Ian Allan Publishing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1942 |
| Founder | Ian Allan |
| Defunct | 2020 |
| Fate | Ceased railway publishing in 2016; railway titles acquired by Crécy Publishing; retail shops closed by 2020 |
| Headquarters | Shepperton, Surrey , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Products | Transport literature, magazines, books, videos |
Ian Allan Publishing was a British publishing company established in 1942 by Ian Allan, with a focus on transport literature. While employed in public relations for the Southern Railway at Waterloo station, Ian Allan gathered data on rolling stock which he compiled into his inaugural publication, ABC of Southern Locomotives. The popularity of this book played a significant role in promoting trainspotting and laid the foundation for the company’s growth.
Initially concentrating on publications for railway enthusiasts, the firm broadened its scope to become a leading publisher in transport, issuing annual works on topics such as military and civil aviation, naval and maritime affairs, buses, trams, trolleybuses, and steam railways. These publications addressed historical perspectives, preservation efforts, and current industry practices. The company’s main office was situated near Shepperton railway station in Surrey.
By late 2016, Ian Allan Publishing ceased its involvement in railway publishing; its railway-related titles, including the Oxford and ABC imprints, were acquired by Crécy Publishing. The company maintained retail bookshops until it shut down its final outlet in October 2020.
Company acquisitions
Ian Allan Publishing grew through acquiring various publishers and imprints:
- Locomotive Publishing Company in 1956
- Oxford Publishing Company, purchased from Haynes Publishing in 1998
- Midland Publishing, obtained in 1999, noted for richly illustrated military aviation books spanning World War II to contemporary times, alongside extensive civil aviation references
- Classic Publications, incorporated in 2002, recognized for its prominence within the World War II aviation niche
Trade representation for Ian Allan’s imprints and affiliated publishers is handled by Amalgamated Book Services. Alongside Midland Publishing, Midland Counties Publications was acquired; this imprint specialized in marketing aviation books directly to enthusiasts at events and through mail order.
The company also owns the Lewis Masonic imprint, which produces ritualistic texts for lodges and chapters under the United Grand Lodge of England. From the 1990s onward, general Masonic titles were consolidated under Lewis Masonic.
Stores
Ian Allan operated retail locations in Cardiff (closed 2015), Manchester Piccadilly (closed 2016), Birmingham (closed 2019), and London’s Lower Marsh area (closed 2020).
Magazines
Ian Allan Publishing maintained a diverse range of enthusiast magazines such as:
- Hornby Magazine, a monthly publication covering model railways from all manufacturers
- Railways Illustrated, a monthly magazine targeting railway aficionados
- Modern Railways, which evolved from earlier titles including Trains Illustrated and Locomotive, Railway Carriage & Wagon Review
- Buses, previously known as Buses Illustrated
- Bus & Coach Preservation, introduced in 2001 following a merger of two earlier publications
- Vintage Roadscene, a bi-monthly magazine dedicated to historic transport
- Classic Aircraft (formerly Aircraft Illustrated), focusing on classic civil aircraft since 2009
- Combat Aircraft, covering modern military aviation topics
Some magazines such as Modern Locomotives Illustrated, Buses Focus, Modern Transport, and Passenger Transport have been discontinued. The publisher also previously produced Railway Modeller (later sold) and Model Railway Constructor.
A comprehensive history of the company up to 1967 was featured in the November 1967 edition of Railway World. In March 2012, Key Publishing acquired the remaining magazines from Ian Allan.
Under the Lewis Masonic imprint, Ian Allan published The Square, recognized as the UK’s longest-running quarterly Masonic journal.
From 1962 until 2007, Ian Allan co-published the monthly magazine Modern Tramway (now known as Tramways & Urban Transit) alongside the Light Rail Transit Association (LRTA), continuing to provide printing services and partial distribution for LRTA publications.
Videos
The firm extended its offerings by creating videos focused on railway retail and military history, which were subsequently marketed under the Ian Allen SBS Video brand. A number of these productions, such as Then and Now, were drawn from the company's archive for airing on That's TV in 2024.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Book publishing companies of the United Kingdom
- Companies based in Surrey
- Magazine publishing companies of the United Kingdom
- Publishing companies established in 1942
- Publishing companies disestablished in 2020
- Rail transport publishing companies
- 1942 establishments in England
- British companies established in 1942
- 2020 disestablishments in England
- British companies disestablished in 2020
- History of Middlesex