This week we are going to look at the bigger picture of heritage railways in the UK. And who better to talk to than Steve Oates, the Chief Executive of the Heritage Railway Association which is the UK-wide trade body representing heritage railways, tramways, cliff railways, museums and rolling stock owners. There are 300 members ranging from lengthy heritage railways operating historic steam locomotives, to short electric tramways and even miniature lines, together attracting more than 13 million visitors each year and generating £600m plus to the economy. Up Front & Steaming is presented by Tom Burgess for OnTrack Productions www.upfrontandsteaming.com

What’s it like to take a rusting wreck and turn it into a shiny new fully working steam locomotive. Today we talk to Ian Crowder who is part of the team on the project to bring back to life a Standard Class 4 2-6-0 locomotive. The team are based at Toddington on the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire steam railway. Not only is Ian going to talk to us about the work being done but also the history of this type of locomotive and the life story of this particular one, 76077. This third series of Up Front & Steaming is presented and produced by Tom Burgess for On Track Productions. More at www.upfrontandsteaming.com

Up Front & Steaming, the heritage steam railway podcast is launching a new series starting February 2024. Series Three brings you five new episodes, giving an insight into the people who volunteer, work and enjoy heritage railways.

In the UK, Heritage Railways employ 4,000 people, with another 22,000 volunteers, they operate 560 miles of railway, run 460 stations using 800 steam and 1,000 diesel locomotives, 2,000 carriages and 4,000 wagons. Visitors take 18.6m passenger journeys every year, covering 130m passenger miles. 

Join presenter Tom Burgess and get Up Front & Steaming

Today we talk with Malcolm Holmes, the General Manager of the Great Central Railway which is currently Britain's only double track mainline heritage railway, with over five miles  of working double track, period signalling, locomotives and rolling stock. It runs for eight  miles in total from the large market town of Loughborough to a new terminus just north of Leicester, plus as we will find out it even has a branch line!

This second series of Up Front & Steaming is presented and produced by Tom Burgess in partnership with Trackside, the monthly magazine targeted at the 26,000 people who work in the heritage railway sector, plus the estimated 100,000 enthusiasts. www.tracksidemag.co.uk. Find out more at www.upfrontandsteaming.com

Have you ever wondered what it really like on the footplate of the Flying Scotsman, the iconic 100 year old steam locomotive, at speed? today we talk to Andy Simpson, who has driven and fired the Scotsman on many occasions. Andy, an engineer by trade works for Riley’s, the engineering firm in Bury, Lancashire, whose task it is to repair and maintain the Flying Scotsman, on behalf of the owners the National Railway Museum. So Andy is part of a small elite group of steam specialists who are tasked with being the drivers and the fireman on the Flying Scotsman. 

This second series of Up Front & Steaming is presented and produced by Tom Burgess (www.upfrontandsteaming.com) in partnership with Trackside, the monthly magazine targeted at the 26,000 people who work in the heritage railway sector, plus the estimated 100,000 enthusiasts. www.tracksidemag.co.uk

Today is about a National Treasure, no, not Sir David Attenborough but The Flying Scotsman, Yes, The Flying Scotsman was only a bright and shiny 3 year old steam locomotive when Sir David was born.

In Part One, we talk to the man that knows the Flying Scotsman very well, Anthony Coulls Senior Curator of Rail Transport and Technology at the National Railway Museum, where the Flying Scotsman lives when it is not out and about steaming. Anthony has had a dedicated career in transport museum curation, is also a volunteer on heritage railways and has authored many books.

This second series of Up Front & Steaming is presented and produced by Tom Burgess in partnership with Trackside, the monthly magazine targeted at the 26,000 people who work in the heritage railway sector, plus the estimated 100,000 enthusiasts. www.tracksidemag.co.uk

Welcome to  Up Front & Steaming the heritage steam railway podcast. We are now back from our summer break and I just wanted to tell you about some of the exciting episodes you can look forward to. Coming up, we are up front and steaming with the Flying Scotsman on its centenary tour. In another episode we learn more about the Great Central Railway the only double track mainline heritage railway, we will be talking to with Malcom Holmes the General Manager of Great Central Railway PLC

In this second episode of series two, we get out on the tracks and speak to Paul Lewin, Director & General Manager of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway, the longest heritage railway in the UK. He tells us the story of the line, the scale of the operation, how the 25-mile derelict Welsh Highland was rebuilt, the challenges, the volunteers, the training on offer and the need to make every visit a very informative and entertaining day out

This second series of Up Front & steaming is presented and produced by Tom Burgess in partnership with Trackside, the monthly magazine targeted at the 26,000 people who work in the heritage railway sector, plus the estimated 100,000 enthusiasts. www.tracksidemag.co.uk