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FEBRUARY 2006 ISSUE: CONTENTS

To view the contents of any section of the current magazine, just click on the relevant 'Download' link to access a PDF file of your chosen pages. If you prefer to download the whole magazine at one go - beware, it's a 4Mb file! - then click here.

EDITORIAL COMMENT & LETTERS [Download]
'Graham Eccles steps down in April after 43 years in the rail industry. In a candid valedictory interview with Rail Professional, Stagecoach's rail chief looks back over a remarkably diverse career that saw him rise from a junior booking clerk to become a director of a leading plc....'

Letters
- Dutch go home
- Paddington scandal
- Dobbs beware

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NEWS [Download]
News headlines
- 'Horror movie' used in safety campaign
- Big rise in Eurostar business passengers
- Luxury at a price as Blue Pullman returns after 30 year gap
- Security scanner trial begins at Paddington
- Clarke sacked at 'one'
- BAA deal to save Gatwick Express
- Watchdog calls for debate on rail fares
- Tram legal battle
- Mitchell faces trial over alleged assault
- EWS sleeper contract

Business Briefs
- Arriva in South Western contest
- Eurostar boosted by Da Vinci Code
- NEG in talks with DfT over Silverlink and Central
- Balfour Beatty encouraged by good rail performance
- Go-Ahead confident going forward

News about people
David Begg; Paul Charles;Tom Curry; Richard Davies; Peter Hendy; Derek Hughes; David Israel PLUS transport professionals included in New Year's Honours...

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STOP JEERING FROM THE SIDELINES [Download]
First Group's finance director Dean Finch hits back at critics who say the company has overbid for Greater Western and Thameslink.

NEWS ANALYSIS: VIRGIN IS READY FOR CROSSCOUNTRY FIGHT [Download]
Virgin has run the 1,600-mile CrossCountry franchise since it was privatised in 1997.But now Richard Branson's company has a battle on its hands to retain Britain's only national rail network. Alan Whitehouse reports

FEATURE: MAKING TRACKS AFTER 43 YEARS [Download]
On the eve of his retirement, Stagecoach executive Graham Eccles gives an astonishingly frank interview to Paul Clifton.

COMMENT: TIME TO THINK BIG [Download]
Network Rail says there is no room for extra freight services on the east coast main line. EWS planning director Graham Smith disagrees.

COMMENT: SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE [Download]
Why is the south-east and Scotland receiving so much rail investment when two of Britain's fastest growing cities are in Yorkshire, ask Alan Whitehouse.

RAIL PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW: JOHN ARMITT [Download]
John Armitt, chief executive of Network Rail, tells Chris Randall why creating extra capacity has overtaken improving performance as the railways number one priority.

FEATURE: IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM, COPY 'EM [Download]
Long distance train operators are copying the airlines in a bid to woo more passengers. Paul Coleman reports.

FEATURE: A RETURN TO THE BAD OLD DAYS [Download]
Peter Plisner reports on growing industrial unrest in the rail industry.

FEATURE: A VIEW FROM ACROSS THE POND [Download]
US correspondent Michael Weinman is on his travels again, this time to China.

LEGAL OPINION: ACCESS ALL AREAS [Download]
The legal team at Denton Wilde Sapte report on new European legislation affecting licensing and access for UK train operators.

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INSTITUTION OF RAILWAY OPERATORS [Download]
Jim Summers puts the case for a new northsouth rail link
Plus members' news and IRO diary

RAIL BUSINESS AWARDS: THE BEST OF 2005 [Download]
Our 36-page preview details all the entries being considered by the judges in the following categories:
Safety and Security : Rail Supplier
Station Excellence : Marketing Campaign
Rolling Stock Excellence : Information Technology
Internal Communications : PR Campaign :
Engineering Excellence : Business Manager
and Train Operator

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES [Download]
A regular round-up of key resources.

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RECRUITMENT [Download]
Jobs with Westinghouse Rail, Ellis Fairbank, Department for Transport, Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, London Rail, and Resourcing Solutions

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