Trains of thought
1930s ‘Little North Western’ - The discovery of an album of 1930s photographs of the Midland and ‘Little North Western’ lines between Leeds and Hellifield enables Andrew Wilson to highlight the diverse motive power used at that time.
Carlisle’s LNER engine sheds: West - Roger Griffiths and John Hooper cover the evolution of the Newcastle & Carlisle Railway, Port Carlisle Dock & Railway, Carlisle & Silloth Bay Railway & Dock and North British Railway locomotive facilities west of Citadel station, culminating in the provision of Canal shed.
The GWR Bristol to Bath line through the years - Colin G Maggs MBE takes us through the creation of this railway in 1840 as the westernmost 12 A miles of the first Great Western Railway main line and highlights some significant moments in its first 125 years, and beyond.
The 1948 Locomotive Exchanges - The heavy freight classes - In the final part of his examination of the 1948 Locomotive Exchanges, Andrew Wilson looks at the five classes of freight engine involved.
Reviews
Tail Lamp - readers’ letters

STEAM DAYS in Colour:
Inter-regional trains to and from Hampshire - We track the long distance services of the Hampshire coast that ran via Basingstoke and Oxford, and their much expanded links to various northern industrial towns.

Cover: Bulleid Light Pacific No 34042 Dorchester has arrived at Bournemouth (Central) with train 204, the I 1.16am Bournemouth (West) to York in April I 958. Although there were many more in the summer months, at the time this was one of only two all-year-round long distance inter-regional trains to and from here via the ex-GWR lines north of Basingstoke; the other left ahead of this one and served Birkenhead (Woodside).
Contents page photo - Maunsell ‘N 15’ 4-6-0 No 742 Camelot gets underway from Oxford with the 9.35am Birkenhead (Woodside) to Bournemouth (West) train in April 1939. The different brake vacuum rate used by the two companies means that the vacuum in this mixed rake of GWR and SR coaches will have had to be blown down and rebuilt before departure.