Contents January 2012. No. 1,329. Vol 158. A journal of record since 1897

Headline News

£1.4bn boost for railway projects including TransPennine electrification and reopening Oxford-Bedford; Runaway incidents at two heritage lines; Arriva buys Grand Central; Cable theft an ‘inside job’; Network Rail faces charges over Elsenham tragedy; King-sized restoration row at Didcot; MPs back HS2 plan.

On the cover

MAIN IMAGE: ‘Black Five’ No. 45305 makes a dramatic departure from Loughborough with a Great Central Railway evening dining train on January 28, 2011. It is pictured bursting under Beeches Road bridge with the second of the evening’s services.The exposure involved the use of multiple flash units placed around the bridge to illuminate the loco. ANDREW RAPACZ

Track Record The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest

Class 20 No. D8110 on the South Devon. See page 98.

68 Steam & Heritage LNWR ‘Coal Tank’ is back; Theft and fire at Wirksworth; £1.65m boost for Moorland & City revival. 78 Railtours Christmas Lunch steam explosion; Regular winter steam over S&C; When’s a failure not a failure? 83 Freight 84 Traction & Stock Network Rail toughens up winter defences; GBRf buys Norwegian locos for steelworks; FGW HST visits East Coast.

88 Traction Update Scrapped, repainted, named or sold? Full details here. 90 Network TOCs prepare for winter’s grip; £19m upgrade plan for Coventry-Nuneaton line; Judge brands farmer ‘stupid’. 92 Narrow Gauge Cob widening in new year; Steam returns to Glyn Valley; Fenella misses season despite deal. 94 Miniature 96 Classic Traction 14,850hp ‘Deltic’ record breaker; Best ever Pontypool gala; West Somerset ‘Crompton’ back to life. 99 World Singapore cut off by rail; New carriages for NZ’s ‘Coastal Pacific’; Real working steam still extant in Bosnia. 101 Metro 102 Operations News A round-up of news from the train and freight operating companies.

Regulars

12 Multiple Aspects 12 Railways in Parliament 30 Subscriptions Offer 49 Platform Your lively monthly letters page. 66 100 Years Ago What Britain’s senior rail tile was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago. 108 Meetings Details of railway society meetings near you. 109 Heritage Diary A comprehensive listing of dates when heritage railways and steam centres will run Santa Specials.

New Zealand’s ‘Kingston Flyer’ operation is back in business. See page 99.

113 Reader Services 114 Christmas Crossword

A blue sky silhouette of A1 No. 60163 Tornado amid a frame of steam, clouds and aircraft vapour trails as it crosses Northside Lane, Bishops Sutton (between Alresford and Ropley) on October 22 during the MHR’s Autumn gala. STEVE MORLEY

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RAIL TITLE! Subscribe today and save money on every issue Call 0844 411 1111 or see page 30 for our latest offers Features 14 Golden Jubilee of the ‘Westerns’ Drawing on confidential documents, Adrian Curtis throws new light on the Class 52 diesel-hydraulic in a special 50th anniversary tribute.

21 Ghost Story - Lychgate Tunnel Rob Davis is the storyteller for our seasonal ghost tale. 22 Titled Trains of Britain - part 2 Continuing the series started in the November 2011 issue, we present part two of Titled Trains covering ‘The North Briton’ to ‘The St David’.

32 The Somerset Stormers Somerset & Dorset expert Mike Arlett recalls a story told by Peter Smith of an exceptional journey over the famous line with a modified Bulleid Pacific. 36 Christmas Gifts Guide More perfect Christmas gift ideas. 41 Ahead of its time A century ago, the LBSCR introduced an overhead electric system that was ripped down within two decades. R.A.S. Hennesey explains the reasons for the backward step.

43 East Coast: In Control In an exclusive Practice & Performance feature, John Heaton is granted access to East Coast’s control centre at York and watches the day-to-day dramas of running a busy main line as they unfold. 51 Railtourers’ Guide 2012 Stuck for where to take a railway holiday in 2012? Our comprehensive guide should give you plenty of ideas on whether you want to stay in the UK or the railway journey of a lifetime somewhere in the world.

HYDRAULIC HEAVEN: 50 years of Class 52s - p14

WHAT’S IN A NAME?: More Titled Trains - p22

STEAM HEROES: A classic S&D footplate tale - p32

January 2012 • The Railway Magazine • 5