BR wagon books - any suggestions?

[bcnPete]

Good evening,

 

I wonder if someone could recommend a good book covering BR wagons.

 

I know there are various books/volumes covering different periods but I wondered if there is a 'bible' of sorts that gives main types of BR wagons.

 

I have seen some of Dave Larkin's publications and I also frequent Paul B's excellent photos too for reference but I was just after a book with some pics and diagrams.

 

I usually model late 1970's through to about mid 90's but I understand if this is too broad.

 

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

Pete

[Debs.]

"Barrowmore Model Railway Group" have some original and excellent B.R Vehicle Diagram Books (as outline-drawing pdf`s): well worth a look!

 

http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/Prototype.html

 

*scroll down their page for the various Diag-book downloads.

[RANGERS]

Don Rowlands book on BR wagons is by far the best source of reference for early period wagons, including most of which lasted until the end of the unfitted and vacuum brake eras on BR. Dave Larkin's assorted volumes are well worth having and cover a wider timeframe during the period you're looking at.

[Downendian]

Another vote for the Larkin volumes -excellent reference texts. Recently acquired the volume on departmental wagons and learnt a lot.

I also have An illustrated history of BR wagons by Paul Bartlett, Larkin, Mann, Silsbury & Ward, which maybe out of print but worth a look on Amazon. lots of 4mm diagrams, prototype photos and lot numbers.

 

Neil

 

Edit: just checked 7 copies on Amazon used, pricey but worth it.

Edited September 4, 2012 by Downendian

[DavidLong]

Pete,

 

I'd agree that the Don Rowland volume 'British Railway Wagons' is probably the best overview. It covers the introduction of all the 'traditional' types up to the mid-1960s and he finishes off with one chapter covering the introduction of the British Rail designed and owned air braked stock such as VAAs, SPAs, BAAs, HAAs etc.

It's a shame that the OPC 'Illustrated History of BR Wagons' only ran to Volume 1 as with a Volume 2 it would have been the real bible. Still worth buying for the photos, drawings and build details covering open merchandise wagons, steel carriers and steel minerals (coal/iron ore). Volume 2 would, I assume, have covered things like vans and hopper wagons but, as I say, sadly never appeared.

If you really get into it then any of the Larkin softbacks, now under Kevin Robertson's wing, are valuable and don't ignore the Cheona series that was begun by the late Geoff Gamble.

Mickey's point is good too about the two Hendry volumes as they are the only ones with colour pics.

 

David

[hmrspaul]

Don Rowlands book on BR wagons is by far the best source of reference for early period wagons, including most of which lasted until the end of the unfitted and vacuum brake eras on BR. Dave Larkin's assorted volumes are well worth having and cover a wider timeframe during the period you're looking at.

 

But beware, there are a quite a lot of of typos in the tables, and also straightforward mistakes - many of which are also in Bartlett et al.

 

Basically, no there isn't a bible, and very unlikely there ever will be as even reprinting of our volume 1, with all of its mistakes, is unlikely. Simply too big a task now that influential people want to have such accuracy in every detail. This is part of volume 2 http://www.hmrs.org.uk/books/bookdetails.php?bookid=1036 If we live long enough most of the content of volume 2 may appear in this form.

 

 

Paul Bartlett

Edited September 4, 2012 by hmrspaul

[hmrspaul]

 

Neil

 

Edit: just checked 7 copies on Amazon used, pricey but worth it.

 

7 copies of what ?? Can we have a link?

 

Paul Bartlett

[HeavyDuty]

"Barrowmore Model Railway Group" have some original and excellent B.R Vehicle Diagram Books (as outline-drawing pdf`s): well worth a look!

 

http://www.barrowmor.../Prototype.html

 

*scroll down their page for the various Diag-book downloads.

 

That was a tremendous find - thank you!

[Downendian]

 

 

7 copies of what ?? Can we have a link?

 

Paul Bartlett

I searched amazon for your book OPC book and 7 used copies came up

[bcnPete]

Thank you all for your helpful responses.

 

I will have a trawl through today and perhaps buy a mix of the above.

 

Thank, Pete

[Revolution Mike]

The Paul Shannon books on Railfreight since 1968 are nice - split into different specialisations eg Wagonload or Bulk Freight etc.

The BR goods wagons in colour gives a nice overview of wagons 1960 to 2003.

I like Tom Smith's books for detail shots of modern wagons - IIRC the series is British Railway Air braked stock and part of the Modern Railways in profile series.

Ditto the two Freightmaster Wagon Recognition books are good for modern wagons.

 

Cheers, Mike

[Fat Controller]

The various 'Cheona' albums of wagon photos are good (they include the Tom Smith books that Mike mentions, but also other volumes covering different types of wagons for the whole BR period). There are two good albums by David Ratcliffe:-

http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/private-owner-wagons-in-colour.htm is the private owner one.

There is one called 'Ferrywagons in Colour' as well, but I couldn't see that on the site.

He also seems to be publishing a book on freight train formations:- http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/freight-train-formations-in-colour-for-the-modeller-and-historian.htm

[bcnPete]

Thanks all again for your suggestions.

 

I knew it was slightly naive to think that one book would cover everything...but I thought I would ask anyway

 

I will start to draw up a shortlist and place some orders...

[hmrspaul]

I searched amazon for your book OPC book and 7 used copies came up

 

Thanks for the information, I must admit I couldn't see any. I now have http://www.amazon.co...&condition=used

 

 

Very unusual to see any come up for sale. They should be easy to get, as they were remaindered via the WHS Book Club and, I suspect, they went to purchasers with minimal interest. I did get a copy a few years ago that appeared to have never been opened, I was generous, it was for £5 but as it was a charity I gave them £10 .

 

Paul Bartlett

Edited September 5, 2012 by hmrspaul

[Downendian]

You could sign my copy Paul, bought in the 1980s -,it may double the value

Neil

[hmrspaul]

You could sign my copy Paul, bought in the 1980s -,it may double the value

Neil

 

Neil

 

I hope it is so well used it is worthless . My working copy is almost in pieces. But I am the only one of the authors to have a copy signed by all the others - no one else has bothered.

 

Paul Bartlett

 

PS, just printed my boarding tickets, so I'll soon be closing down for some time......

[DavidLong]

On 05/09/2012 at 16:08, hmrspaul said:

 

Thanks for the information, I must admit I couldn't see any. I now have http://www.amazon.co...&condition=used

 

 

Very unusual to see any come up for sale. They should be easy to get, as they were remaindered via the WHS Book Club and, I suspect, they went to purchasers with minimal interest. I did get a copy a few years ago that appeared to have never been opened, I was generous, it was for £5 but as it was a charity I gave them £10 .

 

Paul Bartlett

 

Meanwhile, seven years on and your fiver would have to be multiplied by ten to get a copy:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0860932036/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

But bibles should be valuable . . .

 

David

[hmrspaul]

21 hours ago, DavidLong said:

 

Meanwhile, seven years on and your fiver would have to be multiplied by ten to get a copy:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0860932036/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

But bibles should be valuable . . .

 

David

It is useful they are becoming available - and c£50 is only the same price as they were originally - £17.95 in 1983. New books are much cheaper than in the great days of OPC and Wild Swan - and should have lots of colour in them - as for example the HMRS book on MGRs.

 

Paul

[cctransuk]

On 05/09/2012 at 00:05, hmrspaul said:

 This is part of volume 2 http://www.hmrs.org.uk/books/bookdetails.php?bookid=1036

 

Paul,

 

That link just reverts to the HMRS home page.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[Steamport Southport]

Probably the link is dead and it just reverts to the home page.

 

This is the one you want

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/publications/books.html

 

 

 

Jason

[Dunsignalling]

If you  want "warts and all" photos of wagons in service, the softbacks published by Bradford Barton in the seventies are another series worth seeking out.

 

John

[cctransuk]

38 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

Probably the link is dead and it just reverts to the home page.

 

This is the one you want

 

https://hmrs.org.uk/publications/books.html

 

Jason

 

Really?

 

I read "... very unlikely there ever will be as even reprinting of our volume 1, with all of its mistakes, is unlikely. Simply too big a task now that influential people want to have such accuracy in every detail. This is part of volume 2 http://www.hmrs.org.uk/books/bookdetails.php?bookid=1036 If we live long enough most of the content of volume 2 may appear in this form" to indicate that the link should go to the unpublished / incomplete Volume 2; with the balance to be uploaded when and if it is ever written.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[hmrspaul]

14 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Really?

 

I read "... very unlikely there ever will be as even reprinting of our volume 1, with all of its mistakes, is unlikely. Simply too big a task now that influential people want to have such accuracy in every detail. This is part of volume 2 http://www.hmrs.org.uk/books/bookdetails.php?bookid=1036 If we live long enough most of the content of volume 2 may appear in this form" to indicate that the link should go to the unpublished / incomplete Volume 2; with the balance to be uploaded when and if it is ever written.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

The link should be

 

Monk-Steel, David (2011) Merry-go-round on the rails. HMRS publishing, Butterley Station, Derbys. 196 pages ISBN 978-0-902835-30-6.

 

Drawings:         RCH 12ton Mineral wagon

21ton coal hopper, ex Liverpool Electricity Supply Co.

BR 21ton coal hopper rebodied with vacuum brake

BR 56ton bogie Iron ore wagon (Consett type)

BR 24½ton coal hopper with vacuum brake

BR 26/32ton high capacity coal hopper wagon (MGR) (HAA)

BR 26/32ton high capacity coal hopper wagon with top canopy (MGR) (HAA)

BR 32.8tonne high capacity coal hopper wagon 60 mph (MGR) (HDA)

BR 32.8tonne high capacity lime covered hopper wagon 60 mph (MGR) (CBA)

APCM 45tonne GLW Gypsum hopper PG001A PGA

British Steel Corporation Teeside Limestone hopper (PGA)

BR 21½ton fly ash Presflo vacuum brake CSV

BR 21½ton fly ash Presflo air brake CSA

 

Paul

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, cctransuk said:

 

Really?

 

I read "... very unlikely there ever will be as even reprinting of our volume 1, with all of its mistakes, is unlikely. Simply too big a task now that influential people want to have such accuracy in every detail. This is part of volume 2 http://www.hmrs.org.uk/books/bookdetails.php?bookid=1036 If we live long enough most of the content of volume 2 may appear in this form" to indicate that the link should go to the unpublished / incomplete Volume 2; with the balance to be uploaded when and if it is ever written.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

 

That's the link that was in the previous post. The HMRS book section.

 

So yes that is the correct link. But it's not me looking at links that are seven years old and being surprised they are not working.....

 

 

 

Jason

[spamcan61]

On 26/07/2019 at 23:38, DavidLong said:

 

Meanwhile, seven years on and your fiver would have to be multiplied by ten to get a copy:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0860932036/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used

But bibles should be valuable . . .

 

David

I've always found used.addall.com to be the best used book search engine, provided you accept there's always a chance that the one copy of the book you want is at a bookshop in the middle of nowhere, on the other side of the planet. (you can limit your searches to a subset of the available seller options)

 

e.g.:-

 

http://used.addall.com/SuperRare/RefineRare.fcgi?id=190728083240942798

 

There do seem to be more copies of the book around then there were10 years or so ago, when I had no luck at all finding a copy - hopefully I've now bagged the copy in Tiverton!

Edited July 28, 2019 by spamcan61