Contents March 2011. No. 1,319. Vol 157. A journal of record since 1897

Headline News

Shock as Wrexham & Shropshire Railway ceases operation; Brand new Class 70 written off in unloading incident; Blue ‘King’ moves under own power; Second landslip for heritage line; Guns for BTP?

On the cover

MAIN IMAGE: Resplendent in LMS Crimson Lake livery, ‘Crab’ 2-6-0 No. 13000 sits outside Locomotion Shildon on December 22, the day its new look was unveiled ANTHONY COULLS INSET 1: ‘Flying Banana’! No. 70012 at Newport. MARTIN TURNER INSET 2: Coming soon – Super 60s. JACK BOSKETT

Track Record The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest

62 Steam & Heritage Turkish 8Fs back in Britain; Passenger shuttles for West Somerset triangle; Appeal for Bahamas overhaul. 74 Railtours ‘Great Britain IV’ or ‘Steam Dreams’ Explorer? Top Gear pilot fined for buzzing steam loco; Overhaul for 40145.

Class 67s at Barmouth - Railtours, p74

78 Traction & Stock DB Schenker to create ‘Super 60’; Class 90s and remaining 37/4s put up for sale; First LM Class 172 on test. 84 Network News First phase of reading project completed; Passengers angry at fare hikes; £2.5m facelift for Peterborough. 86 Freight News 89 Narrow Gauge Lyd repainted in BR Black; Monobloc cylinders for Taliesin; Joffre restoration nears completion. 92 Classic Traction Minehead closure recalled; West Somerset to mark Class 59 anniversary; Cumbrian metal thefts. 97 Metro 98 World 100 Operations A round-up of news from the train and freight operating companies. 106 Traction Update Repainted, scrapped, named or sold? Full details here.

Regulars

20 Location, Location This month’s selected photo location is in Cornwall. 32 Subscriptions Offer 54 Panorama Our monthly showcase, Panorama, features six-pages of the best railway photographic images. 107 Reviews A selection of the latest books and DVDs reviewed. 108 Meetings Details of local railway society meetings near you. 109 Heritage Diary A comprehensive listing of railways and steam centres operating during February and March.

Holbeck shed, 1965 - Panorama, p54

110 100 Years Ago A look back to what Britain’s senior rail title was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago.

In terrain more associated with frozen Mongolia, DRS Nos. 66414 and 66428 pass the River Irt at Drigg, Cumbria, with 6C53, the Crewe-Sellafield nuclear flask train on January 20. DAVE McALONE

The Railway Magazine is the UK’s top-selling rail title! Subscribe today and save money on every issue Call 0844 411 1111 or see page 32 for our latest offers Features 14 West Midlands freight then and now

Paul Shannon looks at the changing face of railfreight in the West Midlands over the past 25 years. 22 Rule Britannia!

Fifty years ago, the first ‘Britannia’ Pacific was introduced. Chris Milner traces their history.

28 The WSR’s Triangle Triumph

Cliff Thomas reviews the West Somerset Railway’s project to build a triangle at Norton Fitzwarren. 34 ‘Deltic’ Golden Jubilee

It’s a half-century since the ‘Deltics’ were introduced, and Paul Bickerdyke recalls their life and times on BR.

42 Blyth Spirit

By way of a change, in Practice & Performance, John Heaton looks at the spirited running of coal trains in North East England. 49 The Belvoir Castle Railway

New information about the Duke of Rutland’s private waggonway is uncovered by Robert Humm.

EVERY WHICH WAY: Norton Fitzwarren triangle – p28

RULING THE RAILS –1: ‘Britannia’ Pacifics – p22

RULING THE RAILS – 2: 50 years of ‘Deltics’ – p34

March 2011 • The Railway Magazine • 5