Trains of thought

Caledonian Branch Lines around Carstairs - Part Two: The Peebles and Dolphinton Branches - In the second part of two articles covering Caledonian Railway branch lines radiating from Carstairs, David Anderson now covers the lines to the east of Carstairs - to Peebles and Dolphinton. He also takes a look at the lesser-known line from the Peebles branch to Tweedsmuir - the Talla Railway.

Great Western Steam Railmotors and Diesel Railcars - Andrew Wilson reviews the GWR's development of railcars from the early steam railmotors to the diesel railcars introduced in the 1930s, and the services on which both these types were used.

Oxenholme Memories - David Cross, with the use of his father's photographs, recalls trips in the 1960s to the Oxenhoime area, south of Shap on the West Coast main line, which he made with his father - the late Derek Cross - and a particular Saturday which they always referred to as 'Jubilee Saturday' in July 1963 when so many members of this class passed through.

Past Masters - Les Elsey in Hampshire - Compiled by Clifford Elsey - Another thematic photo-feature depicting the work of railway photographers who are sadly no longer with us.

The Corris Railway - The Corris Railway, in the slate-producing area of the Dulas Valley, north of Machynlleth, was the oldest of the Welsh narrow-gauge railways to be taken over by the GWR, and Rex Kennedy provides a short illustrated history of the line from its early days to its demise in 1948.

London's North to South Freight Traffic - Geoff Goslin takes a look at the Cross-London Freight Traffic in the days of steam which brought unusual motive power on to Southern metals, and Southern engines on to other regions north of the Thames.

Tail Lamp

Readers' Letters

Reviews - Books for Christmas

Cover: This month in the magazine David Cross takes us back to one of the places regularly visited by he and his father, the late Derek Cross, in the 1960s - Oxenholme. Hay Fell, just four miles to the north of Oxenhoime, was an ideal photographic spot for them, and creating an exhibitionist display at this lineside location we see 'Black Five' No 44874 as it heads north up the incline with a mixed freight train on 26 July 1963.