Railway books discussion

[Busaholic]

Nick Harkaway is totally new to me; as intimated, I think, earlier -- I do some dabbling in the shallows of speculative fiction / fantasy, but am very far from heavily "into" it. Feel intrigued by the work you mention here, and plan to look further. Have long been aware of the existence of the Steampunk genre, but -- inappropriately perhaps, for a lover of the steam locomotive and the steam age generally -- have not explored it. You describe Angelmaker as heavy, but worth it in the end; I give kudos to those who press on with books which they find a struggle; and who are sometimes ultimately, amply rewarded. I'm too self-indulgent to readily do that -- usually, if I've got some way in and it's a chore, not a pleasure: I "bail".

I recall an instance when that desired option was not available, and I unexpectedly "cashed in": having to "do"", for English A Level, Joseph Conrad's Nostromo -- the first four-fifths of the book, I found indescribably tedious; then it spectacularly took off, and I found it un-put-down-able.

Nick Harkaway is the son of the late John le Carre. He chose that name as he didn't want comparisons with his father,or so he said. Of course, when his first book came out it got massive publicity on the basis of the blood relationship, and doubtless many more sales than a completely unknown new novelist normally gets. His real surname is Cornwell, by the way.

 

[Calthrop]

Nick Harkaway is the son of the late John le Carre. He chose that name as he didn't want comparisons with his father,or so he said. Of course, when his first book came out it got massive publicity on the basis of the blood relationship, and doubtless many more sales than a completely unknown new novelist normally gets. His real surname is Cornwell, by the way.

I'll confess that -- with yet another popular "middle-brow" author, this one of historical / military material, being Bernard Cornwell -- I suspected that here, you were "at the wind-up"; having consulted Google, I see that your tidings are true -- heartfelt apologies ! I learn that our Nick is the son of Valerie Jane Eustace and John le Carre; his name at birth indeed, Nicholas Cornwell. As old Shakey says, "what's in a name?" -- it's only the "handle" that people have, by which to identify them ... (am thinking I may have read that Bernard Cornwell is itself, a pseudonym -- said author coming from a background which he doesn't hold in high esteem, and from which he'd wish to distance himself).

I'm hard to please reading-wise; including which, I fear that almost all spy fiction (or comparable fact) bores me to tears -- this including the works by Mr. Le Carre, which I've tried. Will do my best not to visit on the son, the -- in my perception -- sins of the father ...

 

[Calthrop]

An interesting recent acquisition of mine, at a preserved railway's second-hand book outlet: the album Southern Branch Lines by Michael Welch -- colour photographs by members of a group of about a dozen friends (I'm not an impassioned scholar of the rail-photographic scene as such; only one name out of these, was known to me), of workings on branch and secondary lines the length and breadth of BR's Southern Region, almost all taken in the ten years following on from 1959. The great majority of the pictures feature, of course, steam traction.

A feast for me, of "indirect" nostalgia -- with southern England not being my personal "patch": I've visited a fair number of the lines shown, but mostly after steam had finished on them. As one would expect, the true-and-tried beloved "classics" get each, a goodly number of pages: Hawkhurst; Lyme Regis; Swanage; Hayling Island; Isle of Wight (by that time of course, the Ventnor and Cowes lines only); and the Somerset & Dorset, parts broadly "south" of Evercreech Junction and deemed "Southern" and admissible. I have a tendency toward contrariness in various things -- rather greater interest generated for me by the many lines featured, which were not such "household words" and thus get allotted fewer pictures. This including a favourite of mine, Torrington -- Halwill; a line which I've always found endearingly hopeless. It gets two pages and three pictures -- one being of Halwill's magnificently verbose station nameboard. Another personal "pet" which I feel gets undeservedly short shrift, is Appledore -- New Romney: represented by just one picture, of a C class 0-6-0 on freight at Lydd Town in 1961. Per the caption, "[this line's] bleak and featureless landscape, not to mention the early dieselisation of its passenger services, did little to entice railway photographers..." I find this "bleak and featureless" locality fascinating; and have had a soft spot for the line (have never travelled on it, alas) ever since seeing on it in the bygoing, in 1958 -- in the course of a journey on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch -- a mixed train behind a bunker-first 2-6-4T.

Overall though, the book takes in assorted interesting oddities -- usually briefly dealt with. Alresford to Winchester gets included, because now abandoned: mid-1960s steam expresses feature, diverted this way because of work on Bournemouth line electrification. There is a picture (with apologies in the caption, for its not being strictly a "branch-line" thing, but nonetheless rare and interesting) of the short-lived (1960 -- 64) Surbiton to Okehampton car-carrier (plus passenger for car occupants) service, taken after arrival at Okehampton, with a good view of the car-transporting vehicles. Several lines which lost their passenger services before the book's essentially 1960s time-frame, but survived for freight, make an appearance re such freight workings -- the most extreme instance being the Kemp Town branch, passenger service withdrawn 1933 but freight continuing until 1971 -- steam-worked until the early / mid-'60s. A little surprisingly, in this context the Kent & East Sussex does not appear (or at all) -- presumably a case of "you just can't cover everything, everywhere".

At all events, for me a book full of interest and delights. The place at which I acquired it, leaves the amount payable up to the buyer's discretion: if recall rightly, paid £1 for it -- wonderful value ! -- twinges of conscience for not having shelled-out a bit more; but after all, I belong to the line concerned's preservation society -- am seemingly able to sleep at nights.

 

[nanstallon]

An interesting recent acquisition of mine, at a preserved railway's second-hand book outlet: the album Southern Branch Lines by Michael Welch -- colour photographs by members of a group of about a dozen friends (I'm not an impassioned scholar of the rail-photographic scene as such; only one name out of these, was known to me), of workings on branch and secondary lines the length and breadth of BR's Southern Region, almost all taken in the ten years following on from 1959. The great majority of the pictures feature, of course, steam traction.

A feast for me, of "indirect" nostalgia -- with southern England not being my personal "patch": I've visited a fair number of the lines shown, but mostly after steam had finished on them. As one would expect, the true-and-tried beloved "classics" get each, a goodly number of pages: Hawkhurst; Lyme Regis; Swanage; Hayling Island; Isle of Wight (by that time of course, the Ventnor and Cowes lines only); and the Somerset & Dorset, parts broadly "south" of Evercreech Junction and deemed "Southern" and admissible. I have a tendency toward contrariness in various things -- rather greater interest generated for me by the many lines featured, which were not such "household words" and thus get allotted fewer pictures. This including a favourite of mine, Torrington -- Halwill; a line which I've always found endearingly hopeless. It gets two pages and three pictures -- one being of Halwill's magnificently verbose station nameboard. Another personal "pet" which I feel gets undeservedly short shrift, is Appledore -- New Romney: represented by just one picture, of a C class 0-6-0 on freight at Lydd Town in 1961. Per the caption, "[this line's] bleak and featureless landscape, not to mention the early dieselisation of its passenger services, did little to entice railway photographers..." I find this "bleak and featureless" locality fascinating; and have had a soft spot for the line (have never travelled on it, alas) ever since seeing on it in the bygoing, in 1958 -- in the course of a journey on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch -- a mixed train behind a bunker-first 2-6-4T.

Overall though, the book takes in assorted interesting oddities -- usually briefly dealt with. Alton to Winchester gets included, because now abandoned: mid-1960s steam expresses feature, diverted this way because of work on Bournemouth line electrification. There is a picture (with apologies in the caption, for its not being strictly a "branch-line" thing, but nonetheless rare and interesting) of the short-lived (1960 -- 64) Surbiton to Okehampton car-carrier (plus passenger for car occupants) service Surbiton -- Okehampton, taken after arrival at Okehampton, with a good view of the car-transporting vehicles. Several lines which lost their passenger services before the book's essentially 1960s time-frame, but survived for freight, make an appearance re such freight workings -- the most extreme instance being the Kemp Town branch, passenger service withdrawn 1933 but freight continuing until 1971 -- steam-worked until the early / mid-'60s. A little surprisingly, in this context the Kent & East Sussex does not appear (or at all) -- presumably a case of "you just can't cover everything, everywhere".

At all events, for me a book full of interest and delights. The place at which I acquired it, leaves the amount payable up to the buyer's discretion: if recall rightly, paid £1 for it -- wonderful value ! -- twinges of conscience for not having shelled-out a bit more; but after all, I belong to the line concerned's preservation society -- am seemingly able to sleep at nights.

An excellent summing up of a superb book. I bought this pretty well when it came out. My fondest recollections in my youth were of the Withered Arm. The Callington branch was a frequent destination; sadly I missed out on the Adams O2 class, and of course that line's ex PD&SWJR 'Earl of Mount Edgecumbe' and 'Lord St Levan'! I, too, loved the Halwill and Torrington line. This book's strengths are summarising the branches I couldn't get to, for lack of funds or simply too late for.

 

[Calthrop]

Torrington -- Halwill is a "running sore" for me, as well as a source of delight. My first-ever visit to England's South-West, was in August 1965: family holiday in Porlock, which allowed me to do Somerset / Devon / much of Cornwall, per Railrover. No chance previously, to get to those parts. Torrington -- Halwill had closed in Spring '65 -- so near and yet so far ! Had I been in time -- with the line's extremely sparse passenger service, much of my itinerary would have had to be built around same; but that was part of the fun of that particular game. The more northerly part of the line of course continued to run for freight (clay and milk), for nearly two decades more -- various enthusiasts' specials featured it, plus there could have been brake-van-trip possibilities; I often contemplated covering it by one or other of those means, but never actually managed it. Must confess to my wish to be a pale late-20th-Century imitation of T.R. Perkins, having bit-by-bit waned as the years went by.

 

[Calthrop]

Have lately been reading a "twosome" of books by something of a hero of mine: J.I.C. Boyd (1921 -- 2009), scholarly writer on much of the British Isles' narrow gauge. (Birthday-present situation: this pair -- one about his experiences of Ireland, the other about same "east thereof" -- comprised such a present to me. The Ireland book, I had bought and loved years previously; but, maddeningly, lost; the other, I had never read before now.)

These two books (Saga By Rail: Ireland; and ditto, Great Britain and the Isle of Man) are not of the -- to me, in honesty, dauntingly -- learnedly historical kind, for which this author is duly revered. They were written and published in his old age, a very few years before his death. Basically discursive, light-hearted, non-technical recountings of certain in his view, especially interesting rail experiences of his between childhood and middle age: spanning the times during which, in the view of hopeless dinosaurs / sentimentalists such as myself, the railway going was still relatively good. JB, as I will call him for short: was "highly stricken in years" at the time of writing; but per the books' content, he seems to have on the whole been still very much "all there" mentally: the odd possible error / misremembering, but so few as to be insignificant. Various "gaps in the narrative"; but the books are basically "vignettes", not claiming to be otherwise. Copiously illustrated with photographs (black-and-white), the majority by the author; those which are not, are appropriately credited. Works quirky in certain ways; but in the main, for me, fascinating -- and painfully nostalgic in the "for things which one never knew first-hand" sense.

The Ireland book was published before its counterpart: I will therefore write of it first. (I have previously posted material concerning this book, on these Forums; in a thread in "Railway History and Nostalgia", titled "Bags" and "Misses"" on the Irish narrow gauge: OP by myself, 17 / 4 / 2019.)

With its being established that JB was pre-eminently a "narrow gauge man" -- though interested in wider-gauge rail doings too -- the Ireland book is very heavily weighted toward the 3ft. gauge. One has to feel that for someone born in 1921, JB did amazingly well as regards the range of Irish narrow gauge which he experienced at first hand: this embracing more than half of the n/g lines / systems which ever operated on that island (some of those which he did "get in the bag", admittedly he did so varying between partially, and vestigially). Broad-gauge journeys do feature, but mainly in a context of travelling between 3ft. gauge delights. The only 5ft. 3in. gauge venue which he covers in depth in the book, is the West Cork -- formerly Cork, Bandon & South Coast -- system. One might be pardoned for speculating that -- Boyd being Boyd -- thanks to this undertaking's being largely self-contained and functioning in a "local", while long-distance, context, traversing scenically beautiful, marginal regions: he tacitly awarded it honorary narrow-gauge status. One divines from the chapter on the West Cork, that he explored the system extensively on various visits to the area in the course of essentially the 1950s, and took delight in it; even spending some time following, and travelling on, demolition trains (still steam-worked) on the more easterly part of the system in 1962. (He was not in time to know the 3ft. gauge Schull & Skibbereen in action; but saw it in 1953, with locos still dumped at Skibbereen, and with track in situ throughout -- he walked the track / adjoining road, all the way to Schull.)

JB's most splendid Irish "coup" as per the book, I feel has to be his odyssey in summer 1939, while staying with a school friend in Portadown. He did a couple of days' "out-and-back": Great Northern Railway (Ireland) broad gauge Portadown -- Omagh -- Strabane; Co. Donegal Joint Committee, Strabane -- Letterkenny (this run by railcar); then, the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway's evening mixed train Letterkenny -- Burtonport. This particular bit of tour, wondrous to do but not altogether pleasant: the train's coaching stock was badly run-down and somewhat disagreeable to travel in. Late running -- late arrival (well after dark) at Burtonport. Night at Burtonport in informal "B & B" accommodation; off again on the L&LS's morning departure, on which he travelled all the way to Londonderry via Letterkenny and Tooban Junction (conditions overall considerably better on this run, than the previous evening). Back to Portadown by GNR(I) broad gauge, essentially as per previous day. He was in the very nick of time for the Letterkenny & Burtonport Extension: less than a year later, its westernmost section would close for good. The rest of the Extension got a few years' lease of life owing to World War II conditions; but -- again, thanks to that particular "international spot of bother" -- JB was to have no chance for hoped-for return to Ireland, until most of ten years had gone by.

When he had the chance once again to visit Ireland, fortune favoured him here (as one feels in the nicest possible way, that it did unfairly often in his life !): his job entailed fairly frequent trips in the course of business, to Northern Ireland -- which trips usually gave him the chance to build in a bit of gricing. Concerning the L&LSR: he was able to get plenty of action on its "core" sections -- Londonderry to Letterkenny, and Buncrana -- which survived until 1953 (in the main freight-only, except that all freight trains included a brake-third coach: in which passengers could travel on payment of fare, so long as they realised what they were letting themselves in for). Other interesting N.I. material which did not long survive WWII, is mentioned. JB touches tantalisingly briefly, on a look taken in spring 1948, at the then (5ft. 3in.) Belfast & County Down Railway at its Queens Quay station in Belfast. That system has always fascinated me -- not least because of the to me, heartbreakingly early abandonment of nearly all of it (first months of 1950) by the new Ulster Transport Authority. The text would seem to suggest that JB -- narrow-gauge buff to the core -- didn't travel on the B&CD; but briefly looked around, took some pictures, and then headed off to the narrow gauge at Ballymena / Ballycastle. Well -- I was "in utero" then, and not in a position to offer him wise advice.

I find it a bit interesting that JB in the Ireland book, makes no mention -- for good or ill -- of the 3ft. gauge Giants' Causeway Tramway: which ran until the end of the 1949 summer season -- seemingly, a good chance of his visiting it had he so wished. This line was, of course, electric. It is clear from the Great Britain / Man book, that JB did not automatically abominate electric traction; one feels that if he had visited the "Causeway Tram", his not including it in the book, is inconceivable. Likely -- in the light of higher priorities, he just couldn't get there in time ...

Thoughts on the Great Britain / Man one, to follow -- trying to give readers a bit of a break ! There would seem to be some likelihood, though, of the Forums' "thread sequence mechanism" merging the yet-to-be-written GB / Man post, with the above Ireland one ...

 

[bspahh]

Have lately been reading a "twosome" of books by something of a hero of mine: J.I.C. Boyd (1921 -- 2009), scholarly writer on much of the British Isles' narrow gauge. (Birthday-present situation: this pair -- one about his experiences of Ireland, the other about same "east thereof" -- comprised such a present to me. The Ireland book, I had bought and loved years previously; but, maddeningly, lost; the other, I had never read before now.)

These two books (Saga By Rail: Ireland; and ditto, Great Britain and the Isle of Man) are not of the -- to me, in honesty, dauntingly -- learnedly historical kind, for which this author is duly revered. They were written and published in his old age, a very few years before his death. Basically discursive, light-hearted, non-technical recountings of certain in his view, especially interesting rail experiences of his between childhood and middle age: spanning the times during which, in the view of hopeless dinosaurs / sentimentalists such as myself, the railway going was still relatively good. JB, as I will call him for short: was "highly stricken in years" at the time of writing; but per the books' content, he seems to have on the whole been still very much "all there" mentally: the odd possible error / misremembering, but so few as to be insignificant. Various "gaps in the narrative"; but the books are basically "vignettes", not claiming to be otherwise. Copiously illustrated with photographs (black-and-white), the majority by the author; those which are not, are appropriately credited. Works quirky in certain ways; but in the main, for me, fascinating -- and painfully nostalgic in the "for things which one never knew first-hand" sense.

The Ireland book was published before its counterpart: I will therefore write of it first. (I have previously posted material concerning this book, on these Forums; in a thread in "Railway History and Nostalgia", titled "Bags" and "Misses"" on the Irish narrow gauge: OP by myself, 17 / 4 / 2019.)

With its being established that JB was pre-eminently a "narrow gauge man" -- though interested in wider-gauge rail doings too -- the Ireland book is very heavily weighted toward the 3ft. gauge. One has to feel that for someone born in 1921, JB did amazingly well as regards the range of Irish narrow gauge which he experienced at first hand: this embracing more than half of the n/g lines / systems which ever operated on that island (some of those which he did "get in the bag", admittedly he did so varying between partially, and vestigially). Broad-gauge journeys do feature, but mainly in a context of travelling between 3ft. gauge delights. The only 5ft. 3in. gauge venue which he covers in depth in the book, is the West Cork -- formerly Cork, Bandon & South Coast -- system. One might be pardoned for speculating that -- Boyd being Boyd -- thanks to this undertaking's being largely self-contained and functioning in a "local", while long-distance, context, traversing scenically beautiful, marginal regions: he tacitly awarded it honorary narrow-gauge status. One divines from the chapter on the West Cork, that he explored the system extensively on various visits to the area in the course of essentially the 1950s, and took delight in it; even spending some time following, and travelling on, demolition trains (still steam-worked) on the more easterly part of the system in 1962. (He was not in time to know the 3ft. gauge Schull & Skibbereen in action; but saw it in 1953, with locos still dumped at Skibbereen, and with track in situ throughout -- he walked the track / adjoining road, all the way to Schull.)

JB's most splendid Irish "coup" as per the book, I feel has to be his odyssey in summer 1939, while staying with a school friend in Portadown. He did a couple of days' "out-and-back": Great Northern Railway (Ireland) broad gauge Portadown -- Omagh -- Strabane; Co. Donegal Joint Committee, Strabane -- Letterkenny (this run by railcar); then, the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway's evening mixed train Letterkenny -- Burtonport. This particular bit of tour, wondrous to do but not altogether pleasant: the train's coaching stock was badly run-down and somewhat disagreeable to travel in. Late running -- late arrival (well after dark) at Burtonport. Night at Burtonport in informal "B & B" accommodation; off again on the L&LS's morning departure, on which he travelled all the way to Londonderry via Letterkenny and Tooban Junction (conditions overall considerably better on this run, than the previous evening). Back to Portadown by GNR(I) broad gauge, essentially as per previous day. He was in the very nick of time for the Letterkenny & Burtonport Extension: less than a year later, its westernmost section would close for good. The rest of the Extension got a few years' lease of life owing to World War II conditions; but -- again, thanks to that particular "international spot of bother" -- JB was to have no chance for hoped-for return to Ireland, until most of ten years had gone by.

When he had the chance once again to visit Ireland, fortune favoured him here (as one feels in the nicest possible way, that it did unfairly often in his life !): his job entailed fairly frequent trips in the course of business, to Northern Ireland -- which trips usually gave him the chance to build in a bit of gricing. Concerning the L&LSR: he was able to get plenty of action on its "core" sections -- Londonderry to Letterkenny, and Buncrana -- which survived until 1953 (in the main freight-only, except that all freight trains included a brake-third coach: in which passengers could travel on payment of fare, so long as they realised what they were letting themselves in for). Other interesting N.I. material which did not long survive WWII, is mentioned. JB touches tantalisingly briefly, on a look taken in spring 1948, at the then (5ft. 3in.) Belfast & County Down Railway at its Queens Quay station in Belfast. That system has always fascinated me -- not least because of the to me, heartbreakingly early abandonment of nearly all of it (first months of 1950) by the new Ulster Transport Authority. The text would seem to suggest that JB -- narrow-gauge buff to the core -- didn't travel on the B&CD; but briefly looked around, took some pictures, and then headed off to the narrow gauge at Ballymena / Ballycastle. Well -- I was "in utero" then, and not in a position to offer him wise advice.

I find it a bit interesting that JB in the Ireland book, makes no mention -- for good or ill -- of the 3ft. gauge Giants' Causeway Tramway: which ran until the end of the 1949 summer season -- seemingly, a good chance of his visiting it had he so wished. This line was, of course, electric. It is clear from the Great Britain / Man book, that JB did not automatically abominate electric traction; one feels that if he had visited the "Causeway Tram", his not including it in the book, is inconceivable. Likely -- in the light of higher priorities, he just couldn't get there in time ...

Thoughts on the Great Britain / Man one, to follow -- trying to give readers a bit of a break ! There would seem to be some likelihood, though, of the Forums' "thread sequence mechanism" merging the yet-to-be-written GB / Man post, with the above Ireland one ...

My father-in-law wrote this about James Boyd with a eulogy by Patrick Keef and a quote from Railway World

 

[Calthrop]

@bspahh: thank you for the linked-to; has given hitherto unimagined insights, and increased my respect -- re someone whom I already much respected.

Boyd's Saga By Rail: Great Britain and the Isle of Man -- much fascinating material contained; but with considerable basic differences from his Irish companion volume. That one was pretty-much linked by an ongoing theme throughout -- the 3ft. gauge. In contrast, Great Britain / Man -- of very similar length and general format -- appears highly eclectic / almost random in content. (No adverse criticism meant here: it was JB's book, he could put in it whatever he wished.)

Much told of in the book, over the general period 1921 -- late '60s. Truly "broad-brush"; as befitting JB's greatest rail passion, a good deal about the public and at least erstwhile passenger, narrow gauge: a fair sweep of the Welsh n/g -- re Talyllyn and Ffestiniog, mostly about their post-commercial-railway eras. Also, concerning the Isle of Man Railway ("Steam" variety of -- for whatever reason, no mention at all of the Manx Electric / Snaefell) -- including the situation involving the IOMR's hostile Managing Director, who regarded railway enthusiasts as enemies to be thwarted, not kindred spirits to be welcomed; his attitude and actions considerably impeded JB's work on his history of the IOMR. And, assorted chapters about experiences of the national public rail network circa 1925 -- 50 (for me, full of interest, and nostalgic in both senses): reflecting where the author happened in the main to be, in his youth / young manhood, thus mainly in the northerly / westerly / south-westerly parts of Great Britain -- "south-westerly", from his secondary schooling having been at Blandford Forum, Dorset. Plus, assorted almost "lucky dip" pieces on varied specialised industrial / institutional rail undertakings, across which JB happened in course of his life's doings: Snailbeach / the 3ft. gauge, long electric, Woodhead reservoirs tramway / Whittingham Hospital / the Manchester Ship Canal's railway.

All, for sure, interesting; as with the Irish volume, copiously illustrated with black-and-white photographs; the large majority by JB or from his collection -- credited to the taker, where that is not the case. A to me, aspect of some interest -- whilst World War II; in which JB served throughout in the Army; as learned from @bspahh's linked item, his service confined for medical reasons, to this country -- restricted the author to Great Britain plus the Isle of Man: he seemingly got plenty of "railwaying" action during those years, when on leave from military service. A matter of which I'm ignorant (my parents were of the WWII generation; but they died relatively young; they didn't talk much about their wartime experiences; and as a kid, I wasn't very interested anyway): but one figures that anyway, if one's military service was Britain-land-based, "leave of absence" was quite plentiful. (Fine -- pleasant to reckon that 1939 -- 45 was not actually non-stop hell and torment for everyone involved; depended of course, on where you happened to live.)

Both books, fascinating "reads, and looks". Very much -- JICB: RIP.

 

[bspahh]

This is the "Bags" and "Misses" thread

"Bags" and "Misses" on the Irish narrow gauge

rogerfarnworth's recently-posted material in "Railway History and Nostalgia" concerning the West Clare Railway, has prompted me to a few reflections. (All that follows, pertains to things in the Irish Republic; but I trust that there is sufficient "wiggle room" to allow this post to appear in...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Calthrop]

This is the "Bags" and "Misses" thread

"Bags" and "Misses" on the Irish narrow gauge

rogerfarnworth's recently-posted material in "Railway History and Nostalgia" concerning the West Clare Railway, has prompted me to a few reflections. (All that follows, pertains to things in the Irish Republic; but I trust that there is sufficient "wiggle room" to allow this post to appear in...

www.railforums.co.uk

Thanks -- I'm one of the world's most computer-clueless computer-users; any attempt here by me to link to a thread, inevitably goes "up the Swanee".

 

[nanstallon]

I know that nobody wants old magazines, but is there any market for very old ones?

I have Railway Magazines from 1904 onwards, more or less complete from mid 1925 to the end of 1963. I am minded to recycle the lot, but don't want to destroy material that someone else would appreciate. They are way too heavy for me to hawk around steam railway sites, only to find they don't want them anyway. If they are worth anything, then I'm sure my local steam railway would be far happier with the cash!

 

[Gloster]

I know that nobody wants old magazines, but is there any market for very old ones?

I have Railway Magazines from 1904 onwards, more or less complete from mid 1925 to the end of 1963. I am minded to recycle the lot, but don't want to destroy material that someone else would appreciate. They are way too heavy for me to hawk around steam railway sites, only to find they don't want them anyway. If they are worth anything, then I'm sure my local steam railway would be far happier with the cash!

Try advertising through RM itself: there probably is a market for magazines as old as that. The problem is that the preserved lines are overflowing with copies of Steam Monthly/Weekly/Daily/Hourly.

 

[Taunton]

My father-in-law wrote this about James Boyd

There was no petrol in those days and we were obliged to travel overnight to Machynlleth by train. It was a rotten journey, with several changes in the small hours, but we reached Machynlleth at 6.30 a.m. to spend a full day on the Corris. At that time it was running on three days a week

Interesting all those who wrote about the final days of the Corris, because George Behrend, in Gone With Regret, describes a comparable journey on it, as what he suspects was the last passenger before service was abandoned when the bridge over the Dyfi collapsed. In Behrend's usual well-written style, more about the atmosphere and the personalities than about the loco's valve gear ...

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

@Calthrop Very good. Does he mention the miniature railway at Colwall?

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I know that nobody wants old magazines, but is there any market for very old ones?

I have Railway Magazines from 1904 onwards, more or less complete from mid 1925 to the end of 1963. I am minded to recycle the lot, but don't want to destroy material that someone else would appreciate. They are way too heavy for me to hawk around steam railway sites, only to find they don't want them anyway. If they are worth anything, then I'm sure my local steam railway would be far happier with the cash!

It might be worth asking the RM themselves if they're interested?

 

[Western Sunset]

I've just received a copy of "Control of the Railways" by Philip Burtt (George Allen & Unwin, 1926). There's a special feel and smell about holding a book of this age, apart from the actual contents. It's always interesting to see the name of a former owner inside too. In this case a J A Carney in 1952. I wonder who he was?

 

[bspahh]

I know that nobody wants old magazines, but is there any market for very old ones?

I have Railway Magazines from 1904 onwards, more or less complete from mid 1925 to the end of 1963. I am minded to recycle the lot, but don't want to destroy material that someone else would appreciate. They are way too heavy for me to hawk around steam railway sites, only to find they don't want them anyway. If they are worth anything, then I'm sure my local steam railway would be far happier with the cash!

You could try Robert Humm in Stamford

Runs of the Railway Magazine

 

[Calthrop]

@Calthrop Very good. Does he mention the miniature railway at Colwall?

Only briefly and incidentally -- reminiscences in the GB / Man book about his schooling in adolescence, at Bryanston School at Blandford Forum; but none re his prep-school years at the Downs School, Colwall. The glancing reference to that establishment's miniature line, comes in his chapter on volunteering on the Talyllyn in that line's early preservation days. It worked out that he was paired as loco crew with a chap who was a skilled engineman, but was said to be rather grouchy and hard to get on with. JB thus felt somewhat apprehensive; but in initial chat on first meeting this gentleman, it came out that JB had been at the Downs with its miniature railway. Hearing this, delighted the other guy; who had at the same time, been a pupil at a neighbouring prep school -- henceforth, JB and he got on like a house on fire.

 

[Taunton]

It might be worth asking the RM themselves if they're interested?

I believe the Railway Magazine have put the whole lot of back issues on a website, but it is only accessible to current subscribers.

Trains Magazine in the USA did similar, and put their full back number set onto DVD, but never got round to this until DVDs were going out of fashion, I tried one (they were in 5-year chunks) and the interface is a bit clunky.

Must say that if Ian Allan, who I believe still have the copyright to their past issues of all their onetime magazines, put the whole lot out electronically they would find a good market for them if done well, and many could then discard their old print copies (this one appeals to Mrs Taunton )

By chance I encountered Philip Sherratt, editor of Modern Railways, on Crossrail opening day, casually remarked I had loads of his back magazines in the attic, and he said so did so many others - they were regularly approached, often alas by executors, with questions for what to do with them. Well the publishers don't want them.

 

[Ilovetrains43]

I recommend the following books: Rolling Stock Review 2022-2023, RAIL GUIDE 2022, RAIL123 2022-2023 and Locomotive Directory

 

[Calthrop]

Something of an unexpected recent discovery: The Trains Now Departed by Michael Williams. I was aware of Mr. Williams as the author of On The Slow Train and On The Slow Train Again: reading of which, personal prejudices had set me against; they are essentially about doings on Britain's national rail network at the present day, which I find -- even in the most delectable corners thereof -- wearisome (personal "take", and so much the worse for me). Recently got, on a whim at a charity shop, ...Now Departed: found it much more to the liking of sentimentalist obscurantist railfan me, than have figured this chap's Slow Train... books likely to be.

Going by this book, Williams is no Jack Simmons or Tim Dunn: his "thing" is appreciating, in a non-scholarly and (I don't think he'd disagree) basically fairly shallow way, the delights of various aspects of railways in times gone by. By my reckoning, the guy writes beautifully -- he's a poet-in-prose, as is for my money, my supreme favourite -- and also, "sentimental rather than highly learned" -- railway author, Bryan Morgan (Williams quotes from Morgan's writings at several points in ...Now Departed) -- Williams's being thus, in a different mode from Morgan's; whom he, happily, does not try to imitate -- a couple of railfan writers, admirers of Morgan, have attempted to ape his style -- can't be done: Morgan was "one of a kind".

...Now Departed is quite a substantial tome in terms of sheer "heft" -- sixteen chapters, of fair length. About half are devoted to wistfully recalling an eclectic mix of systems / lines in Great Britain, which are no more (with the exception of the Waverley route, its northern part amazingly restored to life); roughly the other half, on a wide variety of more general impressive / highly likeable aspects of our country's railway past, now lost or very largely so. The most enjoyable of those for me: is the one which wonderfully evokes the delights, fascinations, and oddities of the London -- Paris via Dunkerque Night Ferry service, particularly in its late-1940s-to-1950s palmy days (and I'd had no idea that the Night Ferry had come into being only in 1936).

The author and I would seem to share a weakness for "fringe" railways which in a more sensible world, would probably not have existed. Among the chapters, as mentioned above, about particular lines / systems: there feature several such, told of with affection and relish, but also with more than a dash of "what the heck were the perpetrators thinking of?" One outfit thus treated, is the Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction system; with particular emphasis on the tragi-comedy of its precarious and penurious career before the Grouping. There is another splendid chapter, devoted to the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire -- generally reckoned the maddest constituent of Colonel Stephens's mad empire. And another one, with love and sadness in plenty, about the Lynton & Barnstaple: mourning the line's loss, but not glossing over its considerable flaws as serious public transport; with thoughts of its having come into being too late in the day (though "hindsight is 20/20", etc.).

I can recommend The Trains Now Departed, to anyone with something like my slant on the hobby: sentimental and nostalgic "wibble" -- to borrow a word from a poster on these Forums whose watchword is common sense -- rather than oriented toward seriously scholarly / technical material (unless, re such folk, for recreation / relaxation vis-a-vis the erudite stuff).

 

[Iskra]

I agree that these are very enjoyable books.

I'm currently reading a non-railway history book (although they do get a mention), about food supply in World War Two which is interesting. After that I will be moving on to 'Britain's Railways in the Second World War,' by Michael Foley.

 

[Iskra]

Something of an unexpected recent discovery: The Trains Now Departed by Michael Williams. I was aware of Mr. Williams as the author of On The Slow Train and On The Slow Train Again: reading of which, personal prejudices had set me against; they are essentially about doings on Britain's national rail network at the present day, which I find -- even in the most delectable corners thereof -- wearisome (personal "take", and so much the worse for me). Recently got, on a whim at a charity shop, ...Now Departed: found it much more to the liking of sentimentalist obscurantist railfan me, than have figured this chap's Slow Train... books likely to be.

Going by this book, Williams is no Jack Simmons or Tim Dunn: his "thing" is appreciating, in a non-scholarly and (I don't think he'd disagree) basically fairly shallow way, the delights of various aspects of railways in times gone by. By my reckoning, the guy writes beautifully -- he's a poet-in-prose, as is for my money, my supreme favourite -- and also, "sentimental rather than highly learned" -- railway author, Bryan Morgan (Williams quotes from Morgan's writings at several points in ...Now Departed) -- Williams's being thus, in a different mode from Morgan's; whom he, happily, does not try to imitate -- a couple of railfan writers, admirers of Morgan, have attempted to ape his style -- can't be done: Morgan was "one of a kind".

...Now Departed is quite a substantial tome in terms of sheer "heft" -- sixteen chapters, of fair length. About half are devoted to wistfully recalling an eclectic mix of systems / lines in Great Britain, which are no more (with the exception of the Waverley route, its northern part amazingly restored to life); roughly the other half, on a wide variety of more general impressive / highly likeable aspects of our country's railway past, now lost or very largely so. The most enjoyable of those for me: is the one which wonderfully evokes the delights, fascinations, and oddities of the London -- Paris via Dunkerque Night Ferry service, particularly in its late-1940s-to-1950s palmy days (and I'd had no idea that the Night Ferry had come into being only in 1936).

The author and I would seem to share a weakness for "fringe" railways which in a more sensible world, would probably not have existed. Among the chapters, as mentioned above, about particular lines / systems: there feature several such, told of with affection and relish, but also with more than a dash of "what the heck were the perpetrators thinking of?" One outfit thus treated, is the Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction system; with particular emphasis on the tragi-comedy of its precarious and penurious career before the Grouping. There is another splendid chapter, devoted to the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire -- generally reckoned the maddest constituent of Colonel Stephens's mad empire. And another one, with love and sadness in plenty, about the Lynton & Barnstaple: mourning the line's loss, but not glossing over its considerable flaws as serious public transport; with thoughts of its having come into being too late in the day (though "hindsight is 20/20", etc.).

I can recommend The Trains Now Departed, to anyone with something like my slant on the hobby: sentimental and nostalgic "wibble" -- to borrow a word from a poster on these Forums whose watchword is common sense -- rather than oriented toward seriously scholarly / technical material (unless, re such folk, for recreation / relaxation vis-a-vis the erudite stuff).

 

[Calthrop]

I agree that these are very enjoyable books.

I'm currently reading a non-railway history book (although they do get a mention), about food supply in World War Two which is interesting. After that I will be moving on to 'Britain's Railways in the Second World War,' by Michael Foley.

I understand that Michael Williams has, also, written a book on the theme of Britain's railways in WW2 -- Steaming to Victory. Not sure whether I want to investigate this one: I tend to be ambivalent about "railways in wartime" stuff.

 

[Iskra]

I understand that Michael Williams has, also, written a book on the theme of Britain's railways in WW2 -- Steaming to Victory. Not sure whether I want to investigate this one: I tend to be ambivalent about "railways in wartime" stuff.

It’s my first foray into the topic too, so I will see how I get on before deciding whether to explore further. Thanks for bringing that to my attention though

 

[htafc]

Something of an unexpected recent discovery: The Trains Now Departed by Michael Williams. I was aware of Mr. Williams as the author of On The Slow Train and On The Slow Train Again: reading of which, personal prejudices had set me against; they are essentially about doings on Britain's national rail network at the present day, which I find -- even in the most delectable corners thereof -- wearisome (personal "take", and so much the worse for me). Recently got, on a whim at a charity shop, ...Now Departed: found it much more to the liking of sentimentalist obscurantist railfan me, than have figured this chap's Slow Train... books likely to be.

Going by this book, Williams is no Jack Simmons or Tim Dunn: his "thing" is appreciating, in a non-scholarly and (I don't think he'd disagree) basically fairly shallow way, the delights of various aspects of railways in times gone by. By my reckoning, the guy writes beautifully -- he's a poet-in-prose, as is for my money, my supreme favourite -- and also, "sentimental rather than highly learned" -- railway author, Bryan Morgan (Williams quotes from Morgan's writings at several points in ...Now Departed) -- Williams's being thus, in a different mode from Morgan's; whom he, happily, does not try to imitate -- a couple of railfan writers, admirers of Morgan, have attempted to ape his style -- can't be done: Morgan was "one of a kind".

...Now Departed is quite a substantial tome in terms of sheer "heft" -- sixteen chapters, of fair length. About half are devoted to wistfully recalling an eclectic mix of systems / lines in Great Britain, which are no more (with the exception of the Waverley route, its northern part amazingly restored to life); roughly the other half, on a wide variety of more general impressive / highly likeable aspects of our country's railway past, now lost or very largely so. The most enjoyable of those for me: is the one which wonderfully evokes the delights, fascinations, and oddities of the London -- Paris via Dunkerque Night Ferry service, particularly in its late-1940s-to-1950s palmy days (and I'd had no idea that the Night Ferry had come into being only in 1936).

The author and I would seem to share a weakness for "fringe" railways which in a more sensible world, would probably not have existed. Among the chapters, as mentioned above, about particular lines / systems: there feature several such, told of with affection and relish, but also with more than a dash of "what the heck were the perpetrators thinking of?" One outfit thus treated, is the Stratford-upon-Avon & Midland Junction system; with particular emphasis on the tragi-comedy of its precarious and penurious career before the Grouping. There is another splendid chapter, devoted to the Shropshire & Montgomeryshire -- generally reckoned the maddest constituent of Colonel Stephens's mad empire. And another one, with love and sadness in plenty, about the Lynton & Barnstaple: mourning the line's loss, but not glossing over its considerable flaws as serious public transport; with thoughts of its having come into being too late in the day (though "hindsight is 20/20", etc.).

I can recommend The Trains Now Departed, to anyone with something like my slant on the hobby: sentimental and nostalgic "wibble" -- to borrow a word from a poster on these Forums whose watchword is common sense -- rather than oriented toward seriously scholarly / technical material (unless, re such folk, for recreation / relaxation vis-a-vis the erudite stuff).

Thank you for this excellent review. I had seen this book in the bookshops and may consider putting it on the Christmas list now...!

 

[Calthrop]

I'd certainly (as have done !) recommend it -- I feel that the guy writes beautifully. As mentioned: just not sure that quality of his writing would, personally, reconcile me (temporarily) to his other themes.

 

[MisterSheeps]

I like books written by people who worked on the railways ... what comes across is that the hours were long & hard, conditions difficult, but there was a pride in the job and a sense of service wholly lacking from modern careers.

My favourites are :

Signalmans Twilight, by Adrian Vaughan, who worked at Challow (between Didcot & Swindon).

The 4 volume RCTS The Great Northern Railway in the East Midlands, by Alfred Henshaw, a fascinatingly complete detailed line history, construction, & operations guide that others (e.g. Oakwoood & Middleton presses) come no where near emulating.

The BR Steam Operating District Controllers View books, especially No. 6 The Peak District by M Bentley, Xpress Publishing, about operations on the Midland line through Millers Dale, and the Hope Valley routes. The ones on the Somerset & Dorset, M & GN, and GC Marylebone to Rugby are also very informative.

Anything in the Foxline or later Booklaw reprinted Scenes From The Past series, many photos, amusing anecdotes.

The series by Eric Tonks, The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands, about ironstone quarrying in the Jurassic Limestone outcrop, fascinating industrial railways.

Lastly, Head of Steam by Raymond Flint, an autobiographical account of footplate work from Scarborough (oddly called Castlebrough in the book).

 

[Iskra]

Can anyone by any chance recommend a history book that covers the St Pancras-Glasgow Sleeper in a reasonable level of detail please?

 

[D6130]

Can anyone by any chance recommend a history book that covers the St Pancras-Glasgow Sleeper in a reasonable level of detail please?

'The Midland Railway - North of Leeds' by Peter E. Baughan (David & Charles, 1966) contains a fair amount of detail referring to overnight services on the Leeds-Carlisle section of the route....with alterations to the timings of both Edinburgh and Glasgow services over the years. I have a copy if you would like to borrow it at the next forum meal which we both attend. Otherwise, we could meet in a pub somewhere midway between our respective places of residence.