York Platform 5 this morning

Part of the early development of the Mulberry Harbour took place in Garlieston and Rigg Bays in Galloway - this structure is the last surviving part of the ramp onto the prototype pontoons constructed to prepare for Operation Overlord.