Rail (Enthusiast) Magazine - No.264 Oct 1995

Rail (Enthusiast) October 1995. Issue No.264

- Front Cover:  Preserved Class 40 No.40145 leaves Watchet with the 1245 Bishops Lydeard-Minehead on October 1 during the West Somerset Railway's diesel extravaganza. This Class 40 is owned by the Class 40 Preservation Society and is normally based on the East Lancs Railway. More West Somerset gala pictures on page 38.

- Comment:  What has the editor to say this time on a topical subject?

- News:  High Speed train moves from Crewe to Plymouth by road; South Wales & West puts fares up by 56% to turn passengers away; the definitive guide to passenger and freight company privatisation, Light Railway Order consent for Bodmin is withdrawn and the French BB22000 locomotives leave Britain.

- Wolmar:  The Independent's transport columnist takes a three-day rail trip around Britain and tells us what he found!

- Around the Regions:  Howard Johnston takes a look at news snippets which may well be from your own railway line.

- Hoards of Locomotives:  Why doesn't BR sell its condemned locomotives? Is it protecting its interests? RAIL investigates.

- Freight Focus:  John Lewins' photograph of a National Power Class 59/2 at work poses the question - will Loadhaul, Mainline and Transrail be able to afford this type of technology, when they are privatised?

- Intermodal Freight:  It has taken far too long for intermodel traffic (lorries on wagons) to take off in this country. Roger M.Bradley explains the position.

- Filling Diesels with Water:  Revel in nostalgia and leaking steam as RAIL recalls the heartache and heat of diesel boilers.

- Preservation:  Howard Johnston writes all the top preservation stories - first!

- RAIL Blue:  Feeling blue? Good for you! Gavin Morrison travels back to when there was a sea of blue and not an NSE livery to be seen.

- Locomotive Review:  All the classes news - unusual workings backed up with top photography od rare workings. Plus Irish Scene from William Watson, Naming Notes from Jim Sheldon and Level 5 reports.

- Stock Changes:  Has it moved, been condemned or stored? Find out here. Snowploughs and a brake van are for sale in this week's 'For Sale' section.

- Rolling Stock News:  David Russell has DMU and coach news and Bob Wallace has the wagon developments, including the Sheerness scrap carriers in service.

- RAILFile Insider:  Revenue shortfall and the remedy is the topic analysed by RAILFile.

- Au Revoir Marshalling Yards:  French Railways' (SNCF) wagonload traffic is in decline. Michael Rhodes graphically explains how this traffic is going a similar way to BR's Speedlink service.

- Welcome to Westway:  Bristol is now forging ahead with its plan to provide the city and its environs with a rapid transit system.

- Railtex '95:  Railtex is going to be well worth visiting at Wembley on November 21-23. These are more of the firms exhibiting.

- Track Maintenance & Engineering:  Roger Butcher visits Buxton to review the departmental stock, including his popular 'when I was a lad'.

- Reviews:  Good, bad or indifferent? RAIL presents the only straightforward assessment of new videos - available now to buy.

- Classified Ads:  The place to look for that little bargain, from accommodation to computer games to books and even forthcoming tours.

- Stop and Examine:  Round off an excellent issue with some lighthearted banter and jollies, brought to you by Nigel Harris.