Comment - RAIL EXPRESS looks back - and forwards - over the tumultuous events of 2004. Some bad news but there was also many positive events too.
News - Fragonset and Merlin Rail merge to form FM Rail, axe falls on Eastleigh Works and London Marylebone to see major rework with more platforms. .
News pictorial - No. 86235 soldiers on into 2005 on the Great Eastern, last Thunderbird' No. 57316 handed over and Thumper" DEMUs head to Dartmoor Railway.
Mess room - The remarkable story of how three 'locos' were built for the Scrapheap Challenge TV programme and what were our favourite Christmas cards? ^
Early encounters of a diesel kind - Neville Davies looks back over a lifetime of association with diesel traction from the LMS 'twins' to the building of the 'Peaks' at Derby - Part 1.
Retrospectrum - We present Network SouthEast, the livery which launched a thousand red lamp posts and broke the BR corporate mould when first it appeared in 1986.
Reader offer - Your chance to own a superb locomotive print including a limited run of No. 47853 signed by the artist and the RE editorial team for just £10!
RAIL EXPRESS Modeller - Another RAIL EXPRESS Modeller magazine can be found stapled between the centre pages. The latest diesel and electric era news and reviews.
Preservation - Contract awarded to DPS to overhaul D9000 Royal Scots Grey and Class 309 EMU Group has to wait a little longer for its 'Clacton' unit!
Time traveller - The railway headlines from this month 5,10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago. 20 years ago, we waved farewell to the whistling giants, the EE Class 40s.
Railtours - One of the newer railtour operators, Very Special Trains, ceases trading. We pose the question, why? Plus full listing of forthcoming tours.
Traction & Rolling Stock - 17 pages of traction news: Power by the hour, Powerscene, Shed talk, Spectrum, Name game, Shunter spot, Units Coaches, Wagons and Irish.

Cover: The first Class 47 to receive Network SouthEast livery was No. 47573 The London Standard, seen here at Stratford TMD on launch day, June 10th, 1986.