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.

On bringing the cheque and the postal order

AN IRISH TANK QUINTET • As with their compatriots on the mainland, the railway companies on the island of Ireland were extensive users of tank locomotives which came in all shapes and sizes. These views by T. B. OWEN from the Colour-Rail Collection feature a selection of tank locomotives ranging in form and function from the ‘makeshift’ to the much over-used ‘iconic’, with captions by DAVID MOSLEY.

THE ‘CASTLE’ CLASS 4-6-0s OF THE HIGHLAND RAILWAY

STRANRAER’S RAILWAYS

THE OLDHAM, ASHTON & GUIDE BRIDGE JUNCTION RAILWAY 1860-1900 • JEFFREY WELLS describes the building of an important connecting line through south east Lancashire.

ADMIRAL BINSTEAD OF THE LANCASHIRE & YORKSHIRE RAILWAY PART TWO

THE FLASKS • A Very Important Traffic for the railways has been the movement of irradiated fuel flasks from nuclear power stations for reprocessing. For the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station in North Wales (commissioned in 1965) some interesting railway developments ensued. The ex-GWR Bala-Blaenau Ffestiniog line, through Trawsfynydd, had closed to passengers in 1960 and goods a year later and the southern end of the trackbed was flooded to enable the controversial creation of Llyn Tryweryn as a source of fresh water for Liverpool Corporation. To enable rail traffic to continue to Trawsfynydd a new connection was made in 1964 at Blaenau Ffestiniog with the LNWR branch from Llandudno Junction. Materials for the construction of the power station were conveyed from the Llandudno Junction end and later the fuel rods were taken out for reprocessing. The Magnox reactor was closed down in 1991 but its decommissioning will go on for a long time into the future. These photographs of the flask trains were taken by GAVIN MORRISON.

A4 EXCELLENCE • Portraits of the London & North Eastern Railway’s classic streamlined Pacifics

THE CONFERENCE OF MOTIVE POWER OFFICERS PART TWO

ERIC BRUTON ON THE GREAT EASTERN

MY STATION MANCHESTER VICTORIA • Photographs from summer/authumn 1966 and story by JONATHAN GUILBERT, with additional photographs by TOM GUILBERT

AROUND THE OPERATIONAL CLOCK AT DONCASTER PART TWO

THE CHALFORD RAILCAR YEARS PART ONE • Lionel knew the train services intimately, was friendly with station staff and engine crews, and for many years lived in a cottage high on Skaites Hill on the north side of the valley with a commanding view across to the railway on the opposite side. He became very much a mentor to my burgeoning enthusiasm for railway scribing, always very keen to assist with photographs from his huge collection of local history material and his memories of the people of the valley. Together with two other well-known collectors of local history, Stanley Gardiner and Michael Mills, he is remembered for the numerous presentations of well-attended slide programmes he gave over many years in village halls, schools, churches and other venues...