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

Rail Express

Eurostar orders 30 double-deck ‘Celestia’ trains from Alstom

GBRf and ROG Stadler locomotives mark new milestones • GBRf’s new bi-mode Class 99s gained ORR approval in October, marking a key step toward 2026 service entry, while Rail Operations Group’s tri-mode Class 93s have now entered commercial use.

Class 350/2 fleet in decline • More sets are stopped by London Northwestern Railway

BUO repainted into Network Rail colours • Eastern Rail Services Mk.2e upgraded for Infrastructure Monitoring use

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

East Lancs base for 125 Group fleet • The 125 Group relocates from Midlands to the North West

Diesel preservation pictorial • It’s been another busy month for galas and special events, the stand out event being the Severn Valley Railway’s four-day tribute to the 65th anniversary of the Class 37.

Class 03 No. 03179 returns to Isle of Wight • The popular Network SouthEast-liveried shunter is back home under a ten-year agreement.

Railfreight ‘Tractors’ announced by Heljan

EFE Rail PEP-talk

Autumn additions to the Hornby catalogue

Mk.2s for the NIR Hunslets

Delightful DMU from Heljan • First generation DMUs appear to be neglected in ‘OO’ gauge at the present time, with Heljan’s Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company Class 104 being the first new model for some years. Models of late-life ‘power twin’ units are the subject of this review.

Heavy haulage at Toesley Brook • Heavy freight trains dominate on Garry Robson’s ‘OO’ gauge East Midlands’ inspired Toesley Brook layout which he describes in detail. Photography by the author.

Clark Railworks demountable tank wagon

Accurascale Beilhacks arrive in time for winter

KFA and containers for TT:120

The Tyseley Effect • Steven Knight delves into the archives to unearth Tyseley depot’s colourful repaints in the 1980s and 1990s

Works Visit: Hitachi, Newton Aycliffe • In early October, Hitachi opened the doors to their Newton Aycliffe manufacturing site. Chris Milner went along to look at the production of Class 810 bi-modes for East Midlands Railway.

St Blazey depot cleared as ex-Tarmac JGAs are sent for scrapping • Touted as replacements for the life-expired CDA hoppers on china clay traffic, the last five surviving VTG Rail JGAs sent to the West Country were quickly sidelined and will now be disposed of.

TIME TRAVELLER

‘Deltic’ No. 55009 to return to main line action in 2026 • Following extensive repairs and a power unit swap, this DPS ‘Deltic’ will soon return to main line action.

Rail link to Dublin Airport is planned to be a Metro

Workshop planned for ex-LU ‘CO/OP’ stock restoration project • In the October Rail Express, LU World referenced the challenges facing former London Underground rolling stock preservationists. Here’s an update regarding the three-car CO/CP Stock unit at Quainton, the home of the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.

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