Do you read Traction? We want your views...

[SteveCole]

Hi all,

We're doing a bit of research into Traction magazine and wanted to get some views from Traction readers/ We'll be posting a few of these questions over the next weeks to help us further improve the magazine.

Question 1: What are your main reasons for buying Traction magazine?

Question 2: Are there any particular types of article (for example: foreign, modelling, news, books reviews etc) that you really dislike?

Thanks,

Steve

 

['CHARD]

Buy it for the Archers spoilers.

 

Dislike the guest editors, especially Red Diesel.

 

[russ p]

I was an avid traction reader from day one submitting articles and photos and arranging David B to name D6732

The problem is that the material is drying up for new articles.

I still buy it when something interests me in it.

I love articles about the early days of diesels and electrics , historical articles and stories by railwaymen.

I'm not overly keen on spotters articles and if they start talking in trainspotters speak it goes on the fire!

Modelling is a bit dull as its only small and there are other mags for that.

Preservation so so

I would personally like to see it become a kind of back track for diesels and electrics but it would be hard to source sufficient content for this.

I like a magazine to have a decent amount of reading content not just a collection of photos as modern railways pictorial was .

I hope this is of help

[br2975]

Question 1: What are your main reasons for buying Traction magazine?

 

Question 2: Are there any particular types of article (for example: foreign, modelling, news, books reviews etc) that you really dislike?

 

A bit tongue in cheek, but here's my two-pennyworth.

 

Answer 1: I don't. Well not regularly - but by reverse logic, now, I only buy "Traction" when I find an article that attracts my attention, or arouses my interest.

 

Answer 2:  This is probably an 'age thing' but I could never grasp the concept of 'bashing' a class of locos, or lines, or worse still all this 'flailing' and 'mi lords !' mularky -  so, stories about some poor soul spending his summer holiday, living on pasties and not showering or changing his shreddies for a week whilst on an all line rail rover doesn't really do it for me.

                  Much prefer insider articles such as the series that was run several years ago about the chap who was a guard in the Bristol area.

                  Or operational articles

                  Personally I'm stuck in a time warp of the 'transitional era and pre-TOPS' (it's still 1971 in my man cave) which seems to pre-date the majority of articles in 'Traction' .

.

Brian R

[tractionman]

Hi Steve,

 

Q1,I have had a subscription for a fair few years, the reason for me is Traction is one of a kind and provides a nice nostalgia fix.

 

Q2, as others above have said, I think the modelling section is the weakest part, but recently there's been some nice modelling shown and linked nicely to prototype, which is good. I like tales from the good old days most, especially BR traction in the sixties and seventies.

 

Keep up the good work!

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

[Kelly]

1, I don't buy it, I occasionally have a flick through, but as funds are tight I tend to be very choosy about buying magazines these days, so unless it has a article that grabs my attention it goes ignored mostly. However I did enjoy this month's as Natalie bought it tgen realised she had it already so it got donated to the pile of magazines.

 

2, I think dropping the modeling section might work. It is too small to be worthwhile, and with brm from you already I don't see much point as it just feels a bit crammed in to hit a tick box for content.

 

I did like the bit on Middleton though, it could have done with being bigger being my only negative observation really. The bearings article was good, as was the Australian one I found. I don't have much interest in spotter or bashing type articles as I've never really seen the appeal.

 

This is based on reading one issue of a magazine I'd not read otherwise.

[MarshLane]

Hi all,

 

We're doing a bit of research into Traction magazine and wanted to get some views from Traction readers/ We'll be posting a few of these questions over the next weeks to help us further improve the magazine.

 

Question 1: What are your main reasons for buying Traction magazine?

 

Question 2: Are there any particular types of article (for example: foreign, modelling, news, books reviews etc) that you really dislike?

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

Hi Steve,

 

Q1: Never been a subscriber, but usually pick it up in WH Smiths or wherever I see it and wander through. If there's an article of interest (1980s/early 1990s) or local to me, i'll buy it.  I find the content isn't as good as it use to be in the early days - no disrespect to the editor or writers, I think its just what is around these days that hasn't already been covered?  Having said that, Im not convinced its been as good since David Brown left - again no disrespect to anyone, every editor is bound to have their own view etc...

 

Q2: For me, get the modelling out of there.  If I want modelling, i'll buy a modelling mag .. however, I can appreciate the modelling side brings ad revenue which is vital to anything these days.  Personally I love the behind-the-scenes and insiders view articles, and enjoy the 'bashing' articles, although was never able to do it myself, reading them always brings home the variety of motive power that was about in the 70s/80s.  I don't really look at book reviews or anything foreign, but thats just me!  The only other comment I would make is I prefer photo features that have some substance to them - i.e. on a topic with a bit of background to the topic (nothing War & Peace! But more than just captions) - rather than being a collection of related images.

 

None of the above is criticism in anyway, I do like Traction and buy it on the occasion i find something that interests me.

 

Rich

[John M Upton]

For me, I agree with the 'make it a diesel/electric version of BackTrack.  Lose the modelling section, maybe just have a relevant article/page or two linking to BRM mag (may get a few more buyers of BRM then) also lose the overseas stuff and anything involving nitwits sticking their heads out of windows, someone sadly recently found out the hard way what happens when they do that...

[Matt]

Steve,

 

I buy most issues, particularly in last few years.

 

1. My main reason for buying is for the articles on historical operations - particularly enjoyed the articles on being a guard in the 80s, and the articles by current and former drivers on their early career experiences.  Colin Boococks articles on his career experiences (maintenance / commissioning / fault finding have been fascinating too).

 

2.  Similar to others have said, not that keen on overseas articles, book reviews, preservation etc.  As a subscriber to several other mags its simply that it is done better (and more frequently) elsewhere.  I don't usually find much of interest in the bashing / train performance articles either TBH although some have been good.  The modelling part for me is always a bit disappointing as well - I actually would like this to continue but as stands I have found some of the articles not really detailed enough, or not up to say BRM quality.  As someone who bought all issues of MRM a few years back, I was disappointed this didn't continue but wonder whether inspiration could be taken from the format/content of that excellent publication and embedded into Traction Modelling? 

 

I do feel guilty making some of comments above as I appreciate the challenge in gleaning interesting and quality articles on the past from a small pool of sources (and I'm afraid as someone who is too young to have lived these experiences I cannot contribute myself) - I have to say though that it is because of the very high quality / interest of the articles that you have published that I always keep buying.

 

M

[Guest 40-something]

I've only read it a couple of times, most recently when it was given away free with BRM

 

Im sad to say that I found it very dull, especially the modelling section which seems to be shoe-horned in.  Basher and spotter articles put me off.

 

My interests lie in early 70s & late 80's UK, early 70's europe & US, if I found a mag which featured articles on all those then I'd buy it!

[griffgriff]

1 It nostalgic towards the era of my youth.

 

2 I would prefer if it stuck to its core values. Reminiscences of the D&E era from both sides of the fence. The steam nostalgia mags (all of them) can find plenty of material. I admit they have a wider time scale to cover and more to record but surely many fewer witnesses. I was born days after mainline steam finished but Aall of us here will remember BR even if it's just an old sign or misplaced NSE bin.There is a treasure trove out there waiting.

 

Griff

[tractionman]

I think that's a really good point there Griff about the steam nostalgia mags - I picked up Steam Days yesterday, getting to be a regular purchase for me even though I have no direct memory of BR steam the quality of the magazine's images, the well-written articles, and excellent repro make is an attractive product - I read it to learn about steam days and as modelling inspiration.

 

Traction - from its title - to me should be about D&E traction, the locomotives, their drivers, maintenance, their engineering, their histories etc. Backtrack does a good job of covering railway esoteria such as silver plate from the Caledonian Railway, which is the sort of thing that does not float my boat so I rarely buy it, unless it has a good LMS article or something on D&E, which Backtrack sometimes does, it's a very wide ranging historical mag - blimey some of the articles even have footnotes!

 

I'm not sure Backtrack is a good model for Traction - perhaps Steam Days as a model is one closer to what I would like to see in a D&E magazine.

 

One thing I would like most from Traction though is a return to it being a monthly magazine!

 

all the best,

 

Keith

[fozzy280472]

It's interesting that this topic has come up as I am a subscriber and have every issue in the loft. Sadly I'm at the stage where I'm considering not renewing my subscription when the time comes . My reasons why are as follows ,

I'm not interested in spotting articles telling me how someone saw ten 47s at X shed on X date. I'm not really bothered with reading about people chasing certain loco classes across the country and the general twatishness that goes with it .I have stated this before on similar topics but I'm not too interested in reading about foreign stuff in what's supposed to be a magazine about British traction.

I quite enjoyed the recent modelling article on converting coaches to motorail flats , maybe if a modelling section is to be part of the magazine how about concentrating on one single layout, conversion ,detailing project per issue rather than cram in a couple of lightweight articles.

I absolutely love reading about the driver,fitter,guard,operations people's careers.

I like articles on class or prototype histories , how about more histories on DMU or EMU or coaches and Wagons ?

How about articles on infrastructure past and present , as a poster above said there's absolutely tonnes of stuff to make into articles.

Sometimes I read back through old back issues and there does seem to be something missing from today's offerings.

Just my opinions and not meant as any kind of rant or insult to anyone.

[MarshLane]

It is interesting reading the varied (and valid) responses to a basic question and maybe highlights the big differences in the hobby? I've always felt that during the 60s and 70s enthusiasts (spotters back then probably) were the main people who would have or want a model railway, move forward 40-50 years and it's this generation who are (in the main) keeping the transition era/steam/diesel modelling alive, as it's what they remember.

 

Come into the mid-late 70s/1980s and a new generation appeared, perhaps with a bit more money to spend who enjoyed riding more than spotting, and while many are interested in modelling, it's my experience from friends and people I know, that this group (whom I've always felt Traction is aimed at) are less likely to be active modellers. They may have their favourite locos in a cabinet or something.

 

I wonder therefore, if the same question has been asked on other non-model forums and whether a different style of answer has been provided?

 

All interesting stuff however!

 

Rich

[EddieB]

Were it not for the despising of all things foreign, I would have agreed with many of the previous responses!

 

I buy the magazine occasionally and - in contrast to other posts here - usually when there is some worthwhile overseas content (meaning that someone's taken the trouble to do a bit of research beyond showing off their holiday snaps).  Overseas historic/classic diesel/electric traction is otherwise poorly covered in the UK (except in the rare instances where the "Railway Magazine" carries a feature article) - does anyone else have an interest?

 

As others have said, the modelling angle does nothing for me and trainspotters' logs are both boring and overdone (too much space generally, including steam bashes in other mags).  Preservation is covered beyond saturation in other magazines.  I'd say be careful with railwaymen's reminiscences - they can be good, but you can easily get too much of a good thing.  (The US magazine "Trains" usually has a few short pieces - I think that do it pretty well)  Babies and bathwater, however - enthusiasts' accounts can be interesting if they have wider historical interest - personal observations of a little-visited branch-line or cross-country route (prototype material with appeal to modellers).

[Grampus]

Hi Steve,

 

               I am a long-time Traction Reader, having bought every edition since the first one ( - and the binders to keep them all in one  place!).  It is also probably worth stating at the outset that I still look forward eagerly to the arrival of the latest edition.  Answers as follows:

 

1)  Reasons for purchase: chiefly nostalgia, since the mag often features stuff on my main period of interest - ie late 70s/early 80s.  However, I also particularly like the reminiscences of former railwaymen since I find the human dimension fascinating: as much as I enjoy reading about the hardware, it is enlightening to read the 'warts and all' accounts of those whose job it was to operate it, come rain, come shine.

 

2) Dislikes?  Precious few, if I'm honest and nothing that hasn't been said already.  I think that you could safely do away with the modelling pages and stick to your core business: with a few notable exceptions, modelling coverage has been better delivered by the specialists.  Equally, sad to say I have little interest in reading about non-UK railways in 'Traction': whilst I have a particular fondness for US railroading, if I want to read about US practices I tend to look to 'Trains' and 'Model Railroader'.  However, as in all things, balance is required.  I have no great aversion to the occasional foray overseas.  I quite enjoy the occasional look back at long-distance spotting marathons, which remind me of ancient school railway society trips  by minibus to such exotic locations as Bescot, Swindon and Tinsley; however, not really enamoured with the 'Bashing' content, but that's just me.  I accept that others enjoy it and the hobby is a broad church.  

 

Overall, whilst I acknowledge the difficulties involved in continually turning up new copy, as others have said previously, stick to your core business; leave the modelling and the interational stuff to others.  Please do keep up the good work though.

 

Kind Regards, 

 

Paul

[rob D2]

I currently have a subscription, which I renewed after a long time away.

 

Fairly similar views to the majority - I don't mind the modelling and TBH when your trying to find articles potentially from a long time back I guess extra pages are needed.

 

I also enjoy any insider view or operations stuff.

 

Not bothered by the trainspotter lists or trips - it's too personal nostalgia and they speak a language I don't.

 

I think it must be hard to find enough content every two months let alone one !

[Daddyman]

Interesting thread. Traction was a magazine I used to read and like a lot, but that was in the days of accounts of the WHL in winter, and the accounts by the young guard in Scotland, which ran over a few months. The modelling pages to me always felt like a treat, and I liked the fact that they were at the back of the magazine, meaning that I savoured the delay as I read through the rest of the magazine. Unlike others, I actually liked the spotting stuff on occasion. Feeling the writer's anticipation was quite exciting. But those types of thing are hard to do well - there'd have to be something dramatic happen to make the account worth reading; otherwise, they just become a list of numbers.

 

Now, I admit my own prejudices are well-defined, though not entirely rigid: I have little interest in anything from the south, by which I mean anything south of a line from Carlisle to York. Having said that, Backtrack has often been able to interest me in the railways of the south, and I've even bought the magazine on occasion when there was nothing northern it it. Their articles just seem so much more readable. Perhaps it's the footnotes! 

 

But Traction was a magazine I'd almost totally forgotten about. I suppose that was a result of months and months of flicking through it in the newsagent's and seeing nothing of interest in it. That's not just nothing northern - as I've said, I'll read interesting articles about the south - but nothing interesting. And that is, if you think about it, quite a spectacular failure on Traction's part: 50-odd years of diesel traction at your disposal and you can't generate interest. 

 

I cared so much about the magazine that I even went to my newsagent today intending to buy it, to help you in your research. However, what I found was shockingly bad, and I ended up leaving it on the shelves. If that's what it's come to, its loss would be no loss. 

 

As to what you can do, of the suggestions above, the idea of becoming the diesel Backtrack is the one that appeals most to me. However, I imagine that's probably easier said than done.