Traction

A celebration of classic diesel and electric locomotives. A bi-monthly publication that includes articles by drivers, railwaymen and enthusiasts. You’ll also find a Traction Modelling section. Most articles are UK-based but you can expect some from Europe.

Welcome

Traction

The GMC ‘Binliners’

T-FOUR-TWO: Part Two • David J. Hayes and Paul Dorney conclude their look back at a West Midlands tripping turn from the wagonload era by looking at its duties during the sectorisation and pre-privatisation periods

Medway Meanderings • During the 1980s and early 1990s, Keith Widdowson was a diagramming manager responsible for locomotive and crewing arrangements throughout the South Eastern and Central Divisions of the Southern Region. He felt that it was only right he should photograph the trains he had a part in planning so here, in the Medway and Sheppey areas, are some of the results.

Freight North of Perth

TITHERIDGE JUNCTION • Industrial aesthetics often feature heavily on layouts with diesel or electric, not so on Bradford MRC’s verdant model, which is as scenic as they come.

Accurascale Class 55 ‘Deltic’

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Fowler Industrials

South Wales - Severn Tunnel to Cardiff

The Old Road • The line between Chesterfield and Rotherham has long been a major freight artery and is particularly useful as it avoids heavy and slow moving train traffic having to pass through Sheffield. Known as “The Old Road” it remains an important part of today’s rail network. Peter Rose’s photos take us back to the years from the 1970s to the 1990s when there was considerable variety in both the types of traffic and motive power.

Freight in Ayrshire – 1980 to 2010 • Colin Howat looks back at freight traffic in Ayrshire with the emphasis on coal and iron ore trains.

Cross Country Locomotive Haulage - The Final Countdown • Two decades ago this summer, regular locomotive haulage with Class 47 and 86 traction came to an end on the Cross Country network. Glen Batten looks back at the final years.

East Anglia 1985

Letters