Rail Express

RAIL EXPRESS is Britain's favourite modern rail enthusiast title. Undoubtedly the best for modern traction photography, the magazine keeps readers informed and entertained with undiluted coverage of Britain's railways in the diesel and electric era. First produced in 1996, RE has set a new standard for the hobby, with a clean design, high quality paper and the best reproduction. January 2008 saw the magazine relaunched in an innovative 'supersize' format, showing off the ground-breaking contents to the best advantage. Every issue includes news and analysis covering the present day railway scene, plus the latest preservation developments. Also inside: RAIL EXPRESS Modeler - Diesel & Electric era modeling magazine

Rail Express

HEADLINE NEWS

DRS sells last four Class 57/3s to LS, Romic and WCR • As well as the usual suspects, a surprise contender has emerged to snap up two of Direct Rail Services’ final quartet of XHVT ‘Thunderbird’ locomotives.

SWR Class 458/4 fleet in decline • More sets put into warm store, with no booked diagrams from the end of July.

Chiltern Railways hires ERS Generator Van • Former Mk.3a Sleeper to see static use at Stourbridge

Powerscene • Our authoritative class-by-class review of newsworthy locomotive workings.

POWERSCENE PICTORIAL

Carlisle return for LSG ‘08’ • A Class 08 is expected to be based in the city for the first time in over a decade with completion of a new depot.

Tulyar back in action • ‘Deltic’ returns to service after more than 29 years

PRESERVATION PICTORIAL

Heavy Haul Rail bins first batch of HXA hoppers • Sidelined in the mid-2010s after less than a decade of service, the revised, shorter design of coal hoppers acquired by Freightliner Heavy Haul in 2007-8 have begun to be scrapped.

TIME TRAVELLER • Steven Knight takes the time machine into the archives

‘OO’ LMS parcels vans announced by Clark Railworks

Tank wagon boost for ‘TT:120’

Heavyweight ‘Tractors’ dominate Bachmann’s autumn • Three new tooling sets in ‘OO’ and ‘N’ gauge will keep D&E modellers happy this autumn along with the return of old favourites in both scales.

Early and late Class 50s released by Hornby

Hornby’s BR maroon Mk.1s

‘Grid’ upgrade from Dapol • Has the Dapol Class 56 been improved? A close examination of the retooled model is needed to answer that question!

Park Royal masterpieces from IRM • Bulleid-designed wagons have dominated the Irish Railway Models range for some time. Now it is the turn of coaching stock with the arrival of the first batch of Park Royal coaches.

BOOK REVIEWS

Boats and sea meet the train at Barrihandie • Barrihandie has masses of Scottish west coast atmosphere and not just in the harbour scene inspired by Mallaig with its superb boat modelling or the rocky landscape. There is a little more to this fine ‘OO’ gauge layout than meets the eye.

Highland Rail Ramble • Scotland boasts several fabulously scenic lines, which are also a lifeline for the Highland Region’s many remote communities. Chris Milner goes to the ends of the line, visiting Wick, Thurso, Kyle of Lochalsh, Mallaig and Oban.

125 Group recreates first HST service of 50 years ago • An HST will be retracing the route to Bristol and Swansea taken five decades ago when the first HSTs first started services.

RAILTOUR PORTFOLIO

Significant investment for Londonderry – Belfast – Dublin corridor announced

A welcome return for Sarah Siddons