No.37 219 approaches Spalding from the March direction with a trainload of Ford cars on Thursday, August 11, 1981. This section of the GN&GE Joint Line was closed to all traffic in November 1982. TONY WARDLE

When TRACTION magazine first appeared in 1994, I thought: ‘At last, a magazine that features the sort of trains I grew up with.’ While older friends could reel off names and numbers of their favourite steam locos, I had seen few of these, but was in awe of the diesel classes I could watch working up and down Stoke Bank from my lineside spot just half an hour’s bike ride from home. The editor for the first couple of issues of TRACTION was Nick Pigott, who I had worked with at Steam Railway and he subsequently went on to edit The Railway Magazine. Mr David Maxey was the next to occupy the editor’s seat. The magazine was initially produced by Transport Video Publishing, but was printed and distributed by Warners. The magazine was taken over by Warners from issue 14 and, from No.18, I was delighted to take over the editor’s role alongside my duties with British Railway Modelling. Since then producing TRACTION has become a way of life for me and I have made many new friends (and a few enemies too, no doubt!) as we have enthused about many aspects of the golden age of British diesel & electric motive power.

Within the pages of this magazine we have published many fascinating features, pictures and facts that I doubt would have made it into print elsewhere. I’m sure there’s lots more gems out there waiting to be published. Now I have decided to call it a day as, with the magazine about to enter a new era and be relaunched in April 2010, I felt it was time for a new person to take over at the helm. So, from December 1, Richard Wilson from BRM will be the new editor of TRACTION and I hope that you will join me in wishing him all the best with the mag in the future. I will be helping Richard get settled in over the next couple of months and hope to contribute to the magazine in future and produce some tie-in publications which will be of interest to the TRACTION readership. Sincere thanks go to all the contributors for their much appreciated input, the very loyal readership for their fantastic enthusiasm, the advertisers for their support, and my Warners colleagues for their help. My extra special ‘thanks’ go to Paul Furtek and Jarrod Cotter - cheers chaps. Nostalgia rules!

Contents

4 More Midland rambles

When Bill Davies revisited some of his old haunts in Derbyshire & Notts 9 King’s Lynn in the ‘80s

Denzel Morgan’s Norfolk nuggets 12 A ‘Western’ goes North!

D1023 on tour by Tom Heavyside 15 Locomotive haulage in the Lowlands

Martin Axford chases Class 27s 18 Large Logo locomotives

Al Pulford’s 1980s selection box 20 Working with Class 47s

Bob Dunn describes his experiences working with Brush Type 4s 28 Centre Spread

A big working by Tony Middleton 30 Diesels on film

Spencer Vignes takes us to the flicks! 33 The first years of the Class 71 electric locomotives

Simon Jeffs considers the E5000s 36 Whose job is it?

A long day’s work for Lee Davies 38 Class 40 Mel(t)down

Whistling Mel Thorley continues the final countdown for 1984 43 Memories of Tinsley

Depot and yard by Keith Hacker 45 TPO

Your letters and photographs 48 The old Bill

Fort William’s stylish old terminus 50 Traction Modelling

Richard Wilson’s model news update

● In the ‘Have A Maybach Xmas’ advert on p53 of T182, the price was omitted. The CD costs £9.95 (including P&P). Please make cheques payable to BA Saunders at Saltwood Studios, Summer Grove, 3 Castle Avenue, Hythe, Kent, CT21 5HD

● Don’t forget your TRACTION Annual 2009/2010 - available now at £5.95 from WH Smiths, by phone 01778 392012 or the website: www.traction.co.uk from WH Smiths, by phone 01778 392012

Publisher: John Greenwood Tel: 01778 391116 Managing Editor: David Brown Editor: Richard Wilson Tel: 01778 391160 E-mail: richardw@warnersgroup.co.uk Fax: 01778 425437 Head of Design & Production: Jayne Thorpe Editorial Design: Ryan Housden Group Advertisement Manager: Patrick Raphael Sisko Tel: 01778 391114 E-mail: patsisko@warnersgroup.co.uk

Sales Executive: Jane Cottam Tel: 01778 395002 E-mail: janec@warnersgroup.co.uk Production Secretary: Pat Price 01778 391115 E-mail: patp@warnersgroup.co.uk Ad Design: Sarah Machin E-mail: sarahm2@warnersgroup.co.uk Editorial Secretary: Jean Waterfall Tel: 01778 392073 E-mail: jeanw@warnersgroup.co.uk Back Issues, Reader Offers: Tel: 01778 391180 A full list of available Back Issues appears on our website: www.traction.co.uk

Published by: Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH.

Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editor or Publisher. All material submitted to TRACTION, whether photographic or written, is sent at the owner’s risk. Although every care will be taken, the Publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage, however caused. A stamped, SAE should be enclosed with all submissions.

COVER: A pair of NBL Type 2s, led by D6118, leaving Perth on an Aberdeen-Glasgow (Buchanan Street) service in the summer of 1961. RICHARD JELVES

THE FEBRUARY ISSUE IS ON-SALE JANUARY 6 • PRICE £3.75 • TO SUBSCRIBE SEE PAGE 42

January 2010

www.traction.co.uk

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