Contents March 2012. No. 1,331. Vol 158. A journal of record since 1897

Headline News

On the cover

MAIN IMAGE: Heading the ‘Northern Be lle’ in its smart umber & cream livery is DRS Class 47 No. 47790, passing Cossington, Leics, with a returning af ternoon tea ex cursion to Leicester from Nottingham on September 18, 2011. PA UL A. BIGGS

Br itannia

Government approves HS2; Network Rail faces charges over Grayrigg; DRS orders 15 Vossloh diesel locos; Prince Charles renames Britannia; Lock-out blights EMD plant; EXCLUSIVE: Mallard and Green Arrow to appear at ‘Fab Four’ gala; Sellafield workers train trial.

INSET : No . 70000 Britannia on the Royal train at Horbury on Ja nuary 24. See page He adline News. TOM PICKLES

Track Record The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest

An unusual visitor to Filey. See Operations News, page 102.

64 Steam & Heritage Tornado and Kinlet Hall for North Norfolk; Calbourne to visit Bodmin; SVR starts on Bewdley tunnel project. 75 Railtours Is Network Rail using steam as a performance scapegoat? GSM-R to cost £25,000 per loco. 78 Traction & Stock Gatwick Express 460s to be merged with SWT 458s; More Class 70s arrive; Major boost for Eastleigh; 3D toilet graphics.

83 Tr ac tion Upda te Sc ra pped , s old or re pain te d? Fu ll details her e. 86 Fr eigh t 88 Net wo rk Fu tur e v iew s o f K ing ’s Cr oss; Le ic est er co nt ro l m ov es to De rb y; Barriers fo r S co ttish cr ossings? 95 Classic Tr ac tion ‘G rid ’ a nd wheel deals; Last Wo rt h V alley tr ain co mmemo rat ed; La ve nder Line diesel gala planned . 90 Narr ow Ga uge Vi tal funds fo r L yn to n & Barnstap le ex te nsion; Va le of Rh eidol to use co al af te r 3 0 y ear gap . 99 Wo rld China sho ws off ‘s wo rd -shaped ’ t ra in; Mo re 66s in Be lg ium; Billion dollar plan to unclog Sy dney . 93 Metr o Fi rst Ed inbur gh tr am is te st ed; New Cr oy don tr ams on the wa y; Me tr olink fa talit y. 102 Op er at ions Ne ws A r ound-up of new s f ro m t ra in and fr eigh t o per at ing co mpanies .

Regulars

14 Multiple Aspects 14 Railways in Parliament 45 Location, Location 46 Subscriptions Offer 56 Platform Your lively monthly letters page. 62 Reviews The pick of new books and DVDs. 108 Meetings Details of railway society meetings near you.

Where to take the best photos - see page 45.

109 Heritage Diary A comprehensive listing of dates when heritage railways and steam centres will be open. 110 100 Years Ago A look back to what Britain’s senior rail tile was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago. 113 Reader Services 114 Prize Crossword and Where Is It?

The Grade II listed trainshed roof at London Bridge is doomed (see page 88). On December 12, 2011 the rising sun provides a wonderful image of the structure, which will be demolished as part of the Thameslink route improvements. It has been offered a new home by Railworld at Peterborough, although finance could provide a problem. DAVID STAINES

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