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Railway bookshops in the North of England

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Mcr Warrior

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Any suggestions please? Location: North of England, preferably within two hours travel from Greater Manchester. Could include bookshop(s) on a heritage rail line.
 
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peri

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Matlock station has one, Bill Hudson Transport books.
I seem to remember various old railway magazines at ten for a pound as well.
 

Bevan Price

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For a good selection of new railway books - sadly not many. On heritage lines, stations at Bridgnorth, Embsay & Haworth sell a range of new books, plus , I think, some secondhand.

Branches of Waterstones often have a few railway books, but mostly of the "coffee table" type rather than then a full range for enthusiasts.

Secondhand - even many formerly good seconhand bookshops have been decimated by competition from charity shops. Cannot remember the street name, but a shop about 5 minutes walk from Souyhport station usually has a wide range of secondhand railway books (upstairs). (Turn left outside main station entrance, go to end of street; cross road; turn left then turn right.)

Likewise, a shop a few minutes walk from Carnforth station often has a good seconhand selection. Some of the bigger model railway shows also attract booksellers. Apart from that, your best bet is probably the internet.
 

John Webb

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There is Nick Tozer at Paddock, Huddersfield, open Tues-Thurs. Also internet - see www.railwaybook.com. (No personal knowledge, I have to say). Several others advertise in "The Railway Magazine" and other journals, mostly for internet sales.
 

Mcr Warrior

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:D Thanks all for the suggestions/recommendations so far. Have previously been to and bought items at the Carnforth bookshop although some of the secondhand items available there were a bit tired. Have also been to some of the station shops on the East Lancs and Worth Valley heritage lines (although as regards the latter I've not yet been to the museum at Ingrow West so that's definitely one for a future afternoon out). As it happens, I was at the Bill Hudson shop at Matlock Station this Tuesday and bought a couple of items there. Will be travelling through Birmingham next week so will call in at the Ian Allan shop near New Street station on the way home. (Yes, big shame that the Ian Allan shop in Manchester is now shut), Will add visits to Southport and Huddersfield (as suggested by Bevan Price and John Webb) for sometime in the future.

Any others?
 

swanhill41

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The rail bookshop situation in the North West England is to put it politely a bit sparse.
The Carnforth bookshop I agree about their stock,even those for internet...In short not worth a trip.
I presume you are talking of secondhand,so here are few to try,with comments.
KWVR...Haworth has a large range of new rail books,inc Lightmoor etc..Also some new overstocks reduced prices and some S/H....Ingrow is a rail magazine back issue heaven,if you are into them...But prices are not job lot pricing...Certainly good for rail modeller and the rail socities mags....Book side is all S/H and varies between the £! section ,think of Mr Adley to a large selection of rail books,quality and prices vary...Not the cheapest.
Embsay till about 5/6 years ago had a rail bookshop open throughout year,but finally packed in due economic reasons...Still stocks new rail books,but on a more limited scale also has a s/h section as well.
Nick Tozer,see his website as his opening hours are bit quirky.
Best Rail b/shop in Manchester area moved about 4 years ago...That was Martin Bott at Horwich,he moved 300 miles to Felixstowe!!...If you are down that way,would recommend a visit.
My knowledge is otherwise limited,as most heritage rail lines seem to avoid this area of income generation.

Two well outside area ,I will recomend and thats the Nene Valley railway at Wansford,the TPO coach,a great place to rummage and The Emporium at Loughborough on Great Central...They get bequests of 3.0k books!

Most other lines I know of ,the Wensleydale @Leyburn and Leeming Bar,Eden Valley Railway at Appleby have very limited stock so as to make a visit near useless

The mention of Charity shops,I find amusing..Very few get rail books given to them and frankly when they have them pricing is all over the place...The only one that markets rail books,in shop and on line is Oxfam ,and god they can be grossly overpriced.!

East Lancs try the Standard tank bookshop...Since fella left last Dec,the 2 ladies have been like a breath of fresh air and when I last visited,stock had been culled where there had been 10 of same title ,now there was 2...Mags were also set up to sell,not stock.

Finally as a part time bookseller,is the attitude its a railway book,it will sell whatever....Condition is paramount to me,and also,oh its another pre 2000 IA or something similar
 

Mcr Warrior

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Good selection of railway books upstairs (once you've battled past all the militaria on the ground floor) at the Ian Allan shop in Birmingham and lots of good condition / nearly new items at Nick Tozer's place near Huddersfield.

Will try the Keighley + Worth Valley Railway outlets sometime next month.
 

Bevan Price

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Not a huge stock of railway books yet, but there is a new 2nd hand book stall in St. Johns Market, Liverpoool, (Stall 31) run by an ex-railwayman. (Closed on Wednesdays)
Also has some other transport books.

(Market is located in shopping centre opposite Lime Street Station.)
 

STEVIEBOY1

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If it's not too far to go, the Barterbookshop in the Old Railway Station at Alnwick may be worth a try.
 

ian1944

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The model rail exhibition in Perth a month or so ago had a lot of bookstalls, so I presume that the Manchester exhibition at the start of December will do too. Does the museum of transport at Boyle Street have anything rail-related?
 

Bevan Price

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The model rail exhibition in Perth a month or so ago had a lot of bookstalls, so I presume that the Manchester exhibition at the start of December will do too. Does the museum of transport at Boyle Street have anything rail-related?

It varies from year to year, but on past history, the Wigan exhibition (October) is more likely to have a better selection of books than Manchester.
 

Graeme

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If it's not too far to go, the Barterbookshop in the Old Railway Station at Alnwick may be worth a try.
But it's expensive, the books aren't always in a condition that reflects the price listed and try not to visit in school holidays as you'll not get moved inside. Worth going out of season just to see the old Alnwick Station building though and the cafe is good, though busy.

May I also suggest those in search of second hand books look at this site? https://www.inprint.co.uk/thebookguide/shops/index.php It's a listing of all known second-hand bookshops in the UK and Ireland with reviews by customers, ran by a bookseller (I have no personal interest but am a review contributor).
 

bramling

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But it's expensive, the books aren't always in a condition that reflects the price listed and try not to visit in school holidays as you'll not get moved inside. Worth going out of season just to see the old Alnwick Station building though and the cafe is good, though busy.

Agreed about Barter Books. Poor selection, and not just expensive but absolutely ridiculous wide-of-the-mark prices. £25 for a leaflet-type booklet, which as it happens I was able to buy the identical book, in better condition, from the nearby Aln Valley Railway for £1.

I'd say many of BB's railway books they are trying to sell for 4+ times the market price, and in many cases they're in poor condition too - especially as I'd imagine due to the prices they spend a long time on the shelves being handled.

But worth a visit to see the inside of the old station though, but I wouldn't buy a book from them if they were the last place on earth.
 
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