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

A fond farewell

Rail Express

HS2 tunnelling gets underway

SIGNAGE AND SEATS

ORR launches Hitachi review

Record low for rail journeys

Enlarged Network Rail to become Great British Railways • Proposed plan aims to fix ‘broken’ UK rail franchises.

Dartmoor new track work completed

IN BRIEF

‘Flex’ units enter service with Northern • Northern’s Class 769s begin operating on two routes from Southport.

‘Genny’ Van gains InterCity colours

HSTs depart Midland Main Line after four decades • East Midlands Railway withdrew its final four HST sets in mid-May, bringing almost four-decades of operation to a close, as well as the final daily appearance of the familiar InterCity 125 into a London terminus.

Mk.4s for Swansea to Manchester service

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

SHED TALK

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Retro repaints create more GBRf celebrities • Large logo blue for ‘69’ and second ‘66’ in triple-grey.

Split-box ‘Syphon’ back in traffic

Mixed fortunes for LNER Class 91s

DRS Class 66 fleet grows

NEWS UPDATE

Network Rail power car returns

‘Electrostars’ break new ground • GWR hires c2c units to cope with stock shortage.

SHED TALK

SHUNTERS & INDUSTRIALS

NEWS ROUND-UP

East Midlands HST coaches dispersed • Former EMR coaches leave Neville Hill within days of being stood down.

FORMER EMR (EX-LNER) HST COACHES

IN BRIEF

Wabtec releases more GWR and ScotRail HST coaches

SHED TALK

WH Davis shows off ‘Megabox’ progress • The first box body for Beacon Rail’s new fleet of 75m3 bogie box wagons is nearing completion at Langwith Junction.

Network Rail HOPS multi-purpose vehicle returns from upgrade in Germany

DEVELOPMENTS

TfL agrees to £1 billion bailout • Government will provide a further £1 billion through to December, but it comes with strings attached.

LIGHT RAIL ROUND-UP

Second production HST power car preserved in National Collection • Speed record holder arrives at Locomotion museum in Shildon.

Two more ‘Pacers’ for Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway

Llangollen’s Davy shunter saved from scrapyard

IN BRIEF

IoWSR takes delivery of ex-Island Line EMU

GBRf electro-diesels and 'Teddy Bear' for Mid-Hants June gala

COACH NEWS

Railtour ‘Deltic’ repairs underway • After many months of uncertainty and frustration, work is now proceeding to return No. D9009/55009 to main line order.

More loco-powered trains return • Lockdown easing has seen the return of further locomotive-worked passenger trains.

IARNROD EIREANN / IRISH RAIL

Irish Rail and Northern Ireland Railways step up services

NORTHERN IRELAND RAILWAYS (NIR)

40 years of Midland HSTs • HSTs clocked up four decades of regular operation out of St Pancras before being consigned to history in May. David...