Headline News:
Virgin’s franchise extended; ‘Damning failure’ by DfT over West Coast bid; ORR proposal could kill off charters; £10million NRM annexe plan for Great Central; Steam on the Met trial - first pictures.

Track Record - The Railway Magazine’s monthly news digest

Steam & Heritage - Peak Rail enters restoration business; Bluebell nears Imberhorne breakthrough; Met No. 1 tops 50mph on test.

Railtours - Cab space squeezed by new systems; No charters to Reading or Nottingham in 2013; ‘Met 150’ news update.

Traction & Stock - Eversholt unveils Mk 4 refurbishment plans; No more ‘drags’ to Holyhead; Duplex pantograph for Class 91.

Traction Update - Scrapped, sold or repainted  Full details here.

Network - Airport wants faster Stansted trains; Abseilers tackle cliff fall; Depot creates new jobs in Derby; Eurostar heads for Lyon.

Classic Traction - NRM ‘Deltic’ returns to main line; New milestone for RPSI diesel project; Western Champion ready for spring return.

Narrow Gauge - Lyd to return to Lynton & Barnstaple in 2013; Groudle to build new loco; Princess in the daylight after 31 years.

World - Class 05 shunters preserved in Trinidad; China high speed lines slow for winter; Threat to Wolsztyn steam.

Metro - Sad end for Blackpool tram; Droylsden opens in February.

Operations News - News from the train and freight operating companies.

Regulars:

Subscriptions Offer

Readers’ Platform - The lively letters page on which YOU have your say.

Multiple Aspects - Railways in Parliament

Panorama - Our monthly showcase presents the best in railway photography.

Meetings - Details of railway society meetings near you.

Heritage Diary - A comprehensive listing of dates when heritage railways and steam centres will be open.

100 Years Ago - A look back to what Britain’s senior rail title was reporting 20, 50 and 100 years ago.

Reader Services

Prize Christmas Crossword

Features:

Europe’s largest engineering project - Sixty years after the idea was first mooted, construction of the new Crossrail line under central London is assessed by Paul Bickerdyke.

How a train company took on the Government...and won! - Industry commentator Steve Knight tells why Virgin knew it was right to challenge the DfT’s decision on the West Coast franchise.

Victory snatched from his grasp - Phil Marsh listens to First Group’s Tim O’Toole talking frankly about the franchising system

Delivering the Goods - They were never as glamorous as passenger trains, but cameraman Trevor Owen captured some classic goods trains views in steam days.

Looe – the Back to Front Line - Nick Pigott visits the Looe branch in Cornwall and reports on a beautiful, but hardly straightforward, branch line.

Steaming to the Limit - For this month’s Practice & Performance, Keith Farr concludes his appraisal of gargantuan steam-hauled test trains.

Timetable changes - A brief summary of the timetable changes for the winter 2012/13 period.

The Kirkby Green Railway - Mike Maloney OBE visits a little known miniature line in the heart of Lincolnshire.

On the cover:

MAIN IMAGE - Tyseley-based GWR ‘Hall’ 4-6-0 No. 4965 Rood Ashton Hall approaches Lincoln on December 8 with an excursion to the city’s Christmas market. 

INSET 1 - A computer image of Bombardier’s TRAXX UK Class 93. Courtesy 

INSET 2 - Metropolitan Railway 0-4-4T No. 1 at Moorgate on December 16. 

INSET 3 - Filthy Class 66s. See page 7.