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

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Rail Express

RAIL EXPRESS

No return to franchises soon • Concessions are set to replace franchise agreements after the Emergency Measures Agreements expire in September.

TfN seeks £49 billion • Transport for the North has asked the Government to fund 20-years of rail investment across the North of England between Liverpool and Hull.

Prospects rise for international sleeper services

IN BRIEF

Irish Governments see positive future for rail beyond lockdown

Heritage lines prepare to reopen • Easing of lockdown rules has allowed railways to make plans to welcome the public again.

Middleton marks its 60th during lockdown • With its diamond anniversary celebrations on hold due to lockdown, the Middleton Railway ran an empty train on June 20 to mark exactly 60 years of heritage operations.

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

SPECTRUM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

LSL expands with HST power cars • Three former East Midlands Trains Class 43s have joined the Locomotive Services fleet.

GBRf newbies modified for UK use

Freight locos return as traffic picks up

NEWS ROUND-UP

First ‘701’ emerges from Derby • New SWR ‘Aventra’ EMU arrives at Eastleigh for testing.

Wabtec HST arrivals and departures

LNER Mk.4 sets down to single figures • Rakes further reduced in number as more coaches are sent for scrap.

HST coach disposals continue

IN BRIEF

New JNAs head straight to store • The penultimate batch of box wagons for VTG have arrived in the UK, along with the final group of HOA hoppers for Touax Rail’s Mendip contract.

DEVELOPMENTS

A new kid on the S&C block • Rail Charter Services is launching a new regular loco-hauled service on the Settle & Carlisle line.

IN BRIEF

COACH NEWS

More Class 142 DMUs head off to preservation • ‘Pacers’ prove increasingly popular with heritage lines.

DIESEL DIARY

‘Deltic’ repairs move forward

Nenagh branch permanent way works

NORTHERN IRELAND RAILWAYS (NIR)

Further revisions to NIR timetable • Northern Ireland Railways is now on its fourth timetable since the last regular one which was introduced in December 2019.

IARNROD EIREANN / IRISH RAIL

TfL project work restarts • On hold since lockdown began in March, many LU projects big and small are now underway again.

SHUNTERS & INDUSTRIALS

The Retro Years: August • A selection of archive images of August workings in years gone by.

Back to the future • British Railways introduced the stylish Blue Pullman trainsets 60 years ago and, while ultimately short-lived, they heralded a move out of the steam age into a diesel-powered future.

TIME TRAVELLER

LETTERS

Express Mailbag

CAMERA PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY

REVIEWS

Class 92 first engineering prototype

NEWS IN BRIEF

IRM Córas Iompair Éireann A...