NEWS - STOP PRESS: The loco that was going to stay at Barry -No. 5553 - turns up on the Dean Forest Railway in a hush-hush move on January 31. (See news pages). Other news: Storm brews over Ffestiniog's bid for Welsh Highland Railway trackbed; 'Mr Bill' McAlpine becomes 'Sir Bill';
NEWS PICTORIAL - The Llangollen Railway takes a 'Manor' through Berwyn Tunnel - and the Ravenglass & Eskdale hits national headlines by exporting to the Japanese.
FULL HOUSE-ON THE SOUTHERN - After last month's feature depicting locos of all four pre-BR companies in Huddersfield, our mailbag has been pleasantly enriched by the submission of half a dozen more such incidents in other parts of the country. This month we feature Redhill... and a rather unusual shedplate to boot.
17 MEN IN ONE TINY OFFICE - An insight into a little known aspect of railway operation -Doncaster District Train Control at Bawtry in the forties and fifties.
GLORIOUS YEARS - Guest photographer Derrick Dant, provides a selection of his favourite photographs -including rare shots taken during the war and illustrations of the 1948 locomotive exchanges.
FORTH BRIDGE CENTENARY - David Wilcock charts the history of the Forth Bridge, whose centenary in March is expected to be marked by the main line return of A4 No. 60009.
STEAM AGE SURVIVORS - The humble signal box on BR is a doomed species. Robin Stewart-Smith makes a photographic survey of mechanical boxes still extant on the national system.
DR. IAN C.ALLEN - As reported briefly last month, the doyen of East Anglian railway photographers died on Christmas Day. Close friends Bill Last and Steve Alien pay tribute.
MAILBAG - Brian Sharpe's letter castigating the Severn Valley for its use of Santa headboards has really put the cat among the pigeons. A selection of angry ripostes are printed on page 47. A further letter from Brian Sharpe arrived just too late for inclusion in this month's Mailbag and will be published in the April issue.
GALLERY - A selection of colour photographs from the cameras of top steam photographers.
WORLDWIDE REPORT - Foreign correspondent David Thornhill runs the rule over the world's 'mysterious lines'.
THE ELUSIVE EVENING STAR - In March, Britain's last steam locomotive celebrates its 30th birthday. When the loco was but a few months old, Mike Arlett tried to get a footplate ride. He has been trying ever since - and tells the tale of how he finally succeeded last summer!
RAILWAYANA - John Mander reviews the burgeoning relics scene.
CLASSIFIED ADS - Advertisers phone us every week to say they get results from Steam Railway! Why not join them.
PERMANENT WAY - The 'other' Llangollen Railway!

Front cover: A volcano in the Pennines? Stanier Class 5 No, 5407 approaches Sheriff's Brow from Stainforth with the 'Cumbrian Mountain Express' of November 25, 1989. Pete Skelton.