Just a little constructive criticism if I may....
Very little, if any, of the contents are genuinely original. To create more of an impact (and potentially further career prospects, which = £££'s in later life), stories which have not previously been published before should also be covered or those that have been should be given a new dimension.
Examples of this could include;
1...overcrowding - the 'worst overcrowding' figures recently discussed on forum may be incorrect; IIRC they were based on a single journey. This story could be expanded (or even completely debunked) through study of sardine mans activities and doing you own headcounts on services you know are overcrowded. The added advantage of this is local media may have an interest.
2...train tests - those published in Rail covering new trains are far too subjective; get a ruler out and prove the facts regarding seat spacing, luggage space etc,.count the number of working bogs or aircon failures. Also, why not train test older trains - I think comparisons between (for example) SWT and FGW 158's or 180's and 220's would be of interest providing they include an element of fact. Never know, you might uncover something non-DDA compliant or unsafe which becomes a new story in it's own right. Also, consider catering facilites (trains and stations) - where is the best coffee, whose burgers taste like cow pats?
3...site visits - the magazine itself could provide a useful (pardon the pun) cover for getting to see aspects of the railway normally hidden from public gaze. The established railway press offers limited coverage of anything other than what could be considered 'news' but an hour or two spent examining (for example) household refuse shipment would represent more original content (and such articles could be possibly be offered for sale on a freelance basis).
4...technical articles - without subsribing to specialist journals those with an interest in the engineering / science aspects of railway operations are seriously let down by the railway press. Explanations (as examples of the more technical aspects of railway operations) of track circuits or signal sighting may be of interest.
5...finally, but I feel possibly most important in this 'digital age', documenting personal stories. Again, as an example, we've all seen upteen pics of DRS nuke trains, but what does it actually feel like to drive one? All the potential security threats, safety campaigns and yet the thrill of driving a chopper on the mainline; personal stories like that would make wonderful reading and could (potentially) be sold freelance. And what about the poor souls who pushes broom and cleans up all day (or night); they too have stories to tell.
Hope the production team don't mind these suggestions but I do feel there is an audience for well written (which you guys seem capable of) accounts of railway life which are not well covered by the established 'paper' railway press.
