Class 52 Westerns: The Twilight Years: The Amberley Railway Archive

[Ben04uk]

The book Class 52 Westerns: The Twilight Years: The Amberley Railway Archive by Stephen Dowle was release in October and was wondering if anyone can recommend it?

[Fat Controller]

No idea about the book, but the gentleman in question has a very interesting Flickr site, which has been referenced here in the past.

Here's a link to the part of the site dealing with Westerns:-

https://www.flickr.com/photos/fray_bentos/albums/72157603610278600

Just by chance, I'd been browsing his site whilst RMWeb was having a sulk.

[Downendian]

Stephen is Fray Bentos on Flickr - he has an excellent collection of Western pics, and I'll certainly be looking at buying his book.

A fellow Downendian.

Neil

[Downendian]

An update. Received it earlier today, and just spent a very pleasant hour or so reading it with a cup of tea after arriving in Bristol from Plymouth. For me personally it's the best Western book now in my collection, probably because Stephen took the bulk of his photos between 1973-1975, the time I started spotting. He also has many photos around the South Wales line where it skirts the North of Bristol, and many in the Filton-Patchway-Stoke Gifford triangle, an under photographed location, and my old stomping ground, I must have seen him at some point during this period. The photos at Filton junction are highly evocative, and conjure up my very early days with notepad in hand balancing on my pushbike on the platform there waiting for the "65 special", a Tuesday's/Thursday's only service from Eastleigh to Severn Tunnel Junction which was always class 33 hauled.

 

Although around 80% I've seen before on Stephen's Fray Bentos Flickr site, the captions are highly informative with only a few errors. The early withdrawals are featured, and these photos are among the only ones I've seen that record the early casualties in their decrepit state at Bristol St Phillips Marsh and their final dispatch at Swindon.

 

Clearly written by a fellow Western enthusiast, none of us so afflicted should be without this book. I obtained mine from an Amazon seller, £9.95 plus £2.90 P&P, a bargain.

 

Neil

[lancer1027]

Hi Neil. Does this book cover pics from 1973 or is it mainly 1975/76 ?

[Downendian]

Pics are mainly 1974/5, with only a few from 1973. There are indeed a few from 1976 but not as many as there could have been. Stephen recounts a story where a fragment of film jammed the innards of his camera making all photos overexposed, hence some gems for us from that memorable year are not publishable. Most 1976 shots are scrapyard, but a few very late Western workings from late that year.

Neil

[lancer1027]

Thanks Neil, i will probably get a copy then. I was under the impression it was mainly the last couple of years which although would be great and another western book to the collection i was hoping for some 73/74 pics. Im glad it covers mainly 74/75 with some 73.

 

This will now go on the xmas list. Im still in search for close up shots of the numberplate in blue livery of D1018, D1019, D1020 and D1039. Im guessing the search will go on.

[Downendian]

Hi Rob

One of Challenger was recently on eBay (which I bid for and lost unfortunately), it was taken 1970/1. The name and number plates were visible I recall, shame it got away.

Neil