Headline News

£4.5billion IEP?order confirmed; Midland Main?Line to be part of new £4.2billion ‘electric spine’; Swansea and Welsh Valleys to be ‘wired’; Scotland plans major rail investment:?Class 66 to be written off after landslide derailment; Royal Train steam hauled twice in 12 days; Official opening for Northfleet.

Track Record

58 Steam & Heritage
Back to Bury for Flying Scotsman; Middleton marks 200th anniversary; Pannier damaged in accident.

68 Railtours
Charter honours film’s 60th anniversary; UK?tour for ‘Royal Scotsman’; Late timings frustrate customers.

74 Traction & Stock
Focus on Pendolino overhaul; ‘Adelantes’ launched on North Cotswold route; Class 70 tested at Great Central.

80 Traction Update
Scrapped, sold or repainted? Full details here.

82 Freight
Telford takeover; London Gateway operator confirmed.

84 Network
Electrification for Paisley Canal; Mayor submits plans for suburban rail changes; Scottish rail demand underestimated.

86 Narrow Gauge
Three more loco repatriations; Leighton Buzzard to reveal mystery hooded loco; Six in steam at Amerton.

88 Classic Traction
‘Thumper’ golden jubilee celebrated; First loco at Alnwick.

91 Metro
New entrance opens at Paddington; Boost for Croydon.

92 World
Monorail construction boom; Vienna’s new main station almost complete; More Siemens electrics for Australia.

94 Operations News
News from the train and freight operating companies.

Regulars

12 Multiple Aspects

12 Railways in Parliament

32 Readers’ Platform
The lively letters page on which YOU have your say.

36 Subscriptions Offer

43 Meetings
Details of railway society meetings near you.

53 Panorama
Our monthly showcase presents the best in railway photography.

101 Heritage Diary
A comprehensive listing of dates when heritage railways and steam centres will be open.

103 Reader Services

106 Prize Crossword

106 Where Is It?

Features

16 Half a Century of Class 47s
In the first of a two-part feature, Paul Bickerdyke looks at the life and times of the Class 47s, which were BR’s most numerous main line diesels.

26 Arthurian Legends
Southern Railway’s ‘King Arthur’ N15 class were named after the legendary Knights of the Round Table. In the first of a two-part story for Practice &?Performance, Keith Farr looks at their complex history.

34 Back Burners
The subject of stationary boilers has created a lot of interest and correspondence. Here we present an update based on the latest info.

38 North London Spurs
Although situated in the midst of a large conurbation of several million people, the freight lines in North London are seldom photographed, as Dr John Hurst explains.

46 A Day to Remember
Mike Arlett tells the story of how a young man aged just 24 drove the heaviest passenger train over the Mendips with a single locomotive.

45 End of the line for Healey Mills
Paul Bickerdyke looks at the history and background to Healey Mills marshalling yard and depot, and reasons for its recently announced closure.