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

Political stability must be good for rail

Rail Express

First Looks: ELIZABETH LINE Phase 2 • The next phase of the former Crossrail, now Elizabeth Line, went live as planned on November 6, after first opening to passengers in May.Rail Express rode on the new through services and visited the line’s newest station. All text/images by Mark Simmons

EXPRESS

Avanti West Coast granted six-month reprieve • The WCML operator has come under increasing fire from many directions after services were withdrawn due to staff shortages.

CAF ‘Civity’ DMU enters service with West Midlands Trains

Dudley’s Very Light Rail centre opens doors • Centre of excellence aims to provide innovative and low-cost solutions for all types of rail applications.

Rail recovery continues – but with £2bn annual revenue shortfall

Cement train derails outside Carlisle

Alstom secures GTR deal

Iconic ECML sign restored

IN BRIEF

Bessie’s Bulletin

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: 196101

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

Type 1s and Type 4s up for sale in HNRC mass autumn clear-out • Fourteen members of the Harry Needle main line fleet are up for grabs as part of a sale that also includes seven shunters, 11 wagons and 200 tonnes of spares.

Reformed ‘Turbostars’ into traffic with Southern • Three-car Class 171s are put into use by Govia Thameslink Rail.

Locomotive Services unveils ScotRail push-pull rake • Six-coach ‘shove set’, complete with DBSO, is completed at Crewe.

IN BRIEF

IN BRIEF

Vintage Trains acquires Boden Rail ‘37’ • EE Type 3 enters preservation for the second time.

IN BRIEF

Network Rail FEA-W fleet close to completion • Just 20 vehicles are left to arrive after Wascosa and GBRf bring three more deliveries of the bright yellow module flats into the country.

Signalling upgrade threatens LU heritage services • Modernisation of the Metropolitan Line, including the introduction of Automatic Train Operation, could have a significant impact on future heritage operations.

RSS Class 08 fleet reaches 30 • With the collection of its latest acquisition from Knottingley, Railway Support Services now has 23 operational ‘Gronks’.

Autumn brings seasonal diagram changes to cross border service • High adhesion 22000 Class ICR DMUs drafted in to help improve reliability during the leaf-fall season.

‘TT:120’ and D&E modelling • The unexpected resurgence of ‘Table Top’ scale in the UK, assisted by Hornby’s new British outline range, certainly set social media alight and polarised opinions quite rapidly. What does the new Hornby range and ‘TT:120’ scale in general mean for D&E modelling?

Bachmann’s winter collection

‘Nuclear’ FNA-D in ‘OO’

Iarnród Éireann 22000 Class railcars

Bananas and buses

‘Peak’ hour for Heljan • Heljan raises the profile of the Class 45 with a brand-new ‘OO’ gauge model featuring all-wheel drive and advanced...