Railways Illustrated

The best coverage of today's railway scene. Each issue of Railways Illustrated offers a comprehensive round-up of the latest news and topical events from the UK across the present-day railway, including heritage traction in operation on the main lines. Railways Illustrated reflects the energy and vitality of the present-day railway scene.

Welcome

Railways Illustrated

FirstGroup proposes Lumo Rochdale to London service

Coffee Cup Run bring together partners to experience passenger’s perspective

Levenmouth line rejoins the rail network

IN BRIEF

Labour Party outlines its railways plans

Southeastern seeks new trains to replace ageing Networkers

LNER celebrates the fifth anniversary of Azuma debut

Alstom to repair and repaint c2c Class 357 fleet at Ilford

Consultation launched into lowering minimum age of train drivers to 18

Daytime testing begins for Stadler’s Class 555 Tyne & Wear Metro fleet

Branch Line Society charters boost Martin House fundraising by £11,000

ScotRail off-peak fares trial extended until September

Great Western Railway honours Princess Royal with IET naming

Merseyrail Class 507s down to single figures as Stadler 777 takeover approaches final phase

BCIMO unveils plans to reactivate former Midland Metro T69 tram as battery unit

Traction News DB Cargo disposes of 12 Class 90s

DB Cargo ETCS ‘First in Class’ 66039 heads to RIDC for testing

And then there were two! Second DB Cargo Class 66/6 into service

Europhoenix returns two more Class 37s to service

Two Class 67s are bought by Transport for Wales

Train order progress welcomed by Railway Industry Association

Class 805 training intensifies

More Class 323s head to Northern

HNRC confirms plans for its Class 20 fleet

Class 730/2s authorised by Office of Rail and Road

Mk.5A coaches go off-lease

Livery Changes

Naming Update

East Lancs seeks funding for two major infrastructure projects

Successful Swanage Railway diesel event – despite partial derailment of visiting 50026

Summer passenger return for E6040 The Bluebell Railway

SETG continues to progress the restoration of preserved 4VEP

Nene Valley Railway launches urgent £300,000 fundraiser

SVR diesel event attracts a wide variety of visiting locomotives… and more than 5000 passengers

The main summer season arrives with five unmissable diesel events

Two HSTs in use for 1980s Weekend on the Midland Railway – Butterley

Class 50 Alliance seeks donors to ‘Tag the Tank’

Fundraising appeal launched to aid 570001 into preservation

Mixed fortunes for EPB vehicles

Scrap-threatened Class 309 saved … but vehicles head to different locations

Preserved 3CIG unit moves to Lavender Line

IN BRIEF

What’s happening to… • Our monthly round-up of restoration projects around the country, compiled by Pip Dunn.

InterCity heads to Leven as it slowly grows its programme

PICTORIAL

Fleet survey: Class 56 • Dating from the mid-1970s, the Class 56 may be low in numbers these days, but there remains significant interest in their operations. Richard Clinnick surveys the survivors.

Out of retirement! • The export of High Speed Train power cars and Mk.3 coaches for further use in Mexico and Nigeria – being coordinated and managed by Romic Group – has created another chapter in the fascinating story of these popular trains. Andy Coward met Romic chairman Robert Coleman to find out more about the company and the HST project.

LIVING LIFE IN THE PAST LANE • Chris Gee recounts his experiences in pursuit of recreating typical railway scenes from a bygone era but using...