NEW OCTOBER 2015. George Nokes (‘G A Sekon’) had been editor of the Railway Magazine since 1897. In 1910 he fell out with its new proprietors, and left to create his own magazine which he called the Railway and Travel Monthly. If you are familiar with the Railway Magazine of the time, you will instantly recognise this new publication – exactly the same layout of articles illustrated by copious photographs, impossible to tell the two apart unless you look at what is written on the page header.

At the start, each issue contained 88 pages of editorial matter. Publication continued through the Great War of 1914-1918, although inevitably there was both a small reduction in the number of pages and a huge reduction in the quality of the paper which had an adverse effect on the crispness of the printing.

After the War the focus was on integrated solutions to transport problems, and a new Ministry of Transport was formed. In line with this, the title of the publication in 1920 was changed to Transport and Travel Monthly. Publication continued smoothly until issue No. 152 in December 1922, when with no previous warning there was a brief announcement that from the next month it would be combining with the Railway Magazine. From then on, the latter announced itself as the Railway Magazine followed in smaller print by ‘Incorporating the Transport and Travel Monthly’.

To see a list of the full contents of each of the 152 issues (comprising no fewer than 12,171 pages in total!), click here. We have colour-coded them so you can spot at a glance which items relate to railways, to shipping, to road transport and to aviation.

It is immediately apparent that railways feature the most. Shipping comes next, with quite a bit more to offer than might immediately be apparent, since the regular Nautical News and Notes often ran to ten pages or more and was crammed with a vast range of sub-articles and snippets, accompanied by a treasure trove of photographs. To show you what we mean, click here to see one month’s Nautical News and Notes, chosen at random. It comes from issue No. 76, at the half way stage of publication. There were 151 more sets of this feature, and the price is worth it merely for them alone if you are interested in developments in shipping!

Road transport received little attention in the earlier stages, but got more coverage towards the end. A regular insertion called Road Transport Progress began in issue No. 145, which eventually did for roads what Nautical News and Notes had always done for shipping.

Aviation had the least coverage, though this is partially offset by the early date of the reports that are there. Thus the first death of a British flier appeared as breaking news, and later we learn that someone had managed to get an aeroplane off the ground carrying no fewer than six people. Doubtless none of them were heavyweights, nor did they have suitcases with them, but it did not prevent speculation on the possibility of commercial air travel one day.

One additional guidance file concerning help with the search facility is very recent and is not on the DVDs: you may download that HERE.

We have fitted the Magazines on to two fully word-searchable DVDs. When adding the DVDs to the shopping cart please state whether you are a GERS Member or Non-Member. If you order them, they will be posted to you. An amount to help with post and packing will be added at the checkout, before you commit yourself to buy.

NOTE:-

1. These are data DVDs not video DVDs. They will not play on an ordinary domestic DVD player.

2. You can also purchase and download the contents of the DVDs here.

We very much regret that these DVDs can be posted only to UK addresses owing to difficulties we have experienced with customs duties. Overseas customers are of course still more than welcome to purchase the download version – you will receive the same files without incurring the inevitable considerable delay. If you have serious misgivings as to whether your local internet will be up to the task, please feel free to consult us at sales@gersociety.org.uk.