TRACTION 231 and TRACTION MODELLING

[steverabone]

 

TRACTION issue 231 is published on Friday 4th December

 

 

Welcome to the first issue of TRACTION for 2016. As this issue is actually published in December, I’d like to wish all our readers, contributors and advertisers a Happy Christmas and a successful and prosperous 2016.

 

   From this issue, TRACTION is being published again by Warners Group Publications. It is our intention to continue with the existing and highly successful format of the magazine, and develop it further, to ensure that TRACTION retains its place as the leading British magazine for enthusiasts interested in the classic days of diesel and electric motive power.

 

2015 has been an interesting one for Britain’s railways with numerous positive developments. One of these was the return of locomotive hauled services on the Cumbrian Coast line, with Class 37s delighting enthusiasts with their vigorous starts from stations. However, a recent book, the ‘Regional Railways Story’ makes thought provoking reading. I know that many of you miss the days of locomotive hauled passenger services: Class 37/4s in the Scottish Highlands, Class 33s on the Cardiff to Manchester trains, Class 47s over the Pennines, and Class 50s out of Waterloo on Exeter trains. Magic!

 

 Reading this book by Gordon Pettitt (the former managing director of Regional Railways) and Nicholas Comfort, it becomes clear that, but for the replacement of locomotive hauled trains by modern DMUs, it’s more than likely that most of the regional services would have closed. Like many of TRACTION’s readers, I’m saddened that locomotive haulage has largely disappeared, but as an avid railway enthusiast I have to say it was the right way forward. Read the book and let me know what you think!

 

In this issue Gavin Bland starts on a journey around the Midlands and North of England in ‘RAIL ROVER 1988’. Chris Cole’s feature records an unusual, but regular, freight operation on the Settle and Carlisle in ‘RUNNING AROUND AT BLEA MOOR’.

 

 Railwayman Garry Morris describes his experiences as a second man in ‘BANKING TO EXETER CENTRAL’ whilst Driver Mick Humphrys starts a major serialised article about his ‘LIFE AT WILLESDEN TRACTION MAINTENANCE DEPOT’.

 

David Hayes, describes the history of one of the longest operating freight train flows in Britain in ‘REMEMBERING THE CLAYLINER’.   Peter Cooper recalls the warm welcome he received from German railwaymen in ‘TIMEWARP DUISBURG WEDAU 1986-1988’. As well as lots of electric locomotives, the German Class 221 ‘Warships’ could be found here on heavy freights.

Glasgow ‘EASTFIELD DEPOT’ was one of the editor’s favourite depots to visit back in the days when a permit could be obtained from the Scottish Region by simply writing to the Scottish Region’s head office. Gavin Morrison’s photographs and Alex Fisher’s depot track plan may tempt you to try and model this depot in its 1970’s and 1980’s heyday. In ‘BUILDING A DIESEL SERVICING DEPOT’ Mike Potter shows how to build a simple model from scrap materials.

 

Colin Boocock looks across the Irish Sea at some of the early attempts at modernisation of Ireland’s railways in ‘THE GARDNER-WALKER DIESEL RAILCARS’.

 

Turning to TRACTION MODELLING, we have an article for all of you who say you have no room for a layout. David Smythe decided that he would start to build ‘virtual’ model railways on his computer screen. His chosen layout ‘PITY ME’ is inspired by a location near Durham and can be operated just like the real thing.

In the second part of  ‘PARCELS TRAFFIC FOR THE MODELLER’, Kier Hardy shows us some parcels train action on his layout and the wide variety of models he has assembled to replicate these long gone workings.

 

TRACTION issue 232 will be published on the 5th February 2016.

[SteveCole]

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[John M Upton]

Nice issue, liked the Eastfield Depot feature in particular and the parcels stock in the modelling section.  Not at all keen on the train simulator stuff though, not proper modelling in my view.