The Pictorial Encyclopedia of Railways by C. Hamilton Ellis

[Tim H]

Seeing not one but two copies of this tome gathering dust on the shelves at my parent's place today made me wonde;  exactly why this book is so ubiquitous?

 

Just about every since secondhand book stall at even the smallest of shows seems to have at least one dog-eared copy for sale. I know it's the sort of book well meaning grandparents and aunts who know little or nothing about raillways would give as a birthday present to little Johnny who likes ttains.  But why that particular book?  Was it promoted especially heavily by book clubs during the 70a?

 

Anyone remember the way it was marketed and sold? 

 

 

[Dava]

It was cheap & good value, I bought my own copy in 1973 or so in WHS. Still got it. The color pages were good quality for that period. Mass print led to low costs.

 

In retrospect it was more of dear old Cuthbert's scrapbook in the 'Boys wonder book of trains' genre than a serious encyclopedia

But entertaining none the less.

 

Dava

[kevinlms]

It was cheap & good value, I bought my own copy in 1973 or so in WHS. Still got it. The color pages were good quality for that period. Mass print led to low costs.

 

In retrospect it was more of dear old Cuthbert's scrapbook in the 'Boys wonder book of trains' genre than a serious encyclopedia

But entertaining none the less.

 

Dava

It was certainly cheap to produce. Much of the information/photos has appeared elsewhere, including "Boys Wonder Book of Trains'. My copy was printed in Czechoslovakia in 1973, so probably next to nothing for those costs. The book since it covered many different countries, had a world market, at least in the English speaking world.

Probably good basic information, which is handy for a 'coffee table' book.

 

Some of O.S. Nock's books fell into the same category and other authors too.