What do you want by way of Railway Books?

[Strathwood]

There is a dearth of published works on pregrouping stock - carriages or wagons - over many of the pregrouping companies.  While the Midland, the LNWR and the LSWR (off the top of my head) are very well covered, the Great Eastern, Great Northern and Great Central are among those for whom information is very hard to come by, despite the best efforts of the line societies.  The North Eastern, especially carriages, is also deserving of more coverage.  Most of what has been published is incidental to works which focus on the LNER, but it's clear from (for example) Buckjumper's research for his forthcoming GE layout that there's a great deal more information now available.

I am always happy to work with societies to publish works on their pregrouping company's rolling stock or locomotives etc. In fact there are some truly superb black & white images around taken on glass plate cameras full of splendid details of the period that i would love to see something done with. Many of these shots are very much capable of being reproduced in a large format on the page, whilst too many chose to publish them about the size of a fag packet, resulting to some of us getting a magnifying glass out to check out the fascinating details in the background abot the size of a micro-dot. Again anyone who fancies writing some text get in touch, likewise societies and we can see what we can do.

 

Kevin

[finelines]

An illustrated history of British Railways revenue wagons, Vol. 2 that Oxford Publishing never got round to!

 

And probably Vols 3, 4, 5, etc bringing the story up to date

 

Roger

[hmrspaul]

LNER coaches as well as the pre-grouping antecedents. I know Harris did three volumes, but the best is very rare and also ends for no understandable reason (to me at least) in 1931 designs, and also the earlier volumes are very obscure when it comes to finding details - much of it is there, but in a chronological table, grrrr.

 

Paul

[brianusa]

Anything on Devon and Cornwall railways.  I reckon I have virtually everything published in the last forty years or so but there has been a dearth of books on the subject within the last few years.  Maybe everything that can be written on the subject has been written!

 

Brian

[Strathwood]

An illustrated history of British Railways revenue wagons, Vol. 2 that Oxford Publishing never got round to!

 

And probably Vols 3, 4, 5, etc bringing the story up to date

 

Roger

Anyone fancy taking on the text for this one and we can give it a whirl?

 

Kevin

[Strathwood]

LNER coaches as well as the pre-grouping antecedents. I know Harris did three volumes, but the best is very rare and also ends for no understandable reason (to me at least) in 1931 designs, and also the earlier volumes are very obscure when it comes to finding details - much of it is there, but in a chronological table, grrrr.

 

Paul

I think you might be the man for the wagons books and perhaps along with the Gresley Society for this subject too, for this we would need someone who has really done a lot of the research already and hopefully enjoyed it, whereas whilst I like the style of many of the LNER coaching stock from the Gresley and Thompson eras, once again it would not be a labour of love for me, but for someone else, who knew it would be published when complete then perhaps.

 

Kevin

[Baby Deltic]

Dinosaur Diesels, especially around London on cross London freight.

[Strathwood]

Anything on Devon and Cornwall railways.  I reckon I have virtually everything published in the last forty years or so but there has been a dearth of books on the subject within the last few years.  Maybe everything that can be written on the subject has been written!

 

Brian

I know what you mean, but some folk will only buy books if they are all steam era, whilst others only want Hydraulics and other diesels, some refuse Class 50s too. It would be nice to see somebody like Bernard Mills agree to take on a book to make best use of his splendid collection of transparencies.

 

But as with the same vein as the model companies the market is not huge, it is getting smaller by the day so we need to get these projects off and running whilst there is life in us all yet.

 

Kevin

[Baby Deltic]

Freight wagons do seem to be an area which has a rapidly growing interest, especially following the Larkin, Gamble and Rowland books, plus, of course pictures on Paul's website. I think a book about wagons, train marshalling and goods handling would be a boon, plus pictures with captions detailing the makeup of some of the trains.

[Strathwood]

Dinosaur Diesels, especially around London on cross London freight.

Yep as an ex West London lad I agree and have something along these lines in the pipeline, with some very interesting machines in some interesting locations not always associated with them by many.

 

Kevin

[New Haven Neil]

A book covering the north-east that doesn't have two photos of Newcastle Central then jump to York.....

 

Lots of interest to see, Tyne Dock, North and South Tyneside, out to Hexham, Sunderland, British West Hartlepool.....

[Strathwood]

Freight wagons do seem to be an area which has a rapidly growing interest, especially following the Larkin, Gamble and Rowland books, plus, of course pictures on Paul's website. I think a book about wagons, train marshalling and goods handling would be a boon, plus pictures with captions detailing the makeup of some of the trains.

There you go Paul another vote for you.

 

Kevin

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Surprised nobody has mentioned this one.....

 

Fell - The complete story

[Karhedron]

Fell - The complete story

Not so much a book, more of a pamphlet.

[trisonic]

We did have some interesting shots of the route and some showing the last steam and the first emus on the Chingford line submitted about eight years ago, sadly they were all taken with a camera with a horrible lense and poor filmstocks from the time. Although did enjoy looking at them before sending them back, very interesting to see N7s passing the new units stabled everywhere and on test, but wholly unsuitable quality to even be merchantable sadly. Most material taken on the route it seems is always at Stratford from the platforms, Brentwood bank if you are are lucky or the black hole that was Liverpool Street in the day!

 

Kevin

So the Stratford and Thames Junction Railway is totally unlikely then? 

 

Best, Pete.

[Strathwood]

A book covering the north-east that doesn't have two photos of Newcastle Central then jump to York.....

 

Lots of interest to see, Tyne Dock, North and South Tyneside, out to Hexham, Sunderland, British West Hartlepool.....

Not sure if you want any era, just steam or just modern traction? But I do have a large format black & white photo album for the press next year that deals solely with the North Eastern Region from 1948-1967 with steam. Before you suggest otherwise, no it does not just go Newcastle Central then to York it takes a leisurely ramble around the region taking a look at many of the pre-grouping survivors. All the photos will be top class and published in large format so we can all see the details in the background etc. By the way there is a volume planned for each of the six regions too. In addition I am working on another volume covering the steam sheds of the North Eastern Region, ditto for the other regions too.

 

Kevin

[Strathwood]

Surprised nobody has mentioned this one.....

 

Fell - The complete story

Yes it would be good to see something done here too, Kevin Robertson has tackled Bulleid's Leader so why not the Fell, we have some material to help with the project here. Is there anyone out there who has studied the beast already in some detail? (Hands up please at the back of the class if you fancy having a go here) I know someone personally whose Uncle was involved with the project who has also suggested he would like to see a book on that large box of spanners that often frequented Derby Works during the 1950s.

 

Kevin

[Strathwood]

Not so much a book, more of a pamphlet.

Now now play nicely we do have a couple of shots of it working. Admitted, most are of it on display as the latest thing in technology at exhibitions of the era, or dumped at Derby Works awaiting either the fitters or the scrapmen, whoever could put down their tea and fags first to get on with the work I suppose.

 

Kevin

[darrel]

I would like to see a book about class 303 emus the Glasgow blue trains. I can also supply lots of photos. I've had a plan to do something for a long time however as always its a question of time

[Strathwood]

So the Stratford and Thames Junction Railway is totally unlikely then? 

 

Best, Pete.

I can see that we could get something away about 30A Stratford for sure through the years with a little more work. Anyone out there have shots of the place being torn down or reminiscences from steam or diesel days? We did have someone a few years ago who made contact who was a diesel driver there in the late 1960s, but he seems to have dropped off the radar.

 

In many cases a number of titles suggested may have to see photographs previously used in other unrelated books being grouped together to help illustrate the subject, as there is certainly a limit to the resource of good enough material known about at present. Please if you have good quality material lets see it and share it with others in books whilst there is still a market big enough to make it worthwhile, not just on Stratford but on any subject matter really even if its Gas Lamps and Light Fittings of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway there must be others out there who would be interested in seeing what has been compiled. Otherwise when the grim reaper comes a calling, he is only a week or two before the house clearance folk or our families step in to throw it in the bin or stash it forever into the loft to be forgotten about until they get the call from the reaper too!

 

Kevin

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Regarding the "Fell", Brian Radford in his book on Derby Loco Works wrote that the design "acquitted itself reasonably well". At 2,000hp, it must've been one of the most powerful locos on BR at that time (early 50's).

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Whilst there are (literally) thousands of books on locos and rolling stock, railway history of individual lines, coffee-table picture books and the like, little has been written about the actual train services provided - which is really the raison d'etre of a railway.

[Strathwood]

I would like to see a book about class 303 emus the Glasgow blue trains. I can also supply lots of photos. I've had a plan to do something for a long time however as always its a question of time

Yes, now is your chance as we could do something here especially if you can supply more photos and perhaps can write some text, we are not talking a 240 page hardback volume here with a RRP of £39.95 more likely something along the lines of £10 to £20, 72 pages plus including photos. I can certainly help with the means to get it published, supply more photos  but not with the time, I leave that to the BBC and Doctor Who (I have heard its no longer John Pertwee playing the part).

 

Kevin

[Strathwood]

Regarding the "Fell", Brian Radford in his book on Derby Loco Works wrote that the design "acquitted itself reasonably well". At 2,000hp, it must've been one of the most powerful locos on BR at that time (early 50's).

It certainly had enough cylinders to be so considering its four main engines and two auxillary engines to boot. Can we tempt you into writing more on the subject and drawing much of what has already been suggested together to take this further?

 

Kevin

[blueeighties]

Not sure if you want any era, just steam or just modern traction? But I do have a large format black & white photo album for the press next year that deals solely with the North Eastern Region from 1948-1967 with steam. Before you suggest otherwise, no it does not just go Newcastle Central then to York it takes a leisurely ramble around the region taking a look at many of the pre-grouping survivors. All the photos will be top class and published in large format so we can all see the details in the background etc. By the way there is a volume planned for each of the six regions too. In addition I am working on another volume covering the steam sheds of the North Eastern Region, ditto for the other regions too.

 

Kevin

From where I am sitting, good quality colour pictorials of early to mid Eighties diesel traction are much in demand throughout my customer base. There is very little available about my native North East, there are a wealth of local photographers with some very good collections! My faves are the back to/out of the ashes volumes, decent traction and very useful general detail shots of the time are an absolute winner for both the modeller and prototype enthusisast. Obviously at the end of the day everything boils down to sales figures, but I think a lot of people don't realise that these days the eighties blue period now has a massive following as the time has come around where loads of 40 somethings with a bit of disposable income, (myself included) want to model their childhood memories!