NEWS - Why the National Railway Museum is introducing admission charges from next April, the full background to SLOA Marketing's shock decision to withdraw from steam railtours, news of a flying start to NELPG's Blue Peter Appeal, plus the details of Princess Elizabeth's return to the Settle & Carlisle line this winter. All this, together with a full round-up of railway preservation news, on SIX pages.
BOOK REVIEW - Critical assessment of more recent releases from the world of railway publishing, including the re-released pictorial classic by Colin Walker, Main Line Lament.
VIDEO REVIEW - Thinking of a railway video for Christmas? To help you make your choice, columnist Steve Le Cheminant lists his pick of this year's productions, and reviews some of the latest programmes to come on the market.
GALLERY - In focus this month - and in colour - the Salisbury Yeovil Junction 'Blackmore Vale Express', the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's 'Lame Lough Raillour', Mallard's return to London, and Cfan Line's special tribute to the 'Golden Arrow'.
WAS THIS REALLY THE SOMERSET & DORSET? - Thanks largely to the marvellous photographic coverage of the line by the great Ivo Peters, the Somerset & Dorset Railway still cuts a powerful image - but 20 years have now passed by since the S & D ran its last trains. Kenneth Scott goes to see what the ravages of time have done to the old 'Bath & Bournemouth'.
ATC - THE 'SAFETY FAST' SYSTEM BR REJECTED - On the eve of Nationalisation, the GWR made a concerted attempt to have its 'Automatic Train Control' system adopted as the standard by the new BR regime. The high-speed demonstration run between Reading and Slough went faultlessly - but BR turned ATC down. Adrian Vaughan tells the story, and explains how ATC worked.
DON BRECKON'S GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY - Now widely regarded as one of the most polished portrayers of the GWR, Don Breckon has just compiled 26 of his favourite paintings into a new book, 'Don Breckon's Great Western Railway'. We reproduce, in full colour, a selection of the paintings, and talk to the artist about his motivation and passion for the GWR.
MAILBAG - Despite its commercial successes, main line steam still has its quota of opponents within BR - but at least one member of a BR management team has found, from experience, that steam is the best staff morale booster that BR has got. Just one viewpoint of many in your letters this month.
BASHING THE CAVAN & LEITRIM - BY BICYCLE - There were no fast cars for chasing steam back in the 1950s, but then on the wistful, unhurried Cavan & Leitrim 3ft gauge railway in Ireland, a bicycle was plenty fast enough to achieve the necessary 'overtakes' - as Colin Boocock discovered.
WORLDWIDE REPORT - Could a steam railway, complete with locomotives and rolling stock, lie derelict in Britain in the 1980s? The answer, quite clearly, is no - but in Sardinia, the ingredients for the perfect steam tourist line are going begging. David Thornhill reports.
THE PLOTTING OF SVR 'ENTHUSIASTS WEEKEND' - With almost 100 scheduled trains and up to 8,000 paying passengers to cater for, the Severn Valley Railway's Autumn 'Enthusiasts Weekend' is easily the most intensive steam event of the preservation year. David Wilcock learns from Operating Superintendent Russell Maiden and Assistant OS Chris Thomas how such a huge volume of traffic is accommodated on the SVR's 16 miles of single track.
THE GLORIOUS YEARS - The camera looks back to another period from steam's nostalgic past. This month's guest contributor: Peter Cookson.
STEAM AT CHRISTMAS - Seasonal train information, with full details of which railways are operating Santa trains and when, together with a round-up of main line steam activity over the Christmas holiday period,
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