These notes briefly state what the index includes and how it is structured, beyond what is evident by inspection.
Scope of the index
The index covers every issue of the Magazine, from number 1 (summer 1958) to the recent.
It is an index of authors and titles, including every item in the Magazine, however small or routine.
It is not an index of subjects, nor of what is in photographs and illustrations.
Entries starting with year dates, and with other numbers are in separate sections before “A”.
Numbers, pages, volumes
Index numbers are of Magazine number then page number:
Absent marketing 105:12
The numbers of Magazine volumes are not used.
Use of square brackets [ ]
Square brackets are used for any indexer’s addition or correction or note, e.g. stating the subject of an item of correspondence when no subject or title is given, or adding a date:
Blundell, Tony Correspondence: [Line mileage] 120:40
Wollan, Dick Who’s who on the staff [1983] 100:12
Square brackets are put round the name of any individual who appears identified only by initials.
Use of roman (normal), italic type
Titles are in this roman type. Authors are in this italic type.
An individual who appears in both capacities has two entries:
Gurley, Norman F [mention of him or as an article title]
followed by individual articles:
Gurley, Norman F [when he is the author of the article]
followed by individual articles
Names and initials of names
Names of individuals are also indexed when they are the central subject, as in an obituary or in mention in the Personnel and personal section of News from the line. They are not indexed if just mentioned in an article.
Full names and initials are used for the same individual, so that all mentions sort together, e.g.:
Garraway, Allan GW 34:22–23 not Garraway, Allan or Garraway, AGW
Changing spellings of names
Spellings are made consistent, and take the Welsh form, so e.g.:
- Porthmadog not Portmadoc
- Tan y Bwlch not Tanybwlch or Tan-y-Bwlch
- Ffestiniog Railway Company (Society, etc.) not Festiniog
Abbreviated institution names
Abbreviated names are spelled out in full, e.g. Ffestiniog Railway Company not FR Company
News from the Line, Notes & News, Obituaries, Publications Received, Correspondence, Group notes
These are indexed more than once, both under News from the Line etc., with its divisions, and under those divisions individually, e.g.
Boston Lodge fire News from the Line 159:93–94
News from the Line Boston Lodge fire 159:93–94
Locomotive names, and names of publications reviewed
These are set within angle brackets « », e.g.
«Ashover»
«Fatal connections» by David J Boulton Publication received
Drift over time
The index covers more than 60 years of the Magazine, during which its structure has changed. A balance has been attempted between fidelity to the original structure and usefulness to the index user.
Errors and improvements
Please tell the compiler of the index, Mark Temple, of errors and of anything that needs fixing or which can usefully be improved: marktemple05@uwclub.net