Digital Archives

[EddieB]

Whether it's for research or enjoyable reading material, obtaining copies of old engineering and railway magazines can be challenging, costly or cause headaches with storage space.  One solution can be to join a railway society that has a well-stocked library, but access can be limited and postal loans of bound volumes can become expensive.  Thankfully a number of historic publications are now being digitised, with access on-line or available as a DVD for purchase.

 

Here are some I have come across (so tends to reflect my interests).  Please add to this list so as to compile a database of available resources.  

 

Please don't post here about current magazines available as digital subscriptions - these are covered in the relevant section.  Likewise downloadable PDF versions of recent UK and foreign railway magazines from Eastern European websites (in breach of copyright).

 

1. Railway Magazine

 

Currently a work in progress, eventually to make the entire RM archive available on-line.  At present something like 951 issues have been scanned, dating back to the very first edition from 1897 (which also given away as a facsimile with a recent issue).  There are some large gaps (1920s and 1930s) as well as some later "missing" issues.  Access at http://www.railwaymagazine.co.uk/archive/ is available only to current subscribers of the magazine with an additional annual charge (list of available issues available free of charge).

 

2. Trains (US)

 

A complete run covering seventy years from the magazine's inception in 1940 through to 2010 on DVD-ROM is available for $149 (+ $13.50 shipping outside USA/Canada) from the current publishers, Kalmbach:.  https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/product/dvd/15100

 

3. Great Eastern Railway Magazine/LNER Magazine/British Railways (Eastern Region) Magazine

 

These were staff magazines that carried a range of articles and news of interest to railway employees.  Complete runs of all three magazines are available as DVD sets from the Great Eastern Railway Society (http://www.gersociety.org.uk/index.php/home/sales).  Members of the GERS enjoy a discount.

 

4. East African Railways and Harbours Staff Magazine

 

On the subject of staff magazines, a set of EAR&H ones are available as PDFs on what is also a really wonderful website: http://www.mccrow.org.uk/eastafrica/eastafricanrailways/indexEAR.htm

 

5. The Railway & Travel Monthly 1910-1922

 

A short-lived rival to Railway Magazine, with similar content.  Available from GERS sales (as above, members' discount).

 

6. Great Eastern Journal/Great Eastern News

 

The Great Eastern Railway Society has issued its members' journal and newsletters in PDF form on DVD/CD - only available to GERS members.

 

7. The Engineer

 

An incomplete run of bound volumes from volume 1 (1856) to volume 258 (1984) is accessible (free) at http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/The_Engineer_(Bound_Volumes). The archive is complete from 1856 to 1969.  Single issues are also available (listed by subject): http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/The_Engineer

 

8. Engineering

 

Another work in progress and also available free at http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Engineering_(Bound_Volumes)

 

(Grace's Guide also has digitised copies of The Engineering Times 1898-1899, Mechanics Magazine (in progress) and The Autocar

 

9. The Locomotive (US)

 

While searching for an archive of the highly-respected UK journal, I found this listing on e-Bay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Locomotive-Magazine-Vintage-Railroading-History-Magazine-PDF-CD-DVD-E48-/161934421658.  No idea as to content or quality!

[Blandford1969]

Great idea,

 

The Caley society also have a CD of their entire magazine run available for both members and non members - they also have various drawings on CD as well.

 

Hopefully the UK version of the Locomotive will be done in due course as that had lots of good engineering drawings

Edited October 4, 2016 by Blandford1969

[EddieB]

Hopefully the UK version of the Locomotive will be done in due course as that had lots of good engineering drawings

That's the one I'd most like to see made available.  It went from being The Locomotive Magazine to The Locomotive Magazine and Railway Carriage and Wagon Review, before turning into Trains Illustrated and Modern Railways.  So far, I've only seen digital copies apparently downloadable from "dodgy" sites.

[bgman]

Strangely I was wondering, as you do, when the original RMWeb became archived and the current version came into being.

Does anyone know ?

 

Yours

A.R.Chive

Edited October 4, 2016 by bgman

[EddieB]

Well I'm excited by the news that the early run of the Locomotive Magazine (up to 1923) will shortly be available (mid March) as digital scans from the Great Eastern Railway Society.  The scans are searchable PDF files, and will be available through the society's e-shop.  The content is on two DVDs and is to be priced at £10 (members), £15 (non members), plus postage - in other words less than you'd expect to pay for a single bound volume without the overheads of storage).  There will also be a free downloadable index on the same site.

[CloggyDog]

For US model(l)ers, there are a number of online magazine resources.

 

The TrainLife site has legitimate copies of various defunct magazines available - Prototype Modeler, Mainline Modeler, Rail Model Journal, etc. https://www.trainlife.com/pages/the-magazine-library

 

And some of the US Railroad Historical Societies produce a modellers magazine (either regular or occasional) - some only have the most recent few copies freely available (older ones can be purchased):

 

Pennsy RR: http://www.prrths.com/newprr_files/newPRRKeystoneModeler.htm

New York Central: https://nycshs.org/for-the-modeler/nycentral-modeler/

B&O: http://borhs.org/ModelerMag/

Seaboard/Atlantic Coastline: http://www.aclsal.org/seaboard-coast-line-modeler.html

Nickel Plate: http://nkphts.org/modelersnotebook/

 

 

 

 

[EddieB]

On 19/02/2019 at 14:09, EddieB said:

Well I'm excited by the news that the early run of the Locomotive Magazine (up to 1923) will shortly be available (mid March) as digital scans from the Great Eastern Railway Society.  The scans are searchable PDF files, and will be available through the society's e-shop.  The content is on two DVDs and is to be priced at £10 (members), £15 (non members), plus postage - in other words less than you'd expect to pay for a single bound volume without the overheads of storage).  There will also be a free downloadable index on the same site.

 

Important news update

 

The Great Eastern Railway Society has recently released Part 2 covering the Locomotive Magazine 1924-1953.  Content is available as a DVD, with prices held at £10 (members), £15 (non members), plus postage or the same prices (without postage) as a digital download.

 

https://www.gersociety.org.uk/index.php/files-emporium-home/p-1500-lcm2-dvd-the-locomotive-magazine-part-2-1924-1953

 

Part 1 is still available (DVD or download).

 

[EddieB]

Another update!

 

Part 3, covering the final instalment of the Locomotive Magazine (1954-1959) up to its absorption into Trains Illustrated has just been released by the Great Eastern Railway Society.  It is only available as a download (1.2 GB) from the society's website (no DVD option this time).  The download includes some "specials" missed from previous editions and a complete run of "Locomotives and Railways" from 1900 to 1903, along with some fascinating historical notes.  As before, the image files are professionally produced, indexed and searchable.

 

Priced at £5.00 (members and non-members), I think it's a bargain.  (No connection other than as a long-standing member of the GERS).

 

Further information and ordering here:

 

https://www.gersociety.org.uk/files-emporium-home/p-1518-lcm3-dl-the-locomotive-magazine-part-3-1954-1959-and-1894-1913-as-a-download
 

 

[john new]

Any article from the SLS Journal archive can be scanned/copied for members on request to the Librarian. A vast archive of railway history as I am just editing the last edition for the year of Vol 99.