Rail (Enthusiast) Magazine - No.276 Apr 1996

Rail (Enthusiast) April 1996. Issue No.276

- Front Cover:  Sea Containers is the new franchisee of the prestige East Coast Main Line. On January 23, 1993, No.91017, on the 1835 to Leeds, and No.91023 stand at King's Cross.

- Comment:  It's hard to say you're sorry - especially if you work for Railtrack, says Nigel Harris.

- News: Sea Containers wins prize InterCity East Coast franchise; Labour pulls back from promising renationalisation; Freight renaissance in North Yorkshire; Extensive Euston trackworks expected to cause long-term disruption; North London services plagued by 'heritage' DMU problems, and Class 304s bid farewell. If it's news, we get there first.

- Around the Regions:  Southport station next in line for revamp by Merseyrail; Police unveil new weapon to fight rail vandalism in Strathclyde; huge new gravel quarry plans in West Sussex could bring a line revival, and railborne containers make a welcome return to Swansea. Howard Johnston brings you developments from your area.

- Wolmar:  As we're bombarded with publicity for the Railtrack sell-off, City pundits think it'll be a good buy. Christian Wolmar, however, won't be joining the queue of potential investors, and he tells us why.

- Thornaby Depot:  Its core businesses might have declined, but, as John Hunt found when he visited Thornaby, Teesside still has plenty to offer in terms of round-the-clock locomotive activity.

- Open Access:  How easy is it to hire a train? A view on the Western Region's short-lived diesel-hydraulic locomotive policy, and our fares debate rumbles on. RAIL puts your views in print.

- Coats of Many Colours:  The Class 90s have carried an amazing array of liveries in their relatively short lives, which are featured in our Class survey. The graphics come from RAIL's Chris Robinson.

Railtour Preview:  Cromptons to Cornwall, and Plymouth to Norwich for £19.50 top the latest list of days out. Howard Johnston tells you where and when the action can be found.

- Modern Images:  Atmosphere - there's loads of it in our dramatic selection of photography capturing the moods of the railway at work.

- The D&E Years:  Our nostalgic portfolio continues to showcase the best pictures from when green liveries ruled the rails. This issue brings you a wide range of memories from Hugh Ballantyne.

- Traction News:  Freightliner turn for Class 33 pairing; a Class58 ventures into deepest Sussex, and the bad luck continues for the 86s. RAIL is in touch with all the latest developments.

- Rolling Stock News:  A parcels EMU reaches Glasgow; new lease of life for former wooden-bodied wagons; complete 'heritage' DMU liveries list. Our news service keeps you right up-to-date.

- Freight and Engineering:  What machinery is needed to lay a length of track? Roger Butcher follows the process, and reveals where the hardware can be found.

- Preservation:  The unique Bulleid coach is safe - thanks to RAIL; plus full details of the second traction feast taking place in the Sheffield area on April 27/28, from Howard Johnston.

- RAILFile Insider:  More cities should have their own PTEs to fight for better rail services, and help reverse the continued onslaught of the car, says our regular commentator.

- Waverley Route Revival:  As Borders Transport Futures' grand plan to reinstate trains along this prestigious southern Scottish corridor gathers pace, Howard Johnston assesses the project's progress, details the people making it happen, and discovers that the scheme's backers arwe very serious indeed about their objectives.

- Tilting trains:  Despite its ultimate failure, the APT-P project has shown the way for tilting train development across Europe, and could yet bear fruit in this country. Steven Knight reports.

- Stop and Examine:  Nigel Harris' parting shots show that it isn't just railway journalists who dislike Railtrack.