Backtrack | July 2013
Yesterday at Yeovil: three pages of colour by Michael Mensing at Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill in the 1980s.
Carrying the Fishergirls over the Highland line: John Roake describes an unusual seasonal traffic originating in the north of Scotland.
The Vibration Committee: R. A. S . Hennessey investigates 'The Case of the Bayswater Tremors' caused by the Central London Railway.
And Down into a Ditch: Peter Tatlow looks at the Shawford derailment of 1952, with colour pictures.
Stationary Locomotive Testing - Part Two: Adrian Tester explains the building of the first test stations at Swindon and Rugby.
By LNER on the West Highland Line: four pages of archive photos on this scenic route from the 1930s/40s.
On Holiday with British Railways: Alan Bennett considers the promotional focus of BR's holiday guides.
The passing of the 'Blue Trains': Paul Aitken provides a trio of colour photos as a tribute to these Glasgow electrics.
Banking on the Lickey Incline: two pages of archive shots on Britain's steepest main line gradient.
Up Snowdon and Down Again: four pages of spectacular colour on the Snowdon Mountain Railway.
The Changing Craft of the Permanent Way Man - Part Two: Michael B. Binks completes his review of new practices on the track.
Tsar Trek: George Smith describes John Hackworth's export expedition to Russia and Tsar Nicholas I in 1836.
Notts County return: More Nottinghamshire colour scenes.
The Great Western Railway 'Krugers' - Part Two: Ivor Lewis goes into the detail of their design.
The Little-Known Story of Marston Gate: Bob Williams and Richard Foster look at the life and times of a country station on the Cheddington to Aylesbury branch.
'2251s' at Work: A photo tribute to the late distinguished photographer Hugh Ballantyne.
read more
read less
The specialist magazine was first published in 1986 for the purpose of ‘recording the history of Britain’s railway’ - the magazine’s strapline - and it is now published by Pendragon Publishing. Dropping every month, Backtrack magazine is your monthly dose of railway nostalgia and historical insight.
35 years later and Backtrack has firmly established itself as the authority on topics such as the history of Britain and Ireland’s train stations, railway bridges, signalling, biographies, train services and staff recollections - all of which regularly appear in the magazine. Backtrack's contributors include many of today's leading railway history writers and the magazine has a reputation for being of the highest quality.
With a multitude of unmissable monthly features, every issue aims to chronicle and record part of the history of Britain’s railway system. Every issue contains a dozen or so large articles that focus on a particular line or area in British railway history.
Whether you’re into early railway history from the 'pre-Stephenson' era, steam, diesel or electric locomotive you’ll find every era covered in minute detail - from railway company history, railway carriages and wagons, railway stations, railway ships, hotels and road vehicles, railway economic and social history and railway publicity and advertising.
A Backtrack digital magazine subscription is your go-to for railway history:
- Britain's leading historical railway magazine
- Delving into the era of horse-drawn tramroads up to locomotives and rolling stock
- History of lines, the social, political, financial, engineering and labour aspects of the railway
- Archive black and white quality images and historical colour coverage of the railway scene
- The history of train stations, railway bridges, signalling, biographies and train services
- Contributors include many of today's leading railway history writers
- Delivered directly to your device every week
You'll receive 12 issues during a 1 year Backtrack magazine subscription.
Note: Digital editions do not include the covermount items or supplements you would find with printed copies.
Articles in this issue
Below is a selection of articles in Backtrack July 2013.