FEATURES

6 FLYING SCOTSMAN: TONY MARCHINGTON BREAKS HIS SILENCE
A world exclusive for Heritage Railway, in which former Flying Scotsman owner Tony Marchington reveals in his first media interview since the locomotive was sold to the National Railway Museum for £2.31-million in 2004, that he had spoken to its officials five years earlier about placing the LNER icon on permanent display at York.

44 GREEN ARROW SURPRISE LAST RUN
Such is the overwhelming popularity of preservation icon LNER V2 2-6-2 No 4771 Green Arrow that after it was declared a total failure three weeks before, and would not steam again; North Yorkshire Moors Railway locomotive engineers carried out a temporary repair to allow its planned final farewell run on 26 April to go ahead after all. Robin Jones and Brian Sharpe pay tribute to one of Britain’s biggest steam stars.

54 WELL TANK TO WITTERSHAM ROAD
Geoff Sillcock reports on LSWR Beattie well tank No 30587 making its first visit to the Kent & East Sussex Railway, in exchange for LBSCR 'Terrier' No 3 Bodiam going to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway.

60 THE ‘NORTH BRITON’: ANGLO-SCOTTISH STEAM SPLENDOUR
Following in the footsteps of last year’s landmark Easter Penzance to Thurso ‘Great Britain’ steam marathon, tour operator the Railway Touring Company followed it up with a slightly less adventurous but in many ways equally remarkable ‘North Briton’ five-day jaunt from King’s Cross to Kyle of Lochalsh. Splendid April sunshine and superb Scottish Highland scenery made for a wealth of spectacular views along the way, with two Gresley A4s, Duke of Gloucester and a ‘Black Five’at the heart of the action, as Robin Jones and Brian Sharpe report.

76 THROUGH THE ABERGLASLYN PASS
Steam trains have just run through the Aberglaslyn Pass for the first time in more than 70 years, and the final physical reconnection of the Welsh Highland Railway to the Ffestiniog Railway at Porthmadog is now just weeks away. Barrie Hughes provides an update on the work to rebuild one of the most spectacular routes on any heritage line anywhere in the world.

84 BOAT TRAIN VALEDICTORY
Steam continued to haul the ‘Belfast Boat Express’ almost to the end of BR steam in 1968. Alan Castle recounts the story of Britain’s last steam-hauled titled train.

96 THE MIDDLETON PIONEERS
While we are all well aware of various 40th anniversaries in 2008, Dave Wilson reminds us in words and pictures that the pioneer standard gauge heritage line is celebrating nothing less than its 250th anniversary this year.


REGULARS

5 OPINION

6 HEADLINE NEWS
Oliver Cromwell running again on Great Central Railway; plans for ‘biggest ever’ heritage era gala at Barrow Hill in August; Tornado booked by North Yorkshire Moors Railway; North Norfolk Railway to rebuild Sheringham crossing for Liverpool Street charter next February; and another of the ‘Blaenavon Five’ is sold.

10 NEWS: THE WIDEST COVERAGE OF UK PRESERVATION
Project to build two new B17 ‘Sandringhams’ launched; Gresley Quad-Art set reunited on North Norfolk; Dartmoor Railway suspends services as buyer is sought; July gala launch for Earl of Mount Edgcumbe; Whitby welcomes its first A4; taxman revivalist jailed for VAT fraud; sudden closure of Vivarais line; Snailbeach revival pioneers die in car crash; new Paignton station plan rules out cinema conversion; Dobwalls collection moves to Dorset; County Donegal revival looks at Barnesmore Gap; real freight returns to Sittingbourne & Kemsley line; Moorsline LNER steam gala breaks all records; April snow showers hit heritage lines; Nunney Castle returns to main line, new Patriot project launched at Llangollen gala and Nene Valley’s new Yarwell Junction terminus now open.

43 RAILWAYANA
Latest auction news and prices from Geoff Courtney.

50 THE THIN RED LINE by David Wilcock
Offer to restore Green Arrow turned down by National Railway Museum; Network Rail’s restrictions on photography; and splitting of trains, as happened on the Kyle of Lochalsh line during the ‘North Briton’.

66 MAIN LINE NEWS compiled by Cedric Johns
‘First’ Pullman to Minehead cancelled; Tangmere Scottish trip in balance; Tangmere detailed at Stewarts Lane and possibility of more trains over Folkestone Harbour branch.

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

90 PLATFORM
The pages where your views matter the most!

95 MORGAN
More outspoken views from the chairman of the Heritage Railway Association.

100 SUBSCRIBE TO HERITAGE RAILWAY!
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102 UP AND RUNNING
Brian Sharpe’s full listing of operational lines and museum venues.

107 OFF THE SHELF
Latest book and DVD releases.

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