TRACTION 272

[steverabone]

 

TRACTION issue 272 is now available in digital format at the Pocket Mags website. The printed issue will be published on 30th September,

 

We start a two part series by David Hayes about the once vibrant traffic that brought milk from all over Britain to London. In the first part we concentrate on the 1960s and 1970s.

 

Some additional material to accompany this article is available on this page on RMweb. Click here to download a timetable of Milk Traffic at Kensington Olympia in 1968 and also a route map of a milk train to the West Country.

 

One of the more demanding tasks that any heritage group is undertaking at the moment is the re-creation of the former LMS designed Co-Co diesel No. 10000. Andrew Hoseason describes the background to the first British main line diesel and brings us up to date on progress using parts from a variety of sources.

 

In ‘Devon Scots’ Steve Carter presents a selection of photographs of the Class 47/7s when they moved from Scotland to work trains between London Waterloo and Exeter.

 

Ian Buck was involved in the gradual run down of the Metro-Cammell multiple units in the Glasgow and Manchester areas. He recalls their final days in traffic around Glasgow.

 

David Ratcliffe’s feature looks back at the variety of privately owned Mark 1 coaches on the main line after they had finished working on BR services.

 

In our last issue we covered the run down of loco haulage on Virgin Cross Country’s service. Richard Giles sent us some photos of the final weekend of summer Saturday trains to the West Country and we couldn’t resist a follow up feature!

 

Colin Boocock returns with a study of the rather overlooked, but fascinating, railway network in one of the smallest countries in Europe: Luxembourg. In the first part of this article he concentrates on the 1960s and 1970s.

 

The Aberdeen area freight scene is the focus of the images from Gavin Morrison’s collection.

 

In TRACTION MODELLING our featured layout is the superb TT gauge ‘Portsea’, inspired by Portsmouth Harbour, with green Southern Region electric multiple units and freight traffic to the

naval yard.

Edited September 23, 2022 by steverabone

[Grampus]

Another jolly good read this month, thank you.

 

I did enjoy the fascinating London Milk article and I'm looking forward to part 2, but I also liked the pictorial feature on the ex-Scottish 47s drafted in for the last years of loco-hauled Waterloo-Exeter trains; and I remember how grateful I was that the big railway was kind enough to send virtually all the remaining 47s I still needed for sight to me, rather than me having to go to them, which would have been a non-starter back then!

 

Best wishes,

 

Paul

[Pint of Adnams]

Not on sale in Morrisons or Tesco Diss, tried WHS today and despite the plethora of railway-related magazines stuffed onto the shelves not a copy of Traction in sight. Is it that popular?

 

I am confused! Ordering a back copy of this current issue (272) but the confirmation gives the correct months/year but states issue 151??? Order placed...

Edited October 10, 2022 by Pint of Adnams
Added information about ordering back issue

[steverabone]

I believe Traction isn't stocked in most supermarkets although it is in most WH Smiths. I suggest you ask somebody in the store if they normally stock it.

[David J Hayes]

On 10/10/2022 at 12:17, Pint of Adnams said:

Not on sale in Morrisons or Tesco Diss, tried WHS today and despite the plethora of railway-related magazines stuffed onto the shelves not a copy of Traction in sight. Is it that popular?

 

I am confused! Ordering a back copy of this current issue (272) but the confirmation gives the correct months/year but states issue 151??? Order placed...

I'VE experienced a similar situation myself in the past, "Pint of Adnams". A local newsagent to me stocks several railway titles, including TRACTION, but usually only one or two copies of each. Likewise, my nearest WH Smith (WHS), in Walsall, may have just a handful of copies of TRACTION at any one time, whereas there'll be wads of 10 or more copies of other railway titles sitting on the shelves.

 

When I've been away on holiday or visiting other parts of the country, out of curiosity I have visited several WHS to see if TRACTION was available. More often than not, it wasn't. I suppose it depends on how well it sells in a particular area.

 

It might be possible for your local WHS to have a copy brought in for you from another WHS store. 

 

Cheers.

 

David J. Hayes. 

[Pint of Adnams]

Well, the correct copy arrived in today's post. Only really interested in the Milk Traffic article, which was informative, and pleased to note the accompanying image of a Class 15 with empties on the GE Section.

 

Readers of Traction must be young with good eyesight, for I struggled to read the text printed in such a feint lightweight font.

[tractionman]

On 12/10/2022 at 18:04, David J Hayes said:

I'VE experienced a similar situation myself in the past, "Pint of Adnams". A local newsagent to me stocks several railway titles, including TRACTION, but usually only one or two copies of each. Likewise, my nearest WH Smith (WHS), in Walsall, may have just a handful of copies of TRACTION at any one time, whereas there'll be wads of 10 or more copies of other railway titles sitting on the shelves.

 

When I've been away on holiday or visiting other parts of the country, out of curiosity I have visited several WHS to see if TRACTION was available. More often than not, it wasn't. I suppose it depends on how well it sells in a particular area.

 

It might be possible for your local WHS to have a copy brought in for you from another WHS store. 

 

Cheers.

 

David J. Hayes. 

 

I find Smith's on stations often have a good selection of railway mags especially the more popular platform-ender locations, I spotted Traction for sale at Smith's at York station this week for instance.

 

I used to have a Traction sub for many years but now with rmweb gold I use the digital version, I must admit I was beginning to find the magazine print and paper quality not what it once was ☹️