Famous Trains series, Ian Allan

[Dzine]

Hi Folks,  I'm doing a bit of research on these booklets.  They were published between 1955 and 1958, a series of 8, as follows;

1.  Elizabethan

2.  Royal Scot

3.  Cornish Riviera

4.  Does anyone know what this one was? I've looked on line but there's no info available.

5.  The South Wales Pullman

6.  The Queen of Scots

7.  The Royal Wessex and The Bournemouth Belle

8.  The Irish Mail

 

Can anyone help with identifying No. 4?

Regards Paul

 

[Andy M]

Hi Paul,

 

Booklet No.4 was The Atlantic Coast Express.

 

Regards,

Andy.

[Strathwood]

What was notable perhaps was the fact that both The Flying Scotsman and The Golden Arrow were missed.

 

A modern version would struggle for any named trains at all.

 

Kevin

[Dzine]

18 hours ago, Andy M said:

Hi Paul,

 

Booklet No.4 was The Atlantic Coast Express.

 

Regards,

Andy.

Hi Andy,  Many thanks for that.  They're a fab little book, packed with info and probably pretty accurate given the author.  I have No. 5 and just ordered No. 3 The Cornish Riviera.  No. 4 seems to be quite rare, given the lack of sales on eBay and the like.  Fortunately, I'm only after the ones that affect the Western Region.  Once again many thanks for your help.  Kind regards Paul

[Old Gringo]

23 hours ago, Dzine said:

Hi Folks,  I'm doing a bit of research on these booklets.  They were published between 1955 and 1958, a series of 8, as follows;

1.  Elizabethan

2.  Royal Scot

3.  Cornish Riviera

4.  Does anyone know what this one was? I've looked on line but there's no info available.

5.  The South Wales Pullman

6.  The Queen of Scots

7.  The Royal Wessex and The Bournemouth Belle

8.  The Irish Mail

 

Can anyone help with identifying No. 4?

Regards Paul

 

 

Hi Paul,

 

An interesting and super little set of books.  Here's maybe a bit more information to add to your research.

 

According to George Burbage-Atter's book, 'Ian Allan Series of Transport and Hobbies ABCs 1942 - 1992 pocket guide (1991 edition), the last editions of all eight 'Famous Trains' booklets were published between March & May 1959 - all priced by then at ninepence!  However, George didn't put a date on the publication of the first four booklets and studying the adverts in the back of the six-pennys, they might well have been published in late 1954.  All the first set of four printings were priced at sixpence, as was also the first edition of No.5, published in November 1955, Ian Allan ref: 495/247/20/1155 (the 1155 confirms the date of printing).  Many of the later booklets can be dated from the ref. numbers, but the first six-penny books (and my 9d 'ACE') don't seem to have them!

 

"Non-stop King's Cross - Edinburgh was resumed in the summer of 1949 - and an additional day train was put on,  named the 'Capital's Limited', but renamed the 'Elizabethan in 1953, in honour of the Queen's Coronation." (ref: page 3 of Famous Trains No.1 six-penny edition with 60028 'Walter K. Whigham on the cover - one of Arthur Wolstenholme's super illustrations.)

 

Another possible reason for choosing the 'Elizabethan' against the 'Flying Scotsman' might be the similar series of 'Famous Train Journeys' booklets, by Brockhampton Press, written and illustrated by Alan Anderson, which began with the 'Scotsman' book in 1949 and the 'Devon Belle' (1950).  Another interesting set of books.

 

The second series of booklets by Brockhampton using the same FTJ strap-line were smaller in size and featured the Flying Scotsman (1952), the Royal Scot (1952), The Cornish Riviera (1952) and the Irish Mail (1954), three of which trains Ian Allan later chose to include in their Famous Trains series.  However, having had to drop the Devon Belle (as B.R. had withdrawn the service) Brockhampton then produced the Golden Arrow (1954) and the Red Dragon (1954).  Later, but just branded Famous Journeys in the advert at the back, they added the Thames Clyde (1955) and the Blue Train (London - Paris - Mediterranean Coast), before a final booklet entitled 'Constellation Flight' (England to Australia).

 

Apologies for wandering so far off topic.

Hope the earlier information proves useful.

All the very best,

John

 

Edit: AFAICT, all the later 1959 printings have reference numbers.  However, the first nine-penny reprints of Nos. 1,2,3,4,5 and 7 appear not to have.  Plus the Queen of Scots was reprinted again in March 1960, the final printing of any of the series. 

 

[Nearholmer]

Is is OK to but-in with a related question about another, similar series? Or, was it the same series in a different format?

 

When I was a boy, I had several small landscape-format books, soft covers with what seemed to me good reproductions of paintings on them. Maybe 5" x 3", and about 1/4" thick. Each described the route of a famous train. I recall "The Irish Mail", "The Golden Arrow", "The Blue Train", I think "The Flying Scotsman" or maybe "The Royal Scot", and there were others that I forget. Anyway, they were excellent primers in all sorts of railway stuff, from water troughs, through gradient profiles, to French signaling practice. I used to spend hours on end reading them. Publication date was probably just either side of 1960.

 

Any ideas as to series/publisher, if they weren't these ones?

[Old Gringo]

Hi Kevin,

 

The books you had were the second series of Famous Train Journeys, published by Brockhampton Press, Leicester, from 1952 and mentioned in the second half of my previous ramble.  They measure 6" x 3" and were written by Alan Anderson, who also produced many of the early illustrations and the cover artworks.  All are 64 pages, with sketches, photographs, illustrated route diagrams and gradient charts.  They were priced at two shillings net, which is set in a little diamond at the bottom right of the colourful covers.

 

Although the little books are undated, the publishing dates I quoted in the previous note are from the entries in George Ottley's Bibliography of Railway History, Volume One, second edition 1983, pages 72 / 73.  Unfortunately, the Blue Train book (full of wonderful black & white photographs, plus a sketch line elevation chart from London to Monte Carlo!) doesn't feature in Ottley, so I can't date it.  Possibly this exclusion is because it's not a totally British train, but then neither was the Golden Arrow, or perhaps a copy was never sent to the British Library ?

 

The Brockhampton Series is a superb little set and copies often turn up in the miscellaneous boxes on the preserved railways.

 

All the best,

John

[Dzine]

On 23/06/2021 at 17:36, Old Gringo said:

 

Hi Paul,

 

An interesting and super little set of books.  Here's maybe a bit more information to add to your research.

 

According to George Burbage-Atter's book, 'Ian Allan Series of Transport and Hobbies ABCs 1942 - 1992 pocket guide (1991 edition), the last editions of all eight 'Famous Trains' booklets were published between March & May 1959 - all priced by then at ninepence!  However, George didn't put a date on the publication of the first four booklets and studying the adverts in the back of the six-pennys, they might well have been published in late 1954.  All the first set of four printings were priced at sixpence, as was also the first edition of No.5, published in November 1955, Ian Allan ref: 495/247/20/1155 (the 1155 confirms the date of printing).  Many of the later booklets can be dated from the ref. numbers, but the first six-penny books (and my 9d 'ACE') don't seem to have them!

 

"Non-stop King's Cross - Edinburgh was resumed in the summer of 1949 - and an additional day train was put on,  named the 'Capital's Limited', but renamed the 'Elizabethan in 1953, in honour of the Queen's Coronation." (ref: page 3 of Famous Trains No.1 six-penny edition with 60028 'Walter K. Whigham on the cover - one of Arthur Wolstenholme's super illustrations.)

 

Another possible reason for choosing the 'Elizabethan' against the 'Flying Scotsman' might be the similar series of 'Famous Train Journeys' booklets, by Brockhampton Press, written and illustrated by Alan Anderson, which began with the 'Scotsman' book in 1949 and the 'Devon Belle' (1950).  Another interesting set of books.

 

The second series of booklets by Brockhampton using the same FTJ strap-line were smaller in size and featured the Flying Scotsman (1952), the Royal Scot (1952), The Cornish Riviera (1952) and the Irish Mail (1954), three of which trains Ian Allan later chose to include in their Famous Trains series.  However, having had to drop the Devon Belle (as B.R. had withdrawn the service) Brockhampton then produced the Golden Arrow (1954) and the Red Dragon (1954).  Later, but just branded Famous Journeys in the advert at the back, they added the Thames Clyde (1955) and the Blue Train (London - Paris - Mediterranean Coast), before a final booklet entitled 'Constellation Flight' (England to Australia).

 

Apologies for wandering so far off topic.

Hope the earlier information proves useful.

All the very best,

John

 

Edit: AFAICT, all the later 1959 printings have reference numbers.  However, the first nine-penny reprints of Nos. 1,2,3,4,5 and 7 appear not to have.  Plus the Queen of Scots was reprinted again in March 1960, the final printing of any of the series. 

 

Hi John, Fantastic, the books give a great insight into what was happening at the time and they look fab too.  Just for my own interest, do you, or anyone else reading this post know who did the cover artwork?  Kind regards Paul

[Andy M]

55 minutes ago, Dzine said:

 Just for my own interest, do you, or anyone else reading this post know who did the cover artwork?  Kind regards Paul

 

Paul,

Ian Allan commissioned A N Wolstenholme to do the cover artwork for many of their books during this period, and the Famous Trains series look very much like his work.

 

Regards,

Andy.

[Dzine]

Cheers Andy, I wish I could illustrate that well, but I'm stuck with being a designer first and an artist second.  Kind regards Paul

[Andy M]

Some more information on his work to be found here. Certainly a very talented man, whose work has become synonymous with railway books of that time.

 

[Strathwood]

Yes those distinctive line drawings across the range of Ian Allan, railway, bus and tram booklets were a delight from this period.

 

Kevin

Edited June 28, 2021 by Strathwood

[Old Gringo]

On 27/06/2021 at 15:40, Dzine said:

Hi John, Fantastic, the books give a great insight into what was happening at the time and they look fab too.  Just for my own interest, do you, or anyone else reading this post know who did the cover artwork?  Kind regards Paul

 

Hi Paul,,

 

Apologies for not replying sooner.

 

However, Andy M. has confirmed the illustrator's name - which I had already mentioned in the mini-essay in my first post, when describing the cover of the booklet about Famous Trains No.1, The 'Elizabethan' with A4 Pacific, 60028, 'Walter K. Whigham'.

 

The link to the page on Flicker provided by Andy M. is (IMO) both interesting and frustrating.

Interesting, as it is a set of images devoted to Arthur Nigel Wolstenholme's work:, including a rare excursion for his Ian Allan output into half-tone illustrations, similar to that produced by L.Ashwell-Wood and Robert Barnard-Way in 'The World's Railways and How they work', published by Odhams Press in 1947, 320 pages of super stuff.

 

Frustrating because it concentrates on a couple of articles from the Trains Annual, 1948 edition - but doesn't use Arthur's stunning scraper-board illustration for the book's dust-wrapper, which is surely one of the most exciting pieces of his artworks created for Ian Allan, from 1945 to c1959.

 

As noted in the link, Ian Allan also commissioned Arthur to provide his dynamic artworks for the covers of all the abc series of 'spotters' books, for railway, aeroplane, ship and motor subjects.  Many of these booklets have become highly prized and highly priced at memorabilia auctions.

 

Besides the abc covers, Wolstenholme produced vignettes and 'scrap views', to be used as top and tail illustrations for the chapters in the Trains Annuals and other publications.  It's fun to look for the ANW signature on these artworks, sometimes hidden away in the rail or in a shadow.

 

Another early series of books published by Ian Allan between 1947 and 1950, which used cover artworks by Arthur Wolstenholme are the Famous Locomotive Types series of pocket-sized books:

 

No. 1: The Book of the Schools Class, by Stephen Townroe, 1947 Paperback, Price 2/-.

No. 2: The McIntosh Locomotives of the Caledonian, by A.B. Macleod, 1948, PB, Price 3/6d.

No. 3: The Stanier Pacifics of the LMSR, by Cecil J. Allen, 1948, Paperback, 3/6d.

No. 4: The Lord Nelsons & King Arthurs, by Stephen Townroe, 1949, Paperback, 2/6d.

No. 5: The Kings & Castles of the GWR, by Oswald Nock, 1949, Paperback, 3/6d.

No. 6: The Gresley Pacifics of the LNER, by Cecil J. Allen, 1950, Hardback, 8/6d.

 

I hope this proves of interest to those who enjoy all those distinctive little pictures.

Apologies, once again for the tardy reply,

 

All the very best,

John

[Dzine]

23 hours ago, Old Gringo said:

 

Hi Paul,,

 

Apologies for not replying sooner.

 

However, Andy M. has confirmed the illustrator's name - which I had already mentioned in the mini-essay in my first post, when describing the cover of the booklet about Famous Trains No.1, The 'Elizabethan' with A4 Pacific, 60028, 'Walter K. Whigham'.

 

The link to the page on Flicker provided by Andy M. is (IMO) both interesting and frustrating.

Interesting, as it is a set of images devoted to Arthur Nigel Wolstenholme's work:, including a rare excursion for his Ian Allan output into half-tone illustrations, similar to that produced by L.Ashwell-Wood and Robert Barnard-Way in 'The World's Railways and How they work', published by Odhams Press in 1947, 320 pages of super stuff.

 

Frustrating because it concentrates on a couple of articles from the Trains Annual, 1948 edition - but doesn't use Arthur's stunning scraper-board illustration for the book's dust-wrapper, which is surely one of the most exciting pieces of his artworks created for Ian Allan, from 1945 to c1959.

 

As noted in the link, Ian Allan also commissioned Arthur to provide his dynamic artworks for the covers of all the abc series of 'spotters' books, for railway, aeroplane, ship and motor subjects.  Many of these booklets have become highly prized and highly priced at memorabilia auctions.

 

Besides the abc covers, Wolstenholme produced vignettes and 'scrap views', to be used as top and tail illustrations for the chapters in the Trains Annuals and other publications.  It's fun to look for the ANW signature on these artworks, sometimes hidden away in the rail or in a shadow.

 

Another early series of books published by Ian Allan between 1947 and 1950, which used cover artworks by Arthur Wolstenholme are the Famous Locomotive Types series of pocket-sized books:

 

No. 1: The Book of the Schools Class, by Stephen Townroe, 1947 Paperback, Price 2/-.

No. 2: The McIntosh Locomotives of the Caledonian, by A.B. Macleod, 1948, PB, Price 3/6d.

No. 3: The Stanier Pacifics of the LMSR, by Cecil J. Allen, 1948, Paperback, 3/6d.

No. 4: The Lord Nelsons & King Arthurs, by Stephen Townroe, 1949, Paperback, 2/6d.

No. 5: The Kings & Castles of the GWR, by Oswald Nock, 1949, Paperback, 3/6d.

No. 6: The Gresley Pacifics of the LNER, by Cecil J. Allen, 1950, Hardback, 8/6d.

 

I hope this proves of interest to those who enjoy all those distinctive little pictures.

Apologies, once again for the tardy reply,

 

All the very best,

John

Thanks for all of that John, I love the books, their quality, and suspect the information contained within is pretty accurate.  L Ashwell-Wood is also a favourite of mine, I have a fab copy of the 'World's Railway's.......'  and would love to be able to repeat some relevant sections, for people who are too young to know the works, in Model Rail but cost and copyright, I think might be prohibitive.

Kind regards Paul 

[dibber25]

On 27/06/2021 at 15:40, Dzine said:

Hi John, Fantastic, the books give a great insight into what was happening at the time and they look fab too.  Just for my own interest, do you, or anyone else reading this post know who did the cover artwork?  Kind regards Paul

They were done by A.N. Wostenholme, who did a lot of work for BR at the time. I had some of his original artwork in a plans chest in my office at one time. There's a fabulous colour poster of all the 'new' BR locos in the 1950s - the Standards plus the gas turbines, 10000 etc which he also did. A personal favourite is the AC railbus he did for the Tetbury/Cirencester branch posters and flyers.

[Nearholmer]

This thread started out interesting, and becomes interestinger by the day!

 

Could it be expanded/re-titled as appreciation of early post-WW2 railway graphic art in general? There were so many good examples, BR corporate stuff, enthusiast-oriented stuff, advertising material from real and model railway manufacturers, and its all died-out since about 1970, with the final nails in the coffin being digitisation and the too-easy use of photographs as a base.

[Steamport Southport]

On 29/06/2021 at 16:32, Old Gringo said:

No. 1: The Book of the Schools Class, by Stephen Townroe, 1947 Paperback, Price 2/-.

No. 2: The McIntosh Locomotives of the Caledonian, by A.B. Macleod, 1948, PB, Price 3/6d.

No. 3: The Stanier Pacifics of the LMSR, by Cecil J. Allen, 1948, Paperback, 3/6d.

No. 4: The Lord Nelsons & King Arthurs, by Stephen Townroe, 1949, Paperback, 2/6d.

No. 5: The Kings & Castles of the GWR, by Oswald Nock, 1949, Paperback, 3/6d.

No. 6: The Gresley Pacifics of the LNER, by Cecil J. Allen, 1950, Hardback, 8/6d.

 

I hope this proves of interest to those who enjoy all those distinctive little pictures.

Apologies, once again for the tardy reply,

 

All the very best,

John

 

 

The only one of those I've got. I think it's going to be a case of keeping my eyes open at heritage railways for the other books and the train ones in the OP.

 

Here's the cover if anyone is wondering. Certainly didn't pay anything near £20 for a copy. More like £1 or something.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kings-Castles-G-W-R-Famous-locomotive/dp/B0017OCWOA

 

 

Jason

 

 

[Old Gringo]

On 30/06/2021 at 16:19, Dzine said:

Thanks for all of that John, I love the books, their quality, and suspect the information contained within is pretty accurate.  L Ashwell-Wood is also a favourite of mine, I have a fab copy of the 'World's Railway's.......'  and would love to be able to repeat some relevant sections, for people who are too young to know the works, in Model Rail but cost and copyright, I think might be prohibitive.

Kind regards Paul 

 

Hi Paul,

 

As you no doubt know, Leslie Ashwell-Wood  later became famous for the cutaway illustrations in the Eagle comic [ii].  AFAIK, he also produced some of his earliest half-tone illustrations in another Odhams Press volume, 'Railways, Ships and Aeroplanes Illustrated' first published pre-WW2 (to the same 9" x 6" size as 'The World's Railways' and also containing 320 pages of well-illustrated information).

 

Unfortunately, my battered (1946) reprint doesn't have a dust-wrapper, but it's full of superb half-tone illustrations by a number of top class illustrators.  The 'headliners' are; Barnard Way on the railway subjects, with double-page cutaways of a British-made 4-8-4 for export to China, LNER Mikado, 'Cock of the North' and an LMS Compound, plus lots of other railway items, signalling, mail coaches, water pick-up gear and a cantilever bridge, etc.); Ashwell-Wood is on ships with double-page cutaways of the Mauretania, an Oil tanker and Tramp steamer, general cargo vessel; and S.J. Turner F.R.G.S. (?) producing the aircraft cutaways of Miles M28, Pan-Am Yankee Clipper, Flying Boat and British 'Empire 'C' Class', along with many other illustrations of civil aircraft and the associated operations.

 

It's interesting to compare Ashwell-Wood's New 'Cock of the North' Rebuilt Pacific illustration (pages 66/67 of 'The World's Railways) with Barnard Way's LNER Mikado (pages 28/29 of Railways, Ships and Aeroplanes Illustrated).  Both books are still out there on the second-hand shelves.

 

Note: From various entries on the internet it appears that Leslie Ashwell-Wood was born in 1903 and died in Ipswich in 1973.  [ii] The Eagle was launched on 14th April 1950.

 

Now, as a Postscript to all my wordy rambles through history, here's a phone-shot of the 'Famous Trains' series published by Ian Allan Limited. (a Spot the odd one out quiz too).

 

 

 

and . . . here's a photo of that exciting, dynamic and distinctive cover artwork by Arthur Wolstenholme, which appeared on the dust-wrapper of Trains Annual,1948 edition.

On the right are copies of Alan Anderson's first two booklets in the Famous Train Journeys series (published by Brockhampton Press, Leicester in 1949 and 1950).  I believe that No. 3 'The Royal Scot' was also planned in this size, but I've not seen a copy yet.

 

 

 

 

Hope these pictures bring back some happy memories,

All the very best,

John

 

[Old Gringo]

Although not the real subject of the O.P., I hope Paul doesn't object to this additional post about the related series of 'Famous Train Journeys'.

 

Not quite the full set of the 6"x 3" sized booklets, here's some extra memories for Kevin (Nearholmer) and others perhaps, a phone-shot of all the railway titles of the 'Famous (Train) Journeys' series by Brockhampton Press.

 

 

 

And to save scrolling back, these are my earlier notes about them from the previous post:

 

The second series of smaller booklets published by Brockhampton Press began by using the same 'Famous Train Journeys' strap-line in the advertising at the back of the book.  The new size of the pocket-sized paperbacks was 6" by 3" and the first four featured the Flying Scotsman (1952), the Royal Scot (1952), the Cornish Riviera (1952) the Irish Mail (1954). 

 

However, having had to drop the 'Devon Belle' (as B.R. had withdrawn that Pullman service!) Brockhampton produced the prestigious Golden Arrow (1954) followed by the Red Dragon (1954).

 

Later, but just branded 'Famous Journeys' in the advert at the back, they added the Thames Clyde (1955) and then the Blue Train (London - Paris - Mediterranean Coast), before a final booklet entitled 'Constellation Flight' (describing the England to Australia air service).

 

Maybe one day I'll see one of those 'Constellation Flight' booklets, hidden among some S/H stuff?

 

Hope these also bring back some happy memories,

All the very best,

John

Edited July 28, 2023 by Old Gringo
Replacing missing photos

[Nearholmer]

2 hours ago, Old Gringo said:

Hope these also bring back some happy memories,

All the very best,

They certainly do.

 

Since this thread began, I’ve discovered that a well known purveyor of railway books has most of them in stock, in good condition, and I’m very tempted.

 

But, having donated about a cubic metre of railway books, about 90% of a lifetimes collection, to be sold to help fund a preservation project just before Lockdown 1, I do need to remind myself of my less (stuff) is more (space) dictum.

[swampy]

Not mentioned so far (afaics), Arthur Wolstenholme also did some of the colour centre spreads in the Profile booklets. I don't possess the full set, but he painted Royal Scots, British Single Drivers, and Jones Goods, and maybe others. The other artists were David and Peter Warner, separately and jointly, presumably there were more.

 

Pete

[Cheryl]

This is a fascinating thread as I have just been given the full set of 8 ‘Famous Trains’ by Ian Allen, and 8 of the series ‘Famous Trains and their routes’ by Alan Anderson (were there any more?) from my Dad’s loft. He used to have his model railway up there, and I’d go to sleep listening to the trains running around the track! Does anyone know where I could try to sell them? 

[Old Gringo]

2 hours ago, Cheryl said:

This is a fascinating thread as I have just been given the full set of 8 ‘Famous Trains’ by Ian Allen, and 8 of the series ‘Famous Trains and their routes’ by Alan Anderson (were there any more?) from my Dad’s loft. He used to have his model railway up there, and I’d go to sleep listening to the trains running around the track! Does anyone know where I could try to sell them? 

 

Hi Cheryl,

 

How lucky you are to be given both of the two sets of these super little 1950s booklets and in such wonderful condition.  It's taken me over 50 years to finally pick them all up, from dusty second-hand, book-shops and stalls on the preserved railways.

 

Regarding the full set of eight of the Ian Allan series of booklets: If they are all priced at 9d (nine old pence) they are second printings, from about 1956 to 1959/60.  If any are priced 6d, they are earlier printings, from 1954 to 1956.

 

And you have all but one of the Brockhampton Press published series by Alan Anderson. 

There were eight booklets about 'Famous Trains'.  However, the advertising strap-line on the rear cover of 'The Thames-Clyde' and 'The Blue Train' booklets (which were both printed in 1955) was changed to 'Famous Journeys' and a ninth booklet was then included in the series.  It's title is 'Constellation Flight' (describing the England to Australia air service) and although I've seen a picture of it, I've yet to find a copy.  I've often wondered if there were more famous journeys booklets planned, but never produced.

 

Although, I know where to look for them and the price that I believe the little books are worth as single items (around £5 each), it's difficult to suggest where to sell them.  But, because your sets appear to be in near perfect condition, I wonder if they would make a colourful exhibit from the 1950s era, at one of the stations on the preserved railways?

 

Your post also alerted me to the fact that my photographs had disappeared (in a server failure that RMweb suffered some time ago) and I've just replaced the pictures in my earlier posts (18 and 19).  So thanks very much for joining RMweb and asking your question in this topic.

 

I hope my notes help,

All the very best,

John