Features

44 SIR WILLIAM - A TRUE FRIEND OF HERITAGE RAILWAYS
In the first of a series of Heritage Railway major interviews, Geoff Courtney talks to Sir William McAlpine. They talk about Flying Scotsman and Pendennis Castle, his views on preserved railways and the future of main line steam, the early days of his own private standard gauge line and extensive museum and his delight at a magazine article revealing that the planned High Speed 2 line would link with his railway.

64 TORNADO: STILL MAKING WAVES
As the new-build LNER A1 Pacific Tornado enters its fourth year of active service, A1 Trust chairman Mark Allatt looks back at the locomotive’s achievements so far and looks forward to the future.

70 LIVERPOOL’S ELECTRIFYING MUSEUM
The new £72 million Museum of Liverpool sets exacting new standards for the showcasing of local culture and heritage, in a city which has so often led the world. Robin Jones visited to see the ground-breaking transport gallery in which a section of the city’s fabled overhead electric railway has been recreated, days before it was graced by a royal visit, and asks about an absent steam friend.

74 FIRST STEAM SINCE THE 1950s
Through a diverse English autumn, Geoff Silcock highlights several days in November when steam came back to operate on two very different lines in the heritage sector...

78 FROM WEST HIGHLAND TO THE NENE VALLEY: THE TASC
TASC stands for Track and Service Car. It was one of only seven built in 1985, but was out of use by 1998, and was found derelict at Perth, Scotland in 2005 and purchased for £1 by the Nene Valley Railway. Brian Sharpe reports on its first day’s use in heritage line service.

86 THE CONFESSIONS OF A GREAT CENTRAL SANTA
Have you ever heard of the Christmas TBO? Geoff Silcock reveals some of the more sublime moments encountered as a travelling Santa Claus, when the London area of the Main Line Steam Trust’s Santa train took to the rails from Loughborough to the North Pole...

94 CHINESE RECORD BREAKERS ON THE ROCK ISLAND LINE
On July 20, 2011, the Iowa Interstate Railroad moved what is believed to be the heaviest train anywhere in the world powered by steam for over 51 years. Peter J Odell, who rode in a passenger car 55 freight cars behind the locomotives, reports on the achievement.

Regulars

6 HEADLINE NEWS AWARDS SPECIAL
All the winners from the Heritage Railway Association’s 2011 awards and the National Railway Heritage Awards. Big wins for Great Western Society and steam railmotor, Scottish Railway Preservation Society, Deltic Preservation Society, Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway and more, including a relative newcomer in the Electric Railway Museum at Coventry.

10 NEWS
Manchester United nameplate in shock withdrawal; green Duchess of Sutherland steams; NRM director confirms Flying Scotsman will attend Barrow Hill: Steve Davies flies to North America to secure A4s loan deal; David Cameron to ride on new Moorland & City Railways Stoke-Leekbrook link; Bluebell Christmas funding challenge raises £100K for East Grinstead push; national honour for Welsh Highland revivalists; London Bridge trainshed in Nene Valley offer; B17 Sandringham project moves to Mid-Norfolk Railway; Swanage Railway footplate crew makes history at Euston; new heritage line for London takes shape; Crewe Heritage Centre head lease may be sold; heritage first at ‘new’ King’s Cross; oldest GWR coach to be restored at Bodmin; new life for Inverurie Works and the steam special halted by track theft in what is the biggest round-up of news of the preservation sector.

21 STAR COMPETITION
Win a Liverpool Overhead Railway souvenir package containing books, posters and merchandise in our competition marking the opening of the railway gallery inside the magnificent new £72 million Museum of Liverpool.

43 RAILWAYANA
Geoff Courtney reports on the latest prices from the auction scene and previews what is coming up for sale.

50 PLATFORM
Four pages where your views matter the most.

56 MAIN LINE NEWS compiled by Cedric Johns
Tornado breaks East Coast Main Line midweek steam ban; Jeremy Hosking makes offer to buy Riviera Trains; Salisbury to Exeter line reopens and Oliver Cromwell heads for Scotland.

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

88 SCALE HERITAGE RAILWAY
New GWR Robinson O4 and Midland 3F from Bachmann; Hornby’s superb new Gresley suburban appears in BR maroon first and new Class 411 EMU in N gauge from Graham Farish.

92 OFF THE SHELF
Reviews of latest books, DVDs and other merchandise.

98 UP AND RUNNING
Brian Sharpe’s full listing of operational lines and museum venues.

102 MORGAN
The Heritage Railway Association chairman presses the need to cut more red tape.

106 NEXT ISSUE