Rail Magazine
Encyclopedia
RAIL is a UK
magazine
on the subject of current rail transport in Great Britain
. It is published every two weeks by Bauer
and is available in the transport
sections of many British bookshops, especially WH Smith. It is targeted primarily at a business (rail industry) readership.
RAIL has been published for over 25 years, under the title Rail Enthusiast from 1981 until 1988, and remains a leading railway magazine. For over ten of those years, it has had roughly the same cover design, with a capitalised italic red 'RAIL' written prominently along the top of the front cover.
, the Strategic Rail Authority
and the Office of Rail Regulation
, as well as, since it assumed greater powers in relation to the industry, the Department for Transport
, and its overall editorial stance is critical of the current structure of the railway industry. One of the magazine's best known columnists is transport journalist Christian Wolmar
, one of the most vociferous critics of the privatisation of Britain's railway network.
The magazine's readership peaked in the late 1980s at around 45,000. Since then the market for rail magazines has declined, although more titles (e.g.: Rail Express, Traction, Heritage Railways, Today's Railways UK
) have appeared. RAIL's 2007 circulation is 22,830 (ABC-audited figures). To meet the change in the market, the magazine repositioned itself from being purely enthusiast-based to being more business-oriented. This has met with considerable success, with the magazine receiving a lot of advertising revenue from the rail industry.
RAIL is also involved in organising conferences: the annual National Rail Conference, National Rail Awards and Rail 100 Breakfast Club.
, regular feature writers and commentators include: Barry Doe, who writes on fares and ticketing matters under the by-line The Fare Dealer; Industry Insider, an anonymous railway employee; Steve Broadbent, Andy Coward, and Chris Leigh. The magazine is edited by Nigel Harris. Continuing campaigns rail against advertising and media photos showing celebrities and others walking in the middle of railway lines (an unsafe practice) and operational railway tracks infested with unsightly weeds.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
on the subject of current rail transport in Great Britain
Rail transport in Great Britain
The railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world, with the world's first locomotive-hauled public railway opening in 1825. As of 2010, it consists of of standard gauge lines , of which are electrified. These lines range from single to double, triple, quadruple track and up to twelve...
. It is published every two weeks by Bauer
Bauer Verlagsgruppe
The Bauer Media Group is a large German publishing company based in Hamburg, which operates in 15 countries worldwide. Since the company was founded in 1875, it has been privately-owned and under management by the Bauer family. It was formerly called Heinrich Bauer Verlag KG, abbreviated to HBV...
and is available in the transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
sections of many British bookshops, especially WH Smith. It is targeted primarily at a business (rail industry) readership.
RAIL has been published for over 25 years, under the title Rail Enthusiast from 1981 until 1988, and remains a leading railway magazine. For over ten of those years, it has had roughly the same cover design, with a capitalised italic red 'RAIL' written prominently along the top of the front cover.
Editorial policy
RAIL has been severely critical of several of the railway's institutions, including the Health and Safety ExecutiveHealth and Safety Executive
The Health and Safety Executive is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom. It is the body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare, and for research into occupational risks in England and Wales and Scotland...
, the Strategic Rail Authority
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
and the Office of Rail Regulation
Office of Rail Regulation
The Office of Rail Regulation is a statutory board which is the combined economic and safety regulatory authority for Great Britain's railway network. It was established on 5 July 2004 by the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, replacing the Rail Regulator...
, as well as, since it assumed greater powers in relation to the industry, the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
, and its overall editorial stance is critical of the current structure of the railway industry. One of the magazine's best known columnists is transport journalist Christian Wolmar
Christian Wolmar
Christian Wolmar is a British journalist, author, and railway historian of Swedish and Russian descent. He is best known for his books and commentary on transport, especially as a pundit on Britain's railway network, and was named Transport Journalist of the Year in the National Transport Awards in...
, one of the most vociferous critics of the privatisation of Britain's railway network.
The magazine's readership peaked in the late 1980s at around 45,000. Since then the market for rail magazines has declined, although more titles (e.g.: Rail Express, Traction, Heritage Railways, Today's Railways UK
Today's Railways
Today's Railways is a British railway magazine aimed at the enthusiast market and concentrating on current events. It is published by Platform 5 Publishing Ltd of Sheffield....
) have appeared. RAIL's 2007 circulation is 22,830 (ABC-audited figures). To meet the change in the market, the magazine repositioned itself from being purely enthusiast-based to being more business-oriented. This has met with considerable success, with the magazine receiving a lot of advertising revenue from the rail industry.
RAIL is also involved in organising conferences: the annual National Rail Conference, National Rail Awards and Rail 100 Breakfast Club.
Regular Features and Contributors
RAIL magazine incorporates numerous news stories, some submitted by its regular readership. Apart from Christian WolmarChristian Wolmar
Christian Wolmar is a British journalist, author, and railway historian of Swedish and Russian descent. He is best known for his books and commentary on transport, especially as a pundit on Britain's railway network, and was named Transport Journalist of the Year in the National Transport Awards in...
, regular feature writers and commentators include: Barry Doe, who writes on fares and ticketing matters under the by-line The Fare Dealer; Industry Insider, an anonymous railway employee; Steve Broadbent, Andy Coward, and Chris Leigh. The magazine is edited by Nigel Harris. Continuing campaigns rail against advertising and media photos showing celebrities and others walking in the middle of railway lines (an unsafe practice) and operational railway tracks infested with unsightly weeds.
See also
- List of railroad-related periodicals
- Modern RailwaysModern RailwaysModern Railways is a British monthly magazine covering the rail transport industry published by Ian Allan. It has been published since 1962....
(British Railway Magazine) - Today's RailwaysToday's RailwaysToday's Railways is a British railway magazine aimed at the enthusiast market and concentrating on current events. It is published by Platform 5 Publishing Ltd of Sheffield....
(British Railway Magazine) - Model RailModel RailModel Rail is a British railway magazine focusing on Model Railways. It was first published in 1997, after running as a supplement to RAIL magazine.Model Rail is published 13 times a year...
(British Model Railway Magazine) - Railways IllustratedRailways IllustratedRailways Illustrated is a British monthly railway magazine that is published by Ian Allan. Inside there is detail of news, stock changes, tours, and more. It is aimed at railway enthusiasts.-Inside:...
(British Railway Magazine)