Rail (Enthusiast) Magazine - No.277 Apr 1996

Rail (Enthusiast) April 1996. Issue No.277

- Front Cover:  No.60008 Gypsum Queen II departs from Eggborough with an MGR in April 1996.

- Comment:  Managing editor Nigel Harris picks over the bones of the latest string of incredible announcements about the Railtrack sell-off where contradiction has grown out of confusion.

- News:  The best news coverage money can buy - stories include; Redmire line reopening, more franchises announced and a 20% pay rise for drivers.

- Around the Regions:  A new station new Bath, awards for Leeds and flooding on the Looe branch are amongst Howard Johnston's roundup of regional news.

- Wolmar:  Day by day it's clearer that privatisation has nothing to do with making the railways better - it's just a money-saving scam says Christian Wolmar of the Independent.

- Landore: Great Western's Welsh Outpost:  Swansea's Landore depot has risen to the challenge of changing times. Deryck Lewis visits the depot which comes to life as the city sleeps.

- Open Access:  The truth behind Railtrack's gloss, and timekeeping are among your comments.

- Inside and Out Around Hull:  Railtrack's Ernie Jefferson introduces David Allen to some signalling highlights on his 'patch'.

- The Energy Givers:  Moving coal to power stations is big business. David James Hayes visits Rugeley to find out where and when the traffic can be seen.

- Modern Images:  More stunning images from Britain's top railway photographers in both colour and black & white.

- Main Line Points:  Don't forget to take advantage of our unique coupon collection scheme - and save £££s.

- The Rise and Fall of No.37251:  The Class 37 forms the backbone of the Type 3 fleet. Peter J.Robinson looks at the changing fortunes of one example.

- Locomotive Review:  Class 09 pressed up into top-link passenger work; rare haulage for football fans and a return to Paddington's locomotive hauled heyday - just some of the top stories in our traction news.

- Rolling Stock News:  Transrail takes over a Class 114, Class 304s head for store and a roundup of the Class 309 fleet are amongst the news this issue.

- Track Engineering:  We take a detailed look at a former Southern Pacific Railroad tamping and lining machine, now hard at work in Britain.

- Stock Changes:  The latest news on allocation changes to Britain's motive power fleet.

- Irish News:  Vintage traction for an Irish Traction Group's railtour, and the latest on the Cross-Border upgrading project.

- Preservation:  Tulyar to visit Llangollen; plans for a main line gala in South Devon and a huge Class 50 birthday party - just some of this issue's news!

- RAILFile Insider:  Marketing Eurostar is going to be a tough task for Richard Branson says our columnist, who reckons that even the £59 return fare is too high!

- High-Speed to Paris and Brussels:  Patrick Hook takes an in-depth look at the high-speed link which will slash 30 minutes off Eurostar journey times.

- Lost - but for How Long?  Paul Shannon reviews freight traffic lost to roads over the last ten years and analyses how much could return in the brave new privatised world.

- Classified:  A special preview of trade stands at Tinsley and hundreds of products for sale.

- Stop and Examine:  Readers' unusual offerings served witha garnish of humour by managing editor Nigel Harris.