Steamiest deal: Bedfordshire firm Brignalls Balderston Warren acted for Christopher Young in his purchase for an undisclosed sum of the Colne Valley Railway in north Essex, which has been transformed over the past 30 years into a working historic railway using luxury Pullman coaches, with a station at Castle Hedingham. Essex firm Wortley Byers acted for Dick and Jayne Hymas, who rebuilt the line together with volunteers.

Most freewheeling deal: Stockport firm Gorvins advised four travel industry executives - Richard Atkinson, Lars Thuesen, Richard Hearn and Mike Bruce-Mitford - on their investment of an undisclosed sum in Country Lanes, which currently operates cycle hire and touring centres in the New Forest, Lake District and Yorkshire. Hertfordshire firm Levy & Co represented Country Lanes.


Most strategic deal: City firm Wallace acted for US firm Whittaker Garnier - which provides contact, document and information management products for the alternative investment industry - on its sale to another US company, Strategic Financial Solutions, which was advised by US firm O'Melveny & Myers.


Most mobile deal: City firm Ashurst and US practice Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson are acting for NTL on the cable company's £962 million recommended bid for Virgin Mobile, advised by Allen & Overy. Herbert Smith is advising Virgin Group.


Hippest deal: London firm Davenport Lyons advised Fintage House, an entertainment rights protection company, on its acquisition of various music publishing rights, through which it will control the composer rights and subsequent royalties for various tracks from hip-hop star Eminem. The deal was partly financed by Coutts, which was advised by national firm Addleshaw Goddard.


Most driven deal: London property firm Forsters acted for Halifax Life on its £13 million acquisition of Brooks Retail Park in Ruislip, north-west London, from Volkswagen Group, which was advised by regional firm Shoosmiths.


Most capital deal: City firm Macfarlanes and an in-house legal team advised ICAP, the world's largest interdealer broker, on its $800 million (£445 million) acquisition of EBS Group, the foreign exchange and commodities platform owned by a group of banks. City firm Slaughter and May advised EBS's shareholders.