Making Tracks Railway Podcast

Alasdair Stewart
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Documentary
  • Updated Monthly

Engineer Alasdair Stewart, Sharon Gregory and producer Laura Raymond meet experts and enthusiasts to 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! Sharon Gregory presents 'Railway Ride-outs' - visiting Heritage Lines by Harley - with lots of tips for the Biker Rail Enthusiast.  Produced by Journalist Laura Raymond

  1. 6d ago

    Talyllyn: Celebrating 75 Years As The World's First Preserved Railway, Leighton Buzzard Light Railway and Barton House Railway. Plus, Encouraging Young Volunteers At The North Norfolk Railway!

    Send us Fan Mail This episode celebrates the contribution of young people in heritage railways ...both in the past and present day, as Alasdair Stewart and Producer Laura Raymond, sitting in for Sharon Gregory, visit three charming railways: Barton House in Norfolk, The Talyllyn Railway, as they mark the 75th anniversary as the  world's oldest preserved railway and Leighton Buzzard Railway.  Alasdair also talks to Michelle Bartram one the leaders of the young people's group at North Norfolk Railway. Young reporter Cynan Hughes enjoys a trip to the Talyllyn 75th Gala Weekend to travel on some of the night trains (along with dad Steve!) Please find links below for the organisations and Railways mentioned in this episode. The Talyllyn Railway We chat to Railwayman volunteer Chris Parrott in the Talyllyn Segment. You can find out more about his story in his book: Argentine Adventure is available from Amazon. Leighton Buzzard Railway Barton House Railway North Norfolk Railway This podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory.  Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch.  You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here:  Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over.  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"   Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.

    1h 11m

  2. May 18

    HST Rail Tour, Rideout to Crich Tramway Museum, My Dad Saved A Railway, Tom Bright- Rail Journalist, Progress at Rother Valley Railway and Photography at Fairbourne

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode Alasdair Stewart travels on an iconic Intercity 125 Class 43 rail tour from Euston to the north Wales coast . He meets up with travel journalist Tom Bright, Tom  is the news and features editor of Steam Railway Magazine. We hear how the love of telling stories and steam landed him a pretty ideal job. We have an update from Rother Valley Railway in Kent as they open a new station building in a million pound prjoect to link the village of Robertsbridge with the Kent and East Sussex Line and the mainline to London. Sharon Gregory reports back on her Railway Rideout to Crich National Tramway Museum in Derbyshire.  The Young reporters meanwhile have been busy - George Woodward – tells how 'My Dad Saved a Railway' a model one but very much a Railway and Cynan Hughes rides on the Fairbourne scouting out the best places to photograph the upcoming Gala. Links to the Railway and organisations mentioned in this epsiode. National Tramway Museum in Crich Rother Valley Railway Branch Line Society Railtours Vintage Trains  Fairbourne Miniature Railtours Do follow us Facebook for photos from our adventures!  This podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory.  Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch.  You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here:  Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over.  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"   Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.

    48 min

  3. May 2

    Trading Places - Harz Mountain Railway and Baie de Somme Railway UK Heritage Railway Exchanges

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode we meet Railwaymen and Women from Germany and France, that work at two contrasting iconic European metre gauge railways, 'twinned' with UK heritage lines. 'Dampflok' is the common language in the regular Harzer Schmalspurbahnen  / Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Exchange established in 2003. Alasdair Stewart joins the group in north Wales on their familiarisation train and chats to the visiting staff and organiser and originator of the exchange Driver John Bell.   Alasdair also joins a trip from the Kent & East Sussex Railway in the south east of England over to their twin railway line in France: The Baie de Somme Railway in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme.  Sharon Gregory gives us an insight into one of her favourite pastimes combining biking and spotting her favourite locos in the stunning Welsh countryside. Links to railways and organisations mentioned in this episode: Baie de Somme railway Harz Narrow Gauage Railway   Tourist information Harzer Schmalspurbahnen Brochure French Railways Society  Infos Utiles - P'tit train de la Haute Somme - 600mm French line celebrating fifty years of heritage operation in 2026.  Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme - Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme - the main french railway in the piece Accueil - La Suzanne - Le train touristique de la Voie Sacrée à Bar-le-Duc - 'Suzzane' Kent and East Sussex Railway  Ffestiniong and Welsh Highland Railways This podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory.  Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch.  You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here:  Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over.  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"   Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.

    1h 1m

  4. Apr 16

    'Bring Euro Trains Back To Kent' Campaign, Biking to Blaenavan and Borth, 34028 'Eddystone', A railway poet & The Youngest Model Railway Show Organiser & WHHR's First Class Museum!

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode find out how a conversation with a Kent poet Nick Russell and his poem ' Connections'  led to taking a look at a well established campaign to bring Euro trains back to Kent after Eurostar ceased serving  Ashford International during Covid. Alasdair Stewart speaks to Bring Back Euro Trains campaign spokesperson Diccon Spain and we include a statement from Eurostar.  Sharon Gregory takes two Railway Rideouts on her Harley to Borth in mid Wales to a rare museum open day and discovers the south Wales line: Pontypool and Blaenavon. There's an impromtu report from Radio Presenter Alex Baker as he happens upon the The  34028 Eddystone loco at Victoria Station. We get an update on how a model railway show went which was organised by probably one of the youngest railway enthusiasts to do so! And producer Laura Raymond visits the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway's museum and talks to young volunteers on a sunny Easter Saturday. Links to Railways and organisations mentioned in this episode: Campaign group Bring Back Euro Trains. Eurostar's statement: “Eurostar has no plans to resume stops at Ashford International and Ebbsfleet International. Demand at these stations has historically been very limited, with the vast majority of UK passengers travelling via St Pancras International. In 2019, Ashford and Ebbsfleet accounted for just 4% of our total passengers. Even at peak times, Ashford saw an average of only 50 passengers per 900-seat train. Over the decade to 2019, St Pancras traffic grew by 20%, while Ashford and Ebbsfleet saw no growth.  Eurostar remains focused on offering city centre to city centre services, to reach our 30 million passenger goal. Any reopening would require significant additional investment in border infrastructure, particularly as new EU border systems are introduced.” Virgin Trains statement on plans to run a service through the Channel Tunnel ** Poem featured by Nick Russell of the Rye Harbour Writers from a book called The Station Poems. Poems at stations courtesy of the South East Community Rail Partnership. The Southern Locomotives 34010 Eddystone Locomotive Railtours Welsh Highland Heritage Railway Borth Railway Museum Blaenavon's Heritage Railwa This podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory.  Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch.  You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here:  Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over.  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"   Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.

    59 min

  5. Mar 26

    Rockstars and Railways: Ashford Model Railway Education Centre, Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway, A Rail Tourist in Milan, Railway 200 Final Few Stops For The Successful 'Inspiration' Train

    Send us Fan Mail This episode is very much one of Rockstars and their Model Railways as Alasdair Stewart attends the official launch of the Ashford International Model Railway Education Centre in Kent. The new centre is supported by Patron Jools Holland, well know for their modelling nearly as much as their music, Roger Daltry and Peter Waterman. Sharon Gregory gets her Harley out for the proper first Railway Ride-out of the season to the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway.  Producer Laura Raymond find just some of the railway highlights on a holiday to the Lombardie region of Italy visiting the Brunate Furnicular, the Rail Collection at the Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology and takes a ride on the 1928 #Ventotto trams in Milan. Alasdair get the lowdown on the new take on teaching Rail Safety from Network Rail's Safey Manager, Kent: Nicola Dooris with an engaging model layout. He also gets a chance to visit the wonderfully successful Railway 200 Inspiration Train as it visits Hastings at one of its last few stops of its  extended tour of the UK. Links to the Railways and Organisations mentioned in this episode: Ashford International Model Railway Education Centre, Kent Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway Network Rail's Rail Safety Manager for Kent, Nicola Dooris can be contacted on her email nicola.dooris@networkrail.co.uk  if you would like to find out more about the learning rescources available for schools or visit the layout in Margate, Kent.  Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology Brunate Furnicular, Como Railway 200 New dates for the Inspiration Train Follow us on Facebook for photos of the places and people we meet making these episodes. Thanks for listening! #VentottoTrams #GloucestershireandWarwickshireRailway #Milan #AIMREC #NetworkRail  #AlasdairStewart #SharonGregory #joolsholland #Rogerdaltry #Petewaterman This podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory.  Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch.  You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here:  Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over.  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"   Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.

    38 min

  6. Mar 5

    Colonel Stephens, East Kent Railway, Kent Mining Museum, Severn Valley Railway DMU, Llangollen Railway Volunteer's Royal Invitation, Peak Rail, #WorldBookDay,

    Send us Fan Mail It is a full house this episode we have all been out visiting railways across the UK. Alasdair  goes  to East Kent Railway – a Colonel Stephens Line ..if you are not familiar with that name...he was an engineer who built and managed his own empire of branch lines up and down the UK around the early part of the last century. Alasdair chats to Chris Jackson from the Colonel Stephens Society to set the scene before setting off to Kent Sharon has been considering her favourite railway books as we mark World Book Day in the week we publish. Young reporter George Woodward visits the Peak Rail at half term and Paddy Range has been out on a diesel hunt,  this time to the Severn Valley Railway and producer Laura Raymond popped along to chat to volunteers at Llangollen Railway on the first day of their season and a meets a very special volunteer who will soon be having tea with the King! Links Below to the Railways and organisations in this episode. Colonel Stephens Society The Colonel Stephens Railway Museum - Kent & East Sussex Railway East Kent Railway Trust World Book Day Llangollen Railway Betteshanger Country Park Peak Rail Severn Valley Railway #SharonGregory #Paddyrange #Alasdair Stewart #Laura Raymond #WorldBookDay This podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory.  Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch.  You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here:  Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over.  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"   Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.

    1h 23m

  7. Feb 6

    Winter Work at Snowdon Mountain Railway, Biking to Ironbridge Gorge, Diesels at Spa Valley & Chiltern's new 'Explorer' trains.

    Send us Fan Mail We visit the UK's only public rack and pinion line, Snowdon Mountain Railway which is also the highest railway route, going to the Summit station from the foot of Snowdon – or Y Wyddfa its official name in the Welsh language. Sharon heads to England on her Harley on a 'Railway Rideout' to explore a tranquil corner of the birthplace of the industrial revolution, IronBridge Gorge Museum in Telford. Paddy Range goes to Kent, for a ride on the Spa Valley railway behind a Class 33 from Tonbridge Wells…. Alasdair catches one of the new Chiltern Railways Explorer trains, offering greener services every 30 minutes between the West Midlands and London on weekdays. And we catch up with a friend of the podcast Bluebell Railways' Permanent Way volunteer John Deane, now in his eighties, who for the second year running will be walking the ballast for the full length of the line raising money for a charity close to his heart. We also meet heritage volunteer and fomer mainline staff, Clive Wallace with some turntable advice! Links below to stories and Railways in this episode: Snowdon Mountain Railway Chiltern Explorers Ironbridge Gorge Museum under ownership of National Trust Spa Valley Railway Ironbridge Kinlet Engine John Deane's fundraiser for Heart  Valve Voice UK Bluebell Railway Rother Valley Railway - blog - turntable #SnowdonMountainRailway #Spavalley #IronbridgeGorgemuseum #ChilternRailways #paddyrange #Sharongregory #alasdairstewart #railwaypodcast #railways #railenthusiast #diesels #DMUs #volunteering #Bluebellrailway This podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory.  Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch.  You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here:  Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over.  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"   Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.

    48 min

  8. Jan 28

    Touring India's Railways, Steam at Oswestry Station, The Locomotive Club of Great Britain and Dapol Wagons for #WorldBookDay!

    Send us Fan Mail We've revamped for 2026 with new branding, featuring presenters Sharon Gregory and Alasdair Stewart marking our 4th year of chatting about Railways. In this episode Alasdair meets a couple of UK Railway volunteers Dan Holbrook & Caleb Lovegrove, They, and a group of friends and colleagues have recently been on what we could refer to in the UK as a bus man's holiday, taking a tour of railways in India.  Sharon travels to Oswestry this time to catch the steam train on the Cambrian Heritage Railway. Alasdair calls in at a Locomotive  Club of Great Britain Meeting and we hear about a delightful Dapol model launched to celebrate #WorldBookDay. #CambrianHeritageRailway #Darjeeling #railwaymodelling #Dapol #Oswestry #railwayenthusiast #railwayhistory #Railways #trains Here are links to the Railways and Organisations mentioned in this episode: The Cambrian Heritage Railway The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway  Nilgiri Mountain Railway (Wikipedia link) The Dapol Model Railway Company  including links to the World Book Day fundraising wagons. Browsers Book Shop,  Porthmadog Facebook Page World Book Day Charity The Locomotive Club of Great Britain This podcast is produced by Laura Raymond and presented by Alasdair Stewart and Sharon Gregory.  Our 'Making Tracks' music is with kind permission of composer and musician Richard Durrant. It is a unique piece inspired by the rhythm of the historic rolling stock on the Ffestiniog Railway on the scenic journey from Harbour Station to Tan y Blwch.  You can listen and download the full 'Tan y Bwlch' Ukulele Quartet here:  Thank you to voice artist David King - for the Railway Ride outs voice over.  Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch"   Ukulele Quartet No. 1 "Tan y Bwlch" Richard Durrant · Single · 2019 · 3  songs.

    59 min
See All (34)

About

Engineer Alasdair Stewart, Sharon Gregory and producer Laura Raymond meet experts and enthusiasts to 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! Sharon Gregory presents 'Railway Ride-outs' - visiting Heritage Lines by Harley - with lots of tips for the Biker Rail Enthusiast.  Produced by Journalist Laura Raymond

Information

  • Creator
    Alasdair Stewart
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Making Tracks Railway Podcast
  • Show Website
    Making Tracks Railway Podcast

You Might Also Like