Northern engineering endeavour, tinged with 1980s teenage memories, inspired Alistair Stripp to model a Scottish Highland railway, ‘Beachdale’.

Having sat patiently on a shelf for a few years, the time has come for this Andrew Barclay 040ST to shine, as Chris Nevard portrays an oily, dusty and careworn industrial workhorse.

STAR LETTER

Model Rail magazine’s editor rounds up the latest modelling news

Irish holiday fun

GARY ESSEX looks at the railways that have successfully diversified their income streams, from contract work for main line operators to reinventing themselves as invaluable training sites.