The Railway Magazine
Encyclopedia
The Railway Magazine is a monthly British
railway magazine
, aimed at the railway enthusiast
market, that has been published in London
since July 1897. it has been, for three years running, the railway magazine with the largest circulation in the U.K., having a monthly average sale during 2009 of 34,715 (the figure for 2007 being 34,661). It was published by IPC Media
until October 2010, with ISSN
0033-8923, and in 2007 won IPC's 'Magazine of the Year' award. From November 2010, The Railway Magazine is now published by Mortons Media Group Ltd. (Mortons of Horncastle
).
The Railway Magazine was launched by Joseph Lawrence
and ex-railwayman Frank E. Cornwall of Railway Publishing Ltd, who thought there would be an amateur enthusiast market for some of the material they were then publishing in a railway staff magazine, the Railway Herald. They appointed as its first editor a former auctioneer, George Augustus Nokes (1867-1948), who wrote under the pseudonym
"G.A. Sekon". He quickly built the magazine circulation to around 25,000. From the start it was produced in Linotype on good-quality paper and well illustrated with photograph
ic halftone
and occasional colour lithographic
plates.
In 1910, following a dispute with the proprietors, Nokes resigned and started a rival, very similar, magazine, Railway and Travel Monthly. Both this and The Railway Magazine in 1916 were purchased by John Aiton Kay (1883-1949), proprietor of the Railway Gazette
, and Nokes's title was renamed Transport and Travel Monthly in 1920 before being amalgamated with The Railway Magazine from January 1923. Apart from this episode, The Railway Magazine had no serious commercial rival in its field until the 1940s. Kay himself served as editor after his predecessor had left for service in World War II
. For many years the magazine shared editorial direction with the Railway Gazette, and for periods had officially no editor of its own. From May 1942 to the end of 1949, paper shortages compelled bimonthly publication.
The magazine claims a record for the longest unbroken published series, begun under the title "British locomotive practice and performance" in 1901, characterised by detailed logs giving the timings of notable trips, recorded by observers with a stopwatch. Its first writer was the New Zealand
-born Charles Rous-Marten (1844-1908). One of those who shared authorship of the series after his death was the Great Eastern Railway
engineer Cecil J. Allen (1886-1973) who became sole author from 1911 until succeeded by O. S. Nock in 1958, when Cecil J. Allen moved his performance column to Trains Illustrated (later renamed Modern Railways), edited by his son, G. Freeman Allen. From 1981 to 2004 the performance series was written by Peter W.B. Semmens (1927-2007), who also served as Chief correspondent from 1990, notably reporting on the Channel Tunnel
construction. Authorship of the series, now called just "Practice & performance", has subsequently been shared by Keith Farr and John Heaton.
The editor originated a series of "Illustrated Interviews" with senior railway officials, the first being Joseph Wilkinson, general manager
of the Great Western Railway
; and another early manager to feature being John Sylvester Hughes of the Festiniog Railway. Other contributors of features in earlier days included Rev. W.J. Scott, Rev. Victor L. Whitechurch
(1868-1933), Charles H. Grinling, railwayman H.L. Hopwood (1881-1927), and the much-travelled T.R. Perkins (1872-1952). Harold Fayle contributed on Irish railways
(for many years it was traditional for the May issue to have a strong Irish content, with the January one having a Scottish slant). A notable series by the locomotive engineer E. L. Ahrons on "Locomotive and train working in the latter part of the nineteenth century" was published between 1915 and 1926 (and much later collected in book format). A very small amount of fiction was included in the magazine's earliest days. Another feature which has persisted since the early days has been answers to readers' questions, under the title "The why & the wherefore".
Notable photographic contributors of the Interwar period
included Maurice W. Earley (1900-82), W. Leslie Good, Frank R. Hebron (d.1980), F.E. Mackay, O.J. Morris (1902-61) (who produced the first colour photograph published in the magazine, in 1938) and H. Gordon Tidey
. The cover design, incorporating a photograph, remained substantially unchanged from the early 1900s to the mid 1950s; colour was first introduced there in 1963. In common with most similar magazines, the pictorial content is today largely in colour.
In earliest days, current news paragraphs were placed at the back of the magazine under the headings "What the railways are doing" and "Pertinent paragraphs"; from 1987 news was moved to the front. The magazine has also over the years steadily extended its detailed coverage of locomotive
and rolling stock
movements. It now covers current British railway news, modern traction, some history, heritage railway
s and general and international railway topics.
Between November 1963 and December 1996, the definite article was omitted from the title, which was "Railway Magazine" during that period. Since November 1983, the word "Magazine" has been in smaller type.
† died in office
‡ nominally Deputy Editor
forums. Members and readers are able to talk and comment directly to members of the editorial staff, providing both feedback and constructive criticism. This has been noted as a valuable source of information for the magazine in order to keep in touch with its readership online in the internet age.
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...
railway 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...
, aimed at the railway enthusiast
Railfan
A railfan or rail buff , railway enthusiast or railway buff , or trainspotter , is a person interested in a recreational capacity in rail transport...
market, that has been published in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
since July 1897. it has been, for three years running, the railway magazine with the largest circulation in the U.K., having a monthly average sale during 2009 of 34,715 (the figure for 2007 being 34,661). It was published by IPC Media
IPC Media
IPC Media , a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year.- Origins :...
until October 2010, with ISSN
International Standard Serial Number
An International Standard Serial Number is a unique eight-digit number used to identify a print or electronic periodical publication. Periodicals published in both print and electronic form may have two ISSNs, a print ISSN and an electronic ISSN...
0033-8923, and in 2007 won IPC's 'Magazine of the Year' award. From November 2010, The Railway Magazine is now published by Mortons Media Group Ltd. (Mortons of Horncastle
Mortons of Horncastle
Mortons of Horncastle Ltd is a publishing company based in Horncastle in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, England.-History:At the age of 21, WK Morton bought the Horncastle-based printing company owned by D Cousans. He started the Horncastle News in 1887...
).
History
Joseph Lawrence (British politician)
Sir Joseph Lawrence was a Conservative Party politician.He was elected as Member of Parliament for Monmouth Boroughs at by-election in May 1901...
and ex-railwayman Frank E. Cornwall of Railway Publishing Ltd, who thought there would be an amateur enthusiast market for some of the material they were then publishing in a railway staff magazine, the Railway Herald. They appointed as its first editor a former auctioneer, George Augustus Nokes (1867-1948), who wrote under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
"G.A. Sekon". He quickly built the magazine circulation to around 25,000. From the start it was produced in Linotype on good-quality paper and well illustrated with photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
ic halftone
Halftone
Halftone is the reprographic technique that simulates continuous tone imagery through the use of dots, varying either in size, in shape or in spacing...
and occasional colour lithographic
Chromolithography
Chromolithography is a method for making multi-color prints. This type of color printing stemmed from the process of lithography, and it includes all types of lithography that are printed in color. When chromolithography is used to reproduce photographs, the term photochrom is frequently used...
plates.
In 1910, following a dispute with the proprietors, Nokes resigned and started a rival, very similar, magazine, Railway and Travel Monthly. Both this and The Railway Magazine in 1916 were purchased by John Aiton Kay (1883-1949), proprietor of the Railway Gazette
Railway Gazette International
Railway Gazette International is a monthly business journal covering the railway, metro, light rail and tram industries worldwide. Available by annual subscription, the magazine is read in over 140 countries by transport professionals and decision makers, railway managers, engineers, consultants...
, and Nokes's title was renamed Transport and Travel Monthly in 1920 before being amalgamated with The Railway Magazine from January 1923. Apart from this episode, The Railway Magazine had no serious commercial rival in its field until the 1940s. Kay himself served as editor after his predecessor had left for service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. For many years the magazine shared editorial direction with the Railway Gazette, and for periods had officially no editor of its own. From May 1942 to the end of 1949, paper shortages compelled bimonthly publication.
The magazine claims a record for the longest unbroken published series, begun under the title "British locomotive practice and performance" in 1901, characterised by detailed logs giving the timings of notable trips, recorded by observers with a stopwatch. Its first writer was the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-born Charles Rous-Marten (1844-1908). One of those who shared authorship of the series after his death was the Great Eastern Railway
Great Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
engineer Cecil J. Allen (1886-1973) who became sole author from 1911 until succeeded by O. S. Nock in 1958, when Cecil J. Allen moved his performance column to Trains Illustrated (later renamed Modern Railways), edited by his son, G. Freeman Allen. From 1981 to 2004 the performance series was written by Peter W.B. Semmens (1927-2007), who also served as Chief correspondent from 1990, notably reporting on the Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
construction. Authorship of the series, now called just "Practice & performance", has subsequently been shared by Keith Farr and John Heaton.
The editor originated a series of "Illustrated Interviews" with senior railway officials, the first being Joseph Wilkinson, general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
; and another early manager to feature being John Sylvester Hughes of the Festiniog Railway. Other contributors of features in earlier days included Rev. W.J. Scott, Rev. Victor L. Whitechurch
Victor Whitechurch
Victor Lorenzo Whitechurch was a Church of England clergyman and author.He wrote many novels on different themes. He is probably best known for his detective stories featuring Thorpe Hazell, which featured in the Strand Magazine, Railway Magazine, Pearson's and Harmsworth's Magazines...
(1868-1933), Charles H. Grinling, railwayman H.L. Hopwood (1881-1927), and the much-travelled T.R. Perkins (1872-1952). Harold Fayle contributed on Irish railways
History of rail transport in Ireland
The history of rail transport in Ireland began only a decade later than that of Great Britain. By its peak in 1920, Ireland counted 5,500 route kilometers...
(for many years it was traditional for the May issue to have a strong Irish content, with the January one having a Scottish slant). A notable series by the locomotive engineer E. L. Ahrons on "Locomotive and train working in the latter part of the nineteenth century" was published between 1915 and 1926 (and much later collected in book format). A very small amount of fiction was included in the magazine's earliest days. Another feature which has persisted since the early days has been answers to readers' questions, under the title "The why & the wherefore".
Notable photographic contributors of the Interwar period
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
included Maurice W. Earley (1900-82), W. Leslie Good, Frank R. Hebron (d.1980), F.E. Mackay, O.J. Morris (1902-61) (who produced the first colour photograph published in the magazine, in 1938) and H. Gordon Tidey
H. Gordon Tidey
Herbert Gordon Tidey was an English railway photographer. Described as "one of the fathers of railway photography" he was active from the 1890s through the 1950s.Writing in 1954, he described the background to his work as follows:...
. The cover design, incorporating a photograph, remained substantially unchanged from the early 1900s to the mid 1950s; colour was first introduced there in 1963. In common with most similar magazines, the pictorial content is today largely in colour.
In earliest days, current news paragraphs were placed at the back of the magazine under the headings "What the railways are doing" and "Pertinent paragraphs"; from 1987 news was moved to the front. The magazine has also over the years steadily extended its detailed coverage of locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
and rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
movements. It now covers current British railway news, modern traction, some history, heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
s and general and international railway topics.
Between November 1963 and December 1996, the definite article was omitted from the title, which was "Railway Magazine" during that period. Since November 1983, the word "Magazine" has been in smaller type.
Editors
| Term | Editor |
|---|---|
| 1897 – 1910 | "G. A. Sekon" (1867-1948) |
| 1910 – 1930 | John F. Gairns (1876-1930)† |
| 1932 – 1942 | William Arthur Willox (1891-1970) |
| 1942 – 1949 | John Aiton Kay (1883-1949)† |
| 1949 – 1963‡ | Hugh Aymer Vallance (1902-1967) |
| 1963 – 1966‡ | John H. Court |
| 1970 – 1989 | John N. Slater (1928-2004) |
| 1989 – 1994 | Peter Kelly (1944- ) |
| 1994 – present | Nick Pigott Nick Pigott Nicholas Hugh "Nick" Pigott is editor of The Railway Magazine, Britain's best-selling rail title. A title previously held, but lost in 1988 to Steam Railway, then edited by Nick Pigott, and regained in 2008, based on 12 months of sales in 2007... (1951- ) |
† died in office
‡ nominally Deputy Editor
Online presence
The Railway Magazine has a presence on the National PreservationNational Preservation
National Preservation is the trading name for Nat Pres Ltd, a British-based online company that specialises in retail and discussion among railway enthusiasts. The company was created on 25 June 2008 as an extension of the original National Preservation forum, which began on 10 March 2005, and has...
forums. Members and readers are able to talk and comment directly to members of the editorial staff, providing both feedback and constructive criticism. This has been noted as a valuable source of information for the magazine in order to keep in touch with its readership online in the internet age.