TRACTION 234 and TRACTION MODELLING

[steverabone]

 

TRACTION issue 234 is published on Friday 3rd June.

 

The Class 50s have always had an enthusiastic following and certainly your editor fondly remembers them from their early days on the West Coast Main Line when they were, of course, known as the D400s. Overnight visits spent at Carlisle watching them on sleepers, parcels and Freightliners in the early 1970s and exhilarating double headed journeys over Shap are among my memories. I saw little of them when they moved to the Western Region and the Waterloo to Exeter line but this is, of course, where they really gained their loyal following.

In this issue we have two articles about the ‘50s’. The first, ‘THE LIFE STORY OF AJAX’ , by Paul Hill, traces the major events of 50046’s career, whilst the second looks at the Class 50 derivatives which were supplied by English Electric to the Portugese railways. Phil Barnes takes us to warmer climes in ‘THE PORTUGUESE RAILWAYS’ 1801 CLASS DIESELS: A PERSONAL RECOLLECTION’.

Colin Boocock’s early career in British Rail management is the subject of ‘IN AT THE DEEP END’. As traction maintenance engineer for the Doncaster Division, his responsibilities covered a wide range of locations and motive power types together with all the day to day problems of operating the railway. It’s a fascinating story.

Deane Baker’s tales of his train spotting have proved popular with readers and he returns with “IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED……….” “……..TRY, TRY AGAIN!” His problem was one that many will identify with: how to see that elusive last member of the class. In Deane’s case it was 87021 Robert the Bruce, which he finally tracked down at Stafford in 1985.

This issue’s modelling section is given over entirely to a truly superb 4mm scale layout “BLACK COUNTRY BLUES”. Set in the West Midlands, it shows the grimy reality of 1970s industrial Britain and the period in Britain’s railway history when the railways were still carrying a large amount of freight of all sorts.

As regular readers will know, freight in the Midlands is David Hayes’s main interest and in this issue we present the second part of his article about “NORTON JUNCTION AND THE LICHFIELD TO WALSALL LINE”. Accompanying the article is a superb selection of photographs by John Whitehouse and the late Michael Mensing.

In ‘THE OVERHAUL OF ‘HYMEK’ D7018’, the members of the Diesel & Electric Preservation Group describe the protracted overhaul of the locomotive after its serious failure in 1995. Hopefully the ‘Hymek’ will soon be pulling trains again.

With the changing nature of power generation in the UK it is becoming increasingly obvious that the days of coal trains on Britain’s railways are probably numbered. With the closure of the final deep mine in the UK, it seems appropriate that TRACTION doesn’t let this event pass unnoticed. Gavin Morrison’s photograph feature “COAL TRAINS IN YORKSHIRE” recaptures the days when King Coal still ruled the rails of that county and the enthusiast could see a succession of heavy trains heading between mine and power station.

Finally, I’d like to draw readers attention to our new website which is at: www.traction-magazine.co.uk

TRACTION 235 will be on sale on 5th August.

[SteveCole]

Here's a very special Traction subscription offer: https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/traction/promotions/tra%2fjulyjolly16

[ColinK]

Excellent offer and I was going to be tempted, but the drop down box doesn't have the option of getting the July/August issue.

[steverabone]

Excellent offer and I was going to be tempted, but the drop down box doesn't have the option of getting the July/August issue.

 

The offer runs from the the September/October issue.

 

Issue 234 (July/ August) is now in the shops and it is likely that many customers will already have bought that issue.