Backtrack

Backtrack, Britain's Leading Historical Railway Journal, covers all aspects of railway history from its earliest days through to more recent events up to around ten years before now including, early railway history from the 'pre-Stephenson' era, steam, diesel and electric locomotive history, railway company history, railway carriages and wagons, railway stations, railway ships, hotels & road vehicles, railway economic and social history, railway publicity and advertising. Backtrack's contributors include many of today's leading railway history writers. From the beginning the magazine has maintained a reputation for its production values and each issue contains a wealth of photographs reproduced to the highest standards, including a generous selection of historic colour. Published monthly, Backtrack is THE magazine for all who are interested in British railway history.

Editorial • Railway reminiscences

Backtrack

‘SAINTS’ AND ‘STARS’

LINCOLNSHIRE'S RAILWAYS • STEPHEN ROBERTS surveys the extensive railway system which once served England's second largest county.

LANGLEY GREEN POST-STEAM ERA FREIGHT OPERATIONS AT THIS WEST MIDLANDS LOCATION PART ONE • With chemical works in its immediate vicinity and other rail freight customers close by, Langley Green, with its small but functional yard, was an interesting industrial location in the Black Country and one with plenty of modelling potential, too. With the railway modeller in mind, DAVID J. HAYES looks back at what could once be seen.

‘TANKS FOR THE MEMORIES’ • A pictorial selection of the chemical tanks that were once a familiar sight at Langley Green. Captions compiled by DAVID J. HAYES using information kindly provided by respected author and wagon expert DAVID RATCLIFFE

A TALE OF FOUR TUNNELS

THE ‘NORTHERN BELLE’

AT THE LONDON • Scenes at the southern extremity of the West Coast Main Line around Wembley, Kenton and Kensal Green photographed by MARTIN SMITH

AN EAST MIDLANDS PORTFOLIO • Photographs from the SIMON LATHLANE Collection featuring steam in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire. Another selection to follow later.

THE BELFAST CENTRAL LINE 1874-2023

A RIGHT ROYAL SCANDAL THE CLOSURE OF THE DEESIDE LINE PART TWO • DAVID SPAVEN concludes the story with a dissection of the flawed official closure process, accounts of the last passenger and freight train operations and an exploration of the long-drawn-out dismantling of the railway – and then ponders the possibility of a partial reopening of the Deeside Line.

FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER

FINDS FROM THE CAMBRIAN ERA • Scenes on the Cambrian Railways from the T.J.EDGINGTON Collection

LAKE'S CHIEF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS PART ONE F. W. WEBB – AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF CHARLES S. LAKE AND OTHERS

Readers'Forum • Letters intended for publication should ideally add extra detail to our articles (or offer corrections of course!) and not be too long, consistent with the detail they offer. As always, we are sorry that space and time prevent us from printing them all or sending personal replies. ED.