Trains of Thought
The ‘Royal Scot’ nameplates and crests - John Magnall looks at the LMS naming policy for the ‘Royal Scot’ class, and the company’s negotiations with the various regiments as the military theme expanded through much of the fleet.
Trains that went backwards - and other odd manoeuvres - Eric Stuart offers a detailed account of the various fascinating station movements performed in the days of steam by arriving and departing trains in the United Kingdom, Ireland and continental Europe.
STEAM DAYS in Colour - The Collett ‘Castle’ class 4-6-0s - The Great Western ‘Castle’ class came on to the scene in 1923 and was known to be the most powerful express passenger type in the country. We pay tribute to the class through the 1950s and 1960s work of the late Dick Riley.
Changing times at the Middleton Railway 1958-1970 - Vice President of the Middleton Railway Trust, Ian B Smith records the evolution of an industrial railway into a pioneer of standard gauge preservation.
‘Mad as a March Hare’ - Having achieved his life-long ambition of 100,000 steam-hauled miles, Keith Widdowson details one particular month in 1967 during which over 5,000 miles were covered.
Reviews
Tail Lamp - readers’ letters

Contents page image: Uniquely linked with the industries it served, the Middleton Railway used siding space at Clayton, Son & Co, Sentinel No 54 leading this line up, circa 1968.

Cover: Having passed beneath the overbridge used by empty coaching stock trains between Old Oak Common sidings and Paddington, Great Western ‘Castle’ class 4-6-0 No 4080 Powderham Castle heads for Cardiff (General) on Saturday, 13 August 1960 with the down I F46 3.55pm ‘Capitals United Express’. Four months previously this ‘Castle’ class engine was released from Swindon Works after a heavy intermediate repair.