Issue No. 260 January 2018

FEATURES

15 DOO WOES
Examining the history of changing rules for
traincrew leading up to the current disputes over
driver-only operation.
20 SUBSCRIPTION OFFERS
The best ways to get Rail Express every month.
22 CLASS 08 PRECURSORS
The first ‘08’ emerged 65 years ago, but its
development dates back to the 1930s.
26 SECOND CHANCE: CLASS 55
Savouring ‘Deltic’ performance in preservation
today and looking back to British Rail days.

REGULARS

30 EXPRESS MAILBAG
Class 50 rarities; MoD traffic; First HAA wagon.
31 REVIEWS
A selection of recentmodern traction titles.
69 TIME TRAVELLER
Looking back to January's modern traction
news from the past five decades.

NEWS
6 HEADLINE NEWS
VTEC to end early in 2020; First EGIP electrics;
Ordsall Chord opens in Manchester; First Class
to be abolished in next South Eastern franchise;
West Midlands franchise launches with two new
brands; Full Thameslink timetable postponed
for 12 months; Heritage line hosts police
firearms training; BARS locomotive fleet broken
up; Colas ‘47s’ sold to GB Railfreight.
71 LU WORLD
TfL cancels Asset Inspection Train; Tunnelling
complete for Battersea extension.
72 RAILTOURS
Pathfinder recalls ‘Spin&Wind’ days; Bleak
January in store.
74 PRESERVATION
‘Deltics’ sold to Locomotive Services; Three
DMUs return at ELR gala; '37' moves to Chinnor.
78 POWER BY THE HOUR
Stored ‘92s’ planned for reinstatement.
80 POWERSCENE
Our round-up of key workings
90 UNITS
GWR introduces more ‘800’ diagrams.
93 SHUNTERS
GWR ‘Gronks’ escape Laira.
94 COACHES
ERS buys more coaches; Mk.3s go off lease.
95 WAGONS
First IIA-F covered hoppers arrive.
96 IRISH ANGLE
New route for Grand Hibernian.