What railway magazines are you interested in?

[chris89]

Only magazine i buy is Model Rail. But read the Railway Hearld online and its free

Chris

 

[shinkansen1966]

I also find the articles in Today's Railways interesting. Recently, there has been too much of a focus on politics in RAIL in my opinion. TR has become the sort of general interest magazine that RAIL was in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

I lost a lot of interest in Modern Railways when they became too technical and industry focused in the late 1990's. Losing Barry Doe didn't help them either!

Great minds think alike.

 

[Bedpan]

Oops, I didn't realise we were supposed to vote, I thought it was just to comment.

 

[Schnellzug]

I agree that RAIL is far too Political. I begin to wonder if that is why Pip Dunn left to form Railways Illustrated?

He's not exactly apolitical in that, but he isn't afraid to disagree with his former boss (see comments about HS2 in i think the latest edition.)

 

[185]

Nigel Harris - his job title has now broadened to

'Managing Editor and Events Director'

...events such as dinners, cosying up to the Train Operating Company directors?

 

[shinkansen1966]

but it does remain very good on technical issues thanks to Roger Ford.

Roger Ford is a railway legend. It you want to find out about all the money sloshing around between DfT and the train operators, Mr Ford is your man.

 

[45rpm]

I buy Rail Express every issue. I used to buy RAIL but stopped when it became political.

 

[Daimler]

I read examples of all four (though not monthly, I hasten to add!) - Modern Railways, The Railway Magazine, Steam Railway, and Hornby Magazine.

 

[yorksrob]

Every now and again I buy a copy of Modern Railways, and as well as being generally interesting, I'm always impressed by the quality of the writing.

 

[Greenback]

The quality of the writing is always good in Modern Railways. For me, though, the subject matter is generally not very interesting these days despite the high standard.

 

[yorksrob]

I don't tend to buy it regularly, as it can sometimes be a bit technically orientated. However, the September issue had some interesting articles, including a trip around Northern Rail and an update on the East London line.

 

[rmt-driver]

I skim through the RMT mag that's about it

 

[valenta]

I often find railway magazines to be expensive and frankly overpriced, and for the amount of content in the magazine that I wouldn't just find searching on the internet, I only usually only have a quick flick through in WH Smith!

 

[KBD1]

I buy Rail Express every issue. I used to buy RAIL but stopped when it became political.[/QUOTE
Still buy RAIL, couud'nt be botherered whether is PC or not. Not that were are going to change it !

 

[185]

I skim through the RMT mag that's about it

Is there anything in the RMT mag about trains?!?! Buses, Ferries and Cuban cross dressers on most page.

 

[rmt-driver]

Is there anything in the RMT mag about trains?!?! Buses, Ferries and Cuban cross dressers on most page.

Get fed up of trains so Cuban cross dressers are a welcome change

 

[BestWestern]

As somebody who tends to stick the 'bread and butter' titles (RAIL and RM), I'm interested to hear how many read some of the 'alternative' titles; Modern Railways seems particularly popular. I rarely pick up anything other than RAIL, I usually have a flick through Railway Magazine but being a less frrequent publication most of the news content has already appeared elsewhere, and the steam scene doesn't hold enormous interest for me.

I admit though that RAIL is too centred around the facts and figures, and yes the HS2 propaganda machine needs a break. On he subject of Barry Doe, whilst I don't question his knowledge of tickets and timetables, I have noted the odd questionable comment every now and then, of particular note some time back was his view that knowing about tickets was "the sole job" of Guards, which I thought was a pretty shoddy piece of misinformation for a major rail mag :roll:

 

[ACE1888]

Modern Railways magazine, always found that was far too in depth for my liking, but in fairness it caters for a 'niche' and good luck to it...anyone remember 'Modern Railways Pictorial', now that was a cracking magazine each month.

 

[DarloRich]

I buy The Railway Magazine and Traction ( although that has gone down hill recently imo and i may stop buying it) and i read the Railway Herald on line

I read at work: Rail News, Rial Staff, Railway Technology, Rail Engineering, our internal mag, basically anything i can get my hands on that might expand my knoweldge of the Railway.

 

[Schnellzug]

I admit though that RAIL is too centred around the facts and figures, and yes the HS2 propaganda machine needs a break. On he subject of Barry Doe, whilst I don't question his knowledge of tickets and timetables, I have noted the odd questionable comment every now and then, of particular note some time back was his view that knowing about tickets was "the sole job" of Guards, which I thought was a pretty shoddy piece of misinformation for a major rail mag :roll:

Yes, from when I used to read it regularly, he did seem to consider that his job was primarily to treat us to his opinions; which mostly seemed to be "renationalise the railways at once".
Or let South West Trains take over them all. His partiality for that operator didn't do much for his credibility as an impartial source of information either, if anyone was to ask me.

 

[Bill EWS]

Hi Greenback. I purchased my first Modern Railways magazine back in 1963, though I think it had a different name at the time then changed to Modern Railways, I may be getting that mixed up after all these years. I meant to mention Roger Ford he did great work during the years of the changeover to Diesel and electric and kept everyone up to date with the technical side of things. Glad to hear that heh is still going strong.

Throughout the 60's the magazine covered all the railway closures and agruments for and against. The photography in the magazine was excellent and of course there were still many, many different types of locomotive and trains to be seen everywhere as well as the railway sites that were soon to be gone. It is well worth searching fo9r issues back in those times as it really shows how little railway we have left today. Not only that but just how well-kept the lineside was, no forest of trees and bushes making you feel that you are in permanant tunnel everywhere, or branches scraping trains as they passed.

There was also another regular columnist, who's name I forget at the moment but who was very well respected because he actually used the railway on a daily basis and told things how they were and even BR used to pay heed to him. Sorry I can't recall his name at the moment but perhaps you can help.

 

[Schnellzug]

Hi Greenback. I purchased my first Modern Railways magazine back in 1963, though I think it had a different name at the time then changed to Modern Railways, I may be getting that mixed up after all these years. I meant to mention Roger Ford he did great work during the years of the changeover to Diesel and electric and kept everyone up to date with the technical side of things. Glad to hear that heh is still going strong.

Throughout the 60's the magazine covered all the railway closures and agruments for and against. The photography in the magazine was excellent and of course there were still many, many different types of locomotive and trains to be seen everywhere as well as the railway sites that were soon to be gone. It is well worth searching for issues back in those times as it really shows how little railway we have left today. Not only that but just how well-kept the lineside was, no forest of trees and bushes making you feel that you are in permanant tunnel everywhere, or branches scraping trains as they passed.

There was also another regular columnist, who's name I forget at the moment but who was very well respected because he actually used the railway on a daily basis and told things how they were and even BR used to pay heed to him. Sorry I can't recall his name at the moment but perhaps you can help.

It was originally Trains Illustrated, I've got a collection of them from round about that era as well, very interesting to read about things that are now history when they were happening.

Alan Williams, were you thinking of? yes, he was a legend.

 

[Greenback]

Bill, I am always on the look out for back issues of any railway magazine. I once found a stack of old RAIL issues from the 1980's in asecond hand bookshop in SOuth Island New Zealand - they were on sale for NZ$1!

I don't know if you are thinking of Alan Williams, who has been writing a column in the magazine for decades. He used to live near Effingham, and wrote at great length about the commuter services, but he also travelled elsewhere.

 

[ACE1888]

I buy The Railway Magazine and Traction ( although that has gone down hill recently imo and i may stop buying it) and i read the Railway Herald on line

I read at work: Rail News, Rial Staff, Railway Technology, Rail Engineering, our internal mag, basically anything i can get my hands on that might expand my knoweldge of the Railway.

Traction? agree with the 'gone down hill' recently bit totally:cry:

 

[dickdarlington]

I've been an avid reader of Today's Railways since last year. It is a much better read, which is easy to follow as someone who is not working in the industry. I purchased last months Modern Railway because of the article on the Metro. And it is far too technical for me. I found myself drifting off. The other thing is it seems more focused on the South East than the rest of the country. Perhaps just the bits I am reading, but does seem to have a bias towards it.