Rail Atlas Great Britain & Ireland (15th Edition)

[Baxenden Bank]

Yeah, same here. It'd be sad to see it end, though I have to admit I haven't brought one, or rather been brought one, since I was a kid. I've long fancied getting the first edition second hand if at a good price. I wonder whether a 'remastered' version of the first edition might be a good/better seller than a new edition (though it sounds like there areenough corrections to be made from the 15th edition)? Mr Baker wouldn't necessarily need to do it himself.

I have a first edition. Calm down, it's not for sale, unless someone offered a really daft amount of money. I bought it a while back second hand.
However, I did recently see one on Ebay, listed and sold for a reasonable price (under £10 I think, plus P+P). Description was good or very good and the buyer was happy. So it is worth keeping an eye out. At the same time one was listed on Abebooks (part of Amazon now) for a much larger amount. I was tempted to take a punt and buy the Ebay one to sell on at a profit but worried that the Ebay one may turn out to be poor quality or marked.

UPDATE There is one listed as I type. £16.30 plus postage from the USA at £31.65. Or one from the UK at £700 which is simply ridiculous. The one I saw was around the £60 mark.

Ian Allan did a reproduction of a 1970 rail atlas in 2003, priced at £14.99 which might be available somewhere. ISBN 0711029652

 

[Ianno87]

I have a first edition. Calm down, it's not for sale, unless someone offered a really daft amount of money. I bought it a while back second hand.
However, I did recently see one on Ebay, listed and sold for a reasonable price (under £10 I think, plus P+P). Description was good or very good and the buyer was happy. So it is worth keeping an eye out. At the same time one was listed on Abebooks (part of Amazon now) for a much larger amount. I was tempted to take a punt and buy the Ebay one to sell on at a profit but worried that the Ebay one may turn out to be poor quality or marked.

UPDATE There is one listed as I type. £16.30 plus postage from the USA at £31.65. Or one from the UK at £700 which is simply ridiculous. The one I saw was around the £60 mark.

Ian Allan did a reproduction of a 1970 rail atlas in 2003, priced at £14.99 which might be available somewhere. ISBN 0711029652

Think I picked mine up from a model railway exhibition second hand bookstall for about £3.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

The long wait is over! At last, the 15th edition is starting to be made available to the trade - my first few copies arrived today

 

[xotGD]

It would be interesting if someone (i.e. not me!) compiled a list of the routes we have lost since the first edition and those we have gained.

 

[alistairlees]

It would be interesting if someone (i.e. not me!) compiled a list of the routes we have lost since the first edition and those we have gained.

Not too difficult a task for passenger routes, but quite a ball-ache for freight routes if you are counting colliery branches and the like.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I decided to buy a copy unseen. It was a good price on-line with free delivery! A young lady wearing a mask delivered it this morning.

I agree with the above comments regarding very long-term aspirations, such as Skipton to Colne. These should not be included, or if they are, should be shown as a pecked/dotted line. As I look at pages 41/42 (home territory) Clitheroe to Hellifield is annotated as 'proposed to fully re-open'. Fair enough the line exists as a freight route / seasonal passenger service. Shown nearby is Colne to Skipton with a remote note. To me they look the same!

For some versions now, the colours have given me a problem (I have specialist colour vision aka red/green colour blind). This latest addition adds to my woes.

On pages 29/30 East West Rail (Bedford to Cambridge) is shown as a pecked line, presumably because the route is 'to be determined'. I prefer the pecked line, making the colour of the line immaterial. Solid line = existing, pecked line = proposed.

Colouration of the individual London Underground lines is, to varying degrees, meaningless to me. C/H/M between King's Cross and Faringdon for example, just looks like badly registered printing - a fuzzy blur instead of crisp lines. The light tone used for Network Rail lines I am not keen on as it does render them less visible at a glance.

Overall well worth the money though.

 

[Ianno87]

Mine came through the post today. I echo the good value for money comments!


-I agree the 'Proposed' schemes have gone somwhat to town! A notable omission is Crossrail 2, which I'd have thought far more credible for inclusion than the likes of Skipton-Colne (previous atlases in the 90s have shown Chelsea-Hackney)

-HS2 still shows the via Meadowhall route, which strikes me as a bit of an oversight

-The London pages are odd the first time you look at them. Essentially NR lines are shown in light type, to give more prominence to London Underground etc

Nometheless, a recommended buy!

 

[Justin Smith]

Has anyone else noticed that the proposed route of HS2 between Toton and Leeds is wrong ? They still have it going via Meadowhall, but that's been known about for well over a year so I don't really understand why that's wrong !

Ad : Didn't see the above, it was on the next page ! But the point still stands, it's the most glaring error in eth book, and the most well known route of a planned line !

 

[midland1]

Might it have been because the publication was delayed about a year due to the author being taken ill. Another example is the new sidings at Kettering being shown as proposed when they are now built.

 

[hexagon789]

Might it have been because the publication was delayed about a year due to the author being taken ill. Another example is the new sidings at Kettering being shown as proposed when they are now built.

I think that's the case; I read a post on another forum that stated that he personally had relatively little input on this edition compared to previous ones. Perfectly understandable of course because he was unwell.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I think that's the case; I read a post on another forum that stated that he personally had relatively little input on this edition compared to previous ones. Perfectly understandable of course because he was unwell.

The alternative input resulting in the issue of a 'book including fantasy proposals' rather than an 'atlas'.

 

[hexagon789]

The alternative input resulting in the issue of a 'book including fantasy proposals' rather than an 'atlas'.

I don't have the present edition but previous ones istr included proposed lines some of which didn't always turn out exactly as shown in the atlases. I think it depends just how speculative and fantastical they are as shown in the book.

 

[DelW]

I don't have the present edition but previous ones istr included proposed lines some of which didn't always turn out exactly as shown in the atlases. I think it depends just how speculative and fantastical they are as shown in the book.

Just out of interest, I looked at the only edition I have (11th edition 2007) and found the following proposals shown in that:

• Bodmin & Wenford: Boscarne Jn to Grogley Halt
• K&ESR: Bodiam to Robertsbridge
• East Kent: Eythorne to Tilmanstone
• Gwili: Bonwydd Arms to Carmarthen North
• Swindon & Cricklade: Blunsdon to Swindon and Hayes Knoll to Cricklade
• Corris: Tan-y-Coed to Pantperthog
• Midland Metro: Snow Hill to Edgbaston and Wednesbury to Brierley Hill
• Welsh Highland: Rhyd Ddu to Porthmadog
• Ecclesbourne Valley: Gorsey Bank to Duffield
• Metrolink: lines to Ashton under Lyne, Oldham, Trafford Centre, Stockport, and Manchester Airport
• South Tynedale: Kirkhaugh to Slaggyford
• Airdrie to Bathgate
• Borders line: Millerhill to Galashiels
• Edinburgh tramway: Newbridge and Airport to Granton and Leith
• Edinburgh Airport: 4no main line connections
• Royal Deeside: extension to Banchory

There are a few of those that still haven't come to fruition 13 years later.

 

[hexagon789]

Just out of interest, I looked at the only edition I have (11th edition 2007) and found the following proposals shown in that:

• Bodmin & Wenford: Boscarne Jn to Grogley Halt
• K&ESR: Bodiam to Robertsbridge
• East Kent: Eythorne to Tilmanstone
• Gwili: Bonwydd Arms to Carmarthen North
• Swindon & Cricklade: Blunsdon to Swindon and Hayes Knoll to Cricklade
• Corris: Tan-y-Coed to Pantperthog
• Midland Metro: Snow Hill to Edgbaston and Wednesbury to Brierley Hill
• Welsh Highland: Rhyd Ddu to Porthmadog
• Ecclesbourne Valley: Gorsey Bank to Duffield
• Metrolink: lines to Ashton under Lyne, Oldham, Trafford Centre, Stockport, and Manchester Airport
• South Tynedale: Kirkhaugh to Slaggyford
• Airdrie to Bathgate
• Borders line: Millerhill to Galashiels
• Edinburgh tramway: Newbridge and Airport to Granton and Leith
• Edinburgh Airport: 4no main line connections
• Royal Deeside: extension to Banchory

There are a few of those that still haven't come to fruition 13 years later.

I have two editions, 1986 and 2013. When I get a chance I'll do a comparison with them and see what did and didn't come to fruition but I think there's an element of risk with showing any proposals - they don't always turn out as planned

 

[bspahh]

https://twitter.com/QuillPowerComms/status/1324017200332709889 says that Stuart Baker has died

Just heard the very sad news that Stuart Baker (of Rail Atlas fame) has died. Had the pleasure of working with Stuart back in 2002-4 when he headed up the WCRM strategy for the SRA. RIP Stuart and sincere condolences to family and friends

 

[Ianno87]

https://twitter.com/QuillPowerComms/status/1324017200332709889 says that Stuart Baker has died

Sad to hear, but hopefully his excellent Atlas will live on.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Yes, yesterday in York Hospital. RIP Stuart Baker, a very sad day.

 

[djpontrack]

https://twitter.com/QuillPowerComms/status/1324017200332709889 says that Stuart Baker has died

Really sorry to hear this. I got my first ‘Baker’ atlas as a teenager in 1984 and bought every edition since. I managed to acquire earlier editions too and now have a complete set.
RIP Stuart Baker and thank you.

 

[30907]

Stuart's death has come as a great shock, even though he'd retired early a couple of years ago on health grounds. Privileged to have known him for many years.
RIP - resting in peace, may he rise in glory.

Owners of the latest Atlas will have notice that Crecy had given him an editor, so I imagine they will seek to carry it on - I imagine it make them money!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Stuart's death has come as a great shock, even though he'd retired early a couple of years ago on health grounds. Privileged to have known him for many years.
RIP - resting in peace, may he rise in glory.

Owners of the latest Atlas will have notice that Crecy had given him an editor, so I imagine they will seek to carry it on - I imagine it make them money!

Equally known him for a long time - apart from proof reading some copies of his Atlas , I worked with him for some years and enjoyed his character , hard work and his utter concern and work for the railway. A hard act to follow.

 

[falcon]

How old was he?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

How old was he?

Believe he was born in 1954, so 66.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Stuart's funeral was today at Haxby in York - it was restricted to 30 people due to the ongoing COVID issue - I can assure you he was seen off with great dignity and respect and his railway contribution was well recorded , as was his contribution to his family, the Church and other charitable ventures. Had this been normal times , the Church would have been overwhelmed.

 

[30907]

Stuart's funeral was today at Haxby in York - it was restricted to 30 people due to the ongoing COVID issue - I can assure you he was seen off with great dignity and respect and his railway contribution was well recorded , as was his contribution to his family, the Church and other charitable ventures. Had this been normal times , the Church would have been overwhelmed.

Quite so - with the help of Zoom!

 

[falcon]

Believe he was born in 1954, so 66.

Thanks.

I had did not like some of the things he did.

I remember when he was at East Coast Inter City and he stopped standard class passengers eating in the resaurant cars on the ECML. Hundreds of people were turned away from breakfast in a morning on East Coast train each week. Money was lost and there were lots of very unhappy people. Some of the trains had no one eating in the restaurant car due to his decision to do that. It was 1991 IIRC.

It was a crazy idea in my opinion and his credibilty fell through the floor for me.