Rail (Enthusiast) Magazine - No.342 Oct 1998

Rail (Enthusiast) October 1998. Issue No.342

- Front Cover:  Now set to be the first of many Class 57s, 57001 Freightliner Pioneer passes Felixstowe North with the 1139 to Trafford Park(4M87).
 
- Comment:  'Lean and mean' commuter railways can't get much slimmer.

- News:  Freightliner is poised to order 24 more Class 57s.

- Around the Regions:  Track remodelling at Reading eases congestion.

- Wolmar:  Virgin should have been better prepared for Labour's conference.

- The Real Stagecoach Story:  Stagecoach is now a major player in the rail industry and has gained a reputation for aggressive marketing to win custom. Christian Wolmar looks at the company's ill-fated first dabble in rail operations.

- This is the Modern World!  The latest conurbation to embrace the concept of a new tram system is Croydon. Pip Dunn went to see how it will work and what benefits will come to this 'new' town.

- Open Access:  Route for the Central Railway is a challenge.

- Rail Blue:  Ayrshire's Max Fowler presents a selection of transparencies from the '70s-'90s, featuring, among others, Class 26s, 50s and the unsung ac electrics.

- Seaside Signalling in North Wales:  As well as plenty of locomotive-hauled trains, the North Wales coast offers some contrasting, but interesting, signalling as David Allen explains.

- Fleet News:  '37/4' failures on 'sleepers' and an 'ED' reaches Norwich.

- Freight News:  Rail freight returns to Lowestoft and Rhymney.

- Railtours:  Are traditional enthusiast tours in decline?

- Arrivals and Departures: Railtrack's Brian Mellitt steps down.

- Insider:  Doubts about the SRA are beginning to surface.

- Heritage News:  'Deltics' for Barrow Hill and main line 'Rats' from NYMR?

- Stop and Examine: Fancy a trip from Bowling to Bat & Ball?