Ghosts in the hills! - In a similarly spectral sequel to his 'Phantoms of Cemetery Hill' article last year, Michael Chapman presents a stunning selection of images of steam conquering the climbs of the Cumberland mountains.
south western steam in '63 - As part of our continuing coverage of the Southern Region main line from Waterloo, Richard Arthur begins a detailed two-part analysis of services and performance in the South West in 1963.
Bicester - not to be missed! - The former Great Western station at Bicester North was nothing special yet it typified the variety of steam workings at even a modestly sized station.
OHMS: hail To the homecoming heroes - Most named engines were express passenger types, but the former NBR 'C' class 0-6-0s - later LNER 'j36' - were humble freight locomotives. As Norman Browne and Neville Stead explain in a Steam's the Theme special, however, they merited their names for their stanmart service on the Western Front in the Great War
comment - Blaming Beeching for all the railway's woes prevents us from admitting to our own role in the decline of the network, contends the Editor in a follow-up to Richard Strange's controversial article last month.
call attention - More tales of unofficial engine driving, while Lancashire enthusiasts prove the authenticity of an historic locomotive nameplate.
what, where when? - Two starkly contrasting pictures require identification this month, and we announce our first 'treble' WWW? winner.
A 'stranger' strolls down stewarts lane - In the latest installment of his memoirs of life as Shedmaster at Stewarts Lane MPD, R.H.N. Hardy reveals why the changes he felt were necessary had to be introduced quietly and diplomatically.
why the wild (rail) rover? - Why did railway enthusiasts endure days of minimal sleep dashing from one corner of the country to the other on all-line Railrovers?). Crosse tries to answer the question with an account of a seven-day trek through all the BR Regions in 1965.
Darkroom discoveries - The ubiquity of the GW panneier tanks led to their becoming one ot the most potent symbols of the Western Region. Hugh Ballentynne and Paul Chancellor profile a selection of this varied type of locomotive at the start a two part special
platform - In another packed four-page Platform, readers continue the 'trainspotting' debate, one of the chief players in R-H-N Hardy's article provides more informabon, there's a claim that goods drivers needed more skill than thier passenger counterparts, and we reveal how the history books might have to be rewritten because of an error on a record card.
SIX years at colwick 'loco' - In the final part of his series on his apprenticeship in the front line of locomotive repair at Colwick MPD, John Meredith remembers some of the character at the shed - and some of the tricks that were played on him and his fellow trainees.
great shot! - Our showcase of the best in steam photography opens this month to reveal a glistening 'Casde at Raddington in 1962.
all things considered - Words of railway wisdom, as always, Steam World's respected commentator Andrew Dow
A second delivery of coal! - At a time when BR steam was characterised by filth and neglect, Britain's coal mines were still being served by highly polished little tank engines. Brian Syddall provides another selection of pictures of NCB steam, this time on shed.
win air tattoo tickets! - Steam World briefly raises its sights from track-level to the sky to offer no fewer than 15 pairs of free tickets to Europe's biggest airshow, the 30th Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Cottesmore, in a special competition.
next issue - See what's thundering down the tracks for the July issue of the UK's largest-selling railway history magazine.

Front Cover: 'A1' No. 60140 Balmoral races - south near Retford with an up morning express, in May 1960.