The 5AT Project website was first set up on 27th Jun 2002 and quite rapidly gained a wide readership from all over the world. A screen image of the original website is shown at right.
A "hit counter" (as used over the first months) recorded an average of around 30 visitors to the site each day during its first 12 months of operation. However, on 11th Oct 2003, immediately following the first public presentation about the project given by Alan Fozard at the International Conference on Steam and Tourist Railways at Brienz in Switzerland, Jonathan Glancy published an article in the Guardian newspaper titled "Steam power on track for great renaissance" (a PDF copy of the article can be found here). Over the next week, the 5AT website received over 350 viewers per day. Similar fluctuations have occurred since whenever articles have been published about the project. Since early 2009, Google Analytics has reported a daily average visit-rate of just below 100, with occasional peaks rising to around 300, with visits from 132 countries on every continent.
The website conistently generates correspondence from readers from all over the world, and the group's records show that expressions of interest in the project have been received from over 400 individuals living in at least 32 countries, most of whom have found out about the project through the website.
The current website was established in April 2010 as part of the 5AT Project's preparation for its public launch.
Readers of the website are encouraged to participate in the development of this new website by offering their views and suggestions, and (especially) articles, papers and technical content relating directly or indirectly to the subject of Modern Steam.