RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted February 4, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 4, 2017 Having looked through my copy I find it a bit disappointing with regards to photographs. For the most part they are just lines of parked locomotives and very little of the infrastructure or facilities. Hi Phil That is a big problem with any depot books, most railway photographers are in the main loco photographers and many who by the books are armchair locospotters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 ...and many who buy the books are armchair locospotters. Often the most comfortable place to view a collection of unkempt diesels and indulge in a virtual modelling session..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkie Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 If anyone wants to send their contributions scanned to 300dpi along with their contact details to me I will pick up the batton and put something together. Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing Sounds very interesting Kevin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Got my copy at the local Tesco Extra. . Not to put too fine a point on it, I was disappointed. Brian R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Strathwood Posted February 8, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8, 2017 Got my copy at the local Tesco Extra. . Not to put too fine a point on it, I was disappointed. Brian R To ensure (hopefully) we don't stray down the same path, what exactly was dissappointing and what could there have been more of or less of by way of coverage. Also would everyone prefer "bookazine" style of format or glazed stiff card cover or as a hardback book. Price and possible print copy numbers to sell are a direct reflection of costs and RRP, so it would be good to assess opinions from all around please. Thanks, Kevin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted February 8, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 8, 2017 I saw it at Tesco. I was nearly swayed by the lovely picture of Eastfield from 1977 with lots of 47s , 27s and 116 dmus in foreground. Just took me right back. May still succumb to temptation Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Neither of my local-ish Smith's had copies, but I eventually found some at a large Sainsbury's. Having now had a chance to browse through, it was better than I'd thought - a good balance of text, photos, layout plans and allocation histories. Some of the photos were a bit disappointing and - as has been mentioned - there are a lot of loco portraits rather than of the installations (but then I'm guilty of the same). It would be easy to nit-pick, but I think that the bookazine has achieve a good balance within the limitations of its format and the text is generally better informed than some similar publications. Perhaps I'm not the best person to answer Kevin's questions (I could easily fill a publication with views of foreign loco depots - but accept it would be of extremely limited potential). I would say that a publication of similar scope and format could be priced at up to ten pounds and still sell. Beyond that the market would shrink as I suspect that a smaller group might pay more for a "specialist" publication that appealed to their area of interest and that there would be an upper limit on what might be paid for a "generalist" publication. Alternatively, approaching the subject as a series of bookazines by region (as in the old BR region designations) might achieve some overlap between the two types and appeal to a wider audience (and railway enthusiasts tend to be collectors of serial publications). I really need to dig out some UK views! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 To ensure (hopefully) we don't stray down the same path, what exactly was dissappointing and what could there have been more of or less of by way of coverage. Also would everyone prefer "bookazine" style of format or glazed stiff card cover or as a hardback book. Price and possible print copy numbers to sell are a direct reflection of costs and RRP, so it would be good to assess opinions from all around please. Thanks, Kevin As for "Diesel Depot" before responding here, I sent a PM to someone I suspect may have been involved with the 'bookazine' outlining my opinions. . As for 'bookazines' in general, they are a phenomenon that by their very nature will need to skate over some subjects in order to maintian a newsagent's price range and not a bookshop price. . I like gloss pages - "Diesel Depot" has gloss pages I like nice clearly reproduced images - again "Diesel Depot" contains such images I don't mind whether images are colour or monochrome, it is the subject matter that is of primary consideration for me. Price is open to debate, but one needs to consider that a magazine nowadays costs in excess of £4, and a bookazine requires more effort, with fewer contributors and sub-editors than a magazine. However, there have been other 'bookazines' available recently of a secondary quality, matt finish pages and some images blown up to such an extent they have lost definition. . Personally, I am stuck in the early 1970s, it is still 1971 South Wales in my man cave ( we currently enjoy a three day week and power cuts ) and my modelling intersts reflect that. However, railway enthusiasm is a very broad church and you can't please all the people all the time. Brian R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tractor_37260 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Depending on the era of your model making, then the Kennedy books are good. So is the Marsden WR one already mentioned. Ian Allan also published BR Diesels on Depot by D Nicholas and S Montgomery ISBN 0-7110-1398-5. The Bradford Barton series of books BR Diesels on Shed by N Preedy, ISBN 0-85153-260-8, and in the same series BR Diesels in Close Up by N Preedy and H Ford, my copy does not have an ISBN number (its that old). The second BB book is not depot orientated but has a lot of depot shots. An interesting little book with quite a good coverage of depots and their operation is H G Forsythe's Men of Diesels published by Atlantic, ISBN 0-906899-31-1. A very good book regarding how a depot is run is Finsbury Park by Ian Lewis, published by the Deltic Preservation Society, ISBN 978-0-9565544-0-6. The best book for my period is Diesel Depots, The Early Years, by Hawkins, Hooper and Reeve, Irwell Press, ISBN 1-871608-01-5. In fact I would say it is a must read if building a depot layout, even a modern one as it outlines why the different regions adopted different ideas on how to maintain their locos and the long lasting effect that has had. I was unable to buy the new bookzine, my local Smiffffs did not have it. :nono: I was unable to buy the new bookzine, my local Smiffffs did not have it Purchased my copy directly on-line with Free postage - it arrived today. Just had a quick look through it so far..................first impressions are good ..................... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimleygrid Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Picked up a copy this afternoon from WHSmith's, looking forward to having a look later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted February 12, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 12, 2017 I ordered it on line, well worth £6.99, far more information on how a diesel shed works, their histories etc. than I expected, or to be found in more expensive books. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redford73 Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 Got this at WHS on Friday and it is pretty good though a lot of depots omitted. I agree with the above posts - we defintely need some proper colour books/publications on this subject which has been neglected since the 'Diesels and Electrics on Shed' OPC series and 'Diesel Depots the Early Years'. Pics of the interiors and lineside and not just locos would be fantastic. Just for info there is a great book on Tinsley 'Life and Times of a Railway Fitter' by Phil Hodgkiss which was released in, I think, a short run which is well worth the read and also 'Diesels, Depots and Oil Drums' by Ted Reading though all pics unfortunately black and white. Kevin of Strathwoods - would be great if you could produce something on this in the same vein as the 'Seventies Spotting Days. A volume on each region would be great for all us D&E modellers or even, as suggested above, a volume on the major depots but given the niche market I suspect that would be too much to expect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Deltic Posted March 5, 2017 Share Posted March 5, 2017 I bought a copy a while back. I haven't read it yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
classy52 Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 I think maybe a bi-monthly run of a magazine covering every Diesel Depot in the UK right from the 50's up to today in the same format as Modern Locomotives Illustrated could be an idea??? Not sure whether it could be achieved but each edition just covers that depot with any bit of information & photos you can throw at it including schematics etc.. for those who require detail and modellers to replicate, this way it could probably run for a few years before all the depot's are exhausted but again you would have to assume it would be a good seller in order to start it. I for one would definitely subscribe as I do with MLI. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted April 6, 2017 Share Posted April 6, 2017 I think maybe a bi-monthly run of a magazine covering every Diesel Depot in the UK right from the 50's up to today in the same format as Modern Locomotives Illustrated could be an idea??? Not sure whether it could be achieved but each edition just covers that depot with any bit of information & photos you can throw at it including schematics etc.. for those who require detail and modellers to replicate, this way it could probably run for a few years before all the depot's are exhausted but again you would have to assume it would be a good seller in order to start it. I for one would definitely subscribe as I do with MLI. I doubt that 64G could occupy a complete issue in such a way that would attract a market outside of a few particular individuals! However, an issue dedicated to the '64' sheds from St Margaret's to Leith Central could command an attractive and diverse content. Trackplans - a couple of snapshot years Allocations at a few snapshots in the shed's history Narrative Anecdotes from ex staff The key traffic the shed supplied power for Shunter duties (locations) Photographs Rebuilding and renewal, aborted plans Rundown, closure and afterlife Fact and figures panel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted April 6, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 6, 2017 Got this at WHS on Friday and it is pretty good though a lot of depots omitted. I agree with the above posts - we defintely need some proper colour books/publications on this subject which has been neglected since the 'Diesels and Electrics on Shed' OPC series and 'Diesel Depots the Early Years'. Pics of the interiors and lineside and not just locos would be fantastic. Just for info there is a great book on Tinsley 'Life and Times of a Railway Fitter' by Phil Hodgkiss which was released in, I think, a short run which is well worth the read and also 'Diesels, Depots and Oil Drums' by Ted Reading though all pics unfortunately black and white. Kevin of Strathwoods - would be great if you could produce something on this in the same vein as the 'Seventies Spotting Days. A volume on each region would be great for all us D&E modellers or even, as suggested above, a volume on the major depots but given the niche market I suspect that would be too much to expect. Phil's book about Tinsley is superb as is Bob Willis's book about life on the Thornaby breakdown gang. I love books written by experienced railwaymen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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