Monorails of the 19th Centrury

[EddieB]

This is a new publication from Lightmoor Press and written by Adrian Garner.

 

For anyone into railway oddities, it is a well-researched book, covering a diversity of systems world-wide, I believe for the first time in a single volume. At 288 pages, with numerous diagrams and photographs, there is plenty of inspiration and material for modellers tired of the usual prototypes, or plenty to fascinate those who just enjoy reading about the weird and wonderful schemes of the Victorian era.

 

Although I picked up my copy at Ian Allan, Waterloo last Thursday, Bill Hudson has it being published today, priced at £24.99.

[Mac]

This is a new publication from Lightmoor Press and written by Adrian Garner.

 

For anyone into railway oddities, it is a well-researched book, covering a diversity of systems world-wide, I believe for the first time in a single volume. At 288 pages, with numerous diagrams and photographs, there is plenty of inspiration and material for modellers tired of the usual prototypes, or plenty to fascinate those who just enjoy reading about the weird and wonderful schemes of the Victorian era.

 

Although I picked up my copy at Ian Allan, Waterloo last Thursday, Bill Hudson has it being published today, priced at £24.99.

 

I see Amazon also have it listed.

Eddie : are there any details of pre 1870 schemes/plans in the book ?

 

Mac.

[EddieB]

 

I see Amazon also have it listed.

Eddie : are there any details of pre 1870 schemes/plans in the book ?

 

Mac.

 

Hi Mac ("I'll make a soldier of you yet, Hookie"),

 

Yes, indeed. There are descriptions of the inventions of Henry Robinson Palmer going back to the 1820s (e.g. Deptford, Cheshunt), the "forty year gap" with only three systems (Sargeant, Boston, Mass.; Andraud, Paris: Fell, Parkhouse, Lancs.), followed by the Larmanjat schemes beginning in 1868 (and where my local interest, in the trials of the Lisbon tramway in Buckhurst Hill, come in).

[Mac]

Thanks for the information; Eddie.

 

One of these books I'll have to physically read before deciding to spend £25.

Hopefully the Manchester Ian Allan's will have it in stock when I'm there in Dec.

 

Mac.

[jbg06003]

Of especial interest for those with a one track mind........................

[Mac]

 

Yes, indeed. There are descriptions of the inventions of Henry Robinson Palmer going back to the 1820s (e.g. Deptford, Cheshunt), the "forty year gap" with only three systems (Sargeant, Boston, Mass.; Andraud, Paris: Fell, Parkhouse, Lancs.), followed by the Larmanjat schemes beginning in 1868 (and where my local interest, in the trials of the Lisbon tramway in Buckhurst Hill, come in).

 

Eddie.

 

Finally got a chance to have a look at this book.

It's certainly a mine of information; but well over two thirds of it is of no real interest to what I'm looking for.

 

I ended up buying Vol 6 of the British Steam Tram series( the one that covers Irish companies). The book also covers

the Lisbon 'Steam Monorail' which looks as though it would make a great layout.

 

Mac.

[EddieB]

 

I ended up buying Vol 6 of the British Steam Tram series( the one that covers Irish companies). The book also covers the Lisbon 'Steam Monorail' which looks as though it would make a great layout.

 

Mac.

 

That's a useful tip and I'm intrigued to see what's there, especially whether/how much the Buckhurst Hill trials are covered. It's an good series, but generally the price is offputting unless there's something of specific interest. (I have volume 1, but find that the lack of punctuation is at times a little eccentric).

[Mac]

That's a useful tip and I'm intrigued to see what's there, especially whether/how much the Buckhurst Hill trials are covered. It's an good series, but generally the price is offputting unless there's something of specific interest. (I have volume 1, but find that the lack of punctuation is at times a little eccentric).

 

Had a quick look and the experimental line about 600 yards in length is mentioned in

what appears to be part of an extract taken from 'Engineering. 10 January 1873'.

 

There's a small illustration labelled 'Trial of the Lisbon Steam Carriage, at Buckhurst Hill'.

 

You're right about the price of this series being a killer, but I'm heavily into Steam Trams.

I bought mine from Ian Allans in Manchester; who had the full set on their shelves.

 

Mac.

[EddieB]

 

Had a quick look and the experimental line about 600 yards in length is mentioned in

what appears to be part of an extract taken from 'Engineering. 10 January 1873'.

 

There's a small illustration labelled 'Trial of the Lisbon Steam Carriage, at Buckhurst Hill'.

 

You're right about the price of this series being a killer, but I'm heavily into Steam Trams

I bought mine from Ian Allans in Manchester; who had the full set on their shelves.

Mac.

 

Thank you, I'll try to have a peek if there are copies in the Waterloo branch of Ian Allan, but it looks as though there's nothing beyond the "standard references".

 

I'm not surprised that there's a full set on the shelves - can't be many takers at forty quid (plus) a volume! (Pity, as there's a lot of good stuff in those books).