NEWS: tandard gauge double Fairlie boilers rediscovered in Burry Port
Carndonagh station to be restored
NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL: Making fresh tracks to Caldon Low
NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL: Tigers and steam
NEW GENERATION LINES
NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL: Ongar steam breakthrough!

FEATURES
CARRIAGE & WAGON DEPARTMENT: An Edwardian train of thought
As the Great Western Society’s ‘part new build’ market-leading Saint Project takes rapid strides towards completion, thoughts are turning to the way in which the finished locomotive will operate and the sort of trains that it might haul. Adrian Knowles considers the possibility of assembling a complete post-Edwardian set, using vehicles that are either back in full working order or are waiting in restoration queues on several of Britain’s premier heritage lines.

WILL THEY STEAM AGAIN IN OUR LIFETIME?
Green Arrow will have no future in steam in five years time, but Oliver Cromwell, one of the few large non-Barry scrapyard engines never to have been overhauled in preservation, is to run again after 30 years. Are we coming to the end of the line as far as steam locomotive restoration is concerned, and will more engines be laid aside as permanent static exhibits? Brian Sharpe examines the facts.

THE CHANGEOVER YEARS: East Yorkshire makes the big switch
Californian Fred Matthews witnessed the end of US steam and then flew to Britain to watch the same phenomenon on BR. Fred outlines his memories of the last vestiges of steam in East Yorkshire during his student years with the aid of a set of colour photographs published for the first time.

HEADLINE NEWS
EWS cuts mainline steam routes and locomotive fleet; Kent & East Sussex Railway to extend eastwards; Nene Valley Railway to take over Fletton branch; replica Ant steams on Isle of Man’s and B12 joins launch fleet for Weardale Railway.

NEWS Standard gauge double Fairlie boilers rediscovered in south Wales; Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway to extend in both directions; pannier No. 9466 resteams at Neasden depot; steam returns to Plym Valley Railway; Dean Forest main line link threatened; South Devon Railway buys second Super Saloon; Beattie well tank in Chasewater debut; campaign to save Llangollen-Ruabon link trackbed intensifies; death of David Jenkinson, former head of engineering and research at the National Railway Museum, Mid-Hants ‘Thumper’ may run new commuter services; Flying Scotsman and City of Truro in swift return to the main line; SECR O1 on Bluebell extension ballast trains; Lynton & Barnstaple reopening latest and Class 56 not wanted for the National Collection to move to Barrow Hill...

SHOWCASE
City of Truro, Broadsands viaduct, a sunny day and azure sky - what more can a linesider want? Geoff Silcock’s stunning centenary run panorama takes centre stage.

MAIN LINE NEWS compiled by Cedric Johns
Special report on city of Truro’s Bristol Temple Meads-Kingswear ‘100mph’ anniversary runs; second Scottish main line photo charter booked for autumn; Nunney Castle beaten by Tytherington curve; ‘No. 9’ replaces Lizzie on Cumbrian jaunts; Tangmere and Taw Valley booked for ‘Cathedrals Express’ and Norwich inquiry frustrates B1 move are the headlines in our definitive round-up.

MAIN LINE TOUR ITINERARY
Brian Sharpe’s guide to steam and modern traction tours.

INDUSTRIAL SCENE
Axholme peat lines could become tourist railway on Yorkshire border and Sir Berkeley to return thanks to £50K Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

OFF THE SHELF
Railway guides for 2004 - which is the best for you?

DAVID MORGAN MBE
-the man you can’t ignore

RAILWAYANA
Colin Tyson on the latest in the collectors’’ world.

SCALE HERITAGE RAILWAY
Severn Valley 8F No. 48773 is Hornby’s latest release.

UP AND RUNNING
Brian Sharpe’s listing of operational standard, narrow and minimum gauge lines with dates of special events, details of driver training courses and locomotives in operation.

HERIT@GE NET
Roger Melton trawls the internet in search of railway tunnels and their dark secrets.