Best magazine for the national network?

[alexl92]

I currently subscribe to both Heritage Railway and Steam Railway. But I’d like to get myself a bit more up to date with current happenings on the national network, particularly in the north. Which magazine is best? Modern Railways and Rail are the obvious candidates.

 

[Dr Hoo]

I currently subscribe to both Heritage Railway and Steam Railway. But I’d like to get myself a bit more up to date with current happenings on the national network, particularly in the north. Which magazine is best? Modern Railways and Rail are the obvious candidates.

Sadly both publications seem to be going from bad to worse, with entrenched columnists and their unchanging views, obvious 'advertorial' pieces, regurgitated press releases and so on.

I know that it operates on a shoestring but think that Railway Herald (on line) is excellent value for a quick and frequent news update. Good photographs too.

 

[ABB125]

I would recommend Today's Railways UK. Generally good news coverage, extensive rolling stock news (as you might expect from Platform 5), and interesting and varied features in each copy.

 

[alexl92]

Sadly both publications seem to be going from bad to worse, with entrenched columnists and their unchanging views, obvious 'advertorial' pieces, regurgitated press releases and so on.

I know that it operates on a shoestring but think that Railway Herald (on line) is excellent value for a quick and frequent news update. Good photographs too.

Thanks. I'll look at Railway Herald. I know RAIL is supposed to be the authority but at times its editor comes across extremely arrogant and opinionated on social media so I've been reluctant. Not to mention that it's over £4 and the quality of paper & printing of the examples I saw in the shop were pretty awful. Felt like a cheap supplement mag.

I would recommend Today's Railways UK. Generally good news coverage, extensive rolling stock news (as you might expect from Platform 5), and interesting and varied features in each copy.

Thank you, sounds good as rolling stock is of particular interest to me!

 

[bspahh]

Branchline News from the Branch Line Society is £45 a year for a paper copy, and £12 a year for copies as PDF files. I have an online subscription. Its good for bits of news and photos about the UK rail network. It has stuff I'm not interested in, but its easy to scroll past those.

 

[htafc]

Thanks. I'll look at Railway Herald. I know RAIL is supposed to be the authority but at times its editor comes across extremely arrogant and opinionated on social media so I've been reluctant. Not to mention that it's over £4 and the quality of paper & printing of the examples I saw in the shop were pretty awful. Felt like a cheap supplement mag.

I've read RAIL for a little long time but I'm inclined to agree with this.
Today's Railways UK I would definitely recommend, for reasons given above.
The Railway Magazine has not been mentioned yet but I would definitely consider it - it covers both heritage and modern interest. I would say it's still the best all-rounder available.

 

[alexl92]

I've read RAIL for a little long time but I'm inclined to agree with this.
Today's Railways UK I would definitely recommend, for reasons given above.
The Railway Magazine has not been mentioned yet but I would definitely consider it - it covers both heritage and modern interest. I would say it's still the best all-rounder available.

Thank you. I did used to occasionally buy TRM actually so I may look at that again.

 

[py_megapixel]

Depending on where you live in the country, your local council library service may subscribe to The Railway Magazine in digital form (quite a few do), which is an excellent way to try it out and see if you like it.

 

[birchesgreen]

I subscribe to Modern Railways, i find it covers everything i need to know about and more.

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Depending on where you live in the country, your local council library service may subscribe to The Railway Magazine in digital form (quite a few do), which is an excellent way to try it out and see if you like it.

Often through the PressReader app which also gives access to Rail, Rail Express, Railways Illustrated and (sometimes) Traction plus a whole host of non railway related titles.

 

[Woolos 22]

You could look at the railway travel and corresppondance society publish a very good monthly magazine.

 

[Neptune]

I subscribe to Readly and look through each railway magazine as they come and find the following (bear in mind these are personal views).

RAIL - Appalling arrogant, inaccurate tabloid journalism at its worst. Awful huge headlines on the cover designed to shock you. So many interviews with pointless railway executives that nobody cares about. Definitely living off past glories when it was a decent news magazine with good articles. When it went fortnightly many decades ago it got gradually diluted into this awful rag that we see today.

Rail Express - This is exactly what rail used to be. Great articles and good news sections with a decent modelling section.

Modern Railways - Some really interesting stuff but far too much on the technicalities for me personally. Also they seem to think they are the authority on everything and are always right which some people love to take on board (see how many sound bites from this magazine certain members consistently use such as ‘ironing boards’ or ‘bionic duckweed’). I just wish people would have their own opinion rather than thinking that “these people are the authority on everything so I must think the same as them”. They’re not, have your own opinion and stop using their sound bites to try and sound ‘informed’. It doesn’t work and actually makes people sound like they don’t have a personal opinion at all.

Railways Illustrated - I’ve always felt this was more of a spotters mag so fine if you want news on the current (very small) loco scene but not much else. It has slightly improved over the years.

Railway Magazine - A good array of articles spread across the modern and preservation scene. I always used to like the news section split down into TOC’s but it’s not as good as it used to be. For instance the person who reports on Northern obviously lives at Woodlesford therefore the only newsworthy items across the entire franchise according to this magazine is when a 150 subs a 195 on a Nottingham service.

Modern Locomotives Illustrated - Great photographs, sometimes inaccurate writing. No real surprise but still far better than Rail.

Todays Railways UK - I used to get this but it’s not on Readly sadly. It was always one of the best modern magazines going and from the sounds of it still is.

 

[yorksrob]

I subscribe to Readly and look through each railway magazine as they come and find the following (bear in mind these are personal views).

RAIL - Appalling arrogant, inaccurate tabloid journalism at its worst. Awful huge headlines on the cover designed to shock you. So many interviews with pointless railway executives that nobody cares about. Definitely living off past glories when it was a decent news magazine with good articles. When it went fortnightly many decades ago it got gradually diluted into this awful rag that we see today.

Rail Express - This is exactly what rail used to be. Great articles and good news sections with a decent modelling section.

Modern Railways - Some really interesting stuff but far too much on the technicalities for me personally. Also they seem to think they are the authority on everything and are always right which some people love to take on board (see how many sound bites from this magazine certain members consistently use such as ‘ironing boards’ or ‘bionic duckweed’). I just wish people would have their own opinion rather than thinking that “these people are the authority on everything so I must think the same as them”. They’re not, have your own opinion and stop using their sound bites to try and sound ‘informed’. It doesn’t work and actually makes people sound like they don’t have a personal opinion at all.

Railways Illustrated - I’ve always felt this was more of a spotters mag so fine if you want news on the current (very small) loco scene but not much else. It has slightly improved over the years.

Railway Magazine - A good array of articles spread across the modern and preservation scene. I always used to like the news section split down into TOC’s but it’s not as good as it used to be. For instance the person who reports on Northern obviously lives at Woodlesford therefore the only newsworthy items across the entire franchise according to this magazine is when a 150 subs a 195 on a Nottingham service.

Modern Locomotives Illustrated - Great photographs, sometimes inaccurate writing. No real surprise but still far better than Rail.

Todays Railways UK - I used to get this but it’s not on Readly sadly. It was always one of the best modern magazines going and from the sounds of it still is.

I don't think that "ironing boards" are specifically a Modern Railways thing.

The appalling quality of much train seating nowadays will be lamented whatever the rail mags say.

 

[alexl92]

RAIL - Appalling arrogant, inaccurate tabloid journalism at its worst. Awful huge headlines on the cover designed to shock you. So many interviews with pointless railway executives that nobody cares about. Definitely living off past glories when it was a decent news magazine with good articles. When it went fortnightly many decades ago it got gradually diluted into this awful rag that we see today.

Rail Express - This is exactly what rail used to be. Great articles and good news sections with a decent modelling section.

Modern Railways - Some really interesting stuff but far too much on the technicalities for me personally. Also they seem to think they are the authority on everything and are always right which some people love to take on board (see how many sound bites from this magazine certain members consistently use such as ‘ironing boards’ or ‘bionic duckweed’). I just wish people would have their own opinion rather than thinking that “these people are the authority on everything so I must think the same as them”. They’re not, have your own opinion and stop using their sound bites to try and sound ‘informed’. It doesn’t work and actually makes people sound like they don’t have a personal opinion at all.

Railways Illustrated - I’ve always felt this was more of a spotters mag so fine if you want news on the current (very small) loco scene but not much else. It has slightly improved over the years.

Railway Magazine - A good array of articles spread across the modern and preservation scene. I always used to like the news section split down into TOC’s but it’s not as good as it used to be. For instance the person who reports on Northern obviously lives at Woodlesford therefore the only newsworthy items across the entire franchise according to this magazine is when a 150 subs a 195 on a Nottingham service.

Modern Locomotives Illustrated - Great photographs, sometimes inaccurate writing. No real surprise but still far better than Rail.

Todays Railways UK - I used to get this but it’s not on Readly sadly. It was always one of the best modern magazines going and from the sounds of it still is.

Thanks, this is helpful! I used to get Railways Illus but the Editor at the time was obsessed with Class 20s which got a bit tedious.

Might try a mix of Rail Express and the Railway Magazine - thanks!

 

[Ken H]

I used to read Modern Railways from 1976 till about 3 years ago. But they got mired in the franchise system and forget the running of the day to day railway. So I binned the sub.

 

[whoosh]

I subscribe to Readly and look through each railway magazine as they come and find the following (bear in mind these are personal views).

RAIL - Appalling arrogant, inaccurate tabloid journalism at its worst....

I subscribe to Readly too, but deliberately don't even look at RAIL so they don't get any money!

The more pages viewed (and for how long) = payment to the magazine from Readly using some algorithm.