Making Tracks Railway Podcast
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!
Episodes
15 episodes
#Railway200 Celebrations Underway and the Corris Railway Extension
Welcome to the first episode of making tracks of 2025 the start of a special year in the Railway calendar – Railway 200Railway 200 is a cross sector, government backed, partner led campaign to celebrate Two centuries since the star...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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57:44
Railway Modelling: Experts, Exhibitions and Enthusiasts!
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 Exh...
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1:09:11
Out of Africa: 'Kalahari' NG15- 134 Back in Steam & Memories of Uganda , Railway Ride-outs in Wales
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 t...
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49:47
Crewe Heritage Centre, Avanti's Present Day Crewe & Railways by Bike
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...
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56:24
Mail Rail:London's Underground Narrow Gauge, Biker Railway Ride-outs, Ffestiniog Gravity Train & Darjeeling Himalayan locomotive 19B
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 wa...
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50:46
Rother Valley Railway:Missing Link Restoration Underway & Tours of Boston Lodge, steam engine driving experience courses as Ffestiniog Railway Society Marks 70 Year Anniversary
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 Ffestin...
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1:05:23
Sussex: The Lavender Line, Rother Valley Update & Stephen Cranford, Tracing the Steyning Line Rails
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 Valle...
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47:15
Amberley Museum Narrow Gauge Visit & Volunteering Excellence
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 r...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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48:40
Christmas Selection Box: Santa Trains, a descendant of Robert Fairlie, Updates From Sibiu Agnita Railway & 19B
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 b...
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45:11
Ryedale's 5" gauge mainline in miniature & 'Oil firing' on the North Yorkshire Moors railway; A Sustainable Way Ahead For Heritage Railways?
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&nbs...
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29:28
Overseas Locos: Enthusiasts Going The Extra Mile For Railway History. Wales, India, China & South Africa...
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 ...
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46:03
New Ffestiniog Fairlie 'James Spooner' and Network Rail's Barmouth Viaduct - Iconic Victorian Railway Engineering Re-imagined For The 21st Century
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 refurb...
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25:49
Sibiu Agnita Railway - Brits bitten by the volunteering bug travel to Transylvania to help narrow gauge revival
In this episode of Making Tracks, we visit the Sibiu Agnita Railway in Romania for a steam gala event, known as ‘Mocanita Days’ and hear from local and UK volunteers, taking part who have been working to restore the line since it was abandoned ...
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39:17
Bala and Llangollen railways: The contemporary planning challenges for Heritage Railway extensions.
In this episode Alasdair visits Bala Lake Railway and chat to Julian Birley BEM, chair of Bala Lake Railway Trust to discuss the challenges they are working to overcome in their bid to extend the narrow gauge line from its current terminus to a...
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37:49
Making Heritage Railway Tracks With Volunteer Civil Engineering Professionals on the Ffestiniog Railway
In this first episode Alasdair talks to two experienced volunteers and looks at the challenges and positives that come with having volunteers involved in a large scale high value Heritage Rail infrastructure project. Alasda...
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21:56