New Transport Treasury Publishing Titles

[Robin Fell]

A new title:

 

Old Oak Common

 

Old Oak Common was without a doubt the largest engine shed on the Great Western Railway and later the Western Region. Replacing a smaller and cramped site at Westbourne Park in the early years of the 20th Century, the new depot was built around four turntables each under cover as well as a large repair shop and coaling plant. It was at Old Oak Common that engines were prepared for the principal trains out of Paddington as well as the suburban services and all manner of shunting turns. Indeed over the years it played host to the majority of different types of steam designs as well as visitors from other railways. Many of these, the regular as well as the unusual are illustrated in this new book, recalling a time when steam was king and Old Oak Common was one of the largest single depots serving the London area.

[Robin Fell]

We have a new Totem book in stock.

 

David Clark's Southern Odyssey: Part 1

 

The photographer David Clark may not be known to all (but really should be), whilst the name Ron White almost certainly will be recognised. We have combined the images of one, and the charismatic writing style of the other, to create a photo album of the two, which is certain to stir the memories of yesteryear.

 

This is no ordinary photo book; it concentrates on the Eastern section of the Southern Region before the end of the steam era in 1961, featuring a rare variety of full colour images.

During the time before the run-down of steam, pride in the job still shone through and trains ran to the published timetable with no small effort due to the undertakings of the men at the front. David Clark was fortunately in a position to record the final years of steam on the Kent main lines – and usually in good weather conditions – supplemented by odd branch line outings and a little excursion or two across the border into Surrey and Sussex.

 

For his part, Ron White has drawn on his extensive knowledge of both the photographer and the subject to describe both in his inimitable fashion, bringing to life a book that deserves a place on the bookshelf.

 

[Robin Fell]

Out now.

 

Bristol Railways 1978 – 1990

 

Bristol has been an important railway city. The original westerly terminus of the Great Western Railway from London , routes were soon added south and west into Devon and Cornwall, north and eventually west to Gloucester and Wales, together with numerous branch and harbour lines serving industry and the docks.

Much of the railway network, junctions and yards remain intact into the 21st century, and whilst the visual appearance of the trains and infrastructure has changed – with many new colour schemes than in the past – Bristol remains a mecca for those wanting to see trains from any number of destinations; some passing through and others terminating.

Author Colin Scott-Morton knows the area well, and has used this knowledge to assemble a varied and interesting selection of views from the post-steam era at the time when ‘blue’ was the dominant colour.

Witness then everything from the flash new HST sets, to locomotive hauled passenger and freight branch line services, shunting and even departmental workings. 80 pages of unashamed nostalgia.

[Kingstoke Junction]

Very nice book full of nostalgia with some fab reminders on what the rail scene around Bristol used to look like. Some really nice DMU shots, particular page 5 with a shot of W55032 at Stapleton Road on a "Beach Buggy" working and much further on with a Gloucester Cross Country unit at Redland. The 119 on the title page also merits a mention!

A few comments on specific photos

Page 6 - 50013 heading south through Bridgewater is claimed to be a Paddington to "West Country" service. Given that this train is non air-con Mark 2 stock on a summer Saturday, very unlikely. Its more likely to be the 0921 Liverpool to Penzance for which the stock looks near correct and was booked a 50 from ? Gloucester on summer Saturdays (that always seemed to be a 50 west of Plymouth every day)

Pages 7 & 8 - The 37s are more likely to be working "Monkey Specials" as they were nicknamed by the locals - excursions from South Wales to Clifton Down taking punters to Bristol Zoo. On Page 7 note the railway employee on the platform who was there to aid with the dispatch of the train on the curved platform. The return working left around 16:00 and at Newport ran in the path of the 17:05 Newport - Swansea commuter train.

Page 8 - 50050 was likely to be working the Kensington Olympia to St Austell Motorail service. As this was a Sunday, this, along with most other London to West Country services ran via Bristol as the Berks & Hants was closed

Page 13 - 31128 on the postal - probably the 1930 ish Bristol to Newcastle which was normally the preserve of peaks

Page 27 - Again a Sunday so with the B&H closed was likely to be a scheduled service from the West Country to London. There was one train (14:40 off Plymouth from memory) that was double headed and formed of Mark 1 stock

[Robin Fell]

Don't miss our newest publication;

British Railways 'Britannia' Pacifics

 

Well it was a valiant effort! Designed as a ‘one size fits all’, the BR designs of steam locomotives incorporated all that was seen as ‘best practice’ of the Big Four railway companies that formed British Railways at Nationalisation. When the class leader, No 70000 Britannia, emerged from Crewe Works early in 1951 few people would have imagined that it would have a service life of just over 15 years and that one of the class would share the working of the last rail tour marking the end of standard gauge steam on the main line network. Really appreciated by the footplate crews on the Great Eastern section of the Eastern Region – and equally disliked by Western Region crews – the ‘Britannias’, and like the rest of the Standard designs, were victims of the run down of BR steam, never really being given the chance to prove themselves and being withdrawn well before their intended life span. This book follows the ‘Britannia’ class around the Regions from its introduction in 1951 to final withdrawal in 1968.

[Robin Fell]

A brand new title from our Totem imprint is now available to order.

 

LNER Steam in the 1930s

 

Notwithstanding the quiet revolution that was taking place at Crewe under the stewardship of Mr Stanier it was to Doncaster that eyes often turned in the 1930s and where the products of Mr Gresley were emerging and often breaking records as they did.

 

Similar of course to the LMS, the LNER had been an amalgam of different railway companies in 1923 and yet there had been continuity in locomotive development with Gresley able to continue and develop his ideas meaning the LNER was a place of eye catching endeavour especially with the advent of the streamline A4 class in the 1930s.

 

Here for the first time we are able to see the camera wielding exploits of one photographer, George Barlow. A man who recorded the new, the old, the interesting and the unusual, presented in authoritative form with detailed captions. We even have the massive P2s, at work and under test!

 

Out of necessity picture books on the railways of generations past are restricted when it comes to the choice of images available; consequently a new collection is welcome, and this is what we have here in this selection from the George Barlow collection held at The Transport Treasury.

 

What also makes this collection so remarkable is that it is not restricted to loco only portraits, as George was adept at moving train shots as well. We are indeed fortunate his collection has survived and may be appreciated by a wider audience.

[Robin Fell]

Please welcome our newest Transport Treasury title:

Devon Transition from Steam

 

Devon is a county where the railway network changed more than most in the Beeching era. A county which had previously been well served by both the Great Western and Southern railways now presented an amount of duplication added to which quaint branch lines served areas of limited population, the latter financially viable for just a few months of the year and associated with tourism. Peak and flows of traffic were not something to be tolerated by Dr Beeching, but the resultant pruning of the network had other unforeseen and less welcome effects that reduced the traffic flow onto the main lines. Add to this the move away from steam and the continual advent of the motor car and the result was a local rail map altered beyond what might anyone could ever likely have perceived. True, some passenger services had already been culled in the 1950s prior to Beeching, Princetown and Ashburton two examples, but when the unthinkable, Padstow, Kingswear, Ilfracombe and then even almost the whole of the Okehampton line was closed, it is small wonder there were those who may have had doubts about where it all might have ended. Within these pages we are delighted to present an exercise in pure nostalgia; an opportunity to sit back and enjoy Devon at its BR peak – a railway network in the early throws of transition.

[Robin Fell]

The first issue in a new series of 'Times' books:

 

Railway Times Issue 1: 1948

 

RAILWAY TIMES is the new twice-yearly journal covering the changes and events on British Railways year by year starting from 1948. 1948 was a year of upheaval. Public ownership meaning four very different organisations had to begin to be welded into one corporate entity. This meant the start of a standardised policy stretching from Cornwall to Scotland and all places between. It was a fascinating year and one which is explored in this new title.

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

The start of attempts at standardised policies while in some cases standardisation across all Regions never happened at all or didn't happen until the 1990s and full sectorisation, and even then things weren't standardised.   Plenty of non-standardisation still around today.  

 

I started full time on BR in 1966 on the WR and joined the salaried staff pension fund - the LNER salaried staff pension fund because even by then there was no BR salaried staff pension fund.  And of course we learnt WR block signalling Regulations - which still differed in various respects from those applicable to other Regions - and there were still some differences right into the 1990s (and might still be today at one place)

[Downer]

If all the photos in this and succeeding issues were actually taken in the relevant year then these will be useful books.

[Harlequin]

Is this new title a good idea?

 

It will obviously have a lot of overlap with the region specific titles during the BR era.

 

Readers interested in the old railways won't be so interested in this new title for obvious reasons and so they may miss out on regional content that's only published in this new BR publication.

 

[Robin Fell]

On 29/03/2023 at 10:44, Downer said:

If all the photos in this and succeeding issues were actually taken in the relevant year then these will be useful books.

Hi,

Yes, the photographs in each issue will all be taken in the same year specified on the cover.

[Robin Fell]

On 29/03/2023 at 11:21, Harlequin said:

Is this new title a good idea?

 

It will obviously have a lot of overlap with the region specific titles during the BR era.

 

Readers interested in the old railways won't be so interested in this new title for obvious reasons and so they may miss out on regional content that's only published in this new BR publication.

 

 

Before deciding to proceed with Railway Times we considered exactly the same points raised. With the 'Times' series already covering the Western, Southern, Midland and Eastern you might well wonder what Railway Times might offer which would be different and we have believe the approach we have found is indeed different.

The existing four 'company' volumes have found their niche with detailed pieces often delving into the minutia of history and operation. Railway Times instead takes a wider view across all regions and so enables us to bring even more historic material to the enthusiast market which might otherwise be constrained for no other reason than space. 

It is aimed at the reader who wants to be able to 'dip in' and read about items that were occurring in a specific year rather than on a specific region, although it will be appreciated that might sometimes be difficult when work on a new project occurred over several years. 

We are confident in the approach with initial sales also indicating a positive response. Be assured Railway Times will only run with two issues annually, there has never been the intention to increase beyond this level.

[robertcwp]

On 27/02/2023 at 15:28, Robin Fell said:

Please welcome our newest Transport Treasury title:

Devon Transition from Steam

 

Devon is a county where the railway network changed more than most in the Beeching era. A county which had previously been well served by both the Great Western and Southern railways now presented an amount of duplication added to which quaint branch lines served areas of limited population, the latter financially viable for just a few months of the year and associated with tourism. Peak and flows of traffic were not something to be tolerated by Dr Beeching, but the resultant pruning of the network had other unforeseen and less welcome effects that reduced the traffic flow onto the main lines. Add to this the move away from steam and the continual advent of the motor car and the result was a local rail map altered beyond what might anyone could ever likely have perceived. True, some passenger services had already been culled in the 1950s prior to Beeching, Princetown and Ashburton two examples, but when the unthinkable, Padstow, Kingswear, Ilfracombe and then even almost the whole of the Okehampton line was closed, it is small wonder there were those who may have had doubts about where it all might have ended. Within these pages we are delighted to present an exercise in pure nostalgia; an opportunity to sit back and enjoy Devon at its BR peak – a railway network in the early throws of transition.

I have just finished going through this and thought it was very good. 

[Robin Fell]

Our new Totem title is something a little different:

Colin Garratt's Scrapbook

 

Withdrawn locomotives and railway scrapyards have always exerted a morbid fascination for railway enthusiasts and certainly the well known photographer and author Colin Garratt found them irresistible as witnessed by the great number of images he took of them during his lifetime. They undoubtedly presented great opportunities to both amateur and professional photographers to achieve that “artistic shot” sought by so many cameramen but realised by so few. I hope you will agree that Colin certainly had an eye for the unusual angle and that he achieved a level of artistry in the images taken at the three UK scrapyards, which handled a variety of rolling stock from the 1960s to the 1990s, that are showcased in this volume.

[caradoc]

A couple of questions regarding the interesting Railway Times series;

 

Will it continue in chronological order, ie next issue 1949, then 1950 and so on?

Will it carry on right through to the 1970s, which is when (thanks to being born in 1959!) my railway interest really started?

 

Thanks.  

[Ian Hargrave]

I purchased a copy at the York Show yesterday,having already received advance notification of its publication. I think the  concept is sound and promises to hold my interest as long of course as I can keep the pace myself.😳 Thus I have a private chuckle when I read the Editor’s Introduction which acknowledges he wasn’t around in 1948.

 

   Er….I was. And yes I have,peculiarly enough,still vivid memories of railways in that year ….in both chocolate & cream and malachite. Looks good on a cursory thumbing through but will get around to a serious read later in the week.

[Robin Fell]

On 06/04/2023 at 13:04, caradoc said:

A couple of questions regarding the interesting Railway Times series;

 

Will it continue in chronological order, ie next issue 1949, then 1950 and so on?

Will it carry on right through to the 1970s, which is when (thanks to being born in 1959!) my railway interest really started?

 

Thanks.  

Hello,

Yes, these will continue by year chronologically as you say.

 

We will get to the 1970s' - eventually - but with two issues per year that is more than a decade away.

[Ian Hargrave]

On 27/10/2022 at 11:11, Robin Fell said:

A new title:

 

Old Oak Common

 

Old Oak Common was without a doubt the largest engine shed on the Great Western Railway and later the Western Region. Replacing a smaller and cramped site at Westbourne Park in the early years of the 20th Century, the new depot was built around four turntables each under cover as well as a large repair shop and coaling plant. It was at Old Oak Common that engines were prepared for the principal trains out of Paddington as well as the suburban services and all manner of shunting turns. Indeed over the years it played host to the majority of different types of steam designs as well as visitors from other railways. Many of these, the regular as well as the unusual are illustrated in this new book, recalling a time when steam was king and Old Oak Common was one of the largest single depots serving the London area.

For all those devoted to the Great Western . Really well presented. ….if you can still pick up a copy.

[Robin Fell]

Take at look at our new publication:

From the Camel to the Exe

 

That vast swath of glorious countryside lying between the Rivers Camel and Exe contained the very photogenic route of the North Cornwall line. Terry Gough, Gerald Daniels, Dick Riley and many others whose photographic collections have passed into the safe keeping of the Transport Treasury fortunately recorded scenes from Padstow to Exeter on film. From Bulleid pacifics and the graceful Greyhounds to the humblest tank locomotive, and not ignoring the architecture of its wayside stations, their cameras captured images from the dying days of steam on this section of the sorely missed Withered Arm.

[Oldddudders]

On 27/07/2023 at 10:33, Robin Fell said:

Take at look at our new publication:

From the Camel to the Exe

My copy arrived today, and i am very pleased with it. Almost all pics are new to me, and my own particular interest, Halwill Junction, gets very decent coverage. The book does what it says on the tin, and there is no extraneous material - save, perhaps, for a few pages on the T9s, which were closely associated with the route until their very last years, so deserve their exposure. 

 

Recommended.

[Captain Kernow]

On 27/07/2023 at 10:33, Robin Fell said:

Take at look at our new publication

Hi Robin - is there a place where forthcoming titles are listed, please?

 

Thanks.

 

[Not Jeremy]

I have just taken this book into stock, and I am very impressed with it indeed.   I am biased, in that I like the “Suvvern” rather a lot, and also the Withered Arm rather especially, but even allowing for my bias this is a completely wonderful collection of images from photographers who really knew what they were doing. The Transport Treasury curates and makes available a large number of high quality images, and Jefferey Grayer has picked some absolute corkers in putting this book together. I either have, or have looked at, pretty much everything ever published on this subject and I can honestly say that this book is up there amongst the very best of them. This publisher doesn’t ever produce “bad” books, but the quality of reproduction and printing of this particular book is really first class, lots of visual punch and plenty of interest in the subjects chosen too. I have added it to my collection, not least because I am currently working on a model of 34040 “Watersmeet”, not an especially photographed locomotive, and there are two lovely portraits of it in this book. Deep joy and well done to the author and publisher both!

[Captain Kernow]

It does seem as if a lot of good stuff is coming from this publishing house these days.

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Captain Kernow

[Robin Fell]

We have lots of new releases.

Two new 'Times' books:

Eastern Times Issue 2

 

In this edition we have more excellent articles from our contributors starting with the elegant ‘R’ (D20) class 4-4-0 designed by Wilson Wordsell of the North Eastern Railway, the class giving service for over 50 years. This is followed by one man’s tale of how steam lingered on well after official withdrawal dates on his local line. We all have our favourite engines for many varied reasons, the elegant lines of A3 Spearmint are recalled and the reasons why it became a favourite explained.

We then move to a more modern era and a signalman’s recollection of his working life at Broxbourne Junction in the late 70s and early 80s accompanied by excellent photographs of the trains he controlled. Then jumping to something completely different we feature Charlie, ‘The Last Shunting Horse’ who was the last of his kind to work on the railways, appropriately at Newmarket.

Moving to the capital there is a feature of how the LNER were a large part of the modernisation of the transport system needed to meet the demands of long-suffering commuters in an ever expanding metropolis before and after the Second World War.

 

Most of us would have heard of renowned photographer H. C. Casserley, who would take an annual two-week holiday to travel and photograph the railway system, this usually covered a large area of the country. We follow one such trip he made in 1954 accompanied by many of the photographs taken at various locations throughout the trip, there are so many photos that we have had to split this article in two with the conclusion to appear in issue 3. Finally for this issue we head north and have a pictorial feature of West Hartlepool followed by a trip on ‘The Edinburgh Fast’.

 

 

 

Railway Times Issue 2

This second issue of RAILWAY TIMES features the new standard liveries for rolling stock, Bulleid’s innovations in the form of Double Deck EMUs, the much derided Tavern Cars and of course continuing problems with his Leader concept – all of which made headlines. Three notable CMEs, including Bulleid, decided to retire during this year and electrification came to the Liverpool Street – Shenfield line. These and many more aspects of the railway scene in 1949 are featured in this issue.

 

 

And hot off the press:

Stanier's Jubilee 4-6-0s

 

Stanier, poached from the GWR, created a new class of 4-6-0s to form a secondary, ‘stiffening spine’ of locomotive power behind the Pacifics and Royal Scots. The 191 Jubilee’s became ubiquitous across the system and were popular on many routes which didn’t have the benefits of the more powerful locomotives – the lines out of St.Pancras, into Scotland on the former G&SW lines, on the Central Division and even down to Bristol are all covered in this album combined with informative and detailed captions.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Robin Fell