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

Backtrack

STEAM’S LAST SUMMER ON SHAP • The enduring spectacle of steam locomotive attacking the climb over the fells of Westmorland to Shap Summit drew photographers to the lineside for many years but that came to an end in December 1967 with the closure of Carlisle Kingmoor shed. We welcome a new colour contributor KEITH GAYS who took these photograph at Greenholme in July that year.

PRINCES STREET STATION EDINBURGH’S ‘UNDERRATED’ TERMINUS • Half the value of Waverley. That was the official view of Princes Street station in Edinburgh, in the estimation of the city rating officer in 1923. While older citizens and railway enthusiasts might not agree that this was a fair summing-up of these respective stations, a younger generation has grown up in Scotland’s capital not knowing that a major terminus even existed on this site. A. J. MULLAY tells its story.

THE IMPACT OF THE GREAT WAR ON THE RAILWAYS OF GELLIGAER PARISH AND ADJOINING AREAS

THE LONG SHADOW OF THE ARCH THE TROUBLED ROAD TO THE NEW EUSTON • GEOFFREY SKELSEY LVO looks into the controversial demolition of the acclaimed ‘Doric Arch’ and ‘Great Hall’ during the complete reconstruction of Euston station in the 1960s, a case which resonates to this day.

‘JSG’ ON THE BYWAYS OF THE WESTERN • Another selection from the JOHN SPENCER GILKS Collection, this time from his travels on some of the Great Western’s branches and secondary routes.

‘TADPOLE’ TALES

THE KING’S CROSS SCENE • The famous London terminus of the East Coast Main Line during the last years of steam with photographs from the SIMON LATHLANE Collection.

BIDSTON SHED WESTERN OUTPOST OF THE GREAT CENTRAL AND THE LONDON & NORTH EASTERN

STEAM AT THE SOUTHERN SHEDS

WALNUT REDE THE MYSTERIES OF RAILWAY TELEGRAM CODES • STEPHEN G. ABBOTT outlines the development and use of the electric telegraph and the sometimes puzzling code words used in railway telegram messages.

SAVING THE 2.17 FROM BRAINTREE CHALLENGING THE ‘BEECHING AXE’ IN RURAL ESSEX – THE INSIDE STORY!

MERRY-GO-ROUND A NON-STOP SERVICE

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