Well, that’s Christmas and New Year out of the way. I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable break, apart from those with the challenging jobs of keeping our railways running. It was great to see some of the photographs from our regular contributors of some of the workings to keep things moving. I do apologise for not including many of these photos recently but I’ve had so much to pack into the issues (including this one) something had to give a little. I’m hoping that we can redress the balance sometime soon to provide more space for the current heritage fleet. While on this subject, it was sad to see West Coast Railway Company’s 47 851 finally be painted from its ‘proper’ livery of twotone green to their corporate maroon colour, losing its Traction Magazine nameplates in the process. We’ve lost ‘our’ loco! Would any of you operators or rolling stock owners please be kind enough to name one of your machines in our honour? It would be great to continue the tradition of a heritage locomotive supporting a heritage loco magazine and vice-versa. Please feel free to contact the editorial office with your suggestions.

I can’t finish without telling you some last-minute news. While I’m sworn to secrecy and can’t reveal too much at this stage, there are some exciting changes afoot with your magazine. Don’t worry, it will still continue to be your favourite bimonthly read packed with pages of heritage diesel and electric traction, brought to you by the best writers and photographers, but it will just be, well, different!

Publisher: John Greenwood Tel: 01778 391116 Editor: Richard Wilson Tel: 01778 392455 E-mail: richardw@warnersgroup.co.uk Fax: 01778 425437 Head of Design: Jayne Thorpe Editorial Design: Ryan Housden Ad Design: Sarah Machin Production Secretary: Pat Price Tel: 01778 391115 E-mail: patp@warnersgroup.co.uk Brand Manager: Nilla Short Tel: 01778 392057 E-mail: nillas@warnersgroup.co.uk

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 Editorial Secretary: Jean Waterfall Tel: 01778 392073 E-mail: jeanw@warnersgroup.co.uk Back Issues and 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 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.

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COVER: Closed to steam in 1963, the depot building at Exeter found further use as a diesel stabling point albeit without a roof. Resident within the confines of the former shed walls are 33 003 and ‘Peak’ 45 029 as they lay-over on a chilly winter’s evening, December 27, 1983. Steve Carter

We’re always looking for contributions to make TRACTION an even better read. If you can write about your experiences or history of the days before the railways became sanitised, or have some photographs of the period, whether black & white or colour, we’d love to hear from you! We can accept photos in all formats, from transparencies to digital media, though if emailing, please initially send small images. Send to: The Editor, Traction Magazine, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne PE10 9PH. See page 4 for full subscription details or call 01778 392012

2 TRACTION T196

www.traction.co.uk In its former guise, 47 851/D1648 Traction Magazine is seen near Ais Gill with the 06:55 Birmingham - Edinburgh on February 23, 2002. Chris Dyson INSET:Then Editor David Brown and Publisher John Greenwood pose with 47 851 following naming at Derby station on January 15, 2002. Darren Ford

5 News

Royal Scots Grey hits 50 and our competition winner reports back 8 D&E decades

Another step back in time 10 Pilot scheme diesel hydraulics

David N Clough gives the real reasons for the Westen Regions’s diesel choices 15 Class 47 review

The year-end review by Parrot of the workings of the remainder of the Brush 4 fleet 19 Nocturne

The railway system after dark as observed through the lens of Steve Carter

27 Life as a Loco Controller

Michael Mercer provides more of his reminiscences from Room 101 32 Saltley, gone but not forgotten

Formerly based there, Bob Dunn recalls happier times 34 Mothballed at Marston

A selection of Steve Widdowson and Tom Braund’s photos of locos in store at Long Marston 38 What’s in a name?

Al Pulford’s latest photographic contribution provides us with a selection of ‘namers’ 42 A Colour-Rail jourmey

A look at the new book from this famous photographic archive

44 Mixed doubles

Varied double-heading from the Rail Photoprints archive 51 Reviews

The latest books 52 TPO

More of your letters and photos 54 Modelling news

What was new at the Warley show, plus the 2011 releases from Hornby 56 Baking a ‘Wonderloaf’

Dicky Dockerill explains how he constructed a 7mm scale MetroVick Co-Bo 62 DCC sound Grafar Class 37

How to wire an N gauge EE Type 3 for sound by Roger Miller

Don’t forget, TRACTION is now on sale every two months!

March/April 2011 3