TRACTION 279

[steverabone]

The latest edition of TRACTION is now available online in digital format and should be on display in the shops by Friday 24th November.

 

Due to the publication dates of TRACTION the first issue of 2024 appears at the end of November 2023! Nevertheless all of us at TRACTION would like to wish our readers and advertisers a Happy Christmas and a successful 2024.

 

We start this issue with an article about one of the editor’s experiences in the early 1970s when he spent a night watching rail traffic through York. It’s difficult to realise nowadays just how busy the railway at this location was overnight, and almost all of the trains were loco hauled!

 

David Ratcliffe returns with another of his detailed articles about freight trains, this time looking at Freightliner container trains in the North West.

 

Whilst our railways in Britain have long been the safest way to travel, from time to time, there are terrible accidents. Colin Boocock revisits the events leading to the disaster at Colwich in 1986, with which he was heavily involved.

 

In the next of Paul Shannon’s series of articles about freight terminals, he looks at those involved with handling metal products.

 

Roy Kethro continues his fascinating and well received series of articles about his early railway career at Bristol Bath Road depot, revealing just went on behind the scenes at one of Britain’s major depots.

 

We have two photo features, the first concentrating on Southern Region electric multiple units in Berkshire and Surrey, whilst the second takes us to the Yorkshire Dales and the stone traffic from the quarry at Rylstone.

 

In TRACTION MODELLING our featured layout is ‘Splott’, a 1990s era P4 layout set in the Cardiff area. Is an atmospheric layout portraying heavy industry and the rail traffic that served it

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by steverabone

[Halvarras]

Mine arrived this morning. Other Half perplexed by cover date, wondering if she blinked and missed Christmas and New Year 😜!

 

Yes, it has arrived a little earlier than expected but I assume this is to buy extra time to get the next issue prepared with said holiday period in the middle......??

 

(I'd never considered Truro Yard as a steel terminal! 25052 only had about 4 months left before all South West '25s' departed, some including this one going for scrap, others 'redistributed'.)

[C126]

At last bought and read my copy.  Good spread of interest.  Paul Shannon's Steel terminals  making up for the delay in his book, and the photo of girders being unloaded at Truro Yard worth the cover price for me: very useful.  Mr Rabone's article on 1971 York was a depressing list of 'What we have lost', splendid pics of 'Splott' I found impossible to photograph myself at D.E.M.U. Showcase 2022(?), colour photos of S.R. E.M.U.s.  Something for everyone I hope.  Many thanks.

 

[ColinK]

Another enjoyable issue.  

[steverabone]

7 hours ago, C126 said:

 Mr Rabone's article on 1971 York was a depressing list of 'What we have lost',

 

I prefer to concentrate on what we have now that we didn't have in 1970!! Far more and better passenger train service.  An  hourly train to Saltburn and Manchester Airport. Far more ECML expresses and Cross Country. Much more frequent local trains. Obviously far less freight although still some variety there. But would we really want to go back to the 1970s?

[C126]

On 03/12/2023 at 22:13, steverabone said:

I prefer to concentrate on what we have now that we didn't have in 1970!! Far more and better passenger train service.  An  hourly train to Saltburn and Manchester Airport. Far more ECML expresses and Cross Country. Much more frequent local trains. Obviously far less freight although still some variety there. But would we really want to go back to the 1970s?

 

I can only commend you for your 'glass half full' attitude.  My comparative knowledge of passenger services is scant, let alone off the Southern Region.  I was indulging in gloom about the freight services - my greater interest and default attitude.  🙂

[graham63]

I have a question regarding the night at York article, in the first photo it refers to a Tees Yard to Stainforth goods, is it the Stainforth near Doncaster and if so what would happen to it once it arrived there.  It has been my local station for most of my life. Thank you.

[steverabone]

Yes the Stainforth is the one near Doncaster. The headcode 8D01 shows that it is bound for a location in the Doncaster Division. The WTT shows that the train left the east Coast Main Line at Joan Croft Junction. Old maps and photos show that there were sidings at Stainforth & Hatfield station. My suspicion is that the train was staged at Stainforth before being worked further east.

[graham63]

thank you  love the magazine