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The Class 47s - Classic Classes pai l 2 by Simon I Kiev, John G Hiscock and Robert Ward o| the Class 47 Preservation Project
Music for the classes - Spencer Vignes' rock revelations!
Paddington curiosities - Superb capital traction action presented by Jeremy de Souza
The Cambrian Mountaineer - Jason Hall's day trip to Aberystwyth
Paragon comparisons - Spot the difference by Tony Buckton
Touring 'Twenties’ - A splendid Class 20 railtour selection compiled by Dave Mitchell
The last days of the 'Westerns’ - More reminiscences by Roger Geach of the final BR workings - and beyond! - for the Class 52s
Heritage update - A round-up of memorable moves
Southern 'Peaks' - Strathwood's SR 'Peak'selection
TPO - Catching up on tablet catchers!
Reviews - Some summer reading options
Continental Class 58 - Tony Sayer tracks down 58 027
Stock gap 1989 - A Type 3 turn from Richard Giles
Traction Modelling - The latest news from Richard Wilson
Class 37/5 No.37 518 - Paul Bason presents the second of his pictorial Traction Profiles
Converting the Bachmann-Farish Class 08 to DCC - Roger Miller's latest N gauge project
As with so many areas of railway-related nostalgia, when it comes to songs about trains, they are usually of the steam variety. And often American to boot! Indeed, people such as Johnny Cash managed to fill whole albums dedicated to them. The relationship between railways and music has always been there for me from my earliest days as a 'spotter when, between trains, the topic of conversation would be about bands and songs as our musical education was broadened by the fabulous pop pirate radio stations of the time. Thanks to Spencer Vignes' feature in this issue, I now realise that I am not the only person who associates railway trips with the tunes of the time. Certainly I know that amongst the contributors to this title there are fans of artists including Big Country, The Clash, The Dickies, Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd, Bruce Springsteen, Thin Lizzy, UK Subs,The Who and Yes. One of my enduring memories of the big EWS Traction Event at the East Lancashire Railway ten years ago, was our publisher, John Greenwood, compiling his 'Top Ten Best Rock Teeshirts' seen on Bury Bolton Street station. Some of our railways are building on the music link. For example, the Llangollen Railway's recent Rock £t Roll DMU Gala, which not only related to the ride, but to the fact there was a band playing on the station. The Isle of Wight Steam Railway, Havenstreet, is presenting 'FolkStation'July 10-12. This year's Indietracks indie-pop festival at the Midland Railway - Butterley, July 24-26, has an impressive line-up headlined by Camera Obscura. Also on the bill are BMX Bandits, Emmy the Great, Au Revoir Simone plus one of my current faves, Hong Kong In The 60s. Take a look at the website for further details: www.indietracks.co.uk There have been songs about downtown trains, freight trains, runaway trains, southbound trains, night trains, peace trains, love trains, long trains running and even 'train trains', but my favourite traction-related lyric was written by Curtis Mayfield. In The Impressions' 1965 gospel-tinged hit 'People Get Ready' (later covered by model railroad fan Rod Stewart), he wrote:'People get ready there's a train coming, all you need is faith to hear the diesels humming...' Praise be.
