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 • Tangled webs

Backtrack

FOUND IN KENT

BRITS DOWN UNDER PART ONE BRITISH-BUILT LOCOMOTIVES ON THE COLLIERY RAILWAY OF J. & A. BROWN, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA

THE BISHOP'S WALTHAM BRANCH PART TWO • BRUCE LAWS concludes his account of this Hampshire branch line up to its closure in 1962.

No.9017 A REMARKABLE SURVIVOR • ANDREW WILSON looks at the life and times of GWR ‘Earl’ 4-4-0 No.3217/9017.

BRITAIN'S RAILWAYS AND THE BOER WAR 1899-1902 PART TWO • BERNICE BAYNHAM continues her account of the role played by the home railways, following the outbreak of the Boer War in October 1899, in the mobilisation of troops for service in South Africa at the beginning of 1900.

LIGHTS OUT • GREG MORSE considers the lessons from the collision at Wigan North Western in February 1984.

GONE WEST • Summer is approaching – and the holiday traffic on the Great Western Railway main line to the West of England has passed into legend. From Aller Junction, south of Newton Abbot, a branch headed off to serve Torquay and Paignton and from there it was extended in 1864 to a terminus at Kingswear. There the station adjoined the ferry stage from where passengers could cross the River Dart to Dartmouth. ‘Branch line’ it may have been but in the peak of summer it was visited by through coaches and indeed through trains from far distant London and the north. Since 1973 the Paignton–Kingswear section has been operated by the Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.

MISPLACED MIDLAND MAGNIFICENCE

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT

FOLLOWING THE ROUTE OF THE ‘10.00’ • The ‘Ten o'clock’ from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley and the equivalent southbound service need no introduction as the ‘Flying Scotsman’ train service. On the Tracks of the Flying Scotsman by David Pendleton with photographs by Gavin Morrison is to be published by Great Northern Books this month. GAVIN MORRISON has provided these photographs of the East Coast Main Line from London to just short of the halfway point at York; another feature later will take us north to the Scottish capital.

ANDREW FREDERICK ROCK 1859-1930 THE KNOTTY'S TELEGRAPH SUPERINTENDENT AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

A WOODHOUSE STATION FAMILY

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.

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