TRACTION issue 214

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TRACTION issue 214 is published on Friday 2nd August with another interesting selection of articles covering the fascinating history of Britain’s diesel and electric railway. Readers will notice that we’ve slightly restyled TRACTION to give a fresher look to the magazine but, rest assured, the nature of the content remains the same.

 

Jon Littlewood looks at the performance of D172, otherwise known as Ixion, on a journey to the West Country. Of course this was the first preserved former BR locomotive that was allowed to run on the main line and its September 1995 trip to Penzance was one that Jon couldn’t miss. He recounts the day’s events in ‘IXION RETURNS TO CLASS 1 PASSENGER DUTIES’.

 

A less glamorous event took place in 1993 when Class 31 hauled passenger trains replaced EMUs between Liverpool and Crewe due to problems with the units. Bob Cragg was there with his camera to recall the variety of liveries exhibited by the ‘31s’ and we see the results in ‘MOTLEY CREWE’.

 

David J. Hayes concludes his detailed look at the freight only Princes End line in the West Midlands. Don’t forget that his article ‘A WEST MIDLANDS FREIGHT LINE REMEMBERED: The Princes End Line: Part 2’ is backed up with a tremendous amount of additional information on the TRACTION website.

 

Of all the railway developments in the 1970s, surely the most important was the introduction of the HST. Colin Boocock feels that they were indeed ‘THE TRAIN THAT SAVED BR’. He discusses the development and service of this truly iconic train, which is still providing the top rank service they were designed for nearly forty years after their introduction.

 

In the photograph feature ‘BLACK AND WHITE DAYS AT WIGAN’ we present another selection of David Wharton’s marvellous images, this time of trains in and around Wigan in Lancashire.

 

When Bill Jamieson was at university in Edinburgh in the 1970s, he used his lecture-free afternoons to take railway photographs. One such occasion was when he had ‘AN AFTERNOON OUT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FORTH’ at Dalmeny and Inverkeithing. The results can be seen in Bill’s superb colour photographs accompanying his article.

 

2013 is, of course, the Silver Jubilee of the introduction of the Class 91 into service on the East Coast Main Line. We asked Gavin Morrison to select some of his photographs for ‘THE CLASS 91s AT 25’.

 

Railway preservation isn’t always about saving glamorous main line locomotives, as Andrew Wilson describes in ‘THE HERITAGE SHUNTER TRUST’. This small group is dedicated to restoring former British Rail diesel shunting locomotives at its base at Rowsley.

 

In ‘PROBLEMS AT ACHNASHEEN’, Scott Borthwick’s superb colour photographs show a side of BR that isn’t missed; the often frequent failure of locomotives. Within a few days he witnessed two locomotive failures at this small station on Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line. There are also some suggestions about how this station could form an interesting model railway.

 

 

[rover90]

No modelling section?

 

 

Brian

[Andy Y]

David J. Hayes concludes his detailed look at the freight only Princes End line in the West Midlands. Don’t forget that his article ‘A WEST MIDLANDS FREIGHT LINE REMEMBERED: The Princes End Line: Part 2’ is backed up with a tremendous amount of additional information on the TRACTION website.

I'm looking forward to Pt.2 as the first installment (particularly the workings) was exceptionally interesting. I've just tried the website but can't access it at present (it was the same a few weeks ago when I last tried).

[DaveF]

My copy arrived in the post this morning.

 

I  enjoyed The Princes End line part 2, even though I don't know the area well.

 

I've only skimmed through the rest of the articles, all of which look to be very interesting so am looking forward to a really good read, as always.

 

David

[steverabone]

The tables for the Princes End article are available on line at

 

http://www.atlanticpublishers.com/traction/2013/07/26/princes-end-tables-part-two/

 

In future there won't be a separate model section in TRACTION.

 

There will instead be articles about the prototype with additional information of use to the modeller contained within them. We started this in issue 213 with the articles about Woodhead and in 214 there is information about modelling Achnasheen and the new model from the NRM of the Class 47 Prince William.

[Xerces Fobe2]

The tables for the Princes End article are available on line at

 

http://www.atlanticpublishers.com/traction/2013/07/26/princes-end-tables-part-two/

 

In future there won't be a separate model section in TRACTION.

 

There will instead be articles about the prototype with additional information of use to the modeller contained within them. We started this in issue 213 with the articles about Woodhead and in 214 there is information about modelling Achnasheen and the new model from the NRM of the Class 47 Prince William.

 

How about linked articles Steven, the prototype and models layouts related related to it?

 

Nigel

[Andy Y]

The tables for the Princes End article are available on line at

 

http://www.atlanticpublishers.com/traction/2013/07/26/princes-end-tables-part-two/

 

 

Thanks Steve,

 

I'm still having problems accessing the site; has anyone else experienced problems?

[Stubby47]

Open the main page first : http://www.atlanticpublishers.com/traction/

 

Then click on the link on the page

 

Simples

[Andy Y]

Thanks Stu,

 

For some odd reason I can't access the links on the desktop (all browsers) but I can on the tablet even though it will have the same IP address. At least I've seen it now.

[steverabone]

How about linked articles Steven, the prototype and models layouts related related to it?

 

Nigel

 

It's an interesting idea Nigel although not necessarily practical to arrange. 

 

The changes we've made are a result of comments I've had from numerous readers who say that whilst they are modellers, they would prefer more "prototype" information to help with modelling. I also appreciate that a significant number of Traction's readers are not modellers and are only interested in reading about the real railway. The change we've made reflects this. 

 

Basically from now on all articles will be about the "real" railway with the occasional reference to modelling possibilities. In this issue for instance there is a photo feature of "Prince William" - the class 47 that is(!) and the new model from the NRM. The other model related feature is an article about Achnasheen where, as well as a station track diagram, lots of photos from the 1980s and some current day photos, there is a brief suggestion about modelling this location. In other words Traction's content is now almost exclusively prototype orientated. 

 

We've listened and hope the readership responds positively.

 

Stephen

[Xerces Fobe2]

 

It's an interesting idea Nigel although not necessarily practical to arrange. 

 

The changes we've made are a result of comments I've had from numerous readers who say that whilst they are modellers, they would prefer more "prototype" information to help with modelling. I also appreciate that a significant number of Traction's readers are not modellers and are only interested in reading about the real railway. The change we've made reflects this. 

 

Basically from now on all articles will be about the "real" railway with the occasional reference to modelling possibilities. In this issue for instance there is a photo feature of "Prince William" - the class 47 that is(!) and the new model from the NRM. The other model related feature is an article about Achnasheen where, as well as a station track diagram, lots of photos from the 1980s and some current day photos, there is a brief suggestion about modelling this location. In other words Traction's content is now almost exclusively prototype orientated. 

 

We've listened and hope the readership responds positively.

 

Stephen

 

Hi Stephen,

 

Thank you for your detailed and constructive feedback If I can assist with content regarding real railways please let me know. An article on the Croxley Green branch, past, present and future maybe?

 

Best regards,

 

Nigel