Portal:Trains/Did you know/November 2020

November 2020

A train at Shackerstone Station on the Battlefield Line Railway during the Spring 2014 Steam Gala

• ...that a line formerly known as the Bluebell Railway is an entirely separate line from the Bluebell Railway?

Rolling stock at Basford Hall Yard in 2014

• ...that in the 1930s, Basford Hall Yard, near Crewe, England, was the busiest marshalling yard in Europe, handing between 28,000 and 47,000 wagons every week?

A standard goods carriage frame built for the Barsi Light Railway in 1897

• ...that the 202-mile long (325 km) 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge Barsi Light Railway used standardized frames on its goods rolling stock and was an early adopter of superelevation in its track curves in an effort to maximise the loads that could be carried?

Barkingside station in 1961

• ...that Barkingside tube station was originally opened in 1903 by the Great Eastern Railway to stimulate suburban growth?

Barbican station in August 2014

• ...that in December 1866, Aldersgate Street station, now known as Barbican station, was the site of the first accident to include multiple passengers on the underground network?

A passenger train of the Barbados Railway

• ...that passenger service on the Barbados Railway was suspended after derailments occurred in the railway's first week of operations, with railway officials referring to the previous services as trial runs?

View of Bangor station from above one of the two nearby tunnels in 1961

• ...that in the middle of the 20th century, there were nine separate through routes at Bangor railway station in Wales?

Trains at Banbury station in 1963

• ...that with most cross country services in Britain passing through Banbury in the 20th century, Banbury railway station, originally known as Banbury Bridge Street station, occupied one of the most strategic and important locations in the entire rail network?

Tram tracks at Bamberg station in 1908

• ...that from 1897 to 1922, the forecourt of Bamberg station was the main hub of Bamberg trams, which was served by three of the four lines of the network?

The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad station at the corner of 6th Street & Constitution Avenue in Washington shortly before the station's demolition in 1908

• ...that under Pennsylvania Railroad control, the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad was able to sidestep Maryland's refusal to grant a charter competing with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Baltimore-Washington line by building its main line to within 20 miles (32 km) of Washington and extending branch lines into the city?

The track side of the Ballasalla station building in 2009

• ...that until the introduction of the 2015 timetable, Ballasalla station was the usual crossing point for trains on the Isle of Man Railway?

A V/Line train entering Ballarat station in September 2016

• ...that V/Line's Ballarat service is the second busiest service in Victoria, Australia, behind the Geelong service?

An Amtrak train at Bakersfield station in October 2012

• ...that as many as 6 Thruway Motorcoaches can connect to a single train serving Amtrak's Bakersfield station?

German DRG Class 44 locomotives at Bahnbetriebswerk Ottbergen in 1976

• ...that the first Bahnbetriebswerk, the equivalent of a locomotive depot (or motive power depot), in Germany was opened in 1835?

Preserved German Baden Class VI c steam locomotive 75 No 1118 in Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works, Germany, in 2007

• ...that 28 of the 135 Baden Class VI c 2-6-2T steam locomotives owned by the Grand Duchy of Baden State Railway were surrendered to France and Belgium as part of World War I reparations?

The northern end of the platform at Axminster station in 2006 showing the now disused extension and narrow walkway under the road bridge

• ...that until a late 1980s rebuilding project at Axminster railway station that extended the platform southwards, passengers had to pass beneath a narrow bridge arch to reach the 1930s extension at the north end of the site?

An artist's depiction of the first train arriving in Exmouth in 1861

• ...that merchants in Exeter, England, held a meeting to discuss the possibility of building a railway connection from Exmouth to the city, which would eventually become the Avocet Line, as early as 1825?