The Railway Observer Editions
Coverage
The Railway News was launched in 1928 as a monthly magazine and ran to ten editions before a copyright issue was identified with its name. The magazine was relaunched in March 1929 as The Railway Observer and continues to be published to this day.
The RCTS Digital Archive contains editions up to Volume 81 (2011). Online editions from 2012 onwards are available free to Society members (only) in the RCTS members area. Online-only membership is discounted to £10 for new joiners.
Reading options
PDF files are available to purchase and download for your personal use, and must not be shared. Each download contains an index and 12 editions (or 24 editions in the War years), and maybe some extras e.g. fixtures lists. Every page contains a small RCTS logo. There are also bundles available covering multiple volumes.
The purchased PDFs are searchable and you can copy-paste sections from them. The OCR is not perfect.
Individual editions are available to read online free-of-charge. They are intended for browsing, are not searchable, and copy-paste is not supported.
Index
Each purchased volume contains an index. There is also a complete index covering all years 1928-2021 available as a free download as a single PDF file.
Warning: The file is over 600Mb and runs to 1,393 pages.
Purchase PDFs
Individual volumes are £6 each, bundles are £50. You have seven days after purchase to complete the downloads.
Bundles require each volume file to be downloaded separately and total around 3 - 3.5Gb per bundle (5,500 - 7,500 pages).
Showing Volume Number + Year(s)
| Period | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928-1947 | The Railway News 1928-29 | |||||||||
| 01 1929 | 02 1930 | 03 1931 | 04 1932 | 05 1933 | 06 1934 | 07 1935 | 08 1936 | 09 1937 | 10 1938 | |
| 11 1939 | 12 1940 | 13 1941 | 14 1942-43 | 15 1944-45 | 16 1946 | 17 1947 | ||||
| Bundle 1928-1947 | ||||||||||
| 1948-1959 | 18 1948 | 19 1949 | ||||||||
| 20 1950 | 21 1951 | 22 1952 | 23 1953 | 24 1954 | 25 1955 | 26 1956 | 27 1957 | 28 1958 | 29 1959 | |
| Bundle 1948-59 | ||||||||||
| 1960-1969 | 30 1960 | 31 1961 | 32 1962 | 33 1963 | 34 1964 | 35 1965 | 36 1966 | 37 1967 | 38 1968 | 39 1969 |
| Bundle 1960-69 | ||||||||||
| 1970-1979 | 40 1970 | 41 1971 | 42 1972 | 43 1973 | 44 1974 | 45 1975 | 46 1976 | 47 1977 | 48 1978 | 49 1979 |
| Bundle 1970-79 | ||||||||||
| 1980-1989 | 50 1980 | 51 1981 | 52 1982 | 53 1983 | 54 1984 | 55 1985 | 56 1986 | 57 1987 | 58 1988 | 59 1989 |
| Bundle 1980-89 | ||||||||||
| 1990-1999 | 60 1990 | 61 1991 | 62 1992 | 63 1993 | 64 1994 | 65 1995 | 66 1996 | 67 1997 | 68 1998 | 69 1999 |
| Bundle 1990-99 | ||||||||||
| 2000-2009 | 70 2000 | 71 2001 | 72 2002 | 73 2003 | 74 2004 | 75 2005 | 76 2006 | 77 2007 | 78 2008 | 79 2009 |
| Bundle 2000-09 | ||||||||||
| 2010-2011 | 80 2010 | 81 2011 | ||||||||
Read online (free)
The links below are only active when you have signed in. To register and sign in, please use the top menu.
Edition 0011 (Volume 2, January 1930) is available to view as a sample.
| Volume | Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Railway News | 1928 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | ||||
| 1929 | 09 | 10 | |||||||||||
| RO Vol 01 | 1929 | 0001 | 0002 | 0003 | 0004 | 0005 | 0006 | 0007 | 0008 | 0009 | 0010 | ||
| RO Vol 02 | 1930 | 0011 | 0012 | 0013 | 0014 | 0015 | 0016 | 0017 | 0018 | 0019 | 0020 | 0021 | 0022 |
| RO Vol 03 | 1931 | 0023 | 0024 | 0025 | 0026 | 0027 | 0028 | 0029 | 0030 | 0031 | 0032 | 0033 | 0034 |
| RO Vol 04 | 1932 | 0035 | 0036 | 0037 | 0038 | 0039 | 0040 | 0041 | 0042 | 0043 | 0044 | 0045 | 0046 |
| RO Vol 05 | 1933 | 0047 | 0048 | 0049 | 0050 | 0051 | 0052 | 0053 | 0054 | 0055 | 0056 | 0057 | 0058 |
| RO Vol 06 | 1934 | 0059 | 0060 | 0061 | 0062 | 0063 | 0064 | 0065 | 0066 | 0067 | 0068 | 0069 | 0070 |
| RO Vol 07 | 1935 | 0071 | 0072 | 0073 | 0074 | 0075 | 0076 | 0077 | 0078 | 0079 | 0080 | 0081 | 0082 |
| RO Vol 08 | 1936 | 0083 | 0084 | 0085 | 0086 | 0087 | 0088 | 0089 | 0090 | 0091 | 0092 | 0093 | 0094 |
| RO Vol 09 | 1937 | 0095 | 0096 | 0097 | 0098 | 0099 | 0100 | 0101 | 0102 | 0103 | 0104 | 0105 | 0106 |
| RO Vol 10 | 1938 | 0107 | 0108 | 0109 | 0110 | 0111 | 0112 | 0113 | 0114 | 0115 | 0116 | 0117 | 0118 |
| RO Vol 11 | 1939 | 0119 | 0120 | 0121 | 0122 | 0123 | 0124 | 0125 | 0126 | 0127 | 0128 | 0129 | 0130 |
| RO Vol 12 | 1940 | 0131 | 0132 | 0133 | 0134 | 0135 | 0136 | 0137 | 0138 | 0139 | 0140 | 0141 | 0142 |
| RO Vol 13 | 1941 | 0143 | 0144 | 0145 | 0146 | 0147 | 0148 | 0149 | 0150 | 0151 | 0152 | 0153 | 0154 |
| RO Vol 14 | 1942 | 0155 | 0156 | 0157 | 0158 | 0159 | 0160 | 0161 | 0162 | 0163 | 0164 | 0165 | 0166 |
| 1943 | 0167 | 0168 | 0169 | 0170 | 0171 | 0172 | 0173 | 0174 | 0175 | 0176 | 0177 | 0178 | |
| RO Vol 15 | 1944 | 0179 | 0180 | 0181 | 0182 | 0183 | 0184 | 0185 | 0186 | 0187 | 0188 | 0189 | 0190 |
| 1945 | 0191 | 0192 | 0193 | 0194 | 0195 | 0196 | 0197 | 0198 | 0199 | 0200 | 0201 | 0202 | |
| RO Vol 16 | 1946 | 0203 | 0204 | 0205 | 0206 | 0207 | 0208 | 0209 | 0210 | 0211 | 0212 | 0213 | 0214 |
| RO Vol 17 | 1947 | 0215 | 0216 | 0217 | 0218 | 0219 | 0220 | 0221 | 0222 | 0223 | 0224 | 0225 | 0226 |
| RO Vol 18 | 1948 | 0227 | 0228 | 0229 | 0230 | 0231 | 0232 | 0233 | 0234 | 0235 | 0236 | 0237 | 0238 |
| RO Vol 19 | 1949 | 0239 | 0240 | 0241 | 0242 | 0243 | 0244 | 0245 | 0246 | 0247 | 0248 | 0249 | 0250 |
| RO Vol 20 | 1950 | 0251 | 0252 | 0253 | 0254 | 0255 | 0256 | 0257 | 0258 | 0259 | 0260 | 0261 | 0262 |
| RO Vol 21 | 1951 | 0263 | 0264 | 0265 | 0266 | 0267 | 0268 | 0269 | 0270 | 0271 | 0272 | 0273 | 0274 |
| RO Vol 22 | 1952 | 0275 | 0276 | 0277 | 0278 | 0279 | 0280 | 0281 | 0282 | 0283 | 0284 | 0285 | 0286 |
| RO Vol 23 | 1953 | 0287 | 0288 | 0289 | 0290 | 0291 | 0292 | 0293 | 0294 | 0295 | 0296 | 0297 | 0298 |
| RO Vol 24 | 1954 | 0299 | 0300 | 0301 | 0302 | 0303 | 0304 | 0305 | 0306 | 0307 | 0308 | 0309 | 0310 |
| RO Vol 25 | 1955 | 0311 | 0312 | 0313 | 0314 | 0315 | 0316 | 0317 | 0318 | 0319 | 0320 | 0321 | 0322 |
| RO Vol 26 | 1956 | 0323 | 0324 | 0325 | 0326 | 0327 | 0328 | 0329 | 0330 | 0331 | 0332 | 0333 | 0334 |
| RO Vol 27 | 1957 | 0335 | 0336 | 0337 | 0338 | 0339 | 0340 | 0341 | 0342 | 0343 | 0344 | 0345 | 0346 |
| RO Vol 28 | 1958 | 0347 | 0348 | 0349 | 0350 | 0351 | 0352 | 0353 | 0354 | 0355 | 0356 | 0357 | 0358 |
| RO Vol 29 | 1959 | 0359 | 0360 | 0361 | 0362 | 0363 | 0364 | 0365 | 0366 | 0367 | 0368 | 0369 | 0370 |
| RO Vol 30 | 1960 | 0371 | 0372 | 0373 | 0374 | 0375 | 0376 | 0377 | 0378 | 0379 | 0380 | 0381 | 0382 |
| RO Vol 31 | 1961 | 0383 | 0384 | 0385 | 0386 | 0387 | 0388 | 0389 | 0390 | 0391 | 0392 | 0393 | 0394 |
| RO Vol 32 | 1962 | 0395 | 0396 | 0397 | 0398 | 0399 | 0400 | 0401 | 0402 | 0403 | 0404 | 0405 | 0406 |
| RO Vol 33 | 1963 | 0407 | 0408 | 0409 | 0410 | 0411 | 0412 | 0413 | 0414 | 0415 | 0416 | 0417 | 0418 |
| RO Vol 34 | 1964 | 0419 | 0420 | 0421 | 0422 | 0423 | 0424 | 0425 | 0426 | 0427 | 0428 | 0429 | 0430 |
| RO Vol 35 | 1965 | 0431 | 0432 | 0433 | 0434 | 0435 | 0436 | 0437 | 0438 | 0439 | 0440 | 0441 | 0442 |
| RO Vol 36 | 1966 | 0443 | 0444 | 0445 | 0446 | 0447 | 0448 | 0449 | 0450 | 0451 | 0452 | 0453 | 0454 |
| RO Vol 37 | 1967 | 0455 | 0456 | 0457 | 0458 | 0459 | 0460 | 0461 | 0462 | 0463 | 0464 | 0465 | 0466 |
| RO Vol 38 | 1968 | 0467 | 0468 | 0469 | 0470 | 0471 | 0472 | 0473 | 0474 | 0475 | 0476 | 0477 | 0478 |
| RO Vol 39 | 1969 | 0479 | 0480 | 0481 | 0482 | 0483 | 0484 | 0485 | 0486 | 0487 | 0488 | 0489 | 0490 |
| RO Vol 40 | 1970 | 0491 | 0492 | 0493 | 0494 | 0495 | 0496 | 0497 | 0498 | 0499 | 0500 | 0501 | 0502 |
| RO Vol 41 | 1971 | 0503 | 0504 | 0505 | 0506 | 0507 | 0508 | 0509 | 0510 | 0511 | 0512 | 0513 | 0514 |
| RO Vol 42 | 1972 | 0515 | 0516 | 0517 | 0518 | 0519 | 0520 | 0521 | 0522 | 0523 | 0524 | 0525 | 0526 |
| RO Vol 43 | 1973 | 0527 | 0528 | 0529 | 0530 | 0531 | 0532 | 0533 | 0534 | 0535 | 0536 | 0537 | 0538 |
| RO Vol 44 | 1974 | 0539 | 0540 | 0541 | 0542 | 0543 | 0544 | 0545 | 0546 | 0547 | 0548 | 0549 | 0550 |
| RO Vol 45 | 1975 | 0551 | 0552 | 0553 | 0554 | 0555 | 0556 | 0557 | 0558 | 0559 | 0560 | 0561 | 0562 |
| RO Vol 46 | 1976 | 0563 | 0564 | 0565 | 0566 | 0567 | 0568 | 0569 | 0570 | 0571 | 0572 | 0573 | 0574 |
| RO Vol 47 | 1977 | 0575 | 0576 | 0577 | 0578 | 0579 | 0580 | 0581 | 0582 | 0583 | 0584 | 0585 | 0586 |
| RO Vol 48 | 1978 | 0587 | 0588 | 0589 | 0590 | 0591 | 0592 | 0593 | 0594 | 0595 | 0596 | 0597 | 0598 |
| RO Vol 49 | 1979 | 0599 | 0600 | 0601 | 0602 | 0603 | 0604 | 0605 | 0606 | 0607 | 0608 | 0609 | 0610 |
| RO Vol 50 | 1980 | 0611 | 0612 | 0613 | 0614 | 0615 | 0616 | 0617 | 0618 | 0619 | 0620 | 0621 | 0622 |
| RO Vol 51 | 1981 | 0623 | 0624 | 0625 | 0626 | 0627 | 0628 | 0629 | 0630 | 0631 | 0632 | 0633 | 0634 |
| RO Vol 52 | 1982 | 0635 | 0636 | 0637 | 0638 | 0639 | 0640 | 0641 | 0642 | 0643 | 0644 | 0645 | 0646 |
| RO Vol 53 | 1983 | 0647 | 0648 | 0649 | 0650 | 0651 | 0652 | 0653 | 0654 | 0655 | 0656 | 0657 | 0658 |
| RO Vol 54 | 1984 | 0659 | 0660 | 0661 | 0662 | 0663 | 0664 | 0665 | 0666 | 0667 | 0668 | 0669 | 0670 |
| RO Vol 55 | 1985 | 0671 | 0672 | 0673 | 0674 | 0675 | 0676 | 0677 | 0678 | 0679 | 0680 | 0681 | 0682 |
| RO Vol 56 | 1986 | 0683 | 0684 | 0685 | 0686 | 0687 | 0688 | 0689 | 0690 | 0691 | 0692 | 0693 | 0694 |
| RO Vol 57 | 1987 | 0695 | 0696 | 0697 | 0698 | 0699 | 0700 | 0701 | 0702 | 0703 | 0704 | 0705 | 0706 |
| RO Vol 58 | 1988 | 0707 | 0708 | 0709 | 0710 | 0711 | 0712 | 0713 | 0714 | 0715 | 0716 | 0717 | 0718 |
| RO Vol 59 | 1989 | 0719 | 0720 | 0721 | 0722 | 0723 | 0724 | 0725 | 0726 | 0727 | 0728 | 0729 | 0730 |
| RO Vol 60 | 1990 | 0731 | 0732 | 0733 | 0734 | 0735 | 0736 | 0737 | 0738 | 0739 | 0740 | 0741 | 0742 |
| RO Vol 61 | 1991 | 0743 | 0744 | 0745 | 0746 | 0747 | 0748 | 0749 | 0750 | 0751 | 0752 | 0753 | 0754 |
| RO Vol 62 | 1992 | 0755 | 0756 | 0757 | 0758 | 0759 | 0760 | 0761 | 0762 | 0763 | 0764 | 0765 | 0766 |
| RO Vol 63 | 1993 | 0767 | 0768 | 0769 | 0770 | 0771 | 0772 | 0773 | 0774 | 0775 | 0776 | 0777 | 0778 |
| RO Vol 64 | 1994 | 0779 | 0780 | 0781 | 0782 | 0783 | 0784 | 0785 | 0786 | 0787 | 0788 | 0789 | 0790 |
| RO Vol 65 | 1995 | 0791 | 0792 | 0793 | 0794 | 0795 | 0796 | 0797 | 0798 | 0799 | 0800 | 0801 | 0802 |
| RO Vol 66 | 1996 | 0803 | 0804 | 0805 | 0806 | 0807 | 0808 | 0809 | 0810 | 0811 | 0812 | 0813 | 0814 |
| RO Vol 67 | 1997 | 0815 | 0816 | 0817 | 0818 | 0819 | 0820 | 0821 | 0822 | 0823 | 0824 | 0825 | 0826 |
| RO Vol 68 | 1998 | 0827 | 0828 | 0829 | 0830 | 0831 | 0832 | 0833 | 0834 | 0835 | 0836 | 0837 | 0838 |
| RO Vol 69 | 1999 | 0839 | 0840 | 0841 | 0842 | 0843 | 0844 | 0845 | 0846 | 0847 | 0848 | 0849 | 0850 |
| RO Vol 70 | 2000 | 0851 | 0852 | 0853 | 0854 | 0855 | 0856 | 0857 | 0858 | 0859 | 0860 | 0861 | 0862 |
| RO Vol 71 | 2001 | 0863 | 0864 | 0865 | 0866 | 0867 | 0868 | 0869 | 0870 | 0871 | 0872 | 0873 | 0874 |
| RO Vol 72 | 2002 | 0875 | 0876 | 0877 | 0878 | 0879 | 0880 | 0881 | 0882 | 0883 | 0884 | 0885 | 0886 |
| RO Vol 73 | 2003 | 0887 | 0888 | 0889 | 0890 | 0891 | 0892 | 0893 | 0894 | 0895 | 0896 | 0897 | 0898 |
| RO Vol 74 | 2004 | 0899 | 0900 | 0901 | 0902 | 0903 | 0904 | 0905 | 0906 | 0907 | 0908 | 0909 | 0910 |
| RO Vol 75 | 2005 | 0911 | 0912 | 0913 | 0914 | 0915 | 0916 | 0917 | 0918 | 0919 | 0920 | 0921 | 0922 |
| RO Vol 76 | 2006 | 0923 | 0924 | 0925 | 0926 | 0927 | 0928 | 0929 | 0930 | 0931 | 0932 | 0933 | 0934 |
| RO Vol 77 | 2007 | 0935 | 0936 | 0937 | 0938 | 0939 | 0940 | 0941 | 0942 | 0943 | 0944 | 0945 | 0946 |
| RO Vol 78 | 2008 | 0947 | 0948 | 0949 | 0950 | 0951 | 0952 | 0953 | 0954 | 0955 | 0956 | 0957 | 0958 |
| RO Vol 79 | 2009 | 0959 | 0960 | 0961 | 0962 | 0963 | 0964 | 0965 | 0966 | 0967 | 0968 | 0969 | 0970 |
| RO Vol 80 | 2010 | 0971 | 0972 | 0973 | 0974 | 0975 | 0976 | 0977 | 0978 | 0979 | 0980 | 0981 | 0982 |
| RO Vol 81 | 2011 | 0983 | 0984 | 0985 | 0986 | 0987 | 0988 | 0989 | 0990 | 0991 | 0992 | 0993 | 0994 |