Strathwood

That's Scottish Steam Days Remembered now with half the print run sold, a tad slower than Southern Steam Days Remembered II & III perhaps, and a lot slower than the two Seventies diesel & Electric Days Remembered which are flying, all launched at the same time last month. But no complaints from me and certainly none from all of you have been kind enough to email and telephone with your positive comments about all five releases. Just as a teaser we will be launching four books dealing with the BR Standards in their service days and a book on Steam and the Scrapyards very soon. Kevin

Watch out with the P.W. Ganger if he finds out you had that heavy A1A-A1A monster on his trackwork... Kevin

Very pleased with these two, as we are just approaching half the print run being sold already, thanks everyone who has emailed or telephoned in with kind words about the books. I think we might produce a third volume next year after all. Thanks, again. Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing

Sales of this pair are almost keeping pace with the two Seventies Diesel & Electric Days Remembered books released at the same time, just a fortnight ago. Thanks for the kind comments from those who have expressed themselves so far via emails and the telephone, most encouraging, thank you. Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing

Thanks to all who have added this volume to their collections so far with just over 350 taken already from the 1000 print run. Judging from the comments emailed and expressed over the telephone so far Scottish Steam Days Remembered certainly impresses. Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing

These two are certainly the best sellers so far from our five new releases with just over 400 of each of the 1000 available taken up already, just to confirm we are getting through the orders as fast as we can. Thanks too for those who have emailed or telephoned with kind words of approval about both their quality and contents. Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing

Sad news indeed not only for David's close family and friends, but for all of us who have admired his work as both an artist and as a conservationist of both wildlife and steam locomotives through the years. Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing

As we will all have noticed that the price of energy has gone up considerably over the last few years, well here's the bad news it directly affects the cost of paper heavily, as it takes a lot of electricity to make one ton of paper. This has add on cost to both the production of the books and their cardboard packaging.Then there is the cost of shipping the books from the printers to our warehouse in a large truck with those same increased fuel costs, add to this the increased costs of heating and lighting said warehouse, then we have to allow for contributing towards any employee's pensions these days by law, and increases in their wages too. It all adds up, you know. To put this further in perspective we have absorbed said increases for a long time, as our 160 page full colour large landscape albums have been at £29.95 for ten years until now, so this price increase is crudely equal to 1.4% inflation per annum which we have absorbed continually, until now! For those more on the ball, they would have seen that we have been offering these new titles at £29.95 for all those who order and pay for their books before 10 September, with a confirmed release date for the books of 14 September 2017. In addition we also have an extra offer if you spend more than £50 in one go just now, you can choose an extra £19.95 book from our extensive range FREE. That is £89.85 worth of books for £59.90 if you take both of these new titles just now, plus £2.95 Postage & Packing (also subsidised by us by the way). That's a 33% price discount on that offer... Whats more you are protected by both our money back guarantee and the Distance Selling Regulations which allow you to return items for up to 28 days. So standing up for those of us who work seventy hours a week at below the national minimum wage to bring our happier customers the products they ask us for, I am happy to take critics on the chin, as my glass will always be considered half full rather than half empty. I am sure there are many fellow cottage industry suppliers out there who would agree with me on this assessment. Just to give even more fair play to this I am extending the pre-release discount by another three days, as today is a Sunday as I am still at work as I write this just to allow a few more to take advantage of the offer, if they feel that our pricing is too harsh for their pockets. Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing

Seventies Diesel & Electric Days Remembered I & II £34.95 each (Release date is confirmed as 14 September 2017) Following in the shadows of the popular Sixties Diesel & Electric Days Remembered series we now present the first two volumes dealing with the following decade, where blue liveries gradually eliminated the era of green & maroon locomotives along with so many of the early designs. Our selections from the colour archives will bring back those heady days before TOPS as well as the renumbering process and gradual scrapping of many of our old favourites throughout the decade. The photographs have been chosen to include a wide choice of motive power along with a variety of locations not always seen in publications before. Not to say that many of our most popular destinations of the day are forgotten either as we visit the likes of Swindon, Bristol, Plymouth, Exeter, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Doncaster, York, the Woodhead Route along with a host of spots around London & the Home Counties. All of the images have been chosen to provide both enjoyment and inspiration to enthusiasts and modellers alike and will be regarded as classics. Print runs are limited to just 1000 copies of each title. Each volume contains approximately 156 colour photographs spread across 160 pages, printed on high quality art paper in a large landscape format, casebound as a hardback to compliment other titles within the Days Remembered ranges. Further details may be found both on our website and within the complimentary catalogue presented with the subscriber's copies of the next two issues of British Railway's Modelling magazine.

Southern Steam Days Remembered II & III £34.95 each (Release date confirmed as 14 September 2017) The success of the first volume released eight years ago in hardback form with a print run of 3000 copies released at the Eastleigh Works Open Day which quickly sold out has led us to prepare two further volumes with print runs of just 1000 copies each. Once again we have raided the colour archives from the 1950s and 1960s to provide a truly delicious selection of colour photographs to depict this much hankered for era of our railway's history. Along with a fine collection of Bulleids in both their original and rebuilt forms, we present other express designs from Maunsell, Urie and Billington along with a supporting cast drawn from a wide breadth of designs from the pre-grouping era through to the Standard classes, along with a few surprise visitors on specials. Each of these two volumes contains a real treasure trove of images that will bring both enjoyment and inspiration to modellers and enthusiasts alike. The colour photographs are all supported by detailed captions with great care and attention to how they are presented on the pages, all within our established large format hardback landscape designs, to accompany other volumes in this series already released covering the other regions. Each volumes is 160 pages, printed on high quality art paper with approximately 156 photographs in each title, casebound hardback. Full details may be found on our website or within our complimentary catalogue included within the subscribers copies of the next two issues of British Railway's Modelling Magazine.

Scottish Steam Days Remembered £34.95 (Release date confirmed as 14 September 2017) For this volume in the much aclaimed Steam Days Remembered series we tour Scotland as we visit the colour archives once again to taste some of the best colour photography from the 1950s and 1960s. Presented as a high quality large format landscape album running to 160 pages in hardback. Within are not only the Pacifics from Gresley, Thompson, Peppercorn, Stanier and Riddles, but a full supporting cast from the designs of the pre-grouping companies through to the standard designs are all featured in glorious colour. We have chosen material that is not only visually delightful but also with the needs of modellers in mind to pick up on interesting details of rolling stock, stations, and railway infrastructure sadly now all lost to us as enthusiasts. Chapters take in; Through the Links, Shed & Works Visits, Old King Coal, Specials, Doomed, Top Link Duties etc. Locations include; Carlisle, Beattock, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth, Aberdeen, Inverness, both the Glasgow & South Western Railway and the former Highland Railway's routes etc. 160 pages printed on high quality gloss art paper with approximately 156 colour photographs supported by detailed captions and almost bound to please. Limited print run of just 1000 copies. Full details via our website and in our complimentary catalogue included in the next two months subscriber's copies of British Railway's Modelling magazine.

Our AUTUMN SPECIAL OFFER has started today spend £50 or more with us in one go and you choose another book from our slelected list marked with a * FREE with our compliments, full details on our website and in our catalogue within the next two issues of British Railway's Modelling magazine for subscribers.

Thats it folks off on a well deserved holiday break. As a one man band its impossible to service orders and have a break at the same time, so until 31st August there will be no orders ent out I am afraid. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I need a break, upon my return we will have five new titles set for release in mid September. Southern Steam Days Remembered II Southern Steam Days Remembered III Scottish Steam Days Remembered Seventies Diesel & Electric Days Remembered Seventies Diesel & Electric Days Remembered II These are all in our established 160 page full colour large landscape format series Hardbacks. For the last ten years we have absorbed and ridden the rises and sometimes the minor falls in the costs of energy and paper, for those in the paper business they will already know how much energy is used in its manufacture, therefore we have been forced to raise the prices of these titles from £29.95 to £34.95 to cover these increased costs, which don't seem to go down anymore at all. However for those who wish to make a saving we will accept orders up to publication for these titles at £29.95 each via our website. So if you want to make the saving log on via our website and place your order, we will not be available for taking phone orders or phone payments until 31st August. Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing

Thats it last copy of Looking back at Class 40 locomotives has now gone, bound for Edinburgh. Kevin

Just the one copy left of Looking back at Class 40 Locomotives if you want to grab get in touch please. Kevin

Now I would not agree to unsafe working practices and people getting killed off hand, but what I am highlighting is that anything potentially unsafe cannot be legislated out of existance and some sort of trade off has to be acceptable to get on with life. Examples: People get killed on our roads everyday, some from car crashes, some from drunk/drugs loaded drivers, some from speed, some from mechanical failures, some from falling asleep at the wheel, some from just natural causes heart attack/strokes, some from carelessness etc. We all have to obey the laws of the land regards to using roads in theory. But not everybody does do they? I don't condone that but does it mean we should increase the legislation to reduce it, or is it better to look at alternatives? The alternatives will have to be both economic, sensible and be acceptable to the general public otherwise they will not work. For example speed cameras, only reduce driver's speed temporarily very often. The answers: We purchase safer cars, air bags, better brakes & crash resistance, more street lights, speed restrictions, we make driving tests compulsary every ten years etc. Some will work some will not! Some would cause too many issues so we don't adopt them. Likewise perhaps we should revisit some areas of Health & Safety legislation as it restricts us all in one way or another, perhaps too much. Example: If you are elderly and fall in your own home and cannot get up, emergency workers now have to wait for specialised lifting staff with special training and equipment to help get you up. Alternatively you as a caring person can help them up yourself and risk further injury to those who have fallen and or to yourself in the process of trying to relieve their stressful situation. Then you could be sued for trying to help the person who has fallen, alternatively you leave them where they are in the burning house and obey the conventions of just such legislation and risk the possibilty of a negligence case, therefore do you excercise common sense or not, what next? Its all down to realistic perspective. I have no practical experience of working on real trackwork and the third rail, nor the overhead. But I consider circumstances such as when there are weather problems, derailments etc and how it seems that where there is overhead it all seems so much worse or takes longer to sort out. Again is that because of the media or is it reality. Whenever there is a road accident or rail accident, yes we should learn from it. In railway circles we have had official enquiries almost since the start. But how come these days it takes twice as long to come to any conclusions and to sort out the mess and get everything moving again after an accident. Summary: We focus too much on legislation and less and less on practical solutions, the latter are usually born out of practical common sense and less and less these days from legislation as more and more people assume others are responsible for their own actions and activities from this legislation, and make sure everyone knows about when they have a grievence from their own stupidty by attemting to blame everyone else when it goes wrong. So back to the practicalities of electrification, if we want it then clearly we will have to pay for it with trade offs against other things, one of which will be more power stations, do we go bio-mass, gas, coal, wind power, hydro, solar, nuclear and so forth. Alternatively do we wait and defer these hard decisions and sacrifices to another generation allowing us to benefit from not making any decisions, gathering more data, risk assessments etc, or do we make some bold decisions now for the benefit of ourselves and our children. The economic payback realistically on our canal and railway network was never going to be in the first generation for the Victorians, although some would get rich from it of course, most would gain employment and some form of security for themselves and their families in the process. It relieved huge hardships sometimes at the cost of lives, yes but without evolution and innovation we would be much worse off in our everyday lives today. Perhaps it will be likewise in the future for the likes of HS1,2 &3 and any more, new power stations, Heathrow's runways, etc etc. Some times we just have to get on with things, whether it be drawing out yet another idea for a new model railway layout or just getting started with what we have ammassed already and seeing where it leads you next. Kevin

By George I have the solution lets all go DCC Sound and chip everything, that way we can have steam sounds from a unit heading west through the cutting at Sonning. Seriously if the Victorians had considered Health & Safety legislation first and foremost we would still have everything horse drawn. We must start to consider less legislation and more lets take a chance and see how we get along like those generations before us. Otherwise Huskisson's death on the opening day of the Liverpool to Manchester would have been the end of it all in today's society. If we are not carefull the human race might legislate itself out of existance in favour of a new race of super politicains who can only breed with lawyers on the second thursday in lent every six decades. Would someone suggest to our glorious leaders as part of Brexit can we have our common sense back from the Common Market please? Kevin

Why not adopt the Southern's solution and 3rd rail 750v dc instead for electrification, it's less of an eyesore through the likes of Sonning and other places of interest, would be heck of a lot easier for tunnels like Box or the Severn for example, also no bridges to alter drastically to clear the wires. Winter weather effects both forms of electrification to a greater or lesser degree equally. But we are commited now to overhead by the highly paid sages in authority. Is overhead safer, not really as idiots will still climb where they shouldn't or throw chains or shopping trolleys off bridges. Surely the costs of third rail electrification are less with regards to installing it and with on-going maintenance, I await someone who really knows the truth to inform us all. Otherwise we stick with what we have for now. Unless of course one of us applies for a grant to study Brunel's pnuematic system that could be powered direct from the Houses of Commons and the upper chamber from their endless wafts of wasted hot air instead! Kevin Derrick Strathwood Publishing

We just ran a stocktake and found four copies of Looking back at Class 40 Locomotives, so if you missed it and wanted a hardback copy grab one of the three for yourself on our website. Now down to just two copies, two sold this afternoon 17 July 2017.

Might be wiser than compete head on with another manufacturer to take up the challenge of a Class 29 or 21 posed by Revolution who thought it would be a non starter and have publicly backed down in N gauge, as its most unlikely that Dapol will entertain this with a reduction in their N gauge projects. However, with a number of Scottish types catered for already there is room and a demand surely for both Classes 29/21 and a Class 24/1 too. Are you listening Dave, it was your idea for me to publish Looking back at Class 24 & 25 Locomotives which has sold out and to do Looking back at Class 26 & 27 Locomotives which will sell out soon too... Kevin

Today is the last day of our Sale, so act now if you want to take advantage of the discounts as they end at midnight tonight I am afraid. Full details on our website and in recent copies of BRM, or give us a call on 01463 234004. Kevin

Less than 72 hours remain of our Father's Day & Spring Sale before the prices go back up, so be quick to take advantage of the deals, two * titles for £30, three * titles for £35 and five * titles for £50... Full details on our website and in the last two months of BRM.

Father's Day has been and gone for another year. Hopefully you were given the tokens of appreciation you were hoping for from loved ones. Whether yes or no, you can always treat yourself in our Father's Day & Spring Sale which is open until 30 June, 2017 for all of the bargains. By the way Sixties Spotting Days 1968 the Last Year of Steam has now sold out, sorry for those who missed out. By the way Looking back at Stanier Locomotives is also in very short supply now too, if you fancy one grab it now. Kevin

Pigs might fly...