Bradshaw Continental Railway Guides 1930s

[LeoB]

Greetings:

I stumbled across this forum after doing numerous (futile) web searches for some information I have been after. I thought perhaps somebody here might be able to point me in the right direction.

I am trying to find the listings in the Bradshaws circa 1932-1935 for the schedule for the Simplon Orient Express between Paris (with connection to London) and Istanbul/Constantinople. Ideally I would like to get copies of those pages from whatever Bradshaws of that era are available. This is for an article I am thinking of writing concerning Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express.

I am able to find online copies of Bradshaws in the late 19th century, but none for the 1930s. The Library of Congress in Washington only has some of the 19th century Bradshaws in their collection.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Leo
Burke, Virginia, USA

 

[Mvann]

Try contacting the international railway preservation society. They might be able to help. If you are prepared to buy a copy (if available), Robert Humm of Stamford or one of the other antiquarian transport book shops. If I get a chance, ill have a look in the Nene valley railway second hand book shop.

 

[LeoB]

MVANN:

Thanks for the response. Since I posted that request I have learned that the Bradshaw Continental Guide is not what I need. I managed to find the only copy in the U.S. Library of Congress (my original search wasn't adequate and a specialist librarian found it for me) and that guide is only what we would now call a travel guide rather than a timetable.

There is supposedly a Bradshaw Continental Timetable as well as a Cook's Continental Timetable (although I have seen variation spellings as Time Table) for that era (I am interested in 1928-1935), possibly issued monthly. Unfortunately, I cannot locate any copies in U.S. libraries.

If anybody happens to know where these might be found, I would appreciate it. I am not interested in buying an antiquarian quality edition unless it was reasonably priced. I would just need copies of the relevant pages that give the schedule of the Simplon Orient Express to and from Calais/Paris to Constantinople/Istanbul.

Best regards.

 

[Mvann]

Had a look on the net and come up with the following. There is a 1939 copy on a website called seat61. Also, I looked on google books for Thomas cook timetable and a digital copy is/was available. The digitized copy comes from the university of Virginia. Spooky or what.

 

[LeoB]

Had a look on the net and come up with the following. There is a 1939 copy on a website called seat61. Also, I looked on google books for Thomas cook timetable and a digital copy is/was available. The digitized copy comes from the university of Virginia. Spooky or what.

Mvann:

Yes, I found that one on Seat61 early on and it is a fallback, but I'm still hopeful to find the actual timetables from 1928-1935. I also found the University of Virginia listings, which was exciting as Charlottesville, Virginia, is only a few hours drive from me. However, after talking on the phone to a librarian there I found that the only copy of the timetable they have is from the 19th century and well outside of my time frame.

I just looked at Robert Humm's website and saw nothing available, but I e-mailed him with a query in hopes he could lead me to a timetable collector who might be able to help.

Next stop is to find that international railway preservation society you mentioned.

Cheers

 

[Mvann]

If you go to the university of Virginia library web page, you can search the book and find where it is. It's listed as being available and at alderman (stacks), what ever that means.

 

[LeoB]

If you go to the university of Virginia library web page, you can search the book and find where it is. It's listed as being available and at alderman (stacks), what ever that means.

Well, I'll be damned.

My early focus was on the Bradshaw timetables as Agatha Christie reportedly used those primarily. I just did a search on the UVA library catalogue for the Cook's and did find the 1930 edition! I guess I had not searched there for Cook's before. That's at least one of eight years that I would like to see.

By "stacks" is meant on the shelves. And Alderman is one of the many different libraries on the University of Virginia campus (I think there are six or seven libraries).

I just e-mailed the Thomas Cook press office to see if they can help.

Guess I need to plan a road trip to Charlottesville. My dog will love it. She likes long road trips in her First Class compartment in the back of my Outback.

Cheers.