Jim Martin Posted September 16, 2011 Share Posted September 16, 2011 Bought a copy at WH Smiths at Sheffield station yesterday (I think that's actually earlier than the publication date quoted in the previous issue, and they were selling both this and the September issue alongside one another). Cover photo: line-up of Virgin-liveried class 57s, which are on the way out, apparently Contents: Newsy bit, the usual capsule items; the main items are about Great North Western's plans to be the next long-distance open access operator (Euston to, variously, Leeds, Bradford, Blackpool and Barrow, with a stopping pattern that will make Newton-le-Willows a railfan mecca), Grand Central's traffic and financial results; and Virgin's shedding of 57s Retrospectrum - Anglia Railways Speedlink Casualties - Dave Ratcliffe on ball clay traffic (3 pages, mainly photos but with interesting captions) Railfanning the Czech Republic - another in the international gricing series. I actually find these quite interesting, although I wouldn't want to see them much more common than they are now. I like US railroads well enough, but there's masses of English-language information available on them elsewhere, so I prefer ones like this or the Egyptian article from a few months back. Slightly depressing to find that British railfans have naff nicknames for other countries' locomotives, as well as our own, but there you go... All the usual locomotive, unit, coaching stock and wagon bits etc. The wagon page is actually more-or-less an article on the Parcelforce piggyback operation. Preservation, Irish rails, 4 pages (!) of railtour news and pics. Modelling section: Editorial - dioramas Reviews - Farish class 101 and Metalair cement tank (both glowing); new releases of Bachmann 03, 47, 55 and 66, and Mk. 1 TPO stock; Bachmann BAA steel wagon (again, glowing); Hornby BR 20-ton brake van (quite positive, with a few reservations) and 27-ton tippler (not favourable); JLTRT class 08 (not a true review, more a "here's the model I built from the kit; the kit's pretty good" type of thing: the end result certainly looks very good to me) Modeller's Guide to Railhead Treatment Trains - train formations (dating from 1998-2010), photos of interesting rolling stock, notes on available models (most of which would need to be converted, as were the prototypes). What's not to like? Description of building a Network Rail class 37 with one of the fuel tanks replaced with ERTMS radar equipment. A nice looking model of an unusual prototype Elcot Road project layout - point operation Lots of adverts Overall, a pretty typical issue with all the usual strengths and weaknesses that people typically praise / complain about whenever REx appears. I enjoyed it, particularly the RHTT and Parcelforce articles, but I imagine that some people will take exception to the percentage of the magazine given over to ads (although Morton's do seem to have given up their attempts to flog subscriptions to their non-railway titles, which is something) and the reduced quality of the paper and printing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold griffgriff Posted September 17, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 17, 2011 Some nice articles (the ball clay piece being particularly interesting) but what's up with the spelling! More errors than a Manchester Gridiron Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 ....................... but what's up with the spelling! ...................... Yes, I always thought it was "Eridge" not "Eride" ! Now, thinking back to the attitude displayed by some of the magazine's former staff when conducting reviews or expressing personal opinions, the person/company responsible for such a mistake would have been pilloried . . . . . Brian R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben racey Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Just bought the magazine and thought it was a good issue. Really like the czech article, it's a good summary, I've no problem with the nicknames. They're actually well used by Czech enthusiasts as well, and really, it doesn't take much imagnation to come up with 'goggle' for the 754, and 'grumpy' for a 749 - the grumpy's in particular are known as 'the concerned' by the czech cranks, and looking at the cab front, you can see why! Unsilenced 749's are amongst the loudest diesels currently on passenger services in Europe, and I for one, are looking forward to a sound fitted Roco one early next year -should be fun! Regards Richard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tractionman Posted September 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 20, 2011 I too thought the Czech piece was very good - and since I am going to be there next summer it will be used over the coming months in planning on where I am going to go to pack in the action! I'd actually quite like to see more such overseas articles, especially what's happening in Europe on the loco-scene as things are - or perhaps were (before the financial crisis) - changing quite fast as older loco-hauled stock is replaced with yet more units. I've just returned from Hungary and Romania - both loco heaven - with haulage aplenty, and lots of variety. With these articles it makes RE a handy buy, and what would be good is to have them (and future ones) packaged up in a book containing country-by-country guidance on where/when to go for 'rail-fanning' (to use an Americanism), and practical travel advice for those photographing or going for haulage - I'd definitely recommend a trip to Romania, though not the easiest country to get to from the UK, unless you fly budget to Budapest (as I did) and then take a leisured (loco-hauled) trip eastwards crossing the border at Arad - I went from Budapest to the diesel-loco capital of Transylvannia, Sibiu, for a mere 19 Euro single, though make sure you pack a picnic as the 4-coach train has no buffet and takes 10 hours... cheers, Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Just bought the magazine and thought it was a good issue. Really like the czech article, it's a good summary, I've no problem with the nicknames. They're actually well used by Czech enthusiasts as well, and really, it doesn't take much imagnation to come up with 'goggle' for the 754, and 'grumpy' for a 749 - the grumpy's in particular are known as 'the concerned' by the czech cranks, and looking at the cab front, you can see why! Unsilenced 749's are amongst the loudest diesels currently on passenger services in Europe, and I for one, are looking forward to a sound fitted Roco one early next year -should be fun! Regards Richard. Interesting Richard. Didn't know Roco were planning a "Grumpy". If only ten years ago when I was modelling Austrian and Czech !!!!! The problem with producing a sound fitted "Grumpy" is - how do you know which one to do as they all sounded different to me. The unsilenced ones certainly were very characteristic engines to me, enjoying runs over the mountains in the north and between Gmund NO and Ceske Bud'. The Czech Republic is a very interesting country though despite the swinging cuts made in the 1990s and 2000s - as well as the period before I knew it. One fascinating system is the use of "accumulator vans" which I found discovered at Jindrichuv Hradec - the junction for the electrified standard gauge, and the 760mm gauge network. I was watching a centre cab electric Bo Bo shunting around the station with a brakevan when, it suddenly went down a siding with no wires. I thought hmmmm, that shouldn't have happened. Next thing, the loco started moving back towards the wires. Apparently the van has traction batteries and is wired to the loco. All part of the rich diversity in "Czecho". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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