Live Rail

Every Live Rail contains both topical and historical information about the development and operation of the third rail system. It is produced in a high quality A5 format with six issues each year, published in February, April, June, August, October and December. A one year subscription to the Southern Electric Group will bring six consecutive issues.

Every edition of Live Rail has a Regional Review section and this is comprised of six to eight pages devoted to day to day happenings, services, infrastructure and the trains themselves in the Southern Electric area under the following sections:
Stock Notes
A round up of changes in unit depot allocations and reformations, new deliveries and withdrawals, liveries, paint schemes and many other details concerning the Southern Electric trains of today.
Interesting Workings
Notable irregular workings such as diversions, oddly formed trains, etc.
Incidents
A summary of events affecting services and travel in the electrified area.
Track and Signalling
A look at infrastructure alterations, revised track layouts, new signals, etc.
Timetables and Diagrams
Reviews of changes to scheduled services and the booked train types.
Ticketing and Fares
News about fare changes, ticket types, etc.
Around the Region
News and information about anything that does not fit the above!

Other regular features in most, if not all, editions of Live Rail are:
Group News
Information for members activities, meetings, working party dates for unit 3142, feedback from the management committee and preservation company, etc.
Letters
Group members air their views on Group and Southern Electric matters.
Members’ Queries
Ranges from anything in the FAQ category through members seeking data for research through to those obscure details.
Meeting Reports
Resumés of Southern Electric Group meetings, seminars and presentations.
Modelling Update
Information, articles and news about modelling the Southern Electric System
Preservation Update
Reports of the work done by the Preservation Team restoring 4Cor 3142.

DETAILS CURRENT EDITION    *   CONTENTS OF RECENT PAST EDITIONS

LIVE RAIL IS (OVER) 200!

In October 2004 Live Rail celebrated its 200th edition which contained a special supplement with an overview of the Southern Electric fleet as of August 2004.  Part of this supplement will be published on this website as a special feature through 2005. Below is illustrated a selection of Live Rail covers at very 50th edition from the first to the 200th.  The first Live Rail was published in October 1970 and was six sides of A4 produced on a duplicator.  Live Rail 16 in January 1974 was the first in the now familiar A5 printed format. This was introduced by the editor of the time Nicholas Owen, now better known as the presenter of the ITN's ITV Lunchtime News. Under a succession of editors from its first edition Live Rail has continued to go from strength to strength.