Just a line to wish everyone on this group a very Happy Christmas and a
hopefully prosperous New Year.

2008 saw a lot of changes, not least in the EMU preservation sphere of things,
much of it for the good.

2009 we should see a consolidation of those changes with (in no particular
order...)

The Eden Valley Railway CEPs and MLVs up and running again.

The CIGs at Eastleigh continuing to be worked on.

Possibly the first operation of three of 1399's coaches in service in
preservation for the first time as 1496 at the Pontypool + Blaenavon Railway. .

Hopefully MLV 9008 forming part of an operational train at the East Kent Railway
for the first time in years...

...And of course, the works continuing on 1198 which since the move to the
Pontypool +Blaenavon Railway in May 2008, has already done more hours in service
there than in three whole years at Dartmoor!

The Electrification discussion continues in the background. Sooner or later the
environmental and financial reality of running an electric service on a
community or preserved line will require a wider discussion, but until that day
the arguments against it continue to be recorded along with the goal of a
minimum of at least four answers to each objection.

In the meantime all that's left for me at present is to wish everyone once again
a very Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

Albert

------------------