The Steaming Sixties - Vol 4 The Withered Arm

[2ManySpams]

Yet another new book from the Irwell Press stable that panders to my favourite area to model - the Southern's Withered Arm. 64 pages of colour photos, 1 per page, for ??11.95. ISBN978-1-906919-09-2

 

 

It's amazing that, just when you think you've seen all the shots of all the stations, a new book comes out with some real gems of unusual views. True you have the usual shot of a loco (1369) taking water at Pengarhard Woods, several crossing the A389 near Dunmere and the classic shots of Halwill but the ones that do it for me are:

 

Pg 3 - 1367 lurking inside Wadebridge goods shed with shunters looking on having a pow wow

Pg 4 - an unusual shot from the brakevan of Boscarne box & crossing

Pg 17 - a view not seen before of the end of Port Isaac Rd looking across the Cornish landscape towards Padstow

Pg 25 - 34078 & Panniers on shed at Wadebridge

Pg 27 - a moody shot of two Beatties and water columns at the end of Wadebridge platform

Pgs 28, 35 & 36 - unusual shots of the shed and coal stack at Wadebridge

Pg 38 - the little photographed end of Padstow Station

Pg 42 - Wadebridge's Queen Mary (one of the metal clad one's) at Dunmere crossing.

Pg 52 - Unusual distant shot of the approach to Padstow after the Iron Bridge

Pg 59 - A atmospheric shot of 34106 taking in the Junction Hotel at Halwill

Pg 63 - From the platform bridge at Wadebridge - is that a Mk 1 BSK in Choc and Brown?

 

Note the title of the book "The Withered Arm in Cornwall". This does mean that the vast majority of the shots are of the Padstow (West of Launceston) and Wenford / Bodmin lines. If i were pedantic i would therefore question the cover photo being of 2no N Class passing at Halwill - could have sworn that was in Devon.... Jesting aside there are the odd shots of non-Cornwall locations including Callington, Hatherleigh and Okehampton, plus a good selection of Halwill. WR fans will are well catered for by numerous shots of 1365 Class locos and other assorted tanks. Sadly no T9s though - these went in 1961 and i think the first photo is 1962

 

What does strike me is the apparently haphazard order of the photos and how locations are visited seemingly at random - pg 25 Wadebridge, pg 26 Callington and back to Wadebridge for pg 27. I would have preferred to see the photos ordered by location, rather than the date - a personal preference. What It is also apparent the the majority of the photos come from rides on a small number of services and hence the same loco / stock combinations are seen again and again: 1369 on a trip to Wenford must take up a good 1/3 of the book and 34106 Lyford to Padstow another chunk for instance. I can however forgive this as the photos do capture the real life and soul of the (mainly) Padstow and Bodmin lines.

 

In all a good 8/10 in my view - the photo content making up for a handful of duff exposures and relatively limited loco variation. If you're into the NCR and Bodmin then I'm sure this book will be a welcome addition to the bookshelf.

[2ManySpams]

Another book I'll have to buy' date=' I suppose (T9s, Ns in colour I hope?) Thanks Chris for the tip, however I looked at the Irwell Press site and it wasn't downloading properly, so I couldn't order it; probably my machine. If not, better inform George!

 

Glenn[/quote']

 

Glenn

 

No T9's I'm afraid. The following are featured:

 

1367 1368 1369

4571

4694

31837 31839 31842 31844 31845 31853 31856 31875

34007 34072 34078 34106

30585 30586

41216 41249 41272 41275 41290 41322

82022

80042

D6350