January 2004

NEWS FOCUS SPECIAL: Goodbye Willington Hall...and hello to Betton Grange and County of Glamorgan!
Two hundred years after Richard Trevithick launched his pioneer railway locomotive on an unsuspecting public, a groundbreaking new project to build ?new? steam engines for the 21st century has just begun. However, it really is a classic case of old wine in new bottles, as the long-sought-after green light for the dismantling of several of the ?Barry Ten? pool of scrap BR locomotives to provide components for ?new build? schemes to plug large gaps in preservation has now been given by their council owners, reports Robin Jones.

THE DUKE OF SUTHERLAND
Catching up with high-flying businessman and head of the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust Brell Ewart, the man who spearheaded the restoration of preservation icon Duchess of Sutherland, was never going to be easy. But needing to fit in with a 60-year-old rocker?s schedule - now that was unexpected, as Keith Langston discovered.

BRANCH LINES!
If your passion is photographing steam trains set in the landscape, then trees can form a perfect aid to composition. Their unique habitat and structure forces the eye up, producing the most incredible depth and height. Seasoned linesider Ralph Ward takes an in-depth look at the sylvan side of railway photography.

THE CHANGEOVER YEARS/THE INDUSTRIAL SCENE: When the wheels of industry stopped turning
Vale of Rheidol Railway apart, British Railways ran out of steam on August 11 1968 but, significant though this date was to enthusiasts, it was by no means the end of steam in this country. While preservation was still in its early days, ?real? steam continued hard at work at sites throughout Britain which quickly became much-visited Meccas for lineside photographers. Brian Sharpe looks at the fundamental changes in the nature of British industry which hastened the real end of commercial steam traction.

THE STEEL SNAKE HISSES AGAIN!
Two centuries after the world?s first locomotive made its debut, one country?s railway network has reverted to steam traction. Not only that, but it uses the world?s oldest locomotive drivers and staff. Where else but Eritrea could you be brought out of retirement at 93 to work on the line? John Titlow reports.

RAILTOURS OF THE WORLD
If after reading John Titlow?s feature on the magnificent panoramas that await you in East Africa, you decided Eritrea in 2004 is not for you, then there are a host of other excellent tours featuring the best in steam and heritage diesel action elsewhere around the globe, as highlighted in our special advertisement feature.

HEADLINE NEWS
?Barry Ten? released to new build groups; Cock o? The North fetches new world nameplate record; Paignton & Dartmouth offers complete dining train for sale; electric train to return to Horsted Keynes after 41 years and top national awards for Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, Great Central?s Quorn resignalling project, Instow signalbox, Sheringham station and Kidderminster Railway Museum.

NEWS
Complete DMU fleet bought for Project Wareham; frames cut for new Clan Hengist; half million Lottery boost for Quainton Road; British steam treasure trove survived Iraq bombing blitz; sports stadium plan may provide GWR-Cheltenham town centre link; ?S&D? new-build project for sale at ?10,000; Paignton in prairie-Standard swop offer; Embsay unveils ?1m museum scheme; Livingston Thompson to return for FR50 celebrations; A1 Tornado trust issues invitation for boiler tenders; Leander and K1 join Railfest 2004 list as first traction runs on site; first of three new build steam engines emerges at Darjeeling; woman charged with Romney death smash; Abergavenny Castle ?plate fetches ?31K: Trawsfynydd revivalists concede defeat and original L&B van rediscovered - next to Pilton Yard!

SHOWCASE sponsored by London Camera Exchange
LNER A4 Pacifics were never a typical sight on the Bath skyline - but when they are, they are truly spectacular, as Brian Dean highlights on our centre spread.

MAIN LINE NEWS compiled by Cedric Johns
Taw Valley tour runs out of coal; The Great Marquess rostered for Highland fling...but will it be in BR black? Deltic pair withdrawn for a year; Duke of Gloucester for Southern metals next summer; new B1 east coast jaunts and a King and a Castle to invade Cornwall are the top stories in our definitive round-up.

MAIN LINE TOUR ITINERARY
Brian Sharpe?s guide to steam and diesel tours.

OFF THE SHELF
Latest book, video and limited edition print releases.

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR UP AND RUNNING SPEACIAL!
Brian Sharpe?s seasonal listing of all standard, narrow and minimum gauge lines with dates of special events, details of driver training courses, wine and dine specials and locomotives in operation.

DAVID MORGAN MBE the man you can?t ignore
Custody of railway artefacts brings responsibility.

PLATFORM
The pages where your views matter the most!

HERITAGE NET
The best sites for up-to-date information.

SCALE HERITAGE RAILWAY
Paul Appleton introduces Buchmann?s new GWR prairie and Hornby?s Southern QI.