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I was really chuffed to get this game. Chuff, chuff, chuffed in fact. There are flight simulators, motor racing simulators, space simulators - but never a steam train simulator. Until now, that is.

Hewson Consultants - better known for the Avalon/Dragontorc arcade adventures - have gone out on a limb to produce Southern Belle, an authentic recreation of what it was like to drive a steam train from London to Brighton! You couldn't really get more original than that now, could you?

The object of the game is to drive the Southern Belle - in real life a King Arthur Class 4-6-0 steam engine from the 1930s - from Victoria Station to Brighton, keeping to the timetable, watching out for hazards and making sure that you don't blow the poor old Belle's boiler up!

Now, that might sound a trifle ordinary to those of you out there not into steam engines - but far from it. Once you've loaded the game into your steam-powered Spectrum and marvelled at the neat graphics, you'll be hooked for at least the next four. That's how long it should take you to reach Brighton - in computer time anyway. Remember... we're getting there!

There are seven levels of play - ranging from a training run where you learn all about stoking the boiler and the use of the various controls you find on the footplate. The program enables you to take charge of any number of these controls. So you could just look after the stoking and the whistle - or go all out for total control on any of the game options.

But beware! You'll need to spend some time reading the comprehensive instructions that come with the game to get the most out of it.

The graphics are vector-line style and very effective. The footplate of the loco looks good too - with the firedoor opening and closing to reveal a blazing fire.

At the bottom of the screen is a message board which informs you of any important happenings on the track ahead and on the right hand side you see information such as the time, signals and the state of your coal and water supplies. The signal icon toggles between a gradient indicator - so you can tell when to get a bit more speed up.

Overall, Southern Belle is a brave attempt at producing an original game. If you've always wanted to drive a steam train - and who hasn't? - this is a good way to fulfill your dreams.