Since the first issue of Heritage Railway was published in spring 1999, steam on the main line has seen dramatic changes.
There is considerably more open access with steam running on lines we never thought possible, and more railtours than we could have ever imagined.
The Folkstone Harbour branch closed in 2014, while the Great Western main line and the North London lines have been electrified. Tours are organised less for the enthusiast and more for people who want to wine and dine in luxury, and there isa greater number of mid-week dining trains.
The railtour sector has become very upmarket, especially with market leader Locomotive Services Group using its own rakes of carriages anda superb fleet of steam and diesel locomotives.
A revolution in information technology has played a dramatic part in the way we live our lives, particularly regarding the internet and social media. How many of us had heard of social media in 1999, or even had a mobile telephone?
It is not just the main line that has changed, but also its surroundings – especially in our towns and cities. The countryside is ever decreasing thanks to the continual construction of new houses. Cars have become very uniform in shape, and headboards have become a means of advertising.
Information, internet, and the digital technology revolution
Here is where the major changes have taken
