Features

16 Redirected but still First Class Built with postal trains in mind, the Class 67s have carved out a new career as powerful mixed traffic locomotives, as Paul Bickerdyke explains.

22 The Galactic Railway Gareth Bayer describes a once-secret railway in the Kazakhstan desert that was used for moving space rockets - and it’s not an April Fool story!

27 Going Lineside Peter Nicholson compares the variable policies and attitudes towards lineside permits at 50 of our leading heritage railways.

40 Thinning Red Lines Concluding a look at Britain’s freight-only network, Paul Shannon investigates some of the surviving lines.

46 Starts from ‘The Cross’ Having examined steam starts from King’s Cross for Practice & Performance Keith Farr analyses diesel and electric departures from the London terminus.

51 Mountsorrel Branch Resurrection Cliff Thomas looks at the resurrection of Great Central’s Mountsorrel branch, which has turned out to be longer than some entire heritage railways!

SKIPPING ALONG: Class 67 loco profile - p16

REACH FOR THE STARS: Secret Russian line- p22 NOT FADE AWAY?: Freight line survivors - p40

April 2012 • The Railway Magazine • 5