Traction 236

[SteveCole]

Hi,

 

The new issue of Traction magazine goes on-sale in shops next Friday (October 7th). It's now on-sale via our website with FREE UK postage whilst stocks last. Click here to find out what's inside.

 

It's also available to download as a Digital Edition. Click here.

 

Thanks all. Enjoy the issue.

 

Steve

 

[steverabone]

I'm sure that as well as hearing from our publisher Steve Cole with the news that the latest edition of TRACTION is available, I thought readers would also like to know in a little more detail about the contents of TRACTION 236.

 

To start the wheels rolling we begin with a feature about the East Anglian railway location of March in the days of Speedlink and Enterprise freight trains. In ‘SPEEDLINK TO ENTERPRISE’ Mark Brammer charts the turbulent course of freight operations in this part of the country.

 

Andrew James looks at the performance of the preserved former Hastings Line diesel electric multiple unit No. 1001 on excursion trains in ‘OUT AND ABOUT WITH 1001, THE ‘GREEN MACHINE’’.

 

‘THE LIFE STORY OF 58001’ is the subject of an article by Alex Fisher following the history of the first member of the Class 58s through from its construction to its use during the building of the high speed lines in France.

 

In ‘SOUTHERN LOCOMOTIVE FINALE’ John Petley traces the increased use of locomotive haulage on the former Southern Region that happened in the 1980s, followed by its inexorable decline in the late 1990s.

 

In TRACTION MODELLING I look at one of my favourite railway locations in ‘MACHYNLLETH - A MID-WALES RAILWAY CENTRE’. Although I didn’t visit during the years of the Class 25 and 37 hauled Summer Saturday holiday trains, I’ve always felt it would make a marvellous subject for a medium sized layout, especially in N Gauge.

 

A modeller who is equally fascinated by a real location is Andy Gibbs. In ‘KENSINGTON OLYMPIA - THE CARFLAT EARTH SOCIETY’ we begin what is hoped will be a series of articles about the layout’s construction.

 

In one of those amazing coincidences that sometimes occur, driver Mick Humphrys also submitted his article ‘MANNING THE MOTORAILS’ at the same time as Andy. And where did Mick work as a second man: on Class 25s hauling Motorail trains to Kensington Olympia!

 

Electric multiple units don’t seem to attract the photographer’s interest as much as perhaps they deserve but, fortunately, Gavin Morrison recorded the ‘GREAT EASTERN EMUS’ not only on their original workings out of Liverpool Street but also when some were later transferred to work in the north of England.

 

This issue’s overseas article by Colin Boocock looks at the ‘EARLY BELGIAN DIESELS’. This fascinating collection of locomotives deserves to be better known by British enthusiasts; some can still be found at work today.

 

Mention the word ‘hydraulics’ to many enthusiasts and memories of ‘Westerns’ on expresses in the West Country spring to mind. However, the various classes were also much used on less glamorous workings. In our photo feature ‘HYDRAULICS ON FREIGHT’ the spotlight is turned on some of these duties.
 

Stephen Rabone - editor TRACTION magazine

[ColinK]

I know there is a separate thread on research for this magazine, but one area it might want to research is 'how easy is it to obtain?'.

 

This issue looks interesting to me, but living in a rural area it is difficult to buy one from a shop. So the free postage in the UK seemed to be a useful option. But even to buy a single issue it requires you to set up an account. I've no wish to have an account, so a sale lost.

 

While a few months ago there was another interesting issue and a good offer on subscriptions. But the subscription offer started with the next edition and not the current issue which interested me. So I didn't bother, a sale and possible subscription lost.

 

If the publisher wants the magazine to sell well, it needs to make it easy and attractive to purchase.

[SteveCole]

I know there is a separate thread on research for this magazine, but one area it might want to research is 'how easy is it to obtain?'.

 

This issue looks interesting to me, but living in a rural area it is difficult to buy one from a shop. So the free postage in the UK seemed to be a useful option. But even to buy a single issue it requires you to set up an account. I've no wish to have an account, so a sale lost.

 

While a few months ago there was another interesting issue and a good offer on subscriptions. But the subscription offer started with the next edition and not the current issue which interested me. So I didn't bother, a sale and possible subscription lost.

 

If the publisher wants the magazine to sell well, it needs to make it easy and attractive to purchase.

 

Thanks for the message. I'm afraid that to buy anything from our website requires you to register (as do most websites I'm afraid). However, it really is very quick and simple and you can easily opt-out of receiving any emails from us. This will make buying a single issue, with free UK postage, very easy now and in the future.

 

If you do decide to subscribe, I would recommend that you ring our subscription department (01778 392012) and ask that your sub starts with the current magazine. Assuming we still have stock (which we do) this won't be a problem. We currently have a really strong offer available. Click here to see it. If you want to take advantage of this offer by ringing, to guarantee you get the current magazine, just call 01778 392012 and quote the promotion code: TRA/WINTER16

 

Hope this helps in some way,

 

Steve

[Paul W]

Can you tell me if the magazine subscribers are meant to get their latest copy of TRACTION  before it hits the shelves these days or not, as I thought this used to be the case.

 

If so then I haven't received mine yet and today is Friday, when it is on the shelves, and the really annoying bit is that  I live less than half of a mile from where the mag is printed and distributed from (Warner's).

 

Thanks

[Andy Y]

Can you tell me if the magazine subscribers are meant to get their latest copy of TRACTION  before it hits the shelves these days or not, as I thought this used to be the case.

 

If so then I haven't received mine yet and today is Friday, when it is on the shelves, and the really annoying bit is that  I live less than half of a mile from where the mag is printed and distributed from (Warner's).

 

Thanks

 

I will permit someone with more knowledge than me to answer that Paul but I think we should be cutting our carbon footprint and getting Steve to drop yours off on the way home.

[Paul W]

Cheers Andy, good idea.

 

Will that mean a reduction in by subscription costs too as you save on postage, and can you make sure Steve puts it in the U.S. mail box on the wall and not through the letterbox otherwise it will be a slobbery mess of doggy drool and ripped printed matter if our pooch gets her jaws around it.

 

Another annoying part is I deliver daily to Warner's too and often see the mag ready for despatch which whets the appetite slightly.

 

Look forward to reading it tomorrow hopefully.

 

Paul