April 2009

4 News
Emergency unit cascade to run new Thameslink timetable, FirstGBRf secures a passenger licence, Grand Central acquires two ?Adelante? DMUs and the Government sets up its own Rosco to fund 200 new diesel units.

12 News in pictures
Virgin?s new Friday?s only Euston-Preston diagram commences. Hanson Traction?s two Class 56s are back on the main line after a winter break. Europorte 2 gets ready to start its first Anglo-French freight working.

16 Reviews
2009 sees bus-to-rail multinational First Group hit 20 years of operation, celebrated in a new book. There are also three new books in the ?Spotting Days? series from Strathwood and a round-up of the other new releases.

18 Freight in the Park
Once home to many rail-served industries, Manchester?s Trafford Park estate railway closed in 2000 after a century of operation. The line?s latter years are chronicled in this feature by rail freight historian David Ratcliffe.

24 Preservation
While not the most glamorous of subjects, the big news this month is the rescue of two Class 309 EMU sets, now destined for the Coventry Railway Centre. Ex-Cotswold ?Slim Jim? 33202 moves to Mangapps Farm.

28 Time traveller
Fifty years ago, ?Metrovick? Co-Bos were famously dedicated to the new ?Condor? overnight freight service from Hendon. Plus the railway, current affairs and pop music news from 10, 20, 30, 40 & 50 years ago.

30 Railtours
Hanson Traction?s ?Grids? are lined up for a Retro Railtours jolly in May, which will also see a Virgin ?Thunderbird? loco out for the day. Northern Charters announces its first tour, which will utilise a pair of ac electrics.

32 Mess room
Warrington Bank Quay?s ?no kissing? zone gets the world?s media frothing, which is also the subject for Rigg?s cartoon! A recent nameplate auction by Virgin at the old Waterloo International raises over ?100,000 for charity.

34 Traction & Rolling Stock
Class 60s are still the main traction story, with DB Schenker?s fleet being reduced to just over a dozen operational examples. Meanwhile, there is bad news for fans of red and maroon Class 37/4s as 37401 is stored.

Rail Express Modeller

V Comment: Exhibitions in crisis?
This guest editorial from Just Like The Real Thing?s Pete Waterman asks if model railway shows are really doing all they can to promote the hobby effectively.

IV Reader offers: Fastline & Colas
Interested in our Fastline Class 66/3 limited edition loco with Bachmann or our special ViTrains Colas Rail Class 47/7 twin-pack? Read on for ordering details.

V Newsdesk: Trade developments
We announce our limited edition model offer for 2009, Fastline Freight?s 66301, which will also be produce with sound. JLTRT is to produced the Class 76 in 7mm.

VI News special: 2009 plans
Bachmann unveils its plans for the next year, which include some real surprises. There is also an update on the latest news from Heljan and Murphy Models.

IX Reviews: ViTrains Class 37s & 47s
The Italian manufacturer has already released its second batch of four Class 47s, which include some tooling differences. There are also two new Class 37s.

X Layout: Wheal Elizabeth
We visit Cornish china clay country in this portrait of Wheal Elizabeth, a Andrew Ullyott?s 18.83mm/?P4? project which features stock from the 1950s-1980s.

XVII Serial: Mostyn
The boys from Barrowmore pass the point of no return on Mostyn?s layout extension as the two hidden sidings entrance boards are irrevocably modified!

XVIII Spanner in the Works
A sideways look at the new announcements for 2009, plus news that Hornby has pushed back its planned OTA and ZCA wagons due to their complexity.

XVIII Exhibition diary
Notable shows in April include Scalefour North, York, Epsom & Ewell and Stowmarket. Check out the details of the D&E era layouts that will be attending here.