A4' IDEA AHEAD OF ITS TIME! - In a revealing exclusive, Consultant Editor Nigel Harris interviews John Crawley, the man who had bold plans for a private 'A4' service between King's Cross and York after the end of steam.
WEST FROM COLWICK - John Clarke is the guide for a journey in words and pictures, through the Nottinghamshire coalfields, made famous - or infamous - by author D.H. Lawrence.
CORKING DAYS AT CORKERHILL, POLMADIE, EASTFIELD...The bustling sheds and stations of Glasgow provided a fertile and informative grounding for a young Michael McManus when he set out on his bike on spotting expeditions around the city during the early 1960s.
THE GLORIOUS GREAT EASTERN - Regular Steam World contributor Chris Gammell explores the remarkable diversity of the former Great Eastern Railway lines - from busy London commuter routes to ash-surfaced country halts.
A LAST AMBLE ON THE CAMBRIAN - Nick Hodges recounts his pilgrimage to Wales to ride on the famed 'Cambrian Coast Express' during the swansong of steam on the picturesque mid- Wales main line.
COMMENT - Steam World reveals plans for more coverage of the men who made the machines and the backroom boys - and girls - who ensured they ran on time.
CALL ATTENTION - After the double-manning of the 'box with Chris Leigh last month, Barry McLoughlin takes sole charge of the levers for Steam World's round-up of the offbeat and the bizarre.
BRISTOL'S MEMORY BANK - The steep Midland-line climb out of Bristol, known variously as Fishponds or Whitehall Bank, provided a challenge for heavy trains leaving the city. P.D. Rendall recalls watching the bankers' efforts from the bottom of his grandparents' garden.
THE KENT CONNECTION - PART 2 - Another Steam World regular, Paul Leavens, continues his celebration of the centenary of 'the Chatham'. It's such an enthralling read that we've decided to run it in three parts rather than the two originally planned.
PLATFORM - At last - that mysterious plywood 'tender' at Swindon Works is identified, along with the anonymous 'Brit' featured in a striking colour photograph at Carlisle in the May issue.
A TRAIN BY ANY OTHER NAME - The series by the late Stanford Jacobs continues with an examination of the naming policy of the Southern Railway.
GREAT SHOT! - Yet another superb railway portrait from the extraordinary collection of Keith Pin, this time it's a classic GWR branch line scene with a '14XX' 0-4-2T and autotrain at Ashburton.
AN EASTLEIGH APPRENTICE - PART 1 - Arriving for his first day of training as an engineering workshops apprentice at Eastleigh Works was a nerve-jarring experience for 15- year-old Les White, but he soon came to love the life at the bustling SR plant. To be continued next month.
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED - Columnist Andrew Dow laments the decline of the Brief Encounter station at Carnforth, which typifies the deterioration of our railway heritage.
NEXT ISSUE - Discover what's coming up the line in the August issue of the country's best-selling historical railway magazine.

Cover: Five before the end of steam, GWR 4-6-0 No. 7803 Barcote Manor leads the down 'Cambrian Coast Express' into Welshpool station on a sunny afternoon in September 1962.