New issue: RE145 June 2008

RE145: Every little helps!
Inside the June issue:
• News: Second ‘Tesco Express’ service to start as Scottish intermodal flows win grant aid. Grand Central is in meltdown as its power cars fall by the wayside. Old Oak Common depot is to close as Crossrail development is planned. Doncaster Crimpsall is demolished to make way for houses. New ‘Pendolinos’ are to be built in Italy. Fastline Freight starts coal operations, but with FirstGBRf traction and stock.
• Feature: Wrexham & Shropshire is go. RAIL EXPRESS reports from the launch day. There is also a retrospective on the much loved London depot at Old Oak Common, with the news that EWS will be shutting the facility down.

• Columns: Your favourite monthly reading - Railtours, Traction & Rolling Stock, Unitary Authority, Irish Angle, complete with superb supporting photography. Hanson Traction’s 56311 (56057) makes a return to the main line, while EWS starts work on 37670, only to abandon its planned reactivation.
• Modelling: Nick Gurney’s outstanding Holland Park container terminal layout is the star feature of this issue. In news, there are announcements for a Class 205 ‘Thumper’ DEMU and Class 14 ‘Teddy Bear’ Type 1 in 4mm scale, while the mini-modelling magazine also includes ordering details for our latest special and limited edition models of Railfreight Metals 37507 and Teenage Cancer Trust Class 60 60074.

New issue: RE144 May 2008

RE144: New Wrexham-London direct service begins
Inside the May issue:
• News: National Express drops it Class 90+Mk. 3 train plan for the ECML and joins several other TOCs all bidding to secure redundant Class 180 DMUs. Hull Trains, Grand Central and NXEC all plan service expansion and Wrexham & Shropshire services begin running. The DfT reveals plans for expanded ‘Pendolino’ fleet and 1,100 new EMU vehicles for Thameslink.
• Feature: Retrospectrum returns with a detailed look at the Railfreight Metals sub-sector livery complete with a history, full loco listing and some stunning images.

• Columns: Your favourite monthly reading - Railtours, Traction & Rolling Stock, Unitary Authority, Irish Angle, complete with superb supporting photography. There is a big surprise as DRS is to return 10 Class 66/4s to Porterbrook Leasing.
• Modelling: All the news including more surprise Heljan announcements and details of our next limited edition Hornby model which will take the form of the blue DB Schenker TCT Charity Class 60. We also feature Mike Anson’s superb 1970s Western Region diesel depot modelled to ‘P4′ standards.

New issue: RE143 April 2008

RE143: Charity work
Inside the April issue:
• News: It’s goodbye ‘One’ Railway as National Express launches its new East Anglian identity. EWS suffers branding crisis as new DB Schenker logo is revealed on new Teenage Cancer Trust liveried Class 60. Fastline Freight and EWS start new Trafford Park intermodal services, while the latter starts Anglo-Scottish potato traffic. First Great Western shown the ‘yellow card’ by Department for Transport. Network Rail fined.
• Offers: Save money on a superb new DVD covering a decade of DRS operations.
• Feature: From Ketton to Castle, David Ratcliffe looks at the historic and present day rail operations at Ketton cement works following a major rail redevelopment.

• Columns: Your favourite monthly reading - Railtours, Traction & Rolling Stock, Unitary Authority, Irish Angle, etc.
• Modelling: Dapol surprise all with not one but two new diesel-hydraulic locomotive announcements, the D6300 class and the D600 original ‘Warships’, the latter in conjunction with Kernow Model Rail Centre. Will the new North British locos be a success when their real life counterparts failed? We also review the new Hornby ‘Shark’ and Masterclass Models CCT. The second part of our Retrospectrum feature looks at present day Mendip Rail operations, and we present a Heljan ‘O’ gauge Class 47 bash into 47901.

Name two DRS Class 47s!

Win tickets and the chance to name two locomotives with RAIL EXPRESS.

TO MARK THE launch of the Stobart Pullman, Stobart Rail has kindly provided two pairs of tickets to travel on a future outing whilst Direct Rail Services’ Engineering Director has asked readers to come up with suggestions for names to be applied to the Class 47 fleet.

New issue: RE142 March 2008

RE142: Your chance to name DRS Class 47s!
Inside the March issue:
• News: DRS fleet survey includes news of summer repairs for Classes 20 & 37 plus open day at Crewe announced. Department for Transport reveals its ‘new’ rolling stock plan. First capital Connect plans to bring back loco-hauled commuter trains to Peterborough. French roll-out new generation TGV. EWS boss speaks on the future of rail freight, here and abroad, plus we have news of the ‘Stobart Pullman’ launch.
• Offers: Win tickets on the luxury ‘Stobart Pullman’ by suggesting new names for two of the Class 47 fleet! Save money on a superb new DVD covering a decade of DRS operations.
• Feature: Retrospectrum returns with a closer look at the Railfreight Construction sub-sector livery complete with a history, full loco listing and some stunning images.

• Columns: Your favourite monthly reading - Railtours, Traction & Rolling Stock, Unitary Authority, Irish Angle, etc.
• Modelling: All the news regarding Bachmann’s impressive 2008/9 programme of models and the latest update on Heljan’s plans. We also have the first of a two-part Modeller’s Guide on Mendip aggregate operations including some of our popular train formation graphics.

Unfortunately publication was slightly delayed due to the need to process and despatch a large number of reader offers. The magazine should be with subscribers and on general sale by Friday morning.

New issue: RE141 February 2008

RE141: The enthusiasts railway magazine.
Inside the February issue:
• News: What went wrong at Rugby and Liverpool Street? Network Rail is under investigation for engineering over-runs. Grand Central begins operations between Sunderland and London. Lafarge opens new Thurrock aggregates/cement termina. Direct Rail Services’ Class 37/5 No. 37515 is smashed in Scottish truck collision. Virgin’s ‘Pendolinos’ start to clock up a million miles each. Stobart Rail set to run passenger trains.
• Features: Cast your mind back over 2007 with our review of the last 12 months, with the best photography around. Twenty years ago, Class 03s ended station pilot operations at Newcastle. We take a brief look at the last few years of their service on Tyne and Wear.
• Columns: All your favourite monthly reading - Railtours, Traction & Rolling Stock, Unitary Authority, Irish Angle, etc.

• Modelling: All the lastest new releases are covered including Hornby’s second pair of Class 56s, Bachmann/Murphy Models’ 141/181 Class Irish ‘Baby GM’, plus there is a look at the production versions of Heljan’s Class 58s.

New issue: RE140 January 2008

RE140: The perfect Christmas present

Inside the January issue:
• News: The sun sets on the Great North Eastern Railway franchise as National Express takes over the ECML and launches its new livery on an HST, and also on one of Great Eastern’s Class 90 + Mk. 3 sets. Freightliner join forces with General Electric to launch ‘Project Genesis’, which will see the first of 30 new design GE locomotives arriving from the USA in 2009. Arriva Train Wales ditches loco-hauled plans as ‘Adelante’ units are drafted in from FGW. The Department for Transport unveils its Intercity Express Project specification.
• Features: The latest in our special series of Retrospectrums covering the Roundel Design sub-sector livery takes a closer look at the Railfreight Petroleum brand, with a definitive list of what locomotives carried the blue and yellow ‘wavy’ lines logo.
• Columns: All your favourite monthly reading - Railtours, Traction & Rolling Stock, Unitary Authority, Irish Angle, etc.
• Modelling: All the latest news from the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC, Birmingham. Our latest Modeller’s Guide feature dips into the sticky world of bitumen trains. And RAIL EXPRESS Modeller exclusively reveals Hornby’s diesel and electric era product line-up for 2008.

New issue: RE139 December 2007

RE139: Best for pictures, best for news

Inside the December issue:
• News: Four new operators are born as the railway franchise map is redrawn: East Midlands Trains, London Midland, Arriva CrossCountry and London Overground - RE provides the gen on the new routes and how the old fleets have been carved up. St Pancras International opens to acclaim. Grand Central starts testing. Stobart transfers Victa Westlink Rail operations to DRS. EWS orders 60 new Class 66s for Euro Cargo Rail and much more…
• Features: With Virgin Trains having lost the Cross Country franchise to Arriva, former VXC Managing Director Chris Gibb provides a history of the ground-breaking ex InterCity operation. For nostalgia lovers, there are two anniversary articles this month. RAIL EXPRESS commemorates 50 years of the BTH Type 1s (Class 15s) and looks back to 1977, when the ‘boosters’, the last Southern Region third-rail electric Class 71 locomotives, were withdrawn from service.
• Columns: All your favourite monthly reading - Railtours, Traction & Rolling Stock, Unitary Authority, Irish Angle, etc.
• Modelling: With the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC approaching, RAIL EXPRESS Modeller previews the diesel and electric exhibits, including an in-depth look at the 1967-period locomotives of Peter Johnson’s outstanding ‘EM’ Canada Road layout. We also reveal our next special edition model in conjunction with Dapol, the Mk. 3b DVT.

New issue: RE138 November 2007

RE138: Super depots, super magazine

Inside the November issue:
• News: Crossrail is go, but there is controversy over an alleged south east bias. EWS are on a winning streak, with new MoD and coal train contracts, but Allerton depot in Liverpool is to close following the Arriva take over of Cross Country. Grand Central’s start up is delayed and Hull Trains resorts to loco-hauled to replace its damaged ‘Pioneer’.
• Features: Two new high-speed depots open at Ashford and Temple Mills - RAIL EXPRESS gives the details. Murray Brown visits ‘One’ Railways’ Crown Point depot in Norwich, while our popular Retrospectrum series looks at the triple-grey Railfreight Distribution scheme.
• Columns: All your favourite monthly reading - Railtours, Traction & Rolling Stock, Unitary Authority, Irish Angle, etc.
• Modelling: Two Railfreight Distribution locomotives are modelled, Nos. 37252 and 47209 Herbert Austin, while the Mostyn team describes the scratchbuild of its brand new continuous welded rail train. In reviews, REM takes a look at Bachmann’s low-emissions Class 66.

Railfreight is great, but which livery is the best?

Can it really be 20 years since the Railfreight division of British Rail launched the triple-grey sub-sector livery at a damp press event at Ripple Lane in East London? Gareth Bayer makes the case for this being the best colour scheme ever applied to a British loco fleet, before opening up the debate to readers, who can also vote for their favourite below.

PRIVATISATION HAS BROUGHT with it an explosion of different paint jobs. It barely seems like a month goes by before another locomotive or multiple unit is rolled out in a new and expensive designer scheme, but sadly most disappoint.