On this Day - 19th February (2017)
Know your stations quiz


Travel and transport with an emphasis on the South West of the British Isles, and on rail, other public and sustainable transport

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19th February
Know your stations quiz
2017
(Sunday)
discussion 

18th February
Various Railway Accidents
1902
(Tuesday)
discussionforum

17th February
Introduction of London congestion charge
2003
(Monday)
discussionwikipedia
First diesel express from Paddington
1958
(Monday)
discussionbbc

16th February
Weekend returns avaiable on The Midland
1907
(Saturday)
discussion 

15th February
Initial journey - Jellicoe Express
1917
(Thursday)
discussionlondonremembers
theorkneynews

14th February
Last train to call at Bicester TOWN
2014
(Friday)
discussion 
Great Marlow renamed to Marlow
1889
(Thursday)
discussion 

13th February
First test firing of rail mounted gun - Elam Valley
1941
(Thursday)
discussiondisused-stations
wikipedia
wikipedia

12th February
Western Pathfinder (D1001) build date
1962
(Monday)
discussionwesternlocomoti...
wikipedia
Curry Rivel to Castle Cary opened to freight
1906
(Monday)
discussionwikipedia

11th February
Appeal for funds for Gladstone
1927
(Friday)
discussionstephensonloco
Kilmersdon Colliery opens
1875
(Thursday)
discussionwikipedia
theimportanceof...
irsociety

10th February
Harold Wood - Brentwood accident
1941
(Monday)
discussionrailwaysarchive
wikipedia

9th February
Blockage through snow - Aviemore to Forres
1963
(Saturday)
discussionderbysulzers

8th February
< London Necropolis railway station resited
1902
(Saturday)
 wikipedia
wikipedia
Swansea to Carmarthen doubled
1853
(Tuesday)
discussionwikipedia
broadgauge

7th February
Timber Ferrybridge replace by steel bridge
1909
(Sunday)
discussionportlandhistory
Formation of ASLEF
1880
(Saturday)
discussionnationalarchives
Boiler explosion, Gloucester
1855
(Wednesday)
discussionfirstgreatweste...
railwaysarchive
wikipedia

6th February
Class 151 in service
1986
(Thursday)
discussiontraintesting
traintesting
Document archive added to Coffee Shop
2021
(Saturday)
discussionforum

5th February
Closure - Alton to Fareham
1955
(Saturday)
discussion 
Foundation meeting, heritage railway to Minehead
1971
(Friday)
discussionmineheadraillin...
wikipedia

4th February
Dawlish Washout
2014
(Tuesday)
discussionforum
South West Trains franchise starts
1996
(Sunday)
discussionstagecoachgroup
Great Western Intercity franchise commences
1996
(Sunday)
discussionwikipedia
wikipedia
Newquay to Chacewater line closes
1963
(Monday)
discussion 
Newquay to Chacewater line opens
1905
(Saturday)
discussion 

3rd February
First Ghan passenger train reached Darwin
2004
(Tuesday)
discussionnorthernterritory
wikipedia

2nd February
Children under 5 occupying seats
2012
(Thursday)
discussion 

1st February
Shuttle Columbia breaks up on re-entry
2003
(Saturday)
discussionwikipedia

31st January
"Princess Victoria" capsized off Stanraer, 133 die
1953
(Saturday)
discussionhistoric-uk
belfasttelegraph
wikipedia
bbc

30th January
Great Western Railway Temperance Union
1890
(Thursday)
discussionturniprail
wikipedia

29th January
"Western Fusilier" rail tour - Paddington to Hereford
1977
(Saturday)
discussionsixbellsjunction
wikimedia
Holborn Viaduct station closes
1990
(Monday)
discussiondisused-stations

28th January
First posts on the Coffee Shop forum
2007
(Sunday)
discussionforum

27th January
Torbay Tramway closed because of snow
1910
(Thursday)
discussionwikipedia
tramwayinfo

26th January
firstgreatwestern.info domain registered
2007
(Friday)
discussionforum

25th January
FGW announces link with Singapore Airlines
2014
(Saturday)
discussionfuturetravelexp...

24th January
More Train Less Strain call on Ruth Kelly to remove franchise from FGW
2008
(Thursday)
discussionforum
dailymail
Hansard on First Great Western
2007
(Wednesday)
discussionparliament

23rd January
Start of 6 weeks of snowfall
1947
(Thursday)
discussionmetoffice
wikipedia

22nd January
Sailpowered Rail
1830
(Friday)
discussiondouglas-self
wikipedia
Amtrak New York to Tampa ends
1995
(Sunday)
  
Famous Train Royal Mail stamps
1985
(Tuesday)
discussioncollectgbstamps
Initial meeting - Women in Community Rail
2016
(Friday)
discussionwicr

21st January
Early reference to Go-Co
2011
(Friday)
discussionforum
paulgosling

20th January
Opening of Yeovil Pen Mill - Weymouth line
1857
(Tuesday)
discussionwikipedia

19th January
Heathrow Junction Station opens and receives first train
1998
(Monday)
discussionwikipedia
ianvisits
Trend to bring back barriers is damaging the customer experience
2008
(Saturday)
discussionwikipedia
yorkpress
news

18th January
Closure Ruabon to Morfa Mawddach
1965
(Monday)
discussionwikipedia

17th January
~ Byron Bay Railroad Company launched its solar train
2018
(Wednesday)
discussionbridgestone

16th January
Winter of discontent - 24 hour rail strike
1979
(Tuesday)
discussionlibcom
wikipedia

15th January
RoSCo Eversholt changes hands
2015
(Thursday)
discussionwikipedia
eversholtrail

14th January
Strategic Rail Authority unveils 10 year plan
2002
(Monday)
discussiontheguardian

13th January
Groupsaves on Ticket Machines
2012
(Friday)
discussiontravel
forum

12th January
A quiet day in previous years
2009
(Monday)
discussion 

11th January
TVM - a fair weather facility?
2012
(Wednesday)
discussionforum

10th January
Defibrillators discussion pack published by Network Rail
2017
(Tuesday)
discussionnetworkrail
theargus
Metropolitain line opened from Paddington
1863
(Saturday)
discussiongov
ltmuseum

9th January
Incorporation of Railway Development Society Ltd (now Railfuture)
2004
(Friday)
discussionrailwaydevelopm...
railfuture

8th January
Cannon Street buffer stop collision
1991
(Tuesday)
discussionwikipedia

7th January
Closure of Upwey Wishing Well Halt
1957
(Monday)
discussionopcdorset
dorsetecho

6th January
Hixon Railway accident
1968
(Saturday)
discussionrailwaysarchive
forum
wikipedia

5th January
Last service - Swansea and Mumbles Tramway
1960
(Tuesday)
discussionwalesonline

4th January
Portishead (New) station opened
1954
(Monday)
discussionportisheadrailw...

3rd January
Cheltenham (St James) station closes
1966
(Monday)
discussionwikipedia
Full electric passenger services start, West Coast Main Line to Manchester and Liverpool
1966
(Monday)
discussionwikipedia

2nd January
Formation of Railway Clearing House
1842
(Sunday)
 wikipedia
Line from Bala to Blaenau Ffestiniog closed to passenger services
1960
(Saturday)
discussionwikipedia

1st January
Grouping of railways into four major companies - GWR, SR, LNER and LMS
1923
(Monday)
discussionwikipedia
railwaysarchive
Foundation of British Railways - nationalisation
1948
(Thursday)
discussionwikipedia
Reading (Southern) electrified
1939
(Sunday)
discussionwikipedia
"Murder on the Orient Express" published
1934
(Monday)
 wikipedia

About "on this day"

"On this day" looks back at this day in history for rail and other public and sustainable public transport users in the Thames Valley, South West of England and South Wales, with one eye open to topics of wider interest. On most mornings, you'll find a new headline and article link above, perhaps a picture too.

Some exact dates are lost in history, and you'll occasionally find an item marked "~" for "about". Please let us know if you have an accurate date for these, or if you have an event which you feel we should add, or a correction. The best place for this is our discussion forum, but by all means use other contact methods if you like.

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