May 2005

04 News
GNER to re-engine its HST fleet and electrify Leeds to Hambleton Junction; Summer heritage? trains proposed for Welsh tourist tines.

12 News pictorial
News in picture form including a wedding special run by Direct Rail Services and the last run of the Cricklewood-Forders waste train.

15 Mess room
Unwind with RAIL EXPRESS? light-hearted page, Passengers have a new distraction north of Newcastle and Virgin introduce high speed dating!

16 Care in the Community
Reducing costs and increasing passengers on rural lines - that?s the aim of the Community Rail scheme. Here?s the full story with key interviews.

24 Preservation
Celebrity green 33008 East(eigh is bought for preservation, Wickham railcarsto meet at Llangollen and 33108 ends its main Line career.

26 Time traveller
The railway headlines from this month 5, 10,20, 30 and 40 years ago. 10 years back, remember the epic first visit of ?Cromptons? to Scotland?

27 RaiLtours
More examples of shoddy service shown to railtour operators - cancellation of routes at the last minute. Why does this still happen?

28 Traction & Rolling Stock
Unrivalled coverage of all things traction and rolling stock in the following

14 pages: Power by the hour, Powerscene, Shed talk, Spectrum, Name
game, Shunter spot, Unitary authority, Coaches, Wagons and Irish. E

44 Retrofreight: EtLesmere Port
It was once a huge freight centre supported by the Manchester Ship Canal Railway. David Ratcliffe charts Ellesmere Port?s fortunes and decline.

Modeller

III Comment: Competition time
Bachmann tried to circumvent competition with its deal with GM for the Class 66 and while this has worked in 4mm scale, ?N? and ?HO? will see several competing products.

IV News: Trade developments
Bachmann displays the pre-production examples of its 4mm scaLe Class 57/0 and decorated Mk. 2 Hornby announces Class 31 re-run plus DC kits reveals plans for a Class 150/2.

VI Reviews: ALL the latest
The achmann Class 66- a key component in any modern modeller?s fleet - is here. Read REM?S authoritative review which comes up with some surprising conclusions.

IX Exhibitions: Railex 2005
The D&E era friendly show at Aylesbury goes super-sized in late-May. ALso features March madness exhibition report.

X Research: Grain trains
Our popular feature series returns with a look at the perfect traffic for the modern space-starved modeller - grain. Includes full-colour graphics of sample train formations.

XV D&E Files: GrainfLow Polybuiks
To complement this issue?s ?Modeller?s Guide?, David Ratcliffe presents an in-depth look at the bogie hoppers used in the Grainflow scheme. Colour 4mm scale drawings are provided.

XIX Serial: Mostyn
Richard Oldfield presents another instaLlment in the ongoing Mostyn saga. The Epsom & Ewell show is discussed along with the latest news on equipping the clubrooms.

XXI Tutorials: Class 50 & Peak
Latest progress reports on the on-going 7mm scale JLTRT ?Peak? and Phoenix 5-inch Class 50 buiLd projects.

XXII Spanner: In the Works
Or acerbic columnist has some observations on reviews of the Hornby Class 31. Also a new Bachmann ?37? detailed.