TRACTION 271

[steverabone]

 

Welcome to this special larger issue of TRACTION which focuses largely, but not exclusively, on the rail freight scene.

 

We start with the long standing Greater Manchester Council’s ‘Binliner’ containerised refuse trains which have been operating for just over forty years. David Ratcliffe’s photos highlight the variety of locos that have hauled these trains. David Hayes concludes his account of the T42 trip freight working in the West Midlands, looking at the period until its demise in the mid 1990s. In ‘Medway Meanderings’, Keith Widdowson, a former BR manager, reveals some of the loco hauled workings he was involved with in this area dominated by electric multiple units.

 

From Gavin Morrison’s photo archive we have selected a variety of freight workings on the Highland lines between Perth and Georgemas Junction. David Ratcliffe returns with another selection of industrial locomotives, this time from the Leeds based rm of John Fowler & Co.

 

Renowned for its heavy freight traffic, the line between Severn Tunnel Junction and Cardiff attracted the attention of John Dedman’s camera in the 1980s when there was considerable variety in what could be seen in this part of South Wales. Another line that still carries much freight is the line between Chesterfield and Rotherham; Peter Rose recorded the scene throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Moving north to Scotland, Colin Howat describes freight in Ayrshire with particular emphasis on coal and iron ore traffic.

 

Returning to the passenger scene, Glen Batten takes a look at the final years of Cross Country loco haulage. It is hard to believe that it is now two decades since the ‘Voyagers’ replaced Class 47s and 86s on these trains. Martin Axford was attracted to East Anglia on several occasions in 1985 to witness the mixture of loco hauled and multiple unit operations and in this issue we look at his first visit, a day trip that he made in April of that year.

 

In TRACTION MODELLING the featured layout is the superb N Gauge Titheridge Junction layout which is set in the West Country in BR Blue days.

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by steverabone

[Covkid]

I am guessing the article on T42 is a part 2. I bought the magazine with T42 in it last month.   

[steverabone]

As it says in the text:

 

David Hayes concludes his account of the T42 trip freight working in the West Midlands, looking at the period until its demise in the mid 1990s.

 

Part 1 last issue part 2 in the current issue.