March 2012 - Issue 1331
Headline News
Government approves HS2; Network Rail faces charges over Grayrigg; DRS orders 15 Vossloh diesel locos; Prince Charles renames Britannia; Lock-out blights EMD plant; EXCLUSIVE: Mallard and Green Arrow to appear at ‘Fab Four’ gala; Sellafield workers train trial.
Track Record
The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest
64 Steam & Heritage
Tornado and Kinlet Hall for North Norfolk; Calbourne to visit Bodmin; SVR starts on Bewdley tunnel project.
75 Railtours
Is Network Rail using steam as a performance scapegoat? GSM-R to cost £25,000 per loco.
78 Traction & Stock
Gatwick Express 460s to be merged with SWT 458s; More Class 70s arrive; Major boost for Eastleigh; 3D toilet graphics.
83 Traction Update
Scrapped, sold or repainted? Full details here.
86 Freight
88 Network
Future views of King’s Cross; Leicester control moves to Derby; Barriers for Scottish crossings?
95 Classic Traction
‘Grid’ and wheel deals; Last Worth Valley train commemorated; Lavender Line diesel gala planned.
90 Narrow Gauge
Vital funds for Lynton & Barnstaple extension; Vale of Rheidol to use coal after 30 year gap.
99 World
China shows off ‘sword-shaped’ train; More 66s in Belgium; Billion dollar plan to unclog Sydney.
93 Metro
First Edinburgh tram is tested; New Croydon trams on the way; Metrolink fatality.
102 Operations News
A round-up of news from train and freight operating companies.
Regulars
14 Multiple Aspects
14 Railways in Parliament
45 Location, Location
46 Subscriptions Offer
56 Platform
Your lively monthly letters page.
62 Reviews
The pick of new books and DVDs.
108 Meetings
Details of railway society meetings near you.
109 Heritage Diary
A comprehensive listing of dates when heritage railways and steam centres will be open.
110 100 Years Ago
A look back to what Britain’s senior rail tile was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago.
113 Reader Services
114 Prize Crossword and Where Is It?
Features
16 Thinning Red Lines
Britain’s freight-only network has shrunk substantially. Paul Shannon takes a look at the freight lines that are still extant.
23 Looking Back With Pride
Peter Kelly visits 93-year-old Caleb Preistley who drove Stanier 8Fs in World War II and was later accused of speeding at 115mph in a ‘Deltic’.
28 Playing to the Whistle
Nick Pigott muses on the remarkably large number of football grounds that are, or have previously been, situtated next to railway lines.
34 Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow
In this month’s Practice & Performance, John Heaton looks at how diversionary lines for the East Coast come into their own when the main lines are closed.
39 From 70013 to 70013
When The Queen acceded to the throne in 1952, ‘Britannia’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell was new.
Now, 60 years on, a brand new loco numbered 70013 has just arrived.
40 Titled Trains of Britain - part 4
This month we present the concluding part of Nick Pigott’s popular and much-needed history into the Titled Trains of Great Britain.
48 4ft 8½ and all that
David Eatwell looks at the range of steam-operated railways around the world.
54 A by-pass for London
With the annoucement that the East-West rail link is to be built, Phil Marsh explains a project that will open up intriguing route permutations.
Next issue out 7 March 2012
